As promised, another story.
Castle Rosethorn
(c) Anthony Wain
All Rights Reserved
2006.
Once, back in the glorious age, I was a King without reknown. My Kingdom was carved by my hand from out of the wildernes and many a savage beast and enemy fell before my sword as I crushed their bodies beneath the ironshod hooves of my proud and noble steed. Men threw themselves at me and begged for me to take them under my wise and strong reign, but only the best I would accept to become my guardsmen. I ruled a kingdom of vast scale, and in my arrogance and self-rightousness, did I crave more power. I entered into a deal that was to cost me more than just gold - of which I had vast quantities, my treasure vaults the envy of even the most avarice of dragon lords. It was my lust for power that drove me to make a deal - which I had thought I could outsmart the one I bequeathed this deal too - I was wrong.
This is the story of my headlong lust for power and immortality - and what it cost me.
*
I stood resplendant in my silvery armour, the deep engraved emblem of my standard glimmering in the early twilight. Far above my head, the azure sky glimmered and the first sparkles of stars - like the finest of diamonds scattered across black velvet and the sweet scents of the beautiful red roses that adorned the castle walls wafted out over the fields where the peasants worked. I exchanged pleasantries with both guardsman and merchant alike, as I strode through the market place and cast an eye over the wondrous creations and other items that were for sale. I watched as my loyal guardsmen patrolled the marketplace, and listened to the joyus cries of the young children at play. Horses, donkeys and oxen hauled heavy loads into and out of the great gate that lead down into the small hamlet at the bottom of the hill, where I knew tonight, my loyal people were errecting marques and grand pavillions for a celebration. Truly, was I lulled into a sense of calm and reassured pleasure.
I had been bothered by some niggling thing, at the back of my mind, for months now - yet I could not rember what it was, or its importance. Indeed, have I had time to reflect on my foolish pride, and my insatiable lust for wealth and power. For I it had been forty-five years since I had made the bargain - and little did I know, but it had come due.
It was time to pay the debt I had thought I could escape....
*
Far above us all, inky black clouds began to churn and boil above my beloved castle. Peasants screamed, horses bucked their riders and fled, their eyes rolling and ears pasted flat, even my loyal and steadfast guardsmen shrieked like maidens and stared in horror up at the inky black morass that spread across the sky like oil on water. Within moments, a blackness like midnight ripped across the heavens, swallowing up the cerulean sky and turning it into a twisted mockery of night. From the castle grounds, come screams of unimaginable agony - both of equine and human nature - which were brutally cut short. As I ran back towards the castle, destined to save my beloved wife and daughter - I ran into the cobbled courtyard and my blood ran like ice through my veins.
For it was as if this darkness had will and volition of its own - as it crawled across the cobbles and swallowed up those who were paralysed by their terror - their shrieks almost beyond recognition as a fate worse than death claimed them. As the great gates behind me boomed closed with a crash that pealed like thunder, my loyal bodyguards surrounded me with drawn steel. Yet even their staunch loyalty did not save them - as one by one, the darkness sent out what appeared to be tendrils of mist that ensnared them and dragged them into its impenetrable void.
Soon, was I left alone - the screams of those who had been swallowed up by this darkness still echoing, as the black shrouding mist slowly enfolded me into its dark, unrelenting embrace.
I promised myself I would not scream
*
I was wrong...
*
Now, I have paid for my sins and those who stood with me - suffered in my fate. Where once my beloved castle stood, now I walk its dusty halls, the once beautiful tapestries lie in ruins and equisite furnishings lay derelect and crumble to splinters at my gentle caress. I can still see the bloodstains that splash the walls of the great hall - bloodstains that my servants have tried to erase - yet they remain - as a reminder to me of my sins. As I stride through the cavernous halls, both guards and servants bow as I p**** yet their downcast eyes burn with a malice that should surely strike me dead. I walk past them, my once fine clothing and armour now rotted and rusted, as it hangs of my body. I have long since lost the urge for trying to maintain an illusion of magificance and majesty. Such compunctions and desires are like the dust that puffs up around my armoured feet as I stride to the battlements and look out over a domain I once ruled with an iron hand.
Now, the village lays in ruins, the once great walls of my castle crumble and have cracked with the centuries, and the beautiful roses that once bloomed are now cruelly thorned and their roses have turned - as have I. Now, they are vampiric - their pure white blooms turning crimson with the blood of creatures that their blooms deceptive perfume ensnares. Truly, even a few adventurers have come to my castle to cleanse it - and their souls now serve me - their corpses are but moldering bones amongst these roses now.
I gaze out over the landscape as it now stands - a twisted mockery of what it once was. Nothing living exists within the domain of my kingdom now, that which stalks this tortured land is twisted, evil and often these beasts and worse under the cover of the darkness that lays across the land turn on each other, their death shrieks ringing out across the fields and forests.
Yes, I was responsible for this - and I have paid the ultimate price for my foolish pride. It was my pride and lust for power and wealth - that lead me down this dark path. Now - as I stare out over this wasteland, my eyes long since turned to dust - and replaced with an unholy red glow, my skeletal frame draped in the rotting remains of my once fine armour and as I rest my gauntleted skeletal hands on the battlement - I cast my mind back to a time before - truly, I would weep if I could, however, the dead weep not....
END.
(c) Anthony Wain
All Rights Reserved
2006.
Once, back in the glorious age, I was a King without reknown. My Kingdom was carved by my hand from out of the wildernes and many a savage beast and enemy fell before my sword as I crushed their bodies beneath the ironshod hooves of my proud and noble steed. Men threw themselves at me and begged for me to take them under my wise and strong reign, but only the best I would accept to become my guardsmen. I ruled a kingdom of vast scale, and in my arrogance and self-rightousness, did I crave more power. I entered into a deal that was to cost me more than just gold - of which I had vast quantities, my treasure vaults the envy of even the most avarice of dragon lords. It was my lust for power that drove me to make a deal - which I had thought I could outsmart the one I bequeathed this deal too - I was wrong.
This is the story of my headlong lust for power and immortality - and what it cost me.
*
I stood resplendant in my silvery armour, the deep engraved emblem of my standard glimmering in the early twilight. Far above my head, the azure sky glimmered and the first sparkles of stars - like the finest of diamonds scattered across black velvet and the sweet scents of the beautiful red roses that adorned the castle walls wafted out over the fields where the peasants worked. I exchanged pleasantries with both guardsman and merchant alike, as I strode through the market place and cast an eye over the wondrous creations and other items that were for sale. I watched as my loyal guardsmen patrolled the marketplace, and listened to the joyus cries of the young children at play. Horses, donkeys and oxen hauled heavy loads into and out of the great gate that lead down into the small hamlet at the bottom of the hill, where I knew tonight, my loyal people were errecting marques and grand pavillions for a celebration. Truly, was I lulled into a sense of calm and reassured pleasure.
I had been bothered by some niggling thing, at the back of my mind, for months now - yet I could not rember what it was, or its importance. Indeed, have I had time to reflect on my foolish pride, and my insatiable lust for wealth and power. For I it had been forty-five years since I had made the bargain - and little did I know, but it had come due.
It was time to pay the debt I had thought I could escape....
*
Far above us all, inky black clouds began to churn and boil above my beloved castle. Peasants screamed, horses bucked their riders and fled, their eyes rolling and ears pasted flat, even my loyal and steadfast guardsmen shrieked like maidens and stared in horror up at the inky black morass that spread across the sky like oil on water. Within moments, a blackness like midnight ripped across the heavens, swallowing up the cerulean sky and turning it into a twisted mockery of night. From the castle grounds, come screams of unimaginable agony - both of equine and human nature - which were brutally cut short. As I ran back towards the castle, destined to save my beloved wife and daughter - I ran into the cobbled courtyard and my blood ran like ice through my veins.
For it was as if this darkness had will and volition of its own - as it crawled across the cobbles and swallowed up those who were paralysed by their terror - their shrieks almost beyond recognition as a fate worse than death claimed them. As the great gates behind me boomed closed with a crash that pealed like thunder, my loyal bodyguards surrounded me with drawn steel. Yet even their staunch loyalty did not save them - as one by one, the darkness sent out what appeared to be tendrils of mist that ensnared them and dragged them into its impenetrable void.
Soon, was I left alone - the screams of those who had been swallowed up by this darkness still echoing, as the black shrouding mist slowly enfolded me into its dark, unrelenting embrace.
I promised myself I would not scream
*
I was wrong...
*
Now, I have paid for my sins and those who stood with me - suffered in my fate. Where once my beloved castle stood, now I walk its dusty halls, the once beautiful tapestries lie in ruins and equisite furnishings lay derelect and crumble to splinters at my gentle caress. I can still see the bloodstains that splash the walls of the great hall - bloodstains that my servants have tried to erase - yet they remain - as a reminder to me of my sins. As I stride through the cavernous halls, both guards and servants bow as I p**** yet their downcast eyes burn with a malice that should surely strike me dead. I walk past them, my once fine clothing and armour now rotted and rusted, as it hangs of my body. I have long since lost the urge for trying to maintain an illusion of magificance and majesty. Such compunctions and desires are like the dust that puffs up around my armoured feet as I stride to the battlements and look out over a domain I once ruled with an iron hand.
Now, the village lays in ruins, the once great walls of my castle crumble and have cracked with the centuries, and the beautiful roses that once bloomed are now cruelly thorned and their roses have turned - as have I. Now, they are vampiric - their pure white blooms turning crimson with the blood of creatures that their blooms deceptive perfume ensnares. Truly, even a few adventurers have come to my castle to cleanse it - and their souls now serve me - their corpses are but moldering bones amongst these roses now.
I gaze out over the landscape as it now stands - a twisted mockery of what it once was. Nothing living exists within the domain of my kingdom now, that which stalks this tortured land is twisted, evil and often these beasts and worse under the cover of the darkness that lays across the land turn on each other, their death shrieks ringing out across the fields and forests.
Yes, I was responsible for this - and I have paid the ultimate price for my foolish pride. It was my pride and lust for power and wealth - that lead me down this dark path. Now - as I stare out over this wasteland, my eyes long since turned to dust - and replaced with an unholy red glow, my skeletal frame draped in the rotting remains of my once fine armour and as I rest my gauntleted skeletal hands on the battlement - I cast my mind back to a time before - truly, I would weep if I could, however, the dead weep not....
END.