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Post by Deleted on Feb 3, 2014 21:45:05 GMT -5
Amidst the countless worlds and stars in the skies lays a world which still adheres ages of knights and castles. It is a world from which fairytales are born: where wars are fought with arcane arts and steel, and mythical creatures roam the land. The hearts of kingdoms are dominated by stone walls and not a soul knows of simple commodities that are blessed to other advanced, unknown worlds. The denizens of this world know the hardships and necessities of manual labor, but they were a hearty, persistent group. However, today would not be their day in the spotlight. Instead, the focus turns to those who do were not born from this world. These few individuals have found themselves as outsiders in a strange land, and whether by chance or fate they will come together to face a great threat to all worlds.
One of these special outsiders arrived not more than an hour ago. Through a power still foreign to him, the young man has traveled through a portal comprised of dark energy, which lead him to this world.
"Well...at least I know how I survived that fall..."
The boy thought about that fateful day not long ago when his life had been changed forever. Now he was a SOLDIER without a home, and a powerful darkness inside him was slowly stirring. It was through this darkness that the boy was able to conjure the dark doorway to this place, though he appeared to have little control over where he would step out. Nevertheless, having a means of traveling to other worlds was quite convenient, even if that power wasn't truly understood, or desired in the first place. The boy had found himself in a forest: not much of a lead on where to go from there. Perhaps there was a reason why he was brought to this world, just like he had a purpose to serve in the last world he found himself in. Aiden did not know if there was any good to do in this place, but it was not long before he could see black smoke rising in the distance. A sign like that could only have meant large amounts of fire: a sight Aiden was all too familiar with. It was possible that someone might need his help there, which brought the young man through the forest...
And to the edge of some farmland...or-to be more precise-what looked to be the remains of what was once farmland. Many fields were set ablaze, and some building in the distance were starting to crumble under the flames. just beyond the other end of the farms rested a town surrounded by stone walls. The stone had large singe marks clearly visible at a small distance, which could easily bring one to assume that this was not a natural fire-gone-wrong.
Instinctively, Aiden made his way to the main section of the farm where most of the storehouses and homes were located: If anyone need to be saved, they would most likely be there. He began his search near where the homes appeared to be located, looking for any signs of life.
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Post by Sprow on Feb 5, 2014 1:10:18 GMT -5
Damien confusedly looked around the terrain he had stumbled upon. One moment, he had been with his friends, and the next here he was. It were as if he had traveled back in time or something. Silently, Damien surveyed his surroundings. It had become clear to him that there didn't appear to be any modern day commodities nearby. There were homes that looked as if he had wandered into some kind of farming village. Unfortunately, the place was ablaze.
"Just what happened here?" he said aloud, mainly to himself.
Whatever the case, Damien would have to be cautious. There was no telling if someone or something was lurking nearby that might have caused this. Maybe a war broke out? It could easily be something of that nature. However, if it were, why didn't there seem to be people around? Had it been a massacre? Had the people that lived here been chased off? It wasn't really easy to tell. The only way he could do that was if he explored and investigated further into it. Interest piqued, Damien walked over into the burning village. He didn't fear flames. In fact, where fire still hurt him it didn't harm him like it would normal people. However, he wasn't stupid enough to walk right into an open flame either.
"IS ANYONE OUT THERE?!" Damien shouted, rounding a corner, probably right into Aiden's line of view. When Damien had spotted him, he stopped dead in his tracks. Quietly, Damien observed the Ex-SOLDIER. Of course, Damien had no idea what that even was. The time he came from, SOLDIER was long gone and considered extinct by now. In fact, he was at least 400 years into the future of when SOLDIER once existed. There was nothing but mild surprise in Damien's eyes but his expression was unreadable. For a moment, he said nothing as he looked back at Aiden wondering who he was. He didn't seem like an enemy. Could this guy find Damien to be the same? Maybe and maybe not. Damien, although he wasn't appalling to look at, had a sort of gruff look about him. He was in his early twenties but the way that he carried himself, the look about his eyes, seemed to make him older.
"...Who are you? Do you...have you lived here?" Damien said, correcting himself in the midst of what he had been asking. If this had been a villager, he hated the idea of reminding the guy that his home was burning all around him. He did seem to be surprised or confused about his surroundings. Maybe disoriented from losing everything? Damien wouldn't doubt it. It was odd though to only find this young man here and not anyone else. Unless...well, Damien wasn't about to go diving into a burning home to inspect dead bodies. Now that he thought of it, were there any bodies? Maybe a scarce few he had seen. It wasn't like this place seemed to be all that populated even before the flames.
"Er...sorry. My name's Damien. Damien Que-er Stark!" Damien introduced himself. Once again, he had almost accidentally used that last name that had never been his real one. Even now, he struggled to use his real last name. Instead of being a descendant of a keyblade hero, Damien was the descendant of two assassins. Very distantly, he was related to a keyblade hero but he wasn't directly descended from him. In fact, he was descended from the keyblade hero's twin sister's line, the assassin's line. It was still difficult to come to terms with the fact that he wasn't who he had thought he was. He blamed his adoptive father for all the lies he had raised him under. One day, Damien would get his revenge but that is a different story and will never interfere with here.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 5, 2014 8:36:14 GMT -5
Aiden sifted through the dirt and ash for clues and survivors of the incident, but he found very little in the remains of the blaze. There were no tracks to be found other than human footprints, but the large singe marks and streams of fire suggested that this wasn't a simple raid that could be caused by human means-unless a mage or warlock of some sort was the culprit. There we no signs of any large impacts, so that ruled out any involvement of long-range siege weaponry. Naturally Aiden couldn't confirm any suspicious he acquired in his search; this was his first visit to this world, so he couldn't be expected to know anything about it or what the world could contain.
Within the first few moments of his task Aiden thought to have heard someone call out. He couldn't make out the words, but he was nearly positive that he heard a voice. Deciding to investigate the SOLDIER moved to a nearby stable: bad decision. The smell was awful enough being a stable, and the flames did nothing to help. He quickly examined the structure the best he could without going in, but he could not spot any life. Then there was the sudden voice that came from behind, startling Aiden into quickly turning around to spot the voice in question. The man would easily noticed Aiden's startled, confused expression for the moment it remained, but Aiden regained his composure with haste. The boy remained quiet as he examined the other individual. His clothing didn't appear to be dirty or singed, so perhaps this man wasn't present during whatever took place at this farm. In fact, the man looked more like a warrior or a soldier than your typical citizen, at least from what Aiden imagined someone from this "era" would look like.
"...Oh! Uh, n-no. I actually just got here..." Aiden awkwardly replied to the man's question. The young SOLDIER wasn't quite sure what to make of this encounter. Was this man also looking for survivors? Was he a soldier from the town with the stone walls? "I saw the fire from the distance and came to see if anyone needed help. You're the first person I've found, while everyone else I've seen are...well..." It was difficult to say that he had already found several bodies in one of the homes he had checked earlier. Aiden was no stranger to death, but it still bothered him, especially after recent events. He remained silent for a brief moment before coming back to his senses.
"Did you come here to help as well? I don't think anyone else is here...Oh! Uh...Sorry about that! My name is Aiden...Aiden Kaid. It's...uh, pleased to meet you, Damien?" Damien wasn't the only one who had to worry about peculiar, awkward greetings. Aiden held out his hand for a hand-shake, though he did so as if the gesture was still foreign to him. The SOLDIER was polite to be certain, though his social skill were nothing to be envied. Still he did his best.
Off in the distance one could possibly make out the sound of shifting metal: plate armor if one could be specific...
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Post by Sprow on Feb 5, 2014 18:00:32 GMT -5
Damien eased his guard a little as the other spoke. He sounded innocent enough. He also didn't seem to think of Damien behind whatever had happened here. Given Damien's appearance, one could mistake him for being a local. His cloak was torn at the ends and all he wore was simple armor that even people of this world would. Honestly, he wasn't a local. In fact, he had no idea where he was. This man wasn't a local either judging by what had been said. His response was awkward but Damien was used to this sort of response. People sometimes were intimidated by his gruff appearance and nature despite the fact that Damien wasn't evil.
"You could say that I only just got here too..." Damien replied, glancing around them. It was easy to see that whatever had happened here, they were late for it. When the man spoke to him, Damien looked over at him when he questioned Damien if he had come here to help as well.
"I might have...if I had arrived here sooner...it doesn't look like we can help anyone anymore...too late." Damien hated to admit it but that's what was meeting his gaze. He wasn't beyond trying to put the flames out though. "I could've been of more help if I had arrived sooner...my power revolves around water." Damien shook his head slowly as if in some form of pity at the situation before Aiden had finally returned an introduction of his own. As Damien faced him, Aiden had extended a hand out for him to shake. It was rather awkward to say the least.
"Aiden, you say? Huh, I have a friend by the name of Aiden...although he's younger, with blue hair." Damien reached out and shook Aiden's hand although it, too, was awkward. Damien hadn't really shaken many hands before. It was still a new gesture to him. "Yes...nice to meet you...if only it were under better circumstances." A sound gradually filled the air. At first, it was rather distant but then became more noticeable.
"Do you...hear that?" Damien asked Aiden as he looked around, trying to decipher where the noise had been coming from.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 6, 2014 9:57:18 GMT -5
Yes, Damien did have something of an intimidating presence about him, but he was acting nice enough. Aiden was actually put somewhat at ease when he heard that Damien might be in the same situation as he was, though the SOLDIER couldn't yet know just how exact that situation was. Aiden didn't instantly offer the information that he was not from this world, and he didn't suspect that Damien was an "outsider" as well. Though that revelation wouldn't be too surprising once it was revealed, as that was how Aiden met his previous four acquaintances. Was this what people called "destiny" or "fate"? Did some unknown force just pull certain people from their homes and send them to other worlds as needed?
Well, perhaps that wouldn't be a bad thing. After all: Aiden had no home to return to as is, so maybe it was best for him to be sent around to wherever he could so some good. Unfortunately, it appeared as if neither of them could be of much us at the moment. They had arrived at the aftermath of this tragedy without so much as a single clue as to what took place. The SOLDIER was also displeased with their tardiness, but there was little to be done now. Aiden spent little time as to ponder the cause of this incident as he listened to Damien. He was a magic user of the Water element, was he? The young man looked down at his right palm, staring deeply into his hand. "Sounds like you would have been much more help than me..."
Aiden was not suppose to have any magical abilities without Materia, though he had recently discovered that he did have some access to Fire-based magic. However, to utilize that magic he would have to transform into that...thing. Only the Darkness inside him knew how to command the black fire, but that Darkness was friend to no one. That Heartless-side only knew how to hate and destroy: even other Heartless were not safe from its wrath. No...Aiden couldn't let that Darkness of his out for any reason. It was something to be feared and locked away, lest he bring harm to any innocents.
"Really? Huh...Don't think I've ever met or heard of anyone with my name before..." Wasn't it always just a little odd to hear about another with your name? Aiden didn't think of his name to be entirely uncommon, but it was still strange to hear of others sharing something you typically think to be unique to you.
Fortunately the awkwardness of their "greeting" was replaced by the approaching sound of metal clanking together in unison with the sound of hooves clopping against the dirt and mud. "Yeah...I do..." Aiden simply replied. Before he could add anymore thoughts, a group of knights on horseback rounded the edge of some debris as they turned their gazes toward the duo.
"Ho there!" the man called out as he issued his men to follow behind him. Though the soldiers were clearly armed with swords and spears, they kept their weapons sheathed and approached in a non-threatening manner. It appeared as if they meant no harm to Aiden or Damien. "Don't you know it's not safe here!? The Wyvern could return at any moment!" The man's voice was gruff, and his face matched his tone well. This man-which you could assume was the leader of this small unit-did not wear a helmet like his fellow comrades, allowing you to make a small note of his shoulder-length, hazelnut-hued hair.
The man took a brief few seconds to glance over the two men, giving them a short amount of time to respond to his statement before quickly making an observation. "Hmm...You two do not appear to be from around here...Are you by chance wandering swords-for-hire?" "Mercenary" was that actual term that came to the commander's mind, but his wording sounded slightly more official. It could have been easy to come to such a conclusion, seeing as both Aiden and Damien were not only dressed in a vastly different fashion from those around these parts, but they were also carrying weapons, such as Aiden's sheathed katana in his left hand. The commander and his mean waited for a response while Aiden glanced over at Damien, muttering a faint "Uhhhh..."
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Post by Sprow on Feb 7, 2014 2:09:44 GMT -5
Damien was relieved to have bumped into someone that seemed friendly enough. He also didn't appear to recognize Damien which had also been a good thing. He probably never heard of Damien. Of course, Damien wasn't evil but the things in the past that he had done had been. Sadly, he once believed the deeds he had done to be heroic. Thankfully, Damien realized the error of his ways and left the Order that he had once been a prominent figure of. He wasn't one of the four heads but he had been just a step below them.
Silently, Damien watched as Aiden seemed to observe the palm of his hand for a moment before stating that Damien would have been of more help. For a short moment, Damien gave him a questioning look before realizing what he meant. Aiden probably either didn't have special powers or had different powers that wouldn't have been of much help. That was the only two possibilities that he could think of.
After Damien had mentioned Aiden Wilder to Aiden Kaid, he simply nodded in response to what Aiden had said. Then, their attention turned onto the sound of clanking. There was no mistaking the fact that it was something metallic approaching them. As it got closer, Damien looked for the source. Sure enough, knights came riding around the corner. As soon as they had spotted Damien and Aiden, one of them called out to them. Damien instinctively lifted his arm, prepared to summon his sword at a moment's notice. When he saw that the knights weren't drawing their weapons, Damien eased down.
As what appeared to be their leader spoke to them, Damien's and Aiden's question about what had happened here had been answered. Apparently, a wyvern was responsible for the fire and damage done here. As the knights got closer, the Commander looked them up and down. For a brief moment, Damien grew nervous although he didn't show it. He had thought that the Commander recognized him. When he asked if they were mercenaries, Damien was relieved. He didn't know who Damien was. That was good. Most people wanted to capture or kill Damien if they knew of him. When Aiden looked to him, Damien thought of their options. If they said they came from another world, Damien somehow didn't think these knights would believe them.
Damien looked back up at the Commander. "You could say that. I am Damien Stark and this is my friend here, Aiden Kaid."
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Post by Deleted on Feb 7, 2014 11:55:24 GMT -5
It would appear that Damien was hitting a lucky streak, as neither Aiden nor the commander present knew anything of Stark or his past. The same could be said for Aiden, and for now perhaps that was best as well. The commander didn't care for background checks, especially in the crisis he found himself in-along with the other residents of the nearby town and what remained of this farm. The man nodded his head in acknowledgment to the duo's names. "I am Commander Aorden, though you do not have to call me by title. It seems you would have wandered in at a more troublesome time." Aorden took a second to glance around the remains of the farm land, shaking his head in disappointment. "We only came out to see if we could spot any more survivors, but I believe those that were able to escape death have already made it to the safety of the city walls."
Aiden found some comfort knowing that not everyone had perished in the flames, but he was surprised to hear that a dragon was behind the assault. The SOLDIER was no stranger to the massive creatures, as his own world had wyverns, dragons, and the like. Nevertheless, it was strange to hear about the existence of such monsters in other worlds. "Does this happen often?" was Aiden's first question, unsure if the city and its nearby residents commonly suffered from such attacks. "No, in fact..." Aorden paused for a moment before glancing back towards the city, then returning his attention back to the duo. "Normally, I wouldn't be so quick in opening up to strangers, but perhaps the gods brought you two here for a reason. I'd be glad to explain our situation, though it would be much safer and calmer within the city."
The commander and his men turned around on their horses, preparing for the short trek back to the town limits. "If your 'services' are available for hire, I must implore that you come with us; our King may have a task fit just for you, and it will pay handsomely-on top of preventing any more lives from being lost if you find that important. What say you?"
Aiden wasn't entirely sure what "task" could be at hand for them, but he could figure by Aorden's wording that it probably had something to do with the Wyvern. He also couldn't deny his faint curiosity as to what the commander wanted to explain; it was as if Aorden had specific details about this particular creature. Naturally, however, Aiden did desire to keep people safe and help out where he could; perhaps this would be a good start on redeeming himself for past failures. With that in mind, the SOLDIER turned towards Damien in a attempt to gauge his companion's interest. Damien was more likely the more vocal of the group, which was fine by Aiden. If Damien wanted to follow, the SOLDIER would be right there with him: Aiden always was a much better follower than a leader. Still, the young swordsman would at least give a little of his input as to not leave the entire decision to Damien, "Maybe we should take him up on his offer...I mean, it doesn't look like there's anything else we can do here..."
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Post by Sprow on Feb 15, 2014 23:39:47 GMT -5
Damien was relieved that no one appeared to know him. He had a lot of trouble where he originally came from. Where he had found friends and traveled with them, it hadn't been easy. On each world he had been on, Damien had been discovered. He had to make a quick get away with his friends, one time had almost risked his friends getting arrested over it when they were innocent. Unfortunately, Damien didn't see any way of clearing his name. All he could do was hope that any that didn't know him who saw him would see that actions wise, he was a better person than the one he had been known to be. As the Commander introduced himself, Damien nodded his head to acknowledge that he had heard him before Aorden turned toward the remains of the farm village.
Damien looked over in Aiden's direction when he had asked if this sort of thing happened often. Aorden stated that this sort of thing wasn't normal as Damien brought his gaze back over to the Commander. As Aorden turned to them, Damien wasn't sure if he wanted anything to do with a dragon. He might be a water elemental but his power, that he knew of, wasn't as strong enough yet to handle the flames of a dragon's. Still, it wasn't like he had much choice. He was under the guise of a mercenary. If they wanted to not be looked suspiciously upon, they had to look and act the part.
As the Commander and his knights turned away, ready for the trek back to the city, Damien guessed they should follow them. As they did so, Aorden offered them to go with them. If they went, they might get a job that would pay well. Damien wasn't looking for money. However, he was curious about what "task" the King might have in mind for them. When Aorden asked what they say, Damien glanced over at Aiden. Aiden had as much of a say in this as Damien.
When Aiden agreed to the idea of going with the knights and Commander, Damien gave a nod. "I agree." Bringing his gaze back over to the knights, Damien nodded to them as well. "We will go with you to the city and speak with your Highness." With that, they were off on their way to the city.
(OOC: I hope this is good. Thank you for your patience!)
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Post by Deleted on Feb 17, 2014 12:35:33 GMT -5
The commander and his men led the duo into the city passing below the raised, steel gate that was used to separate the outside world from the city limits. The gate and entryway itself were large in size, indicating that the city usually got large amounts of traffic coming to and fro. Recent events, however, saw a temporary cease in all movement coming in and out of the city, and as the group made their entrance that gate was lowered behind them.
The city appeared much larger once you found yourself looking at it from the inside. Despite the dragon attack Aiden and Damien could still see many people walking about the streets and tending their business: Apparently not even fire-breathing, flying monsters was enough of a reason to abandon the daily chores or work. People still stood at their stalls as they were selling their wares. The occasional "clang" could be heard from a nearby blacksmith's station while the workers hammered away at the red-hot metals. There were not as many children on the street as usual, most likely because their parents were keeping them inside in case the wyvern made a return trip.
"We're not the smallest kingdom in these lands, but we still need to tend to our business-even in the wake of a dragon attack," Aorden commented as he lead the two "mercenaries" through the city streets. "We don't have the fortunes of other kingdoms either, so we have to make the most out of every day. The people are more than up for the challenge, however: you'll not find a more hardy group of citizens in the world." Aorden spoke with pride in his voice. It was clear that he was happy to live in the city, watching over the people who made having this city even possible. After all: what was a kingdom or nation without its people?
Aorden's lightened mood waned as he sighed, turning his head down slightly, "If the recent attack is a sign of change, however, I fear it will not be a change for the better..."
Now Aiden was not one who was apt to pry into another's business. He was typically more than content with falling into rank and keeping his own business to himself. With this peculiar situation, however, it would only make sense to gather as much information as one could, especially if they were to be taking any "tasks" from the king: better to not walking into this situation blindly, right?
"You said that these kind of attacks don't happen often...Are dragons-or wyverns-not commonly found around here...or something?" The SOLDIER asked, attempting to get Aorden to open up more about this instance. Fortunately, Aorden wasn't one for holding back much information, especially from people who were willing to offer their help. "On the contrary: the wyverns are essential for our survival," the commander replied, taking a brief second to collect his thoughts.
"You see, our kingdom does not have a massive military force. We can defend ourselves should the need arise, but there are several other kingdoms in the world that could wipe us out if they desired so. However, we have a defense force that no one would normally dare try to fight against regardless of their military might: The wyverns. When our kingdom was founded, the royal family had a special trait: the women were able to communicate with the wild wyverns that inhabited the land. The royal family used that gift to establish the kingdom safely without incurring the wrath of the mythical beasts. So long as we did not encroach upon their hunting and nesting grounds, the wyverns would protect us from anyone who attempted to invade our homes. Of course they would not come to our aid if we were the cause of a war or skirmish, but we have never sought out to conquer another land. We have been here for nearly a hundred years now, and we've known nothing but peace since then...Until now, anyways..."
Aorden paused for a moment, letting the story he has told so far sink in. Aiden had a couple question in mind, but he remained quiet in case Damien had anything he would have liked to ask. The SOLDIER figured he could ask his questions if nothing was said.
((OOC: You're good! ^_^))
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Post by Sprow on Feb 17, 2014 20:03:34 GMT -5
Damien said nothing during the entire trek to the city. Once they were inside, he looked around in some wonder. Even now, people were still wandering the streets. It were as if a dragon attack didn't happen just moments ago. The only real indication that signified the city's people of knowing there had been an attack was the fact that very few children were on the street. No doubt, parents had them stay inside for the day in case of another attack. There were so many people in here from what Damien could tell. Of course, not a ton like Land of Dragons but there was quite a number of them. If a dragon were to attack them all here, it wouldn't be hard to cause a massive fire.
As they went, Aorden spoke to them. According to him, the kingdom wasn't as rich as some but the folk here were hardy. It sounded like the man was proud of his home. Damien could not understand that feeling, since he hadn't ever been proud of any place that he once lived in. Even though he had once lived in Land of Dragons, it didn't feel like home. Suddenly, once the commander was done speaking, Aiden asked him a question. Damien looked toward Aorden when Aiden asked that question.
The wyverns, actually, hadn't attacked the villages and city beforehand. There had been some sort of pact the humans had made with the mythical creatures. Yet, now, the dragons were attacking. Wyverns might be a specific type of dragon but they were dragons too. As were wyrms and drakes and the like.
"What do you think might have caused the change?" Damien asked Aorden. It might help them to get a better understanding of why a dragon would attack. Did someone do something that the dragon didn't like?
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Post by Deleted on Feb 18, 2014 23:49:45 GMT -5
"We don't know..." Aorden replied to Damien as he glanced at his surroundings briefly before speaking again in a softer voice. "No one outside of the castle knows this, but the king's daughter-who is also the only emissary we have to communicate with the wyverns-has fallen greatly ill within the past week. Her life is not in danger from what I have been told, but she is completely bed-ridden and cannot make any trips. I'm afraid without her assistance we have no other means of communication with the beasts. If I were to guess the the cause of this attack, it would be that some fool had encroached upon their territory, although it's not like them to take their rage out on an entire farm and come so close to the city. Perhaps they have grown tired of our presence and were testing our might for a larger assault, but without Her Highness there's no way to tell for sure..."
"Has anyone asked the king's daughter if she would know why they would attack?" Aiden asked quietly in his usual mild manner. "Her illness has left her in a weakened state: She doesn't have the strength to remain awake for more than a few moments, from what I've been told. Only the king and our physicians are able to visit the princess at this time, so the rest of us have to go with what they relay to us. They haven't found any signs of foul-play, which is good, but that does little to help us with the wyverns. Unfortunately, we do not have the luxury to wait for Her Highness to recover while the dragon is still loose. We managed to fend it off with our ballistae and warlocks-enough to make it retreat and tend to its wounds-but the wyverns do not leave their target alone for long, and next time it may not come back alone..."
By the time Aorden finished the group had arrived at the castle gates, which separated the large stone home of the royal family from the rest of the city. The guards were quick to let Aorden and his guests pass, signifying that Aorden had a great amount of importance in the hierarchy. They walked into the courtyard where several stable-hands were waiting, ready to lead the horses back to their posts. "Please follow me," the commander suggested as he dismounted his steed and lead the duo into the castle. The way to the throne room was rather straightforward, minus the inclusion of two small flights of stairs they had to climb. The inside of the castle certainly had the regal vibe about it, with the carpeted walkways, floral arrangements and fine pieces of art to decorate the walls and floors. "I'm sure you gentlemen do not need to be told, but please be courteous and respectful to His Highness. He has much to deal with between the health of the princess and the dragon attack."
After his small piece of advice the three of them entered the throne room, where the king and his royal guard awaited them at the other end. "Your Highness, we have returned from our final sweep of the dragon attack," Aorden stated with a respectful bow. The king's attention feel upon Aorden, then quickly shifted to Aiden and Damien. "I see, and it would seem you have brought a couple guests with you as well. I imagine you have a good reason for this?" The king did not speak with a malicious or condescending tone, though it was easy to notice the king was not entirely comfortable with Aiden and Damien's presence. Perhaps their arrival was surprising? Maybe the common people were not normally allowed many audiences with the king? Who was to say.
"We found them in the midst of the attack sight. They were trying to help any survivors they could find." Aorden was being rather generous with that statements, seeing as he didn't actually watch Aiden or Damien do anything when they first found them. The commander appeared to have simply put faith in the idea that the two were there to help instead of using the attack for their own personal gain. "However, they are not from our kingdom. They are traveling warriors who came upon our kingdom in the hour of the attack."
"'Traveling warriors?' You mean 'mercenaries', right? Swords-for-hire? It's not like you to bring strangers into the castle, let alone armed mercenaries." The king was referring to Aiden, who still had his sword in his left hand, even though it remained sheathed. The SOLDIER had not learned to hide his weapon like Damien had, but the young man obviously had no intention of using it. "And might it be possible that these two could be responsible for the attack in the first place? Is it not odd that these two 'outsiders' were found at the sight of the attack in the same hour of the incident?"
The king had a fair point: it was odd that both Aiden and Damien had mysteriously appeared at the scene of the dragon attack shortly after the event. The king had a right to be suspicious, but fortunately for the two Aorden came to their defense. "I do not believe they are behind the incident, Your Highness. They would have had to come fairly close to the wyvern's nest to provoke any manner of retaliation, and that wyvern's nest is a day's travel away by horseback: The dragon would have been upon them long before they could have reached the farm outside of the city. I believe they may actually be able to help us. We have managed to greatly weaken the dragon, but as you know we must keep our forces here in order to defend against any other attacks. We saw the dragon returning to its nest to treat its wounds, which would be the best time to strike it down before it can recover and possibly seek out more help. With Her Highness incapacitated, I believe this is our best option to prevent anymore bloodshed."
The king placed a hand on his bearded chin for a moment, pondering on Aorden's explanation. His eyes wandered back onto Aiden and Damien, appearing to examine them closely as he could. Silence filled the air for a few moments before the king slowly raised his head in a inquisitive manner. "...Yes...perhaps you are right. The gods may yet smile upon us this day...Tell me, 'warriors', what are your names, and what brings you two to our fair, little kingdom?"
The king appeared more curious now towards Aiden and Damien. Aiden had an acceptable introduction in mind, though he remained quiet for a moment, waiting to see if Damien would handle the situation like he had when they met Aorden.
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Post by Sprow on Mar 10, 2014 19:42:40 GMT -5
Damien stood there as he waited for Aorden's reply. What the Commander said was rather suspicious to say the least. He didn't think of the knight as anyone evil or deceitful. If anything, it sounded like something was going on but whether it was from the inside or not remained yet to be seen. Of course, that thought about it maybe being an inside job never occurred to Damien. If anything, his mind was preoccupied with how fishy everything sounded. From what Aorden said, the kingdom made a pact with the wyverns and up until now, no attacks had ever happened. The princess, the only one able to communicate with the dragons also fell ill and there was no way to speak with them to find out what happened.
'Fishy...' Damien thought before they finally happened upon what would likely be the throne room. The princess was coincidentally and conveniently too ill to tell what the dragons were saying and couldn't stay awake long enough. As Aorden informed them to be polite, Damien merely nodded. He was used to dealing with individuals of higher standing. He dealt with them nearly every day until he had left home and the Organization of the Destroyer.
As soon as they stepped inside the throne room, Damien could see the king and his royal guard at the other end awaiting them. Damien, although he stood well poised, was guarded. There was no telling what the king would think of them. He just might grow infuriated at the sight of them. How were they to know how he would react to mercenaries? Well, not really mercenaries. Damien just let the Commander assume what they were and went with it. It all depended on them now and if they could act the part.
Aiden and Damien were forced to stand there and listen while Aorden and the king conversed, the king inquiring about them. When the king assumed that there was a chance that they could be behind what happened with the dragon. Damien raised his brows in response. Of course, the king was wise to assume such a thing. As Aorden vouched for them, Damien had to refrain from looking shifty. Out of all of them, Damien was the only one that could have easily gotten from the dragon's nest to the village. His portal abilities weren't like any other...and he planned to keep it secret lest it spark suspicion.
After a while, finally, Aorden managed to convince the king to take on Damien and Aiden. Damien, as the king examined them, kept his expression unreadable. At least, he did the best he could. Honestly, he wasn't sure if the king would buy it but it's all they had. If these people knew the truth, chances are they might be less welcoming. It clearly wasn't easy as it was with them under the guise of being mercenaries. As the king spoke to them, Damien glanced in Aiden's direction. He seemed like he wanted to speak. Damien gave him a nod to introduce himself. After all, Damien seemed to have done all the talking earlier. It was best to give him a chance. He hoped that he wouldn't screw it up on them, however.
"I am Damien Stark, your Highness and this is my partner..." Damien trailed off, leaving Aiden the opening he needed to start talking.
(OOC: Thank you very much for your patience and my deepest apologies for this taking me so long. I have been busy constructing the forum's new look and dealing with the paperwork that needs updating. My work still isn't finished but it's getting better for me now. I hope this was what you wished since this is your plot and I do not want to mess up anything you had in mind.)
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Post by Deleted on Mar 13, 2014 7:37:02 GMT -5
Damien left the fate of their guise to Aiden, which in all honesty was fair: Aiden shouldn't rely on others whenever a conversation popped up. The two possibly had their lives on the line, however, along with their innocence, meaning that the SOLDIER had to do his best to play the part. It would become clear that Aiden wasn't a strong speaker, but so long as they could avoid any specifics perhaps the duo could shake off enough suspicion to allow them to continue their freedom. "Uhh, Aiden Kaid...Your Highness! We were crossing through your kingdom looking for work when we happened upon the farm outside of your city. It had...already been attacked when we arrived. We searched for survivors minutes before your commander found us and brought us here..."
Aiden's explanation wasn't the strongest, but it was the best he could do. In this strange situation it was they best either of them could hope for, and hopefully the king would be receptive of their response. "Wandering mercenaries, hmm? Surely you are aware of the wyverns that roam our land? Of course they cannot determine friend or foe when concerning a small group such as yourselves, but everyone knows not to draw near a wyvern's nest should you wish to gain their wrathful attention. I hope you haven't done any such foolhardy things while 'wandering' through my land?" The King was prodding Aiden for any suspicious hunches or giveaways, though the King was at the same disadvantage as Aiden and Damien: neither knew much about the other, motives and dispositions included. Naturally the King was more cautious with this case, still determining whether or not the duo could be trusted.
"N-no Sir-err-Your Majesty! We hadn't heard or seen any of the dragons in our travel."
"Hmmm...So you arrived outside of the farm that was attacked by the wyvern...From what side did you approach the farm?"
Aiden had been caught in a slight dilemma: he didn't know which way was north! He had little time to figure that out, and it was something that never crossed his mind. Nevertheless he still had to give an answer, "We emerged out of the forest opposite of the farm...Your Highness..." The boy was still getting used to addressing a member of royalty by their many monikers. "I see. Aorden, do you know where the nest of the wyvern's that attacked us lies?"
"It retreated to the east, Milord, whereas the forest they speak of is south of the city."
The King kept a stern eye on the two outsiders, though a highly perceptive individual might have been able to notice the faint smirk upon his lips that he hid behind his hand: he was amused! The King-for whatever reason-was finding this entire situation more curious and entertaining than what his voice and the rest of his body displayed. "I see...I suppose that works in favor of your story, but unfortunately I have little time for leniency and trust. You've caught us at a troubling spot: The wyvern nearest to us has attacked my city, and our only method of communicating with them is currently unavailable to us. I have no time to deal with or tolerate outside mercenaries at this time..."
The King's men had not moved, but his words were not promising. The situation was dire indeed, and the King naturally needed to focus on the tasks at hand. The man sounded as if had they had come at another time, their presence would not be so alarming and suspicious: wrong time at the wrong place. Before anyone had to time defend the duo the King spoke again, "Mercenaries under my employ, however, would be another story! You said you two were looking for work, correct? It would happen that the situation we find ourselves in calls for some able men, and no job pays better than I do. The quest I would have for you two would also go a long way into proving your innocence and make it easier for me to trust you. The task is dangerous and normally I would offer you the chance to refuse, but as I've said before: I have no time to find other men that aren't my own. With that said, will you take up my quest?"
At least it would seem that the King was willing to trust Aiden and Damien enough to task them with an important job. Given the situation either of the two could probably guess as to what this quest entailed, but the King made it sounds as if they didn't have any other option besides accepting. Aiden glanced over to Damien, wanting to get his input on the conversation, "What do you want to do? I don't think we have much of choice..."
[OoC: No worries! ^_^ And your response is fine. The plot is very malleable, so if you had something interesting in mind or wanted Damien to say or do anything, feel free to do so! There's always a quick way to get back to the plot if we run into any detours. XP]
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Post by Sprow on Mar 23, 2014 22:52:43 GMT -5
Damien waited patiently as Aiden finally spoke. As the other began to speak, Damien wondered if it had been a good idea to let the other guy talk. Aiden didn't sound as convincing with the explanation that he had given. Still, Damien guessed it would be worth the shot right now. Neither of them were locals and there was no telling what the King would make of them.
The King's response made Damien lifted his gaze to look over at the King as he spoke. The King was asking if they had done anything while they had been wandering. What did he think they were? Idiots?! Damien knew better than to anger a dragon. They were not creatures that could be angered and the one having caused the anger likely to escape unscathed. No, Damien was fairly certain they wouldn't have been foolish enough to anger a dragon. Damien felt his nerves drop a notch when Aiden stated that they hadn't encountered any dragon, rather nervously. Damien, unlike his counterpart, simply nodded his head acting like this was not unheard of.
When the King asked them next as to which way they had come from, Damien got slightly more nervous. Where had they come from to reach the farm? Damien, although he didn't look tense, had glanced in Aiden's direction. The other replied by stating that they had arrived from the forest without saying any particular direction. As the King questioned Arden where the wyvern's nest had to be. According to Aorden, the wyvern escaped to the east where as the forest was in the south. Damien was inwardly relieved to hear that. They wouldn't be blamed for the dragon attack.
Unaware of the King's amusement in their situation, since his stern gaze was upon them with his smile concealed behind his hand, Damien simply focused his gaze on the King. He was watching them like a hawk. It was just like the old days. Damien was used to the look that the King gave him. He had always been looked upon with a stern gaze in the past. Where he came from, it was understandable because he had been a part of an Organization that was bent upon what everyone that had been a part of it to be an important goal. Thankfully, Damien woke up and realized that what they had been doing had been wrong.
When the King finished what he had been saying, it sounded like they might be simply brushed aside or worse. Damien hoped they weren't about to be arrested. He'd hate to have to show them his unpleasant side. Damien was no longer a villain but neither was he entirely a hero. If he had to, he'd escape. He had his unique ability to portal out of an area if the need be. Right now, Damien wanted that part to be kept a secret. If anyone knew about it, they could end up blaming him for he situation with the dragon even though he was innocent.
It felt like the King was implying that he was going to lock them up or place the blame on them. Then, after a moment where nobody moved a muscle, the King spoke. He was giving them a chance to prove their innocence by taking on a quest for him. No doubt, Aiden and Damien already knew where this was going. He'd want them to kill the dragon. However, the way the King had said it was leaving them with no other option but to take on the quest. After the King finished his proposal, Aiden had turned to Damien asking for his input.
"It seems like we don't have any other choice." Actually, they did have a choice but Damien didn't need them to make a drastic one at that. He could portal them out of there and scare these people. It wouldn't be wise to have an entire kingdom on their tale. "We've no choice but to take on the quest. If we don't...well, I don't want to think what he'll do to us."
After having said this, Damien looked back over at the King. "We accept, your Highness." Neither of them wanted to kill a dragon but they had no other choice lest they wanted to be blamed for the situation. "Aiden and I will go on this quest that you have in mind as your mercenaries." As he had finished saying this, Damien placed his right hand on his breast before bowing in the King's direction as a means of respect.
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