Ryle was beyond exhausted. Ever since being separated from the group with Avarice, they had hiked all day and been forced to fight throngs of soldiers they chanced upon along the way. Between the traveling and the brawls he had had next to no time for sleep. He was more or less dead on his feet, and they had once again stumbled upon a small troop of Kailarian troops.
Ryle clumsily jumped away from the sword of the soldier. He gripped his own sword with two hands and did his best to parry the attacks. The soldier skillfully thrust and sliced through the air, and Ryle just barely evaded the blows. The soldier kept up his attack, and Ryle found himself being backed into the bank of a river rushing through the forest.
As he stepped back once more, his foot landed in the frigid water. Momentarily distracted, he didn’t notice the sword swinging full force towards his head, or the figure that came from nowhere and kicked Ryle out of the way.
What the hell!” Ryle yelled as he emerged, dripping wet, from the freezing river. He blushed, realizing what he said. “I mean, uh, what the heck!”
Avarice glared at the soaked figure before surveying the body lying on the rocky bank. “Is that any way to thank me?” he asked condescendingly. “Unless you wanted to be a corpse, you owe me for your life. In fact, even if you did wish to die, you owe me.”
Ryle stared at the body of the soldier he had been battling with moments before and sputtered with embarrassment, “I could have taken care of him!” Avarice simply raised an eyebrow, and Ryle slumped. “All right, I suppose you are right… I thank you,” he mumbled, climbing out of the river, only to slip and fall back in.
Avarice laughed unabashedly. “I honestly don’t see how you’ve survived this long.”
Ryle shrugged, drained of emotion as he wearily pulled himself from the water again. “I suppose I am just lucky. I have never had any training, as it’s not hard to protect the herds from wild animals. As long as you are loud and look big they will stay away. People are a different matter entirely,” he said, stretching out on the embankment and yawning.
“You know, you’re good at fighting. Do you think you could teach me, by any chance?” Ryle asked, blinking sleepily.
Avarice opened his mouth to reply, but Ryle was already dead to the world, sleeping for the first time in what felt like weeks.
The arrow buried itself in the tree trunk just above Ryle's head. Avarice ran past him, diving over fallen trees and exposed roots to dodge the storm of arrows that followed him. "Keep moving!" Avarice called back to him as he disappeared into some particularly thick underbrush. Ryle heard a quiet swish as another arrow flew by his ear, missing by barely an inch. That was all the motivation Ryle needed to get back on his feet and follow Avarice into the wilderness.
As Ryle ran, branches and brambles tore at him, covering his arms with shallow cuts. "Avarice! Where the hell are you?" He yelled as he came to the end of the thick fauna. Ryle looked ahead of him, a steep gorge blocked his path. "Avarice!" Ryle panicked, he could hear people making their way through the foliage after him. Before he could do anything, three men emerged from the way Ryle had come. All three men had their bows drawn and had an easy shot at Ryle's heart.
"Move and you die mountain dweller." The largest of the men said, taking a step forward. "Funny I was just about to say the same thing." Came the mocking reply as Avarice dropped out of the forest canopy, landing in a crouch between the three men. As all three turned to face him, Avarice swept his leg in a wide arc, knocking two of the three off their feet. The third let his arrow go and Avarice sprang towards him twisting in mid air so that he hit the man full in the chest with both feet.
The man doubled over winded as Avarice brought his elbow down on the back of the man's skull, knocking him out cold. By this time the other two had scrambled back to their feet and were rushing him with hunting knives drawn. Avarice sidestepped as the first man lunged with his knife, then grabbed the man's forearm and brought it down onto his raised knee. The man dropped the knife as the bones in his arm snapped like twigs.
Avarice turned to face the third man, but found Ryle standing over an unconscious body with a heavy branch in his hands. "Tsh, I could have handled it." Avarice mumbled, turning back to the man with the newly broken arm. Pulling a knife from his boot, Avarice let the familiar weight settle into his hand as he surveyed the man clutching his arm. "So...you wouldn't happen to know which way to Baruke would you?"
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So, Ryle and Avarice are lost in the woods. Yes, I realize this didn't explain a single thing, but I felt like writing something interesting so there. I also felt like showing off Avarice's ninja skillz. So I leave it to the you guys to say what the hell everyone else was doing. Maybe you got captured, or maybe you guys didn't get lost because you asked for directions...you choose.
"The Trinity? Sounds like a very lame story plot." Yanille scoffed as he took a sip of the bitter tasting drink in front of him. He had never been much of a drinker, and the mud colored pint in front of him didn't help change his mind. "Have you ever heard of them though?" The young man whispered, leaning in closer so that no one could over hear them. "I'm sure you haven't, they're practically another nation of itself."
"Yes, but that doesn't explain how they managed to pull this off" Yanille groaned, as he massaged his temples, "Or why for that matter."
"Well they've done a good job of keeping themselves hidden. If they hadn't then they would have been destroyed long ago." The young man continued, "So what are your plans? Will you still go to war with the desert?"
"Well I've got one plan, but you won't like it." Yanille whispered, a small smile playing on the corners of his mouth.
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In the dungeon below the palace of Letherblanca, Caelia sat shackled to a wall. She had been there for nearly a week and had all but given up hope of getting out. "Maybe Ryle and the others will break me out." Caelia thought to herself.
As if on cue, a thud resounded from the door outside. A few moments later there was a muffled click and the heavy door swung open. Walking silently over to her was a black clad figure, the lower half of their face was obscured by a piece of cloth.
The mysterious figure knelt down and unlocked the shackles. "Come on, your friends are waiting." The voice was obviously male, and somehow familiar, but Caelia couldn't quite figure out how. Caelia followed him out of the dungeon and down winding hallways until they reached a dead end. The young man checked that no one was around, and then pushed on the wall, revealing a small passage beyond. Waiting at the end of the small tunnel were, Ryle, Eliane, and Amara.
As they reached the end of the passage, the young man pulled down the piece of cloth covering his face. "Yanille!?" Caelia gawked. "Nope, the names Avarice." He said with a wide grin. "Now let's go before the guards figure out what's happened."
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"So let me get this straight, you and Yanille are twins?" Ryle asked, as he scratched his head. "Yeah, but that part's obvious." Avarice said as he munched on a piece of bread. "The confusing part is that every now and then we switch places. Palace life is kind of boring, in case you didn't know."
"So why did you break Caelia out?" Amara inquired. "Well while Yanille handles the politics and the wars, we get to go look for The Trinity." Avarice replied matter-o-factly.
"What the hell is 'The Trinity'" Caelia said in a mocking tone. "Yeah, and how do we know you're not just Yanille leading us off to our deaths or something?" Ryle questioned.
"Well firstly, my eyes are green, Yanille's are gold. Secondly, I'll explain about the Trinity when we get where we're headed. Until then, just sit tight."
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Tada!!!
...What?
"They attacked us, after years of peace, they attacked us! Striking right into our homeland, and striking right into my heart! I stand here before you, not to command you to go to war, but to plead with you...help me stop future atrocities such as these." Yanille's voice rang throughout the courtyard.
"Ryle, what does he think he's saying?!" I whispered heatedly.
"...Those desert serpents will feel the full might of my wrath! OF OUR WRATH! THE CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAINS!" he was screaming now.
I flushed with extreme anger. How could he be such a...!? I opened my mouth to shout, but Amara and Ryle smothered me.
"Uhhh...Caelia, you probably want to get out of here!" Amara whispered in a panicked tone. I squirmed under their grip.
"That. spoiled. FOOL! That wretched, pompous, whining brat!! HE CALLED MY PEOPLE A SERPENTS! HE'S THE DEMON, NOT ME!!" I screamed. The townspeople cheered jovially, not even listening to my cries. "Don't you hear him? He's declared WAR!! Do you know how many innocent people will die because he-"
"Caelia!" Aliane shouted. Yanille's men were swarming out of the castle, fast.
I held back a scream of utter rage as I tore off down the alley with the others.
"Dammit!! I can't believe this! After everything we did!" I hissed under my breath as we ran.
"Ryle, where's the closest exit to the city?" Amara called alongside him.
"I..." Ryle cast his gaze across the massive city. "I don't know. I never came to the royal city before...."
Damn, Damn, Damn!! Damn you, Yanille!
I colorfully cursed aloud as guards swerved around the corner of the alley. "There's the girl! Retrieve her-" Without a second thought, I thrust my daggers as hard as I possibly could. And with the adrenaline pumping through my veins, that wasn't too hard to do.
The nearest guards let out cries of pain before slinking to the ground. The others marched over them unceremoniously. I cursed again, chucking dagger after dagger at the advancing soldiers. "Damn, damn, damn, damn...!" my voice was very high now, and I was huffing with every flick of my wrist.
Meanwhile, Ryle, Amara, and Aliane fought faithfully by my side.
"DAMN IT!!!" I screamed as more soldiers flooded in behind us. I took a fist of daggers, maybe nine, and thrust my hand out.
Suddenly, a commander's voice boomed at the back of the lines. Coward...
"Give up. Prince Yanille has summoned the rat-" he pointed a meaty finger at me. I responded with a feral hiss as he continued, "-do not fight for her. Leave her, and be at peace."
My friends did nothing of the sort. Ryle loped off a head the second the man was finished speaking. I love you, Ryle.
"VERY WELL!" the leader shouted, his face turning red. "Take them all!!"
"No..." I called, barely above the war cries. "No!" I dropped my daggers- and gasped as a soldier's axe collided with my shoulder. "Damn it all!! Leave them! Just take me already!!!" my voice cracked from screaming so much. My shoulder was welling with blood, but I didn't even care.
The commander let out a bark of a laugh and ceased his men. "Retreat. Take the snake." Though I probably just amused them, I hissed viciously.
"Caelia!" Ryle called, "What are you doing?!"
I tried to give them a look of, "Don't worry, I'll be fine." but it didn't work very well. The men around me snatched my shoulders and dragged me towards the palace....
-+-+-+-+-+-
"My lord, we found the girl from the desert, how would you like us to carry out your orders?"
I glared darkly as Yanille tore the door open. His face was streaked with tears, but an impish smile twisted his fishy face. "I will deal with her myself."
The spineless men holding me released their grip and shuffled from the room.
"You-" I snarled.
"Ah, ah. That's no way to speak to a prince. Especially one that is about to kill you." he cooed.
I laughed. "That's funny...."
Yanille's eyebrows rose slightly. "What, may I ask?"
"I thought you might take mercy on me after saving your life." I gazed coldly into his eyes. They barely even widened.
"You didn't save my life. You ruined my honor. And now your people have killed my mother." He returned the glare now, the malice obvious on his face.
"I'm sorry your mother has died. But that is no reason to go to war! One person's actions can never speak for a nation of innocent-" It was in vain to keep my voice low now, "i-innocent people! Going to war like this makes you no better than the man that killed her!"
"Silence!!" Yanille screamed, almost as loud as I can, "You will pay for your countries actions, and so will your people! I, Ya-"
"My lord!" We both turned as a sentry burst into the room. "My lord...the king of Kailar has been murdered...."
"What?!" We both screamed, our faces red and stained with tears. The sentry shrunk as he continued, "And...the murderer is of Inifeir...."
"What...why...." Yanille suddenly smiled, "The empire of the forest has come to our aid! We shall triumph without question-"
"There's more, your lordship..." the soldier blanched, and continued, "The queen of Inifeir was murdered...by our people."
The room grew very silent. If I wasn't so angry and the situation wasn't so serious, I probably would have giggled.
-+-+-+-+-+-
hehe. fishy face...*shot repeatedly by Yanille*
Hmm...Caelia is very angry right now. I didn't really describe her much in personality, but she can get very very angry about something as serious as this. Heck, I just wrote what I'd do if I had daggers and were in this sitch xDDDDD
Oh snap. It's like rock paper scissors of war 8D
LOL
Yanille sat down, biting back the bitter taste of sadness and hatred. His own mother, killed by some worthless scum from the desert. After years of peace, an unprecedented attack on his country. Yanille smiled to himself as he thought of the destruction he would inflict. This treacherous act would not go unpunished.
"Guard, rally your men and search the city. There is a rat from the desert within our walls, and I would like you to exterminate it for me." Yanille ordered. Smiling to himself, even if she were not involved, she would suffer for the crimes of her nation. Standing he walked out onto the balcony of his palace. In the courtyard below hundreds of peasants milled about, unsure as to why the sudden summons had been enacted. Raising his hands for quiet, Yanille started the speech he had been preparing.
"Good people of Letherblanca, I regret that I must inform you of something terrible that happened within our walls. My mother, the queen of Letherblanca, was murdered just this fortnight. I do not know, nor do I care, whether you think this good or bad news. What I do care about though, is bringing justice, a thousand times over, on the savage heathens that killed her. As of now I am declaring war on the dwellers of that disgusting desert that has resided at the base of our mountains for too long. They attacked us, after years of peace, they attacked us! Striking right into our homeland, and striking right into my heart! I stand here before you, not to command you to go to war, but to plead with you...help me stop future atrocities such as these. Help me destroy the warmongering savages that think they can best us! Those desert serpents will feel the full might of my wrath! OF OUR WRATH! THE CHILDREN OF THE MOUNTAINS! THE SURVIVORS OF THE GRIPPING COLD WINTERS! WE WILL MARCH ON THERE TOWNS! AND WE WILL LEAVE NOTHING IN OUR WAKE EXCEPT DESTRUCTION! THEY HAVE AWOKEN THE SPIRIT OF THE MOUNTAINS! AND HE SCREAMS FOR BLOOD! IN ONE WEEKS TIME, WE GO TO WAR!"
As the last word of his speech rang out, the people jumped and shouted. Shouting a cry that sent the most ferocious of mountain beasts looking for cover. Yanille encouraged the cheers for awhile more before retreating back to his quarters. He collapsed onto his bed as grief finally overwhelmed him. As Yanille tried to slip into a fretful sleep a knock sounded at his door.
"Yes?" Yanille barked, his voice like cold ice. "My lord, we found the girl from the desert, how would you like us to carry out your orders?" Came a stark reply from the other side of the door. Yanille suddenly sat up, no longer tired. Rising off of his bed he ripped the door open, startling the guard on the other side. "I will deal with her myself." Yanille whispered, a devilish smile spreading across his face.
