Curse

Dawn Angelheart · Sep 10, 2009, 01:59 AM // 01:59

This is just a story ive been writing the last few days. its my 1st try at this kind of thing, i just wanted to put it up and see what people think. ill probably get flamed alot but im ready for it. I was using a very bad program for writing, and its very roughly edited. so sorry about that.

Its set in the villiany of galrath quest in Prophicies, me and some guildies doing it as we always done everything together so i wrote about it.

Also, Yes the dervish run fire skill bars with us sometimes so they do in the story.

The sky was black and the moon was high in the sky, rain poured down as thunder and lightning could be seen and heard from the darkness above. Six strangers had approached the thick wooden drop down door that was the gate to lions arch, the Capitol of Kryta.
Talking was heard outside of the main gate.
A guard had called out in a strange accent “who’s out there?”

A tall man with a hood over his head called out,
“We are travellers, and we have come from Ascalon. We travelled with Prince Rurik over the Shiver Peaks. We are here to speak with the first watch of the noble lion guard Sergio, May we enter and seek him?”
After some Shuffling about behind the gate, one of the great wooden gate was raised a little and three men ducked out from under it. The man who had answered the travellers “put down your weapons, we are sorry but at this hour we must be sure you are who you say you are”. The Travellers looked at each other, a small female nodded and all weapons were dropped to the ground one with a heavy thud.
The Lions Guard men circled the group, looked each one of them in the face and proceeded to circle them. The travellers were weary, they might have been sent here by Captain Greywind to inform the first watch that prince Rurik did not make it over the pass with his people. But the sight of the lions guard did not go down as those of this cadre of adventurers born of Ascalonian blood still remembers being told when they were little about the war between Ascalon and Kryta.

As the Gate Guard reached the front of the group he dropped his guard and said quietly “come with us, I will take you to Sergio”

When they reached the light they realised with more certainty that the Krytans were different from themselves, Maybe Save Khazar. Krytans were Typically Medium built dark tanned skin. Most had Tribal tattoos. Nearly all of the guard had the side of there head shaved of all hair, with a round patch at the top and a small tied pony tail coming down towards the back of the neck. We walked a short distance once within the boundaries of the great city. The stone floor was change to the flooded grassland of the outside with this storm overhead. Great big lanterns of fire were set about the path we walked; it seemed they must be enchanted fire to be able to be lit in this storm the group’s mood was sullen and quiet. You could feel the tension. While they had obeyed their Liege lord orders and helped defeat the stone summit guarding the path that prevented the refugees from passing through, they had allowed There Prince to be killed. The only happy thought they had of this was that no refugees had died; they made it across the border into Kryta and out of the reach of the stone summit.
The Rain continued to pelt down; people were seen scurrying about from building to building, house to house to avoid the storm. The travellers were brought to a building atop of some steps,

“Please wait here and ill tell fist watch Sergio that you are here, and see if he will see you” the man said as he opened the door and entered and closed it behind him leaving his two guards to watch.

As Ziggy looked around he noticed that many more of the lions guard were not too far away and they all seemed to be fully alert and ready for danger. A heated Discussion was happening on the other side of the door. They could be heard from a window beside the door. The thunder blocked out words making picking out some words. What always seemed to be the important ones were impossible to hear. Then the door opened and a man who was taller than the other lion’s guard he had white tribal tattoos over his face, stood just within the door frame. He quickly walked away from the door and the original Gate guard whose name we found out his name Was Takan.
Takan ushered them inside and out of the storm and apologised for the hospitality. Sergio sat down a hardwood desk parchment was all over it. Inkwells and to his left behind him was a lamp that was what gave light to the room, but unlike the ones outside this one was smaller and did not look like would survive out in the storm. To his left was a bookshelf that was made of what seemed like stone, it was covered in thick leather bound books.
Sergio was well spoken he spoke lightly and his voice carried on the night air.
He regarded us all. “I’ve been informed as to why you have come here, but not all of the story has been told, I am Sergio, First watch of the Lion Guard We are the last bastion of the glory of old Kryta. Now May I Be Introduced To the people before me.

Before Dawn Had a Chance to speak, Becca a small blonde monk who’s hair was tied up in an impressive and time consuming way, She wore a cloth garment that had dark but valuable stones in printed into it, it was not only for the looks but the stones were hard enough to turn away blades and not leave a scratch, She was born in the upper classes of Ascalonian society her father a wealthy man of the kings court was very happy man when he learned his daughter had magical ability and she told him she wanted to serve Dwyana but as with most nobles he did not like the idea of his only daughter serving to the whims of the lower classes as a healer had taken to encouraging her to learn the offensive arts thought by the priests of Dwyana, he wanted to use her as political leverage in the court, But Becca after her graduation from the priests guidance, Had thought otherwise and one day eventually confronted her father on his plans and told him she would have no part in it and stormed off, Little did she know that this was the day of the searing, and she never seen him after. He was at home when it happened, He didn’t Survive. From then on she didn’t know what to do with herself after losing everything in the searing she just got on with life putting her gifts to use fighting char.

” I am Becca” And she said as she bowed her head in in respect.

Dawn bowed her head. Dawn At a young age had decided one she found that she had some magical ability, to follow Dwyana. Her mother used to pray to her every morning and night to watch over her husband, while her husband was out fighting Charr in the war, when her husband was home from the war, he always told her how proud she should be of her King and country. King Adelberm While much younger at this stage still fought in the north of the Great wall with his men and his men took great courage and pride in this, Dawn had grown up with the same patriotism her father had. When her father was slain in a night attack on the encampment he was in, She Grew up with the want to heal people and stop her people from dying.

Nesho and Khazar nodded at the same time, something quite common for them as they spent so much time travelling together. Both long time friends they journeyed from Elona to Tyria before the searing to see more of the world, when they seen what the Charr were doing to the people of Ascalon they quickly enlisted in Rurik’s Guard to help out in any way they could. Yume Joined Rurik after conversing her friend Dawn decided that watching the wall and healing Safe guarding the soldiers day after day was going nowhere, when they Heard Of Rurik’s plan they quickly seeked his permission to join him and safeguard the expedition.
Ziggy gave Sergio a Salute, Ziggy was a Tall man, he had short enough brown hair, He favoured a hammer in his warrior Discipline, He wore The armour favoured by Kurzicks who have Achieved a high status within his people, the armour was Silver and black, It was made as if ever piece were plates that had been bolted together and then all held together to make the arm or leg piece, The joint Pieces came out a little further than the rest so movement was still very easy, He never wore his helm, boasting no opponent would ever get close enough to strike at his head. Ziggy hardly ever talks about his past, What is known is that he come from Cantha and years ago before journeying to Ascalon in search of personal challenge that he could not find in the bickering courts of various Kurzick families and Luxon clans, He did mention that shortly before he left Cantha he fought a Luxon Warrior in a competition duel with three judges And had Won and lost one round. The 3rd and final bout, but a sleazy judge who should have been impartial to what faction he came from seemed to have been bribed to siding for the Luxon thus losing the competition.
The group had all met due to prince Rurik having commented on their abilities and asking them to help fight in the war, they eventually got to know each other, they joined each other around campfires in the encampments out beyond the wall, told of adventures or stories they hard heard.
Or even just about childhood. It was only when they realised they had all signed up to Accompany Rurik did the bond begin to form around these.

“What A band of Travellers, or should I say adventurers? I was told you Travelled over the Shiver Peaks with Prince Rurik, Please give him my regards” Sergio Said openly To the Travellers.

There was a pang of guilt and Nesho gazed out the window.

“He did not make it“, Yume Said Quite lowly.

She did not want to have to say it but someone must deliver the bad news. Sergio looked Quite surprised from what he had heard of prince Rurik he was a good man, and loved his people, he also was aware he was no easy man to defeat in combat.

“By the looks of it, you do not wish to recap your tale of the mountains, it’s alright friends, and I will not make you. I just wish to know who his killer was” He questioned

The group looked around before Ziggy Said “Dagnar Stonesplitter, He and his clan attacked us over the mountains, while we were ordered to dispatch of his kin to make way for the refugees but he got around us and upon his drake. Slew our prince.”

Thunder Roared as the sentence finished but the rain had lightened up to the point it looked as if to stop. There was a knock on the door, and man entered He spoke as if he was out of breath and was soaked head to toe, he must have ran once he heard this information, “Forgive me first watch but we have news on Galrath. He has enlisted the help of the cult of Verata to help him in search or ancient magic. They have set up camp in Kessex peak. Near the Old Wizards tower. “

Sergio got up and shouted “Ready the Guard, Send Messengers to the Mantle, We need to stop that Lunatic, He’s gone too far.”

The six Adventurers looked around. And Dawn spoke “first watch, I mean Sergio if I may, we would be happy to rid you of this problem. We wouldn’t mind having the chance to see more of Kryta either. With our Lord Dead, we do not wish to wait around the refugee camp on guard duty. And maybe this is better taken care of by a few rather than the many”

Sergio Considered this Plan, It made sense to him in his head but he was not quite sure could he trust these people. “Alright you have 3 days” I will have spies along the road; If I do not hear word of your Return by Midnight on the 3rd night from now, I will Do as I have planned tonight”

“We will wait for this storm to pass and then leave as soon as it is bright, and if it hasn’t stopped, that doesn’t matter.” Ziggy said to Sergio,

Sergio Offered the Group some beds in the lions barracks and bid them goodnight and that he would see them in a few hours before they leave for Kessex’s Peak.
They sat around in the barracks, there were no lions guard men asleep. They assumed they had been given there own room. Conversation started slowly

“We can’t be the salvation of every problem in Kryta; our main duty is to our people” Yume stated.

“Yeah that’s true Yume, But how long until we have anything else to do besides look after refugees. You followed Dawn here, She followed Rurik. Rurik is in the Mists now, What do we do now? Becca Replied.

“I don’t know about you guys, but with the camp less than an hours Jog or Fast walk from Lions Arch, I don’t think there is much to worry about, Sure the Lions Guard do not let bandits and dangerous things roam about freely in their own land” Said Ziggy.

“Some things when we were talking, did not add up, or at least we still have more to learn about this land, Who are “The Mantle” And what did he mean Old Kryta? Becca Said lowly. It did not seem like she would be awake much longer.

“I don’t know, when we came here from Istan we heard nothing of these mantle. But for Sergio for them to be alerted they must be some kind of police, or royalty”

“They could be either but I guess we can always ask again later, I don’t know about you guys but I welcome the chance to sleep in a bed, the mountains were not as pleasurable for me as they might have been for you”
With this he Settled down to sleep, some Murmuring from the others could be heard but it died out quickly.

The morning light came quickly, the travellers did not realise how much time they had taken walking down from the Ascalonian settlement in the North Kryta Province, they left just as it got dark, and so they wouldn’t be seen by the prying eyes of the animals and other things of the land.
They took the path to the left and journeyed on the road until they reached the side pass that overlooked the river that led out into the bay that Lions Arch was built inside. Nesho and Khazar were out front talking, and Dawn was looking around at her surroundings. Becca was just behind Ziggy and Yume When
Ziggy grabbed Yume from behind And Feigned throwing her off the side

“Swim time for Yume”? He shouted.

Yume Screamed “Put me down! Put me down!”

And tried wriggle out of his grasp but it did not work, Ziggy’s grip was too strong, just as the neared the edge Ziggy let her down and started laughing.
Becca giggled furiously, the rest of the group just sighed and kept walking although most had a grin on their face, and it was not uncommon for them to play jokes on each other. It kept the journeys amusing and while the feeling of loss was still over the group, the joke was welcomed.
They came down off the path and kept to the road. While the Ascalonians had made a deal with the Tengu tribe in this province for peace they said if anyone came over the boundary without permission they wouldn’t be shown any mercy. As they got further the Refugee settlement came into view.

Dawn spoke “we have to get by it without being seen and reported to Greywind”

“I agree, but how are we going to manage that? If we managed to just walk by then I do not have much faith in the settlements defences” Nesho said plainly.

Khazar Said “I have a plan we used to do this to sneak out of the village back home”.

They got closer to the settlement and found some kids playing in the field outside, a bit further out from the village then they should have.

“Hey Zachrum, Abiosa come here” Khazar called to two of the kids.

They quickly ran over seeing there friends return. Khazar stooped over the kids then bent down

And whispered “I have a job for you, if you want to earn some coin”
The kids both smiled, after Khazar gave them the gold and told them to wait for signal.
The group followed him to behind a patch of large ruined walls. He gave the signal. Quickly Abiosa kicked and hit Zachrum and Zachrum Screamed and then the guards on duty heard and came running out. Abiosa knowing he would get into trouble Ran away towards to Tengu Camp, and the guards picked up the pace to get there before he crossed the line.
With this The Group ran out from behind the walls and ran past the guards who didn’t notice them, and ran towards Nebo terrace.
None of the group had been this far west into Kryta before, when Khazar and Nesho got to Kryta they headed straight for Ascalon and Greywind sent them straight to Lions Arch when they got here from Ascalon. They came through the pass; the black rocks had sloped up so high they were practically vertical. Would be impossible to see if anything was on top of them. The morning gave a clear blue sky. Clouds were coming though. That much could be seen on the horizon.
Quickly on the path they had chosen they quickly came across some Tengu a large group could only mean a hunting party. Once the Tengu realised humans were walking towards them, but knowing for the group of travellers, these Tengu were not of the same tribe as the ones that had made peace with the refugee camp. They blocked the road and waited for the approach of the travellers.
Clearly seeing the Tengu as hostile, but without wanting to let the Tengu know they were no ordinary Travellers or Traders they kept walking at a slow pace.
One stood out in front of his hunting party and addressed the travellers “I am Ryn Cursewing.
What brings you do our lands in Nebo terrace?
The others started muttering behind them. The sound was barely audible, but it came as a strange feeling in the minds of the travellers, and Dawns head began to hurt mildly,

Ziggy walked out in front of the Group, “We are travellers, New to this land, please let us pass, we mean no harm, we merely wish to explore”

Ryn consulted with his party and told the travellers “I am happy to hear you mean us no harm, but we do not allow strangers into our land, pass around a different way, but I give you this warning, the living dead roam about freely in these lands, we fought for our land and we intend to keep it safe” his tone of voice changed from a welcoming friend to a reserved warden it was clear what he said was true.

Nesho started to walk towards Ziggy “We will stick to the road. You may escort us if you wish”

Ryn Counted this comment by saying “i’m sorry but we gave our 1st warning we are only sorry you did not take it but as you are persistent, I doubt if we let you go, you will respect my wishes”

Suddenly the noise that the travellers could hear got a lot louder, Dawn and Yume were knocked back a step by an assault on their minds, Dawn grunted with Frustration as she tried to make a barrier between her and the noise inside her head, it was like loud jumble making conscious thought near impossible, something so simple as linking words together became harder than splitting rock on wood. Yume Quickly Managed to fight the voice out, and with lightning fast speed she took out a wand and symbol of Dwyana out from the attachment on the back of her belt. Quickly She realised Ziggy was locked in combat with two of the Tengu she needed to protect him Tengu were very fast it was not good for one to by fighting two of them. She spoke the words she had been thought, Protection prayers had been her Specialty, Creating barriers between herself and others, or Her friends and harmful things had always been her specialty, Nesho and Khazar Sprung into Action, Releasing small fireballs one after the other into the birdmen, but they did not seem to do much damage to their opponents. They Were being deflected or absorbed by only what could only be assumed as a healer or protector within the Tengu group. While Nesho began to concentrate his fire into large more powerful balls while Khazar had Began speaking his own language, His words were deep, and there was a crease in his face, Suddenly The sky opened up, Fireballs the size of small rocks began to fall, this threw the Tengu off balance, in an attempt to get out of the way, the Tengu that had been in a mind struggle with dawn lost its concentration and dawn felt the strain fade away from her mind,
Ryn Began to Screech out so loudly words could barely be made out “Get them, we shall bring them home for tonight’s feast” and with this and a quick drop of a staff, the cast something upon the travellers, they could their very life being drained, Dawn and Yume had been thought how to counted Hexes, but there was only so much each could do while attending to the others. The fight did not bode well for Ziggy, the Tengu were fast, very fast. But this did not put off the warrior. They had scored hits on him, but nothing that would do anything but leave a mark on his armour, Khazar had shouted but his words were drowned out by the sound of clashing weapons, and suddenly the Tengu that were swinging their abnormally large blades, began to move slower, As if Gravity itself was against them, but just a few feet behind, Ryn seemed UN affected. One of the Tengu wheeled in for another blow under Ziggy’s hammer that he raised to block the other incoming blow from the Tengu hunter, Ziggy stood two steps back and the Tengu’s blade came crashing into the dirt, and but before he could turn to the other blow, the blade had just come down on him it Managed to come within an inch of his skin before it hit a powerful barrier Yume managed to erect at the last second the shock from the barrier being so close was felt on both sides, with most being felt by the Tengu who had struck the blow, was thrown back and onto his back, Ziggy managed to keep his footing,
Becca Who had not been sure who to Cast her blessed and holy attacks on decided to seek out Ryn himself, She walked past Khazar and Nesho who had to avert there casts until she was out of there way, she moved as if she didn’t care, Maybe she was over confident in Yume and Dawns ability to save her from harm, at this point it didn’t matter. She took his notice, but he began to strike at dawn with a dark blast, from Becca’s view it seemed like the shadow itself was attacking her friend.

Suddenly Becca began chanting, “Dwyana smite you, Dwyana curse you, and most of all, Dwyana deny you entry to the mists!”

And with this she raised her staff and pointed at him, Dawn looked at Becca she wanted to be ready if anything bad befell her friend in this battle with the Tengu Leader. It began to glow a bright white, almost blinding, it short forward and pierced the bird in the chest but when Dawn looked back to her ally, her staff remained in hand, and then the bird dropped to his knees and keeled over onto the dirt beside the Mesmer standing beside him.
At this point, Ziggy Had just Managed to Catch one hunter in the side of the head with a heavy blow, now only did the hammer connect with his opponents head, but the head stayed with it and was brought down to the ground where it became imprinted in the soft dirt.
At this sight of this the others gave up and ran away, Nesho and Khazar decided they would not let them run so Easy, and kept throwing fireballs their way until they were a long distance away,

It had been a long time since they had to fight, the stone summit in the shiver peaks had not been much of a fight compared to the war with the Charr, where every moment you felt unsafe, you might not get to see the next sunrise. Sometimes you felt envious of those who didn’t.