The Witch War
The Conflict
Prelude
War erupts to the east in the country of Kolgherad. Rival factions of witches and warlocks wage an epic battle against one another to claim possession of a magical stone; 'Ormurstahn' or 'Dragonstone'. Originally passed by birthright through a single family of witches who descended from dragons who inhabited the Aioa mountains; a volcanic range; the wearer of the stone is marked as 'Embarbahn' or 'The Fireborn'. In an attempt to claim the stone for himself, King Emoreel sends an army of warlocks to ambush a small settlement of witches where Acasius Malum Embarbahn, keeper of the stone, lie sleeping in his hut with his pregnant wife. Roused from sleep, Acasius grabbed his sword. "Wake up, Urd!" he whispered harshly, shaking her until she startled awake. "Malum! What is the matter?" his wife replied, sitting up to throw back the covers and grab her own blade. A powerful witch in her own right, her instincts warned her that they were in grave danger... "Listen. ...the screaming in the distance. .....they've come." He need not say more. For, they'd known for more than nine turns of the moon that the king sought the stone. It was the only thing standing in the way of his victory against Matriarch Cyrene of Carthurnath and total control of the lands of Kolgherad. Though Acasius and his coven lived on unclaimed lands, the crown of Carthurnath never troubled them. They lived peacefully and often shared resources and knowledge. Sometimes, they even intermarried. But, King Emoreel would not be rest until he had claimed all of the land west of Esiel, to the border of Vulsria. That fateful night, many of the coven were slaughtered at the hands of Emoreel's men, but not all. Acasius and his wife, with the help of a group of spellcasters sent from the Matriarch, fled further west into the Red Forest with what remained of the coven; all very powerful witches and warlocks wielding destruction magic. Emoreel's men were just as powerful, however, and killed several more in pursuit of Acasius and the prized stone, with Emoreel using his magic to multiply his forces. Seeing that they were outnumbered and fearing for the lives of his beloved and their unborn child, he removed the ring from his finger that held the stone. "Keep traveling West. When you reach the swamps, abandon the wagons and continue on foot until you can see the natural bridges. Before you reach the bridges, you'll see an abandoned mine. Take shelter there until nightfall. Don't worry," he smiled softly as he caressed Urd's warm cheek, "King Wrugok of the western goblins is my ally. He will give you his protection as long as you need." he assured her. "As soon as night falls, take to the trees and follow the outcropping beneath the high bridge. This will give you cover until you reach the broken bridge. ...I know you will be labored...but you will need to preserve your magic, and with everyone's help, cast a carry spell to get you all over into Tythus Forest. Do not falter. The drop-down to the fjord below is treacherous. You will not survive it." he warned, holding her smoke-colored eyes with his own which were a dizzying mix of all of the colors of a flame. "Once you have crossed over into Vulsria, make camp in the cyprus grove. As soon as you are able, travel to Beacon Way following this map..." he said, removing an old map that was folded and hidden away in a pocket inside of his alchemy pouch. "As soon as you reach the lighthouse, tell the keeper that you bring greetings from the raven. He will take you to Aral where you will be able to send a letter to the emperor explaining to him King Emoreel's plan." Acasius looked over his shoulder, hearing the bone-chilling chanting of the faceless as they approached. He pulled the heavy ring from his finger; highly polished and glowing red with golden sparkles in the center; and placed it in the center of Urd's hand, closing it into a fist. When the ring came off, he could feel his life force diminish. But, he would not die a mediocre death. People would sing of this night. They would remember his name, and they would raise their glasses in remembrance. "This is to be kept hidden until the return of Embarbahn. On your dying day, give this to our child to protect, and on and on.....until I come again..." he smirked, mischievously. "Remember what I've told you, woman." He pulled her face to his and kissed her long, with a deep and fiery passion. "I love you more than I ever loved anything in this wild and wonderful world. ...........Now, RUN!" he roared, turning from her, as he began to glow. His clothes burning away as he became flame and ran into the forest, setting it all ablaze as he ran towards his attackers, lighting up the night sky.
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