EarthBorn: First Days

First day 5th quarter

The knights enter the forest with no paths or landmarks just complete flatness with trees garnished by sparse shrubs and fallen leaf matter that decorate the ground...

Earth thane has unrelenting purpose in his stride snapping his way through and branches and vines heading only one direction and out of sight, Maidon calls back to Wayke and Legion with a sharp whistle, they both acknowledge and follow Maidon along Runes beaten path to catch up.

Leafs litter the floor, rays of light claw through the canopy’s above bringing life to the sparse flowers of paradise that emerge only once a day when the sun touch their lonely patches, each unique it blossoms only while alight hastily retreating once shadow cast over which ticks away in minutes,. Wayke has been observing heavily he can sense the environment but it’s odd for lush forest to be so crisp with easy food sources of fruit and berries on the floor and decorating the shrubs untouched, something’s missing...

“Rune the forest is strange there’s no tracks or signs of foraging, even the ones on the ground lay untouched and left to rot away, we should make haste for the other side of these woods” ...Maidon agrees ....

“It is getting late the temperature is dropping, if we want the sunlight to remain our ally we must move on!”...

He stays silent and marches around a huge tree out of sight to them, the others follow to find he’s at a cliffs edge looking down into a shallow valley, they join him at the edge and overlook a valley containing ancient temple ruins, taken by the forest the tower defences clad with vine but clear the central buildings ancient made of huge blocks a kaleidoscopic shell in appearance, pillars to pentagonal pyramids these walls are swept with overhang , they bleed clematis and fall to unsightly gravel slowly being devoured by the forest reclaiming it’s land. The knights make their way down and towards the complex that seems to shift but makes no sound, like a warped mirror lay above it the walls are thick built to withstand they walk along the wall to find the gate has been smashed through it no longer serves purpose, the same signs from the landing area all around them, the courtyard filled with ash deposits dotted around heaps of split bones from decades past they spread out and look around the cannibalistic banquet and surrounding shelters for anything they can...

Rune heads into the enormous temple but a hollow pyramid, he stops just inside and looks high up to the ceiling carved and highly polished blue, elaborate and detailed the form of Gods obvious even through the webs of dust that coat them, he looks at the tables which still have plates upon them nobody fed here, he looks at the drapes hung for celebration now ghostly silhouettes that wave in the light breezes high up , he looks towards the end of the hall and is drawn to the throne that tips the great banquet, he investigates and finds it immaculate Asif never been touched not a single mark , the fine headboard bears a symbol he recognizes a man holding a relic above his head unleashing a storm upon the world, he rubs the chain around his neck, a pendant bearing the same symbol he added earlier gifts him another clue...

He takes a seat at the throne its warm to his touch, his back fits like a tailored suit and his legs sit perfectly rested feet flat... He clears his mind and his eyes close, when they reopen the Temple is as it was in glory, the air turned to liquid it wobbles and waves with movement like observing the crystal oceans of old beneath the surface, there are people smiling and talking at seat in anticipation of something, he sits for awhile taking in all the happiness he can from what he sees , but before he has recharged his hope the joy turns to anguish, the banquet crashed when large dark figures faceless and of black smog burst in filling the festivities with terror and fright...“RUNE!’...Maidon breaks the self induced mirage sending tides rippling through the extra dimensional visions bringing him back to reality...

“There’s something you need to see”...she says leaving him to follow when ready...

He rises from the throne and heads out turning back at the throne only once, it has an aura of specialty, Outside One Legion Maidon and Wayke are in the corner of the courtyard in a circle all fixed on something on the floor in the middle of them...

“what is it? What have you found?”... Legion frozen in dead stare Wayke answers...

“A weapon and we can’t sample, it’s too dense...” On the ground is a sword at three feet long, the hilt and blade is made of a material flint like in appearance, the sun can just about break through giving the blade a rich purple colour hue the handle is thick, a skin wrapped grip that’s cracked and hardened laying exposed in the elements, far beyond rot, the blade jagged yet razor edged showing clear signs being hand made it sits separated and unique from the other weapons and relics which show signs of social order, Rune bends down and grasps the weapon from the floor, the handle is thick built for powerful hands the blade bears resemblance to stone yet weightless he waves the sword left and right with pace causing a clear crystal sound to slice the air, impressive for something so primitive in appearance it is no doubt fit for purpose...

’’So this is the weapon used for execution... but where’s the executioner...i presume its the same as the field?, only that one side lay here?”...One Legion in blind stare is shrugged by Wayke out of his trance to answer...

“Legion do you know anything of this?”... Legion on edge steps off and leaves the group totally brushing off the question asked of him walking away across the courtyard, Wayke tries to go after him but is halted by Rune who slices the air with the relic and halts it in front of him....

“Leave him be Wayke, we need him focused not stressed”... Wayke is not pleased and challenges Rune,

‘’We are at the cusp of extinction and he knows something, this is a time for council and speech not silence and arguments between themselves’’... Maidon confused asks

‘’what do you mean themselves?’’...Rune in anger places both in their places...his voice deep and powerful ,the tattoo on his face ripples like a hell fed flame...

’’MAIDON SILENCE, YOU DO NOT KNOW WHAT YOU ARE ABOUT TO QUESTION, HE IS THE LAST ORIGINAL AND IS ABOVE QUESTION FROM ANY WHO STAND HERE”... he lowers his voice and continues to drill out the doubt from his friends...

‘’I may be your commander but he is still the head of the order, he has more experience and encounters with death then we three combined, it is not for us to question him or each other but only what need be questioned ,we need to stay focused and we shall settle differences and have council once we have taken some ground’, until then we hold our tongues”...

Wayke and Maidon know Rune stands right, they have no authority questioning their living ancestor, this is not the place nor the time , no words are exchanged but the apology comes in sincere expressions of regret , Earth thane attaches the found blade to his back

“We keep heading South , Maidon take scout... “ she acts instantly leading the band down deeper to the ruins and the knights head out of a hole in the rear wall defence made by trees that puncture through and into the forest, the revelations and relic playing hard on their minds as they track through the alien forest still searching...