Prologue 1: Artuck

It started quiet. Maybe even a little too quiet. All he could remember was the ringing of silence in his ears as he sat up. He rubbed his eyes and slowly opened them. The room was cold, dark, and grim. Before him stood a man. A man with dark gray skin, hair as white as clouds, and a grin wider than the ocean itself. As he stood, the man helped him to his feet. He tried to speak, but all he could muster was a simple, "Wh-who a-am I?"

"You are my final heir. Your name is Artuck, and it means 'Remembrance.' To remember all that I have achieved. All I have done for you. Come along, now. There's someone I want you to meet. After all, you have four brothers, Artuck."

Artuck. My name? My name is Artuck. The man began to walk to a nearby table.

Artuck looked around the room. Made of stone, the room was dark, except for a small flame above the man's head, like that of candlelight. The room was small, only about large enough for the bed Artuck awoke from, a table, with books and scrolls, and all kinds of parchment upon it, as well as another, smaller table with drawers, and an unlit lamp upon it. A tiny stool sat next to the bed. The man bent over the larger table, and began to pick and write upon a parchment there.

"And then who are you? My father?" The man chuckled to himself before turning towards Artuck.

"Sure, you could say that. But if you want the full answer, I made you, Artuck! I used my magic to-to-to create life! And you, my boy, are the perfected form! I shall help train you in the magicks I embedded within you, to become strong and powerful, like your father, and hopefully, one day, you will be powerful enough to dethrone even me! Oh, I may have gotten ahead of myself here. My name is Haldore. And you have my magic and memories within you." Artuck cocked his head to the side.

"Memories? Why?" Haldore chuckled again, and this time, he put down the parchment and walked over to Artuck and rested a hand on his shoulder.

"So that you may perform basic tasks, such as standing, like you are now," Haldore pointed down to Artuck's feet, "and walking, talking, and the like. I had to teach your third brother how to walk, talk, and even eat!" Artuck looked down at the palms of his hands, before turning them over. These were his hands, and Haldore had made them for him. So that he may live.

"Alright, father, what do we do now?" Haldore removed his hand from Artuck's shoulder and began to walk away, gesturing for him to follow. Artuck did so, and Haldore guided him to a balcony nearby, and as Artuck walked up to the railing, he took in the beautiful view that lay in front of him.

A massive lake, with the most blue water you've ever seen, and birds flying above it, swooping down to catch fish. And beyond the lake, a forest. A green, dark green forest. Full of life, full of color. As Artuck watched, he saw animals darting back and forth, and even some chasing others. Artuck wanted to be like these animals, to just run around and play.

All of a sudden, Artuck felt small. So very small. Artuck looked up and saw the railing now looming over him, and as Artuck went to scratch an itch on his face, he realized his small arms could not reach. And as Artuck looked down, he saw his hands were now small, little fluffy paws. 

"Ahh, you are a quick learner, Artuck! Already you've used some of the magic I gave you to shapeshift! It took the eldest about a week to figure that out! I believe there is promise for you, Artuck. I made you so that you and your brothers may preserve the peace of Alteran, keep it stable, keep it secure."

" Come on now, we've got introductions to make." Artuck once again found himself wishing it was easier to walk, and found himself transforming back into the original form he had. Haldore once again ushered Artuck to follow, and as Haldore stepped into a new room, Artuck realized the room was very large. From what Artuck could see, the room had a very long table in it, high chandeliers, and a full wall of colorful windows.

"Percel! Marll! Krim! Totto! As promised, your brother, Artuck!" Artuck looked around but saw no one there in the hall. It was silent for a few moments, until a fly suddenly transformed into that of an elf, and stood before Artuck. The elf was very muscular, and tall. He stuck out his arm, beaming. The elven man looked to be of adult age, or at least, as a shapeshifter.

"Pehcel, bruv. Issa pleajuh tah meetcha." Artuck slowly took his hand, and Percel immediately shook his hand with such vigor that it caught even Haldore off guard. Not a moment later, a bat came swooping down from the ceiling, before a black cloud of smoke appeared, and a dark elf dropped to the floor dramatically. Percel chuckled nervously before sticking his hands up as he backed away. 

The dark elf was covered in dark clothes, complimenting that of his own body. The elf limbered over to Artuck, stuck out his hand for Artuck to shake, before immediately retracting it as if he'd changed his mind.

"Yo. Name's Marll. Percel's a bit over the top. And don't point out his accent, got it? He was the first, after all. And the first is always a bit," Marll lowered his voice to a whisper, "a bit messed up," Artuck nodded sheepishly at Marll's words before Marll simply followed after Percel. Percel shot a look of desperation towards Artuck before Marll slammed him into the ground, both of them laughing.

"Boys! How many times have I told you, no fighting in the grand hall?" The boys stopped laughing, and both nervously looked down at the floor, and Marll helped Percel to his feet as the third appeared. This one seemed to just pop, magically appear. The small elf stuck a hand up towards Artuck. The small figure appeared to have taken on the size of an elven child. Artuck, despite seeing the small creature, was not expecting the deep, gruff voice that would come from the small creature.

"Hi there! I'm Krim! I may not be the youngest, but everyone else seems to think so, so I'll let them! After all, Daddy here fucked with one of my genes," and Krim shot Haldore a menacing look, to which Haldore simply rubbed the elf's head like a pet's while chuckling nervously.

"Now, now, how was I supposed to know that magically splicing the genes of a rabbit was going to make you smaller than your brothers?" Krim rolled his eyes and looked away in the same manner as a stubborn toddler. Haldore opened his mouth to speak before he was interrupted by a much calmer tone.

"It's quite alright, okay?" a gentle voice said. And yet another elf walked up. This one was lean, handsome, muscular, and from the looks of it, a bit cocky. He held his shoulders high. Very high. And the way he looked down to people made Artuck feel small. He stuck his hand out for Artuck to shake as he reached for it, the elf took him into a hug. A very tight hug, one filled with love and passion.

"I'm Totto, the now second youngest. But, oh my gods, I'm so happy to have a younger brother! I was so lonely as the youngest! But now I'll have you!" Artuck was running out of air very quickly, but the elf kept talking.

"I'll protect you with my life, dear brother! After all, that's why we were made! To look out for another and work together! And who better than a couple of brothers, am I right?" Finally Totto let go, and Artuck wheezed for air, bent over with his hands on his knees.

Haldore coughed, cleared his throat, and all the other brothers seemed to recognize the gesture, as they stood in a single line, shoulder to shoulder, with Artuck's wheezing frame at the end. 

"Artuck, when I clear my throat, like I just demonstrated, that means to snap to attention, as I have a task for you all. Now listen closely, you five. There's rumor that a rebellion is starting–"

"Ageen?" Percel said.

"Again," Haldore continued, "and I'm tasking you all to find out who is the mastermind behind it all. To find out who is their leader. Then simply capture them, and bring them to me, so that I may kill them. Insubordination will simply not be tolerated. I will destroy this rebellion, and preserve the peace I fought so hard to obtain. And you all will revel in all the spoils. Now, off you go, and Percel, Marll, you know how to reach me." The others began to chatter amongst themselves before Totto reached around and grabbed Artuck, pulling him into the group.

"C'mon, you're our brother. Don't stand there awkwardly! We've gotten villains to chase down, after all!"

And so it went on like that, going in and out of danger. Making friends, and having to kill them in the name of secrecy. For the next fifty years, Artuck and his brothers infiltrated camp after camp to find the leaders, and extract them for 'questioning.' But no man who stands in the light for too long isn't affected. And the brothers soon came to realize this, as they quickly learned that it was Haldore that had murdered hundreds of thousands of people. Innocent people, who wanted nothing more than to live a life free of oppression, to live freely without the fear of an almighty ruler.

And so, on that day, the day of the Battle for Hardrik, Artuck and his brothers stood by the rebellion, vowing to help however they could. But it was so quick. Lights flashed, fire danced in front of Artuck's eyes, and explosions everywhere. Smoke filled Artuck's nostrils, as well as the putrid smell of death. So much death. It was everywhere. Even the earth itself shook, and quiet was no longer possible, but yet Artuck could still hear the ringing in his ears from the silenced screams after the blasts. The smoke cleared, and revealed to him that they were all that was left. No more of the rebellion were alive. And just as quickly as it had started, it came down to just Haldore, and Artuck and his brothers.

"What are you all doing? I gave you an assignment!" Haldore boomed, hovering twenty feet above the ground, his cloak billowing dramatically.

"I told you, insubordination will not be tolerated! Now stand down, or else face my wrath! Not just as your father, but as your enemy!" Totto quickly jumped in front of them, putting his arms to the side, defending them.

"Father!" tears streamed down Totto's cheek as he screamed, and they glistened in the glow of the flames.

"Father, please! We have realized what you are! We knew not what you were, and these people so graciously showed us our folly! Do what you must, but I will not allow you to kill my brothers!" Totto turned towards them, smiled weakly, more tears streaming down his face, before turning back towards Haldore.

"Then, Totto, you are my son no longer. PERISH." 

Totto screamed. A loud, agonizing scream. A scream one only screams in sheer terror, as if they were experiencing hell on earth. Artuck closed his eyes, but still he knew what was happening. Krim whimpered as Artuck heard bones snap, muscles popping, and as Artuck opened his eyes, he saw Totto evaporate. Just like that. In the blink of an eye. In a single moment. How could this be? H-how? Is Haldore that strong that he doesn't even have to get near us for him to kill us? Artuck reached and grabbed Krim, and pulled him close, Krim bawling into Artuck's soiled tunic.

"YOU BAHSTUD!" Percel screamed before unleashing a torrent of flame upon Haldore, who simply waved a hand, and flung the fire away, all without even looking at it.

"You too, my child? Then it pains me to do this." Artuck blinked, and Haldore was gone. And so was Percel. Haldore hovered higher above the ground than where he was a second ago, now with a limp Percel on his blood-drenched sword. Haldore scoffed, and as he went to push Percel off of the sword, the boy reached up and drove a dagger straight into Haldore's neck, who screamed profanities, and launched Percel into the air, suspending him above the ground, floating there for a moment, before furiously casting a beam of pure light, so bright Artuck could still see it with his eyes closed, and he only heard Percel's screams for a split second, before they were silenced. Permanently. Marll nudged Artuck.

"Run, Artuck, and don't look back. You'll find nothing more here for you two. Haldore is going to kill me. I know he will. The most I can do is offer you a mere moment to escape. Hopefully, that'll be all you'll need. As long as at least one of you lives, Alteran may still be able to rid itself of its despicable ruler. And I'd love to see it. And maybe I will. Hopefully I will."

"Don't you boys get it?" Haldore yelled.

"All of this work, all of my power, everything was for you all! And yet you all simply cast it away like stubborn toddlers! If you will not appreciate the gift I have given you, then so help me, I will take it back, like I already did those two! Join me, Artuck! Join me, Krim! And you'll have more power than you could even dream of! Hell, you'll be heirs to my empire! You will be kings! And more importantly, you will be revered as the greatest in history, and you will be handed a peaceful nation upon a silver platter! Don't you get it? I am your father! That's all I want, is to be your father! But your stubbornness has driven you from me! Come back to me, my children," tears began to stream down Haldore's cheeks as he spoke, his voice breaking, "and my love for you will grow like never before."

"No, father." Marll dug his feet into the ground, readying himself to attack.

"You lost us the moment you lied to us."

Haldore's tears immediately vanished, and he corrected his posture. His voice returned to normal.

"Then so be it. Your stubbornness will be your demise."

Artuck sprang into action, threw Krim over his shoulder, and casted the only spell he knew, launching a pillar of light directly into Haldore's eye, and as Marll launched himself towards Haldore, Artuck turned and dashed away into the forest, tears still rolling down his cheeks, Krim screaming to let him go. As Artuck ran, he could still hear the fight between Haldore and Marll, and much to Artuck's despair, it was not a long battle. Artuck could still hear Marll's screams as he perished to Haldore's hand. But Artuck kept running.

For weeks after, Artuck and Krim journeyed North, before Krim informed Artuck that he wanted to stay in Helt. Artuck tried to beg him to stay, but Krim's resolve was greater than Artuck's, and inevitably left Artuck alone. Cold. Silent. The ringing still ran through Artuck's ears as he wept into the nighttime sky during the nights he felt the loneliest, the coldest. Even when he tried to dream, Artuck's mind was full of the memories of his brothers being killed by his own father. No, Haldore. He was Artuck's father no more. And he would kill him, to avenge his brothers. 

So Artuck began to devise a plan, but no sooner had he decided to put it into motion than he received word that Krim had been killed. Artuck had seen the wanted posters, but it was lingering hope for Artuck to see those signs, as they were signs of Krim's wellbeing. But now that Krim had died, Artuck gave up. He was the last. And he didn't want to die. For a moment Artuck considered turning himself in, before throwing out the idea as preposterous. After all, one of them should live on, if one day hope were to return. Slowly, Artuck journeyed across Alteran to the quietest town he could think of. Halden. Nothing ever happened there. And it was safe there. Forest all around, docile creatures everywhere. It would be his home. And there, Artuck decided, was where he would stay until he mustered the courage to keep going, to continue his brothers' fight. And there he would wait, for as long as it took…