Neuroth
[10] Knight
Here's a scene I dreamed up. It might have taken place between SCIV and SCV with Sieg and a few of my CaS's. Let me know what you think.
* * * *
The morning air in Ingolstadt was clear and crisp. Bird songs and the rustlings of animals were interrupted by the jangle of chainmail and the steady cadence of hoofbeats. A handful of riders cantered along behind Siegfried, pale sunlight illuminating their path through the forest.
“So, why did you join Schwarzwind?” Asked Roland.
Crow looked at his new comrade, “No particular reason. The opportunity was there, and at the time it was the most attractive option.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was going to be hanged. Siegfried paid the magistrate to release me, under the condition that I join his little band.”
“Hanged? Why?”
“I’d rather not tell the story just now.”
“He’s a burglar.” Said Jaelithe. Her hard gaze hadn’t strayed far from their new recruit since they set out from Augsburg.
Crow frowned, “Well that was vulgar. I prefer ‘collector’ or ‘treasure hunter.’”
“You’re a sneak-thief in the night. You deserved the gallows.”
“Come now,” Said Roland, “Siegfried surely saw some quality in our new friend here that would benefit the Schwarzwind. He saw fit to save his life, didn’t he? The opportunity to die a warrior’s death is an honor, after all.”
“Siegfried saved him because he thinks others feel guilt for their transgressions, like he does. He always believes the best of people.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Crow replied, “And I’m grateful for it. Don’t worry Jaelithe, I’ll make sure the boss gets his money’s worth.”
“We’ll see. If I catch you doing anything dishonest, you’ll have me to answer to first. And I’ll make sure you get a warrior’s death, even if such a fate is too good for the likes of you.”
Crow and Roland said no more. Jaelithe rode on behind them, glad to have put the conversation to rest. The trio looked up, however, when they noticed their leader had stopped his horse.
Roland rode forward to Siegfried, “What is it?”
Siegfried pointed, “Look there.”
Some distance ahead there appeared to be an overturned wagon. The dark shape of a horse lay across the trail, motionless.
Siegfried slid from his mount, “Weapons.”
The three of them dismounted. Roland hefted his axe. Jaelithe’s sword came out with a metallic rasp. Crow’s daggers whispered from their sheaths.
They advanced carefully, keeping their eyes on the forest around them. Crow crounched by the wagon, inspecting its broken wheel.
“This wasn’t accidental,” He said, “Something hit the axle, severed it.”
“Aye,” Roland nodded, “Look at the horse,” He gestured at the animal. Its neck bore a large horizontal gash. Blood pooled around it, soaking into the dirt.
“But where is the rider?” Jaelithe’s gaze remained on the trees.
Something rose from concealment in the woods, something like a man but paler, gaunt, hairless, with hungry red eyes fixed on its prey. Five more stepped from the shadows, surrounding them, all armed with blades or axes, all gazing balefully at the Schwarzwind.
Siegfried reacted first. One of the creatures leapt from the bushes and Siegfried’s massive blade swung to meet it. The thing fell in half amid showers of black blood. Two lunged at Roland, who raised his axe to block a flurry of wild blows. Jaelithe closed in on another, raising her shield against the thrust of a sword and answering with a precise slash across the creature’s abdomen. Two came after Crow, who ducked and twisted under their clumsy attacks and then dove into the bushes.
“Coward!” Jaelithe shouted.
Siegfried turned to Roland’s attackers. His greatsword pierced one through the back, the blade erupting from its stomach as Siegfried lifted sword and beast straight into the air, slamming it to the ground opposite Roland in a single stroke. Roland seized the moment, raising the handle of his axe to the neck of the other creature, lifting it off the ground. He ran forward a few steps and crushed the entangled creature’s back against an adjacent tree.
Jaelithe fell back under a rain of blades. One of her attackers lunged forward and bashed her shield to the side with a powerful overhead swing. Another blade slipped past her guard, biting into her shoulder before she could correct her defenses. Her teeth gritted. The creatures’ eyes glittered with avarice at the sight of her blood. And then two of them went stiff, falling to the ground suddenly. Crow appeared behind them.
“Thank me later,” He grinned.
She glared at him and turned back to her opponent. The arc of her blade swept the last creature’s head from its shoulders.
They all stood there for a moment. Crow spoke first, “So, does anyone know what these things are?"
Siegfried was gazing at one of the bodies, his expression darkening.
"What is it?" Asked Jaelithe.
"Malfested."
A shadow fell across them from above. Something glinted in the sun as it sped through the air toward Siegfried. His sword came up to deflect its course, and the razor-sharp wheel of metal screeched against the blade and spun back into the air. A woman jumped from her hiding spot in the high branches of a nearby tree, catching the weapon in her hand. She landed on her feet in front of Siegfried.
It might have been the strangest looking woman they had ever seen. A patchwork of gray and purple hair, a strange costume that left little to the imagnation. Her skin was as pale as the creatures that lay dead around them, yet she smiled cheerfully, showing none of their animal demeanor.
“Missed me?” She asked Siegfried in a loud, honey-sweet voice.
Siegfried grimaced, leveling his sword at the woman.
“Who is she?” Jaelithe asked.
Siegfried turned his head toward them, “Ride for Wolfkrone. Warn Hilde and the others. I’ll meet you there.”
“Warn them about what?” Crow asked.
“Soul Edge has come back somehow.”
Roland and Jaelithe exchanged a fearful look. Crow quirked an eyebrow in confusion. He opened his mouth as if to ask a question, but decided against it when he watched the pair quickly sheathe their weapons and run for their mounts. He sprinted to catch up with them, glancing back at Siegfried as he mounted his horse. Siegfried and the woman circled each other and clashed in quick, deadly exchanges of blows. He couldn't follow every move, it was happening too fast, but he could tell they were both masters and apparently rather well-matched.
Jaelithe’s voice snapped him back to reality,”Crow! Come on!”
He nodded back at her and spurred his horse.
* * * *
The morning air in Ingolstadt was clear and crisp. Bird songs and the rustlings of animals were interrupted by the jangle of chainmail and the steady cadence of hoofbeats. A handful of riders cantered along behind Siegfried, pale sunlight illuminating their path through the forest.
“So, why did you join Schwarzwind?” Asked Roland.
Crow looked at his new comrade, “No particular reason. The opportunity was there, and at the time it was the most attractive option.”
“What do you mean?”
“I was going to be hanged. Siegfried paid the magistrate to release me, under the condition that I join his little band.”
“Hanged? Why?”
“I’d rather not tell the story just now.”
“He’s a burglar.” Said Jaelithe. Her hard gaze hadn’t strayed far from their new recruit since they set out from Augsburg.
Crow frowned, “Well that was vulgar. I prefer ‘collector’ or ‘treasure hunter.’”
“You’re a sneak-thief in the night. You deserved the gallows.”
“Come now,” Said Roland, “Siegfried surely saw some quality in our new friend here that would benefit the Schwarzwind. He saw fit to save his life, didn’t he? The opportunity to die a warrior’s death is an honor, after all.”
“Siegfried saved him because he thinks others feel guilt for their transgressions, like he does. He always believes the best of people.”
“That’s good enough for me,” Crow replied, “And I’m grateful for it. Don’t worry Jaelithe, I’ll make sure the boss gets his money’s worth.”
“We’ll see. If I catch you doing anything dishonest, you’ll have me to answer to first. And I’ll make sure you get a warrior’s death, even if such a fate is too good for the likes of you.”
Crow and Roland said no more. Jaelithe rode on behind them, glad to have put the conversation to rest. The trio looked up, however, when they noticed their leader had stopped his horse.
Roland rode forward to Siegfried, “What is it?”
Siegfried pointed, “Look there.”
Some distance ahead there appeared to be an overturned wagon. The dark shape of a horse lay across the trail, motionless.
Siegfried slid from his mount, “Weapons.”
The three of them dismounted. Roland hefted his axe. Jaelithe’s sword came out with a metallic rasp. Crow’s daggers whispered from their sheaths.
They advanced carefully, keeping their eyes on the forest around them. Crow crounched by the wagon, inspecting its broken wheel.
“This wasn’t accidental,” He said, “Something hit the axle, severed it.”
“Aye,” Roland nodded, “Look at the horse,” He gestured at the animal. Its neck bore a large horizontal gash. Blood pooled around it, soaking into the dirt.
“But where is the rider?” Jaelithe’s gaze remained on the trees.
Something rose from concealment in the woods, something like a man but paler, gaunt, hairless, with hungry red eyes fixed on its prey. Five more stepped from the shadows, surrounding them, all armed with blades or axes, all gazing balefully at the Schwarzwind.
Siegfried reacted first. One of the creatures leapt from the bushes and Siegfried’s massive blade swung to meet it. The thing fell in half amid showers of black blood. Two lunged at Roland, who raised his axe to block a flurry of wild blows. Jaelithe closed in on another, raising her shield against the thrust of a sword and answering with a precise slash across the creature’s abdomen. Two came after Crow, who ducked and twisted under their clumsy attacks and then dove into the bushes.
“Coward!” Jaelithe shouted.
Siegfried turned to Roland’s attackers. His greatsword pierced one through the back, the blade erupting from its stomach as Siegfried lifted sword and beast straight into the air, slamming it to the ground opposite Roland in a single stroke. Roland seized the moment, raising the handle of his axe to the neck of the other creature, lifting it off the ground. He ran forward a few steps and crushed the entangled creature’s back against an adjacent tree.
Jaelithe fell back under a rain of blades. One of her attackers lunged forward and bashed her shield to the side with a powerful overhead swing. Another blade slipped past her guard, biting into her shoulder before she could correct her defenses. Her teeth gritted. The creatures’ eyes glittered with avarice at the sight of her blood. And then two of them went stiff, falling to the ground suddenly. Crow appeared behind them.
“Thank me later,” He grinned.
She glared at him and turned back to her opponent. The arc of her blade swept the last creature’s head from its shoulders.
They all stood there for a moment. Crow spoke first, “So, does anyone know what these things are?"
Siegfried was gazing at one of the bodies, his expression darkening.
"What is it?" Asked Jaelithe.
"Malfested."
A shadow fell across them from above. Something glinted in the sun as it sped through the air toward Siegfried. His sword came up to deflect its course, and the razor-sharp wheel of metal screeched against the blade and spun back into the air. A woman jumped from her hiding spot in the high branches of a nearby tree, catching the weapon in her hand. She landed on her feet in front of Siegfried.
It might have been the strangest looking woman they had ever seen. A patchwork of gray and purple hair, a strange costume that left little to the imagnation. Her skin was as pale as the creatures that lay dead around them, yet she smiled cheerfully, showing none of their animal demeanor.
“Missed me?” She asked Siegfried in a loud, honey-sweet voice.
Siegfried grimaced, leveling his sword at the woman.
“Who is she?” Jaelithe asked.
Siegfried turned his head toward them, “Ride for Wolfkrone. Warn Hilde and the others. I’ll meet you there.”
“Warn them about what?” Crow asked.
“Soul Edge has come back somehow.”
Roland and Jaelithe exchanged a fearful look. Crow quirked an eyebrow in confusion. He opened his mouth as if to ask a question, but decided against it when he watched the pair quickly sheathe their weapons and run for their mounts. He sprinted to catch up with them, glancing back at Siegfried as he mounted his horse. Siegfried and the woman circled each other and clashed in quick, deadly exchanges of blows. He couldn't follow every move, it was happening too fast, but he could tell they were both masters and apparently rather well-matched.
Jaelithe’s voice snapped him back to reality,”Crow! Come on!”
He nodded back at her and spurred his horse.
