Chapter I: Humble Beginnings

**Chapter I: Humble Beginnings** takes place the following morning after the Prologue.

## Chapter I: Humble Beginnings

### The Morning

When Valkyrie woke up, she saw that Adrian wasn't around. She left the fort to go find him, but was instead introduced to a stranger. Weary at first, she asked who the stranger was, the man revealed that he was a messenger sent by the king of Avalor, Auldrin Ironheart and was looking for Adrian. Valkyrie pointed out that Adrian was behind him, who pointed his blade at the messenger, unsure if he was one of Storr's bandits. The messenger revealed a medallion to show that he works for Auldrin. He told Adrian that the king wanted to meet him at noon in Ætharia, he then left.

Adrian decided to see what Auldrin wanted to meet about, he told Valkyrie they were going to Ætharia, but first would need to go to a town called Moordon to retrieve Adrian's wagon and horse, Zestra. While travelling through some woods however, they came upon the body of the messenger from earlier, his throat had been cut. Adrian knew this was Storr's doing and told Valkyrie to be careful. As Adrian expected, three bandit assassins sent by Storr ambushed them. Two of them were fighting Adrian while the other chased a fleeing Valkyrie. The bandit managed to grab Valkyrie and pinned her down, about to kill. However, Valkyrie managed to grab a dagger that Adrian lent her and stab the bandit in the neck.

Shook up from killing another person, Valkyrie sat there shaking. Adrian came back to her, blood on his sword from the bandits, and tried comforting her. He told her they need to keep moving otherwise more bandits will just come. They travelled to Moordon and got Adrian's wagon and Zestra.

### Ætharia

The two arrived at Ætharia. They rode through the rich streets and Valkyrie admired how different this was to Ravendale. They arrived at a stable where Adrian told Valkyrie that he's going inside the castle to meet the king and that she needed to wait here. Valkyrie did that, for about 5 seconds. She eventually wondered off to have a look at the city, eventually finding the arena. She looked in the arena to see an orc and a centaur fighting. The orc won by brutally killing the centaur and Valkyrie was horrified. She saw that the orc was took back beneath the arena and decided that other creatures shouldn't be living like this.

She snuck under the arena and found the orc in a cell, there was also a group of three elves and lions in separate cells. She spoke to the orc, who said his name was Mordich Durgun. Valkyrie asked him why he and the elves were down here, he replied by informing her that Auldrin hated any creature that wasn't human. He also said that the elves were going to be executed for practicing magic in Avalor. To Valkyrie's horror, she watched as the guards forced the elves into the arena and let the lions kill them.

Valkyrie then stated that she was going to free Durgun, and that she wanted him to come with her and Adrian. Durgun accepted. He taunted the guard, who then went over to punish the orc. Valkyrie then attacked the guard and Durgun snapped his neck through the cell bars. He took the key and unlocked his cell. Using the alleyways, Valkyrie and Durgun snuck back to the wagon. Valkyrie hid Durgun in the back of it and Adrian left the castle just in time. After leaving Ætharia, Adrian met Durgun and was mad at Valkyrie for pulling such a reckless act. He was fine with Durgun coming, but was worried about how Auldrin would feel about this.

### A New Bounty

Auldrin revealed to the group that Auldrin had a new quest for him, to kill the legendary storm dragon that attacked them at the fort earlier, Rex Caelorum. Valkyrie wasn't happy that Adrian accepted to job to kill Rex and Durgun was confused as to why Adrian would even want to go near the beast. They travelled back to the orc fortress, when asked why, Adrian said that Rex couldn't have flown too far while carrying the vault and that he would have needed to rest.

They travelled in the direction Rex flew, eventually meeting some villagers that were fleeing. One of them said that The Storm King had been sighted near their town, Beldham, and that they were fleeing their homes for safety. Adrian left his wagon and Zestra at the town and left into the nearby forest with Valkyrie and Adrian to find the dragon.

They eventually found its cave. Adrian set up a trap outside that involved a log being attacked to a tree via a rope, he would call for Durgun to push it when he said, hoping that it would hit the dragon and stun it. Adrian ventured in the cave, not knowing that a stupid idiot behind him (Valkyrie) had followed. He met Rex and the two had a hostile conversation. Eventually, Rex charged at Adrian, forcing him to run out of the cave. Valkyrie also ran for her life, but tripped. Rex went to go eat her, but Adrian managed to distract him. Rex walked in the spot for the log, so Adrian gave Durgun the signal and he pushed it, the log hit Rex in the head and knocked him semi-unconscious on his back.

Thinking he beat The Storm King, Adrian went to stab its heart, but his sword snapped in two when hitting its chest. Rex clamped his jaws down on Adrian, but Adrian stabbed his sword in the top of Rex's mouth, just below his brain. The two were now in a stalemate. Valkyrie tried calming them down, but the two were too stubborn to let each other live. Eventually, Rex got Adrian out of his mouth and went to kill Valkyrie, but was hit by a giant boulder thrown from a catapult.

### Prisoners

The catapult was operated by a group of soldiers who were commanded by Rufus Lawbringer, a man who is loyal to Auldrin. He told Adrian that he was supposed to bring Rex in alive, not kill him. Valkyrie and Durgun didn't take kindly to being lied to. Lawbringer ordered them to be chained up and placed in their convoy, and started heading back to Ætharia.

During the journey there, Adrian said why he tried killing Rex. He said that no one wants a dragon alive for a good reason, he was suspicious of what Auldrin was up to and didn't want to risk it. His second reason was because Rex was known to destroy towns and villages across the world for treasure and Adrian wanted him dead. Valkyrie saw that two guards were cutting Rex with sharp objects and tormenting the dragon, she shouted at them to stop, but this just got her beaten. While she was getting beat, Adrian stole the key from a guard and unlocked his shackles. They also freed Rex, who carried them, Adrian's wagon and Zestra away with his talons after he destroyed Lawbringer's convoy.

### Hunted

Rex landed in a field, but immediately pinned down Adrian and questioned him why Auldrin wants him alive. Adrian said he didn't know, and that he tried killing him because of that and also because he's a dragon. Valkyrie asked Adrian why he hates dragons so much, Adrian told her that they just kill people for treasure. He also revealed his past, that his home town and family were killed and eaten by the legendary dragon known as Agaddon Perditor.

Being calmed down by Valkyrie, Rex let Adrian go. Rex was also hungry, so were the others, and Adrian pointed out that there's a bar nearby that accepts all kinds of creatures. At the bar, Adrian and Durgun ordered food and drinks while Rex and Valkyrie were at the back. Rex had discovered large barrels of ale and tasted it against Valkyrie's wishes. Later, Valkyrie noticed Lawbringer and his soldiers arriving near the bar. She ran inside to warn Adrian and Durgun. Lawbringer entered and addressed that he was looking for the group, stating that the people in the bar will be heavily rewarded if they turn them in. The group snuck out the back and found Rex, who was now drunk from the ale.

In a hurry, Adrian forced Rex to fly away. He did so, carrying them with his talons and flimsily flying in the air. Eventually, Rex passed out and crashed landed. Now safe, Adrian said that he was going to travel back to Moordon with Zestra to look for a new bounty. Valkyrie attempted to stroke Rex, but he woke up and was disgusted by her. He left, angry that he even decided to let them live. When Adrian got back, he had someone tied up on the back of Zestra. He pulled them down, revealing it to be Efrí Silvertongue who was still alive. Adrian said he found him trying to scam a market owner while he was getting his new bounty. Durgun asked him what it was and Adrian replied, saying a town up north called Grimmoore had been taken over by a witch coven.

### Storr No More

While getting ready to set off, the group was hit with sleeping darts, even Zestra. Valkyrie was the first to wake up, seeing that everyone else was still asleep and tied up. She met Storr again, who said he had followed Lawbringer to find you and saw a dragon. He wanted to kill the dragon so he could sell its parts on the black market for money, while also wanting to turn her and her friends in for even more.

Valkyrie didn't tell him anything, so Storr retaliated by stabbing her in the leg. She still resisted, not wanting him to kill Rex. He then turned to Efrí and put the knife to his throat, threatening to kill him. Valkyrie begged him not to, but Storr went to slice his throat. However, thunder and lightning started going off. Storr saw the dragon from earlier and realised it was The Storm King. In a panic, he ordered his men to shoot the ballista at him, but Rex shot a blast of lightning down, destroying it.

In the chaos, Adrian had woken up and had broken free. Durgun also had done the same and was fighting the bandits while laughing, clearly having fun. Adrian helped Valkyrie up, making sure she was alright, but Storr attacked him and knocked him out. He tripped Valkyrie up and went to bring his sword down on her, but Rex landed behind him and clamped his jaws down on Storr and ate him. Valkyrie looked around and passed out from all the chaos going on.

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