Prologue: A Girl From The Plains
Two brothers, so much alike and yet very different wandered through a thick forest. Their vision was blurred from poison and hunger. They had been bitten by poisonous snakes and had no food for two days. They wandered about, not knowing that they were going in circles. Eventually their weakness got the better of them and they both fell unconscious. Death began to come closer and closer to their souls. But then two people found them and pulled them from death.
When a wet cloth touched the forehead of Tyrac, one of the two fallen brothers, his eyes fluttered open. A feminine voice broke through his blurred consciousness.
"Finally, you are awake!" said the voice. "Are you okay?"
Tyrac opened his eyes, his long thick brown hair rustling as he sat up. He looked around the room. He and his brother were on two beds that were close to each other which were residing in a small round hut. On the other side of the room were two young women. One of them was taller and slightly older looking then the other. The older one had long green hair tied in a ponytail that reached down to her waist and also wore a blue tunic/dress that had a slit on the lower half that traveled up to her thigh.
The other young woman had a youthful look about her. She also wore a tunic similar to the older one yet it was black instead of blue. Another similar feature was her green hair, but instead of being worn in a long ponytail it was not restricted by any hair ties and it only reached down a little past her shoulders.
The older girl slowly stepped towards Tyrac.
"I found you on the plains unconscious. Are you alright?" asked the girl.
"Now I am." replied Tyrac in his deep voice.
"My name is Lyn and this is my younger sister, Crystal." informed the older girl indicating the younger one. "We are both Saceans. Might I ask what your name is?"
"I am Tyrac. And this is my younger brother Durim. I must thank you again for saving us." responded Tyrac. Just when he finished speaking Durim sat up and looked about the room.
Durim had long dark blue hair that traveled down to his waist. One part of his hair was actually not blue. It was a dark silver group of hairs that hung in front of his face. One other feature besides his hair and steel blue eyes was a scar that traveled from the left side of his forehead to the right corner of his lips.
"Hello Durim." greeted Lyn's younger sister Crystal. "How are you?" Crystal however did not get a response.
"You must forgive him. Something happened to him long ago that took his voice away." informed Tyrac.
"Ah… I see…" sighed Crystal. "Well if you ever need anything just write a note." said Crystal indicating to a pile of paper and a bottle of ink in a corner of the hut.
Suddenly a large crashing sound vibrated the small hut where the four of them resided in.
"What was that?" questioned Tyrac.
"I don't know…" said Lyn in a low voice. "Wait here while I go and check it out." After the green haired Sacean ran out the door the other three waited in silence for a few minutes. Without warning Lyn burst into the room.
"Bandits!" informed Lyn who was out of breath.
"They must be planning to attack the local villages!" cried Crystal. "Lyn and I must stop them."
"We can help." suddenly said Tyrac.
"How?" asked both Lyn and Crystal.
"I myself am a tactician in learning." informed Tyrac. "And my brother Durim is a powerful swordsman." Just as Tyrac finished saying that sentence Durim strapped a sword that he had been carrying to his side.
"Are you sure you can face the bandits?" asked Crystal. "Aren't you still exhausted?"
Durim and Tyrac both shook their heads and began to prepare for battle. Tyrac, who was just a tactician, only had a slim sword. Instead he was looking through a map that he had found in the small cabin.
"Now where did you say the bandits where?" inquired Tyrac. As Lyn began to give Tyrac the information Crystal happened to look at Durim. Her gaze met Durim's and she was somewhat surprised to see a strange and somewhat compassionate look in his eyes.
When the powerful swordsman noticed her looking at him he quickly turned away his gaze. Crystal decided to forget about it and paid attention to Tyrac forming a plan.
Once a plan had been made Lyn, Crystal, and Durim went into their designated areas. Crystal looked about. She was in a dense forest, the sun barely able to break through the top of the trees. Yet because of her training Crystal was able to move easily about in the dark forest. She traveled north-west until she reached a clearing.
The area where Crystal stood was an entrance into a small patch of land that had no trees, only long flowing green grass. At the opposite end of the patch of land was a large tent that Crystal immediately recognized as a bandit tent. That was her target.
Without warning an axe slammed onto the ground only a few inches away from her feet. Crystal turned to see that a brigand had snuck up on her and had attempted to kill her. The young woman drew her sword and dashed at the bandit.
Expecting such a move, the brigand easily sidestepped out of her attack direction and kicked the sword out of her hands. The steel sword flew in the air and stabbed into the ground many meters away from Crystal. The young woman brought up her arms in a futile attempt to protect herself from the large axe. The bandit lifted the axe high into the air…
But the axe never touched Crystal.
A steel katana stabbed straight through the bandit's chest, instantly killing him. The sword was pulled out of the body which then fell to the ground. Crystal turned to see who the person that saved her was.
It was Durim. He stood there a moment in silence then opened his mouth.
"Be more careful next time." simply ordered Durim.
Crystal was now even more shocked. Hadn't Tyrac said Durim couldn't speak? But now wasn't the time to worry about that. More bandits were most likely to be wondering the woods. Crystal turned to see that her sister Lyn was battling the bandit that seemed to be the leader of the group. Crystal quickly dashed towards her sister but before she even got there Lyn had finished the battle and the bandit leader laid dead on the ground.
"Are you alright sister?" questioned Crystal.
Lyn groaned slightly as she shifted her injured arm.
"A few gashes here and there but nothing that a vulnerary won't fix." grunted Lyn. She turned to see Tyrac and Durim coming out of the forest.
"Excellent job!" complimented Tyrac. "You did quite well."
"You didn't do too bad yourself." replied Lyn. "Your plan went very well. Our positions forced the bandits to spread themselves suite thin."
"Let's go back to the cabin." sighed Crystal. "We need the rest and Lyn needs a vulnerary to heal some of her wounds." Tyrac nodded and the four companions made their way to the cabin.
Later that night…
Lyn sat crossed legged in the center of the small hut with her left sleeve of her tunic rolled up. Tyrac had a small brown bottle in his left hand and with his right he spread the healing salve on Lyn's wounds. Crystal was on one of the beds in a half laying half sitting position.
"Where's Durim?" asked Crystal.
"I believe he's outside. He likes the outdoors better then indoors." informed Tyrac. Crystal sighed and looked out the window and stared intently at the full moon. Why had Durim spoken to her and not even his own brother?
"Tyrac?" sighed Crystal.
"Yes?" replied the tactician.
"Durim spoke to me today." quietly informed Crystal.
Immediately Tyrac stopped giving aid to Lyn and stared intently at Crystal.
"Where! When! What did he say!" frantically questioned Tyrac.
"While we were fighting the bandits." began Crystal. "I was about to be killed by one that had snuck up on me but he saved me then said, 'Be more careful next time'." Tyrac fell to his knees and looked towards the ceiling.
"Mother Earth and Father Sky, I thank thee for this wonderful day!" happily exclaimed Tyrac. Tyrac was then deep in pray giving his thanks to the heavens above.
"Tyrac?" began Lyn.
"What is it?" politely asked Tyrac.
"What happened to Durim that took away his voice?" inquired the older Sacean. Tyrac looked around the room then let out a deep sigh.
"Do you promise not to tell him that I told you?" questioned Durim's older brother. The two Sacean sisters nodded and Tyrac began his tale.
"It happened two years ago…"
Flashback
The door to a small house resting one the mountain border separating Lycia and Bern slowly opened. In walked a young man with blue and silver hair. Another young man noticed the other walking in, looking quite sorrowful.
"What happened brother?" asked Tyrac.
"Nothing!" yelled Durim. "Just leave me alone!" The young man tried to run up to his room but was stopped by his older brother.
"Then why are you yelling?" questioned Tyrac. Durim couldn't look his brother in the eye. He looked down at the ground with a few tears pattering against the wood floor.
"Rachael dumped me." stammered Durim. A look of pity appeared on his brother's face.
"I'm sorry bro." comforted Tyrac who then gave his younger brother a firm hug.
"But that's not all." cried Durim. "She dumped me just because she wanted someone else. She said, 'I don't love you anymore!'" Those words alone broke his heart and Durim ran up to his room, tears falling unchecked. Tyrac decided to let his brother be alone for a while.
Later that night Durim and Tyrac were awoken by the sounds of screams and burning buildings. They ran to a window shocked to see that a horde of bandits had entered their peaceful village and had began to burn it to the ground. A group of bandits armed with torches and axes were approaching their house.
Fearing for their lives, Tyrac and Durim grabbed their battle equipment and prepared to defend their home. Durim stood ready with his katana and Tyrac held tightly in his hand an iron sword.
However what they weren't expecting to see was that the group of bandits was being led by someone they knew. A tall blond haired girl wielding a flaming sword approached the two brothers.
"Rachael!" cried out Durim. "What are you doing!"
"I've come to destroy your home Durim!" laughed Rachael. "I said that I no longer loved you which is true! I hate you! I hate every fiber of your being! Die Durim, die!" As soon as she had ended saying those words Rachael charged forward and attacked Durim and Tyrac. Durim did not wish to see he brother harmed so he defended his brother and home.
The two fought while Tyrac slew the rest of the bandits. Durim was at a great disadvantage since Rachael's weapon was coated in burning oil. The swords clashed again and again. At one point Durim backed into a rock and almost tripped but he quickly regained his footing. But since he was worried about his balance he wasn't ready to defend against an attack. Rachael noticed this opportunity and greedily took it. She slashed at her former boyfriend but Durim backed away a few feet preventing the possibly fatal attack. However he hadn't entirely dodged the attack.
A long, deep, narrow gash was formed at the top left corner of his forehead and traveled down to the right corner of his lips. Some of the burning oil had been transferred from the blade into the wound which caused the young man great pain.
Blinded by pain, fear, and anger, Durim attacked without thinking. The blade went straight through Rachael's heart killing her instantly.
End Flashback
"Even though Rachael had tried to kill me and Durim, he was devastated when he realized what he had done. From then on he wouldn't even say a word to anyone. His wound healed but the scar remains to this day." finished Tyrac.
"Th-that's such a sad story." stuttered Lyn. "If I were him I would have given up by now."
"That's what I've always admired about my younger brother. He's had such a hard life and yet he keeps on going." sighed Tyrac. Crystal though for a moment then walked to the door of the cabin.
"Where are you going?" asked Lyn.
"To find Durim." simply replied her younger sister.
Crystal pulled on an over-tunic and stepped out into the chilly night air. Before she had a chance to even walk a few feet away from the house a voice broke into her concentration.
"What are you doing out here?" asked Durim. Crystal let out a small gasp and turned to see where the voice had come from. She turned to see that he had spoken while he was on the roof of the small cabin. He was sitting on the edge by one of the main wooden posts that held up the roof.
"I should be asking you that question." replied Crystal. She climbed a stack of boxes and sat next to Durim. She looked out at the moon for a few minutes then looked back at Durim.
"Why did you choose to talk to me?" inquired Crystal.
Durim sighed and stared intently at the full moon. He thought for a moment then began to talk.
"Tyrac told you how I got my scar didn't he?" questioned Durim.
"How did you-" started Crystal.
"Why else would you question about why I talked to you?" countered Durim. Only the silence of defeat came from Crystal.
"The reason why I chose to break my silence for you was…well I don't know why. I just… even though I've known you for less then a day I felt something. Instead of feeling lost and alone in this world I actually felt like someone cared about me." sighed Durim.
"You do realize that your brother cares for you, don't you?" quietly asked Crystal.
"I know. But for some reason it just wasn't enough…" softly replied the young swordsman.
"Why don't you go talk to your brother?" requested the Sacean woman. "It really would make him happy. He was overjoyed for the mere fact that you said just one sentence to me."
Durim thought for a moment then nodded.
"Yes…I'll go do that." quietly responded the sorrowful swordsman. He then jumped off the roof landing softly on the ground. Crystal climbed down the same way she came up and followed Durim as he walked into the hut. When the door opened Tyrac whirled about shocked to see his brother.
"Durim, are you okay?" asked Tyrac.
"I am…" replied Durim. "I am now…" Tears began to form at the eyes of both brothers. They gave each other a firm hug for a long time. As the brothers cried against each other, Lyn walked towards her younger sister.
"They are quite incredible people aren't they?" asked Lyn.
"Yes…Indeed they are." sighed Crystal.
The next morning
Tyrac groaned as he began to awaken from his deep slumber. He stretched his stiff limbs and looked out the window at the beautiful sunrise. The sounds of the waking sisters caused Tyrac to turn to look at them. Lyn rubbed her eyes and looked about the room. Her eyes grew wide when she saw the young tactician.
"By the name of Father Sky what are you doing here!" yelled Lyn.
"Don't you remember me?" stuttered Tyrac.
"Crystal! Wake up! We have a pervert in our home!" angrily informed the older Sacean sister.
"What? No, no! You've got it wrong!" replied Tyrac.
"How shall we do it?" inquired Crystal.
"With our bare fists." growled Lyn as she cracked her knuckles.
A loud scream from inside the hut startled Durim. He quickly made his way back to the hut to see that Lyn and Crystal were beating the crap out of Tyrac.
"What are you doing?" cried out Durim. Lyn and Crystal stopped their punishment giving and turned to Durim.
"Great, another pervert." sighed Crystal. She stood up and walked towards Durim.
"Wait! Don't you remember me?" questioned the swordsman. "It's me, Durim."
Crystal stopped short and thought a moment.
"Oh yeah…heh heh… Opps." nervously laughed Crystal while she rubbed the back of her head. "Um…Lyn, you might want to stop beating up Tyrac."
Lyn stopped doing so once she realized who she was hitting.
"Sorry about that. My sister and I don't think very well in the mornings." apologized Lyn. Durim nodded to show that he accepted her apology. The younger brother then walked to where Lyn and Crystal's victim lay.
"Are you okay Tyrac?" inquired Durim. The only response he got was a low groan. He helped his brother stand up.
"Tyrac…Durim…My sister and I have a request for you two." informed Lyn.
"And what may it be?" asked Tyrac.
"Even though you two may be a swordsman and tactician in training, may we travel with you?" requested Lyn. "What happened yesterday showed me that if we sit here it's not going to help us be stronger."
"What about your parents?" inquired Tyrac. As soon as the words had left his mouth he regretted them. Both Lyn and Crystal bent their heads with tears forming at their eyes.
"We…have no parents. It happened during the night. Bandits came and slaughtered our people. The survivors numbered less then ten, including us." stuttered Lyn. "I can still see their axes rising and falling…" She silently let her tears fall while Crystal did the same. They breathed in deep then stopped crying.
"Sorry about that. So do you mind if we come along?" requested Crystal.
"No we don't." replied Tyrac. "We have no set destination in mind. Durim and I were traveling the land to improve our skills. If you don't mind the fact of having no set destination then you are indeed allowed to come along."
"We have nowhere to go so we don't mind." replied Lyn.
"Then we shall now travel the lands together." said Durim.
"Thank you so much!" squealed Crystal as she hugged Durim. Tyrac lightly laughed seeing that his brother's face turned bright red which was a rare sight. Unsure of what to do Durim lightly hugged her back.
Thus the adventure which would be forever remembered by mankind started.