A Tale of Souls and Swords, eternally retold…
Four young heroes… One sword…
"Father, please! Stop badgering me! That… woman is annoying me to my body's core!" Aeneas pleaded with his father, walking down the hall to his room. "Is that so, boy?!Let me tell you something, Aeneas, Katherine has very respected parents in our community! Their farmland is worth more than your life, son!" Lord Rassler yelled angrily. Aeneas stopped and turned to face his father, "How kind of you, dearest father. Seeing as how my life has as much meaning to you as farmland, I suppose you won't mind if I refuse to marry that witch! No worries, Father, I'll be gone tomorrow, and you can always adopt another replacement, as you did to me." He said, his tone icy. He turned on his heel, and left his father standing in the corridor on the verge of bursting into tears.
Be damned! Why do I always do this to him? Seigfried would be ashamed. It's his choice to marry… But how did he discover his origin? Poor boy… Rassler thought to himself in his study. He cupped his face in his hands and drew a dagger from a hidden compartment on his desk. "You deserve a better father than I, Aeneas, my blessed son." Were the old man's last, tearstained words. His last thoughts were of his sons, Aeneas and Seigfried.
Aeneas sat on his bed with his head against the wall. Damned files… If I hadn't found them, I wouldn't have said those awful things. But I was right to do so. No matter, I've been nothing but trouble to father. It's best to go. He thought as he gathered only the necessities and packed them into a deerskin bag. He looked around his room, checking to see if there was anything he forgot, with his foot tapping on the floor. Clothes, waterskins, cloth, needles, thread, bowls, flint and steel, fork, belt, bedroll, salted meat, biscuits… He smiled as he realized what he had forgotten. He walked to his wardrobe, opened it, and peered inside at the water stained maple. He reached in and pulled out a small dagger with a gleaming oiled crimson sheath. He pulled it out of its cover and grinned at the green rune inscribed on the deep ruby blade. He retrieved the knife only weeks before, from the charred and mildewed remains of his real parents' home. His home. He stuffed it in the makeshift deerskin bag. He walked through the great foyer and stopped at his adoptive father's study. He considered whether to face his father. It would only be fair, and Aeneas decided he wanted to lift a burden off of his heart, and opened the door to apologize…
"Father! Father! Please, answer me! Father, please…" Aeneas wept. He pulled the dagger out of the old man's body and tossed it aside, burying his face in his only father's cloak. "I'm sorry, Father… Wherever you are, please forgive me…" mourned Aeneas, remembering his sorrowing last words to Rassler. No worries, Father, I'll be gone tomorrow, and you can always adopt another replacement, as you did me.
"No, Father, I was not a replacement, I was a son… Forgive me." Aeneas said as he burned his father's body under his wooden coffin. "At least you'll be happy from now on." He said, turning away, a new weight both on his back and upon his heart…
His first night alone was fitful. He got little sleep, and ate nothing. He gathered up his few belongings, which now included, Falvern, his father's greatsword. He walked along the road, oblivious to the fact that he had no idea where he was going. Walking along, in a slightly better mood than that of the previous day, he decided he was lucky. Rassler had trained him in the discipline of the greatsword, and he had an advantage over other travelers in that he probably had more food than many of them. These thoughts lightened his mood considerably, though his father remained on the edge of his thoughts. He walked about two leagues and only then did he realize that he had absolutely no idea how to sew. He dropped his bag and dug out the cloth, needle, and spool of thread. He considered simply leaving them there, but realized he could use the needle and thread to stitch himself up, and the cloth as bandages, or as a fire-starter. He tore the cloth in half and still had a decent amount, and stuffed the half in his hand, and the needle and thread in his bag and continued on. He was beginning to enjoy the view of the great forest when an individual in green dropped down in front of him from a tree limb. The young man said with a thin air of mockery in his voice, "Name's Orin. And you are going the wrong way."
A/N: Okay, how was it for my first fanfic? I'll be doing Orin's chapter next, then Nami's, and I'll finish up with Alfina. Sorry, I know it wasn't too exciting, but these first four chapters are a bit like an introduction to each character. The next chapter will have a fight in it, though. Here's a little hint… think big barbarian guy with a mace. If you guessed Rock, you are correct! All right, R&R please, people!
If you were wondering how to make Aeneas, Orin, Nami, or Alfina, I'll be showing ya how in the next few chapters. Here's Aeneas:
Gender : Male Class : Barbarian
Face: Number 7
Eyebrows / 6, 23
Lips / 4, 5
Eyes / 11, 22
Skin / 5, 19
Underwear / 1, 18
Voice: Young man 1
Part / Armor / Color
All / None / 0, 0
Head / None / 0, 0
Hair / Gelled Back / 6, 23
Mask / None / 0, 0
Chin / Scar / 3, 7
Lower Torso / Chain Mail / 5, 1
Mid Torso / Noble's Shirt / 7, 24
Upper Torso / Lord's Armor / 7, 24
Arms / Metal Gloves / 7,24
Shoulders / Lord's Shoulders / 7, 24
Neck / Cloak / 7, 24
Waist / Theif's Belt / 7, 24
Lower Legs / Leggings / 16, 2
Upper Legs / Hunter's Pants / 7, 24
Shins / Master Shin Guards / 21, 27
Socks / Tabi / 11, 13
Feet / Protective Greaves / 7, 24
If there's anything you'd change, tell me in the review.