Fallen Shield Part 1

FALLEN SHIELD



PROLOGUE

16 years after the events of fallen warrior...
I sit wearily on my throne, thinking of my father. ‘If only I knew him better...’ thought I. ‘Maybe I’d be a better ruler. He could teach me things I don’t know. I hear he was the best swordsman in the rebellion. He could have taught me sword play.’ I sigh. My great door opened a crack. ‘Probably wind.’ I think. I hear a knock. “Come on in.” I shout. “Perhaps you could help me open the door, good king, for it’s a tad heavy.” Yells a voice from outside the door. I walk to the door, open it and let the man through.

“Thank you, my king, for the door is very large and heavy so I am not able to open it easily.”
“Understandable. I have a man whom is very strong to open it for me.”
I sit on the throne, looking at one of my people. The man was skinny, but not underfed. He had small amounts of armour on him, as an old soldier for the rebellion would in front of a king. His body was slightly aged, probably around 56. His hair is white, as if he had seen a great terror. His eyes were golden as lightning. He had a deep burn on his right eye, in the shape of a skull. His face was one of a warrior who had seen a friend die. I say to this stranger “You were in the rebellion, what brings you to the king?”
“I was the best friend of your father” These words hit me like an arrow. “He was a great man, he gave his life to save his empire, and rid us of the demons. Now I hope you believe me” I nod madly “for I am here to tell you of your father’s legacy, word from word. These are his thoughts, he told me at our fiery safe area, which warded off demons, while others were asleep”
“Now tell me the legend, of the great man who was my father. The rebellion soldier who gave his soul to save ours. It is thanks to him that we can sit here and talk about him today.”
“It started for your father at the age of eighteen, when he joined the rebellion. He was a fine young man, true to his word. To tell your father’s tale is only part of the reason I have come here today, the other shall be revealed later. Now, we start you father’s story in the middle of the war.  
   
 

CHAPTER
1
THE FALLEN WAR



                                                   

“Move it! They’re coming in fast! Hurrarrrrggg!!!!!!”
Our captain just got stabbed. We are now without a leader. Without guidance. Without hope.
I am Gaoul Proron. I am a warrior. I am one of the only defences for the empire of Morcion. We are at war. The demons have corrupted men of Lartion. An empire close to ours. I am just a man fighting for freedom. As we run from the attacker of our captain, we see his face. It is horrifying. His jaws are dislocated. His teeth were razor sharp and sticking out at all angles. His skin was yellow with spots of black and purple on some places. The beast had no true eyes. Just small, blank, white eyes. That is what a demon does to a man. It twists him to madness. Then leaves his body, and leaving the man hungry for human flesh. We did not want to have the same fate as our captain, who is just a light snack for the maddened man. I broke apart from the group and saw an old man lying on the ground. Half his body was chewed and torn off.

“You, young man, take my weapons. You have been chosen to protect us from the demons. My sword is the key, to unlock the king of the demons.” The old man croaks. “But to do so you need certain items.” The man produced a shield from under his cloak. “The shield is the shield that blocks the demon king out, even when the sword unlocks the gate of destruction. Only the sword can break the shield. Both the items reassemble after ten minutes, as long as one item remains.” The old man was dying fast. He used his last breath to tell me about a glowing stone in his hand.
“This is the gem of chaos. It is powerful, and is the last item the demons need to forge the key. Put it into the hole in the centre of the shield. It will give you the power of the fallen warrior. Now, Take the items and guard them as you would a child.” And with that, the old man’s head fell to the ground.
What did I do? The only thing I could. Take the sword in my hand, and put on the shield. I never wanted this. I didn’t ask for it. I grew up hearing about the demon king, but I never thought I would need to stop him. I ran back to my battle. The sword was large and sharp. The shield was not small, but not large and sharpened into three points at the top. The sword was grey with leather wrapped around the handle. The shield was blue, like a sapphire. It had thick yellow lines coming from the edges. The gem was glowing green and shaped like a smooth, oval shaped rock. It vibrated slightly in my hand. I ran back towards my group, my weapons in hand. They were surrounded by demons. True demons looked nothing like the corrupted men. The demons looked thin and like a spirit. The jaws were different. The top of their jaw was below their nose as usual, but the lower jaw was on the creatures inside of his bony elbow. The beasts teeth were like the man’s, crooked and sticking out at every possible angle. The skin was blood red, with black and yellow stripes across its face and its chest. It caused any person great pain to look into a demons eyes. They were filled by great hatred for man and evil. They had no weapons, for they are weapons. To kill a demon you must cut off all his limbs, which is a task in itself, as the beasts have almost unbreakable skin and bones. Then you must cut off the head, and burn the remains.
There was little hope for our group. We had already lost many men. Then I remembered the old man’s words. ‘This is the gem of chaos. It is powerful, and is the last item the demons need to forge the key. Put it into the hole in the centre of the shield. It will give you the power of the fallen warrior.’ The fallen warrior. The name was in my head for a while. He could help us, give us a hope. All the demons rushed towards me, once seeing that I had the gem of chaos. I placed it in the centre of the shield. A strange rumble was felt in my body, as if I was hungry. Then, I felt a light metal substance on my body. It was black with red lines, like tribal paint. It felt ... strange. Powerful and dangerous. I realised that my shield had sharpened down to two points at either end. My sword had become red, as if it had fought in a thousand bloody battles. I was faster. Stronger. The demons tried to hurt me but their attacks did nothing. My new blade slashed at their bodies. Blood poured out, onto the ground. Their foul heads were found later, meters away from their bodies. As strong as I was, they were coming in faster. I concentrated on using my energy. A beam of darkness flowed from hand to heads. Once I had finished I took out the gem. It was not glowing or shaking anymore. I placed it into a pouch on my belt. As I walked towards the next fight, a golden Labrador came rushing towards me. I recognise it at once. It was a stray from my childhood I’d named Peter, after my brother. It had come with a message in its mouth. I read it.

My mother was dying.
 

CHAPTER

2
A FALLEN MOTHERS FORGIVENESS


I had to get to my mother’s side at once. I knew a farmer whom I could buy a horse from. Tomas Jones was his name. I had the money. One thousand gold pieces. Per horse. They are young, well trained, and the fastest in the land. They are well worth that price. My horse is named Janis. The fastest he owns. I rushed past many battles. I saw things. People turning to madness, demons exiting a body, many men being killed trying to defend loved ones. I wish I could have unseen them now, but one thought was racing through my head. ‘Mum, don’t die.’ I eventually reached the town, tied up my horse, raced into the empire, rushed through the door and saw my mother in bed, many stab wounds to her head and chest. She was bleeding tremendously.

“S-s-s-s-s-s-son, I just want you to know, I forg-g-g-g-g-give you. HALLLK!!!!!” My mother just coughed up a pool of blood, with blood clots floating around in it.
“Forgive me for what, mum?”
“For going into the forest. The night your brother died. I j-j-j-j-j-just want to tell you, if anyone was to survive the attack, I’m glad it was you, Peter.”
Those were her last words. Her head then slumped backward onto her pillow. Blood came gushing out of her mouth. My brother Peter had died twelve years ago in a Slorthoyine attack. A slorthoyine is a horrible beast with twelve heads of a snake, the legs of a wolf, the tail of the lion, wings of an eagle, the arms of a crab and the torso of a horse. It was a vicious thing, at least, it is in the stories. No one believes me that it’s real. The only evidence was my brother’s body, heart, slash marks on his body and some wolf footprints. Everyone believes that I killed my brother. I did not do it. No one thinks that slorthoyines are even real. They think I killed my brother with a dagger, gutted him, made wolf prints on the ground, and ran away. Admittedly, I did carry my brother’s dagger, and there was blood on the blade, but I have a reason for that.
 

When my brother died, He was sixteen. I was six. Everyone thought I killed him out of sibling rivalry, you know, being an only child you get all the attention, have lots spent on you, that sort of thing. But I loved my brother and he loved me. When the slorthoyine killed him, I grabbed his dagger and jabbed it straight into its eye. I took his bow and arrows, and I shot its other eye! I had the beast in its dammed eyes! I was stupid enough to go into the woods at night when I was threatened. If I didn’t go, if I’d stuck up for myself, Peter would still be alive. I have always hated myself for doing it. That’s why I joined the rebellion. To save people. I enlisted at 12 and soon became the empires best swordsman and Loreist. Lore is the concentration between alchemy and magic. I can create things from thin air, manipulate the elements and summon help.
It’s been five years since I joined, and Peter has been missing from them all. My mother thought I was Peter. I walked slowly from the home. I created a flask of water. I quickly drank the contents and threw it away. I took the gem from its pouch. I stared at it for about three seconds. Then put it back in. I had to talk to someone. Juliet. A girl from my childhood. We have known each other for twelve years. I walked to her house. I had to talk to her about things.

“So let me get this straight, you found an old man, he gave you a gem, a blade, and a shield, and you can turn into a warrior with high force and almost impenetrable armour?”
“Yep.”
“And then, your mother dies, mistakes you for your deceased brother, Peter, who died in a slorthoyine attack, and fundamentally desires you were dead?”
“That’s the tale.”
Juliet just sat there and gaped at me as if to say “you can’t possibly be serious”
I’m sitting in front of Juliet Lisdiol, one of the most gorgeous women in the kingdom, telling her my story, when I reach out and take her hand in my armoured one. We embrace for a moment or two, before I get up and leave. As I walk out, I feel stupid. How could Gaoul Proron have a chance with a beautiful lady like her? Never mind.  


 

INTERLUDE


I was in awe by this man’s words. ‘My grandmother passed away like that? Wow.’
“So my king, are you enjoying the tale? I am saddened by it. It reminds me of him. I was 48 when he joined, and I was greatly depressed at his death. The demons were merciless.  But beside that, I assume you would like to hear of how Peter died?”
“Yes, but how did you come to learn this piece of information?”
“I was told this story also at our safe area. Your father said to me, after telling me what had happened in the day “I think you would like to know of Peter’s death.” Now I pass this on to you, Master Edward. It started on the 3rd of October. At midnight.”


 
CHAPTER
3
A FALLEN BROTHER

I was scared. I was trembling. Some kids were shouting. “Come on dork! Give us all some entertainment! Let’s hear you screech!” Some were laughing. “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!! What? Is little Gaoul gonna cry? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!” I trembled my way at a snail's pace into the woods. Once inside, I felt naught but pure terror. I heard a hissing resonance. I spun around, only to see the kids doing it.
They were always trying to scare me. They said to me “If you don’t go inside the woods at night, I will murder you. Get me? M-U-R-D-E-R!!!!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!” They knew I was frightened of the slorthoyine fable. They say that at night, in the woods, a slorthoyine will come and get you. I was only six. I believed in that stuff. Nowadays I know it’s true. I was scared, for my own life. Now I realise, I should have been fearful for others as well. I trembled as I ambled my way into the forest.
I hear all sorts of things. An owl, hooting away, a spider, scuttling from danger, and then, a hissing sound. I gyrate around more rapidly than the eye can see. I see a snake’s head, and then another and another until there were twelve. I could see my face in the beast’s scales. The fiend had the arms and claws of a crab, horses belly, wings of an eagle, wolf legs, and lion’s tail. It was a slorthoyine. I screamed. The moments after just happened so fast.
I heard my brother scream “GAOUL!!!! LOOK OUT!!!!” As he leapt over my head, dagger clenched in teeth. “TAKE THIS, BEAST OF THE DAMMED!!!!!!!!” yelled Peter, as he attempted to stab the monster from hell. He failed. Sometimes you get the bear, sometimes the bear gets you. This time, the bear got Pete. It gutted him. I saw my brother’s life leave his body. I saw the monstrosity take out his heart and throw it away. In a horrifying wrath, I took my brothers dagger and stabbed the beast in the eye. I took his bow and shot the beasts other eye. It was dreadful.

I ran out of the woods, with tears in my eyes. I was sobbing “Peter, Peter, no, no, noooo!!!!!!!” I ran out with the blade in hand. Many people saw me. I didn’t give an Oricon. (This is a extremely appalling swear in primordial Morcordian)  I burst into my home. My Mother comforted me and asked what was wrong. I told her the whole truth. Soon she too was in tears. The loss of my brother was a chunk of my life missing.
 

INTERLUDE


I was listening to the man, when I say something. “Excuse me good fellow, but I do not know your name.”
“Yes, you do not. Pardon me, your majesty, for I am a man you should remember, your mother has surely told you about me?”
“She has not told me a word about you. I may remember, if you tell me your name, sir.”
“Tis the man of the hour, Dean Turner, good king!”
 “Ah yes Dean Turner, I remember now. My mother told me of a friend of fathers, named Dean Turner, who had a mark like yours. Obtained by a demon I assume? ”
“Yes, that is I, now onward the story goes. I presume you may like to know that this,” Dean produced a book, filled with letters, poems, and pages filled with writing. “Is your fathers own journal. Treat it with care, as it contains his last words.” He handed the book to me. “You may read it at your leisure. At least, of this visit.”
I open the book and start to read.  


 

CHAPTER
4
THE FALLEN WARRIORS DIARY


August 3rd   1830 8:00
The days are now colder than the nights, while the icy hand of death waits upon us. I stare up at the heavens and think about Juliet. Oh, my eternal love will never stop, even at my death. As soon as the war is over I shall propose. She is the only one I love.  The only thing setting us apart is the demons. We are almost out of rations. We miss our captain. If he was still here he would be shouting at us to keep moving and keep us training. Much has happened since he left the mortal world. I am slightly enjoying sleeping rather than push-ups, although.

August 4th 1830 3:50 PM

The demons attempted a home attack. It was futile. We lost 6 men, but the rest survived. I’m on entertainment duty tonight. I plan on lore as my act. I also had to hunt. Got one or two demons while I was out too. I’m calling this a good day.



August 4th 1830 6:00 PM
Scratch that last statement. Just lost many men in a demonic man assault. I was almost killed. My gem protected me. The armour protected me. So much has been lost to the demons. So little has been gained for us. I don’t think that I can survive much longer. I think this is no longer a good day.
 

August 5th 1830 2:04 AM

No one else has yet awoken. Not that much to do. Sure I could go and hunt, but it’s so dark, that the demons would have the upper hand. I think I will just go back to sleep.

August 5th 1830 5:37 PM
OK. There is now a lot going on. The demons once more attacked, this time one was larger and whenever it shrieked, it brought back its dead demonic friends. It eventually shouted in a crispy and evil voice “The demon king... the demon king... the demon king... he shall rise once more! He shall rise! The demon king... the demon king... my lord... my lord... my lord... I shall find a way to bring you to this world! My king... my king... my king... The seven deadly ones shall bring you back my lord... The deadly ones... the deadly ones...ERARGH!!!!!” The demon was then surrounded by black flames and sunk into the ground. The demon king must not be raised, for he has the power to destroy all mankind. His power is too strong. We cannot stop it.Please, gods of our fair realm, support us in our quest to rid us of the demons, to aid us in our battle, show the demons what hell truly is. We must destroy all the demons before they over run us. Before all is lost.





 


INTERLUDE


I close the book. I think ‘the demon king. The demon king. Father. What did you do?’
“Now, honestly, did you like his diary, Edward? It reminds me of the demon king. That (He said a word that made me say “Dean!!”)!!!! He brought nothing but misery to the land. He gave me my burn! He gave the realm a death sentence!! Oh, sorry. It just, he killed your father!! Ok. Here, is the story of how he came to join the rebellion.”
“Yes, I wondered that also. I know that he joined because his brother died, but what is the whole story?”
“It starts on a fairly sunlit day. He is sitting in his home...”


 


CHAPTER
5
THE FALLEN REBELLION



“Oh, dear. Your father’s workplace? You’ve made a mess.”
I was sitting in my dad’s study, reading lore books. “Yeah but mum, watch this!!”
I channel energy into a lore circle on the ground and make a small wooden horse. “What do you think mum?”
“I-I-I-I-I-is that lore? Did your father teach you that?”
“ Nope. I read it from a book.”
“You understand that?”
“I guess.”
“Wow. I’m soooo going to brag about this to everyone else. My son is a loreist. Wow.”

My father was never home. I only knew he had lore books. He also had long grey hair, a moustache, a big and bushy beard, is rather tall, needed glasses and had green eyes. I have dark brown hair and deep blue eyes like sapphires. I have fairly long hair, and I am not tall. Lore separates reconstruction and deconstruction, like alchemy. To create items, one just needs to concentrate and channel energy through a circle of lore.    
 

Only skilled loreists need only to think of the object, clap, and then the object appears. I hope to be a lore scientist when I’m older.  Lore needs the flow of the world and the energy from the user to create an entity. I heard that you can even create a living person using a forbidden form of lore. Dark lore. Powerful. Evil. Destruction lore. It has been outlawed years ago. I think it’s just because it’s so hard to do, people are ashamed to admit they can’t do it. So they make it outlawed. Jeez. It’s so complicated. Soon after my brother died, I was determined to bring him back through lore. The world gives energy but it also needs something in return. I decided to use my blood as a sacrifice. Blood for blood. It failed. I lost half my blood and would have died if a man passing through the alley hadn’t saved me. He stitched me up. Gave me a second chance. That man is like family. I love him for treating to me. He cared. Cared more than my own father. Cared enough to even show up at my wedding! That man helped me. I helped him later.
By the time I was strong enough to walk, I was seven. I was wobbling everywhere, but I was walking. It was difficult, but I was walking. When I was strong enough to hold things up, I was eight. I could hold up books, I could hold up pencils, I could hold up wooden play swords. By the time I could move three body parts at once, I was nine. I could walk and wave, I could sing and dance, I could perform lore once again. By the time I could move all body parts, I was ten. I could fight, I could run with others and I could finally live life normally. By the time I could eat solid food, I was eleven. I finally joined the rebellion at twelve. That is when I saw it.
It is a thing that loreists see when they can just clap for lore. The sight was horrifying. I saw all my worst experiences going by me. It ended when I saw my brother take my hand, and then disappear into a mist. Terror was in the air. Horrible. My brother, what has happened to you? The rebellion was very reluctant to have a kid in the army, but I won them over. With my power in lore and sword work. I became a state loreist. A swordsman for the military. That is what I am. A warrior. The Fallen warrior as it would soon be. I am Gaoul Proron.

 

INTERLUDE




“Just wow.”
“You like it, master Edward?”
“I’m amazed on what my father did. He really performed Lore Resurrection?”
“You know Lore? Any part in particular? Summon help? Dark lore? Manipulate the elements? Creation? Dividation? Destruction?”
“I know all well. I am fair at creation, Dividation and Elemental lore.”
I sit still on my throne. Dean was now going on and on about the dark lore.
“Apparently, dark lore is what brought the demon king to be on our land. Dark lore is deconstruction, creation, death and blood.”
Blood. The worst kind of lore. Not illegal, but deadly. Only the worst and cruellest loreists use it. It is almost as bad as the demons. I thought ‘The demon king. Who brought him to be the monster he is? Who could have been so skilled at lore, only to make a beast like that?’
“Now, on with your fathers story. He soon began his search for the twenty two eyed slorthoyine. He wished only to avenge his brother’s honour. He did not know that the demon king had sent the seven deadly ones to retrieve the items. He also did not think that he, a simple soldier for the rebellion could have gone into the world of demons.”