The Dance of The Marquis

Six people. Four stories. One coming cataclysm

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Chapter 1.1: A Murder By The Sea: Daxfoss

I walked in the middle of the black road, lit only by torches and the sunlight that the ash clouds let through when they parted. I navigated the darkness they brought when the fire sand clouds came together. I clung to my small pouch filled with gold that I swiped from unsuspecting pockets. I only had enough to get me to Esior and keep me fed for a week, I hoped that I could find a job, maybe even a place to stay by then, I doubted that dream but I hoped nonetheless. I look up at the black sky, I see the upper levels of the city and it's black and red walkways. I look at the entrances to the winding stairs that lead there as I walked. I see the sunlight hit the ground only in the way that it would hit the borders, with full intensity. I saw my freedom and a smile spread across my face, I was going to the prosperous, green and bountiful land of Esior, where I am not hunted for something I never chose to have, as hope swells in my gut, my smile quickly

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disappears when I see guards taking people into alleyways, I knew they were looking for me. They were always looking for me, I was the evil one who would destroy the world, in their eyes at least.

The guards wore helmets with their faces exposed, they wore no cloaks and they carried a sword in their hand and daggers on their waist. I hear the complaints of the people as they have to wait for a guard to take them into an alleyway, make them strip and search them for The Mark, my mark. "for fuck sake, how haven't they found that evil little cunt already?" the man in front of me asked the rhetorical question, if looks could kill then his scowl would make birds fall out of the sky, well that was if they weren't already doing that when they fly near the ash clouds, "like honestly, they didn't make these soldiers like they used to it took them a week to find the one with the Mark of The Fire God when Summer came, it's August now", the man had blue eyes, I think, being under a ceiling of darkness

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does limit one’s vision, probably pale and blonde, like most of the native populace. "If they're so shit at their jobs maybe you could contribute instead of bitching" the man next to him retorted
“I wasn’t talking to you” the man with the annoyed look retorted
“Who were you talking to?” with that blue eyed man stayed silent. I tried to repress my laughter.

I considered leaving, I didn't want to, I didn't want to give up on my dream, being in the sun, working in the fields, a wife, and a family free from persecution. I didn't want to leave that. I start to turn, my sight grew foggy with tears, as all I could see was darkness with the orange blemishes that the torches made. I walked away from my one chance at happiness, I didn’t know, when an opportunity like that will come again, I might actually die here. I wanted to scream, I bit the inside of my mouth until I felt the flesh tear and blood pool in the mouth. I clench my fists and as I feel the pain of my long uncut fingernails press

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into my palm, I clench harder. I walk back into the darkness which is pierced by gaps in the clouds and glowing orange fire. I start sobbing, I try to hide the noises. I consider letting the guards take me to end all of this but something in me didn't want to die.

"Hey! Boy, come here" someone shouts, I keep walking "hey!! Boy" I turn and see the guard is looking at me, I start running, my despair turning into fear. I keep running, the guard is chasing me, the guard is gaining on me "running from a Blood Warrior is punishable by whipping!" he threatened, I paid him no mind. I still kept running, the guard was getting closer.

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Genres:

Action

Fantasy

Horror

Mystery

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