Post by strider on Jul 13, 2007 8:53:26 GMT -6
The soft rays of the early morning light shone through the glass of the large balcony doors, dancing upon the slumbering Strider’s face. Slowly awakening to the light, Kaaru found himself in the comfort of a bed of clouds. He sat up and yawned, gently rubbing his eyes.
He looked over to his side and beheld a sight that made him smile. As a princess, she was supposed to be the paradigm of grace and poise. Yet, there she was, her arms and legs outstretched and sprawled across the bed like a starfish. It was almost comical.
But at the same time, it was a sight that could still his beating heart. She was so serene… so… beautiful…
She moaned lightly and turned to face him, her eyes still closed as she continued to sleep. Then, with almost cat-like grace, she sat up, wrapped an arm around him, and pulled him gently back down. She wrapped both arms around him in a warm embrace.
“Don’t leave me…,” she whispered softly in her half-sleep. “The bed is fluffy…”
“I won’t…,” he whispered back. It felt like an eternity and he gladly welcomed the comforting feeling, for he was merely hanging by a moment with her. Suddenly, there was a loud knock at her door.
“Your highness!” said a female voice behind the door. “Your father requests your presence at the breakfast table!”
It was her attendant, and the knock startled her awake. In one motion, she pushed Kaaru off of the bed and jumped up. He nimbly landed on the floor as he rolled off the bed, slowing his descent with his arms. He pushed himself up and looked over to his beloved, who was frantically trying to put things in order.
“You have to go! You’re not supposed to be here!”
It was a routine that was becoming all too old, and he knew the drill. He got up, quickly gathered his belongings, and headed for the balcony doors, which she opened for him. Once at the doors, he stopped momentarily and turned to face her.
“What was that about not leaving you?” he said with a coy smile as he leaned in. She smiled back as she placed a hand on his chest, leaned in, and gave him a soft kiss. She then pushed him gently outside.
“Until next time, my Strider…,” she said as she closed the balcony doors and drew the curtains.
*****
Kaaru struggled to focus his eyes, as the world around him blurred. The force of the impact had brought him down to one knee and knocked his armored helm off. A small trail of blood trickled slowly down the side of his face.
Damn. I have got to stop thinking of her in the middle of a battle. I could get hurt.
He heard his opponent bellow a deep, coarse laughter. He looked ahead and saw three images of the hulking behemoth swirl before him, his eyes still attempting to focus themselves.
“So you’re the Strider everyone speaks of?” the man boomed. “General to the great Demini? Ha! You’re nothing but a pup!”
“My apologies…” Kaaru interjected. “I let my mind wander for a bit. I am finding this match mind numbingly dull.” As his eyes began to adjust, he saw the man’s face contort in anger. This worked to his advantage, as rage can cloud the mind’s eye, but he would have to tread lightly. Angering him too much would fuel him in battle.
“Bold words for someone on his knees before me. You can’t possibly beat me. I’m bigger than you. I’m faster than you. I’m stronger than you!”
“You may be right…”
Kaaru assessed his opponent. He was indeed bigger, stronger, and perhaps even faster. His scarred face displayed a hardened war experience. To his side lay the corpse of Sniper, a captain in Racthoh’s army. To best even a captain under Racthoh’s command was no easy feat and required skill. This man was not to be taken lightly.
Kaaru reached under his armored cuirass and unclasped the latches. With a
, he brushed his armor off, and it fell to the ground with a clang, revealing a light armored mesh undergarment. His armor was specifically designed to be easy to remove. He preferred the speed and agility granted without the extra bulk and often fought without it. It was a risk to remove the protective layer of the armor, but who needs armor if one won’t get hit? This was characteristic of his boldness in battle.
He braced himself on his knee as he stood back up. The blood that trickled down his face dripped onto his chest and mixed with the sweat that glistened and accentuated his muscular and tone physique. His platinum hair, bound up in a short ponytail, swayed with a light breeze.
“But the difference between you and me,” he continued, “is that I make this look good.”
With an angry roar, the man charged at Kaaru. He wielded a heavy spiked mace in his left hand and a shield on his right arm. Kaaru, on the other hand, had dropped his weapon after being hit. Although unarmed, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve… literally. The attacker raised his left arm, ready to strike down with his weapon.
Easy.
With a flick of his wrist, Kaaru released a dagger that was hidden in the forearm section of his left gauntlet. As his opponent began the downward swing of the attack, Kaaru did something quite unexpected: he lunged into it. Most people would have attempted to block the attack or dodge it, but Kaaru’s counter-lunge caught his opponent off-guard. Kaaru’s speed allowed him to lunge within the range of the weapon, and he caught the man’s arm at the elbow with his shoulder. He wrapped his right arm around and locked onto a piece of armor. He brought the dagger up with blinding speed and struck with pinpoint accuracy at an exposed area unprotected by armor, driving the blade deep into the man’s neck.
Blood flowed freely from the wound, and the man twitched as he gurgled for breath. Kaaru dug the dagger in deeper and twisted it. The man struggled shortly before going limp. Kaaru flung him aside and took a moment to ponder the situation as he surveyed the decimation around him.
Something’s not right. How did they know to strike here at such a critical time?
He tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The main encampment was at a weakened state when it was attacked.
Days earlier, Racthoh himself had traveled to the mountain range to check on the troops stationed there, since no word had come from them for some time. At the same time, there were rumors of a massive attack force mobilizing by the river crossing to the West. That was a key defensive point in the war, and Racthoh had sent Kaaru and his forces there to strengthen their position. So, with the leader Racthoh, the general Kaaru, and a major offensive part of the army gone, the main encampment was left momentarily vulnerable. No one ever thought that the enemy would be bold enough to strike there with such force and with such a small window of opportunity.
When Kaaru and his troops reached the river encampment, the gathered enemy forces he found could hardly be classified as massive. The rumor they had heard was false. Kaaru led a major offensive division in Racthoh’s army, and they were known for being swift and decisive. Thus, despite the minor fatigue of his troops from their travels, he ordered a quick pre-emptive counter-attack. The enemy, who expected themselves to be the attackers, were caught by surprise by the newly arrived army and quickly devastated. Shortly after the battle ended, word arrived that Trub had returned to the main encampment with news of Racthoh and the forces in the mountain range. He allowed his exhausted troops to stay and fortify the position by the river, giving them ample time to rest, and entrusted their charge to his brother Kay, who was recently appointed as a new officer.
Despite his own fatigue, he traveled back to the main encampment accompanied by the Ainsland sisters, who served him loyally as his personal guard. When they neared the site, they could see smoke billowing into the sky. The attack had already begun. They quickly joined in the battle, but it was already a lost cause. Despite their efforts, the army suffered severe casualties. Calif, a commanding general with seniority over Kaaru, had ordered him to take some of the wounded and flee. He did as he was told, but quickly returned to the battle once he saw them to safety.
And now he found himself in the midst of the carnage again.
He heard shuffling around him and turned to face two new attackers. They seemed to be of lesser rank and caliber than his previous opponent. One wielded a sword, and the other held an axe. They paused briefly, looking at their slain comrade by the Strider’s feet. He eyed them with a piercing gaze.
The one who wielded a sword rushed at him and attacked with a forward thrust of his weapon. Kaaru nimbly sidestepped and brushed the weapon aside. He then immediately lunged forward, wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, and snapped it. He grabbed onto the body as it went limp, spun around, and brought it up as a human shield as the other attacker’s axe came down in a forceful swing. He quickly cast the body aside. As he prepared to launch his counter-attack, he heard the whirring of an arrow and a thud as it embedded itself in his opponent’s skull. The body fell to his feet.
Kaaru looked to where the arrow had come from and saw Lilith holding her
steady. She had a deeply worried look on her face.
“Strider…”
“What’s the matter?”
“Trub asks for you,” she said. “It’s about Calif…”
He looked over to his side and beheld a sight that made him smile. As a princess, she was supposed to be the paradigm of grace and poise. Yet, there she was, her arms and legs outstretched and sprawled across the bed like a starfish. It was almost comical.
But at the same time, it was a sight that could still his beating heart. She was so serene… so… beautiful…
She moaned lightly and turned to face him, her eyes still closed as she continued to sleep. Then, with almost cat-like grace, she sat up, wrapped an arm around him, and pulled him gently back down. She wrapped both arms around him in a warm embrace.
“Don’t leave me…,” she whispered softly in her half-sleep. “The bed is fluffy…”
“I won’t…,” he whispered back. It felt like an eternity and he gladly welcomed the comforting feeling, for he was merely hanging by a moment with her. Suddenly, there was a loud knock at her door.
“Your highness!” said a female voice behind the door. “Your father requests your presence at the breakfast table!”
It was her attendant, and the knock startled her awake. In one motion, she pushed Kaaru off of the bed and jumped up. He nimbly landed on the floor as he rolled off the bed, slowing his descent with his arms. He pushed himself up and looked over to his beloved, who was frantically trying to put things in order.
“You have to go! You’re not supposed to be here!”
It was a routine that was becoming all too old, and he knew the drill. He got up, quickly gathered his belongings, and headed for the balcony doors, which she opened for him. Once at the doors, he stopped momentarily and turned to face her.
“What was that about not leaving you?” he said with a coy smile as he leaned in. She smiled back as she placed a hand on his chest, leaned in, and gave him a soft kiss. She then pushed him gently outside.
“Until next time, my Strider…,” she said as she closed the balcony doors and drew the curtains.
*****
Kaaru struggled to focus his eyes, as the world around him blurred. The force of the impact had brought him down to one knee and knocked his armored helm off. A small trail of blood trickled slowly down the side of his face.
Damn. I have got to stop thinking of her in the middle of a battle. I could get hurt.
He heard his opponent bellow a deep, coarse laughter. He looked ahead and saw three images of the hulking behemoth swirl before him, his eyes still attempting to focus themselves.
“So you’re the Strider everyone speaks of?” the man boomed. “General to the great Demini? Ha! You’re nothing but a pup!”
“My apologies…” Kaaru interjected. “I let my mind wander for a bit. I am finding this match mind numbingly dull.” As his eyes began to adjust, he saw the man’s face contort in anger. This worked to his advantage, as rage can cloud the mind’s eye, but he would have to tread lightly. Angering him too much would fuel him in battle.
“Bold words for someone on his knees before me. You can’t possibly beat me. I’m bigger than you. I’m faster than you. I’m stronger than you!”
“You may be right…”
Kaaru assessed his opponent. He was indeed bigger, stronger, and perhaps even faster. His scarred face displayed a hardened war experience. To his side lay the corpse of Sniper, a captain in Racthoh’s army. To best even a captain under Racthoh’s command was no easy feat and required skill. This man was not to be taken lightly.
Kaaru reached under his armored cuirass and unclasped the latches. With a
, he brushed his armor off, and it fell to the ground with a clang, revealing a light armored mesh undergarment. His armor was specifically designed to be easy to remove. He preferred the speed and agility granted without the extra bulk and often fought without it. It was a risk to remove the protective layer of the armor, but who needs armor if one won’t get hit? This was characteristic of his boldness in battle.He braced himself on his knee as he stood back up. The blood that trickled down his face dripped onto his chest and mixed with the sweat that glistened and accentuated his muscular and tone physique. His platinum hair, bound up in a short ponytail, swayed with a light breeze.
“But the difference between you and me,” he continued, “is that I make this look good.”
With an angry roar, the man charged at Kaaru. He wielded a heavy spiked mace in his left hand and a shield on his right arm. Kaaru, on the other hand, had dropped his weapon after being hit. Although unarmed, he still had a few tricks up his sleeve… literally. The attacker raised his left arm, ready to strike down with his weapon.
Easy.
With a flick of his wrist, Kaaru released a dagger that was hidden in the forearm section of his left gauntlet. As his opponent began the downward swing of the attack, Kaaru did something quite unexpected: he lunged into it. Most people would have attempted to block the attack or dodge it, but Kaaru’s counter-lunge caught his opponent off-guard. Kaaru’s speed allowed him to lunge within the range of the weapon, and he caught the man’s arm at the elbow with his shoulder. He wrapped his right arm around and locked onto a piece of armor. He brought the dagger up with blinding speed and struck with pinpoint accuracy at an exposed area unprotected by armor, driving the blade deep into the man’s neck.
Blood flowed freely from the wound, and the man twitched as he gurgled for breath. Kaaru dug the dagger in deeper and twisted it. The man struggled shortly before going limp. Kaaru flung him aside and took a moment to ponder the situation as he surveyed the decimation around him.
Something’s not right. How did they know to strike here at such a critical time?
He tried to put the pieces of the puzzle together. The main encampment was at a weakened state when it was attacked.
Days earlier, Racthoh himself had traveled to the mountain range to check on the troops stationed there, since no word had come from them for some time. At the same time, there were rumors of a massive attack force mobilizing by the river crossing to the West. That was a key defensive point in the war, and Racthoh had sent Kaaru and his forces there to strengthen their position. So, with the leader Racthoh, the general Kaaru, and a major offensive part of the army gone, the main encampment was left momentarily vulnerable. No one ever thought that the enemy would be bold enough to strike there with such force and with such a small window of opportunity.
When Kaaru and his troops reached the river encampment, the gathered enemy forces he found could hardly be classified as massive. The rumor they had heard was false. Kaaru led a major offensive division in Racthoh’s army, and they were known for being swift and decisive. Thus, despite the minor fatigue of his troops from their travels, he ordered a quick pre-emptive counter-attack. The enemy, who expected themselves to be the attackers, were caught by surprise by the newly arrived army and quickly devastated. Shortly after the battle ended, word arrived that Trub had returned to the main encampment with news of Racthoh and the forces in the mountain range. He allowed his exhausted troops to stay and fortify the position by the river, giving them ample time to rest, and entrusted their charge to his brother Kay, who was recently appointed as a new officer.
Despite his own fatigue, he traveled back to the main encampment accompanied by the Ainsland sisters, who served him loyally as his personal guard. When they neared the site, they could see smoke billowing into the sky. The attack had already begun. They quickly joined in the battle, but it was already a lost cause. Despite their efforts, the army suffered severe casualties. Calif, a commanding general with seniority over Kaaru, had ordered him to take some of the wounded and flee. He did as he was told, but quickly returned to the battle once he saw them to safety.
And now he found himself in the midst of the carnage again.
He heard shuffling around him and turned to face two new attackers. They seemed to be of lesser rank and caliber than his previous opponent. One wielded a sword, and the other held an axe. They paused briefly, looking at their slain comrade by the Strider’s feet. He eyed them with a piercing gaze.
The one who wielded a sword rushed at him and attacked with a forward thrust of his weapon. Kaaru nimbly sidestepped and brushed the weapon aside. He then immediately lunged forward, wrapped his arms around the man’s neck, and snapped it. He grabbed onto the body as it went limp, spun around, and brought it up as a human shield as the other attacker’s axe came down in a forceful swing. He quickly cast the body aside. As he prepared to launch his counter-attack, he heard the whirring of an arrow and a thud as it embedded itself in his opponent’s skull. The body fell to his feet.
Kaaru looked to where the arrow had come from and saw Lilith holding her
steady. She had a deeply worried look on her face.“Strider…”
“What’s the matter?”
“Trub asks for you,” she said. “It’s about Calif…”