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Arrival to Tempest
Vrael had finally made it through the Hljodhr (silent) desert. He and his friend Gerard Doyle crossed this 'silent' desert, searching for the City of Tempest, and now the two men stood at the crumbling edge of the Hljodhr desert, staring up at the brilliant city that seemed to be carved into the side of the Boar Mountains.
Doyle stared firmly, his work-hardened hands wrapped around the soft leather straps of his horse's reigns. His tan skin seemed even darker in the moon's pale light. He took a hand from the reigns and ran it through his coarse brown hair. As he moved, his silver armor glowed as if it captured the moon itself. He looked to Vrael, still unsure of why they were so determined to get to the city that stood before him.
Vrael was lean, yet muscular. He was of unknown origin, Doyle asked before but all Vrael said was that he would find out soon enough. Vrael's hair was a rare sight; it was red, blood red. Vrael also kept it in a style most men of his age don't, not long, yet not short. But this isn't as rare as his eyes. One of his eyes was the same color of his hair, blood red, but the other was a pale milky blue. Some stories say that people with this off colored eye, have powers, able to see into the future, and read minds. His eyes usually frightened any one that wasn’t put off by Vrael’s red hair. Only Doyle ever stayed with Vrael long enough to see the amazing person beneath such rare appearance.
"We going?" Vrael turned to Doyle and spoke in a smooth, firm voice.
"Its what we came through that blasted desert for right!" Doyle exclaimed in a desert rasped voice. Doyle wasn't sure why he had accepted Vrael's invitation to search for an almost never visited, and rumored city. Oh, wait, it was because Doyle's life was boring, unamirable, he wanted to become something, have adventure, Vrael's quest promised this, and it provided adventures, that most men, would avoid. Vrael smiled in return and nudged his black horse’s side, moving the red reigns, the horse skirted forward. Doyle followed with his white horse, decorated in black. “Where first?” Doyle rasped his question and sped up to Vrael’s side.
“Inside” Vrael mocked out his answer, then turned serious “we will know where to go from there.”
Doyle seemed satisfied with his answer, and they rode towards Tempest in silence. As they got closer the ‘city of storms’ came alive. Here it was almost always dark, the region, cast into eight months of night. People walked the streets with lanterns in hand, but these lanterns didn’t give off the orange glow of flame, but an eerie blue shimmer just bright enough to see. Vrael smiled, his lip curled two sharp fangs appeared, another strange trait about Vrael Doyle was aware of. Vrael kicked his horse into a quicker speed, Doyle did the same, and soon they were upon Tempest. A clean, white, weathered wall rose before them, stopping them from the long awaited goal. A guard appeared, with yet another blue lantern, his helm reflected the light giving him a ghostly appearance. Between them was a black iron gate, as black as the night around them, this gate created worry in Doyle. The guard looked at Vrael seriously, then turned and ordered unseen guards to open the gate, it opened with awkward silence. As they passed the guard that met them at the entrance, Doyle swore the guard had the same red eyes as Vrael. Vrael hurried through the storm beaten streets, and they sped across an empty market place. The streets they had seen people in now were shockingly empty, all signs of life disappeared, all but a dog, which had blood red fur. Doyle became suspicious, as Vrael held a smiled and sat triumphantly upon his black horse. Then they apparently stopped, a gorgeous marble palace stood before them, roofs painted in gold leaf, while the numerous walks and paths were granite, here they dismounted. Two servants came forward, their hair resembled Vrael’s but theirs were brighter, and their eyes were also like Vrael’s. Doyle’s mind churned and questions bubbled in his mind, but he held them back. Vrael nodded, and a servant took the reigns of Vrael’s horse. Doyle watched cautiously. Suddenly Doyle felt a jerk on his reigns and looked to see a servant nervously tugging at his horse’s own reigns.
“Vrae-“Doyle was cut off.
“Its ok, Gerard Doyle, I brought you here for a reason, that you will soon find out…now come” Vrael stepped to another black iron gate which opened immediately at Vrael’s command. Vrael continued through, and they walked into a large, open courtyard. Elegant looking men, and women filled this place, all of them with different hues and shades of red hair. The remainder of trust he had, turned to questions, and worry.
“I thought you didn’t know where we were going!” Doyle yelped as a young maiden came to Vrael and wrapped in an elegant black silk cape. ”Thank you Geisha” he smiled and looked into her eyes “Could you bring my friend here another cape, for he is our guest” Vrael looked to Doyle seeing him looking at Geisha, with a slightly reddened face.
“You are a noble?…” Doyle mumbled just loud enough to be heard.
“Aye, a prince” Vrael said, in an odd humble voice “A prince waiting to become king…and bring Tempest out of the darkness”
“Why didn’t-“ Doyle stopped as Geisha returned and handed him another black cape that was folded up neatly, he blushed again as her hand touched his. Then Doyle returned his attention to Vrael, “Why didn’t you tell me?” Doyle barked as Geisha left.
“You would of come,” Vrael said bluntly, sounding like a young boy.
Doyle tried to find his voice to say he would of come anyway, but he knew he wound he didn’t like nobles. But he couldn’t say that anymore he knew Vrael before he knew he was a prince, Vrael didn’t change just what he was. Vrael turned to stare at Doyle, his pale eye pierced deeply into Doyle’s own brown eyes. “You like Geisha” Vrael seemed as if he read Doyle’s mind and feelings. Doyle looked away approving Vrael’s suspicion. “Good” Vrael’s voice filled with cheer. “Your new position will allow you to be with her,” Vrael smiled.
“Wha-What do y-you mean new p-position?” Doyle stuttered in pure awe.
“Chief in command, I was sent out to find a person, one w ho will not mind my…err…oddness, and follow me home, here to Tempest, a city not proven to exist. If you accept, I can become king, if anything would happen to me…you would follow….” All things fell into place, the random need of someone to search for a questionable city, him a price waiting to become king, everything connected before Doyle’s eyes. “Do you accept” Vrael asked quickly.
“I-I I don’t know what to say” Doyle looked around nervously, thinking about Geisha, he just met her, it wasn’t guaranteed to work out.
“Say yes!” Vrael quirked
“But why me?” Doyle whined, he knew why, and if anything he was asking fate. Doyle’s mind whirled over subjects of family, friends…the ones he didn’t have.
“Because, you have the ability to push aside appearance and look into someone’s heart, you agreed to go on an adventure with a complete stranger, who’s eye symbolizes evil, and unknown powers. I tell you know, Gerard Doyle, Here in Tempest…. the adventure has only begun.”
“I…” Doyle spoke softly, Vrael turned around to look at Doyle, and he nodded in acceptance.
“It has only begun, my friend”
 DearCervid · Thu Feb 01, 2007 @ 10:28pm · 2 Comments |
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