Guilds: War One

Vox had just received word that Lord Link required his presence. There was no mention of the reason for this meeting. Turning over the parcel, he saw the secret language of the Ostrinites, which would look like nothing more than a few smears of dirt to anyone other than someone of the Guild. Still, few lower sections of the Guild even knew the language existed.
The message was short and sharp, "Go to the Higher Caves instead. Kill all who oppose you."
Vox strapped on his cloak, which melded in with the shadows. He'd rather not kill on this day. As Commander of the Guard, deaths on his watch were. . . Inconvenient. And so he set off, up the spiral stair, open in the sides to the pit below, to the meeting with Lord Link.

On his way up the caves Vox met very little resistence. Being the deadliest killer in the guild nobody in their right mind would ever dare get on his bad side. Though, this was a time of peace, so naturally the guild was in an uproar looking for a fight regardless of who they were.
There were two lackies put on patrol outside of Lord Link's requested meeting spot. They didn't realize who the cloaked figure was until they had knives at their throats - swords half drawn. Vox really wasn't in the mood to kill his own guild members today, so he very calmly said "Fight each other. Whoever lives doesn't get killed by me." and he lowered his knives as they began to fight to the death.
Vox simply turned away and listened as their blood was shed. He walked through the large doors listening to one of the lackies take their last breath. Vox smiled a wicked smile.
He had made it to the upper caves with surprisingly little resistance, and sitting there with one leg over the balcony looking down at the lower caves was Lord Link, Vox's Leader, Master, and childhood friend.

Near the Thermian Hills...


The land below him was silent. The rolling hills seemed to shift with the day. The hot sun was lowering behind the Thermian Mountains.
Lore sat in the shade of the Daloki tree, meditating with his falchion beside him.
He could hear the mice scurry, the birds chirp, and the bugs fly even through the deafening roar of the blades of grass swaying.
He opened his eyes.
He stood and the white cloth tunic was blown back with the air.
The Caelum monks had sensed a large disruption with the Balance in the South. He had been sent as a scout.
He was alone. But he hoped to meet some of his brothers on the way.
He took his armor and placed it back. He placed his mail over his tunic and fitted his vambraces. He tied the straps of his chest plate and his knee plates.
He finally sheathed his falchion over his shoulder and murmured a prayer to Canotii.
They say the journey of a thousand miles starts with one step.
So he took a step forward.

Deep in the Ostrinite Underground Kingdom. . .



Vox strode up beside Lord Link, glancing at the view below. The large lake sparkled with a rainbow sheen, a natural cave system sending water flowing out and back into the lake, causing waves. The water has an eerie glow about it, providing never enough light.
Link barely shifted his position when he noticed his old friend, "Four children were born today."
"So?"
"So, while in transit to Incubus, three of your soldiers were killed and the children taken. This is a direct violation of the treaty! Children are brought up there and on their fourteenth birthday they decide which Guild to join!"
"This. . . This hasn't happened in centuries," Replied Vox, blood vessels straining against the stress.
"And then. . . We caught a Viridi spy in the Zark Mine."
"Do you think it was them?"
"Possibly. But you also know Caelum, peaceful in nature but prisoners to raw emotion."
Vox nodded, looking at the lake, the moisture rising off causing distorted light beams.

"One of our spies reported in. He said most of his colleagues were captured. There wasn't much for him to say... We may need a rescue team. I don't know what the enemy could get out of one of our spies." Varrgie said. "I'm sending in a group of paladins, and you."
"Who? Me?! I'm not going to stride into that evil place!!" Miner said. "You felt it, didn't you?! Something's happening, and I don't want my people in the middle of it."
Varrgie walked to the window and looked down on the townsfolk. "Things are happening that we don't understand... We need to end this, before it's too late."

Miner looks to his side and grabs hold of his leather robes.Then he looks up at Varrgie and says, "Ill do it. I need an hour to rest and get ready. I'll get the others ready. I hope it doesn't turn for the worst."

"So. You require my. . . Special services, I presume?"
Link barely nodded. "You leave now."
"Yes, Master," Said Vox as he bowed and left.

Vox stepped over the body of one of the lackies and noticed they had both died. A pity. Maybe, one day, they could have risen to be prison guards. Vox laughed at the inside joke between Link and himself.
Few knew the kingdom as well as Vox, most he had killed himself. Knowledge truly is power, after all.
He had reached the peak in little over an hour. The snow cap was a pearly white, fresh powder. He reached into his satchel and pulled out a grotesque stone mask. Vox morphed into a gargoyle as he applied the mask to his face, blood turning to gravel, stone wings bursting out of his spine. He jumped off the mountain peak and glided away, his form seemingly melding with both light and shadow.

Back in the Caves

Link was still sitting on the balcony hours afterwards. Nobody really knew what he thought about while sitting there. He would usually sit somewhere for hours on end, refusing food, water, and general company aside from Vox. Some say it's because he's a loner, others say he's plotting to control the world. Only Vox knew what he was thinking, though anyone who asked was left without a throat.
Eventually Link turned his head for the first time that day to look at the table which was holding a shiny new knife for Vox. He had neglected to notice the gift on his way out. "Typical" Link muttered under his breath.
Once again bored, Link turned back to the lake and decided it was time to move. So he leaned forward and, without changing a single facial expression, began falling down towards the lake.
The rest of the guild payed no notice to this routinely plunge. Link did it regularly.
Right as Link was about to hit the water he stopped, got up on his feet, and walked across the water to the shore. Link began walking into the deepest parts of the cave to talk to a spy that was found earlier that day.

Through eyes of granite he saw, the world below. The crackle of his stone wings constantly crumbling and reforming. All the guilds seemed to be in movement. This, of course, would mean change and chaos on a scale like that of before the Great Guilds of Alnuria had formed. He knew not what has caused this change but he was going to find out. That was his specialty, after all.
Gliding over the lands of the Caelians, he let out a great roar, sounding much like thunder.

The mist over the Lake followed Link as he entered the dungeons. Upon entering the pit, or 'cell', all he found was a bloody mess. The master torturer had obviously taken away the Viridi scum's only pride. He was, however, alive. That he knew for sure, feeling his faint heart beat ripple through the darkness.

Miner took stealthy steps while he walked into enemy lands.
"We need to locate our colleague." he said.
He pulled out his arrows and looked arrowend. No one in sight. He found a short cave and searched it
"Unoccupied. We will rest here." The two guards and him set up a camp.


Later Miner told the guards to pack their bags "We need to go.... I heard something, and it doesn't sound friendl-"

Lore almost tripped as he slid down the rocky hill.
He had run as fast as he could when he saw the smoke.
"What has happened here!?"
Shouted he as he ran to the town.
Waterworth had been burnt. The building lay like ashes, the ceiling had mostly fallen into the houses, and embers heated the lifeless place.
He could hear coughing in the streets.
Waterworth was a prosperous town, known for its fertile land and its port on the Huan river.
"Brother Lore!"
He looked to his left when he heard the voice of Karpith.
"What has happened here?"
Said Lore when he saw his bloodstained clothes and ash-covered face.
Karpith signaled to the West.
"Night Raiders... from the Galduan tribe."
"They've never gone over the mountains before. are you sure?"
"My eyes were like my sword, they did not fail me."
"So you are not hurt?"
"I thank the gods for it. However, the village people are congregated in the square, not many were unscathed. I have done what I can to heal them, but some need expertise, and repairs to the church so they can spend the night indoors."
Lore grabbed Karpith's shoulder and said:
"I will do what I can. Send a bird to the Monastery. I will stay today, tell them to send more able hands than myself for this job."

The beast inside had started to surface, the mask's curse an ever-present entity inside Vox's mind. Every gift has its curse.
He was dangerously close to Caelish territory, though losing his sanity outweighed the risk. Folding his wings close to his sides he dived into a nearby cave, skillfully landing on his feet, talons digging deep ravines in the cave floor.
Reaching up to his face, he dug the seams of the mask out, pulling it off. The stone skin, crumbling off in sheets, flew into the mask.
Turning the grotesque mask to face him, he saw a light purple glow in the hollow eye sockets.
Close.
He threw the mask into his satchel and brought out a crystal telescope. Charging the telescope with Mana, he brought it to his eye.
A large city-scape, probably Caelish, lay in ruins.
Viridi attacking Caelum? Unlikely.
Vox hadn't realized how drained he really was until the world began to spin and distort...

A squirrel pops out of the side of the caves, "Oh, It was just a squirrel." said Miner. He and the others raced into the woods when he noticed something didn't seem right. "Follow me men," he said. "Something doesn't seem right..."

The crew ran for a bit until they settled on a mountain's side, Oh no... in front of him he saw in the distance ruins. He couldn't tell whose they were or what territory they were in, all he knew was that ruins were bad, very bad.

Link came up to the Viridi spy with his usual emotionless expression. "Who sent you"
The spy looking and close to death as any man could said nothing.
"I said. Who sent you"
The Viridi refused to speak.
Link looked up to the master torturer. "Did you cut out his tongue?" The torturer shook his head. "In which case I want you to cause him as much suffering as you can without killing him. Now"
The master torturer began chopping off the spy's fingers bit by bit. Each time letting out a small scream. Link remained expressionless.
After 20 minutes of this Link raised his hand to stop. "Now talk". The spy only whimpered. "Talk!" Link said as he kicked the spy in the stomach.
"Varggie... it was master Varggie... please just stop this pain!" The scum finally cracked.
"Oh really" Link said. "The leader of the Viridi sent you? So he's ready to start a war it seems". Link turned away to leave. "Do not let him die. Make sure he's alive to watch his betrayal take effect" and Link left without another word while the Viridi Spy began to look more miserable then ever before.

Lore left the town at dusk. Happy with what he had done, and dissatisfied by what he could have done and did not.
The Western slopes were barren at this hour, and the birds were not chirping yet. He could sense a strange presence above him, but he paid no heed to it.
He knew were he wanted to set his scout camp. The borders in between the Viridi and Ostrinus were south of the Forgemount Valley, and there was a hill were he knew he could stay. Hidden by the foliage.
He hungered so he took a piece of dried jerky and chewed on it. The terrain ahead was rough.
He trekked through the mountains, and by evening reached his desired position.
He gathered fire wood and set it ablaze in a dirt pit,, surrounded by pieces of slate.
The tent was dark green, and there was enough space for his roll of cloth, his armor and weapons stuffed inside his bag. The two books he had brought ad a candle. Not far from his camp there was a small pond of water, maybe waist deep in the deepest part, and five meters long.
Outside he fashioned himself a rack made from two sets of medium-sized stick, crossed and placed a meter from each other. At the top of these two "X" sections there was another log, which he tied string to.
The sun was setting so he searched the area for deer of rabbits, he found rabbits not far away.
He prayed to the Godess Saluina and slit their throats, skinned them, hung their leather and the meat except for one, which he cooked and ate.
The trees would be a perfect place to see the surrounding areas in the next week or so, as he gathered information for his masters.

The city was in poverty. Vermin ran amok across the streets, and withered people dragged their ruined bodies into corners to die. Varrgie looked at himself in the reflection from the window. He was gaunt too, and he felt weak. The food shortages were one thing, but Varrgie believed his home was cursed.
The Ostrinus were the culprits, he told himself. From the very first time they were sighted, his people began to grow weak.
"These unholy barbarians must be driven back to where they came, before all is lost... Advisor!"
Tasslrad, the King's advisor, came to Varrgie's side. He looked weak as so many others did.
"Get our strongest men. I must speak with the monks of Caelum. They may be able to help us. They are strong healers, and might be able to bring us back our strength." varrgie said. "At once, sire!" the advisor replied. He ordered his maids to suit him up in his armour. Ostrinus could easily ambush him, and there were many other dangers in the wilds.

"For Viridi, and all who shed blood for the innocent." he thought.

"For Viridi."

Link sat at the highest point in the caves looking down on the rest of the guild. He was perplexed since that afternoon at in the dungeon. He couldn't come to understand why the Viridi would send a spy. The Ostrinus had been dormant for months now. It just didn't make sense.
Though Link knew that whatever was going to happen, the Viridi would go in alone. He knew the Caelum would never side with Ostrinus cave dwellers. But he also knew that if the Viridi provoked what was to come then the Caelum would not support them.
In the end more land was to be consumed by Ostrinus corruption. More land for Link to rule over. Link sighed. It was a burden to lead this guild. But it didn't matter. He was going to rule whether he liked it or not. After all. He had been doing it for over three millennia.

Miner and his Guards walked towards the cavern's entrance.
When they got there the cave entry was blocked by rocks. "They don't want anyone going in... Figures." Miner said. "Guards, help me get the rocks down! And be careful not to make a noise! We don't want this rescue mission to turn into a battle." Miner sighed, "If we get caught, this catastrophe might turn into a war.... Anyways: in and out!"



"In and out...."

Ever since the ostrinus began settling the surface, there had been tension between the two guilds. Virdini villages were razed during First contact, so Virdini spies were sent. The spying continued to this very day, and he sensed this capture could break the peace. He already had worse enough problems. He had ties with the Caleum, and if anyone could help Virdini end his curse, it was them. by the time they reached the abbey's wall, the men were exhausted. They entered the abbey...

Link knew that Virdi had stepped on Ostrinus land. He had been on edge since they captured the spy. Of course it never showed.
He wondered how Vox was doing. Surely he had made it to is destination by now. But for now it didn't matter. It was time to take more prisoners.
Link rounded up his army, it was better to have many then few in Link's eyes. "Go to the entrance. Look for their leader and take him prisoner, kill the rest." Link's army went immedietly without a second thought.

"Why do they even bother coming to our land" Link thought. "We are un-killable in the corruption." Link walked down to the dungeons to talk to the spy, chuckling to himself at the thought of Viridi blood being spilt.

As Lore sat on the tree he heard a bird coming from behind.
He turned and saw the blue feathers of the Wild Cornip. It was used to communicate with the Caeliesse.
Attached to its leg there was a small note, which Lore carefully untied and read. The bird jumped around the tree and was silent.
The note said that the Viridi had contacted the Vasal Abbey, and that they had informed the Abbot that they were worried that the Ostrius would soon go to War.
So it is them?
The Caelum had also had that feeling, and now that the Viridi were freed of suspicion, the Ostrinus were only left.
Lore turned his head to the West and squinted. He thought he saw something in the caves, but he was not sure.
He sat in the tree andcmeditated, hoping to see something.

You could hear blood splattering far above the caves. Lord Link's face showed no expression. "Those aren't Ostrinus dying up there" Link said without taking his eyes off the Spy.
Miner was looking at the ground. He couldn't believe what he had just done. "I-I thought it would of worked out better then this..."
"Your thoughts were known to us the moment you stepped on this land. You can't kill an Ostrinus on their own land." Link crouched down and looked the spy in his lifeless eyes. "This spy you sent was strong. He put up a decent fight." Link raised the knife that was meant to go to Vox earlier that week. "But he was destined to die the moment he stepped onto this land" and in one quick move the spy's throat was slit.
Minor's eyes grew wide, "how could you just kill him like that!?"
"He was useless, Viridi. Just like your guards" Link stood up. "You're all alone now little Viridi. What now."
Miner's eyes began to water as he brought his sword up and ran towards Link ready to kill him.