AC 2021 - Round Two: Team Two

[Umbra]

Alerar had been dealt a mighty blow over that had left the entire nation reeling.

The emergence of the demon gate was the catalyst that had sent the nation spiraling downward toward a complete and total societal collapse. And so long as the hellborn demons continued to pour into this world there would be no solace afforded to the men and women of this once proud nation.

Even in this remote fortress located within the maze of jagged rock formations known as the dragon’s teeth, the death knells of cities under siege cried out for aid before eventually falling silent one at a time.

The silence of cities and outposts that once held hundreds if not thousands was akin to a wave flowing across the land, which all could be traced back to a single point of origin, the demon gate itself.

Sanctuary as the old fortress was once known could afford little in the way of its namesake. Ordinary farmers and merchants from nearby settlements that knew of the old fortress had abandoned their homes and valuables seeking solace within its steel walls. Those first few days saw a steady flow of fleeing civilians turn up at their gates. But the demons had not been far behind them, and when they tired of burning down broken buildings they turned their wicked eyes upon the steel clad bastion with all of their wicked wrath.

Umbra had witnessed first hand the mindless cruelty these demons were capable of, their kind was little more than a plague that needed to be sundered from this world as soon as possible.

Fight after fight, siege after bloody siege. There were no more men turning up at Sanctuary’s gates, just more demons fit for naught but slaughter.

Surely this nation had survived such hardships once before, that the flame of hope had yet to be extinguished and that this land would once more flourish with their technological marvels?

“There has been nothing quite like this since the last great war with the demons. One that had ended only with the first king sealing the breach into this world using his own sword as the catalyst.” Umbra said out loud within Sanctuary’s once great library. Many of the shelves had been upturned or pushed over as devastating spells rained down from a burning firmament that shook the fortress to it’s foundation.

“Though such tactics could only delay the inevitable and the descendants are forced to face the consequences of the failures of their ancestors.” A morose voice called out causing the mercenary to close the leather bound tome with a crisp clean snap before turning to face their unexpected guest.

“So this is where you have been skulking as of late.” Troy commented with an open look of disgust. The only other remaining party member of the delegation that had set out from Radasanth looked much paler than he normally did, his cheeks gaunt and possessed visible bags under his eyes that spoke of many sleepless nights that had troubled him as of late.

“I doubt you will find much here, other than dust and cobwebs,” He said disdainfully as he ran his finger along a particularly dusty shelf before grimacing and shaking his hand clean with a rag he pulled out from his pocket.

He would have been right under any other circumstance. What Umbra currently sought did not lie within the pages of well worn tomes or shadowed grimoires. A single stack of books piled in one particular corner had attracted the mercenaries' keen yet curious eye. This was, or rather had been, Celandine's stack of books. The secrets within all told Umbra as much as he gleaned that the girl had been researching the first king, and the sword he had used to seal the demon gate the first time around.

“Come along now, I’m sure we can find something more productive for you to do than standing idly by.” The dignitary spoke with a tired tone as a grandfather would. Though Umbra privately thought that the idea of this man as a grandfather would be naught but a detriment to the wellbeing of any grandchild.

Umbra gave the lonely stack of books one last look, feeling the torrent of distant emotions stir at the mere sight of them. Though the young girl had given everyone the slip days ago there had still been signs of where she had been, what she had eaten and where she had slept within those first few days before the girl's presence had disappeared completely.

It would have been wild speculation to guess if the girl was even still alive somewhere within the walls of the fortress, or if she had long since quit this place. All these books could only tell Umbra of the long and sordid history of the elves of this nation, while they spoke of nothing about if a single girl had been in this room days or mere hours ago.

Umbra lingered within Sanctuary’s library for only a moment longer, discarding their doubt in favour of attending the remaining Radasanth dignitary that they were contracted to protect.

Falling into step with his companion, they made their way through the now familiar white stone walls of Alerar’s self proclaimed impenetrable fortress. Though that claim was being sorely tested as of late. The silence that lingered between the two of them were broken up by machinery that hummed in the distance and Umbra’s heavy metallic footsteps upon the metal plated floors as Troy silently kept pace.

“Have you heard the latest news?” Troy eventually asked with a sidelong glance towards the faceless visor. Without waiting for an answer the dignitary continued on “The Dwarfs are on the move, they apparently have tired of waiting for the Dark Elves to fix the issue and have resolved to march to the gate and deal with it themselves.”

‘Curious.’ Umbra considered carefully. “And how do the dark elves feel about that?” Umbra queried curiously.

“About as well as you could expect, But between the Dwarfs and the Demons from the Tular plains, Alerars finest diplomats are all too busy crying over the legality over their actions,” Troy said with a sardonic grin. An errant thought crossed the man's bearing as his grin widened allowing for his teeth to gleam within the fortress’ artificial light as a chuckle rumbled deep within his throat. “As if they even have a country to claim as their own any longer. Watching the diplomats scramble in their talks for an alliance while their outposts, towns and cities drop off the map like pieces in a game of chess has certainly been such a rewarding learning experience.”

Umbra’s strides came to a quick and sudden halt as the mercenary gave Troy a long and withering glare. While the man had always been something of a rich entitled asshole before, there was something else altogether unpleasant that had been unearthed from the deepest depths of Troy's mind of late.

“You are trying to broker an alliance are you not?” Umbra asked slowly, calling his intent into question.

“Yes, yes, of course I am. Without the brat here to do her job, it inevitably all falls to me. As it should have been from the start.” Troy said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “Now if you would pardon me, I need to attend yet another delightful session with the menagerie. Perhaps you could entertain yourself atop the battlements rather than a stuffy outdated library.”

‘Perhaps I could.’ The mercenary mentally relented as they watched Troy continue on alone until he was out of sight. Lingering doubt settled over Umbra’s mind like a dark shade, once again questioning the wisdom to allow the young girl meant to be their diplomat to wander off on her own to get up to who knows what.

Klaxons began to wail through the fortress’ halls, another familiar sound as of late Umbra noted as the alarm was signifying yet another siege had started.