Post by Toroi on Dec 12, 2020 17:48:32 GMT 10
"Wha . . ., whaaa . . what happened?" Tybalt tried to lift his head off the ground where he seemed to by lying, but the sharp pain in his head almost shocked him back into unconsciousness. He quickly decided that he'd settle for a more gradual type of movement.
"Right where you fell, of course." came the reply in a decidedly feminine tone.
Wary of his last attempt at movement, Tybalt very slowly turned his body and head as one towards the sound of the voice, noticing the fallen bandits as he moved. It came back in a rush. He'd been scouting out the enemy encampment and been spotted, forcing him to fight. He remembered fighting off several bandits until a sharp pain in his head. Slowly, carefully, he reached up with his hand, to check for wounds. His hand came back sticky with blood, but he couldn't find the actual wound.
"Oh, I healed you, of course. Still, it'll take a moment for all the pain to subside. Head wounds are nasty business. Lucky for you, he got that blow in just as you stabbed him. Still, you'd be dead if I hadn't healed you."
His groggy senses slowly coming back to normal, Tybalt finally turned to see the speaker and couldn't stop a startled grunt. "Who are you? Why are you here?" then, remembering what she'd just said. "And, uh, thank you, for saving my life, it seems."
She smiled pleasantly. "You're welcome. As for your other questions, you know who I am." She looked at him serenely.
The pain quickly fading, Tybalt struggled to stand, keeping his eyes on the speaker. "I don't think we've ever met. I'd remember."
"No, we haven't met. Still, concentrate. You'll realize who, and what, I am. If you can't, figure it out, you aren't who I thought you were."
"I'm Sir Tybalt Merritt-Rayn . . ." halfway through saying his name, it came to him. Quickly, struggling to his feet he managed a semblance of a bow.
The woman smiled widely. "Yes, perfect. I have need of a paladin. And, well, you'll be just perfect. Well, a bit too arrogant, perhaps, but with your background, not unexpected."
Tybalt stared at her uncertainly. "You realize I'm not. . . I'm not .. . "
"Not the type of person who would usually be one of my followers? Of course, silly boy. That's why you'd be perfect. I need someone different. Someone with the potential to be extraordinary. Someone with a good heart, but also, capable to survive where others may not. I think we proved that last part. Well, mostly."
"I'm just a scout, well, sure, I'm part of the nobility, but something tells me that isn't what matters to you."
"On the contrary, young knight. A noble, a knight, who, instead of serving the regular army as a commander, chooses to lead the scouts. Spend his time in the forest. You're mine. You just haven't admitted it yet."
Tybalt started to deny it, but realized it was foolish. This felt right. He knew it, and obviously the immortal knew it. Denial was pointless. "What do you want me to do? No immortal visits someone like me in person unless they want something, and it won't be easy, I think."
The serene look on the immortal's face grew serious. "No fool are you. That's why I chose you. I have a task for you. A difficult and possibly very dangerous one. And there will be more, after it is complete. To help you, a have a gift." She pointed to fallen tree nearby, where two swords lay upright. Even with their scabbards on, he could see the soft green glow. They're a set. Bastard swords. Not many wield two of them like you. Their names are Oath and Covenant. A symbol of the bargain we make today, and a gift . . . and a curse. I ask nothing easy, paladin."
"Tell me, then."
"The Oath is the Oath of the Ancients. You will become my paladin, in my service. Age will not touch you, though you can still die from other means. The Covenant, is my promise to you. To aid you, to guide you, to help you become a great force for good. And a promise, too, that if you become a force for evil, my punishment will be swift and eternal. Living while family and friends grow old and die is perhaps more curse than gift, but I have need of an eternal champion."
Tybalt listened quietly as the immortal spoke in detail of the terms of service and his upcoming task. Despite his trepidation, he knew this was his calling. He would serve.
Wordlessly, he walked over and retrieved the swords, sheathing them on his back. Drawing both Oath and Covenant, seeing the glow and the runes engraved in their blades, he walked soundlessly over to the immortal and knelt, holding the swords out. "I am your man."
The immortal smiled and touched him briefly on the shoulder. "So be it, Sir Tybalt Merritt-Rayner." With that touch, she vanished, leaving Tybalt alone in the forest, with only corpses to keep him company.
"It's a long walk home. At least I'll have time to figure out how to explain this to Mom & Dad when I get back," he muttered quietly to himself as he turned and headed towards home. Perhaps home no longer."
"Right where you fell, of course." came the reply in a decidedly feminine tone.
Wary of his last attempt at movement, Tybalt very slowly turned his body and head as one towards the sound of the voice, noticing the fallen bandits as he moved. It came back in a rush. He'd been scouting out the enemy encampment and been spotted, forcing him to fight. He remembered fighting off several bandits until a sharp pain in his head. Slowly, carefully, he reached up with his hand, to check for wounds. His hand came back sticky with blood, but he couldn't find the actual wound.
"Oh, I healed you, of course. Still, it'll take a moment for all the pain to subside. Head wounds are nasty business. Lucky for you, he got that blow in just as you stabbed him. Still, you'd be dead if I hadn't healed you."
His groggy senses slowly coming back to normal, Tybalt finally turned to see the speaker and couldn't stop a startled grunt. "Who are you? Why are you here?" then, remembering what she'd just said. "And, uh, thank you, for saving my life, it seems."
She smiled pleasantly. "You're welcome. As for your other questions, you know who I am." She looked at him serenely.
The pain quickly fading, Tybalt struggled to stand, keeping his eyes on the speaker. "I don't think we've ever met. I'd remember."
"No, we haven't met. Still, concentrate. You'll realize who, and what, I am. If you can't, figure it out, you aren't who I thought you were."
"I'm Sir Tybalt Merritt-Rayn . . ." halfway through saying his name, it came to him. Quickly, struggling to his feet he managed a semblance of a bow.
The woman smiled widely. "Yes, perfect. I have need of a paladin. And, well, you'll be just perfect. Well, a bit too arrogant, perhaps, but with your background, not unexpected."
Tybalt stared at her uncertainly. "You realize I'm not. . . I'm not .. . "
"Not the type of person who would usually be one of my followers? Of course, silly boy. That's why you'd be perfect. I need someone different. Someone with the potential to be extraordinary. Someone with a good heart, but also, capable to survive where others may not. I think we proved that last part. Well, mostly."
"I'm just a scout, well, sure, I'm part of the nobility, but something tells me that isn't what matters to you."
"On the contrary, young knight. A noble, a knight, who, instead of serving the regular army as a commander, chooses to lead the scouts. Spend his time in the forest. You're mine. You just haven't admitted it yet."
Tybalt started to deny it, but realized it was foolish. This felt right. He knew it, and obviously the immortal knew it. Denial was pointless. "What do you want me to do? No immortal visits someone like me in person unless they want something, and it won't be easy, I think."
The serene look on the immortal's face grew serious. "No fool are you. That's why I chose you. I have a task for you. A difficult and possibly very dangerous one. And there will be more, after it is complete. To help you, a have a gift." She pointed to fallen tree nearby, where two swords lay upright. Even with their scabbards on, he could see the soft green glow. They're a set. Bastard swords. Not many wield two of them like you. Their names are Oath and Covenant. A symbol of the bargain we make today, and a gift . . . and a curse. I ask nothing easy, paladin."
"Tell me, then."
"The Oath is the Oath of the Ancients. You will become my paladin, in my service. Age will not touch you, though you can still die from other means. The Covenant, is my promise to you. To aid you, to guide you, to help you become a great force for good. And a promise, too, that if you become a force for evil, my punishment will be swift and eternal. Living while family and friends grow old and die is perhaps more curse than gift, but I have need of an eternal champion."
Tybalt listened quietly as the immortal spoke in detail of the terms of service and his upcoming task. Despite his trepidation, he knew this was his calling. He would serve.
Wordlessly, he walked over and retrieved the swords, sheathing them on his back. Drawing both Oath and Covenant, seeing the glow and the runes engraved in their blades, he walked soundlessly over to the immortal and knelt, holding the swords out. "I am your man."
The immortal smiled and touched him briefly on the shoulder. "So be it, Sir Tybalt Merritt-Rayner." With that touch, she vanished, leaving Tybalt alone in the forest, with only corpses to keep him company.
"It's a long walk home. At least I'll have time to figure out how to explain this to Mom & Dad when I get back," he muttered quietly to himself as he turned and headed towards home. Perhaps home no longer."