《Rise or Fall》Chapter 1 – Assembly in The Forest
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She stepped off the stage and walked the corridor to her room's door, which was now slightly open. She walked inside to see a man sitting on her bad, flower bouquet in his hand. She moved swiftly, took her bag from the bedside and the dagger from under the pillow and stared at him. He opened his mouth to speak and was no more; Not only the man but the room she got for the night. The green forest around her was unfamiliar and the three people who stood by her side was familiar even less than that. She was yet to know of which her fate has in store.
Emilia's beauty, with her wavy, hip long brown hair, sky blue eyes and ivory near perfect skin, was matched to that of an elven woman. She put a worn leather armor on her beautiful ember dress and strapped to her belt a rapier at the left side and a dagger at her back.
The man to her immediate right, as high as she, with his somewhat tan skin, grey beard and a ponytail, which reached his shoulder blades, wearing a long sapphire robes with a star badge hanging near his belt and plain white business shirt of which you'd see a nobleman wearing underneath. A small bag rested on a single shoulder of him and on his neck a necklace of a red painted jewel and in his hand ruby colored book trimmed with a golden lacing and lettering. He quickly checked his glasses to ensure that his vision is true and he no longer at home.
Beyond him stood a pale skinned man. His black hair reaching his back parted by the center to right and ocean blue eyes fixed on the figure appearing before them. The young man was tall and fairly built underneath white shirt and chainmail armor; On top the armor a blank and white tabard sat and above it a crimson hooded cloak trailing down to the ankles. His long boots and leg guards strapped by two sets of belts to the ankle and the upper thigh above brown pants. A shield adorning a tri-stared triangle, a symbol of the goddess of joy, Lilira, held in his left hand and on the right-hand side of his tilted belt hanging a sheathed longsword.
At Emilia's left a person hidden by an old brown cloak and a faceless white mask, a mysterious man hiding his identity. From the few holes in the weathered cloak blue cloth seemed to peek. He took a single step forward in his old leathery boots, stepping on a crackling branch and asked in a young but firm masculine voice "Who are you?"
To the question answered a female of beauty and soft voice alien to human eyes and ears. The being, for her presence was unlike that of any mortal Emilia have met, was clothed in purple, a color only a few wear, and gold shining like a sun. "My name is Emma, I have summoned you to be my little helpers", "With what?" asked the man in armor, which Emilia assumed to be a paladin. Ema chuckled and wish them luck before fading into nothing.
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"Well, I guess we'll have to discover that ourselves; but where are we?" that was the old man to ask. Emilia looked around, trying to discover their location, but all she could tell is that they still in their home world, Dinivin.
As they walked Emilia Sayed "I think its due time we introduce ourselves." and thus, they introduce themselves. Emilia was the first, Bolvar, the paladin, second, Henry, the older man, hereafter and lastly was Rolen, introducing himself very briefly.
Unable to find their way out the group aimlessly walked the forest speaking of small sights and clues to how to leave the forest Time passed and the sun reached the center of the sky, by that point it was clear they do not advance much, for they walked in circles.
The first to say it was Henry "It seems like something is keeping us here, some magic, if we find its origin point we might be able to leave", after a short halt asked Rolen "but then how will we find it?", Bolvar smiled and then he closed his eyes and breathed a single long breath before opening his eyes before pointing in a direction saying "this way".
After more minutes of traveling, led by Bolvar, they reached an ancient stone temple with doors marked by the same tri-stared triangle symbol worn by Bolvar, which Emilia did not recognize. Opening the doors revealed to their eyes the grand hall of the temple, in its colorful and well-kept glory. Long minutes passed while they stared at the hall before Rolen took a step inside, having his foot enter into the floor.
"What happened to your leg?" asked Emilia in worry, Rolen raised his leg, proving it to be completely unarmed. Bolvar joined in question "how is it possible? You're foot went through!". Rolen quietly muttered "magic". "Illusion, it seems." Returned, slightly mumbling as thoughts fly in his head, Henry. The short silence that followed cut Bolvar "so, we heading in?". And so, Rolen was the first to descend, disappearing completely under the solid stone floor. Second was Emilia, her heart pounded quickly as she entered the unknown, as her head passed through the floor tiles darkness filled her vision. Henry was the third to see the light of the four symbols at the end of the stairs, he tried to cast magical light, but it was to no avail. Then a clack was heard, the sound of metal hitting stone and from above, rolling with little to no control, hitting Henry with no warning and Emilia, Bolvar pinned even Rolen, who attempted to step away from the ball of people but a sliver of second to late, at the foot of the stairs. After all stood up Bolvar asked around to apologized to all and for any injured to heal, yet Rolen was tad swifter with his healing magic.
Now at the bottom of the dark flight of stairs, four glowing symbols, two on each side, were floating as if painted on a wall. To their right a symbol reminiscent of a flat balloon made of bright white light and a mark made of series of circles and lines that seems to avoid them in grey light. On the left were a mark of lyra, one of the instruments held of Emilia's belt, and a book, reminiscent of the spell book in its holster on his belt, both made of bright white light.
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Hesitating lightly, Emilia stood before the lyra symbol and play a short jolly tune only to achieve no consequence. After her Henry attempted to touch the mark. A sweat chorus sound as his finger made contact with the symbol. Turning around to face the group his enthusiastic smile disappeared as he realized the music hadn't come from the magic rather than a now tittering Emilia. Rohan, sighing quietly, touch the cushion symbol which fills his head with memories of a young man running the mansion's ground, pulling tricks and gags on servants and maids and then an offer. Hurled from the mark, Rohan looked about in confusion. Next to interact with a symbol was Henry, who after touching the book mark, seen himself in his old familiar study reading books and him leaving home for an adventure. Next was Emilia, her vision beginning with a lad dancing to her own village folk, and then the same girl leaving home to follow her dream, slowly becoming a woman and a true bard, warm memories replaced by cold, dark pain and a river of red and ending in salvation and emancipation in a form of a lone traveler. Lastly was Bolvar, who after seeing the reactions of the other three disappointed to only feel calmness touching the last of the mark.
Content with the reaction of the symbols, for the most part, they have climbed the stairway up, passing through the dark ceiling of the chamber. The first to emerge, likewise the first to notice the humanoid figure standing on the real ground behind the great temple's huge open door's threshold, was Rohan, who decided to follow the slippery gnome sized figure. Following after him are the rest, running up to the temple and outside only to face a group of gnomes wearing dark forest green robes and leather sash upon then. Reminded by old tales of the gnome tribe, Emilia Came to the realization that they are in the forest of Lutherie. Before even saying a word, one by one their vision darken as they fall to the ground.
The first to wake up in a wooden cage was Rohan, awaken by a sprite dancing on his head. No longer clouded in illusion his young face was visible, his long, black hair resting on the wood. Sitting up he dusted off his blue trench coat, the CR of the Corenthell family embodied neatly to the sleeves, right under the shoulder. His dull grey eyes turning blue then red as they scan the stone walls around him. On one of his tied hands a black glove with a ring on it.
Not long has passed until Bolvar and Henry woke up and an old gnome escorted by two younger ones entered the stone made room. "It seems you have awakened at last." The old gnome's voice was deep and coarse and his forest green robes and leather sash seem more lavish and upheld. "You have found yourselves at quite the predicament, haven't you?" as the gnome speak, Henry whispered a chant and disappeared only to appear again but a foot aside, still in his cage. The old gnome, impressed by the spell continued " The place you were in is forbidden." Henry chanted again, this time an invisible hand pressed Emilia to the cage wooden floor, waking her abruptly. She attempted seizing her dagger, only to discover it has vanished. Observing the commotion, the gnome halted his speech. Unable to find her rapier as well, Emilia attempted to take hold of her flute, only to then be released from the pressing spell. The gnome waited another moment before resuming.
"Now that ALL of you are awake, I am the elder of this forest." Unsure of the odd circumstances she's in, Emilia answered with "Hello". "Oh, hello sweetie, what's your name?" the elder gnome's voice was sweat and unimposing. Without a thought, Emilia exhibit her rehearsed greeting "I am Emilia Chorus, a bard." The elder gnome's eyes filled with gleam as he swiftly responded to her words. "A bard you say? Do you happened to know some songs from the east?" baffled by the gnome, the cage and the rope on her hands, she confirmed his assumption. "Oh, how great, will you sing me a song from the east?". Deciding to adhere to the request, Emilia clumsily withdrawn her lyra and began playing and singing a little chorus she heard in the east.
"Now then, why are you here?' asked the elder. " We were summoned by a spell and couldn't go away." The elder returned his gaze to Emilia as she answered. " Do you happen to know of a woman named Emma?" The elder seemed to be confused "No" he answered quietly. "And what of the marks at the temple?" the astound on his face disappeared as he ushered his attendants away, closing a door behind them. He spoke silently, whispering even "you saw the marks?" Emilia answered "Yes, and as we touched them, we viewed our past." The elder, astonished by Emilia's words, looked at her for a moment, and then studied each of them. "So, you're the chosen ones, the ones who will turn to gods. And the paladin must be the guardian" He paused, unable to catch his breath. "Listen here, do not tell anyone you are the chosen, and do not speak of us or return here unless we call you." Rohan was the one to answer "Where is here?" to which Emilia responded "We are in Litherie forest." The elder looked at her adversely. "Now, as to protect our secrecy, we will put you all to sleep before releasing you. "As a response to the elder's words, Emilia lie down as preparation and once again, darkness has come.
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