Memory in Ruins

[Rowen]

Rowen and company had set out for the shorelines, to get passage via pirates to Celestia, to assist in the battle there, but a strange sandstorm, one not seen in many a year in The Shifting Sands, separated Rowen, Bill, and Kyla from The Colonel and his troops. It was as if some divine or demonic, this is left in the eyes of the beholder, force had deemed it necessary for a shift in the group to occur.

The trio had then taken passage on a ship, paying the pirates a hefty fee, and were on their way to Celestia when a STORM hit, causing the ship to lose it's course, and smash into the shoreline of Nomendi, on the isle that once housed the great city of telethimus, which had housed the largest archive of knowledge in the known world. The confederacy, after gaining control of the continent, had turned to city to rubble, burnt the books, and had created a ruin of memories of days gone past...

...But enough background. Rowen slowly came to, face first in the sand, as he slowly rolled over onto his back, coughing up some sand and saltwater, looking up at the now calm sky, and the seagulls floating above them on the winds. He slowly sat up, sore all over. The ship was in shambles, the crewmen scattered about, either dead or unconcious, he could not tell, Kyla was nowhere in sight, and Bill was close by, luckily breathing.

[Zenathian Heroes]

Bill coughed up some saltwater and opened his eyes slowly. It may very well have been his affinity to water that saved his life, but best to not ponder about such things. His traveling clothes were torn, but luckily his magical bag survived the trip. The island they were on was the epitome of 'bleak'. Not one man-made structure stood in his sight. Bill reached for his bow, but the saltwater had ravaged the yew wood. "Tch. Useless junk." He tossed it aside, a bow that was imperfect is a worthless bow.

[Rowen]

Rowen kept surveying this desolate patch of beach, all the while muttering zvari underneath his breath. They were on an island that seemed to be abandoned for years! Their crew: Dead! Their boat! Wrecked! At last, out of frustration the man let out a shout before kicking a waterlogged bucket down the stretch of sand, and sank to his knees.

Slowly but surely he began to think more clearly, and the first thing he did was check his guns. Albeit for slight damages, his typewriter was alright, and his new gun was still, despite the water, in pristine condition. He himself however, was not. From how he'd landed, he'd gotten a cut across his right cheek, his clothes were tattered, and he was missing his boots, "Well it could be worse, we could not know where we are." the fun part was he forgot the name of this place: he fell asleep during both Geography and History.

However, after some time, Rowen recalled the name of where they were, and looked back to his equally upset companion," This island once housed a large temple called Telethemis. It housed a library said to be the largest and most complete in the known world. The confederate tore it down and burned the books. Reasons of heresy or some bull like that." that part wasn't of big concern of the gunsman,"However, there may be something we can use in the ruins...maybe even be a boat left at the docks...heck, it's better than waiting around here, come on let's get going: we may be able to find you a new bow or something."

[Zenathian Heroes]

"I really doubt it, but, you're the boss." The temple ruins looming ahead of them made Bill uneasy. "How close do you think we are to wherever it is we're going?" he said to try to get his mind off of the eerie place. It didn't help.

[Rowen]

'I'm not too sure, those ruins are pretty big...hopefully we are close though, last thing we'd want is to be fully exposed at night, or other-" around this point, the clouds stretching across the sky, already dark, began to release their rain upon this island just as clouds were on an island quite a ways away, where a mighty battle was unfolding, "Other elements..."

-Some time traveling later, with an increase in rain-

Bill and Rowen reached a flight of stairs that went up to what had once been the mighty city of Telethimus, where the Library of Intellect had been housed: all in ruins. Other than the rubble everywhere, many things, save for books, were left untouched: pots, pans, a child's toys, and several bones and skulls, with rusting swords and axes scattered about here and there, "You can only imagine the battle that must have taken place here..."

~Three Years ago~

The city was in flames, as The Confederate Army of Relinge (Which was The Confederacy), being lead by Colonel Andrew, butchered their way through the rag tag forces of the Telethimus Guard, as they made their way to the Library. The Scholars tried to protect the scrolls and books they had harbored for so long, but soon fell to the power of blunderbi and flintlocks, leaving one army and a bunch of easily flammable writings.

"Alright, we're done here. scoffed Andrew, as he began to order the men out, leaving just himself to admire all the books, raising his torch to get a better look. He had once dreamed of reading through when he lived on the island. However, footsteps behind him snapped Andrew back into reality: It was the King: Rayl the Second, Your Highness! The battle is won, the people of Telethimus will not trouble you or The Council anymore!. King Rayl smirked at this, though it was unseen due to a certain dark, battle helmet he wore, "Oh no, it's not over yet." he grinned, before taking the torch from Andrew, "As long as this city and it's accursed library stands, These heretics will never surrender!" With this, he hurled the torch into the darkness, as it lodged itself into a bookshelf, at which point several mages entered the archive,"BURN IT ALL TO THE GROUND! ROUND UP ALL SURVIVING HERETICS! BRING THEM" The king spoke as if possessed, before leaving, while a shocked General watched as the books he once wished to read went up in crimson flames, as they licked and spread to more and more parchments, scrolls, books, journals, newspapers. As ancient tablets, sculptures, and statues were shattered by balls of fire. smoke began to fill the library, and in his haste, General Andrew grabbed the nearest book, entitled Beastiary of Yericrom, and fled from the seering heat to follow his king's orders.

~ Present time ~

Rowen had made it to the center of the city, where a massive mass of rubble sat, the words "The Archive" barely left legible by flame and the sands of time, "Well Bill, this is it: This is the remains of our country's history..."

(Our was used in reference to Yericrom, not Zenath, although there may have been records of them, it is unknown now)

"I wonder what happened so far back in time:battles...kings...uh, more battles..." after some time of thought, he shrugged the past away," We'd better try and find a boat at the docks, if not, we'll we'd better learn how to build one, once this storm settles."

[Zenathian Heroes]

"No history..? Wait, that reminds me of something... Let me check my bag." Bill reached into his seemingly empty bag and pulled out a book. "The guy I told you about back in the desert, this is his book. I forgot I had a copy with me. I thought it was a fantasy novel, but maybe it isn't, what with this country existing and all." It read The Adventures of John Turbolk and Other Stories from Relinge (By John Turbolk). "Turbolk! That was his name. Man, I've just had it rough with remembering stuff lately."

[Rowen]

Rowen, almost instantaneously, snatched the book up and was about to open it, when the recollection that it was, in fact, pouring now decided not to for the time being, and his gaze soon fell upon one of the ruined stone homes, which still had a roof on it," Come on, we'll seek shelter in there until the storm passes" and so he darted off towards the aforementioned building. He took a few steps back, before kicking the door open, andonce inside, he sat down in a chair, which creaked uneasily, having been unused in a dusty home for some time.

And so, he flipped open the book, "You know Bill, this John Turbolk fellow, according to popular legend, used to say the term 'zvarri' alot, and thus it became a swear due to his writing...I also happen to know his grandson, James, assuming that this is the same Turbolk...where did he go anyways?" it was then Rowen remembered the chaos and arrogance that occured at the Stencer Estate...

[Zenathian Heroes]

"Oh yeah, I met James when he was still a kid, he came here when John died..." Bill fell silent for awhile. John's catchphrase was a swear word here, they must've hated him a lot. "Two months ago, there was a large war in Zenath. It has become known as the Cursed War, for in the final battle, our enemy sent a curse on us. I am not here for trade relations as I have said earlier, I am here to kill the creator of this curse before it rots our land. But, the one who created the curse, also created Zenath. I do not know what will happen to Zenath if he is destroyed, but it is something I must do."

[Rowen]

Rowen paused from his book, and eyed Bill for a moment," You both look roughly the same age, hold are you anyways?" there was either something going on, or it was just the monocle that James wore...probably the later, as he scanned the pages more, never before taking such an interest in literature, while all the while the rain outside (they had closed the old wooden door) got harsher. They were pretty lucky this house had been left standing.

"...so I'm named after some old man who just so happened to be a dragon? And that other dragon from earlier...is it the same as this Kalvin man (who has an epic 'stache...i want an epic stache too...) in this book? And this Salzar...isn't he-" asking a flurry of rhetorical questions aloud, and soon finding the answers he needed the farther he got through, and the more answers he got, the more questions he'd soon find himself with, and they all ended with one thing:

"...Well, it COULD be worse...we could be facing some sort of zombie apocalypse..." he finally concluded with his normal smart attitude, before closing the book some time later: It was still pouring outside, "We may need to get some rest, then gather some food (if any) then find us a way off of this rock."

[Zenathian Heroes]

"... I'm 31, James' like, 19 or something. I just don't look old without my goatee... My sister would probably say something like, 'Maybe you should start acting your age, Billy!', but she likes to joke around a lot." After Rowen had read some and said some more things, "Well, I suppose zombies wouldn't be the best situation to be in. Anyways, let me get some sleep." He pulled his slightly glowing headband over his eyes.

[Rowen]

When the two awoke, Rowen sat up to the shouting of people outside. Giving a nudge to Bill, he grabbed his gun, and a gave a peek out the door. Several seadogs, pirates, whatever you wish to call them were scouring the area for any loot to hop for gold. there were some dead men laying small pools of blood in the sand near their ship. They flew a red version of the common Jolly Roger Flag. These were the Red Skull Pirates, hated enemies of Celestia AND Relinge (Confederacy or U.C.C.R. whatever you wish to call them.). These men took no prisoners and only cared for gold....

...But they had a boat, and chances of negotiations wouldn't be possible...

[Zenathian Heroes]

"Oh, look, pirates." Bill thought for a second. "Let's go take their ship. They don't need it." he said to Rowen. Bill felt perfectly sane.