The Obsidian Heir

Prolouge

   Fire set ablaze across the doomed town. Huts of hay, straw and wood had fallen down from the fire that reigned on them, without warning. An attack it was. The leader of that attack was Lord Gandar. King of the Obsidian City.
   Bannermen held up tall black banners that had a skull tainted in purple. The bannermen's armor was solid black steel, with the same skeleton skulls on their chest plates. The two bannermen were the brothers of Lord Gandar. Mark Gandar and Tontly Gandar.
   Lord Gandar's army followed right behind him. A heavy army of twenty thousand knights. All wielding greatswords that were nearly the size of them. The people of the continent, Esternia feared Lord Gandar's army. They were fierce, brutal and there tactic of war and torture were all very unforgiving.
   Lord Gandar raised his hand in front of his army and let out the loudest shout anyone could ever let out, "HALT!" His army stopped behind his heavy sharp voice. They have been traveling down the dirt paved road with their mounted horses and on foot through the town, tearing down every house that stood.
   Laying in front of Lord Gandar laid a bartender trembling in fear and anger. His own hands were digging into his back and head. He shook more when he saw the colossus shadow of Lord Gandar who was a brute, tall and fierce with black hair.
Lord Gandar approached the bartender, his sweaty black hair looked as if he poured a bottle of ink on himself. He examined the bartender who was a short man with thin brown hair and brown eyes that had widened in fear. The bartender was sweating more than Lord Gandar from demolishing the town.
   The bartender's stench smelled like wine and sweat. Someone who didn't bathe in days. The odor was foul, it made Lord Gandar nearly gag, but he held it back to look strong in front of his army. Lord Gandar looked at the bartender and glanced at his brother Mark, "Bring me my sword, Mark," Lord Gandar demanded in a strong tone with crude intentions.
   Mark brung Lord Gandar his sword. Dark, was the name of Lord Gandar's blade. It's steel was shiny as he let out his sword. Lord Gandar could see his glowing yellow eyes in the steel as he raised it up. "I, Gregor Gandar first of his name, King of the undefeated Obsidian City, Lord of Swords and Armor order your death." Cold words they were. Death. It could make a man crap his pants knowing it's coming for them. The sword dropped from the sky and sliced clean through the neck of the bartender. Blood blasted onto Lord Gandar's steel boots, painting them with varieties of red.
   Mark stared at Gregor expressionless, Mark was always like that at the sight of death. Lord Gandar looked over at Mark and Mark quickly glanced away. Gregor grabbed Mark's cheek. The grip was tight and left an imprint of Lord Gandar's fingers. "Does the sight of death scare you?" Gregor asked, staring into Mark's eyes, "Does it disgust you?" Mark pulled Gregor's hand off of him and walked next to Tontly.
   Mark's chest pounded with heat and anger. Oh he hates when Gregor mocks me. Most of the time Lord Gandar laughs at me. Why does he do this, he's my blood, Mark thought. Mark's fists were tight around his own sword and the black banner with the purple skull. Death does not scare nor disgust Mark. What disgusts him is killing an innocent man as Gregor did. Pillaging towns was another disgusting thing to Mark. Why pillage and kill the innocents, we're already one of the most powerful kingdoms in Esternia, Mark thought.
   Gregor looked at Tontly and smiled. His teeth were yellow and had blood between them. Tontly forced himself to smile back at Gregor. Mark and Tontly were twins, not identical. But both of the brothers were born on the same name day. Tontly inherited the black hair of the Gandar family. His hair was long and silky, his eyes green, and skin was pale. His armor was black and sharp. It reflected light, and had a purple skull on the center of his chestplate.
Mark wore the same armor, but his skin was tanned. His hair was short and brown, he inherited it from his mother. He had green eyes, and pimples across his face. Him and Tontly both were sixteen as of Gregor who is eighteen. Mark wished him and Tontly were born before Gregor was. One of them would've been heir before their father died. And when their father did die a funeral was hosted.
His mother wept, Mark and Tontly just stared at the coffin his father was in. Gregor had a straight face, but the look of his eyes said he was glad he was finally king. A cruel way Lord Gandar has. It gets on Mark's nerves plenty. Tontly seemed to just go on with what Gregor says and do to avoid any conflict that occurs.
   Gregor begins to march out of the town that has been destroyed completely. The town was named after the second king of Reinfield. The second king of Reinfield's name was Aren Rein. The town was named Aren. There was no honor in destroying a town that the Gandar brother's great great grandfathers swore allegiance to.
   Lord Gandar's army followed behind him. The night was upon them soon, so they had set up camp by a river. There were rows of tents all colored in black or purple.
   Gregor, Mark and Tontly all stood at a table, they were accompanied by two others. Harwin Meekly, the commander of Obsidian City's army.
   Harwin was slender, but great in battle. Like everyone else he wore black shiny steel with a purple skull imprinted onto the chestplate. The only difference was that he wore a purple cape.
The second companion was named Peline Yoro. Yoro was a great house. For generations they've been around. Myths went around that the Yoros made men and they were giants at first. Until their genetics turned them down to human size.
   No doubt Peline Yoro was a giant, he was bigger than Gregor. He was seven feet tall. His hair was long and auburn. His beard reached down to the center of his chest. His hair is greasy. And he smelled of spices. He had brown eyes and his voice was as deep as the Earth's core.
   Gregor was even cautious around Peline. One wrong move and Peline can bury him in the ground with his own fist and punches. Mark stared at the hugeness of Peline. He wondered how it would feel to be that huge.
   A giant stone table with the map of Esternia laid in front of the council. They were at war. Harwin gave the map a hard look then glanced up at Gregor. "You do know why we're at war right?" Gregor took a sigh, he was tired from today's pillaging. Mark looked at Harwin as if he had an answer to why.
   "Because we're pillaging towns and breaking ancient oaths that our ancestors made long ago," said Mark. He's gonna hurt me isn't he... I answered for Gregor. He won't in front of them, but when they're all gone I'm surely dead, Mark thought.
   Suddenly Elinor Haulen busted into the door of the tent. A gust of cold wind followed him in the tent and gave a few of them chills. Ser Haulen was Gregor's sworn shield in sword, to protect him from anyone who tried to oppose him.
   "My lord, there has been word that one of our scouts have spotted the Rein's army marching towards our tents," Haulen said, so fast in a panic that Gregor could nearly not understand him.
   Gregor grinded his teeth. He was stressed. I hope he knows he's bringing this upon himself, thought Mark. Harwin looked at Gregor, "We should fight ourselves through this one my lord."
   Gregor clenched his fists tightly. "Sound the horn of Goliaths," Gregor said as he shifted the tent to the exit. He grabbed Dark on his way out.
Mark and Tontly gave each other a wary look. The Goliaths... Mark thought with fear. The Goliaths were a group of riders as big as Peline. They were human, but monstrous. Their eyes are somehow the color of red, and veins black with evil. Their voices roared like demons. They were hairless and pale skinned.
   They wore dim black obsidian armor with helmets that looked like obsidian skulls. They were the boldest men of all, and brung fear among all. The sight of them makes you tremble.
They are the sort of things to appear in your nightmares. Each of them were brothers. There were four all twins, and all identical. They rode giant black horses as big as the throne of Reinfield.
   Hearing the name of one can make you tremble if you knew who the person was. Their names were Meir Kindle, Harin Kindle, Yoren Kindle and finally Robert Kindle.
   Mark heard the horn roar through the camp. It roared with a loud unpleasant sound. And then afterwards the war horns sounded.
   Mark and Tontly exited their tents with swords in hands. Harwin and Peline followed behind them. Each of them rushed through the camp. Mark and Tontly grabbed their banners outside their tent.
   We better win this, if we don't, Gregor I'll see you in the Land of Souls. Thought Mark. Mark can hear the loud thudding of the hooves of the horses the Goliaths rode on. They had lances in their hands. Sharp long black lances. Mark gulped at the sight of them as they rode by him. Mark saw the tall banners of Reinfield stand up in the sky.
   Their banners were white, with a blue spiral of water as the symbol of Reinfield. The bannermen were the nephews of the King of Reinfield, Lord Rein.
   Raehera Rein was a strong man, bold and fearless. Nothing scared him, not even a Goliath. Although he was tiny compared to them. His skin was tight around each of his bones and he had gray balding hair.
   Wrinkles engulfed his face, and closed in around his ocean blue eyes. He held a sword named River. Raehera was a serious man about everything. He never drank wine or mead.
   He never used whores, he trained his sons to be fine warriors. His soldiers have strict discipline. If he was executing someone, he'd tie an anchor to their foot and drop them down in boiling water.
He was a man to be feared, in Esternia singers have sung about his war tactics and his strictness. He had two sons and two daughters.
   He had three nephews that were the bannermen, and his wife was Rhya Rein of house Rein and Philip. She was at Reinfield during all this. His eldest son was named Hall Rein. His youngest is named John Rein. His eldest daughter was named Lyanna Rein, and his youngest named Anna Rein.
   His eldest nephew was named Righara Rein, second of his name at fifteen years old. The middle child of the three nephews was named Heran Rein at fourteen years old, and the youngest named Tigan Rein at ten years old. The father of those was his brother who was named Righara Rein, also known as King of Fae.
Rhya Rein had long brown hair and plenty of wrinkles too. She had dull brown eyes and thick eyebrows. Raehera and Rhya's children were all safe in Reinfield during the battle.
Rhya's jawline was sharp, her cheeks chubby and she had a big ugly nose. His brother Righara was in the battle with Raehera right beside him.
   Righara had long brown hair, wrinkles on his face and surrounding his mossy green eyes. A gigantic brown beard, and a face of anger always. Righara and Raehera both wore shiny white armor with a blue cape. Righara was slender but bigger than Raehera.
   Righara the second had thin brown hair, a growing beard, deep blue eyes, and he was pale and slender. His brother Heran had long silky brown hair that had a shine to it. A sharp jawline, a small nose and dull blue eyes. Their brother Tigan was tall and muscular, brown eyes and slicked back auburn hair which he inherited from their mother. Each of the bannermen wore shiny white armor of steel with the symbol of Reinfield on their chest plates.
Righara's wife was named Laura Rein of house Rein and Polos. She was tall and thin, auburn in her hair and brown eyes. She was beautiful compared to most women. She had freckles on her face and smooth skin as if you were touching silk. She was staying at the kingdom of Goreah during the battle.
   Hall Rein who was only thirteen had curly black hair, and sullen brown eyes. He had beard hairs sticking from his chin. John Rein who was only nine had dull brown eyes and thin eyebrows and a manbun. He was skinny as a stick but brave like a warrior for being that young.
   Lyanna had soft long brown hair and ocean blue eyes, she was fiften turning sixteen in two weeks. She was a pretty girl. Most of the boys tried flirting with her, but she was never interested in any of them. She had freckles on her face and her eyebrows were thin. Her ears poked out from out of her hair.
Anna had long black hair she wore in a ponytail most of the time. She was thirteen. She had acne on her face and had sullen brown eyes. Her voice was euphonious.
   Mark ran, his foot stomping on the ground. He heard yelling and swords beginning to clash together. The fight has begun, he assumed. He held his sword tightly in his hand.
   A knight of Reinfield ran at him with a sword and swung down on him. Mark leapt onto the ground and the swing of the sword only slashed the air. Mark quickly got up off of the ground and thrusted his sword into the hip of the opposing knight. Blood spurted out of the wound and the knight let out a scream that made the ears weep.
   Mark tried not to show it, but he was nervous. He was always nervous in war. He saw mounted horses fly past him left and right screaming out at the opposing mounted horses.
   Knights flew off their horses and fell to the ground. Mark could hear their bones breaking and thuds of the body impacting the ground.
   Blood painted the ground. Unmounted horses ran around in fear of the stench of death.
He saw his brother Tontly battling off a knight. The knight had no chance against Tontly and the knight's head was sliced clean off by Tontly.
He heard the horn of Goliaths go off once again. Screams and shrills echoed behind it. The sound of clashing swords filled the air.
   Mark turned his head right at a sudden sound of swords clashing near him. He witnessed Gregor and Raehera swing their blades at each other.
   Gregor's blade swung and Raehera blocked it with his. River and Dark clashed together over and over again. Raehera kicked Gregor in the knee and Gregor fell down to the ground. Raehera raised River in the sky and down towards Gregor.
   Gregor was able to block with Dark, but Raehera used his strength to force River down more. The steel in Dark begin to bend and then snap.
   The sword broke and River went through the face and neck of Gregor. The sighting was horrible. Looking at Gregor's corpse, it was like he had two faces and two necks.
   Blood spewed everywhere and leaked onto the ground. His brain slowly slid out the cut in his head. His eyeballs fell out of his face.
   Mark didn't know what to think about it, but he was sick at the sight of it. His gut felt like it was pushing through his esophagus.
   Somehow after all the abuse Gregor gave Mark, he felt sorrow about Gregor's death. At least the torture was over, he thought. And as soon as that the battle was over. Obsidian City was defeated. It was called the undefeated, but not no more.
   This will be sung about everywhere. After the battle only dust and dirt flew in the wind. Mark walked around the battlefield. The stenches of corpses lying around were foul.
   Mark walked towards Harwin with a sullen look on his face.     Harwin stood staring at the ground. "I'm sorry about Gregor... and Tontly," Harwin said softly but sorrowly.
Tontly...? What happened with Tontly? Wondered Mark. His heart pounded anxiously. "What happened to Tontly?" Mark asked without hesitation, "Tell me." "Tontly was taken as one of their captives not long after Gregor was slain in battle, so was one of the Goliaths, specifically, Yoren Kindle."
Yoren Kindle... How...? They captured a Goliath, Mark wondered. Nervousness shook his body. Rein... Curse those Reins dammit. A man should not be that powerful, thought Mark.
   "Believe me Mark, I know how you feel, angry and sorrowful. You want to hurt these men, but we must wait before we attack. We are too weak in power. You're now the rightful king of Obsidian City. Do what Gregor did wrong, right. And lead your army into war once it's power is unstoppable," said Harwin staring deep into Mark's eyes.
   Mark nodded, and then walked off. He turned his head back at Harwin, "I will." Harwin nodded at him, and looked for a horse to mount, so did Mark. They rallied up the remaining knights they had left as well as Peline, Elinor and the present three Goliaths headed back towards Obsidian City.