Post by Levi Faollan on Jun 10, 2011 18:31:56 GMT -8
((ok so looking for some good feedback on this first chapter so tell me what you think))
Ch I
Sera was worried. Her best friend and guardian, Gurruk sat beside her on the boulder over looking the fields the abbey owned. Everything seemed to feel as if it was getting sick. There was very few of the cattle that survived over the past months after the plague struck the Earthen Wood. The magi were trying to discern what had happened to the forest. Sera knew from the learning she had with the monks in the abbey that there were lay lines that the elements passed through in their own planes and that Earthen Wood was the source of the Nature elements.
"I wish Si-fu Haru would tell us what's going on."
Sera griped as she adjusted the bow on her back. Gurruk grunted in a noncommittal way, shaking his massive horned head. The grey minotaur crossed his arms over his massive chest and gave her a dark look.
"Yes I know I shouldn't question Si-fu, but is it really wrong I want to know what's going on in the outside world?"
Sera asked as she flipped her white streaked black braid over her shoulder. There was little that Sera knew about herself, every time she asked Si-fu Haru about her origins, the old master would just smile and say that the start of the journey has no meaning but the path itself was the key to the destination. sera would shrug it off and go back to dreaming. She found it hard to not dream about being the child of a king from a distant kingdom.
"Things are more then they appear."
Gurruk stated in a simple manner. Another shrug of his massive shoulders an he cast his gaze off to the distance where the Earthen Wood rose up sharply in contrast to the rolling landscape that was dotted by farmlands. It made her frown deeply.
"You're right Garruk, I don't know what it is, but I feel it in my heart that something's going wrong."
Then the bells rang in the distance and it was time to swap the shifts. It was now time for the mid-ranked monks to take the place of the higher ranked monks in the fields so they could go to their combat practices. Often the monks practiced unarmed combat, some of the higher monks would practice with weapons, staffs, bows, and wooden weapons. It was against the ancient laws to have steel weapons in such a religious area. But today instead of the training area being set up, the other monks that were at her skill level were sitting in their usuaul rows, staring ahead at the masters and the three grandmasters. However there was something amiss. Sera took her place beside Garruk, sitting intently and waiting. A blond haired elfin woman stood with the masters, she was clad in red and gold robes that marked her as a member of the royal family. Sera hated the politics behind all of the world that she lived in. In a way she wanted to go out into the world and explore what was going on, but there in the abbey she was sheltered and protected from the harsh world that encircled the place she called home.
Lady Aria was getting impatient with the Grandmasters. There was an important matter going on that these doddering old fools were oblivious to. She had seen the rise and fall of the human kings, she fought in the war of the elements and even watched silently through the rein of the silent dragons. Important times that marked the millennia that had passed by. These Grandmasters were only human though their students were human as well, few of them were half human or even creatures that her people considered to be lower then those of her stature. But then she felt the presence she had been sent to find. Lady Aria's mind felt as if it had been blasted by something pure and untouched.
"She is here."
Lady Aria stated as she set her staff in front of her. Then she found the presence, almost as if it had been staring at her strait in the face.
"The one there by the minotaur. That's the one my father has been searching for."
She said simply as she turned on her heels and headed towards the meditation hall that the monks generally used to receive guests. The girl didn't look like much but she had learned from experience that those people that were charged by the ancients to become heroes seldom looked the part. Most of them wanted to run and hide from their destiny.
"You must understand Lady Aria, Sera's training is incomplete and she is not ready to begin this journey."
Si-fu Haru stated as she entered through the ornate double doors. Lady Aria gave a sigh of irritation as she turned to face the old master of the abbey.
"This girl has no choice, the elements have already been stirred too much and the world is dying! If the cause is not found soon..."
"But she is not mentally ready for the pain she will have to endure."
The sound of a clearing voice made the two arguing parties stop suddenly. It was the girl that she had found for her father accompanied by the minotaur she sat beside. Such a shame, Lady Aria thought, a beast to be trained as a warrior was a bad idea. An even worse idea was that the prophesized hero was friendly with such a beast.
"I thought I requested her alone?"
Lady Aria said pointedly, staring at the minotaur with disgust. The girl raised an eyebrow at the lady and her golden eyes narrowed.
"Sorry m'lady but Gurruk is my guardian. I go no where without him."
The girl said with her arms crossed. Lady Aria gave a sigh of irritation before shrugging and allowing the beast to enter in with her. The three Grandmasters took their usual seated positions ahead of the meditation hall. Si-fu Haru sat on her right and Gurruk sat on her left. Lady Aria leaned against a post in the back, waiting for the proceedings to begin. But the Grandmasters just sat there, making Lady Aria even more impatient.
"So..."
One of the grandmasters started to speak slowly, but Lady Aria cut the grandmaster off.
"You have been chosen by the ancients, you must depart immediately for the capital of Earthen Wood."
She stepped forward from her relaxed position against one of the many columns. Her staff jingled loudly as it echoed through the massive room. Each thump of the staff on the hardwood floor made the girl jump.
"Woah hold up, I'm not going anywhere without Gurruk."
"I don't think..."
One of the grandmasters raised his hand and the voices fell silent. He was the oldest of the grandmasters and the only of them to complete the three trials and manage to save the abbey during the war of the elements. He didn't seem to be that old but the man was wise and it showed through his tired eyes.
"Sera you will accompany Lady Aria to Earthen Wood and Gurruk will serve as your guardian. It is time you found out what your destiny is."
Sera glanced over at Gurruk before hanging her head, there was no way that she could manage to worm her way around it now with Gurruk being forced to accompany her. Sera almost felt bad for dragging him into the equation to begin with.
Sera packed her back pack in the room she shared with Gurruk. The minotaur didn't say anything as he packed his bag as well. It was driving Sera insane to not hear him talk. Not that he really talked that much to begin with.
"Please Gurruk say something! I'm sorry I dragged you into this! I just don't like this. Something is not right."
Gurruk placed his large hand on her rather small shoulder.
"I am not angry, I would have followed you whether or not I was allowed. I am your guardian."
Gurruk's deep and slow voice was reassuring to Sera. He was a stoic rock that she always relied on. The clothes that she had been given were supple leather pants and a tunic with a pair of boots. It felt much different from the usual cloth garb they traditionally wore at the abbey. It almost felt more comfortable if it hadn't been made from animal skins. Sera gave the minotaur a small smile as she tossed the bag over her shoulder with her yew bow and quiver.
"Gurruk you're the best."
Sera said as she patted him on the back. But now they were to meet with Lady Aria in the courtyard, they would make the trip to Earthen Woods on horseback provided what ever it was that was killing off the cattle and sheep might have started to kill the horses as well. That was the least of their worries.
Ch I
Sera was worried. Her best friend and guardian, Gurruk sat beside her on the boulder over looking the fields the abbey owned. Everything seemed to feel as if it was getting sick. There was very few of the cattle that survived over the past months after the plague struck the Earthen Wood. The magi were trying to discern what had happened to the forest. Sera knew from the learning she had with the monks in the abbey that there were lay lines that the elements passed through in their own planes and that Earthen Wood was the source of the Nature elements.
"I wish Si-fu Haru would tell us what's going on."
Sera griped as she adjusted the bow on her back. Gurruk grunted in a noncommittal way, shaking his massive horned head. The grey minotaur crossed his arms over his massive chest and gave her a dark look.
"Yes I know I shouldn't question Si-fu, but is it really wrong I want to know what's going on in the outside world?"
Sera asked as she flipped her white streaked black braid over her shoulder. There was little that Sera knew about herself, every time she asked Si-fu Haru about her origins, the old master would just smile and say that the start of the journey has no meaning but the path itself was the key to the destination. sera would shrug it off and go back to dreaming. She found it hard to not dream about being the child of a king from a distant kingdom.
"Things are more then they appear."
Gurruk stated in a simple manner. Another shrug of his massive shoulders an he cast his gaze off to the distance where the Earthen Wood rose up sharply in contrast to the rolling landscape that was dotted by farmlands. It made her frown deeply.
"You're right Garruk, I don't know what it is, but I feel it in my heart that something's going wrong."
Then the bells rang in the distance and it was time to swap the shifts. It was now time for the mid-ranked monks to take the place of the higher ranked monks in the fields so they could go to their combat practices. Often the monks practiced unarmed combat, some of the higher monks would practice with weapons, staffs, bows, and wooden weapons. It was against the ancient laws to have steel weapons in such a religious area. But today instead of the training area being set up, the other monks that were at her skill level were sitting in their usuaul rows, staring ahead at the masters and the three grandmasters. However there was something amiss. Sera took her place beside Garruk, sitting intently and waiting. A blond haired elfin woman stood with the masters, she was clad in red and gold robes that marked her as a member of the royal family. Sera hated the politics behind all of the world that she lived in. In a way she wanted to go out into the world and explore what was going on, but there in the abbey she was sheltered and protected from the harsh world that encircled the place she called home.
Lady Aria was getting impatient with the Grandmasters. There was an important matter going on that these doddering old fools were oblivious to. She had seen the rise and fall of the human kings, she fought in the war of the elements and even watched silently through the rein of the silent dragons. Important times that marked the millennia that had passed by. These Grandmasters were only human though their students were human as well, few of them were half human or even creatures that her people considered to be lower then those of her stature. But then she felt the presence she had been sent to find. Lady Aria's mind felt as if it had been blasted by something pure and untouched.
"She is here."
Lady Aria stated as she set her staff in front of her. Then she found the presence, almost as if it had been staring at her strait in the face.
"The one there by the minotaur. That's the one my father has been searching for."
She said simply as she turned on her heels and headed towards the meditation hall that the monks generally used to receive guests. The girl didn't look like much but she had learned from experience that those people that were charged by the ancients to become heroes seldom looked the part. Most of them wanted to run and hide from their destiny.
"You must understand Lady Aria, Sera's training is incomplete and she is not ready to begin this journey."
Si-fu Haru stated as she entered through the ornate double doors. Lady Aria gave a sigh of irritation as she turned to face the old master of the abbey.
"This girl has no choice, the elements have already been stirred too much and the world is dying! If the cause is not found soon..."
"But she is not mentally ready for the pain she will have to endure."
The sound of a clearing voice made the two arguing parties stop suddenly. It was the girl that she had found for her father accompanied by the minotaur she sat beside. Such a shame, Lady Aria thought, a beast to be trained as a warrior was a bad idea. An even worse idea was that the prophesized hero was friendly with such a beast.
"I thought I requested her alone?"
Lady Aria said pointedly, staring at the minotaur with disgust. The girl raised an eyebrow at the lady and her golden eyes narrowed.
"Sorry m'lady but Gurruk is my guardian. I go no where without him."
The girl said with her arms crossed. Lady Aria gave a sigh of irritation before shrugging and allowing the beast to enter in with her. The three Grandmasters took their usual seated positions ahead of the meditation hall. Si-fu Haru sat on her right and Gurruk sat on her left. Lady Aria leaned against a post in the back, waiting for the proceedings to begin. But the Grandmasters just sat there, making Lady Aria even more impatient.
"So..."
One of the grandmasters started to speak slowly, but Lady Aria cut the grandmaster off.
"You have been chosen by the ancients, you must depart immediately for the capital of Earthen Wood."
She stepped forward from her relaxed position against one of the many columns. Her staff jingled loudly as it echoed through the massive room. Each thump of the staff on the hardwood floor made the girl jump.
"Woah hold up, I'm not going anywhere without Gurruk."
"I don't think..."
One of the grandmasters raised his hand and the voices fell silent. He was the oldest of the grandmasters and the only of them to complete the three trials and manage to save the abbey during the war of the elements. He didn't seem to be that old but the man was wise and it showed through his tired eyes.
"Sera you will accompany Lady Aria to Earthen Wood and Gurruk will serve as your guardian. It is time you found out what your destiny is."
Sera glanced over at Gurruk before hanging her head, there was no way that she could manage to worm her way around it now with Gurruk being forced to accompany her. Sera almost felt bad for dragging him into the equation to begin with.
Sera packed her back pack in the room she shared with Gurruk. The minotaur didn't say anything as he packed his bag as well. It was driving Sera insane to not hear him talk. Not that he really talked that much to begin with.
"Please Gurruk say something! I'm sorry I dragged you into this! I just don't like this. Something is not right."
Gurruk placed his large hand on her rather small shoulder.
"I am not angry, I would have followed you whether or not I was allowed. I am your guardian."
Gurruk's deep and slow voice was reassuring to Sera. He was a stoic rock that she always relied on. The clothes that she had been given were supple leather pants and a tunic with a pair of boots. It felt much different from the usual cloth garb they traditionally wore at the abbey. It almost felt more comfortable if it hadn't been made from animal skins. Sera gave the minotaur a small smile as she tossed the bag over her shoulder with her yew bow and quiver.
"Gurruk you're the best."
Sera said as she patted him on the back. But now they were to meet with Lady Aria in the courtyard, they would make the trip to Earthen Woods on horseback provided what ever it was that was killing off the cattle and sheep might have started to kill the horses as well. That was the least of their worries.