PlaneShift
Fan Area => Roleplaying (Communitive Storywriting) => Single Author Stories => Topic started by: Jedi on September 18, 2003, 10:21:37 pm
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This FanFic is in part a celebration of my race change. I am now a human male, for those of you that don\'t know.
Enjoy :D
The Test of the Jedi
?The utter pointlessness of struggle is only accentuated by the lack of meaning in the cause. People will only fight for what they believe in.? ~ Jedi
Chapter 1
Jedi dodged as the whistling tip of the blade came slashing at him, it?s brutal slice carving the air where he had moments before stood. He whipped his staff around quickly, twirling it through his fingers, and aimed a blow into the opening left by his opponent?s reckless swing. The man turned his head and the end of the staff flew harmlessly by, brushing his hair.
The man stumbled back out of Jedi?s range, breathing heavily, and took up a defensive stance, left foot forward, arms straight, sword held at waist level. He shook his head to the side, clearing his long blonde bangs from his eyes. Sweat was pouring down the man?s face, leaving winding rivulets of smooth skin among the dirt. His cold, calculating blue eyes watched Jedi?s every move, searching for a weakness in his defence.
The man wore a tight white undershirt, having doffed his heavier dress shirt for the battle. The undershirt was cut off at the arms and the thin material was soaked through with his sweat, rendering it more brown than white. Underneath, the man?s muscles were clearly visible. The tails of his shirt were tucked neatly into a pair of baggy, white pants. The pants had no pockets, and, too, were stained from his physical exertion. They tapered down and were folded into smart-looking, black leather boots. His biceps bulged from years of practice with his heavy steel blade. His crop of bright blonde hair was parted down the middle and hung low on either side, emphasizing his keen face. All in all, he struck an imposing figure.
Jedi, on the other hand, was not so large. His thin, wiry frame belied his physical strength and acrobatic expertise. His hazel brown eyes squinted menacingly from under dark eyebrows. His short, spiked, black hair gleamed in the sun, greased by his sweat. He wore a tight black shirt and loose black pants. His polished black leather boots gleamed when they could be seen under his long, black trench coat. The overcoat was always left unbuttoned, often billowing out in little gusts of wind. This was not of arrogance, but more convenience. Summer was in full force and the days could often get very hot. When left open, not only did it provide him with even a minimal breeze, but it also allowed him easy access to the weapons on his belt. There were five darts, each in their own leather slip, a water flask, and an ornate dagger emblazoned with an extravagant gold worked ?J?. Though he was proficient with each weapon in his possession, he rarely used them, preferring to stick with his hardened wooden staff.
Tipped on both ends with solid steel caps, the staff had served him well for many years. He had a long history with staffs. He had lived most of his life in his small town of Ganemede and soldier patrols had frequently passed through on their rounds of the countryside. Sometimes they stayed the night, a very popular event back then. When they did, the soldiers would often gather in the town square when it was getting late and, much to the delight of everyone in town, tell stories of their adventures. Whenever these events took place there was rarely a person within five miles who didn?t show up. Sometimes, the soldiers would even pull out their weapons and, carefully, let the children see them. After that, they usually waved their weapons around in a little demonstration of how they were used and, on very rare occasions, would perform mock battles for the awestruck audience. This is what Jedi always looked forward to. Ever since he was young, he had always been fascinated by the grace, speed, and skill with which some of the soldiers could wield their wooden staffs. He would sit in thunderstruck silence as the men effortlessly twirled their weapons through intricate patterns. Usually they were moving so fast that all Jedi could see was a blur. He imagined that the damage they dealt must be devastating, especially at that speed. Unfortunately, staffs were not a very popular weapon among the soldiers at the time and so he was also taught a grudging respect for bladed and ranged weapons, most specifically the daggers, long swords, and longbows.
Along with his darts and dagger, Jedi also carried his long sword. It was a modest weapon; there was nothing overly fancy about it. At first, he had been somewhat unimpressed with it, but after years of use he had come to respect it for its subtle power. The blade, though unremarkable, was strong and true, always kept razor-sharp. He rarely let anyone see it. His opponent wielded it at the moment.
The two men duelled on an open patch of grass atop a short cliff overlooking Ganemede. The area was part of a winding trail that followed the cliff edge and was walled off ten feet in by fledgling foliage. The sun was high and warm, shedding golden light over the small battle arena. The grass had been trampled down in a rough circle where countless steps had written out the flow of the fight.
It had been going on for hours, an endless dance of energy backed by buckets of salty sweat. It was a drill, a practice session, but both sides knew that if they did not give their full attention to the task, they could easily end up dead.
Jedi twirled his staff back around, bringing it to a ready position. He had been trained well; He rarely went on the offensive. Better, he thought, to let your adversary tire himself out with the exertion of the attack. That way he could bide his time, waiting for the end, and calmly deliver the final blow to the weakened foe.
The man, Jarred by name, took a quick, deep breath and lunged again into a full force flurry of stabs and slashes.
Jedi danced backed, parrying where he could, dodging when the blade would have cleaved his staff in two. He patiently waited throughout the tirade for the right moment. At last it came.
Jarred lunged, sword thrust far forward, in a last ditch effort to stick Jedi on the tip of his blade. Jedi sidestepped and leaned far out, sliding his hands down the shaft of the staff. With all his might he brought it down hard on the flat of the blade.
Jarred cried out in pain and fell to his knees, dropping the sword, its blade still ringing. Jedi, too, stumbled back, the violent vibration of his wooden staff chaffing his hands. He was determined not to let his pain show. Now was his chance. His enemy was disarmed. Quickly regaining his footing, Jedi brought the end of the staff whistling around aiming it squarely at the back of Jarred?s neck. At the last second, the steel tip stopped, hovering mere centimetres behind the base of Jarred?s skull.
Jarred froze and slowly turned. His eyes widened when he saw how close it had been to taking his head off. He looked back into Jedi?s eyes, a ghost of fear etched on his face.
?You?re dead.? Jedi said in a low, commanding voice.
The moment dragged on for several moments then a broad smile split Jarred?s face and he broke out laughing, ?That was good.?
?I killed you. How do you figure that?s good?? but Jedi couldn?t help grinning. He lowered the staff and with a fancy twirl, shoved it into its sheath on his back. ?That was good, though. I almost thought you were going to skewer me with that crazy lunge of yours.?
Jarred chuckled. He picked up the fallen long sword and got to his feet. He went to retrieve its scabbard at the edge of the clearing, giving Jedi?s shoulder a hearty clap, ?Yes, sir. You?ve definitely improved since you came back from your journey.?
Jedi followed the big man and took the scabbard, sword inserted, when Jarred offered it. He reattached it to his belt while his friend pulled his dress shirt over his head, covering his sweat-drenched undershirt.
Jedi looked up at the sky, ?It?s kind of early to call it a day. I?d say there?s still four hours left, at least. Want to go again??
Jarred paused with his arm half poking into of his sleeve. He thought about it for a moment then declined with a shake of his head and pulled his shirt all the way on, ?No, there will be plenty of time tomorrow. Besides, I?m too tired to fight again.?
Jedi nodded and picked up his pack, swinging it over his shoulder, ?Come on, then. We might as well go home. Besides, Tomas wanted to see me today. I probably shouldn?t have left it this late; He?s going to chew my head off.?
Jarred smirked his agreement as he shouldered his own pack and followed Jedi down the path along the cliff edge, ?If he doesn?t overburden you with some ridiculous errand, why not come to the pub tonight??
Jedi frowned over at his friend, ?Don?t be silly, Jarred. You know I don?t drink.?
Jarred lifted his hands in defence, ?No, no. I didn?t mean you had to actually drink anything. Just come and, you know, chum around with the guys. Come on, you just got back last week after how many years abroad? Ten? All your old pals are dying to hear about it. Please??
Jedi considered this as he made his way through the light foliage that covered the ground. Finally, he agreed. Not that it really mattered. If memory served, he doubted he?d get off easy. Especially where Tomas was concerned. People always seemed to be piling their problems on him, wanting him to do their work for them. He didn?t mind. It helped him keep his mind off the past, helped him forget. And anything that made him forget was more than welcome.
Comments are welcome, of course. :D Criticism? That\'s good too.
Chapter 2 in progress.
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Race change, eh? Sounds like a complicated and costly procedure...
Anyway, you\'ve got a good writing style there. Writing good and easy to follow action sequences is difficult, but you did quite well.
Bah, with all these good storys coming out, makes me want to quit work on my crappy one.
Good luck with future chapters.
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Now the story is good :P but i donno wht the topic sound like \"star wars\" :)
Adn grak dont give up or i have to scrach u :P
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Lol. Thanks, guys. :D Don\'t give up, Grak. Practice makes perfect. ;)
Hey, Kyosan. Who\'s that in your sig? I have some pictures of her, but I don\'t know who she is.
Chapter 2 is coming along nicely.
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Chapter 2
?To us, reality is based solely on our perception of it.?~ Jedi
Jedi pulled his cloak up around his shoulders and dashed out of his tent into the torrential downpour. The pelting rain came down in a roaring flood, turning the world into a watery grey blur. His cloak was immediately soaked through, becoming a lead weight on his back, but he strode on purposefully, ignoring the drenching shower. Soldiers moved past, going about their duty, inky blots moving among the larger, darker blots that were the wagons and tents.
Jedi made his way through the camp. He kept his head up, despite the rain. He didn?t want his men to think he was so weak as to bow to the elements. He ploughed on through the deluge making his way to the command tents not far away. In the rain he almost feared getting lost, the downpour was so thick. A man appeared out of the grey and, recognizing him, fell into stride beside him.
The man had to yell to be heard over the torrent, ?Sir! The Sixth Legion just got back from the Headway! Captain DeGracy said he needed to see you immediately!?
Jedi nodded in the gloom, ?Tell him I?m at the Command Tent!?
The man bobbed his head in affirmation and turned to leave, but Jedi snagged his shoulder plate and turned him back, ?Also, if you see Mampshire or Kitara, tell them to go there as well!?
The man saluted and vanished into the water fog.
Jedi turned and continued on. Before long he found the tent and entered, gratefully taking off his drenched cloak and throwing it over the metal mesh near the fire pit where it could begin to dry. Running a hand back through his hair he shook his head to get as much water off as he could. Finally he slogged over to the large wooden table in the middle of the room. It was covered in maps of all sizes, detailing many areas of Hamanara.
Several minutes later Captain DeGracy lumbered into the small tent, traipsing mud onto the rough temporary flooring. He took off his oiled cloak, hung it on the stand by the fire, and made his way to the table.
Jedi straightened and smiled, ?Glad to see you?re alive, Captain.?
Captain Martin DeGracy grinned in return and clasped Jedi?s outstretched arm, ?It?s good to be alive, General. I almost didn?t make it. We had a hell of a ride through the Chisel. Damn Tallics put up one nasty resistance column.?
Jedi pointed the man to the bench on one side of the map table and took the opposite one himself, ?Tell me about it.?
The Captain nodded his thanks and stepped into the seat. He slid his gloves off and set them on the edge of the table away from the maps. Finally, he pointed to a spot on the large map. The area showed a shallow plain bisecting a large mountain range that stretched back to both sides of the map, looking like nothing so much as a huge arrow. ?Headway? was printed neatly on the plain.
?The Sixth Legion fought their way through the Headway up to Drun.? He moved his finger up to rest beneath a small dot representing the little town. ?We fortified there and managed to send our detachment into the Westhead Swamp. The Seventh Legion that was supposed to be covering our flank on the east,? DeGracy looked up to make sure Jedi was paying attention, ?never showed up.?
Jedi frowned, ?What do you mean they never showed up? Didn?t you meet them at Cook??
?Yes, sir. We rendezvoused when we were supposed to, but that was the last time we saw of them.?
?Hmmm, that?s definitely a bad sign.?
The Captain nodded, ?Knowing Commander Cohen, I?d say so.?
Jedi flexed his jaw muscles. Commander Cohen was on of his best men. He and Lieutenant Shafer were supposed to have led the Seventh Legion Up the east side of the Planara River to provide cover for DeGracy. The whole thing was staged to look like just another frontal attack, but this time both the Sixth and Seventh Legion had been tasked with the responsibility of covertly sneaking a special attack division into the swamps on their respective sides. They were then to feign defeat and withdraw. Somewhere along the line, though, something had gone terribly wrong. It was not like Cohen to be late, let alone when lives are at stake. This was frightening news indeed.
Jedi pushed those concerns to the side, ?So, you had no cover from the east and you were attacked. Am I right??
The Captain sighed, ?Yes, that?s about the size of it.?
Jedi ran a hand back through his hair. This was bad, ?How many men did we lose??
DeGracy had to have known the question was coming, but he still looked decidedly uncomfortable. Finally, he rested an arm on the table, ?About thirty thousand.?
Jedi was stunned. The staggering number of dead was almost unheard of. The entire Legion was only fifty thousand strong. That was a crippling blow.
Anger started to seep into Jedi?s voice, ?How did that happen, Captain? By our last reports the Tallic siege fort only had seventy thousand men.?
DeGracy grimaced at the inflection on his title, but he seemed to have expected this reaction, ?Those reports were wrong.?
?Oh, really? And how many Tallics did you really encounter??
The Captain looked away, ?By my count, approximately three hundred thousand.?
Jedi sat back shocked, ?But, the last report was less than a week ago??
?I know, sir.?
?Then where the hell did they come from? Last time I checked, two hundred and thirty thousand units appearing out of nowhere was considered an impossibility! The things are 5 meters tall, for grace sake! How the hell did we miss them??
The Captain wouldn?t meet Jedi?s eyes, ?I don?t know, sir.?
Jedi stood and let out an exasperated sigh. He walked to the hearth and ran a hand through his hair again. Today was definitely not his day. Outside the incessant rain drummed it?s depressing concurrence. It wasn?t the Captain?s fault, Jedi had to remember that. It would serve no purpose to blame him for it. Jedi turned back to the table.
?Sorry, Martin. It?s just that this war has been going on for such a long time and for something like this to happen right when we were approaching the end?? Jedi shook his head sadly, ?It?s disheartening.?
The Captain nodded, ?I understand, sir. I feel the same way.?
Jedi strode back to the table, ?I just need to know where they?re coming from. If I can figure that out, I can probably work up something to stop it.?
At that moment The tent flap lifted aside and young
Wizard Mampshire sauntered in, closely followed by the ever-attractive Kitara.
The flamboyant wizard made a deep bow and flourished his cloak like a diplomat at a county ball, ?May I introduce, Master Mampshire and the lovely Lady Kitara.? His accent was audibly exaggerated and certainly entertaining.
Despite the circumstances, Jedi couldn?t help grinning, ?Oh, get off it, Mamp.? Jedi shouldered past the flustered wizard and put his arm around Kitara, ?And what about you, my love??
Kitara smirked, ?My, getting a little frisky, are we??
Jedi?s cheeks went red and he began stammering, ?I didn?t mean?uh, I only meant?uh, well, it-?
Kitara cut him off with a firm kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. When she finally allowed him to part he was smirking too.
?Now, who?s getting frisky?? He asked.
She chuckled and licked his nose, ?Wait ?till tonight and we?ll see.?
Jedi turned to see both other men watching intently, ?What??
Mampshire?s expression turned to mock impatience, ?Are you quite done yet?? The wizard doffed his cloak, which seemed for all the world to be completely dry despite the fact that it was not even oiled, and hung it beside captain DeGracy?s. He then seated himself in Jedi?s spot on the bench.
Jedi shook his head and returned to the table. He pushed Mampshire out of the way, ?Sure, Mamp. You know you liked it. Now move aside.?
Mampshire harrumphed indignantly, but didn?t argue. He instead moved around to the other side of the table and put his foot up on the bench beside Captain DeGracy, leaning his arm on it and focusing his attention on the map, ?So, what ?ave we ?ere??
Jedi slid over as Kitara sat down beside him, ?Big trouble, that?s what.? He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table, ?Apparently, the Tallics have managed to dig up a ? how shall I say it? ? ?small? reinforcement division numbering, oh, I don?t know, almost a quarter million, maybe more.?
Kitara gasped and Mampshire?s booted foot thumped to the floor, ?A bloody quarter million? You?re out of your bloody mind! Where in bloody grace name did they get that many soldiers? Just picked up their jolly spades and pulled them out of the bloody ground, I suppose.?
Jedi grimaced, ?I don?t know where they came from, but we need to find out.?
?I?d bloody well say so, aye.?
Jedi shot the wizard a look that told him to shut up. Mampshire took a deep breath and muttered something about ?bloody inbred Tallics?, but said nothing more.
Jedi nodded, ?Good. We have two problems. The first, as I was saying, we need to know where these buggers are coming from and how. We have to somehow put a stop to it. Now, we know the scouts returned five das ago and reported only seventy thousand. Yesterday Captain DeGracy was engaged by a horde from the east numbering approximately three hundred thousand.?
Kitara frowned, ?From the East? Cohen?s supposed to have been covering that.?
Jedi nodded grimly, ?I know. That?s the other problem. We need to know what happened to the Seventh Legion. It?s possible that they may have been wiped out by the horde before they turned on the Captain here, but let us pray that such is not the case. Although, it is undoubted that they were engaged by the Tallic force, there is a good chance that some of the men may have escaped into the Braxton Wood or perhaps even The Easthead Swamp. We?ll need a search party sent out there to investigate; remember, Tallics don?t like trees so they most likely would have left any fleeing units alone.?
Captain DeGracy spoke up, ?I?ll volunteer to lead the search and rescue, if that?s open.?
Jedi gave a quick nod of approval. ?I was hoping you would.?
Mampshire spoke out as well, ?I?ll go with him. It?ll be easier to find the men if I?m there. I can sense them. Not to mention acting as a healer. Some are sure to be injured.?
Jedi shook his head, ?Sorry, Mamp. I need you for the scout unit. We need to know exactly where they are getting their reinforcements from. I want you to go and help. If they are using magic of some kind, you?d be the only one who?d know about it. If we don?t find out, then all the healing in the world won?t do those men any good.?
?Oh?well, cheerio then.?
Kitara interjected, ?And where am I going??
Jedi looked over, ?That?s what we have to decide. Both of us are going on a separate mission. It just depends which one you want to go with.?
Kitara looked decidedly disappointed at the prospect of being separated, but didn?t say anything. She instead looked from the Captain to Mampshire and back. The young wizard winked. She smiled and said, ?I think I?ll go with the good wizard for this one.?
?Fine. It?s settled. Captain, I?ll leave gathering a reasonably sized force to you. Mampshire, same. We?ll meet here one more time tomorrow morning and then join our divisions and go.?
Mampshire and the Captain saluted and began to leave.
Jedi called out to them, ?One more thing, If either of you see Commander Dalton tell him to meet us here tomorrow.?
The men acknowledged and, grabbing their garments, dove out into the heavy downpour.
Jedi got up and folded the maps, returning them to their proper bin.
Kitara turned to face him, ?Why do we have to go in separate units??
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Jedi went to check on his cloak on the grill and found it dry. He straightened and swung it over his shoulders, ?Because both DeGracy and Mampshire are needed on their separate missions and neither are the greatest at hand-to-hand combat. That?s why we need to go. I?m especially worried about Mamp. He may be a wizard, but he?s careless at best. You?re a better fighter than I so I?m glad you?re with him. Plus, there?s something I want to look into in the Braxton Wood anyway. So it all works out.? Jedi smiled.
Kitara smiled too. She got up and went over to check her own cloak. It, too, was dry. She put it on and stepped close to Jedi. She reached up and twined one of his cloak strings around her finger, ?Well, we have one more night together. I think we should celebrate. Do you think it?s night yet??
?Oh, grace. I hope so.? Jedi gave her a small smile
Kitara?s lilting laughed filled the tent, making Jedi smile wider still. She stuck her tongue between her teeth, ?Then again, does it really matter??
?I suppose not.? Jedi leaned down and drowned himself in her luscious lips.
AFter I wrote it, I realized that you guys wouldn\'t know what\'s going on so here\'s a very rough sketch of the map they were looking at. I might make an official world map later, but this is the part they\'re focusing on.
(http://www.iownjoo.com/freeimghost/Jedi/ThetestoftheJedi%20map%201.jpg)
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Hello Jedi...
I loved ur story so informative.
WRITE MORE
Nice cardboard box too:p
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well its going good :P all is kinda nice :) but that map... cant get a thing from it :P
And heck why u allways put ppl in that i know? :P
Jedi.. to my sig... its... Himistu (secret in jap ;) )
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:D Hai, wakarimasu. ;)
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Seems like it would make a great movie, too much focus on detail and dialogue for a book. Definately movieish. You should finish that, get an editor, and make a lot of money off of it. That\'s my suggestion.
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Nice intro.
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Wow... it\'s rare, but I actually find myself wanting to read more of this story. Hope to see more chapters soon James, you have a beautiful writing talent and an excellent story unfolding here. :)
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So... Is it gonna be a movie?
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Lol Shadowmancer.
This is excellent! Very few things can get lazy Monk to visit this section, and this is one of them. :)
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Wow...you actually like it? 80 And here I thought I was just a hoe-down loser. Maybe I still am. 8(
I stopped writing because I thought nobody cared. I\'ll continue it then. :D
Lol, a movie. Good idea, but...well...I\'m just too darn Canadian to get the interest of american producers. :rolleyes:
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this story rules, and who needs american producers anyway, get a million beavers with a million typewriters.... :D (yes,I am Canadian)
Jessyn
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Corel WordPerfect is Da shirt. It does some crazy format garbage on the text. Sorry for any inconvenience.
Chapter 3
?Depression is a drug. It?s addictive and it kills.? ~ Jedi
Jedi pushed the tavern door open, momentarily flooding the dark night with golden
lamplight, and walked in, the door swinging shut behind him, shutting out the night
sounds. As he entered a flood of warmth and talking engulfed him. Jedi stopped just inside
and surveyed the establishment.
The pub was small, by city standards, but it was more than adequate for his small
town. The room was roughly square in shape and several tables took up most of the
available space. These were crowded with jaunty townsfolk sharing a story about this or
that or some little bit of news they heard from the outside world. One corner was
dominated by tiny stage, only big enough to accommodate two or three people at most.
That was where travelling performers would present their art, not that any ever came.
There was a small clearing near the middle of the room, which served as a dance floor, but
nobody ever danced either. Along one wall was a large shelf filled with various
assortments of literature. They were there as an entertainment of sorts. People often came
to the tavern during the day to read. Jedi had read them all in his youth, but remembered
little. Beside the shelf was an old inset fireplace. It was quite deep, built to hold the largest
of logs, and it provided a marvellous heat in the cold winter. However, the cracks in the
bricks and their black texture spoke of its age. Johan, the local builder had promised to see
to its restoration, but, as yet, had not had time. Men and women of various ages populated
the room, filling the high ceiling with the sounds of laughter and mirth.
Seeing Jarred and several others against the opposite wall, Jedi began to make his way
over to them. On the way, he stopped to greet several people he recognized, asking a few
questions here and there and trying to reacquaint himself with old friends. Many things had
changed in the years he was gone. He was not really surprised by this, things changed
constantly, but he was saddened. He wasn?t there to watch his village grow and change.
But then again, if he had not left, his village would have certainly been destroyed. At least
he could take comfort in that. Jedi pushed through the last throng of people and emerged
to find Jarred waiting for him.
?Jedi,? Jarred grinned a held out his hand, ?glad you could join us!?
Jedi smiled and clasped the proffered hand, ?I almost didn?t make it. Tomas had
this crazy idea of sending me to Aman tonight.? He shook his head, ?I talked him into
giving me a break. I have to leave first thing in the morning, though.?
Jarred leaned back against the wall, ?Aman? Now why in the world would he want
you to go there??
Jedi smirk, ?Wouldn?t you like to know. Sorry, but you know Tom. It?s private business,
as usual.?
?Hmph,? Jarred made a face, ?Oh well, Tom?s a strange old man. Anyways, before
I get too far ahead of myself. I?d like to introduce you to a few people.? Jarred turned and
waved his hand indicating the three men nearby, ?The first one is Diemnic Henkel.?
?That?s Arkanandian, isn?t it?? Jedi squinted at the man.
The man Jarred had pointed to was rather short, only about one and a half meters
tall. He was dark skinned and strongly built, with wide shoulders and thick arms. He wore
a dark red work shirt and old stained leather pants. His boots were worn, but sturdy and
the casual way he crossed his feet suggested a man used to being listened to and obeyed.
He had long black hair tied back from a chiselled face. His forehead sported an unusual
tattoo, a cross in a star with triangles at the sides. It was the symbol of his homeland, but
it was in the old Arkanand tongue and few living knew of it. Thick black eyebrows arched
over wide brown eyes. His nose was somewhat large, but so it was with many
Arkananadians. His chin was very pronounced and carried a thick beard. Heavy gold
earring dangled from each ear and gold ring went through the centre of his nose. His
mouth spread in a wide grin.
?Yes, how?d you know??
?I stayed there for a week or so.? At Diemnic?s curious expression Jedi added, ?I?ll
explain it later.?
Jarred nodded and motioned toward the next man, ?This is Firehand, a worker
from the Jackights.?
Jedi dipped his head in recognition. The Jackights were a semi-secluded people.
They had a strange habit of ritually naming their children after natural things. Jedi
scrutinized him and realized with astonishment that he was completely unremarkable. Not
just in the sense that he was plain. He was painfully plain. He was of middle height, middle
weight, looked to be in his thirties, but even that would be hard to ascertain, he wore
unassuming clothing, and his face was impossibly bland. It was almost too ordinary to be
describe. Immediately Jedi was on his guard. He was not sure, but he sensed that there
was something more to this man than he was letting on. He decided to let it pass, for now.
Firehand made a small bow from the waist, ?It is an honour to make your acquaintance,
Jedi.? His voice was heavily accented in the usual Jackight manner.
Jedi returned the bow, ?The honour is mine, good Firehand.? It was a Jackight custom.
They held honour above many things.
Finally, Jarred nodded toward the last man, ?And this is Triad Maximose, origin
unknown.? Jarred grinned, ?Actually, he?s just reluctant to tell us.?
As soon as Jedi made eye contact with Triad, he knew without a doubt both his
origin and why he would want to keep it secret. He had spent several days with ? people
? like Triad. It had been intimidating, to say the least.
Triad was tall, thin, and, Jedi was sure, deceptively strong. He wore a loose white dress
blouse and baggy pants. His high-cut boots looked like nothing so much as a pirates and
his sharp, thin facial features and the plain gold earring only accentuated the similarity. He
had a commanding presence, but not overbearing. He would have bee frighteningly tall,
but his deep baby eyes kept him from looking fierce. He had a tangled matt of dark orange
hair that seemed to be spiked of its own accord. He smiled easily and offered Jedi his
hand.
Jedi took it and returned the smile, ?A pleasure.?Sarabon ?howdar?[Triad]??
(Greetings, honourable Triad.)
Triad gasped. No doubt he had not been spoken to in his native language in many years.
After all, very few humans even knew of the Ter?rak ?Skel?im, the Dragon Tongue?s,
existence, let alone how to speak it. He recovered quickly and put on a stern visage,
?We?ll speak later.?
Jedi smirked, ?Indeed, we will.?
Jarred cast a curious glance at Triad, but made no comment. Instead he said,
?These guys are the new mining crew. They came here several years ago to replace the old
one after?the accident.?
The accident. Jedi had heard about it, something about a cave-in. From what he?d heard,
the rescue crew actually managed to get the whole team out safely, but they were terrified.
None ever wanted to go near the mine again. It was a tragic event, but the villagers had
recovered and re-opened the mine. After all, it was the town?s only real resource and the
only thing that kept it on the map. But it was better not to dwell on such things.
?But, I?m sure you know all about that. So, what about you, you?ve been gone for
a little over ten years. Where?ve you been??
Jedi shrugged nonchalantly, ?Around.?
?Uh huh. Be a little more specific.?
Jedi sighed, ?It?s a long story.?
Jarred pulled up a stool and sat on it. The other three did likewise, ?Well, might as well
get started. You know we?re not going to let you leave until you tell us.?
Jedi chuckled, ?Perhaps, some other time. I have to get some sleep before I head
off to Aman tomorrow.? Jedi could almost taste the bitter disappointment coming from
Jarred. Jedi grimaced, ?Well, I guess I can tell you one thing. I went to war.?
The four men sat straighter and leaned forward. Diemnic spoke, ?War, you say.?
Jedi nodded.
Jarred piped up, ?That must have been great! What was it like??
Jedi stopped and levelled a solemn look at Jarred. Sensing that he had said something
wrong, Jarred?s grin withered. Jedi met him eye to eye, ?You want to know what war is
like?? Jedi passed a glance over the other men. He didn?t bother trying to intimidate Triad.
He had probably lived through several wars himself.
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Jedi returned his gaze to Jarred, ?War is hell. War is to live in constant fear for
your life and the life of your men. War is an acid that courses through your veins and
burns you underneath your skin. War is the wolf that comes to gnaw on your judgement,
your sanity. War is the time when you watch friends, relatives, and strangers die, soaked in
blood, ripped apart by the blade of the enemy. War is knowing that that blade is coming
for you too. And most of all war is knowing that you are visiting the same horrors on your
foes.?
Jedi paused, ?You think war is fun? You think it?s glamorous? You think slaughtering
living beings is gratifying?? his voice had risen to a bellow. All the other patrons in had
ceased their conversation and were staring. Jedi didn?t care, ?You think it?s fun to watch
people fall to the sword, torn from life in such a pointless gesture? Is it fun to watch living
creatures butchered for no reason other than somebody on one side or the other decided
they didn?t like the other? Is it fun to watch your close friends and loved ones lose their
head in front of you? Huh? Is it?? Jedi?s voice was a hoarse shout. He stopped and took
several ragged breaths. The tavern was silent save for his breathing. He swallowed and
lowered his voice to a whisper, ?It is not.?
Straightening himself, he turned and walked to the door. He wondered if anyone
saw the tears of frustration streaming down his face, he didn?t care. He burst out into the night, the hard
cobblestone town pavement, greeting his feet. He continued walking, he didn?t know
where. It didn?t matter. He just wanted to be somewhere away from here, from the pain. It
continued to nag at his mind, the whole bloody ordeal playing over and over again. It
would give him no peace. Tears continued to flow down his face. It was all so horrible, so
pointless. He could remember walking among the wounded, hear them calling out to him,
crying for help. He remembered one young soldier, injured from a spiked mace, his innards
held in only by his trembling fingers. He remembered the boy, for he was only that,
clutching his arm and apologizing for getting hurt. He had asked Jedi to tell his mother
and father that he loved them and that he was sorry. He had died in Jedi?s arms. Jedi
remembered laying him down and turning away, wishing with all of his heart that he didn?t
have to, that he could have saved him. But, he knew he couldn?t. He had tried but he
never found the boy?s parents. That made him all the more angry and frustrated. All the
fear and the anger and the hate, he recalled. It wasn?t fair. It wasn?t his fault. He had tried.
Why wouldn?t it leave him be? Why wouldn?t it just go away? WHY?
Jedi?s fast pace had taken him beyond the village wall, out into the nearby woods.
He fell to his knees and shouted up through a clearing in the branches, ?Why won?t you
leave me ALONE?? He fell forward onto his hands, a helpless sob escaping his throat. It
was so unfair. He closed his eyes, ?Oh, Kitara. I wish you were here.? Jedi?s voice was
nothing but a desperate whisper, ?You always knew what to do.? He sobbed again, ?I try,
but all I end up doing is getting people killed.? He sat back on his heels, trying to swallow
past the knot in his throat. Why had it happened to him? Of all the people in all the world,
it had to be him who suffered this, ?IT?S NOT FAIR!? with that Jedi broke down and
wept.
Jedi sat there, unmoving for hours. Eventually, his throat was dry and his eyes
would put forth no more tears. He dragged himself to the trunk of a nearby tree, leaned
against it and let the sounds of the forest envelope him.
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It was sooooooo cool, except for the part where there was a character named Dalton ;(
But as long as he\'s not a main character, I think I can manage.
\"DALTON!\" X(
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What? My story? What\'s that? Oh, that. *trashes it*
After reading the latest installment of your story, I have to scream: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!
Don\'t you dare stop writing! This story is terrific and I\'m dying to read more. :)
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wow...I guess I could continue. :( What\'s wrong with Dalton? Dalton\'s a good guy.
Chapter 4 comin along. :D
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I\'m sure your Dalton is just fine.
It\'s just that...there\'s this other character called Dalton, in Chrono Trigger. Out of all the evil figures in video games, he is the only one that I really wish I could punch his lights out. I don\'t really know why this is, something about him just makes me really angry when I think about him.
So any time the name \"Dalton\" comes up, I just get this overly hateful feeling in the back of my mind, that\'s all ;)
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what can i say ...the best so far!
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Wow...thanks, Dex. :] Well, if you like it now, this next chapter will definitely fill in a lot. Debating whether to add a fight scene considering it\'s already fairly long.
BTW, the reason it\'s taking so long is the disk I had it saved on got corrupted and I lost the whole thing. :( Had to start over.
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Here we go. I decided against the fight scene since this chapter is already fairly heavy. I\'ll work it into chapter 6.
Chapter 4
?Respect does not come with age. It must be earned.\" ~Jedi
Dark clouds lay across the night sky like a blanket, smothering the light of the stars. There was a slight breeze blowing over the plains, rustling the grass and fanning the flames of the cook fires at the camp. The orange glow illuminated a large area around each hastily constructed pit, casting the swaying blades in a ginger light.
The camp itself was not large, comprising of only five tents and a row of horses picketed a ways away. It was the force Captain DeGracy had deemed large enough to provide adequate protection for the refuge units, but small enough to slip through unnoticed by the enemy. All the soldiers were sitting around one fire or another telling or listening to a story or laughing at some joke. The scouts were out on patrol and since it was only the first watch, the camp was still quite lively. Jedi and the Captain were standing at the edge of the camp looking off into the darkness.
The whole group had been moving for several weeks now and were nearing the point where DeGracy and Cohen had first rendezvoused. It was planned to cross the river a little after Cook and set a straight course for the forest. They would then follow the edge closely and make their way up to the Headway. They would go only a little further beyond that point then return with what soldiers they found.
Jedi squinted into the night. Somewhere out there was an enemy force just waiting to sweep down through the Headway and wipe out the human race. The merciless Tallics would not be satisfied until every last man, woman, and child was laid to the sword. It was a frightening concept. Jedi didn?t know why the Tallics wanted to kill them or what caused them to hate the humans so much, but he did know that five years prior the humans and Tallics had lived in peace. He had known several himself, good Tallics all. Then something happened and the Tallics began to grow more and more aggressive toward people until finally the terrorizing act of one such Tallic by the name of Dalieel brought the two populations to war. It was unclear exactly what he did; each history text had its own version, but it was clearly the spark that lit the fire inside every person in the King?s land.
In the first year, the Tallics, much more suited to combat than the humans, were gaining victory after victory. The humans, though, would not give up. The King himself had sent out runners to all the lands to gather the best and smartest soldiers. Jedi himself had been among them. These he brought back to his castle and put through rigorous training. At the end he had assigned them each a Legion Force, comprising of eight Legions, and sent them out to finish the fight. Seven men had been given the rank of Legion General that day. Now only three remained. The Tallic army had been strong and two were lost in the very first year, but their deaths were not in vain. They had driven the enemy back to the borders of the Arith Tyarie. The third was lost the following year in a winter campaign into the Arith Mozorak. No one knew exactly what happened. The fourth Legion General had been lost only several months ago. He had tried to take the fort of Arith Diep and had been struck with a catapult.
These losses were both shocking and devastating and the remaining three Legion Generals had called an emergency meeting to confer. They had agreed that to fight separately was sure death, so they had taken an oath of support. Though they would not remain together, they would supply an extra Legion or two to those who needed it. This treaty was dubbed the TriLegion Alliance. The three remaining generals, Jedi, Gambrack, and Charieka, had discussed the plan of action and then departed. Now, standing here watching the encroaching darkness Jedi could not feel as reassured as he had when he had left the meeting.
The Captain, waiting patiently beside him let out a sigh, ?It?s almost the second watch. I?ll go get some sleep.?
Jedi nodded absently, ?You do that.?
DeGracy swept one more glance across the plains then turned and left, heading towards his tent. Jedi watched him for a second then, stooping, he plucked a long strand of thin tough grass and stuck it between his teeth and returned his attention to the desolate darkness. He stood there for a while, thinking private thoughts. Behind him one by one the soldiers curled up and fell asleep and the fires slowly died away to coals. No one bothered him.
Finally, he saw the patrol coming in talking softly among each other. When they noticed him the leader shushed them and dismissed them to wake the next watch. He then came up to Jedi and snapped a smart salute, ?First watch reporting, sir.?
Jedi rolled the stem in his mouth and returned the salute, ?And what did you see, lieutenant??
?Nothing, General, It was all clear.?
?Are you sure you didn?t see anything?? Jedi took the stem and flicked it off into the dark grass. ?Nothing whatsoever that was even slightly out of the ordinary? Think. It?s very important.?
The lieutenant dipped his head in thought, ?No, just a few dead animals.?
?Such as??
?Well, there were a bison, and a few hedgehogs.?
Jedi nodded knowingly, ?And what?s wrong with that, do you think??
The lieutenant looked at a loss for words, ?I?m sorry, sir. I don?t know.?
Jedi leaned forward, ?Bison don?t live up here.?
The lieutenant frowned, ?I know what I saw. It was a bison carcass.?
Jedi nodded, ?I don?t doubt your honesty or your abilities. I have no doubt that you indeed saw a bison. The bison is one of the Tallic delicacies. They bring them with them by the herd.? Jedi returned his gaze to the dark horizon, ?It means that there were Tallics here at one point or another.?
The lieutenant shifted uncomfortably, ?Should I sound the alarm??
Jedi shook his head, ?No. They?ll be long gone from here by now. Go get some sleep.? The lieutenant snapped another salute and walked off casting a suspicious glance out at the dark plain.
Jedi waited until the young officer was gone before muttering a curse. He had lied to boy about how far they?d be. Tallics always buried the refuse of their meals and without fail. The fact that the soldier actually saw the carcass meant that he must have walked in on a Tallic dinner, the Tallics having seen him long before he knew and left to hide until he passed. That too was odd. The fact that they didn?t attack was disturbing. Jedi had known for a while that they were being tailed, but knowing for sure was still unsettling. Also notable was that the lieutenant had only seen one carcass. A full grown Tallic male could eat a whole bison by itself. This, though not a certainty, was at least some indication that very few Tallics were actually watching. There was the possibility, of course, that other had already finished their meal and buried the sketelons, if they had even had bison. There were so many factors, so many possibilities. It was tiring.
Jedi pulled out his staff and gave it an experimental twirl. It was a long time until morning and being away from away from Kitara turned his stomach with longing. He would get no sleep tonight. He chuckled at that thought. He couldn?t sleep when she was gone and he rarely slept when they were together, he should have fainted dead away a long time ago. Smiling, he took a deep breath and commenced his most vigorous training exercise.
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WOW! This is some serious writting! :)) :)) :)) :)) (why don\'t we have a worship smilie?!)
Keep up the excellent work!
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Jeez... this is such an interesting, well-written, well-planned, thought out, structured story... that I really don\'t want to write anymore. :P
Comparing mine to yours, Libra Fatalis is written by a 3 year old. I feel so inferior! :(
But that\'s a good thing. You have an absolutely awesome talent, and I\'m not BSing when I say that. You should seriously consider publishing a novel and making a few millions with writing skills like that. :)
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Jeez... this is such an interesting, well-written, well-planned, thought out, structured story... that I really don\'t want to write anymore.
You know the funny thing? I think up plot twists as I go along and just keep them in the back of my mind as I write. It\'s not really planned at all. :P
Comparing mine to yours, Libra Fatalis is written by a 3 year old. I feel so inferior!
:P Oh, get off it, Moog. ;) You know your story is at least twice as popular, not to mention good, as mine. :P Your writing style isn\'t \'inferior\' and neither are you. It\'s just different. :)
You should seriously consider publishing a novel and making a few millions with writing skills like that.
Lol, making millions is not really within the scope of any writer. :rolleyes: They don\'t make marvelously much unless they\'re popular.
I actually do have a novel in the works, but I started it when I was 11 and continued it till now so you can actually see the progression of vocabulary throughout it. It\'s a good story so I\'ll stick with it, but I\'m gonna have to rewrite the whole thing. That\'s gonna suck because it\'s 32 pages, single-spaced, size 10, Times New Roman, and only on chapter 5. I\'ll do it next summer and submit it as a manuscript. I\'ll be sure to post a teaser on here, though. :D ( And send the whole thing to you, V, since you seem to like my writing so much. ;) )
Chapter 5 of my story should be making its debut shortly. :)
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Originally posted by Jedi
Comparing mine to yours, Libra Fatalis is written by a 3 year old. I feel so inferior!
:P Oh, get off it, Moog. ;) You know your story is at least twice as popular, not to mention good, as mine. :P Your writing style isn\'t \'inferior\' and neither are you. It\'s just different. :)
You should seriously consider publishing a novel and making a few millions with writing skills like that.
1. Oh, get off it, Jedi. ;) Your story surely is better than Moogie\'s! (they are both great, don\'t get me wrong)
2. Man, you could really sell this! It\'s hot stuff. :))
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Lynx, what\'s the shortest book you\'ve ever seen sold? 100 pages maybe? If Jedi wants to write that much, I\'m sure he\'d sell some copies, but it\'s probably a lot harder than you think it is, Lynx.
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I know, but there are also collections(ot w/e you call them) of writtings, like of short stories... :P
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I\'ve seen some really small books, about 50 or 60 pages, but I wouldn\'t publish something that small. It would attract the wrong crowd. But don\'t worry, ideas are never a problem and writing isn\'t really a burden. It\'s just the time. My novel-in-the-works will certainly never suffer from lack of content. Think 600 or 700 pages hardcover. ;) I\'ve got more than enough jot notes to fill it up and there are still gaping holes in the tale that I need to fill in. :]
1. Oh, get off it, Jedi. ;) Your story surely is better than Moogie\'s! (they are both great, don\'t get me wrong)
2. Man, you could really sell this! It\'s hot stuff. :)
Oh man, what have I done? I started this thing to provide Moogie with a little competition and now people are saying that it\'s better. *hides face* Oh, woe is me.
I don\'t think I\'d ever sell this particular story. The best I could hope for is that the devs would put it ingame when it was finished, like books in Morrowind. :) But they\'d certainly put Mogura\'s in first, as well they should.
BTW, I think \'series\' is what you\'re looking for. ;)
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Yay! Ch.5. Just on the side. Moogie, don\'t quit your story. ;)
Chapter 5
\"You have as much a right to life as any other, unless you yourself destroy that right.\" ~Jedi
The golden globe of the Sun rose to find Jedi standing alone on Eagles Peek overlooking Ganemede. The wind blew over him, ruffling his shirt and billowing his trench coat. He stood unmoving, his eyes fixed on the horizon. Memories of the war had plagued him the whole night, constantly driving sleep from him. He was torn with longing for his Kitara, but every time he thought about her he was overcome with such a sense of anger and bitterness that he could barely restrain himself from unsheathing his sword and drive it into the earth in rage. He had said it before and he would say it again, life was not fair.
It was one of the strangest things that had ever happened to him, his parting with Kitara. It was not be his will. He had been sure that she had loved him and the feeling was more than mutual, but one day after a short scouting mission to a nearby Tallic settlement, on which she had gone alone, she had returned with a strange gleam in her eyes. She had walked right up to him, looked him in the eye, and said that their relationship was finished. She could not have stunned him more if she had run him through and, sometimes, he wished she had. They had had a long argument about it. It seemed that she had just stopped loving him. He didn\'t see how that was possible, true love could never die, but in the end he had told her to get out of his sight. If she could so defile their relationship with such lack of couth, he would rather she leave and never return. She was not worthy to stand in his presence until she learned the meaning of love and came to value it. He had thought she already knew. She left that day and he never saw her again. The first few nights he spent curled up on the ground in his tent and couldn\'t sleep for his silent crying. She had been everything to him. He had cried and begged God that he would change her mind, nothing changed.
Finally, he had gotten over his broken heart and had gone cold. He only left his tent when he was needed and he talked only so much as was needed to make his point. He began leading the battles himself partly in the heedless need for blood, and partly out of hope that he would be struck down and thereby bring an end to his misery. Eventually, he began to trust people again and take fewer risks. He learned to put a layer of calm and joviality over the gaping rift in his heart. For the most part, it worked, but every now and again the layer of calm would shred away and the raw hurt would swarm through. This was when he considered himself most weak. It happened at times of extreme emotional stress. After every instance he would close himself again, but it was only a short while before he mended the layer and was calm again.
He could never forget Kitara and what she had meant to him. She had given him a reason for living. When she broke away, he had been left drifting in his own dark thoughts. No purpose, save the pale needs of the army. He had persevered in hopes that someday she might return. He often thought back on their last words with at least a tinge of regret. He knew his words were true, but he wished he could have told her in a way softer way. Maybe he could have turned her around.
The noise of footsteps brought him out of his reverie and directed his attention to the path leading up to his vantage point. Through the foliage and underbrush, making his way towards him was none other than Tom. Jedi frowned, puzzled, then he suddenly remembered his errand that he was supposed to run for Tom. He cursed himself silently. Watching Tom\'s approach he knew he was in for it now. Jedi looked around and considered running, but Tom was too close now.
Jedi waved down to Tom, \"Hello, there!\" Maybe Tom had forgotten and this was just a friendly visit. Jedi grimaced, he knew it wasn\'t. Tom never forgot.
Tom, a haggard old man, plenty strong for all of his years, waved back jovially, \"Ahoy! I say, it is a mighty hot day, isn\'t it?\"
Jedi grinned. No matter how bad things were, Tom could always make life seem brighter, \"Indeed, it is!\"
Tom finally broke away from the foliage into the clearing and began brushing burs from his weathered old clothes. He was dressed in his customary brown woollen shirt and dark brown woollen pants. It was no wonder he was hot. He sometimes wondered why Tom never wore anything else, but since old people often picked up strange habits, he had simply attributed it to that. Tom was certainly very strange.
After cleaning himself up as best he could, Tom huffed, \"Why young people always insist on hiding themselves in the most inaccessible places makes me wonder sometimes.\" He looked up and appraised Jedi, \"Well, my boy. How are things with you?\"
Jedi chuckled. He looked out over the village, \"Well, I guess.\"
Tom nodded and turned serious, \"I saw you leave town last night. What was it that upset you so?\"
The mirth drained from Jedi\'s expression. He tightened his jaw, \"I\'d rather not talk about it.\"
Tom shuffled over and stood beside Jedi at the edge of the cliff, \"You really should tell me I can help.\"
Jedi closed his eyes and shook his head, \"No you can\'t. Besides, that was last night. It doesn\'t matter. It\'s in the past.\"
Tom gave Jedi a searching look, \"The past can come back to haunt you.\"
\"I know.\"
Tom stood watching Jedi for a minute. Then he took Jedi\'s arm and gently tugged him down, \"Come, sit down. I want to tell you something.\"
Grudgingly Jedi sat, dangling his legs over the precipice. Tom did likewise. They both sat there watching the horizon for a short while. Then Tom spoke.
\"When I was your age, I used to be a very reckless young man. I used to do things that weren\'t very smart and often ended up landing me in trouble.\" He looked over to make sure Jedi was listening, \"For the most part, they were trivial things, like stealing a chicken or vandalizing someone\'s house. They were small acts of cruelty that gave me pleasure.\"
Jedi raised an eyebrow. Tom had never seemed to him to be a sadistic character. Sure he had his secrets and his past, but nobody every really questioned him about it and he seemed more than happy to keep it hidden. Tom continued.
\"One time, my friends and I were trying to think up some new act of cruelty when the town caretaker walked by. He was an old man, decrepit in his age, and half blind. Nobody really liked him, at least they did not show it outwardly, but they respected him for his wisdom. It was then that I hit upon a grand new prank. My mother often kept herbs in her cupboard because she was a medicine lady. I decided to take some of her medicines and slip them into his drink. Nothing lethal, of course, I was not a murderer, but something that would make him sick for a week or so. I didn\'t share this plan with my friends; I wanted to keep all of the fun for myself. So I excused myself and went home.
\"That night I went through my mom\'s cupboard and tried to find something that would work. My mother had been called away to another village earlier that day so she had taken many of her herbs with her. However, I still managed to find a sprig of Malk Thyme. Now Malk Thyme, when ground into a powder was very useful in curing minor diseases such as the flu and cold, but if it was consumed when in good health, it was the cause of severe stomach aches. They lasted for days and nothing would take the pain away except a stupefying drug known as Klyrol. For some reason the thought of seeing the town caretaker stumbling around in a stupor was funny to me then.
\"Anyways, I took the Malk Thyme and ground it up with mom\'s mortar and pestle. I took the powder and hid it in a little leather bag. The next day I snuck into the caretaker\'s house. The old man was napping at the kitchen table; his kettle of tea was sitting close by. I quietly poured the powder into the drink and silently snuck out again.
\"The next day word was around the town. The caretaker was deathly sick. I asked several people what had happened in order to keep up appearances, but I found something sickeningly frightening. The caretaker was very allergic to Malk Thyme and it was thought he might die. Stricken with guilt and humbled by barely withheld tears, I went to the caretaker and told him what I\'d done. I apologized. He asked me if I meant it. I told him I did, from the bottom of my heart.
\"At that, the old caretaker smiled. To my surprise, he got up; his pain seemed to have disappeared. He chuckled in a knowing way and told me why. He had known that it was me who put the Malk Thyme in his tea. He had been watching me when I did it. He had not drunk the tea. That night he had called together some men and women and told them to spread gossip that he had taken sick and that he might die. He wasn\'t allergic to Malk Thyme at all; it was all part of his web of gossip.
\"When he finished his tale, I looked him in the eye and asked him why he did it. He smiled at me and said, \'To test you, Tom. I\'ve been watching and testing you for a long time now. This was the final obstacle, the test of purity. Congratulations, Tom. You are now the future caretaker of this town.\' With that he dismissed me.
\"At that moment I gained an infinite respect for him and his wisdom. We talked much after that. He would often call me and ask me what I thought about a situation and what my decisions would be. He died several months later, much to the dismay of the entire village, and I inherited the mantle of caretaker.\"
Tom finished his story and glanced over at Jedi, sitting beside him watching intently, \"I was given the title of caretaker because I believe that I know what\'s best for people. Do you?\"
Jedi blinked and turned to look at Ganemede far below, \"I used to think so. I tried to lead once and we succeeded, but it was at great cost, both to me and everyone else.\"
Tom smiled knowingly and put an arm around Jedi\'s shoulders, \"Yes, I did hear about a famous general who led the TriLegion army to victory. They say he was a great and powerful man who could stand up to hordes of Tallics and laugh in the face of death. Some say he saved many lives, by personally cutting through towering enemy forces to retrieve wounded soldiers.\"
Jedi grimaced and shook his head, \"That wasn\'t what it was like.\"
Tom nodded again, \"I know, but it\'s all in how you look at things.\"
Jedi sighed, \"Yes, I guess so.\"
\"Now tell me, what\'s bothering you?\"
Jedi stared down at his hands folded in his lap and considered for a while. Finally, he looked up, \"They say it is better to have loved and lost than to never have loved at all. I guess I should count myself fortunate.\"
\"Ah, now I understand. Was she a good woman?\"
Jedi shrugged, \"I thought so.\"
Tom gave Jedi\'s shoulder a squeeze, \"Don\'t worry, lad. Maybe things will work out in the end. Now, how about that errand I gave you?\" Tom got up and stretched his back.
Jedi too got to his feet, \"I forgot about it. I should be on my way.\"
Tom nodded, \"Indeed, you should. It\'ll help you get your mind off of this dark business.\"
Jedi sniffed, \"I highly doubt it.\"
Tom shrugged, \"Maybe not, but you might be surprised. Pay attention during your visit, you may yet discover something to cheer yourself up. Now, get along. You\'ll never get there unless you start moving. I\'ll just stay up here a while. Good luck.\"
Jedi smiled, \"And to you, Tom. I should be back by tomorrow afternoon.\"
\"Oh, I don\'t think you will.\" Tom had a strange, almost coy look in his eyes, \"But enough talk. Get going.\"
Jedi bowed, turned and strode off onto the path through the underbrush that led to the base of the cliff.
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Great! Only 2 typos to perfection. ;)
Things are getting clearer now, good work feeding out all that spread data.:tup:
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Typos? AH! Where? Oh, I am shamed!
Things are getting clearer now, good work feeding out all that spread data.
Clear as mud...\'spread data\'? 0.o
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I meant all the little pieces of information, that weren\'t really connected before. You succeded in telling it all in one chapter instead of 3(or more). :))
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Originally posted by Jedi
Typos? AH! Where? Oh, I am shamed!
I saw one: \"They it is better\" I assume is supposed to be \"They say it is better\"
But althogether, great work Jedi! Very good talent indeed :D
BTW: I was playing Mu Online earlier today, and saw a character by the name of \"Kitara.\" Very strange indeed...
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Really? Sweet. Well, I\'ve never played it so I can\'t say anything to that. I assure you I didn\'t get the name from anywhere. :D
Thanks for the spelling thingy.
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Just a bump in high expectation, so clueless people could get some head start. :)
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jedi whants to start doing more but appaerntly he hasent got much of an i net atm :(
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Wow, I\'m popular enough to get a bump. :) I feel so special! :D Thanks, guys. Love the confidence, Sep. ;) :P
Anyways, I now present the long overdue Chapetr 6! Yay! *Starts throwing frilly things*
Chapter 6
?Happiness is your own responsibility.? ~Jedi
The morning dawned grey and foggy. A thick mist had moved in during the night, blanketing the plains. There was no wind to move the humid air and the moisture was stifling. The only indication of the sun was a lighter circle in the fog low on the horizon.
Jedi sheathed his staff and wiped the glistening sheen off of his forehead. He had stayed up the entire night practicing the forms and his body was burning with the exertion. His breathing was heavy and his eyes stung from the perspiration that had run down from his sweat-soaked hair. He tasted salt in his mouth, but to him it was not unpleasant. It was the sweet flavour of exhaustion.
Behind him the camp began to animate. Rested soldiers crawled out of tents, stretching and yawning in their creaking leather and mail armour. They began packing up their belongings and one by one the tents started coming down. There was a slight murmur from their whispered conversations, but it was relatively quiet.
Captain DeGracy finally came out of his tent and stretched luxuriously, his bones popping audibly. He surveyed the camp and, finding the activity to his approval, went back inside to pack his own things. He finished quickly; he never brought very much with him and after strapping it to his horse made his way over to where Jedi had turned to watch the men.
?Didn?t sleep?? The captain asked as he stepped in beside Jedi.
Jedi shook his head, ?Wasn?t tired.?
DeGracy nodded knowingly. He had been with Jedi on missions before and he knew that sleeplessness often plagued him whenever he was distracted. DeGracy stood silently for a time and then asked, ?What?s on your mind??
Jedi smirked and looked over at the Captain, ?Who says there?s anything on my mind??
DeGracy grinned, ?We?ve been fighting together for too long for me not to know when something?s bothering you. Come on, let?s hear it.?
Jedi sighed and nodded, ?We?re being followed.?
The captain turned serious, ?I suspected as much myself. How can you be sure??
?The watch lieutenant last night said that he had seen the carcass of a bison while he and his men were out on their rounds.?
The Captain grimaced, ?Way up here that can only mean one thing. But I wonder why they didn?t attack the patrol??
Jedi nodded thoughtfully, ?I was wondering the same thing myself, curious to be sure.?
?Should I put the troops on alert??
Jedi chewed his lower lip in thought ?It would be better, but I want to avoid anything that will alert the Tallics to our knowledge.? He closed his eyes in thought for a moment, ?Don?t sound the alarm, but just tell everyone to have their swords handy. I don?t want to be taken by surprise. The Tallics haven?t attacked us yet, so we can only assume that they want us to lead them somewhere. My guess is that there were survivors. The Tallics knew we?d try to send a rescue party so they dispatched a division to follow us and when we?ve drawn out the refugees, they attack, wiping the whole lot of us out.
DeGracy shook his head, ?That?d be just like them. All right, I?ll make sure the message is passed along.?
?Remember: inconspicuous.?
The captain nodded and trudged off through the grass to see it done. Jedi fingered the hilt of his sword as he watched the man go. The thought of being tailed by the enemy was always unnerving; it meant that battle was an inevitable eventuality. His gaze raked the misted plains. If only it weren?t so foggy. If the Tallics decided to attack now for some reason, they would be on Jedi and his men before he even saw them.
But the mist wasn?t going to go away for a while, so there was no use worrying about it. Sighing, Jedi turned back to the camp and made his way to his horse. He gave it a kind rub on the snout and quickly brushed it down. After saddling him, he mounted and inspected the remains of the camp. All of the tents had been taken down and one or two men were still loading theirs on their horses, but everyone else was already in the saddle. Anxious soldiers stayed their mounts with nervous hands.
Suddenly, Jedi realized that the air had suddenly become tense. There was a stifling quality to it, like some dire plague waiting to be unleashed. The fog was too thick. The world had gone quiet and the silence was deafening. Time began to slow. Jedi looked off into the fog; he started to get a tight feeling in his stomach. And there, in the distance, he could see them.
Huge black shapes thundered forward through the fog, their lazy motions seemed to be so slow. Jedi could hear his heart beating and it was slow too. He turned his head and saw that his soldiers were still looking nervously about under the misty sea. Why couldn?t they see them? Couldn?t they hear the deep rumbling of Tallic hooves?
Jedi opened his mouth to shout and the words came out low and slurred, ?AMBUSH!? The soldiers seemed to sit there for an eternity before they comprehended. They sluggishly grabbed for their weapons. The horses reared in slow motion as their riders turned them about.
Finally, the soldiers seemed to hear the ground quaking and began searching the fog for signs of the encroaching enemy. Their heads swayed back and forth, every motion infinitely drawn out. Then they began to make out the shapes and raised their swords. Their shouts were muted and long.
Then the Tallics were upon them and the world seemed to jump back to normal speed. The great insectoid hulks came crashing into the line of soldiers, their clubs and pikes clanging off of mail and shield.
The soldiers were no longer slow. Their weapons and shields whirled in dizzying displays, parrying Tallic blows and delivering deadly thrusts of their own. Humans were no longer inferior to Tallics when it came to warfare. After the first catastrophic defeats men began studying the Tallic physiology. They discovered many weaknesses and were taught to exploit them. They were also educated in the Tallic battle forms and how to protect against them. At first the training had been almost ineffectual, but gradually their knowledge of Tallic fighting increased and so did their training. That training had proved itself countless times in numerous battles and it was proving itself again here. Already five Tallics lay slain and not a man of Jedi?s division had fallen. They were not so much soldiers as warriors. They fought with a ferociousness that could only be described as feral. It was a sight to behold.
As well as the soldiers fought, however, victory was far from assured. Tallics always attacked in large numbers and won battles by overwhelming the foe. It was time for Jedi to join the fray.
Drawing his sword, Jedi kicked his horse forward and bolted toward the battle. He readied himself with one foot on the saddle and waited for the perfect moment. One Tallic at the edge of the horde noticed him and turned to swing his club. A heartbeat before impact Jedi vaulted from the back of his horse, the club whistling through the air where he had a moment before been.
Jedi sailed over the Tallic?s head and landed lightly on his large insect-like back. Turning swiftly he brought his sword around and lopped off the Tallic?s head. He jumped to avoid a jab from another Tallic and landed on the tip of the pike, pinning it to the back of the Tallic he had just killed. The jolt pulled the live Tallic forward and Jedi lunged, driving the blade it deep into its throat.
Meanwhile, one of Jedi?s soldiers had become surrounded and was about to be impaled from behind when Jedi jerked his sword free and, spinning around a deadly swipe from an enemy, hurled it with all his might. The blade sliced through the air and buried itself in the Tallic?s eye, cleaving its head nigh in two. The soldier stumbled back around the dead beast and rejoined the main group of men. Jedi?s sword was lost to view as more Tallics stampeded over the one he?d killed.
Dodging a clumsy pike swipe, Jedi whipped out his staff and cracked his foe?s fingers. The Tallic dropped the pike with a shout of pain, but before it could finish Jedi jabbed the staff under its chin, crushing its wind pipe. It fell to the ground gargling, blood spilling out of its gasping mouth. Without stopping, Jedi jumped on the downed Tallic and used its height to jump onto the back of another.
The Tallic went wild and frantically flailed its arms, trying in vain to knock Jedi off. Steping forward, Jedi jabbed his knee into the Tallic?s back and swung his staff around the its neck. Grabbing the other end, he gave it a hard yank. There was a sickening pop and the Tallic crumpled, its head limp.
Spinning off the dead enemy, Jedi twirled his staff and clocked another on one of its legs. The hardened shell cracked and a gooey substance began to ooze out of it. The Tallic stumbled and Jedi quickly cracked its skull.
Another desperate foe tried to jab Jedi with a spear, but it was dodged easily. Jedi grabbed the spear and jumped up, swinging his foot in a long arc that caught the Tallic full in the face. The Tallic dropped the spear and staggered back cursing. Jedi landed lightly and, spinning the spear around, stabbed up under the Tallic?s jaw. It slumped to the ground.
Jedi yanked the spear free and hurled it at another. He was satisfied when the tip pierced its chest, killing it. He noticed that he had approached the other side of the battle and was preparing to dive back in when suddenly he noticed something odd. One Tallic seemed in the middle of the horde was killing not soldiers, but the other Tallics. Jedi was confused for a moment, but then there were more of them, and Jedi saw that they were different than the ones that had attacked. These new ones sported garish red paint on their back and, despite being smaller, seemed to be much better fighters. Jedi watched in wonder as one by one the enemy Tallics fell before the ruthless onslaught of these newcomers. Eventually, the enemies became confused and turned on one another and all of a sudden there weren?t so many Tallics any more.
Jedi noted that the painted Tallics had not attacked any of his men yet. Perhaps this was a coincidence, but until he knew for sure, he was going to return the favour.
Turning back to where his men were still fiercely battling a large group of enemy Tallics, Jedi dove towards them.
The first one didn?t even see it coming. Jedi jumped and just made its back, bringing the staff down hard. Jedi felt a meaty crunch and the Tallic fell.
Jedi sheathed his staff and quickly loosed his dagger. He ran up and ducked under the Tallic ahead of him and, plunging the dagger into its soft underbelly, gutted it from tail to torso. Its innards slopped to the ground with a sickening sound and were crushed by its own corpse.
Spying his sword still stuck in a dead Tallic, he grabbed it and sheathed it. The last Tallic standing between in front of him started to turn, but was hewn down by one of Jedi?s men. Jedi took his chance and ran through; the hole behind him was quickly occupied by more Tallics.
Jedi pushed the soldiers to Captain DeGracy on the other side of the circle and, switching back to his staff, began reigning blows on the enemy while shouting orders to the DeGracy, ?Captian! Do you see the Tallics with red paint on their backs??
The man took a brief look around while parrying a pike thrust, ?Yes! What about them??
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?The men are not to attack them, repeat, NOT to attack, unless they turn on us!? Jedi trapped a pike tip on the ground in front of him and with his left hand hooked a throwing knife from his belt and buried it in the Tallic?s eye.
?Yes, sir! I?ll spread the word, sir!? With that the Captain moved away from jedi to relay the message to the other soldiers.
Jedi parried an attack from another Tallic. While it recovered Jedi jammed his staff into the ground to use as a pole vault. He jumped and swung, using the staff to carry him up toe the height of his foe. His knees landed on the Tallic?s human shoulders and Jedi wrapped his legs around its neck. Jedi quickly twisted his body and the Tallic?s neck snapped audibly.
Landing smoothly, Jedi pulled his staff out of the ground and prepared for another attack. To his surprise none came. Stepping out of his crouch he looked around. That had been the last one. The only Tallics left were the painted one and they had stopped several meters from the uneasy line of soldiers. Jedi was pleased to see that the Captain had gotten the word around. The soldiers still had their weapons drawn and ready, but no one had attacked the red Tallics yet. But Jedi could sense that his soldiers were tense. If he waited, they might forget his orders and attack anyways.
Jedi decided he?d better do something about that. He sheathed his staff ad shouted, ?At ease!? The men hesitated for just a moment then sheathed their weapons. Jedi pushed his way to the front of his men and eyed the painted Tallics. So far he had not heard them say anything. Time to fix that, ?I am General Jedi of the His Majesty?s Legions. Who are you??
There was a slight pause. Then one of the Tallics approached. As he neared Jedi noticed that the paint on his shell was slightly different that the others. Where every other Tallic had a solid red, this one had three blue stars on either side on a backdrop of red. It also seemed to be much older than the rest. There was a drawn and tired look to its eyes like a beast that?s lived too long under a burden and fosters no more hope for release. But when it spoke, Jedi was taken aback by its power, ?I am Gri?Lak Tu, leader of the Hand of Peace. I have travelled a very long way to talk with you, General. We have much to discuss.?
(Sorry about dp, but it was too long to fit in one post.)
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:)) :)) :)) go Jedi go! :D
btw, which encoding do you use on your text? I can\'t print it, cause all the quotes and apostrophes turn out question marks. :(
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Thanks. :D Lol, you\'re printing it off? :rolleyes:
I typed it up in Word and copy-pasted it to the reply thing. Shouldn\'t be too much trouble. Try copying it to a word-processor and then printing. :)
Chapter 7 should be up by this weekend. :D
Thanks for your support.
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It\'s easier to read id you have it on paper. ;)
@12pts it\'s almost 40 pages! I tried all sorts of stuff, but i can\'t get it to work. As soon as I paste the selected text, encoding goes wierd. ;(
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Hmmm...That\'s strange. Tell you what, I\'ll copy it all into a word file and post it for you to download.
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Thanks!
M$Word... X(
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If you\'re looking for a publisher, check out baen.com
They offer *much* better royalties than any other publisher I\'ve come across.
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What? Are you guys seriously suggesting it should be published? 80
Thanks for the link, Typhorean. Pretty cool.
Here\'s the Word file for ya, lynx_lupo.
http://upl.silentwhisper.net/uplfolders/upload2/The_Test_of_the_Jedi.doc
Ch 7 has been delayed slightly, but don\'t sweat it. I\'m workin around the clock to bring your the latest in world news...er, wait a minute. I mean I\'m workin on it. :P