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#11 |
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sorry i didn't make it clearer, there are some of the villagers in the hall, there are maybe 2/3 in their beds in the village. (I wish i could draw better, i sort of want to include a map with this story)
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I know you'll come back someday On a bed of nails awake I'm praying that you don't burn out Or fade away You're falling back to me The star that I can't see I know you're out there Somewhere out there You're falling out of reach Defying gravity I know you're out there Somewhere out there -Our Lady Peace |
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#12 |
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Aiden awakened almost instantly to the recognizable tone. He had hear the tone before, sometimes at high noon signaling the return of a fishing ship or a merchant, but never in the dead of night. He jumped out of bed, almost falling over Olsea, who was also trying to get up. Aiden ran to the door, and they both moved quickly out into the dark hallway. When they got into the hallway, they saw Aidens father rushing down the hallway, almost knocking them down.
“Boys, go check on the guests, im going up to the tower” He said urgently “what is it father?” “I don’t know, at this time of night, who knows.” He said coldly, all the joy of the day drained by the urgent crisis. It didn’t take the strong, athletic Shal long to climb up to the top of the tall, slender watchtower, perched precariously next to the house. He saw it, and heard it for himself. Tal gave the horn another blow, almost half a minute, taking all the breath from his lungs. They both looked out and saw it, it was unmistakable, there were 4 ships, firing into the village, their flaming rocks and arrows. In the flashes of fire they could make out small boats full of swarthy, grim men rowing steadily towards the shore. Shal allowed a few seconds of fear, before taking command of the situation. “Tal”he put his hand on the young man’s shoulder, “get to the armory”, in the basement of my hall, anyone able, or willing to bear arms, provide them, anyone able to use a bow would be of great value”. Tal was filled with a share of Shal’s courage, “Yes Sir” he said confidently, and rushed down the stairs, Shal took one last look, and followed after him. The hall was full of noise, and panic. “what was that noise?”, “what’s going on?” were bellowed by all the guests in various tones and volumes. “I cant control this!” Aiden felt powerless, talking to Olsea through the din. They were as confused and as scared as anyone else in the room, their age, gender, and parentage notwithstanding. Shal burst into the room, his mere presence a calming influence, he’s Loven he’ll know what to do they all thought. The Loven were one of the oldest institutions on the island. Essentially feudal landlords, they were also much more. Their ancestors established themselves above others, they were men and woman who either through natural leadership, or chosen by the gods some thought, seemed to unite people, and bring out the best of them. They were not despots ruling through force, by contrast the people wanted to follow them, and put their faith in them. They were also strong and established in battle, each one a tower of defense for the island, inspiring their people to superhuman feats. “People!” Shal cried, silencing the room “there are” he searched for the word “enemies upon us” this brought screams from some, silent nods from others. “head down as fast as you can to the basement, time is short, anyone that is willing or can bear arms, do so”. Even though he has never used it, his leadership shone through the fear like a sunbeam, Aiden was amazed by his father. “Aiden a pause, Olsea, come with me quickly”, and they followed, running up down the hallway after Shal. “FIRE” creeeeeaaakkk….. snap Nakh watched another glorious fireball soar through the night and enjoyed watching it crash into a wooden home, turning the well made building into so much rubble. “Send them their “Fish” he commanded with a laugh, “im going ashore, I need some sport” He got into the next rowboat filled with his men, impetuous all, and wanting the blood of the arrogant, islanders. He patted his axe, making sure the blade was sharp, sharp enough to kill any islander in his way. His strong rowers pushed the leaky, overloaded rowboat as fast as it could to the beach. When he sank his feet into the soft sand on the beach, he and his men roared, as they watched the catapulted heads of the whales fly into the city, smashing through roofs, crushing beams, and smashing running villagers. “Remember” he told his men, crush the resistance first, then we get our prizes! Aiden had never been into this room of the house before, he had always seen it, but an invisible force had always repelled him from the door. The room was sparse, un decorated, and empty of furniture save for a few items, that were worth more than the entire village he would soon learn. Shal worked quickly, pulling up a discolored floorboard, and pulling a small light chest from it. Aiden was growing tense, he could hear shuffling in the basement as Tal assigned arms and armor to the few people, he could hear people streaming in through the doors, terrified souls fleeing the village below. “Aiden, pray, come closer, time is short”, Shal beckoned his son over with a wave of his hand. “My son, I didn’t know when the time would be to do this, but I believe now is the time” Aiden simply nodded, seeing how serious his father was. Aiden kneeled down to his fathers level, and they looked each other in the eye. Shal opened the soft wooden chest, and began unfolding layers of beautifully embroided violet silk, revealing a deep blue scabbard. Aiden looked on in wonder, as his father hastily, but carefully lifted the four and a half foot blade, kissed the scabbard gently, and handed it to his son. Aiden was surprised how wondrously light it was, even being in the scabbard. “Draw it my son, hurry time is short”. Aiden slowly drew the sword from its scabbard, the humble black and silver hilt betrayed the true worth of the blade, which had small words, in a language Aiden couldn’t decipher carved into the razor sharp blade. He gasped in wonder at how it seemed to give off a slight silvery blue light in the dim room. Even Olsea, near the door, was entranced by the blade. Aiden carefully put a finger to the blade, quickly withdrawing it in pain, his finger was met with a burning cold! “Yes” Shal said, rising “This blade is yours now, it has been passed for generations, though I honestly have never seen it, for it has never left its scabbard, unless when used for grim work”. Shal continued “It is known as “Elenmegil- Bane Of Fire” “it is said to be a godly weapon, enchanted against beasts sure to never have existed in our time!” a slight pause as they both looked into each others eyes with deep understanding. Aiden returned the sword to the scabbard, “We must hurry, I have a favor to ask of you” Shal said, hurry, get some food and water, and some warm clothes” said with the love of a father “you must, he emphasized must, get to Busan, they must know of what happens here” “but father” Aiden protested looking over at Olsea “im not going to let you and my friends fight without me” Olsea remained quiet, always stern and serious when necessary. “Do as I ask son, this sword, it cannot fall to them, it would be sacrilege to our family, I also don’t want to know what damage it could cause.” Aiden realized arguing was futile, his fathers mind was set, “of course father, but, he said embarrassed , I do not know the way to Busan” “I do” Olsea blurted out “my father would take me riding there, I know the roads well.”. “Thank you Olsea, your father will be pleased, you will go with my son, guard him, he needs looking after sometimes” he added with a smile. “Now go”. I can hear them, they are almost through in the village, I must organize our people, they will not enter these ancient halls! Aiden rushed out the room, thinking the other two would be right behind him and as Olsea turned to leave after him, Shal summoned him back to his side solemmly. “Olsea, I can remember when you and Aiden were younger, you always kept him safe, like the time when he tried to make a ship out of the carpenters scraps, or when he would go to your ranch and try to climb up the horses, believing he was kind of Loven or Kataphractoi”. Olsea smiled warmly, fondly recalling the days of no responsibility, every day had infinite possibilities. “you are always welcome in my hall, I think of you as my own son,” snapping Olsea back to the serious reality. Shal took another, longer, heavier chest from the floor, pried it open carefully. “I give you this, you were always the stronger one, he said, with a grain of truth, Olsea was taller and hardier then Aiden. He withdrew a long vicious-looking weapon, it looked at first to be a spear, or possibly a bladed staff. to Olsea, but he saw that two thirds of it was a long handle, leading into a gracefully curved, but utterly deadly looking blade. “This” Shal said, “is a Naginata, it does not have a name, but is also enchanted, I think”. Olsea had never seen a weapon like this. Shal passed the weapon to Olsea’s hands, “thank you sir”, he bowed deeply, the weapon still laid across his hands. “it needs a name I think”, Shal said smiling, you are a horseman, but also a seaman, I christen the blade, SeaRider, use it well, and defend my son with it, I plead of you”. “I will look after him, when I find him, I will not lose sight again of him, I swear to you”. Olsea bowed to Shal, turned and ran out of the room, holding his weapon tightly.
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I know you'll come back someday On a bed of nails awake I'm praying that you don't burn out Or fade away You're falling back to me The star that I can't see I know you're out there Somewhere out there You're falling out of reach Defying gravity I know you're out there Somewhere out there -Our Lady Peace |
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#13 |
Senior Member
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its awesome, but i was wondering how you pronounce some stuff, Kataphractoi and Naginata
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Never be afraid to do something new. Remember, amateurs built the ark; professionals built the titanic. What would you attempt if you knew you could not fail. Vision without action is a daydream. Action without vision is a nightmare. |
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#14 |
Senior Member
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its been a while
Chapter 3 Aiden was grabbing edible things left and right, stuffing anything he could bring with him into his rucksack he took from his room along with 2 deep brown, woolen cloaks. He filled the first 2 skin flasks he could find with water from the large wooden bucket that served as a sink. He could hear most of the people assembling outside now, he knew he had to hurry. He gave up looking for other flasks, well I guess we’ll fill them on the way, he thought to himself. He spun around on his agile feet and sprinted out into the hallway, he ran as fast as he could out the back door, and out to the stable, fumbling with his rucksack and the flasks. Olsea was already there, he was just finishing saddling up Aiden’s brown mare, Windfola, and Olsea’s own powerful looking jet-black horse was already looking eager to ride. He tossed Olsea his flask and noticed they polearm balanced against the near wall, realizing why Olsea wasn’t out the door before him. Aiden yelled frantically, cursing. “I forgot a map!” Olsea, always the calm one, “don’t worry, I have one, in my head” he said pointing to his head smiling at Aiden as he grabbed SeaRider and seemed to leap effortlessly on his horse. Aiden, while trying to mount his own, noticed how gentle Olsea was around animals, seemingly having a magical way of dealing with them, watching Olsea pet his horse’s mane, and whisper encouragement into the scared beast’s ear. Olsea held onto the rein with one hand, putting Searider over one shoulder. Turning around in the saddle he told Aiden that, they should ride as hard as they could right out of the stable, the animals are already jumpy, a little scared. Aiden hadn’t ridden in months, he was still trying to align himself in the saddle, making sure his pack and his sword was on tight, he gave one last quick look around his stable, “Im ready” he said to Olsea. And they burst from the stable like lightning, flying through the chilly night air. Shal got into the basement, just when the rest were making ready to leave. He looked grimly at what was around him, boys not 17 winters wearing leather helms, with daggers at their sides and a strong hunting bow in their hand, old fishermen, armed with spears and tridents. His own wife, arrayed with a wooden shield and a stout broadsword, ready to defend her home. Shal wanted to talk privately to her he beckoned her over to him. He didn’t know how to tell her, so he just said it straight out “I sent them away, Aiden, and Olsea, they’ll be safe” tears started welling in her eyes, she took not being able to send her son off hard It wasn’t the fact that he left, she just wished she could of said goodbye, seen him one more time. She had no words for her husband, just simply nodded, and told Shal grim news of her own. “there are only 30 of us left she said, with a touch of anger, there are almost 100 of them, with greater arms and training then us, most of us don’t even know what to do with these” she raised her sword. Shal spoke loudly, enough for the whole room to hear, “No tears!, no fear!, we will not let these he searched for the word, animals, beat us, they have thrice the numbers times as many, each of us is worth ten of them!”. Shal himself was getting fired up as he was trying to encourage his people. He promptly went to his personal weapon rack, and had Tal help him fasten his strong albeit rusting steel cuirass to his chest, took his fathers sword, that hadn’t been used in his life, and a triangle shaped shield, emblazoned with his family’s crest, 2 leaping Orcas, crossed at the middle. “follow me” he cried, and he led the column of the remaining villagers out from his halls. He was by no means a military expert, but Shal was taught in his youth of basic tactics, for just a situation like this. As a warrior in contrast, he was terrifying to face, the natural skill of his people, combined with his Loven blood, made him a great hunter, and in his days in the navy, he was a renowned marine feared by these same pirates. He calmly arranged his people on the slope outside the hall in a staggered way, with no visible pattern. He stood in the center, with Tal and Ardan at his side. Ardan was armed with a large woodcutters axe, and was setting a barbed hunting arrow on the string of his recurved bow. Shal looked behind him, giving his wife a reassuring smile. The whole area was filled with a eerie firelight, light by the burning village, Shal could hear, and see the pirates start to arrange themselves at the bottom of the hill managing to keep some order to their madness, just out of bowrange. They could hear their chanting, their bloodthirsty cries. Shal saw one in their center, directly straight from him, armed with a massive two headed axe, he picked him as his target. “KILL THEM ALL” Nakh hollered, spurring his barbarians forward, they moved slowly and deliberately up the steep slope, trying to keep their line, so they could envelope the villagers in their numbers. Chapter 4 Shal noticed the pirates cross a line he drew in his head as 100 yards “FIRE” he yelled, and he watched arrows from the militia streak through the sky towards the enemy. Ardan’s well placed arrow hit Nakh in the shoulder, stopping the beast of a man momentarily, drawing a grim smile from Ardan, but to his shock not bringing him down. Shal watched as maybe ten of pirates fell, some taking the arrows on their shields, every clean miss making Shal wince. Just when he when they were readying another volley, he heard the thunderous hoof beat of two galloping horses behind him. Olsea, with Aiden trailing just behind me, rounded the house, he was riding high in the saddle, one hand as tightly on the reins as he could manage, , his other hand wrapped around the handle of his weapon with equal force. He almost stopped the horse when he saw what was in front of him, but he realized they had to get through; he snapped the reins, prodding the horse to its limits of speed as he thundered through the villagers drawing cheers from his friends and family members. Everything was a blur, except directly in front of him, a fearsome pirate, his face covered in scars, raised a deadly warhammer intent on knocking the horseman down. Olsea almost panicked, he never thought they would have to ride through the pirates, these weren’t war horses, but he trusted his horse to do his part, he had to think fast as he had only seconds to think, he heard Aiden calling behind him “LOOK OUT” as he did all he could think of, he took the naginata, , and as his horse pushed one smaller, drunken pirate out of the way, he swung the blade down towards the ground, and back up with all his might combined with the horses speed and strength as he shut his eyes, bracing for the hit. All he heard was a metallic fwang as his blade came up again, he looked behind him as he saw the large man fall, his torso ripped open by the blow, Olsea was shocked, he had never even used a bow to hunt before, and he had just felled a man from horseback. Some of the less disciplined of the pirates tried to chase them, but quickly surrendered the idea, choosing the battle on the hill more to their liking. Aiden and Olsea rode as hard as the horses would allow, deep into the night, both of them trusting the horse to stay on the rough stone road in the growing darkness. Ardan cheered for the two as they thundered past, his own son dropping two pirates of his own! They raised his bow again, mustering all his strength to bring the string back to his ear. He heard another call from Shal through the horrible sound made up of the sounds of the pirates, and the steady sound of flames spreading unstoppable through the fragile wooden village. He let his arrow loose at the second call, the rain of arrows slowed, and dropped another few pirates, but the seemed like some dark horrible wave heading towards them. He could tell that they were going to try to envelop them, he was thinking of doing what Shal did at that moment, looking around at the grim faces of the brave albeit scared villagers, “CHARGE” Shal cried as loud as he could, Ardan raised his axe and followed his lord and friend, thinking of his son galloping off towards the future, as he went straight into the fray, fearless.
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I know you'll come back someday On a bed of nails awake I'm praying that you don't burn out Or fade away You're falling back to me The star that I can't see I know you're out there Somewhere out there You're falling out of reach Defying gravity I know you're out there Somewhere out there -Our Lady Peace |
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