Corruption's Wake
Chapter 1 – Of Beginnings and Endings
Audrik awoke do to the melody of a few song birds perched on a branch of an old willow tree whose bark was mostly gone with many branches. He stretched then yawned gathered his things threw out his tent, which was not of great size but it was just enough to suffice the night. The morning mist was upon his face and body. The young warrior's feet were placed upon grass that had a greenness that assured him that this was a great place to get some breakfast. Audrik readies his equipment and packed up his tent and went on searching threw the forest quietly with his bow in hand and an arrow readied.
Audrik darts off to the west of his camping spot. A loud war cry rings out threw the forest. He then looks behind himself. Seeing nothing but the forest brush and trees which is quite healthy looking better then most of the forests the man has seen in his past adventures. He then quickly turns back and continues creeping quietly making sure not to step on any branches. Audrik after walking about fifty yards comes to a clearing with a stream coming down through the center; animals of various types are drinking from the flowing stream. The stream has not great width but a great length spreading across threw out the forest so far that Audrik could not see the end of it.
The warrior sees a dear with antlers spreading out with a great width, there was approximately five spiked points on the antlers. His hunger begins to get unbearable so he pulls the string on his bow back and fires. The arrow pierces strait threw the unsuspecting deer, through the lungs causing a very painful, quick, and bloody death. The deer run's off into the west. He then follows with great agility for he does not want to lose his meal.
The hunter then slowly tracks the deer the trail of blood is unmistakable. The Deer after running a short distance fell over dead. The youthful man had caught up with the deer, then had picked up the deer and thrown it over his shoulder. As quickly as he could he walked back to his past camp spot. Audrik kneeled down and threw the deer of his shoulder onto the brush.
Then the archer walked into the forest in search of some wood to use for the fire that he would shortly make. Many sticks were placed among the brush of the forest floor some larger then others. He had picked up many of the sticks; a few of them had begun to rot. Then he made his way back to the deer and his camping site. He had placed the many sticks into a great pile and then had taken his flint and steel out of his pack. Then with his best efforts hit the flint against the steel. Sparks started to fly everywhere. Then after realizing he needed something else the warrior then looked into his pack and found some hay, he took the hay out and put it near the sticks and steel. Then began trying to light the fire again, hitting the steel and flint together. After many tries Audrik had finally started a fire.
Then Audrik had cut some pieces of meat from the deer and put them into a pan then put it over the fire. The meat sizzled and he added some seasonings to the meat. The meat began changing in color and started becoming more ready to be eaten every minute. With skill Audrik flipped the meat so it could cook on its other side. After the meat was fully cooked the ranger cut it into smaller pieces. Then he walked over to a tree stump and sat down on it and began to eat his meal. After his meal the traveler started back on his journey towards the town of Roddam. The warrior reminisces of the past….of his brother.
"Audrik run they're coming for ye!" said Audrik's brother Golanis.
"Golanis I can't leave ye here all yer lonesome…. You're too weak to fend em off" said Audrik.
"Audrik ye must leave now… or Horgath will have yer head on a plate." replied Golanis.
"Godamnit Golanis I'm not leaving…." Audrik says with a fit of rage in his expression.
"Just go...before Horgath's Men are here…. "replies Golanis.
"I won't have my brother dead because of me….Not now…Not ever…"said Audrik.
"Audrik…..you can't take them all…" Golanis says.
"I don't care….I'm not leaving ye here alone…" says Audrik.
"So be it…." Golanis says with a smile. Golanis starts rehearsing arcane verses. Audrik watches the room spin, then finally go black. When he realized what happened it was far too late. Golanis had teleported him in the forest.
Audrik stops reminiscing and further continues his journey at a faster pace to Roddam. He has been trying to forget that night for the last month. No matter how hard he tries it sticks to him like a ghost. He can't shake the feeling that Golanis remains alive somewhere. That's the only thing that keeps him fueled for adventure the memory of his brother. The only person left of his bloodline.
Audrik thinks to himself why did I have to uncover the truth about Horgath. Damn my integrity. Audrik after traveling for quite a distance finally reaches the gates of Roddam the city of fortune. It was called the city of fortune because almost all that go there come back a little bit wealthier. Although many have came out broke it still seamed like a great tempt of fate.
Audrik calmly walks up to the large wooden gate and knocks. A little hole a little higher then where Audrik stood opened and an old man's face was there asking "What hath ye want in Roddam?"
"I come to see wait fate has to offer me." responds Audrik.
"Aye make sure ye don't cause any trouble beyond these walls…..it could be fatal." says the old man.
Audrik says in a cold voice "I can handle myself.", and then walks through the gate into the town. Everything you could think of has its own spot on the streets of Roddam. There was everything from merchants to prostitutes, a man could get lost easily. Audrik although tempted by the many sights continued walking straight into the heart of the city….the arena.
Mirkadeos awakes at second bell, grabs his belongings and darts out of the tavern, the tavern-keeper runs out after him and yells "Get back here and pay for yer stay". Mirkadeos in one liquid motion dashes to the side of the building he just passed, hides in the shadows and pulls out a throwing dagger. "Don't think I cant see ye there" the tavern-keeper says hoping that Mirkadeos would emerge. Seeing nothing the tavern-keeper starts walking back to his tavern.
In the glimpse of an eye Mirkadeos throws his trusty dagger into the spine of the tavern-keeper, unsheathes his sword and readies himself. The tavern-keeper in a fury pulls out a cleaver and runs at Mirkadeos.
Mirkadeos sensing the oncoming blow takes a step to the side and slices the head of the tavern-keeper straight off without remorse. After taking what money the tavern-keeper had Mirkadeos runs off to the arena.
After registering to battle in the arena of Roddam, Audrik waited for his time to battle. After a short time of waiting in a back room Audrik got the queue to battle. Bow in hand, he walks into the arena circle. The crowds loud cheering seamed surreal, no one there knew Audrik they just craved to see battle.
Out of a gate walked a mighty minotaur, holding a giant blood-stained battle axe. It snorted then charged Audrik. In the blink of an eye Audrik had already shot his sturdy long bow. The arrow smacked into its target, the heart, the minotaur enraged by its blood spilling and the great pain it was feeling, threw its battle axe directly at Audrik.
Audrik stepping far to the side of the axe laughed at the minotaur's futile attempt at killing him. Then the axe suddenly pulled back to the minotaur seeming through magic. Audrik stopped laughing, and realized that the fight was far from over. The minotaur launches the massive axe once again Audrik. With great dexterity Audrik side steps again and pulls an arrow from his quiver, pulls back, and shoots.
The minotaur catches the arrow in mid-air with its left hand, and crushes it to smithereens. Then rips the arrow Audrik had already shot, out of his chest and breaks it as well, then laughs.
Audrik losing his edge tries to think of something. My arrows have no effect…if this doesn't work I'm a dead man Audrik thought to himself. Audrik draws yet another arrow, then shoots it aiming for the minotaur's head. Then before the arrow arrives Audrik mutters a few arcane verses his brother had taught him. After reciting the verse, a fireball came from his hand and smacked straight into the back of the arrow he had shot.
The arrow catches on fire and starts going much faster. The minotaur not paying attention launches his axe at Audrik once more. Before the axe gets near Audrik, the arrow reaches its destination. In a howl of fury and pain the minotaur catches on fire and drops to the ground. The axe changes course and heads toward the ashes of its master then disintegrates into nothing.
The crowd starts cheering "AUDRIK, AUDRIK, AUDRIK".
Audrik bows in his new gained fame, then returns to the gate he entered the arena from. The man behind the counter of the Arena entrance greeted him as he entered "Well done friend."
"Aye thanks, so what did I win from that" Audrik asks.
"Well ye did win this" the man holds out a flask filled with red seeming transparent liquid, then hands it to Audrik.
"What be this" Audrik asks with a puzzled look on his face "some kind of ale?"
"That be no ale…it explodes when ye throw it. Aye you're lucky to be gettin one of those. Their bloody rare in these parts." answers the man.
"Aye well thanks, I'll just wait until my next battle" responds Audrik as he readies himself for the ongoing battles.
Mirkadeos walks threw the large gate, sword in hand. The crowd cheers loudly, Mirkadeos being a town favorite. Out Through the gate facing Mirkadeos a cyclops walked out carrying a mighty war hammer. Mirkadeos, after laughing at his opponent, charged the cyclops with his scimitar in hand. After being few feet from his target Mirkadeos jumps at the cyclops, then swings his blade through the cyclops torso.
The cyclops becomes enraged from Mirkadeos' Attack. The cyclops swings violently at Mirkadeos with its war hammer. Smashing Mirkadeos in the head, then bounces off in a bright yellow flash and sent into the cyclops.
Mirkadeos laughs at his own luck that the cyclops aimed for his helm, it was enchanted with reflection magic. Then Mirkadeos jumps up, kicks the cyclops in the chest then slices at its neck, hoping for a fatal wound.
The cyclops falls back a fathom or so and drops touching its neck in disbelief then stands up and charges Mirkadeos. Mirkadeos holds his sword out and waits. The cyclops not paying enough attention collides straight into the sword then falls back.
The crowd starts screaming "MIRKADOES! MIRKADEOS! MIRKADEOS!" Mirkadeos spits on the cyclops corpse then walks out of the arena.
"Where's my payment old man?" Mirkadeos asks the old man standing in the small well lit room.
"It's the same as it always is Mirkadeos, bottle of wine and ten golden coins" replies the old man.
"Aye, good" says Mirkadeos as he takes the money and wine. Then he uncorks the wine and drains some while he walks out of the small room into the room where all the betting was taken care of. Many merchants filled the room along with a few common folk who could afford to lose some money. The room had many lanterns hung from every possible place, along with well furnished wooden walls. Carpet covered every fathom of the ground, the arena was about as good as it could get.
Mirkadeos walks up to the front desk, in front of everyone getting shouted at by all he had passed. Mirkadeos yells to the fat man behind the counter "ten gold on the wyrm"
The man takes Mirkadeos's gold then hands him a chip that has a picture of a wyrm on it and the number ten, and says "don't ye be losin that"
"Aye I'll make sure to keep it close." Mirkadeos says then walks out into the crowded stands. Then he unsheathes his sword and takes a spot near the front, where you could see what was happening.
A man with a large frame and rusty long hair walks through the southern gate holding a sword in one hand shield in the other. Then from the northern gate a massive black wyrm walks out. The wyrm was around five fathoms in length and two fathoms tall. A wyrm being an elder dragon, most would never dare to challenge one.
The large man charges the wyrm hoping for a chance at catching it before it could conjure any magic or fire at the least. Swinging high the large man slices the wyrm across the neck, blood started to spill as the dragon lets loose a very loud growl. Then the wyrm conjures a ball of fire from its throat.
The man tries to parry it with his shield. Unluckily for him the corrosive fire had eaten through the metallic hope. Completely engulfed in flames the warrior ran straight for the wyrm. In a last resort he jumped onto the wyrm hoping to catch it on fire as well. The man had become a pile of ashes on the wyrm for wyrms cannot be harmed by fire, every good warrior knows that.
The wyrm let's loose another blast of flame upon the unsuspecting crowd. Mirkadeos jumps down holding his sword straight below himself. Then he lands on the wyrms back piercing threw the scales. The wyrm lets loose yet another howl. Then Audrik runs through the southern gate and shoots his long bow. The arrow had hit into the wyrms head, right between the eyes.
A large cloud forms above Audrik, and a large beam of lighting struck into him. The pain was amazing; he could barely stand after that. Then Audrik started to speak a few arcane verses. The lightning stopped surging from inside him, then loading an arrow in his bow he shot again. This time the arrow caught the wyrm in the left eye. The wyrm conjured a fire bolt from its large mouth aimed directly at Audrik.
Mirkadeos seeing how his sword has no real effect upon the wyrm now, pulled with all his strength and got it out of the wyrms back. Then running up the mighty beasts neck he aimed low with his scimitar slicing the wyrms head clean off.
The crowd went ecstatic for Mirkadeos and Audrik. Mirkadeos jumps off of the wyrm, spits on the corpse, then walks to Audrik then asks "Nice fighting there friend, but who exactly are ye?"
"I'm Audrik from the small town of Traginose." Audrik responds turning to face Mirkadeos.
"Aye I've not been to Traginose yet, but I'm Mirkadeos from this town. Town of fortune me arse." Mirkadeos says then spits on the ground.
"Well if yer a wantin to, you can come with me to find me brother n strike down that bastard Horgath." Audrik offers.
"Well I never did care for Horgath he's put me through hell too many times… Aye I'll come with ye…this damn towns got nothing left for me to steal or break." Mirkadeos says then nods his head as if he had made up his mind.
Audrik says "Great, let's take our winnings and be rid of this town, onwards to the forest of Deception."
"Why there?" Mirkadeos asks with a quizzical look on his face.
"It's the only way I know to Esterk the immortal slayer." Audrik replies.
"Aye it's a fine blade to wield." Mirkadeos replies.