Snippet #1725501

The sounds of thunder could be heard in the distance where the sun was begining to set. Most of the weather in Valcrest would usually occur in the far northern regions of Valcrest especially as the days would grow colder. Evin hoped that the rain would eventually reach the desert, but it rarely happened and even when it did, it would only last a couple of minutes before disappearing. Then it was always back to the same old dry heat that Evin just couldn't learn to love.
When he reached the gates of Brightvale, he was greeted by an increased security and odd looks. Something must have happened in the time he was away and that was probably why there was heightened security, but he didn't quite understand the looks. Some were of fear, some were of disgust and others yet were of an almost creepy admiration. He couldn't figure out what all these looks were about. There was no way that anyone would have heard of the assassination yet because Evin didn't stop once on his way back to the desert. He just continued walking into the ruined city where he got the same types of looks as before.
He just brushed it off and continued walking into the once forbidden grounds where Evin had very disrespectfully placed his tent. When Indrani very disrespectfully removed the place that he had set himself up, he acted as if nothing had happened and slept out in the cold in the exact same spot where his tent once was. Eventually, he got his tent back and has no problems. He wasn't sure if Indrani was still mad about it, but she seemed like a tight ass. Evin didn't like how there were people living in the place of worship for the god Fire. The Gods created these cities so they could live with their human counterparts. It didn't make any sense to him why they wouldn't let just anyone visit the temple.
Off in the distance he could hear people talking. He couldn't make anything out, but it seemed to be a big deal because soon enough it seemed like everyone was talking about the same thing. He still didn't know what they were saying, but by the way they moved and their expressions, he could just tell it was the same topic. Soon enough there seemed to be a huge gathering. Only a few people hadn't left their tents to see the commotion. Evin wanted to be one of those people, but he couldn't resist the temptation. It seemed like the mob was focused on the almost forbidden temple. Forgetting about the rules, like usual, he just walked straight into the temple. He wasn't afraid if someone tried to stop him or anything. He wasn't going to fight someone who tried to get in his way, but he definitely wouldn't make life easy for them if they tried to kick him out.
Evin wasn't exactly certain where he was going. He had only entered the building a few times and he hadn't exactly mapped the building out like he had the castle in Newhaven. In frustration, he shouted out, "what's going on?" The walls answered back the echo of his own voice. If someone was in the building, there would be no way they didn't hear it.

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[Blackpond]
The night fell quickly as the clouds enveloped over the skies of Blackpond. The ominous sounds of thunder and pounding of rain wasn't too far. Across the hazy streets, people walked around cautiously, their faces in scarves in fear that there might be someone after them. Swords and other weapons were placed in very visible places warning people that they are armed. The ones who would have expensive weapons were either dead or had invisible protections. Fights on the street were a daily routine and any kid who was found on the streets alone would be found dead the next day. Crows and other scavenging birds would fly around in mass volumes from the dead bodies that were left on the streets. No one cared to even move the bodies to somewhere more dignified. For most people, there was no dignity left.
No one was pure in this wasteland. Not even the city guard was safe from this. From the outside, they seemed strong and together; fighting the small crimes and dealing with the big crimes with strict punishments. On the inside, one could see the corruption. The guards were divided into the different gangs on the streets. They would be payed by these gangs to fight against other gangs in the huge war that had erupted after the king's death.
The only place where someone was guaranteed safety was in the castle.
Rick sat on the bed of his royal room. Nothing in this room had changed since the tragic and mysterious day that the King was found dead on his bed with his trusted friend Hastings at his side. The poor bastard never knew that his friend would be willing to him. It looked like a murder-suicide from anyone who was there. The curtains were still ripped, and the mess that was made had not been cleaned. Not even the blood that stained the light green carpeting seemed to bother this new king. He was just able to sit in his bed and read a book or even bring one of the serving women to join him for the night.
Most women who spent the night in that room had either died or went crazy from whatever horrors they witnessed in that room, whatever those horrors were. The women wouldn't die because of the abuse that happened most of the time. Instead, these women would kill themselves, usually by hanging during the night's afterwords.
Rick placed the book down on his side table and got up from the bed to change into his night clothing. There was a knock on the door.
"Come in." He said.

Rita entered the room, looking around in disgust from the things that she knew had happened in there. Things of unspeakable evil that seemed to personify themselves in the city. Rick would say that his father was killed by Hastings, but she knew that Hastings would never do it. Even if he had thought that he could, he was too loyal to ever go through with any plan to the end. She still remembered the vividly, when she walked into the room to witness the horror. She witnessed in person the ghosts that all those serving women who spent the night in that room had to deal with. It was such a terrible sight.
Looking at Hastings dying in front of her. She wasn't exactly trained to tell when exactly her loyal leader had died, but she knew that he just couldn't survive what happened to him. She sent him down the river as quickly as possible. The boat lead him to the beyond where she hoped he would be treated with as much respect as he deserved.
She shed a small tear at the thought quickly composing herself after as not to show her weakness. "The reports of laughter from the inn has been dealt with my lord. The inn is being dismantled. The keeper and his employees have been slain."
"Good, and Lamya, has she left for Newhaven?" Rick smiled.
"Yes my lord. She should probably arrive in Newhaven by the hour."
Rick didn't say anything else. This was Lamya's cue to leave the room. Her heart skipped a beat as the thunder outside boomed and the rain began to fall. She quickly got out of that room before she became yet another woman to face the horrors of Rick.

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[Newhaven]
A still night was not one that Newhaven was going to get. The winds had been picking up for the past few hours, and the sun had been blocked by the clouds for quite some time and now it was raining. Just as it started picking up, Ella sighed. It was just a terrible way to end a terrible day off. Sadly, Ella always felt that the only time when she wasn't bored was when she was working. Her one day off in such a long time and she couldn't think of a single thing that she wanted to do. Instead she got stuck on one of the staircases to the highest tower, listening to one of the many pointless stories that Dominic would tell.
"Did I ever tell you the story about my first--"
"Day of training?" Ella interrupted. "Only a thousand times." The man could be annoying, but he had a sort of charm that allowed him to retell his stories without getting frustrated with him.
"Well it was a good day. The cap'n had rather... impractical methods of training. Mag never really liked him I don't think, but I sure did. I think she was just jealous that I got along with the man is all. Well he brought me on a mission that first day. There was a group of mercenaries who thought it fun to steal gold from the King. The cap'n had been tracking these scum down for months and he had finally found a chance to ki -- I mean stop the scoundrels.
They were hiding out in a camp just a mile south from a village just on the outskirts of Newhaven. It was the safe house of them scum. They didn't expect it at all. We set the home on fire to scare them out. Turns out them ruffians had themselves some hostages. The cap'n managed to distract them while I picked them off one at a time from behind. When the last one had been taken out, we searched for that there money. It was never found."
Thank the Gods it wasn't the long version this time. Ella thought. It was the short and very untrue version of the story. Ella knew for a fact, based off old records that the money was in fact found. Morgan had kept it for himself. After his death they found the gold that had the mark of the king on it. It was found under his bed in his personal home. She knew that Dominic knew the truth too. Just by the way he always explained how it was never found just didn't seem right. She was sure that Dominic knew a lot about that captain.
"I always love to hear that story." Ella lied.
Before Dominic could continue on to his next story, a Black Guard walked up the stairs and gracefully bowed for both superiors. "Sir Adams." He looked over at the man, but what he said was directed at Ella. "M'lady, there is a woman outside the castle who wishes to speak to you. She claims to be from Blackpond and states that it's urgent. There's something odd about her. I suggest we ignore it."
Ella raised her eyebrows at the man, puzzled about the things he said. "If you thought that maybe I should ignore it then why would you even tell me in the first place? Now I'm going to have to see why I shouldn't go." A big smirk grew across her face and she started running off down the halls to the gates.

Dominic and the Black Guard had no chance in stopping her. Even though she was in a dress, she was still much faster than a man over six feet and a Black Guard in full armour. She would still have to stop at her room to grab her cloak. This would give him some time to put on his armour. Before rushing down the stairs towards his room, he ordered the Black Guard. "Go find Mageria and explain to her the problem. We still have some time to stop her. If you find any other guards along the way, order them to stop the Queen from reaching the gate if possible!"
Dominic rushed down the stairs and around a few corners to the Sleeping quarters of the White Knights. It was a pleasant place laced with silver and royal blue decor. In his room, he clumsily placed his armour on. The fact that it was dented and bruised only made his rushed job look even worse. His claymore wasn't in the room though. It was down on the bottom floor of the castle. In his room, he kept a short sword, but didn't grab it. He didn't stop to talk to anyone, and kept running as fast as possible down flight after flight of stairs. The hallways where he kept his claymore was just a turn away. He could hear airy footsteps running towards the gate. He knew that he didn't have much time, but the detour to the claymore was necessary. He ran to the White Knight's first floor armoury and kicked down the door. This was no time for keys.
His claymore was placed right by the door. He picked it up, and ran. To him the claymore was just like a broad sword to any normal soldier would carry. He was just so massive that it didn't seem as heavy as it actually was.
Finally he made it to the palace gate. Ella stood there in her cloak, puffed out from the dress she had on underneath. The other woman also wore a cloak of red. It was an unusual red however as it seemed that it had been white originally and stained with red wine. Dominic just couldn't take his eyes off of this stunning woman, even though most of her features weren't showing because of the cloak, he could still tell that she was an absolute prize if he had ever seen one.
"Don't worry," she said in a low voice, "I only wish to talk."

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[Valcrest, outside of Newhaven]
Alexander was curious to see that the White Knights were looking into their business, but it was not all that unreasonable. He took the last drag of his cigarette and then threw it into the dying campfire. He had heard yelling the other night, catching a glimpse of the conversation Grim and his right hand man. They were discussing the pros and cons of recruiting from Newhaven, but recruiting from Blackpond was not even a part of the question. Nothing had changed. Once a Knight, always a Knight. Alex could help in some way, but the problem with that was that he just can't. It would be too risky for everyone involved to even go near Blackpond, with all that had gone down over the three years in that city contacting with anyone in that city would be an almost instant death sentence. The new King had the entire city wrapped around his finger and they couldn't see it. That Rick was such a bastard.
Alexander decided that he would try to get close to Grim and find out what he could hear. He was sure it would be interesting.