Avery had been spending a good deal of time in his study the past few days, reading late into the night. Avery was small for his age, having recently come of adulthood. However, to the mortals reading this you would be much more interested in his appearance. A White Sylph, pale as salt with small wings like a hummingbird and two long, ribbon-like tails. He sat curled up in a comfortable chair in his study, leafing through the pages of a book of lore. So engrossed in his book was he, that the suns had crept up on him unexpectedly. The pale light of dawn creeping into the room only drew his attention away from the page for a brief moment. His guards stood in various places around the room in a silent watch, each one looking as serious as the grave.
Oh, but they were more than simply guards, the Night Sylves. They were some of his closest friends. Some had been his companions since their Wing Days, like Batherie and Vallis. Batherie had been so kind, always sneaking him sweets when they were children. Vallis was always like a shadow to the royal siblings, his father being a Lord of something. Of what exactly Avery was unsure, there were so many Lords and Vallis was much more important.
Then, of course, there was Agatha, the only woman in his private guard, which was a bit odd thinking about it now. She was beautiful, with skin and wings almost as pale as Avery’s, and fiery red hair. She generally acted like an overprotective mother, even to her fellow guards.
Chardnea was a strong, silent, man with a very soft heart. So many times Avery had seen him indulging in quiet moments. Memories of his brother Baron patiently teaching the imposing Night Sylph to read brought a smile to his face. Chardnea had been so embarrassed to admit his trouble with books. He and Baron had finally begun to truly open up to each other. Their mother insisted that they’d begin courting within the year.
Finally, there was the new guard. They were so new to the company. Avery hadn’t gotten a chance to really know them, and to his shame, he could not remember their name. All Avery could remember was their pronouns, and that they were very nervous. They had only started just three days before.
It was in those quiet hours of the early morning that distant shouts could be heard rising in the corridors. Avery glanced up from his book to look questioningly at the door. Batherie quickly moved to it, looking out into the corridor with his sapphire blade at the ready. Shouts and orders could be heard frantically being called down the hall.
“Go, quickly highnesses, get to safety!” A male voice called. That was when the distant screams in the city started. His other guards drew their swords as Batherie opened the door wide, yelling for someone to hurry to his side. Fast as a hurricane, Avery’s brothers, Baron and Bartok, stumbled through the door. Batherie quickly slammed it behind them, locking it.
“Vallis, help me block the door!” Batherie said urgently, already making his way to the nearest shelf laden with heavy volumes. Vallis wasted no time rushing across the room to assist in forcing the heavy shelf in place. Avery threw his book aside and rushed to his frazzled brothers.
Bartok leaned heavily against the wall, struggling to catch his breath. His dark brown wings drooped and his short, similarly colored, hair clung to his sweat-laden neck. His grass-green eyes were blown wide with fear. He was still dressed in his nightgown, which had dark stains around the hem. Baron stood close by him, Identical in face, but that is where their resemblance stopped.
He was much thinner than Bartok for one, with far longer hair that reached down past the small of his back. He possessed the large and gorgeous wings of a Song Sylph. They almost resembled the wings of a blown glass bird, the large translucent feathers shifting like arms of an anemone. They curled around their fragile host protectively. Baron was dressed in nothing but an undershirt and rough trousers. His hands were firmly gripping the handle of a penknife that dripped with oddly dark blood.
“Baron, Bartok!” Avery exclaimed, hesitantly holding a hand out to them. Their fear, no their horror tore at all of his senses. It wasn’t just them, as the shouts continued to turn into screams, the fear of every person in the castle began flooding into Avery’s awareness. It very nearly overwhelmed him, but Avery fought to keep himself in control. Baron was obviously far too shocked by whatever was going on. Avery could sense nothing but terror. He turned his attention to Bartok. He was slowly regaining his composure, but still, he was wracked with panic.
“Bartok, Bartok you have to listen to me.” Avery pleaded, putting a careful hand on his elder brother’s shoulder. “Bartok, what is out there?” Bartok looked down at Avery, his eyes still wide. He swallowed down his rising fear and spoke.
“Monsters.” As he uttered the word, the light of the rising suns suddenly began to fade. All eyes turned to the extravagant windows. Cold dread filled Avery, dread of his very own. The sky was blacker than any night he had ever seen. In the rolling pitch were flashes of a toxic green, a red brighter than rubies, and a violet which reminded one of the foulest venoms that could be imagined. None of them had to say it, they all could feel the choking malice in the air. What swirled above them was the Darke.
“By the Dae and Gods.” Agatha said, her voice trembling. Furious pounding on the door shocked them all into action. Chardnea quickly moved to shield Avery and his brothers as terrible shrieks and growls began to emanate from the other side of the bookcase. Agatha and the newest guard rushed to hold the bookcase in place, but whatever was on the other side would not relent.
“We have to go!” Vallis said, rushing to the far wall and tearing away the tapestry. A door made of stone lay hidden beneath. Just as Vallis heaved the hidden door open, The main door burst. The bookcase lasted only a moment longer before a sea of horrors was unleashed.
They were Goblins once, now soaked in blood. Some were horribly deformed with engorged arms and deep cracks in their skin which leaked vaporous Darke. Some wore hats and nightcaps absolutely drenched in blood, so much so that they’d been dyed a vibrant red. Pricks of Red and green light served as their eyes, each one filled with pure bloodlust. Avery had once read about them many years before but never had he seen a Redcap. He wished he never had.
Agatha tried to jump in front of the newest guard of Avery’s, to protect them. It simply hadn’t helped, the Redcaps were far too tenacious. The creatures didn’t even bother to use Darke weapons on them, they swarmed them. Their screeches drowned out the cries of his guards as they were torn asunder.
The six of them made a mad dash through the tunnel as soon as the door was shut behind them. Each scrambling to get to the end. They burst from another door in a far corridor. Blood and black liquid stained the floors and walls. Candles had fallen over, their flames licking at the tapestries lining the walls.
“We can’t stay here,” Vallis said, “we must get the princes out!” As he said it the six of them began to dash down the hall, avoiding the billowing flames. As they ran, the edges of the memory continued to crack apart. They dashed down the halls and countless stairs of the palace frantically. Avery struggled along as the terror and pain of countless people invaded his being.
As they scrambled through a far-off hall, there was a great crash from an outer door that faced the conservatory. Avery looked back and felt something inside of him break. Bartok was rammed through the stomach with a cruel ram made from the trunk of a tree. His body was pinned against the wall by a dozen Redcaps, who held fast to the crudely chopped limbs of the trunk. The Redcaps flowed from everywhere they could possibly fit through. Their Darke-riddled bodies contorted terribly as they swarmed over Bartok.
Their party had been split in two by the swarm, with Avery, Vallis, and Batherie on one side. Baron and Chardonea on the other. Baron screamed in agony as his twin bled and gagged on his own blood. The force of his scream made everyone stagger in place and clamp their hands over their ears as the large windows facing the gardens shattered in unison. A few of the Redcaps toppled over, inky blood spouting from their ears.
Baron ran forward in a fruitless attempt to save his twin, but he couldn’t stand against their forces. The Redcaps grabbed hold of him and dragged the Song Sylph out into the conservatory. Chardnea howled in rage as Baron was grabbed by those horrid creatures. His eyes found Avery’s, and in them was true loss. A real and true loss that told Avery all he would ever want to know about this man. Chardnea’s face contorted into a determined mask, and he uttered a single word. Despite the screeching of the creatures and the sound of fire and screams in the distance, Avery heard it as clear as day.
“Live.” and with that, he was gone. He unsheathed his sapphire sword and ran forward into the throng. Now there was just Avery, Vallis, and Batherie. His final guards grabbed his arms and urged him to run, and run they did. They did not look back, despite the cries of pain from Chardnea. They heard another powerful cry from Baron before the sounds of pursuit continued. As they ran, in front of them was a small bout of flames.
“I have an idea!” Vallis shouted as they ran. His eyes began to glow arcane blue, magic building in the air. He spoke a word that Avery did not recognize. From his hand a seal of blue light was flung into the flames behind them. The orange fire erupted into a purple-blue blaze that filled the hall behind them. It did not burn the walls for the ceiling, but the few Redcaps that had been right behind them screeched in pain as the Arcane fire burned them to ashes. Vallis let out a triumphant laugh as the trio continued to make their escape. The memory was unraveling, the city beyond the windows lost to a pink fog.
“That will buy us some time, hurry!” Batherie said, gipping onto Avery’s hand as they sprinted down the hall. A door lay before them, and without pausing to think, they burst through it. They found themselves in a large study. Without pausing, Vallis drew a sealing mark on the main door, more than locking it. It had taken much of his power to forge, leaving him drained. Before they could think, a passage opened on the inner wall, and through it tumbled Alathede and Caldevir.
Caldevir was a strong young man, standing taller than even their father had. His golden hair peeked out from a leather cap. He’d dressed in his armor quickly, fitting it awkwardly over his nightclothes. His wings were the large wings of any High Sylph, possessing a soft golden hue that matched his hair perfectly. Alathede was only a bit younger than their brother. Many had attempted to gain her favor in the past, with her soft features and fiery hair. Her wing’s feathers were as red as a robin’s, a rarity among the Sylves.
“Oh, Avery!” Alathede cried, “oh Gods and Dae are you ok? W-wait…” She paused, looking them over. Now noticing just how few of them there were. “Oh god no, please not them too.” She nearly sobbed, grabbing Avery and holding him impossibly tight. Her words rang in Avery’s ears. Her grief was overwhelming.
“What does she mean?” Vallis asked carefully, striding over to stand by Caldevir. Avery’s eldest brother looked grey in the face as he leaned against Vallis.
“Mother and Father, by Gods and Dae, we were too late.” he said, his voice heavy with sorrow. “Father was run through, and Mother was already gone.” Alathede sobbed into Avery’s hair, unable to speak. Batherie walked over to them, trying to remain collected after hearing such harrowing news.
“And the queen?” Batherie asked. Alathede shook her head, still refusing to speak again. Caldevir straightened, breathing deeply as if steeling himself to the memory.
“They, they savaged her. There were too many, we couldn’t get to her. Ambergris’ wings, gods they hacked them off with arrows from our own guard’s quivers.” Caldevir said, in a dangerous monotone, as he described the terrible death of their eldest Sister.
“Catherine,” Avery said, “what happened to Catherine?” Avery looked to his last brother. Caldevir shook his head. Worry and fear rolled off of him in waves. For all they knew, they were all that was left. The last dredges of the royal family in that little study. No windows, a magically sealed door, and a dark passageway into the bowels of the castle.
A grim understanding settled over the five of them, an understanding that clearly said to them. You must live, Sylvaine cannot die here. This is what they all felt deep in their bones. Vallis turned to the glowing seal on the door, which already showed signs of stress. Cries and screams were muffled by the marble walls, but they were still there. He turned to Batherie, a grim frown set on his face.
“We have to go through the caverns, gather anything we can use.” Caldevir ordered, grabbing Valis’ shoulder and going with him to dig through the abandoned desk. Alathede, still sobbing, reluctantly let go of Avery and began searching through a wardrobe that had a thick layer of dust. She returned to Avery with a thick cloak that had not seen the light of day in years.
“Here, don this.” She said, helping him to get it around his shoulders. “We must hide you from them. There isn’t nearly enough good light for you.” Alathede still had tears in her eyes as she lifted the hood over his head. The crashing began again, splintering the wood of the door. The seal was fading fast.
“Time to go!” Batherie shouted, ushering Avery and Alathede towards the passage. The five of them quickly filed in before shutting the wall behind them. “We must hurry.” Batherie advised, urging the party forward, down the dimly lit hallway. It was open on one side, archways over the cliffside high above the city. As they ran, they saw the city burning with black fire. The screams of Sylves carried on the winds. The suns’ light could not pierce the thick layer of Darke in the sky.
“I know of a passage into the caverns beneath the city.” Vallis huffed, “If we can get below then I may be able to open a portal out of Sylvaine.” Alathede looked at him incredulously.
“Why not here, now?” she asked, fear making her voice quiver.
“I’ve not the power, but down there,” Vallis replied, “there is great Arcane power there. I can open a doorway once we get there.” He assured them. Caldevir gave a nod of finality, as a distant crash sounded behind them. They could not discuss it further, their only choice was to continue in their mad dash, and so they did.
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