Heromaker Academy Prologue/excerpt.

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

Eyyy, this is my favorite of all my work. I think this is the greatest prologue I've ever written, it is also the longest one I think. I hope you guys love it as much as I do, I will try and answer as many questions as I can about the lore and magic system, enjoy.

Spoiler

Prologue

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Catch!”

“Consider it caught,” said Jermond, the lanky boy had caught the bushel of wheat easily. “You may take lessons from that old heromaker, but you still have a bad aim.”

Jermond’s friend, Risir, was a year younger than Jermond and had more magic ability than the rest of the farm boys in the area. So much so that the ol’ priest had come to train Risir. Jermond tried to hide it, but he was slightly jealous of Risir. It was a hard feeling to suppress. 

The smile creased Risir’s dark skinned face easily, “we better get back to cutting down the wheat or dear old dad will strip our hides.” Essir was neither of their father, but everyone in the area, even those the same age as him, called Essir: Dad. 

Jermond couldn’t help but chuckle. Up above, one of the five moons, Firi, was in the sky. Firi was the largest of the five and the third that appeared in the sky each day. The moon was tinted red and was called by that infernal priest, “the patron of fire and firicrystals”  Jermond set the golden bundle of wheat on the wagon; well it wasn’t fair to call it a wagon, it was more akin to a glorified large handcart that happened to be strapped to an old donkey.

Jermond wielded the scythe with speciality, imagining the golden stalks were actually cold hearted enemies, come to kill the mighty warrior Jermond. 

He imagined a stalk of wheat was just about to kill him, Jermond dodged and was about to strike when he noticed something in the distance. He turned to Risir who was knocking wheat to the dirt floor, “Ris, do you see that cloud over there?” he gestured to a distant cloud.

“Yeah, what about it? It’s just a…” the words didn’t come as he stared dumbfounded at the cloud. It was far from normal.  The cloud was moving at breakneck speeds towards the nearest village.

It wasn’t just one cloud, hundreds of smaller clouds followed behind it. The unnaturalness made goosebumps form on Jermond’s back. 

Risir shivered, “What is it?” he asked, as if Jermond would know.

Jermond shrugged, “I have no idea. Would Feruchemical iron know?”

The nearest heromaker and Risir’s master, Feruchemical iron might know. Risir nodded, “maybe.”

And with that they hopped on the wagon and left towards the village as fast as the old donkey could go. 

…

Meanwhile at the village, Wrenir Refon was bored. When he had gone to guard school he hadn’t expected to be assigned to a dingy village barely big enough to warrant a few guards. Farishone was the most boring place in the Firi Empire. 

The smell of fresh crops was nice however. Mountains in the distance  reminded Wrenir of his far off home in the capital city, Firisall. Firisall was the greatest city in the world. Wrenir smiled dreamily as he thought of his distant home as he leaned against a tall wooden post.

A shout jerked him back to reality. “What’s that cloud doing?”

Wrenir blinked, “a cloud?” he muttered to himself, “really, a cloud?” 

A tall and muscular farmer named Jesin walked towards Wrenir from one of the short huts they called houses. “Wrenir,” began Jesin. Jesin was well respected in the village and even Wrenir thought he was generally right, “Wrenir, that cloud is moving fast towards us. I’ve heard that there is flying technology in those big cities of yours, is there anything like that over at the capital?”

Wrenir shook his head, “no sir. We in the city have only begun to make larger lifts. I’m no expert, but the amount of crystal required to get that speed would be incomprehensible. Maybe ask that old heromaker about it more, but i think there’s just a stronger wind than usual.”

Jesin sighed, “alright, but send me word if anything more unusual happens with the clouds.”

Wrenir saluted. The NFEGS or the National Firi Empire Guard Salute was made by raising the right hand wrist to forehead and left hand flat on his heart.

Wrenir resumed leaning against the post, he whistled to his favorite tune gently. Ballad of the Moons. The soft song was intoned with tension and sorrow; battle and war. The song, when paired with its lyrics, spoke of an ancient war. A war where, apparently, soldiers fell from the heavens to destroy the peoples of Lunamis. 

Most regarded it as a story one used to scare disobedient children into going to sleep or magical soldiers would attack them. It was odd that Wrenir thought of the myth when looking at the cloud.

It wasn’t long till the clouds were covering the sun up above the village. Everyone in the village was frozen in terror and awe. The clouds had somehow stopped just above their village. But why their village? Why not another village? To these questions they would never receive the answer.

Wrenir shivered as he watched the clouds like many others in the small village. A cough brought his attention. Wrenir turned sharply on an old man. Feruchemical iron, heromaker of the nearby villages including this one, was a wizened man filled with reams of wisdom and aching joints.

Feruchemical iron’s wrinkly face curled into a grim smile, “Wrenir,” he said in a firm voice, “were you there when people first sighted the clouds?”

Wrenir nodded. Behind Feruchemical iron Jesin looked stern. “Yeah, I was there, doing my duty, watching the village as usual.”

Feruchemical iron sighed, “Wrenir, this cloud may be-”

The old man was cut off by a loud sound. Up above the biggest of the clouds seemed to shiver, the cloud seemed to distort, flakes seemed to fall off and disintegrate into nothing; leaving a large platform, masses of crystal covering the bottom and sides. From his angle, Wrenir and the others couldn’t see more than the mass of crystal covering the bottom of the former cloud.

Feruchemical iron cursed, “by the five moons! Illusion magic!”

Wrenir smiled sarcastically, “swearing? From you Feruchemical iron? I thought you were religious!”

Feruchemical iron gave Wrenir a flat look. Up above a small speck appeared on the side of the large mass of crystal. It became larger and larger as it fell until it resembled the shape of an inhumanly tall man. If a man was made of a giant swirl of different types of crystal. 

As the crystal man got closer it slowed, making the fall gentle. Finally the crystal man landed on the soft earth. It was near Wrenir and the group. Wrenir tensed, drawing his military standard longsword from his sheath.

Feiron frowned, doing nothing, “who are you?” he asked, tension bristiling from his tone like knives. 

The crystal man raised his hand and tapped the side of his head. Crystal seemed to recede from the area that was the head, revealing a human face. He looked unlike anyone they had ever seen, the man had the lightest shade of skin Wrenir had ever seen. But that wasn’t all of the strange things about him, the man had red hair that was nearly black as midnight and piercing purple eyes. 

The man smiled as if this was perfectly normal, “I, my dear heromaker, am your conqueror. Prepare to die.”

Wrenir widened his eyes in fear. The man stretched out his hand and a sword formed in it. It was made out of the same sort of swath as the crystals that made up the man’s armor, but this time Wrenir recognized the crystals.

Feruchemical iron hardened his expression, flames appeared appeared seemingly out of nowhere in the aged hands of the heromaker, “I don’t know where you’re from, but you are threatening my people, it is my duty as heromaker to defend the people of the Firi empire from all threats, religious, physical and more.”

Suddenly Wrenir felt a deep respect and appreciation for the old heromaker he had never felt before. The man laughed, “You do have bravery, old man, but you are no match with me. Duke Resil.”

Wrenir blinked, “Duke? Duke of where?”

The Duke smiled, “do not question your Duke.”

Feruchemical iron clenched his teeth, “you are no Duke to me.” Feruchemical iron threw his hands out and flame jetted from his palms. The fire hit the Duke in a burst of orange and red. 

Wrenir shaded his eyes from the bright flames. Jesin did the same. Feruchemical iron’s expression was one of fury. 

Finally, Feruchemical iron started letting down the fire leaving… the Duke untarnished. The Duke clapped, “good show, good show, you might want to check where you are firing however.” The Duke started turning into flakes of white energy that faded into nothing. 

There was a shout beside Wrenir and a loud crunch. Wrenir turned sharply, what he saw was sickening. The Duke was right behind the crumpled heap that had been Feruchemical iron. From the blood on the Duke’s hand and the blood that was… well coming from Feruchemical iron’s dead body, Wrenir could guess what happened.

The Duke smiled and put his other hand to his bloodied one, water jetted out of the unbloodied one on the stained one, blood and water rushed off of it onto the ground.

Wrenir widened his eyes in horror, he wanted to take back his wish for battle now. He wanted to say something, something heroic, something confident, but the words wouldn’t form in his mouth. He chastised himself. No, I am a member of the national guard, it’s my job to kill villains like the Duke. but as he tried to motivate himself a lump formed in his stomach.

Jesrin hardened his expression and grabbed a nearby shovel and hefted it up easily. He swung it hard onto the Duke’s head. A loud bang sounded and the shovel landed in shards over the ground.

The Duke’s head was covered in that crystal helm again, his voice came out slightly warbled, “that was rather pointless.” the pink crystals glowed brightly. 

Wrenir drew in a ragged breath, “regrowth crystals? Those aren’t indestructible, they just heal people.”

The Duke laughed, “how narrow your understanding, soldier,” he spat out the last word. Wrenir, shivering in terror, pointed his sword directly at the Duke. The Duke touched the side of his helmet and said, “really? After what you just saw, you want to attack me? Of course not. Now, if I were you I wouldn’t resist me or my men if you value your or the people of this village’s lives. You and your pathetic town will be the first of many to fall before me and my army.”

Wrenir gulped, he sheathed his sword and said croakily, “yes… Duke.”

The Duke smiled, “good, you are already learning.” That was when the rest of the illusions fell.

White energy fell like snow from the clouds, revealing hundreds of the same crystal masses that had held the Duke. Many crystal armored people fell down from the platforms, landing all over the village. It was like a bizarre rain of soldiers.

Screams and yells rose from all about the small village. Jesrin gulped, “what are you doing?”

“You haven’t guessed?” asked the Duke rhetorically, “ah, of course. You simple farmfolk don’t have much smarts.”

Jesrin turned red with rage. Wrenir gripped the hilt of his sword.

The Duke didn’t miss the motion and said, “considering attacking? Remember, the lives of the people you are sworn to protect are at risk. They wouldn’t want you jeopardizing their lives, yes?”

Wrenir grimaced, “I know, what do you need besides food? What do you want with us?”

“We need prisoners and slaves.” said the Duke nonchalantly.

Wrenir froze. Jesrin widened his eyes. Around them crystal knights pushed the villagers into a large group. A crystal soldier made a motion and one of the larger crystal platforms landed nearby. 

The villagers were herded onto the platform. Several soldiers stood like sentinels watching over their charges. This was going to be difficult.

The Duke sneered, “afraid? I expected more from a soldier.”

Something broke inside of him and Wrenir drew his sword in one fluid motion and lodged it between the helmet and breastplate of the Duke’s armor. The Duke cursed.

Wrenir started pushing his sword in, the cold steel tip touched the Duke’s bare skin. The Duke shouted, “Idiots! Help me!”

Five soldiers ran forward, hands outstretched. Swords dropped into the crystal knights’ hands simultaneously. One kicked Wrenir in the chest and another stabbed Wrenir in the arm.

Jesin grabbed the pole that had been the shovel and tried to attack the crystal warrior to no avail. One of them took the pole and snapped it in half; the knight threw Jesin against the ground with a loud thud! He looked up in fear, rubbing his side.

A knight pulled Wrenir’s sword out of the Duke’s armor and threw it far away. The Duke rubbed his neck, crimson blood met his fingers. The Duke scowled, he turned to Wrenir, “you’ve made your mark. I will remember you by the scar it leaves.” The Duke summoned his sword and sauntered over, “pray your precious national guard and heromakers will save this world.” and with that the Duke ended Wrenir’s life.

…

Jermond shivered against the wind. The masses of crystal that had looked like clouds had been gone for a few minutes now and smoke swam up from the village. Jermond was worried about what they would find. 

The donkey was moving at what seemed like a snail's pace, but it was actually faster than that. Risir kept looking behind the wagon nervously. The silence was deafening between them.

Finally they got close enough to see a few details. A pile of something was in the town square, the corner of it was visible to them. Suddenly Risir widened his eyes. Risir jumped off and started running. Jemond cocked his head and ran after him. 

Risir ran as fast as a chicken during feeding time to the village. Jermond ran after him, not knowing why he was running. As they got closer Jermond had a sickening feeling, a shape that looked like an arm stuck out of the pile. In fact it was an arm.

Jermond and Risir arrived at the village square faster than the donkey would have gotten them. Jemond’s legs ached, but he didn’t care. The smile burnt flesh met their noses. Risir blinked away tears. Smoke rose from the pile of burnt bodies as Jemond choked.

On top of the pile was an unburt corpse, its head was gone. But the robe was unmistakable.

“Master Feruchemical iron!” cried Risir, he walked up to the pile and touched the robe carefully, making sure not to touch the other bodies. He pulled off the cape and walked over to the well nearby. He threw a bucket down and started pulling up the rope. Tears welled up from his eyes as determination and grit showed on the boy’s face.

Jermond gripped the rope and helped. As the bucket reached the top, both boys let forth tears of sorrow. Risir grabbed the bucket and started washing the robe over and over again in the water. Jermond searched the village and found a bottle of soap and gave it to Risir. 

After several minutes Risir pulled out the clean robe and threw it to the ground. Risir smiled sadly, “well that’s done, now let’s wait till it’s dry.”

Jermond nodded. They waited in silence until, finally Jemond said, “do you think anyone else besides us survived?”

“I don’t know,” said Risir quietly. After another minute he said, “where are we gonna go?”

Jermond shrugged, he hadn’t thought about that, “maybe we could head for the capital? Wrenir always said it was that way.” he gestured vaguely to the south west.

“That sounds best. Though maybe we should stop by one of the other villages, alert them and tell them what happened here,” suggested Risir.

“Good. For now we should go grab the wagon and get some sleep,” added Jermond. Risir nodded and started walking towards where they came from. After a minute Jermond followed after him.

Jermond didn’t know how he was going to make it through the next few weeks, he didn’t know how they would survive if the other villages suffered similar fates, but he did know one thing, he would face them when they came, and when they came, they came.

 

sorry if the names are a little weird.

Edit: it auto corrected "Feruchemical iron" to "Feruchemical Iron." lol, I changed it back.

Edit 2: it autocorrected it back... I hate this. the og spelling was f I r o n. Feruchemical iron.

Edited May 20, 2022 by Thaidakar the Ghostblood

[The Wandering Wizard he/him]

That's pretty good Thaidakar, just some small gramatical errors and some names might need to be changed but it is a excellent story.

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

thank you wizard, im glad you liked it.

[Sequence she/they]

Ah yes. Literature. Much good, very wow.

[Thaidakar the Ghostblood he/him]

Just now, Sequence said:

Ah yes. Literature. Much good, very wow.

THANKS!