Fall Of Kal'Bryst

The Fall of Kal'Bryst is a first hand account of the Fall of Kal'Bryst during an Undead attack in Aegis. It was written by Jon Bucklebolt.

The North was unusually quiet, of course, excluding “The Drunken Commander”. The Drunken Commander was an Inn and Tavern in the Far North-Eastern regions near Kal’Bryst owned by a jolly fat fellow named “Hernet Fernwarts” whom would always be clapping his large belly and monstrously laughing. The wind was picking up outside and the night grew darker, as a cloaked traveller walked through the front doors of The Drunken Commander. Upon opening the door, the light burst out almost blinding the man. He clasped the doorframe and walked in, his hand held above his eyes trying to block out most of the light, when he his eyes adjusted to the light he could hear loud laughing and cheering of drunken in the corner of the Tavern. The traveller lightly pushed through the crowd to see what the laughing and cheering was about. He got in front of the crowd to see that two Dwarfs had commandeered a table and were hopping and dancing, singing a merry song as they smashed their mugs into each other’s and drank deeply, he tried to listen in as he heard them sing ‘Hey! Ho! Mary oh! Over the Bridge and there she goes!’ the Dwarfs laughed as they shoved each other’s mugs to the other’s mouth as they both drunk the other blind. The traveller removed his hood as he no longer needed to escape from the crying winds outside. He squirmed his way out of the crowd, though he was knocked into a scruffy, muscular and terrifying looking man, knocking the man’s ale on the floor, he growled at the traveller ‘Watch-a do that for! You bloody bastard!’. He tried to turn away though another man grabbed him by his cape and tugged him back, ‘You better be paying for that ale! Boy!’

‘Sorry sir, I didn’t mean to, please forgive me, sir.” The traveller replied.

The man let his cape go and turned back to the Dwarfs, though the crowd had died down and now were staring at the traveller. He kept his head down low as he moved over to the bar. The two Dwarfs walked over and clasped the travellers shoulder. ‘Don’t worry ‘bout that, lad.’ Said the left one, he had a long braided black beard with an overhanging forehead, small bent nose and was only as tall as 4 ¾ foot. The other Dwarf was slightly shorter only around 4 ¼ foot, with a shorter braided beard and darker skin than the other though he had the same overhanging forehead but with a hooked nose and dark squinty eyes.

‘Me names Haelen lad, an’ me brothers ‘ere is Dolgan’ said the taller of the two.

‘Aye! T’ey usually be startin’ stuff amongst strangers ‘ere’ said Dolgan.

‘Thanks’ the traveller replied ‘My names Jon Bucklebolt’. He held his hand for the Dwarfs to shake.

Haelen grasped the hand, shaking it roughly; it seemed to Jon that he was trying to break his hand! Dolgan then shook his hand, and it seemed he tried to out-do his brother, shaking it as though he were trying to mine obsidian! Jon sat down onto a bar stool as he ordered a light ale. Jon sat there playing with his fingers, picking at the dirt from under his fingernails. The tavern grew quiet and then suddenly a loud smash and an immense pain on the back of his head occurred. Jon fell backwards off the bar stool, slamming hard against the floorboards. He blinked his eyes thrice though he could barely see; the world was a blurry confusion. He rubbed his eyes and blinked again, regaining some sight, he could hear loud snaps and yells, words were thrown at each other as they were cut out with a loud crunch and a scream of pain. He attempted to push himself up though as he did a sharp pain shot up from his hands up his arms. He looked at his hands to see broken glass and his hands bleeding. He pushed through the pain and held out onto the bar and steadied himself upright to see the two Dwarfs and several men fighting each other, Dolgan had managed to jump onto the back of a man, he was biting at his ear and punching his neck. The man slumped to the floor, either dead or unconscious. Jon turned to see Haelen grab a man by the hair and slam the man’s face through a glass window, with a loud crash and shatter the man collapsed to the floor, his face a ruin of blood and glass. Haelen and Dolgan ran over to each other, they stood back to back as more of the crowd surrounded them. Haelen kicked a man in the groin as he went down with an ‘ooh!’. Dolgan managed to swipe a man’s legs as he tumbled to the floor; he then jumped onto the man’s stomach, sending him breathless. Dolgan started to kick at the man’s face, until his face was an unrecognizable landscape of blood. A few men grabbed at the back of Dolgan, lifting him off the unconscious man, though with great difficulty. Haelen turned and jumped at the men, sending them all crashing to the ground, Dolgan and Haelen had at them, punching them repeatedly. Jon heard the door slam open as several mailed soldiers walked in, they grabbed at Haelen and Dolgan, tearing them away from the unconscious men. Mailed fists held tight onto the two Dwarfs shoulders as they demanded what was going on.

‘T’ey started it! Bloody bastards smashed a mug over good ol’ Jon’s head!’ said Haelen.

‘Not me fault t’ey happened to beh in te’ way of me fists’ replied Dolgan.

The armoured men shoved them away, almost sending them toppling to the floor, though they regained their balance. The men looked Jon up and down, growled and stood back. The man to the left suddenly yelled over the crowd ‘Quiet! Quiet! Listen up lads! Urgent news calls! Kal’ Bryst is under attack! All those willing and capable to fight! Follow me!’. The two armoured men marched out the door and waited outside for the men to follow. Jon ripped off some of his cloak, tying it around his hand as a bandage of sorts. He saw several men walk outside the door, following the armoured men. Haelen and Dolgan followed pursuit. Jon lurched towards the door and slowly passed through the doorway.

Jon arrived at Kal’ Bryst. The city was that of a giant candle, lighting up the darkness. Houses and towers alike burned a fire so hot it seemed to melt the cobblestone. Jon turned to look at the rag-tag group of warriors that had tagged along, many wore leather jerkins and chaps while a few had some mail tunics and very few had iron breastplates and greaves. Haelen and Dolgan stood at the back; Dolgan had a fearsome two-sided battle axe while Haelen had a sword forged for a Dwarf. Many Dwarfs fled the fiery city soon-to-be ruins, every now and again an Elf or Human would be seen fleeing the city. The rag-tag group ran into the city. Jon ran through the main gates, clenching his fist. Haelen and Dolgan ran side-by-side, sprinting towards a cobblestone house that was alight in flames, licking at the door and windows. Jon thought Haelen was a tad crazy, just seeing him in a bar fight, but now he knew he wasn’t just a tad crazy, he was insane. Haelen sprinted at the door, jumping into the air and pushing all his body weight into the door, his shoulder slammed into the door, knocking it to the floor. As Haelen pushed himself off the floor, Dolgan sprinted past with axe in hand. Jon ran up to the house, he noticed a small iron plate with the inscribing’s “The Blacklocks Family”. Jon stood back, as he saw Haelen and Dolgan carry out an unconscious Dwarf in their hands; they rested the Dwarf down by Jon’s feet. Jon nodded at the Dwarfs as they headed back in. Jon got on his knees and checked the Dwarfs pulse, there was none. Jon unclasped his cape and threw it over the Dwarfs body. Haelen and Dolgan came out once more, dragging a female Dwarf behind them as she kicked and protested. Tears ran down the woman’s face as she slapped and kicked Haelen and Dolgan. Haelen noticed the cape over the Dwarfs body, he let go of the woman and collapsed to his knees, he crawled over to the body. Dolgan saw what was going on, he stood back in silence and let go of the woman. Haelen removed the cape and held up the Dwarfs face close to his, he slapped the dead corpse in the face several times, trying to wake him up, to no effect. Haelen let go and slowly got back up, he looked down at the Dwarf one last time and snatched up the cloak and threw it over the body. The crying woman noticed the body and crawled over as she tore at the cape and screamed in pain. Dolgan leaned in to Jon and whispered ‘T’is her husband-to-be an’ Haelen’s friend’. Jon nodded and lowered his head in respect.

Suddenly the night sky lit up, as bright as day, an explosive roar came from the caverns under Kal’ Bryst. More screams were heard as many Dwarfs came sprinting out from the underground portion of the city, many were on fire as they screamed and writhed in agony and others slapped at them, trying to put out the fire, though the fire then spread to the would-be saviours. A voice boomed over the burning city, coming from the uppermost point of the mountain of Kal’ Bryst ‘Flee now! Mortals! Your time is nigh!’. Several black cloaked figures, wielding gold tipped staves, stood atop the keep of Kal’ Bryst, immense fireballs erupted from the staves and cascaded down onto the city. Torturous laughs protruded from the figures and could be heard throughout the city and the hillsides. Jon unsheathed a short sword, ready for battle. Haelen and Dolgan growled and readied their weapons. The woman continued to cling at the corpse and scream and cry. Screams and roars came shattering down from the mountaintop, hundreds of figures came sprinting down the ramparts, jumping onto those Dwarfs brave enough to fight, tearing at all limbs and ripping their flesh away. Jon’s eyes adjusted as stared intently at the figures ripping the Dwarfs to shreds with their bare hands and teeth. The figures looked to be decayed and rotting. Suddenly Jon fell hard to the ground; he turned over to see a man hold out his hand. He was of fair look, with short brown hair and emerald eyes, and a smile that could win anyone’s heart.

‘Sorry! Friend! Didn’t mean to bump into you!’ said the man.

‘No its fine’ Jon said as he held onto the man’s hand and was lifted back onto his feet.

‘The names Cataris, friend’ said the man.

‘Jon Bucklebolt’ he replied.

The man was off as soon as he was there, disappearing into the crowd surging out of the city.

Jon was told by Haelen and Dolgan to flee the city now, while they still can. Haelen and Dolgan stayed behind and tore at the woman, dragging her away from her loved one. Once outside the city, a palisade wall was being constructed not far off, on a hillside. Many men were there, some in glamorous armour, the others just in what armour they could find. Jon got over the palisade walls and was met by many men, soldiers of all the four great races of Aegis. Orcs stood side by side with the Dwarfs, Elves sat with the Humans as they discussed the battle to come. Jon saw glances of a figure standing in the front of the army, giving out orders, from what Jon could see he was only in shabby grey clothed robes, though here he was leading an army. A thunderous boom rolled over the city and hills, lightning cracked down on the city.

Jon sat with Haelen and Dolgan; they had decided to sit with a few other Dwarfs. The camp fire burned bright, reminding the three of what had happened within the city. Suddenly a war horn sounded, men gathered arms and armour and marched to the palisade wall. Jon lined up shoulder to shoulder with the other soldiers and warriors. He looked over the palisade wall to see hundreds of those shambling, decaying corpses, and they were charging towards the palisade. Captains and Generals alike shouted ‘Push them back! Push them back!’ as soldiers and sellswords alike shouted their battle cries and charged the walking dead. Jon saw as the Elves let loose a shower of arrows, the Orcs ferociously tore the rotting bodies apart, the humans slashed and stabbed at the bodies, and the Dwarfs cleaved them in two with their massive axes. Jon joined the fray, though he was little use. During the battle he heard a thunderous boom, he saw the watchtower on the corner of Kal’Bryst’s wall explode in a hail of cobblestone as lightning repeatedly struck the tower. Jon saw movement within the tower and squinted, it looked like a man was inside. The watchtowers window crashed open as the man inside smashed his elbow into it, he dangled outside the window screaming for help, though the battle was furious and no one had the chance to save him. More lightning struck the tower and the man got more desperate, though the height is too big of a fall, he would surely break his legs. Jon slashed and stabbed at the undead, trying to clear a path to the man. Jon climbed onto a hill of corpses, looking over the battle he saw a Templar Knight cleaving his way through the battle, far beyond their line. The Templar made it to the tower and threw up a rope to the man, the man tied it to a weapon rack, and started to climb down when hordes of giant spiders came crawling over the tower and jumping down, surrounding the Templar. He slashed left and right, bringing his sword around in an arc. Jon squinted at the man climbing down the rope to see it was Cataris. Cataris hopped down the last few, though he was badly bloodied and was limping, the Templar held him up and walked him back, slashing at any foe that got in their way. The Soldiers and Warriors retreated behind the palisade wall as the archers took out any of the stragglers that the others had not killed. Cataris and the Templar knight had almost made it over the wall, though far off in the distance a roaring flame looked to be going straight at them, it was getting bigger and bigger. Cataris turned to see what everyone was staring at, but too late. The fireball exploded on the left of his face, he fell to the muddy ground, screaming and writhing in pain as the fire licked at his face and neck. The smell of burnt hair was heavy in the air, even the soldiers flinched at the sounds of the monstrous screams of agony coming from Cataris. The Templar hauled him over the wall, though his face was still aflame with the unnatural fire. The medics hauled Cataris behind the lines and too the medic tent. Jon lost sight of Cataris when he saw Haelen and Dolgan marching back, with a big grin on their face.

Jon sat once more by the fire with the other Dwarfs as they shared their tales of the battle.

‘Blimey! Bloody bastard tried biting me beard!’ one Dwarf said as the others laughed.

Though with all the Dwarfs merriment, the haunting screams were still ever in the air, coming from the medical tent. Jon asked the Dwarfs how many kills they had gotten.

’13!’ Said Gurnet, a short, red bearded Dwarf.

’21!’ Said Haelen

’24’ Said Dolgan, most likely trying to out-do his brother.

‘Ye’ liar Dolgan! Ye’ can barely kill ah pig!’ replied Haelen in contest. The other Dwarfs laughed as Dolgan grabbed Haelen by his head, rubbing at his hairy head.

Jon sat there, watching the camp fire once more as the Dwarfs laughed and jested one-another. Jon chewed on some old beef he had and sat there quietly, thinking to himself of better days.

Jon woke up, the screams had stopped. Men were rushing about; it seemed to be the early hours of the morning. Men adorned weapons and armour once more as the grey robed man assembled them before him.

‘Armies of Aegis! Charge!’ the robed man pointed to the city as the soldiers stormed past him, running at the city with fire in their eyes. Jon was then kicked by Haelen and Dolgan as they ran past him, laughing at Jon. Jon snatched at his scabbard and sprinted after the two short Dwarfs. Jon caught up with the Dwarfs as they stormed through the front gate. The crowd stopped and it got cramped, men started to scream in terror, some ran. Jon looked past the crowd to see several monstrous sized Giants. A Giant swooped his arm down, catching several combatants in his hand, shaking them and threw them across the city as if they were toys a child would toss away. Haelen and Dolgan turned to Jon, giving Jon a grin, only proving to him, those brothers were madmen. Haelen and Dolgan shoved the soldiers aside as they charged a Giant, Jon followed pursuit. Jon squeezed past the soldiers to see Haelen climbing up the Giants leg as if he were rock-climbing. Dolgan was standing behind the Giants feet, slashing at the back of his foot with his massive double-bladed axe. Haelen managed to climb up to the Giants upper thigh, until the Giant noticed, he grabbed hold of Haelen and started to shake him and squeeze him. Haelen stabbed furiously at the hand though it only angered the Giant and seemed to do no damage. Dolgan slashed frantically at the Giant to no effect. A shout roared over the crowd ‘Open Fire!’. Arrows whistled past the heads of the crowd, striking the Giant in the eyes and nose, slightly piercing him, a few arrows simply bounced off. The Giant let go of Haelen as he fell to the floor with a loud ‘Thud!’. Haelen crawled over to his sword, picked it up and rushed back over to Dolgan. They watched as the Giant swayed side to side and came down with a booming crash, dust was thrown up into the air as the soldiers and warriors covered their mouths and coughed, through the haze they could see the large beast lay unmoving. Jon watched as Haelen and Dolgan ran past the Giant’s corpse and into the mist of battle, Jon quickly ran after them. The shouts and cries of war grew; the tide of battle seemed to turn.

Jon followed as Haelen and Dolgan ran down under the ramparts and into the underground portion of the city, Jon stopped himself before going below, he looked around the city at all of the chaos, he looked up towards the top of the mountain, he saw the High Prince Native, he was slashing left and right as minions would come tumbling down lifeless, he pushed forward toward the top of the mountain, Cataris was shortly following behind. Jon ran down the large steps leading into the lower parts of the city. He looked left and right, yet there was no sight of the two Dwarfs, suddenly a cry and shouting was heard down the left hallway, Jon followed the shouts. Jon arrived several hallways down to see Haelen and Dolgan taken cover behind rubble as a Necromancer cast fireball after fireball at the rubble. Haelen’s head hair was singed, only the hair on the side of his head and his beard remained. Dolgan grimaced as the flames licked around the rubble, almost reaching them. Jon stayed behind the corner, he quietly unsheathed a small dagger from his belt, he held it point end, he quickly rolled out into the hallway, he threw the dagger towards the Undead, Jon rolled back onto his feet to see that his dagger barely made it halfway to the Necromancer before it was cast to embers. Jon held onto the hilt of his sword, ready for combat, though he could do little. The Necromancer stared deep into Jon’s eyes, grinning, a devilish smile. Suddenly a loud roar protruded from the mountain, a rumbling was felt throughout the hallways and the city. Jon stumbled to the floor, as the Necromancer almost lost his footing, Haelen and Dolgan took their chance while they could, they got up and charged at the Necromancer, though just as soon as they had gotten up, the roof between the two Dwarfs and Jon collapsed in a loud smash. Jon ran to the rubble, he struggled to lift it out of the way, to no avail. Jon searched for another way to that hallway though he could not find one, he went back to the rubble to try one more time, after almost an hour of trying to move it, he gave up, drained of all strength, he got up and kicked the rocks that blocked the way. Jon made his slow descent to the top, he covered his eyes as the sun was shining bright, rising into the sky. The people were cheering, as they shouted “Victory!”. Jon merged himself with the crowd, he peered up to the mountaintop to see the Ascended, the Nations rulers, the grey robed man people were shouting as “The Wandering Wizard”, and Cataris. He was to the side away from the others, sitting on the ledge, eating. Jon waited in the city for hours, searching for the two Dwarfs, though he had asked many people, all they could respond is “Haven’t seen them, sorry”. Jon gave up as midday approached, exhausted beyond belief, he retired for the day. He found a nice warm hillside with a homely looking Oak tree, he sat against the tree and drifted off to sleep, praying to the Gods the brothers had made it out alive.

30 Years Later

Jon entered the once ruined city, now rebuilt by the Mages, though abandoned after the restoration was cancelled. Jon walked upon the walkways and leaned on one of the railings on a balcony. He was an old man now, nearing his time, yet in all of these years he had heard no news of the Dwarfs. He sighed to himself and whispered “The people whom fought and died here will forever be forgotten, though their leaders will be remembered throughout time, cruel injustice.”