Chapter 2
Smoke wafted into the small cavern and encompassed Signa. All she could smell was smoke and sulfur. Slowly she walked out, silent, as if in a trance. The whole landscape had changed. What was once soft, green grass was now hard, unforgiving, gray, cracked earth. The sky, so brilliantly blue just a few hours before, was now a broiling cauldron of darkness. Tossed up and burnt trees lay scattered everywhere, massive crystal structures rose maliciously to the sky, shining in sickly purples and greens. The crystal clear brooks that once ran through the valley were now empty, or filled with a repulsive black tar. The land had been seared.
Quickly Signa broke out into a run. As fast as she could she ran towards her home. Her heart hammered and as she approached her destination it sank. The walls were not there, great crystals pierced throughout the town, buildings lay in shatters, and no one was to be seen.
"Father!" she cried, "Kenneth! Lady Alice!" There was no response. Into town she burst and right up to the remains of her father's home. There lied nothing. Crying out she leapt out of his home and to the orphanage, but there to was only waste. Desperately Signa searched and searched for any sign of life. Despite her search there was no one. She was alone. Slowly she backed up, shaking from head to toe with despair. She hit something behind her and slowly turned around. There was the great, silver tree. There was the sacred gift that the Goddess Melandru had given the founder of the clan centuries ago. There it stood, its shining trunk tainted with soot and blackness; its thick branches splintered beyond repair; and all of its glowing leaves, all but one, stripped from it. Tears fell from Signa's eyes as she watched the very last leaf fall gently to the ground.
Slowly, carefully, Signa walked on. She leaned heavily on her staff with her cloak wrapped tightly around her. Wearily she lifted her head up to look at the horizon. Ascalon. She had only ever been to the pride of the land of Rin once. She had been a young girl tagging along with Ventour on one of his business travels. Each majestic tower and laughing jester was forever imprinted on her memory. She had even been able to meet the king and play with the prince as their father's conversed. Now it stood, in shatters before her. The great city had been reduced to nearly nothing. She walked on.
As she got closer she heard people shouting. Her heart rose quickly at that sound of humanity. Forgetting her injury and weariness she began to run to the city. As soon as she made it past the remains of the gates she could see soldiers, not many but enough, helping civilians to infirmaries. Healers were treating the horribly wounded, masons were building shelters, and scouts were looking for survivors. Relief washed over Signa at this sight. She rushed to assist people to the infirmaries and she did all she could until sundown. Exhausted and hungry she finally rested around one of the many bonfires that had been made.
"My fellow Ascalonians," said a man, his voice ringing through the night with a strong, but an overwhelmingly sorrowful tone, "We have been struck down. The charr… they have wrought their wrath on us, claimed the lives of our loved ones, and destroyed our proud city. We have been seared. We have been broken. We have been scattered. As your prince, my heart is filled with a despair I cannot describe, but I tell you now. We will not be eradicated like this! Not so easily! While a few of us still stand we will fight on! We will rebuild and defend so says the king! Ascalon shall never fall to charr hands!" At this many soldiers, men, women, and children raised their hands and roared their loyalty. Signa too, roared her loyalty.
"All hail King Jalis!" they cheered, "All hail Prince Rurik! All hail Ascalon!" Now a smaller man stood at the main fire his face covered in the scars of war.
"My name is Warmaster Tydus," he announced briskly, "If we are to defend ourselves and our homeland we need heroes. We need people who will fight, and even give their lives for this cause. Our numbers are few and we can no longer afford the great armies we had in comfort before. Our only hope will be in a precious few, trained to take on missions of epic proportion. Who will answer this call?"
Signa looked around quietly while chewing on her bread. The civilians and soldiers just whispered looking at each other expectantly. None were willing to take such risk. Signa gulped and closed her eyes seeing the gentle face of her father, purposefully she stood, "My name is Signa Talon and I will answer the call."
Almost immediately after she stood another man, large and covered in armor, stood a few feet away, "My name is Kalen Morthaur and I to, will answer the call." A couple more people stood, one a red haired, buff, woman and the other a long-haired, quiet looking man.
"My comrade and I will also answer this call," the woman added, "We are Zleeda Gak and Q Tan." No one else stood.
"Very well," Tydus replied with a sad but pleased grin, "You four shall be the first of our heroes. May Balthazar guide your weapons and Dwayna watch over your souls."
{Content Break! J So in this chapter you may hear names such as "Melandru," "Dwayna," and "Balthazar." These entities are only three of the five Gods that lord over the Tyrian universe. They are Balthazar, Melandru, Dwayna, Grenth, and Lyssa. Each God has power over a different aspect of life. Balthazar is the God of Fire and War and is often the object of many a warrior's chant. Melandru is the Goddess of Nature and the Earth. Dwayna is the Goddess of Life and Air, and she is the subject of worship from monks and healers. Grenth is the God of Death and Ice and the lord of the Mists ((equivalent of the Underworld)). Finally Lyssa is the Goddess of Beauty and Illusion. Thanks for reading my story and stay tuned for more on the adventures of Signa!}