Challenge for the fire ((Red Opal))

[DoF Archive]

Date: 9/12/1998 2:30 PM Central Daylight Time
From: SHIV BLADE

Avery was fast asleep in his small house. His house that contained nothing within it save for one chair. A chair that Avery himself never sat on, but that he offered to others when they dared come to his house. His house was a simple dwelling, but for him it was all he needed. He slept on the hard ground, but at least he had a roof over his head. For there were many a time that he did not. On this particularnight, there was something wrong though. Avery laid tossing and turning. He could not wake up no matter how much he moved around, for his dreams had control of him on this night. Horrid dreams of his past, that were as real to him as being cut with a knife. For he still felt the pain, and still felt the fear. Avery fought for control.... Something he always tried to do with his dreams..... but it would not work. He was to far in this one, and hismind was going to make him relive his past.Avery sat in his small cage. The cage allowing just enough room for Avery's 15 year old body to lay down almost stretched out. Looking out the bars he could already see the big fire being conjured up. He new what it was for... he had heard the talk going around about tonight. Yet he refused to believe it. Could anyone be as cruel as this? Could anyone torture, and mark another man like this? These questions kept running through his mind. He looked tothe other cells. He saw the same worry on the others faces. Many gripped at the iron collars around there neck. Trying one last time to remove them before this event. Up until now they had never thought this to be real, but in a couple of minutes he knew it would be all to real. The branding of the slaves, to mark them forever. A mark that could never be removed, as magic and fire combine to create this lasting mark. Wherever he went, it would beknown that he was a slave. Forever... until the day he died..He sat dreaming of his past, of his parents death... his lost brother.... of his lost love. He did everything to block out the thought of what was to happen. Then the scream. The piercing scream came. It had started, and all the slaves were now watching. The poor soul, yelled for his life... a life that was no longer his. Then the scream stopped. The man laid unconscious on the ground. Past out from the pain. Avery's intense gaze watched this man,and so he never noticed the 3 men that came to him. He stood there as they locked the chain around his neck to drag him over there. Why fight now.... it was no use. The walk to the blazing fire was a short one... as if time itself wanted this to happen. It was only when Avery stood in front of the fire that he did start to fight back. Yet his attempts were soon muffled by the men holding him. His skin perspired due to the heat... it felt as if hisentire body was on fire. And then the rod came out of the fire. As the man approached him, Avery could not move. His bare body stood there frozen. The initial contact to his skin brought forth the searing pain. He yelled for his life too... Hoping that someone would hear him.... but none came to help him on this day.... and before it was over he too laid on the ground... oblivious to the world, and the pain.Avery sat up with a jump. the nightmare over he was freed from its grasps. His body was covered in a blanket of sweat. His heart beat like it had never beat before. Absently his hand went to touch his arm where the mark was. It was still there.... where would it have gone? It was to real for him.... the sounds, sights, feelings. It was all to real. As he touched his brand he muttered a couple of words through a choking throat. ........ I must control the fire...... I must control it....So it was that Christopher his private messenger came to the door early the next morning. Upon first seeing Avery, he went white himself. It looked like a man had been possessed by something unnatural. He took down Avery's word and then left quickly, to avoid looking at him any longer... The note said:To Ralez Rastlin,I write to you to inform you of my challenging you for the right to control the Red Opal Firestar. It is nothing against you, as I do hold you to be a good man indeed. I just have a very personal reason that I need this Opal For. In fact it would not matter the possessor of this Opal.. I would challenge anyone. So I look forward to meeting you in the ring to see the outcome.Avery Shiv BladeBaron of the 6thWith that Avery laid back down, and after some hours, fell asleep. This time to dream of something else.... of the whips. For he never got rest in his sleep, as reality was always there.

[DoF Archive]

Date: 9/16/1998 2:34 AM Central Daylight Time
From: StatmanRR

:: accepts the missive with a curt nod ::

I see.

:: pens back a reply ::

Find the caller who you both honor and enjoy and let us meet at 21:21 EST Military Time on the 21st of this month.

Ralez Rastlin
"The Statman"