The Prelude: Chapter One

Written By Tacus Ultimus

All skills and techniques, as well as designs are pulled directly out of my imagination, so they almost certainly will not work in the real world.

Chapter 1

 Bartamus lifted his nose, eyeing the peasants outside his silken litter with disdain as they were shoved to the side by his household guard, clearing a path for him through the road.Worms, all of them, he thought. None could hope to even lick my shoes. He sniffed once, then turned back to the chest of jewels he was counting. The glitter of precious gems and the gleam of gold were what he prised most in this world. That and food. He would feast every day, every meal. Entire roast fowl that could feed a dirty peasant family for days were consumed without abandon at every meal, not to mention all that would accompany the fowl on the groaning Golden Wood banquet table. The scraps he would occasionally have the slaves fight over whenever he was feeling glum. He was without wife, but why would you ever need a weak wife when you could have a harem of young concubines at your every beck and whim? They serviced him when desired, but were ever wary of the black rages that could spontaneously descend upon him. He had killed three in his wroth, and each girl feared she would be the next. But they never left. Being a concubine was their only chance of staying ahead of the starvation and disease that every other common person would have to suffer through. If it meant being abused every night, then so be it.

 His manor came into view on the horizon, and Bartamus sighed sweetly at its beauty, his eyes growing slightly wet. No matter how often he saw it, he would never tire of its wonderous sight. His wondrously crafted gates opened on site of his litter, the unwavering guards standing smartly to attention as the litter passed by. Good men all, Bartamus thought, watchful and loyal. They travelled up the quarts inlaid path to the gilt mahogany doors of his manse. The men bearing the litter bent low to the ground, allowing Bartamus to exit. He locked the chest of gems and handed it to one of his servants, to follow him without the tiring burden of having carrying it himself, carrying was for the lower folk. He walked through his antechamber and into the main hall. Twin staircases swooped to the second story, but Bartamus continued passed them. His bedroom, contrary to most, was on the ground floor. Bartamus was dreadfully afraid of heights, even fearing the second floor of his manor. Only when it was truly needed would he ascend from the ground. He opened the doors to his exquisitely decorated bedroom, all fine Mentoshi carpeting, gold framed paintings of cherubs and crystal chandeliers. He stopped in the sitting room and turned to the servant.

“Leave the chest there, on the table; I will deal with it later, for now I shall retire.” Bartamus stated. His servant bowed low. “Is there anything you require, sir?”

Bartamus shook his head, sending his jowls jiggling. “No, return to your other duties.”

The servant bowed again, before leaving the sitting room and closing the doors behind him. Bartamus waited where he was for a minute, eyeing the door until he was satisfied no one was eavesdropping. He stood and walked over to a full-length mirror clad in golf framing. He pressed a hidden catch in the mirror’s frame and a slight click sounded. The mirror inside the frame swung out, showing a staircase leading down below. He lit a torch that was nestled in its cradle, then proceeded onwards, spiraling downwards. He reached the bottom of the stairwell to be confronted by a large ironbound door, a foot thick of solid Rockwood. The lock on the door was a work of true genius, so complex and intricate that only one key could open the door, the key that Bartamus carried with him at all times, even while sleeping. He placed the key in the lock, then turned it first one way, then the other, then half again the other way. A click was heard, and then the clanking of mechanisms and large steel locking bolts retracting. Once the sound passed, Bartamus put one finger on the door and pushed. The door was so perfectly balanced that it swung open at the singular touch. Inside the gleam of gold, silver and precious gems, all stacked neatly, reflected off of the torchlight. Bartamus walked passed stands to which heavily ornamented arms and armour were kept, as well as many statues and paintings of incalculable worth. But it all paled to what Bartamus approached. On a raised dais of black marble, inlaid with silver engravings, was a pedestal of pure platinum. This pedestal held a cushion of the finest minx fur to have been produced from across the sea. On this cushion, rested the depthless Onyx Eternum.

 Found far to the north, where men now fear to tread, it was found within a cavern, twisted lifeless skeletons arrayed around it, with a singular skeleton in near decayed robes remained bowed, arms raised as if in supplication. All those who stared into its depths for too long would soon lose themselves within, leaving their bodies as mindless husks. This singular gem had cost Bartamus more then the manor and all its contents would have combined, not to mention the cost of the lives required to make sure no one would know that he was the one who possessed it. As far as the rest of the world knew, the Onyx Gem had disappeared off the face of the earth, exactly how Bartamus wanted it. He coveted the gem, sometimes staying hours within its presence, but only looking at it in brief spurts, so as not to lose his mind. He sighed with joy as he ever so softly caressed its edge, then yanked back his finger quickly and sucked on the tip, the gems edges were beyond razor sharp. Contented, he made his way back to the main vault chamber, then closed and locked the doors, climbing back up the staircase and exiting the hidden passageway back to his sitting room. He entered the bedroom proper and retired to the bed, groaning in pleasure as he laid upon its goose down mattress. Yes, Bartamus was very happy with things as they were, god knows what would happen if anything disturbed his equilibrium.