The Calamity of Calcinia

There weren’t always dragons in the Valley. Then again, there weren’t always crimson elves patrolling the rivers and streams, hardy dwarves inhabiting the mountains to the South, ty-boons hiding in sandy caves on the beaches, and vicarrions hunting the deep forests. There weren’t many oddities within our world, save for man and beast, but then the Azure Shield cracked.

The Azure Shield was our greatest treasure. Not many alive know where it came from or how we gained control of it, but there wasn’t anyone who didn’t know of its importance. Legends stated it held extraordinary power to vanquish enemies. The Shield gleamed brightly within Calcinia’s regal castle walls, always protected by the finest guards in the land. Calcinia was our capital, and the largest city I had ever witnessed. It was customary to make a pilgrimage to the Shield at least twice in one’s life. Once when you reached adulthood, and once when you needed your faith reinvigorated, but a pilgrim could travel to the Shield as many times as they desired. Many would travel together, for there are safety in numbers, but others would travel alone, keeping off the trails, trying to stay as inconspicuous as possible. Whatever the choice of travel, when a subject arrived at the Shield, a subtle warmth engulfed the person providing relief and ease. Because of this strange phenomenon, many people who had been enemies their entire lives, would form strong bonds within its presence.

I made my pilgrimage, the same as anyone else in my village, but I chose to take the long way to the capital. There was much to see within this world and staying upon the only road leading Northwest did not seem appealing to me. The others within my village that decided they wanted to go as well did not like this idea and chose to leave of their own accord. I headed North, alone. I did not want to end up far from the capital, leaving me stranded over the frozen season, but I also didn’t want to follow the strict rules my elders tried to impose upon me.

I had traveled quietly for days avoiding caravans, sticking to the outskirts of villages, and scavenging what I could for food. However, following the villages that provided me with sustenance worked against my adventurous nature since they all headed towards Calcinia. I had been directed towards my goal unknowingly while I happily took in the scenery. I stepped out into a clearing from the forest I had been traversing to see the spanning civilization that was Calcinia in the distance. I still had at least half a day’s worth of travel to get to the massive sandstone walls and decided it best to start first thing in the morning. Camping in open terrain is placing a large red target on one’s head, especially this close to the capital. I returned to the safety of the forest and began making camp. I unrolled my meager sheepskin mat, created an amateur fire pit, and placed foliage to guard the light from my fire from unwanted eyes. I wasn’t afraid of a skirmish in the middle of the night, nor did I ever run from a fight, but I rarely welcomed them, and would do anything in my power to outright avoid them. After eating my paltry meal of stale bread and fire-roasted meat I had pilfered from a previous village, I slept soundly. No attacks came, and when I awoke just before dawn, my belongings were all present.

I set out for the city after relieving myself, rehydrating from a nearby stream, and cleaning my camp. I decided I would keep a steady, yet quick pace for as long as I could muster. Clearing the distance between the forest and the walls was paramount, for even in daytime, people grew bold witnessing a singular pilgrim. Fortunately, the capital’s wheat fields were much too early to harvest, providing me with ample cover if needed.

There were a few close calls while closing the distance. A caravan of pilgrims on foot, a regiment of pikemen marching with their lieutenant on horseback, and a few horse-drawn wagons, with innocent enough looking people passed by, some to and some from the walls. This made the trek all the more difficult, as I was forced to take cover and wait for the groups to pass. As time went on and the day grew older, I started to work my way away from the main road. As groups passed, I crouched and continued, worrying less and less that they might see me. I finally began to approach the barriers protecting the city from outsiders near nightfall. I worked my way around to the Southeastern gates to gain entrance. Being this close to the city outskirts allowed me a bit more freedom as I had more protection from the regiments of soldiers milling about. As long as I caused no issue, they paid me no mind.

I reached the tremendous, oaken gates that entered the slums, as this was the easiest way for villagers and pilgrims such as me to attain admittance. This was also the area the soldiers could be bribed the easiest. They didn’t want to be stationed here just as much as I did not want to be here, but because of those facts, getting in was without difficulty. I gave them my papers from the village, signed the appropriate agreements, and pressed my thumb into the wax on the contract giving my “seal,” that I would “obey the laws.” Not that the thumb print meant anything. It was mere politics and something the regiments could use to execute you without bearing on their consciences. Whatever helps them sleep at night I suppose.

I found a cheap tavern to spend the night and get an actual meal in my belly. I ordered the cheapest oatmeal and mead, as the oatmeal will “stick to your ribs,” making me feel fuller for longer like my mother used to say. The mead would help me sleep. The city is so boisterous compared to my tiny village, and it would seem as if no amount of hay stuffed mattresses would dampen that cacophony of shouting, drinking, music, and dancing. I used the short time I had to plan out my next day’s activities. I knew that I would gather supplies for the trek home, try to purchase some seeds for my family to grow, and see the Shield. After which, I would need to get one more night of rest and head back before sunrise the morning after. I did not want to spend more time than what was necessary here.

The next morning, as I was readying my gear and paying for the inn-keep to watch my stuff and hold my room, I was approached by a gruff looking man wearing a short sword on his hip. He had scars across his cheek that resembled a scratch from a wild animal, possibly a big cat.

“Ehh, yah headed tah see dah Shield boy-oh?” he grunted.

“Uhm, sure am. Gotta get one of my pilgrimages out of the way, you know?” was my reply. I hoped this interaction wouldn’t last long.

“’Outta dah way’? Why would’en yah wanna get em ‘outta dah way’?” he questioned, “Theys can be as glorious’s yah let em be! Jes wait entil yer in there ‘neath its shine.”

“… I guess you’re right about that. I’m sure things will be different when I’m there, I’m just a little worried about how much I need to get done today. I should probably be on my way.”

“Well! I’ll join yah, thain’t nuthin’ I’s need to do round here noways.” he stated.

I was too nice of a person to tell him no. Plus, he did carry a weapon openly which meant I might be a little more protected from pickpockets. I agreed to let him accompany me on the account that he had to keep quiet unless I asked him a direct question. He agreed, but deep down, I knew he was lying.

My new acquaintance and I headed out of the tavern and towards the marketplace. To his word, he did not make a peep other than the occasional grunt and snort here and there. I perused some discounted wares, most likely stolen, for my return journey such as a higher quality sheep skin mat, a new flint and striker, and a hunting weapon that was even weighted for throwing. I found a beautiful, ornate hatchet with etchings upon the side that displayed a scene of intertwining lattice columns making a shape that seemed to continue forever. This hatchet must’ve taken the blacksmith ages to detail, and the only explanation for the extremely cheap price was that this young entrepreneur stole it, or bought it stolen. Regardless of how it was acquired by the salesman, I was more than happy to have it. The gruff man gave his seal of approval after a quick inspection of the weapon.

We moved on to look at seeds for the farm. We knew that we needed tubers, maize, and shingle melons. These items would be relatively easy to grow, with little chance of pests destroying the plant, and would grow in our area without issue. I finally felt the need to speak to my compatriot asking him for his name.

“O’Kestin. Reef O’Kestin. Pleasure’tah meet’cha,” he said proudly.

“The pleasure is all mine Mr. O’Kestin. My name is Stremmick Deadrock,” I felt compelled to introduce myself as well, “but my friends call me ‘Strem’.”

Now that I knew the man’s name that was following me around the city, we headed towards the castle in the center. The main roads leading to the castle from all directions became more ornate as you came closer to the castle. A pilgrim could always be positive they were heading in the correct direction as the red flags hanging from posts and walls showed an ornate cyan shield with a golden halo glowing from behind it lining the streets that lead you to your destination.

When we arrived at the castle, they inspected our paperwork from the walls and my newly acquired belongings. They did not find my beautiful new weapon and allowed us admittance. The Shield room was too crowded for us to enter, so we were asked to wait for a bit allowing the current pilgrims to clear out. As we waited, a few groups joined in with us as more pilgrims arrived. A man wearing a low, black hood stopped just behind me. He seemed out of breath, and upon quick glance, was sweating profusely. It was a temperate day out, so this man must’ve been somewhere that was blistering with heat such as a forge.

A guard approached me as if to talk, but then pivoted at the last second and pointed their pike at the hooded gentleman. He demanded the man remove his hood. As the person pulled the fabric from his head, a pronounced disfigurement revealed on the left cheek and temple, possibly from a deep burn. The man’s right eye was a bright, burning blue, with the left eye a ghastly white and small black pupil. This man’s face was burned into my memory, and I tried to hide my astonishment. The man had probably faced this kind of shock and ridicule ever since the accident and the last thing he needed was for me to gawk at him.

The guard apologized to the gentleman and told him if he felt more comfortable wearing the hood, it was okay just this once. The tall, slender man quickly pulled his covering back to its original position.

We were finally allowed to enter the Shield room. I had seen artist renditions of the Azure Shield before, and had even visited Calcinia in the past, but had never had the luxury of seeing it for my own eyes. Its beauty is something no painting could ever hope to achieve. The Shield was massive and almost seemed to engulf the room. It was displayed upon a short pedestal and was easily 60 hands or more tall. As you stared at the Shield it seemed the room itself was saturated in a faint blue glow, but when you pulled your eyes away, the walls were the same color as the rest of the castle and your vision returned to normal. The Shield compelled your eyes to stay locked on it, and the longer you looked, the more tranquil you felt. I tore my vision away for a split second to look at Reef and saw him grinning ear to ear and subtly nodding his head as if in agreement with an unspoken discussion.

I felt a small push on my shoulder but paid it no mind. I had never felt this warmth before in all my life. The fact that we had to fight to live as peasant farmers in a tiny village that is underfed, underappreciated, and underpaid seemed to be a thing of ancient history. I never wanted to leave this room, and I wanted this vigorous sensation to last an eternity.

Another push on my shoulder, someone must be unconsciously swaying in their mesmerized state. I could faintly hear Reef grunting his customary seal of approval and could envision his strong smile clearly in my mind. I believe I’m beginning to think well of this man and may even begin calling him a friend. He has done well by me, and I never had to ask for any of his assistance. He gave it freely and without judgement. Maybe I would inquire more about him after we leave, I have already paid for another night here before I head out anyways.

A strong push to my shoulder came this time. It was strong enough to pull me from my trance and force me to investigate. Soldiers had entered the room and were fighting with some of the pilgrims that had entered after us. The skirmish was quite loud, and to my amazement, I did not even register the commotion until I turned my head and lost sight of the Shield. How could people be fighting in this room? Didn’t everyone feel the same as I did? There were no worries here, and the ancient texts stated that it protected humanity from all manner of evil simply by existing here. For years I never believed the stories about the Shield, but after witnessing it firsthand, I knew them to be true.

As the guards continued their tousle, more soldiers entered with pikes and swords drawn. They apparently meant business and wanted to stop this fight as fast as it began. I had fully turned my back on the Shield at this point. A strong grip clenched into my shoulder that felt as if someone was trying to pull my spine out through the base of my neck. It caused me to shrug up in recoil, and I turned to see O’Kestin staring in wide eyed terror towards the shield. I quickly pivoted to match his gaze to see the hooded man climbing the Shield itself. He had easily scaled half the distance to the top and did not seem to have any intention of stopping.

A tremendous, commanding voice echoed inside of my head.

“STOP HIM!” it shouted.

Without question or thought, I retrieved my hatchet from my hidden sheath and hurled it end over end aimed at the man’s back. However, just like the stories I had heard of glorious battles and warriors around my village campfires, the man whirled his body deftly catching the hatchet in one hand whilst holding onto the Shield in his other. He let out a truly nefarious smirk under his hood illuminated in the blue light of the Shield.

“NO!” the voice boomed.

With one fluid, powerful motion, the man turned to the Shield swinging the ornate hand axe. An earsplitting clash erupted in the room that was accompanied with a blinding flare of blue light. The resulting shockwave that echoed from the Shield as the hatchet came into contact sent everyone in the room flying to the walls. Those closest to walls were either killed instantly or knocked completely unconscious. I was fortunate enough to have people between me and the walls. When my vision returned after a few blinded seconds, I noticed my hatchet lying beside my leg. I quickly returned it to my hidden sheath but noticed a strange blue tint on the blade.

The hooded disfigured man was nowhere to be found. No sign of him existed, save for the pronounced crack in the top right half of the Shield. Gazing upon the crack almost hurt me, and the original warmth that this room radiated was nonexistent. I found O’Kestin laying a few bodies over to my left, he appeared fine except for bleeding from the ears. I could not get him to arouse however, and after shaking him a few times, I heard screams from the soldiers outside of the room. I later learned Reef had died and the ear bleeding was much more significant than I originally thought.

I quickly hurried to the exit and gazed upon a scene that was almost indescribable. The city was under siege by what seemed to be purple fire. There were large swirling doorways opening all over the city as far as I could see with different lands contained within them. Strange creatures came through these gateways, some with weapons, some with strange abilities, and some armed only with teeth, claws, and rage. Everyone was fighting or fleeing for their lives against a different being or monstrosity unlike anything they had ever witnessed. I clutched my hatchet and began to run towards the city’s Southeastern gates.

An oddly shaped humanoid creature with slimy pale skin and obsidian eyes stepped in front of me twisting its “fingers,” in odd directions. I skidded to a stop and readied my weapon. The hair on my neck stood on end as guttural, croaking sounds emerged from its gullet. As the figure raised its tentacled arms out towards me, the tendril contortions intensified.

“CROUCH!” the voice shouted. Under any other circumstances, I would be stricken with terror to the point of immobility. I obeyed the voice as if I were entranced.

A thunderous crackling and bright light erupted above my head as lighting emerged from the entity’s tentacles. The moment the crackling stopped; I took a step forward swinging my cerulean stained hand axe in an uppercutting fashion almost catching the dirt underneath. The hatchet splayed open this fiend’s torso unveiling vile viscera and buried itself deep into its mandible. The creature squealed in pain at the impact. I pulled the hatchet from its fascia and the creature fell to its back writhing from left to right. If it wasn’t dead, it soon would be, I continued sprinting.

I made it to the gates without any further skirmishes and did not stop for a second glance. There were no guards this pass through. Adrenaline coursed through my veins enough that exhaustion was nonexistent. I cleared the gap between the walls and the forest in what seemed like mere minutes. After reaching the safety of the tree line, I finally slowed to a stop and turned to see the havoc. To my horror, a new gate had opened. Larger than anything I had ever seen, larger than the castle itself, and levitating ominously above the city. A strong wind could be felt and powerful rhythmic whooshing sounds could be heard. A tremendous serpentine head with razor sharp teeth emerged from the swirling gate quickly followed by a muscular scaled body, enormous leathery wings, and a powerful, whip-like tail.

To make matters worse, this was not the only dragon to enter that gate, it was merely the first. The flames that exploded from its maul were truly destructive in their nature and the heat could be felt even from this distance. I watched as another three of these horrid beasts emerged from the portal. I decided I had seen enough and turned to continue running. I needed to complete a long trek back to my village, and as fast as I was able.

Unbeknownst to me, I would never make it back to my farm nor my village.