The Blades: by Zack Luzader (e ink epub reader TXT) 📕

The land of Maricha was a damned and forbidding place. Hostile and demented, relationships never flourished in this land of death and torture. However, there was a couple of which was holding a child. The child was small and fragile, with no hair on his head, exept for a few strands of golden brown hair that slanted across his forehead. The boy was kin to the great mage Wrynn Fireshout.
Wrynn was a legendary pyromancer from the tenth era, or "The era of Anarchy". His broad shoulders and edgy face combined perfectly with his heavy weight stature. His crisp, scorched palms have carmalized from constant fireball chucking. He had light grey hair with a long beard, dark brown eyes and a loose face, with a pair of very bright, light blue eyes. He robes were torn and he wore a dragon tooth necklace, it has been said to empower his fire abilities ten fold.
Wyrnn's home was the High King's Castle where he was Archmage of the land. His position also required him to become an advisor for High King Darnell.
Wrynn's wife Maddy was holding their infant son, Markas, as she passed the crowd of magi to her husband. Maddy was about to announce a statement to her betrothed, but she was interrupted by The High King of Maricha, Darnell Vainblade.
Darnell approached Wrynn, who was studying in the library. Darnell announced to Wrynn frighteningly, "Wrynn... We have an issue of horrific preportions." Persistant in his studies, Wrynn continued to read and commented "Really?" cockyly. With a straight face Darnell frustraitedly argued "Now is not the time for your smart ass arrogance!"
Wrynn now gave Darnell his full attention, and said "Tell me what the issue appears to be, lad."
"Wrynn, they have returned." hushed High King Darnell. Wrynn snapped directly eye to eye with Darnell and aqcuired his spiked metel skull cap. Wrynn yelled for the steward to get his staff and blade.
As Wrynn put his ceremonial robe made of red spider silk on the steward arrived with a staff etched with flourescent blue, glimmering symbols that translate to "Fire Bred". Darnell approached Wrynn fully geared in golden armor, as he seathed his sword. Darnell said "I've divided our forces in half. Your commanding the vanguard and the third legion."
Wrynn went to say "That rally was fa..." and was interupted by the straining sound of clanking metal. As Darnell and Wrynn approached the window they saw in the valley a horde of millions of orcs. Wrynn sighed and said "Darnell, I'm in no position to rule you, but get my son and wife to safety." Darnell said "You've saved my life many times over, I will..." Wrynn took a serious blow to his battle hardened heart as he took up arms, knowing he would most likely never see his beloved family again. Wrynn ventured forth to the battlefront prepaired as ever to take on the orcish threat.
Gerald, the captain of the guard, darted towards Wrynn and stated the satuation. Meanwhile, in the hidden tunnels underneath Attkins Castle, Wrynn's wife Maddy and his son Martin are escaping with Darnell and a troop of guards. Sprinting through the tunnels, Maddy is transporting the weight of Martin with the unstealthful clanking of the gaurd's armor echoing through the cold-stone tunnels. They approach the blinding light at the end of the tunnel to meet a legion of orcs holding their ground waiting for the ambush. Darnell draws his sword with his men and yells for Maddy to run. Maddy, clearly frightened beyond her belief, nods and begins dashing in the other direction.
In hot persuit a group of orcs stalk Maddy, who still holds tightly onto her innocent son, Martin. Maddy attempts to evade the oncoming orcs and swiftly shifts to a crevious in the corner of the stonework. In the most in-oppertune time the baby boy, now clenching her mother's robes, begins to cry. This gave away their position, and the chase once more took hold.
Maddy sees yet another light to behold at the end of the tunnel, this time she is horrified and wary if it's another ambush. She leaves the tunnels to find that no one is their to block her path. She stops and opens her eyes to see a vast, beautify landscape.
The Weider River raged across an enviroment near a hidden grove, dense with foliage. The Gande Mountain range stood in the distance above the clouds, and in the moment she remembered she is still being tracked by the ravenous orcs. As Maddy turns to see her pursuers, she sees them sprinting through the hall, as a reflex she immediatly begins to flee. Maddy trailed the bank of the Weider River, being careful to perfectly evade the arrows shot from the orc's savage bows.
A brawny orc stepped forward and lunged his solid rock, carved axe towards Maddy and it lacerated her shin. Maddy fell over in pain yelling "Damnit!" The orc, pleased with his accuracy, had a smurk and glanced at the other orcs "What are you waiting for, idiots, get her!"
Maddy still held on to Martin as she limped towards the bridge over the quickly flowing river. She kissed little Martin on the forehead and laid him in the crevious underneath the arch of a bridge. She shed tears and made sure to cover him in a camoflauge blanket as an orc inched his way toward her in a stalking motion. Maddy, furious, yelled "Just kill me you ugly basterd!" The orc stood their eying up the puny human girl, and he commanded that they bond her up and take her back to the camp.
The Captain of the orcs said "She's going to make a fine slave." and an underling to the captain announce with glee "Captain shall I be the one to lug her to the camp?" After the tall and brutish orc spit he slapped the underling and said "Hell yes, I'm not gonna do it." The smaller orc bonded Maddy and slung her over his shoulder. He lowly grunted and began to carry her away, encompinied by the captain and the rest of that orcish devision.
It was clear now that Darnell and the group of soldiers were dead, Wrynn was still fighting the battle, but ordered a full retreat. A night had passed and along came a caravan of a travelling salesman.
The traveller, Bard, heard a faint whining sound over the carraige. He hopped down and investigated the surrounding area to find nothing more than the perfectly hidden camoflauge blanket. Astounded to the little package hidden he called for his companian, a gorgious young lady by the name of Jade, to help him investigate. Bard asked "Jade, what is that?" Jade replied with "We'll open it up and see!"
Without hesitation Bard took up the wrapped bundle and began to disenge the knot. After the knot was dealt with he began to unravel the small child, which look famished from malnutrition. He let out a weak, silent cry for his biological mother, which was no longer there. Bard, astounded stood and stared at the child while Jade looked at him and said "By Glorfindel, it's a baby!"
(Glorfindel was the god who all worshiped besides the normal heritics and the occosional false prophet trying to spread other religions.)
Jade still speechless looked at Bard with dismay and Bard said "We can't just leave him here Jade, we have to take him home!" Jade looked at Bard and shook herself out of her daze, replying with "But Bard, I wanted to have my own child, not some ragged, homeless child we found underneath a bridge!"
Bard said "Don't worry Jade, I make enough so that we can support all four of us, but I don't just want to leave this poor child here to let natural consume him!" Jade, now slightly angered and tired gave in and said "Alright we'll keep him, but it's your gold coins!" The proper name for the currency in Maricha was Marie's, named after the province.
Bard and Jade took little Martin with them to the city of Urbes or more commenly called "The City of Sin" where their next destination was set. This place was the home of the University of Mokerth, which was dedicated to the royal blood line of the Mokerth's. This city was relatively big and was heavy in prostitution and theivery. With a cutpurse around every corner and a thug in every ally way this city had the highest crimerate on the whole continent.
Bard and Jade have been to twice and have been mugged more than 3 times. As they venture through the city to set up shop they hire mercenaries to get through the streets safely so that they can sell their wares in the middle of the marketplace. Jade is now officially a full time mother and has left Bard to the work of selling the goods.
8 years have passed and the new born baby, Martin had adopted a new name of Leo Wayne to match his new found parents identities. Young Leo had flourishing, golden hair with bright blue eyes that Jade described as "the eyes of an angel". He was tall and skinny, with a small curvy face and a small nose. His brows were darker than his hair and his lashes were long and woman like. He had long fingers and scar across his chest from when he was clipped by the event he had as a child. His memory was not well enough to remember the deeds of his mother and his foster parents never told him of his discovery.
Leo had a brother his foster parents gave birth to a year after his discovery. His name was Jeremy Wayne. Leo loved his family and was thankful to be living a upper-middle class life, completly oblivious to his past and his claim to fame.
Jade and Bard Wayne decided to settle down in the city of Denarum, north of Urbes, and open up a shop with the procedes from the travelling days. Bard announces with boredom, "I miss the old travelling days, but with the children it would be better to keep them in a single place." Jade, not questioning him said "I agree, but we must do what is best for the children, and Leo is two years from his training of a certain art. We have to find what hes gifted with and exploit it!."
"I know what must be done, Jade. I just don't think I can manage the cost of both boys enrolling in school."
"I can get a job, but there aren't any gurantees, Bard.
"Honey listen to me, just a few more Maries can provide more food and even more education for the boys. Besides we need to