Down from the Mountains

[DoS Archive]

Date: 9/5/97 3:53 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: ArawnOlec

Arawn had come further down the mountain this time, the village he usually went to for supplies having been burned out by Treachen raiders as the searched for him,.....not that they didn't find him occasionally....just the ones that did find his cave, hidden high upon the crest of Mount Sargis, never returned home to tell of it.
He was the Man-Beast of Treachen nightmares, living high in the mountains in his cave to spare the innocent his bloodrages and to think upon what he had become.
Tears of rage filled his eyes as memories of his past welled up, pouring acid upon the scars of his past, with a snarl he began to run down the rocky path before him in an effort to control the bloodlust seeping into his veins.
Eight months ago he had been a farmer in Bargath, happy with his lot in life and doing well with his fields and herds..there was little in his life that was not good. The anchor of his life had been his wife Malisa and his two daughters Shanna and Kalise. But then came the Treachens, a violent tribe of men with no nation that lived on the plunder and booty of small villages and towns.
He had been in the fields that morning, removing rocks from the soil to save his plow and building a wall with them along the edge of his fields when he noticed a cloud of dust heading down the horsetrack to his farm. He stopped his work and looked at it. Wondering why the cattle trains were here so early this year and began running to his home to find out who was there.
When he got there and speed past the corner of the horse stall and into the yard of his house he saw his wife and children being held roughly by several dirty men with old swords and long wickedly sharp daggers, as others were inside his house, destroying his home in search of anything of value.
Rage flew through him and he ran towards the house. Intending to free his wife and daughters. As he ran his wife turned and screamed.
" Arawn!!!!!!! " She screamed as one of the raiders tried to stifle her and smacked her across the jaw. " Look out!!!!!!!" Her head turning with the force of the blow she crumpled at the feet of her captors as his daughters screamed.
Suddenly he was thrown to the ground, a rough set of hands taking his hair and bashing his face to the rocks of the pathway, he struggled to rise but booted feet kicked him hard in the side, causing his breath to exploe from his lungs and his chest to seem to catch fire, he rolled with the force of the blow and rose, only to have an axehandle catch him in the side of the head and he went down again, blacking out suddenly as his assailants continued to beat his unconcious body.
He woke with a shock, water being thrown into his face and causing a burning sting upon his ruptured faces wounds, he yelled out and tried to move but was held with his arms behind his back by two huge men, both with daggers to his throat. Before him was a large man, hair black and greased and braided, the man looked at him and idly cleaned his nails with a dagger.
" You have a choice farmer. " The raider said, looking to the farmhouse as his men stood by with torches in hand. " Tell me where you keep your gold and I will spare your family and your home. Tell me not and I will kill them and burn your home before you eyes and then I will kill you also. "
" Please..." Arawn had said, the words coming out slushy from his ruptured lips. " I have no gold....I spent last years crop on supplies and seed. Please let them go"
" I do not believe you farmer," The leader said, bending down and eyeing Arawn flatly " Maybe this will help you remember."
The raider turned to his men and signaled and they set his house to torch, the flames licking at the thatched roof and black smoke curling up into the air.
((Continued in Response )).

[DoS Archive]

Date: 9/5/97 4:19 PM Pacific Standard Time
From: ArawnOlec

" No please!!! " Arawn yelled, blood dripping from his face as he struggled. The raider leader striking him viciously in the mouth with the handle of his dagger.
" Tell me now!! " The raider leader screamed in his face...taking the mangled left ear in his hand and twisting it hard.
" I told you, I have no gold " Arawn yelled, between heaving breaths of pain. His wife and daughters screaming and crying and pleading with the raiders.
The raider leader looked at him for a moment and turned to the men holding his family.
" Kill the wench.....but have some fun first " He sneered and turned and spat into Arawns' face
Malisa screamed and fought as the men threw her to the ground, one ripping her dress down and off her body and the other holding her down. Arawns screams become those of rage as his wife struggled and fought, screaming as the men took her violently. His daughters cried and screamed, them men holding them fightinh them as they tried to break away and run. Arawn fought and struggled...the edges of his vision becoming black. And suddenly a knife flashed up in one of his wifes rapists hand and it came
down quickly, once, twice, thrice....Malisa's gurgling scream fading off as the life left her body.
" Noooooooo!!!! " Arawn cried.....his voice and soul breaking as he struggled uselessly against his captors.......the blackness in his vision closed in and suddenly he felt a fae chill and voice spoke to him from out of the dark.
>I can give you the strength Arawn Olec....I can give you the power to kill these animals with your bare hands and save whats left of your family<
>Who are you?? Please.....I will do anything, anything!<
A malefic laugh answered him.
>I am Mordja the Dark One, your soul Arawn, pledge it to me and I will give you this gift.<
Without hesitation Arawn answered.
>Yes!!! Anything!!!!<
A dark laugh rang out in his mind and suddenly he was concoius again, a thrill racing down his spine as the skin of his body began to ripple and swell, muscles becoming huge and violence ripping through his mind as he threw his captors from him. Turning quickly and bashing his massive fist into the side of ones head, caving it in with a spray of blood and brains and then as the other attacked from behind he ducked down quickly, avoiding the blade and spun, kick his enemys' feet out from under
him and falling upon him quickly, with one great, violent twist, he snapped the raiders neck and flew back up standing. Taking the rushing leader across the throat in a mighty clothesline and throwing him to the ground. Arawn took the mans dagger from his hand and stabbed him in the chest, then brought the blade in a quick slice across his neck, blood spraying on to him from the pulsing carotid as the man gurgled and writhed upon the ground.
Arawn stood quickly and looked over to where his daughters had been held, but saw nothing but their bloody corpses lying together as the rest of the raiders fled towards the forest.
" Noooooooooo!!!!!!!! " Arawn screamed, his voice the sound of a raging beast as a dark laugh
sounded in his mind. He sprinted towards the forest.....quickly catching the slowest runner, in a flash he picked the man up took his leg, turning quickly he smashed the mans face into a large rock and dropped the limp corpse and sprinted after the others.
Arawn pushed these memories aside....his inhumanly quick pace had brought him to a large city he had never been to before. Entering the gates he calmed himself and walked down the cobbled street.
He saw a large building to his right and heard the sound of combat coming from it. He stepped to the door and looked in and saw many people locked in combat and others watching and talking among themselves.
A bitter smile cracked his visage and he walked in. Mabye he would stay here awhile.