Post by Xyex on Sept 15, 2004 11:16:48 GMT -5
As some of you know, I'm making a Novel based off of the Nexus City RPG. I figured I'd post each completed chapter here as I go for added input. ^^ Any spelling mistakes you find, complain to Jers about them, she's my proof reader. 
Prologue
She'd grabbed the child's hand quickly, time was of the essence. They'd needed to be out of the village and far away before her people realized what was happening. The two had moved silently and swiftly out of the room and down the stairs that spiraled around the tall tree. Her long mane of dark brown hair had flapped out behind her, much like the child's own shoulder length white hair. The darkness had surrounded them, held them, cloaked them from the world about them.
It had taken only a moment to reach the base of the tree and then they were off crossed the forest floor. They'd ducked behind trees and steered away from the wood and straw huts that littered the small clearings. Most of her people had been asleep, the village quiet and peaceful, the padding of their feet on the dirt the only sound. Their foot falls had echoed in their ears, amplified by fear of discovery. The child's blue eyes had darted around in fear, looking for any signs of danger as they moved. While her pale hand had clasped firmly to the fury hand of her rescuer.
As the pair had broken through the edges of the small village and into the dense woods some of their fear had faded. They're escape had not yet been noticed, they might have a chance after all. The woman had turned and glanced at the child with her as she felt a tug on her hand. She had realized that the girl couldn't keep up to well with her own quick pace and had picked her up. She'd wrapped the child's pale arms around her neck and then resumed running through the thick forest.
As she ran her mind wondered back on what had brought her into this situation. It had begun almost a month ago when one of her Clan's hunting parties had come across several dead animals a few miles into the woods. Finding so many together was usual, finding them drained of blood and two puncture holes in their necks was even more unusual. And it meant only one thing, Vampires were moving through the area. Patrols had been increased just incase they came near the village but it wasn't expected.
And then... they'd found one of their children laying dead in clearing. His body drained entirely of blood, two tell tale puncture wounds in his neck. The entire village had gone into panic first, and then anger had gripped them all. Within an hour of finding the child a four massive hunting parties had been formed and they'd gone looking for them. It only took a few more hours to locate the group of Vampires and the Shishiku had descended upon them quickly and savagely.
No Shishiku died in the attack but the Vampires were nearly wiped out. Those that did live through the attack were captured and taken back to the village. One by one, day by day, they were tortured to death. It was called revenge, revenge for the child they had killed. The next day had been scheduled to be the last of the 'executions', the child's. But over the month her guard's own hatred of her had faded. Enough that now she was trying to save her. Save her from her own people, and save her people from themselves. If they killed the girl then they'd be no better than the Vampires... worse even, because it would be a senseless death.
That had been months ago now. By dawn of the first day the Shishiku hunting parties were after them, so far she'd managed to avoid them. Now she and the child, Sirce, stood atop a high hill. In the distance, not more than ten miles, she could see the high walls of a city. According to Sirce it was Nexus City, her Grandfather's home. Perhaps there they'd be able to find a safe haven from her pursuing clan.
Kestra paused before beginning down the hill and glanced back. She could hear the hunting party nearing. They were moving faster than her, she wasn't sure she could make it the last few miles... she was tired, cold, hungry, and... scared. With a flick of her tail she picked Sirce up again and had her hold on around her neck. With a leap she jumped down a good portion of the hill landing on a tree branch and then springing off it and onto another, moving through the trees as quickly as possible.
As her claws gripped into a new tree and her feet caught hold of the branch she heard a new sound, from her right. She sniffed the air but the wind was calm and no scent but hers and Sirce could be detected. So instead she listened carefully to the breaking twigs and foot falls. Then to her left it came as well. She knew now, she knew. They'd surrounded her, boxed her in. Getting free wouldn't be easy... it was probably impossible. But she'd have to try, she had to. Her life, and the child's, depended on it.
She dropped from the tree, she had a clearing to get through now, about two hundred yards of open space. She didn't like that, but there was no other choice. "Hold on." she whispered over her shoulders as she dropped to all fours and began to run through clearing, quickly building her pace. It only took a matter of seconds before she was moving at top speed. She'd gone a good fifty yards when the when she saw some of her people break through the tree lines on either side, a glance back showed them there too.
Shaking it off she turned her attention forward again and instantly pulled to a stop. They'd come through the trees in front of her too. Quickly she stood and looked around, setting Sirce down on the ground. There was no choice, she'd have to fight her way through them or she and the child would both be dead. It only took a few moments for the fastest of the Hunters to reach her.
One lunged from behind and she turned, caught him, and threw him off. He landed on his feet and came at her again, with two more who'd just reached her. Kestra bared her teeth and snarled, survival was all that mattered now. They lunged again and she slipped around one, slammed her fist into the second, and then kicked the third. She didn't want to kill them, but as they started re-grouping again, and more neared, she was seeing it as the only option now. Her feet dug into the dirt, her tail flicking around behind her, and a growl worked up from her stomach. It was her or them.
Someone lunged at her from the left and she turned, her claws lashed out and catching him across the chest. He flew a couple more feet before falling to the ground. Kestra pulled the child close as four more Hunters came at them. Kestra fought them, she fought them as hard as she could. The bodies began to pile up about her, first only the one, then five, ten, and still they came. But she was beginning to tire, she couldn't go much longer, and they were still coming.
Then it happened, she heard Sirce let out a cry and turned to look. One of them had gotten around her and had grabbed the girl. Kestra lunged at him and they struggled, Sirce still calling her name. Her eyes snapped open in pain as a pair of claws dug into her side. She stumbled back and fell to the grass. Looking up she saw those she'd been fighting turn toward Sirce, the child screaming in fear and calling for help. And then the cries of pain... followed by silence.
Kestra just stared on in shock, fear, and disgust. Her clan had... killed the girl... far more viciously than she'd ever seen a Vampire kill. The Vampires hunted and fed, even the child they had killed had been for food, but this... She no longer knew her clan, the people around her that she'd grown up with, they weren't her friends, they were monsters...
Prologue
She'd grabbed the child's hand quickly, time was of the essence. They'd needed to be out of the village and far away before her people realized what was happening. The two had moved silently and swiftly out of the room and down the stairs that spiraled around the tall tree. Her long mane of dark brown hair had flapped out behind her, much like the child's own shoulder length white hair. The darkness had surrounded them, held them, cloaked them from the world about them.
It had taken only a moment to reach the base of the tree and then they were off crossed the forest floor. They'd ducked behind trees and steered away from the wood and straw huts that littered the small clearings. Most of her people had been asleep, the village quiet and peaceful, the padding of their feet on the dirt the only sound. Their foot falls had echoed in their ears, amplified by fear of discovery. The child's blue eyes had darted around in fear, looking for any signs of danger as they moved. While her pale hand had clasped firmly to the fury hand of her rescuer.
As the pair had broken through the edges of the small village and into the dense woods some of their fear had faded. They're escape had not yet been noticed, they might have a chance after all. The woman had turned and glanced at the child with her as she felt a tug on her hand. She had realized that the girl couldn't keep up to well with her own quick pace and had picked her up. She'd wrapped the child's pale arms around her neck and then resumed running through the thick forest.
As she ran her mind wondered back on what had brought her into this situation. It had begun almost a month ago when one of her Clan's hunting parties had come across several dead animals a few miles into the woods. Finding so many together was usual, finding them drained of blood and two puncture holes in their necks was even more unusual. And it meant only one thing, Vampires were moving through the area. Patrols had been increased just incase they came near the village but it wasn't expected.
And then... they'd found one of their children laying dead in clearing. His body drained entirely of blood, two tell tale puncture wounds in his neck. The entire village had gone into panic first, and then anger had gripped them all. Within an hour of finding the child a four massive hunting parties had been formed and they'd gone looking for them. It only took a few more hours to locate the group of Vampires and the Shishiku had descended upon them quickly and savagely.
No Shishiku died in the attack but the Vampires were nearly wiped out. Those that did live through the attack were captured and taken back to the village. One by one, day by day, they were tortured to death. It was called revenge, revenge for the child they had killed. The next day had been scheduled to be the last of the 'executions', the child's. But over the month her guard's own hatred of her had faded. Enough that now she was trying to save her. Save her from her own people, and save her people from themselves. If they killed the girl then they'd be no better than the Vampires... worse even, because it would be a senseless death.
That had been months ago now. By dawn of the first day the Shishiku hunting parties were after them, so far she'd managed to avoid them. Now she and the child, Sirce, stood atop a high hill. In the distance, not more than ten miles, she could see the high walls of a city. According to Sirce it was Nexus City, her Grandfather's home. Perhaps there they'd be able to find a safe haven from her pursuing clan.
Kestra paused before beginning down the hill and glanced back. She could hear the hunting party nearing. They were moving faster than her, she wasn't sure she could make it the last few miles... she was tired, cold, hungry, and... scared. With a flick of her tail she picked Sirce up again and had her hold on around her neck. With a leap she jumped down a good portion of the hill landing on a tree branch and then springing off it and onto another, moving through the trees as quickly as possible.
As her claws gripped into a new tree and her feet caught hold of the branch she heard a new sound, from her right. She sniffed the air but the wind was calm and no scent but hers and Sirce could be detected. So instead she listened carefully to the breaking twigs and foot falls. Then to her left it came as well. She knew now, she knew. They'd surrounded her, boxed her in. Getting free wouldn't be easy... it was probably impossible. But she'd have to try, she had to. Her life, and the child's, depended on it.
She dropped from the tree, she had a clearing to get through now, about two hundred yards of open space. She didn't like that, but there was no other choice. "Hold on." she whispered over her shoulders as she dropped to all fours and began to run through clearing, quickly building her pace. It only took a matter of seconds before she was moving at top speed. She'd gone a good fifty yards when the when she saw some of her people break through the tree lines on either side, a glance back showed them there too.
Shaking it off she turned her attention forward again and instantly pulled to a stop. They'd come through the trees in front of her too. Quickly she stood and looked around, setting Sirce down on the ground. There was no choice, she'd have to fight her way through them or she and the child would both be dead. It only took a few moments for the fastest of the Hunters to reach her.
One lunged from behind and she turned, caught him, and threw him off. He landed on his feet and came at her again, with two more who'd just reached her. Kestra bared her teeth and snarled, survival was all that mattered now. They lunged again and she slipped around one, slammed her fist into the second, and then kicked the third. She didn't want to kill them, but as they started re-grouping again, and more neared, she was seeing it as the only option now. Her feet dug into the dirt, her tail flicking around behind her, and a growl worked up from her stomach. It was her or them.
Someone lunged at her from the left and she turned, her claws lashed out and catching him across the chest. He flew a couple more feet before falling to the ground. Kestra pulled the child close as four more Hunters came at them. Kestra fought them, she fought them as hard as she could. The bodies began to pile up about her, first only the one, then five, ten, and still they came. But she was beginning to tire, she couldn't go much longer, and they were still coming.
Then it happened, she heard Sirce let out a cry and turned to look. One of them had gotten around her and had grabbed the girl. Kestra lunged at him and they struggled, Sirce still calling her name. Her eyes snapped open in pain as a pair of claws dug into her side. She stumbled back and fell to the grass. Looking up she saw those she'd been fighting turn toward Sirce, the child screaming in fear and calling for help. And then the cries of pain... followed by silence.
Kestra just stared on in shock, fear, and disgust. Her clan had... killed the girl... far more viciously than she'd ever seen a Vampire kill. The Vampires hunted and fed, even the child they had killed had been for food, but this... She no longer knew her clan, the people around her that she'd grown up with, they weren't her friends, they were monsters...
