Collaboration between Gold and Sigma. [b][u]Tarkima, Ardir Lands, Town of Karkan[/u][/b] [img]https://i.pinimg.com/originals/83/e9/52/83e9525075573ec621537568d97ec502.jpg[/img] The Town of Karkakn, one of many "uplifted" settlements that dotted the tarkiman lands of Ardir, once rugged, and savage clan settlements of old, ones that had yet been gifted by the touch of proper civilization and the loving embrace of the Serene One. Their warlike nature slowly fading out as contractors from across the Serene Kingdoms flooded this foreign and far off land, and became the building blocks of a new Serene Kingdom on the rise. Karkan now was a relatively peaceful, and for the most part, uneventful town, settled far from the border from either the Brakor or Fervari, deep in the heartlands, serving as one of several "waypoints" within Ardir, the town in close proximity to the trading hub city of Dalir, as such, the most action to be seen for the local garrison is the occasional bandit attack, to be stationed in the waypoint towns is a guaranteed break from the front. ------------------------------- The town grew silent as the moon hung high, torches lit aflame as a number of town guards prepared for the nightwatch, ever vigilant, even for improbable attacks from the heathen clans. A pair of Grogar clad in Royal Army armor standing watch within one of the guard towers next to the southern gate, preparing for long night. "Brought the cards?" One of them spoke. "You know it." The other responded, pulling a stack of cards from a small sack and placing them on a empty crate as a makeshift table. "Good! Let's begin!" It was at that moment the dark purple sky opened up with a flash of light, a ball of fire raging down from the heavens. The strange comet slammed into the fields outside the gates, blasting dirt in all directions with a tremendous bang. Strange shards of yellow crystal shrapnel littered the perimeter of the now smoking hole, and a near silent hiss replaced the night time noise. The comet's arrival had caught the watchmen off guard, as they stumbled and fell to the ground as it made landfall, sending a shockwave, no doubt its impact awakening everyone in town. Without much hesitation, one of the guards redundantly rang the alarm bell, just to be sure of course. "By Serenity! What the hell was that!?!?!" The other guard shouted in a mixture of confusion and fear. "No damned clue..." The other responded as he stopped ringing the bell, the Commander of the Karkan Garrison being quick to act as he and a small company of town guard were rushing out of the gate, making their way towards the impact site, the two watchmen quick to follow as well as they climbed down their tower with great haste. As the guards approached the hissing crator, it became very apparent by their torch light that something remained in the center. Catching the glow of the fire, a strange humanoid figure laid in the gaping hole, the light reflecting off strange, heavily damaged and fragmented crystal armor, and what once may have been heavenly wings laid twisted and broken around the being, a honey like fluid leaking from where it had snapped. Despite the alien features, the sky warrior held the face of a man, eyes closed, and a gentle breath exiting its mouth. Heat continued to hiss from the being's surroundings and heavily damaged armor, but underneath the human form seemed externally unharmed, save the wings. "By Serenity..." A soldier out of the group muttered, grasping a hanging piece of metal from a chain necklace, the piece shaped like the circular symbol of the Serene Church. The others were dumbfounded at what they're seeing, was this being possibly a servant of the Serene One? Or perhaps....an enemy? "...Get him back to the barracks." The Commander ordered as he motioned his hand towards the winged stranger, the soldiers hesitant to even get near him. "Did I stutter?" He asked, with a hint of annoyance. "Someone pick him up, now!" Also somewhat hesitant, the nightwatch pair emerged from the group, walking slowly in as they both lifted up the stranger. "Get him to the Barracks, we'll question him later." The Commander said, then turned to one of the soldiers. "You get yourself a horse and ride for Dalir, the Church may find this...interesting." "Yessir!" He replied, running back to town. [center] ---- [/center] Propped up on a hay woven bed frame, fitted with furs the man from the sky was under heavy surveillance. The guards stood around him gawking, as they have been for at least an hour now. More than a few clenched their jaws with mistrust, and some further still did away with such concepts for the sake of curiosity. Time ticked away, and then seemed to finally stop as the man's eyes opened. A brilliant yellow encased his eyes, not unlike the crystals that had protected him. Slowly they adjusted to white, and a pupil formed, circled with a light brown iris. Not a lash was on his eyelid or hair on his body as he looked around the room. His expression was unclear, even devoid of confusion despite the bizarre circumstance. Slowly a twist of pain conquered the man's face, and his mangled wings twitched, leaking that strange honey like liquid, which then slowly evaporated as it dripped. He looked as if he stifled a scream, forcing himself to sit up off his destroyed flying apparatus. Several men armed with spears surrounded him, pointed and ready just in case he was hostile, the Commander stood behind, waiting as he awoke. He walked past the soldiers, approaching the winged stranger. "Who are you?" The Commander asked, being rather straightforward. The man seemed to strain at the question, "I am... Kestrial." "Kestrial you say?" The Commander said. "And where did you come from?" "I come from the God of all," Kestrial answered idly, looking around in curiosity. His face turned to one of fright and fear, "the demons!" His eyes bulged, "they are coming!" "...Lower your weapons.." The Commander ordered, "Sir?" "I said lower your weapons." They complied, withdrawing their spears. "Are you truly of the Serene One? And what Demons do you speak of?" "They float through the night in secret, and build armies of stone. We cannot let them succeed, or God will surely fall. They aim to destroy all we have done, all that is ours. We must find their hideaways, destroy their trinkets, smash their statues, and slit their throats," Kestrial spewed hysterically, "they will not stop until their final breath is drawn, for they hate us with intensity, they hate all creations of our God. God now walks from the east, my brethren by his side. But the demons follow, and with them the destruction of all that is good. I have come to warn of their armies, but even on my flight, I too was targeted, only a ward spell of flame to protect me as I descended." The Commander was now veering onto confusion, perhaps...he may have spoken too soon. But he must ask. "Are you truly a servant of the Serene One?" He repeated his question, these "Demons" the man speaks of...barely any records in Church scripture speaks of such beasts. "I do not know the Serene One, only God," Kestrial answered. The Commander stood silent for a moment. "Very well, for now, you may rest here for the night..." He quickly turned, motioning the others to follow and so they did. After closing the door shut, the commander spoke. "This man....is either crazy or a very confused messenger of the Serene One...either way, the Church will find this interesting..." Suddenly Kestrial let out a blood curdling scream from behind the door, and an ear shattering screech followed, the word unmistakable as it drowned out Kestrial's cry, "[B][I]LIAR[/I][/B]." One of the guards instinctively busted the door open, his own head still reeling from the inhuman screech. As he did he let out a scream of his own, his eyes seeing a floating ethereal body disappear through the wall. His fearful eyes bounced to Kestrial, but only a shell of yellow crystal remained, pools of honey like liquid evaporating from it's broken open head. The Commander drew out his sword and rushed in, only to be met with a now unconscious soldier and a hollowed out husk of the the winged stranger left behind. Such a sight was deep down...terrifying."What the hell happened...this is.." The Commander, and soon others that rushed in as they fell to their knees, clasping their hands together as they prayed. "Oh Serene One..preserve us..."