Esmurus (Original Draft)

Chapter 15: Metropolis.

The iron boots of Rancid clanged as they hit the floor. The chain-mail chest plate equipped to him chimed as he moved. He raised his hand and tightened his gloves as he reached the door to Solaris Court. As he pushed the door open the sun shone brightly into the eyes of the Unliving King. The sun shone brighter here than in any other place on the planet. Solaris was the epitome of the sun.

In front of him were his citizens. The hordes of the unliving. Thousands of them, sat atop their horses with their weapons on their backs, filling the cities court. Stood at the front however, leading them, was Crux. Crux was sat atop his yellow and black striped, zebra-like, horse. He was waiting for the command of his King.

Rancid walked to the end of the gallows. A place where he himself, much like a common criminal, was once murdered. He stared around. Looking up at the only blue sky the North held. Looking around at the only intact stone walls the North still bore. Looking at something that still remained beautiful despite his curse. The place he grew up, the place he served, and the place he 'betrayed'. Solaris.

After gazing to the sky, Looking to the walls, and Remembering the past. He stopped. Stared down at his men. Looked down to the broken crown he held in his hand. Then took a deep breath.

[Rancid] "The Kingdom of Solaris. A once great capital of the Human race. This city once ruled the entire of Uditela. But when I tried to save this city and my 'friends' by drinking the blood of the Dragon. I was labeled the 'Betrayer' and violently murdered right where I stand."

The crowd in front of him sat silent. Staring at their King as he gripped the crown tightly in his hands. Raising it upwards so the crowd could see the crystals.

[Rancid] "In reality. It was me who was betrayed. Yet they still do not realize the grave circumstances they have in front of them. They still hunt me. They still curse me. They still want me dead. Now, in my life unliving, the eyes of the past have been unblinded. I see now what the HUMAN Kings of the past could never."

He rose the crown above his head as his crowd of undying watched on.

[Rancid] "That sometimes. The hammer of the gods must be forced down on all that oppose IT."

Rancid places the crown on his head. Sinking the broken and decaying metal into his bone fitted skull.

[Rancid] "Now go alee. Unleash the unrelenting forces of the dread scar. On every being that dares to oppose...US."

The mass of Undead warriors roared as their King placed the broken crown on his skull. The Creation Crystals of Fire and Death resonated bright Ruby and Agate light from them as Rancid stood, he dropped from the gallows, climbed atop of his golden warhorse, and as the gates of Solaris opened he said one simple word.

[Rancid] "CONQUER!"

The legions of death charged through the Solaris gates and out into the plagued North. Racing down the cursed pathways and out into the distance. The forests of Autumgloom and the unsanctioned desert awaited them. But little did they know; they had rode past an enemy that could change the fate of this war. Poisona, stealthed, stepped out of the trees near the Solaris gate.

[Poisona] "They're late..."

Elsewhere in the South. Kara and Lyraesel had made their way through the grassy fields to a point where they could see the gates of Khaso at the end of the path.

Khaso. A huge, magnificent, and majestic city which had 110 foot high stone walls that surrounded the city for miles. The city itself however, which could ideally be called a metropolis, was the size of half of the Southern Uditela continent. It had three tiers within its gigantic walls. The Upper Tier, a place where only the wealthiest of all Human citizens could find themselves a home; The City Floor, a market place for commoners; and The Undercity, a deep, dark sewer that housed the orphans and refugees of Khaso. Each tier was also split into many sectors. 

Firstly. The Upper Tier, the biggest tier, had four: The War Sector, a place where all the Knights and Guards trained and rest; The Law Sector, the place which housed The Embassy - the one true government of Uditela; The Archives, a great library featuring books on many different trades and magics; and The Royal Sector, the home of the long vacated throne room - something that had been untouched since the death of Sarah's father..the act that caused her orphaning.

Secondly. The City Floor, the smallest of all Khaso tiers, held two different sections. The first of these was the Sanitation sector; a place which held the hospital and many witch doctors Khaso housed. The second of these was the Market Place; a place to sell FRESH goods - the kind you could not find in the plagued North. Then there were the many houses that surrounded both the Sanitation and Market Place sectors - the middle classed lived here.

Finally. The Undercity. A vile and retched place that, for the post part, only housed danger. It had three sectors and one was barely that; The Sewers, a place full of corrosive green liquid and dangerous sewer Crocs; The Refugee sector, a place where all the poor families lived, if any lived at all; and the Orphanage, a place for all homeless children..once of the home of Sarah Autumngloom herself.

All of this. Barricaded behind murky stone walls. Theoretically this place was corrupt. But damn was it..

[Lyraesel] "Magnificent."

Lyraesel stared at the ginormous city in the distance. Trembling at how big it was and almost dropping Strider's body due to this. Kara however. Didn't seem to care about how big the city was, or what the city stood for as a whole. She walked in front of Lyraesel.

[Kara] "Come on. There has got to be someone he knows around here."

Kara walked down the long stone path. Heading towards the metropolis. Lyraesel watched her as she walked away. Clutching Strider's broken body she ran; trying to catch up to her Necro-Elf 'companion'. As they got closer the size of the city became more apparent. Starting to overwhelm the two foreigners. Then they came to an abrupt stop. In front of them was a giant silver gate. A gate that was the size of the great stone walls that encased it. But stood in front of them. Were two unfamiliar faces. One of them..was incredibly furry. 

The silver furred beast Twaseki ran up to the Elf holding Strider's body. Licking his hands and crying after realizing he was all but gone. Sarah soon followed him and knelt before the two Elven mistresses. 

[Sarah] "Ms. Ulondarr. It is a pleasure to meet someone such as you. Strider spoke very highly of you."

[Lyraesel] "Did he now? I thought he might have. And you are?"

[Sarah] "Sarah, of house Autumngloom, canonical heir to the Human throne - but unfortunately not recognized."

[Lyraesel] "Rise Princess. We're going to reclaim that throne for you. But first. Strider needs medical attention."

[Sarah] "Wha-"

As Sarah rose to her feet Kara coughed impatiently and pushed the two conversing women apart. "What about me?!"

[Lyraesel and Sarah; simultaneously] "NOT NOW!"

[Sarah] "What's wrong with him?"

[Lyraesel] "I'll tell you later. We need to get him to a hospital. Quickly!"

Sarah looked and Twaseki, nodding at him, signalling him to run and open the Khaso gate.  She turned and began to walk towards the gate. Kara and Lyraesel followed her to the forefront of the gate. Staring into the blinding light coming from the newly revealed insides of Khaso city as Sarah turned to them.

[Sarah] "Follow me."