Thread: A Survivor's Musings

The single bell clanged loudly from the steeple of the small church that overlooked the mountain community of Norford, echoing off the nearby peaks. The ancient building had been built decades ago from stone that had come from the surrounding mountains, and if viewed from a distance, looked almost as if it had been carved out of the mountain itself. The chipped wooden doors at the front of the church swung open and the congregation slowly filtered back down the steep dirt trail to their homes. Many of the village??s families owned small farms and lived in tiny shacks along the mountains, and many of them had fallen sick with the arrival of the cold winds from up North. For many, the church was the only thing that gave them hope. A slenderly built man stepped out after the congregation, holding a worn and faded bible under his arm, dressed in the robes of a priest. He couldn??t have been more than 40, but his eyes held the distant look of someone who had seen much suffering in his life. He nodded and smiled softly to the people that walked by him, offering them words of encouragement on how life would get better, that faith in the Lord and use of proper medicine could heal their ailments in no time. He was saddened by the frail condition of many of his followers, many young ones were extremely sick, as were most of the elderly. He knelt down next to a small girl, barely five, and gave her a piece of hard candy that he had picked up back in Aldhaven. She smiled at him and sniffled, quickly stuffing the rare confection into one of the pouches on her clothes. He patted her lightly on the head and stood, looking at her parents. See that she gets plenty of rest, she will get better if she does not work herself too hard. He told them. He knew it would be hard for many this year. The winds of winter had come early, and many were rushing to finish harvesting and preparing their homes for winter. Everyone had to work, including the children. Even he joined in when he could, but he feared that many families would not have enough food to last them through the winter. The girl??s mother, a lovely young woman named Selene, looked to him. You will pray for her, Father? The priest just nodded slowly. Selene smiled at him and took her daughter's hand. Thank you, Father. She kissed her husband??s cheek and they set off down the trail to the main road. Father Delmont watched them as they walked back towards the village, before he turned and walked back into the church, closing the doors behind him. He walked up to the altar and carefully placed the bible on the table. He extinguished the candles that were merely stubs of a wick jutting out of a puddle of molten wax. He would have to ask the candle maker for a few new candles in exchange for whatever services he could offer. The church was starting to show signs of age, and he knew he would have to fix it soon. Behind him, the door to the church creaked open and somebody walked in, bringing in a chill of mountain air. Delmont nodded silently and stepped over to the confessional booth, closing the door. The opposite door opened and the individual sat down behind the screen. Instead of the expected ??Forgive me Father, for I have sinned??? the individual turned to face the screen and cleared his throat. He spoke a single word in a calm, firm voice. ??Alarik.? Delmont froze. There were only four people that knew of him by that name, and two of them, his parents, were dead. And one of the others was not going to leave her castle in Aldhaven to come speak to him, not with the shady nature of business that went on between them. Alarik Delmont quickly pulled back the screen and found himself staring into the eyes of his mirror image. His twin brother, Asvin, sat in the opposite booth, grinning. ??It??s been a while since we??ve last talked, brother.? The other man spoke, dressed in rather fashionable attire when compared to Alarik??s robes. Asvin had become one of the Queen??s top aides, and one of her best personal advisors. Alarik scowled, ??That??s because I know the nature of our conversations?? He said back, his demeanor changing greatly from that of a soft-spoken priest to one of aggression. ??I told you that I wanted out after the last assignment.? Asvin looked him right in the eyes, ??But this one is different, brother, this one comes from Her Majesty herself.? He slipped a parchment over to his brother and continued. ??A town in the Chalmera Mountains was besieged by an unknown enemy three days ago. No survivors have come from that area. Her Majesty ordered in a detachment of Imperial Marines to take back the town, but none have returned. She personally requests that you investigate the incident?? Alarik narrowed his eyes at his brother, ??I??ve said this before, I??m no hired killer.? ??And you??re no priest either!? Asvin snarled, ??You??re better with a sword than you are with a cross, brother!? His voice became more like a sneer, ??And I think impersonating a man of God is a black mark in the Good Book, isn??t it?? Alarik growled, ??What does it matter, we??ve both gathered enough sins to guarantee us a place in Hell when our time comes. And besides, Asvin, who would expect a priest to be Amagur??s greatest assassin? I can??t think of a better ruse to fool my enemies.? Asvin locked eyes with Alarik. ??This is the last job, brother, after this you can disappear from the face of the Earth again like you did six years ago.? Alarik laughed sharply, ??Yes, until I??m needed again, and then that will be the last job, and it will keep going until I am either killed or become too injured or frail to do the Kingdom??s business, and then what? Then what, brother?? Asvin??s stare finally faltered, and he turned to look at the wall. ??That decision isn??t mine, brother, you know that.? He sighed. ??Listen, do this last one, and I will personally ask Her Majesty to let you go. Lord knows you??ve done more for this kingdom than any man in history?? Alarik sighed a bit, knowing that the last part was true. Although his actions were not something he was proud of? ??Fine. I will go. But this is the last time, regardless of what the Queen wants.? He looked around, ??Who will take my place? The townspeople need me here.? He said. Asvin nodded, ??A replacement has been selected. He will announce that you have received Holy Orders to attend a meeting in Aldhaven, and that you shall return in a few days.? The man looked at his brother, ??Everything has been arranged, just like always. The only factor we need now is you?? Alarik sighed and stood from his seat. ??Give me until dawn?I must prepare myself for the journey?? He walked outside of the church and stood on the steps overlooking the valley. Asvin nodded, ??I knew you would understand, brother. At dawn, a carriage will arrive to take you to the outer rim of the mountains. You must travel on foot from there.? He too, stood up and left the booth. He met his brother outside and the two of them stared at each other. He frowned and offered his brother his hand. ??I am sorry that you must be the one to bear these burdens. I know it isn??t right, but we were born into this order, it??s in our blood. Mom and Dad would be proud of you?? He said. Alarik sighed and lowered his head, ??Yes?that they would be?? Asvin frowned a little, looking at the sky. ??I can see why you chose to reside here, brother. It is very beautiful.? He shrugged and sighed, ??I must return to the city, Her Majesty will be expecting my return. I will inform her of your decision?? Both brothers turned to face each other and nodded solemnly. Asvin turned down towards the path and slowly walked down towards the main street where a carriage waited for him. He looked up at the church on the hill one last time before climbing in. Alarik watched as the carriage pulled away and he sighed, turning and walking off the path to the small cottage built beside the church. He closed the door behind him and pulled off his robes, revealing the pale marks of dozens of scars on his back. Despite his thin build, it was clear that he was in shape, as the defined curve of trained muscle shifted under his skin. He set his robes aside and pulled on a loose-fitting tunic. He had fled to this area to avoid exactly what had happened?and he had been found again. Once again dragged out of hiding to do the jobs that others couldn??t. Much like his father had done before him. Alarik and his brother had been born into a long line of assassins, working for the royal family. His mother served the role that his brother now held, while he upheld his father??s side of the job. Alarik walked quietly to the back of the cabin and pushed a bookshelf aside. There was a hole behind it that led into the cliff face. Inside was a small cavern, just large enough to hold a man. But what was most important was a small stand against the far wall. A simple wooden box sat there, faded with age. Alongside it was a brown male kimono. He knelt down in front of his sword and garments and said a ceremonial prayer. He stood and reached out, gently lifting the lid on the box, revealing the razor sharp blade of a katana, stained with old blood. Blood that he had spilt. He lifted the katana, the weight familiar in his hands. He had spent nearly a decade training in the Far East with the masters of the craft, and had honed his skills to be as sharp as his sword. The sword had been hand-crafted by master metalworkers, folded and pressed over and over again until it could cut through almost anything. It was a shame that its use was for such shady business. It had been a long time since he had last held it. He walked back out into the cabin proper, slipping his hand around the hilt and curling his wrist. Clasping the sword with both hands, he closed his eyes and took several deep breaths, sinking into a personal realm of concentration. He lifted the blade above his head, and brought it down with a powerful strike. He extended his senses beyond himself, feeling for the far corners of the room without actually seeing them. He swung a sharp slash to his side, sweeping his leg around and turning himself with a swift motion. He sighed, opening his eyes again and returning to a neutral stance. He still held the knowledge of his training, but whether or not that was a good thing was still unsure. Alarik placed the sword back in its box, sealing the lid firmly. He walked out into the center of the room. He had several hours before sundown, it would be in his best interests to meditate, collect his inner energies for the journey ahead, but a knock on the cabin door interrupted him, and he quickly rushed to the door. One of the townspeople, eyes wide with urgency, stood there. She had apparently run all the way here, considering her lack of breath. ??I am sorry father, but I do not know where else to go. Isabella?she?she is giving birth. We do not know if she will make it.? Alarik quickly turned and grabbed the Bible and a rosary. He may have broken the Lord??s Commandments many times, but he still gave these people hope. He rushed down the hill towards the cabin, following the woman who had fetched him. Even from this distance, he could hear the faint cries of a woman in pain. Isabella was a girl, no older than 20 years, who had been married to a boy from another house. It was not long before she was expecting. Even as Alarik reached the base of the hill, the girl??s cries reached a shrill pitch that chilled his blood, before falling silent. He rushed into the house, nearly knocking the frail door off its hinges. He slowed and stopped, looking down at the body on the floor. Isabella lay there, unmoving her eyes open in a lifeless stare that he had seen too many times before. Her parents wept, even though her mother now held the shrieking baby that Isabella had delivered. Alarik kneeled down beside her, reaching out and gently closing her eyes and mouth. He crossed her hands over her chest and spoke a silent prayer. The woman that had rushed to fetch him burst into tears, and Alarik also felt tears begin to blur his vision. He knew that suffering happened no matter how or where you lived, but to be struck from life this soon?it was almost unfair. He turned to Isabella??s mother, ??I am truly sorry?? He said to her, reaching down to gently stroke the baby??s head. His only hope was that this little one was able to stay in this world. He looked back in the direction of the church, looming over the town, and silently wondered what the townspeople??s reaction would be once they realized the depth of his deception? Dawn. The sun??s gold and orange rays had just begun to reach over the crest of the mountains, dying the sky with a beautiful mix of colors. Alarik quietly sealed up his cabin, dressed not in his church robes, but the kimono that signified his role as an assassin. It was too early for anyone to be out to see him, so there was no danger of him being discovered. He turned to look at the church once more, and he bowed his head. On the narrow path before the church, a small, horse-drawn cart rattled up, just like Asvin had said it would. The driver lifted a small torch and motioned towards the back of the wagon. Wordlessly, Alarik climbed into the back of the cart, sitting among bags of herbs and dried meat. For food, he had only packed a simple water gourd and cornmeal gruel. If he required more food, he would need to find it on his own. As an assassin, he would need to be fast on his feet, and bringing too much in the ways of supplies would slow him down just as much as a heavier weapon would. The wagon??s wheels bumped and jostled over the worn trails, making his ride very uncomfortable, but he closed his eyes and breathed deeply, entering his meditation state and letting the rest of the world slip away from him, like grains of sand sliding through his fingertips. He tugged at his internal energies, drew them in, stored them for when he would need them most. The feeling of someone??s hand on his shoulder broke him from his meditation, and he understood the gesture. The cart had stopped moving, and he stood from the floor of the wagon and hopped off, hitting the ground with barely a sound. The horses were uneasy they could sense that something was off. The man tilted his hat, before jostling the reins and setting the wagon back on its course along the road. Alarik looked down towards the distant town, the high protective walls that surrounded the town was a shapeless blob in the mist. They had failed to do their job? The cool mist seemed to hang in the air like a shroud, choking the light from the air as he entered it. He drew his sword, holding it in a ready position, in case anything sought to attack him. The open gates to the town loomed wide open as he walked under them, looking up to see the post that had once occupied archers, but now stood empty. The entire town lay in ruins it appeared that most of it had burned in the days prior. Smoke still trickled from the ashes, and the occasional tongue of flame licked at the sky. He closed his eyes, once again extending his senses beyond himself, tuning out the sound of the wind rushing down the mountains, the crackling of flames and loose rubble. With these distractions past him now, he was able to focus with much greater clarity. All he could sense was that this was a town on ghosts, not even animals remained here now? Walking ever further into the mist, he soon found himself standing at the very center of the town, a still fountain built in the middle of the road. Market stalls stood abandoned, food still sitting in their bins, only just starting to decay. There were also the signs of a battle here ?? from the footprints and dropped weapons, this was where Her Majesty??s Imperial Marines had made their stand, but where were their bodies? He heard something, faint, muffled by the fog, but he recognized them as footsteps. Someone besides him was here. He drew his sword, taking a defensive stance, trying to keep the source of the noise in front of him at all times.