Brishen's Story

Malgerious after landing his blow and watching the king crumple before him. The young knight's sword now stained with royal blood found itself readied once more as the loyal knights to the king began to step forward.

"I Malgerious Corven, former knight to the corrupt despot before you, will accept any challenge of combat!"

He waited for the first of the knights to make their move whilst he kept his eyes upon the enemies before him. Meanwhile within the crowd of nobles David Trapspringer continued to move unhindered by the crowd only to have his eyes land upon the crown that fell to the ground between the king and the knights.

Despite the monk's fervent prayers King Paul Elupitser's life continued to slip out with his blood. The King attempted to choke something out to the monk, grabbing a fist full of his robes and yanking him close with the last of his strength. He released the monk with a deathly grimace. He sputtered and the blood bubbled over his chin, ran from his nose. His eyes were bloodshot. His clothes were ruined.

He had one move left in his life, and what he chose to move was his arm. He raised it up and flopped his hand on his head. The crown was gone. King Paul Elupitser's face twisted into the ugliest of shapes as he brought his arm down again. His elbow knocked on the throne, his forearm extended out, and his hand tightened into a point. His finger aimed at Tromphonia. His eyes popping out of his sockets. He opened his mouth to order her death. A gurgle rose from his throat, followed by a waterfall of crimson. His eyes shifted from Tromphonia's proud nonsmile to the spot above her head. to the spot above the door, to that one rafter on the ceiling.

The sunlight suddenly returned in the windows and it danced on the glazed eyes of King Paul Elupitser, who was dead.

As Malgerious Coven accepted the challenge of the Knights of the King the crowd hushed and withdrew from the front of the room. Tromphonia again began her laughter.

In the back of the room a cat continued to howl and howl, hating the smell of the dirty King's blood, hating being trapped in this room, and knowing that outside of the Norde Keep was even worse for wear than in here. But no, the doors were not going to open - especially not for a cat. Brishen had thrown Sireth to the ground unable to take his fish breath complaints. After all that meowing, Brishen almost wished Sireth would go back to doing that weird thing he did where he talked like a person did. Almost. But Brishen wasn't worried about that right now. Brishen had seen the crown go flying. He knew it's worth -a lot- and there was something about it that struck his interest. Maybe it was a life of ease and comfort?

"Long Live Gaia!" Tromphonia piped from her knees, her eyes fixed on the dead King, not taking them off of him or his face for a second. The Monk in black and red swore and quickly threw a cloak over the dead King's face before anyone could memorize his visage in death, or see. It was too late for Tromphonia, she would literally never forget what she saw for as long as she lived.
And she was going to enjoy every moment of it, and she was going to burn his legacy to the ground.

"Let us see the King!" Tromphonia spat at the monk, who shot a murderous gaze in her direction. His eyes flashed and he bared his teeth at Tromphonia, looking her keepers dead in the eyes. The one cracked, turned tail, and ran. He was quickly absorbed into the crowd. The other, hand still on his hilt, didn't hesitate for a moment. Tromphonia now locked eyes with the Monk. There was a reason he would not let them see the king. It was in this moment she realized that because of this, everything may have been in vain. If nobody saw, nobody would know, and Nightfall would come, and all would be for naught, and that was that.
It was too much for Tromphonia of Skyfall.
The people had to know!

The first knight stepped forth and leveled his blade at Malgerious Corven. His name was Edart Yolette, and his armor was quite shiny. He wore no helmet, most didn't while in court.
"Hah! Corrupt despot? Does he not see his own reflection in his blade? Long live the king!"

"SHOW US THE KIIIIIIIIIIING!" She released a guttural screech as the corrupt knight approached Malgerious, so hard it hurt, visibly shaking and struggling to her knees.
"SHOW US THE KING! SHOW US THE KING! SHOW US TH-"

Tromphonia's eyes flashed all the way open before settling into a narrow glare. She didn't take her eyes off of the monk even as the blade slowly slid out from between her ribs. She maintained eye contact even as the blood bubbled in her own mouth. She struggled back the coughing as the blood filled her lungs, finally breaking eye contact to hack in the face of her executor. Bright red spittle freckled his entire upper half. Enraged, he plunged his sword into Tromphonia again. She grabbed the sword and looked him, too, dead in the eye. A chill ran down his spine. He couldn't look away as the light left her eyes. Her executioner danced backwards as her corpse collapsed on the blade, dumping her to the ground.

Edart Yolette took the moment for what it was. He tucked his elbows, took a side step, and aimed for the hands. He swung the sword at Malgerious Coven, grounding his weight but staying light in his knees.

Sireth howled at the door to be let out. Brishen snaked around the edge of the crowd to his own effect, inching as well towards the crown, unaware that another had the same idea- and had it sooner. Tromphonia lie executed on the ground in an expanding pool of blood. Her eyes were open, still gazing towards the throne, where the King lay assassinated. His face was still covered, although the medicine woman was hovering a little too close to the shroud for the Monk's comfort.

The executioner raised his bloody blade and brandished it at the crowd, lest anyone get any ideas.

Malgerious did not respond but simply caught a glimpse of Sir Edart Yolette's attack and was only barely able to take a step back bringing his blade up to catch the oncoming steel from landing a true blow. Many of the nobles gasped at the sight of more combat and as the executioner did his dirty deed many more cried out in shock and despair.

"I honor you with this fight Sir Yolette……."

Malgerious began to grunt as he would attempt to push the blade back and up creating an opening so that he could either attempt to end this quickly or put the knight on his ass if need be.

"Though I wish it was on better circumstances!"

Meanwhile the one eyed David Trapspringer continued to watch the events unfold only to allow his gaze to fall upon the lone crown that now lay beyond the crowd and past the executioner who acted as a dangerous barrier for the nobles. There was however something that could be done and it only took the leader of The Obsidian Halls a few steps behind the crowd of nobles and away from there current gaze only to change his form into that of an elven woman with long flowing robes and an air of grace and nobility but the appearance of a scholar.



Elio The Wise shouted in a rather commanding voice that seemed to echo with power of both the arcane and something else. The black dragon in the guise of this elvish scholar began to make its way through the crowd and towards the executioner and the combat that was happening before the crowd of nobles.

It was easier than expected. Her brothers were right. The rooftops were the perfect way into the keep. So lightly guarded if that. there were however only three guards she had to worry about who were in her path and had to be slain without a sound. Their bodies hidden just enough to take a bit of time before someone went searching for the deceased. But the elven woman with pale blonde hair by way of powerful illusion magic had to briefly recall how easy it was to get that far.

The first guard was directly in her path. he never heard her coming. Without a sound her hand reached up, and a thinner than paper edge cut his throat cleanly. She guided him to the rooftop and laid him quietly on the ground, closing his sightless eyes as she briefly sheared his belt for a pouch all guards had, sadly he only had one diamond and two garnets on him. one of the guarnests were flawless and she smiled. Leaving the gold as she had far too much in her own belt to worry of carrying more she headed for a door in the first tower.

She heard shouting, Guards apparently did not have good hearing. Then she remembered, the guards were human for the most part.She snuck up on the second guard and focused carefully, there were two more guards and an alarm bell in her view. Well that made sense. Mentally steeling herself the whiteharied ebony skinned woman darted forwards and disabled the alarm bell, sadly a guard spotted her, ducking behind a pillar she waited for the guard to come closer.

When he was close enough her tagger once more found flesh as she jumped out from behind the pillar and stabbed the man, pulling him with her and setting him silently against the pillar, once more gently closing his eyes and searching his belt, finding only gold. Growling unhappy at no gemstones the Drow signed at the dead man "cheapskate" before sneaking off.

Her final target was guarding a door she needed to use to get inside. He was in the way and occasionally turning left, standing in the way and only turning to his left, a complete circle. Well, he had to die for sure. His back to her, she snuck forwards without a sound. Keeping just out of his line of sight. Finally as he looked once more towards the door she struck. The guy having no idea how she got on the rooftop to begin with.

Standing upon a crossbeam briefly taking in the scene before her she thought back on the brief conversation she had as a child with her parents and brothers shortly after the destructiuon of a certain rival House.

"That gem crown is a true mythic item" her father had said. "Why is it mythic ? Nobody has ever stolen it and gotten away with it"

"I will steal it" Miyo said, or rather signed to her parents.

"You ? Impossible!" her father thought it crazy.

"Dear, your daughter had her tongue removed and the house that did it her brothers destroyed, you should thank her that we'ved rid ourselves of a hated enemy already and moved up in the council with that destruction" Miyos mother, Matron Lurune said. the male Drow waved her off.

"I will prove it to you father, that gem is stealable" Miyo signed, her brothers agreed, Miyo loved stealing gemstones of all kinds, rarely going for the gold or anything else of value.

Finally nodding she found some shadows and sneaking down without being seen was easier than she had thought it would be. She thought it was going to be hard to do, but as she neared the ground she had activated the illusion. The nicely tanned skin of a visiting Elven noble with pale blonde hair, dressed in a dark dress that looked more like something seen in combat, had the guards never looking her way as their gaze was locked on the fight before the throne.

Entering a group of nobles and Miyo spotted her target. Briefly she wondered why the King sat in such a manner. The king is dead ? Perfect that makes this easier.... her gaze landed on the crown. but only for scant seconds as the voice filled with magic seemed to radiate across the assembled nobles. Thankfully the Illusion held and Miyo, using the name she had given the door guard of Lady Lurune, was unaffected, for the moment at least she faked it. She begain mapping out the room. Once she had the gem crown she had to get away.

All it took was thinking five steps ahead. Right now, she was at step six.

But there was still step one to worry about. Step two however had moved up the list, she had to get around the other Elf. But something tingled at the back of her neck....

This was most likely going to go sideways, fast.

The Court at Norde Keep froze as a voice demanded that of this they had surely had enough. Edart Yolette, momentarily distracted, didn't quite catch Malgerious's move and was left fully open. Brishen had made his way almost to the front of the crowd when the demand was made, and swore to himself as his progression towards that shiny crown was put to a halt.

The room was a hush, and despite most of the court descending into silence, a loud meROOWWW of a cat continued to pipe on at the door. Sireth. Wanted. OUT.


After a moment, a meow, and a heartbeat there were shouts coming from far off in the Castle. Three of the knights who stood to defend the Crown broke formation and surged through the crowd. Ladies lifted their skirts and fainted, men staggered back- what had invaded the Keep, and how? They each swore to be the one to find the intruder - for the three were all hungry for blood. There was something about the corruption of Eras that gave a bloodlust like no other.

As they slipped out, Sireth hot on their heels in his own escape, someone else slipped in. Perhaps nobody noticed them, but the sudden absence of the yowling cat had many looking about. Still, the focus of the room remained between the Crown, the corpses, and this sudden elf who demanded all cease.

The Knight who struck down his mad king and was about to land a blow against Sir. Edart Yolette but the booming voice also cought his attention as well.

"You all bicker and squabble like children fighting over a toy next to their mothers Den!"

The Elvish woman began to stride forward towards the crown with her hands steepled. Elio the Wise made her way through the crowd with discerning eyes looking upon each noble that was present and every guard who seemed to grow more tense by the passing seconds. The High Elven woman even allowed her gaze to fall upon yet another elf who had made their way into the current affair.

"Interesting, I didn't expect another from our nation to be present? Forgive me my lady but I don't think we have the time for proper introductions."

With those proper and practiced words out of the way Elio made her way towards the now still Knights and looked upon the crown before her only to slowly reach down whilst the guards now began to rush out of the chambers as something else was afoot.

"You squabble over such trivial things and yet I know the pain in your hearts. The loss of your king for example is the most perplexing thing here and yet do you imagine that he wished for more blood to be spilt within these halls." The Dragon in Elvish guise smirked slightly as she produced a fine cloth and usedit to pick up the crown only to present it for all to see.

"Sir. Malgerius Corven, the Corvid Knight, is a strong contender for the crown as the Spirit of the World itself obviously left her glow upon him and yet when I look upon the slayed king I don't even see the lingering essence of our ladies presence."

The reply the Elf woman gave however was not spoken, sign language, in the com,mon form, not Drow form, was used to kee pthe Illiusion active. "My apologises" Miyo signed to the other Elf woman, "Due to a magical incident I am unable to speak" Everyones eyes were then locked on the crown as the Elf picked it up with a cloth. That gave the Drow exactly the opening she needed hanging at thje back of the nobles was easier than she thought. Everyone focused on the crown, even the other Elf.

Miyo disappeared using another Illusion, dropping her original Illusion for complete invisiblity. She then moved forwards unseen to where she needed to be. Finally there she lifted the crown by an unseen hand, using her magic unseen and made it dance just out of reach. Before it disappeared entirely.

Where had it gone ? First the Elf wanting everyone to stop fighting and stand in silence over the dead king held the Crown aloft upon a cloth, and now it was.... Gone

Who took it ? Where was the taker of the crown ?

Miyo knew she had a chance, but she had to time it right. Quickly scanning the crown with her journal crystal she had to move quickly to hide it, somewhere

"She can't talk", whispered a Lord to his Lady, referring to the second elf in the crowd.

You couldn't hear the guards and knights outside of the throne room over the murmuring crowd; they were quite busy out there looking for the intruder. As for the Crystal Crown of Skyfall everyone knew the legends. The power of the crown. The way the Gods could speak through the crown. The protection of the crown as well - which did Elupitser no good. The elf had picked The Crystal Crown of Skyfall up with a cloth, gently. Edart Yolette's knuckles turned white as he gripped his sword. This guy, for the crown? What were they talking about, a glow? Elven magic was exactly the sort of strange Edard wanted nothing to do with. He was visibly enraged by the suggestion that the Corvid Knight was chosen for the crown. What nonsense! Absolutely not! A filter of red crept in around the corners of Edart Yolette's eyes. They glassed over as his brow descended.

Sir Edart Yolette had been trained extensively to do the complete opposite of that which he attempted next. While everyone looked at the crown, he made another try for the Corvid Knight, twisting to stab him in one of the known lethal regions. His eyes were visibly red at this point. The true mark of those corrupted by Eras. The Corvid Knight was no King! Gaia did not choose him!

"Witchcraft!" Screeched a lesser educated citizen from somewhere in the crowd. The crown, it was floating in mid air! Those proficient in magic rolled their eyes, but began to eyeball one another in the crowd. Was it you? Was it you? Such a bold move. They were starting to get ideas- ideas about ruling a Kingdom.

Brishen stopped his sneaking and began to back away towards the door.

"SHUT THE FRONT DOORS" Shouted someone still with a sensible head on their shoulders. The doors to the throne room were hastily shut as the crown levitated above the hands of the Elf. Brishen backed into a guard, who shoved him off. He regained his balance and huddled with the rest of the crowd, but refused to watch the Crown- his superstitions getting the best of him again. Was this all part of the plan?

"Do you think most elves are mute?"

Murmured another noble as Elio, Sir. Yolette, and Sir Corven stood around the dead king. The wisened elf simply held the crystal crown before her and looked upon its beauty only to clear her throat and compose herself as she began to look directly towards the Corvid Knight.

"The crowns rightful owner sits before us and........"

Elio found herself cut off by surprise as Edart showed his true colors and attempted to strike at the True King of Skyfall. The Corvid Knight simply brought his blade against the surprise attack but was not quick enough as Sir. Yolette found its mark on the young knight's side. Elio herself seemed to stumble back as the crown was torn from her grasp by an invisible force only to marionette the crown around before everyone before it seemed to vanish into thin air. The Elven sage's eyes quickly seemed to glass over as she began to use detect magic across the crowd and around herself in order to find any trace of whoever or whatever decided to take the throne from her grasp.

Two of the guards by the exit quickly complied with the cries to close the door while that outside on the walkways above overheard the commotion and began to turn their attention back towards the throne room itself. As for Malgerius he stumbled back clutching his side while his other hand onto his trusty sword.

"So you suffer the same corruption as our false king?"

The Corvid Knight groaned in pain but gritted his teeth and held his sword at the ready. He knew he needed to end this fight quickly but it was a shame that such a well-known knight would fall so easily to evil and darkness.

The monks quickly worked to remove the King while everyone was distracted. A few ladies fainted and the entire room was in an uproar. Brishen was shoved forth by a guard, who grunted at Brishen.

"Where is it you think you are going?" The guard looked Brishen up and down with a snarl after locking the door, grabbing Brishen who didn't bother to fight back. His heart was beating. Why and how did he ever come here? Who on Gaia wants to watch an execution anyhow?!

In the same dress, another monk came from the door the King disappeared through. Hood kept low the monk skirted the crowd and payed no heed to the growing drama within. He payed no heed to the fallen crown. The monk made a direct beeline for the fallen corpse of Tromphonia.

The monk's clothes soaked through with the sticky blood of Tromphonia as he lifted her with his God blessed strength. His face obscured, his eyes cast down, with the brief assistance of her executioner Tromphonia was hefted over the shoulder of the monk. He made his way back through the secret door, the same route they had gone with the corpse of the fallen King.

There was a series of tunnels off the antechamber, behind a secret door activated with the displacing of the hand of a statue-one of many. The tunnels led beneath Skyfall. They wound around, they wound down. The monk's descent to the crypts was slow.

The doors were shut. She couldnt get out that way. So she had to do the next best thing. And that, well, it wasnt the best option, but it was the only option Miyo had.

She had the crown. In the shadows she held it as the court went crazy trying to find out who was doing what. She turned the crown over in the darkness in her hands unseen.

And then she smirked.

A tiny flick of the wrist and the crown appeared as a common hair piece that most Elves wore as she slid the disguised Crystal Crown onto her head before acting as if told she couldnt leave by a guard. She could feel someone trying to detect the magic she was using.

It was not often a Drow Noble used Light and Holy based magics to do their needs. Miyo used whatever magics she could learn really. and sadly that ended up being Light based and in some cases, Holy based. So by using her own passive light magic keeping her simply seen as a plume of natural occuring energies when detected only made things easier.

To a point.

She just hoped that she could get back to her father and mother, and show her father, not only did she get the crown, she was wearing it.

She now found herself hoping she was going to be able to sleep safely that night.

The commotion built rapidly as the corpse of Trophonia was slipped away. The superstitious crowd bruised off into sections of support in a frenzy. Many continued in hysterics over the floating crown. Supernatural works were at play here, a few screeched of prophecies and even more shouted of false kings. Lords pulled their ladies into the shadows of the decorative pillars.

"You know, I've never truly seen an elf,not one in person," Muttered another noble as they edged further from the spillage of blood. Some feared for their fate in the chaos, not trusting the crowd with their lives as far as they had taxed them. Some of them had sworn by Elupitser. They kept their distance from the front of the room, from the crown, and especially from those who circled behind the silent elf with fevered purpose.

A small group had rallied in support of the Corvid Knight, claiming to have seen the touch of Gaia. Some of these folk truly had, and they were the loudest to protest when Edart Yolette struck at his side. Who dare make bleed the true chosen King?! They stuck behind the silent elf and grew wild when the crown began to float. Was it going to place itself on the head of the Corvid Knight? Was the Hand of Gaia present in the physical form?

"Corruption?!" Snarled Edart Yolette, gripping his sword too tight, "You must truly know of corruption, the hand to slay the King! The jeers from the majority pierced into him. He grew even more enraged, and took a miscalculated lunge at the Corvid Knight. It was sloppy, but he was out of care. Eras was practically driving him, having had driven him mad with promises of glory whispered in the night, steering his body to end the Corvid Knight regardless of consequence.



A screech echoed through the room. By the door one of the knights clapped his hands to his ears, glad to see he wasn't the only one. A select few in the crowd could give a damn and a half who wore the crown or not, so long as they had a roof and food and water and the like. Brishen was one of these people and likewise clapped his hands to his ears. Still, he popped on his toes to see over the heads of everyone. What about the crown? Everyone else seemed to have the same idea. Heads twisted and sentences died. Even those foaming at the mouth grew wide in the eyes as it just, wasn't there any longer-or so that's how most saw it. Everyone had been making such a fuss over the crown, that for a moment many seemed to have taken their eyes off of it.

There was a solid pause from the crowd. A fainted lady propped up her head to see what had drawn silence.

Edart landed a strong blow against the Corvid Knight and as the people cheered and cried for the rightful ruler to fight and live the corrupted knight began to make a faulty error as he rushed the injured Malgerius.

"I've got you now!"

Sir. Corven shouted as he quickly sidestepped the rage-induced knight only to bring his sword down upon the man in order to quickly remove the corrupted knight's head from the rest of his body. Houpetorlivaij simply found himself looking from one spectacle to the other as his prize had vanished before his very eyes and the combat taking place seemed to grow even more intense.

'Surely this couldn't be.'

Elio The Wise muttered to herself only to watch as the crown continued to float before them only to then vanish. The Dragon in elvish guise began to mutter a few choice arcane words as 'her' eyes seemed to glaze over looking for the magical signatures in the air in order to locate the crown and the culprit who decided to make their presence known in such a manner.

The Corvid Knight would fall upon a single knee whilst clutching his side regardless of how his strike landed. His eyes also fell upon the last place of the floating crown and dismay filled his soul. The Kingdom of Skyfall would remain in unknown territory without a proper ruler and darkness would befall the people of this fine empire.