This has gone significantly over the minumum word count but I hope it reads OK. Not written a story since my GCSEs 😂
The sun crept over the surrounding rooftops as dawn awoke. Lying across a stagnant puddle outside the Inn lay the body of a slim man, dishevelled and limp. His presence had been felt the night before at the Inn; this Thief caught in the act of stealing the remnants of overcooked meat and vegetables sodden with split ale from a table.
The ensuing brawl led to the sound of anarchy; tables being overturned, and body’s being hurled across the room, tankards and glasses being used as melee weapons against anyone woo may get in their way. “Be off with you, peasant!” screeched the voice of the stout barmaid. As the chaos calmed, the thief was kicked to the dirty cart tracks on the ground outside, where he lay in a wallow of drunken self-pity and pain.
The bustle of the townsfolk began as they set about their days while the Pawn, still disorientated, dragged himself to his feet, only for the door to the Inn to swing open and nudge him off balance once more. Out stepped a towering specimen who squinted as the light hit his eyes. His corroded, scorched Warrior armour chinked as he lumbered down the steps from the Inn. The handle of the Mighty Cinderspine swayed behind him, sheathed in an old leather clasp on the backplate of his armour.
In all his might, this was Nornu, the Arisen. He glanced down at his sorry Pawn and grunted in disapproval. “To your feet, boy, we must leave. You must learn to handle your mead.” Without waiting, Nornu walked by the Thief and set along the path to the town gates. The Thief clambered to his feet and set off behind his master. His head buzzed, yet Nornu appeared fresh and without such ill effects from the copious amounts of alcohol consumed, for even a barrel of mead could not satisfy his thirst.
Their quest has been set out before them the night prior by a Scholar. A tale of great treasure had been told at Sundown, that of threat and mortality for dozens of Fighters before them. A cave deep in the mountains of Vermund was said to hold an amulet of great power, power enough to enable the greatest of foes and the mightiest of dragons be slain with but a scratch. The thought of such treasures proved impossible to resist for the arrogant, testosterone fuelled Arisen. He considered his victory over whatever danger would lie ahead, ready to do what no others had been able to and massage his own pumped-up ego.
Nornu and his loyal pawn began their walk into the unknown. The journey took them across the unforgiving terrain outside of the city walls. Rolling hills and steep, treacherous crags awaited them, not to mention the abundance of blood-hungry foes that blocked their every step and turn. The Arisen feared nothing, ploughing through waves of Goblins and overcoming the might of A battle-worn Cyclops sporting a blood-laden spiked club. Nothing could deter the Arisen from his objective and the thought of immense power.
The Pawn on the other hand was less satisfied with these encounters. Not weak or lacking the guile to take on a vast array of enemies by any means, and his Snagdaggers were powerful enough to support the Arisen. The Pawns reservations stemmed from his master’s willingness to look for blood and dismemberment, even when simpler routes presented themselves. He was wary of his vulnerability; fragile leather chest armour and broken, cumbersome greaves did little to protect him from lacerating blows if not careful in his approach. He did not hold the lust for blood of his master and while destined to serve, he longed for a less mortal approach to the journeys. He wished to be able to one day sever ties to the Arisen and return to the less threatening endeavours of his thieving past.
The journey alone seemed an impossible task given the density of the forest they battled through and the steep cliff edge they scaled to draw closer to their destination. Finally, they came to a camp spot and the Arisen lay down his mace and slumped a deer he had beheaded in front of the campfire ready for dissecting and cooking; a meal he hungered for after the exertions and challenges of the path he had lay to waste behind him. He grunted in a rare show of tiredness and leaned forward to rest his large frame on his tired knees, settling on a fallen tree and commanded the Pawn set up camp and provide them with fire for warmth in the chilling altitude.
The Pawn painstakingly butchered the dead doe, skinning and gutting the animal. He skewered numerous large pieces of gamey meat to branches of the fallen tree ready for cooking over the naked flames. Hungry and exhausted, he salivated at smell of the delicious meat, as tiny drops of juice dripped into the flames below, causing the fire to dance and spit, unleashing more of the delicious smells.
The night had drawn in, the campfire providing the only light for Nornu and his Pawn as the hillside crags painted a severe yet beautiful silhouette across the star-studded night sky through the clearing in front of them. The Pawn’s hard work had served up a protein-rich feast of meat cuts from the plump deer. Nornu rose from his rest and trudged over to the fire, with his vast frame knocking his hungry and exhausted Pawn out of his path. Nornu grabbed the meat with his battle-scarred shovel-like hands, leaving just scraps of sinewy meat and gristle attached to a slim, lonely branch of the spit the Pawn had crafted for cooking. He gave no thanks to the Pawn, not acknowledging him in any way as he returned to his pew.
He began scoffing away at the delightful feast that lay on his dirty lap; his gnarly, worn down teeth tearing away at the meat while his tongue rolled around his gaping mouth like a cow chewing the cud. The Pawn seethed inside. Again, his hard work and efforts going unrecognised by his master. This was no surprise to the Pawn but made it no easier to swallow. He scorned at the remaining scraps of flesh so kindly left for him, barely enough for a small peasant child, let alone a battle-worn Pawn like himself. He inhaled the remains of the carcass and retired to his bedroll, desperate for sleep and to stop the burning sense of injustice and discontent eating away at his slim frame. Small drop of rain hit his scruffy, ashen hair as his closed his eyes.
Morning came far too quickly. The sun crept over the jagged horizon, causing the Pawn to stir. His eyes squinted open, pupils dilating to pinpricks as the piercing sunlight hit them, instantly warming his damp threadbare clothes. His rolled to his side, swung himself to a sitting position, clicking his neck to relieve then discomfort caused by the hard ground he had slept on. He puffed as he rose to his feed. Nornu remained motionless in his camp bed, snoring like a wild boar. The Pawn approached, “Day draws near, Master. We must continue our journey while the sun gods smile on us.”
Nornu rose to his feet. He felt fresh and remained well satiated from his protein feast the eve before, getting himself dressed before starting the walk away form the campsite with his Cinderspine. The Pawn, left again to tidy and pack up their campsite, rushed around to catch up with risen.
“Move, Pawn. You leave me unaided in battle with your pace.” The Arisen grunted in displeasure.
“Sorry, Master, there’s more to pack than just my bedroll-“
“I don’t need your excuses, Pawn, just your blades and skills in battle. Move.”
Nornu rudely cut off the Pawn as he had attempted to explain the challenge of carrying so much cumbersome equipment. The Pawn eyes pierced the back of the Arisen. Seething with hate, he rushed after the Arisen, his weary limbs trudged along the uneven ground as he gained ground on his master. He continued to drag his aching body behind the Arisen as the mad progress to their goal.
The land was baron; with the challenging landscape staving off interest from the many creatures that inhabited the rest of the lands surrounding them. The clambered up steep slopes and walked along the scorched path. Silence filled the remains of the journey, not a word spoken between the two travel companions- a strained relationship, void of any emotional connection or friendship.
A rock face now apparent in the distance, slowly creeped up on them. Its true enormity becoming more apparent, and daunting, as they made slow but steady yards towards discovering what treasures lay within. The Arisen’s only thoughts fixed on the power that could be bestowed upon him by the Amulet spoken of by the scholar at the Inn 2 nights before.
Finally, they arrived at the rock formation. A towering wonder that sheltered all near it from the sun, casting formidable shadow across the path ascending to its entry. Its bloodied entranceway was littered with bones and broken weapons of those who had dared stand up to whatever resided within. The true enormity of their challenge was clearer than ever.
This didn’t phase Nornu one bit. He continued his march up to the unnerving cave, leaving the pawn no time to consider what may be to come as he scuttled with trepidation behind the towering warrior. As Nornu crossed the threshold of the cave entrance he unsheathed the fire imbued Cinderspine and grasped the hilt firmly, his knuckles whitening as his worn skin pulled taut. His pace did not slow but his steps became more considered and quieter, his senses heightened as he prepared himself for an unknown encounter.
The cave was eerily still, with the sound of cool water dripping from the stalactites above the only acute sound cutting through musky air around them. As the two moved towards the inner area of the cave, the ground below them began to rumble and a deep voiced boomed from one side of the cave. The disturbance cause numerous stalactites above them to split from their roots and shatter as the fell to the ground. The Pawn darting one way then the other to avoid being impaled by these vast formations.
A twinkle of light shone through a small crevice at the same end of the cave, casting a harrowing silhouette moving heavily towards them, every step causing the ground to shudder and shake beneath their feet. The being bellowed again. The presence of the two travellers was clearly not welcome and they both moved into a defensive stance ready for whatever beast would greet their blades.
The being grew in stature with every pounding step it took towards the two, it dwarfed them in size as it drew near, and in the outline of its shadow, I huge club was hanging towards the ground, dragging across the damp, rocky terrain. Its steps became louder and faster, its size clearly not to be mistaken for a lumbering foe. The Arisen raised his weapon and the adrenaline surged through his veins. He began to breathe heavily with a animal-like grunt with each exhale.
The creature was unmasked from the shadows by the low light trickling from the cave entrance. A mighty Cyclops towered above them and gnashed its broken, rotting teeth together and it roared towards them. It lifted its club, the trunk of an old, enormous oak, still with a dismembered limb hanging from the muddle of roots at its end. It took a huge swing at the intruders, who launched themselves away from its long reaching swipe, before quickly rolling back to their feet ready for a swift counterattack between the Cyclops’ return swing. The Cinderspine smashed into the thigh of the beast as Nornu bellowed. Barely a scratch made on this formidable beast’s toughened grey skin.
The Pawn hopped from stalagmite to stalagmite, rising towards the tatty waist cloth of the Cyclops and unleashed a barrage of slicing cuts with the Snagdaggers. More damage was made to the clothing of the Cyclops than the Cyclops itself. The Arisen and his Pawn glanced at each other, realising their separate attacks were useless against this hardened foe. While no friendship was present between the two, they knew each other’s attack patterns and strengths like no other. Their next attack needed to count.
The Cyclops swung again, its two enemies barely escaping a massive blunt force impact as the club crashed through towering stalagmites, littering the ground with more mountainous rocks. The Arisen dived between the legs of the Cyclops and took a decisive blow at the achilles tendon of the beast, as it groaned with pain, its skin and thatched leg hairs singed from the Cinderspine’s impact. The thief darted along the arm of the club laden Cyclops, in a simultaneous attack, hoping to make a tide-turning slice to the beast’s eye and render it blind and vulnerable.
The Cyclops had other ideas and swung its free arm of the Pawn, swiping him across the cave like nothing more than a fly, slamming him into the side of a jagged rock and small wooden pallet that nestled into a nook of the cave. As the Cyclops stumbled in pain from the Arisen’s assault. It swayed to the left and the Arisen attempted to circle around for another hit on the injured limb, hoping to topple the mountainous foe and expose it for a fatal blow. The Cyclops twisted and kicked at the Arisen. The blow barely grazed the chest plate and shoulder of the warrior but was so powerful if propelled the warrior through the air.
The Cyclops reorientated itself and set eyes upon the thief, who’s faced grimaced at the pain from the inevitable rib fractures caused by the impact. He locked eyes with the Cyclops and his heartrate quickened, aware that without timely action he could face his demise at the hands of this enraged creature. For a moment though, his attention was diverted by a glimmer int eh corner of his eye. The small crate had broken from the impact of his landing, and inside glistened a small, silver chain. He squinted at the object, still aware of the beast approaching in the near distance. The silver chain was bundled around a glint of yellow. He reached out and brushed away the rubble and splintered wood covering the rest of the object. As he lifted the chain, the amulet it bestowed hummed in his hand. He felt a magical presence flowing through his skin at the mere touch of this fine piece of jewelry.
The Pawn rose to his knees sharply and went to place the amulet over his neck. The Cyclops had now reached it’s target, raising the club above his head ready to deliver a deathly blow to the Pawn. As his club gained momentum and sped towards the ground, the Arisen had leaped and swung his mace at the arm of the Cyclops in order to riposte the blow of the beast. The Arisen and Pawn clattered into a heap on top of each other and the cyclops stumbled into the side of the cave, further damaging the structure and groaning in pain and anger at the intruders.
The Pawn looked down. In despair, he gasped at the sight of the amulet, as it shattered into a golden dust in his hands, broken by the impact of the collision. Hopes were felt to be lost. The Arisen rose once more in a rage of anger, aiming more mighty blows at the Cyclops. The Cyclops retaliated and grasped the Arisen in one of his huge, powerful hands. Nornu’s armour creaked and bent under the immense crushing strength of the Cyclops and he gasped in pain, the air pushed from his lungs.
The Pawn tried to stand, hoping anything would help distract the Cyclops and stop him killing his master. As he planted his foot on the floor and lifted himself up, the golden dust of the amulet rose with him, circling his body and sharply swarmed around his face. The dust continued to follow the airway of the gasping thief, surging down into his lungs. Instantly, the Pawn felt an intense heat build inside and his skin started to burn. He winced and yelled in pain as his flesh transformed. His pale, anaemic skin began to harden and tighter. The tiny creases in his skin vanished as a scale-like film spread over his body.
The Pawn felt an overwhelming strength empower his frame and the pain turned to the feeling of immense power. His eyes widened and his pupils constricted. He grasped his Snagdaggers and leaped into the air, bounding off a boulder and launching himself at the Cyclops, who was now about the turn the Arisen into of pile of human soup with the crushing of his torso. The Arisen glanced at the thief, in horrific pain. But that pain disappeared for a split second, his realisation of what had just happened. The amulet had bestowed its power upon the Pawn and given his Dragon scale- like skin. The Pawn pounced with a renewed vigour and determination. He dodged and leapt his way along the arm of the enormous Cyclops and lunged at his neck.
The Snagdaggers plunged deep into the neck of the Cyclops, who let out a cauldron like gurgle as his eyes shot open in surprise. His grip on Nornu loosened and he swayed backwards. The thief lost grip of the now blood-soaked hilt of the daggers and landed on a protruding piece of rock below. But instead of being impaled, the point of the rock below shattered at the incredible strength of his now scaled skin and barely a scratch could be seen on the Pawn’s chest.
The Cyclops rocked one way and the other, tumbling forwards, flinging the Arisen from his grasp like a ragdoll across floor of the cave, landing with a final almighty crash. It took its last blood-spewing breath, lying motionless in the centre of the cave.
The Thief stood at the feet of the beast. His strength irradiated through his body and his heart pounded with excited of his newfound power, that imposed on him by the magical dust of the shattered amulet. Nornu dragged himself to an upright position against a nearby mound of debris and attempted to catch his breath.
“You- You saved me” Nornu stammered, still gasping in discomfort. “You have been given the power of the amulet. With this you can be unstoppable. The strength of the dragon, the guile of a thief and the blades of a master assassin.” He continued; in awe of the transformation he had just witnessed.
“Please. Accept my apologies. I have under-estimated you. I know have done you wrong.” He pleaded to the Pawn, acknowledging his incessant boorish behaviour towards his Pawn. “From this day that changes. You must remain my pawn, for fate says so, but now you are my companion, and we shall rid this world of the evil within it.”
The Pawn, with his newly acquired strength and confidence, nodded in acceptance of the Arisen’s remarks, pulling the warrior to his feet. This dawned the start of their new relationship as Arisen and Pawn, companions, and respected allies.
Today was the start of the Pawn’s true destiny, not a simple Pawn anymore, but a true warrior who could change the shape of the world forever.
