[Blacki]

WARNING Medium length read

This is the introduction of my Berzerker on Fennin ro, never finished it but...


hope you like..

Blacki

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Brazeil Baulbreaker, making of a Berserker

Kaladim,
Home of the mighty dwarves of Norath. Here in the heart of the Butcher Block Mountains, is where Brazeil Baulbreaker, the Berserker calls home. Born daughter to a respected elder and chieftain to the council of the king, her early life was filled with prestige and affluence. Under the tutelage of her battle lord father, she quickly learned the ways of the sword and axe. Even at this young age the blades become her trusted companions and she wielded them with the grace of a master of many times her years.

Over time, she entered and had won many prestigious events all of which she triumphed seemingly effortlessly over her opponents. Many began to say she was becoming too powerful too quickly for her own good. Rumors began to circulate about putting her in her place. And one day without notice she received an invitation to participate the covenant Kaladim arena challenge. Here, she was pitted against many formidable opponents but specifically the favored arena champion, Lucas "The Bearded."

Under the blazing sun, through the long event she fought strong and brave quickly advancing to the final encounter with council champion, Lucas. The crowd cheered as the opponents faced each other for the final round. The council and king looked on as the two competitors bowed before them and then took their respected positions. The horn blew and the battle begun.

Each tested the others amour as flash of steel found their mark. The battle raged, trading blow for blow until the more experienced champion found a flaw in her technique. It was then Brazeil was severely struck in the side by the great warriors blade. Her blood spilled openly into the arena floor causing her to drop to hand and knee. She peered up at the cheering crowd and saw Lucas with his arms waving in the air laughing as if to announce his victory. She felt the great wound at her side and looked to see the red stain growing on her gauntlet as she held her flesh together. That sight of blood and steel with an opponent mocking her burned in her mind like a brand. She saw red and it changed Brazeil forever. Lucas saw her holding her side and rushed in for the final blow as the crowd roared him on. It was then that Brazeil found her true strength. It is said with a great leaped she charged the great battle lord head on with axe raised shouting a furious cry.

Even as the life drained from her body, she found the inner strength to fall the arena champion with a crippling strike to his leg, and subsequent slash to his neck. It is said, the hushed crowd watched in awe as Brazeil continued to hack at his lifeless body yelling until finally passing out from the loss of her own blood.

Her surprising victory spawned many stories and some uneasy rumors of succession to her fathers seat in the king’s council. Some of which were not well received by many in power. An attempt was made to quell the bruised egos of the council and Brazeil was sent to be instructed in the famous Warriors academy in Freeport. Not soon after her induction to the academy, her father became gravely sick from a mysterious illness and quickly died. On hearing of her fathers passing, she returned to Kaladim and made inquires.
One night while at the king’s feast she received an anonymous note, which referred to a plot by several of the council members to remove her father from power thus eliminating Brazeil’s chance at succession. Confirmation of the conspirators was slow to come but evidence was produced. A letter was produced as to this evidence and sent to the king. The next night, one by one she eliminated the conspirators with unbridled furious vengeance as they slept.

There was no attempt to conceal who was responsible for this cleansing of the council. She openly washed the blood of the council from her tunic in the fountain in front of the king’s castle. The crimson stains on the fountain where the heads of the dwarven leaders were placed, is still there today. The following day, she received summons to the king, and was publicly chastised for her action, but privately congratulated and granted pardon. The king however knowing she could now never hold the public position of a council member was forced to label her as a Berserker, a ronin warrior and condemned to lesser rank in the king’s service.

As it stands, she is rumored to have the king’s ear on matters of the council, and although not publicly favored, is known to carry out "orders" of the king that are delicate in political nature. She is held in great regard for her In recent times she has sought out the many trainers of Norath in the art of the blade and axe to further her prowess. Her passion for battle is second to none, seen many times rushing into fight with little regard to her personal safety, she is known as a furious adversary. Loyal to those in her company, she finds others that seek adventures in the lands of Norath. Brazeil is currently gaining power where she finds it, most recently in the lost dungeons of Norath. But has been found roaming the lands in search of further opportunities wherever they might be found.


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Hope you liked it...

[Blacki]

Chapter 1 cont...

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It is said that there is both good and evil in us all, and that the two are in a countinous battle to dominate the other. It is this fight that untlimatly determins ones character. some embrace the extremes and as such thier life paths are set as destaney, ohers struggle to balance the two and give and take from each what they need. This story is about this fight within us all and how a certain Dwarf faced the two head on.

Chapter 1 A tale is told

"So you’ve heard of it?
"Of course, who has not? Stories of the high elf city were many in my childhood, but sadly I have not traveled to see for myself." said Brazeil
"why my dear, you must go see, it is so close to your home town and still you have not traveled therep, courious..."
Brazeil put down her sharpeing stone and examined the edge of her axe. the glow of the fire reflected off its finley polished edge as she tested it with her thumb. the crackel of the fire was the only sound that broke the silence of the darken night as the two sat and exchenged stories.
" I know I should go, Ive been so busy with the kings problems with the Estate of Unrest, Im hoping this last journey there will be my last for some time." said Brazeil
"I understand young one, If it were not for that accursed place and its twin castle Mistmore, this island would be close to paradise. Soon enough this will all be over and your debt to the king fulfilled. You know, Im not here to judge you, just to be the kings eyes that fulfull your promis to him."
"Yes I know, " said Brazeil " I just wish this to be done with."
"and soon it will young one, there is great strengh in you, but you have yet to understand the true enemy..."
"true enemy?"
"why yes, my dear, the true enemy you have yet to face, you will know it when you time is right, I am not here to lead you , again I am only the eyes mylord and I should not even be talking to you as per your contract, I supose my age has softened my heart abit. I will tell you this, the enemy watches your every move, It knows your every thought, do not be deceived by him, do not believe him, but know he is there and beware."
"what are you saying?
The great bearded dwarf laughs and taps his pipe on the rock near the fire. "om my dear you have so much to learn, but its late and this old man needs his rest. Sleep well young one you have a busy day tomarrow." with that, the old dwarf roles away from Brazeil, his jug of elven wine rolls from his grip and soon the sound of the night is broken by a great dwarfs snoring.
"great, guess Ive got the first and last watch." thought Brazeil
The fire crackeld and brazeil took up her sharpening stone once more, carfully working the edge of her axe, the sound of stone on steel rang in her ears for some time.

The eyes of the night were many. A passing beetle, a wandering welp, none of which took notice more than a passing glimps of the two at the campfire. Brazeil stared into the fire, the feeling of warmth on her face made her eyeys heavy. She started to think about her fight in the arena and what followed soon after. Thoughts of the council still haunted her. Her memories of how they deceived her farther and their decete still held a strong grip on her soul. The night of vengence was still fresh in her mind even though it was past several months from the night of clenzing. she put her hand on her side where the mightly warrior stuck her. The wound although newly healed still had a strong sting when touched. This was a constant remeinder to her of her fraility.

“ah, yous feel the pain….” Whispered a voice, “I sense your suffering, it is like wine on my lips…”
Braziels eyes opend wide and she leaped to her feet axe drawn. She peered into the darkness turning slowly to scan the edge of the fires light on the forest. Nothing but the flicker of shadows could be seen. The drunken watcher lay oblivious to the event continuing to snore even as Brazeil kicked him with her foot to awke.
“fear… that’s good too.. “ the voice came from a difrent direction this time.
“Where are you!” demanded Brazeil, “show yourself!”
“in time young one, in time” again the voice wisperd from another direction, Brazeil whipped around to see but nothing was there.
“What do you want?”
“why I haven’t sensed suffering like this in some time.. you have a strength young one.. it fills me, it fills me…” the wisper faded. Brazeil with axe at the ready slowly circles the firelight scaning the forest for this voice but nothing is there. Many hour pass as she hold vigil until the moring light.

“A voice you say?,” chuckled the dwarf. “Me thinks you were drinking a bit of my elven wine…”
“No it wasn’t the wine you daft dwarf, I don’t drink while on watch, “said Brazeil “not like some people.. “ she said under her breath. The watcher rubed his eyes and examined his jug tiping it bottom up. “danm, last of the good stuff, looks like im back to brandy.”
Brazeil rolled up her things and packed them neatly as the watcher poped a cork on another bottle and took a swig, “That’s the stuff..” he said, “nothing like a moring swig of the dragon, haha”
“yea yea, lets get a move on, we got a nice hike to the estate today, I don’t want to have to cary you.” She said.
“Carry me?! Let me say..” the watcher tryes to stand and slips back to the ground.
“ok ok, come on.” Brazeil put one hand under his arm and lifts the dwarf to his feet with ease. The watcher is a bit shocked at her strength and takes notice as she places his pack on his back.
“there you go old man, don’t make me carry you there, and try to keep up this time.” The watcher corks his bottle and ties it back to his waist, Brazeil hands him his walking staff and the two back down the path.

“So tell me of this voice.. what did it say?” asked the watcher.
“something about my pain and how he could feel my suffring, im not sure it was strange.”
“Ive heard stories like that befor, but not for along time. People saying they were visited by a night creature, but always their minds were not clear about what happened, almost like a dream. Many were found to have marks on their chest and arms, faded color like the life had been draind from.”

“what are u talking about old man, this was just a voice, I saw nothing..” said Brazeil
“oh my dear, things exist around you that are not seen, you know of this. Whatever that voice was last night knows of this also. Let us hope we do not hear from it again, at least until we’re done at the estate. We need to stop at a camp I know on the way. I have something to get for you.”
“not another excuse for elven wine is it?”
“of course not, come to think of it they did have some stout ale last time through, but that’s not what im after.”
“yea yea, save it, we got hiking to do, look ahead is the pass through the moutain to Dragor Cauldran. Lets hope we don’t run into too much along the way.”
“I agree young one, as long as we stay clear of the water we should be fine. Ive heard new stories of a best who has recently took up residense near the island in the center, but we have no reason to go near. At least I hope not haha.” Laughed the watcher.

The two followed the path to the edge of the moutainside. There was a trail not well traveled but marked with a faded wooden sign, “Dragors cauldren” here the ground changed from the soil of the froest to a hardened stone and rock. The two looked at eachother until the watcher waved his hand as if to say after you. The two then bagan down the trail. Here the walls of the narrow canyon were very tall. There was no plan or other life apparent, this place was forsaken long ago and few come to visit. Still down they wend the canyon twisting left and right but always continuing down. Remenants of burned out trees now and then lay along the trail, but no life. The sun peered over the rim of the canyon after some time and the smell of rotten watter began to waft up the canyon.
“we are getting close young one.” Said the watcher, “keep a lookout for wandering water goblins they somtims come ashore scouting for food.”
“yes yes, I heard the stories.”
“yes my dear, im sure you have, but hearing of them and expierneceing them are two different things.” Stated the watcher.
Brazeil stoped and quickly turned around and stared at the watcher. “ok look, Im not a newbie ok? Ive been arounf the forest a bit, I think we’ll be ok.” The eyes of the watcher looked at her and then through her.
“what is it now old man? What are u….” just then Brazeil was struck from behind. She fell to the ground and rolled onto her back. Looking up she saw what it was that struck her. The watcher without missing a beat, swung his walking staff and struck the beast. The water gobblin recoiled and hissed at him. He reposed and positioned for another strike, the gobblin, a bluish gangly creature held no weopon but his fists. He wore nthing but a loose belt of cloth from it hung pieces of fish and other small food items. The gobblin waved his arms and hissed at the two. The watcher raised his staff, brazeil loosed her axe. With the sight of the axe the goblin eyes widened, he looked at her and waved his fists..

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