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Eddard · Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2013 7:36 pm Post subject: Remembering your past

"You are and forever shall be my pet" The demon said, dragging his sharp claws down the mans back to make the point. The chains were tight around his wrists and ankles and he hung limp from them. How long could it have been since he had been here? Months? Years? The demon was an expert at torture and took his time with the man. His screams echoed down the dark corridors. The demon laughed, "Tell me your name." The man looked at the bloodstained floor between his feet, not daring to lift his eyes.
"I am no one." The man replied, defeated. In fact he was someone, or he used to be. He was a strong and proud warrior, but that was long ago. He began to think about how he ended up in this god forsaken place. But he could hardly remember anything. It had been a long time ago. He was sailing on his ship, Storm Breaker. When they came under attack...
"That is right. You are making progress." Said the demon. Picking up a tool from his rack he began to work on the man again. The man threw himself against his chains in agony, deep painful screams escaping his throat to echo down the damp dark halls. Please kill me! The man prayed over and over again as he looked down at the pool of blood gathering at his feet. He could feel himself slipping into unconsciousness quickly ajd prayed the demon would finish him.
"You have been here a long time. Do you remember who you are?" The demon said as he put his tool back on the rack carefully choosing another. The man shook his head weakly. He couldn't remember. All that he remembered was a city on an island, that he knew he was fond of. And the color blue. Whatever that had to do with anything he could not remember. But just as the demon turned to the man to resume it's work a bright bolt of lightning illuminated the room. It was so bright the man had to squeeze his eyes shut. The demon screamed in agony and turned on his attackers as they flooded into the room. It was then that the man lost consciousness.

"Look there!" A short hooded figure exclaimed pointing at the man hanging from the chains. "From the looks of it this demon has been enjoying himself for quite awhile. Another hooded figure stepped forward, holding his torch closer.
"I know this man." He said. "He has been missing for two years. He is in real bad shape. Get him down from there and bind his wounds. We are taking him with us." The others moved quickly, ready to leave this demons pit for good. The hooded figure took one last look at the torture room before making his aay out with the others. "Let us hope I made it in time brother. "

To be continued. ..

Eddard · Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2013 8:14 pm Post subject:

Eddard woke up with a start. His clothing clung to his skin, soggy with sweat. Breathing heavily he glanced about wildly expecting the demon to return at any moment to continue his work. But he was no longer in the depths of the demons lair. The room was warm and welcoming, a single candle burning on the nightstand next to his bed. "This must be one of the demons tricks." He said to himself. Just then he heard a sound outside the door and it creaked open slowly. Pushing up with his hands he scurried backwards from the door falling from the bed and cowering against the wall, shielding his face with a forearm. "I am no one!" He screamed repeatedly, not daring to open his eyes.
"Eddard! It's me, your brother Lewis!" Said a brawny man running over to kneel down and comfort the once proud and noble warrior. Lewis looked over his brother with pity as he tried to comfort him. He had once been a handsome man, fearless and full of life. A shadow of that man remained. He was missing his left ear, a jagged poorly stitched scar ran from forehead to cheek over his right eye which now was a cloudy white. His skin was pale and sagging littered with numerous scars and wounds, some from battle, but the worst from torture. He was barely skin and bones. The worst was a nasty scar over his abdomen, where the demon would put him on a rack and open him up to 'study' his entrails. Lewis choked down a sob and lifted his brother onto the bed. Eddard fell in to unconsciousness, repeatedly saying " I am no one..."
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Lewis quietly shut the door behind him, making his way to the common room of the inn. He took a seat at the table of his companions. There were four of them, each in a shadowed robe. They were chatting quietly amongst themselves. Lewis glared hard at one in particular. Kai'ren was an elf, and also a necromancer. Lewis did not trust magic, he was simply a smith. But his brother had trusted this elf, so he had sought his help when Eddard had gone missing. The necromancer glanced up from a book he was reading to stare at Lewis. "Something bothering you, Lewis?" He saidin an almost eethereal voice.
"You promised me you would be able to fix him!" Lewis said angrily, slamming his fist on the table. Some of the patrons glanced over but quickly resumed their conversations with a cold glare from Kai'ren.
"The demon had years to work on him Lewis, I have had days. He will be whole again. Be patient." Lewis began to protest but his voice fell silent when Kai'rens eyes glew with anger. "I owe you nothing! I do this to repay my debt to your brother. You would do well to remember that!" And with that Kai'ren and the others stood and took their leave. Lewis sighe, raising his hand to the waiter.
"Another ale! The strongest you have."

To be continued...

Eddard · Posted: Mon Aug 12, 2013 7:59 pm Post subject:

Eddard stood on the bow of the ship, salty water misting his face each time a wave broke over the ship. The wind whipping his long blonde hair, he felt some solace on the ocean. Staring out over the vast emptiness of the sea he almost forgot the troubles of the last few years. He had been spending most of his days below deck with Kai'ren. His old friend who had rescued him with his brother was now resting from the last treatment. Without him Eddard knew he would have been a vegetable, cowering in fear for the rest of his days. He knew the memories of the demons pit and the nightmares would never fade away, but he was determined to drive on and now that they were closer to home he was becoming anxious to see his old friends. It had been several weeks since they had departed on the long voyage across the sea but the captain had assured the party they would arrive soon. Leaning against the railing Eddard sighed, "Nothing will ever be the same."

The sun had set, slowly slipping behind the waves on the horizon. Lewis stood with Kai'ren on the deck. "The treatments are working well. My brother will be himself again in no time!" Lewis said with more optimism than he felt.
"Your brother will never be the same again. You can not imagine the horrors that demon inflicted upon Eddard." Kai'ren said. He looked as though he would collapse at any moment.
"How do you know that?" Lewis asked, anger in his voice.
"Because I have been using my magic to cleanse his mind. And when I do, it creates a bond between us. I see his memories and feel his pain. It is almost as if i was there the whole time." The elfs voice become solemn towards the end.
Lewis said nothing as he continued to watch the sun fade away. Just then both men turned fast as they noticed the crew shouting and bustling around the deck. The two found the captain at the wheel. "What is going on?"
The captain jabbed a stubby finger at a small shape far off port. "Pirates."

To be continued

Eddard · Posted: Fri Aug 16, 2013 7:50 pm Post subject:

Eddard stood below deck in his assigned quarters staring at a chest. It was a normal chest, made of wood with thick iron bands and a lock. But the contents of this chest represented everything he used to be. Could he move on from the nightmare he had endured? He was sceptical. The ship rocked and swayed as the captain performed evasive maneuvering. He could hear their muffled shouts from above but he payed no attention to them. His gaze never lingered from the chest.

Lewis and Kai'ren stood by the captain at the wheel. Grabbing the railing for support each time the captain would turn hard to avoid the cannon balls from the pirate ship. One soared dangerously close to one of the masts, missing by inches. The pirate ship was bigger but with the load the captain had taken in at port, slowed down the companions ship considerably. The pirate ship was gaining on them and fast. Men were shouting and running everywhere. The captain ordered weapons drawn and men began to pass bows and arrows out to the crew. Kai'ren and the other mages withdrew to cover to ready their spells. The captain beamed a smile at Lewis, "Oi hope yer readeh for ah fight, landlubber!"

Eddard carefully removed his armor and weapons laying them out before him. The chainmail felt cold on his skin as he gingerly ran his fingers over it. Picking up his captains insignia he realized his hands were trembling. Memories flooded his mind so quickly he held his head in his hands and squeezed his eyes shut. He remembered Scipio and Ryu, Yasamin and Joseph von Elric, Cal Hurst and Acheron. He remembered them
all. He remembered the good times and the bad, his proud moments and the disappointing ones. They all came to him so quickly it was overwhelming. "I remember." He said as he stood.

A cannon ball whizzed over Lewis's head splitting through the captains cabin and over the side. Their masts were tattered and they were now dead in the water. The other ship was within arrow range and soon the sky was filled with arrows as it drew closer for the kill. Arrows thudded into the deck and railings all over the ship. One man took an arrow to the knee and fell the the deck screaming. Another toppled overboard as an arrow pierced his leather tunic and buried itself in his chest. As soon as it began the barrage was over with only a few casualties. The ship was so close now that the companions could see the pirates on their deck, they were on a collision course. Everyone grabbed something to steady themselves."Brace yeselves!" The captain hhollered right before the ram of the pirate ship slammed into their side and sent splinters and men flying in all directions. One of the masts split and the massive thing creaked and groaned as it fell into the other ship. All hell broke loose.

Eddard threw the door open and stepped onto the deck. Ripping his sword from its place at his hip he held it high as he shouted a battlecry.
"SEMPER VERITAS!"
And charged into the fray.