Fictional Work-Dark Ones Essay, Research Paper

CHAPTER I: The Memoirs of Pentios

March 12, 1559: The trip is no easier than it was weeks ago. I have taken rest

in a small clearing of the woods. I don’t even know how far away from Fadiodrusis I am. It has been five new moons, and countless restless nights. I think I’m going crazy… there is noone else out here for me to even talk with, except for the animals. Oh how I miss the days when my wife and I would spend hours before the fire, just holding and touching. But, back to the reason I keep these notes: The sky is almost completely dark now, only the moon is revealed each night. The sun is no longer visible through the black clouds. Looking back two weeks ago, I can see writing when the sun would still peer through at me, but those days were short lived. I only hope that the mage circle of Fadiodrusis will be able to help. I will continue my journey come the morning…. whenever that is.

CHAPTER II: Bolte and his Friends

“Welcome everyone to the 30th annual Leximoore Fair. Here today, you will all witness the spectacle of Leija, the queen of the night, as well as the masterly ridings of Rendor, the fabled horseman of Agmondu. Also while you’re here, please feel free to play any of our amazing games, and remember to stop by Pope’s Tavern, afterwards, for the feast of your lives.”

“Bolte Bolte….where are you?”, Oh how he loved to hear those words when he played childhood games. Bolte was now 19, and not very much of a child anymore, but at heart he still was. Bolte Le’Orance III, son to Bolte the 2nd, and to his mother Lana, part of a very long lineage of well know knights and mages. He grew up in Leximoore all his life, in a rather large house next to the town blacksmith. Bolte was a typical young adult, spending much of his time in training, hoping one day to travel to Fadiodrusis, to train further, and become a knight. Fadiodrusis is a wonderous city, almost twenty times the size of Leximoore. Fadiodrusis is the central city of the Iofija plains area, and the central trade city for all the world. Any item can be acquired there, and I do mean any item, that is if the money’s right.

“Hah, I got you” said Kilchi, a young lumberjacks daughter. The two of them had been playing a childish game of hide and go seek, in the woods.

“Finally, it took you long enough… You’re not as good as you used to be” said Bolte, “Let’s go back to the fair.”

The two of them, Kilchi and Bolte, made their way back towards town.

The streets of Leximoore were crowded, leaving little to no room for passing, but somehow Bolte and Kilchi found their way to the town square, where some mysterious looking woman was standing. This woman was about 5 foot 2, with long black hair, and a very light complexion. She waved her hands around very fast, and chanted for quite some time. The crowd stood their in awe, as she made herself disappear before their eyes. She then reappeared again in front of the crowd, welcomed by a warm applause.

“And now for the final act, I Leija, queen of the night, will perform an act, never before seen.”, she said, ” I will now make the sun disappear.”

The crowd looked stunned, as did Bolte and Kilchi. It was rumored, that only the most powerful mages of Fadiodrusis could conjure up such powerful magics.

With a few waves of her hand, Leija conjured up a small cloud of black smoke, which rose a little into the sky, making a false eclipse. It was one big joke, she was using minor cantrips of magic to ficade a greater feet. The crowd of course clapped, and so did Kilchi and Bolte, but Bolte remained wondering what it would really be like to posess true powerful magic.

The fair continued on, the jesters with their jokings, the horsemen, with their horsemanship, and of course the great finale, the parade, in which the whole town marched around, adorned in ceremonial garbs, showing off their town pride. Bolte and Kilchi went back to their houses afterwards, to make it an early night…. but an even earlier one would it be.

CHAPTER III: The Memoirs of Pentios

March 13,1559: I awoke this morning to a large crashing sound from the far north of me, towards where I expect Fadiodrusis to be. The sky is still very dark, only allowing a few simple rays of light through. It has been so long since I’ve seen anyone else, I’m hoping that I find one of the smaller towns outside Fadiodrusis, where I can stay for the night. I wonder if any of the other towns are aware of what is going on, or if they think it’s just some bad weather? Alright, it’s time I put my quill down, and continue traveling.

CHAPTER IV: The Next Morning

“Bolte Bolte… wake up wake up” cried Lana to her sleeping son, “Get up, something happened… please Bolte get up.”

Bolte’s eyes opened, and his ears perked up, listening to the sound of the towns warning horns.

Quickly he leaped out of bed, and dressed in his leather cuirass and wolf-hide pants. He patted his mother on the shoulder, and said, “Mom, I’ll be right back I’ll go see what’s going on.”

She nodded, and opened the door, watching him quickly scurry out.

When Bolte got to his street, he saw nothing out of the ordinary, but he could hear the sounds of people in the distance yelling, and still the sound of the warning horns blasting throughout the town. He ran quickly towards the voices, to find himself at the northern gates, with many of the other townsfolk, all of which who looked puzzled.

“What’s the problem?”, asked Bolte

“Yeah what is it?”, repeated a few townsfolk

The head of the guards stepped forward and said, “Someone, or something attacked the integrity of the gates”, he pointed at a crack in the tall wooden gate,”look”

As he pointed, yet another loud bang rang through the town, but this time from the southern direction. The people all turned around, where they had a clear view of the southern gates, which was now being tested for flaws by the attackers.

“Ready the guards”, cried out the head of the guards.

On his command, another horn was blown, and the sound of clanging metal was heard in the distance, the familiar sound of plate armor movement.

“What’s going on?”, cried out a young woman, with her child grasping to her leg.

“We don’t know, we only hope it will stop soon, or we will have to fight”, replied the

head of the guards.

Again, another bang was heard, but again it was at the south gates. The gate started to buckle a little at it’s center. The guards grew closer, as did the sound of clanging metal.

Bang….Crash….. the gate was completely decimated. Shards of wood and metal supports, sprayed along the southern streets. Just as this happened, the guard patrol, approximately seventy well armored guards, reached the town square. The head of the guards ran off towards them, ready to lead them into battle.

Bolte stood there, in more amazement than in fright. He had never seen such an ensamble of battle clad warriors before, ready to give themselves for the protection of the town. He stood there, as everyone else that was there ran for safety. All the mothers, fathers, and children had fled to their houses, relying solely on the guards as protection.

The guards readied themselves in a battle formation, with the strongest fighters on the outsides, with the weaker fighters towards the center. But, there was one small problem… there was nothing to fight. Where the gate was destroyed, there was nothing. Bolte started walking towards the guards, down the main road, not paying much attention to anything else. There was just enough light on the streets to see, the street cleaners had left a few lanterns lit, being there wasn’t much moonlight any longer. The towns reasoning for this, was that the spring storms were soon approaching, and the clouds were blanketing the sky.

It was a good thing Bolte had walked a little distance away from the northern gates, because as he did, the northern gates were blown apart. Bolte quickly reacted, by leaping to the side, falling to the floor next to the building. The guards quickly turned around, but once again to their suprise, nothing was there. The guards were now puzzled, and the started moving towards the northern gates, lead by the head of the guards. Bolte rose to his feet again, but still stayed up against the building, not wanting to interfere with the guards. He just stood to the side and watched them, as the marched towards the gate. It was then, that the trouble began.