This is a character background story created by me for a Dungeon and Dragons campaign. All of the characters are originals and were created and built on the concepts of the D&D manuals and rule books. Feel free to use this as a background story for a character if you would like. If you would like character stats or any information for a character sheet feel free to leave a comment or message me privately. I will respond as soon as I see it.
A loud screeching roar pierced the skies that crisp fall morning. Almost everyone from the village heard it. Many left their houses and tried to see through the thick fog that had shrouded the town in the twilight hours. At the center of town, right above the large fountain, a flash of gold followed by a radiant emerald green was barely visible. Another screech cut through, it seemed it was making its way towards the Guild master's house at the edge of town. Many the town's residents rushed back inside, bared their doors, and peered out through their windows. A few of the Guild workers that were on their way in to start the furnaces that morning stopped heading towards it and started following the roars. Two of them broke off and sprinted towards Guild. Another roar could be heard throughout town. The pebbles lodged in between the cobblestone roads danced for mere moments as a ground shook from the bellowing roars. Finally, a weak roar was heard and died down to labored breathing. The closer the Guild workers came to the master's house the louder the labored breathing became.
"Rywin…" A Guild worker panted breathlessly as he stopped at the top of the 3rd flight of stairs at the Guild master's office. "Something has crashed down from the sky near your house, I think Selene could be in trouble." Rywin rose up in shock absorbing the news. He was in his mid-30's and had an average build to him, he was not to heavyset but had a slight stomach on him, but it was barely noticeable due to his tall stature. His standout features were his strong jawline and sharp brown eyes. He always kept his light brown hair neatly trimmed, except for his scruffy beard that had a reddish tint to it. He had a knack for business and had inherited and earned the guild masters position from his late father right before his death 12 years ago.
He shoved his way past the messenger and flew down the stairs. His house was a good 10 minutes' walk from the Guild but it could be ran in 5. The fog was thick and wet and seemed to amplify his feet heavily hitting the uneven cobblestone as he dashed towards his home. "Please be okay. Please be okay." Rywin panted as he neared his house. As he got closer the fog started wisping away, he could see a tangled emerald green coil that had to be 20 feet long slumped in front of a few the townsfolk and Guild members. They kept their distance because a snake-like creature was reared up over 6 feet and looked ready to strike. Well, it looked like a snake at least except it was massive, had radiant golden wings sprouting from its side and had them spread open behind it. Its right wing was hanging slightly lower than the other was covered in bright red blood. There were numerous lacerations on its body as well as one deep cut running across its face. Small streams of blood were leaking from it wounds and seeping between its scales, pooling on the ground around it. Small droplets of blood were dripping from its right fang, splattering on the ground with each labored breath the creature took.
"It can't be...no one has seen one of these for over a century." Rywin sputter in astonishment. He had only heard of them in myths told by his grandfather, but it matched everything he was told when he was a boy. "A Couatl?!"
"What the hell is a Couatl?" someone near him shouted in a panic.
"Couatl are said to be ancient creatures created by the gods to guard and guide heirs of prophecies? What the hell is one doing here?"
"I SEEK RYWIN TITANSHARD!" A thundering female voice boomed in everyone's head near the Couatl. Everyone hunched over in pain, squeezing their heads from the voice that had invaded their minds. The Couatls' tongue flicked at the air as it stared everyone down. Rywin weakly lifted a hand from his temples and replied. "I am Rywin the Guild master. What do you seek of me?" The Couatl lowered its wings and it lowered its guard. It spoke again, softer, but still overpowering. "Everyone else but Rywin and Selene leave. This is a matter for us to discuss and us alone. No harm will come to them or anyone else this town."
The Couatl reared up higher this time and spread its wings wide once more to emphasize the importance of its statement. The villagers and townsfolk that were there quickly turned and began to make their way back to town, they were too in awe and frightened to stay.
"My name is Lillobis, I have been sent by Galladia the compassionate and hopeful." Lillobis lowered her wings and cast Cure Wounds on herself. Steam started to rise from the cuts on her body, slowly pulling the wounds closed but leaving faint scars where the cuts were. The blood that had seeped into the golden feathers on its wings faded. The golden luster that was once there returned. "We shall head inside, we have much to discuss Rywin." Lillobis serpentined towards the door and at the same time polymorphed into a smaller form of itself. She was now only about 5 feet long and had folded her wings against her sides. The golden plume on the end of her tail swayed hypnotically in the air.
Lillobis waited next to the door as Rywin opened it for the Couatl to go inside. Once inside she immediately made her way to the kitchen like she'd been there thousand times before. She slid up the leg of the table and coiled herself in the center. The familiar sound of bare feet coming down the stairs began to echo within the kitchen. Selene's Rubin-esque figure came into view as she entered the kitchen. She was still in her cream-colored night gown when she came in. Her long golden hair hung flatly against her back and shoulders, with just a few stray hairs covering her face, her pale blue eyes still had sleep in them but were wide open like she had been startled awake. "Rywin, what was that noise, and that booming voice that I heard? And why are you back from the Guild so soon?" Selene had not yet noticed Lillobis coiled center of the table. "We have a guest." Rywin said nodding to the snakelike creature on the table. Selene shifted her view from Rywin's chiseled face to the Couatl. Covering her mouth and gasping at the sight, she stood frozen in place. Lillobis nodded her head down in what seemed like a bow and nudged her head to the side towards the empty seat next to Rywin. Selene, still in shock, obeyed the motions of the Couatl and took a seat next to him.
"I have been sent as a messenger from Lady Galladia. She is currently waging war with demons on another plain in the underworld. Lady Galladia wanted to come in person to guide and teach your son. Sadily though, she foresaw that she would fall in battle and sent me in her steed."
"But we don't have a son." Rywin said as he wrought his hands together, there was pain behind his next words. "The last two times Selene was with child, they passed before coming into this world."
"In seven months' time you will have one." Lillobis again nodded to Selene and outstretched a golden wing to her stomach, lightly brushing the tips of her feathers against it. "Riston, will have to bear a great burden the future but he will have companions at his side to help along the way. I will remain here to guide him for as long as I can. The gears of fate have already entangled him, and the most we can do is help those gears run smoothly and strengthen his resolve."
"Twenty-five years have passed since that day that Lillobis came to join our family." Rywin boasted as he once again told the story to Riston and his 12-year-old daughter Sashura. Rywin had told the story to them many, many times over the years, they practically knew every word by heart. Lillobis was curled up beside Riston on the floor peacefully sleeping. "It's time for you two to head up to bed for the evening. You both have a big day tomorrow." "I know, I know." Chimed Riston "It's time for the semi-annual trip to the town of Rustrun for the alchemist's guild bazaar." This would be the 5th year he would make this trip without his father accompanying him. He had gotten used to it and was looking forward to spending time with Lillobis, she always accompanied him and his two other friends from the guild on these trips.
"I'll have the horses and the carts loaded up by the morning, so the caravan should have no issue leaving on time." Rywin groaned as he stood from his comfortable but battered old chair next to the fire. "And you, little lady, have your first day of Apothecaries training at the guild tomorrow." he said tussling the hair on her head as he made his way towards the front door. Sashura looked like a spitting image of her mother, just smaller. She had a few friends in town who were apprentice alchemists in the guild as well.
They both obediently went up the old creaky stairs and made their way to their bedrooms. Sleep did not come easy to Riston that night. He tossed and turned trying to drift off but just ended up staring at the shadows dancing across the ceiling for what seemed like hours before finally succumbing to sleep. The moon was full that night and visions always came to him in his dreams on nights like these. Lillobis quietly opened the door to Riston's room. She had polymorphed into a rather alluring voluptuous woman around the same age as Riston. Her hair color was a radiant golden color that matched her wings we she was in her Couatl form. It came down to just above her chest and had a slight wave to it. She usually wore it in a high ponytail instead of down. Her eyes were the same brilliant emerald green color that matched her scales as well. When she was in her human form she usually had a bright warm smile on her face that captivated nearly everyone. She normally took this form when she had to mingle in crowds in town, and when she was away from Duskveil. She sat at the edge of his bed and brushed her fingers lightly against his cheek. She closed her eyes and cast Dream on Riston as she had done so many times before to help him sleep on night like these. Even though Lady Galladia had died over two decades ago she was still influencing their dreams.
The town of Duskveil, my town, was under attack. More so it was the long-abandoned castle half built into the mountain that was under siege, Durvarax Nemtosh the Ancient Silver Dragon had claimed it for himself. Every time a large ball of green fire erupted, part of the Keep fell and pieces of the mountain dislodged. The rubble from the Keep, and parts of the mountain, were crashing down on the town. Anything these boulders hit was destroyed. I could hear Durvarax bellow from within the Keep. Duskveil had been an established town for over 200 years there was always a rumor of an old sage from the mountains that would come down every so often for medicine and supplies. Sometimes 20 or 30 years would pass before he would be seen again but usually it was ever few weeks we would see him. He never seemed to age no matter how much time had passed. My family was one of the few families in town that knew that Durvarax Nemtosh the old sage was the Ancient Silver dragon. Everyone in town had met him at some point but they just never realize who he truly was.
Everything was in ruins, there were only a handful of people in town who had survived the onslaught of the mountain. Most of the ones that had survived the fray were injured. Another roar cut through the sound of the falling rocks. A great shadow covered the town as Durvarax plummeted to the earth. He landed in front of me, the ground quaked as he hit. His wings were tattered and he was covered in blood. His hide was covered in large Iron crossbow bolts, attached to the ends were chains that had broken off, they had tried to snare him. A banner was tangled in one of the chains, a sigil I had never seen before was stitched into it. Two lines intersecting perpendicular through the middle of a circle. At the ends of the lines there were pikes with severed heads jammed onto them. One of the heads was a human and the other was clearly a dragon, the other two I had never seen before.
Durvaraxs' mercury colored eyes looked longingly towards the sky for a moment before shifting and focusing on me. His great voice now rumbled from his tattered throat. "Little one, I'm am sorry my presence here has brought such destruction to your town. They were after the relics in my Lair." He sputtered and coughed, a torrent of blood spilled from his mouth and pooled around my feet. "They had a Lich with them. A Lich more powerful than I had ever encountered." He weakly lifted his massive head and focused all of his attention on me. "Sashura, I will give this to you and your brother in hopes that it will aid you in the future" He coughed again this time two small orbs spilled from his mouth. One was an otherworldly green and the other a pale blue. Each was about the size of a small plum "Lillobis will tell you how to use them. Your brother will be here soon...I entrust these to you." The light in his kind eyes grew dim, his massive head slowly lowered to the ground. His eyes closed and his ragged breathing came to a slow end. I looked down at the orbs in my hands, but these were not my hands they were my sisters. She quickly put the orbs into her satchel and started running towards our house where Lillobis was.
Drenched in a cold sweat, my eyes ripped open. It was almost dawn. The dream played through my mind in excruciatingly crisp detail. I couldn't shake the images loose no matter how long I laid there. "Why was I Sashura?" I thought to myself. Lillobis was coiled up at the foot of my bed. I sat up in bed and looked down near my feet where she was. Lillobis stirred, stretched, and was up as well. In the middle of her coils, was an egg-shaped gem that fit snugly in the palm of my hand, she had let me hold it a few times. It had the color of brilliant blue sapphire and was semi-transparent. Every time I saw this egg over the last two months it captivated me. I had never seen gem that looked this beautiful in all of my life.
Lillobis had left for a few months around a year ago and shortly after she had come back, she had laid this egg. She usually left it in a small nest in a corner of the living room, so it was puzzling why she had it with her now. I finished getting out of bed and started to get dressed to head downstairs. I caught a look at my face in the small polished bronze square that I had propped up against the head board. I've been told by many people that I had a flawless face. I had the strong, stern jawline of my father but had the soft gentle eyes of my mother. They were a very, very light blue almost gray in color with small flecks of emerald green on the outer fringes of my iris. My hair was a deep chestnut brown in came down to just over my shoulders, and always had a slight wave to it, like Lillobis's, And I usually would pull it back into a short low ponytail to keep it out of my face whenever I was working.
I had just put my pants on when Lillobis started to speak. "I won't be able to go with you on this time, but I want you to take this in place of me." She looked down at the egg and brushed gently it with her golden wing. "keep it safe and let no one know you have it. I'll tell you more about it when you return from Rustrun." She loosened her grip on it and let me cradle it in my hands. "keep it with you at all times." She said looking at me with a motherly gaze. I gently wrapped it in a small cloth and slid it inside the rucksack I was taking with me.
I finished getting dressed and headed downstairs to eat something before I set off on the daylong journey to Rustrun. I was expecting to see everyone in the kitchen eating like normal but the only one that was there was my mother, Selene. "Where is everyone?" I questioned as I grabbed the plate of food that was on the table. "Your sister, has already left for the guild to start her training and your father went to bed about an hour ago."
"Where isDurvarax? For the last few years he's been here to see me off every time I had to leave town for more than just a day or two?"
"You can always go in check and see if he's in his Keep." She flatly proposed and nodded to the old circular dented silver shield that was affixed to the wall. "Just know that if you do go see him before you leave, you might not make it to Rustrun until after nightfall. Even with Danton and Burell with you, I doubt they would be able to fend off everything that comes out of the woods after dark when Rustrun draws its bridges up at night."
I finished my plate of food and walked over to the shield and raised my hand to touch it like I had done so many times before but stopped myself just short of my fingertips grazing it cold surface. This shield was imbued with a transportation spell. If I thought about Durvarax's Keep while I touched it, I would be instantly transported there. Durvarax said I had earned it and gifted it to me over 10 years ago. After one of his many visits, before I had known that he was an ancient Silver Dragon, I followed him up the mountain. He looked like an old man but was able to nimbly climb up the side of the mountain like he was just walking down a flat road. I had lost sight of him for a few hours but was able to pick up on his trail, finally made it to his house. It was a great castle that had been long abandoned by a king and was in decay all except for Durvarax Keep. When I entered in the Great Hall to the castle, a great silver dragon was staring me down. The dragon's eyes were the same as his, I stood there paralyzed in fear, and that's when he polymorphed into the familiar old man I called a friend. "Now you know who I really am." He said warmly. "Take the shield against the wall when you leave. Whenever you would like to come back here, place you hand upon it. Think of this place and you will be brought here instantly to where the sister shield is located." He motioned to a similar shield against the opposite wall.
"Ohy, Riston are you ready to go!" Dranton shouted breaking me from my memories.
"Bye Mum." I said as I grabbed my rucksack and kissed her on the cheek. I gently slung it over my shoulder, remembering about the egg, and made my way out.
The sun was casting long morning shadows across the front yard. It was a crisp mid-spring morning. Cold dew was still clinging to the grass. "Where's Lillobis? Is she not coming this time?" Questioned Danton. I had known him since I was a kid, me was more of a brother than a friend. He was 3 years younger than me and had a friendly smile and that seemed to radiate from his dark brown eyes too.
"She said she wasn't able to come this time." I thought of the egg again. "Hopefully she'll be able to go next time."
"Damn." he said kicking the dirt with his worn leather boot. "She always draws a big crowd and boosts sales."
He shrugged his shoulders and made his way over to the lead cart and sat next to Burell his older brother. The horses were pawing at the dirt and were restless and ready to go. So, with that I took my rucksack off sat behind the driver's board. We started making our way through the center of town heading towards the main road then east towards Rustrun. Everyone was up and out of their homes in town to see us off, they waved at us as we passed. I glanced up at the mounts sheer walls, recalling the dream I had again. I looked up at the craggy cliffs poised above the buildings that were nestled against the gray mountain and shivered. I have lived here all my life and hove only ever ventured a few days' away from Duskveil. As we exited town and started making our way down the steep sides of the mountain towards a valley, I starting to feel lonely and had a pang of dread in my stomach. I had gotten used to Lillobis teachings throughout the years on these daylong trips. She had taught me many things that she had learned throughout her centuries of life. I had learned to speak Celestial and the Draconic languages, she knew them all but had just started with these two. She also taught me a great deal about Arcana, which helped me hone my ability to recall lore about spells, magic items, eldritch symbols, magical traditions, and other creatures. She had also taught me a few spells as well. Such as light, magic hand, prestidigitation, cure wounds, ice knife, and one of my favorites chromatic orb. She said I had a knack for sorcerer spells as well as some low-level cleric spells. A few others in the village could cast as well but they were far-few-and-in-between. My sister was one of the few that could also use some of the cleric spells. The journey went on like normal as it always had to Rustrun we only encountered a few weak creatures or bandits that were hardly worth the amount of effort we put in to get rid of them.
We arrived at Rustrun about an hour before the bridges were to be drawn up. Our normal bazaar spot was waiting for us and had a long night ahead of us setting up everything. At the bazaar we sold many of the healing and alchemy potions that our guild was known for, we also sold our older alchemy kits that were out dated and no longer had need. Danton and Burell usually ran the stand where the carts were while I had better luck procuring new materials for the guild and items for the town. I had a kind of supernatural knack for persuasion and bartering with the other vendors. I was able to almost always get extremely good prices for most of the goods, it also helped that I was pretty good-looking as well, I had especially good luck when the vendors and merchants were women.
The Bazaar lasted for 5 days. It was uneventful and easygoing for the most part. I was able to save a decent amount on supplies this time around. I had a new strategy to test out. The first day I would just browse the streets and stalls making note of where everything was, as well as the prices, this time I also made note of the female vendors. By doing this I had no issue getting things cheaper, especially if I waited until the next to the last day when they just wanted to get rid of everything. I felt a little bit of guilt doing it this way but it was small in comparison to what I saved because, I valued a deal more than the weight of the guilt. On the last day, a few hours before we were to start loading up that evening to leave the next morning, I had wandered into a weapons shop in a shady part of town. I tightened the leads on the leather bracers on my wrists that held the pale-green pea sized opaque casting crystals in place. I pulled the dark blue hood up on my cloak and concealed most of my face before entering the shop. There was only a young female merchant behind the counter. The room was lit by an eerie greenish-blue glow from a few lanterns spread throughout the shop. I looked through the cases and bins; mostly just long swords, maces, axes, various staffs, and a few ranged weapons. I was about to leave when out of the corner of my eye I caught the gleam of a pair of daggers mostly concealed behind a few bags of caltrops. A bluish hue reflected off of the shiny tanto styled blades. The end of the rear quillon came up into a flourishing curve that joined with a forefinger ring, so your fingers would be protected from strikes when you guarded with them. They had a dark silver, almost gray, etchings and embossments along the handles and slightly up the blades. The symbols and etchings were in a language I could not recognize.
I knelt down to get a better look at them behind the case. "I have to these!" I though. I stood up and pulled my hood back to reveal my face and turned towards the merchant at the same time. I finally got a good look at her, she was rather beautiful. Her hair was a silverish gray and her eyes were the darkest shade of blue I had ever seen. She had a thousand-yard-stare and seemed uninterested in anything around her. Her petite frame that was covered in a deep purple apron that was way too big for her and a white blouse that hung off of her arms. When we locked eyes, her expression never faltered. "I see you're interested in the elven daggers." She said flatly. "They have a fairly high price and I am not sure I really want to part with them." She narrowed her eyes and peered deeper into mine. I could feel her pry her way into my mind, I fought against it but she easily got want she wanted.
She did not blink nor break her stare, it was like she was looking through me. After a moment she spoke again, this time in a more somber voice. "I'll part with them… they will aid you greatly in your future." she removed the daggers from the case and cast Light. The dim light in the lanterns lit up in a bright pure light and the blades gleamed radiantly in it. She removed the matching shiny onyx colored sheaths that the daggers were propped against and slid them inside. "80 gold." She whispered. "No…I'll part with them for 30 gold." I took the payment out of the pouch on my hip and placed it in her palm. As I did she gently placed her other hand over mine. Her hands were cold and slim, her fingers lightly wrapped around my outstretched hand. "What you saw has passed hurry back. They need you. This was the final cog."
I backed away more from the shock of her cold touch that at what she had said. I quickly thanked her and affixed the daggers and their sheaths on my belt under my cloak on each side. I hastily made my way out of the shop and from the back alleys to the bustling main streets of the bazaar. I had a deep feeling of dread I the pit of my stomach finally taking in the words she had said. It was about a 20-minute walk back to our stall; the gates would be closing in three hours, I had no time to waste. I picked up my pace and began to move as fast as I could through the crowds without calling attention to myself. When I reached the stalls Danton and Burell were talking with a customer over a few alchemy kits. I pulled Danton to the side, still giddy from the previous sale, he started going over what we had left.
"We have sold almost everything we had come with and are going back with just about as much as we had left with in new supplies. Your new methods payed off well and put a hefty profit in our pockets too. It was all thanks to you Ris..." He said happily as he slapped me on the back.
I cut him off. "We have to go before the bridge is up. I think something has happened in Duskveil." I said sharply. He looked and had a confused smile on his face, like what I had said did not register with him. "We have to go, now!" I reiterated. He finally saw the look in my eyes and knew I was serious.
"Ha..hey Burell. We need to go." He said shakily over his shoulder waving his hand at him to call him over. "Riston thinks something happened in Duskveil." Burell finished up the sale quickly by dropping the price by 8 gold and immediately came over. "What's going on?" he mused. I stared to explain the dream I had the night before we left and how it was strange that both Durvarax did not see us off like normal and that Lillobis did not come with us. I didn't mention the egg the she had left me, but I told them what the shop Keep woman had told me.
"So, either I need to leave and take one of the horses and leave tonight, or we all leave right now before the bridges are up."
"I have another dealer coming by in an hour or so. He was going to pay a premium price for the rest of the Alchemy kits." Burell stated. "We have about 30 left."
"I think you should wait. I'm worried about the roads at night. There have been numerous sightings of bandits around the area lately, especially since most of the merchants are leaving town tomorrow." Danton exclaimed.
"I will only take Duval." I said motioning to the stables. "And my rucksack with a day's worth of rations. Use the guilds funds to purchase another horse, selling the kits will more than make up for it. I started making my way over to the carts. "I have to go. If we were to be attacked I would rather it just be one of us than all three of us." I grabbed a saddle from the back and started fastening it on the youngest of the two horses. I was ready to go in 15 minutes. I checked the sun. I had an hour before the gates were up and it would take around 40 minutes to get to them through the crowds, night would be here soon.
I had to think this through. "Since it was a full moon on the night before we left there would be a decent amount of light to guide me back to Duskveil. Most bandits would attack about an hour out from what I could remember when hearing about past attacks. If we went at a trot for the first 45 minutes I could gallop for almost two hours to get past the bandit's threats in the woods. I'm not sure what dangers I would encounter after that but I'm sure I could make it around dawn or just after. I should be able to cut out about 4 hours' time." I muttered to myself as I pulled myself up into Duval's saddle.
"I'm off. I hope it is nothing, but I have to trust my gut and what that shopkeeper said, it was too on the nose. Thinking about what she said still sends shivers down my spine."
"Good luck my friends." Danton said placing his hand on Duvals' shoulder. "Be careful out there." Danton chimed in.
I grabbed the reins and made my way towards the gate. The torches were being lit by the lamplighters of the town. I made it to the bridge of Rustrun and broke into a slow gallop before coming off of it.
To my right and left was the large flat open fields that I would be on for a while like I had planned. "The woods are what I have to worry about though, I'll be in them for a few hours before arriving at the base of the mountain trail that would take up the most of the journey."
The open fields were calm under the bright moonlight, I could see clearly with no issues almost like it was day. "I have always been able to see easily in low light levels another one of my "gifts" I guess." I chuckled to myself. "It will come in handy in the woods." I muttered.
As soon as I reached the woods I started a full-on gallop. I saw a few small fires burning further off in the woods, but I was moving through too fast for the people or creatures around them to even bother with me. One small band gave chase but gave up after following me for a few miles when they realized they could not catch me. If I held my hand against Duval's neck he seemed to never tire and could Keep a steady pace. I had noticed a similar effect when I was tending to someone who was sick back in town. They seemed to recover very quickly.
We made it through the woods and started making our way up the winding path to Duskveil. The moon was high in the sky now, I figured it was going to be dawn in around six hours from now. I still had around 8 hours on the mountain trails before I would be there. I had to slow down and take it easy. If we went to fast we could plummet over the edge into a chasm or the dark woods below. It was the same as always on the mountain paths, they were too narrow for any attacks, but it was slow going. As dawn came I was rounding the top of the last mountain before ours just as the sun started to crest over it. I squinted in the bright morning light. Finally, a cloud partially covered the sun and my vision was no longer obscured.
That was when I saw it, or rather didn't see it.
Normally I could see Durvarax's castle and keep from here, but all that stood in its place was a pile of rubble. A thin wispy line of pale white smoke was making its way up from the smoldering piles and mingling with the clouds. My heart sank and the blood drained from my face. "NO, No! It cannot be true it was just a dream. It was just a fucking dream! Damn it!" I roared, slapping my palm against the horn of the saddle.
I snapped the reins down hard causing Duval to flat out sprint down the mountain path towards town. It was the fastest I had ever traveled the familiar paths in all of the 25 years I had known them. As I rounded the bend into town, I realized now that it was not a dream but a vision. Everything that I had seen in the dream had come to pass. Most of the homes and buildings in the town had been destroyed and were in ruins. Many of my friends and neighbors had died in the calamity. Their corpses lined the street, it looked like many had died from their injuries. There were pools of diluted red water under many of the boulders scattered through the town. When I came to the town center where the fountain stood I saw it. I pulled back on the reins. "This can't be real." Durvaraxs' body, he was on his side like I had seen him. That accursed banner I had seen in the vision was there as well. The guild headquarters was directly across from the fountain. It had been smashed by a giant slab falling off of the mountain. It was nothing but a pile of rubble and splintered wood. I dismounted from Duval and placed my hand against Durvarax. His scales were cold and dull against my palms, he had been dead for a while. "I'm sorry I was not here for you…I should have never left." I choaked out as tears started to stream down my cheeks. I balled my fists in rage and let the tears of anger keep coming. Rage, fury, sadness, and guilt. Every one of these emotions ripped through me. I raised my fists in anger and hit his sides. "They'll pay. They'll fucking pay for this. I grabbed the tattered banner and ripped it from the chains and hastily shoved it in the rucksack.
This was where my dream had ended, I remembered the two orbs that Sashura was given. I mounted Duval and made my way home. Again, at top speed.
Houses were damaged the whole way there but seemed to lessen as I got closer to home. The west wall of our house had been destroyed but the rest of the house was mostly intact and could be rebuilt. Sashura and my mother ran out of the house as soon as they heard the galloping sounds coming up the cobblestone path. I jumped off of Duval while he was still moving and landed right in front of them. "You saw, didn't you? Sashura exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in my chest and sobbed. "Lillobis, told me about the dream she cast on you before you left." She pulled away from me and wiped her tears away. Before she could say anything else, mother cut in.
"Your father…" mom choked out as she started to cry. She could not get the rest of it out and buried her face in her hands. I knew what had happened. I saw the guild. I could not control my rage again. I slammed my fists down on the ground and hard as I could, pummeling it ground to try and releave the hatred filling me. I collapsed in a heaping pile of rage and tears after my knuckles were bloody, raw, and bruised. Sashura came over and put her had on my back trying to comfort me. She kneeled down and removed the two plum sized orbs from her satchel at her side and held the pale blue one out to me. "Lillobis said it would all make sense as soon as you hold this in your hand and against your chest."
"Lillobis!?" My eyes went wide. "Where is she?" I spat out.
"She's safe. She is up at Durvarax's Keep, or what is left of it." I grabbed the orb from her hand and ran inside, the shield was still on the wall where it always was. I immediately ran over to it and touched it and thought of Durvarax's Keep. I was there in an instant. Lillobis was waiting right next to the sister shield in her full true form. "Why didn't you stop it!" I yelled, storming over to her. "If you knew it was coming you could have done something! I could have done something!" I raised my bloodied hands and beat them against her soft underbelly, leaving wet red marks where my knuckles contacted her. My blows moved her back slightly but she stood her ground, she took them she took them all. All of my misdirected anger and rage. After a few minutes my strength was fading, as was my anger. It was being replaced with sorrow and remorse, I broke down and sobbed against her, my arms hanging loosely at my sides. I buried my face against her soft underbelly as tears streamed down my face once again. She had polymorphed into her humanoid form and was embracing me tightly. I sank down to my knees, as did she. She cradling me in her chest for a few minutes comforting me.
She lightly grabbed my shoulders and moved me to an arm's length. "I had to Durvarax Nemtosh asked this favor of me." She choked out, she was on the verge of tears, her friend had died as well. "I kept it as best I could. I wanted to tell you what was going to happen. That dream you had, I was not supposed to give you any indication of what was to come, but I had to. I have never spent this much time around mortals in all of my life, I have grown fond of you and all of the townsfolk…especially you" She pulled me forward wrapping her arms around my shoulders and kissed me on the forehead. "The egg I gave you will be my child one day. It can take years to hatch under the right conditions. We Couatl's are supposed to raise and teach our young as they grow up and imbue them with all of our knowledge."
"Why did you give it to me then?" I raised my eyes to meet hers.
"incase anything happened to me, I wanted it to be safe with you." She averted her eyes from mine. And continued. "I want to go with you on your journey more than anything but I have to teach your sister as I have taught you."
"Durvarax taught me how to make this right after you left." She reached into her mouth and pulled a small violet-pastel pearl from under her tongue. It looked similar the one that Sashura had given me but was much smaller. "When he acknowledges you as his father, fed him this." She placed the pearl in my hand pushed my fingers closed. "This pearl contains all of my knowledge that I currently have. When he is of age, he can teach you like I did, he can aid you in my place. This is all I can do for now." She moved her hands away from mine and folded them in her lap. I uncurled my fingers and looked and looked at the pearl in my palm. It was beautiful. I slid it into the small pocket I had on my left bracer and sealed it up, keeping it safe was now one of my top priorities.
She glanced down in and saw the dragon orb sitting in my lap. "I see Sashura gave you your dragon orb. Hold it to your chest, it will tell you what you need to know. I'll watch over you while you talk you him."
I took the orb into my left hand and brought it to my chest. Everything went white. And all of my senses seemed to dull. When the fog lifted I was sitting in my living room and Durvarax was sitting across from me.
"Hello Riston. It seems no harm came to Sashura after I gave her the orbs since you are here now." He leaned forward and placed a hand on my shoulder. Sorry I cannot tell you this in person, but I used my last remaining strength to make these Dragon orbs. They a compendium of all of my knowledge. Only you two can use them since they contain a part of you within them." He leaned back in my father's chair and cleared his throat. "I had to die the other day in order for you and your sister to become stronger. As you may have noticed you both have very unique powers. You are both Aasimar. You are both descendants of celestial beings."
I sat back trying to take it in. With the events that have happen over the last few days, it was becoming easier to accept things people were telling me. He continued after a short pause. "Normally a deva would come down and guide you, but a war between celestial beings with the underworld has been taking place for centuries, and in their place, they sent Lillobis and I." He stood up and leaned against the mantle of the fireplace with his back to me. He fixated on the fire crackling in the fireplace as he talked. "You have great potential within you, it just has to be brought forth with experience and hardship. This can only be done when you travel with companions. You will learn and grow with one another through your travels. Sorry to force this on you but, I had to do this because the Lich that killed me has become to great an evil in this world. We clashed over 300 years ago when he was just a great and powerful wizard, but he perished in our battle. After his death he was twisted by a prince of the underworld and became the Lich he is today. When you and your companions set out, you will one day be able to grow and surpass me in strength and wisdom. Again, I am sorry I had to put this burden on you." He was silent for a few moment after apologizing.
"I take it Lillobis gave you her egg?" He chucked while still looking at the flickering flames. "Staying by your side all of these years made her happy, and that happiness grew in to affection. She loves you know. She'll never say it, but she does." He paused again, the flames from the fireplace danced in his eyes. "She begged me to let her go with you on the journey, but I told her she couldn't at this time. Your sister needs to realize her full potential as well and since I won't be here to guide her like I was you, I need Lillobis to do in my place. The orbs will only do so much." He made his way over to the old chair and sat down again.
I knew I was different, but not in my wildest dreams would I have realized that I was descended from celestial beings.
"You live on Mount Celestia in the Salania plane of existence, it is a good and lawful place as you have known since birth. I want you to know this for when you return here. I'm not sure from what plane of existence the Lich was or which one he went to…But I do know he was able to open up a trans-dimensional gate to steal many of the celestial relic's that I had my Keep. His goal, his only drive in life and death was to become stronger."
He turned and faced me once again. "Remove the shield in your home off of the wall, you should see a dull monoclinic silver crystal held against the back the shield. If you take that crystal and touch it to the Dragon orb, it will create a trans-dimensional gate that will take you to your companions on another plane. This transportation crystal is a one-way trip." He stood again and outstretched a hand to me. I reached out and grasped it. "If you ever need any help or are lost, just touched this orb your chest again, and hopefully I may be able to give you some insight. I cannot guarantee that it will work every time though. Good luck Riston Titanshard."
Everything faded away again and I was back at Durvarax's destroyed Keep. Lillobis was sitting across from me, still in her human form. "Did he tell you everything?" She sullenly asked.
"Yes." I said matching her tone and diverting my eyes from her gaze.
"He told you how to leave this plane didn't he?"
"Yeah…" I looked her in her eyes now. She had tears welling up in the corners. I had never seen her cry before. It was my turn to embrace her. I leaned forward and held her in my arms this time. She silently sobbed and sniffled against me. I cupped her cheek against my palm and wiped a few tears away with my thumb from her reddened cheeks. I leaned in to kiss her. She accepted it wholeheartedly wrapping her arms around me. After our lips parted I pulled away and whispered into her ear. "I love you too." She started to sob now. I wiped the tears away with my thumb again. "I will raise him as best I can, I promise." I hugged her tightly one last time and made my way to the battered shield barely clinging to the crumbling wall. "I will make it back one day. I promise."
"I'll hold you to it." she said smiling and crying at the same time, wiping away the tears from her reddened cheeks. I touch the shield and was back in my living room.
As soon as I was back I went up to my room, grabbed my alchemist kit, a change of clothes, and my crossbow as well as a quiver full of bolts. I carefully wrapped the dragon orb, and Lillobis egg in my clothes. I checked one more time for the pearl, it was still safe. I made my way downstairs and took the shield off of the wall. Just as Durvarax had instructed the dull gray crystal was affixed to the back of it and it easily popped out of the bracket holding it in place. I looked around the living room one last time before heading to the kitchen and loading a few more days' worth of rations into my bag. My mom and Sashura we still in the front yard. They could both see the changes that had taken place in my heart. The drive I had for vengeance and justice. "I'll be going now, but I'll be back someday." I said to my mother. She held her arms out and wrapped me in an embraced one final time. "Sashura…Listen to Lillobis. She'll teach you all you need to know. We know the truth now, we cannot run from it. Be strong." I smiled at her. She had already spoken with Durvarax I could see the determination in her eyes now that I had spoken with him as well.
I reached in my bag and removed the Dragon orb and held it in my left hand. I had the transportation crystal still gripped in my right. I took one last look around. I had grown up here, this was my home. I burned the image of it into my mind one last time. "I'll be back soon." A painful smile adorned my face, I was choking back tears as I said this.
I brought my hands together.