Archmage II

The distant nation of Eiovar, home of the dark elves, is locked in a bloody civil war between the two ruling-class clans: the Dreych clan and the Vemer clan. Thousands of refugees flee their war-torn homeland, many of which travelling to Evhenarra, This is the first time in history that the natives of Eiovar have ever left their home country.

The city of Trachnveld, Eiovar. Dreych territory. Midnight. Flames engulf a seaside estate house. Inside, a middle-aged dark elf woman flees to a window. Ready to jump out, she turns to see that the flames have stopped in time. A tall, imposing figure walks up to her from down the corridor.

figure: Where is she, Theyvi?
Theyvi: Amarat! She...I sent her away. You'll never get her!
Amarat: Where?! *a green, magical saber appears on each of the figure's arms*
Theyvi: Away from you! Away from the Vemer clan! Away from this damned war!
Amarat: *pauses* You've been very unhelpful, Theyvi. I am not going to win this war by abiding uselessness. *sinks into the shadows, and the flames continue burning*
Theyvi turns back to the window, but finds only a solid wall, engulfed in flames. She turns to the corridor, but faces another burning wall. She looks all about herself, seeing only fire.

Meanwhile, not far from Trachnveld, a large group of refugees wait on a hidden dock to board a vessel. All seem to be families huddled together, fearing for their futures. Except one, lone, cloaked young woman, who looks back at the burning city with grief, lowers her hood, and looks back to the boat.

Weeks later, in Evhenarra, Archmage Arto meets with the Elf King and his apprentice in Erolgard Tower, one of the two magical academies. They retire in a sunlit terrace garden, enjoying fruit and wine.
Arto: *sips on a glass of wine* So, how have the years been treating you, friend?

King Marcus: Quite well. My apprentice here is about to receive her egg.
Erina looks at Arto a bit scared.
Marcus: No worries guys. I brokered a peace treaty with the dragons. So what happened after I got my egg won't happen again.

A Male elf accompanied with a wolf comes in carrying a large ruby colored egg.
Edwin:King Marcus I have retrieved the egg as you asked sire.
Marcus:Thank you Edwin.
Erina smiles comforted by the sight of her friend,

Arto: Such a momentous occasion! What are you going to name it?

Erina:I was thining is it's a male Burner. If female Spark.

Arto: *chuckles to himself* Ah. I see you've taken after your King's convention for naming things. Are things going well in The Pale?

The Pale is the northern, forested region of Evhenarra in which the elves dwell.

Marcus:Quite well. With Asher helping us guard our borders. we rarely have to deal with raiders.

Arto: Ah, good. I just wish Goldenflow had a better chance at that. Bandits have been raiding more and more caravans each year. *strokes his beard*
(a great horned owl flies down, and lands on a perch next to Arto)
owl: Master, you have a visitor. She appears to be a new apprentice, and a.....some sort of elf with a skin condition.
Arto: Hm. That's interesting. Send her here, then. I'm sure she'd like to meet her king along with the Archmage.

Marcus: Bring her in. I'd love to meet her.

(the owl flaps away, then returns escorting a young Dark Elf girl, who bows slightly to Arto)
???: Hello. My name is Seshail and I'd very much like to learn from you!
Arto: Ah...hm. That's an interesting shade of color skin you have...and you didn't bow to your king?
???: King? *looks at Marcus* The King of Evhenarra is here?! *bows to Marcus*
Arto: Hmm...*strokes his beard*

Marcus: No no I am King Marcus of the elves.

Arto: What is your name, child?
???: I am Seshail Dreych, from Eiovar.
Arto: Wait...it's not possible...the land of the Dark Elves? I thought it was a legend!
Seshail: Really? We knew about you guys.
Arto: How is that possible?
Seshail: *shrugs* I'm not sure...
Arto: Well...welcome to Erolgard.

Erin:Hi. I'm the kings Apprentice Erin.*keeps her egg warm*

Seshail: It's great to meet you! What's in that egg, a Trech?

(Meanwhile, in a deep, dark forest, a young knight clad in blue bounds through the underbrush, seemingly fleeing from the forest itself. The branches and the leaves seemed to be moving, shifting, and expanding, but only for a moment.)
knight: Damned forest dragons...*hides behind a tree to load his crossbow*
(the tree providing the knight's cover is uprooted, and slams into his back, sending him sprawling across the ground. He lines up a shot, and fires at a moving branch. The bolt finds its mark, and embeds itself in the shoulder of a now-visible dragon; faded orange in color with dark-purple striped markings. The beast grows angry, and lunges at the knight, lightning-fast. He stands, draws his sword, and meets the beast head-on. Claw against blade, and the sword is ripped from the knight's hands, and thrown into the trees, down a steep drop-off. Next, the dragon slashes at the knight's chest, tearing his tunic and cutting into his flesh. The beast bites at the soldier, but he lunges back, but too far, and tumbles down the drop-off. After hitting every root and rock along the way, he loses consciousness. His limp body lands near a quaint little cottage.)

Erin: No this is a dragon egg. I'm going to hatch it and raise it like my master did his. What's a Trech?

Seshail: What do you mean? Surely you've seen a Trech. They're all over the place!
Arto: Er, no...I believe it might be a native to Eiovar.

A garlic monster excitedly runs over to the now unconscious knight and drags him over to the cottage door by its mouth before dropping the knight and bouncing against the door. Soon, a very voluptuous woman in a small dress opens the door with an angry look on her face.

: Now Bulby, what'd I tell you about dragging carrion to my door-Oh, it's not an animal, it's a person. Well okay then. *picks the knight up and carries him to her bed* Looks like he picked himself a rough fight. Now I'll just need to see if this healing potion of mine works. Here. *goes over to a counterspace and takes a vial of a strange red substance and pours it into the garlic monster's gaping mouth and the monster hops up and down in joy* Oh, I see, that bruise from this morning when you bashed your head against the wall to wake me healed right up. *goes over to the knight and lifts his head to slowly pour the potion into his mouth* Now I know it's awful. One of the ingredients is bear vomit, so I'm sorry.
Bulby hops up onto the bed and hops on the knight's stomach.
: Bulby stop that, you'll make him spit it out.

knight: eyrgh...who...who are you? *grabs at the tear in his tunic*

Edwin:Archmage Arto is right. As a ranger I know alot about animals and I never heard of a trech.

Mina: I'm Mina. Sorry about Bulby. He gets excited when he drags things back to my cottage. So how'd you end up in these woods?

knight: I was tracking a group of bandits, and the trail lead to the forest. But...I ran into a forest dragon.

Seshail: Yes, I've seen all manner of weird exotic creatures since I arrived here! Have you seen these odd Menech-looking creatures, but they're...white with huge black spots, hooves, and milk sacks on their stomachs!

Edwin: Here we call them cows. And they provide milk for many of the races here.

Mina: Ah yeah, those guys can be a pain. Lucikly they don't like the smell of bitter weed so I have a spray thing of it for you if you'd like. I'll warn you, it smells bad though.

knight: I'll be fine. *sits up* Once I collect my sword I'll go back into those woods and finish that wyrm! *starts to get up, but clutches his chest in pain* Okay...that...hurts. Hey, what are you doing in these woods, anyway?

Arto: Very well then. Seshail, are you ready to learn?
Seshail: Yes, very much!
Arto: Say, why don't you learn with Erin? What do you say, Marcus?

Mina: I live here. I came here after my village outside these here woods banished me when I gave the mayor explosive diarrhea with a berry juice and crab weed brew. I guess I should've just used bitter weed instead. *shrugs* So, what's your name?

Duncan: My name is Duncan, I am a hedge knight from Last Harvest. I uh...won't get explosive diarrhea from the potion you gave me, will I? *nervously scratches the back of his neck*