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Tuesday, May 3, 2011
Sunday, August 23, 2009
Kael 23/08/09
“Hands up where we can see them.” A voice barked at her and Jessie squinted at the man in the morning light.
“Easy, I don’t have any weapons,” she slowly rose to a crouch and stood, the arrows pulled back on taught bows followed her progress.
“You’re alone? A woman?” Another sneered even as he started pulling her bag apart.
“Hey, be careful with that! It’s everything I own!” Where was Kael? Had he abandoned her? “I am a soldier in the Lord Imperator’s army!” Jessie snapped glaring at the men.
The weapons menacing her suddenly lowered. “Lord Imperator? You are not one of the invader’s scouts?”
“What? No! I’m trying to find survivors… I was… injured in the last skirmish with the False Lord and have just recently made it back to find the city in ruins.”
The leader, or the speaker as far as she could tell, stared into her eyes, his black eyes assessing, even as the men circling her looked away, anguish written plainly across their faces. “There are survivors. We will take you with us. Do not be mistaken, you are still under guard, until you prove yourself or someone can vouch for you.”
Jessie nodded and grabbed hold of it as one of the men tossed her bag to her.
“Let’s move, our shift is almost over.” The leader ordered and the swordsmen fell in formation around her and archers’ faded into the woods.
As they started their march, Jessie caught a flicker of gold at the corner of her eye. Her heart eased and she let out a breath. At least he hadn’t abandoned her yet.
“Easy, I don’t have any weapons,” she slowly rose to a crouch and stood, the arrows pulled back on taught bows followed her progress.
“You’re alone? A woman?” Another sneered even as he started pulling her bag apart.
“Hey, be careful with that! It’s everything I own!” Where was Kael? Had he abandoned her? “I am a soldier in the Lord Imperator’s army!” Jessie snapped glaring at the men.
The weapons menacing her suddenly lowered. “Lord Imperator? You are not one of the invader’s scouts?”
“What? No! I’m trying to find survivors… I was… injured in the last skirmish with the False Lord and have just recently made it back to find the city in ruins.”
The leader, or the speaker as far as she could tell, stared into her eyes, his black eyes assessing, even as the men circling her looked away, anguish written plainly across their faces. “There are survivors. We will take you with us. Do not be mistaken, you are still under guard, until you prove yourself or someone can vouch for you.”
Jessie nodded and grabbed hold of it as one of the men tossed her bag to her.
“Let’s move, our shift is almost over.” The leader ordered and the swordsmen fell in formation around her and archers’ faded into the woods.
As they started their march, Jessie caught a flicker of gold at the corner of her eye. Her heart eased and she let out a breath. At least he hadn’t abandoned her yet.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Kael 22/08/09
“Tomorrow we will search on foot. We will be able to see more from below.”
Jessie finally turned to him, from where she had been poking at the embers of their fire. “You hate walking.” Her voice was hollow.
Kael snorted, “I do not hate it, I find it slow and inefficient. However in this case it will be the best way to track the survivors. We will be able to see more.” He repeated, his tail flicking in annoyance.
“Blessed Gods, there will not be anyone I know in that group in all likelihood.” Jessie flopped down on her back, staring at the stars through the tree covered canopy.
“The odds are against you.” Kael agreed, shifting, a grimace on his face. “I believe I will go sleep in that tree. The ground does not agree with me.” Lithely standing, Kael paced over to a large tree and climbed up it’s length and perched on a high branch.
“You’d think you were a cat… or a bird with the way you cling to your branches.”
Kael flashed his fangs and made himself comfortable. “We will go at first light. You are a soldier you should be able to defend yourself should anything stumble across you in the night. And I am a short fall away.”
Jessie stared up into Kael’s glowing amber eyes and before she realized it sleep had enfolded her in it’s arms.
Jessie cried out as something hard kicked her in her side, awakening. What she saw was a ring of men standing around her, bows and swords drawn and at the ready.
“Well, Hells.”
Jessie finally turned to him, from where she had been poking at the embers of their fire. “You hate walking.” Her voice was hollow.
Kael snorted, “I do not hate it, I find it slow and inefficient. However in this case it will be the best way to track the survivors. We will be able to see more.” He repeated, his tail flicking in annoyance.
“Blessed Gods, there will not be anyone I know in that group in all likelihood.” Jessie flopped down on her back, staring at the stars through the tree covered canopy.
“The odds are against you.” Kael agreed, shifting, a grimace on his face. “I believe I will go sleep in that tree. The ground does not agree with me.” Lithely standing, Kael paced over to a large tree and climbed up it’s length and perched on a high branch.
“You’d think you were a cat… or a bird with the way you cling to your branches.”
Kael flashed his fangs and made himself comfortable. “We will go at first light. You are a soldier you should be able to defend yourself should anything stumble across you in the night. And I am a short fall away.”
Jessie stared up into Kael’s glowing amber eyes and before she realized it sleep had enfolded her in it’s arms.
Jessie cried out as something hard kicked her in her side, awakening. What she saw was a ring of men standing around her, bows and swords drawn and at the ready.
“Well, Hells.”
Monday, August 17, 2009
Kael 17/08/09 *Reposted
“Do you think… that anyone survived this?” Kael landed on the parapet of the Church of the Gods and set Jessie down.
Scanning the remains, he flicked his tongue out and grimaced at the assault to his senses. “Most likely. They would have evacuated or run. Not everyone fights to the last. The children…” He squinted at the body pile below them. “The invaders may have taken on slaves, to carry the loot. He paced along the narrow ledge, examining the walls, the wounds on the dead and destruction of the whole city. “Whoever did this… has access to things that I thought were long lost to your kind.”
“All those books… those cars and… bombs… you mean?” Jessie reached out and clutched his arm. Staring at him, no longer able to look at all the death. She was a soldier, yes, but there were sights that scarred you in an instant.
“And the like. Come,” Kael turned, wrapping her in his arms and lifting her all in one smooth motion. “Let us see if we can locate survivors.”
Neither of them mentioned Jack. The silence between them said enough.
He bounded off and glided over the city. “We will not follow the roads. Most likely the survivors would have fled to the fields, where they can seek cover. On the road they would be cut down.”
Jessie nodded, staring forward and down.
Bodies lay scattered at the city’s gates for what seemed like miles to her. Clearly some had thought the road the best escape route, and like Kael said, had been slain on the spot. The bodies tapered off and Kael veered off and began to circle.
Jessie tried, but all her eyes saw were the thick woods beyond the fields that encircle the city.
“There.” Kael shifted his grip and brought them to lower to the ground. “You can see where the fields have been disturbed.” Nostrils flared and tongue flicked. “There is the faint taste of blood, but not much. A group fled this way. A few beats and they shot above the field and forest.
“You can see-“
“Child, I have the eyes of a hawk.”
Jessie fell silent, her eyes scanning the forest floor and much as she was able as they winged above the trees.
Kael took a moment to look at the human in his arms. Her face was paler than usual, her lips bloodless and tight. Jessie’s eyes flashed white like a spooked horse. He noticed that the hand around his shoulders was petting him in tense motions.
Returning his eyes to the forest he murmured. “That was not a recent battle. The survivors have had many days to travel and seek safety. By the decay of the bodies, the carrion eaters and still burning houses… Most like it was two weeks ago.”
Jessie’s fingers dug into his shoulder, saying nothing.
“It will soon be dark, and though my eyes are keen and night does not bother me, I rather we both rest and set out with clearer heads.” He nodded towards a clearing. “We will set down there for the night. Perhaps you will come up with ideas where you think the survivors may have fled.”
One tight, controlled nod in reply.
Scanning the remains, he flicked his tongue out and grimaced at the assault to his senses. “Most likely. They would have evacuated or run. Not everyone fights to the last. The children…” He squinted at the body pile below them. “The invaders may have taken on slaves, to carry the loot. He paced along the narrow ledge, examining the walls, the wounds on the dead and destruction of the whole city. “Whoever did this… has access to things that I thought were long lost to your kind.”
“All those books… those cars and… bombs… you mean?” Jessie reached out and clutched his arm. Staring at him, no longer able to look at all the death. She was a soldier, yes, but there were sights that scarred you in an instant.
“And the like. Come,” Kael turned, wrapping her in his arms and lifting her all in one smooth motion. “Let us see if we can locate survivors.”
Neither of them mentioned Jack. The silence between them said enough.
He bounded off and glided over the city. “We will not follow the roads. Most likely the survivors would have fled to the fields, where they can seek cover. On the road they would be cut down.”
Jessie nodded, staring forward and down.
Bodies lay scattered at the city’s gates for what seemed like miles to her. Clearly some had thought the road the best escape route, and like Kael said, had been slain on the spot. The bodies tapered off and Kael veered off and began to circle.
Jessie tried, but all her eyes saw were the thick woods beyond the fields that encircle the city.
“There.” Kael shifted his grip and brought them to lower to the ground. “You can see where the fields have been disturbed.” Nostrils flared and tongue flicked. “There is the faint taste of blood, but not much. A group fled this way. A few beats and they shot above the field and forest.
“You can see-“
“Child, I have the eyes of a hawk.”
Jessie fell silent, her eyes scanning the forest floor and much as she was able as they winged above the trees.
Kael took a moment to look at the human in his arms. Her face was paler than usual, her lips bloodless and tight. Jessie’s eyes flashed white like a spooked horse. He noticed that the hand around his shoulders was petting him in tense motions.
Returning his eyes to the forest he murmured. “That was not a recent battle. The survivors have had many days to travel and seek safety. By the decay of the bodies, the carrion eaters and still burning houses… Most like it was two weeks ago.”
Jessie’s fingers dug into his shoulder, saying nothing.
“It will soon be dark, and though my eyes are keen and night does not bother me, I rather we both rest and set out with clearer heads.” He nodded towards a clearing. “We will set down there for the night. Perhaps you will come up with ideas where you think the survivors may have fled.”
One tight, controlled nod in reply.
Sunday, August 16, 2009
Kael 16/08/09
“No wonder you don’t go out often.” Jessie clung to Kael’s back as he scaled the rock wall.
“Usually I do not have a human hanging on my back like a monkey nattering in my ear!”
“What’s a monkey?”
Hissing, Kael decided to ignore her, human’s had lost much and he felt no need to return it to them. Despite the climb he was not weary or out of breath, having scaled it countless times. His claws had carved out hand halls from his frequent excursions. If not for Jessie, he would be bounding up the wall as cat would a tree.
“I think Jack is going to adore you. He’s a scholar you know. Always shuffling through papers or bending over dusty tomes.”
“I have no intention of meeting you ‘Jack’, nor another human, it was a moment of madness I took you at all.” His hand landed flat on the cave floor above. Smoothly he lifted his and Jessie’s weight to the stone floor. “We are here.”
“Oh my blessed Gods! I didn’t think I’d ever have firm ground beneath me again.” She heard a snort as Kael shrugged her off.
“Come, it is dawn and if you wish to reach your city before dark you need to stop rolling around like a pig in mud.”
“Hey!” She scrambled up and followed the sound of his voice and the glow of his eyes as he led her out of what she had started to think of as her home.
Despite his growls and snarls, she no longer thought Kael was a demon. Not human clearly, but he was not evil. She wondered if they could be considered friends. She frowned and skipped a few steps to keep pace with his long strides. He had shown her things that she thought were legend and spoken of peoples and places that she could not wrap her mind around. Even Jack, for all his learning could not scratch the surface of the knowledge within Kael’s mind.
And he hid in the depths of the earth, hording it all. She did not resent him. She was beginning to understand something of her own race’s history and knew from her own reaction to him that he would not be accepted with open arms. Most likely, instead, with sword and cannon.
“I brought the large cape with me. And if it’s dark no one will know –“ Jessie gasped as suddenly light stroked across her eyes. Squinting she saw it was the cave mouth. “Oh Gods! Finally!” She ran past him, with a slight limp. “To feel the wind on my skin and hear the birds, you have no idea Kael-“ Jessie called back to him.
“It loses a little something over time, child.” He finally reached her and stood at her side, his wings unfolding and flexing as a breeze skimmed over them. “What is this about a cloak?”
Jessie turn to face him straight on. Squaring her shoulders. “I know you don’t like humans, but I think it’s because you don’t know us so well. I want to show you how we are now. Instead of just the ones in your books.” Jessie fought not to step back or look away from his direct gaze. His eyes seemed to burn into her.
“It is not just books, human.” Nostrils flaring, he was the first to turn away. “But I will accompany you. If I do not you will manage to break both legs.”
He stooped down and scooped her into his arms.
“Hey I was thinking of walkin-“
Her words cut off in a scream as he jumped and his wings beat the air, lifting them easily.
“This will be faster, stop your shrieking.”
Jessie buried her head in his chest, refusing to look down. “Tell me when we get there.”
It felt like hours before his voice rumbled beneath her ear, waking her.
“Jessie…”
She blinked, smelling smoke, her mind suddenly wide awake. He never called her by her name. She looked up at him.
“I believe… that you will not be going home today.”
“What-?” Jessie turned her head and looked down.
A city burned beneath her. The streets were red. The walls were in ruins and the buildings burning. Jessie knew, just looking that there were no survivors.
“The False Lord-“ Her voice choked in rage.
“No,” Kael’s voice was considering as he tilted his wings to make another loop around the fallen city. “This is not his work. Your two lords know better than to destroy the inhabitants of a whole city and the city along with them. This is someone new.” Another wing beat brought them lower and suddenly Jessie could smell the smell of decay. Her eyes widened, even as her stomach lurched when she saw the piles of bodies in the cities centre.
“There are too few humans, let alone cities to make this destruction worthwhile.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means child… that you have a new enemy. One that makes your False Lord seem a kitten.”
“Usually I do not have a human hanging on my back like a monkey nattering in my ear!”
“What’s a monkey?”
Hissing, Kael decided to ignore her, human’s had lost much and he felt no need to return it to them. Despite the climb he was not weary or out of breath, having scaled it countless times. His claws had carved out hand halls from his frequent excursions. If not for Jessie, he would be bounding up the wall as cat would a tree.
“I think Jack is going to adore you. He’s a scholar you know. Always shuffling through papers or bending over dusty tomes.”
“I have no intention of meeting you ‘Jack’, nor another human, it was a moment of madness I took you at all.” His hand landed flat on the cave floor above. Smoothly he lifted his and Jessie’s weight to the stone floor. “We are here.”
“Oh my blessed Gods! I didn’t think I’d ever have firm ground beneath me again.” She heard a snort as Kael shrugged her off.
“Come, it is dawn and if you wish to reach your city before dark you need to stop rolling around like a pig in mud.”
“Hey!” She scrambled up and followed the sound of his voice and the glow of his eyes as he led her out of what she had started to think of as her home.
Despite his growls and snarls, she no longer thought Kael was a demon. Not human clearly, but he was not evil. She wondered if they could be considered friends. She frowned and skipped a few steps to keep pace with his long strides. He had shown her things that she thought were legend and spoken of peoples and places that she could not wrap her mind around. Even Jack, for all his learning could not scratch the surface of the knowledge within Kael’s mind.
And he hid in the depths of the earth, hording it all. She did not resent him. She was beginning to understand something of her own race’s history and knew from her own reaction to him that he would not be accepted with open arms. Most likely, instead, with sword and cannon.
“I brought the large cape with me. And if it’s dark no one will know –“ Jessie gasped as suddenly light stroked across her eyes. Squinting she saw it was the cave mouth. “Oh Gods! Finally!” She ran past him, with a slight limp. “To feel the wind on my skin and hear the birds, you have no idea Kael-“ Jessie called back to him.
“It loses a little something over time, child.” He finally reached her and stood at her side, his wings unfolding and flexing as a breeze skimmed over them. “What is this about a cloak?”
Jessie turn to face him straight on. Squaring her shoulders. “I know you don’t like humans, but I think it’s because you don’t know us so well. I want to show you how we are now. Instead of just the ones in your books.” Jessie fought not to step back or look away from his direct gaze. His eyes seemed to burn into her.
“It is not just books, human.” Nostrils flaring, he was the first to turn away. “But I will accompany you. If I do not you will manage to break both legs.”
He stooped down and scooped her into his arms.
“Hey I was thinking of walkin-“
Her words cut off in a scream as he jumped and his wings beat the air, lifting them easily.
“This will be faster, stop your shrieking.”
Jessie buried her head in his chest, refusing to look down. “Tell me when we get there.”
It felt like hours before his voice rumbled beneath her ear, waking her.
“Jessie…”
She blinked, smelling smoke, her mind suddenly wide awake. He never called her by her name. She looked up at him.
“I believe… that you will not be going home today.”
“What-?” Jessie turned her head and looked down.
A city burned beneath her. The streets were red. The walls were in ruins and the buildings burning. Jessie knew, just looking that there were no survivors.
“The False Lord-“ Her voice choked in rage.
“No,” Kael’s voice was considering as he tilted his wings to make another loop around the fallen city. “This is not his work. Your two lords know better than to destroy the inhabitants of a whole city and the city along with them. This is someone new.” Another wing beat brought them lower and suddenly Jessie could smell the smell of decay. Her eyes widened, even as her stomach lurched when she saw the piles of bodies in the cities centre.
“There are too few humans, let alone cities to make this destruction worthwhile.”
“What do you mean?”
“It means child… that you have a new enemy. One that makes your False Lord seem a kitten.”
Friday, August 14, 2009
Kael 14/08/09
“Are you going to keep me here forever? It’s already been a fortnight.” Jessie paced the room, glaring at Kael’s back. She found herself staring, caught by the graceful arch of wings, the lazy sway of his tail and the unconscious strength and dexterity of his position. He perched on the tip of a stalagmite.
He ignored her.
“You could at least look at me when I am talking to you!”
“If I did that I would never get any work done.”
Jessie let out a huff, gave him her back and plucked a text from a shelf. Thumbing through the pages she paused on the sight of a strange contraption and the unnaturally straight lines of what looked to be a map beside it. “Well, I still want out, I am going crazy! And what is this!” She jabbed the book in front of his face.
“That, little human, is a car. A method of transportation you humans once used. The drawing beside it are a set of blue prints on an engine. An engine, you can close your mouth, is what powers the car. Much as your heart pumps blood through your veins and allows your mouth to keep chattering on.” He pushed the book aside and went back to writing.
“Oh, so we once had these cars? What happened?”
“Humanity happened. You went to war, and destroyed your world. And you are still warring. And you will not stop bothering me until we go to the surface, will you?”
Heat rose to her cheeks, “I don’t want you to think me ungrateful! You saved my life, you have opened a whole new world to me and you haven’t eaten me… yet. But I need the sun, I don’t even know that it has been a fortnight. And your healing has made me nearly as before! See I just use this crutch now!”
Golden eyes skimmed over her and she heard him let out a puff of air, even as he closed the book, she knew she had won.
“Very well, gather your things. It’s time I hunted again.”
Squealing in glee, Jessie flung herself in his arms, toppling Kael into a pile of books with her on top.
“Oh my!” scrambling back, she quickly began gathering and stacking the books strewn across the cave floor. “I’m so sorry! Please don’t change your mind, I’ll have this room set to writes real quick.”
Flicking his tail, Kael stood, gathering his work and putting it safely out of harm’s way.
He ignored her.
“You could at least look at me when I am talking to you!”
“If I did that I would never get any work done.”
Jessie let out a huff, gave him her back and plucked a text from a shelf. Thumbing through the pages she paused on the sight of a strange contraption and the unnaturally straight lines of what looked to be a map beside it. “Well, I still want out, I am going crazy! And what is this!” She jabbed the book in front of his face.
“That, little human, is a car. A method of transportation you humans once used. The drawing beside it are a set of blue prints on an engine. An engine, you can close your mouth, is what powers the car. Much as your heart pumps blood through your veins and allows your mouth to keep chattering on.” He pushed the book aside and went back to writing.
“Oh, so we once had these cars? What happened?”
“Humanity happened. You went to war, and destroyed your world. And you are still warring. And you will not stop bothering me until we go to the surface, will you?”
Heat rose to her cheeks, “I don’t want you to think me ungrateful! You saved my life, you have opened a whole new world to me and you haven’t eaten me… yet. But I need the sun, I don’t even know that it has been a fortnight. And your healing has made me nearly as before! See I just use this crutch now!”
Golden eyes skimmed over her and she heard him let out a puff of air, even as he closed the book, she knew she had won.
“Very well, gather your things. It’s time I hunted again.”
Squealing in glee, Jessie flung herself in his arms, toppling Kael into a pile of books with her on top.
“Oh my!” scrambling back, she quickly began gathering and stacking the books strewn across the cave floor. “I’m so sorry! Please don’t change your mind, I’ll have this room set to writes real quick.”
Flicking his tail, Kael stood, gathering his work and putting it safely out of harm’s way.
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