{"Fog's Story" and POV}
*The Past*
I was born into a middle-upper class family. The Winters family were close friends of ours. From an early age I knew I wanted to serve them, but.... tragedy struck. My brother and I were out gather blocks of ice, as the men of our status were to do as a job. That day, the Ice gave way and trapped me below the freezing water. By the time they pulled me out... I was already dead. At least I was supposed to be. My family worshipped the God of the undead, Stagnate. I was five when I went under the ice, and yet this God came to me.
"Do you wish to die little one?"
"No.... please help me!"
"I will spare your life, but... you will become an undead upon your 30th birthday..... now... AWAKEN!"
I was alive. Out of the ice on the shoreline. I coughed up water trying to catch my breath. My father hugged me, thinking he'd lost me, but Stagnate informed him of our deal. As Stagnate's owl vanished into thin air, my father pulled me aside and spoke to me.
"Our God has made a deal with you, take this seriously. You and he have a bond, a pact now. I will inform Lord Absolute once we've returned home."
Things from that point onward seemed fine. When I was sixteen, Lord Absolute has three children, Antarctica, Anastasia, and one other.... The other was Polaris. It was said his name was given to him by one of the great sages of Wintersbane, who'd read the stars and the birth of a new star was tied directly to this child. I was assigned to him as his personal butler. I would help make sure he was ready each morning, help train him with a blade while Lord Absolute gave his focus to the war effort and his eldest son, Antarctica, who was turning out to be quite the master of weaponry.
However, the day of the conclave, things were tense. Lord Absolute was in "in a mood" as father put it. He was furious that some group of monks had decided to show up with unknown intentions other than that they were in search of the next hero.
"Master Polaris, why aren't you ready?"
"Must I participate in this conclave?"
"Yes, you must. Your father..."
"I don't want to fight them!"
"Master Polaris." I remember I knelt down to face him. "Think of this not as a fight, but your debut! Show Wintersbane your style and your way of doing things!"
I could've never imaged that he would take things to heart.... When I watched him fight his brother, it became clear. This boy, at 10 years old, was far more powerful than he or Absolute realized. After the monks announced him to be the next hero, things got bad for me. I was fired and threatened with execution if I told anyone. I watched Master Polaris leave with the monks. Sad, alone and jobless, I returned to my father's manor. Life under Absolute's reign was cruel. The weaker citizens were being culled so only strong children would be produced. I smuggled people out of Wintersbane, and since my firing wasn't made public, my name still carried weight outside the city. I kept waiting for the young master to return home, but it seemed he wasn't coming back.
I'd have to wait till my 30th birthday to see him again. On that day.... I knew there was hope, as I had faith in the young hero, but to face off against Absolute and his own family... I wanted to rush in and help, I had my trust sword but.... my flesh had been falling off, and the more I helped people, the more flesh feel off.
"Fog! Get everyone clear of here! The blast will be deadly!" he called out to me. I did as he told me, but I was never expecting to be blinded by such a display of power and control. I couldn't see for a moment when I regained my sight, the sky was orange over the city, and a large mushroom cloud could be seen where Polaris had once been levitating. I was frozen in shock, unable to move. However, once the explosion had finally settled, I rushed back in, trying to find survivors, trying to find him. Yet, I found nobody. When I finally stopped to rest, I looked at my hands, as they were no longer covered by flesh, rather just bone.
"Our deal is complete. May your life be long and may you serve me." Said and Owl messenger of Stagnate. It was now clear I was unable to rejoin my friends and neighbors, so I set off on my own. I bounced from town to town, attacked for being an undead. My once nice set of clothes, have become tattered and worn. I met a traveler known as Glacier Falls, he was an interesting fellow. He wanted to know if there were any ruined forts in the area that he could "explore". I remembered what my father had told me. "Under no circumstances are you to reveal the location of Fort Wilderness without a hero present." I told him, I wasn't sure, but to come and find me if he ever found one.
After we parted ways, I was exhausted after weeks of being tormented, and though this abandoned building would be a nice place to find rest, but upon entering it, it was filled with adventurers, all drunk and all ready for a fight. They beat me, dragged me outside to execute despite my pleading and begging. That's when he showed up. Polaris rushed to me with these odd creatures at his beck and call. The big one, Cerberus, was quite the sight to behold. A hulking monster of living metal, with the strength to rip a person in two. Once the adventurers had been scolded, I told Cerberus to put the other one down. The poor man, absolutely scared shitless.
Later Polaris and his new friends got me a drink. I told him of my deal with Stagnate, my life while he was away, then the weeks long torture. Just as I was getting to the part where I met Sir Falls, in he walked. I knew it was finally time to divulge the secret I'd been keeping.
"Sir Falls, this is my master, the Hero Polaris."
"Master? What do he own you? Heroes with slaves aren't true heroes."
Cerberus locked his eye on Falls. "Our master owns no slaves. Rather we serve him as he has earned our loyalty. Watch your tongue human, or I'll use it to rip you in two."
"Woah, woah, I had no idea."
"It's fine. Glacier was it?"
"Yes, that's me."
"I am Polaris, the Celestial Hero."
Fog silenced both of them. "Sir Falls, are you still looking for a fort?"
"Well, yea. I need a place to, I mean, a place to explore yes."
"Master Polaris, my family, has been entrusted with keeping a secret for many generations. I was instructed by my father never to reveal it until in the presence of a true hero."
"Woah now, I too am a hero."
"I meant no offense Sir Falls, but you don't hold a candle to this young hero in front of me."
Glacier scoffed and took a swig of his beer, before catching a glimpse of the three Guardians all focused on him. "What I meant was, seeing as you have such strong and loyal followers, yes, I think you'd be a perfect fit."
The three relaxed, as Fog continued. "I, like my family, am a part of a secret society known as "The Wilderness Preservation Collective" or WPC for short. Do you recall my annual retreats I would take Master Polaris?"
"How could I forget?"
"Well, they were no vacation. They were meetings, at an ancient fort that long predates Wintersbane and about every known civilization. I am passing this Fort into your hands."
"What's the Fort's name?"
"It's name? Well, it is called...."