Fantasy Farewell to Kings: Elide’s Tale

[Jodyguru]

The trumpet player joined the bassist. "Well shoot, We're taking a buggy up north. Come find us if you wanna croon again. We could be a real band!" The bassist nodded in agreement with his old buddy. "Think about it, Velvet Vixen. Its a good life. Never be short on company again."

There was a sudden crashing sound from the speakeasy. A halfling wearing a nice coat was sitting face down in his dinner.
"Darby! Someone help him. What's happened? Is he choking?"
A commotion filled the air as Darby Halfstrider, brother of Felix, suddenly collapsed and was pronounced dead by an elven man with his ear against Darby's chest.
"My brother, oh no!" Felix started bawling his eyes out at the table.

__________

Outside the South Church, a horse carriage was surrounded by soldiers, one of which carried a torch. A rough looking man wearing leather armor and had scarred, pale skin was carrying what appeared to be a body wrapped in a cloak. The scarred man boarded the carriage, and a pair of soldiers boarded to drive it down the street.
Appearing in the door was Lady Jane and her underling behind her.

"I want this place torn to pieces. She must have hid the orb somewhere!" Jane shouted like a haggard fowl.
"Yes ma'am." her underling muttered.
"If she has any secrets, Rufus will squeeze them out of her."
"The healing maiden surprised me. Many men give up after being crippled like that."
"I do hope you aren't paying her compliment, a conspirator against his excellency?"
"N-No ma'am!"
"Good, now start searching!" She shrieked.

 

[A Play On Words]

Elide ran as the shouts began. She followed a few guests outside, her eyes still stuck on her father. Her blood pushed through her chest, anger fueling her every step.

 

[Jodyguru]

Sure enough, he was trying to disappear like a bug under the porch. His lady friend was nowhere to be seen. He was just walking quickly while looking over his shoulder. With her powers returning to her as she left the speakeasy, she could follow him into the alley.

________

Somewhere along the street, the carriage drives down with Leona and Rufus in tow. A sudden swing of massive weapon was aiming low, and chopping the legs off of the horse. The driver and side rider fell forward suddenly as the carriage crashed down hard. A hulking warrior stood in the shadows drenched in blood. He lifts the weapon to swing, and the two men run away in fleeing terror.

 

[A Play On Words]

She ran after him into the alleyway. "My name is Elide Sylvain. I am Alia Taurin's daughter. Your daughter. I am your firstborn. The firstborn you tried to kill." Elide hissed as she blocked the exit.

 

[Jodyguru]

A dumpster slid out with a crash. The ground trembled with her magic. Marcelo turned slowly, and the bastard was smiling!

"Tried to kill? Whatever are you talking about?" He chuckled. He felt the weight of being caught like this bearing down on him. "I'm the most powerful man in Dominion, hell all of Paladina! If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead! I don't know who you are, but the Alia I knew was manipulative and steeped in wicked magics. She told me if I didn't take you both into my home, she'd kill herself. I refused, and so she did in front of me."

"He lies to your face!" An angry voice spoke inside Eli's head. It was familiar... "Call me towards you. I shall devour his delicious soul!"
_______________________

Rufus emerged from the wrecked carriage and gazed around. He saw Bart approaching and so drew his own weapons, a pair of shortswords.
"Wicked brute, I'll send you to Mitra." Rufus rushed in with swords towards Bart. Bart dodged and came down with his sword. The scarred man deftly avoided the hit and swung again. Bart lurched backwards and blocked another swing with his weapon.

 

[A Play On Words]

"You wish I believed you. You drove a sword through my eye." She called to the sword, beckoning it to her. She opened an unclasped hand to the sky. Elide's free hand tore the veil from her eye revealing the scar.

 

[Jodyguru]

“N-no I did not! It was an evil spirit that possessed me... oh hell with you! Die, maggot,” his worry was replaced with bitter anger and he conjured a staff of lightning in his hands.

Somewhere in a overpacked chest, the azure blade wiggles out and shoots upwards, over the mighty walls of Dominion and flipping through the air.

“It’s his soul I’ve craved this whole time. Dance in the rains of his damnation!” the sword landed its handle right in Eli’s grasp just before it was set to clash with Marcelo’s staff of crackling magic.

 

[A Play On Words]

She pushed down his staff, sending her foot into his chest. She stood over him, accessing her powers. She grabbed onto his wrist and pulled the memory from his heart, showing him her own. "This is what you did. And now I shall return the favor." She spat.

 

[Jodyguru]

His expression beneath the mask was a look of horror. “N-no! That’s not right at all! It was an accident! An accident!” He cried out, as the beast lurking within was drawing itself towards his throat.
“Let him know the beauty of the abyss.” The sword sang its words. Elide could feel great warmth in its approval. Warm like blood.

 

[A Play On Words]

"Tell mom I said hi." She spat, sending her sword into his chest. "See you in hell father."

 

[Jodyguru]

The azure blade gleamed as he was slewn by it. He saw a terror lurking within the sword, as sinister teeth would clamp down on his measly, little soul.
“No father, not the box! Don’t put me in the box! I’ll be good!” He cried as his last words leaked from his body. “It’s...so... dark.”
He laid still while the realization of her action washed over her like cold waves.
_________
Rufus cried out in pain as the mighty sword ripped through his side. He fell dead in a moment’s notice. Bart knew he had no time, so he grabbed the cloaked body and ran for it as reinforcements started showing up. He rolled into an alley and kept sprinting.
“High... Priest” Leona croaked as she was fading into consciousness.

 

[A Play On Words]

She took a breath, falling to her knees. Elide's hand fell from her blade. She had killed him.

 

[Jodyguru]

It was finally over. The mask he’s worn slipped off, and his pallor face stared up into an uncaring dark sky. This would mean little for Dominion as a whole. High priests were fairly replaceable. There would be a funeral and mass attendance. Elections would soon follow, then the cycle continues. For Elide, it felt like the end of a long dark road. Only now, she had to navigate new, darker roads ahead.

 

[A Play On Words]

She pulled her sword free before dragging herself from the alleyway. She tightened her grip against the blade. Her soul felt lightened and free. Her task had been completed at last.

 

[Jodyguru]

“Ah, patricide... his soul was delicious, but then again I was so starved. Thanks for treating me dinner, love” The sword said.
People were still leaving the speakeasy. She saw the bandmates run down an alley to get into their own carriage, a small one horse buggy that would take them up the north road. If she desired she might make a quick escape.

 

[A Play On Words]

She passed the idea. She needed to find Bart. Elide hurried through the panicked streets, chaos erupting all around her.

 

[Jodyguru]

Running through the streets, Eli was quickly forgetting her landmarks. The city was built like a maze and all the twisting turning alleys made her feel like she was inside one.

She would soon hear a commotion. Lights, horns, and shouting. A crowd of soldiers were in a big circle with weapons drawn. In the center was a raging barbarian slaying one after the other, trying to clear a path for himself but failing to do so.

“Good to see he hasn’t lost his edge, I suppose” The sword said.

 

[A Play On Words]

Elide called upon her magic, it was gripping onto the feet of his attackers. She pulled back allowing them to fall, creating a path. People ran into her, the screams disoriented her, nothing was going right.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart saw the path and started running. He was carrying a person on his shoulder, and even still managed to slay a good number of soldiers. He knocked people down and pulled Eli along back down the alley she came from.

His skin was pink and hot. He didn’t talk in anything but growling. Eli had seen him like this before. His personality had been swallowed by blind, incoherent fury and the desire to protect.

 

[A Play On Words]

Her eyes were wide with fear. She called upon her magic once more, creating a form of barrier around them. "Should I get us out of here?" She asked quietly.

 

[Jodyguru]

Bart roared. “What does it look -grrr- like I’m doing?”
Using the force field came in handy when they exited the alley, and a group of men armed with rifles were lying in wait. The guns went off down the street and Eli felt a couple hitting her shield.
She was starting to get woozy. If she kept it up with her powers she would pass out. Bart couldn’t carry them both and still fight.
”Eli...” Leona gasped. Her voice was weak.
The next alley was forked down two paths. One led deeper into darkness, while the other led to the lower aqueducts.

 

[A Play On Words]

"Take her, I'll handle this. I'll meet you down there." She said quickly, kissing him before pushing him farther down the alleyway. She glanced towards her sword. You'll need to help me out with this one. She thought. You're better at this then I am.

 

[Jodyguru]

The sword shined with its steel. “I’ve gained sufficient strength now. Perhaps an illusion would be useful here? Take my strength and spare yourself the pain.”

Bart didn’t think of the optimal path. Instead he just ran into darkness until he found a convenient window to hop through. He placed Leona down gently and scouted around like a fierce watchdog.

 

[A Play On Words]

She inhaled quickly and gripped her sword, allowing its magic to flow through her body. Elide created a quick apparition of a dragon, that would hopefully distract them enough for some time to escape. She then bolted down the alleyway, searching for Bart and Leona.

 

[Jodyguru]

“I would’ve gone with a brick wall, but I suppose that works...” the sword sighed. She hadn’t changed too much after all.
She ran into the darkness and sensed two bodies close by. Using the aether she could see Bart and Leona hiding inside an old abandoned house.