To Challenge the Stars
"There is a rumor that a druid has entered the realm of Brosshold."
"Yes, I've heard of it."
"His name is Narnisus and does the bidding of the Cenarrion Circle, hailing from the forests of Orrilion. The faction must've heard of our prosperous city and wishes to intervene. They are a greedy people seeking to gain only for themselves. The one they sent is staying at the cathedral. I think you know what is to be done."
"Yes your holiness."
"Do not distress. Your deed shall be heavenly rewarded..."
Narnisus found himself within a small room that contained a bed. He was lying down thinking about the Purple Lotus. Normally, he would gather energy from the moon but as long as he was within Brosshold he wasn't going to perform anything that would draw attention to the people of Brosshold.
Tired of his thoughts, he got up and opened the door of his room. There a corridor lead around a corner and revealed the main hall where the services were performed. Narnisus walked down the aisle passing the long benches, finally sitting down to rest. From there he observed the religious stained-glass figures and tapestries. The alter on the stage was made of wood root.
His observations became a distraction and seemingly from out of nowhere, a sharp pain serged in his back. He recoiled and reached from behind him, pulling out a dagger. He turned and faced his assailant, cringing with pain. A man garbed in the same ceremonial clothes faced Narnisus brandishing a sword.
"Burn in hell!" he cried, attacking Narnisus with his sword. He swung it with failing effort as Narnisus disappeared in a fog of arcane dust, shifting into his animal form. The assassin looked on in dismay as he witnessed the black panther slip away from him and disappear into the darkness.
He narrowly escaped his ordeal but now he wanted answers. The only place he knew he could find them was the capitol. He fled outside and shifted back to his former self. He found a safe enough place to heal himself and absorb the early moon's nightly glow for power. He left his staff in the cathedral quarter room and only had his light sword for protection.
He followed the large ornate building of trees, roots, and fountains that rested in the center of the city to get to the capitol of Brosshold. There he assumed Antony dwelled.
The city was empty in the night, save for the occasional watchman. He finally arrived at the capitol's base where the large set of stairs lead the way to its entrance. He ran up and into the gloom of the dark doorway. Inside there was a smaller entrance with a set of closed doors. He had a feeling Antony had something to do with his assassination attempt and wanted some answers from the best source.
The door creaked open and revealed a large room, remodeled to Antony's specifications. At the other end sat Antony in a small bench beside Marin. Torches decked along the walls illuminated the room. Antony lifted his head.
"Ah, Narnisus is it? You've become quite popular throughout Brosshold, performing miracles of your own," Antony said with a grin.
"Miracles? I only did my druidic duty and revealing you for who you really are!"
"Which is why I must reassure Marin's faith."
Marin remained in her seat as if without understanding of the situation.
"Cut the faith crap! You're not a god! You're not even a druid. That's why you disregard the druidic disipline and patience, bypassing the concentration required. Because you rely solely on the Purple Lotus. Now hand it over," Narnisus demanded unsheathing his sword.
"What? You mean this?" Antony said reaching behind him and revealing a staff ornamented with a crescent idol that protected a sphere of magical energy encasing the herb.
"The Staff of the Moon," Narnisus said with astonishment. "So I've finally found the Purple Lotus."
"Do you really wish to take it from me? To end the prosperous city of Brosshold and its people that thrive because of it? I came when the people needed me most. I provided flowing water for the town. I gave the people infinite amounts of lumber to fuel its construction. I healed the sick and the injured. Why do you wish to put an end to all this good?" Antony elaborated.
"I don't care about any of that! I came for that herb and I'm not leaving until I get it," he finally declared and ran toward him wielding his sword.
With that Antony slammed the butt of his staff upon the ground, summoning giant roots that crashed through the floor. Narnisus dodged the hulking plants that chased him as puppets of Antony. The room began to flood with water from the river. Another root exploded from beneath Narnisus as he rode it upward, jumping from it before it crashed into the wall. Antony was enjoying himself, presenting a large grin across his face. Narnisus landed to safety and dodged yet more attacks from flailing tree roots. He jumped away from one attack and focused his rage to create a powerful essence within his hands. He released the energy toward an attacking root, crashing into the wood causing green embers of magical power and splinters to spread everywhere. The root caught ablaze and fire began to spread upon the wooden roots.
Antony looked on in anger toward Narnisus' efforts and used his staff to send an immense wooden root toward him before he can recover from his attack. When Narnisus noticed the attack it would have been too late if it weren't for his ability to shape shift. He narrowly escaped with feline reflexes.
Marin gasped at the site as Antony remained awestruck. Enraged, Antony threw his arm in the air gripping his staff, summoning the water from the river to rise.
"Sinner!" he cried and crystalized the water into icicles, sending a hail of jagged spikes toward Narnisus. Roots instinctively unearthed and formed a wall that defended Narnisus. He tried to think up a strategy while Antony only grew more enraged, gritting his teeth.
Suddenly, the doors behind Narnisus swung open and the man that attempted the assassination and a group of militia stood before him.
"That's the demon cat that attacked me!" he cried as the soldiers brandished a row of crossbows. Narnisus jumped through the flames atop the burning roots and managed to escape the volley of bolts. He was able to slip through the shadows of the interior and escape before anyone could find him.
Outside he distanced himself from the capitol building. The city was still quiet in the night. He found a comfortable bench in front of a small cemetery to rest upon. Just when he thought all was clear, something he wouldn't have ever imagined happened. In the night sky ripped open a large visual display of one of Antony's followers that attacked him just before. The display was surrounded by an aura of magical essence radiating outward.
"Attention citizens of Brosshold. A non-believer tried to take the life of Antony earlier in the night. Male, tall, green hair, is wearing leather clothing, wields a sword. He is dangerous. Stay indoors at all times. That is all," the visual display diminished and the sky was clear again. Of course, the citizens of Brosshold would pay no heed to the announcement and would search for the suspected man for the good of Antony. The streets filled with search parties and it wasn't long before Narnisus was found.
"You made us believe that you were good!" one of the members in the crowd cried after Narnisus had been surrounded.
"I didn't tell you to believe anything. It's your leader who does that. He's lying to all of you," Narnisus explained.
Out of the ground beneath him suddenly unearthed twisting roots that entangled him in place, squeezing him unconscious.
The citizens of Brosshold remained active throughout the night, celebrating the capture of Antony's enemy, the enemy of their god.
Narnisus awoke from his ordeal and finds himself within a prison cell, chained to the wall. He glances around the room he was put in and finds Marin sitting in the corner.
"Marin? What are you doing here?" he wondered. She didn't answer. He tried to find a way out of his shackles, inspecting them.
"I was thrown in here after the announcement I made to help capture you. I was thrown in here because I had little faith in Antony, because you made me doubt him," Marin said.
"But one of the soldiers made the announcement, not you," Narnisus stated.
"I created the visual display with a spell I've practiced since I was a little girl. It's forbidden to use for personal gain," she explained.
"I can get us out of this," Narnisus said, explaining what he meant and what he can do.
It wasn't long before Antony himself would enter the chamber. "Ah yes. The only two other souls that know of the Purple Lotus in the entire city right where I want them. It would be a shame to let the bit of information out now wouldn't it?"
Outside, much of Brosshold was still stirring from the incident earlier. The sky ripped open once again displaying Antony's face and announcing anything anyone would say.
"Is it the money you're after?" Narnisus asked.
"Oh, I can get all the money I want from the people of Brosshold" Antony replied. "But that's beside the fact. Im making believers who would gladly throw away their very lives in my name, and why not? They believe I can resurrect them. They're not afraid to die. An army built on faith and religion and a holy cause is the greatest army of all. In a few years I'll have a following large enough to take this country, and rebuild it in my name!"
"And what about bringing them back to life? I mean if you kill me now I'm gone for good," Narnisus continued.
"Even with the Purple Lotus it's impossible. Resurrection is nothing but false hope for lost souls," he explained. "Wait a second," he said, discovering the crystal orb floating within the darkness above used to transfer the scene to the display outside. "How long has that thing been there!" he cried. "Don't listen to him! He lies!" Antony said trying to convince the onlookers otherwise.
The whole city stood outside in disbelief at the visual display in the sky. Antony smashes the orb with his staff and walks to Marin.
"You bitch!" he said infuriated, and punished her with a smack of his hand.
"Marin!" Narnisus yelled, struggling in his shackles. He concentrated all of his energy into his hands and blasted the chain shackles to pieces.
"What!" Antony exclaimed. He brandished his staff and ran for the exit. Narnisus followed after him.
Antony burst through the doors and ran to the edge of the stair way outside the capitol. To his dismay, a mob had formed outside the building brandishing pitch forks and torches, awaiting an explanation from Antony. Even the guards holding the mob back wanted some insight as well.
Antony needed to think of something fast. "My children! The non-believer has used his sorcery to impersonate me!" he exclaimed. The citizens were skeptical. Antony decided to display his divine abilities once again. "Behold my power!" he cried throwing both arms up in the air gripping the Staff of the Moon. The city began to rumble as Antony's maniacal grin emphasized his intentions. From all around the area, from behind the buildings in the distance, ascended a wall of water surrounding everybody.
"That has to be a miracle! What else could it be?" the citizens cried as they witnesses the wall of river water rise. It slowly grew over the city, blocking the night sky and hiding the stars and the moon. A dome of water soon covered the city completely.
"I'm warning you Antony, give it up," Narnisus said exiting the building behind Antony and approaching him.
"Why should I fear you? I have the Staff of the Moon," he said with satisfaction.
With that Narnisus held back no more. "Know what? You're not the only one with druidic powers!" he exclaimed with anger and then closed his eyes with rage, holding out his hands to concentrate his focus on gathering energy, not from nature or the moon but from the stars themselves. His hands grew bright with arcane essence emitting from the light until the grew to a maximum capacity. With that, he threw his hands toward the sky and released all of his gathered energy to summon the fire of the stars.
"Here's the real hammer of god!" Narnisus cried as a blinding light descended from the sky outside the dome of water.
"No! The Staff of the Moon is mine! You can't have it!" he cried. The light raced down in bubbles of light that chained downward like lightening, crashing through the water and upon the stairway of the capitol. The starlight's crash caused a large explosion that mimicked the sound of shattering glass when it landed, ripping the concrete stairway to shreds. The powerful attack crashed directly in front of Antony. The immense arcane power in the atmosphere was too great for the Staff of the Moon and caused it to explode in Antony's hands. The mystical essence of the star fire dispersed and unveiled a demolished capitol. The water began to rain back down to the earth.
Narnisus walked over to where Antony lay in pain from burning hands. "The staff was a fake, and the Purple Lotus was destroyed with it," Narnisus said with disappointment.
Then next morning Narnisus set out to return to Lefarious and explain to him what has happened. Before he departed, Marin stopped him.
"Why did you have to come here?" she said whimpering. "We had something to believe in until you showed up."
"You're saying you'd believe in a lie?" Narnisus asked.
"Well, why not? What do I have to live for now?" Marin said, weeping.
"You'll have to decide that for yourself. Walk on your own. You're perfectly capable of it."
Narnisus departed in search for another lead on the Purple Lotus. As for Antony, he escaped before anybody grew concerned.