Just a little draft of a project I started months ago, then got lazy and quit, and just started writing again. Hope its alright. Feedback is welcome.
He walked acrosss the field, the breeze sending chills up his back. He was almost at the edge when he saw the man.
"Ssso you have come to our... appointment." The man spoke oddly, and seemed to hiss.
"I came. Where is she?" The man smiled and licked his lips.
"That must wait. First I need ssssomething from you."
"What do you need?"
"A sssacrafice. Be it blood, bone, life, sssoul....."
"Here." He slid a knife across his forearm.
"I'm afraid that'ss not enough." He began,
"Wha-", then his lifeblood spilled from his veins.
Chapter 1: Ravelin
He woke on the side off the road. As he rose, he realized he had no idea who he was. A longsword was buckled at his belt, but it seemed old- notched, scratched, and had only a leather hilt. He remembered only two things- how to use that sword and whatever language this land used. In the distance he saw a mass of men. 'War,' he thought. A flag flew above the army. He didn't know who it belonged to, but it was a raven in flight. He vaguely remembered that flag... "No! Lydia!" A woman was being carried away by a soldier. On the back of his tabard was two dragons in battle. He ran after her. Then an invisible force propelled him backward, and he flew into the wall. He heard a crunch. A man approached, stepping through the ashes of a burnt house. He smiled, and moved his hand. He prepared for another impact. Instead, a note fluttered down and layed on his lap. Then all was black. He woke, startled. "Lydia..." he murmured. He remembered her laugh, a perfect, beautiful laugh. He loved that laugh. He was shooken out of his reverie when he saw about twenty men riding toward him. In a fluid movement, he unsheathed the sword and severed a horse's forelegs. The rider toppled to the ground, and he plunged the blade through his back. A man jumped off his horse's back and slashed wildly at him. He parried easily, countered, and was attacked again. He finally found an opening, and his sword plunged through the man's ribs. He fell to the ground, lifeless. One suddenly shouted, "It's him! It's Ravelin!" The men stood still suddenly. They were all staring at him.
Chapter 2: Raven Company
"Thank you for pointing that out, Mereti. I was going to kill him painlessly. So, Oh Great and Mighty Ravelin Ciplus, what do you have to say for yourself? Going off with some woman and never coming back? Just leaving us? At first we waited. After about a year we knew you were either gone or dead. So we just continued on. Yet here you are. Did you come to apoligize?"
Ravelin replied, " Who, exactly, are you? You see, I don't remember anything. At all."
The man glared at him, and said,"Stop with your games."
"Honestly. At least tell me your name."
"Drake. Your right hand man for seven years. That's Mereti, my top soldier. Maybe you remember him. The day you met him you said,'Ah. Another maggot who seeks to become famous. You'll die like the rest of them. Crying and alone, wishing you could have just stayed home and fed off of others work.' I was kinder to him when you left. Now he's my faithful companion. He's pretty quiet. I'm surprised he didn't just kill you. Then again, he probably wants to to torture you as well. Tie him up." Ravelin found himself in between two horses, hanging from a rope. Every once in a while the men would pull far apart just to put him in pain. Finally they arrived. He was cut down and given bread and water. He ate miserably. Finally Drake walked in. Mereti followed closely behind. He bore a tray full of nasty implements.
"Now, before you die, I decided to tell you your story. Just in case you really can't remember anything."
"Twelve years ago, you came to my hometown, Dirtael. You were recruiting men for your mercenary company, Raven Company. Of course, being the young man hungry for glory I was, I joined. We went to many places, and won many battles. One of those battles took place in Rikestead. Twelve men circled you. Within a minute, about nine were dead. One of the survivors stabbed at you with a spear, and I cut the shaft. You turned and killed him. You thanked me, and from then on I was your personal bodyguard. Another was in Icarus. You were in the middle of the battle, a whirlwind. It seemed like hundreds fell dead before you. Then an arrow leaped at you. I still have the scar on my hand from where I caught it. Then one day, you met some girl in a brothel. You disappeared. We thought you were dead. Then you show up on some damn road, ready to be killed. Thank ya for that. Now pull out his fingernails." Ravelin grimaced, but noticed something: A bond was loose. He slipped his hand out of it and grabbed a dagger from the tray. While he was cutting the bond on his left forearm, suddenly Mereti showed up. He thrust his sword at Ravelin's throat. Narrowly avoiding, he plunged the dagger through his eye. Meriti fell dead. Ravelin finished cutting the bond, and leaped up. Grabbing Mereti's sword, he threw the dagger to the ground. Suddenly, a shout rang out. " He's escaped! He's escaped!" Men started running at him. A brute of a man swung a broadsword in a downward arc. Raveling deftly sidestepped, then took off the man's forearm. Then he flicked the sword across the man's throat. He held at his throat, trying to stop the bleeding, at no avail. The brute fell dead. Ravelin ran for the exit. Suddenly, Drake stood in front of him. " Stand back, men. He's mine." Ravelin smiled, and Drake returned the favor. Then a sword marked a cut on his cheekbone. Ravelin made his face a mask and attacked Drake furiously. His sword was everywhere at once. But so was Drake's. Every nick Ravelin put on Drake, he made two. Then he let Drake fall into a pattern and drive him back. The smuggest smile Ravelin had ever seen made it's home on Drake's face. Suddenly, Ravelin broke the pattern. Spinning, he swung his sword at Drake's spine with all his might. It severed through him. Drake looked surprised. Then, he smiled and took a shaky breath. " Just as good as you used to be..." Drake exhaled loudly, the his eyes glazed over. The mercenary men ran at him. Ravelin ran for the door. Throwing it open, he noyiced a stable. A good black horse was tacked. Ravelin swung his leg over the horse's back and kicked with all his might. "Yah!" Ravelin yelled. He disapeared into the night.
Chapter 3: Gearing Up
Ravelin rode for what seemed like hours, 'till he saw a small village. He began slowing, until he finally was at a walk. He saw a building with a sign depicting two mugs clanging. He opened the door. " What do ya need?" a stocky, tall man said. " A room?" Ravelin replied. "Ten coppers." Ravelin looked at his belt. There was a pouch. It was filled with gold pieces. He threw one at the man. " Keep the change. Well, actually, get me a cup of your finest red." The man stuttered, "Le...fi...first left on the right..... I mean, first room on the left. And here," he said, handing him a glass. He sipped on it, sitting at a table. "Some bread and warm meat, please." The man barked an order into an adjacent room.
I corrected some of the grammar, and changed parts of the story, so it could sound better. (NO!!!! He killed cute horsies!!!!! >A<)
