IMEARLY DRAWS HIS NEW SWORD AND PREPARES FOR BATTLE.

Wednesday, May 18, 2005 10:15:26 AM

I don't do normal, so here are the rules.

As long as you are willing to vote, I will be willing to write.

Don't bother correcting the grammar and spelling mistakes that I will make.

Remember, humor is always a bonus.




ImEarly looked down to the sheath he was recently given. The hilt of the sword held within its walls called to him.
“I will stay and fight.” He said to the lead horseman, beads of sweat began to build upon his forehead as the horseman who would stay and fight slowly guided their horses around to face the enemy whose cloud of dust specked the horizon, threatening torment, suffering and death.

ImEarly looked closely at his new companions, most looked too old for battle. They looked like poor farmers, vagabonds…peasants. What were these men doing out here, their armor was dented and misshapen, their eyes dull. The men guided their horses around ImEarly and Dagon. The lead horseman glanced around to them. “Stay behind us at all times, and don’t enter the battle unless you have no choice.” He turned and resumed his position at the head of the formation.
“What was that all about?” ImEarly asked.
With a slight frown, Dagon replied. “Odeon is the Marshall of our region. He’s just rewarding our youthful courage with an opportunity to flee unseen.” Dagon shuffled a little in his saddle, and smiled. “I have no intention to run.”
ImEarly wasn’t sure about himself.
Dagon guided his horse behind the others and ImEarly maneuvered beside him.
With a raised arm, Marshall Odeon controlled the masses, he swiftly threw it forward and they immediately charged the looming shadow of death.

The sun was close to setting, and the enemy they approached grew closer and ever more enigmatic. The pacing horsemen were silent, all the horses but ImEarly’s grew apprehensive. They slowed their pace and it seemed as if they were positioning themselves closer to ImEarly. The horsemen fought to keep them in formation, but they would not obey their masters, they were somehow drawn to ImEarly.
It took the enemy little time to grow close, the horses neighed and the horsemen drew their swords.
A small salvo of arrows pierced the night and fell one of the horses, it threw its rider several feet before it, but ImEarly never saw him hit the ground. They quickened the horses again, determined to take the fight to them.
“Ready, men!” Shouted Odeon.

ImEarly obeyed the Marshall’s order and drew his own sword. His pulse quickened and his breathing was measured. He knew that if he wasn’t careful that he would die here, on an unknown field, in an unknown world. He didn’t like that he was alone and confused… but that was forgotten.
ImEarly had seen the enemy.

He had read of them in books, seen them on the television and in movies. He’d seen them in magazines.

He had one on his desktop.

A dragon, no dragons, slightly larger then the horses they rode upon, their nostrils aflame, their confidence infallible. Four sharp talons attached to two hooves below massive legs, their armored flesh as crimson as the dusk surrounding them. Atop the creatures were men in heavy armor, large bows upon their backs, murder in their eyes. A war cry issued from the horsemen and the charge turned into a suicidal flood of horse and man flesh. The two rushing hordes collided and the blood began to fall, Odeon immediately attacked the neck of the closest wyvern. It collapsed as his blade bit deep into its neck.
“There is no armor there!” Dagon shouted. He then guided his horse deeper into the fray, unafraid and ready to do battle.
ImEarly sat there silent and watchful. The horsemen before him were heavily engaged in the battle and outnumbered the enemy three to one. The wyvern riders didn’t attempt to stop the horsemen’s attacks, and they fell one and two at a time. ImEarly inspected one of the wyvern riders more closely and could see that he carried no sword. The bows on their backs appeared to be their only weapons.

All at once, as if a hidden signal had passed between the wyverns, they began their attack.
Mighty bellows issued from the creatures and like limber kittens they pounced upon horse and rider alike. Their stone cutting claws slid through the armor and flesh of the horses and horsemen like water. The cries of the men all but drowned out the voracious bawling of the wyverns as they tore apart and feasted upon their prey. Many of the men attempted to retreat but were mowed down and devoured. ImEarly with sword in hand shook from foot to hair. The formation before him parted like the sea and one of the wyverns tore after him. ImEarly guided his horse to the right of the formation and attempted to flee. The horse responded like sound and quickly ate away at the darkening earth, after a moment ImEarly heard the thunderous claws of the Wyvern as it closed the distance. He felt heat upon his neck and knew that his time had come.
The heat intensified and just as his last moment had come, a powerful radiance enveloped him and he was temporally blindly by its brilliance. The horse under him twisted sharply and he was thrown violently to the ground. After the concentrated glow had faded, ImEarly and his horse both struggled to their feet. The wyvern was gone and the sounds of battle gave way to the sound of retreat. The wyvern riders were sprinting away from the gaggle of torn horsemen, the men who survived the encounter no longer cared for their fleeing foe. All eyes were on ImEarly.
“The mages have returned!” One of the horsemen shouted.
Suddenly all around him the men were cheering, and celebrating their victory.

The silhouette of Odeon materialized out of the formation, he no longer was on horseback but still moved with the permanence of a dozen mustangs.
“We have to talk.” He said when he stood beside ImEarly.
They moved away from the still celebrating men and Odeon faced him with a challenging eye.
“Why didn’t you tell us you were one of the Cruxborn?”
“What are you talking about?” ImEarly challenged in return.
Odeon grabbed ImEarly by the shirt and pulled him close. “If you had magic to use, you could have done it before I lost half of my men! Will you tell their women and children that you allowed them to die?”
“Allowed them to die? I don’t know how I survived.”
“I saw you destroy the wyvern with my own eyes, don’t lie to me young sorcerer.”
“I didn’t destroy anything, I though I was dead.” ImEarly pulled himself from the oxen like Odeon, and hoped that he would keep his hands to himself. He let ImEarly pull away, but leaned in close. “You either do right by these men or I’ll show you that not all men are afraid of the Cruxborn.”
“Do right!” ImEarly fought to retain his temper. “I didn’t do wrong. How can I do anything to help, when I can’t help myself?”

“I think I know how.” A voice floated from among the formation. ImEarly looked to the speaker, and found that the horsemen had left their celebration and were watching the conflict between ImEarly and Odeon with interest. ImEarly grew nervous, thinking of what these men would do to him, but relaxed somewhat when the speaker came forth.
It was Dagon.
“We take him to the kobold watchers, they will know how best to use his power.”

Odeon locked eyes with Dagon for a moment and replied. “We don’t have time, the message must be delivered.”
“The message is still in route, the wyverns are gone. We should have no problem.”
Odeon considered Dagon’s proposal carefully, and then focused again on ImEarly “We could spare two men to escort you.” Regardless, the rest of us will ride for the city.”
ImEarly didn’t like the idea of three riding alone in a dangerous countryside in the dead of night, but wasn’t terribly comfortable in continuing the journey to Herothgard with Odeon.

To be continued May 25th....





ImEarly rides to Herothgard



ImEarly seeks council with the kobold watchers