Friday, August 19, 2011

Eye For an Eye

Kendrick Cwick, suffering many wounds and with all his supporters dead or dying, broke from the fight and raced out of the front door. I quickly pulled a masterwork arrow from its quiver and fired through the massive front portal. The flaming missile was barely out of the door when another followed and then a third, Est'Perolyne igniting and launching those deadly projectiles with such force the air shrieked as they raced the sixty-odd paces to their target.To Kendricks’ credit he was able to avoid the first two shots but his luck had expired. The third arrow struck true where the mans’ skull met his neck, a brief flare of orange flames roared across the back of his head as his hair caught alight. With a sickening thud the limp body of Kendrick Cwick landed, face first, on the frozen turf of the courtyard. Although this wound would likely be fatal the stubborn man would not stay down. Grunting and gasping for breath Cwick struggled to force his arms to do his bidding; to push his torso up off the ground.

Seeing this I dropped my bow and turned to retrieve my discarded swords. Dhaerow Athil (Traitors Bane) and Iriadors Drannor (Garnets Song) had been forged by Aben INSERT NAME HERE, a master craftsman of the north. These two newly crafted short swords would fulfill their purpose and end the life of Kendrick Cwick, avenging the loss of Deedra Garnet. Without hesitation I stalked through the open door and out into the courtyard.

I noticed several guards up on the outer wall, they were watching with interest yet, made no move to interfere. As I approached my one time friend and mentor the torch light from the building cast many copies of my shadow over his frame. He was still face down but had managed to push himself up on the backs of his wrists with his arms nearly locked straight. The effort in holding even that position strained the rogue and his body quivered in exertion.

For a mere heartbeat I stood there, in a surreal moment. My breath billowed into the night as great clouds of white mist. I could feel my heart pounding within my chest yet, while glancing at the razor sharp edges of my twin blades, they were steady and calm. I straddled his body and bent low, crossing my swords over his exposed throat. Dhaerow Athil and Iriadors Drannor reflected the torch light from their polished surfaces seeming to hold the full fury of the nine hells in their leaf-shaped form.

“Ademar.” Kendrick gasped.

I was not listening, nor was I to be swayed by any further words he might get out of his treacherous mouth. I leaned in close to his ear so that he would well understand my words.

“My blood oath is now fulfilled.” I stated.

Before a reply could leave his lips I began to rise, pulling up hard on my blades and dragging them out as I went. The keen edges bit hard and deep into the soft tissue and sinewy tendons alike. After only a few seconds of spasms and one last, pitiful gasp Kendrick Cwick collapsed into a quickly widening pool of his own blood.

When I rose I left the body lying there on the frozen ground. I cared not even to search his body. Glancing up at the walls, I met the gaze of a couple of the ‘guards’ standing there. None of them could hold my gaze and within minutes the walls were deserted.

Returning to recover Est’Perolyne, I felt strangely cold. I would have thought that killing my treacherous mentor would have put me at peace but I was not. I felt more hollow and alone than ever. My actions were wooden and unfocused. I could not tell you what events occurred the remainder of the night; my mind was so clouded and my heart ached again for my loss. I knew that night that, although my oath had been met, I would never shake the specter of Deedra Garnet nor could I ever escape the shame of the disaster that my actions had brought about. All I can pray to do now is survive my future trials and hope that Deedra approves from on high.

-Ademar Helyanwë

9 comments:

  1. I had forgotten that this was ever written. I know it is way out of order but, I thought I might share.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Memory problems are common for people who drink to much.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This is awesome. I remember that session very vividly. It was s triumphant night for many reasons.

    I think that this may have been a turning point for Ademar. Not only did his attitude change concerning the world around him, but he became more of the elven "badass" that we see in our sessions currently.

    Great job E.

    ReplyDelete
  4. It is very well written, so it is rude of me to say anything else.

    Other than the fact that I liked how you started once he ran away, instead of a few rounds before when he was kicking your ass with that evil sword of his.

    Not that any of that matters. It was a rather epic fight.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Well, I started with the bad guy running because a certain cloud watching friend of ours was really intent on knowing how things ended. She never did ask how badly Ademar got his ass beat...

    ReplyDelete
  6. Rude or not, criticism is welcome. I get very little of it though, I wish there was more.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I have a hard time finding fault with your prose as you write the way that I like to read.

    Once in a while I see little things here and there, but it would amount to petty nitpicking, which could be misconstrued as jealousy, or worse, pretension. Especially in this forum.I really would rather people still be unconvinced about my tendencies toward either.

    ReplyDelete
  8. See...I am pretty easy. You are telling a story, I enjoy it. An english teacher I am not.

    ReplyDelete
  9. For the life of me I still can not remember Abens' last name! I guess you are right Jim, I really should stop drinking so much.

    ReplyDelete