Dark Wings – First Age – The Beginning
Note: Prologue is in progress, so here is a snipet.
Prologue
The Darkness surrounds me. I'm not alone, yet at the same time, I am. I feel no emotion. I am calm. Meditating. Forcing all other thought apart from the task before me. Suddenly, I flung myself from my position on a tree branch and fall to the ground. All thought totally set on one thing, Survival. Twisting around, I managed to grab a branch and stop my fall, and more importantly, live. Pulling myself one handed, I jump up on the branch and avoided the second attack aimed at me. On the same branch still, not holding onto anything, I clapped both hands together, twisted the left hand down so that my fingers pointed towards the opposite arm's elbows. Pulling them apart so that my fingers run along each other, I complete the summoning of my weapon. A scythe.
As my fingers part, the scythe materializes itself and I grab it, ready to attack or defend. At the same time, I jump upwards towards a thicker branch and turn around. Blocking the first strike at me, I swing the scythe around and, by using the spear point on the end, stab at the head of my quarrel. It dodged. Swiftly sweeping the scythe back around, I use the main blade to slice off the right leg of the target, all the while forcing my self forwards so that the beast had to give ground. Suddenly, I am face to face with the creature, a Succubus. She screams her frustration, and suddenly wails in pain as I force a knife into her chest with my free hand.
Quickly, I spin the scythe around and push her off the branch and listen to her as she fell, hitting a branch every now and then. Suddenly, I am hit with the affects of Succubus Scream, the deliriousness, the unexplainable and overcoming happiness and the sudden loss of thought. But I came to as I started to sink into exhaustion. Lowering myself on the branch, I find myself a perfect sleeping position and fell asleep.
A figure emerges from the darkness. Looking forwards, moving towards the large village known as Halberd's Green. Suddenly as it appeared, it stopped and remained motionless. After a while, it raises an arm. When the arm was parallel to the ground, it made a crushing gesture with its hand.
Suddenly, the entire town was crushed and destroyed. Everything shattered in on itself, people, homes, shops, everything. Just as it all was crushed, the dust suddenly settled as well, and the Shade moved on, its task complete. To kill the child. The one with the Doom Reaper, the scythe that can cut through light and darkness, time and space. Except it didn't know he was elsewhere.
Chapter One
I wake up to the nice warm rays of sunlight, rested if not comfortable. Somewhat bruised, I climb down the tree, looking out for any fruit growing to eat, and also looking at the damage this tree has taken in the night. Once on the ground, ravenously eating on some apples, I take a look at the Succubus.
Rumours must be true, Succubus's do appear like scantily-clad females to prey on men filled with lust. Heh, I wonder what happens when they are ignored by men with morals... Must not be pretty judging by those claws. But where the hell do they come from? As I entertained these thoughts and more, I wrapped the body in a blanket and picked it up, which was light despite looking like a human, and dead humans are heavy. Walking through the woods, I head towards the south-east and make my way back Halberd's Green. And of course something bad has to happen on my way. There was half a worm in my apple.
As I was expecting what I may receive from the villagers from removing the killer of 14 men, all hopes of a reward were driven from my mind. I wasn't even aware that I had dropped the body as I made my way towards what was once one of the many favourite visiting spots as I wandered around the villages. Halberd's Green was utterly destroyed. Walking through, I saw the faces of people that I've came to know over my many visits, the people I knew by sight and those that sat at the tavern telling me the best places to visit or what I should bring back for them. I never actually stayed here for more then two weeks, but this place was like a home to me, I knew many more people here then three other villages combined.
After walking through what was once the home of the many friends, I salvaged my possessions, a bag with some extra clothes, some keep sakes, a Raverns tooth necklace from the girl at the bakery and my walking stick, and what supplies I could. Then making a shelter, I set about making a grave for every villager, all the while thinking how that this could of happened.
It took me a week. And most unusual was that there was no visitors. Halberd's Green always had visitors, be it friends, Missionaries, travellers or traders, yet no one came. Until a Wanderers Caravan rode up.
I was clearing up more of the wreckage, to find some stuff that I could make a memorial out of. I had ran out of food, and their was nothing to hunt within a league, even near the river. I was nearly going to join those whose graves I dug myself, digging and burying with out sleep. When the Caravan was drawing close, their were screams and yells, and the sound of arms being gathered. I was just finishing the memorial and I turned around to inspect the noise.
I collapsed. I was on the ground, struggling to make sense of what had happened. Again, I was struck down. This time, I was totally pissed off. I was on my stomach when I pushed up off the ground and striking the bastards with my feet. As I flipped myself over, I quickly positioned my whole body to prepare myself for a beating, hopefully not mine. I didn't actually want to bring my scythe out, as not only may I kill someone by accident, I will have to answer uncomfortable questions as to how I can do such a thing. If only I had found my dagger. But I can still fight on par with a sword master with my fists. Well, not without being dirty.
"Stop this childish behaviour now! Stop it and stop it now!" The scream was all that made the the several men drop their fists and petty weapons from the Wanderers Caravan but I held my pose. Life on the road has made me a wary traveller, more so with the monsters straying closer to the roads these days. The woman that commanded the caravan walked up towards me, with six other females, from what seems to be a few ages. One I thought was 17, like myself, the next I would think 24, the pretty blonde looked 18 or 19 yet I could some how tell she is in her early 20s. The commander would be around 35 – 37 and the two elders would most likely be 40ish and 50ish.
"Who are you and what are you doing? What happened here and are you responsible?" She demanded. Now, as I was not only pissed off but I hate people that reckon they are in charge of everything. Yet, I somehow kept my cool. She after all is the leader of this Caravan and thus can at least help me if I nudge her right.
"My name be Jai-Kai and I am a wanderer, and more besides. I was hunting down a Succubus the night this happened, so I have no idea what happened. For the past week, I have been digging the graves of the kind people that have helped me when I needed it and for being my friends. I am only responsible for the graves and memorial. And now, since I have answered your questions, answer mine. What happened on your way here? In the week I have been doing this, no one has used either road to visit Halberd's Green. What has happened?" Okay, maybe I was too blunt, but I wasn't up to keeping my temper cooled. That and I managed to speak in the right order to the head of a caravan. Wanderers can get touchy about those things.
"Well isn't someone bold? You do know address yourself to one of my position as least. The roads were blocked by mud slides. The cause is unknown, yet if what you say what happened here is true, then they aren't natural. Well, I should lend you somewhere to sleep the night, you look dead on your feat despite your stance. I'll let Kelly here tend to those wounds I'm sure you haven't noticed and to prepare you a meal. We can talk further tomorrow." And they all turned around and left, with out naming themselves.
Kelly was the girl that looked around my age. She had black hair, blue eyes and dressed herself in a dress of black and white which seemed to suit her. It was a modest cut, which I approved of, more so since the succubus incident. I decided that a girl that tries to use her body on men, ignore them, but be aware of them. Less likely to die that way and hopefully don't fall into any traps either.
"I'll be back in a minute, I need to find something and grab my stuff, shouldn't take long." I say as I turned around and shifted some timber in the wreckage I was inspecting before I was attacked. And I found what I was after, my daggers and pouch of coins. After that, I lead the way to my gear with Kelly following me. I grabbed what was left and then walked back to the memorial. Crouching low, I whispered a prayer to the dead.
"Did you really do all of this?" asked Kelly. I looked at her as I stood up. She blushed as she just realised she said it aloud. "Sorry, its just that, it took you a week to bury everyone here? And the grave markers and the memorial, they don't look like they can be made by such a person as yourself. When you said you were a wanderer and more, what else did you mean you are?" She was clearly embarrassed and breathless.
"Yeah, to be honest, as a wanderer, you learn skills as you work for money or a place to sleep and food to eat. I probably can't remember what jobs I did to be honest. I mainly try and work jobs where I don't have to push myself too hard. But apart from that, I am also learning some magic from a friend of mine. IF I can find him" I replied, looking back at the graves as I remembered what I learnt from these people and other villages. "So far, I just play with fire."
We stood there for a while, me looking at the graves and Kelly shifting her gaze from me to the graves and then back again.
"Umm, food and rest? Or do you not eat? Because If I idle here for too long, the Mistress will start to worry about me."
Oh, right. I had forgotten about that. And since I was to continue speaking with the leader of the Caravan, I think the image I am sending of delaying one of her council to be a bad way of introduction.
"Good idea, I'd hate to be thought of a scoundrel. More so if this is the Mistress, leader of all the Wanderers. Please say she isn't. After meeting the Father a few months back and what he told me about her, I'd rather fight a Harvester again." Wait, bad juju. Harvesters can do more damage then just kill. "Actually, no, I'd rather take on a whole tavern of drunks in Hastendale." I said with a slight shiver. The Harvester story is more suited for the light of day. But I am willing to talk about a trip to Hastendale, city of thieves, scoundrels and the ilk.
"You met the Father!" Cried out Kelly. Okay, turn of events not expected but hey, no talk about the Harvesters. "I mean, you know him? When? Where? Is that how you know in the way to address a Leader of the Caravan?" Her reaction was totally not expected. Taken back, I raised my eye brow and just looked at her. Finally, she realised she wasn't letting me speak and stopped asking questions.
"Thank you, now, it would be better to answer all the questions by actually telling the tale. But, that can be for tomorrow, if events allow. I am starting to feel tired, despite it being the afternoon. Just show where I am to sleep, if I'm awake later tonight, I may even tell you the story earlier. Deal?" Really, I was beginning to fall asleep walking. I mean, need was what kept me working. Now that I am done, sleep and food afterwards are all I yearn, maybe besides getting to the bottom of this mystery.
Kelly agreed and told me that someone will come later with food if I was awake still and, since the caravan is stopping here for a few days, I can use one of their caravans and she will make sure no disturbs me until otherwise. After stumbling in, I just threw myself onto the bed and slept, unaware that Kelly was still watching me, deep in thought.
She came to, noticing that she hasn't moved, left Jai-Kai to his slumbers and made her way to the Mistress's caravan, telling those that she passed to tell the others that the guest isn't to be disturbed unless ordered by one of the council. When she got there, she knocked on the door.
"That you Kelly? Come in, and tell me what young Jai-Kai has revealed to you." Answered the Mistress. I walked in, shut the door behind myself and then sat across the Mistress.
The Mistress's name is Cassandra. Since only those of noble born have last name's, you could say her full name was Cassandra, Mistress of the Wanders. She had black hair, that went down to her waist, despite the bun on her hair. Its full length trailed behind her when she walked. As a rule, once the eldest daughter of the Mistress and the Father has married, she is not to cut her hair herself. Its cut by the Father, her husband, to a length that shows her achievement and leadership.
The position of Father is not passed down to the son thou. The sons have no chance to be the Father unless events and circumstances makes it so. The position is gained when one marries the eldest daughter of the current Father and Mistress. Then, they are schooled and tutored to the way of their positions. The Mistress carries out the tasks of keeping the whole lot of Wanderers, those in her caravan and elsewhere. The Father's is to keep the secretes entrusted upon them from the beginning of time.
"Okay, well, I'm not sure of what to make of him. He has told me that as a wanderer, he has worked for his pay, roof and food as he travels. That is evident from he grave markers and memorial he has made. He also said he is learning magic. But he said that he only just plays with fire at the moment and it seems he has to look for his mentor before continuing. Then when I let slip you were the Mistress, he told me he would rather do battle with a Harvester before changing it quickly to saying he would want to take on a tavern of drunks from Hastendale since he fears what he has heard from, of all people, the Father himself. He said he will tell me what happened later tonight if he wakes. "
Suddenly the Mistress laughed. "Do you really believe that? Please, it doesn't sound plausible for someone as young as him. He must be at least fifteen years of age. Besides, if he say the Father a few months ago, either he lies or Xandast will get an ear full. He reminds me of a scoundrel. In fact, he might even have made the tale just to get you, Kelly."
I lowered my eyes as she spoke, knowing that she was correct. I couldnt really believe what Jai-Kai himself said now. The wanderer part, and the fact he worked for his keep may be true, but what else is? Shame and regret that she thought what she heard was true without questioning filled me until I couldn't do anything else but look at the floor between us.
"Tsk, at least fifteen, huh? I'm seventeen, thank you very much!" Suddenly, the windows opened from the outside, and there looked in Jai-Kai, perched on the windowsill like a thief stealing bread. He didn't appear to be exhausted like he was a few minutes ago, looking refreshed and slightly I looked at the Mistress and rage was clearly plastered all over her face. Jai-Kai continued, "Before I am killed, I forgot to show evidence that I met the Father. Here, take it, Im sure the fool wants it. I have the urge to hunt so I'm going off into the woods for the night."
As he finished, he drew out a dagger. I suddenly stood in front of the Mistress, to block any attempt on her life. He climbed down off the sill, and suddenly fell to one knee. Thus, he presented us the blade. I noticed it was the one he was looking for before. The dagger had a plain wooden hilt and scabbard. But what made my eyes widen was the red ribbon that was attached.
"I kind of lost the ribbon in the wreckage, so I got busy and found it. The Father left it in my care, saying that if I were to meet him, or the Mistress, to present this as a token of good fortune. Or something like that."
First he suddenly appears, then he suddenly advances as if he would do murder, then he presents the Wanderers Token, he now says how he came to it and then jumps up, runs at the window, dives out, and walks away like he just used the door.
"How rudely mannered." I muttered as I pick up the Token off the floor where the stupid fool dropped it and handed to the Mistress. We both looked at the Token. Thoughts raced, most of which were "Why? How?" and "I'd strangle them both!". Suddenly, I looked up and stared right into the Mistress's eyes. "Mother, does father really want me to wed?"
I walked of far into the woods, which was where I begun the hunt a week ago for the Succubus. I was using my senses and my woodcraft as to not alert the beasts. Overhead, birds chirped, leaves rustled as the wind blew. The sun was close to completely setting as the darkness crept in. I loved the night. I loved the woods. I love hunting. All three combined, I feel overly powerful. Far to my right, the Gratzels were crying their moon cries. I stalked towards them, all thought of the events an hour ago completely out of my mind.
A twig snapped underfoot.
Copyright © Dean Carter, 2010
A/n:And that is Chapter One! Yay! If some of you are lost, read the prologue. (For those reading from FictionPress, I thought it was a good idea not to upload the prolouge since I have yet to update it. I plan on finishing the story, seeing how it turns out, then adding the happenings that take place before the first chapter. Also, it may be a large chapter. It is. I know.)
But yeah, here you go, your dose of awesome. Its five pages long (with out my Author Notes) and it has introduced the main two characters, who we shall follow in the future. Don't worry to much about how this chapter ended. Its followed on in the next chapter. So, enjoy. Read and tell others to read. Send me reviews, comments, questions, criticism, encouragement and the like. And to infinity, and beyond!