Chapter I
In the desert town of Avyrlitt, I had taken a Staff on my birthday. It was shiny and had a ruby on the end of it, and my mate loved rubies. So, in my haste, I snatched it. Well, I didn't really know it would set off a burst of light and sound as soon as I touched it, and that a bunch of Fanatics were near by. One very tall one dressed in a spiffy suit with a rose glared at me and said quietly, "Get my Staff. Bring me the fool," and all of the Fanatics in the Plaza came at me.
I ran... I ran as fast as my legs would carry me. Well, they shouted pretty clearly at this point, "Kill the Heretic! Kill him, kill him!" and I didn't want to see what a bunch of Fanatics could do should they catch up to me. They mostly floated towards me using magic, or rode on mythic creatures, and I just ran on my four legs. Luckily for me, I was well-exercised, and they were cocky and ran out of juice before they could touch me. Fireballs shot by me, lightning struck all around me and ice licked at my heels, but I jumped high and ducked low, rolling and tumbling so that not a single one touched me.
My only plan, honestly, was to outrun them and make it to the southern gate. The outrun part was doing pretty well, as their magic was becoming weaker and slower. There was one problem, I realized as I looked back. And that's the fact there was a ninth-rank Sorcerer running after me. He had golden armor covering him from head to toe, yet he was catching up quickly... because he was flying. He was smart enough to know I could dodge anything he could throw at me, and likely planned to use Death Grip or somesuch if he touched me. I jumped up onto the sign of a building and hopped to the roof of another from there, then I stood back up on two legs and started hopping from inn to store to home. As I did so, I passively reached back for a couple of potions. I stooped next to a chimney panting heavily, then I pulled one in front of me. "Stamina" is all it said, and that's what I needed. I drank the alchemic beverage and I gasped as pure oxygen spread into my lungs and throughout my body. I chugged the other with my paw over my nose, and I winced at the disgusting Anti-Magic elixer as it thickly ran down my throat.
I looked around the side of the chimney and held my breath. Up about four-hundred or so feet and a mile out, there was a Drake approaching. It stared straight at me and came fast. I yelped and ran off even faster than before, heading south. My pads were starting to hurt at this point, but I couldn't reach for a healing potion. As I thought this, my toe scraped on a shingle and began to bleed, and I yipped with pain at every step. I began screaming as I looked over my shoulder and saw the Drake gliding right at my back. It said, "Richy... Just stop already," and I jumped off the roof and landed on a musty bedroll, lying down and facing up.
I panted, tongue lolling out, and observed him closely, "Oh... Hey again, Ryral. How are you doing? Are the... Uh... Fanatics treating you good?"
He blew flame out his nostril, "What do you think? I'm enslaved by magic, I don't have a choice. They are scared of me and try to act brave so that I won't kill them afterwards. Which I will... But, right now, I'm charged with the following, 'Chase the Heretic who has stolen the Staff of Arcarious and bring him to me,' and that made me wonder, but I don't have to fulfill it.
I sighed with relief, "Because I'm not a Heretic."
He smiled with all his teeth, "Correct. Now, kindly return the Staff."
I gaped openly at him, "But uh... You said you don't have to fulfill it!"
"I don't. I am, however, a good Drake and I'm loyal to the master who said he would destroy me if I don't get it back to him."
"Oh... Great. Ryral, can't you just run away from him?"
"I'm charged not to do that."
"Ah... You know, the Heretics need this right now, because of the..."
"Richy, I am going to kill you if you do not give it to me right now," he pressed up against me and grinned darkly, "Our friendship goes not as far as my own life."
"Growlf..." I exclaimed as I searched my pack and found a Tiebreaker scroll. I waved it in front of his face and I grinned, "Does our friendship go as far as accepting this, big guy? Ryral the Drake, I release you from your... Hold on, who are you serving anyway?"
He was still in shock that I had it at all. Blankly he said, "High Minister Arkanne," and my jaw dropped.
"Well, well, well. Somebody's a popular Drake, ain't you buddy? Anyway: Ryral the Drake I release you from any ties and charges to the High Minister Arkanne," and I ripped the scroll in half. One half of the scroll flew into the wind, destined for the High Minister's hands, and the other half dropped at Ryral's feet.
He looked absolutely ecstatic at this point, and he growled silently, "Thank you, Richard. You are quite the fool, though, you know that? That could have come in handy for a mercenary or a Golem or somesuch. Nevertheless, I'll thank you properly later on... I got a score to settle with some posh fools down in the Plaza," The big lizard roared in triumph and ran off on all fours, crushing Fanatic wares and impaling a magician on his horns before disappearing into the Plaza. Waving gleefully to him as he went, I ran off with the Staff, south again. I stumbled to the ground as I saw a Golem materialize five feet in front of me, standing tall and motionless. I cried in pain as I rolled right into a spike on its foot. I rolled back in the direction I came and scrambled running, my back gushing heavily. In moments, I was at a shadowed alley, sitting in a puddle of my own blood.
Fanatic screams were erupting and they followed a trail of my blood. As they found the alley, Ryral landed on them, crushing them all. He winked and struck at another I couldn't see, then flew off. All was silent then.
Tears flowed out of my eyes and I whined in a high pitched voice, my throat choked with sadness, "This can't be happening. Not on my birthday... I... I don't want to die... Mum... Where are you?" I cried out several other dramatic little things before I stood up, my entire backside soaked with wet blood. I drank a health potion, which gave me plenty of blood back, but I felt as if I was only delaying the inevitable. I crawled pitifully out onto a side street and squealed in excruciating pain, "Someone! Please help! Pleeeease!"
After two minutes, I saw a big Wolf stalk over to me, dressed in a golden Fanatic garb. He raised a single eyebrow and bent over, "You're not a Heretic, are ya' boy? I didn't think so. Hmmmm... Well, you're young, so I'll have to... But, ah, come with me," he said warmly as he scooped me into his arms. I hugged him tightly, sobbing from the massive pain.
What do you think? Chapter too short maybe?
On Grernus: A world where the people are as in tune with using Magic as walking and talking and breathing. Magic is taken for granted in this world, and it is a way of living life. Think of it like technology: You don't completely need it, but you'll take it for granted and use it almost everyday to do things; chat on the phone, use the internet, microwave things. Magic does everything for them, and that's just life. However, a large amount of people feel as if Magic has grown old and it makes them weak. These people are physically stronger and faster and often smarter, as they use technologies of all sorts and rigorous training over words of Magic. Recently, the Fanatics, which are those the Heretics dubbed that use magic for everything, waged war on the Heretics. Now the two sides fight, almost at a stalemate. Coming into the equation are also Neutrals: Any of those who use their own bodies and Magic both quite a bit, for whatever reason. They are distrusted and passed off as mercenaries by both sides, but are most often those who want to make the best of their life.
Richy is a Folf, only twelve years old, with a knack for books and magic objects especially. He taught himself to read at a young age and became extremely intelligent very quickly. He exercised often and practiced several arts, including alchemy and enchantment. He has a rare inability to cast spells by himself, which led him to become attracted to mystic tools to do so. He never knew his father and he was lost to his mother at the age of seven when a Skyrider took her away. Now he is simply trying to stay alive, avoiding Fanatics and Heretics alike.
There are many creatures I made for this world and some common ones I used or changed around a bit. You'll find them popping up every-which-where.
I hope you all enjoy it.
