Lords of War
Chapter 2 Demons of the Mind
The sun rose in the east and the darkness faded away. Darithal awoke as soon as daylight peaked behind the ocean's horizon. He gazed to the south where the walls lay beyond the forest, the Spectral Forest. Within it Darithal will have to brave the trails within that accursed forest, trials of which no man has ever survived. But if Darithal had to save the princess soon, he had to pass through.
As he walked into the brush the sky began to disappear behind the large canopies. Soon it appeared as though it had suddenly gone from day to night in a matter of minutes. Soon noises were echoing from every corner of forest. It was enough to drive any man crazy with paranoia. Onward he went, until he could see neither the hand in front of his face nor the trail before him.
But the noises got louder and louder. Croaks, screeches, howls. That and many more were haunting the mind of Darithal. Aimlessly he went, trying his hardest to remain in a straight line. It was not until long though, that he noticed that he was lost. Darithal took out his sword and began slashing at the brush in frustration. But soon his frustration would end.
For not too long after he was hacking at the trees, he entered an opening. Finally, he had made it out of the Spectral Forest. It was only a stone's throw away until he made it to the gate. And so he ran to the gate. Faster and faster he ran, never dropping his speed for a second. It was dusk soon, and he had finally made it to the gate. It was as large as a two story building and was made of wood. Darithal hacked at the door and it came apart. By its appearance, it was very old.
So Darithal walked in, being cautious of the guardian that awaited him. But it was not long until he found his target. The first guardian lay just at the entrance to Drakethorn's realm. Its head and body were that of a snake, but its wings were covered in red feathers and its back was also lined in red feathers. Its eyes were like emeralds in the sunlight. Its hauntingly disturbing gaze fell upon Darithal as soon as he entered the gate.
It hissed at him viciously, but he did not back down. Eventually he stopped right before the serpent. Their eyes were locked upon each other. The guardian's stare was that of malevolence and carnage, while Darithal's was that of bravery and determination.
"Who are you?" it bellowed in a serpent-like voice.
"I am Darithal of Drakethorn!" replied Darithal. "I have come to pass in attempts to reaching the capitol city of Drakethorn. I demand that you slither aside and lend me passage."
"No man nor beast has crossed this gate in over 900 years!" it hissed. "Why would I let a man such as you pass through my liar?"
"Because we can do this the hard way, or the easy way." said Darithal.
"I'd prefer your death!" said the guardian.
"So, the hard way is it?" said Darithal, readying his sword. "Just to let you know, this is also my favorite way!"
The guardian made the first move with a head strike. Darithal blocked it with his sword, then pushed it aside. Its tail then landed a hit on Darithal's side, knocking him into the wall. The guardian slithered to him, lowering its head.
"I shall feast on your soul, mortal!" it hissed.
But then Darithal got up and sliced at the guardian's eyes. It wiggled around in pain. He then landed his sword straight into the guardian's stomach, and then sliced off its head. After moments of moving, the beast finally lay still, very much dead. With that done Darithal put away his sword and made his way to the exit. But he was stopped by a voice, the voice of the guardian he had just slain.
"Darithal?" it hissed. "Is that what you call yourself now?"
Darithal turned around quickly, but the serpent was still dead.
"I am dead." said the guardian. "But, why have you changed your name?"
"What are you talking about?" questioned Darithal. "My name is Darithal and always has
been."
The guardian laughed and laughed at Darithal last remark.
"Of coarse, you don't remember a thing!" it hissed. "But I know your true name."
"What?" shouted Darithal.
But there was no response, the guardian's voice vanished from his head. Thinking it was just an illusion, Darithal made his way out, seeing the vast desert that was his homeland. Along the trail he could see the capitol city of Drakethorn. With his mind fixed and his determination greater than ever, he made his way to Drakethorn.
I have gotten some reviews asking how this has anything to do with Escaflowne. So just to let my readers know, it has everything to do with Escaflowne. Just read the chapters to find out how!
To be continued...
Chapter 2 Demons of the Mind
The sun rose in the east and the darkness faded away. Darithal awoke as soon as daylight peaked behind the ocean's horizon. He gazed to the south where the walls lay beyond the forest, the Spectral Forest. Within it Darithal will have to brave the trails within that accursed forest, trials of which no man has ever survived. But if Darithal had to save the princess soon, he had to pass through.
As he walked into the brush the sky began to disappear behind the large canopies. Soon it appeared as though it had suddenly gone from day to night in a matter of minutes. Soon noises were echoing from every corner of forest. It was enough to drive any man crazy with paranoia. Onward he went, until he could see neither the hand in front of his face nor the trail before him.
But the noises got louder and louder. Croaks, screeches, howls. That and many more were haunting the mind of Darithal. Aimlessly he went, trying his hardest to remain in a straight line. It was not until long though, that he noticed that he was lost. Darithal took out his sword and began slashing at the brush in frustration. But soon his frustration would end.
For not too long after he was hacking at the trees, he entered an opening. Finally, he had made it out of the Spectral Forest. It was only a stone's throw away until he made it to the gate. And so he ran to the gate. Faster and faster he ran, never dropping his speed for a second. It was dusk soon, and he had finally made it to the gate. It was as large as a two story building and was made of wood. Darithal hacked at the door and it came apart. By its appearance, it was very old.
So Darithal walked in, being cautious of the guardian that awaited him. But it was not long until he found his target. The first guardian lay just at the entrance to Drakethorn's realm. Its head and body were that of a snake, but its wings were covered in red feathers and its back was also lined in red feathers. Its eyes were like emeralds in the sunlight. Its hauntingly disturbing gaze fell upon Darithal as soon as he entered the gate.
It hissed at him viciously, but he did not back down. Eventually he stopped right before the serpent. Their eyes were locked upon each other. The guardian's stare was that of malevolence and carnage, while Darithal's was that of bravery and determination.
"Who are you?" it bellowed in a serpent-like voice.
"I am Darithal of Drakethorn!" replied Darithal. "I have come to pass in attempts to reaching the capitol city of Drakethorn. I demand that you slither aside and lend me passage."
"No man nor beast has crossed this gate in over 900 years!" it hissed. "Why would I let a man such as you pass through my liar?"
"Because we can do this the hard way, or the easy way." said Darithal.
"I'd prefer your death!" said the guardian.
"So, the hard way is it?" said Darithal, readying his sword. "Just to let you know, this is also my favorite way!"
The guardian made the first move with a head strike. Darithal blocked it with his sword, then pushed it aside. Its tail then landed a hit on Darithal's side, knocking him into the wall. The guardian slithered to him, lowering its head.
"I shall feast on your soul, mortal!" it hissed.
But then Darithal got up and sliced at the guardian's eyes. It wiggled around in pain. He then landed his sword straight into the guardian's stomach, and then sliced off its head. After moments of moving, the beast finally lay still, very much dead. With that done Darithal put away his sword and made his way to the exit. But he was stopped by a voice, the voice of the guardian he had just slain.
"Darithal?" it hissed. "Is that what you call yourself now?"
Darithal turned around quickly, but the serpent was still dead.
"I am dead." said the guardian. "But, why have you changed your name?"
"What are you talking about?" questioned Darithal. "My name is Darithal and always has
been."
The guardian laughed and laughed at Darithal last remark.
"Of coarse, you don't remember a thing!" it hissed. "But I know your true name."
"What?" shouted Darithal.
But there was no response, the guardian's voice vanished from his head. Thinking it was just an illusion, Darithal made his way out, seeing the vast desert that was his homeland. Along the trail he could see the capitol city of Drakethorn. With his mind fixed and his determination greater than ever, he made his way to Drakethorn.
I have gotten some reviews asking how this has anything to do with Escaflowne. So just to let my readers know, it has everything to do with Escaflowne. Just read the chapters to find out how!
To be continued...