Curtain call! Part 2.

Hey!

Welcome back, one and all, to the crazy-scary-spooky-hilarious gates of Enverdolmal!

I hope -as always- that this entry finds you just as well, if not better than the last one did!

I have been better, not the bet, but better!

And that is all that really matters.

I hope that you all have had luck and such in all that you've put your minds and hearts too, and you know something?

If a couple of you send that dope energy back, I may just be able to print this off in a physical edition one day lol.

No...scratch that...

I WILL!

I believe in manifestation, folks. I do.

As should you.

The world needs good stories to keep us all distracted from how very hard all of this "living" can really be.

Bah lol

Enough of that!

I will let you all get to what you came for, and I will see you back here soon enough, yeah?

Enjoy!

And off we go!

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The stage has been set...

The players have been chosen...

The paths of all will be both long and winding...

The world of Enverdolmal has been experiencing a string of seemingly random events, and no one seems to know who or what the catalyst is.

With chaos and terror beginning to spread like wildfire, horrific monsters and dormant armies are bound to rise.

Lines are bound to be drawn.

War is on the horizon. 

This series of short stories has begun to roll together into a grand and explosive tale, and you dear Reader, happen to be in the best seat in the house!

Welcome one and all, to the wild and wonderful world of Enverdolmal!

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Main Characters by order of introduction. 

The Support Characters will be noted just below each of the main characters. 

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09. "Darkest before dawn. Part 1 & 1.5"

Himora Amir: Shell-kin O.S.C. Captain (Oceanic Sea Scout) Soldier./C.I (Combat Instructor)

-Captain Gideon Karath: Sea-Dwarfym. C.T.S. Captain/Duelist/Pirate Hunter. (Coastal Trade Ship.) 

-Pirate Captain Windlow Entide A.K.A Windrom: Human. Pirate Ship Captain/Warrior.

-Rim Manta: Shell-kin. O.S.C. First Officer/Soldier. 

-Keeyin Loc: Shell-kin. O.S.C. Second Officer/Soldier. 

-Tyloric Meirasti A.K.A Tylin Ten-blade: Wereshark. Rouge Mercenary.

Summary:

Himora Amir and his team have been dispatched from the flotilla Silvaira Roam as an "escort detail" for the legendary Trade Ship Captain and world-renowned pirate hunter, Gideon Karath. His team would consist of his closest friends and classmates, 1st Officer Rim Manta and 2nd Officer Keeyin Loc, a pair of fellow Oceanic Sea Scouts from the Deep Stone Sea.

Their true mission is to assist Captain Karath in the capture or killing of an infamous and widely-sought-after Scale-kin Pirate Captain by the name Windrow Intide A.K.A. Windrom.

While all seems to be in place for the perfect ambush, Captain Karath and Himora would not be properly prepared for the likes of the Blood Tracker Sell-sword -and Windrom's new right-hand-man- Tylin Ten-blades.

As much as he enjoyed a good pirate hunt, Himora knew also that he would have to make it quick and efficient if he were to make it north in time to rendezvous with his long-time friend and travel companion, Bastion Jura. 

Their grand and awe-inspiring battle at sea would not only go down in history as one of the wildest, but it would change the very way that ship-to-ship battles were conducted from that point on. 

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10. "Blade and Fang. Part 1 & 1.5"

Genrik Mikal: Human. Captain of the Watchmen.

-The Beast: Human/Werewolf. Ex-Knight of Theodora.

Special Presentation: The last of the real ones.

Kals Kajai: Jakarl/Jackal form shifter. Arcane Duelist. 

Summary:

The kingdom of Theodora had found peace.

The land and its beasts had been tamed, the people kept safe and sound, and the neighboring kingdoms, queendoms, and fiefdoms all satisfied.

What else could a king want?

Love?

Respect?

Adoration?

King Ketrel IV had it all.

But he wanted more.

He wanted glory.

His esteemed knighthood was becoming less and less relevant in the times of peace...

This meant that the funding and taxes paid for them would be questioned and abolished.

He couldn't have that. 

He would see to it that this changed and would never become a problem again. 

In the dead of night, a blood oath was sworn, and a pact was made with the most powerful coven of Skin-walker Witches known to man. 

The King would send a single rider away with a lone child after each "battle" won against the werewolves that would from that point on haunt the walls of Theodora with each rising full moon.

One day, the wrong child was taken...

That of one of the king's most loyal knights.

That knight would protest, be arrested, escape, and subsequently rescue his kidnapped child.

But at what cost?

He would become the very first Blood-cursed, moon-called werewolf.

Bound by the dark, evil magics of the Skin-walker Witches.

He would all but succumb to the nature of the call...

He would become The Beast. 

He would terrorize the land unchecked and in secret, living a double life until one fateful night when he ventured into the small dorpie of an ex-Theodoran knight by the name of Genrik Mickal.

The battle that would ensue would be the fight of Genrik's life, and if it hadn't been for the timely interference of a lone and vengeance-driven Jakarl Arcane Duelist by the name of Kals Kajai, he would have most likely fallen that night. 

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11. "Diamonds in the dark. Part 1."

 Bretani (BREE-TAH-NEE): Human. Knight Vanguard.

-Lorenza: Tinker-Kin. Knight Sentry.

-Vraylin Yor: Elfym. Knight Vanguard/Monk. 

-Kit Boulderback: Dwarven. Squire/Hunter. 

-Mira Owbloed: Elf. Knight Sentry/Arcanist.

-Calt Owbloed: Elf. Knight Sentry/Summoner.

Summary:

What started as a simple patrol would end in...well, Lorenza, a fledgling Knight Sentry, wasn't quite sure what was going on.

But something felt very wrong...

She was sure that there were no stupid, stinking werewolves due for a good whooping skulking about the walls of her city that night, so what in the hellz were those dim lights off in the distance!?

She had no idea what sort of trouble the city was in as she leapt from atop its prestigious walls to go investigate on her own.

Well...not before summoning a bit of backup first!

A decade before these events, a then-Knight Sentry by the name of Bretani and her troop would be unceremoniously set upon by a raging pack of Rock Trolls.

The attack would come as they made their return from a completed escort mission set between Theodora and their distant trade partners in Onlyndebar, a Dwarven fiefdom to the north-west.

The troop would be led by Knight Vanguard Vraylin Yor, a skilled and well-noted Monk-turned-knight, Knight Sentry Bretani, a Dwarven Squire/Hunter named Kit Boulderback, and a pair of Dragon-blessed twin Knight Sentry's named Mira and Calt Owbloed.

With their team set at a steep disadvantage due to a swift and devastating ambush, it was due time for both their blades and resolve to shine bright and bold, like diamonds in the dark. 

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12. "The shape of you. Part 1."

Lysin: Elven Prodigy Combat Wizard. 

-Zandara: Changeling Elf/Human. defect Wizard Assassin. 

-Jedfey Obot: Elven. Lieutenant of the Lustrian Lance/Soldier.

-Porubus: Elven. Second Lieutenant of the Lustrian Lance/Soldier.

Summary:

Lysin is a simple Elf.

Well...simple by way of habit and hobby that is.

He is a simple smoker.

A participant of shreat.

A man of weed culture.

He has studied and completed every magical course that he could get his hands on within his means.

He has perfected his melee style using the razor-shard, deadly weapons known as chakrams.

He even uses EIGHT just to keep it interesting for himself. 

Hellz, even his teachers and instructors have little to nothing else to teach or show him.

He is -in nearly all ways- a prodigy.

A 'Wandless Wizard' is what he would come to be known as, as he could simply cast spells without so much as a thought, let alone a wand, tome, or anything other such artifact.

This fact would be the one thing that would draw to him the one thing he now sought in his infinite boredom: Excitement!

Little did he know, the infamous, wanted, and notorious Changeling Wizard Assassin: Zandara was well along in her studies of...him.

She was cold, calculated, patient, and nearly just as martially talented as was her newest target, if not better.

But he had the one thing that she had been looking for in all of her years of mimicking bodies and ruining lives...

Everything.

She was obsessed with him, his abilities, his hobbies, his favorite things.

She needed not to have him, but to BE him.

He was the perfect form to her...

And nothing would stop her from having what she wanted, not even the esteemed officers of the Lustrian Lance.

An Elven Lieutenant by the name of Jedfey Odot would find himself, his second in command -an Elf by the name of Parubus- and his squad in the wrong place at the wrong time.

When all but he were suddenly -and seemingly- struck down by the ravaging assailant, he would dig in his heels and get to work the only way he knew how, with his shield and lance heading the charge.

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13. "A day of duels. Part 1."

Rayden: Human Astronomage/Professor of I.C.T. (Individual Combat Tactics) for Junt.

-Filot Bruneheld: Human. Meteorological Mage (Mete-Mage)/Student.

-Jonta: Elfym. Grapple Scout/Student.

-Jillian Morgenthyn: Human. Superintendent and Arcane Mage. 

Summary:

Rayden is not only an astounding Astronomage and an active, ever-present educator, but also the master of ceremonies for Garth Verlore's annual Triple-M Gala!

Among other things! 

His hands -Aetheral and otherwise- are always both full and busy.

Today's itinerary:

1. Student donation duels starting with Jonta, a gruff and impatient Grapple Scout, and an aspiring Meteorological Mage by the name of Filot.

2. A family fortune dispute concerning the newest student to arrive at Garth Verlore, Dunda. 

3. A seemingly random outbreak of rampaging regional monsters...

And to add to it all?

An inquisitive and ever-curious Superintendent by the name of Jillian Morgenthyn. 

This was bound to be one hell of a week, never mind a day!

With his intricate spy network at hand (the mysterious and enigmatic S.T.A.R.s) and a strange new cult-like group who are calling themselves "Evernight Cultists" making moves from the shadows, Rayden's school year was really getting off to a great and intriguing start! 

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Hey! I hope that this serves you all well enough until I post the next chapter part.

That will be VERY soon, you have my word.

Just rounding a few detail edges.

I invite you all to read some of my poetry if that suits you.

It is what my Super Short Story style is based on, so some of it may appeal to some of you lol.

The series is called: "Shadows before dawn."

And it can be found over on Webnovel, a free and expansive reading app. Tell me what you think maybe?

Or not lol

I don't tend to attract talkative Readers, I've come to find lol.

Or maybe no one really reads this part?

I don't know.

I am grateful for all of you nonetheless, and I hope that you continue to return for my tales.

Things are starting to escalate, folks! 

Stay tuned!

ALSO!

Follow me over on Instagram!

@blackguyinnabowtie

And the official One Last Knight Facebook page is a thing as well (more likely for us Millennials lmao AND lbvs.)

If you would like to get to know me a bit...or a lot by this point, go read my real-as-hell series:

Old Journals of a Millennial. Volumes 1 & 2. 

If you are/were into the whole Bernie Mac, Malcolm in the Middle, and Everybody Hates Chris style of directly-speaking-to-you kinda comedy, it may suit you!

Go have a good laugh between all this serious Fiction Fantasy lol.

I have a mini-series called Dear You: Notes to my future child as well, which is written in the same form of comedy as O.J.M. V1 & V2 that you deeper readers can check out if you'd like as well!

I will see you all back here soon enough, yeah?

Until next time, safe travels, folks.

And as always,

Stay safe.

 Stay healthy.

 Stay vigilant.

-Redd.