Two Journeys Into One
Very short, I know. But this is only the 1st chapter.
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Recurring Flame
Chapter 1: Two Journeys Into One
The rain fell heavy upon the small town. It thrummed the stone roofs of the houses and buildings, and formed large puddles on the ground. The townspeople scurried about, trying to get off the wet roads. One person, however, was crouching just above a house, his cloak pulled close and his hood up. In his hand was a three foot long two-edged sword. The magickal blade, the Inri sword.
The knight looked over the city with light green eyes, the blade casting a white light from the moon overhead. He spotted his target: A wealthy lord owning more than half of this town. He ruled over the townspeople unfairly, using his power to worm his way out of trouble with the authorities.
Kent quietly leapt down from the roof and followed behind the man as he made his way home, a farm house near the outskirts of the city. Silently, Kent raised his sword, and brought it down. The metallic smell of blood filled the air nearby, and the man sagged to his knees and fell on the dirt path soundlessly.
Kent wiped the blood from his blade on the man's jacket, and sheathed it. He walked through the gates and lowered his hood. The rain had stopped falling, and the clouds had dissipated. He brushed his silver hair from his forehead, and went to a small abandoned house.
He leaned his sword against the wall and took off his cloak. He folded it in a square, and laid it on the floor. He removed his armor and lay down, resting his head on his cloak. He laid on the stone floor, staring at the ceiling. After a few minutes, the flimsy wooden door on the front of the shack fell down, and in came several guards armed with short swords.
"You're under arrest! We have several witnesses that you killed Lord Wesker. You're coming with us," one said, advancing.
Kent smiled, and raised his hand. A glowing ball of orange energy formed, and a blast of flame quickly engulfed the guards. He picked up his sword, cloak and armor, and dashed out the front door. Using a quick blast of magick, he jumped onto the roof of a nearby house. Putting on his armor as he ran, he jumped rooftops. He fastened the cloak around his neck and drew his sword.
He jumped to the city's wall, and prepared to jump. As he leapt off the stone, an arrow hit him in the side. He landed hard on the wet grass below. Stumbling, he managed to reach a group of trees. Blinded by pain, he passed out on the ground.
The Ninetales had been traveling for at least 4 months. She walked between the trees near some town, and heard something hit the ground. Stalking low, she stayed quiet as she slowly advanced. She came upon a blue lump on the ground. She rolled him over and stared at him. He had an arrow in his side.
She pulled the crossbow strap off her back and placed a paw on the side of the knight's neck. The pulse was there, though very faint. She took the shaft of the arrow in her jaws, and jerked her head sideways. The arrow ripped free of his side, and she quickly put a paw over the wound, and focused her mind. The wound closed up, and she sat back.
She wiped the blood from her paw on the wet grass, and sat down next to him. She didn't know why, but she felt responsible for this knight's safety. She studied him.
Silver hair, though he only looked about 19. Blue chest armor, with some design on it, though because of the darkness, she couldn't see it. The brown cloak was tied around the knight's neck, and she could see a belt on his waist. It was connected to a three-foot-long sword, and the jeweled hilt glistened.
She jumped as the knight stirred suddenly. He sat up, and looked around. His hand went to his sword reflexively when he spotted the white-furred kitsune in front of him.
[Wait,] she said, backing up, [I'm no threat.]
She spoke with a slight British accent, and her gentle tone greatly conflicted with her red eyes.
"Really?" he said sarcastically, "then why were you here?"
[You were dying, and it isn't like me to leave those who are in need of help alone. Though I dislike those who don't appreciate my help. I'll be leaving now,] she said, getting up. She walked over to where she had hung the crossbow on a branch, and slipped it over her shoulder. She started to leave when Kent stood up.
"Wait, there're soldiers after me. You're not gonna wanna keep going in that direction."
She turned around. [And why would that be?]
Kent was about to answer, but an arrow sunk into a nearby tree. A couple more followed, whistling through the air. Kent turned and dashed through the trees, crashing through the brush and branches. The Ninetales followed behind him, leaping over bushes and dodging trees. The chilly air of the night burned his throat, and the arrows ceased.
Once he was sure they were no longer being followed, Kent leaned against a large oak tree. Unbuckling his sword, he laid it on the ground next to him. He lowered his hood, and leaned his head against the trunk.
[You still haven't answered my question,] the Ninetales said, laying down on the grass.
"I'm on a mission. I used to be a knight under General Beulah, but he was arrested for not using taxes properly, he used them for funding the mass of whores that frequently entered the castle. When the king found out about this, he fired General Beulah, and all of his commanders were stripped of their positions. Including those who had no part in this, which was most of them," Kent said. His voice bitter, he added, "and all of the commanders are being hunted for execution. So I'm being chased for what I do and what I've done. But I'm hunting the General down, and I'll make him pay."
[Why's that?] she asked, lifting her head up.
Kent turned his head away. "It's none of your concern."
[Very well then. I'd better be on my way,] She stood up, and walked off.
"Sylvia, wait!" Kent called before he could catch himself.
She stopped. [What did you call me?]
"Nothing," Kent said quickly.
[You called me 'Sylvia',] the Ninetales replied, turning to face Kent. Her eyes were dazzling almost to the point of hypnotic. Staring into her eyes made Kent want to confess everything.
He gave in. "It's quite a long story."
[I've got time,] she said, removing the crossbow and laying down.
Kent took a deep breath, trying to recall the events. "I joined the castle guard at 17, and lived within the castle. While I was a knight, I was allowed into the castle village. While I was there, I noticed a group of ruffians had bound a woman outside of a tavern and were beating her. I told them I was with the castle guard and to let the woman go, but they refused to listen. They picked a swordfight with me, and lost due to their drunkenness and inexperience. I untied the woman, and she thanked me and left. The next day, she came to the castle, and offered to meet me later that night. I agreed, and when I was off-duty, I went to the village, and met her there. This went on for a while, until General Beulah was found misusing taxes and fired. News quickly got out, and the King ordered an execution of Beulah and all of his officers. At that time, I was captain of my division, so I was a target. I managed to escape from the castle, and ran to the village. The woman hid me for a while, but the Imperial Guard found where I was and killed her. I left the village, and vowed to find and kill Beulah. Even to this day, memories of that woman haunt my memories and fuel my hunt for him. I know he's out there somewhere."
[Let me guess...this woman's name was Sylvia, was it not?] Ninetales asked.
Kent nodded. "Weirdest thing is she was exactly like you, sans the accent. Very helpful, gentle, and wise."
She snorted. [Compared to the rest of my pack, I'm about as wise as a Rattata.]
"How old are you, anyway?" Kent asked.
[Only 170. What about you?]
"19. Though I am young, my swordsmanship and skill with magick are unmatched."
Ninetales chuckled. [You're certainly confident. And if what you say is true, why not travel with me? It gets quite lonely while traveling on your own and I'll be heading through the mountains. There's bound to be some bandits up there.]
"Are you sure that's a good idea? There's a good price on my head. Traveling with me will just make your travels that much more difficult," Kent protested.
[That's a risk I'm willing to take. You seem to be someone I can trust.] She stood up, [Come, let's go.]
Kent had no intention of arguing. He picked up his sword, and fastened it to his side. "Lead the way, Sylvia," he said.
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Recurring Flame
Chapter 1: Two Journeys Into One
The rain fell heavy upon the small town. It thrummed the stone roofs of the houses and buildings, and formed large puddles on the ground. The townspeople scurried about, trying to get off the wet roads. One person, however, was crouching just above a house, his cloak pulled close and his hood up. In his hand was a three foot long two-edged sword. The magickal blade, the Inri sword.
The knight looked over the city with light green eyes, the blade casting a white light from the moon overhead. He spotted his target: A wealthy lord owning more than half of this town. He ruled over the townspeople unfairly, using his power to worm his way out of trouble with the authorities.
Kent quietly leapt down from the roof and followed behind the man as he made his way home, a farm house near the outskirts of the city. Silently, Kent raised his sword, and brought it down. The metallic smell of blood filled the air nearby, and the man sagged to his knees and fell on the dirt path soundlessly.
Kent wiped the blood from his blade on the man's jacket, and sheathed it. He walked through the gates and lowered his hood. The rain had stopped falling, and the clouds had dissipated. He brushed his silver hair from his forehead, and went to a small abandoned house.
He leaned his sword against the wall and took off his cloak. He folded it in a square, and laid it on the floor. He removed his armor and lay down, resting his head on his cloak. He laid on the stone floor, staring at the ceiling. After a few minutes, the flimsy wooden door on the front of the shack fell down, and in came several guards armed with short swords.
"You're under arrest! We have several witnesses that you killed Lord Wesker. You're coming with us," one said, advancing.
Kent smiled, and raised his hand. A glowing ball of orange energy formed, and a blast of flame quickly engulfed the guards. He picked up his sword, cloak and armor, and dashed out the front door. Using a quick blast of magick, he jumped onto the roof of a nearby house. Putting on his armor as he ran, he jumped rooftops. He fastened the cloak around his neck and drew his sword.
He jumped to the city's wall, and prepared to jump. As he leapt off the stone, an arrow hit him in the side. He landed hard on the wet grass below. Stumbling, he managed to reach a group of trees. Blinded by pain, he passed out on the ground.
The Ninetales had been traveling for at least 4 months. She walked between the trees near some town, and heard something hit the ground. Stalking low, she stayed quiet as she slowly advanced. She came upon a blue lump on the ground. She rolled him over and stared at him. He had an arrow in his side.
She pulled the crossbow strap off her back and placed a paw on the side of the knight's neck. The pulse was there, though very faint. She took the shaft of the arrow in her jaws, and jerked her head sideways. The arrow ripped free of his side, and she quickly put a paw over the wound, and focused her mind. The wound closed up, and she sat back.
She wiped the blood from her paw on the wet grass, and sat down next to him. She didn't know why, but she felt responsible for this knight's safety. She studied him.
Silver hair, though he only looked about 19. Blue chest armor, with some design on it, though because of the darkness, she couldn't see it. The brown cloak was tied around the knight's neck, and she could see a belt on his waist. It was connected to a three-foot-long sword, and the jeweled hilt glistened.
She jumped as the knight stirred suddenly. He sat up, and looked around. His hand went to his sword reflexively when he spotted the white-furred kitsune in front of him.
[Wait,] she said, backing up, [I'm no threat.]
She spoke with a slight British accent, and her gentle tone greatly conflicted with her red eyes.
"Really?" he said sarcastically, "then why were you here?"
[You were dying, and it isn't like me to leave those who are in need of help alone. Though I dislike those who don't appreciate my help. I'll be leaving now,] she said, getting up. She walked over to where she had hung the crossbow on a branch, and slipped it over her shoulder. She started to leave when Kent stood up.
"Wait, there're soldiers after me. You're not gonna wanna keep going in that direction."
She turned around. [And why would that be?]
Kent was about to answer, but an arrow sunk into a nearby tree. A couple more followed, whistling through the air. Kent turned and dashed through the trees, crashing through the brush and branches. The Ninetales followed behind him, leaping over bushes and dodging trees. The chilly air of the night burned his throat, and the arrows ceased.
Once he was sure they were no longer being followed, Kent leaned against a large oak tree. Unbuckling his sword, he laid it on the ground next to him. He lowered his hood, and leaned his head against the trunk.
[You still haven't answered my question,] the Ninetales said, laying down on the grass.
"I'm on a mission. I used to be a knight under General Beulah, but he was arrested for not using taxes properly, he used them for funding the mass of whores that frequently entered the castle. When the king found out about this, he fired General Beulah, and all of his commanders were stripped of their positions. Including those who had no part in this, which was most of them," Kent said. His voice bitter, he added, "and all of the commanders are being hunted for execution. So I'm being chased for what I do and what I've done. But I'm hunting the General down, and I'll make him pay."
[Why's that?] she asked, lifting her head up.
Kent turned his head away. "It's none of your concern."
[Very well then. I'd better be on my way,] She stood up, and walked off.
"Sylvia, wait!" Kent called before he could catch himself.
She stopped. [What did you call me?]
"Nothing," Kent said quickly.
[You called me 'Sylvia',] the Ninetales replied, turning to face Kent. Her eyes were dazzling almost to the point of hypnotic. Staring into her eyes made Kent want to confess everything.
He gave in. "It's quite a long story."
[I've got time,] she said, removing the crossbow and laying down.
Kent took a deep breath, trying to recall the events. "I joined the castle guard at 17, and lived within the castle. While I was a knight, I was allowed into the castle village. While I was there, I noticed a group of ruffians had bound a woman outside of a tavern and were beating her. I told them I was with the castle guard and to let the woman go, but they refused to listen. They picked a swordfight with me, and lost due to their drunkenness and inexperience. I untied the woman, and she thanked me and left. The next day, she came to the castle, and offered to meet me later that night. I agreed, and when I was off-duty, I went to the village, and met her there. This went on for a while, until General Beulah was found misusing taxes and fired. News quickly got out, and the King ordered an execution of Beulah and all of his officers. At that time, I was captain of my division, so I was a target. I managed to escape from the castle, and ran to the village. The woman hid me for a while, but the Imperial Guard found where I was and killed her. I left the village, and vowed to find and kill Beulah. Even to this day, memories of that woman haunt my memories and fuel my hunt for him. I know he's out there somewhere."
[Let me guess...this woman's name was Sylvia, was it not?] Ninetales asked.
Kent nodded. "Weirdest thing is she was exactly like you, sans the accent. Very helpful, gentle, and wise."
She snorted. [Compared to the rest of my pack, I'm about as wise as a Rattata.]
"How old are you, anyway?" Kent asked.
[Only 170. What about you?]
"19. Though I am young, my swordsmanship and skill with magick are unmatched."
Ninetales chuckled. [You're certainly confident. And if what you say is true, why not travel with me? It gets quite lonely while traveling on your own and I'll be heading through the mountains. There's bound to be some bandits up there.]
"Are you sure that's a good idea? There's a good price on my head. Traveling with me will just make your travels that much more difficult," Kent protested.
[That's a risk I'm willing to take. You seem to be someone I can trust.] She stood up, [Come, let's go.]
Kent had no intention of arguing. He picked up his sword, and fastened it to his side. "Lead the way, Sylvia," he said.
Chapter End Notes:
Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended, and is applicable for all consecutive chapters that follow.