Post by Deleted on Jan 18, 2013 23:32:39 GMT
Ven spent the next few months at the school in Akis. He soon found himself becoming much better with the sword, but all the while something felt off about his fighting style. What bothered him the most however was the atmosphere, things seemed to drift by and blur together as he worked hard to become a knight. However, all the progress he made was eclipsed by Ash and Lilly, who continued to exceed and quickly became a strong pair who often worked together on assignments. Ven, however, despite his progress was reguarly behind the class because Karis had decided to keep him back for regular training. When he returned to his room, Ash and Lilly were usually too exhausted to talk much, and went to sleep pretty quickly.
Today, however, was different. Twisting forests that provide Ven with a breather from the claustrophobic walls of the academy, a tense atmosphere and people closer to his own level.
Sir Nitro was the person who recruited Raiark, and who still remained as his main mentor. Raiark and Ven had been getting closer together, as Raiark claimed he wanted to 'convert Ven into an opponent providing challenge'. At the time of year when the knights take the students on real missions for a day, it looked like Ven was going to be left behind. Nitro, however, decided to take him along on the field trip along with Raiark and his other student, a girl who Ven had never met before named Marina, or Lady Fey. The four had been sent to a village, the residence of which claim that a monster had been terrorising them at night.
"It's probably just a boar or something." Said Marina as they headed down the dusty path. The trees seemed relatively thin and the path was clearly viable. Sunlight shone down and a gentle breeze caused the trees to sway.
"Most likely." Said Raiark.
"Obviously." Replied Ven who gripped his sword tightly.
"Quiet. It must be unaware of our approach." Said Nitro. He stood still all of a sudden and held out his hand, a signal telling his students to stop and wait. Nitro was a man close to several inches tall, and unlike other knights wore far less armour because nothing fitted on him. As such he stuck to wearing only a full leather suit and metal shoulder and knee pads. Against the sun, his outline made him look like a beast, tall and intimidating. However the light shone past his figures, casting his students in a warm glow. He drew his sword that looked small in his large hands and stood still, closing his dim green eyes.
He eventually opened his eyes and nodded sharply, heading down one direction and motioning for the others to follow.
"Not very talkative is he?" Said Ven.
"Ahh thats just his way. He's a great teacher. I can temper myself in his fires of wisdom." Replied Raiark, grinning in glee as he imagined his strength as a full fledged knight.
"Quite happy tempering myself, thanks. Just need a little nudge." Responded Ven, looking away.
"Yeah right-"
"Sir Nitro said hush hush." Said Marina, stepping ahead of them and slowing down. Nitro hadn't said another word as they headed into a darker part of the wood. The tree cover was becoming thicker, the path less viable. The sun seemed to receded behind the cloud and tree covers, casting the world into a melancholic twilight, the glow created by Nitro's outline slowly fading.
"Smells rotten." Said Nitro all of a sudden, screwing his nose up in disgust.
"Stay close. And this time I mean it, I don't even want to hear your breath." He said quietly, ducking down and holding his sword cautiously in front of his face. The sun now seemed to have scuttled completely out of sight, the trees continued to grow thicker, darker, and bent over them, looming ominously.
Ven heard a deafening crunch as he stepped on a pile of leaves. All was still for a moment, but the twilight was giving way to darkness. Ven stooped down low and picked one up. It was black, like it had been burnt to cinders while still retaining it's form.
Nitro also stopped, then he seemed to panic. His movements didn't seem to change, but you could feel it.
"We're not dealing with a monster. Show me that leaf." He said, carefully taking it from Ven. He stared at it for a few seconds and smelt it.
"Run." He said, grabbing hold of Ven, turning him around, and pushing him back the way he came. Ven stumbled and began running.
"And you two! GO!" Yelled Nitro yelled. Marina and Raiark nodded quickly and stumbled down after Ven.
Everything seemed to rush past them, but no matter how fast they seemed to run, the trees caught up with them.
"The exit was supposed to be here! The trees don't even look any different!" Exclaimed Ven, drawing his sword.
"What was it that got Nitro so bothered?" Said Raiark, drawing his sword along with Marina.
Ven looked around in all directions. Upwards, there didn't even seem to be leaves connected to the trees anymore. It was like a starless night sky.
They decided to stop and they circled their area, staying vigilant. Each could feel their heart beating like drums. Raiark looked up, and noticed a thick, treacle like black liquid fall on him. He tried to scream but it fell into his mouth, gagging him.
Ven and Marina turned around to see the monster.
It seemed to be made of a tar like substance, making up its skin. It bumped as though it was alive, and it looked as though the sword would cut through then get stuck permanently. It formed into a humanoid shape after having fallen from the trees, slowly building its self upward. It had caught hold of Raiark, and while he struggled, his attacks seemed to do nothing. It absorbed it like a sponge, and the skin quickly sprung back. With its other hand it reached into it's own body, effortlessly breaking through it, and letting out a black gas that looked like smoke. It slumped as it drew out a sword made of a similar material to it's skin, except this looked hard, like it could slice throgh anything. It drew it along its back, scraping of some of it's tar skin to lengthen it. Clearly he wasn't satisfied with it's length. Finally, he closed up his wound with some skin from his head. The creature did this with such slow grace that it was horrifying. The being took its time, moving in a jarring slow motion as though it were living a dream in reality. Marina had readied herself, and before asking a question threw a sword swing into it. As Ven had suspected, its springy skin caused the sword to stop moving after it had penetrated around 3 inches of it's body. It released more smoke, but the sword was now stuck and Marina tried in vain to extract it from its body.
It slowly swatted her back with its sword, and relying on Marina's instinctual action to dodge it rather than catch her by surprise.
"Ac... I..." It blundered in a voice that was incomprehensible. Not merely an incomprehensible voice, a terrifying one.
"what the h*** is that thing?" Yelled Marina, wide eyed.
Ven had an inkling, but he could barely move. The creature's image filled him with dread, it was an image that forever would be burned in his head. The way it moved, the way its close to perfect camouflage against the darkness disorientated him whenever it moved, as though the forest its self were moving.
The creature slowly turned away, seemingly content. It held up its sword, trying to show it to Acemu. He rose it up, and it looked as though it were about to strike.
Ven's eyes widened. He felt his heart skip a beat as time appeared to stop. He was going to move.
The sword inched closer.
He shuffled.
It was moments away.
Ven clutched his head, then yelled, running towards the monster.
Every action seemed to blend into each other as terror drove Ven, guiding him and making him retaliate. And next thing he knew, he was on the monsters arm, standing next to Raiark and blocking its swing with his sword.
The creature tilted its head, and let part of its body turn into a fluid not dissimilar to water. This dislodged Marina's sword, but it also caused its entire figure to lurch unnaturally to one side, throwing Ven off. It returned form and threw a sword swing at Ven. Ven blocked, and continued doing so. Eventually, it came down with such force that Ven's sword was sent flying.
Ven was about to be finished off, but Marina came in and blocked again.
Ven scrambled over to the sword, and picked it up. He was about to slash it, then he felt something. Something very, very right, but at the same time very, very wrong.
"I'm holding my sword... in my left hand?" He said to himself as he looked at it. It shouldn't have been such a huge deal, but suddenly everything had been put into perspective for him. Everything that had felt wrong, but was told was right about his fighting style.
"I'm... I'm... LEFT HANDED!" Ven roared, and, for the first time since he had picked up a weapon, he felt a shred of that fighting spirit. Yes, everything felt just perfect, for that one moment.
Ven dashed forward and jumped upwards, then came crashing down on the monster with his sword, nestled comfortably in his left hand. It's head split opened, and it let out a wail that echoed throughout the forest, sorrowful and and enraged. Smoke flew out of its head, blanketing the environment and obscuring everyone's vision.
When the smoke cleared, Raiark was laying unharmed next to a pile of burnt leaves. The tree canopy parted, and the sun shone from behind them again.
Nitro appeared from behind the trees, and looked at Raiark.
"Did anything happen?" He asked, going to check him.
"Yes, a monster appeared. But we fought it off. It seemed to want Raiark." Said Marina, trying to calm herself down.
Ven nodded in confirmation.
"What? But... no, you couldn't have... I suspected something... but they never turn up here..." Said Nitro.
Ven explained what had happened, and described the creature to Nitro.
Nitro walked up to them, towering above them. He had a serious frown of disbelief.
"Are you telling me... that, based off of your description... you fought off a Sceith?"
Today, however, was different. Twisting forests that provide Ven with a breather from the claustrophobic walls of the academy, a tense atmosphere and people closer to his own level.
Sir Nitro was the person who recruited Raiark, and who still remained as his main mentor. Raiark and Ven had been getting closer together, as Raiark claimed he wanted to 'convert Ven into an opponent providing challenge'. At the time of year when the knights take the students on real missions for a day, it looked like Ven was going to be left behind. Nitro, however, decided to take him along on the field trip along with Raiark and his other student, a girl who Ven had never met before named Marina, or Lady Fey. The four had been sent to a village, the residence of which claim that a monster had been terrorising them at night.
"It's probably just a boar or something." Said Marina as they headed down the dusty path. The trees seemed relatively thin and the path was clearly viable. Sunlight shone down and a gentle breeze caused the trees to sway.
"Most likely." Said Raiark.
"Obviously." Replied Ven who gripped his sword tightly.
"Quiet. It must be unaware of our approach." Said Nitro. He stood still all of a sudden and held out his hand, a signal telling his students to stop and wait. Nitro was a man close to several inches tall, and unlike other knights wore far less armour because nothing fitted on him. As such he stuck to wearing only a full leather suit and metal shoulder and knee pads. Against the sun, his outline made him look like a beast, tall and intimidating. However the light shone past his figures, casting his students in a warm glow. He drew his sword that looked small in his large hands and stood still, closing his dim green eyes.
He eventually opened his eyes and nodded sharply, heading down one direction and motioning for the others to follow.
"Not very talkative is he?" Said Ven.
"Ahh thats just his way. He's a great teacher. I can temper myself in his fires of wisdom." Replied Raiark, grinning in glee as he imagined his strength as a full fledged knight.
"Quite happy tempering myself, thanks. Just need a little nudge." Responded Ven, looking away.
"Yeah right-"
"Sir Nitro said hush hush." Said Marina, stepping ahead of them and slowing down. Nitro hadn't said another word as they headed into a darker part of the wood. The tree cover was becoming thicker, the path less viable. The sun seemed to receded behind the cloud and tree covers, casting the world into a melancholic twilight, the glow created by Nitro's outline slowly fading.
"Smells rotten." Said Nitro all of a sudden, screwing his nose up in disgust.
"Stay close. And this time I mean it, I don't even want to hear your breath." He said quietly, ducking down and holding his sword cautiously in front of his face. The sun now seemed to have scuttled completely out of sight, the trees continued to grow thicker, darker, and bent over them, looming ominously.
Ven heard a deafening crunch as he stepped on a pile of leaves. All was still for a moment, but the twilight was giving way to darkness. Ven stooped down low and picked one up. It was black, like it had been burnt to cinders while still retaining it's form.
Nitro also stopped, then he seemed to panic. His movements didn't seem to change, but you could feel it.
"We're not dealing with a monster. Show me that leaf." He said, carefully taking it from Ven. He stared at it for a few seconds and smelt it.
"Run." He said, grabbing hold of Ven, turning him around, and pushing him back the way he came. Ven stumbled and began running.
"And you two! GO!" Yelled Nitro yelled. Marina and Raiark nodded quickly and stumbled down after Ven.
Everything seemed to rush past them, but no matter how fast they seemed to run, the trees caught up with them.
"The exit was supposed to be here! The trees don't even look any different!" Exclaimed Ven, drawing his sword.
"What was it that got Nitro so bothered?" Said Raiark, drawing his sword along with Marina.
Ven looked around in all directions. Upwards, there didn't even seem to be leaves connected to the trees anymore. It was like a starless night sky.
They decided to stop and they circled their area, staying vigilant. Each could feel their heart beating like drums. Raiark looked up, and noticed a thick, treacle like black liquid fall on him. He tried to scream but it fell into his mouth, gagging him.
Ven and Marina turned around to see the monster.
It seemed to be made of a tar like substance, making up its skin. It bumped as though it was alive, and it looked as though the sword would cut through then get stuck permanently. It formed into a humanoid shape after having fallen from the trees, slowly building its self upward. It had caught hold of Raiark, and while he struggled, his attacks seemed to do nothing. It absorbed it like a sponge, and the skin quickly sprung back. With its other hand it reached into it's own body, effortlessly breaking through it, and letting out a black gas that looked like smoke. It slumped as it drew out a sword made of a similar material to it's skin, except this looked hard, like it could slice throgh anything. It drew it along its back, scraping of some of it's tar skin to lengthen it. Clearly he wasn't satisfied with it's length. Finally, he closed up his wound with some skin from his head. The creature did this with such slow grace that it was horrifying. The being took its time, moving in a jarring slow motion as though it were living a dream in reality. Marina had readied herself, and before asking a question threw a sword swing into it. As Ven had suspected, its springy skin caused the sword to stop moving after it had penetrated around 3 inches of it's body. It released more smoke, but the sword was now stuck and Marina tried in vain to extract it from its body.
It slowly swatted her back with its sword, and relying on Marina's instinctual action to dodge it rather than catch her by surprise.
"Ac... I..." It blundered in a voice that was incomprehensible. Not merely an incomprehensible voice, a terrifying one.
"what the h*** is that thing?" Yelled Marina, wide eyed.
Ven had an inkling, but he could barely move. The creature's image filled him with dread, it was an image that forever would be burned in his head. The way it moved, the way its close to perfect camouflage against the darkness disorientated him whenever it moved, as though the forest its self were moving.
The creature slowly turned away, seemingly content. It held up its sword, trying to show it to Acemu. He rose it up, and it looked as though it were about to strike.
Ven's eyes widened. He felt his heart skip a beat as time appeared to stop. He was going to move.
The sword inched closer.
He shuffled.
It was moments away.
Ven clutched his head, then yelled, running towards the monster.
Every action seemed to blend into each other as terror drove Ven, guiding him and making him retaliate. And next thing he knew, he was on the monsters arm, standing next to Raiark and blocking its swing with his sword.
The creature tilted its head, and let part of its body turn into a fluid not dissimilar to water. This dislodged Marina's sword, but it also caused its entire figure to lurch unnaturally to one side, throwing Ven off. It returned form and threw a sword swing at Ven. Ven blocked, and continued doing so. Eventually, it came down with such force that Ven's sword was sent flying.
Ven was about to be finished off, but Marina came in and blocked again.
Ven scrambled over to the sword, and picked it up. He was about to slash it, then he felt something. Something very, very right, but at the same time very, very wrong.
"I'm holding my sword... in my left hand?" He said to himself as he looked at it. It shouldn't have been such a huge deal, but suddenly everything had been put into perspective for him. Everything that had felt wrong, but was told was right about his fighting style.
"I'm... I'm... LEFT HANDED!" Ven roared, and, for the first time since he had picked up a weapon, he felt a shred of that fighting spirit. Yes, everything felt just perfect, for that one moment.
Ven dashed forward and jumped upwards, then came crashing down on the monster with his sword, nestled comfortably in his left hand. It's head split opened, and it let out a wail that echoed throughout the forest, sorrowful and and enraged. Smoke flew out of its head, blanketing the environment and obscuring everyone's vision.
When the smoke cleared, Raiark was laying unharmed next to a pile of burnt leaves. The tree canopy parted, and the sun shone from behind them again.
Nitro appeared from behind the trees, and looked at Raiark.
"Did anything happen?" He asked, going to check him.
"Yes, a monster appeared. But we fought it off. It seemed to want Raiark." Said Marina, trying to calm herself down.
Ven nodded in confirmation.
"What? But... no, you couldn't have... I suspected something... but they never turn up here..." Said Nitro.
Ven explained what had happened, and described the creature to Nitro.
Nitro walked up to them, towering above them. He had a serious frown of disbelief.
"Are you telling me... that, based off of your description... you fought off a Sceith?"
