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Dragon Tamer
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Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2007 9:30 am
Posts: 160
Location: ~trouble~
This is a little story I whipped up in a couple of hours. I had this urge to write something, so here's the result:


Silent


The morning sun. I know it's there, on its ordinary journey across the sky, sending its warmth on me. Sadly, I haven't seen the shining sphere in a long time. I haven't actually seen anything else, just sensed. Heard. Heck, I spent one morning trying to recall what red looked like. Only good side is that I can't see how dirty and worn out my armor is. In my mind, it'll always be shiny and colourful, what it most likely is not anymore.



Oh, I remember that one fateful day, seven summers ago. I was still young, nosy and full of courage. Why couldn't I just listen to the advice my parents gave me?
"Son, never go near the dweegons' nests. They might think you're trying to hurt their babies and attack."
I told them I wouldn't go, and for a while I believed it myself. But the more I thought about it, more interesting the nests became. Soon I found myself sneaking past the village gate to the nests.

Dweegons, the fire-breathing lizards, had their nest caves carved in the hillside. It was an enormous cave complex inhabited by tens of dweegons. Though dumb and slow on land, dweegons were also eager to protect their offspring at any cost. They would fry any intruder in a matter of seconds. And there I was, trying to get myself an eggshell to show to my friends.
With slow, careful steps I crept closer the closest nest cave. I could feel the air getting chillier as I entered the nest. Crushed bones and bloodstains told me where and what the creatures had been eating. I tried searching for my trophy, the empty eggshell. Soon noticed I had to proceed to the deeper parts of the cave if I really wanted to find something. My nose caught the stench of rotten meat and vegetables as I waltzed deeper into the cave.

After stumbling around the pitch-black tunnels, I finally found what I was looking for. I bumped my leg against something hard but smooth. I grabbed it, and my heart skipped a beat as I realized it was a half of a dweegon's eggshell. The thing was pretty big but light, and so I noticed I could carry it out of the cave right away.

I had no problems finding the tunnel I came through, but then I heard something. I froze to the spot and listened carefully. It was something big... breathing. I couldn't move, just stand there and try not to make noise. I prayed for the ancient gods, but it seems it wasn't enough.

"Click. Clack. Click."
As I was later told, the clicks were the sound of the fireproof protective bone flaps on a dweegon's face getting in the right position. The sound of incoming fiery pain.
As the stream of hot white flames reached me, I thought I was going to die. When I think of it now, it would've been better if I had. No words can describe the horror of getting burned by an angry dweegon mother's fire. I think the lizard poured all the anger from its heart straight onto my face, my eyes. It burned like a thousand suns' flares and hurt like a hundred rusty daggers thrusted onto my head.
The pain forced my legs to move, away from the over-protective monster, to the village, to my home. I ran like a rat from a sinking ship, still embracing the eggshell. As I felt the wind touch my hands, I opened my mouth no matter how much it hurt. I screamed as hard as I could, leaving an eerie echo flying through the valley.

The events after that were a bit fuzzy. I believe I fainted at some point, from pain or from shock, I don't know. Nevertheless, I woke up later. For a moment I had no idea where I was, and almost lost consciousness again due to the terrible sensation in my head. I would've cried if it had been possible, but instead of tears I just felt more pain.

"Orven, are you awake? Don't try to talk, just nod."
I recognized dad's voice, so I nodded carefully.
"Thank the gods! He's finally awoken!"
"Oh, at last", I heard my mother sigh. Then the voices got an angrier tone.
"Why didn't you listen to us? How many times we told you mustn't go to the nests?"
"You promised us you wouldn't do such thing! And look at you now!"
"Maybe you'll now understand. Perhaps this is the gods' way to show you that you must listen to your parents."

They continued preaching to me, but I wasn't listening anymore. All I could do was just to try to open my eyes and look at them. They wouldn't open, mostly because of the bandages. I touched my chin with my finger. What I felt was not very pleasant. My skin was hard and rough, and it didn't feel anything other than pain.

A couple mooncycles later my face had healed enough. It was time to remove the bandages completely. I was anxious to see things again, because my wrappings had prevented it. As my mother removed the many layers of fabric, I opened my eyes. And all I saw was a black, empty void.
"What is it? Why... why can't I see anything? Have you covered the windows with something? Has the sun gone down already?" I asked with agony in my voice.
"Orven, it's not that. It- it's a beautiful sunny day. I think you're..."
My mom's voice faded. I could hear her sobbing quietly. I knew already what she'd tried to say.
"Son, I believe you are-" my dad started, but I interrupted him.
"You don't need to say it. I think I know already. Just leave me alone now, will you?"
They left without saying anything.



Those two days are among the other worst days of my life. I lost my sight, my handsome face and my friends. Being blind wasn't easy, and I had to use an old spear to navigate around the village. Countless hours of practice made me better, and i soon noticed I didn't need the spear anymore. I could hear things better when I couldn't see. Although some ordinary things were still hard for me, I managed quite well.
I left town when I grew older, and one day I got an idea. People were always talking about my looks behind my back. That was very predictable, since my face wasn't the prettiest thing around. I dug the dweegon eggshell from my backpack, and started carving it. It made a perfect mask. I was delighted when I could hide myself behind the white cover. From that day on, no one ever asked anything about my face. No one knew who I was anymore, and I could travel in peace.



On one freezing cold night, I was walking on the side of a lonely road. I had no destination, my legs took me wherever they wanted. I was hungry and tired but I had nothing to eat and no place to go. So when I heard a carriage coming my way, I stopped and swung my arm.
"Excuse me! Can I ask where you're heading? I could use a ride."
I heard the animals stopping and an old man answering me.
"I'm going to the nearest city, Leekia. I believe I can take one lonely traveller with me."
"Thanks. Not many people give free rides."
"Oh, I'd like to have someone to talk with, it's so very boring to travel alone."
"Fair enough."

I climbed on the carriage and landed next to the old man. I doubt he even noticed my mask or my eyes. He just started rambling about his youth and how things were better and other nonsense. I couldn' t have cared less, but I tried to look like I was listening. Suddendly he said something that grabbed my attention:
"-and I've been told that it makes the blind see. I haven't tried it yet, I'm going to show it to my colleagues first. Oh my, I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw it in the market..."
The rest of his sentence went into my ear and out from the other as I revised what I had heard. What was he talking about? He had something that made the blind see? If it was true, I wanted it.

Lucky for me, the city was still pretty far away, and we had to stop and make a camp. I hadn't asked the man anything, but whatever he had, was going to be mine. I waited until I heard his slow, deep breaths which told me he was sleeping. I started to examine his bags, and soon I found something, which had strings of some sort. I accidentally plucked one of them, and I thought the old man was going to wake up and find me.
Instead of the old man yelling, I heard, or sensed, an incedibly high sound, and somehow saw my surroundings. I pulled the thing out of the bag and inspected it. It was some sort of a crossbow, but it had strings like a harp. It felt like it was made from dragon bone, because it was so warm. There were also arrows and a quiver for them. I picked them up, felt guilty for a while and left.



That's how I became an outlaw. I know there are many mysterious stories about me, but most of them are nothing but baseless rumors. I've learned that the crossbow is called the Harp Ray and it's some sort of legendary weapon. To me it's nothing but a tool and a nuisance. "Nuisance?" you may ask. People think that it's a blessing to be able to see by playing this damned thing, but it's not. The horrible high sound gives me a constant headache, I can't see any colours and the bow's heavy as hell, too. It's not that wondrous, but I need it to stay free; to flee from the people whom I've stolen something from. People call me "Silent" and think I'm some sort of legendary being. Rats. I'm just a bitter, blind coward with no friends.



The sun slides down from the sky, leaving this world to cool down for a while. My ears are ringing but I don't care. I raise my eyes up to the sky. If only I could see the stars, just once more. That's all I want.


~~~~~~~

Here's a picture of him, in case you're interested.


So, please tell me if there are any grammatical errors or typos, 'cause I want to remove them straight away.
If you feel I could've written something better, just point it out.
I appreciate good criticism. :D

~M12

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Mon Sep 22, 2008 11:08 am
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Ace Trainer
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Joined: Wed Jun 25, 2008 8:09 am
Posts: 408
Location: In his imagination, imaginating things.
...and that's why you don't go around stealing things so obviously.

but really, excellent story. A little bit predictable, but very engaging.

It could be the prologue for an entire hugmongous story/book.
Really.

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{absol} {gardevoir} {salamence} {crobat} {skitty} {glaceon}
yay skitty!
olim est virgo Troiana
quae incensus cogitat grama esse bonus.
incendit per noctam,
et sic excitavit;
invenit veru magnum ano.


Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:13 pm
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