Ch.2 – Shards of Memory
July, 25th . In the year of Our Lord 380. Near the boarder village of Versille, France.
"Milady....."
A hand touched my shoulder gently. Moonlight shimmers in my green eyes as I awaken from a troubled sleep. A young wisp of a girl trembled before me, her blue gaze held the look of terror. From outside the village chapel I could hear the faint echo of footsteps crunching on stone. I gave the child a reassuring pat on the head and motioned her to the back quarters of the building where the rest of the surviving villagers slept, oblivious of the threat prowling the night. She could only crouch there, motionless. Sadness crept into my heart, for she was the granddaughter of the village elder that was slain by Daris. Steeling myself for the task ahead I turned back to the double doors and quietly unsheathed my broadsword. A muted curse was heard from beyond as the assailant encountered the barrier that I rigged up earlier that evening. Apparently lock picking wasn't the intruder's forte. Smiling slightly I edged closer to the entrance, intending to catch this individual unaware when another voice sent a chill down my spine.
"Don't slay any of the villagers, rather I want them......."
I thought fanatically as her sweet sounding words touched my ears.
"Especially the little girls......"
I bit back a howl of frustration. Why would Sister Ambrosia want girl children? Memories of a distant past slipped beyond my grasp, like silken threads from a spool. Madness, then a feeling of dread shot through my body. It was known in some circles that the Sister took little children as "guests" at her manor house near the boarder of France. Beyond that I remembered nothing. For some reason this troubled me more then all the atrocities I had seen in my 18 years of life. The latches on the doors began to turn ever so slowly. Shifting my weight, I balanced my sword for a killing blow when a high pitched scream from the western side of the chapel caused me to twirl on the balls of my feet. My throwing knives were already arcing through the air, seeking the intruders' blood. A male voice cried out in agony as the knives imbedded themselves into the soft flesh of his face. Steel flashed to my right as I tumbled backwards in a crouch, evading the other brigade's stroke. A look of surprise flashed across his grimy features then he growled, advancing through the doorway with 3 others by his side. His gape toothed grin widened.
"I'm gonna make you hurt for killing Argus, you bitch."
A gurgle of laughter tinged with amusement flowed from my throat. This enraged him further, causing the group to charge into me recklessly. Seeing an opening I swung my sword with frightening accuracy, left then right. A spray of blood erupted from the leader's decapitated head. His eyes already were dimming in death. The other 3 stood stupefied as I reversed my blade, taking another's eyesight with it. Faced with the demise of their leader and wounding of the 2ed, the remaining two fled back into the darkness outside. The wounded man began to sob as he heard me approach. "Who sent you?" I asked coldly. When I got no immediate response I broke his right wrist with my boot heel. His hissed in pain, looking blindly up at the ceiling of the chapel.
Near the altar of Mary, a pair of blue eyes looked on in horror as the brown haired knight slammed the pommel of her broadsword into the thief's unprotected mouth, his teeth went flying about. Rattling on the stone floor like tiny porcelain marbles. "For a poor man you certainly had good hygiene, " she remarked.
Had I known the little girl was still in the room, I wouldn't have done what I did next, even now I can't escape my sordid past. He started to laugh, blood running down his ruined face.
" I know of you, Lorain, Lady of the Crimson Blade. We forged you, none can escape their destiny."
A part of me died further that night, like so many crystals shattered across a broken surface. Cutting at my soul with each fracture. Crimson filled my vision, engulfing me in its dark embrace. In the distance I could hear someone screaming. More yells joined that voice as chaos overcame the tiny building. Images flashed in my mind, disturbing in their clarity. Of a childhood I wanted to forget. The cold clamp of chains ripping into my wrists as I struggled against my kidnappers. A woman's laughter, her dark eyes calling to me. The scent of lilies that she always wore. *Lorain, why did you leave me?* Her voice, Mariee. Pain slammed into my side, causing me to gasp. Then I felt nothing more.
A beautiful sight filled my vision. A dream perhaps. She was there as always, dressed in a flowing sapphire gown with her midnight black hair cascading down her back. How I wanted to touch that mane once more, to feel alive again. "Mariee!" She turned towards my call, smiling. Her chocolate brown orbs filled with delight. She seemed excited about something. I tried to run towards her but to no avail. **My dearest knight, I am already beyond all reach, don't you remember?** I cried out as she faded away, gone from my sight forever. Something wet ran down my chest, glancing down I saw the pommel of a dagger protruding from my side. With the last of my strength I turned and saw Sister Ambrosia looking at me with that penetrating gaze of hers, mocking me.
"You are a fool," she said.
Gasping I awoke to the smell of death. Around me, the remaining corpses of the villagers were littered about. All of them forever froze in the torment between the living and the dead. The young priest from yesterday was slumped against the wall, his chest cavity ripped apart. I looked down at my hands, then screamed.
Outside the chapel, a woman smiled. Her hazel eyes gleamed as the sun appeared over the horizon.
"The sin within the sin."
Quietly she walked down the roadway, reviling in the screams emanating from within the building, echoing their owner's purity. "Soon you shall know true redemption child."
July, 25th . In the year of Our Lord 380. Near the boarder village of Versille, France.
"Milady....."
A hand touched my shoulder gently. Moonlight shimmers in my green eyes as I awaken from a troubled sleep. A young wisp of a girl trembled before me, her blue gaze held the look of terror. From outside the village chapel I could hear the faint echo of footsteps crunching on stone. I gave the child a reassuring pat on the head and motioned her to the back quarters of the building where the rest of the surviving villagers slept, oblivious of the threat prowling the night. She could only crouch there, motionless. Sadness crept into my heart, for she was the granddaughter of the village elder that was slain by Daris. Steeling myself for the task ahead I turned back to the double doors and quietly unsheathed my broadsword. A muted curse was heard from beyond as the assailant encountered the barrier that I rigged up earlier that evening. Apparently lock picking wasn't the intruder's forte. Smiling slightly I edged closer to the entrance, intending to catch this individual unaware when another voice sent a chill down my spine.
"Don't slay any of the villagers, rather I want them......."
I thought fanatically as her sweet sounding words touched my ears.
"Especially the little girls......"
I bit back a howl of frustration. Why would Sister Ambrosia want girl children? Memories of a distant past slipped beyond my grasp, like silken threads from a spool. Madness, then a feeling of dread shot through my body. It was known in some circles that the Sister took little children as "guests" at her manor house near the boarder of France. Beyond that I remembered nothing. For some reason this troubled me more then all the atrocities I had seen in my 18 years of life. The latches on the doors began to turn ever so slowly. Shifting my weight, I balanced my sword for a killing blow when a high pitched scream from the western side of the chapel caused me to twirl on the balls of my feet. My throwing knives were already arcing through the air, seeking the intruders' blood. A male voice cried out in agony as the knives imbedded themselves into the soft flesh of his face. Steel flashed to my right as I tumbled backwards in a crouch, evading the other brigade's stroke. A look of surprise flashed across his grimy features then he growled, advancing through the doorway with 3 others by his side. His gape toothed grin widened.
"I'm gonna make you hurt for killing Argus, you bitch."
A gurgle of laughter tinged with amusement flowed from my throat. This enraged him further, causing the group to charge into me recklessly. Seeing an opening I swung my sword with frightening accuracy, left then right. A spray of blood erupted from the leader's decapitated head. His eyes already were dimming in death. The other 3 stood stupefied as I reversed my blade, taking another's eyesight with it. Faced with the demise of their leader and wounding of the 2ed, the remaining two fled back into the darkness outside. The wounded man began to sob as he heard me approach. "Who sent you?" I asked coldly. When I got no immediate response I broke his right wrist with my boot heel. His hissed in pain, looking blindly up at the ceiling of the chapel.
Near the altar of Mary, a pair of blue eyes looked on in horror as the brown haired knight slammed the pommel of her broadsword into the thief's unprotected mouth, his teeth went flying about. Rattling on the stone floor like tiny porcelain marbles. "For a poor man you certainly had good hygiene, " she remarked.
Had I known the little girl was still in the room, I wouldn't have done what I did next, even now I can't escape my sordid past. He started to laugh, blood running down his ruined face.
" I know of you, Lorain, Lady of the Crimson Blade. We forged you, none can escape their destiny."
A part of me died further that night, like so many crystals shattered across a broken surface. Cutting at my soul with each fracture. Crimson filled my vision, engulfing me in its dark embrace. In the distance I could hear someone screaming. More yells joined that voice as chaos overcame the tiny building. Images flashed in my mind, disturbing in their clarity. Of a childhood I wanted to forget. The cold clamp of chains ripping into my wrists as I struggled against my kidnappers. A woman's laughter, her dark eyes calling to me. The scent of lilies that she always wore. *Lorain, why did you leave me?* Her voice, Mariee. Pain slammed into my side, causing me to gasp. Then I felt nothing more.
A beautiful sight filled my vision. A dream perhaps. She was there as always, dressed in a flowing sapphire gown with her midnight black hair cascading down her back. How I wanted to touch that mane once more, to feel alive again. "Mariee!" She turned towards my call, smiling. Her chocolate brown orbs filled with delight. She seemed excited about something. I tried to run towards her but to no avail. **My dearest knight, I am already beyond all reach, don't you remember?** I cried out as she faded away, gone from my sight forever. Something wet ran down my chest, glancing down I saw the pommel of a dagger protruding from my side. With the last of my strength I turned and saw Sister Ambrosia looking at me with that penetrating gaze of hers, mocking me.
"You are a fool," she said.
Gasping I awoke to the smell of death. Around me, the remaining corpses of the villagers were littered about. All of them forever froze in the torment between the living and the dead. The young priest from yesterday was slumped against the wall, his chest cavity ripped apart. I looked down at my hands, then screamed.
Outside the chapel, a woman smiled. Her hazel eyes gleamed as the sun appeared over the horizon.
"The sin within the sin."
Quietly she walked down the roadway, reviling in the screams emanating from within the building, echoing their owner's purity. "Soon you shall know true redemption child."