MartinBrandt
Tuesday, September 29, 2009, 03:01 AM
Wellem looked up at Bren with those big puppy dog eyes. The ones full of innocence and purity. It was a confusing sight as Wellem was no small young man, to most he was a towering giant. At best though a gentle giant, as cuddly as a garden bear*.
“How about a story Bren, it’ll help me sleep.” Wellem asked.
“Alright Wellem, but only one, we have school tomorrow.” Bren sighed.
Bren searched the night sky, then looked over at Jaden who was deep in his own world. He was very concerned for him, a dark path was just waiting to swallow the youth whole. Jaden’s brow furrowed with concentration, his medium length dark brown hair fell over his face as he looked down, just below his greenish brown eyes glinted with tears. Then he was normal again, as if he had just awoken.
Bren smiled at him and then looked back at Wellem. “How about Oswald the Curious King?”
Wellem looked confused, “Sure?”
Long ago there was a King by the name of Oswald. He was a just and fair man who ruled his lands with love. His kingdom was the center of a world inspired peace. Some would say he was the perfect king, all but for one flaw, his curiosity.
His curiosity would drive him to do some very buffoon like things. His hands were covered in scars from experiments; his eyebrows were missing from other mishaps. He constantly sent scouts over the lands to discover whatever lay hidden. Often he funded exorbitant explorations into some lost frontier that would end up costing the kingship a large purse.
It was one such adventure that brought the kingdom much turmoil. A scout who was part of a large exploration party returned half dead. His group lost in the frozen lands of the end world. Far to the south at the end of the world was a place made entirely of ice, no man had dared to set foot their till this recent expedition. Besides the hostile climate, people were terrified of the legend that was whispered in secret of this place.
Deep in the frozen bowels of the end world blue demons danced, waiting to eat the souls of children. Banished there long ago by the Faelorian Trust, a long lost band of magic users.
Now if you poke a ant hill, you know how the ants scurry about but return to normal? Well if you step in a ant hill what happens then?
Wellem shuddered suddenly, drawing back on his memories. Many months ago playing out in the fields he had done just that. Stepped barefoot in a large ant mound, the red warriors spread quickly up his body. Then as if all at once assaulted him, lighting his body on fire. To this day it still made him twitch.
“They will attack you in large swarms all at once?”
“Exactly Wellem.” Bren replied.
“Playing barefoot again?” Jaden added, Wellem shuddered in response.
Well the king was curious as always. He would not let the man rest and inquired what happen. It seemed deep in the mountains of ice the group had found the blue demons. Their bodies sculpted and fit, deep blue skin with purple veins running through them. On their heads hair was sculpted like thousands of whips with bands of metal wrapped around them. The edges of their eyes glowed with untold power, as if ready to explode out. They even carried fangs of the predators from nature. A terrifying sight indeed.
With that the man fell dead. Some say because he was not allowed to recoup, other say he died of dread. The king though was not satisfied, he vowed to see this for himself.
“Why did you bring up the ants?” Wellem twitched.
“Patience Wellem.” Bren said.
So the king set off with his best scouts and protectors to the worlds end. He was determined to discover the secrets of the blue skinned demons. It took the group over a month to reach their destination. Then all went quiet as if a storm was approaching.
Slowly a rumble built over the lands, a vibration of millions of feet. Within a week the blue demons had swarmed the lands. All as one mind they were heading north, destroying kingdom after kingdom as they passed.
At the lead of them was King Oswald, so frightened he ran for his life to his kingdom. The blue demons kept right behind him. Soon the name of these demons became know, the Monkrae. From there more legends began to connect. They were the first fallen, those found unfit to rule, damned by divinity. King Oswald had stirred up a nest of the nastiest to walk the world.
At his gates he found refuge, his huge castle withheld siege for many moons. Finally his best friend and most trusted advisor realized that if the Monkrae did not stop the entire world would soon be devoid of life. This advisor also realized that the Monkrae truly only desired one thing, the king. The reality of the truth crushed his spirits, for this was his dearest friend. A world though was dieing around him, and there became only one clear answer. You see this man was also the father of the line our most enlightened emperor, and as we know there is nothing more valuable to him then the prosperity of this world.
The advisor came to his king friend that night and with an embrace of kinship stabbed him. The king looked up with questioning eyes, and his friend stared deep into them with caring and understanding. No words escaped either’s lips. He then had the executioner severe the king’s head and toss it from the wall of the castle.
Slowly the mass siege stopped and one Monkrae walked forward. He picked up the head and turned towards his people. On his back black wings spread out covering the night sky. He screamed into the night.
One by one they fell back till none where seen again. The lands were safe for now, but turmoil of the destruction would echo on for centuries, and the line of the advisor pledged to correct his friend’s mistake.
Wellem stared in awe, blue demons danced havoc through his mind.
“The moral of this story is some times it is best to leave alone that which does not wish to be known. After all as they taught us early on curiosity killed the cat.”
“I feel there is a bit more there then that.” Jaden added his eyes looking deep into Bren’s.
“Perhaps my friend, but that is a lesson that comes later in life. Pray you never have to learn it.”
*(Garden Bear- A bear creature that walks on two legs. They are no taller then 3 feet at the most, and are covered with very soft fur. They love to tend gardens, and are often found in the upper class homes of the nobles. Most are very serious in nature, almost like a school teacher, and protest when picked up. Yet if you hug them they suddenly melt into a very loving creature that makes the person feel very good about life in general. It is said that the Evil War Wizard Veltok even had a garden bear to help him sleep at night.)
“How about a story Bren, it’ll help me sleep.” Wellem asked.
“Alright Wellem, but only one, we have school tomorrow.” Bren sighed.
Bren searched the night sky, then looked over at Jaden who was deep in his own world. He was very concerned for him, a dark path was just waiting to swallow the youth whole. Jaden’s brow furrowed with concentration, his medium length dark brown hair fell over his face as he looked down, just below his greenish brown eyes glinted with tears. Then he was normal again, as if he had just awoken.
Bren smiled at him and then looked back at Wellem. “How about Oswald the Curious King?”
Wellem looked confused, “Sure?”
Long ago there was a King by the name of Oswald. He was a just and fair man who ruled his lands with love. His kingdom was the center of a world inspired peace. Some would say he was the perfect king, all but for one flaw, his curiosity.
His curiosity would drive him to do some very buffoon like things. His hands were covered in scars from experiments; his eyebrows were missing from other mishaps. He constantly sent scouts over the lands to discover whatever lay hidden. Often he funded exorbitant explorations into some lost frontier that would end up costing the kingship a large purse.
It was one such adventure that brought the kingdom much turmoil. A scout who was part of a large exploration party returned half dead. His group lost in the frozen lands of the end world. Far to the south at the end of the world was a place made entirely of ice, no man had dared to set foot their till this recent expedition. Besides the hostile climate, people were terrified of the legend that was whispered in secret of this place.
Deep in the frozen bowels of the end world blue demons danced, waiting to eat the souls of children. Banished there long ago by the Faelorian Trust, a long lost band of magic users.
Now if you poke a ant hill, you know how the ants scurry about but return to normal? Well if you step in a ant hill what happens then?
Wellem shuddered suddenly, drawing back on his memories. Many months ago playing out in the fields he had done just that. Stepped barefoot in a large ant mound, the red warriors spread quickly up his body. Then as if all at once assaulted him, lighting his body on fire. To this day it still made him twitch.
“They will attack you in large swarms all at once?”
“Exactly Wellem.” Bren replied.
“Playing barefoot again?” Jaden added, Wellem shuddered in response.
Well the king was curious as always. He would not let the man rest and inquired what happen. It seemed deep in the mountains of ice the group had found the blue demons. Their bodies sculpted and fit, deep blue skin with purple veins running through them. On their heads hair was sculpted like thousands of whips with bands of metal wrapped around them. The edges of their eyes glowed with untold power, as if ready to explode out. They even carried fangs of the predators from nature. A terrifying sight indeed.
With that the man fell dead. Some say because he was not allowed to recoup, other say he died of dread. The king though was not satisfied, he vowed to see this for himself.
“Why did you bring up the ants?” Wellem twitched.
“Patience Wellem.” Bren said.
So the king set off with his best scouts and protectors to the worlds end. He was determined to discover the secrets of the blue skinned demons. It took the group over a month to reach their destination. Then all went quiet as if a storm was approaching.
Slowly a rumble built over the lands, a vibration of millions of feet. Within a week the blue demons had swarmed the lands. All as one mind they were heading north, destroying kingdom after kingdom as they passed.
At the lead of them was King Oswald, so frightened he ran for his life to his kingdom. The blue demons kept right behind him. Soon the name of these demons became know, the Monkrae. From there more legends began to connect. They were the first fallen, those found unfit to rule, damned by divinity. King Oswald had stirred up a nest of the nastiest to walk the world.
At his gates he found refuge, his huge castle withheld siege for many moons. Finally his best friend and most trusted advisor realized that if the Monkrae did not stop the entire world would soon be devoid of life. This advisor also realized that the Monkrae truly only desired one thing, the king. The reality of the truth crushed his spirits, for this was his dearest friend. A world though was dieing around him, and there became only one clear answer. You see this man was also the father of the line our most enlightened emperor, and as we know there is nothing more valuable to him then the prosperity of this world.
The advisor came to his king friend that night and with an embrace of kinship stabbed him. The king looked up with questioning eyes, and his friend stared deep into them with caring and understanding. No words escaped either’s lips. He then had the executioner severe the king’s head and toss it from the wall of the castle.
Slowly the mass siege stopped and one Monkrae walked forward. He picked up the head and turned towards his people. On his back black wings spread out covering the night sky. He screamed into the night.
One by one they fell back till none where seen again. The lands were safe for now, but turmoil of the destruction would echo on for centuries, and the line of the advisor pledged to correct his friend’s mistake.
Wellem stared in awe, blue demons danced havoc through his mind.
“The moral of this story is some times it is best to leave alone that which does not wish to be known. After all as they taught us early on curiosity killed the cat.”
“I feel there is a bit more there then that.” Jaden added his eyes looking deep into Bren’s.
“Perhaps my friend, but that is a lesson that comes later in life. Pray you never have to learn it.”
*(Garden Bear- A bear creature that walks on two legs. They are no taller then 3 feet at the most, and are covered with very soft fur. They love to tend gardens, and are often found in the upper class homes of the nobles. Most are very serious in nature, almost like a school teacher, and protest when picked up. Yet if you hug them they suddenly melt into a very loving creature that makes the person feel very good about life in general. It is said that the Evil War Wizard Veltok even had a garden bear to help him sleep at night.)