Before you begin reading I would like to note a few things. First, this story has NOTHING to do with the video game Dragonshard.
Second, there might be some inconsistancies since I have not done much editing yet. Please review and tell me anything you see.
Third, Enjoy!
Chapter 1
Serias Ascorath trudged through the underbrush of the forest as the beams of light that poked through the trees dimmed. "The sun must be setting," He thought to himself.
He tried to remember what day it was, but he had long since forgotten. He expected he'd spent about a year in the forest, searching for the ruins of Kezer, where the dragonshard, the birthplace of all magic, was rumored to be.
A soft growl caught Serias's ear. He roused himself from his thoughts and looked around. In front of him stood a cougar. Its red eyes stared into his, and its razor white teeth began to show. Serias calmly put his hand on the hilt of his sword. The cougar's leg twitched and it pounced straight for him. Serias grabbed the sword and swung it in an upward arc to meet the creature. There was sharp crack; a flash of blue light, and the cougar was thrown into a tree trunk behind it. The sound it made could be heard for miles. The frightened creature stood up, gave the half-elf a last glance and than ran back into the darkening forest, apparently going to hunt easier prey.
Serias reached into his pack and pulled out a scroll. It was an old scroll given to him by one of his friends, that when activated created an unbreakable shield of magic. He unrolled the musty parchment and read the magic words inscribed in the canvas. The ink glowed white and a barrier of light formed around his body. He sat down and leaned against a massive oak tree, and watched as the small stream of sunlight that still shone was engulfed by the canopy. To his right the lights of a town could be seen through the trees. It was his home, and if all went well he would be back tomorrow. He closed his eyes and drifted off into sleep.
Serias stepped past the trees and into a clearing where the intense sunlight momentarily blinded him. He reached up and covered his eyes, unaware that someone stood in front of him.
"Wandering through a dark forest for a year will usually make your eyes forget sunlight", a friendly voice greeted him.
Serias turned to find who was there but he couldn't see. "Who's there?" he asked.
"You don't even recognize your best friend's voice?" the person replied," Serias I'm hurt," Serias still didn't know who he was talking to. "You have spent way to much time in the forest," The person kept talking," It's been way to long since we've seen you,"
"Wait, Halath?" Serias asked. His vision was improving and now he could see the elf's face.
"The one and only!"
Serias stepped forward and hugged the elf. Halath laughed.
"It is good to be back" Serias said, and let go of the elf.
"And it is good to have you back," Halath replied," but right now we need to go to Talon, some of the others will join us there."
The walk to Talon was short, only through a meadow and a small hill.
When they reached the top of the hill, Serias stopped, looked upon the small valley city of Talon and then resumed walking.
Serias opened the door to the tavern and was overwhelmed by music and laughter. He pushed through the crowd that had assembled there and found a seat at a table near the door. Halath pulled up a chair across from him. The barmaid approached him.
"What will it be?" she asked.
"Nothing for me." Serias said
"Nothing for me, either." said Halath.
"I'll take a large ale!" a loud voice said from behind them.
Serias and Halath turned to find a large man standing over them, wearing a suit of armor. It was Aler, one of their oldest friends.
"Ha ha! Serias did come back after all!" he yelled. The big man embraced Serias in a hug that cut off his air.
"Aler, put me down!" Serias managed to choke out.
"Sorry, "Aler said, and set Serias down, "I'm just glad you're back. Where are the others?" he asked as he turned to Halath.
"Relok is on his way from Sunlace City. Nalor and Cassi were riding from west of the Silent Mountains, but I heard it snowed quite a bit up there, so they may not be here for one or two days. As for Milani, she should be here. Halath began to look around.
"So, what of you?" Aler asked Serias. "Did you find the ruins?"
"No, but I did find a clue that could lead me to it." Serias revealed from his cloak, a map.
They spread it out over the table. It was old. The black ink that once covered it neatly was smudged in most places, making it hard to read. The edges were torn and the usefulness of the map seemed little to Aler and Halath.
"This map is older than the forest itself!" Halath cried. "There is no mention of the forest at all! I'm sorry Serias, but I think this map is useless. The underbrush has probably covered the ruins completely!" said Halath. Serias didn't care.
"I'm still going after it," said Serias.
"I actually came back to see if you guys would come with me, but I guess that I'll have to wait a couple of days." He leaned back in his chair.
"I'll go with you," Halath said.
"Same here," said Aler
The barmaid slammed Aler's ale down, spilling some of it on the table.
"That'll be two gold pieces," she said.
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The three friends stepped out of the tavern and into the cool night air.
"I didn't see Milani anywhere in there," Halath said.
"She probably went home," Serias replied. "Which is what I'd better do."
Serias walked along the path that led to his home. The moon and stars shone bright enough to light the ground beneath him. When he reached his house he was surprised to find it in perfect condition. He thought that leaving it for a year would do some damage to it.
"Halath must have been here," he whispered to himself.
He opened the door and walked inside. He was home.
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When Serias returned to the tavern the next morning, Aler and Halath were already there, sitting at a table in the middle of the room. The bar owner had lit a fire in the fireplace which kept the small room warm. Sitting with them was also a figure cloaked in a huge blue cloak that covered the person's body.
"It must be Milani," he thought.
He pulled up a chair next to Aler.
"I see you three were waiting for me!" he laughed.
"I remembered that you had no food, so we figured you'd be here trying to choke down some of this garbage," Halath told Serias as he poked a piece of bread sitting in front of him. He sighed.
"They could at least make sure that the stuff isn't alive,"
Serias looked down at the bread on the plate. He took a piece and ate it. It wasn't the best he'd ever had, but it was better than nothing.
"Hurry up and eat," Halath said. "We need to get back to my house, Relok got in last night but he is injured. Cuts and bruises are all over him. His horse is pretty beat up too."
"What happened?" Serias asked.
The cloaked figure finally spoke, "He was in a battle," a young woman's voice said.
"We don't know when or where though,"
Serias recognized the voice, "Thanks Milani," he said.
Then he had a second question. "Why was Relok in Sunlace city anyway?" he asked.
"He told us that he was going to buy some supplies he needed, but I don't think that was true," Aler said.
"What else could he have been doing?" Serias asked as he swallowed another piece of bread.
"I think he wanted to join the Milotian army," Halath said. "I think he knows war is coming, Serias," Halath sighed, "While you were gone Kanmeir sent us messages, messages saying that they will take what is theirs," he looked down, "Some of the High Wizards have decided that a king has returned to Kanmeir and he wants to take back the land that was stolen from them."
"And the others?" Serias asked.
"They believe that their leader is after the dragonshard,"
"But why does that have anything to do with Milotia?"
"The High Wizard of Knowledge suggested that they think that Milotia has the dragonshard,"
"Do we have any idea what they are?" Serias asked, "Are they Humans? Elves?"
"We have no idea, we are guessing that they are a force of humans from the south," Milani said.
"When I left the only people in Kanmeir were our soldiers, are you trying to tell me that none of them made it back?"
"Only one, but he came back crazed, and was unable to tell us what exactly he saw,"
"Well then it probably wasn't humans," Serias said.
"Relok should be conscious when we get back, maybe he will have some answers for us," Milani said. She stood up, "I will go see if he is up, come to my house when you are done here,"
"So what is the plan for the rest of the day?" He asked.
"I was going to ride the ocean route to Tier for some supplies, and I was going to see if Cassi and Nalor are there," Aler said.
Halath looked at Serias' tattered robes, "It looks like you could use some new equipment," Halath said.
Serias looked down at the robes; they were ripped along the bottom, and had slashes through the arms.
"I think you're right," He said.
"Well, lets get you some new gear, and then we'll go to my house and see if Relok is up,"
"That works for me," Serias said," We'll see you when you get back from Tier Aler," With that, he and Halath stood up and left the tavern.
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The local blacksmith was on the other side of town, nearer to Milani's house. When they walked in, Danies Aab, the owner, came over to them.
Danies was huge. He stood way beyond six feet, and probably weighed close to 400 pounds. He towered over both Serias and Halath.
"Ha Ha! So the great Serias Ascorath has returned to our humble city!" he said in a booming voice.
"Great?" Serias asked.
"There has been a rumor flying around town that you were in Kondor fighting dragons," Halath whispered.
"Now of course I don't believe a word of it," Danies said," I told them all, I've known that boy for years, and he wouldn't go after a dragon, he's not that stupid!" He ruffled Serias' hair.
"Thanks a lot Danies," Serias said.
"Anytime!" He said, and walked off to go help another customer.
"Any idea who started that rumor?" Serias asked Halath, cocking an eyebrow.
"None at all," Halath smiled.
"Sure,"
………………………………………………………………………………...
After having to borrow seventeen gold pieces from Halath in order to buy his equipment, the two friends headed towards Milani's house.
They found the door open, and they walked inside. Milani's house was dark, and many of the doors were shut tight.
"Hey Milani," Serias said," Where are you?"
"Back here," Milani yelled from the back room.
Serias and Halath found Relok still unconscious, cuts all over him, bruises everywhere.
"My god," Serias said.
Quietly Milani cast a spell, and another wound healed itself.
"The major injuries are taken care of," She said," But he still hasn't woken up,"
Serias pulled one of the wooden chairs over to the bed, and sat down by Relok's head.
"What was the worst injury?" He asked.
"Three broken bones in his neck, and a long cut across his stomach,"
"Will he be o.k?"
"Physically he will be fine, but it looks like some sort of spell hit him, which was part of what caused him to be unconscious when he reached Talon,"
Serias looked up at Relok's neck, and spotted three slashes right in a row, like Relok had been attacked by an animal.
"What are these cuts?" He asked.
"I think that whoever attacked him had some sort of animal with it, probably a wolf or other dog,"
Serias looked at the cuts again; they looked to long for a dog.
………………………………………………………………………………
All three of them sat around Relok's bed for hours, trying to get Serias caught up on the last year.
The king of Kondor, Alax Ahrebor, had died of natural causes, but had left no line behind. His right hand, Exar Linor, took over control of the country, and converted it to a democracy. Linor had been elected as their first leader, and as his first move, defeated the goblin armies in eastern Kondor. Unfortunately, he had also broken all contact with Milotia.
Suddenly, in the middle of their conversation, Relok sat bolt up and yelled.
Halath immediately pushed him back down. Relok was stronger than Halath, and he easily shoved him away. Serias jumped in and pushed him down again.
"Relok! Stay down!" He said. Finally realizing where he was, Relok calmed down.
"Where are they?" He growled, "Where are those monsters?"
"Where are who?" Milani asked as she helped Halath to his feat.
"The mutants,"
"Mutants?" Serias asked, "What the hell are you talking about?"
"They attacked us at Celes pass,"
"Who!?" Serias asked again.
"They must be some necromancer's idea of a joke," He said, "They were tall, with wings like dragons," He said, "They were all casting spells," He continued,"
Serias looked up at Milani.
"What do you think they are?" He asked her.
She ignored him, and asked Relok," How many of them were there?"
"There were at least five hundred," He said, "they filled the entire pass; our garrison couldn't hold them back,"
"Do you have any idea where they are going?" Milani asked.
"Sunlace City,"
Serias laughed.
"No one could take Sunlace!" He said, "In three hundred years no enemy has ever set foot in there,"
"Serias," Relok said, "there has never been an enemy like this,"
Serias stared at Relok in disbelief.
"Surely they aren't that powerful, and besides, you said that there are only five hundred of them,"
"It was midnight when they attacked; for all I know, there could be five thousand of them,"
"I still don't think that they could take Sunlace, and you said that they all were casting spells. I doubt that, since there has never been a gathering of more that a hundred magic-users in one place, am I right Milani?"
"No," She said, "There was once an army of magic users. They were the original inhabitants of Milotia, the people that we took the continent from,"
"But they must be gone now," Serias said.
"It was thought that they were, but having heard Relok's description, I believe that they have returned to claim the land that was once theirs," Milani explained.
"But how have they raised themselves from the dead,"
"A group of them survived?" Milani shrugged," I don't know,"
"So what are they?"
"Half-dragons," She said, "They are called Maliryuth, and have the blood of dragons in them, so they can use magic, and they also gain the benefit of wings,"
"If this is true, then we need to warn Sunlace, maybe pick up some help on the way," Halath suggested.
"That's a good idea," Serias said
From the front of the house there was a large bang.
Aler walked into the house, drenched in rain, and sat down in front of the door.
Serias came out to meet him
"Hey, are you alright?" He asked.
"I'm fine," He said, and coughed," it took them awhile, but Cassi and Nalor are here, they're waiting for you guys at the tavern. Is Relok up?"
"Yeah, he's in the back, listen, when you are done here meet us at the tavern, we have to talk with you," He said quietly," Milani! Halath! Cassi and Nalor are here!"
Both of them came out from the back room.
"Where?" Halath asked.
"They're at the tavern," He said.
"Awesome, let's go see them," Halath said.
"Relok needs to stay here," Milani told Aler.
"When he calms down, both of you come down," Serias told Aler, "Let's go," He said to Halath and Milani.
The trip back to the tavern was a short one. The rain had subsided a little by the time they reached it, and the moon was now visible, and the brilliant light illuminated the ground.
It was cold though. Serias pulled the door open to the tavern and sighed as warm air poured out and onto him.
He stepped inside and began searching the crowd for two familiar elven faces. He spotted sitting in a corner talking with each other.
Serias led Halath and Milani through the tightly packed crowd, and sat down next to Cassi.
Serias had always felt comfortable around Cassi. He had always thought of her as one of his best friends, above Aler, Milani, Relok and even Nalor. He figured that this was because she was the second friend he had ever had. As a kid he ran away from his family. When he was 15 he met Halath and his family, who took him in. He met Cassi and Nalor through Halath. He had introduced them soon after he had started staying with them. He and Nalor had not gotten along very well for a while, but he and Cassi had been friends from the start. Now, as adults, he and Nalor had become friends, and joined up with Aler, Relok and Milani.
"Long time no see!" He said.
"Not long enough," Cassi said, smiling.
"That's cold," he said, "Maybe I'll get a better response from Nalor?"
"Yeah! Even if my sister wants to be a jerk, I'll say that it's nice to have our leader back!" he bowed to Serias jokingly.
"Leader?" Serias asked, "I couldn't lead a pack of hungry dogs to meat!"
"Well, what does that make us?" He asked, motioning to Halath, Milani and himself, "We all went separate ways when you left," He said, "I truly believe that the only reason that we are together now is that you're back!"
"No way," Serias said, and shook his head.
"It's true Serias," Cassi said," the only reason that we're here now is because you were supposed to be back,"
"Hey! What about us!" Someone said.
Serias turned around in his seat to find Relok standing behind him.
"Don't' I have anything to do with it?" He asked.
Nalor laughed," Yeah right! Like anyone would come back for you," He said sarcastically.
Relok walked over to Nalor and punched him in the arm. Not hard, just a friendly punch.
"By the way, what happened to you?" Nalor asked, pointing to the bandage on his neck.
"I was attacked at Celes pass," He said, "Milani would be able to explain better,"
Nalor turned to Milani.
She began to explain the whole situation to Nalor.
"Where's Aler?" Serias asked him, after waiting for the warrior to come in.
"He went to grab the horses that he bought in Tier," Relok said.
As he said this, Aler burst through the door of the tavern and ran to their table.
"The town is under attack!" He said," They're burning it!"
"Are you kidding?" Serias asked him.
Aler just stared at him.
"Alright," Serias said.
All of them stood up quickly, and unsheathed their weapons.
"Everyone," Serias said to the crowded tavern, as the civilians cowered at the sight of the weapons, "Flee the city. We are under attack!"
He and his companions left the building, and headed towards the main part of the city.
Over the hill they could see the light from the flames bouncing off the clouds of smoke. Relok got to the top of the hill first. He turned back to them.
"Run!" He yelled, and started sprinting the other way," It's Maliryuth!"
Serias followed Relok as he sprinted towards the woods, and the Silent Mountains.
The seven companions made it into the trees and stopped in the pitch black to catch their breath.