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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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 Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 3:54 pm
Sent out on a routine training mission, Jianyu and a legion of fellow Fighters are ambushed by a group of Nobles. They are brutally attacked and left for dead, but one man in particular is still alive...even though he doesn't wish to be.
SETTING:
The Great Lake.
The House of Tenjou.
NOBLE:
Tenjou.
A strong Noble man and appears to be the head of the retainers. He shares many qualities in common with the emperor-- he's just and firm with his demands-- which gives him the upper hand with support from the villagers, especially with his open-minded ideas. He's ambitious and he won't seem to stop at any lengths.
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 4:00 pm
The road leading up to the Lake was dingy, dusty from years of disuse. There were deep ruts cut into the stiffly packed dirt; evidence of the carts that had once come and gone. Once well-kept, grassy, and beautiful, now it was quiet and forgotten, the sky overhead a rough, curling grey, the clouds thick and heavy. The Great Lake, surrounded partially one side by a clustered forest, was a place of silent reverence, awe, and fright to those who did not understand it.
It was going to storm. Qián Jianyu looked up, feeling a single drop of rain slide down his cheek. It was not raining yet, but the drop was a warning that it would, and soon. He turned back to face his superior; a tall, burly man with tightly curled brown hair cut close to his head named Sahas.
"Are we heading up to the Lake then, sir?" Jianyu asked. "Or are we turning back to head towards the south?"
His commander was silent for a brief moment, his wan grey eyes carefully scanning the lakefront. Sahas' gaze rested briefly on the small, dilapidated shrine - the Shinmei Temple - in the center of the lake before giving a small nod of his head.
"We will rest here momentarily." he said. "Then we will proceed further south, as we have gone too far from our original destination. We can - "
There was a shout from one of the men standing about. Aran, someone Jianyu did not particularly like for a myriad of reasons, was looking paler than usual, his eyes wide. He was looking in abject horror to his left, and Jianyu followed his gaze with his own.
Amras was dead. One of the newest Fighters, a young man of perhaps only eighteen or nineteen, was lying facedown on the cold grassy front, a long arrow protruding from his back. Jianyu's head shot to the side to look at Sahas, his gaze fierce. His commander's expression was a mixture of stunned horror and anger. Eyes burning with rage, he said "Ambush."
"RUN!" Jianyu shouted, and the men scattered, a shower of arrows hailing overhead. Jianyu reached behind him, yanking one of his own arrows from the sheath on his back as he darted to find shelter beneath one of the forest trees. He strung his bow quickly, eyes moving to search out the intruders, and he saw a movement in the brush to his left, a flash of color that was not on any of the men in his unit. Whipping his bow around, Jianyu pulled the string back, the arrow whistling past his face as it embedded itself into whomever was in the bush. There was a gurgling noise, and a man toppled out, eyes wide in death. A Noble.
There were shouts from all around him, yells from the men as their attackers leapt from their cover in the forest, brandishing swords and other weapons. One man ran towards Jianyu, and he slid an arrow from his sheath as he twisted his body sideways, flicking his wrist to shove the arrow directly into the man's stomach as he jumped at him. With a look of surprise and anger, the man fell, clutching his abdomen as blood stained his garments. Satisfied, Jianyu ran back out into the clearing. To his horror, he saw bodies littering the lakefront - bodies of his comrades, his friends, the men he trained with. All dead.
They were being slaughtered. Outnumbered fifty to one, Jianyu ran over to Sahas, who was in the midst of running his sword through someone. He turned to face Jianyu, his blade crimson.
"We must leave!" Jianyu said. "There is no way that we can win! Sometimes the best strategy is to retreat in order to prevent the loss of more men!"
Sahas had red streaked across his face, and he was looking hardened, his expression dismal.
"We can le - "
The words did not leave his mouth. He let out a wordless gasp, his head ducking to stare at the blade that was sticking out of his middle. Jianyu's eyes widened in horror, the scream dying in his throat, and with one last glance up at Jianyu, Sahas fell forward.
Jianyu did not have time to mourn. Something hit him from behind and he staggered forward, gasping for air. Sliding his foot forward, he pivoted quickly, grabbing another arrow to string into his bow. His attacker was less than a foot away from him, but Jianyu bent his back, leaning all of his weight on his right foot and let the arrow fly. The man darted quickly to the left, the arrow glancing off his shoulder. Jianyu strung another arrow, and this one managed to catch the man in his upper arm, halting him briefly. Letting out a grunt of irritation, Jianyu slid yet another arrow from his sheath. But he did not have the chance to use it.
He had not seen the archer, hiding back in the shelter of the trees of the forest. He had not seen the glint of steel, heard the whistle as it whipped through the air. But he felt, with an unbearable agony, the impact of it searing into his stomach. Jianyu's mouth opened, the words lost as blood trickled down his chin, and he dropped his bow. His vision wavered, and the man he had injured earlier was walking closer, fading in and out. There was a sharp crack as the man picked up his fallen bow, snapping it cleanly in half. Jianyu let out a choking gasp, coughing up blood and spattering the grass with crimson drops. The man was closer now, right in front of him, and Jianyu could not move. He had dropped to his knees, one hand holding his stomach, and the man raised his arm, a knife held in his gloved hand. Then he brought it down.
Jianyu had not felt pain such as the kind he felt right then. He had been severely injured several times, had been shot in his arm by an arrow, but he had never been stabbed. The dagger made a jagged line from his forehead down almost all the way to his chin, over his eye. Agony seared through Jianyu's veins, his body feeling as if it were on fire as he let out a scream of indescribable pain.
"N...no..." he choked out, as the blood began to trail down his face. He could not see, his vision was blurry, and all he heard was laughter. He felt his body fall sideways, felt the shuddering last breath that most felt before death, and then he felt nothing at all.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2010 11:53 pm
The sliding doors opened and a small wizened Lunarian stepped in. He was dressed in robes of white, a red marigold insignia donning his chest. It was the mark of an esteemed doctor. Stroking his beard, he took a seat across from the lord of the establishment. It was already the fourth report for the night.
The young man had been in critical condition when they had found him, but Tenjou-dono had been kind. The lord had opened his medical stores for the doctor to use in healing this mysterious fighter. Tenjou-dono had not asked nor ordered for them to find out the man's alliance, his orders had been simple and concise. 'Save him, Yoshimistu.'
The lord of the house was a strange man. His orders were not to be questioned, just observed. Even now, the doctor could not understand why Tenjou would save the young man. What benefit could he be to the lord? The wound on his face would leave him blind. Useless.
"I have come to deliver the hourly report."
"How is he?"
"His condition is stable, my lord. He should be regaining consciousness soon."
"I see. Call for me when he is awake. You are dismissed now, Yoshimitsu."
"Yes, my liege."
With that, the doctor, Yoshimitsu, got up and exited the door. The doors shutting behind him with a smart clack.
With Yoshimitsu gone, Tenjou was left to his own thoughts. Rumors were running rampant. All because he had brought this young man into his house. Some of the servants had identified him as a legionnaire but he was not worried about that.
When his guards had summoned him to the blood drenched field, Tenjou had given the order to save the living. Why? Because this ambush was one he had not approved. Secondly, though the nation was at war, there was no reason to let a life that could possibly saved go to waste. War was a fearsome thing, bringing death and suffering. Youngsters these days did not understand that. They were all in it for the glory.
Leaning on his arm rest, Tenjou stared into the night. The moon was mourning for her children. And, to think that this was merely the beginning. To know that the real battle had not even stared yet, it was a chilling thought.
So, while there was still a chance, he had to keep the mortality rates low.
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 12:06 am
His dreams were darkness.
Pain. Hurt. Confusion.
Pain. A crushing, overwhelming pain that made him feel as if his very soul were on fire.
Jianyu awoke slowly, his face and hair both drenched with sweat and sticky with blood. He could feel the heat on his skin, felt the dampness on his face.
Saw the darkness on one side of his face.
He could not open his left eye.
A roaring panic began to rise in Jianyu, and he felt a bead of sweat slide down his face. Why could he not open his eye? It was covered with some sort of bandage, some sort of cloth that prevented him from doing so. His right eye was fine, though his vision was slightly blurry from only just waking up. But his left eye...it was like someone had simply taken away half of his sight. For a few moments he was overrun with the frantic passion of trying to recall why he could not see.
And then he remembered.
The blood. So much blood. That man, the Noble, his arm raising, bringing the knife down.
Cutting my face.
A wave of nausea rose in Jianyu's throat and he choked, gasping for air as he turned his head, twisting his body sideways to wretch, heaving the contents of his stomach onto the hardwood floor. It was incredibly painful, the movement causing a searing pain in his abdomen, and Jianyu wiped his mouth, lost in the agony for a few moments. It slowly settled, but did not disappear.
He did not know where he was. The room around him was unfamiliar, elegant in its fixtures and decorations. The walls were a clean, elegant mahogany, carefully cared for, and there were small, well-lit candles that lined the upper shelves, giving the room a quiet golden glow.
Jianyu raised one shaking hand to his face, his arm aching from the effort. He touched the cloth over his eye, felt the bloodstains, the horrific, cooling temperature of the crimson liquid.
No. No. This cannot be happening. This is not my path in life, no, no, no, NO!
I would have rather died.
Please, let me die.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 8:43 pm
Yoshimitsu frowned when he watched the young man retch all over the wooden floor. It was to be expected though, he was in shock or was it realization? Everything that had happened was now coming down on the young man. Reaching over, Yoshimitsu placed a weather-beaten hand on the young man's shoulder.
"You need to relax. I have just spent the last several hours stabilizing your condition. I do not need for you to go into shock and Tenjou-dono would not appreciate that either."
Getting up, Yoshimitsu headed towards the double doors and called for a servant boy.
"Go to Tenjou-dono and tell him the young man has gained consciousness. Make haste or the lord will be displeased."
The steady sound of feet on wood could be heard as the boy ran down the hallway to the east wing to do as he was told. Yoshimitsu closed the door and took a seat beside the wounded man.
"Can you talk?
Yoshimitsu waited for the young man to respond.
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:05 pm
The old man was weathered, the lines in his face creased deeply. His white hair was pulled back neatly into a ponytail at the base of his skull, and he the hand that he rested on Jianyu's shoulder was gnarled. His voice was kind, yet there was an edge of firmness to it. Jianyu put a hand to his mouth, closing his eyes briefly as he nodded.
"I can...I can speak." he managed to get out, but his voice was rough, raw from disuse and threaded with his emotions. He felt an overwhelming despair, a feeling that he had not ever felt before. It made it difficult to breathe, difficult to even want to breathe. He did not want to have been saved, did not want to have been left to live the life he would have to live if the damage to his eye was permanent.
"Where..." Jianyu said, and his voice cracked. He swallowed hard. "Where...am I?"
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:21 pm
"You are staying at my summer home, the Orange Pavilion."
Standing in the doorway was a large male Lunarian of green. He was rugged in appearance and his robes hinted at a well toned body. The man exuded an aura of sternness and charisma. He was a man to obey, a man to follow. He was Tenjou, the leader of the nobles.
Yoshimitsu immediately stood up and bowed to his lord.
"Tenjou-dono. Since you are here, I will take my leave. I'm sure you wish to talk to him in private."
With that, the doctor was out before the young man could protest.
Tenjou took a seat across from the bandaged young man. His piercing eyes observing the details that he missed earlier in the night. The lunarian sitting in front of him was a sad sight, covered in bandages which were tinged in red. Yoshimitsu would have to replace them soon.
"Tell me your name."
He would start with easy orders, ones the man would (hopefully) have no problems answering.
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Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2010 9:46 pm
Tenjou was an impressive man. Tall, well-muscled, and obviously strong, he put out an intimidating air, his expression calm and unwavering as he took a seat next to Jianyu's bedside. His eyes were clear, his emotions unreadable when he spoke in a low, evenly controlled voice.
Jianyu knew who he was, of course. Tenjou, one of the heads of the Noble faction. A man well-known for his sharp intelligence and quick thinking, Tenjou was not someone that anyone usually dared to defy. He was deftly adept at giving orders, his instructions concise and carefully thought out, and though his alliance was against his own, Jianyu knew quite well of the man known as Tenjou. His voice ached when he spoke.
"I am...Qián Jianyu." he said, and he felt a sharp jolt of pain in his stomach with each word, each breath. "Son of...son of Qián Liwei, a loyal follower to the...to the Legion Alliance. I...thank you...for your hospitality, but how...how...did I...get to be here?"
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 8:36 pm
Tenjou watched the young man carefully and caught Jianyu flinch momentarily while he spoke. He was still in pain. He was reluctant to allow Yoshimitsu to use opium as a pain killer due to its addictive nature but he would call for an exception tonight. If Jianyu couldn't even breathe properly then what were the chances that he would live through the night? A person had to breathe. He would let the doctor tend to the youth once in a moment. Maybe even let Yoshimitsu stay while he talked to the fighter.
"My guards were patrolling the grounds when they came across your... squad or troupe. It was a blood bath. You are the only one that Yoshimitsu has managed to save."
The words were heavy ones and said with much reluctance.
"In the Orange Pavilion, alliances are left at the doorstep. You are not a legionnaire being held captive by a noble but a wounded man seeking treatment under my roof. I hope you will not cause any trouble."
Tenjou called for Yoshimitsu and the doctor entered the room in no time. He carried a small wooden box with the same red insignia emblazoned on the front. The weathered man checked Jianyu's bandages before clicking his tongue. Reaching into his medicine box, he pulled out a fresh roll of bandages and motioned for Jianyu to hold out his arm.
Tenjou spoke once more.
"The men who attacked your group, their mission had not been approved by me. They are being punished accordingly for their actions."
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Posted: Sun Jun 13, 2010 9:15 pm
"You are the only one that Yoshimitsu has managed to save."
Those words. They echoed in his head, reverberated throughout his mind. They were the exact ones that Jianyu had not wanted to hear, the very words that he had hoped dearly would not be spoken at any time. The words. They were so simple. Clean. Yet their meaning was horrific enough that they were laced with a heaviness that Jianyu did not want to bear. His mind was racing, each thought broken and jagged, like the pieces of glass from a shattered window. Sahas...Amras...Aran...his men. The men he had trained with, had talked with, had shared his experiences with. Gone in an instant. Dead, all of them. Jianyu raised a hand to his face, closing his eye. His heart hurt.
What will become of me now?
When he spoke again, his voice was low, muffled by his bruised and bloodied fingers.
"I will not...cause any you any trouble." he said, in a tone barely above a whisper. "I am...not one to be difficult...when I am in one's debt."
Obeying the silent directions from the old doctor, Jianyu extended his arm, gritting his teeth against the pain. Yoshimitsu's fingers were careful, but his pressure was firm and he wound the bandages tightly, to keep the blood from spreading further. Each push of his fingers was painful, and it took every ounce of Jianyu's self control not to scream aloud, to let his feelings out. He turned his face towards Tenjou, swallowing hard.
"I...am sorry...to intrude...on your hospitality." he said softly. "But I have...no need of your medical assistance any longer."
In one quick jerk, Jianyu wrenched his arm away from the old doctor. He swung his legs off of the bed, his body shaking slightly, but he had enough strength to run from the room, one arm wrapped tightly around his stomach. His chest ached from the effort, and he could feel blood beginning to slide down his arm.
He had passed an empty room. Jianyu stopped, breathing hard, and stepped inside, shutting the door behind him. There was a large window that took up most of one wall, with slender glass panes intricately designed with black storks, their beaks pointed upwards, wings spread. Jianyu took a few haltering steps towards the window, and with trembling fingers unlatched the lock, pushing open the double doors.
The wind that greeted him was cool against his battered face, the breeze gentle and not overpowering. Two stories up, Jianyu looked down over the sweeping fields that surrounded Tenjou's house, at the clean green grass that swayed quietly. How easy it would be to jump from this height. How easy it would be to let go and fall, and then he would not be alone in this. He would be with his men, with the men who should not have died.
How fragile life was.
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 11:15 am
"Find him!"
Tenjou's order echoed like a typhoon through the Orange Pavilion. Guards were scrambling left and right to find the injured legionnaire. They did not, could not, understand why Tenjou, a noble, would go so far to take care of the young man. It was against the very basis of the war. Yet, they did not question his motives. Tenjou was a wise man. He knew what he was doing.
Tenjou had also gone to chase after Jianyu. And given that he was more observant than your average Lunarian, he quickly spotted the trail of crimson droplets that led to an empty guest room. Raising a hand, he knocked on the wooden paneling of the sliding door.
"May I come in?"
His voice was soft and it was a tone that a father might use with his son. In a way, Tenjou was a stern father-like figure to those who pledged their allegiance to him. He offered them advice and punished them accordingly to foster their growth.
"Or have you already make more wounds for Yoshimitsu to fix?"
He wasn't sure where he was going with this.
"I am sorry about your loss Jianyu. If it helps, I was once a fighter myself. What you are feeling now, I can relate. Now that I am a leader of people, the pain is even worse. When my decision affects the lives of hundreds, that knowledge is terrifying. However, I remind myself that sacrifices are necessary and that they did not lose their life in vain."
That was his mantra. What he told himself every morning, every meeting, every time he made a decision.
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 12:15 pm
Jianyu was not surprised that Tenjou had followed him and found him so easily. The man was clever, and he had a sharp intellect that allowed for him to think quickly, to act rapidly in such cases as these. Jianyu did not turn around when he heard the soft knock, nor did he move from where he stood, framed in the window.
"You may come in." he said, his voice low. He closed his eyes against the feel of the wind, gritting his teeth. No matter what happened, when he opened his eyes again it would still be the same. The scenery would not change.
It would still be half black.
Jianyu's fingers curled into a fist. He pressed his hand against the windowframe, and a bead of sweat slid down his face.
"What makes you think...that you can relate what I am going through right now?" Jianyu said, through clenched teeth. His body felt hot, and his feet slid sideways, positioning himself better. With each word, his voice grew louder, his tone more angry, more frantic.
"What makes you think you can see what I see?!" Jianyu screamed. His hand slammed against the windowpane, and there was a sharp crack as the wood splintered beneath his fingers. "I am blind! Blind! There is nothing you can say that will make me feel any better than what I feel right now! I have worked my entire life to get where I am! Tell me! What good is a blind archer?"
His head hurt. His heart hurt. Everything hurt. Jianyu slid down until he was crouched on the windowsill, his head in his hands.
"What good am I now?"
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 9:54 pm
Opening the sliding door gently, Tenjou stepped it and shut the door behind him with a soft clack. He did not step closer to the wounded man but kept in place. Hearing Jianyu's words, Tenjou was struck with disbelief and then sudden rage.
"You're blind. You're an archer. But, you are also an ungrateful whelp. So, you have lost the ability to see through one eye. So what? Shouldn't you be glad that you can still see out of one? That you are still alive? The goddess has thrown a challenge at your feet. If you regain mastery over archery despite behind blind in one eye, will you not be a greater warrior than before?"
Tenjou stopped. He was making the situation worse. And thus, he conceded defeat.
"You're right. In the end, I cannot empathize with you. Because, I am neither an archer nor half blind. Do as you wish Jianyu. Overcome the disability or mope. Let Yoshimitsu's hard work go to waste. Let your friends die in vain. Don't carry their spirit into future battles."
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Posted: Mon Jun 14, 2010 10:45 pm
Jianyu was not certain how long he sat there, crouched upon the windowsill. Tenjou's words kept reverberating throughout his head like a horrific echo of something he did not want to remind himself of. They were on a constant reel inside of his head, as well as the scenes from earlier.
Blood. So much blood.
So much I could drown in it.
"Why...me...?" Jianyu whispered. His eyes felt hot, the tears pricking at his face. "Why am I...so special that I should live while they should die? I did not choose this path; it chose me."
The cut to his arm had reopened now, and a trail of blood was soaking through the half-wrapped bandages. A few drops fell upon the windowsill, staining the mahogany wood, and Jianyu's hand drifted down, his fingers lightly skimming over the damp spots. The breeze rifled his hair, blew lightly over his skin, soothing the aches and the bruises. Jianyu let out a soft sigh.
"I will...fight." he said at last, his voice quiet, slightly hoarse. "I will not...let Sahas and his men die in vain. Though...though I do not wish to live, I will, for their sake."
He did not have a weapon anymore. His bow had been destroyed, and he had no way of getting a new one that would be half as good as the one he had used for the past few years. Kyung had given him that bow as a gift when Bataar had broken his first bow.
Bataar. Jianyu closed his eyes briefly, his thoughts drifting to the Mongol. His chest ached slightly, and he realized that he missed him. He wanted to see him.
But it would be a while yet until he could.
"I have no bow." Jianyu said softly, after a long moment. "And I do not know if I will be able to achieve what I plan to.
"But...I will try."
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Legend of Lunaria Captain
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Posted: Wed Jun 16, 2010 8:38 pm
Tenjou stood in silence as he took in Jianyu's words. They were what he wanted to hear and yet, at the same time they were wrong. Yes, he wanted the young fighter to retain a will to live, but not for just vengeance. There were many things to look forward in life. Love, family, happiness. In order to experience happiness, one had to feel sorrow and pain. It was an avoidable aspect of life. It was what made a person who they were.
"No, Jianyu. You must live but for your own sake. Live your life in a way that those individuals would be proud of your for."
Taking his hands out of his sleeves, he approached Jianyu and clicked his tongue when he saw the crimson bandages. He reached to touch before stopping and pulling back his hand. It was not for him to touch. To heal, that was Yoshimitsu's job. The cut on Jianyu's arm had reopened. So he hadn't imagined the thick coppery smell.
"Your wound have reopened. Yoshimitsu will be displeased. I am no healer Jianyu. I am a leader, once an advisor and now a confidant. I can tell you how to lead your life but it is your life. In the end, I can give you all the words of advice but it is your decision whether to heed them or not."
Stepping away from the young man, Tenjou chuckled as he heard Jianyu's comment on lacking a weapon. He was at the Orange Pavilion under Tenjou's hospitality. Something so simple as a bow he could easily supply.
"A bow is no problem. And as for achieving goals, so long as you put in the necessary effort, nothing is impossible. That eye of yours is just a hindrance. But, with my help, you will easily overcome it."
Opening the door, Tenjou stepped out into the hallway.
"Do you wish to stay and think or will you come back with me to the guest room so Yoshimitsu can treat you? What will you do Jianyu? Will you explore the house? Test the limits of your current physical capabilities with that limited vision of yours? What will you do from this moment on?"
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