[nsw-fic] Lost Soldier

[Divide&Conquer]

Lost Soldier

By. Divide&Conquer

 

 

Prologue:

 

This land I know it well, it seems all to familiar, the breeze under this tree feels so refreshing. Why? Why do these things bring back memories of distant days? When I felt everything, existed as one of you, but now, now I'm a spirit, living with the remorse of my mistake. The mistake I've made. But what mistake? Why can't I remember? Am I falling, is hell finally coming for me. In the hollow distance I heard “Fight, Fight for me once again.”

 

 

I arouse from death, a new warrior, I will find who killed me and get my revenge. But who? Who killed me? And Why? I will search for my memories, and my name. Are these memories I seek important I wonder, is my name important. I don't know but they are things I desire.

 

 

The sun it feels so warm beating on my face, the comfort it brings as I lay upon this cold, wet ground. Slowly I move my fingers, then my hands, then my arms, and slowly I sit myself up. My eyes are shut, seeing only darkness. As my eyes open to see the world, all I see is burnt ground and dead bodies. A war perhaps, maybe, but who knows for certain. Slowly standing, pain coursing threw my body, trying to cripple my remaining strength. But I stand. The air smells of sulfur and something else. Aw, yes, the smell of death, the smell of rot and decay.

 

 

Laying beside my feet a lone hand, no body, no arm, just a hand still clinging to its sword, still clinging to the honor of its land. Honor? Do I know honor? Perhaps, maybe at some point I once followed the meaning of honor, perhaps.

 

 

“Fight, Fight for me once again” again I heard that voice, why? Out of all of this blistering silence do I hear that voice? Not a demanding voice, no, not at all. A soft voice, a voice that seems familiar, so very familiar. Blast, but from where do I know this voice, where?

 

 

I stood there pondering, then my eyes drifted to search more of my scorched surroundings. Bodies laid everyone, wearing armor, some burnt beyond any capable recognition. Some armor looked similar to what I wore. Comrades maybe, allies in a war, perhaps, no answer I would commit to at the current moment. Body parts scattered threw out the land, this sulfur smell, magic maybe. I move closer to one of the bodies with similar armor, knelt down and examined it. There upon its breast plate was the head of a dragon, a brilliant green outline of his head, it golden teeth showing, and it mystic blue eyes piercing my soul.

 

 

Then moving to another body, this time with different armor. This one had black armor, with a white out line of a wolf upon his breast plate, its emerald eyes glaring at its opponents, glaring its brilliant teeth. It appeared to be ready to jump out and rip you to pieces. I sighed, shacking my head I stood once again and looked at my surroundings. Wondering what had happened to create such a massacre. Something caught the corner of my eye, quickly I turned my head and there standing straight up embedded in the chest of a fallen enemy perhaps, was a sword.

 

 

This sword's hilt was wrapped in red and black cloth, the the top of the hilt and the bottom of it was gold, but the bottom gold had a dragon's head it tung reaching out from his mouth. The blade was long with what looked like something inscribed upon it. Slowly I moved closer to the sword and what was inscribed upon the blade was “Di Ni'r Tesk Morak es Dao”. Those words, I knew them, but from where? How do I know them?

 

 

This sword, this weapon of destruction seemed to be calling to me, like it belongs to me. My hand then rests upon and empty sheath, could this sword really be mine? Does it belong to me? Yes, it does, I feel it in my soul, this sword and I are one, that I feel. I place one hand upon the hilt and pull upon it, with each tug the body its embedded in jeers up. I place a foot upon the body and with one quick pull the sword is free from its dead host. The sound of flesh tearing more, and blood spilling out can be heard as the sword leaves the body. I wipe off the remaining blood upon my sword and returning to its sheath. A perfect fit, I can feel a slight smile come across my face.

 

 

Theres this strange pull, a pull upon my heart, I can't describe it. It feels dark, like sadness, desperation. Like I belong some where other then this field of death and decay. My heart turns my head to the east. There is something there waiting for me, is it a thing? Or is it a person? I can feel something or some one wanting me to return, calling for my heart. Gripping the hilt of my sword I begin my walk east. For what awaits me I do not know, but with hope each step will return what I've forgotten, what is lost to me. As each step was taken I could hear the stones and gravel shift underneath my feet, each step disturbing the ground below it. And so my journey to the land of the east has begun...

 

Chapter One

 

A town? I stood there outside the entrance of this small farm town, feeling something move with in me. Was it hope? Perhaps these people had the answers to my questions. So many questions, but still on my journey until now, proved to have no answers. In the background of my thoughts I heard “Hey! Hey! Are you deaf boy? Move!”

 

 

Quickly I turned my body around to see a horse drawn carriage and a man waving his arm coming towards me. Jumping to one side the carriage missed me, but only slightly. As it passed I watched to see a little girl with blond hair peek her head out and looked at me, smiling she waved at me. Slightly I bowed my head to the girl, as her and the carriage disappeared from my sight.

 

 

I'm not sure how long I stood there for, but it was long enough got my legs to feel some weakness. Taking steps forward I could hear and feel the gravel under my feet move. The ground was dry, as if all the moisture was removed from the ground. As I walked threw the town I could hear the whispers of people as I walked by them, some shocked, some disgusted.

 

 

 

“Hold it right there” I heard a deep angry voice say behind me. I stopped, standing there for a moment I wondered if I should turn around. Slowly I placed my hand upon the hilt of my sword, and turned around. There standing in front of me were three men, in black armor, with the wolf symbol. Suddenly there was a flash, a glimpse of something, could it be a memory? I saw people in armor screaming, and fire burning around us. I could feel it upon my skin as if it was happening around me at that moment. The last thing I saw was a brilliant flash of white light.

 

 

“...I'm talking to you” one of the men said as he shoved me with enough force to make me take a step back. Griping my sword tighter I could feel anger and disgust build up inside me, Why? Why did I feel this way towards these men? Have they done something? My heart raced with anticipation of a battle, then there was a smell it seemed familiar, relaxing, it smelled of lavender. Closing my eyes, I let it embrace me, and as the scent seemed to move threw my body the emotions I had felt earlier drifted away, and I was calm.

 

 

Opening my eyes I saw that their attention was no longer on me but on some one else. This would be a good time to escape, but why, why wasn't I moving? Trying to see between two of the soldiers I saw a frightened female clutching the top of her dress tightly. Her brunette hair was a mess, and her hazel eyes looking like they had shed all the tears they could. One of the men walked closer, placed his hand upon her throat and squeezed. Fear over took her face when the man said “who said you could leave, we're not done with you.”

 

 

The female looked as if she was about to cry once again, but the fear was to powerful. I should just leave, this isn't any of my business, but I couldn't, something wouldn't let me. My teeth clenched in anger, my hand gripped my sword tighter. Slowly, quietly I removed my sword from its sheath, the soldiers still seemed preoccupied by the female to even remember me. Sneaking up on one of the men, I ran my blade threw his torso, twisting it as I pulled it out fast, I could hear the sounds of organs ripping, and blood flowing out of this body. One of his companions screamed something at me as I was removing my sword from his comrade.

 

 

Out of the corner of my eyes I saw one of them charge at me. Gripping my sword tighter I leaped back as his blade came crashing down on the dirt ground. Holding my blade in my right hand, crouching low to the ground I charged him. His sword slashed threw the air in a half moon just missing my tip of my hair. I swirled on to the ground as his sword went over my head just missing, and shoved my sword in his side. Smiling as I heard his sword drop to the ground, and the sound of him coughing up blood, I lifted my sword still encased in his side, and with one swift swipe removed it. He like his comrade before him fell to the ground, any life remaining, gone.

 

 

I stood up, my eyes focused on the ground around me. There was still one left, so why did my eyes focus on the ground? Why am I not looking for the last soldier? All of a sudden I felt a hand grab mine and a gentle voice say “follow me”.

 

 

Strangely I obeyed, following the person leading me, my bloodied sword still clenched in my fist. The person led me threw crowded streets, then empty ally ways, finally we entered a basement of a home. The basement was cool, damp, and smelled of rotting flesh. I couldn't make out the face of the person that led me here, it was to dark, but by the sound of the voice earlier it was female.

 

 

Then the person stepped into an area where some light shown down. It was the female that the soldiers were harassing earlier. She seemed calm, relaxed a little now. This new feature was pleasant to see, it looked like she felt a little safe for once. Why was no one helping her? Were they afraid of something? Did the ones in black armor have some hold over these people? Again more questions then answers, it seems the more I travel the more I'm left to find out, about me, and whats happening. It felt as if I hoped anymore for some kind of answer, that I'd still be lost, lost in a place where no one could find me.

 

 

“Thank you” she finally said with a faint smile.

 

 

The sound of her voice returned me to what was happening, and away from my frustrating thoughts. I watched as she moved closer to me. Noticing as she was moving closer to me that she glanced down at my right hand. Still tightly clenched in my hand was my sword, still ready for battle, to destroy my enemies. I sighed, loosened my grip, and returned the sword to it's sheath. Who were my enemies? Why did I have to fight?

 

 

“Are you alright” I heard faintly in the background.

 

 

Returning my attention to my current surroundings, and situation I responded “In all honesty I do not know”. Finding a near by crate I sat upon it, placing my hands over my face, and sliding them down I sighed. She might have no answers for me, no one may. Is any one who know me still alive? Still waiting for my return? Or are they dead? Or even given up hope that I survived? I could feel my heart fill with doubt and pain, would I always remain forgotten, unknown? No, this is something I couldn't allow, there were answers if not here, then some where. Sitting around feeling sorry for what has happened and worry about what could happen was not going to help me find the things I was searching for.

 

 

“Um....” I heard her say “You survived that battle, the battle that happened weeks ago?”

 

 

Weeks? It couldn't have been that long. I couldn't have been dead for that long. If I was gone for that long, then why did I come back? How did I come back? I felt my hands clench into tight fists as the frustration grew inside me. One answer, I had one answer, which only brought more damn questions. My attention was once again brought back to reality when she asked “Did...did any one else survive? He...” she trailed off as she looked towards the ground “he would have fought on the same side as you” she finally finished.

 

 

I sat there, wondering if any one else did survive, was it possible? Remembering the flash of memory I had, the intense head, I highly doubted it. Folding my hands together, leaning forward, resting my elbows on my thighs I said “The fire was to intense, in all honesty I'm surprised I survived.”

 

 

When I looked up she had a strange look upon her face then she said “A fire? The only battle that had a fire killed both sides. It's said that the bodies are sealed in a timeless tomb. Never to wrought or decay, but remain as they were when they died. But that battle happened four years ago.”

 

 

Four year? Thats even more absurd, but was it really? If magic was involved then maybe that same magic brought me back. I could tell upon her face she thought I was a liar, or even something worse. Would it be to risky I wonder, to tell her, to tell her I don't even know who I am. Things seemed to be getting more complicated, and futile, she wouldn't know who I was, and after four years would any one?

 

 

“Who are you?” I heard her finally ask.

 

 

Sighing, slowly I stood up, walked a few steps towards her folding my arms across my chest “I don't know” there was a hind of something in my voice, I'm not sure what it was but it changed her tone to me.

 

 

She moved closer to me and gently placed her hands upon my arms and asked calmly with her eyes looking almost like they did when the men attacked “What's the last thing you remember?”

 

 

There was uncertainty inside me, a debate of whether I should tell her or not. In the end the need to confined in some one, any one won the debate and I told her. By the time I was finished she knew about me waking up in the field of dead bodies and scorched land, my travel here, the flash of what I believe to be a memory, she even found out about the voice I heard before and after I rose from death.

 

 

Her hands still upon my arms, her eyes still gazing at me. Did she believe me? It doesn't matter if she does, but it would be nice to have an ally. There was creaking above our heads, the sound of foots steps. Slowly I lowered my hand to the top of the sheath, with my thumb I pushed the sword slightly out, ready for battle. The female then placed her hand on the hilt of the sword and returned it to resting completely in the sheath.

 

 

“It's safe here” she told me while smiling “This is my home, no one will harm you while your here.”

 

 

Should I believe her? Was I truly safe? My options seemed small when she grabbed my hand again, and was leading me up the stairs. Walking threw the thresh hold of the basement into the house proved painful to my eyes, the house seemed so be much brighter. Walking a little ways down the hall, she stopped abruptly and turned towards me. She was looking at me up and down with a puzzled look upon her face.