Eco|Knights
Chapter one
It was a bright day in the capital as the gates opened and in came a squad of elite Eco Knights, clad in heavy gear with fur covering the armor and masks blocking their faces out. These were one of the two elite divisions of Eco Knights; Seeker.
Unlike their counterparts, the Hunters, Seekers lives a life with the only excitement being the things that kill them in nature. They were explorers, trekking miles upon miles into new land. A single deployment could last up to a year or more.
They staggered in looking worn from exhaustion, their faces not needing to be seen to know that. Even though they were glorified explorers, these men were still highly skilled fighters. They had to be in their field of work.
Their armour was far from the only thing they wore; Large backpacks strapped onto their backs from their rears to the top of their heads, massive weapons and large gauntlets for pneuma. These gantlets were called “eco-devices”.
An eco-device was a specially made piece of technology that allowed one to draw pneuma from the air as well as control their own inner pneuma. They were the most practical piece of equipment any soldier in the Eco Knights or any sensible use of pneuma would have. There were exceptions, however. Very few have been written into the books of legends as having the skill and willpower to control pneuma without the use of an eco-device, one such person was a professor at the academy: Professor Eldirch Mannahorne.
Among these knights was Johan Frenchio, a five-year veteran on the force. He was a man of average height and weighed in at 210, being a physically strong man. He had sky-blue eyes and shaggy red hair with fair skin. His gear was thick with five vertical openings for his masked helmet. A large crossbow was situated on his back, almost as tall as himself, and an eco-device on his right arm and boots with fur on the top and metal claws out the bottom, used for ice or wall climbing.
“I hear we were called back early,” said Jefferson Gecko, an Eco Knight within the Seekers who stood next to Johan. He was a six-foot tall man, but rather thin, even for the division. He was both the tallest and skinniest of the entire 10-man group walking in. “What’cha think we be called for?”
Jefferson didn’t have the most profound vernacular, but he was a skilled scout and at survivability in some of the harshest winter weather in the north.
“Who knows,” Johan replied. His mind lay elsewhere, primarily where they would go next. At least he hoped to get a good meal before leaving again, the Seekers never truly stayed long in the capital, so any moment he could spend would be for the best. After a while you get used to eating game meat and sleeping on rocky surfaces, but to pamper oneself from time to time was highly recommended in his book.
“I heard the guards mumbling about the Hunters also being recalled to the High Council,” said another knight.
The High Council, the closest to a democracy the capital had aside from the royal family, but with shred politics, they had hardly any power left.
“Ah, they gossip about everything,” Jefferson laughed. “Maybe I can get laid while I’m here. I could use a woman’s body after being gone for six months.”
Johan couldn’t possible care less about what Jefferson did on his free time, so he simply rolled his eyes.
They had made their way towards the capitals center where they entered a large building with high ceilings and fancy arts, white and gold walls and banners in red and gold with an odd creature that had the head of a bird and the body and tusks of a boar. No doubt the sigil of Ravenboar academy, since the land was founded, and structure brought to order by Brandel Ravenboar himself, an expert user of pneuma. So powerful it was said he could move mountains with ease, but of course those were only rumours.
Here they were, before the High Council. A line of 10 old men in over-the-top robes, staring down at them. The silence was the hardest part, a truly intimidating factor.
An elder man with large eyebrows was the first to speak up. “You have been called back today because you’re needed for a far more for a task that involves the entire safety of all who live within Brothwelhm,” the bushy-eyebrowed man said.
“An ancient artifact was stolen from its chambers and is the source for all our power and defense capabilities. You may have not noticed at first, but we’re running on a supply of workers who are doing nothing but pneuma focusing. Better to not make a catastrophe and chaos with the people the better,” said another man with a long and well-groomed beard. His grey eyes staring into the souls of those in the room. “But they can not do it for very long. When Our defenses will be down, and we will have all the eco knights on high alert status.”
“Which is why we’re sending a select few of you out on a mission to retrieve it,” said Malgum, another one of the High Council members. “This special mission requires hunting down the thief, which could take some time. We do not know how it was stolen, perhaps by a rare or unheard of pneumatic spell, but due to how long it may take this requires a mix of the Hunters and Seekers.”
“You’re dismissed,” said the one with the bushy-eyebrowed Councilor. “If you were chosen, you will know.”
With the summon quickly held and adjourned, Johan walked out as he removed his mask and held it under his right arm. His messy red hair and blue eyes were brightened by the glorious lighting in the High Council chamber. But to think there were those working to keep those powered for the time being. It was an arduous task without a doubt.
On his way down the stairs he was stopped by Commander Barreck, who oversaw the elite divisions of the Eco Knights. Johan had a flashback to the day he graduated Ravenboar academy and was approached by Commander Barreck personally, requesting he join the elite force of the Eco Knights, but originally as a Hunter. He had only stayed within the Hunter ranks for two years before leaving for personal reasons.
When he was asked to join he unquestionably said yes.
Commander Barreck was leaning against the large marble pillar that held the cover up and smiled at Johan. He had tan skin as if he spent years in the sun and blue eyes that seemed to glow with a wrinkled face, but wore armour that Johan would wear. Go a man in his 60’s, he was very much in shape.
“Johan, I see you’ve returned. In good health I see,” Barreck chuckled.
“I suppose this is regarding the mission?” Johan asked.
Barreck’s face turned from a smile to a serious look. “Yes. And it’s considered an S-Class mission, which means it’s essentially a suicidal mission, but of the utmost important. I need you on that mission. You are one of the best when it comes to surviving in the wild in many conditions and a Jack-of-all-Trades is better than a master of one, considering this is a tracking mission.”
Johan nodded. He wasn’t exactly happy to be sent off right away, but this artifact is talked about as if it was the cities life itself, and yet it was so easily stolen. Why? “Right,” Johan replied. “When do we leave?”
“Today. Meet me at the barracks near the front gate and you’ll greet the other members,” said Barreck.
“How many?” asked Johan. Surely there would be many members.
“I’m not going to say now, just be there by sundown.”
Johan nodded and walked off to his apartment, where he would wait until the sun settled in the west. For now, he would at least catch-up on his sleep.
Unlike their counterparts, the Hunters, Seekers lives a life with the only excitement being the things that kill them in nature. They were explorers, trekking miles upon miles into new land. A single deployment could last up to a year or more.
They staggered in looking worn from exhaustion, their faces not needing to be seen to know that. Even though they were glorified explorers, these men were still highly skilled fighters. They had to be in their field of work.
Their armour was far from the only thing they wore; Large backpacks strapped onto their backs from their rears to the top of their heads, massive weapons and large gauntlets for pneuma. These gantlets were called “eco-devices”.
An eco-device was a specially made piece of technology that allowed one to draw pneuma from the air as well as control their own inner pneuma. They were the most practical piece of equipment any soldier in the Eco Knights or any sensible use of pneuma would have. There were exceptions, however. Very few have been written into the books of legends as having the skill and willpower to control pneuma without the use of an eco-device, one such person was a professor at the academy: Professor Eldirch Mannahorne.
Among these knights was Johan Frenchio, a five-year veteran on the force. He was a man of average height and weighed in at 210, being a physically strong man. He had sky-blue eyes and shaggy red hair with fair skin. His gear was thick with five vertical openings for his masked helmet. A large crossbow was situated on his back, almost as tall as himself, and an eco-device on his right arm and boots with fur on the top and metal claws out the bottom, used for ice or wall climbing.
“I hear we were called back early,” said Jefferson Gecko, an Eco Knight within the Seekers who stood next to Johan. He was a six-foot tall man, but rather thin, even for the division. He was both the tallest and skinniest of the entire 10-man group walking in. “What’cha think we be called for?”
Jefferson didn’t have the most profound vernacular, but he was a skilled scout and at survivability in some of the harshest winter weather in the north.
“Who knows,” Johan replied. His mind lay elsewhere, primarily where they would go next. At least he hoped to get a good meal before leaving again, the Seekers never truly stayed long in the capital, so any moment he could spend would be for the best. After a while you get used to eating game meat and sleeping on rocky surfaces, but to pamper oneself from time to time was highly recommended in his book.
“I heard the guards mumbling about the Hunters also being recalled to the High Council,” said another knight.
The High Council, the closest to a democracy the capital had aside from the royal family, but with shred politics, they had hardly any power left.
“Ah, they gossip about everything,” Jefferson laughed. “Maybe I can get laid while I’m here. I could use a woman’s body after being gone for six months.”
Johan couldn’t possible care less about what Jefferson did on his free time, so he simply rolled his eyes.
They had made their way towards the capitals center where they entered a large building with high ceilings and fancy arts, white and gold walls and banners in red and gold with an odd creature that had the head of a bird and the body and tusks of a boar. No doubt the sigil of Ravenboar academy, since the land was founded, and structure brought to order by Brandel Ravenboar himself, an expert user of pneuma. So powerful it was said he could move mountains with ease, but of course those were only rumours.
Here they were, before the High Council. A line of 10 old men in over-the-top robes, staring down at them. The silence was the hardest part, a truly intimidating factor.
An elder man with large eyebrows was the first to speak up. “You have been called back today because you’re needed for a far more for a task that involves the entire safety of all who live within Brothwelhm,” the bushy-eyebrowed man said.
“An ancient artifact was stolen from its chambers and is the source for all our power and defense capabilities. You may have not noticed at first, but we’re running on a supply of workers who are doing nothing but pneuma focusing. Better to not make a catastrophe and chaos with the people the better,” said another man with a long and well-groomed beard. His grey eyes staring into the souls of those in the room. “But they can not do it for very long. When Our defenses will be down, and we will have all the eco knights on high alert status.”
“Which is why we’re sending a select few of you out on a mission to retrieve it,” said Malgum, another one of the High Council members. “This special mission requires hunting down the thief, which could take some time. We do not know how it was stolen, perhaps by a rare or unheard of pneumatic spell, but due to how long it may take this requires a mix of the Hunters and Seekers.”
“You’re dismissed,” said the one with the bushy-eyebrowed Councilor. “If you were chosen, you will know.”
With the summon quickly held and adjourned, Johan walked out as he removed his mask and held it under his right arm. His messy red hair and blue eyes were brightened by the glorious lighting in the High Council chamber. But to think there were those working to keep those powered for the time being. It was an arduous task without a doubt.
On his way down the stairs he was stopped by Commander Barreck, who oversaw the elite divisions of the Eco Knights. Johan had a flashback to the day he graduated Ravenboar academy and was approached by Commander Barreck personally, requesting he join the elite force of the Eco Knights, but originally as a Hunter. He had only stayed within the Hunter ranks for two years before leaving for personal reasons.
When he was asked to join he unquestionably said yes.
Commander Barreck was leaning against the large marble pillar that held the cover up and smiled at Johan. He had tan skin as if he spent years in the sun and blue eyes that seemed to glow with a wrinkled face, but wore armour that Johan would wear. Go a man in his 60’s, he was very much in shape.
“Johan, I see you’ve returned. In good health I see,” Barreck chuckled.
“I suppose this is regarding the mission?” Johan asked.
Barreck’s face turned from a smile to a serious look. “Yes. And it’s considered an S-Class mission, which means it’s essentially a suicidal mission, but of the utmost important. I need you on that mission. You are one of the best when it comes to surviving in the wild in many conditions and a Jack-of-all-Trades is better than a master of one, considering this is a tracking mission.”
Johan nodded. He wasn’t exactly happy to be sent off right away, but this artifact is talked about as if it was the cities life itself, and yet it was so easily stolen. Why? “Right,” Johan replied. “When do we leave?”
“Today. Meet me at the barracks near the front gate and you’ll greet the other members,” said Barreck.
“How many?” asked Johan. Surely there would be many members.
“I’m not going to say now, just be there by sundown.”
Johan nodded and walked off to his apartment, where he would wait until the sun settled in the west. For now, he would at least catch-up on his sleep.