Post by Magnus on Mar 7, 2013 3:08:11 GMT -6
A rewritten fiction of mines that I've recently started working on. As such, this is the only chapter available at the moment. It's a medieval setting that's quite similar to Fire Emblem, but it has it's own unique features. Just a warning: While this is more in a PG-13 range, it contains some violently detailed battle instances.
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Prologue: Ravaged
“Why must I live in a world full of wanton violence and everyday crime? A world that does not require to watch your back at every turn? I've been marveled by these thoughts for most of the entirety of my life in this city and can do nothing but watch as people suffer with no kind of law established anymore. But of course, I'm just hiding from the real answer. Mankind...lost a bloody battle against the fiends known as demons over fourteen years ago. As a child at the time, I had no idea what was going on...but the destruction I witnessed...It'll bleed in my memory and reside forever.”
“What else can I do...but just live?”
--
Pyhron. A city that lied far to the east of the mainland.
Once it was a bustling city full of life, peace and harmony. It's neighboring villages always sought the beautiful town out for both sightseeing and safety of it's established peace. However, the war that was waged destroyed the town. Many people were traumatized and the authority it once held vanished like a puff of smoke. The town guards numbered less than ninety percent of it's original group and people were unwilling to fight. As such, the town was ripped apart and conquered by thugs and gangs. It's because of it's new infamous reputation that no one on the mainland went near the town. Sure, other areas of the mainland were left a mess, but Pyhron suffered the most.
Even now, not a soul can sleep at night in peace without fearing a thief will break into their home and pilfer their belongings, their children...and even their lives. Even now in broad daylight, people end up targets for crime...just like the woman that was running away from three thuggish men on the streets at that very moment. She was running as briskly as she could, even in her long dress. But those gentlemen gave her hot pursuit. Normally, a guard would be able to intervene...right? You've guessed it...that woman was doomed the moment she had sights on her. Even when the small brigade of remaining guards are around, they're too afraid to lift a finger...so do bystanders. No one in Pyhron doesn't like to involve themselves in affairs that don't concern them...especially if crime and violence is involved.
So then she was cornered in a dead ended alley. The men approached her dully, as they were already aware of their success in catching their target. They brandished their weapons, ready to do to her as they please. The innocent woman slid down the wall in helplessness as her eyes welled up. It was then that one of them struck her a couple of times with his beating stick, then his buddies came closer. Just as they were having their fun, they didn't realize that something stalked them from above. Afterwards, a shadow began to cover the lead thug. When he gazed upwards in alarm, he was already pounced on and later received a large cut wound on his spinal area.
“...Goodness. You guys must've had some brilliant parents...” The calm-bearing and slightly deep voice of a young man sarcastically echoed in the alley. Thrown off focus, the three witnessed the slightly lofty man wielding the very sword that damaged their leader as he positioned himself as a shield in front of the assaulted woman. “...If this is how they taught you how to properly treat a woman.”
The three glared at him, ready to gut the man at any moment as they brandished lethal weaponry. The swordsman displayed a little bit of a carefree attitude as he rested his blade on his shoulder. Just as they were going to jump him with rage, the head honcho stopped them in their tracks, approaching the man cautiously, yet with a grin situated on his scruffy face.
“Tryin 'na play hero, eh? Ya know what happens 'ta guys like you when they stick they noses in other folk's be'ness?” The thug kept that smug look on his face. “If ya value that life of yours, ya betta bounce. I'm in too much of a good mood today...so I figure I can do somethin' nice today.”
Putting on an act like he's actually considering it, a cocky smile pierces the man's lips as he let his sword arm hang. “...Hmm. How about giving me a better reason to not run my blade through your head and get rid of that ugly face of yours? It's been bugging me ever since I hit you.”
“Wh-what?! Ya little...”
“...Hey hey, don't get mad. It's okay to have a face as frightening as an orge. It's the inside that counts!”
“...Which quite frankly looks like cowpat too.”
...Well, that definitely made the brute's face turn raging red as he stomped the ground like an angry bull. Gripping his spiked club he revealed, the veins in his head became thick. “Why...why you little bastard! I was gonna let you live, but ya just asked for a bloody beating. Before I kill you, I'll smash YOUR face until it looks like an orge! And BEFORE that--”
Then within a flash, the newcomer's blade thrust clean through the thug's face and exited from the back of his skull. He wasn't kidding about running it through his face, it seemed. Afterwards, the swordsman's expression turned dull while saying, “...You talk too much.” before granting the man a swift release by yanking his sword out. Then he locked on the other two with a blinding speed, who was caught completely off guard by the sudden and quick fall of their leader. Before the man could swing his dagger, his entire forearm was severed by a deadly vertical slice of the swordsman's katana. The second thug stared in awe and fear...too much to even defend against the next attack. However, it wasn't like he couldn't do anything...as his life flashed before his eyes when the mysterious protector pierced his body multiple times with fast-paced thrusting motions, ending his relentless assault with a final thrust to the chest with more strength applied.
After dropping the man off his blade, he paced towards the woman calmly while swiping his sword to remove the blood...but the thug with the severed arm attempted a desperate stab with his dagger until it was kicked out of his hand by the swordsman, who anticipated it. With a dash right through him with the swordsman's stunning stroke of the blade, his other arm...as well as his midsection was severed, having him split in two.
Removing the blood from his sword again with a forceful swing in the air and returning it to his scabbard, the man sighed while aggravated as he looked to the literally destroyed man. “...Now look what you made me do. Oh well...rest in pieces, fool.”
Taking one more gaze at the slaughter he created, he crossed his arms while a little distracted by it. “Daaaaamn...did I overdo it a bit on these guys?” He DID cut one to pieces and stabbed another like crazy...not to mention the first one. He then shrugged his shoulders before shifting his direction. “...Nah.”
Returning to the frightened lady, he asked if she was all right, trying to make it his point that he acted out of merely saving her life. After she finally jolted her fear of the man, she properly thanked him. However, she finally realized his weapon and his overall appearance.
“...Wait, sir. Aren't you that man everyone's recently been talking about?”
“...Uhh.” The man began to start off a bit panicky while pacing backwards slightly.
“Yeah! Klein! Klein, the Salvation of Pyhron!”
“Ahhh! Come on! Why do you people have to give me such a lame title?!”
“Aha! So it IS you! Oh, thanks a bunch for saving me!” She jumped up a little and giggled like a little girl as she became a little closer.
Since he had a straight path to the streets, he knew it would be easy to out run her. He didn't like attention at all. It was a habit of his to save people when they needed it, but when people start becoming overly grateful, he ends up uncomfortable. “...No problem. Now...if you'll excuse me~!” He took off like the wind, jumping over the corpses of the men.
Several seconds passed as he lost her in another alleyway and used what he could to climb up on the rooftops of a nearby building before anyone else could see him. Allowing a few minutes to calm down in his safe zone, Klein stared down on the rest of the town from the building he was on, as it was one of the tallest in the city. From up there, the town appeared to be such a mess. Abandoned or destroyed homes, empty shopping centers that were falling apart...the town was so much distorted from it's previous beauty. Gripping his sword's scabbard and clenching his free hand tightly, it genuinely pained him to look at this sight. Everyone was suffering regardless of his acts of heroism. Sure, he can put thugs in their place all day, but he can't rid them entirely. Feeling a little helpless, he look his hand and gently placed it upon his black short-cutted hair.
“I want to save Pyhron...but what's the next step to carrying that out? Killing those three troublemakers made me realize something...I'm doing nothing but resulting to even more violence to try and stop the current crimes. But...when you're in a town of now-cowards, you HAVE to fight...otherwise it's killed or be killed. Mom...Dad...what else is there to do?”
-------
Prologue: Ravaged
“Why must I live in a world full of wanton violence and everyday crime? A world that does not require to watch your back at every turn? I've been marveled by these thoughts for most of the entirety of my life in this city and can do nothing but watch as people suffer with no kind of law established anymore. But of course, I'm just hiding from the real answer. Mankind...lost a bloody battle against the fiends known as demons over fourteen years ago. As a child at the time, I had no idea what was going on...but the destruction I witnessed...It'll bleed in my memory and reside forever.”
“What else can I do...but just live?”
--
Pyhron. A city that lied far to the east of the mainland.
Once it was a bustling city full of life, peace and harmony. It's neighboring villages always sought the beautiful town out for both sightseeing and safety of it's established peace. However, the war that was waged destroyed the town. Many people were traumatized and the authority it once held vanished like a puff of smoke. The town guards numbered less than ninety percent of it's original group and people were unwilling to fight. As such, the town was ripped apart and conquered by thugs and gangs. It's because of it's new infamous reputation that no one on the mainland went near the town. Sure, other areas of the mainland were left a mess, but Pyhron suffered the most.
Even now, not a soul can sleep at night in peace without fearing a thief will break into their home and pilfer their belongings, their children...and even their lives. Even now in broad daylight, people end up targets for crime...just like the woman that was running away from three thuggish men on the streets at that very moment. She was running as briskly as she could, even in her long dress. But those gentlemen gave her hot pursuit. Normally, a guard would be able to intervene...right? You've guessed it...that woman was doomed the moment she had sights on her. Even when the small brigade of remaining guards are around, they're too afraid to lift a finger...so do bystanders. No one in Pyhron doesn't like to involve themselves in affairs that don't concern them...especially if crime and violence is involved.
So then she was cornered in a dead ended alley. The men approached her dully, as they were already aware of their success in catching their target. They brandished their weapons, ready to do to her as they please. The innocent woman slid down the wall in helplessness as her eyes welled up. It was then that one of them struck her a couple of times with his beating stick, then his buddies came closer. Just as they were having their fun, they didn't realize that something stalked them from above. Afterwards, a shadow began to cover the lead thug. When he gazed upwards in alarm, he was already pounced on and later received a large cut wound on his spinal area.
“...Goodness. You guys must've had some brilliant parents...” The calm-bearing and slightly deep voice of a young man sarcastically echoed in the alley. Thrown off focus, the three witnessed the slightly lofty man wielding the very sword that damaged their leader as he positioned himself as a shield in front of the assaulted woman. “...If this is how they taught you how to properly treat a woman.”
The three glared at him, ready to gut the man at any moment as they brandished lethal weaponry. The swordsman displayed a little bit of a carefree attitude as he rested his blade on his shoulder. Just as they were going to jump him with rage, the head honcho stopped them in their tracks, approaching the man cautiously, yet with a grin situated on his scruffy face.
“Tryin 'na play hero, eh? Ya know what happens 'ta guys like you when they stick they noses in other folk's be'ness?” The thug kept that smug look on his face. “If ya value that life of yours, ya betta bounce. I'm in too much of a good mood today...so I figure I can do somethin' nice today.”
Putting on an act like he's actually considering it, a cocky smile pierces the man's lips as he let his sword arm hang. “...Hmm. How about giving me a better reason to not run my blade through your head and get rid of that ugly face of yours? It's been bugging me ever since I hit you.”
“Wh-what?! Ya little...”
“...Hey hey, don't get mad. It's okay to have a face as frightening as an orge. It's the inside that counts!”
“...Which quite frankly looks like cowpat too.”
...Well, that definitely made the brute's face turn raging red as he stomped the ground like an angry bull. Gripping his spiked club he revealed, the veins in his head became thick. “Why...why you little bastard! I was gonna let you live, but ya just asked for a bloody beating. Before I kill you, I'll smash YOUR face until it looks like an orge! And BEFORE that--”
Then within a flash, the newcomer's blade thrust clean through the thug's face and exited from the back of his skull. He wasn't kidding about running it through his face, it seemed. Afterwards, the swordsman's expression turned dull while saying, “...You talk too much.” before granting the man a swift release by yanking his sword out. Then he locked on the other two with a blinding speed, who was caught completely off guard by the sudden and quick fall of their leader. Before the man could swing his dagger, his entire forearm was severed by a deadly vertical slice of the swordsman's katana. The second thug stared in awe and fear...too much to even defend against the next attack. However, it wasn't like he couldn't do anything...as his life flashed before his eyes when the mysterious protector pierced his body multiple times with fast-paced thrusting motions, ending his relentless assault with a final thrust to the chest with more strength applied.
After dropping the man off his blade, he paced towards the woman calmly while swiping his sword to remove the blood...but the thug with the severed arm attempted a desperate stab with his dagger until it was kicked out of his hand by the swordsman, who anticipated it. With a dash right through him with the swordsman's stunning stroke of the blade, his other arm...as well as his midsection was severed, having him split in two.
Removing the blood from his sword again with a forceful swing in the air and returning it to his scabbard, the man sighed while aggravated as he looked to the literally destroyed man. “...Now look what you made me do. Oh well...rest in pieces, fool.”
Taking one more gaze at the slaughter he created, he crossed his arms while a little distracted by it. “Daaaaamn...did I overdo it a bit on these guys?” He DID cut one to pieces and stabbed another like crazy...not to mention the first one. He then shrugged his shoulders before shifting his direction. “...Nah.”
Returning to the frightened lady, he asked if she was all right, trying to make it his point that he acted out of merely saving her life. After she finally jolted her fear of the man, she properly thanked him. However, she finally realized his weapon and his overall appearance.
“...Wait, sir. Aren't you that man everyone's recently been talking about?”
“...Uhh.” The man began to start off a bit panicky while pacing backwards slightly.
“Yeah! Klein! Klein, the Salvation of Pyhron!”
“Ahhh! Come on! Why do you people have to give me such a lame title?!”
“Aha! So it IS you! Oh, thanks a bunch for saving me!” She jumped up a little and giggled like a little girl as she became a little closer.
Since he had a straight path to the streets, he knew it would be easy to out run her. He didn't like attention at all. It was a habit of his to save people when they needed it, but when people start becoming overly grateful, he ends up uncomfortable. “...No problem. Now...if you'll excuse me~!” He took off like the wind, jumping over the corpses of the men.
Several seconds passed as he lost her in another alleyway and used what he could to climb up on the rooftops of a nearby building before anyone else could see him. Allowing a few minutes to calm down in his safe zone, Klein stared down on the rest of the town from the building he was on, as it was one of the tallest in the city. From up there, the town appeared to be such a mess. Abandoned or destroyed homes, empty shopping centers that were falling apart...the town was so much distorted from it's previous beauty. Gripping his sword's scabbard and clenching his free hand tightly, it genuinely pained him to look at this sight. Everyone was suffering regardless of his acts of heroism. Sure, he can put thugs in their place all day, but he can't rid them entirely. Feeling a little helpless, he look his hand and gently placed it upon his black short-cutted hair.
“I want to save Pyhron...but what's the next step to carrying that out? Killing those three troublemakers made me realize something...I'm doing nothing but resulting to even more violence to try and stop the current crimes. But...when you're in a town of now-cowards, you HAVE to fight...otherwise it's killed or be killed. Mom...Dad...what else is there to do?”