Welcome everyone to a brief look at my life. Ah but how rude of me, allow me to introduce myself. I am Antryg Wyndrose, the last Guardian and the defender of the land of Dawn. Since many of my loved ones have asked me, I have decided to put my story on paper. Please pardon me if I ramble on from time to time but I am old and I believe I have earned the right to ramble a bit.
Well my past is a long and troubled. I was a just a young Avariel when Exodus's minions came to kill my family and I. My father had my mother, baby sister and I run as far as we could from the house when the Exodus's dark minions came. He and my older brother tried to hold them there, while we ran to the forest to find a clearing and fly to safety. I thought my older brother and little sister to be dead. I wandered for months when James, a kind Paladin, took me in and taught me how to live and how to fight.
When I had joined the ranks of adulthood, by Avariel standards, I had sworn to kill the demon that sent those foul creatures to kill my family. I fought the minions of darkness day after day and with every fight I grew closer to finding the one responsible for the death of my family. I searched, looked, read and listened to every story, myth, lore or legend on who it could be and how to defeat it. Little did I know that all my knowledge and power that I had gained from the soul of a Guardian would be of little use against this foul evil. I had found the evil that had killed my family and its name was Exodus. I quickly made my way to his castle deep in the Darkmoor Mountains, through his guards and to him. I challenged him to a battle, he accepted and I lost. I lost much that day, my wings, my confidence, and nearly my life. I escaped through the help of many of my friends, I am sorry I that I have little recollection of that day, I can remember so little and all the events of the day are blur into one single motion. All I know for fact is that I am alive and several of my good friends died that day. I spent months recovering; it was only due to the grace of the gods of Light that I lived.
During my recovery the gods of Light summoned me to their plane of existence and changed me into a Guardian; a race that was created for the sole purpose of defending Dawn and the Light. I went from a simple 5'4" hollow bone Avariel and I became a 6'9" elven looking being and I began to dream feverishly. During those dreams the gods showed me how to fully use my powers and when I awoke my felt renewed and a small sense of peace settled upon me.
It was during those long feverish nights, I met my first wife. She was a kind and loving girl, I only wish she would have fallen in love with another. I feel I destroyed the life she might have had with another man. Now please don't misunderstand me, I do not regret falling in love with her, marrying her or having children with her, I just feel she would have been better off with another. Our life together was wonderful; we had two beautiful children, a lovely cottage, and a peaceful life. For a time I was able to forget about Exodus and what had happen to me at least for a few years. Alas, Exodus would not let me live peacefully for he felt my arrogance was unforgivable and required a fitting revenge.
I had received word that Exodus was plotting against me and I knew I needed to take action before he struck. I gathered my friends, and prepared to strike against him first, with the help of the armies of Dawn; little did I know I had played straight into his hands. As my friends, a small detachment from Dawn's army and I made our way to Exodus's castle; Exodus sent a large number of his forces to kill my family. Although I did leave a sizeable force to protect my wife and children; it did not matter to the fiends he had sent. When we had got to Darkmoor Castle, Exodus was quite ready for our arrival and things went horribly at the castle; I knew we had been betrayed. Exodus dark forces quickly overwhelmed us. I watched many of my friends die that day and knew that I had to grab who I could and escape. Unfortunately all my friends were already dead and the detachment had been cut off from me I did the only thing I could and try to escape. Realizing what had gone wrong I rode as quickly as I could to my home, only to see the area surrounding my house looking like the battle I had just escaped.
I walked into my cottage, praying with all hope that I would find them alive. Well I did find them, although it was far from alive. The horror and revulsion of how I found them still lives with me to this day. I walked back outside, looked at the destruction around my home and wept. When I turned my head toward the sky I saw him. His dark, demonic form with wings now, my wings. I felt rage build inside me and I cast a spell after spell to destroy him. All he did was laugh and sweep down to attack me. We fought again and once more I lost. I ran to avoid certain death and then I realized what I needed to do. I used my magic, opened a gateway, and left my homeworld
When the gate closed behind me and my vision cleared I looked out over a green expanse from up on top of the hill I was on realizing I could see for miles around. A light mist covers the ground and the sky is the most perfect shade of blue I have ever seen. I wandered around this beautiful world, looking at all the forests, oceans, meadows and mountains. I felt refreshed discovering this new and untouched world. I stayed in this new world for a few years and rested. I wanted to try and regain some of the peace I knew before my wife and family was killed. I meditated for a few years while wandering this untouched world and once I found myself and discovered what I must do, I packed my things, opened a gate, and disappeared into another realm.
I wandered through worlds, realms, and dimesions for centuries. I took time to learn as much as I could. I studied different magics, trained with many weapons, learned new skills and knowledges and discovered as many books on my homeworld as I could. It took many years for me to cool the rage that burned inside me. Those years were as much for me to calm myself as it was to grow in power. I remember learning from dragons, who taught me how they did magic. I remember learning valor and true courage from humans defending their world from an alien threat. I remember learning the ways of a healer from an ancient druid who also taught me meaning of keeping the balance. I remember all this and more from my journeys. In fact I remember my first day appearing in Rhydin.
Rhydin, oh what a wonderous place it was. I remember just coming through the gate and looking around at this new world. Not far from me there was an inn, and I walked in not even paying attention to where I was or even the name of the inn. I looked around amazed at all the different beings, some like myself others who were quite different. I made my way to a table and sat to take this all in. I sat dumbfounded for a time when a stranger approched my table and chuckled at me. I looked up surprised and he introduced himself as Adkin, a half-dragon. He spoke to for a bit and told me of Rhydin and of the inn where I was at. Interestingly enough it was this same man who introduced me to my drink of choice, Dragon's Blood wine. After he left, I looked around once more and thought that this may be a place to start a new beginning, to try and start again the life I had on Dawn. Alas I knew that could not be, I would not leave my homeland in the dark clutches of Exodus. I knew I had to return someday.
I began to wander and explore this new land. It appeared to be a land full of light, hope, and new beginnings. I had met new friends and found a new love, but after a time, my friends began to die, my love left me, and the world of Rhydin began to turn into a dark and frightening place. I became recluse and tried to banish the dark thoughts from my mind. My friends that remained, begin to vanish, others betrayed me, some of the betrayals were so dark and twisted, that I began to lose all hope. I had barely noticed that my mannerisms turned to a more darker type and that I began to slowly fall into the darkness that I had tried so hard to fight.
Alas I am being brief. Once I had learn enough about the culture of Rhydin I decided that I should find my place in this world while I was here. I sought out to join a guild, and I found many. I joined guild after guild after guild but could find none that would suit me. Everytime I thought I found a home, something happened to either destroy the guild or I found out that the guild was darker then I thought. To this day I can still remember most of the acronyms of the guilds I belonged to: WoA, LM, MERCs, MoL, KoS LoR.
After a time I had given up on guilds. Their professed goals and lofty ideals, seemed to only be words to them. Almost no guild I had belonged to lived up to their own standards, let alone my own. At one point in time I remember a group of friends of mine decided to form a guild of our own, we were but a group of seven friends with high hopes that we could be a impact on Rhydin. Sadly I must say, we were mistaken, the head of our guild died, a paladin who's name escapes me, soon afterwards the rest of the guild died or vanished, I can suspect that some foul evil was behind this. I looked around and wonder what was to be next.
I remember the day I finally joined another guild. My friend Thomas came to me one day, saying he had found a guild that might suit me. After a time he finally convinced me and I went to meet the leader of the guild. Well the leader was a fine person, I talked with her for a while and I saw that she was true to her beliefs, as was her guild. I thought it over and I decided that I would join. The guild leader welcomed me as did most of the members. I felt welcomed, I finally felt at home.
I can't believe how much of a fool I was. My last true friends began to notice the changes in my personality and mannerisms. They had begun to worry for I was no longer the same person that they knew. My actions grew darker and darker. I began to care less about the light and did what ever it took to get what I wanted. I had planned, and paid for assassinations, plotted against and destroyed any and all that I perceive as enemies. My friends tried their best to bring me back from darkness, but I wanted none of it. I began to enjoy the darkness, after all it was much easier to accomplish my goals and I had more freedom to do as I please since I no longer needed to protect anyone whom did not have something to offer me.
I still can't believe what a fool I was and how uncaring and evil I became. It wasn't till I had picked up the Sword of Light that I had noticed my Fall. For when I touched my blade, it burned me. I sat in my castle and asked my close friend Mear to join me. We spoke and I truly realized what I had done and what I was becoming. I knew what I had to do and I knew that if I failed that death would be my answer. I tossed aside the new trappings I had taken on during my fall and replaced them with much humbler clothing. I opened a portal and entered the realm where I knew I had to face my test, with Mear right behind me.
I adjusted the one weapon I had taken with me as I walked in to the large chamber. The sword belonged to a friend of mine, Thalissa, which she had given to me after she became a vampire. I tried to calm and center myself, knowing that from now on my every thought and action would be watched and judged. I knelt and I prayed to the Gods of Light for forgiveness, I asked for atonement for my arrogance and sins. I prayed for some time, and finally I felt lightness in my heart and I slowly opened my eyes and saw a white light fade from around me. I stood and smiled to Mear and she smiled back. Knowing I was forgiven I tried to summon the powers I had as a Guardian of Light, at first I failed. My faith was not as strong as it used to be. I centered myself and tried summoning the Guardian Flame again. I felt my heart leap when my hand was surrounded in a glowing white flame. I took a deep breath and calmed myself for the final test.
I looked around, sensing something and saw a figured draped in cape and wearing armor. The figure turned, looked at me and sneered. I could feel my face drain of color as I realized I was looking at myself. Oh I can still feel the cold fear sezing my body as I watched my dark double walk towards me. I can remember his mocking salute, that evil grin and his vicious attacks. Before I could even think he struck, his attacks were furious. I barely could counter of his any of his attacks. I remember yelling at the top of my lungs "I will NOT surrender to the Darkness..." and, in my worst nightmares, I can still his dark laughter echoing in the room. I know the fight lasted only a matter of minutes but to me it felt like hours. We crossed blades again and again. Towards the end of the fight we both stood there, wounded, bloody, and tired and before I knew it I saw a jet of black flames streaming towards me. I barely had time to dodge out of the way but I somehow manage to send out the Guardian Flame and strike my foul image. I knew this fight was going to be one of magic and powers. No sooner then I had gotten back to my feet then a wave of his Unholy Light began to surround me. All I can remember is the pain and my absolute surprise when my own Holy Light streak forth towards my image. I remember my image and I going back and forth. We exchanged blow for blow, spell for spell and power for power. In the end I summoned powers and energies of my loved ones and sent that streaming towards it. I collapsed as my dark self vanish and Mear came to my side, my eyes blurred from exhaustion and not knowing that my double was gone, I expected the sight of a sword blade thrusting toward my head, not the lovely face of Lady Mear. I had came back from darkness but only barely.