Memento
07-08-14, 07:21 AM
It was a bright summer's day when Chandra decided that she would enter the Citadel. The building’s name was enough to cause looks of glee, fear and wonder in equal parts from any pub crowed. The building, and the mysterious monks that fuelled it with their magic, was a place to test your mettle. To those with less self-discovery intentions, it was simply a test of metal. Chandra's story had been told a thousands times or more in the Citadel walls. She had left her village a little more than two months ago. The Citadel offered the first test of her skill in a situation where losing wasn't permanent. She both revelled and reviled at the challenge. Part of her hated fighting for fighting's sake, but she wanted to die at the hands of some half-talented sword swinger because she never trained even less.
As Chandra waited in the clearing she looked alien, refusing to let herself be drawn into the setting she found herself in. Her body was tense, an arrow in her hand rested against the bow in her other. She was ready to draw and fire with a moments notice. The sword slung across her back was ready as back up should she need. She screamed novice in her ridged stance, her darting green eyes refused to take anything in for more than a moment before darting to the next possible threat.
The clearing though seemed content to continue as if she wasn't there. Sun, casting its gaze over the trees and the grass of the clearing, warmed all with its sight. The air moved in cool waves across the foliage, a gentle symphony of rolling leaves and blades of grass. It was nearly idyllic in its presentation. The keen observer would notice the distinct lack of birds, or indeed any animals. Even the flies, present to annoy tired travellers were missing. It was not real, despite its convincing facade.
Chandra of course didn't take any of this in. She barely registered the colour of the grass and if you asked her about it later she'd say green simply because that was the colour one would expect it was. It was a child's mistake, but she was little more than a child in the heated gaze of battle. This would be an eye opener.
As Chandra waited in the clearing she looked alien, refusing to let herself be drawn into the setting she found herself in. Her body was tense, an arrow in her hand rested against the bow in her other. She was ready to draw and fire with a moments notice. The sword slung across her back was ready as back up should she need. She screamed novice in her ridged stance, her darting green eyes refused to take anything in for more than a moment before darting to the next possible threat.
The clearing though seemed content to continue as if she wasn't there. Sun, casting its gaze over the trees and the grass of the clearing, warmed all with its sight. The air moved in cool waves across the foliage, a gentle symphony of rolling leaves and blades of grass. It was nearly idyllic in its presentation. The keen observer would notice the distinct lack of birds, or indeed any animals. Even the flies, present to annoy tired travellers were missing. It was not real, despite its convincing facade.
Chandra of course didn't take any of this in. She barely registered the colour of the grass and if you asked her about it later she'd say green simply because that was the colour one would expect it was. It was a child's mistake, but she was little more than a child in the heated gaze of battle. This would be an eye opener.