...after being caught in a
landslide while chasing a thief, Kain is captured and imprisoned.
While chained in the cell, he
makes an uneasy alliance with Rubicant, the former Fiend of Fire.
Together, they attempt to escape the mysterious
dungeon....
"Where are they now?" the huge knight rumbled. His face
was hidden by the massive, horned helmet, so it was hard to tell
his
emotions. He sat high in a skeletal throne, his hands resting on
two human skulls. All who entered the dark hall trembled at the
sight of the mighty Lord Garland.
"They have made it passed the first gate, my Lord. They are
now on the surface, but still within the castle." the ManCat
trembled as he spoke. Keytrin had no idea how his master would
react to this news. Lord Garland slowly rose to his feet.
Silently he stepped down from the high stage that his throne
stood upon and began walking towards his servant. Keytrin
clenched his face as he awaited his master's punishment. But it
never came. Lord Garland continued to walk. Past his servant,
through the great hall, and out the massive doors.
"M-master?" Keytrin called as he ran after his liege.
Lord Garland stood at the balcony that over-looked the courtyard.
Far below, two forms could be seen fighting their way to
the gate. Keytrin ran up and joined his master. "See?"
he said, pointing at the two escapees. "Do you want me to
call in
reinforcements?"
"No. Instead of beating the location of the orb out of him,
I think I'll just let him lead me to it." Garland extended
his arm,
pointing it at the two fighters. Silently, he called forth a
spell of lightning, sending an arc of electricity shooting above
their
heads, barely missing them. The bolt thundered into the
portcullis, tearing it apart.
"Ha! He missed!" Rubicant yelled as he tossed another
fireball.
"Save it, Rubicant. Let's just get out of here before he
fires again!" Kain yelled as he ran past another guard.
Rubicant gave no
objections and followed shortly after. Kain used the iron spear
he had stolen from the armory to cut through the ranks of the
guards, while Rubicant used his magic. Together, they charged the
smoldering gate, quickly overwhelming the four guards who
were still stunned from the blast.
Garland watched as the two disappeared into the woods.
Rubicant and Kain made their way slowly through the woods. Kain's
concussion was starting to affect him again, and soon
they had to stop altogether. Rubicant half dragged, half carried
Kain into a small clearing and laid him down in a pile of fallen
leaves. Kain held his aching head and soon drifted into
unconsciousness.
Kain stepped lightly through the courtyard of the castle. He had
no idea where he was. This strange place was unlike anything
he had seen before, except for once...
The castle seemed to be part machine, as if it could move of it's
own accord. Dull brown sand littered the cobblestones and
clung to the walls, as if the castle had recently been buried
within the desert that surrounded it. Kain pushed open the heavy
steel doors and entered the inner hall. The whole place was
decorated in flying banners and portraits. At the far end of the
hall,
where two thrones stood, Kain noticed two paintings. The one on
the left was of a handsome young king, his hair swept back
in a long blonde pony-tail. Kain approached and read the
inscription in the gold frame. "King Edgar Figaro" Kain
whispered
the name. Where have I heard that name?
Kain turned his attention to the other painting. It seemed as if
it were the same person, only younger and much more muscular.
His hair was cut short and swept upwards. Kain felt a kinship
towards the man in the painting. The kind of feeling a warrior
gets when he meets another. But as Kain watched, the man it the
painting started to fade. His eyes sank and his skin cracked.
Slowly he seemed to crumble into dust. Kain looked back at the
first painting. It seemed changed as well. The King was sullen
and withdrawn. His eyes no longer bright. "What does it
mean?"
"Kain." a distant voice called. "Kain..."
Rubicant shook Kain awake. "Kain!"
"Wh-what? What is it?" Kain stuttered as he sat up. The
pain in his head was gone, but his whole body felt like stone.
"There is somebody coming. We have to hide." Rubicant
lifted the groggy man and carried him into the underbrush.
Together,
they watched as a young elf entered the clearing. She was
whip-thin, something not unusual for her diminutive race. Her
golden
hair was tied into a loose braid that hung down her back, almost
past her waist. Her green eyes swept across the clearing as
she walked. Across her back was a bow and quiver, at her hip was
a short sword. Her graceful walk, toe-heel, showed that
she was an experienced fighter and ranger. She stopped next to
the group of bushes that the two were hiding in. "You can
come out. I won't hurt you." she said in an almost song-like
voice. "Oh come on. I've been watching you two since you
went
crashing out of that castle. Honestly, with the noise you were
making it's a miracle you haven't been killed yet."
Kain used a nearby tree to steady himself as he stood. "Who
are you?" he asked as he regarded the lovely elf. Never had
he
seen a more beautiful woman.
"I am Elistriel. I guard these woods." she said matter
of factly.
"Guard them...from whom?" Rubicant asked with a scowl.
Only once had he seen a more hideous form in his long life. So
pale
and...soft.
"I protect these woods from those who would do it harm. I
suggest you two leave before you attract more trouble. The last
thing I need is for my woods to be burned down while you are
fighting off you enemies." Elistriel said, looking at the
fire fiend.
Rubicant started to retort with some thoughts of his own but was
cut short. "Fine. We were leaving anyway." Kain
interrupted.
"Let's go." Rubicant offered no objections, but as they
left the clearing he glanced back at the girl with an acidic
stare. Unlike
Kain, he could see through the woman's magic. He knew who and
what she really was. "We will meet again, Failure." he
spoke mentally.
"I welcome it, O honorable one." she replied silently
with much sarcasm.