News:

- Chubby Dwarves are low fat.
- Pippen accused of getting drunk and feeling Merry
- Mexican Hobbit corrupted by One Ring. Known as Smiegel

Main Menu

Kit's Past - Dray's Future

Started by Dray, August 22, 2008, 12:56:32 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Dray

Dray rocked back and forth while sitting in the unusual cold spot on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs folded in front of him.

*   *   *

He had arrived at the Kit's home only a few moments ago, upon receiving no answer to his hails at the door, he had opened it and quickly discovered Kit's fathers' body. In a panic, he had run into Kit's bedroom and upon seeing it vacant went to the only other room in the house. There he found the charred corpse of Kit's Mom lying on an undamaged bed.

He threw up his breakfast.

Choking back the vomit and the tears, anguish threatened to overcome the thirteen-year-old. He called out to Kitalia at the top of his voice. He ran outside the secluded farmhouse and yelled her name over and over, facing up the street and down and into the surrounding woods. There was no sign of her, and in his panic, he couldn't decide to be thrilled or scared about it.

He ran back into the small house to look for clues, as he passed by her father who laid facedown in a pool of his own dried blood he sensed it, a spot on the floor that was unusually cold. It made him stop in his tracks. The chill of the air wrapped around his legs as if the phenomenon was low to the ground. He stooped over to investigate and that was then he sensed her.

It was if she was there... an invisible ghost of Kitalia on the floor, unable to contact him. And the flood of emotion within the cold was filled with abject horror and sorrow.

His mind had frozen with it.

*   *   *

Dray rocked back and forth while sitting in the unusual cold spot on the floor, his arms wrapped around his legs folded in front of him.

Wildfire

The four guards proudly marched down the street. Their armor was brightly polished and glimmered even under the clouds. They walked surveying the quiet streets of Mandin as though an attack would happen at any moment.

"The streets are not so busy this day" Greth remarked. "It is Voldyn, private," Sergeant Haleth reprimanded, "today the merchants are at rest. Now still your tongue and be watchful unless you want to peel potatoes on your resting day." There was no forgiveness in the Sergeants tone. In Kazbourne, forgiveness was almost never an option for the guards- even among themselves.

The "Four Troop", as the street patrols were called, stopped at once upon hearing the mournful cry. "Kit! Kit! For the love of Paladine where are you! Kit!" They could see a boy down the street crying out over and over. The youth stumbled off the street and into a common house.

Sergeant Haleth immediately pulled his leather strapped club and shouted for his men to follow him. Without hesitation, the patrol sprinted to Kit's house.

Arriving to the house each guard was armed and ready for an assault. Haleth warily entered the house ready for anything. It was unlikely that anything adverse would occur but as a soldier of Kazbourne it was paranoia that kept him alive for many years. His face wrinkled as he sniffed the foul air coming from inside. The door was already jarred open and the Sergeant pushed it the rest of the way with his club.

The other three footmen turned their head with disgust as the odor slapped them. "Easy men" Haleth assured. He stepped in and looked around at the calamity before him. Many years of training and more battles than he cared to remember steadied the veteran for the gruesome scene. They did not, however, prepare him for the shock of finding a teenage boy in such a distressed state.

One of the Guards stomach began to turn and he swiftly exited. Haleth shook his head and muttered, "Rook". The remaining two guards looked over the scene- their faces having gone pale.

Haleth knelt down and gently shook Dray on the shoulder. Dray was familiar to him and knew the boy was of some importance in the line of Kazbourne nobility. At this time, titled nobility was not the source of empathy that the grizzled warrior felt. Something had clearly happened here and it sent this youngling into a spin.

Haleth demanded, "You, fetch a priest" as he pointed to one of his shaken guards. He then looked to Dray putting his other hand on his shoulder. "Hey," Haleth emplored looking into Dray's glazed eyes "My name is Haleth, I'm not going to hurt you. Can you tell me what happened here? What do you know of this?"

The Sergeant could only be hopeful for any sort of response. He had seen men in a battle shock before and it usually took some time for them to recover from such trauma.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

Bittersweet coldness enveloped Dray. The essence left behind by his best friend both a comfort and curse. He was lost to it.

Wildfire

The Sergeant steadied Dray's head by lightly holding his chin. He lifted the boy's eyelids and looked at his glossy eyes. Realizing that there was no register of awareness Haleth said to his two remaining guards, "Check the rest of the house. I'm bringing the kid outside for some fresh air."

Dray was easily hoisted up in the soldiers arms and carried outside. He sat him up against the house and muttered, "I do hope you can explain this tragedy". The guard that had left earlier was also sitting down recovering from the scene. "On your feet rookie...NOW!" Haleth barked. "You're not going to find any sympathy for that in the field...be glad I let it slide." Haleth then went to a nearby water barrel and plunged the hanging dipper filling it with water. Kneeling down, he brought the water to Dray's lips and prompted him to drink.

Moments later the other two guards came out. One spoke up, "Sergeant, there is a body on the bed...burned I think. But there is no evidence of a fire in the rest of the room."

"Okay, good work. Stand guard and look lively. No one comes into the house without my authority." Haleth responded while looking at Dray's eyes for any sign of response.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

At first Dray was unresponsive, but as the chill diminished from him he became cognizant of the water before him.

He reached up hesitantly and sipped the water, but as if discovering a great thirst, grabbed the ladel with both hands and finished it in one gulp. The water seemed to completely bring him back to consciousness for he stood up and threw the ladel at the house with great anger. It scarred the wood and skidded across the rocky ground with a metallic bang.

Haleth drew his sword as Dray turned on him.

"Where is she?! Who did this to her family?!" he shouted in sudden rage.

Wildfire

Haleth slide his sword back into sheath silently cursing himself for drawing it out. The boy was no danger to him. He wondered if he would ever be able to relax after the years he'd spent constantly being on guard. He looked to the other three guards who had, likewise, pulled their swords. He nodded for them to stand down and reluctantly, they did.

The Seargeant held his hands out and spoke softly, "My name is Haleth. We're not going to hurt you. We are trying to find out what happened here the same as you are." Haleth took a slow step toward the enraged boy. He was desperately hoping that Dray would find no offense with him as it would be a shame to be forced to wrestle him into a calmer state. "Now, what is your name brave one and who lived here?"
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

Dray didn't come to his senses, and in fact he immediately became lethargic again as he stood there before the Sergeant. For despair replaced and suddenly crushed the anger. Despair upon what had occurred to this cherished family, a family that felt like his...a family that he would never see again.

The Sergeant recognized what the boy was going through, the boy obviously was very close to the victims within the house. So Haleth simply waited to see if the boy would come out of it, not wanting to push him.

Finally, after many minutes, Dray heard the question, at least part of it, and found a way to command enough of his mental faculty to respond.

"My name is Dray Galaphile, second cousin to the Duke Knight of Kazbourne, son to the first cousin Mia Galaphile," he responded with a monotone voice that seemed far away.

Wildfire

Haleth had heard of the boy but never had much time to become familiar with anyone in the town. To Haleth's mind the situation was no less dire or more important than before. It was an atrocity that had occurred here...plain and simple.

"Very good son...very good. Now, stay with me...who lived here?" Haleth knew mental shock when he saw it and drew upon his fatherly instincts to help the boy and likewise unravel the questions surrounding the incident.

It occurred to the old soldier that Dray had asked 'where is she?' The boy had obviously searched the house and discovered that someone was missing. Not only was there a murder but not all the victims were accounted for. However, it was also possible that the "she" was actually the one that was killer. It wasn't likely but it had to be considered.

Haleth wasn't stupid. This wasn't an overly large town. Someone had to have seen something. Speaking softly so as to not alarm the boy, Haleth commanded, "You three, while the private gets the priest, go about and ask the neighbors questions. Find out if they saw or heard anything unusual regarding this house. Find out as much information as you possibly can. I doubt that the murderers are still here but anything you can find out...do it! There may still be time to catch them."

Haleth fixed his eyes on the distant boy and patiently waited.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

Dray was lost in a memory, his mind drifted to the summer past, when he had just come to the small town for the first time...

...the main street of Mandin looked so incredibly "backwoods", and he wondered if you could even called an unpaved, wagon-wheel flattened road an actual street. 'But yet, that is now the street upon which I live,' he had thought to himself as he looked out the third floor window of his bedroom.

The new house was actually a surprise. He had thought because he was moving from the grand city of Kazbourne to the small village of Mandin that he was going to be living in far worse accommodations. In fact, it was quite the opposite. Apparently his mothers gold went farther out here than it did in her "cousin's city", for the place was fairly palatial. It even contained the town's only ballroom. And his third floor room was large enough to target practice in with his composite bow, as long as he didn't miss and hit one of the many towering windows.

He missed his friends back at the city though. Soldiers one and all, but none of them cared about his station in life, as they would harass Dray as much as they would each other, despite Dray's blood-line relation to the Duke. He missed Jonath the most, his best friend said they would meet at the academy soon enough, but that was a whole year from now...an eternity. And just when Mindeya was getting a enough maturity in her to be actually considerable as a companion...his Mom decides to move out to the backwoods to help the under-privelaged.

'Nothing is ever easy,' he thought to himself. At least Jonath would have no competition for her now.

He spotted two figures coming in from out of town on the south side of the house which one of his two walls faced. Looked like a father and his daughter but he wasn't sure at the distance. They weren't on horseback and he wondered from how far they had come. There wasn't too many houses close to the new estate on the south side of town.
As they came closer his suspicion was confirmed, it was a man and his daughter. The man looked to be a hard-working laborer, his skin very tanned and dry from too many days in the sun. But his daughter...

Dray's heart raced a bit faster and faster as they came closer. At first he stood at the window and watched their approach, merely hoping to meet someone his age in town. He watched to verify a similar age on the basis for a decision to greet them in the street. Now though, his complete and undivided attention was held captive by what he had least expected to find out here.

He stood transfixed at the window, his feet no longer talking to his mind. The will to make them move out of the house for an interception in the street had become as laughable as asking them walk upon water.

The girl was incredible. Beautiful was an ugly word to describe her, it lacked the depth to the strength of the girls absolute angelic persona. Her long blonde hair framed a face that he had only seen replicated on statues of celestial devas in the Church of Kazbourne. Her big eyes were green like his, but had a cleveress to them that spoke volumes as to her strength of character. Especially when she bantered back and forth with the father whom she obviously adored. There was a lot of happiness and love in those eyes.

He had to meet this girl, but for the first time in his privileged life...Dray Galaphile was flustered.

He thought his opportunity lost as they reached the house, but much to his surprise, they turned at the front gate of the estate and were allowed in by the doorman.

He had to meet this girl.

"Alright soldier," he began to berate himself. "March downstairs and find what she is about. For all you know, she is an empty-headed apple-picker who knows nothing of the world and cares less for Kazbourne military."

With his resolve slight renewed. He redid the two top buttons of his shirt and went down stairs.

...Dray didn't here Sergeant Haleth as he was lost deep in the memory.

Wildfire

Haleth continued to wait for Dray. He watched over the boy but did not disturb him for fear of halting any self healing going on in his head. He looked back to be sure that his soldiers were doing as they were commanded. To his delight, they were. Most of the soldiers in the barracks sent out on patrols were good men and typically went above and beyond the normal expectancies of the army. Such was the way of a Kazboune warrior.

Haleth could see the guard assigned to the priest retrieval task marching down the street escorting a priest. This brought some relief to the urgency of the situation as divine guidance would no doubt be imparted. The priest was dressed in a polished steel breastplate with  a white shirt fringed with black and gold. A flowing white cloak, similar to his shirt, trailed behind him. In his hands he carried a large platinum mace adorned with the head of a dragon that made Haleth gasp in admiration.

As the guard and the priest drew closer Haleth could see that this was no ordinary priest. In fact, he wasn't a priest at all. The man approaching was the head figure the Church of Paladine in Kazbourne. He was a widely known paladin by name of Farren Yearwood who was also known as "The Hand of Paladine".

"General Jacoby is going to be displeased I'm sure." Haleth muttered to himself. The sergeant well knew of the rivalry between the army of Kazbourne and The White Medallions, the order that Farren was a leader of. However, if the boy was to be in anyone's hands, Farren was definitely the best choice. The Army of Kazbourne and the White Medallions were, in fact, on the same side. Haleth had often wondered if Derris Jacoby felt intimidated by the presence of Farren. It seemed silly to the seasoned veteran since both of the orders were striving for the same goal. To his knowledge, it was really the Army Generals that had held the rivaly, not the White Medallions. One should not be quick to discard an ally thought Haleth. Years of hard battle had taught him that.

Dray, if you wanted to continue with...well...Dray's reverie, by all means. If not, I will continue.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Dray

Dray was still very far away...

*   *   *

He walked calmly down the stairs, learning from an early age by tutors that nothing came good from rushing into situations. Despite the caution however, he still went the wrong way and had to double back to get to the first floor main entrance.

'Large house is going to take some getting used to,' he thought.

At the base of the stair, he could hear his father and someone quietly talking in his dad's drawing room to his right. And a group of excited female voices, within which he recognized his mothers, was deep within the ballroom to his left.  He wasn't sure which way the pair from the street had gone upon entering. He peeked his head into his father's den. Unnoticed by the two occupants, he saw his father talking to the man from the street, his daughter was not with them.

He turned, walked across the foyer and peered into the vast Ballroom; the dining room table that had been transported from Kazbourne looked ridiculously small against its wall on the far end Hall. His mother and a group of women were huddled about it, in a animated discussion about the concerns of the town.

She had told him yesterday that she would be organizing a charity committee today to start things off right with the town. "I don't want people thinking we came to the country to have high-nose tea parties and dances. We are going to make a difference here, and we will start with the under-privileged first," his Mom had said.

They hadn't noticed the girl who had wandered in here while their fathers talked. Upon entering, Dray was only a few steps behind her and well out of earshot of the still oblivious women who were very much enjoying a good laugh.

"Hello," he said to her back.

She jumped about a mile.

 "Oh, hello," she replied after she turned, her face slightly flush in embarrassment at being startled.

Up close, her face was even more perfect.

'How is it possible someone can have so symmetrical a face?' he wondered. Dray smiled to himself. The internal analytical question was a self-defense mechanism he had developed in oral narration class back in Kazbourne school. Anytime he got nervous, his conscience would pose something serious and bring down his nerves.

But her long blonde hair, big blue eyes and perfect pixie face, gave her an absolutely angelic appearance, and the calm quickly started to evaporate. He realized that they had both been staring at each other for longer than appropriate without conversation. He said the first thing that came to his mind.

"My goodness, you're pretty," he said. He was never one to mince words, he always spoke his mind, even when he was battling nerves. He had intimidated many of his teachers that way, as they had never experienced the attitude in one so young. He was reprimanded many times for being cocky, he tended to think it was confidence.

After a moment, and without the slightest sign of embarrassment, she said, "so are you".

He smiled, her own confidence revealed to him.

He reached out his hand in greeting, "My name is Dray Galaphile".

"I am uh..." she didn't take it, but put her hands behind her back and said, "I am Kitalia Lightower".

He lowered his hand, perhaps she wasn't as confident, but that smile was melting him. She didn't say anything further and for a yet another moment. He was also at a loss for words, his self-defense mechanism now completely busted.

By the grace of Paladine, she offered, "my father is working with your Dad on some building plans".

"Yes." He was grateful for the subject. "When my father returned from Mandin a few weeks ago back in Kazbourne he said that Jonarth is the wisest carpenter he has ever met," he said sincerely. The compliment made her beam. His knees were butter, he had to ask another question else they buckle.

"How old are you?" he asked. Despite her petite frame she had to be thirteen or fourteen years old. Her poise was too calm, and there was an intelligence within her eyes.

"Eleven, and you?" she replied.

He almost missed a beat in shock. "Twelve". He was dumbfounded but elated at the same time. 'Perhaps she will deem me worthy to spend time with? Only one way to tell...ask.'
"I was thinking of going outside to have a look around as I hadn't had the chance yet," he said, putting the unasked question to her.

 "Do you have time for a grand tour of the vast city of Mandin? I could introduce you to all the important people," she said with a giggle and a forced dramatic flare.

"I have all day. But how about the nicest people first?"

"Sweet!" she said and then did something that would leave him in a daze for the whole afternoon. She grabbed his hand.

She guided him out of his new home, a wave to their fathers as we went. As they visited the shops of the small town, she held his hand everywhere they went.

*   *   *

The boy stared forward absently as Farren Yearwood stopped at Haleth's side. Despite the smile on the young lad's face, tears began to stream from his eyes.

Wildfire

Haleth saluted the prominent man and relayed the story so far as he knew it. Farren only nodded and proceeded into the house. His mind retreated into a reserve of mental prowess as he surveyed the scene. His sight changed and he saw things with a different vision. He saw only a faint glimmer of the physical world behind the brilliance of colors that were the residue of an emotional one.

There was a swirling mass of colors mixing with shades of gray and black. The black gave him pause. Rarely were places left without emotion. Even the coldest of killers leave something behind. As profound as the black residue was it was nothing when compared to the near blinding patch of red and blue swirls in the corner.

Farren whispered to himself, "Another has emerged...and is still alive."

The paladin went boldly into the room where Kit's mother had been found. There he saw no brilliance but only black with the exception of one small glimmer. It was a faint  emerald green wisp where the woman's heart was. Farren saw this as the last spark of life that was left...a fragment of the woman's soul. Closing his eyes, he reached out and touched the wisp. Slowly the light became brighter. Farren could feel his own energy draining from him as he healed this poor spirit. There was no hesitation in his offering- only divine strength.

Soon the wisp was of a magnificent brilliance and Farren could barely stand to look upon it. Satisfied that the soul was restored, Farren said in an angelic tongue, "Be at peace my sister and may Volendan'Nyx guide your way. Those close to you will be guided rightly."

The wisp flared its light and then faded. Farren opened his eyes to see things in his normal vision and exhaled heavily. He was perturbed by the fact that the spirit had been diminished. He had no recollection of such a thing occurring. "What curse is this?" he asked aloud not expecting an answer. He would save that question for another time. Right now, he had a traumatized boy to see to.

Farren exited the house and knelt with Haleth in front of Dray. The old sergeant looked at the paladin with a question in his eyes. Farren knew what he was wondering. "Black magic. The likes of which I've not seen. The body on the bed was not burned...but drained. Not in the way that some grave walkers drain...no...this is...different...far more powerful and sinister."

Haleth remained calm on the outside but inside he was now becoming frightened. Haleth implored, "Please do not tell this to my men. They are young and their tongues are loose despite their discipline. Should the townsfolk come to know what you have spoken of...they may endanger themselves."

"Worry not Haleth. No White Medallion will speak of this to anyone." Farren assured. "And neither will we rest on this either. There is one from the household still alive. I suspect that this boy will one day find her and help bring justice to the evil that has been committed here."

"What is happening to the boy?" Haleth asked with great concern.

"He has been traumatized." Farren responded with confidence. He placed his hand on Dray's cheek to sense what was occurring within the lad's psyche. "But he is recovering...though he may never be the same again."

'It would seem as though there have been two that have been awakened this day' Farren thought. 'There is a torch and now a flame that lives by it. Together they will help chase the darkness away.'

"Is there anything that I can help you with in this?" Haleth asked.

"You need only to do what you are doing. Through the rest will Paladine guide us." Farren stated.
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Wildfire

Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Wildfire

Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity

Wildfire

Dray, do you find this to be a reasonable stopping point?
Wildfire

One should never underestimate the stimulation of eccentricity