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 Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 5:43 am
Hey! I got permission from Golden Dragon Girl to put this story up. At any rate, we need more people posting!
Black Horizon
Prologue
Drade opened his eyes, he was awoken by voices in the next room, two clearly recognisable as his mother Liza and his father Lupin. The third was hushed and the baby hadn't heard it before.
The entire house was of brown timber. These days, even lowly farmers lived well in the Kingdom of Toraan, especially in the village of Horth Colt. Set near the northern outskirts of the Kingdom, Horth Colt was a sleepy hamlet central to trade between the main Kingdom and the northern frontier settlements. As caravans passed through the town, produce changed hands, the nobility sat on the profits, and the peasantry welcomed the business. And life went on in this happy corner of the land of Halidore.
Drade’s room was much like any other infant’s room, two glass windows filtered golden morning light onto the wooden floor, which had in it's own a colourful carpet, undoubtedly woven by his mother. The cot sat in the middle of the carpet, against one wall was a closed door from which the voices emanated, and against the other three were wooden drawers filled with clothing, toys and other trinkets befitting the possession of a baby.
The voices in the next room hushed, and the door slowly creaked open as Lupin, Liza and a cloaked figure, no member of the family had seen before, stood there. The man had cheap brown robes with a hood that sat upon his and covered his face completely, if his vision was obscured, the man showed no indication of the hindrance.
The parents were both dressed in plain brown peasants clothes. Both were frayed and patched from over use, the working cloths of a peasant were not to look pretty, but to withstand years upon years of heavy work.
The hooded man walked into the room and stood next to the cot. The parents followed with looks of great apprehension, the robed figure had explained his purpose to them calmly, but as farmers, they had no knowledge of such matters, and although they held no fear of his arts, it was still very foreign to them. Something of a world they would never know.
The parents looked at each other and awkwardly stood as the mysterious man seemed to gaze at the baby in the cot. "Are you sure he is one year of age?" the man inquired. "Yes sir." Lupin answered back, he opened his mouth to speak more but he decided against it, he had a question in his mind but he did not want to insult the man. "I will answer any questions you may have, but it must be relevant." Lupin stood for a second, wondering how this man knew he wanted to ask a question. "Will there be pain?" Without turning his head the man answered back. "If he fails, he may begin to cry but there will be no pain."
The man studied Drade for a few more seconds. He lay in the cot looking up at the man, his brown eyes scrutinising him for any signs of humanity, He looked much like any baby, with a few whisps of blonde hair atop his head, he looked younger than a year. The sensed Drades apprehension and knew what to do to relax him. He put his hand to his hood and began to remove it.
Lupin and Liza let out a gasp in unison. They had hear tales and legends of the blue folk from the Phantom Peaks of the east, but never would they imagine seeing one, or having one in their own home.
For there where a hood once was, was a handsome head of an aqua pigment, as clear as the sky on a cloudless summer morning. As if in contrast, his hair was as black as night, as were his eyes. No pupil, no iris, nothing. He had two black orbs for eyes that unnerved Liza and Lupin for the always felt his gaze was upon them.
The Eriarnor they are called, the tales of their mysteriousness spread far and wide, why one would come to see their son, no one but them could know as their plans and plots were secret.
The Eriarnor put his hand on Drade’s and felt the boy's heart slowing down. In Drade’s eyes everything went dark and he began to float. He felt dizzy, he became scared and was about to cry when he felt something in his head, like a window being opened, showing him something new, something he, nor his parents could ever expect to find in this household. Somehow, Drade reached in and grasped a ball, his view was gently filled with a soft blue light. He stared at the light and fell forward into it, he felt himself falling, tumbling down a long tunnel toward the blue light, though he felt no fear at all. He felt a surface on his back as he landed, he opened his eyes and found himself back in his cot and looking up at the Eriarnor, who slowly let his hand go.
The man put his hands to the hood and once again cowled it over his face. He finally spoke. "He has passed." The parents looked dumbfounded at him and at the child. "What? You mean he..." Lupin was lost for words when the true meaning of what was really happening was dawning on him. "He has the gift, I will be coming for him in ten years time, I hope you will keep him well. Good day." The man walked out the room and down the hall, leaving two overwhelmed parents staring at a now sleeping child, who was now destined to become a Spell-Binder.
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 8:20 pm
i promise i will read this!! just may take awhile lol
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:13 pm
heheh. Take your time. I'll be posting a new chapter every week.
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Posted: Sat Jan 20, 2007 8:24 pm
nerrr i want more * twitches* lol razz
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Mon Jan 22, 2007 9:37 pm
As per usual, character art always appreciated!
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Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 1:06 am
Ok, here we go. Next chapter!
Chapter 1- Twelve Years On.
Drade Lupins son stumbled through the scrub on the outskirts of Horth Colt. He fell onto his side, the hilt of his sword digging into his ribs and he winced in pain. He dared a quick look back but could not yet see his pursuer. He managed to get up and continue his flee.
The fall had caused his pursuer to gain ground on him, he managed to see Drade disappear into the bushes when he pulled out his sword and called “Stop! Thief!” Even though Drade heard, he was in too much of a hurry to call back some retort.
But Drade did not know this forest as well as he thought, and ran straight towards a slope he didn’t even know was there. He fell down a short distance and hit the ground with a great thud. His head spun as he attempted to crawl onto his knees.
His chaser climbed down the slope surely.
“Drade! It was you this entire time?”
His head clearing, Drade turned towards him and got to his feet.
“I’m surprised you didn’t see it coming, Darius. Just proves how stupid you really are.”
Drade grinned at the swordsman as he swayed on the spot. He shook his head in an attempt to get his blonde hair out of his brilliantly blue eyes, which was a constant hindrance to the boy.
Drade had grown to be a very handsome, but rather short, boy. But at the moment his face and peasants clothes were dirtied from the run in the woods, and a thread of blood trickled from his mouth because of his fall.
Darius was perhaps the complete opposite. He was very tall, and his brown hair was cropped into a military hair cut. His dark green eyes flashed menacingly at whomever caught his eye. And to finish the entire intimidating visage, his tunic was emblazoned with his family’s knightly emblem.
“But Drade.” Continued Darius. “You have so much to live for. You’re young, you have your entire garden digging life of peasantry to look forward to.”
Drade chuckled, pulling out his own sword.
“Why? Do you really have to ask me such stupid question? Your ‘great’ father, the noble knight Dethaniel…
Darius growled and put his sword tip at Drade’s throat
“Don’t you ever speak his name again! My father is an honourable man, and he would never have done what you accused him of.”
Drade knocked away Darius’ sword with his own and jumped back, the two stared into each other’s eyes for the longest time, until Drade finally spoke.
“Enough. Let’s finish this once and for all!”
With that, he launched himself at Darius with an almighty roar, and the wooden swords of both twelve year olds clashed between them.
“Do you honestly think you can defeat me? The great knight Darius! I will never lose to such a peasant.”
Drade circled around him, looking for an opening to attack.
“The only reason you called me a thief, is because I managed to steal your wife while she was still in bed with you!” He said with a loud laugh. At this Darius swung his toy sword vertically at Drade. Drade easily parried and quickly poked Darius in the ribs. Which gave Drade a moment to get some distance.
But as he stepped back, he tripped over an exposed root and landed flat on his back. It dazed him for a second, but he regained his senses quickly enough to roll out of the way of a downward thrust.
As quickly as he could, he regained his footing. With his sword grasped firmly in his hand.
There they stood again, facing off. Each formulating a plan and calculating each other’s moves, trying to think steps ahead.
This time, Drade made the first move, he took a step forward as he thrust into Darius’ chest. But they both knew how to counter a simple move like that, and Darius parried to the right, which was exactly what Drade expected. Using the momentum caused by the parry, he took another step forward and arced the sword to swing down onto Darius’ shoulder.
Darius was almost caught off guard, but not quite. Just in time he parried the blade to the right again. But he only had time to see Drade’s smile just before he realized Drade had counted on this.
Drade took another step forward and dropped to his knees, narrowly avoiding the futile backwards swing that Darius had aimed at his neck. And with all his might swung his own sword at the back of Darius’ knees.
Darius yelped in pain as he fell on all fours, his sword falling a few feet away. Drade got to his feet and put his sword tip on the back of Darius’ neck.
“You have been beaten Darius of the Monendil clan.”
Both of them stood there for several moments, panting. Slowly, Darius started to get up, but then quickly knocked the sword away and tried to run for his own sword. But Drade was faster, and with all his might swung the sword at Darius’ back, sending the youth first to his knees, then flat on the ground.
Darius managed a weak grown as Drade knelt in front of him.
“Now you’re dead.” He said casually. “Instead of admitting defeat, you died without honour and without a brain.”
Darius just snorted into the ground, and Drade laughed out loud as he held his hand out to his best friend.
After they had brushed themselves off, and cleaned themselves up in the stream, they started their slow walk back into town.
“Keep in mind, the only reason I let you win was because it’s your twelfth birthday today.” Said Darius in a sulky tone.
But Drade just laughed and flung his arm around his friend.
“Who are you trying to convince?” He said in his cheerful tone. “I’ve never lost to you, and never will. Not even on YOUR twelfth birthday. I think the tally remains at twenty one, to nil!”
But Darius turned away. His father was a knight for crying out loud, a Shield of Okarana as they were called. But he refused to teach his own son to fight until Darius officially became his squire. Nevertheless, his noble blood should count for something; he couldn’t believe he lost to his best friend who came from a long line of peasantry.
“Don’t fear,” said Darius at last, “This year on my twelfth birthday my father will appoint me as his squire, and then I can show you what a real man of the noble line can do!” They both laughed, and Drade quickly retaliated with his usual quick wit.
“Ah, but before that time, I will have signed on with the Kings Army, and will join the cavalry! Then, in many years time, we will meet up again in the ranks of the Royal Guard.”
The two children were silent for a moment. The Royal Guard was both their dreams, as a matter of fact; it was the dream of most men who signed on with the Kings Army.
Every man, woman, and child in all of Toraan knew of the Royal Guard. Where the most elite troops of the Kingdom were put. Many years ago, a renowned soldier, known for his impressive swordsmanship, intricate strategies, and undying loyalty to the Kingdom, General Kaiden requested King Danton III for a commission. That commission was to hand pick three hundred soldiers to form the beginning of a military arm. The King himself would have no authority of this arm, only General Kaiden. And this arm would never be used to attack or invade. Only to defend the land against enemies that the Kings Army could not hold back.
Bringing together collections of groundbreaking strategies and tactics that were only known to the men of this arm, as well as consisting of a force where every single soldier fought with deadly precision and expertise. General Kaiden had created the Royal Guard; a military force keeps the entire Kingdom of Toraan assured of their impending survival.
“And then,” continued Drade after the silence, “I’ll beat you horribly yet again!”
So, the two children trudged into town as the red sun balanced itself on the horizon.
“What better way to end the coming of age than to see the town story teller.”
Stated Darius, playing with the sheath on his belt that was now becoming uncomfortable.
Drade nodded.
So they made their way to the town inn, as people were congregating outside, they quickly slipped inside into the warmth.
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 2:02 pm
neeer i want moooore!! lol and u gave me ideas of how to get san to say stuff differently instead of sand said, lol if u dont mind .. lol anyway i likve it alot lol and i think i onl;y saw 1 or 2 grammers errors but nothing is perfect ppl say lol
anyway i cant wait foir the next chapter until then i will become a zombie slave to the stories only to be revided to normal again with the new chapter
* zombies voice* mooooooooooooooooooreeee..... mooooooooooooooooooorrreee...
(lol wink )
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Posted: Wed Jan 24, 2007 6:29 pm
heheh. Feel free to take any ideas you want. I'd consider it a compliment 3nodding
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Thu Jan 25, 2007 1:24 pm
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Posted: Fri Jan 26, 2007 8:57 pm
I'm about halfway through the next chapter. So bear with me wink
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 2:11 pm
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Posted: Mon Jan 29, 2007 6:48 pm
Actually, it's turning into a long one. I might cut it in half.
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Tue Jan 30, 2007 6:09 pm
lol ok i always wished that my chapters wer longer they neva seem long enough to me lol
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Posted: Wed Jan 31, 2007 7:25 pm
Heheh. Same here. But this one is really dragging out.
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Koi of the River of Stars Crew
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Posted: Thu Feb 01, 2007 6:38 pm
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