User blog:Darknessabove/Short Story: Redemption

I layed there, unable to move, as the pool of blood beneath me grew larger and larger, my sight hazy as i looked around, countless numbers of order soldiers layed dead, while on my shoulder, a order hero, female, once full of life, layed on the floor, in a pool of her blood, while her sword was embedded in my stomuch.

As i looked around, i saw several figures running towards me, they were shouting, but it sounded so quiet, so silent.

As they ran towards me, i looked up at the sky.

"I guess....this...is my....punishment" i mutter, the words barely audible as my mind wondered.

I closed my eyes, images rushing through my mind, memories of my life, playing through my mind.

I remember being young, having a family, a mother, a father and a sister.

I remember a monster, a manticore, currupting, twisting and turning my family.

I remember order soldiers rushing into the house.

I remember blood, blood and screams, the blood and screams of my mother and father as they were killed.

I remember the screams of my sister as the manticore took my sister and ran away.

I remember her screaming.

"Brother, BROTHER".

My memories flashed forward through the years of my life, how i escaped that house, the order, how i ran, how i cryed, how i vowed, vowed to find my sister, even if it meant i had to butcher my way through every monster or order follower that got in my way.

I became a warrior, a hunter, a predator, a butcher.

I became cold, merciless, my heart turning to stone as i continued to live through the years, never stopping my search for sister and the bitch that took her, the bitch that broke my family, the one responsible for killing them.

My memories flashed forward again to the point where i met the manticore responsible for destroying my life.

The anger on her face when i killed her husband, the shock on her face when i ran her through with my sword.

The guilt on her face when i told her who i was and the smile on her face when she told me something, something important.

"Your sister is still alive, but who she is now, will never accept the beast that you've become"

She joined her husband shortly afterwards, but her words, they haunted me through the years to follow, creating cracks in my stone cold heart.

Had i changed so much that i was no longer human, had my sister changed so much that she would not accept me as her brother, as family.

My memories flashed forward once more, to a few hours prior to the current moment in time.

I had found my sister, but what i saw, i could not believe, she was in a village full of monsters and she had become the same kind of monster that had destroyed our family, a manticore.

I screamed as i rushed into the village, the monsters running for their lives, by now, i had gained a reputation amoung both the monsters and the order, as a relentless butcher.

I remember her looking at me, her green colored eyes stared at me.

I remember the expression on her face, as if she was looking at a beast.

After all these years, the words of that dying manticore rung in my ears.

"Never accept the beast that you've become"

I ran, ran out fo the village, as i was chased by monsters, continuing to run, until i was alone again.

Everything i had done, all the lives i had taken, the miles i travelled, the pain i experainced, all of it was for nought, the brother i once was, was gone, replaced by a blood thirsty beast.

Finally, my memories flashed forward to a mere half hour prior to the current moment in time.

I stood at the edge of a cliff, below, cold hard dirt, the drop would instantly kill me.

As i went to step over the cliff, i heard a scream.

The scream seemed so familar.

I ran, towards the source of the scream, to find my sister, tied up, along with an incubus and a small manitcore child.

They ahd been captured by order troops, amoung them, a hero, the same hero that had killed our mother and father.

The same hero that had been determined to kill me over the past years.

"I think i shall kill thsi one first" she said as she picked up the child, bringing her sword to the childs neck.

"Mommy" she cried.

"Don't worry baby, everything will be fine" my sister said.

My body, almost by pure instinct, rushed forward, some of the troops spotting me, as i decapitated one of them, drawing the attention of the rest of them, including the hero, who threw the child on the ground as she turned towards me.

"Zerath, your head will make a grand prize along with the heads of these heretics" she said as she charged towards me.

The fight went on for half a hour, with me killingt he order troops left and right, until only the hero was left.

Blood covered her armor, dripping off it.

Blood dripped off my tattered clothing, my feet felt week, my breath heavy, but that didn't matter, i was nothing but a beast, a beast whos life had no value or meaning.

"Fine, if you don't wnat to die, i'll at least ensure that these heretics die" the hero said as she turned around and went to thrust her sword at my sister.

She was surprised when her sword met my flesh.

I had stepped in front of in the blade, using my body to ensure she could not harm my sister.

She smield as she twisted the blade.

"Thanks for making this easier" she said.

Her face however changed to one of shock.

I had used this temporary drop in her guard to stick my dagger in her throat.

For a moment, she maintained her grip on her sword, before her body lost all of its strength, falling backwards onto the ground.

"That....was for my parents" i shouted.

Shortly after, i fell on the floor, blood seeping from the sword wound.

Which brought me up to the current moment.

I felt my life fadding away as i layed there.

I felt a hand on my face.

I felt water hitting my face.

I opened my eyes, my vision clear.

I saw my sister, crying, her tears hitting my face.

I looked down to see her hand grasping my pendant, the same pendant that she had given me when i was younger.

"Brother" she cryied.

I moved my hand, my strength seemingly returning to me.

"Sorry i'm late" i whispered.

The incubus from earlier was next to her, looking down at me, along with the child, who was clutching onto his leg, hiding behind it, while looking at me, her scarlett eyes staring at me.

"So whos the little lady there" i muttered, my throat dry, my voice weak.

The child slowly came out form behind the incubuses leg, hesitating for a moment, before opening her mouth.

"Sy....Sylph" she said.

"A beautiful name for a beautiful little girl, just like her mother" i muttered, before turning towards the incubus.

"Whats your name kid" i asked, motioning him to come closer.

"Zarth" he replied as he got closer.

When he got close enough, i used my remaining strength to grab the coff of his shirt, bringing his face close to mine, staring at him.

"If you dare, ever let them feel pain, i will come for you, even from the grave" i said to him.

As he nodded, i felt my entire body lose its strength, my eyes slowly closing, despite trying to will them to remain open.

"Goodbye, Lisa" i said, as my eyes closed, for the last time.

Lisa, Slyph and Zarth looked at Zerath, who was motionless, no life left in his body, as Lise cryied, with Zarth wrapping his arms around her, trying to comfort her.

Zerath had passed away, with smile on his face.

Lisa took the pendant she had given him, wearing it round her neck.

They layed him to rest in a grave, made on the very spot he had died.

He had killed 20 order soldiers and 1 hero, protecting his sister and her family.

He died, knowing that he had at least protected the life of someone precoius to him.

He had died the same way as their parents did, protecting the ones they loved

In the eyes of those 3 there, he had died, not as a beast, but as a man.

He had redemed him self, in the eyes of his sister.

Index

Authors notes:

Its surpising how when ya feeling crap, that you can come up with things, guess stress and just being fed up can be useful at times.

Still, as i've stated on my wall and on chapter 4 of the explorer, i doubt i'll be doing many updates until after christmas, at least until stuff at work is sorted.

Laterz.