Post by Raistlin on Jul 19, 2007 22:21:22 GMT -5
Decisions
SForce slept soundly. His dreams were of fire. Blazes engulfing everything around him. He would cry as a young elf boy, and as the blaze flared up he would be trembling as a grown man-elf. The fire would crackle in the sound of laughter. He would put his hands over his pointy ears and shout for the laughter to stop. Curled up in the dirt, the grown up SForce was scared. A hand emerges from the fire. A smiling face becomes visible and a cheerful voice invites him to take his hand. A wide eyed elf boy smiles back and takes the hand. Holding the hand made him feel better. He was calm and safe. The fires blazed up again scorching his hand. He jumps back and gets mad. The fires blaze hotter and move in on him. Now, grown up again, he turns and turns looking into the flames getting mad. He tries to punch at them, but it just burns him and makes him even angrier. He hears a voice. It’s familiar and supportive. He sees figures in the fire that began to take shape the longer he looked at them. “We’re with you, SForce,” he heard them say. “We’ll always be with you.”
He snapped into awareness. He jumped from his bed drawing a dagger from under his pillow. Dripping of a cold sweat he spun around in all different directions. He still felt the heat of the fire, but was covered in cold sweat. Catching his breath he relaxes and puts his dagger back under the pillow.
“I’m not supposed to be living like this. This isn’t the life for me.” He walks over to his window and looks out at the forest. This was the reason he demanded to have this room. “Where am I supposed to be? What is it I’m meant to do in my life? I should have died when I was young. Why didn’t I?”
“That’s one thing I’d agree with you about, you should have died. Maybe it would have been better for the clan.”
SForce jumped then turned around. A dark, ominous figure loomed in the doorway. It was Viper. The half demon had a smirk on his face as he stared down SForce.
“Oh it’s you, Viper…”
“Lord Viper, elf!”
“I didn’t hear you come in.”
“That’s what I do.” In a flash he was right in front of SForce. “This is why I’m the best at what I do.”
“Is there something wrong?” This voice came from the doorway. Looking past the dark half-demon SForce saw a stalwart warrior with his arms crossed. It was Darius. Viper wouldn’t take his eyes off SForce.
“Nothing at all, General. Just wishing our friend here a good morning.” In a flash he whipped out like a specter. Darius and SForce looked at each other.
“You’ll need to be careful with that guy. He’s been after you for a while now. I stopped by to see if you’d like to join the archers and me in some practice shooting. You up to it?”
“Not right now. I kind of had a bad night and Viper didn’t help me wake up any better.”
“I understand. See you around then.”
SForce staggered around his room trying to put his thoughts in order. It was the weekend, which was when he normally camped out in the forest. He liked spending time in the forest to keep himself in tune with nature and the animals. His mind was all over the place wondering what to make of his life. He got dressed and equipped himself with his gear. He checked on his pack in the closet. All his camp gear was there. He stood there mulling over ideas in his head. He smiled thinking he had his head together.
He entered the clan tavern. It was basically empty, except there was a table in the corner with a moat of ale running around the table. It had obviously spilled over when the occupant in the chair had flopped down into his arms. The grubby old dwarf was snoring up a ruckus. SForce walked up to him. Poking the dwarf did nothing to stir him awake. SForce even tried to kick the chair, but didn’t want to drop him to the floor. So he brought out the most powerful weapon he could think of to wake this dwarf.
“AntonyJC, you spilled your ale.”
“HUH! What! No!”
AntonyJC was shocked into consciousness. His eyes darted around and seeing a puddle on the table running down he leaned in and sucked it up. SForce couldn’t help himself. He chuckled and chuckled till AntonyJC noticed and slowly turned his head to look up at him.
“And what’s so funny?” He asked him.
“Oh, not much,” he said, holding his gut together. “But I needed that today.”
“Something troublin’ ya?”
“You could say that.”
SForce pulled up a near by chair that had been knocked over when everyone left the night before. He dusted it off and took a seat. AntonyJC was wringing out his beard and then began shaking the last few drops from his mug.
“It’s Viper again,” he announced. “He was in my room this morning. Being a little annoying.”
“A little?”
“Yeah, well, I’m just not in the mood to put up with it anymore.”
AntonyJC was looking at him intently. SForce appeared to be elsewhere. His mind wondered and his eyes longed for someplace else. SForce began to notice he was being looked at and shook himself into reality. He smiled at AntonyJC, a half assed smile.
“I’m gonna go for a walk,” he informed AntonyJC, “so I’ll see you later.”
“When,” he asked.
“Probably not tonight. I have a lot to think about.”
SForce got up and patted AntonyJC on the shoulder. AntonyJC just watched him get up and head for the door. On his way out he ran into a large, heavyset warrior. He looked up and recognized MS. He looked down at SForce and raised an eyebrow. SForce smiled and smacked him on the chest as he continued out the door and down the hall. MadScientist headed to AntonyJC’s table.
“Should we be worried,” MadScientist questioned AntonyJC.
“Probably not,” he answered, “but get packed. We’re going for a walk.”
SForce was heading back to his quarters when a couple of guards accosted him.
“Sir Aaron wishes to speak with you,” they announced. “Come with us.”
SForce had nothing to say. He followed them to the audience hall that Aaron used to meet with guests. Aaron was sitting at a desk in a large chair elaborately decorated. He was looking at a parchment while drinking his morning glass of wine. He looked up from it as the guards approached with SForce standing defiantly in front of them.
“The elf, SForce, Sir,” one of them introduced, “as you requested.”
Aaron waved them off. As they took to the exit he motioned for SForce to take the seat in front of him. He was holding a parchment that appeared to have a tavern logo, the same one of the tavern he and his friends frequent.
“I’ve been hearing rumors about you,” he began. “I don’t like rumors. I tend to dispel them before they get too dangerous. Then I get this bill from a local tavern. Now we in the S&D clan are always willing to help our members, but not pick up their bar tabs.”
“But, Aaron,” SForce attempted to explain, but was cut short by Aaron’s raised hand. He glared at SForce.
“I’m as fair as they come, so you’ll have a hearing in three days with the Council. Together we’ll decide what to do about this. Dismissed.” He shifted his gaze back to his desk. Pushing the parchment to the side he started on a stack that stood to his right. SForce gave a respectful bow, turned and departed. As soon as he was clear the shadows began to flicker. An eerie form took shape next to Aaron.
“You see, Sire,” the form was that of Viper who was speaking with a venomous tongue, “he cares only for what will fill his purse. He needs to be taught a lesson as to prevent other members from acting out in the same manner. This clan needs to be unified, not squabbling with each other.”
“Isn’t that what you’re suggesting we do,” Aaron returned, “squabble over this infraction instead of tending to more important issues. You see this stack of parchments?” He waved his hand over the stack to his right. “All of these are either requests, or maintenance for the upkeep of the castle. There are far too many other issues to be dealt with without worrying over trivial things like this.”
He went back to looking over the parchment he had pulled from the top of his pile. Viper leaned in and whispered in Aaron’s ear.
“Isn’t the image of the clan one of the foremost top priorities? What does it say about us when we overlook a member who’s abusing our reserves? How are we supposed to get any allies when we look like we’re going to need more help from them then we can give back? Would you want to have an ally who’s been known to give out favors like they fish, not caring if their supply ever runs out? Your first thought would be, ‘how long till they come running to us saying they are broke and need money.’ If we are going to make it in the Dragon Court we need to be firm and show others that we are smart. We have to show that we are responsible and our members are responsible for their own actions.”
Aaron let out a deep sigh.
“I know. And I do understand that. We will have a hearing later, but I have work to do.”
Viper smiled and gave a sarcastic bow then floated backwards as he started to dematerialize. He was cut short when he heard Aaron speak up at him. “Oh, and Viper, thanks for bringing this up to me. Keep an eye on him.”
“I was just thinking the same thing,” he replied while giving a bow again. When he brought his head back up he had a sadistic smile on his face as he slipped out of the room like a specter.
SForce burst through the door to his chambers and slammed it shut behind him. Kicking it and slamming his fist against it he spoke to himself through his teeth with bitter rage.
“What the hell! How did that bill get to him? There’s no reason for him to see that. I just said to the barkeep to send it to me at the castle if he needed to. All this time and he never bothered before. And Aaron has heard the rumors? What is going on around here? I just want to be left alone.”
He slunk to his bed and sat there contemplating what lie ahead of him. He looked out the window and saw the tops of the trees in the forest. He got up and headed for the window. As he viewed the sun peaking out from the tops of the trees he felt the calm that the forest always brought him.
“Blast it, you ignorant newbs.” He heard the voice coming from below. He looked down into the courtyard. Darius was instructing the newest members of the archery division. It looked and sounded like things weren’t going too well. Darius was pointing and speaking with one of them, but as soon as the arrow let loose it struck the castle wall behind the target. Darius was quite frustrated and snatched the bow from the “archer” and began showing them the proper stance and handling techniques. SForce let out a slight chuckle and was glad that he could still laugh. Turning from the window he looked at his pack sitting in the corner by the door. He smiled, gave a nod in the general direction of the door, then went to the head of his bed.
Reaching behind the headboard he pulled out a tightly wrapped bow and quiver. He rubbed it affectionately. Slowly he unveiled it. The bow was exquisite. Masterfully crafted. Even the arrows glistened and shined. He pulled the sheet back over them and tightened the cover. Wrapping a sling around them he slung it over his shoulder. As he headed for the door he snatched up his pack and buckled his sword to his belt. He was half way out the door when he turned to look at his quarters. He smiled with cheerful memories that occurred here.
“I’ll actually miss this old place.” He closed the door slowly for the last time. He headed down the hall with confidence that has returned from a long slumber. When he made his way down the hall back at his room a shadow nearby grew eyes. A face emerged from the dark. It was Viper.
“And where do you think you’re going?” He vanished down the hall after SForce.
