gaeistis-fields of red (Original)

black rubble of the past

Zelana grunted as the pain throbbed continuously as the carriage hit rocks and pebbles. She tried to sit upright, but a spike of agony hit as her stomach spit out more blood. "We will be almost there mam" a catalyst said,sitting next to her. Caressing her wound. She could see eulithia, becoming smaller and smaller as she entered the woods. "Why are we leaving eulithia?" Zelana asked while coughing out blood. The woman glanced at her but kept her mouth shut. Zelana felt suspicious about the woman who refused to tell her where they were going.. As she tried to observe further, her vision slowly faded. The light grew dimmer by each blink she took. But before she came dazed by the throbbing pain. The woman leaned over to her. Her dark brown eyes. Squinting. "Let thy rest. For thy resurrection come" she opened her eyes. Wide enough for it to almost burst out of her head. She gasped as she frantically looked around. As she observed her surroundings. She looked out the window. Partially lit by the partially lit fireplace next to it. It had turned to dusk. "Where am i" Zelana thought. Trying to get a grasp of her surroundings. She put her hand on her stomach, expecting a rush of agonizing pain to rush through her body, yet she did not feel anything. She glanced down and noticed that her waist was tightly wrapped in a woven bandage, she noticed a large blood spot to where the dagger had pierced through. "Please rest for a little bit" she could hear an old man's voice out of the darkness. Frantically looking around anticipating an attack. But she could not feel her bow at her side. Only the soft mattress that she laid upon. "If you move too much you might open that wound again. So I would like to ask you to calm down" the man said as he walked out from the shadowy darkness into the dimly lit fireplace. Standing next to her with his hands on his back. "What are you trying to do to me?" Zelana said. Gritting her teeth as she clenched her fists. The man walked slightly back. Perplexed and shocked by the fierce nature of Zelana.

"Look, I know you just got attacked by some esoteric persons, after ridding the juniyarks who were attacking your kingdom. But I don't think an old man like me could do anything to hurt you besides." the man said as he proceeded to stretch his back. Sighing in relief as the air bubbles popped loudly. "My back would hurt even more by carrying all that weight." Zelana, Furious about the laxed demeanor of the man. Sat upright and screamed. "We were just attacked by 8 juniyarks, and suddenly I get stabbed in the back and you just crack your back like it's nothing?" the man's grinning smile turned into an emotionless demeanor as he leaned in and said. "Those were just the beginning. You have no idea what eulithia will endure in about a few months" Zelana sat bewildered by what the man meant as he walked towards a small cabinet. Taking out an old book. "This is the book of the witches of the dark. Please read carefully." the man said as he handed the book over to Zelana. Zelana kindly grabbed the book and scuffled through the pages. Reading them one by one. Occasionally glancing towards the old man who was walking from side to side. After she had read most of what the book had to offer. She sat there, confused and oblivious as to what the book is trying to tell. "So.. what is this trying to say?" she said, handing the book back over to the old man. The man grunted and sighed in frustration. "What I'm trying to say is that in the near future, most of you will endure an agonizing and everlasting suffering." the man said. Scuffling through the pages trying to find the right sentence "as the white cloak of the unseen, covers those in despair. Soon may a rain of agony and death come. Shall they disobey visioks demands. May they fall amongst the homes they reside in. may the beasts tear them limb by limb. Do not let them have a chance of mercy. As their punishment will come without second thought." the man said as he sat down in a chair opposite of Zelana's bed. She felt uneasy as her thoughts ran through her head. The man sighed yet again. "It's getting dark. Get some rest before you leave at dawn," he said as he stood up and walked out of the door. Placing the book back in the cabinet before closing the door. Isolating Zelana in a dimly lit room, packed with books, centuries old. She glanced out at the window. Noticing that it was a full moon. She sighed, looking back at her waist. "I have to get back before anything worse happens." she said as she laid down her head on the soft pillow. Closing her eyes for a deep slumber. She jumped as the loud wooden door opened loudly. Frightening her out of her sleep. "Sorry. I thought you were already awake" the man said. Putting his hand up slightly. Apologizing for the unintended scare, Zelana sighed in relief, glancing at the bright green leaves lit by the morning sun. "Your belongings are downstairs next to the shelf," he said again. Placing warm soup on the table at the side of Zelana's bed. Zelana thanked him and gulped the soup delicately down as she watched the old man limping out of the door, closing it behind him. The soup tasted a bit awful but Zelana was grateful enough that she did not care to tell the old man, trying not to hurt his feelings. As she gulped that last bit of soup down. She slowly sat upright, placing one foot on the wooden floor before placing the other foot down. She grunted as a slight spike of pain hit her. But it went away quick enough for her to walk out of the door. Looking down she saw a long spiraling wooden staircase leading down towards the cold brick floor. She struggled a bit but walked on. Shrugging off the pain even though it spiked with every step she took. As she finally made it down. Sighing in relief she saw her bow and her armor. Neatly placed in order on the wooden shelf. She chuckled slightly. Grateful for the kind gesture. "Shall i help?" she glanced towards her left. The old man stood in the doorway. Smiling slightly. Zelana nodded as the old man walked over to her. "Never thought jormunger's armor was that heavy." he said as he attached the armor plate on Zelanas arm. She chuckled a little before saying "after a while you get used to it" they both smiled as the old man carefully attached her armor. "Doesn't the armor get hot?" "mhm. Ever so slightly" zelana replied. Grabbing her bow as the oldman attached the last piece of armor. She bowed and smiled saying "thank you for your kind gesture. Eulithia will be thankful for your generous act" he smiled before saying "you can come to me anytime.. But do not forget the important part. Be ready for the cataclysm which is about to strike." she nodded but before she walked away she turned around and asked "i know it may sound rude but.. Do i have to walk miles back to eulithia?" the man widened his eyes. Realizing that he had forgotten about the fact that she had to return to her kingdom. "Please forgive me. I will notify my daughter." he said as he ran back into his large house made of brick and wood. Zelana grinned a little before sitting on a wooden bench beside the front door. Waiting for his daughter to walk out of the door. "I'm so sorry, father. Please forgive me" the girl said as she bowed apologetically. Zelana had slightly taken a nap before she jumped a little, almost falling on the wet grass beneath her. "Don't worry dear. It's ok." zelana said as she stood up and stretched. She gave out a long yawn. Tidying up her armor before asking "so when do we plan to depart?" The girl glanced at her father for approval before leading Zelana towards the old carriage that rested between two trees. Its old decrapped state shocked Zelana for a bit. "Is this the carriage they brought me with?" she thought. "I'm sorry if the carriage is not up to par with eulithia's royal status. But we honestly do not have much to improve our belongings. So we have to make do with what we have." the girl said as she offered to place Zelana's bow in the carriage. Zelana obliged and gave her the bow, smiling while doing so. Zelana could hear the birds chirping in the lush bushes around the old house. Leaves rustling as the wind picked up a bit and slowed down. "So why does a maiden have a jormunger armor? I thought those were only granted to students of streadark who either excelled at sword and magic arts. Or those who were chosen by the immortal goddess herself." the girl said, frowning i n confusion as she gradually pointed one finger in the air before pointing the other in the air too. Zelana awkwardly tried to play it off but knew that the girl would eventually come to know one day even if she doesn't say it. "Well. as you said. I excelled at sword arts. Even though I wield a bow, I was always the strongest student in streadark. One day before my graduation I was granted this armor by the goddess herself, not even one of the elite jormungers would grant you this armor anyways," Zelana said. Smiling as she walked over to the girl who was standing at the side of the carriage. Attentively listening. "But I soon came to find out that I liked taking care of others. Seeing their faces light up in joy as I serve out dishes of my speciality. Zelana smiled as she thought back to all the memories she witnessed in her last twenty four years of her life. All the people praising her cooking and her cleaning skills, it never ceased to lit up butterflies in her stomach. The girl smiled. "I'm glad you found something which makes you happy." Zelana nodded and grinned. Giving out a slight chuckle before noticing the big horse on the left side of her ear. Its heavy warm air that came out of its nostrils made Zelana stand, frozen in fear. "What is that?" the girl laughed uncontrollably. Almost falling to her knees as she covered her mouth. Wiping away her tears before saying. "That's my horse fitalis. Don't worry he is one of the most gentle horses you can meet," Zelana glanced back. Thinking there was a giant juniyark standing beside her, even though the tusk would have impaled her already. "Oh it is a horse!" its large size perplexed Zelana as its mains flowed with the wind. Its deep dark black body made the horse almost seem like a ghost. "Gentle horse? It makes griar look innocent compared to fitalis" Zelana thought silently. "There is one more question I have to ask." Zelana said as she turned back to look at the girl. Her dark brown curly hair flowed in front of her face as she waited for the question "oh? And what could that be?" "what is your name and why did you take me away from eulithia while intruders were infiltrating the city." Zelana's stern look shook the girl a little bit before she sighed. "I am fhaires. Daughter of the renowned librarian wioll of the qrests. I excel in literature and I can heal wounds, the reason why I have brought you here despite the sudden attack from inside the walls is because I was ...." fhaires bit her lip as she refused to explain further on why she was brought here. Zelana noticed that fhaires's hand was shaking slightly. Noticing that what fhaires felt was a deep sense of fear, she sighed and said. "It's ok, I don't want to cause trouble for you." "yeah that.... That... that would be a good decision." fhaires said as she walked over to trifalis to put on his equipment. Before Zelana stepped into the old creaky carriage she took one last glance before letting out a deep sigh. "Ok we are ready to depart miss" fhaires said as she hopped on the front bench of the carriage. Picking up the leash before giving a loud whip. With a sudden burst of motion. The wooden wheels began turning. Each making slight creeks as it traversed the forest. The forest looked lush, bushes were as high as a little child, the small pebbles flew upwards as the birds chirped. Zelena never quite took a second to admire nature itself. She was always busy with her chores and taking care of others. Even though it felt exhausting she still did it. Despite the huge cost on her mental and physical health. "So this is what peace feels like" she thought silently. Glancing at the bunnies who were hoping in between the bushes. Frightened by the loud sound as the horse galloped its way through the forest path. Foxes tending their young as young birds try to fly out into the wilderness. "Just like they say. Even with all the wars and advancements we make, we will never come close to nature itself, as nature is a beauty in its own." Zelana said, smiling slightly, looking out the broken window. Suddenly a bright light blinds Zelana for a short while. As her vision adjusted to the environment, she noticed that they were now traversing an old bridge as the forest disappeared behind them. Underneath the bridge laid the old remains of a destroyed town. Burnt charcoal wooden poles stuck out of the stone rubble. She could notice that the town had been scavenged and ravaged ever since it was destroyed by raiders from an unknown city. "Poor souls," Zelana whispered, still looking down at the rubble. As she glanced up into the far distance. She could see the big outline of eultihia. Somehow its wall had been damaged by an unknown force. "Huh?" Zelana thought. Looking at the large pieces of stone which were once part of the wall. Observing the distant meadows surrounding eulithia. She saw the 8 juniyarks, still laying lifeless in the meadow. Its armored plates pouring out crimson red blood. Then all of a sudden the carriage came to a complete stop as a large bang could be heard. Echoing through the entire environment. As Zelana looked frantically around. Trying to find the cause. She looked upfront and saw 3 men standing in front of the carriage. Blocking its way. Fitalis shook his head as he stomped his front feet hard on the ground. "Raiders!" Fhaires shouted. Grabbing her sword, pointing it in front of the middle man's face before charging towards them.