A Harts last Beat

[oobilytoob]

[Many of you may not know me or even remember me, but I felt as though Hart deserved a dignified end, not to be simply strung along, and so.. to anyone who doesnt know the character Hart well or at all, much of this wont make too much sense, but if wanted I can provide his backstory]


Hart walked into Hydlaa after what had seemed to be a lifetime. Looking around He remembered the base of the city, yet it all seemed slightly alien to him, it was all different somehow. The sights, the feel, this was no longer the Hydlaa he knew, but the same as the far off lands that he had been for so long. 

With his since darkened and sunken eye’s, hidden from the moonlight by his loose fitting cloak, Hart scanned the horizon atop one of the hills just outside of the city whilst leaning on a singular tree, his eyes fell upon the guild house he had called a home some time ago, the simple sight of it bringing a small smile to his lips which was a rare occurrence since he had left. The feeling of kin and friends alike, rushing back to him as he set off down the hill with the cloak trailing behind him.

Hart arrived at the Guild house with his now subconsciously silent steps. Looking up and down, he decided not to disturb anyone possibly residing in it, climbing the fence and side of the house he made his way up to the roof. He stopped for a moment looking up into the sky and then he lowered himself from the other side and opened up the window with care noticing a very well hidden trap and smiled to himself as he disarmed it, climbed in and then rearmed it again to the welcoming darkness.

Looking around he noticed that even the Guild house had changed since his leaving. As he turned to inspect it all and not knowing which door was what, he settled on taking a place in one of the corner rafters planks where he fell asleep, this also being the first time he had done so since leaving, not meditation, but falling soundly and contently asleep.

Hart woke some hours before dawn and not wanting to trouble any of the guild left again silently through a window. As he walked the streets of Hydlaa searching for a particular face his face grew more haggard as the day wore on and still there was no sign or even talk of his sister from those he questioned. Yet although the day proved not to be fruitful, it was not completely uneventful. While roaming the streets Hart’s gaze came across the likes of Haraun, who looked older and more refined, a proud smile swept across his face as he saw what a strong looking warrior his once junior kin now seemed.

In the late evening He saw a familiar shadow upon an old rooftop that he would sit on in times passed. As he recognized the face, his heart skipped a beat and had to turn away as a feeling of detest and guilt washed over him like a sudden illness. He had never forgiven himself for leaving everyone and certainly Shurrim to embark on his selfish quest. It took all of his will turn walk off in the other direction with a steady pace and not simply run either to her or back to the shadows as the feeble fool he was.

He turned the closest corner behind the houses just past the old smith, Harnequist’s shop and slid down the wall, shaking as he knew he home for so long was so close and yet his last rest the night before would likely be his last. For if he announced himself to any of his kin, the coming task would be too hard to bear.

He lay there for the night, simply staring the paved stone, running everything over in his head, struggling with the choices he was to make and the possibilities of it all. It was midmorning by the time that he realized that he was snapped out of his daze by some children playing off to his right, around the trees. He stood up and stretched momentarily and sighed at the children playing before slowly walking off, his head hanging.

He made his way to one of the messengers and posted a letter that he had kept with him for the past few months. Feeling a weight lift from his shoulders as soon as he handed it over and he watched the messenger make his way east. He spun on the spot and froze as he saw Ralas, cheerfully grinning, drink in hand sitting with his legs dangling in the water of the fountain. Hart wanted to go and surprise his old friend, to just sit next to him, act like nothing had happened in all this time and have one of their talks... clenching his fists he turned to his right and made his way up to the high plate of Hydlaa sitting on the edge, opposite the houses from the Guild House, simply wanting to be near to it.

As he turned his head around the corner to see the courtyard in front of the house he saw Ayshe sitting with Miaua, Hassadria and Dilphemor.  Hart dug his claws into the palm of his hand until blood speckled them. It was harder each time he saw someone, hard not to simply walk back in, being part of the kin, the family. He threw himself off of the ledge not completely focusing and landed hard on the roof below, slipping and rolling off its eaves. Landing on the ground, one knee bit into the paving and he cursed himself while rubbing his knee and slightly limping off.

He made his way to the tavern to remind himself of the finer things that Hydlaa could produce. He flicked a few extra Tria for the drink so as the bartender would forgive his mysterious demeanor. Hart took the drink and tied it to the inside of his cloak. Reaching the rooftop near the Tavern that he would spend hours sitting upon he unstopped the flask and took a mouthful of the acrid liquor, the fumes leaving him a touch light headed for a moment. He grinned and stopped the flask once again, placing it next to him, he had before sworn never to touch the liquor but this was to be a memorable night.

Throughout the night, he reveled in his memories of the time since he had come to this city, the warm embrace by Ayshe into The Felines Lair and his time within its walls, the people he had met, who made this mass of stone metal and wood a place to call a home. As the drink wore down so too did his restraint on himself.

After he had finished the drink, not being drunk but still not in complete reign, he made his way to the steps of the Guild House. His hand raised and moved to knock on the large doors but stopped just before reaching them in a sudden moment of clarity. He could not disturb them; he tracked around to the side and slowly looked into the main chamber through a lower window. He would not disturb them
 they most likely thought him already dead. Perhaps it was better if they knew no different. He smiled happily as he looked in at them going about their business and he climbed up to the window that he had previously entered two nights before. Opening the window he reached inside of his cloak to his arm holsters and pulled out one of his kunai, he contemplated it in the reflective moonlight and with one claw engraved a single word into it and then struck it neatly into the sill beside the trap, closed the window and walked off into the darkness to fall into a deep meditation upon the roof tip facing the temple.

Hart came to his senses and returned to full consciousness the next morning as he expected to have a very special visit today. Hart bought a small chunk of bread and some cheese, finishing it swiftly and sighing in relief for the simplicity of buying food once again. He made his way back up to the hill to stand underneath the same tree he had leant on, on seeing no one was coming; he turned to look over Hydlaa again and smiled slightly but couldn’t help feel sorrow that he had not found his sister.

“It’s funny, to think of all the people in this realm, I should receive a letter from you” a deep voice with a poison edge called out. Hart turned around to see the cream coloured fur and the square face of a rich so called ‘business’ man by the name of Alpha, who was accompanied by two of his suited guards as usual.
Hart grinned his snide grin behind his mask “Stranger things have happened...” his eyes flashed as his past with Alpha returned to his mind.
“What is it that is so important you would call me, the person who has looked for you and your death for so long?” boasted Alpha in his gloating tone.
Hart, silent for a moment looked up into Alpha’s eyes “Answers...”
Alpha, laughing hollowly looked down his nose and grinned “Alright, I can guess what it concerns, but why not entertain me?”
Hart’s jaw clenched “My brother; Muot, I have searched this long and found no more then traces
 I must find him
”
Alpha let out a mirthless laugh into the sky and looked down darkly “You still haven’t realized all this time, you’re a greater fool then I ever took you for.” He rubbed his chin contemplatively “Alright I’ll tell you. He’s dead and has been for many a year.”
Harts face dropped and eyes widened in silent shock.
“He found his way to me the day before I arrived at the village after its little ‘accident’” Alpha continued “I sent him back with one of my guards and there they kept him, for I found him a far way from the village unconscious and told him that everyone in it had died except a few and I might be able to help him find you
 if he worked for me. Would you believe it? That little fool believed me.”
Harts jaw further clenched as did his fists.
Alpha gazed at Hart and noticed, bringing a smirk to his face, going on with his tale “I saw that he had some talent and sent him on a mission, does this ring a bell
? Anyway, on the first that he went on, it was one of the
 darker ones, I sent him to kill a man’s wife who was with child.” Alpha’s eyes now burned into Hart’s “I think it was at the same time I sent you out on your first as well, but you actually completed yours, simply being a theft I didn’t think you would fail, but your brother
 perhaps it was too much first up, but I thought he had it in him. I was wrong evidentially.”
Harts eyes flared but he kept silent, thinking over how soft hearted and carefree his brother was compared to himself.
“Muot couldn’t go through with it, the man beat him within an inch of death and sent him back. From that moment on, I saw that you could be used to do what I needed but this... weakling would not be of any aid, so... I killed him. I knew you being the fool would be blind to all this and do as you were told if there was any promise, but you surprised me that day... I sent many to find you, but you made sure you hid well after that first incident... what was her name
 Ruby?”
The fury now rising up in Hart was becoming almost intolerable.
“I have found out much about you since you so recklessly returned back to Hydlaa a few days ago, I had slight word you had been there for some time, long ago, So I set up some spies to make sure, and one saw you sneaking around a house for most of the time
Felines Lair... is it?” Alpha grinned from ear to ear “Oh, no need to worry about them, after I have dealt with you... I will make sure each and every one is hunted down and put to a torturous death. No one harbors one from me without consequence.”
Hart snapped out in a roar “You use me to do your dirty work in hope of finding my brother, and after hiding from you all this time
 you had him killed before I even started my search. Now you plan to take what I have made my family from me... not again, I won’t allow it!”

Hart ducked down and reached into his robes and flinging them open sent a flurry of kunai into the two guard’s necks, heads and chests both fell with a thud. Alpha raising a broad arm and blocking the three sent at him with a metal arm band. Alpha grinned “And so it gets interesting” reaching to his back drawing a large katana and readied himself. Hart untied his cloak, letting it fall to the ground around his ankles, revealing his same old outfit, although now both sleeves had been torn off and the diamond armor under the frayed Gi was scratched and worn to a degree. Drawing a daikatana roughly the same size as Alpha’s weapon, for Hart was not as large as him. Looking quizzically at the weapon Alpha asked “I thought you used your father’s swords
”
Hart grinned “I do, I had them melded into one, don’t worry, they work just as well.” and crouched momentarily, leaping forwards cleaving the weapon overhead. Alpha, caught of guard was forced back a step but returned a hard strike which sent Hart flying backwards, turning in the air, he managed to land on his feat and took a run at Alpha, an inferno now burning in his eyes. Just before they clashed, Hart rolled under the swing and swung to strike him along the Achilles Tendon, there was a strange metal clash and Alpha turned to look down at Hart “you really think I would fall for that move of yours?” and swung from the ground upwards mainly striking the sword but also slicing along the shoulder and chest, sending Hart rolling. Slowly getting back up hart charged again, ducking under a horizontal carve and striking his opponent across one hip. Alpha let out a growl and swung vertically down with all his might, even though blocking it, the blade managed to carve slightly into his collar and sink to the bone. Hart bared his teeth and leapt back now tired. Taking a breath he charged one way and then leapt the other to strike to solid Enki from the same hip again up to his left armpit. Alpha let out another growl and spun faster than Hart expected, carving across both of his legs and then kicking him back. Hart fell hard on the ground and got up with shaking knees and took a few painful steps and swung out but Alpha quickly took a step back and then lunged again stabbing through Harts left arm, letting out a roar Hart stepped back a couple paces. He didn’t know how he was going to beat Alpha, he had always been a match when Hart was in his peak but he was far from it at present. He would not let him get passed him, he couldn’t, if he did, there is no knowing what would happen to his family.

In a moment of clear sightedness Hart realized what must happen, he took his first shaky steps and then gradually charged at Alpha making obvious movements and as he came close to his target, Alpha stabbed straight though Hart’s mid section, though Hart did not stop, he forced the blade all the way through him till he was almost at the hilt. With his injured left arm, Hart tore off his mask and used it to grip the side of the blade that was sticking out of his back.
“Guess I won’t be needing this anymore
” With the dark grin etched into his face, blood running from the corner of his mouth. With his other hand he thrust the daikatana into Alpha’s stomach and tore it upwards until it reached his ribs and would not go further.
Alphas face was racked with pain and surprise as he fell backwards, dead before he hit the ground.
Hart stumbled backwards, looked down and painfully pulled out the sword from his stomach and threw it to the ground. Taking another step back he fell, his sword landing next to him. Looking up he could see the light between the trees leaves and smiled as one fell and flew off into the distance, he noticed the cloth in his hand and drew it up, looking at the mask, his mask. It had hidden him all these year but now it felt as a dead weight, something tainted and wrong. He threw it from him and looked back up at the sky. Thinking over his family he felt at peace, He would now finally find his brother, his strict father and loving mother, but mostly felt at peace he could protect his kin family from the monster that had torn apart and killed his own. And as the darkness closed over his eyes, the last though that went through his mind was the message that he had inscribed on a certain kunai that he left for someone.

“Live.”


[Edit: fixed up spelling and grammatical errors as it was written between 12zm and 4am]

[Mathy Stockington]

This is an excellent story. I for one would love to read more about your character’s history. I commend you for your talents to write such a well-written story.

* Mathy Stockington curtsies with respect.

[Duraza]

I'll miss you Hart. Was fun whiel it lasted. Though I was the one who should have killed you 

[Ralas]

Ralas is idly wandering around Hydlaa in search of something to do when he hears the commotion.  After a few moments, He finds the spot where the two corpses lie.  One of them is a complete stranger, but the other one


“Hart!” he gasps “no!”  He leans over the body of his old friend, long Nolthrir hair in his face as he weeps.  After a time he clears the hair from his face and looks up to see a strange, almost feral Enkidukai who appears to be waiting his turn to mourn.  Ralas nods to the stranger, rises, and wanders off to go be alone with his thoughts, face still moist.

Kittik looks the body over to be sure it is who he thinks it is.  All those years ago
he had been so immature.  And then horrible things had happened, driving him to madness allowing for only brief moments of clarity such as this one.  He had always dreamed that Hart would come back, and that on that day he would ask to be trained.  He had imagined being Hart’s protĂ©gĂ©, and learning all that Hart knew.  Now this day would never come.

This clarity subsides as dark clouds of madness again creep over his brain.  He runs to the East Gates of Hydlaa, growling illegibly.  He pauses for a moment at the gates, then runs off into the wilderness.

[you have been and will continue to be missed, my friend.]