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Thread: Redemption

  1. #1
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    Redemption

    "Why?"

    The words whispered through the rythm of the falling rain. The man stood still his eyes dark, his face worn with strain. So much blood, so much pain. So much he had shouldered. And why? Because he was Deshein? The chosen? What god would choose a single soul to shoulder the pain of an entire people.

    "You know why I go." he whispered calmly still not looking up into those warm frightened blue eyes he had fallen in love with. He was afraid, afraid to see the tears streaming down her cheeks mixing with the dampening drizzle that soaked both of them during their tearful goodbye. For even he knew, he Drice Malehn, Deishein, destroyer of armies, the shadow of Death, knew his fate. And his fate would not last the night. As if in echo to his thoughts the thunder rumbled.

    "Maybe it's selfish...I don't care anymore. Its not fair they take you away from me just once let them fight their own battle. Just once let someone else carry the weight!" Tears were streaming down her face now, he didn't need to see them, he could feel them with his senses. Just as he could feel her shivering in the cold, and the small heart beating within her.

    Reaching out he pulled her to him in an embrace holding her in silence as she wept. She too understood. He wasn't coming back. He was out of time, out of miracles. He wanted to leave this place, take her with him but he knew, he realized now just what the curse was. Deishein. The worlds balance, the gift, his curse. As long as he lived there would always be another fight. Maybe after this she would have peace. His child would have a world of peace to grow in, unlike the war torn one he helped create.

    "Blood drips from my soul." he whispered. "So many lives I have taken, so many lives I could not save. Death is all that I have known, death and pain. But you my sweet, you gave me a brief glimpse of life and how it is supposed to be, you have given me nothing but happiness." He longed to lie to her, to tell her he would return but the words stuck in his throat. "Thank you. Thank you for loving me as much as I have loved you."

    "Damn them to hell. Damn them you come back to me. Come back to us Drice. Promise me you will come back!"

    Pulling away he looked down unable to meet her eyes.

    "Promise me!" she demanded.

    "I love you..." he whispered as he wrapped the cloak of shadows around him and vanished into the rain.

    "Damn them all..." she whispered the empty night. "...none of them deserved you Drice."
    _______

    "He is late..." the voice grumbled.

    Kirnt shrugged checking his blade for the hundredth time since arriving at the meeting place. In truth he was nervous, fear poured through him only held in check by the magnitude of the duty laid before him. The howling winds screamed at him pulling his cloak and threatening to knock him down. Far above on the Darjin plateau awaited their enemy. A demon cloaked in the skin of man, the madness bled from him.

    He was a shadow knight, just as Garrett the older man was Master he could use the shadows around him, gathering them and using their power. But where he existed between the realms of light and dark, the creature awaiting them was seething in darkness. There was no light in him, only pain and death. Doruk, a corrupted soul whose only purpose was to kill destroy had challenged his master Drice this very evening.

    It had only been a few years since the conclusion of the Shadow Wars and peace was still new to the reformed three kingdoms, so much so that he could not remember the last time he trembled in battle. But he knew, as did Garrett beside him just how much power awaited them up there. Even with their aid, the out come of this battle was far from decided. If anything there chances for success were unfathomably low.

    "It is always like him to be late when things must be done." Garrett growled again. Tension in his eyes betrayed the calmness that he tried to project and Kirnt shook his head. Years ago he had matched blades with Garrett in battle and had quickly been put in his proper place. Of the three going into battle he was by far the weakest and if Garrett was this worried then maybe there was no hope. Maybe they were all dead men. No a dozen times he had witnessed his Master fight a so called losing battle only to steal victory away. Drice would have a plan.

    "Patience Master Garrett. I am sure he had something important to do before he came just like you had to say your peace to Valerian?"

    The older man grumbled something and Kirnt tried to ignore him. Inwardly he seathed. During the war Drice had been forced to do everything at a significant cost, he himself had lost his twin brother during the fighting. Garrett had lost nothing, in fact the older man had gained everything during the war. A wife, power, an unearned hero status from the people of the Three Kingdoms. It was enough to make him angry. Yet next to Drice he was the most powerful person in the kingdom and without him there would be no defeating Doruk.

    The light shimmered before them as Drice appeared from the shadows. For a brief moment Kirnt thought he saw his fingers tremble.

    Drice strode forward purposefully his fingers pulling back his hood to allow his green hair to breath in the night. "My friends, I know of no one I would rather have fight at my side at a time like this." He smiled genuinely. He has a plan, Kirnt thought.

    Drice moved forward his fingers delicately resting on the hilt of twin blades at his side. "We have all been through so much together. It is only fitting that this has come." He looked down into the valley at sleeping kingdom that rested beneath the veil of the storm, unknowing that in momemts their future would be decided in battle without any concent from them. As Drice turned back there was something in his eyes that gave Kirnt pause. A michevious look mixed with a calm purpose. He took another step towards Garrett and placed his left hand on his shoulder.

    "We have been brothers for so long. From the moment you found and took pity on this clumsy child to crossing our blades on the palace steps. I have always trusted you..." he grew silent his lips twitched. as he whispered. "..and i hope that you still do. Grow old my brother, grow old." without warning he unsheathed his right blade and slammed the hilt into the Garretts gut with a wince he went down. With a quick slash he crashed the flat end of the blade down on his head rendering him unconsious.

    Kirnt struggled to his feet unsure of what was happening. "Master..."

    "Silence." Drice whispered. He licked his lips as he sheathed his blades. A longing in his eyes. "You should understand the curse and what must be done. As long as I breath another Doruk will always come to challenge me and endanger those I care about."

    "Then we will fight them together."

    "No...no more." his master whispered. "I have had peace these last four years. A precious gift. But one that I must pass down. I entrust the rest to you Kirnt. Master Kirnt..." he laughed as he paused. "...protect them i entrust my family to you." He glanced down at the unconsious man. "You will have to be strong Kirnt but I believe you are capable of taking my place. Trust those I call friend, and be wary of those I call brother."

    "Master..."

    "Take him and go. Live a long life my friend. The rest is on you." He unsheated his right blade and tossed it at Kirnt's feet. "Give it to her when the time is right. Farewell..."
    _____

    "So you have finally come." the hint of madness seeped from the words as Drice appeared on the plateau.

    He glanced at the man before him. Men...they were all still young. He was only in his mid twenties. When one accepts his death and becomes one with it, then they will no longer be held by fear and action can be taken. His masters words from years past echoed in his mind. He was the shadow of death, he was death in itself. Death was merely a release from the pain of life. Or so he had been taught. But these last few years were anything but painful.

    Drice had never been big. He was of average height and stature. He had always been the runt the outcast. Until the days his powers came into being, until the day he had taken his fate in his hands and wrapped himself in the darkness. Doruk was a lost child lost within the madness known as the hunger. A little known weakness of the shadow knights and one that led to dementia and pure madness on those unable to break its hold. Whispered thought cried through his mind as he wrapped himself in the shadows, words of how to kill of who to kill. Death was on all their lips he ignored them and reached deep within to the pool of darkness that was his own power.

    "You hate me Doruk, but I pity you. You have lost so much, you have lost the chance for any happiness for any love. For that reason, I will release your pain." Drice whispered. "For threatening those I love..." he hissed as the power seared through him, "...I promise I will make it painful and will listen to you beg for mercy you shall never receive."

    He did not draw his remaining blade instead he focused that power that flowed within him. He reached in and grabbed even more until it was like an ocean emptying within him. His mind worked feverishly as the whispering voices grew to shouts as his body trembled and sweat poured off of him. Tying off the last of the power he slammed the dome of shadows in place keeping Doruk from leaving.

    "I am sorry..." he whispered. "...but if I had let you all come you would have died as well. One life...not three."

    A black ball appeared in between them as Doruk inched closer. With a cry of rage the demon charged as the ball swirled growing darker and more compact. Just as the blade came down tasting flesh Drice smiled. "Final Judgement" he whispered. The ball exploded, black tendrils of power flashing out destroying everything they touched.

    "I love you Cailey...Ari.." his words vanished as his body was overtaken by the light.
    ______

    Her legs gave way as she hit the ground. He was gone. She could no longer feel him. Drice, her Drice was gone...

  2. #2
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    From the low farmlands of Revel, to the magical elven lands of Arantol and down into the deep majestic forests of Denia it was festival time. Twenty years had gone by since the end of the Shadow Wars, when the three kingdoms had become one. Sixteen years had gone by since the great hero Drice Malehn had walked off into the darkness and never returned. In the capital city Denia surrounded by a rich forest the festival was gearing for full swing.

    People came from near and far to celebrate. Little did they know that darkness was on the horizon, but for now the celebration was to commence...

  3. #3
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    Wack...wack...wack.

    The sharp cries of the wooden blades echoed through the forest. She breathed trying to shake the pain from the growing welt on her left arm from where her defenses hadn't been fast enough. How was he so quick? They had spared a thousand times and each time had left her with numb fingers and welts and bruises, he especially enjoyed placing them in rahter uncomfortable places. Like her bottom.

    This time would be different she would not lose. Focusing as she had been taught she sought the calm within herself opening her senses and allowing her internal insticts to guide her rather then fight them. The leaves swirled in the wind, she ducked the wooden blade dashing through her hair. Again he struck and again. The blades cried out in tune his attack was relentless and perfect, not so much as a hint of an opening for her to exploit. It was all she could do to defend.

    Her eyes widened as her foot caught in a root the wooden blade came forth unblocked as darkness and pain exploded in her eyes as it made contact with her temple. With a thud the young girl crashed to the floor in an unconsious heap...
    _____

    Voices stirred her from her sleep. She tried to blink open her eyes but her head felt like it would explode through the effort.

    "I asked you to be careful with her." a very powerful yet femine voice whispered. Her mother was protective, overly so. But then how she was supposed to explain that the practice had been her idea?

    "You coddle her to much Cailey. Let her sprout her wings as once you did. She will be fine your own healing efforts saw to it. She has improved over the last year."

    "Why are you doing this Kirnt?"

    The man shrugged a grin playing at his lips. "So will you finally take her to the city? It is the twentieth anniversary of the Battle of Denia the conclusion of the shadow wars and the founding of the Three Kingdoms. As a hero you should be in attendance."

    Her mother a hero? The quiet yet forceful woman that lived alone with her out in these woods.

    "I was a different person then."

    "Redemption is possible for us all." Kirnt whispered placing his hand on hers. "You should come I have a feeling you wont be disapointed.

  4. #4
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    Silmond rode into the city of Denia after days of riding in nothing but woodland and small towns and even longer time of living as a hermit, civilisation was a sight for sore eyes. He patted his dappled mounts neck and leaned forward to whisper in her ear "Sratha be calm, no kicking there are crowds you could hurt someone." He new she couldn't understand him, not really as a human would but she would know the meaning of the words.

    He supposed he might be slightly mad after living alone for almost twenty years. But to retain your sanity you soon find yourself talking to your animals. Especially the older ones that almost seem family, after all he had bought Sratha a year before he went into seclusion. He soon found his way to the inn that was his old haunt before he left he dismounted and tied the reins to a hitching pole. He read the sign hanging over the inns door depicting a man holding a candle in a black background for those who couldn't read "the light in the darkness" it read.

    He stood at the door and took a deep breath readying him self to face his past he had so desperately tried to escape, after twenty years the old innkeeper would have thought him dead. He pushed open the door and stepped inside. He looked around the room it was the same as he remembered, saw the old man standing behind the bar.

    Would the man be happy to see him or bring down his wrath upon Silmond, the man who left his daughter when she was six months with child. Face the past it was high time he reminded himself. He slowly walked over to the bar he took a seat on one of the stools in front of the bar and pulled the brim of his straw hat down. "The usual thanks" he said to the innkeeper.
    "I'm sorry but I don't know what that is." Replied the innkeeper
    "What has your memory failed you I only patronized your inn for 5 years?." Lifting his head to show his face he smiled mischeviously.

    "R-right away" he was shaking nervously as he poured the drink he probably though Silmond was a ghost he had always been a superstious man "is it really you, why come back now?" asked the old innkeeper
    "I felt it was time to redem myself."
    "Well your too late just now, just leave!"commanded the innkeeper his face contorting in rage, he slammed his hand down on the bar.
    "But what about my drink."
    "You can keep the glass for all I care now leave!"
    Swallowing the reat of the drink he placed the glass on the bar. "Ok I'm going no need to cause a fuss." he reached into his coin purse and drew out several Crowns "Give these good men a round on me will you."
    The innkeeper took the money and nodded and swallowed hard, obvoiusly expecting Silmond to yell back but that Silmond was a completely different person back then. Silmond turned and walked out the doors without looking back.

    As the doors closed on him he heard voices and laugther spring up again. What did the man mean too late? Was she dead? What of the baby? Well he or she wouldn't be a baby now it would be nearly twenty. Not having time to think over these things properly and he need to rest so his brain would process the information better, he put his thoughts aside and worried about where he was to sleep tonight. Since every inn in town would be full to the brim with people visiting for the upconing festival.

    He walked into another inn across the road and up to the Innkeeper and asked "Do you have any free rooms?"
    "No I'm sorry we don't were full" said the innkeeper.
    Opening his coinpurse he upended his coinpurse into the man's hand's "what about now?" he asked
    "Why certainly, my lord" a wide smile broke out on his face "I shall have a free room in about ten minutes."
    "Also I need somewhere for my horse to stay." Silmond told him
    "Round the back" replied the innkeeper.
    "Thank you." he stepped back outside and retrieved his horse from the other side of the road and lead her to the stables.

    He put her in an empty stall and walked back to the inn where he bought a jug of ale, and moved over to a table in the corner of the room to wait for the innkeeper to return.
    Last edited by zedpcee; 18-09-2009 at 13:29.

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    The breeze swirled the leaves away as the two riders moved slowly down the main road. Her body tingled with excitement, the soft melody of the rain drops pattering on the grass running down her hood that thankfully kept her dry. Her mother led the way her white hood pulled over her face, and yet she remained perfectly dry. Never did a drop of water touch her.

    Arieko always knew that her mother posessed magic but she had not seen or learned the trick and if not for the chance to see the city for the first time she might press her. However she did not want to risk angering her mother any further. It had been a lenghty and heated discussion while she pretended sleep. Some how though her uncle had convinced her mother of the importance of the festival and the chance for Arieko to see it.

    As the road crested the ridge the great forest parted, her breath caught in her throat.

    "Welcome to Denia." her mother whispered with a hint of melancholy.

    As her mother led the down Arieko marveled at the enormous size of the great city. And they said this was the smallest of the three main cities? The city soared houses upon houses buildings higher then the great oaks that surrounded her house that had made up her little world for all these years? Where did all these people come from?

    The streets were crowded with people. Peddlers screamed their wares. Gold chains, swords, rice, apples! Others were setting up their booths for the coming festival tomorrow night and still others like her seemed to be travelers come for the festivities. She longed to stop and talk but her mother turned down another path.

    High atop a ridge over looking the city was the Palace of Denia. "I wish I could go there.."

    Her mother shrugged and shook her head.

    They stopped at an inn her mother dismounted. The wooden plank of the steps creaked beneath her delicate figure. A light in the darkness. How quaint, Arieko thought. "Leave your hood on." her mother ordered yet pulled hers back. Arieko shrugged dismounting from the horse and tying it to the hitching post leaving her black hood on as her mother asked.

    "Uncle Kirnt offered us a place to stay so why..."

    "We will not be imposing on your uncle." Cailey cut in and entered the inn.

    Arieko crinkled her nose at the smell of alcohol and smoke hit her like a wall as she entered the inn. This was not the way stories made it sound. It was unusually dark and most of the occupants took no notice in the two women as they moved towards the inn keeper.

    "I am sorry madam, but we have no rooms left."

    Her mother placed her hand on the bar sliding two large gold coins. "I think this will adequately help find us accomadations as well as compensate whatever poor soul must move for our sake."

    The innkeeper licked his lips offering a toothy grin. "That it will my lady. A moment please and I have your room made ready."

    Cailey raised her hand dropping another gold coin. "And a bottle of Luduanna Red." she smirked at Arieko. "And leave to glasses."

  6. #6
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    Silmond looked up from his cup as two women walked into the darkened inn, one was just pulling her hood of while the other in a white cloak left hers on. He watched their excange with the portly innkeeper, once he turned and walked away from two girls they had done the same thing as he it seemed.

    The man soon returned with someone's bags, wait they were his bags he realised! Standing and walking swiftly over to the innkeeper, he managed to rein in his temper barely. "Excuse me but why are you carrying my bags I believe the door was locked!" he said angrily.
    "Y-yes i-it was" he said patheticly "I keep a spare set incase someone doesn't return their key." he told Silmond
    "So carry my bags back to my room, I am quite happy to give these ladies my room, then you can come back down and ask me!" He smiled at the man who was cowering away from him. "Sorry for the inconveinence but people do not seem respect each other these day, might I ask your names?" he asked looking the unhooded one over, she could be his lost lover she was the right age, he thought remembering all the times he had spent with his lover.

    Then cold as ice, the memory of the day he left intruded upon his thoughts bringing a tear to his eye. He stood waiting for their reply, keeping an eye on the plain, wooden stairwell. He smiled to hide his sadness from the women. "I'm Silmond Ergist, by the way"
    Last edited by zedpcee; 24-09-2009 at 14:49. Reason: spelling grammar errors
    I am the Darkness in the Light,
    I am the Man outside the Window,
    I stand apart from everyone.

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    Her mother made no move as if she heard the words. Instead she reached out to the bottle lost in some forgotten memory as she poured the two glasses. "This was the only thing he would drink." she whispered.

    Arieko's eyes raised. Him? Her father? Her mother had never let her drink before but here she was offering her a glass. There was a melancholy wrapped around the older woman, she could feel the unhappiness weighing her down beneath the blanket of memories. She knew it had to do with him...the man that played such a pivotal role in her life and yet she had never known him. Her father somehow this place, this city was significant in their past. She could see the sadness and the longing in her mothers eyes and hear emotion in her voice. No wonder they had never come to the city before. For a moment she felt ashamed at all the times she had blasted her mother for not bringing her sooner.

    Her mother downed the red liquid in one swallow and proceeded to pour another glass. Arieko lifted the glass swishing it slightly marveling at the thin red liquid. She caught a grin playing at her mothers lips as she sniffed the glass. The smell of fresh berries overcame her senses. Nervously she lifted the glass and swallowed. And nearly chocked as the liquid burned down her throat. Coughing she could see her mother laughing.

    "I did the same thing." she offered reasurringly.

    As her coughing fit subsided she noticed her mothers gaze had turned to the patron who had addressed them, Silmond. He was older and the way he looked at her mother...she stopped herself as she realized that she was angry for the look. But why?

    "Silmond." her mother whispered. The nervousness, the emotion all fading from her voice as she spoke behind the glass raised to her lips. "I am sorry to have to put you out but if you have any hidden thoughts of sharing your room understand that those thoughts should be forgotten. Quickly infact."

    She paused as she drank and reached to pour a third glass. Arieko didn't even know her mother drank, how much else had been hidden from her? "You are right though. It is as you say, people show far less respect to people then they should these days. Though in my day we earned our respect I have a feeling you may have earned the lack of such from the inn keeper?"

    Arieko raised an eyebrow at the comment. Was that the aura she had felt an animosity brewing between the two men? The light shimmered through the door showing the shades of grey that had begun to seed their way through her mothers hair. Although she was in her early 30's she carried herself with an age of wisdom and now she realized an unnoticed power. "My name is Cailey, and this is my daughter Arieko. If you would be so kind to remove your things from our room it would be greatly appreciated. Its been awhile since I have ridden a horse this far and I would due better without having to throw your things out myself."

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