Post by Vyn on Jul 22, 2008 2:02:41 GMT -5
*Note* ...Please forgive the not so great writing >_>;; This has been written over the course of a few nights when I was unable to sleep late at night. Like tonight, for example. Nevertheless, I just wanted to get part one of the story of Xylia's swords out into the open at last.
Part two may either come about in fic form, or in RP...depends on how busy I am. XD
Critique welcome, especially in teh fighting section...I did a sloppy job, I know, but I don't usually write out this sort of stuff.
Author: Vyn
Characters: Xylia, Oddr and Thallak
Setting: The Tulgey Wood
Word Count: 1386
(The Things We Do For Family)
Xylia stood on the edge of The Wood, staring into the shadows as if she could decipher their haunting mysteries without ever stepping foot inside. There was no denying her dislike of this place but Xylia had a duty to her family to uphold. It had taken her some time to acquire both her bipedal form and a decent pair of swords, but she was now perfectly equipped to brave this dark land and, of course, rescue the missing brother which had started this venture.
Above all else, family came first for Xylia. She would do whatever it took to make sure that her loved ones were safe and happy, even if it meant going into The Wood.
Luckily, she wasn't alone. Tallak and Oddr were with her always, her beautiful twin blades that were so deeply a part of her now that she could've sworn, from time to time, that they even had their own personalities. Tallak -- strong and bold with a powerful, broad blade -- was strapped firmly in his sheath at her side while Oddr -- slim and swift as a rapier and sharper than the keenest blade Xylia had ever laid eyes on -- remained only a thought away; awaiting the moment that Xylia would call him to hand once more.
They were a grand group, even by Xylia's humble standards.
"There's nowhere to go but forward," she murmured to the twins before taking a deep breath and moving into The Woods at long last.
* * *
Xylia's journey through The Woods was long and dangerous, but she had never anticipated it to be brief or easy. A Tulgey she had once encountered in a bar many a year back had once told her fantastical stories of the wicked things that lurked in the Tulgey night and Xylia passionately wished to never set eyes upon a single one.
This, of course, was not to be.
After two nights of relatively easy travel, Xylia's third night at last reached an obstacle of the rather terrible sort: she was unable to find shelter or lodging for the night. For all that her bracers allowed her to 'vanish', there were still small factors which gave her away to all predators: her scent.
There was no other option than to continue onward.
There was far more honor in going out with a fight than to surrender to fear and flee. Stealing courage from the broad-bladed sword on her hip, Xylia pushed onward into the lengthening shadows of The Wood. It wouldn't be much longer until, to Xylia's dismay, she became aware of rustling in the trees. Birds didn't often fly at night, and when they did...well, Xylia's thoughts could only find unpleasant images to linger on.
In fact, all Xylia's mind seemed to linger on was that old Tulgey's vivid descriptions of the fabled JubJub birds. It was a thought that could leave one desperately wishing they were not wandering The Tulgey Wood in the middle of the night.
"Smart, Xylia. Smart."
Yet, despite the overall sense of having made a great mistake, there remained a great flush of confidence that nothing she could do could overpower. This, she accredited entirely to Thallak and his large ego. If, of course, it wasn't entirely insane of her to be doting personalities upon her weapons. They were rather special, after all.
The doe's thoughts were quite suddenly interrupted by a rather callous screeching and the sudden rush of wind through feathers.
"Fuck."
It only took one brief grazing of talons for Xylia to kick into survival mode. Hooves moved swiftly and silently over the fallen leaves as Xylia simultaneously activated her spade ability and summoned both Thallak and Oddr to hand just in time to parry another dive from the JubJub.
The force of the bird's impact shook Xylia to the core, but she could proudly say the bird was just as shaken by the blow. The doe took her moment while the massive creature was stunned to strike, hitting wing and gouging deep into the feathery muscle. She was rewarded with an ear piercing shriek as the bird recoiled, hitting the ground with a hard thump as it began to thrash in agony. There was no getting off the ground now, not with all that weight and only one functioning wing. Xylia was quick and merciful in dealing the finishing blow.
What she failed to notice, however, was that all the thrashing and screaming of her foe had attracted more attention. The second JubJub hit her like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind out of her in an instance and sending her sprawling to the earth mere inches from her first foe, now dead on the earth. There was, for the briefest of seconds, a searing sensation and a sickening pressure on her head, but in another second it was gone and she was left with nothing more than a strange warmth trickling down her jawline.
There was a split second after Xylia hit the ground that everything was still: Xylia lay motionless, briefly unconscious, and oh so frail-looking and the JubJub was planted firmly on her back, beak poisoned to strike the killing blow. Both swords, brothers really, thought the same thing, but Thallak was the first to break.
There was no way the overly confident and headstrong Thallak would sit idly by and allow his summoner to die. No way, no how. He didn't think twice as he switched forms and lunged at the JubJub, he only knew that he had to get that awful thing off of his Xylia.
Xylia, had she been coherent, would've been proud to see her bold Thallak grappling with a full grown JubJub bird.
Oddr was right behind him, though considerably less certain of his ability to grapple with the vulture-esque beast. Instead, the more lithe of the brothers put his wit to work before his brawn and turned to the dead beast inches beside the wounded doe. They would have to be quick and kill the JubJub before Xylia succumbed to her wounds. Breaking the beak from the dead jubjub's jaw left throbbing cuts in Oddr's palms, but it was exactly what he and Thallak needed.
"Thallak!"
With the same synced consciousness that the brothers showed when in Xylia's hands, Oddr swung the beak toward his brother and Thallak caught it deftly before plunging it firmly between the bird's ribs. Stillness at last, but in the wake of that stillness came Xylia's slurred words.
Xylia laid on the ground for a long time, dazed and winded and, honestly, surprised that she was still alive. Why would a predator attack and just...give up? There had been no one around as far as Xylia could see. Yet, she was pretty sure she wasn't dead...despite being entirely unable to get up. Her body was still pumping with adrenaline, blocking whatever pain she was sure she should be feeling. A second attempt to get up only resulted in her first burst of true pain and a terrible surge of vertigo. Blood was running down her face like a crimson flood, stinging her eyes and blurring her already fuzzy vision.
"This...really...isn't good."
After a brief shuffling of feet, Oddr was crouching before Xylia and the doe found herself wondering if she weren't possibly dead after all. Surely this wasn't her Oddr, even though she had clearly pictured the thin bodied male time and time again in her mind's eye.
"Quiet now, Xylia, you're safe. We'll look out for you." Xylia didn't protest, there was simply no use in it, and she was really getting very tired. By the time the doe blacked out Oddr was already wrapping her head in some of the gauze he'd found in her pack, trying to temporarily stem the blood flow. "Thallak... You'll need to carry her."
The larger male strolled up, blood stained and a bit cut up but otherwise fit as a fiddle, but he was also carrying something that Oddr thought looked distinctly like an egg. "Look, Oddie... Guess I found why these buggers were being so touchy... Xylia would want us to keep it, y'know."
Oddr sighed heavily, giving his brother a weary look. He was right and they both knew it. "Oi... Her 'honor' is going to get herself killed one of these days."
Neither spoke again, but they switched the egg to Xylia's rucksack and then transferred Xylia into Thallak's arms. They had a long walk ahead of them yet.
Part two may either come about in fic form, or in RP...depends on how busy I am. XD
Critique welcome, especially in teh fighting section...I did a sloppy job, I know, but I don't usually write out this sort of stuff.
Author: Vyn
Characters: Xylia, Oddr and Thallak
Setting: The Tulgey Wood
Word Count: 1386
(The Things We Do For Family)
Xylia stood on the edge of The Wood, staring into the shadows as if she could decipher their haunting mysteries without ever stepping foot inside. There was no denying her dislike of this place but Xylia had a duty to her family to uphold. It had taken her some time to acquire both her bipedal form and a decent pair of swords, but she was now perfectly equipped to brave this dark land and, of course, rescue the missing brother which had started this venture.
Above all else, family came first for Xylia. She would do whatever it took to make sure that her loved ones were safe and happy, even if it meant going into The Wood.
Luckily, she wasn't alone. Tallak and Oddr were with her always, her beautiful twin blades that were so deeply a part of her now that she could've sworn, from time to time, that they even had their own personalities. Tallak -- strong and bold with a powerful, broad blade -- was strapped firmly in his sheath at her side while Oddr -- slim and swift as a rapier and sharper than the keenest blade Xylia had ever laid eyes on -- remained only a thought away; awaiting the moment that Xylia would call him to hand once more.
They were a grand group, even by Xylia's humble standards.
"There's nowhere to go but forward," she murmured to the twins before taking a deep breath and moving into The Woods at long last.
* * *
Xylia's journey through The Woods was long and dangerous, but she had never anticipated it to be brief or easy. A Tulgey she had once encountered in a bar many a year back had once told her fantastical stories of the wicked things that lurked in the Tulgey night and Xylia passionately wished to never set eyes upon a single one.
This, of course, was not to be.
After two nights of relatively easy travel, Xylia's third night at last reached an obstacle of the rather terrible sort: she was unable to find shelter or lodging for the night. For all that her bracers allowed her to 'vanish', there were still small factors which gave her away to all predators: her scent.
There was no other option than to continue onward.
There was far more honor in going out with a fight than to surrender to fear and flee. Stealing courage from the broad-bladed sword on her hip, Xylia pushed onward into the lengthening shadows of The Wood. It wouldn't be much longer until, to Xylia's dismay, she became aware of rustling in the trees. Birds didn't often fly at night, and when they did...well, Xylia's thoughts could only find unpleasant images to linger on.
In fact, all Xylia's mind seemed to linger on was that old Tulgey's vivid descriptions of the fabled JubJub birds. It was a thought that could leave one desperately wishing they were not wandering The Tulgey Wood in the middle of the night.
"Smart, Xylia. Smart."
Yet, despite the overall sense of having made a great mistake, there remained a great flush of confidence that nothing she could do could overpower. This, she accredited entirely to Thallak and his large ego. If, of course, it wasn't entirely insane of her to be doting personalities upon her weapons. They were rather special, after all.
The doe's thoughts were quite suddenly interrupted by a rather callous screeching and the sudden rush of wind through feathers.
"Fuck."
It only took one brief grazing of talons for Xylia to kick into survival mode. Hooves moved swiftly and silently over the fallen leaves as Xylia simultaneously activated her spade ability and summoned both Thallak and Oddr to hand just in time to parry another dive from the JubJub.
The force of the bird's impact shook Xylia to the core, but she could proudly say the bird was just as shaken by the blow. The doe took her moment while the massive creature was stunned to strike, hitting wing and gouging deep into the feathery muscle. She was rewarded with an ear piercing shriek as the bird recoiled, hitting the ground with a hard thump as it began to thrash in agony. There was no getting off the ground now, not with all that weight and only one functioning wing. Xylia was quick and merciful in dealing the finishing blow.
What she failed to notice, however, was that all the thrashing and screaming of her foe had attracted more attention. The second JubJub hit her like a ton of bricks, knocking the wind out of her in an instance and sending her sprawling to the earth mere inches from her first foe, now dead on the earth. There was, for the briefest of seconds, a searing sensation and a sickening pressure on her head, but in another second it was gone and she was left with nothing more than a strange warmth trickling down her jawline.
There was a split second after Xylia hit the ground that everything was still: Xylia lay motionless, briefly unconscious, and oh so frail-looking and the JubJub was planted firmly on her back, beak poisoned to strike the killing blow. Both swords, brothers really, thought the same thing, but Thallak was the first to break.
There was no way the overly confident and headstrong Thallak would sit idly by and allow his summoner to die. No way, no how. He didn't think twice as he switched forms and lunged at the JubJub, he only knew that he had to get that awful thing off of his Xylia.
Xylia, had she been coherent, would've been proud to see her bold Thallak grappling with a full grown JubJub bird.
Oddr was right behind him, though considerably less certain of his ability to grapple with the vulture-esque beast. Instead, the more lithe of the brothers put his wit to work before his brawn and turned to the dead beast inches beside the wounded doe. They would have to be quick and kill the JubJub before Xylia succumbed to her wounds. Breaking the beak from the dead jubjub's jaw left throbbing cuts in Oddr's palms, but it was exactly what he and Thallak needed.
"Thallak!"
With the same synced consciousness that the brothers showed when in Xylia's hands, Oddr swung the beak toward his brother and Thallak caught it deftly before plunging it firmly between the bird's ribs. Stillness at last, but in the wake of that stillness came Xylia's slurred words.
Xylia laid on the ground for a long time, dazed and winded and, honestly, surprised that she was still alive. Why would a predator attack and just...give up? There had been no one around as far as Xylia could see. Yet, she was pretty sure she wasn't dead...despite being entirely unable to get up. Her body was still pumping with adrenaline, blocking whatever pain she was sure she should be feeling. A second attempt to get up only resulted in her first burst of true pain and a terrible surge of vertigo. Blood was running down her face like a crimson flood, stinging her eyes and blurring her already fuzzy vision.
"This...really...isn't good."
After a brief shuffling of feet, Oddr was crouching before Xylia and the doe found herself wondering if she weren't possibly dead after all. Surely this wasn't her Oddr, even though she had clearly pictured the thin bodied male time and time again in her mind's eye.
"Quiet now, Xylia, you're safe. We'll look out for you." Xylia didn't protest, there was simply no use in it, and she was really getting very tired. By the time the doe blacked out Oddr was already wrapping her head in some of the gauze he'd found in her pack, trying to temporarily stem the blood flow. "Thallak... You'll need to carry her."
The larger male strolled up, blood stained and a bit cut up but otherwise fit as a fiddle, but he was also carrying something that Oddr thought looked distinctly like an egg. "Look, Oddie... Guess I found why these buggers were being so touchy... Xylia would want us to keep it, y'know."
Oddr sighed heavily, giving his brother a weary look. He was right and they both knew it. "Oi... Her 'honor' is going to get herself killed one of these days."
Neither spoke again, but they switched the egg to Xylia's rucksack and then transferred Xylia into Thallak's arms. They had a long walk ahead of them yet.
I lieks them lots. *licks*
