Forums » Fantasy Roleplay » The Tyrant(OPEN)

The land of Everal was once a peaceful land. The population thrived, the markets boomed, filling the national coffers with gold, and the king himself was benign and peaceful. But this all changed 15 years ago, when his daughter was killed by an assassin when he would not marry her off to the prince of Ibera. In rage, the King mobilized his Legions against Ibera, killing and destroying everything in the way, until Ibera's capital was sacked and burned to the ground But the King's new found blood lust could not be satisfied. His Legions where sent over mountains and across oceans, conquering foreign lands. As the royal coffers were drained, the king levied higher taxes to compensate. As his soldiers were killed, he drafted farmers into his armies, leaving no one to tend the crops, and any merchant vessel to enter his ports where seized, and all treasure and goods plundered from her. Now, the peasants are suffering, the economy is declining, and the King is growing more and more sadistic each day. Can anyone put a stop to this madness...?

A drunken man chuckled at her with his buddies as she walked around the small pub serving drinks. Her boss shouted at her to come back for something. Avalon hurried off through the swinging door and looked at him with tired eyes. "Yes sir?" she yawned. He shook his head at her but smiled all the same.

"Take tonight off Ava. It's your birthday tomorrow and I don't think you should be stuck in this hole all night. You'll be too tired to celebrate!" he laughed wholeheartedly. She smiled at him and put her tray and apron down on the wooden table in between them.

"Thanks Marty. I owe you one," she replied. He waved his hand saying it wasn't a problem.

"Just tell Sher that she needs to get out of bed and work for a change," he grinned. "Oh and here's this." He handed her a small leather pouch. Inside she found a beautiful necklace with a green stone in it. Before she could argue with him that it was oo expensive, he had walked away. As she left the tavern the crackling of fire stopped her in her tracks. A soldier was lighting the roof on fire and it spread quickly over the whole straw top. People screamed and ran out but as her boss fleed he was caught by the arm by another man clad in armor.

"You didn't pay your taxes," he spat.

"I didn't have anything left," Marty pleaded. The soldier scoffed and tossed him to a mother man who took everything from his pockets and then shoved him back in the building. They held the door steady as the building burned but Avalon was helpless to do anything other than watch. Her eyes geared up as her hatred was fueled by this murder and was all aimed at the dreadful King that took over her home so long ago.

Gaiden strolled down the street, munching on a loaf of bread that he had managed to buy at the nearby bakery. The street was oddly deserted, the clanking of his chain-mail, sword, and shield were amplified throughout the road.

Gaiden was looking for an inn to stay for the night. He couldn't sleep on the streets, not since when the guards began to slaughter anyone who was outside past the curfew. He hated being in towns. They had become the centerpieces of the mad King's reign of evil and destruction. He would rather be in the countryside, helping the peasants who fought for survival on a daily basis.

He was so absorbed in thought, that the smell of smoke didn't register at first. He froze once he realized what the smell was and then heard a distant screaming. His eyes narrow and scanned the landscape until he saw the orange glow that signified fire far down the street.

Gaiden broke into a run, reaching the burning building in short time. Now he knew where the town's populace had gone. They were gathered in a fearful cluster as they looked on. One Imperial soldier was holding the door to the burning structure closed, preventing a screaming man from escaping. Horrified, Gaiden saw the man stop screaming and collapse in the building. Satisfied, the soldier released his hold on the door.

Gaiden snapped out of his stupor and began pushing his way through the crowd.

"Hey! What the hell do you guys think your doing!" He shouted.

Avalon couldn't pay attention to any single voice in the crowd but was shoved by some stranger trying to get to the soldiers. The smoke begun to stung her eyes and she stepped back bumping into the same drunk man who was cracking jokes about her earlier. He grunted and cussed under his breath, shoving her forward. A plan formulated in her mind and she pushed into another person but turned away when they faced her. The other person spun around and pushed the drunk guy causing a chain reaction of fights. She smirked inwardly as a plan went through her mind like that of an assassin's. A soldier walked over trying to split two people up and got a punch in the face knocking him out instantly.

"Oh no! A soldier got hurt while trying to protect our city!" she cried out dramatically to get the other's attention. They all whipped around and charged into the fight scene trying to split everyone up but just added to the mess. Avalon looked back toward the door but 2 more soldiers had stayed back to watch. Avalon sprung into action jumping at the man and kicking off his helmet. It clattered on the ground and he stumbled while trying to regain his balance. When she wasn't paying attention the other guy grabbed her wrists behind her back and pulled them up.

Avalon let out a grunt of pain and tried to fight back but it was useless. She kicked behind her but he swept her feet out from under her, landing her face down on the ground. Her vision went blurry as her head made contact to the stone pavement but she kept consciousness. "Let me go!" she yelled under him in a hoarse voice. He chuckled and pressed her wrists farther up her back making her let out a scream of pain.

The soldier suddenly stiffened when he felt the cool hardness of the sword press against his neck.

"You heard the lady. Let her go." Gaiden said in a low, dangerous voice.

The guard stepped back, hands held high. "Smart man." Gaiden commented before smashing his against the soldier's skull. He slumped to the ground, unconscious. Gaiden stared at unmoving body before turning to Avalon, wordlessly holding out his hand to help her up.

She took his hand gratefully and coughed as she was helped to her feet. She looked the man up and down but grinned seeing he was against the soldiers just as much as she was. She swept off the dust from her body and met his eyes finally. "Thanks. Name's Avalon," she said putting her hand out to him to shake it.

He shook her hand. "Name's Gaiden."

He turned to look around at the brawl that was going on. "What happened here? How did this whole thing start?"

He returned his gaze to Avalon, waiting for an answer.

"I kinda started the fight so that maybe I could get a couple soldiers out of the way and I could take on a few but that didn't turn out so well," she said awkwardly rubbing the back of her neck with her hand. She looked toward the burning building knowing there was nothing she could do to save it especially with the door now engulfed in flames as well. She huffed and turned back to him. "My boss couldn't pay the taxes this month...or last. I guess the soldiers thought it'd be fun to kill an innocent man," her eyes glazed over thinking about the man who was like a father to her.

"Sorry about that man, seemed like you knew him."

Suddenly, off in the distance, horns sounded. Gaiden started and looked off at the direction the sound came from. "We should leave. That's probably reinforcements for the guards. Anyone who's still here when they come will have their head on a pike in the morning." He gives Avolon a sideways glance. "You wouldn't happen to have a place where I can hideout until they pass?"

"We could go back to my house. It's small but I think it'll work," she replied leading him closer to the edge of the city. She pulled her black hair up into a tight ponytail and walked with him. She didn't know what to say to him so she kept quiet. As soon they got to the stone house she pulled out a key to open the door. A cat rubbed up against her leg as she opened the door for them both.

"Welcome to my home," she said extending her arms to the 3 room house. The living room was almost bare with just a couch and a small table with candles. The cat gladly pranced in and jumped on the couch making herself comfortable before falling asleep. "I'll take the couch. The bedroom is through that door," she continued pointing to the right side of the room.

"I'm a guest in your home. I'll sleep on the the couch, you should sleep in your bed." Gaiden protested as he walked around the home, taking in every detail, before peeking outside when he heard the marching of boots. Outside, a whole column of Imperial Legionnaires were marching towards the site of the brawl.

"Don't worry they have no reason to come in here so we'll be fine," she said yawning and stretching her arms. "Lily get off the couch so he can sleep," she said to the cat. Lily rose her head and stretched before walking off to the bedroom. She shook her head at the cat that wasn't even hers but still came and shared her home.

"I've always liked cats." Gaiden commented as he sat down on the couch. "Look far smarter than dogs, you know."

"Anyways, thanks for letting me stay here for the night. Most people don't tend to let an armed man into their homes."

"Well I doubt you would want to use a weapon in my home," she smirked ready to show off her collection. She kneeled down and pulled out a leather blanket. It unfolded and several swords and daggers clinked together as she spread them all out. In all she had about 15 weapons under the couch and more in her bedroom. "Just in case of emergencies," she smiled. "Anyways you saved my butt so it couldn't hurt to help you."

"That's a lot of weaponry. Where'd you get it all?" Gaiden asked, picking up a dagger.

He inspected it's blade before throwing it up into the air a catching it. "They're pretty well-made too."

"Well I figured the soldiers don't need ALL of this stuff. I mean, they work for the king so they won't miss a couple weapons here and there," she said proudly. Avalon picked up her favorite one that she had actually bought with her own money. It had a black hilt with a gryphon engraved in it's side. Then she remembered the necklace that was given to her by Marty and pulled it out of her pocket. She immediately put it around her neck and held it gently wanting to avenge him.

Gaiden nodded in her direction. "Nice necklace. Anyways, I going to seep now. I'll be gone by morning. I getting out of this town. Things are to messed up here." He said as he took off his equipment and weapons, laying them against the couch.

"If you don't mind me asking, where exactly are you going to go then?" she questioned. She pushed stray hairs out from in front of her face and waited eagerly for his answer.

"I'll just wander the countryside, like I did before I stopped here." Gaiden replied. "I'll take down the nasty things that like to live out there, and help anyone in need." He laid down on the couch. "Any more questions?"

"No I guess that's it," Avalon sighed. She ran a hand through her hair and yawned walking back into her own room. "If you need anything I'll be in here. Goodnight," she called out to him. The cat curled up next to her on the bed and in minutes she was fully asleep.