Thread: Eldritch Prophecies ::Haru - Rhu::

Haruchai said There was an unease in the world, a certain sort of malaise that had begun some time ago. Those in tune with the planet, the ones that dealt with nature and the well-being of the world around them could not identify the source. And yet, all seemed to agree that this ennui, this languor, stemmed from the time in which King Varret had taken the throne in Lanthan. He had united the various Kingdoms of the World of Palladium , and in doing so had done something no other King before him had done. His was a dynasty, and one he planned to make into a legacy no matter the cost. Varret had been opposed of course, though as his power grew and armies fell, he subsumed all who had opposed him. Several small factions remained unfettered by his rule, though operate in hiding. It was as Varret had marched with his armies across Lanthan that he and his men had discovered a small subrace of elves that many had thought to be extinct. The Lythari. Known as the Silver Shadows, they all possess pale almost platinum hair and very light skin. Not only did Varret and his men discover these legendary elves, they found that some of them still held the Old Magic. Primordial magic that tapped directly into Palladium itself. The most promising of the Lythari were taken and now reside with the King. Ever since that time, the Land has entered this state. ---------- It had been almost a decade since Rahm had lost his sister, taken by King Varret due to her connection with the Old Magic. Not just his sister, but his fraternal twin. The two had been close, growing up in isolation, sheltered from the world by, admittedly, overprotective parents. Of course that had all been shattered when Varret had seen to his conquests, and Rahm's sister had been ripped from the family. There had not been a single day in which the Lythari elf had not sworn his vengeance, and when he head reached his twelfth year Rahm set out from the Great Northern Forest and to the south into the Dominion of Men. His mere presence was sometimes seen as a boon, and sometimes as a bane, and yet he always found his way, and his natural dexterity and deft manner brought enough attention to allow him to train under a reknowned swordmaster. Master Miyamoto . Honing his skills Rahm was a quick learner and once Miyamoto had taught him all he could he was sent far to the west, into the Lands of Yin, and into the Yin-Loth Jungle. It was there that Rahm trained with the Shivas , masters of the blade and reknowned for their four-sword style. Undisputed masters of the sword, the Shivas did not train just anyone, and Rahm had to prove his worth to them in some way. The Lythari elf proved himself, again and again, and finally was accepted as a student. Training under the Shivas for a handful of years improved his already formidable swordplay by leaps and bounds and soon the elf was a match save for all but the most practiced of Shivas masters. Now armed with the knowledge and the skill to rescue his sister, Rahm sets out to find her and bring her home. ---------- Far to the north, in the city of Atragon was where Varret had built his castle. The City of Spires, and of beauty and wonder, the city is a bastion of peace, but of peace borne through fear. None dare speak against the King, despite the murmurings of the unrest that settles over the land like a plague. The journey was long, but Rahm was determined to see his sister again. There was no hiding that he was Lythari, his facial markings unable to be hidden, even with dyes or other devices. Instead Rahm stood proud and made his way northward, Word had spread of the Lythari that traveled alone, though none knew his purpose. Under the guise of a traitor, a Lythari that had turned on his people, Rahm devised that story even if it was not true - as the only way to get close enough to the King. The Lythari planned to offer himself as Champion to the King, gaining access to all that Varret was, and hoping to make things crumble from the inside. Rahm knew the King had his sister, but he was not sure where. It was a week before his ninety-second birthday, still a very young elf by the way they measured time, when Rahm arrived at Atragon. Just as he had planned, the stories of a lone Lytharu had preceded him, and he was admitted into the city, an honored guest of the King himself. Click to expand... Astarael Only remembered the tidbits of her home, but she remembered all of the times she spend with her beloved twin. Memories were funny that way. She tried to count the years in her head as she stared into the looking glass fastening the thin black veil over her nose and mouth. She then proceeded to work on the figuring out a way to attach the fascinator to her pale locks of hair. The entire outfit, which bore the dark colors of the kingdom, was in striking contrast to her nearly snow white skin. Still it was different than her usual Court Attire . She looked at the markings that made a sleeve on her right arm, and left leg. Unlike male Lythari, females didn't gain markings on their face, until they had mated with a male. Astarael was glad that somehow in this kingdom of hate she had managed to remain chaste. Tonight was a night of hope, as she admired the black and violet dancing attire she recounted the rumors she'd heard in her head A lone Lythari, one who had betrayed his people, was coming as a guest of the king. Knowing he'd betrayed her people made Astarael uneasy, but she was hoping the king would invite him to a feast after the night's show, and maybe she could find out if her people were still where they had been when she was taken or some other useful information. Normally dancers would be allowed nowhere near a king's feast, but she was also the court mage, the only licensed dark magic practitioner in the entire kingdom, she'd wanted to practice the magic of the ancients, but the king had forced her to learn the more taboo practices, the ones that were twisted version of the old magic, sick impersonations, but impersonations that could fell towns. She'd been made to help him in many of his conquests. She glowered at herself in the mirror just as the door opened and one of the servants told her it was time. She made her way through the many wooden constructs backstage. The murmurs were loud even through the curtain, but Astarael was used to that. As she got into position and the curtains rose, she quickly scanned the audience around the king for the face she would've recognize, the elf. Her shock hit her almost like a truck as she realized she did recognize the face. Tears almost came to her eyes, but she bit her lip and acted fast. Just as the music started she raised and hand and halted it, speaking in a calm tone. Forgive me my king, but I have just thought of a song that might please you and your guest even more. After all, it is a special night is it not? Just as the musicians seemed confused the songstress raised her hand flicking her wrist, a velvety fog suddenly swirled around the instruments, and they began playing their own song. She started to move , her body slowly bending and moving to the rythym, however this dance was nothing anyone in the kingdom had ever seen before, it was in her native language, and the dance was a traditional routine, done during the Blue Moon Festival, that opened the Lythari mating season. As her body swayed and stretched she never lost eye contact with Rahm, knowing he'd be the only one to recognize this dance, in case he didn't recognize her. After the dance was done she curtsied as the curtain closed, knowing the king was boring holes into her with his eyes. As she got backstage the reaction was distraught, they all chewed her out for straying from the original routine, and those that didn't hate her for being an elf told her the king would have her head, which she already knew. She also knew she had to do what she had done, her last remaining shreds of hope depended on it. As she approached her room the king's adviser approached and she groaned. He spoke with malice laced in his voice. The king says you are not to attend the feast, the only reason he's not having you executed is because you're the most powerful mage he's ever had. However, he says you will be punished and if you pull this again, he will kill you and go back to your village and just take more Lythari children. Astarael simply glared at him and headed towards her room, he grabbed her wrist but the moment his skin met her is instantly burned him. The adviser shrieked and stormed off. Astarael flopped on her bed, she was dissapointed she wouldn't be able to attend the feast, but she made sure her aura radiated magic knowing Rahm would sense something.