The land of Taran was a joyful land. No war but nonetheless
swordsmanship was the highest quality and, for the most part most new how to
fight well. Then the immortal night came. The deadliest foe that struck them
hard, out of the mountains came foul monster and thus the land fell into
darkness. Sword against sword and animal ravaged the land. Never before did
humans thus fight. And with that we will take you to the land of Taran to see
the fight as the darkness seeks to overcome the will of man.
“The day is unusually dark,” Coran though as he gazed out of
the window in the fort’s wall. He frowned slightly as his gift came into play.
A great battle was raging, or, far worse, enemies had penetrated behind line.
This gift was a blessing and a curse as it was only 1 in 100 had it. It made
him prized above a hundred warriors, yet it came at a great price. Though down
by the enemy relentless even though he hadn’t even passed the entrance test or
married. He shuddered at the last thought. He was 15 almost 16 yet at the age
of 16, he would either marry and become a normal warrior; or be given the
freedom to choose when he would marry and be inducted into Taran’s Warriors
Guard.
The Warrior Guard was the actual striking force of Taran.
Better than the average warrior, they rode to relieve ailing defenses, search
out enemies behind line, and attempt to slip behind lines. As said, marriage
was a necessity unless the soldier was inducted into the Warrior Guard. His
mother told him constantly to stop practicing and look for a wife in case he
just didn’t make the cut.
The Warrior Guard was almost like the Red Elites; only the
Red Elites were under distinctive lord and also varied in armament, depending
on the lord’s preferences. The Red Elites were slightly above the Warrior Guard
as all lords were part of them whether they fought or not, and the Red Elites
tended to be better. Like the GladeWatchers that came from the lord of the area
Coran lived in. His father had been one of the head trainers and fighters in
the GladeWatchers, preparing young boys from birth to fight in the
GladeWatchers.
The GladeWatchers had existed before Taran had descended
into blackness and were well prepared to deal with the plight. The
GladeWatchers were armed with spears that doubled as javelins, granger swords,
knives, whips, and bows. They fought mounted, and their whips were well known
as deadly weapons. They fought in pairs of three: one javelin thrower, one
whip, and one swordsman. This made a deadly combination though all
GladeWatchers could use any of the four weapons as easily as he used his
primary weapon. Coran had received similar training and hoped he would be
inducted into them.
The reason personal bodyguards and armies had existed before
the darkness was the problem of the Independent States which sat in the
mountains to the east. The Independent States only existed because of the land
beyond them which would naturally feel threatened by Taran and aid which ever
Independent State was attacked. Of course, Taran had always been friend to
Galger, an Independent State thus enabling trade beyond the mountains.
“Courage lad, fight
the dark.”
Coran jumped up then felt foreboding unlike any he had felt
other than the fateful day his father had died on the battlefield. He drew his
Granger blade, a cross between a rapier and a long sword, very effective, if
you could manage it.
“In the corner of your
eye, fight!”
Coran obeyed the voice and looked in the corner of his eye
sweeping the whole room till his gaze fell on a Dark man, the true opposite of
man itself. Fluid flesh completely black made up the man and he almost glided
across the floor toward him, a cruel curved blade drawn.
Coran realized, the only way to see the Dark man was to
watch him in the corner of his eye, and thus the fight began. The Dark Man had
the advantaged being free to watch Coran carefully while Coran was restricted
to fighting from the side.
The blade clashed furiously as both put their skills to use,
but no matter how hard Coran fought the Dark man was capable of blocking him
easily. Coran began to fall back slowly and soon he was against the wall. Coran
winced slightly and dived away as his blade was knocked out of his hand.
“Reach for your blade
NOW!”
Coran grabbed blindly at the floor and felt the cool handle
of a sword and picked it up. Before he could parry the blow he felt deep slash
into his left arm. He struck our widely and felt the blade pierce the Dark
man’s side. The man fell over blood gushing from his side.
Coran rose and began to run for the horse. It was useless
fighting as he was. Then he noticed the fact that the sword he bear was not his
own. It glowed red as if straight out the blacksmith’s shop. Then he began to
feel faint and weary.
“This is going to hurt
but you need it.”
Coran felt his body spasm then he faded away from this
world, yet his body kept running.
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