A
Arckon
Guest
The Wheels Of Fate
The Wheels Of Fate
Book 1
Daughter Of Darkness
“Tag!” Yelled a child. “You're it Siren.” The child ran off into an even larger crowd of children. The giggling bunch made their way to the north western end of town, the warehouse district. But Siren didn't want to play. She had nine gold in her pocket, burning, and itching to spend it.
Siren made her way to the blacksmiths shop, hopping up the stairs one by one, and onto the porch. “Hi daddy!” Siren yelled. “I want to buy something!”
This made her father smile. “Oh, and what would that be.” Siren's father said through a grin, walking around the counter, and taking a knee, to look his daughter in the eye.
“I want to buy a sword.” Siren said through a beaming smile. “A good sword.” Siren jingled the coins in her pocket. “I have money, and I can pay.”
Luckily Siren's father anticipated this day. “I have just the one!” Her father exclaimed. “Wait here.” He stood and turned on his heel, and walked into the back room. He popped his head back into her visual range. “Close your eyes.” He said making sure she'd be surprised.
“Okay daddy.” Siren cheerfully exclaimed. With that her father walked out with a masterly carved wooden replica of her favorite legendary sword, The Cutlass Bluetane. He got down back onto his knees, and held the replica behind his back, with one hand, and tapped her forehead with his free index finger. “Hey!” She exclaimed completely taken by surprise.
“Here you are Siren.” Her father said showing her the replica. “The only one of it's class in the Northern Wastes.” He enjoyed the look of complete astonishment, and happiness on her face. “It's yours, for ten gold of course.” Her father teased.
“I have ten gold!” Siren eagerly fished into her pocket pulling out a fist full of coins, and dropping them one by one into her father's hand. “One, two, three, four, five,” She counted out. “six, seven, eight, nine, te-” A look of panic struck her face. She fished in her pockets, a tear flushed from her eye.
“Oh you're missing one.” Her father said, he would take pleasure in this. “Wait, what's that behind your ear.” He dropped the gold in his hand into his pouch, and reached behind her ear, with a coin hidden in his hand. He pulled back his hand holding the coin with his index and thumb. “Now why would you put that there.” Siren beamed at not deceiving herself, she knew she had ten coins.
With her new sword in hand she zoomed out of the shop, eager to show her friends. She ran up the stairs and took a left, zooming down the street. She saw children playing with normal wooden swords, they were playing Hero, a game she never got the chance to play. Then from one of the warehouses she saw a red robed figure walking toward them. He wore a red-rimmed white mask, with eyes like the deepest pool of blood, getting even deeper as she thought. “It's Jack!” Many of the children yelled. Some fled, some ran to greet him, some stood still, Siren among them. Siren recalled a song that her father had sung to her about Jack.
' With eyes so red,
He fills heros with dread,
And makes the darkest Balverine pale.
His power so vast, the strongest hero is bound to fail.
He strikes terror into trolls,
Bandits pay him their tolls.
He'll put a knife in your side.
No one can kill him, many tried and many more have died.
Now he walks over the graves.
Making the resting souls shiver.
The souls of the brave,
Stand in their shells just to see his eyes, and they quiver.
Best to pay heed, and aid,
The dreaded Jack of Blades.
Run so fast,
try to outlast,
the friend you run with try to make him stop.
And run from the dreaded sound of the chop.
Don't look back, run forever onward.
Some may call you poor, others a coward.
But when Jack comes to town,
You'll be knocking them down.
Best to pay heed, and aid,
The dreaded Jack of Blades.
Yes, best to pay heed, and aid,
The dreaded, Jack of Blades. '
Still her friends crowded around him, and his eyes changed. They went from the deepest darkest form of red, to the lightest amber. He continued to walk through the never ending waves of children, crashing upon his banks. Jack stopped and spoke quietly, in a voice only children could hear. “Hello and good day to you children.” Jack greeted. “I am on a matter of the utmost importance, and I'd be very grateful if you let me be.” This brought groans of protest from the children. “I am only concerned with you safety.”
The children smiled, touched that someone so famous was concerned about them. The children ran along, but Siren stayed put staring into Jack's eyes. Jack stared back, and started along his way. Siren followed him, past her father's shop. “Siren!” Her father cried. Siren looked at her father, and ran toward him. “Don't you ever go near him!” he scolded.
“Go near who?” said a voice entering the shop. It was Jack. “You couldn't possibly mean me, could you?” Jack said feigning hurt. He put a hand over his heart, which was rumored never to have existed, and bowed his head and shook it in a disappointed motion.
“J-Jack.” Sirens father stuttered. “I mean, I-” He frightened Siren, she had never seen her father so afraid. “I'm just concerned about my daughter's safety.”
“Ah.” Breathed Jack. “Concerned over the Daughter of Darkness are you?” One could tell Jack was smiling beneath his mask. “Born on Avo's day no less. How ironic.” Jack chuckled lightly.
“How did you know that?” Exclaimed Siren's father. “I've told no one of it!” Jack laughed a hearty laugh. It didn't chill my soul, as they said it did to all who heard it.
“The child who bears the mark of Skorm, must be killed, lest she open the gates of bronze, and pour forth fire upon the land.” Jack recited. “I've come to fulfill that prophecy, well at least the second part.”
“NO!” Shouted Siren jumping in front of her father, who hurriedly tried to get her back behind him. “I won't do it!” She protested. “I won't!”
“My, my.” Jack started, stooping to get at eye level, his eyes still soft and amber. “What a brave little girl.” Jack looked up at Siren's father, seeing he was paralyzed with fear. “Siren wasn't it?” He asked her father, who nodded slowly. Siren swung her wooden sword in a high arc, to hit Jack upon the head, but Jack intercepted with his forearm. “Hot tempered too.” Jack chortled, cut off with a gasp. “It's the Cutlass Bluetane. One of my favorites.” Jack said feigning awe, and astonishment. “May I have a look at it?” He asked Siren, seemingly not noticing he violent act anymore. Siren nodded and let Jack hold it. “Marvelously carved. Did your father make this for you?” Siren nodded. “I have the real one you know.” That brought a beaming smile from Siren.
“You do!” She exclaimed. “Can I see it?” Just the the town crisis bell went off. And a guard ran into the shop, paused and almost fainted. He ran to Siren's father, giving Jack a wide birth.
“Warriors in red robes,” The guard whispered violently. “They are killing people. We need your sword, sir.” The guard said to Siren's father. Then looked at Jack. “Yours would be appreciated as well milord.”
“Enough with the formalities.” Jack hissed. “I am only lord to those I summon or rule!” He clarified. “The warriors you speak of are Fire Assassins, Dragon Fanatics if you will. They are lo-”
The guard cut him off, rather bravely. “That doesn't matter right now, we must stop them.” He yelled. “Me boys can't hold them off forever.” The guard ran out, Jack behind him.
“Siren.” Her father said. “You must stay here.” He said harshly full of worry. He walked over to the counter and picked up a masterly forged Master Cleaver.
“But I wanna-” Siren started to protest but a violent glance from her father cut her off. He ran out of the shop. Leaving her alone, safe behind walls, while her father fought to the death outside. “No I won't stay here.” She said to herself and ran out the door to see a bloody battle, to hear the cries of protest before death. To see her father locked in an epic struggle against a Fire Assassin, arm already bloodied. Siren ran over to the fight, Wooden cutlass in hand, she dodged falling weapons, bodies, and ran through blood sprays. When she made it to her father's battle, the assassin had the upper hand, keeping her father at bay with many attacks, so fast he was unable to parry any of them.
Siren hurried over and through a blunt slash at the assassins knee, hearing the crack of bone, and a blood curdling scream of pain. Only for that scream to be cut off by a gurgle as a blade made friends with his heart. “Siren! Run Hide!” Sirens father screamed. “Go hide quickly!” He screamed. Siren ran and ran, her father screaming behind her. “HIDE, HI-” When he was cut off, Siren turned to see an arrow protruding from his chest, and another on thunk in.
“Daddy!” Siren screamed running over to him. “Daddy, Daddy!” She cried with tears bursting out of her eyes. Mixing with his blood. “Daddy no!” She protested.
“Run, and hide.” He said in as soothing a voice he could, barley audible over the sounds of battle. “Run and hide Siren, go now.” He said.
“No, daddy, I won't do it.” she screamed. “I want to stay here with you.” She argued, eyes pouring tears, and drenching her cheeks. “I can help.”
“Damn it child run!” He screamed as harshly as he could. “It's over for me. Run now!” He said, but Siren stayed, shaking her head and squeezing his hand. “Please, Siren.” Siren closed her eyes tight, and opened them in time to see a pair of boots.
“You should listen to your father, child.” said Jack's voice. “Think of it as his final wish.” Siren looked back down into her fathers eye. His lifeless eyes. ”Run to your mother child.”
Siren shook her head. ”She died when I was born.” She said voice sorrowful. “I have no one now.” Siren blinked away tears, tears that would no longer come.
“Then come with me.” Jack said soothingly, holding out his hand. Siren picked up her carved cutlass, and put it in her father's lifeless grasp. She took Jack's hand. “Come child.” He said. They made their way to the warehouse district, hopped the fence and took to the wilderness.
The Wheels Of Fate
Book 1
Daughter Of Darkness
Chapter One
A Fatherless Daughter
“It was Avo's day.” Kale stated to her grandchildren. “It was Avo's day, when she was born. Snowspire never had a hero such as her.” Kale loved the look of awe and astonishment on the faces of her grandchildren. ”She was born with the mark of Skorm on her back. Be that as it may, she would make the finest hero the world has ever seen. The prophets said ' The child bearing the mark of Skorm, must be killed, lest she open the gates of bronze and pour forth fire onto the land. ' That was some years ago, at least ninety by my guess, and if I remember correctly, her parents nicknamed her Siren, and she liked to be called that. It all started when her destiny was realized, she was ten, and playing with her friends...”A Fatherless Daughter
“Tag!” Yelled a child. “You're it Siren.” The child ran off into an even larger crowd of children. The giggling bunch made their way to the north western end of town, the warehouse district. But Siren didn't want to play. She had nine gold in her pocket, burning, and itching to spend it.
Siren made her way to the blacksmiths shop, hopping up the stairs one by one, and onto the porch. “Hi daddy!” Siren yelled. “I want to buy something!”
This made her father smile. “Oh, and what would that be.” Siren's father said through a grin, walking around the counter, and taking a knee, to look his daughter in the eye.
“I want to buy a sword.” Siren said through a beaming smile. “A good sword.” Siren jingled the coins in her pocket. “I have money, and I can pay.”
Luckily Siren's father anticipated this day. “I have just the one!” Her father exclaimed. “Wait here.” He stood and turned on his heel, and walked into the back room. He popped his head back into her visual range. “Close your eyes.” He said making sure she'd be surprised.
“Okay daddy.” Siren cheerfully exclaimed. With that her father walked out with a masterly carved wooden replica of her favorite legendary sword, The Cutlass Bluetane. He got down back onto his knees, and held the replica behind his back, with one hand, and tapped her forehead with his free index finger. “Hey!” She exclaimed completely taken by surprise.
“Here you are Siren.” Her father said showing her the replica. “The only one of it's class in the Northern Wastes.” He enjoyed the look of complete astonishment, and happiness on her face. “It's yours, for ten gold of course.” Her father teased.
“I have ten gold!” Siren eagerly fished into her pocket pulling out a fist full of coins, and dropping them one by one into her father's hand. “One, two, three, four, five,” She counted out. “six, seven, eight, nine, te-” A look of panic struck her face. She fished in her pockets, a tear flushed from her eye.
“Oh you're missing one.” Her father said, he would take pleasure in this. “Wait, what's that behind your ear.” He dropped the gold in his hand into his pouch, and reached behind her ear, with a coin hidden in his hand. He pulled back his hand holding the coin with his index and thumb. “Now why would you put that there.” Siren beamed at not deceiving herself, she knew she had ten coins.
With her new sword in hand she zoomed out of the shop, eager to show her friends. She ran up the stairs and took a left, zooming down the street. She saw children playing with normal wooden swords, they were playing Hero, a game she never got the chance to play. Then from one of the warehouses she saw a red robed figure walking toward them. He wore a red-rimmed white mask, with eyes like the deepest pool of blood, getting even deeper as she thought. “It's Jack!” Many of the children yelled. Some fled, some ran to greet him, some stood still, Siren among them. Siren recalled a song that her father had sung to her about Jack.
' With eyes so red,
He fills heros with dread,
And makes the darkest Balverine pale.
His power so vast, the strongest hero is bound to fail.
He strikes terror into trolls,
Bandits pay him their tolls.
He'll put a knife in your side.
No one can kill him, many tried and many more have died.
Now he walks over the graves.
Making the resting souls shiver.
The souls of the brave,
Stand in their shells just to see his eyes, and they quiver.
Best to pay heed, and aid,
The dreaded Jack of Blades.
Run so fast,
try to outlast,
the friend you run with try to make him stop.
And run from the dreaded sound of the chop.
Don't look back, run forever onward.
Some may call you poor, others a coward.
But when Jack comes to town,
You'll be knocking them down.
Best to pay heed, and aid,
The dreaded Jack of Blades.
Yes, best to pay heed, and aid,
The dreaded, Jack of Blades. '
Still her friends crowded around him, and his eyes changed. They went from the deepest darkest form of red, to the lightest amber. He continued to walk through the never ending waves of children, crashing upon his banks. Jack stopped and spoke quietly, in a voice only children could hear. “Hello and good day to you children.” Jack greeted. “I am on a matter of the utmost importance, and I'd be very grateful if you let me be.” This brought groans of protest from the children. “I am only concerned with you safety.”
The children smiled, touched that someone so famous was concerned about them. The children ran along, but Siren stayed put staring into Jack's eyes. Jack stared back, and started along his way. Siren followed him, past her father's shop. “Siren!” Her father cried. Siren looked at her father, and ran toward him. “Don't you ever go near him!” he scolded.
“Go near who?” said a voice entering the shop. It was Jack. “You couldn't possibly mean me, could you?” Jack said feigning hurt. He put a hand over his heart, which was rumored never to have existed, and bowed his head and shook it in a disappointed motion.
“J-Jack.” Sirens father stuttered. “I mean, I-” He frightened Siren, she had never seen her father so afraid. “I'm just concerned about my daughter's safety.”
“Ah.” Breathed Jack. “Concerned over the Daughter of Darkness are you?” One could tell Jack was smiling beneath his mask. “Born on Avo's day no less. How ironic.” Jack chuckled lightly.
“How did you know that?” Exclaimed Siren's father. “I've told no one of it!” Jack laughed a hearty laugh. It didn't chill my soul, as they said it did to all who heard it.
“The child who bears the mark of Skorm, must be killed, lest she open the gates of bronze, and pour forth fire upon the land.” Jack recited. “I've come to fulfill that prophecy, well at least the second part.”
“NO!” Shouted Siren jumping in front of her father, who hurriedly tried to get her back behind him. “I won't do it!” She protested. “I won't!”
“My, my.” Jack started, stooping to get at eye level, his eyes still soft and amber. “What a brave little girl.” Jack looked up at Siren's father, seeing he was paralyzed with fear. “Siren wasn't it?” He asked her father, who nodded slowly. Siren swung her wooden sword in a high arc, to hit Jack upon the head, but Jack intercepted with his forearm. “Hot tempered too.” Jack chortled, cut off with a gasp. “It's the Cutlass Bluetane. One of my favorites.” Jack said feigning awe, and astonishment. “May I have a look at it?” He asked Siren, seemingly not noticing he violent act anymore. Siren nodded and let Jack hold it. “Marvelously carved. Did your father make this for you?” Siren nodded. “I have the real one you know.” That brought a beaming smile from Siren.
“You do!” She exclaimed. “Can I see it?” Just the the town crisis bell went off. And a guard ran into the shop, paused and almost fainted. He ran to Siren's father, giving Jack a wide birth.
“Warriors in red robes,” The guard whispered violently. “They are killing people. We need your sword, sir.” The guard said to Siren's father. Then looked at Jack. “Yours would be appreciated as well milord.”
“Enough with the formalities.” Jack hissed. “I am only lord to those I summon or rule!” He clarified. “The warriors you speak of are Fire Assassins, Dragon Fanatics if you will. They are lo-”
The guard cut him off, rather bravely. “That doesn't matter right now, we must stop them.” He yelled. “Me boys can't hold them off forever.” The guard ran out, Jack behind him.
“Siren.” Her father said. “You must stay here.” He said harshly full of worry. He walked over to the counter and picked up a masterly forged Master Cleaver.
“But I wanna-” Siren started to protest but a violent glance from her father cut her off. He ran out of the shop. Leaving her alone, safe behind walls, while her father fought to the death outside. “No I won't stay here.” She said to herself and ran out the door to see a bloody battle, to hear the cries of protest before death. To see her father locked in an epic struggle against a Fire Assassin, arm already bloodied. Siren ran over to the fight, Wooden cutlass in hand, she dodged falling weapons, bodies, and ran through blood sprays. When she made it to her father's battle, the assassin had the upper hand, keeping her father at bay with many attacks, so fast he was unable to parry any of them.
Siren hurried over and through a blunt slash at the assassins knee, hearing the crack of bone, and a blood curdling scream of pain. Only for that scream to be cut off by a gurgle as a blade made friends with his heart. “Siren! Run Hide!” Sirens father screamed. “Go hide quickly!” He screamed. Siren ran and ran, her father screaming behind her. “HIDE, HI-” When he was cut off, Siren turned to see an arrow protruding from his chest, and another on thunk in.
“Daddy!” Siren screamed running over to him. “Daddy, Daddy!” She cried with tears bursting out of her eyes. Mixing with his blood. “Daddy no!” She protested.
“Run, and hide.” He said in as soothing a voice he could, barley audible over the sounds of battle. “Run and hide Siren, go now.” He said.
“No, daddy, I won't do it.” she screamed. “I want to stay here with you.” She argued, eyes pouring tears, and drenching her cheeks. “I can help.”
“Damn it child run!” He screamed as harshly as he could. “It's over for me. Run now!” He said, but Siren stayed, shaking her head and squeezing his hand. “Please, Siren.” Siren closed her eyes tight, and opened them in time to see a pair of boots.
“You should listen to your father, child.” said Jack's voice. “Think of it as his final wish.” Siren looked back down into her fathers eye. His lifeless eyes. ”Run to your mother child.”
Siren shook her head. ”She died when I was born.” She said voice sorrowful. “I have no one now.” Siren blinked away tears, tears that would no longer come.
“Then come with me.” Jack said soothingly, holding out his hand. Siren picked up her carved cutlass, and put it in her father's lifeless grasp. She took Jack's hand. “Come child.” He said. They made their way to the warehouse district, hopped the fence and took to the wilderness.