literature

Advent Alliance: Altreiel Castle

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Altreiel Castle, an old keep, kept far away from many others in a small, magical realm.

Altreiel Castle was slightly overgrown, with several vines covering the black stone castle. There was also alabaster in place, giving the place a near chess-like appearance.

The very front of the castle also had a stained glass window, giving it a beautiful look.

Marissa, Breaker, Blaine and Mike all stared on at the castle, enjoying the look of it.

“It looks beautiful, doesn’t it?” Marissa asked.

“Very.” Mike smiled. “I cannot believe that our search for the Regent’s Crown would lead us to a beautiful place like this.”

“I can’t believe you asked me along,” Blaine said to Mike as she looked up to the genderbent knight. “Usually you never want my help.”

“Special times call for special measures. I’m just glad you were nice enough to bring me here once I asked.”

“It’s no problem. Marissa and Breaker agreed to go on vacation with me for a little bit anyway. I’m just glad you get a chance to meet Breaker at last.”

“As am I,” Mike said as they spoke. “Blaine told me much about you.”

“Really? What did she say?” Breaker asked.

“That you are a capable fighter and a good friend. I’m lucky to be able to call on someone like you.”

“Thanks. I hear you’re no slouch either.” Breaker smiled. “If we run into any threats, let’s see which of us takes down more, okay?”

“To be honest, I rather avoid any threats. Somehow I always end up transformed.”

“I know the feeling,” Breaker said, placing a consoling hand on Mike’s shoulder.

“Well, hopefully that won’t have that happen to you guys,” Marissa said. “Blaine and I will help, right?”

“…Can’t we have a little transformation? Please?”
“No,” Breaker and Mike said in unison.

With a sigh, Blaine followed them and Marissa into the Altreiel Castle.

Soon enough, Breaker was at the gate and saw the door was locked. With a single, powerful punch she broke the lock and watched the door become open.

“One entrance.”

“Thanks, Breaker,” Mike said. “That’ll make getting this crown easier.”

“Why do you want the Regent’s Crown, anyway?”

“It’s a valuable and important object of legend. It is said to be priceless and I wish to sell it.”

“Why sell something priceless?” Marissa asked.

“I want to use the money to buy Teresa a ring.”

“Teresa? Who’s that?” Breaker asked.

“My…Someone I love deeply.” Mike blushed.

Blaine snickered impishly, but said nothing. As they waked inside they saw the castle was preserved well enough, but there were patches of disturbed earth where trees grew through the tiles.

“This castle must’ve been abandoned for a long time.” Marissa looked up and watched as a couple leaves fell.

“That it has. Hopefully it will make finding the crown easier.”

“We’ll see. For now, we have to go ahead. Thing is, door might be locked.”

“I’ll go ahead and clear the path for us. You guys keep your eyes peeled.” Breaker saw the next door was open and pushed it, only to reveal a room full of lizard-like beings.

They were each about a head taller than Blaine, covered in different colored scales. They were covered in thick scales and had frill-like ears. Their maws were long and lizard-like, with sharp teeth and they possessed golden, reptilian eyes. Their long, sharp claws were notable, but dexterous to be used like hands. Their tails also had spikes upon them.

The creatures sported basic looking armor and sniffed the air, walking upon their lizard-like legs.

“What the hell are those?” Breaker asked. She looked them over. They were too small to be dragons, plus they lacked wings.

Shortly after, Marissa, Mike, and Blaine all reached her.

“Guys, what’re those?”

“They look like Kobolds, little lizard people. Some of them worship dragons. Rumor has it they use cobalt weapons a lot. Those ones look savage, though.”

“Maybe we should ask them…” Marissa offered. “We don’t know unless we talk to them.”

“That might be inviting trouble, Marissa.” Mike gave a concerned glance. “Are you sure?”

“Positive. Maybe I can coax them…” Using her necklace’s power, Marissa changed form, turning shorter and scalier. She had looked closely at the Kobolds and began to shift form.

Her shoes changed to sandals that fit her new reptilian feet as her clothing also altered, her shorts opening to reveal a hole for her new tail. Marissa’s hair was the only true remnant of her human form, save for her attire.

Now smaller than everyone but Blaine, Marissa looked up to Mike and Breaker, who were surprised.

Mike in particular was startled by the ease with which Marissa shapeshifted, but her attention was back on Marissa when she went on.

“Alright. Here I go…” Walking out, she approached the Kobolds, who took notice and came near. “Um…Hello?”

The Kobolds began to speak in an unintelligible language. Marissa, for her new shape, still did not know how they spoke. Eventually, one spoke.

“You speak human way.”

“Yes. I can, so are you.”

“Me learn from man we took castle from. Man run away, far away! This our castle now!”

“Oh…I just want to get the Regent’s Crown.”

“Crown?” The Kobold spoke to his kinsmen in their native language, which was when they took up arms. “Crown for Kobold Ruler only! You no ruler, you stranger. Join us or leave quick! Or we make you captive, too!”

“See? They are bad guys. Now can we get rid of them?” Breaker asked.

“It would be prudent,” Mike agreed as she drew her sword. “Marissa! Fall back!”

“No way, I’m helping.” Tackling the Kobold before her, Marissa knocked it down as Breaker and Mike approached.

The two fighters drew near, martial artist and knight joining the adventurer as she fought.

Blaine walked behind them, careful to keep an eye on events.

Marissa changed back to her normal form and primarily threw the Kobolds, not risking punching their armor or hard scales.

While the small monsters were nimble, Marissa was fast enough to at least avoid their powerful kicks and tail swipes.

Breaker, on the other hand, was happy to throwdown. With a mighty punch, she launched one Kobold into another, her emerald green eyes daring them to come nearer. As she stared, one lunged to bite, only for her to duck, grab his tail, and slam him onto the ground.

Another two tried to flank her, but Breaker was already ready. They leapt and ere grabbed, tossed towards Mike, who used her shield to ram into them both.

While Marissa was instinctual and untrained, and Breaker excelled in unarmed style and fast, powerful strikes, Mike had a knight’s training.

Using her experience, she used the sword to keep foes at bay and stabbed at them. Mike was careful to use the flat of her blade to bat them away without killing them.

Some used spears to attempt to stab the knight, but her shield kept her safe and she sidestepped the shafts of the bladed weapons.

Eventually, the Kobolds were beaten back, the lot of them fallen on the ground, disarmed and defeated.

The creatures rose up, then ran away deeper into the castle. The group saw that they were likely fleeing.

“What should we do?”

“We’ll have to deal with them until we can get the crown.” Blaine looked ahead. “Maybe I can lead us onwards.”

“Really?” Mike asked, surprised.

“I am a kitsune, y’know.” Blaine put her hands on her hips before touching her nose. “Besides my sense of smell and hearing, I can sense magic and mystical energies.”

“That’s really cool, I never knew,” Marissa said. “So you can lead us to the crown?”

“Uh, no. I’m pretty sure the crown is just fancy metal. I can smell the kobolds, though. I can probably help us avoid them.”

“That’ll be plenty.” Mike pointed at the door ahead. “Breaker, do you think you could go ahead and get rid of the locks on all the doors? Right after that, we can keep advancing.”

“On it.” Walking ahead through the gates, Breaker began to look for any locked doors and began to bust them open.

Breaker’s check took her to the second floor while her friends began to explore separately. Most of the rooms held nothing, but there was one room with a single great throne and a crown upon it.

“Hey, the Regent’s Crown!”

Going near, Breaker picked it up and looked, seeing a pure red stone atop the crown. It looked out of place against the silver and blue of the crown.

Picking up the crown, Breaker was heading back towards the other, when she saw the Kobolds were back, now approaching menacingly.

With a sigh, Breaker spoke. “You really want to fight again?”

“That crown for ruler! Only Kobold Royal wear!”

“That’s fine, but I need it. Besides, it doesn’t belong to you.”

“Then we take!” The kobold and his cohorts then closed in.
Breaker sighed. She couldn’t toss the crown aside and have them take it, but she couldn’t fend them off easily without both hands free.

Instinctively, she put the crown on so she might fight, not realizing her eyes had changed within an instant.

The Kobolds were surprised at first, but soon stood aside in deference.

-

“So, where do you think the crown is?” Blaine asked curiously. “We’ve been searching forever.

“It has only been twenty minutes at most.” Mike looked at Blaine, who sighed.

“That’s still forever. Can’t we find Breaker and regroup?”

“We probably should. I’m worried she found the kobolds,” Marissa said.

“Maybe, but she could probably handle it.”

“GUUUUUUYYYYYS!!!! HEEEEEELP!!!!”

“Was that Breaker?” Marissa asked.

“Best to give it a look,” Mike concluded.

Heading back the way they came, the group saw Breaker at the base of the stairs, trying frantically to remove the Regent’s Crown.

“You found the crown,” Mike said happily. “Great job, Breaker.”

“I can’t take it off. It’s stuck on my head!”

“Why did you put it on?” Blaine asked.

“Because Kobolds attacked and I needed both hands, but now it’s stuck and they’re just staring!”

True enough, behind Breaker the kobolds from before were merely watching, eagerly, in fact.

“I wonder why…?” Blaine began when she noticed Breaker’s eyes were like theirs, that and one other change. “Breaker…You have a tail.”

“What?” Looking behind herself, Breaker had a long, thick tail, reptilian and with two rows of spikes. It whipped about back and forth, almost of its own accord. She noticed it and her eyes widened. “How the hell?!”

“The crown, it has a magical element attached…” Blaine looked and saw the stone. “It’s a Bloodline Beryl.”

“Bloodline Beryl?” Marissa asked. “What does that do?”

“It’s a magical way for a legacy to be carried. If someone, or something’s, blood is spilled on that stone, it can effect people touching it or something it channels its power through. I’m assuming a royal kobold’s blood is in this one, so it’ll turn Breaker into a royal kobold.”

“So she will be like the little ones here?”

“Nah. Royal Kobolds are closer to dragons in blood. Rumor has it that if the gain vast riches, they’ll grow wings and evolve into a dragon, with the potential to progress to the highest order.”

“Wait, what do you mean?” Breaker asked, not liking the near giddy look in Blaine’s eyes.

“You’d essentially evolve. If you get strong enough or enough riches, you could even become a divine dragon! Wouldn’t that be awesome?”

“No! Not awesome at all. Change me back, now!”

Blaine looked disappointed, but nodded. “You got it.”

Blaine tried her magic, but was startled by the resistance she felt. Putting in more power and trying to break the spell, she found that her power was ineffective.

“Well?” Breaker asked, just as she felt her sandals burst. Her feet had become larger and clawed, resembling those of the kobolds as the scales spread and her legs became more digitigrade.

“It’s Old magic, same class as Mike’s curse. I can’t break this at all.”

“Then I’m breaking this damn thing!” Breaker began to ball up a fist when Mike spoke.

“Wait! It might-“

But by then, Breaker had whacked the Bloodline Beryl. At first she thought it was effective, but it had ended up being rather ineffective. She glared up at the crown and saw a pair of fully formed horns growing from her head.

“….”

“Breaker, don’t try to break it. If you do, it might make your change permanent. Besides, I need the crown still.”

“This is utterly ridiculous.” Breaker folded her arms, noticing her hands were now large and scaly, with razor sharp nails, Slowly, her arms grew more massive and her muscles more defines as tough, thick scales covered her skin. In addition, Breaker was getting taller and more sizable, with her neck down her chest and stomach to the underside of her tail had a cream color.

“Then how do I change back?”

“Maybe you could, y’know…Keep the for-“

“No, Blaine, I will not.”

“But it’s so cool!”

“No.”

“Please? Besides, you have followers now.” Blaine pointed to the kobolds who bowed to an exasperated Breaker.

Breaker was about to complain, when something clicked. Somehow, it felt…nice.

“Yes. I have a number of valuable new allies. Maybe I can start an army with them…”

“An army?” Mike asked.

“Yes. An army of worthy, strong kobolds.” Breaker’s green eyes turned yellow as she became even bigger, now towering over her friends as she gained a reptilian snout and her form was a much larger, more dragonic version of the kobolds from before.

“Breaker, you don’t sound like yourself,” Marissa said.

“Because I feel far better than I was. I feel like I could crush and destroy any foe with my bare hands, like my claws could slice steel! Marissa, you should take a form like this. We can both ascend and become unstoppable!”

“She offered to make a villainous pact. The gem has taken her over.” Mike drew her sword. “Blaine? Any way you can take her down?”

“Not without risking the Bloodline Beryl or the crown,” Blaine explained. “Even then, she might be a bit tough…”

“But if we save her mind and not her body, she’d never forgive us.”

“Well, can’t we keep this version of her as a pet? I could totally tame her and her little friends.”

“I am no one’s pet!” Breaker then punched the ground next to them, completely shattering it and sending shards of stony, black and white tile into the air She then pointed at them. “Kobolds, bring your queen her former friends. We will make use of them yet!”

Mike and Marissa began to run, when Blaine took kitsune from and got before them.

“Hop on, I’ll get you guys out of here!”

Obeying, both did and were taken to safety. They saw the kobolds behind them were far off.

“Blaine, where are you going?”

“I’m trying to look for some magic, maybe we can use that to undo Breaker’s curse.” Sniffing, Blaine eventually ran into what looked like a treasure room. “I smell something here.”

“There’s tons of gold and jewels. Would this pile be enough to make Breaker a dragon?”

“Oh, yes,” the still kitsune-form Blaine said, her three tails swishing as she padded closer. “At least two or three levels”

“What do you mean by levels?” Marissa asked.

“Each level is order of dragon. Level one is her kobold form with wings, two adds fire breath, and three is her becoming a fully fledged dragon. At that point, she’s going to be more of a threat than I’d like to see.”

“But you think something here can free her?”

“Yes. As a mater of fact…” reaching with her paw, Blaine dug through the gold pile and retrieved a pure white diamond. “There we go. A Dispell Diamond.”

“That’ll fix Breaker?”

“Yes, or….It could fix Mike.”

“It can?” Mike asked, startled.

Blaine nodded. “Yep, magic is both old enough and strong enough. You’d be cured all the way, but this is the only one. We’d risk leaving Breaker as a royal kobold.”

“Then we need to use it on her,” Mike looked at Blaine. “Keep it on hand.”

“Wait, there are rules for how this works.”

“…Of course there are…”

“We have to make sure it touches her Bloodline Beryl. Also, despite it’s name, a Dispell Diamond is as fragile as glass. We’d need to beat the kobolds first and get a clear shot.”

“Then as the fastest person, you have the best chance. Marissa and I will clear the path.”

“You got it.” Going back to her human guise, Blaine held the Dispell Diamond carefully. “So, how long until her kobolds find us?”

“I’m guessing soon,” Marissa said, hearing the cries of kobolds. “We’ll keep them away.”

On cue, the Kobolds jumped in, all of them eager to capture the trio.

Marissa and Mike were at the forefront, the both of them fighting.

The Kobolds tried ganging up this time, all of them targeting Marissa.

The adventuress gasped, but soon she was overtaken and her necklace was stolen. Three Kobolds restrained her while one ran off with her necklace back to the corrupted Breaker.

Eventually, Marissa wriggled free and managed to defeat the Kobolds. A few well aimed punches brought down the already injured underlings, and the few remaining ones fled as Mike approached.

“Darn. I can’t change now…”

“They probably just want Breaker to have treasure faster. She’ll have it and we can fix her and have your necklace back at the same time.”

Marissa nodded, but that was when they felt the ground tremble. It seemed that something was approaching them.

Within moments, Breaker appeared, now with Marissa’s necklace, Pemerido, fused to the Regent’s Crown. Now the gold trim and green gem joined the silver and blue of the crown.

Sporting a pair of small, useless wings, Breaker roared.

“I should’ve known you would be able to handle them, but my servants did their best. I will avenge them before I bring you three back to my side…”

“Breaker, unless you want to stay sinister, scaly and scary, you need to let us help!” Marissa said.

“But I’m going to help you all. Help you become noble, powerful dragons like me…”

“Then we’ve got no choice. Get ready, Breaker!” Charging, Mike ran ahead to attack Breaker, using her shield to bash Breaker.

The Royal Kobold brawler wasn’t budged an inch, but instead whacked Mike with her tail, knocking her back. Breaker then delivered a kick, which Mike blocked, only to see her shield shatter.

“What?”

“Regardless of form, I am Breaker!”

Marissa ran in to help, jumping and grabbing Breaker’s arm.

Breaker lifted her with ease, but Mike took the chance to jump and grab Breaker’s other arm. The scaly queen of kobolds tried to get rid of them both, but that wa when she was open.

Using her kitsune speed, Blaine ran with the Dispell Diamond and tapped the Bloodline Beryl. It caused the red gem to fly from the Regent’s crown, and for Marissa’s necklace to hit the ground, now back to normal.

Marissa and Mike dropped down and watched as Breaker shrank down. Her tail disappearing and her body becoming human again. As her eyes went back to being green and her reptilian features receded.

Within moments, Breaker was human again, and was provided some clothing as a courtesy of Blaine’s personal magic.
Shaking her head, Breaker sighed. “Damn. Well, I made a fool of myself…”

“It was the beryl, not you. At least it is gone.”

“Hm? Oh, yep. Beryl’s totally gone, yes siree.” Blaine smiled widely, quickly tossing the gem into a small dimensional hole she had. She’d save it for a better time where she could study it.

Marissa was suspicious of Blaine’s words, but was more focused on Pemerido and the crown. As she neared her necklace, she picked it up and handed Mike the Regent’s Crown.

“Thank you, Marissa. I suppose our quest is complete.”

“I guess, but what about the Kobolds?” Marissa pointed to them, who had hid around the corner.

After a bit, one came out front and spoke to Breaker.

“Kobold Queen, what do we do?”

“Queen? Don’t you see I changed back?”

“Once queen always queen. What do we do?”

“You guys should do what you want. You can stay here, just don’t hurt people anymore unless they’re doing something really bad.”

“Will queen stay?”

Breaker was about to object, when Marissa and Blaine spoke to her.

“Breaker, maybe we should stay at this castle. For a little while.”

“What? Marissa, that’s crazy. We all already have houses and we’d have to take care of it.”

“It could be like a vacation home. Besides, this is a big castle. Altreiel might have more for us if we poke around some,” Blaine said. “Besides, I can think of some fun stuff for us to do.”

“Mike? Give me some back up here.”

“Actually, I agree with them. It might be worth having a castle to ourselves. Besides, you damaged some of it. You can at least stay and see it repaired.”

Breaker was going to object, but after a bit she sighed. “Fine. Then we’ll stay and see what we can do.”

The kobolds, Marissa, and Blaine all cheered while Mike smiled. Despite her protests, Breaker smiled, too. Maybe this would be fun, and besides she would have some good experiences with fun.

It would be something she treasured more than any crown.
A story featuring my Marissa and Breaker alongside :iconsrgntdrew: 's Blaine and Mike.

THe four go to a mysterious castle to find a crown for Mike, however the crown has been corrupted by some kobolds. The crown won't be the only thing that is corrupted, though...

Image of Royal Kobold Breaker and Blaine is by :iconthatweirdguyjosh: hope you enjoy!
© 2015 - 2024 Benji-Blacksky
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Cuanwei's avatar
This one, too.