Astral Azcus's Story

It was a sunny day in Stormhale, a perfect weather to be outside in the grassy plains out to the west of the kingdom, and for those who abides by the law they had nothing to fear.

BOOM! was the sound made as a door of a worn down house was forced open with more power than needed, and people with lavish clothes and swords came rushing in, demolishing the thing that was once used to close the entrance. They seized the children and a man, who was the father of these poor beings. They wore tattered black rags that were once white a long time ago, and the house reeked with the smell of man and children who have not washed for months and months. A guard who was holding the man caught a glimpse of this smell and started to react. Then many more started to complain of the smell, holding their noses and cursing.

"Aw why are we stuck in this muckhole," said one guard.
"Yea, we could be out in the plains relaxing and taking a break!" exclaimed another.
"I know what you mean," replied the guard "I don't even know why I signed up for this job."
"You can leave if you want." said a low but stern voice.
"Yea but this is a high paying job you know," said the guard without noticing the different voice. "Heck if I--" His word was dropped from his mouth as he turned around to see who it was. Standing behind him in black armor with the red cross engraved in the chest plate of the armor stood Astral Azcus.
"S-s-ss-sir!" exclaimed the guard as he stood up to salute him. Then the noises of complaint dissipated, and all the guards with one voice said "sir!" and stood up to salute him.
"You all know that we represent the kingdom of Stormhale," said Astral as he looked around at the guards, "we as the enforcers of the kingdom should be noble and strong. However you all should know better than to complain at the stench of the poor. You and I were privileged to be raised in a well suited environment, but that privilege is not meant to be used as a factor to distinguish you from them. We are after all, human, so we shall be treated equal, as humans."
"You all shall be punished for your complaint and misbehavior." continued Astral "And as for you Ardent, you shall get twenty lashings on top of the punishment given to the group for not holding your job to be of importance. You are lucky that I am not expelling you from the group." With that Astral motioned for two men standing out side to take Ardent, the guard, away to get whipped. Screams could be heard as they ripped him out of his seat and took him to the chamber.

All the guards stood in silence.
"Now for what we came for," said Astral turning to the children and man who were looking at him with a mix of fear and reverence, "Edmund of the plains, you are hereby fined 400 shackles of silver for the acts of multiple thievery. Pay with silver or your life."
"Please sir," said Edmund going on his knees "I am a poor man, and my children needed food. I-i-it all went down hill when my wife died and I lost my job. you see.... Sir please, please. Oh God have mercy. I was hungry and the food looked so good, then my child was sick and the medicine, oh why did I take it! Sir, please have mercy." At the sound of their dad's desperation the children began to wail.
"That's enough of ya" said one of the guards and punched the man in the stomach making him kneel "a crime is a crime whether committed by the poor or rich. If you cannot pay with money, then pay with your life."
"Please... hack ack ack.... sir... ack heck.... I don't have any money" said the man coughing trying to regain his wind.
"Well, if you do not have any money, I guess I have no choice." said Astral reaching at his waist where his sword lay unsheathed in it's case. The children began to run to their father, but the guards grabbed them before going any further. One of the guards smirked to another, as they stood waiting for the glorious moment. Astral's eyes were cool and calm and no emotion was flowing out of him. Edmund closed his eyes embracing himself for the beheading. He could hear metal clinking which was probably the sword. Then he heard sounds like that of glass breaking. He opened his eyes and in front of him was a sack.
"Take this, that should be enough to pay for your fine and the door we broke." Said Astral "learn a lesson from today, never break the law under any circumstance. Start anew, this should be enough to open up a business, I can even get you a stand outside the street if you want. Guards release him."
"I knew he would do that." Said one of the guard to another as he released the boy from this grasp.
"Guards we're leaving," Astral said. The guards began leaving the worn down house as the children embraced their father, who burst into tears of joy at the mercy of this enforcer. He had to know his name. "Sir," asked the man shyly "if I may have your name...."
"It's Astral," he said as he left.
"Thank you sir Astral!" said the man, wiping away his ever-flowing tears.

"Well, there goes your month's worth of salary." said a man dressed in royal clothes standing out side the house.
"Porter! How does my liege fare?" said Astral with a bow.
"He does well, physically, however mentally he is in distress."
"Oh, what's wrong?"
"It's the Magi Stones, stone that have profound power beyond human powers."
"Oh, I heard of those before. They say that these powers are unmatchable.... Anyway what brings you all the way out here?"
"To fetch you, the king is sending you on a special mission. your first I believe."
"A mission..... to where shall I report"
"The castle by noon. I have a ride ready for you."
"It's okay I'll ride there by myself."
"Suit your self."
"Send my liege my greetings."
"Tell him yourself. You will see him."
"See him...." repeated Astral too himself as Porter rode away off into the distance.

Astral rode into the big gates of the main city on his white horse. There he drifted off into the market place looking at the objects there without thinking about it. All that was on his mind was his mission. What could the mission be. Why was he chosen. How was he going to the task. Where-
Astral's trend of thought was broken as he bumped into a man who seemed built naturally and had two visible scars on his face.
"I beg your pardon," said Astral as he bowed, and went on. Soon after he was at the castle gates.
"Halt who goes there!" said one of the guards.
"Astral Azcuz of the red cross knights. I am here to see the king."
"For what reason are ye seeking the king?"
"He has a mission for me." said Astral as he held out the letter that Porter gave engraved with the royal seal.
The guard took a good look at it and then, bowed. "Come right this way," he said as he lead Astral into the castle.
"Sir, Astral please wait here, the king will be with you shortly" said the guard as he walked across the huge flight of stairs into the king's chamber.

"my King, the knight you have summoned is awaiting your audience. Do you wish I bring him in?" one of King Aelus' guards spoke to him boldly.

"Yes, thank you, please send him in," King Aelus responded gazing deeply into the magnificent fireplace still within the grand balcony chamber. "And have somebody bring in more wood for the fire - I hear cold winds are heading our way."

"Yes, my liege. But there is another - a volunteer to aid your knight in hunting down the Magi Stones," the guard added with somewhat of an uncertainty showing in his voice.

"A nobleman?" Aelus questioned, he did not want to entrust such a high priority task to just anyone however if they were capable he seemed no harm in it. He was assigning the task to a high ranking knight of his, so there wasn't much room for error.

"No, a hunter, though he seems capable enough."

"We need all the help we can get, I suppose. Send them in."

"Yes, my liege."

King Aelus stood and faced the wooden doors as they were opened by guards bearing massive steel halberds. It was mainly for show, though if it came to regicide the halberds were a great defense. Immediately he had ran his eyes over the hunter to assess him. "Ah, I believe we have encountered eachother once before, have we not?" Before Zechariah could respond, King Aelus walked over to Zechariah to shake his hand. "You are the one who chose land over knighthood! A very noble decision, if I do say so myself; you are certainly one to be admired."

He then diverted his attention over towards Astral. "As are you, Knight Azcus! I have a task for you both- you probably already know what this task is. The Magi Stones.. we can not let those brutes over in Valtrenna acquire them. They must be respected, treated with care, admired and not used as playthings or weapons. However I am not sending you alone - there is a man I wish for you to seek out. His name is Rubius Makarrah, though you would recognize him as Scholar Makarrah. Have either of you a past with him?" Aelus inquired to the both of them as he maneuvered back over towards one of the couches before plopping down on one gently.

There was a second figure whom Aelus wanted the two to connect with, Knight Mornmist, however he would prefer to inform them of Scholar Makarrah first, given his extensive knowledge on the Ancients and the Magi.

King Aelus glanced over at Aquila. "This is Knight Mornmist, if you do not know her do not be quick to judge her as a woman. She is one of my most competent Knights and will be accompanying you on your journey to locate both Scholar Makarrah and the Magi Stones." He stared deeply into the dancing embers within his fireplace as another log was thrown onto the fire. Some of the embers had flown high up within the domed roof of the balcony chamber, safely fizzling out before landing on the ground.

The King gripped his seat tightly as the ground begun to shake violently. The walls vibrated, furniture shifted slightly and paintings had been turned crooked. A chandelier rocked dangerously back and forth above and small pebbles fell from the ceiling. The violent vibrations had ceased as fast as they had begun, lasting a total of three seconds. "Damned Magi Stones!" Aelus exclaimed, he was rather quick to connect them to the earthquakes. Aelus saw them as nothing but trouble and was certain they were causing the earthquakes. This was not the first to plague Stormhale, there have been a total of three earthquakes so far, each lasting some three seconds each. They were not deadly, but they weren't natural.

"Make haste, travel to the outskirts of Stormhale's walls. You will find Scholar Makarrah's tower due west in the plains, not far from the Highway of Avion. Tell him you were sent by me, and he will know what to do," Aelus instructed the three.