Book II Chal V: Cat C: The fate of Historica (Alliance part)

[kahir88]

The Alliance troops rushed in the dark hall. There was nothing, in the dim darkness.
- Are we too late?- one of the soldier asked.
Then, just in a blink of an eye, the light returned in to the hall. The torches ignited by a magic in the same time. Revealing Raavage, and his minions.
- Don't worry, you came just in time to witness my thriump! - Raavage greeted the arrivals.
A warrior stepped foward, from the ranks of the Alliances troops. It was a young woman, she wasnt older then twenty. She had a long blonde hair, and wears a golden armor.
- Your reign of terror is at and Raavage! - she started. - Surrender ow, and you will have a just trial.

- Hah! And surrender to you? - Raavage laughed. - To a pretender? 
- I am no pretender. - said the girl. - I am Aleesia, the Fate Driven

- Here is Aleesia! - shouted Raavage, while picked up the sacknext to him, and throw it content to the girls feet. A smaller skull rolled out from the sack. It belonged to a child. 
- She cried for her life, when I take it from her. - smiled Raavage, as he inspected the girls reaction.

The girl look down on the skull. She struggled with her tears, but then she collected all of her courage:
- No, but she is the victim, of your civil war Raavage! Again, I'am Aleesia!
- Then maybe you can prove it! - Raavage continued his smiling.
The girl showed her right hand. A ring gleamed on her ring finger. A ring, which was familiar to Raavage...

-WHAT? WHERE did you get that ring? -Raavage was pale as he could be. -Where did you get that ring, answer me!
-The Pool of Wisdom gave it to me. - the girl remained calm.

- The pool? - asked Raavage loud. - The druids! Hm... - he stopped for a brief moment, to collect his thoughts. Did they told you? - asked the girl suspiciously.
- Yes, they told me about you... - answered the girl in a sad tone. - Draconius...
The silence was choking. The moment almost lasted forever. No one expected this turn of events. Even Raavages minions looked at him, in confuson. Raavage broke the silence:
- I no longer bearer of this name... - answered calmly. To change the subject, he quickly looked around, hes eyes stoped at the skull, next to Aleesias feet.
- Then, answer me Fate Driven! Who was the girld, and why did she had the royal ring of Draconius?
- My fath... - Aleesia suddenly stoped her sentence. - I mean, Gilow the Fair. Gave this ring to me, on my fifteen birthday. He told me, there is a long story about this ring, and I can hear it, after I came back from the magister. On the way, I met a poor beggar girl. She asked for food, I dont had anything with me. Just the ring. So I gave it to her, so she can buy some food, and don't starve to death. Later, when I went home, the town was attacked by your raiders.

- They brought to me the false chosen one? Imbeciles! - Raavage was so angry, he almost shattered his ax with his own hand. - But Gilow swored, that girl is... - he stoped for a moment. - Clever... Gilow, you tricked me, for the last time... And where did you hide from?
- I didn't. I was in one of your prison camp.
- All this time you were in front of me, and I didn't notice you? - he started shaking his hands in anger.

- Yes, and thanks to you, I learned a lot of during the years of my imprisonment. - these words only angered Raavage more. - The hard working only helped me, to gain stamina, and strength. I helped the other prisoners to regain their strenghts. In return, I learnedfrom them many things, from how to fight, to the history of the guilds and more.
Raavage was angered, more and more after every word of the girl. But his curiosity was greater:
- And... How did you learned your fate in the camp? - hissed.
- One day, an old man was throwed in the camp. After I helped him, he introduced himself, as a druid from Avalonia. After a brief talk, he recognised me. He was there, when you whised for me, at the pool. - She saw Raavages face, full with anger, when she mentioned this event. But she continued: - He told me, to seek out the archdruid, in Avalonia, once the time has come.

- For the following days, he tended a small branch. He sacrifices his life, to gave all of his strenght to the plant. The stems of the plant reached the sky, and provided us a way out from the prison camp.

- And, this is how I arrived here. I met the leaders of the Alliance, in the Beggars Inn. And with the ring, i was able, to unite the Guilds of Historica againts you.
Again. Silence. Not as awkward, as the last one. But again, Raavage broke the silence. But not as the last time.
-Enough! - his voice echoed in the hall. - This ends now! Minions! Slaughter them, let their blood fulfil my destiny! - and with a warcry, he jumped down, in front of Aleesia, to settle this down once and for all.

A skirmish started between the two sides. In the middle, Aleesia, and Raavage had their final duel, to determinate the fate of Historica.
- You want the thruth girl? Draconius never believed in you! - Raavage agitated the girl, while he swinged his axe. - The pool did not saved him, only gave him an infant instead. A great doubt grown in his heart, and this was my cradle!
- I don't believe you! - she dodged Raavages strike. - How can a man, who sacrifices so much to save his kingdom, to leave the light, and join the darkness?
- Don't call me on that name again! He is no more, there is only Raavage! - He parried a strike from the left. - And I can tell you, it's not hard, to corrupt a man, if his thaughts are dark... And Draconius had dark thaughts, ruling a kingdom is hard, you can't do goodthings, if you hurt others. - he parried again - This is why I want to destroy the life on Historica, and from the ashes, a new order can rise!

Aleesia let her guard down for a moment, Raavage took advantage on that, and stiked! Finally, his axe tasted flesh! The girl dropped her equipment, and she quickly reached the wound. Her red blood poured out between her fingers fast.
- Hah! Victory is at hand! - Raavage laughed out loud, in satisfaction. He grabed the girl, and droped her on the edge of the pit. The blood poured down in to the darkness. - no one can stop me now!

A terrifying howl interruted the battlefield. The ground shaked under the combatants feet. The eyes of the carved skull on the wall cracked, and two large green gem revealed. They started emitting an unholy green light.
- The helm will be mine! Hahaaa!
The helm did not appeared. Instead the winds started to blow. A vortex started in the center of the hall, collecting every bone in the area, including the troops of Raavage. After the winds subsided, a huge bone construct stood in the hall. In the confusion, Raavage took adventage on the situation.

- This must be the guardian, who guards the helm... Mighty guardian! These intruders are bringing light to this crypt. Destroy them, and show me the Necromancers Helm!

The construct slowly turned around. After seeing Raavage giving order, the construct lift the mace in it hand, and smashed Raavage. It was a killing blow. The dust subsided, and the crushed body of Raavage revealed. But the soldiers of the Alliance didn't started to celebrate. Cause, the construct turned to Aleesia:

- It's your fault! - screamed the construct to Aleesia, in a mixture of otherworldly and girlish tone. - You let me die on that day, instead of you! 
Aleesia lost too much blood. Befor she fainted, she recognised the girlish voice... but she couldn't say anything. The construct lifted the mace once more. 

- Don't let it happened! - screamed the crimson knight, on top of the stairs, and throwed his spear to the construct. - Defend her!
The throwing only unbalanced the giant just for a brief moment. Buying enough time, to the others to act. The Midgardian berserker charged with a vicious strike, but the construct smack him back. This happened with the dwarf and with the knight. 
- It's to powerful! - shouted the wizard - There should be  another way, to destroy it!
The knight stood up. He was a bit dizzy after he hited the wall. He saw as the others dies trying, to defend the girl. He looked up to the skull on the wall. It still emitting the green light.
- The gems! - shouted - Shoot the gems out, to break the spell!

The elven ranger changed his target, and shooted. The gems cracked after another. The construct let out it final scream, while fallen to pieces. The fight was over. 

- Quickly! We need to find a healer, or we lose her! - the knight ran down on the stairs, to pick the girl up. - we don't have much time!

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Epiloge

She woke up in a cosy bed. The room was decorated with the colors of the four guilds. She sat up, but quickly regret it. Her side still hurt, under the bandage.
- You are awake! - the knight ran to her, from the desk

- Uwel? - the girl was confused. - Where am I? What happened?
- You are in the kings quarters, you slept three days. 
- And the battle? What happened? What happened to Raavage?

- He is dead. The construct crushed him.
Aleesia felt sadness. She wanted to redeem the fallen king, so he can rule his beloved kingdom once more. But this dream gone forever.
- Then... it is done... I have fulfiled my destiny... I don't know what to do next.
- Actually. - the knight helped the girl up. - While you was sleeping, the lords had decided who should rule Historica.
- And what I have to do with this - she asked.
- You will see. - Uwel opened the door to the balcony. The light blinded the girl for a brief moment. She steped out. 
- Residents of Historica! - Aleesia almost scared from the chancellor, who continued: - All hali the High Queen of Historica!
Fanfare welcomed her, as she waked to the edge of the balcony, to lock down. As far as she can see, hundreds called her name, cheered, and celebrated.

 

Spoiler

Pictures from the town: Kusbara

The Spire already spying on the town.

Gilow the Fair giving the royal ring to Aleesia

 

The empty tomb

Sacrificing a prisoner

Members of the Alliance troops, who accompany Aleesia. From left, to right:

Ithar Giraud, advisor of the High Queen; Doran Oakfury, KIA; Sylvar Fenro Master, of the Hunt; Uwel the Crimson Knight, bodyguard of the High Queen; Rhald the Bold, KIA; Yothot Icelicker, KIA; Gnacs, MIA; Uzdas the Viper, KIA.

 

 

Edited May 1, 2017 by kahir88

[TitusV]

some Nice builds you've got there, though it's a pity almost all images are close-ups. Some images showing the complete build wouldn't hurt

[Henjin_Quilones]

So if I am understanding this, Raavage was the old king, just undergone a terrible transformation due to his inner rage issues, or something? Very strange and terrible indeed! Dark magics must have been involved. 

I like your many builds to tell the story, and you capture the action of your story in the builds quite well! The blood and battle scenes are nicely portrayed. Like Titus, though, I would like to see some more overview shots, rather than just action close-ups, perhaps in a spoiler at the end. I like the carvings in the walls of the cave, and the skull on the floor looks great, too. 

[Blufiji]

Very nice twist on the challenge..you have some solid builds as well.

[kahir88]

14 hours ago, Henjin_Quilones said:

Like Titus, though, I would like to see some more overview shots, 

 

On 2017. 04. 27. at 9:01 AM, TitusV said:

 Some images showing the complete build wouldn't hurt

I added more pictures about the two big build. The Pool of Wisdom and the Prison Camp already have a full pictures, And added a new picture too in the Spire side.

 

And about the twist. Yes, we can call it inner rage issue. In my oppinion, ruling a kingdom is hard, Whatever is your decision, some will accept it, and some wont. This leaded Draconius in lethargy, and in this weakened state, dark thoughts were born in his mind. This corrupted the king, and Raavage was the manifestation of this corruption. 

[soccerkid6]

Nicely written and illustrated story that certainly gives a shocking twist on Raavage

[LittleJohn]

Excellent builds! The architecture of the first scene is excellent, and I like the floor patterning. The Kaliphlin scene is wonderful as well, the bold use of color fits perfectly with the Mediterranean style. I'll have to remember the wall made of headlight bricks design, it's great for patterning.