From a small fishing village, nightmares had infested the land leaving many to find the peace that could be gathered and in it choking the trade of the lands while the people on it had each had to find their own way to survive. On a village over the water of the coastline Orestes had been thrown into the life of difficulty after going after his father, and in it find the orb that would lead to the Galar bangle, some odd piece of jewelry that would not come off no matter the attempt. When the merchant ships had come to trade with the village on the water the bangle had him marked for trouble. Soon, it was sent via from the far away land of the Barbosa empire that the young man would have to come to the land far to the east and had to do so in the lands of the poisonous mist.

The compound had not been as welcoming as they had hoped when they reached the large the sprawling double thick wooden walls. Where many people had been shocked at the cleansing of the area in Poptera Castle. Blight could not removed from the shrine, but it did provide an area that it was pulled from the land making those locked in the castle for the generations to be let free to a whole new world. Coming down, there was another on his quest with the creature known as Vayu. Fornax had made itself more apparent while still leaving room for suspicion to grow. After the castle had been cleared there was only a couple of days where they could stay before being ferried off finding that where the curse had been not killed but pulled from one area and doubled in another making it that much more problematic until they could navigate to the issue dodging the venomous bigger brothers of the creatures Orestes had dealt with alone.

Instead of being welcomed for their work their had been some bad words leading to the pair being the target of suspicion, but it was a rare chance that anything could be done against the choke. Realizing the depth of their troubles it was clear that the two people tossed in the mist had been in for much longer then what they originally expected coming only after several days when the travel was two at most last when the party looked. Leaving many to suffer was not an option and despite them coming through the loss of many landmarks and the attacks of vile creatures the welcome had been colder then expected where the people within tried to keep the pair out for the safety of the group above the pair trying to help and now it was simple.

Due to the pair of shrines they would need two teams and would need to be split up so they could make it back through the forests chock full of the beasts they had tried to avoid, and while each team looked to be a full quartet, that did not provide anyone any comfort. For the Compound defenders had questions of the pair, the young Men Turga and Zoran were trying to make sure the compound would be put above all else and that meant even at the cost of the pair that had come to help.

Which lead to where they currently sat, the night before they attempted this plan, and Orestes could sense the eyes of many. He had hated feeling like a prisoner and while the castle had been very open to them, the fact that their had to be a second guard found to head to the restroom. No time would be allowed without at minimum one and more likely two people making sure they could not talk with others except for the other and they would have to do so after letting both guards at the helm of their rooms know.

Reina did not feel comfortable either, where the guards at the castle had been stuffy but understanding the people here were mean. When the pair tried to figure out what was going on and compare notes of what they had found a guard had been placed on the inside of the door no matter how much they pushed and so out of spite, pulled a couple sheets of paper and an ink pot scratching notes and when their security tried to read it there was a couple of brandished weapons were pointed at the man that was wearing some lacquered wood cuirass.

There had been some negative feelings from both of them resting in the stomachs of both and it almost felt as they scratched back and forth leaving the guard to try and see only for the six blades pointed at them. While the room had been done in dark woods and with the separation of the pair in their own rooms it felt more like the pair had been jailed. No matter the attempts trying to figure out what they were communicating to each other the guard was going to be worried figuring what could be said, and despite what had to be between them the look on his face.

Orestes and Reina had not been happy with their treatment and it was clear to the both of them at the first sign of trouble that they needed to watch their own backs as it had been something clear that being alone with three other people would mean they would have to possibly fight the creatures and the team. Each of them hated to spill blood, but both had known when they had been treated in such a fashion that their health was the lowest priorities.

Fornax and Vayu had been the beings that tried to look the other way for the sake of a group of people that were just afraid. Both of them had to also realize that the fear of their holders was not displaced as the people of the compound had not endeared themselves to the pair that had to help through the mist. Where the pair of forces could be understanding, their knights had to be careful for one life was all that they had and that meant one death was enough to stop their quest.

Forces and people both knew that a mob in fear could be dangerous as the legends of the land dictated them to be scarier then any beast and while the pair did not know hoe a mob of people bound by fear lead to their predicament that was not the same for the pair of forces trying to at least plant the seed of understanding.

It was going to be rough for they had to trust these people to watch over them and as of right now the only thing that had been given is suspicion. Bangle or not they resonated well and cared for the people trying to find the path in a world so cold and as it stood them needing to write their thoughts for the sake of secrecy, and in the room that seemed to only get stuffier. In the room had been a simple hearth and after both explained their fears and were assuaged by the other to save what secrecy they balled up the pair of papers before taking a flint and lighting the thing in front of the guard as his face betrayed his hope to read it later.

The pair could make small talk while the messages burned to as making sure that nothing had been left but char and embers before smiling sweetly in defiance and allowing themselves to be taken back to their rooms.

Some of the work had to be done though, and Orestes soon was back in his room where a small tray of gruel had been left on a desk stone cold almost to mock him. It did not matter as they needed to still wonder what weapons would be carried on his person and what in his bag.

Bright still was the coral short sword of his father had the length and could cut down what was needed if they had the room, but upon asking the rest of the people would have gauntlets and that was sounding like something that could be used in short ranges. He had to figure that something long could be caught on a lot of things in a forest if the growth was thick and so the barbed knife and the princely dagger would be the pair walking in the dark forests, if they planned to betray them in the forest or not they had come to do a job, and the faster it was done the faster they all could go home.

Turga and Zoran were walking from the workout hall down to the blacksmith to be fitted for their pieces, as both would be heading one team. From the past experience they could tell it would be something they needed as much time as possible with to get just right. Walking in the light of the many torches still in the halls they made their way down the lengths of labyrinthine hallways in the way the had wished to once walk after their test, but here was something different. No matter what now, as long as both had gotten back they would be fully fledged members, and there would be some chance in doing so.

Having a gauntlet of the compound had been a sign of honor for the few that traversed the lands and now both of them could do it. What had been the problem was that they had not inspired trust in the the pair they had to gain the support of and the elders had been more suspicious then welcoming. Opening the doors to the blacksmithing hall there was the smell of metal and varnish as part of the hall had been used for the construction of all that the compound needed.

Being fit for such had been something where the personalities of the people would be seen on the weapon. They could pick the metal, the barbs and how it attached to their arm and the weapon it worked with the most. Zoran had been wanting a short extendable blade that could be retracted and protracted with the handle while Turga had let his hand remain free allowing himself to use the techniques that had been taught over the years over such times.

It would only be ready in the earliest part of the morning and what could be done for small changes would only be done after a little practice but they had the faith in their countrymen, and that their forge master was the brightest they had ever seen, however small that list may be, his skill was well known even among the elders who had regularly traveled abroad. That faith was hard to place at times but to know that some in the compound could be some of the best in the world.

Each of them had to sit for a good portion of the remaining part of the day as their arms had been measured and checked while the hot metal glowed and bent according to the stout man’s will before the piece had the skeleton built to their wishes with what was on hand. Metal ore had been rare to get their hands on for the many years but what could be found was often snapped up from the traders.

Many had already knew the risk of their mission. Working the forges he had not been a fool as to their plight and finding that it could be done once before they had hoped they could be that way once again. It was clear in his own mind that as his beard went from the lacquered wood brown to a cursed gray he knew the sun was setting on his life and he would have no other way if one of his last major projects would be helping two of the most physical young men to be in the compound to help them all be free. He could feel the metal pulling to his whim just as it had always, but this time the pair of pieces would be his magnum opus. Detail would be important and every detail had to be something that he wished for no small thing could be overlooked this had to be, as he pulled one billet of metal, something he had to make sure could be what a legacy could be defined by.

Wood and metal was something of a comfort to him to work with as the pair would chat and wonder what the plans would be he was sole focused on the metals and turning them this way and that. He had thought the time had been only a couple hours but seeing Zoran get him the dinner of fruit and roast, and even filling up the water jug made him notice the sheet of sweat coming down his forehead. Stinging his eyes and smelling of salt that almost masked the aroma of the metal in the coal forge he had to grab a rag from his back pocket letting it dry his face before being tossed away soaked from the efforts of the large man. Turga had been someone who watched from the chair as he pulled each billet and got the skeleton to both gauntlets that would go over their arm up to the shoulder.

Seeing how there weapons would be made gave both of them a bit of security, and he made sure as the hammer pounded that each strike would not crack the bars or that as they were pulled that each of them would be as strong as ever, sometimes even stronger then what could be found in the mines and much stronger then the basic metals could be on their own. He knew how to mix the various ingots to create something greater then the sum of the parts making the gauntlets something almost spiritual as well. Markings and writing would be inscribed in the case when more time could be given, but that was a detail that had to wait when they returned. When, for if he thought of if and what it could mean then there would be doubt.

There was little need to be paralyzed by fear as one had needed to be cognizant of the threats around them and with the pair from the distant lands that had been able to help them there was always the doubt that if they turned on them, could the rest of them defend their home. Pulling the pieces that would make the cage for the padding together, he hoped they had no need to find out. Knowing nothing, they had to be trusted and while there had been some evidence they could do what was needed and they were not endearing themselves to the visitors, he preyed those visitors would have the understanding to know they mean no ill will. For this building had been the lives of so many that to see the sun again warm on the faces of the youngest would be something that the oldest could live with if they had gotten through the worst of what had happened.

Zoran and Turga were both dealing with signs of their own mortality, for this was something they could not escape form they had to drive forward enough, with their teams that they could reactivate the shrines and then escape without falling to the creatures that would inhabit it Mist or not, it was a dangerous place and they had to be careful going in and out would be dangerous and nothing was set until everyone had crossed the doorway back. Where there could be so much as a party big enough the rest of the world would hear and he would not mind a bit.

After doing what could be done it was all left except to sleep and get ready for what was coming. Turga saw a note delivered to his brother that was soon put in the pocket, most likely something from one of the elders about his team and they began to walk the way back letting their steps define their movements to the bed’s they had hoped for not the final time. Letting their eyes close only their futures and that of all the people they cared about were on the table for tomorrow, and nothing would stop either of them from hitting their goals.

Morning came and everyone had to be ready. Orestes and Reina picked their sides, Reina would go with Turga on the western half while the eastern half would be manned by Zorna and Orestes and with the weapons fresh on their arms, it was with the pride of their beliefs they set their weapons and began to head out. Four warriors had volunteered and could handle the normal curse on the land but it had been only a few steps before they had to get back within the confines of the property, barely able to find their way despite the large double doors still being in sight even in the small distance taken.

Something had been worse, much worse that they could not go on. Zorna and Turga could not get them to continue and it had meant the large teams were already cut in half before setting a foot in the dark forests. Reina and Orestes were still confident in their abilities and that meant the other half of the pairs felt it as well, they could still make it and getting back and loading supplies from the other two, the four had begun their quest.

Hope you enjoyed. Stay Strong.