Memories of a Dragon - Gulcasas Story
0
We have withdrawn into our capital, the Royal Liberation Army or whatever they call themselves have grown too strong over the past few months. I dont know how much time I have left, but I will use it to write down, what happened.
A tale, from when I was still a kid and no emperor.
Chapter 1. About me
I grew up in the slums of the capital. Life was harsh, and I had to work my share to get our family through. I rarely had time to play, and if we playes, it was war.
We sparred until the sun had long set. We crossed sticks, as if they were lances, swords and axes.
When I came home Father would usually be angry about where I have been and why I was so dirty. That I was a shame for the family.
Yes, father was a very violent man. A former soldier of the Imperial Army, but dur to an accident, he was of no use for them anymore. So he just sat at home, wasting the days.
When he drunk too much, Father got violent and tried to beat me up. I got the one or another bruise from him, but thanks to the sparring with the other kids, I could take a punch and dodge one or two of his as well.
But when Father wasn't drunk, he had another vent for his anger- he would rant all evening about the current emperor. About what a useless, wretched piece of dirt he was.
And father was right. As the years passed, I noticed how the Emperor tore down the country. All of the higher ups became corrupt and spent all day basking in their riches instead of doing something useful. And the emperor himself was a fearful man. He often had treacherous individuals poenly executed, just to show the people how far his might went. Most of them didnt even get a trial, they were executed on a whim.
2 years passed and Father died. Mother was depressed over the loss, but me and my little sister Emilia continued working. During that time, my hatred for the emperor grew stronger. Yes, I hated him now as much as Father hated him.
I worked overtime, I set money aside and that one day when I had enough, I went and bought a weapon - A Scythe. The time of Make-believe war was over - this was the real thing.
A tale, from when I was still a kid and no emperor.
Chapter 1. About me
I grew up in the slums of the capital. Life was harsh, and I had to work my share to get our family through. I rarely had time to play, and if we playes, it was war.
We sparred until the sun had long set. We crossed sticks, as if they were lances, swords and axes.
When I came home Father would usually be angry about where I have been and why I was so dirty. That I was a shame for the family.
Yes, father was a very violent man. A former soldier of the Imperial Army, but dur to an accident, he was of no use for them anymore. So he just sat at home, wasting the days.
When he drunk too much, Father got violent and tried to beat me up. I got the one or another bruise from him, but thanks to the sparring with the other kids, I could take a punch and dodge one or two of his as well.
But when Father wasn't drunk, he had another vent for his anger- he would rant all evening about the current emperor. About what a useless, wretched piece of dirt he was.
And father was right. As the years passed, I noticed how the Emperor tore down the country. All of the higher ups became corrupt and spent all day basking in their riches instead of doing something useful. And the emperor himself was a fearful man. He often had treacherous individuals poenly executed, just to show the people how far his might went. Most of them didnt even get a trial, they were executed on a whim.
2 years passed and Father died. Mother was depressed over the loss, but me and my little sister Emilia continued working. During that time, my hatred for the emperor grew stronger. Yes, I hated him now as much as Father hated him.
I worked overtime, I set money aside and that one day when I had enough, I went and bought a weapon - A Scythe. The time of Make-believe war was over - this was the real thing.
0
The sounds of fighting echoes in the distance, it seems like they have arrived at the towns gates. Lets hope Eudy will stop them this time. The gate itself is heavily fortified and Eudy has not just a cannon, but both of the Rose Domains Ankhs. This should be no problem for her.
Chapter 2 - The Dark Knight.
I was detemined to end the current emperors reign, but to do that I needed followers. People who hated the Emperor as much as I did. But you can't just go around town and ask people "hey, you want to join the coup d'etat against the Emperor?" Such a behaviour was bound to get me executed.
While wandering through the town after work I passed the marketplace. a huge mass of people have gathered there, and my curiosity got the better of me. And I was shocked- another public execution. An old couple stood there- just a farmer and his wife, blindfolded and about to be struck by the executioner. I wanted to turn away when suddently a young man and a girl clinging to him caught my eye. They just stood there, paralyzed. when the executioner struck down the woman, the girl fell to her knees and started crying, so I guess, the people to be executed were their parents. when the man was killed a cancellor held a speech about loyality and whatnot. I couldnt be bothered to listen, I was fixated on the siblings. She was still crying, but he just stood there, not moving a muscle.
when the crowd was dissolved one of the people bumped into him and threw him to the ground. "Hey, watch your step!" I heard the peasant yell, but the youn man did nothing. When the peasant kicked him, yelling "Hey, you scum. Apologize, will ya!" I kinda could hear something snap. the young man jumped up and headbutted the beasant with all he had, throwing him backwards. Almost instantly, 3 people were onto him, but he flailed around, screaming like a madman, scratching, punching kicking everyone who came near him.
And then I knew, he would be a formidable ally.
I dashed towards him and wresteled him to the ground.
"Hey!" I yelled "Snap out of it!" but he continued to resist, breaking free with an arm and hit me hard in the face.
I went on again, blindslided hima nd sweeped his feed away, which made him fall. I pinned him down again and restrained his arms, when the girl came up.
"Leon... lets go home"
I dont know what happened, but those words awakened him from his rage. "I'm okay now. you can let go of me"
I stood up and the siblings vanished. I followed them to a little house just outside the town. I knocked and asked to come in.
"You're the guy from earlier" the young man barked at me "what do you want?"
"I want to give you an opportunity. an opportunity for revenge..."
And so we were three. Me, Leon and his sister Elena
Chapter 2 - The Dark Knight.
I was detemined to end the current emperors reign, but to do that I needed followers. People who hated the Emperor as much as I did. But you can't just go around town and ask people "hey, you want to join the coup d'etat against the Emperor?" Such a behaviour was bound to get me executed.
While wandering through the town after work I passed the marketplace. a huge mass of people have gathered there, and my curiosity got the better of me. And I was shocked- another public execution. An old couple stood there- just a farmer and his wife, blindfolded and about to be struck by the executioner. I wanted to turn away when suddently a young man and a girl clinging to him caught my eye. They just stood there, paralyzed. when the executioner struck down the woman, the girl fell to her knees and started crying, so I guess, the people to be executed were their parents. when the man was killed a cancellor held a speech about loyality and whatnot. I couldnt be bothered to listen, I was fixated on the siblings. She was still crying, but he just stood there, not moving a muscle.
when the crowd was dissolved one of the people bumped into him and threw him to the ground. "Hey, watch your step!" I heard the peasant yell, but the youn man did nothing. When the peasant kicked him, yelling "Hey, you scum. Apologize, will ya!" I kinda could hear something snap. the young man jumped up and headbutted the beasant with all he had, throwing him backwards. Almost instantly, 3 people were onto him, but he flailed around, screaming like a madman, scratching, punching kicking everyone who came near him.
And then I knew, he would be a formidable ally.
I dashed towards him and wresteled him to the ground.
"Hey!" I yelled "Snap out of it!" but he continued to resist, breaking free with an arm and hit me hard in the face.
I went on again, blindslided hima nd sweeped his feed away, which made him fall. I pinned him down again and restrained his arms, when the girl came up.
"Leon... lets go home"
I dont know what happened, but those words awakened him from his rage. "I'm okay now. you can let go of me"
I stood up and the siblings vanished. I followed them to a little house just outside the town. I knocked and asked to come in.
"You're the guy from earlier" the young man barked at me "what do you want?"
"I want to give you an opportunity. an opportunity for revenge..."
And so we were three. Me, Leon and his sister Elena
0
There was an explosion at the gate. Not the normal Ankh Cannon-Explosions, but something more... massive. Something that made the earth shake.
So that means Eudy has failed and they are now in the City.
That reminds me of the day me and Eudy first met.
Chapter 3 - The Imperial Magister
I was still on the lookout for new allies on my plot against the Emperor and took jobs as errand boy for the Magic Academy.
It was on a break when she first caught my eye.
Hair as orange as Amber, a pair of glasses on her nose and reading a book, despite the fact that it was break time for the students as well.
As I passed her I noticed that the book wasnt soem schmaltzy novel or a book about magic, It was about chemistry.
I asked her why she reads such a book, and she stated that it was nothing for an errand boy to care about. And now she piqued my Interest.
I pretty much tried to get assignments close to or in her class. and it seems that she started to notice my persistance.
"Hey!" she came up to me after classes ended "You're in my classroom awfully often. does that have any specific reason?"
"No, not really. I just get good jobs from them." I replied
She held a little flame dancing on her finger under my nose and hissed "You can tell someone else, that cleaning up the dust chute and getting rid of charred leftovers is fun. What is your Purpose in stalking me?"
"Who says I'm stalking you? I might need a skilled magicial in the near future and I heard that she was in that class"
"Oh, thats it, huh?" she flashed a smirk "well in that case, allow me to introduce you: me"
I was a bit doumbfunded, but not suprised.
"The name is Eudy. I'm not studied in the art of magic, but also... well. You said you might need a mage? I'm willing to help if you help me out."
Now I was surprised. I never thought it would be so easy to convince an Imperial mage in training to (possibly) join forces with me.
"But you gotta help me. You as an errand boy can get a hand on those things easier"
She tossed me a list with stuff I have never heard of "What do you need that stuff for?"
"As you have noticed earlier, I'm not only a age. I'm also interested in the Art of Ballistic. I try to make my own cannon, but I still need things to finish the fuse and payload."
So I agreed to help. I got my hands on the things and helped her build the cannon. We took abou a week untilwe were done and wanted to celebrate the first shot the day before graduation.
But something went wrong. Terribly terribly wrong.
Fr some reason I dont know her cannon blew up and destroyed half of an academies tower. The collapsing ceiling killed 7 maged and disabled about 12.
Ater they found out about Euies obsession with ballistic the eperor himself expelled her from the academy.
That night we went to drink the grief away and talked.
We went home to her and talked some more. Her grief became anger, and I found a new ally.
And then we were four.
So that means Eudy has failed and they are now in the City.
That reminds me of the day me and Eudy first met.
Chapter 3 - The Imperial Magister
I was still on the lookout for new allies on my plot against the Emperor and took jobs as errand boy for the Magic Academy.
It was on a break when she first caught my eye.
Hair as orange as Amber, a pair of glasses on her nose and reading a book, despite the fact that it was break time for the students as well.
As I passed her I noticed that the book wasnt soem schmaltzy novel or a book about magic, It was about chemistry.
I asked her why she reads such a book, and she stated that it was nothing for an errand boy to care about. And now she piqued my Interest.
I pretty much tried to get assignments close to or in her class. and it seems that she started to notice my persistance.
"Hey!" she came up to me after classes ended "You're in my classroom awfully often. does that have any specific reason?"
"No, not really. I just get good jobs from them." I replied
She held a little flame dancing on her finger under my nose and hissed "You can tell someone else, that cleaning up the dust chute and getting rid of charred leftovers is fun. What is your Purpose in stalking me?"
"Who says I'm stalking you? I might need a skilled magicial in the near future and I heard that she was in that class"
"Oh, thats it, huh?" she flashed a smirk "well in that case, allow me to introduce you: me"
I was a bit doumbfunded, but not suprised.
"The name is Eudy. I'm not studied in the art of magic, but also... well. You said you might need a mage? I'm willing to help if you help me out."
Now I was surprised. I never thought it would be so easy to convince an Imperial mage in training to (possibly) join forces with me.
"But you gotta help me. You as an errand boy can get a hand on those things easier"
She tossed me a list with stuff I have never heard of "What do you need that stuff for?"
"As you have noticed earlier, I'm not only a age. I'm also interested in the Art of Ballistic. I try to make my own cannon, but I still need things to finish the fuse and payload."
So I agreed to help. I got my hands on the things and helped her build the cannon. We took abou a week untilwe were done and wanted to celebrate the first shot the day before graduation.
But something went wrong. Terribly terribly wrong.
Fr some reason I dont know her cannon blew up and destroyed half of an academies tower. The collapsing ceiling killed 7 maged and disabled about 12.
Ater they found out about Euies obsession with ballistic the eperor himself expelled her from the academy.
That night we went to drink the grief away and talked.
We went home to her and talked some more. Her grief became anger, and I found a new ally.
And then we were four.
0
The rampaging in the city continues, I have no Idea how long my soldiers will last.
Baldus would have known what to do, after all he was the "Shield" of the Imperium.
chapter 4 - Bronquia's Shield
I met Baldus while I was working in a tavern. It has gotten late and he was the last one there. but he wasnt drinking. At least not as much as I expected him to do during the time he was there.
But the pub was about to be closed for the night and I had to get the old man out of the pub.
"Come on, we're closing. please leave the pub" i asked him. he looked at me top to bottom and smled wryly.
"Make me" he said. there was no rage, no anger or anything in his voice. he wasnt provoking me, but I did what I had to do.
as I approached him, he stood up and cracked his neck and I realized what I got myself into.
He was big.
He was muscular.
He was grinning ear to ear.
"Okay, lad. You want me to leave, then make me"
I tried to take him on, but he easily pushd me aside, asking "is that all you got?"
I went at it again and tried to apply what Leon and I trained:
Feint, feint dashing towards him, diving and aim for the feet!
I ran and feinted twice. the old man sightly lost his balance a bit
I started dashing and he still hadn't caught himself.
I leaped and got his feet full force and he started struggling.
as soon as he would fall, I would restrain him, but he just swayed a bit and laughed
"That was fun kid, you know how to handle tougher opponents but you miss something. You're in a band of street kids?" he laughed
You could never know what he'd do about my plans, so I just nodded. He was old after all and maybe a loyalist to the emperor
"Well, I could show you and your friends a thing or two. tell me where to meet and I'll be there tomorrow!"
I told him where we usually train and he left into the night.
The day after, I instructed everyone to keep quiet about the coup d'etat
and he came
he wore an Imperial Armys Officers armor.
He looked at us and started speaking
"Your group is too scrambld to be just a random group of street kids. And there are rumors flying around about a group of trecerous persons..."
My first thought was: "we're done for" but then he continued
"I couldn't care less. The Emperor has retired me from the army. 'You am too old to be of any use to me' he said. Bah! I still have an open score with Bly, the Master Tactican of a neighboring country. Even my title as "God of War" didnt interest him. I believe he was afraid. he should be now. Come here, young'uns. I tell you a thing about startegy and tactics"
And so Baldus, a high ranked Ex-Office joined us. and like that, we were five.
Baldus would have known what to do, after all he was the "Shield" of the Imperium.
chapter 4 - Bronquia's Shield
I met Baldus while I was working in a tavern. It has gotten late and he was the last one there. but he wasnt drinking. At least not as much as I expected him to do during the time he was there.
But the pub was about to be closed for the night and I had to get the old man out of the pub.
"Come on, we're closing. please leave the pub" i asked him. he looked at me top to bottom and smled wryly.
"Make me" he said. there was no rage, no anger or anything in his voice. he wasnt provoking me, but I did what I had to do.
as I approached him, he stood up and cracked his neck and I realized what I got myself into.
He was big.
He was muscular.
He was grinning ear to ear.
"Okay, lad. You want me to leave, then make me"
I tried to take him on, but he easily pushd me aside, asking "is that all you got?"
I went at it again and tried to apply what Leon and I trained:
Feint, feint dashing towards him, diving and aim for the feet!
I ran and feinted twice. the old man sightly lost his balance a bit
I started dashing and he still hadn't caught himself.
I leaped and got his feet full force and he started struggling.
as soon as he would fall, I would restrain him, but he just swayed a bit and laughed
"That was fun kid, you know how to handle tougher opponents but you miss something. You're in a band of street kids?" he laughed
You could never know what he'd do about my plans, so I just nodded. He was old after all and maybe a loyalist to the emperor
"Well, I could show you and your friends a thing or two. tell me where to meet and I'll be there tomorrow!"
I told him where we usually train and he left into the night.
The day after, I instructed everyone to keep quiet about the coup d'etat
and he came
he wore an Imperial Armys Officers armor.
He looked at us and started speaking
"Your group is too scrambld to be just a random group of street kids. And there are rumors flying around about a group of trecerous persons..."
My first thought was: "we're done for" but then he continued
"I couldn't care less. The Emperor has retired me from the army. 'You am too old to be of any use to me' he said. Bah! I still have an open score with Bly, the Master Tactican of a neighboring country. Even my title as "God of War" didnt interest him. I believe he was afraid. he should be now. Come here, young'uns. I tell you a thing about startegy and tactics"
And so Baldus, a high ranked Ex-Office joined us. and like that, we were five.