The Legend of Dragoon: Black Resurrection
Chapter 1
Sydney awoke to the sound of wooden wheels, a complex trod of multiple hooves, and silent grumbles from the other passengers echoing through the carriage. It took a moment for his vision to blur into focus; a dark space crowded with people all headed for the same place he was, Lohan. Many knew of it as a haven for merchants and such, a place outside of the political nonsense, a city where five words were law "an eye for an eye". These people were most likely looking for opportunity, a way to escape just like he was.
Hitting a bump in the road the carriage shook violently waking up the rest of the passengers. A frightened boy clutched his mother's clothes as she gently rocked a cooing infant in her arms. Further down the same row, a bearded man leaned over popping his neck, and situating his satchel set loosely between his feet. Another gentleman seemed to be going through what looked like jars full of some unknown peculiarities, a merchant maybe? Sydney lowered his head and closed his eyes trying once again to sleep.
He breathed deeply sinking lower into the elongated bench. The only comfort he could find was by leaning forward and resting his face in his hands. Tired enough to ignore the aching pain in his lower back, he let his thoughts trail off to the unknown. He began to snore to the sound of music as it always did. It's what he loved the most in his life, something that had a beautiful harmony to coexist with his deadly, intricately detailed, melody.
Once again the carriage shuttered, only this time the left side of the carriage crashed to the ground causing everyone to jump out of their seats. The boy gripped his mother even tighter as she desperately tried to calm down the, now crying, infant. The once silent carriage was now filled with awkward and confused voices. Disgruntled, Sydney opened his eyes and listened to the heavy and somewhat hastened footsteps of the driver as he approached the back entrance to the caravan
The driver opened the wooden carriage door, "I'm pretty sure ya'll understand that I gotta' replace the wheel, we could be stuck here for around twenty minutes. So if you feel like gettin' out and stretchin' your legs, feel free to do so."
Sydney's brown leather boots crunched against the dry desert surface as he walked to a nearby cliff. Everything was covered in dust; his black pants bloused snugly in his boots, his dark flowing trenchcoat, even his once red studded leather armor had faded to a dark shade of brown. He glimpsed at his gauntleted hands, then stared off the edge of the small cliff overlooking the desert below. Barely making out the city of Lohan he sighed and lit himself a cigarette, feeling the smoke caress his slightly tanned skin, drawing tangled circles around the long strands of his white-blonde hair. His dark brown eyes flirted with the abyss of the iris in which it surrounded.
I wonder if she's in Lohan? Sydney pondered to himself. He once again caught a glimpse of the valley below, All the rumors pointed to this place, this has gotta' be it. But…are you still mad at me? Will seeing me now, the way that I am, change her opinion of me. He buried his face in his hands, Yeah right. But despite what she says I gotta' make this right.
"No! Why did you kill him?"
"I didn't mean to, I swear on Soa's grave I didn't mean to."
Sydney awoke to the screams of a woman in a fit of panic, "Don't kill my children, take me, TAKE ME! I BEG YOU!" Shooting up he noticed the near end of a brutal massacre, the victims, the passengers. This scene was all too familiar to the rugged traveler, he had grown up with it. An orphan at the age of seven he watched his parents die before his eyes. War between nomadic tribes wasn't uncommon in the desert continent of Death Frontier. Since then he had studied and perfected the art of the blade to kill those who would dare abuse their power. Especially bandits attacking poor travelers for the thrills and a bit of pocket change.
The woman reluctantly handed over the infant to his older brother, and with tears in her eyes tried to reassure that everything would be fine. She wanted her son to run with his younger brother as fast as he could, maybe they could make it there had to be a chance. But either way, she didn't want her eldest son's mind stained with the foul images of what these men, these monsters would do to her. In the back of her mind she prayed, she prayed with everything to the creator that this would be quick and painless, that she wouldn't have to suffer, that her children would have a home, and they would be able to endure the hardships of growing up without her.
One of the six bandits grabbed the woman by the collar of her ragged clothes and tossed her against a rock wall. An evil smile creeped its way across his face revealing the intentions he had for her. This woman would die a whore. Dropping his sword he foolishly lunged at the woman, but what he didn't realize was that this was the moment Sydney had been waiting for. Withdrawing both swords he leapt off the edge of the cliff, slicing the bandit in two.
Both swords reflected beautifully in the hot sun. One was an ebony obsidian, while the other was as crimson as the blood flowing freely from the fallen bandit's corpse. Enraged, the other five men ran at the skilled fighter thinking of nothing but killing the man who had dealt death to one of their own. Impaling one of the bandits he swung the blade in his free hand decapitating another attacker. He ripped the ebony sword out of the bandits' sternum and flung it at another oncoming attacker impaling him through the throat. Within twenty seconds four of the six original bandits had died by his hand.
A mixture of awe and fear overcame the two bandits left standing, it had to have been a fluke. There was no way a man of that caliber would be traveling amongst a lowly group such as this. Not thinking, they both ran at Sydney with swords in hand ready to kill at any moment. Retrieving his ebony blade he dashed at the bandits with both weapons at the ready. Before the bandits could think of swinging their swords, Sydney had plunged both blades into the abdomens of the unrighteous men who now lay dead before him.
Sheathing both swords he approached the woman cowering against the rock wall for her life. Her eldest son bobbed his way to his mother still holding the infant in his small arms. A smile found its way across Sydney's face as he moved his lips to speak, "I'd say were roughly, 5 miles away from Lohan, and there's no way I'll be able to fix this carriage." The bandits had done a number on it making the broken wheel look like an easy fix. "Feel free to tag along with me if you want, but I'd suggest not bringing anything you won't need. Five miles may seem short, but it's the middle of the day, and all it's gonna' do is get hotter."
Turning his back toward the woman he approached the down caravan and found his brown satchel amongst the wreckage. Opening it he went through his things making sure nothing was tampered with. He sighed, "It's still here. Dipping into the satchel he withdrew a red stone that shined bright to his touch. A magical item given to him as a child he never could imagine parting ways with it. It was something that he was attached to almost as if it was tugging at the depths of his soul.
Without saying a word, he flipped the satchel over his shoulder and began to walk the direction the caravan was heading in. "Wait!" the woman yelled as she ran toward Sydney with the infant back in her arms, the elder son stood shyly beside her with his eyes facing the rocky desert surface. "Look, I never got a chance to thank you for what you've done. If I had anything to give you…"
Sydney laughed, "Now what kind of man would I be if I took somethin' from a single mother and her children." The woman smiled weakly, and Sydney continued, "But a few companions to talk to might help."
LODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLODLO
"I appreciate everything you've done! My sister lives in this city, so if there's anything we can ever do just let us know!" The mother yelled as she walked deeper into the merchant city of Lohan. Sydney looked at the sun, it was mid-afternoon, so nightfall would soon be approaching. He had a few gold pieces, enough to afford a few nights stay at the inn, including the cost for food and such. Tired, he made his way through the maze of rickety stairs and creaky wooden decks.
It didn't take him long to find the inn since it was the northernmost structure in the city. Lohan was all one large building consisting of three stories (including the ground floor). There were three wings, the east wing, west wing, and the northern wing, all having bridges connecting to either-or's opposite side. Simply enough he opened the door to the inn finding a seat in the crowded, dusty bar almost immediately.
Nearing the end of the day the tourists had all but left; leaving the crowd to consist of local single men and women who had finished working, and were looking to unwind. Used to travelers, many of the patrons decided to leave Sydney to himself, not wanting to cause any trouble after another hard day in the sun. A waitress approached the traveler, "Can I help…you…" her sentence trailed off.
Sydney looked up; her midnight-black hair drifting into bouncing curls, and gorgeous green eyes, it had to be her. She looked so unfamiliar in an apron and ragged servants' garments. Sydney gasped, "Elisea…"
