Ways of Taints

Prologue

Prologue: A New Beginning

There was a world that every forty thousand years it became parallel with Earth. The name of it was Provider. Provider has six moons. The other world was at least four times the size of ours. Earth and Provider –Gigia- becomes parallel for eleven thousand years. When they become parallel to each other Gigia, goes into state of Everlasting Dusk for three thousand years before the worlds become parallel.
The four major continents are Arda, Veda, Breda, and Eda. There are five minor continents Berserker Island, Amazonian Island, Pregoda, Tombe, and a small, unknown one. There is a constant war between the Berserker Island and the Amazonian Island. The Amazon's scouts cut down Prince Tak of the Berserker Island. The Berserker's North Eastern clan hacked Princess Valor of the Amazon's to pieces.

There is very little known of Pregoda. Anyone who goes there never leaves, well not as a mortal anyway. They leave by way of Tombe, the gigantic graveyard. Tombe is manned by the first million dead of Provider, they are set into four different nations as of now, each with their own crypt that goes down too far for anyone to record. Tombe has but many mortals on it, the evil undead sorcerers known to us as Necromancers, but on Provider they are known as Lich. The main Necromancer is Necre. Necre watches over the projects of burials by teleporting all over Tombe. The Necromancers are so vile that they are not allowed to leave Tombe. If any other mortal ventures onto Tombe that is not invited, Tombe's Spirit Guardians are there to kill them. On every continent there is a special portal that is a one-way ticket to Tombe. If you're not dead when you go into the portal you're dead in a second. Only the people with a direct connection to the dead may enter Tombe, and live.

There is an underwater city for the Argonians. The city is a multitude of huge domes reaching over most of the vast sea floor. When underwater they are huge dragons, when on land they are lizards. They are relatively six feet in length. Their color varies from a light green to a deep blue, and even into vibrant red, or extreme orange. Their preferred weapon is either a claymore or a spear class weapon, when a lizard. And when a dragon they're approximately forty feet long, their colorings are the same but they are almost invisible unless you know how to look for one, and their favored weapon are their teeth, their tail, and their claws.
There is another place that is deep underground. Known as the Underdark, this place housed some of the most ruthless races known to all the realms. The Dark Elves, otherwise known as the Drow. Their skin is blacker than blackness of an unlit, sealed room. Their eyes were normaly red when they were looking in the infrared spectrum that all races that lived in the Underdark used. It was as detailed that they could make out the same hard to see features that any being could make out in the brightest of summer days

It would one day be so dark that even the warmth of fire couldn't warm the cold hearts of the mage kind on provider The darkened abyss they once called home would devour them alive. High priests of religions, leaders of the great contents will fall leavening everything to a blackened chaos. Fire would make no light for the darkness eats all light and devours it into its depths. So dark that only the blind might survive for they are born to a world of dark yet their spirits so bright. As so the legends say. There was an ancient species of the times before known as the Kraer, dragons were hunted almost to extinction being related to the dragon so were the kraer. Inside the kraer is a stone of great power which also added a fuel to the flame to kill them and take this power for the mages own though the stones would disappear shortly after they obtained them. This would be there first mistake for it would one day be so dark and they would cry out for safety from this looming terror.


Chapter 1- Demon Hunting
Searing Blood Gorge, some thirty miles East of Balatage, Arda, year 2537 of the 53rd era. The Mercenary band Diagandio was stalking a newly risen Demon from the fringes of Balatage wood.
A young man twenty three years of age, his hair sandy blonde covered in dust from tending to the spring fields on a hot mid-summer day. Andramere Nockshire leaned his large frame on his Horse-drawn plow, just after his Clydesdale got spooked and ran for the woods. He looked up from his work and scanned east. Past his crops, looking across at the fringes of the pine forest He saw six heavily armored figures stalking out of the woods running across his field moving towards the village. The six figures were fanned out throughout his crops and moving fast towards him, the center figure moving straight for him. Fear swept through Andramere when he turned to look back to see if he could make it back to his home in the village on foot. When he finally saw the smoke plume rising from the village, the screams of the women and children finally grew loud enough for Andramere to hear. Tears poured down his face as he watched his home roof go up in flames, the stones of the walls heave over to one side, and in its place stood a sixty foot full fledged demon. The huge behemoth was pure black, with small cracks in some areas on his legs, abdomen, arms, and head which showed he had so much power it was almost breaking out in molten slag. The demon reared its head and a twenty foot stream of fire leapt from its maw. Two of the remaining forty town guard charged in with pikes, one pike shattered and splintered before it got closer than three feet of the demons thigh. The demon reached down and grabbed the guard by his waist, lifted him off the ground and threw him at the clock tower, the thud took seconds for Andramere to hear. The other guard's pike made contact and sparks flew from the demon's hide, the demon growled in rage, grabbed the pike and with it flung the guard into the neighboring stone wall.

Andramere turned around and saw the center man was a pale skinned man he had a frame which was not at all small with long black hair, his plate and mail combination of armor was stained with thick black goblin blood, his broad axes were out and poised to kill, was covered in blood as well. The Man reached Andramere and stopped his eyes saw the destruction. He looked at Andramere and said in a hoarse voice, "Good sir I am Trang'ol of the Mercenary band Diagandio, sent by the leaders of Balatage to over take the demon named Mailstre. You must hurry and get to your Clydesdale before more goblins show up, one of our members helped calm your horse down, here take this short sword use it well if you find any goblins. Make your way West to Balatage."Trang'ol, say down with his back to the village that Mailstre, was destroying. Trang'ol signaled and the five other members of his team ran to him to see what he had to say. First to Trang'ol was Genna, her Features were heightened by her blonde hair which was tied into a small bun. Her armor consisted of hard leather with a scale mail underlay. Her short sword was drawn and showed that she cared for it like a mother would a child. She got to Trang'ol and knelt down beside him, pulled her cantina from off of her side, opened it and took a drink before asking, "Trang, what do you think?" her voice trailing off.

"Well I think we are going to be hard pressed," his hoarse voice revealing that at the sight of the demon he shook, "just wait till the others get here, 'k Genna."

"Okay Trang," she sheathed her sword on her hip then kneeled down beside Trang. She held out her hand, her eyes started to glow, then the metal of the scale mail heated, thin wisps heated the links around her elbow as flames wisped up her arm to her hand, summoned a speaking orb formed in her palm.
"Fleyern! Get over here, all of you!" Trang yelled while he watched them about to pass Genna and Trang.

"Yes, Trang," they called back and started over. The closest one was Fleyern, a short chubby Dwarf, clad in odds and ends of armor ranging from modified black Orcish leather pauldrons embossed with inelegant designs of Orcish torture, and thighs detailed with ugly pictures of Orcish horrors. The joints were made of dwarven mithril chain mail made from the forges of his home to serve has his armor. High quality sliver-mithril alloy Elven plate cirrus inlaid with gold edging, with a mosaic mountain with a gold and platinum river running out of it. Fleyern's boots were made of gold-mithril alloy Elven and it had smaller veins of silver and mithril running out of the main river from his cirrus. His weapons were Dwarven forged a steel-platinum flanged mace that had six blades on its crown, each blade had a different inscription on it each one making it more powerful, and a spike on the top, the grip was made of blue dragon hide. A Dwarven forged steel-gold with a red dragon's leather grip similar inscriptions on the morning star were for absorbing certain levels of magic.

"Oye Trang, I think we gots ourselves a wee bit o' a problem with that there behemoth." Fleyern said in a deep, gruff accent. Trang answered with a wave of his hand and a slight nod.

The next one to make it over was Meyrin Hawke. A tall Drow Elf of fair beauty ran in, not panting the slightest. In her hands rested a strung yew long re-curve bow, intricately carved and the carvings were inlaid with silver, the string was made from the sinew of a Green Dragon Whelp. At her hip dangled a double-edged katana forged in the town of Arackmyr, by the blacksmith Orion. Her sword had absolutely no flaws in it. Her armor was a complete set of well used samurai armor, flat black, no engravings, concealed in the bracers were claws that shot out for last resort hand to hand combat. Her hair was white, skin very dark, her eyes when looking in the normal spectrum were grey-green and very solid. Her features made her look like she was as frail as a lilac flower's petal. But one attack sequence quickly nullified all of her appearances and you knew she was of a race, bred to kill. "Master Trang, you called for me?"

"Yes Meyrin I did," he replied solemnly, "What do you think about our newest catch?"

"Well Sir, I think we're gonna be hard pressed by the Errdegahr, Mailstre." She said mixing what little of the Drow language she knew. She had left the Underdark at the age of 10 and forsaken the ways of the Drow for 262 years.

"Would you stop talking in that forsaken language, I thought you gave their ways up a LONG time ago? Besides, it gives me the chills."

"Sorry Sir, it won't happen again," she bowed her head and sat down in the field cross-legged, set her bow on the ground in front of her and drew her sword, looking at the blade she said, "I'm taking you home, to defend it, you are needed," she then whispered, "Nin Usstan lar pholor l' faer wun nindol velve ul'kas elghinn." The blade glowed blue shimmered with light, she swung her sword threw a bundle of wheat, the bundle turned to ice on either side of the cut and fell to the dirt melted by the hot days sun.

"Okay mercs listen up," Trang'ol whispered above the audible screams of the village, "This bastard looks and sounds big. Lets not take chances, Genna," a lovely woman in her 30s had battle hardened features and was bitter from loosing so many friends to demons, "you go straight from here, I'll go left and cut in behind him, Fleyern," a young man of 27 his armor is battered and has a few holes yet to be repaired in it "you follow me and stop on his left. Meyrin," a tall female Drow Elf by blood but she had lived most of her 262 years on the surface her features are young and still very attractive as is her wisdom and knowledge but her bite with her Katana and Long bow were much worse than her bark, "and Levita," a older man of 46 with a few grey hairs sticking out from his hair which was tied back with a bandana, his sword and shield had saw many battles and demon teeth studded the outer edges of his shield, "you two go right and spread out. Flaw you do what you need to do. " Trang'ol looked around at the faces of his group, then down to his broad axes took a bite of some more jerky and hand signaled 'move out.'

Chapter 2- Reading Thoughts
House of law, Chamber of Justice, Balatage, Arda, year 2537 of the 53rd era. It was a tense time, Feliix the truth-sayer was in an intense hearing.
"Drashin Grouthiliac, what do you have to say in your defense for the accusations of the plotting and the assistance in the murders of Pertov Mylic age 56 Father, husband and Grandfather, Master Bewin Cholt, age 43, first year trainer of the city guard, Corporal Flegramic Orshan, age 36, 1st Brigade of the western guard, and fourth year Sorceress Apprentice Ghiela Zednotric, age 29, loving daughter and fiancé, placed upon you?" asked the Mirage High Councilman Brathric. Brathric is a short stocky

Chapter 3- Mistaken Hands

Dead Man's Inn, Dead Drop Alley, Balatage, Arda the year 2537 of the 53rd era. The Inn was stuffy and people were moving about. The noise was intense.

Flaw lay there on his bed for what seemed an endless time, his yellow slit-pupil eyes moving around endlessly, while the noise from below was seeping through the floorboards as if they weren't there. He stood up, reached down and grabbed his belt, his twin katana hanging from it, his two wakasashi daggers crossed on the back, he slipped his smaller tanto into his boots, pulled his hood up, and went downstairs to get a drink and some food.

Flaw got down the stairs and a fight was just happening. The guy getting beat on was tall, slim, had hazel eyes, his clothes showed that he was probably a male from the streets. He looked to be about 27 His blonde hair now matted with blood was being torn at. Flaw rushed in and helped him.

Flaw came in and kicked out hard at an attackers face. The sickening noise of a bone cracking told the attacker his nose was broken, not soon after blood flowed freely from his flattened nose. Flaw moved out of the way as someone swung at him from the left. A mug came flying at Flaw He grabbed the guy who swung at him and moved him to the right so the mug hit him instead. One man formed a fireball and was getting ready to throw it at the man Flaw was helping. Flaw flipped his hood off and whispered something in a long forgotten language. A gust of wind formed on the tip of one of Flaw's fingers, as the fireball closed in, he moved to the side and threw the wind at the fireball. The fireball died out harmlessly and the gust of air bowled over an approaching man with a sword.

Suddenly everyone froze and the sword made a loud clang as it hit the ground; Bard used his magic to stop the fight. "How did this start?"

One man that attacked the helpless one said, "he stole my change purse."

"No! I didn't, just because I look like a street rat doesn't mean I am one," the man said in his defense.

"There, there, Hyshere I'm sure you didn't so lets get the Ashrab Truth Teller, Felix the Magi here to see who is lying," Bard said before looking in Flaw's direction. "And why were you involved may I ask?" Bard inquired raising an eyebrow.

"Me!" asked Flaw surprised as he reached back to put his hood back on. "I saw a fight that was five to one. So I helped the one that was outnumbered. Is it a crime to help another?"

"No, no, no it is not a crime, I thank-you my friend, I owe you my life," blurted Hyshere.

"Don't mention it…. Hyshere," Flaw said trying to make it seem that he wasn't flattered. Flaw stood up, looked around, dug into his belt purse and pulled out several gold pieces, and put them on the counter. Turning back he said "for the damage Bard, I'll be back later to pick up my things," He then strode out the door pushing the man with broken nose to the dust outside.

Chapter 4: Escape

Dead Plaza, Dead Drop Alley Market, The streets and sidewalks were a constant hum of chatter.

As Flaw lazily walked through the bustling Market streets, he couldn't stop thinking about the fight earlier that day. "Was it really the right thing to do?" He asked himself. "Should I really of done what I did? Man I gotta stop pounding myself for petty stuff like this," He coaxed himself. "And why am I talking to myself?" He asked himself aloud, looking around to make sure no one heard him.

One lady did hear him, she gave him a queer look and piped up, "What are you, a freak? Talking to yourself. Look at you, you're a scrub," She threw a rock at him and started laughing.

"Laugh all you like now woman, you have no clue who or what I am." He muttered to himself.

"What was that freak, I saw your lips moving…" She said before she started laughing again. Flaw just kept to himself and walked on, past the rest of the people, keeping his head down so no one saw his eyes. Just then girl about Flaw's age bumped into him. She was wearing a black halter-top and a mini skirt, with red armbands, with a cat-o-nine-tails on her hip. Her figure was full, lips a bit on the thin side, brown hair, and Maroon eyes. She was carrying a bunch of books, they all fell in the dirt. Flaw looked up and met her maroon eyes, forgetting to change his she gasped as she looked into his.

"I'm so sorry sir, I didn't mean to bump into you I wasn't paying attention." She bent down to grab her books and covered her cleavage. Looked back up at him and said ,"No looking."

"Don't mention it lady, it was my fault. I should've been watching where I was going." He bent down to help her pick up the books and blurted, " I had no intentions of looking at you that way m'lady."

"Really? Wow your not like most men…" she paused wanting to know his name.

"Flaw," He said answering the question before she could ask.

"Flaw, hmmm, never heard of that being a name. But who am I to judge" She said.

"And what is yours, if you don't mind my asking." He asked her.

"My name is Shade," She replied. She smiled and revealed sharp glistening fangs.

"Nice to meet you Shade," he said then dropping his volume he whispered, "So you're a vampire." She blushed and said, "yes, I am. But shhh don't let anyone else know."

"I will not m'lady, your secret is safe with me," He said as he turned to walk away.

"Hey git back 'ere you lil' skank! Your shift isn't finished!" a very uncept man yelled while pointing at Shade. His once tan shirt was stained with brandy, wine, and other assorted alcoholic beverages
"That your boss?" Flaw asked.
"Sadly, yes, I'm trying to get out of his Inn but he won't let me." She said looking back at him. "Yes my shift is finished!" She hollered back.
"You damn ungrateful little whore," the man growled as he started to walk towards Flaw and Shade. Flaw stood up, changed his eyes to a grayish blue with normal round pupils, handed Shade's book behind his back to her, and then stood arms crossed in a peaceful manner right in the man's way. "Git outta my way you bastard!" the man screamed at Flaw as he tried to go around him. Flaw just side stepped then said.
"I'm sorry sir, but Shade doesn't want to work for you anymore, she is seeking employment elsewhere," Flaw said to the man.
"Flaw you don't have to help me, I'll be fine," Shade pleaded to Flaw.
"Shut up you whore, wait till I get my hands on you, you little bitch, I'll beat you!" the man screamed as he tried to push through Flaw. Flaw grabbed the man by his shirt,