Fantasy [Closed] A nation in havoc

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan followed in the same position, like he was better than everyone and he knew it. He kept quiet in front of the King though, as it wasn't his place to speak. Normally he wouldn't care but this was a King, so it was different. Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[Rhaine]

As Ru had expected, the Princess accepted Samuel into her newly formed retinue. Everything that had transpired after she had stumbled into Dan the day before had felt like the work of fate or predestination. She didn't know how exactly she felt about it, though she knew the sensation wasn't exactly positive. Being a spoke in a wheel, or a pawn in a game of chess, left little room for independence. She said nothing, and followed after the Princess with subservient gait.

The throne room almost took her breath away, and she raised her eyes from the polished floor to the high, gaping ceilings she felt might swallow her whole. At the voice of Princess Nia, Ru sprung back to attention, her gaze widening when it came in contact with the King of Dalania, perched atop his throne. She stayed behind the Princess, bowing her head low, blending in with careful skill. She gave a small curtsy, as was customary when in the presence of royalty, whether or not one was addressed. Shoulders tense, head reeling, she kept her eyes on the polished floor below her.

((Sorry again for the mix up. Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak ))

 

[Caffeine Freak]

Samuel, who was not nearly as accustomed to royalty, gave a quick incline of his head by way of a bow. When he saw Ru's gracious curtsy from the corner of his eye, however, Sam panicked -afraid of showing disrespect- and followed suit with a curtsy of his own, before he could completely realise what he was doing.
Awkwardness went taut in his features as he quickly straightened up and stared ahead.

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Rhaine

 

[Duke of Doge]

The king smirked, looking at Samuel "first time in a court eh? Always fun to watch people fumble through it" Nia cleared her throat "These three individuals have caught my attention, one to teach me herbalism and some level of self defense, one to teach me alchemy. The last has a powerful new weapon that we can use." Her father was silent for a time, before speaking directly to the newcomers. "And how about you three? Why should you be chosen over someone else to aid my daughter and country?"
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[Caffeine Freak]

The words came to Samuel's mouth before he had time to think them through. "Because I'm the best damned chemist in Dalania, and you won't find another one willing to reserve their dying breaths for this court." Sam realised he meant it, too - finally, a purpose in his life; he would sooner die than go back to living out his existence as laughing stock to his peers.

Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Duke of Doge

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan stepped forward and bowed, a confident smile on his face. "Your majesty, I bring to your court the most powerful weapon to date. My invention has the capacity to kill a being in a flash, quite literally. Using the wonderful discovery of explosive black powder you could cement your kingdom's future as the most powerful nation for generations. I've also several ideas for differing inventions that would of course benefit your kingdom. This is what I offer."

Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[Rhaine]

It was only after both Dan and Samuel had come forward that Ru found the strength to. Spine straight, eyes lifting from the polished floor to address the King, she spoke with the cool, polite courtesy she had been raised to attain.

"My name is Ruilethal Bannighymn, your Grace. From my native tongue, my surname roughly translates to 'Holders of the Forgotten Ways.' I have been trained and conditioned from a young age to educate and instruct nobles and future rulers alike - to ready them for their future sovereignty. Despite my age, my King, I know of no other who is more prepared to offer general tutelage to the crown Princess of Dalania. Instruction is, in itself, an art."

She bowed her head once more, and there was almost a bitter resonance in the back of her mind. She felt detached, but strong in her purpose. She fought to stay present, an individual consciousness, not a machine or a tuned and crafted instrument, ready to be impressed upon. She focused on small idiosyncrasies, the feel of the air against her flushed skin, the way their voices moved through the vast expanse of space, bouncing off the high ceilings.

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[Duke of Doge]

The king thought for a moment before nodding once. "Alright. You are all accepted. I will make the necessary arraignments. You are all dismissed" he said waving his hand backwards.

Nia turned on a heel and walked out, hands clasp together behind her back as she walked with a noticeable bounce in her step. Needless to say she was excited for the future.
(My next post shit hits the fan, I'm impatient)
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan bowed and followed the princess. He hardly expected the king to know what arrangements needed to be made, but he had been dismissed and Dan wanted to keep his head on his shoulders. After some time Dan spoke up. "Well then. That was surprisingly easy. What now?" Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[Duke of Doge]

"Now we-" she was cut off when another earthquake occurred, making her stumble and fall, quickly getting back up. Soon after, it started snowing. Then the snow turned black. Nia grabbed at it as it fell, feeling the texture in her hands. "Oh no..." Nia's emerald eyes shot out to the horizon.

The red mountain, the world's largest volcano, used to power the Dwarven city, aswell as heat Dalania, was erupting. And to top it off, the cause- was an earthquake.

Another shock occurred, and this one caused the stones of the palace, its wall, and alot of buildings within the city itself started to crumble.

Nia scrambled to get out of the way as one of the watch towers began to topple in her direction, the guards on the watch tower screaming as the fell, on the walls they scrambled to get off as quickly as possible.

The events at unfolded would go down in history as "The Shattering" and would change the face of the planet forever.
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan's cocky grin fell away immediately as an earthquake shook the ground and The Red Mountain exploded in the distance. A watch tower fell and the princess had to scramble away as the guards landed with sickening thuds. Dan stumbled and barely held himself up as he addressed his companions, having to yell over the crashing of stone and screaming of civilians. "We need to get away from any buildings!" Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[SirGrey]

Decarcy Renton was going about his day in his normal manner. Picking the coin purse of a poor overweight merchant, who probably ain't seen his family jewels in a fair few years. The thief had found himself in the kingdom of Di and this particular city for about a year and a half. The weather was cold enough so that your nipples can to cut ice, but the guards are so lazy and inept well-stealing feels even more like a crime. I mean he was robbing so close to the palace, then again he was just walking past in a casual manner, his hand caressing the coin purse like a new born babe.

Just as he snatched it away, the ground itself gave way, and the sky dropped snow, no wait ash? Looking up he could see the orange of fire. The volcano. "Bugger me old brown dog, I'm bollocked now ain't I" he mutters before he hears the snap of brick. A watcher coming down on his head. Just barely getting away, Decarcy counted his lucky old stars. Clambering to his feet as best he could, he sees an empty horse on a carriage. Taking his chance, he jumps on as rider trying to calm the horses, which is a joke. How could anyone be fucking calm now?

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Rhaine Caffeine Freak

 

[CabalAnomicPotato]

Sirius had finally made it, after dealing with ugly stares, mean wildlife, and a couple of theivs, he had made it to his destination, the Imperial City. As the gates opened, he proudly rode his boar into the city, smiling his first smile that week, for he would be the one to finally unite the Badlands under orc control, as where it belonged....either that, or war would happen, and that was fine as well. As he got closer and closer to the castle, he thought about the new life him and his brethren would endure, a life of unity and prosperity for orc kind, and as if fate itself disliked Sirius's attitude, an earthquake hit, one that shook even him and his boar. As he calmed his beast he looked up at the sky, smelling a change that didn't smell too right with him, and as the earthquakes kept comming and people kept running, he realized these shakes would bring down the entire city, and most importantly, the castle, before he go to spoke to the king if the earthquakes didn't start soon. It became clear to him that this couldn't be natural, that maybe some sort of magician or great beast had awoken, but looking into the distance he realized that the Red Mountains had a fiery taint above them, one that didn't play out as an "inactive volcano". "If this keeps up, even the Badlands will suffer, and it has seen enough of that.....rrrg, I need to leave the city before one of these buildings topples over me. Suddenly, Sirius jumped into his boar and quickly headed back towards the gates, dodging people as he made his way through the crumbling buildings. Luck decided to favor him this time, because one of the towers looking over the city entrance had fell and destroyed the city gate just as he had fled through them, stopping a couple of yards away from the city and settling his animal down, preparing to wait and hope for the best.
(Still at imperial city, sorry I'm far from other people).

 

[Rhaine]

The initial shock threw Ru off her feet, though she caught herself and quickly regained some semblance of balance. She came closer to the others, eyes wide and frantic, casting out to the horizon though they didn't rest there for long. The chaos seared at her senses, and she coughed on ash, her hand pressed tightly to her chest. The sky looked burnt, red and orange extinguishing cloud.

She needed to move, her limbs itching to take off - away from the buildings, away from city, away from the chaos. The very ground she stood on trembled and shattered.

"We can't stay here any longer!" She cried through the clamor, struggling through a coughing fit. Breathing didn't come so easy on a normal day, without ash swirling through the air. She was thrown back into the essence of her childhood, choking on the air itself.

-

Clothed in red, uncharacteristically despondent, Cassander pondered. He had retreated to the gardens for solitude, troubled by his dream the night before. None of his night terrors had ever been that vivid, that strong. He couldn't shake the scorch, the quake from his mind. A tremble beneath him caught his attention, bringing him from his thoughts. When the ground began to give way, he could hardly believe it. His dark gaze found the horizon, head shaking absently. It couldn't be real.

Horrified, he began to run toward the castle, almost without thought. He had dreamt this. It wasn't the first time his dreams had found him in waking hours, yet they were faint, and nothing more than a strong feeling of deja vu would possess him. This was different. He had seen this. He had experienced this before.

The trek wasn't easy, as the ground shook under him, but he made it none the less. Soon enough, he caught sight of a familiar scarlet shade. "Nia!" He called out, stumbling as another violent rumble disrupted his path. He beckoned to her, bursting with what he knew. Though he moved with haste, his mind was too preoccupied to worry about his safety.

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak SirGrey

 

[Caffeine Freak]

Samuel cursed. "My laboratory! My life's work is in that shack!" No time was wasted before he threw himself out the throne room doors, only for the ground to crumble underneath him. Sam let out an alarmed cry as he hurtled through empty space, striking the ground with a thud. Embers of debris splattered down on top of him.


Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Rhaine SirGrey [Glad to have ya with us!]

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia looked up and turned around at the sound of her name "Cass?!?!" She hadn't seen him much, but decided on shortening his name upon first hearing it.

Upon turning around, she saw her world crumble. Litteraly. The palace collapsed into a pile of rubble, and with it. Her entire life. All her belongings. Her father. Her throne. Everything was gone in the blink of an eye. Nia reached out, as if hoping time would stop, and she'd be able to fix everything. She fell to her knees, arms at her side as she stared in disbelief. Tears soon rolling down her cheeks as she stared on in shock, not moving at all. Everything was numb, she didn't feel, and she didn't care. She just wanted to sit here and let herself fall like the palace.
Rhaine SirGrey TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan watched as the princess fell defeated at the devastation of her home. Run you idiot! Leave her! They probably weren't going to pay you anyway. She's worthless! She doesn't even have a kingdom to rule... Dan decided his inner voice should probably shut up. He knelt down next to her and tried to be a nice person for once. Why? Why!? "Kid you need to listen to me." What would help her get back to her right mind? "You can't give up. Your people need you more than ever, to console and guide them. If it isn't you then it'll be someone much worse! You are the Heir of Dalania!" Dan ended his speech with a bout of coughing as ash flew into his lungs thanks to his own breathing. "We need to go!" If she doesn't get up in ten seconds we leave without her. Deal? Deal.

Duke of Doge Caffeine Freak Rhaine

 

[Rhaine]

Ru could barely breathe. She focused all her energy on the seemingly simple act, yet it caught with every inhale. She swayed, and coped increasingly worse with every hard tremble of the Earth. Still, it was an old, bitter kind of familiarity, and having to focus on breathing took her mind away from the chaos. She coughed into the crook of her elbow, a rough, desperate sound, other hand still pressed against her chest. She felt dizzy, but she tried to power through it. Her lungs were tightening, making her weak. Now wasn't the time.

-

Almost having reached Nia, Cassander was stilled as the palace collapsed. It was this image that had tormented him throughout the morning, and it almost stopped his heart to witness now. It had been his home for almost as long as he could remember. He blinked, struck by a sudden pain, his chest shuddering in exhale. Something hot pricked at the corners of his eyes. He instinctively attempted to brush the sensation away. He knew he had to focus now, and only one thought consumed him. A part of his home still survived, and she was within reach.

The air was warmer than usual, and the ash clung cruelly to his skin. He took the few remaining strides to meet the only familiar figure among the group. She had fallen to her knees, and his dark eyes traced the tears that ran down her cheeks. He knew something of what she was experiencing, yet he knew her anguish was much greater. It was her throne, her kingdom. Not his - not truly, however much it may have felt like it. He gave the others only a glance, slightly bewildered to find that he was not familiar with the Princess' company in the slightest. He rested a hand on her shoulder. "Nia, please, let's go. There's nothing we can do." His voice was earnest - a plea. All wouldn't be lost for Dalania if she survived. Too much was at stake. The world was still crumbling around them. He resolved to carry her if she didn't respond.

Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak SirGrey

 

[Duke of Doge]

Nia's survival instinct kicked in. She could think of one spot that could be safe. "R-right!" She got to her feet, ripping off the bottom of her dress, not only to be able to run faster, but then she tied the white fabric around her face as a filter. "Everyone follow me!" She yelled, loud enough for a couple of civillians to hear, she took off around the palace.

After running and stumbling for what seemed like miles, they reached a small circular door. Nia took off the black ring she had on her left hand, and pressed it into one of three locations on the door, and it slid open into a large system of caves and tunnels "We can wait it out in here!"
Rhaine TheCountryWarrior Caffeine Freak SirGrey

 

[TheCountryWarrior]

Dan followed and laughed at the beauty of this cave. "Ah ha! Brilliant! Let's get inside." Dan started walking inside, with another cough. Duke of Doge Rhaine Caffeine Freak

 

[Caffeine Freak]

Samuel groaned, the jagged rocks beneath him like demonic arms pulling him down into the abyss. His ears ached from the thunderous rumbling of the world around him, his eyes staring blankly at the sky above as fluffy white clouds were wrapped in tendrils of smog.
Oh... I'm going to die... He thought plainly. That... sucks... His head slowly rolled to the side, yet as he was ready to give up, his strewn satchel crossed his gaze - recognition flooded Samuel's mind.

Satchel grasped in one hand, Sam staggered to his feet. "I..." He started, unable to keep himself straight amidst the world's crumbling. "I haven't got time to die." He hissed through his teeth, glaring at the rattling mountain in the distance. "Come on, then!" He roared, grabbing a stone and hurling it defiantly at the furious rock formation - the stone just skittered along the ground a few feet away from Sam. "Do your worst!"
As if in response, a sizeable stone tower collapsed and shattered just meters from him. Samuel tripped sideways as a wave of dust and bullets of rubble shot out at him. "Is- Is that the best you've got!?" He bellowed, trying his best to straighten back up. "You're gonna have to-" Sam wretched, the dust descending on his lungs, until he collapsed to his knees, unable to do anything but watch breathlessly as his home was destroyed.

Duke of Doge Rhaine TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[Rhaine]

Ru barely registered when the others began to make their way around the palace. A shaky hand reached out for them and she took a small step before the semblance of a yell reached her, diverting her attention. It was a recognizable tone.

Where is Mr. Weiss?

Fighting as another coughing fit took hold of her body, she looked to where she had heard the familiar voice, catching sight of Samuel fallen to his knees. She stumbled to his side without much of a second thought, even as her breath dragged hard and shallow. She fell, but reached out to weakly grasp his arm all the same. "Mr- M- Mr. W-Weiss." Her voice was torn, battled by violent coughs, and speaking was almost too difficult to fully conceive. Still she pressed on anyway, her green eyes full of unshed tears as she glanced back to see the others still attempting to run the other way. She looked back at him, desperation in her features. "W-We can't ge-get lef-left behind." Ru felt her lungs start to close off and her eyes want to shut. It felt like there was a heavy weight pressing against her chest, and every time she attempted to move it it only became heavier. The scorch in the sky consumed the last wisp of cloud, and it frightened her more than all the rest.

-

Cassander followed, strengthened by the sight of Nia taking charge once more. When they began to make their way around the palace, he thought he knew where she was leading them. His suspicions were confirmed when she opened the underground cave and tunnel system. He kept shifting his balance as the ground quaked, and it was increasingly difficult to remain on his feet. The taste of ash was bitter and grey on his tongue and he coughed into the crook of his elbow. He made his way into the cave, hoping Nia would follow him.

His mind kept returning to the dream. He had to tell someone. Something like guilt touched his temples.

Caffeine Freak Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[Caffeine Freak]

Samuel's vacant gaze slipped from the shattered city ahead to the rumbling ground before him. The ambient dust plastered the tears to his face. "..Yeah.." He tried to will some strength into his voice, but the sound that left his mouth was little more than a disorientated croak. His legs barked in protest as he stumbled to his feet, Ru's hand on his arm the only thing keeping him remotely stable. The world seemed to roar in anger after them as Sam lumbered after Ru.


Rhaine Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[Rhaine]

Something like hope lived in Ru's chest as Samuel got to his feet. The sparrow-boned girl struggled to stand with him, her hand still grasping his arm as firmly as she could manage, which wasn't much. The two drew some stability from the other, and she began to follow after the others as best she could, not allowing her hold to fall from him. Ru had never faced anything so cataclysmic, so difficult, so painful. Every step was a monumentous effort, and sometimes she could barely see through the ash and the rubble. She could hardly breathe, and she thought her knees might give out under her.

I'm not strong enough. I'm going to die.

The thought found her unwittingly, and she cowered under its power. Still, she wasn't the only one now. Samuel was still in her grasp, and the two of them were still alive. There was a chance, and Ru decided to chase it. If she gave up, if she let hopelessness take her, she would die. Though her body was continuously racked with shattering coughs, she kept going. Despite it all, they began to make decent ground, and the others came into sight once more.

Caffeine Freak Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior SirGrey

 

[SirGrey]

Decarcy had just gotten the horses steady and ready to go when life decided to take another turn south. The floor started to split itself open, revealing a great a big crater. Already galloping towards it without the time to stop Decarcy can only let out a cry of "Ah shit" before he and the horses head down the crater. Just holding onto the carriage for dear life, as the fall seemed to go on forever. A blur of rock and brick accompanied him before the loud thud which echoed throughout the large earthquake made cavern.

Clearing away the dust from his eyes a hacking up most of his guts, Decarcy realises he is fairly unhurt for falling down a massive hole in the ground caused by an earthquake anyway. Standing to his feet he looks over to the two horse, now dead of course. The carriage had been split in may half wth it wheels having come clean off. Grabbing pieces of wood from the carriage and a few minutes banging a rock, he has a makeshift torch. Looking around his rocky prison, he sees a hole into what looks like some kind of tunnel. A few moments of digging and the thief was in. Boarding his entrance back up he mutters "Nice little old place to sit out the end of the world".
Rhaine Caffeine Freak Duke of Doge TheCountryWarrior