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Description
The light of a burning stable cast shadows over the grassy lowlands as a dark figure rushed through the thick green straw that cumbered the pasture. Breathing hard in the manor of a soul running for his life, the young man pushed his legs against a bush that was as determined to slow him down as those in pursuit not fifty paces behind him. His pursuers were silent as they equally fought the whipping heads of the sage, but no mercy was to be given this night. They knew what was at stake, and no room for error existed as they plowed on after their prize. As the victim began to scale the outer fence of the ranch, one of the assailants slowed down to watched as his colleagues continued the chase without him. The man dressed in a dark hooded cloak cast a long shadow as the flickering light of fire danced all around them.
"You might as well give up!" the man shouted. "Give yourself to us now, and I promise I will spare your life... but continue to run and..." The words were lost over the noise of pounding feet and the rushing of breath as Terran clouded by fear and horrified at what had transpired at the stables could barely hear as the others closed the distance. Fatigue gripped at his lungs and his body screamed for reprieve, but the price of yielding was too great. Never before had Terran's life been in greater jeopardy, and he knew in his heart that if he stopped now... no, just run. RUN!
Terran's lighter frame fared better than those forced to stomp through thickets knee deep, and once the fence was behind him he knew it would buy him time. Even if the man had the strength to bull over the horse fence he knew that they would have to contend with his knowledge of the back woods. He turned and curved along the barely discernible pathway as the forest line drew nearer and nearer. This was his home, and though they had taken the castle, they would not have the pleasure of parlay. Looking back he dared a glimpse at the others who must have fallen behind as he supposed the fence would impede them due to their garbs and armaments, but these thoughts were quickly put to rest as with a unnatural and sudden implosion of air and the cracking of timbers, the explosion that quickly followed after rocked the night, and Terran having paused to look now dashed madly for life and limb as chunks of dirt and splintered wood crashed around him. The distance he had gained had spared him from the more lethal projectiles, but he felt a few specks of dirt and wood spatter his work clothes. This was no dream Terran thought; these men were more than just assassins. These ones had abilities that only legions seemed to be able to describe, and something more than fear steeled over him. Blind terror pushed him now as Terran, now greatly outclassed by both physical and now magical capabilities felt as if their powers like dogs on the hunt snapped at his heals.
The tip of the boy's boot dislodged a small rock as they entered into the less developed portion of the land. Knolls and who knew what lay hidden underneath the thicket, as the pursuers entered into it a man shouted as he was claimed by the unknown terrain. 'Well,' Terran thought, 'so their powers weren't perfect,' but this realization was only momentary as he knew he still had a distance to go before safety was reached. The woods drew closer and as he neared it, a silence or better put absence of the others footsteps reached him. Chancing a glance over his shoulder once again he couldn't believe his luck. They had foolishly stopped to aid their comrade, and by the looks of their movements may have possibly done damage to themselves as well. Terran could have sworn that he heard one of the men shouting at the other as they clambered to help the fallen to his feet, but not twenty paces away from the tree line, pain shot up Terran's leg.
"GAAAAHHHH" The boy stumbling was caught unawares as an unearthly feeling permeated his calf causing him to roll. Instinctively he countered the roll by throwing his shoulder into it, and returning to his feet continued to run. He couldn't think of what had caused him to trip. No rock had been there and the path was as he knew it to be was devoid of such obstructions as he had cleared it himself. But as he continued a few paces, something he realized, was terribly wrong. The pain hadn't set in yet, but by the way his pants snagged at his calf, he quickly realized that it was not a rock he had caused the fall. Hopping on his right and turning to see his left, the hilt of a throwing knife stuck out mid-way down the back of his calf muscle, pinning his trousers to the leg. This caused him to stop as dizziness began to cloud his mind.
"So how da you.... wana finish dis one off eh?" one of the men asked off in the distance as he panted. Terran looked up in horror as they had seemingly snuck up on him while he had assessed his grizzly wound. Impossible.
"Oh I don't know..." a woman responded, likewise winded. A little laugh however echoed over the clearing as she continued to near the young man, who was now dragging his leg behind him in a feted attempt to escape. "But I think something special... for one who... can run so fast. Maybe we could sell him to the... the French, as a slave."
Another chimed in as he coughed and spat into the dirt. "Well by the looks of it he might be worthless now miss, looks like your blade has seen to that." The man's tone hinted at nobility. "You also nearly killed us all with that little stunt you pulled. Sort of a shame if we die before we get a chance to see the lads' inheritance hmm?"
The lady scoffed at this and they began to bicker amongst each other, but only momentarily. They turned to watch as by means of grasping at every twig, root and tuft of grass Terran could get his hands on now sank to a crawl, pulling him forward as blind panic set in. The handle of the knife bumped his inner thigh as he moved, and pushing the leg out and away in a howl of agony the action had caused the blade to sink deeper into the flesh, grazing the bone. Laughter met his ears as looking up though watery eyes and a seemingly infinite blaze of searing pain, he saw the shadowy movement of the rest of the band slowly making their way towards him.
Knowing that the blade would have to be removed if he were to stand a chance at all now, he tried to grasp it, but as he did so his stomach turned and his head spun as it caused the flesh beneath to move most unnaturally. Sucking in a steadying breath he steeled himself for the pain that was surely to come from extricating the knife, but the slightest touch sent spasms of hot searing pain through his leg and by the feel of it, it wasn't going to come out easy. His courage wavered. Giving his head a shake he gritting his teeth knowing no ground would be given if he didn't remove it, he braced himself as his hand trembling hovered over the dank handle. With a pull and a blood curdling scream, the blade was slowly pulled from its fleshy sheath until finally, with much grunting it came free.
Gasping from the effort, he looked up at the blood stained knife as sweat gleaned on his forehead. The woman who had been approaching had stopped in surprise when the blade was removed but as he brandished the blade at her, she began to laugh.
"No... NO! Get back!" He shouted at the woman as he brandished the knife at her. Her response was a leering sneer that was lost by the shadows cast over her features. Then, a hand push the woman to the side, a dark hooded figure came into view and gazing down at Terran sighed theatrically.
"You ignored me boy..." he said sadly, a deep throaty voice emanating from him. It didn't take long for Terran to recognize who the voice belonged to. "But you had to run didn't you, and now look." He gestured behind him as helped by one of his colleagues hobbled up to meet them. The man grunted as he was sat down and Terran, felling the sock of his boot fill with blood scowled, showing no remorse for the man.
"Ah but I am insensitive aren't I." the hooded man continued as he gazed down at Terran's wound. "I mean a knife? What pain... What... anguish that must be." Voice tapering off in a dark chuckle, the rest joined in and together their laughter caused Terran to grit his teeth. This was the place he had told himself not to be, and yet now here he was, his very existence being laughed at. A nod was given to the woman, and she approached.
Terran bleeding profusely rolled onto his back to grasp at his punctured leg. Trying to stem the flow with his tattered trousers, and still holding the knife in other, he pointed it at the approaching woman.
"Kill me with my own blade will ya?" she screeched. Her cloak billowed as she tossed it into the winds, and with a swift kick, Terran was disarmed. He felt his index finger dislocate. Letting go of his leg to clutch at his injured hand she stooped down, boots creaking as the tight leather stretched. With gentle fingers she lifted his chin. "Maybe if we let you live, I will gift you with the chance to be a sparing post." She muses. "I go through 2 or three a day."
Panting hard and clutching his broken finger, he gazes up at her with a look of hatred and contempt. Her manor disappeared as quickly as it had come, and brow creasing she stood as if to walk away, but with a blow that caused Terran to shrivel into a ball her boot came down hard on Terran's stomach as the heal dug deep into his gut. Gasping for air, he clutches at his stomach as the leader stepped into sight. Crouching down to look at the spoils of the catch, he lifts a hand to remove his hood. A bright flash of light as timber crumbled from the burning stables beyond, and the face of a pallid bald man he had only seen once in his lifetime stared at him with some sort of wicked crease of a smile. Terran tries to drag himself away a few paces, but is put to a stop as another man places a heavy boot on the injured leg, and leans heavily on it. Terran groaning in protest tries to pull away, but weak and depleted of energy the struggle went unnoticed.
"Im sure my brother would have been proud to have had such a son as you..." he says calmly as Terran fights back tears of rage and pain. The uncle would trace a long finger over Terran's cheek as he gazed down at him, then suddenly drawing it back slapped the boy across the face. Crying out in anguish now, he shouted from help, but was silenced by another blow. A finger was pointed at him as his face seared with pain and his head reeled. "You test me boy... your father owes a great debt to me. One he still hasn't paid in full. If you continue, well I may have to just leave you here to my friend Veise. As you saw, she is very skilled with the knife. I wouldn't want my nephew to experience such a thing would I?"
Terran spat in his uncles' face.
Standing the uncle would motion to the woman, and without hesitation quickly and obediently swooped down on Terran as the man pinning him to the ground retreated. Screams rent the air as her blade cut across his chest, pealing open his work apron, and easily cutting through his brown cotton shirt. Pinned by the woman's knee, he would begin to weep profusely, and occasionally cry out as the blade sank into more flesh.
"Enough." She retreated, leaving Terran twitching and writhing as he moaned in agony. His uncle would kneel down once again. "That hurt didn't it?"
To delirious to look at his uncle he just sobs. The movement of the blade through is flesh had caused him to withdraw as nothing but pained riddled his body. His uncle brow creased, and another unforgiving hand crossed his cheek once again. "Answer me damn you!"
"Ahhahahaaaaaaa." Cry ending in a reel, he would just lay there in response as again and again blow after blow would cross Terrans cheek until both were bruised, and black eyes graced both sockets.
"I hope your father can see this... from the pit of hell he is in." he mutters in Terran's ear. "No one to save you... no one to hear you scream. Your father will see even in his death the price he must pay for this cruelty he has permitted you to experience. He should have let you die with him." Through the pain, Terran glanced up as his uncle's hand rose once more to smite him. Just end it... he thought. No more... no more... Unable to even coherently understand what his uncle was getting at, he feebly raises an arm to defend himself from another blow he thought would surely take his life, but as he did so what felt like a great burst of wind, quickly followed up by a defining boom seemed to blast the clearing with a blinding flash of light. The men in the clearing were promptly blasted off their feet, but darkness was swallowing Erin and as a black figure seemed to drift over him from above, his vision blurred, his eyelids sank... and Terran knew no more.

Description
The light of a burning stable cast shadows over the grassy lowlands as a dark figure rushed through the thick green straw that cumbered the pasture. Breathing hard in the manor of a soul running for his life, the young man pushed his legs against a bush that was as determined to slow him down as those in pursuit not fifty paces behind him. His pursuers were silent as they equally fought the whipping heads of the sage, but no mercy was to be given this night. They knew what was at stake, and no room for error existed as they plowed on after their prize. As the victim began to scale the outer fence of the ranch, one of the assailants slowed down to watched as his colleagues continued the chase without him. The man dressed in a dark hooded cloak cast a long shadow as the flickering light of fire danced all around them.
"You might as well give up!" the man shouted. "Give yourself to us now, and I promise I will spare your life... but continue to run and..." The words were lost over the noise of pounding feet and the rushing of breath as Terran clouded by fear and horrified at what had transpired at the stables could barely hear as the others closed the distance. Fatigue gripped at his lungs and his body screamed for reprieve, but the price of yielding was too great. Never before had Terran's life been in greater jeopardy, and he knew in his heart that if he stopped now... no, just run. RUN!
Terran's lighter frame fared better than those forced to stomp through thickets knee deep, and once the fence was behind him he knew it would buy him time. Even if the man had the strength to bull over the horse fence he knew that they would have to contend with his knowledge of the back woods. He turned and curved along the barely discernible pathway as the forest line drew nearer and nearer. This was his home, and though they had taken the castle, they would not have the pleasure of parlay. Looking back he dared a glimpse at the others who must have fallen behind as he supposed the fence would impede them due to their garbs and armaments, but these thoughts were quickly put to rest as with a unnatural and sudden implosion of air and the cracking of timbers, the explosion that quickly followed after rocked the night, and Terran having paused to look now dashed madly for life and limb as chunks of dirt and splintered wood crashed around him. The distance he had gained had spared him from the more lethal projectiles, but he felt a few specks of dirt and wood spatter his work clothes. This was no dream Terran thought; these men were more than just assassins. These ones had abilities that only legions seemed to be able to describe, and something more than fear steeled over him. Blind terror pushed him now as Terran, now greatly outclassed by both physical and now magical capabilities felt as if their powers like dogs on the hunt snapped at his heals.
The tip of the boy's boot dislodged a small rock as they entered into the less developed portion of the land. Knolls and who knew what lay hidden underneath the thicket, as the pursuers entered into it a man shouted as he was claimed by the unknown terrain. 'Well,' Terran thought, 'so their powers weren't perfect,' but this realization was only momentary as he knew he still had a distance to go before safety was reached. The woods drew closer and as he neared it, a silence or better put absence of the others footsteps reached him. Chancing a glance over his shoulder once again he couldn't believe his luck. They had foolishly stopped to aid their comrade, and by the looks of their movements may have possibly done damage to themselves as well. Terran could have sworn that he heard one of the men shouting at the other as they clambered to help the fallen to his feet, but not twenty paces away from the tree line, pain shot up Terran's leg.
"GAAAAHHHH" The boy stumbling was caught unawares as an unearthly feeling permeated his calf causing him to roll. Instinctively he countered the roll by throwing his shoulder into it, and returning to his feet continued to run. He couldn't think of what had caused him to trip. No rock had been there and the path was as he knew it to be was devoid of such obstructions as he had cleared it himself. But as he continued a few paces, something he realized, was terribly wrong. The pain hadn't set in yet, but by the way his pants snagged at his calf, he quickly realized that it was not a rock he had caused the fall. Hopping on his right and turning to see his left, the hilt of a throwing knife stuck out mid-way down the back of his calf muscle, pinning his trousers to the leg. This caused him to stop as dizziness began to cloud his mind.
"So how da you.... wana finish dis one off eh?" one of the men asked off in the distance as he panted. Terran looked up in horror as they had seemingly snuck up on him while he had assessed his grizzly wound. Impossible.
"Oh I don't know..." a woman responded, likewise winded. A little laugh however echoed over the clearing as she continued to near the young man, who was now dragging his leg behind him in a feted attempt to escape. "But I think something special... for one who... can run so fast. Maybe we could sell him to the... the French, as a slave."
Another chimed in as he coughed and spat into the dirt. "Well by the looks of it he might be worthless now miss, looks like your blade has seen to that." The man's tone hinted at nobility. "You also nearly killed us all with that little stunt you pulled. Sort of a shame if we die before we get a chance to see the lads' inheritance hmm?"
The lady scoffed at this and they began to bicker amongst each other, but only momentarily. They turned to watch as by means of grasping at every twig, root and tuft of grass Terran could get his hands on now sank to a crawl, pulling him forward as blind panic set in. The handle of the knife bumped his inner thigh as he moved, and pushing the leg out and away in a howl of agony the action had caused the blade to sink deeper into the flesh, grazing the bone. Laughter met his ears as looking up though watery eyes and a seemingly infinite blaze of searing pain, he saw the shadowy movement of the rest of the band slowly making their way towards him.
Knowing that the blade would have to be removed if he were to stand a chance at all now, he tried to grasp it, but as he did so his stomach turned and his head spun as it caused the flesh beneath to move most unnaturally. Sucking in a steadying breath he steeled himself for the pain that was surely to come from extricating the knife, but the slightest touch sent spasms of hot searing pain through his leg and by the feel of it, it wasn't going to come out easy. His courage wavered. Giving his head a shake he gritting his teeth knowing no ground would be given if he didn't remove it, he braced himself as his hand trembling hovered over the dank handle. With a pull and a blood curdling scream, the blade was slowly pulled from its fleshy sheath until finally, with much grunting it came free.
Gasping from the effort, he looked up at the blood stained knife as sweat gleaned on his forehead. The woman who had been approaching had stopped in surprise when the blade was removed but as he brandished the blade at her, she began to laugh.
"No... NO! Get back!" He shouted at the woman as he brandished the knife at her. Her response was a leering sneer that was lost by the shadows cast over her features. Then, a hand push the woman to the side, a dark hooded figure came into view and gazing down at Terran sighed theatrically.
"You ignored me boy..." he said sadly, a deep throaty voice emanating from him. It didn't take long for Terran to recognize who the voice belonged to. "But you had to run didn't you, and now look." He gestured behind him as helped by one of his colleagues hobbled up to meet them. The man grunted as he was sat down and Terran, felling the sock of his boot fill with blood scowled, showing no remorse for the man.
"Ah but I am insensitive aren't I." the hooded man continued as he gazed down at Terran's wound. "I mean a knife? What pain... What... anguish that must be." Voice tapering off in a dark chuckle, the rest joined in and together their laughter caused Terran to grit his teeth. This was the place he had told himself not to be, and yet now here he was, his very existence being laughed at. A nod was given to the woman, and she approached.
Terran bleeding profusely rolled onto his back to grasp at his punctured leg. Trying to stem the flow with his tattered trousers, and still holding the knife in other, he pointed it at the approaching woman.
"Kill me with my own blade will ya?" she screeched. Her cloak billowed as she tossed it into the winds, and with a swift kick, Terran was disarmed. He felt his index finger dislocate. Letting go of his leg to clutch at his injured hand she stooped down, boots creaking as the tight leather stretched. With gentle fingers she lifted his chin. "Maybe if we let you live, I will gift you with the chance to be a sparing post." She muses. "I go through 2 or three a day."
Panting hard and clutching his broken finger, he gazes up at her with a look of hatred and contempt. Her manor disappeared as quickly as it had come, and brow creasing she stood as if to walk away, but with a blow that caused Terran to shrivel into a ball her boot came down hard on Terran's stomach as the heal dug deep into his gut. Gasping for air, he clutches at his stomach as the leader stepped into sight. Crouching down to look at the spoils of the catch, he lifts a hand to remove his hood. A bright flash of light as timber crumbled from the burning stables beyond, and the face of a pallid bald man he had only seen once in his lifetime stared at him with some sort of wicked crease of a smile. Terran tries to drag himself away a few paces, but is put to a stop as another man places a heavy boot on the injured leg, and leans heavily on it. Terran groaning in protest tries to pull away, but weak and depleted of energy the struggle went unnoticed.
"Im sure my brother would have been proud to have had such a son as you..." he says calmly as Terran fights back tears of rage and pain. The uncle would trace a long finger over Terran's cheek as he gazed down at him, then suddenly drawing it back slapped the boy across the face. Crying out in anguish now, he shouted from help, but was silenced by another blow. A finger was pointed at him as his face seared with pain and his head reeled. "You test me boy... your father owes a great debt to me. One he still hasn't paid in full. If you continue, well I may have to just leave you here to my friend Veise. As you saw, she is very skilled with the knife. I wouldn't want my nephew to experience such a thing would I?"
Terran spat in his uncles' face.
Standing the uncle would motion to the woman, and without hesitation quickly and obediently swooped down on Terran as the man pinning him to the ground retreated. Screams rent the air as her blade cut across his chest, pealing open his work apron, and easily cutting through his brown cotton shirt. Pinned by the woman's knee, he would begin to weep profusely, and occasionally cry out as the blade sank into more flesh.
"Enough." She retreated, leaving Terran twitching and writhing as he moaned in agony. His uncle would kneel down once again. "That hurt didn't it?"
To delirious to look at his uncle he just sobs. The movement of the blade through is flesh had caused him to withdraw as nothing but pained riddled his body. His uncle brow creased, and another unforgiving hand crossed his cheek once again. "Answer me damn you!"
"Ahhahahaaaaaaa." Cry ending in a reel, he would just lay there in response as again and again blow after blow would cross Terrans cheek until both were bruised, and black eyes graced both sockets.
"I hope your father can see this... from the pit of hell he is in." he mutters in Terran's ear. "No one to save you... no one to hear you scream. Your father will see even in his death the price he must pay for this cruelty he has permitted you to experience. He should have let you die with him." Through the pain, Terran glanced up as his uncle's hand rose once more to smite him. Just end it... he thought. No more... no more... Unable to even coherently understand what his uncle was getting at, he feebly raises an arm to defend himself from another blow he thought would surely take his life, but as he did so what felt like a great burst of wind, quickly followed up by a defining boom seemed to blast the clearing with a blinding flash of light. The men in the clearing were promptly blasted off their feet, but darkness was swallowing Erin and as a black figure seemed to drift over him from above, his vision blurred, his eyelids sank... and Terran knew no more.