Chapter 3: chapter 3:The Crimson Rider of Iwagus
Amidst the scarlet-hued landscape of Iwagus, a lone rider emerged from the swirling dust. He sat atop a Seqlem, a creature of unholy union, with the powerful legs of an ostrich and the armored hide of an alligator. A wild mane of feathers, like a lion's, framed its horror-stricken face, complete with a protruded mouth, wrinkled eyes, and an unsettling, pitch-black iris.
The rider, clad in thick, navy-blue leather armor, adorned with metal accents, seemed to embody the very essence of Iwagus. His almond-shaped eyes, fringed with sparse eyelashes, gleamed with a fierce determination, while his braided black hair was bundled into a distinctive hairline. A few strands had escaped, framing his strong jawline, now smeared with blood from his nose and mouth.
An arrow shaft protruded from his armor, a testament to his unyielding spirit. As he rode, the Seqlem's long, frail hands grasped the reins, its claws clicking against the leather straps. The rider's gaze swept across the desolate landscape, his eyes burning with an inner fire, as if driven by a purpose that only he could see.
The air was heavy with an otherworldly energy, and the sky seemed to bleed a deep, crimson hue, as if the very fabric of reality was torn asunder. The rider's presence seemed to be the epicenter of this maelstrom, and as he rode, the shadows themselves appeared to twist and writhe, like living darkness.
He appeared at the edge of a hill, where a grassy plane stretched out before him. With a deep voice, he declared, "I need to write to the House of Gail." As he spoke, he shouted in a deep voice, "I call forth the blessing of the author and the attention of fire!"
Suddenly, a thick paper began to burn, with letters carving into the very paper itself. The paper wrote details about the message, and then sealed itself with a crest of a crescent glowing golden, signifying that the rider was from the House of Gail, albeit a mere slave. The rider then stabbed his hand with a crest on it, and blood spilled out, accompanied by red lighting. A black skeleton, a huge raven-like bird, appeared, and the rider handed it the letter. The bird flew into the sky, burning and vanishing into thin air.
The scene shifted to a nearby camp, where men and hunters geared up for battle. In the largest tent, an old man, huge and covered in the fur of a massive wolf, sat on a throne-like chair. His one eye gleamed with a fierce intensity, and his deep voice cracked as he spoke.
The old man, Finderlore, former General of Arkansas, the State of Bountiful, addressed the rider, saying, "You saw the beast you conjured, and you know what it means. An archdemon has been revived, or has survived the 1,000th apocalypse of the second generation. I still can't believe how, but I'm afraid I'll be of no use."
The rider replied, "My name is Felix, a slave of Master Criusha Elantra, Score of Belvidere Field." Finderlore introduced himself, saying, "I am Finn, Finderlore, he who wields God's Eye." He stroked his long, dreaded beard and packed his hair into man buns. With a piercing gaze, he said, "You don't have much time left, Felix."
Felix nodded, took a sword, and killed himself. Finderlore knelt down, saying, "Be proud." As he stood up, he sensed a great power coming from the icy forest. Men surrounded him, begging for his aid in battle. Finderlore claimed he wasn't allowed to enter the forest, as he was banned by the witch who planted the lands.
A man intervened, saying that all the villagers were in an underground labyrinth. Finderlore's uncovered eye glowed blue, and he saw the dragon from kilometers away. He pulled the sword from Felix's chest and threw it with incredible speed, causing the sword to glow red-hot. The sword bounced off the dragon's scales, slowing it down but leaving no wound.
The dragon, a serpent creature with a predator's face, had scales that shone like silver, dressed in snow from the forest. Its eyes were purple, and its wings were thick and muscular. The dragon's T-Rex-like jaws and long neck made it a formidable foe.
As the men gathered, they attacked the dragon with crossbows and spears. The bulkier men wore armor and wielded heavy weapons like hammers and maces, while the leaner men wore leather clothing and wielded spears, swords, and crossbows. The dragon landed, causing the ground to shake, and the men rammed into it with spears. The dragon breathed fire, and the men dodged, but their clothes caught fire. They kept sprinting, causing the flames to extinguish, and jumped to impale the dragon again.