JLT*
Posting Freak
Posts: 6.140
Joined: Oct 2005
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RE: [13th Age] The Eyes of the Stone Thief
The Apprentice
“Just around this bend. You will see.” Alvir was clearly excited. “And she is so awesome. The other day I broke a crystal ball. Knocked it clean off a shelf while cleaning. Know what she said?” Alvir was very excited. He waited for me to answer. Or, at the very least acknowledge that he was recounting a funny anecdote. I was not planning on granting my dear little brother that satisfaction. Silent as always I kept walking along the stony riverbed. I was not exactly sure on where we were, other than along this branch of the Gold Leaf River. Somewhere in the wood of the glorious Elf Queen.
“She said” Alvir continued and could not contain his laughter as if he was saying something priceless. “she said,” My dear little brother, please complete a sentence. Alvir changed his voice to a deep velvety sound. “That will come out of your salary, young wood elf.” Alvir could not be bothered to stop and breathe before continuing to the predictable punchline. “I mean, she's not even paying me anything!” His laughter echoed along the trees.
It was all I could do not to smack him over the head with my staff. Instead, I just went with raising an eyebrow disapprovingly. My dear brother did not let that phase him. “Oh she’s so great, sister. So funny and so powerful and beautiful and, and great!” Alvir gestured widely with his arms. “With a gesture she had mended the crystal ball and then just continued reading her spellbooks!” Alvir’s human teacher is apparently hilarious. Mother would not approve.
“Oh, you’ll see. You will be so impressed once you see the tower in the middle of the river. It’s so indescribably pretty.” Alvir spread his arms as if actually painting that picture. “The white marble and the lightning spire. The bridge is made out of something that looks like fluid light, but, but it isn’t.” We were closing that bend he mentioned. “A few more steps and you’ll see.”
“I’ll take you up to the highest tower, Valmir!” Like I’ve never seen a wizard’s tower before. “You can see Concord from there. And even Drakkenhall if the weather is good. Look! There it stands in the centre of the rapids, its’... “
Alvir stopped. “Hey. Where’d it go?”
"I think I'll have seconds.."
-Chronomangor; Eater of Time. ∞
(This post was last modified: 07-07-2018 22:42:16 by JLT*.)
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| 07-07-2018 22:42:05 |
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JLT*
Posting Freak
Posts: 6.140
Joined: Oct 2005
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RE: [13th Age] The Eyes of the Stone Thief
The Knight
She had been the love of his life for as long as he could remember. His father had been a wing captain, and her mother was his father's partner. They had been destined for each other. In life. In death. And now she was dying. And he was not.
Curse that foul demon, whose shadow and flame had engulfed her. He could still feel the scorching heat on his face as he recalled the Demon striking that terrifying blade of fire and death down onto his love. Jaxom knew it was his own hubris that had caused this. And now she was dying. And he was not.
His captain had ordered him to wait. This Greater Demon had been planted at the watchtower by the Diabolist, that much had been certain. Intel had said She needed a fiery heart for a ritual. It was so obviously a trap. And Jaxom had not cared. He had not cared and his love had paid the price. And now she was dying. And he was not.
The young knight’s mind kept racing back to that moment. The moment he lost control and he lost the battle. Or perhaps technically it was not lost. Jaxom was pretty sure the Demon must have perished as everything came tumbling down. They were already grounded by the Fiend’s entangling whip when the stonework crashed down on all of them. And now she was dying. And he was not.
She had shielded him, that much was certain. Jaxom would not be alive right now if not for her. The watchtower of the fortress crashed down into the canyon far below, taking that Lord of Hell with it. Tears streamed down the young knight’s cheek as he stroked her face. Why would she do that? He wanted it to be him bleeding to certain death on a mountainside. But it wasn’t. His love was dying and he knew he would not survive the grief when he would lose her. Their souls had been intertwined since the first moment they had touched. Now her breathing was slowing and her mighty, fiery heartbeat was fading. The love of his life was dying. And so was he.
The Demon had been just as surprised as they were when the fortress started crumbling. It could not have happened. By the Emperor’s beard, Dwarves had built that thing, it should have lasted for thirteen more ages. And still, the entire structure had crashed down, stone and metal disappearing into the mountain like a giant maw had come up and swallowed the entire stronghold. Jaxom had heard the men screaming as they plummeted to their deaths. These men that they had come to save from the Demon. These men that Jaxom had defied his captain’s orders for. All gone. All for nothing. And now the love of his life was dying. And he knew he would too.
Jaxom could hear the Dragon horn sounding in the distance. He could hear the others bellowing, roaring, screaming at the sight of one of their own so mangled and hurt. They were close now. Help was on the way. It would be too late for her. And too late for him.
Through the tears in his eyes he could see the Captain’s Gold hovering above them. The mightiest of the Wing. The leader of them all. A great feeling of safety and security washed over him as he felt his wounds closing and his burns fading. He could feel her heartbeat strengthening and she was taking steadier breaths. The mighty pounding of the dragon heart made his own skip a beat. Her eyes opened and she smiled with those knife sharp teeth, the silver frill on her head flashing in the morning sun. “Told you. This was terrible, horrible idea.”
"I think I'll have seconds.."
-Chronomangor; Eater of Time. ∞
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| 10-07-2018 23:17:34 |
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[13th Age] The Eyes of the Stone Thief
