02-23-2012, 08:22 AM
Decades past after The Shattering with little turmoil. Calma, the reigning Queen had quickly prepared for grabs at the throne, but they never came. It seemed as though Athran’s final act was not saving Anyria, but blessing it with a time of peace. There were arguments and clashes as anyone might expect, but nothing that Athran’s son, Talin, wouldn’t be able to handle.
Just after his twentieth birthday, on the anniversary of The Shattering, Talin was crowned the King of Anyria and it was then that he revealed his magical prowess to the world. Though by no means the mage that his father had been, Talin had been granted powers as his father had and vowed, at his coronation, to use them to lead Anyria to prosperity.
That prosperity, however, would not last long. While the Queen had been working to stabilize the land and ensure Vesaria’s safety, Darus had been gathering followers and building an army. His thirst for vengeance would be sated by nothing less than the blood of D’Elmont’s family. He would see Vesaria crushed beneath his might as Almoria had been beneath Athran’s.
Leading his army north from the crater that had once been Almoria, it was not long before Darus was knocking on Vesaria’s door. His soldiers had crafted crude weapons to siege the city with. Rams of wood and stone struck at the city’s gates. Troops were carried to the top of walls by machines of Darus’s own creation; though little more than boxes on stilts, the machines delivered troops directly into Vesaria.
The Almorian force was significantly smaller than Vesaria’s, but they were strong, well-trained, and fueled by a thirst for revenge. Darus had selected each soldier by hand, choosing the ones who had lost the most from Athran’s careless flaunting of his magical powers. In addition to their drive to be victorious, they had Darus’s mind carefully planning their battles. The Vesaria’s were quickly and decidedly overrun by the Almoria’s brutal tactics and ruthless fighting.
Though he wished to stay and defend the city his father had built, Talin was inexperienced, untrained, and caught completely off-guard. Both the Talin and Calma retreated from Vesaria, taking as many of their people with them as they could. Darus, however, was not interested in letting his prey escape. He was prepared to give chase to the fledgling king and end the D’Elmont line with his own hands.
Talin, though not the magical powerhouse that his father was, turned to meet Darus’s advance. As the two leaders locked eyes, Talin could see the rage and the sorrow that had been building within the man for decades. The years had also worn on the older man; he was no longer the fighter he had once been and though his mind was sharp, his body was overworked and malnourished. He had lived so long for that moment. A small part of the young king was actually pained to take it from him.
As his father had done, Talin steeled himself and called forth the depths of his power. Raising his hands to the sky, the mage felt the ground tremble, moving at his will. Between himself and Darus rose a massive wall. The wall seemed to have been carved from a single piece of a pure white, flawless stone. It extended across the land, father than Talin could see in any direction and over twenty leagues tall.
As exhaustion overtook Talin, he could hear Darus scream in rage from beyond the wall. Though the Almoria may not have claimed the king’s life, he had taken everything D’Elmont had built.
Just after his twentieth birthday, on the anniversary of The Shattering, Talin was crowned the King of Anyria and it was then that he revealed his magical prowess to the world. Though by no means the mage that his father had been, Talin had been granted powers as his father had and vowed, at his coronation, to use them to lead Anyria to prosperity.
That prosperity, however, would not last long. While the Queen had been working to stabilize the land and ensure Vesaria’s safety, Darus had been gathering followers and building an army. His thirst for vengeance would be sated by nothing less than the blood of D’Elmont’s family. He would see Vesaria crushed beneath his might as Almoria had been beneath Athran’s.
Leading his army north from the crater that had once been Almoria, it was not long before Darus was knocking on Vesaria’s door. His soldiers had crafted crude weapons to siege the city with. Rams of wood and stone struck at the city’s gates. Troops were carried to the top of walls by machines of Darus’s own creation; though little more than boxes on stilts, the machines delivered troops directly into Vesaria.
The Almorian force was significantly smaller than Vesaria’s, but they were strong, well-trained, and fueled by a thirst for revenge. Darus had selected each soldier by hand, choosing the ones who had lost the most from Athran’s careless flaunting of his magical powers. In addition to their drive to be victorious, they had Darus’s mind carefully planning their battles. The Vesaria’s were quickly and decidedly overrun by the Almoria’s brutal tactics and ruthless fighting.
Though he wished to stay and defend the city his father had built, Talin was inexperienced, untrained, and caught completely off-guard. Both the Talin and Calma retreated from Vesaria, taking as many of their people with them as they could. Darus, however, was not interested in letting his prey escape. He was prepared to give chase to the fledgling king and end the D’Elmont line with his own hands.
Talin, though not the magical powerhouse that his father was, turned to meet Darus’s advance. As the two leaders locked eyes, Talin could see the rage and the sorrow that had been building within the man for decades. The years had also worn on the older man; he was no longer the fighter he had once been and though his mind was sharp, his body was overworked and malnourished. He had lived so long for that moment. A small part of the young king was actually pained to take it from him.
As his father had done, Talin steeled himself and called forth the depths of his power. Raising his hands to the sky, the mage felt the ground tremble, moving at his will. Between himself and Darus rose a massive wall. The wall seemed to have been carved from a single piece of a pure white, flawless stone. It extended across the land, father than Talin could see in any direction and over twenty leagues tall.
As exhaustion overtook Talin, he could hear Darus scream in rage from beyond the wall. Though the Almoria may not have claimed the king’s life, he had taken everything D’Elmont had built.