A.N. Finally decided on what I want my first fanfiction on this site to be. Just recently played through Fable again and go the adventure story vibes we all know love to blossom into a good fanfiction. This is just a starter chapter, to warm up, and is more kind of a prologue. Anyways, I hope you guys enjoy it!
It was snowy and cold outside, like it always was in the middle of Winter. What birds there were stayed in their nests, snuggled up in the warmth of their shelter. It was close to the Eve of Generosity Week, and everybody was busy, even this late into the night. Stores were constantly replacing stock, and some were selling faster than they could replenish, forcing them to close for a few valuable days. Customers from all walks of life, from the uppity aristocrats to the shuffling peasants, turned into a frothing horde of sale-crazed shoppers, hell-bent on making this Generosity Week the best there was, while saving a pretty penny. Elbows broke ribs and feet tripped those who were too slow to keep up.
However, there were a few who were not tearing each other apart for a good deal. A small group of children huddled around the tiniest campfire, hand shivering as they warmed themselves as best they could. Rags did nothing against the winds and they all clutched to each other for warmth. But they didn't come here for the fire. No, they had gathered together like mice in a hole to listen to the fantastical stories of none-other than the best tale weaver in town, Rose.
Here she sat now, hands up in the air while their sibling watched quietly, smiling. Rose was always so serious, but when it came to stories, it was her passion. Maybe she could become a bard, if they made it to adulthood.
Finishing her most recent story, she sighed, leaning back on the pile of rags that was her seat.
"Well, I think that's all I've got in me for now… We should all get to bed."
Protests rose up immediately, as the children resisted her command and begged for yet another story. Chuckling, Rose stretched and then looked over at her sibling, head tilted.
"What do you think, Little Sparrow?"
Sparrow nodded vigorously, too shy to speak in front of all these people. Laughing, Rose turned to her audience, and dusted her gown down.
"Alright, one more, but one more only!"
Anything to hear another story. The children all nodded energetically.
"Okay, okay. Now gathered closer, kids. This one is scary~"
Various 'Oohs' and 'Aahs' from the small crowd.
"The story I am about to tell you now, I was not told as a child. I read it from a book. A forbidden one!"
Tiny children gasped, the thought of doing something forbidden sounding scandalous.
"This is the tale of the Four Dragons of the Apocalypse, and the beginning of Albion…"
Once upon a time, long before there were castles and nobles and big shops, before humans had even crawled out from their caves, and even before the sun first touched the earth, there was the kingdom of dragons. There were so many, that it was said that their wings were what blotted out the sun. They could shift mountains, freeze oceans, and kill giants with a single blow.
They lived in a war-torn world, where teeth flew and blood was spilled over territories at the drop of a pin, and in the end, it was the dragons who brought about their own end, until only a few remained.
Humans had always lived in caves, terrified of the great beasts that would ravage what crops they grew and killed what children they could bear. But when the great wings stopped flapping and the sun could be seen for the first time, they cautiously began to leave their homes.
At first, everything was harsh. The sun was too bright, the weather too dry, the food too scarce. There were no trees, for the dragons had burned them all up. Slowly, humans began to starve and freeze, unable to find food or shelter.
It was then that four dragons looked on at humans from their slumber, watching the scared and naked beings try to survive. The eldest dragon, Ku'uroth, looked to his siblings and laughed. In his rough dragon tongue, he spoke.
"Those creatures are resilient. Even in a world with nothing, they try to survive."
His sister, Neruak, was the first to reply.
"Perhaps we should help them. We are, after all, the reason they have nothing."
The other brother, Heruak, nodded, being the kindest one.
"We can breathe warmth into the earth and make clouds to keep the sun from burning them!"
But the youngest sister was spiteful. She thought that the humans were weak and deserved to die. Je'eknul voiced her concerns but was ignored.
And so, the four set out. Humans scattered in their presence but the dragons took measures not to hurt them. Heruak opened up volcanoes and let the magma create continent and islands, and Neruak blew seeds across the land to make the earth fertile again.
Ku'uroth used his knowledge and showed the humans how to make tools and homes, how to make fire of their own.
Je'eknul, however, did not help. She watched from the cave, angry that her voice had been ignored. As the youngest sibling, nobody paid her any heed. So she went off in secret, and found ancient dragons texts on black magic.
While her siblings created animals and friendly creatures, she began to create banshees and balverines and hobbes. She spread her wings and created the night, forcing Ku'uroth and Heruak to intervene and create the moon and stars.
The siblings knew what Je'eknul was doing, and they did everything they could to protect the humans from her monstrous creations. With his fire and passion, Heruak did give them swords and armor, and taught them how to fight. Ku'uroth, with his ancient knowledge and calm nature, gave them showed them battle strategy and how to train. Neruak, with her affinity for the wind and life, showed them how to make bows, and taught them healing practices.
Je'eknul was outraged, and devoted herself to her dark studies. Slipping into the homes of the humans, she stole away three children and tore their souls apart. And then she delved into the ancient catacombs of Dragon burial grounds, searching for the perfect souls to merge them with.
She chose the darkest souls she could find; the souls of the first three dragons to be born, whom spawned the entire dragon race and then proceeded to reign over the race. They eventually killed each other while vying for the throne.
The Dragon uttered dark words, and fused the souls of the Dragons and the children together. She would create the three most powerful humans on the planet and destroy all that her ignorant siblings created. And so, the Court of Blades was born.
The other three did not know of their sister's plans, too busy helping the humans. Je'eknul trained her Court with harsh words and imbued them with forbidden magic. In secret, she studied ancient Dragon texts, searching for the perfect spell to exact revenge on her siblings.
While Je'eknul hid in her cave, the beginnings of the Old Kingdom were born. Great kings and queens ruled over the land, building a great castle to watch over their subjects. The three siblings were proud, and watched over the humans with care, keeping Albion safe.
But when the Old Kingdom was at its peak, there was a deep, dark stirring in the earth. Suddenly, the earth split in two, and created a great pit from while Je'eknul and her Court rose. The time spent in the caves and travelling into the Void had twisted them into dark monsters. The youngest sister wore a mask made from the bones of Humans, forged into the perfect shape. Spreading her skeletal wings, she sent her army of monsters and demons into the world.
War broke out, and the three dragon siblings were forced to fight back with all their might. But it was too much. Soon they were forced down and were captured. Brought before Je'eknul by the Court, the three looked up with teary eyes as they watched their sister, twisted by hate and anger, condemned them to a fate worse than death.
"I will make you the commanders of the world's end!"
And then she screamed out ancient words, her screeches echoing out into the stars and rumbled back, a thousand times louder. Her siblings began to change, writhing on the ground. The magic bent their wills and twisted them, making them into beings like her.
Ku'uroth was stripped of his calm and collected manner. He became the raging Dragon of War, with teeth like needles and wings full of flames.
Neruak felt her ability to give life fade away, and her wings shriveled up to the point they were useless. Emaciated and hungry, she became the Dragon of Famine, bringing hunger and infestations wherever she flew.
Heruak fought back as hard as he could, but a sick black illness took over him. Flesh rotted off him and he groaned. His wings blew a foul black wind as he fought. And so he became the Dragon of Plague, spreading death wherever he dared to breathe.
The youngest sibling laughed, turning to her Court, and smiled at them. She lowered her head and purred at them, proud of her creations.
"You have served me well, and so I will award you my former siblings. You will become their riders, and command them as you destroy the world they once held so dear~"
To the Knight of Blades, she gave Heruak, for the Knight loved to watch Humans spiral into madness and disease as he tortured them.
To the Queen of Blades, she gave Neruak, so she could watch the Humans shrivel up into nothing but husks, from which she could suck the life from.
And to the youngest, Jack of Blades, she gave Ku'uroth, for only a being more chaotic than the Dragon of War would be able to control it.
Sending her warriors out into the world, she made her way towards the castle, cackling. The Dragon of Death would kill the rulers last. But unbeknownst to her, her siblings had one last ace card.
As they were destroyed and rebuilt, they put all their energy into one human. A single human child who had never fought a day in his life. He was the epitome of innocence, the opposite of those abominations in the Court.
The boy transformed into a god-like being, and the spirits of the former god-Dragons spoke to him.
"We have chosen you to save this war-torn world. You must defeat the Court of Blades. We will guide you."
And then they gave him the most powerful weapon they could, the power of Will.
It would be years before the child would be able to fight the Court. Tearing the world asunder, the demons established a choke hold on the Old Kingdom. They flooded the world and burned it down to force the people to obey, driving them insane with their mind-twisting magic.
Meanwhile, the boy was growing up, performing immense magical feats with the assistance of the dragon spirits. He became known as William Black, the first Archon of the Old Kingdom. He turned his obsessions to defeating the Court, not that he was old enough and strong enough. He studied for years, consulting text after tome after story.
We all know how William defeated the Court, of course, and became ill with a fatal illness that caused him to vanish from the world. And that was how Albion truly came to be, dear listeners.
The children stared in awe, huddled together as Rose took a deep breath, folding her hands in front of her stomach and smiling at her tiny audience.
"Personally, I think it's all a load of rubbish."
The kids all laughed, and slowly, reluctantly, began to disperse. The Little Sparrow was clapping, beaming wide at their sister.
"That was fun. Now let's head back home. Tomorrow is the beginning of Generosity Week and I want us to be up bright and early in case somebody leaves us something~"
And then the two siblings headed towards their little hut at the end of the street, Sparrow kicking snow over the fire to put it out.
I'll let you guys decide just how accurate that story Rose told was! Of course, we all know old tales like that tend to be twisted with fantasy, but who knows, right? Also, Sparrow is intended to be gender-neutral in this story. I may change my mind later, however.
But you guys know the drill, R&R or something.