Categories > Original > Fantasy > The Chronicles of Eternal Darkness
Chapter One
0 reviewsWu Tian has decovered the women, with her still out cold. he finds out that his brother may be in grave peril, with the helgor, a tribal army that is renown for its beastily attacks, he is forced ...
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The Chronicles of Eternal Darkness
Chapter One
"I wonder who she is," Wu Tian asked. The light of the campfire flickered and played along his youthful face, illuminating a curious frown that curled easily around his chavo pipe. Xu Tuo was wondering the same thing. He was willing to wager she was a mage though. Despite having to often work with or consult them, the veteran knight did not like sorcerers. The dark secrets of the universe that arcane scholars uncovered were best left unknown. The world would be a better and safer place without these mystics and their ilk, constantly vying for power regardless of the consequences to those around them. Xu Tuo had, more than once, fallen into some complex scheme involving a wizard. He wondered what scheme they would find themselves in now.
The unconscious woman wrapped in Wu Tian' cloak was not about to provide any answers. Blood and dirt sullied most of her exposed flesh; her tattered robe barely covered her. Xu Tuo examined the garment from where he sat and saw several symbols that he recognized, one of which was the seal of the Loranthian Empire. The obvious conclusion being she was an imperial wizard, but not anyone that he knew. The unsoiled parts of the fabric were a deep sea green with embroidering of finely spun diosik meticulously sewn through in a dragon motif. He could only make out the tail, a claw and part of a wing to the creature though; the rest was lost with the torn parts of the garment. He guessed that it was originally intended to represent the Draconic Saint. Xu Tuo silently wondered how grand this woman might look were the robe not so badly ruined.
He put his pipe aside, deciding it was past time to have a closer look at what Wu Tian had found. He cautioned his pupil to take care in wiping the woman's face, for fear that the blood and dirt might hide some terrible wound. There was no wound though; the blood seemed to be someone else's.
"I wonder what horrors she has seen," Wu Tian whispered, his voice somehow respectful yet familiar.
The lusty old warden allowed himself a moment to admire the woman's features. Smooth cheeks and camilla pink lips suggested a youth that was betrayed by abikur-ear worry lines framing her eyes. A hand-wide lock of sky yellow hair ran the full waist length of her otherwise cheryl black. Xu Tuo found it impossible to put an age to her features. Her noble brow was still marred by the blood and dirt that seemed to cling to her with a dragon's strength. "She looks like she's been through Hell and back," he observed. Part of him wondered if she had made it back.
His companion gave him a contemplative look but said nothing. The elder warden could not help but feel pity for the poor woman but he hoped his pupil would not be caught up in this sorceress' design. When Wu Tian had told him that the woman called out his name before she appeared, Xu Tuo became agitated. He hoped it was only a young man's fancy, but he thought it best not to leave the boy alone with her. His squire was not one for fanciful extrapolation, and the old man knew that.
"What should we do now, master? If we are to catch the Helgor we must hurry but if we bring this lady along we won't be moving very fast, and we can't just leave her here."
Xu Tuo chewed his long moustache while he thought about it. He wished he were thoughtless enough to just abandon the woman. Try as he might, he could not think of a sane reason to leave her here and run as far as possible from wizardly affairs. The irony was not lost on him though; it was a wizard's request that had brought him here in the first place.
"What makes you think she's a lady?" he burst out suddenly.
"She's a lady, Xu Tuo," the boy stated flatly. The old man frowned, best not to leave him alone with her definitely.
"You are right, we can't leave her, but we have urgent business to attend as well. I'm not certain how we should go about this."
"Perhaps our business is not so urgent, now that the Helgor are wounded. I doubt they'll be going back to threaten Wu Ding again anyhow. Unless Lord Arktivilist has you up to some other business while we're here?" Wu Tian turned a questioning stare on his master.
The boy knew him well; there was no doubt about that. Xu Tuo couldn't hide an amused grin. "You're wondering why I deal with Arktivilist when I don't even like mages?"
Wu Tian feigned a confused look. "You don't like anybody," he quipped whimsically.
Xu Tuo favoured him with a smirk. "Arktivilist is no ordinary mage boy, and I don't turn him down lightly. Besides this business is of particular interest to you." If he did not already have Wu Tian' full attention, he was sure he did now. "Does the name Ai Lang mean anything to you?"
His pupil appeared pensive for a moment, moving his mouth the way his mentor would when contemplating, chewing a moustache that was not even there. The effect was a little comical and made Xu Tuo want to hit him. The boy was inheriting far too many of his mannerisms. "Well?" the impatient knight prompted.
"I think so," Wu Tian smiled. "Isn't he a wizard or something?" Xu Tuo did not know if the smile was because Wu Tian was mocking his mentor or because he actually thought his answer was a good one. Either way, the warden could not help but sigh and shake his head in irritated disgust.
"No you dunce, he's an imperial knight." Wu Tian frowned; obviously Xu Tuo would have to work on the boy's heraldic lore. "A rather obscure one, as knights go anyways. He served as a lieutenant under General Pang Li during the conquest of Kildi, and surrendered along with him at Mount Orost." He hoped that the bitterness he felt when talking about the defeat of his homeland and those he blamed for it did not show through in his voice. He paused to place a piece of avern on the fire; the sweet smell of burning sap filled the crisp evening air.
"The Red Corso," Wu Tian marvelled, utilizing the famous Kildian warlord's style name. "It must have been something spectacular to see him in action." Xu Tuo rolled his eyes, but kept his opinion to himself. "Why is this Ai Lang of particular importance to me though?"
"I was just getting to that. The last I heard of the former Kildian officer was that he was promoted to the rank of general, and given second command of the imperial forces southern army."
"Well, good for him, but why should that matter to me?"
"Would you just be quiet and listen a while!" the storyteller scolded. "As I was saying, this knight was a rather obscure one, but since his victory over Jiang Hui of Song, he has earned some little notice from the empire at large, his name is no longer even unknown to farmers." He paused, curious if the insinuation would sink in. Wu Tian remained quiet, apparently learning his lesson from his past interruptions. His agitation was apparent in the way he shifted his seat though, his eyes never leaving the sleeping woman's face for more than a few moments, but he made no sign of acknowledging his master's comment.
"Ai Lang is not overly intelligent, not unlike a certain young warden I know." The boy didn't even make a show of acknowledging the jibe. "In fact his victory in Song came by use of an old military trick taught to him by his mentor, but at least he paid attention to his master."
Wu Tian turned to face him. "Xu Tuo! Would you get to the point already? What does this knight have to do with me?"
"Only this, boy," the master replied in a soft tone laden with sarcasm, one he knew his pupil would pay heed to, "The One King, the glorious and infinitely wise Xi Ning, has seen fit to send Ai Lung east to quell the rebellious Helgor. It's said that the knight's retinue is a certain squire by the name of Zhao Ning."
Wu Tian sat for a moment in stunned silence. "Zhao Ning?" he asked, openly bewildered.
Xu Tuo nodded slowly.
"How?"
Xu Tuo' tone changed to that of a conciliatory mentor. "As I said, Ai Lung's fame these days are not unknown even to farmers, including your own father."
"But how could father have arranged for Zhao to be squired?"
"Oh I suspect Lord Xi had a hand in your brother's advancement, a kindness for your fathers many years of faithful service no doubt." Xu Tuo shifted self-consciously. A bad taste had settled in his mouth. He wasn't certain if he wanted a drink or another smoke.
"If the Helgor happens to run into that army they won't hesitate to attack. A Helgerian Army at this size has little to fear from culprit soldiers' with pikes and lances. I know Ai Lung, and unless there is a knight there who is much stronger than him, they have no one capable of besting such a terrible foe."
Wu Tian leaped to his feet and proclaimed eagerly, "We have to go warn them."
Xu Tuo kept his seat, and replied calmly, "Oh, I agree. However, you are forgetting something," he pointed with his pipe, since he had decided on the smoke, toward the unconscious woman lying wrapped in Wu Tian' cloak by the fire. When he motioned for his pupil to sit back down the young warden obeyed. "It is a full day to the highlands from here and nearly as far to go back to Wu Ding, without having to carry anyone. You said yourself we can't leave her here, but we cannot take her with us, nor can we chance to wait until she wakes up on her own. What do you suggest we do?"
"We'll have to split up."
Xu Tuo nodded; glad that the boy could see the solution on his own. The only thing he needed to do now was to decide who would bring the woman back and who would go face the Helgor. Moreover, he was unsure which way was the more treacherous.
"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
"I didn't see the point in worrying you," Xu Tuo answered honestly. Wu Tian frowned. He didn't seem to care for the answer but he said nothing more. "So, who goes to warn the army and who brings this woman back to Wu Ding?"
The question was rhetoric, and apparently his pupil knew it, since he made no attempt to reply. A decision such as this would be entirely made by Xu Tuo, who pondered the dilemma, as he thumbed his pipe full of chavo, and lit it with a coal. The aging warrior stared into the fire, watching the green tinged smoke curl around the avern branch, blurring his vision. The path ahead was unclear. It was dangerous to send the boy south, but something inside told Xu Tuo not to leave Wu Tian alone with this strange woman, just in case she did wake up.
He looked across the smoke at his squire. Wu Tian still busied himself with cleaning up what he'd found, he'd now turned his attention to her hair. Using water collected from a nearby brook he wet it gently, and then dried it with his own towel. The actions seemed somehow automatic, and served only to heighten Xu Tuo' reservations about leaving them alone together.
The knight had seen his pupil change so much in the last ten years. Gone was the chubby cheeked boy who had followed him into the woods looking for monsters, and in his place was a young man full of passion and courage, a man Xu Tuo was proud to have helped raise. Wu Tian was tall, taller than Xu Tuo by the length of a hand and he was strong, his master had made certain of that. He was also a far better warrior than he realized, even better than his mentor had realized. The veteran warden had underestimated his squire's ability when they had faced the Helgor together, and that mistake had nearly cost them both severely. He had taught Wu Tian well how to wield spear and bow, and the boy was quick witted, for all that Xu Tuo had called him a dunce. He is not a boy anymore, the old man reminded himself, and it is time I stopped treating him like one.
He removed the pipe from between his teeth, so that his speech would not be impeded. "Follow the gorge south. The Helgor avoid getting too close to Tyrakis Finger, and if you're fool enough to fall in you'll soon find out why. If you do happen upon an aetherion just run away from it, and away from Tyrakis Finger. It won't follow you far from the gorge. Once you get to the highlands head west. The base of the hills is craggy and littered with scrub bush; there should be ample cover there, even for one so clumsy as you. Keep an eye out for the Helgor, warn the army, and avoid any encounters." Wu Tian left off grooming the woman's hair, openly surprised that his mentor trusted him with this perilous mission. "Are you sure you can handle this?" Xu Tuo asked sharply.
"Definitely." Xu Tuo narrowed his eyes and Wu Tian added quickly, one hand rose to emphasize his point, "Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid, like trying to fight the Helgor. I'll just locate the army and warn my brother, that's all." His upraised hand made a sweeping motion, as if to say he wouldn't even consider anything more.
"That had better be all," the knight warned. He paused a moment to chew his moustache. Realizing what he was doing he blew the hair out of his mouth. He had been trying for years to break that habit. His squire watched him closely. Xu Tuo knew he must have been wondering why this task was being trusted to him when the other seemed much less hazardous. It was unlike the master warden to shirk an important mission. He knew he owed the boy an explanation. After showing this much confidence in the other's ability he could hardly tell the truth now.
"Listen Wu Tian," he began softly with a hint of pain in his voice, "I don't like to admit it but you know I just can't keep up anymore. The truth is I've been slowing you down lately. You tended this wound well despite what I said earlier, but I need to rest it. I'll stay in Wu Ding, and await your return. Just don't do anything dumb and things will be fine. Go make sure nothing bad happens to your brother."
Wu Tian smiled sympathetically and nodded, "Well I had best get underway." He put away the wet and soiled towel, and picked up his backpack, leaving his cloak still covering the sleeping woman. The older warden replaced the pipe to his mouth so as to hide his smile. Indeed the boy knew him well, but he still had a lot to learn
Chapter One
"I wonder who she is," Wu Tian asked. The light of the campfire flickered and played along his youthful face, illuminating a curious frown that curled easily around his chavo pipe. Xu Tuo was wondering the same thing. He was willing to wager she was a mage though. Despite having to often work with or consult them, the veteran knight did not like sorcerers. The dark secrets of the universe that arcane scholars uncovered were best left unknown. The world would be a better and safer place without these mystics and their ilk, constantly vying for power regardless of the consequences to those around them. Xu Tuo had, more than once, fallen into some complex scheme involving a wizard. He wondered what scheme they would find themselves in now.
The unconscious woman wrapped in Wu Tian' cloak was not about to provide any answers. Blood and dirt sullied most of her exposed flesh; her tattered robe barely covered her. Xu Tuo examined the garment from where he sat and saw several symbols that he recognized, one of which was the seal of the Loranthian Empire. The obvious conclusion being she was an imperial wizard, but not anyone that he knew. The unsoiled parts of the fabric were a deep sea green with embroidering of finely spun diosik meticulously sewn through in a dragon motif. He could only make out the tail, a claw and part of a wing to the creature though; the rest was lost with the torn parts of the garment. He guessed that it was originally intended to represent the Draconic Saint. Xu Tuo silently wondered how grand this woman might look were the robe not so badly ruined.
He put his pipe aside, deciding it was past time to have a closer look at what Wu Tian had found. He cautioned his pupil to take care in wiping the woman's face, for fear that the blood and dirt might hide some terrible wound. There was no wound though; the blood seemed to be someone else's.
"I wonder what horrors she has seen," Wu Tian whispered, his voice somehow respectful yet familiar.
The lusty old warden allowed himself a moment to admire the woman's features. Smooth cheeks and camilla pink lips suggested a youth that was betrayed by abikur-ear worry lines framing her eyes. A hand-wide lock of sky yellow hair ran the full waist length of her otherwise cheryl black. Xu Tuo found it impossible to put an age to her features. Her noble brow was still marred by the blood and dirt that seemed to cling to her with a dragon's strength. "She looks like she's been through Hell and back," he observed. Part of him wondered if she had made it back.
His companion gave him a contemplative look but said nothing. The elder warden could not help but feel pity for the poor woman but he hoped his pupil would not be caught up in this sorceress' design. When Wu Tian had told him that the woman called out his name before she appeared, Xu Tuo became agitated. He hoped it was only a young man's fancy, but he thought it best not to leave the boy alone with her. His squire was not one for fanciful extrapolation, and the old man knew that.
"What should we do now, master? If we are to catch the Helgor we must hurry but if we bring this lady along we won't be moving very fast, and we can't just leave her here."
Xu Tuo chewed his long moustache while he thought about it. He wished he were thoughtless enough to just abandon the woman. Try as he might, he could not think of a sane reason to leave her here and run as far as possible from wizardly affairs. The irony was not lost on him though; it was a wizard's request that had brought him here in the first place.
"What makes you think she's a lady?" he burst out suddenly.
"She's a lady, Xu Tuo," the boy stated flatly. The old man frowned, best not to leave him alone with her definitely.
"You are right, we can't leave her, but we have urgent business to attend as well. I'm not certain how we should go about this."
"Perhaps our business is not so urgent, now that the Helgor are wounded. I doubt they'll be going back to threaten Wu Ding again anyhow. Unless Lord Arktivilist has you up to some other business while we're here?" Wu Tian turned a questioning stare on his master.
The boy knew him well; there was no doubt about that. Xu Tuo couldn't hide an amused grin. "You're wondering why I deal with Arktivilist when I don't even like mages?"
Wu Tian feigned a confused look. "You don't like anybody," he quipped whimsically.
Xu Tuo favoured him with a smirk. "Arktivilist is no ordinary mage boy, and I don't turn him down lightly. Besides this business is of particular interest to you." If he did not already have Wu Tian' full attention, he was sure he did now. "Does the name Ai Lang mean anything to you?"
His pupil appeared pensive for a moment, moving his mouth the way his mentor would when contemplating, chewing a moustache that was not even there. The effect was a little comical and made Xu Tuo want to hit him. The boy was inheriting far too many of his mannerisms. "Well?" the impatient knight prompted.
"I think so," Wu Tian smiled. "Isn't he a wizard or something?" Xu Tuo did not know if the smile was because Wu Tian was mocking his mentor or because he actually thought his answer was a good one. Either way, the warden could not help but sigh and shake his head in irritated disgust.
"No you dunce, he's an imperial knight." Wu Tian frowned; obviously Xu Tuo would have to work on the boy's heraldic lore. "A rather obscure one, as knights go anyways. He served as a lieutenant under General Pang Li during the conquest of Kildi, and surrendered along with him at Mount Orost." He hoped that the bitterness he felt when talking about the defeat of his homeland and those he blamed for it did not show through in his voice. He paused to place a piece of avern on the fire; the sweet smell of burning sap filled the crisp evening air.
"The Red Corso," Wu Tian marvelled, utilizing the famous Kildian warlord's style name. "It must have been something spectacular to see him in action." Xu Tuo rolled his eyes, but kept his opinion to himself. "Why is this Ai Lang of particular importance to me though?"
"I was just getting to that. The last I heard of the former Kildian officer was that he was promoted to the rank of general, and given second command of the imperial forces southern army."
"Well, good for him, but why should that matter to me?"
"Would you just be quiet and listen a while!" the storyteller scolded. "As I was saying, this knight was a rather obscure one, but since his victory over Jiang Hui of Song, he has earned some little notice from the empire at large, his name is no longer even unknown to farmers." He paused, curious if the insinuation would sink in. Wu Tian remained quiet, apparently learning his lesson from his past interruptions. His agitation was apparent in the way he shifted his seat though, his eyes never leaving the sleeping woman's face for more than a few moments, but he made no sign of acknowledging his master's comment.
"Ai Lang is not overly intelligent, not unlike a certain young warden I know." The boy didn't even make a show of acknowledging the jibe. "In fact his victory in Song came by use of an old military trick taught to him by his mentor, but at least he paid attention to his master."
Wu Tian turned to face him. "Xu Tuo! Would you get to the point already? What does this knight have to do with me?"
"Only this, boy," the master replied in a soft tone laden with sarcasm, one he knew his pupil would pay heed to, "The One King, the glorious and infinitely wise Xi Ning, has seen fit to send Ai Lung east to quell the rebellious Helgor. It's said that the knight's retinue is a certain squire by the name of Zhao Ning."
Wu Tian sat for a moment in stunned silence. "Zhao Ning?" he asked, openly bewildered.
Xu Tuo nodded slowly.
"How?"
Xu Tuo' tone changed to that of a conciliatory mentor. "As I said, Ai Lung's fame these days are not unknown even to farmers, including your own father."
"But how could father have arranged for Zhao to be squired?"
"Oh I suspect Lord Xi had a hand in your brother's advancement, a kindness for your fathers many years of faithful service no doubt." Xu Tuo shifted self-consciously. A bad taste had settled in his mouth. He wasn't certain if he wanted a drink or another smoke.
"If the Helgor happens to run into that army they won't hesitate to attack. A Helgerian Army at this size has little to fear from culprit soldiers' with pikes and lances. I know Ai Lung, and unless there is a knight there who is much stronger than him, they have no one capable of besting such a terrible foe."
Wu Tian leaped to his feet and proclaimed eagerly, "We have to go warn them."
Xu Tuo kept his seat, and replied calmly, "Oh, I agree. However, you are forgetting something," he pointed with his pipe, since he had decided on the smoke, toward the unconscious woman lying wrapped in Wu Tian' cloak by the fire. When he motioned for his pupil to sit back down the young warden obeyed. "It is a full day to the highlands from here and nearly as far to go back to Wu Ding, without having to carry anyone. You said yourself we can't leave her here, but we cannot take her with us, nor can we chance to wait until she wakes up on her own. What do you suggest we do?"
"We'll have to split up."
Xu Tuo nodded; glad that the boy could see the solution on his own. The only thing he needed to do now was to decide who would bring the woman back and who would go face the Helgor. Moreover, he was unsure which way was the more treacherous.
"Why didn't you tell me about this earlier?"
"I didn't see the point in worrying you," Xu Tuo answered honestly. Wu Tian frowned. He didn't seem to care for the answer but he said nothing more. "So, who goes to warn the army and who brings this woman back to Wu Ding?"
The question was rhetoric, and apparently his pupil knew it, since he made no attempt to reply. A decision such as this would be entirely made by Xu Tuo, who pondered the dilemma, as he thumbed his pipe full of chavo, and lit it with a coal. The aging warrior stared into the fire, watching the green tinged smoke curl around the avern branch, blurring his vision. The path ahead was unclear. It was dangerous to send the boy south, but something inside told Xu Tuo not to leave Wu Tian alone with this strange woman, just in case she did wake up.
He looked across the smoke at his squire. Wu Tian still busied himself with cleaning up what he'd found, he'd now turned his attention to her hair. Using water collected from a nearby brook he wet it gently, and then dried it with his own towel. The actions seemed somehow automatic, and served only to heighten Xu Tuo' reservations about leaving them alone together.
The knight had seen his pupil change so much in the last ten years. Gone was the chubby cheeked boy who had followed him into the woods looking for monsters, and in his place was a young man full of passion and courage, a man Xu Tuo was proud to have helped raise. Wu Tian was tall, taller than Xu Tuo by the length of a hand and he was strong, his master had made certain of that. He was also a far better warrior than he realized, even better than his mentor had realized. The veteran warden had underestimated his squire's ability when they had faced the Helgor together, and that mistake had nearly cost them both severely. He had taught Wu Tian well how to wield spear and bow, and the boy was quick witted, for all that Xu Tuo had called him a dunce. He is not a boy anymore, the old man reminded himself, and it is time I stopped treating him like one.
He removed the pipe from between his teeth, so that his speech would not be impeded. "Follow the gorge south. The Helgor avoid getting too close to Tyrakis Finger, and if you're fool enough to fall in you'll soon find out why. If you do happen upon an aetherion just run away from it, and away from Tyrakis Finger. It won't follow you far from the gorge. Once you get to the highlands head west. The base of the hills is craggy and littered with scrub bush; there should be ample cover there, even for one so clumsy as you. Keep an eye out for the Helgor, warn the army, and avoid any encounters." Wu Tian left off grooming the woman's hair, openly surprised that his mentor trusted him with this perilous mission. "Are you sure you can handle this?" Xu Tuo asked sharply.
"Definitely." Xu Tuo narrowed his eyes and Wu Tian added quickly, one hand rose to emphasize his point, "Don't worry, I won't do anything stupid, like trying to fight the Helgor. I'll just locate the army and warn my brother, that's all." His upraised hand made a sweeping motion, as if to say he wouldn't even consider anything more.
"That had better be all," the knight warned. He paused a moment to chew his moustache. Realizing what he was doing he blew the hair out of his mouth. He had been trying for years to break that habit. His squire watched him closely. Xu Tuo knew he must have been wondering why this task was being trusted to him when the other seemed much less hazardous. It was unlike the master warden to shirk an important mission. He knew he owed the boy an explanation. After showing this much confidence in the other's ability he could hardly tell the truth now.
"Listen Wu Tian," he began softly with a hint of pain in his voice, "I don't like to admit it but you know I just can't keep up anymore. The truth is I've been slowing you down lately. You tended this wound well despite what I said earlier, but I need to rest it. I'll stay in Wu Ding, and await your return. Just don't do anything dumb and things will be fine. Go make sure nothing bad happens to your brother."
Wu Tian smiled sympathetically and nodded, "Well I had best get underway." He put away the wet and soiled towel, and picked up his backpack, leaving his cloak still covering the sleeping woman. The older warden replaced the pipe to his mouth so as to hide his smile. Indeed the boy knew him well, but he still had a lot to learn
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