A warrior's solace - Drezzan Aendryr

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Mergandevin
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Joined: Mon May 22, 2017 3:59 pm

A warrior's solace - Drezzan Aendryr

Unread post by Mergandevin »

Purpose
What is the cause that is worth striving for? And, indeed, do I have the will to strive, or the means to change anything?
As I swing my blades in training amidst the walls of this calm village of the People, I find myself wondering - what drives me forward? For what cause do I train so rigorously?
Is it because of the approaching danger, and my conscience telling me that I must stand so others may live?
Or can the cause also be the friendship I came to know, and for once, the sense of belonging? I would surely be in trouble were I to name true friends from the past years, decades even. Yet now...
Or is the true cause only - and I fear even to dwell on such thoughts - the lust for revenge, for long forgotten events I couldn't control? A bestial darkness seeking to satiate it's anger and yearning to be in battle once more?
And yet as I find myself lacking of answers on the inside, my blades seem to spin even more feverishly, and I can't deny that I find a certain peace in the seeming chaos that is their dance.
For despite all the randomness, the moves are well determined, and they bring a sense of control. Control over a tide that seeks to wash over the unsuspecting.
I can't sit idly when that happens, no matter the answer. I may be an honorable warrior, or a bloodthirsty monster, or I may be both.
I know what I have to do, for the alternative would lead to a path I'm all too familiar with.
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Mergandevin
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Re: A warrior's solace - Drezzan Aendryr

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Ghosts from the past


Moonlight filtered through the dense canopy of trees high above, seeking in vain to caress the form of the strange disturbance, a seeming gust of wind, as it rushed through the thick undergrowth that seemed ever-present in the woods.
Litter stirred, shrubs quivered and all sorts of small animals entered a skittering flight in it's wake, as the strange phenomena reached a rocky hillock where several smaller stones surrounded a large flat boulder, overlooking a grand valley and ending in a steep moonlit crag. It began it's ascent, bouncing on the stones it seemed and as it did so, a ghostly outline started to appear and reveal the true nature of the apparition. The outline slowly grew arms and legs, surrounded by a faint nimbus of light that also seemed to vain and dissipate. Even in it's frantic haste the ghost moved with an undeniable grace as it sprung from stone to stone.
By the time it reached the precipice and skidded to a stop, it became fully visible, a young elf in once exquisite clothes that lay in tattered pieces over his body, torn during his rush through the thick vegetation. That aside he seemed unharmed, apart from one bad looking bruise over his brow from which blood stemmed. Long locks of blue hair stuck together with dirt, framing his gentle features and a pair of green eyes that displayed a primal fear.
Those same eyes widened even more in terror as he realized that there is no easy way down from where he stood. He spun around swiftly, like a hunted animal expecting the hunter to pounce, and gasped for air.
The forest turned eerily silent then, as if it expected something terrible to happen, but nothing emerged from the darkness.
An owl's hoot sounded from far down in the valley, and the elf turned nervously, kneeling down and panting in exhaustion, as his eyes wandered over to the forest below.
The wilderness in the valley seemed ancient and untouched, a sight that not so long ago would have incited from him a gasp of awe, but now the terrified look in his eyes barely changed. Except for...
As the clouds moved, the moonlight revealed the stocky parapet walls of an old building on the ridge in front. It could barely be seen otherwise, with all the trees surrounding it. A faint light flickered on one of its sides, scarcely more than the light of the stars above.
Yet it was enough to give him hope, and cleared his mind so that he could try to reflect. But just as his thoughts reached out with questions to his memories, a thick mist rose in his mind and all he could gather were distant emotions.
Sorrow reached for his heart then, but he just couldn't remember why... It crept in his mind nonetheless, a feeling that nothing is as it should be. Tears rolled down his cheeks involuntarily, coupled with a feeling of hopelessness. He felt alone and lost.
Shaking his head defiantly, he eagerly searched his mind for any point of sureness in this chaos, anything that could guide him through, before it all crumbled beneath his feet. And it finally came from a recess of his mind, a protective wall against all that could wound him so. Anger.
He stood as quickly as he could manage, his face a mask of rage, instinctively turning with the intent to run back the way he came and have revenge, if nothing else, to serve justice to the one that did this to him.
A gentle gale rose from the chasm however, one that moved the canopy overhead and framed him in moonlight. For a moment he stopped and looked up to the moon, greeting yet another emotion, this time paired with pictures of a life lost. Dance, mirth, joy. Love.
His mask shattered, and he was a child once more. Nothing remained now, but an eternal sadness.
A loud growl from close behind roused him then, and he spun with widened eyes: the predator seemed to have arrived. A large wolf, its fangs bared stood well within a leaps distance, ready to pounce and growling menacingly.
The young elf found his gaze locked with the beast's, unable to look elsewhere and with every moment it sapped his remaining strength and made his knees tremble. He managed to take a few unsure steps back, nearly falling over as he reached the edge. All the while the beast advanced slowly, never releasing his eyes. It was it's territory, where he could do nothing else but obey the laws. He never choose to be here now, yet it is here where it will end. How could he hope to stand against this beast? Why should he even try?
The wind rose again, this time more forcefully, sending the trees swaying around the crag. The shadow his form cast became visible over the stone, and the sight somehow perked his curiosity enough to lower his gaze at it.
In that instant, a strange calmness washed over him, born from recognition. He knew this shadow.
It was his, yet not his. It was all that was before, and all that could be.
And he would never flee.
He sprung forward with a snarl, determined to take on the beast with bare hands... or would have sprung, but his over-strained muscles no longer obeyed and he only managed a short step. His supporting leg skidded backwards over the ledge, and he landed with his face on the stone, the air crushed from his chest.
The world started to whirl around him, as he tumbled over the ledge down the steep moonlit slope.
What followed him down was no wolf, but the first drops of the light rain that just started to fall.
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Mergandevin
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Re: A warrior's solace - Drezzan Aendryr

Unread post by Mergandevin »

Unbeatable odds


A portal ripped in the damp air of the cave, close to where the company of seven elves were examining a stone wall that barred their passage. Their startled cries only got louder as a huge, winged and tailed creature bearing some resemblance to elves but with red skin, stepped forth with a fanged grin.
Fools, I knew you would come for it. And now you will all die!
The warrior drew his blades swiftly, and - despite the odds - sprung forward to meet the fiendish creature in battle. The last time they met, it costed the life of a dear friend, and so the time for talking was over. From that experience he also knew full well that his weapons would inflict little to no injury to this foe, but he would at least try to get some time for the others to flee.
They had to get that sword. Without it, all was lost.
Echoes of incantations, battle cries and chants infused with magic reverberated in the narrow cavern, as he launched a barrage of viciously precise strikes at his opponent. Arrows flew past him and struck true, and he sensed three of his companions approaching to join in the fray. Behind the creature however, he could clearly see at least three demonic beasts approaching through the portal, and the slightest hope he held of winning this fight diminished in an instant. A quick glance revealed that none of his strikes or the well aimed arrows left a clear wound, and so he could only hope at least some of his friends were wise enough to flee.
The distracting thoughts of hopelessness could find no firm hold on his placid mind, as his focus on the fight ahead deepened. He rolled his blades to his sides, beginning a whirling blade-dance with long sweeps out wide, but alas his swiftness and agility was not enough. With an otherworldly speed and strength the creature reached for him and grabbed him by the neck, and before he could show any sign of struggle he flew over his companions, well back behind, hitting the cave wall hard.
~~~
The strangely soothing noise of the light rain falling on leaves and litter slowly entered the young elf's mind, gently reviving his senses. This moment of peace was however very short, as the confusion and pain entered his consciousness as well. Almost his entire body ached, but most prominent was the pain on the left side of his torso. He somehow managed to open his eyes and move, albeit with the pain unbearable.
The battered elf was lying in the knee-high litter on the forest floor, at the base of the bare, rocky hillside. The line of ancient shadowtops towered over him in the front, like silent magistrates, their tops swaying slightly, beckoning him to enter their realm, a dark, harsh and unforgiving land.
Nonetheless the elf was well past fear by then, the unbearable pain shifting his concern towards survival. With a stubborn snarl he rolled an arm under, almost shrieking out, then pulled a knee in and rose to a kneeling position. With a quick look around he assessed the direction where he saw the building and stood up on unsure legs, almost falling back as he realised his right ankle ached so badly, it wouldn't be able to support his weight. He started stumbling forward unevenly in the direction he deemed right, with a hand grasping his aching side.
The building lay on the top of the ridge, almost a thousand steps ahead, on a slope that steepened gradually. He was in no shape to climb such a distance, and with every step it got worse.
An image of a snarling wolf surfaced in his thoughts, but somehow incited no terror this time. He was beyond hope now, and beyond fear.
Finding focus in the steps he dismissed the last strands of doubt and pressed on, grabbing trunks and branches for support where he could. His initial momentum waned rapidly and he had to change to a crawl, his mind becoming hazy with exhaustion once more. Knowing that he must be getting near, yet seeing no sign of the building, he shouted weakly for help, but his voice was lost in the rain. When he finally succumbed to fatigue and passed out in the thick litter, his once exquisite clothes were no more than torn rags clinging to his form with dirt and blood.
The soothing blackness overwhelmed him just a moment before he could hear the swiftly approaching steps. Strong arms lifted him gently from the forest floor, but he was too far to feel anything.
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