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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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Obsidian Scars: Chapter 6

“It’s your birthday today.” Belegar said quietly in his raspy voice. His sentence starting in the back of his throat, like always.

The two of them sat around a small campfire in the middle of the night. They were now a thousand miles from the Carnaka Forest, inside the Morik Mountains to the West. Cold air embraced the party, most of which were foraging for food, or what scraps they could find. Belegar had sent them all with Fletcher to learn how to use the land to their advantage. Something Fletcher excelled monstrously at.

“Is it?” Wrynn asked absently while reading through his spellbook.

“Yes. You know it too. How old are you now?” Belegar asked, watching Wrynn’s eyes intently.

“Don’t know. Old enough I suppose.” Wrynn replied dryly, keeping his eyes on his spellbook.

“Don’t give me that shit. We both know that you know how old you are. So why don’t you share it with me?” Belegar asked annoyed.

“You ask me every year, and every year I don’t know.” Wrynn replied.

“Stop reading the damn book and look at me in my eyes, Wrynn.” Wrynn tried to reply, but Belegar cut him short. “Now, it took a great deal of trust for you to tell me your birthday, I understand that, but I’m your friend for fucks sake. I’ve known you for fifty years. That may not be a lot to you, but to us, to my people, that’s long enough. Why can’t you tell me how old you are?” Belegar outburst.

“It’s just my age. Only a number. Why do you care so much?” Wrynn replied, shifting his eyes from the book to Belegar. Now he was annoyed.

“Your age isn’t the damn point, Wrynn. I need trust. I’ve put all of my faith into you. Hell, I’ve put more trust into you than I have Avahnne. Now, Avahnne forgive me, because that was not an easy thing to do. You saved me, Wrynn, and I will forever be grateful for that, but I need some fucking trust.” Belegar was standing now, but he was still whispering. Harshly.

“Where is this coming from? Hm? I saved you, gave you a home, and treated you as my own. Is that not trust enough?” Wrynn said, eyes narrowing.

“Wrynn. You slaughtered an entire village. Didn’t even hesitate. Didn’t even weigh the price of a life, let alone a couple dozen.” Belegar calmly stated. Pity in his eyes.

“They were going to kill Ellie. I saved her, just as I had saved you. Are you not happy about that?” Wrynn said exacerbated.

“Of course I’m happy that Ellie is alive and well. However, those were innocent people. They hadn’t done a damn thing yet. We could have talked through it, but you just had to get impatient!” Belegar yelled, not caring whether things were aware of their presence.

“They were savage. They wouldn’t have listened. Anyway, what do you care? Those are the same kinds of people who were going to kill you when I found you.” Wrynn said with that ice in his eyes.

“What if that were my tribe, with me in it? Hm? Would you have murdered them so easily then?” Belegar said with tears welled up in his eyes.

“Belegar.” Wrynn reached his hand out to Belegar.

“You’re slipping, Wrynn.” Belegar said, pulling his arm away from him.

They could hear chuckling in the distance. The others were returning. Soon, they could eat. Food wasn’t on either of their minds though.

“I don’t know how old I am. I stopped counting a while ago. Didn’t see any point any longer. It didn’t matter.” Wrynn said soberly. Pausing between his words. “You know, when I first met you, back when you were a boy, your mother came to me. She had no idea who I was. I suppose no one does, not really. She came to me and she asked me to save you. She said ‘Hey kid, please! They have my son, and they’re going to kill him. Help him, please’. Can you imagine that? She called me kid. Me. I didn’t know what to do. I just followed her, and then I saw you. You were tied around a log, upside down. Just dangling. Not a drop of fear in your eyes. You were, what, ten years old? Your mom was crying, but I know that she felt a world of pride for you right then. I have no idea why, but I stopped them. I saved your life. Right when they were setting your log over the bonfire. That’s when they killed your mother. They were trying to get me, ya know.” Wrynn stopped to think.

“I remember that.” Belegar replied.

Wrynn just looked over to him and nodded his head. “Yes. Yes you do.”

The chuckling reached their campfire, as the three vacant members returned with fresh meat of all things! They quickly felt the aura of the campfire and the chuckling died down as Fletcher began cooking dinner.

“Better eat up Ellie, Wrynn’s going to start teaching you to use your magic tomorrow.” Belegar said, then slowly added. “It’s Wrynn’s birthday today.” He said this with a smirk.

Wrynn glared at Belegar, but after a couple seconds, he was bombarded with congratulations from everyone around the campfire, and merriment ensued.

In the very bowels of the night, the campfire was nothing more than a few embers, lazily burning away the last bit of fuel they can. Everyone was sound asleep, except for two. Fletcher looked over to Ellie.

“Psst. Are you awake, Ellie?” Fletcher quietly asked.

Groggily, Ellie responded. “Sure. What do you need?”

“I was just wondering what your homeland is like.” Fletcher said abashedly.

Ellie sat up. “What?”

“Well, you know, your homeland. I’ve never seen it before and I was wondering what it was like. What it looked like in the Winter and what have you.” Fletcher said with big, wide-eyed curiosity.

Ellie rubbed the sleep from her eyes with the base of her palm, yawned once, and then looked dumbly at Fletcher. “What? Why? It’s not so great. Not like any of the places we’ve been to on this journey so far.”

“Still, I’d like to know. It’s likely I won’t ever be able to see it.” He looked at her, almost pleading.

“Sure Fletcher. I suppose I can tell you.” She waited for a response, but she settled for the shift from his curious eyes, to satisfactory smile. “Well, I cannot tell you where it is, obviously, but I will describe my favorite place within it.” Fletcher smiled at her, sitting down, leaning back on his arms for support.

“There is this cliff-like natural structure there. Made entirely out of this burnt-red, almost orange colored, rock. Atop that structure, is a magnificent river that cascades down the side, cutting a ravine below. The water is a turquoise blue. The kind that you’d find inside the eyes of a beautiful person.” Fletcher immediately noticed Ellie’s gorgeous, blue eyes as she said this. Even in the low ember-light, they shone magnificently. “The water is as clear as glass. Sitting on top of that cliff, looking down at the ravine, it’s as if time stops. Nothing exists anymore. I like to wonder that if the Crystal Spires are half as beautiful as that sight, I could die happy.”

Fletcher’s eyes were glued to hers. He was completely entranced by this story, and more accurately, by her. The way her lips moved, and the way her eyes shifted and glowed. She moved her hands up to mimic the height of the cliff and used her other hand to simulate the ravine. A strand of hair danced across her face, and she lightly blew it out of the way. When she caught him staring at her, she would subtly hide behind her scarf, lowering her chin into it, and blush. Her eyes would dart toward the earth, but she didn’t break concentration from her thoughts, and kept talking. There was passion there. It was restrained and calculated, but it was there.

“That sounds wonderful, Ellie. I sure wish I could see it someday, but your description is enough for me.” He smiled warmly at her.

“Oh, it’s not too great. Not as great as the places you’ve been, I’m sure.” She blushed again. “But thank you very much, Fletcher.”

“You can go to bed now. I’m sorry for disturbing you.” He smiled once more, then laid down and turned around.

It’s no problem, she thought to herself.

Dawn cracked over the curved skyline, which was visible from the heights of the Morik Mountains. Cold, nippy air bit at the five astray travellers. The large lizardmen slowly sat up, yawning once. He eventually got to his feet, and started donning his armor and equipment. He looked around lazily as he did so, and he saw Wrynn, sitting down, reading his spellbook.

“You know, it’s pretty creepy that you don’t sleep.” Belegar called over to him.

“You wouldn’t be able to sleep if you were me.”

Belegar nodded solemnly to himself, “That’s probably true.”

Belegar got his greaves on and walked over to Fletcher, nudging him softly with his boot. He made his way over to Dominic, then Ellie. They all replicated Belegar’s routine, with a bit more personal flair.

“Where are we headed, Wrynn? We should have cut through the Armicia if we were headed towards Lakewood.” Fletcher asked quizzically while slipping on his boots. He was having troubles getting his heel in.

“We are not going to Lakewood.” Wrynn replied.

“Why not? Lakewood would have contacts. We could get this shit sorted out.” Dominic was a bit flustered.

“I know someone who can be of more use, that’s why.” Wrynn replied.

“So where are we going then?” Dominic asked, walking toward the campfire. He stomped out the embers and threw some sand in to make sure it was out completely.

“This man lives in the Ebony Maw.” Wrynn said casually.

Everyone dropped what they were holding and stopped what they were doing. They all stared at one another for a handful of moments, and then, simultaneously, looked over towards Wrynn.

“Y-you can’t be serious, Wrynn?” Dominic said with an inflection that proposed a question.

“Do I look to be of a joking manner?” Is all that Wrynn replied with.

No one answered, they just looked at each other again.

No one protested as Wrynn led them through the Morik Mountains, but they all were slightly more withdrawn, physically and socially. Their hearts ramped in pace as they approached this place of infamy and legend. A place they were all content having heard of, and not wanting to visit. Curiosity drove no man here. Nothing could bring a man here. Unless of course, that man was mad. Horribly, and irreversibly mad.

Three days of travel. That’s all the time it took. Three short days, and they had arrived. It seemed so far when they didn’t know their destination. Back when they camped on a small ledge cut out from the Morik Mountains. They always had it in the back of their minds, but they knew it was so far away.

Before they could see the Ebony Maw, they noticed, to their creeping terror, that no sound could be heard. No birds, nor wind, nor rocks. It was as if the vacuum of their pasts and futures had consumed them. They would forever be trapped in an endless abyss of their perceived failures, and the failures they yet to make. Then, Wrynn spoke. His voice a beacon for them to cling to, and find passage from this vile silence.

“We have arrived.” Wrynn spoke, unshaken by this damned place.

No one responded. They couldn’t. Their throats were bereft of moisture. Sanded down by the horror of the place they had heard so many stories of.

They eventually stepped up to where Wrynn had been standing, waiting, and they fell to their knees. This was an unholy world, not from theirs. This place did not belong in any natural sense. Corruption had sank its putrid fangs into the very earth here. It was less what was here, although horrid in it’s own right, but about that absolute negative energy that oppressed anything that stood close to this desecrated graveyard.

A singular, deep, onyx crater sat plump in the middle of this clearing. The ground transmogrified to obsidian, or a stone close in resemblance. Dark magics flowed heavily from this stone, and even Dominic and Fletcher could feel its intensity. The party was rendered motionless, their jaws agape. This was Corey a hundred times over. They could see the dissident cries of souls, pouring from the very rock, damning this place, and its authority over the world. Wails for release, and remorse echoed throughout the crater. Spirits wishing to be free from this Hell.

“Come now. We have little time.” Wrynn said, barely looking over his shoulder toward the rest, as he started down the side of this crater, towards the center.

“Wrynn. Let’s talk about this. We don’t have to go in there. We can get help from The Market, we can solve this thing without going in there. Please Wrynn, we can’t go there. We can’t. Corey was bad enough, we almost lost Ellie, but this. This is fucking madness. Whatever did this is not natural, it’s not good. This place is an abomination. Look, Fletcher is hyperventilating now. You can’t make us go down there, please.” Dominic pleaded with Wrynn.

Wrynn looked around at his compatriots. Fletcher was indeed hyperventilating, but Wrynn doubted that he even realized. Dominics eyes were wide and crazed. He hadn’t taken his eyes off the crater since they saw it. Belegar was helping Fletcher, but he looked equally disheveled. Ellie, however, looked composed given the circumstances. She seemed determined. She was clearly not casual, or okay, with this place, but she held herself well here.

“The Market can do nothing. Their organization is formidable, yes, but we are dealing with things beyond that. We go see this man, or we let civilizations die.” Wrynn said flatly.

“Please, Wrynn.” He begged once more.

“You are welcome to stay here while the rest of us proceed.” Wrynn put forth.

Dominic pondered the offer with the mind to accept it, but Belegar gave him a look, and Dominic acquiesced. “Fine. Let’s hurry the fuck up though, please. It’s hard to breathe here.”

Wrynn nodded, and started back down the hill toward the center of the crater. The others begrudgingly followed. What they failed to notice, was that the souls that slipped through this alien rock actively avoided Wrynn, peeling away from his presence. Most held their eyes shut, and walked blindly. They did not wish to see this place any longer. All except Wrynn and Ellie, and Belegar who was leading Dominic and Fletcher down the side.

The closer they approached the center of this putrescent location, the more they noticed a structure being constructed of the same aberrant mineral. It was horrifying, yet so engaging and interesting, they could not help but to look. Like watching a particularly ugly person. They were disgusted, and even offended, but enthralled nonetheless.

As they reached the center, the structure had finalized into a black dome, with a single door swinging out towards them. The whole thing was enormous in scale.

Wrynn pulled the door out all the way, and gestured his hand for the rest to enter. They all looked toward him with pleading eyes, but their feet seemed to move on their own. Wrynn followed right after. The door closed behind them, all on its own.

The interior of this corrupted prison was drowned in darkness. Everyone, save Belegar, Wrynn, and Ellie, had trouble seeing. Then, suddenly, black torches lit themselves on sconces dangling from the walls. It was very low light, but enough for them all to make out some features. This place was almost barren. There was a single wooden table at the far end, with six chairs surrounding it. Wrynn started toward the table, pulled out a chair at one of the heads, and sat. The others looked at him frightened and curious.

“Come sit.” Wrynn said politely.

They all looked at one another, then hesitantly went to the other chairs and sat down as well. The black lights clapped once, then a magnificent figure apparated out of thin air. This being was massive, and held a dominant gaze. He stood roughly nine feet tall, and was covered in burnt-copper colored fur. He stood on two enormous goat hooves, and atop his scowling face were coiling horns, black as the stone around them. He smiled uncannily at the five, clapped his hands together, and sat down in the chair across Wrynn.

The being looked over all of them, grinning that eerie grin of his, until his eyes rested on Fletcher. Fletcher is unsure, but he swore the thing whispered something to him. Not with his mouth, but into his own conscious. It seemed so clear, yet he could not recall what it was. The thing turned toward Wrynn.

“Salutations, old friend.” The creepy being said with elongated, and seducing words.

“Greetings, Ottaluug.” Wrynn reciprocated.

“What brings you to my humble domicile?”

“We seek knowledge.”

“Is it knowledge, or is it answers that you query over?”

“We are not playing your games, Trickster! We come to barter, and if that displeases you, then I will take what I came for.”

The others look from one to the other as they speak. These two clearly have known each other, and on some level, hold raport. It was so strange, and somewhat cathartic, seeing Wrynn being bested by words and intellect. Yet, it was also absolutely terrifying.

“That sounds perfectly acceptable to me.” Ottaluug responded. Calm, yet instigating. The term Wrynn had used earlier, Trickster, was too correct. This being held an otherworldly presence to him. Similar to the one described in old tales.

Beware the Tricksters of deep, dark lore

You’ll lose your wealth, soul, and more

If you wish to keep your young

You’d be wise to watch your tongue

Fletcher shivered upon remembering the old fairy tale he’d been told throughout his childhood.

“What is it you are after, old friend?” The Trickster inquired.

Fletcher grabbed Wrynn’s arm, and Wrynn turned his head toward the Elf.

“What is it?” Wrynn asked confused.

“Just be careful what you say.” Fletcher said, never taking his eyes from the Trickster.

Wrynn nodded, then slowly looked toward Ottaluug.

“How about this. We trade information for information.” Wrynn offered.

Ottaluug’s grinned evolved into a full smile, as he started laughing gleefully, almost falling out of his chair.

“That does sound swell, Azazel!” He chortled out loud.

However, the room fell still once more. Deathly so. After Ottaluug’s laughter had subsided, he realized what had happened, and he wrapped his taloned fingers around his tongue, and cut it off with his own nails. A single, swift motion of the arm, and it was dismembered. He looked toward Wrynn with wide eyes. Fear enveloping him. What he found did not ease his frightened heart. Wrynn stared back, his eyes gone with anger. Wrynn slowly stood up.

“What did you say, little demon?” Wrynn asked calmly.

“It was a slip of the tongue.” Ottaluug responded clearly, holding up his tongue with his right hand. It was on his right arm, but his hands seemed to be backwards.

“Do I seem to be laughing, you insolent goatman?” Wrynn asked, again calmly.

“I am sorry! It was a slip. I meant nothing by it, I swear. We can deal in peace. I promise it will not occur once more.” Ottaluug was pleading.

Wrynn placed his hands behind his back, and stared at the Trickster. His eyes were aglow with rage, yet he still managed to take this time to ponder his next course of action. He nodded to himself, and then from within his robes, he pulled out his ancient, leather-bound spellbook.

“NO!” Ottaluug’s eyes were wide with terror now. “Please, Wrynn is it? We can work this out. I meant no disrespect, you must know that. Please.” Ottaluug was crawling toward Wrynn now.

“You speak that name once more, or any of its ilk, and I will use this tome. Do you hear me, Zysterwhelm?”

The Trickster cringed and writhed on the ground as Wrynn spoke this word aloud. The others were now standing as well, completely baffled at the word Wrynn had spoken. It was what they come to understand as Demonic. It is physically impossible for mortals to speak this language, and even hearing a word of it had brought them to grab their ears in pain. They felt dark tendrils gripping their mind, and the black torches adorning the walls seemed to flicker out. For a mere second, they could all see the universe laid out before them. The span of cosmos swallowing them whole. In the infinite distance, they saw a being. One so massive, that even a thousand light years away, they could see it’s countless eyes staring at them. A whispered word entered into their minds, so loud and obtrusive that it shocked them out of this black realm, and back into the Ebony Maw. When they all recovered from the experience, they saw Wrynn holding his ancient tome outward with one hand, and Ottaluug screeching for mercy. His body started to fold in on itself, and a black void raked open and ate his mortal being, then shot towards Wrynn’s book, and the great volume closed its pages.

The room, once again, was silent. The black torches softly flickered. The party got up and looked around to notice that all of their ears were bleeding. They all felt a throbbing pain in their wrists and looked down to see that where their hand met their arm, the veins had turned black.

#oc #writing #book #novel #unfinished #obsidian #scars #fantasy

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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Obsidian Scars: Chapter 5

Deep in the overgrown wilds of the Carnaka Forest, 100 miles away from the not-so-quaint town of Corey, there sat a squalid campfire, and around that campfire sat five, haggard individuals. Echoes of memories still reverberating off the corners of their minds. Paltry suppers sat in their stomachs. Night crickets chirped as quiet voices spoke among themselves.

“I still wonder what those things were.” Ellie attempted to say casually, but the fear was still present in her eyes.

“Some form of monstrosity carved from the mind of a powerful creature.” Wrynn icily recoiled.

“Wrynn… Is this who I think it is?” Belegar queried while squatting down next to the fire, rubbing his hands on the warmth.

“I’m afraid so. She must have heard our conversation back at the tavern. She probably thought she could come sweep me off my feet. My knight in shining armor.” Wrynn said the last line with a good bit of disgust in his mouth, as if he was spitting out some horrid, medicinal syrup.

“Shit.” Was Belegar’s only response.

Ellie cocked her head at the two, about to inquire on what the Hell either was speaking of. She was interrupted by Fletcher.

“Here you go Ellie,” He whispered as he handed her a piece of meat, “I went hunting when everyone was busy, and I came up with this.”

“What is it?” She asked as she was eating it. Frankly, she didn’t care what it was, she hadn’t had a decent meal in the three days they have been travelling.

He just shrugged at her and simply said, “Bird”.

The night drug out. No one could find sleep. Wrynn likened himself to guard duty, but it didn’t really matter. They all watched together. In the middle of the night, Wrynn left camp, unnoticed, except for one small, Elven girl, who followed quietly.

Under any normal circumstance, Wrynn would have noticed the girl following him, but he was plunged into the abyss of his thoughts. He found a small grove to himself, and started preparing his ritual. He pulled out a black pouch from his robe, and put it aside. He sat on his knees, and pulled his arms out of his robe, so that it fell limply on his waist. Ellie saw his muscular, scarred back, and pulled herself back into the foliage, then crept out slowly again. Wrynn then pulled a dagger off his belt and cut into his hand. Dark ichor poured softly onto the ground. It almost looked as if it were black sand. He wrote some form of sigil onto the ground with it, and the wound seemed to heal immediately, leaving no scar tissue. He picked up the pouch, and pulled out a pinch of herbs. He then crushed the herbs in his palm and grabbed his staff. He swirled the staff in the air whilst chanting some incantation, and dark purple smoke leaked out of the amethyst crystal sat atop the Blackwood staff. Ellie could not see his front, but she realized that his white, smoky eyes were glowing a deep black.

Ellie was in deep concentration, wondering what Wrynn was doing, when she felt a hand on her shoulder. She went to scream, but another hand clasped over her mouth and flung her away. Her eyes were wide as muffled yelps escaped her throat. She clawed at the hands, and she felt scales. Ellie relaxed and turned around to find that it was not Belegar that was holding her, but instead, some other lizardman. Her eyes widened again, as the giant, green-skinned man knocked her over the head with a rock and carried her off into the forest.

A couple hours passed when Wrynn came back. The others watched him approach, not questioning, nor greeting with a hello. They just watched. Wrynn looked around for a bit, then finally asked, “Where is the girl?”

They all shrugged, when Fletcher perked up and looked at Wrynn, “I thought she was with you.”

“Fuck.” Was all Wrynn had to say.

Ellie awoke groggily in the center of some tribe, all of which were lizardmen, male and female. She was bound by stripped plant formed into some type of rope. Cloth was wrapped around her mouth. Her eyes darted around and she saw teepees built around in a circle, she in the middle, next to a huge bonfire. She heard the sounds of drums and chanting, which seemed to be some crude form of music. She spotted a lizardmen which was tall, even for the species, and wore an elaborate headdress of bone and plant. It came over to her, and spoke in a guttural language she did not understand and she squirmed in her bindings. Another lizardmen approached with a knife, and she started writhing even more, eyes wide. A bolt of magic struck out into the night sky, originating from her, and everyone backed away. They started screaming in that deep, alien language, and she stopped and just lay there, unsure of what would happen next. The lizardmen that seemed to be in charge, the one with the headdress, pointed at her, then screamed at the lizardmen with the knife. The knife-wielding lizardmen cowered a bit, and seemed to protest, until the leader yelled again, and the lizardmen slowly approached her, and picker her up over his shoulder. The lizardman carried her over to the biggest teepee and sat her down, and then he sat down next her. His eyes kept slithering her way, cautious, and scared.

“Look, there.” Fletcher pointed up to the sky as a blue misty bolt snapped to the stars.

“Dammit,” Wrynn cursed, “I thought you said the lizardmen had left?”

“Last I heard, they were nowhere near Carnaka.” Belegar said defensively.

“I wonder why they returned.” Dominic said flatly.

“Nothing good.” Wrynn replied. “It’s one thing after another, I swear.”

They approached the tribe, and hid in the brush. They watched as a lizardmen carried Ellie off to the largest teepee in the forefront of the circle. The leader gathered all the rest of his tribe, and started speaking in that same alien language as before.

“We better get in there before they do something stupid.” Dominic said.

“I guess I’m up.” Beleger said with a hesitant smile.

Belegar walked up to the tribe, his party a step behind, and he hailed the leader, and spoke in their language.

“Hail, Chief Torinn, of the Torinn Clan. I am Belegar, Paladin of Avahnne. I have come to speak with you in peace.”

The large lizardmen sauntered over to Belegar with a proud stance, chest puffed. He stood even larger than Belegar, and was even bulkier in build. “Belegar, Paladin of Avahnne? I have heard of you. The outcast. The exiled. You are not welcome in my land, and certainly not in my tribe. Leave, before I kill you and your small friends.” Chief Torinn snarled, pointing at the rest of the group behind Belegar. His large, clawed hand bulging with muscle.

“Listen, I understand that I am not welcome, but you have our friend.” Belegar said calmly.

“You speak of the witch?” Chief Torinn was at first flabbergasted, and then angry.

“Yes. The witch.” Belegar said simply.

Chief Torinn laughed, or what could be counted as laughing, then stared Belegar dead in the eyes with a fierce look of pity and hate. “She is an abomination to be slaughtered. Magic has brought nothing but despair to this fair tribe, and to this unfair world. We must purge it. Now, last warning before I have you killed as well. Leave here, Belegar, Paladin of Avahnne.” He said the last line mockingly.

Belegar began to speak, but before he could, he felt the warm touch of a hand on his arm as he was being pushed away, not forcibly, but authoritatively. He looked over to see Wrynn, and what he saw in his eyes moved him without further hesitation.

Wrynn spoke to the Chief, in his own language nonetheless!

“If you do not release my Apprentice from this horrid little tribe, I will burn this shit show to the ground, and every single one of you with it.” His eyes were not kind, and they did not betray his words either.

The Chief recoiled at a man speaking his language, and speaking down at him furthermore. That shock quickly turned to anger. “You dare speak to me like that, tiny man? Men, kill this Bifkuntash.”

Five lizardmen glanced their glaives at Wrynn and began charging. Wrynn smirked wryly, and Belegar saw that look in his eye again. “Wrynn, no!”

Too late. Wrynn raised his staff, and the force of a volcano swept up out of it. His eyes, dark and menacing. The heat so immense, that even Belegar, a being not capable of sweat, felt his scales dampen. It roared so loudly that it seemed as though they were in the Dwarven furnace atop Mount Ignin, made to forge the very towers of Heaven and the dark spires of Hell. Belegar was not sure, but he swore, that within that blazing inferno, he heard Wrynn giggle. Not laugh, but giggle. The thought made him more terrified than the fire. The fire lit the sky as if the sun had risen.

It lasted maybe ten seconds, but it felt like an eternity. When it was all said and done, there was nothing left. No tribe. No lizardmen. The only thing that remained, was Ellie clutched into a ball, still bound, the knife-wielding lizardmen, and the charred remains of the Chief. Belegar heard Wrynn say under his breath, “I am no man.”

Everyone stood still. Motionless. Wrynn slowly walked over to the last lizardmen, who, like everyone else, was motionless in shock. Wrynn reach up and grabbed the lizardmen by the neck, then put his staff onto the belly of the creature. No words, no warning. Another fiery inferno lanced outward, with the same intensity as before, and there was no remains. Not even a memory. It was as if the flames were so powerful, that it wiped away all thought of the lizardmen.

Ellie felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked up and saw Wrynn. He was smiling warmly at her. She just stared at him, not realizing that he had already unbound her. She glanced over behind him and saw the rest of the party, standing there in shock. She didn’t take her gaze off Wrynn for the rest of the night. No one did. When the sun began to rise, Belegar whispered a single prayer to himself. “Please Avahnne. Give us strength.”

#oc #writing #book #fantasy #novel #unfinished #obsidian #scars

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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Obsidian Scars: Chapter 4

“Petit frère, come over here!” A little girl excitedly yelled over to her little brother who was carrying planks of wood to some carpenters building something.

“Give me a second, Belle.” He said as he handed over the wood and sauntered over to her. “What’s that? Is that another caterpillar?”

She had a fit of giggles and nodded her head with an adorable smile. Her red hair bounced around her porcelain face as she did. “Isn’t he so cute, Dommy?” She more so told than asked.

“Mhm. That’s a good one for sure. What are we going to name him?” He asked. His sister’s excitement was rubbing off on him.

“It’s a girl, and her name is Abella.” She said with a wide smile that revealed a couple of missing teeth.

“She’s a bit of a fuzzball, dontchya think.” He said inspecting the caterpillar.

“Belle, Dominic, dinner's ready.” A female voice called out to the two children.

“Goodbye, Abella.” Belle called as she ran home.

“Goodbye.” Dominic said as well, with a smile.

“Papa, we found a fuzzy caterpillar outside, and I named her Abella. She was green and had big black eyes!” Belle exclaimed with a mouth full of food.

“That sounds swell, ma chérie. What about you, Dominic? Did you get your work done for the Moreau’s?” Their father asked.

“Yes, Papa. I finished today.” Dominic said while slowly eating his beef stew.

“Can we go play, Papa? Please?” Belle pleaded.

“Hm. Well, since your brother finished his work, I suppose you two can play for an hour, but I want you home right away.” He obliged.

“Yay! Love you Papa, love you Maman! Come on, Dominic, let’s go!” She squealed while grabbing Dominic’s hand and pulled him outside. He couldn’t get his farewells in before they darted outside.

“Let’s go to the alcove, Dommy! We can bring Abella with us!.” Belle squealed toward her younger brother. He was younger by two years, but he was always the one to look after her.

“Sure thing, Belle.” He replied softly.

She danced and giggled all the way to the river. Twirling in her little cotton dress, with her hair pulled into two pigtails. Her soft porcelain face held a smile that curled up to her rosey cheeks. She would grow to be an absolutely gorgeous woman. One to rival Tora, the Goddess of Beauty. Dominic would often wonder if this is the reason she was killed. Because Tora was jealous of the young girl, and dared not see a mortal best her. He often wondered if perhaps his sister was slightly uglier, would she not live? Of course, we all know that there is nothing Dominic could have done, nor could he possibly know what would happen that day. He thought otherwise, though. It would tear at him for the rest of his life.

They arrived at the alcove near the river, and they found their hideout to remain as it always had. An old blanket hung limply on the farthest wall, a beat up wooden chair sat around an even more worn table. A wooden bowl sat atop the table and inside was a couple handfuls of leaves. The hideout wasn’t much, but it was theirs. It was home away from home, and they adored it as much.

Belle skipped up to the table and laid Abella in the bowl to eat. She stood bent over the small table with her head rested in her hands watching the caterpillar for a good while. Dominic sat in front of the river, watching the sunlight dance across its shimmering membrane. When he thinks about that day, this particular part is the most vivid. Even more so than his sister’s eventual death. It was so serene in that moment. So perfect. The day had been wonderful in terms of weather. He and his sister, together in silence. No need for words. Their bond so great that mere closeness was enough to incite that deep, warm feeling of belonging. Of having a life. Of having self. He sat on that river bank, and he felt the sun’s rays, and he felt whole. A feeling that he would never feel again in his life.

Belle called over to Dominic, “Dommy, look. There is smoke coming from home.” She sounded worried, but Dominic dismissed it.

“It’s probably just the Moreau’s burning for charcoal again. They always mess it up.” He said while shaking his head.

“I think we should go back just in case.” Belle said while holding her curled fingers against her chin, worry in her eyes.

Dominic did not want to dismiss his sister, so he acquiesced. “Sure thing. Let’s head back, we’ll grab a snack, and then we can come back and play some more.”

She nodded and they left. They had forgotten Abella in the little wooden bowl, on the little wooden table, in the little alcove by the river.

At first, they were laughing and jaunting toward home, almost having forgot about the smoke entirely. However, once they got close, they were very much aware that it was not the Moreau’s burning for charcoal. Many buildings were lit aflame, black smoking billowing toward the cloudless skies. Screams of agony, fear, and hatred could be heard from the road that the two were walking. The smell of some horrid thing searing ached in their noses. They didn’t even look at each other, and started running toward the city. When they entered into their quadrant, they immediately realized what was causing that smell. Human bodies were being burned, alive and dead. They both gagged, and Belle vomited onto the dirt ground below her. Dominic grabbed her and rushed her toward their house. On the way there, they saw a couple dozen dead bodies scattered about. Blood soaked the ground, and a couple of bodies were still living, and they were hard of breath. There was no hope for them, however, and Dominic closed his hand over Belle’s eyes as he led her toward home. They gagged on smoke, and tears welled in their eyes.

When they got home, he felt his heart sink down to his stomach. He let out a single noise that sounded as though a dog had been whipped. Belle escaped his hands to see, and she started screeching. Dominic clasped his hand over her mouth, but it was too late. A group of orcs just down the road heard the scream. They would have seen the two, but the smoke was so intense at this point, that you could hardly see your own hand in front of your face. What the two were screaming at was the mutilated bodies of their parents, hung on the door as a sick set of decorations. Innards pooled outside, and heads removed from the bodies and set aside next to them on sconces.

Dominic grabbed his sister’s hand and started leading her out of the city when he noticed himself laying on the ground. A deep throbbing ached on the nape of his neck, and he realized that he had been clubbed over the head. From the ground he witnessed with dazed consciousness that three orcs had come over, and he could see them grabbing his sister. He went to scream at them, but a soft gurgle came out instead. One of the orcs lifted the little girl by the pigtails, and another punched her in the stomach. The third was sharpening a crude dagger. Dominic tried again to scream, but nothing came out. His throat was a knot. His sister was crying, and squirming in their grasp. She kept looking at Dominic, and he just stared back, almost through her. Another punch to the gut knocked the wind out of her and she struggled to breath. Her vision blurry with tears. The orc punching her yanked on her feet, and it tore her from her own pigtail, the other orc was holding, ripping her hair out. She screamed in agony, and blood seeped from her head. The orc dropped her to the ground and she curled up into a ball, weeping. Calling out to Dominic and her parents. The orc with the dagger walked up to the girl, and picked her up the the neck of her dress. Dominic can’t recall exactly, but he is almost completely sure that he saw his sister smile at him. Then, the orc reeled his arm back, and plunged the dagger into her gut. Her face froze, her eyes widened. Her pupils so small, you could barely see them. Dominic’s heart burst, and he felt the weight of the world crash down on him. As she fell to the ground from the orc’s grasp, Dominic passed out. Weakly, right before he went, he thought to himself, ‘Don’t worry, Belle. I’m next. We’ll see each other very shortly. I’ll be there soon’. Of course, the orcs just left, and Dominic went on living. He would often think that this was the biggest evil the orcs had done to him. Let him live. He wanted to be reunited with his sister.

Why the orcs left, Dominic never figured out, but it was because of a light-blue skinned mage, and his lizard-man companion waging Hell on the city. Cleansing the orcs from the town. Wrynn would adopt Dominic, and the three of them would go on together working for the Black Sparrow, and eventually, the Market.

#oc #writing #fantasy #book #unfinished #novel #obsidian #scars

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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Obsidian Scars: Chapter 3

The best way to describe the party’s movement toward Corey was hastily. Ellie noticed quite quickly that she had to struggle to keep up with the others. Belegar’s large legs carried him far with each step, and Dominic was naturally agile. Just watching him move around the tavern was a small performance on its own, and added to his already immense amount of charm. Fletcher was at home in these woods, and she couldn’t even hope to keep up with his calculated and measured strides that took him further than even the rest of the party. Wrynn was even more peculiar in his pace. He seemed nonchalant in his movements, barely moving beyond a saunter, and yet he was keeping up with Dominic and Belegar. It almost seemed an illusion of the eyes when Ellie tried to marvel at it. She stayed determined not to be left behind however, and kept up well enough.

They caught up to Fletcher at the edge of the woods and his face told everything. His countenance was a mask of horror and immeasurable grief. Bodies lie everywhere. Men, women, and children. It was an act of pure evil and terrorism. Limbs lay limp and detached to whatever bodies that owned them. Innards draped across the buildings and trees like macabre decorations. Heads were prominently displayed on pedestals in the forms of various weapons and tools of war. The worst of it was the blood that puddled around the entire town like confetti after a parade. Standing above all the chaos was the void-like building that ruptured from the center of the town, staring down upon the carnage with glee, and hate.

Fletcher weeped to himself without noticing, and Ellie wailed with a heart that seemed to shatter into nothing. Tears streamed down Belegar’s face, and Dominic was on his hands and knees. There were no words to be said, and none could hope to find any.

“We must leave immediately.” Wrynn said coldly.

“What?” Belegar asked.

“There’s nothing here any longer, and this isn’t our mission.” He said in the same icy tone.

“Like Hell we’re leaving! There could be survivors! We need to help!” Belegar cried.

“Stop fighting, you fucking idiots!” Dominic screamed while still on his hands and knees. “We’re going to go help whoever we can. End of discussion.”

“No. Wrynn is right. There is nothing to be done here” Ellie said with a sharpness and coldness similar to Wrynn’s.

“The fuck? You would leave those people? You would fucking abandon those in need? You sick fuck!” Dominic exploded while jumping on Ellie. She did not move a muscle and her face told a story of a being who has lost all hope. Lost all humanity.

“Look out there, Dominic. Really take a good, hard look. What’s the point? Even if we managed to find someone, then what? We take them with us? You know we can’t do that.” She said uncaring.

He looked at the carnage per her request, and he punched the ground next to her head and began crying. He curled up next to her in a ball, weeping. “Please. We have to do something.” He said softly, almost inaudibly.

“No. We’re leaving.” Wrynn said while walking back toward the woods. “Come now, Apprentice. Come everyone.”

Wrynn never saw the hit coming. It was large, fast, and felt like a pile of mortar to the back of the head. He coughed up blood and noticed he was on the ground. His vision was blurry, and he realized that he had a concussion. Looming above him was the giant form of his old friend, Belegar.

“Get the fuck up, Wrynn! I said get the fuck up!” Belegar said while grabbing Wrynn by the collar of his robe and pulling him up to meet him face to face. Belegar’s eyes held fire, and his face was of rage. He snarled, and pulled back his fist again. He went to strike, but Wrynn knew it was coming this time, and he whispered under his breath in a language still unknown to Belegar. His arm and his body would not move. Wrynn squirmed out of his inhuman grasp and landed on the ground. He began walking again. Ellie followed.

“Wrynn. Please. We need to do something.” Fletcher said with a shaky voice, still looking out over the horrors before him. Quivering in place.

Wrynn ignored him and continued walking. Belegar broke out of his mystical bindings and charged Wrynn. Once tackled to the ground, Belegar grabbed Wrynn’s collar once more and screamed directly into his face. “What if I left you at that fucking crater, Wrynn? What if I gave up on you? What if I said no? Where the fuck would you be right now? Where? Answer me goddammit!”

Wrynn’s face shifted ever so slightly. He showed the slightest hint of humanity, and understanding, and more importantly, he showed the slightest bit of compassion. He just nodded his head. Belegar got off him and dragged Wrynn up with him.

“Come the fuck on then.”

So, the party carefully, and discreetly slinked through the town. They avoided all the grotesque beings that flooded through the black spire. When they got to see them much more closely than from the ravine deep in the woods, they came to the realization that these beings were not Goblins, but some form of abominations. They had curled fingers that were scarred black. Their ears were elongated into misshapen knives with rings and jewelry made of bones adorning them. Their backs were hunched and their bony spines were visible. Their huge, square jaws hung open to reveal razor sharp teeth, and their noses were comparable to those of skulls.

They searched for hours and the horrors only grew worse, notably the fact that these creatures not only mutilated the bodies, but feasted upon them as well. Most devastating, however, was that they still had not found any survivors. Morale had sunk, to say the least.

“Goddammit. Not a single person!” Dominic cried when they had found safety in an abandoned building.

“Perhaps some escaped the slaughter.” Wrynn had input.

“Gah! Why is this happening? What are those things? Wrynn, do you know anything?” Dominic asked desperately.

“I’m afraid not.” Wrynn responded.

“Anyone know anything? Ellie, what about you. Are these things found around wherever the Under Elves live?” Dominic asked.

Ellie was unresponsive and her gaze penetrated a thousand miles. Her mind was elsewhere. Her eyes were empty.

“Ellie! Answer me!” Dominic yelled in a panic while shaking the Elven girl.

“Dominic, calm down! You’re going to alert those… Things to our position!” Belegar said while pulling back Dominic’s hands from Ellie. “Ellie? Are you alright?” Belegar asked with worry.

“We should just leave. There is nothing we can do, and it wouldn’t matter anyway.” She said softly.

“What?” Belegar said astonishedly.

“Perhaps we could go into that black building. They may have taken some people there. There had to have been a reason why it showed up here, and those things out there are too savage to operate such a vessel. They may be someone’s underlings.” Wrynn proposed.

“That fucking horrifies me, Wrynn. Why would you say that?” Dominic said appalled.

“Are you saying you think I’m wrong?” Wrynn questioned.

“No. That’s the part that scares me.” Dominic said while sighing.

“I can cloak us and try to open the door, but I have never seen anything like that entrance before in my life. It will take my full concentration. You guys have to stay right next to me the entire time, and never make a peep. Understood?” Wrynn said with some confidence.

They all agreed, except Ellie who was stuck within herself. “Young Apprentice. Do you understand what I’m asking of you?” She only nodded her head up and down slowly.

There was no time to further investigate her, though. They needed to make haste or potentially risk the lives of others. Wrynn whispered some incantations that lit his eyes aflame with purple and he exhaled a puff of dark blue-purple smoke that enveloped the group and then finally subsided leaving a trace of nothing in the room. They then made their way to the black spire.

As they approached the dark building, it shook and rumbled. Strange, but they had no time to speculate. Wrynn studied the lock to the entranceway and cursed to himself. A spell-proof lock. Of course. Dominic told him that he could try, and after a couple of minutes messing with the thing, he figured it out and popped the doorway open. They swiftly entered.

Once inside, Wrynn lit his staff up with a purple flame that illuminated the room they were in. It wasn’t a room, but a big hallway that immediately diverged into two separate paths. They stood in the forray while discussing what to do next. That’s when the building shook again and a large piece of the ceiling came crashing down atop Ellie. Dominic lunged at her in time to push her out of the way, but the debris separated the two from the rest of the party.

“Holy fuck! Are you two alright?” Wrynn yelled through the debris.

Dominic stood up and turned to look at Ellie who was coughing in the dust, but looked mostly unharmed. “Yeah. We’ll have to find a way to meet up. You guys are going to have to go down that way, while we go down this way.” Dominic responded.

“Alright.” Was the only response given from Wrynn.

Dominic helped Ellie up, who still had that lost and gone look on her face. She was limp when he brought her up.

“You okay?” He had asked her.

No response.

“Alright. Is that how it’s going to be?”

No response.

“God fucking dammit. Alright, come on then. We have to find a way to the others.” Dominic said while lighting a torch he kept in his bag at all times. “It’s hard to see shit in here.”

The two walked for a while before Dominic decided to take a break after realizing he had broken his arm, and tore his calf up something fierce when rescuing Ellie.

“Dominic?”

Dominic perked up upon hearing his name. This is the first time she’s made a noise, let alone spoke, in the last hour. “Yes?”

“How are you fine right now? How can you go on? We just witnessed the darkest nightmare imaginable, and yet, you are fine.”

He smiled at her, which brought shock and confusion to her face.

“Let me tell you a story. When I was boy, I lived in Skovan. It’s on another continent, and that’s why I have a slight accent. This was a city of every race and every trade. Now, this naturally meant there was racism, bigotry, and evil. Not everyone could get along. I lived in the southern side of the city with my mother, father, and older sister. My dad was a butcher by trade, and my mother sewed. I was tasked with small odd jobs to help the family. I wish you could’ve met them. You would’ve liked my sister, she was absolutely beautiful. She had perfect almond colored hair, and these big round brown eyes that just sparkled with beauty. She was an eccentric one too. Always had to discover things and ask questions. Why is the sky blue, mom? Why do cats always land on their feet, dad?” He chuckled to himself while staring at the ground and reminiscing.

“She taught me everything that she learned, and we had this wonderful secret spot that we hid away at to play. By the river there was an outcropping of these huge boulders, and there was a little cave inside. More of an alcove I suppose. We’d play fight and find bugs. She had this gorgeous laugh whenever she touched a caterpillar. There were plenty of varying species of caterpillars in Skovan. I got to hear that laugh so many times.”

“That sounds lovely. What is your sister’s name?” Ellie had said, enraptured by this story, listening with perked ears and doughy eyes.

“It was lovely, and her name is Belle. One day, while we were at the hideout, we saw smoke billowing from our side of the city. We thought it was just another fire started by our neighbors who burned wood to make charcoal. We continued on with our playing. When the sun started to set, we headed back home. We discovered that all the buildings were on fire, and there were bodies scattered everywhere, not unlike what we saw in Corey. Apparently the Orcs had thought that the humans were living too sweetly and decided to change that. We found our parents dead. My sister ran to them, and a handful of Orcs, who were drunk, attacked my sister. I tried to do something, but they hit me over the head with a dull blade. They stabbed her through the chest and left. As she lay there bleeding, she looked over at me, and smiled with those giant brown eyes. She told me one thing. ‘Keep kindness in your heart, and questions on your tongue.’ She died moments later, and that’s when Wrynn found me and adopted me. I can smile, because she would want me to, and because if she could smile at the end, then I can too. Even if I realize now that I hadn’t heard enough of that gorgeous laugh.” Dominic’s cheeks were moist, and his shoulder’s were limp. His face was pale from blood loss. He clutched at an amulet around his neck.

“Dominic.” Ellie whispered to the air.

She looked over at him with sullen eyes, and went to hold his hand until she heard a gurgling noise in the distance. It became scratchier as it got closer, and then she could make out a silhouette of an amalgamated beast lumbering toward them.

“Dominic! Something’s coming.” She whispered harshly and with fear.

She looked over at Dominic, and he was unconscious. She swore to herself and got on her feet. She readied herself to fight, with a dagger in hand. Once the thing had sights on her however, it moved with immense speed. She hardly had time to react by the time it was on her, and she pulled away in a duck as it swept it’s gnarly, clawed hand at her torso. She stabbed it three times in the stomach as she recovered and black spurts of ichor sprayed across her arm. The beast gurgled again and lunged for her throat. She wasn’t quick enough and the beast sank it’s hooked teeth deep into her shoulder before she ripped herself free. Blood ran down her arm and she no longer had feeling in it. She switched dagger hands, and this time she went on the offensive. She swung wide at it, and it did almost nothing to avoid the hit as she sank the dagger into its temple. The beast dropped to the ground and gave one last muffled gurgle. She stood for a few more moments on full alert until the shocking pain gripped her shoulder and forced her to the ground. She whimpered to herself as darkness took hold of her.

Everything was hazy and black, and voices could be heard, but they sounded as if they came from the end of a tunnel.

“Hurry the fuck up with those two already.” Said a voice.

“I’m trying, but they are heavier than they look.” Said a second voice.

“Quit bitching. You should count yourself so lucky. You could have been them.” Said the first.

“That’s true.” Said the second.

“Hey, I think she’s coming to.” Said a third.

“Put her down. Hey there sleepy head, ya miss us?” Said the first.

Ellie blinked away the grogginess and tried to peer through the haze, and after several moments, she noticed that she was with Wrynn, Fletcher, and Belegar, who was holding her.

“Hey.” Ellie said with a drunken smile.

“Oh, she talks! And she looks like a normal fucking human being.” Wrynn said sarcastically.

“Hey Ellie. Lucky we found you when we did. You had been bitten by something and my restorative magic had no effect on the wound. I had to fix ya up the old fashion way. With bandages and ointment.” Belegar said through his toothy smile.

“Yeah, you weren’t looking too hot.” Fletcher put in.

“Where’s Dominic?” Ellie asked worriedly.

“Over there.” Fletcher pointed.

Dominic was sitting up with the help of Wrynn, and he had a sling around his arm and a brace around his leg. He looked marginally better than previously.

“Luckily, his wounds were natural, and my magic could help accelerate his healing. That cave-in did a number on him, but he’s mostly okay now.” Belegar jollily said with his hands on his hips in a self-appraising gesture.

Dominic was talking with Fletcher and he looked over at her and gave a smirk.

Ellie exhaled with relief. “Good. So I trust that you guys found where we’re supposed to go?” She asked while brushing the hair out of her face. A small smile on her face.

“Yes, but more importantly, it seems as though we have you back.” Wrynn said with a genuine smile that brought a huge gust of warmness to the young Elf. “Everyone, I’d like a moment alone with my Apprentice.” Everyone obliged and started heading down the hallway. Ellie looked a bit confused, and a bit ashamed. “Listen, I can teach you to use your magic, but I need you to know something. This group, this family, we need innocent eyes, and we need someone who cares. That’s why I accepted you as my apprentice. What you saw in town was something that none of them had ever seen, and sadly, something that I’ve seen too much. While I can teach you magic, I need you to hold us together. I don’t know what’s going on, but I knew that something big was happening. We’re going to need to stick together, and I should have never tried to just leave. I’m glad to have you back, young one.”

Ellie did not know entirely why, but she blushed to herself. She nodded gratefully to Wrynn, and mentally noted this moment. She would come to this one moment many times in the future.

The two made their way to the others, who were waiting outside another door similar to the one they entered the structure. They all looked at Ellie relieved and they let a moment pass of thankfulness that she was still with them. Upon further inspection, Ellie saw that there were a dozen of those abominations lying around, and then noticed that the party saw their own encounter with the monsters. Bruises and cuts scattered across their bodies. They looked happy, considering, though.

“What do you think we’ll find behind this door, boss.” Dominic asked with his usual sarcasm and smugness. It failed to hide his worry.

“I couldn’t say. I shudder to think, even. Fingers crossed.” He said as the door slid open.

The party entered slowly, and cautiously. The lighting was surprisingly present, and the room seemed quaint and homey. The juxtaposition between this single room, and the rest of the city, let alone the grotesque building, was jarring. It disoriented the party, even. This raised caution even further. They looked around the room, tossing furniture and cabinets. Nothing.

“Fuck. I was hoping-” Belegar was cut off before he could finish his thought.

“Hello? Is someone there? Please! Help me!” The party looked over and saw a young man standing there.

Questions shot through everyone’s minds like a racehorse. The man wore rags and seemed to have been through hell. Bandages, and cloth strips covered up wounds, and he had an I.V. plugged into his veins. There was no telling what they were doing to this man. Wrynn looked at Dominic to comfort him.

“Hello? Yeah, we’re here to save you. .” Dominic said with a warm smile.

“Are you going to hurt me?” The man inquired.

“Of course not. We are here to rescue you. What’s your name?” Dominic asked, still smiling.

“Death.” Was the only response he gave.

“You saw what happened outside, didn’t you? Poor, poor man. We can help, we can get you to safety.” Dominic said with grief in his eyes.

“Where’s… My… Family?” The man said with increasing hate and contortion. His voice became deep, and his face warped into a mask of anger.

“DEATH.”

With this, his form changed. His arms peeled away, and dark, blood matted fur exposed itself. His back tore open, revealing tattered wings. His face elongated into a snout, and his teeth grew into razors. Claws extended themselves from his hands. His legs sloughed off exposing large slug-like tentacles.

“I AM DEATH.”

The party threw themselves backwards in preparation. They readied themselves to this new threat, confused as to what to do.

The man-beast snarled and a gout of flame shot from his throat at Fletcher. It licked him, but he managed to dodge. While he was busy with the fire, however, the beast lunged with incredibly speeds at Belegar, and swiped at him. Belegar blocked with his shield, but the claws tore clean through the iron. Belegar was taken aback and threw his shredded tin can of a shield to the ground. He raised his Holy longsword high above his head and sliced downward on the beast with tremendous strength. The beast raised its forearm to block, and the weapon only scratched the monster.

“GURGLE ON YOUR OWN BLOOD!” The man-beast screamed with intensity and increasing fervor.

Fletcher knocked a couple of arrows and let them loose. The beast whirled toward the archer and caught the arrows. He roared and lunged at the elf again. He met Fletcher in an instant and used his momentum to grab his face and plunge it into the hard stone floor. A loud crack echoed throughout the building as Fletcher’s head split open. He gurgled and his eyes went white immediately.

“No!” Ellie screamed, and jumped on the beast, impaling it with her dagger. It only went in a couple centimeters, and the beast threw her off, slamming her against the wall.

Dominic slinked out of the shadows and jumped atop the beast as well, but he knew the points to strike. His daggers sunk into the beast’s shoulder and under its armpits. They went in a bit deeper, and the beast roared with anger. The noise made the party hold their ears with pain, and the beast’s eyes seemed to glow red. It moved so fast, it was only a blur. It rammed into Dominic with both claws extended and impaled the young man. Dominic spat blood out and his eyes rolled back.

“YOUR FLESH WILL BE TORN ASUNDER!” The beast howled.

Wrynn unleashed a flurry of flames that took the beast by surprise. It did minimal damage, but it held the beast at bay. “Belegar! Grab Dominic and Fletcher, and leave. You too, Ellie. I do not know what this monstrosity is, but he is too powerful!”

Belegar looked tired and worn. He wanted to cleanse the man, that was obvious, but he had to concede to the fact that this unholy creation was far stronger than they could handle. He grabbed the two, and lead Ellie out of the building.

“Tell me, is this your doing, Simeera?” Wrynn whispered. Hardly audible over the roaring flames dancing from his hands and staff.

The beast calmed and its eyes went from a piercing red, to a soft orange with a black tinge. It walked through the fire as if they didn’t exist and met Wrynn face to face. It extended its claw and slowly caressed Wrynn’s face. The beast giggled with a soft, silky voice that held deep within it, evil.

“I knew you’d figure it out. You always were a smart one. Do you like my newest creation?” The beast looked down at itself and danced around as if to show off. “It’s still a prototype, but we’re headed in the right direction.” The beast giggled again.

“You sick whore! You took away this man’s life, and for what? To make a toy?” Wrynn yelled.

“Oh, Wrynn. That anger is as present as ever. Sure, I massacred a whole town, and destroyed the lives of hundreds, but it wasn’t just for the toys. I did it to get your attention. I want you, Wrynn. I need you.” The beast shimmered and it’s form was replaced with that of a being in black robes. The extended claw became a dainty hand. Raven hair flowed down the figure’s form, out of it’s hood.

“Me? Why would you want me?” Wrynn asked with disgust.

“Don’t play coy with me, Master Mage. You know exactly why. I’ll leave you to think about this little talk of ours. It was lovely, Wrynn. I await our next meeting. Farewell.” A black mist swirled around the figure and as her form dissipated, another small giggle echoed throughout the room. Wrynn was left alone in the building, and he took a handful of moments to be isolated with his thoughts.

#oc #writing #fantasy #book #novel #unfinished #obsidian #scars

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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Obsidian Scar: Chapter 2

“You’re kidding, right?” Fletcher managed to squeak out.

“I am one-hundred percent serious, my friend.” Wrynn stated sinisterly.

“But, they have a trap for you. You’re going to just walk right into that?” Ellie asked startled.

“Absolutely not. We all are.” The look that Wrynn gave to Ellie could have stolen the soul from the Reaper himself. She almost fainted.

Belegar took Wrynn aside to speak. “Wrynn, are you sure about this? We all know that Lefonde is a bit careless, but he is still a powerful person. Walking into an open trap like this could get us all killed.”

“Belegar.” Wrynn’s face lightened up a little. “Trust me on this one. I wouldn’t underestimate an opponent, and you know that.”

“I’m not so sure,” Belegar whispered under his breath as he pulled away from Wrynn.

“Anyone else want to speak the fuck up? No? Good. Ellie, this is your time to prove yourself. If you betray us, I will mount your head on a pike myself. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, sir.” Ellie said while retreating into her scarf.

Wrynn decided to take a moment to look the woman up and down. She was Elven, yet had tanned skin. This was very uncommon, and Wrynn had only seen this in Elves who were born with innate magics. Ellie was also gorgeous. Her hair was blonde, and her almond-shaped eyes were crystal blue. Skin tight leathers accentuated her lovely curves, and she wore a red cloak, which matched her dark red leather. A dusky crimson scarf hung loosely around her neck.

“You all understand what’s being asked of you, correct?” Everyone nodded. “You all know what you’re supposed to do, correct?” Everyone nodded again to Wrynn’s question. “Fan-fucking-tastic. I’ll be up in my room preparing for tomorrow.”

“Sir, may I come with you for a moment to talk.” Belegar inquired.

Wrynn looked around at everyone and nodded. He then led Belegar to his room and shut the door. He sat down on his bed, and sighed heavily. “You called me sir. What happened now?”

“It happened.”

Wrynn looked worried for a moment and then he started to think. “Same as before?”

“Mostly. There was an additional piece this time. She told me the same thing, but right after, she asked for you. She wants you back. She told me to tell you that if you came back, she would forgive everything.”

“Fuck.”

“She also told me to tell you that she wants to apologize.”

Wrynn’s face froze. Then slowly it warped into rage. Real rage. Wrynn exploded. Belegar managed to pull his ring up and get the protective bubble around Wrynn, but not before he completely burned away every last thing in his room, and even burned Belegar a tad. The purple flames swirled and sang within the bubble. The bubble cracked and dark blue smoke leaked out. Belegar was nervous. He could feel the heat, even outside of the magical enclosure, and he worried it might actually break this time. Finally, after minutes of blistering rage, Wrynn subsided, and he cooled off. Belegar’s hand glowed a white-yellow and he touched his burned arm, which seemed to heal over.

Wrynn yelled irately, ignoring Belegar’s wound. “She wants to fucking apologize? She thinks that she can make everything better by saying she’s sorry? I went through Hell. She wants to tell me she’s fucking sorry? I sacrificed… I.... Argh!”

“Wrynn. Please. I know what she did to you was inhumane, but they don’t understand people.”

“Does that make it right? Is that supposed to make me feel better?” Wrynn exhaled violently, and then he straightened up a little. “Thank you for telling me, Belegar. Did it hurt this time?”

“Not nearly as much. I’m acclimating to it slowly.” “Good. Good. I need to prepare, and then I need some fucking rest. Goodnight old friend.”

Belegar left the room, and headed back to the party. As he did this, halfway around the world, in a bleak, dark stone tower, a dark figure peered inside an orb and watched Wrynn. A sultry, evil laugh escaped the figure’s throat and it’s slender, feminine fingers grasped the orb.

“Yes, Wrynn. Get angry. Show me what you can do. I will have you.”

The party of four drank ale, and ate bread. They spoke of the coming morning when they would confront Lefonde. Then they told Ellie of all the adventure’s they had had. They told her of all the cities they had seen and all the people they had met. They spoke of the cuisine they had tasted and the weather they have endured. Ellie’s eyes were aglow.

“Oh my.” She said with absolute wonder. “And you think that I could see those things as well?”

“Of course, Ellie. We can show you the whole world and all its beauty!” Fletcher said with a perfunctory smile and tilt of the head.

“Ellie, why are you so amazed by these tales anyhow? You’re from Silvaan, aren’t you? That’s halfway around the world from here. You’d have to have travelled quite a bit yourself.” Belegar inquired.

Ellie sunk into her scarf again. “Actually, I’ve never even seen the Elven city of Silvaan.”

Fletcher spit his drink out a little. “What? But you’re a full Elf. All full Elves are born in Silvaan. Even I was.”

“I wasn’t.” She said softly.

“Yeah, we live the sweet life alright. Money, women, and all the best scenery this side of the Broken Spires.” Dominic said while stretching and kicking his feet up on the table.

“That does sound swell.” Ellie ogled.

They all sipped at their drinks and chuckled among themselves, embracing the warmth of the hearth and the good spirits. Belegar then leaned over toward Ellie, “Nothing was as fantastic as the Crystal Spires, though.”

Ellie’s eyes lit up again. “The Crystal Spires? Were they as amazing as the stories say?” “Even better. They were absolutely wonderous. Even Wrynn felt it.”

“Really? He seems like he doesn’t like anything though.”

“He likes plenty. He just… Well, he just got kicked from home and that left him a bit sour.”

“Oh.” Ellie said while staring at the ground. “Me too.”

“Oh, Wrynn forgot his spellbook. Could you run this up to him, Ellie?” Fletcher said while handing over a book of pure grandeur and beauty.

“Sure.”

Ellie grabbed the book and walked upstairs. The book felt old. It smelled musty, and time worn. She made it up and stared at the door a while.

She knocked lightly, and the door slowly opened. She walked inside and saw Wrynn on his knees. He was disrobed and was in the center of a sigil. He was humming to himself and doing some sort of spell. What caught her attention however, were the deep, nasty scars on his back. There were two, and they cut across both of his shoulder blades.

“Wrynn?” Ellie called weakly.

Wrynn snapped out of his trance and turned to see Ellie. “What? You just disrupted my incantation. What did you want?”

Ellie glanced around and saw ash and destroyed objects all around the room. Everything was singed and broken. Everything around Wrynn was gone. She shivered.

“What are those scars on your back?” She didn’t mean to ask, but the words slipped out.

Wrynn smiled gravely, and his eyes sank. “A lesson learned.” He said softly. “Now, what did you come for?”

“Fletcher asked me to bring you this.” She handed him his spellbook. “You left it downstairs.”

“Thank you. You may leave now.” He turned back around before she even left and started humming to himself again, the sigil crackling with energy. As she left, Wrynn took a glance behind him and watched Ellie. Hm? Perhaps there is something there. He thought to himself.

She exited the room and closed the door. She leaned her back against the door and exhaled her breath, which she realized she was holding in the entire time. This just added more questions to the list she was making in her mind about who these guys really were. She made her way downstairs and met back up with the others.

Ellie noticed that Dominic was missing when she arrived downstairs. Fletcher and Belegar were playing a card game she was unfamiliar with. They seemed a little drunk as well. There was no one else here again, and she suspected that Wrynn, or one of the others, had paid the tavern keeper to not let anyone in at night.

“Where’s Dominic?” She asked to either one that would answer.

“Hm. I believe he went to find some women. Right, Belegar?” Fletcher had said.

“Um, I think so.” Belegar replied. “You, girl. Do you want to play cards?”

“I don’t know how to.” Ellie had replied.

“Well, it’s a damn good time to learn. Sit down, have a drink, and enjoy the night with us.”

Ellie obliged and sat down. At first, she didn’t really want any ale, but when she started to get the hang of the game, she got drunk as well. The game wasn’t very hard to learn, and was quite fun. The deck was composed of four different cards, Aces, Kings, Queens, and Knights. Aces beat everything except Knights, Queens beat Kings, and Kings beat Knights. The Dealer put the first card down, and everyone else went at the same time. Ellie found herself to be quite good at the game. The game only really worked when ale was involved.

“So, since you put down that King, my Queen would beat it?.” Ellie had asked.

Fletcher hiccuped and then tried to slur out words to no effect, so he just nodded. He had dealt and Ellie had won the game. She showed her hand, and she had three three Ace’s and one Queen. “You guys are terrible at this.” Ellie had laughed out.

“We’re just drunk.” Belegar said.

Ellie continued laughing, “Yeah you are.”

“So are you, missy.” Belegar hiccuped.

Ellie, in a fit of booze induced confidence managed to eye Belegar hard and they both giggled like little girls, a feat that Ellie didn’t know that lizard-men could do. She marveled at his attire and his weaponry, and took closer inspection.

“What is that on your sword? Is that a dragon?” She had inquired.

“Yes. I am a Paladin of Avahnne, Goddess of the Metallic Dragons, and the Protector of Good. I serve her, and she in turn rewards me. She is a benevolent Goddess. Most of the time.”

“How do you mean, ‘most of the time’?” Ellie investigated further.

“Whoops, I didn’t mean to say that. Pretend you didn’t hear that, okay? Okay. Let’s head to bed, and then beat the fuck out of Lefonde.” Belegar said before falling face first onto the ground as he got up. He fell asleep almost immediately.

“Uh oh. The big guy is down. Ellie, dear, could I by chance get some help up to my room? I don’t want to end up like Belegar the Red Nose over there.” Fletcher said innocently.

“Uh, sure. Yeah, I can do that.” She said while staring at the giant lizard-man taking up the majority of the walking space.

As the two made their way to the stairs, they heard the entrance to the tavern open, and they both looked to see Dominic with two women under each arm. He was loud, obnoxious, and laughing way too hard at his own jokes. However, both women seemed to really enjoy him as much as he enjoyed himself. He managed to remember to lock the door, then followed behind Ellie and Fletcher up the stairs.

“Woah. Are you two going to sleep together again?” Dominic asked drunkenly.

“Don’t know.” Ellie responded.

“You could always join me and these two lovely ladies in my room.” Dominic winked at Ellie.

“I’ll have to politely decline, Dominic. Perhaps some other time.” She sweetly replied.

Dominic belched, and then hiccuped. “You know where to find me if you decide that maybe you need a little extra man in your life.”

Ellie got Fletcher into his bed, and he fell asleep immediately. She thought about staying with the nice Elf, but thought better of it. She even pondered briefly on joining in on Dominic and the two girls. Instead she likened herself to crawling into her own bed to sleep. She exited out of Fletcher’s room, and stood in the hallway a while to think about what had happened in the past couple of days. Seeing Dominic fight that Half-Orc, then sleeping with Fletcher, then Wrynn threatened to kill her, then Wrynn allowed her to accompany them, then the spellbook and seeing Wrynn naked with those scars. She blushed to herself upon remembering his naked form. A lot has happened in a short span. Already she was having adventures that she couldn’t dream of having back at home with father. Then she realized that Wrynn was also standing in the dark hallway, waiting for her. She was startled at first, but then she saw his face, and he looked sorrow. Curious.

“Come into my room, young one.” That is all Wrynn said before entering his room.

Ellie stood still for a moment longer, and then followed into the mage’s room. Nothing was ashen, nor burned, any longer. The sigil on his floor was gone, she noted. His bed was perfectly made, as if no one had ever slept in it. He pulled a chair from his desk and sat in it. He then indicated toward his bed for Ellie to sit. She did so, although she was still confused, and a bit scared.

“Ellondra Quiearth, Daughter of King Quiearth of the Under Elf people. I spent a good bit of time researching you, young one. A good bit. Tell me, why had you tracked us down. Tell me the real reason.” Wrynn had said. Not angry, nor sad. Just curious.

Ellie was a bit shocked. She tried multiple times to say anything, but couldn’t. She tried to deny the accusations, but she knew she couldn’t, and Wrynn wouldn’t believe her anyway.

“I found it strange that you had not been to Silvaan. I found it even more strange that you wore that scarf. Looks well made. Very well made in fact, almost as though the Under Elves, masters of tailoring and herbalism, had created it for you. Then I got to thinking, how would this Elven girl have had a scarf ordered from the Under Elves, especially since they do not talk to any outside race. Curious indeed. You do not look Under Elven, but then I realized that you do not only develop tan skin from the innate magics, but you develop blonde hair and blue eyes. So, what’s the real reason you came to us?”

“I… I was sent here from my father. He is a good man, but we are an uninformed people. He did not know you, as I have come to know you. He told me stories of you and the others. When he spoke of them, even he had admiration in his eyes. When my magic started to develop, I didn’t know how to control it. He sent me here to ask you to help me.” Ellie said behind her scarf.

“Alright, I’ll help.” Wrynn said casually.

“What? You will? Why?” Ellie asked with wide eyes.

“I need an apprentice sooner or later, and I have an idea of your magic. It would suit me. Plus, I like you. You’re kind. I’ll teach you, young one.” Wrynn said in a way that made it seem to Ellie as if he meant he’ll teach her much more than magic.

“O-Okay? Thank you?” Ellie said confused and a bit mistrusting.

“You may leave now, young one. After we deal with Lefonde, I will start teaching you. You can use some of your magic, yes?” Ellie nodded, still perplexed. “Marvelous. Goodnight.”

Ellie left the room almost bewildered. She had come to know Wrynn as a bit of a prick. There had to be some reason other than needing an apprentice, right? Maybe it’s even something nefarious. He had a use for her, what could that mean? She went to her room, but sleep was hard earned as she tossed and turned as she was still pondering the events that had just transpired with Wrynn over and over in her mind. She cursed him for being so impossibly mystifying.

The next morning came like a sledge hammer through mud for everyone, except Wrynn. Groggy, hemorrhaging minds piloted bodies to Wrynn’s room to punctuate points of attack against the man named Lefonde. Wrynn, irritated by the distraction of hangovers, quickly made a concotion and had everyone drink it. It was absolutely disgusting and Fletcher almost wretched, but it cleared everyone’s head.

“Are we all agreed on the plan?” Wrynn asked.

“I’d rather not do this at all, but if we have to, I suppose that is the least likely way we die.” Dominic remarked.

“I wasn’t really looking for an answer, Dominic. Thank you though.” Wrynn said annoyed.

The five of them left the Iron Brew Tavern, and the town of Corey. They ventured into the woods just west of Corey. Big trees loomed ahead, and the sun barely reached the floor of the forest. In the distance, a fairly large hill loomed over the trees. That was their destination.

“Are you sure the mage will show, Sir?” Asked a young looking soldier wearing the Market’s designated attire.

The man he was speaking to was a large, muscular man. He had scars all over his face and hands. His hair was snow white and he had a large beard of the same color. This man was adorned with similar attire, but with more armor in the vital regions, and he had an officer’s badge. This particular badge signified he was of a high standing. Not the highest, however, he was only a Mage. Archmage held the highest clout among the members of the Market. He had a staff of some material unknown to many. It looked wicked, with wiry beads and feathers crawling up it in a spiral. The end was spread open revealing an eye that looked around sporadically like a bird.

“Of course. He’s an old friend. He wouldn’t want to miss this opportunity to say hello.” The man laughed. “I believe that’s him right there.”

The big, bearded man pointed off along the edge of the hill that cut through an outcropping in the woods. There was a man in purple robes with a magnificent staff walking toward them. It was hard to tell from here, but his skin seemed to be light blue.

Wrynn made it to them and looked around at everyone. “So, Lefonde. Why is it you called me?” Wrynn asked with a snarl.

Lefonde only chuckled and responded, “To kill you old friend.” As he said this, the ground beneath Wrynn’s feet gave way and fell under him for 100 feet. His scream echoed throughout the hole. A disgusting, inhuman scream that left the soldiers standing around feel terror’s cold grasp reach out for their spines.

Lefonde turned to his underlings to brag, but what he saw instead was a pile of dead bodies. He then felt the grip of multiple hands wrapped around his arms, constraining him. Then, with a shimmer, the forms of Dominic, Fletcher, Belegar, Wrynn, and Ellie appeared.

“Good job with the decoy, Ellie.” Fletcher said.

Wrynn stepped out in front of Lefonde while, Fletcher, Dominic, and Belegar held him. “So, you tried to have me killed? Not very smart, dumbass.” Wrynn said snidely.

“What? How?” Lefonde screamed with rage.

“My new apprentice over there is apparently talented in the arts of conjuration. Specifically, illusions. She tricked your dumbass into believing that was me. Although, I don’t blame you. She perfectly replicated myself, and was able to project my voice as well. I was even fooled. The invisibility was me.” Wrynn punctuated by swirling purple mist around his hand.

Lefonde looked over toward the girl and grinned. “Oh, so I see the little pup has scurried over your way then? Damn, I was too careless. Maybe--”

As Lefonde was speaking, out over the trees and in the small town of Corey, a huge building erupted from the ground, destroying several surrounding buildings as it did. The thing was midnight black, and it seemed to suck the light out of everything around it. It was disgusting to look at and even more disturbing to see the things that came out of it. Goblins poured out of it, and ransacked the town. What exactly they were doing was hard to tell from this distance. The trio let go of Lefonde as they watched in shock, and as they did so, he vanished completely. No one gave mind however, as they realized that they had to do something, and they all ran toward the town.

#oc #writing #fantasy #book #unfinished #novel #obsidian #scars

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

Text

Obsidian Scar: Chapter 1

The whistle of a dozen avian melodies struck through the quaint town of Corey. Cheery, and homey. The spring breeze wafted through the hair of all the denizens of the fair town. Joyous spirits jauntily walked through the Moonbrook Meadow, the town square, and raucous laughter could be heard from the Iron Brew Tavern on the East side of the square. The laughter quickly seized and turned to dead silence. That silence then turned to yelling and rage. The sound of broken plates and a fight echoed through the tavern. The door was splintered as a man was thrown from it.

“I can’t believe you tried to touch my wife’s ass!” Screamed a Half-Orc. The other half was belligerent drunk.

“Are you accusing I, Dominic Rook, of finagling with the wonderful people of this fair city?”

The Half-Orc snarled at the human, sizing him up. He wore dark leather armor and a dark brown cloak with leather bracers. At his side was a strap holding three daggers and he wore a short sword at his hip. His face was bearded and pale. His hair long and dark. He was ruggedly handsome, and his toothy smile had a shine to it that could woo anyone. Except this Half-Orc who was grabbing the human by the collar and pulling him up with a raised fist.

“Come now friend, surely we can discuss this like civilized people. Besides, your pretty wife wouldn’t want to see her big, bad husband get beat up anyhow. She might just send a letter my way if that were to happen.” Dominic said with a wry grin and a wink.

The Half-Orc’s green-grey face went as red as the sunrise, and he threw Dominic across the road. He started stomping towards the prone human with weighty steps and white-knuckled fists. Simultaneously, a lizard man stepped out from the tavern, and surveyed the situation. He was giant. About a head taller than the Half-Orc, who was about a head taller than Dominic. His scales were onyx, and his underbelly was ivory. He wore Silver plate armor with gold inlays and carried around a hefty longsword with a gold dragon insignia etched into the crossguard that wrapped down the hilt. On his back was an iron kite shield.

“Dominic, are you really already starting today? Why can’t we have one peaceful moment?” The lizard man said towards the Rogue.

“Are you going to just stand there, or are you going to help me, Belegar?” Dominic retorted.

Belegar, seemingly the name of this lizard man, drank in some air, and released it with a heavy sigh.

“I will help you get your act together.” As Belegar said this, a dashingly young wizard stepped through the entrance to the tavern and out into the town square with the other three. “What about you, Wrynn? Will you help?”

“I think I’ll watch for now. I’d like to see how this turns out.” Wrynn said with a gorgeous smile.

Belegar noted that Wrynn wasn’t really paying attention to the show in front, but instead was focusing on a beautiful Elven woman in the crowd who seemed to be in awe at the sight of Dominic. She was shooting her gaze back and forth between all the members of their party actually, with the look of a child who has met their hero for the first time. Wrynn knew something, Belegar thought to himself. He was only ever agreeable when he was thinking.

The Half-Orc flinched at the sound of Wrynn’s sultry, calm voice and took the slightest of a moment to look behind him and skim over his audience. What he saw made him do a double take. The wizard looked young. Very young. Maybe 19. However, his pure white eyes held intense intelligence and wisdom beyond any other man he had met. Perhaps more alarming was that the wizards skin was a silky light blue, and his hair was perfect. His countenance was stoic, yet held a slight grin that was charming, and off putting. He wore purple robes and had an exquisite staff made of Blackwood that held a big purple-blue crystal at the top that mysteriously hovered above it all on its own.

“Turn back around big guy. Your fight is over there.” Wrynn said and pointed toward Dominic who was now on his feet and brushing off the dirt. “Where is Fletcher? He’s going to miss the fight.”

“Don’t know. I think he’s still trying to talk to that woman inside the tavern.” Dominic said as the Half-Orc made it back up to him. “Before we do this, can I ask you one question?”

The Half-Orc just snarled at the man and lifted him up by the collar again, this time with both hands.

“Wait wait wait wait. Look here. Do you know what this is?” Dominic said as he pointed down toward his boot.

The Half-Orc looked down in curiosity and was promptly met with the pommel of a dagger in the back of his neck. He gurgled as he fell to the ground unconscious and snoring. A loud thud hit the ears of everyone watching, which there was a nice crowd gathered now, as no one wanted to miss a good fight. Some people clapped, others whined at the sudden end to the encounter. Others just watched.

“I actually cannot believe that that worked. Huh. Let’s go back inside the tavern, find that damn Elf, and get drunk.” Dominic promptly stated with triumph and a curtsy.

“That sounds like a fantastic idea. Perhaps you can attempt to charm another woman and have her husband fight you.” Wrynn slyly stated with a hint of dry sarcasm.

“I don’t attempt to charm. I charm. You saw the way she was looking at me. She practically begged me to whisk her away from her drab husband and show her what a real man is capable of. Tell him Belegar.” Dominic winked towards Wrynn, and patted Belegar on the shoulder.

“I am not getting into this. Let’s just get inside, I need a drink. Hopefully Fletcher didn’t get into as much trouble as Dominic. We can only hope I suppose.” Belegar sighed a heavy sigh again, and then perked up and gave a wide toothy smile toward Dominic.

Thus, the party made their way back inside the tavern, and they saw their friend, Fletcher, the Wood Elf Ranger, sitting at a table talking to an embarrassed female Elf. His green tunic was slightly askew, and his hair was a bit of a jumbled mess, as though he woke out of bed in a hurry this morning. His Elven bow lay out on the table before him. He was actually quite attractive. However, his social skills were lackluster, and he was clearly beyond nervous just being in the presence of this woman. His face was slender, and beautiful. His eyes almond shaped, and a gorgeous light blue. He was muscular and athletic in build.

“...So, I decided that eating the dead opossum was better than starving, and so I did so. It wasn’t a fun night, I can tell you that much, heh.” Fletcher said to the uncomfortable Elven woman.

“Hey, Fletcher. Come over here and have a drink with us.” Dominic said to the Ranger and gave a wink to the female Elf. He then whispered to her as he was leading Fletcher away, “I’m in the room farthest down on the right side.”

“What was all that commotion I heard outside, Dominic?” Fletcher said with a worried expression.

“Well, I was just minding my own business, and this egregious gentlemen took it upon himself to try to bully me out of the tavern. Of course, I had done nothing wrong, and told him as much. He wasn’t having any of it though, and I thought that perhaps he needed a nap to clear his mind.” Dominic said with faux sheepishness.

Wrynn broke up the conversation a bit impatiently. “Sit your dumb ass down, Dominic. Stay put and you can’t get into any more trouble. We have things to discuss.”

Dominic looked back over his shoulder toward the Elven woman that Fletcher was previously attempting, and failing, to flirt with. She was blushing and only met his gaze for but a second. He winked at her and gave her that pleasant smile that hooks in all of his hunts.

“Alright Master Wizard. Whatcha got?” Dominic questioned unenthused.

“The Market has asked us to move into Lakewood in the next few weeks, and set up there. They said that this job is over for us and they can send some people to clean up. We must move on with the plan. Dominic, I trust that you have secured your contact and can get us a safehouse on arrival?” Dominic nodded while sipping at his ale. “And Belegar, you have the concoction that was asked of us?” Belegar flashed a vial of a neon blue liquid on his belt. “Alright. Good. Everything’s coming together. Now, Fletcher, I need you to scout the city out for us once we get there. We’ve been in Alexandria for all of two months and don’t know much about it’s cities. Other than that, the plan goes as discussed. I’ll have a meeting with Lefonde. For now, try to stay out of anymore trouble Dominic.”

Wrynn finished his ale in one swig and got up and walked upstairs toward his room. The others drank merrily the rest of the day and night. Dominic got into another fight, which he ended abruptly, and almost a third until Belegar stepped in. Fletcher managed to charm an elven woman who slipped into the tavern at night during the partying, and Dominic went to bed with three women, including the Elven woman that Fletcher was initially flirting with.

The next morning was one of despair for the small group, who were all dealing with hangovers, with the exception of Wrynn. Dominic, although hungover, still looked quite chipper as he strode downstairs with three women, all of which were gorgeous. Fletcher made his way down with his new companion as well, and Belegar and Wrynn followed suit while discussing something.

“Barkeep! Can we perhaps have some hair of the dog?” Dominic bellowed with a satisfied grin. The tavern keeper only sighed slightly and obliged. These fellows were a bit of a nuisance, but they paid well, and they always paid upfront and on time. Something that some people around here didn’t do. Dominic then noticed that not only was Fletcher being dismissive of him, but that he had a new friend. “Fletcher, who is this beautiful young woman you have with you?”

Fletcher entirely ignored him and was engrossed in conversation with his new friend until Dominic asked again with more sharpness.

“Her name is Ellondra.” Fletcher sighed.

“Ellie is fine.” She said with a beaming smile that lit the room up.

Dominic took Ellie’s hand and kissed it and gave a short bow while still seated. “So, what is an impossibly wonderful woman like yourself doing with... this?” He limply indicated toward Fletcher.

Ellie only chuckled and continued her conversation with Fletcher, who made a slimy face toward Dominic.

“Get the fuck up, Dominic. You have work to do.” Wrynn said dryly.

Dominic looked as though he wanted to complain, or maybe even fight, but instead groaned and got up from the table, “I must leave you ladies. The captain says I have to work.” The women looked equally disappointed.

“I’ll be off to visit Lefonde soon.” Wrynn said in the same tone.

“Woah, you’re going to see him today?” Fletcher asked, pulling away from his intimate speech about poisonous berries and his experience with them.

“No choice. I’d rather not go either, but work is work.” Wrynn said while eyeing Ellie. “So, Ellie is it?” She nodded. There was a long pause and Wrynn narrowed his eyes at the girl. “How long have you been following us?”

The room got tense immediately and there was an awkward laugh from first Fletcher, and then Ellie. Belegar looked a little worried, and it became apparent to everyone what the two were discussing now.

“I’m sorry?” Ellie said.

“What? Are you fucking deaf or something? How long have you been following us?”

“I don’t think I know what you’re asking.”

“Let me spell it out for you.” Wrynn raised his staff and pointed it toward the table next to them and blew it up with a violent, purple explosion that splintered the wood into nothing. He then swung his staff to point right at Ellie’s face. “Answer the fucking question.”

“Okay okay! I have been following you for months now.”

“Who sent you?”

“What? No one. I just wanted to meet you guys.”

“Wrong answer.” Wrynn said while charging up his staff.

“I swear! I swear! I’m just an admirer! I wanted to join you guys, but I knew that the wizard Wrynn, you, doesn’t recruit.”

“Yup. So now you can leave.” Wrynn indicated toward the tavern door. “You’re lucky I don’t blast your ass to wherever you came from.”

“Please! I’m desperate! I have nowhere to go. I’m useful, I swear. I have skills. I even know that Lefonde was planning on betraying you. I can be useful.”

Belegar then stepped forward to intervene a little, and he whispered to Wrynn. “Wrynn. I know what you’re thinking. We are here in silence, and the fact that some girl could find us is a bit preposterous, but you saw her out there. I think she may be telling the truth. Just hear her out.”

Wrynn only nodded to Belegar with a curled brow and malign expression and then turned back toward the girl.

The room suddenly shifted. Wrynn eyed the tavern keeper who locked the tavern door and then walked into the back room. Ellie then realised that there was absolutely no one else in this place, save her and the other four, and she gulped. “What the fuck did you just say?” Wrynn was both livid and curious.

“I slipped into Lefonde’s camp and pretended to be in love with him. I’m good at that. He told me he was a powerful man and that he had powerful friends. New friends.”

“You’re good at lying?” This got a harrowed reaction out of the girl, who then tripped over her own tongue trying to explain how she meant to say it. This in turn got a small chuckle out of Wrynn who seemed to be enjoying the mind game. “Who are these new friends?” Wrynn asked while lowering his staff slightly

“I don’t know, he didn’t tell me. He did mention that he was going to show some people that he’s top dog now, and that he will kill them. I asked who it was, and he said some wizard who thinks he’s tough shit and his friends. I came to you with this knowledge to show you my good will.”

“I can’t fucking believe this! Actually, I can, and that pisses me off more.” Wrynn slurred.

“I know! No one thinks you’re tough shit.” Dominic said from the doorway.

Wrynn was too busy thinking to scold him, but Belegar did give the young human a glance that said, “Watch it, or it could be so much more than just a scolding”.

“So, can I join?” Ellie asked with hopeful, tearful eyes.

“What are your skills, young one?” Wrynn asked with renewed composure.

#writing #story #fantasy #oc #unfinished #book

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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The Hill on Top of the World

And lo, I beheld a crooked hill. Askant, and sullied with the weight of sin. Sat atop the apex of the crest was a man dressed unlike any other. Cloaked in obscurity and veiled by an unfamiliar scent. His eyes were kind and calm, inviting me over with naught but a glance. The dark hues of his iris melted away much of my uncertainty, and I admit to acquiescing to his unworded summons. I sidled up against the lone tree that he crouched beneath, sitting diligently yet lazily. The willows draping over us such as an umbrella, shading us from the dangers of all others. I sat perpendicular to him, motionless and silent. He seemed convincingly content with the deadened air, and the solemnity of our unspoken yet adolescent bond.

I cannot say for certain, but there was a quality about him wholly unique to no other men. It brought me solace, and simultaneously, a creeping dread that only existentials in the blackest of nights could only hope to compare. Upon that skewed hill, we sat for no more than ten whole minutes before the man finally vocalized. And when he spoke, he spoke with the voice of God. This is unmistakable. I know this for I had no choice but to hang on to his every word, and to abide by his truths. Unwavering was his voice. I am unable to recite his verbiage verbatim, as I have no recollection of his monologue, short as it was. I can only convey the feeling and emotions it invoked upon my unsuspecting soul.

I felt tremendous fear, as though the very clouds of a heavy storm draped across my shoulders. Yet there was also that comfort that such a storm draws out. As if I had nothing to fear in this world because this storm was more potent than any threat the world could throw at me. His voice, much like the eyes, was calm. I knew, without a doubt, that he spoke Truth. That his words were more powerful than a canon. I was stunned as the altercation took place, incapable of movement, even blinking. It couldn’t have been more than a minute from start to finish, and a minute longer before I realized the man was no longer there. I sucked in much air, as I realized I hadn’t breathed a single time in the last few moments. I sat there, on that mound for what had to be an hour, internalizing all that had transpired. To this day, I am unsure of its meaning. Let me impart this knowledge to you, so that you may pass it down to your young ones as well. If you ever see a man sat by his lonesome on a twisted hill, beneath a sole willow tree, with eyes of darkness and a shade upon his face; Take rest with him, and perhaps you can parse the wisdom granted.

#oc #writing #short story #biblical #tone #god #devil

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collection-of-curios16 · 3 years ago

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An Artist Admires Art

The jets of pistons hissed throughout the halls of the House of Inspired Hands. Sharp twangs of metal on the forge echoed in the heart of invention. The many busy hands tinkered away restlessly to implement their wild ideas and cast them into reality. There was one such station that carried a crowd. One such place within the halls of ingenuity garnered the attention of many of the devout inventors within.

Sitting at a workstation, hands calmly yet precisely maneuvering the large box filled with wires, was Sir Eldrin Eyrynnhv. Some call him Sir, others Headmaster or Professor, and some simply refer to him as a friend. Right now, those gathered around him referred to him as genius.

“Eldrin, tell me again, how did you come up with the design? This is incredible, perhaps even one of the greatest inventions to ever be crafted within the House of Inspired Hands.” A stout little Halfling with a wizened, yet impressionable face exclaimed.

“You praise me far too much, Orind, my good friend. It is akin to composing a ballad. The wood is my story. The wires my stanzas. The keys my language, and the keystrokes my dialogue. When inspiration grips one so strongly, guided by Milil herself, you do not shirk that responsibility. As you would know.” Eldrin punctuates by gesturing around the building known as the House of Inspired Hands. A truly noble place for invention and new creations.

“Of course, Eldrin. I am just truly amazed.” Orind wistfully says.

Eldrin continued working, determination in his eyes. He hardly noticed the young human male, roughly seventeen years of age join the crowd gathering around him with a large covered, rectangular object in his hands.

“Um, Sir Eldrin? Your commission is finished, and I am here to deliver it.” The young man says after watching Eldrin work for several moments.

“Thank you very much. Here, take this.” He says handing over a couple of gold coins.

The young man’s eyes light up, “Thank you very much, Sir Eldrin!” And he runs off.

Eldrin calmly sets his tools down and props the large parcel on his lap, and unwraps it. A slight smile crawls across his face, as a single tear races down his terribly gorgeous countenance. There before him was an absolutely immaculate painting of a light-skinned Dark Elf, with short white hair that hung in front of a pixie-esque face with gorgeous dark-pink eyes, and full lips slightly parted. Her long, curved ears had several piercings, and her demeanor was proud, yet coy.

Eldrin slowly traced his finger over the face of the woman, eyes welling up with tears, as he whispered something under his breath. A soft tune to a song that carried with it much weight. He pressed his body against the portrait before pulling himself away slightly and setting the painting aside. He eyed his device, stood up, and pulled a string across the joints located in the belly of the machine. He nodded to himself and proudly stated, “It’s finished.”

A loud, beautiful laugh erupted from down the hallway, and Eldrin looked to see it was Asha, who was consumed in a fit of humor. She was conversing with one of the priests. He smiled to himself.

“What are you going to call it, Eldrin.” The Halfing asked with bated breath.

“A Piano.” Eldrin said softly.

“Piano? Is that Elvish? What does it mean?”

“There is no single word for it in Common. It refers to the bittersweet feeling when the seasons change, ushering in a new era. My people believe this change is not one to find sorrowful, but instead rejoiced. However, most often we greet it with a sense of loss for what once was, and a shimmering feeling of hope and happiness for what could now be.” Eldrin said, slowly sitting down on the bench, his feet finding the levers on the base of the box. His fingers gently glided across the ivory keys, feeling the weight of their importance at this moment. He finally rested his hands, and stroked the first key, letting out the ring of a miraculous melody that immediately gripped the attention of any who wasn’t already before gripped. Another and another, until his fingers orchestrated perhaps one of the most profound and soul-cleansing pieces of music heard in the Prime Material Plane. Flourishes and glides met with dancing of mind and fingers across the keys. Heart met with soul, marrying in a bond heard throughout the Upper Planes. Then, he slowed it down, bringing the music to an end. Everyone around had forgotten to breathe in the brief moments he played, and all were moved.

“That was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever heard, Eldrin.” Orind said.

“I couldn’t agree more, friend.” Eldrin said, smiling, looking down the hall as another exuberant laugh echoed throughout the House of Inspired Hands.

Eldrin smiled softly, his icy blue-grey eyes lingering on that magnificent form of Asha, the Dark Elf Priestess who once swore loyalty to the Queen of Spiders herself, Lolth.

Now, she was a radiant presence in a place of creation and worship.

And so Eldrin smiled.

#writing #oc #dnd character #character design #bard #half elf #love #bittersweet

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