This story has been told countless times through its passing of generations....
now it is to be told again...
and perhaps it will live on yet another generation...
It was a cold damp night the storm blew, the house of Goldentree was silent that night. There farm lay north east of the grand city of Ba-ul. Both parents of Raymond Goldentree were important members of the city of Ba-ul. Krecino Goldentree was a knight in servitude to king Osen. While Maretia Goldentree, was the local priest's aid. The Goldentree family was a respectable name in the city of Ba-ul yet they lived humbly. Never allowing possessions of beauty and power to corrupt there way of life.
The wind blew even louder and a crack of lightning hit behind the house of to the distance. A cracking sound echoed throughout the area, awakening the young Ray Goldentree who began starring at the ceiling of his room. The sounds of the storm had awaken him and he was a little bit frightened he knew though that he father and mother were with him and nothing could harm him. The rain and the storm continued and Ray couldn't sleep. He decided he would go to the kitchen and retrieve something to eat. The wooden house stood still as he crept through the wooden halls, the windows tapping every now and then as if something was trying to get in.
The kitchen wasn't large it contained all the basic necessities a women need to cook and prepare the food that was made around the farm. Lighting a candle and letting the soft light echo in the room he slowly moved to a holding cabinet were some freshly baked wheat cookies were. A knock echoed at the door immediately drawing the attention of Ray. A knock, louder this time then before and ringing throughout his ears. Who could be there, who could be at the door at his hours. Thump, the knocks got louder till the small elf realized they weren't knocks but someone trying to get in. Thump!, the sound getting louder and forcing the small elf to move back a few steps.
The door finally gave way and shattered across the front part of the house, within the doorway stood an average sized elf, built as a rock wearing a full suit of red armor. The figure stood there and look directly at the small elf, slowly advancing he moved towards him. A sword flashed before Ray and there stood Krecino growling at the intruder. Behind him in her night robes stood his mother, already in the midst of cast spells of protection on her husband.
"Ray, stay behind your mother!" commanded Krecino as he kept his eyes on the villain in his house. Immediately obeying the child ran behind his mother seeking protection and forgiveness for trying to sneak some cookies.
Maretia put her left hand slowly on the shoulder of her boy and whispered quietly it will be ok dear stay behind me I will protect you. Ray nodded slowly and frightfully looked at the two combatants.
"Cyrus, you demon, why have you returned here. I thought your soul was burned in the inferno those many years back."
"Speak not Krecino, I have come for my revenge and I shall destroy all of your kind." spoke the red armored knight. Cyrus look at the woman and grinned. "Maretia." he slowly said in a deep voice, immediately say the words he reached out and lifted Krecino in the air by his throat and tossed him. Crashing through the boards and objects onto the floor in a bloody state.
"DADDY!!!" screamed ray as he tightened his grip on his mothers leg.
Maretia then gasp as the blade from Cyrus flew out of his sheath and slashed her diagonally across the chest. Blood was starting to form on the ground and all she could do was look at the face of her killer. She began stumbling backwards taking her son with her.
"If I cannot have you, none else shall wench! Die, feed the chaos!" screamed the Cyrus in lust, hate, and joy. Maretia landed next to Krecino and they stared at each other. She knew she had enough power to heal one, but she knew she wasn't that one. Staring deep into her husbands eyes she felt the strength fleeing her body.
"Pzar, my love" were the finally words she uttered before the darkness came, and enveloped her whisking her away to join the flow of fate. Cyrus did not see her heal Krecino and he march up cackle and started dragging the dead woman by the ankle and listing her in the air. Moving to the wall and firmly pressing her dead body against it, then drawing another blade after putting away the other he violently thrusted the blade through her and into the wall. A trophy to him, the sound of a sword cutting through the air dove at him and he was barely able to get his sword up to block it. Both fighters stared at each other, eyes locked in one of death. Then Cyrus's eyes darted to the young child and he grinned.
"Ray get out of here now! do not look back run as far as you can, do not look back get out!" screamed Krecino as he realized the next target. Tears were rolling down the face of the little elf as he began to cry, he got up though and obeyed his father who was holding back the killer of his mother screaming at him to run.
The rain beat down on the forehead of Ray as he looked up, he heard the clinging of steel in the house for the last hour. Lifting his bloody hands he stared, his mothers blood stained his hands. More tears were coming, pain had been inflicted on him. When he father won the fight he would do everything to pray for her to be alive again. The clash of metal stopped, and it was silence filling the area. Only the gentle taps of a million rains drops descending the ground at once made any noise what so ever. "Daddy won!" the small elf said as he got out of his hiding place. Immediately he began running to the house shouting "Daddy!" repeatedly.
Standing at the door was Cyrus though he was grinning and smiling all at the same time. Ray halted scared out of his mind, he began to step back, he began to go faster with each step.
"Run little elf, run as far as you can. That won't save you though, I shall have your soul." Ray was already in a full run heading north and not looking back. The darkness of the world absorbed him as he ran.
Daylight broke through the sky once more and on the side ally was the small elf, cold hungry and crying. Across the way the constable, Kalick, stood there staring at the young boy. He saw a deep pain in the heart of the boy and approached him with kind words an a comforting hand. Ray immediately embraced him seeking some sort of love and compassion and gently cried on the shoulder of Kalick.
Kalick took in the boy into his house, and immediately they lived a good life in Nov Dom. Many years past and the pain in his heart still was there. Ray became a guardsman at the age of 14, making Kalick proud of his "son". The years went on and Ray became a respected member of Nov Dom society.
The smiling young man stroll down the street looking about it was a bustling day, scanning about Ray was making sure it would be a safe day. While turning his head he came into line with him. The red knight stood there grinning, and moving towards him. All ray could do was stand there, paralyzed by fear and dropping his sword. Kalick was close by when he saw this and the Red Knight moving towards him with his weapon drawn. Rushing to stop it Kalick threw all his weight into pushing the Red knight back. Then draw his blade calling him to halt and leave the city at once. A battle ensued between the two knights swords and steel flashing in the light. Glinting about, the swords switched and slashed in a dance of death. he battle would of lasted a few days at this rate but the force of each swing Cyrus made crashed into the blade of Kalick. Swing by swing came until the final shattered his blade. Small pieces spraying hard into the body of Kalick knocking him back and to the ground where Ray was holding him.
Cyrus looked around at the forming group of guardsman who came at the calls for help. He looked again at Ray who was holding Kalick tightly and grinned. "feel yourself fortunate, you have cause more death, I shall take your soul at a later moment in time." With those words Cyrus disappeared into thing air.
"Nooooo, I am sorry Kalick, please don't ... please don't die!" Ray gripped the shoulder of Kalick tighter crying all the while. "I am sorry, I am soo sorry please.... please don't die."
With the strength draining from his body Kalick opened his eyes and looked at the one he called son. "My adopted son..do...not...blame yourself.......avenge me and your family....for I have grown to love you as my true son...be strong..be noble...be what both me and your father were. Do...do not ...ever stray on that ones path. Enlighten.....peace....love....it is not ...you.....rr...fault....tt...s....oo........n." His head gently rolled to the side and tears formed in the eyes of the young elf. All around tried to help but Ray pushed them back.
""NO ONE MUST GET HURT STAY BACK STAY AWAY!!!" screaming and crying Ray ran north fleeing in terror or fleeing in shame, they are alike. Traveling for what seemed like years but only days and stumbling across a large city fate drew him within it. Living of the streets for many days and stealing to survive a large half giant knight stopped him one day.
"Please don't hurt me.."
"Little one, I will not, speak, My name is Sondo, I am sheriff in these parts, did you know stealing is considered a crime in these walls?" Sondo looked down on Ray as he sulked. "Boy, I sense something different in you, do you not have no home?"
"I am alone sir..."
A broad smile flashed across the face of Sondo and he put his hand on the elf's shoulder. "Not no more" he said softly and he walked of to the temple beckoning Ray to join.