The Story of a Tear
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Chapter Two of The Story of a Tear! I hope you like this one [I think it's a tad better than the first chapter. ^^ There is a piece of spoiler here and there, so no flames please. Also, a bit of time has passed since the first chapter but everything will click into place sooner or later. +_+ In this chapter he is 17. Disclaimer : I do not own Escaflowne or any of the characters. Please do not sue little, homework burdened me. ^^ All I claim is Lord Affeasia who I made up.
Chapter Two : Dawning of a New Era
The scene from which
Folken looked on was quite dismal. Flat, gray land seemed to roll on forever into the murky horizon. He lowered his gaze and caught sight of his
right arm. Ah yes, the one that was replaced. He remembers 2 years ago, during
the Dragon Slaying Pre-coronation Ritual, the feeling of hopelessness and
pain. His eyelids softly close as he
lives the memory again. A dragon was sleeping in it's cave, with one eye
open and one eye shut. Anxiety seemed
to build up like a wall around the dragon and him... would the dragon notice
him? He should take the chance, it was sleeping and the task would be simple.
He had decided to take a step forward... but suddenly both the dragon's eyes
snap open! He gulps, and fright quietly
took over him. When he blinks, the dragon blinks; it's eyes seemingly to know
the fear deep down inside the boy's soul. The dragon approached forward, it's odor floating around. Folken
grimaced at the smell and scrunched up his nose, while holding the hilt of his
sword. The dragon did the blinking thing again, harboring more fear in Folken's
heart. If he had known that dragons smell fear like dogs do, he would have been
less tense and more "friendly"; however he chose the wrong time to be calm and
lowered his arm. WRRRRRRiiiiiiipppp! A
menacing pain shot up his right arm, spreading around like oil in water. Folken eyes dilated a bit as he looked on at
what had happened to his right arm. The dragon had it! It was gone! He couldn't
contain his fear any longer and screamed, falling to the ground. With a thud,
as he hit the warm earth that was soaking his blood, he feared death no
more. What was death really? How can it
sink into a man's soul so? He was feeling death, and he was not
afraid. The dragon approached some
more, then backed away before Folken lost consciousness, losing blood.
His memory flew out of
his mind as quickly as it had come as a soldier tapped him lightly on his left
shoulder.
"Lord Affeasia wishes to
speak to you, Lord Folken," the young dark haired soldier said. He had hair of
midnight, eyes of the sunset when its purple, and a slight hint of the lust for
blood shown in his eyes. Such soldiers
were common here, where a new era was beginning. A new magic called Science had
proven that it was useful. Lord Dornkirk had "invented" it all. Folken gave a
slight nod and followed the soldier to Lord Affeasia's personal ensuite.
As he entered, he noticed
a few hooded figures crowd along a corner of the room, mumbling, eying him and
Affeasia. There was a cold draft, and Folken shuddered for a second; and
remembered whose presence he was in, he straightened up.
"Why do you call upon me,
M'lord?" Folken asked respectively. Lord Affeasia was Dornkirk's most trusted
men, but Folken thought he was rather cold. However, rules were to be obeyed if
Folken wanted to succeed and find what he longed for……..
"I wanted to be updated
on how you are progressing on the new reports," Affeasia said briskly.
"They are finished M'lord,"
Folken responded with just a little bit of air. He had done a lot of thinking before getting everything right,
and some sneaking out and staring at ponds overgrown with gray weeds too! He furrowed his eyebrows as he remembered
seeing a tall tawny creature moving around followed by scamping sounds. Was Ziabach having a zoo in their Science
Department building's dead garden? Maybe he was hallucinating from all the thinking. He frowned a bit.
"Ha! I knew you were a
deep thinker Folken, but I never knew you had to think to make sure if you had
actually finished something! Taking on the years quickly, Folken?" Affeasia
said coolly.
Folken did not respond, but instead handed him the papers
and walked out of the room, and said at the door, "I hope you find the report
to the liking." His thoughts were still on that goldenish-tawny-brownish
creature in the "garden". Maybe he will
hava a better chance at taking a look at it. Science has it's ways…. a new
creature perhaps.
~ -------- ~ --------
Folken was now in his
very own room. Ah yes, to be an elite scientist meant good living. Not the very best, but better off than a
regular soldier in Ziaboch. He stared out once more into the gloomy world
outside…… When he had woken up, he could feel something in his right arm.
Maybe it was all just a dream! His arm didn't get ripped off after all! But as
he slowly opened his eyes, a bright light jittered him to total consciousness.
Where was I? Heaven? Was he dead from losing all that blood? No, he can't be
dead, he could still move around. Then he decided to sit up and see what was
actually going on. He lifted his right arm, and lo-&-behold, a metal object
was there! AAAAaaaaaaaaaHHHHhhhhhhhhhh! Wh-Wh-What happened to him? His temple
began to throb, and his eyes began to hurt from the intensity of the white light.
Before he drifted to unconsciousness once more, he glimpsed four hooded figures...
He later learned that he had been saved from an almighty Lord Dornkirk, whose
ship had just passed overhead. Four sorcerers
had made him a new arm, out of the magic called science. Dornkirk said he was a
bright lad, with a good future, only if he followed Ziabach's way. He, not
wanting the fate put on him, decided to follow a different path. Dornkirk spoke of fate, and making new ones
so that people would be given chances again. Folken wanted a chance again, so he worked day in and day out on science;
learning new aspects and being guided by Affeasia and Dornkirk. Dornkirk had
entrusted Folken to Affeasia to learn more about science since Affeasia is head
of Ziabach's best "magic" schools. Soon his learning became rather like a small
obsession, and the true meaning of his quest was lost; or ratheringly a bit forgotten…
… … … "Quit the flashbacks!" he mumbled to himself. He now had another report to do, time must
not be wasted since a lot of thinking was necessary. A sneak outside might
help. None of them were ever allowed to be out of their "boundaries". Outside was for the soldier on duty, or the
chef walking to the kitchen located in a separate building…etc. But Folken
always found comfort to be away from the busy bodies, and the stench of stuffed
up air. Outside was also where the
tawny creature should lurk…. What was it really? Maybe he can spot it today! …
So that's it for chapter two! What or Who do you think the creature is? I think some of you might already now! Guess! Please tell me what you think of this by reviewing!
This chapter is a bit of character building, and setting up the plot a bit. The intro memory turned out longer than I thought it would ^^ so I hope you don't mind!