John's Story =]
Once upon a time there was land called Rumo. Rumo was a land bordered by volcanos that spewed fire into rivers of fire that acted as a natural defense for the people that lived there. In addition to this formidable shield, the Rumoans saw fit to build walls and forts and castles to maintain a state of security for themselves. They built great roads and bridges that forded these rivers of molten rock as well as great canals to prevent their safeguard from becoming their doom. Upon one of these great roads our story begins with a Knight on an errand of personal significance. Now, this was no ordinary rider for two reasons: First, he was a knight from a distant country; and second, the steed upon which he rode was a giant wolf. Steel grey and as big as a horse, this was a Fordacian Wolf. Strong, swift and full of stamina the wolf pounded along the dusty red road, throught the checkpoints of the Rumo defenses and on toward the great Fortress Pyrasa that was home to the leader and guardian of Rumo. As he approached the castle he took in it's magnificence. It's mighty towers, it's impressive battlements and ever watchful was teh banner of Rumo, a crimson dragon blazoned upon a golden field a jet of flame issuing from between it's teeth. For the dragon was the emblem of rumo. Dragons were used as symbols of power and hope, as well as used as steeds for the Rumoan Cavalry and Air Corp. The gurards let him pass and stabled his wolf. The Chief Advisor to the Lady came to meet him, a dark skinned man by the name of Devinicus. "What brings you to Pyrasa good knight?" I have urgent need to speak with your mistress." "The Lady of Fire is, at this time, indisposed." "Don't give me the runaround Devinicus, I need to speak with her immediately." Devinicus looked uncomfortable for a moment and then led the knight into a chamber off the main courtyard. "I know why you have come and, if truth be told, I am glad of it. word has reached our ears of the battle you fought in Bentilus." "Then you also know that the Lady of Water sent for your mistresses aid and that that that call went unanswered, now why is that I wonder?" "If you must know, the Lady has been ill for quite some time." "Ill? What do you mean ill?" "I mean, she has not been herself of late. Everyone in the castle has been beside themselves with worry, but she has forbidden us to tend to her or to even send to our allies for aid." The knight pondered this for a moment and then said, "Take me to her." Such was the grimness of his face that Devinicus did not question the order he had just been given, but led him directly to the Lady's chamber. He knocked twice and a feeble voice said "Enter." The Lady was sitting in a chair by the window, her red hair fell neatly upon her shoulders, she was wearing robes of fine white linen with a flowered sash about her waist. She did not look up when they entered, but instead said absentmindedly, "Yes Devinicus, what is it?" The knight could hear a great weariness in her voice."The Wolf Knight of the Wind is come to see you m'lady." At this she turned and when she saw the knight standing there she leapt to her feet, but immediately swayed and would have fallen if the knight hadn't rushed to her side to catch her. He lifted her easily into his arms and carried her to the bed. When they had gotten her some wine to drink and a watersoaked towel for her her head, the Lady dismissed Devinicus and he bowed himself out of the room. "If I'd known you were coming I would have made you a better welcome, what brings you here so unexpectedly?" Ignoring her question, he said "Why did you not send to me that you were ill? I could have been here much sooner." "I did not want you to worry about me. You have your own affairs to look after without having to rush to my side whenever I feel a little faint." She tried to laugh, but it died in her chest and a cough took it's place. "Erica, you know as well as I do that this is no common cold." She sighed as she looked into his eyes. "I don't have the strength to pretend to you anymore. I fear that I may be dying. The flame that once burned bright within me has almost gone out." He put his hand on hers and she looked at him again. "Is there nothing that can be done?" he asked, fighting back the sorrow that was rising in the pit of his stomach. "Nothing that I have the strength to endure. There is only one thing can save me now I fear and that is Everfire that burns deep within the bowels of Mount Christia which lies at the heart of my country. Everfire gave me new life when I was but a child and I know that it could give me life again, but, alas, I have not the strength to make that journey and to face those perils." He stood, "Then I shall go. I shall go and retrieve this Everfire and bring it back here to you, that you may live." She suddenly looked fearful and grasped his hand in both of hers, "No, John, you must not. It is far too dangerous. I could never ask someone to brave the perils of that quest for me." "You did not ask me, nor do you have to. I will go, I will find this Everfire and I will save you or die in the attempt." Erica tried to get up, to try and persuade him not to go, but he gently pushed her back down onto the bed and her weariness returned and she did not rise again and could only look on him with pleading in her eyes. "I shall not fail you m'lady. I shall return." and with that, he left her chamber and made for the stables. Devinicus joined him shortly and after hearing all that had transpired he immediately set about explaing Everfire and the ancient safeguards that surrounded it. "Any man that seeks Everfire must pass three tests. The first, a test of strength. The second, a test of will. The third, a test of heart." "what are these tests?" "The scrolls do not say." Undeterred, John made his way to the gate where his wolf, Roshta was waiting. Waiting beside him was one of the Cavalry Dragons harnessed and ready to depart. The dragon was a little larger than Roshta with bright green skin dappled here and there by brown spots. It's yellow eyes followed the two men as they approached and it's talons clicked against the stones of the courtyard in anticipation of the race to come. A man dressed in the scarlet of the Rumoan Cavalry walked toward them and saluted John. "I am Raxos, I will be your guide to the mountain and back." Thank you, we must not tarry for great haste is needed." The two men mounted their steeds, turned their heads toward the open gate and kicked them into a run leaving the those that laid behind in a cloud of dust. Soon they were far away, galloping through the Nothern Plain on their road south to the mountain. Such was the speed of Roshta and the Rumoan Dragon that before the sun had reached it's zenith on the third day they came to the top of a small hill and looked out onto a wide plain. In the center of the plain, stood a great pinnacle of rock wreathed with flame about it's peak. They came to the base of Mount Christia just as the sun began to sink beyond the western horizon. "Here I must leave you, for the Mountain will not suffer both of us." said Raxos. Without another word, John proceeded up the mountain. He climbed for the better part of an hour until he reached a wide level shelf that led to a doorway carved into the side of the mountain. Now, the sun had nearly set and as the last fleeting rays retreated beyond the rim of the world John took a deep breath and plunged into the mountain. The passage went deep into the mountain and soon all was darkness but for the flickering light of the torch that he had brought with him. He continued on until he came out of the darkness and into a high chamber ringed with fire. On the opposite side stood another doorway. John did not stop to wonder at this chamber, but continued straight toward the other side. Immediately he was rooted to the spot by a deep, booming voice. "Who dares enter this sacred place? By what right do you tempt my wrath? Speak quickly that I might know you before I snuff out your life." In a clear voice John answered, "It is I, The Wolf Knight of the Wind. I have come on an urgent errand to seek Everfire for Erica, Lady of Fire and Guardian of all Rumo." "Why does the Lady of Fire send such a one as you to seek what only she has the right to claim?" "She has fallen terribly ill and is unable to make the journey and so I have come in her stead of my own will." The booming voice released a rumble of laughter. "So, you think you can claim Everfire? You think that you will succeed where so many others have failed?" "I will do what I must for the Lady." "Very well then knight, you must first face a test of strength before you can claim the Everlasting Flame." Suddenly fires burst into life all around the chamber and from those fires stepped shapes of warriors in blood red armor and with swords that shone with a terrible light. Drawing his own sword and feeling the urgency of his quest upon him, John reached down into himself and called upon the Wolf within. A snarl and a howl escaped his lips as he leapt into battle, his sword a mere flash of light as it slashed this way and that, felling foe after foe. Again and again his sword fell with such ferocity that even these wraiths of fire and steel quailed and fled. When all had been slain or driven off, john sheathed his sword and proceeded thought the second door. He wasn't in the tunnel long before it opened onto a chamber identical to the one he had just left. This chamber, however, was filled, from wall to wall, with gold and jewels and every sort of precious thing imaginable. A narrow path down the middle of the chamber led to another door and the booming voice rang out again. "Now, you must face a test of will. In this chamber is wealth beyond imagining as well as artifacts of such great power that he who possesses them could rule all the world. Now you must make your choice. All of these wondrous things are yours to do with what you will, in exchange for the abandonment of your quest. Turn back now and you will find all of these things waiting for you when you return to your home. Proceed and all of this shall be lost to you forever. Choose." The full weight of comprehension fell upon him then as images of what he could do with such wealth and power, of all the evils that he could conquer, the lives that he could improve with what was being offered him. What was one life against many? All these things passed though his mind in an instant and the next they were gone, replaced with a single burning motivation. He did not walk, but he ran down the narrow aisle between the mountains of gold and through the third door. He did not look back, though he could tell by a sudden of the lessening of the light behind him that all the treasures had vanished forever. He came into the third chamber and froze. Sitting before him, it's massive wings folded against it's crimson body, it's yellow eyes boring into him like beams of light, was an enormous dragon. For a moment the two just stared at each other and John felt as if the dragon was searching his very soul. Then the dragon said, "I am Firion the Great, Guardian of the Everlasting Flame and you, John SilverWolf have passed the third test. Your heart is true and you have proven yourself worthy to claim Everfire." The dragon shifted it's body to reveal a tree that was engulfed in flame, but that was not consumed by it. John stepped forward and felt the blazing heat of the fire and could go no further. Firion then extended a single claw toward the tree and scooped out a some of the flames as if he were picking apples. A silver flask appeared out of thin air and Firion siphoned the flames into it. When he had replaced the stopper and handed it to John he said, "Now go, the Lady of Fire is fading fast and it has fallen to you to save her. Go with all speed and the blessings of Firion." "Thank you, my lord. I shall not fail." and with that he turned and dashed out the way he had come. When he emerged from the mountain side he could see the sky turning gray in the east and he could hear the first few birds begin to sing their welcome to the coming dawn. He bounded down the mountain and reached the camp just as Raxos was readying the fire for breakfast. "No time for food my friend." he shouted as he readied Roshta's harness, "We must ride with all speed at once." Surprised and a little disappointed by the sudden dismissal of breakfast, he quickly readied his steed and within fifteen minutes they were thundering northward with the silver flask tucked tightly against John's breast. The days and night's flew by and finally, heaving and panting they came to a halt inside the gate at Castle Pyrasa. A short while later, John was holding the silver flask to Erica's lips and as the fire poured down her throat and spread all throughout her body she revived. She stood and went to the window, breathing in the morning air. She turned to them all and laughed, a strong, clear laugh full of mirth. That day a great feast was held to celebrate the Lady's return to health and the festivities lasted long into the night. The Lady and the Knight sat in her garden looking up at the pale moon sailing through the night sky. They said nothing. They didn't need to.
Until the next time...
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