The Bards Dream Part 1
A crystal blue sky painted its way across the heavens as the sun rose from behind the Albine mountains. Ossetto was peaceful, everything aglow with the suns passionate kiss. The forest was still and quiet, save the soft chirping of the birds. A lone figure wearing a hooded cloak trudged along one of the many paths snaking its way through the valley. His foot claws were warn with long days of travel. Letting himself stop to take a rest he breathed in the fresh mountain air, enjoying the sunrise.
What a beautiful day, the cloaked one thought, If only every land were as untainted as Ossetto...
He found a comfortable place in the shade and propped himself against a tree. Folding his arms on his lap he let himself drift into a long awaited reverie...
* * * * *
"Die you empire scum!" A bold drakken boomed, " You'll never take me alive!"
He cut down masses, wielding his swords with the grace of the gods. But his blows became slower and slower as time wore on. Suddenly the skulls of two foes exploded under the hefty blade of a great axe. A monstrous triceratops emerged from the underbrush.
The Drakken battling furiously with dancing cutlasses swiveled around, while swiftly parrying off an incoming attack, to greet this new comer.
"Reck, I won't let you die alone!" The triceratops roared.
Slashing down two more enemies and brawling through four more the Drakken dashed through the fray to meet up with his companion.
Reck gazed up at his friend and grinned wide "Brios you ol' bastard! I would of never fancied meeting you like this"
He chuckled, letting his focus slip from the battle for a split second. This nearly cost him his life. A frenzied wolf threw himself at Reck's unprotected back. But the triceratops was faster. He launched a ferocious punch at the lupines jaw, sending him flying in the opposite direction.
"You have to be more careful my friend, you could end up getting hurt."
Reck shrugged and cut down 3 more of his enemies, whipping one sword above his head and using the other as a guard.
"I'm more concerned for their safety, even if that pooch had got me, I'd of torn him in half with my bare hands"
Brios smirked while batting away a hoard of scum with a couple hefty swings of his axe;
"I know. But hey, what are friends for?"
Reck responded through actions rather than words. Reciting a quick spell and waving his arms he conjured fierce tornado that ripped through the competition. Brios gawked in awe. A single spell of the drakken's had easily devastated a large number of foes he had trouble dealing with.
"There, now were even"
With there enemies disarrayed Reck let himself regain his focus, he sheathed his blades. A brute of a panther, seemingly out of no where, took a swipe at him thinking he had the upper hand.
Big mistake...
The drakken caught the flat of the blade in his palm and shoved the sword's hilt into the panthers gut. He flinched. Reck sent his free fist for the cat's neck, lifting him off ground with ease. The sounds of steel clashing upon steel were suddenly muted by the crackling of bones. Before the drakken had a chance to drop the body, he heard cries for help not too far off.
Reck quickly glanced around to the triceratops protecting his back; "How many more of you came along for this fight!?"
"I came alone!"
Suddenly a powerful war cry echoed through out the battlefield;
"I'll die for freedom, for Uilmoir!"
Reck perked; "That's Tom! Brios we have to save him!"
Whipping the body into a crowd of frenzied soldiers, the drakken closed his eyes and summoned his magic.
I have to conserve what energy I have left, but there's no time... Reck felt the spell ready for release.
"Raaaaargh" he shrieked. Chaotic arcs of lightning shot from his finger tips. They scorched and bloodied, causing a chain reaction, hitting one soldier after another. Sustaining the spell for as long as he could muster, Reck cleared the way of any resistance.
"Brios, now! We have to hurry!"
Reck urged his companion to go first. The triceratops pounded down the battlefield with great speed. Reck followed closely behind, amazed by the pace Brios could keep up. His thick chain mail proved to be no hindrance.
The pair entered the deep forest to conceal there movements. No soldiers lurked in its depths, it crawled with strange creatures, stranger than its trees that grew to mammoth heights. As they continued on they were swallowed in darkness.
The farther they explored the more Brios was at unease. He gripped his war axe tightly in both hands and whispered;
"Reck are you sure we are going the right way? I can hardly see a thing..."
"Don't worry, just follow me." he paused for a second and closed his eyes, as if searching for a thought, "I can sense him, Tom's not too far off... "
As they bounded on Light appeared filtering through the canopy. Reck and Brios burst out of the forest, only to be welcomed by an unlikely sight. A gallant hare adorned in the finest crafted armor was being circled by empire elites. To his right stood a mad demon grinning devilishly. In one hand he clenched a gun and with his other he pressed a female hare firmly against his chest. She was shapely and able, bearing the trappings of a high priestess.
The demon ignored his new company, and spoke; "Tom, Tom, Tom, If you value Reasha's life you'll tell me where your hiding Saul. He carries incredible power, just waiting to be awakened... Don't you see? The boy has a use! Instead of keeping him locked up somewhere, we're going to nurture his talents! Let him use his powers freely as he wishes!"
Tom glared at the demon, his eyes flaring; "Turkey you're a sick bastard! Saul promised never to use his powers! Their a curse not a blessing. If you unleashed them they would only prove catastrophic!"
The fiend cackled; "That's exactly what I want! Now tell me where the little brat is, other wise..." Turkey stopped to sniff in the sweet scent of Reasha's fur. "Shes all mine"
"I have sworn never to divulge that information," Tom fell to his knees "I'm sorry Reasha. I have failed you..."
She cried out, longing for her mate, But the demon covered her mouth with a gnarled hand.
"If you ever change your mind, she'll still be with me, I'll give you some time to reconsider" he chuckled.
Turkey chanted a short spell. He and Reasha teleported away along with all the soldiers, leaving Tom alone. The triceratops and drakken had witnessed it all.
Brios walked over and kneeled down next to the hare; "I promise, the next time we see that demon scum, I'll kill him for you.. And don't worry we're going to get Reasha back one way or another..."
* * * * * *
He awoke with a start and pulled down his hood to wipe sweat from his brow. The black raptor's golden eyes glimmered with tension. "What the hell was that?" he panted. All the events from his dream raced through his mind. He remembered every little detail. Breathing in controlled gasps, he slowed his heart. "It was only a dream" He relaxed a little and took a sip of water from his canteen. He wondered though; "couldn't be real... could it?"
The raptor opened up his sack and found a quill, ink and some scrap sheets of paper. He was fortunate enough to be a bard who could read and write. But most of all he was a brilliant weaver of tales. The raptor went about recording his dream, making sure to recreate every detail as he remembered it. This would prove to be an interesting tale to tell, indeed. But it was unfinished, he shrugged, he would wait for the next dream to come along to be his muse. Something about this dream felt very important, and he knew he had to hang onto it...