Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:27:29 GMT -7
Chapter 12
“The Elves are a peaceful species, but they weren’t always so. Thousands of years back they were a warlike people. But times have had them grow soft, and they are having to relearn what they once knew.”
Gedell waited outside the door, absently tapping his foot against the floor. Yari sat perched on his shoulder, preening her feathers. He projected his thoughts to her, a newly learned ability of his. Yari, you sure do love preening your feathers, don’t you? She answered with amusement. Of course, same way you love bathing and fresh clothes. Guess you got me there, Gedell admitted. He heard the door unlock and it opened. Yexes walked out, every inch an Elf. His bow and other weapons were gone and his former garments were gone as well. He now wore tight fitting pants in black; he wore a short tunic made of a cream colored cloth. He wore a jacket open at the front with sleeves reaching past his hands, covering them completely with its golden thread; the front ended at his waist and the back lowered to his calves. Around his waist he wore a silver silk wrap tied perfectly into the shape of a rabbit dashing to the side; it looked so real he felt he could reach out and pet it. Yexes looked over at him. “Gedell, they are waiting.” He gestured inside. Gedell walked in the door, Yexes following after him and closing the door. Inside was a large circular room with benches running its length. In the middle of the room was a lone chair facing away from the door. He walked forward and stepped next to the chair clasping his hands behind his back. Sitting on the benches around him were a multitude of Elves of every shape, gender, and form. Sitting apart from the rest of the Elves were two older Elves, he not tell their genders, nor could he guess their ages, but because of their thinning white hair he guessed they had to be extremely ancient. They motioned for him to sit in the chair, he did so. Yexes stood at his side, his posture firm, tall, and straight. He felt them stare quizzically at him; he could sense their boundless questions. The old Elf on the left spoke, she had a high voice. “You are Gedell?” Gedell cleared his throat, “Yes, I am.” “We have summoned you to this council because you are the only one here with any knowledge whatsoever of what befell Coarl. We would like you to relate anything you know to all of us here today.” Gedell prepared himself mentally, he cleared his throat. “Well, I was not at Coarl very long before it fell. I come from a small town called Kelec. I traveled to Coarl to gain an animal partner; I met with a man name Ross, and he trained me so I would be able to get a partner. I bonded Yari,” he gestured to the eagle on his shoulder, “and he was still with me. When large plumes of smoke started rising from Coarl, he said he had to go see what was wrong. He left and he got to the city after it had been destroyed.” An Elf raised his voice from out of the crowd, “How do ye know he arrived after the battle?” “Well, Yari was flying above the forest when he hadn’t returned and she saw him fleeing the city with two others. One was an Elf with silver hair, the other a friend of mine from Kelec. The friend was Wisthe, but I know not who the Elven woman was. When we discovered they were running in the opposite direction we decided to try and find a town nearby. We ran into Yexes, and then we were brought here to you. That is the whole of the story, more or less.” The Elven woman looked at Yexes, “Does he speak the truth?” “Of what I have knowledge of yes.” She looked at Yari; she stared for a moment, and then she spoke. “The Blacking Scarred Bird backs up his story; what he speaks is truthful and reliable.” The ancient Elf sitting next to her spoke. “Why have you come?” Gedell replied, “Because I had nowhere else to go.” “Are you sure?” “Um…yeah.” “I see.” The woman leaned in and listened to the old Elf for a moment, “He has spoken concerning you, Gedell of Kelec. The great oracle has declared the following prophecy.” She pointed to him. The old Elf stood, eyes glazed over with a milky white. “One man shall be the turning point of humanity and the free world itself. But others will have influence over the events that take their course over destiny and life. You, Gedell, are one of these persons. You shall have a duty, a duty to all those who value what you value. You must go to the northern continent, with only two companions. When ye go, ye must speak with the Elves there, ye must convince them that the time of the great gathering has come nigh, and that they must migrate to the location spoken of in the ancient tales. Ye, Gedell, are the sole proprietor of this duty; none may take this cup from you. You will leave on the morrow.” He sat down with a plop, his eyes closing. The woman stood, “The oracle has thus spoken, then shall it be. Gedell, who shall you take with you on your quest?” He thought for a moment, “I have no idea.” Yari projected him a private thought, I like Yexes, perhaps he can come? Calling someone by their name? That’s very unusual for you. The woman spoke up, “Then volunteers we will accept. Who will volunteer for this mission?” There was silence, Yexes spoke up. “I will go. I found him, he is now my responsibility.” “Anyone else wish to accompany them?” A young Elven woman stood up, “I will go.” “Crystal, you wish to go? Thus it has been decreed; the three shall set out tomorrow morn.” Everyone started getting up and leaving, the girl name Crystal walked down and stood with Yexes, Gedell got up and looked at her. She was relatively short for an Elf, with long raven black hair falling down to her mid-back. She had large green eyes that threatened to swallow his soul. She glanced at him, and then went back to talking to Yexes. “…will be great! Come on, you know you’ll love it.” She smiled, “Come on, admit it.” “You should not have volunteered; it is too dangerous for you to come.” “And that would deter me why?” “I should have known that wouldn’t do anything to change your mind.” Gedell coughed loudly, they looked over at him. Crystal held up her hand, “I’m Crystal, nice to meet you.” “Nice to meet you.” Gedell replied. He shook her hand and then let go. Her hand was softer than anything he had ever felt. I think I’m falling for her. Yari answered his rhetorical comment. You don’t think; you are. “Whatever.” Crystal stared at him, “What?” “Nothing.” “Fine then, shall we get going?” “Why?” She gestured around them; the room was almost completely empty of life. “That’s why.” “Alright,” he looked to Yexes, “Where do we go now?” “I will take you to my home; I have enough space for you to stay for a night or two.” “Thank you so much.” “Do not worry.” He turned and started walking, “Let’s get going.” They walked out of the room in a loose group; Yexes up front, Crystal next to him, and Gedell of to the side. They left the building and walked outside, they traveled down a dirt road for a while until they came to a medium sized home. He walked up to the door and pushed it open. “Be welcome in my home.” They went inside and he closed the door behind them. Gedell spoke up, “Why was it unlocked?” “Among us Elves we have no need for them. All among us are honest and trustworthy.” “Ahh…” He looked around the room. There were three doors, one on each wall; in the middle of the room was a table with two chairs surrounding it. Next to one of the doors was a row of cabinets, next to another a bookcase, and on the last was a cooking area with a fireplace. Crystal sat on one of the chairs and motioned for Gedell to follow suit. He sat down awkwardly. He saw a pack sitting in the corner of the room. “Hey, that’s my pack!” Yexes stood next to them, “Yes, they brought it over after replenishing the supplies inside. Now, are you two ready?” Crystal replied first, “Yep. Only need five minutes to pack.” Gedell went next, “I guess so, if you say they filled it I guess they did.” “Good.” He nodded. “Gedell, you take the door on your far left, the one next to the bookcase.” “Thank you.” Crystal stood up, “I’m going to bed.” She walked to one of the doors and went in. Gedell looked up at Yexes, “She lives here?” “Yes, me and her are very close.” “Oh…” He frowned, Guess that ruins my plans then. Yari consoled him. Don’t worry, there’s always a chance, another person. I guess so, you always know what to say. Thank you bonded. She rubbed her face against his cheek. “I’m tired as well, Gedell you get some rest before tomorrow.” “Alright.” Gedell stood up and went to the room he was given. He opened the door and went inside, tossing off his boots and setting Yari on the bed. She jumped over to the windowsill and sat down on it. Gedell flopped onto the bed and pulled his trousers off, throwing them to the floor. He got under the blankets and curled up, it was very cold. Been a very interesting day. Gedell thought. It has, and very helpful as well. Helpful? Gedell asked. Now I know what you need, you need a mate. A mate huh? Guess I do. He pondered that thought as he closed his eyes, and drifted off into a deep and blissful sleep.
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:27:47 GMT -7
Chapter 13
“In ancient times, the people of the planet lived in harmony, that is until the King of Darkness came, who crushed all resistance against him, for a thousand years, the land was in chaos, then three mages of the people rose up, and banished the evil king to a remote island far from the Free Realms, where he will remain until the day when he is challenged by the Chosen One.”
Wisthe stared at Kona; he still couldn’t believe he had bagged a wolf like him as a partner. They padded along the dirt road, following behind Arindölê and Ross. Small plumes of dust rose behind them, choking him as he walked by them. I wish I could talk to it, what would a wolf say about this turn of events? Would it be thrilled, or uncaring? He thought with annoyance. Unfortunately partners spoke little to none when first bonded; he was just going to have to wait a while. Arindölê turned her head and looked at him quizzically. “Are you two alright back there?” “Yeah, but I don’t see why I can’t have a ride.” “It’s not my fault your horse died. Deal with it.” Wisthe looked over at Ross. “Say something, you know her better than I do.” He just shook his head, “Sorry boy, I’m stayin’ out of this one; it’s all you.” “Thanks a lot.” “No problem.” He grinned. Wisthe snorted and deliberately turned his head in the opposite direction. They traveled in silence for much of the day, eating on the go, stopping occasionally to switch and let Wisthe ride and to water the horses. The day went on in this manner until the sun was starting to lower in the sky, having a blood red hue that spread across the horizon. They stopped and made camp, and yet again Wisthe was forced to do most of the manual labor because of Ross’ leg injury. Wisthe walked up next to Ross, getting a drink of water to quench his thirst. After a large gulp he returned the water skin to Ross and he packed it away. Wisthe sparked a conversation with a question. “Where are headed exactly?” “Elven battlegrounds, it’s the rendezvous for Arindölê, and since we are traveling with her that’s where we are going too.” “That the only reason?” “Not completely,” he blew his nose. “We’re going there because you are the Genesis Angel, and as such you need to go to those who have the most experience with that subject; and those who have the most experience are with the Elves. And with the Elves in a state of war we have no choice but to go where they meet. That is the other reason we are heading there.” “Guess that makes sense.” Wisthe brooded over the new information for a while, pondering its meaning and implications. They stopped for the night. They had a sparse stew for dinner, mostly broth because they hadn’t been able to find any game that day; so they had almost no meat left over. They would have found more meat but with Ross injured and Arindölê refusing to hurt an animal they had to rely solely on Wisthe, and he was a terrible hunter. After their meager meal they laid down for the night, sleeping deeply and with dreams of scarlet.
Large dragons flew past him, but he had no eyes for it, he had eyes only for the body lying on the ground in front of him. He screamed, letting his anger and despair take over his consciousness and control his every thought and action. He screamed, letting his emotions cloud his judgment. He jumped to his feet and grabbed a sword off the ground nearby, yelling a battle cry of pure instinct. He jumped out into the fray, swinging his sword with tears running down his cheeks in large streams. He downed enemy after enemy; he would have been proud if he had been even slightly coherent, but he wasn’t even close. Barely able to distinguish friend from foe, he grabbed an ally and pulled him away from a swing that would have ended his life. The man nodded and went back to his gruesome job with a grim determination. A bright flash crossed the sky and he fell to the ground, clutching his eyes in agony. He felt as if someone had stabbed his eyes with hot pokers. He stumbled to his feet, trying to feel around him for anything to use as a reference. His hands brushed a tree and he froze. He wasn’t in a forest; he was in the middle of a battle in the Shösha Desert. He opened his eyes and beheld a large forest of ancient redwood. He blinked his eyes hard, then stopping. Wait, his eyes had just been wounded in the battle. A thought crossed his mind, Battle, what battle? He pushed that thought out of his mind and jumped out of the way as a large arrow flew past his head in a large hiss. He grabbed a war hammer on the ground and hefted it up to a defensive position. Grabbing it with a heave he threw it at the unseen assailant. It crashed into a tree and the whole forest shattered, falling to the ground in panes of broken glass. The ground broke and he fell, floating in eternal blackness, a void devoid of noise. He looked to his right and saw a large globe of blue and brown and green, covered by white wisps. A moon circled around it in a constant pattern, he watched. The moon fell to the planet, crashing into it with a loud crash. Fire and flames spread across the surface like ripples on water. The planet shrunk, and imploded with a shockwave racing out after. He squeezed his eyes and heard the sound of falling water; he opened his eyes and saw a waterfall. He grabbed a large rock next to him and started banging it against the cliff face, rocks and pebbles falling down onto him. He ignored it and pounded with a determination greater than anything he had ever had before. He heard cries from inside and he pounded with greater speed and intensity. He had to get through! He broke through and stumbled into a large cave. Sitting in the middle of the cave was a corpse, he ran up to it, tears falling down his face. He picked it up in his arms and turned its face to him. A sob stopped in his throat, he screamed and dropped the body to the ground. He scratched his eyes and face, scrambling away from the pile of flesh before him. He fell to his back, and heard someone laughing maniacally. A deep voice came into his head. “How many babies does it take to paint a wall? Depends on how hard you throw them!” “Get out of my head!” He heard the laughter escalate in volume, but it sounded like it was going farther and farther away. He screamed and…
He woke up with sweat dripping down has back, face, and everywhere possible on his body. He wiped his forehead with the back of his arm and sighed, shivering. He got up and pulled on a fresh set of clothes, these ones dry and moderately clean. Ross stirred next to him and pushed himself to a sitting position. “What time is it?” Wisthe peered outside, “Early morning, time to get up.” The got up and cleaned up camp, getting back on the road. They traveled quickly today, making the person walking have to jog to keep up. Large clouds rose up ahead, storm clouds. As the day wore on they could see signs of passage. Trees cut, bushes crushed, piles of manure, and other things a large army would do while it was on the move. Towards midday they were able to see the army encampment up ahead. It was large and imposing, thousands of tents set into lines of canvas and leather. They arrived in the afternoon, a patrol greeting them as they got close. A tall Elven man walked to them and relayed a message. “Arindölê?” When he saw her nod he continued, “The council has need of you, this way.” He led them through the twists and turns of the camp. Fires and gambling corners abounded, large pots of water sitting in the middle of the camp. There were blacksmiths, tailors, armories, and everything a city would have. Woman stood around the camp, wearing extremely revealing clothing. They called out to the group but bothered somebody else when they noticed they weren’t paying attention. They stopped before a large tent, a large flag flying above it. They walked into the tent with a small announcement first. They let the flaps close behind them, swishing to a close. Arindölê walked up to a table surrounded my chairs, only some of them filled. One of the Elves gestured to Ross and he nodded. He walked up to Wisthe, “They need you to wait out front.” Wisthe nodded solemnly, “Figured that would happen.” He walked out in front of the tent and stood there bored. He waited for what seemed forever but was probably only seconds. He started to walk around, to do something. He bumped into something, he turned and looked. He looked directly into the eyes of a young woman. She was slim, not much in the way of a figure. She was wearing a slave’s outfit. She had medium length hair, falling down to her shoulders in straight rings. Wisthe apologized, “I’m sorry.” She bowed her head, looking at her feet. “No sir, I’m sorry. I’ll be more careful next time.” She turned and ran away from him, back the way she had come. He nodded, She’s cute. He tried opening his mind to talk to Kona, but he could only feel a faint bundle of emotions. They had left the wolf to roam and hunt, it hadn’t eaten much so they let it loose amongst the herds, with supervision of course. He heard a chair scraping and the tent opened. Ross poked his head out, “Wisthe, come in.” He went inside, following after him with a slow walk. A few more Elves and men were around the table, but not much more than before. He saw a few women mixed in as well, but most of them too old for him to care too much. He went and sat down at an open chair and collapsed with a sigh. The chair was cushioned and had arm rests on either side; it was heavenly to sit in a real chair again. A voice from behind him asked him if he wanted a cup of wine, he turned and he stopped. It was the girl from out front, when she recognized him she blushed and left a cup of wine next to him and walked away as quickly as she was able to without arousing suspicion. She closed the flap behind her, disappearing without a trace. Wisthe looked back at the table; they hadn’t noticed the small exchange. He shifted in his chair until he found a comfortable position, then he started listening to the conversation. An Elven man with graying hair was deliberating to those gathered. His voice was deep and gruff, odd in this society of perfectness. “…that is why we sent them up to the Northern Continent.” Arindölê pondered for a moment, “Did they go separately or did they go together?” “They went together; we didn’t want the humans to feel out of place so we put them together.” “That was wise, so when did they leave?” “They left early this morning, so they should be arriving in about two months, give or take.” “Did the humans know how long of a trip they were getting into?” Ross asked. “No, nor did they need to know.” “Alright. This is Wisthe.” “We know, we have foreseen it; boy stand.” Wisthe stood up, regretting having to leave the comfort of the chair. The elders looked at him. “Do you know why ye are here?” “Yes,” “Good, then this will be that much easier.” They stood up as if with one accord and looked at Wisthe, “Call in your wolf.” “Alright.” Wisthe opened his mind, and started one of the longest days of his life.
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:28:13 GMT -7
Chapter 14
“In the day of prophecy, the Elves shall fall. Within their set ways they will be unable to change, and that will be their ultimate doom, their final demise.”
Jaryd plodded along miserably, refusing to admit to his failure even to himself. Dark gray storm clouds hung ominously in the sky, a forewarning of the bad news he had to bring to those counting on him for their freedom and their lives. He couldn’t believe he had failed, he had been charged by all in power to complete his task and he had let them all down. He couldn’t believe the Wood Elves had declined to help them, not even willing to send supplies to the army. The dreary camp slowly came into view, and his sense of failure and despair grew larger and larger until it threatened to overwhelm him and bury him in its dark and icy depths. He brooded silently until he got to the first checkpoint. They let him pass without a word, they knew who he was. The other two checkpoints worked the same way, they saluted and let him pass; just one of the many benefits of being higher up in the army. He went to the large tent sitting in the middle of the camp, a large flag flying lazily above it. He walked to the front and pushed the flap back. He walked in and took in his surroundings; the table was large and dim lights flickered slowly. He cleared his throat and the Elves all turned to look at him. He mentally prepared himself and started his report. “I have gone and done as I have been ordered. I went to the Elves of the Wood; they received me with great kindness. Unfortunately they will not go to war with us against the emperor. The reason they gave was that they had need of all of their fighters to protect their borders. They have been plagued by creatures of the Eternal Dark, and they cannot spare any for our cause.” An ancient Elven woman spoke, “That is, unfortunate. We will have to search for help elsewhere, where could we turn in these times?” The oracle rose, he coughed loudly, the coughs rattling his small frame. “We have the help we need; it is in the form of the wolf.” Everyone started murmuring. Jaryd stood in confusion, wondering what in the hells they were talking about. He waited for the Elves to quiet down before speaking. “What do you mean? Who or what is the wolf you speak of?” The Elves stared at him in disbelief. “What do you mean you don’t know?” The oracle asked. “I honestly have no idea what you are talking about. Sorry if I’m supposed to know for some odd reason that I have no inkling about.” The oracle turned to Arindölê. “Arindölê, please explain to Jaryd the ancient prophecy given in the old days concerning the Genesis Angel.” “Yes oracle.” She stood and a calm expectancy permeated the air. Her voice was soft, mysterious, and prophetic. “Yea, and when the day foretold in nigh, many signs shall be on the horizon. And when that day is come, the great migration shall be at hand. The Elves, being puffed in their pride of spirit and heart shall be made to leave their ancestral home and find new places of residence, even against their will and wants, but will be for their need. And they shall resist, yea, even up to the wielding of weapons up against their neighbors. And when they bring up their weapons even one against another, their hearts shall be hardened against their brethren, yea, even those that would save them from that eternal black pit of despair and darkness that threatens to destroy them. And when the Elves betray that bond which was said would never be broken, one will come forth from the midst of their enemy and rise above that which he was able, and lay public the truth which was hidden among the dark depths of the evil secrets harbored within. And when he shall, they shall call him the Genesis Angel; one who will bring about destruction and life in one fell swoop of his hand. And they shall go against their brethren, even those that are with the Genesis Angel. And those transgressors shall rebel against the Genesis Angel, and they who have hardened hearts shall call him Alam, or devil. And they whom they call Alam, when comes forth then shall he rip asunder their security and they shall smite him open the cheek for it. He shall go and call upon the gods, yea, even the spirits themselves, and shall save the downtrodden Elves, even those that sought to destroy him out of spite. And many will trust him that had no feelings of kindness towards him in the beginning, even so if they put forth their faith. Then will they have him, even the one called Alam, go forth and clash with the land of darkness. His battle shall lead those faithful into the land of ultimate paradise and wonder, yea, even those who smote him shall be saved out of pity on his part. And when the great battle shall end, even then shall they smite him for their loss, thus saith I.” Arindölê stopped, took a deep breath, and sat down gingerly on her cushioned velvet chair. Jaryd looked at her with disbelief, “Do you mean to say that he is the Great Alam of Ismar?” “Who?” Arindölê asked. “We have a prophecy much like yours, I will speak it hence.” He raised his voice softly. “The Elves, the elder brethren, yea, even those who do dwell in the sky and the forests and the sea and all manner of places, yea, even shall they be torn one from another, even one brother from another. And they will care not. Yea, even as so much as they do fight amongst themselves, even then shall one not of them come forth and save them. And when the Elves betray that bond which was said would never be broken, one will come forth from the midst of their enemy and rise above that which he was able, and lay public the truth which was hidden among the dark depths of the evil secrets harbored within. And when he shall, they shall call him the Genesis Angel; one who will bring about destruction and life in one fell swoop of his hand. And they shall go against their brethren, even those that are with the Genesis Angel. And those transgressors shall rebel against the Genesis Angel, and they who have hardened hearts shall call him Alam, or devil. And they whom they call Alam, when comes forth then shall he rip asunder their security and they shall smite him open the cheek for it. And the one that shall come forth will be called Alam, come out of the land of Ismar. And when he comes forth the ones he saved, shall run from him like cats from water, and they will hearken not unto his words. Nor will they care for his actions, yea, even that which he did do to prove himself to them higher among them. And when he is done at the end of the day they shall call him Alam of Ismar, or Alam the great. And they that call him not Alam of Ismar, or Alam the great, shall be ripped to pieces by his fury and anger, yea, even unto the sundering of their flesh from their bones. And he will fight with them, even unto the shedding of life, even willing his own to sacrifice, and they will care not. Many who see him will laugh, and esteem him not. And when he shall go forth against the evil one, they shall care not for his sacrifice. And when the great fight and battle of Nogard is done, they shall banish him from their sacred and secret places.” He sat down, fatigued. An Elf stood, “You say that? The order was wrong Jaryd; this is how it really goes.” “The Elves, the elder brethren, yea, even those who do dwell in the sky and the forests and the sea and all manner of places, yea, even shall they be torn one from another, even one brother from another. And they will care not. Yea, even as so much as they do fight amongst themselves, even then shall one not of them come forth and save them. Many who see him will laugh, and esteem him not. And when he shall go forth against the evil one, they shall care not for his sacrifice. And when the Elves betray that bond which was said would never be broken, one will come forth from the midst of their enemy and rise above that which he was able, and lay public the truth which was hidden among the dark depths of the evil secrets harbored within. And when he shall, they shall call him the Genesis Angel; one who will bring about destruction and life in one fell swoop of his hand. And they shall go against their brethren, even those that are with the Genesis Angel. And those transgressors shall rebel against the Genesis Angel, and they who have hardened hearts shall call him Alam, or devil. And they whom they call Alam, when comes forth then shall he rip asunder their security and they shall smite him open the cheek for it. And he will fight with them, even unto the shedding of life, even willing his own to sacrifice, and they will care not. And the one that shall come forth will be called Alam, come out of the land of Ismar. And when he comes forth the ones he saved, shall run from him like cats from water, and they will hearken not unto his words. Nor will they care for his actions, yea, even that which he did do to prove himself to them higher among them. And when he is done at the end of the day they shall call him Alam of Ismar, or Alam the great. And they that call him not Alam of Ismar, or Alam the great, shall be ripped to pieces by his fury and anger, yea, even unto the sundering of their flesh from their bones. And when the great fight and battle of Nogard is done, they shall banish him from their sacred and secret places.” Jaryd stared at him, “You repeated the whole thing just for that? Man you are annoying.” “What?” “I said that you repeated the whole thing just for that? Man you are annoying!” “What?” “Oh heavens! What is wrong with you?” The man sat down, dumbfounded. “Figured that’s how you felt. Elf” Jaryd replied to the Elf’s silence. Jaryd spoke up against the silence, “Well whatever prophecy you use, you are correct about their being a Genesis Angel, or Alam of Ismar foretold. But what do you mean you have he who is spoken?” “We have found him,” whispered the oracle, softly conveying his message. “So you have found him?” “Yes.” “Has any of the third prophecy come to pass?” “No.” Arindölê interjected, “Fortunately not yet.” An Elf stood in the crowd, “The third prophecy? Do you mean the Psalm of Barl?” “Yes,” Jaryd said. “It goes as follows.” “After the Genesis Angel, the one foretold has come, the lord of darkness, the evil bane of shadow, shall be destroyed. But not all shall be safe, for when the dark lord has left these lands for all of eternity another, even worse, entity shall enter and threaten to ruin the lands even more so than the dark lord of the shadow. And when he shall fall, all shall know of a surety of what has been spoken, yea, even those that are nonbelievers shall believe in the Genesis Angel, and those that falsely called him Alam shall tremble in fear because of their dwindling faith and unbelief. Then shall the day come that the planet shall fall, or rise above heaven itself. And upon their unbelief shall their destruction be nigh, for they did believe not, and were thrown into that endless pit, yea, even that pit which is most abominable above all other pits.” The old Elf who had a different version earlier rose. “I have another one.” “Please no.” Jaryd said softly, groaning under his breath. “After the Genesis Angel, the one foretold has come, the lord of darkness, the evil bane of shadow, shall be destroyed. But not all shall be safe, for when the dark lord has left these lands for all of eternity another, even worse, entity shall enter and threaten to ruin the lands even more so than the dark lord of the shadow and those that falsely called him Alam shall tremble in fear because of their dwindling faith and unbelief. Then shall the day come that the planet shall fall, or rise above heaven itself. And upon their unbelief shall their destruction be nigh, for they did believe not, and were thrown into that endless pit, yea, even that pit which is most abominable above all other pits.” “Will you stop doing that?!” Jaryd yelled, his anger overwhelming him past concern of appearances. The Elf shrunk in on himself. Jaryd looked to the others and smiled, “Now, back to the topic at hand. Which of you has the location of the Genesis Angel?” The oracle looked at him with glazed eyes. “He is just a tent or two over, very close.” “What is he? A dwarf? Human? Elf? Duni?” “Human, if it so pleases you.” “What?” “I said he is a human, if it so pleases you.” “Sorry,” Jaryd replied, “I’m kind of out of it today.” “I understand.” “Will you bring hi…” A large horn bellowed in the air, its loud boom a shockwave sent across a sea of peaceful tranquility. The oracle fell to his seat, his face ashen white. He whispered softly, “It has come…” Arindölê looked at him in concern then looked at the gathered Elves. “What are you waiting for? Get to your squads and get them to their stations!” Everyone jumped up and ran out of the tent, the gentle fabric falling shut with a brush of fabric on fabric. Jaryd watched with alarm, What is happening? What should I do? He thought, trying to find out why the alarms were sounding. The oracle walked over to him, his voice dark and foreboding. “The time is here, we no longer have a choice on our allies.” His voice rose to a yell. “The time of the great migration has come! We must flee, flee for our lives! And for those that have no ears for running, they shall be slaughtered, even by those trying to help them!” He collapsed and fell to the ground in a pile of old flesh. He breathed loudly, but easily. Arindölê looked at the oracle with tears in her eyes and then walked over to Jaryd, grabbing him by the arm and yanking with a large strength. “Time to go.” “What about the oracle?” “There’s no time, leave him!” He followed her reluctantly with adrenaline pumping through his veins. They burst out of the interior of their tent into the bustling corridors of the other tents. People were shouting and running wildly, like they had no experience in a real fight; most of them didn’t. In the years following the banishment of the dark emperor, all battles had ceased and peace returned. Over the centuries the Elves had slowly lost all anger and fighting ability, until they had become a peaceful society. When the small tendrils of the dark and evil one had spread back into the world they had tried to organize into militaristic groups, but after so long they had lost the ability to do so. The wind rushed by ferociously; ripping, grabbing, and tearing at anything that moved like a starving wildcat. Tents were blowing over and were being tossed into the air. The animals were in an uproar, bolting and scurrying in every direction. A few odd people here and there were trying to recover the animals but were having no success. Rain was falling in thick wet sheets, leaving a glimmering sheen over everything that the eye could see. With the wind blowing so hard, the rain felt like individual pebbles slamming into him at supernatural speeds that caused him pain and discomfort. He was pulled by Arindölê and he followed her again. He tripped, but was able to regain his balance before falling to the ground. He drew his sword, uselessly trying to clasp it in his hands loosely but having his knuckles white with pressure instead. His short length sword gleamed in the light, the length of the rapier glowing white and blue with reflected light. He had bought it years ago when he had first become a general, it was the best he had been able to buy, one of the most expensive available too. He had been using it ever since then. Some people considered it impractical because of its size but he found he had better luck using it than any other sword he had ever tried. Jaryd yelled a curse as a dog ran in front of him, nearly sending him to the ground. He and Arindölê continued on, ignoring all. When they reached the edge of the camp both stopped in surprise. Thousands upon thousands of the Eternal Dark were demolishing the outer barricades like they were made of sticks and not solid wooden logs strengthened by stone centers. Men rushed to the walls but the beasts broke in before any solid lines or groups were able to be formed. The world slowed to a standstill before him that was devoid of all sound and noise. He could tell that distantly, as if in another world, Arindölê was pulling at his sleeve to move him; but he couldn’t move even if he wished to. He watched the army, as if out of his body, and could see the clashes that were resounding, but he could not hear them. Unlike most young men and boys thought, the lines were scattered and more like individual pockets of fighting rather than the clear lines and forms that were practiced by the soldiers and commanders. Jaryd briefly remembered his time as a new recruit in the army. He had been extremely naïve, and that was why he had lost her. After she was gone he had devoted his life to his training and as such had risen quickly through the hierarchy. It wasn’t so much that he was talented, he just happened to last longer than anyone else and as a direct result gained enough of the experience that all of the others had lacked. Or maybe he was just lucky; either way he had no idea. He quickly came out of his memories and back into the out-of-body trance. The entire battlefield was now just a tangled mess of blood and steel. The only way you could tell friend from foe was the fact that the Eternal Dark were grotesque monsters made of pure evil that disgusted the eyes. Many tried to get into formations many times but all who tried were immediately cut down or pushed back; the army just hadn’t trained in using those formations under such intense circumstances. Whereas in the training they had time to form today had been a surprise attack giving no one the time to do what they were taught. In short an army that had seemed so strong just moments before was now being massacred like they were untrained children. Using a mental tally taken earlier that day, Jaryd surmised that over half of the army had been decimated. He saw a small band brake off from the brawl and head to two small humanoid shapes. He realized with a shock that the two shapes were him and Arindölê. He desperately willed himself to his body, but to no avail, he was still stuck in this state he was currently in. He watched as Arindölê try to drag him from where he was standing but he was unmoving. She groaned and pulled out her bow and strung it quickly and deftly. She knocked an arrow and loosed it. He watched her arrow whistle through the air, straight into the head of the lead Eternal Dark. It fell to the earth like a sack, but all of the Eternal Dark behind jumped over the fallen body easily and without effort. He watched with horror as Arindölê dropped her bow and drew an Elven Alūr, a sword that was long with a slight curve that sharpened itself when used; they were extremely rare and expensive. Where she had got one he didn’t know, but if she thought that the situation merited the use of the weapon then they were both in deep trouble. He watched as she kicked him to the ground and he felt rocks digging into his side; why could he feel what was happening but do nothing to stop it? He turned his attention back to the Eternal Dark. Arindölê stood at the ready, her sword arm in position her body in a high level stance. The Eternal Dark crashed into her, their claws and talons tearing at her flesh. She continuously cut down creature after creature, blood running in thick streams past her feet. Her body was battered and she had wounds all over, many serious if not treated immediately; but still she fought on. With his overhead view Jaryd watched in helpless despair as he saw that hundreds of the Eternal Dark were running towards Arindölê; she might not survive. Movement behind her caught his attention. A smaller Eternal Dark was creeping up behind her. He tried to yell out but he was still not in control. The creature closest lunged; but with an intense horror he watched as it reached out with a small bladelike hand and plunged it into his chest above his heart. Immediately he felt himself pulled back into his body with an intense shock. As soon as he reentered his body he screamed; he screamed a scream so filled with pain and anguish that Arindölê turned to him and rushed to his side, slaying the dark beast next to him. He gasped for breath, trying to draw precious oxygen into his lungs. All that came was blood and as a result he was unable to breathe. As he tried to figure out why his breathing was out of sync, his mind focused on one thought. The blade mush have angled down and pierced my lung. Arindölê continued fighting above him, striving to protect them both. He could hear her faintly swearing and chanting in the Elven language through deep breaths interspersed with yells and grunts. Immense gratitude filled him, but only briefly, as the pain racking his body overtook everything else until he was oblivious to everything. He lied in painful darkness for what felt like hours but he knew very little time had passed because he could still hear the fighting above him; but the sounds of the real world were but a side note in his consciousness overflowing with the negative emotions and senses. He experienced pain, sadness, sorrow, hurt, injustice, and even more that no man, Elf, or Dwarf can name or identify. He wallowed in that endless night for eternities on end, the pain consuming his entire soul and being. All of a sudden he realized that the sounds of battle had stopped. Hands gripped him and moved him from his spot on the ground. Jaryd felt flakes of dried and caked blood crack and fall off so he must have been lying on the ground for some time. He tried to ask what was happening but all that came out was blood and a low groan. His eyesight was still gone so he didn’t know if his eyes were open or closed. Disjointed voices floated from above, but he was u unable to comprehend their words through his pain. He concentrated and forced himself to hear the words being spoken above him. It was a heated discussion between two people. “…needs to be…” “…can’t do that!” “…only way.” Jaryd realized that they were arguing about him. With that realization came the sudden awareness that his eyesight was starting to return, he could see general shapes but they were fuzzy and gray. With every movement of the shapes above him he felt pain and sharp cuts. He endured them over and over again; his vision never getting better. After he had endured the pain so long that it had become an old friend he realized that his existence in that horrible realm was never going to end.
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:28:35 GMT -7
Chapter 15
“A bonded pair, once they are met together, are paired for eternity. If a pair is ever split, they are no longer a whole being. And if ever a partner in a pair is killed, the other shall be kept in an eternal darkness.”
She flew through the air, her hair fluttering in the breeze generated by the speed of their flight. Jade held on tightly while Atra lanced through the clouds pumping his wings in large rolling motions. They had been fleeing for hours now, as far away from Malin and his treachery as they could get. Sweat and tears had frozen on her face; but she didn’t dare let go of the saddle to wipe them away. Even though Atra was now large enough to carry her during sustained flight, she had only flown once before with a senior instructor before the massacre had killed them all, so she had no experience whatsoever. The rhythmic flapping that had accompanied the last few hours of her life stopped and she looked up from her cowered position. Atra was holding his wings out and was gliding down gently to the ground. “What’s going on?” She asked, curious as to why they were landing. “Why are we going down?” I am tiring, and I need to rest and hunt, he answered. I am sure that you need both as well. “I’m sure about that too; my back is starting to kill me.” I am only thinking about your welfare, safety, and health. “Yeah, sure.” She smiled. Atra laughed in his own peculiar way in response. Their landing was amateurish and clumsy, but both were able to land unharmed. Jade fell to the ground in relief and felt a measure of comfort return to her. She sat up and stretched; aches and pains flared all over her body after being cramped in one position for so long. She rubbed her legs, trying to massage the feeling back into them. She felt a sharp pain and pulled her hand back quickly. Her hands were raw and bleeding, she must not have noticed earlier because of the adrenaline and the cold of the atmosphere during their flight. You are hurt, your skin is gone, because of my hard scales, I am sorry. Atra said his voice full of genuine concern. “It wasn’t your fault; it was mine. I should have remembered all of that studying and all of those classes; it’s completely my fault.” That may be, but it doesn’t change the fact that you can’t use your hands at all. “That’s true. You’re practical, as always.” One of us needs to be. “Yeah.” First thing we need to do is find you shelter and then get your hands bandaged. “But how?” By taking anything around you. I’ll help, but you need to do most of it on our own, I am too big to do much. “Yeah, thanks.” Jade sighed, and took a look around her, trying to soak in all of the individual details and every other little piece of information she could possibly see or hear. Large trees surrounded her on all sides, like a pack of wolves circling their prey. They were large pines and oak, old and gnarled from extreme age. This was the old part of the forest. She crawled over to a log and leaned against it, glad to relieve her back of all pressure because of the pain it caused. Atra stood nearby, licking the dirt off of his claws. Jade thought it comical, but didn’t see the point in laughing or pointing it out. Atra dropped her bag next to her, she thanked him. She opened the bag and started digging through it methodically; seeing what she had with her to survive off of. There wasn’t much; a single loaf of bread, a spare tunic, and lastly a cloak. She ripped the tunic into long strips with the help of Atra’s claws, wrapping them around her hands and her thighs to staunch the steady bleeding. She felt something spatter against her head and she looked up. Large raindrops were beginning to fall out of the sky. She cursed and speedily donned the cloak, quickly standing up while doing so. The rain fell in droves, immediately soaking through her cloak and clothes. She was completely drenched, not a single spot on her body dry. Atra stretched one of his wings over her, diverting the water away from her. “Thanks…” No worry. Water does not bother me like it does you. “Alright.” She curled up into a ball and snuggled up close to Atra’s warm belly. She closed her eyes, and quickly fell asleep.
Jade opened her eyes and yawned, stretching her arms and legs. Atra lay next to her, his wings drawn in to his side. He had kept her dry and warm all night long; through rain and wind until both had ceased. Her stomach grumbled painfully and she slowly got up from her sitting position. She grabbed some bread out of her bag and examined it closely. Mold covered it like a blanket, and water had made it wet and soggy; she threw it to the ground in disgust. Her stomach complained again, so she dumped the contents of her bag onto the ground. She searched the pile until she gave up with a sigh. There was not any food left, not even a crumb. Atra stirred and she turned to him. He lazily opened his eyes and spoke to her. What are you looking for? “Food, not that it did us any good because we’re all out.” That’s not a problem. He rose to his feet; I can hunt for both of us. “Are you sure?” Do I look or sound unsure to you? She looked at him and shook her head. “No…” Then I will go while you bandage your wounds on your hands and legs. “Fine, but don’t be too long.” I shant be long, the animals here won’t be accustomed to dragons so it will be easy to catch them. “Alright.” Atra stretched out his large wings and flapped them down with great powerful sweeps, until his body was lifted off the ground. He flew into the sky and out of sight behind the clouds. Jade gingerly took her bandages off, throwing them into a bloody pile near her. She ripped up her spare pair of pants and wrapped them around her raw flesh. She winced as she tightened them and tied them together. When she was done she sat against a tree and closed her eyes. She woke a few hours later, Atra lying in front of her, a bloody doe in his claws. He pushed the deer over to her and started licking his claws, much like a cat or dog. She gagged, the blood and gore of the animal upset her greatly. She felt bile rising in her throat so she ran to the nearest patch of bushes. She vomited seconds later; she felt that she vomited up every bit of food she had ever eaten. She stayed in the bushes until she felt better. She wiped her mouth and stood up; she walked and sat next to Atra. Jade realized that tears were streaming down her face. She tried to hold them back but when she again caught sight of the deer she lost all control. Her body shook with tears and she felt the full weight of her situation crash down on her. She cried for hours on end.
Jade ripped hungrily into the greasy meat, tearing at the fatty flesh. After getting over her initial uneasiness she had gone grimly into her task. She had cleaned, gutted, and cooked the deer; giving what was left to Atra who gulped it down lazily. She ate and ate until her stomach bulged and she couldn’t eat another bite. She wrapped up the remainder of the meat and put it into her bag, shoving it deep down. Atra’s long neck suddenly shot up and he leapt to his feet. Jade turned her head over to him. “What’s wrong?” I sense a group of riders approaching. “Where from?” she spread her arms to either side. “We’re in a forest.” He stepped closer to her. Not riders of land beasts, but of the air. Jade put her arms to her sides. “You mean dragons?” Most likely. A worried expression fell onto her face. She jumped to her feet and immediately started gathering anything and everything. Atra lowered himself so Jade would be able to mount quickly. You better hurry, they are about forty wingspans away. Jade leaped onto the small dip near Atra’s wings and settled in, grabbing onto a spike for balance. She could feel the chafing of her raw hands, but adrenaline kept the pain at bay. Atra launched them into the air, the force of their speed flattening bushes and trees beneath them. They sped away from the shadows that were growing steadily on the horizon. Many leagues scrolled by beneath then, but they were still flying too slowly to escape the shadows. Jade turned her head around, realizing with a shock that dozens of dragons were right on their tail. She urged Atra onward, to go faster; they didn’t speed up. Jade yelled as loud as she could, “What’s wrong, why aren’t we going faster?” I can’t, Atra replied. Since I am not yet fully grown I cannot fill my fullest potential. “Then what are we supposed to do? They’re gaining on us!” The only action, other than running, that comes to mind is something I highly advise against. “And what is that?!” To turn and fight. Jade thought over it for only a split-second before deciding what to do. “We can’t fight, no matter how much I may want to, we would be crushed if we tried.” I know. Atra said. “Then what are we going to do?” We’ll just…HOLD ON!!! Atra performed a flip, narrowly dodging a large ball of fire. Jade held on tightly, only just barely able to keep from falling off her perch on Atra’s back. Atra leveled out, adjusting his wings to compensate for the wind. We need to watch for those attacks, but I can’t watch where we’re going and where we’ve been; I need your help. “But what can I do?” Jade replied. Watch behind us and tell me when they attack. “Alright, I’ll try.” No, there is no try. Do, or don’t; but do not try. “Why does that sound so familiar?” I heard it once. “From where?” Don’t remember. “Fine, don’t tell me.” Start watching. “Okay.” Jade focused her attention back onto the riders. They were about a dozen strong, with a splattering of reds, blues, and blacks. A single rider was on each dragon, one with two. She was unable to see any of their faces because of their garb to protect against the windy cold. One of them pulled out a large crossbow and loaded it up. He fired the bolt, it shot at them. Jade gave a warning to Atra and he dropped altitude immediately. He didn’t drop fast enough however, and they were unable to dodge the bolt. The bolt plunged into her side, just below her ribs. She screamed loudly, Atra turned his head in alarm; when he saw her injured he roared loudly, but continued to fly forward. He continued to turn back to check on her, his attention wandering away from the chase. Jade saw a large ball of fire fly towards them, she tried to speak out to warn Atra but only blood came out. The ball of fire ripped through his wing, throwing it instantly into flame. He bellowed in pain and agony and started plummeting down to earth. He crashed with a large explosion of dirt.
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Varha
Troubador
Posts: 61
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Post by Varha on Aug 24, 2011 19:28:56 GMT -7
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