The Fortified Sky

Two Months Ago, East Ardougne

Tony, Darako and Farrell walked out of the wreckage, dragging a corpse. The corpse of a hero, a city guard who died in the fighting. Robert Bandano.

"Tony, you were present when he died. What were his last words?" Farrell asked.

"He shouted Tonight we dine in hell. I didn't expect courage like that from a stammering city guard. Lets bury him nearby, to honour him. We don't have time to make a statue."

The corpse was dropped into a hole, and buried abruptly by Darako. Kot-Tok said a few things in his home language, and the five left.

"My friends, we fought bravely and valiantly, yet I must return to my home. The TzTok-Jad has been found and needs nursing, and I must report back to the Council. Until we meet again, good luck."

Kot-Tok did fist bumps with the three humans and lobster, and left. Lobstorr then raised his voice.

"I too must leave. Its been a pleasure battling alongside you, and I also wish you luck on further quests. Goodbye."

The three humans saluted him, as the lobster scuttled off.

"Are you too leaving for pastures new?" Tony asked.

"No, we're sticking to you like glue! Theres nothing for us anymore" Darako replied, and Farrell nodded.

"Then its settled. We shall go back to Varrock. We'll start again, and whatever pain may come."

Two Months Later, in the Present time

The Eastern side of Varrock is more of a slum than the western side. The perfect place for people like Tony, Farrell and Darako. But poverty isn't their worst problem. The Red Mist is.

For two months, the trio have been living with the Phoenix Gang, but didn't become members. They stole money from the bank once and got away with it. But Tony was at unease.

Now he is running for his life. A mysterious Red Mist is in pursuit. It seems slow-moving, but is very fast indeed. The mist itself escaped from the sewers, where Tony last encountered them just over two months ago.

Someone nearby shouting, and Tony ducked. A large fire ignited behind him, causing him to jump. The mist was dispersing.

"Thanks Farrell. We ain't getting any luck destroying this mist."

"Tony, we can try again tomorrow night. Lets go back to HQ."

As the two unbolted the door, Darako immediately rushed into them.

"We have a letter. An invitation. Fancy that? Us, the lowest of the low, get invited to a secret fort!"

Tony snatched the letter and scanned it.

"This isn't fake. And trust me, I can sniff out a fake from a mile away."

Farrell quickly scanned the letter.

"It says we mustn't tell anyone. And it looks we have no choice, this could a be cry of help-"

"Or a trap!" Darako answered.

The trio had been instructed by the letter to go to a lonely field in Lumbridge. They did, but it wasn't exactly lonely. There was a farmer nearby.

"Now, we wait" Tony said.

There was suddenly a burst of light, and lightning appeared. It struck the field, as it set on fire. The trio ducked, and barely missed a bolt of lightning. The nearby farmer was sprawling in the mud, as it started to rain.

Then everything went blank for Tony, Farrell and Darako.

Some time later, they woke. Everything was white.

"Are we dead? In heaven?" Darako asked.

"People like us would go to hell" Farrell chuckled.

"You are very much alive!" a large voice boomed, making the three flinch.

Then the surroundings suddenly dimmed a bit, and the three could tell they were in a castle room. A white one.

"Where the hell are we? And who are you!"

Three winged beings approached them, out of nowhere. They were humanoid birds with armour and spears.

"Bird men?"

"We are Aviantese, to be correct. And I see you accepted our invitation. Welcome to Fort Avias!"

"Ok, we have millions of questions, but where is Fort Avias? I've never heard of it!"

"Tony de Fillo, we witnessed you months ago, fighting bravely against an evil monarch. I'm Lord Rax, leader of the Edicts of Armadyl. We are a highly secret organisation that defend the world from the sky we love."

"You're tellimg me that we are in the sky?"

"Yes. This is not a dream, a hallucination or a trick. Just look outside the window."

Tony and his companions crept cautiously to the window, and gasped. They were indeed high in the sky. They could see the whole of Misthalin and Asgarnia.

"But how-"

"Using the most powerful magic, Fort Avias floats in the sky. The fort itself can move all over the atmosphere, using even more magic. But being a fort, we are armed with mounted lava launchers point two. All Edicts are Aviantese, and we have never left this fort in centuries. Everyone else thinks we're extinct."

"Back at Lumbridge, there was a terrible thunderstorm, we black out and end up here!"

"Extreme weather has been happening a lot recently. We cannot explain it, but its definitely not godly magic. We have looked into it. Anyway, we conjured up a portal to appear at your location and suck you in. Your blacking out may be a result of the thunderstorm, but we don't know."

"What do you want with us?"

"Information and help. During the battle of Ardougne, we could only watch on, for we were barred from the fighting by a powerful enemy. This world is changing, and your experiences could help. And we may be able to help you in return."

Rax gestured at a nearby door, and it opened. Tony, Darako and Farrell walked through it and Rax followed. The door closed, and two Edicts guarded the door.

Some time later, they all emerged from the door.

"So the Red Mist is just millions of tiny insects that have developed a taste for flesh?" Farrell asked.

"Yes. I was tempted to resolve the situation myself, but destiny bars it. Only you, Darako and Farrell, are destined to stop the Red Mist from spreading all over the globe. Remember, they multiply and reproduce very quickly."

Darako and Farrell were lead to a portal, that lead to Varrock. They didn't want to go, but they had to.

"See ya Tony! We'll definitely see each other again, I hope" Darako grinned as he shook Tony's hand and jumped through the portal. Farrell saluted him, and followed suite. The portal then closed.

"You haven't been told what we want you to do, Tony" Gara squawked at him. Gara was the left-hand man of Rax.

"The Sea Life Army are on the rise Tony. They will soon attempt to wipe out humanity, flood Gielinor and rule in their place. As bad as humans are, it is still immoral and we can't intervene until their first proper attack. Your mission is to investigate their plans and thwart them. We may be able to provide help along the way."

Tony nodded in frustration, then he replied.

"My friend, Lobstorr, is a commander of that army. Why don't you give him this mission?"

"All destinies are read through the stars. They tell the truth, and Lobstorr's story may take an unexpected twist. Your name burns in the constellation of Guthix himself. Now go! Time is not on your side!"

Tony jumped through a nearby portal, and it closed on him.

"Gara, start making his obituary to Saradomin. His destiny will end quite violently, and thus saving the world..."

On the shores of Witchaven, there is a very strange being indeed. In the dead of night, he is nothing more than a shadow. But shadows can be deadly. Half metal, half shark. Sharkros rules the coast and the sea. His story is wrapped up in mystery, but all intelligence reports states he was an ordinary shark once until he met the Oracles of Zamorak. The clouds of mystery cover the next part. He doesn't have any legs, but a strange little travelling machine made of Dragon metal. He glides forward, only his machine part showing. The rest of him is shadowed and is nothing more but a silhouette.

"We were summoned to take part in the Battle of Ardougne, yet we did not come. For there is a much greater war to come, in which troops will be most important. But our crusade must continue, to awaken him. This is the will of Sharkros!" the shadowed figure barked at a sea slug-possessed human.

"Mother Mallum has a prisoner, the king of Falador. The plan must stretch forward, she says. Mother also says you are in possession of all rubium. Mother demands you destroy it!"

"Do not fear. I need the rubium for something else... for the awakening."

"Mother doesn't approve, but respects your decision, dark lord."

"And Gielinor will cease to spin, as the world is purged of all humans!" Sharkros cackled, and came into the candle light.