Chapter Four - Love is Savior

Upon the same land almost 140 years later, the Saga of the Riders
continues into Arcadia. A man called Courtain Nostradamus arrives on
Arcadia to learn the arts of the Elemental Sword. Of scholar descent,
Courtain's quest for knowledge besets him as the protege to the fourth
Guildmaster of the Celesti, Protheus Kourawn. In a matter of four years,
Courtain rises up within the ranks to Captain of the Crystalin and
begins to court the Guildmaster's daughter Delphine Kourawn.

A year after Courtain's courtship with Delphine began, he sets off for a
quest to find a gem that most equates to the beauty of his lady in the
hopes to propose to her after finding it. When he finally does, he finds
her in the arms of another man. During Courtain's devastation of love,
three ships bearing the symbol of Perceliss enter the Bay of Sevra
Arcad.

As the rest of the infantry gathers at the shores ready for instruction,
Courtain continues to walk past the soldiers towards his boat. Before
reaching the outskirts of the town, Courtain is stopped by his mentor
Protheus.

Courtain, the soldiers are ready for your command.

I'm leaving, Protheus. I can't stand to be here any longer ... near
Delphine...

You've just returned to propose to her, and now you're leaving? Why?
What happened?

I found Delphine in the arms of another soldier a few minutes ago ...
I'm leaving, if you want to know more then ask her.

When the conversation ended Courtain walks towards his boat and set
sails towards places unknown. As the final shadow of Courtain disappear
from the horizon, Protheus walks back towards the rest of the soldiers.
Turning towards the ships, he hears a cry coming from the center ship...

Celesti, beware for I, Maxwell Mydrin II, Heir of the Pyradium and
Grandson of Pyradius has come to Arcadia as your new Emperor. Relinquish
your swords and bow down to me.

Cries of revolt were heard from the shores of Sevra in defiance to the
new Mydrin's goal. With the cries came a reply from Protheus himself
towards the ships, "Mydrin, you will die like your grandfather. Now
let's cut the introductions and let me cut you down."

Turning towards his men, Protheus arranges them and himself for against
Maxwell. Then the enemy lands but unlike the stories of disarrayed
Xorans, their enemies stood in militaristic lines sizing up against his
men. Side by side, Perceliss' Xorans awaited with deathly glares in
their eyes on the waters side, whilst the Celesti were with drawn swords
glistening in the morning sunlight on the sanded side.

With the simultaneous command of attack, the two sides crash at the
vergence point with swords and daggers clanging. The two commanders
stood from behind their forces, eyeing their comrades and each other.
Suddenly from a far off place near to Protheus, the shrill of Delphine
is heard. Without know what was happening around the battlefield,
Delphine was captured by one of Maxwell's officers. In haste, Protheus
attempts to save his daughter from the enemy but is stopped by Maxwell
himself.

Oh what a precious lady you have here, Celesti. She'll make a fine
Empress once I become your NEW Emperor!

You lay a hand on my daughter, and I'll make your tail and head my new
trophies.

That's your daughter? Oh yes, she'll do much nicely...

Enraged by Maxwell's reply, Protheus lunges at his opponent and a fierce
duel ensues. With the officer and Delphine watching the two acts go by,
the soldier battle in the background leans towards the favour of
Mydrin's forces whilst the battle in the foreground leans towards
Protheus. Suddenly, Protheus falls to his knees wounded. The background
battle pauses as the spotlight gleams upon the fallen guildmaster.

It seems that the tables have turned, Celesti. So thus I am at a fork in
the road. Should I take revenge for my grandfather's death by killing
you in your state? Or should I just take your daughter and embark
onwards to Heaven Arcad? Oh decisions decisions...

You lay ... you lay a finger on her ... and you'll ...

"And you'll what? Keel over and die? Sure, here lemme see what you can
do." Maxwell walks towards the squirmish Delphine and caresses her arm.
"My she is something isn't she, Celesti? What? Can't get up? I thought
so..."

Mustering up all of his life-force, Protheus stands up and walks up to
Maxwell with sword pointing right at him... "Take your slithering hands
off of my daughter, or I will take you down." Just as he finishes
speaking, he falters to the ground.

"Heh heh heh, you can't even stand and fight me. Men, take what you can
and leave the Celesti alone. We're going to Heaven Arcad." He then turns
his attention to the fallen Protheus, "Celesti, I have taken back my
honour of my grandfather by letting you live. Sevra Arcad is yours to
protect, but step on Heaven Arcad and any of you will die. We'll come
back for Sevra later, until then... thanks for your daughter!"

With a whistle and a call, some twenty gryphons fly off the ships and
land near their owners. As Maxwell climbs upon his gryphon and puts
Delphine over in front of him upon his gryphon, he signals his men and
they fly up into the clouds ahead of him. With a maniacal laugh, Maxwell
flies off and i... (* The scribesman eventually dies at this point.
Perhaps by a thrown dagger by Maxwell himself.*)

It would in just five years after Mydrin's departure into Heaven Arcad
that they would return to Sevra Arcad to finish the job. Many events and
things have happened during those five long years. Though it is not
known as to how each event was done nor was it as descriptive as the
scribesman that written the above event. It is only written as to what
changed and how it affected the land as a whole.

Within the five years, Maxwell took the seat of Emperor of Arcadia and
married Delphine at the same time. Protheus was completely healed of his
wounds and what was left of the Celesti began to openly teach the
villages of Sevra the way of the Elemental Sword. Courtain returned from
places unknown, though it seemed that he came from Donner's Isle. Then
they returned to Sevra...

In the month of Lupar, 234 years after the fall of the Seleucarian
Empire, Maxwell and his forces returns to Sevra Arcad. In a battle
within the skies, Xorans upon Gryphons versus Atavian flyers fought.
Many fell to their deaths, but many also filled in the fallen ranks.
T'was a long battle that ended up as a draw, though many who witnessed
the battle from the ground believes that it was Arcadia's first win
against Maxwell.

A month later, Courtain plunged into the skies of blooded red. It was
said that Protheus told Courtain about the whereabouts of his daughter
and her condition within Heaven Arcad. With a cry to the Gods, Courtain
dashed off upon his Sphynx Toto-rosso in an effort to take his love back
from the clutches of Maxwell. By nightfall, Courtain had returned with
Delphine from Heaven and they were promptly married.

Following the marriage of Courtain and Delphine, Maxwell began a full
onslaught of battles within the skies and on the ground in the attempt
of completing his goal of taking over Arcadia. Because of Courtain's
return into the Celesti, the victories started to grow for his guild.
Many times Courtain would enter Heaven to fight against Maxwell or to
gain information about their land Perceliss. Many times Courtain speeds
off from Heaven either wounded or drenched with blood.

Two years after Courtain's marriage, he finally was in a battle against
Maxwell. The two pitted themselves against each other. It was like
history was repeating itself, for this battle was at the same place that
Rei'tu and Pyradius fought upon with their soldiers. The end result,
that is, was different. Maxwell fell to his knees, his arms bleeding
from stabs & cuts and his sword tossed aside. He did not have any dying
wishes for Courtain left him alive to return to Perceliss with what left
of his men as a warning. "Maxwell," said Courtain, "You have been given
a second chance in life. Go home as how you are now as a warning to you
all. Set foot here with swords in hand again, and I will offer you to
the Gods."

Wounded and shell-shocked, Maxwell limped off with two of his surviving
men and sailed back to Perceliss in their ships. As their ships sailed
off, the soldiers of Celesti rejoiced in triumphant success. The Celesti
had once again saved Arcadia from a deathly tyrant and foe. With the
coming years of rebuilding, the Emperor was set back upon the throne, a
marriage for the Emperor's son Stylianos to Lady Sakuri was held, the
crowning of Stylianos as the new Emperor, and the replacement of
Guildmaster from Protheus to Courtain.

For a period of full relaxation and vacation away from Arcadia, Courtain
and Delphine arrived on Cyprus in the year 242 AF. In the village of
Derola, the two finally settled down and started making work on their
family. The scribesman that was journalizing the life of Courtain tells
many events that happen in his journals, there are only a few that would
stand out the most.

After a long nap and rigorous mind tests for four years, Courtain
receives the title of "Celesti Scholar of Arcadia" and "Battle Master of
Arcadia," two titles that are deemed exemplary of one's quest for
success, one of scholar nobility and the other of combatant nobility. A
year after earning the two titles, Courtain's wife Delphine bears a son
named Corwen.

About two months after the birth of Corwen, a wounded Celesti soldier
came to Derola with urgent news. It seems that whilst Courtain was away
on Cyprus, Maxwell returned with a much larger army and took over all of
Arcadia. Of the one hundred Celesti soldiers active when Courtain left,
only ten survived and all have fled into the unknown regions of Sevra
Arcad. Delphine's father Protheus did not even survive the first
skirmish and was killed by Maxwell by an arrow. When Maxwell landed upon
Heaven Arcad, declared himself as Fernos Emperum of Arcadia (True
Emperor of Arcadia) and the Emperor's family were forcibly taken as
prisoners afterwards.

After hearing the news, Courtain set off to the Scholar Council about
his prompt and early departure from Derola. Before the council set him
off, they told him about a prophecy...

Man of Rider hath died of this battle.
Man of Scholar hath won the battle.
Two shall merge when dishonour has been found.
Two shall be One, then the hour will come.
Lizard versus book, falter both shall do.
Fernos then Celesti, both be dead.
Celesti with Celesti, a temple shall arise.

Then the council bid him good luck and fortune. Two weeks later of
preparations and farewells, on the 21st of Ero, 247 AF, Courtain kissed
his wife and son goodbye, called forth Toto-rosso, and zoomed off into
the clouds to Arcadia. As he departed onwards to Arcadia, it would be
the last time he would ever see Cyprus alive.

The following morning, Courtain would arrive in record time on the war
torn lands of Sevra Arcad. Villages burned, peasants impaled, children
laid crying in their own blood, it was the first time he would ever see
such bloodshed upon Arcadia. His return was not only welcomed with
innocent blood upon the ground, but with the ruins of the Celesti
guildhall. Half-burned and barely standing, never was the honour of his
guild ever challenged until that moment.

It was then that Courtain understood the scholars, he has become the
successor of a line of destined warriors, he was a Rider of Achaea. Like
Rei'tu before him, he was to bring a new dawning upon his land. Like
events before him, the hour has been called. Maxwell versus Courtain,
Rider versus Rider. Thus the era of the Arcad Rider began, a 15-year war
of one man against one altitude.

The great battles of the Arcad Rider were magnificent but were
practically unrecorded. It was only when Rider Courtain was injured or
dealt a major blow against the enemy was it ever recorded. Though mostly
all of these recordings were not made by scribesmen, but by the people
who were a part of the battles.

During Courtain's era, he was to gather the nine lost Celesti and build
a new battalion from them. He was also able to fully forge the Great
Celesti Weaponry of Lorn, weapons made of Gorunium crystal with twice
the magical power than the standard Celesti crystal weapons. With a new
battalion and a set of Lorn Weapons, Courtain saved all of Sevra from
the dark claws of Perceliss.

After 15 years of battles, the final duel took place. With a grand siege
of the Palace, Courtain and Zercis (one of the nine survivors) cornered
Maxwell in the ballroom. With Courtain fighting against Maxwell, t'was
good to have Zercis be the witness to such an event. "When the two
combatants fought each other," wrote Zercis in his journal, "It was like
a graceful dance. Never was such feeling found within duel."

The duel lasted for what was like an eternity. For when the two fell to
their knees, eternity had stopped. They charged each other and they
fell. One died that day, the other a few days later. Maxwell died
immediately after he fell whilst the other stood up and walked away.
Rider Courtain had saved the Emperor and Arcadia.

No more was their battles, no more was their hostile attacks, peace
finally returned to Arcadia. For the sake of freedom, Courtain
sacrificed his life for the glory of his family, his guild, and Arcadia.
With Emperor Stylianos back upon the throne, he decreed that Courtain's
name would be honoured within the history of Arcadia as Courtain
Nostradamus, the Rider of Cyprus. Thus he was given a Rider's fanfare,
like Rei'tu, and was buried in his own temple adjacent to the temple of
Rei'tu upon Donner's Isle.


Continue to the final Post...

Penned by my hand on the 13th of Daedalan, in the year 285 AF.