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The River

Lore, history and other content by the citizens of Underlight preserved for posterity.
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HikiraFang X
Dreamer
Posts: 25
Joined: Wed Feb 12, 2014 7:31 pm

The River

Post by HikiraFang X »

A few pages of bound parchment have been attached here, a small note reads.. "Part one of a three part story based on a task from Princess Rivinn and imagined by Lance Stone based on an archaeological expedition upon Trinity based on recovered artifacts."

A man slowly arises from a bed beneath the deck of a small craft. He grunted as it stood up and peered out the window of his cabin. A dense cloud of fog masked everything beyond the tip of his nose. The sloshing of water as ship cut through the rivers of trinity almost washes out the sound of insects both rousing from sleep and others preparing to do the same. The man turned and wrapped his cloak about him, the chill of the morning air cutting straight through the armor he apparently slept in. The sound of boots striking hollow wooden stairs alerted the crew as he ascended the stairs from below. The crew all turned and relaxedly bid him a good morning, some addressing him as captain, others as sir, yet none using his name. The man grinned a bit and quietly addressed his men. "Boys this is it, stay quiet and get greedy." They all pounded a fist against their chests as they drew their weapons in near silence. For a few moments each man seemed to be in their own little world, envisaging deaths, or relating their current environment into those that they experienced in childhood.

Voices began to cut through the fog, though not of the ship's crew. "Do you see anything? Rulers expecting a merchant vessel!" "I can't see a damn thing in this fog!" "Welcome to Trinity crossing, what manner of business do you have with the order on this fine day?" another voice rose through the fog at the eastern bank of the river. Each man's blood began to rise as they knew they had achieved surprise. "Oi! Look sails, must be them." Several of the men silently lifted crossbows and aimed towards the sources of the voices. "Welcome to Trinity crossing! What goods have.." TWIP followed by the hollow thud of crossbow bolts piercing flesh followed by grunts and gurgles broke the morning peace as the ship broke the rivers gloom. "Brigands!" shouted an unscathed lookout who found himself the target of a second volley, blood spurting from his throat as he tried to breath with a bolt through his neck. The blood reddening an Order initiates crest which faded from his avatar as his body hit the ground and became a soulsphere. A row of pale skinned dreamers emerged from the rear of the ship and began evoking an art that caused a gasp to rise from the merchants at the gate of the bridge leading from threshold, "Dreamstrikers!" Men and women shouted and began to flee, leaving their goods and livestock behind to rush towards the safety of any sanctuary they could find.

The Captain nodded his head, seeming to count the profit from each abandoned cart, and the talisman that fell from vanquished bodies. Nearly all the fallen guards' soulspheres flashed away as their recall triggered. However the fallen initiate hadn't worn his, either by error or arrogance, but it mattered not. His scream, joined a litany of others as the veil of the dreamscape was pierced momentarily, joined by what sounded like thousands of men and women as well as maren screaming their last noises of their existence but only for a moment. For a few seconds nothing was heard, not the sound of battle, the water, nor life, there was only the sound of a small orb not unlike a marble clicking against the stone bridge. As another Order initiate lunged after the Soul Essence his coherence was cut short as the pirates at the head of the ship began evoking blast at him to both soften up their disembarkation ground and to protect a valuable bit of prize. The dreamstriker, having finished his evocation appeared to weaken, his already white hair lightening even further as the art drained him. With a flick of his wrist the orb raised in the air and flung to him, his hand catching it, and adding it too small leather bag on his hip.

The tall corsair raised a hand and brushed the hair from his face, as he turned slightly deftly avoiding an arrow that sought his heart. "Enough play." he grunted. He raised his hand then lowered it triggering those at the fore of his ship to launch their grappling hooks. The sound of the metal biting into the stone of the bridge and the stone to the left of the ship that formed the harbor area for unloading goods and people was unintelligible due to all that was going on. As each of his crew pulled in unison as a woman's voice directly from his ship, it began to steady and position itself against the wooden walkways from their effort, despite its slowing as his men and women came into range of the Trinity garrison's weapons, some fell, instantly ripped asunder by barrages of flame and chakram fire, directed by several Knights that appeared from a portal appeture within an alabaster tower at the center of the fortification. The Captain drew and raised a curved blade into the air shouting, "What's yours' is ours! Sorinvak be praised! The Night Guild FOREVER!" as he shouted this his entire crew repeated his words giving way to a battle cry as they began to climb the ropes and netting attached to the hooks. Still dozens of others leapt over the side of the ship, slamming into a wall of shields bearing the symbol of Trinity, along with small detachments of other houses, some personal guards to diplomats or merchants, others allies there to take training and supply.

Shouts, metal striking metal, shields splintering and the noises of those in agony rolled over the entire area, as they defenders fought tooth and nail to protect their land and their brethren. For a time it seemed as if the brigands would be routed and the day would be won, until the sky darkened, giving a child's fear of the dark even to those who hailed from the Evernight plateau. A circle of heads appeared in the middle of the the bridge, despite neither gate having fallen or having been breached. The defenders watched in horror as the rear of their line became threatened by the opening of a dark portal, several darkmares exiting it before it closed. As the portal closed, the soul essences collected by the dreamstrikers still aboard the ship faintly glowed before disappearing, as if having paid the cost. The lines of the Order quickly fell as they were encircled and harried. Only a handful spared as they dropped to their knees, dropping their weapons as well as all hope. The Captain slowly walked from the stone steps that roughly embedded themselves into his ship due to the haste and fury of their docking. The maren hissing and snapping their jaws as the surrendered squad of Trinity. The Captain raised his hands at the beast, then spoke in their language, seeming to be their commander as well.

His gaze fell upon the handful of men and women left alive, his words striking fear and sickening those whom received them. "I'm afraid if they don't feel they will end all of you. So, pick three, or you're all over for dinner." a Knight stood defiantly and spit at the Captain, landing squarely on his boot. The man smiled in return, "One." The Knight was grabbed then thrown before the maren waiting impatiently, however the Captain's hand remained up as if telling them to wait. Without delay almost all of the soldiers stood to volunteer their lives. Captain laughs, "You know for merchants you'd think the deal I just offered you would be taken. Very well." he shrugged as his brigands all gave sadistic grins and laughs getting ready to enjoy the show about to be given.

The sound of the portal in the center of the fortification activated once. Then twice. Then suddenly it roared constantly for a minute. All that could be heard were the gasps and confusions of each pirate before them realizing what was happening. A loud unlatching noise rang out into the darkened plane, and the groaning of the wood and metal of a gate opening soon followed. The gate slowly opened, revealing a dozen battle ready squads comprised of those of the Order came into view, just as the portal from the direction of threshold opened, and several more squads of Freespirits and other houses arrived. In the darkness, portal behind the Order soldiers flashed once more, an azure crest emblazoned across abyssal armor came into view, the captured dreamers cheering as their Ruler arrived.

The Ruler of the Order removed her helmet, the intricate gold work along the visor and and edges catching the the light of the Sabled moons above. "Valken." she said at the Captain. "Leader of the Night Guild. You, and your rabble end here, and now. As well as your pet demons."

Valken turned his head to spit, then looked at the Ruler and her army arriving. "Dear sister, the Night Guild does not end. It ends." The raised his blade into the sky, which darkened further, as the dreamstrikers behind him began to chant at the remaining soul essences they had arrayed into circles as the battle progressed. Looking directly at the Ruler, he spoke two words. "Klopta. Vang?"

Every soul in arrayed in that area, gripped their weapon tightly as they prepared for what was to follow.
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