The silence that hovered over the line she stood in was almost solid, almost touchable if she dared reach out. Standing in that line, herding through like sheep to the slaughter, Remi followed almost mindlessly. Events played through her mind, events that haunted her dreams for days, weeks, however long they took her to get to this moment. What else was she to do? What choice did she have?
She could still hear their screams.
Her family came from meager beginnings, not rich by the slightest and yet? They were happy. She got to see their world through them, all the kingdom. They were merchants, selling their wares through the land and never staying in one spot for more than a week at a time. Her parents, her sister, and yes... even that silly mix of donkey and horse that pulled their cart.
She still heard their screams.
She had tried to fight, tried to help, but it was all pointless. The smell of burning wood mixed with flesh still haunted her as if the same flame were hovering below her nose, following her on her pathway to this point.
The darkness was a plague that had settled on their land, a universal call for all survivors had been called out. Like flies to the last remaining light, they all had come. The line seemed huge, but for these to be the only few survivors of a once mighty kingdom? It was rather pathetic, even terrifying. She was no warrior. She wasn't soft, the life of a merchant training her to be strong, but she was no fighter.
She still heard their screams.
Wincing, Remi looked up finally realizing that there was no one in front of her anymore. She had shuffled along until finally, she stared at the box before them. The initial feeling of awe was soon clouded over with fear, they knew to fear this power. What choice did she have? She had no where left to run, and going further back into that line meant only more brooding over what happened.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
The words were automatic, hearing them many times before from her fellow knights in line and yet not realizing until this point what exactly they meant.
Her eyes closed, a small sound escaping as a sudden rush of memories flooded her with even more intensity than before. The smell of burning was stronger, and so were the cries. Now she could visualize her parents faces as they pleaded for her and her sibling to run. To get far away, to hide behind something, to never look back. It was too late for them. They wouldn't find you there, they pleaded. Next came a harsh laugh, another cry for help, the sound of hoofs on the earth, the feeling of death arriving, and then nothing.
As quickly as the rush had come, the memories flooded out her mind as if the flood gates had opened to drip their last touch of water.
She no longer heard their screams.
OOC
My character's name: Remi Character's journal link:Here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTERRemis Appearance Rank of character Apprentice-Knight
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 11:32 am
Sherry shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She was nearly there, it was nearly her turn. She could see someone kneeling before the box, if she leaned out of line a little. Watching made her nervous, so she turned her attention to her nails. They were chipped and broken, but growing out enough to allow dirt under them if she didn’t keep them clean. Something that was hard to do when travelling. Lines gave her time to do attend to them, though. When was the last time she had stood in a line? Oh, right. The bread line back home. They had given out more than just bread, really. Bread itself had been rather scarce in that neck of the woods, at least at that time. Turnips though. They’d had plenty of turnips. She’d been there in line with her sister, and they’d taken back almost an armful of food. It had been a good day, though that line had been rather somber. It had been the line of a people who were waiting for the worst.
This line was different. Somber, though maybe that was just her, but hopeful. Again, maybe that was just her. She really couldn’t tell. But she liked to believe others felt as hopeful as she did. Because this was where the Knights were. She’d heard of the knights; that was why she’d come here. This was her last hope.
The person in line before her bowed. Sherry swallowed a lump in her throat and waited. Did…did she want to do this? She thought about her sister, so happy with what they’d brought back from that food line. The way her mother had smiled when they’d brought it all home. They’d laughed that night. The first time she could remember her mother laughing in months. The gentle woman hadn’t laughed since Sherry’s father had died. Sherry smiled at the memory of him, too. So kind, so strong. The sad smile he’d had on his face when Sherry had told them all of her intention to join the village guard. But he’d supported her whole-heartedly. His ‘little girl, all grown up strong’, he’d said.
It was her turn. She stepped forward, doing her very best no not hold her breath. She would do this, even if it meant forgetting everything, even the smiles. She could do this, because she had to. There was no other way. She inhaled a deep, shaky breath. Her only hope was here, in this sacrifice.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
*** She saw their smiles, heard their laughter. Her sister, her mother, her father. The other two recruits her own age on the day they joined the guard. The way the miller’s son would weave all the girls in town little crowns made out of flowers or wheat or whatever. She remembered the way the miller’s house had burned. Days and days of smoldering, the screams that had come from the fire. Blood. Blood the day they’d found her father’s body. Part of him, at least, and the others that had been in the fields.
The screams that had kept the whole village awake for days. She was glad they’d never found those bodies. She hated herself for being glad about that. Though she still didn’t know if all those screams had been human.
The day they’d finally come to the village had been the worst. Everyone had known the meager walls were pointless, but they’d hoped. The village didn’t stand a chance. They had weapons, they’d trained. It meant nothing. Numbers and strength and viciousness won out. ‘Protect your sister’, her mother had said. Sherry had wanted to protect them both. She’d wanted to protect everyone. The wailing of her mother when they found her sister’s body was painful. It tore her own heart to pieces. Her mother shouldn’t have cried. That was how they’d found her. The screams and the cries had been almost as thick as the smoke, and left a far worse taste in her throat. She was still certain the smoke had saved her. There was no other way she could have ever hoped to run and hide without that cover.
***
She’d been holding her breath.
Sherry lifted her eyes, gazing coming to rest on the box before her. There was hope here. This box, these people. They were they key to saving the world. And she was with them, now, part of them. She was going to help save everyone. That was all she knew. It was all she needed to know. Rising to her feet as gracefully as she could, Sherry turned to exit the room. She was feeling rather pleasant as she did so.
OOC
My character's name: Sherry Greyson Character's journal link:Here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER A youngish (early 20s) girl with darkish blonde hair and light brown eyes. She keeps her hair long but mostly pulled back. She uses a rapier. Look a ref Rank of character Apprentice-knight.
Grifferie
Crew
Deus Sherry
Offline
kuropeco
Dramatic Marshmallow
Offline
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 11:45 am
Llyrendil was not nervous, per say, but he did not like the waves of uncertainty that seemed to roll off of those around him, making the entire place feel tense and awkward. He shifted from one foot to the other, sweeping his hair off of his shoulder and wishing he had something to tie it back with, just to get it out of his face.
The line moved forward again, shifted back and forth, and Llyr peered around the person in front of him, trying to see what was ahead.
It was very slow going. Someone behind him coughed.
At some point in time, the line seemed to sway to the front again, and Llyr shifted forward, taking a little breath. He knew it was coming, though he supposed he should have been reassured by the fact that no one seemed, well...dead yet. Or, at the very least, no one seemed to be screaming in pain from their pledges. This gave Llyr a certain sense of hope, or at least, a certain sense of reassurance that all would be well.
(Hopefully. Maybe.)
When it was finally Llyrendil's turn, he stepped up with some apprehension, keeping his head high, his chin tilted upwards in an attempt at seeming more confident. Kneeling, he inhaled a sharp breath, and then closed his eyes briefly, steadying himself.
The words came out quiet, but clear:
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness.".
Something flooded into him, sharp and sweet and burning and dark. He could taste the metallic scent of blood on his tongue, could see faces shifting this way and that, blurring into a myriad of color and sound until it was all mixed together in chaos. For a few scant moments, Llyrendil felt drowned by the surge of memories, gasping in desperation for release from the agonizing weight of them all -
- but then they were gone, and he blinked, feeling a wetness on his lashes.
It was quiet again. Llyrendil stood, carefully rearranged his clothing, and gave a little bow to the box. Then, as silent as the grave, he swept from the room, feeling strangely at ease with everything.
OOC
My character's name: Llyrendil Character's journal:Here! BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: See avi! Character rank: Apprentice - Knight
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 12:12 pm
For a time, Mmur had warded off the shadowlings with a neat trick he'd picked up from a passing juggler. If you held a torch up to your lips just right and sputtered out a fine misting of ale just so, the resulting cone of flame sent those abominations running for their mothers. It didn't work against the bigger ones, though. The horsemen. They'd ripped apart the cows. The chickens too. And his sisters.
He didn't know quite what to make of the box or the knights. But when they asked him for his memories, Mmur was eager to give them up. He would have done so even without the promise of some sacred weapon, though getting his hands on something more substantial than a pitchfork or his own ale-tinged spit would be nice too. He bent a bruised knee to pledge himself to the serpent,
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
though when he tried to rise, he found himself unable to move. Was this what it meant to forget?
His mother's face came to him first, her slack jaw and vacant eyes memories from a time long before the horsemen had arrived. She faded again with little fanfare or feeling. Then... a cow. Mmur laughed once—a desperate huff—as the animal was slowly pulled apart, limbs popping from their sockets, flesh tearing in liquid ribbons as the creature bellowed in agony. His eyes stung, tears swelled, a river trailed down his dirty cheek. He hardly noticed the difference when two higher pitched wails joined the cacophony. The bodies of his sisters joined the pile, completely indistinguishable from the cattle.
When his mind returned to him, Mmur was standing in an archway leading from the hall with the box to a crowded war room. This was nice, all of this planning and camaraderie. It was too bad that their odds seemed rather nonexistent. But no matter! He had only one purpose now, the same purpose as everyone else gathered here. Fight the shadowlings. Decimate the Riders. Kill the horsemen. All worthy goals, fit for a knight.
Or a Knight-Apprentice, at least.
He stepped forward to join his brethren.
Quote:
My character's name: Mmur Character's journal link:x BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Dark brown hair, medium brown skin, blue eyes, skinny, 5'10", flail, medieval underwear. Can't read. Rank of character Knight-Apprentice Sacred Points obtained: 0/100
Life was so much simpler when his biggest worry was trying to save pretty damsels in towers. It was his legacy, his shining moment, and it was crumbling away like so much dust because the last one he'd proposed to on the day they met had been obsessed with things like books and science and not being saved. She didn't even want to be saved, she'd said. She wanted to stay up there with her books and machines and - and - nonsense!
And this, this frivolous plight was his biggest concern. It plagued him, as if the world was ending simply because some random damsel felt the need to say no for once. That was all that had mattered, until it didn't matter at all.
The village he'd returned to was already burned to the ground by the time he'd rode in to lament his failures with a drink and a flirt. Every single building was reduced to nothing but a pile of ashes, and the people within had fared no better. He turned away from the tavern and bolted towards his home, but there was no point. Nothing remained standing; the village was a flat plane of ash and smoke, and nothing more. There was no way for him to tell if his family had escaped before the ruin. His parents, his brothers and sisters, even the little wee babes that could never have gotten free on their own; were they nothing but windswept dust and memories now?
Tomorrow was to be little Poe's birthday. She was turning of age, and her entire life had been ahead of her. His parents were fit to choose a proper suitor and find her a life, and there had been no lack of interest. She was the jewel of the family, her beauty unmatched and unforgivable. She would have had a perfect life, and he would have protected that life to his dying day, just as he would have for each and every one of his siblings. Tiny Jane, whose life had almost been forfeit after being born too soon, but who refused to give up so easily and fought for the right to survive. Scrappy little Theodore who never could eat enough to fill out his skinny form, who looked up to him with a reverence that should have been reserved for their father. Melody, the newest - such a tiny little babe. She hadn't even been outside yet. She would never get to see the color of the sky.
He'd dropped to his knees, broken in seconds. The shining glimmer of his armor dulled as the soot billowed around him and settled against the metal, turning a proud man into a dirty sinner. He could have been there for them. He could have at least died with them. Instead, he was chasing a fairy tale that did not exist, because his pride commanded his actions. Everything that once mattered was dusted away in place of this one, ultimate failure.
It had taken him hours to wrench himself from that position, and days before he received the news of the final kingdom. When he arrived, he still wore the ash of his family against his armor and skin, and he waited in line to pledge service to the last hope he had of obtaining revenge.
For the first time in his life, glory meant nothing to him.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
And then the memories lifted, the agony and loss ebbed out of his broken heart until it left nothing but a hollow and quiet shell, that filled quickly with the most basic of need. The need for purpose.
He would be the greatest of knights, because there was nothing else. When he stood again, he brushed off the nuisance of dirt that soiled his perfect armor, shook out his hair until it shone clean once more, and stood tall, proud, and glorious. Life was simpler, now. He liked simple.
It felt right.
OOC
My character's name: Robert Morris Character's journal link:http://www.gaiaonline.com/guilds/viewtopic.php?t=24688713 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER The thud you are now hearing is the sound of ladies around the world swooning, and Sir Robert is not sorry. With a broad chest and muscular arms, he embodies strength and power, enough to wield his massive greatsword, [ THUNDERFURY, BLESSED BLADE OF THE WINDSEEKER ]. It's his duty to seek the greatest of glory, even if he has to save every single damsel in distress all at once with his hand tied behind his back and his eyes closed. He'll do it, you know. He totally will. Physical Description: Sir Robert is draped in glistening knightly battle gear, covered by a silk robe that looks way too expensive for actual fighting, but that's fine - he dramatically rips it off before a fight anyway. This is immediately followed by a slow motion whip of his lustrous man of gold hair, that always seems to be blowing charmingly in the wind that doesn't necessarily exist.
Even indoors. Rank of character apprentice-knight Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 12:26 pm
Shiloh was shy, she was nervous and she was frightened - standing in line with the myriad of others, she could remember the burning remains of villages she'd passed, scorched to the ground and even worse, the memory of her own village, crushed beneath the enemy, the agonizing pain of loss tearing at her heart.
But outwardly, she shared none of this because above all else, Shiloh knew her duty. She had known it since she was a small lass, barely old enough to toddle around on her own two feet but she did, she did with her little wooden sword and stuffed rucksack horse and she knew that she had been brought into this world to protect its honour, its people.
She shuffled from foot to foot, impatient to give her pledge, to fulfill what she was sure was her destiny. The others, here, perhaps it was their calling too, and they would be in comrades, her brothers and sisters in arms and together they would set things right. They would, she assured herself, it was the only outcome possible.
Her tight-lipped smile was an attempt at confidence as she stepped towards the box, kneeling before it.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
It was like a great sea washed over her, waves of fear and pain and regret, the tangible smell of burning flesh enough to make her want to wretch, the screaming that pierced past her ears and into her very soul. She struggled under the weight of them, struggled to reach the surface, towards the dim light that rose above the darkness, towards hope, towards allegiance.
With a gasp, the memories were gone and she could breathe again, ragged and low.
She caught her breath, heart thumping in her chest and she felt light on her feet as she stood, pressing her hand over her heart and bowing to the box.
She would do her duty, and she would do it well; she had every intention of saving the world.
OOC
My character's name: Shiloh Parish Character's journal link: get it later BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER see avatar Rank of character Apprentice-Knight
Crossing her arms over her breasts, the golden eyes chilly roamed around the hall. Different from people who had sad memories, loathing had replaced the sadness in her heart. She idly traced the cuff bracelet on her wrist, the nicely trimmed nail stopped at the protruding nose. The king was delivering a speech to welcome all the survivors.
Survivors, humph, how ironic.
She snorted quietly, if people that ran away in the expense of others' lives can be pardoned, that was too stupid. They were all guilty, weakness was not an excuse to be spared. Her parents didn't run away, they fought until their souls were shattered into pieces. Yu had been prepared herself days and nights, to become a knight like her father and mother. However, that day she only painfully realized she was - not enough.
The tall woman leaned against a marble pillar, eyes squinted at the strong unnecessary lighting that gave her a mild headache. The King finally pinpointed something that could draw her attention, a way to surpass the deceased begetters was given. The knights she once admired and viewed as a tall wall to climb over.
She lost her life goal too suddenly and was lost until the seven Great Knights showed up to replace the emptiness in her soul. That was all she needed, something to work on, a challenge to get over it. Touching the lion again, the prideful lady recalled how she pledge to The code of the Lion, the one she felt most related to. "Sacred weapon hmm." she tasted what the words implied on her lips.
She was told she had to hand in her memories in exchange to be given a chance for greater power. There had been seconds of doubt for the use of it but she knew she needed to be stronger to excel others, thus she moved to line up. Yu played with her hair while she waited, thinking about a question - who she would be after this.
With her memories relinquished, she pondered and trusted the prideful self would remember the basis - the Glory of a knight and the Dignity. The enmity towards the merciless darkness would lead her to the right path.
The eyes with golden colors were always full of confidence. Born with a silver spoon in her mouth, one might find it hard to understand her parents' choices to be the protectors of where they lived. Some called them stupid, while some said they were showing off their wealth and killing time. Yu believed otherwise, she was the one witnessed all the scratch marks on the shiny armors and the ugly scars on their bodies, they gave her a pang of ache every time she saw them. Old scars healed and new scars created, it was a cycle.
The heels tapped against the marble tiles.
She told them she'd want to be a knight like them, even her mother was the stronger one, she couldn't deny her father's efforts in fighting the shadows. They smiled and told her it wasn't the time for her yet, she picked up the longbow and practiced in the forest when other girls sat by the fountain and chatted. The diligent girl spent her time wisely.
There were a few more before her.
If not practicing, she was seen in the forest, distinguished different plants and fungi that could put in good use. The annoying jerks got sprinkled anesthetic powders for their wrongdoings to other girls, some indignant men began to rumor she was a witch. Yet, shone upon by the halo of her parents, no one dared to do anything.
Name called, finally it's her time to give her vow and pledge her fealty.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness." said Yu, with pride and sincerity in her eyes. Simple but weighted words rolled off her tongue, she never forget those rules she recited as proof of her passion and earnestness.
She was picking up fungi to extract the toxic essences when the villagers informed her of the startling news. She opened her mouth, she knew this day would come, but she didn't expect that fast. She pursed the lips, shortly asked for the bodies. The subordinate with rabbit red eyes shook his head, face soaked with tears again. He wiped it dry a while ago before heading to the maiden.
"Nothing." She asked for an explanation, frowned with the man's unclear answer. "They got eaten," he sobbed, "alive." She didn't say anything. "Ma'am, they were gone. We-we can only retrieve these..." The shaky head reached out hesitatingly to let her see - a Katana and a Longbow covered in bloods too hard to clean already.
She'd replied with a calm voice and informed the guy she got the message, took over the bow and sword. Yu touched it with affections, feminine hands slid along the blade until she heard a scream. It was from the place they paid their lives as the cost to protect.
She carried the bow at the back and dashed back towards the village. Houses were down, things were eating people alive, bloods gushed and poured like buckets of red paints on wall. People screamed and yelled in agony and fear, contrast to the mystic disturbing laughter. She frowned, displeased with what she saw, the land her parents spent so much time to defend was gone.
The sword she wasn't familiar with was pulled out, hacking at the giant shadow beast devouring a rip-open body. Its mouth though jet black were stained with bloods, the smell of the rotten fleshes as it breathed. She lunged at it, forcing the blade to wherever she could conceive. It was useless. "A great knight would not retreat, he would sacrifice his life to save others" was something they loved to mention and she won't disappoint them. She tried again, piercing the sharpness into the black mass. It whined and that encouraged her to keep going.
"Ma'am, I can't let you die." The guy headed over told her to run. "Please, ma'am, I can't protect them, please let me protect me, at least." he begged with a pitiful voice. The maiden with a soft heart surrendered under the puppy eyes as the man blocked the claw with his spear. There was no time for the pain to reach before his body was torn apart. She saw it, when she reached the entrance and looked back. Organs and bloods poured out from the shell, the claw grabbed some from the shell and put into its big bottomless mouth. It made the body move in a bizarre way.
She knew him since she was young, he was a timid little tail followed behind her parents. He'd started conversations with her, she unceremoniously answered, found them really dumb. Her stomach stirred watching an acquaintance ended up like that. She didn't know that feeling but she wanted to throw up, more parts of her died inside.
The beast left, tossing the body down. She went back and checked on him, he was retained his last breathe for her. "Head...to...the...last...kingdom." Bloods overthrew his mouth like a full glass, words became hard to distinguish. She offered her sleeves, let it dye in crimson. "....They..told me...to...take you there...if-if any-ANYthing happen to them.." He coughed and panted rapidly before he died. She took off the shawl she had, covered his incomplete body with it and helped him to close his eyes and landed a kiss on his forehead.
"I shall avenge you, rest in peace."
Her hand moved, the heavy weight woke her up from the trance process. She twisted her wrist to look at the bracelet, wondered when she got something like that. Yu's fingers lingered over the surface of it, pondered and searched through her brain. It was fruitless but she felt lighter, like a bird.
It wasn't her body, but also her soul got cleansed. She was a knight apprentice, but where did she come from? Why she became a knight? The lady glared at the guy behind her and walked out. She believed the past her had the reason to do so and she would find out as she moved on.
She was a proud apprentice and would uphold the name as a knight.
OOC
My character's name:Huang Lan Yu (Yu) Character's journal link: Shoot the arrow ➵ BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Yu is a tall and slim lady who's a bit clueless sometimes, she's diligent and serious as an apprentice who was the loyal believer of practice makes perfect. Like a beautiful dark elf archer, her long hair was braided and cascaded over her shoulder.
Although a longbow user, she can be ferocious as a lion, making use of the poisons and various plants to empower the damage output. Her interests in plants gained her the name of "witch" but her goal was to become a hero like her parents. She wore male outfits normally, inside her rose gold light armor. It was used, with many scratches all over it.
The metal cuff bracelet was the only thing she possessed as a survivor. Rank of character: Apprentice - 1d4
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 12:56 pm
He was never a patient man.
This was made abundantly clear as Ian stood in line, rocking back on his heels as he surveyed the people still in front of him. His hands twisted together, his lips pressed into a line, and he brushed strands of dark hair away from his neck in gestures that were more restless than anything else. He wondered briefly if he should have talked to his sisters and brother before coming, but all things considered, he didn't care much for them anyway, nor his parents.
So, here he was.
As the line progressed, Ian became more intrigued by the box itself. He shifted this way and that, sliding to the left and to the right and ignoring the annoyed looks from those that were unfortunate enough to stand behind him. Ian was more interested in what was happening in front of him to either care or notice the irritation, and he reached up and tied his hair back into a messy ponytail as the line moved.
Five people left in front of him.
Four.
Three.
Two.
One.
And then it was his turn, and Ian was finally stepping forward, his breath catching in his throat, a mixture of eagerness and wariness sweeping through him. He knelt obediently onto the cold floor, dropping one hand down in front, fingers curled together so that his knuckles rested against the tile.
Ian took another breath.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness," he said carefully, distinctly, and with an air of expectation.
And they came, the memories slamming into him, making him gasp aloud, his chest heaving with pain. The scent of blood, of burnt flesh, acrid and blackened, the distant shrieks that echoed in his mind, he could see it and hear it and taste it all, everything cascading one after the other until a light pierced through and he could see the hope -
- he forced his eyes open, and he felt...
good. He felt rather at peace with himself. Ian stood, straightened, and smiled, raking back his hair from his forehead and smiling benignly at everything and everyone that was around him.
Satisfied, ready and waiting, he padded from the room.
OOC
My character's name: Ian Nazari Character's journal:Here! BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER:Here! Character rank: Apprentice - Knight
The line seemed to wind on forever. There was no telling how long it had taken, how long it would take, because he couldn't see sunlight falling through the window, couldn't watch it move across the floor. He was waiting. He was numb. It could have taken minutes or it could have taken hours, and all Chaya would ever have been able to swear to was that it had taken forever.
And then it was over, and he was at the front of the line, his name called and his turn to step up to the box arrived. The box breathed magic, and the hair on the back of his neck stood up, and really if he wanted to help there was no other choice, and even if the box scared him he would be brave for the sake of others. He glanced back once, but he couldn't spare the time to look, because it would be disrespectful to the King and the Knights and the pledge he was about to make.
There was a certain peace and trust in giving up what you had, in pledging. "I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
They had been in the woods, and maybe that was the only reason they were alive at all. An afternoon spent in hunting birds for the lord's table, practice in tracking and in shooting with swift accuracy, and though they knew darkness and death stalked the world, still the castle's walls were solid and safe and life went on, and there was hope in learning to fight and hunt and perform the duties and services to which they'd been assigned, and they'd gone far afield and taken perhaps a little longer than they had to because the day was chill but the sun peeked warmly from behind the wispy overcast and nobody was there to scold them out of talking and laughing.
They had returned as dusk began to gather. They had returned to a castle where no torches or fires burned to warm and welcome. The great doors sagged open, splintered and burst, and across the threshold lay pieces of mangled meat in great pools of blood, and it had taken long nonsensical moments before Chaya comprehended that the meat lying on the stone floors had once been the castle guards.
They had been gone for only hours. But those hours had held terror and pain and blood contained within the walls of the only home Chaya had ever known. His boots tracked blood though the halls as they searched for survivors; but his tracks were indistinguishable in the great gouts and pools, the tracks and spatters and the marks where bodies had been dragged, and not a single body had been left intact. Chaya was a hunter, and he knew how to clean his own kills, and if he didn't think of it in terms of pieces of meat he would freeze up and shatter entirely, and so he stepped over cuts and chops and entrails and pretended that they had never been attached to familiar faces and voices.
He didn't let Hollandaise out of his sight, not once, while they searched the horror and ruin of what had been their home and their people, and found nothing of hope and nothing of life.
It was full dark when they departed again. It was dangerous to travel at night, but the thought of staying in the castle with the sharp sweet copper stink of blood and the buzzing of the flies and the echoes of the screams they hadn't even heard was more than he could bear. He flinched from even considering it. They went on foot, because in the stables and the kennels had been red wrecks of meat and bone. One step and another and another toward an uncertain fate, and Chaya thought of his favorite dog because he couldn't bear to think of his father or his sisters, of the cook or the grooms, of the lord and the lady, and if he cried he did so silently, because he had to be the brave one. He would take care of them both.
When he straightened, it had all gone away, evaporating gently like a morning mist. He had forgotten something, and it was something important, but the clench of a terrible ache had eased in the back of his neck and the pit of his stomach, and all that was left was himself and the pledge.
OOC
My character's name: Chaya Character's journal link:Chapter journal | Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Description here to help people out as to what your character looks like. Feel free to include a LINK to their art and/or avatar. Rank of character Apprentice-Knight
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:02 pm
[ Jake Cross ]
It was a repetitive cycle, day in and day out. Every attempt, every effort, all of it... absolutely futile. His eyes flickered over to the box, and fingers twitched. There really wasn't much of an option left, and yet... he hesitated. Dull eyes stared, devoid of emotion or feeling. He had already detached himself from it all. Why? Because it was the only way to keep one's sanity.
There was a time he had cared, a time he had tried. Yet, that was all he could do: try. The attacks were relentless, and the smell of smoke, blood and decaying bodies all too much integrated into the young man's mind. One day, it was the cook. The next, the merchant. The blacksmith. The craftsman. The neighbour. The village boy. Death eventually found his own home, and there was nothing he could do as his own father and mother fell.
His name was called, and he looked up. He stood before the box. Even if he did not wish it, what other choice was there? He had no home to return to, nowhere to go. And he... he himself was not powerful enough to stand against the horsemen. At least... not alone. Though he did not wish to form new bonds, he had to uphold his duty to his kingdom. And sometimes... it was just easier... to let go.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
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"They're here! Jake, take your mother and run. I'll do my best to hold them back." "But-" "Do it!"
Though he didn't wish to leave his father, he did as he obeyed, taking his mother's hand. They didn't get far when they heard the father's scream, and he had turned just in time to see his father's lifeless body fall. "FATHER!!" His mother was in tears, choking back sobs, but she tugged on her son's hand, urging him forward. There was wailing and mourning, with mother's clutching their deceased child to their bosom, and children lamenting their orphaned state. Body parts were scattered across the field, too mangled to be able to tell who they had once bellowed to. They passed by a severed head, and Jake recognized it as the cook, a large, cheerful and jolly man who had a deep hearty laugh, and yet, in his last moments, a look of terror was frozen on his face.
"Jake!" He heard a shriek, and was suddenly pulled back as something lashed out at him. It was too dark to see, and the light from the fire merely cast an eerie glow, barely enough to illuminate anything than to serve as a reminder of the inevitable death. His mother was practically dragging him as she ran, and he stumbled along trying to keep up. "Mother, I-" He tripped, and his hand was yanked out of his mother's as he fell. Turning to see what he had tripped over, the boy gasped as he saw it was a severed arm, and quickly crawled away from it. "Mo-" There was a splattering sound, and Jake felt something warm splash across his face. What was... He looked up to see his mother standing above him, and his eyes widened to see a gaping wound on her front. She was gasping, a strained smile on her face. "MOM!!" She dropped to her knees, coughing. "Jake, my child, you must run." "NO! I won't leave you!!" She placed her hands on his shoulder, tears streaming down her face. "There is nothing left for us, but you... you still have a chance. You must go. You must... live..." She closed her eyes, and slumped forward. "MOM!!!"
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He opened his eyes with a start, lifting a hand to touch his face. Why was it... wet? Was he... crying? But what was he crying about? He looked at the box once more, and turned. Whatever it was, it probably wasn't important.
OOC
My character's name: Jake Cross Character's journal link:[x][/url
Such a long line of people, all waiting to do the same thing. At the front of the line was a box and even from this distance she could feel the magic and tension that was coming from that area. Caoineadh moved along, and soon there were people behind her, and less before her, her time was coming and she too would have to make her pledge, she would have to give up what she was to become what she needed to be.
Was this the right choice though? Oh she knew what she wanted to do, and why she wanted to do it, she had to make a change in this world, no matter how small, she had to be one of the people that faught to end the bloodshed, to prove there was still good in this world.
The closer she got the box the more her nerves started to fray. Her eyes darted around the room a bit, her hands clutched at the sash around her hips as she tried to keep them from trembling. No! She would do this she would...
But there she was now, at the front of the line and before her was the box. It was more frightening now than when she was farther back, but it seemed none of the others were harmed by it. Surely it wouldn't be so bad to forget who she had be. If nothing more it would give her focus... right?
Too late. The words were slipping from her lips even as her mind roiled.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness." The words poured forth proudly showing no sign of the nervousness she had felt but it was still there in the back of her mind it still......
Agh.... The groan slid from her parted lips despite herself as the images poured in, overlaying everything. The agony, the blood.. the sounds of the screams from dying and injured as THEY attacked. They... the horsemen! She could hear the screams louder, and smell the fire, the burning and dying. It was all there was in her world in that moment. She had to do something!
She looked around racing forward to catch a boy who was falling to the ground, his eyes glazed with pain and sadness. She held him close, pressing the cloth of her gown to his wounds, but it was too much. She couldn't stop the blood. Why couldn't she stop the blood? She looked up seeking help but no one was coming, they were all running off in different directions screaming in their own fear. Looking back down at the boy his eyes were already dimmed and glazed in death. Hissing in anger she leaped to her feet grabbing a bow from the boyers shop nearby. All else was already looted. She was going to stop this. No more hiding behind walls, she was going to fight!
Then it passed, and in a that moment her knees nearly gave. It was like someone bathed her mind in cool water, washing all away, and leaving... peace.
Wiping a damp hand over her brow she took a deep breath, a smile crossing her lips as she stepped away. It was done.
OOC
My character's name: Caoineadh Character's journal link: Event Journal / Student Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTERImage here Rank of character apprentice-knights. ** DONT FORGET TO DISABLE YOUR SIG WHEN POSTING**
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:12 pm
Kitty took the pledge, her voice unsteady even though the words she spoke were spoken with complete confidence. She wanted to be a Knight. They were holy. They were glowing shining orbs in the darkness of the world. They had honour, and power.
Kitty easily watched as her memories began to replay before her, and was prepared to let them go. The pain of watching her life crumble to pieces. Working fields had always been a terrible bane to her. But as the Darkness took over one Kingdom after another, she'd started to wish she'd just been happy where she was. Instead of dreaming of living the fancy and carefree life of the upper class, she should have loved the smell of soil and fresh flowers. But then the Horsemen came, after the Darkness had taken nearly all her family had. People were killed before her, and all she could do was run or hide. Every way she ran and turned, bodies lay or were killed in front of her. People she once knew. Whether or not she liked them didn't matter. She'd known them. But now, they were just bodies. Bloody, and very soulless corpses.
How had she managed to survive, she didn't know. Somehow she remained unseen as she fled, leaving her village behind. Her family, all gone. No friends to speak of. She walked, hungry and with scars on her mind. She was not a little girl anymore. Not a farmer. Nor a dreamer. She felt as dead as the bodies she'd climbed over to escape.
But now, those painful, soul crushing memories were gone. It was replaced with purpose, and glory.
She'd be a Knight. She would take her place among the glowing lights of Hope in this Dark world.
OOC
My character's name: Kitty "Kiki" Peterson Character's journal link:Here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER • Brown Hair • Light Olive Eyes • Light Skin • Large Sun hat with wide brim • Brown and beige frock with pockets and stained with dirt Rank of character Apprentice Sacred Points obtained: 0/100
Bittiface
Sarcastic Hunter
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Carhop Cavalier
Familiar Teenager
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:12 pm
“There is a way to fight the darkness.” Good. The darkness had taken his creature comforts, his wine and bread. His family, his town, even his damned cats. They’d taken everything, stripped him of all but his clothing and the pole arm on his back - and he’d ran, not letting them take him away from himself. Dirge, the song played at a funeral. They could take his home, they could try and claim the world as their own - but he would be over it all. The world would not remember the funeral, but the song would stick forever in their hearts.
“You must follow a Great Knight’s code of conduct-” Dirge’s brow tensed, then relaxed. He had to choose someone to follow? Dirge did not lend himself well to following, but these were extenuating circumstances. He had to pick one of these warriors to follow and serve. His eyes instantly fell on the Black Knight, the power he exuded drawing him in, a sweet pasty for the hungry child. Dirge would follow this black knight, this Merlin.
“-choose a Sacred Weapon. Only a true knight can wield it, those too weak will fall prey to madness. This is why the Trial of Knights exist. Follow the knight code, complete your trials, and you will be granted a Sacred Weapon."
Dirge liked the sound of that. A weapon that would let him fight back, make the shadows lose just as much as the rest of them had, as much as he had. The part about being too weak was brushed off - Dirge was strong. He’d prove himself easily, and then move on to defeat more and more of the shadows. He’d be lauded as a hero by the end of the endeavor, and maybe he could even rebuild his home with himself as the new Lord.
It was time to line up, to pledge themselves to the service of this Great King. The line was long, and Dirge quickly went blank and pensive, thinking more of the coming glory and the pain he would bring. He shuffled forward with the rest of the line, hunched back never straightening, even with the continuous thoughts of future glory.
His time had come, and the box loomed in front of him like an executioner’s axe. They’d said he would have to sacrifice his memories to this box, but he had only understood the consequences just now, as he approached and bent the knee in fealty. This was a part of the Knight’s Code, and this was the way to end the darkness, for him to prove himself to the Seven Knights and the Great King.
Dirge began to sweat, unsure of if he could say the words. What if, with his memories, the box took his purpose? Would he become just another blank slate, a faceless soldier to be mowed down in a vain effort to protect the land? He couldn’t allow that, he couldn’t let himself not be sung about, he couldn’t be just another dead body feasted upon by the shadows. He couldn’t-
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
The words fell from his mouth as though he’d practiced them one thousand times before, perfect cadence and a weight one would not see coming from a man who had not even lived to his second decade. Golden eyes blinked in shock at the sound, then widened in abject horror.
The screaming of the children, the terrible howls as men and women fell and houses burned. So much fire, fire all around him and darkness nipping at his heels as he ran as fast as his legs would carry him, forsaking the town and the family. He wasn’t to blame; they were. He wasn’t a coward; the shadows were. He wasn’t going to surrender; neither would they.
It all stopped, and Dirge was looking at the box. He felt relief, he felt comforted. He felt one glorious sensation embedded in his chest.
Victory.
OOC
My character's name: Dirge Character's journal link:[x] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER A dark skinned, bulky boy with bright orange hair. Rank of character Knight apprentice Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:34 pm
[ Jalaja ]
She stifled a yawn as she waited her turn, scratching her arm. Though she was already told what she had to do and that there was pretty much no other option, that didn't mean she had to like it. Why, everyone else was doing the exact same thing and that made it extremely boring. No excitement, no variety! Still, there was something about the box that piqued her curiousity. Magic had always interested her, and it frustrated her to no end that she herself was unable to wield it. And yet, here was some great big box that seemed to ooze glory and power, and though she was told to respect and fear it, she was already doing so innately.
Finally, finally it was her turn, and she hopped right up. Oooh, the box was even MORE impressive up close. She wanted to touch it, but she'd probably get scolded and maybe kicked out. Not that it would have bothered her on a regular day, but this... this was different. She wanted this, and even though she had to submit herself to kneeling and bowing, had to give up what most would consider precious and sacred, she couldn't care less. She wanted out. She wanted something different. She wanted something... new.
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
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"Mother and father are dead." "Well, good riddance." "Jala, how could you say that!" "It's not like they really cared. They were always giving you a hard time about being a knight, and how I should be acting more lady-like. With them gone, we don't have to worry about those silly rules anymore. We can do whatever we want!" "Jala!" "What? It's true! I KNOW you hated it, and-" "That's not important! Don't you understand what's going on here? People are DYING. The village is burning. We can't... we can't stay here any longer. We have to-" "Why? What's the point? We're all pretty much going to die. Like you said, mom and dad are dead. EVERYONE is dead. It's only a matter of time before both of us are-" "No, don't say that. We'll... we'll live. We'll live and-" "And WHAT? There's no point! Eventually you're going to die and I... I don't care anymore! I should just-" "NO!" She struggled, but her brother only held her tighter. "Jala, I... I promise. I won't leave you, ever." "You... promise?" "I promise."
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The teen stretched. Ahhh, that felt good. It might have been a pledge, but at least it wasn't a promise. After all, promises were made to be broken.
OOC
My character's name: Jalaja Character's journal link:[x] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER[x] Rank of character Apprentice
[A.V.]
Dangerous Hunter
Offline
Lady in the Golden Wood
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Posted: Tue May 05, 2015 2:38 pm
[Cress]
It was weird, standing here like this, weird how all of this turned out. A year ago, he would not have thought that he would be here like this. What was this? Was this really what he wanted--no, there was no choice. It was the only choice he had. There was no other way to save--He cringed inwardly. He had not saved. He could see them, hear them. Screams. Blood. Darkness. No. He had not saved anyone, there was only running. Horsemen.
The line shifted forward slightly and Cress moved up a step. There were still a good many number of knights-to-be in front of him. If he tilted his head out from the side of the line ever so slightly, he could see the first person in line kneeling before the box. He gazed at it warily before shifting himself back to his original position so that he would not have to look at it. A year ago, he would not have imagined himself doing this. There was always trouble and darkness. They were the norm. He had heard stories about kingdoms collapsing and horsemen and shadows, but they were that, stories. They sometimes crept to the edges of consciousness, but it always had happened to someone else, some place else, and there was no way that---No. This was the only place left. Cress had fled.
The box.
It wasn't that Cress didn't want to forget. s**t. He wanted to forget all of it. Something inside of him lurched as he remembered--No. He didn't have the right to forget it all. He shouldn't forget. This was supposed to be his burden--his punishment for fleeing, his punishment for surviving. He wasn't supposed to be able to forget about all of the screams, the darkness, the blood, just like this, for some noble cause. He was supposed to suffer.
There was running. So much running. They had been attacked in the middle of the night. A blood-curdling scream had ripped through the darkness, followed up by the cry from the newborn baby across the street. Then there was more screaming, he, Cress, had registered it from his half-awake state. It was from the Eastern end of their little village. He had fumbled to put his shoes on as the rest of his fa--- No. Once outside, it was chaos. There were fires blazing, flames licking the sides of buildings, and devouring rooftops. People were running, and there were strange shadows following them, pursuing them. Cress had run as well, in nothing but his night shirt and shoes. There was blood-- He could hear his heart pounding in his chest as a bead of sweat appeared on his forehead. He looked around. The line had shifted up again when he had been preoccupied. He moved up. There was no sign that anyone else had noticed his delay, perhaps they were, too, engrossed in their own horrors.
There had been a small girl, no older than seven. She had been on the ground with one of her legs bleeding, her screams mingling with all the others. Cress had stopped his running. A pause to take in the horror, the injustice of it all. He had been bustled to the side as someone pushed him out of the way to continue running. Cress had walked forward, towards the little girl, to hold her in his arms and tell her that it was all going to be okay--- It was his turn now. Cress knelt before before the massive box, ready to pledge, to sacrifice. The horseman had reached her before he could. If he had just been a little faster, more powerful, he could have--
"I pledge my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I will uphold the Knight's Code and protect this kingdom against the darkness."
The girl's eyes were blank as the horseman tossed her aside and moved towards Cress. He had backed away, was backing away, as the shadow approached him, and he ran. The screams followed him. The darkness traced his every step. The screaming was louder, getting louder, swirling with the blood, the wildfire, and shadows into a rising crescendo as Cress felt that his whole being was going to break in the agony.
...
Cress straightened up. His eyes were oddly moist. He quickly wiped the water away. He smiled grimly, his facial muscles working oddly as if it had been a long time since he used them. He was ready, to uphold his duty as a knight, save the world, and all that s**t.
OOC
My character's name: Dietrich Cress Character's journal link:[x] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Protective, sincere, and loyal. Not particularly outgoing. Innately curious. Has kinda a potty mouth. Not a big fan of battle in general, but stuck with it anyway. Has too much of a conscious sometimes. Rank of character Knight Apprentice
![[A.V.]'s avatar](https://a1cdn.gaiaonline.com/dress-up/avatar/ava/8d/f2/221070ca3ff28d_flip.png?t=1546143856_6.00_11&pl=15)
