Nostrum: Tales of Valor

Sundering Fate

Standing behind two large doors, barred off by metal gating, and separating them from the gardens, the party awaits Farrow's arrival. As they do so, each begins to appear nervous about what is to come. Marne wipes his blade clean, wishing only to have retrieved his cleaver before reaching such a stage in their work. Yuler stands at the ready, tempted to continue without permission, but not wanting to do so at the same time, as a creature of legend is what she knows they are coming to face. Lee's concerns rest in the well-being of Hael, who stands behind the three of them and gulps harshly as she trembles; Feeling as though the reward for their efforts here may not come to be, but praying that it might. Cheers can still be heard coming from beyond the doors. Where they know others to be watching from windows and rooftops as they too await the arrival of their leader.

"Puppets." Mumbles Marne, who is now satisfied with the cleanliness of his blade. "Nothing but puppets."

"What do you mean?" Wonders Yuler, who stands alongside him.

"We're hardly doing a thing for ourselves in this moment. Risking death for a reward we cannot even assure ourselves."

"If Hael believes it to be worth it, then it is." Lee snaps through gritted teeth. "I wished to remain at the cottage, living a life of peace. Remind yourselves of who is truly responsible for our being here."

"Calm yourself, Lee." Comes the voice of Hael, which trembles with something that can only be thought of as hope. "Our time in the field is nearing its end once more. Let this be our parting gift to the rebels."

"Those savages, you mean?" Marne laughs. "That man, the one who claims to be my father, is a fool at heart. Trusting his word does us no good and their efforts are bloodthirsty. If we are to do this, we are to do it for ourselves. This... this is a time of greed. We must be greedy too."

"I hope you lot have found some comfort in these halls."

The group turns to face a fifth as they approach. The voice of Farrow filling their ears.

"I have brought gifts." Pulling back his coat, Farrow exposes several red vials. Each is filled to the brim with a familiar concoction. "Consider it good faith. Something that is plentiful in parts such as these." Pulling the vials from their sleeves, the man passes three off to Marne, Yuler, and Lee.

"Plentiful? What of Hael?"

"I assure you, Hael will be fine without her own. You'll ensure that, won't you, Lee?"

Lee scrunches his brow and cocks his head.

"When Hael takes on her... other form, she will surely destroy any vials that are given directly to her. It is up to you lot to ensure that there is at least one vial left for her. In case something goes array."

"Of course." Yuler takes two of the flasks that had been given to her and places them in a belt that crosses her chest, just beneath her ribcage. Then places the third in an inner pocket. Following her lead, Marne does the same and so does Lee.

"Excellent. Are you ready then?"

The party offer simultaneous nods, and Farrow gives one in return.

"When Ordaite falls, I will send in others to ensure the corpse remains just that. A corpse. You lot can then take yourselves to the resting quarters and spend a night in recovery. Afterward, I will leave it up to you whether you remain in Maciofim, or continue your journey elsewhere. This place is no prison. You are all free to leave as you please. However, to ensure your safety in doing so, I offer an escort outside the city, so as to ensure no... patriots... attempt to cause harm to you on your way."

Again, the group nods in agreement.

"Excellent. Excellent, excellent!" Farrow claps his hands and rubs them together. "Let us begin then. I will unlock the gates here and once I have done so, I will return to the throne room, where I will give the orders for my men to hoist the fortifications on the opposite side of these doors." Farrow moves towards the gate with keys in hand and unlocks them, then turns back to the others and offers a cheery smile. "I wish to thank you all once more. In case it is the last opportunity I get to do so."

"Sounds like you've got a lot of faith in us." Mocks Lee, who scoffs.

"I have plenty, but chances are chances, and I believe in them fully." Farrow moves towards Hael and Lee, and whispers between them. "Please, ensure my son makes it out of this alive." With these words, Farrow shakes Lee's hand, then Haels. Once he has done so, he bows to Marne and Yuler and walks off in the direction he had come from.

"Confident, that one." Lee scoffs once more and shakes his head before approaching the gates. "He best be right about this book, or Ordaite won't be the last thing I slay tonight."

Before long, the words of Farrow can be heard through the wooden barrier.

"Lift the fortifications and keep some distance between yourselves and the windows! We need not for our excitement to lead to accidents!" As these words are being spoken, the sound of chains and stone can be heard grinding against the doors, which rattle as they do so. "Allow our heroes their time and focus to purge the world of the first beast Dabria has brought into existence! Let this moment sign the demise of all beasts that are and ever will be!"

Once the chains have stopped rattling and stone stops clattering against stone, the group moves towards the doors and- with Lee now at the front- they push through. As the doors grind against soil, many dead flowers can be made out littering the ground. Blackened by death and lacking their seeds, the offspring of Dabria tell of what is to come. As the group steps into the garden they are met with the sight of a hunkered beast. One which wears a tattered yet crudely stitched-up robe. Its white fabrics, stained by time and blood, and the gold fibers that run down the back of it appear scruffed up and poised by food and other matter the rebels have thrown at the beast that wears it. The mass stirs as it turns to them, exposing a face that remains human in structure, yet coated in black fur. As it spots the intruders, it stands on its hind legs and exposes a broad form and the open front of its robe, where more fur fills the gap. A deafening roar sounds out as it turns its head to the moons. Yuler acknowledges this, as the howl seems to be with purpose and directed at the foremost moon itself. The beast then returns to standing on all four legs, causing the ground to shake as it stamps down. The crowd around them cheers louder as the beast approaches, ready to eviscerate all who stand in its way, as the doors behind them remain open for some time.

"Seal the entrance!" Shouts Farrow. "You fools don't want Ordaite to get out of there after all you've done, do you?"

Large amounts of stone begin descending over the entrance once more, sealing the party in with the beast and allowing them a moment to examine all of the scratch marks that surround them. Ages of attempted escape. Ordaite suddenly lunges at them full force, eager to make an escape before the fortifications can be lowered completely.

"Stop him!" Demands Farrow.

With this, Lee raises his blade and swiftly slashes at the shin of the beast as it leaps over them. Drops of blood rain down as High Priest Ordaite squalls with pain and slams into the stone over and over again, desperate to free himself from the gardens. Marne is the next to raise his blade, slashing at the boney tail of the creature as it turns to face them once more. Deep black eyes and sanguine teeth glare at them as the creature lets out another roar and leaps towards them, pounding the ground as they each dart out of the way. More cheers follow as they survive the attack. Marne, Yuler, and Lee slash at the creature with every opening they are given as it spirals about, eager to tear through any of them that it can get its paws on. Then, in one clean sweep, Ordaite manages to knock all three onto their backs. Marne slams into a wall, Yuler rolls across the ground, and Lee tumbles against an already destroyed stone fountain in the center of the garden. Their grunts cause the crowd to become silent for a moment until Marne and Yuler get back to their feet and begin charging at the beast once more. While they do so, Lee pulls the first of his vials and takes a large swig. Once satisfied, he pulls himself back to his feet and looks to Hael, who remains on the outskirts of the battlefield and slowly circles them all, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Moments after Lee rejoins the fight, Ordaite manages to swipe the blade from Marne's hands and rapidly turn on Yuler, who does not expect a blow to come so quickly. As she is knocked away once more, she clutches at her side, but there is no injury to be seen. Instead, she finds her vials to have been shattered. Red fluids run down the innards of her garbs as she gets back to her feet and charges into battle yet again. As Marne attempts to recollect his sword, Ordaite begins pounding at the ground around him, causing his balance to be off as he stumbles around, attempting to stand upright but remaining unable to do so.

"Ordaite, here! Here!" Lee shouts, now lobbing small rocks at the creature as it turns on him, receiving one of the stones directly to its snout. "That's right, you great oaf, here!" As Ordaite charges him, Lee backs himself against the fountain once more and just as the beast lunges at him, he steps aside. The sound of crumbling bricks is heard as Ordaite cries out in pain, having managed to impale himself on part of the fountain. Ripping himself free, he roars with rage and turns back to Lee, who receives another blow to the chest. He feels his garb rip apart as claws dig into his abdomen, crippling him. Lee feels a punctured lung cave as he shuffles about, eager to drink another vial. As he does so, he chokes on the fluids and Hael pulls him away from the combat.

"Rest awhile, do not try to stand!" She demands, now feeling anxious about Lee's recovery.

"Wh-when will you-"

"Soon, soon. Rest!" Hael sets Lee against the furthest wall and listens as the crowd cheers on Yuler and Marne, who have managed to shred a wrist of the beast, causing a great amount of blood loss. Ordaite stumbles backward on his hind legs as he clutches at the open wound, then knocks a fist against Marne's body. As he attempts to block the attack with his sword, he is sent flying. As he too attempts to regain himself, Yuler swipes at the creature's robe, which is easily punctured by the sharpened edge of her sword. Noticing this, she delivers a piercing blow, which lodges her sword between the bones of the beast's knee. As Ordaite cries out once more, Yuler steps back. Ordaite falls forward, now unable to stand back up as he wrenches the blade free and launches it out of the garden.

"Hael, now would be an excellent time!" Yuler shouts in her hopeless state, watching as Marne, who is the only one capable of fighting, charges at the beast with a war cry spilling from his vocal cords. As he does so, he too is knocked back down. "Marne!"

Clutching at his ribs, he lets out a grunt and rolls against the ground. Ordaite notices his weakened state and immediately begins to charge, but something stops him in his tracks, a grand chant comes from the crowd around them. One which echoes off the walls and fills the void of space. Turning about where he stands, he spots another like himself. A creature just a hair smaller than himself, but taller as it extends its neck. Ordaite roars in conjunction with the creature as the bindings that cover its eyes break free.