A few hours after they were in the throne room talking about the events that transpired in the forest of lost souls, Kelsia's stood by the cross flame dragons contemplating what the days ahead would bring while looking down upon the city. She looked upon the battlements and noticed the guards were not patrolling like they usually do, so she looked even closer and noticed someone covered in battle armour, face covered by a helm and he looked as if he were communing with a nothing, that is on the dark side of the battlements, still it was far away so she could hardly make anything out.
As she walked over to the steps to get a somewhat closer look the helmed man stepped back a bit, turned to face the city and held his arms up in the air and screamed one simple word that would seal the fate of this great city, "extinguisher," he screamed, with a voice that echoed around the entire city. A massive gust of wind spread around the city, knocking out the light one torch at a time, "no," cried Kelsia, as the nothing, swept across the city into places without light they began dragging people up into the air tearing them apart.
Their screams echoed throughout the entire city as they were butchered, bodies were falling from the sky as they began swarming the city and it began to rain blood from their victims as they were brutally massacred. As the final torches went out a black mist had encased the entire city that's when Isaurus rushed out of the mansion with his staff in hand, followed by the other Guardians. Johnkal told the Guardians to go help as many people as they could but he urged them to get back here safely so they all went followed by Kelsia. Damo and Spiros alas wasn't to be seen.
Johnkal remained behind with Isaurus as he looked around upon his blood soaked home with anger and suffering in his eyes he raised his staff into the air, "illumna..." he paused as a long sword pierced through his heart from behind, the spell was interrupted before he could even finish. Blood spilled out from the wound as he turned his head to look at Johnkal who had also looked to his side wondering why he had stopped speaking. Johnkal noticed the sword sticking out of Isaurus's chest and as they both interlocked eyes for but a moment a tear swept down from Isaurus's left eye and as the life completely left his body, he dropped the staff on the floor which rolled down the steps.
As Isaurus died the long sword was pulled from his body and as he fell to the ground the helmed man is revealed to Johnkal for the first time, standing over Isaurus's dead corpse laughing in an insanely manner, "there will be none of that," laughed the helmed man speaking about the spell he had just intercepted. As Johnkal eyed the helmed man very curiously as there's familiarity in his voice' the helmed man finished speaking, "you old fool," Johnkal took his long sword from its sheath and proceeded to attack the helmed man with a straight downwards strike.
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Meanwhile in the council of lords, they were still arguing amongst themselves as they were unable to come to an understanding out of fear, they now believed it's every city for itself and if only there is someone who could unite them to face this common foe, "so you are all saying you will not aid Faryal in her hour of need," Scarr snapped. As they all started saying 'no,' he began to feel disgusted by their selfish attitudes and that's when Lord Saladin stood up and screamed at Scarr, "not by Sharaf's heir will I match my people to their deaths," screamed Lord Saladin.
As he finished speaking Scabies winked at Rickalas once more urging him to say something, Rickalas became very scared and nervous all of a sudden, he wanted to speak up but he feared they would all turn from him and so he took a deep breath filled his heart with courage and as he felt the fear slip away he stood up and snapped, "I am Sharaf's heir," with a blank expression and a violent tone he slammed the ring of Sharaf Thesulac upon the table which is proof of his heritage and then proceeded to finish, "you. Owe me your allegiance, it is my birthright," he gulped and then sat back down and let of a sigh of relief.
All the lords in the room stood up in an uproar, all except Scabies, King Tirian and Jacinto, they couldn't believe that the one true king of the Azzard as returned, "not by the command of the fires of Olympus would I bow down to a would be boy king," Lord Magnus shouted beaming his fiery gaze into Rickalas's eyes, all the while Jacinto just eyed Rickalas curiously, Rickalas started to wish he didn't say anything, he took a deep breath and continued to listen as Lord Magnus finished, "what did you expect, to march in here and expect us all to fall in line beneath your boot, you do not choose to be king boy, the people choose you to be king, a right you surly must earn,"
They all began arguing once more, some were with Rickalas and others against him, King Tirian, Lord Eanraig, Lord Alastair and Lord Dwain were with him, while Lord Daan, Lord Saladin, Lord Magnus and Lord Pallav were against him and Lord Jacinto remained silent his alignment remained unknown. "Yes, the boy must earn the right, nevertheless he is right," whispered Lord Jacinto in a more calmer voice than the others, he finished, "you owe him your allegiance, we all do," as they all calmed down they sat back upon their chairs so they could listen to what Rickalas had to say.
Rickalas took another deep breath and thought of something epic to say, it took him a few moments because he's never had to say something like this before but he thought of something and then spoke, "I do not know what strength is in my blood, but I promise you all, if you stand with me, united and by my side as we march upon the gates of Faryal, in order to save our brothers and sisters," he paused as he began to look around at the people present noticing they were all just watching him, he stuttered a few of his words but the new found half'pyr active inside his blood gave him all the courage he needed.
All the lords continued to still be watching Rickalas and wondering what he's going to say next, as he took a deep breath he spoke in a calm and confident manner, "stand alone and we shall all surly die, stand together and we will save the Azzard from this impending doom, I know this in my heart of hearts to be true, I know we shall prevail," his heart centre filled with all these positive emotions in which he had no idea where they're coming from all he knew through intuition is that these were not his feelings. He felt hope, bravery, confidence, loyalty and at the same time his intuition told him that they accepted him.
What Rickalas is experiencing is one of his abilities coming to the surface and that ability is empathy, the emotions he's feeling do in fact belong to everyone present but he doesn't know that. Most abilities have different stages and his empathy is at stage one were he's aware of these different feelings but he doesn't know the source of them. "You do not call me king, like you said I have to earn that right and all I ask, if you all will stand with me and call me brother," he took a deep breath again with his heart leaping around in his chest he wondered if they moved to his way of thinking.
He looked around at all the faces present here in this perfect moment, hoping he had won the hearts of at least a few of them and then Lord Daan stood up as he sat down, "as you know, we Dwarves have our own king, back in the realm of Dwarildwalf," he smiled, Dwarildwalf is located next door to Fasingworld on the east side and as he smiled so did Rickalas in return as Lord Daan finished, "nevertheless and I am sure my cousin will agree that our kingdoms are in the Azzard, know we will forever call you ally and your reign will never go challenged by any of the Dwarven kingdoms," Lord Dwain agreed with his cousin.
All the others began smiling and shaking each other's arms as Rickalas secretly became pleased with himself that he had done it. He had sort of united the lands of the Azzard in a moment that forced a smile across his face and warmed his heart, Lord Eanraig stood up raised his cup and began to speak, "I first heard about Rickalas over a week ago, I had no idea the heir to the throne had almost stepped into my city," he said, Rickalas recalled the events that stopped him from entering Mallace and had him ending up in Hydra with no memory of who he was, still that was then and now he knows exactly who he is.
Just as Rickalas had finished pondering past events Lord Eanraig began to finish, "know I look forward to you earning the right to be called king, I for one will march with you to Faryal, brother," as he said that everyone else also agreed they would march to Faryal with them and Lord Alastair became pleased, he can finally get aid in saving his city, although unknown to him and the rest of the council lords Faryal is in fact falling.
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The nothing, were still storming the city like a black mist of smoke they smothered the skies above Faryal, people were screaming as the guards were trying their best to combat this threat but were having no luck. It's chaos in the streets of a once peaceful city, blood and bodies were still falling from the sky as the nothing, tore them apart and impaled them with their long claws. The Guardians were scattered trying to get as many people to safety as possible, but there's too many Kananarku, around the city and they were outnumbered.
Rosarlea's helping a few survivors in the south east quadrant of the city when a load of nothing, caught her sent, she led them away from the few survivors and ended up cornered in an ally way. She looked at the wall that lay before her, trapped she laughed, took out her bow, took an arrow out of the quiver and as the nothing, approached her, she let the arrow lose. It took out two of them but there's still a few left so she took out another arrow put it in the bow, flicked her long red hair back, pulled back the string and let it loose. It spun through the air and as it was about to collide with the nothing, it moved out of the way, in the same moment a few more nothing, flew down to aid the others.
As Rosarlea reached to her quiver to get another arrow she realised she had used the last one and her short sword is missing. As she stood there she realised that this is her end, as the nothing, approached her she closed her eyes, took a deep breath and in that moment she accepted her fate. Although something inside her wasn't ready to give up, a blinding pain hit her, it passed through her entire body, her bones started cracking and breaking which forced her to fall to the floor in agony. As she laid there in agony holding onto her legs, her eyes sparkled and she remembered everything from Earthrealm.
Her appearance began to change, her eyes became bigger, her mouth and entire jawline began to grow outwards into a sort of snout, her ears started to grow longer and a few seconds later a wolf emerged from where a woman once laid. The wolf growled at the nothing, but they looked straight through her as if they couldn't see her, she as lost all control and it is like a dream to her. Were your aware but you have no control over your actions, she stood there her piercing big brown eyes staring at the nothing, her fur is a fiery red and burned bright, she gave of the appearance of a wolf but her size is immense and stood as tall as up to the torso of a fully grown man. As the wolf realised the nothing, was unaware of her presence she stormed of in a blinding speed, quicker than a racing cheetah as the wolf began searching for a way to escape the city.
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As Johnkal attacked the helmed man with a straight downwards strike, the helmed man blocked it by placing his sword in a horizontal defence stance, Johnkal's sword just bounced of it and he went in for another strike. "So, it is going to be like that is it, straight to it," the helmed man snarled, as he blocked Johnkal's attack again, the helmed man finished, "I like it. You get to be my first Guardian kill, hope you got the stomach for a fight like this," as he lunged forward with his sword outstretched, in a blinding fury he aimed for Johnkal's heart.
Johnkal just held his sword above his head until the helmed man got closer, as he did Johnkal swung his sword round in a diagonal motion, until it collided with the helmed mans sword causing him to spin around two hundred and fifty degrees until he regained his balance, Johnkal's sword bounced back up and he lunged forwards towards him and forced his sword down in another diagonal motion, forcing the helmed man to spin back around and parry Johnkal's attempted attack.
He went to attack Johnkal forcing him to walk backwards towards the cross flame dragons as he blocked it, he then attacked the helmed man which he then in turn blocked it whilst Johnkal was still walking backwards and then the helmed man lunged his sword forward, Johnkal didn't block it he just spun round onto the helmed man's sword hand side whilst holding his long sword above his head with two hands, he then forced it down at a vertical angle and before the helmed man could respond, Johnkal had cut through his chainmail on his arm and sliced through the flesh forcing the helmed man to drop his sword as he fell to his knees.
He tried to go for his long sword again but Johnkal kicked it out of reach, so he just leaned there on his knees, silent and holding his wound as it was pouring with blood, Johnkal began to pace up and down, long sword clutched in grip, "so tell me. Did you have the stomach for this fight," Johnkal frowned, he just leaned there silent as a graveyard as Johnkal finished, "let us see. You are too skilful to be a common guard. Who is behind the helm," as he reached out his hand, he moved ever closer to the helmed man in a slow fashion, reaching out for his helm, to take it off and finely unmask the traitor, which Johnkal is unaware of.
He reached out his arm, moving ever closer, the helmed man just silently watched the floor and just as Johnkal placed hand upon helm, the helmed man looked up, looked Johnkal deep in the eye, his piercing brown eyes could be seen through the slits in his helm and as Johnkal was about to remove it, the helmed man vanished. As he stood there he pondered over letting the helmed man escape, about five minutes later all the Guardians ran up the steps towards him, with the nothing, hot on their tail with nothing to defend themselves only stick torches were keeping them at bay. "Quick to the mansion," screamed Johnkal.
As they rushed past him, he noticed something on Damo's arm, he was cut and is bleeding from the wound, as he saw it he pulled him back by the arm while gripping his long sword ever more tighter, "Damo. That cut, how did you come by it," he questioned as he eyed him suspiciously. "Dam nothing, caught me unawares," he replied, Johnkal though isn't convinced, Damo finished, "why do you ask, is there a problem," Johnkal stared him in the eyes and in that moment he was convinced, he let go of him and they all ran off and barricaded themselves inside the mansion, trapped, scared and nowhere to go as the nothing, circled the mansion searching for a way in.
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All the way back at Plutopua the council of lords was still communing, although they were no longer arguing any more, they were actually getting along quite great and that's when the doors of the council chambers smashed open, it was Johnkal accompanied by the archangel Girian who had rescued all the Guardians from Faryal and brought them here. "Faryal as fallen," cried Johnkal, as the council rose from their seats in shock of this tragic news. "No. What of my people, what of Isaurus," Alastair sobbed, they all turned to Johnkal who was unable to speak.
Johnkal looked at each and every one of them present and as he turned to Scarr he smiled and nodded at Rickalas, "massacred, Isaurus he fought bravely to his last," whispered he, as Alastair sat back down unable to breath, he finished, "I am sorry, we tried," Johnkal proceeded to tell of the events that happened at Faryal, of the helmed man, of the nothing, swarming the city, how Rosarlea's missing in action, how they tried to help whoever they could but failed and how Girian heard their prayers and came to rescue them, as Scabies and Scarr recognised Girian's presence they both got up and took his hand.
Lord Pallav realised that Camel is located next door to Faryal, he then stood up and spoke, "that means my city will be next," as they all pondered over who's city will be next, they all began to panic as they began to lash out at each other. "It will not just be your city, the wolf's out of the bag now, they are going to attack every city in one preemptive strike," warned Scabies, as he stroked his chin and pondered on past events of the nothing's, attack strategies he finished, "I would advise you all to return to your cities and make preparations for war," they all continued to panic and began to prepare to leave the council.
Before they did however Scarr moved to step in front of the lords, "before you go, I advise you to take one of my Guardians with you," he advised, as they all agreed with him he spoke again, "Lord Daan, your people will be safe in the mountains as they do not know of you existing, I advise you to aid your cousin," Lord Daan agreed with his logic and left to prepare his people to march to the Dwarven Keep and as he left Scarr moved to speak again, "I need Rickalas, Spiros and Damo to go on an important mission to the wizards tower to seek out the Slaads there, take the fight to them, the rest of the Guardians are yours including me".
He paused for a few moments as the lords watched him patiently waiting for him to decide who he's sending where, he spoke again, "Lord Pallav I send with you Ki'lak, he does not look like much but I promise you he is amongst my best," Lord Jacinto moved to confirm if it's the Ki'lak his daughter sent to find him, he said yes and they spoke upon it for a few moments until moving back to the task at hand, "Lord Saladin, I send with you Johnkal and Ja'nel as they both come as a pair," laughed Scarr.
Johnkal also laughed with him as Scarr finished, "Lord Eanraig I send with you Niklaus, Lord Magnus Lucyia can accompany you, Lord Dwain Trogen can go with you to the Dwarven Keep and as for Kelsia she can stay here with you father," with that said and done they all went to prepare for there long journeys back to their cities, as for Scarr he would be accompanying Lord Jacinto back to Warican which is long overdue.
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