Chapter 1: (v.3) Fall of Brayssia

"Hey Tharen, what are we doing for your birthday tomorrow?" asked Alywin, Tharen's best friend.

"Just going to celebrate the anniversary like everyone else," replied Tharen. "It'll be our 70th year of peace, and everyone seems to have some pretty big plans for it.

"Right. That, on top of it being the first day of spring, pretty much trumps your birthday… You shouldn't have to deal with this.”

"I like it. Everyone is always so happy on my birthday."

"Of course that's good enough for you. I can't imagine anyone else who'd be okay with losing their 17th.”

"Well as long as my people are safe and happy, I'm happy."

Aylwin smiles at Tharen and says, "you’re going to make a great king someday."

"My father doesn't seem to think so. He says I am too nice and Kings must be ruthless when needed. I'm not capable of that. I believe that if your always fair and honest, you will be so respected that no one will want to take it for granted. A perfect leader will never have to be ruthless, he will never be in a situation where he has to."

"A perfect leader... Is there even such a thing?”

"A perfectly imperfect king is out there,” said Tharen, with confidence. “Maybe not here, maybe not in Brayssia. Hell, maybe not even in Zenova. That’s what I think, although your free to disagree.”

"You have the open-mindedness to be a king," said a tall, built man with long, dirty blonde hair, just arriving. "And a talent for fighting."

"Alfred! How's it going?" asked Aylwin.

"Busy. Tomorrow is a big day," said Alfred looking tired.

"There is no need give us a lecture today Alfred, you’re busy enough as it is. Have a break," said Tharen

Alfred chuckles, sits on the ground beside Tharen and Aylwin, and says, "I'm never too busy to teach the next generation. Every day, I give you a lesson, and today is no different. I’ll be telling you about those weapons that Tharen’s father brought back a few months ago.”

Tharen and Aylwin sit and eagerly begin to listen.

Seeing their attentiveness, Alfred begins, "as you already know, there are plenty of legends of magical and powerful weapons scattered around the world. For as long as time has recorded itself, these weapons have been nothing but legends and fairytales. But a little less than a year ago, word spread of the possibility of some of our Gods weapons may be more than that. There is evidence that here on earth there are weapons of mass destruction."

Puzzled, Aylwin says, "it doesn't seem like Allister to seek weapons of destruction."

"No, it's not like that. Allister ignored these rumors for months. He actually didn't believe them. It wasn't until he got word that orcs and goblins were both aggressively looking for a special sword that, in the legends, was used to bring back the Hydria, that he realized he had to do something. He still had doubts of its existence, but he knew if he was wrong, all of his people would be at risk.”

"Wait…” Aylwin pauses, analyzing certain things in Alfred's statement. “Orcs and goblins are real? I thought it was just dwarves, elves, and men that existed on earth."

"Yes they are very real. Along with many other creatures and beings. You cannot tell anyone else this. Unfortunately, I'm too busy to give you both two lessons today. So the reasoning behind the secrecy will have to wait until tomorrow. Today is for the sword.”

"As curious as I am I trust that there’s a good reason for it,” said Tharen. “But as far as the sword goes, how did my dad go about finding it?"

"He assigned me to research the whereabouts of the sword so he could retrieve it. I searched long and hard, reading book after book for this sword. The hardest part was the fact that I didn't really know what I was actually looking for. All I knew was that it was a sword that had the power of raising mystical monsters. I didn't find much on the sword, but I found something on a dagger. I told Allister and he went out to get the dagger while I visited my colleague in Steel Horn Mountain.”

"Who is your colleague?" asked Tharen interrupting.

"I don't have time for all these questions. I'll answer your questions tomorrow. But you must let me finish,"

Tharen lowers his head. "Sorry, go on."

Alfred puts his hand on Tharen’s shoulder to comfort him. "My colleague has basically infinite information and he was a big help. He told me where to find it and what some of its side effects are." Alfred pauses, removing his hand from Tharen's shoulder, and assumes one of the two would question the side effects part. However, they sat quietly and listened. "According to the legends, most humans who ever touch the blade lose their minds within a few hours. The longest anyone ever wielded the blade is two days. This was done by the last prophet who was so strong hearted that he could handle the effects for 48 hours.

“I told Allister this and he didn't care. He told me he will bring the sword to safety even if it kills him. Surely enough, he took some of his best men and went out to retrieve the blade. Allister somehow managed to not only find the blade, but to carry it for five days to get here. He passed out and didn't wake for two weeks. He hasn't quite been himself since. The blade really took a toll on his mental health, and he didn't want the people to see that, which is why he has been gone ever since.”

“I have noticed that he has been more distracted lately,” recalled Tharen. “I wonder why he didn’t tell me this.”

“Your father has good reasons to do what he did. I likely wouldn’t do anything much different.”

“Alfred!” called out a man.

“Alright guys. We will continue this tomorrow,” said Alfred, walking away.

“Alfred!” called out Tharen as Alfred walks away.

Alfred looks over his shoulder back at Tharen.

“Take care!”

Alfred smiles and nods his head and continues to walk away.

“Well… You only have one more day before you have to act mature. How do you want to spend your last day without responsibilities?” asked Aylwin.

“Let's go have a look at those weapons.”

“We can get in a lot of trouble. But if you really want to I got your back.”

“You don't have to come, Aylwin. If I was in your shoes I know I’d question me.”

“I am curious about why you want to see the weapons. But who am I to judge? I myself am interested in the dagger. And Tharen, I do have to come. If I don't you’re going to get yourself killed.”

“What about the dagger interests you? I personally haven't heard much about it. And how would I get myself killed? It's just in a building in the city, not like there are trolls guarding it,” said Tharen with a laugh.

“You'll find a way,” laughed Aylwin, ignoring Tharen’s first question.

“You of all people should know that you can't side step my questions that easily. If you’re not wanting to talk about it then just say so man.”

“It's not that I don't want to. It's more so I don't know how to. It's really strange.”

“Try.”

Aylwin’s eye slightly drift as he says, “well, recently I have been having dreams about the dagger, but they aren't like normal dreams. I feel like I'm being pulled or called to the dagger. Or something along those lines. Also the detail of the dagger is so clear and unique in these dreams. The weird part is I have never actually seen it. I really want to see the blade and see if it's the same one from my dream.”

“It's settled. We're going,” snaps Tharen, while getting off the ground.

“Like… right now?”

Tharen starts walking toward the east end of the city, and doesn't say anything.

Aylwin gets up and joins him. He follows for about a minute before realizing that he doesn't even know where they're going. "Hey Tharen, any idea where we're heading?"

"Nope. I thought we could go for a walk while we figure it out."

"Oh, well you should have said so. Was about ready to follow you off a cliff."

Tharen laughs. "Well we can still do that if you want."

Aylwin gives him a solid love tap to the shoulder, and tries to bring it back to the issue at hand. "So how do you suppose we find it?"

"Was hoping you had something. You're the one who had the dreams."

"Well, now that you mention it..." Aylwin pauses, thinking back to his dreams, searching his memories for any clues that could help. "Well, I remember being in an ancient tomb-looking kind of place. Had this kinda old feel to it, and it was pretty dark. And I kept hearing some phrase being spoken to me- something about mercy."

"Any sort of landmarks you could make out around the area?"

Tharen and Aylwin walk to the temple of Brayssia where they suspect the weapons to be. The temple is a fairly large stone building. There are steps leading up to a massive double door that looks like it was made for the great Hydria that once walked these lands. There are thick stone pillars around the temple holding the roof up. The temple as a whole is in great condition as it was only build a decade ago.

Tharen and Aylwin walk up the stairs and enter through the massive doors. It took the two of their strengths to push the door open.

“That is the most unnecessary door ever. Now help me close it,” said Aylwin.

Tharen and Aylwin push the large heavy door shut and turn around to see the inside of the temple for the first time.

The temple is light by candles since there are no windows. There are many ancient symbols and pictures of God’s on the walls. It is a single large room with high a ceiling with an over decorated and oversized throne at the far end that no one man could fill, no matter how large.

“I wonder who that chair is for,” said Aylwin.

“I wonder what that chair is for,” replied Tharen emphasizing the what.

“This place is kinda creepy. Let’s just hurry up and find the weapons.”

“Well if they aren’t in there then I’m stumped,” said Tharen pointing at a door to the right that he just noticed.

Tharen and Aylwin walk over to the door and walk into another room. This room doesn’t have as high as a ceiling nor is it as big as the previous. There are interesting weapons displayed around the room, most of which are strictly decorative. They walk around and inspect each weapon briefly.

“These aren’t what where looking for,” said Aylwin.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.”

“Then where the hell are they?”

“I think I know,” said Aylwin walking back to the main temple room.

Tharen follows Aylwin to the room with the high ceilings and Aylwin leads him behind the oversized, over decorated throne. Behind this throne is a distinct image of a god surrounded with hieroglyphs. Aylwin looks at the image as if it was familiar to him.

“Does that ancient picture mean anything to you?” asked Tharen.

“It’s from my dreams,” said Aylwin.

The room was quiet. Aylwin puts his hand on the wall and says, “I seek Mercy.”

Suddenly the wall makes a loud noise and opens like a door. On the other side was a small room about the size of a bedroom with a single pedestal in the middle of the room. The room has no lit torches so it is too dark to make see much other than the fact that there are symbols on the walls like the other rooms. However, the detail is unknow do to the lack of light.

Tharen and Aylwin approach the single pedestal and see a unique dagger and sword lying beside each other. The only light entering the small room is torch light leaking in through the open wall so only the fact that they are indeed unique is visible.

The sword is the size of a standard sword but slightly curved back and has an opposite curved handle. There are engravings in the blade and the handles of both weapons. The dagger is about a foot and a half long, straight, and has an image that catches the eye at the bottom of the blade just over the handle. The weapons are like no other.

“Holy shit!” said Tharen in shock.

“This is so fucked,” said Aylwin.

“So you knew about all this from your dream?”

“Yes. Exactly the same.”

“Since we’re here… May as well…” said Tharen reaching for the sword.

“No!” yelled Aylwin.

Tharen freezes in place and looks at Aylwin. Aylwin walks past the pedestal containing the two weapons and approaches another wall. The same hieroglyph is on the wall that was on the previous wall.

Aylwin looks at the hieroglyphs and says, “I seek mercy.”

The room went quiet and nothing happened.

“What was supposed to happen?” asked Tharen

“The wall is supposed to open, and the real weapons are supposed to be in there. The ones there are decoys,” said Aylwin pointing at the pedestal with the weapons.

“This is odd. Your dreams have gotten us past the first door and can’t get us past the second door. Are you sure you are doing it right?”

“Let me think,” said Aylwin with a focused facial expression.

“Something else that’s weird is the fact that this building is new. Around ten years old and somehow there are ancient pictures and symbols on the walls,” said Tharen looking at the wall designs.

“Wait… I think I know what to do,” said Aylwin ignoring Tharen’s comment.

Tharen waits for Aylwin to do something.

Aylwin walks up to the wall again and says, “mercy seeks me.”

The wall opens and closet sized room with a sword and dagger are revealed. Aylwin grabs the dagger and holds it in his hand. He inspects it closer for a moment before noticing Tharen reaching for the sword that almost killed his father.

“Are you sure you want to touch that? Remember that it has deadly side effects that your father was just lucky enough to survive,” said Aylwin.

“It’s all in the head. Watch,” said Tharen grabbing hold of the sword.

Aylwin gets ready in case anything happens. Tharen wields the sword with confidence, swinging it around to get a feel for it.

“It feels great. It’s surprisingly light,” said Tharen.

“So… no deadly side effects?” asked Aylwin.

“No. But you know what we haven’t done in a while?”

“What?”

Tharen holds out the sword pointed down at Aylwin. Aylwin smiles and crosses the dagger with the sword and says, “you’re on.”

“Confident. I like it.”

“I beat you last time, bro,” Aylwin says with a laugh.

“Out of how many times in a row of me destroying you?”

“So, are we stealing these?”

“I’m pretty sure you were meant to find that, man. Freaky dreams like that happen for a reason. But as far as the sword goes, I’m borrowing it.”

“Good enough for me.”

Tharen takes off his cloak and wraps the sword in it, and Aylwin does the same for the dagger. They leave the temple and walk north, towards the outskirt of Brayssia. They didn’t get very far before seeing Alfred who they hope hasn’t seen them.

“What you got there, boys?” asked Alfred who spotted them.

“It’s too nice to wear these today,” lied Aylwin.

“What are you hiding, boys?” asked Alfred seeing right through the fib.

“Hey Alfred. How is it that there are ancient symbols in the newly built temple?” asked Tharen trying to change the subject.

Alfred looks at Tharen for a moment and says, “you’re not lying.”

“No? Don’t you go into the temple all the time?” asked Tharen.

“I do and there are no symbols there. But I can see in your eyes that you are not making this up,” said Alfred.

“There are pictures of like gods and hieroglyphs and the walls all over,” said Aylwin.

Alfred looks at the boys and the cloaks their hiding the weapons in and says, “I’ll go see the temple, don’t get into too much trouble.”

“Same goes for you Alfred,” said Tharen.

Alfred walks towards the temple while Tharen and Aylwin continue north. They walk for about an hour and make it to the outskirts where there are just trees, animals, and birds.

“We are getting close,” said Aylwin.

“How long exactly has it been since we last did this?” asked Tharen.

“Six months ago I believe,” said Aylwin.

“Wow, we used to come out here a couple times a week. Practice with anything we could get our hands on. It’s a wonder if there is anyone else in Zenova who has mastered as many weapons as the two of us,” said Tharen.

“Those were the good old days,” smiled Aylwin. “And it’s not likely that anyone did half the shit we did. Alfred would come along seeing us do something ridiculous and somehow turn it into a lesson.”

“Remember that time he tied our arms and feet to each other’s, facing opposite from each other and shot arrows at us?” laughed Tharen.

“How could I forget,” laughed Aylwin. “If our chemistry wasn’t so good we would have gotten more than just an arrow in my foot.”

“Alfred wasn’t afraid to put us through extreme tests, I’m very grateful for that,” said Tharen.

“Thinking about the old days has me thinking about something,” said Aylwin whose tone dropped.

“What’s on your mind Aylwin?” asked Tharen.

“I never got to thank your mom for all that she has done for me since my parents left. She took me in as if I was one of her own. Both of your parents did. The problem is I permanently lost the chance to thank your mother,” said Aylwin.

“Since we were seven my parents cared and loved for the both of us as their sons. I’m sure her death hurt you as much as it hurt me Aylwin. And she’s not my mother, she’s OUR mother. Same goes for father,” said Tharen.

“Despite feeling that they are my parent’s I am too afraid to call them that. Neither of them have told me I can. And I don’t want to wreck everything and make it awkward.”

“You can’t just tell someone to call you father or mother. That could be taken the wrong way and give a vibe that their replacing your actual parents. No child wants to feel like their parents are being replaced. I bet you anything that father tells stories about his sons, not his son.”

“Never thought about it like that,” said Aylwin.

“We are here,” said Tharen as they approach a camp site looking place.

“That’s where we left the bows!” said Aylwin excitedly seeing 2 bows leaning against a tree.

“After we test these bitches out we will have a bow competition,” said Tharen unwrapping the sword from his cloak.

The blade is a very unique color that couldn’t be noticed by the candle light in the temple. The blade is a soft bluish silverish color and the boys look at the blade with awe. Aylwin unwraps the dagger and it is the same amazing color.

“These are the sickest blades I have ever seen in my life,” said Tharen.

“Same,” said Alywin.

“You ready?” asked Tharen getting into fighting stance.

Aylwin gets ready and they stand still waiting for the other to react.

A thick large smoke cloud catches their eyes and they freeze.

“Forest fire?” inquired Tharen.

“That’s coming from the city,” said Aylwin.

“There is no way. The whole city would have to be on fire for us to be able to see a smoke cloud that big from this far,” said Tharen.

“Let’s go see,” said Aylwin putting the dagger in his belt and putting on his cloak.

Tharen goes to put the sword in his belt but he remembers he didn’t wear one today.

“I guess I’ll have to carry you,” said Tharen to his blade.

“Let’s brings these,” said Aylwin tossing Tharen a quiver of arrows and his bow.

They put their quivers on and walk south towards the smoke.

“How much do you want to bet that Alfred is going to think we started the fire,” said Aylwin.

“I’m still questioning whether it’s a forest fire,” said Tharen.

Aylwin looks at the smoke and says “it is getting quite big.”

“I hope everyone is okay,” said Tharen moving into a jog.

Aylwin jogs with Tharen and says “I’m sure everyone is fine. Unless the gods decided to punish us for no reason.”

Tharen looks at the sword from the temple and then looks at Aylwin with a concerned look.

“It’s more likely that we are under attack… and you know how long it’s been since that happened,” said Aylwin.

“Hey look,” said Tharen pointing a group of about 6 strange people.

“Hey! Do you guys know what’s going on?” called out Aylwin.

The strange people turn towards Tharen and Aylwin and draw swords. They charge at Tharen and Aylwin without a word.

“Tharen, they’re orcs!” yelled Aylwin drawing an arrow from his quiver.

Tharen stabs the sword into the ground and gets his bow ready. Aylwin shoots an arrow and hits one of the orcs in the chest killing it. Tharen then fires an arrow killing an orc. Aylwin and Tharen both shoot another arrow killing another 2 orcs. The orcs get close, so Tharen and Aylwin put the bows away and draw their weapons.

One of the orcs swings at Tharen and Tharen blocks it and immediately and cleanly cuts off the orcs head.

“That was way easier then I was expecting,” said Tharen to himself.

The orc charging Aylwin goes to stab but Aylwin slaps the orcs sword away with his free hand and stabs the orc with the unique dagger in the heart, killing him in the blink of an eye.

“I have never seen anything die like this before. Stabbing the heart kills someone extremely quick- but this instant? It’s almost as if the second my blade pieced the heart he was gone,” said Aylwin.

“Aylwin!” yelled Tharen pointing his bow at the smoke.

“Fuck! It is the city!” yelled Aylwin putting the dagger in his belt and grabbing his bow.

Tharen and Aylwin sprint towards the city as fast as they can. Tharen is a bit faster than Aylwin so he has to slow down at times to let Aylwin catch up.

“I forgot just how fast you are, Tharen,” said Aylwin.

“I forgot just how bad my endurance was,” gasped Tharen.

“Slow down, your no help if you’re going to be fatigued when we get there,” said Aylwin.

“I can’t! People are getting hurt!” yelled Tharen breathing extremely hard yet somehow picking up speed.

“Tharen! I can’t keep up!” yelled Aylwin who is barely breaking a sweat but running his absolute fastest.

“We are almost there!” yelled Tharen gasping between each word.

Tharen exits the tree line on the outskirts of Brayssia and completely freezes. Aylwin catches up to Tharen and stands beside him. Tharen and Aylwin look in shock over the miles of rubble that was once a city. Piles of burnt bodies everywhere, no sign of any survivors. There aren’t even orcs in sight.

“How,” said Tharen still in shock.

“What the hell could have done this in such a small amount of time! We were only gone a few hours! No! It can’t be!” screamed Aylwin as his eyes fill with tears.

“There is nothing left,” said Tharen quietly in shock.

“How did they sneak past father! How!” cried Aylwin.

Tharen snaps out of it and looks at Aylwin’s watery eyes and says “they didn’t sneak past father; they would have had to fight father to get here.”

“No. Father didn’t lose. He’s a Brayssian. Nothing can kill an army of Brayssians,” said Aylwin refusing to consider what Tharen said.

“Look around Aylwin. Whatever killed father and the army, wiped out a whole city and got away in less than 4 hours,” said Tharen.

Aylwin cries harder and Tharen puts his hand on Aylwin’s shoulder to comfort him.

“Let’s go see if anyone else made it Aylwin,” said Tharen running to the rubble.

Aylwin follows Tharen and stops crying. The smells of blood, and burning flesh out weighs all other smell. The smoke is clearing up and the sun is setting. The cracks of ember and their own footsteps is all that is heard.

“Boys!” called out a familiar voice.

Tharen and Aylwin turn around and see Alfred who is rough shape. He is bleeding from multiple places, is drooling blood and can’t stand without the help of his sword.

Tharen and Aylwin run to Alfred to help him.

“boys listen to me now,” said Alfred softly.

“Alfred, what is happening!” panicked Aylwin.

“No time to explain that” said Alfred coughing up large amount of blood. “You must listen to what I say, no matter what.”

“But- “

“Do you boys trust me?” said Alfred interrupting Tharen.

“Yes,” replied Tharen and Aylwin.

“Then listen,” said Alfred, “you must go. Get as far away from here as you can, and never look back. You can’t tell anyone that you are the sons of Allister, you cannot tell anyone your Brayssians. My colleague in Steel Horn Mountain has the information you need to unlock your potential.”

“What do you mean?” asked Tharen.

“There isn’t time. Now go. Remember everything I taught you boys. Take care of each other and yourselves!” said Alfred hugging Tharen and Aylwin.

“Come with us,” said Aylwin.

“Go!” yelled Alfred coughing up more blood.

Tharen and Aylwin start to run away but they both look back and see a man approaching Alfred. The man is average height but thick boned. He has scraggly black long hair and thick stubble on his face.

“Alfred!” they both yelled running back towards him.

“No! I said run!” yelled Alfred.

The man looks at Tharen’s sword and says, “give the sword to me boy and I won’t kill you.”

“You won’t touch them,” said Alfred raising his sword from the ground and getting into a battle stance.

“Alfred. You run. We will handle this guy,” said Aylwin drawing his bow.

“Damn it boys! Run!” screamed Alfred.

The man runs around Alfred who is too injured to keep up and makes his way to Tharen and Aylwin.

“You won’t lay a hand on them!” yelled Alfred.

The man pauses and looks back at Alfred then says, “you will watch me kill them.”

Aylwin and Tharen both shoot an arrow at the man while he is looking at Alfred. Without looking the man reaches back with his hand. The arrows both shattered before hitting him as if he was holding an invisible shield.

Alfred stabs his sword into the ground and says, “de kaein nor zoth ken leque.”

Suddenly Tharen and Aylwin disappear into thin air. All that is left is the unique sword that Tharen was holding.

“I didn’t know anyone in Zenova knows that caliber of magic. Unfortunately for you, you didn’t know that the sword is special and magic has no effect on it. Now it’s mine,” said the man.

Alfred started to chuckle.

“You find this funny?” asked the man.

“You may have the sword. But I know that you need Tharen’s blood for it to be any good to you,” said Alfred.

“So you know who I am then,” said the man.

“You’re Vossler. I know about your plan to awaken the hydria,” said Alfred.

“How is it that you know so much?” asked Vossler.

“Just finish me off already,” said Alfred dropping his sword.

“Gladly,” said Vossler.

“Where the fuck are we?” asked Aylwin looking around at the sudden change of landscape.

“Where the fuck is the sword?” asked Tharen looking around for it.

“My blade was brought with me. I wonder why yours wasn’t,” said Aylwin.

“There are so many wonders I have and I don’t even know which to wonder first.”

“How the fuck we got here is my biggest concern. Was that fucking magic back there? Magic was forgotten decades ago.”

“Apparently not,” said Tharen.

“Well what now?” asked Aylwin.

“We need to figure out where we are, we keep a low profile, we go to Steel Horn Mountain. We find my sword. And we save Zenova,” said Tharen with a gleam of light in his eye.

--------------------------------END OF CHAPTER------------------------------------------------

Here is where my co-writer/editor and i will make notes for the readers. We will try and have something at the end of each chapter.

This chapter takes place two years before chapter two and the rest of the story. This is my and Marche’s first chapter together so please give any thoughts, suggestions, questions or comments that come to your mind. Thank you for reading :)