[center][h1][color=990000][b][u]		RISE		[/u][/b][/color][/h1][/center][hr][hr]
[color=e6e6e6][indent][i][color=ffffbb]“Your grace, I seek guidance.”[/color][/i]
His majesty Artuur Vahkran bowed to but one man in all of Avalon. The sorcerer Ustizor the Ancient. Rumor argues he has sustained his life well beyond his mortal limits in service to Artuur, his father before him, and his father's father before then. No one knows what he is truly capable of. His knowledge is unquestionably unrivaled, but the aether is so strained in Avalon even he might be unable to summon more than token magic. The kings of the empire long believed in his abilities to sense the future, employing him for his wisdom and guidance.
[i][color=acffac]“You seek that-”[/color][/i] rasped the ancient wizard [i][color=acffac]“-which you already know.”[/color][/i]
Vahkran rose from his knee, gazing into the blank silhouette at the floor-to-ceiling tower window. [i][color=ffffbb]“Do you not believe the prophecy, your grace?”[/color][/i]
[i][color=acffac]“You claim to fear nothing, Artuur ... yet I sense you fear this... fantasy, above all.”[/color][/i]
The infallible ruler of the Imperium seemed almost ashamed, like a chastised schoolboy who wouldn’t keep his hands to himself. [i][color=ffffbb]“So you do not believe it ...”[/color][/i]
[i][color=acffac]“The supposed day of reckoning has come to pass, Artuur,”[/color][/i] Ustizor hissed, [i][color=acffac]“I sensed no disturbance, and not one evil ha-”[/color][/i] a sickness overtook the fraile wizard, stumbling to a knee.
[i][color=ffffbb]“Your grace... your grace!”[/color][/i] Artuur trembled at the sight, only to rush to his aid post haste, [i][color=ffffbb]“what is wrong?”[/color][/i]
[i][color=acffac]“You were right... Artuur,”[/color][/i] the wizard strained to whisper, [i][color=acffac]“they ... have awoken.”[/color][/i][/indent][/color]
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[indent][indent][indent][i][color=ff3f3f]“Am I gonna be a queen daddy?”[/color]
				[color=88ccff]“One day Adi, yes you will...”[/color][/i]

		[i][color=ff3f3f]“Swords up, let’s go again.”[/color][/i]

	[i][color=88ccff]“... proud to announce ... Victor will be my first heir ...”[/color][/i]
[i][color=ff3f3f]“You lied to me!”[/color]	[color=88ccff]“...you are not ready...”[/color][/i]
							[i][color=ff3f3f]“Like hell I'm not ...”[/color][/i]
	[i][b][color=990000]“Adrianna ....”[/color][/b][/i]

		[i][color=ff3f3f]“COWARD!”[/color][/i]
	[i][color=88ccff]“Know your place child!”[/color]
			[color=ff3f3f]“Then face me like a man!”[/color][/i]
	[i][b][color=990000]“WAKE UP!”[/color][/b][/i][/indent][/indent][/indent]
Adrianna jolted awake, drenched in sweat and without breath. The nightmares were getting worse. [i][color=ff9999]'It'll get better ... when it's not so fresh.'[/color][/i] It was still only days ago that she stormed out. Parts of her body still ached from beating down nearly a dozen guardsmen, and then riding into the plainslands for hours on end, well into the dark of night. It unsettled her nonetheless to hear those voices again, those words and ... [i]something else[/i]. Something called to her, she could hear it so vividly, but there was no one around her. Only smoldering embers and flickering stars kept her company.
[i][color=990000]"Adrianna ..."[/color][/i] something whispered from ... behind her she thought.
Frantically she searched for the voice. But she was alone in the darkness, just her and Gods know whatever was toying with her.
[i][color=990000]"Adrianna ..."[/color][/i] louder this time.
Adrianna scrambled for her staff. [i][color=ff3f3f]"Who's there!?"[/color][/i] she yelled into night.
Even the insects had gone quiet, the overpowering stillness enveloping the campsite. All she could hear was her own heavy breathing, her heart pounding in her chest, and whatever was haunting her. [i][color=ff3f3f]"Gods have mercy I'm losing my mind."[/color][/i]
Her breathing finally came under control, the white-knuckle grip on her weapon relaxing at last. She poked at the embers, rekindling their glow a fragment. The trees whistled as a breeze came in, stoking the dead fire for her. The wind whispered to her in the same hauntingly familiar voice, chilling Adrianna to the bone once more. [i][color=990000]"Silverwick"[/color][/i]
What the hell was at Silverwick? The place was a scorched wasteland; nothing but the ruins of a fallen city remained even after centuries. No one dared venture to the sight of such a tragedy. Adrianna could be sure of only one thing: she would find out. She settled back in for the night, hoping for a shred more sleep. She could ride out towards Silverwick at first light.

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