Mathias and Corey are practicing at the barrack's training field, despite the nice weather. Corey made a thrust towards Mathias with his Kanar, but Mathias blocked it with his shield. In the same move Mathias pivoted around with his sword and aimed it towards Corey's midsection. “Liesh!” Corey yelled, and a Mathias's sword ran into a barrier. Liesh was the spell for shield. “Of course you would hide behind magic.” Mathias teased.
“I'm a mage-” Corey was beginning to counter before he was cut off.
“Mathias, Corey! What in the Ancients' Name are you doing? Your patrol starts in thirty minutes! Get out there.” The aggravated voice of Sameal came from across the field. Both boys looked at the sundial that was settled in the middle of the field, it was nearly midday, which was when their patrol started. “Yes sir. Sorry sir.” They both said and rushed to the armory. Even though Sameal was Mathias's father did not mean that he was to be lax with him.
Corey and Mathias are both tall. Mathias has black hair and blue eyes while Corey has green eyes and blonde hair. They are both strong for their classes, Corey the mage and Mathias a warrior. Mathias's charisma and Corey's silver tongue have kept them out of trouble for a long time.
In the armory Mathias and Corey change out of sparring leather and into half-armor; which consists of leather battledress with chain-mail along the sides, joints and a few other places. Corey replaced his sparring Kanar with a real one and Mathias replaced his sparring equipment with a longsword and heater shield.
The Kanar is the favored bow of the Halflings, which is built much like a crossbow but along the bow is a blade which is used for close-quarters combat. On Mathias's heater shield is the Iro coat-of-arms; a gryphon in flight with a sword in its talons. All of this is set on the background of the morning horizon.
“Do you think we'll be able to walk and make it in time?” asked Corey.
“We'd better play it safe and take some horses.” Mathias said.
The patrol that the group is tasked with today lies along the border of of the Eternal forests, only a few miles from the nearest human village. The wind is blowing through the trees in such a way that it sounds like music. It is only the beginning of spring and winter still lingers, yet flowers were in bloom and the animals run and play on the forest floor. It was impossible to be outside and not feel alive.
“Took you boys long enough.” Adrian said when they appeared.
“Got caught up in practice.” Mathias said.
Adrian is short for a Halfling her age. She has brown eyes and blonde hair that falls to shoulders that she always keeps tied up. She specializes as a Vanguard and though no one will admit it, she is one of the best fighters her race has ever seen, which is odd for a girl.
“Fighting again like little boys...tsk,tsk.”
“Well yeah, you're no challenge.” Corey said.
“You want to see how true your accusation is?”
Corey was about to say something before Mathias cut him off. “Ladies, ladies calm down, you're both pretty okay? Besides we're on guard duty till evening.”
“It only takes one to keep watch.” Adrian said.
Mathias tried to examine the entire problem and saw no easy way out of it.
“Fine, but if anything bad happens, it's your fault.” Mathias reluctantly spoke.
Mathias continued to watch as Adrian and Corey sparred. Bolts of magic flew and both of the fighters were grunting and thrusting trying to gain the advantage and win. Every now and a day he would look at the pair beneath him. They could use a proper oppoent Mathias thought.
When it seemed as though nothing bad would happen Mathias looked toward Corey and Adrian and spoke mockingly “Come on you fight like women. Show some skill.”
“You could do better?” Corey asked.
“Depends, do you want to get educated on how to be a real warrior?”
"Ha, you crack me up Mathias. Come on down here and we'll see who is truly the student.” Adrian spoke.
“Challenge accepted.” Before Mathias joined in on the fight however he laid traps along the border of their patrol route. If the traps were crossed it would mean someone was coming.
Mathias drew the sword from his waist and strapped his shield onto his left arm. The ground became covered in dust as the now opponent joined in. Thrusts and jabs were countered with shield and magic and despite the three now fighting someone was yet to gain the upper-ground. Adrian threw an overhead swipe at Corey who blocked with magic. Mathias threw a spell at Adrian who ducked to avoid it. “You've got skills, at missing.” Adrian teased.
“You were lucky.” Mathias countered as he blocked an attack from Corey.
“How about both of you ladies stop your bickering and actually try to win.” Corey mocked the other two.
“Ladies you say? Did I not just hear you grunt when I jabbed at you?” Mathias asked.
“When did you ever jab?”
“Oh, now.” He said and jabbed at Corey, who did grunt as he deflected the blow with his defensive gauntlets.
“Think fast.” Adrian said and went to hit Mathias with the pommel of her sword. Before the blow was able to connect Mathias dropped to the ground, unconscious. “It wasn't me.” Adrian said worrily.
“What do you mean it wasn't you? You're the one who hit him.” Corey said.
“He fell before I hit him though."
"You're right. We need to get him to the hospice."
"What do we tell the nurse? We were sparring when we were on patrol"
“We'll make something up.”
Mathias's vision was blurred around the edges. The only thing he saw was a great ruin with bodies running about performing tasks. In the sky was a storm, but it wasn't normal. Lightning is always yellow, but this time it was a red in color. “Hello Halfling.” a voice sounded in Mathias's mind. It was a voice that he had never heard, it sounded as if it were far away, but close, and it was laden with hate. “Do you know why I have brought you here?” The voice spoke again. “No, wh- who are you?” Mathias managed to get out. He did not why, but the stranger's voice filled with dread and made him want to run and hide. “Who am I, you ask? My name is something that an imbecile like you does not deserve to know! Now I will ask you again; Do you know why I have brought you here?”
The scene changed and Mathias ended up in what he thought was a building in the ruin. In front of him were creatures that he had never seen before. The creatures surrounded a pit which had flame and smoke rising from it. One of the things, who he assumed was the leader, began a chant. The words Mathias did not understand, which only went to show that the spell was old, or very, very evil. When the chant began some of the other creatures began turning a crank. After a few seconds a skeleton arose from the pit and was tied to the chains. As the chant continued wisps of different color collided with the skeleton. When they did the skeleton changed, slowly but surely.“Well, no, to be honest.”
“Aaah, then let me explain. I have brought you here to give you a message which you will deliver to your elder. No questions asked.”
“Okay, bu-” Mathias was cut off by a sharp pain in his skull.
“I SAID NO QUESTIONS!!!”
“Okay, okay, no questions.”
“Good. The message is short, so that an idiot like you will not mess it up. Tell your elder that the shadows are returning. And with them come the beasts that should no longer exist. The races' greatest enemies are coming back, and this time we will not fail! If your elder asks why I have shown you this, tell him that they deserve the warning. The resistance that will be shown will be.... entertaining to watch, but futile.”
Before Mathias had the chance to reply the presence left his mind and a great pain remained. Mathias awoke and he saw himself in the medical office. Surrounding him were his parents, one of the nurses, and Corey and Adrian. “I need to speak to Elder Rozen!” was the first words that Mathias said when he woke.
My notes going through:
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