chronicles-of-condoria

[chronicles-of-condoria]

Escape

Entry 1. 

I’ve had many journals before; however, I have just got this one today. Fitting, because tonight is the night my life will change forever. Tonight, I escape. 

In case someone finds this journal next to a skeleton, have some context: My name is Philo Ivers and I am (at the point of writing this) a citizen of the Kingdom of Stone, aka Zulos. My sister Alexis escaped several years ago, and I promised myself that day I would too; I would join her. Therapon and Floren escaped with her. Ther’s mom was asking about him. I hope he’s all right 

Alexis has been brought back a couple times. They never seem to be able to erase her memory like the others though, she’s told me stories. It sounds so lively and nice out there. A sure change of pace from gloomy gray concrete and stone. Silence and stillness. 

In Zulos there is little choice in what role you get to play. Those who are richest work among The Twin Kings’ court. They have a bit more freedom than those lower down the ladder. If I were to stay another year, I would become a worker. I’d be given a set of tasks around the kingdom each day and would be forced to do them or face punishment, which varies in severity and on many different variables. 

No matter. Tonight I kiss this place goodbye and run for the smoke in the north. That’s where Chroma is. My friends, my family, my freedom. 

Signing off, Philo I. 

…

They exhaled, stepping towards the kitchen cabinets. Philo crouched and opened the door to one of the cabinets on the floor. Moving aside plates, he grabbed his bag.

Once he knew all the food he had so carefully packed was still there, he put his journal and pen in the backpack and zipped it shut. Their hands shook as the backpack was slung onto his shoulders. Mentally, Philo began to catalogue all the advice his sister had given him on escaping.

• Be stealthy, be quick, be crafty. • Do not leave a trail, they’ll find you.

And the most important one:

• Do not look back at the kingdom once you’re out.

He took a deep breath before blowing out the candle. Alexis had escaped in the dark, so he knew it was possible. Philo closed the cabinet door and walked to exit this tiny, cinder block “apartment”

Cautiously, he opened the door as quietly as possible and stuck his head outside. The Checker that made sure everyone was in there rooms would be a couple floors up by know, but they still needed to be careful. Philo shut the door near silently. He double checked his pockets. A multi tool in one jacket pocket, and a folded up map alongside a decoder ring in the other. That pocket was zipped, having things too valuable to loose.

Philo shuffled quietly to the end of the hall. He crept down the stairs to the entryway to the apartment complex as quickly as he could. Three flights of stairs later, they were far closer to freedom than they were a moment ago.

Although early in motion, Philo’s escape plan had gone perfect so far. They shuffled toward a window in the entryway and watched a Seeker go down an alleyway opposite of the building. No other entities-living or magic- roamed the streets at this time. Philo exited the building swiftly before darting down an alley.

Zulos, in all its maze-like construction, was still somewhat navigable if you knew how. Philo ran through alleys and snuck just out of site of Seekers and Guardsmen alike. In time, he reached the edge. He managed to duck through a whole in the first concrete wall. Now he just had to tackle the electric fence and he was free.

Philo flipped the lever on the outside of the electrical box. They pried open the lid and used the wire cutters on the multi-tool to cut several of the wires. He started to scale the fencing now it was safe.

Right before he could jump down from the top of the fence and run for the mountains, four guardsmen rounded the corner and found him.

“Halt young man!” The captain shouted. Philo pushed off the fencing. He landed on the other side and immediately started sprinting.

He ran and ran and ran. Swerving to keep his pursuers-who were a good bit behind him- guessing. He found a small sheltered dip in the ground with a dead, fallen tree covering it. Philo immediately dove into the hiding place and waited.

The gaurdsmen approached. Philo carefully flipped out the blade of his pocket knife.

“Where’d that kid go?” One asked.

Philo gripped the pocket knife tighter. I don’t want to have to hurt anybody. Then, he heard garbled speaking over a walkie talkie, but couldn’t make out what it said.

“Doesn’t matter. He was just a diversion,” the captain grumbled, “Big group escaping right now, back up needed asap. Let’s move.” In silent relief, Philo listened to the steps of the guardsmen as they left him alone. He turned his eyes to the sky as they let out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. Philo had never seen the sky look like this before. The harsh, rigid scheduling of Zulos had never allowed it.

Pale stars scattered over a many colored sky. The three moons casted peculiar, beautiful shadows over each other, one was pink, one was pale blue, and the last one was sort of silvery.

After a moment of rest, Philo hauled himself out of the ditch and started to walk towards the mountains. They pulled the furred hood of their jacket over his head as a chill began to set in. The wind howled and cried. The urge to look back at The Kingdom of Stone almost took Philo over. He shook his head and started walking faster. Claw-like, shadowy hands pulled on their coat and pants. Philo kept walking. He watched the puffs of his breath rise and then dissipate.

“Almost there,” He told himself. He shoved his hands into his jacket pockets. They scoured the sky for the smoke of Chroma. For once, not so distant. Not so lonely. Philo felt a pull. Zulos called for him.

Philo shook his head. He said through clenched teeth, “I can’t give up now.” In his mind he repeated that key rule.

Do not look back at Zulos.

They began to walk faster. The further, the lesser the pull in strength. He still felt it call. Desperate for his attention, for their surrender.

“Do not look back at Zulos,” Philo echoed,“Do not look back at Zulos.” The kingdoms grip on him loosened. He started to jog, then run, then dash for The Hidden Pass. It was so close now. He was almost there. The Hidden Pass was a canyon in between the rocky cliffs of The Guardian Mountains. As the name suggests, it is hidden by magic from Capturers, soldiers, and those who want to harm Chroma or the people residing in it. Philo slipped into the pass and hurried down. A gathering of people who had just escaped and those already residing in Chroma. By the time he had reached the end, it had to be midnight “Alexis?” Philo called out, “Alexis!” He looked around the group of people.

“Philo?” Someone asked from behind them. He turned around and saw her. Philo practically tackled his sister into a hug. “Welcome home man.” Alexis smiled.

[chronicles-of-condoria]

Welcome to Condoria.

character bios after the cut.

Alexis Ivers (21 she/her): An escapee surprisingly untouched by her time in Zulos.  To some recklessly brave, to others bravely reckless. Quick to action to the point of carelessness, Alexis has fought and clawed her way in and out of trouble. She is the youngest member of The Council of Chroma and next in line to be Head Chairman. The current Head Chairman is her uncle Wizamar Ivers. STATUS: ALIVE

Philo Ivers (16 He/they):The younger brother of Alexis, Philo isn’t as strong or aggressive as their sister, but he’s still finding ways to help. He’s clever and loyal to the cause. Philo can’t help but wonder if they could be doing more to aid the fight against Zulos. STATUS: ALIVE

Therapon (23, He/him) known as “Ther” by most, Therapon is a close friend of Alexis and the beloved of Floren. He escaped with Alexis on that fateful night seven years ago. A tinkerer at heart, Therapon has made several, key developments that changed the way of life in Chroma. STATUS: ALIVE

Floren Wardell (21, He/him) Therapon’s dear “bug” is a mind-stalker, specifically an Insectoid mind-stalker. Mind-stalkers are peculiar humanoid creatures with  telepathic abilities. They are viewed in Zulos as tools for the Twin Kings’ court as human lie detectors and such; Tools rather than people. Floren escaped from this horrible fate and his father alongside Therapon and Alexis. STATUS: ALIVE

S24P0 (16, They/them) the first escaped Aetheris- humanoids with feathered wings, lion’s tails, and clawed fingers-in 50 years. In Zulos his kind are expiremented on or forced to do manual labor. Scared and confused, S24P0 has to navigate a world unfamiliar and strange. Before his first escape attempt, he hadn’t even seen the outside before.  STATUS: ALIVE