[Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

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Stretching northward along the coastline of the Suvan Sea, the Cobalt Mountains are the home of the Bronze Wood, numerous ruins, and creatures both strange and fantastical.

[Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

Postby Ursus Umosa on August 3rd, 2009, 1:29 am

Year 509, 32nd day of Spring


Ursus Umosa was a content Kelvic battle squire. His master, the Honorable Captain Knight Kendri Umosa was a noble, brave and kind man. A veteran of many a quest and campaign Sir Kendri commanded respect from friend and foe. It was Sir Kendri who held the line at the battle of the Bronze Wood along with his blood brother Sir Udan Losmi, rallying the Syliran forces from certain defeat. Ursus was there, albeit still very young and serving as a warrior for the Knights.

"Take heart men!" Sir Kendri shouted as him and Sir Udan fought like tigers against formidable odds. In the confusion of the battle he found himself cut off from his men and Sir Udan. He was surrounded by a dozen barbarian bandits. The bandits screeched and gathered for the kill. Dazed and momentarily defenseless all Sir Kendri could do was say a small prayer. The nearest enemy, a large oafish looking fellow with an ax raised it up for the final blow...

"Ursus! Ursus!" A woman's voice broke through Ursus' memories. It was Sir Kendri's young wife, Lady Isalla. She was a beautiful raven haired beauty, twenty years Kendri's junior and daughter of a high ranking member of the Sylirian knights. Isalla smiled brightly as she found Ursus sitting against a straw bale, Kendri and Isalla's young daughter Wren fast asleep in his lap.

"Shhh..." Ursus brought a finger to his smiling lips. "The little one sleeps mistress."
"She loves you so much, as do we all..."

A roar shook the battlefield. The oafish bandit forgot all about Sir Kendri and was frozen with fright. Kendri, still groggy, saw a large brown blur slam into his attacker. A large paw took the bandit's head clean off. His friends quickly rallied and attacked. Metal met fur met teeth met shield met claw. One by the one the bandits were slain by the bear which protected Sir Kendri.

"I need you to go town to collect a few items." Lady Isalla instructed Ursus. "Cheese, sausage, and a you know what for you know who..." She bent down and picked up the sleeping girl. It was Wren's birthday soon and Ursus had a carver friend in town. A week prior he had asked him to carve a splendid rocking horse for young Wrenny.

"As you wish mistress." Ursus stood and kissed the sleeping girl on the head. For a long moment Isalla and Ursus' eyes locked. Ursus lightly brushed back the hair from Isalla's eyes, smiled sadly, then he turned and headed to town.

The bandits were routed and fled into Wood. Sir Kendri had regained his strength by now and raised his mighty sword to the sky.

"Sylir!" He shouted and his men followed suit. His men were jubilant and celebrated both the victory and being alive. Udan and Kendri hugged vigorously and pounded each other's backs. Kendri smiled and turned to his savior. However his eyes grew suddenly concerned- the bear's breathing was labored, he was bleeding from many wounds. Suddenly the bear gave a sorrowful moan and fell mightily to the ground.

Ursus awoke a week later in Syliras. The first thing he saw was the smiling face of Sir Kendri. Ursus would learn later of the frantic voyage Kendri undertook to save the young Kelvic's life.

"My lord..." Ursus croaked.
"Rest my son. You need your strength." Kendri put a hand on Ursus' shoulder as the young Kelvic passed out again.

Another week and Ursus could sit up. Sir Kendri had brought Ursus a wonderfully raw steak and a large bowl of blackberries. Ursus ate it greedily and his body welcomed the nourishment with . They talked about this and that. Kendri about wanting to marry and start a family, Ursus about his fascination with the katana. An hour passed and Kendri stood to leave. A firm grip on his arm prevented him from leaving, Ursus was regaining his strength quickly.

"My lord allow me to serve you." Ursus pleaded. "When I am better I will be an excellent squire."
"I accept." Kendri nodded seriously. "With you and Sir Udan by my side I shall fear no evil."


Smoke, Ursus smelled it on the horizon. A mile away from the Umosa house Ursus froze. His hands dropped the groceries and wooden rocking horse. He ran.

The manor, barn, everything was smoldering or in flames. Ursus sniffed frantically for his master's scent.

"Master!" He shouted with tears in his eyes. His head twisted around in panic as he looked around for his family.

He found them in the back of the manor, the house servants' bodies laying around them. They had thrown themselves to protect their master but were cut down mercilessly. In the middle laid the bodies of Sir Kendri and the Lady Isalla. He sobbed uncontrollably as he knelt down and cradled his master's dead body in his arms.

"No!" Ursus reached for Kendri's dagger which was laying nearby. He tore off his shirt and kneeled beside his master and readied himself to follow his master into death. At the moment he intended to plunge the dagger into his gut a frail hand gripped his arm.

"Ursus..." It was the Lady Isalla, barely breathing.
"Mistress!" Ursus dropped the dagger and gathered her into his arms. "I can take you to town, I can save you!"
"No Ursus, I have but a few moments left..."
Isalla coughed. "No time. Ursus you must save her. You must save our daughter..."

The pounding hoofs terrified the young girl. Her mother had seen the dark riders first and sent her running towards town. Instead of running, she hid in the nearby tall grass and watched as her parents tried to buy her precious time with their lives. Poor Wrenny screamed as she saw the riders slaughter Pierre the cook and she ran. Her legs did not get her far and the riders had heard her scream. Knowing she was a small child they were not in a rush, instead they took the time to properly torture Sir Kendri.

And finally there was nowhere to run, nowhere to hide. The riders circled her with brutal amusement and laughed amongst themselves. So sure they were of their new found prey and game they were oblivious to the giant brown bear who sprinted towards them.

The horses sensed something amiss and whinnied. Ursus took down the nearest horseman to the ground and tore out his throat with his jaws. One by one the riders perished, all but their leader who watched his henchmen meet grisly ends. The man's horse was panicking, so much so that the man dismounted. He drew his sword and charged, as did Ursus. Bear and man slammed into each other the man swinging his sword at the bears head. A large foreleg blocked the blow but the sword cut through to the bone. The bear roared and drove his free claw into the man's unprotected throat. The man gurgled and fell to his knees.

Ursus changed back to his human form and stood before the dying man. The man's helmet tumbled off and Ursus was shocked to recognize the man. It was a Sir Udan Lomsi, a man whom Ursus and Sir Kendri loved and trusted. The man tore off his armor and shirt. On his right breast was a Gnosis Mark of Rhysol, the god of evil and chaos.

"You wouldn't understand...Ursus..." These were Udan's last words before his body thumped to the ground.

Ursus stood in anguish at the events. Once again a frail hand brought him back. Tiny hands hugged his legs. Ursus looked down and saw small Wren crying, afraid. Ursus looked at her and realized that all she had was him. After this, could he trust the Knights? Could he trust humanity? Isalla's words burned into his soul and he realized all they had were each other. He would take care of her and he would see that her parents' murders were avenged.
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Re: [Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

Postby Gossamer on August 5th, 2009, 8:42 pm

It is said that a kelvic bond is a fleeting thing, moving from source to another as need and demand requires it. When one bondmate dies, a hole opens in a Kelvics soul and reaches out seeking another meaning. Marcus Kelvic designed them this way, slaves - in a sense - though whom they served was always their choice. The target was young this time, but not something unheard of. Wren's need was greater than the whole of the world in that particular instance. And the soul of the Kelvic warrior knew that.

Luminous eyes stared up at him, scared and washed with sorrow someone so young should never know. Her sorrow was melodious, even as she clung to him, and stared at the bodies that littered the ground. The corpses themselves began to burn, melting into the earth as if they were made of acid and the soil itself was parched with it. On the ground where Udan's body had lain, a black gem gleamed wickedly in the sunlight - unusual and dangerous looking. Nothing living, not even the grass beneath their bloody corpses, remained. Wren clung to Ursus, her face burying itself into his chest - the only thing left familiar to her. Her tears, silent now, soaked his jerkin as she cried for both of them, letting the bear be her strength.

The gemstone called to Ursus, seemingly beckoning him to take it. Wren seemed oblivious to it.
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Re: [Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

Postby Ursus Umosa on August 6th, 2009, 9:26 pm

Ursus closed his eyes and held the child tight. Tears ran down his own face as he made a solemn bonding promise to little Wren. As he had served his father he would now serve her. In a way he would still be serving Sir Kendri since he knew deep down that this would be his master's, his old master's wish. Until his last dying breath he would look out for her wellbeing.

"It's ok little one, I will protect you." He murmured softly and delicately kissed the top of her head. There was much to be scared about, and it took everything not to break down. His mind swam with unanswered questions. Who? What? Where? He knew the mark of Rhysol from serving with the Knights, but how could Sir Udan bear it and be a part of the Knights? Ursus, while intelligent in his own way, was not so smart to unravel this conspiracy. His mind was not so nimble to figure it out.

He watched the burning corpses with fright. What were these monsters that he had taken down? And Sir Udan was always one of them? How much chaos had this double agent caused during his time with the Knights. Were there more?

The black gem caught his gaze and the kelvic regarded it warily. He was drawn to, yet suspicious of it. Would it curse him if he took it? What was it exactly?

Finally, while still gently holding Wren, he bent down and picked it up and examined it. He sniffed it and the air around him for clues. He also searched his memory for any reference of a black gem in his past. Had Sir Kendri talked about this in the past? He also thought long and hard about if there was anybody worth trusting that could help explain this gem and the Gnosis he saw to him.
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Re: [Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

Postby Gossamer on August 9th, 2009, 3:18 am

As the great bear bent over the child and kissed her lovely head, the bond transferred itself gently from the lass' father onto herself in a soft magical moment of pain and tenderness. Though Wren had the best two parents the world could have given her - yet a third gift came into her life in that very special moment. Bears were stoic, patient, and loving creatures with enormous will and heart; Ursus was no exception. They had courage and devotion built into a form that had the stamina to see any task through. If Ursus decided he wanted to avenge his previous bondmate, then he'd do just that - and not give up until the task was done. That's simply how it was. And Wren would have to grow up fast, riding his strength and drawing on it because she had no choice but to let her childhood slip away like dandelion seeds in the wind. No one could say where the two of them would end up, floating on the wind completely at its mercy like they were.

But one thing was for sure; nothing would ever be the same again.

Ursus bent and retrieved the gem. It glittered momentarily in his hand and then turned to liquid. The inky black substance soaked into his skin, absorbing rapidly. He'd have no time to shake his palm off. It was an instantaneous absorption. The liquid gemstone came together again, under his skin, tucked up into the bones of his palm. It wavered slightly, pooling together and then hardening embedded deeply in the flesh of his palm. He could feel its solid form (identical to the stone he'd picked up) within his body. It caused him no pain, nor did it seem to effect the use of his hand or the grip he'd have on a sword.
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Re: [Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

Postby Ursus Umosa on August 20th, 2009, 7:25 pm

The Kelvic's eyes widened as he beheld the strangeness that beset his arm. The gem had liquified and melted into his skin- what did this all mean? He shook his arm vigorously as he could shake it all off, but it didn't work. For a second he considered cutting off his arm, his hand, afraid that something of the devils would infect him and make him mad as well. Would this cause him to hurt the girl? What did this all mean? He sniffed it curiously.

In the end Ursus decided to do nothing. Like the recent events, he seemed unable to effect much change at all. His master? Dead. His mistress? Dead. If had stayed and not gone his errand would things have been different? So many questions whirled amongst random memories and images that all he could do was sit down. He gathered up little Wren in his lap and the two of them sat for a long time, silent.

Finally, he got up and carried the little girl back to the house. He placed her gently on the ground as the Ursus gathered the dead bodies and built a giant funeral pyre. He smashed down nearby buildings and lugged the timbers to form a large conical pile of wood. Once that was done he began to place the bodies. First the servants were placed on the edges. If there was an afterlife they would go with their master to serve him, or so Ursus assumed. Honestly, he was never very religious so he was at a loss of what exactly to do but this seemed the right thing to do.

He washed his master's body and clothed it the tunics of the Sylrian Knights. With a heavy heart he put it on top of the pyre. Beside Sir Kendri's body Ursus laid Lady Isalla, clothed in the finest dress he could find- her wedding dress.

"Farewell Master." Was all he could say. Never before he had wished anything different about himself, but in this instance he wished he was more articulate. Was a there a poem to recite? A prayer to say? Ursus did not know. Frustrated, he lit a torch and threw it onto the pyre. A raging fire soon developed and reached high into the heavens.

Ursus gathered little Wren into his arms and the both of them watched everything they knew and loved go up in smoke. Once again he looked at his palm. Perhaps their final bit of evil had been done with the gem. Whatever it was it could not be good. Was he doomed as well? A sudden panic threatened to take hold of him as he thought there wouldn't be enough time to avenge his Master's death.

He settled down with the thought of the significance of his new, dark hand. It was as if he was bound by the gods or fate on his path. There was not a moment to lose. No matter what, Ursus was certain, this road would lead to his death.
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Re: [Flashback] Baby and Bear at the River Styx...

Postby Gossamer on August 24th, 2009, 7:53 pm

During the proceedings, Wren was quiet. She watched Ursus, and refused to cry though tears were appropriate and somewhat necessary. She'd sob later, in the deep dark, when she had time to understand all that had happened and what the future looked like now. She'd cry into the massive bears coat, where he was more her friend than her guardian - the largest teddy bear ever. He knew it and she knew it, but the child had aged a hundred years in a single night - thrust out of childhood before her time.

When Ursus placed her on the ground, she watched quietly as he gathered and destroyed, moving bodies and building up a fire. Only once did she disappear, returning to the destroyed house to bring forth a small locked chest. She held it for Ursus, and didn't hesitate, after the fire was done, placing it in his hands. It wasn't locked, but it was made out of the kind of metal that resisted fire. Just when Ursus had sat down to think about his dark hand, Wren gave him something else to think of. He could open the chest then, or save it for later. But little Wren knew it was important to her family.

The Contents of The Chest :
1 Note from the Miza Mint good for 5,000 Mizas (Sir Kendri's entire life savings - Wren's Inheritance)
1 Will - Granting Ursus, in the event of his death, and in the event of Isalla's death, custody of Wren and the management of Wren's Inheritance until she came of age (16).
1 Deed - The Kendri Estate - signed off by The Dryes Family - Wren's Inheritance
1 Note signed by a Konti Adviser - Kaylana Natra - good for a singular favor owed the Kendri Family to be cashed in at a time of need in thanks of Loren Dyres' life saved during wartime.


The box was Wren's legacy. And now it was Ursus' responsibility as well... voluntarily taken up by his own paws. The dark gem in his hand would have to wait. There was too much to do before such a time as his revenge could be enacted.
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