Arc #2 Gathering of Light & Darkness.
Boarder of Fotia & Gaia
Boarder of Fotia & Gaia
The suns breakthrough gave a glimmer of a new day to all those who lived on the Edafos. The glimmer of twilight that grew brighter by the minute began to illuminate the scorched and torn battlefields that hosted the bloodied corpses of the fallen. Scattered bodies were lifted and tossed to pits with pitchforks and spears. The morning cleanup began and the paths to trade routes and the like were soon to be reopened and met with new securing force by way of soldiers patrolling the wide and quiet roads.
A blessing for those who feared travel but a curse on their resources as a heavier tax was given to pay for the soldiers. Many new slaves were made from the constant fighting the night and the earlier night before brought as most nomadic villages and towns made by the hard work of noncitizens and citizens alike were burned to the ground. Recapturing these heaps of rubble were now the task of mercenaries and few willing soldiers, including noncitizens who fought to reclaim their homes. It was the morning light that gave signal to these few to reclaim what was lost.
But few cultists remained in such locations and there were hardly a battle to be won. Reclaimed land was most of what it was. The rest were corpses of their loved ones, the ones that lived outside the capitals had their women and children slain before them or worse. All this brutality in the attempt to please the one the cultists worshipped.
A prayer that their goals never meet fruition was embroidered in every heart. The bodies of the innocent were strung up with ropes and pierced with both small and large wooden objects. Other mutilations were done in ways that required countless hours and tedious work. A fear for their brutality was now known throughout the Edafos.
“Get that fire started! We won’t be late for this organized meeting between lords. If we do you might not like what happens to your job!” A booming voice echoed over several men and women all dressed with the same dirty attire. They moved about the interior of a giant machine that hosted nobles of Fotia with elegant foods and workers keeping it all together.
Steam emitted from its sides as workers shoveled coal into boiling containers. Hot air rose and filled large pill like balloons with heated air. The captain of the ship had his hand on a rod that held a gem on its tip. It connected to the ground and a aura could be seen surrounding his body. A Fotian man he was and was shirtless as he whistled along an old Fotian tune sang in bars.
The captain’s voice echoed once more as he spoke into a device within his free hand that was connected to a large tube that went into the walls and down to the lower floors. “Alright..” He grinned. “Lift off.” The Airship lifted into the air from a highpoint in the capital of Fotia. Within the ship sat the king Magnixx and many other royals that had great importance within Fotia.
The ship rose itself into the sky and met the rising sun as it headed for Vrondi. It was after the ship was well away from the volcanic rims of Fotia did the recognition by many royals, whom peered out the glass frames, did they see the colossal size of a dragon covered in what appeared to be stone, like a living mountain side. It soared with its massive all encompassing wings high above the Edafos. If it were not for the clouds below it it would cast a shadow beneath a wide radius below.
Flying about the beast were smaller dragons being ridden by Gaian knights of the elite order. The knights were many as they effortlessly flew about the giant dragon on their own. Atop the giant dragon was their queen and she sat within a dome like structure on the beasts back that almost seemed to have a complete infrastructure. She was seen emerging from the doors of this dome on the back of her glistening dragon.
The dragon’s eyes narrowed on the horizon line and marched forward with careful forward steps that displayed elegance within the violent whirling winds The Queen herself was garmented in a delicately jeweled white garment that revealed the translucent scales over her fair flesh. The beast she rode expanded its wings and caught the winds. It barreled to the side before the wind around it became visible as the trails of cloud it left behind it a loud burst that sent it flying forward and reaching the mass of the giant head of the dragons they rode upright on.
“Always one to be a part of a spectacle when it comes to dragons.” Scoffed the baritone voice of a man confident in himself enough to swiftly mention distaste for the Queens display. It was none other than Magnixx. His voice oozed with amusement that lightened the mood for the royals that stood about the banquet floor nearest to him. His attire resembled his usual shirtless form but he had gold carefully stationed around his shoulders and his pants were nearly glistening with woven silks and jewels placed carefully to resemble armor that hugged his calves. In his hand sat a cup which he held vicariously. Around his shoulders and across his body was a red cloth and on his forehead was the symbol of the dragon slayers. His arms had the familiar tattoo bestowed upon the king of Fotia.
Magnixx let the glow of the rising sun meet his eyes as he peered through the windows of the ship on the far walls. The light engulfed him as he met lips with a silver cup with red liquid within. He lowered the cup to a plate held by a servant standing to his side with a single hand underneath the plate to keep it balanced. This servant wore attire similar to a elite soldier of the royal order, fully attired and equipped with a spear on his back.
He stood firmly to the King’s side holding the silver cup and plate with eyes set on the same vastness of the Edafos that was laid out before them. “It seems all will be taking this opportunity to display their riches and advancements. Such a shame the Queen of Gaia chooses to arrive on Dragons. How vile.” Muttered a Fotian royal who waved himself with a fan made of paper and designed like an angel’s wing. He spoke to another similar to himself but both were a little ways to the side.
It was the grit of his teeth and the tension in his shoulders that gave away the fact Magnixx heard the comment from the royal. With a slow turn of his head he aimed to gaze upon his target, a rage boiling within him. But the gentle white gloves of the spear wielding servant touched Magnixx upon the shoulder. “Sire. I do not wish to tell you what to do. But it was you that informed me none must know of the feelings you harbor.” With a pause Magnixx turned to look at his servant who slowly removed his hand from Magnixx. Both meeting gazes and Magnixx giving in. He returned to the window and the dancing dragons the Queen Allo Niscent had performing aerial acrobatics.
The Fotian Kings look was less amused now and more scorned with drooping eyelids, a vast difference from the Queen who smiled ear to ear as she spiraled about the massive stalagmites that were the scales of the dragon her people rode upon. She was followed by her elites who rode various dragons that were expert flyers. The wind was nothing but paths to ride upon as the Queen led the way creating wind tunnels they all rode upon effortlessly avoiding the pillars of the Dragon’s back. The Queen reached the eye of the beast and waved to it before spiraling off in front of it. The roar that could be heard from the beast echoed over almost the entire Edafos.
The return of the Queen was met with applause as she entered the lifted stone doorway with her dragon walking beside her. Her hand was lifted to its side as she strutted and wiped her face with a white cloth equipped to her free hand as she approached a throne. She sat upon the stone throne after applying her heels to the surface of a red carpet and many stairs. She had both hands placed on the arm rests and smirked as she watched the excited expressions of her royal compatriots.
She placed both hands together and clapped and the crowd grew more silent. “I’m glad you all enjoyed the display. Our humble dragoons, the knights that guard the skies, have taken part in this upon my request. All funding for our soldiers is very necessary as they are the most capable of handling any major threat to our capital.” She leaned back more as she spoke and remained smiling with a slight glimmer in her eye like a plot was unfolding to her liking.
Tearianaris: West of Town “Tidal”
The center of this structure was filled to the brim with water. It failed to seep through as the occupants inside swam about and moved objects around with little effort making good use of the lack of gravity. The Magoi knew it was not the water allowing their free movement about the interior of the vessel but their Queen, Tydra Nept. The Magoi remained as keepers of the core that guided this contraption on its path. They were below the sphere of water that vibrated with the booms that were timed to a rhythm from a large black orb that had a lighting surface with every touch a man did with his fingers tapping it swiftly yet tirelessly.
He wore a goggled helmet on his head and bubbles escaped from a tank strapped to his back. It was clear he was not a Lassa and yet he made effortless movements beneath the water with his hands. His feet were lifted up and almost seemed to want to float up without him. But as he tapped away his fingers seemed to make him remain like glue. Green lights, red, blue, pink, purple, and all of their spectrums flashed rapidly as he seemed to be vigorously trying to do something. It was clear to only those who knew of the secrets of Tearian technology. He was manipulating the sounds with his fingers and though they were nothing more than sounds they intertwined with the voice of a Lassa woman who stood within a cage.
Though her voice was fair and elegant she was darkened by a velvet curtain that did not show her form beyond her silhouette. She stood within the cage above the man who gripped the sphere. It was after the noises began to reach a higher vibration and her voice grew soft did the Lassa royals within the aquatic sphere swim about in abandon. The music seemed to slowly place them into a trance that took them in spirals that took no consideration of what was land or sky. Beneath the waters one would be standing face to face with another with feet dangled in opposite directions. The voice of the man could be heard as the Tearian form of music continued to blare loudly within the water dome.
Many Lassa danced within the sphere displaying their beauty and elegance. This was all to prepare for the meeting of royals and the underlying desire to show all who lives more luxuriously.
Above it all was the Queen. At her sides were two royal guards who dressed in skin tight black attire with no weapons or armor as most soldiers did. One was male and another female, both young but the male was clearly older. They appeared to be Lassa, just as the queen and stood on her left and right sides. Both shared the blue scales and moist skin of a Lassa. The female was amused and the male looked a bit stern. On both of their hips was a device with a barrel and glowing streaks running down the barrels.
The queen was adorned in countless jewels and a head ornament that resembled every the shells and fins of the creatures of the deep but the colors were mixed together in countless dazzling arrays. Two long beaded ear rings dangled with large sapphire jewels placed carefully within. Her dress was long white with a hint of green and blue. It flowed with a waving like appearance and became multicolored with the suns early rays much akin to the delicate angel fish of the ocean.
Her sleeves were even elongated to cover her entire hand. She lifted a hand that was engulfed by the sleeve to her meticulously manicured face, aquamarine lipstick and pink blush on her cheeks. Her lashes were long and sparkled with small silver glinting droplets as she blinked. The Queen looked near to yawn but only held her sleeve over her lips and mouth. “It’s so boring having to be Queen. Sorry you two have to babysit me while I’m covered like this.” She spoke in a friendly tone to the two next to her.
They were high above the dome within the circular stadium like ship that floated slowly a mile above the highest trees that led to Vrondis territory. The two beside her looked to her, one smiling ear to ear and the other nodding solemnly. “My Queen. It is an honor to be at your side!” The man bowed with a serious composure.
The girl simply chuckled a bit as she let out a “No Problem!” To which the man looked to her. “Do not address the Queen in such a manner!” His voice rising in pitch. Tydra was smiling beneath her sleeve and let out a chuckle as her shoulders shifted up and down inadvertently. “C’mon! This again?” The girl twisted her smile to say. All while eye rolling and looking more antagonized, a groan rattling in her vocal delivery. The bickering of the two amused the Queen for a while as she took her mind off of her responsibilities for just a little while.
Tydra being covered in adornments made her stand out beyond any other royal and being the only other female Queen next to Allo she was pressed by her royal dressers to make her beauty rival the Niscent bloodline. She was quite fair Tydra, but she was cautious beneath the attire and could not flow with natural beauty like Allo. At least this was what she told her closest companions who stood before her, bickering. She decided to calm the situation with a loud clearing of her throat.
"Now, now.. in private we may be cordial. But I agree on such a day we must be as strict and polished as possible." Both nodded in agreement. Tydra ruled her head with a grin emerging on her lips. "It's so good to see you two working together." They both turned their heads the opposite direction of each other when she said this. This act made her chuckle more behind her sleeve. It was not very Queenly to be seen smiling as she does so often in the presence of her closest friends as she was told by royal advisors of previous queens and kings over Tearia.
East of Twilight town
The dark side of the Edafos was now illuminated with light that showed its untouched swamps and decayed life. It was this way quite often within the land of Nero. Death lingered about its vast hostile territories. As one passed to the boarder and beyond the town of twilight one would find the lush greenery to be an inviting change to the drooping wildlands. The more outward beauty of Vrondis territory was no more a sense of taste or preference. The mushrooms and vigorous plants of Nero made beauty not often seen outside of it.
It was this beauty that was held within the black painted hands of a Nero royal. Her face was veiled with a see through black dotted adornment and beside her was a narrowed effeminate chinned Nero man with a mask over his eyes that adorned his head similar to a crown. Within the hands of the fair pale skinned Nero woman was a jar which held a mushroom. In the dark it glowed a green hue that glittered on its many splotches. The glow reflected upon her black dress and the light gray designs.
The man next to her wore black leather top and bottom with silver plates elegantly molded on and into the attire. The black and silver made many appearances within his attire. Pointed boot ends and silver clawed gloved hands. Shoulders and knees given the shape of armor despite the spirals they made on the edges that intertwined within the fabric. The leather appeared very similar to large scales. It was indeed royal attire forged from basilisk hide.
The carriage that brought the two past twilight was surrounded by shadowed warriors riding black steeds. These beasts had flowing white hair and red eyes. The warriors were scaled with sleek black leather made clearly from basilisk hide. Their eyes were pearl white orbs that gave the same pupiless appearance of the blind. Each soldier had a black bandana that swayed in the breeze. The man within the black carriage had on his shoulder a red symbol for the Dolofon. He raised his head revealing a red glimmer of light that escaped his eyes beneath the helmet adornment on his head.
The carriage was soon met with another visitor. Rising from the shadows within the carriage was an elegantly dressed Nero man. Roses of red and black adorned his attire from the ends of his black sleeves to the collar around his neck that lowered to reveal his chest. Slender he was he bowed gracefully to the man and the woman alike. "All is prepared for your arrival me Lord. I have made sure of it, any mishaps will be the Vrondians doing. Or the other kingdoms..." He smiled as he spoke. His eyes not moving in th dark to find a reaction.
He stood still as the man before him sat back and crossed a leg over the other. "Very well. Is that all?" A confidently elegant yet stern voice of The adorned man spoke. He did not attempt to place eyes on the man either. Instead all remained forward facing as they spoke. "All seems to be well." The rose pedaled man spoke, his light hearted tone was contrast to the eerie silence between the man he spoke to and the woman.
This man he spoke with was Sleeth Mythue, the king of Nero. Next to him was his closest kin and seer of fate, Lady Theama of the Mythue bloodline. She was raised from a young age to be a seer and user of the mystic arts. A school of manifestation and manipulation that were often off limits or forbidden by other schools including the Magoi. To see the future was what an ultimate assassin demanded and that was what the Nero people have had for their reign.
"You may go." With those words spoken the man faded to black and the king sat next to his sister with an air of boredom washing over the Kings demeanor as he placed hand to cheek and awaited the arrival to the Vrondi capital. Theama turned to her brother with the jar held out. "I sense this will be a miracle for all descended kind. This day may mark the day we no longer reside in the dark. Our riches will be realised.." Her tender voice spoke at length with a smile planted on her lips.
Sleeth did little to react and merely remained as he were, silent and unmoving. She returned the jar to her lap and kept her hidden gaze upon it. "I'm glad. If not for us then the future of our kind." A scoff could be heard from Sleeth as he sucked his fangs. "To be a part of the others is a dream, not a prediction." His voice was bleak. The King saw the others as cattle more often than equals. A bloodied glass met his lips after he lifted it from a silver plate. "I have no place for dreams."
His reply was met with silence as the smile on Theamas face slowly faded. "I'll dream... for the both of us then." She softly let out as she held the jar closer to her. A desire to be one with the outside world was brightly shining within the shadows of the carriage walls. A small smile could be seen on the face of the king after she spoke.
Vrondi Capital
The sun was rising. So did most of towns people of Vrondi. They woke to decorate the festive city streets and centers with plantations that grew almost instantly into blooming massive flowers. The spores these flowered released relaxes the mind and body and it filled the air of the entire city in no time. It was a bright and early morning. A few Sol men blowing clouds of smoke from large pipes that they shared amongst each other before the rising sun.
Other prepared to charge themselves within the sun's rays ad laid back on the grass. Women and children did this as well as many families sat around the grassy hills of the captial. Mornings were eventful in Vrondi capital. It was even more So as the preparations for the meeting was soon to take place. It was hours from now, but all readiness plans had to be executed. For the most frequented and respected kingdoms of all the lands Vrondi was urged to be spotless today.
Within the town of Sunfire: Rest Easy inn
The soldiers within the town of Sunfire frequented around Rest Easy. As the sun began to rise the weariness of Velai began to overtake her. She was found out by her savior Paon and had little energy left to deny him what he saw. Nor did she have the energy to explain.
The day and night were eventful and for her a moments rest seemed all that mattered. With drooping eye lids she wiped her wet eyes before Paon with her sleeves. “It’s nothing. Please have a room you must rest while you heal.” She tried to take the concern off of her, as her turmoil was emotional.
The clanking steps of armored boots approached the two from their backside. Velai looked back and up to see the towering figure of a Vrondian guard clad in armor fully prepared for battle. He had a calm look on his face that did not welcome pleasantries and stood only to complete a task. “You two. May we have a word?” He asked, his partners standing by the doorway and talking with patrons about what they saw. Their worried glances in their direction gave away the attention these two had on them.
“Yes certainly.” Velai said as she slowly got to her feet. She met the soldier’s abdomen in height and as such she looked up to him. The Soldier awaited Paon to rise as well. “Names and citizenships please.” He asked bringing out a piece of paper and a small feathery scale to use as a pin.
His eyes narrowed on Paon and his wounds. “My name is Velai, I work here and I’m a citizen of Vrondi.” She flashed from beneath her clothes collar a golden badge of the sun engraved with the markings of an official citizen of Vrondi. The soldier nodded and gave a slight smile to Velai before turning to Paon. “And you?” He asked.
@BlackPanther
Gaian Mountains. The Temple of Knowledge
The way the calm nature of Qobo and his monks went about this ordeal fascinated Vulcan. It was indeed to be expected of those who lived in solitude. The drama and trouble of the world below engulfed him and made his fists a bit stale to his mind. He clinched his fist as a smirk emerged on his old lips.
Perhaps a test of might may polish his rusted fists of stone to the luster they once were. He sighed as he was guided to a room away from the mess and troubles of the new arrivals. He wished he could have had the time to bring Magnixx here so that even he too may find peace. Vulcan peered out the openings to the clouds and far off landscapes of the world below the mountain from his room.
He cloaked himself in a garb granted to him by a monk that cloaked his body and shielded it from the winds that bellowed through. It was indeed something to ponder. Within the dragons grasp were two souls, one living and another dead. The dragon seemed relatively fine however. If he was not mistaken he sensed the soul of a wielder of light. A Sol shield guarded the dragon from that much force?
Vulcan could feel the presence of two ancient dragons combining their auras in hostile displays. It was not intentional that they did this, but as a descendant the aura waves felt nearly combined with their proximity to each other. Never has he felt such pressure all at once from dragons. It was a fierce feeling indeed that made Vulcan a bit numb. The sounds were nothing to what one could feel from their souls and the arrival of Qobo and the young Sol girl lowered the pressure a bit.
A Sol? Could she harness enough power to save herself and the dragon? “Strength does not only exist in the ability to destroy ones enemy. But to protect ones loved ones..” His words met the wind as he pondered on his next move. The time for change was certainly upon his old soul for one last time.
@FallenTrinity@Vesuvius00
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