What would have taken them around 2 weeks coming from Lor-Vold had shortened to a week thanks to the Vampiric warhorses. They turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The group had found out the hard way about what they ate when they had camped one afternoon to stretch out the cramps their muscles screamed for.
A pack of Mornbeasts had decided they would be easy prey. They had two narrow slitted amethyst eyes to look at their surroundings from their enormous sockets. A mangled snout that rested above its shallow mouth. A mouth that was shaped to have a constant shy smile, revealing rows of curved fangs and an enormous tongue that lapped the air. Broad pointed ears, much like a dog, sat on each side of its small, rounded head, which was covered in rows of small horns starting from two thick spiraled horns protruding from the top. Two beefy muscled arms dangled at its sides, ending in broad hands with curved claws, of which it had 12 in total. Their bodies, which were long and hefty, could alternate between walking on all fours or standing upright. The legs were muscular and bent much like a frog, ending in skinny feet with pointed claws. Its shoulders were broader than its pelvis, giving it a slim aquatic look.
Unfortunately for the Mornbeast and fortunately for the group, the warhorses saw them as lunch. As soon as the warhorses caught their scent, they turned to them and ran at the pack of five. Trampling them beneath their weight. They danced and kicked. The screeches of the creatures were short-lived as the warhorses ripped them apart with their mouths. Sharp cracks resounded every time they kicked a Mornbeast that attempted to flee. Aldrin witnessed one of the warhorses take a fleshy bite out of one the Mornbeast’s spine. The mornbeast watched helplessly from being paralyzed as the warhorses ate it alive.
That afternoon, everyone was no longer hungry from watching the warhorses gorge themselves on the corpses of the Mornbeasts. Aldrin had felt their contentment once they were done as they trotted back to them. Blood was smeared and strings of flesh hung from their muzzles when they approached Aldrin, nudging him for attention at a job well done.
Evie cleared her throat. “Well, at least we know what they eat now, right?” she lightly joked.
Cannor was rubbing his neck as he looked at them fearfully. “I’m next,” he whispered to himself.
Jared came around and swatted him on his back. “They just saved us from a pack of Mornbeast. I think you're good buddy.”
“Anybody get a look at their levels before they were eaten?” Pierre asked, still watching the warhorses from a safe distance.
“No, and besides, you have seen worse with me,” Aldrin said.
Pierre stared at him. “Right… It's different with you. We know Humans can do some real dirty stuff, but it's different seeing something you’ve known to never be carnivorous on either planet eat meat without batting an eye.”
“Not even bones are left! And they missed a piece!” Cannor called from the carnage, pointing at a scrap of meat.
The warhorses turned to race each other for the last drop. Cannor rushed out of their sight once they reached it, vying for dominance in a game of tug’o’war. It proved fruitful when the flesh tore away, equally splitting in half.
Once they were done, they trotted directly back to Jared, who greeted them with open arms. He led them back to the carriage to hitch them in order to get back on the road. They were close to Folos because of the floating boulders that were dancing in the clouds.
Cannor warily eyed the floating boulders that blissfully levitated upwards. “Do you think those ever fall?” he asked.
“No, the magical field that Folos generates around expands outwards little by little with each passing year,” Evie answered.
Pierre watched the floating boulders gently flow along with the breeze in the air, “How long do you estimate for the field to reach a nearby village?”
Evie pursed her lips and thought for a moment, “Probably in another five or six years, give or take.”
A looming shadow covered them as they made their way along the road. “Whoa. . .” Aldrin heard Jared whisper. He peeked his head out of the moving carriage, first looking down at the massive shadow, then upwards at what was casting it. Aldrin’s eyes went as big as saucers when he pieced together that he was looking at the bottom of a flying ship.
It was a massive galleon that floated in the air. Rainbow sparkles trailed softly behind it as it fluttered along the wind currents. Evie poked her head out next, a large grin forming across her face, “We are close!” she giddily yelled.
“What is that?” Jared asked no one in particular.
“Folos’ air navy,” Evie answered.
Not a moment did she say that the clouds clear revealing a large fleet of ships floating through the air. “The High Elves of Folos have mastered their enchanting and transcribed their discoveries onto their fleets.”
“That’s amazing,” Aldrin whispered in awe, watching the various ships of differing sizes slowly drift by.
“We should get this carriage to fly or at least make it more suitable for long distance traveling,” Cannor grumbled.
Evie slapped Cannor on the shoulder. “That’s a great idea!” she beamed at him.
They all watched as the ships lazily drifted along the wind currents, paying no mind to the upcoming town that tethered the floating city of Folos.
“Uh guys,” Pierre called to get their attention, “I think we made it,” he breathlessly said.
Aldrin tore his eyes away from the ships and looked forward, seeing the town built atop robust hills with giant chains that linked to the tops of the hills. Above the small town, as their eyes followed the large chains, they could make out bits and pieces of a large floating land mass the chains connected to. Each rattle of the chain dimly lit up with runic enchantments that ran along them as the wind moved them.
Aldrin had heard stories of Folos being a floating city, but to see it in person was another thing altogether. He had to tear his eyes away from trying to peek through the clouds that covered most of the landmass as they neared the lower part of the city. The High Elves had incorporated their building into the hills, building alongside nature like most of the Elves do. They made the buildings of rock with rounded domes and spires. Flying boats and ships dominated the open edifices of the structures. Earthen bridges connected each of the spires to one another that resembled a spider’s web.
With his enhanced vision, Aldrin could see people using them, mostly the High Elven merchants and sky sailors that were unloading cargo into the spires. Further down the spires, towards the middle, more earthen bridges connected to a market area that was bustling with activity from the mixed group of Elves, Humans and Dwarves. As they neared, the natural hills acted as walls for the settlement, which allowed it to perfectly blend into its surroundings.
“This is Lower Folos. The fun stuff is on the upper island.” Evie pointed to the few ships that were beginning to elevate towards the landmass, disappearing among the clouds.
Jared whistled in appreciation. “Hopefully Aldrin doesn’t destroy this city like the last,” he joked, earning chuckles from the others and a glare from Aldrin.
“I’m more excited about getting some real gear this time. Lor-Vold had decent stuff, but it’ll be nothing compared to Folos and the Dungeons here.” Pierre said.
“From the few times I have been here, we first have to teleport up to the main island,” she pointed at the landmass hidden by the clouds. “Then from there we can either take a sky ship or another teleporter to one of the numerous islands that has been marked for Dungeon delving.”
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
“Are we renting another inn then, or are we going to rough it?” Pierre asked.
“The enchanter I know has enchanted tents that act like cabins. Suitable for long adventures.” Evie clarified.
“We can go see him first before we go shopping for gear.” She added.
“I’m assuming you’ll have no trouble getting past the security check?” she asked Aldrin
He shook his head. “Not unless they have enchantments that can glean past my amulet.”
“Technically, you aren’t lying about anything, so it shouldn’t flare up once you pass the gates.”
“The Elves here are a prestigious bunch, but they are too prideful to think anything would attack them way out here, let alone face off against their enchanted defenses and sky navy,” she finished.
Jared chuckled, “Lor-Vold thought the same until this bad boy right here,” he jerked his thumb towards Aldrin, “Waltzed through their walls unhindered.”
“So you really did destroy Lor-Vold with an Undead army?” Cannor skeptically asked.
“They were already there before I even got there,” Aldrin raised his hands in defense.
“He is straight up lying!” Jared laughed. “He called to them and they answered.”
“Regardless of what happened and why, we have to be more careful. You are more powerful than any of us truly realize, including you,” Pierre interjected, looking at Aldrin.
Evie winced, “Which is why being here among Dungeons will give you the best practice without prying ears and eyes.”
“Speaking of getting past security, our story is that Aldrin is a young Lord tasked by his grandfather to tour the lands and gain worldly experience. The mounts have been in his family for generations, if anyone asks. We are his retainers meant to grow alongside him,” Pierre said, looking at each of them in the carriage.
Cannor grew paler than normal, “You want us to lie to High Elves? Can’t they detect lies?”
Evie chuckled, “That’s a lie. They think because they have naturally high wisdom, they are higher than thou. Besides, the ones we only have to worry about are the ones that stay in their palaces and courts. I doubt we will see any of those here. Folos is just an outpost to the High Elves meant to do trade and ferry their goods back to their home continent of Uvron.”
“Uvron is just a shattered continent of island chains, much like Folos, right?” Pierre asked.
“Yes,” she nodded. “I thought all Otherworlders were meant to learn the basics of this world when they arrived?”
Pierre cast his eyes downward. “Not all Otherworlders arrive near places that welcome them.” Aldrin answered for him.
“What-” She began
“Jared and I arrived on Imawas and immediately drafted in the Fire and Ice Giant civil war,” Pierre quietly answered.
Evie’s jaw tightened as she clenched her fists. “I am sorry that was your first welcome to this world,” she placed her hand on top of Pierre’s.
He smiled weakly at her. “Thank you. You are the first Giant we have met that didn’t immediately treat us like we were nothing.”
“Us Mountain Giants are a lot more accepting than others give us credit for,” she tried to lighten the mood.
Aldrin looked at the exchange between the two and then deeply at Pierre, who was trying to hide the trauma that threatened to surface. “One day, when we are strong enough, we can go back and put a stop to the civil war.”
“What are they even fighting for, anyway?” Eddock finally spoke up.
“Land, power, and pride. The usual weaknesses of Fire and Ice Giants. They have always been at war with each other, but our laws forbid us from ever truly going to war with each other. For us to do so, we have to use others to do it for us,” Evie answered.
“What happens if those laws are broken?” Aldrin asked.
“Our base element's energy can never rebirth us as our souls get destroyed. Fire can't dance among the sun's rays, Ice can't guide the rivers of fate, Earth can't return to the embrace of the mother to help give life, and Air can't fill the next generation's breath.” She tapped her chin. “Or at least that what was inscribed by our Progenitor.”
“Each Race has certain things that are forbidden for them to do that were magically inscribed into them by their own Progenitor. Since you are considered Otherworlders but are still Human,
I am unsure if those same rules still apply to you,” Evie said.
“As for you, Aldrin, we can only go based on stories, and one rule I know for certain is that it’s forbidden for another Vampire to feed on another.”
Aldrin groaned in response, running his hands down his face, “Great more stuff to figure out.”
“Nothing worth gaining is ever easy, as they say,” Evie smiled at him.
She turned her gaze back to Pierre. “I know it isn’t much, but still, on behalf of all Giants that matter. I am sorry for what they have done to you and I will do everything in my power to help free the others that this has afflicted.”
Jared thumped the carriage. “We are getting close to the entrance, lady and gentlemen. Assume the roles!”
Jared slowed the warhorses down to a trot and then to a walk once they neared. The High Elven guards were adorned in leather and chainmail. Each of them held a pike and shield with a bow and a quiver of arrows strapped to their back. If Evie was right, everything on the High Elven guards was probably extremely enchanted, despite their unassuming appearance.
“Welcome to Folos. State of business?” The guard on the right addressed Jared.
“We are taking our young Lord to Dungeon Delve per the orders of his grandfather,” Jared answered. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see the other guard warily eyeing the warhorses.
“Sir!” the other guard called out. “These are Vampiric warhorses!”
The guard that was talking to Jared immediately dropped into a fighting stance with his pike raised. “Where and how did you acquire these?” he demanded.
“Fellas, fellas, fellas… these have been in our Lord’s family for generations,” Jared tried to smooth over. The warhorses were unbothered by the turn of events, but Jared knew that if they get too close to them, then he wouldn’t be able to stop them from their next meal.
“Mounts such as the Undead nature are banned from the continent per order of Queen Tyviona of Dremetica. I shall ask one more time, where and how did you acquire these banned creatures?” he demanded once more.
The carriage doors opened before Jared could speak, revealing Evie. “Surely you can see that they are tamed and docile creatures, unlike the myths of old,” she said.
“Can we look the other way and forget this all happened for a bit of gold? I am sure this is much more than what you would make in a month,” she tempted them by flashing a gold coin.
The guard briefly flicked his eyes to the coin in her hand, then back at her. “Make it four gold, each, and we have a deal,” he relented.
“The young Lord graciously accepts your terms,” she bowed before producing eight gold coins from her inventory.
The guard quickly swiped the coins from her hand before waving them through. Jared gently nudged the warhorses forward once Evie climbed back into the carriage. “Sir, are we sure it was wise to let them through?” The guard that called them out asked his senior officer.
“Who cares? We became richer because of it.”
“But sir! Extortion isn’t the Elven way!”
“You dare question your senior officer after making you richer? Just for that, I am keeping six gold coins to myself. Here, take your two.” He threw them on the ground in front of the guard.
“Report it and we both go down. I would only get a slap on the wrist while you would be stripped of your honor. Is that what you truly want?” He sneered at the other guard that had yet to pick up his coins.
Aldrin listened to the exchange as something within him bristled to set things right. “You can’t. Not yet, at least,” Evie whispered to him.
“I know…” Aldrin released a breath.
Welcome to Folos young Vampire
Let’s see what you uncover this time
Power? Justice? A path?
Aldrin read the ominous message, and instead of feeling uncertainty and fear, he felt purpose. A grim determination took root within him, beckoning him forth to seize the power that was thrust upon him. Folos would become his true birthplace for his first steps into his true power of what he could do. Experiments with his abilities began to run through his mind once he realized that he no longer would have to hold back. The Dungeon denizens would not weigh heavily on his mind since they were not considered to be real. Thus, his self training would begin anew, with friends by his side, quest to work towards, and gear to upgrade. The Vampire Progenitor would no longer be idle, running from fire to fire. It was time to make his mark upon Grenora with his own hands.