Closed A Life Shattered (Shiress)

[Alex Cromwell]

Season of Winter, Day 20, 512AV

The Bronze Woods, one of the most wonderful and most dangerous places to hunt. Animals are the least of a hunter's worries when stalking the forests searching for a meal. Alex pressed forward, undeterred by the stories he had heard on the road to Syliras. He had not eaten a proper meal in days, and the constant portions of dry bread and water were starting to get old. Alex had been tracking a rather large elk for the better part of two hours, and so far, he had managed to alert his presence to the elk by tripping over several roots. Alex moved through the woods, searching for any sign of his delicious prey. He then heard the sounds of crackling brush, and he smiled. However, as he moved closer to the sounds, the more he became concerned. He could hear the low moans of a female, and they were not moans of pleasure.

Alex sheathed his daggers and ran closer to the sounds. He then found what he had been hearing. A human female was lying on the ground, naked and covered in slash marks. She had obviously been attacked, and by the amount of dried blood on the ground, she didn't have much life left in her. Alex then contemplated his situation. He could help the girl, and possibly receive a reward, or he could be blamed for the attack and killed. He could also ignore the girl and leave her to her fate. However, saner heads prevailed.

Alex ran over and knelt down by the girl. He dropped his backpack on the ground and removed the rest of the makeshift bandages that he made out of his linen shirt. He then pressed his head to the girls cheat to see if she was breathing. Her heartbeat was faint and slow, and her breathing was labored and ragged. Alex took off his fur cloak and draped it over the girl's shivering body, and then began the process of tending to her wounds. His only fear was that she would die while he was trying to save her. Alex vowed that that would not happen.

He looked around the forest clearing, seeing if there were any herbs around that might dull her pain. Seeing a patch of Elfroot, he ran over and pulled out the plant. Alex then crushed the sticky leaves in his hands, and then put them in his mouth and began to chew. He needed the leaves to be in a paste form, otherwise the plant would have no effect on the wounds. Alex spat out the green paste, took out his waterskin, and poured water over the wounds to clean them. He then rubbed the paste into the wounds to dull the pain. He then wrapped the wounds in the makeshift bandages, trying to prevent dirt from getting in. He then began to pray, trying to ease the girl suffering.

"I pray today, to the Lady of Fire,
There is one of your souls here, one who is sick,
Bring her back to the world of the living,
For she is not ready to join you in the realm of the dead."

[Shiress]

Shiress stirred slightly as she heard slow, deliberate footsteps coming from the forest floor. Her body ached, even her bones seem to scream in agony. The bite of the cold morning air ripped away the warmth of her body as she lay exposed in it's mercy. Her clothes having been ripped and torn from her. She lays staring up through the trees. The morning sun has moved down through the canopy catching lingering frost on limbs and leaves offering a dazzling display as if the stars from the night lingered among the tree tops. "He's come back" she feared as the steps became closer. The forest floor popped and cracked beneath the sound of the approaching stranger. Shiress closed her eyes, if the Zith had come back to finish her, to take his prey, she didn't want to see him, she didn't want to look her death in the eye. Her face fell away from the sound, her fist tightened, tears escaped from her closed eyes. She had no choice but to give up her life to him. No fight remained in her. She was helpless and weak. She pushed her mind to Zeltiva and her family. Her mothers smile, her fathers embrace, her brothers laugh. She pushed herself deep inside these memories looking desperately for refuge from the bitter sting of death she feared was imminent. "Goddess Rak'keli, find mercy for me" Shiress prayed as the footsteps fell silent near her. Shiress slowly emerged out of darkness. The deep ache in her legs had become a more sharp, piercing pain. Her head shifted as she slowly opened her eyes. She pulled in a fast, shallow breath as a blurred figure formed gradually to a man kneeling by her side. His broad, thick shoulders shifting about as his arms moved over her legs. His attention was focused and deliberate. She heard the man speak in a whisper, but his words were oddly clear and audible for Shiress even through a thick, dominant roaring sound left in her ears by blows and strikes to her head. ""I pray today, to the Lady of Fire, There is one of your souls here, one who is sick, Bring her back to the world of the living, For she is not ready to join you in the realm of the dead." "He prays for me" she thought, finally realizing the mans efforts were to try and help her.. Her eyes shifted to the forest behind him, peering from one tree to the next looking for what she felt sure was there. Fear stole her heart as she thought her attacker to be watching and waiting to finish her and take this man as a prize. "He does not know the evil" she feared Her eyes flooded with tears. She looked back to the stranger "rrun...go" she warned in a slight whisper " Zzith...he'll come bback" she reached for his back pulling his shirt tight in her fist "Runnn" she begged...

[Alex Cromwell]

Suddenly, to Alex's surprise, the girl grabbed his shirt, and whispered to him. "Zith...he'll come back. Run." She began to cry. Alex's heart fluttered with fear in his chest. He had heard the brutal stories of the Zith from his father when he was just a child. The Zith were a disgusting race, only made to kill humans. What creature exists only to feed on those that try to survive? Alex fumed. He made sure that the bandages were secured tightly on the girl's wounds, and then whispered in her ear.

"I do not fear the Zith, for I have gone to hell and seen what demons wait for me. There is nothing to fear when you have stared it in the face."

Alex then rolled the girl onto her side, and placed his arms under her. "I shall carry you to Syliras, you will be safe there." Alex picked the girl up off of the forest floor, wrapping her in his cloak. He began to carry her through the forest, making sure that she was as comfortable as possible. "I am Alex by the way, what shall I call you?"

[Shiress]

Shiress tried desperately to warn the stranger of the lurking evil she feared to be prowling unseen among the tree's waiting to pounce and finish his prey. Panic was beginning to set in making her heart race and her body tremble.

The man shifted and leaned close to Shiress. He moved his mouth close to her ear, she could feel his warm breath on her chilled skin.

"I do not fear the Zith, for I have gone to hell and seen what demons wait for me. There is nothing to fear when you have stared it in the face." he softly whispered

His voice calmed Shiress, she could hear courage in his words

She turned her head toward his voice. His face was that of a mans face, but it seemed to be infused with animal like features. His pale complexion was set aside by a soft glow of red from his eyes. He looked at her with compassion and concern as his arms wrapped around her.

A deep pain filled Shiress as the man lifted her abused body into his arms and stood. She closed both hands around his shirt, holding on to him tightly. She could feel his sincerity of wanting to help her. His gentle embrace and careful movements caused her to surrender herself to him.

"I shall carry you to Syliras, you will be safe there" he said as he moved swiftly through the forest. "I am Alex by the way, what shall I call you?" His voice sounded muffled and distant, she struggled to answer. "Shiress" she whispered weakly. The rustling of his steps through the forest and the sounds of the forest itself was fading, the sunlight began to dim as pain swelled within Shiress. She tightened her fist around his shirt "Please don't let me go" she said with a shallow breath. After a brief quiet her grip loosened and her body became limp as she slipped into darkness...

[Alex Cromwell]

Shiress. Her name was Shiress. Alex found the name pleasing. It was a beautiful name for a beautiful girl, but a girl this beautiful did not deserve this brutal treatment. She grabbed his shirt again. "Please, don't let go..." she begged, and then went limp in his arms. Alex kneeled down and gently laid Shiress on the grassy knoll that they had come to. Alex whipped his head around, looking for anything that might be able to bring this girl back from the edge of death. Then, he remembered that he still had some of the Slyternian Ale left over in his spare flask. Alex pulled the flask from his belt, unscrewed the cap, and poured the spicy amber liquid down her throat.

Alex hoped that the liquid would give her a jolt of consciousness so that he could revive her further, but his medical knowledge was severely lacking, besides knowing how to bandage wounds and find plants to ease pain. If she had something worse, he wouldn't be able to do much for her. His only hope was that she remained conscious until he could reach Syliras. Then, the medicae of the city would be able to take care of her more than he could. Alex waited for the alcohol to take effect, praying that it would bring her back from death.

"I pray to you, God of Death,
Relinquish your grip on this girl's soul,
She still has much to live for,
So she is not ready to join you yet."

[Shiress]

The sounds of The Bronze Woods in late afternoon was heard as a distant music to Shiress. The cold earth beneath her began to be felt against her back. She no longer was in the arms of the stranger. A warmth ran from her throat to her stomach as her eyes opened. The tree tops were blurred and unfocused as she lay on her back looking through the canopy. A soft voice came from her side. She moved her eyes toward the whisper. A small flask was in the strangers hand. A look of concern on his face as compassion flooded his words.

"I pray to you, God of Death,
Relinquish your grip on this girl's soul,
She still has much to live for,
So she is not ready to join you yet."

The pain that consumed her body has shifted from a throbbing agony to a dull ache. Her thoughts seemed calm, her eyes were beginning to clear and focus. For a moment she lay still looking to the stranger as he sat in a quiet prayer. His hair was the color of a winters snow, his skin pale and flawless. She wondered where he had come from, if he'd been the one that caused the Zith to leave her. Her thoughts were calm, but her memory was broken and filled with places of darkness. She beckoned the memory, but it wouldn't come to her. Only the face of terror as it glared at her as it moved over her with raised claw. Then a blackness. The memory was not there.

She moved her eyes to her legs. Large, deep gashes peered through the shreds of blood soaked fabric that lay in pieces, adhered to her leg by dried blood. Her eyes slowly shifted to her arm as she lifted it to her face. It too was covered in dirt and bloodied. Smaller gashes striped her arm to her elbow. Her sight drifted to the other arm that was less bloodied but still covered in gashes. She moved her hand to a pain near her shoulder. Her finger sunk into her flesh as it found a gash. She followed it from her shoulder to just above her breast. It was deep and painful.

Shiress ran her fingers across her chest to her other shoulder. Her fingers lightly touching another injury just below her color bone, but this injury was given to Shiress years earlier by her master. He had branded her, claiming her as his property, his slave. Her arm lowered to her side as she again looked to the stranger who still was quiet with prayer. She pulled herself slowly up, wincing and turning her face in pain. She rested her weight on one arm and reached for the sleeve of the man.

She had remembered hearing a name before she slipped away in darkness. "Alex" she said softly "who are you, why do you help me" she gently asked as she pulled weakly at his shirt...

[Alex Cromwell]

Alex lifted Shiress back into his arms as she pulled at his shirt again. "Who are you, and why do you help me?" Alex did not have an answer to the second part of the question, but he did have one to the first part. "My name is Alex, a Kelvic of the Cromwell Bloodline. I have fought the clan known as the Wolf Hunters, and I have killed their leader. I was born on the field of battle to a dying mother. I was trained in the Martial Arts since I was but a pup. I am the watcher of the night, the nightmare of thieves', brigands, and killers. I am no longer the hunted, I am the hunter." He stopped. Where the hell did that come from? Alex pondered to himself.

Alex sprinted through the forest, trying to reach the city before nightfall, but he realized that they would never make it in time. He placed Shiress against one of the trees, made sure she was comfortable, and then began to gather sticks and brush for a fire. Shiress needed to keep warm, otherwise she was liable to die due to the cold. He took brush and gathered it near her, encircling it with small stones. Alex then took the flint and steel out of his backpack and began to light the fire. After a few attempts, the fire caught, and soon it was nice and warm. Alex sat next to Shiress, and wrapped his arms around her. "Don't worry, this is only to conserve your body heat." However, something else was nagging at Alex. He could not identify the feeling, but it made his chest hurt.

[Shiress]

Shiress listened to Alex as they glided across the forest floor. His steps were smooth and precise. Her head rested against his chest

"My name is Alex, a Kelvic of the Cromwell Bloodline. I have fought the clan known as the Wolf Hunters, and I have killed their leader. I was born on the field of battle to a dying mother. I was trained in the Martial Arts since I was but a pup. I am the watcher of the night, the nightmare of thieves', brigands, and killers. I am no longer the hunted, I am the hunter." He said with a soft, unperturbed tone.

Shiress struggled to understand the story his words told. Lack of knowledge of the Kelvic race or the pain that consumed her body, perhaps a fusion of both, caused her comprehension to cut shirt, but no matter. His voice comforted Shiress. The gentle, confident way he spoke to her gave her a sense of safety.

Shiress opened her eyes as she felt herself being lowered to the ground. She watched as Alex darted around gathering small wood, kenneling and stone. He worked quickly as the sunlight lifted from the treetops and the bitter cold of night sat in.

At last, a small orange light flickered around them. Alex moved close to Shiress and placed his arms around her weak body and pulled her close. Her back rested snug against his stomach, her head lay on his arm. The pain in her body began to grow causing her body to become weaker. She lay staring at the fire as it danced about in the night, then closed her eyes and whispered "Bless you, Alex" her last word trailing off as sleep took her...

[Alex Cromwell]

Alex woke with a start. His nightmares had come back, but this time, when he woke from his dream, the monster was still there. He quickly rubbed sleep from his eyes, and drew his blade. Three wolves had come out of the mist, and were circling him and Shiress. The smell of her blood must have drawn them here. The wolves were emaciated as well. They must not have had anything to eat in awhile. Alex knew that this situation was going to turn from bad to worse if he did do something fast. He summoned up his linguistic skills, and spoke to the wolves. To the average ear, it sounded like nothing more than some low growls and a few high pitched whine's, but to a Kelvic wolf, it sounded like this: "Wolf clan, why do you hunt us? I am of your blood, and she is part of my pack. I will not let you have her."

The largest wolf moved forward, and responded in kind. "Wolf clan, we understand you, but we have no choice. We are hungry and tired, and your pack is weak. She will not last much longer, and it is better to save three lives and let one die, than to let all four creatures die a slow death." The wolves made sense, but Alex knew that he had to protect this girl, no matter what he had to do. "I'll give you one last chance. You leave the girl alone, or I will kill you." The wolves moved closer. He had no choice but to carry out his threat. If Shiress was to remain alive, he would have to fight his blood brothers.

The two smaller wolves charged at Alex from either side. Alex dodged the one on his left, and swung his blade at the other on his right. Alex heard the sound of blade on bone as his sword found its mark in the wolfs leg. The creature yelped and rolled into a tree. Alex then turned just in time to see the other wolf leaping at his face. He raised his arm, just as the wolf's jaws closed. Alex let out a howl of pain as fangs ripped into his flesh. He stabbed his blade upward, ripping open the wolf's stomach. He then tossed the body aside, and faced the pack leader. The wolf's bared his gleaming white fangs, and his jet black fur bristled as he prepared to attack.

Alex quickly sheathed his sword and brought out his two silver daggers. The wolf howled and charged at him. Alex dodged, rolled, countered the attacks, but the wolf was too fast. A claw swipe here, opening a wound on his leg, a bite there, leaving bleeding fang marks in his cheek. Alex knew he was in trouble. There was only one thing he could do. Alex adopted a crouched stance, and waited for the wolf to attack. The wolf charged him once again. Alex twisted his body, allowing the wolf to get position on top of him. The wolf began to claw and bite at Alex, but Alex knew what he had to do. Alex thrusted upward with his daggers, catching the wolf directly in the jaw. The wolf went stiff for a few seconds, then its eyes rolled back in its head, and it collapsed on top of him.

Alex threw the wolf off of himself, and looked over at Shiress. She was still out! Incredible. Alex thought to himself as he grabbed his backpack. She was close enough to Syliras that she would be ok. Alex made sure that he had all of his equipment, and then reached over and pulled his fur cloak off of Shiress. He then placed the bodies of the wolves over her, so that their fur would keep her warm. He then took one last look, and left her in the forest.

[Shiress]

A deep purple spread across the sky as day began to dawn in The Bronze Woods. The tree tops swayed gently in a cold winter breeze as the morning light dimly lit the canopy.

The once warm fire pit now sends thin lines of smoke wafting gently up through the branches, beside it lay Shiress, propped on her hip and shoulder, motionless. Her anemic body was covered in the cold bodies of three wolves. Her face was colorless, covered in dirt and dried blood, her lips a pale blue.

During the night her body weakened as blood slowly seeped from her wound's and the bitter cold of night set in and consumed her. She slipped from her sleep into unconscious darkness leaving her unaware of the wolf attack that had taken place.

Shiress stirred with a gasp as the cold morning air stung her body. Her eyes slowly parted. She lifted her head slightly as her eyes strained to focus. Slowly her sight came to her and it was then she realized that the weight she felt her body under was not Alex.

Her eyes widened in horror as she pushed and flung her arms toward the largest wolf that pressed against her. Finally, the wolf rolled to the ground. Painfully, Shiress slowly lifted her body, her eyes fixed on the wolves. Her heart pounded against her chest. She moved her eyes to the forest, scanning it for Alex. "Alex." she called in no more than a whisper. She lifted and straightened her body again "Alex, please..where are you." she called out as tears filled her eyes.

Her memory finally brought her back to when Alex had told her he was a Kelvic wolf. Her eyes fell slowly to the three bodies that surrounded her. Tears flooded her face "No, Alex..oh please no!" She sobbed as her hand ran over the thick fur of a wolf. Desperately, she tried to understand what had taken place. Her eyes scanned the forest again. Her eyes darted from tree to tree then back to the wolves. "What had come during the night." She pondered frantically. "What had killed Alex?" Did he protect her by covering her with his injured body? Or was his body placed there as a warning?" She collapsed to her back as her strength gave way. Her breaths, fast and shallow, as fear flowed through her.

She watched the tree tops as they tumbled back and forth in the morning air. Tears streamed from the corners of her eyes. She had to get to the safety of Syliras, but she feared she wouldn't be strong enough on her own. She didn't even know how far or how close she was to the city walls. She wanted to give up. Her body beckoned her to let go. To offer herself to nature, rest with no pain.

Shiress fought to push these thoughts back. "Im free. Im free." She repeated to herself. "I have to keep going. I can't let go now." Her head tilted as her eyes fell to a wolf lying near her. "I can't let Alex's efforts die with him."

She lifted herself up to a semi-sitting position. Using her hands to pull herself, she slid backwards, her face twisting in pain. She moved until her back rested against a tree. She looked along the ground for something to use to pull herself up and lean on as she walked. Her sight found Alex's water skin lying near her. She reached and pulled it to her. Shiress sighed, it was full. She slid it's leather strap over her shoulder and head and rested it toward her back. She then spotted a long branch lying under a large hickory tree. She leaned out and pulled it to her. It felt strong enough to support her weight, but it was to long.

With a deep breath, and all the strength she had, she lifted the stick and struck it against the ground, but the stick was unaffected. She scanned her surroundings again, then pulled the stick across her lap and wrapped her uninjured hand firmly around it, closing her eyes, she summoned her strength again. She slung the branch out beside her, striking it against a neighboring tree sending a loud cracking sound through the forest. She pulled the branch over her lap again and adjusted her grip. She hurled it out again. This time splitting the wood into.

Shiress planted her walking stick firmly in the ground beside her. She pulled and twisted herself until she stood. The forest swirled around her as pain swarmed into every inch of her body. She turned and leaned heavily into the tree trying to compose herself through the agony.

At length, the agony subsided enough for her to feel as if she could proceed. Shiress stepped away from the tree, looking to the sky to find her bearings. The early morning sun was peaking through the trees to her right. Her gaze turned left as she scanned the area where she would head west to Syliras. She pulled in a slow deep breath and slowly began to move across the forest floor as she leaned heavily on her stick.

Shiress struggled to continue after several bells of pushing herself forward. Her legs ached with throbbing pain. Her chest too was encumbered by increasing pain and pressure making it more difficult to breath.

Her strength was near gone when she spotted a huckleberry bush adorned in pea sized dark berries. She pulled off several berries and placed them one by one in her mouth forcing herself to chew and swallow each one. She pulled the water skin around and lifted it to her mouth. She let a small bit of water run into her mouth, only to choke and strangle on it causing the pain in her chest to strike out with a sharpness nearly sending her to her knees. Her hand clutched her bare chest, her mouth opening in a gasp.

She closed her eyes as she slowly tilted her head back, her face twisted in pain as she struggled to contain her reaction to the agony. She became very still, trying hard to regulate her gasps for air and slowly the pain lessened and her tensed body eased.

She composed herself with a slow, deliberate breath and started out again toward Syliras. She pressed herself hard knowing every step moved her closer to safety, but it also weakened her body.

The sun had drifted across the sky and now was slightly in front of Shiress. She has become desperately weak during the last bell or so of her journey. Every inch of one leg was completely covered in blood from a gaping wound on her thigh. The other had thick streaks of red from another, less deep, wound just above her knee. Unbeknownst to Shiress, the tourniquet that Alex had tied around the leg with the most severe wound has become loose and with her last stumble came completely off leaving her wound to bleed freely. With every step she takes a small puddle of blood is left behind.

Shiress stumbles more than taking steps now. Her face is pale and drawn with streaks of sweat cutting lines through dried blood and dirt on her cheeks. Her gaze, blank and unfocused, is to the ground in front of her. Finally, her body gives in. The walking stick falls from her hand. She takes two more steps and collapses to her knees, lingering there shortly then falling forward. Slowly the sounds from the forest dissipate and it's light darkens. Her eyes slowly close and she knows no more.