Hysteria
05-29-11, 01:36 AM
The night cracked with thunder and the patter of rain. A wet and dreary day had become a horrible night that would prove to only get worse. Amid the storm the Ixian Castle stood tall and proud. The mighty stone structure ran with thousands of streams of water that fell into nearly as many pools across any flat surface. Within the giant walls however, there was warmth and comfort. Talen, the youngest Knight Captain lounged in an oversized chair and flicked though one of the comic books that he had managed to acquire from his last visit to Akshima. The painstakingly drawn book had been copied with magic, and although Talen thought there were better uses for the arcane arts it hadn't stopped him buying the complete series of Grognak the Barbarian.
Book six was the best yet, and the youth was completely absorbed in his book as the hero fought the horde of bandits that attacked a small village to steal its precious artefact. So focused on the book, Talen nearly jumped out of his seat as someone touched his shoulder. Talen's turned to the interrupter with a look containing equal parts surprise and annoyance.
“Apologies Sir,” The Knight looked slightly unsure about what he was going to say, “There is a man just arrived at the castle gate. He says its urgent, that his village has been attacked by a dragon.”
“That s horrible!” Talen's face remained completely passive and the youth slumped back into his chair, “Why don't you go tell Sei?”
“Lord Orlouge is not in the castle Sir.”
“Then Duffy.”
“Sir Braken is also not here.”
“Er... Jensen?”
The Knight simply shook his head 'no'.
“Oh snap. Who is here?”
“You Sir, and Sir Dorian.”
“Oh...” Talen looked down at his comic, then at the roaring fire a few metres away. Already that young warrior could feel the cold of outside creeping into his bones. “Crap... Go get Dorian too. He's the only one who will know about dragons, but he's not much of a fighter compared to the other Captains.” and neither am I... thought Talen.
~ * ~
Talen walked to massive wooden doors that lead to the courtyard. The expanse of gravel that separated the main gate with the castle has turned into little more than stony soup with the downpour, and with little chance of the rain suddenly disappearing or even letting up slightly, Talen had to cross it.
The youth was dressed in simple a black shirt and pants, a far cry from something that would keep him dry. Talen's face remained passive as a sudden puff of darkness enveloped him. As it dissapeared a thick black cloak had settled on the youth's shoulders. Talen's adjusted it slightly and pulled up the hood.
Each step sounded in a splash of water and rippled across the many pools as Talen's feet tried their best to pretend he was wearing water proof shoes. Almost as wet as his feet, the rain drenched Talen's cloak in a few seconds and when the young warrior reached the gatehouse his disposition had soured even more. The two knights on duty stood at attention as Talen entered the small room and Talen waved his hand at them to relax. The man that had arrived at the gate sat on a chair in the middle of the room. He was old and sported a grey scraggly beard that probably looked distinguished when not drenched. His cloths at one point could have been called 'fine' but now contained more mud and water than fabric. The knights had wrapped him in run and in his hand he had a small cup of whisky to warm him up. Talen looked at him, and the old man returned his gaze.
“I thought you were going to get one of the Captains.” The old man turned away from Talen to one of the knights.
“This is Sir Shadowalker, one of our Knight Captains.” Replied the Knight with a rehearsed response of someone who has had the same question many times before.
“Dorian will be along soon.” Talen lifted his arms and his drenched cloak disappeared in a puff of shadows. The youth propped his butt against the small table of the gate house and waited for Dorian, “No point asking any questions till he gets here.”
Book six was the best yet, and the youth was completely absorbed in his book as the hero fought the horde of bandits that attacked a small village to steal its precious artefact. So focused on the book, Talen nearly jumped out of his seat as someone touched his shoulder. Talen's turned to the interrupter with a look containing equal parts surprise and annoyance.
“Apologies Sir,” The Knight looked slightly unsure about what he was going to say, “There is a man just arrived at the castle gate. He says its urgent, that his village has been attacked by a dragon.”
“That s horrible!” Talen's face remained completely passive and the youth slumped back into his chair, “Why don't you go tell Sei?”
“Lord Orlouge is not in the castle Sir.”
“Then Duffy.”
“Sir Braken is also not here.”
“Er... Jensen?”
The Knight simply shook his head 'no'.
“Oh snap. Who is here?”
“You Sir, and Sir Dorian.”
“Oh...” Talen looked down at his comic, then at the roaring fire a few metres away. Already that young warrior could feel the cold of outside creeping into his bones. “Crap... Go get Dorian too. He's the only one who will know about dragons, but he's not much of a fighter compared to the other Captains.” and neither am I... thought Talen.
~ * ~
Talen walked to massive wooden doors that lead to the courtyard. The expanse of gravel that separated the main gate with the castle has turned into little more than stony soup with the downpour, and with little chance of the rain suddenly disappearing or even letting up slightly, Talen had to cross it.
The youth was dressed in simple a black shirt and pants, a far cry from something that would keep him dry. Talen's face remained passive as a sudden puff of darkness enveloped him. As it dissapeared a thick black cloak had settled on the youth's shoulders. Talen's adjusted it slightly and pulled up the hood.
Each step sounded in a splash of water and rippled across the many pools as Talen's feet tried their best to pretend he was wearing water proof shoes. Almost as wet as his feet, the rain drenched Talen's cloak in a few seconds and when the young warrior reached the gatehouse his disposition had soured even more. The two knights on duty stood at attention as Talen entered the small room and Talen waved his hand at them to relax. The man that had arrived at the gate sat on a chair in the middle of the room. He was old and sported a grey scraggly beard that probably looked distinguished when not drenched. His cloths at one point could have been called 'fine' but now contained more mud and water than fabric. The knights had wrapped him in run and in his hand he had a small cup of whisky to warm him up. Talen looked at him, and the old man returned his gaze.
“I thought you were going to get one of the Captains.” The old man turned away from Talen to one of the knights.
“This is Sir Shadowalker, one of our Knight Captains.” Replied the Knight with a rehearsed response of someone who has had the same question many times before.
“Dorian will be along soon.” Talen lifted his arms and his drenched cloak disappeared in a puff of shadows. The youth propped his butt against the small table of the gate house and waited for Dorian, “No point asking any questions till he gets here.”