Champion of Dawn

Chapter II: The Prison of the Skies: Skyhold

At last, the duke and his rebel forces were successfully delivered to the greatest and the most ancient fortress in Skyreach, the Skyhold, wherein they will all be executed even though normally when someone is about to be executed, they will be have to undergone with a trial of the leaders of Skyreach; every duke or duchess of every city in Skyreach and the High King himself, but due to Duke Jarric’s action, the other leaders of every city are divided into being against him, supporting his cause and some who keeps their neutrality in the civil war. This is mostly the reason why the emperor ordered the army to kill him on sight because of the threat he poses on the Empire’s influence in Skyreach making him the most wanted individual in Imperial territories.

As the duke and his rebel forces and other prisoners were gathered inside Skyhold, a jailor appears by the entrance to the great hall.

“Alright, you maggots! Approach the great hall!” shouted by the jailor by the front of a large brass double-door. The prisoners were led to the great hall of the prison hold, then they entered through the great brass double-door which extends to a hallway leading to the great hall.

“Line them up and make sure the priest of the Fallen is ready for the ceremony,” said by the female Imperial-Captain who seems the one operating the situation right now.

The General was nowhere to be seen after he greeted his “guests” but it is most likely that he is already inside the great hall waiting. When all the prisoners made their way inside the great hall, they are greeted by a very grim and eerie atmosphere. The “great hall” is like a palace courtyard but instead of having the typical calming garden, instead it has a large and blood-soaked guillotine in the very center where the General and other two person standing with him waiting.

“Is this really the end of me?” asked by the blonde man to himself as he realizes the severity of the situation, he is in. The hall is surrounded by instruments and tools for torturing prisoners and some small holding cells made out of iron and is cylindrical in shape. Some of them even have the remains of some unfortunate criminal or a random troublemaker who ended being caged and died due to the torture or hunger.

“Hehehe! Do like your new “palace”, your grace?” sarcasm of the jailor who is mocking the duke. The duke seemed a bit angered but still has his composure in spite the situation. They may ridicule the duke continuously but despite of all their mockery the duke himself still seems to be in a serious trance, even the mockeries of some “low-life” jailors doesn’t faze him. He is like a very image of a proud lion who still displays a fearsome presence even being tied-up and gagged.

“Round them up, we will begin with his lackeys first,” said by the female captain, as she also somewhat feels unnerve by the intimidating aura the duke is releasing.

“Now priest, you may start the ceremony,” said by the female captain looking at the robed woman beside her.

“As you say, Ser. As we commend your very souls, we bless each one of you that you may have a peaceful--” as the priestess started the rites, one of Chillrend’s men approached the platform of the guillotine and interrupts,

“Just stop this sham of a ceremony already and be done with it! I don’t need any of your blessings when my land stained by the scums like you! I won’t be even felt blessed dying for protecting my homeland!” ranted by the rebel to the priestess.

“A-As you wish… Tsk!” shocked by the priestess of the Fallen as she stopped her ceremony.

“I don’t need any more pity than is, if you’re just going to kills us. I may be a rebel but I know the Gods smile upon me because I fight for the sake of my land!” the rebel soldier’s final words when he was placed beneath the guillotine.

Brave and bold he may seem, but in the end, he will be only left with a demise of a betrayer as the guillotine blade drops down to his neck and chopped his head straight down. Incidentally, the severed head of the rebel soldier rolled its way to the duke’s feet. As he stares down the severed head of his men, unbeknownst to everyone, Duke Jarric was trembling with anger and frustration as his serious expression changed to a murderous and wrathful intent of revenge towards Imperials.

“Next! The man with then blonde hair,” shouted by the captain to proceed the execution.

 “Approach the platform, kinsman. I am very sorry to you but we will make sure your remains will be returned to your hometown,” a simple yet meaningless comfort by Ser Havard to the man.

“I…I don’t want to end it like this… I must…. I must return to Faulterth, I....”  as the man bend to his knees, he closed his eyes and prayed on his mind that somehow this will not be the end of him as being falsely accused of treason he didn’t even commit. As he opened his eyes and puts himself in the guillotine, a terrible scream came pouring through the large double door behind them as if was a man being drowned with fear.

“What the… Aaarrrghh--!” shouted by the jailor by the door of the hall. Something burst out that came straight out of the shadows.

“VAMPIRES!” alarmed by the Imperial soldier who is wounded and bloodied. Creatures of the dark razes the corridor; some came and broke through the very roof of the hold and into the great hall. The Skyhold has been overrun by vampires and the undead that they command; gargoyles, flesh-skeletons and even the death hounds ravaging through the ranks of Imperial soldiers and rebels alike.

“What in blazes is going on here!?” asked by General Tullium as he unsheathe his blade. The night has truly been truly a bloody one not only because of the execution of the duke and his men but also because of the “uninvited guest” that came raising hell and chaos around Skyhold.

“He’s here! Find the Champion and kill everyone else!” declared by the vampire who is leading a pack of death hounds.

“By the Gods, what is this damnation?!” sighed by the blonde man who is in shock that something grueling again has befallen him…. Will he be able to survive this nightmare of an experience?