Mrassay.... a chapter of the Legacy(1)

[The_Fallen]

Hello, my name is Vlad, I am 17 and I am form Romania. This is actually a part of a story I call 'The Legacy' and I would like to see what do you think about the way it is written. (please excuse my many errors and plenty of misspellings)
Enjoy:



The first hours of the day found Eeru on the edge of the last step, the one that opened the path to the fortress of Mrassay. His feet seemed like the roots of one of the elven trees, strong enough to host a city of elves, just as the one’s where he woke up after escaping Gamonaar. So many thoughts and memories, so many scars and bruises, wounds that were his as he stood on the edge of the mountain and looked at them, yet he did not remember the pain that carved them on his body, only one pain and suffering he remembered, and that was the shredding apart of his heart whenever he was faced alone with the endless torments of the dark.
The wind that blew by his ears brought all of the whispers and kind words given by his family, words that he cherished and loved, not like the ones of his brother, which were harsh and heavy on his heart. It was just now that he stopped seeking the answers of his past and of his home, that he got them, or part of them at least. He was Eerunidan, son of Ladrael, grandson to Grantl, a line of men loosing their beginning somewhere with the founding of Shan’Ador. All of his friends lived near the castle of Shan, just as Eeru did, yet from all he was least wealthy , but fairest in thought and strength.
He had no recollection of his kin before his grandfather for he was no noble blood, though many times he proved himself to be above the rulers of his homeland, yet he did not find him as that nor did he desired for others to find him otherwise, as he knew men have both rights and wrongs and he judged or weight the others not lower than him. He barely lifted a sword ever before than the day he left for Kel and he did not went through so many battles, yet he did swing his sword with such ease of arm and how did he storm the battlefield with such wrath, yet more and more he questioned himself ’Who is Ganeth?’
Such questions and answers, given by him that could not be so true for the concerns pressing him, got him through the long hours of the long hours of the night, from the darkest moment to the time when the cold winds foretell the rising of the sun.
As his eyes were watching the mountain line to the west, which he could not tell if it was Sib and Graar or the others that lied even further than Gamonaar and Nim Nial, the elven settlement, another pair, older and weakened, followed him from a few feet behind. The old Kindar stood up all night, talking to Hethgar and Sobregai about the boy and what they knew of Eeru, the old dwarf knew as well from now on. Being passed by most joys and sorrows, Kindar understood the fate of Eeru, just as well as what was asked of him. He hurt for having knowledge of these, but he was glad, for Eeru was, in his eyes, stronger than any ordeal in his path.
`In a few hours, after the sun has risen, the soldiers will show their heads from over there…’ he pointed out west, moving his finger a little to the south. `The winds and storms have seized for many miles around. It will not e long until the first will come and set camp,and many more will follow, from the west they come, to the east, to conquer it.’ mumbled Kindar. He spoke through his thick white beard as if he told these to many, but no one listened, not even Eeru couldn’t have heard him for the dwarf almost whispered his words.
`I fear I brought upon your heads a great menace and I can not turn it back.’ said Eeru, almost as cried, but with dreadful pain in his heart.
`It is no menace you brought that wouldn’t have come one day. From what I know and heard, none of you are cowards but growing heroes… You don’t need to tell me what you have done and neither do you need me to tell you what you have been through. What we must face tomorrow or in the days to come, you were given to face it here, with your friends and us beside you, just as we were meant to stand our ground with you by our side.’
Eeru moved his head slowly towards the dwarf and whispered . `It is, still, enough to bring sorrow’s bitter taste to all. This battle is one I wish to pass fast, with all of its vile days.’
Kindar smiled and spoke only when he saw the slight confusion in Eeru’s eyes. `My boy, dwarfs are warriors. We care not for wounds or great battles. My brave soldiers are smiling. The spoils of war go to the victors they say, as they polish their hammers and their axes.’ Kindar turned and walked towards the way to the fortress, yet before he began climbing the path, he turned his head once more. `Do not rush time, lad. It goes too fast already. Enjoy all that you see and hear for memories are or only great wealth.’
Eeru did not move, but he heard his words. Kindar took another few moments to gaze at the boy. As the wind started blowing, Eeru’s red cape spread in front of him, covering the horizon ahead of his eyes. `I wonder if it will not be him who will conquer the lands beyond Thabar’vu.’ thought Kindar and retreated to his home.
Eeru stood and watched over the lands below and did not move from his place for a long time. There was nothing more that bothered him and there was no need that he felt but one, to hold the mountains and the forests in his eyes for one moment, at least. As the sun rose up, Eeru saw how the light pushed back the cover of darkness from the dwarven realms and the thick woods beyond. Only by now he felt the cold making its way through his clothes, but he did not move. He did not want to leave his place despite all that may have been.
This place was truly great and wonderful, doing justice to the rumors that say of the dwarfs to have built great cities close sky, in places where gods lived one long time ago. A child in the eyes of some and a man in the eyes of others, it did not make any difference how anyone looked at him, Eeru kept thinking `A day will come when I will prove over the riddles of this world.’, leaving only when the rays of the sun touched his bottom step of the great stairway.
He returned less burdened than he left and found all of his friends sitting at a large table, near to the entrance of the war hall.
`We have news and they are not to our favor.’ said Claw as Eeru approached the table quickly.
`We first knew that the number of soldiers coming behind us raises at two hundred and fifty and no more…’ added Sobregai.
`But how many are they?’ shouted Eeru seeing that no one continued. Concern was written in his eyes and his hand trembled upon the back of the chair on which he was leaning, as he waited for an answer.
`Over two thousand and five hundred.’ came the reply from Jalan, who gave his answer with such coldness as if it was fought already and the end was known, in the same manner that the others suspected it to come. Eeru let his whole body fall on the chair and took his fingers through his hair as if he tried to chase away his worries.
`There are five hundred of us here.’ Began Kindar, not giving up hop.
`That is all we could gather of our own. I called all of our warriors from the mines and two hundred came so far, making our numbers only five times lesser to theirs. By tonight, `The stairway is broad enough for only ten to pass side by side, even less if the y are big. Maybe…’ Heviel looked for approval in their eyes but he would not find any, just Sobregai’s interruption.
`Your thoughts are well placed but of no use now. My boy, these are knights from a dreadful place that only in the tales of the elders you have heard of. They are not men and they do not take their magic steel off never. It is that which gives them strength. They have only one purpose in their unnatural lives, to pass any creature that is not of their kin through the tip of their sword. And even if we find a way to pass this great danger, there will be the rest of those who made the dark pact coming after us, only as savage and ruthless as these foes which we will find it hard to fight against. What we are discussing now, my lad,’ he said, looking at Eeru. `Is a way off this mountain. In no more than five days, Mrassay will fall in the hands of the enemy.’
As much as he tried to show confusion, Eeru understood what happened, and why did it happen.

 

[The_Fallen]

Mrassay, part 2

`But where will you go? Frost covers this land for many days around…’ added Eeru, foolishly trying to get the old dwarf to stand his ground against the better chance.
`It is two days that I need. Eastern yet, by north, we find the mountain Vabridam, holding a keep much more stronger and better protected. With us there, we may live through this as well as those at Vabridam. We will settle after the first battle if we leave the next night or the one after… choosing by how many will die tomorrow.’
Eeru could not stand to hear the words of the old dwarf, spoken this way. The others did not question the dwarven chieftain, yet Eeru had one more thing to say.
`Than put me in the first line. It is us they came after and I shall give them enough to take back with them to the Nether Realm.’
Hethgar smiled bitterly at the boy’s undoubted courage. `My boy, know that these are the knights of one of the most ancient of orders, Kabras. They do not fight from the back and they are not mischievous. They begin marching at dawn and they set their swords down at sun set, after that they do not lift it until the next dawn. They use no bows or axes, only swords and spears weighing almost as much as a man. They are strong and undefeated at sword fighting…’ he replied trying to convince him to stay in the back, more with his eyes rather than with his words.
`I don’t care. It makes no difference whether I die in the first or in the last line, I just want to be the morning’s blood reaver. It will be my sword to draw first blood, and it will be it to draw the last drop.’
Kindar tilted his head, showing that he approves with the boy’s wild courage, however, Hethgar, Sobregai and Jalan did not. Theirs was the knowledge that told them otherwise than to let Eeru throw himself into the dangers he did not know enough about. If Claw and Raven wouldn’t have recognized the look full of wrath and burning fire that Eeru kept well hidden, they might have tried to persuade their friend to reconsider, but they all knew Eeru was too stubborn to take back a step from the path that he saw as the right one.
`For the sake of gods, boy, think again.’ stuttered Hethgar with his iron like voice. `The first line is the one to fall first, as you must live to see another day.’ he tried to convince Eeru but he was cut short by the spite of the boy’s tongue.
`I must live so they’s would die? I can not live and let die. I can not seal another’s fate when the seal is mine to break.’
Hethgar, who until then stood arched over the table, let himself fall back, slamming his broad back against the chair that seemed ready to collapse underneath him.
`Maybe the first line will hold. I will make sure of it when I will hold you by my side.’ smiled kindly Sobregai. If the dwarfs were strong enough to hold against these menacing nightmares of worlds forgotten long ago, they did not know, but Sobregai was sure that the nine blades of those sitting at the table would hold the greater foe.
Caressing his beard, Hethgar held his face in the shadow stirring his thoughts and weighing them, until he found the one to which he gave word. `If they are but less than three times more than us, it may be that we do not have to leave Mrassay. One or two days we can't hold them on the stairs, and if their number falls under one thousand and ours not lower than four hundreds, the keep will stand yet another victory.’ he said with utmost trust.
`My braves, the more I listen to you, the more my heart grows and worries leave my side. You do a great good to an old dwarf, that is no more fearsome than a goat of the same age.’ laughed slowly Kindar. `But let us rest a few more hours until the horns of war will give news of the last hour of peaceful sleep. Drink and eat as you please, for the wine you pour into your cups today will be the blood that you will pour on the steps of stone tomorrow.’
All left after a while, only Hethgar and Sobregai remained, having things to discuss that could not have been said as the others were there. After finishing his cup, Sobregai wiped the glittering red drops that slipped on his mighty chin. `There are things that bother you still, my old friend.’ Smiled Sobregai. `Things that you began saying earlier but did not finish. Well, my ears are the only ones to hear you now, if you wish to share your thoughts.’ he added on the same calm tone of voice which he never changed.
`I don’t like it. I don’t like it at all. The young ones should not fight this battle. We risk too much by leaving them defenseless in the face of such a danger.’ mumbled Hethgar, keeping his arms crossed.
`Nine hundred dwarfs is not what I would call defenseless, and even if we were to leave Mrassay now, they would still follow us. It is not a fight we can't win if we run.’ Sobregai was not pleased with Hethgar’s will to retreat before the odds prove right, yet he could not hold any harsh feelings towards him for the dwarf was only trying to protect the boy. Leaving aside the sorrow brought by their words, Sobregai followed as calm as before. `Let him have his will, there is no harm that can happen to him. I will keep him from any great danger, though…’
Hethgar started just as if he was awaken from a deep sleep. `Though?’ he asked, recalling Sobregai from what myst he was lost in, for his eyes searched a place that was not near him.
`Though I do not think he will need my help as much as we need his. There is a strange move of his hand when it holds the blade. I remember seeing at the tower of Kel the way he fought. He does not leave light wounds unless he follows with grave ones and he does not leave breath in those who stand in his way. The sword he grasps never fails to hit and it leaves the flesh with the life of his foe draining from the wound.’
What Sobregai was telling him, was not unknown to Hethgar, he had also seen the wrath that Eeru could unleash, yet instead of keeping a harsh face, Hethgar couldn’t help himself not to burst into laughter. As much as he tried to understand, Sobregai couldn’t and he stared confused at the dwarf, letting him finish.
`We talk about things far more worse than most can imagine, and he couldn’t care less!’ he laughed, pointing somewhere beyond the entrance of the war hall. Turning to see why Hethgar bursted into such a strange laughter, Sobregai also showed a smile as he saw Eeru laying on some bundles, covered with his cape. It seemed that nothing could have disturbed him from his sleep, not even the mountains if they were to fall upon him. Hethgar and Sobregai kept their seats, talking about all they could think of and made no sense but brought laughter to them.
So, the morning ended quickly, just as noon that was more kind in warmth and sunlight. Yet, it was only until the first signs of twilight that Claw came running through the gates, shouting. `They are here! Ready your weapons, they are here.’
The still keep became a swarming pool of restless dwarfs, all barging or breaking into their homes, grabbing their armory and rushing through the gates. A few moments after this happened, Eeru woke up, disturbed by all the noise and made his way through the crowd, gripping tight on the shield of his sword. Having reached the place from where Jalan and Sobregai kept watch, Eeru wiped his eyes from the mire set upon them and gaze towards the lower valley, as Jalan whispered. `They found us. They are here.’
If two thousand and five hundred was the count of the warriors, than the sight did not do justice to that number for they seemed as many more. With torches lit, held above their heads and in the sound of the war drums, the knights of Kabras had the face of a dragon or a beast of such kind, brought to the world by fire and black winds. As they all set in the valley and put out their torches, a pressing silence stilled the agitation of the dwarfs. Being caught yet in the remains of the sleep, Eeru yawned as if the knights were no worry to him and tapped Jalan’s shoulder. `Next time wake me when something more important calls for it.’ and turned to his place of rest. Jalan gave a quick look to the boy, over his shoulder and underneath his raised eye brow, and let loose a smile in the corner of his mouth.
`One’s foes are as dangerous as one sees them. For the boy they are no worst than kittens.’ smiled Sobregai and turned. Again, the elf smiled thinking of Sobregai’s words. `Kittens…’ he thought.
The elves held rarely animals or beasts close to their homes rather than horses, but the name of this creature was known as it was the image that came to his mind. Many years ago he knew some men that took care of these animals and it was no harsh thought he could have while thinking of them. With a small weight lifted off his heart, Jalan returned to the keep, searching for Hethgar and Kindar , as Eeru sat on a crate, watching the sun that was fading behind the far mountains, just as he watched it rise hours ago. `What is one’s life if not the remains of a passing day and the blisters and wounds with which to prove its passing.’ Leaving gloomy thoughts aside, Eeru had his dinner with his friends and took his night’s rest in the same house as one night before.
There was fright and the lack of it that made the night go fast or slow in the keep, but without mattering what was in the heart of each in the fortress, the hours of rest passed, all but two that parted dark from dawn, and then it was that with a silence no louder than a tomb’s, the keep came to life with the awaking of all of the dormant.

 

[The_Fallen]

Mrassay, part 3

A slight touch of the fingers on his chest and Eeru was awake. Sobregai was standing near his bed, with a bundle of weapons underneath his arm. `You must eat something before we go to war. he whispered and pointed to the table where Claw, Raven and Heviel waited for him. One candle only shed some light on the room and no other said one word, as Eeru did not break the silence, seeing that his friends had their breakfast in silence. It was as rich as the dwarfs afforded to give and it did not proved to be unsatisfying. The same roasted meat and some fruit filled their plates, more than enough and new clothes have been layed on another table, near the one upon which they ate.
Holding his hands tight in a grip, Sobregai watched them as they finished eating, with no thoughts but that of filling the emptiness in their bowels. He said nothing to disturb them, yet the moment they were done, Sobregai unfolded the bundle in front of them and stepped back. `Chose whatever you find better suited to your hand. It will serve as good as you use it.’ he said as he watched with concern how they scattered through the stack but it would not last this concern for he breathed relieved as he saw Claw and Raven taking only the quivers full of arrows that they could find. His only worry layed in Heviel, who took two daggers, longer at blade than normal, still it made Sobregai restless. Taking his turn as the last one, Eeru took another sword, the lightest of the four in the bundle, yet the best crafted. It was easy to wield and useful as a replacement to a shield, the one thing that bothered Eeru was its size, being shorter than the Aycarath, due to it being less heavier.
The time was passing and all they did was waiting for Jalan to come and call them. The young ones never knew the fear of death as they did now. It was not in their nature to question the ways of this world, although the strongest of feelings have taken over them. In the dim light of the candle, Eeru saw how Raven and Claw shivered as they counted their arrows. If he had less control over himself, Eeru would have released such a shout that Rygedrim himself could have heard it from Kel’As her, but he held his pain inside. He could not tell if it was death itself or being alone that he feared, either way, he had enough of both. The moments passed slowly, but Jalan appeared, opening the door no more than he needed to show his face and say. `It is time.’ Making himself unseen behind the western wall. The boys found it harder to get ready than to take their steps to the gates of the keep. They did not walk in the first row for they were to take their place only before the battle, instead, they followed Hethgar, Sobregai and Jalan. As they passed the gate, they saw each and every dwarf rising their left fist, shouting.
`What is it that they say?’ asked Heviel, as he came close to Hethgar.
`Ada e Krâshva dgur laf suba dhgram. May the dawns shine upon my death… Dle subam ulbdam ahgat neramd… for I will not return. My kin does not fear death for it will be the moment they fall that they will see again all of their lost kins and te great gods that spawned the dwarfs. You should be careful today if you do not wish to join those to cross the realms.’ said Hethgar as he turned and watched Heviel, then Eeru.
`I do not fear to cross the realm of shadow. I have been there more than once and it frightens me no more than these wretched knights.’ said Eeru as he looked at the blade of his sword and how its tip made the ground seem further than the touch of his feet. How long was the road and how short was the time.
Reaching the stairs, Eeru jumped on the highest rock he could find so he would see the valley at the bottom of the steps, but he saw nothing for a dreadful myst arose and covered the lands somewhere below the half of the stairs climb. As much as he tried to see them, for at least one glimpse, he could not , thus he turned his face to Jalan, begging him with his eyes to say something, but Jalan lowered his sight to the ground.
`I can not see. The fog is too thick… we will see them only when it will be too late to turn back.’ Jalan took his place near Sobregai and the others, just as Eeru did. They all started marching down to the valley, as the myst kept rising and showed no sign that it was ending. There was no sound other than that of their stomping boots. As they kept walking, Eeru began hearing another sound, the lower they went. It was yet another thump, but not as their own, their foes paced as one and as one their dreadful march was heard. Eeru drew only the Aycarath and prepared himself, as in a few moments, the fog seemed less thick, though it was not so, for he saw what were to him ghosts and phantoms. Tall shapes darkened through the fog and approached them quickly. Broad armors and fearsome swords, helms with spikes and horns and nothing but black and red to cover them as if they were the progenies of death. There were but three steps that parted Eeru from the first warrior, one not less fowl than the others, but greater. The blade he carried, he set it down, with its tip touching the bottom of the step on which Eeru stood, and leaned forward to the boy, as Eeru heard the heavy breath that passed the narrow opening of the helm worn by the knight.
`Knava’sh’kala n adman brud. Drahgl’t gramai dmûn d’larm’n.’ sounded in the ears of the boy, yet he understood the words, for it was not the tongue of Kabras but one far more fowl, one he understood though he did not speak it. `You own what our master desires. By your blood he quenches his thirst.’ was what he said and thus arose his sword, but Eeru would mot fall prey. He kicked the knight in the chest as hard as he could, making him roll down the steps a long way until he stopped, throwing down many on his way. Seeing that the chieftain was nowhere near, Eeru got struck by a shiver in his heart and a feeling that he should slay that who made the threat. In the place where the knight stood, Eeru jumped and the first hit delivered was a thrust of his sword right into the slit of a knight’s helm, more than sure slashing his eyes. No more than a few moments he held his sword stuck in the helm, that it seemed as a time longer than years, as besides him, the battle had no sound, no mourn and no face. Breaking that feeling, Eeru quickly withdrew his sword and followed with a slash to the left and one to the right, both deadly and precise, thus making a way for himself to advance. He had eyes only for the foes as around him he did not watch what his friends or the dwarfs were doing.
When the first stroke was given, Claw, Raven and Jalan jumped off the stairway and shot their arrows to those that seemed to prevail over the dwarfs, as Sobregai’s strength was not to be matched by any of the foes, as he crushed them underneath his great axe. They seemed untouchable by any steel that was not theirs and no harm could come to them, but the dwarfs proved not to be as strong as they, as they fell as many as the knights.
Some hours passed, until noon came, and Eeru and his friends were still holding back the hoard as all around them death spared none. His arm felt not as rested as it did at dawn but it could still lift the Aycarath and prove over an enemy. He kept fighting until each time he lifted his sword he felt pain in his arm and his shoulder, and he would have left Sobregai crippled, when he grabbed Eeru’s shoulders, if the blow wasn’t slow enough for him to avoid it.
`Fall back!’ Sobregai kept shouting when he saw Eeru would not give up the fight . `Enough!’ he shouted again and grasped Eeru’s shoulders and began pulling him to the top of the stairway.
On his way up, the boy saw his two friends, Claw and Raven firing their bows and many times he wanted to rush and help them, but Sobregai would not let him, instead he said. `Have no worries for them. They will follow soon.’ and so it was. It did not pass long until Claw, Raven, Heviel and Jalan were all, together, behind the gates of the keep.
`They are too many and we have too few bows to fight against them.’ cried out Raven. Claw counted his arrows and saw he did not fire as many as he thought, though his aim never failed.
`The dwarfs are not as strong as we thought. Maybe we should prepare to go.’ murmured Jalan, gazing in each one’s eyes.
`Either way we turn from this battle, as victorious or defeated, the day is not yet done and we will not leave Kindar and his warriors alone. If the next dawn rises for our enemies, then it will be our last day here and we will take the road northern, to Ledra.’
As if he did not care of what they said or of the lingering sound of clashing metal, Eeru grasped the handle of a water bucket and turned it over above his head, feeling the cold water wash away the sweat and blood in which his armor bathed.
`I wonder how long will it last.’ said Heviel, staring into the far horizon. `Not longer than it lasted until now. Sun down draws closer in winter.’ said Jalan and sat down on the nearest thing he found.
One hour’s worth of rest passed and they returned to their place in the battle. Each dead and each wounded, that could not continue fighting, they saw falling down the steps, just as they saw how many were left, for the fog had lifted. Where was the blood thirst and the rage he felt in the morning, Eeru did not know, for so much blood was enough to bring his insides out if they were not empty, but his blood did boil as he saw the one that threatened, coming forth through the dwarfs, finding no difficulties in passing them. unleashing a dreadful shout, Eeru ran down towards him, holding his swords as he would hold a lance.




sorry for the order they were posted in... I wished for it to be one end through the other but I hope it is of no matter