It begins with the end (Sol & Micks)

[Micks]

@Sol The Hastag


Anne hurried to finish dusting all of the paintings in the castle so that she might have time for a short conversation with Catherine before they had to prepare for the lunch hour. As she worked, one of Lord Kent’s personal guards passed by, leering at her. Just keep your head down, Anne – he won’t bother you. As she finished the last of the paintings, her excitement grew at the thought of seeing Catherine - it was a rare surprise when they could get together in person; the kitchen maids and the other servants didn’t see much of each other – there was always work to be done in Lord Kent’s castle.


Anne was so thrilled upon finishing, that she almost ran to the hallway outside the kitchen. Catherine entered from the kitchen after a few seconds.


“Cather-“ Anne began.


But the steward interrupted her.


“Anne! Her Ladyship needs her chamber pot emptied.”


Her heart sunk at the missed opportunity. “Yes, ma’am”


Later that evening, after the masters of the house had retired, Anne was tending to one of the fireplaces when the guard who had leered at her grabbed her arm.


“Lord Kent wants to see you in his chambers” he growled with an ominous smile.


Anne was overcome with fear as the guard prodded her upstairs to Lord Kent’s bedroom. He had thrown the last girl he had called to his room out of the window – three stories below. As they entered the extravagant room, Lord Kent gazed at Anne for a moment. “You chose a good one this time, Ned!” he exclaimed. “You can leave now.”


“Come here girl.” Anne hesitantly approached, stopping before she was within his reach. Before she could react he lunged for her, ripping the sleeve and shoulder of her dress. She ran to the table in the corner of the room, taking the chair in her unsteady hands, trying to find the courage to defend herself. As the snarled words came out of her mouth, she couldn’t believe she was saying them “I would rather die than be defiled by a filthy bastard like you!” Lord Kent stopped short, hesitating, and then retorted maniacally “Even better you little wench!”


He started towards her, but Anne smashed the chair over his head. Both fell to the ground from the force – Anne, panicking, freed herself and struck him again as he moaned. Everything went silent. I have to run. Run, Anne! she thought as she overcame the shock of what she had just done.


She could hear the guards shouting as they pursued her – they were approaching rapidly; she knew she had no chance of escape, but she kept running. As she ran through the servants’ corridor, Catherine came out of one of the rooms, drawn by the commotion. Anne desperately wanted to spend her last moments alive with Catherine, the only friend she’d ever had, but something in her commanded her to live, to run. She only afforded her a panicked glance, trying to communicate all of the love she had to her dear friend.


Rushing past, she was about to round the corner when she heard a crash. Anne turned just in time to see the cupboard crushing most of the guards and Catherine folding over around the sword embedded in her stomach. It seemed as though time had stopped for Anne as she grasped what was happening – she wanted to scream, but even more, she wanted to die alongside Catherine because any world without her wasn’t worth living in. Except again, something deep inside her willed her to survive. Her legs moved, almost without command.


Anne had escaped outside the walls of the castle, and was running through the forest to the East. She could hear the hooves of the horses closing in. Tears were streaking her face as she ran blindly in the dark, narrowly avoiding trees and brambles. She began to slow down – she knew there was a trench nearby. The older servants used to tell stories about it during the meals – that it had no bottom and that no one had ever survived the fall into its depths.


As she entered an opening in the trees, she stopped just short of falling into the trench. She could hear the horses coming and see the light of the torches flickering. She began to panic as she realized her legs could not carry her any farther. After failing to produce a plan, she resigned herself to death. But I will not allow those pigs the pleasure; I’ll die on my own terms. The guards were upon her, but before they could reach her, she threw herself into the trench. Her last thought was that Catherine had died for nothing.

 

[Sol]

"CYRUS!"


The shrill voice of his sister had woken the elf up from his slumber. "Just a few more, I hunted so much yesterday." Cyrus had in fact hunted so much yesterday, a mix of local animal and local bandits. Sure enough, bandits were fearsome in a straight up fight, but Cyrus never goes toe to toe with anything. Some of those bandits were poisoned as they were chasing him, others fell into his traps and the rest he led to their demise within Wyvern Cave, north of their town.


"Don't you give me that! I'm rewarding you with your favorite meal, baby brother."


For a long time, Cyrus wanted to leave his small town of Nature's Reach to go on an adventure and for a long time, he was forced to set that day back one more day and another and another and another. He didn't have much of problem yet, since he was an elf and he lives slightly longer than the oldest human and stays younger longer as well. Although, if this drags on for too long he may already be an old elf and he still couldn't satiate his thirst for adventure. He could leave at any time but he still followed his sister's requests, she's always asking him to stay a little bit longer and think things through and he always buckles to her command.


He gave up on trying to sneak in some more rest and joined his older sister for supper, she did in fact cook his favorite meal and wondered where she acquired the funds to find the ingredients. It was a fairly exotic dish out here in a small town originated from the Elven Kingdom. In any case, Cyrus was pleased with what his sister has done for him. "Thank you, eldest sister. You might even find a husband now." "Shut it." "Of course." She wouldn't admit it but Cyrus thought that she must be feeling very proud of herself that her little brother, an accomplished hunter within the town, was praising her.


After their meal, his sister decided to retire for the night, since she still had a long day ahead of her tomorrow and she was fairly tired of her work around the market, learning the merchant's trade. She was only able to begin lessons because a particular merchant in town had ties to their family. Cyrus went out to go to the old "gate" outside town. There was a prophecy regarding it and each night Cyrus would go there and wait, hoping that maybe this would be his ticket to adventure, even though the prophecy itself was vague, he couldn't even be sure this was the correct portal among all the others that littered the continent of Boldan.


A hero shall emerge from a portal long forgotten, she shall rid Boldan of a coming darkness and right an ancient wrong.


That was the only line in the prophecy that caught Cyrus's attention. He was sure that no one would go to some place so backwater even with a portal ether portal nearby. Tonight, however, Cyrus was not aware that he would meet the Hero of the Prophecy.


As he reached the portal, he could feel that something different. It seemed as though the air...no the very atmosphere around the portal was being warped. The rune carvings around the frame of the portal came to life, each one glowing with its respective color. As if by magic those runes jumped out of their place carved on to the frame of the portal and started revolving around it. From what Cyrus had read before, this was a sign that the portal was being used, however it said nothing about the carving of the runes disappearing or the runes themselves floating in the air. The Hero of the Prophecy is coming, The Redeemer is near.

 

[Micks]

Slowly, Anne’s senses returned to her one at a time as she immerged through the portal. She first felt a gentle breeze across her face, cool and soothing. Then she could hear the insects of the night, singing their songs. Finally she opened her eyes – it was still night, but she was no longer in the forest or in the trench. She could make out a town just ahead, illuminated by the light of the moon.


Suddenly the memories of what had passed that night flooded in. She fell to her hands and knees, out of exhaustion and grief, her body racked with quiet sobs. For a few moments she indulged in self-pity, but it was quickly replaced by a new thought – But if I’m not dead… then where am I? She had never believed in life after death, but the afterlife was the only conclusion she could come up with to explain her current consciousness. And if I’m here… then Catherine must be too! she thought with a flicker of hope as she sat up, wiping the tears from her eyes.


Anne then realized she was not alone. A man, or what she thought was man, stood staring at her with wide eyes. She quickly pulled up the sleeve of her dress to cover her shoulder, remembering it had been ripped. She tried to stand, but she didn’t even have the energy to scoot back. For a few seconds, she said nothing, simply examining the man – though it was dark, she could tell there was something different, something strange about this man… but perhaps he knew something about where Catherine was. She had meant to be cautious, but before she could catch herself she blurted out in a hoarse voice “Who are you? Have you seen my friend Catherine?”

 

[Sol]

The portal was permanently open. The runes disappeared after floating around the portal, out came a girl. She smelled human but also felt like she was not of this world. Cyrus tried to contain his surprise and knelt down before the girl. She was here, the Hero of the Prophecy has arrived and Cyrus has his ticket out of the small town he calls home. He had his wish for adventure, it starts now, he doesn't care if he is turned down again and again, he will continue to follow the Redeemer. After all, aside from adventure Cyrus wanted himself to be immortalized alongside all the great figures of the past, which helped shape the land of Boldan.


“Who are you? Have you seen my friend Catherine?”


Was the inquiry that had came out of the Hero's mouth. "Redeemer, my name is Cyrus Alcarin, a humble hunter from the nearby village. I wish to join you in your travels if you would accept me." Cyrus had to be formal when addressing someone of note. What puzzled Cyrus was the Catherine part. "I am sorry, Redeemer, but I have no recollection of ever meeting a Catherine. Is she nearby? I'm an accomplished hunter and I'm sure I can track her down, even at this time of night."

 

[Micks]

Anne thought it strange that this man should kneel before her, as she had only seen people do before Lord Kent. "Redeemer, my name is Cyrus Alcarin, a humble hunter from the nearby village. I wish to join you in your travels if you would accept me. I am sorry, Redeemer, but I have no recollection of ever meeting a Catherine. Is she nearby? I'm an accomplished hunter and I'm sure I can track her down, even at this time of night." Things only seemed to get stranger to Anne. Why was he calling her the Redeemer and addressing her so properly? And never had she heard a name such as his in all of Berkshire. How could he possibly want to travel with her, a lowly servant girl? None of this seemed right – this wasn’t like any ‘heaven’ she had ever been told of.


“You need not address me so highly, sir, I am merely a servant girl, not this Redeemer you speak of. My name is Anne.” She didn’t want this man getting the wrong impression of her, though she was surprised that he couldn’t tell she was clearly not a redeemer of anything. “Where exactly are we? And… do all the dead come here after they die?”

 

[Sol]

So she isn't aware of the prophecy? Absolutely no idea of what she is supposedly capable of, that she is the only being who can use magic after the last archmage died centuries ago. Easy. Cyrus laughed at the strange question that their hero asked of him. "Hero of the Prophecy, The dead simply go back to the Ether, and this isn't the Ether, this place is Boldan. You aren't aware of the your destiny, you came through that portal." Cyrus pointed to the old rune gate that dot Boldan's landscape, one outside each major city and several more near towns and certain fortresses. "That rune portal..all the rune portals died when the last arch mage died, over 2 centuries ago. It is said that the next arch mage will come through an unused portal and save Boldan from a coming darkness and right an ancient wrong." Cyrus didn't stop for a moment to think if this Anne person really took it all in. "Though prophecies will always remain vague and useless at least until it is almost too late." Cyrus pointed out hoping that Anne would share his sentiment, regardless of whether or not she actually understood what he had said about Boldan and the prophecy. "In any case, trolls prowl at this part of the woods and at this time of night, I'll lead you to my village nearby. It simply isn't safe here." Without missing a beat, Cyrus turned and walked toward the general direction of the village. He didn't even check if the Hero was following him, but that was due to his neglectful nature than any actual malice.

 

[Micks]

Anne turned around and gazed into the portal. Does this truly lead back to the trench... and back to Lord Kent. She resolved never to cross through it - there was nothing left for her there. Cyrus spoke of destiny, heroes, and mages. Anne had only heard of these things in old fairy tales the elderly used to spin. And she was certainly no hero - not yet. Little did she know, Anne did indeed hold great magical powers within her that had lain dormant for years. And they would be tested sooner than either of them suspected.


Cyrus was disappearing through the forest. "W-Wait!" she called after him. Quickly she got to her feet and started after him, struggling to keep up at his pace. They had not walked far when they heard a monstrous roar and something approaching them rapidly. The snapping of tree branches and thumping of large feet on the ground grew closer and closer...

 

[Sol]

Cyrus had to prove himself earlier than anticipated to the Hero of the Prophecy. A troll had arrived and Cyrus was fairly certain they had simply stumbled upon it's territory, trolls themselves didn't possess much intelligence. His task became two fold, prove his ability to the Hero and report the the Village elder about this development. It would be a whole lot more dangerous if the trolls mark their territory so near the village.


The troll burst out of the bush and was barreling straight towards the hero. Cyrus tackled the hero out of the way. The troll was a large mass of fat and muscle, standing at a height of 10 feet. Cyrus could incapacitate the Troll but without a source of acid or fire it the fight would go on for eternity. He readied his bow and loosed two arrows in quick succession, they hit their mark and were protruding from the Troll's chest. Cyrus would have to hope that the Hero would learn her ability to control magic soon, he couldn't afford luring the beast towards the town. He readied another arrow and fired, his quiver was already loose before he left his house, soon he'd be fighting that angry mass of muscle and fat with a short sword. "Hero...you're powers would be very helpful about now. Maybe a fireball?"

 

[Micks]

Anne was gripped with fear as the troll rushed towards her. She landed hard on the ground as Cyrus tackled her, narrowly avoiding the beast. Before she had even recovered, Cyrus was already up, and loosing arrows into the troll - he was fast and graceful, all of his movements fluid. Each arrow was hitting its mark, but it was as though the troll felt no pain. Anne watched helplessly as he was quickly running out of arrows and gaining little advantage over it. "Hero...you're powers would be very helpful about now. Maybe a fireball?"


A fireball? Only minutes ago had she found out about this prophecy and trolls and magic. How could she possibly know how to use it? But the situation called for action, and she had to help Cyrus somehow, anyway she could. She tried envisioning a fireball striking the troll, focusing all her thoughts, but nothing happened. Meanwhile, Cyrus was shooting his last arrow - she had to hurry. What am I supposed to do? Think Anne! In desperation, she tried shouting out "Fireball!", and again, nothing happened. But it did succeed in attracting the troll's attention.


The troll began to rush towards her a second time, but Cyrus was too far away this time and had depleted his arrows. It was only seconds away from Anne, and in that moment as she flinched, every fiber of her being wanted the troll engulfed in flames. Heat began emanating from the beast's belly and soon he was enveloped in a wall of fire... as well as a few of the surrounding trees. Anne stared in disbelief as the troll flailed and writhed in pain. Finally everything grew silent again.


Confused, she began to ask Cyrus "Wha-", but she felt suddenly drained and unsteady. The last thing she remembered was the ground quickly approaching.

 

[Sol]

Cyrus couldn't keep tabs on the Hero as she looked desperate to conjure whatever magicks she felt necessary in this fight. His quiver had run empty and he made shot that stuck home, right between the eyes, however the troll was still unfazed by the fact an arrow was sticking out of its skull. Then again, Cyrus wasn't even sure the arrow pierced the skull, for all he knew it was caught by the muscle surrounding the head.


"Fireball!"


He hoped that an actual orb of fire was floating towards the troll, but was disappointed to see nothing of the sort. The troll changed its direction towards the Hero as she uttered that command, it showed that the trolls did in fact possess some degree of intelligence, more to add to his report to the elder. He was to far and too slow to intercept the troll, it was closing in on her and he was too incompetent to stop it. Just then the troll simply ignited and not just the troll but the trees that surrounded to Hero went up in flames too. He was able to arrive at her side just before she hit the ground. Strangely enough, as she lost consciousness the forest fires disappeared leaving charred would in their place and the smoking remains of troll bone and melted troll fat.


It seemed as though the Hero could not yet control her powers as he thought she would. After turning in his report to the elder and giving the Hero some time to rest, he would have to bring her to the Great Library in the Capital, perhaps the senior librarian would know where to find books regarding the mages of old. One problem at a time though, he carried the Hero back towards his home. He took care not to awaken his sister and lay the hero on his bed as he contented himself with the floor. She was warm on the way to the house but cooled down as they neared the village.

 

[Micks]

Anne stirred as she felt the warmth of the sun against her face. She woke in an unfamiliar bed and room. She turned her head and saw Cyrus sitting at a small desk, concentrated on what he was writing. She sat up slowly and gingerly, still weak from their encounter with the troll. "How long have I been sleeping?"





Her memories of the day before were blurred. She could hardly believe that she had gone from dusting paintings in Lord Kent's castle to fighting off a troll in another world entirely. Eventually she would have to come to grips with her role as the Hero of the Prophecy, but for now she knew so little of it and put it in the back of her mind.


Seeing him in the light, she noticed his features for the first time - "Your ears! What's happened to them?" not knowing he was an elf - Anne still had quite a bit to learn about Boldan.


As she began to rise from the bed, she realized she had been dressed in new clothes. Thoroughly mortified at the thought of Cyrus having seen her, she blushed. "Did you.." gesturing to her clothing.

 

[Sol]

"How long have I been sleeping?"


It seemed the Hero has awakened, Cyrus was in the middle of penning a report for the Village Elder as well as instructions and precautions the rest of the town would need to take. He'd be gone for a long while escorting the Hero to the Capital. "You have been asleep for the whole night and majority of the day. I'll be taking you to the Capital where you might find some tomes with regards to controlling your magic. I would also caution you not to use your abilities to openly as well, I know there are a lot unsavory people around, if they know what they have their hands on...never mind." Cyrus finished writing his report for the Elder and set the pen down on his desk. "What about my ears? You haven't seen an elf before?" A short silence dominated his mind as he realized what he just said. "I apologize, Hero, I should have been a bit more courteous addressing you. As for your clothes, my sister dressed you in the finest garments she has. Unfortunately it isn't much. She prepared a meal for you and is out in the market plaza. I shall be heading out too to submit my report the Elder."