Silondras. Named after the mountain range in which it sits. Surviving millennia of progress and wars, desolation, and having been rebuilt twice in its history, this site is essential to the heritage of the Liontarian people. The clan's first emperor was said to have been born on the peak of Mount Silondras, Valoria, his kin being the first royals of each line. Even in his demise, the whole of Thiria clung to their idea of being an empire, despite no man ever reclaiming that sacred throne. The throne of Silondras. It was a beacon, never folding to any threat that had ever come to it, surviving every single siege attempt. And when James came into possession of this treasure, he vowed to allow it to stand for another ten thousand years. That was his promise, his duty as the last Colton. And over the centuries, they ensured that any attack would be easy to defend against. The position was highly defensible. Not only were they surrounded by natural barriers, but with the impossibly high walls, the open plains between them and the meadow, and the countless men who watched fort threats vigilantly, there was no way for a massive army ever to approach the front gate unimpeded. They were an indestructible fortress that had stood against the test of time and continues to prove victorious. The people's trust in their walls, the crown, the knights and Paladins has always been uncompromised.
Amond was tasked to break that trust.
It was late in the evening. As the sun began to dip below the horizon, the plains were entrenched, with the large shadows extending out to reach the city. The city was still moving; it may take a few hours before movement would slow down. Because of the increased presence of knights on patrol, the wall's security doubling its efforts, and so on; while the people were worried, they trusted that the king was right. That this was all to protect them from something. Something. A golem threw the first rock from the treetops. Approximately a kilometer away, yet it crossed the such distance in an impressive arc. If it wasn't for the breaking of the tree line that alerted a disturbance, the wall's garrison most likely would not have noticed right away and managed to get alarm bells warning the occasion. As large as a house, a boulder was moving across the twilight directly over the walls, aiming for the city. What could they do? It was moving too fast. They could only watch as the boulder passed them overhead and crushed whatever was in their way. Then, there was a sudden flash of light, and the boulder disappeared into a cloud of dust. The thunderous explosion of its disintegration echoed into the town, which immediately stopped every single mind in their daily lives to see what had caused the disturbance. And the alarm bells ranged once more, calling for evacuation. A siege was commencing. The streets now erupted into sudden panic as people began running for shelter within the main fortress at the city's center. Many more of their large boulders were seen exiting the Forest of Silence and rapidly moving toward the city.
Lupren landed on the wall, startling some of his men who had just destroyed the first boulder, and staring as more made their way to him, black bullets against the twilight.
Is this it? He questioned himself. Was this the threat that James foresaw for the city? Who is this, and why are they attacking now? How did he know."
"Make sure there are no breaches in the wall," he shouted to all who could hear. "Raise alarms to a total siege, and prepare for a potential assault on the walls. Get a move on now!"
He barely had breath to spare, and he immediately launched himself into the sky again. Aura to enhance his physical capabilities and lighten his weight to impact one of these boulders midflight precisely. He didn't dare to destroy them, instead of lightening them as well on impact and allowing it to float gently down while he kicked off to intercept the next one. He did this with several massive boulders that could cause a lot of damage. Some of them even set ablaze. But there were so many, too many. He watched as one quickly zipped past him, heading directly to a busy town center that had not yet been evacuated. He kicked off the boulder he had landed on, making it under the boulder to grab it before it impacted the crowd. Some people got pushed aside, but very few were injured. He immediately lightened it and threw it to collide with another not too far away. Another volley was coming. Buildings exploded into shards. He watched as these attacks came one after another. No matter how many he would stop, some would get past him. He was not at his strongest as he looked to the retreating sun as it dipped below the horizon, his power dwindling by the second. He watched as a boulder he failed to catch slipped from his grasp and landed against a large tower, severing it in half and falling into eh crowds below.
Guards with held shields were far from enough to protect them, citizens, as many were crushed under the tower itself. He heard the screams. That was all he heard besides the thumping of his heart and the erratic range of warning bells echoing off the inner walls. As he alighted nearby, another boulder crashed into a building to his left, leveling it instantly and setting any nearby structure alight in flames. Lupren ran to assist those only injured, putting them into any capable hands nearby. He stopped dwelling on the deceased corpses he had to walk over to get to those he could save. A woman frantically tugged at a rock that had crushed what appeared to be a young girl. Lupren didn't help. He could only glance at her, seeing that the girl had been crushed up to her chest, and move on. A soldier had to literally drag her away from the body to push her away from the debris.
The dust did not help move people along, shrouding many paths in thick smoke as fires fueled the darkening cloud. The horizon turned an ugly shade of dusty brown as flames became the beacons of this night, with no one to light the various outdoor posts to guide the citizens. All this while getting weaker and weaker, slower and slower, and losing strength even to lighten boulders. He could not last like this for long in the knight's death. He missed yet another boulder, but this time it settled on him as he, along with it, crashed into a two-story house and the basement floor. The impact rattled his whole body, his brain bouncing in his head and threatening to lose consciousness, but he was alive. He picked himself up in a daze, looking around to see a family in avid shock looking upon him, huddled in a corner away from the debris.
"Don't move from there," Lupren was unsure that was what they had heard as yet another boulder crashed somewhere above them, causing the ceiling to rattle and dust to fall. He jumped back through the hole, back into the frenzy. As far as he could see, a large section of the outer ward of the city was set on fire. Whatever oily substance that was coating the rock was slow in going out and made it very easy for flames to spread via the debris it created, but he noticed that the boulders were getting closer and closer to the fortress itself, where the majority of citizens were guided to. It had only been twenty minutes, and he was beginning to feel the fatigue of his rapid use of aura.
"More knights," he whispered to himself. Then, bounding off onto the rooftops of various buildings to make his way toward the central fortress. Adrenaline rang in his ears.
(X)
"What is going on?" Gray heard the crashing. No, he felt it. He rushed out from the basement, where he had spent most of the day helping his father in the forge. Out of instinct, he had grabbed his sword on the way out, unsheathing it. He had no armor ready, the armor he brought for the trip in repair, and him in his commoner clothing. But he could see soldiers move about, shouting to everyone in the artisan district to make for the shelters under the main fortress of Silondras. He need not ask what was happening, as he could see several falling boulders overhead, even one headed down towards them. He quickly surmised where it was going to land, the sculpture's shop. He could sense someone in there still. He did not hesitate. By channeling aura to his spine and legs, he bounded off into the air to slam the flat of his blade into the rock. A small part of his cringed from the damage the edge may endure, but still, it shattered the stone into far more harmless chucks to scatter about. He landed on the sculptor's house, only to see yet another, more significant one land in the nearby foliage and explode. The boulder apparently filled it with oil because any nearby structure or tree caught fire on the spot, including the horse-pack. He ran as fast as possible, using water to control the water from a nearby well to come gushing out in aspire and wash it over the entire area. Those unlucky few bystanders caught in the middle of this devastation were not so lucky, even with his efforts, as soldiers and towns guards rushed in to give medical aid to any survivors.
What is happening? He thought, though, in his heart, he knew what this was. This was the nail in the heart. The fear he had felt revisited. He rushed back to his shop, pushing through crowds of workers running with children or valuables in hand to make it across the market ward and into the fortress. He found his father running out of the shop, seeing the carnage unfolding in wide eyes. He was as stiff as a board, seeing the unfolding catastrophe before calling out for Gray.
"Dad," Gray stopped before him. He pointed his sword toward the general flow of the crowd. "Hurry and get to the Fortress. Don't wait for me. Hurry."
"Wait!" His father reached out o grab him, but Gray was already off, in the blink of an eye running along rooftops to continue. He heard his father but knew that he had to keep moving on. They needed him. He listened to the screams, the terror that came with this sudden attack. Something within him refused to allow him to stop and care only for his father, as pained as it was for him even to think that. He had a duty, a vow as a knight to uphold. The citizens needed him-the other knights. Elena, Massia, they all did. And as he made his way out, seeing other knights who got the call to action, destroying one projectile after another, desperately keeping them from crashing, an increasingly futile effort. Everyone tried to defend the city till at least a majority of the population made it to shelter. He noticed as several catapults were being hoisted up wooden elevators atop the massive walls, presumable for some retaliation. But this made no sense. How is it that they had no mention of an incoming army? How could Talin mount such an assault so suddenly? A dozen questions rolled over his head as he used his abilities to put out various fires where he could. But, some of the fires wouldn't stop, still alight despite being doused over. With these, he had to leave behind to deal with more pressing threats. First, he had to get to Silondras.
(X)
Massia suddenly awoke to the sound of thuds and crashing in the distance. Instincts within her forced her to get, grabbing the nearest weapon-like object, a candlestand to defend herself with. She was only met with a dark room; her mother was also awake and staring out of a nearby window that overlooked the city. The doors were wide open, nobles and tons of guards frantically climbing through the halls for any available shelter within the mountain itself. Her mother looked silently into the night as fire and brimstone flooded the city in mass. She couldn't believe the sight. A siege on Silondras? Dread filled her as memories of the attack by that winged creature seized her and froze her. She could feel his cold touch on her skin already.
Celia turned to her daughter. She already had sage gauntlets on. "Get to the bunkers within the mountain," she said, pushing what appeared to be a shortsword into her daughter's hands. "Find Elena and stay safe."
"No, I want to fight with you," Massia said to her. That gave her mother some pause, looking into the eyes of Massia. She has changed. She always had the warrior spirit, she supposed. But at this moment, the such spirit would only serve in her demise. Celia pushed her out of the room into the hall, using aura to increase the mass and weight of the doors till they were practically unmovable by Massia alone. So she was left in the theaters that were quickly emptying, pounding on the doors with all the might she could muster, efforts futile. Finally, it was only a few minutes before she heard someone call out her name; turning to see Elena in full knight's gear, a shield in hand, as she made her way to Massia. As soon as the siege began, Elena knew that she had to come here. Guards had already spread the words, and everyone was headed to the basements to enter the bunkers built within the mountain itself.
"We have to go, Massia," Elena said, immediately grabbing her arm and moving her away. Massia still resisted.
"She's still in there," she yelled back at Elena, who stopped and looked at the door. It was radiating with aura still. But with a well-placed kick to destroy the hinges, they found only an empty room and an open window with curtains flaying at the upturned breeze. It appeared that Celia would put matters into her own hands.
(X)
The priority of the guards within the castle, above the safety of the castle's own residence, was the safety and safekeeping of the king himself. James had awoken like everyone else, but he was far more prepared than anyone. Never before has Fate called to him more than now. He felt his body's urge to a destiny that awaited him, a purpose to be fulfilled as both the sword and the torch. And the only way to determine which e shall die as is out there. Sentinels pounded his locked doors, shouting his name to come out so that he may be escorted to a separate bunker for security. That was the protocol. But he knew this cowardice was only a temporary matter against the inevitable. As he pulled on the ring that housed his own set of armor, the door burst open, revealing a somewhat wounded Lupren and Novie with her radiant swords, creating a halo behind her. Both are fully geared for this entire siege.
"James," Lupren yelled to him. "We must get to the shelter. It will not be long before they begin some attack on the castle itself."
"I know," he told them. "And no, I shall not be hiding behind my kingdom. I am needed out there."
"Don't do this, my king," Novia said pleadingly. "We are your sword and shield, the Paladins. Allow us to do as we must and protect this city and you from our invaders."
"I'm sorry, Novia, but you know that this is my time," the king said. "I hear their screams, the screams of those that I love and must protect. Therefore, I must answer them no matter what."
"What are you talking about? We must-" She was stopped by a firm hand on her shoulder as Lupren stepped forward with an aggressive look on his face. He could feel frustration leaking from the man, at the point of his weakest in the midst of the night. He had been the one to initially stunt the efforts of this bizarre siege, now weakened from his actions.
"If this is it, James," his voice pained for resolve, but his salute ranged true. "Then allow us to see your final moments. The sentinels will be your guard till your final moments."
James didn't sense any falsities within Lupren, not that he would try such a thing. Lupren knew him far too well and knew the strength in James' heart and mind. They had prepared this for the last six months, and they refused to allow the people to suffer. He nodded, then held up his fist, housing the ring on his finger. In a flash of light, he was dawned in his golden armor and the sword James swore his oath upon at his side. He almost absently went for the pendant as well but quickly reminded himself of its uselessness. Instead, he walked out into the hall. He shall be the fourth king ever to have to do battle within the city. The first was their founder, fighting off a siege from a human kingdom to establish this base for the empire. The next was Collas, who saw a blockade that lasted thirty days. He was said to of massacred at least a thousand men, every day going out to face the enemy with his own paladins till the enemy was forced to flee or retreat. And finally, his own father, the ninety-day siege in which the civil war ended. And now, James Colton stands as guardian on the people against the invisible enemy that now strikes. He made his way to the front gates to greet them.
And as he walked into the halls, finding at least two dozen Sentinels waiting for orders, he felt a sickening presence beside him. A sentinel, one of the new ones. He suddenly reached out towards James from behind, Lupren himself. A hand exposed, revealing pale skin, and the tattoo signified him belonging to them, the enemy. This sudden dangerous presence was instantly made known to all of them, an insidious purpose that had remained concealed until now. And in the moments before Lupren could release a blow to reduce this sudden enemy to ash in an instant, they did touch James on his arm, and a large flash of light erupted in this hall.
(X)
Remmus felt a stir in the powers that be. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. He had never felt like this before, not since his time as a godslayer. It whispered danger in his ear, and he immediately rose to his feet, grabbing his spellbook from the table and moving to a nearby window. Out on the harbor, he could swear he could see men rise from the waters, climbing aboard ships and launching various things into the cities. They were golems, thousands of them perhaps launching a siege? How did they make it to the island? How were the ravens unaware of this incursion? This must be it, the dagger that Talin wishes to drive into their hearts. The blade is in the shape of fear. The sudden siege will take time for the military to mount any response. That is why he needed to be there. The grandmaster is required. There were few actual master class mages at this moment, most off on their own estates elsewhere on the island or their own self-appointed assignments, meaning they were far less prepared now than ever to
His door opened, and several members of the Cardinal guard entered, staffs alight with power ready to be unleashed. They bowed upon seeing him, though their words were urgent.
"Master," they said in unison. Then one called: "Enemies make themselves known at the harbor."
"I can see that, thank you," Remmus closed the windows, swiftly moving to pick up his cloak. "Quickly get the word out to all available mages. This is Security threat level one, full siege from an unknown enemy. I want full focus on the harbor and-"
He paused, moving towards the door the Cardinal guards now flanked. Senses bubbled in the back of his mind as he felt something sinister reach out toward him. One of the cardinal guards, Remmus, didn't recognize him. His helmet obscured his face, and he was sure not a single member of the Cardinal guard had as pale of hands as the one that now reaches towards him with his back turned. And the others, their auras were strange, disturbed. Within these few moments, the situation became ten times direr than before. They were spies and intruders. Talin warriors. And before that hand could touch him, Remmus had turned and opened his palm towards the trio. A symbol tattooed on his palm reacted with the sudden stir of aura he fed it, and in return, a flash of light engulfed the room right before the three Talin warriors could even react to his speed.
John appeared in the room, sensing his need. But was only met with an empty room and Remus standing before three craters. He had felt a disturbance from Fate, a sudden urge to be there, and momentarily he had feared the worst. But there was Remmus, a very petulant look on his face as his palm smoked from power.
"What is happening?" John asked him.
"It appears," Remmus looked back to the harbor, the sounds of destruction growing more and more prevalent. "Our enemy has yet to learn a fundamental lesson and has decided to make I our problem."
(X)
Lizbeth was in her throne room when this happened. They had a hearing for a drug lord caught in an operation in a territory far east. It was the third day. Yet another criminal rat surfaced through the intense investigation into the many warlords who once held positions of power within the house. But now that they were defunked, the duty turned to weed out these kinds of people, people who made their lives taking advantage of her people for their cruel rewards. And, like always, this turned into more of a shouting match than an actual trial. The defendant climbing that the officials themselves were just as corrupt, eating out of the hands of these warlords in the past and now hiding behind the queen's authority. Would she not prove to be yet another tyrant? She has grown entirely bored of these plays, and she was close to calling this trial off and expediting it to execution. But before she could make the declaration, the entire castle rattled. The people inside were shocked as the golden dome that stood above them, reflecting the light down from the moons above, began to shake. What was this? An attack? They got no word of such a thing. But Celia had a strange tug set upon her soul. A dread overtook her. Was this it, what that fool had claimed to of felt those months ago when they met?
Was this the call to action that James spoke of? Whether that be the case or not mattered little. Her home is under siege now by the enemy that clings on from an overlooked part of this nation. As the lawful officials and defendant stared bewildered, she stood ready to give her declaration to prepare to defend themselves. But as she did, one of the guards to her side suddenly dashed over with a hand extended and an aura fueling his movements. She only had a second to look, seeing vacant white eyes meet her own. It was a makhai. How could she not sense one right next to her?
She tried to move back, but it was so fast, nearly touching her before suddenly stopping. And in the blink of an eye, the Makhai was turned into a white crystal. A perfect, instant sculpture. She turned to see the Diamond staring at the man intently, a hand extended out at had done the deed. Surprised shouts ranged from the crowd before her. No doubt the diamond's abilities would be startling to witness on the first occasion, but now wasn't the time to marvel. Angrily, Lizbeth raised her fist and slammed it into the face of this nameless spirit, shattering his form into a thousand pieces. The shards fell before her thrones and the steps that led there, half of the snarling head meeting the stunned crowd as she stepped forward.
"An enemy meets us at the dawn of this new age," she announced to them. "They threaten everything we hold dear. So rise, call forth arms, and lay forth before this truth. For our homes, families. Our loved ones. Destroy our enemies."
(X)
A majority of the citizenry ad made it to the central ward, where many legislative and government-sanctioned buildings lay for their various functions. The last barrier that separated them from safety was the bridge attaching the main Silondras fortress to the city proper. By this point, the boulders were so close some of them even hit the inner wall of the fortress, sending debris toppling into the large motes dug out around it. Hundreds of knights now mobilized under the orders of their paladins. To defend. To fight. And that they did. With most citizens sent from the outer zones, they could now focus a majority of their efforts on their attackers instead. It was still dark out, the moons casting dim light upon the land. But all who mounted the wall could see the spots of sunshine that now approached from the impenetrable forest of darkness. It was a sight that had never been seen before upon these lands. Thousands and thousands of giant humanoids are lumbering across the plains. Those light beads nestled within these creatures' hearts as they bounded toward the walls. With thick arms and upper bodies, some of the larger ones occasionally stopped to continue lunging their large massive boulders towards the city.
This was what they were fighting, lifeless machinations born of magic. Many did not know what to make of this. But the knights were given their orders, and they followed them without the slightest hint of questions. Fight or die, win or lose.
They launched themselves from the walls to meet their stone-made enemies before they could reach the gate itself. A hundred knights might be equivalent to entire nations outside Silondras. And they proved to show why the empire's might is feared. Though the golem's size was quite impressive, the power of knights was something to behold on its own. Outnumbered three to one, not a single golem found itself victorious in its function, as the knights destroyed one after another, be it blade, arrow or blow. The knights tore through their enemy like knives through the air, it seemed, shattering their forms or whatever powered these beasts.
Amond watched from afar, seeing his creatures snuffed away. He was not upset, as they served their purpose already. This will strike fear into the heart of the people. But most importantly, it will be the distraction to get the kin into the open for them to attack. The godslayers will fall; they can not be allowed to stand before his mistress against the might of Talin. Those that reject the light must be defeated. That is all he knows and all that h must know, even if a million innocent lives must be extinguished to get this point across.
He looked to his side, seeing the form of a shadowy black wolf form from the collective shadows of the forest. The patterns of purple necrotic energy swirled within its smoky form, eyes speaking of some hollow sentience as it looked upon him. Even looking at these things pained him, no matter how beautiful work he had done to create them. They reminded him too much of-
"What is the report," he asked it.
The familiar opened its mouth, but words not belonging to it, but something else familiar came through. "Pull back your efforts, cockroach. We go what we want."
He caused under him breathe before dissipating the familiar and then holding his hand in the air. A shame so many of them would only serve to distract the enemy. But that matters little. He has more in stock, and Amond can make more. He opened a booklet at his side, flipping it to the appropriate page to hold it into the air. The symbol drawn carefully on the piece of paper glowed faintly, as collectively all the golems began to lose power. The power is given to them dissipated into the air, left as lifeless husks shattered by the knights. They had served their purpose indeed. Only an hour. He can only imagine the damage they must have caused at that time. But he has little time to contemplate such things. If he wanted to live, he'd have to get out of this forest before Liontari hunting parties were to pursue him. He had done his part. Now it was up to them to finish the job they were assigned to do.
(X)
James turned to find himself not in the hall as he once was but instead met with the cold and ruthless winds of the outdoors. He was not far, and as he looked down to where the Makhai had touched him, he found only a severed hand grasping him tightly. The magic must have been some transportation spell designed to remove him at the right time and send him here, far away from the capital, far away from his knights or his Paladins. Alone, in his final moments. He stared down at all those around him. A hundred black-clad men are sporting the insignia of Talin across their cloaks. Skin as pale as death, eyes as white as snow they stood on. And souls as vacant as corpses. Yes, a hundred makhai surrounded him from all sides. Some with bows, some with swords and clubs. Some were mages, others mere warriors. But all with one intent, and purpose at this very moment, to kill him, the king of Liontari. No, that was not what he was to these people. To kill their enemy, the godslayer of life who had struck down their former master. To kill him, the one who defied the rights of gods.
"All this done for me," he chuckled sadly to himself. His arms felt stiff and exposed to the elements, but he ignored all the numbness it brought. He should have known they had something more planned out than all of this. "Quite the diversion. And all to get a hand on me. Your extravagance never ceases to amaze me."
"All for a king," Atalanta spoke to him from atop some boulders. That golden spear laid upon her shoulder as eyes glared down at him. "I thought it fair to come and see you in person, bo, in your final moments."
"How flattering," he said. "So this is it, huh? A hundred makhai and a plithos. Is this what Umerius sees as his retribution?"
Atalanta's smile spoke of some hidden satisfaction, as always. She lifted her spear, pointing it directly towards James. "That matters little, godling. This is merely removing a piece from the board."
"Is that what you call it," James looked around. His eyes were stony, showing a coldness that rivaled the weather itself. "If your aim is true, you would instead go after Lyse instead of an old fool like myself."
"We have more plans considering that boy," she said. "You are something far more. . . personal of a removal."
"Is that what you called it when you killed my family, Athena?"
"Do not grieve so, James Colton," Atalanta said. "I shall send you to greet them."
"No, please," The sword he held firmly at his side burst alight with a powerful aura that lit the forest in golden light. He raised the sword above his head as the makhai prepared to strike as soon as he made a move. The wind swirled with an invisible power that radiated from him like a bound flood being released. This was it. James was fully prepared to die here. This was the moment he had been pushed to, the moment Fate wished to sever the threads that held him bound. For his dreams, for his family, his friends, his people, and his kingdom. James poured all of it into that sword and each of his extremities. All could feel this will be manifested. It didn't matter how much it hurt, the cure of the pendant flaring with this sudden power. He pushed through all notion of pain, and he showed not an ounce of fear to those who would see it form. Whether that be Talin, Atalanta, or whomever she served, there was only one way he could die: by doing what he promised to do.
Protect his home.
"It would be rude of me to greet them without gifts, Athena."