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extreme wizard -> (DF) Petros Ferrarius: A Life Broken (7/8/2011 17:47:30)
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Comments and criticism go here.
Prologue
Dragesvard...it has all come down to this. A creature resembling a man knelt in the dark shadow of an ice bluff. He extended his hand and fire monsters; elementals, magmen, golems, even slimes burst into existence. The man stood up and stepped forward, into the sunlight. Xan smiled insanely at his army. "Go. Unleash the flames." he said. The army moved towards Dragesvard at a quick pace. They will not slow. They will not grow tired. They will only kill.
In the city of Dragesvard a much more peaceful scene awaited. A woman, Natalya Ferrarius, sat in her bed with her husband, Fractae near her. Natalya held her newly-birthed son. "What should we name him?" she said.
Fractae gently lifted the child from his wife's hands and arranged his white mage robes into a comfortable spot for the child to lay. He stroked the baby boy's cheek with one hand. "He's cold...and look at his eyes..." The baby boy looked up at his father with clear, grey eyes. Natalya leaned over in her bed to look at the child. She touched the baby's face.
"He is cold," she said. "Cold as a stone."
"He's alive and healthy though." said Fractae. He touched his son's hand and the baby gripped his finger. Fractae smiled. "He's strong too."
Natalya smiled contently and looked at her baby's face. "But what will we name him?"
Fractae looked down at his child. "Let's name him...Petros, for he is as cold and strong as a rock."
"Do we really want to name our only child after a rock?" asked Natalya.
Fractae smiled once again, "Fire burns out, ice melts, air becomes stagnant, but stone is always constant. It remains always, in one form or another." He looked up at his wife. "And our child will hopefully be the same." He leaned forward and gently kissed his wife. Their son gurgled and briefly squirmed on his fathers lap. Fractae and Natalya looked into each other's eyes. They were happy. They were whole. They were content.
High in one of Dragesvard's guard towers, a city guard watched vigilantly from his perch. He had a full-wooden crossbow leaning against the window in front of him and he held a telescope in his hands. The guard paced back and forth across the tower, occasionally peering through his telescope to check the surrounding land. All looks well from here. he thought. He tossed up the telescope once and caught it, grinning at the easiness of his job. After all, who could attack a city that floats on an iceberg?
Xan's fire monsters moved swiftly across the tundra, never slowing down. Xan himself rode in the back of a massive Fire Salamander. The reptillian creature was the size of a teenage dragon, and had a tough frill of searing-hot spines on the back of it's neck, used to provide protection. The salamanders were being used as beasts-of-burden, most dragged carts, each of which held three boats. The other beasts pulled compact siege weapons called trebuchets. The trebuchets hurl stones wrapped in a cloth that had been dipped in oil. They could be set on fire at a moment's notice.
The army approached the water and Xan silently commanded his army with a thought. The fire monsters moved with perfect efficiency, lifting boats from the carts and pushing them into the water. The monsters quickly loaded the trebuchets onto the boats, followed by the monsters themselves. Xan leapt from the Fire Salamander and commanded the beasts onto the more empty boats, and then he stepped into one of the larger ones. "Push off now. I have no interest in survivors, kill them all." Xan ordered.
The boats began to move as the monsters blew flames into strange contraptions at the back of each boat. As fire entered the opening at the back, the heat turned a turbine which in turn drove a propeller. Xan watched as each boat gained speed. It's a good thing they work, for the price I paid... he suddenly burst into insane laughter at that thought. Well, I didn't pay for anything...but those gnomes sure did! The boats were now halfway to Dragesvard.
The city guard paced in his tower, now getting bored with repeatedly seeing the same scenery. It was now noon, and the guard had been on duty for four hours. Only two more hours until my shift ends... he thought. The guard looked through his telescope once again. He slowly swept it across the landscape and then froze at what he saw. Dozens of boats moved towards Dragesvard, fire monsters filled every single one. The guard began shaking in terror and he dropped his telescope. "Sound the alarm!" he screamed. "Sound the alarm!!"
The other guards heard the yell and threw themselves into defensive action. The guards shut the gates of Dragesvard, foot soldiers lined up behind them, swords and spears at the ready. Archers gathered at the tops of the walls and loaded their crossbows. Riders rode through the city and shouted for all civilians to stay in their homes, no matter what. "Fire monsters are coming! Stay in your homes until the all-clear is given!" they shouted.
After thirty minutes, the guards were in place. They steeled themselves for the fight they were about to experience. Most of the guards had never been in battle before now, and fear wreaked havoc among the men. They all knew that a battle was coming, and blood will be drawn.
Fractae and Natalya sat together in their home. Fractae wore his white mage robes and Natalya was clad in a clean white dress. They had wrapped their child in a white cloth and his mother held him now. Fractae peacefully read an old tome that contained hundreds of ice magic spells. "This is great," Natalya said as she looked at her husband. "We have a good house, plenty of food, and now we have a son. I hope things stay like this-" She was cut off by a pounding on the door.
"Fractae! Fractae!" shouted a voice from outside the door.
Fractae stood and walked to the door. "Who is this?!"
The voice shouted again, "It's Galanoth, I'm here to deliver a message!"
Fractae opened the door and looked at the teenage boy in front of him. The young man was dressed in light armor and a longsword hung at his side. "We're under attack, aren't we?"
"Yes," Galanoth said. "It's Xan the pyromancer with a large army of fire monsters. I was told to get you to help, since you are the city's strongest ice mage."
"I will come," Fractae said. "But give me a moment to gather my things and say goodbye. He turned around and walked back to his wife and son. "I am needed to defend the town, we are under attack."
"Attack?!" Natalya said. "Who is doing this?"
Fractae walked over to a case and drew out a short staff decorated with a snowflake at the top. "It's Xan, the new pyromancer we've been hearing about. He has an army of fire monsters with him to attack the town."
Natalya stood and faced her husband. She looked into his blue eyes. "Be careful," she said. "I know you will be of great help to Dragesvard."
"Thank you." said Fractae. He turned around and started walking to the door.
"And Fractae," Natalya began. Her husband stopped walking and looked at her. "I love you."
"I love you too." said Fractae. He held her gaze for a moment longer, then walked out the door. He took one last look inside before closing the door behind him. It slammed shut with a sense of finality, and Natalya got the feeling that she would not see her husband again.
Fractae left with Galanoth and instantly noticed the change in the city. The streets that were once full of people now were empty and lifeless. The once-bustling market area was now silent and deserted. The city looked like a ghost town.
"Are the guards at the gates?" asked Fractae.
"Yes, just as we should have been 10 minutes ago." Galanoth said. Suddenly the ground shook and shouts could be heard in the distance. "The army is here! Move quickly!"
Fractae took off at a sprint, his 30-year-old body propelling him forward toward the nearest wall. He saw about a hundred guards at the gate, spears pointed forward as the tough iron-and-wood door was blasted by fire. Fractae turned back to Galanoth briefly and shouted, "I'm going to the southern gate!" He turned back and continued to run.
Xan's army pounded against the doors, burning away the wood. Xan himself approached the gate nearest to him, the South Gate. He extended his hand and a ball of flame erupted from his palm. The flames crashed against the gate and tore it from it's hinges. The doors fell and crushed a dozen guards, and then the fire monsters came. They rushed in, filling every available space in the doorway. They leapt forward with a ferocity like that of a wildfire on dry grass, devouring all in their way. Many guards turned and ran; those who stayed were only able to last a few moments before being burned to death.
Fractae paused as he saw the ferocity of the monsters. He looked to his right and saw a Fire Golem charge toward him like a madman. "Congelo ubi es!" Fractae shouted as he extended his hand. Ice exploded across the Fire Golem's body and froze it in place. "Frangere!" he said again. The frozen golem suddenly broke apart and cracked on the floor. Fractae turned and saw three fire elementals attack a guard. The guard, who was braver than the others, stabbed one elemental through the head, then ducked as one threw a ball of fire at him. The guard threw his spear into another elemental, then drew his sword and slashed the third down with a horizontal cut across the chest. The guard was then blown off his feet by a Magman who had snuck up behind him, the monster began to strangle the guard, whose throat began to burn. Fractae focused on the Magman, "Mutare labores tuos!" The monster suddenly let go and grabbed it's own throat before collapsing to the ground and suffocating. It dissolved into magma and then cooled into stone.
"Fight back, you spineless fools!" shouted Fractae as another guard ran past him, fleeing the battle. "We can still win this!" He held up his staff and fired a blast of ice from the top. The ice ball struck a Fire Elemental and it dissapated into smoke.
"I see that not all of this town's defenders are cowards." Xan said from behind Fractae. The ice mage turned around.
"Xan! Why are you doing this?" Fractae asked.
"I have a plan...don't you worry. You see these flames that torment me? I will put them out once I conquer this city! I will finally be free of my torture! I only need the Ice Orb that is hidden here." Xan said.
"Ice Orb? I don't know what that is, but you certainly won't take this city while I still live." Fractae said defiantly.
"Oh...I don't plan on letting you live...none of you will survive this!" said Xan. He blasted a wave of fire at Fractae, who dove to the side and avoided the attack. Fractae jumped to his feet and held his staff forward. "Ego tibi flammas extinguere!" he shouted. Xan felt his powers start to weaken as his fire left him. What?! How is this happening?!
"I am the town's leading ice mage," Fractae said. "I know many incantations from a language few people know and fewer can use. You can't even dream of what I can do."
"NO! You will not rob me of my power!!" shouted Xan. He shook with rage and fire burst all around him. Fractae was thrown backwards by the blast and hit his head on a wall. "Now die, you insignificant worm!" Xan conjured a ball of fire over his head and threw it at Fractae. The ice mage saw it fly towards him and deflected the flames with a magic shield.
"Xan!" said Fractae. "Just give up and leave, while you still are able to stand!" Fractae pointed his staff at Xan and his eyes began to glow an icy blue. "Ex auctoritate possideat, te perdam virtutem glaciem!" Ice and snow whirled up from the ground, multiplying and growing to ten times it's size and energy. The spinning whirlwind of ice gathered around Xan and slowly shrunk around the pyromancer. A half-sphere of frozen destruction formed around Xan, and a massive ice spear formed vertically above his head. "At vero!" Fractae yelled. The icy spear flew downward directly on top of Xan, who was already buried in four feet of snow and ice. As the spear connected, snow was thrown out all around it's target, forming a crater with Xan in the center. "You should have stopped while you were ahead, pyromancer." Fractae said. "You knew you were outmatched. He turned his back on the crater and started walking away.
As Fractae moved away from the crater, he was struck in the back by a ball of fire. He collapsed forward and rolled onto his back to face his attacker. "You think you beat me?!" Xan yelled. "You can not imagine the power I have!"
"But for what will you use this power?" Fractae asked. "You have so much potential for good, why not fulfill it?"
Xan's eyes burned with malice. "Because those who are 'good' are equally as weak. Evil contains the power required to make a real difference. It seems you have fallen to me, and I do not plan on showing mercy." He held out his hand and a fireball grew between his fingers. "Any last words before you die?
"NOOO!" a voice screamed. Xan and Fractae both turned and saw Natalya approach, holding her child. "Don't kill him!"
"Natalya! You should be safe at home, not here!" Fractae said.
"I was worried," said Natalya. "You had not come home yet after many hours, so I went to search for you."
"Silence! said Xan. "Now what's this, a wife and child? It's a pity you won't see each other again." Xan turned his hand on Natalya and shot a potent dart of fire at her. The flaming dart pierced her chest and came out her back, leaving her to die painfully.
"NATALYA!!" screamed Fractae. He started to stand when Xan struck him in the face with his fist.
"You cannot save your wife, just as you cannot save yourself." Xan said. Fractae's face contorted with rage and he leapt toward Xan. The pyromancer ducked to the side and threw a fireball into Fractae's chest. The flames exploded directly into Fractae's body, and he lived no more. Xan smiled and looked around the city. Most of his army had dissapated because his power had been redirected into his fight with Fractae. It looks like it's time to leave, I will take the city another day. he thought. He flew off on a wave of fire, dissapearing into the horizon.
A half-hour hour earlier, a battalion of Ice Elves had arrived to help with the battle. Galanoth had called upon them for help, but they did not arrive in time. The elves walked through the city, checking for survivors. One elf, named Pietas, heard a noise near the side of the street. He moved toward the noise, chakram at the ready, when he recognized the sound; the crying of a baby. Pietas saw the child laying on the bleeding body of a woman. He quickly moved to her side and felt for a pulse. It was weak, and most definately fading, but it was there for the moment. "Woman, can you hear me? What happened to you?" he asked in the clear voice of an elf.
Natalya had been lying there, feeling her life slowly ebbing away for almost twenty minutes. Every second that passed grew more painful than the last, and she longed for death. The child lying on her chest was the only reason she wished to stay alive. She had seen her husband die moments after she herself was shot, but her baby needed a mother. Then she heard a voice, coming through to her as if she was in a dream. It was asking her if she could hear. "P-please...help m-my child." she managed to say.
Pietas grew more concerned for her when he saw how weak she was. He knew she would not last much longer. That baby won't survive without someone to take care of it... he thought. He looked into the baby's face and felt a rush of compassion for the little child. "I will take care of him. I will raise him as my own."
Natalya heard the voice tell her that it would keep her son safe. She did not know who the voice belonged to; her vision had faded to a blur long ago. But there was such compassion in that voice...yes, she would trust it. "His name is...Petros F-Ferrarius...s-s-ssson of Fractae and Natalya...Don't...Don't let him...don't l-let him forget where he is from. K-keep nothing...nothing from the boy."
Pietas watched as the woman's eyes rolled in her head. "I will do as you say," he said. "The boy will be raised knowing what happened here, he will be brought up in a safe and loving home." A tremendous weight seemed to leave the woman's soul, and she smiled in relief. Her eyes moved aimlessly, unable to focus on anything. They tried to focus on the baby lying on her, but were unable to. The woman seemed determined to see her son's face one last time. They finally focused on the baby's face. The child looked back at his mother one last time, before Pietas picked him up. "I will take care of him." he said. "Don't you worry." He turned and walked toward the western gate with the other Ice Elves. Natalya watched with blurred vision as the Ice Elf left with her only son. Goodbye...my son. She watched the Ice Elf until he went out of sight, then her soul left her and she saw no more.
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