Forgotten Realms Fan Fiction ❯ The Dark Series ❯ Chapter 1

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: MrAZ

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Though no breeze blew, the morning grew warm. The air sat heavily over the high mountains, through the canopy of trees and through the silver threads of rivers running, as it does when a storm is brooding. No doubt, the clashing of swords, swooshing of arrows and wild battle cries can be heard far away.

In the secret heart of the High Tower beyond the river, a long fight came about. Inside, on a narrow and winding stairs, three persons were driving off the evil forces. The Dark Riders. Once, long ago, these three had been called the Striders. They the Lords of the High Art of Sorcery, The Beloved of the Dark Lords of Attack, of the Dark Lords of Swords, and of the Dark gods of Spell and Nature. They are the most powerful of all dark mages ever feared in the whole land and in their time. They are looked high upon by their men, and loved by their king. They wore dark velvet robes given to them by the head of their Order, Lord Par-Salian, silver- stitched with runes of warding - ancient runes like those upon the outer wall of the Tower, marks whose meaning few knew, but they understood. As had become their habit, whether abroad or indoors, fighting or not, they wore the hood of that robe up, shadowing their faces, leaving only their eyes and a few strands of their hair to be seen. Their legendary swords were forged from the finest elements, a mixture of solid gold and silver, the blade was richly engraved in Elvish writing for delicate and fine detail, the hilt wrapped in genuine leather with metal attachments and set with fiery green crystals. The source of its immense power lies beneath the walls of the blade, greater than anyone could have ever known. It only awakens when being called by their holders. But for now, they were in the stillness of slumber.

The fight now over, the three Dark Riders ran towards the hall and left outside, leaving behind trails of blood and carcasses that lay in state. “Hurry!” shouted one of the riders. They reached outside the Tower, quickly rode on their horses and set forth towards the forest.

The tracks were of dust and grass now as they moved along the edge of the forest; the air swept over them, their robes behind them like flying cloaks.

“We will get there in no time,” one of the riders panted.

Suddenly, an army of dragon- like creatures, the Draconians, dropped down from the sky, bursting out of the bitter- blue sky right over the three Dark Riders. On the ground, the riders looked up. The creatures roared, the sound so loud the air trembled, the earth itself shook. Below the Dark Riders stopped on their tracks. Upon the back of the biggest draconian, the master shouted, “Where is it?”

“The hands of yours will never have it even by force!” answered Alex, one of the Dark Riders. Her golden strands of hair and amethyst eyes are visible under her hood.

“Petty little defenders, now that won't do will it? Just hiding it from us.” The Draconians thrust hard with their mighty wings, gaining the heights again, and turned round over the forest. This wasn't good. On the ground, the Dark Riders rushed fast again, casting bright brinks of spell over the enemies like fire here and there. Roaring, the Draconians dropped low over the aspens as the Dark Riders drove past the dark forest. One by one, tracks of trees burst into flames behind them, kindled by one of the flying Draconians, the stench of burning wood drifted upon black smoke. “We shall have them take better than that!” shouted Luke, riding on the left of Alex's side, his green eyes gleaming like fire towards the gaining Draconians. Michelle, the Dark Rider in the center and not too far ahead, shouted to her two companions behind her,

“We're nearly there!”

Another fire broke out and the Dark Riders dodged the falling and flaming trees swiftly. Just as the Draconians breathed another balls of fire, the Dark Riders repelled them with their spell, covering them at the same time like a giant ball of black-blue & white barrier. Soon after, they reached the center of the river and stopped. For the very first time, the Dark Riders pulled down the hood of their dark robes, revealing their true beauty and bold image. Their hairs were long, silky and flowing. Though they wore their hoods up constantly, here it seemed like their hair were neatly groomed and not messed up at all. But the best part is this, now without their hoods, fierce expression of deep fury is now clear in the beautiful profile of their faces and gleaming eyes.

The Draconians arrived in time and faced them above the sky. Now this will take it further. We will have you taste death and I will force it on you if you are being so persistent!”

“You wish-” Alex whispered furiously.

“Hell be upon you-“ Luke muttered under his breath.

The Dark Riders draw their swords together. The waves of the river splashed beneath the foot of their horses. Finally, in her cold and controlled voice, Michelle spoke, “If you want it - come and claim it.” The striking words hit the highlord and his men like ice.

“Get them!”

The Draconians filled up their lungs with air and, as though those lungs were a bellows, they pushed air out past the place in their throat where dragonfire lived. Death's own banner, flames greater than a while ago poured from between their fanged jaws. Flames touched the tops of the aspens, and far across the river. But the Dark Riders didn't move or indicate in any way their discomfort or fear. They simply stood in the center of the river, swords gleaming under the curtain of sunlight, their eyes fierce under the hood of their dark robes. On their rider's command, the Draconians began to sweep towards the Dark Riders.

Just then, the Dark Riders began to form their united front; Luke in the center, with Alex on his right and Michelle on his left. Instead of their usual arrow- form where Michelle's in the center, they stayed close, side by side. Together, they held their swords up, closed to their chests. An Elvish incantation was breathed out from their lungs, gathering up their full strength as they closed their eyes. Beneath them the waters began to sway in an unusual flow; darkness fell, the skies grew dark, closing in upon the sun like a curtain, thundering noises filled up the air. Both creations of nature were answering the call of their masters, to the aid of the three riders upon the center of the river… The cannonballs of fire were making their way towards them now…. The Dark Riders breathed aloud the incantation some more, and streams of spirit force began to form in their eyes, glowing, changing their usual color; Alex's amethyst eyes now turned into fiery green, Michelle's midnight blue into fierce amethyst, and Luke's green into mighty brown. But in one's point of view from afar, all eyes were of fiery and bloody red. Their hair changed too, silky thick than ever; the golden strands of Alex's now into amethyst, Michelle's blue-black into silver, and Luke's deep brown into midnight black… The waters bubbled like there's something beneath that ignited, waves splashing here and there, mist of smoke rising from the water; the skies are thundering louder - the Draconians were gaining upon them, drawing nearer - closer… The incantation now strong and fierce, for the third and last time, an immense spirit force began to make a real form behind the riders. Three giant warriors, the Elders of War, the strongest and mightiest Elven kings feared of all, the Lords of Past and Present. They rode on the backs of their loyal creatures, Phoenix, the lord of all horses and winged creatures, with eyes full of powers. The three Phoenixes knew their lords so much, deeply as Phoenixes knew their riders. These were the Lords of Attack, the true form of the prowess and talent of battle attacks of the Dark Riders. There were still other two groups of real form, The Dark Gods of Spell and Nature and the Lords of Swords, each were also greatest and feared above all, but were not awaken at present. The Dark Riders only need the powerful Lords of Attack for now. But they also called out the powers of the Dark Gods of Spell and Nature, and the gods gave their most beloved their hands.

Right after the last word of the incantation was spoken, the river shot up towards the sky, spinning like a giant tornado, splashing as the Lords of War in the form of a great comet of fire rushed forward to join with the water. Now a mixture of water and fire - streams of neither liquid nor gas - formed into giant shards, flames of water and fire touched the moulds of rock, and it flew past those, firing the Draconians beyond and to either side. The highlord and his men shouted in terror, fear in their reptilian eyes. The Draconians with their masters were herded here and there into a deadly trap in the river and forest, bounded on three big sides by the flaming waves and on the other. Above them the sky were deep velvet black and whirling, loud thunder broke and great bolts of lightning in the form of silvery fierce eagles with red eyes, hit towards the circling wave, the bolts scattering on the stream and began to spread forth like giant claws; both forces of nature swallow the enemies whole, splashing here and there, killing each Draconian and their master they found with no mercy, leaving nothing behind. The waves hit the ground with a loud splash, the waves swooped, and soon the water went still. The sky above stopped whirling, darkness fading gradually, sunlight now flowed into the earth. The spirit force and power also faded from the Dark Riders. Slowly, the change turned back into their usual color and appearance. Everything went back to normal again.

The riders pushed their swords down into their own sheaths and raced north again, ripping the light in the palace not far ahead.

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