FULL CIRCLE
By: Matt Taylor
Disclaimer: I don't own these characters and make no money from their use.
Notes: Here's the second part of the prelude. Hope you enjoy it.
SECOND PRELUDE: Blades that are True (1)
FIVE YEARS AFTER THE DEFENSE OF DUNDORMA
Dellumis Village was not the kind of place one usually found so many hunters together. Usually a village like this was protected by a single hunter, who patrolled the surrounding areas. But Dellumis was not a normal village.
"Well, everyone, welcome to my home."
The former Ace Cadet looked over the small village. Other than the lines of homes, and huts, there was a small commons where things like a grocer, an armory, and a blacksmith's were placed. There were Wyverians going to and fro all over the place, some hauling loads of vegetables, others leading herd animals around, others were just chatting.
Several of those gossipers were looking in their direction and whispering.
"It is a beautiful place master." The Ace Commander said, His gaze suddenly going upwards. The Master of Defense noticed it.
"Yes, it is beautiful, but the skys are dark with clouds, and there is an air of desperation around the whole place."
The Ace Lancer walked up to them. "Are you certain it is Kushala Daora?"
"Yes, I have seen it myself, It attacked a group of travelling merchants not that long ago." With this, the Master of Defense sighed. "They said that it had a scar on its face. Immediately after that, I went out to where it was sighted, and saw it up in the sky. Its mere presence brought about a horrible rainstorm, and within the flashes of lightning, I saw the scar myself."
The Ace Commander suddenly grimaced "He's here!"
"Yes, I saw him, and he saw me. It knows who comes to fight it."
"Well, it appears that it will finally be time to finish the beast of." The Ace Gunner spoke, her voice light, but betraying nothing of what she actually thought. "Wouldn't you agree darling?"
She looked over her shoulder at her husband. The Kindred Hunter said nothing at first, but merely clutched the handle of his sword. Finally he spoke
"Frankly, I am still of the belief that we should have gone after it and finished it off five years ago." He said.
"There was little need at the time. I was certain we would not see it again. Many Elder Dragons, once repelled, do not return, for they know that this target can defeat them." The Master of Defense sighed again. "But this Kushala Daora may not feel that way."
"We must start getting the village ready, we cannot let it destroy your home, master." The Ace Commander said. "We will not have as much resources to work with this time, though."
"Yes, I know, which is why I am worried, but I am certain that with all of you here, we will be able to defeat the beast."
The Ace Cadet watched the whole conversation closely, He remembered the Kushala Daora, and how he had stupidly jumped down into the pit at it, when he thought it defeated. He felt himself clutch the handle of his own blade. He was not a foolish cadet anymore, He was an Ace Swordsman! More than worthy now of his presence within the guild's Ace team. Perhaps now he could prove it.
"Something wrong kid?" The Cadet looked up and saw the Kindred Hunter, and Ace Gunner looking at him.
"Nothing! Nothing at all." He said, straightening out his gear. "I'm just looking forward to finishing that thing off is all. And don't call me kid."
With that, he marched off after the Master of Defense, Commander, and Lancer, who were already discussing where to place strategic defenses. The Hunter looked at his wife.
"Is he okay?"
"He's been a little different since the Commander promoted him. Touchy almost" She sighed. "My master used to say that one of the first things many young hunters do after being promoted from cadet, is, And I quote here "Something stupid.""
The Hunter looked at the retreating backside of the former Ace Cadet. "Kid's young still, There's still plenty he can learn, especially from something like this."
"I know. But I feel on edge lately, ever since we passed into this area I've felt like something is waiting to happen."
"I remember when I fought the Shagaru Magala." Herhusband said, referring to an incident from 5 years ago. "Its eyes…It knew me, remembered me. These Elder Dragons are smart, they know who we are, and what we want. They know how easy it would be for them to crush us, we know that, and they know that we know."
He sighed and looked up at the cloudy sky. Suddenly he spoke up. "It's your intuition speaking up Darlin'. We got to be ready for this, whatever happens, that thing remembers us, and it knows that here, in this middle of nowhere village, it can have its revenge. It knows there are no cannons or dragonator's here to hurt it."
For a few moments neither of them said a word.
"Well then, we'd best hurry along, or we'll miss out on the planning." The Ace Gunner said, stepping forward to follow where the cadet had gone. The Kindred hunter smiled just slightly, and followed after her.
…
"We will be forced to use more….Dirty styles of defense here, I am afraid. Dellumis is nowhere near as large of as well built as Dundorma, as such, I am going to insist, Chieftain, that the villagers be moved to a safe place." The Master of defense stood over a small table, with a map of the general area spread over it. The Chieftain was a small Wyverian man, dressed in a purple robe and trousers, with a large rimmed white hat on his head.
"Many will refuse I am afraid. They will insist on staying and defending their home." He said, shaking his head.
"Then you must convince them to leave. We cannot properly fight this thing if we're tripping over the villagers." The Ace Commander said.
"I am aware of that, Commander, and I will do what I can, but they stubbornness of the people of Dellumis is legendary. We've survived multiple draughts, and monster attacks over the centuries, and the people will believe that we can survive this."
"They will survive it." The Master of Defense said, his voice strong with authority. "This is my home as well as theirs, and I will not allow it to fall, not without a fight."
"But log spears? Against the Elder Dragon of metal and wind?" The Ace Swordsman said. The former cadet had been looking at the map since they entered.
"As I said Young swordsman, Dirty styles of Defense. This battle will not be near as quick or clean as the one in Dundorma." The Master of Defense rolled his shoulders and an audible crack sounded.
"Look, everyone in this town is depending on us. If anyone is going to beat this thing it'll be us." The Kindred Hunter said, stepping from his wife's side. "If the Master of Defense says this is the only way, then I believe him."
"Agreed." The Ace Gunner chimed in. The Master smiled.
"Thank you Kindred Hunter. To be completely honest with you, I wish the forgeman from your caravan was here to look at these designs, I trust his eye for engineering more than mine. The rest of the Capitol C would have been helpful too."
"They would have been here sir, but they got called back to the guild for some reason. Some new outfit is accusing the Caravaneer of something. They call themselves the Conservationist League."
I have heard of them. They should not be a problem for us out here at least." The Master of Defense sighed. "Now then, I have assigned each of you to handle certain tasks, take these lists and see about your duties, we must get this done as soon as possible."
…...
After everyone had left, the Ace Gunner walked back into the hall to speak with her old master.
"Yes, Young one?" The Master of Defense asked.
"Master, I do not wish to trouble you during such a difficult time, but….." She trailed off, her head down. The Master of Defense smiled, and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"Come now little one, you know you can tell me anything."
"Master, it just seems that ever since we came here I have felt a strange pressure upon me. My husband says it's my hunter's intuition, but it seems like…..like something is waiting to happen."
The Master smiled in a melancholy way.
"I know, I feel it too. It is fate. Fate is what is waiting to happen. You have only just starting feeling it, I have felt it for quite a while now."
"Fate? But what kind of fate?" She felt like a child again, going to her master and asking questions on something she didn't understand.
"Who can tell? Intuition or fate? Both lead to the same place, I have found." He stepped back and looked at her, before smiling warmly.
"Your father would be quite pleased to see you now. You have all the skill he had and more. Now you are wed, and will bring new life into the world soon." The Ace Gunner blushed at this. Her master was one of the few people who could make see right through her.
"We….we've been talking about that and all, but…" He put up a hand to silence her.
"Things for the future. For now, we should concentrate on the defense of this town. Put aside your worries and think on that."
She smiled and nodded. "Yes Master."
"Fate will be, what Fate will be. That is what it has always been. Let us hope this fate is victory for us, eh?"
She nodded again.
"Now, go and join your husband and friends, there is much work to do." She smiled and left the tent. The Chieftain looked over at the Master of Defense. "Fate, eh?"
"Yes." With that his face grew somber and he looked to the cloudy sky. I only pray we have enough time."
But they wouldn't.
…..
"IT'S HERE! THE DRAGON IS HERE!"
The voice of the scout rang through the village. As he did so, screams and shouts followed his call. The Master of Defense ran out of the chief's hut, and looked to the mountains. He squinted and saw it, a brown-grey shape moving towards them and becoming faster and faster. The Ace Commander quickly followed him out.
"Master! Is it….."
"Yes, it's upon us! The Kushala Daora!"
"Damn! We're not near ready for it!" The Ace Commander shouted.
"We are as ready as we are going to get. Now sound the horn!"
The Ace Commander took a long curved horn from his belt, brought it to his lips, and let out a long call on it.
In a moment, the Ace Gunner, Lancer, Swordsman, and the Kindred Hunter were running to the village from the forest. The Lancer ran up to them.
"Commander! What's going on?"
"Kushala Daora! It's on us!"
"What should we do? The weaponry is only half done!" The Ace Swordsman said. And as he spoke this, a horrible burst of wind slammed through the village, sending all of them off their feet, and destroying the fronts of several huts.
As they struggled to their feet, the Ace Gunner shouted out.
"It will be on top of the village in seconds."
The Master of defense was on top of things. "Hunter, once it reachs the village, draw its attention, get it to follow you towards the weaponry. Lancer, Swordsman, evacuate the villagers, if they will not go, then MAKE them go!"
"Let me stay Master!" The swordsman said. "I can help fight that thing."
"You have your orders, Swordsman! A true hunter never disobeys orders from a superior." The Master said. "Gunner, Commander, you go to the weapon, get into place to activate it. It's not much, but it's what we have."
"Yes Master." Both said.
"We will be after you as soon as possible."
And with that all of them scattered. The Master of Defense looked at the Kindred Hunter. "Thank you for coming my friend, I only hope we survive this, I would hate to break the Caravaneer's hunter. I can just imagine the look on his face the next time I see him."
"I don't intend on breaking here sir." He said, smirking.
"Good…Hunter?"
The Hunter looked at him quizzically.
"Thank you for falling in love with my little girl. Please take good care of her."
"I would never dream of not doing so." He said.
"Good, now…"The Master of Defense turned. "It has begun."
And with a roar, and a building destroying burst of wind, the Kushala Daora was on top of them.
The dragon was covered in rusted metal scales, a scar on its face revealing the shining metal beneath the rust. It roared, the sound of it only enhanced by the roaring wind. The Kinded Hunter reached into hi spouch, and pulled out a small orb. He tossed it up and down for a second, before throwing it right at the Dragon' face.
The sonic bomb exploded on its nose, releasing a loud sonic sound wave directly in the creature's face. It howled and looked down at the source of this attack.
"Over here yah big freak!" The Hunter yelled, you remember me don't yah? Why don't you see if you can catch me!" He turned, and both he and the master of Defense ran towards the forest. The Elder Dragon roared in rage and was after them.
….
By the time they reach the clearing, they had managed to put some distance between them and the elder dragon.
"The forest and trees will slow it down, How is the weapon?" The Master shouted. In the trees above them, the Ace Gunner and the Ace Commander were stationed on two separate platforms on opposing sides of the clearing.
"It is ready, what we finished of it at least." The Gunner said.
"Good. Once it hits, it will be a fight, we must slay the thing, and slay it here."
"It's almost here!" The Hunter shouted, and true enough, the roaring and breaking of trees was getting closer.
"Everyone ready! Activate when I give the word!" The Master shouted, with that both he and the Hunter ran to the far end of the clearing. As soon as they made it The Kushala Daora burst through the woods, and announced its presence with a deafening roar.
The Master raised his hand. "Hold!"
With that the dragon began to charge. When it reached the center of the clearing, the Master lowered his arm.
"NOW!"
All of a sudden, two large logs, attached to the towering trees by thick rope, there ends carved into sharpened points and hardened with fire, came falling out of the woods. Both trees slammed point first into the body of the elder dragon.
Kushala Daora roared in pain!
"Now everyone! You must finish it off now!" The Master yelled. The Ace Commander leapt and landed on the back of the beast, cutting at its neck with his dual blades. The Ace Gunner stayed on her platform, and firing on the dragon with her bowgun. The Kindred Hunter was on him from the front, his longsword cleaving into any weak areas he could find.
For a few moments, it seemed like they had a chance, but all of a sudden the Kushala Daora lowered its head, and reared back, building up and releasing a huge blast of wind from its body. The Ace Commander and Hunter were both blown away. The Ace Gunner was knocked off of her platform and landed in the brush! The dragon hovered over them, surrounded by an aura of wind. It roared in rage.
The Master of Defense looked on from the back of the clearing, as the aces got back to their feet. All of a sudden he heard commotion behind him.
"Master!" The Ace Lancer said. The Master of Defense turned in shock and saw the Lancer and Ace Swordsman come up behind him.
"What's going on!? Where are the villagers?"
"We couldn't stop them master, they insisted on returning to the village! They said they would defend it with their dying breaths!"
"THE FOOLS!" As he said this, he turned back to the Kushala Daora and saw the look in its eyes change. They had hurt him, and now he knew how to hurt them!" All of a sudden, the dragon took off into the sky, and high above them it created a massive aura of wind around its body. Like a tornado in mid air!
"The Village!" The Master shouted, The rest of them where all on their feet. "Back to the village!"
Even as they started to run, they heard another roar from the Elder Dragon, and it dived! It's body surrounded by a horrible tornado of dragon wind, and it seemed to collide with an area far past them! There was a horrible explosion of wind and dirt cascading into the sky.
The Master of Defense could only stare for a moment. Then he set his mouth in a grim line. "Come."
…
The village was in ruins. Where there was once a small but thriving village, there was now….nothing. A few scraps of buildings and huts, bricks, dead pack animals….and bodies.
The Master of Defense fell to his knees, the five hunters skidded to a halt behind him. The Ace Gunner put both her hands to her mouth in shock.
"No…..No…." The Master of Defense raised his fist and brought it down on the ground, raising a cloud of dirt.
And as he did so, the wind began to slowly pick up again. As it grew in power, they heard the flapping of wings, and saw a shadow appear in the cloud of dust above them.
"It's still here!" The Ace Commander said. Just as he said so, a large burst of wind erupted from the beast's mouth, and took all five of them off their feet. But the Master of Defense was unaffected, and he stood up, clutching his umbrella.
"Master!" The Ace Gunner shouted.
"I could not save this village," He turned his head to look at them, and gave them all a fond smile. "But I can save you."
He twisted the end of the umbrella handle, and it came away from the rest of the shaft, revealing a long, sharp blade.
"Master, don't!" The Commander shouted. But the Master of Defense merely smiled slightly and leapt with astonishing speed and force. The rest of them where never sure of what exactly happened that day, but they remembered seeing a flash of a blade, the slashing of claws, the reflection of metal falling onto the ground, and a roar of horrible pain.
When that had ended, they saw the body of their master, fall to the ground with a thud, his sword still clutched in his hand, and they heard the flapping of wings becoming fainter and fainter.
The Ace Gunner and Commander ran to their master's body
"He's….he's gone." She said over her tears. As she wept, she looked to the sky, and saw the clouds fade and the blue sky finally reveal itself again, and realized that they had won.
END OF PART 1
SECOND PRELUDE: Blades That Are True (2)
FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER THE DEFENSE OF DUNDORMA
PRIMAL FOREST
That time they had all of the rest of their team with them, but now it was just the two of them.
"Where is it sir?" The Ace Swordsman asked.
"It's close, it's very close." The Ace Commander said. He looked up at the cloud covered sky, and knew what it meant. He could hear the roar, and flapping of wings. The beast was looking for its enemies.
"It's been ten years since we saw this fiend last." The Swordsman said. "I say we finish it off here."
The Ace Commander was silent. This Kushala Daora, it was not like any other of those beasts. It seemed to take damage that would kill ten elder dragons, and keep coming.
"Hhmm. We should have waited for everyone else." The Commander said to himself. But truthfully there was not enough time. The Elder Dragon had dropped down on the village without any warning. The Guild had gotten the villagers out, and sent what members of the Ace Hunters it has on hand after the beast.
"We didn't have any time!" The Ace Swordsman said, repeating his commanders own internal thoughts. The Commander looked at the one time cadet, and smiled. He had grown so much since those days, his skill with a blade, his judgment, his newly found refusal to use those puns. It was something to be proud of. But he could still be reckless at times.
"Come, it's probably headed for the waterfall." The Ace Commander said. The Swordsman nodded and followed after his leader.
The waterfall would be a beautiful place, there were vines hanging downj, leading up to the Wyvern nest on the peak, and red flower petals littered the water by the entrance, and it was usually a place of peace and thought.
But today an Elder Dragon was within it.
The Ace Commander skidded to a stop, the swordsman right behind him. Kushala Daora turned and let out the roar which they both remembered so well. It's rusted metal scales, differentiated only by the scars it bore that showed shining silver metal beneath.
"Flank it!" The Commander yelled. "If we come at it from two sides we stand a better chance of keeping it distracted!"
"Right!" The Swordsman ran towards the left side of the best, cutting at the beast's wing with his blade. It raised its left arm, and swiped its claws at him. His shield caught the blow, but it knocked him back a few steps. While this happened, the Ace Commander slashed at the dragon's unprotected side.
"Keep it up Swordsman! Don't give it room to move!"
The two hunters circled around the Elder Dragon, striking blows whenever they could. Finally that same horrible roar pierced the area, and a great aura of wind sprung up around the dragon, knocking both men back. But neither of them would give up.
"Commander?"
"Keep fighting Swordsman! We will not let this thing escape again!"
The Ace Swordaman gritted his teeth and tightened his grip on his sword. This was what he had been training for for years! To finally strike this horror down and avenge the death of the Master of Defense. He remembered his friends when they buried him. The Ace Gunner actually crying! He had never seen her do that in all the time he'd known her. The Commander just standing before the grave, his head down, not saying a sword. The Lancer's eulogy, he almost broke down during it from tears.
He swore then and there that he would kill the beast! He would have justice for every life taken by this Kushala Daora.
He continued to follow his Commander's lead, circling the beast and cutting through the wind whenever he could. All of a sudden the creature rammed to his side, catching the Ace Swordsman head on.
"No!" The Commander yelled. He reached into his pouch and pulled out a small orb. He flung it at the creature's head and it exploded in a noxious cloud. The Kushala Daora reared about and took off.
The Ace Commander rushed to his protégé's side.
"Are you aliright?"
"I'm…..I'm okay…" He mumbled.
"You're bleeding bad. Come on, I'm getting you back to the camp."
Soon enough, he had got them both back to the camp ground, and placed the swordsman on the bed.
The Hunter was moaning in pain. He took a Megapotion from his pouch, and tilted it down his former student's throat. As he did so, he heard the roar coming from the forest.
"I'm sorry my friend, but I need to finish this." He drew his swords. "Stay here and heal."
The Ace Swordsman reached out for him. "Sir!"
The Ace Commander took off, and didn't look back. The Ace Swordsman tried to sit up, but the dizziness immediately forced him back down. After what seemed like forever, he felt the Mega-potion kick in, and the dizziness vanished. He was still bleeding, but not as much. He got up and forced himself to follow the Ace Commander.
He followed his trail through the forest, refusing to let his commander face the beast alone. Finally he found himself at the Wyvern's nest, and saw his Commander.
He stood before the Kushala Daora, with his blades drawn breathing heavily. The Swordsman called out, but he saw his Commander leap and just like ten years ago, it happened. A flash of blades, a swipe of claws, a roar of pain, and this time, a spurt of blood.
His Commander fell to the ground, and he ran up to him. The Dragon was flying off into the air, blood still dripping on the ground. He leaned down and tried to place the Ace Commander into a sitting position.
"Sire!? Sir!?" The Swordsman saw the Commander open his eyes with great effort, and smile at him. His hand reached behind him, and pulled out the Master of Defense old carving knife. He handed it over to him.
"Here. It's yours now." He whispered. With that, his eyes closed and his arm fell back to the ground.
The Ace Swordsman was silent for a moment, before rearing back his head and shouting as loud as possible to the heavens, expressing all his grief in a single moment.
And above him, the clouds separated and the blue sky appeared.
END OF SECOND PRELUDE.
Here's the second prelude, dark, eh?
Next up is the first chapter. I'll try to get it out as soon as possible. Hope you all enjoy so far.