"Uh, yeah, this has been great and all..." I shifted towards the door, jerking my head as signal for Dakota to follow. "But I'm outta here. See ya."
Without looking back at their shocked faces I burst out the front door to meet a hundred soldiers, my ear drums nearly bursting with their bellows as I sprinted from the door way. I was a fool to think they wouldn't find me at some point.
"Dakota, split up!" I yelled, thrusting a finger to the skies as she shot off my shoulder to hover over the small army.
I desperately searched the yard for my horse, but not seeing her, I instead turned and pulled the nearest soldier of his own, taking the time to give him a good boot in the face before pulling myself onto the saddle.
The horse reared and bucked at first, trampling the rider underneath but a good dig on the sides with my heel sent it galloping into the trees.
I shot a look over my shoulder to see Dakota dive bombing the guards off their horses, laughing loudly as they toppled sideways of their steeds.
I whistled through my teeth and she glided just behind me, over the tops of the trees as we got lost within the depths of the forest. Again, I whistled a higher pitched tone and she turned right.
I grinned when the soldiers fol lowered her, thinking that I was somewhere beneath her. I pulled back on the reigns hard, jumping off the saddle and pulling myself up a tree. Dakota lighted down on the branch next to me seconds later.
"Hehe, fools," she chuckled, as I grinned smugly in the direction of their confused shouts.
"They never learn," I sighed happily, taking the ring the vampire had given me and flinging it into a nearby puddle. Ah, free at last. We relaxed and got our breath back in the boughs of the tree, talking and laughing about the experiences of the last few days.
It was only then, I heard the muffled crack from ahead. I was already flinging myself from the tree when a guard archer (and obviously more smarter than his peers) appeared from behind a bush.
Suddenly, pain ripped through my shoulder as I fell to the ground. I wasn't fast enough to dodge his arrow. I gritted my teeth and ripped the barbed spike from my shoulder, hissing in pain as crimson blood dribbled onto the forest floor.
Regardless of my injury, I flung myself at the soldier ready to give him a beating of he'll never forget, but Dakota beat me to it. She knocked him to the ground, performing an elegant arc in the air before dive bombing and slashing his cheek open with one slice of her talons.
She landed on the ground in front of me, eyes emblazoned with anger and worry.
"Luke, your shoulder!" she chirped, fluffing her feathers and bouncing on the spot. I suddenly realised that ripping a barbed arrow from my body was the most idiotic thing I had done yet. Blood now gushed from the wound, taking my awareness with it. I ran my hand through my thick hair, sitting down at the foot of the tree.
"Man, I feel tired. I'll just take a little rest. I'll be grand," I winked at her unconvinced face. The following minutes seemed to swim by. I only heard the sounds of voices behind me when Dakota announced it with a shrill scream, shooting off the ground to protect me.
I jumped to my feet, drawing my sword and preparing for the attack.
They swarmed from all directions. Before I knew it I was in a brawl rather than a battle; stabbing and kicking out at anything I could reach.
"Run Dakota!" I yelled blindly among the melee, ramming the hilt of my sword into the neck of a guard, knocking him for ten immediately.
Then, just as I whipped around to face another, I felt the rough embrace of a noose as it was shoved over my head. The pull tightened, lifting me off the ground for a small second as the other end of the rope was swung of a tree branch. I yelled in shock and swung my sword around, slashing the culprit across the throat. Blood sprayed my vision as I heard the distant screams of Dakota.
Then, my feet lifted clear of the ground. I choked as black spots danced in front of my eyes, the world slowly getting darker and colder. My lungs screamed desperately for air as the triumphant cheers of the guards softened until I could not hear it at all. My limbs fell limply as they swung loose in the air. The pain in my shoulder slowly ebbed.
Then, I felt nothing. The world grew cold, and blackness devoured me.
“Poetry is old, ancient, goes back far. It is among the oldest of living things. So old it is that no man knows how and why the first poems came.”
I had every intention of staying right where I was, until I heard the terrifying sounds from outside. Daybreak and I looked at each other and we raced for the door.
"No!" Peter shouted from behind us. Daybreak kept running, but I turned for a second. "He's chosen his own fate! Let him go."
I took a step towards them. "With all due respect, close as I am with the devil, never have I willingly let him have an undeserving soul." He opened his mouth to speak, but before he got the chance, I morphed into a sabre tooth and sprinted out the door, Daybreak following close behind me in her wolf form.
We followed the scent of the guards until the smell of Luke's blood was all we needed. Obtaining a sudden burst of energy, I charged towards the source of the smell. When we got there, we found the guards in a circle around a tree, from which a rope was swinging. My eyes widened, and I could sense the fear Daybreak felt.
With a tremendous roar, I sprang at some of the guards, viciously mauling each one. When I had cleared a path, I lunged at the rope that was holding Luke above the ground. With little effort on my part, it snapped, and he tumbled to the ground. I loosened the rope a tad bit. Daybreak was still fighting any guards she could.
"Daybreak!" I called to her. She didn't stop, but her ears perked up and she was totally alert. "Take him! I'll hold them off while I can!"
Daybreak stopped and raced over to me. I ran to the other side of the tree and cleared out the guards on that side as Daybreak ran past, holding Luke by the collar of his shirt.
I managed to kill two birds with one stone as I slashed my enormous fangs through the chest - and armor - of a guard and hooked onto the handle of a cage. A cage that harbored a very shaken-up Dakota.
I sprinted through the trees after Daybreak, too fast even for the guards' horses. I found her nearly on the other side of the forest, in the last clearing we had been in before getting caught up in all this - where Mel's cat had found us. I lowered Dakota's cage by a tree.
"Are you even going to let me out?" She snapped as I started walking away. I growled and snapped back towards her.
"No. I'm not going to let you out," I snarled. "I wouldn't have even saved you if you didn't belong to a friend. Hell, you'd be dead by now if you didn't belong to a friend." My muzzle was right up by the cage bars, my incredible teeth snapping hard with every word that passed them. Dakota didn't seem happy, but she settled down and stopped talking.
Satisfied, I trotted over to Daybreak, who had changed to a hybrid again. Luke was lying against a tree and he didn't appear to be breathing. The mangled noose was lying a few feet away.
"Nightfall, he's losing blood," Daybreak said urgently, the worry very clear in her trembling voice. "What are we going to do?"
Thinking quickly, I ripped Luke's blood soaked shirt off. I morphed back and quickly wrapped it around his wound, making sure to tie it tightly.
"That may do the trick, but I can't be sure."
Daybreak looked from him to me and back again, nodding slightly. I sighed and sat down, finally able to relax, a little. Daybreak got up and let Dakota out of her cage. She flew over to Luke and watched him, her eyes clouded with horror. Luke coughed, and stirred, then lay still.
---
I don't know if you wanted him to die, Moo, but if so, he could die from...blood loss or something XD
~Rayne
Singing: It's more than my forte; it's my fortissimo --- They say "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Well, I think guns help. If you just stand there and yell BANG I don't think you're going to kill too many people...
I heard the commotion from outside and was right on the heels of Daybreak and Nightfall. I hefted my warhammer and began smashing men aside, frantically looking for any sign of Luke and Dakota. I saw Daybreak and Nightfalls daring rescue and continued my angry assault.
How dare they attack this quiet farm? These people had done nothing to deserve to face the might of an army.
Men fell beneath my hammer until a glancing blow caught my shoulder and i fell sprawled in the dirt. I looked up to find myself surrounded by horseback mounted men aim spears directly at me.
"Rise, Vampire." Spat one of them. How can they possibly know? Surely this whole army is intended for me? I looked at the man who had spoken and my worst fear was realised.
"You," i said facing the captain of the guard from Arkwald. Instantly my eyes alighted on the scar beneath his right eye i had given all those years ago when he and his drunken men had tried to assault Sophia.
I have looked into the eye of the storm and stared it down. I am an adrenaline junky and i know no fear.
Singing: It's more than my forte; it's my fortissimo --- They say "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Well, I think guns help. If you just stand there and yell BANG I don't think you're going to kill too many people...
All the commotion.
It was loud and we were restless inside the house.
We wanted to go out and help, but Peter wouldn't let us.
In the blink of an eye Mikael jumped up and stormed out half scaring me to death.
I was restless. I knew that Ana felt the same way.
"Please, let us go out Peter. We will be careful." Ana begged. "What if something has happened?"
Peter shook his head firmly. "No. You are my sister. I wont let you. I am responsible for you!"
"Please?" I asked looking at Peter.
"No."
I swapped a glance with Ana.
"We mights can go to our room." She said standing up. I could see she had a plan. So I got up too.
We went up the stairs to her room in silence. Ana closed the door behind us and opened a window.
"Your not planing on us climbing out there are you?" I asked worried.
"Actually, I am."
I looked out of the window. It seemed high.
"And how..."
"Rain gutter."
"Oh." It didn't look to save to me.
Ana climbed down without problems. Did my best, and I actually survived.
We ran around the corner of the house towards the woods, when a figure emerged carrying Luke on her back.
"Nightfall." I whispered looking around for soldiers.
She had spotted us and rushed towards us swiftly, Daybreak following.
We moved along the bushes towards the house as good as we could with a injured man, badly injured I could see.
I hoped I could help. I knew a bit about injuries and illnesses, how to heal them and stuff. I was so in thought about which flower and which seed to help Luke, that I stumbled out into a open space. I realized my mistake quickly, but too late.
Then I saw him, one of the guys who had attacked me years ago. He saw me too. Mikael saw me too. I was shocked. Mikael was shocked. Only the man seemed to smile as he walked towards me.
There were more soldiers swarmed over the little farm than I had ever seen in my life. Certainly all these soldiers could not just be for one person here. Did everyone have some reason for the kingdom to be against them?
Suddenly, I heard Peter shouting from my bedroom.
"Ana! Melody! Sophia!" he shouted, "Where are you!?"
"Down here!" I yelled up to the window.
He stuck his head out and sighed in relief. "Thank god." he said. "Now, get yourselves as far away fromt he house as possible."
Peter climbed out the window the same way we had just moments ago.
"Why?" I asked.
A burst of laughter came from the front of the house, and soon after came the faint smell of smoke.
"The house!" I yelled.
"We have to hurry," Peter insisted, "Get as many animals from the barn as you can and set out into the woods."
I started towards the barn with Melody and Peter, but remembered something and turned back to the house.
"Mother..." I whispered. I sprinted towards the back door and ran inside. I caught the faint sound of Peter yelling at me as I disapeared into the smoke filled kitchen.
I made my way throught he house and into the tiny sitting room. There was a trunk along the wall that was not yet touched by the fire. I sighed in relief when I saw it and pushed the lid open.
The inside of the trunk was dark, and I couldn't see well because of the smoke. I ran my hand along the inside and grabbed up the items I was searching for. There were two long cloaks, a thick leather bound book, and a small jewlery box that I grabbed.
Once I had all the items in my arms I started out of the house. Before I made it through the kitchen, a beam from the ceiling fell and landed in front of me. I turned around to go another way, but there was only smoke and fire. I coughed as I searched for another exit, but upon finding none and with inhaling a great amount of smoke I fell to the ground. The world around me became dark as my chest burned with the weight of the smoke inside.
Through all the fear and panic, anger burst through a million times more powerful than anything. I'll kill you, you over sized fleabag. Just give me that chance! Leave me and Luke alone. We don't need you to help us steal. And I don't need you to look after him. That's MY job.
My honey brown eyes shifted to Luke, whose breathing had stabilized, thank god... But the garbled choking sounds struck fear deep in my bones.
I shuddered feeling a nausea deep in my gizzard as my eyes dropped to the livid angry bruise snaking around his neck. It split open in places, blood trickling down to mix with the blood of his shoulder wound.
His shallow breathing stopped.
I shrieked, ripping and flapping madly in the confines of the cage, screaming at the top of my lungs. Daybreak's head shot around at the sound of my panic.
"Help him! Help him now before I break out of this cage and beat you both to the ground!" I screeched, brown feathers exploding into the air. "If he dies here I'll rip you to ribbons you low life cur!"
Daybreak rushed to Luke's side as I thrashed madly, bars bending under the force of my wing beats. Nightfall looked at me with the most wicked smile on her face. Desperation kicked in. Luke.... don't die.... don't leave me alone....
Before I knew it, I collapsed into the cold steel embrace of the bars, my beak pressed between the bars. Tearless sobs choked from my throat, as I wailed a soft cry of lament.
I rammed myself hard against the bars, causing the cage to topple over. I squeezed my eyes shut as the world became a rolling rush, until the cage tumbled to a hault beside Luke's bloody hand. I shoved my head through the bars and pushed my head under his hand.
"He's breathing again," Daybreak mumbled quietly, backing away from him. I sighed when I felt his hand stir. He groaned in pain quietly. I was relieved and yet troubled; but any sign of him still being alive was still a sign.
"Just leave us both alone," I mumbled quietly, sighing and closing my eyes. "Luke is a good person... and him staying here with you had caused this. Just leave us in peace."
“Poetry is old, ancient, goes back far. It is among the oldest of living things. So old it is that no man knows how and why the first poems came.”
Sophia burst into the clearing and i saw the same evil glimmer in that mans eyes i had seen all those years before. He laugh menacingly before turning to his men.
"This is the woman that i told you about. Some years ago i and a few of my friends had a few drinks and as we were leaving we met this lovely young lady. I being a gentleman offered to escort her home."
He grinned and then men laughed instantly getting the under lying meaning. Suddenly his face turned hard.
"However her pet vampire here stepped in. I was the only one who made it out. Jared and Tristan were decapitated. Roberts chest was carved open and his entrails were spread around. But Luke had it worst. It fed on him. Sucking the life straight from his throat. Then he turned on me. A vicious sword duel ensued and had i been any less skilled i would have lost not only my eye but a fair section of my face[i]. Then the beast nawed on my chest and left me to die."
"Thats a lie" i roared trying to stand before being knocked down by a ring of spears. "I did no such thing! I asked you politely to leave her alone and you drew swords on me. I did not kill a single one of you! But i left each of you with scars as reminders. Your face for your vanity, Jared and Tristands arms for their over violent nature, Roberts chest for his cold heartedness and Luke was a" i sighed "unfortunate loss of control."
"Well i never forgot that day and now i have come to collect what i am owed. Your life and her vurtue."
"If you lay one hand on her!" I shouted attemting to rise once again.
"You'll what?" He laughed. "Defeat me and save her again? I'll find you again. Every town in this city has some story of a faceless protector stalking the night. You just can't resist. No matter how far you run i will find you and i will kill you."
I reached into my pocket and felt for the little black bag i kept on me at all times.
"Then you leave me no choice." I reached into the bag and felt my hand close around the flawless black stone. I dived beneath the spears and grabbed Sophias hand. There was a dull crack and i felt myself flying through space. I opened my eyes and saw Sophia on the ground, sound asleep. I look around and recognised the statues in various states of deacy. I was back in the Temple of the Iron Knights.
I heard a dull thud from behind me and turned to face a huge cavern troll.
"Hello Mr.Wink" I said calmly.
"Low M'kayel" replied the creature slowly. I heard Sophia wake behind me and gasp and the huge creature i stood calmly facing.
I have looked into the eye of the storm and stared it down. I am an adrenaline junky and i know no fear.
Haha whoops. That doesn't really make sense anymore XP
Last edited by RayneChild on Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Singing: It's more than my forte; it's my fortissimo --- They say "Guns don't kill people. People kill people." Well, I think guns help. If you just stand there and yell BANG I don't think you're going to kill too many people...
I woke up in an unfamiliar place.
I groaned and looked around. Where the hell was I? Last thing I could remember was... This guy... and some sort of explosion.
"Where am I?" I whispered.
I sat up slowly.
"Mikael? Where am I... We?"
"I'm sorry Sophia."
"Mikael. Where the HELL am i?" She screeched.
"Sophia please calm down. We are in the Temple of the Iron Knights. Or what remains of it. The most holy place of the most sacred order. I used my Ironstone to get us here and this" i said indicating the large troll "is Mr.Wink. He has guarded this temple since it first began. He is the last of his kind. Just like this stone is the last one still above ground. It was this or my death and your defilement at the hands of that monster."
"Yes yes. Others gone. Me bury and make rock shape." Rumbled Mr.Wink.
"Mikael we have to get back there! We have to save them. Those soldiers, they were burning the house."
"Sophia calm down. The house is east of here i just came to get Wink and a few other peices before i go rescue your friends."
"You mean we."
"No, i mean i. This is dangerous and the chances of survival are slim at best. There is an army of angry soldiers, all hunting your friends, armed ot the teeth and planning to kill everything they come across.""
"Mikael are you insane? You and a troll cannot fight an army!"
"Who said anything about fighting? We are smashing our way in grabbing as many as of your friends as we can and getting out."
"Why won't you let me come with you?"
"Because its not safe."
"Thats not why and you know it."
"Because i love you alright? In all my years of life and unlife no one has looked at me the way you do."
I have looked into the eye of the storm and stared it down. I am an adrenaline junky and i know no fear.
The guards were advancing on Sophia and threatening both her and Mikael. I had no doubt that Mikael could defend himself, but Sophia was defenseless. I could not harm befall her.
I ran towards her and was about to grab her away when Mikael took her hand and they dissapeared in a puff of smoke.
My mouth fell open and I stared at the place she had been, shocked.
"What did you do to them?" one of the guards demanded.
"I-I..nothing." I stammered, still trying to figure out what had happened.
The guard drew his sword and pointed it towards me. "You did something, and now you shall pay!"
I couldn't move, I was rooted to the ground. The guards advanced towards me and I glanced around the farm. The house was all up in flames now, and was beginning to spread to the barn. I had managed to set loose all of the animals and they were now heading towards the forest. I had hoped to find them later, but not it seems not.
All of the people who had been there before the guards were gone. Luke, Daybreak, Nightfall, and Dakota were all gone off somewhere. It was doubtful they would ever be back. Melody had dissapeared a long time ago, probably to her own home. Sophia and Mikael were gone into thin air. Ana had gone into the house, and I had not seen her since. I desperately hoped she would be okay. And Johnny had gone of to God knows where. Now I was all alone, standing in the farmyard, about to be killed. I didn't even have a weapon to defend myself.
The guards came closer, but then suddenly stopped when another man came forward.
"Stop your proceedings." he demanded. He resembled a soldier as well as the others, but seemed of a higher ranking. "Where are those that Prince Marten demanded to see? The theif king? The vampire? Those little peasant girls?"
The soldiers looked around the farm. "Not here, sir." one said.
The commander sighed and shook his head. "You really can't get good help these days." He turned to get back on his horse and leave, but looked back at me first. "Take him with you, he may know where to find those we search for."
A few guards grabbed my arms roughly and bound my hands together. I was then thrown onto the back of a horse and taken away from my farm, from my home. I watched the farm grow smaller behind me. Ana may still be in the burning farmhouse, and the others could be anywhere and in any state. I hoped they were all okay, but not enough to try and fight my way back.
The farm was gone, Ana was probably greatly injured somewhere, and Sophia was gone with the blood sucker. I couldn't stop any of it, I was a failure. Now I had no strength to even sit up straight on this horse. All I could do was ride along silently, to my new fate.
------
wow that was long. Is the person controlling Prince Marten still in this? I definatly just brought them back in if they are. Also, someone save Ana please I would rather she didn't die. Maybe whoever is controlling Johnny? Then we can have several groups all up to their own things. I don't know, just an idea.
Nah, I just wanted some action for him 
