The Old Ye Bard
Prince
Registration Date: 2006.05.25
Posts: 3,351
Location: CHIM
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 [Fiction] Alusaron's Tale |
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By Lugar2 ^^
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Alusaron's Tale
Companion of Hero Divad, Slayer of Goblins
Light from glowing candles in the Museum of Sentinal danced in yellows
and golds upon the old stone walls, reflecting off of ancient swords
and cuirasses, warming dusty tomes and scrolls of lore and providing
lumination for the reading thereof. The light would flicker as a
bustling scholar would pass by or shift when for better viewing
pleasure a savant would adjust it to shine upon his texts, each flame
added its own bit of brilliance to already epic nature of the museum;
but most of all it shimmered off the smooth surface of the dark orb
which rested on the podium in the midst of the room. A silvery foil lay
beneath the stone doubly reflecting the light onto the sphere which
rested upon it giving a radiance to set the stone aglow as if it were
an enchanted device of the star-wounded east.
?What is it grandfather?? asked a young boy, his hair cut short for the
summer even though summer mattered little when you lived beside a
desert. This was his third time to the museum with his grandfather and
only just covered half of its antiquated halls.
?It?s a black soul gem of course,? replied the boys older sister before
the grandfather could answer. ?Its used to trap human souls, like yours
Achel, now move out of the way.? She finished giving her brother a
shove as a she moved closer to the orb, peeping up over the edge of the
podium and examining the gleaming curves.
?Now now Pemenie, where did you ever hear of such things?? the old man
said, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion but a sense of pride in that
his grandchild could be so smart.
?From you grandfather?? she replied with a quick smile, she always
bragged to grandfather about how she remembered more of his stories
than her brother could.
?Eh, I suppose you did. But this is not one of those,? he returned with
a grin ?no, this is much more interesting, and I don?t believe they?d
keep one of those here anyway.?
?Well tell us grandfather,? Pemenie spat out, ?What is it then. It sure
looks like a black soul gem.? In truth, she?d never seen a black soul
gem but if she were to imagine one she figured that this is what it
would look like. Afterall, it was almost black and it seemed as if it
were a gem, it fit the criteria for her.
?This child, is what is known as a Memory Stone...?
?A memory stone, that sounds boring.? Pemenie said crossing her arms
and then turning to her brother, ?I told you we should have gone to see
the dragon?s tooth.?
?Let him talk Pemenie.? The brother replied before turning back to his
grandfather, a look of sheer childish curiosity on his face.
?Well, I?ll assure you that this is far from boring dear granddaughter.
You see, the memory stone are made from a very rare substance only
found in the farthest reaches of High Rock, far to the north from here
were it is quite cold, snowy even. A very long time ago a mage
enchanted many of these stones to be able to hold a person?s memories,
unrecorded ones are worth a king?s ransom nowadays.?
?Ooh, so they?re like treasure.? Pemenie chimed in, now more than
interested in the subject of memory stones, not only did she like
treasures but even more so because she?d always dreamed of becoming a
mage. Any story that involved mages was far from boring for her, she?d
heard them all, the Mages that talked to the gods and demons were the
best she thought.
?Something like that,? the grandfather replied with a smile, ?but its
what?s inside that?s the real treasure, especially if you find a really
good one, like this one that I?ve brought you to see today.? He turned
and motioned to the shining dark stone.
?You see, many of these stones were used way back during the First Era
only shortly after the Na-Totambu and the Ra Gada arrived from old
Yokuda, you do remember me telling you about them?? Both hurriedly
children nodded in unison compelling their grandfather to continue.
?Well, a few of these stones came into the possession of followers of
the great hero and leader Frandar Hunding and his fellow saints of the
sword. How I couldn't really say, but if I were to venture a guess I
would say buy way of Bretonic merchants during their cross of the
Eltheric or in what what is now Hunding Bay.? Both children were lost
in the words of their grandfather now; the stories of the sword-saints
were always the best, Makela was Pemenie?s favorite, she?d killed the
evil King of the Bretons during the war with Orsinium. Achel, truth be
told, remembered few of the names.
?This particular Memory Stone belonged to one of these companions, one
of the followers of Hunding?s son Divad, whom fought against the yellow
hordes of the giant goblins and avenged his father?s death.?
?This particular companion?s name was Alusaron.? The grandfather
stopped and picked up the dark stone by the foil, ?This contains the
memories of one who fought the giant goblins that sprung from a rift in
the sky. There is no better account in any book you could find of those
days than is the ones that can be found in the memory stones, even if
he were to tell the story himself it couldn't compare, and I think that
this one is one of the most interesting.?
The grandfather lowered the stone to the children?s level, ?Those who touch the stone may see the memories.?
?Ooh grandfather, can we, can we see the memories of the goblin
fighter.? Pemenie chirped with excitement, pulling upon her
grandfather?s sleeve to lower the stone closer to them.
?But of course, why else would I have brought you here. Now, let us
touch it all at once, that way we can see it all together.? Replied the
old man, in truth, he wanted to be able to go beyond the memories of
the horrors of war and the gruesome bloodshed, those were no memories
for children to bear. Gently the grandfather took the children?s hands
in his own and placed them upon the orb.
?My name is Alusaron do
Tigon Hel Ansei No Shira, fourteenth in my line and companion of
Frandar Hunding and his son Divad in the crossing of the Eltheric from
our lost homeland of Yokuda, for we no longer belong to that land, we
of the Hiradirge??
Pemenie jumped at the sound of the voice which suddenly had began to
speak, it were almost as if a fourth person were standing beside them,
talking to them and telling them of himself. Or even moreso, were using
some sort of magicka to speak directly into their minds.
?It?s alright child.? The grandfather said warmly, taking her hand once again in his own and returning it to the stone.
?The month is Sun's
Height of the year 2444 in the old way of reckoning, that of now lost
Yokuda. Summertide is more than upon us and the deserts are hot, but
that is to be expected. What we have come to call 'the sacred flame'
has come with the morn; a great red mist that covers the open lands.
Spies have told of a great rift in the sky, a gate which hangs in their
air without support and issues forth the yellow plague that are the
goblin race of this land without end. Divad verified this evil things
existence, so it is without doubt now.
Divad has devised a plan though, a tactical genius is he and rivaled
only by his father (may he find his way safely to the Far Shores). Even
as I grasp this stone with the left hand my right grasps a blade who?s
power is beyond anything else which has ever been forged of steel, for
in this steel is embedded the very spirit of our great leader Divad.
Its power parallels and no doubt even exceeds the power of wispy shehai
which I may wield when all my will is focused.
In moments we march on the great rent in the air and even now the
rotting smell of the yellow beasts I can smell now as we draw nearer. I
thank Tava for the winds, even if they are sand filled to the point of
stinging and relentless, which serve take the odor away as soon as it
comes. In Divad?s plan I have all the faith that Ruptga grants me,
however the demon Malooc the Horde King no doubt leads these giant
beasts and demons are a match for even the greatest amongst we Ansei.
For this reason I hold this stone now, that should I perish in the
ahead time, which I shall not, the deeds of the companions of Divad
shall not go unnoted. The son of Hunding himself is weak even now from
having poured his soul into our weapons of assured victory; it is of
his passing to the next world that I fear the most for without him his
plans may ajcea (that is, spiral down) to the point of becoming tobr'a (that is, useless), which is a thing I could not stand to bear.
The sands shift beneath their feet. A barren land abandoned by Zeht,
for even the gods must make successions to the demons of the rift.
Should we take the day I shall make plans for building the first Hall
of the Virtues of War in this new land on this spot, if only to spite
the yellow ones.
The gate draws near and even the greatest gust from Tava can not remove
this stench from the air. A yell from the side. What is it? The battle
has started at last. The goblin lines charge, as do our own.
?Raise the Banners High. Meet them With the Fury of Onsi the
Boneshaver. Not with knives, But With Swords!? Comes a yell from
behind. [The yell takes the children off-guard causing Achel to jump
and look behind him for an attacker but quickly realizes the heat of
the battle which he has the best view for.]
What a horrid sight it is. A door to hell it must be, the very world
itself, air, sky, and earth being simultaneously devoured and
regurgitated without end, only with goblins to add. The hell of the
goblins, realm of Malooc no doubt, come to disrupt the Walkabout of the
spirits on their journey to the Far Shores. From where does it come, no
mage or demon to support it, a fowl magick indeed, but the magick of
the Ansu is greater, for it has to be.
?Fight Men, Fight like the Ra Gada you are. Fight for Hunding, Fight
for Divad, Fight for our new home and for the Scorning of the Demon
which draws these beasts here. Not for Nothing Did WE Send the Evil
Hira to His Early Grave!? Comes a yell once again.
Yes. Fight. That is what we must do. The sword in my right, a spirit
sword of Divad, raise to block, the Horde is Here! Eyes on the face and
they can?t read my move. The Fingers-Knife, five thrusts, quick now.
The opponent is dead. Trained in the Best Known Cuts since childhood,
the enemy with only axes. Smile obscured by coal, arm out, knee down,
The Vectoring Cygnet, the next yellow beast has fallen. Move like the
snakes, ?if you don't want to get hit you move out of the way.? Agility
is key.
Outnumbered. A hundred to one. But that is how it should be, even as it
was at Hattu. Hira was destroyed and so shall these beasts, damn the
left-handed elves.
Fear. Fear is what is in their green and yellow eyes. Fear of the Ansei
and the Ra Gada, Fear of US. Raise the Banner of Hunding High. Infinite
numbers now cut down. Netu anselim (that is, turn back). That is what is on their mind if they have them.
The Bellguard. Down, now over, now hold? steady, return the strike. Another sent to the beyond.
The gate grows close. Its power is strong. It pulls at my soul. Resist,
that is what to do. I thank you Tu'whacca for your aide. Koomu alezer'i (that is, we acknowledge).
The Ephemeral Feint, second principle of pneumansu, fighting as dead,
the move of Leki the Saint of the Spirit Sword. Hold the breath and
kill the beast. Parry and thrust, slice from one to the next as with
delicacy only to be found by the finest artisans of the desert.
The Horde has Swarmed. Math Athlete. The Horde falls with the duelist appearing in more than occurrence.
A sting in my thigh. A blow from a goblin club? No, a cut, an
axe-wound. Slash, the beast is dead, Adrenaline Rush, rejuvenation and
power from the gods. Allies all around? closing in now, the great gate
before us. Daibethe, give us rest from the blaze of your heat, but cast
double upon the yellow beasts. Scorch their very souls, let them be
devoured by Satak.
?Surround the accursed portal to the hells of Malooc!?
Raise the sword, the spirit swords of Divad in unison. The demon comes,
but he is late. ?Call on the Shehai?, Call on the spirit-sword. Gods of
War Unknown to Mortals, Aide. What is this light? The swords glow, the
spirit and magick of Divad fills the blades, a brilliance and
illumination to that which the eye cannot comprehend, and thus fails to
try to. Blackness, only just after.
What is this? Blindness. I am blind. Not deaf, and not paralyzed, thus
continue I must. A heat runs down my blade, it is ablaze. Goblin flesh
burns, waves of heat pass my body but harm me not.
The world consumed in fire, or so it seems. Why? My soul, its still.
The rift is gone, its pull has vanished, ceded to our will, the will of
the spirit of Divad, the will of the unknown gods of war, the will of
the Ra Gada. May the Na-Totambu praise us for our deeds today.
Now. Squeaks, groans, from the surviving yellow ones. Diminished they
are. My spirit guides me to it. They flee, their demon magicks tobr'a. The voice of Malooc in the wind, ?ugak-ta?. Silence, then cheers. The battle has ended.
Divad?s Voice. ?Victory, now come wielders of the sword.?
He calls for us, we must go. Our savior still alive. A great victory indeed, for the lands of Hammerfell are now ours.
To the north we go, the crunch of bones under our feet. The bone gives
away easily, charred through from the magicks of the five blades. We
follow our leader. The desert winds now blow softly and with coolness,
Tava rewards our deeds. Silence as we walk save for the blessed wind of
the bird god and the birds themselves whom sing their own songs of our
victory sweeter than the fairest voiced bard of our clan.
Ah yes, the stone, I still feel it in my hand. I must gather my
thoughts. David, swords, mountain, songs, fire, goblins, rift,
blindness, winds? the story:
We now walk to the mountains. My misgivings were misplaced, as I knew
they would be. The stone I now carry should now serve only as a
testament to the battle. For great things such as this always turn to
legend, then myth, then disappear, but this one shall not die, for this
is its testament. We now walk to the mountains, for that is where our
destinies lie, we five bearers of Divad?s soul-swords.
One is gone, now another, another, another and now only the two of us remain, Divad and I.
?They are too powerful for man to keep. Too tempting for those of
lesser spirit amongst us. Too dangerous for the fate of our new home
which is Hammerfell.? The words of Divad as we walk. Thus to the
mountains we go, to the caves where we five may guard that which was
granted to us.
To my own cave I go, led by Divad. 'Goodbye dear friend.'
?My spirit is always with you. Though I fear I will not live in this
world much longer, may Tall Papa guide me when I?m gone.? And even so I
can feel the swords power flow through me. Little pain as though I
could live forever, and just might. I shall now give my stone to Divad,
to return to the people, for I must stay here, a guardian of the
spirit-sword of the Hero Divad, son of Frandar Hunding, defeater of the
Goblin Hordes from beyond.?
The voice stopped and Pemenie looked around, ?What happened? Why did it stop??
?That is the end of it my dear child.? The grandfather replied setting
the stone and its foil back atop the podium, ?A Memory Stone is only
good for one recording, then it only replays the memories.?
?But? but what happened to him. What happened to Alusaron the companion of Divad.? Achel chimed in.
?He stayed to guard the sword, of course.?
?Yes, but what after that grandfather, what happened then??
?Ah. Divad returned to the people, he died on the day of 12th Sun's
Height, what we now celebrate as Divad Etep't. His tomb is now in
Antiphyllo, west of here. But you?re wanting to know of Alusaron.
Legends say that each of the five companions caves were great mazes,
home to a master guardian, an old blind Ansei. One had to be of pure
heart to enter the caves for Divad himself was pure of heart as well,
along with his companions. Each of the masters it is believed derived
some sort of immortality from the magicks of the blades for many years
later the Hero Derik Hallin goes on quest to retrieve the blades and
each is yet alive.
?It is told that each old Ansei master was also endowed with a great
power by the swords. One it is said was given feline agility, her name
was Katrice, sweet Katrice. Yet another was given an icy calm, so much
so that he became as an Ice Golem. Hallin quested and defeated each of
the old Ansei and retrieved the swords.?
?So they died in the caves? killed by Derik Hallin?? questioned Achel.
?Not necessarily. Defeat does not mean killed, just bested in some way.?
?So if he didn?t die, what happened to him.? Pemenie insisted.
?Well, I?m just an old blind man,? replied their Grandfather placing
his hand in front of them, a silvery wisp of light and mist appeared in
his hand, slowly growing until it formed into a beauteous sight of a
ghostly blade, ever shifting and ever glowing. ?But I have my
suspicions??
Achel gave a grin which expressed a glee which filled him to his
innermost being, Pomenie stood wondering why her grandfather had never
told her he could do magick. |
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"Call it what you like"
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