User:Zanox101x

Laenic

Chapter 1

The story begins with a young man running in a tundra like area, panting heavily and badly wounded.

???: “Are they still behind me?”

The young man stops to look back behind him and senses nothing. He takes a moment to compose himself as he stares resentfully at his bloodied left arm and shoulder. With his ribs broken every breath is a lesson in anguish as he almost doubles over in pain.

???: “Damn, how could I be so foolish? How could I let my guard down like that? I can’t stop now or they might find me. I must keep going”.

As he continues walking he comes to the outskirts of a small village. His sight begins to blur and his eyes glaze over. Before he succumbs to the immense pain and passes out he sees a young woman with silver hair standing above him.

Darkness swirls all around him like a thick blanket of ebony. A familiar pained scream echoes out from all around him. A woman screams out the name Zano again and again until the screaming finally ceases. Staring out into the darkness Zano calls out.

Zano: “Mother!!!”

He sits up in bed. He is drenched in a cold sweat as the pain of his injuries causes him to lay back down. Zano: [thinking] “It was only a dream, but the pain was so intense and real.”

He begins to look around and observe the room that he now resides in. It appeared to be a dimly lit barn with a rather basic design to it. A small shelf with a window near it, to his right was some scattered equipment, most likely for farming. The bed that he was laying in appeared to be no more than a pile of loose hay, but it was still comfortable nonetheless. The door opened as the girl with the silver hair jolted into the room. She had a tray of food and a look of concern as well as delight on her face.

Young girl: “Good morning. I’m glad to see you’re finally awake. You were out for almost two days. I was beginning to get a little worried. The wounds that you had when I found you were pretty bad, but I took care of them for you” she said with pride. “By the way my name is Raena.”

Zano looked at his now well-bandaged wounds. His arm and shoulder were well wrapped and put into a sling. His ribs had been tightly bandaged and herbs had been applied to them.

Zano: “Thank you” he said coldly as he surveyed the figure before him.

She was a young girl with bluish eyes that seemed to change color rapidly. She donned an aquamarine skirt and a short sleeved green t-shirt. Although she wasn’t very tall she walked as though she was. She began to set the food on the table as she spoke.

Raena: “I made you some food incase you were hungry. I hope you enjoy it”.

Zano turned his head away from her and stared blankly out the window. Raena looked at him for a moment then with anger and hurt in her voice she said.

Raena: “Fine then, don’t eat it and let it get cold”.

Before making her way to the door she struck Zano on the head with the tray she brought the food in on. Raena stopped at the door and stared back at Zano with a look of concern on her face. She turned to face Zano, with sincerity and care in her voice she said.

Raena: “Please eat.”

She then departed and went on her way. As soon as he was sure she was unable to see him he pounced upon the food. It was not much, but it was enough to satisfy him, for now anyway. As he tore into the meat and engulfed the bread Raena had been watching him, unbeknownst to him. She looked at him through the window and smiled happily.

Raena: “Thank you” she whispered.

After devouring his meal Zano had fallen asleep. He was asleep for a little over a day when Raena had come back in to collect the dishes from the food. She carefully stacked the plates on top of each other and began to gather up the silverware, being sure not to make any noise. In her haste she dropped a fork to the ground. It fell to the ground with a silence-disrupting thud. Zano awoke quickly with a grunt.

Raena: “Oh, I’m sorry I didn’t mean to disturb your sleep. By the way I never asked, what’s your name?”

Zano: “My name is....Zano”.

Raena: “Zano? That sure is a funny name” she said with a giggle.

Zano: “Where am I? Where are my clothes and my sword?”

Raena: “You are in the Tundra Encampment and as for your sword, it’s at my house along with some of your clothes. You had some very interesting injuries when I found you. How did you get them?”

Zano said nothing and merely looked the other way to avoid the question.

Raena: “Fine, maybe you will be a little more talkative tomorrow. It’s late anyway, you should get some more rest. I’ll bring you your breakfast in the morning. Good night”.

The morning seemed to have come rather quickly. Zano’s wounds were completely healed after only a few days of being at the Encampment. Raena came in and was surprised to see Zano standing up, staring out the window at the sunrise.

Raena: “I see someone is feeling a whole lot better this morning. Here’s your breakfast.”

Zano: “Thanks. I would like my sword and clothes now. I wish to depart as soon as possible.”

Raena: “You’re leaving? So soon? But you’ve only been here for a few days and you haven’t even started to eat your breakfast. You could at least let me show you around the Encampment a little bit before you leave” she said with great disappointment.

Zano: “Just bring me my sword so I can leave” he said sternly.

Raena: “Okay, just follow me” she said defeated, staring at the ground.

They leave to go outside and get Zano’s equipment from Raena’s house. As they walked outside Zano notice that it is a pleasant day as the sun reflected off the snow, giving it a bright sheen. They walked to her house and noticed that there were only about thirty other villagers within the Encampment. Raena stopped when they arrived at her house.

Raena: “Wait here while I go get your things” she said softly.

She went into the house and left Zano outside to wait for her. While he waited a ball rolled near him, a few feet away. A young boy came by and picked it up. He smiled at Zano then continued to play with the rest of the children of the Encampment. Zano begins to become impatient waiting for Raena.

Zano: “What could be taking her so long to get my things?” Zano asked himself.

The door opened and Raena came out struggling to carry his sword in her arms. Raena: “Damn, how big is this thing? It’s almost as tall as I am.”

Zano: “Give that to me before you drop it.”

Zano goes to try and take the sword from her. As he goes to grab the sword Raena trips and the sword fall on top of her.

Zano: [chuckles] “How nimble.”

He picks up the sword and hold out his hand to help her up. She refuses to take his hand and gets up to dust herself off.

Raena: “Here are your clothes.”

Zano puts his shirt on and then his coat. Finally, he straps his sword onto his back, with great ease.

Zano: “I’ll be leaving now.”

[Explosion] [Explosion]

Zano: “What the hell was that?”

Raena: “It came from the center of the Encampment.”

Zano and Raena began to run to the sound of the explosion.

[Explosion] Zano quickens his pace towards the sound. With his enhanced speed capabilities he arrives to see the cause of the explosion before Raena.

Zano: “You again? You don’t know when to quit do you?”

Raena arrived shortly after Zano. She looked on in horror at the town now ablaze and at the three flame ogres that now stood before her.

Raena: “Who are these guys?”

If you would like to give any criticism on this story or would like the next chapter you can email me at Zanox101x@hotmail.com I look forward to you input