Tales of Exzalia dying worlds

Emery and River Chat in the Gardens

After much begging from Lyra, Emery had finally conceded and let her join with the other children. Since Berk and Pip had departed that morning, she needed some time alone; some time to think.

Walking outside the palace, somehow she had made her way to the gardens. A sly grin passed over her lips as she thought fifty years prior, to the last time she had stepped foot on the same turf. Emery paused to pluck a red flower from a bush, twirling the petals in her fingertips. The little flower reminded her of Lyra, so full of life and growing each day.

Out of the corner of her eye, Emery noticed movement near the opposite side of the garden; a familiar face.

"Oh River, I should've known you were here," Emery said. She hurriedly dropped the petal back into the bush. Lyra would about kill her if she knew she had hurt a plant. "This place does bring back many memories, doesn't it?"

"Indeed it does." River looked up, smiling at the memory. "I wonder what those 'perfect' people thought of us. Running around tackling eachother." She gave a light chuckle and spun a small blue flower between her fingers. Its color almost perfectly matched that of the gem on her ring.

"I can only imagine," Emery laughed lightly. "After all the hardships we've faced, I still think on how we managed to have fun. As they say the small moments are what matter in this life," Emery bent down to smell the flowers sweet fragrance before sitting down on a decorative bench. "So, River, how much longer do you have before your little one is brought into the world?"

"Oh," River sighed before taking a seat beside Emery. "It's been about 8 months, I carried Kieran for about 12 and Rayla for 13 so...probably 4 or 5 more months."

"My goodness," Emery exclaimed. "I'll pray it's only 4 more. Lyra was late term, but...13 months? I admire your patience."

"Elves are used to carrying elves for 14 months. I am much more fortunate as my children are half-elves." River smiled.

"So you and Berk. How long have you two been married?"

"Nearly fourty-five years, five years after we met." Emery sighed. "My, has it been that long already? Time passes too quickly these days."

"Yes, it certainly does." A strange look suddenly came over River's features. She looked around, confused.

"What is it, River?" Emery asked.

"I don't know. I heard something...hear something. Like footsteps but I don't see anyone." River shrugged her shoulders. "Strange."

 

Will

Will jumped into action when the uncastables attacked. He didn't have time to stop and think, he just reacted. It had been a long time since he'd been in a real battle, but that hadn't stopped him from training and getting better. He started off by casting Black Quasar and an orb of Nox appeared over his head and started spinning, blasting waves out at the uncastables all around him. Then he followed that up with ArcFlare, an upgraded version of ArcLight. He sent it right into the midst of the Uncastables, waiting for the giant bomb like spell to go off. Then he drew the sword he'd taken from the Farian Armory, and started weaving anew.

------------

Keiran

He was exploring the castle when he heard sounds of running around the corner of the hall. He waited, and a moment later Rayla, Marine, and Lyra came bursting around the corner, smiles on their faces.

"Glad to see you're making friends," Keiran said deadpan. "Why are you running?"

 

Rayla

"Why are you running?"

"We're playing tag, you boring old goat." Rayal responded teasingly. "Have you seen Carson? He's our target."

 

"Strange."

What happened next was stranger still, a funnel of water bigger than a man and flying at high speeds crashed into Emery knocking her several feet away, throwing the Charon woman through the glass windows of a small shop. River stood up suddenly, a reaction any one would do, her elf reflexes suddenly kicked. She spun and turned just in time to see a cloak figure strike for her holding a venom tipped dagger!
.......

The kids continued their game of tag when suddenly other people began to join, shop keepers and soldiers ran this way and that, but they didn't have the faces of those who were care free. Their faces were filled with worry, and fear. Something was wrong. Sol and Knob observed the chaos and were the first to realize what was happening. jumping in front of Rayla he yelled.

"Follow me, all of you. Something has gone terribly wrong."

 

River

River cast Earthen Barrier blocking the dagger and then shoved the gaia weave into the face of her assailant. Before her attacker could recover she cast Nox Blast, hoping to send her flying.


Rayla

"Follow me, all of you. Something has gone terribly wrong." Sol said suddenly extremely serious.
"What's going on? I thought we were safe here!" Rayla demanded.

 

Keiran

He noticed the people running, and they didn't look like they were playing tag.

"Follow me, all of you. Something has gone terribly wrong." Keiran unslung his bow.

"I need to find my mother! Rayla! When did you see her last?!"

 

The attacker was repelled by nox blast, but landed on her feet with skill unlike any other.

"It's true what they say, you are strong. But also soft." The figure charged forward again, this time it cast dark pulse twice. then with impressive foot work dashed to the side and went for the elfs flank.

"But how good can you fight while your so bloated?"

.......

Will was suddenly confronted by an uncastable wielding duel wands, he began firing them one shot of merc eather, the other Charon! the speed in which he unleashed his attacks put to shame even the fastest spells.

 

Archibald was suddenly struck in the shoulder by a shot from the gunman, with more surely to come. I hate magic. He spun backwards, thrown off balance by the shot, but kept spinning long after he had recovered. His very movements were infused by adra eather as he spun, and the dirt around him began to rise. Suddenly, he stopped spinning and touched the ground. Just as suddenly, the whirlwind around him kicked fully into force and surrounded Archibald in a blinding cloud of dust. All the projectiles flying towards him were carelessly thrown aside by the wild winds. Under the cover of Whirlwind, Archibald began weaving his adept spell.

 

As Archibald weaved, he could hear shots bouncing off his spell. then suddenly a shot much brighter than the others smashed into his whirl shield.

*Boom!*

the eathers collided, his shield was down, he now had to cast his adept spell quickly, or risk death."

 

Emery-30%

The sound of glass shattering still rang in her ears as she hit the floor. Blood dripped from her bare arms, but there was no time to think on her most hated red substance of the human body. Grabbing onto a nearby bookshelf, she hefted herself to a standing position. Slowly but surely, she limped from the shop and through the busy crowds. Finally, she came back to where a cloaked figure was mocking River.

Emery weaved lightning strike, sending it soaring at the attacker. With her Charon at the ready, she tossed a few firebombs for good measure.

-------------------------
Lyra

Lyra looked to the other kids and back to the rude boy in front of them. She echoed Rayla's words, but deep inside she remembered the boy's previous outbursts. "Did you do this?" Lyra pointed at the boy. "It's not just some silly prank, right?"

 

Archibald | Life: 90%

An explosion sounded directly over Archibald's head. "Let it be known that I deeply resent this," he muttered, before the crackle of lightning boomed through the forest. The bolt flew directly at the gunman and, as it flew, Archibald seemed to disappear, desintegrating into a short lived orb of sparks. In the blink of an eye, Archibald was behind the gunman and slashing at him. Arms, shoulder, neck. He would neutralize the man's ability to fight first by cutting the muscles in his arms, and then neutralize the threat altogether.

 

Will

The Uncastable with the wands was coming at Will, but he finished his weave nonetheless, ArchAngel. Althea flooded the field, and when it cleared, Will was standing with Gigantic Althea wings and Armor, and his sword flashing and pulsing with light magic. Then he flapped the giant wings and Flash Spears poured out of them , raining into the main force from Morien. Then he cast Light Spear, upgraded version of Flash Spear capable of skewering multiple enemies at once, and hurled it at the attacking uncastable.

 

Rayla

"I need to find my mother! Rayla! When did you see her last?!" Keiran demanded.
"Uh...she...she said something about going to the garden. Why? Do you think she's in trouble?" Rayla asked anxiously.

--------------------------------------
River

"It's true what they say, you are strong. But also soft." River's attacker moved swiftly trying to get her from behind. "But how good can you fight while your so bloated?"

Spurred by the need to protect her unborn child River cast Water Warp. A move she had been practicing for the past 15 years. She suddenly appeared 10 feet away evading the attacks. River staggered as she was hit by a sudden bout of light-headedness. She used a nearby wall for support. Emery came out of the store, bleeding but alive and angry. She bought River the precious time she need to recover.

A moment later she weaved Earthen Daggers sending 5 large daggers formed from Gaia flying at the assailant with great speed.

 

Did you do this?" Lyra pointed at the boy. "It's not just some silly prank, right?"

"No! it's not a prank! but if we don't move now you'll wish it was!" Sol face looked certainly desperate.

"There here!" Knob yelled, Sol turned. A rush of soldiers charged towards them, a woman was cut down as she fell, blood spraying over the walls of a bread shop.

"Uncastables" Sol began to weave.

.........

The cloaked attacker evaded the lightning strike, then countered Emeries next weave with dilute, still fighting both of them at once would be trouble. So jumping back she cast summon cray jaw!

An eel as big as a windseer emerged from her weave, covered in armour like a crab it lunged at Emery. River was next, suddenly the ground beneath her feet tuned to water, she fell into a puddle that seemed to come out of no where! before she could recover the rogue was on top of her.

"I should gut that baby out of you like a fish," she hissed, "Or maybe I should go after your other children first?" the cloaked figure raised her dagger. "No matter."

 

Pickles whipped his shield at Will's attacker. It was different from his old one. Same enchantment but this one was made of fine Merclan metal. The hero wasn't smiling anymore. But that never stopped a good sense of humor. He was aware his friends had been hurt but a good bit of healthy conversation never hurt. "Remind you of all times old man Will?" Pickles asked jokingly as his shield closed in on his target.

 

Keiran

"Uh...she...she said something about going to the garden. Why? Do you think she's in trouble?"

"I don't know, but I don't want to find out she was too late!" he shouted, then took off running for the gardens. Finally, he made his was to the garden, and vaulted over a wall to get in. He immediately saw his mother being attacked by a shadowy figure. He cast Wind shield on his mother, then drew and fired his bow, all in one breath, then cast Blowback, speeding his arrow towards it's target with more force and the spell right behind it.

Will

"Remind you of all times old man Will?" Pickles called.

"Oh yes, a little to much if you ask me!" Will replied, then cast another ArcFlare. Followed by Dark Lightning from each hand, blasting into the uncastables.

 

"I should gut that baby out of you like a fish," she hissed, "Or maybe I should go after your other children first?" the cloaked figure raised her dagger. "No matter."

River formed another earthen dagger in her hand and shoved it towards her attacker's side. Then a shield suddenly appeared over her and out of the corner of her eye she saw Keiran firing his bow and Rayla forming a flash spear.

With deadly accuracy, Rayla threw the flashspear hoping to gut the monster that would dare attack her pregnant mother.

 

"Brother put me down!" Carson stepped out of the shadows carrying a very scared looking Marine. He set his scared sister down and was gone in a flash as always.

Marine turned and saw Sol and others fighting. She hesistantly made her way over.

Carson on the other hand had made his way to the battle happening with River, Emery and Rayla. He stepped beside Rayla and began to weave. "I'm afraid I can't condone violence against the pregnant." Carson cast Needler from the blood on the floor. 20-30 spikes and various other sharped objects made of blood went at the cloaked figures.

 

Emery

Emery dodged the eel's grasp, weaving comet storm as she did. Her eyes widened at the sight of the massive eel, but again there was no time for casualties. With her weave complete, she cast it at the creature, aiming for its head...or what looked to be its head.

---------------

Lyra

Lyra screamed when she saw the woman killed. Uncastables...like ones in her parents stories. When she noticed Sol begin to weave, Lyra followed. She weaved Earth Stomp, hoping to start off her first battle with a rumble. Briefly she thought of her mom. Where was she?

 

Remember the name

She brought the dagger down just as Kieran and Rayla appeared. their attacks interrupted her strike, but she still drew blood from Rivers left cheek. the cloaked figure screamed as river shoved a dagger in her side, the cray jaw moved to protect it's master blocking her from furthure harm even as Carson joined in.

Rayla felt something on her leg, a hand. she looked down to see a cloaked figure had grabbed by the ankle. using some strange magic to turn him self into water, he lifted her into the air.

"About time! hold them off while I transport the elf!" the first cloaked figure sneered to the second one. Slamming Rayla into a stone fountain smashing the beautiful stone artwork to rubble it went after Kieran.


Rivers world was growing blurry, the dagger, the dagger must have been poisoned. would she die here? But then she felt weightless, warping? she was being warped, she would not die here. but worse, she was being captured.

Emery fought bravely, but in the end she too was struck by a poisoned dagger. this time it was thrown from behind, another cloaked figure sunk back into the shadows.

"Misven." remember that name kids. the woman who attacked River said with a laugh, before all of them, River and Emery included, warped away leaving the kids stunned.

 

Keiran

Rushed forward. He'd almost made it to his mother, but then she was gone, along with Emery and the attackers.

"No!" He cried, falling to his knees. "No no no..." he carried on, looking around frantically for any sign of his mother. Then he remembered the last thing that he'd heard, Misven. He jumped up and ran to Carson and Marine. "Misven was your grandmother, right? Why would she be involved in something like this?" Keiran demanded.

 

Carson paused his face stoic. But then a very wide smile spread across his face. He knew the name.........in fact he knew it very well. "Well I believe I own you an apology Mister Kieran and Miss Rayla." He said grinning brightly as if nothing happened. Carson was actually happy that the attacker was a family member. She'd make a fine villain to face. "It seems my grandmother as taken your mother and Miss Emery." He said cheerfully. "Well lets get to finding them."

Carson then paused and looked at Keiran. "Not sure on why she'd do it Mister Keiran. But I can assure we will catch her." Carson paused. "This maybe due to that love triangle from your father's past. Or it could have always been someone disguised as Misiven."

Marine sighed. That wasn't how she planned on meeting her grandmother. In fact she was almost on the verge of tears. She didn't know what to do. "I..I don't know." The mer started sobbing. She just froze up she wasn't used to war.

 

Rayla

Rayla groaned as she lay on the ground. Peices of stone fountain lay around her. Her head hurt.

"Misven. Remember that name kids." The woman laughed. Rayla looked up just in time to see one the attackers weave a warping spell, then suddenly Mom was gone. And Lyra's mom too.

"Mom!" Rayla screamed pushing herself to her knees, but it was no good. She was gone. Blood trickled down the side of her head, as she looked around frantically. "Kieran...mom, where'd they take her? Whose Misven?"

"It seems my grandmother as taken your mother and Miss Emery." Carson said cheerfully. "Well lets get to finding them."

"Why?" Rayla asked pushing herself to her feet. "Why would they take them?"

 

Lyra

Lyra had stopped weaving when she heard yells, shouts, and running. Right as she had stepped foot in the garden, she saw her mom for a brief instant, a dagger in her back. Then she was gone.

"NO!" Lyra screamed, running to the place where her mom had stood. "Where did she go? What happened?!" Lyra's innocent face scrunched worriedly as tears fell down her face. She almost despised her mom at times...but now that she was gone, would she ever see her again?

 

"Enough!" Carson shouted to all the kids. It wasn't mean but it was stern enough to gain some order. "First off lets clear the air about some things." Carson had gained plenty of knowledge digging through his parents archives and his travels all through Exzalia. Carson grinned and began to speak. "If the culprit is truly Misiven. Then I can name off a few interesting things about her."

He paused. He decided to stay his mouth for a bit. He wanted to see how events would play out. "I'll only tell you all so much for now. Lets just say she doesn't like your dad or mother very much. Quite the lethal woman but that's all I'm saying. I'm afraid my family tends to keep secrets that I'll keep now for to. But I promise as soon as I feel it proper to do so." He turned and looked at Lyra, I'm afraid your mother was just caught in the crossfire of a long feud." He said gravely. "But cheer up eh? Everything's gonna be fine." He said his smile getting brighter. "Trust me we will make sure this all gets sorted out and save who we can." Carson had knowledge on just about anything that had to do with his family. It was the one of the many joys of being good at theft.

Marine started getting in a panic. "Oh migosh! What are we gonna do!? Are our parents still reachable!?" She said practically pulling out her hair as her eyes welled up.