Trent's Introduction

Falkonis was deserted. The choice had been follow Bernuka's guards to temporary quarters while the city was 'cleansed' or die. Most chose to live. Whether they chose to hide or to resist, those remaining were easily rounded up by the mages. Bereft of the last of its defenders, the city fell into Bernuka's hands. The final defender of the city was being stalked at every turn, by his own people.

"Stop Traitor!" shouted the guard, sighting Trent. Unable to bring himself to fight his kin, Trent ducked out of sight, evading his pursuers. His only thoughts were of escape... and revenge. Finally making his way to outskirts, he took one last look at his ravaged home, knowing he would return. He never saw the black sword strike, though it came from before his very eyes. A moment passed, and a black rider spurred his mount away from Falkonis with its last protector slung over the saddle.

Trent felt the initial pain of cold metal rending flesh, and then nothing. He sank into darkness for a long time. It was hard to think, it hurt to struggle against the void. It was easier to just float away. He felt nothing. But a voice kept whispering to him. It wouldn't let him be. It sounded so familiar, like...

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"It's in your reach, concentrate." Trent could hear Gasder's voice in the distance, although he was only a few feet away. Confused by this Trent pondered the situation for less than a second before he berated himself and gave his full attention to his task. "You are weightless, gravity has no hold on you." Keeping his concentration on his task, Trent let his mentor's words flow through his ears. "The sky is simply an extension of the ground, walk on it, use it." Trent withheld his excitement as first one foot, than the other slowly rose off the ground completely.

His eyes closed, his body in the air, Trent was completely cut off from his senses except for his mentor's words, and the occasional breeze flowing through the sky. Sweat now dripped freely from him, running down his furry back and tightly muscled legs, dropping from his ankles onto the weights hanging from his feet. Drawing deep into a meditative state, it might have been minutes, it might have been hours when Trent finally opened his eyes. Trent was 30 feet in the air and was still rising for about a second before he fell, surprised, to the dirt ground at Gasder's feet.

Smiling at him Gasder said, "Good. Good. That was the best one yet. Next time be prepared. The warrior that is easily surprised is a dead one. Now try again." Standing up without bothering to dust himself off, Trent began the process again.

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His mind wandering in a haze of pain Trent recalled yet another incident.

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Crouching in a fighting position Trent faced Gasder, a practice polearm in each of their paws. Circling around each other warily Trent began to grow impatient, and charged at Gasder. Upon reaching Gasder Trent sidestepped and whipped his pole at the side of Gasder's head. Hearing a crack as Gasder's stick easily deflected his own, Trent spun back to Gasder's front and brought his pole downward at him. Grabbing his pole with two paws, separated from each other, Gasder again deflected Trent's basic attack.

Expecting the block Trent twirled his pole down and thrust it into Gasder's open gut, frustrated to hit naught but air. Growling, Trent sped after Gasder only to receive a crack to the arm. Cursing away the pain Trent sensed rather than saw Gasder's pole bearing down on him. Quickly dodging to one side Trent came at Gasder furiously blows raining down on one another so fast they were hard to see. Seeing Gasder back away from his attacks, Trent grinned wolfishly and pressed on even harder. Gasder had almost backed up to the wall when suddenly he rammed his shoulder into Trent's stomach in-between the pole thrusts and slashes. As Trent reeled back in pain Gasder brought his pole down behind Trent's legs and whipped it up at an angle, effectively tripping Trent. Before Trent could react a pole was an inch from his throat... then he was pulled up by strong hands and frustratingly sighed, looking into Gasder's face. Gasder simply smiled at him and helped him back to their makeshift abode out in the wild where Trent could treat his bruises. As they both entered Gasder said, "Soon Trent, soon you will be ready."

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All day Trent had been uneasy, nervous, and even a little frightened. Yet when Gasder came to tell him all was ready, Trent felt a strange calm come over him. He went for his armor and spear on the table. "You won't need those." Gasder stated eyeing the long spear. This is a different kind of test. Gasder blindfolded Trent and led him through the forest until they reached some sort of cavern, where Gasder took the blindfold off. As they entered Trent saw that the inside was deceptively larger than what the outside led him to believe. They went through several smaller rooms before they came to a large hall, with nothing except for a statue of Falkonis, the White Dragon, in the middle.

Trent was brought unarmed before the statue of Falkonis. "Do nothing until you are told to, and when you are told to do something, do it. Now sit down and close your eyes. You will know when the test begins." Gasder left. After an undeterminable amount of time a big, dark haired man rushed out of the shadows giving an eerie war cry that filled the large cave. The man then charged toward Trent wielding a sword. Surprised Trent snapped his eyes open and went to stand up and defend himself but heard Gasder's voice in his mind. "Do nothing until you are told to." Uncertain Trent watched the man but decided to follow Gasder's words. Taking a deep breath Trent ignored the rapidly approaching man and closed his eyes. Expecting a sword to run him through the chest in any second Trent was surprised to hear sounds of many blades being clashed together.

Trent opened his eyes and almost screamed in surprise as an elf toppled to the ground in front of him coughing up blood. An arrow was buried in his chest. Tearing his eyes away from the elf, Trent became aware that he was seeing a giant battle, a war of the races. There were elves, humans, dwarves, and even some of his own kind, lupine.

Trent looked around and saw a lupine dispatch a man and yell in triumph, only to have another man run a sword through him, then spit in his face as he died. Appalled as he was by these horrendous sights, the screams were worse. It seemed the air was full of screams of death. Horrified Trent tried to close his eyes again, but this time a voice spoke. "Watch." Trent slowly opened his eyes and watched the carnage unfold.

Hours later, after the battle was over, after the last screaming being had finally died, after the small group of survivors had fled, after Trent's breaths had become short and ragged from the brutality, the illusion disappeared. The only sound in the chamber was Trent breathing heavily. The voice spoke again. "This is war, true war. Do you love war?" Trent was filled with shame then, for he had always thought of war as great, as a time when he could boast his ability. Trent spoke to the voice. "No, I do not love war anymore, as I once thought I did. Not after what I just saw." As he spoke Trent wondered if he spoke the truth. No, I speak the truth. I didn't realize the sheer brutality, the wanton cruelty...

As he waited, the cavern grew very dark. An ethereal image of Falkonis appeared in front of him. "Trent, I am going to take your sight from you. Do you wish for this to happen?"

Trent's mouth got very dry. My sight? Trent spoke with a trembling voice while still in a sitting position. "I... I guess..."

The voice. "Do you accept or not?"

Pushing his fear away Trent said, "I accept." A sudden flash burned his eyes for a second, and then all was dark.

"Next I will take your limbs."

Trent cried out in surprise, but nodded his head once. Gasder had told him to do what he was told. Another flash and Trent couldn't feel his arms or legs anymore. He wasn't in pain; it simply felt like he never had any limbs.

"I will now take away your hearing."

Another nod. Another flash. Silence.

Extremely scared Trent nodded once more. What is going to happen to me? Trent had no tongue.

Trent strengthened his resolve. Then nodded one final time.

Trent could not feel anything, see anything, say anything, or move. Trent didn't even know what he was now. He could only tell that he was still somehow alive.

Trent was completely in awe now. Trent had no way to communicate his thoughts. He thought about what he had been expecting and how foolish he had been. He felt like one who has been much enlightened.

Trent opened his eyes. It had all been a dream. Looking down at himself Trent saw that he had all his appendages. Sighing quietly to himself Trent wiped the sweat from his brow with his paw and got up. Suddenly Trent noticed a glowing globe in the statue's grip that hadn't been there before. "Place your hands on the globe."

Trent gingerly placed first one paw, then the other on the globe. The globe threw out a white light that illuminated the entire cavern. Immediately a searing pain shot through his body like lightening. Trent suddenly saw all his follies, and lies laid bare. He was assaulted by the power of truth in every direction. He saw all of his lies to his parents. He saw all of his lies to his companions, to his friends, to his people. These blasts of pain were incredibly strong, but not even close to the one he felt when the globe went to the lies he told himself, the ones he tried to hide the most. He saw his reason for trying to become a Dragoon, and a Draconian. His real reason. He had simply wanted the power. He told himself he was doing it for good. He told himself it was to help people. All lies. He didn't want to become a victim to the marauding humans at the borders of his land. He didn't want to live in fear in the forest forever. He wanted to be the one that terrorized. Trent was forced to come to terms with his lies.

The pain was incredible. It had ceased being a simple physical pain now, but had transcended all barriers and felt like it was tearing his very being apart. He was forced to come to terms with the truth. Trent heard someone screaming, then realized it was him. Long moments passed. Trent felt that he would simply cease to be if this continued any longer when suddenly the pain receded. He had faced himself and all the lies that were Trent. Trent fell to the ground, his body drenched with sweat, his teeth chattering. "You will find your true path and your true mission in the trials you will face."

Trent lost consciousness then and slipped into nothingness...

When Trent awoke in the middle of the forest, he was hardly surprised. He stood silently, and looked all around him as if seeing for the first time. Trent smelled the air deeply. He spread his arms out wide and bowed his head and stood there for many moments. Then he turned around and walked home.

G6 Chapter One