Exiele urged past the long clasping branches, which clawed out towards his quickly moving shadow, while he traversed the wildly uneven brush which covered the length of the muddy, rain sodden earth below. He had searched 3 small caves so far, to which he found no gems. Though, he expected the last one he searched did indeed hold them, though he was not willing to travel deep enough to find them.
The caves here were unpredictable, and most were alive in essence. Changing its passages and caverns as it so pleased. So, it was a smarter choice to keep the exist in sight, or else you risk the possibly of being trapped until you eventually died. That being something he didn’t want, he decided he would only search as deep as the natural moonlight outside could reach. Though, thus far, this has done little to help his search.
Exiele stopped before a large boulder, which laid upended, next to a long skeletal tree, bearing many fresh emerald coloured apples. He placed his pouch on the cold stone; Before rummaging through it, looking for a small scroll he had written a few weeks past. His hands scurried past the pickaxe and manuals, and made contact with the small scroll they had been searching for. He pulled it out quickly, opening it and reading through the neatly written scripture. It was an ancient spell he had gathered from one of the Elder Priests personal libraries, he was only allowed a few minuets to look around, after he saved a large herd of their livestock from a pack of Hogbats. The Elder relented, and awarded him with 5 minuets to look through his personal collection of manuals and Scrolls. So when he found the spell he needed, he quickly wrote it down on a free bit of scroll he had laying around in his pouch. Knowing that once he began his search for the Kakara gems, the spell would come very much in handy. And that had proven true.
Trailing his fingers along the text, he closed his eyes and began to centralise his Kakara, focusing its energy within his heart. He felt it’s electric like heat travelling through his veins. Covering his skin in goosebumps. And as he felt as if his chest was gonna burst from the dense ball of Kakara developed within, he released it into the scroll. The script began to glow a vivid purple, small tendrils of violet energy rose in clawing clumps from the page, circling around in small semicircles. Then the energy solidified, and began to trail off from the glowing scripture, and make its way deeper into the tree line. It had worked.
Smiling, Exiele began to follow the trail of purple energy, which floated in the air before him, like smoke in a windless sky. He walked for a further 20 minuets, passing a small river as well as another wooden bridge which connected the two half’s of the mountain. In this time the purple energy began to glow more violently, as he drew closer to his end destination. The unending rows of trees began to grow less and less dense, until there was only a tree every 3 odd metres. Leaving more room for thick bushes and foliage to grow.
His leather boots sunk a few inches below the sodden mud, before popping back out again. Wetting his feet. There was a brief opening, in which a large lake rested amongst a circumstance of boulders and giant rocks. This is where the energies path ended. Exiele scoped the area, unable to see as much as he wished he could. As the moonlight failed to cut deep enough into the suffocating shadows which surrounded him.
Carefully, he began to lower himself down the boulder before him, placing his muddy boots on a small rock which jutted out from the bottom of the large boulder. Then as he lowered his body as far as he could, he dropped down onto the wet earth below. Finding himself encircled by a wall of moss mangled boulders. His eyes narrowed, glaring to the energies end point, which stood at a small, blackened opening wedged between three huge rocks, which acted as an entrance way of sorts.
Passing the lake, Exiele walked over to the entrance way, glaring into the darkness beyond. He couldn’t make anything out from outside, so using the little Kakara he could muster at that point, he formed a small orb of illumination. Which quickly fought back against the shadows, as they in turn ran away from its grasp. Revealing the intricate innards of the damp cave. Long lines of winding vines, and ancient foliage clung in desperate clumps from the wet walls. And a few water rotten planks of wood were placed along the floor, covering hole’s which had undoubtedly broken many ankles in their time.
He urged forward, keeping the orb only a few feet in front of him, allowing him to scope the cave much more thoroughly. Towards the back-end of the chamber was another dark opening, which seemed to dart off both left and right. And just beyond that another chamber laid in pure blackness. He shivered. Exiele turned his attention to the walls of the cave, and began to look for any signs of Kakara Gems. Though after an in depth search, he found no gems. Which left him with two options, he either leaves within a gem. Or, he risks going deeper into the cave. Neither option seemed very inviting. But after some thought, he decided on the latter, and walked deeper into the chamber towards the second opening. Besides, he had used a spell specifically crafted to make finding Kakara gems easier. And it had led him directly here. Which meant at least one was somewhere not too far away.
He took the gamble. Following the small planks of rotten wood, Exiele made his way carefully over to the second opening. His orb of illumination doing little to fight against the almost complete blackness held within it. His hand reflexively rested on his daggers handle. Focusing his Kakara on the little floating orb, Exiele sent the glowing sphere deep into the dark chamber first on its own, at least then if something was hiding within the shadows, he would have time to react. But quickly found the chamber empty once the orb had completed a whole lap of its circumference. But something did strike him as strange. He felt a sudden influx of energy travel back from the orb, a solidified mass of pure Kakara, which reverberated through his spine, rattling his bones to the core.
It felt as if he had lighting trapped within his stomach. The glow of the orb grew more intense as it passed the back of the chamber a second time. What ever was disturbing his flow of Kakara, was coming from deeper within the chamber. Exiele took a deep breath, now gripping his dagger so hard, his knuckles had whitened from the pressure. Then he stepped through into the darkness, a cold freeze sliced through his skin. An unnatural cold which seemed to shred away every inch of heat his body once held. His body began to shiver violently. But he urged forward, willing his orb of illumination to remain floating in place, where it’s glow was at its fullest. Small flakes of purple energy dropped from the burning sphere, dissipating into a fine mist as it disburse into the cold air.
As he drew closer to the orb, he noticed another glowing light within the distance, which flickered with beautiful violet colours. Projecting patterns of light on the surrounding damp, moss covered walls of the cave. The colours danced within darkness, presenting a path to follow. And so he did. Realising in this time, the rotten wooden planks which had once been guiding his feet, had now disappeared, or had broken after their many years of use. So he trekked carefully, avoiding the gaping chasms which covered the water drenched floor. The energy within his body spiked as he got closer to the odd glow, it felt like bolts of lighting were travelling through his pulsing veins. Filling his body with a brightness he had never experienced. He willed his orb to move closer to the second source of light, the burning sphere glided through the darkness with an elegance only the gods above could replicate, and came to a sudden halt as it reached the dancing white light. Exiele smiled. There, sandwiched between two small boulders, was a large glowing Kakara gem. It’s crystallised form collected the swirling energy which emitted from the orb, and sent the glowing energy dancing through the thick air.
Its surface was rough and angled, but the colours held within, Exiele couldn’t put names too. They were entirely new to his eyes. He dragged the small pickaxe from his pouch, gripping the handle hard, and began to chip away at the rock surrounding the gem. Ensuring to take small breaks every few minuets to ensure the mental didn’t overheat. And after 20 minuets of hard work, a small section of the gem, no bigger than a grape fell down and landed in his palm. He felt the pure Kakara emitting from the small crystal in powerful waves, travelling down his arm and striking like electrical currents in his veins.
He had succeeded in the first step of his plan. Exiele slipped the Kakara gem and the pickaxe back into his pouch and turned ready to head back outside, but found the opening he had once travelled through, was now no more than a wall of pure stone. As if it hadn’t existed in the first place.
“God above”, he whispered, his voice small, yet it still boomed throughout the hollow chamber. Turning back he found the second opening gone also, now he was stood within a chamber with no exit. The orb flickered lightly, as the air went still. No breeze passed through.
For a while Exiele stood frozen in place, clawing through his brain for possible spells he could muster up to make an exit, but non came to his mind. All the spells he had learned off by heart, were enchantment based. And the spells he had written in his pouch, would not benefit him in his current situation. He drew a breath. Trying to steady his racing thoughts. He figured he could try channel enough Kakara into the pickaxe to try and smash through the caves walls, but remembered quickly that would do little except for explode his body into little chunks of scorched flesh. Then his mind passed an interesting thought, he remembered it from an old book he had read.
So called living caves, we’re not actually living. Instead the caves were simply prone to the immense energies that natural forms of Kakara hold, such as gems and elder trees. This steady stream of energy can warp the caves lay out, moving around channels, tunnels and chambers along with the immense waves of Kakara. in other words, the natural energy can rearrange a caves layout, but cannot change the cave itself. And as Exiele turned to examine the cave he stood within, he found he was no longer standing in a cave at all. Instead, he was standing in a very clearly man made cobblestone room. Which had a large oak, steel rimmed door on the furthest wall from where he stood. Which made it clear to him, this was no natural happening caused by large amounts of centralised Kakara, no. This was some sort of illusion formed by the hand of a very knowledgeable wizard or sorcerer. Which in turn, only lead to more questions.
For a long while Exiele just stood still in place, glaring around the empty room. Considering what his next move should be. He didn’t know where he was, or how he got there. But he was there. And lacked any real weapons, which didn’t help the growing anxiety in the deepest pits of his stomach. And after searching the room as thoroughly as his panicked mind could manage, he found nothing. And so decided he had to open the door and see what waiting for him on the other side. If not, he would just slowly stave to death and his body would rot away within the room, never to be seen again. Listed by the historians as another hunter who had died before their first Grand Hunt. That, he wouldn’t allow. Making his way across the cobbled floor, he paused before the large oak door. Making his glowing orb dissipate into itself, painting the room in complete darkness once more.
At least then, if someone or something was in the next room, he wouldn’t be seen through the darkness. He unlatched his small dagger, and gripped it tight within his hand. His other hand wrapped around the large golden handle which hung at the doors midpoint. It’s metal was cold to the touch. With a deep breath, he slowly creaked the door open, orange light spilled out from the room beyond, which flickered elegantly within the dense blackness which surrounded him. Then the room fell into his line of sight.
It was what looked like a giant ancient crypt, the walls were of a solid lime stone, which was aged and withered, and long lines of hieroglyphics and symbols were carved within their moss riddled surface. On either edge of the crypt were giant pillars of pure obsidian which were connected to the each wall at odd intervals. In the centre of the ancient room was a large grand tomb, made up of several small pyramids which sat atop the main bulk of the limestone sarcophagus. By the tombs side three figures loomed, their wrists gashed open as they poured their blood down onto a makeshift diagram carved into the floor. Their blood filled the carvings, and began to glow a vibrant crimson. They wore long black robes, which covered their long, slender frame. The same symbols marked on the ancient walls, were carefully sowed into the black fabric with thick red string.
Exiele knew the Kakara they were utilising in this ritual, an ancient long since forbidden form known as the dark arts, or more commonly Blood Kakara. Once a long time before his birth, the academy had manuals and spells detailing this ancient form, but a young hunter named Diziri had used the manuals in an attempt to summon an Elder Demon. He failed. And for his attempt, he had his hands and feet cut from his body, and he was banished to live the rest of his days in the Ghali Che Prison, located in the Outer Kingdoms, far beyond the reach of any civilisation. The academy then destroyed all traces of the dark arts from the castle. Later on the act of Blood Kakara was made a sin punishable by death in all 5 of the main kingdoms.
The cloaked figures drained their blood until the diagram below was completed, then they all covered their arms once more within the thick black cloth of their sleeve.
“Brothers we come a step closer to our Lord”, one of the figures bellowed, rising his arms up into the air. Dripping blood fell from his open wrists and fell upon his face. The other figures followed suite. Painting their faces crimson with gore.
“Until death does us part, we shall serve with our flesh and blood, until our rightful god, conquer of all, rises from damnation – from soil and dirt, to the black abyss above all, we shall follow our destiny, to breath life into his lungs once more”.
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The blood diagram below their feet began to burn violently, scorching red flames burst form within its centre, flakes of unimaginable energy peeled from the crimson painted lines, as each cloaked figure placed a blood stained hand onto the decaying tomb before them.
“We shall locate the final vessel, and see it through to the arms of the one above all. Of flesh and blood, we shall return it to the god of all gods. And in turn, rising from ashes, the one true emperor will arise”.
“Of flesh and blood”, they all chanted as one. Releasing their bloodied hands from the tomb. The crimson flames of the blood diagram roared as they grew more intense, painting the rotting crypt in a deep burgundy hue.
Exiele went to take a step back, but found a wall in place of the door, his body collided with the decaying lime stone with a hard thud. The figures turned to face him. Their eyes burned a glowing red, cutting through the deep shadows cast by their cloaks.
“It seems brothers. The seeker of the vessel is within our presence”.
Exiele tried to pounce with his dagger, but his body was completely frozen still in place. As if all the force of gravity was holding him down.
“It is convenient you would fall upon us at this time”, the figure said, his pale white skin now painted crimson with drying blood. “For your bond will now be made in blood”.
“Of flesh and blood”, the other figures chanted from behind, their glowing red eyes fixed on his.
“Come forth”, it said, holding up its bleeding hand. Exiele’s body began to float towards the figure, he tried desperately to break free from the figures hold, but even when centralising all his Kakara, he was unable to move in any way. He stopped before the figure, he could see now through the shadows cast upon the things face.
Realising that the figure was not a human in anyway, no it was a different race entirely. One that he did not recognise. Then the figure rose it’s crimson hands above its head, a burst of blood spirted out from its slit wrists and began to swirl in circling motions above its palms. Exiele watched as the blood solidified, mixing with the things Kakara, slowly forming a glowing red dagger. Its gore stained hands wrapped around the daggers burning handle.
“Prepare the scrips”, it growled towards the other two cloaked figures. They bowed lightly in unison, before reopening their wrists and feeding their blood into the scorching diagram etched into the floor. The crimson flames still roared from its centre. Burning Exiele’s skin with its unnatural heat. The cloaked creature smiled towards Exiele, revealing a line of tiny razor sharp teeth which laid within rotting gums.
“Come closer seeker”, it hissed, using its hands to drag him closer. His body floated through the air at a steady pace. He could feel the things warm, putrid breath brush past his face, as his body froze before the figure.
“Present me your arms”.
Exiele’s arms began to rise up, as if strings were connected to each limb, and the figure was the puppet master who controlled them. He tried to scream, but no voice came, it felt like an invisible gag was forced down his throat.
“Very good”, the creature smiled, which stretched far to wide across it pale cheeks. It’s beady red eyes still glaring deeply into his. It rose the blood dagger to its cloaked chest, holding it out as if to present it to Exiele.
“Of flesh and blood”, it whispered below its breath, followed by a brief silence. “Isral, collect the vessels”.
“Very well brother”, the figure replied, walking towards the back end of the rotting crypt. After a few moments, Isral wondered back clasping a set of giant decaying gold armour plates, which must have been at least 8 feet tall when pieced together, and what looked like a beautifully crafted thick gold necklace. Which at its peak held one of the largest blood crystals Exiele had ever seen, held in place by long bone like claws of faded gold.
He placed the objects into the burning diagram. The objects, or vessels as the figures called them, were instantly encased in the roaring red flames. Isral then resumed feeding his blood into the diagram engraved on the floor.
“Seeker”, the third figure growled, it’s voice was guttural and deep. “Your blood will be bound by fate, and with it your bond will be formed”.
“Of flesh and blood”, they all chanted. Their eyes eager.
“May your path, be forged in blood seeker”, the figure hissed, the burning crimson flames below, cast his face with a red hue. His demonic eyes burning as if a stars core had been stored behind them. The creature lifted the blood dagger above Exiele’s upheld arms, the razor sharp blade pressed into his skin, a single stream of blood fell down, and dropped from his fingertips.
“Our time will soon arise brothers”.
The blade sliced into flesh, opening into veins, and Exiele watched as his wrist burst with with fresh, warm blood. Which fell down into the burning diagram, before the flames ate them within the scorching heat. Pain roared through his arms, he wanted to violently thrash in pain, but his body was locked in place. He was an unwilling host. His eyes widened in terror.
“Of flesh and blood”, they all repeated, their voice growing in urgency, until only their voices could be heard. Whirl-winding through his brain; And echoing through every inch of his being. His blood ran freely from his wrists, the cuts so deep, quartz like bone could be seen beneath.
The first figure slowly rose its dagger into the air, letting Exiele’s blood fall down upon his face, still chanting. Then all three of them stepped into the roaring flames. Their robes were lit ablaze in unison, a scorching inferno of crimson heat. Thick clumps of black smoke began to spread around the ancient crypt, filling Exiele’s lungs and vision with spiriting lines of blackness. The figures now no more than black shapes inside a wall of glowing, burgundy fire.
They continued their ritual, guttural voices chanted from within the flames. Exiles blood still flowed down into them, fuelling them with his Kakara. The main figure began to step out from the flames which roared all around him, his robes now nothing but shredded tears of black cloth, which had been burned into its bone white flesh.
“Vessel”, it roared, rising its arms, revealing giant reptile like black wings which connected to the creatures inter arms. “You are now bound by blood”.
The other figures now emerged, their bodies encased with violet flames. Their blackened wings presented out to the gods.
“Of flesh and blood”, they roared. The flames beginning to encase the surrounding crypt. The moss and vines which infected its limestone walls began to catch ablaze, sending armies of blackened smoke bellowing out into the surrounding room.
“The one above all will rise in blood, and shed his own amongst the tarnished lands”.
One of the figures began to step towards where Exiele was locked in place. His vision was blurred by swirling streams of black smoke, which burned his watering eyes. He tried to scream with all he had, but still nothing came. Instead, thick clumps of smoke would fill his suffocating mouth.
“Remember Seeker”, it said, lifting its arms into the fire drenched air. “You are bound by fate and of blood”.
The black smoke filled Exiele’s vision. A blurred avalanche of crimson flames and blackened debris. He could see nothing else. He could feel his life depleting. And most horrifying of all, he could do nothing about it. His arms were still held out before him, drained of all their blood. Emptied from all his life. Tears began to stream down his black stained face.
Shadow like smoke began to twist and spiral around him like a frenzied tornado, it roared within ears like distant war drums. He felt his presence peel away, as his body began to crumble and reform as one with the smoke. Roaring through the scorching crypt, until as the flames encased him within a blast of crimson light. Everything went black.
***
Exiele awoke within the warmth of his bed. Bright sunlight shot out from between his closed curtains, revealing his untidy shack. His head hurt, and when he sat up a sudden wave of nausea rushed through his stomach. The first first thing he did was check his wrists, but he found no wounds or cuts, then jumping from the bed Exiele grabbed his pouch that laid on the messy floor. Opening it as if his life depended on it.
Rummaging past the assortment of manuals scrolls and books that laid within, his hand brushed past the small pickaxe and wrapped around a small rough object. He dragged his hand back out his pouch and found a small glowing Kakara gem within his palm. A shivered passed down his spine. He had no wounds or cuts to suggest what happened, actually happened. But he still had the Kakara gem, which meant he had went inside the cave, and found the gem within its depths. It had to be a dream. But then how did he get back?
No matter how many times he repeated it in his mind, he couldn’t remember leaving the cave or the ancient tomb, let alone walking back through the Forested Lake, past the bridge and all the way back to the shacks. His brain couldn’t wrap around it. Exiele placed the small gem on his bed, feeling it’s electric like energy surging from its surface.
Before digging back through his pouch, emptying it onto his bed, which was painted orange from the slowly burning embers of his fireplace. He moved his pickaxe to his small wooden side desk, he knew he likely wouldn’t be need of it for a long while. He then piled all his books together, then moved his scroll’s next to the pile of tomes. His eyes widened in disbelief. In his desperate haste to retrieve a Kakara gem, he had completely forgotten about the scroll the Elder Priest had given him the day before.
It laid unopened atop a piled clump of his warm blanket. It’s yellow stained pages flaked at its corners, and a purple frayed ribbon wrapped around its width, sealed with purple melted wax. Exiele grabbed the scroll as if it held all the knowledge of the lands, tearing the melted wax from the ribbon and tore the scroll open so it laid flat of his bed.
Exiele Bourne.
Your path as a hunter begins here.
Your hunt will take you to the Floating City of Gididas, in the county of Relis located at the furthest northern corner of Dreashire. Once arriving at the destination you will be greeted by three Elder Architects of the Builders Sect, who will take you to the Fallen Temple of Riverdeath, an ancient temple once home to Evereth, God of the Three Daughters.
Here you will find Galoth, an ancient gatekeeper who guards the temple’s entrance. This is the entity you are to kill. Before collecting its blood as proof.
As for the reasoning behind Galoth’s demise, the Three Elder Architects are to survey the temple and begin to plan for a renovation, which they will then return to the Builders Sect. This cannot be done without the entity guarding its gates being killed.
If you complete your hunt, the Sect have stated you will be welcome to the renovated temple as and when you wish.
May the scar of light lead your way.
Legion of The Hunters.
Exiele spent a few moments rereading his assignment, his imagination running wild. He had wanted to see a city first hand, but for his first to be the Floating City of Gididas, was a blessing he could not remove from his brain.
Not only was it a city, it was a city built through the pure will and energy of an Elder God. And the temple, over the years he had read so much about its symbols of strength and mastery, up through its colossal rise, all the way down to its eventual collapse when the Siege of Gods saw it through to its bitter end. Excitement roared through his veins each time he read through it.
He set the scroll back down onto his bed and leaned back, resting his head on the soft pillow which laid just behind his back. A mix of excitement, confusion and fear roared through his gut. With a deep breath he began to regain control of his thoughts and emotion, thinking what his next step should be.
His mind found the answer almost as soon as he started looking for it. He had to speak to someone about what had happened the night before, he knew he couldn’t speak to the Elder Priests, as would have him punished for months if they found out he had been looking for Kakara Gems without any blessing from the Legion.
But Miles, Miles would know what he should do. Exiele stood from the bed, making his way across the messy floor and over to his chest. He needed a bath, but that was the smallest of his worries. He still had to fight Venus by the alchemy chambers, then he had to meet with Reales to collect his steed. After that he would have to start channelling the Kakara from the gem, if not he wouldn’t have enough time to utilise it for the hunt. And on top of all that, he had to figure out what really happened the night before.
Whether the blood ritual had really taken place, or if it was some strange dream. He rubbed his temples, feeling a headache on the horizon. But first, he had to meet with Miles and get this fight with Venus out the way.
Pulling out his rudimentary black leather armour plates, which all hunters within the academy wore. He began to throw them onto his body, strapping them securely to his limbs. Then he grabbed one of the few wooden training swords he kept piled together at the bottom of his chest, and strapped it to his belt along with his silver dagger.
He figured tomorrow he could visit the Elder Historian to gets prints of some of his favourite scripts and spells, later on he could visit the alchemist Miles has brought up, Algath if he remembered right. To get some freshly mixed elixirs, and by then he would have a few days remaining to study his hunt and the surrounding lands, as well as being able to process the Kakara within the gem. Satisfied with his plan, Exiele readied his pouch with everything he would be needing, before leaving through the small crooked front door of his shack.