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Lokintr
Dec Member 2014

Lokintr

Posts: 2,432 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Chapter Five:



Four days had passed since the incident, but Daren still had not risen from the near-comatose state he had sunk into upon returning home. He lay unmoving under his blankets, not eating or drinking under his own volition. Faohin and Grandmother, at a loss of how to otherwise treat him, compelled him to consume some water and tea loaded with honey, or occasionally pureed fruits, holding his nose until his body forced him to swallow. On the morning of the fifth day, after recognising the lack of change in his condition, Grandmother sent Faohin out to find a Healer.

She arrived swiftly, a grey travelling cloak slung about her shoulders. Beneath them she wore the regulation white robes of the healers, woven of coarse linen with a green silk trim, but she wore them with all the haughty majesty of a queen. Her hair tumbled down her back in a cascade of complex coils, secured only from obscuring her eyes by a thin headband. She was not by any means beautiful, but she carried herself with poise and elegance and had a noticeable presence about her.

Around her slender hips was a leather belt, hung with the paraphernalia of her trade: pouches of herbs, a satchel that held her bottles of poultices and cordials, and a leather sheath that kept safe a delicate silver knife.

Grandmother took her cloak and laid it carefully over the back of a chair, and offered to brew tea. The offer was declined gracefully, and the Healer instead asked, “Tell me, what ails him?” She had a northern accent and her voice was gentle.

Grandmother turned to Faohin. “Tell her,” she prompted.

“Well,” he said, falteringly. “We were out, in the city ... walking. And ... well, something happened. There was a man ... and he, well ... he gave ... no, that’s not important. Well, he ... died, horribly, really awful sight, and Daren saw it. And, well, we came home, and he wouldn’t eat, or drink, or even talk.

25-Jun-2011 20:38:19 - Last edited on 25-Jun-2011 20:38:54 by Lokintr

Lokintr
Dec Member 2014

Lokintr

Posts: 2,432 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He just went to bed and ... he’s been like that ever since.”

Finished, he fell silent, gazing at the Healer through his lashes. Her face had remained smooth and impassive throughout; he imagined that in her line of work one heard many things, some more believable than others. She was silent for a moment then said quietly, “Take me to him.”

They led her through to the bedroom where Daren was lying much as he had been for the past four days, eyes wide and staring, breathing so slow so as to be almost imperceptible. The Healer knelt next to him and gently laid a palm on his forehead. There was a soft glow from beneath her fingers; the tiniest wisps of green magic spilled from her hand and sank into Daren’s skin. The Healer held it there for a moment, then withdrew her hand and touched two fingers lightly to his neck. Slowly, his eyes slid closed. After her quick examination, she stood in one fluid movement and turned to Faohin and Grandmother, who had watched apprehensively from the doorway.

“No fever, no illness, pulse is steady. It is shock, severe but it will not cause lasting problems. I will mix a draught to be taken when he wakes, which will be soon. I sent him to sleep, but it will not last more than an hour or two. That is all.”

She followed Grandmother through to the kitchen and laid a few powders and potions out on the counter. Into a bowl she poured two dashes of blue liquid and one of a deep green, then added a sprinkling of white powder and mixed it thoroughly with a tiny silver spoon. From the bowl she poured it into a small phial and pushed the stopper in tightly, then shook the phial and peered at it. The mixture was dark teal. Satisfied, she placed the phial on the counter and said, “Give him half when he wakes and half after his first meal. He will recover fully in no time at all.”

25-Jun-2011 20:39:29

Lokintr
Dec Member 2014

Lokintr

Posts: 2,432 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Declining again the offer of tea, she took her leave, slinging the dark grey travelling cloak around her shoulders and vanishing into the night. Faohin tucked the coverlet more fully around Daren’s body then went through to the kitchen, where he accepted a steaming cup from Grandmother and loaded it with honey. As he stirred, she drank thoughtfully from her own cup, surveying him with shrewd eyes. He seemed uncomfortable and avoided her gaze.

“You never really told me what happened,” she said sagaciously, setting her tea down on the table and lacing her fingers together.

“Well, what with Daren and all ...” responded Faohin lamely, hiding in his cup.

“Yes, it is understandable, and because of that I haven’t pursued it before now. However, it is time I heard the full story. Tell me.”

“I was meeting the Brothers,” he began resignedly, talking in a dull monotone, “with Sparrow, and I suppose we talked for longer than we meant to. We finished our meeting and realised it was growing dark. Then Daren showed up. I tried to make him leave, but you know what he’s like. A little terrier, that boy. Gets his teeth in and doesn’t let go. Anyway, we were in the alley ... and this man appeared. Old, wounded, and he looked terrified. He started shouting at Sparrow that he’d “found him” – Sparrow was as confused as us. Then he gave Sparrow a package. We asked who had been chasing him; I think he was trying to tell us, but then he was killed, by ... by that cur—”

“Spare me the details,” said Grandmother, her eyes bright with curiosity. “Let us investigate this package.”

Faohin left for a moment and returned with it cradled in his hands. He placed it carefully on the table and Grandmother started to tug at the cords with a pocketknife. As sharp as the blade was, the bonds refused to break, and she resorted to sawing vigorously until eventually they frayed and snapped.

25-Jun-2011 20:40:23

Lokintr
Dec Member 2014

Lokintr

Posts: 2,432 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Several layers of paper later, it was all unwrapped, sitting on the table like a many-petalled flower, and at its heart –

“That is beautiful,” breathed Faohin, stretching out his hand. There was a sharp crack as Grandmother slapped it away.

“Don’t touch it!” she snapped. “You know nothing about it. It could drain your life in an instant. It is easy to curse something such as this.”

“This” was the most stunningly wrought pendant Faohin had ever seen * and he was a veteran of the marketplaces and he ran with successful thieves. Set in gold and accented with tiny diamonds, was a faceted ruby itself carved into the shape of a twisting serpent. It sparkled gently, light flashing from impossibly exact planes and angles, so perfect so as to seem alive and moving.

“What can it be?” asked Faohin, longing in his face. “What is it for? How can we find out? How could it be that we should get it?”

“I think it is time to meet the others. Faohin. Faohin!” She snapped her fingers rapidly in front of his nose. He jerked backwards, reverie broken. “Faohin,” she said again.

“What, what?”

“Summon the council. It is time for another meeting.”




~ End of Chapter ~

25-Jun-2011 20:41:01

Lokintr
Dec Member 2014

Lokintr

Posts: 2,432 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Chapter Six:


Daren dreamed.

He dreamed of fire, and death, the destruction of all things, and the birth of the new. He saw the end of the Gods, and the beginning of man. He saw dragons, elves, faeries, and all mysterious beings of lore; they marched in solemn ranks through his mind. He saw a great city, a shining sentinel of white stone with great mountain ranges to the north and west. South was verdant grassland dotted with farms and villages, then the great expanse of the cobalt blue ocean.

Within the city was a glittering column of soldiers, clad all in silver and blue. Upon their chests was a strange crest, one that did not match the flags of the city that snapped atop the battlements of the citadel. They converged upon the central square of the city, whereupon they found a huge pyre. At its centre was a massive stake, thrust towards the sky like an accusing finger, as if challenging the gods themselves. Atop this was a shield, carved with the bas-relief image of the soldiers’ crest. Beneath that was the holy symbol of Saradomin, His great star.

At its base, huddling amidst the bundles of wood and straw, was a woman. Her arms were secured around the stake; her body was bruised and battered. Her masses of copper her hung lank across her face. As such it was obscured, but somehow Daren knew that she was beautiful. The soldiers’ column broke apart until it surrounded the pyre in a loose ring. Then, as one, they stepped forward, and broke gourds of oil over the branches. A silent crowd had gathered around the edges of the square, watching, waiting.

A torch flared. One of the soldiers, his helmet different from the rest, marking him out as a higher rank, walked slowly towards the pyre as the rest took their places in the circle. The flickering light from the flames caused the man’s eyes through the holes in the helmet to vanish in shadows.

25-Jun-2011 20:41:40

Lokintr
Dec Member 2014

Lokintr

Posts: 2,432 Mithril Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He was a phantom, a being comprised of shadows and malice, dealing death without remorse. He threw the torch onto the wood with an almost disgusted flick of his wrist.

The flames were wild. They consumed her. Her beautiful hair crumbled to ash. Her slender form crisped to char. Daren’s dreaming eyes were filled with tears. He thought he could hear screaming. It came not from her: she was silent. Her only response was a single tear, a diamond that sublimed at its birth.

Daren felt anger and hate course like slow poison through his mind. The soldier, his eyes still shadowed, was still and unmoving, like a statue hewn of cold stone. His armour shone brightly, reflecting the orange glow of the flames. Daren’s hate mirrored the fire; it was wild rage, craving destruction. For a moment it consumed his mind and he wished nothing but hell on the soldier.

Daren woke.




~ End of Chapter ~

25-Jun-2011 20:42:38 - Last edited on 26-Jun-2011 02:00:32 by Lokintr

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