Esmurus (Original Draft)

Chapter 4: Topaz

The chainmail on his boots clang together as he walks. A red and deathly aura surrounds him as he passes honour guard after honour guard - maybe they're scared? Suddenly. He came to a halt. Icarus looked around. Staring at each and every skeletal honour guard individually. His power resonating from him. The room fell silent.

[Icarus] "Back to work, Denizens. Stop staring. Or you'll be next."

He pushed his left hand against the door in front of him. Slowly opening the solid black gate. The hinges cracked and creaked loudly as the door slid open. He looked away from the skeletals and began to walk through the doorway. Slowly.

The air began to chill as he walked down the once golden halls of valour. The halls now black and corrupted by the ominous winds of the plague enriched North. With every step he took. With every undying breath he made. The whole city trembled. Could even this city be scared of this 'Jailer'? He continued walking down the twisted and demented hallway whilst clenching his fist; but instead of walking straight on - he turned. To his left.

He flung a huge barricaded steel door open with one violent punch from his clenched fist. What was on the other side was...horrific...

He walked forward and slammed the door behind him. Locking it tight. Looking over his shoulders at what lay behind him. Six remaining humans from the siege of Solaris. Each chained to the crumbling wall with an electric pack strapped to their wrist.

[Icarus] "Humans. Your time is now. This is your chance to prove yourself - you were unwilling before but now you have no other option. Each of you will be struck with 200,000 vaults of static electricity. The survivor...well...the survivor joins us."

Icarus kicked a lever on the floor which began the flow of Electricity into the brains of the imprisoned humans. Horrific, Terrifying screams shattered the sound barrier as the humans took lethal doses of current to their brains. Their bodies flashing, shuddering and shaking violently against their chains. The walls crumbling even more than they already were. The humans gasped and fell out of their chains. Breathing no longer.

[Icarus] "What a waste"

Icarus turned to leave. Having wasted his ever so 'precious' time on these 'pathetic' huma-

[????] "Wait...Jailer...I am the one you seek"

One of the six humans lie in wait. Kneeling. His body intense, fried and electrified. His hair burnt clean off and his skin newly tattooed with burns.

[Icarus] "Maybe this wasn't a waste of my time after all. You human. Are my new general. What is your name?"

[????]"Jailer...My name...is Crux"

[Icarus] "General Crux. The man we seek. He was your friend."

[Crux] "My...friend?"

[Icarus] "Yes. Your friend. The Black haired ranger. The one who left you here to rot. He is still alive and he is the one we're after...his name; Strider. This I believe. Is. Yours"

Icarus launched a Topaz blur towards the newly found Crux. But when the blur landed in his hand. It was noticed as much more...

The second crystal of creation. The Topaz crystal resonated in the hands of Crux; exerting its power through his body. Energising his brain. His newly tattooed body...the scars...they sparked and generated a Topaz glow. Crux threw out his hand towards the lock of the steel door and shot a blur of electricity through it. Unlocking the only way out.

[Crux] "I remember...He is the reason i am here. He is the reason I am In this state. He shall meet JUSTICE!"

Elsewhere the truth was opening between two humans whose fate intertwined.

[Sarah] "HOW COULD YOU LOSE IT?! First off I didn't even know your name and NOW you lose my fucking gemstone?! Are you fucking kidding me?!"

[Strider] "Calm down woman. We will get it back. I should be more concerned about this than you. I am the last remaining member of the Consort of Seven. We were tasked with finding and concealing the Crystals of Creation in case the Orcs ever came back for them. We held one in Solaris...the Topaz Crystal of Thunder. But - that is now in the hands of Rancid."

[Sarah] "And you didn't tell me this sooner?!"

[Strider] "Well we didn't have time...he found us before I had the chance and I dropped it when I was protecting you. He has it now."

[Sarah] "And WHO is HE?!"

[Strider] "His name is Poisona the Dreamweaver. He's a Lizardian shapeshifter from the north/south divide. He had the power to see through people's dreams. But we took that away when we locked him in the white light...But he now has that power back because of the gem stone. Each Crystal contains a special power. Topaz - Thunder, Onyx - dream weaving. When all twelve come together a catastrophe happens. Something only the Elves witnessed."

[Sarah//Sarcastically] "And where are the others? Since you were protecting them?"

[Strider] "Geeze...so many questions. It's about time I asked the questions around here. Now we had no idea where the other Crystals were. The God damn Elves hid those years ago. But you said your name was Autumngloom, now does that mean you know why this Forrest has the same name?"

[Sarah] "I'm sorry Strider. I shouldn't have questioned you and yes actually. My family were the crown royalty of Shadowfell. The house of Autumngloom; and because Shadowfell is right next door - my father, the man who orphaned me and a man now deceased, named the Forrest: Autumgloom. Without the N."

An awkward and eerie silence fell between the two humans. Who now saw each other as misfits. All that could be heard was the ominous northern wind blowing through the air. They took a few moments. Then the Crimson haired felon spoke.

[Strider] "There was one other Crystal we knew about, other than the two i mentioned. The Crystal of Ivy. Located underneath the crypts of Shadowfell...underneath your home..."

Strider stared deeply into her beautiful Azure blue eyes. Thoughts of lust passed his mind. But then he began realising. Realising a lot more than just his instant future. Realising two feelings he had been longing for his entire life. Love, and, Trust.