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| Carolyn (Caeleth) Deneuviel, Elf Queen of Thyrine |
Prologue Chapter:
SHADE OF THE MOON
For the revised version of
FIREHEART - LEGEND OF THE PALADINS
Book One: The Bounty Hunters
Game Intro Version for the NovelBlog and RPG Game
Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybzapVnOyms
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FIREHEART
LEGEND OF THE PALADINS
BOOK ONE
THE BOUNTY HUNTERS
PREFACE
SHADE OF THE MOON
For the revised version of
FIREHEART - LEGEND OF THE PALADINS
Book One: The Bounty Hunters
Game Intro Version for the NovelBlog and RPG Game
Source:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybzapVnOyms
------------------------------
FIREHEART
LEGEND OF THE PALADINS
BOOK ONE
THE BOUNTY HUNTERS
PREFACE
Terra Everna
The world of Vadis, Adair and Enia
Created by the One
Kept by the Three
Terra Everna
Where three live as one
Positive, negative and neutral
Magic, science and nature
Terra Everna
The world where myths are real
Fantasy is history
Fairy tales are factual
Terra Everna
The world of dangers and adventure
When light and dark collide
And the neutral shed tears
Just like in our world, our dimension, when all beings live in harmony, Terra Everna is indeed a beautiful world of love, hope and peace. But when evil – the extreme form of negativity – disrupts the balance, there are always conflicts between good and the Trinity of Evil: hatred, destruction and terror.
Evil once ruled supreme in this world, the Evil named Vordac, the Dark Overlord. His domination was ended by Sage the Fireheart, who assembled the Seven Heroes and waged the First Crusade. Vordac has once rebelled against Adair the Sodomos, the Dark God. Adair defeated Vordac, banished him from the underworld and cursed Vordac to roam in Everna eternally. As a result of that, Vordac’s spirit can possess mediums or hosts, and after his defeat to Sage, he possessed a medium, the Great Sword Deathblade.
Vordac re-emerged with the help of his host, Mildred Urganon, but he again met a fatal defeat from Fireheart’s son, Antoine the Avenger. And again, Vordac’s spirit found refuge in Deathblade.
And now, that very sword is in the hands of an old man with white long hair, eyebrows, moustache and beard. He is standing in a dark, vast room with another old man and a she-elf. The bearded man talks,
‘At last, we found the perfect, safest place to keep the sword.’
‘Are you sure, Azrael?’ says the blonde, long, curly-haired she-elf inquiringly, ‘Because, honestly, this room is not inaccessible enough.’
‘I agree with Carolyn,’ says the old, half-bald man with a white moustache. ‘I say we better melt this sword in the lava pit.’
‘I can’t believe a scientist like you would say that, Theripides. If we melt this sword, we’ll destroy it. Vordac’s spirit will be free and possess any of us,’ says Azrael.
‘Hmph, I guess we don’t have a choice, then,’ says Theripides. ‘We have searched for months, and Her Majesty here offered this place although she is not sure either.’
Carolyn responds with a sigh, ‘I guess we have to be satisfied with this place. It has all natural barriers, enough to prevent any being from reaching here. All we have to do now is adding some more to make sure no one can claim the sword, even us.’
Azrael nods and makes a decision, ‘Very well, then, we’ll seal Deathblade in here! I will now create a force field using this orb, and I also need some magical assistance from you two. This will be the final barrier should others fail. So, shall we begin?’
‘Naturally,’ says Carolyn.
‘Anytime,’ says Theripides.
Azrael holds the sword with his outstretched hands, and Theripides casts a spell to keep it aloft.
‘Eleviant!’
Azrael releases the sword and reaches into his pocketed belt. He takes out a silvery-white orb, and places it on his upright palm, and chants,
‘Aegis, ma washtar galatre Kraal’shazar, im gemackt an Corona Infer. (Aegis, please help seal the Deathblade, as the Little Sun is being made)’
The orb reacts and emits violent sparks, then flies towards Deathblade. When the orb touches the sword with a devil carved on its hilt and seven runes of Original Sin carved on its blade, the sword suddenly vibrates very hard. The red eye carved on the blade just above the hilt is widened although it’s alive. A thick aura of darkness comes out from the eye, resisting the power from the white orb.
The orb intensifies its energy, and the sword follows suit. As they reach the peak of their auras, anyone can see a visualization of a thunder bird and a black devil fighting each other. Soon enough, the thunder bird still doesn’t get the upper hand against the devil.
Seeing this grim prospect, Azrael decides to help, saying,
‘I’ll begin the sealing process now! The dark energy from Vordac is still too strong for Aegis! Carolyn, help Aegis too!’
While chanting an indistinct, long mantra, Azrael releases threads of light from his ten fingers of his hands. The threads of light spin around the devil and the thunder bird as though trying to cover both of them in a bigger orb.
‘Yggmaishduma!’
Carolyn’s Force of Nature spell is much simpler than Azrael’s, yet more focused, giving more and ever-amplified pressure on the sword and also amplifying Aegis’ power. Under such pressure, the devil’s shadow roars. It amplifies its energy threefold and overpowers Aegis and the three wizards. It now looks like a devil’s shadow with an overlarge, open mouth. It’s going to swallow Aegis!
Knowing that more power is needed, Theripides now shows his speciality: his ability to cast two spells in one time. Using his free hand holding the Chrono Chakram, he casts Meteor Shower. Bolts of fiery meteorites pour down from above, and all focused towards one target: the Deathblade. The battle is in an even footing again, but the wizards need something more – because they don’t know how long they can keep this on. If one of them runs out of mana, all will be lost.
A calm loving smile shows on Azrael’s face. He knows at once that for the greater good, he must sacrifice himself. He stares at Carolyn and Theripides in turns, and then nods. Just then, a layer of light appears, covering Azrael’s body and making him shine dazzlingly. Carolyn and Theripides stare back at Azrael in terror: Azrael is going to cast Divine Retribution, the spell that once made him vanish without a trace – until he was found again about five years later.
Before any of them can say anything to stop Azrael, he already spoke the incantation aloud.
‘Eleison ex Tributalis!’
As though a million angels rush down from the sky to attack one devil lord, the beautiful-looking yet deadly spell attacks the Deathblade from all sides. It’s a sure hit, no evil can escape and block this spell and the damage is continuous and extreme – the truly ultimate holy spell next to Armageddon. If it’s a one-hit and kill, Azrael is going to be all right. But the need to cast this spell ceaselessly drains more energy than Azrael can bear.
The Great Archmage of Light’s face turns white and pale, with traces of his nerves showing on his face and hands. His eyes are bloodshot, and blood begins to drop out from his eyes, nostrils, ears and mouth. It seems the spell is backfiring on him because of his lack of mana energy, but now the vision of devil begins to contort and dissolve. The dark mana from the sword is going to be suppressed, and the seal is about to be completed.
Then suddenly the devil’s shadow explodes the last drops of its energy, throwing Azrael, Theripides and Carolyn far away. The Orb of Aegis is thrown too, but it doesn’t break. It immediately turns into a white bird and flies back to the sword. Then it uses this golden opportunity to electrocute the entire sword.
Staggering and half-kneeling, Azrael also uses the last drops of his energy to complete the seal covering the sword. Theripides rushes forward to aid the near-exhausted Azrael, and he gets an unpredictable turn. The Deathblade suddenly flies and severs Theripides’ right arm. Theripides moves back, electrocuted and badly wounded. Now he probably regrets that that was the stupidest thing he ever done in his lifetime.
Carolyn immediately moves to cure Theripides, and the Viavitali (Great Heal) spell mends his severed arm nicely although it can’t connect the severed parts together. ‘Good thing you’re a lefty, we sure are going to need your technical concepts.’
‘Ugnnh... I’m done here, don’t worry about me. You better tend to Azrael.’
‘Ah, alas... he’s a lost case. Just let him finish the sealing before we help him.’
‘He did it again,’ says Theripides, shaking his head. ‘Why did he get to cast that blasted spell? Come to think again, he really sacrificed much so we can seal this sword.’
At last, Azrael finishes the orb covering the sword and Aegis’ orb. Now Aegis is assigned to a new job: suppressing and protecting Kraal’shazar, the Deathblade at all time. Carolyn the Elf Queen, the Archmage of Nature completes the sealing by adding the enchantment: Flame of the Eternal Corona on the orb surface, making it into a complete miniature sun.
‘At last... my last mission in this world is complete.’
After he says that, Azrael falls on his knees. Fatigue takes over him now all his magical energy is gone. He is one hundred twenty four years old now, and he is a mage no more. Naturally, he is now very weak and his feet can barely support him. Carolyn moves to support Azrael, saying, ‘You fool... losing everything to a devil-inhabited sword. You should’ve done better.’
Azrael responds feebly, ‘I have done my best, and... and I h-have no... regrets. Now I’m g-g-going to leave you all f-for sure. This is my last journey. I can’t go anywhere else now. Please, my friends. Now, for the first time, I’m going to ask you two some f-favors.
Please send my regards to the Old Emperor Sage and Prince Anthony. Tell them it’s been an honor serving them. And for me, Anthony is always Anthony. I will send his love to my daughter Vivian in heaven. May Arcadia live long and prosper.
Also, tell your descendants that should the Deathblade is in the open again and Vordac gets a new host, they must gather a number of heroes again to prevent that or make sure that this time Vordac’s soul will perish permanently.
I now prophesy that one day the paladins will rise. We may not be able to seal Vordac forever. But when Vordac is indeed released, these multi-talented heroes of light will emerge and fight the Dark Overlord and his minions. Find them, and make sure they are united and well-prepared. Only in the paladins’ hands hope may prevail.
And t-this is my last request. Just let me stay near here long enough until I die. I will now retire from the world and take a r-rest here. Put somebody trustworthy here to take care of me, s-so I can look towards this place where my masterpiece lays and be happy and satisfied about my life and what I’ve done for this w-w-world. I hope you will comply with my wishes.’
‘Of course, Azrael, my friend,’ says Theripides. ‘We will strengthen this place with our combined mastery of science and magic, and prepare our future generations.’
‘And we will find the paladins once we hear or see any premonition of Vordac’s return. The Holy Pope in Valanis will help too,’ says Carolyn.
‘T-thank you, my friends,’ says Azrael with tears in his eyes. ‘Thank you for appreciating my thoughts and wishes. N-now would you take this old soul outside, to his final resting place?’
‘You don’t have to ask,’ says Carolyn. Then she and Theripides take the ex-wizard Azrael out of the room through a secret stone door and then the door slams shut.
The room is empty again, except for a miniature sun ever-burning in the center. It’s the sun with a devil within.
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