Hello! Thanks to my first two reviewers! Let's comtinue on with the story of David Nassau, from the often-underappreciated and hopefully-sequeled SE title "The Last Remnant!" Please add your 2 cents to the review board once you're done: constructive criticism and ideas for other avenues to explore are welcome (and praises too, of course ^.^).
Prologue Two: Pride Before
16 years old
The hours just after dawn lit the eastward-facing rooms, bathing the practice courts in the orange-pink light of the new day. Torgal and Emma were standing on opposing sides of the floor, positioned so that they could see the practice bouts—and make corrective comments on their charges' performance. In the center of the hardwood ring, David and Blocter (now a full foot and a half taller than his young master) squared off with wooden practice weapons, both of them shirtless because of the heat, oppressive even in the early hours. Further, as Torgal insisted, taking a hit on bare flesh—even with practice blades—made one mind the important lesson of defense all the more seriously.
"Again!" the Sovani ordered, unsatisfied. David and Blocter reset their drill, standing at the ready opposite one another.
"Attack!" Emma commanded; David was the first into motion, lunging forward with a backhanded slice. Blocter knocked the blade away with the handle of his axe, twirling the weapon and dragging it down from over his head to crash against David's shield. The Marquis's son let the blow glance and slide off his bracer, deflecting the greater part of the powerful slam. He slid to the side and reversed direction, sweeping his leg out and chopping Blocter directly behind his knees with a well-aimed kick; the Yama yowled and, completely off balance, toppled backwards to land with a loud THUD on his behind.
"Curse it!" Blocter roared, slamming his ham-sized fists on the floor. David (turned away from their instructors) was smiling slightly at his agitated friend's expression and offered him a hand back up.
"Pathetic, Blocter," Emma informed him. "You consistently forget that your size is your downfall. If you are ever going to—"
"My Lord?" Torgal cut in, looking in surprise at the door. Lord Aurien, flanked by Pagus, swept into the room.
"Athlum is being threatened. There are several legions of monsters organized on the Namura Plains. We move out within the hour."
"Sir!" the others chorused together. Activity boomed within the room, Emma directing her charges though the Marquis was not finished.
"I would speak with my son," Aurien said clearly. "Blocter, gather his things when you gather your own, then assemble with the others." The Yama saluted, as did the three generals, and all of them left the courts to prepare. David had pulled on his white linen shirt and, when his father turned to address him, bowed as the others had, right fist closed over his heart. To his surprise, however, the Marquis grabbed his shoulders and embraced him.
"Father?" David asked, slightly unnerved. Aurien stepped back, appraising his son with an odd look in his eyes.
"I wanted to make sure I spoke to you before…about the Remnants."
"I have minded all of Pagus's lessons, Father," David assured him, "-and have, for some time now. I can assure you that—"
"No, this is different, something the generals cannot teach you." He looked uneasy, uncharacteristically so, and his unease made his son uncomfortable. "David, you must understand: Kellendros and the Gae Bolg, while powerful weapons to be sure-" David had never seen the man stumble so, especially not when speaking about the Remnants, "-son, they will consume you. Once you are bound to them, you will know power unlike anything you've ever felt. At the same time, they will change you. Their fury will eat at you, even when you're not in battle. The hatred will tear you apart unless you find something else to occupy your mind, do you understand?"
The flood of information about Athlum's prized weapons was sudden and strange; David, as rarely caught off guard as his father, had no idea how to respond. Aurien went on:
"Find something, be it duty, be it learning, be it upholding the glory of Athlum—but you must find some thought, some goal in which to immerse yourself, or the Remnants will burn through your mind and body like oil. It is…something I took too long to appreciate. Do you understand?" he demanded again, and his son saw deep lines in his face that he had not noticed before.
"I…yes, Father, I understand."
"Swear to me. Swear to me, as your Lord and your father, that you will never forget what I have told you." David bowed, covering his heart—in this, at least, he could default to something he knew.
"I swear it, my Lord." Aurien visibly relaxed, clapping his son on the shoulder.
"Good. Now then, let us go and teach our enemies what it means to defy Athlum!"
There is a second part in the works for this prologue--I just wanted to get some feedback about this half of it first :) Also, I've got Chap. 1 mostly done--and I've got some more action, thankfully--I get into my usual style. Please Review!!
-K-
