Fantasy The True Strength of The Warrior

[Xillia]

Everything soon became silent in her mind as she looked up into the rainy sky, a tear sliding down her cheek as Artorias' face came into image of her mind, the only thing she could see, her lips silently formed what she had try to say for so long, "I... love... you... Artorias."

 

[Rook]

Adrian took the sword. He looked up at the sky, at the girl before him, at the knight. He expelled every emotion he was feeling and raised the sword. He gritted his teeth, inhaled deeply, and brought it down, straight through the white strider. He felt droplets of blood splatter across his face.

 

[Xillia]

Christina's eyes flashed open and then slowly shut themselves, muttering, "The White Strider dies here..." She spewed blood from her mouth as her body nullified her brain of all pain. The crimson flesh had became a deep gap in her stomach, her innards were visible as were pumping in effort to keep her body running.

 

[Rook]

He raised the sword again, bringing the sword higher. Adrian closed his eyes as he slashed, this time, feeling it go much deeper. He dropped the sword and fell back, holding his hand over his mouth. Skinning an animal was one thing- executing a human was another.


MIkhail looked away as another person took the sword from the ground, continuing the execution. Blood had splattered across part of his armor, which he neglected to wipe away.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Artorias sat at the edge of the cliff, staring down at the drop, ignoring everything, a hole where his heart used to be, having failed himself and his friend, unable to stay with her even in her final moments. He started to cry, letting go of his restraint, letting all his anger and sorrow flow out of him, feeling as if he was unworthy to live, opening his eyes, staring at the drop again, this time with more interest. "I failed myself, I failed my friends, hell, I'd probably fail killing myself if I threw myself off this cliff." He sighed, wondering why his heart still hurt so much, even though he thought he knew the answer, he still pushed it away, unwilling to accept it into his heart he might have failed the only one he could, or ever would truly care for, yet deep down he knew, he had failed not only a friend, but he had failed his feelings of love. He merely stared down, feeling hollow, ignoring the cold nose against his hand, completely numb. Artorias just sat there, not responding as Sif jumped up into his lap and curled up, not noticing the necklace around Sif's neck, he was dead in all but the physical sense at that point,

 

[Xillia]

Soon she was all but bloody remains, her body was indistinguishable from that of a rotting corpse and blood, flesh, and bone were everywhere.

 

[Rook]

Mikhail waved at the guards who began clearing the town square. Citizens began leaving, with their need for blood satiated. A single man stayed- the fist one to cut the girl. He was sitting in front of the table, silent.


Adrian had been confused when the execution had begun. Artorias had left, out of what he figured was kindness. To avoid seeing the girl he clearly cared for die. But something else clicked in his mind. He hadn't just left, he had left her. Quiet anger began growing in his mind.

 

[Xillia]

There was silence in the capital as a gentle breeze billowed through the city. Sif rubbed his head up against Artorias as the blood rolled off of the alter, it was dark and the rain only continued to fall harder, it was cold, a fitting place to die.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Artorias sighed, once again looking at the jump, yet still holding back, feeling as if he didn't deserve such a quick end, having made Christina suffered, he deserved more, much more. He just sat in stone cold silence, watching the rain, his footprints outside the capital were full of water, staring out against the clean pure snow, leading anyone who would care enough to find him, to comfort him, though it would do no good, or to end him.

 

[Xillia]

Sif's wet tongue found it's way to Artorias' chin, as the necklace gently tapped against the Ex-Knight's chest.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Artorias looked down, hearing the soft clink of the necklace hitting his armor, looking at the necklace, recognizing whom it once belonged to, and broke down again, hugging Sif to his chest, crying into the wolf's soft fur. "What have I done?" He softly whispered, tears streaming down his face, staining the wolf's fur.

 

[Xillia]

Sif licked his face as the necklace shined a little, gleaming in the darkened setting. The young pup snuggled up next to his master, gently caressing his cheek with his own.

 

[Rook]

"Could i... have that sword?" Adrian asked the knight quietly. Mikhail was confused, but nodded, pulling it out of the stone. Adrian took it, thanking him. He headed to the gates of the city. Artorias wasnt hard to track like an animal. He climbed onto a horse while the stable master had his back turned, riding after the tracks.

 

[Xillia]

Christina's form of ethereal spirit dwelled in the grand hall as a blaring light sat upon a throne, the same voice appearing to reach her soul, 'YOUR TASK IS NOW COMPLETE.' The much smaller spirit went back and forward, clearing going off on a rant. 'CONTROL YOURSELF CHILD! I SAVED YOU LIFE NOW IT IS TIME FOR YOU TO RESPECT IT.' The tiny soul moved towards the larger one, clearly antagonizing it, 'I DON'T UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN, WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO GO BACK?' The spirit began to slouch away quietly before returning with forward determination, 'SO... YOU WISH TO CHEAT DEATH AND RETURN? TO DO SO... YOU MUST TRAVEL TO THE DEPTHS OF HELL... RETURN WITH THE FRAGMENT OF THE LORD OF CORRUPTION HIMSELF.' Christina's soul shined a little, 'IF YOU DO SO, YOU SHALL BE GIVEN A NEW BODY, AND YOU WILL BE ALLOWED TO RETURN TO EARTH... ON ONE CONDITION, YOU HAVE TO SERVE ME FOR ETERNITY.' The larger one boomed over her as the small one debated her options, eventually setting it straight in her heart. 'VERY WELL, RETURN WHEN THE TASK IS COMPLETE.' And then a purple light surrounded the small spirit, enveloping it as it disappeared from the great hall.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Artorias softly petted Sif, sighing, "What to do now? I can't go back, yet I have nowhere to move forward to. I'd be charged with treason if I enter a village of my old lord, yet I'd be charged with war crimes if I go down to the south." Artorias sighed, standing up with Sif on his shoulder, "Who knows buddy, you could teach me to live like a real wolf."

 

[Xillia]

Sif barks excitedly, panting his tongue with a gentle smile as he gets playful with his master.

 

[Rook]

Adrian pulled the reigns on his horse, slowing down as he approached the cliff where he had saved Christina. He saw a man standing, immediately recognizing the fleeing knight. Growling, he jumped off his horse, loosening his dagger and Christina's sword, which he had slipped into his belt.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Artorias smiled slightly, rubbing Sif's soft furry belly. "Well, I guess we should get going Sif, I'd rather not just wait around to find out if my old captain has read the note attached to my ring I threw at him." Artorias softly chuckled, imagining his captain looking at the sentence telling them to have fun hunting. Artorias didn't seem to notice Adrian, yet Sif did, immediately growling back. "Hmm? What's wrong Sif?" He turned around, unsheathing his greatsword. "Oh, it's you..." Artorias looked at the sword, anger and sadness slamming into him, yet quickly disappears. "Put her sword down." Artorias commanded, barely containing his rage.

 

[Rook]

"You dont have any athority as a knight" he answers, glaring at him. "And you lost your authority as an ally when you abandoned her."


He dropped the sword, point sticking into the dirt beneath the snow, before he pulled out his dagger. "I may not be a warrior like either of you were..." he pulls one foot back, grabbing his second dagger from his belt. "But i can still fight."

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

"I didn't abandon her!" He growled, unsheathing his greatsword. "I left for more reasons then just because I didn't want to see it and because I didn't feel strong enough to watch her die. I left because I decided to honor the last thing she told me, she told me to live. I decided that one of the last things she sees isn't me dying to knights trying to reach her. I left because I couldn't trust myself anymore." Artorias sighed, "Just put the weapons down and leave, even without being a knight, I could easily crush you. Besides, you seem to be here to avenge her memory or something like that. She had plenty of chances to kill me, she could've told me to fight beside her and I'd probably have been executed as well." He stopped, glaring at him. "You'd dishonor her memory and what she did by striking me down."

 

[Rook]

"I watched you... you walked away when the bear cut her, beat her!" He shouted. "But if not to avenge her, i come to kill the treasonous knight... the one that abandoned his land for something as fleeting as 'love.'" He crouched slightly, turning his feet forward. "I come to kill you, because i must!" He launched himself at the knight, one dagger stabbing at hsi neck, the other at the chink between his breast plate and shoulder guard.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Artorias grunted, stumbling back, Sif jumping off. "I didn't want to do this..." Artorias ignored the current injuries, lunging forward, swinging his greatsword in a wide arc. "I really didn't wish to do this"

 

[Rook]

Adrian ducked, feeling the sword cut a few of his hairs off. He would have to get in close if he planned on surviving at least half a minute. Quickly, the hunter slashed across the knights chestplate, leaving a faint scratch, but not denting it at all. He should have expected that.

 

[Corrupted Artorias]

Atorias swung again, not planning on giving Adrian time to try and do another attack, yet still not trying to kill him, having had enough with death. "Just give up, I don't want to have to kill you."

 

[Rook]

Adiran growled. Who was he, to act so much higher? He shotued angrily, stabbing straight at the knights neck. Just before he could strike, the ice snow under him gave out, causing him to miss by n inch. The dagger shattered, leaving him with only one left. His dagger, his bow, and... the sword.