Haze The Chrono
Trigger
|
The calm before the storm
WooHoo!
Let the games begin! I wish everyone good luck and I'll do my
best to be fair in my votes and I'll try and keep the active
contestants in for the long haul. Anyways, onto my post! ^_^
Oh, and I'm including my introduction so that nobody is left
confused.
Oh and some... semi-fitting music can be
found in "Welcome to the Jungle" by Guns &
Roses.
-------------------------------------------
Introduction
The dark skies unleashed their fury
as a heavy barage of rain pelted the hard rock ledge of the
cliff. Lightning shot through the skies, the fingers of god...
Granas, bringing peace to the land through chaos. A young man
sat in a small opening in the mountain face, his head tilted
to the side and a hawk on his shoulder. As the storm waging
outside continued, one coudn't help but feel depressed. A
small crack came from outside as a branch fell from above the
cave and the young man and his hawk were startled. The young
man lifted his head, then lowered it back down to the rock on
which he had layed it before.
"Ugh... Sky, when do you
think this storm will let up? It's been like this for hours!"
The hawk looked across the cave then back to the young
man and closed his eyes.
"Ryudo, always so impatient.
Do not worry... Granas is simply purging the land of evil. The
storm will last several days I'm sure, so you'll just have to
wait."
"Several Days!" Ryudo choked out "There is no
way I'm staying here for more than another hour!"
The
hawk fluttered from Ryudo's shoulder and glided across to a
rock perch just across from the young man and he just looked
at him. The type of look that a mother would give a son who
would not stop complaining.
Ryudo calmly composed
himself as a sly smirk crept across his face.
"Sky,
you know, just because you're afraid of the water
doesn't mean I should have to stay in here for the whole
storm. Admit it! You just don't want to get wet! I can't
believe I got stuck with a bird like you..."
Sky,
deeply offended hopped back then looked out the cave.
"Me? Afraid of water? Pft... you're crazy Ryudo. I can
see through your little mind game."
"Oh darn, I guess
you're just too smart for me." Ryudo quiped as he lent back on
the rocks.
Just then a scream echoed from outside. It
was a girl, and it seemed serious. Ryudo looked across to Sky,
a very serious look replaced his grin, and Sky returned the
look. They both knew what thy had to do, and that neither
would hesitate. Ryudo jumped up from the ground and dusted
himself off as he grabbed his Sword and satchel in one swift
movement and flung then over his shoulder hooking them
together. Sky flew outside and Ryudo quickly followed. The
ledge was considerably small and it'd be hard to make good
time, but they had to. Ryudo stepped across the ledge, Sky
just overhead as they raced to the source of the screams.
"Sky, do you think if we save this girl we'll get
paid?" Ryudo yelled up as he continued running as fast as he
could.
Sky looked down but did not answer. It was one
of those questions that didn't deserve an answer. They
made their way to a small opening and found a young girl on
the ground, bleeding profusely. Ryudo ran over sliding down
beside her and pulled out a cloth from his satchel. The was
still coming down heavy.
"R-Ryudo, what could have
done this?!" Sky shouted from above. Ryudo could not look up,
or even spare the breath to answer. He had to cover the wound
and get the girl to safety.
He wrapped the girl in the
cloth and picked her up in both his arms as he started running
down a dirt path to a nearby inn him and sky had passed on the
way there, luckily only a few minutes away. He ran down the
path and Sky flew ahead to alert the inn keeper. The dirt had
been soaked thoroughly and was a very thick mud. Running in it
was like running in quicksand, and the more Ryudo moved, the
slower he became as his boots became covered in the opaque
mud.
"Dammit!" Ryudo exclaimed as he waded through the
mud. "This is going to take forever!"
At that moment,
a growl came from ahead and two glowing yellow eyes found
their way to Ryudo's stare. The rain was too heavy and Ryudo
couldn't see exactly what it was, but it wasn't there to ask
for directions so he lowered the girl to the ground,
unsheathing his blade at the same time. He charged at the
mysterious beast shrounded by the rain and fog and the
creature lept into the air. As the beast dove towards him, a
bright light appeared before him, and the beast let out a
wimper as it was blasted back by a surge of energy. The bright
light grew bigger and began to shine so brightly, all Ryudo
could see was white. Just then a voice began to speak, its
words slurred together, uncomprehensible. Ryudo inched closer
to hear what he was being told, but just then he was pulled
forward into the light and a defening sound shot through his
mind, as though it wasn't even a sound at all, simply a
'noise' emenating from within his very mind and he felt his
consciousness slowly slipping away. He could see the little
girl getting further and further away, and off in the
distance, the familiar voice of Sky was shouting too him, but
it was too far and he was too out of it.
Ryudo slide
out of that very time and space into pure nothingness and that
is all that surrounded him. Ryudo layed almost lifeless on the
ground in a place of pure white that seemed to stretch on for
an eternity, but he did not know. As he layed on the ground,
he shuddered and flinched... a war waging inside him, a
nightmare, was causing him discomfort... little does he
know...
It is just The
calm before the storm.
Screams of pain rang out as
Ryudo rolled around on the ground in discomfort gripping his
sides. He appeared to be having a nightmare...
"No!
Melfice... what have you done! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!" Ryudo
screamed as he struggled on the ground. "Arrgh! You are not my
brother!" Sweat trickled down his forhead and he let out
another scream... a scream of anger and helplessness... this
was his inner torment and this pain would consume his heart.
As the young man continued reliving a nightmare from the past,
a familiar voice called out to him, an air of concern in his
voice.
"Ryudo, wake up! What is wrong?!"
Ryudo's eyes fluttered open and then closed again. He
was trying to wake up, but his nightmare consumed him. His
eyes opened again, this time he caught a glimpse of who was
callin him. The silouhette of his hawk, Sky stood before him,
calling to him.
"Ryudo, try and open your eyes!" the
voice grew frantic.
Finally, Ryudo's eyes slowly
opened and his hand flinched he slowly loosened his grip on
his sides and he began to try and speak... to tray and say
something. At first, it was just air escaping his mouth, but
soon words began to form themselves as he choked them out.
"Sky... what... are you doing? What's..." Ryudo began
to struggle again, gripping his sides violently.
"Ryudo, don't speak, let yourself rest! I will do the
talking..."
Ryudo calmed down and nodded, though he
did not move much more than that... "You were carrying that
girl that we found to the inn we'd seen down that trail, when
you were attacked by a creature of some sort and I just caught
a glimpse of it being thrown away by a bolt of energy or
something... a bright light started to swallow you so I flew
back and just as I reached you everything became white. it was
like that for hours and you wouldn't wake up. Then suddenly,
we appeared here... a strange new land... and, I don't think
we're on the Granas cliffs anymore Ryudo..."
Ryudo
calmed completely, and slowly pushed himself up, struggling
all the while. He turned himself around and sat up straight
looking around and examining his strange new surroundings,
though his vision was still slightly blurry. As his eyes
focused, he looked back to Sky. The hawk's white feathers and
blue eyes were a great sight for sore eyes, and his were
very sore.
"So... you have no idea where we
are, eh?" Ryudo asked as he began to examine the environment
more closely. "I've never seen trees like these before. Have
you Sky?" The bird looked to Ryudo then joined him in his
examination of the foliage. "No Ryudo, I've been with you
nearly my entire life." Ryudo nodded, not even looking back to
Sky. Ryudo stood up and dusted off his pants and his shirt
sleeves then brushed his brown hair from his face revealing
his ocean blue eyes that seemed to gleam with mischief. He
straightened his pendant that hung suspened on his chest and
he raised his arm for Sky. The hawk quickly flew up to his arm
then hopped over to his shoulder.
"So... Sky, what say
we take a look around? We may even find some treasure!" Ryudo
added as he began to walk, not even needing an answer. "Ryudo,
is your mind ever not on treasure?" Ryudo shook his head and
continued to walk between the thick trees and through the tall
grass as if drawn by the notion of gold and riches.
Just then, a noise nearby disturbed the silence of the
forest. Someone was nearby. Ryudo unsheathed his sword and
continued forward, as alert as he could be in his weakened
state. "Ryudo..." Sky whispered "what is it?"
"I'm not
sure... it looks wierd and I don't think it knows we're here."
Ryudo replied.
"On the contrary, stranger. I know
you're there." a strange voice calmly said though it seemed to
have no source, but simply came from all around him, or as if
it were coming from within his won mind. Ryudo stepped back as
the figure in the trees turned to face him, though only a mask
returned his stare. A strange mask on an even more peculiar
body.
"W-Who... are you? What are you?" Ryudo asked,
puzzled. All he got was a cold stare. "I can sense you are a
strong young man... what is your name?" the figure asked as it
began to walk closer. "Ryudo... and what might yours be?"
Ryudo asked as the figure came closer, only its eyes that
glowed yellow were clear from the distance. "Please... stay
back." Ryudo added. There was something about the person that
made him feel uncomfortable... it gave him a feeling... as if
it were pure evil.
It stopped right where it was and
replied. "Call me Ma....hmm, call me SkullKid." it said as its
eyes glow slowly dimmed. "Fine... nice to meet you
Skullkid..." Ryudo quipped sarcastically as he lowered his
sword and began to walk away.
"You have no idea what
is going on here, do you Ryudo?" Skullkid shouted out to
Ryudo. "I have a proposition for you... I suggest you hear me
out." The figures eyes began to glow again and he made his way
towards Ryudo.
"Trust me."
---
Haze | Webmaster of Eternity Leap | Graphic
Designer "I control my own fate...
never will that change."
Last edited by Haze on 08-05-2001 at
01:29 AM |