Soul Slave

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Gralkar ENGSTROM road up to the mote used to protect the gate of Rhinestone from intruders, Osagor was burning as the men at arms fought as hard as they could against an organized army to no avail. Looking up towards the top of the gate where the captain of the watch looked down upon the burned, disfigured orc who sat upon a tall pale horse.

"House Laristar!" Yelled out Gralkar, waiting for the sounds of chaos to fill their ears a bit more before speaking again, "This is your one and only chance to listen then speak! To know my demands!" Gralkar snarled as the captain just stared down at him.

"I shall inform the lord, only if you cease your assault on Osagor!" Ordered the captain of the guard.

Gralkar and his vanguard began to cackle menacingly, "You have no room to demand here! Go squabbling, go to your broodmother! Protect your teet! For if I don't hear from your precious lord soon, I will take that as a sign that my demands shant be met!"

The captain swallowed coarsely as his mouth had become incredibly dry face contorting as his anger crippled him from speaking. As he could hear the citizens being slain across the mote where he had taken an oath to protect all lands and assets owned by House Laristar.

His subordinate grabbed him by the left pauldron and pulled him around, "Go to the lord." The captain listened, only after staring down Gralkar who was grinning up at him. The grotesque burns that covered half his body made his left eye's iris pale blue from blindness.

Storming off down the stairs that led to the streets of Rhinestone he'd see a sudden flash of green down an alleyway to his left. Quickly making his way down he'd look to see a man sprawled out, covered in water and smelling of the sea. There was a large two handed sword several inches from the unconscious man's right hand; he was lying as if reaching for the weapon.

Unsheathing his short sword and pulling his small buckler from his waist that only covered his hand and up to his elbow. Tapping the pummel of his weapon loudly on his steel shield to get the man's attention, after several loud taps with the pummel he decided to kick the soaking wet man over.

The kick crashed into Edward's solar plexus forcing him to cough up saltwater and roll over to the left onto his back. The captain inspected him and immediately sheathed his weapon, Edward spit and gagged as he rolled onto his forearms. Spitting out the sea water and holding tightly onto his stomach where he was kicked. Gasping in deeply as he was trying to regain the air forced out of his lungs.

"Sir Edward!" The captain's eyes were wide but there was a toothy smile of relief at the sight, kneeling down to his side. "I'm so sorry sir! We're in a siege... And you haven't reported back in months..."

Edward lifted himself up with the help of the man, patting him on the back he'd laugh and smile at the captain. Looking around at Rhinestone which was a bit chilly but beautiful nonetheless. Built on the side of a mountain range, it's architecture and technological mysteries were far beyond what the humans completely understood yet at the sight of the skyscraper towers; Edward felt safe.

"Tell me... Who is attacking?" Edward pulled himself from the captain and recovered the runeblade in his right hand.

"The orcs... Their bloody leader is standing outside the gate as we speak, he persists on Lord Teranis' presence."

"Gralkar..." Edward mumbled looking towards the city gates, "Speaking to him will only cause the battle sooner..."

"They are destroying Osagor as we speak! There must be action!" The captain stormed up to Edward.

"There will be, prepare the crossbowmen and set up a scorpion ballista. If Gralkar isn't gone by the time all of your men are ready... Kill the burnt bastard."