RuneScape Forum Archive | Stories Forum Hall of Fame

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

..................... ,··.,¸¸„' ......... ¸•¹, ......... ,¹•¸ ......... '„¸¸,.··, .....................
¸·¹, ............... '„¸,.·´ ,··.„¸„ ¸´ ,¸,' Page 13 ',¸, `¸ „¸„.··, `·.,¸„' ............... ,¹·¸
¸·¹¹·¸ ..... ¨ˆ'*°•.¸ ... ',¸¸,.·´ ......................... `·.,¸¸,' ... ¸.•°*'ˆ¨ ..... ¸·¹¹·¸
'„¸,' . `·.„¸¸„.·¹¹•¸ `·.,¸¸,' ................................... ',¸¸,.·´ ¸•¹¹·.„¸¸„.·´ . ',¸„

April 2013 Stories Competition

Post 2: The Level
Posts 3-10: Poller5

29-Sep-2012 19:39:32 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:52:27 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“Private David Thoreau,” he read. The general bent down to pull back the blanket, revealing a lifeless, bespectacled face. “A professor of literature. An esteemed professor of literature, it seems.” He pinned the paper onto the blanket again with a grunt. “A man of books pulled away from his library and ordered to become a man of rifles. It’s downright criminal. No longer will the boys crowd his lecture halls. No longer.”

“Sir, why do you do this?” the aide asked, visibly shivering in the cold. “We ought to get back to the camp.”

“Why do I do this? Huh. Well.” The general sighed and looked up at the night sky. A million stars twinkled back at him, and he wondered what the earth looked like from up there. Would it look peaceful? Or ravaged and war-torn like he saw it? Sometimes he wished he could join the stars.

“General?”

“I do it to reminder myself what a waste this is,” said the general. “Young boys and men in the prime of their lives—dead. It’s a terrible, cruel waste.”

The aide nodded mechanically; he had heard this before. “Yes, sir. Let’s get back to camp before you catch cold.”

“Yes, I suppose your right,” the general said resignedly. Smiling sympathetically, the aide helped the general away from the bodies and on towards the camp. The general shook his head and looked back one last time.

“Just a damned waste.”

~ End ~

29-Sep-2012 19:39:38 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:42:24 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

------ Poller5 ------
Runner up, April 2013 Stories Competition
Untitled

Gignoske de hos pasin emin katthanein opheiletai.
— Euripides, Alcestis

*****

That night, Balder dreamt of death.

Into his silent sleep came slinking that fell spectre, by men feared and by gods abhorred. Through his thoughts it wended its vile way, that insidious alien intrusion, bringing consciousness of mortality to a mind that had never before recked of death.

To men, who live their lives in the shadow of death, demise is a fearful thing. To a god, whose essence is eternity, the concept of finitude is beyond comprehension. And so when that baleful wight Nightmare brought bane to Balder’s bourn, his mind to terror fled; as a sheep that stands in the fold into which has leapt a ravenous wolf, and the shepherd in fear abandons it to his fate, so the great god was wracked with the horror of the prescience of death.

When morning lights the eastern horizon and man awakes from sleep, the power of nightmare over him is broken, and nocturnal terrors are driven from the world as the sun drives the stars from the sky. But beyond Bifrost are dreams not such idle things, and when Balder’s eyes opened that morning their lids were heavy with the weight of doom.

~*~*~*~

“You’re wrong,” the boy said. “He’s travelling. That’s why he’s not here.”

“You’re not listening. Your father is dead.”

“Travelling.”

The woman sighed, and rose from his seat across from the boy. “Please, listen to me,” came her quiet voice as she knelt down next to the child. “Your father was travelling, you’re right.”

“Yeah, with a trading caravan! He’s gonna bring me something back from the market at Highstar. He promised.”

Staring into wells of earnestness that were the child’s eyes, the woman’s voice almost broke. “Listen, Oswin. Let me finish.”

“I bet he’ll bring something back for you too.”

“Listen to me! Your father’s caravan was attacked. He was travelling with a caravan, and it was attacked.''

29-Sep-2012 19:39:44 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:44:46 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

“That’s why they have guards. I met them before they left. One even let me hold his sword!”

“The attack was too strong. The bandits outnumbered them, and killed many traders as they tried to flee.”

“Father got away then. He runs fast. He’s even faster than me, and all the other boys say I’m the fastest. Well, except for Alfred, but that’s no fair cause he’s almost ten and I’m only seven.”

“They caught him before he could run. The bandits broke the guards right outside his wagon. He never had a chance.”

“He’d have fought them. Killed them.”

“The first, definitely. And the second too. But the third, and the fourth? Could you fight every other boy in the village and win?”

The woman took Oswin’s hand as he finally fell silent. His eyes, before so bright in defiance, seemed to have dimmed, darkened by sorrow.

“Mom?” the boy asked, his voice a feeble whisper. “Will you die too?”

“One day, yes.”

“When?”

“I don’t know.”

Oswin turned quiet after that. For a long time they sat there in silence, a tableaux of grief, before the boy spoke again. “Will I die too?”

A weird look came over the woman’s face. “Not for a very long time, my darling.”

The boy’s eyes seemed almost hard as he looked at his mother, realizing that she hadn’t said no.

*******

In all its forms is death a terror, but it is never more fearful than when faced alone. All that day the darkness of the dream stayed settled on his mind, as river-fog on a winter’s day that the sun is too feeble to burn away. More terrifying even than the awareness of death that had come to him of the darkling wings of dream was the fear that now he felt; for he was of Asgard, and fear is not the province of the gods.

Such was his discomfiture that he called a council of the Aesir; for as twilight had swept the land, Balder saw in the darkness only death, and knew that as night fell his dreams would return.

29-Sep-2012 19:39:49 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:45:11 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

And so to the gods in the gloaming he described the hideous truths of his nocturnal visions, the words of the messenger whose steed was Nightmare.

The gods listened, rapt, and when he finished they sat in stony silence. That Balder should be stricken thus craven they could not comprehend, for while he conveyed his sense of dread, the essence of that which scared him was beyond the scope of their perception. As a slave hearing a king’s fears of losing his realm may respond with nothing deeper than a mildly humanist empathy, not being able to conceive of the fear of losing something he himself has never had, so the Aesir could offer little sympathy to Balder.

Odin, chiefest and greatest of the gods, alone perceived the truth of Balder’s fear; for he had paid the price of wisdom, and saw much that others could not. When this he explained to the gathered gods, that they should not so lightly dismiss the dreams of Balder, they grew silent in contemplation, and a strange sort of fear on them fell, that such a nameless terror should on Balder alight.

At length spake Frigga, of whom was Balder born, and proclaimed that from all living things a promise she would extract: that unto bright-browed Balder no harm they might bring. Eagerly in support of her spoke the rest of the Aesir, for Balder was well loved by all. And so they left to claim that oath from everything that grew upon Midgard, and from all else that existed within the worlds touched by Yggdrasil.

His fears thus alleviated, Balder thanked the Aesir, and that night slept soundly, untroubled by his lingering dreams.

~*~*~*~

“There’s someone here to see you, sir.*

The man looked up from the papers on his desk. “Send him in.”

A short moment later another man entered the room. He was tall, with broad shoulders, his clothes simple but well made. “Oswin. I thought we had a deal.”

29-Sep-2012 19:39:54 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:45:33 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

From behind his desk Oswin raised an eyebrow. “We still do.”

“Then, if you will, explain why the captain of the Merchants’ Shield is telling everyone they’re leaving tomorrow, to guard your caravan.” The man’s voice was level, but there was steel in every word.

“Because I have hired him,” Oswin replied, and carried on as he saw anger rising in the man’s eyes, “In addition to yourself and your company, of course. There’s no reason why the Merchants’ Shield cannot ride alongside the Traders’ Blades in protection of my caravans.”

“You would hire two companies of caravan guards?”

“I already have, haven’t I?” Oswin’s mouth twisted into the beginnings of a smile. “Have a seat, Godric.”

The man settled down into the elaborately carved armchair opposite Oswin’s desk.
“Nice chair, isn’t it? I find men are more willing to strike a favourable deal if their arse is comfortable.” They both chuckled, before the trader continued. “You find it curious that I would spend so much money protecting my goods?”

“Were you sending them through the marshes to Drynlon, I might understand the need. But this time of year the Trade Way is so busy bandits don’t dare touch it.”

“What if I were to say that I myself will be travelling with the convoy?”

“You’d still be travelling the Trade Way, and with either one of my Traders’ Blades or the Merchants’ Shield you’d be more than safe. I’ll take your money, mind, but you’re throwing it away.”

Oswin shook his head. “And what good will that money be to me dead? What does gold avail a corpse? Bandits have struck the Trade Way before, and will again. I do not mean to lose my life for niggardliness. Nor my goods,” he added, almost as an afterthought.

“Well, you won’t lose either, not with two guard companies. Not with one either, I’d wager, but it’s your gold.” Godric rose. “My apologies for the intrusion, and the misunderstanding. I’ll see you on the morrow, at the best guarded caravans this region has seen in many years.”

29-Sep-2012 19:40:00 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:45:58 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Oswin nodded in farewell, though a shadow seemed to flit across his face as he responded. “Do not make light of it. Many have suffered for the want of such protection in the past.”

“Aye. A mistake you’re not like to repeat. You’ll live to a ripe old age, if you can afford to spend this much every time some slight risk to your life arises.” Godric smiled, exiting, leaving Oswin alone to his silent thoughts.

~*~*~*~

And so it came to pass that all those things the gods thought might harm Balder had sworn oaths to do him no harm. Fire and water first swore the oath to the gods; then iron, steel, and all the metals of the world’s forges; from stones and dirt also was the promise extracted; trees and the birds that rested therein made their vows; and lastly the beasts of the earth, bear and wolf, deer and elk, gave their word, down to the lowly snake, who swore that even his venom should not to Balder pose any danger.

Though Balder was forever changed by the simple knowledge of death, the concept that his existence should have an end, the efforts of the Aesir filled him with a confidence to quench any fear; and far he travelled, and many things did free of the fear of death. For their part, the Aesir were proud, the boon to Balder granted a tremendous demonstration of their divine might.

One day, shortly after the oaths had been taken, one of the gods took up a rock in Asgard, and, as Balder passed, hurled it at his head. But the stone would not be forsworn of its vow, and bounced away harmlessly. At this Balder laughed, as did many of the other gods watching, and other took up stones and hurled them at the bright-browed god, but none did any harm to his divine person.

From that time on it became a common diversion of the gods to attack Balder with whatever they had at hand, stone or wood or steel, but ever they glanced away harmlessly.

29-Sep-2012 19:40:08 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:46:18 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

At this Balder laughed, as did many of the other gods watching, and other took up stones and hurled them at the bright-browed god, but none did any harm to his divine person.

From that time on it became a common diversion of the gods to attack Balder with whatever they had at hand, stone or wood or steel, but ever they glanced away harmlessly. At a feast a ring of fire was lit around the beer kegs, and all the night long he refilled the tankards of the Aesir, laughing as he walking unscathed through the flames. Though the terror of the thought of death had passed, the conception that life might be lost gave Balder a new joy in it, and it infected all of Asgard.

Of all those who spent time dreaming of new ways to attack Balder, none had more fun than his brother Hodur. Dwarven-forged blades he procured, which turned to string whenever they struck Balder, folding around his body in their refusal to cause harm. Arrows he shot, aiming for the eyes, but ever they crumpled as they touched him, as if crafted of gossamer. As a cat in idle fancy stalks a rat through a barn, hunting not for hunger but the simple thrill of the chase, so Hodur assaulted his brother.

In the fullness of time a hooded stranger came to Asgard, who took much interest in Balder and the oaths sworn for his protection. After all things that had given their promise he asked, and each in turn he brought to bear against Balder: serpents he hid in his boots, who pumped his feet full of impotent venom; Balder’s mouth and nose he filled with dirt as he slept, but the soil pushed away, forming tunnels for the ingress of air; and with the aid of Hodur he took Balder far out to sea and capsized his boat, but days later he returned, having walked to shore along the seabed, breathing water as does a fish.

At length the attempts on Balder’s life became fewer and fewer as the gods found less and less amusement at their failures.

29-Sep-2012 19:40:14 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:46:53 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

Even the hooded stranger, who with Hodur had spent so many hours devising plans for the death of Balder seemed to grow bored, and announced that he would soon be leaving. On the eve of his departure, however, he found Hodur and gave him an arrow, which he instructed him to shoot at his brother, in memory of the time they had spent together. Hodur, who was much taken with the stranger, agreed; they exchanged their farewells, and the next morning the stranger was gone.

When Hodur told his brother of the arrow he meant to shoot him with, Balder laughed, no longer concerned that any attempt might harm him. That some material existed, deemed harmless by the gods, and having made no pact not to harm him, never recked he, nor his brother, nor any of the Aesir. Having all agreed that this would form a fitting end to the activity, a great host of them gathered to see Hodur fire the arrow at his brother.

As when at a great race a horse comes before an obstacle, and every viewer holds his breath as it leaps through the air, waiting to see if it will clear it, and then if it will land safely, so the assembled Aesir breathless watched the arrow’s flight. As it struck Balder an incipient cheer rose, for it seemed to crumple as had all other arrows before it as it struck his chest, but the celebration died as within the crumbling wood was revealed a dart of mistletoe, which continued into Balder, hunting his heart. Mistletoe, least of the weeds upon the earth. No oath had it sworn; no vows held it sacred against the harming of Balder. Alone it had been by the gods overlooked, which by some fell malice the stranger discovered, and so tricked Hodur.

Balder’s eyes widened as the dart found his heart, his mouth failing to find the breath to articulate the chill that spread through him. Darker than his dreams death arrived, overwhelming the nocturnal terror of nightmare as the morning sun outshines the stars.

29-Sep-2012 19:40:21 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:47:23 by Aeraie

Aeraie

Posts: 9,100 Rune Posts by user Forum Profile RuneMetrics Profile

His folly, then, he saw: that death could never be conquered, but alone of all things captured all prey it sought. He had been cheated not by the stranger, who had planted the mistletoe, but by his own delusion that he might not only avoid but also taunt death.

So he feel dead, in the middle of Asgard, and there was naught the Aesir could do. Ever afterwards a shadow loomed over them, for the death of Balder awakened them to the knowledge of their own doom, a fate they will meet at Ragnarok, when twilight falls over the world and it is broken in blood and thunder.

~*~*~*~

“You’re wrong,” the old man said. “I’m not wounded, nor ill. How can I be dying?”

“How, exactly I cannot, say,* the healer said, richly garbed in fine silk. “But at your age, the only reason is often age itself.”

“I’ve not lived these six and ninety years to die of having lived!” the man yelled, furious. “Get out, if there’s nothing you can do. Get out!”

The healer shook his head sadly, then exited the small chamber, leaving the man alone in his bed. “Dying of having lived. What cruel gods deliver such a fate to man?” He sighed.

Ever since his father’s death, and the realization that he too would one day die, Oswin’s mortality had terrified him. Everything he had done – the fortunes he had amassed, the healers he hired to travel with him, the armed guards with which he surrounded himself – had been to forestall the inevitable. “Not for a long time,” his mother had said of when he would die, and that had been his gospel throughout his life. Now a long time had passed, and it had killed him.

He was older than anyone else he had ever known, to be sure. He had avoided battle, even during the Succession Wars that ripped the country apart, and illness, having retreated to secluded monasteries during each of the three plagues that had swept the land in his life. It had been one of those that had killed his mother; he had sent healers to her village, but they arrived too late.

29-Sep-2012 19:40:27 - Last edited on 01-May-2013 21:47:54 by Aeraie

Forums

Stories Forum Hall of Fame