forums.rs

Forums

Seren's Potent Blade

Quick find code: 49-50-744-60768017

of 7
Eri Vi
Jun Member 2010

Eri Vi

Posts: 965 Gold Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Chapter one: Realisation

Ael stretched his aching muscles and lifted his head from the soft grass beneath him. He watched the moon roll leisurely over the distant hills, saw its reflection shimmer on the otherwise dark stream. Relieved, he let his head fall back to the ground.

“Just a dream,” he laughed at his own foolishness.

Closing his eyes once more he fell asleep to the tranquil silence of the night, interrupted only by the splash of water over rocks.

Ael woke with a start, not daring to open his eyes. There it was again, a slow breath of air. It was rancid, like rotting flesh, and nauseatingly warm, so wet that he could feel it condensing on his pastel skin. Too scared to look, he just lay there for what seemed like hours. He couldn’t take it anymore. As Ael’s eyes snapped open his heart missed a beat, before him was a dire-wolf.

It crouched down, its hideous visage only inches from Ael’s. He saw stained teeth, riddled with the tendons and ligaments of small animals, set into black, discoloured gum. Around its jaws was slick, black hair; grouped together into long clumps with the excess saliva that drooled down its chin.

The wolf’s grey, bitter eyes seemed to bore into his own, not blinking. Pressing down on the firm ground, Ael steadily moved onto his knees, trying not to make any abrupt movements. The wolf raised its head as Ael did, keeping level with him at all times.

It was strange, dire-wolves were not a creature of subtlety, yet this one just sat and watched. If Ael did*’t know better he could have sworn this monster of an animal was being inquisitive, its emotionless eyes gave away no secrets. The wolf circled, always facing in.

A born hunter himself, Ael bowed his head and seized his knife, wrapping his fingers around its flawless handle; he knew what was to come.

18-Apr-2010 11:55:53 - Last edited on 18-Apr-2010 14:22:19 by Eri Vi

Eri Vi
Jun Member 2010

Eri Vi

Posts: 965 Gold Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He was always the first to strike; this moment would be no different. As the wolf completed its circle, and faced him dead on once more, Ael jerked his head upwards and swung his knife from behind his back. Expecting the wolf to lunge, Ael had pushed forwards, throwing himself of balance, but instead it ducked backwards, as though it were scared.

Ael wasted no time and picked himself up, rising to his feet this time, he felt strong. He pounced, knife outstretched, but the wolf seemed unwilling to harm him. The menacing beast instead crouched on its hind legs for a moment before digging its ivory claws into the earth, and pushing off in the other direction; running off into the shadowy areas of the forest.

Perplexed, Ael slid his knife back into its sheath and sauntered over to the brook. He peered into the gloom of the forest, which was still hidden in the low light. Now that the threat of a bloodthirsty monster had passed, his thoughts drifted back to last night. It had been so vivid, so real, but... it couldn’t possibly be true.

He dropped to his knees at the river bank, sinking into the mud, and splashed the chilly water into his face. He scrubbed at his face, trying to rid it of the wolf’s stench. As the disturbed water surface retreated to its normal, mirroring calm Ael froze in distress; his skin was white, not just pale like elves’ skin always was, but a sickening, colourless white.

It wasn’t a dream. He reached again into the water, scrubbing at his soot-covered hair, trying to rid it of the ash. He clenched his jaw so tight he thought his teeth would break, saline tears poured down his cheeks and along his taut lips, mixing with the frigid water and washing downstream. Blood spluttered from his mouth as he bit down on his gum, it too mixed with the water, creating a dilute, crimson liquid that washed down the creek.

18-Apr-2010 14:22:28 - Last edited on 18-Apr-2010 14:24:09 by Eri Vi

Eri Vi
Jun Member 2010

Eri Vi

Posts: 965 Gold Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
He looked again at his reflection; gazing at his jet-black hair, it was as if the fire had melted the ash onto each follicle. He traced the tears up from his chin, along the bridge of his nose, and to his eyes, those horrifying, glazed eyes. He was a monster, his once baby-blue eyes stained with smoke, his once blonde hair darker than night, his skin... white as a ghost.

He recoiled from the bank, his entire body shaking. It wasn’t a dream. His family, his friends, his home... all gone. Ael slumped to the hard ground, he tore at his hair, at his face; willing it to change. It was futile, whatever had happened in that fire was forever, and there was no going back. He had wanted to die then and there, along with every other part of his life, but Seren had sought otherwise.

“Why me? Seren,” he choked out amidst tears. “Why could you not let me die?” He was shouting now, as his thoughts returned to his demonic appearance, “What have you done to me?”

Like before, the goddess’ voice was calm.

“There must be balance in the world, I cannot intervene directly,” she soothed, “but by a twist of fate, beyond my control, you were never meant to return to Lletya”

She paused for a moment, as if regretting what she was about to say.

“Your appearance... was a necessary sacrifice.”

“What? I’m a monster! How was this necessary?” Ael screamed into the air.

The reply this time was agitated.

“I saved your life young elf! Do not forget that.” Seren paused again, “I’m sorry. I’m sure you know of the Anima Mundi?”

The apology settled Ael’s nerves for a moment.

18-Apr-2010 14:22:37 - Last edited on 20-Apr-2010 00:05:43 by Eri Vi

Eri Vi
Jun Member 2010

Eri Vi

Posts: 965 Gold Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
“Yes, we are taught of it.”

“Then you understand that it connects all of nature and the animals? And that your being is severed from it at birth?”

“Yes,” Ael sighed as he slowed his breathing.

“In the fire, you died, and at that moment I was able to reconnect you to the Anima Mundi and transport your life force through the web of all living things." The goddess explained. "It saved your life, but your body was rebuilt as it was when you died.”

“Am I... am I still alive?”

“Yes,” Seren laughed, “what I did was not necromancy.”

“I am still a monster...”

“Only if you let yourself believe it is so. You have to power to save this land from tyranny, you can be a hero.”

Ael felt the warmth of her tone surround him, and he saw the truth in her words.

“Joining your soul to the Anima Mundi seems to have had certain other effects... although you are unique, the first, non-divine, intelligent being to be joined to the Anima Mundi.” The last syllables wavered slightly.

“I have interfered enough,” for a moment her words seemed anxious, before regaining their calm. “Travel east my warrior, fight for the elves. They wait for you, unknowingly.”

Drops of fresh water trickled leisurely from the canopy above his head. They landed on his head, soothing his skin; he felt each drop separately, each with its own story.

He felt the grass under his feet in a way he never had before, in a way that, previously, he wouldn’t have believed possible; he saw its entire life flicker before him. He saw its birth, its growth, its longing for the sun.

Whether even Seren had expected this, he would never know, he was one with the world around him. Ael sat in the silence, scarred head resting in his hands, and he knew this time the silence would last.

End Chapter one.

.........¸.•*´¨)
.....¸•´......(..•*´¨)
¸.•´.................álevolent

18-Apr-2010 15:03:10 - Last edited on 20-Apr-2010 00:07:34 by Eri Vi

Logan Shafts
Dec Member 2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Just read the prologue.

I'm certainly interested! I will be reading Chapter 1 some other time, as it is 1 AM here, but I do want to encourage you.

This looks very promising, I've enjoyed the beginning (even though it is grim) and I look forward to reading more. I hope you don't carry the gore quite as far as White Wolf does, though. xD

21-Apr-2010 06:54:56

Logan Shafts
Dec Member 2023

Logan Shafts

Posts: 3,211 Adamant Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Finally got my internet working again, and I read the first chapter.

This is coming together very nicely - I hope you post another chapter soon, I'm wondering what is going to happen to him, and extent of his powers ect. ^^

23-Apr-2010 19:48:16

Eri Vi
Jun Member 2010

Eri Vi

Posts: 965 Gold Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile
Ah good, computers can be annoying. :P

Well, I won't be writing for a while. I'm currently getting at least two assignments a week and heaps of homework on top of that. :(

That's what I get for picking hard subjects...

24-Apr-2010 10:20:41

Quick find code: 49-50-744-60768017 Back to Top