- Genres
- Fantasy Romance, Scifi
~ Prologue ~
On the continent of Kelmar resides the Church of Io originating from the Theocracy of Lysen. While the teachings of the Church preach of sharing the bounties of the earth with all of the world, they must first acknowledge that such gifts are given by the grace of the Goddess Io. As such the Theocracy has been known to expand its borders further and further beyond its normal reach. What once started as a small nation surrounding the tallest peak in Kelmar has stretched into a vast territory who has been halted only by the mountain ranges between the Military State of Eruna and the Heroes’ League of Amaranth.
However, with the sudden arrival of several new generals who appeared mysteriously, Archbishop Felis has declared a Holy War upon Eruna, aiming to finally pierce the mountainous kingdom's defenses.
To the South of Eruna lies Alahem. Alahem is mostly filled with harsh desert, inhabitable under most circumstances. However set in the center of this cruel desert lies a great oasis, where a grand city has been erected with awe inspiring white structures that seem to shine in the desert sun. Alahem is the seat of magic and knowledge, and while they follow the teachings of Io, they are not fond of Lysen’s aggressions, and remain neutral in the upcoming conflicts.
Right now, the heiress to the wealthy Helminth Merchant Company has been studying under a great sage in Alahem. Though she has never needed to apply herself to much, a sudden twist in fate shall drive her to mature or perish.
~ In Sage Bonta’s Study ~
“Ms Helminth!”
“Ms Helminth!”
Lyza was rudely awoken by the shrill call of her teacher, beckoning her out of her room. She was as sleepy and groggy and irritated as ever. Only just the other day, Bonta had informed her father that she was letting her maid do all her work for her. Needless to say, he wasn’t pleased and had her leave Lyza’s side. Lyza lazily rolled out of bed and donned her cloak after changing into some clothes that felt more appropriate for the desert heat. She tried to get her hair to behave, but it was futile as always. As much as she’d love to have nice straight and tamed hair, for whatever reason it seemed to not care about her wishes. It irked her immensely.
“Ms Helminth!”
The shriek was louder and more curt than before. She swung the door open and yelled back at her teacher “What!” immediately a switch came flying toward the arm holding the door, as she quickly pulled it back with a frightened “Eep!” There was Sage Bonta, dressed in a purple cloak and a hood pulled over her head, which only did so much to hide her wrinkled features and clouded eyes. For someone who was supposed to be blind, she was very accurate with that cane of hers
“You were supposed to begin your studies exactly 4 minutes ago. Sit down and read. I will not allow you to practice any more magic until you have read that book from cover to cover.” She pointed to a large tome sitting amidst the messy desk in the center of the room. The beast was massive, and must have weighed at least 100 pounds. Lyza was, of course, not pleased.
“You can’t expect-Eep!” Once again with stunning accuracy for an elderly blind woman, the cane was swung right by her face, causing the wind to toss what little hair she managed to tame back to its natural place. Bonta dragged her by the ear to the seat in front of the tome. Lyza cried out in pain, protesting no matter how fruitless it was. Once forced into her seat by the old woman, she began to wrap rope around her, giving her just enough slack to turn the pages of the book.
“H-Hey! You can’t just tie me up! I swear if any of my family hears of this-” She was cut off by Bonta. “It was your family’s idea. And while I typically dislike such an approach…” She paused and got right into Lyza’s ear. “For you I’ll make an exception.” After finishing up, Bonta headed towards the door. “You’re just going to leave me tied up?!”
Bonta looked back at her right before leaving. “I have business at the palace, and honestly I’d rather not suffer any more of your incessant whining. Read the damn book!”
Bonta looked back at her right before leaving. “I have business at the palace, and honestly I’d rather not suffer any more of your incessant whining. Read the damn book!”
With that, she slammed the door shut leaving her all alone in the musty and poorly lit study. “Could she not have sprung for some decent natural lighting? An extra window or two? Is the sun really that harmful to all these musty, old books?” She complained as she finally started opening the book and skimming through it. It was all history, things not even related to magic. She could see her tome sitting in the far corner wishing to just move straight to that, but not only was she tied to the chair, it seemed that the wrinkled sage had fastned the chair to the floor. There was no escape from this one it seemed. She sighed and started reading. But with her hands still being tied somewhat, she didn’t have the space to even rest her head in her hand. She had to sit upright in posture the whole time.
As she read she started growing tired, and eventually drifted off to sleep as the day slowly progressed into dusk.
Elsewhere…
A larger, gruff looking man with a strangely handsome face for his otherwise hardened appearance stood with a large axe in hand. “‘Bout damn time… I’ve always wanted to lay waste to that perfect city.” He stood on a dune looking over at the White Palace and the Oasis of Toth Ket. But he was not the only one. Though it was difficult to see, this man knew that there were others with him. Fellow bandits that he had been in conflict with suddenly working in tandem to eradicate this powerful force.
He looked behind him at the group of rough and hardened individuals that stood behind him. “On the signal, raze everything to the ground.”
***
Lyza was awoken by the sounds of screaming and chaos. The clanging of steel and the explosion of magic could be heard from outside. Yet she couldn’t see what was happening, still being tied up. Suddenly, the door to the study was kicked down by a brutish man with a homely face. He gave a quick glance around the room, stopping on the bookshelves. “Bah, all worthless junk. Burn it down too!” He called from outside, however as he scanned further, he caught glimpse of Lyza in her chair just beyond the room as she struggled to free herself. “‘Old on!” He called back outside.
He approached the heiress and got up behind her, she could only see him approaching from the side, as she wasn’t able to turn her head all the way to see him. “Maybe there is something of value ‘ere after all. We could easily sell ya’ up north… I bet you’d go for a pretty penny.” He got uncomfortably close to her, right by her ear. “But I think I should sample the good first…” He ripped the chair from it’s fastening with little effort, and spun her towards him, as he did so Lyza spat at him, hitting him in the face.
“You’d make more money with a ransom you ignorant brute!” He wiped the spit from his cheek and looked down on her with anger. “Yeah, but I’d get more pleasure in striking you down right here you little bit-gluuuuuuuh.” He let out a terrible death rattle as a spear pierced his right side of his chest. As he fell, Lyza could see the tanned skin of her maid, Una. However, she had disrobed her normal maid attire and seemed to be wearing her native garbs, as well as seeming to have picked up a spear from one of the towns guard.
“You’d make more money with a ransom you ignorant brute!” He wiped the spit from his cheek and looked down on her with anger. “Yeah, but I’d get more pleasure in striking you down right here you little bit-gluuuuuuuh.” He let out a terrible death rattle as a spear pierced his right side of his chest. As he fell, Lyza could see the tanned skin of her maid, Una. However, she had disrobed her normal maid attire and seemed to be wearing her native garbs, as well as seeming to have picked up a spear from one of the towns guard.
“Una! You saved me, oh thank goodness you came.” Lyza was almost on the verge of tears. She had never been so scared in her life. Una said nothing as she untied Lyza and handed her tome to her. “I will take you to the city square. To leave you here alone would be no better than murder.” Lyza quieted down, only managing a meek “Oh…” She and Una ran through the city as quickly as they could, Lyza followed as closely behind as she could, and Una made sure to stay out of sight.
As they passed by, she heard a bandit speaking to another about what had happened.
“So how did the bossman know that the Sorcerer King was gonna be assasinated?” His companion replied. “You know I seen him talkin’ with a some strange girl in a black cloak. Older woman. Can’t say much else, but she definitely didn’t seem like the assassinating kind.”
“Una! The sorcerer king was assassinated! What is happening?...” Still no reply from her... Lyza was left dealing with these thoughts. What had happened? The description sounded like Bonta? Could she have been involved? Soon after, they had made it to the city limits. “My debt is now paid. There is a horse waiting for you outside. You will leave, and go alone.”
“W-What?...” Lyza had no clue what Una was speaking of. What debt? But that question was not answered, as Una quickly fled off into the night, elsewhere. Lyza tarried a moment, before hearing more commotion just behind her, deeming it best she moved onward. As she ran toward the stable, another bandit rounded the corner. “Oi! You there! Red haired girl! You saw her didn’t you? Where did she go!” The man seemed injured, his left eye bleeding profusely. Lyza stammered, unsure what to say.
“You little bitch, I know you saw her!” He approached her, readying his axe. Lyza, scared for her life, readied her tome and drew a sloppy sigil in the air, as a small ball of flames shot out, striking the man, and igniting him. He screamed and ran around for a moment before falling to the floor. Horrified, Lyza looked away, and quickly jumped on the horse that was procured for her. She didn’t know where she was going, but she knew she had to run. She took off, rode, for as long as she could, well into the dawn of the next day. She was heading toward Port Osira to return to Garth, but she was quickly stopped when she spotted the next village in the distance smoking from a similar attack from the night before. She had no other choice it seemed, and she decided her best bet was to brave the deserts and travel northward.