Adventures in Kosteros

Prologue

On the southern most region of the continent, Faesium, far from any civilization exists a grand forest shrouded by a thick fog that blocks out all light. Rumored to be home to unspeakable horrors. The incoherent wails of those lost within are ever present, and never ending; they scream out for salvation. Filled with rage towards the one who planted, and chained them here; they hate those still fortunate enough to know freedom, and they cry and claw at those foolish enough to enter while eating away at the would be adventurers sanity.

Behind the forest of horrors resides a single, 10 meter tall tower on a hill overlooking the horizon. Ancient and weathered, the elements have taken a toll on the once grand structure, yet still it stands strong. The large wooden door, while rotted and littered with holes, still maintains its unyielding strength. Stone blocks make up its body, and while the gale-force winds try to eat away at them, they never succumb.

None know where the tower came from, who built it, or what its purpose is. Legends speak of it housing untold treasures. Secrets capable of changing the course of history; though, no one knows for sure, as none have had the courage to walk through its door. Throughout the years, more adventurers have made the journey, and few have succeeded in making it to the monolith. Those who've gazed upon the tower all speak of an ominous presence emanating from it. Terrifying, and unknown. Old, and incredibly powerful.

Flying above the dreaded Misty Forest, bypassing the dangers lurking below is a lone Sickle-Wing; a large raven whose feathers are as black as night. A silver sheen gleams across them, and a white trim outlines the outer most edges of its wings. It shears through the sky like a razor; dancing in the air on its four wings with an ominous grace while slicing through the fog unhindered. As it soars towards the top of the tower where a window with tattered curtains is, a single rusted gauntlet emerges. Grayish-white smoke billows out from beneath the cuff, and the Sickle-Wing gracefully perches atop the arm.

"Hello my pet. What have you brought me this time?" A chilling voice echoes from the window as the bird drops a bronze pendant into its masters hand before taking to the air.

Smoke leaks out of each crevice of his rusted armor; pouring out with every movement he makes. This is Välktor, the sole denizen of the tower.

"A sisters knot I see. Hmmm. . . I haven't seen this design before." He says while examining the triquetra knot. It has a circular band shaped like two hands touching fingertips together. "You poor thing." He says as his metallic finger clicks where a break occurs. It separates the fingers, and reaches into the centermost knot.

"I wonder what your story is." He holds the pendant up, dangling it by its chain in front of him. Beneath his hood, his pale blue eyes begin glowing as he stares intensely; the life story of the pendant unfolds before him.

It was a gift from a young girl with fiery brown hair to another wearing a black and yellow striped long sleeve loose sweater. The two were inseparable friends, and considered each other to be sisters. However, as with all siblings the two had a fight, and the pendant suffered a trauma as it was quickly and forcefully thrown to the ground. The one who gifted the pendant picked it up, and kept it believing she'd be able to return it to her sister one day.

"It can't be!" Välktor gazes harder at the pendant to see the fiery girl in her entirety.

"No! Why is it here?" He erupts in a brilliant plume of smoke; flooding the top of the tower before furiously rushing down the stairs leading into the innermost depths. He reaches an intricately designed door.

It is a large double door with one side black, and the other gold; each side is accented with the others color. Similarly, are the two figures etched on the doors who face each other as if they are fighting. Their bodies lined with tattoo like carvings. Above each of them is a large orb colored in the opposites color; they are erupting, like volcanos, spewing streams around the two sides, and cascading down to the flat surface the figures are standing on.

Välktor reconfigures himself from the smoke, and places one hand on each side before pushing it open. Inside is an observatory like room with the walls, floor, and ceiling lined with shifting images of nebulas, and other worlds. It's as if he's standing in a void. In the center, is a single large object shaped like a planet with two suns. One sun is significantly larger, and blocks the smaller second sun from view.

He glides across space to the center object.

"What are you planning!? Do you know you're risking everything by bringing it here!?" He furiously swings his arms. "Answer Me!" Smoke erupts from his body filling the room as no answer is given. The plume's of smoke bash against the room in a frenzy as Välktor continues demanding an answer, but still, there is only silence. After several moments, the maddening typhoon calms down, and the silence is broken by Välktor's hysterical laughter.

"Of course. You can't answer me. I doubt you even did this..." The smoke swirls around coalescing on a single point in front of the suns until Välktor's body reforms. He stares at the suns in silence for what seems like eons, "You are, after all, as trapped as I am. I just hope Emily's journey is a cheerful one."