A Barbarian King  

{pictures}

As human blood filled the rivers and mountains their bones, the forest trolls danced with their skulls as war filled the plains! On their bears made for war, the trolls were relentless in their pursuit! For as the humans fought amongst themselves, the trolls of the Amani pleased their gods by offering them the souls of the prey! That was until one man decided to end it all! 

By proclaiming himself king! The first king! Thoradin! A barbarian ruler with a bloody past! With an even bloodier fist! Who United the scattered tribes of humans! Through the harsh storm, and a field filled with death, stood a man alone with a sword that broke the war! Storm'kar! Filled with the ghosts of their tribal ancestors, the sword intoxicated itself with the blood of the trolls. 

But while it drank and got drunk, in the aftermath of the firestorm that devoured the trolls, tainted the sword that even whispers could not escape! For the drums of war echoed again… down! down! Deep in the forgotten depth of the once peaceful Tirisfal Glades! There, the king's soul was rumored to rest! For there the king met his end! 

→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→→ excerpt from the broken library of Stormguard Keep 

[That's who soul be, that I has mon. The soul be of a king!] said Bwonsamdi, as he held a crystal-clear orb in his hand that held the imprisoned soul of Thoradin! 

While watching Thoradin desperately trying to break himself out of the orb, Lanthios thought to himself before saying: 

{I thought Bwonsamdi only took care of the souls of the trolls that believed in him! so, why take a human?} 

{Oh, great and powerful Bwonsamdi, if you would excuse my rudeness, may I ask, what deal has this human made of you? For you to come personally for a soul that not even of troll birth…is... Confusing.} said Lanthios as he stared down at the hallow husk of a skeleton welding its sword eerily. 

[Oh! You'll be knowing me! little Gnoll!] replied Bwonsamdi, as he appeared right in front of Lanthios like a ghost in shadow! 

Scared by the sudden appearance, Layla grabbed Lanthios hand, while her pupils shined in butterflies. 

[oh! Dem's eyes are beautiful for an elf…. Ya make a great set piece for me!] said Bwonsamdi with a smile. 

Seeing Layla's increasing agitation, Lanthios quickly interjected: 

{Great loa of death, we mean you no disrespect and are in fact greatly humbled for your help against that undead, so please forgive this one, this one time, for she doesn't know any better.} 

[umm… your soul be interesting me Mon! Nonetheless, this one soul be mine now! For every deal must be done! The spirits may be with you now, but don't Ya be going over Ya head Mon!] replied Bwonsamdi as he vanished with the wind with the snap of his bony fingers. 

With its soul expunged from the king's body! So was its reasoning! The king without a soul became nothing more than a mad skeleton! As the power of death flowed through its body, uncontrollably! Its once beautiful flowers are now nothing but withering dust! 

While cloaked in an eerie translucent film, the king's body returns to ash! With a screech, as his army did the same! Only for the ground to shake beneath the ash and turn the world white and black! And through death, their souls opened! 

As they stood in their spirit form, Lanthios looked to Layla as they realized that their souls, along with everyone else, were in a state of undeath! 

[This fight isn't meant for you two! For it is far too soon! Now go back, children! Back to the world of the living!] said a mysterious voice to all but one. 

{Lady Liadrin! What are you…} cried Lanthios to the matriarch of the blood knights. 

To which his cry went unanswered, other than a finger against her precious red lips. For though he could see her, along with all the others. But what stood behind his allies was even more confusing and terrifying! For it was the true form of the undead known as king, for as the world was in black and white. The crown the king wore was a bath in bloody rust, and with-it shattered gems that oozed different sins, while his back was adorned in a rusty brown metal halo, that dripped black tar! And while he stood there in a tattered coat and rings, the ancestors of all the human tribes stood with him! 

For they were dressed in priestly robes, with shining red halos and a head crown filled with thorns! Though their heads and faces may be covered, their weapon were not! For each priest held a weapon that in life they knew well! For they were Barbarians, wolves wrapped in sheep's clothing, their weapon could not lie who they were. 

Six kings for the seven chieftains, eight tribes that became one… all seven were here but one, for he escaped in another form of undeath. Lordain, Mereldar, Ignaeue Trollbane, Decindra, Kelsing, and Thoradin himself… All that was missing was Meryl Felstorm. But this was unknown to Lanthios, for he couldn't even hope to grasp his own situation! 

For he was thrown back into this body as the fighting in the spirit broke! As he came to with Layla in hand, he didn't utter a single word, he simply ran to the exit! As Chromie watched from on top of her foe's head, she bellowed a mocking laugh as she turned to the bones that monitored this floor, and said: 

[Ha! HA! Azrael! You lose again! They have earned their freedom! Even though you will mock them and say it was given, you have no idea what they are yet to do to earn these brave adventures lives! In the end, they will be free of you! And you cannot change the time!] 

[cough… you think this is over…. CHROMIE! You think you have won! cough…. You think your self's free…. Oh! Little gnoll…. If you only knew the future that awaits you! You would have thanked me! FOR EVERYTHING!... COUGH! MUTT! The only thing you've done is add to the chains that bind you! For they will hunt you now! For you who carries the beating heart of the well! YOU WILL KNOW NO PEACE!] complained Azreal to deaf ears. 

As the pair ran for their lives, through the arch of an exit gate, Lanthios suddenly stopped moving as Layla bumped into him from behind. 

[ouch! Why did you stop….] said Layla as she failed to finish her sentence. 

For in front of her, hung dozens of animals, ranging from wolves, lions, and birds of many colors. All chained upside down in razor wire! With diseased written furs and feathers, the animals cried out in sorrow, while their blood slowly dripped onto white bricks, from within a spiraling tower! 

[who could do such a thing…] said Layla as blood dripped onto Lanthios as he stood in front, like a wall. 

{umm… it not who can, but why would someone do this…} replied Lanthios and he could hear the sound of ghostly moaning right outside those bloody brick walls. 

{this tower… I think I might know where we are… and I hope I may be wrong.} said Lanthios 

[you do?] replied Layla confused 

{yes, I fear we might have ended up, right outside the Tainted scar!} replied Lanthios 

[Are you sure? But how could you…] replied Layla stopping mid-sentence as Lanthios placed his hand against the wall. 

{sigh… it all makes sense now…} replied Lanthios with his hand on his chin before continuing. 

{where else was he going to find so many corpses… so many undead to fill his crypt…} 

[I get that Azrael needs a large amount of undead, but why torture innocent animals like this?] asked Layla 

{For the blood! The sweet smell of fresh blood is what is attracting them here! It's a perfect setup…. This method of torture ensures a constant flow of blood while keeping the victim alive for as long as possible, while also allowing the herds of undead outside to hear their pain screams…} said Lanthios 

{But now the question is... where is the exit? This can't be all…} said Lanthios 

 [I see it!] yelled Layla 

{where?} replied lanthios 

[up the stairs… I think that's an orb of translocation!] replied Layla 

{But then that begs the question… were does it led?} replied Lanthios 

[I don't know… this could just be another trap set for us… but then again I doubt Azrael actually thought we making it this far… so I believe it will probably port us to one of his floating bases… or worse his lab...] said Layla with a serious tone, as she approaches the red orb, with runic power glowing beneath its ritual platform. 

{wait...} called Lanthios as he placed his hands on her shoulder 

[...] replied Layla as she turned around 

{I don't like it… Whether it is a trap or not, I don't like giving that man the initiative, when it comes to our lives! I have a better plan.} said Lanthios as he approached the brick wall. 

While looking at his hands, Lanthios said: 

{I would rather take our lives into our own hands, than leave it up to another! Layla, I trust you! Do you trust me?} 

[umph! Of course, I trust you! Silly! Why would you even need to ask such a dumb question? I feel a little insulted!] replied Layla with puff cheeks. 

With a warm smile, Lanthios said: 

{good, then I can leave them to you!} 

[umph! Did you even need to ask? I would have done it, even if you didn't say anything!] 

Following her reply, Layla was true to her word, for her eyes had glowed their orange hue ever since she had seen them! With orange butterflies that flew elegantly into the air, they spread her fire to consume the beast and fouls alike without exception, to end their torment. 

While Lanthios begged the earth spirits to join his right hand! As the earth colluded with him, Lanthios's strength grew beyond his age! And so, with a flex of the arm, he blew down the brick wall along with the zombies that pressed against it! 

As the pair breathed in the cool autumn air that sprinkled its rain, which brought with it their freedom, the fire continued to consume the raging tower! But as the pair continued to kill undead after undead, Lanthios will come to learn later of his regret for not taking the orb route! 

For held up on high, locked in a demon-infested prison, laid the goal of their journey! For as elves with red skin and feathered-dark wings walked among sophisticated elf nobles, there stood a brat who said: 

[Your daughter will meet the same end as you lady Julia!]