Hello! I based this story off of the PC game Titan Quest which was made by THQ and Ironlore. As you go through the game you can pick up letters and such. I found one from a saytr member of the "war camp" in Greece, that was address to his family back home. It got me thinking what if saytrs weren't always crazy monsters? So I made this story off of that idea.
The main characters, Scythnia (scyth-knee-a) and Jason, are my own creation as are a few others that they meet on their journey, but the names of the hero monsters, the traders, the caravan drivers, the quest givers, and other such items are the creation of the makers of Titan Quest and it's sequel Titan Quest: Immortal Throne.
Chapter 1 - Meeting:
No. This couldn't be happening. It had to be a nightmare. It had to be. Kerr would never attack him. They were brothers.
Yet, even as he tried to deny it, he knew it was true. Kerr was no longer the strong, wise older brother he had grown up with. Kerr was a wild and savage saytr with a insatiable lust for blood.
Kerr was going to kill his own younger brother without a second thought.
"Kerr, wait, please! It's me, your little brother! Don't you recognize me?! Kerr!" he yelled in desperation as he scrambled away from his brothers viciously swinging blade. Kerr's response is nothing more than an enraged snarl.
Shit! He had backed into a corner! He could defend himself, but he couldn't kill his own brother. Kerrs blade arced a deadly path towards his neck. He squeezed his eyes shut.
SHUNCK. Wettness splattered across his stomach.
SLICE. More wettness slapped his face. It was warm.
Thump. Ch-kang. Whump. Something hit the ground, followed by metal and something much bigger. He opened his eyes.
Before him stood a warrior. A human warrior. A bloody blade in one hand and a blood-soaked double-headed axe in the other, the warrior stood motionless, it's attention at his feet.
He looked down. Kerr lay at his feet gutted and decapitated. "Y-you…you killed him. You killed, Kerr. You killed my brother." He looked back up at the warrior.
At first the warrior said nothing. Then, "That saytr was no brother. He may once have been named Kerr and been an excellent son and brother. However, he was now no more than a mindless killer under the control of a Telkine. I did not kill your brother. The Telkine did that."
He did not argue, for he had seen it for himself. Kerr had dies in spirit many moons ago. He felt the tears sliding down his checks. He scrubbed them away with the back of his hand.
The warrior was walking away. "Ahh. Wait! Please!" The warrior stopped. "Umm…thank-you for saving me. My name is Jason. Wh-what's your's?" he bit his lip nervously.
The warrior turned towards him. "…I am known as Scythnia…the Bone Reaper."
Jason shivered. The Bone Reaper. Kerr had written to him some of the tales told about the Bone Reaper. A mysterious figure. No one knew where she came from. She first appeared in the town of Helos. At the time, they were being terrorized by a Dark Saytr Shaman.
Scythnia killed the shaman. As proof, she brought back the saytr shamans horns, which she gave to Diametis, head of the village. She also brought back a small bone. Braiding a thin strand of her hair, she secured the bone at the end of it. Thus began the bone reaping.
Known for her ruthlessness in battle, everyone feared her. Even those who had nothing to do with battle. Some humans feared her just as much as the "monsters" she killed.
Now, this legendary killer and hero stood before him. She had saved his life. Yet, now he didn't know what to do. He hesitated.
"You are a mountain saytr, yes?" Her question surprised him. "Y-yes."
Scythnia looked around at the violently hacked bodies scattered about. "I take it you're alone now."
Jason looked at the ground to hide the tears that stung his eyes. His entire herd had been killed. His mother, father, little sister, the Elders, even the boars. They were all gone.
"…If you have nowhere to go, you may come with me. I will take you to Pelanis. He is a trader and a saytr. Do you wish to come?" Jason stared. The Bone Reaper was offering to help him. He nodded mutely. Scythnia gave a single nod. "Alright. Gather what you want from here because I'm burning the rest."
"What! Why?"
"Because it releases the souls and prevents necromancers from reanimating the dead bodies."
Jason nodded and went to get his things together. When he came back Scythnia had removed her helmet. She turned at his approach. The movement made the bones in her hair click together.
Her eyes were a brilliant emerald green. Her hair, cut at her jaw line, was a shimmering black. Her skin was pale. A single, thin, silver scar ran from her left temple to above her right eye, where is curved down to travel across it and down to the right end of her jaw. Instead of marring her features, the scar was striking, like a piece of jewelry.
"Jason." She beckoned him over. "Do you know how to fight?" He nodded. "Bow, blade, axe, hammer, spear, shield, what? What do you use?"
"I use a sword. I can use the smaller ones, but I prefer the bigger, two-handed blades."
Her eyebrows rose. "You can use the likes of a claymore? Impressive for a saytr. Anyway, if you're coming you need a weapon and you need armor. Here, try these on. I found them in one of the huts. They should fit you."
Scythnia handed him a collection of armor. It took him a second to recognize it. "This is the sacred armor of Kerrchan! He is a legend amoung saytrs! I can't wear this!"
Scythnia cocked an eyebrow. "I take it that Kerrchan is long since dead?" Jason nodded. "Well, then, put it on. Before you protest let me explain. First off, you need good armor. You don't have good armor, you die. End of story. Second, you need good weapons. Again, you don't have good weapons, you die. And finally, Kerrchan is dead. He ain't gonna be using it again. Since he obviously doesn't need it and you do, you wear it. You're walking into a war, Jason. Emotions will get you killed. Practicality, logic, reason, intelligence. That's what will leave you standing while your opponent eats dirt. Strength is good, but brainpower is just as important in a battle. Now, put on the armor."
Reluctantly, he did so. The bracers fit snuggly and the body armor could have been made for him. Scythnia helped him put on the specially designed greaves. The helmet fit perfectly. The last thing was the special shoes.
Stylized after a horseshoe, they had to be nailed to the hoof. The bottom was covered with ridges, so when combined with a mountains saytrs superb sence of balance, they allowed the wearer to travel over any kind of terrain. Scythnia attached them to his hooves with a nail on each side and one in the back.
The armor didn't inhibit his movement at all. The shoes felt odd, but he would get use to them. Scythnia picked up a blade and passed it to him hilt first. Jason hesitated, but recalling Scythnia's earlier words, took the weapon.
Gryphon Claw, Kerrchans legendary massive claymore, was almost the perfect size and weight for Jason. He swung it around a bit to test it out. When he stopped, Scythnia handed him the scabbard, which slung across his back.
Scythnia then sent Jason to wait outside the village. As he sat there waiting, he let himself mourn for the loss of his herd. He finished crying just as Scythnia exited the village. He heard crackling, then suddenly, BANG!! The village became a gigantic bonfire.
"What -" "A special scroll that activates when lit on fire. I placed it amongst the bodies insuring they were all incinerated. The fire will burn until all the fuel, the village, has been consumed. When the fire goes out, nothing will remain."
For several minutes they watched it burn, Scythnia put her helmet back on, pivoted, and walked away. Jason looked back one last time and then followed.