Vellemy? This is bad Isaac thought to himself, a horrifyingly powerful beast such as Vellemy, surely he was to be punished, and visions of agony cross his mind whilst he awaits the fruition of his crimes.
The morning comes as Isaac reopens his sleepless eyes, the guard who previously talked to Isaac on his awakening stands at the prison door while swinging his keys he says "g'mornin oh desolate my desolate haha. The time has come, the king has already spoken to Yvil, it is your turn." and the guard proceeds to unlock Isaac's cell, Isaac in his handcuffs trudge's behind the guard. Isaac sputters some words "what's your name my man". The guard responds proudly "Drad Ferlin second son of Asteus Ferlin I am the head guard here in castle graygard, and happy to say a personal friend of the kings"
Isaac continues walking he looks down to his feet, a black cats tail swings behind the guard. To which Isaac shrugs and speaks "so is the armour something you sleep in or?.." the guard with a flash of confusion stutters but catches himself and replies "no-no work only, a rather strange question do you sleep in your fighting wraps? I thought not haha." As the castle's halls seem to extend, slowly Isaac gathers his composure, as he places pieces together, he thinks to himself 'the guard doesn't seem too concerned nor did Yvil seem to have any significant reaction on the guard either. Guess it may not be as bad... Either way in the face of the king my fate has already been determined may as well accept it.'
Isaac enters what he is told is the throne room, the guard steps aside motioning him to enter. One would think Isaac to be gargantuan, the echo of the room booms which each step. Isaac enters the front door which itself is 30ft tall and 20ft wide. The room is lit by various fire engulfed orbs that move slowly about the room in random patterns. Deep in the centre of what is seemingly a cavern, down a tiled path is a man in a red chair, with a small table aside him, he seems to be drinking from a glass atop it. A golden glitter reacts to the lights, the room looks to once have been a grand throne room but the tides of time have turned such to a beasts lair a hollow shell of its former glory. Some remnants of the past remain however with small bits of tiling still intact. lastly, Isaac sees a grand horde of relics and gold piled behind the man as if it were a painting it all seemed so unrealistic yet there it was Vellemys famous horde. It would be silly of Isaac to not assume the man that awaited him in the chair was not the king himself.
But it is strange Isaac thought, certainly all know the king as a great beast, one who is conquering the world, the so-called key to our future. But here he is a man not alike to his height, although the gargoyles appearance is rather abnormal. Isaac kneels as he finally is within the proper distance of the man, on closer appearance he is rather strange. He wears black boots with brown baggy pants, a red frilled collar shirt and a black cape, his hair pitch black reaches the nape of his neck, but to distinguish hair from the skin is difficult as his skin is the same colour, his eyes black with piercing blue irises and a handsome face to match. Atop his head is an obsidian crown with 5 different gems from left to right A ruby, topaz, diamond, emerald and sapphire. The centre diamond is particularly large.
The King smiles as he drinks from his glass and then begins to speak, "Isaac I hear, son of Ath Girst, a soldier in my army all those years ago. well.. familiar names, the Girst line, I hope you honour it well on the battlefield. A newly awakened desolate"
Isaac reacts the to word desolate particularly but responds with "my father you knew him?"
"Not particularly but of course the key to success is a well-planned attack and I am dearly sorry our plans had such a devastating outcome but I'd ask you to not interrupt again. Not while I explain at least" the king had shown a quick glimpse of annoyance but retained his suave self quite naturally. "A desolate is one who for unknown reasons is simply, better than all others besides us great beasts, of course, you have access to a wide variety of powers and skills unknown to common monster or beast, I like to think of a desolate as a drop, a drop that has split from the sky to join the earth, in other words, I like to believe, you are but a fragment of my power, the incarnate of a great beast, though you will never achieve the strength that I have you act as somewhat of an extension of myself." Vellemy smiles and his deep eyes gaze on Isaac's stony body.
"May I speak sir" Isaac utters calmly
"you may my good man" Vellemy replies.
"So as your soldier. As a desolate, what does this mean, I'm not one to take a life although I enjoy the fight, surely you have been to the quintile arena. After all, you designed it, an enjoyer of martial arts I have heard you are my sire. Is there not a future still awaiting me in my normal life?",
Vellemy thinks for a minute, before saying "in a time of war such as now a soldiers duty is his home, and the protection of such, when the war ends and all is safe I would grant my men the life they have dreamt of, the life they deserve for leading graygard to the end of bloodshed, and into an age of thriving. Then when it is done I will grant you personally Isaac Girst any request. Of course, I will not be taking your freedom away but rather I will be asking to borrow your time, a desolates missions are not a constant battle but are instead of higher importance. An agent of graygard in essence, I will be issuing you your first mission shortly, I will call your friend Yvil back as he will be accompanying you. For now, please... Take a seat" as he gestures to two more red chairs that appear behind Isaac.
Isaac sits and waits. He remembers what was said by Yvil yesterday, Isaac begins to feel guilty for going so far off the rails despite his love of fighting and his principles, he fought out of pure rage and not the thrill he had sought after. But Yvil should not be forgiven so easily, one's past father is not a topic so easily maimed.
Yvil enters the room and the tension grows as his steps draw closer before finally, the two of them with a look of resentment, meet eyes. Yvil takes a seat.
"I see both of you have an uh, unfinished quarrel but I assure that it's of your interest to lay that aside whilst on desolate business even to take it as far to not have it affect you at all, I require you to focus and I don't like something like feelings to effectively act as a killing blow on you. It just isn't efficient nor good in general to be fair.".
the two young men look as if the weight of something frustrating has struggled off their shoulders and they attempt a relaxed look. "Good, now the task at hand. An encampment of the opposition city of Croixmont needs to be wiped out, reports of conspiring and spying have been made, I advise a clean attack, take on the enemy at night use your powers to your heart's content but I require at minimum, no record of the existence of this camp. With this, we will truly find the scope of your powers, and arrangements will be made, I treat my desolate soldiers well."
Isaac looks to Yvil, money is something Isaac would expect to follow in a person so prided on their families fame, although Yvil shares the same cold face that Isaac expresses on the idea of privilege. a privilege that is provided with powers, not at all earned.
Isaac then looks to Vellemy and speaks "my Sire, I will of course act in your stead, your words on my father and respecting the legacy certainly moved me, but assure me this war is positively impactful, I beg you provide proof to justify my father's death, I do not wish to go against your word but rather I search for closure."
Vellemy loses his smile before standing and with a modest tone, he speaks "young Isaac. To prove that winning is worth the effort I except you think of the alternative, Loss, to have all those close to you die, tortured even taken for slaves, if a world of victory is as bleak as a world of defeat only then do I say victory is pointless, your father fought for the freedom that was guaranteed with victory, he fought for your... Freedom." Vellemy turns his back to the boys and begins to walk into the dark toward his hoard before finally, he disappears.
From behind a voice is heard they turn to see the guard who had snuck up while Vellemy had his speech. "I see your meeting has ended, well haha here is the briefing for the mission, the coordinates can be followed by this map. You have your orders from the king himself, it is advised you take on this matter in the next day or two. To be in favour of the king is a true blessing." the two boys take the paper and stand to leave. Upon leaving through the massive doors they turn to each other, Yvil speaks first. "I'm sorry... I will meet you at the gates of graygard early tomorrow morning past midnight. We will uh.." Isaac sees a serious discomfort on Yvils face something he too feels, to fight is just in his blood, but to kill it almost feels unearthly.
Isaac places his hand on Yvils wing but before he can Yvil disappears in a gust almost teleporting with his speed. Isaac begins walking down the steps of the castle which stands embedded in the side of the graygard plateau. (a second plateau atop the one that is over the great plains of Graygard almost like a stack of plates).
Isaac stops at Zs house on his way home, knocking at his door, hears no reply and then turns to lean against the door. "Hm that kid is usually home now, normally does his shenanigans at night. Well... I hope him n synth is ok after yesterday, can't lose more family huh... hm." Isaac steps on the path again making his way home. He enters the cave-like room and begins to bathe himself. Isaac thinks now 'if I'm to act as a desolate, one of Vellemys men surely I must do it my way. I'm a fighter for fun, not a killer but what choices do I have here, Vellemy? A great beast? King of graygard. I'm in no position to argue for myself. All I can do is enact on his behalf tonight, and going from there I'm unsure.'
Isaac before heading out proceeds to train using his wall again, he sticks his finger to the back and realises just how deep it is, his forearm passes his mark and in just 10 minutes of training, he's made what was equal to a weeks worth of training, a smile infects his face before he wipes it away, reminding himself of his distaste for the powers and the strength unknowingly bestowed upon him.
As Isaac approaches the gates of Graygard. Some werewolves and werebears at watch of the gates. They seem intoxicated as they sit in chairs throwing dice to a table and drinking from flagons. Isaac sees Yvil, he is wearing tattered black cloths which now allow the already dark feathered bird to blend with the night seamlessly.
Yvil cocks his head seeing Isaac and speaks "So? Are You ready, wearing your usual attire, a bold but ignorant move but it does not matter. Here I have a plan on getting this done with as few casualties as possible... I hope." Yvil says as he pulls a Flint and steel from his pockets and hands them to Isaac and then pulls a second set for himself, "we will approach the camp from the darkness I hope you can just make your stone darker, judging by your ability to turn it to iron? Stealth is our ally here".
Isaac smirks and with a cocky tone says "huh, well first I don't criticise your style so back off feather boy, and secondly, well, I like the plan. I was worried for what we would do. I was going for 'a in the heat of the moment' kind of thing, but this? well this is better. And um Yvil I uh, Hope you can agree we try not to kill anyone, not for our first mission anyway.
Yvil gives a deep sigh and responds "well yes I did worry about that but that's why I devised this plan I'm not comfortable with using my powers yet so this should be an alternative yet efficient approach, as long as we're not seen it should go seamlessly, the spies should have time to evacuate whereas there camp and supplies will be lost, thus no evidence of the camp."
Isaac smiles "thanks man, we should head out though".
Yvil nods and turns to a dark misty shadow as he walks along with the air. Isaacs skin turns a rubble dark iron colour and he jogs through the night with the guidance of the map.
The pair lay atop a hill overlooking the camp. It sits next to a small lake about 200 metres from the side of the plateau cliff side with a small waterfall that runs from the top into a small stream leading into the lake. A couple of small lights can be seen but all are dormant, hopefully meaning everyone has gone to sleep. Yvil goes ahead remaining near invisible, Isaac without breaking a sweat continues to sneak quietly to the nearest tent but as they near every light in the camp extinguished simultaneously, and the pink moon grows somewhat dimmer. Strange darkness envelops Isaac, who looks over to where Yvil is and he seems to start panicking, Isaac tries to walk towards him to quiet him but as he goes to grab Yvil another hand latches to Isaac's wrist, he looks to it, it belongs to a shadowy ghoulish figure that stares down at him, before he realises Isaac's arm has been bent 90 degrees upwards what was Isaac's bones are now malformed yet sturdy it is unlike any broken bone, And strangely it didn't hurt but the beast speaks softly and a cold painful shiver shakes Isaac's soul and he begins to cry whilst he stares into this fiends void like eyes. Thoughts flood his mind 'your father died wastefully, his descendant a failure." Simultaneously another voice screams to him from what feels 100s of meters away it repeats the same sentence in varying tones "KILL YOURSELF ISAAC!!" he feels from below him another person is calling to him "your friends left, they don't need you, why would they care for a murderer?. This dead state for which he felt entranced inside of for eternity ends as Yvil cuts down into this figure that still remains above Isaac now broken from his trance. The ghoul swings into Yvil despite his speed they hit Yvils chest in its misty state, knocking them to the ground. Isaac looks over and sees Yvil trying to stand, He begins to aimlessly try to fight and Calls to Isaac "I.. Isaac I'm blind I can't see, I can't hear help" Isaac infuriated sets his core ablaze. He sizzles the rotten flesh of the ghoulish hand and they grunt and disappear, reappearing behind Yvil. Isaac looks to them and begins to charge forward.
The ghoul grabs Yvils neck and speaks "stop, or his neck will look like your arm" Isaac looks to his arm once more as a soft pain finally sets in and he kneels and punches the ground with his good fist creating a small crater.
Then looks up to the ghoul and speaks with a defeated tone whilst breathing heavily, "I'd take it you are a desolate, iv only been awakened a day or to but powers like this, aren't ordinary, why do you spare us?." Isaac waits, a long daunting paise occurs before the area grows lighter and the torches reignite.
the ghoul stares down Isaac once more "sweet dreams" and finally renders him unconscious.
Isaac's head pounds as he awakens. He looks to his side and Yvil remains unconscious but he clocks his head to the ghoul who now sits but a meter from the pair smoking from a pipe, his face mostly fallen apart, his gums and teeth visible from the left side of his face and the nasal area almost see through the skin is dead white and cold, atop his head white hair peak sticks from behind black brimmed hat, looks to be the only part of himself he has cared for. he wears a brown duster over his shoulders but has his arms under it for warmth and not in the sleeves, his pants raggedy and old with black leather boots, under his duster he wears a white shirt laced with holes, bone and dried blood lay in the deep wounds and rotted skin.
The smoke escapes his chest and begins welling in Isaac's nostrils burning them. "Hey?, do you need to smoke in my face?, cmon man",
The ghoul begins to speak with a calm swagger "huh what? respect yer boundary's aye, well maybe you shouldn't have tried to burn down a camp of helpless refugees and migrants" he says as waves the Flint and steel in Isaac's face before tossing it aside. "I know Vellemy is ruthless but we have only made camp for a couple of days. What? a couple of harmless folk to threatening for a great beast?."
Isaac with a sunken sound in his voice and chest responds "don't try your trickery, spy's like you would be the ones to lie to our faces, Vellemy said himself you were spies so why haven't you killed us?" The man takes the pipe from his mouth and sighs, "Lyin son of a bitch, he just sent some general here yesterday, we were told to leave and I had agreed to leave today, what is one more night too much?. What was it general Samen, or was it Sem-".
he's interrupted by Yvil who has now awoken "general Saman, he is my uncle what of him".
The man smirks, "huh uncle aye, hm, either way, he came here exclaiming we are unwanted migrants from Croixmont, he knew we were refugees, so why didn't your Vellemy know, think y'all were set up huh, a little trickery I'd say haha" the ghoul sips from a cup it spills from the hole in his mouth and on his duster. "Shit, well boys, why don't you tell me more of your side and don't try anything, y'all know what went down last night, don't think I'm ready. There are a lot of good folk here, don't test me."
The boys look to each other and Yvil begins to speak "we are newly awakened desolate something I presume you are too, we were assigned to take out a rival spy camp on the outskirts of Graygard, this is all I will share."
Isaac with a look indignation for Yvil turns to the ghoulish man, "I don't think it's fair we hold anything back here Yvil, hey guy what's your name",
"it's Lance Seldrick desolate and protector of these folk, yours?"
"I'm Isaac and this here is Yvil, we were only Common folk but 2 days ago, and yes we're sent here to rid this land of spies, we had no plans of murder just to drive you away, I'm sure Vellemy had mistaken something, but I'm not sure your telling whole truths". Yvil scoffs to this but remains silent.
Lance stands "well if it's truth you want, I got proof right out that their tent door, follow me." They stand and follow Lance outside, people wander from tent to tent, children play in the sun and men and women chatter to each other, strangely they're all of the immortal kind, Undead remain in shaded areas. golems and devils are tending to various tasks, some high elven folk bathe on the lakeside, their grace and beauty reflecting on their surroundings.
Isaac taking in the environment speaks, "Hey Lance not to impose but all of these people, there. Uh. All immortal, I mean variety is a common occurrence why so many ageless types?".
The three walk as Lance begins to talk, "well, y'all ave heard of the Lich Queen of Croixmont, well uh she took crazy another step higher," Lance's face saddens. "she recently begun a small genocide. Targeted all folk like us, people who live a long time and well, it's not a happy story, in short, I grabbed some lucky folk we packed up as soon I got intel from the inside of her plans, I knew it was coming for a but so I was somewhat ready. I have been around longer than she has so it would seem I have a couple more tricks up my sleeve, I'd like to believe that anyway ha.".
Both look to Lance surprised. Yvil says "but why targeting these people, I. Don't understand or believe it, it seems too unbelievable."
Lance sighs "we'll if you must know, the Lich Queen believes those who live short lives, live lives which in essence are more malleable to her tastes, one who could outlive her is a threat, with each day one grows stronger so someone who lives forever can become the strongest, so she's just cutting out that possibility. It's not a good topic or time for my people I'd ask that we leave what happened in Croixmont at that.",
Isaac looks around once more and feels a great sense of empathy followed by annoyance and he thinks to himself 'would vellemy someone so noble, Commit such a gruesome act to take what's left of a broken people and crush it further?' Isaac then speaks aloud "I feel for you Lance I do but what else do we do if we return to Vellemy and simply tell him we left you alone he will just take his distaste out on us."
Lance with a quick and reassuring voice replies "boys don't worry, we're leaving this afternoon, the people here are just taking it all in and we will begin packing shortly, but tell me, is it worth living here in graygard,his majesty's hot breath is spewing down your necks constantly must already be fearfully stressful, at least before we were targeted and forced from our homes the prejudiced and desolate weren't seen as property, although sadly a lot of us desolate joined the Queen willingly."
Yvil goes to speak but Isaac interrupts "I have some people I love here, couldn't give it up if I tried. I honestly uh-"
yvil interrupts Isaac "we'll I for one have been looking for a reason to get out of here, in honesty, this was the tipping point, but I wasn't quite ready to just leave my parents, I have unfinished business with my family",
Isaac speaks now "in other words, there's no choice, even if we left Vellemy, he would probably hunt us down so we gotta wait for the right moment to get out. That time isn't now.
Lance smiles and places a hand on both of their shoulders, both secretly shudder, they share flashbacks to that morning, Isaac glimpses to his arm which he has now only realised is back to its usual state, the pain has worn completely he didn't even notice. As Isaac looks down Lance speaks "Look boys, you really think theres no choice in this." His tone changes to a serious one "boys if I have to pass any knowledge to you it's that there's always more choices. I lived my human life thinking I had not a single other choice but on the day of change and transformation I finally saw there's always a choice. You just gotta search for it, like us we were doomed, some said if we ran she would find us, if we stayed we would just die anyway, so in that what did we do? we just went for it, a chance at living your own life is greater choice than to live no life at all. So we thought we would travel south to the river border of Graygard and cross it, maybe that crazy bitch would be warded by Vellemys power, allowing us to Head into stone grove sanctuary. It's among the only some of the untouched places these days, although we will be bordering Westdepth but iv heard it's kinda like here just a little uh... different. So telling me you have no choice is a little silly. Especially for desolate, your surely capable of making it on your own on the road, get some friends, go on adventures, what? you think this my first time travelling. Before the wars properly started back amidst the chaos of the transformation I packed my bags and took my Love across Siflsheim, we went everywhere. To many choices so little time, hehe" Lance looks off longingly before snapping back and takes a draw from his pipe as he grows an inquisitive stare. Saying "hey Isaac what's your last name",
"uh it's Girst",
Lance clicks his fingers and points to Isaac "damn I knew it, ain't to many gargoyle folk around, your old Ath's boy right" Isaac perks up immediately.
End of chapter 2
Author note
When reading lance, imagine listening to Sam Elliot, I like to think a reader hears who they want when reading and that's awesome but this is an exception, you may only read lance and hear Sam Elliot. Haha