The Oncoming Inferno|Part 1|Original Story|Eleazar (OC) x Reader
(A/N: I know I said I wasn't going to upload long fics on Wednesdays but I couldn't help myself with this one! Very last time I promise. This is my original story and work. All of my own characters and lands. I really enjoyed putting my time and passion into writing this and I hope you guys will enjoy it too!)
WARNINGS: depictions of violence, government corruption, mentions of death, etc.
Six lone travelers stare at the weathered paper nailed to the bulletin boards in their perspective towns. Missions, missing persons, and other related news was often announced here. The common thread between the five of them was simple, a lack of money they all felt.
Normally they would see what was the easiest option and go for that. However, due to the decree of Queen Esmerelda Nethersole that whoever was caught conspiring to create a group of adventurers would forfeit the safety of their kingdom's royalty and become a prisoner of the crown the amount of missions posted dwindled to little more than none.
Each of the nations within this world, Feth Alora, Shenlone, Jaenas, Melehona, Naenhil, Mymerion, and Lyselenora, they all were ruled by independent royalty, but Arenthemar, the Queen's city ruled above them all.
During Zebulon's Insurrection the Cambion had overthrown their human rulers and exterminated them from the land. All races remembered those days of violence and bloodshed, the stench of rotting corpses didn't leave their noses for years after peace was made. Starvation still affected some of the less wealthy nations who dared to side with the weak humans.
Collectively it was agreed that the nations could be managed independently, but crimes of treason still fell under the jurisdiction of the Queen. A tyrant of a woman, obsessed with beauty and how she was perceived, executing whoever dared to question her rule. Alongside her, General Julius Wyverstone oversaw the ruthless military, shutting down any hint of rebellion with a bloody end.
With this in mind, for someone to willingly put up a poster asking for the help of adventurers was a bold and quite foolish move. But with anonymity on the advertiser's side an investigation would be fruitless.
The travelers thought of it, the risks, being branded an adventurer was the same as being branded a revolutionary. Times were hard, corruption from all stations of nobility making it so that the lower classes barely had crusts for their stomachs. Was it worth loosing everything?
Each took a poster. Starvation or death, neither were options they were fond of, but if the reward was attainable then it would be worth it to stick their neck out.
A simple spell revealed the hidden text on the poster. A simple spell that any common magic wielding person could uncover, showing the employer's desperation and carelessness. Anyone could uncover this and set a trap. Feth Alora was little more than a tiny village, comprised of the poor, a land where most nobility wouldn't bother to go. Safe enough they supposed.
No one could be trusted. As the travelers, now adventurers sat in the tavern waiting for their employer, they glared at each other, not knowing that their quest was the same. Aside from the six of them, the establishment was fairly empty, when you're starving you don't have the money to drink.
Hours passed, and no mystery person.
The Incubus slid off his stool, frustrated that he had come all this way for nothing. "Here. For my provisions." He slid a coin to the tavern owner, who slid back an envelope. "What's this now?"
Without another word the owner passes envelopes to the remaining five, ignoring their confused looks.
Each open the envelope, finding the same letter contained within:
"Thank you for accepting this dangerous quest. I am forever in your debt. To wish to willingly defy the Queen's tyrannical rule for our freedom is a daring task indeed. Whether you accepted this for the cause or for personal reasons I do not know. I believe in you nevertheless, I trust you have a good heart. Forgive my lack of appearance, as a wanted woman I cannot show my face in public at this time, nor can I bring to you letters describing our task for fear of them being intercepted. Therefore, I have for you a guide in Shenlone, a Volucris who will bring you to me. For now, continue on brave warriors. Those who have been given this letter are your new band of adventurers. Rely on each other and together we can all be free. Blessings until we meet."
The six gathered stare at each other, realizing that they accidentally became conspirators in a coup.
The elf had heard about the dungeon hidden on the borders of a forgotten wasteland. A place where an ancient relic lay that her king desired above all. If she retrieved it and brought it back for him, then maybe he would consider releasing her sister from within his harem. It had been months since her darling little sister was taken, no amount of pleas or bargaining had worked. She had to do something, or who knew what would happen to her.
Something felt off from the moment she entered the dark caverns. It was colder than she thought, a sickly presence residing over the whole place. Some kind of strong and evil magic was at play here, perhaps apparitions of those who had died here. Haunted dungeons were nothing new, but they never ceased to creep her out.
Her footsteps echoed as she continued to explore, fearing she would never find it.
Just then, she saw the shimmer from what she was looking for. The tome had a gold buckle, and some kind of ancient language on the cover. It was exactly as the king described when demanding that all of the shop owners in his kingdom keep watch for it.
Happy tears filled her eyes, now she could save her sister.
She rushed to it, but as her fingers touched the leather the room began to swirl and change. It was like she had taken too much of a dose of the Purple Cladonia mushroom.
The spinning made her nauseous until she retched on the ground, emptying the contents of her stomach on the wood floor.
It took her a moment to realize, she was just on a dirty floor and now a wood one.
"Are you alright darling? You look paler than I do." The chuckle and smooth voice made her look up.
There, a pale elf with cascading white hair, glowing yellow eyes and a black mask covering the rest of his features. In his hand, the tome, the other, poised at a small table beside his comfortable chair pouring himself tea.
"Care for something to drink?"
"Where am I?" They were in a large library, complete with an upper level.
"Where are my manners. You're in my dominion now dear."
She furrows her brows in confusion.
"Confusing I know. You can imagine my surprise, I was laying a trap for the king himself, and now, I have you." He sighs and looks at her. "What to do with you."
"No one important, but you may call me Eleazar."
He purposely withheld his last name she noticed. "Eleazar. Will you let me go?"
Another one of his smooth laughs leaves his chest. "You would like that wouldn't you? Impossible."
"You're here now. I might as well make the most out of you." His bright eyes glowed at the thought, and the elf couldn't help but feel that she would never get home.
