Talents: Fall of Erodeon (IC - Full)

LINK TO THE OOC IS HERE: OUT OF CHARACTER
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For more information, check out the OOC

Intro:

A courtier entered the courtroom of Romadon with great haste. The large marble halls echoed with each hurried foot step. The slender courtier did not have time to relish in the splendor of the crimson and gold hangings, nor the slick, polished armor of the Kings Own Guard. The solders nodded to the courtier, allowing him to approach the throne. He stopped in front of the aging King, Astron the Third, and knelt at his feet. "My Lord, it is as we feared. There is indeed a Shifter in our kingdom, as is the..." He stammered, "The Death Walker, as he is called. Your person is no longer safe."

The King stood abruptly, and scratched his gray beard. "Guards. Apprehend the courtier."

The solders obey without question, placing their halberds at the courtiers neck, though the courtier shot the King a look of surprise. "My Lord?"

"If there is indeed a Shifter in our kingdom, I can not trust anyone, not even you, courtier. Take him away until we can be sure of his identity." The King ordered.

One of the guards placed a hand on the courtiers shoulder, "I'm sorry sir, the King is right. That is, if he knew where the Shifter was... Unfortunately, he is already here."

The guard drug the blade across the courtiers throat, the thick blood spilling down his chest and onto the throne room floor. Several guards swarmed into the throne room to kill the intruder. However, two other people instantly appeared in the center of the room. One wore a gray cloak, and the other wore one deathly black. Before the second guard could react, the black figure placed his hand on the mans face. Instantly the guard screamed in pain, and fell backwards. He writhed on the floor, clutching at his helm. At last he pulled it off, and the other guard recoiled in terror. The mans head was slowly caving in on itself, black cracks of corruption littering his face and skull. At last, the man stopped screaming, though his body continued to collapse, until is was nothing more than empty armor, and charred ash.

"The Death Walker...." One of the men whispered.

The two cloaked figures fell among the remaining retainers like sheep among wolves. The man in gray seemed to blink in and out of existence, and close the gaps between his enemies in an instant. Then his wicked curved blade would end their lives. One of the guards extended his hand to shoot a column of light at the gray figure. It hit the man in the arm, and began to burn away his cloak. He shrieked and began to beat the the magical fire with his free hand, before disappearing. The Death Walker approached from behind, and traced his finger along the guards exposed neck. His life was ended shortly afterward.

Meanwhile, the one called the Shifter advanced on the King, who recoiled and fell back into the throne. Terror was plain on his face.
The Shifter smiled, "My dear King. While you have the Midas Touch, it appears you have nothing to defend yourself with.You can, only transmute plain rock into gold, correct? Well, we shall see."

The Shifter grabbed the Kings shoulders. Nothing happened. After a few seconds, the guard took several paces back and began to sob. The King smiled wickedly, and rose from the Throne. "I like this body. The one I currently had was beginning to get stale. Really now, could you not find better help? Oh well, I shall try to rule better in your place."

The guard, or more accurately King Astron looked up pleadingly "You can not do this! Give me back by body, my life!"

The King motioned to his two minions. The Blinker approached the Death Walker. Very carefully, they touched with gloved hands, and then disappeared. Once they were gone, the Shifter called out, "GUARDS!"

Several more armed men entered the throne room. "Guards, take away this assassin, throw him into the lowest dungeon, but keep him alive for sentencing."

King Aston watched in horror, as another man sat in his body, and stole his crown, his body, and his live.

---

One month later:

The citizens of Romadon despaired (but not publicly) as they saw a transformation in King Astron. He shunned away peasants and beggars in the streets. He seemed to have an air about him that was, not natural. He began to devote resources to mining and industry, an area that was never needed in the kingdom before. Implements of war were being forged.

The King revoked past treaties with it's neighbors, and began to harass the people with harsher taxes and regulations. The country was beginning to feel the new yoke. The hammer finally fell, when the King ordered a force off one thousand men, to sake the town of Grayhaven, which was a crucial pass through the Teratriff mountains, and beyond that, Erodeon. He promised riches and glory there for every man with a sword. Those wise enough knew, that the old King cared not for riches or glory, for he held them all in the palm of his hand. Whispers spread, that some evil had befallen the King, but no one knew what.

The army set off 3 days ago, lead by two men wrapped in gray and black, new weapons in the Kings army.

SLAM!

Michael quickly hurried out of the Inn in the town of Greyhaven, ignoring the fact that he might have broken the door, he stomped down the stairs onto the damp ground. He hadn't had anything to eat for around two days and he was starving, almost to death, in his eye anyway. The warm, damp air filled the town and it was hardly breatheable. Michael's long black cloak swayed in the still air as he walked toward the market to find some fruit to eat while he watches the rain, possibly sleet. It was about to rain, maybe storm, but he isn't a forecaster, he is a Soul Stringer.

"Hello!" Michael spoke to the salesman at the fruit stand. "I'd like to have an apple please, if its not any trouble, sir."
"Sure, mister!" The merchant reached down and picked up an apple and gave it to Michael. "Here, you can have this for free. Your the nicest customer I've had all day, rainy days arn't exactly known to be people's best."
"Why, thank you so much!" Michael chomped into the apple while speaking this, the salesman thought it was funny.

Rainy days are my favorite, It soothes me. Michael thought has he walked toward an awning in the central square in town. It was starting to sprinkle and he started to run. He, if anyone seen it, pretty much fell down onto the stool. He had already eaten his apple and he dropped the core onto the ground beside him. Michael looked up into the dark clouds coming over the mountains, and in his subconcious mind, thought of his mother.

Grayhaven, the town of her youth. Jael just returned from the surrounding forest on her own business and entered the town. She passed the courtyard where she was to be married, so many years ago, it seemed. Her fiance, Illia, flashed in her mind. But she couldn't remember his face. It was just a blur. A depressing blur... she thought bitterly. She missed him. She missed enjoying the thought of him, while now it was just an ugly reminder. Just like the rain. When she was very little, she loved the rain. She loved to dance in puddles, make a mess of herself, knowing her mother would scold her.
"Ugh," she couldn't help but groan. She hated the rain, the wet that soaked into her skin and clothes, stuffed her up, ached her muscles. Sometimes she compared herself to a sponge. Dry and warm, she could move easily. But if she was the complete opposite and soaking wet... it was like she was dragging a pile of rocks behind her. Each step was heavy and laborious. Emotionally and physically, it just weighed her down.
She looked around and spotted an awning that a man was sitting under. She didn't want to encounter anybody, not today. But it was the only available public cover in sight. She hurried across the cobblestone street and stood beneath the covering, as far from the man as possible. Regrettably, her little glance matched his little glance and their eyes met. She hated it when that happened. She gave him a little nod as something of a greeting and turned away.
She hated this dampness, man, did she hate it! She decided to take a risk. She just wasn't in the mood for bearing it today. She warmed herself with a little exterior heat, perhaps even a little harmless flame. But she made certain it was not visible.

((Ooc, sorry for all the she's. I'm rushing. Little time to be more even in my writing.))

It was poring outside, of that he was sure. He could hear the little thuds of the water hitting the flat roof of which he was under. Sean didn't know what he was doing in little Grayhaven. He had come on business, though as he arrived, his intentions were soon forgotten. The quaint city mesmerized him. He had been there for about 3 hours, when it started to rain. The rain ended his trance. Crap. I'm going to get soaked. Sean plastered a great big smile on his face, and stepped outside. Within a few seconds, his shaggy hair was all wet, sticking to his face.

He had always tried to change his own perception of what was happening. Right now was a good example. He hated the rain, absolutely detested it. All Sean wanted was the warm beach. Yet, as much as he tried, he never could make himself see that, experience it. He was stuck with the reality of things.

Rain is such a beautiful thing. But, why must it get me wet and sticky? Still smiling, he sat down (still in the rain). Although he didn't find it pleasant, he did find the rain a bit cooling. It had been a hot day.

Sean heard a wagon roll by, but couldn't be bothered to turn around. He hadn't looked at his surroundings, but he heard noise from his left. He guessed it was either a brothel, or a market. He couldn't be bothered to care.

The sound of rain was becoming harder and faster, it slowly became a downpour, and then a deluge. The cool air that a storm brought replaced the humidity and it soothed Michael. Wind brought rain under the awning and onto Michael, though he didn't mind too much, he didn't want to get wet; He stood and took a few steps toward the center of the shelter. His one gold eye shimmered like a thousand stars under the darkness of the awning while his other remained quiet, desolate, and blind. People were now starting to get out of the rain and into shelters of their own, a woman approached him and his shelter and invaded it like it was her own. She glanced around timidly while he did so too, and then their eyes met, but it wasn't like a storybook where the one true loves meet and they lock eyes, no, this was a very awkward moment. Michael and the woman quickly escaped from each other's eyes and moved out their own business. The woman seemed like she was zoned out, like she was hiding something, but Michael didn't care, he wasn't social anyway. But then he realized, he had no more money and had just left his twenty-four hour room Inn, which he rented eight hours ago...it was a waste of money. He decided to try to spark up a conversation with the woman, maybe she had somewhere to stay besides under this awning.

"Hello Miss, I'm Michael. Today wasn't a very good day to lurk the streets, huh?" He said, completely ignoring the fact that he could just as easily spark up another awkward moment aswell as an equal chance of finding somewhere to stay.

"Hell's teeth!" Grunted the man in black, "Curse this rain. This will not do well on the battlefield. Cyllic! What say we hold off a day? Camp on the slopes and intimidate the town?"

Cyllic, the man is gray frowned. "I agree Talshak." But the man wouldn't say anymore.

"All right you maggots!" Talshak roared at the ranks. Bring up the barricades to the front, keep the siege to our rear. Get some tents up and get the fires going. Those bastards in Grayhaven need to see us and fear what they will face tomorrow. Get moving there is still work to be done!"

The men worked furiously under the rain, erecting tents and pulling the heavy siege. Eventually large fire were built to warm the men, but also to warn Grayhaven what was coming next. This would not be an easy fight however, Grayhaven has the fortune to have been built on a low ridge between two mountains. The only way into the city was up a narrow winding slope, which was protected by a low gate. The gate itself would not stand long under determined attack, but Grayhaven has withstood many assault by would be bandits and looters simply because of it's natural defenses.

---

Meanwhile, a single man sat on the top of the eastern gate, looking down on the army. He took a puff from his pipe, and frowned. The army had arrived quicker than expected. He had thought that the 'King' would have taken his time. No matter though, it was bound to happen eventually. The man stood, and went to alert the town guards.

It took Jael a few seconds to realize he was talking to her. But who else could he possibly be talking to? Stirred out of her thoughts, she answered, somewhat coldly, "Hello, Michael. You're exactly right. It's a perfectly rotten day to roam the streets."

She gazed out into the rainy haze. What with the clouds and pouring rain, it was hard to see any farther than the buildings across the street. She thought something odd was in the sky, but she couldn't tell. Shoving the thought aside she looked back at this Michael and studied him, intrigued. One eye was gold, the other white. It was quite unnerving, actually. She looked away again. Okay... she thought skeptically.

She sighed frustratedly. This was definitely one of those off-days, where her thoughts were in shambles, her feelings unspecific, and her mind just tired. She wish she could just escape... she wished it were a clear night and she could just go lie on the floor of a clearing and star gaze. The thought of breathing in fresh air, alone and in peace... it was agonizing to think about while she stood here, trapped in the rain with a person with strange eyes. And somehow she just knew he was still looking at her.

"Haha, yeah, its my eyes isn't it?" Michael sighed as he completely ignored her response and only noticed her hesitance. "I thought so." He walked out into the downpour and toward the tavern on the other side of the square. Rain quickly soaked his hair, clothes, and body. He wore a hoodless cloak that usually flowed effortlessly in the wind, but tis was a different story, it was glued to the back of his legs like plaster on a wall. It caused him to stagger a bit and he ran toward the tavern with haste, mud and water flying up and over him from his footsteps.

I knew I shouldn't have said anything to her. She is just another one of those people who is scared of my eyes. Michael thought as he looked into the sky over the tavern. He could make out something that didn't seem to be a cloud, maybe a tornado, but he didn't know. He continued into the tavern.

Soaking wet, he took a seat closest to the door. The tavern was desolate, there was no bartenders and no customers, and Michael wondered where they might have gone. He was always worried about his eye that still worked. Whenever he thought something was wrong, he would constantly rub it until the feeling had gone. For this reason, his eye was nearly always bloodshot. Michael was rubbing his eye as he made his way out of the tavern and onto the porch. The rain was coming in from the other direction and he failed to understand why he stood under the awning and not at the tavern. The thought of the eerie thing in the sky reentered his head again as he continued rubbing his eye.

Sean saw a dark figure walk into what seemed to be a tavern. Every inch of his body was wet, but he wasn't worried about getting sick. He never got sick. Although he was comfortable in his position, he got up and followed the figure in as he was cold now. He had no intention of speaking to the figure, but when he entered, there was no one. No one except for what seemed to be a man.

He sighed, breathing in un-wet air. "'Tis quite the storm," he said to the man, who he noticed was rubbing his eye. The tavern was ill-lit, thus he didn't notice his eye color. Sean walked around the back, and found some rum in which he drank a gulp straight from the bottle. He offered some to the man, by waving it in his direction.

Sean heard the wind pick up outside, howling loudly. The rain got harder, too, and he realized the tavern was going to end up flooding sooner or later. The whole town was going to flood if the storm continued. "Like the rain?" he asked, smiling.

"Yeah, this is getting pretty bad." Michael spoke to the figure who walked into the tavern. "I wonder when it will let up." Michael said while getting up out of his seat. He was almost dry by now and his cloak didn't attach itself to his legs anymore. The man walked behind the bar and grabbed a bottle of rum and drank right from the bottle. The man made a gesture to ask if Michael wanted any too, of course, he was naturally flattered by this. Michael walked over to the bar and snatched the bottle from the man's hands, "I guess I'll have some if you insist." Of course the man wasn't insisting, but Michael needed something to drink.

"Like the rain?" The man said.
"Yeah, its my favorite type of weather, especially storms, as long as I'm not caught in it." Michael responded. The man had broad shoulders and was pretty well built. Michael looked like a sixteen year old peasant compared to this man. He wasn't nearly as built or as tall as this man. At a mere 5'7", Michael felt inferior and small compared to him, but that didn't change anything, hes felt small and inferior for five years, nothing will change with this man.

Jael sighed again. Dang it! Why me... No matter how cold she tried to be, her conscience always gave her a hard time. She wrapped her cloak tight around her and ran through the rain, trying to keep a low flame spread over her entire body, except her boots. She didn't feel like burning mud. She let the rain put her fire out just before she reached the door of the tavern.
As she stepped in, she saw two sets of eyes peering at her. One pair of normal eyes, as far as she could tell, and the gold and white eyes, which was now barely noticeable in the dim lighting.
Mistaking the man with the bottle for the bartender, she came in, sat next to Michael, set money on the counter, and said, "Can I get two mugs of that stuff, bartender?" She glanced at Michael and gave him a little smile, though she couldn't help but think it looked more like a grimace. Eh, what could she do?

((Ooc, sorry, I was writing this while you posted yours. Is it okay if I leave it? I can still change it, though.))

Suddenly, the warning bell of Grayhaven began to rang. From outside the tavern, shouts of armed men and the whiny of horses could be heard. A man pushed his way into the tavern, making the door swing open, exposing the hundreds of men assembling in the streets. He blew rain droplets off of his nose and look a seat near the fire.

"Dear me. It rained harder than I suspected it would, but it seems that the rain is a blessing in disguise." The man said as he passed the trio. He spoke briefly with a barmaid, and she brought him a tankard of ale. "I don't think you fellows, and lady, should want to stay in town longer than tonight."

Jael looked all around, as if expecting something to come out with the loud ringing that started out of nowhere. She looked at the two men beside her, wondering what was going on.

Then a man burst into the room. She jumped at the sudden noise, flames appearing on her shoulders and on her lap. She cursed under her breath as she took a canvas cloth that was on the bar and tried to pat out the flames. Well, so much for keeping that hidden for a while.

The man who entered the tavern was saying something, but she was too busy to notice. After he passed by them, she made out the words, "..want to stay in town longer than tonight."

"What did you just say?" she asked.

Stumbling down the alley way he barely knew where he was "this damn rain...hate it," mumbling to himself trying to get a grasp on what was going on. Roqa has been around but he's always found Grayhaven to be safe and comforting and the wenches weren't that bad looking either. Trying to stand at attention he brought the bottle of red wine to his lips holding the bottle as steady as possible. As the rain seemed to be coming down harder and faster he finished off the wine spilling a little bit on his shirt in the process, tossing the empty bottle against the floor he proceeded to stumble down the alley stepping on rotten garbage and nearly crushing fleeing rats.

Hearing the Town bell ring he started making his way toward the town square to find out what was going on "Blah these people always doing their ringing and dinging," he said. Walking out of the alley he looked over by the tavern seeing a large group of men in front of it as if they were planning something "these boys look serious," he said to himself. Watching a fellow bum pass by him he slightly bowed his head in respect to the man, he then stepped back a bit and leaned on the wall behind him crossing his arms as well. Letting the rain gather in his hair his focus was on this group...although he still was very drunk his body was hard at work breaking down the alcohol that lingered through out his blood stream.

The man turned to Jael, "I said, good woman, that there is going to be an army marching on this place. King Aston has decided he is not fat enough, and needs the lands of Erodeon to add to his kingdom. It would not be wise to stay here for more than a night. The name is Kallen.. And you are?"

The man bowed as he introduced himself, "And the names of your companions of course."

Jael frowned. "Well, this is Michael," she said, motioning absentmindedly to the man beside her but purposely not giving her name. "But would we not fight? It is a little town, but is it not defensible? I don't see why we should simply abandon it. I'm sure we have many capable people here, and there's always sending for help."

She wondered who the man really was, why he was so calm while stating the town would be overrun. Well, she grew up in Grayhaven, and she had not yet decided she'd be so willing to let it be taken over so easily. Who was she to give up without a fight, but instead to run away with her tail between her legs? That was one possibility she found hard to imagine.