The fallen's lament

David watched in horror as a long scaly beast appeared in the reflections of the moon through the water; swimming up quickly towards him, David began to push and tug his head up, but Rose’s hands kept him there. David was running out of air rapidly – at the last second, Rose pulled him up and away – as the serpentine creature lunged out of the water, the Everseer took his chance and plunged his war staff into the beast’s chin, launching him up and slamming him down onto the ground with inhuman strength. Rose leapt forward, running her blade through the beast’s back, pinning it down.

The beast was still struggling; Rose and the Everseer were having difficulty, but Rose spoke to them, an urge of panic in her voice.

“David! Sophia! Grab your blades and run them through the beast’s eyes!”

Sophia was frozen in her place. David, whose blood was filling with adrenaline, was able to leap up to grapple the beast, helping to restrain it; he called to Sophia to join in, who remained frozen in her place.

The Everseer, at last, called out to her.

“Sophia, listen to me! You have to do this, for all this village has done for you, help us conquer this beast and you shall be hailed as a hero!”

Sophia, seeing the look of desperation in everyone’s eyes, slowly edged her way forward, blade in her shaky hand. Sophia reached the beast, raising her blade to plunge it into the beast’s snakelike eye; David did the same on the other side, raising their blades high, and plunging them deep into the beast’s eyes.

The beast let off an almighty roar in pain, The Everseer and Rose both tore their weapons out of the beat, only to drive them back through the beast’s skull.

The beast lay there, cold and motionless, all four weapons drenched in its inky black blood.

Panting, David and Sophia both turned to Rose and questioned her.

“What was that?”
“Why did we have to fight it?”
“Why didn’t you tell us?”

And David almost bellowed. “Why did you try to drown me?!”

Smiling like an innocent schoolgirl as she cleaned her blade, Rose seemed oddly calm for the amount of panic she was in before.

“In order, that as a leviathan, we had to kill it because it was causing us problems and we needed its hide, if I told you, would you of come? And because we needed bait.”

They both stared at her open mouthed as The Everseer slung the leviathan’s tail over his shoulder, and began to drag it back to the village, leaving a black stain over the red marble.

Rose followed in his wake, David holding the crying Sophia, himself still being in shock at what had just happened, The Everseer was laughing in a baritone voice, apparently very pleased at what had happened.

However he silenced and carried on dragging the leviathan as Rose whacked him around the head with her katana sheath, which David and Sophia had never seen her use before, It was elegant, a pale blue with a golden trim, the strap a light leather as the golden cloth wafted in the cold wind of the forest.

As they emerged into the Village, David and Sophia noticed that every villager stood there, a torch in hand, staring at them, still, silent, and watching, an eerie silence fell upon the group, the Everseer and Rose were calmly walking down the path, the villagers raising their torches higher, Rose had stopped in the middle of the path, turning her head to face the couple who stood on the edge of the torchlight.

Rose began to speak, her voice echoed through the wind as if she was all around them.

“Come, the final process of your initiation is almost complete, do not be afraid, I am here, your safely will be my concern, I promise that neither of you will be harmed.”

Even the Everseer turned at this point, his steel mask reflecting the moonlight, as though they felt safe, Sophia and David began to shakily walk towards Rose, the mask of the Everseer acting as a beacon for them, Rose raised her arm, her hand held out as though she wished for something to be placed in her hand.

David, being a gentleman, raised his hand to place it in Rose’s noticeably cold hand; David began to follow as Rose lead him to the Everseer, Sophia in their shadow, the villager’s eyes watching them like hawks.

David squinted his eyes forward to see the 12 hooded figures of the council, all with a small different amulet in their hands, the leviathan laid before them, the Everseer stepped down from the council to retreat to his spire as Rose stepped up, releasing her grip on David to whisper something into the head councilman’s ear, who merely nodded his head as she finished.

As ever Rose left to stand with her family, the head councilman stepped forward, and spoke in a surprisingly comforting voice as he held his amulet on a chain.

“David, Sophia, you have aided our two bravest warriors in defeating this beast, however, even the most dreaded of enemy’s deserve even a drop of respect. So, David, Sophia, come forth.”

Slightly cautious, they stepped up the marble staircase, where the councilman told them to kneel before their kill as he and the other council members dipped their amulets into the leviathan’s blood.

Standing up and raising the amulet, he bellowed to the village.

“We, are the fallen ones, we are one with our kills, our enemy’s are our friends, we will honour them, with their blood and our own, and we will join them, in either the light or the darkness. David, Sophia, come forth, and may your battles be glorious, may your hearts be filled with only pure thoughts, come forth, and accept your fate!”

Stepping forward, the council, one by one, pressed their amulets into their skin, a burning sensation flooding over them, their very blood was on fire, the skin where the amulets were being pressed began to tingle and burn, leaving a permanent imprint on their joints and foreheads.

The villagers let off an almighty cheer as David and Sophia stood up and turned, the amulet marks barely visible by the torch and moonlight.

Placing his hands on their shoulders, the councilman turned them round to face the villagers, Rose, Howard and even Katie had their torches raised high, their other hand raised high I the air, their fist’s pointing towards the moonlight, as a wave, the villagers did the same, the councilman, seeing their confusion, whispered to them.

“They have accepted you as one of their own; as a fellow brother and sister in arms, I suggest you return the gesture.”

Nodding in unison, David and Sophia returned the gesture; their fist’s raised high in the air.

The councilman spoke once the cheer’s had stopped.

“Now… David… Sophia…” – they both lowered their fist’s to turn to him as he spoke their names – “I’m to understand you have not found a trainer, perhaps it is best that Rose teach you, as you are familiar with her, you may feel more comfortable, do you agree to this?” – They both nodded, now with a slightly afraid expression on their faces – “and you Rose? Do you agree to be their tutor?” Rose simply nodded, Katie was looking pleased, but Howard had a blank face, while the Everseer, was nowhere to be found.

The council soon dismissed the meeting; Rose took David and Sophia back home before she left herself.

*

*

In the morning, the young couple awoke to see the sun high in the sky, the villagers were already out in the market and about, Sophia had to rush off to work at the stall, while David sprinted off to his own, The days went by, until a Saturday morning, Sophia noticed Rose walking up to her stall, her katana in it’s sheath with her armour donned, with David at her heel.

Rose did not speak, but quickly beckoned Sophia to follow her as she turned and walked off, David still at her side

Sophia ran after them, her blade swinging at her side. Rose took them out into an open field. Where she pointed to a spot on the field and commanded. “Sit”

As they sat down, Rose was not facing them, but was staring out into the forest, her back to them, as she continued to speak.

“I have three rules, head down, eyes high, mouth shut, you will receive no special privileges because we are friends, I will push you to your limits and beyond just the same as I trained everybody else, if you don’t pass, you die, simple, easy, effective.”

Drawing her blade as she finished, turning towards them and pointing a finger at David.

“You both have had your blades sharpened correct? Stand up David.”

Standing up, David seemed concerned as he drew his blade by Rose’s request,

Almost as though she had predicted what he would do, Rose chuckled before she stated.

“The same problem as always, fear is guiding your blade hand, not your courage.”

Rose walked forward and began adjusting David’s stance, raising his arm, lowering his frame, adjusting his arms, elbows and knees until she was satisfied with him, nodding to him and commanding him to sit down, Rose then beckoned for Sophia to stand, as she did, she drew her blade, and Rose had a surprised look on her face, as did David.

Sophia stood there, blade poised and ready, her legs in a defensive stance while her side arm was holding a stiletto in a defensive manner.

Rose smiled slightly, David was looking astonished. Rose began to speak in an interested voice.

“An interesting style Sophia, light, dexterous, more suited to an assassin, not a face to face fighter, I may not be as much use to you as I am to David, but, I will teach you what I can, perhaps our dear Everseer could teach you more about stealth then I can.”

“That is correct Rose.”

The Everseer’s voice shocked David and Sophia, causing them to jump and spin round. Causing Rose and the Everseer to laugh loudly, while David and Sophia both blushed.