Story

The Eternal Winter Saga - Part I

Concept Story by Matthew Knight and Gordon Burchell

Chapter 1: Edlundiver, Kingdom of Humans

Far beyond the reality of mortals, deep in the realm of fantasy resides the land of Eternal Winter. It was once a peaceful world in which Nature flourished and all creatures of the earth lived in harmony. Until the world was condemned by the ancient sorcerer Voraxia, whom cast an Evil spell that Condemned the world to forever dwell in snow and ice for eternity. In the Eternal Winter wastelands, He released Evil creatures and Dark Mages that use their witchcraft to spread terror across the land. Many Wizards and Clerics had tried to reverse the spell and melt the everlasting ice that torments the world, but none ever succeeded. The Elves and men had tried to maintain peace but were always threatened by the horrors which lurked in the world.

In the far regions of the west was the kingdom of Edlundiver which was built by humans in the days of old. Ruled by King Leofoxin, The ancient kingdom of Humans was one of the strongest forces in Eternal Winter. Together with the Elves they had won many epic battles and defended their homeland against the creatures of Voraxia. Seperated by the great sea, to the East was the Elven Kingdom of Willowthorn. The Elves were very honorable and helpful to the Humans. Together they were a strong alliance that was essential to survival in the times of great turmoil.

The time had come when the people of Edlundiver received word from the Elves that the red demons of the underworld had been released into Zoratherax, a region just west of Willowthorn. It was said that these creatures were using their powers to summon the Leviathan up from the depths of the darkened seas. The Leviathan was a gigantic sea serpent-like creature that would surely Destroy the Elven lands. The Elves and men had agreed to send an alliance of troops to Zoratherax in an attemped to Defend willowthorn and slay the Leviathan. The Elves would send their finest and fiercest archers and fighters. Edlundiver would send a fleet of ships to the shores of Zoratherax, where an army of swordsman would storm the frosty beaches to bring down the evil sea-creature.

To lead the troops into battle was a strong and powerful Knight whom was chosen by King Leofoxin. For he was the strongest and most powerful nobleman whom had shown much honor to the king in the past years and helped saved the fate of the kingdom numerous times. The Knight had a very mysterious and magical quality about him. He was a holy Knight of valor and strength who lived by divine morals and the Knight’s code of honor. His amazing and graceful fighting skills were incredibly Strong and accurate, for none had ever witnessed his defeat in battle. He was a tall warrior with mysterious features and long dark hair. He was always seen wearing light chain-mail and a long black cloak, armed with an ancient sword handed down to him from his forefathers. Now the fate of Willowthorn could only be saved by he and the alliance.

Chapter 2: Blackened shores, Leviathan’s Wrath

So away they sailed, into the sunset, destined for the coast of Zoratherax. On the third day there was still no land in sight. The crew was wondering if they were heading in the right direction. The knight looked to the sky. To his amazement, he saw a shiny silver ribbon reach across the horizon. This was the Rainbow of Steel. It must be an omen sent from the heavens thought the knight. The knight gazed at the rainbow in amazement. He knew it was sent from above to guide the fleet to Zoratherax. “To the rainbow of steel” shouted the knight. The ships changed their direction and headed toward it. Sure enough, after a long journey across the open seas, following the rainbow, the land was sighted to the far East. The waters had now turned black as they sailed closer and they could see smoke rising from the beach.

The ships anchored and the troops set for the shore. As the knight approached the shore, he gazed at the land in ruins. The Leviathan looked like a gigantic scaled worm with the head of a dragon. His scales glimmered in the salty foam as he slithered through the waves of flames. The beach was now an inferno. Everywhere the Leviathan moved and everything he touched seemed to catch fire. There were bodies laid everywhere. The sand was charred and there were small groups of demon creatures gathered before the Leviathan, chanting: “All hail the serpent king.” These creatures were quickly disposed of as the troops stormed the shore. Flames were touching the sky. All around the Leviathan was completely covered by fire. Nevertheless, the troops of Edlundiver forged ahead through the flames and attacked the beast. In the middle of this gigantic inferno they battled the Leviathan. Swords slashed and Elven arrows flew as the Elves of Willowthorn approached the desecrated beach. The Leviathan devoured the soldiers one by one as they attacked.

As the battle continued, the Elves began to grow in numbers. The creature was being showered with a hail of arrows. The Leviathan was weakening and the flames were dying. The Elves continued firing endlessly and blood sprayed from the serpent king and dripped down his shiny scales. Then out of nowhere, the Leviathan let out a mighty scream and the earth began to shake. A gigantic tidal wave arose from the sea as if summoned up by some sorcery. It crashed into the shore decimating the Elvin archers. The Leviathan shrieked again and dove into the sea.

The knight stood there furious. For every last soldier of Edlundiver beside himself rest in the stomach of the creature and every Elf of the alliance was slain by the magical tidal wave. With anger in his heart he gripped the blade. The earth began to shake again. Now the sky had turned black and all the water in the ocean turned into fire. Suddenly, the beast arose before him. Dripping wet from the sea, yet surrounded by monstrous flames. He screamed at the sky and it too burst out into flames. The serpent coiled around the knight and pulled him close. He stared at the knight through red eyes and grinned with a thousand teeth. Then spoke the words: “Awake red demons of the underworld. Just one more call to make the serpent rise. Receive them now into the fire realm. The smoke will clear to reveal the death of all.”

The knight pulled from under his armor a silver talisman which was given to him by the ancient ice-druids whom he had met in the great forest of Edlundiver. He held the talisman before the Leviathan and began speaking in an ancient tongue. He then threw it into the Leviathan’s mouth, which was graciously accepted. The knight then plunged his sword deep into the Leviathan. Suddenly, great spikes of ice began shooting out from inside the creature and blood sprayed everywhere. The Leviathan screamed in pain as like icy stalagmites, the freezing spikes tore through his shiny scales. The knight smiled, for this was exactly as he planed. The talisman, which he threw inside the Leviathan was a magical relic, handed down for centuries that had extreme magical powers. Although he was not sure why it was given to him, it had saved him for the last time. As the final spike burst through the giant worms’ head , he screamed one last time. The surrounding flames had now turned back into water as the great Leviathan sank into the sea. The Leviathan was dead.

Chapter 3: Gazrael, The Demonslayer of Willowthorn

The knight stood wounded on the charred beach. There was no ship for him to return home, for all had burnt in the ocean of fire and the soldiers of Edlundiver had perished by the wrath of Leviathan. He knew that his only hope was to seek out the kingdom of Willowthorn.

After traveling for a short time, The knight came to a long stretch of barren snow-covered plains surrounded by a forest. For a moment he stopped. In the distance he could see what looked like the figure of a maiden standing on a hill. The figure beckoned him to come closer. Anxious, The Knight hurried towards her. As he gotcloser he could see that she was a beautiful Elven maiden clad in leather and furs. She was armed with two large swords. As the knight approached he felt entranced by her overwhelming beauty. The afternoon sun shined on her flowing, golden hair and reflected off the Elven steel around her waist.

“Hello there…” said The knight. “Do you know the way to Willowthorn?” He asked. “But of course…” she replied. “…And I will see to it that you get there. My name is Gazrael, The Demonslayer of Willowthorn. I roam the Elven lands Destroying all evil whom may threaten the kingdom. Our people are very grateful of your arrival and the slaying of The Leviathan. I can see you are in need of rest and the path to willowthorn is best not traveled at night…which will be falling soon. If you come with me, I will take you to my home just outside of the forest of willows. There we can rest for together and you will be my companion for the evening in return.” The Knight gazed into her cold, gray eyes that burned with lust. He took the maiden’s hand and together they began traveling to towards the East.

They walked for some time admiring one another in conversation. Suddenly, they could hear something far in the distance. It was the sound of a pack of demon creatures charging towards them. “We must destroy them.” Said Gazrael. “Prepare to execute the evil demons of Eternal Winter!” She yelled in anger. Together they charged toward the pack and collided with great force. The knight was quite used to fighting the demons. He struck them down fast and few could harm him. His cunning sword slashed with honor through the mass of creatures. Gazrael was a fierce warrior. She slayed demons faster than anyone the knight had ever seen. Her double bladed attack was merciless and every demon she fought was killed instantly. Blood sprayed her snow-white face as she tore through them, so vigilant and true. In the Icy dark the guardians of justice raged with steel. Gazrael charged at the chief demon who was bigger than the others. She leaped in the air and with one quick strike, decapitated it. She grabbed the head of the creature and quickly drew a large circle of blood around them with blood that dripped from it, as well as some strange Elvish runes that the knight did not recognize. She stood in the middle of the circle and held the demon’s head up to the sky. She roared a victorious battle cry that was heard throughout the lands.

Gazrael turned to the knight who had just slain the last demon creature. She embraced him in crimson snow and ice. “Let us go…” she said. “My home is not far.” Together they walked to the forest where they spent the night together as promised. The next day as the knight departed to go onward to Willowthorn, he promised to return to Gazrael after he spoke to the king of his journey

Chapter 4: The Kingdom of Willowthorn, Breath of Ice

Toward Willowthorn he traveled for what seemed like days until finally he came to the road Gazrael spoke of. All around him were gigantic willow trees. These trees were very majestic and some seemed to have faces. The knight traveled further down the road until he reached the gates of Willowthorn. When the guards learned he was from Edlundiver, he was allowed in immediately. Willowthorn was a magical place. There were mossy-green roads leading through the town and crystal clear streams running under stone bridges. Beyond the village lay the enormous stone castle in which the Elven king resided. As the knight walked though the village he noticed that many of the houses were in ruins. He wondered why this was. The knight was extremely tired and was in need of rest. He spotted an inn on the outside of town. As he entered, there was a female Elf-servant waiting inside. He asked her why the buildings had been destroyed. She explained that it was because of severe attacks form Khazakathal, the Ice Drake whom flies through the night sky spreading terror across the land. If Khazakathal is not stopped, the fate of Willowthorn shall be doomed. With that in mind, the knight took rest for the evening in the haven of the inn.

Meanwhile, inside the castle of stone, the honorable Elven King sat upon the Willowthron. Something had been troubling the king’s mind for weeks now. For he possessed three of the four magical stones that could summon the power of the ancient Elf-Lords. He now had the stones of Darkness, Winter, and Fire. The last stone; the stone of Ice, was held inside the ice mountain in the North. For ages the stone has been guarded day and night by the Ice Drake. The power of the Elf-Lords could restore the kingdom and destroy all evil that should ever threaten the Elven race. “ The stone must be retrieved. A council shall be summoned”…. And so it was done.

Days later, the council of Elf- Clerics were brought forth. The eldest of the council spoke and the decision was made. “ The dragon must be destroyed and the stone of Ice must be retrieved. This deed shall be done by a powerful knight from Edlundiver whom has been staying at the inn of our town for days now. He claims to be the one who slayed the Leviathan and has journeyed for ages through the Eternal Winter wastelands. He says it is his destiny to face the Ice Dragon and he will not rest until Khazakathal is destroyed and Willowthorn has been restored. All of our fine archers perished by the wrath of Leviathan, so he is our only hope right now." "Bring forth the knight!” Silently the knight stepped forward. “You are the Elves’ last hope. You are the only one who has the strength to slay the dragon and retrieve the stone. Tomorrow at day break you shall leave the homelands and journey to the ice mountain in the North. There, inside lies the all the powerful stone of Ice, which is guarded by Khazakathal. Take this sword, for it is the finest in the lands, forged by the mountain dwarves in the East. May the power of Willowthorn and Eternal Winter be with you my friend, for inside the mountain shall you face the Breath of Ice.”

…and so the journey began. The next day he set off. The knight marched through the frozen tundra for days, until finally he came to the icy mountain ranges of the North. There stood a gigantic mountain made entirely of ice. At the base of it was the mouth of a cave. This was it, the liar of Khazakathal. As he entered the cave, all around him were freezing cold blue fires burning everywhere. The flames were icy cold and lit up the cave in an illumination of blue light. The caverns seemed endless as he journeyed through them, dodging stalagmites that fell from the ceiling.

Suddenly, he could see far in the distance what looked like an icy globe shinning like the North star. It was the stone of Ice, which he was sent to retrieve. Then two icy-blue eyes began glowing before it. It was the ice dragon, guarding the stone. Suddenly, the knight was engulfed in blue fire. The fire was freezing cold. He could feel it, freezing his inner soul as cold air ran through his veins. The dragons breath did not stop him. Instead, it only seemed to make him stronger. The knight inhaled the flames and felt power run through him. His sword began glowing in the dark. The dragon was now in full view. He had thick metallic-blue scales and gigantic talons. The dragon looked as if it were made entirely from ice.

Khazakathal ferociously attacked, slashing the knight with talons of ice. The knight was wounded, but with every blast of icy flames he seemed to grow stronger. The dragon seemed amazed that the knight did not perish in the flames. The battle continued on. Khazakathal was weakening and so was his breath of ice. Suddenly he bit the knight ad held him in his enormous jaws. He began sucking his blood like a vampire. The knight screamed in pain as Khazakathal began feasting on his blood. He took his sword which was now radiating with light and drove it through the skull of the creature. The dragon shrieked and threw him to the ground. Amazingly, he seemed unharmed. The knight then jumped on top of Khazakathal, and buried his sword deep in the dragon's chest. Blood sprayed everywhere and an icy cold fog was released from inside the dragon. Suddenly, Khazakathal began melting right before his very eyes. In a matter of seconds the dragon had completely melted into a pool of freezing water. Khazakathal the Ice Drake had been slain.

The knight picked up the stone, which was still glowing in the center of the cave. It was so beautiful. He felt entranced by it as he held it. Hs journey was now over. He now possessed the stone of ice and saved the fate of the elves. The effects from the dragon’s breath had now worn off and the knight was extremely wounded. With the stone in hand he headed back to Willowthorn. When he returned, the Elven king received the stone of ice and the Elf-Lords were summoned. Willowthorn would now be forever protected by them. The knight was told to take rest in the Forest of Willows. His wounds would be healed there.

Chapter 5: Faeries in the Willow Forest, Rivers of Twilight

That evening, the knight went to the forest and lay down in a mossy bed of willows. As the knight took rest, he felt strong magic in the air. For as night would fall, his surroundings would change. Hours passed and the sun began to fade. Here in the darkness, the majestic forest seemed to come to life. All around an aura of green light seemed to glow. The water that flowed in crystal-clear streams turned florescent green and lit up as well. Images of ghostly-green shadows passed by and the beautiful fairies of the Elven-wood fluttered overhead. The knight experienced an intense feeling of enlightenment as he gazed at the glowing forest.

As he gazed, he wondered of the beautiful fairies that danced in the twilight. They seemed to be calling him, beckoning him into the glowing fog. The knight was mortally wounded from fighting the Ice Dragon and could hardly walk. He arose and followed them deep into the forest where they led him to a glowing pool of light. Suddenly, all the fairies vanished but one. It was the most beautiful fairy he had ever laid eyes upon. “Follow me” she whispered to the knight. She then dove into the glowing pool of light with great speed, in which he followed. As soon as the knight entered the pool he found himself endlessly falling into a dark abyss!

Chapter 6: A New Dimension, Within the Castle Shadowgate

Finally he landed. The knight awoke in a dark labyrinth with stone walls that were lined with candles. He could hear screams of the undead coming from every corner. “ Where am I?… What is this place?” said the knight. Then came the sound of maniacal laughter: “ HA HA HA HA HA!!! YOU FOOL!!! You followed me into the darkest realm of all. Khazakathal and the Leviathan were nothing compared to the horrors you will face here. This is the Castle Shadowgate in which your quest now lies. So, bravest knight of the land, bring down The Shadowgate and destroy the castle of death. Only then will you truly understand the magic of Willowthorn and the power of Eternal Winter!”

Furious the knight arose. The voice of the evil fairy echoed in his mind as he traveled through the stone halls. Death was in the air as well as screams of unknown voices. Suddenly, the candles went out and a thousand yellow eyes viciously glowed before him in the darkness! The creatures attacked! Legions of demon creatures flew at him from overhead. The knight fought back with all his might but there were too many. After a long struggle he was wounded and knocked unconscious. When he awoke, he was in a dungeon. A dark chamber filled with corpses and fires burning along the walls. The creatures had vanished but the knight was still lost in the castle.

There was a doorway leading out of the dungeon in which light shined through. As the knight approached it, a gigantic skeleton-warrior arose from beneath the ground! It stood nine feet tall and was armed with a giant broad sword. It attacked and beat the knight to the ground. The knight arose and struck the Skeleton-Warrior from behind. The skeleton collapsed and bones fell to the floor. It then rebounded and arose to attack again. It was as if it could not be destroyed. The knight battled the skeleton endlessly into the dark chamber. He beat at the warrior until it was forced into the fire. It then began burning with great intensity. It burned until finally its tortured soul shrieked and was released, rising to the sky in a rage of fire. The skeleton burned to ashes.

The knight left the dungeon and found himself in an ancient tomb. Scriptures were carved into the stone walls as well as paintings of mountains and all too familiar snow-covered landscapes. To the right were two hallways. Far in the distance he could see what looked like a throne. The knight approached the throne. It was made of gold and steel with beautiful gemstones imbedded all along the sides. On each side of the throne stood two gargoyle statues that resembled the demon creatures he was ambushed by. There was a long red carpet leading from the rooms entrance to the foot of the throne. Suddenly, there was a flash of light. In the throne before him now sat a cloaked figure; a man in a long black robe, holding an ancient staff. There was no face to be shone. Only darkness stared at the knight from under the hood of the robe. “fear not my friend.” spoke the figure. “For I am the great Shadowmage. It is I who sent the fairy into the Elven –wood to lure you into the Shadowgate. I am one of hundreds of Shadowmages who dwell within the castle. “BEHOLD!” There was another flash of light. Now the room was filled with cloaked figures. An entire army of Shadowmages stood before him, kneeling. The Shadowmage spoke again, “ we are the ancient sorcerers condemned to walk this labyrinth for all eternity. We were condemned by the Nightmare Phantasm for attempting to combine our powers to open the Shadowgate centuries ago. The Shadowgate is the deepest void of death, destruction, and evil concealed within a castle never seen by mortal eyes, in which you now stand. The only way for us to be released is by destroying Nightmare Phantasm.”

“What is this Nightmare Phantasm you speak of?” asked the knight. “The Nightmare Phantasm is a hideous creature whom lurks in a fortress beyond this castle. He is the master of the Shadowgate and lord of all things evil. He is the reason for all the evil that has been spreading across your world. The Phantasm cannot be destroyed by magic alone. It can only be destroyed by the magic of winter, which we possess, combined with the power of mortal strength. Mortal, in which none of us are. You, my friend, are the most powerful mortal of Eternal Winter. Surely, our strengths combined could destroy the Phantasm and save the fate of Eternal Winter. Together I am sure we can bring an end to this evil. Join us, it is the only way. If you do not, we will suffer to forever be condemned within these walls and you will be forced to live in a frozen world of never ending terror.” The knight stepped forward and the Shadowmage spoke. “ Here, you will need this.” In his hands lay a dagger made of pure crystal-blue ice which seemed to be so bright in the dark Labyrinth. He spoke again, “You see, this dagger was forged in a magical winter spell long ago. The dagger now breathes with life and through the blade flows the power of the spirit of winter.” The Knight received the dagger of ice.

Suddenly, the walls began to shake! Debris was falling everywhere. The Shadowmages began chanting an ancient dialect, which echoed like a thousand voices speaking at once. They soon disappeared into the darkness. Then came the sound of water rushing through the halls. The door burst open and the knight was hit by a wave, sending him down the castle halls as if he were in a raging river. Gasping for air, he finally surfaced. He could see that the liquid in which he swam was not water, but thick, dark blood. At the end of the hall was a hole, which appeared to be a giant drain.

A whirlpool sucked the knight through the drain until he was eventually washed into a pit. The knight splashed into a lake of blood filled with corpses, bones and vermin. All around him were the walking dead. They were feasting on the remainders of anything left. They lunged at him but the knight fought back, slashing these demons with the magical ice dagger. When the dagger struck them, they screamed in pain. As a frost covered their rotten bodies, they would burst into a million rays of light as if now set free from the evil within the castle Shadowgate.

In the darkness of this pit was a cell or cage. The knight could hear some kind of breathing coming from inside the cage. Then the black iron doors began the rise and the creature was released. It was a gigantic Minotaur. He was wearing a bone necklace and holding an arcane relic, a massive war hammer. The Minotaur began feasting on the dead remains and walking zombies until only the knight was left. He then spoke to the knight: “Who is this that dwells in my feeding pit? You are not like the others.” “It is I The Great Knight of Edlundiver. Where is the Nightmare Phantasm?” replied the knight. “ HA HA HA HA HA!! Do you really think you are prepared to face such evil? Besides, you will make it no further than me!” The Minotaur attacked the knight with the mighty war-hammer, smashing him into the ground. The Knight arose and struck back with the magical ice dagger, piercing the eye of the creature. Roaring in pain the Minotaur charged at him, smashing the stone pillars around him. The Knight then thrust his sword into the beast twisting the blade. The Minotaur grabbed the Knight by the throat and threw him into the dungeon wall with much force. The Knight arose. In the corner he could see a hole in the wall, which led to a doorway out of the room. He jumped into the hole and stood over the lake of blood. He then proceeded to place the magical ice-dagger in the blood. The room began to shake and blue lighting surged from the dagger through the blood, instantly freezing the lake and the Minotaur. In solid ice the creature would remain in the frozen pool forever.

The Eternal Winter Saga – Part II:

“Journey Through Unknown Lands”

Chapter 7: To Green Lands of Honor

As the Knight approached the iron door he sensed something powerful radiating from within the next room. As he entered, he found himself in a long, very bright corridor. Light was shinning from the ceiling and shimmering off the marble walls. On the floor was a beautiful red and white carpet leading down the hall. The Knight had yet to see a room so bright within the Shadowgate. He proceeded down the hall, which finally came to an opening. The hall had ended and now come to a large dark clearing where a torch-lit path led to a great river. Standing by a boat on the shore was a small cloaked figure which resembled a Shadowmage. As the knight approached, the figure spoke: “ I will take you there” “who are you” asked the knight. “Come” answered the figure. As they stepped onto the boat, it began to float down the river as if guided by some magical force. As they drifted , the river began to widen until no land was in sight. The water was now swirling with red and black colors. The sky was visible and the moon was shining bright. It was almost as if they were sailing into another dimension. The knight spoke to the figure: “ where are you taking me?” the figure was silent for a while, then spoke “I am leading you to your destiny.” After some hours of drifting in silence, the sun began to rise and the waters turned crystal clear. The air was warm and land was sighted in the distance. The Knight waited in anticipation as they approached the shore.

He finally stepped off of the boat and onto the land. As he did, the boat and the cloaked figure magically disappeared. Before the knight was a vast forest. Something was very strange about this place. It was very warm and sunny. There was no snow or ice anywhere. This was something the Knight had never experienced before. As he entered the forest he was even more amazed. There was beautiful flowers growing in green meadows. The trees all had green leaves and there was grass growing everywhere. Butterflies and insects flew through the summer breeze and birds sang in the treetops. The Knight was bewildered by this. For these creatures did not exist where he came from. It was quite a spectacular sight. To not feel the icy cold winds blow across his face was rejuvenating. Could it be that he was free from the evil of Eternal Winter? The splendor of this world was overwhelming. In the distance above, a colorful rainbow reached across the sky. As the Knight traveled deeper into the forest he wondered why the cloaked figure led him here. Was he a savior in disguise or just an evil mage guiding him deeper into the Shadowgate?

As he continued he heard voices. He stopped and listened. He heard what sounded like two voices having a conversation. He paused trying to locate these people but saw no one. Confused, the Knight kept walking. Suddenly he spotted two large rocks. He finally realized that they were the sound he had been hearing. The rocks were actually speaking to one another. To his amazement they seemed to be socializing. They were gossiping about the Great Falcon Wiseman whom apparently they thought was a fool. To the Knight this was a shocking sight. It reminded him of the townsfolk of Edlundiver at the starlight inn, conversing over wine and fruit of traveling tales and hunting stories. The knight did not disturb them. Walking down the path some more, he sensed a presence in the tree tops above. Alert, he peered through the branches. All of the sudden and arrow was shot at him from above. He was struck with a single wooden arrow that punctured his chain mail with ease. Instantly, the knight felt light-headed and had trouble breathing. Then DARKNESS.

He awoke to find himself being dragged by rabbit-like creatures who seemed almost human in many ways. Covered in silvery fur, they had gigantic ears and large brown eyes. They wielded swords and shields and were wearing amulets and jewelry. They began speaking to one another in an unknown language. The knight tried to talk to them but could only mumble a little. For the toxins in his body had left him in a state of paralysis. What seemed like hours later, they arrived at a village in the forest. Surrounded by these creatures he looked around. They were standing over him examining him as if they had never seen a human before. Then came a voice he did understand, "Take him to the Prince." The rabbit creatures then dragged the knight to a small hut in the village. Inside, the Prince sat upon his throne. He was much larger that the other creatures. He wore a long robe and a gold crown. All the rabbit creatures knelt before him. The one rabbit spoke, "My lord, we found this strange creature wandering thought the forest. What shall be done with him?"

The Prince arose from his throne and approached the Knight. He unsheathed his sword and cut the Knights bindings, freeing him. He then spoke to the Knight. " I have seen your kind before... You come from the frozen world of torment. What is your business here?" The Knight spoke, "I came through the Shadowgate. My mission is to destroy the Nightmare Phantasm. How shall I find this evil being?" The prince gasped and there was a long silence. Once again the Prince spoke, "If the Shadowgate has been reopened, then you truly must be a savior from the other world. " "I will tell you the way. You must travel West from here. You will eventually leave the forest and come to a dessert land. Here you will travel until you reach the electric fields in the Northern mountain ranges. That is where the fortress lies. The only way for you to not be destroyed by the electric rays, is to bear the ears of the rabbit-folk."

Suddenly, the rabbit Prince drew his mighty blade and attacked one of the rabbit warriors, killing him. He then scalped the creature, pulling the ears from his head. He turned to the Knight and pulled out a large sewing needle. The Knight tried to run but it was no use, the creatures held him down with great force. The Prince began to sew the rabbits scalp to the Knights head. The Knight screamed in pain as blood ran down his forehead. "Silence" said the Prince. " It is the only way." As the final stitch was sewn, the Knight was released. He now had giant rabbit ears attached to his head. The Prince spoke, "The ears you bear will protect you in the electric field. Once you enter the fortress they will no longer be a part of you. Go now, the fate of both worlds lies in you hands. Free us from the Nightmare Phantasm."

Chapter 8: The Great Falcon Tree, A New Quest begins

The Knight left the village and traveled deeper into the forest. As he traveled he could see the forest begin to open up to a barren land. This must be the dessert that the Prince spoke of. It was a long outstretch of sand and stone. Far away he could see dark snow-covered mountain range. It was there he would journey, to enter the fortress. As the Knight traveled, he felt the sandy winds blow across his face. The sun was burning hot and the Knight was growing weary. As he continued, he passed a yard with skeletons scattered along the ground. It seemed there were others before him who ventured out into the desert. Their bones were bleached from the sun and some were still wearing clothes. The Knight noticed that one had a leather bag strapped to it. He cut the bag loose and looked inside. He saw what looked like some kind of scroll. He opened it to reveal a very large and detailed map which showed all lands of this region. As the Knight studied this mountain he noticed something strange. Shown on the map was some kind of landmark in the middle of the dessert that resembled a tree. Also, beyond the mountains was shown a snow-covered land that looked of importance. The Knight wondered what these strange land marks could mean. He took the map and ventured onward in the blistering heat.

He was now deep in the dessert. There were no signs of life to be seen. The heat was almost unbearable and the knight was extremely thirsty. He journeyed for hours under the burning sun through the barren land. As he walked he noticed that the land was leading up to a giant hill. As the Knight approached it he saw that there was no way around it. The whole dessert had come to a gigantic slope. The hill of sand reached up to the clouds. The weary Knight began climbing the hill. It seemed like an endless journey. The higher he climbed, the steeper the land got until finally he was almost to the top. It was now almost like climbing a wall. The Knight grabbed the top of the hill and pulled himself up onto the flat land. As he did the Knight could not believe his eyes.

There before him was what appeared to be a massive tree of great proportion. This was an amazing site; for this tree was like non other. It was quite gigantic with large golden doors and stained glass windows. Surrounding the tree was a moat of clear water with a drawbridge leading to the other side. There standing before the door were two fully armored falcon guards. They approached the Knight with spears drawn. "State your business!" The Knight replied. "I have come from far to destroy the Nightmare Phantasm." "How did you find this place?" asked the guard. The Knight pulled out the map. "I found this map on a fallen traveler in the dessert. the falcon guard took the map. He recognized it to be the scroll of Varnor, alchemist of the falcon Wiseman. "You must go to him at once. Follow us."

The guard led him through the doorway. As they entered the great tree, the Knight was mesmerized by the massive wooden halls. In the far distance he heard what sounded like music. The halls were very wide with majestic carvings on the walls. Through the round windows, sunlight glared through the emerald statues along the halls. These statues were of ancient falcon warriors of the past. As they moved further, they came to a large silver staircase. They walked up the stairs for quite sometime. When finally reaching the top, they came to large doors. This room they were about to enter looked of great importance. The door opened and one of the guards entered the room. Then came the sounds of loud squawking. The birds apparently spoke in their own language.

The guard returned and told the Knight to come forth into the office. As the Knight entered the room, he saw before him an old falcon sitting at a wooden desk reading. The falcon arose and spoke " welcome I have been expecting you, I am the falcon Wiseman. My guards informed me you have found a map in the desert, this map belonged to Varnor my apprentice. I am afraid to say he did not complete his journey to the plains of Candora. He was sent to retrieve a Vindimerin root, a rare herb which was needed to heal one of our best warriors who was poisoned by the venomous fangs of the Imperial Basilisk of the Phantasms dark brigade." "The dark brigade?" The Knight asked. The Wiseman answered " yes, the evil ones sinister army. They are not great in numbers but possess great magic and strength. They are a threat to us all. It puzzles me though to see your kind in these lands, how did you get here may I ask?" "I come from the land of Eternal Winter." replied the Knight. " I was tricked into falling through a portal which took me inside the Castle Shadowgate. There I was told by the great shadowmage that the only way to get back to my world and put an end to the evil which is spreading across it, is by destroying the Nightmare Phantasm."

" Yes, I see." said the Wiseman. I also see that you have been a victim of rabbit folklore. Those foolish creatures believe that by attaching rabbit ears to ones head, they will be protected from the Phantasm's evil. This is completely false. It is a sick and pointless ritual. Please allow me to relieve you." The falcon spread his wings and began singing a beautiful melody in the falcon tongue. Suddenly the rabbit ears magically vanished from the Knights head. "Foolish rabbit prince" spoke the Wiseman. " I will get my revenge on him one day.

But that day is not today my friend. Today we must prepare you for your journey. You see, the words the shadowmage spoke are very true. You must destroy the Nightmare Phantasm to save the fate of both worlds. " "What do you mean "both worlds?"" asked the Knight. "Well as you probably already know, the world in which you come from was condemned by the evil wizard Voraxia centuries ago. When the world was very warm and peaceful, Voraxia was the most powerful wizard of the lands. He was also my mentor for quite some time. The world remained peaceful until Voraxia became insane and turned to the dark magic. He then used his evil wizardry to split the world into two realms. The first half he called Eternal Winter. This realm, severely affected by the harsh conditions of winter, would be the first to be tormented by the evil creatures Voraxia unleashed upon it. The second half of the world he called the unknown lands. These were beautiful lands that were never to be known by the mortals of Eternal Winter. He then created the Castle Shadowgate which served as a gateway between the two worlds. As time went on, Voraxia became more and more twisted. To ensure that peace would never reside in the two worlds, he created the ultimate evil. This he called the Nightmare Phantasm which he sealed in a fortress in the unknown lands. What Voraxia did not know was that his creation was so evil it would completely devour him. And so Voraxia was no more but the evil Phantasm still lives on and will eventually destroy the two worlds starting with Eternal Winter, if it is not stopped. The only way for you to stand a chance against the Phantasm and his dark brigade is by possessing the Sword of Valorous Light.

This is something you should know about my friend. You see, after the fall of Voraxia, the ancient elf lords of Eternal Winter and the falcon mages of the unknown lands forged ahead through the evil of the Castle Shadowgate to unite in the court of the great shadowmage. There they combined their holy magic to forge this great weapon. It is the only sword in the lands capable of destroying the Nightmare Phantasm. After being forged, the sword was then brought to the snowy plains that lie beyond the dark mountain ranges. There it has stayed for centuries, surrounded by a magical aura of holy light, to protect it until the one would venture forth into the unknown lands and retrieve it. No one can pass through this light until the sacred words have been spoken in the falcon tongue. That is why I must take you there. Tonight we shall fly across these unknown lands, all the way to the snowy plains. There you will retrieve the Sword of Valorous Light and continue on to the fortress. To accompany you on your journey I shall send Argus, my best falcon warrior. He will be of great help on your journey. Now follow me down the hall and drink from the emerald fountain. You must be extremely parched with thirst after your journey through the hot dessert." The knight followed the wiseman down the hall to the beautiful fountain. The wiseman handed him a silver goblet. "Drink and the water will purify you." The knight drank the water and felt the extraordinary magic throughout his body. The falcon spoke "Now that you have been purified, allow me to show you to your room where you may rest before our departure at dusk." The falcon brought the knight to his quarters. He then spoke "I must go tell Argus of our plans for this evening. Rest well, our journey through these unknown lands begins tonight" and so the knight took rest.

Chapter 9: Fire in the Sky, Black Dragons of the night

Hours had passed and he was soon awakened. Standing over him was a falcon warrior. He was much taller and stronger looking than the guards and the wiseman. He had purple feathers and was wearing gold chainmail. "Hello my friend" spoke the kind warrior. "My name is Argus, I will be going with you on your journey. Come, it is now time for our departure, the wiseman is awaiting us at the top of the tree." The knight followed Argus to the entrance of the tree. "Now I will take you to the top. Climb on my back." said Argus. The knight did and together they flew to the top of the enormous tree where they met the falcon wiseman. The sun was setting and it was near dark. "It is now time for our departure." spoke the wiseman. "Argus and I will now fly you beyond the mountains to where the sword lies." "Yes, we will reach great heights tonight brave warrior." said Argus. "Climb on and hold tight." So the knight did and away they flew into the starry horizon.

Majestically they soared over the moonlit landscape for quite sometime. As they reached the central plains they noticed that on the ground below, in the distance, were large fires burning. As they moved in closer, they could see that it was a village of rabbit folk, smoldering in flames. They stopped and hovered in the air above. Suddenly a dragon swooped down past them with great speed and flew towards the village. "This must be the work of Rathlon. He is one of the fierce black dragons of the evil black forest" spoke the wiseman. We must do something about this or the Rabbit folk will perish." The dragon blasted the village with fire as the villagers desperately tried to defend their homeland. "We must act now before it is too late" said Argus. The dragon was continuously swooping down attacking the township. "Prepare to strike the creature" Argus said to the knight. With a deep breath the knight drew his mighty blade. Argus flew at the beast with great speed. As they flew past him the knight thrust his sword into his side and black blood sprayed all over he and the falcon. The dragon screamed in pain. "Foolish birds, How dare you interfere." Now the Witch of the Black Forest will beckon my call. Instantly the wiseman felt great evil approaching.

"What does this dragon speak of?" asked the knight. "The witch of the black forest" answered the wise man. You see she once was the dark princes of Astratonia but she betrayed her father, King Ulaniar. Then she was banished into the unholy black forest where she continued to strengthen her skills in dark magic until it consumed her. The person that once was is no more. Now, with the black dragons of that evil forest under her command she is a force to be reckoned with. "Look out!" Argus yelled as Rathlon moved in with a ferocious attack. Quickly Argus drew from his leather quill a single magic golden arrow. He shot it from his silver bow with great force at Rathlon. It struck him and suddenly an electrifying bolt of lightning came crashing from above. It struck the dragon and electric rays surged through its body. It soon fell to the earth below engulfed in flames.

All of the sudden, a loud shriek ripped through the air as the witch of the black forest came fast toward them. She was riding on Orbidon another ancient black dragon. The witch wore a long black cape and had long white hair with green glowing eyes. She wielded a jeweled scepter that had extreme magical powers. The witch came in toward Argus and the knight. Her scepter began raging with green fire as she struck the knight from behind, knocking him off of Argus. He fell downward through the night sky. Like holy thunder from the gods, Argus quickly recovered him. The knight was infuriated by this. "Argus, move in on them, I'll take care of that cursed bitch." he said as he reached for his sword. The evil witch was now circling the falcon wiseman, waving the flaming scepter. Her green eyes were glowing in the night like some uncanny demon as Orbidon flew her closer.

Orbidon was much more ferocious than Rathlon. Breathing green fire through the air, he was one of the many horrors of the black forest that were under the witches control. With raging speed Argus charged toward them. Just as they flew past them, the knight launched himself off of Argus and onto Orbidon's back. He drew his sword and grabbed the black witch from behind. He could feel the heat of the dragon's breath as he held his sword to her throat. The witch shrieked and the dragon moved faster, trying to shake the knight off. "I will send you to the flames of hell where you belong, forsaken bitch!!" said the knight. "you are such a fool" she replied, "no one can defeat the witch of the black forest. I will destroy you and everyone else who stands in my way. Soon after the rise of the Dark Empire, I will be the ruler of these lands and Eternal Winter. hahahaha." she cackled as the knight continued to decapitate her. He then gasped. To his amazement the witch was not dead! He had completely cut her head off. Yet her body was still moving and her head was still laughing. The knight pushed her body off of the dragon. The black witches head was now flying through the air spinning. Green fire was spurting forth from her mouth. She then blasted the knight. The blast knocked him off of Orbidon and he was once again falling. This time he was recovered by the falcon wiseman. "There is nothing you can do. Just hold tight" said the wiseman. The witches head came flying at them.

Meanwhile, Argus was being chased by the black dragon. The dragon was right behind him as Argus fired back at him with holy magic, all the while dodging his deadly flames. The black witch's head chased after the knight and the wiseman. She was now shooting green laser beams from her eyes. The wiseman called to Argus. "Argus, we must get them on the ground." Then together the flew with great speed, down towards the burning village. Orbidon and the witch followed. "You are mistaken if you think those pathetic rabbits will help you!" spoke the witch as she shot at them. As they landed, she fired a massive beam at Argus. It struck him and he plummeted to the plains below. He lay there unconscious and smoking. Around them were burning huts and rabbit villagers running in panic. Three rabbit warriors quickly retrieved Argus. The black dragon blew flames at the villagers and the fierce rabbit warriors charged him. It reminded the knight of being on the shores of Zoratherax watching the soldiers of Edlundiver charge the Leviathan, only to face his wrath. The rabbits brought out gigantic wooden catapults and fired flaming boulders at him. The insane head of the decapitated witch remained spinning in the air. She was once again cackling and blowing green fire. "Everyone out of the way" spoke the wiseman. "Get back!" shouted the rabbit commander . "The falcon wiseman is going to cast a spell."

Everyone cleared the area and the wiseman began speaking in the falcon tongue. Suddenly, the ground started shaking and giant storm clouds rolled in that resembled eerie faces. Very heavy winds picked up and debris was flying everywhere. Red lightning began crashing from the sky. The wiseman raised his right wing towards the sky and shot a blast of red lightning into the clouds. In the sky, the lightning created a large mass of fire. All of a sudden the call of a falcon was heard and a monstrous falcon of red fire came charging from the sky at Orbidon. The dragon quickly dodged the falcon. As the falcon of fire swooped up through the air he circled around to attack Orbidon again. On his way around, he split into two raging falcons of fire. They cut through with vigilant speed, crashing into the black dragon, causing him to burst into flames. The heat was so intense that the air around him soon became un-breathable.

"AAAAAAHH!!" The black witch screamed. "You foolish birds, what have you done. The fire raged on until the dragon had completely burnt into a pile of glowing embers. "NOOOO!! You've not seen the last of me, or the terrible creatures of the black forest, said the witch as she flew away into the night screaming. In the village the rabbits were regrouping and trying to put out the blazing fires. The village was a raging inferno. The wiseman's spell continued and only became more intense as heavy rains began pouring from the clouds. All of the sudden another falcon cry was heard. A falcon made of water flew gracefully through the sky towards the burning town. It splashed into the town extinguishing the fires. The rabbit folk began cheering for the heroes. The wiseman turned to the knight and spoke "those were the falcon guardians of fire and water which I summoned. These elemental birds have protected our kind through the ages."

Meanwhile in one of the huts that was still standing, Argus awoke to find the rabbit folk surrounding him. "Where is the wiseman?" he asked. The rabbits replied, "He's outside, he saved the village with the elemental falcon spell." Argus quickly arose "and what about the witch?" "She has retreated to the black forest" they replied. Argus then left the home and met the knight and the wiseman outside. They were conversing with the leader of the rabbit army. "Thank you for saving my troops and the village. I have received a message from the rabbit prince and know of your journey ahead. He has told me to tell you of Avoryean. You see, he is being held prisoner by his own king, Lord Norian Darsmir of the dark kingdom. Darsmir feared the true power of Avoryean, therefore he placed a spell upon him long ago. This spell would forever prevent him from achieving his conquest of domination over all. In the castle dungeons of Bazarith is where he sits binded by the spell. You will need his help to enter the fortress of the Nightmare Phantasm. Avoryean has stolen and hid the one and only crystal key that can open the gates of the Phantasm's fortress. Without this key, the stronghold is impenetrable. Rumor has it that the key lies to northeast outside of Rossindor. Many have searched the land but none have returned.

There is one thing that I am sure of, Avoryean knows exactly where the key lies. He is your only chance. Take this, it is a dragons tooth centuries old. You must take it to the township of Rossindor. He is the reptilian alchemist and a powerful wizard. He is the only one who can show you how to use it and how to find Avoryean. Here is a map that shows the way to Rossindor. The Wiseman spoke up: "That won't be necessary, I have been there many times. The reptiles have been very helpful to me in the past." The rabbit replied "Fine, the prince has ordered me to send Ermick along with you on your journey." One of the rabbits stepped up and knelt before them. "I am Ermick, I pledge my life and my loyalty to protecting the One who shall banish the phantasm and bring peace to these lands." The knight looked him over carefully, wondering if this was another one of the Rabbit folks trickeries. The rabbit was fairly large, he wore a leather vest and a black cape. There were several leather pouches tied around his belt and he was armed with a large sword. "Very well." said the Wiseman "He will be of help if we run into the dark brigade." The commander continued "Yes, Ermick is a brave warrior and is full of magical surprises. In fact, he is...." The rabbit stopped in his speech and stared at the knight in shock. "Where are the rabbit ears our gracious master bestowed upon you?!" His eyes were enraged and he began shaking. "What have you done to them! You must bear the ears of the rabbitfolk to enter the fortress." He pointed at the knight and then suddenly the falcon Wiseman struck the rabbit commander and fell to the ground. " Silence, you foolish rodent! You have spoken enough!" said the Wiseman "Tell your rabbit prince that my revenge will be coming soon. We shall be leaving now, come along Ermick. The four of them walked away to the North.

Chapter 10: Rossindor, Rumble with the Tyrant

The Knight had the dragons tooth. "The commander is right" said the Wiseman. "We must go to the alchemist and ask him of this tooth and of Avoryean." "Well then, we had better travel on land to avoid being seen by the dark brigade" said Argus. "Wise decision my friend" said the Wiseman. So on they traveled, through the plains, towards Rossindor. The Wiseman informed the Knight that the village of Rossindor was not far. This forest was much different than any he had ever seen. All around was a large tropical environment of large palm trees on a sandy beach type ground. There were colorful plants all around. They stopped at a nearby brook to drink from a crystal waterfall that filled the stony pond. In the pool were fish and strange exotic water creatures. Ermick turned to the Knight. "Listen" he said. As they stood there quietly, over the sound of crashing water, they could hear what sounded like a beautiful melody coming from the treetops. They looked around but saw no one. "I know that tune." spoke the Wiseman. "That is the music of Tarak." He began walking down a small path towards the music. High above in the treetops the birds seemed to be enchanted by this tune. They were flying in circles, singing it and dancing in the air. The path led them to another small pond. In the center of this pond was a large rock. Sitting on the rock was an old reptile dressed in rags playing a strange flute. The Wiseman spoke, " Well if it isn't Tarak the reptile wizard. I haven't encountered you since that fateful day that our comrades died on the plains of Candora." " Yes, I have not forgotten that day my friend, nor how you and the Falcon Mages assisted us" he replied. " What brings you out this way?" " Well, you see, I have found the one destined to wield the sword of Valorous Light and destroy the Phantasm." spoke the Wiseman.

Tarak looked at the Knight and asked "Are you truly the one?" " I assure you he is the one." answered the Wiseman. "Anyhow, I need you to lead us to Rossindor so we can speak to the alchemist" Tarak spoke "I am sorry Falcon Wiseman but the alchemist is done with his session at the alchemy guild and won't be returning until tomorrow morning. However you are more than welcome to stay at the inn of Rossindor for the night. I would advise not being in the forest at night. Come with me, I will lead you to the town." Tarak led them through the exotic woodlands. After nightfall they arrived at the gates of Rossindor. Rossindor was a large town with many stone huts and buildings. The reptilians of the town gave them strange looks as they traveled through the village. These creatures were tall reptiles that walked on two legs. It appeared that there was some kind of celebration going on among them. There were torches lit and many were dancing around the fire, singing and playing strange flutes and other instruments. Tarak informed them that the townsfolk were celebrating a successful hunt. The knight could see that they were roasting a gigantic boar over the fire and several others were already cooked. Ermicks mouth watered as he gazed at the tender meat. "Come" said Tarak "The Dragonsong Inn is not far."

They continued walking further down the tochlit sandy road until they arrived. When they entered, Townsfolk were inside celebrating, drinking and dancing to cheerful music. “Let us have a seat” spoke Tarak. The party sat down at a nearby table and a server brought them a round of drinks. They sat for quite some time conversing over wine and ale, making plans for their journey ahead. Some time had passed. The knight could see that outside through the window, five dark figures on horses were coming toward the inn. The riders stopped and dismounted. Looking extremely angry and fighting among each other, they entered the inn. The room fell silent and all eyes turned toward the riders. They were tall reptillians wearing armor and holding swords. The one in the middle of the group, looked much bigger than the others and wore a long black cape. He seemed to be in charge. The riders looked very threatening as they gazed and snarled at the crowd. The Knight grabbed one of the nearby female servants and asked her who these creatures were. “It is the Tyrant and his gang of bandits.” She said. “They are always coming into town and causing trouble. We must give them what they want so they will leave.”

There were two reptillian guards in the inn that had their eye on The Tyrant. The guards drew their swords and one spoke over the crowd of people: “You have no business here Tyrant! You will leave this town or we will be forced to shed blood here tonight!” The Tyrant replied: “Put your swords away fools and maybe we won’t kill you!” The guards charged at the tyrant and his warriors. With one hand, the Tyrant lifted a table and sent it crashing into the guards. The bandits began attacking everyone in the inn and a violent riot had now begun. The Knight Lunged at The Tyrant and struck him with his mighty blade. The Tyrant screamed and lifted him up off the floor by his throat. Using his magic powers, Argus began shooting blades of fire and ice at the evil ones and Ermick was now spinning through the air blasting them with surges of electric power. The Tyrant dropped The Knight and cowered. For he and his bandits could not compete with such a force as was being brought upon them.

In his panic, The Tyrant pulled out a giant boomerang of steel. He hurled it through the air and struck Argus and the Rabbit warrior, delaying their magic. He then unleashed his mighty whip and began lashing The Knight and The Wiseman as Ermick and Argus fought back the bandits. “Enough!” Said the wiseman. He began speeking magic words in the falcon tongue. He then shouted at The Tyrant: “Off to the sea with you!” Suddenly, a great whirlwind conjured and quickly swept up The Tyrant and his bandits and sent them crashing through the wall and out of the inn, eventually to be forced into the depths of the vast ocean.

The Tyrant and his evil followers had now been defeated and no one in the inn was severely harmed thanks to the heroes. The party would now be treated with great respect in the township of Rossindor. The female servant came up to The Knight and spoke: “You and your brave comrades have ended The Reign Of The Tyrant. You may stay at our inn for as long as you wish. Tomorrow morning we will send guards to accompany you and Tarak to The Alchemy Guild..” “Thank you. Please lead us to our rooms.” said The Wiseman. As they began to leave the dining area, Ermick noticed that The Tyrant’s mighty whip was lying in the corner of the room. “This may come in handy.” He thought to himself as he confiscated the great weapon. The party took rest for the evening.

- This is the stopping point for right now. More of the concept story, in which more new and adventurous things will occur on the Knight's epic journey to destroy the Nightmare Phantasm, will be posted soon. We will also soon be adding Maps and an Index of Names to the Story Section. Check back for updates!!