Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon or any of the characters. I wish I
did. Mazrim is C to me however. Do not take credit for him if you wish to
live. No furry woodland mammals were harmed during the making of this
Fanfic. At times, flashy curse words may cause little children to go
insane. Because of this, this fanfic is rated R. Anyone under 17 must
stop reading under the penalty of death. This fanfic may cause seizures.
Please consult your doctor before reading this fanfic. This fanfic
contains .3245 grams of sodium. And for the love of God. It's just make
believe.
This chapter contains violence and blood. For those of you who don't like violence, don't read this chapter. Remember, you have been warned.
Chapter 4: Nightmares
It was hot as hell out here. Fitting, because it sure seemed like we were there. It was also night time. Idly, I ran my thumb down the hilt of my sword. It was at my side, tonight. I needed it to be ready, just in case.
My ears picked up a sound to the left. The sword was out in a flash in a sideways curve. Instantly, the ring of steel striking steel sounded as another sword came to meet it.
"Shit, Mazrim. It's me, Frank."
Slowly sheathing my sword, I shook my head mumbling a curse. "I don't like to take chances."
A slap on the back knocked me down. Rett.
"Heheh, you're getting slow, Mazrim!" tossing his head back, he let out a good laugh.
"Yeah, whatever. Anyways, how does it look out there, Frank?"
"So far, no sign of the enemy. The captain is beginning to get worried. He seems to think we're headed into a trap." He looked around, and then leaned closer to a whisper. "One of the scouts has gone missing. I asked around, and found out that it was Jed. They said he was found dead. His head was cut off."
I had known Jed through the last couple of missions we had done together. He was good at slipping through shadows unnoticed. His wife had just given birth to a baby girl. This was supposed to be his last mission. Now, his girl was going to grow up without her father.
Damnit.
"There's more." Said Frank, as he kept an eye on our surroundings. "I hear that there is some sort of big-shot commander here with the enemy's forces. Supposedly a blade master."
That was bad. Very bad. Very few people held the title of blade master. I myself was still a long ways from it. The few I had heard about were said to be demon spawn, able to take on entire armies all on their own. I knew, of course, that those were merely exaggerations, but it still warranted caution. The chances of surviving a fight with a blade master were lower than the chance of winning the lottery.
I would most likely die if I encountered him.
Suddenly, cries echoed through the night. A flash of red caught my attention as I threw myself down to the ground just in time, narrowly getting missed by a flaming arrow. We were under attack.
Fire roared behind me as one of the arrows struck a tent. It went up in flames, as to soldiers struggled to get out. One fell to the ground, screaming in agony as his flesh burned to ashes. The other managed to put out the flames, only to get shot through the left eye by an arrow. He collapsed instantly.
Crawling on the ground, I went to take cover under a rotting tree trunk. To the left, I could see Rett and Frank doing the same thing. All around, the sound of men screaming echoed.
And then it started.
A fierce cry went into the air. It was a charge. The enemy was coming after us.
I drew my sword and prepared myself. I could hear other's doing the same. The captain was barking commands at the archers to fire. Arrows whizzed by as I waited for what seemed like an eternity.
A man came running past the trunk. My sword came out straight into his back. In a twisting motion, I ripped it out, spun it back and came into a downward arc, splitting his skull open. The clash of steel was in the air.
The battle of Hell's Valley had begun.
***********
Elli watched as the doctor finished bandaging Mazrim's wound. Looking at his face, she noticed he was flinching.
"He must be having a nightmare," she thought, as she turned to the doctor. Now came the tough part. They had stopped the bleeding and dressed the injury. Now they had to move him without reopening the wound by accident. Elli rolled up her sleeves.
"I hope you aren't heavy, Mazrim."
**********
I was exhausted. The battle had been waging for the past five hours. Both sides were taking major casualties. During the chaos of the first charge, I had gotten separated from Frank and Rett.
"Where the hell are they?" I wondered, as I pulled my sword out of the gut of another man. Slowly, I crept past another dead tree. I could hear voices on the other side. As my foot came down, I realized too late I had stepped on a dry twig.
A flash from the right prompted my to pull my sword up to deflect the strike. Another flash from the left told me where the other attacker was, and in a quick spinning motion I dodged the strike and countered with a spinning horizontal slash, tearing out the second attacker's throat. Using my momentum, I leapt off the ground with a flip just as the blade from the first attacker came at me. As I came down, I put full force into the sword, tearing my opponent in half from his skull to his belly.
I had a moment to glance at the dead faces of my assailants.
They were my own people.
Both of them I had gone to boot camp with.
I felt sick, but I moved on. I couldn't afford to stay here. Someone would have heard that.
***********
"He's going to be just fine." Maria looked relieved. I felt myself ease up.
"What happened to him, Elli?"
"It looks like he has had this scar for a while. He must have pushed himself too hard. When Maria knocked him down, it broke open. We patched it up for him, but he's going to have to take it easy for a few days before working again. The last thing we need is for it to break open again."
An old scar, huh? I will have to ask him about it later.
"So, do you know when he'll wake up?"
Elli regarded me evenly. "He needs to rest for now. His body is very tired. If you wish, I can bring a chair for you to sit." She smiled at me.
"Sure, I would love that."
**********
I was having a hard time standing straight. It was now mid afternoon, and the battle was still raging on. Bodies were all over the place. I was in a small wooded area. As a came out into a clearing, I finally found what I was looking for.
Rett was lying on the ground, clutching his shoulder. He looked like shit. To the right, I could see Frank fighting a man dressed in fancy armor. On his chest plate was the symbol of a sword set inside a crescent shaped moon.
He was the blade master.
Frank was desperately trying to ward off the attacks. He was no match, though. In a final desperate movement, he lunged forward with a thrust. His sword managed to cut the man's side open.
I stared.
The blade master's sword was protruding through Frank's neck.
All I could hear was the sickening gurgling sound as Frank fell to the ground.
Rett, Frank, and I were supposed to have made it out together. We had all grown up together. He was going to marry his girlfriend when we had gotten back. We were going to through him one hell of a bachelor party. We were going to all grow old together.
And now it was all gone.
I didn't even give the man a second as I charged in, sword drawn. Everything from that point seemed to slow down. As my sword met the blade master's, I gave in to the feeling of rage. My body was no longer my own. As the two of us went at it, flashbacks of my life with my friends came to me.
Playing hide and seek as children.
Going to school together.
Graduating from high school together.
Mourning my father's death together.
Training in boot camp.
Getting into the army.
In one final cry of rage, I drove my sword straight through the crest on the breastplate, straight through the man's chest and out the back. The man had a look of pain on his face. His arm came out and slashed my side with a knife. I pulled my sword out, and he collapsed on the ground. Rett yelled out to me. The last thing I remember hearing was the blade master's voice.
"Forgive me, Lucia."
**********
I woke up, feeling very groggy. As I sat up, I looked to the side. I was expecting to see Rett. Instead, I saw Karen. She was fast asleep.
It took a moment for me to realize that I had been dreaming. I could still feel the wound burning, but it had stopped bleeding. As I lay my head back down, I made a vow to myself.
I would restore the farm, for Frank and everyone I lost.
I vaguely remember drifting back to sleep.
I had no more nightmares that night.
***********
Hey all! How do you like it so far? Sorry this chapter was so serious, but it helps to understand Mazrim's past a little better. The next Chapter will be less angsty, I promise! Until then, later all!
This chapter contains violence and blood. For those of you who don't like violence, don't read this chapter. Remember, you have been warned.
Chapter 4: Nightmares
It was hot as hell out here. Fitting, because it sure seemed like we were there. It was also night time. Idly, I ran my thumb down the hilt of my sword. It was at my side, tonight. I needed it to be ready, just in case.
My ears picked up a sound to the left. The sword was out in a flash in a sideways curve. Instantly, the ring of steel striking steel sounded as another sword came to meet it.
"Shit, Mazrim. It's me, Frank."
Slowly sheathing my sword, I shook my head mumbling a curse. "I don't like to take chances."
A slap on the back knocked me down. Rett.
"Heheh, you're getting slow, Mazrim!" tossing his head back, he let out a good laugh.
"Yeah, whatever. Anyways, how does it look out there, Frank?"
"So far, no sign of the enemy. The captain is beginning to get worried. He seems to think we're headed into a trap." He looked around, and then leaned closer to a whisper. "One of the scouts has gone missing. I asked around, and found out that it was Jed. They said he was found dead. His head was cut off."
I had known Jed through the last couple of missions we had done together. He was good at slipping through shadows unnoticed. His wife had just given birth to a baby girl. This was supposed to be his last mission. Now, his girl was going to grow up without her father.
Damnit.
"There's more." Said Frank, as he kept an eye on our surroundings. "I hear that there is some sort of big-shot commander here with the enemy's forces. Supposedly a blade master."
That was bad. Very bad. Very few people held the title of blade master. I myself was still a long ways from it. The few I had heard about were said to be demon spawn, able to take on entire armies all on their own. I knew, of course, that those were merely exaggerations, but it still warranted caution. The chances of surviving a fight with a blade master were lower than the chance of winning the lottery.
I would most likely die if I encountered him.
Suddenly, cries echoed through the night. A flash of red caught my attention as I threw myself down to the ground just in time, narrowly getting missed by a flaming arrow. We were under attack.
Fire roared behind me as one of the arrows struck a tent. It went up in flames, as to soldiers struggled to get out. One fell to the ground, screaming in agony as his flesh burned to ashes. The other managed to put out the flames, only to get shot through the left eye by an arrow. He collapsed instantly.
Crawling on the ground, I went to take cover under a rotting tree trunk. To the left, I could see Rett and Frank doing the same thing. All around, the sound of men screaming echoed.
And then it started.
A fierce cry went into the air. It was a charge. The enemy was coming after us.
I drew my sword and prepared myself. I could hear other's doing the same. The captain was barking commands at the archers to fire. Arrows whizzed by as I waited for what seemed like an eternity.
A man came running past the trunk. My sword came out straight into his back. In a twisting motion, I ripped it out, spun it back and came into a downward arc, splitting his skull open. The clash of steel was in the air.
The battle of Hell's Valley had begun.
***********
Elli watched as the doctor finished bandaging Mazrim's wound. Looking at his face, she noticed he was flinching.
"He must be having a nightmare," she thought, as she turned to the doctor. Now came the tough part. They had stopped the bleeding and dressed the injury. Now they had to move him without reopening the wound by accident. Elli rolled up her sleeves.
"I hope you aren't heavy, Mazrim."
**********
I was exhausted. The battle had been waging for the past five hours. Both sides were taking major casualties. During the chaos of the first charge, I had gotten separated from Frank and Rett.
"Where the hell are they?" I wondered, as I pulled my sword out of the gut of another man. Slowly, I crept past another dead tree. I could hear voices on the other side. As my foot came down, I realized too late I had stepped on a dry twig.
A flash from the right prompted my to pull my sword up to deflect the strike. Another flash from the left told me where the other attacker was, and in a quick spinning motion I dodged the strike and countered with a spinning horizontal slash, tearing out the second attacker's throat. Using my momentum, I leapt off the ground with a flip just as the blade from the first attacker came at me. As I came down, I put full force into the sword, tearing my opponent in half from his skull to his belly.
I had a moment to glance at the dead faces of my assailants.
They were my own people.
Both of them I had gone to boot camp with.
I felt sick, but I moved on. I couldn't afford to stay here. Someone would have heard that.
***********
"He's going to be just fine." Maria looked relieved. I felt myself ease up.
"What happened to him, Elli?"
"It looks like he has had this scar for a while. He must have pushed himself too hard. When Maria knocked him down, it broke open. We patched it up for him, but he's going to have to take it easy for a few days before working again. The last thing we need is for it to break open again."
An old scar, huh? I will have to ask him about it later.
"So, do you know when he'll wake up?"
Elli regarded me evenly. "He needs to rest for now. His body is very tired. If you wish, I can bring a chair for you to sit." She smiled at me.
"Sure, I would love that."
**********
I was having a hard time standing straight. It was now mid afternoon, and the battle was still raging on. Bodies were all over the place. I was in a small wooded area. As a came out into a clearing, I finally found what I was looking for.
Rett was lying on the ground, clutching his shoulder. He looked like shit. To the right, I could see Frank fighting a man dressed in fancy armor. On his chest plate was the symbol of a sword set inside a crescent shaped moon.
He was the blade master.
Frank was desperately trying to ward off the attacks. He was no match, though. In a final desperate movement, he lunged forward with a thrust. His sword managed to cut the man's side open.
I stared.
The blade master's sword was protruding through Frank's neck.
All I could hear was the sickening gurgling sound as Frank fell to the ground.
Rett, Frank, and I were supposed to have made it out together. We had all grown up together. He was going to marry his girlfriend when we had gotten back. We were going to through him one hell of a bachelor party. We were going to all grow old together.
And now it was all gone.
I didn't even give the man a second as I charged in, sword drawn. Everything from that point seemed to slow down. As my sword met the blade master's, I gave in to the feeling of rage. My body was no longer my own. As the two of us went at it, flashbacks of my life with my friends came to me.
Playing hide and seek as children.
Going to school together.
Graduating from high school together.
Mourning my father's death together.
Training in boot camp.
Getting into the army.
In one final cry of rage, I drove my sword straight through the crest on the breastplate, straight through the man's chest and out the back. The man had a look of pain on his face. His arm came out and slashed my side with a knife. I pulled my sword out, and he collapsed on the ground. Rett yelled out to me. The last thing I remember hearing was the blade master's voice.
"Forgive me, Lucia."
**********
I woke up, feeling very groggy. As I sat up, I looked to the side. I was expecting to see Rett. Instead, I saw Karen. She was fast asleep.
It took a moment for me to realize that I had been dreaming. I could still feel the wound burning, but it had stopped bleeding. As I lay my head back down, I made a vow to myself.
I would restore the farm, for Frank and everyone I lost.
I vaguely remember drifting back to sleep.
I had no more nightmares that night.
***********
Hey all! How do you like it so far? Sorry this chapter was so serious, but it helps to understand Mazrim's past a little better. The next Chapter will be less angsty, I promise! Until then, later all!