The Summer Anthology ✔

Story #49- Devil Tower

Written by user starfallfantasy

What do you desire most in this world?

"I wish to be a god."

Your wish is granted...

* * *

From out of the ground it rose up in complete silence: The Dark Tower, so it was called then at first. It grew like nothing ever before, the ground did not quake, the winds did not howl at it's coming, it simply emerged in the dead of night; reaching high above the clouds, perhaps even to the stars themselves.

The tower arose in the center of the known world, inside the borders of the Evercain kingdom, the heart of Grimnar. King Aldon sent out his men to scout the tower. Up close the knights found the tower looked like a dark grey stone but was smooth to the touch and even though winter was upon them the touch of the tower didn't feel cold, nor did it feel warm. Stranger still the tower, despite its closer appearance, was smooth to the touch; smoother than any gems the captain ever touched before in his life.

Around the tower was nothing, save for single massive double doors that had an ornate demonic creature engraved over a vast of the surface. Because of the creature on the door the knights called it 'The Devil Tower', a name which stuck to many people of the region and the kingdom of Evercain. Any attempts to open the doors were futile and the knights returned to their king empty handed.

The first rays of the morning sun shined down through window into the morning keep. The light slowly hovered over Jesebelle's face as her golden hair glistened. Thrain, who was already awake, lay across from her smiling at his wife's sleeping beauty in the first moments of morning. Jesebelle was like a gift to him from the light goddess Laeryn.

Slowly Jesebelle opened her eyes to see her lover staring at her, his eyes a deep green, his hair dark and reaching to his neck. Thrain moved in for a kiss and Jesebelle complied. He kissed her a few more times and she giggled lightly. Thrain smiled and said, "It's a beautiful morning this day, spring is coming up fast."

Jesebelle climbed out of bed and grabbed her winter coat off of the coat racket. She wrapped it around her, the wolf pelts sewn through it kept her warm and felt good against her bare skin, as she walked to the window looking out over the queen's garden. The snow was mostly gone, Thrain was right spring was coming upon them fast and soon those beautiful flowers would return in bloom.

Thrain joined his lover's side by the window and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She looked over to him; he was not wearing any clothing despite the cold. She gazed down his naked body, her eyes settling upon his battle scars, (though few and far between) she hated the site of them. Thrain however liked his scars and wore them like badges of honor.

"How are you not cold?" Jesebelle asked.

"Because you are here to warm me up," Thrain answered.

Jesebelle opened her coat to him and gestured him to join her in its protective warmth. Thrain smiled and placed a hand on her belly. It was starting to swell: she was two months pregnant now. Thrain kissed her then turned to spark the logs in the fireplace. Only in winter was a fire ever needed to warm up the keep.

The Morning keep was a special wedding present to Thrain from King Aldon, it took nearly a year to build but when it was complete it was so beautiful and had a special spot that would always catch the morning sun from that eastern window; hence its name. The keep also had some magic forged into it during its construction so that even the coldest winter would not freeze Thrain or his wife, nor the hottest summers roast them.

With the fire lit he returned to his wife's side and began to kiss her more until a knocking came at the door. Irritated at the interruption Thrain called out for the person knocking at his door to come inside. The door opened up and on the other side was Garren, Thrain's young squire. Garren was seventeen of age and very promising with a blade. Most other knights would have knighted Garren by now, if not sooner given his talents, but Thrain believed he had a little bit more maturing to do before becoming a knight.