In the beginning we weren't fighters, we didn't wear suits of armor or charge the battlefield with valor. We were nothing more than commoners of Hydlaa, no, of all Yliakum. Our four villages on the outskirts of Hydlaa were all we had. Most of us were living poorly in half built houses and shacks, trying to survive off what little we had. For many generations we kept to ourselves, traded with each others rather than entering the markets of Hydlaa. We knew the price we would pay if we passed the gates into the city, the few which dared to go never came back with what glorious items they intended to retrieve. Rather they were hung by their neck on the side of the great wall, for what reason we have never come to know. Though we did know who was doing the hanging, they were what we called territorial guilds. Of course they had other names but we couldn't tell one from another so we gave them all one name, "Lurkers"...

After years of keeping our distance from the "Lurkers", the lines were broken not by us...but by them. On an early morning a group of heavily armed "Lurkers" pillaged and burned our village on the south side of the city outskirts. Out of 357 defenseless Ynnwns, they left three young ones alive with a message to give to the north, west and east outskirt villages. (These three young Ynnwns were praised by their communities and were given the title of "Ires".) The message was as follows, "For too many years have you commoners walked upon Yliakum to freely, those days are about to end!" Driven by fear the remaining villages disassembled their poorly structured villages and moved farther away from Hydlaa, to the waters edge! There they remained for another two peaceful years...

 

 

After the second year passed, we began to forget about the attack on our village. It was forbidden to even speak the name of one who perished at the south village, for our councils wanted to keep our community in a peaceful state of mind! This was short lived, like the first attack the second came! Only a few of the morning gathers saw the hordes of "Lurkers" charging down the hill towards the west village, many say they felt the trembling of the ground. Everyone except those morning gathers and a few warned, were murdered! Those who survived quickly made way to the remaining villages, to warn them of what happened. (The "Ire" of the west village was murdered as well.)

This was the final time any commoner would stay hidden, or not bare arms to the engaging enemy! There soon came a creation of a new village, which was called the northeast village. The new council for the village decided in order to stand any chance of a future attack, the following things would have to be done. Every man and women would have to be trained to fight in battle. Weapons and armor would have to be created, and finally a wall would have to be established around the village to prevent a sweeping victory for the enemy. There were no surrounding trees or bushes to use to border the village, so we dug the land for clay and built great walls with it. We were finally ready and organized to defend ourselves from any attack by the "Lurkers"...Days, weeks, months and years past without any assault upon us, so we continued to train and build up and below our village, making sure to be ready for anything! The two "Ires" remaining began to create strategies on how to defend the village and more importantly defeat the enemy in doing so. After five long years passed those strategies would finally be put to use...

 

 

In the late night our wall scouts reported seeing a large number of bodies marching in the far hills, this could only mean the "Lurkers" were about to attack. In more haste than ever all the commoners emptied out of the village through the tunnels underneath, making there way to the exits just located 150 feet from the village. There they would wait until the "Lurkers" were all inside the village. We didn't have to wait long, as soon as we saw the last of their fighters enter the village our horn blew and we all rallied outside the exits. A second horn blew and every commoner lined up, some armed with long bows others with swords and pikes. The archers all held out the end of their arrows, and a group of children ran by lighting each with a torch. After the third horn blew the archers released their arrows of flame at the village, and watched as their years of hard work burned away with their enemy. After the smoke settled and the last of "Lurkers" turned to ashes, the commoners returned to the blazed village with excitement of victory.

The Ires strategy worked and the people were safe, but now the second part of the plan would be initiated. A counter-attack on Hydlaa, to get revenge for the misery caused by the greed filled guilds. After recollecting themselves and their battle equipment the commoners began to march toward the city of Hydlaa where the fate of the people would rest...

 

 

Our journey to Hydlaa was long and silent; not a word spoken…it was as if we were saving it for battle, for the enemy. After ten long days of marching we finally arrived to our destination, and not surprisingly a large army greeted us. A force that looked as if they were plucked out of their homes and forced to hold down the city despite a will to fight. There was no moral in these men that stood before us, just blank faces with oversized weapons wielded. A pile of mismatches men, felines, and dwarves not any looked battle ready. These weren't the same “Lurkers” who came out of the shadows an into our homes to annihilate us, no they were different. It was easily noticed by our ranks because we once appeared that way, we didn't come to murder the innocent and recycle our people's fate upon them.

I DepthBlade, one of the three crowned “Ires” of the destroyed South Village spoke out against our plan of attack upon those defending forces. My words wouldn't be heard, for our once small peace seeking council hath turned into powerful voices that spoke of vengeance. Their idea of vengeance was to kill off the threat and safety the entire city, when really they just planned to destroy the entire city and take it for their own. After a long night of debate, a conclusion was made by the council to continue the attack…one I would not take part in.

In the early morning while the grass still wet an fog heavy, the remaining forces of a once ravaged community charged down the hill tops in aim at the defending forces of Hydlaa. I sat watching on a nearby rock, waiting for the last of the violence to stop. After twenty minutes of clashing an echoing scream was heard throughout the battlefield. It was powerful enough to bring halt to the fighting, but in the end it wasn't the scream…just the sight. A young boy no older then eleven laid on his back screaming in fear and in pain, an arrow was pierced into his right shoulder. Our army stood in shock, we were fighting children…not dwarves..All we hated, we were becoming…

“They are just..children…” – Solider of Northeast Army

 

 

The war was over and the defending forces without us invading the city pronounced our victory. No longer was their need for our armies so some thought, much left and began a new life in Hydlaa or back in the hills. Many still had much anger and “Will” to fight, so I DepthBlade brought new reason for them to battle. My ambitions to conquer over “Evil” became theirs as well, together we formed our own guild to go by the name “Xperto”. This would be my greatest task of all, acting as Leader..their fate would be in my hands.

Xperto would not stand to defend, rather to bring a offensive to the fight against “Evil”. We would stand alone against what we believed was wrong, conformity was our worst enemy…So the tale began..

 

 

Centuries of battle have passed through my life, not one bringing me to my knees. Not one silencing my lust for victory over those who ravage our lands, not one...Now I stand defeated not by any enemy..but by loss of hope..My heart no longer feels able to stand against the masses alone..Thy armies are losing moral. The time to let go has approached me with open arms...Xperto is no more.

Letting go of a dream has left my men and women empty, for this I am shamed. My loss is their loss and all the dedication some have brought has been in vain. I blessed their leaving and further advancements with other parties, hopefully their future brings more rewards then my past. Now I take my leave back into the shadows alone...my standing down shall bring much death to these lands...

....Let my agony lead me into the depth's of the underground where i shall repent for my sins by bringing battle to the doorstep of evil's domain!

 

 

A age has now passed since the disbanding of Xperto..Yet when I look into my own reflection it doesn't show on me. Feels only like days..not years...I have defeated many down below in the pits of darkness..but these dead are not the root of evil, just the branchs of what is yet out there.

After much convincing, I finally motivated myself to come back out of the shadows and upon the sweet hills of Yliakum. When I finished my journey back out to much dismay..my past hypothesis of our future had unfolded itself. The skys darkened, the hills seemed to glow red by the stains of blood..All I once loved has been ruined! Villages lay in rubble, bodies line the fields where crops once were formed..Generations of family trees destroyed, years of labour on statues and great buildings brought down within days. Evil has unleashed itself upon these lands and I was now to late to realize what a mistake my leaving really was..

My path has become uncertain, so I began the journey to the city of Hydlaa where my past shall reveal my future.

 

 

I came in sight of the City of Hydlaa, nothing looked different from the outskirts where I have once seen battles arise... As I passed the gates into the city it began to suddenly cloud up, as if my coming here was not welcomed. So I headed to the near by tavern for shelter, hoping to find some old faces to update me on new happenings. Upon entering the already open doors, I was not greeted with any “Hello” rather a few cold stares. So I stood in the doorway silently waiting to see if these stares came with swords, none appeared to. Though a voice suddenly echoed from out of the booth under the stairway, a voice that was all too familiar to me. It was the renowned Hevrah Master Tactician of the Ordo Illuminatis, sitting there with several cups of ale on the table and all to many spilt on his tunic. Approaching the seat across from him I stopped when he began talking to himself, this wasn't any normal bickering he was engaging in a full conversation with himself. His eyes suddenly turned to me and began to widen, he jumped up from his seat stumbled his way to me grabbing my arm to signify a greeting. I sat down now knowing he was still sane, we began to talk…

Hevrah : Aye Lad good to see you are still with us was afraid you might have taken the final fall. Not many get up when they have fallen so far.

DepthBlade : Its good to see you Hevrah, I have longed to see a friendly face for so long.

Hevrah : Yes friend an we shall drink to that, drink to your returning and drink to me being thirsty for my oh so precious ale.

At that moment the vibrant Hevrah had passed out, in the process spilling another drink on him. I sighed in disbelief thinking old things would change but they never do…they never do. Not sure whether to leave him I grabbed Hevrah and put him over my shoulders carrying him to one of the rooms above the tavern. After leaving Hevrah's room and paying my tab, I went out into the city to find a place to rest for the night. There was no rooms left in the tavern so a mound of grass would have to do, I can remember all to well sleeping on worse. I closed my eyes not prepared for the voice that would terrorize my dreams..

"Where have all the challenges gone? Does no one stand against us any longer...Where are your armies to defeat us..what has happened to the brave who would battle us to the ends of time..Hath all been devoured by my hand? All that I see infront of me now is sissys with wooden swords and rattling hope…YOU SHALL ALL KNEEL BEFORE ME AND THEN YOU SHALL DIE!!

I awoke covered in sweat, these words spoken in my dream by this man had changed me…By that very speech I knew the time for "Rebirth" was upon us, warriors of old shall arise once more to finish what has been started. Innocence shall be protected, enemies shall be slaughtered. The righteous will hold back what lurks into the beyond, and push it even farther below! The time of reckoning is here and now..let it be heard!

 

So began the process of reviving a once proud army, one I doubt would return with all its original ranks. I sent letters to those old who had fought for me long ago, only one had come back to me it was from Dralgo once Raven of my old regime. He gladly rejoined under my banner, bringing more knowledge then ever to our now growing ranks. Unfortunately one would be not enough…

I spent a lot of my nights searching for those to follow in with our cause, but in the end they had found me. As my words of righteousness an glory to good spread throughout the city and hills, more rallied to me then ever before. In so little days so many came…ten bodies willing to lay it all on the line for the words of one…Now all that was left is to form rank once again…

A man once told me “To achieve success in whatever your heart desires first you must be organized”. That man is dead now but his words still linger in my head, giving power to what I now call “Rebirth”. Structure is power, to lead an army in success you must have all the right components much like a body.

As follows is my historical record of men and women who have joined my ranks to fight thy cause.

Dralgo-- Avokk Thrall-- Zamzi
John Thazer-- Moogie DarkStorm
Ryukhan-- Ilyena Sunhair
Ken Shinobi-- Jazeera

All are recorded in time as members of the second generation of the “Rebirth” quest. These people have devoted themselves to what we are.

 

 

After achieving my goals in the revival of my forces, there would only be one last step before our pilgrimage could end and we could take our final form. Before the many powers of this land I would have to state my intentions.

I did so without a stutter in my voice or a shake in my leg, only strength in my heart. Like I expected, all so many chose to look at this rising as false hope to the people, so many believe “Evil” could never be banished. Those people only put more determination into what was going to have to be done. Days of arguing went by as I attempted to change some peoples minds, with little success then I ever hoped. They won't listen but that will not stop what needs to be done…words cannot hold back fate…not now, not never. Before I left these sheep to the slaughter they were almost begging for, I gave one last speech…

“I will not go gentle, my body is my shield and thy will is my weapon...my last breath shall even give struggle to the oppressing forces of darkness while I lay on my death bed. All this I do in the name of “Good” and for humanity's right to live in peace without worry of what shall come in the night. These people you see stand beside me, that fight with me…they give this as well and you still speak about us as if we are just another useless force or another evil. Let me tell you that no matter how much you turn us away, we will still be here ready to fend off what lurks in the shadow…"

The time of preparation would be over and the pilgrimage would come to an end with a gathering…One that would leave marks upon our guild now and the generations that would follow…The pilgrimage ends now where it once began

 

 

The journey to where the gathering would take place was long…my bones grew colder the closer we came. Old memories still arise in my dreams…this dream gives me power to continue the everlasting fight for the safety of Yliakum. Now we enter my dream, the “South Outskirt Village” where I was born and then later witnessed to the death of my family and people. No longer is it a dream for reality has overrun it, after generations gone by remnants of what once occurred still can be found. We gathered around the fire, which was centered in the middle of the village.

I Mael “DepthBlade” Dosforia last remaining “Ire” of the proud “Commoners” stood in what was once the light of my village and I knelt down touching the ground. My fingers grasped the dirt and I whispered…

“Give me strength, to carry out what must be done to avenge the actions that once plagued our village and now the innocent of this generation and the next. Let that power be imbued within each of my followers veins and into all those who come to join the cause with a righteous heart…Give me strength…”

Standing up and dusting myself off I turned to my followers ready to give the next order, but the looks in their eyes gave an immediate stop to what I had to say. They all stared at my hand that had touched the dirt, so I peered down only to see a white and blue flame surrounding my hand. My eyes jumped from my hand to my guild and back again…there was no burning sensation from this fire engulfing my hand. Raising my head slowly I came to notice everyone's hands covered in the flame that took mine. We all raised our fists in the air simultaneously, for we now had the “Strength” needed to succeed in our quest…

 

 

We camped over night and discussed the occurrence in an open manner, and came to an agreement that the pilgrimage was now over and the quest could begin. At last we could take on a name that was befitting to what fate brought us, we now and shall forever be crowned “The Holy Searing”. With the holy flame imbued within our veins we could bring destruction to those “Evil”, this power was made through the sacrifice of the people of Yliakum. It shall forever be used to the protection of Yliakum! Let us set light to these lands of darkness…and give life to a new generation. The quest has begun…