Dark Age Legends

[Haraldur]

Caudillo de Alterña por la gracia de Dios Generalísimo Benito Franco Salazar sat at his desk, signing the death warrants of the last monarchist resistance fighters to have survived, knowing that his orders would be obeyed the next day. It was well to give the public such spectacles, it gave the illusion of efficiency.

He sighed, and stood up, looking out the window to survey the land of which he was the abolute ruler. As he got closer to the window, an albatross came over and rested on his arm, which he stroked, and crooned to. He attached a small tube to a ring on the leg of the bird, in which was a letter. He zapped the bird's head, giving it knowledge of the appearance and smell of Draven. The bird then took off, flying towards the Crimson Emporer.

Franco sat back down, and made arrangements for his deputy to run the country on a temporary basis during his absence, before kneeling down in front of a statue of the mother of God to pray.

(It should be assumed that the albatross reaches Draven by the time of Xorlak's next post, here are the letter's contents:)

To the Crimson Emporer General Lord Lars Draven, greetings. I have heard much of your success on the Dark Continent and am very impressed. However, I have heard worrying reports of a revolution of some sort, and I do not wish such things to spread, both for my sake and yours. It is, then, my request to you that you would permit me to meet you in your Imperial Palace to discuss an Anti-Aspyes alliance, and stop this threa together.

Yours,
Caudillo de Alterña por la gracia de Dios Generalísimo Benito Franco Salazar

[D. Ein]

-"Ahh, bright morning light!"
Ein woke up, stretched, and started walking towards the town he saw last night. In daylight, it looked much bigger than last night, probably because some of the houses did not have lights burning in them yesterday. As physically-strong as Ein was, he could not see in the dark.

As he got closer to the town, he saw a signpost which said "Lavessov" on it. "Hmm, must be the town name", thought Ein. He continued walking into the town. Strangely, not a lot of people were outside, for a town as big as this. In fact, the remaining people were running into their houses as well.

Suddenly, Ein heard footsteps behind him. He hastily turned around, and saw a tall man walking towards him, who looked suspiciously like a mage. He was not well indeed; he looked terrible, and was probably dying. He was holding a staff with a blood-red transparent rock on top of it.
-"Touch... the... staff..." The man's voice was so weak it was barely hearable.
-"Why? Who are you?"
-"Just... touch... the... staff..." The man seemed stranger and stranger, and looked as if he was getting older, too.
-"Alright... whatever." Ein cautiously placed his hand on the crimson rock.

...everything went blood-red, then black...

---
In a far away inn, two soliders were relaxing with some nice ale. They were intently discussing something.
-"Hey, did you hear about some nut with a crossbow and a black cape murdering an entire town?"
-"Yeah! They say he was as fast as a lightning, jumping from one building to another, and firing his crossbow without even looking at the target, but never missing."
-"Gee... pests like him need to be kept under control."

[Kahn]

Hyperion transformed into human form with dragon wings, as the tower was but a couple minutes away. He came to complete stop though, when he noticed something coming. A lone wryven rider.

He called to the rider. "Halt soldier! I have been flying for ages and only now you try to stop me. If I was the Crimson Empires enemy I could have easily lead an assault on this palace. You a have failed the Empire and you've failed yourself. If I was a better man, or even a human I might spare your life, but unfortunetly for you, you're out of luck."

[Zeros']

Zeros' looked at Duilin for a moment and cranned his head back towards the direction of Laus.

"Sleep doesn't come easy, for one as old as me. The memories of all the hundreds of years I've been alive all come back to you at that moment try to sleep, and, keep you awake through the night. I've stopped trying to sleep many, many years ago. Now, the most I've gotten, was a mediative trance. One could almost mistake it for sleeping, but, none of my body shuts down. I'm aware of everything, even some senses I have are heighted more then normal," he said quietly.

"But, enough about that. Apparently, Draven wants us to distract Haraldur, or, his men, so the spy mission won't get interrupted. Up for it?" he questioned, seemingly forgetting about his somber topic.

[Xorlak]

Draven turned around, completely distracted from the dragon, to see some old man flying towards him...  He seemed vaguely familiar...

(Is he translucent or ghost-like or anything?)

"Hmmm... yes, you're that senile old man that tried to get in my way a few years back. Come to your senses like the others now, hmm?  Tell me now, why is it that you think you deserve my help?"

At that moment an albatross landed on a brick at the edge of the tower.  Draven flipped his cape and walked to it, removing a scroll from the tube attached to its leg, which bore the seal of the nation of Alterña.

"And make it quick, I'm very busy, you see..."

Alterña... yes, it was a nation located on the other side of the world.  Never invaded by the Dark Empire.  It was too far down the list, especially after Retan became fixated on finding those weapons...  After Draven assumed control, it became of little more interest than a name on his world map.  What could they possibly want?

He broke the seal and unrolled the scroll, leaning on the wall next to the doorway they lead back down into the tower casually.  He read it.

Interesting...  news travels fast... but why would they care about one miserable town in a foreign country?

Draven shouted into the stairwell leading down into the tower.

"Letter!!"

A moment later, a clumsy soldier emerged from the stairs carrying a blank scroll and a quill.  Draven took the writing supplies and began his response:

Caudillo de Alterña por la gra--

"Aw screw it..."

He crumpled the scroll and began writing anew:

Sovereign of Alterña,

I am most pleased with your concern, and am happy to inform you that the rebellion is minor and being dealt with at this moment.  However, I am always open to explore new paths of peace and cooperation.  It has always been my policy that those who aid the Crimson Empire be handsomely rewarded.  Your request for a meeting has been granted.  Show your seal to my men located at one of my ports and they will accompany you to my palace.

Crimson Emperor Lars Draven I

Draven affixed the scroll to the albatross and folded his arms.  He looked at the prophet and then the original letter still in his hand.  Now, why would he say "revolution" as opposed to "rebellion"...

[Dude Man]

"Of course I am, Zeros'." Duilin replied. "It'd be nice to work next to you, instead of Valos. Like the good ole' days." He then thought for a moment. "To bad that, Marshal guy isn't here, he could of summonded up something to create a distraction. But, I'm sure we can do a fine enough job without him."

----

"Oh allright." Rink said back to Xenia. "Him or Zion aren't comming, are they?"


Valos then nooded back at Aura and smiled. "Good, good. So, they officers seem to find alot of respect for your skill. Do you use any magics?" He asked her.

[Trent]

"Nope. I wonder what they're doin'...?"

--- --- ---

"Where the hell is that Ven guy!?" Tsu was tired of looking for any clues. "You haven't even talked to any NPCs yet," said Zion.

"They never say anything useful!"

"Try one!"

"Fine." Tsu walks up to a random townsperson and hits the A button. He recieves the response "Shopping is fun!"

>_<!!!!

--- --- ---

"...I bet they're havin' fun."

Aura smiles at Valos. "I'm glad that the officers find me skillful. I use lots of light-based magic."

[Kahn]

The wyvern rider moved first, charging with his lance. Hyperion reacted quickly, by hitting the wyvern full force with his right wing. The beast flew for half a second longer before losing consciousness.

"You are officially relieved of your duty." Hyperion added as the wyvern and rider fell to their certain doom.

He then turned his attention back to his destination.

[D. Ein]

After the odd encounter with the man and the slaughter of an entire town, Ein has gained much more knowledge about both the surrounding world, and magic. However, there was a very odd effect left by his "enlightment": the name Haraldur. He did not know who he was, but he knew he had to find him.

He then left the town. He walked on a long sandy road, hoping to find someone. After about an hour of walking, he met a solider passing by.
-"Hello." Ein decided to start the conversation.
-"Hello, citizen. Have you seen anyone armed with a crossbow in a black cape?"
-"Err, no." He felt an odd tingle behind his belt on the back where his crossbow was hidden.
-"Alright, because I was sent to Lawessov to investigate on some wild rumours i've been hearing lately."
-"OK, if I see anyone, i'll make sure to tell one of... you... yeah. By the way, before you depart again, do you know anyone named Haraldur?"
The solider was in somewhat of a shock.
-"Of course i've heard of him! The Crimson Empire is planning an attack against him!"
-"Oh? Where can i find him? I want to see if i can take him on by myself."
-"Hah, you'll die for sure. But, if you're so eager to do it, you can start on Laus."
-"Thank you sir. Have a nice day."
The solider walked off. Laus... An island. Ein just knew. He did not know where that knowledge came to him from, he just knew.

[Haraldur]

Tesla sat on the edge of the wall and concentrated on the isthmus connecting Laus to the mainland. This must be done correctly.

Haraldur called down to Marshall: "Marshall, are you still trusted by Zeros', Duilin and company? If so, I would appreciate it if you would distract them from here, so I have fewer problems to deal with simultaneously? Maybe you should emphasise the evils of the Dark Empire to them? Or, at the very least, tell them that, in a psychotic rage, I destroyed Laus and massacred the populace, before leaving north again. They will believe that, at least," he added bitterly. "I need to be in a situation where I can focus on just one or two groups of enemies."

___________________________________________________________________

//The Great Prophet is quite solid.//

The Prophet said, "It is in your own interests that the Aspyes be destroyed and that you ally with Alterña, as that is what I am suggesting. I wish Retan's legacy to be destroyed no more than you, Draven."

___________________________________________________________________

Benito Franco Salazar read the letter just sent to him by Draven, and then jumped out of the window. He stood on the air, and a small bodyguard of fatigues wearing soldiers flew up to be beside him. They started flying towards the Dark Continent at a leasurely pace befitting an absolute ruler.

[Xorlak]

"Really, now?"

Draven folded his arms and slowly walked toward the old man, staring into his eyes.

"Then how absolutely convienient of you to arrive at the same time as that letter.  I did not arrive at the position I am today by means of listening to random people, especially old men who fly in out of nowhere.  You need more credibility than just being old and calling yourself 'a prophet'.  Be gone, before my archers mistake you for a flying skeleton or something..."

He flipped his cape and proceeded into the stairwell.

Draven could never bring himself to trust a word of this man.  No point in starting now.  Still, he had already made the decision to meet with this Salazar, and intended to go through with it.

----

Through the windows of the airship Falcon V, a fortress could be seen in the distance.  It was Redvik, a smaller, more mechanical looking structure than the Crimson Palace.  Rather than airship docks in the towers, it's docks were located underground, and a large plate of ground could be seen moving near the walls of the fortress, like a giant lid opening up for the airship to land in.

----

Ven sneezed.

"Hah, someone must be talking about me."

He sneezed again, and realized it was the pollen of those strange flowers around him.

"Blast it!"

He began to chop at them with his blade, but this only released more pollen into the air, which caused him to sneeze several more times.  He finally got up and escaped the pollen cloud.

"Arrgh!  These seasonal nasal allergies..."

"Hehehehehe..."

"Huh?"

Ven looked up.  In the clearing of the field stood something... very short... wrapped in grey cloth.  An image flashed through Ven's mind.  It was that little necromancer that hung around Mavas...

"You...!  Who are you!?"

"Hsss... Who am I? What am I? Who are you? What are you? Who--"

An explosion rocked the ground at the necromancer's feet from a fireball thrown from Ven's blade, causing him to jump some twenty feet in the air.  He squealed in his high pitched voice:

"H-hey, you can't ruin my intro!!"

He landed a great deal farther from Ven.

"Hsss, if you musst know, I am Degzgronzo, sservant of the all powerful Mavass!!"

"What the...?  Never mind.  Where is Mavas?  Tell me!"

Ven flipped his sword in another ark, this time sending a much faster blade of wind at the little man, who avoided the attack in the same manner.

"Hehehehehe... Masster ssayss that he doessn't need Ven anymore... to keep you away...  that I can have you now... hehehehe..."

[Dude Man]

Marshal nodded at Haraldur and called back. "It will be done." And we went off, he straped his gun over his shoulder. He could easily explain his reasons of the new equipment, to them. He thought that he should go over to a near by cliff to the north, he would probabbly be able to get Duilin and Zeros' attiention.

---------------

Duilin flue abit faster, he wanted to hurry there, the others are probabbly almost there. "We should speed up Zeros', come on." He said to him.

---------------

"Maybe, they are looking for Ven. I hear he has probloms of his own." Rink replied. "I bet his problom might even tie into ours."


"Hmmm, light-based magics." Valos said, wile rubbing his chin. He sat back. "That is indeed a good talent. I can see you going up the ranks very quickly." He then looked out the window. "Ah ha, we are almost at Redvik." He then stood, up, to get the soilders' attiention.

"Soilders! We are almost at our destination of Redvik. Now, we are to send two spies into Laus. We are not to attack as soon as we arive, but you must still prepare. You all know your positions and what lieutenants you are to go with. Make sure that you don't get lost. We are to attack, when Lord Draven himself tells us to!"

[Zeros']

Zeros' shook his head and flew minimally faster.

"Duilin, it would do us no good to rush," he said, but accelerated agian to catch up with the other half-demon. The sky, once the colors of dawn, was now starting to glow yellow. Steam rose from the lake below them and raised into the sky, the beginning forms of clouds could be seen.

[D. Ein]

Ein waited until the solider was out of sight, and looked around. He was in a small open area with lots of sand around him.
-"Hmm... sand... not perferable... but it will do."
He walked around, found a small stick, and started drawing a strange circular diagram, sort of.

[Trent]

Aura was looking over the paper she recieved from Colonel Skul, making sure she knew where she was to go, and Xenai was doing... Nothing.

--- --- ---

"Come on, let's fly..." said Zion. "We've better luck flying around looking for him." The translucent teal angel wings appeared, and he took off. Tsu ejected one white angel wing on the left, and one black devil wing on the right, and took off.