Blood for Blood. (DF) (Full Version)

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Riprose123 -> Blood for Blood. (DF) (6/8/2012 8:11:43)

You are currently a new recruit for the clan A Phoenix Risen. You contacted the three leaders yesterday, and they sent an elf to interview you. You had heard many things about the Phoenixs. About their members, about their history. Most are rumors though. Rumors and stories. The elf currently sits in front of you, leaning against the table that divides you from him. The only sound is the patter of the rain hitting the windows of your house, as you sit and wonder who will break the tension first. The elf is the first to speak, “Hello young one. My name is Riprose Amadeus Rehorn. I am a Runemage, and currently a historian for A Phoenix Risen. Seeing as you are a potential member, I’m sure you have many, many questions. I know I did,” Riprose seems to stare off into the distance for a second, before coming back into focus and speaking again, “before you get to your questions, and I to mine friend, let us come to an understanding.”

Reaching inside his robes, Riprose prepares to draw something out, and you tense for a second, not knowing to expect a weapon or other harmful object.. He gives you sort of a boyish grin as he pulls out a leather book, barely bigger than your hand, with two runes of power engraved on the front, and the image of a rising phoenix on top of them. "This is……very valuable, to say the least. In this book rests our ideals, members, and our very history," he said, "I want you to read the latter. Summon me when you are finished. Touch the rune on the left side of the cover, and I will be here as quickly as possible."

Riprose reaches across the table and hands you the book. "Keep it a secret. Give it to anyone and I will know. I have ways of making sure that that book is destroyed and you along with it. That book is worth your life, probably more. Hell, only two of those books exist. Honestly, I’d rather not give something of that much value to a recruit, but it’s not my call apparently,” Riprose grumbles the last word, “Keep it safe. If it turns out you don’t want this. I’ll snap my fingers and this entire meeting, the knowledge you read in that book, will just....disappear," Riprose stood then, picking up his staff and, pulling the robes around himself tighter, walked out into the stormy day.




After four weeks of work and thinking, the book still lies where you left it. A thin layer of dust has gathered and you wonder what lies inside. Having worked all week in the local blacksmith’s, you have come home each night, tired and exhausted. Sitting now by the fire, you brush the dust off the cover, tracing the runes with your finger. You glance around, then wonder why, seeing as you’re in your own house, and live alone. You silently pray to the avatars to see you good fortune in the deed you are about to commit, and open the book. Staring down at the first page, you see long, slash-like handwriting that must belong to the same elf who gave you the book. You run your hand over the pages, and begin to read.




Riprose123 -> RE: Blood for Blood. (DF) (6/8/2012 8:13:04)

My name, if you don’t already know, is Riprose Amadeus Rehorn the Fifth, one of the only living Runemages on the face of Lore. This book is one of the only existing copies of the history of A Phoenix Risen. Seeing as you are reading this, you must be prospective member, or else you would not be reading this. Ah, but look at me ramble. Rambling and talking to myself, ever since age two-hundred and fifty-three. Where was I?

It all started on the fifth month of the eleventh year. Three people met in a small cabin halfway between Falconreach and Verterouche. A Deathknight, and unknown to him soon to be Dragonlord, Bustechia Reki. A hero of his time, his sword was almost as sharp as his tongue. He had temper that would melt the glacier of Dragesvard, and often found himself gripping a blade against evil.

Next was the mage Stelios Stevens. Half troll, half man, he towered above us all. Wise beyond his years and willing to lend that wisdom to anyone who needed it, he was as powerful as he was wise. His spear was almost as sharp as his wit and tongue, and he could humble the mighteist of men. Stelios would turn out to be one of the greatest phoenixes ever to grace this clan.

And lastly Sainsbo, a paladin by trade, and defender by circumstances. His hammer was just as mighty as his stature, second only to Stelios in height, and surpassing him greatly in muscle. A kind soul and great friend, the only way to anger this man was to threaten his friends or family.

Between them, they had only this shack, a few weapons, some gold, and a vial of blood, given to them by a dying phoenix. They later told me they had no idea how to start. It was finally after many awkward moments that Stelios spoke up. “A phoenix is resurrected from his ashes, giving him eternal life. Meaning they never die. Never disappear. Magic is a powerful thing, and magic that powerful must have been hardwired into the creature’s DNA, some of which we now possess,” he said, holding up the vile and looking through it into the light.

Reki nodded, following Stelios’ train of thought, “What if we could figure out how to use the same magic?” he asked, snatching the vial and looking through it, “would we get the same gifts?”

Sainsbo, who had been trying to decipher what the other two had been thinking, spoke up now, “Could we say, mix our blood with his? What would that do, mixing our DNA with that of a phoenix?”

Reki looked at Sainsbo, “That is one of the stu-” he was interrupted by Stelios, who snatched away the vial and laughed, grinning like an idiot.

“You’ve got it Sains! Mix the blood, then the magic is ours!” Stelios jumped up and smacked his head with a loud thump on the ceiling. Scowling slightly, he scooped up the small pile of gold they had accumulated and ran off towards Falconreach, gold and blood in hand.

His long legs carried him to town in no time. He delayed not, stopping to pick up a large stone basin. Reki and Sainsbo caught up with him, panting slightly. Wide-eyed, they watched as Stelios took off yet again, heading back into the forest with his purchase. They jogged off after him, shaking their heads at his enthusiasm. When they reached the cabin, Stel stood outside, a bandage around one hand and a knife in the other. He tossed it to Reki, saying, “Your turn.”

Reki approached the basin, gripping the dagger tightly. Knuckles white, he quickly slashed his palm and held the blood over the basin. A drop of his blood fell in, mixing with the phoenix’s and Stelios’. “We are brothers now, you and I. That is a bond not easily forgotten,” Reki said as he handed the blade to Sains, who slashed his palm as if he hurt himself everyday.

“There, that’s it,” Stelios said, clasping his hands in front of himself, “What do we do now?”

Sainsbo scratched his brow, “Could we share this power? I mean, could we keep adding blood?”

Stelios nodded slowly, “We could, in theory, yes. Though not for everyone, if that’s what you’re thinking,” he said, glancing at Reki, “what do you think?”

Reki stared down at the ground, “I think it would be better if we kept this a secret, between us only. I do not wish for my blood to be mixed in with some filthy commoners'," he glanced quickly at Sainsbo before continuing, "but......I will probably be out voted, so we will recruit. Forming a brotherhood may turn out to benefit us,” he said, “the only problem I see is this; what do we call this brotherhood, this clan?”

Stelios, unlike every instance so far, had nothing to say to this. Sainsbo was lost as well. It was finally Reki who spoke again, “In theory, we will rise again. Like a phoenix, we will rise after death. From the ashes. I feel a Phoenix Risen is appropriate,” he said, ending his sentence with a course nod. The other two nodded with him, “it’s settled then. On this day, A Phoenix Risen was born. Let it live long and prosper.”




Riprose123 -> RE: Blood for Blood. (DF) (6/11/2012 22:44:09)

Stelios was the first chronicler. He wrote down the history before I came along a wrestled the job from him. He kept a close census of the members. At first it was only the three, Reki, Sainsbo, and Stelios. Reki was charged with earning money for the clan treasury. Sainsbo was charged with recruitment. At first it was slow. They didn’t know who to trust with their secret. The first was a Dragonlord by the name of Altavus. He is also known as the Titan, for those of you who do not know his real name. He was a giant of a man, dwarfed only by Sainsbo and Stelios, and was deadly with his plus two flaming burst ghost touch great sword of speed. His dragon was just as fierce as it’s bond.

Next came the Cursed One. He never gave us his name, and he was not always around. He was a shadowy man, and his blood was purple, not the crimson red of the average humans. He was always a popular object of speculation when it came to my thoughts.

I was next, entering the clan two weeks after it was formed. We started calling ourselves a clan by then. I took over as the scribe and historian, seeing as I was a Runemage, and had a much greater comprehension of languages then Stelios. I cut myself much deeper than I normally would have, and still have the scar. You see, I was quite nervous. What if this blood kills me? What if I die and don’t come back? Every doubt ran through my mind that day, and by the time I combined my blood with the phoenix’s, my hands were shaking. My muscles spasmed as I brought the knife to my skin and cut me much deeper than I would have liked. A large of my blood was spilled, and no matter how many healing runes I cast on it, it still scarred. For a while, it was only us six, four if you counted Reki being gone on some adventure and Cursed being spotted in and out. It was awhile before we got a new member. A good long while.




Riprose123 -> RE: Blood for Blood. (DF) (6/24/2012 22:48:30)

Do you remember the race between the heroes of Lore and Sepulchure for the elemental orbs? Around this time we were recruiting heavily. A short, stocky man with long hair that covered most of his face appeared at our cabin one morning, covered in strange glowing marks. I had been the only one currently living there, the others having residence elsewhere or not being there, in Cursed and Reki’s case. His arms and chest were bruised and bloody. He had what looked to be a ruined shield next to him, and it smelled like the fire of a dragon. I picked him up and did the best I could to heal his wounds with the runes I knew at the time. I spent a few long hours as he lay asleep studying the marking on his arms. They were Old Tongue runes, the markings of Haeos. He woke up sometime later, just as I set the stew for lunch on the fire and started putting away my sketches of his runes. He sat up warily, looking around and finally resting his eyes on me. I put on my friendliest smile and stood up, grabbing my staff as I did. His arm instinctively went back to the place where the hilt of his katana would be, right behind his shoulder. His hand met air, and I stuck mine out in greeting, “My name is Riprose. I’m a Runemage, and I mean you no harm my friend.”

He reluctantly shook my hand, then spoke, his voice smooth and confident, “My name is Oddball. Did you heal me? I saw this cabin and I just stumbled in,” he said, rubbing the runes on his arms.

I nodded, watching the glow of the marks flare as his hands passed over them, “If I’m not mistaken, those are the markings of the Avatar of Energy my friend. Are you a demigod by chance?”

My question startled him, and he jumped up. He spotted his katana and quickly drew it, “I am, and you will not breathe a word to another soul, understand me elf?” I nodded as much as someone with a blade to their throat could.

He stood there for a while, studying me. A long silence enveloped us, and I finally broke it, drawing the dagger from my belt and offering it to him. He looked at it quizzically, a crease of the brow and a frown touching his face. I tossed it to him, and he caught it, still trying to find my intentions. I lead him to the basin of blood, motioned to it, then said, “Would you like to join a clan?” That was one of the only two times I heard that man laugh. I explained the properties of the blood to him, and he slit his palm with ease, adding yet another ingredient to our necrotic mixture.

Next was the lycanthrope, Shadows Morgenstern. There was nothing very extravagant about his abduction, if you count nearly killing each other nothing extravagant. He was seen stalking the woods around our cabin for a while. Odd and I thought it only to be local wolves, not paying any attention to it until we found one of the cows we let wonder in the backyard dead. Its neck was crushed, but the torso was sliced open with what looked to be a knife. We discussed it. Odd thought it was Dravir, which I didn’t dismiss. Though most of the Dravir at the time were in Willowshire, fighting the guardians and heroes. I suspected Werewolves.

I was right.

The man fell out of the tree three days later, landing on my back and nearly breaking my neck if it were not for the flame rune I had inscribed on my skin. My entire body erupted into scorching flames and the man launched off of me, did a roll, launched himself with his hands, and drove both his feet into the chest of an advancing Oddball. Odd was sent flying, and I with my staff and now doused flames turned to face the man. He wore a pair of studded leather pants. That was it. He wore no shirt, nor any shoes or headgear. He was well muscled and willowy, standing at what I predicted about six foot, two inches. He jumped at me, and I swung my staff down at his head. He caught it with one hand, then grabbed my robes with the other, swung me around with such force that I was ripped off my feet, and launched me through a window. He followed me quickly through. My sword was already in my hand, and I stabbed at him. He dodged out of the way easily. I quickly rolled my wrist and slashed him across the shoulder. He growled, low and deep. I growled back, taking up a stance I was familiar with. He drove his fist towards my head, and I jerked back, kicking the back of his knee as he drove himself forward. He kept going, stepping near the basin of our necrotic mixture. I took the time to speak, “Who in the seven blazing hells are you, werewolf?” I spoke it in three languages before he understood me, finally settling on vampiric.

“I am Shadows Morganstern,” he said, a deep low drawl of a voice, “I understood that you would be a good hunt, so I have come after you.”

I smiled, drawing the dagger from my belt quickly and tossing it to him. He caught it, slightly bewildered, and I touched a rune on the inside of my left palm. The dagger exploded, and shards of the weapon went into his face and torso. He flinched and growled, just as I pulled the silver knife out the third sheathe at my belt and stabbed it into his heart.

He looked at me in surprise, blood spilling from his chest. He collapsed, a loud bam as his body hit the floor. I pulled the knife out of his chest, picking him up and putting him on the doorstep. His entire body tensed as I set him down, and my eyes became wide with fear. Did his blood mix? Is he going to rise?

He did. It was three hours later that he woke up and entered the cabin. Odd had his hand on his katana the whole time. He sat down at our table, nodded at me, then spoke, “You killed me, elf. I was the predator, and I was killed. I don’t know how I still live, but you killed me. I swear my life to yours, I am in your debt.”

I was a little shocked, but I nodded, sliding him a bowl of stew. He ate hungrily, and the three of us settled in to sleep awhile later. Odd and Shadows grew close over the next few weeks. They would spar together, and I would often join them when I was not reading or trying the difficult art of discovering new runes. They were both serious, but they would grin once in awhile. I taught Shadows Trade and Elfish, all over two months. Stelios and Sainsbo both met The two, and approved of what I had done. For a long while it was the three of us and that cabin, and I had started to think of it as home.




Riprose123 -> RE: Blood for Blood. (DF) (6/24/2012 23:41:10)

The next member, a woman by the name of Veranex Dóiteáin, came to us in...unusual circumstances. Us three men were sitting in our cabin, playing a game of cards. I was not using runes to cheat, no matter what Odd says. I had just won my third straight hand, when there was a crash, and lots of splintering wood. In the gaping hole of what used to be our wall, stood a very angry looking Woman. She was shorter, at five foot something. After rudely crashing through our wall, she proceeded to light quite a few of our belongings on fire. This made me quite mad, and just as I was getting ready to yell at her, she turned and slapped me across the face, “I’ve been waiting a verrrrry long time to do that, Riprose!”

I was stunned, wondering what in the seven hells she was talking about, but then I took a closer look at her. Her pointed ear held back shoulder length dark brown hair, and her hazel eyes sparkled as she held up a cupped hand with a ball of fire. I gulped. God damnit, her of all people.

“Veranex, hi, umm....please don’t kill me. Your brother was evil. He wanted to kinda, you know, freeze the oceans solid. I’m sorry if killing him pissed you off, but it had to be done,” I said, smiling, hoping that fire didn’t meet my face.

Yeah, smiling while apologizing for slaughtering someone’s siblings isn’t the best thing to do. She growled, brought her hand back, and I brought my staff down, touching the shield rune engraved on it. The fire never came though. Holding the basin in one hand and a dagger in the other, Shadows had sliced her wrist open and mixed her blood with ours. I stared at him stunned. He looked back at me, then shrugged, “Call Sains,” He said in rough Elvish.

I nodded, sliding a finger over the mind rune on my neck. My mind opened up to Sains’ and i sent him my memories of recent events. He sent me back images of a tower, and path through the woods. The tower looked abandoned and the walls around it were crumbling, but we set off anyway, carrying the now unconscious Veranex on our cows. We found the tower after a hour of walking. Stelios, Sainsbo, The Cursed One, Altavus, and even Reki stood waiting, inspecting the tower and the surrounding buildings. Sains nodded at me, “You brought everything?”

“We did, and we burnt the cabin down,” I said, making my way to a cottage and setting my pack down once entering. Everything looked stable, and a bed, desk, and chair sat around a spacious room with a fireplace sitting in the wall. I quickly lit the fire, and sat down on the floor with a few pieces of wood I had scavenged. I binded, the wood together with runes, and admired at my new table. There was a knock on the door, and I opened it to find Shadows dragging a bed behind him. He wordlessly set his bed in the corner opposite of mine, and set up a few chairs he had brought with him. “I’ll put a shelf up tomorrow, maybe build a bookcase as well. THat wall needs repairing too. We should just hire someone,” He said, scratching the stubble that had formed on his chin, “What’s the deal with you and that elf?”

I sighed, and handed him one of my countless journals. I thumbed through it, and finding the right section, handed it to him. He read, then nodded slowly, understanding. “You killed her brother......” he said, quietly sinking into thought.

“I did. It was gruesome too. No man should have gone like he did,” I shuddered at the memory, “the worst thing is I used her affection to get to him.”

Shadows looked at me, frowning. He sighed then, handing me back the book. He flopped down into a chair, then looked at me and said, “The way I read it, you had no other choice. Let’s get off this dark topic though, friend. What’s for supper?” he asked, glancing at the pot as I hung it over the fire.




Riprose123 -> RE: Blood for Blood. (DF) (7/9/2012 13:46:52)

Very soon, all of us settled into life at the tower. Our new base consisted of a tall tower which housed the weaponry, vault, and the rooms of the three founders. The tower was surrounded by several smaller buildings, mostly used as residence for us. Though at the time, it was Shadows and I in one cottage and Odd in another. The others were either empty or filled with supplies, seeing as we were in the middle of cleaning the rubble of a collapsed roof in the stairs that went to what we thought to be the cellar.

The wall was repaired by construction moglins shortly after we arrived, and Reki had done a good job of raising money for the guild. We lived a good life for awhile. Sains brought in a new recruit by Zahkuri Kzict. He was of medium height, looking around five foot ten or eleven. He carried a sword and a shield on his back, and wore leather armor and a helm that covered most of his face. He took up a cottage towards the northwest corner of the wall. He was friendly enough, and often sparred with the other Phoenixes. He took great interest in the creation of runes, and I taught him how difficult it was. He had a natural knack for it though, and soon I was using his runes in spell work.

Chores were a pain. Cleaning of the cottage was a pain, because half the time Shadows slept in wolf form and he shedded like hell. Kitchen duty was by far the easiest chore, seeing as rune took care of most everything. I luckily never had to go get firewood or clean out the stables, which housed most of our livestock and pack animals. Life was simple for a long while, sometimes with the odd sneevil raid or rampaging gorrillaphant.


I was sent on supply runs a few times. Going into town was always fun, and I got to meet most everyone. Serenity’s inn was always a fun place to go if I had extra gold. Cysero’s Super Store of Savings was always interesting, seeing as he dealt in high end weapons and Dragoncoins. I never had much use for the pet shop though, and I hardly ever ventured in there. Ash, a young boy who also handled everyone’s mail, met my acquaintance one day as I was leaving. He was a honest lad and good natured, if not a little scrawny. He handed me a few letters, introduced himself, then ran off, dragging a sword that looked just a little too heavy behind him. I shrugged, and then went about my business.

That same day I was sent to pick up supplies. Just the normal things, rations and the like. I walked out of the market carrying a large burlap sack on my back, putting things in as I picked them up from the various stands. I bought a crisp, ripe apple and sat down under a shady tree, next to a running stream. The sack was dropped to my right, and I absently munched on the apple, enjoying the sweet taste of it. I threw the core in a clump of bushes, then went to pick my bag up again.

Just as I was ready to walk off, staff in hand and bag slung over my shoulder, there was a rustling where I had thrown the apple core. I parted the bushes with my staff, and sitting on the ground was a human female. She looked to be about the same age as Veranex, with dirt caking discoloring her face and arms, and dirty blond hair, going every which way from disregard to its care. Her clothes were ragged and discolored, and there was a faint stench around her, hinting that it may have been a while since the last time she bathed. In one hand she held my discarded apple core, and in the other a sack, probably containing more foraged goods. Her eyes went wide when she saw me, and I could tell she was ready to run. I put on my friendliest face, reached into my pack, and pulled out a small piece of dried meat. I held it out to her, and she snagged it quickly, stuffing most of the strip into her mouth.

I sighed, then sat down in front of her, “What’s your name, young one?”

She showed no immediate sign that she heard me, so I repeated myself several times. Finally, after the eighth time of the same question, her head whipped up, an angry fire in her eyes, “I’m poor, not stupid. I can answer your question when I damn well please, understand?”

I snapped right back with, “And if it weren’t for the goodness of my heart, filthy girl, you could be a smoking pile of ash,” at this, she snarled and leapt at me. I was quite surprised, and was thrown to the ground as she scratched and hit me.

I had fallen at an odd angle, my arm and staff pinned under my body. My other arm I used to cover my face as she scratched her nails into my cheeks and forehead. I heard her screams of rage, then a rustling. There was a low growl, a few barks, a thud, and she was thrown off me. A very large, shaggy dog stood over me, looking down its muzzle into my face. I blinked, and I was looking into the face of Shadows, a huge silly grin on his face. I jumped and scrambled back. His grin spread wider on his face and he said, “Why is it that every woman we meet wants to kill you?”

I grumbled something unpleasant involving a large spear and a part of his body, and slung the bag over my shoulder again. I heard him grunt, and then follow me back to the tower. We arrived, and I deposited the rations in the cellar. I made my way back to my cottage, and found the girl in my bed. I was quite surprised at this, but absently picked her up, walked to where I knew Veranex was staying, set the girl on the doorstep, knocked, and ran as fast as I could.




Riprose123 -> RE: Blood for Blood. (DF) (8/9/2012 22:36:24)

Later on, as I sat experimenting with runes to try and create new things, there were many loud knocks on my door. Looking out the window, I found myself peering at a very angry looking Veranex in nightgown that left her arms and shoulder blades exposed. I drew my sword out of the scabbard in the corner and proceeded to open the door. Veranex pushed past me, glanced at Shadows, who was asleep as his doggy mangy self in front of the fire, and then back at me with my sword drawn. “Expecting a fight, Rip?” She asked, giving me an irritated look.

“If you keep your fire to yourself, maybe not,” I said, shutting the door and lowering my sword. “Don’t give me a reason and I won’t run you through.”

She made a little tsk tsk sound, then spoke, “Attacking girls going to be a regular thing with you?”

I turned away from her, frowning at her words. The girl must have been awake and talking. Hopefully she didn’t hate me. Or was crazy. Or both. One loathsome psychotic female was enough, I didn’t need two. “She’s awake,” Veranex said, seemingly reading my mind, “And all she remembers is your mangy friend over there.”

I glanced at Shadows, then said, “He’s not mangy, he’s sheddy, big difference. And if you could kindly leave my house, I’ll return to my business.”

She snorted at this, “Casting girls out of your house, tells me so much about you, Rehorn. I’ll take my leave now,” She turned to leave, and I watched her the entire way. I noticed some curly green designs, partially hidden by her gown, located on her shoulders. The door shut behind her, and I went back to my notebook.

A few seconds later, there was a grunt from the general vicinity of Shadows, and his voice saying, “Not bad to look at, that one. She’s a bit crazy though.”

“You haven’t seen her mad, my friend. There’s a fire in that one, and when it roars, it roars,” I said, shutting the notebook, removing my glasses, and crawling into bed for a fitful night’s sleep.

Some of the funnest times in the early days of the clan was when we all went into town together. I usually stuck around Shadows and Odd, and they usually spent their time in the market, finding things to eat.

One trip was truly memorable though. The three of us, along with Sainsbo and Veranex, were walking through the market, when there was a loud roar from the sky above. Everyone stopped to look, and we spotted a massive dracolich, carrying on its back a fortress. The dracolich roared again, and a guardian yelled from the wall, “Everyone get to home! Lock your doors! Sepulchure’s flying dracolich approaches! Heroes, to the wall!”

The five of us responded almost immediately. Shadows dashed off ahead of us, losing his shirt and pants in the process and transforming into his lupin self. Odd’s arms crackled with electricity as he drew his new katana. It was a magnificent weapon, forged of pure obsidian. I had spent a silent afternoon with a full belly scratching different runes of power onto the blade. Endurance runes, eversharp, you name it, I mostly likely added it. Hell, it even glows in the dark now.

Sains’ was right next to Odd as he took off to join the fight. His hammer was clasped in both his hands, the sun reflecting off of its silver head. His grey iron armor caught the sunlight, making him seem to shimmer and shine as he ran next to his fellow phoenix, encountering the first waves of undead.

I was wearing simple traveler’s clothes that day, not very protective, but not very encumbersome either. Normally, I’d have worn simple robes, with a chain shirt covering my torso, leather bracers on my wrists, and studded leather greaves to protect my shins. The only weapon I had that day was my staff, littered with the different runes I had carved into its surface. I looked around the market, desperately looking for another sort of weapon or better armor. Something hit me in the back of the head, and when I turned around, another article of leather armor was flying at me. “Not what you’re used to, but they’ll protect your wrists enough,” Veranex said, picking up and inspecting a chainmail shirt before slipping it on over the dress she wore that day, “damn, I should have brought my staff. I guess I’ll have to rely on magic. Here, you can have this one,” she said, tossing me another chain shirt, “It’s a little rusted, but it should keep you alive until we get the mithril one you prefer.”

I drew the piece of chalk I kept in the pocket of every article of clothing I owned, and drew a few runes into the pieces of armor I had been given. As I finished etching the last endurance rune onto the mail shirt, I nodded to Vera, and together we set a determined pace to the battlefield. We reached the walls without incident, stopping to consult with the guardians on what the current situation was. We asked how we could reach the battlefield if the gates were shut to prevent any breakthroughs and the reply was simply, “Jump off the top.”
As we went to climb the ladder to the top of the wall, a panicked looking hero pushed past us. His longsword was slung over his back, and I absently reached over and drew it as he ran past. I handed it to Vera, “Hopefully someone taught you how to use this. Now climb quickly before he looks behind him,” this earned me a mischievous grin from her as she turned to climb the ladder. I followed right behind her, keeping my eyes pointed at the wall.

We reached the top, and I could tell she was having second thoughts as she looked down onto the undead hordes. She turned to me, looking determined to go back and find a different path to the battlefield. I shook my head, placed a hand on her shoulder, and pushed.

I lept off soon after her. I missed the tree I had been aiming for completely, landing instead into the middle of some undead, crushing one or two beneath me. The other four created a circle around me, pointing with spears and raising axes as if to kill me. I rushed to gather myself, getting to my feet. The skeletons still stood there, staring at me with empty eyes, weapons ready to kill. I took my time, barely moving my staff in the correct lines, the curves, etching the characters into the dirt. I finished, then crouched quickly, slapping my palm against the finished line, feeding my will into it. A circle appeared, two feet in diameter, igniting flames around me, engulfing the skeletons. They dropped their weapons as their bodies were destroyed, the bones turning to ash and the souls returning to Death’s realm.. As the flames died down, I swung around, looking for Veranex, finally spotting her as she set alight a few skeletons, fire shooting out of her hands. She locked eyes with me, a mad smile on her face and a deadly look in her eye.

I turned away from her, planting my staff firmly in the ground and taking off at a brisk walk, motioning for her to follow me. Most of the undead in this area were in half or burning, giving us a free passage deeper into the siege ground.

We were greeted by a rather half smashed in undead, it’s skull cracked and crumbling. I drove my staff into its breast plate, pushing it down to the ground. I slid my finger over a rune on the staff, and the breastplate started melting away, a puddle of acid forming on the metal, seeping into the bones and ruining the rib cage beneath. Another ran at me, and I caught the axe it swung at me at the shaft, pushing it away with the end of my staff. I kicked its knee in, feeling the exposed bone give way under my foot. As it fell, I let loose a rather nasty spray of fire into its skull.

Veranex and I advanced through the battlefield, coming across Sainsbo as he smashed and blasted undead with his holy might. Skeletons were not the only thing we faced though. Entropy beings and creepy, half dead togs also added to Sepulchure’s ranks. Sains joined us as we made our way through the field, trying our best to stay alive. Fire, blade, and blunt weaponry was our best friend as we made our way through that hell. We came across a few other heroes as we went through it, stopping only to heal the wounded and close the eyes of the dead.

I don’t remember a lot of most of that battle, but I remember almost dieing about seven times. We all got back to our tower late that night. We all sat around a fire, all of us untouched since the battle. No one had bothered to bathe, or change. Mostly we just sat and thought, talking once in awhile. I finally swore loudly, ripped off that piece of junk mail shirt and threw it into the fire, the leather bracers following it. “Damnable things,” I grumbled to myself.

I rested my head on my knees, staring at the ground, thinking of the dead heroes and the carnage that we had partaken in. There was a clang, and my head shot up. It took me a moment to realise that Vera was no longer wearing her chainshirt, and the sword was gone too. Both were in the fire. Odd followed suit by throwing in the tattered remains of his shirt, exposing his tattoed chest. Sains threw in both his bloodied and dented metal bracers. Shadows was at a loss at first, seeing as he had either fought as a dog or a naked human being, finally ripped off a bloodied bandage and threw it in. Z and the girl who attacked me that day, I later found out her name was Kito Domi, just stared as we each threw in something.

I was the first to get up and go to bed that night, and Shadows soon followed me. I like to think I started a tradition that day, because for every battle that followed, we did the same, throwing in something from the previous battle that was scarred, bloodied, dented, or damaged. It was an odd sort of habit, but was necessary I believe to deal with the demons that war unleashes upon one’s soul.




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