@wisdomseeker410

2 years ago

- 0:00:00 - Our Story Begins - Long ago, in a far-off kingdom where love and good will still ruled the hearts of men, there lived a young boy called Elyas by his parents and Ely by his friends. He lived in a sun-soaked valley in the deep of the mountains, where war never heard of and violence never seen. A happy childhood was Ely's, and he soon grew to be a strong, handsome young man. He was admired by his village, parents, and friends, and thought nothing in life could ever go wrong. - 0:03:24 - Destiny Calls - One of Ely's favorite hobbies was galloping through the woods and mountains near his home on his small but strong horse, whom he called Storm. One day, as he rode through the woods, he heard a voice call out to him. It was an unfamiliar voice, which was rare, since his village was so secluded visitors rarely came, and he knew the voices of all who lived around him. The voice whispered him a story... - 0:06:23 - The Quest - "Far away, in a realm beyond the mountains, desert, forest and sea, there is a magical kingdom, where dragons soar the skies and fantastic lights glow in the woods at night. In this kingdom, there is a beautiful princess named Lilalune, who lives in a vast castle made of silver and gold. But an evil wizard has cursed her to be ever trapped within a marble statue, where no one can witness her true beauty." "Why would he do this?" Ely asked the voice in the woods. It replied, "He had long sought her to be his bride, and he reasoned that, if she wouldn't share her beauty with him, she wouldn't for anyone else, either." "Why do you tell me this?" Ely questioned. Storm shook his mane. "Because, you are the only one able to defeat him. Go, now, and I will guide you!" Ely turned Storm and headed back into the village. - 0:09:46 - The Journey Through the Mountains - So Ely started out, after telling the rest of his village about his trip. He saddled Storm again and began his trek through the mountains. Soaring cornices, towering peaks, and heart-dropping cliffs all blocked his way, but Ely was determined, Storm was sure-footed, and the voice was there to guide him through even the most treacherous of obstacles. For days our hero rode through the rocky landscape, until he glimpsed the rustle of forest below him... - 0:12:25 - The Prince - Ely started down into the forest after spending one last night in the familiar mountains of home. Suddenly, a trumpet's blast shattered the peaceful stillness of the morning forest air. The clop of multiple horses' hooves trundled along the forest floor, and the clank of weapons and armor reached Ely's ears. Around a bend in the forest trail came a line of five horsemen, all wearing armor emblazoned with the same image: a silver stag on a shield-shaped background of deep sapphire. The one in the lead, who wore a blue cloak and helmet tassel, removed his helmet and stared down at Ely. "Who is this who travels in my forest?" he demanded. Ely realized with a shiver of fear that this must be one of the princes of the lowlands. From the coat of arms, he could tell it was Prince Terrian, who ruled this part of the forest. "I am but a dweller of the mountains," he called shakily. "I pass through here only to get to the kingdom beyond the sea, where a castle of gold and silver stands for a quest." The prince looks down in surprise. "Why, I travel on the same quest!" he exclaimed. - 0:15:31 - The Forest Kingdom - Ely soon discovered that the prince had heard, though word of his scouts, that a princess had been trapped within a marble carving, and he wished to free her so he could take her as his own bride. Ely realized that he must be questing for his own wants, not because a voice had told him to. Even so, Elyas of the mountains and Prince Terrian of the Forest Kingdom were now journeying together, which had been the prince's idea. The forest was new to Ely, and he supposed he would need the help navigating the deep tangles of bushes, the wide, shifting green canopy of leaves, and the twisting deer trails that lead through the forest. After traveling for hours and hours, the party decided to stop for the night. - 0:19:47 - Attack of the Forest - Ely woke in the middle of the night, but he was unsure of what had woken him. An awful feeling was spread through his body, as if he knew something bad was about to happen. He was about to wake Prince Terrian when he heard a twig snap and froze, his blood turning to ice. He turned to look deeper in the woods, and noticed a pair of gleaming yellow eyes. Then another. Three. Four. His heart stopped. Whatever they were, they had the party surrounded. Another snapped twig, the rustle of paws walking over dead leaves, the low growl of a hungry beast on the hunt. Suddenly, a huge, grey creature leapt out of the underbrush and pounced on Ely, a roar emerging from its dripping maw. Ely screamed and tried to scramble away, to call for help, to do /something/, but claws raked down his side, drawing cords of blood. He heard the rest of the animals attack Terrian's men, and the sound of their screams filled his ears. Ely scrambled for his one knife, which was tucked into his boot. He ducked under a flying paw, grabbed the knife, and thrust it into his attacker. It let out a howl of fury before sinking down and laying still. - 0:23:03 - The Shifting Sands - The attack of the forest wolves had been five days ago. They had killed all of Terrian's men, and left their marks on both Terrian and Ely, who'd rested and tended to their wounds before setting off again on their quest. They had reached the edge of the forest after just two more days of traveling. Storm and Terrian's horse had thankfully been unhurt. Their journey had led them to the edge of a sprawling desert, and they stored up on water from a forest stream before starting out into it. Days of desert heat, cutting, wind-blown grains of sand, and rationed water had gotten to both of the young men, leaving them tired and irritable. The sun blazed high above, sucking the moisture out of them. But on the morning of the sixth day, the two realized that they could see a thin line of green, drawing them ever closer to the edge of the desert. (Rest is commented, since it was too long)

31 |