The King of the North
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 12:27 pm
Hey, people. This is mainly a little exercising my English since it's been ages since I wrote anything but I thought I could share it anyhow. Just a small snippet, set in a campaign world I''ve created for D&D. I might make more if it proves popular. So, please enjoy and do comment whether you hate it, love it or just feel bored or confused.
Out of all the others us, yes, WE were chosen.
There was Tusk, there was Edge, there were Flame and Hammer; Hammer brandishing his latest treasure, his PRIZE, the tip of his new spear still etched with the runes of the Other Underdwellers, still marked by our enemies, by those he’d skewered upon his late one, the one Flame carried now, broken haft but point still sharp and o! how proud he did look little Flame, clutching his spear, looming close to Hammer as though the very presence - his HEROIC AURA - could give also him some glory and all the while there were Tusk and Edge standing a little farther away, a little more relaxed and laid-back as Hammer for the third time, ebony eyes blazing with the power of his blood, told of how he’d bravely survived the skirmish with the Other Underdwellers and of course we all knew the story since we’d been there as well but who were we really to deprive him of his great honour? so there was Tusk fingering the old aching scar upon his left eye, nodding gravely and there was Edge cleaning up his crossbow all the while listening and there was young Flame enthusiastically struttering around his new-found idol
and there came High Priest Skyfire and suddenly there was silence and not even Hammer was a hero anymore - not even to skulking Flame creeping back in his shadow - as Skyfire croaked and looked upon us all one by one and croaked again and of course he didn’t need to speak for we knew and as one we were in a procession behind him and ready for the Evening Prayer, Skyfire solemly gliding towards the bronzen double doors and Tusk keeping scratching that old scar that always ached worse the day after battle and Hammer clutching his new spear and Flame clutching his new spear and Edge eyeing the both of them with that slanted look of his that most thought a curse from the ALLFATHER (for the sins of his father or was it that of his mother perhaps? no one knew and no one asked for you didn’t ask anything of Edge except he told you to and he didn’t) but who’d dare question someone handpicked by the High Priest?
And so by the ALLFATHER himself, no?
No, said he for the High Priest wasn’t a CHOSEN OF THE ALLFATHER, said who? Skyfire had just put his fingers to the doors when he arrived out of whither we did not and do not know but we all noticed immediately and Skyfire froze to the spot, spinning around and so did we and there behind he was, standing tall, taller than any of us, almost rivalling the Surfacedwellers in height, scales gleaming in a slightly blue hue and eyes glistening with azure flames just as those of the ALLFATHER or so we’ve been told and the silence which wasn’t really a silence with the chanting of our people just outside was thick enough to touch and we thought we saw sparkles fly from the eyes of the Stranger who after a long enough moment told us that he had an announcement to make before the tribe and what announcement? High Priest Skyfire snorted for who was this Stranger to command him? Gripping our spears harder we encircled him, Skyfire’s mind echoing in ours, Skyfire’s constant whisperings guiding each and every step and all the while the two stood eyeing each other above our heads as if we were irrelevant to the whole situation and perhaps we were, being Temple Guards and nothing more but more we WERE TO BECOME!
What announcement? Skyfire inquired again, his voice betraying a slight quiver now, moments passing before speaking again, asking: And who are you anyway? A low chuckle of a response, a slight crackling of electricity between his teeth as he bared them in a low hiss that wasn’t a threat so much as a sign of disdain for Skyfire and perhaps an invitation for the rest of us, yes, his azure eyes glinting in the direction of Tusk, of Edge, of Hammer and even fledgling Flame, his heart jumping, yes! he IS SOMEONE, is he not? and we all felt the sudden shift, a shift in the very air and Skyfire felt it too and we heard his panic-stricken voice in our minds but it was already too late for we didn’t belong to him anymore and the Stranger didn’t even have to command us to do what we did.
As one we were upon Skyfire: spears, claws, teeth bared and a small gash upon the chest of Edge was all that he could achieve before Hammer tore his throat out and Tusk penetrated his heart and Flame swung his scepter with a triumphant roar and then all was still. Edge, panting slightly, fingering his wound, was the first one to look up again, to meet the gaze of the Stranger, to muster up the courage to ask what Skyfire had asked: And who are you?
A silence, a chuckle, fright in the air - were we to meet the same fate as Skyfire? No, for we were CHOSEN, he had picked us out, had he not? he with the eyes of the ALLFATHER, now smiling, urging us to rise, to come closer, to touch his bluish scales; said he: I’m King of the North said we: We know no kings said he: I’ll make you know and that he did.
Out of all the others us, yes, WE were chosen.
There was Tusk, there was Edge, there were Flame and Hammer; Hammer brandishing his latest treasure, his PRIZE, the tip of his new spear still etched with the runes of the Other Underdwellers, still marked by our enemies, by those he’d skewered upon his late one, the one Flame carried now, broken haft but point still sharp and o! how proud he did look little Flame, clutching his spear, looming close to Hammer as though the very presence - his HEROIC AURA - could give also him some glory and all the while there were Tusk and Edge standing a little farther away, a little more relaxed and laid-back as Hammer for the third time, ebony eyes blazing with the power of his blood, told of how he’d bravely survived the skirmish with the Other Underdwellers and of course we all knew the story since we’d been there as well but who were we really to deprive him of his great honour? so there was Tusk fingering the old aching scar upon his left eye, nodding gravely and there was Edge cleaning up his crossbow all the while listening and there was young Flame enthusiastically struttering around his new-found idol
and there came High Priest Skyfire and suddenly there was silence and not even Hammer was a hero anymore - not even to skulking Flame creeping back in his shadow - as Skyfire croaked and looked upon us all one by one and croaked again and of course he didn’t need to speak for we knew and as one we were in a procession behind him and ready for the Evening Prayer, Skyfire solemly gliding towards the bronzen double doors and Tusk keeping scratching that old scar that always ached worse the day after battle and Hammer clutching his new spear and Flame clutching his new spear and Edge eyeing the both of them with that slanted look of his that most thought a curse from the ALLFATHER (for the sins of his father or was it that of his mother perhaps? no one knew and no one asked for you didn’t ask anything of Edge except he told you to and he didn’t) but who’d dare question someone handpicked by the High Priest?
And so by the ALLFATHER himself, no?
No, said he for the High Priest wasn’t a CHOSEN OF THE ALLFATHER, said who? Skyfire had just put his fingers to the doors when he arrived out of whither we did not and do not know but we all noticed immediately and Skyfire froze to the spot, spinning around and so did we and there behind he was, standing tall, taller than any of us, almost rivalling the Surfacedwellers in height, scales gleaming in a slightly blue hue and eyes glistening with azure flames just as those of the ALLFATHER or so we’ve been told and the silence which wasn’t really a silence with the chanting of our people just outside was thick enough to touch and we thought we saw sparkles fly from the eyes of the Stranger who after a long enough moment told us that he had an announcement to make before the tribe and what announcement? High Priest Skyfire snorted for who was this Stranger to command him? Gripping our spears harder we encircled him, Skyfire’s mind echoing in ours, Skyfire’s constant whisperings guiding each and every step and all the while the two stood eyeing each other above our heads as if we were irrelevant to the whole situation and perhaps we were, being Temple Guards and nothing more but more we WERE TO BECOME!
What announcement? Skyfire inquired again, his voice betraying a slight quiver now, moments passing before speaking again, asking: And who are you anyway? A low chuckle of a response, a slight crackling of electricity between his teeth as he bared them in a low hiss that wasn’t a threat so much as a sign of disdain for Skyfire and perhaps an invitation for the rest of us, yes, his azure eyes glinting in the direction of Tusk, of Edge, of Hammer and even fledgling Flame, his heart jumping, yes! he IS SOMEONE, is he not? and we all felt the sudden shift, a shift in the very air and Skyfire felt it too and we heard his panic-stricken voice in our minds but it was already too late for we didn’t belong to him anymore and the Stranger didn’t even have to command us to do what we did.
As one we were upon Skyfire: spears, claws, teeth bared and a small gash upon the chest of Edge was all that he could achieve before Hammer tore his throat out and Tusk penetrated his heart and Flame swung his scepter with a triumphant roar and then all was still. Edge, panting slightly, fingering his wound, was the first one to look up again, to meet the gaze of the Stranger, to muster up the courage to ask what Skyfire had asked: And who are you?
A silence, a chuckle, fright in the air - were we to meet the same fate as Skyfire? No, for we were CHOSEN, he had picked us out, had he not? he with the eyes of the ALLFATHER, now smiling, urging us to rise, to come closer, to touch his bluish scales; said he: I’m King of the North said we: We know no kings said he: I’ll make you know and that he did.