Book 3 – Precursor to Chaos - The Herald

Destruction abounded not only in the once lush forest now lain with toppled trees and scattered grasses, but in the nearby hamlet. Countless corpses of the brigands lie amidst the fiery blaze of the town's wrecked structures. A single individual walked in the street and held their arm out towards the flames. The fire coalesced into tall spires and slowly floated towards the arm of the individual.

Families huddled together in the burning houses slowly stirred as the flames of the nearby buildings began to disappear, absorbed by the figure. Sethan sat on the street and looked on, to the various knights and volunteer citizens that helped people out of the rubble. The previously burned and charred remains of some of the homes and shops were being promptly extinguished even without the use of water to put them out as a gold-clad warrior in white cloak drew out the flames and made them dwell within her.

As charitable as the action was, Sethan thought he saw something resembling mad glee in the individual but looked away promptly before he could meet their gaze. Although he was a captain in the ranks of the knights, he knew little about the more private royalty unlike the underground sect of knights that were rumored to serve under them.

Asralyn reached out and helped him up, soot on their faces, scratches and marks on their armor. "Come on, they've finished loading the bodies. We have to go." He stood up and looked at the remains of his comrades covered in cloth, being loaded on horse-drawn carts. As he walked away he saw a black hooded knight that emerged from the shadows and walked to the white-cloaked figure and spoke to them reminding him for a split second of his brother.

He regrouped with the others and those that remained from his company. Looking on, he recalled the memories of the stranger he had accompanied who had disappeared after showing flashes of strange power. He walked in silence, lamenting the events that just transpired.

The knight with appearance occluded by hood and helmet quietly stated information gathered. "The surrounding forests have been affected by an usual form of destruction, although there were no corpses or traces of any being still lingering there. Questioned villagers saw a mysterious blue glow and have all stated to have suddenly felt a sense of dread all at once in the night before. Information extracted from any bandits that survived determined that their leader had escaped and none of the intact bodies had the matching description." "Hmm…" Her previously joyful expression transitioned into a contemplative pose.

"Sethan is a capable leader and has been recorded to do well in combat, but it is suspicious that they would triumph over a mounting force. More importantly it was unwise of them to attempt to do so in the first place, and the standard protocol is to contact reinforcements before engaging in combat." She paused momentarily. "There's also the 'matter' with his brother."

Another of the cloaked knights emerged from the shadows, their dark armor sticking out in contrast to the midday sun. "Siegmund's remains have been recovered. It appears that he was killed in combat recently. Rumors gathered from its citizens tell of a group of strangers who emerged from the wilderness and stayed for a night. The day after, bandits raided the town but encountered resistance leaving many of them dead." "And then I found Metas and his friends in town past the forest. If they really did cross the snowfields then if they came from where he was assigned to, it would make a straight path to the capital."

One of the knights handed her a pouch and looking inside she saw the golden relic, shattered into pieces. "I knew it. They should have called for me instead. Now a precious relic of the kingdom is destroyed, and the culprits still run loose." As she prepared to walk away she acquired an idea and looked in the distance towards Sethan. She sent out a small flitter of flame that passed by him, gaining his attention. She raised her hand and walked towards him, her glare unnerving him even from a distance.

"Yes?" Sethan asked. "I believe I've already passed along my report to your subordinates." He remarked. "Ah, just some additional questions, that's all." She promptly spotted Asralyn who stood a small distance away from them, and she produces a smirk on her face. "Hello there. You must be Asralyn." Asralyn was suddenly on her guard. "You siblings must stick together; I can understand that. Although I wasn't informed of her enlisting in your company... No matter, more of 'us' in the knights is always a good thing." Helia remarked.

"Your question?" Sethan interjected. "Oh yes, very impressive work clearing out this much of the bandits, brave and 'knightly' as well. Yet you still let the leader get away." Said Helia. "His strength was insurmountable to us, we had to retreat because of our losses." Sethan replied. "True. But I'd say this task was exceptionally impressive for you, it is commendable." Helia remarked. "I accept your commendation." Said Sethan.

"Although, some of the locals say that there's someone accompanying you that possessed an unusual weapon." Helia exclaimed. "Maybe you have been mistaken, it was only us knights here, maybe they mistook one of the bandits for it? The leader possessed unusual techniques." said Sethan. "Yes, as your report stated. I was just checking." She walked away slowly, sighing. As Helia walked on, one of her knights accompanied her. "Follow them. Stay hidden, report back to me." The cloaked knight nodded and walked away. The other one went to her as well.

"There's something behind all of this… Report this to the higher ups, I have my own matters to attend to." She began her way out of town when she was approached by one of the townsfolk, a woman shaken by the destruction and had tear-stained eyes. "Wait, you're all just going to leave now?"

"Hmm?" Helia's expression was subdued but her unseen anger could be felt like hot air blowing in one's face. "What about all these bodies? What if they attack again?" The royal glanced at the townsfolk and then glanced at the bodies of bandit and knight alike. "My advice for the bodies, dig a large hole and dump them in. The knights have already done plenty here, with helping in rescues and driving away the bandits in the first place, and we are recalled to the capital on very urgent matters, I am sure you understand. If any concerns are to be issued in the future, a notice can be requested and we will attend to matters as soon as possible." She then walked away without awaiting a response.

The townsfolk held back the young woman, whilst Helia walked away with faint smoldering sparks emanating from her armor. Sethan looked on from the edge of town, looking into the village from a distance. "Looks like they're going somewhere else instead of going back with us. What could be so urgent a task that they don't go straight back?" Asralyn remarked.

Sethan softly punched Asralyn in the shoulder. "Just be grateful that you weren't imprisoned because of insubordination, or us being accused of treason." He was about to tell her off that she should not have come along but stopped before he could speak another word. "You aren't going to say anything more?" "No… There's something going on behind all this, and 'they' definitely know something, if they aren't directly involved." Said Sethan "You suspect them of something?" Asralyn remarked. "No, not yet." Sethan answered.

"Sir! The carriage is ready, we need to depart soon!" They boarded the horse-drawn carriage and set off towards the capital. As they rode across the countryside, Sethan stared out and gazed at the vast fields of grass and distant villages, but his head was only filled with thoughts of the powerful stranger in combat with the bandit-mage, his brother seemingly more distant than ever, and his comrades and friends now bodies being pulled in a separate cart attached to the carriage. Inside, the survivors of his group and a few of the knights from the capital were seated. Others rode in different carriages that moved alongside them.

"To die for the protection of the innocent is a most noble end for a knight. They must have rested easy knowing they fell for their comrades and in the service of the people." A senior knight comforted Sethan. Another knight from the capital chimed in.

"Unfortunately, someone foolishly sent them to meet this end when they could have been spared from it." Another knight exclaimed. "They would have preferred to die in combat rather than being alike a coward such as you, who would turn tail from the sight of a single foe." "But you went up against quite a numerous force, although proving victorious and wiping out a significant portion of them, it is still an idea ill-advised, and an experienced captain would not chance a potential massacre." The younger knight responded.

"Enough." Sethan motioned "stop" with his palm. "While it is true that a certain amount of discretion is the better part of valor, my men bravely halted a grave danger to the populace and it is the duty of the knights to be sword and shield of the people, if I didn't act there what purpose would the knights be?" He remarked.

"Well, you didn't have to bring your sister along. It doesn't mean that you're captain, you can bring in favors for your kin." Immediately after the snide remark, the older knight grasped hard on Sethan's shoulder causing him to aggressively brush it off. Asralyn put one hand on her sword. "My sibling has provided vital aid to the past conflict and has more than enough capability to be a fully-fledged knight. However, I admit she broke rules and had technically practiced insubordination, but I will personally deal with those matters back at the capital." Sethan said as he gently elbowed Asralyn. She let go and crossed her arms.

The knights went silent, and as they tried to avoid looking at each other, Sethan stared outside again. In the small towns and villages, he could see, a few of them had fires blazing and black smoke stretching up into the sky. He wondered if it was another bandit attack, or if it was the knights of the kingdom raising stakes to burn supposed witches or heretics. As a child he was taught that the fire they wielded represented a great dragon, one that previously protected the kingdom. Their flame was the heat of warmth to protect the people. But he often found himself wondering what the nature of it truly is.

In his studies, it was unique to their people and attributed to "dragon blood". To him it seemed like fire was just an object of destruction that destroyed what it touched. He thought momentarily about what Metas might have thought of it, before brushing it off. The horses suddenly neighed loudly and stopped in their tracks. A bright light glowed in the middle of the road. "Whoa!" cried the carriage driver. The light was bright enough to be seen over a long distance, and as soon as the horses halted Sethan and the others came outside and had their weapons drawn.

Sethan, the old knight and the skeptical knight all held out one hand and sparks manifested in their open palms. The skeptic quickly looked back at them both before turning towards the glowing light that blocked their path. "What is it?" said the carriage driver worriedly. The sparks in their hands turned fiercer and harsher, creating a miniature blaze in their hands seemingly out of their control. But Sethan's fire burned the fiercest, and then the other knights' went out and they looked at their hand puzzled before cautiously raising their weapons towards the ever-growing glow.

Because of the harsh light they could barely see what caused it, Sethan could make out a ball of flame encapsulating a figure on horseback. The figure appeared to be wearing armor, although because of the light Sethan could not differentiate the armor from the wearer clearly. "Thou whose flame shines most brilliant against the rest, I am a herald to which you are an heir." "What?" Sethan asked.

"You are but one of the heirs, make way to your destination and confront your kin, he who has the strength of three realms. The others have been alerted of the same and will attempt to wrest the strength of fire out of the ashes of its chaos. The forces that collide will provide ample energy for the smoldering cinders to coalesce. Ascend and claim the power of dragons." The knights stopped out of fear or out of transfixion to the figure before them. The flames momentarily cleared making the knights privy to a glimpse of the figure in the middle.

The steed was large, almost twice as tall as a regular human, it was clad in heavy armored plates reminiscent of thick stone or animal bones. It had armor on its head that resembled an open-mouthed jaw of a creature, a Dragon. Its rider similarly had a seemingly grim snarl as their helmet was like of a beast's head devoid of flesh and skin, only the head and enclosed teeth of a vicious wyvern, the inside of which was concealed to them. His armor was twisted and malformed and was stained a deep red, Sethan faintly recognized it before he shot out flames out of his hand towards the rider.

It was as if he had no control over his actions as a great jet of flame burst out towards the horseman. The flames stopped right before their target and split, being absorbed and coalesced into the ball of fire surrounding the rider. Sethan then threw his spear, the rider being slightly surprised and amused as he caught the spear in his hand. "Your fate lies ahead of your path, whether you choose to acknowledge it or not." The "herald's" voice addressed them all, booming loudly and with his helmet covering his face, they could not see whom he was looking towards. He threw away the spear before vanishing in a flash of flame, leaving no trace except the scorched earth beneath him.

"What was that?!" The old knight spoke startled. The skeptical knight was left muttering in fear, and Sethan ran after the rider in vain. "I… Couldn't do anything?" Asralyn said to herself while the knights ran to Sethan with their weapons still raised. He looked around cautiously and surveyed the surroundings before picking up his spear before dropping it instantly. He felt an intense heat from the part he touched, even though he picked it up wearing his metal gauntlets. Carefully, he picked up the spear on a different part of the weapon, as only the section touched by the horseman glowed red and was giving off intense heat.

"Is it gone now?" The coachman cried out poking his head from the carriage. Sethan examined his spear. "We have to go. Now." They then rushed back to the carriage; he took one last look at the burned earth before heading inside. A distance away, Helia received a message of her own, and stood fearlessly before the herald.

"Then, I must to the capital as soon as possible." She said as the bone-clad rider disappeared in a flash of flame. She smirked and chuckled quietly. "Soon I will gain the power of my birthright. The power to turn the endless dark of the night into an ever-brilliant flame of day." She breathed deeply and slowly began laughing. She walked off, throwing with her hands up into the air, elated and expectant of the future.