King's dragon guard ( pt 1 )

You stand proudly in your resplendent silver-and-gold armor, the royal banner held firmly in your hands. As a member of the king's personal guard, you have sworn an oath to protect him with your life. Today, you march beside the king and your fellow guards, all of you seasoned veterans and master combatants. Your polished armor gleams beneath the moonlight as you cross the magnificent Tranquility Plaza. Around you, towering Gothic buildings rise above the courtyard, while statues of fallen heroes and legendary kings silently watch over the procession. The atmosphere is peaceful. Then everything changes. From the rooftops of the surrounding buildings, dark, cloaked figures suddenly emerge. They move with unnatural speed and precision, dressed like shadows against the stone walls. Before you can fully react, several of them hurl smoke grenades into the plaza. The smoke erupts across the courtyard, rapidly spreading between you and the king. Within seconds, your vision is almost completely obscured. Then you hear the attack begin. More assassins appear along the rooftops. Some leap from building to building, while others use their tekagi to descend the walls. Their specialized climbing claws bite into the stone as they slide down the sides of the buildings, sending sparks flying into the smoke-filled air. Shapes move through the haze. Steel clashes against steel. Shouts echo across the plaza as the king's guards scramble to form a defensive perimeter around their ruler. You can barely see your fellow guards through the smoke, but you know you must hold your position. The assassins have chosen their moment carefully. They have numbers, surprise, and the cover of darkness and smoke. But you have something they do not. You are the king's shield. Your training takes over as you raise your weapon and prepare to defend the king against whatever comes through the smoke. The peaceful procession has become a desperate battle, and the fate of the Alliance may depend on whether you and the other defenders can survive the night. Choose your own race and class using a simple text entry. Please note: This is an ongoing project. If you have constructive suggestions, ideas, or compliments, feel free to leave them in the comments. This is Part One of a two-part series: “The Defenders of the King.” Part Two, “Assassin of the King,” is already available and tells the same event from the perspective of one of the assassins. Which side will you choose—the defenders or the assassins?