For Ollie, it was the line that was torture: stretching on in front of them for what seemed like an eternity and moving at a snail's pace. With the dust of the road lightening his face and clinging to his eyebrows, he looked even younger than usual, tousled and lost and exhausted. Still, somehow, a restlessness thrummed through his body, made him shift his weight just slightly from one foot to the other as they inched their way closer to the end of the line, a nervous fidget that probably drove the pair beside him crazy.
A step out of the line, a look back.
A slow turn in place, impatient and frustrated, to see just how far they'd come.
He drew lines in the dirt and tried to track their progress in comparison to the movement of the sun through the sky, but inevitably got distracted or bored and never quite managed to make a number out of his makeshift calculations.
Not once did he worry about the inevitable loss of his memories, because to him, all it would mean was finally getting to the front of this stupid line. When his traveling companions moved on without him, he breathed out an audible sigh of relief -- and when, finally, it was his turn, Ollie ran in to make his pledge despite his exhaustion, the words coming out in a rush without a breath between:
He doesn't want to remember this. Their village isn't, but he loves it all the same: his family comfortable on the edge of the wood, with trees to climb and undergrowth to explore as he creeps out on his daily foraging. Ollie's restlessness has always been abated by the quick movement from one trap to the other, checking here and there to see what they'll be selling and what will be dinner. He gathers herbs to match the dish, and while sometimes his whims earn him a commendation from his sister, just as frequently they earn him an exasperated slap upside the head.
Ollie never complains, just beams up at her, wholly unapologetic and completely unashamed. He does his best. Sometimes that means that their dinner was nearly unpalatable, and sometimes it means it's delicious.
He is in the heart of the trees when first the smell of smoke invades his senses, and a scream cuts through the quiet of the morning, sending the birds fluttering up into the clouds with an echoing cry. Ollie looks up at them, perplexed, and they flutter away, and sees the dark plume erupting from the direction of home.
Before he can even think, he has dropped his bounty and is taking off through the trees at a breakneck speed, dodging low-hanging branches and hopping tumbled, rotting logs. The breath burns in his chest and tears cloud his eyes, but adrenaline drives him foreword. By the time he reaches their little cabin on the edge of the woods his face is streaked with small red slashes, one leg torn open and bleeding freely, but Ollie doesn't feel any of it.
He is too late, and the thought cuts him down.
They are dead and gone, leaving him to fend for himself, and he can't even take a moment to grieve them, to take in the blood staining his sister's fair hair, before the monsters are on top of him and he's struggling for his life: one small young man versus a mob of angry outlaws.
----
He came out of his vision panting and choked with sobs, and slowly blinked his eyes back into focus. His cheeks were damp, but for the life of him, Ollie couldn't remember why. The misery faded away into a fierce sense of determination.
He had made his oath, and he would stand by it to the death.
OOC
My character's name: Oliatos AKA Ollie Character's journal link:Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Dark-skinned and overly energetic, all Ollie wants to do is make himself useful to the cause, whatever cause it is that adopts him. He is kinetic, fond of physical activities and new experiences, with a boundless curiosity that gets annoying and fast. Rank of character Apprentice-Knight. Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 11:31 am
She worked her way through the line, eyes focused on the ground under her boots. Blanca was nervous, to say the least. She was pledging her life away, to The Cause, to protecting her people from the darkness. Why? Why was she pledging when there was no one remaining to protect? It had been sheer luck that she had even managed to make it so far, herself.
Taking short, shallow breaths, she followed the footfalls in front of her, boots firmly planted within the steps of those that had come before. Blanca was far from sure that she wanted this. It wasn't a want, however. It was a duty. Her duty to the kingdom.
Finally, she reached her place before the box. Her voice nearly non-existent, she took her pledge. Eyes closed, she repeated the words that all before her had spoken.
This was for the best. She didn't want to remember. It was the one good thta came from this. The ability to forget.
The village was in pieces, not just the buildings, but the people. Those who trudged past her, through the dust and rubble, they were just as broken as the bodies that lay beneath. Bruised and battered, they muttered, they laughed nervously. It was only a matter of time before their end came.
In all of the chaos, a child sat, hugging the empty shell of a toy rabbit. It was all the comfort that remained. From her place against the remains of her home, the single brick-and-mortar corner, she could watch her world fall apart around her. The people slowly fell, while she remained. It was all she could do. To remain. To exist. In all of the chaos, that was the legacy she could carry on. She would be the confirmation of their existence.
My character's name: Blanca Lepus Character's journal link: Here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Long, untied dusty-rose hair, hanging to her waist. Bright pink-red eyes, often cast searching around, analyzing the surroundings. Incredibly pale skin, covered in silver-tinted armor. Rank of character Knight Apprentice
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 12:17 pm
[ Rhys Donovan ]
Memories.
It was all he really had to begin with. What little he lived with up to that point he'd never really considered his own anyway; scavenged clothes, borrowed supplies, stolen food. He did what he could to survive to the next day, and that was all. And he was fine with that. He was fine with just memories.
Or he thought he was fine with just the memories. Until that night.
The line before him slowly dwindled; it was almost his turn and he took a breath. His usual scowl was replaced by a look of uneasiness. Something about the atmosphere of the place just put him off, maybe. He thought taking deep breaths might help him with his nerves, but it did nothing and he took another step forward. The bags under his eyes had only gotten worse since that night. His whole body was almost always tense, and whenever he closed his eyes whatever memories he'd treasured before that night were almost completely gone, replaced by the fire and chaos and darkness that engulfed the village.
He could still hear the screams all around him as he ran for safety, using anything and anyone he could as a shield or camouflage along the way. Good instincts, maybe; certainly, reasonably human, but at the same time almost inhuman. He'd pushed and scrambled and ran past others who'd been taken, were being taken, or were otherwise fighting for their lives in order to get out safely. Just like him. But he never even considered stopping to help, and the faces that at the time were only a blur to him as he passed them by now plagued him whenever he closed his eyes.
Sleep was rare, peace of mind was an entirely foreign concept to him now, and all because the only thing he could think about, the only thing he could remember was that night.
Finally it was his turn and he looked up, eyes blank as he observed the box before him. Something about it was...strange, he thought, but still he knelt and bowed his head slightly, recalling the pledge he was asked to make.
He closed his eyes.
As expected various faces flooded his mind and he had to take another breath before finally speaking. "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."
Everything flashed back to him again. The fire. The darkness. The putrid stench of burnt flesh and rotting corpses strong enough to bring him to his knees the following morning and empty his stomach of its contents. He'd stared long and hard at the remains of the small village before finally moving on. He recalled each step he took as he moved on from the village…
Then it was gone and he opened his eyes and took a breath again, only this time it was deep and genuinely...relieving. Like it was the first breath he'd taken in the longest time. His shoulders relaxed and finally he stood. Immediately his eyes fell on the box and he looked at it almost curiously before his brows furrowed and a deep set scowl settled on his face.
Rhys had half a mind to mutter out some complaint or another about this whole ceremony being a giant waste of time, but after taking a quick look around he thought better of it. He probably had other places to be, anyway. With one last sidelong glance at the massive box, he stepped aside to let the person behind him take their turn.
He was sleepy, he thought, and hungry, and those were the only things now on his mind.
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 12:28 pm
Harland would have, once, jumped at the chance to sever his ties to his memories. Here he stood, as an apprentice knight, and hoped that he could find his precious old memories once more. All of this, why? To serve some greater purpose. A greater purpose, one which he could hardly forsee. He was nothing if not a lion at heart, so here he was, standing in line. He shifted under the weight of his chainmail, listening to the links rattle against one another.
Reaching the box, he remembered the words and spoke them aloud: "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."
What he remembered was mostly an ache in his broad chest, and details that swam like indistinct fish through all his unattended thoughts. His fist clenched without thinking, a red scar throbbing on the palm. He remembered the searing pain of his blade heated up to a blaze, how even he couldn't hold on. Disarmed, he remembered failing to protect his mother. Her blood flowed free across the forest floor, a flight thwarted. He remembered the flames that licked the trees, and how he stumbled without his sword through the dark and the night. No family, no friends any longer. He could remember their voices, that much was true, but every memory was consumed with the feeling of being hunted, wounded, every step his last until he fell exhausted to safety. To what he hoped was safety. And still his eyes were dark with fear and exhaustion, and he couldn't bring himself to take his armour off for more than a second, couldn't bear to be out of its reach or let it fall into disrepair. That was all he could rely on.
His memories were being torn from him, or sacrificed willingly, he reminded himself. Harland couldn't get rid of the smell, then, when everything else was being stripped away-- that was what lingered the longest, the smell of burning flesh. His freckled cheeks were wet, vaguely kempt facial hair damp as he touched his skin with an ungauntletted fist and could no longer recall why he had been crying.
The freedom of oblivion. Salvation, so that he could uphold the code and be strong for others.
OOC
My character's name: Harland Leander Belle Character's journal link:here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER1, 2 Rank of character Apprentice-Knight.
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 12:29 pm
[ Verusha ]
While the occasion was a serious one, with the gravity of it all weighing heavily in the air, Verusha wasn't able to fully keep himself from repeating his normal habits. Hands stuffed comfortably in his pockets, pale eyes slid around the spacious, glamorous room, but not to admire the scenery or the architecture. No, he was preoccupied in checking out the other volunteers who'd been called from far and wide to accept this great honor being bestowed upon them. That was great, and all, but how could he pass up noting the attractive gents that had been called here too? While he wasn't gawking openly, his eyes did linger, give once overs, before casually wandering off to the next.
In the line that moved at a consistent pace, some people at the front taking a little longer than others caused few hitches, his gait wasn't any different from the usual stride he kept; laidback, and unhurried. The pressure might have been palpable, and severity, but it wasn't in his nature to let such things psych him out. After all, stress, and freaking out of things didn't do any good. A calm mind was a able mind. And all around him, he saw fear etched on every persons face in one way or other. While he too had been a survivor of the horrors that ravished their lands, his expression did not falter from its norm. At least... not too often.
Soon enough, it was his turn. Stepping up before the grand icons of the knighthood, he gave a little bob of his head in greeting, before peering down at the box that was placed precariously. It held an air of its own, some sort of... strange aura. Tilting his head to gander at it from different angles, he righted himself to simply... stare at it, for awhile. He kept quiet, hearing the subtle, anxious shifting of the folks behind him in line, waiting their turn, and probably nervous for what it would bring.
A sacrifice of memories...
It was pretty dark, Verusha had to admit. A heavy tax just to get some sort of powerful weapons. But like most exceptional things in this world, there was always a hefty price.
And as he watched the eerie box that gazed back at him, his eyelids drooped some, as his mind began to wander to those memories of his. Family, was first to pop up, pictures and clips of his father, and mother flickering behind his eyes. Their lack of affection, the obedience they tried to instill in him, and the manners that never seemed to take. The obvious disappointment and shame they wore constantly when looking at him, or when he'd do something 'wrong'. The stern, unsmiling--unless pressed to, when in a social setting-- faces that seemed to lack any sort of warmth, or comfort... How bland, tasteless, and colourless their well off but simplistic home was, able to match the pair that'd bought it. Verusha had been a rift in the monotony of their lives, an unexpected mutation that'd taken to doing things his own way, brushing against the grain. How many times had they sighed with such heaviness, it seemed as though the roof might collapse, or the grounds give in?
How many times had it been that they'd shunned him away?
And that night, when their home had been thrashed, torn to shreds, the screams of both father and mother filling the night air, and the chill of the wind biting at Verusha's neck as he lay weakened under rubble, echoes of cries from the rest of the town ringing out constantly, as the sounds of tearing and cracking rippled throughout, as lives were taken.
An unnatural blankness morphed on his face as he got lost in his thoughts, lips moving as though he may have been under a trance; smile losing its luster.
"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 would be glad to be rid of these memories. He was ready to forget, and start anew.
OOC
My character's name: Verusha Character's journal link:here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTERexcept a guy Rank of character apprentice-knight Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 1:34 pm
[ENTER - Koray]
This was it. The moment he wanted, looking up to Mordred. The Serpent...the Knight he recalled his village praising for most of his life. He looked up to this male, wanted to follow his footsteps above all others. This was his chance to show that his Ma and Pa, his brothers....he lowered his eyes as memories surfaced. With a jolt he turned his head to the box. Worried...would he lose the young man his Pa had raised. His Ma had loved...his brothers had teased...would he loose that feeling of love his family gave him. Still gave though they weren't standing by him anymore. Would he---the male shook his head. "Would if's" and doubt was something he had to cast aside now...this was for everything. Everyone.
A hand reaching up to ghost over the right side of his head where he received a scar in his flight. Stepping up to the box he made his pledge. Kneeling he sealed his fate...
"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." as the words fell from him like water. Once uttered the youth felt it like a wave of...just everything...
-They had heard of the Darkness detroying all. They were warned of the price that would be paid should they attempt to flee its reach. His Pa growled. "Damnable spirits! Boys get the horses. We're leaving now!"
He and his brothers were laughing around a wood pile. His elder brother having just said a interesting string of swear words earning a good whack from another. The others joined in laughing at his expense. Koray jumped as he heard their Father's harsh bark. That was odd...where were they going? A shared shrug and they saddled up. Their Mother had a pack for each of them. The family starting the flight to the kingdom. Koray was kept mostly unaware of the danger looming behind them, but he started feeling it as they went on. Soon shadows seemed to twist and he turned hearing screams behind them. Their villiage was in flames. Hearing one of his brothers swear their Father barked out. "Ride!!! We ride to the kingdom!!!"
With that the horses broke out into a full gallop. Koray knew their horses were some of the fastest in the village. There was nothing---his horse reared as a tree was slammed before them. Their Mother underneath. Koray heard one of his brothers scream. Turning as flames engulfed his vision. His steed took off, leaping over the fallen tree. A way ward branch whipping the side of his face as they landed. With a pined cry Koray's horse took off. A manner of a miracle as the youth watched in dismay as shadows engulfed his family. His eldest brother throwing a pendant of the serpent to him before a sad smile was all that was left.-
It was pain filled near scream which left him as the memories wicked away. The youth taking heaving breaths as his mind reoriented itself. A shaky hand came up to his head. Shock as he felt his right eye was now blind. Shaking his head he surmised that it was always like that or simply failed him over time. Standing the youth took a deep breath again. He was fine, he was a Apprentice-Knight now. Now, for everyone. He was going to end this Darkness. A cocky smile grew as he bowed to the Knights and Great King, turning the youth left for the others to pledge. Sure in himself and his goal.
OOC
My character's name: Koray Karga Character's journal link:Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Koray is tall, lanky with long dark blue hair. Eyes are mismatched now. Left is a deep azure blue, right is a murky blue gray. The right side of his face is covered with a wide banded eye patch due to blinding wounds sustained during his flight to safety. He usually can be found in a Violet tunic and dark breeches. Dark knee high riding boots. Usually has his hair up in a puffy ponytail to avoid it in his way. Ivory skin tone. Around his neck on a leather cord is a coiled up snake ready to strike. Rank of character apprentice-knight. Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
Oh sweet Merlin's beard! She was late! How is she going to be considered knight material if she was late to the ceremony! But then again, proper ladies were NEVER late to anything. They were always on time no matter what. So instead of calling herself late, she was......Fashionably late, meaning she was about to enter riiiiiight on time.
Yes, this would work.
stepping in line, Amy blew a stray strand of hair out of her face, trying to ignore the somber vibe she was getting from the soon to be knights around her. Sure there was evil about, but why waste time being sad when one should be excited for the aspect of the bloody battle that was just on the horizon! They will be given the means to avenge their fallen brethren, parents, and even children if they had any.
These were the thoughts Amy had as he line slowly pushed forward, her nerves slowly rising to the surface with each step she took. Gather yourself Amy! A lady never looses her composure! You're doing this for papa, Allen, Lance, and Edward. They didn't deserve to die the way they did! So buckle up and nut up! Papa wouldn't be sitting here about to crumble! Head up and be proud! The line kept pushing forward, Amy swallowed and held her head up high as she got closer and closer to the altar. What memories would she loose?
She never thought about that until she stepped up to the altar, shaking slightly before stomping her foot stubbornly, keeling before the mysterious box. This was it! No turning back from this point on! Swallowing, Amy lowered her head and took a deep 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."
She squeezed her eyes shut as she relived the night she lost her family all over again:
She was running from one of her brothers as they were playing a game of chase the rabbit. She was always the one that was named rabbit no matter how much she protested. She chalked it up to the fact that her brothers didn't want to get tackled by their baby sister. Well, it didn't matter, she would let them have that victory over her at the very least. As she continued to run through the forest, she started to feel....Off, like something was following her.
"AMY! MOVE!" It was Allen, but why was he telling her to move?--
A small tendril was quickly making its way towards her harm and malice radiating off of it. It took all of two seconds before Amy was able to gather her wits and run but it was two seconds to late, the tendril was about to puncture her shoulder. She closed her eyes, hopping for a swift death, to be reunited with her mother and older sister in heaven. She was ready.
Nothing happened and she opened her eyes only to see her older brother Allen in front of her, the tendril sticking out of the middle of his chest, his blood coating the sharp tip. She looked up with horror as her brother tried to form words, blood dribbling from his mouth. She brought a shaking hand up to her lips, backing away slowly.
"A-Amm---y....R......R---UUUUN!"
And run she did. She ran and ran until she reached her home, legs giving out from underneath her at the sight that greeted her. Flames, screams, and death was all she could see as shadowy creatures tore anything moving limb from limb. She had to get to her family! Papa! She had to go find him, make sure he was alright! "Papa! Lance! Edward!!!" They had to be alright! They needed to be for her sake!
She dodged and slipped past the monsters, earning some cuts on her arm where she was nicked by bushes from the forest as well as monsters that missed her. She was almost there! She could see the smoke rising from the chimney! Could it be that her father was alright? She hopped so.
Amy ran up to the house, throwing open the door with a smile and tears running along her face. "Papa! Papa! Allen---" a scream tore through her throat, how come she didn't see this as she came in? She sank to her knees, hands landing in a puddle of her own father's blood as she hung from the roof of their home by his entrails, his face permanently screwed with horror and fear. His sword was only a couple of feet away and she raced to grab it, raising up with a terrified scream as she charged forward. Towards the monster that was currently feasting on the remains of Lance, his hand still twitching with each crunch the monster made.
Before she could even make contact, she was pulled away, screaming as her vengeance was denied in the worst way. She raised her sword with a scream of rage, wanting to take out her fear and hurt on something. The unknown entity knocked the sword out of her hand, grabbing her around the waist kicking and screaming before she felt a stinging pain on the right side of her face, calming her down somewhat. It was a......knight?
"Listen to me young woman, do you want to avenge your family? Are you willing to pledge your loyalty to the king for as long as you live?"
She blinked away tears before swallowing, holding her head up high despite the feeling of loss and sorrow that held her mind captive, nodding stiffly.
"The come with us. Become a knight and eradicate the darkness that terrifies the innocent people of this land! Take vengeance for your family by serving the king!"
Amy wiped her face, standing straight and proud. A lady never looses her composure not matter what ails her. She will become a knight, she WILL have her vengeance and she WILL show NO mercy.
Edward was never found that day. Amy had automatically assumed the worst and moved forward, never forgetting what she set out to do.
She opened her eyes once more, feeling like a weight had lifted off of her shoulders, like she knew what she needed to do. She was now a knight-apprentice.
Time to kick some a**.
OOC
My character's name: Amy Character's journal link:Here<3 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER: Amy is a "classy" ladeh with thick, black and curly, hair worn in a braid down to her butt. She keeps it this way to keep it out of her way when training. Otherwise she wears it free. Her height is about 5'4 with a tanned bronze skin tone that comes from being in the sun far too much. She's usually pretty crass and vocal when the situation calls for it, otherwise she will appear to be everything a proper lady should be. Basically, you push her, she WILL punch you in the face while trying to make sure she doesn't get any blood on her uniform. :']
Rank of character: Knight-Apprentice Sacred Points obtained: 0/100
Other quotes go here!
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 2:54 pm
The longer Quillan waited, the more he figeted, shifting weight from one leg to the other and back again, and the more he wished he hadn't gotten in line in the first place. There seemed to be an endless number of people in front of him as well as behind him - was he really needed? He didn't think so, but the Great King had asked for everyone. Part of him wanted to believe that every little bit counted and that his efforts made a difference. Quillan also didn't have it in him to just walk away - his sense of duty was too great. While he was busy in thought, the numbers in front of him diminished and before he realized it, there was no one left and he was standing right in front of an enormous magical box. The box was much larger and more intimidating than he'd thought it would be, now that he was that close to it, as if he needed more reason to doubt his decision. Quillan knew what he had to do, but his confidence wavered. The boy bent down shakily into a kneeling position and recited the words to the pledge that was well embedded into his memory before he could change his mind.
"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."
With that, a scene played in his mind. It was a day just like the one he was physically in, and at first, the boy hadn't even noticed a change. But then, a high-pitched scream rang from somewhere behind him and past-him turned quickly around, only to see a sea of blood oozing from the mountain of dead bodies surrounding him. The stench of death hit him faster than the shock of seeing this scene once again with his eyes. Fear, sadness, anger flooded the boy and he knew he had to run, but to where? Why? Everyone he knew was probably dead, he had no where to go. He'd never felt so lost in his life. Unable to think clearly, part of him felt that he could take on the horsemen and exact his revenge, and the other part knew he would just be joining his friends and family if he did so. Not only was he physically weak, the horsemen and darkness were too powerful. He had to get stronger, and once he did, Quillan would be able to protect the few who remained. The memory he had tried so hard to ignore reminded him once again of why he was in line, of why he had come here in the first place, of how willing he was to sacrifice his own memories to help and be of service to the kingdom. Plus, maybe with his memories gone, he would finally be able to forget.
He was a knight apprentice now. He felt a bit disoriented and a bit confused, as if he'd forgotten something important, but the fragments - the feelings of what he'd lost - had remained. He got up from the kneeling position he was in, stretched his legs a bit, before looking around. He was going to be a knight now. He was going to fight back against the horsemen and the darkness that plagued the kingdom of Camelot. He was going to do ... something. He couldn't quite remember what it was but he was sure it would come to his mind later. But until then, he was going to start training to be a knight.
OOC
My character's name: Quillan Atramentis Character's journal link:[x] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Quillan has dark, messy hair that reaches his neck. His armor is very light or he would fall over from the weight. Rank of character Apprentice-Knight
Acheron looked around the hall, his shoulders hunched. He felt....out of place, holding his books and his scrolls - the last scraps of knowledge he'd saved from his home. They were probably useless but to Acheron they were the last lifeline to his past. And soon they would cease to be that, he realised. With his memories gone they would simply be scraps of paper - a collection of random trivia with no purpose. He swallowed, blinking back tears, but he stepped forward all the same.
It hurt, but it was for the best. He couldn't save his family, his village....but he could save those of the future. This was the point. Hope. He touched the violet sigil on his lapel.
Yes. For hope, he told himself as he recited the words.
Flashes of memory.
First innocent enough - baby hands and feet being kissed, toddling up to a giant horse, being taught to read, to write, to use a weapon.
But soon this idyll passes, and memories are hit with loss. First knights, uncles, friends. Then all too soon fire and darkness and death and all.
All is lost.
Hopeless.
Acheron blinks tears out of his eyes and wonders why he was crying.
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 3:21 pm
[ Qui ]
Uneasily he stood, rigid, and stiff, in line, awaiting his turn to pledge his allegiance to the box of the knights. Lips kept pressed firmly, eyes unwavering from their forward facing position, hardly ever even blinking. He kept his arms at his side at all times, hands balled into fists, his steps efficient, and steady as the line progressed. There was such an uncomfortable silence, besides the vow given to who ever was at the helm of the line, rattling off their promise.
Golden eyes were steeled, practically piercing through the backs of the heads in front of him. Like the rest of those here, he had been traumatized by what he'd seen, and went through, with the massacre to his hometown. It'd left him shaken to the core, to where he'd been altered tremendously from the terrifying episode. Everything kept on flashing before his very eyes, endlessly, like a wheel that never stopped turning...
Alas, it was his turn to speak the sacred words before the treasured box. Staring down at it, his jaw clenched, that firey hair framing his face only intensifying the defined feature.
He had nothing now.
This was all he was good for, now.
Happier, free, and jovial times began to somehow surface from the catacombs of his memories. Times when he'd been so confident, sprightly, and boisterous. A time he could hardly even remember now. It felt so long ago... the games he'd played, the work he'd done, the first time he'd felt the flutterings of attraction... And just as instantly, the screams and cries of his family's bodies being devoured and pierced took over, snapping him out of it. Fists tightening further, his lips finally broke from one another to part, and speak.
"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."
his voice was hoarse, as if not used for quite some time. But that wasn't important... he had a duty now, a purpose, and reason to keep going on.
OOC
My character's name: Quidel Character's journal link:here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTERthis Rank of character apprentice-knight Sacred Points obtained: ???/100
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Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 3:21 pm
Oliver listened to the speech with some trepidation. Thoughts raced through his mind, and he struggled to focus on the Great King’s words. Although he had already pledged himself to the code of the Stallion, even that much had brought him greater fear than it had a sense of purpose. Kindness and sincerity… There was not much else he could aspire to. He was a coward, but did that also make him a fake?
The boy leaned out from the line, and way up ahead he caught a glimpse of a familiar face, followed by two more. Horace and Harley, and Tommy. Oliver never expected to actually see them again, yet it seemed inevitable that they would end up here. They were as close as he had to friends, each one sweeping him along on this path towards becoming a knight apprentice in spite of his own protests. While they strode ahead, he meekly followed behind, perhaps lulled by the confidence they had in him. Oliver dared not lean out for too long, or risk appearing like a child when the task at hand called for the emulation of a knight. When he stood on tiptoes to peer out again, Horace was rising, having said his pledge. His friend didn’t glance back even for a second…
By the time it was his turn to approach the box, Oliver felt his stomach turn. It threatened to upend it’s contents entirely. He kneeled, swallowing hard. When he forgot… This person he had become would no longer exist… Maybe it was for the best.
“I-I pledge m-my service to the Great King and the Great Knights. I w-will uphold the Knight’s Code and protect this kingdom from the darkness.”
Suddenly the memories of his life came to him as they were pulled loose. That very first flight from the darkness, his mother telling him not to look back, slapping the hindquarters of the pony who had taken him safely away. Oliver had cried and looked back anyway. Years later, he saw the village that had become his safe haven put to the torch. He had cried then too, and hid until it was time to run. He had always been running, time and time again. And somehow fate had pitied him alone while others died around him.
As the last of his memories disappeared from his mind, Oliver thought perhaps it was for the best. In a way, death had finally come for that scared, running boy. Maybe the person who was left in his place would be able to become a real knight.
Oliver was surprised to feel his hands trembling. He slowly stood, and looked around, bewildered. Of course, there was no threat or danger here, yet he knew he would face enough of that in the time ahead. Maybe it was just an effect of the magic here, leaving him feeling shaky and ill.
That must be what it was, he thought, leaving to join the other knight trainees. It was like a clean slate, a fresh start. So why did he feel like such an imposter?
OOC
My character's name: Oliver Keeley Character's journal link: Here BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER A very young man of average height, with dark, unruly hair, pale, hesitant eyes, and a copious spattering of freckles across his nose and cheeks. He dresses very plainly and simply, and gives off a timid vibe. Rank of character Apprentice-knight ** DONT FORGET TO DISABLE YOUR SIG WHEN POSTING**
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 3:31 pm
Amrita held no hesitation.
She knelt when it was her turn to kneel, and said the words she was supposed to say. The only thing left for her was here with her, after all. Everything she had, she had already lost, save for that one. There was nothing left for her to cling to, or hold out hope for. She would take whatever came next, and hopefully be the better for it. It was better than the alternative.
"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."
--
Fear. She remembered being terrified. She remembered running. Chaos. Screams. Oh, lord, those screams. The horrified, the pained, the anguished, the clash of steel, the shout of orders, the wet thuds, all rising together in a horrible symphony. She took a sword off of a fallen guard, and continued running, searching for something, searching for him.
When she found him, he was on the warpath to the barricade: she couldn't let him do that. Not him.
She grabbed his arm, stammered her quick apologies, and led him away from the fray with a quickly thought up lie.
One day, she hoped he would forgive her for it.
--
The memories eased away, leaving her with a strange sense of calm.
She straightened up, bowed to her superiors, and then left with the others, allowing someone else to take her place in front of the curious box.
Quote:
My character's name: Amrita Baital Character's journal link: Somewhere BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER See Avatar Rank of character Apprentice-Knight
Honestly, he had let the line filter in front of him for a bit, standing out of the way as he pondered the question. One's memories for the chance to hold a blade high for his kingdom, against the darkness. It seemed like a high tale, admittedly, but he figured there wasn't really much more that someone could make up on this.
One would have considered it a little far fetched, but there it was, a giant box full of magic that he was told to fear since childhood. It smoked and churned, promising strength for his kingdom, and (hopefully) banish the darkness that threatened it. Eldrid found it hard to really see any kind of way that this could be a hoax - now - at least.
It was safe to say, that this little apprentice was a skeptic from birth. Don't even get him started on the fact that he would lose . . . himself.
Could he do it?
He couldn't think about it too much more, as his place in the line had come up, and he stared at the large box that stood before him. If he walked away, he could live a normal simple life, trying his hardest to just . . . exist, or he could continue further, and become a hero (of a sort), or at least a helping hand.
Eh.
Why not.
Leaning down on a knee, he looked up at the magical box, giving it a stern look. He knew the words - they said it almost every day. May as well make something about 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."
He couldn't turn back now, he promised himself to the knights. As soon as the words escaped his mouth, he suddenly felt the familiar weight on his body, a memory that he tried to dash away - a hurt that was still down, deep down in his heart. Guess you couldn't shield anything, right? Grimacing a little, he tried to place his hand in front of his eyes as the thought of his homeland flowed through again, that bitter feeling he tried to suppress, the loss of everything he had.
His family had been a humble group of blacksmiths - a proud job that was carried through the generations - and had been working towards offering his own hands to the people who needed it - ultimately hoping he could take his wares to the knights. In fact, he had always wondered by his parents had never really taken sides.
Leave it to the walking plague to teach him a lesson on trying to further himself and his family.
They had come, in droves, storming through, and working their way through the families - destroying lifelines and families gone so far back that they had earned their surnames in their works. The horsemen had trampled them right through, leaving the young man all to himself, picking up the pieces of his home, his history and the family that he had just lost.
With a sigh, he allowed the memory to rest, feeling it dissolve away like the sands of time, disappearing in to the nothingness that his memories had started to feel.
A void.
Such a comfortable void. It both confounded him, and comforted him, at the same time. It was like . . . something. Sleeping maybe, or just between waking and rest, at least.
What was he thinking about again?
Did it even matter? They had something to work towards, and work he definitively would do.
Posted: Wed May 06, 2015 5:06 pm
Noah wrapped his arms around himself as he watched Corbin step up to the box. He was afraid, and it didn't help to know that he was going to forget that he was afraid; he would forget everything else, too, and he didn't know what he would be without his memories. There wasn't any other choice, not really. But he didn't like it. This wasn't how he wanted to become a knight. There were many things he'd wanted that he wouldn't get.
Corbin's eyes passed across him without recognition as his friend turned away from the box, and Noah's chest ached. They'd known each other for years, and to be looked at like a stranger hurt.
It was his turn, now. His doubts and fears wouldn't hold him back from doing what he had to. ""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."
Flame and smoke, and the beams of the great hall were falling with great cracking sounds, and it was hard to breathe. The air seared his throat, and the flames reached hungrily toward them. Beneath the smell of burning wood was the smell of burning flesh. Everyone else was dead, and they would be dead too if they couldn't get out of the hall --
The images slipped away, like minnows between too-slow fingers. A weight lifted away from Noah, and as he rose he found that he didn't know why his throat was sore. That would pass, he was sure. His hand was curled around a pendant that hung from his neck, a wooden disc carved with the image of a bird, and as he moved away from the box he looked at it with curiosity, wondering what it meant.
OOC
My character's name: Noah Andersen Character's journal link:Chapter journal / Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Tall and skinny, with light skin, messy brown hair and green eyes. He dresses in loose breeches with a tunic and knee-high leather boots, and wears a belt with many pouches for herbal ingredients. His usual weapon is a bardiche. Rank of character Apprentice-Knight
The air was stale as the sound of coughing and choking sang in a disorderly song, blood seeped through the bandages as hands reached out tugging at the long black robe. The scent of rotting flesh still lingered on his clothes as Matthias stood in the hall, the Great King barely even audible as thoughts still scrambled through his mind. There had been little he could do, he had tried everything to help his father and yet there was nothing they could have done. There was still numbness in his fingers as he thought about it, the point that had driven him to finally take the last step and plunge into the darkness.
His mother had begged him not to do it, but there was little a corpse could do now. All of her words fallen on deafening ears, the only thing he could do now was fight.
People started to shuffle as the Great King finished his words, the seven knights in their distinct colors all ready to do battle in order to save the kingdom. There was little to lose for Matt at this point, either he continued to do what he could and protect those who were unable to defend themselves or succumb to the end. Everyone went up, each one pausing as they stood in front of chest saying their vows as their vows and walking away with a look of ease on their faces. Doubt ran like wildfire in Matthias’s mind as he wondered about the idea of giving up his memories, everything would be forgotten, his sister, parents, the death, the smell. The same smell that kept lingering on his clothes, inescapable, unavoidable. Would he still feel the need to have vengeance or would his anger melt away?
Soon it was his turn, doubt grew as the hum of magic radiated from the chest but his feet kept walking forward. Pausing he knelt down and nodded to the seven knights before looking at the chest his heart pounding in his ears. Getting to his feet everything in the room seemed to grow deathly silent, the scent of decay still lingering, as the beating in his ears grew erratic.
”I, Matthias Duffy, 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."
For a moment he could still see the chest, but it grew blurry and began to fade away as the sound of crackling fire snapped in the darkness.
“There’s more to add to the fire, as soon as we can find the able bodies we will move them from the halls but…. Most of everyone is either dead or have fled in fear. They said the Belcroft has already fallen to the shadows. We…we should leave…” The voice spoke as a figured moved standing next to the thin frame of his father. It was the blacksmith from the town; a rather hefty fellow but time had worn away even at this frame as the rubbed the thinning hands over one another. A grim look flashed upon his father’s face as Matthias got to his feet walking towards them.
“We can’t… we can’t just leave them all here,” his voice cracking as he looked over at the pale figure lying in a pair of woman’s arms, the scared face of his own sister.
“And do what? There is nothing else we can do if we stay here we are going to die like the whole lot of them.” The blacksmith growled as his father rubbed his forehead, a cough echoed in the hall before the familiar echo of a death rattle followed not far behind.
“Look, we should burn what is left and leave, there is nothing else we can do. Get what you can in supplies; whatever is left whatever we can carry. We leave in morn until then we will burn the rest of the bodies and…. Whoever can’t walk we will have to leave behind.” As he spoke the blacksmith looked over his shoulder as if to avoid Matthias’s darken gaze. With a heavy foot he left leaving the two standing there, Matthias feeling as if the entire world was crumbling apart.
His father shuffled towards his sister picking her up and wrapping her in his arms. “Dad…. I am ok…. I can.. walk.. please..” Matthias watched as a tear rolled down his father’s cheek before looking at him.
“You will go tomorrow Matthias. Don’t question me, please I beg of you don’t argue. Go. I will stay here with the rest I will do what I can and when I can I will follow behind.” He turned his back to Matthias, his sister’s blue eyes piercing as the tears started to roll down on to his father’s shoulder.
Matthias just stood there the world going black again.
OOC
My character's name: Matthias Character's journal link:Chapter Journal BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF MY CHARACTER Long black hair, shaved on one side, wearing blue, white clothing with grey armor. Rank of character Knight Apprentice Sacred Points obtained: 0/100
