Raven-Rise of a warrior(In Honor of the King who anointed me a Warrior, May his name be praised)
Once long ago in a place known only to those brave enough to look for it, lived a worrier who fought for the free people of his home, many a war did he partake in, many a man did he kill.
Chapter One
Fire by night
One morning a young boy awoke to his friends calling his name.
"Come out and play! Andreda we're going to attack the dark forests today remember!"
Andreda jumped out of bed and grabbed his things, ran down stairs, and out the door.
"Hey, sorry I almost forgot"
"Let's go then, we were just about to enter the woods after we had slain the dragon"
Andreda followed his friends into the small apple orchard, which served as the 'dark woods' for their games.
"There!" Andreda quietly exclaimed
"It's the band of thieves we've been after, too bad they stopped running!"
The boys coordinated their attack and began to quietly move in around the Thieves.
"Charge!" one of the boys exclaimed as they ran down the small hill.
Imaginary fighting went on for what seemed like hours to the young boys.
After the fight was over they became aware of voices…
"Quite! I hear some one"
They all gathered into a group and walked toward the voice
"Oh no! It's them!" Started one of the boys
"Stupid girls… How did they find the way into the woods?" asked another
Andreda remained silent
"We've got to get out of here before they put a spell on us!"
"Put a spell on whom?" Said a peaceful voice from behind
The boys jumped at this
"WE'RE SEEN EVERY MAN FOR HIMSELF!" exclaimed one of the smaller boys
As they all ran in opposite directions Andreda paused
"Hmm…" Andreda thought to himself as he ran
"We're bound to get caught and hauled off to the dark castle if we keep running from these evil creatures, unless, we…Get the jump on them!"
Andreda took off after the rest of his friends
Later as the sun began to set the girls could be found sitting on a quilt talking about 'girl stuff.'
"Ok… here's what we do, there in the valley there, we move around all sides of them, charge, capture there leader then take her back to the tree house!"
"Who's the leader?"
Andreda thought for a moment
"Her! The one with her back to us… Let's go were burning day light"
They lined up at the top of the hill…the sun sank even lower as the first of the stars came out.
"Now! Let's go!" They all ran down hill taking the girls by complete surprise
"Her! Get her!" One of the boys dove at the feet of their leader tripping her
"We've got her, lets go!" the boys ran pushing their enemy along with them as some of the girls gave chase hurling pink-flaming rocks at them, the darkness light up with pink light as they boys approached the hide-out.
A boy in front called "Andreda!"
"See if you can slow them down!"
Andreda spun round drawing his wooden sword and stood to face the advancing threat
"Give us her back and we won't hurt you!" they yelled
Andreda made no reply instead reached into his pocket, and pulled out three strange, brightly colored seeds. He threw them on the ground and ran towards the hide out.
The seeds sprung to life creating a wall of thick vines that they girls were unprepared for
"Quick Andreda get up here!"
Andreda climbed the latter and they pulled him in
"Good thinking with the vines."
Andreda smiled, the boys began a futile attempt at interrogating they're prisoner
"Tell us what you're planning!" they ordered
"I'll talk to know one but, Andreda"
The boys began to laugh
"Guess you won't know what we're planning then"
"Guys, go ahead and go into the next room, I'll talk to her…Alone"
The boys hesitantly left the room, and closed the door in a dramatic way, as if they weren't expecting Andreda to survive his talk. When you're that young...its more than possible.
"All right Ivy, what is your plan?"
"Hmm…you really want to know, Andreda?"
"Yes, just tell me or I'll be forced to toss you out the window"
She giggled at this humor
"I'm serious!"
"All right fine, our plan was to capture you! Then hold you for ransom until your friends could pay us two thousand gold pieces" she laughed more as his face flushed pail.
"Two thousand gold; all of us combined don't have that much!"
"I know that's the idea, the longer they take to get it, the longer you'd be with us…"
Andreda shied back a little, extremely nervous of the female's intentions. What would she do if they had succeeded? Would he survive? Andreda pictured a heroic escape form the jaws of the enemy.
"You…you would hold me hostage for two thousand gold, just so you could do? What?"
"Ha, wouldn't you like to know" Andreda definitely assumed they meant 'girl' stuff, he shuddered at the thought.
"Guys, get in here" he said and the boys entered the room
"I'm going to the second fortress, their plan is to capture me and hold me for two thousand gold!"
"What? Two thousand! Well let's hold her for, fifty then! Hand me that paper, I'll write the ransom note"
"Fifty!" Ivy exclaimed, "I'm worth more then fifty!"
"Don't kid yourself, we're merely making the ransom money able to go around and payable...we don't want you here remember, besides we wouldn't want you to feel to welcome."
They laughed and then shot the note out the window with a bow. Moments later; a fiery pink rock flew through the window, followed by there response.
"How do they do that? The rocks pink fire! That's a disgrace!"
Ivy laughed. "Just give me the paper, I'll tell them were to get the money, and I'll be far away from here"
Andreda slipped out the back door while this was going on he thought to himself
"I'll follow them, get a little extra gold, and store it some where safe, for us.
Andreda was none to soon; the girls had already gotten the letter and were on their way to the secret location. Only a few minuets later, they arrived at a valley, then, trudging through some bushes they came to a cave.
Andreda hid behind some rocks and waited for them to come out. After they left with there fifty gold, Andreda slipped inside, going to the back he found a small lantern that was left lit, and all around it was Gold, silver, and jewels, of every color. Andreda could hardly believe that the secret place; was a mine! Full of riches filled his small leather poach and his pockets then making a quick map of the mine, he ran to get back to the tree house. It took him a bit longer on the return trip, the sun had sunken all the way down and it was not very difficult for him to see in the blackness.
When he arrived though, he saw bright red flames, coming through the trees, and he followed it until he got to his village. It was on fire, and men on horses were hoisting bags of gold, and valuables onto there backs, death and carnage were all around, his friends…Dead, he could only account for three of them. And he found five of the seven girls that had been their archenemies. Andreda found his home burning; his parents were nowhere in site. He fell to his knees as the only sign of life, a Raven, landed on the shaft of a spear, stuck in the chest of a man who was so disfigured he was un recognizable. Andreda then blacked out.
Chapter 2
Training for Revenge
Andreda awoke in a large room, carved out of blue water stone; a small fire lily lit the room. The bluish green light illuminated the room, but hid the figure, sitting, reading in the corner. Andreda moved to get a better look.
"Oh…You're awake" Andreda was startled but made no reply
"Wait here while I go get my aunt" The young girl set down her book and walked silently out of the room.
Andreda sprung to his feet slightly dizzy yet fearing for his life, he looked around for any thing to use in his defense. A sword hung on pegs on the wall. He stood on a chair and grabbed it.
"She'll be here in a –"Andreda drew the solid silver blade and pointed it at the girl, breathing hard with fear and anger.
"Do you really think it wise? To fight me"
The girl walked to the closet as Andreda followed her with the point of the blade; she opened the closet door, and pulled out another sword.
"Come now… You don't really want to fight me now do you?"
"You can die for all I care!" the girl was shocked at this response
"You'd be dead if we hadn't seen the flames!"
"I'd rather be dead then have to look at you!" Andreda was lying… He knew that this was truly the most beautiful girl he had ever seen; though he would rather not admit it.
"Come on…don't be such a coward, attack me then"
Andreda lifted his unarmed hand and whispered to himself. A green flash of light and the girl fell onto the floor the blade landed dangerously close to her head. Andreda took running out the door.
Andreda continued running, not knowing where he was going. Presently he came to a large, ivory door, on it were in graved trees, and leaves. Andreda heard rushed footsteps; he pushed open the door and went inside. What he found was a garden, with thousands of rare plants that only grew on some of the far away islands. He wandered around in the vast garden, breathing deeply of the soothing mist he continued to wonder where he was.
"Hello" said a friendly voice from behind a flowering bush
"Who are you?"
"I'm…he thought for a moment. "Raven"
"Nice to meet you, I'm Areion. I'm the ruler of the Gardens"
"You…mean you rule over this place? Like a queen?"
She laughed. "Yes like a queen, I should introduce you to me niece; you look about the same age. Speaking of which, how old are you Raven?"
"Twelve, wait...your niece?" Andreda had a bad feeling about this.
"Yes…Have you met her?"
"Yeah" Raven sighed with embarrassment "I think I have." She reached down and picked a piece of fruit off the bush
"Here, eat this, it will help you recover lost energy."
"Thanks" Andreda ate the fruit, and instantly felt alive and awake, he looked around; surprised at his willingness to trust her, yet he felt comfortable in his new surrounding.
"You see, we here at the Garden age up too seven years slower then you, mortals."
"Interesting, I'll remember that" Andreda didn't honestly care, he would rather be off alone, yet he humored her.
"Come Raven; let us go find my niece." They left the garden, Raven still feeling a slight oddity about the whole place, but he went any ways.
As they walked Raven took notice in the strange style of swords they made. Hundreds of swords lined the walls. They were curved slightly, with leather wrapped around the hilts, which where strait from the blade. It was definitely a slicing weapon, it appeared to be solid silver, and each one was engraved with a different, beautiful piece of artwork.
"Sasha there you are… Glad we found you; Raven here claims to have met you. So I decided to make sure you to really do meet." She winked at Sasha.
"Oh yes, we've met." With a smile she asked "May we go outside to the sea shore to play?"
"Of course you may, have fun." Raven looked at them in question, but reluctantly went with the girl.
"So, Raven. You obviously wont enjoy this to much, but maybe we'll become good friends"
"Girls are evil creatures and should be locked up forever..." Raven walked on ahead of Sasha
"Oh, I'm not the one who pulled a sword on you as part of our first introduction."
"As if I knew what was going on, but you're not the one who had his whole family, and friends, and life, destroyed"
"... Raven I had no idea, I'm so sorry" Raven looked at her in question. "No I promise you I didn't know, they just said there was a fire."
"Save it..." Raven had no intention of ever being who he used to be, a 'nice little boy' he promised himself he would be feared by all men, promised he would take revenge, buy back what he had lost with their blood, who ever they were.
"So, Raven, how old are you?" she said trying to shift the conversation.
"Twelve...In human years I guess"
"Me too...Well in human years by garden years, as we call it- I'm five years old"
Raven stopped in his tracks.
"Your five years old?"
"Technically yes but I've never liked our system of age. Let's just say for the benefit of both of us, I too am twelve- going on thirteen. See...I don't look like I'm five, physically I don't age the same, but...I don't know...internally I do?"
"When are you turning thirteen?" He asked. This was all too strange to him.
"One week after tomorrow. When do you turn thirteen?"
"Next month, October third."
They continued to walk until they reached the sea shore.
"Do you see that rock out there?"
Raven looked out to sea. "Yes"
"The underneath is hallowed; you can swim up inside it!"
"Interesting...Like I care?" Sasha sighed with frustration.
Raven spent several years in the Garden, until one evening he had a dream of the night he lost every thing, Raven was told of something that could be done to help him receive the aging process of the people of the fountain, he trained hard and became physically strong, so that his body would be able to handle the intense energy taken from the tree's. It worked and he survived, he went to bed after this long sleepless process.
When he awoke Raven could think of nothing but that night, he spent hours pouring over maps of his island, he found one he liked and put it in his pocket. Then he walked to the black smith, he handed to him all the silver and gold he had collected that night, and asked him to make him a sword out of it.
"Combined Iron, and Steel, Then coat it in this silver...Make the hilt and guard out of this gold...I'll be back in two hours to pick it up...Can you have it done by then?" He wanted as many materials put into it as possible, it would be heavy, but it would not easily break or dull.
"Yes I can...I am the best there is!" Raven turned and left for the stable without another word.
The stable hand saw him coming and greeted him.
"Hi there, what can I do you for?"
"I need a battle hardened horse, one that's fast, strong, and doesn't tire easily."
"Of course, follow me." Raven and the stable hand walked to the back of the stable where the war horses were kept.
"This is the best one. Her name is Cloud; the one's who have ridden her call her that because she's black like a storm cloud, she runs like lightning, and comes when you call her."
"Perfect...I'll be back here in two hours to get her..." Leaving the stable Raven abruptly ran into Areion, she seemed to know exactly what he was doing, yet he had not told her.
"Raven... I know I can't keep you here forever, you've grown up so much since we brought you here to stay with us...Will you come back?" Raven looked down at his boots, and even to his own surprise; thought about it.
"Yes, I'll be back once my mission is complete, though...I don't know how long that may be."
"Here...Take this with you... It's an Ocarina; you may use it to amuse yourself, or to cast musical spells... It's very old, and made of strong; willow wood...Do me one last favor... At least bid farewell to Sasha."
"I will take good care of it...And I will bid Sasha fare well... Thank you for your five long years of hospitality, I'll be back." After finishing with Areion, Raven walked to his room and gathered some meager possessions.
"Jewel's... For currency, my knives, ah yes..." he busied himself about gathering them up, he put them all on his body, and he carried no packs.
Raven put the ring that Sasha had given to him for his first birthday at the garden, some six years ago, he then dawned his midnight black cloak, fighting boots (which had greater traction and were far larger than normal boots) and then walked out to find Sasha. Raven asked Sasha's best friend, Sonja where she might be found, then saying his good-byes to her, he walked to the garden. Sonja had always been around, yet he felt that he didn't know her that well. He pushed open the ivory doors to find her sitting by the fountain, teasing the fish with her finger.
"Raven!" she said as she turned to see who was coming inside.
"Sasha...I have to talk to you."
"All right, after; do you want to go swim out to mystic rock?"
"You know I hate to swim...And what I have to say will be difficult for you to bear at first."
"What is it?" her face became distressed at his serious tone.
"Sasha, my dreams have been haunted with the night every thing I had was lost, I'm leaving for a while...I...I don't know how long, but I will be back, I'm going to find the men who killed my friends and family, that night one escaped...one lived on to avenge the deaths of every one I held so dear..."
Sasha was silent for a moment...then she spoke.
"All right, you do what you must. But promise me that you will come back, regardless of whether you succeed in destroying all of them."
"There were twelve of them...That much lives on in my dreams...Playing over and over again in my head...I will be back regardless of whether or not I destroy them all...But know this...Any of them who are still alive...Will feel my wrath...I will kill all of them, and any one associated with them." Sasha nodded softly.
Raven departed from his beloved friend and went to visit the black smith once again.
"Is it ready?" Raven asked.
"Yes, just as you ordered it" the Smith pulled the new, beautifully crafted sword
"Here it is...Iron, Steel, Silver, and Gold handle...I figured you'd want it two handed, since you're preference is head sword."
"Yes...Thank you very much, here is the money for your troubles."
"No... No, consider it a going-away present." Raven looked confused.
"Areion told me." Raven nodded calmly.
"Very well...Thank you very much I assure you your time will be well spent."
Raven left the Black Smith and went to the stable, where he saddled Cloud, thanked the stable hand, then left in a screen of dust...Riding long and hard across the lush green planes of the North Eastern Islands in search of blood.