Posts from Fairy tale

The crowd gasped as the princess stumbled and fell. The prince instantly sobered up and rushed to the edge, but he only saw the onlookers gathered below.
Sh'Ako also came to her senses, finding herself in free fall. The princess was overcome with horror at the realization of what was happening and the imminent death, but at the last moment, someone grabbed her hand and pulled her through a window located under the roof of the Tower.
- Are you alright? - a voice asked.
Sh'Ako raised her head and saw a dark-eyed stranger in front of her, dressed in clothes that were strange for this place.
- I... yes, I'm fine, - the princess replied uncertainly.
- That's good. But be more careful next time, because I might not be able to make it, - the man said with a smile.
- Thank you for saving me... - the girl hesitated, - I'm sorry, I don't know your name.
- Ser'Flevey, - the brunette introduced himself and offered his hand to the lady.

Meanwhile, on the street, everyone sighed with relief, glad that everything turned out well. The king and his guests headed back to the palace, when suddenly a woman's voice sounded from behind:
- You have acrobatic performances here in honor of the holiday.
- That's all we needed, - Radonar whispered, recognizing the ringing voice.
- Lady Ayren, - Nemt began enthusiastically, - What a pleasant surprise.
- Yes, a pleasant one, - the king added.
- You didn't expect it, did you? - she smirked.
- Should we have expected someone who refused to come?
- It's a surprise, you fool, - Ayren replied, frowning, and approached closer, - I brought you a gift, - she added, winking.
Radonar hesitated, but Pensel and Lecon came to his aid, deciding to greet the guest. After exchanging pleasantries, the procession continued on its way to the palace, including Ayren and her dozen bodyguards. As the crowd approached the gates, a dark spot appeared in the sky, which was soon recognized as a dragon. The townspeople began to scatter in panic, and the city guard quickly took up their positions, most of which were located on the towers and walls of the city. However, the soldiers were inferior to the dragon in speed, and therefore not everyone managed to reach their posts. The monster immediately began to land, landing not far from the gates. Two figures dismounted from it, and the dragon itself turned into a man. The trio approached the king and his retinue. The courtiers immediately recognized Matveg, the royal miner, and also recognized the ruler of the neighboring country, but no one knew the third one, and it was difficult to see him because of the hood.
- Greetings, Radonar, - the fair-haired man said loudly.
- Welcome, Anver.
- I'm here on business.
- What business? - the king asked and turned his gaze to Matveg, but he only looked away.

- It's good that Ser'Flevius returned so successfully, - said Nemt, - Although he rarely visits us, he always appears at the right moment.
- That's true, - agreed the prince, - If it weren't for him, then... - the young man clutched his head.
- I think this served as a lesson for you, and now you will think carefully before eating anything from my supplies.
- Of course! - A'Mok replied sharply, - And I won't touch mushrooms anymore.
- And who is this Ser'Flevius? - the princess joined the conversation.
- He used to live in the southern lands, your neighbors. One of those who survived the cataclysm that destroyed his homeland and turned it into a lifeless desert.
- Yes, we heard about this when we were children, but not much, - said Sh'Ako. - Can you tell us more about it?
- Only in general terms, - replied the wizard. - We will soon have to go to the reception.
- Okay, that will do.
- It is unknown what exactly caused this phenomenon, but it has a magical nature.
- That is, it was created artificially? By someone specific? - asked the prince.
- Exactly, - confirmed Nemt. - It started in the very center of the country and spread throughout its territory in a few days. This is what saved the inhabitants of the cities located near the borders of other states. They managed to leave their land and move to their neighbors. Ser'Flevius was among the group of people who ended up in Andoria. All refugees were provided with assistance, and since our hero was very young at that time, and also without family, he was assigned as an assistant to one of the city blacksmiths. Although Lecon was still a novice blacksmith and could not do much himself, so he could only teach his apprentice the art of melee combat, which he was very good at.
- And who was Lecon before that? - asked A'Mok.
- In short, he was a member of a powerful order that no longer exists.
- Wow, - said the young man with interest.
- Don't get distracted, - the princess said nervously.
- Yes, yes, - agreed Nemt. - After some time, Ser'Flevius got tired of working in the forge, and he joined the city guard, and then ended up in a reconnaissance unit. Then several not very pleasant events occurred, he even had a conflict with the king, but in the end everything was resolved safely, however, the headstrong young man did not want to return to royal service and went on a journey. In fact, he is still doing this, traveling the world, learning about various events, and if he finds something important or interesting, he returns here and shares information with us. He mostly travels along the southern lands, trying to find out something about what happened to his homeland and what is happening now in this dead desert.
- Why dead? - Sh'Ako asked.
- After the cataclysm, everything living died there, as far as I know, even plants. In addition, there are rumors that this land now belongs to the dead.
- Are you saying that there are undead living there? - A'Mok clarified.
- Yes, the deceased inhabitants of the country now exist as zombies, skeletons, and other evil creatures.
- Cool!
- But these are just rumors, no one risks setting foot on the cursed land.
- Even Anver and his friend? - asked the prince. - He can burn all the undead in one go.
- If he can breathe fire, - added the girl.
- I don't know that, nor do I know exactly who this strange man is, - replied Nemt.
- And if he is a man at all? - a female voice interjected again, but this time in a questioning manner.
The wizard was silent.

*Somewhere in the Arandor Forest* A tired elf made his way through the dense forest, driven by fear and duty. Only the moonlight illuminated his path, leading through the pitch darkness. It was this darkness that he feared the most, for it concealed his pursuers. "I must make it, I must warn them," he repeated to himself. Again, a growl was heard, this time from the left. The elf tried to speed up, but his strength was failing, and they were catching up. Suddenly, a beast leaped out of the darkness, but the hunter remained alert. He quickly turned towards the attacker and threw a spear, hitting its mark. The beast collapsed to the ground, and the elf moved on. Ben knew he had no chance, but he never gave up and always went all the way. Meanwhile, behind him, noise was heard again, but now from both sides. The hunter looked back and saw silhouettes flickering among the trees. He counted about six creatures. It is unknown how long the chase would have continued, but a slope that lay on the path interrupted it at the moment when the beasts almost caught up with their target. The elf tumbled, scratching almost all parts of his body, but these were minor things. He got up and saw that he was in a small clearing, surrounded by werewolves. There was no way to retreat. Ben drew his swords and prepared himself. Suddenly, one of the creatures darted forward, but the elf managed to dodge. Then, the second beast attacked, but only a swing of the sword stopped it, separating the head from the body. Then the third and fourth, but all in vain. Only the fifth managed to slightly graze the hunter, but he was still holding on, and the creatures were closing in. "You will never defeat me," the elf growled through his teeth. "Never!" The next day, the celebration continued, but with less enthusiasm. It was felt that the guests were a little tired, so no physically active events were organized. However, in the evening of the same day, it was decided to hold a meeting to discuss the underground passages found beneath the castle. "They need to be explored, and as soon as possible," the king insisted. "But why the rush?" asked Anver. "It's... hard to explain." "Let me guess," said Ayren, "intuition?" Radonar looked at the girl gloomily. "If it needs to be done, then it needs to be done," concluded Penzel. "I agree," said Ser'Flevius. "If there are indeed skeletons wandering around, it may be somehow related to what is happening in the southern lands. That's why I returned; I wanted to report on the revival in the realm of the dead." Sh'Ako giggled, and the southerner smiled and added: "It does sound ironic, but unfortunately, it's true, and I couldn't figure out the cause of these changes." "Never mind, we'll find out soon," the king said confidently. "In that case, we need to prepare everything necessary for the expedition, including gathering a squad," Nemt added. "Yes, but we must not forget that these passages are narrow, and a crowd of people will only get in each other's way, and besides, there are branches." "Do you suggest we listen to Lecon and send several small squads?" "Exactly," replied the court knight. "I think this is the best option." "And I will lead one of the groups." The king's statement surprised those present and even caused some confusion. "That's not necessary," the wizard wanted to object, but Radonar interrupted him. "I've already decided. The Council of Seven will take over the management for now, so the kingdom remains in safe hands. I will take a few people from the royal guard with me, and you decide for yourselves." "I think an extra sword and a reliable shoulder will never hurt, so I'm with you," Penzel volunteered first. "As well as wise words," Nemt supported him. "It will be an honor to accompany you," said Matveg. "Moreover, I am more familiar with the underground than anyone else and know about all the possible dangers that lurk in the depths." "I cannot stand aside while there is even a faint hope of a connection with what is happening in the south," said Ser'Flevius. "I want to go too!" the princess blurted out, unexpectedly for herself, and even more for the others. "What?!" A'Mok was surprised and immediately began to object. "No, never, what if something happens to you, and then I'll have to answer for it, and besides..." "You can go too," Sh'Ako interrupted him. "I? But..." the prince hesitated. "You'll figure it out later," Anver intervened. "If that's the case, then perhaps danger threatens all states, and therefore this issue concerns everyone, and it is better to solve this problem together. I'm in." "Damn it!" Ayren jumped up and slammed her fist on the table. "I think it will be fun!" she said happily.

Ara, take a closer look, you changed a name in one place.

The next morning, all members of the expedition were gathered. Radonar stood in the center of the royal hall, wearing combat armor adorned with images of flames along the edges, and a crimson rose embellished the breastplate. A one-and-a-half-handed sword hung at his belt, almost entirely concealed beneath a red cloak. The king didn't particularly like this armor; he preferred the ceremonial one, finding it more beautiful, mainly due to its sky-blue color and the patterns etched upon it. However, in this instance, combat armor was necessary, as they were about to embark on a dangerous journey, and many battles awaited them. The king gave his final instructions to the council, after which the procession moved to the basement, where the entrance to the tunnels was located. "Is everyone ready?" Radonar asked, standing before the fissure in the wall. "Yes!" the assembled group exclaimed in unison. "Almost," someone mumbled belatedly. "Lecon?" the king asked, doubtfully. "I think I forgot the holy water," the blacksmith replied. "Don't worry, I brought some," Nemt said, producing a vial of liquid with a cross drawn on it from his pocket as proof. "I wasn't talking about that water," Lecon said dismissively, looking at the wizard. Radonar, in turn, gave his old friend a similar look. "Shh, I have some," Ayren whispered in her companion's ear, after which he calmed down. When all the last preparations for the journey were completed, and the guards lit the torches, the king gave the command, and Pensehl led the group down the dark corridor. The first knight could see perfectly well in the darkness, so he walked without a torch. Some explain this phenomenon as being due to his special juice diet, while others claim he made a pact with dark forces. Of course, few believe the latter, as such a person would not be hired for royal service. As for the torches, they were mainly carried by the soldiers, who were evenly distributed throughout the line of people. After some time, the group reached the remains of the skeletons that Pensehl had mentioned. After examining them, Nemt became convinced that magic was involved, and their weapons suggested that they had most likely come from the south. After a short rest, the king led his companions further. They walked until they came to a fork in the road. "Well, here are three roads, as I said," Pensehl said. "Matveg, can you determine where the skeletons came from or find other clues that would indicate the correct direction?" "I will try, Your Majesty," the miner replied, taking a strange device from his bag and beginning to examine the floor and walls. "But we still need to split up," Nemt interjected. "What if there is something important or dangerous in the other two corridors that we should know about?" "Yes, of course," Radonar agreed. While Matveg was trying to determine the correct route, the king appointed commanders for the other two groups. The choice, of course, fell on some of the most experienced fighters, who proudly accepted the command. "I found it!" the king's miner exclaimed joyfully. "This way, there is no doubt," he said, pointing to one of the tunnels. "Are you sure?" Pensehl asked. "Ninety-nine and nine-tenths percent sure," Matveg replied. "Good," the king said with satisfaction. "We will go this way, and you go that way," he said to his guards, after which he gave them the command to proceed. After waiting for the other two detachments to leave and the narrow dungeon to become more spacious, Radonar began to gather the main group from their temporary resting place. "Your Majesty..." "Yes?" "I think I should go first." "Why?" "Sir Pensehl is unfamiliar with these corridors, and even his unique vision will not help if a trap awaits us along the way. My knowledge and experience in this matter may protect us from them. I have spent a lot of time underground and know what dangers may lurk in the darkness of the dungeons." The king pondered for a moment, then exchanged glances with the first knight. "Agreed, Matveg, you will lead us." "I won't let you down," the miner replied, after which he tapped the crystal on his shoulder, causing it to glow with a bright light.

- I'm not talking about that water, - Lecon looked disdainfully at the wizard. Radonar, in turn, looked at his old friend with a similar expression.
- Shhh, I have some, - Ayren whispered to her companion, after which he calmed down.

You can't get anywhere without holy water! x)

Radonar stood in the center of the royal hall, wearing battle armor adorned with flames along the edges, and a crimson rose on the breastplate. A one-and-a-half-handed sword hung at his waist, almost entirely hidden beneath a red cloak. The king didn't particularly like these battle armors; he preferred ceremonial ones.

If this is what Radonar's battle armor looks like, I'm afraid to imagine what his ceremonial armor is like... If it's blue, then Arandor probably wears it, looking like some kind of master of a crystal mountain.
---
And yes, the water moment was also amusing.

Ceremonial ones are probably three or four times easier...

They can be seen in Nebka’s drawings.

The group's next stop was in a rather large and spacious cave, where they encountered several skeletons and a couple of ghouls, which, however, did not pose any problems for the king and his retinue. Although it wasn't entirely without problems, the issue was that the cave had several passages, and they had to find the right way again. While Matveg was attending to his duties, the others tried to entertain themselves or simply pass the time pleasantly, and some even did so productively. For example, Nemt wandered around the cave, collecting mushrooms or some kind of underground plants. Ser'Flevius and Sh'Ako stood aside, chatting amiably about something. But there were also those who relaxed in a completely different way. Picking up the skulls of recently defeated skeletons, Lekon, Ayren, and A'Mok decided to play an impromptu game to determine who was the most accurate and strongest among them. They didn't quite know how they would determine this, but it didn't particularly bother them. Taking his hammer and stepping ten paces away from the prince, Lekon gave a signal, after which the prince threw a skull towards the blacksmith. A sweeping blow hit the target precisely, causing the skull to shatter into small pieces. All this was accompanied by a characteristic sound, which, of course, attracted the attention of the comrades who were not participating in the game.
- Now it's my turn! My turn! - the girl exclaimed excitedly.
- Here, take it, - the blacksmith handed over his hammer. - But be careful, it's not an axe.
- Yes, yes, I know, - Ayren replied dismissively.
- Ready? - A'Mok asked.
- Throw it!
The prince threw the skull again, but unlike Lekon, the girl missed, and at the same time, she couldn't keep her balance, as the heavy hammer pulled her along, causing her to fall. A'Mok burst out laughing at what he saw, but quickly fell silent, seeing Ayren's scathing gaze. The blacksmith reacted more restrainedly, only smiling slightly, after which he helped his friend get up.
- You're such an idiot, - she said to the prince when it was his turn to hit.
Watching his comrades have fun, Radonar sat by the fire and thought about something. Seeing Trisvit approaching him, the king was distracted from his thoughts and turned all his attention to the man in the purple robe.
- What do you think we came to your palace for?
- For a rare pink mineral, - Radonar replied immediately.
- Not exactly, although it will also be needed.
- Not exactly? - the king asked in surprise. - So, also for my anniversary?
- No.
- Well, usually people come to birthdays with a gift.
Trisvit remained silent.
- In that case, I can only say that you wasted your time coming up with an excuse to meet with me when there already was one.
- It's about dreams, - the sorcerer said, laying his cards on the table.
- Dreams?
- Yes, Anver also saw something important in a dream, and we think it is related to what you saw.
The king looked at the ruler of the neighboring country, who was talking to Pensel about something.
- And what did he see?
- Unfortunately, his memories are fragmented, and it is quite difficult to put these fragments together, and some of the places he saw are unfamiliar to him, but I think everything will become clear over time.
- So, you don't really know anything, but you claim that it is very important?
- Why not, we know something for sure.
- What?
- He must go with you, because the outcome of the entire campaign depends on it.

What a lovely picture, the essence of which is clear to me. And why hasn't the story been updated in two years? The malicious Arandor has hidden the continuation somewhere else. I wish this den of iniquity would...:confused: :D
A good story based on unreal events with almost real characters. I didn't expect that. And it ends abruptly, only Drakkosha does a good job in the right section.:(