Aranos, City of Darkness

Please note that this is the actual quest. If you wish to add a new character, discuss stuff or just mess around, please use the Character thread. From here on in, it's serious- please don't ruin it.

The city slowly awaked from its slumber as the sun rose across the fields. A couple who had been waiting all night watched as light spread across the lands. Gradually it awakened the city of Aranos, sitting high upon the mountains.

Jeral Drason, a soldier in the Royal Guard, was already awake when the sunlight hit his window. He'd not been able to sleep, so heavy was his mind on recent matters. He looked out the window, and put it all in the back of his mind, to be re-examined at a later time. He had a job to do, and he was damned if he wasn't going to do it well.

He reached over to the chair upon which he had laid out his uniform lowly put it on. A fine combination of Scarlet and Black which stuck fear into the enemies of the city. He decided not to place the chainmail plate on - he wouldn't need it. His dressing complete, he walked over to the door, upon the back of which hung his valued short swords. He took one of the two and slung the scabbard over his shoulder before opening the door and leaving the place he called home.

The journey to the palace was a short one. Having been built into the mountain, Aranos was a relatively small city, although a great deal had been dug into the rock which many outsiders knew little about. Upon arrival at the palace he smiled to the guard, who nodded back in respect, and made his was to the main audience chamber where he was expected.

There, waiting for him, was Princess Avencis. Jeral had been training her in the art of self-defense, and she was eager to learn. He smiled a charming smile, which she responded. The two had almost grown up in each others pockets, but time and the duties of the crown had forced them apart when they were sixteen. Now, at 24, Jeral was finally able to see her again, although it still was not as often as he would have liked.

The Princess had already drawn her sword, so Jeral drew his. A fine work of steel, the sword had belonged to his father, before he had been killed during a violent dispute with nearby city Gerantal. He put the thought out of his mind, as he had done so many times before, and faced the princess.

"I assume you are ready to begin, your highness?" he said in his most regal voice. She laughed in a casual sort of way. He always knew how to make her feel at ease. She nodded and held her sword in an attacking position. Jeral indicated with his that he was ready for her to start,, and she began her attack.

"Aranos is doomed" Kelli Tagurin(her last name) said to herself. She was crouched over a crystal ball. In the crystal ball showed an image of the City of Aranos inflamed, with harpies flying all about. In the flames stood Kelli, who was surrounded by the carcasses of her defeated foes. One of the bodies was Jeral's, but she didn't know that yet.

Kelli had a very troubled childhood. Her father raped her when she was very young, and her mother died soon after her father was arrested. She had to fend for herself on the streets of Gerantal, which most people know is a very dangerous city. She was very good at defending herself, but she was no match for many of the men in the city. After a few years, she went into seclusion, where so created her wardrobe and disguised herself as a man. Nobody knew she was Kelli Tagurin. They all thought she was "Helicro".

"Helicro" was a name she stole off an Aranosian merchant who she killed for ripping her off. He used it as a disguise, so no one knew who she was...

...because then no one would fear her...

She had to prepare for the attack on Aranos before she could attack. She had to organize her minions before she could attack, but that isn't an easy attack either. She had to establish communication with the leader of the Harpies, Gremlos. She would have to travel to Mt.Dumos where he resided.

But she would have to fight to get there...

Reginald wiped the sweat from his brow as he continued to slash through the thick vines that blocked his path. He and his companion had been travelling through the forest for nearly three days now, and there seemed to be no end in sight. He silently cursed the gods for making the journey so difficult before resuming his battle against nature.

Following quietly behind him was the woman who had hired him. Normally she prefered to work alone, but recently she had somehow become a target for a group of bandits, and she was too weak to defend against them on her own. Her meeting with Reginald had been by chance, but she had taken the opportunity and seized it, as she had done all her life. She watched as he continued to slash through the vines before looking up at the sky through the thick trees. Seeing brief glimpses of the sun, she called out to him.

"Reginald. It's getting light."

The big man stopped slashing and turned round, the battle scarred face looking at her.

"So we stop here?"

The woman nodded. She took off her pack and began to draw out camping equipment. Reginald reached down for his water pouch and took a deep drink from it. It would need refilling soon, he reminded himself as he put the stopper back in and joined the woman. She had managed to light the fire, despite the dampness of the area. The two huddled round it.

"Avencis!"

The cry startled the Princess, and she turned towards the voice. Jeral seized the opportunity and used it to flick the sword from out of her hands. She turned back to him, wearing a disapproving face. Jeral remained straight-lipped.

"You can't let things like that distract you while you're in battle" he said, tilting his head to once side slightly as he did so. "That's a sure-fire way to get killed." He replaced his sword in his scabbard and moved to pick up the one lying on the floor. Avencis briefly smiled and turned towards the room where the voice had come from. Her father, King Travelis, was standing in the doorway.

"Wise advice, daughter. You would do well to heed it." He smiled, his eyes lighting up as he saw his daughter once more. Travelis was a devoted father and husband, and it brought him no end of joy to see his family. He stepped down and approached Jeral, who had picked up the sword and presented it to Avencis. She took it and jokingly pointed it at him.

"You shall pay for this, foul rogue." she said in her most regal voice. Jeral smiled, and she did in return. Then she lowered the sword and turned towards her father. He stood beside her facing Jeral.

"Dearest daughter, might we have a moment alone?" His hand streched out, pointing towards Jeral. Avencis nodded. "Don't be too long, father" she uttered as she handed him the sword and walked off to her room.

Jeral turned and faced the king. His face dropped the smile he had been wearing and was replaced by a troubled look. Something was wrong, he thought. Travelis motioned to Jeral to step closer, which he did. "Your highness, is something wrong?" he said.

"Yes Jeral, I regret to inform you that there is."