Fantasy Castle of Iron

[AnnabelLee]

[SIZE=72pt]Castle of Iron[/SIZE]​

Unbridled wind choked out the light as it surpassed flame upon flame throughout it’s course, and even billowed through boarded windows and archways creating what sounded like Valkyries on their most active night. Moving the trees into arched poses and the leaves to their swift drowning on the sea, the wind only grew stronger as it headed swiftly north. Footsteps sounded softly against the stone floor of a small chapel and the wind howled through a now opened entry door.


“Abraham, why must you be so dramatic in your coming and goings? They have gathered, it is time for them to decide, and yet here you are stirring up a storm that will surely blow them all away!” The voice was so soft, but it was also very stern giving it’s origin. Freyjah had an unusually neutral tone for most of her days, and callousness nor happiness ran through her words easily.


“Well then, you can’t speak so I take it that is an apology. Come see our new souls, and do tell me who you think will win.”


Freyjah stared blankly through the window at the men and women outside of her home. She had left explicit instructions on each invitation that upon arrival they should wait by the fountain of Dremyr (The Oracle Fountain), and speak no words amongst eachother. Tonight with Abraham shielded from sight she would leave these Lords and Ladies with a brand new outlook on their life, and an entirely insane game. Freyjah stood fast and turned on her heels. Pointing a slim and pale finger towards Abraham she shook it at him.





“Stay put. No funny business.” She whispered.





Her bare feet fell on wet grass and squished down into mud that was nearly iced over from the storm. Pulling her cloak tightly around herself she stopped to shudder at the wind in a rather displeased temperament. Oh Abraham, and his ridiculous tricks. Gathering herself she found solid ground at the side of her stone building and walked slowly through the darkness to her guests. They were huddled around the fire that burned in the middle of the blackened waters of Dremyr as though they could not get warm enough, and their thoughts screamed of home and how they wish they hadn't received their invitation. How rude. Freyjah had waited a century for this moment to arise, and she had done her best to prepare these hallowed lands to be suitable enough for the arrival of the gods. 


Finally emerging from the night Freyjah stood at the edge of the fountain and grasped her crystal that hung loosely around her neck. She could feel the warmth not from the firelight but from the magic embedded in this area consume her making her want to lay her cloak anywhere but on her shoulders. The eyes of many were upon her now which did not help the warmth any, nor her growing headache from their invasive thoughts. 


"Welcome to Dremyr Lords and Ladies of the realm of men. If you are ready please find the letter with your name on it and retrieve it from my fountain. When you have completed this task we will begin."

 

[The Mechanist]

Marcus eyes had only been locked on the flame before him; it was cold this night, but not an ordinary cold. Given his homeland was a frozen waste he never thought anything could get much colder than that, but he was wrong. Standing here now surrounded by strangers, whom werent even allowed to talk to one another as stated on the invitation, he was still cold. No one radiated the warmth he was praying for, why was it so cold?! He thought he could handle it, he never thought anything could be this cold, but alas he was proven wrong. A fog escaped his lips as he let out a sigh, the only small comfort he could give himself was that his current position, or disposition was temporary and that maybe, just maybe he would soon welcome true warmth in the home of whom ever sent his invitation.


His eyes quickly averted to a figure who now stood at the lip of the fountain, a figure who now at second glance was a woman. The first thought that popped into his head, where are her shoes...she dare stand before him in this frozen hell without any protection for her feet? How was it that he a person born in the ice was suffering even with the little warmth he has, but she was completely fine. She didnt shiver, she didnt show any pain or discomfort standing there....shoeless...her feet didnt even look the slightest bit numbed at feeling the icy bite from the could lip of that dreaded fountain she stands upon.


She spoke, once more marcus was in an icy shock, her voice did not quiver! She was not even shivering! She spoke clear as day as if the cold didnt even impede her abilities to function normally....normal. What if normal was not the way to go about describing this ice cold individual before him; another large fog escaped his lips as he sighed, but the sigh did not carry the weight of he who was shamed or insulted, but rather amusement is what dispersed his icy breath. It was then that he realized there was more to this icy hell than he thought, he smiled as this fact weighed in his mind. Upon hearing her last words Marcus began to move, he will not let this cold hell prevent him completing the simple task he was given. He reached forward to the fountain, looking, searching for that letter that was inscribed with his name, Marcus De Vue was all that his eyes searched for as he scanned the peices of parchment before him. There, right before his eyes, the warmth he had been looking for, the letter that he was simply asked to find. Warmth filled him as he maintaned a rather child like sense of accomplishment, now it was time for the others behind him to find theirs.

 

[The Fluffiest Floof]

Abraham smiled at the scenes he witnessed. OK, true, he didn't have much choice. Due to the mask that was his face, he always smiled. People oftenly asked themselves, if there was anything behind the mask. It was a mystery never to be solved. Or was it? 


The man that literally was death observed the small figures down there, concealed and invisible to their eyes. Freyjah had said it was not to scare them. How boring that was. Scaring people was fun, driving them mad was wonderful. But he would get his chance later. He wouldn't want to upset the only person that... well... not understood... but... He didn't know. But she was a friend and he didn't want to upset her by acting against her pleading. It was more like an order, but he wouldn't take an order, so he saw it as a bidding. A favor he would do to her. 


The people down there were cute. Mortals, just like you would expect them. Their bodies as fragile as their minds. It would be fun to have his way with them.


But first Freyjah was supposed to do stuff with them. Well, whatever. The true fun was yet to begin. 

 

[gloomAI]

REBECCA LOCK
​

Rebecca hated traveling, especially more so when it is to somewhere with less than desirable weather. Her home was always hot and in the worse case scenario, very wet with rain, but it was what she was used to. She could never properly prepare herself for the colder weathers in other regions; she would either bring too little wool clothing or bring too many and bundle up so tightly that she would get hot, sweat and then strip out of them. For this trip, she seemed to be bordering on too little protective clothing for warmth, which only made her agitated. This trip was something of dire importance and while she may not be fully happy with the traveling, she knew it had to be done.

After reading the invitation to go to the Oracle Fountain, she managed to wrangle up six of her finest guards and her personal handmaiden, Alice, within a few hours. For as long as Rebecca could remember, Alice had always been there to tend her. She tended to think of Alice as the sister she wished she had; it’s why she always tended to spoil the girl. Rebecca was fair and did not treat her above anyone, but Alice would always hold a special place in her heart. It was hard not to, the girl was as sweet as they come, but also had a silver tongue and mischievous side. If Alice wanted to, she could pass as a noble.

It was about an eight days journey to get to the destination entitled in the letter, and once they entered Dremyr, she knew this is when she would need to part ways with her knights and handmaiden. Rebecca did not need to glance at their faces to know they were not keen on that idea. Several times before they left their homeland, they were already expressing concern that something could happen, something badly. Rebecca only laughed it off; she doubted it.

Rebecca stalled the horses at a certain point in the forest, which prompted all of her travel party to stop their horses as well. Everyone got off their horses and began setting up a camp; the knights focused on pitching the tents, while Alice focused on setting a fire for warmth. Rebecca knew she could not stay for very long and helped with unleashing some of the thick blankets. Once she set those down, she climbed back on her horse.

“Are you sure you must go alone?” a familiar voice asked. Rebecca knew who it was, just by the soft, lilt of the voice.

“Yes, Alice. I must go alone.” Rebecca spoke, she tilted her towards the handmaiden, a small smile appearing on her face. “I won’t be gone long.”

Alice just nodded, her face still looking a bit sad. Rebecca gave a small nod of her head, before kicking her heels and jolting the horse into a run. The land was a cross between being muddy and having a frozen chill. The icy winds began sneaking up the wool capes, causing goosebumps to appear on her skin.

Once she made it the Oracle Fountain, which really was not hard at all to miss considering it’s size, she noticed one other person already standing there. Their back was to her, so she had no clue as to who they might be; they seemed focused on the fire light. Who wouldn’t be in this weather? Rebecca approached closer, the muddy and icy ground squelching underneath her black, leather boots.

She approached closer to the fire that provided the much-needed warmth. A look of pure satisfaction appeared on her face, and she nearly forgot about the tall man beside her for a moment. Just before she could take a moment to account for who this man was, a feminine voice spoke. Rebecca looked up and was struck immediately by confusion.

Who was this woman? Her eyes roamed over the mysterious woman’s figure. For starters, there were no shoes. Was this woman sick in the head? The weather was terrible, and even those who were used to the cold might agree that it was unbearable. Rebecca knew better than to voice her disbelief; it would do her no good to mistakenly offend the woman. Just the sight of the woman made Rebecca begin to hug herself tightly to conserve warmth.

When the woman spoke, Rebecca stared on for a bit. It was absolutely amazing and odd to see how completely calm the woman was in the weather. Here she was trying to fight the urge to shiver badly, and this strange woman stood proudly without a care in the world. Rebecca would be lying if she did not say she was not the slightest bit jealous.

Rebecca gave a slight nod at the instructions given. She walked closer to the fountain and looked upon the rim for her name on a letter. It took only a few moments before her name stood out proudly against the other parchments. Rebecca snatched up her letter and took a few steps back from the fountain.

 

[That Poppy]

DAHLIA CONTREL
​

Dahlia had been quit appalled to even receive such a message from an Oracle and Freyjah nontheless , it had been years since an Oracle last contacted her . Her thoughts were interrupted when the carriage stopped abruptly and the doors were opened by a knight , " My Queen we have arrived . " He extended his hand forward , stepping out of the carriage Dahlia ignored the act of kindness but smiled nodding her head showing her gratitude . A gust of cold wind brushed her face shivering she cupped her hands together .


Looking around her she noticed how empty this city truly was , the wind howled and it finally struck Dahlia how cold it was where she's from is quit warm and cool , a tropical feel , but this , this was much different like death had taken all the sun away and hid it . The ground was hard , and truly unbearable to even stand on , curiosity took its tool on her and she bent down to touch it , a similar voice caught her attention and she averted back to her graceful posture.


" My lady , please reconsider your outfit . " Turning to her left a large man stood next to her wearing armor mad of sliver and lining of gold ,


" Instead of worrying for my safety your worried I might catch a mere cold ? I'm disappointed in you Ki . This attire is of my city I am here representing it , it is only right . " Dahila turned to face the entrance ,


" MY LADY A MERE COLD I CAN BARELY FEEL - " before Ki could utter another word Dahlia began walking to her destination . It had not been far , her knights had made it so I was closer than planned . At this point Dahlia had gotten used to the cold and seemed to almost enjoy its icy company.


Inhaling and exhaling her insides seemed to be frozen , looking up she noticed the excessively large fountain and the two people who have been standing there for god knows how long . Both of which seemed to be frozen or it seemed like it lifting the hem of here gown she walked towards the fountain maintain eye contact with the object .


She was stopped in her tracks when she noticed a peculiar presences , Dahlia bowed her head to show some respect to the oracle . Looking down Dahlia smiled upon noticing the barefoot women , but what caught her eyes most was the amulet that shined of a blue color it seemed to be the only color around here . 


Turing to face the fountain Dahlia gently picked up her envelope from the fountain as she was instructed .