The Chronicles Of A Great Warrior
Tyler Needham

 

The Chronicles of the Great Warrior

By Tyler Needham


Chapter One: The City

The sun rises over the emerald foliage of the trees, the dew glistening with the morning light. A beating of wings is heard as my griffon flys, it’s wings beating the air with a steady, seemingly incessant stroke. I am riding atop the animal. Perched on an ornate leather saddle, I hold the reigns in my hands, my head tilted down, face shadowed by a dark hood. A breastplate flashes in the sunlight as my cloak billows in the wind.
My griffon’s claws rend the air, as if retrieving game. It’s lion-like body and eagle-like beak and wings give it an intimidating appearance, and for good reason. His features are killing features, deadly features, and have killed many a being who has gotten in its way. Its tail sways back and forth in the currents of wind, a movement similar to that of a pendulum: tick tock, back and forth, side to side.
Hooded and cloaked, I may look a mysterious sight to the casual onlooker. But to those who know of me, I see certain expressions cross their faces as I fly overhead. Evildoers that are all but the most powerful of beings cringe in fear at the sight of me. Good doing people of all races feel hope rise when they lay eyes upon me, for they know I embody honor and justice.
But none really know me, but by name. Aust Nailo, the Nightbreeze. For under my cloak lies shining armor of silver, and a sword of cold steel, beneath that my troubled soul turmoils, and my heart is restless. And though I may be good and righteous, only one thing is on my mind. Vengeance.
Soaring over the lush forest of Rab, all I picture is one smirking face, one evil name. Shaking my head, I try to dislodge the thoughts from my mind. But the name remains. Lucifer.
Looking up, I spot the edge of the forest. I spur my mount on, to the plains beyond the forest, and beyond that the mountains of Pelor. For beyond that lies my final destination.
I sigh, tired from hours of travel. The work I’ve done to get this far, dishonarable. Mercernary work was rough, but was neccesary. Money was needed to travel, and as a griffon rider, I’m not a bad warrior. My one perservering thought is that I never went on a mission to accomplish evil, only to get by. I may have become rich in my travels, but that is not important to me. I met some good men along the way, and saw some good men die in battle. I’ve slain hundreds, if not thousands of monsters. I’ve traveled the planes, seen the hells, the heavens, and many things in betweeen. But nothing compares..... I look up.
The city of Allar lieds in the middle of the plains, my first stop. Sweeping down to the outskirts of the ctiy, I land with my griffon on the cold hard ground. I can feel trouble brewing here. Leaping off, I whisper a few words into my griffon’s ear. He nods and flaps his wings, lifting off to circle the city.
Satisfied, I set off at a quick walk to the city gates. Strangely, the walls are heavily manned by soldiers, and a mood of darkness seems to settle over the place. As I get closer to the gates, a guard wearing a helmet and carrying a shield and pike runs up to me, frowning, “I’m sorry sir, but at the moment no one is allowed to enter the city.
I look up and reply innocently, “Why not?”
“All I know sir, is that the lord of this city has ordered us to keep everyone out.”
Has he really reached this far with his power? I think to myself. “Fine,” I say, stepping back a few paces but still facing the soldier. “But I plan on an audience with the king, and I will not leave without one!” I let out a shrill whistle and my griffon swoops down and picks me up. “That order may be reprimanded soon!” I yell down to the guard as I soar over the city walls. What has happened to this city? I think to myself. No matter.
As the guards gaze, stunned by the sight, I continue to fly toward a lare white tower in the center of town. When I reached the tower, I again set down, motioning for my griffon to circle above. As soon as the griffon leaves the ground, I open the door and enter the tower.
Upon entering, a terrible stench reaches my nostrils, and I grimace. The tower is all but pitch black inside, and feels old, terribly old. Because of my elven eyes, I can see about five feet around me, but no more. Suddenly, a wheezing voice comes out of the darkness, “Hello Nightbreeze. I was expecing you.”








Chapter Two: A Mysterious Invitation

“Who are you?” I say to the darkness. I can’t see who’s speaking.
“That is unimportant. What is important is what you do now.” He says calmly, and then suddenly I hear a whizzing sound cut through the air. As the knife enters my vision I lean my head to the side. The blade slices past the side of my head, clanging into the back wall. I reach down to my boot, pulling out a dagger of my own. I grab the dagger’s blade and hurl it in the direction of the voice.
“Ahhhhhhhh!” I hear a blood curtling scream. I walk over to the place where I threw the dagger, drawing my greatsword. After walking about ten feet, I see the man. He’s wearing dark leather clothing, but his face is uncovered, a mask on the ground at his side. Sweat is pouring down his face. I see his eyes are pointed downward. I follow his gaze and see that his leg is pierced by my dagger.
“That.. was very good,” he panted out. “But can you take this?” I see his hand bring up a remote, and he presses a button. At the other end of the tower I hear a hissing sound, much like that of a blowgun. I reach down to the middle of my armor and flip a lever downward. My armor clamors to the ground, and I fall prone to the stone floor. The cause of the hissing sound zips over my head. And then I realize what’s going on. I see the thousands of tiny holes in the walls. When the man pressed the button, it made a chain reaction where the holes started spitting out blowdarts from the walls. Suddenly I hear a thud, then six or seven more. I tilt my head to see the man. He looks like a pincushion, blowdarts sticking out of him from all sides. His face turns green and starts to expand, then the rest of his body bloats and I cover my face. I hear a loud popping sound, then a slimy liquid splashes into my body. When I feel like it’s over, I uncover my eyes to see but a small remainder of what used to be a man. Poisoned blowdarts, I think to myself. But why would he risk himself doing that? I stand up, knowing the traps are finished. A light flashes on the ground. Looking up, I notice that a hole has been uncovered in the ceiling. I see a piece of paper fall through the hole, slowly drifting down to my feet. Leaning down, I pick it up and read it. It says: I am, to say the least, impressed. I know now you are ready to learn. Come meet me in the plains outside of the city. I’ll be waiting.
P.S. You may desire to pick up supplies beforehand. The journey will be long.
  -Yours sincerely,
  Mr. Mysterious
Well, I think to myself, I better get going.
   

Chapter 3: Awakening of the Past

I walk out of the room, putting my armor on as I go. The bright light flares in my eyes as I step outside. I see that six guards have me surrounded, and they don’t look too nice.
“We’re here to arrest you for tresspassing. Come quietly and no one gets hurt.”
My hand slides down my armor to my sword. “It may be you who gets hurt if you are to try to stop me.” I draw my sword quickly, and let out a whistle. The guards look at me as if I’m crazy. A talon suddenly clamps down on a guard’s bewildered head, and chucks the man through the air. My griffon lands on the ground next to me. The guards slowly back away.
“For now, you can go,” the guard says uneasily, backing away. “But this isn’t over yet!”
I mount my griffon, and he beats his wings, taking us into the air. As we fly over city streets and houses, the city’s outer walls looming near, my mind strays to what I learned on my fifteenth birthday....

She walked along the dirt street, near the houses and stores of her fellow citizens. The war is coming to Nightbreeze, she thinks, over and over. The elf-human war is getting closer. Turning right on a corner, a general store was there, she continued walking. Was that an arrow, whizzing overhead? Or a sword clanging on the gate? She shook her head. No, no it couldn’t be. Her tall and slender elven body swayed right and left on the street. Her fair brow was furrowed. Must not think this. Must think of good thoughts. The end of the war. Maybe the army had defeated the humans, and we had not yet recieved word?
But in her heart she knew it not to be true. The sun was falling across the horizon, behind the Pelor mountains to the east, greatly unknown lands. The barn loomed in front of her, red, foreboding, as if trying to get across a message. A man stood at the doorway, waving. She waved back.
“Hello, I was just wondering wha..” an arrow sliced through his throat, disrupting his last words. She looked in terror, then turned to see more arrows and bolts whizzing through the air. Running towards the barn door, she felt arrows missing her head by mere inches. She threw the large barn door open and ran through. She slammed the door shut behind her. A few arrows thudded against the hard oak of the door. She look around the bar, looking for somewhere to hide. In the far left corner she saw a large bale of hay, in the far right oats. Close to her she saw nothing but dust and bits of straw scattered across the floor. However, at the far middle of the room there was a ladder, leading up to the loft.
Sprinting as fast as she could, she climbed up the ladder rung by rung. When she reached the top, she could see strawpiled everywhere. Perfect, she thought to herself. Finding a large pile, she hid herself in it.
She could hear the screams of terror and pain from outside the barn. She grimaced, closing her eyes, praying for her survival. But suddenly she heard a lound bang on the barn door. She opened her eyes, afraid. The banging became louder, and louder. She could hear the heavy wooden beam creaking, about to crack.
Snap! The door burst open and a hideous looking man with a malicious grin on his face entered the barn. His face was gritty and unshaven, his eyes sunken down into his face. His nose was abnormally large, and his ears were too. But what was so scary about the man, so evil, was his grin, that evil grin. He quickly scanned the room. Seeing no one there, he began to climb the ladder to the loft.
He reached the top of the loft and turned and saw her. She screamed. Oh the rest was just too much to remember again. But when he was finished, he left her there, naked, but the sole survivor of her town.
The next morning, she climbed out of the loft, and foraged around the town for any supplies she could find. She made a pack full of the materials and left along the northern road, further into the elven lands. She followed the road straight north for two days until she reached the city of Nuirwood. She was welcomed graciously.
A few months later, she gave birth to a son. She named him Aust Nailo, the Nightbreeze, after the town which she had left. Aust was a half-elf, a mix between human and elf. For that he was criticized, but because of the method of his birth, the criticizim was small. But luck was not upon the mother and son, for evil was yet again to meet them.
The day after Aust’s first birthday, the humans attacked. They laid waste to the city, and took no prisoners. Aust’s mother was killed defending him, but he was not. For when the humans laid eyes on him, they realized what he was. Taking pity upon him, they brought him back to their kingdom of Southland. There, Aust grew up much like a normal boy. But not the same. Because of his elven features, he was ridiculed and excluded from many things. So Aust began training with weapons all the time.
On his fifteenth birthday, the king invited Aust to dine with him, as was the formality for growing to manhood. There, he told Aust of how he was born. Furious, Aust stormed out of the palace, stole a horse, and rode east, to the lands of Aglarond. That kingdom consisted mostly of half-elves, and he was welcomed in good spirits.
When he competed in the local fight circuit, he beat down every competitor, even the local champion, with perfect ease. The army of Aglarond noticed this and asked him if he would join the army. He agreed.
After five years of hard battle and training, Aust was invited to a council of the elders. There they promoted him to the rank of Griffonrider, a very high and prestigious position. He was given a griffon, with which he quickly bonded and began to love. He would do anything to protect it.
But one fateful night, a great evil army attacked Aglarond. Made up of undead creatures like zombies and skeletons, and commanded by an evil necromancer, Lucifer, the army utterly destroyed Aglarond. However, Aust was away on a mission in the Plane city of Union. Aust found out about the attack when a grievously wounded half-elf rushed into the embassy, telling Aust of the attack and then dying. All the hardships he had gone through, and then he had finally found a home he loved. Only for it to be destroyed. He despised Lucifer, a planned to kill him no matter what the cost.























Chapter 4: A Twist inside of a Twist


I awoke, but not on my griffon. I was lying on a bed in a small, dark room, lit by one torch on either wall. There was a large door at the front of the room, but there was no handle. I started to sit up when the door opened in front of me.
A man of considerable height and weight walked into the room, his eyes alight. Two soldiers materialized out of the shadows of the room, going to stand at the side of my bed. I tried to stand, but that was when I noticed the chains attached to my arms and legs.
“Trying to escape are we?” The man grinned. “Oh no Lucifer, you’re not going anywhere.”
“What are you talking about?” I exclaimed. “My name is Aust Nai...”
“None of your games, Lucifer,” The man said in a calm steady voice. “We know that is only what you call yourself.”
“What is going on?” I asked again, totally bewildered at his statement.
“Oh. You really don’t know.” The man said, the smile disapearing from his face. “Three years ago, the kingdom of Aglarond was attacked.”
“Yes yes I know that.”
“The army that conquered Aglarond was led by a man named Lucifer. You. During the attack, a glancing arrow shot struck your head, leaving you in very bad shape. When your doctors tried to help you, they found that your brainwaves had been altered. You no longer knew anything of who you were, but of who this man is.”
He stepped to the side of my bed, and the door opened again. A look of shock spread across my face. The man I was facing was myself!
“This man is the real Aust Nailo. All your childhood memories, growing up, were all changed when that arrow struck your head. You had been captured by the enemy, by him. He had stayed with you while you were in a coma, and you learned all of his ways and adopted them as your own. When the castle you were both at was overrun, he ran out the door to attempt to stop the attack. Because you look much like him, when you awoke during the battle, no one realized a difference, and you believed you were him too. During the war, you were sent to Union. In reality, the real Aust Nailo had been captured by the enemy, but obviously he escaped later.”
He paused, taking a breath, but obviously annoyed that he had to tell the whole story again. “When that half-elf came into the embassy, he thought you were Nailo, and told you of the defeat of Aglarond. But he left out one detail. The man named Lucifer had supposedly been killed, but they were wrong. You do not know this, but the kingdom of Aglarond was retaken by the survivors two years ago. We realize what has happened to you, but there is only one thing that can be done.”
Aust Nailo, the real one, reached down to his waist. From there he pulled a greatsword from a jeweled scabbard. Then he said, with utmost contempt, “You do not know how long I have waited for this day. You killed my countrymen, my friends, by brothers in arms. Today, vengeance is served.”
He walked to the side of my bed, and raised the sword. As he was about to strike, I felt a tingling in my hands. I was released! It must have been by magic. So lunging down to my leg, I pulled a dagger from my boot scabbard and stabbed Aust through the chest, grabbing his sword, I swung once, slashing the body of one of the guards. Then, pulling the knife from Aust’s dead body, I hurled it at the throat of the other guard. He let out a gurgling cry, then fell to the ground. I looked over to the leader. He was smiling, a broad smile.
Then he spoke, “These men were actually servants of Lucifer. I was the one who freed you. The man you were told was Aust Nailo is just a polymorphed man working for Lucifer. Lucifer and his army still hold Aglarond. All your memories are true. You really are Aust Nailo. But come, they will bring more men, we must leave.”
We ran from the cell, out the door onto the road. We kept fleeing until the building was out of sight. What is going on? I though to myself.
To be continued....

 

 

Copyright © 2004 Tyler Needham
Published on the World Wide Web by "www.storymania.com"