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Post by Shadow Moonstride on Jul 31, 2007 12:15:44 GMT -5
The story of this young lad is a strange one. A shunned child of a master swordsman and an elven healer, Shadow grew up under difficult understandings. Try to be as wise and brilliant as the elves, but also as strong and cunning as his human side. Though troubles did not end. His family was hated by both his father's friends and his mother's family. After so long, an attack befell their house and family. His father fought off as many as he could, but died to save his wife and son. The mother ran as fast as possible with her child, but was soon caught in an ambush. Beaten, the mother died somewhere in the woods. Shadow had been kidnapped and taken somewhere unknown. Finding himself stricken with courage, he escapes from his kidnappers. Running until his legs felt as if they were to be torn from under him, and then a few miles more. Aimlessly, he ran north-through thick forests and dangerous mountains. After being succumbed to fatigue, Shadow had sat down, proped up on a tree, and rested. Nearly dead, Shadow had been offered freedom from his pain from the ruler of the underworld in his dream. Incapable of doing anything, Shadow had agreed. Soon his body had been taken over by Dengrave, a minion to the underworld ruler. Soon awakening and feeling no pain, he began his way toward the nearest village to gather some supplies and accomplish his tasks for Shadow and for Dengrave along with his master's tasks.
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Post by Shadow Moonstride on Aug 2, 2007 16:30:14 GMT -5
Making His Way: Shadow's beginnings toward the nearest town.
After awakening from the relieving dream in which the ruler of the underworld inserted Dengrave into Shadow's Body, Shadow slowly let his eyelids open. Listening to his surroundings, and feeling at ease. At first, everything seemed blurred, but soon cleared. Finding himself propped up next to a tree, Shadow slowly rose to his feet. Stretching out almost as equally slow, Shadow brushed off dirt from the rags that clothed him mostly around his midsection. Amazed, he found that most of his wounds had disappeared, leaving only minimal scars throughout his body.
"Strange. I could have sworn I was bloody beyond possible..." Shadow spoke to himself.
You can thank me for that. Dengrave spoke to Shadow inside his head. Unknowing who spoke to him, Shadow whipped around trying to find who the voice belonged to.
"Who is there?" Shadow shouted, still bewildered.
Calm down. You know how the ruler of the underworld said he would stop your pain? Well I was the cost for ending your suffering. And besides, everything has it's price. Don't worry. I'm only here to take over every now and then to accomplish a task for my master. You won't be able to tell much of a difference, other than the fact you won't be in control when I am accomplishing what is needed of me. Dengrave spoke to Shadow in a calm and collected fashion. Look over their under the tree. My master left you some clothes so when you get to the town up ahead you won't seem like the undead or a lunatic of any sort.
Flustered, Shadow's body moved without his mind willing it to. Dengrave was showing him the exact spot in which it was. Shadow's eyes looking straight under the tree to where the pile of clothes were.
Jaw dropped, Shadow walked toward the new set of clothes. Shocked, he took of his rags and put on his leggings and slipped the blue, perfect fitting tunic over his head. Not sure whether or not to put more of the clothes on.
Its going to get cold real soon once you start heading down this mountain. These woods only block out the harsh winds of the land, which is the only reason you haven't felt much chill. Dengrave spoke to Shadow in his mind, sensing what Shadow was thinking and feeling.
Slipping on a black vest and a blue surcoat uneasily. While fastening a belt on, Shadow noticed his Scroll that contained a sacred poem of healing.
My master thought you and I might need that so he gave it to. Also, slip on the bracer. Its under the underbrush to your left. Sure enough, Dengrave showed Shadow where exactly he had said the bracer to be. Shadow, unwillingly, slipped the bracer on, and it tightened by itself. Examining the bracer, he found the image of a sword engraved with an eye upon it-glowing strangely red too. The bracer shows plain black to any that is not a follower of my master, or those that my master does not wish to reveal it to. Trust me, it will come in handy.
Feeling uncomfortable, Shadow slipped on his shoes, and placed his scroll under his surcoat tightly to his body. Ready for anything, Shadow (and Dengrave inside of Shadow's body) set off toward the town just beyond the ravine next to the mountain in which Dengrave had entered Shadow's life.
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Post by Shadow Moonstride on Aug 2, 2007 17:49:16 GMT -5
Making His Way(Continued):
Beyond the Ravine...
Shadow fastened his belt and smoothed out his clothes. Checking to make sure his Scroll was secure inside of his surcoat, and not visible from the outside, he began to make his way down the mountainside. The land was rigorous, but nothing that his body wasn't used to. Jumping on top of and leaping off an occasional tree root, stump or rock, Shadow quickly made his way down the slope. As the land gradually leveled out, the forest began to become thin and much colder. Pulling his surcoat tighter, he was thankful that his black vest was made of wool.
After some time, Shadow had come to a very flatland, sparse with cover from the wind, and only an occasional tree every two-hundred yards or so. While Shadow was unconfident that a town was actually ahead, Dengrave soon chimed in.
Don't worry. Its only another three miles. You've run far more than that to escape your captors. A small walk shouldn't be much of a trouble Still calm and collected the voice seemed inside of his head, Shadow had to believe him. He was correct when he told him about the clothes and the bracer so far, so why disbelieve him yet? Yet, something Shadow could not trust about him.
Without warning, the earth shook violently, launching Shadow backward onto the ground. Dazed, he looked around to find that the ground had split open only 10 yards in front of him. "Well this is troublesome. Not what you expected is it? Well what do we do now?" Shadow spoke allowed, knowing that Dengrave would be able to sense the words as if they were his own voice speaking in his ear. Silence followed for some time, so Shadow assumed that he would just have to climb down and back up the ravine, seeing as the crevice ran beyond the horizon in both directions.
Slowly making his way down, Shadow climb the wall down slowly, foot, hand, foot hand. It seemed like it was just yesterday that he was climbing up and down trees, and this was almost no different. After an hour or so, he made his way to the bottom. By this time, the daylight slowly waned. Both spirits knew they had to make it up the wall and to the town before sunset, or the harsh winter night would do unbelievable damage to his body.
Making his way up the wall, The ground soon began to shake. Forcing his way up to the top-nearly losing his grip during the shaking several times- he slipped out just before the ravine closed in on itself. Shaking his head in disbelief, Shadow walked toward the small village up ahead.
Running part of the way, then slowing down as he got closer to the village, Shadow made his way into the village just before the sun began touching the horizon.
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Post by Shadow Moonstride on Oct 19, 2007 17:38:04 GMT -5
The Passage
The hallway I was in was long, and dark. No food, tables, or decorations of any liveliness. Chandeliers were hanging from the ceiling, emitting deep, red glows. I noticed no windows, and only the great behemoth of a door seemed the only entrance to this passage, and yet it was barred and chained so that no creature I knew could open it. It seemed that nobody could, unless you were some colossus of a being-for it stood taller than a hill giant I had met, and yet no crack for a dwarf or hobbit to squeeze into. Embedded into the walls were tomb like structures. Each one with a cast of a statue from their prime years, and their emblem ablaze their sash or forehead. Some seemed as if they could jump to life from amidst their place of rest from the wall. I gazed upon each as I could, then quickly my interest changed as I bumped into a being I had not noticed.
I had actually, not noticed much that had occurred around me as I had stared about this passage I was in. I found myself draped in a cloak. This cloak was black, and so heavy- I was unsure that there was anything under it other than for my heavy breathing and heart beat. Those gave me the pulse to know I was still fully-membered, and unharmed. The hood was pulled over to cover half my eye-sight, but it bothered me not. It was loose - not tight enough to hinder my senses, which let me relax a bit. But I had recollected that I had bumped into a figure. I had bumped into another as I had stopped, only this time from behind.
There were no shouts of disturbance. The figures simply moved past me down the passage - away from the door farther into the dark.
I quickly realized three things. One; all the figures around me were dressed the same as I. Two; no figure spoke, and only moved their way to the dark red light of a fire at the far end of the passage that I had not noticed. Three; Dengrave had not seemed present to me. (Or at least as present as he could be.)
"COME HITHER," Boomed a strange, and yet I knew the voice.
It spoke not my name, and yet I know he spoke to me amidst the countless that were in this passage. The voice shook and screeched like that of earthquakes and those that were dieing in agony. It felt like waves of plague swooped out towards me and the air itself quivered in fear of it.
The sea of people parted at the sound of the voice. I stood alone, with a strange path before me. Direct, and yet the floor seemed ethereal. I took a few steps, and my body seemed to shake uncontrollable. My legs never failed me each step, always sure, even when it seemed I would fall into the abyss I stood upon. As I got closer I realized that I was near the foot of a thrown. At the top, a hooded figure rested. An aura of death, decay, disease, and devastation seemed to float out of him and about the floor like smoke that was blacker than black. His gauntleted hands appeared able to rip through the soul out of a being, or a hundred for that matter. I knew this being. This was another meeting I've had with him.
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Post by Shadow Moonstride on Oct 20, 2007 17:55:03 GMT -5
The Passage (Continued)
"YOU HAVE DONE WRONG MY SERVANT"
The voice roared from beneath the hood of the cloaked figure. I was so close to it, and the wind rushed away from him with fear, not from his strength but from his fear. I was afraid that if he put strength into his voice, it would destroy the air utterly and make it vanish so I could not breath. But I held my ground, unshifting of my stance. As the wind blew past me, I found myself in robes. Pure black, as dark as some clerics I once knew had, only the embroidery was red - stained with blood.
"ALL WHO DO WRONG SHALL BE PUNISHED FOR THEIR INADEQUACIES," He stood up as he said this, and thrust out his arm, with open palm, he swept it and all the those around me unhooded themselves. Orcs, elves, humans, hobbits, dwarfs, and any other creature I knew not was there. Demons, corpses, so many... I could not help but gasp for breath. Each with fire in their eyes, they came murderously at me. Even the tombs from the walls burst to life with their mummies reborn in stone.
Then the being uttered powerful words. Words that were created before any time that I knew of. I knew my hear stopped, and it seemed even time itself stood still. Then before I could blink, all the creatures in the hall that had unhooded themselves, burst into ashes. The air felt aflame; the ground as if it were to swallow me.
The being from the thrown laughed maniacally, and boomed,
"I'LL GIVE YOU ANOTHER CHANCE. FIRST, LEAVE MY PRESENCE."
I ran as hard as I could, my legs and lungs on fire. I made it to the door, and was ready to collapse if it were not for the floor feeling as if the dead were grasping at my legs, and about to pull me under. I made it to the door, still chained, barred and its hinges welded shut. The being began to walk his way slowly, with a step that changed not. My heart beat in my head, my guts turn inside of themselves. Instinct took over, not Dengrave. I pounded where I could on the door, then let out a roar from the bottom of my being. My hands had been singed. I looked around once more, and there the being stood, breathing things that I was familiar with, but still hated my own spirit for being forced to do. Death, rotting, plague, and so many disgusting things came from his breath only a few feat away. I uttered a prayer to any and all spirits and gods to save me as he pounced towards me from his dead stop. I shut my eyes tighter than I could have imagined.
I woke with a shout. I was in a dwelling of sorts. The floor was dirt, but the walls I had not remembered. I got up, and upon touching something with my hand, I gasped for breath yet again. They had been burnt, still from this unrealistically real dream. I ripped some spare cloth from my satchel that I carried along with the new equipment I had bought the previous weak. Rapping my hands tight, I tucked some extra under my bracer. I knew it would only do so much, as I could not heal myself. I quickly gathered my things, and began to make my journey from the area. A town of various dwellings, some make-shift, some transportable, and other permanent residences.
Over several weeks I had the same dream, variated. I knew I must search out those who I had fought along side multiple times. It had been far too long. Their spirits would resolve things. My instinct would be right. I felt Dengrave had agreed, in the way he had always when he never spoke. Tomorrow, I would find at least one old friend and help them vanquish his troubles in attempt to do so for my own.
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