Chapter 1: The Lion and the Fortess

• Posted by Ben W March 19, 2014 - 773 views

  Wergar

       It has been a few days since encounter with the Lion. I was following up on a rumor that was spreading like a forest fire. Apparently, there were men in golden armor and wielding "shiny" swords. They were camped out within the Rift, a fort called Treva's Watch. It'd be good to have a little fun with them before I send them to death.

  ************* 

       After a few days of traveling, I found it. The morning sun was high in the sky, casting its light onto the surface below. I was perhaps a few yards away from it, but I could still smell the men inside.

       These soldiers are just too stupid, I thought. Don't they know the light will reflect off their armor and give them away? Whatever, guess that means it'll be easier to get them.

       An arrow flow past my left arm, grazing my left bicep. It made me wince, the burning sensation crept up my arm as if an insect was walking on me. The projectile landed in the dirt behind me with a low thwack, shacking where it hit. I went over and pulled the arrow from the soft earth and looked at the tip. It shown a pale silver in the sun's rays.

       Two more whistled by, followed by many more.

       Damn it, my thought screaming in my head. How the hell did they see me? I looked at my right shoulder: the pale white wolf head. I swore to myself, thinking how foolish to forget about something that important. A call sounded out across the vegetation.

       "Wolflord, how good of you to try and stop by." The voice was all to familiar: High Lord Lex, the Lionlord. "I heard what you did to Amen just yesterday. Did it feel good to send him away from my family?"

       "It was a better way to send him off then what you bastards did to my family!!" I shouted back at him. "Tell me, did it feel good to kill my children? Did it feel good to end them at such a young age?!" I almost chocked as my last remark left my lips, me emotions nearly coming out.

       The Lion sneered back, "You and your kind are a danger to the other felinethropes. It was just," Lex's voice went back down to a calm demeanor, "pleasure what we did to your four children."

       I roared a the fort, summoning the Wolf and my rage. "You will all DIE, here and now!!! I'll make sure your wife and children are next, Lion! Their pelts will be my new cloak!" Everything intensified as I transformed, including my sorrow and anger.

       The Lion bellowed back at me, his own anger coming with his transformation. "You touch my family and I'll see you hanging by your innards!" I heard a moaning and groaning coming from him; his armor was growing with him, the red metal expanding with his body.

       I lunged for the fort as more arrows rained down around me. Very few of the Lionguard had good aim, and I was continuously thankful for such a blessing. Whipping out Moonbrand from its scabbard, the white sword found a Lionguard's chest. Lex backed away, letting his men do the dirty work while he watched.

       All of the men rushed at once and I was ready. My sword blocked and parried numerous silver swords as they came in. I shot my let outward, my lupine claws cutting through the armor and severing a hamstring in two. The man cried in pain and my clawed paw sped to him, the black talons tearing his throat from the rest of him.

       A burning feeling came back as a sword found my shoulder blade, the blood beginning to weep. I roared in pain and lashed out. Several men lost their heads and others had their throats split. Though I was getting injured, it was these battles I enjoyed the most. The bodies of the headless fell without delay and the men with slit throats gurgled their last breath.

       My gray fur was starting to become a sloppy mess of red, the wound refusing to stop it's continuous flow. I heard another silver blessed arrow being fired. Lashing Moonbrand at it, the arrow bounded off the white metal. The one who fired was astonished that such a feat happened; even Lex stood wide eyed in awe.

       I heard light footsteps behind me. Turning my long sword backwards, I gave it a thrust. It found the man's stomach, coming out his back. He gasped, trying to catch his breath to no avail. I lowered my blade and he slid off onto the stone platform. More began to rush me.

       Time to push, I thought. I ran to meet the gold-plated men. My lupine legs met two in the chest as I jumped, denting the metal and breaking ribs. The flew backwards and bowled into their comrades. Before they could get up, I was on top of them. Moonbrand, my claws and teeth went to work, rendering the soldiers lifeless.

       One more to kill, I thought, turning to Lex. The Lion was a few inches taller than I, a mass of muscle. The chest was half the circumference of a wagon wheel, adding to his already buff stature. Lex drew his silver sword as I raised Moonbrand.

       "You do know that your end is coming, don't you? All that is good must end," the Lion jeered at me, his golden mane blowing in the light breeze.

       "All vile things have their endings as well, Lion." I replied to him. My fur bristled as the incoming fight was about to begin.

       "I hope your Wolflady enjoyed her death. She is dead, yes? I'm only angry that she didn't have the same pained look your chil-"

       My sword hit his with the fury of a god, shattering it in two. Moonbrand kept going, connecting with Lex's torso. A bloody arc came from the wound as the blade left the body. The Lionlord roared in pain, the blade acting like silver upon the flesh. He brought his fists up into my chest and heaved me backward.

       "You'll die for everything you have done to me Lex! There will be nothing left of you to find!!" Tears began to flow as my sorrow for my family came to the fro.

       "Sorry Wergar," the Lion sneered, "it will be you who dies today!"

       I lounged at him, tackling the monster to the ground. His sword stubble came and stabbed my left shoulder. The pain was great, but I pushed it to the back of my mind; the Lion was all I worried about. We both went for out necks, meeting in the middle. Our lips tore, the gums became shredded as we tried for each other's neck. Bringing up my fist, I smacked Lex's temple with all my might.

       The Lion's head recoiled off the stone floor. I hit him again, and again, and again. A blood puddle was slowly forming where his head hit, the blood sloshing up and down like rain. The silver stump was shoved into my rib cage, the pain too immense to ignore. I went for the blade lodged within my chest and the Lion went for my throat. My skin was leather, the teeth not poking through. I pulled my dagger from my belt and stabbed Lex in the heart.

       He looked into my eyes with disbelief, the end fast approaching. He tried getting up, to pull the blade from his chest. Blood coming out of his mouth, Lex stuttered, trying to say something. He rolled off of me and laid on his back. I saw his last breath, the light leaving his eyes as the Lion returned to human form.

       I tried getting up, my muscles and sinew wanting to disobey their orders. I managed to get up, looking at the stump in my chest. I readied myself and pulled it out. The pain came like a wave, forcing me to my knees, the blood once again on the move. Reverting back to human form, I felt darkness coming and muttered a sentence before collapsing.

       "Amelie, my love, my darling, I'll see you soon."