Post by Aedon on Jan 26, 2011 13:55:00 GMT -8
(ooc This story is in response to the call to battle by Lord Owain.)
Sitting on the steps of his house, Aedon looked out into the glade. The day had dawned brightly, gone was the chill of the past week. The sun felt almost warm as it shone upon his head and, looking skyward, he marveled at the fluffiness of the clouds. It was a good day to be alive, to enjoy all that he and those before him had fought so hard to maintain within the Yew woods.
He had been quiet for some time, sipping his tea, and going over in his mind the details of the pending trade agreement with Istas. Yew was rich in lumber and hides, but the stone needed to secure the foundations of the buildings would have to be attained elsewhere. Istas, rich in minerals of the earth, would serve to fill this need. And, though he knew that some might raise a brow at Aedon's dealings with Lord Azreal, Aedon knew that in order to assure the continued survival of Aegis some compromises must be made. Lost in thought, he did not hear, at first, the approach of the rider.
“Lord Durreah.” A voice called out, startling him from his thoughts.
Looking up, Aedon saw a rider wearing the colors of the Court of Britain. Standing, Aedon walked down the stairs and over to the young courier.
“Um,... can I help you lad?”
“I bring this dispatch from Lord Owain.”
Taking the note from the young mans hand, Aedon opened and read it. A frown crawled across his face as his shoulders slumped slightly.
Ix Tab – he knew this name all too well. In the recesses of his mind, thoughts stirred, visions tinged with blood and pain; the Glade broken, the crystal long guarded by the Knights of Yew spirited away. Looking up to the courier Aedon nodded.
“A call to war then? I will be there.”
“Will there be any other response, m'lord?” queried the courier.
“My appearance will be my response, lad.”
The rider spoke not another word but nodded, turned, and galloped off towards Silverwood.
Walking over to the pond, Aedon gazed down into the waters. Still, at first, the water suddenly seemed to swirl as visions of years past played out before him. War upon war, bloody battles which helped to shape the countryside, and brought the knighthood to the brink of doom. Times both of pain and triumph in which the valor and resolve of men was tested by those seeking to bring about the fall of all that was good.
And now, it had come down to this; the Demon Queen had gotten what she had most desired. The crystal within her hands might be contorted to her will, and used to destroy all that stood against her. Darkness would wash over the land; and life, that which Aedon had always known as life, would change forever.
As he stared within the dark swirls of the water, a shadow began to take shape. Undefinable at first, it slowly took on the form of a man. Aedon watched as the vision slowly cleared, and the image became recognizable.
“Brother Kyriel.” Aedon whispered aloud.
No words were spoken by this image, but it slowly raised its right arm; and, as a warm smile traced his lips, the image of Kyriel made the sign of the hand. He stayed there for a moment, and then the water reclaimed the vision as the surface of the pond became calm, the waters crystal clear.
Walking back into his house, Aedon went to the chest in the corner and took out the sword and armor that Liam had made recently.
The time of reckoning was at hand. He could no longer sit by, waiting, as others fought the battles. The Knights Rest would provide no quiet spot, the Aegis no refuge from what was to come. This was a part of Aegis and Yew, born of misuse of the crystal so long ago entrusted to the Knights and, later, to his care.
Sitting on the steps of his house, Aedon looked out into the glade. The day had dawned brightly, gone was the chill of the past week. The sun felt almost warm as it shone upon his head and, looking skyward, he marveled at the fluffiness of the clouds. It was a good day to be alive, to enjoy all that he and those before him had fought so hard to maintain within the Yew woods.
He had been quiet for some time, sipping his tea, and going over in his mind the details of the pending trade agreement with Istas. Yew was rich in lumber and hides, but the stone needed to secure the foundations of the buildings would have to be attained elsewhere. Istas, rich in minerals of the earth, would serve to fill this need. And, though he knew that some might raise a brow at Aedon's dealings with Lord Azreal, Aedon knew that in order to assure the continued survival of Aegis some compromises must be made. Lost in thought, he did not hear, at first, the approach of the rider.
“Lord Durreah.” A voice called out, startling him from his thoughts.
Looking up, Aedon saw a rider wearing the colors of the Court of Britain. Standing, Aedon walked down the stairs and over to the young courier.
“Um,... can I help you lad?”
“I bring this dispatch from Lord Owain.”
Taking the note from the young mans hand, Aedon opened and read it. A frown crawled across his face as his shoulders slumped slightly.
Ix Tab – he knew this name all too well. In the recesses of his mind, thoughts stirred, visions tinged with blood and pain; the Glade broken, the crystal long guarded by the Knights of Yew spirited away. Looking up to the courier Aedon nodded.
“A call to war then? I will be there.”
“Will there be any other response, m'lord?” queried the courier.
“My appearance will be my response, lad.”
The rider spoke not another word but nodded, turned, and galloped off towards Silverwood.
Walking over to the pond, Aedon gazed down into the waters. Still, at first, the water suddenly seemed to swirl as visions of years past played out before him. War upon war, bloody battles which helped to shape the countryside, and brought the knighthood to the brink of doom. Times both of pain and triumph in which the valor and resolve of men was tested by those seeking to bring about the fall of all that was good.
And now, it had come down to this; the Demon Queen had gotten what she had most desired. The crystal within her hands might be contorted to her will, and used to destroy all that stood against her. Darkness would wash over the land; and life, that which Aedon had always known as life, would change forever.
As he stared within the dark swirls of the water, a shadow began to take shape. Undefinable at first, it slowly took on the form of a man. Aedon watched as the vision slowly cleared, and the image became recognizable.
“Brother Kyriel.” Aedon whispered aloud.
No words were spoken by this image, but it slowly raised its right arm; and, as a warm smile traced his lips, the image of Kyriel made the sign of the hand. He stayed there for a moment, and then the water reclaimed the vision as the surface of the pond became calm, the waters crystal clear.
Walking back into his house, Aedon went to the chest in the corner and took out the sword and armor that Liam had made recently.
The time of reckoning was at hand. He could no longer sit by, waiting, as others fought the battles. The Knights Rest would provide no quiet spot, the Aegis no refuge from what was to come. This was a part of Aegis and Yew, born of misuse of the crystal so long ago entrusted to the Knights and, later, to his care.