Prelude (Part 3) - An unsettling turn of events.

  • An unsettling turn of events.

    It was late one summer evening.  I was lying on my bedroll in the loft of our wooden house half asleep staring down at the fire pit in the middle of the room below.  There was a loud and persistent rapping at the door.  I recall my father saying that whoever it is should hold on and not break the door down.  When the door opened I could not see who was on the other side, but from the expression of my father I could see it must have been a very dangerous person, or an official of some sort.  Stretching my ear to hear the conversation, I could hear the other person was male, but his voice was gentle, yet fierce like a woman’s.  Something about he knew and he has come for her. 

    My mother, who has quietly sneaked up the ladder to the loft without me noticing, started packing something frantically into a fur backpack.  She stuffed cheese, bread and some weak mead into the bag.  She moved over to me and whispered for me to take my bow and climb out the window and run.  I stared at her with disbelief.  Run?  But I could see something was seriously wrong, and I had better obey.  ‘’Where?’’, I whispered under my voice.  ‘’Anywhere child, just go as far from the house as possible. ‘’.   She continued.  ‘’Find your brother in Skyrim, he will know what to do.’’  It’s then that I heard a ruckus at the door.  It looked like the man has stepped into the door now and had my father by the forearm.  I don’t think I’ve ever seen such a fear in my father’s eyes. 

    The tall slender man was covered in black robes with a gold trim.  He’s hair was near white but he was not old, because his skin was as pale and smooth as a new born.  When my father struck the man in the face, I knew I had to leave.  I did not know how, but I had a feeling that this was probably the last time I’d see my parents again.  I kissed my mother on the cheek and moved towards the window.  ‘’STOP!’’, I hear someone shout. ‘’Stop her!’’.  I nearly fell out the window, but landed on my knee in the garden below.   Nothing serious, but then I saw another man come around the corner, dressed in the same black robes.  I hear banging sounds in the house as pots are falling from the hooks above the pit.  There is definitely a fight going on in there.  ‘’You there, stop!  You’re coming with us!’’  The second man’s hand had started to glow, but it was frozen and frost could be seen like steam rising from his fingers.  I hear a load crack and see how a sharp icicle slams into the wood next to my face.  Instincts from having to run from bears and wild predators start rushing into my subconscious.  I get up quickly and in the same motion fling a pile of dirt in the direction of the attacker.  The dirt hit him in the face and I start bolting for the woods.  Frozen icicle spears-heads start flying all around me.  I knew if I could get to the tall trees or the woods outside our house I will easily lose these pursuers in there.  Running with all my strength, I hear something go up in flames.  I look back while still running to see the house is on fire, my father lying on the ground with blood on his head.  The man by the door was streaming jets of flame from his palms into the house. 

    And then I heard it.  I heard the screams of my mother as the fire tore through her skin.  My eyes started to water and I found it hard to see where I was going.  I was quite far from the house now when I felt something hit my shoulder hard and knocking me forward into a stumbling roll.  My shoulder and my left arm suddenly felt ice cold.  I’ve been hit, but the strike knocked me forward into the awaiting forest wall.  I knew my pursuers where going to be on me any second now.  I had no weapon to defend myself.  As if by automation I summoned Torge.  ‘’Help me boy…’’, I whispered.  Without hesitation the spirit wolf start running in the direction of my attackers. 

    I start dragging myself even deeper into the woods.  I had to get up and as far away from here as possible.  It was pitching dark though and having only experience hunting during the early hours of the day, I had no idea where I was going.  I just knew I had to run, run as far away as possible.  I heard the yelp of Torge, and the shouts of the men in black coming in my direction.  It was not long and I had gotten myself completely lost.  But I kept going, trusting in my stamina to help me trough this hellish nightmare.  I ran until I heard the voices no more, until I could finally fall down in exhaustion. Crying at the sudden loss of my parents, I finally passed out on a branch in a tree.

Comments

3 Comments
  • FXMorph
    FXMorph   ·  February 12, 2013
    Well, this is all part of the prologue actually :P
  • FXMorph
    FXMorph   ·  February 11, 2013
    Thx Guy :D
  • Guy Corbett
    Guy Corbett   ·  February 11, 2013
    Nice little sequence. The pictures are great keep it up