A Doubted Heart
Beyond the edges of Ullar's forest and past the Lone River, a figure pauses near the edge of a waterfall, before heading towards the valley below. He was the Darklord Khosumet, the leader of the wolves and their packs, and feared amongst his enemies. Khosumet arrived early during the war. He and his wolves were a fitting match to face against Ullars elves. Since Jandar was facing Utgars armies to the south, this was the best time to explore the new land, but Utgar had other plans.
Khosumet closes his eyes and breathes in the air around him. He can smell a deer that is eating berries on a bush nearby. A small rodent digging a hole for its family. A small nest filled with little chicks that cry out to their parents to be fed. The water that hurls itself down towards the river and crashes onto the rocks below. Everthing around him was pure, fresh. The scents that almost reminded him of his home, the very forests that he protects on Feylund, almost. He took another whiff and another scent came from behind. He recognized this scent, but what made him curious was that there were two scents then just one. He turned around and called out.
"I know your hiding, show yourself."
From the brush a wolf comes forward and in his hand a smaller wolf was in his hands, struggling around in his claw. The wolf bows his head and quickly explains.
"My lord, this runt left our pack, I knew she was going to follow you so I went after her."
Khosumet looked down at the little pup. He sighed deeply and shook his head.
"Again Rain?"
Rain looked up at Khosumet. "Yes, I want to help you. So that I may learn from the best."
The darklord chuckled. "I told you before, you and the others will train with us once you are ready."
"But I am ready, just tell this old bag of fur to let me go and I can prove it."
The wolf that held her growled and grew irritated. Rain turned and sticked her tounge out at him.
Khosumet laughed and shook his head. "Peace Jun."
Jun looked up at his lord. "But my lord, I thought-"
Khosumet raised his hand. "Let her go and go take care of the young pups until I get back."
Jun grunted and lets go of Rain's neck. The wolf turned and left his lord.
Rain starred up in delight. "You will take me?"
Khosumet nodded and began to head towards a path down to the valley. Rain followed and struggled to keep her excitment contained.
***
Rain was not like any of the other wolf children. She was about half the height of Khosumet, and any other wolf. Her body was normal and is the same with the other children, but what made her unique is that she has a tail. The tail came out and was barely touching the ground and it flinched up everytime it got close. It was rare for wolves to have tails, but it was extremly rare for her having blue eyes. Many of the other wolves eyes were always yellow. Its what made her stand out amongst the group.
For a good part of an hour Rain followed Khosumet down to the valley floor. They past many areas that were unfamilar to them. A small dam for a beaver, strange rock formations along the river bed, and small wooded owl stood watched as the two moved forward. Rain stopped when she saw the owl in the trees, mesmerized by the owls stare. The owl soon shifted its stance and took flight into the sky. Rain then noticed Khosumet a far off and hurried along to his side. Keeping pace with the leader she quickly asked, "So what is it that were heading to?" The leader kept his gaze forward as he spoke, "I have been tasked to find our missing banner."
"A flag?"
"Yes, a small force, mostly of Gruts, was sent to find any cities of our enemies, but they have not returned. They carried the banner with them and I was sent to find it."
Rain thought for a moment. "But why? Its just a banner, why not just make another?"
Khosumet stopped and turned to her, amused by her remark. "Good question. Apparently the banner is important to the Gruts and they believe it has a special aura around it. It is a silly task I know but I need to stretch my legs. Besides I don't want to be standing around and doing nothing."
Confusion was all over Rains face at first, then she giggled at the fact. She was young and energetic, always finding something to do that is around. Khosumet sighed that she didn't understand and continued walking through the forest.
"You'll undertstand someday Rain. Now come, we are getting close."
***
After thirty minutes passed Rain noticed the trees were torn down and large claw marks were on the sides of the trunks. Khosumet slowed down his pace and Rain stood behind him.
"We are here." Khosumet moved slowly passed the trees and Rain followed close, making sure she took each step that Khosumet has made. They were near the tree line and they both stood and starred out towards a open field. Past the field was a burned out and demolished buildings.
"A village?" Rain asked.
"Seems so, I can smell death all around us."
Rain looked up to Khosumet and she could see that he was surveying the area. He looked down and noticed Rain looking. "In time you will learn to control your senses Rain." He finished before she could reply and kept looking out towards the village. After a full minute had passed he cautiously moved through the field. Rain followed behind. The two moved through the field slowly as to not attract any noise. Khosumet stopped abruptly and Rain bumped into him. He sniffed the air and turned his head towards Rain.
"Wait here, I'll be back for you."
"But-"
Khosumet gave a sharp growl and Rains ears went back. She sat down and Khosumet left her. After she could no longer here him moving through the field she knew she was alone.
Anxiety grew in her. As the minutes passed she wanted to get out and find out what he is up to. For ten whole minutes she waited, her right foot bobbing up and down in excitement. She gritted her teeth and wanted to know what was going on. Her tail began twitching back and forth in frustration Another ten minutes passed and she heard noise coming from out of the field. Her head perked up and she headed towards the sound, her curiosity getting the best of her. She was at the fields edge and made her way towards a small cliff. She stopped and saw a dead body nearby. A winged kyrie, as the other wolves call them, was dead with a spear in its back. Its feet dangled over the side of the cliff. She slowly stopped near the body and peered over the edge.
Below was ruined building and was littered with dead. Near the center of the village she saw three large machines moving its way down the main road. She recgonized that they were the Deathwalker and its bodyguards. A large group of Gruts followed close behind them. She had found the missing force, but what she didn't see was where the flag was. As they moved close towards the edge of the village, right where she stood above them, she noticed movement within the buildings. She edged close to the cliff to see what it was and saw more figures moving on by. They were quickly heading toward the moving column. She watched as they got behind the buildings and the column of warriors moved past them. Then, without warning, an explosion rocketed the Gruts from behind. They scattered and gunfire erupted on both sides of the main road. The three machines turned and opened fire on their targets. Scream of men filled the air. A chaotic battle ensued in the village. Rain realized she has to get back. She stood up and the ground beneath her went down. The weight of her and the dead kyrie made the side of the cliff give way. She tumbled down along the side of the cliff rolling towards the village. She tried to grab the ground with her claws but couldn't grab a hold. She rolled and hit the side of a building. She looked up and the dead kyrie landed nearby, his face starring straight at her. Panic zoomed in her and she took off into an alley.
Rain raced through the narrow paths trying to avoid any of the fighting that was all around her. As she went down the next alley, glass shattered in front of her and a Grut crashed through a window, bullet holes riddeled in him. She jumped over the dead body and turned a corner. She stopped in her tracks and saw another Grut and a man in a green uniform. They wrestled each other with their weapons and the two tackled each other to the ground. Rain turned and bolted back to where she came. She made another left and then a right until she found a collapse building. She jumped in and found a small corner that was not destroyed. She hurried over and sat down, wrapping her arms around her legs. Her whole body was shaking with fear, her chest pounded as her heart continued to beat rapidly. Machine footsteps and gunfire echoed on the other side of the wall. Holes popped on the walls above and dust came down over her head. She clasped her head with her hands trying to shut out the noise. The wall next to her exploded inward. She screamed and debris fell all around her. She looked and one of the machine bodyguards was halfway in the house. Sparks flew out its chest and oil leaked from the sides. Rain realized it was not safe here. She jumped up and out of the whole that was created and was in the main road. She looked to her left and saw the other bodyguard being attacked by the men in green uniform. The bodyguard fires its weapon at the uniformed men. Two were shot down instantly while the others scattered, firing their weapons as they went. The bodyguard was trapped in a hail of bullets, it spun and its back was ripped open. It felt to the ground face first. Gruts came out of the buildings and went after them. Rain turned to her right and her path was clear. She ran forth, searching a way out of this battle. She turned and made a right down a street. A building exploded outward nearby and she stopped in her tracks and fell to the ground. She looked up and the last machine, the deathwalker loomed over her. The massive machine turned and a shell was inserted into its champer. The machine turned its weapon and fired towards a nearby building. The gun shot boomed in Rains ears, making her go deaf. She covered her ears from the pain and cried out. She watched as the machine turned and fired again but with its other weapon. Round after round poured into the building across from them. The building collapsed and men cries were snuffed out. The machine stopped and turned toward Rain. She looked up and starred at the souless eyes that gazed upon her. The machine lifted its gun towards her. Rain cried out, tears streamed down her face, but the machine didn't listen. As Rain's hearing slowly came back the round in the machines weapon began to charge. Rain watched as the round began to heat in its chamber. Suddenly something was flown towards it and hit the machine on the back. A explosion rocketed behind the machine and stopped its charged round from firing. The Deathwalker turned around and fired away at its targets. Five men in the green uniform fired away and began throwing small rocks at the machine. Rain watch as one of the rocks got close and once it hit the machine it exploded. The machine backed up, Rain moved away before the machine could crush her. She fell to the ground and quickly looked back.The machine fired again and the men were killed in a instant.
"Grenade!"
Someone calls out and one of the small rocks bounces towardsthe deathwalkers foot. Rain stares wide eyed as the strange rock rolls forward towards its target. As she stared at the rock, out of the corner of her eye, a hand quickly reaches for her. The hand swooped her up off the ground and she was being carried. Her head rested on the persons shoulder, her body craddled in the mans arms. She looked up and indeed it was one of the men in the green uniform. An explosion came a second later and the man began to run, caring the small wolf with him. The Deathwalker crumpled and in a instant later exploded in a hellfire. The man quickly placed his hand over the wolfs head and the shockwave from the explosion hit them. The man landed hard on the ground, his arms wrapped around Rain's body, protecting her. Then, everything went silent.
***
Rain opened her eyes and was starring at the ground. She felt an arm around her body. She wiggled free and got up to see who saved her. It was the same man in the uniform. She didn't know what to do, what to say. Anger grew inside her and she felt hatred toward that man. Where this haterd came from she was not sure. She saw him move and she bent down to one knee to speak to him.
"Why did you save me?"
The man breathed slowly and muttered her one word. "Why?"
Rain showed her fangs and drew her claws. "Tell me!"
The man was unresponsive.
"You are my enemy! I should kill you for saving me!" She thurst her hand under the man arm and shoved him onto his back. Once on his back she reached to strike him but was stopped when she saw his body. The mans legs were burned, some pieces of flesh remained but the rest was pitch black and smoke came off the burning skin. Two broken arrow shafts were inbeaded in his side, blood oozed out as he breathed. His left arm was gone at the shoulder. His face was scarred and covered in blood, his right eye was the only thing that seemed to function. That man should be dead, yet he still lives. Was he from the collapsed building, or the men that attempted to kill the Deathwalker? Rain could only stare at him, not sure to end his life or not. The man breathed again and his good eye looked straight at her.
"Your only... a child."
She growled and quickly was on top of him. The man didn't flinch as she sat there on his wounds, claws at the ready.
"Don't mock me! I am a full adult! I will kill you for that insult!" She lied. Her real age was that of fifteen, a middle-aged teenager. She continued, "I hate all of you humans! You kill everything around us!" The man didn't flinch as she continued to rant at him. She acted brave but was only fooling herself.
"You are nothing! A weakling! Your a-" She stopped abruptly. Without her knowing the man lifted his hand and touched her left cheek. She froze at his touch, and the man looked at her as she was still.
"You are so young." The man said softly. He rubbed his thumb next to her cheek and she shivered at the touch. Instead of pain that she expected the man to give, it was kindness. He rubbed again and a tear came down her cheek. Her mind raced of what to do, to get out, but her body was in a trance and not responding. She was taught to hate her enemy, yet he saves her and showing sympathy to the young wolf. She didn't know what to make of it all.
"Your eyes, you remind me... of my... daughter."
Her mind snapped back out of its trance at his remark. She starred at him and saw tears coming out of the mans good eye. She lowered her claws at him and placed her hand on his.
"Why did you save me?" She uttered a cry as she asked him. The man looked away towards the sky and slowly leaned to the right.
"We... we're.. helping-"
The mans head slumped to the right, his hand on Rains face slipped from hers, and hit the ground. The last breath from the man came and went. He was gone. She looked at the direction he was looking at. A building that was close by. She looked back at the man and saw a couple of small trinkets around his neck. She grabbed them and pulled them off. The first trinket had an odd shape. See saw s small inscription on one side of the flat base. She couldn't make out what they were but five large letters stood out to her that she can make out.
"B-ri-an." She muttered. She looked at the second trinkent and saw that it opened at the middle. She opened it more and saw a frame inside. She starred at it closely and saw that it was the same man. A women was at his side. In the middle, a small baby was inbetween the two. She didn't know what to make of it but she closed the trinket and carried the two items in her hand. She looked at the building that the man was starring at. She headed over quickly and saw that the door was not there. She went inside and after a few steps in she frozed in place.
The roof was missing and light poured into the room, but all around her dozens of mangled bodies surrounded the room. Many of the bodies had many burns and cuts all over them. Many missed body parts, arms and legs on one side, a piece of a wing and heads on the other. In the center of the room, two bodies stood motionless. A winged kyrie, her face was hollow and her body scorched with burn marks. In her arms she carried a small body of a girl in her arms. The child too had burns along its body, flesh and muscle was the only thing visible. The two looked to be half alive and the other half dead like a skeleton. Rain was breathless, her eyes wide at the carnage around her. In front of the two bodies, a strange symbol was on the ground. The symbol was made by the peoples blood. She turned around, wanting to run, to get as far away as possible. She headed out the door and bumped into a figure. She landed on her back and starred up. A hooded man stood over her, a red creature stood on its shoulder. The creature screech out at her and the hooded figure placed his hand forward to grab her. A large growl stopped him and the figure turned to see who it was. He side stepped back as the new figure stood in front of Rain. It was Khosumet. He roared at the hooded man, claws outstretch and ready to attack. The hooded man raised his hand and a strange red orb appeared in front of him. Before Rain could see what it was, Khosumet swopped her up in both arms and carried her away. She looked back as Khosumet ran. The last thing she saw was the man that laid there on the ground and the hooded figure standing over him.
***
Khosumet stopped when they were near the forest. He let go of Rain who landed hard on the ground.
"I told you to stay put! You could have been killed!" Fury was in his voice and his body pumped. Rain looked up and spoke softly, "I heard fighting. I got close to a cliff to watch what was happening, and I fell."
"No excuses! You would have died! Why don't you listen to what I say, I-" He stopped when Rain came and hugged him. She cried out, "I was so scarred! I didn't know what to do! I ran and ran and that was all I good do to stay alive! I am sorry!" Her body was shaken all over, tears came down her cheeks. Khosumet's rage which made him boil over because of her carelessness just a moment ago was no longer there. He looked down and placed his hand on her head. In a calmer voice he spoke to her to ease her stress and pain that she experienced.
"I am sorry. I was not there when I should have been. I will personally train you and help you when you are in need. I am the one who is to blame. I am sorry that I yelled at you. Do not blame yourself over this." Rain looked up at Khosumet and he smiled at her. He lifted his hand off of her and walked towards the woods and bended down. "I have found what we have been looking for." He picked up the banner and it flew in the wind. Rain looked at the banner and gasped at what she saw. It was the same symbol that she saw in that building. The blood stained symbol that was from the villagers. Khosumet noticed this and asked, "Is something amiss?"
Rain shook her head. "No, I'm fine."
"Then let us be off." He turned toward the forest. Rain began to follow when she noticed her hand was still clenched. She opened it and saw the two trinkets were still with her. She stared at them on her palm remembering the soldier that saved her. She clenched her fist again when Khosumet called.
"Rain?"
"Yes, coming."
She followed and was qucikly at his side. He continued walking towards the forest.
"Let us go home. My daughter."
***
As the years went by Rain would become a formidable warrior and a proud member of the wolf packs. But what Khosumet didn't know was that Rain doubted him and Utgar. She would remember the village and the massacre. The men who sacrificed their lives to defended them and then that man. The soldier that saved her life. She secretly retains the trinkets and the memories of what happened on that faithful day. She would never forget them. But as she remains breathing and living, she would forever be with her packs and serve under the darklord.
Rain. Daughter of Khosumet.
August 12th, 2012, 01:25 AM
In my defense, I typed it on my Kindle.
)
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