The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse
Book I: War
Into this wild abyss,
The womb of nature and perhaps her grave,
Of neither sea, nor shore, nor air, nor fire,
But all these in their pregnant causes mixed
Confusedly, and which thus must ever fight,
Unless the almighty maker them ordain
His dark materials to create more worlds,
Into this wild abyss the wary fiend
Stood on the brink of hell and looked a while,
Pondering his voyage…
John Milton: Paradise Lost, Book II
This was to be a day of days for Argon, but then every day in that place was unique.
Argon walked quickly through the black hall. The walls were decorated the usual steel scenes of battles long past. They seemed to display a sense of glory as one came to walk it. Great admiration he would have given the smith, if he had lived a bit longer. The detail seemed even greater than that of a photograph. Ever time Argon would walk this hall he had to admire it.
Argon increased his pace, but still taking care to silent. A lot a noise approaching would give the sense of something amiss, which there was. Argon kept thinking of the day past. It was not usual at all. In fact it had never happened before, at least while he was a commander. Though he had expected something rash to happen, this was unthinkable. It was true that tension and distrust bred like flies in the preceding days. I thought he was smarter than this. Though he is clever his intelligence seems to have dwindled, he thought. He clasped his other hand tightly on his battle mace. Anxiety was eating at him. He thought what to do it was not going to easy for sure. Anything like this usually will end with conflict.
Many have died for less, he thought. Much less!
He came to a stop. He reached it. The giant iron door was nearly twenty feet tall hanging dozens of steel hinges. It was immense. It took giant machines to operate it, for no demon there had the strength. Only three knew how to open it, or rather two now. Only they were permitted audience when they wished. All others had to be invited. Not thatit mattered much. Some of the strongest demons in Makai fled in terror of that door.
Argon stopped to think of what to say. The blame was his. He was the commander. There was no avoiding it. I may be joining you soon. He placed his palm against the enchanted pad. It hummed and radiated with a bright light. The locks on the door then released one after the other. Argon breathed holding his mace in one had walked through. The great doors skidded and the lowed sound of metal against metal echoed down the hall and the doors closed.
The room was dark, always dark. It was how he was. His environment always reflected his emotion at the time. Cold and bleak, he was always cold bleak, and deadly. In the darkness, a top of some stairs, there sat a beautiful blue staff shining a faint blue glow trough the chamber. Always in that light you could see his dark silhouette. He always sat on the floor and meditated his thoughts.
That's gone! My fate is sealed but I'll not go out easily.
At the top of the blue staff once sat an orange jewel. The staff and the jewel were rare items of power. Not to be handled lightly. Argon came to the root of the stairs, placed the point of his mace against the floor and bowed his head. "You have come to give report, Argon. News of Tanneth," his voice was winter, drifting sharply through the air.
"He escaped Sincion. I came on him with twenty of my own guard; he killed all and disappeared into the trees before I could catch him." Argon gripped his mace. He might have to use it. This was not good news.
"Tanneth… He is very crafty don't you think Argon? You noticed the stone is gone." Argon was shaken by this. He was tense ready for and attack. Why is this cold now? He regained control of his body quickly before it was noticeable. "He stood right there and defied me. He has courage. Oh, yes. I tried to kill him. I knew would have to eventually and that was the time."
Tanneth? He avoided Sincion's attack? How should give him more credit.
"He is very swift. I thought I knew every inch of his power. But it seems, Argon that he is much more than what we expected when we brought him into this enterprise. Perhaps it is not too late for him."
"He is very crafty. He took down twenty troopers, fully armed and well trained with a knife and in less than ten seconds. Not bad."
"Not bad at all."
"What are we to do? He could be over a hundred miles away by now. I will send riders to findhim won't be enough to catch him."
"Yes…yes…" his voice grew low. "Send your riders and you will head a small task force in the direction you fell he is headed. You may use all the resources I have. While your pursuit in under way I will put a bounty on his head, just to see if it will help stir some attention so he will slow down."
"You think that wise. A bounty will cause a lot of attention to sift in his direction. Maybe too munch. We don't want anyone in Spirit world to…"
"Don't concern your self with spirit world just find Tanneth bring him to me alive with the stone. I will deal the other tasks." Sincion used the Voice on Argon. It was one of his powers. The power to suggest thought. Only the sturdiest as Argon was could resist it. "Go now. Send messengers to report."
Argon turned and the iron doors opened to release him. I owe Tanneth an apology I thought him slow and arrogant. He walked with a brisk pace and same stern look made from countless battles. My life is preserved today…but I share Tanneth's feelings toward Sincion. There still may be a time for me.
Note (IMPORTANT!): This is a sort prologue to a four part series. Before I can write it I need more characters. I am running a blank. So if you have a character you would wish to be in this story please summit him or her with all the desired specifications written in detail. Thank you.