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 Posted: Thu Jul 07, 2005 8:49 pm
It deep into the night by now. Those who worked and had errands to run, as well as all the children were already soundly in bed. There was only the usual night life of the city around at this time.
Strata was quiet.
Too quiet.
In the distance, appearing on a far rooftoop, a heavily shrouded figure dashed, body bent forward, feet soundless against the tiles and stone of the roofs it sped across. It's entire form was slightly siloughted(sp?) by the artifical street lamps down below, as it tumbled and leapt, towards it's goal. Twin swords were strapped to it's back, it's face concealed with a mask.
A final leap brought it to one particular roof top, as it leapt soundlessy and crouched, as if to confirm where it was. Without another moment to spare, it hooked it's feet onto the roof, and swung down, hanging upside down, and staring into the heavily curtained double doored windows that led into a room...
~~
Singing softly, he picked the razor against his skin, careful not to break the skin. Stopping, he rinsed it out in the open faucet, before repeating the process; always testing the smoothness of his face before moving onto another part.
Yellowed eyes stared into the slightly foggy mirror, stray droplets of water falling from locks of red hair, before the razor was once again rinsed out.
"I'll steal your soul for a second chance..." He ran the razor against his left cheek, cupping his chin with a free hand, as he elimanted all the facial hair that had decided to sneak up on him. "You will die come what may..." Rinsing it out again, he saw a line of crimson, having cut himself a little. Cupping his hand, he let water pool into it, before splashing clean the cut area. "...Your soul makes me stronger..." Lifting his chin up, he brought the razor up and down in fluid motions, rinsing it out every now and then in the hot water that flowed fromt he facuet. "...In a life that breathes no longer." He closed his eyes, as he placed the razor down, leaning forward to dunk his whole face into the water, wahsing away any stray hairs that may have remained. "Fade away in a quest for life--" He shook his head back and forth once more, clearing away the drops of water and reached for his towel. "--Until the end, don't judge me nice."
He turned off the sink's faucet, wrapping the towell about his waist and walked out the bathroom, a right hand pressed against his now smooth and cleaned face. Yellowed eyes narrowed and looked in the direction of the veiled windows...
"What's with that bat-man hanging outside my window?" His head turned to the side, staring at where Sunstrike was laying down, but finding the young man to be apparently sound asleep. "Is he one of your new friends, Sun?" He said quietly, a second towell gripped in his hands, used to dry out his hair as he ruffled it up.
"...I should get rid of that pest..." He let the towell drape around his shoulders, as he lifted his left arm, index and middle finger extended. "...With a little guided flame." The air visibly rippled for a moment, before a small flame was bouncing happily along the tips of both fingers. With a simple swing of his left arm, he sent the small flame shot soaring through the air, and puncturing cleanly through the curtains and windows, elaving a small hole behind as the projectile travelled onward.
~~
The shrouded figure watched calmly, taking note of anything of importance, knowing full well what his mission was. Yes, he took pride in the mission.. nothing but the missio--- hello.. what's this---
"!" A small flame suddenly impacted into the figure's face, instantly setting the clothing on his head and face alight, and causing the poor guy's arms to flail about wildly. "AAAAAAAAGH!!"
Within the room, a soft 'Heh heh' or two could be heard, as the figure dropped from his hanging position and backtracked the way he came, screaming into the night as he burned. "AAAAH! IT"S HOT!! Ooooaaaaaa!!"
~~
"How dare they try to spy on me... Idiots. Who do they think they're dealing with?!" Vahn snapped off the towel from his shoulders, and walked to his bed, promptly falling into it, not willing to admit that even a small feat as the guided flame had drained him considerably....
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:28 am
Sunstrike jerked awake at the scream, blinking in the darkness. He just had enough time to see Vahn shut the light off in the bathroom...and hear the last comment to himself as he fell into his own bed.
Sun just blinked in the darkness for a second...What the hell?!....then he sighed and rolled over onto his stomach, debating with himself...he was awake now...but it was dark...he should try to do something...but it was still dark...
He'd go out on the landing and sit on the wall, he finally agreed with himself. While that was fresh air, it wasn't so far away from his companion for him to have a panic attack.
Carefully he slipped out of the bed and the door. He couldn't be a hundred percent sure that Vahn was now asleep, but he was that sure, that it didn't matter if he was or not, Sun would go anyway.
He padded softly down the hallway like he had earlier that day and wandered out into the outside garden, brushing past leaves and nearly killing himself when he tripped over a stray watering can. The low wall was cool to the touch as he hopped up on it, his legs dangling over the edge without any fear of falling. False dawn made a kind of lightness on the horizon, but that just served to make the surrounding swamped in deeper shades of black. He drew a soft breath as a small breeze passed by and tried to organize his thoughts to encompass this new situation.
A lot to think about... I'm no hero...I'm a janitor and a fighter, I clean things up...that wasn't supposed to include wars and all this personal buisness. Did Vahn only rescue me for the soul purpose of cleaning up a mess that was fifty years in the making?! That was a paticularly poisonous thought, and he dwelled on it, picking it apart so that it didn't eat at him.
From the outside...it was plausible, even if it was for good it still fit within the stereotype for the silent Vahn. The red-headed man would do what he had to, if it meant moving on. But on the other hand, everything in the stadium hadn't been planned on by Vahn....his shock over why Sunstrike even was there was paticularly apparent. And the way that they managed to get here...that probably wasn't planned either...if it had been, the two of them would have ended up in better shape then they were.
Sunstrike went back to thinking about Vahn as an acolyte for some higher being...it would make sense, then, that it wasn't the other man that had decided to bring him, but that events were manipulated by someone so the result would seem that way...all too convieniant. He gritted his teeth. There had been a deal about this...he KNEW there had been. Sun wasn't supposed to get caught up in these kind of affairs...and in return...in return...
Sun looked back down and rubbed his temples. He couldn't remember what the exchange had been for keeping him here and out of the limelight, but obviously this had fallen through....or been changed. Interesting....and dangerous. But Sunstrike had never really been one to go up the tide, and in the end none of this would really be his fault. So he'd ride it out and wait for it to get interrupted.
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 6:56 am
"Did you come for the sunrise as well?"
The tuft of smoke that furled out into the still dark skies, came from the side of Sunstrike, as Dain leaned forward, hands gripping the edge. The old man gave no indication as to how long he had been on the roof, or whether he had simply just quietly came a few moments ago. It was sometimes hard to beleive that such a powerfully built old man could also be sommething akin to the frail old wizards you see in fairy tales.
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:19 am
"Among other things." Sunstrike said, trying to cover up the fact that he nearly had fallen off the wall in surprise. He blinked at Dain and then sighed. "The sunrise signifies hope, birth, ideas...all the wonderful things come with the light...but I dread it more then the deepest shadows these days. Vahn told me what your people need...."
He blinked as a spark of light hit the horizon, pausing only a moment before expanding, punctuating his remark.
"I...I've never really been a saviour of peoples, Dain. I'm manipulative and sneaky...I edge my way into higher places through mind games and banter. It's only recently that I've changed...started to care about what peoples actions lead to, how much I used to damage lives..." He grinned broadly. "The conscience is an amazingly complicated thing humans have...Cracking the ability to have one is sometimes a curse along with the cure. I somehow doubt I'll ever get used to it."
He shifted and looked at the smoking man. "So, hearing all that, plus the fact that if I do go, it will be because someone I consider a deep friend is asking me, and not out of attachment for this place, do you still want to rely on me? I will say that when it comes down to it, I'll use every ablility at my disposal to get that little piece of paper of yours signed, no doubt. But it's rough hearing and trusting a statement like that from someone you barely know..."
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:35 am
"Ohohohohohoho..." the voracious laughter echoed out across the rooftops, as the old man couldn't help himself. It may have seemed quite rude, but then again you should have seen what Dain was like back in his younger days...
"I forget, I'm supposed to be the old man here, right?" A hand stroking through his beard, Dain's shoulders rolled as his laughter subsided, looking away from the young man and towards the horizon.
"It's just that you're always so serious, even when you're dreaming. Keep thinking such heavy thoughts all the time, and you'll be an old man before you know it." Another tuft of smoke made it's way out as Dain looked back to Sunstrike.
"Vahn... Vahn was a very trusting person. Perhaps too trusting... but he would give his life for any one of his friend's. He would always go about loudmouthed as usual, and say 'Everyone should do what they can with their lives on the line, and then say to the next guy: I did what I could. Now it's your turn. If you don't finish it, I'll come kick your a**!'. If it was something that his friends believed in, then it was something he would put his life on tthe line for as well. I look at you, and I see the same spirit in you, that same fire."
Waving a hand about, Dain turned his head to the side and stared out once more. "My people have hope.. and courage, and just want peace. Even at the meeting today, they showcased their ignorance, but in the end I was at least able to get them to agree to the idea of a truce. You see, courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the judgement that something else is more important than fear. Life is more important right now... as it is for any living thing."
He took another drag from the cigarette before letting it fall to the ground. "You don't need to be a saviour, lad, just have the courage to keep on living..."
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 7:55 am
Sunstrike blinked in surprise, and then slowly grinned, mischief written over his face. "He'd have a hard time kicking my arse as he is now. You know he's been up half the night in his condition?" He sighed and raised his hands as if to say "What was the world comming to?"
"But it is nice to know I've got some of what Vahn's kicking around inside of him, in me..." Besides what I stole, anyway, Sunstrike snickered, "Gods...if I'd known all this was catching I'd of stayed in bed. They need to educate people about this "hero" stuff, get them some protection or something."
Saying this, he knew damn well that he'd gotten up to help even if he'd been nailed to a bed.
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:17 am
"A hero is... Strong.. Noble.. Proud..." Dain closed his eyes, folding his arms across his chest. "Intellectual, kindhearted, and manly. Sword in hand, he is lithe and swift as the wind that blows across the open plains.." The old man then chuckled, as he opened his eyes, and spread out both arms in a shrug.
"In reality, our 'heroes' are like him." He walked down alongside roof, staring out at the horizon. "Our 'hero' wasn't hero-like at all! A flame-user, but built like a child! He was used to combat... but he preferred brawling with his fists like a boxer! He wouldn't hesitate to punch a girl in the face, even though he likes women! He would drown himself in liqour day in and day out, like a thug!" Dain chuckled, old memories coming back to him.
"The young man you came to know- a simple adventurer who would one day become a legendary warrior. The man who earned the name of 'Frie Bringer' by felling the great beast Efreet. Supposedly the greatest warrior in all of Gaia!" Dain stroked his beard, laughing still.
But we both know Vahn is not the man these people think he is! Oh, the thing he used to do... Talk about heroes who are into women and liquor! Even though he fell in love with her, it wasn't enough to change his philandering ways... Come to think of it, I don't think he ever really did sleep with any women... The young man was able to get by, thanks to the love and devotion of the people of this city. It was surely a testament to the miracle of patience.... Oh, I don't ever want to remember what happened that night....
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:31 am
"Gaaaaahh, please Dain...I get enough of that at the bar's of the Leviathan, to hear it this far away to does my mind no good! Hah, but I imagine most peoples reactions would be the same to him now that they were back then. Girls would try to tame him, men would try to fight him...s'all the same. I'll tell you what, I'm happy to have him stand out there taking all that crap, while I go help him out in the shadows of time. S'too much of a hassle to live up to...though the booze and women sound nice."
Little hearts practically pop up at that statement, and he grins blissfully. "It's surprising though, I wasn't the first to start up a battle between the two of us at first...I bet it's funny to him, really, playing the responsible one, for once, pulling me out of situations, rather forcefully, to get me back on track. I have this mad tendancy to be as lazy as I can be, you know...but I'd always run if he asked."
Sunstrike shrugged. "Just like it is now. He's asking, so I'm going. Even if he won't tell me everything about it...But he does need to lighten up...maybe that's what it is, we're rubbing off on each other, me becoming more serious and him...well maybe it's just him rubbing off on me, though I dunno, the way he scared the hell out of Hibon earlier..." Now Sunstrike did laugh. "Brilliant!"
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 8:51 am
Dain's eyes closed as he faced the horizon, the slowly rising light of the sun coming into view. "I must ask that you keep those two safe... This will--... Their fate is tied with the both of you as well... they have to see for themselves.. they.. have to know the truth."
He chuckled, waving a hand about. "I'm too old to be running about with you young people... wouldn't be that much of a use, so I can't tag along. Their good children... their hearts won't lead them astray and you'll find them useful."
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Posted: Fri Jul 08, 2005 3:26 pm
Sunstrike nodded on the outside but winced internally, remembering what Vahn had told him earlier about what would happened if the two followed him in their current condition. He wasn't ready to be responsible for the wellfare of other people...then he waved it off. Ready or not...this was something that needed sorting.
"Anything need doing today, Dain? There's an issue about the sword that got left behind. I wouldn't mind surprising Vahn, by bringing it back to him...I can take Hibon with me..."
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Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2005 10:11 pm
"Your going to be setting out soon, to have the treaty signed. Some final preparations must be made... Enjoy the sights, while you can. I have a feeling it'll be a while before you step foot in this city for a long time to come..."
Dain turned around, stroking his beard as he began walking away.
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 2:48 pm
Sunstrike's answer died in his throat. Ah...he hadn't realized they'd be leaving so soon...which also made him believe that this could be more of a hazardous venture then even he had been imagining.
He watched the older man walk off and blinked again at the horizon...then scrambled off the wall and walked back into the room he was shring with Vahn. Being there he quickly got dressed and began to make his way out the door, pausing only to look at the other bed for a moment before slipping out, looking for breakfast.
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Posted: Sun Jul 10, 2005 8:59 pm
When something is inflexible, it is bound to break. No matter how strong it seems- it is doomed to crumble.
The room was empty, both beds having been slept in, the sheets a mess, and the floor littered with clothes. The sound of a shower could be heard, coming from the partially closed bathroom, as the light of dawn flooded into the room.
Just as the peaceful river becomes the raging waterfall, so life constantly changes.
The sound of running water was then abruptly cut short, as the sound of a curtain ebing pulled back was heard, followed by the low grunt as someone hit their head. The rustling of fabric was heard then, before the audible sound of someone pissing took place. Half a minute later, the toilet flushed, and then the sink was heard running.
There is a yin and a yang. This world and the next world.
The door to the bathroom was kicked fully open, as a figure came striding in, a towell still being passed all around his head, as he dried his hair off, bare chested but wearing creame-colored pants, a black belt looping and keeping them to his waist. His greaves were already on, those decievingly heavy-looking boots making a distinct thunk-thunk sound as he walked.
The tranquil life does not offer happiness... For death waits at its end.
The towell dropped to the bed, carelessly as the figure made his way out the room, stretching out a little as he made his way down the hall, towards the smell of food.
"Wish I could say I feel great. Sheesh...Hm?" Sounds were coming out from the roof, and he wandered over in that direction to have a look, going up the stairs and poking his head up, all cautious-like. "I wonder if Sunstrike is still sleeping? Didn't see him in--"
"Oooh! Good morning, Vahn!"
The voice, caused Vahn to look behind him, as he saw one of Dain's grandchildren, the girl, come up behind him, waving. The continuos sounds of heavy breathing and footsteps brought Vahn's attention to the roof once more, and as he stared, he found the other grandchild, the boy, apparently training.
Hibon gave out several breaths, as he held his position, before swinging the sword across, forward, and at all angles, as if he were facing an unseen opponent. Vahn folded his arms across his chest, as he merely remained silent, watching and not wishing to disturb the younger man.
Hmm. He's using Dain's old sword-- the acenstral weapon of his family.
"Oh my... Hibon is so diligent... practicing so early in the morning!" Nahara said softly, mildly surprised, since her brother often liked to sleep in late.
I can tell by the sound it makes slicing the air... That he knows the proper technique for using that sword. A slight smile spread across Vahn's lips as he watched the boy. Now if he can just overcome his inner doubts...the world might witness another prodigy.
Hibon gave out several deep breaths, as he finnaly let his arms sag and droop, visibly drained stamina wise. "Huh?" Out of the corner of his eye, he seemed to finally take notice of Vahn and Nahara. "What? Have you two been watching? How embarassing!"
"I just wanted to see how you practice, sine we'll be travelling together for a while." Vahn retorted, arms still folded across his chest, grinning.
"Seeing you train so hard is really awesome. I'm seeing you in a whole new light, Hibon!" Nahara let out, genuinely surprised and satisfied.
".... These next few days will be my first chance to truly test myself. I have to do my very best... I have to.." Hibon stared to the ground, droplets of sweat falling, even as Vahn turned around, heading back downstairs.
"That's the right attitude... but let's go eat already. I'm starving!"
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 10:04 am
Sunstrike was already seated and eating as the other three came into the room. He looked to be deep in thought, sometimes scooping a bit of egg, but not eating as he stared off into space, only to realize once the food fell back onto the plate that he'd forgotten about it.
He always got like this while deep in thought. Forgetful, oblivious, but not worried. He never really ever lost the lazy confidence/cheerfulness unless things got really bad, and this was apparent as he looked up and grinned at the others comming into the room.
"Been a good morning?"
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Posted: Mon Jul 11, 2005 11:03 am
It was well into the morning now, in the city of Strata. The hustle and bustle of the day was underway (ooo, that rhymed) and within the western end of the City, in the more prominent section, a grizzled, black bearded man sat behind a finely crafted desk. Hands folded together he seemed to be waiting for something... when someone promtply then came in.
"Have you placed a spy on the man named Vahn?" The man was one of the men who had been in the council meeting that took place last night, and he had wanted to find out for himself who this 'Vahn' was.
"Uh...that..." The man in front of was a militia member, and at the moment he had his head bowed down, eyes betraying nervousness.
"Is there something wrong?" The official, stared down the soldier, getting impatient.
"I sent one of our elite agents... But he was discovered..." The soldier kept his head bowed, not really liking the fact that he had to admit to failure.
"What?! Idiots." The official, spat the words out, visibly fed up. "Send a different spy tommorow!"
"Yes sir!"
~~
"What the--?!" Vahn was the first to arrive, and saw Sunstrike sitting there, pleased as can be and already eating.
"What's wrong?" Nahara said as she walked in, with Hibon behind her.
"Something smells fishy." Vahn said as he stared at the scene. Dain was whistling away as he cooked the breakfast and kept it coming for them all while Sunstrike sat there, looking mockingly cheerful, despite the fact that all he saw was the boy getting drenched under rainclouds in his head.
"Hmm! You're right!" Hibon said, stroking his chin as he stared at his grandfather.
"Fishy, huh?" Nahara said softly, watching as both men peered at Sunstrike oddly from all angles.
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