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Post by Lance on Apr 25, 2014 21:01:57 GMT
15. breathe Somehow or other... he didn't really like it here. Oh, it was fun, no doubt; plenty of things to do, plenty of others to do them with. Plenty of trickery going on, stories being shared of history well since past from some of the older ones about, plenty of games to play, plenty of places to see and explore. All things considered, 'twas practically a paradise, especially for the Keatons. Sure, there were some other races around here and there, often the brunts of trickery, but here... here, in this forest, it was mostly just the three-tailed foxes' domain. Here was their territory, and everyone knew it, and them. A collective relationship, of sorts, that saw things flourish better than they might have. Yet, it was just... ...what was it, really? It was bothersome, but he couldn't quite place why. Was it that the various trickery was sort of dulled because everyone was doing it, and were often hard pressed to outdo what had already been done before? Because there were too many of them, a veritable sea of golden fur that was sometimes hard to properly identify individuals from? Was it that the stories were starting to get dull and same-ish, with nothing happening and nobody going out to create new ones? Perhaps it was that it was a little difficult to find one's true individuality when many ended up just naturally taking on the same common traits? No... maybe it was just all of that, or maybe he was just weird. Perhaps all of the above; who knew, really? One way or another, seventeen years of his life were practically down the tube with the same old things, and he was fairly certain he'd heard all the stories there were to be told by now. Of Hyrule, a land 300 years past and gone thanks to an evil 'King'; of Termina, of multiple lands elsewhere, including that which they lived in. More to the point, he'd heard that most if not all of these places barely had any Keaton, if they did have any. That was... interesting, very interesting. He could have more freedom, create his own legacy around people that might not be so familiar with Keatons and their general antics! He could start a new story of his own, and it would be all his own! Yes, that was perfect. For planning, then... simple, really: stow away. There was really no further thought needed than that, and there were plenty of boats in the nearby coastal town to choose from. All he needed to do was slip quickly onto there and out of view, and he was set for... wherever it was going. Anywhere but here, that was all he really cared about. On to his own new territory, his own new legacy... ...which the ocean wasn't exactly supposed to be a part of. He wasn't entirely certain how it had happened; something to do with someone suddenly letting out a sneeze and knocking a barrel down. More to the point, knocking it down onto one of his tails, and rather painfully so. Young as he was, he wasn't strong enough to push it off in time to not get quickly found out and caught. Some hushed deliberation that even his ears couldn't quite catch followed, before a decision seemed to be made... one that didn't remotely benefit him. Only barely did he catch a glimpse of land some ways off as he was hauled up to the deck; small favors, perhaps, for when he was subsequently hauled off the boat. He was quick to blame his kin for this, for all the tricks they'd pulled over the long years and the disdain they'd in turn garnered; if it weren't for that, perhaps he might not have suddenly been regarded so poorly. That thought and a few others rapidly fell to the wayside, however, in lieu of simple necessity; that was, getting his limbs moving to try and swim as quickly as he could to that land he'd spotted a ways off (which, ultimately, was not very quickly at all). Once more, the fact that he was yet fairly young plagued his mind; strength borne of age wasn't quite there yet, suffice it to say, nor wisdom, else he wouldn't be in this position. 'Twas hard to say how far he got before he began to simply give up. Give up struggling, give up breathing, give up... everything. Here was the fool who left home without a plan and without the strength nor smarts to back it up just yet, and here was his inevitable, watery grave. "Come on... breathe!"Something was... pushing on his chest, he felt. And his lungs were sore, as was well near everything else. Hah... so fate or the Goddesses or whatever power there was had deigned not to let him die, had they? What foolishness. The voice wanted him to breathe, though... fine, why not? He just sort of needed to... cough out this water first. That was it. Then rest again... that seemed a rather good idea, rather than deal with the world that was spiting such a fool as him right now... He never did figure out who that was, but for the time, it didn't matter... all that did was that he was alive and in a brand new land. Everything else could just be worked out from there. Though he wasn't too willing to go very near the ocean after that.
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Post by Lance on Apr 26, 2014 0:20:37 GMT
11. red note: felt like leaving this without direct mention of identities, though it should be simple enough to figure out The same old bell, the same old red hair, same old... yet, in a way, that was comforting in and of itself. Things weren't changing, not as much as they could have considering the situation, and that was good... partly. They weren't changing for the worse, it was appearing... but they weren't much changing for the better. Now there was this weather to deal with of late. The snow seemed to be getting worse, and it was making it harder to move around the mountain beyond the Gorons' own tunnels within it. What was happening to Snowhead? That was a question that moved partly to the back of the man's mind. That was there, that was outside; this was inside, with others he cared about, others who were struggling. Perhaps not the child, but they were too young yet to be very aware of what was happening. Perhaps they would learn, in time... or perhaps it was better if they didn't. Likely enough, the child wasn't even very aware yet of the purpose of the noisy banging, the clanging of metal upon metal. Only naturally, they would be... given time. But that, again, was not the main priority here. She had called him here this time, and somehow, there was the thought that something had to give, or at least move. The ruby red roses and other plants about the garden, or perhaps the blazing red forge. She, especially, was struggling; that couldn't be allowed to continue forever. Already had she and the child lost enough; they needed more. "Miss..." "No 'miss', please. I've already told you this before." She was getting irritated... could hardly be blamed, honestly. Metalwork was definitely needed at a time like this, but with the snow? The Gorons were partly cut off thanks to it, and it made things rather more difficult. There was even a carnival coming up soon for the spring, though... perhaps they could still at least make it for that? It had been brought up in the past... and right now, it would no doubt be good to get away from the mountain, away from the lingering stress. Just... get away and leave things behind for a little while. Yes, that seemed like a good idea. Time to stop wasting time, then. Quite the contrary, time had to start moving, or even this somewhat tenuous relationship they had going, with memory of a departed husband looming over it, could come shattering down. Both of them knew it, but often had they failed to truly acknowledge it, and what it meant to them. "Let's go." "What?" A pause from the woman, as to be expected. That hammer rose in the air only to stop in surprise before she'd let out that one, single word. "The Carnival coming up down below, let's go. You, me... the three of us. We can still bring some of our metalwork, and I could bring some of my flowers, and we can still help decorate the place, just like we'd discussed before. It'll be good to get away from here for a short while and enjoy the festivities, away from this miserable snow and atmosphere. I'm sure you especially could use the break." Silence, then. Did she want to? It sounded... pleasing, especially bringing her child there and giving them something they could merely enjoy. It would be leaving behind the flaming red forge for now, but... it would be good. "Alright. We can leave in a few days, in enough time to get there before it starts," the woman confirmed, soon finding herself almost automatically returning to her present work. "After that... I think there are other things we should talk about..." Perhaps... just perhaps they could work things out, and things could get better yet.
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Helio Merrows
Hylian
I'll stand by you.
Posts: 182
200x300 Avatar: http://i62.tinypic.com/miz42t.jpg
Application: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/361/helio-merrows
Inventory: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/369/when-stars-sing-story
OOC Name: mint
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Post by Helio Merrows on May 9, 2014 4:25:40 GMT
N.B. : Yes, I was trying to imitate another character, but failed terribly. So rather than doing the creator injustice, I changed him to a completely different personage. I really hope we could meet someday, Mr. Ceridwen! :-) 8. the road home “Promptitude”, the old woman said, hopping lightly from stone to stone, her bright green scarf flowing freely from the night breeze, “separates union and solitude”. But the man following of her was in no mood for philosophy. He was gasping hard, completely our of breath. “Please...please wait.”. They were climbing a precarious slope of a barren mountain, dry and daunting, with weather-beaten rocks jutting from the ground like some grim palisades. It was a dangerous territory for anyone to travel, moreso when the night had already fallen like this time, but the man was desperate. He had to arrive to the next town by tomorrow if his journey here would bear fruit, and in so doing he disregarded all advices and braved the wild mountain range alone. He made little progress, with monsters popping out everywhere and the winding paths that seemed both short-lasting and endless at the same time. He would surely had been lost, if he hadn’t met this eccentric traveling woman purely by chance. She seemed ready to be his guide to the next town, or so he inferred. What the woman said with her words was quite hard to grasp. But now, as he watched hopelessly the far-off silhouette of the queer old woman, her conical hat and walking cane clearly delineated by the starry sky, he thought that, perhaps, it would be better if he had followed his own route rather following the old woman into this mountain. Either way he would still get lost, considering the speed the nimble stranger could navigate through this harsh terrain. If only his right arm was usable now he could.... “Lame,” thundered a voice from above. The man stopped. “Huh?”“Lame,” said the old woman again, perching on top of a rather tall rock with her walking cane straight on her side. Looking at the shadow of her majestic figure just then, one could think that she was one Wild Witch of the Hills, there to guard the entrance to the Garden of the Goddesses. “Lame, said the wingless canary, as the eagle’s talons swiftly came down upon it’s sitting self. Who, then, could blame the misery that followed?”The man was stung. Without even a slight nod the woman hopped again from the rock unto another promontory, her flowing silhouette rapidly became smaller. But the man somehow felt rejuvenated, and he doubled his efforts without thinking about his limping right arm at all. He eventually found that, after some thinking, even if he could use right arm now it would have made little difference to the climbing condition now, where the nimbleness of the feet is much more needed than the firm grasp of the arms. Slowly, steadily, he caught up with the zigzagging silhouette of the woman. Focusing his efforts, he made one successful jump to a rock, and another, and another following the old woman’s lead. It was not that hard, he thought, once he has learned to balance his feet properly. That’s one rock, and another, now descend, now jump, steady, another leap.... And then he found himself stepping on a gently sloping ground, with no jutting rocks around and the bright starry sky enveloping him in every direction. He had reached the top. Not far from where the man stood looking in awe at the marvelous celestial spectacle, the old woman was standing firm, her back to him as always. Her robe and scarf and even her pointed hat was in perfect order, as if she had just walked idly through a well-mowed lawn rather than hopping from one jutting rock to another in a barren mountainside. “To the searchers, looking for the end of the rainbow, the end was all that matters. Forget they whereupon they walked –the rainbow itself.”Her voice was smooth, like the light of the moon when it’s full, vibrating slightly with the weight of hidden wisdom. There was no doubt in the man’s head now that she was more than just an ordinary traveler. But what was she? She would not explain, or she had but he didn’t understand. Presently she continued walking in her own pace, down the gently sloping side opposite of the jutting rocks. He obediently followed her, running a little to keep up with her pace. They walked some distance in complete silence, except from the symphony of the various night critters. The sloping mountain side, the man observed, was simply a vast sprawling land of dry grasses, completely devoid of trees or any other landscape. Yet inexplicably the old woman seemed to take turns and changing directions without anything to guide her, there was nothing that she could use as the landmark. And she was completely right. The man found that they always walked on the most even slope, and twice they managed to avoid a sprawling nest of the deadly Boulderbugs. The woman, it seemed, knew just exactly where she wanted to go.
As they walked for some hours, the silence between them became somewhat disturbing to the friendly young man. He tried to break the ice. “Madam, you seemed very knowledgeable about this part of the land. How did you know exactly when and where to turn?”
The old woman didn’t make any gesture, or turned her head even slightly to face him. Yet she answered without slowing down her pace. “Those with wisdom,” she sighed, “forever seek more of it. Those without it, are sadly lacking the will.”And then she raised her walking cane upward. “A wise father once said, when there is no wall, there might still be roof. ”The man looked up, to the millions of tiny lights flashing in the sky, and was for a moment swept in nostalgia. “The stars....”He remembered his father once told him, as they sat among the crowds in Spring Star Festival, that there are some people that does not need a compass or any landscape to guide their way. They simply need the celestial bodies, and are able to calculate the date and time of the day to find out exactly where they are. “That’s a rare ability, son, Reading the Secrets of The Stars. It takes decades of practice to master. I’ve heard that...”But at that time a group of his father’s friends came along, cheerily brandishing bottles of free drink, and the child never knew what his father had heard. But since then he has often stared into the night sky before he slept, trying to probe where he was based by the position of the stars. He has never succeeded. But sometimes he would made up facts and told his sisters his ‘calculations’ and their awesome ‘results’ just to look cool in front of them. Those same stars...must be shining on Clock Town too tonight, lending their flashing smile to the merriment of Clock Town sky. Perhaps her sisters was looking at them like he did right now, trying to probe their beautiful mystery while enjoying their ancient dance. Perhaps his mother was looking at them too, no doubt thinking about her lost husband and her irresponsible first son. And perhaps...the same stars were being watched by his father, wherever he was. Trying, he hoped, his best to find the road home. Wherever these souls were, however they were parted apart, there will always be one thing they could share between them: the beauty of the starry sky. The man felt his eyes became warmer. “When I was little,” he mumbled, still looking up as he walked, “I used to look up to the stars with my sisters.... It was from our window, in the second floor, and we would make up stories based on the shapes we could see there....” As always the woman didn’t react. But the man strangely felt safe, secure, as if he knew that the old woman wanted to hear him speak his mind and that whatever secrets he told her she would kept them safe forever. It was the first time that the man ever talked to a stranger about his deepest wish, his most personal feelings. “I wonder how they are now....Mother...Father...Sisters.... I...I left them all, my mother and sisters. I left them...even after my promise to my father that I would always protect them forever....I wonder...I wonder if what I did...was right? Was it really...wise? I...had no choice. I was desperate. And I needed so badly to be normal again....But now...but now that I think of it...would it really be worth it? Would being normal...be worth the years it needed to pay...? Even if it did...even if I succeeded...Would I...would I ever be...the same again...to them all...?”Tears. Warm tears were flowing down his cheeks. It was a testament to his iron will that he managed to keep the sobbing from his voice. For a while, only their footsteps could be heard. But when the old woman spoke again, her voice was considerably gentler, as if the full moon was hiding itself behind the clouds. “All Terminium have petals. White, soft, five perfectly angled petals. Pull them apart, and whatever one did it would never be the same flower again”The man smiled faintly to the back of the old woman in front of him. “True....”“But see it seeds, peeking out when those petals finally wilted. Kept them forever in their mother’s pod, and when would another flower grows again?”The man was silent, contemplating what the old woman had said. Presently the slope became even gentler it was almost flat, and the scenery became more verdant. Although it was still blanketed in the dark of early dawn, no doubt that the silhouettes of the tall trees and the sound of trickling stream nearby gave a much-needed relief after the plain and hostile territory of the barren mountains. And then it came. As they stepped past another tree they came into a clearing, smoothly angled down a bowl-like plain. And down there, in the center of the plain, illuminated by the first rays of dawn, stood the magnificent shape of the Town Walls, with its ridges and towers lending sureness and safety to the still-untamed territory around. The four massive Town Gates looked imposing, but it was also friendly, with its beautiful curved ornaments visible even from the distance. It was still closed, but already from the four winding paths leading to the Town Gates various moving shades could be spotted. All steady, all at ease, all eager to conduct their businesses in the fabled Golden Town of Alchemy. They had finally arrived. The old woman turned around to face the man. For a short time, he swore that he could see her smiling. “The morning mist made way, to the first light of day. One should never dismay, safety comes from faraway.”And without any other discernible gesture, the old woman strode past the man and started climbing back the path they had just made through. Only then that the man understood that the mysterious old woman had said her farewell. Just like that. Without needing thanks, or asking something on return. The man realized that they hadn’t even properly introduced themselves. In normal circumstances, he would try to hold the old woman off and insisting that he help her in anything or giving her something to repay for her guidance. But to this wise, eccentric old woman, he somehow felt that he would not be able to do anything which the woman couldn’t do, nor would he be able to give something which the old woman hadn’t already possessed. So, he simply bowed low to the majestic figure with bright green scarf flowing from the morning breeze and said his thanks. “Madam, you have my utmost gratitude, and I would forever remember that you helped me this day. Thank you. From the bottom of my heart I said my thanks.”The figure didn’t respond. But seeing the robed figure stepped away, firmly striding her walking cane back and forth, the man couldn’t help but feel a sense of loss. It was as if a protector had done its job, as if a torch-bearing guardian had gone and left him to seek his own way forward. He knew that it was silly -they had only just met yesterday. But already the man felt some kind of familiar attachment to the queer old figure and her words of wisdom. “Madam...will we ever meet again?”It was a very childish thing to ask, but he couldn’t restrain himself. But if the old woman was angry or amused she did not show it. She continued walking in her own pace, answering in her own style. “Questions. Questions. The quintessential part of the present. Just as memories are to the past. And to the future, answers.”Suddenly she threw something through her back without even looking. The man scrambled and nearly missed catching it with his left hand. It was an old, worn out book, with fading brown cover made from tethered leather embossed with words in a shining gold ink ' Reading the Secrets of the Stars'. Now, the man was completely at a loss. How could she...? “T...thank you, Madam...” He stuttered, nearly crying again, “Thank you....Very much....”* “The child's exuberant praise breezes to russet ear, undue” *And with that, the old woman disappeared behind a tree, the sound of her walking cane fading slowly into the distance. He has never met her again since. ***** Oh, The words in * * belonged to another person :-D
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Post by Nayru on Jun 5, 2014 7:32:09 GMT
I am terribly, terribly sorry it took me so long to update this. But here are the rupee counts! Axel Heartnet: +50 Rupees! Lance: +300 Rupees! Helio Merrows: +300 Rupees! Ariadne Cordelia: +100 Rupees! All right, there's only a few left, let's get them filled!
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Post by Lance on Jun 6, 2014 3:22:23 GMT
x 16. little talks "So what sorts of things do we do in Clock Town. I haven't been there in a few years... not since... well...""Well... what? Come on, you can feel free to tell me, Soal."Such a strange creature, and the fact that it talked, well... that was certainly new. Surely she didn't know of any other creature of its sort, especially that possessed such an ability. There had to be some, somewhere, one could assume... maybe not in Termina, though. Maybe not as small as this one either. But she needed something to help wind down and pass the time as she figured out the way back to Clock Town; perhaps a little talk like this was just the thing for that. "Nah, not right now. Those things are hopefully gone by now anyway, or at least won't bother me any more...""What 'things'? Now you're getting me curious.""I asked first, though! What about Clock Town? I've never had the chance to really look around anyway 'cause of... well, 'those things'. You have to know what there is to see around there, right?""Well... there's North Clock Town, with the playground and open area to just relax in. Then the West with some street performers and plenty of food, the East with the restaurant and Inn, and even a theater and gallery. Then there's the South, but there isn't much there, just the main entrance to the city. Was there anything in specific you were looking for?""Well... chu jelly!"Chu jelly? Wasn't that... stuff quite bitter? Then again, Soal was an animal; it was quite possible he just had entirely different tastes than what she might consider normal. "Hm... I might be able to find you some of that, but we might have to get it ourselves. Not today, I'm far too tired, and I'd really like to get home for now.""Alright... but later, then?""Sure. If you want it so much, then I should be able to find someone to help with retrieving it. I might even have to ask one of the cooks around to see what they can make with it, then we can both enjoy it," the girl thoughtfully suggested, allowing herself another slight stretch that only brought a momentary pause to her gait. It said she was the hero... er... hero ine, might rather be more accurate. Not that it likely mattered. "Yay!" the strange... creature cheered from atop her shoulder. "Just keep out of view when we get to Clock Town, alright? I don't think anyone would actually know what you are, and I'm... still kind of coming to terms with this 'Hero' business. Besides, I don't think my mother would take very well to me bringing something like you home after what's already happened, and with my brother still gone...""What do you mean 'something like me'? I won't get in the way of anything, I promise! I don't even need much, just to keep... you know... those things from bothering me," Soal spoke with a small, sidelong glance, as if making a quick check for any such 'things' around while they were still in this forested area. "Um... I don't actually know. You haven't told me what 'those things' are yet, remember?" the girl curiously replied. "Just... those things. You'll know if they ever come along. I don't want to talk that much about it right now..." the creature upon her shoulder simply responded, eliciting a slight sigh from the girl. No doubt this was going to be an interesting time...
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Helio Merrows
Hylian
I'll stand by you.
Posts: 182
200x300 Avatar: http://i62.tinypic.com/miz42t.jpg
Application: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/361/helio-merrows
Inventory: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/369/when-stars-sing-story
OOC Name: mint
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Post by Helio Merrows on Jun 7, 2014 9:22:17 GMT
N.B. : This is a welcome-back gift for someone! 9. rendez vous “Selene... Why can’t we go back?”
Clock Town is enveloped in the night, feeling as cold and numbed as a black iron slab. A hollow breeze whistles through its empty streets, finally abandoned after years of busy living and commerce. The roofs of the houses creak and groan, the buildings’ walls whisper, and on one side of the street a row of umbrellas of an outdoor café stands like curious grave markers. One table still has plates of foods upon it, fruitlessly waiting for its owner who has long since gone. Even while some of the lanterns are still lighted up, they glow cold and distant, and in this oppressing darkness that permeates the alleys Clock Town feels like a nightmare brought to earth. Lonesome and unsure, a child of a nightmare lost in its own ways in the world.
But through this chilling and forbidding street two figures is trudging forward, the sound of their steps resonates emptily on the forsaken rows of Market stands. One is a woman of medium height with silvery hairs, her face sets in stone, firmly holding a majestic sword in one of her hands as if her life depends on it. The one following her is a curious four-legged creature, eyes glowing green in the dark, and as the duo walks closer to the shadowy Clock Tower it is evident that the creature is the one doing the talking.
“Selene, go back...please? Please go back now and....”
“I can’t, Soal.”
The woman’s voice is firm and convincing, but beneath it vibrates a tone of doubt, and this does not escape the creature’s ears.
“Come on, Selene,” the creature tries, growing bold with her reaction, “Now, it would be really foolish to tackle this last hurdle alone, right? Especially that you are....”
“I won’t return.”
“But..but Selene!” the voice grows desperate “What is the use of this stupid act? This serves no meaning at all! Why don’t we just return now and think with a clear head and....”
“Soal... Haven’t I told you countless times to go back and return yourself? I cannot go back... Not now.”
“But think carefully, Selene! We don’t know what this black door is yet, much less what is behind it, and you are thinking you can handle this alone?! Your friends will be worried, Selene! Why don’t you...?”
At the mention of her friends her lower lips tremble slightly.
“My friends...have done more than enough.”
“They will be more than happy now to do what...”
“They don’t need to.”
“...and think of what they would feel if...”
“They would be alright.”
“You are fooling yourself! They have sworn, Selene! Sworn to be with you and to do what is needed from them! Have you forgotten...?”
“But now is...”
“And remember why they did this! Didn’t they declare it themselves free from any inclinations except their own? Didn’t you say....?”
“It was foolish....”
“... and to see what they’ve been through until now and...
“...and unneeded...”
“...and they genuinely cared about you Selene! And about their friendship and their duty to their land and their promise of...”
“AND SEE WHAT THEY PAID FOR IT ‼”
The shout pierces the deathly silence. The creature stops talking, shocked, as the woman turns around and advances to it, eyes blazing in anger and despair. Tears are veiling those frustrated eyes as she shot words after words at the creature.
“They have done everything for me, and they suffered because of it! Have you forgotten what happened in Ikana, Soal? Have you so quickly dismissed that encounter in Great Bay? What do you think they deserve to receive such misery, Soal? What do you think they have done?! Nothing! They did nothing to deserve that pain, but they did all of it and were pained as a result... all because of me! Because I am so weak as to depend on other’s help, and because I am such a fool to have actually asked them‼ And they suffered greatly for it, Soal! Suffered for nothing but for me!”
The creature stands frozen, confused, as the woman gasps and vents her innermost feelings to the silence of the night. Although her face was angered and her words harsh, one can easily sees they are not words of frustration.
Rather, it is a plea. A plea from a kind-hearted girl burdened by responsibility too big for her own to handle, broken by what she saw her friends has paid for helping her shoulder it. Still staring at the creature, the woman takes a deep breath, locks her lips, and falls silent.
Presently the night return to its earlier calm, leaving the two figures facing each other. One stubborn, one desperate.
Then the creature moves first.
“Selene...” it says, walking unsurely towards her.
She closes her eyes for a moment, before opening them again. The fire is already gone. “I-I am sorry, Soal...” she stammered. “I am really sorry....I didn’t mean to say it like that... I-I really don’t want to shout at you like that....... I think...I think I was just...”
She gulps.
“...Please forgive me, Soal.”
And one hand is extended for an apologizing pet to the furry head, but it stops in mid-air, unsure.
But the creature makes its own move. It approaches the open hand and put its head below it, stirring it with its fur. A weak smile appears on the woman’s face as she kneels down and scratches its head, mumbling words of thanks.
“...Please do not blame yourself, Selene...”
She gulps again, and presently two clear crystals are running across her cheek.
“I know, Soal...I know.... But all of this...things...all of this responsibilities as The Hero... It is too heavy for me, Shoal. And knowing that my friends suffered because of me...because of how weak I am.... I can’t bear anymore of it...."
Her eyes grow distant. “Josh...was injured badly Soal....What if he did become blind for protecting me back then? And what if we truly lost Nerina at that time? How would Nero feel? And that Zora...Raisara... What if her family lost their only support simply to become my shield? It is painful to see them like this, Shoal. Very painful for me....
“...And my brother’s another arm....”
She stops, tears muffling her throat, her form shaking from head to toe. The creature looks up, and with an understanding gaze puts two of its front paws on her knees as if trying to comfort her.
“I understand, Selene. It is hard to see other’s suffering, moreso if they do that for you....”
Its eyes glow. “But remember, Selene. They do it because they want to. Purely because of that. They have been with you and understood the consequences, but they marched on nonetheless because they believed in you. How would they feel now when all of this is close to end, when all of their efforts are finally showing results.... What would they feel now if you go ahead and sacrifice yourself just like this?”
The woman ponders for a moment, tears streaming down her cheeks. But when she gets up her face is as bold as before, and she grips her shining sword tighter.
“But this time...it will be different, Shoal. I have this sword now.... I should be strong enough to face whatever will happen...
“None of my friends need to suffer anymore.”
It is such a conviction, a declaration of resoluteness that the creature looks down and sighs, unable to stare directly at the woman’s eyes.
“Alright, Selene, you can go.” He resigns. “I will stay here and...and wait for you to return, so I would not be a burden to you.”
A sad smile appears.
“No, you are not a burden, Soal... You haven't been and you will never be. Thank you very much for your understanding.”
The creature bounces back. “But you have to promise me one thing, Selene. You will return from there safely and we will meet again at our agreed place! Promise me this, Selene!”
She casts a solemn look for a while before nodding.
“I promise, Soal. We will rendez vous at the North Gate before you know it.”
Wiping her tears, she bends down and pats the creature’s head one last time, feeling its warm fur on her shaking palm. Friendly.Reassuring.... But she cannot dwell in safety forever. The woman has resolved this long ago.
“Forgive me, Soal...my friend.... You have been the best of allies, the most wonderful companion one could ever ask... And this is how I repay your kindness, by not heeding your words and walking stubbornly on my own...I am sorry...I am really sorry...”
“Don’t mention it, Selene. I have trusted you ever since we first met, and I will not doubt that trust now. If you feel this is the best course to take, well go for it! I will stay here and pray for your safety.”
A grateful gaze meets the creature’s eyes. It averts its eyes, seemingly unable to contain its sadness. But actually, its heart is torn from another cause altogether.
It is lying.
But the woman has no clue. With a reluctant smile she ruffles its head one last time before standing up again.
“Thank you Soal.... I-I will go now.”
And with a silent whirl, the woman turns around and steps confidently into the Tower, where an ethereal staircase is rising up to a black door in the sky. There is a soft eerie glow hanging around the tower that time, and amidst this illusory light the figure of the silver-haired woman seems to be a visitor from another world. A traveler of the planes bound to this world by the strange and fickle threads called destiny.
But when she arrives at the first staircase, she stops and turns around to see her companion again. It is still sitting there, downcast, watching the woman slowly becomes further and further away from it in all literal aspects.
“One last thing, Soal.”
It raises its head and its ears straightens up, attentive.
The woman’s gaze seems to wander to a distant place. “If-if something happens and I cannot go back, Soal... please...please use your powers and keep everyone safe. This is all I ask of you.”
The shrieking is evident. “But you promised me that you will return!”
“I know Soal. And don’t worry... I will surely keep that promise.
It is just... in case.” And with an attempt at a reassuring smile that will convince no one, the woman nods and turns, slowly ascending the phantasmal stairs. The black door opens and soon her figure is lost in the whirling darkness, away from the realm of which she is familiar with.
But not away from her friends.
Quickly, the creature stirs and weighs its options. If she really thinks that the creature will just sit there and wait, she is terribly wrong. Despite what it has said before, it closes its eyes and is already gathering its powers. This is the time...to make good use of that one blessing.
But it seems that it won’t be needed.
“Ah, she even left you behind, Soal? My little sister sure can be very stubborn at times....”
It opens its eyes in surprise. Another figure is walking towards it, carrying a shimmering bow and a quiver full of shining arrows on his back.
“Helio!”
“Hi there, Soal.” The man smiles and bends down, scratching the creature’s ears like he had done before in happier times. “It seems we do not have much time to lose, right?”
“But, your arm....”
“Oh, this?” he extends out his left arm, lips curving in satisfaction. “Please do not worry about it Soal. I was a bit troubled before too. But it seems with the Four Great Fairies together, there is nothing that cannot be done.”
The creature lets out a sigh and shakes its head down. “Right...right...I was such a fool....”
“We all were, Soal.... We all were...”
But at this the man smiles widely, beckoning at his back. More footsteps can be heard, and as the creature’s eyes grow wide in amazement both of them are already encircled by various figures. All bringing trust, all bearing hope, all is there by their own belief and conviction.
“...but if this is what it means to be a fool, then I am truly glad to become one.”
The creature snarls happily and runs forward, chasing after the still-opened door which would not hold out for long.
And a small piercing cry slits the night.
“Onward we go then, everyone! To The Hero of Time‼”
*****
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Darunlazt dor Goronda
Goron
GAHAHAHAHAHA!!!
Posts: 59
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Application: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/448/darunlazt-dor-goronda
Inventory: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/369/when-stars-sing-story?page=1&scrollTo=2643
OOC Name: mint
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Post by Darunlazt dor Goronda on Jun 7, 2014 9:54:47 GMT
6. watch out!
“Gahahahaha! And with this, Me, Darunlazt dor Goronda, thirtieth Goron Leader in the line of Goronda, officially opens this bomb shop! May its fortune soars and explodes like the bombs it sell! Gahahaha‼”
He raised his brawny hand, holding a big tankard of very strong Gormead. “Now me brothers and sisters,” he exclaimed, eyes sweeping the audience before him, “Cheers‼”
“Cheeeeeers‼”
The resounding sound was loud and extremely cheerful in an unmistakably Goron way, and soon the sound was replaced by boisterous laughters and exultant cries. The Gorons do not have as many celebrations as the Zoras, but in the event that they did, it would most surely be a real celebration! Rows and rows of tables were lining the village street, which was magically changed into a great hall over night, filled to brim with all delicacies Snowpeak could offer. Tanks of drinks both strong and mild punctuated the tables here and there, drawing happy Gorons to them like moths to a flame. The roof of the village was swimming in lanterns, and amidst the vibrant lights dancing there all of Goron Village halted whatever they would do on that day to join in the festivities. It was the order of the Chief himself to make all private celebrations public. And the cost? No problem! The village treasury would gladly help! As the chief himself had delicately put it. “Better to have empty wares but full villagers than having full wares but empty villagers. Ruppees could be made, but a villager’s happiness could only be grown! Gahahaha!”
And so, the usually simple ceremony was transformed into a village-wide festival, and all Gorons wore their utmost genial face and drowned themselves in lively socializations. Some Gorons started to sing, and a few Goron couples had already triumphed over the floor with the famous Gorpolka or Gortango, dancing there under the rowdy cheers of onlookers. Even the Big Brother himself clapped his feet in tune with the music, and the cheerful grin was still on his face when one of his brother pulled him to the side to talk in private.
“Gahahaha. What is the matter, my brother?” he said, closing the door of the big hall behind him.”Is the new food supply had arrived? Or another discovery of bomb mines? Gahahaha‼ Truly me feel this night is an auspicious one!”
“An urgent news, Big Brother,” the other Goron’s face was exasperated. It was obvious that he was very concerned about this news. “A traveler’s camp in Southern Snowpeak is being attacked! From what our witnesses told us the traveler’s were definitely from Clock Town. And they also warned that the monsters attacking were very many. Even the legendary White Wolfos Scar and Mufasa were sighted there!”
“Scar and Mufasa!” Darunlazt boomed, “The most vicious of the Wolfos pack! Tell me brother, are them travelers Hylian?”
“It seems so, Big Brother. And also...”
“Then us need to help them at once!” he shouted, ready to stride back into the streets with an announcement. But The Leader’s hand was held.
“Please wait Big Brother!” the messenger said, “We have already prepared Dargero’s Squad to be sent to the area and you do not have to panic all other villagers by...”
“Panicking other villagers?!” The Leader thundered “Then what would you have me do, hm? Letting them drown in fake pleasure while them brothers risk them life?”
The messenger stammered “I...I thought we had the Squad prepared and there would be no need to...”
“Me understand you view, brother,” he said, one arm already swinging the great door open, “But this is me view: Us Gorons are one. Us would eat when when us all eat, us would laugh when us all laugh, and us would fight when us all fight‼ True, there are squads and artisans and messengers, and us are bound to us duties by honor! But nothing would be kept hidden, me say. Nothing would be kept hidden. Us all would know what us squads do, or where us messengers gone and where our rupees gone, because us are one! An unsecure village is bad, but a false security is even worse!”
And without saying another word, The Leader stampeded through the street and stood at the highest table. Soon, his thundering voice resonated all across the village.
“Beloved brothers and sisters‼ Forgive me for halting this glorious night! But me have an announcement for you!”
He held them all completely in attention. In an instant the sound of festivities halted.
“As us are laughing and eating now, some Hylians, us long time allies from Clock Town, are being attacked in the Southern Snowpeak. And, rolling avalanche, them are attacked by monsters! Me know you do not know these people –neither do me! But for me the fact remains that them are Hylians, and me would rather die than shaming the Goron’s name by neglecting us allies in need!
"Me will depart immediately, brothers and sisters! Those who would stay, please do so! But those who would come with me, then let us remind these monsters who the rulers of Snowhead are! Let us repay again the great aid Hylians had done to us, and show them the meaning of The Goron Honor! "The Main Gate, Gorons! One minute from now!” ***
“Tell me brother, are us close now?”
“We should be, Big Brother! Hurry, this way and- ah! Watch out! That is the sound of battle!”
Darunlazt looked behind him, to the whole of Goron Village present there to uphold their brotherly bonds. Looking at his whole people acting as one in unison, even children and elders, Darunlazt could not help but let a wide happy grin appearing in his face.
“The battlefield’s there, Gorons! Let us roll!”
“WOOOOOOOOO‼‼”
And with a rumbling sound that shook the mountains to their core The Gorons strode forward in one wave of strength and ecstasy, an utterly unstoppable band of brothers. Darunlazt was in front, brandishing his enormous sword in his Terminan form, his red eyes glowing in the night as a heartening cry went out from his throat.
There, in a secluded are surrounded by forest, were some wrecked tents that seemed to have been hastily abandoned. The firepit was still burning, its stones spread everywhere, and illuminated by the dancing flame were silhouettes of monsters running around wildly, piercing the night with their wicked shrieks. Whomever were in the camp, there were not many of them, but these few must be some tough brothers! As the Gorons ran as fast as they could, some Wolfos were thrown away, some with their furs singed, and the painful howl in front of them told the Gorons that either Scar or Mufasa was injured. This filled the Goron’s heart, and they hastened their running to save these strong Hylian brothers as fast as they could.
And when the Gorons crashed at the pack of monsters with a deafening roar, ramming them like one giant boulder rolling from Snowpeak, the monsters quickly knew what was the best for them. Amidst the brotherly scream and clangs of brotherly metal the monsters scampered away, running for their lives as fast as their feet allowed. Those who could not escape were slaughtered by The Gorons, and soon their bodies were littering the camp here and there. One of them was the famous White Wolfos: Mufasa the Wolf King.
As Darunlazt searched the devastated camp, grimed with bloods and furs and mangled bodies, he noticed one extraordinary thing. He didn’t remember having seen a monster attack this large for all his time spent in Snowpeak. Having both the famous White Wolfos was already extraordinary, and seeing their pack banded with other monsters like this, what had gotten into these monsters?
“Big Brother, over here!”
He trudged through the camp to a spot found by one of his sisters. There, lying in a red pool of blood, was a middle-aged man, a broken sword in hand, gasping and writhing in pain. Darunlazt glanced at the Village Healer, but he shook his head. The man’s wound was too grievous. There was nothing that could be done.
Eyes downcast, Darunlazt kneeled down close to the man.
“Darunlazt dor Goronda salutes you, brother of the Gorons,” he said solemnly, “Us apologies for coming too late.”
Slowly, the man opened his eyes. When he saw Darunlazt’s face he mumbled something with trembling lips. Darunlazt had to bent his head to hear his pleading words.
“My...my son...did he... escape...?"
Another Goron came close to Darunlazt, whispering in his ear. “We only found another Hylian, Big Brother. She is a woman...but unfortunately...she had already passed away when we reached her.”
The Big Brother nodded sadly. “Us found only another woman, me brother,” he said grimly, directing it to the man, “and no other. But if you son did escape, us Gorons would make sure him escaped safely.”
With a side glance from him his brothers understood. Some of them quickly formed groups and left to conduct a thorough search of the area.
The man closed his eyes, tears streaming down his cheek. “My love...” he whispered “Please forgive me.... In the end...I could not...protect you....”
Darunlazt sit motionless, as did the other Gorons encircling the man, letting him vented his last regrets to the world. Those who had known Darunlazt said years later that they had never seen Big Brother as sad as that night. His jaws clamped shut and his face was like rock-hewn statue battered from the wind.
When he opened his mouth again, his voice was hoarse.
“Brother...if you want, me can bring you there to meet her one last time....”
The man smiled. Sad and weak. “I...thank you...honorable...Leader....But my...time...is...up....”
He closes his eyes again, now for the last time. All the Gorons took a deep breath.
“Tell...my...son...that...his...des...tiny...is...his...own......His...fate...is...his...own.......His...life...is...his...own...”
Darunlazt held his fist in front of his chest. “I swear I would tell him, my brother. By the Hammer of Din.”
There was a grateful smile. The man’s face contorted for a second, a little convulsion of his body, and the next moment the man was gone.
For a moment, all Gorons bowed their head in silence, paying one last homage as the man’s soul joined his wife in the afterlife. Presently, Darunlazt stood up and surveyed the field. His red eyes glowed soft, subdued, like a fire hidden in the ash.
“Us cannot let this happen again,” He suddenly exclaimed.
His gaze turned to his brothers and sisters. Some of them nodded or mumbled their agreements.
“Us cannot let this happen again,” He repeated, “To let two Hylians died in Goron’s territory in one night...this is unforgivable....”
“Gather all Dargero’s Squad tomorrow. And all Dodongo Eaters and Red Wolfos too. It is time for us Gorons to pay more concern to the defense of us own homeland. us own Snowhead.”
***
Some time later, every traveler that passed the area would see a big sign with the official Goron emblem stamped upon it, bearing large letters painted in red.
Area of extreme monster activity. Watch out!
- Gorons of Snowhead*****
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Post by Lance on Jun 7, 2014 23:56:15 GMT
20. eternal summer "...and it'll be amazing! Like an eternal summer, where the weather never gets too bad or too cold, and flowers and fruits can always be blooming and growing! It'd be great, and people would hardly have to worry about a thing when it comes to the weather!""Are we going on this again? I love you, dear sister, but you get the strangest ideas sometimes."The wisest... she might have been, at least in a way, arguably. She was certainly amongst the oldest, more so among the oldest beings still living in Termina... though those folks over in Ikana still had her beat by a good 200 years or so. Then at least one other outside them and even the various faeries scattered about the land that was a good 80 years younger, but still acted like... well, like him. There was really no other way to say it most of the time. But whatever the case, it didn't prevent her from being somewhat airheaded, and coming up with rather strange ideas from time to time. Perhaps occasionally to just occupy the time... after all, at that age, such things didn't always come, at least so far as they might even be 'new' to her. "It would be quite the pleasant change nowadays, especially after what happened in Woodfall. I'm certain the Deku especially would appreciate such peaceful weather to help restore their land," offered the third of the presently gathered trio with some thought. "They might dry out," the second countered with a slight 'hmph'. "Then they can get rain. Nobody said summer has to go without rain, did they? Rain is great, it makes everything grow and washes everything away, and...""...and can easily make everything all muddy. It's hard enough already traveling through Woodfall without getting dirty sometimes," the faerie grumbled. "No, I don't think this 'eternal summer' of yours would work out. It would be nice for a lot of the plants not to die during winter, but I wouldn't be able to stand being so hot all the time," she added. "The Zora are not very fond of winter much of the time either. It freezes over parts of their homes, makes the water quite a bit colder for them to swim through. Lessening winter could be quite ideal..." the third thoughtfully spoke. "Right?" the first, 'wisest', excitedly agreed. "Sophie, you're the one who's probably best with fire magic... it may not be an eternal summer, but maybe you could at least help get rid of part of winter? We could all help with it!""I'll... consider it. I still think it's a silly idea, though.""But I'm sure it'd be fun! We could even have more of the summer festivals that people have around Termina for more of the year and enjoy those! Come on, I know you can do more than just 'consider' it!""Perhaps we should talk it over a little more first, to determine how we might do this and what it might affect..."So the deliberation, of sorts, continued between the three faerie sisters regarding the 'eternal summer'. Anyone could guess what might come of it... but for now, no others saw it or could be potentially warned of it. One would just have to wait and see.
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Post by Nayru on Jun 12, 2014 23:31:14 GMT
Oh my GOSH you guys know my characters better than I do. Helio, the story about Selene and Soal... I will be honest, I was very moved. Lance has earned 150 Rupees! Helio Merrows has earned 100 Rupees! Darunlazt dor Goronda has earned 75 Rupees! OKAY GUYSThe topics are going to be changed up. This time around, I am going to make things a bit different. Even if you do not write a one-shot, you can still earn Rupees for commenting and critiquing someone's story. Especially if it includes your character! The person who wrote about your character probably put a lot of thought into it. It takes a lot of courage to put up something about a character that is not their own. So give them the praise they deserve. Talk about their pieces! Anyone who offers a critique will earn 15 rupees to their account. It needs to include at least 3-5 sentences in order for you to get the prize. So no copping out and saying "oh yeah it was good" and then you get a prize. Nope! Put some thought into it, especially since they put some thought into your character.
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Charles Antony
Junior Member
Posts: 59
Application: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/517/charles-antony?page=1&scrollTo=2520
Plotter: Carma
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Post by Charles Antony on Jun 13, 2014 22:35:07 GMT
6. One More Dream - with this music~
A chill breeze sank its teeth into my skin, biting through the fabric of my cloak as it filled my blood with ice. Behind bleary eyelids I could see stars, dancing elegantly across my mind. How welcoming they were, how calming this chill felt. Certainly it was more pleasant than the ravenous hole that bore into my stomach, the harsh cracking sensation that came when I swallowed. I could almost see them, one tall and muscular with shaggy black hair, the other with long chestnut, embracing me between them. With just that image in my mind I could feel my frozen body thaw. I could nearly feel their ghostly arms around me, too. Perhaps, if I wished it hard enough, I could end myself and truly be with them again. In fact, I hoped it might come to that. I hoped I would fade away. Then I could be with the ones I loved. With....... "Charlie, you know I can see you're upset. You want to tell me about it?
"...."
"If you aren't ready, that's fine. But when you feel like it, come talk to me. I'm your big brother, I'm supposed to look out for you."-- The feeling of something truly warm touching my shoulder caused me to jerk awake, and there before my bleary eyes were seven.....figures. Hylian, by the look of it, and clothed in drab - but warm - cloaks. One such figure - an older male, I think - knelt by my side with a hand on my shoulder. In his free hand, he held a flask. He was speaking, but I didn't register the words - my mind was still so numb, and lost in thought. The flask was pressed against my lips and cold, soothing water healed the dryness of my throat, but I was only half aware of the easing pain, only half-aware that the man had now hoisted me to my feet and was half-carrying me along somewhere. I was lost within my mind, within a pool of unfortunate realizations. The day I learned of my parents' demise, I ran from the city of my birth; it had been a nightmarish place for one such as me, meek and mild among a people of physical prowess. I was the intellect to their brawn, but I was alone in my pursuit of knowledge - and something so vastly different from their beliefs had not been warmly welcomed by the other children. I might have run sooner, but my ever-loving parents would protect me, shield me from the cruelty of youth. Without them...there was nothing there for me, and so I left after sleepless hours staring at the moon. I hadn't known where I would go - I simply couldn't stay. So when I could walk no more and collapsed...I was content to die. I shudder at the unrelenting cold that burns my flesh, even as the man easing me along tells me something - probably a reassuring word, but I can only hear that voice in my head, the voice of someone precious. It's now, when by chance I was saved from the grips of death, that I am truly made aware of the situation. In running away...it is true that I left the nightmarish city I could never call home, but I also left the one person who needs me the most right now. "Boy, why are you alone out here? Where are your parents?"The voice had finally overpowered that one, precious sound in my mind, penetrating the void with its sharp, yet gentle, tone. I can feel my eyes stinging with tears now. "....Gone. They're gone....he's....he's gone..." The words tumbled out of my mouth - and I suppose to the man, it sounded as though a woeful declaration that my parents were dead. It was, in part, but the tears that burned me so were of self-loathing, of longing. The man spoke softly to me, and I found myself leaning wholly upon his shoulder, letting my tears flow for the first time since I fled. My body was wracked with pain as I sobbed, but the company of vagabonds did not edge away, did not scold nor chide me for such weakness. Instead, the man wrapped his arm about my shoulders, ever warmly embracing me. "Do not worry, little one. We'll not leave a child to starve." He spoke briskly to another of the travellers, who came forward and draped her cloak over my shivering form. She caressed my cheek, brushing away stray tears. "You're in good care, sweetie. Don't worry." The voice she uses is tender and nurturing. Like family. And I know...I know I made a mistake in leaving. But in my weakened state I can't go back... I hadn't realized until now, with him so far away, how important, how precious, Nero was to me.
...Where could he have gone? I felt uneasy as I woke that morning, like something was wrong. And now, having gone to check on Charles, I can't tell whether what I'm feeling is grief, worry, self-loathing...or a wretched mixture of all three. I can barely breathe, my heart's racing a mile a minute, and my body feels leaden and heavy. How could I not have noticed....I should have heard him get up, I should have noticed! Charles was all that was left...quiet though he was, I couldn't help but feel the emptiness of this house without him. I felt sick. For all I know, I could have convinced him to stay. If I'd just tried harder to reach him, if I'd just been there how he needed me...but I wasn't, I couldn't be that brother. I tried so hard to reach out to him, but he always shied away. But I didn't even try a different approach, I just assumed he didn't want to talk. Now, when I close my eyes, I can imagine him hiding in his room, crying alone, until mother came to rescue him from his misery. But after what happened...and knowing how much he hated it here...I should have been more careful, I should have watched more closely. Now...he's gone, and I might never get him back. ...No. No. I can't think that...I won't think that! I will find him. I'll walk until my feet bleed, and then keep walking...and until I find my brother, I won't stop. ...But I owe it to my parents to continue my training. The least I could do to honour my family is to continue to get stronger. And so stronger I will become. But Charles...Charles is more important than even honour. I wish they never died.--I wish I never ran away.--Every night, I dream of them...--Holding me, protecting me.--But if I could have just one more....--...A dream I could make a reality...--It would be finding you.--Because I miss you, brother.I close my eyes, and I know - I will find a way to return to him. I - we - will make sure of it.
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Josh Dragonsflame
Hylian
Black Knight
"I never truly knew what love was until you came into my life. Thank you."
Posts: 1,240
200x300 Avatar: http://pile.randimg.net/1/46/74072/Sonata%20Gilg.png
Application: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/93/josh-dragonsflame?page=1&scrollTo=200
Inventory: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/251/joshs-menu-screen?page=1&scrollTo=941
Plotter: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/697/joshs-plotter-relationships-stealing-idea
OOC Name: Josh
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Post by Josh Dragonsflame on Jun 14, 2014 18:49:29 GMT
15. "RUN!" “RUN!”
That was the first word that Guardsman Joshua DragonsFlame heard as he opened his eyes. Looking around, he was in Labrynna again… He looked down at himself. His ranchhand tunic was in place of the armor that had steadily become his trademark.
And then he saw it.
His neighbor’s ranch… Being burnt to the ground. His eyes widened, and something in the back of his mind knew what was going on.
Not again. Not another dream.
But his mind, in the forefront, was here… An 18 year old ranchboy who had just lost his family and his ranch. He’d been staying at the one in front of him for a few days while he got back on his feet… But…
Just like that, there it was. Burning, wood splintering and falling to the ground as screams and cries of Hylian and animal alike could be heard.
“RUN!”
That voice came again. From within the ranch.
He recognized it, it was the voice of Cyrus, the owner of the ranch and the one who with his wife had taken him in. That snapped him out of his daze pretty quick. He hated himself for standing there gawking while the people who had taken him in were in danger. Quickly, he would run in.
“Cyrus!” he called as he ran into the ranch. He didn’t know what he could do. I mean, he was just a ranch boy, he hadn’t been taught any sort of skills besides working on the ranch… Well, aside from the lessons Cyrus himself had given him on swordplay, but what use were they?
The sight in the ranch itself was worse than the one outside. The first thing he saw was the barn that he’d been working in to both pay them back for taking him in, as well as earning a bit of spending money to try and eventually buy back his own ranch. Of course, that wasn’t the case today, which was… Kind of obvious considering it was engulfed in an inferno.
Taking a breath, he peered over to the field. That’s when he saw what was causing the trouble.
Moblins. He recognized them from the stories his mother used to tell him. Stories of a Hero that fought Moblins and Octorocks and slayed the dark beast… It was one of the things that had caused those daydreams of being a warrior to begin with. They also had a once in awhile mention in the stories his uncle would tell him about his parents being Knights, and how they would cut down scores of Moblins like they were candy. Those stories had filled the young boy with wonder, and never left him even when he became a young man. But to see those… Beasts… In living color, at night… It was something you’d see in your worst of nightmares. Except…. This wasn’t a nightmare. This was real.
These Moblins, with their giant hulking figures and their large spears, were roaming the fields, setting them aflame… He could faintly see the figures of impaled bodies, likely the ranch workers, stuck to their spears… A look of horror crossed his face as he could only stare for that moment.
Then he heard it, a scream coming from the house nearby. That sounded like Angela, Cyrus’s wife…
He couldn’t stop himself. Instinct kicked in for the young ranchboy as he ran to the home he'd been sheltered in for quite some time now. Of course, getting in wouldn't be as easy as he would have liked.
The bloody door was covered with rubble. This might take a bit of time... More then he would have liked. Still, there was nothing else he could do. Luckily, these years of backbreaking work, throwing bales of hay, working with tools, working with the animals, as well as the blade training on the side had paid off in the form of a muscular frame, and strength to match. But the question was... Would he be able to handle this? And if so, could he do it in time?
Guess we'll just have to find out, won't we?
After several minutes of pushing and using his shoulder as a ramming tool, the rubble had been pushed aside. As Josh tried to open the door though, it would be smashed down by some sort of beast, a Bokoblin. The impact would send the farmboy spiraling into the wall of the barn. This, of course, would cause the creature to see him, causing it to charge.
Pure instinct drove the young man as he tried to get out of the way. Of course, with his inexperience, he would quickly be whacked aside by the blade of the creature's weapon. Hot blood rushed down his cheek from the cut that had been made as DragonsFlame got to his feet, groaning. This time though, as it charged again, he managed to duck the next blow that was going for his head, and managed to rip the blade from the Bokoblin's arms. Without even thinking, he used the momentum to impale the weapon right through the face of the creature. It would let out a deafening scream, one he knew would tell it's allies of it's death.
He didn't stop to take the weapon out now, he knew he was on borrowed time. Running into the house with the coast now clear, all around him were flames. He stopped in his tracks for a moment, his eyes transfixed staring into the fire. Finally, he got his bearings back and ran upstairs, where the scream had likely come from.
The sight he would find up there, of course, wasn't one you'd tell to kids when you tell them the regular bedtime story.There was Cyrus's wife, Angela, slumped lifelessly against the wall, a spear in her chest and her blood drenched across the walls. Cyrus himself was kneeling on one knee in front of a Moblin, who obviously had been the one to kill her. Cyrus's breath was heavy, and any knowledge of body language would tell you he was on borrowed time.
Before Josh could react though, the Moblin would pull out a smaller blade, having impaled Cyrus's wife with his spear, and stabbed it through Cyrus's chest. Josh gritted his teeth. "Damnit!" he called, more to himself then anything else. Sadly, as Cyrus crumpled, that got the attention of the Moblin, who would leap onto the young ranchboy before he could defend himself, and attempted to drive it's blade into his throat.
Out of pure instinct alone, Josh managed to grab the blade. This became a tug of war as the moblin tried to force it into his throat, and Josh tried to push it back. Finally, his intelligence won out as Josh managed to slam the hilt into the nose of the Moblin. Taking advantage of the temporary respite, Josh managed to turn the blade around and stab the Moblin between the eyes. The Moblin collapsed against him, and he let out a breath in relief as he pushed the dead body off him, crawling over to the prone Cyrus.
Checking his heartbeat, it turned out Cyrus wasn't dead yet. Josh turned him over.
"Damnit Cyrus, stay with me" he murmured to the only father figure he had after his parents died. The man who had taken him in when all seemed lost was dying in his arms, and in his heart he knew there wasn't a damn thing he could do about it... He felt hopeless. Helpless. What could he do?
The man choked and coughed, blood dripping from inside Cyrus's mouth as he seemed to be trying to form words to speak. Finally, he managed to point to the cabinet.
"L-Look... In there...." Cyrus managed to weakly say. "In... In the cabinet.... Bring it here...."
His words were almost slurred. Every word, it was like he was killing himself to get out. He let out a gurgling sound almost before Josh got up and opened the cabinet he was pointing at.
Taking something out, Josh examined it... It was a sheath. Pulling something out, it was a Greatsword... The pommel had a dark blue jewel in it's circular structure, with some kind of steel fathers, orange and red, protruding from it... The hilt itself was dark blue, seeming to be made of some kind of scales. The front was a regal gold, in the shape of a dragon's wings. The blade itself was a shiny gold, red and orange, almost as if it were on fire... He stared at it for a moment, almost as if holding it felt.... Right. Finally, he brought it over to Cyrus, who smiled faintly and pushed the blade back against him.
"No.... It's not mine... It belonged to your father. It is a family heirloom of the DragonsFlame Family... Dragon's Flame, named, of course, after your family's name... I found it in the remains of your home, it was one of the only things that didn't get burnt in the fire the monsters set on it after those debt collectors took the place. This belongs to you now... Cherish it always, and remember that they'll always be there for you, in your heart..." he managed to choke out. Josh gritted his teeth and nodded. He didn't speak of his family much, but... That had changed quite quickly talking to Cyrus now.
His family would always be with them... He took a breath. "Come on, Cyrus.... We have to get you out of here" he whispered, sheathing the blade and attacking it to his back before trying to help Cyrus's frail body to his feet. Cyrus chuckled a bit. "You're a good sort...." he whispered. "Your father always spoke highly of you... Said you were a kind one. Hard worker... Yet always dreaming. Always dreaming of being a Knight. Just like your mom, just like your dad... They wanted you to be the heir to take over the farm, but... We all knew it wouldn't happen. You were too set on following in your families footsteps. We knew you'd eventually go out on your own and make something of yourself. And now... Now's the time. You've proven to me what you can do... I just wish your father and mother could have seen" he whispered.
Josh smiled a bit, but kept trying to help him up. "Come on, we'll talk about this later... Let's get to one of the other ranches and get you patched up"
Cyrus smiled and shook his head."No... It's too late for me. I was dead as soon as that monster struck my Angela down. Besides... They've attacked all the ranches. By the time you leave here, it will be too late... Our home, our neighborhood... It's doomed, Joshua. I want you to take that sword, take any provisions you can and go. Leave here, and make something of yourself like you dreamed of" he said weakly. It was obvious life was leaving his body....
He weakly managed to point to a sack full of provisions. "We had that packed up to evacuate before they stormed the house. Take them now, hopefully they'll last you until you can find a place to stay" he managed to get out weakly. "I believe in you, boy... Your father would have been proud of you"
Finally, Cyrus's eyes closed, and he fell limp in his arms. Josh gritted his teeth, just like that... He'd been unable to save another... He was helpless... He was hopeless to stop it, once again...
No... That wouldn't happen again, if he could help it.
He slid the sack of provisions tied around his shoulder and cracked his neck. As he looked back though, a fireball would suddenly fly through the window. It would explode in the corner of the room, setting the bodies of both the Moblin, as well as Cyrus and Angela on fire. The whole side of the room was on fire... There was nothing he could do for them now.
Gritting his teeth, he ran out of the room... The other monsters must have been notified of his presence after the first enemy he'd killed had screamed...
As he got out what remained of the door, a Moblin that was looting the corpse of it's fallen "brother" or "cousin" or whatever took notice of him. Quickly, it would pull out it's spear and stab at the hapeless farmboy. With his instincts now at an all time high though, Josh would suddenly sidestep and proceed to kick the Moblin dead where the sun didn't shine. An unexpected move, but Josh didn't trust his skill level enough to risk a full on confrontation... Seizing the opportunity, Josh drew Dragon's Flame and with both hands, impaled it through the prone Moblin's head. As it let out a deafening cry, it fell. Knowing that was a signal for more to come, Josh would take off. As he looked back one last time, the ranch that he had finally begun to see as his home... Had burnt to nothing. Everything in there, monsters aside... Was dead. Finally, he took off. They would be looking for him now, he knew that. Looking around, he realized that Cyrus was right... He could see fires all around. The monsters had laid siege to the entire area. Every farm and ranch as far as the eye could see? Burning. Under siege. Destroyed. There was nothing left for him here....
He sighed as he took off. With no horse to take him anywhere, he knew he'd have to take the trek on foot.
Where would he go? He didn't know.
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Two weeks would pass. Josh hadn't found civilization in his travels whatsoever. Anything he did find had been laid waste to, and he only found more monsters. More things trying to kill him. He'd exhausted his food supply three days ago, his canteen of water was empty, and he was exhausted. He didn't trust himself to sleep or risk being killed during it. With that, his sleep time was limited, only adding to his exhaustion.
Suddenly, a gasp would emit from him as a spear would go through his back. His eyes rolled into the back of his head as he fell to the ground. A Moblin had taken him from behind. Thinking the man for dead, the Moblin would take the sack of provisions, anything Josh had left... And walked off, leaving him to bleed out.
A few hours passed. Josh's breath was growing faint. The blood loss was finally draining him fully. He managed to roll onto his back, and saw his blood pooled on the grass. Faintly, he heard the sound of a horse's hooves clopping... He managed to try and pull himself up onto his knees, trying to signal to it...
It stopped in front of him, and someone hopped off the horse. The remains of Josh's vision managed to make out a woman. Long brown hair with blonde highlights. Silver eyes.
The woman smiled down at him and waved.
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It'd been a week since he'd been rescued by the young woman. Diamond, her name was. She was from somewhere called Termina. Everything from there was kind of woozy. She had patched him up, saved his life... They had exchanged their stories, and she had offered to take him with her. She had mentioned she was the innkeepers daughter in Clock Town. She said she could help find him work, find him a place to stay... And get his life together.
They had arrived in Termina. It was so much... Different from Labrynna. Especially the part where there were no burning farms and ranches. Finally, they came to a cliff. And below?
"We're here" Dia said, pointing down at a town with a giant clock tower. It's clock was made of massive symbols, and the thing itself seemed to be rotating. Josh smiled faintly, feeling better then he had for weeks.
This was it then.... This was his home from here on.
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Josh woke up with a start. It was 2014 again... 21 years old. Clock Town Guard. Adventurer. It was just like the last vision, the last dream.... But the ending was different. He remembered again why he was here. Why he was doing what he did.
He looked out the window, his confidence renewed... And his fire for what he did stronger then ever.
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Raisara Naiar
Zora
Gladly.
Posts: 164
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Application: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/399/raisara-naiar?page=1&scrollTo=2015
Inventory: http://sonata-of-awakening.proboards.com/thread/369/when-stars-sing-story?page=1&scrollTo=2083
OOC Name: mint
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Post by Raisara Naiar on Jun 17, 2014 17:56:38 GMT
16. Sincerely,
___________________________________________________________ Labrynna City, 17th year of Queen Ambalika’s rule
To Big Brother Daringo dor Goronda, 29th Leader in the Line of Goronda Goron Village, Snowhead, Termina ___________________________________________________________
Greetings, Big Brother.
In this humid summer, as the flowers are blooming and blowing strong are the winds, me thoughts turn to you. It must be quite cold in Snowhead now, even in this season.
Me writing this in a short time of us march, as me units stopped for a rest in the big city. Much has transpired since me last letter, Big Brother, and now me am enlisting in a mercenary regiment serving Labrynna’s aristocracy. Them are in big war here Big Brother, and seemed to always be. Mad these royalties are, and none of them people concern that them wage endless wars among themselves and others. I remembered you, Big Brother, as me watched what them had brought to them own people, and me was glad that you would not do the same. Us Gorons of Snowhead are ruled not by right, you said, but by honor, and the Leader is one with the people. I had not been present to watch you govern, dear Brother, but me was sure that you principles are right in the very right. This chaotic snob-nosed nobility are proof of it.
Me had been in this regiment for some months, Brother, and them are amazing fellows. Battle-hardened but full of laughter, us are composed by many people from various places, including wanderer such as meself, and us did all that us did with none faith or belief, but simply for the money. Me be honest, us did not always do good, but us were only following us leader’s orders, since us own leader forbade us to do as we wishes. Strong man the leader is, Big Brother, reminding me of you, but him is much more fierce and closed, and him only reason for adventuring was “searching for a lost fairy friend”. Me haven’t seen a fairy yet and us do not believe one as rough as him would be able to befriend one. Really! But him was brave and very skilled in sword, and genuinely cared for us misfits. So us followed him without hesitation, and him lead us to victories after victories. Me had been in many battles, brother, real battles with killings, but none as savage as us had here in Labrynna. Them are people of the warrior. Still cannot match a Goron, me assure you, but them are much hardier and sturdier than them Terminans us had back home. These Labrynnans never give up easily.
So far me had went through the battles unscathed –for what would be expected less than me Big Brother’s little brother? But in one battle me and me group was almost done for. It was in the middle of winter last year. Us had been ordered to follow a group of medic carrying injured soldiers, and to strike at them when us had the chance. Most unbrotherly to strike at the injured, but me followed me leader nonetheless. But alas! The medic eluded us and we were lost in a blizzard in a land completely foreign for us. For three days us wandered , seeing nothing but white, and third day most of us had almost given up. Me did not, for sure, Big Brother, and me was among the five that could still stand and dragged our exhausted comrades along. Even us leader was desperate, and me thought that this was the end.
But out of nowhere came a group of people bearing lanterns, and them led us to them wagons! Din be blessed! For them had plenty of woods and fire and warm foods, and them tended to us exhausted and gave us them own blankets. Them are strange, big brother. Same pointy ears and short stature, but them clothes are most uncommon, and them were strange trinkets and colors that me has never seen before. Me asked the leader, and him said them people are called Gypsies.
Us stayed with these Gypsies until spring was near, because to leave in winter still would be folly. But really, Brother! Them Gypsies are most interesting people to be around. Them gave us food just like them had, and gave us place to sleep just like them own. Them like crafting and mending things, at times them would suddenly whip out their instruments and sang, and them whole tribe sang along with them. Me wish you could hear them lovely tune, Brother! And them also told us them adventures and strange stories them had for generations, and us mercenaries quickly took a liking to them. Night and night us would sit around a campfire and exchange stories, and then one of them would open up a tankard and us would end the night with loud songs and laughters. Them had women and children too, but them seem almost as jovial as them men! Such brothers and sisters!
But me learned from one of them that them are a sad people. This brave brother me befriend on me third night, when me took us Goron Stones and polished them. Him name was Daioh, and should he not be Gypsy me would like him to be a Goron! He send you a greetings too, Brother, me have said it. Now us talked for many times and learned about each other. Me told him of us glorious people and us beautiful village in Snowhead. He told me that him had met Gorons before, but none as easy as me am. It seemed that even them Gorons in this area are warlike. And then him told him his race’s story, and, Brother, him story brought me to tears. Them Gypsies were prosecuted people, unwelcomed and unwanted anywhere for reasons them themselves do not understand. It got to do with superstition, Brother Daioh said, and of past mistakes them ancestors made generations ago. Now them descendants are suffering now! Them had to resort to thievery and banditry to carry them lives, and by Din me do not blame them. Them do that out of necessities, because other people would not allow them any other means to live.
Which made me remember of what you said about Zora, Big Brother. Me think you are right. Them Zoras did do many wrongs in the past, but, like brother Gypsies now, them descendants should not suffer because of it. Me imagined if Termina was ruled by us Gorons. Would them Zora be forced to live like them Gypsies now? Would they be allowed to suffer not because them do any wrongs but simply because us hate them? Tough it seemed, Brother, but I had seen that you said was true. When me return me would surely help you explain you wisdom to us Brothers!
So, brother Daioh and me parted when spring came, when me group were ready to move again. Me gave him as parting gift a knife which me forged in them Gypsies smithery. None too beautiful, forgive me Brother, but it was sturdy, and me sure it would serve me new brother good. In return him gave me a cloth with fanciful pattern, which me send to you now, brother. See how generous them Gypsies are even in their condition! Me had talked to Daioh and them leader that, if them ever want to move, us Gorons of Snowhead would readily receive them, as me sure you would Brother, and let them live under us protection where no prosecution should harm them. But them are true brothers, Brother, since them refused to leave. This was the land them ancestors gave them to take care of, them said, and this land them will take care, no matter what happened to them. Me cried back there, brother, and me could only hope that them find a better life ahead of them.
So now the bell had rung and me had to go, Brother. Tomorrow us will march with her Queen’s army themselves, and the Duke’s stronghold us aimed to take before fall. Me would not tell you in details her Queen and Duke’s relationship, Brother. Me was confused, too! But one thing certain them are no good family.
Thank you, Big Brother. Me hope you be healthy always. Please take care of us village, and us people. Though me thought nothing of them but to you.
Sincerely,
Darunlazt dor Goronda Your Little Brother.
*****
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Selene Merrows
Hylian
heroine of time
When nothing is right, just close your eyes
Posts: 445
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OOC Name: Raine
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Post by Selene Merrows on Jun 27, 2014 1:02:50 GMT
5. temptations The idea of living somewhere else was still hard to grasp for Mira. All her life, she had been alone with her sea friends. The great whale was wise, and gentle, and kind. He was the only thing she ever knew; she did not know her parents. She did not know if there were any other mermaids like her. Though this life may sound lonely, it truly wasn't. Mira had all she ever wanted; until she came to Clock Town. Termina was a land unlike any she had ever seen before. Out in the ocean, her uncharted island was very secluded. She very rarely saw any humans, and yet she was always finding their artifacts at the bottom of the sea floor. It was a world she did long to see, yet she had never had the chance nor the opportunity. Now that she was within that strange world, she started to feel an ache she had never felt before. Life before Termina had been lonely. It was terribly lonely. However, she knew not of the social norms. In the sea, she could do what she wanted. If there was something she wanted for her collection, there was no one to tell her "No." Termina had such things as "Rupees." In order to get what she wanted, she had to have these colorful gems. There were times when she tried to barter with glamorous shells she had found on the beach, but despite them being the same color as these "rupees," she got nowhere. Not only could she not get what she wanted, she had felt the ache of loneliness. There were so many people around her, yet no one knew her. Her attempts at conversation ended badly in most situations; her rough and crude speech, her sneaky personality was just not something that anyone wanted anything to do with. Despite being in a marketplace full of people, she was completely alone. The marketplace was lined with booths full of beautiful things. There were beautifully crafted clothes, skirts and blouses that she would have no problem wearing. A life in the sea did not require clothing, and that aspect of life in Termina was still a thing she was getting used to, and those clothes would probably help the transition. There were gorgeous gem necklaces, the chains were delicate and soft and hanging at the end was a gem wrapped in coiled wire, which was then attached to the chain. Azure eyes glanced up at the vendor, and a smile immediately crinkled on her lips. Their back was turned. No one was looking. It would be easy enough to just reach out her hand and snatch up that beautiful necklace... The temptations rose... But just as her hand hovered over it, she stopped. Maybe she wasn't so alone. Her thoughts traced back to the brutish Zora man she had met on a few occasions, one of those times being when he had confronted her about stealing his earrings. It was a day much like today. She had been wandering and exploring, only this time she was near the ocean, swimming freely without a care. He had spotted her and called out to her, though she sensed he quickly regretted that. Most people, she found, grew extremely timid around her when she was nude. To her, it was normal. It was something she was slowly growing accustomed to... those things called "clothes"... Ignatius, or Iggy as he had suggested, was fishing and putting all of his attention on the sea. Mira leaned against the dock that he was sitting on when a glimmer of light flashed in her eyes. That was that. Their next meeting had not been so casual. He discovered her wearing his aforementioned earrings and gave her quite the stern chat. Mira huffed as it came back to her mind. That was not at all pleasant. It was actually quite embarrassing. Everything had been hers for the taking before. There was no sense of right or wrong in the ocean. He had very much proved that wrong in the case of Termina. "Stealing" as he called it was very bad, and looked down upon. The mermaid huffed and pulled her arms in closer to her chest. Though that necklace was sorely tempting, it was not in her agenda to be berated and chided again. A slight pain hit her chest, and it made her shift uncomfortably. It was a pang of guilt, though Mira could not register that feeling just yet. Whenever she thought of Iggy, she felt that feeling. That man was nothing but trouble to her. "Yo, Mira!" she heard the familiar voice call. Mira rolled her eyes. Wherever she was, he was there eventually. One thing was true, however, that whenever he was around, she didn't feel so lonely anymore. It was only a matter of time.
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Post by Nayru on Jun 27, 2014 2:45:17 GMT
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Helio Merrows
Hylian
I'll stand by you.
Posts: 182
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OOC Name: mint
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Post by Helio Merrows on Jun 27, 2014 15:20:34 GMT
N.B. : This fanfic is a tribute to one of the most in-depth writer I have ever met! :-D N.B.2: Be careful. Might see Helio in a different light after this 2. cavalier There was a soft drizzle trickling from the sky that night.
We were riding along the empty grasslands, holding our horses firmly by their reins to prevent them from slipping in this uneven ground. This part of the land were quite alien to us –although it was close to our towns –and consequently we had to be careful of hidden holes or crevices that might trap our horse’s feet and render them immobile. Pulling them out from such holes would take some time, and during that chase, time was something we could not afford. We were already been out in this wilderness for one week longer than we had expected, the general mood in our ranks were very poor, and tempers easily flared for any trivial reason. Even the Captain looked exhausted, and the Lieutenant –a fierce and reckless fellow. Never really liked him- was even more so. Eight of us, eight of our towns finest cavaliers that should had been marching boldly in front of a majestic army were instead reduced to a ragtag group trailing a band of petty thieves.
Petty thieves. Yes they were. Petty thieves and bandits and robbers and any other disgraceful occupation you can ever think of. We had been assigned to track this close-knit group and round them up once and for all, but the task proved to be harder than we had thought it to be. By close coordination between our two towns we had successfully evicted them from the town, where there would be countless back-alleys for them to run to, and out into this wide grassy plain, where there would be no escape once we had them cornered.
But I tell you, to corner them even in this vast open plain was no easy task. They and their mobile wagons seemed to know every trick and feints we had in our sleeves, and they continuously eluded our chase. This day to a group of dense trees, that day to a hardly-existing shepherd’s roads, another day sneaking between our camps, again and again these petty thieves managed to slip past our formation and turned to some less-known parts of this plain, where the search began anew for us. That night was no exception. After taking a surprise turn that left us waiting fruitlessly the day before, they had now crossed a stream and headed to a forgotten farming area, where His Majesty’s bold plans were thwarted by stubborn Zoras and where none of us had imagined to search. That night they would surely had eluded us too and probably would be free forever, since we were nearing the border of our jurisdiction. Yet Fate had intervened and, to free us from the shame we would receive had we failed this mission, sent a messenger in form of a young man with light purple hair.
This young man, none of us knew who he was or why exactly had he came to us. But he appeared in our camp nevertheless, his long dark cloak a silhouette under the setting sun, telling us that he had heard that we were searching for a group of bandits in wagons and that he knew where we could find them tonight. Of course we were wary at first –the Lieutenant even more so-, but at that time we all were very exhausted and longed for the warmth of our homes that we decided, by the Captain’s backing, that it would not hurt if we trust this young gentleman’s information rather than just loitering around the empty plains with no clues at all. Besides, we reasoned that he was alone, with nothing but a walking stick on his left hand, while we were a full group of cavaliers with complete set of arms and armors. If for the worst he led up into a trap we would easily kill him and ran away, galloping away with his head inside a sack.
Thus, the captain issued a spare horse for him, and now as nine of us rode through the mystifying drizzle we realized that the young man meant honest. He led us around to a part we had not explored before, and soon it was clear from the dented soil and broken branches that a group had recently passed through here. If the young man’s description about the group was true, then this could be the end of our long tiring night camping in the open. Our spirit rekindled, we pushed our horses forward with renewed vigor, but before long the night fell into another monotony of hoof beats and swaying seats. We could not force our horses to run, since we could not risk our horses being injured in this uneven ground like I had told before, so all we could do was loosening our reins and kept the horses walking in a steady pace. It was a dreary walk, and one by one we fell for silent musings or idle chatters, assuring ourselves that this night was indeed the last.
But along the way only the young man didn’t chat, his face focused and his demeanor as dark as the long cloak he had draped around him. Seeing his figure so, remaining in constant alert and giving his all to lead us as fast as he could to the misfits, I felt a certain need to ease his tension a little bit.
"So, this is where they were going?” I started with a light smile, bringing my horse beside his and waving one of my hand around. At that time I realized we hadn’t even asked this young man’s name.
“They should be,” he replied, his tone serious but with a certain nervousness in there, “I got a glimpse at their wagons when I was going to your camp. Surely they cannot be very far.”
As the man talked I had a chance to scrutinize him closely. He was a young man of average height, not much older than my youngest brother, but from the way he handled that horse it was clear that he had been through a lot for someone of his age. His face was rather fair and certainly comes from a well-to-do family, but in his ruby eyes were a fire of such burning conviction that his gaze could be perceived as almost threatening. If this man smiled, I mused to myself, he would have one of the warmest smile I had ever seen. But that night his face was set to stone, and I could see that he wanted nothing more but to lead us to our intended target and let us do his job for him.
Well, that is a rather strange perception on my part. “Tell me though," I asked again, “why had you bothered to journey to our camp simply to tell us of this group? We had no rewards placed and you would certainly gain nothing from doing this. It was clear you were travelling to some other places also. Wouldn’t it be better if you just go on your own way?"
At my inquiry the young man hung his head for a moment, water trickling from his silvery mane. “I suppose that would do,” he confessed, “But I would be gladder if I could bring these bandits to justice first.”
“Oh, you have heard about this group before?”
He shook his head “No. And I would have thought of them as simple traveling merchants had I not witnessed what they did yesterday.”
At his next words the fire in his eyes flared. “They overwhelmed a single trader wagon and took it with them. They surely are bandits.”
I surely was curious. “And you had stalked this group since yesterday?”
“Not really. I was simply curious of where they were going, so I followed them a little while.... I didn’t get close enough to know their numbers, let alone their faces, but from their movements I could relatively guess where they were going. And this evening, my guesses were proved right.
"Then I met a trader who said that there was group of cavaliers seeking these people, and so here I am.”
I pondered for a little while at this young man’s single-mindedness. He certainly didn’t demand any money or favors for his information, and this information he gained not by mere chance but through conscious effort. Being as what I am I could not comprehend any people would no anything without a substantial reward, so the motive of this young man quite puzzling to me. Only one other thing in my mind that might explain to me the nature of this young man’s conviction.
I blurted out. “Say, do you, perhaps, have any grudge against this group?”
But I immediately regretted it. “But of course,” I hastily added, ”you do not have to tell us anything if you don’t want to. Sorry.”
At my uneasiness the young man only gave a polite nod, a light-hearted smile were on his lips. “I don’t mind.... But I do not really have a grudge against this group...not this particular group....”
His tone was hanging in the air. “Let us just say that I have a grudge against all bandits in all place, and I could not stand still if I know that I can help quickening their demise.”
Harsh words. I had already opened my mouth to ask more about his motives when from behind me the Captain suddenly spoke.
“There they are, aren’t they?” he said, pointing to a small sheltered home in the distance. A small fire was burning weakly there, subdued by the drizzle, and from our place covered by darkness we could discern figures moving around the fire.
“Yes! There they are!” the agitated Lieutenant thundered, and some of our men cheered. “At last! An end to this wretched exictence! Let us slaughter them all tonight and be done with it!”
But the Captain raised his hand, commanding silence from us. “No. Remember that we are here to capture them and bring them to trials. Nothing more. No killings, no beatings, no burnings, and certainly treat them with some form of respect. We are to capture them alive and unharmed."
At this the Liutenant shouted “But-!” and other like-minded men started murmuring among themselves. But remarkably, it was the mysterious young man that raised his voice above them all.
“What? You aren’t going to kill them?”
In his face was painted a certain disappointment, as if we had betrayed his expectations of us. The Liutenant nodded in agreement and others followed suit. The Captain turned to the young man.
“We thank you for bringing us to this place, young man,” he started. In my captain’s voice I had only heard wisdom and he certainly showed it that night. “And without you we would not have been able to find them now. But it was our orders that we brought them in chains rather than in coffins, and in our towns would their sentences be decreed and their justice be served. Not in here.” he ended, directing the last two words especially to his men.
The young man held his chin, but he did not dare to stare brazenly at our captain. I surely was right in deducing that he was from a good upbringing.
“But what good would imprisoning them do?” he asked, with him the men murmured, “They would be a burden in your journey home, and a greater burden still in your towns’ prisons. They would have plenty of chance to escape once you had captured them, and then the search would begin anew. Would you like to spend another month in this miserable condition, chasing for some rats you knew you could have disposed of long ago but didn’t do?”
So powerful was his words that some men began to voice their own dissent, and the Liutenant added some more flaming words about those bandits that I would not repeat. It took another raised hand by my Captain to bring silence to the ranks.
“I share your sentiments, child,” he said, casting a solemn look at the young man, “But this is Law, and we are to abide by it whether we like it or not.”
And now in the man’s face was a grin that didn’t suit his face at all. A malevolent one.
“Law...huh... Do you think these bandits you seek operate by Law? Do you think they thought about law at all when they committed their stealing? Do you think Law was on their mind when they took another wagon and left its owner to his own? Do you think they operate within law when they killed a father and burned a house, when they plundered a shop and razed an establishment, when they took anything they want and never returned....
“Do you think they cared about law when they cost a mother her baby, a merchant his wares, and a young man his right arm?”
The flames in his eyes were burning so furiously that I imagined they were practically aflame then and there. The Lieutenant clapped his hands and other men cheered softly, but at this time I felt the need for myself to intervene.
“They are not these people you spoke of,“ I declared, turning to face the fiery young man, “I know these groups. They are bandits, yes, but they had never killed a single soul in all my careers. They stick themselves to petty theft and robbery, but that was all they ever done.”
Slowly, the young man turned his head to me, his ruby eyes staring directly at mine. He stopped there for some moment, but quickly lowered his head down and turned around again. He sighed.
“But they are still bandits. And bandits do not deserve to live.”
Turning his horse around, he spurred the beast away from us, not straight but directly paralleling the small sheltered home. “I would stay here and scout the perimeter, while you all do what you have to do. If any of them managed to slip past, I’ll let you know.”
And with that, he directed his horse to the tall grasses and promptly swallowed by the night. Only then that I realized that he used only his left hand to steer the reins -his right hand I did not see until the end. Now that I think of it, I should have known he was hiding something, for the right side of him he covered with his cloak always.
***
I met him again when we returned, sitting straight on his horse under the intensifying rain and waiting for us to arrive at his place. The ambush was terrible, I tell you, and it had made our mood especially sour. The Lieutenant had gone out of control and I needed to restrain him, yet incidents still happened and we ended up with blood in or hands. The Captain was especially furious, and he berated his Lieutenant so harshly that I even felt pity for the rough man. Nevertheless, when all was settled we rounded up our prisoners –perhaps around ten- and marched them on with their hands tied to each others’ back and their heads covered by brown rags. In this manner we would bring them to one of the town to be brought to Law, and it was this long procession that the young man watched with a strange expression in his face.
Our Captain was the first to ride out to him. “Ah, you are still here,” he said, trying to be as light as possible so as not to give any hint about what has transpired before, “And you kept true to your words. Did anyone escaped?”
A slight shaking of his head was all that the young man replied. His gaze was still fixed to the long line of covered prisoners, shivering in their wet clothes and rags.
“I still don’t understand why you don’t simply kill them all and spare them this humiliation.”
One of the prisoners –a proud child it seemed- who was passing near his horse at that time stopped in his tracks. “Kill us all?” he shrieked, “Don’t you know who we are and what we have done to this land, hah?”
A cavalier –Renault- who was walking beside him gave him a light kick and he continued on, his words muffled both by the rain around him and the brown rags around his head. Other prisoners behind him murmured something, unable to see what has happened but felt something was amiss nonetheless. But the insolent child was still within an earshot when the young man answered.
“Yes I know. You are what us in Clock Town called Bandits. And what you had done to this land...you should have paid it with your lives.”
Promptly the child turned around under his blinding rags and shouted, “No! We are not bandits! We are The Gy-“
“Shut up!”
Renault had hit the child hard on the head, making him drop to the ground and throwing the procession into disarray. Some of the prisoners wailed and one of them screamed “No, Iman! Speak no more!” But to this commotion Renault paid no heed. And as I was still trying to comprehend what has happened he had stridden near the fallen child with one wide step, and would have continued beating him senseless had not a firm hand held his raised fist.
Remarkably, It was the young man. Still seated on his horse, he stared fiercely at Renault, holding the cavalier's muscled arm with his own left hand. I was close enough, but had not reacted as swift as the young man had.
“Please stop, Sir. Kill him if you must. But if you cannot, then do him no harm.”
And as he said that his left arm deftly reached downward and unsheathed the cavalier’s sword. He turned towards the Captain, with the sword, and bowed his head.
“With your permission, Captain.”
Our captain was positively fuming now. “Return that sword, child,” he said, his voice trembling in anger, “I have told you what we are supposed to do, and I would not change it for anything. You!” he barked, pointing a vindictive finger at the angry Renault. “One more abuse to the prisoners and I’ll let you be abused yourself. Understand?”
The young man gave a shrug and rode back, returning the sword to the cavalier. Renault simply nodded and, at my urging, promptly helped the sobbing child back on his feet. And so, we continued our march without further incident, with us taking turns of mounting our horses while the prisoners walked all the way back. It was nearing dawn and the rain had stopped when we finally saw the giant gates of our town, and with a long sigh of relief all of us understood that the chase, finally, had ended.
But one other thing needed to be taken care of. As our men led the shivering prisoners through the gate, their hands still tied and their heads still covered by the rain-soaked rags, I spurred my horse towards the young man and stood beside him as he watched from the distance the lowly procession proceeding under the jeering of the populace, who threw eggs and rotten vegetables at the captives. The young man was silent, but beneath his silvery hair still dripping with last night’s rain I could see his expression cold and disapproving. He who last night had so ardently argued to kill all the bandits instead and who would have done so himself given the chance, was now staring with disgust at the treatment of the still-living prisoners. What a peculiar man, this young man was.
But this thing needed to be cleared, and fast. “Surely you know," I started, choosing my words carefully, “that we promised no rewards or anything for the capture of the group. It was a closed cavalier’s affair, actually, and we had no intention of requesting help for anyone.”
The young man’s gaze was still fixed to the procession of prisoners as he answered. “And I did not desire any reward.”
"However, our Captain decreed that your help was invaluable, and that you should not go unrewarded. He had been generous enough to give that horse to you for free. It was a simple spare horse, none the best, but I am sure she will aid you tremendously in your journey.”
He seemed to be a little surprised at my words. “I can have this horse?” he said, his left hand softly caressing the horse’s neck. The horse neighed, and mine did also. I took this as a good omen.
“Sure,” I said, smiling at him, “Take good care of her, and may your journey be swift and safe, wherever it is you intended to go.”
At that time someone called from inside the gates. “Vice-Captain Robespierre! The Captain has summoned you!”
With a slight bow which the young man returned I turned my horse around and spurred her forward, galloping towards the gates. As I crossed the threshold to the inside of the town I stole a glance toward my back and searched for the young man with silvery hair. He was still there, sitting upright on his horse and proper in his posture, staring directly at me. Then, with a salute, he steered his horse to the right and galloped back towards the plain.
And as I watched his silhouette disappearing in the horizon I realized then that I had not asked his name yet. And the thing about his right hand was –and still is- a mystery to me until now.
*****
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