'There are things about ourselves that sleep unknown... untouched by those who seek it... foreign to us...it calls...it wishes and it reminds us of the salvations it was denied...'
~Tasmiya Shaik
REALM OF MYTHGAR
THE BLOOD WOODS
Time: unknown
The wandering undead had risen from the crypts that bound them in slumber, awakened by those who intruded upon their domain. The very ground on which they trod decayed, and defiled the scant workings of white magics conjured by the realm itself that sought to purify the land.
The faces of the undead were distorted, eyes half gorged out. Their skin pale with wounds that festered with each step taken. Their hoarse mumbles echoed within the woods, and served as a caveat to creatures of the lower class that lurked unwelcomed in their territory.
René felt an unbearable pain that pulsed within her chest, a surge of nostalgic energy embraced an orb of magic that was generated by the Warcan beast she wielded. An unruly heat that burned, and threatened to dominate her will. It was restless, and thisdemanded the end of it's agony.
'He is here...' Kilia informed her as she pulled back the reigns of her durein beast, the creature halted and beat it's hooves on the ground.
"My Lady?" Erazeal steered his durein beast to confront René. "Is something the matter?"
"He is here..." She clawed at her chest. A warrior who wielded Lahn should not have possessed a rage that burned...but rather one that froze. 'His Lordship...I feel it...his rage...'
'Alexander? In Mythgar? I do not doubt your abilities Milady, however, are you certain?'
'No doubt it is my father...' Callix winced as the unquenchable fire infiltrated his defenses. 'This would not be the first that I have felt his rage...'
'Alexander's rage burns...that is not how it should be...' Erazeal mumbled.
'But why venture into Mythgar...' René wondered.
Callix inhaled a deep breath and exhaled timidly in an attempt to tame the wildfire of his father.
'I believe father might have co-erced Zachari to reveal my whereabouts. We are forbidden to travel these lands without his company...I know not why...'
'I am the culpable one...I should not have granted you permission to travel with me...I have incurred his Lordship's wrath...' René bewailed her decision. She feared her impulsiveness would herald a relentless malice.
'My Lady, I am a warrior capable of deciding for myself. I wished to repay you for saving my father's life, allow me to serve that cause. My father is reasonable in his actions and I will answer for mine.'
'Even so, I am responsible for your well-being having taken you under my wing. Whatever the consequences are, I will accept them.'
'The honor and sense of duty you young ones wield are remarkably commendable, however it would seem we have trespassed into the Blood woods,' Erazeal unsheathed the twin Asharren forged blades that rested within the respective scabbards secured with leather straps on his back and then wound to the front of his midsection.
The swords were forged with an ancient Garcian kopis concept that focused on a forwards curved blade design. The pommels bore four emerald jewels each and the hilts were made from the large fangs of a vicious beast and there were grooves carved for grip. The guards were shaped like a dragon's claw and was inscribed with the sword's name, 'Afdelius' or 'Hunter's cleaver' in Asharren runes. The medium-length blades were etched with words in Elvish symbols that read: 'Erví ulri edlenind.' and translated as 'Evil be shunned.'
'They are close...the undead have risen...' Erazeal hearkened to the crescendo of the creature's whispers, they approached sluggishly and emerged from the shadows of the trees.
Erazeal dismounted his durein beast and caressed the creature's side as it grew weary and uneasy.
'Easy friend...do not despair,' Erazeal comforted the creature.
'Dread walkers...' René drew her Asharren carved, long bow. It was crafted from redwood, and was embellished with a glossy element that appealed with a hazel brown colour. The wood's texture was smooth, engraved with incantations of the Asharren language as well as enchanted with a spell that purified the touch of evil. However the darkness of Mythgar was far too malicious to be defied.
The bow was slightly curved and the ends were attached with silver metal notches and curled inwards with a circular shape through which the bow strings made from a durein beast's mane was fastened onto.
She dismounted her beast and and swiftly ascended a tree with unnatural agility. She positioned herself on a sturdy branch that granted her tactical offends advantage. She retrieved a silver tipped arrow from the quiver strapped to her back and notched it to the bow. She drew back the bow string to it's anchor point beside her right cheek.
René focused her aim on the first line of dread walkers that advanced from their rear guard and released her arrow. It wafted swiftly through the air and impaled the very centre of it's target's chest, instant death. The Dread walker ceased it's advance and perished into ash.
Erazeal led the durein beasts to the base of the tree René resided on and positioned himself before them as Callix defended the area on the other side of the tree. Eerie fog seethed the air and prevented visibility of the enemy.
'The judgement of one who does not physically see cannot be clouded if it is made my his heart,' Erazeal brandished his blades against the creature that lunged at him. He navigated his blades in a cross cut motion and slit it's throat, the creature perished just as it's brethren did by the assault of René's arrows.
'Dread walkers...I had only ever heard tales of them and read the bestiary...' Callix assailed three dread walkers within a single draw and strike of his sword and sheathed it a split second after. It was a long curved, single-edged blade engraved with markings in the language of it's forger. The guard was a circular gold metal design and extended with a long black hilt to accommodate two hands. The curved edges of the blade had a red flame like design.
'The sound of your blade, is it a katana you wield?' Erazeal questioned with curiosity in between his attacks.
'It is, Lord Erazeal.' Callix unsheathed the katana and gripped the hilt with both hands. He horizontally weaved the blade through the barrage of dread walkers with a single slash and left nothing alive in his wake.
'I am quite fond of the Nihonjin's creations myself. I know it's movements and it's sounds all too well.'
'I would rather think that what is more impressive is your ability to fight without physical sight, Lord Erazeal.'
Erazeal smirked. He ignited his blades with blue electricity and struck the ground where the Dread walkers gathered. The surge of power reverberated across the ground and wrapped around the Dread walker's. The energy exerted a powerful electrified force that audibly crackled like the sound of thunder and the large numbers turned into ash under it's shock wave.
René enchanted the tips of three arrows with fire and simultaneously released them with inhumane speed. The fire arrows impaled the hearts of the three Dread walkers that approached Callix from the side and the young warrior responded with a nod of gratitude. He conjured the energy of the beast within him to a central point and lined the length of his blade with an elemental force of water. He lifted the katana upwards and slashed the blade with a sharp but quick force vertically infront of himself. The enchanted blade generated a powerful tornado swirl of water that dwindled the forces of the dread walkers that advanced towards him considerably.
'Their numbers do not end...we cannot fight them all,' René fired several arrows with accuracy without halting and eliminated the forces that approached Erazeal's undefended side.
'My Lady, mount your durein beast and find a way out of these woods, we will follow soon,' Erazeal instructed.
René hesitated but she understood that the situation was dire and she was a hope of their return. She heeded the command, descended the tree and mounted her durein beast. She snapped the reigns and the creature mobilized as she struck as many of the enemy that were within her range and rode further into the woods.
REALM OF MYTHGAR
The Wastelands
Time: unknown
Sebastian's concern for the three warriors they pursued had become more evident by the second, however he occasionally reminded himself of the composure a Lord should wield and fortified the defenses his vulnerability. The company of warriors had travelled for several hours but there appeared to be no end to the barren, grey wasteland.
~Son of Reinhardt...you have returned...~ An eerie voice called out, different from the one that attempted to corrupt him from before. He knew it's origins and intentions.
~Son of Reinhardt...turn away...you will be guided out...the others I do not account for...~
'Ravelier, do you hear it?' Sebastian questioned the warrior that rode beside him.
'I do not know what you imply, my Lord but this wasteland is toying with us,' Ravelier scrutinized their surroundings.
'We do not stop until we have reached the Blood Woods.'
~Turn away...I do not require two more Reinhardts...~
'Callix...' Sebastian said with concern. The evil at hand would no doubt target his son for but one reason. Salvation. He would dare not allow it to have it's way.