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Tale of Six Kings - Chap. 3
By Nick Van Owen
Shad looked out the window of his bedchamber, in the highest room in the great hall of Cyndale.Looking out this window he could see for miles around, he would forget himself, his troubles, his problems and just stare at the beautiful northren countryside surrounding him. Many people called the North a desolate wasteland, but to Shad it was home and there was nowhere else he'd rather be.
He looked out the window on the opposite side of the room. That window looked seaward and in the harbour he could see his small fleet forming.His fleet was meager, but it was the fastest and most stealthy. Smuggler's ships they were, although Shad would never admit it almost thirty percent of his house's income was from smuggling. As a result his ship's were small and very fast, with muffled oars and black sails they could outrun and, failing that, hide from any ship on the sea.
He looked out past the harbour, far out, mist covering the sea obscured his vision, but, in the distance one could barely make out a large island. Drake Isle he knew. Home of the drakes, a drake is a large winged lizard about twice as big as a horse (although there are rumours of larger drakes big as castles but Shad dismissed those as whisperings of the common folk) and they could breath fire hot enough to melt a man's flesh from his bones.They could be tamed though and used as a mount in battle, they were expensive though, VERY expensive due to the high risk to life and limb the smuggler's took to obtain an egg. Shad ruled the smugglers so he could obtain an egg much cheaper than many. Besides himself Cerdric was the only lord that owned one, and Shad needed to make sure Cerdric didn't escape.
Upon his arrival he had ordered his drake, Nightwind, to be made ready for war. His drake had scales blacker than pitch except for it's wings which were a dark red. It was larger than most drakes and had a violent temper, it had killed uncautious stable boys who were showing off for friends. The head stablemaster and Shad himself were the only ones who could handle the drake.
"Black and red," he thought, "my house colors. Surely this drake was made for me."His thoughts were disturbed by a knock at his door.
"Enter!"Shad said turning towards the door.
A servant entered and spoke quickly,"M'lord the other lords are arriving for the war meeting."
"Yes, yes. I'll be down in a few moments."Shad replied as the servant ducked out of the doorway. Shad turned and let his robe fall to the floor and began going through his wardrobe for something to wear to the meeting.
While going through his wardrobe( A wardrobe in this sense meaning a freestanding closet not built into the wall but a seperate pice of furniture.) he heard the door creak open behind him. Exasperated he turned towards the opening door.
"I told you a few damn moments for me to dress and......."Shad trailed off when he realized it wasn't a servant.
"Who are you? Why are you closing the door?"Shad asked.
"Cerdric sends his regards." the assassin said closing the door behind him.
Shad's eyes widened as the assassin drew a large sword from a back mounted sheathe.
"Time to die." the assassin hissed through a black mask. Then he rushed forward at Shad swinging his long sword in a downward ark.
Shad leapt to the side dodging the ferocious overhand swing that cut his wardrobe nearly in two. A flying splinter of wood speared Shad's hand, and the assassin threw up his hand to shield his eyes.Shad took this oppurtunity to lunge forward knocking the assassin to the ground in a tackle.
Pinned to the ground the assassin couldn't use his sword but Shad could do about as little as the assassin in this position too. Then he saw it. A small dagger in the back of the assassin's belt. The assassin was slowly moving his hand towards it but Shad's was closer, he grabbed the knife and the assassin using that movement threw Shad off of him.
Shad backed into the corner of the room he was open now but at least he had a weapon.The assassin grinned smugly.
"I'm afraid that toothpick won't help you now M'lord." The assassin sneered mockingly.Then he lunged forward his sword descending down like a steel nightfall, then the sword struck......the wall! Shad had moved quickly to the side and as the shock of the blow ran through the assassin's arms, Shad stepped quickly up and placed the dagger under his chin.
"Don't worry good man i'm sure you'll see your King soon."Shad said.
"You're releasing me to send him a message of some sort?" the man asked hopefully.
"No. In hell!"Shad said as he stared him in the eye. Then he jammed the dagger upwards with all his strength opening the man's lifeblood onto the floor.
Shad stepped over the corpse and went to his ruined wardrobe. Once bolted into the floor the wardrobe had been ripped apart and off to the side by the ferocity of the cut.Shad began to sort through the ruins of the wardrobe when he noticed something. Behind the wardrobe there appeared to be an opening.
Shad moved more rubble aside and sure enough there was an opening about 5 feet tall and 4 foot wide, easily hidden behind the immense wardrobe.
Shad looked and found a large piece of the frame, using it he levered up the pile of debris and moved it aside. Slipping on his boots and a robe he stepped into the opening ducking down low to avoid hitting the ceiling.
The dark entrance turned out to be the top of a stairwell leading down the side of his tower, he knew he shouldn't go down that way into a place he'd never been to, but he was drawn to it, it was irresistible, so he strapped on his swordbelt and began his descent. He couldn't see anything, it was blacker than the blackest night, and yet, yet somehow knew where he was going, somehow he just......knew.
He arrived at the bottom step and into a large room that he knew must be below ground. He looked around, he was in a huge room,pillars lining the walls with a high ceiling with a hole in the roof, sunlight streamed down liked a cascading waterfall sparkling in iridesent beauty. Shad's eyes followed the sunlight down to where it shone upon a raised platform in the center of the room.
Shad advanced slowly up the stairs. He arrived up to the top and sucked in his breath sharply, on the platform in front of him was a large stone coffin. He got closer, looking down on the coffin he could see it was inscribed in the image of a man. Shad knew that face from hundreds of his father's stories. This was the tomb of his grandfather.
Shad's eyes were drawn to the sword grasped in the stone hands on his grandfather's carving, it was a long sword, about 5 feet long hilt to point, the blade was a dark black with a red hilt and pommel, gold runes were written along the side of the blade,Shad knew what they said.The"Star of the North" as was written on the blade was a famous sword, it was in many a legend and many a history. It was passed down father to son for generations.
But Shad's father was a small man and a poor lord, his grandfather had decided he was not worthy of the sword and was buried with it in an unmarked spot. Now Shad had found the grave and he had the right to the sword. A right which he was about to assert. He reached forward and just as his hand closed on the hilt, the runes on the blade began to glow with a brilliant blue fire and a bolt of lightning flew from it's blade slamming into his chest.
Shad flew back and landed on the floor near the stairs leading down from the platform.
Angered by this he stood and yelled at the sword.
"You are mine by birthright! I demand you cease your witchcraft!"
Then the sword rose. It rose into the air to stop, hovering a few feet above the tomb, it glowed with a blue flame which flickered and danced. Then a voice came forth.
"Who dares to disturb my rest and touch the Star?"It boomed
"I am Shad Lord of the North and I demand the sword that is mine by birthright!"Shad yelled in reply, too shocked to be truly frightened.
The sword seemed to pause, as if in deep thought, the flames flickering more slowly.
"You may be worthy of this sword unlike thy father. Very well. Grab the hilt and face the test if you are brave enough!"The voice boomed finally.
Then the flames on the sword went out and it floated slowly down to Shad who grasped it's waiting hilt. He hefted it in his palm, the balance was amazing better than any sword ever made he was certain, he touched the edge,sure it would be dull after years of non-use, and hastily pulled back to suck on a cut thumb.
"Damn that's sharp! This is amazing after all these years it hasn't rusted or even dulled!"Shad exclaimed happily.
A voice boomed.
"You like it. That is good! Now face the test and see if you are indeed worthy of it!"The voice's echoes faded slowly into nothingness and there was silence. For a time. Suddenly on the other side of the chamber a scraping sound was heard, much like a gate rising, and a grumbling sound came from the huge door which had just opened. Shad turned and looked up, and up, and up into the gaping maw of a huge beast. It looked reptilian but it was many times bigger than the larget drake and it had three heads. It couldn't be Shad thought,but it was. The legendary beast of yore, it once roamed the island reigning terror but his grandfather had slew it. Or so the tales went. But it was here now. The Hydra. It roared in a high pitch tone almost a shriek and lunged forward, Shad raised his blade and got ready for the test. Only in this test he knew, failure was death.
1/25/02 8:59:01 PM
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