The fallen's lament

Howard was performing more graceful swings. David was almost hypnotised by his movements, causing him to jump as a hand gripped his shoulder. There was Rose, not looking at David, or at Howard, but at the blade he was swinging, copying the blade’s movements with her finger, her eyes never blinking or breaking. Howard span and brought the blade down, swinging it down edge first into the wood, and as the blade made contact, it smashed into hundreds of fine grey pieces. Shaking in disbelief Howard stared where the blade was once; Rose seemed less terrified as she spoke up.

“Who made that?”

Howard did not answer, but simply shook, the look of disbelief still in his eyes. Rose spoke again.

“Howard, if you made it, then perhaps something went wrong somewhere? Come, it’s getting late, we should show David and Sophia their new home.”

Sophia let out a small squeak as Rose mentioned the word home; holding onto David tightly, Rose approached Howard casually, placing one hand on his wrists and her other on his shoulder, slowly prying the handle out of his grip.

As Howard began the slow process of calming himself down and getting his mind back together, David began to examine them all until a beautiful single handed broadsword caught his eyes, its pure white blade reflecting the flame’s light, the handle a glorious golden colour, crafted with a bulge to fit anyone’s palm. Reaching up to take it down carefully, Rose heard David as he did, turning her head slowly and nodding to him, turning back to her husband to comfort him.

Sophia and David, now with their weapons, picked their waist strap and sheath for their new weapons; David picking a blackened leather strap with a bright white metal sheath, Sophia chose a lighter leather strap, her sheath a plain metal sheath wrapped in silken pink cloth.

Sophia eventually broke away from David’s arms, edging her way towards Howard and Rose. Once she had reached them, she wrapped her arms around Howard, giving him a comforting hug. Rose seemed almost shocked but followed suit; Howard, with the new feelings surrounding him, seemed to finally be able to speak, but his voice shaking from apparent shock, he only managed a whisper.

“Leave me.”

Rose nodded, stepping back from Howard to turn and usher David and Sophia out the door with their weapons and gear. Rose’s face was pale in the moonlight and Katie was walking beside her, as silent as the ghost she resembled. David and Sophia exchanged concerned looks as they reached a small home made from wood and bricks in an interesting mixture. Rose opened the door and finally spoke.

“Welcome to your new home.”

Sophia’s eyes lit up as she ran forward and hugged Rose tightly. David was dumbstruck as he stepped inside after sending his thanks to Rose and Katie, who nodded as Katie ran off to tell the others.

After an hour or so of settling into their new home, David and Sophia decided it would be best to retire after a meal.

Thankfully, Rose had managed to teach Sophia the art of cooking, however she decided it would be best to monitor Sophia as she began the preparation of the meal. David and Katie sat in the next room, both remaining silent as they watched the fireplace. After what felt like hours passed, David decided to ask:

“What was wrong with Howard earlier?”

Katie replied, with slight hesitation. “Daddy takes pride in his work; one thing goes wrong and he loses all of his morale, I think back there he simply…went into shock. His blades are not designed to break, unless it was a one hit blade which he forgot about.”

Katie and David continued their discussion until Sophia and Rose came out with the food, beautifully decorated and cooked to perfection. Apparently Rose had to step in somewhere after all as they all settled down to the food, but before they could start; Howard stepped through the threshold, looking quite cheery.

“Hello everyone, I see the young couple have settled in nicely, and Sophia and Rose have prepared a meal.” Sitting down he continued, “So then, who’s got plans for tomorrow?”

As Howard finished speaking the table shook. Howard let out a yelp of pain, whilst Rose merely smiled sweetly at him. Once Howard had recovered from the table incident, he glared at Rose who tried her best to look innocent.

The hours went by; eventually Rose and her family had to depart to their own home, leaving David and Sophia to retire for the night.

However, fate had decreed that the couple not have a peaceful night, as only what appeared to be a few minutes after David and Sophia had laid their heads on the feathered pillows that had been made for them did the Everseer roughly shake David awake; as Rose gently eased Sophia out of her brief slumber, Sophia was the first to be able to speak clearly.

“What’s going on?”

Rose quickly hushed her before she whispered.

“Your initiation of course, there are two final phrases which you must attend before you are one of us.”

David was a bit more concerned as he asked.

“Why are you both armed?”

The Everseer answered this time.

“Its wild territory – I’d recommend you bring your weapons as well – now hurry up, this must be done before the sun rises.”

After his words, the Everseer and Rose left them to get ready. David could just see their shadows in the moonlight, and both were stock still, their hands on their weapon handles.

At last, David and Sophia left their home; the Everseer had disappeared to leave Rose to guide them to where they had to go, and as she saw them, Rose grabbed David and Sophia’s wrists tightly, marching towards the blackened forest.

As they broke into the darkness, the warmth and safety of the village seemed to fade as they marched deeper and deeper, back along the marble path, back through the stench of rotting corpses, although, Rose didn’t seem to notice, but in the pale moonlight, David noticed Rose was wearing what appeared to be a piece of cloth which was covered in red.

“Rose, what happened to your –“

Before David could finish, Rose yanked on his arm to silence him, just as they reached the opening where they had first arrived after David had rescued Sophia.

Sophia spoke up in her quiet, scared voice.

“I know this place. This is where David took me the first time I was in the forest.”

Rose simply smiled as they emerged into the moonlight where the Everseer was kneeling beside the water, his hands on his staff which stood from the ground, the blade pointing to the moon, uttering what appeared to be a prayer.

Sophia and David seemed concerned as Rose moved behind the Everseer, placing her armoured hands on his shoulders, beckoning David to kneel beside him.

Sophia nervously watched from the outskirts of the clearing as David kneeled down on both knees beside the Everseer. Rose was already whispering into the Everseer’s ear.

The Everseer himself lowered his weapon as slow as he could, dipping the blade into the unbroken water, sending the ripples along the surface, disturbing most of the insects. Rose was now behind David, her armoured hands on his skull, guiding him down, sinking his head slowly beneath the surface, while the Everseer begin to disturb the water more and more, slicing and cutting at the water’s edge, sending the pulses down into the depths. Where something had stirred.