//------------------------------// // 2. Whats Left of Us: The Trial // Story: Whats Left of Us - Once Upon A Hero // by CptFloatsYourBoat //------------------------------// //------------------------------------------------------------ //Story: Whats Left of Us //Author: Graybard //------------------------------------------------------------ //------------------------------------------------------------ //Chapter Two: The Trials "There is nothing for you to fear here." Thraseus said trailing his claw against the great doors to the trial room. The nine year old dragonkin boy holding on to his pantleg was not so convinced. "What if I can't make it, what if I don't come out? Will they throw me away? Will they banish me!?" "We would never banish you tike! Who would keep the great beacons lit if not for you!" said Raine, smiling down at Orpheus, her silvery scales seeming to almost reflect her inner pride for him. Raine was the closest thing that Orpheus had to a mother, and one of the few things that kept him from closing up in the face of fear. All of his prowess and courage was taught to him by her. It was to be smithing that was his trade, but it was Guardian code that had him trained in combat. It was Raine the Bladequeen that took Orpheus as her apprentice, and in the ways of battle, Raine had no equal among the Guardians ranks. Canidates flooded from all over the town fortress of Heavensgate, wanting their sons or daughters to be her apprentice, to be the best. She was offered weapons and machines, rank and calibur, even troves of gold and jewels. But she never saw those things, only the canidates. Heart and a simple will to better himself, that was the only thing that gave him the strength to stand before her, to walk through that door at all. Even then he cowered behind his weapons. The little dragonish boy was chosen for nothing special, nothing extrordinary, simply his heart, the way that he held himself even through his own fear. And his want to conquer his fear. And that training now led the boy here, the Guardian's right of passage, to become that which those who tread the dark path fear most "And to illuminate the world with hope!" Raine had said. "I would rather just be home, with a good book." he mumbled Orpheus was pulled forward by his father, his reluctance melted under his next sight. Before him was the great tree, the symbol of all of his hard work. He would be a errant, the first rank of the righteous path. The room around him washed away as the tree's light grew more and more intense. He stared into it and felt as if it stared back. He heard a loud slam, the door had shut behind him, his father and teacher were now gone and he was all alone. His first response was to run to the door, but it was so dark that finding it was impossible. He took a step back but all he could see was the tree. ever still, never moving from his vison, almost as if following him, and then it spoke. The voice booming across the room "COME BEFORE ME AND BE JUDGED!" Orpheus closed his eyes, he was so affraid, hoping beyond hope it was simply a dream "COME BEFORE ME AND BE JUDGED!" it said again, even louder. Orpheus knew he must confront it, knew that in the end he would have to, or never leave. He opened his eyes, what was once a dark room was now a field at sunset, storm clouds on the horizon, chasing the sky away. What was once a tree, was now a chainmailed figure in white, the ghostly scales on his face seeming almost translucent. His visage now seemed calm, even comforting, but that was drowned out by how firmiliar the face was. It was his grandfather...standing their ghost white holding the shield with the tree that Orpheus had tried to play with as a child. It was impossible. "Not as impossible as you might think child." Had it read his mind!? "I could have, but the look on your face said enough!" at this the phantom bagan laughing "I'm suprised you remember old gramps. Oh the last time I saw you, you were only a tike! Oh how you've grown!" He couldn't believe it, all he wanted now was to run to him and hug his leg like so long ago. The most fun he had ever had was grandpa Ireseus' visits. "And I would much enjoy the embrace child, but now is neither the place nor time. This is your judgement, all you have worked for is beyond the white tree, but first you must face the trial. Do not worry, I shall watch over you, but remember, no matter how close I am, to succeed you must face this alone." And with that he faded and was gone. All that remained was the field, rolling hills of green rolling on forever, the darkness of a coming storm looming in the distance as the sun fell. It seemed as though the hills moved beneath him, sliding him forward against his face, as the light began to fade out, something else faded in. Weapons of all shapes and sizes and types, all around him and in all directions as far as he could see. Behind him was a woman, she lay their in a heap crying over what, Orpheus could not guess. He turned, opened his mouth to ask what was wrong, his words were halted by the barage of warnings going off in his head. It was his premonitions agian. It was as if their was a palpable evil close behind him. He spun and was greeted with the sight of another knight, dressed in red, sword and shield at the ready and charging strait for him. Before he could think the knight was apon him. As fast a lightning he struck across the chest, Orpheus barely able to leap from its path in time. Blood now trickled from a knick across his front, he reached down, a shield lay near his right and the knight was closing again. He raised the shield, impact, then all he felt was fire in his arm and warm blood trickling down his side. The kight had cut THOUGH the shield, the splintered wood tracing the swords path, through the shield and into the side of his arm, barely, but enough to cause severe pain. He could barely breath. The shield, now loose was easily torn away from him, the knights sword now free, he lunged down again, now met with an axe's edge. It was all Orpheus could do just to hold the axe, and repel this monsters onslaught. His breath was labored and his strength fading, and his terror was growing. All he could figure was the knight was here for something, and if it was this poor woman than to the nine hells with him, no man with this much darkness surrounding him was going to get anywhere near her. His breath was taken from him as the knight's leg kicked out and threw Orpheus from his feet. He fell to the side knocked nearly unconsious from the fall, it was his eyes that trailed the knight. His pace steady, heading toward the crying woman. he could not allow that to pass. But he was only nine, how could he face this? His fears welled up inside, all he wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry. He would fail, he would be cast out to the mountain below to wander the world forever alone. He needed his father and Raine, they'd know what to do, they were Guardians...and so was he. He concentrated on that, and the fear began to ebb away. He was only nine, but he was a Guardian, he thought, just like all the others that had been before him. He may not be strong, but he had to be now, for them. What would his father say. You are only nine, but you are a Guardian. And Guardians have faced greater odds before and won. With renewed vigor he reached out, a claymore caught his grip first. Leveling the massive blade he raised himself and charged. "If my ancestors could do it, so can I!" He growled at the knight. The knight swung out toward him with fervor, attempting to dowse the boys words with a rage of his own. This time he did not buckle, he did not fall and was not thrown away. He stood fast against the red terror, pushing back against him. The claymore held fast, neither splintering nor cracking, holding fast like Orpheus' resolve. With one mighty push the knight lurched back. It was his chance, Orpheus swung the blade wide in a downward arc. It caught agaist his shoulder and carved in. The knight dropped to one knee and jumped back, freeing himself from the blade, his shield arm now useless. And in again Orpheus charged, not giving the knight one breath, the knight dived left and swung in, attempting to go around Orpheus' guard, but Raine's teachings were set well in the boys mind and no half assed tactic like that would touch him. With a single swipe the knights sword...and sword hand, came free. Orpheus reversed his blades momentum and carved into the knights side. The knight fell before him, turning to wisps of smoke and vanishing before Orpheus' eyes. Orpheus did not care, he had to find the crying woman, see if she was okay. It was his Guardian instincts that led him now, the neverending desire to do the right thing and keep the innocent safe. She laid there, her crying had stopped and she glowed pale white, like his grandfather before. Orpheus reached out his claw, again trying to ask her if she was okay, she looked up and the words yet again caught in his throat. It was Muse...his mother, it had been even longer since he had seen her face, yet he remembered the day she left so clearly. Commanding Protector Muse of the Shieldmasters of Brook. She was a master in the heaviest of armors, her shield stood from the ground to her neck. He remembered her eyes the most, Seashell green like his. It was a mission to an outerlying farmstead called Penburry, there had been reports of shadowlike creatures lurking in the fields. She left on the brightest morning in June, contact with them was lost for almost a week, and when they sent scouts out to find them... The farmstead was razed to the ground, and the Shieldmasters and farmers were gone and all that remained was ash and the smell of death. That was all the report had said, but what it didn't include was the knowlege that one young boy would now grow up motherless. That that boys father would go on to be the Hyperion over all Guardians and have his time taken up by duties and procedures. And that a young Dragonkin would have to find his own way alone. Orpheus couldn't help but to run to her, crying tears of joy, all he could hear was her voice almost singing how proud she was of him. His eyes closed in what he thought would be a great big hug to his mother, but when his eyes opened he was holding his father, back outside the doors to the trial room. "You've done it my son!" At that the boy was conflicted, in his stomach brewed both great happyness that he had achieved the ultamate goal, and yet great sadness...how close he was to her one last time, and now she was gone. "YOU HAVE SUCCEEDED!" The mighty voice echoed from the room behind him. "YOU HAVE PROVEN YOU ARE WILLING TO LAY YOUR LIFE DOWN FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT DO IT THEMSELVES! YOU HAVE BECOME ONE OF US! YOU ARE A GUARDIAN NOW AND ALL THAT YOU DO WILL UPHOLD THE RIGHT IN THIS WORLD!" It was Ireseus again, his scales glowing almost a silver now, his tail whipping triumphantly into the air. Now staring at Orpheus with his head held high and a lively glow of pride in his eyes. "RAISE YOUR RIGHT HAND AND REPEAT AFTER ME!" Orpheus obeyed knowing what this was, knowing that all he had struggled for was coming to fruition. "WE ARE THE SHIELD AND SPEAR!" his grandfather began Orpheus repeated "We are the shield and spear!" "WE ARE THE STRENGTH OF THE WEAK!" "We are the strength of the weak!" "WE ARE THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE VIGILANT!" At this Orpheus used all his strength to match him "WE ARE THE RITOUS AND THE VIGILANT!" "FOR WE ARE THE TREE AND OUR BARK PROTECTS THE INNOCENT FROM EVIL!" "AND OUR BRANCHES KEEP IT AT BAY!" "AND OUR ROOTS STRIKE IT OUT WHEREVER IT MAY HIDE!" "WE ARE THE GUARDIANS!" Thraseus lifted from his neck, a silver pendant of a shield baring the great tree, a symbol of both his house and his Guardian heritage. "This was of my father passed to me, and now from me passed to you." as he said this he slipped the the pendant over his sons neck. The oath was spoken and it was official, Orpheus was now a Guardian till death take him. "OH AND ORPHEUS!" Ireseus' hand reched into his robes and pulled out a long package wrapped in leather. "IT HELPED YOU HERE, SO I BELIEVED IT MAY ALSO HELP YOU AGAIN! TAKE THIS AND KNOW YOU ARE NEVER ALONE!" At that he tossed the package toward Orpheus. The boy leapt to catch in and when he looked back Ireseus was gone and the doors closed with a snap. Orpheus could guess the package from what his grandfather had said, but it felt heavier now that before. With a pull on the leather the handle of the claymore was revealed and Orpheus' eyes lit up like stars.