NationStates Jolt Archive

Harbringer (http://s13.photobucket.com/albums/a287/GeneralZhukov3333/?action=view&current=Harbringer.jpg)

The Sword Harbringer. Said to have been forged from the God of War Skuld. A sword capable of cutting through the most durable of armors. A sword that could end wars or start entirely new ones. Legend had it that one day, one man will rise up and take heed of the sword. That man will lead the people of all Ganoxa to an era of peace.

The land was in turmoil. It had been three centuries since the earth felt ravages of war. The Forellian Empire of the southern continent Forellia, has invaded the Lingunan Kingdom of Roan. Her king, Zander Roan III, issued a call for help to the rest of the eleven kingdoms of Linguna to fight the one million man army of the Forellians, that poured into Roan's frontiers. Horses raced down the mountains and over the plains, riding far and wide to carry the message to their receiver. The Kingdoms of Daven and Severail, answered the plea. Soon armies were mobilized and sent to Roan. Several fortresses that were alongside the borders of Roan were filled with soldiers, but left the neighboring town vulnerable to attack. One such town, Elias, is being raided, by Forellian horsemen. Women and children screamed as the horsemen maraud down the roads of the town, burning houses and killing citizens. Some of the men tried to defend but to no avail. As some people tried to flee from the burning houses, horse archers cut them down. One woman ran down the street with her young son. She hid under one of the broken wagon by a friend's house that was yet to be burned. Both watched in horror as their home, Elias, was smoldering. Suddenly a horsemen flipped the broken wagon as he spotted them running over to the spot. The horseman raised his sword.

"Please no!" the mother said clenching her son to her bosom. The horseman slashed the mother. "Ahh!"

The horseman saw the boy and was about to stab him when his superiors called for him. He looked down and said," This must be your luck day, boy. He rode off down the rode towards his superior.

The boy looked over to his dying mother. "Mom!" he cried.

"Go my dear son. Leave me here. Run to the woods for safety."

"I can't leave you! I won't!"

"Orelas...please. Run." she said with a weak voice then finally passed away in the his arms. Orelas laid her down on the floor gently and dashed for the woods as fast as he can.

The next morning, a scouting party were riding in the woods. Their leader was Sir Lyam Reed, High Knight of the Order of Roan.

"My lord, over here!" Sir Kel yelled.

Reed looked to his left and saw Kel dismounted and kneeling by a tree root. Reed rode over to Kel and looked down. "What is it Kel?"

"Hes waking"

Reed dismounted from his horse and stood next to Kel. "A boy? Here?"

Orelas peered through his eyelids to see two men in armor standing above him. He quickly sat up and brushed up against the bark. "Do not be afraid boy, We have not come here to harm you. Tell me where have you come from?"

"Elias, sir."

"Elias? Thats close by. Why have you run so far from home boy?"

"Badmen burned down my home. They wore strange armor and rode on horses."

"What!?" Reed said in surprise.

"Sir, it can't be. They made it here already?" Kel asked.

"They must have rebuilt the bridge at Lodon," Reed replied.

"Excuse me?" Orelas said.

"How can they do that so fast?" Kel asked again.

"Excuse me." Orelas said again.

"Especially when there is no lumber around that area." Kel added.

"Excuse me!?" Orelas yelled.

The two men looked down at Orelas. "Who are they? Who are those men thay killed my mother."

The two looked at each other with grief stricken faces, Reed knelt before Orelas. "Those badmen are Forellians, foreigners from the south, that have invaded our fair kingdom. They have killed many mothers in many village such as yours. It is our job to stop these men before they do anymore heinous crimes against our people."

"We have to tell Duke Mytagan about this my lord."

Reed turned his head and nodded,"Come boy ride with me."

Reed picked up Orelas and placed him on the back of the horse.

As the scouting party rode through the fog covered forest Reed asks a question, "So my boy, whats your name?"

"Hm?"

"Your name, boy or do you prefer to be called boy?"

"Orelas, sir. Orelas Bannon."

'Well Orelas, it is a pleasure to meet you. I am Sir Lyam Reed, High Knight of the Roan Order."

"My lord! Look!" yelled the lead Knight.

Orelas looked up to see the enormous castle situated on a mountain top. A winding trail can be seen going up the mountain, which was carefully constructed for traps and the like, so the party had to be careful not to set them off.

"Whoa!"

"Its quite awe inspiring when you first see it. I must admit I was stricken as well when I first saw this castle as a boy."

The party finally made it to the top where the gate was. A guard looked down. "Halt! Who goes there?"

"It is I, Sir Lyam Reed!"

"Sir Reed, its good to see you sir!" the guard turned his head to the right,"Open the gates!"

Duke Mytagan, the commander of the castle garrison, stood in the courtyard awaiting the party. "What news have you from the front?"

"Not so well, my lord," Reed dismounted, "the Forellians have rebuilt the Lodan bridge."

"Damn, I was hoping that would buy us more time," he said with disappointment.

"What makes matters worse is that they have raided the nearby town of Elias. I am sorry to report that it was completely razed to the ground."

"I see. That does makes matters worse. The Forellians will be at our door step in a matter of time," he turned his head, "Captain!"

"Mi'lord?"

"Prepare the men for defense of the castle."

"Aye mi'lord."

Mytagan looked over at Reed and saw Orelas get down from the horse. "Sir Reed?" he said with query

"Yes, my lord?"

"Who is that boy?"

"Oh. My young friend here is the only survivor from Elias. His name is Orelas Bannon."

Duke knelt before Orelas and put his hand on his head. "So Orelas, what is your age?"

"I am eight years old, sir."

"Oh ho! Eight you say," Mytagan looked up at Reed,"looks like hes the right age for apprenticeship, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yes, he is."

Orelas didn't understand the word, but didn't say anything. "Well no matter. Its his choice to start it, we want volunteers who love the work not being forced and resent it. Anyways young Orelas, you are welcome to stay here."

"If its alright, can I stay with Sir Reed?"

"Its up to him. Reed?"

"I have no problem, not at all."

"Then you shall bunk with Reed."

"Thank you sir."

The hand maiden gestured the two to come with her. "Your rooms are down this corridor, third door to your right."

"Thank you," Reed said.

"If there is anymore you need of me, just call for my services."

"Thank you that will be all."

Reed and Orelas entered into the room. Orelas immediately went to the bed, jumping up and down, and finally laying on it. Reed hung his armor on the rack and sat on the bed.

"Sir Reed?"

"Please call me Lyam. We are friends after all."

"Alright, Lyam, what is an 'apprentiship'?"

"Well my young friend, an apprentice, at least in the order, is someone who of young age, such as yourself, who undertakes the training necessary to become a knight of the order. Under the tutelage of a experienced knight, the apprentice knight learns the ways and traits of the knighthood. Out of curiosity Orelas, why do you ask?"

Orelas looked down, tears rolling down his cheeks, "I want to make these Forellians pay for what they have done to my mother, to my village!"

Reed was taken aback by Orelas' words. He can see the look of revenge on his face. Damn those Forellians Reed thought.

"Orelas?"

Orelas wiped the tears from his eyes and looked up. "Yes?"

"Would you like to be my apprentice?"

Orelas nodded.

"Be warned that once you start down this path there is no turning back. Are you clear with this?"

Orelas nodded again.

"Good, with that done its time for us to get some sleep. We have a big day tomorrow so we will need our strength. Remember this, it will be part of your training."

"Ok good night Lyam."

"Good night Orelas."

Bells rang throughout the castle. Soldiers were running down the corridors, grabbing weapons to prepare for the defense. One ran through and barged into the room where Reed and Orelas was. "Sir Reed, Sir Reed!"

"Yes, yes I know. Tell the Duke I will be at the battlements in a moment."

"There!" Orelas said.

"Thank you for helping me get this breast plate on Orelas. Alway have to have the armor properly worn in battle or you risk literally falling apart with no protection."

At the battlement (http://l2vault.ign.com/C3_Review/115_Hum1_dcrys_majes.jpg), Reed and Orelas, met with Duke Mytagan. "They're early," Mytagan said looking through the spyglass.

"Yes they are."

"Take a look over there. Looks like 40,000 men."

Reed took the spyglass from Mytagan's hands. The huge army marched forward towards the castle. Some dragging heavy rams, others rolling in small amounts of artillery. The siege had begun.

Forty thousand Forellians sieged the Mytagan Castle. Unorganized and barbaric the Forellians charged unknowingly into range of the trebuchets of the Roan garrison. "Sir, the enemy are in range of the trebuchets, ordinance has been lighted and ready for release."

"Release!" Mytagan orderd

A Forellian looked up to the castle to see several balls of fire coming out. "Vosh'ti!." he said pointing up.

"Kras'do, Kras'do!" another yelled.

It was too late to take cover as the Forellians were incinerated by the blast and heat of the incoming ordinance. Mytagan looked at the effectiveness of the barrage, "Give the order to fire at will!"

"Duke Mytagan, what are those men doing with those metal doohickeys?" Orelas speculated.

"What?" Mytagan observed where Orelas was pointing out, "There setting up their siege engines. Are they in range of our trebuchets?"

"Barely sir!"

"Concentrate what you can on those engines!"

"Artillery!" the subordinate ran off.

Soon the Forellians would be at the foot path that led up to the mountain. "My lord, scout report enemy movement through the back mountain path. It would seem they would climb the cliff."

"Hmph. They would think that we were not going to cover our asses. Give them our special welcoming gift."

The Knight smiled at the order, "As you wish my lord."

Forellian troops were in the middle of the cliff when suddenly hatches started to open above them. They wondered what this could be, an escape hatch for retreating troops or lucky way into the castle. A Forellian looked in horror as the tunnel began to redden. "Ahhhhh, ah, ahhhh, ahh!" Sir Raxis stood there with some other lower knights with weapons in hand to handle the stragglers. Fortunately it was not needed. Despite the losses the enemy kept coming soon they would start climbing up the foot path towards the gate.

When the great gates of Mytagan Castle finally came down, Reed and the rest of his company charged forward and clashed with the Forellian mass. As fast as the eye can see, limbs started to fly as the knights cut into their enemies' bodies, faces pounded into oblivion by maces, chests impaled by pikes, faces blasted with muskets. A messy ordeal. As the Forellians in the rear saw the carnage they began to turn back only to be cut down by musket fire and a hailstorm of arrows. The Forellians began their retreat, soon getting out of range of the castle.

"Sir Reed! We have driven out the last of the invaders!"

"Good work! Good work to all of you!" he saluted crossing his sword over his chest.

As soon as Reed got up to the battlement, he saw Orelas looking off into the valley, looking at the retreating army. "Quite a sight isn't it Orelas."

"Yes, yes it is."

Duke Mytagan approached Reed, "How are the men?"

"We sustained a few casualties but not as much as the Forellians, bless those brave souls. Balthazar bless them."

"Yes may Balthazar bless them all." he turned over to the right and watched with the other two at the spectacle of the valley.