Well, I recently joined, and this is my first piece. I give thanks to @Kcibrihp-Esurc for helping me with it's writing, and for letting me use his universe. Iyskyth EE-SK-ITH I sighed with boredom as yet another scrawny, broken slave went up for auction. So far I had yet to see a single slave worth buying, I couldn’t see why anyone would even bother wasting their gold on these worthless creatures. It was insulting that people would think I would buy these. After the auction, the beastmaster who had overseen the slaves came to speak to me, “Lord Iyskyth, a pleasure to meet you,” The Druchii, “I noticed you didn’t buy anything. Did none of the merchandise catch your eye?” I looked at the beastmaster, scowling. “Your slaves were dead inside, broken. They were breathing and moving, but had no fight left. They were also starving, any Druchii with an eye for humans could tell that they would work far slower than they should, and would have died on an average workload in a few days. The fools who bought some lost far more than they gained.” The beastmaster’s eyes glinted with pleasure. “A discerning buyer, you can identify quality merchandise, but remember that Death Night is coming up, they could be put to the Altar afterwards.” “Death Night is a month away, unless they let those slaves laze around most of the day, they’ll be dead before then. Besides, the Brides would likely sacrifice the fools who offered them slaves like that for insulting Khaine in their presence.” The beastmaster laughed. “So, Lord Iyskyth, you said you wanted a slave with fight. I have one out the back, would you like to see it?” I thought about it, it could be worth it, but in Naggarond it could easily be a trap. “What race is it?” I asked, trying to see if it was worth the risk. “Norskan, as a word of warning, it isn’t trained.” “Does it speak Druchii?” “No, it only-” “Do you have a slave that speaks Druchii and Norskan?” I inquired. “Err, yes, but it’s not good for sale.” “Why not?” he hesitated, uncertain. “It is a wizard, Lord, and it the only thing preventing it from using magic is its shackles” I smiled, “Good, what race is it?” the beastmaster’s eyes became round with shock, he spent a few seconds trying to respond, but couldn’t find the words. “Ah, it- err, well- It’s Imperial, but-” I cut him off again, “I would like to see them.” The beastmaster looked like he was going to faint. “In here, Lord Iyskyth, but I really wouldn’t go alone, they aren’t tame” I rolled my eyes, the idiot had said this a dozen times since I told him I wanted to see them alone. “I realise they aren’t ‘tame’ and I really don’t care, repeating the same statement isn’t going to change my mind.” The beastmaster’s head bobbed in assent, and he unbolted the door, opening it for me. Strolling through, I surveyed the two figures in the room, but before I could take in any true details, the door slammed shut behind me, and I heard the bolt slide shut. It was almost disappointing how much I had expected that. I let my eyes adjust to the dim room, and looked at the two prisoners I was in there with. The Norskan was male, had slightly curled red hair reaching the base of his neck with a short beard, and was as powerfully built as I had expected, nearly seven feet tall, covered in chains. The Imperial was female, with long brown hair, ending around the small of her back, and was thin and waif-like, only just over five feet tall. I approached her slowly, and she gazed back evenly, although I expect she would have liked to be anywhere else she could think of. “Is it true that you can understand me?” I asked softly, and she nodded slowly. “I also heard you can use magic, but those shackles are preventing you. True?” again she nodded. I smiled slightly, there goes the easy part. “I’m going to try get those shackles off, okay? Please try to hold still.” I bent down to start picking the locks, and found that the shackles were smelted shut. I put my hands on the welding and tested it’s quality. “Shit, I don’t have anything to break the weld.” I looked up at her, “Do you think the Norskan could?” The question shocked her, but she nodded again. Here comes the tricky part, not being killed by a chaos worshipping berserker. “Could you tell him that in exchange for breaking your shackles and not killing me, I’ll free him.” another nod, and she went to talk to the man in his strange language. He looked at me, staring, scrutinizing me. Finally he said something back, and she looked back to me, “He’ll do it.” it was the first time she’d said something, and her accent gave the words a singing tone. I wasn’t certain if it was reassuring or unnerving. The locks took a few minutes to pick, but finally fell free of the big man. He said something to the woman and she held out her arms. After a few moments of looking at them, he turned to me and grumbled something. “He wants to use your knife.” The mage translated. Knowing that it could be the stupidest thing I’d ever done, and hoping agreements meant more to Norskans than the Druchii, I handed over my dagger. The shackles were off in less than ten seconds. The Imperial looked at me, “So, why did you come here?” I smiled at her perceptiveness. “I was looking to buy slaves, but I guess that’s up to you two.” She smiled, and said something to the Norskan. Looked at me again, then answered her, she nodded. “How far would we have to go in order to escape?” I thought for a moment, “You would have to escape Naggarond without being killed by the thousands of Druchii, then travel hundreds of miles to reach the sea. You could head north or south, but the journey would be much longer.” She conveyed this to the Norskan, and he said something back. “Give us a few minutes to talk, okay?” I nodded, although it wasn’t like I could refuse. “We have decided that we should stay with you, in public, we’ll be your slaves, but in private we won’t. Agreed?” Again, I could hardly refuse, so I just nodded. We walked to the door, and she began an incantation. It only took a few moments, and the door blew to pieces. The beastmaster was on the other side, sitting on the floor looking dazed, with a cut above his right eye, and a piece of shrapnel imbedded in his left thigh. I walked up to him and crouched to his eye level, smiling. “I’ll take them.” He just stared, and I slashed his throat. We left with his coin pouch, heading for the surface. The humans shivered while I led them towards my family estate, and I kept my eyes on the people around me. Any one of them could be an enemy out for the blood of my house. “We’re being followed.” The Imperial whispered, and gestured slightly in the direction of a cloaked figure, which had stopped over seventy feet away. “Keep an eye on our friend over there, make sure they don’t try anything, we’re nearly back.” An elderly slave leapt at me, clinging with surprising strength. He babbled in his strange language, and the Imperial came up behind me. “He’s asking you to save him.” I looked back at her, “Save him from what?” “His life.” I looked back at the babbling human, then looked back at her, “I can’t. He’s not my slave, so he’s not mine to end.” The Norskan said something, and she turned to him, gesturing towards the old man and answering him. The Norskan grimaced, and pulled the slave off me. The human instantly switched from pleading to screaming, raving at me, clawing at the Norskan’s arms trying to reach me. The Imperial shouted something at the pair, and started pushing me onwards from behind. “Wait, wha-” I started to ask, but was cut off when I nearly tripped. “Just move you dope!” The Imperial shouted as the Norscan pushed the slave away. The urgency in her voice got me moving, and I could feel every nerve in my body tingling as we rounded the corner. “What was that?” I asked, breathing slowly. The Imperial looked at me, resting against the wall. “He was casting a spell, if you hadn’t gotten out of his line of sight he would have summoned a daemon into you.” Great, just what I needed, a psychotic cultist slave trying to kill me. “How far through was it?” She paused, thinking. “If you had stayed where you were for a few more seconds he would have managed it. You would have been possessed.” “Are there going to be any side effects from a partial spell?” She hesitated. “Maybe? I don’t know, if you sprout tentacles we’ll know.” Great, that’s reassuring, I might have a Daemon inside me, or a gate to the Realms of Chaos, or, something! The Norskan ran around the corner, saying something. “It’s safe now, we can keep going.” The Imperial said. We arrived back home without further incident, and our follower had disappeared, although if this was reassuring or not was uncertain. We went directly to my quarters so we could talk privately. Locking the door behind me, I turned to my companions. “I guess it’s time for introductions, My name is Iyskyth Meril-Ereg, heir to the house of Meril-Ereg. What are your names?” The Imperial smiled at the formality as she translated. The Norskan stepped forwards, thumping his fist into his chest as he recited something. The Imperial translated, “He is Hjeki, son of Hrimki, it is an honour to meet you.” The Norskan- Hjeki, smiled broadly, green eyes dancing. The Imperial did a slight bow, “I am Alice Iasan, pleased to meet you, Iyskyth.” Her- Alice’s blue eyes shone as she said this. I couldn’t help but smile back at the pair, I’m sure we looked like idiots as we all laughed. I stood alone, on the pinnacle of the Witch King’s tower, the snow swirling around me, the old slave’s voice echoing through the sky, as a woman spoke Druchii. I did not recognize the voice, it was clear, but had a mourning tone, pronouncing each word without error or inflection. “In the bitter winter of Naggaroth, few thrive. The one coming is not one to be taken lightly. In one month, the moons will turn away from our world, and gods will war alongside men. The Daemon will help you, but trust only your friends. If you are in Naggaroth when the March arrives, you will be lost.” I looked around confused, as the voice finished. “The moons turn away? What Daemon? What’s wrong with March?” I asked, but no answer was forthcoming. There came a shriek from below me, and something ripped through my chest. I woke suddenly, soaked in sweat despite the cool night air. Winter? It was weeks away. Daemon? The incantation was incomplete. March? What significance did the first month of spring hold? It was a dream. I sat up, not tired, and saw a figure sitting at the foot of my bed. “Oh, so you are awake. So, what do Druchii do for fun in the middle of the night?” The voice was female, but not Alice’s singing tone, or a Druchii’s husky contralto. It purred, flowing through the words, silkily smooth. It wasn’t the voice from the dream. “Who…?” I asked, voice slurred after sleep. The figure chuckled, and leapt onto the bed. “I, am your new shadow. Courtesy of a senile old man.” The figure explained. It waved an arm and the lantern came alight, dazzling my eyes. The thing straddled my waist, staring at me with golden eyes. Small horns protruded from it’s head. “Daemon.” I accused. It leapt off me. Standing beside my bed, I could see it’s whole figure. It had a curvaceous body, wearing only a loincloth and a strip of cloth around it’s breasts. A whiplike tail ending in an arrowhead shape curled around it. “I am a Daemon, and you are my host.” It said, stretching it’s arms into the air. It had blonde hair, and slightly pointed teeth. I swung my legs off of the bed “I’ve seen depictions of Daemons, why do you look nearly human?” The Daemon laughed. “We are beings of pure magic, We can choose whatever form we want, they just choose the form that their master desires.” I gave it an exasperated look. “And what form does your master desire?” The Daemon grinned, eyes flashing. “That depends, what form do you desire, I wonder. Also, please stop thinking of me as an it, I find it dehumanizing.” “You aren’t human.” It gave an insulted look “Why, master, you wound me!” It sniffed and looked away in false disgust. “How do you know the disgust is false, Master?” I stared at it, had this Daemon just read my mind? “No, I did not read your mind. I got summoned into your body, so I know what you're thinking.” It sat on my knee, and I couldn’t feel any pressure from it. “You’re ethereal.” I stated, and it chuckled. “Only when I want to be. I could be as solid as you. So what form do you desire?” it slipped around me, and lay on my bed. “Hmm, maybe the pretty little Imperial, Alice wasn’t it?” Her form shifted to match, although the horns, tail and clothing -or lack thereof- were still the same. “Aww, you don’t like my clothes? Well, if they displease you, I guess they’ll need to come off.” I quickly looked away, and the Daemon laughed, enjoying it’s silly game. “Return to your original form, and put proper clothes on.” I told it, and it giggled. “Okay, Master.” I turned to the Daemon, which was now beneath my blanket, head the only visible part. “If you are going to be bugging me constantly, then I’ll need something to call you.” “Umm, Tari?” It looked uncertain, then nodded, “I’m Tari, and you are my master, who wants me to wear clothes, although my skin is just as good.” Someone knocked on the door, and it creaked open. Alice poked her head in, “Iyskyth, who are you talking to?” Tari rested her chin on my shoulder, “She can’t see me, although if you want I could make myself visible.” I nodded, and Alice’s eyes widened when the Daemon became visible. “Where did she come from?” Tari looked at her, smiling. “I’m Iyskyth’s Daemon, isn’t this going to be fun?” Alice just blinked. “I can think of a few words for this, but fun isn’t one of them.” I grumbled. Tari leapt over me, bounded across the room and lifted Alice in, despite her half cry of protest. The Daemon overbalanced and fell over backwards, Alice falling on top of her. “Master is so cruel to me! Tell him off please, Alice!” It was going to be a long night. Characters Iyskyth Meril-Ereg (EE-SK-ITH MER-ILL-ER-REG)- A young Druchii, Heir to the House of Meril-Ereg. 6’2” tall, 74 kg. Alice Iasan (AL-ISS EE-ARS-AN)- A young minor wizard, she hails from the Empire and has befriended Iyskyth. 5’1” tall, 62 kg. Hjeki (Hee-eki)- A large Norskan, he is extremely strong and tough, despite his rather young age, and has befriended Iyskyth. His father is Hrimki, a once great Warlord. 6’11” tall, 102 kg. Tari (Tar-ee)- A Daemon who maintains her connection to this world by a link to Iyskyth’s being. Invisible to normal mortals unless Iyskyth let’s them see her. In current form: 5’9” tall, 71 kg.
It's quite an enjoyable piece, a few grammatical errors that slipped past us, but a good piece. Kudos to RoseThorn. He also gives me more credit than he should, all I did was provide a really screwed up universe where GW fluff dare not tread, and give it a slight skim and edit. I like the way you depicted Tari, It has always bugged me that all the Daemons were destructive, ugly and unthinking. A daemon with personality is going to be interesting! Looking forward to more.
That is a fantastic intro, Rose Thorn. But... where are the lizards? (Although it is possible that I saw a glint of eggshell from under the hood of the mysterious cloaked figure.)
That was my favourite line! Fun start to the story, can't wait to see where this all goes, and watch it interact with @Kcibrihp-Esurc story line.
That poor Druchii can kiss his private life goodbye. "Tari, please, I just want some time alone with my *Insert relationship here*" "Aww, but you always want alone time! You make me put on clothes AND try to get rid of me! You're so mean!"