Soul, blade and fire. Part 3

Time – twists and curves, spins in eternal loop, repeats it self, and people are looking for places where they can alter past – or future. Tormented by they foolish actions or mistakes, longing for something more, making dreams come true or mistakes undone they study time and it curves to seek out paradoxes on which they can put they hands on and alter that, what do not need alteration. Mad men are doing the same with out needed knowledge-  fail – and madness drives then into even deeper despair, where they are met with my nemesis, who gives them what they want and rips apart eternal loop, makes past, present and future unclear, nothing is clear now, random events shakes lands, where for many years there was peace now is war, where life is death. While time is shifting,  my quest is unclear as well but i know one thing for sure i am about to embark on my biggest test to date and i will need help… –  seagull song breaks Vadat concentration.
– Here it is, Red keeps port. Site to be amazed by, every time i see four kings it makes my flesh shiver. -cracking voice of gray old man interrupts, bended by time but still standing says it out laud, for everyone on the deck to hear.
– Stop with your melancholy old man, we are about to port!- captain yells as he passes, and goes on to abuse his crew.

Four kings carved from white as snow stone, standing vigilante for ages as they look into the horizon, all kinds of ships can be seen here, trading goods from all over the world or just stopping by for repairs. Tall stock houses side by side, like twin brothers – you cant even say where one begins and other ends. People selling fish, salt and marble, in constant rush, yelling at each other and making deals. Sometimes you can even see pirates shipping slaves, or royalties bringing they gold for save keeping in Red keeps bank. Ship sails closer and Vadat can see how crowded port is, making him a bit sick, hi isn’t fond of huge crowds, as well as  sailing two months in small wooden cargo ship across ocean, so he eagerly steps out into crowd, and sets his course to Red keeps Tower for sun.

Clear sky and sun shining bright leads Vadat on his short journey, as he makes his way to gate house two guards stop him:
– Hey you, what is your busyness  in Red keep? – younger one shout.
Vadat haven’t expected this, ironical that man who sees all time at the same time could not predict this coming, as few fire priest passes, he with calm voice answers:
– Calm your self guard, i am just a priest, here for ceremony.
– You don’t look  as one of our priest.. – older guards step into conversation. as he looks suspiciously at Vadat. – I have never seen you before and i know everyone here.
– Well i am from Ru’tat desert, our culture is a big different than yours, i spent my days in cell praying and meditating in mountain monastery, no wonder you see me for the first time… it is my first time down here.
– Still you do not look as fire priest, i need to check you up with high priestess…
As guard closes his mouth, Vadat already knows where present will take him in the future, he knows this can be avoided only by magic, so he breaths in deeply, closes his eyes and disappears from guards sight, for them it looked like he vanished into fin air. Younger one panicked and started screaming like child, older one took off his hat and stared at nothing for a while. What happened was  – Vadat stopped time and passed just a meter behind them, that was enough to slip through.
Market center, filled with people dancing and singing for all mighty gods, making sacrifices for fire, and there Hana was: dressed in black cape, easily recognized by her long red hair which u could see falling down on her chest. Vadat takes better position to keep her curious mind on him, marks her with spell rune and binds her to him, so she could not loose her sight off him. When bait was set he only needed to lead her out of the keep.
” Hana descendant from four kings, her father is fifth one in family line, but he had to die few years ago from disease, time have been damaged, and i need to fix it, she must become queen as soon as possible, bard named Lime from Saltyrivers will help her achieve this – time line was altered, as he will die tonight prematurely his time if we wont save him. So for now i will help her and save him, as sun falls down from sky we are all locked in this triangle to keep time in place and save all kingdoms from upcoming disaster, my nemesis for centuries collected dark and twisted creatures to fill his army and i only have brave heroes by my side – Song to keep us true on our course, blade to strike true in our purpose, and fire to burn and never burn out so we will never give up”

Song, blade and fire. Part 2

Part 1 :  [  https://theunknoown.wordpress.com/2013/06/13/song-blade-and-fire/  ]

 Spent my younger nights exploring my fathers castle, peeking through the window as watchers patrol our walls, you cant see human shapes from distance, just torches walking that long path of vigilante watch.  Books are my friends and i sing with my blades, in my family all members are taught how to use two things. Your tongue so we could rule, and blade so we could keep that rule, unfortunately i mastered only steel.  My father is – good man but not a great king,  and even worst father… in his eyes i am just a little girl, and that sickens me. How long do he think he can keep me here locked in this castle. No more can i stand this, i need to get out.

Fife tall towers looking for the limits of so wast sky two for sister stars tallest of them all side by side, one for the moon searching thous mountains for threats, one for the sun shining into the sea so we always knew where our home lies, and one in the middle of the keep for the people so we know “We are save” or that we are all being watched… Walls made from the best stone found in our mountains. Gates forged from iron and blood, this is Red keep – my home. Red stands for soil on which we build our home, so it is said “Soil is bleeding, so we will take care and heal this land”

From time to time when sun is shining bright you can see fire priests praying in the market, feeding sacrifices to the flames. That is where i saw him…
Sneaking out is easy when you know how to do it, and i love to watch bone fire grow, and watch all thous people dance and sing for our gods. This time was special, in the middle of the crowd i saw white caped man, hood covering his face – there was something really odd about him. Does not look as other heroes and have nothing in common with the fire priest, but something in the middle of them both. So as protector of this realm i followed him, sun is falling from the sky as we leave through castle gates.
Slow pace he marches, and as soon as we could see little village in front of Skorg forest he stopped and turned around.
Of course he couldn’t see me covered in the mist of night, and i was so careful not to get noticed still he shouts:
– Well good evening my lady. – man with deep calm voices addresses me.
No other option left for me,  so i step towards him.
– Who are you? And what are you doing here in the middle of the night? – i ask curiously.
– I am Vadat from Ru’tat desert, and i was looking for you my Queen.
He startled me, from where did he know me? And what is he doing here so far away from his home.
He continues:
– My mission led me here, so we both must save a man, he is traveling this way and have no idea that dangerous creatures are tracking him down – he takes his hood off, dark skinned man with strange mark above his left eye, looks concerned – maybe he isn’t lying.
– I am no a Queen yet, and who is that man?
– Yes you are not Queen yet, but you will become one very soon- as he starts walking down the road gesticulating gently to follow him, and as i walked even closer to him i could feel energy flowing down into the earth around him. He is different indeed, but some how i feel trust to this persona, so i follow him.
– You will take cover in the shadows, as you are good at it…
– But how i will recognize him? and furthermore what kinda man travels at  night? – i look at Vadat with strange look on my face like i was not getting where our quest is taking me…
– Well he travels at night, good luck to you my Queen as we must part for now, and take this!
He passes me two blades, that where to light for our steel, and slowly walks away into the forest. As i took my place in the shadows, i could hear father telling his children stories about my grandfather and his quests, he was great man indeed. “Vigilante i stay, so i must save life today” – this is much more exiting that just sitting my ass off in the courtyard.

Song, blade and fire.

Clear night sky, with two sister stars shining on little peasant village just outside of Skorg forest. Moon shining bright, so bright that you can forget for a moment about horrors lurking in darkness and just focus on peace which comes with warm summer breeze.  Small peasant village, just few houses with dull flickering lights coming from inside, you can hear children begging they father  to stay just a little bit longer and listen to one more story before going to bed. Small but so important this village is, on cross road – one road comes from forest and leads to Red keep where all mighty heroes come looking for job, some are there to help some, just looking for good pay day. This is main road to Red keep, and this village always sees heroes first, no matter who they are, there is no way to pass through with out being noticed here first. Second road comes from sea port and leads to mighty mountains where kings mine for gold and iron, of course kings do not mine them selfs, they have servants or prisoners, but if you ask me there is little difference, no one gets payed there, that is why I fight. You can call me Lime and i am freshly baked bard from town far from Red keep, my home – Saltyrivers. Name comes from only known river which waters are as salty and deadly as seas, and it passes through heart of my town.

No one travels at night you might say, but i do… This is only way to pass by, with out paying tall for roads, and all gods can see that i am broke. Yes yes yes… this is why i am traveling to Red keep, now shush and i will be on my way, you can tag along if you want.

And so pass the village we go, and Red keep is not as far as it may seem, short but fast on his senses this bard is if you ask me.  And just pass the village, i understood something, this peace… It is fake as my mothers love, i can smell something evil, something bad is coming to get this little village. Bards senses never been so sharp before, he feels sweeting and shaking, as it seems that his first battle is upon him. Ear torturing scream sneaks on him, he cant see anyone but this screaming is frighting indeed.
-Unsheathe your sword- voice from shadow of the last hut on the left of the road says, and jumps in from of shaking bard.
– We are about to face some screamers, so prepare your ears, because it will get loud.  She draws her two shining swords and sprints to the tree line. Bards do not think much they do, so i follow her… wont be the first time i follow women into trouble, it is park of my nature.

To be continue…