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Set's Adventure; (personal saga)
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Topic Started: Sep 24 2010, 11:42 PM (447 Views)
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Set
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Sep 24 2010, 11:42 PM
Post #1
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- Posts:
- 11
- Group:
- Members
- Member
- #22
- Joined:
- Sep 22, 2010
- Alignment
- Evil
- PowerLevel
- 137,587
- Planet
- Earth
- Transformations
- N/A
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A gentle rain floated from the heavens down to the dark forest. The trees were so thick in some places that the cool dusting of rain did not make it to the forest floor. Trees and thick vines covered those places. Little plant life survived below them. What could survive in such darkness. The trees completely blocked the sun in some areas.
The ground lay littered with layers of dried leaves. One might think of it as a winter graveyard. Sometimes a little grass peeked through. Here and there a nightbloom blossomed in the cool evenings. But for the most part, trees and vines as fast as a man could see.
Walking through these places was quite a challenge. The vines covered the trees and spilled down below. Heavy thick ropes crisscrossed between heavy branches overhead. They cascaded to the ground taking root there. Navigating required a good sword.
Birds of all sorts made their homes in the trees. Their songs floated through the air all day and all night unless something disturbed their peace. Then the place became oddly still. Too much disturbing the peace and the birds would take to the sky like a massive black cloud.
And, of course, all sorts of life rustled in the underbrush. Small rodents tried to hide in the leaves away from the prying eyes of bids of prey. Wild boar often ran through. A careful hunter might be able to track some deer.
But there was more to this place than trees, birds, and game animals. The woodsman might find a good catch of fish in the several lakes here. More fish waited their lines in the river. But there was more to this place than fish as well.
Rarely did a hunter set foot in the forest these days. Prizes of large fish and deer pelts meant little if one lost their life. The forest held dangers beyond the imagination of most. Lately any hunter in this place became the hunted. But what secrets did this place hide?
The answer to that question depended on where one was in the forest. Ancient ruins dotted the landscape to the north. The temples offered riches beyond the imagination to one brave enough to survive the trials within.
And around those temples lived tribes of natives eager to defend their territory. Poisoned spears and arrows did little to encourage the health of visitors. And these particular natives had a strange taste for human flesh. Nothing like dining on an unsuspecting traveler in the woods.
To the east lay the mountains. They rise up the touch the heavens with massive snow capped peaks. The terrain here is almost impossible to navigate and only a fool would try to climb to the top. Waterfalls cascade down the rocky slopes and turn into churning rivers.
To the south lie crude villages inhabited by mutants. They were not as advanced as their human counterparts to the north. But they were stronger. These beings raged through the land killing anything in sight. Sometimes they ate their prey. And sometimes they just played with the body parts.
The western areas hold more lakes than the rest of the forest. Those bodies of water are inhabited by all manner of man eating fish. But aside from dangerous waters, there is little to fear here.
Along the edges of the forests are those men who choose to brave the dangers to a limited extent. Most are thieves or criminals.
And there in the center of all this danger stood a lone warrior. Set walked under the heavy canopy of tree, stepping over fallen logs. He was here for one purpose - to train. he needed strength. He needed to face dangers. Certainly, he had his share of action in the world. But sometimes one had to take a step back and focus on refining their skills. This was why he needed this place.
He did not carry much in the way of weaponry. A sword and his fists sufficed in aiding him in this adventure. Set knew that he needed to rely on himself, his innate energies to earn victory against whatever enemy assailed him. He could not afford even a moments rest these days. For every day that he did not train or fight, he lost some of that edge that kept him alive.
Nothing worse than nearly losing a battle. Set would like to think that he was invincible. his enemies certainly thought so. But, no, he had his flaws. He had his weaknesses. A sword in the gut was as deadly to him as it was to anyone else. A fist in the jaw still hurt, not that his pride allowed it to show. He could be broken. he could be beaten. he could be defeated.
Maybe it was his ego that told him that a world without him in it would be an unfortunate place to live in. How many lives had he saved. This place was forever changed by his deeds. Of course, he had those moments where he needed to return to a neutral balance. Innocent lives were sacrificed by his hands. This was simply the way things had to be. He was no monster. as far as he was concerned, the good outweighed the bad even if the cosmos saw him in balance.
He lived and died by the sword. He lived and died by the energy within. Set felt that it was his very soul that gave him strength. May his enemies shudder in terror at the power he wielded. As far as he was concerned, he was power. He was strength. Good and evil had no meaning. All things in balance. His foes cast below his feet like the leaves he now trod upon.
Set lived for battle. He loved the feel of a sword as it sliced into a foe's skin. The spray of blood thrilled him. He enjoyed the feel of bones crunching in his hands. Some might say that made him a bloodthirsty monster. But in his eyes, he should enjoy his line of work. Should not everyone have a job they like? He liked his. And the result benefited almost everyone.
The pay was good too. He could live comfortably taking assignments. He had a nice home. But who had time to stop and enjoy luxury? Not Set. Every moment that he stopped to smell the roses wasted valuable time. Plus for every day that he chose to relax, rather than work out, he lost a bit of muscle. That just would not do.
So here he was in perhaps the most dangerous forest on the planet. The goal was to grow stronger, if that was possible. Set laughed at the thought. Of course it was. Everyone had room for improvement. Even he did, despite massive ego knew that he had room to grow. Everyone does. And he did have an ego. He knew it. As far as he was concerned, that was alright.
He considered his goals as he picked hiw wasy through the dense underbrush. killing things was a good goal. there were plenty of things running about the wilderness that could use a good killing. The animals could be deadly. he heard tale of a snake that could kill a man with just a nip. Then there was bears and wild boar. He would be hunting here. Food would have to be caught and killed. He chose not to bring any supplies of that nature. His hunger would be good motivation in his training.
The faster the prey the better. He needed to work on reflexes and speed. Perhaps some deer meat would be good. Already the man's stomach rumbled. Hunger and motivation. Set listened to the rumbling, felt it. For just a bit, he would deny that need. His body needed to learn to sustain itself during battle. after all, he could not just stop in the middle of a nasty fight against his enemies for a burger. he could not just put them on pause and say 'wait, i'm hungry.' Seemed his foes would not cater to such a request. Unfortunate. But then, he doubted that he would be too likely to extend such a courtesy to them.
His body needed to learn that he was in charge. It could not dictate to him. He could not allow simple things like hunger to slow him down. But he had to realize that despite his strength, his body did have a say. No man can run forever without fuel. So, after the battle there was nothing wrong with a good meal. In fact, a nice steak was one of his favorite rewards after twisting the bad guy's head off. Side of potatoes with that steak. Nice tall glass of water.
Set's stomach grumbled louder and he realized that he was gining in to the demands of his body. He had to train his mind as well as his muscles. So, he cleared away the persistant thoughts of steak dinners. They had no place here. He only allowed himself to acknowledge the fact that his body told him that food would be required soon. He acknowledged it and continued. this need would be attended to as soon as possible, when he was ready.
Until then, his stomach needed to wait. Of course, perhaps it would have been wise to have breakfast before entering this adventure. Lesson learned for the next time he chose to train in the forest. He continued walking through the leafy brush under the dark trees. It occured to him that all the noise he was making probably had an adverse effect on finding a meal. Food in these parts came equipped with ears and feet. A message hit the easr and traveled straight to the feet. Food ran fast here.
Therefore he needed to use a bit of stealth. this was hunting after all. if the man wanted to eat he needed to try to make an effort to be quiet. this was one of Set's weak points. he generally did not believe in stealth. what great satisfaction he took in busting into a room an cutting down everyone in it. All that blood and bone crunching by his hands. That was certainly a noisy affair.
He really did not have that much experience sneaking up on his foes. They knew he was coming. they could run. they could hide. But Set was going to have their head. No place was safe if the warrior searched for you. So go ahead and run. Set usually could run faster or longer. He had all these muscles that ached for speed. So run. he wanted them to run.
What a thrill to see a frightened foe flee from him. Setlaughed at the thought. His laughted startled some birds from the trees reminding him that this was quiet stealth time and not laugh at the enemy time. of course, he could laugh. Breakfast might take a bit longer to obtain. but if he wanted to sit there and laugh his ass off, who would stop him?
Eventually his stomach was going to have a say about it though. But that stomach had to wait its turn. right now he stomped through the brush thinking of times long past and laughing at the memories of those who fled in fear as he sought them.
They did not escape, those foes. they thought they could. But no, Set would even give them a head start. made things a bit more interesting. he liked a challenge. though rarely did anyone offer him too much of a challenge. Still, it was a nice feeling that he was so feared, they needed to flee.
But stealth. He assumed that the day might come where he neded to take care when entering a battle. Perhaps one day he would be asked to take out a specific target and leave the others alone. He was a warrior, not an assassin. but he would take such a job if offered, he assumed. Sometimes he needed the pay. Though he frowned at the thought of sneaking past perfectly killable enemied just to strike the ass that led them.
He needed to learn this art. he had some training long ago in the art of stealth. every young warrior learned how to place their feet on the ground in such a way that not a sound issued forth. Even he had that training at a young age. Perhaps back then such a thing kept him alive.
Sneaking up behind a man and slicing his throat open did have its merits. He did not see that as much of a challenge. But perhaps it was. He considered this as he carefully placed his feet on the ground. Was it more a challenge to slip behind the foe without his knowing and remove his life?
He continued to consider this as he worked his way forward. This did have merits. Perhaps he could sneak behind a man and grab him. No sword need pulled. he could grasp his struggling victim, overpower him, stiffle his cries for help. In one swift move, he could grab the man's head and snap his neck. He would know by that pop sensation that you could both feel and hear. Plus his enemy would say in his arms twitching as the last spark of life left him.
Would that be satisfying? The mission would be complete. He would have done his duty. he could collect his pay. One less bad guy would be around to spread terror to the masses. Yet that victim, that slain foe would not know who it was that slew him. Set would send him straight to hell and he could not look up at the devil and say to him that he had been vanquished by Set. Of course, the devil would likely know who did the slaying. But the question remained. What would satisfy him more?
He liked that look in amna's eyes as he met his fate on the tip of his sword. that look that said 'I am undone'. That last little flash in a man's face where he thinks of his entire life and wonders where he went astray. how did he end up in this place with this man's sword in his gut? Why did this happen to him? had he made a wrong turn.
There was that last gasp of protest on an enemy's lips. He begged sometimes for his life. But it was up for the taking due to his own deeds. Set was judge, jury and executioner. If you looked into that face you knew what was to come. Beg to the Gods all you want. Your body would be lain upon the alter and Set wielded the blade that sent you to them.
So the question remained. Would he have any satisfaction in being sneaky? He assumed that it might get the job done with as little protest as possible. That had merits. Sometimes the excessive whining of a man before he died grated on the warrior's nerves.
Perhaps if he entered his mission with a headache he might just sneak behind the guy and do him in. But sometimes the best cure for a headache was distraction and a good bloody fight was a great distraction. One did not worry so much about a pounding migraine if one was dodging punches and attacks.
Set ducked under some low hanging vines and nodded to himself. he never planned to be a sneaky stealth assassin. he could admit that there were merits to this type on combat. but it was not for him. he did not have the body type for one. He was a a big tall man with a body of muscles. Little people could sneak. He was not much for throwing blades and poison daggers either. This was certainly the type of combat for someone else.
But despite his conclusion that stealth was basically for the birds, he needed to understand the art of this sort of combat. How could he defend himself against the stealthy if he himself did not make an effort to appriciate the art. he could not discount it by any means. After all, anyone would admit that he was a formidable fighter. Would his enemies not attempt to use stealth on him? They had in that past. He had excellent hearing though and one misplaced foot step was enough to alert him to the danger.
They tried to sneak up on him. there was a bit of thrill in that actually. How quickly he moved from a state of rest to attack. He relished the feel of his blood boiling. his muscles burned to take down the foe. He would twist and turn surprising the one that did the sneaking. Oh how clever they thought they were. Too many underestimated them. Or perhaps the case was that they overestimated themselves. The result was the same either way. One very dead enemy lying broken on the ground. Foolish of them to try it. But sometimes that broke up an otherwise boring afternoon.
Yet, again Set had to admit that he was not invincible. Stealth could be quite effective if used properly. he needed to make himself understand this technique. All it would take was one poisoned blade between the shoulders and all the legend of Set would be just so much dust. What a way that would be to end his career. All the fights and glory, all he acheived, undone by one sneak with a dripping blade. He could not end it this way. He would not. No foul sneak thief could claim him.
If he were to die as all warriors eventually do, it would be in the heat of battle. let him fall in a blaze of glory. Let it be that the numbers overwhelmed him. let it be that he died honor. He wanted remembered after he left this world. He wanted the young to look up to him and want to follow his path. Good or bad, fame or infamy, he would be remembered for his honor. Even the villain had honor. At least some did.
He recognized that fact. Some of his foes looked him right in the eye, drew their sword and fought the fair fight. This was a worthy foe. Sure he dispatched them with the same lack of mercy that any enemy recieved. But he held a certain respect for a man that could look him in the eye, knowing that certain death awaited and still met it with courage and resolve. Shame that such people had to be the enemy. that was waste.
Yet, how many of those he faced really were that way? Most were cowards. most would try any tactic to win. That included trying to sneak behind him and reft him of his life. Maybe he could not blame them. Death could be a frightening prospect. Set woke everyday knowing that this might be his last. he prepared himsel for it. and should it come, he would know that it came with honor. He knew that even if his body died, his name lived on.
His stomach rumbled again more insistant this time. seemed the body did need a bit of fuel and after a period of ignoring it, demands would be made. So, Set decided that perhaps it was time to seek a meal in this place. He pushed aside the thoughts and memories that he had been so focused upon. Distractions need to be placed in a corner of the mind. Distractions were deadly. The one thing any warrior learned first was to clear the mind and focus.
He knew he was hungry. he did not need to listen to the insistant urges of his stomach. That served only to divide his focus. It was enough to know. But he also needed to clear his thoughts of all the memories he had examined in the last hour. Past events had their place. A wise warrior studied each battle and learned from it. But there was a time and a place for such thoughts. Those times were during the peace and quiet when one's wounds healed. Thinking about it during the next battle was quite simply pointless. And too much a focus on thinsg other than battle was deadly.
So, he pushed aside all the distracting thoughts. they were not needed now. his focus was now on the hunt. Food was the priority and his enemy would be whatever he could find. The better jpb he did in seeking out his prey, the better fed he would be. So every movement had to be taken into consideration. He stepped slowly over the leaves that lay scattered under his feet. He stepped over and around the twigs that would give him away.
His mind rested on the hunt. His ears listened for the sounds of animals. Calls would be nice but he did not expect his quarry to do him such a favor. Yet he might hear them as they stepped through the forest. He even attempted to smell them out. But Set was not any sort of fur trapper. he could smell an animal usually if it was close enough to smell.
He imagined that they could smell him. Not much that he could do about that. If their sensitive noses dectected a man in the woods that simply increased his challenge. Some of the beasts might flee from him then. But perhaps something would challenge him. Having breakfast run straight into his waiting arms would be the best scenario possible.
There were sounds in the forest. Birds rustled in the trees overhead. Some sung little trilling songs that also served to distract the warrior. Others watched his progress quietly. They would wait and see what he hunted.
Set was not about to slay the birds in the trees. He wanted a meal. Little birds hardly made for a snack. plus, as good as he was, a bird was a tough thing to aim at and kill. If nothing else, he'd try it. But he hoped for a meal on the hoof. That would fill up his stomach. Something nice and meaty for a warrior such as himself.
Every step he took was with care. He found it terrible difficult to avoid the twigs. and no matter how carefully he put his feet to the ground, those cursed leaves wanted to crunch. He hoped that his prey would have that much difficulty. But as he made his way through the forest, he knew that he would have no such luck. he was being watched. Eyes saw him from shadowed corners. he felt them. The hair on the back of his neck stood. Nothing here was a friend, so he needed to make the assumption that all was a foe.
Though assumptions were as deadly as distractions. Set found ovr the years that the best thing he could do was assume the worst. never underestimate an enemy. Assume that they have skills to match or exceed your own. assume their blade is harper, that thir reflexes are quicker. ever if they stand before you looking like a ragged wimp, assume that they have your strength. assume that they are the one that will have your life. assume they are your killer.
He felt those eyes in the darkness and made his assumptions. That was death itself stalking him. those watching eyes belonged to murder. They wanted him dead. they wanted to tear his flesh and comsume his evry soul. if these were the assumptions he acted on, then he could be safe. he would fight as if this were the last fight of his life. never underestimate the enemy. Never give them the chance to win. because they will. That enemy will have your life before you know that you gave it.
Only these assumptions were safe. He allowed his hand to rest lightly on the hilt of his sword. That sword fit him perfectly. It's blade had bit the flesh of countless enemies. perhaps there were better weapons in the world. But this was weapon worthy of the warrior. This was the only weapon worthy of him. It fot him like an extention of his arm. in a way, it was an extention of his will. Behold the warrior and his blade. How many enemies had he cut down? He wielded this sword and would have no other.
He fingered the hilt and studied the shadows. Something stalked him. this was the test of stealth. These shadows hid them well. He knew they were there and now they played a game. Which way would they come from? how many watched? How many waited? what weapons did they wield? Would it be swords? He wondered if the creatures in this place had suce refined equipment. maybe those criminals in the outer villages had some swords. Crude swords possibly. But here? Would he be assaulted with sticks.
Perhaps even a stick if handled properly could be deadly. He imagined that the sticks were at least sharp on one end. Rocks maybe? Would he be pelted with stones. Enough of those could crack a man's skull. Oh yes. That would be a rather unpleasant end to the day.
It occured to him that this forest was truly unfamiliar territory. That, in itself, was a bit unnerving. He was accustomed to fighting for his life in many places, but not in a place as harsh as this one. A great deal was still unknown here. There were stories of twisted abominations lurking in the deepest places. Who could predict the actions of such a foe?
He heard tale of beasts from ancient times. Dinosaurs. This place held an ancient sould. so he must assume the worst. These beast must hunt these lands. Never before had he challenged such a being. Primal in its nature. It's sole purpose in existance is survival. Nothing else matters. they are like all beasts in this way. yet, the idea of facing an actual dinosaur seemed a bit strange. He imagined that it would take quite a few swipes of the sword to fell one.
Set liked to know his enemy. He liked to study them. Their movements could be predicted and countered. that did not work in all cases. Sometimes they were not so easily predicted. He enjoyed a challenge. But men were men. They could only change their methods so much. He knew enough about various fighting styles to counter whatever his advisary might throw his way.
But what did he know about dinosaurs? Some were poisonous, so he heard. But then so was a snake. He expect that they would be fast despite their size. Were they large. he recalled seeing bones once. some were of a massive size. others were small. those were the poison ones. Little venom filled reptiles skulking about in the shadows. is that what watched him now? Was he now the hunted? he had to wonder what dinosaur tasted like. Set rather hoped for deer or boar. he knew that was safe to eat.
The large ones would certainly challenge him. Oh yes. He could imagine those teeth headed his way. That could end his life in a quick minute. Was there any glory in being eaten alive. Set figured that there probably was not. The once famous warrior would become a tasty meal and a joke. Mighty Set in the belly of the beast. Does he fight his way out? No, he leaves by way of the pooper shoot. He frowned at the idea.
No. That was not acceptable by any means. He would not be known as Set dino food. He could just hear the stories now. At least his enemies would appriciate it, he guessed. He decided the best thing to do was to use as much caution in this place as possible. He would not feed the beast, so to speak.
So he faced the shadows and watched for that which watched. He heard nothing. It must be of a smaller size. in a way, Set felt a bit of relief over that. he did not have any desire to fight a huge dinosaur when his stomach was growling and his head was full of all these distracting thoughts.
Perhaps it was small dinosaurs. Did they hunt in packs. He moved toward a clearing. he wanted his hands free in case he needed to swing his sword. he needed a place to move. his body was ready to flow like the wind. his fight would be a dance. He would dance with his foe and they would die for the pleasure.
Now he waited for them to make the first move. let the fight come to the warrior. There was honor in this. And wisdom. In this way, he already exerted his will on the other. he made them do his bidding by forcing them to come to him. he learned many rules of engagement in his youth. this one stuck to him above others.
Power over the enemy was essential. The more the better. Let their moves betray them. thet their actions speak to their defeat. let their will be conquered by yours before you so much as touch your blade. Such wisdome and they are defeated before they begin. Let their eagerness to deal a blow be their undoing. he was a wise warrior. He would let the enemy defeat himself. so he waited silently.
All his senses were on high alert. His ears strained for the tiniest sound. A leaf crunched under a foot. A twig perhaps. Maybe a man would betray himself with words. Would Set catch a whisper between allies? If they so much as moved and were heavier than a feather, he planned to hear them. Even the breeze could not move here without sound.
Sight, of course. but this was the least important sense. He trained long ago with a blindfold. The eyes can lie. they tell the mind stories and the mind wishes to believe them. The eyes try to speak to the strength of that which comes. They fool a warrior with illusion and tricks. Set used his eyes but knew better than to trust them. He would see his foe come. But he would feel them too. he would use every sense he could to know they were there. Sight meant little.
He heard a slight rustle to his left. Perhaps he saw a flash of movement. but he did not turn. More than one enemy might try to trick him. He noted the movement, yet remained still. Another crunch came to him. This seemed almost on purpose. he felt the power they tried to exert on him. they wanted to control him. They wanted him to come to them. they wanted his obedience and his death. They would have neither.
Another crunch. Set wanted to laugh at these pathetic fools who thought they could trick him so easily. The attack was ceratinly to come from behind if he turned. So he prepared himself. He drew his sword. it was thirsty for blood. he was thirsty for blood. The need for this battle beat in his chest. He understood their tactics and now they would hang themselves with them. He turned to face the direction that the noise came from and prepared for attack.
Dinosaurs. Little ones. Set halfway expected this. Three jumped directly out of the shadows before him. His eyes held them. In his mind he knew it was but a trick. His ears caught the sounds of twig snapping. the attack, as expected really came from behind. Set's sword swung in a wide arc at the beasts that clawed his back. One after another they fell. Their necks were fairly thin and the sword beheaded them. He felt the spray of blood on his skin.
Those that tried the frontal attack met a massive fist. Some were knocked back with a punch. Other found themselves in the man's grasp. their neck were easier to break than a man. But there were many of them. He had to use his fists, sword, and feet. He knocked them back with brute strength.
The battle did him good. he felt his heart pumping in his chest, the beat of the fight. His muscles hummed in tune with each other. He would have taken more enemies had they came. He wanted more. let legions of these little reptiles attack. He was a one man army. Their teeth and claws could not touch this man. He would not allow it. Besides, it would be bad enough to be dino food to a large one. But he could not imagine what being eaten by tiny dinosaurs would do to his reputation.
Soon he was surrounded by bodies. Blood covered the forest floor and in most places he could not see any leaves. Some of the sticky mess now coated his chest and legs. To him that was a badge of honor. Better to wear the blood of the enemy than for him to wear yours. Yes, he would sport that blood with pride.
He stared down at the bodies wondering what sort of dinosaurs they were. Obviously they hunted in packs. he nudged one to get a better look. Shiny blue black scales covered the length of it. the claws seemed formidable enough. Certainly these things were killers. The teeth matched the claws in ferocity. A pack of these things could probably take down a larger dinosaur without an issue.
Yet they were no match for Set. He sheathed his sword after wiping it across one of the bodies. The fight was a good one. Unfortunately it did not yield breakfast. he imagined that he could try and cook one of these creatures over a fire. but he was more inclined to wait and see what he could find. A better deal. Part of him regretted the choice not to bring food.
Another though occured to him as well. Here he was standing in the middle of a pile of dead dinos. he was covered in blood. he smelled like them. How long would it take for something larger and more dangerous to sniff him out? For that matter how would he sneak upn deer if he smelled like a natural predator. This was a problem. he considered fashioning a trap. But he was here for battle not forest survival training.
He was right. Standing there in that pile of bodies was a bad idea. the first thing that came to visit was flies. Large ones. Set swatted at them with a frown etched across his face. He stepped away from the pile and took a few shirt steps back to the trees. The forest ahead was dense and dark. He figured that it might be a bit too thick for a larger dinosaur. For now, that was good. His body needed nourishment.
Little shafts of daylight stabbed through small openings in the trees providing what small amount of light was to be found here. Amazing that a place could be so dark in the daytime. But his eyes adjusted and he silently proceeded forward. Vines flowed down between the trees rooted to the ground. Set had to pull his sword and use it like a machete at some points. He knew that he wa making too much noise.
A rabbit bounded out from a hole hidden by the base of an old dead treee. Set cursed. That was breakfast flying away as if wings had grown onto it's feet. He concentrated his energy to his palms and allowed a blast of ki to follow the little beast. But it was too fast and he was too slow,
Some battles are losing battles. Set did not like that. But winning every time led to overconfidence. He could not afford such a handicap. A hungry stomach taught lessons. Never assume that you will win. Always fight for your life. the rabbit claimed victory. Even over a might warrior, the smallest of advisaries could win. Set continued to curse. His stomach was soundly defeated.
All things in life had lessons. Set was here to grow stronder. he was here to learn. What lesson did the rabbit teach? Choose battles wisely. Certainly that little creature was no match for him. so it watched and waited. when the time was right, it fled. Set hated the idea of turning tail and running. Perhaps one day, he would have to remember the rabbit's lesson. He hoped not.
Set could not imagine running from anyone. He would rather die a hero's death than suffer such a miserable defeat. But if the only answer was death, would he run? He considered that briefly as he continued forward. When that time came, how would he respond? People feared death. It was natural. Did he fear it?
He had to consider the possibility. There were times that he faced the enemy and somewhere deep inside he assumed his death would come. Yet he fought with all the power he could muster. He wanted to live. His defeat often meant the defeat of others. Life or death. He wanted life just as much as any man. If he did fear it, he could not let it show. that in itself is defeat. that gived the other man power over him. never show your fears. he would look in the face of death and laugh if he had too. Maybe he would be seen as reckless. But he could not pass such power to the enemy.
But who was the enemy? Who was the foe? That rabbit knew Set was his foe because Set was there hunting. It did not matter that if he were good or evil. All that mattered was his safety. His mission was to survice. Set laughed as he considered this. His job was to make more rabbits.
The enemy was whoever Set had to face at the moment. It did not matter if they were good or evil. he had a duty to perform. He did it. He did not take the time to consider right or wrong. What he did was for the good and for pay, in his opinion. And time was money. He preferred not to waste time in idle chatter with the enemy. he did not play games. He did not taunt or tease. The enemy fell to either fist or blade.
Woe to those who stood between him and that which he hunted. They too would fall. He had intention to go out of his way to vanquish one who blocked him. But if need be, he would do it. This was a simple fact. Would any other warrior act differently? Not and get paid. This was his life. he lived for the hunt. He lived for the kill. Good and evil were simply words.
He sighed and pressed forward. Too much times was being taken in thought. he needed to eat soon. His stomach demanded a meal. He had ignored it a bit too long. Clearly, however, rabbit was off the menu. He cleared his thoughts once more as he climbed over a fallen log.
The forest ahead grew quiet and he was alone in the silence. If there were birds overhead, they sang no songs. He could not even hear the rustle of a rat in the leaves. He paused briefly to assess the situation. The silence disturbed him. Again he felt as if he were being stalked. Yet, he did not sence this from the shadows. Whatever it was would be more direct and to the point.
Set was being hunted again. He figured the blood had attracted something. He felt a slight tremor on the earth benath his feet. Something large perhaps. This gave him a moment's pause. He rested hios hand on the hilt of the blade.
What was it? another vibration shook the earth. This time he heard it. A loud sound like a battering ram on a door. His blade reflected in a stream of sunlight. There would be no time for thought in this battle. He would need his instincts and wits about him. In this scenario, he knew what he faced was stronger. But it was primitive. It lived to kill. It lived to consume.
He spun around, eyes darting to the area where it came. he could feel it coming. It made no pretense. It did not try to be sneaky. it just came. Set could appriciate such directness. He was similar in his own ways. Now it came for him.
What came screaming out of the forest was at least ten times his size. It had no need for stealth. Size alone could give such a thing victory. a death blow would be difficult at best. In fact, no single blow would kill this. He would have to use all the strength at his disposal to do his enemy in.
The creature came at him without pause. Set's quick reflexes allowed him to step aside away from a mouthful of very sharp teeth. Such enemies were easier to fight. Despite its size the fact remained that it did not plan. It did not think ahead. Set would be able to anticipate it's moves and react accordingly.
It spun to face him. Again sharp teeth snapped at him. Set almost laughed. he could taste victory. He swung his sword at the back of one the creature's legs. It bellowed in pain as the tendon snapped. The hunter quickly moved aside allowing it to fall slightly to it's side.
But such a beast is not so easily taken. there were still plenty of teeth to deal with. And it now swung a massive tail his direction. Set leapt out of the way narrowly missing a direct hit to the head. This dinosaur had instinct. It fought ti live. In this place it was kill or be killed. Set would not be slain so easily.
He jumped forward mindful of the snapping teeth and landed his sword between the bones on the neck. The resulting howl could be heard far away. But Set barely heard it over the pounding in his own ears. his body worked hard. Muscles moved together like a well oiled machine.
The sword pulled away from it with a heavy sucking sound. The creature bucked. Set leapt again to the side. He did not want the thing to roll over on him. His blade flashed a few more times causing deep wounds to the beast's neck. blood sprayed their makeshift arena.
Not wanting to be completely soaked, Set moved aside. The blood sprayed onto the nearby trees. It covered the leafy forest floor. Breathing heavily, the warrior went in for the kill. His swork flashed and flashed again. Over and over until the creature lay defeated. It twitched slightly. But the light had left it's eyes. Set won.
He took a few steps back to admire the size of this felled creature. Indeed it was an awesome sight. Such a powerful beast. In it's own way, an agent of destruction. It fought as it knew how to. Teeth and tail were the weapons it had. perhaps if it were a thinking beast it could have won. Size itself rested on it's side. This was a good battle. This was a worthy foe. He felt no guilt at killing it. Why should he? Would it feel guilty for killing him?
This was the point of battle. the point of the hunt. kill or be killed. What had time for mercy or remorse? certainly not Set. And certainly not this beast.
He surveyed the damage before him. The dinosaur lay there before him ruined. It's life blood still spilled from it's body to the earth. Set studied it just briefly. He wondered just how many of these things lived here. Hopefully they were solitary beasts. An attack from several at once might be a challenge that exceeded his abilities. Though Set was more than willing to give it a try. He would hate tolose though.
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Set
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Sep 24 2010, 11:42 PM
Post #2
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His stomach was starting to protest loudly. It was getting harder and harder to ignore this need. He sighed. Perhaps he could carve a steak out of the beast. The meat was probably good. But then he had no idea which dinosaurs were poisonous. This waould hardly be a fitting last meal. So he turned to continue his trek.
It was easy to lose one's bearings in the forest. Especially since the massive overhead blanket of trees blocked the sky. He could have been walking in circles. Though Set had an excellent sense of direction. He felt that he was going due north. There was no evidence of this as one tree looked like the next. But something in his gut told him to keep putting one foot in front of the other.
What was to the north? More challenges, Set assumed. This forest served as an excellent training ground. If a man could survive a day here, they could survive anywhere. The rough terrain beneath his feet was exercise enough. The fights did him good. By the time he made his way out of this place he would be sharper, stronger, and better than he had ever been.
The sound of trickling water greeted his ears and Set could see the sun filtering through the trees up ahead. It occured to him that washing some of the blood off his skin might be a wise idea. He sped up just a bit. As expected he noted a small stream in a clearing. The water trickled over smooth rocks.
He bent down and ran his hand through the water. It was cold. He did not expect it to be so cold. Set assumed that this little stream must branch off from the main river. And that comes from the mountains.
Set splashed the water over his blood stained legs, over his clothes. Soon the water took on a red tint as he worked to clean up. He did not do the best job but at least he was less sticky. Perhaps he killed the smell of blood. Having less flies land on him would be nice.
He looked up from the stream and surveyed the area around him. Still, the forest remained oddly quiet. He kept his ears open. A slight breeze kicked up. The leaves rustled. Set stood an felt it against his skin. The breeze brought with it the slight smell of smoke. Where there was smoke, there was fire. Usually there was also the person who started the fire. Set smiled. A new challenge awaited and he was ready.
This part of the forest was a bit thinner. Less trees dotted the landscape. From the looks of things some locals had cut them down. Set suspected there was some sort of village ahead. He knew of tribals in the area. These people had vilent tendancies. he smiled at the thought. They certainly would not look too kindly on a visit. The warrior fingered the hilt of his sword. Perhaps the good people here would care for a challenge. He understood they were cannibals. He wanted to be their breakfast just as much as he wanted to be dinosaur food.
There were lessons to be learned from everything here. Even the local people could teach him a few things. He studied their fighting styles a while back. They worked as a team. Every person had their role. They struck out from dark shadows with poison darts sometimes. Other times they fought face to face. What lessons did they teach?
The locals relied upon their environment to fight. Every weapon they had was carefully crafted from the things the very earth gave them. The poisons on their darts came from the gifts of nature. They were smart.They understood what was given to them. They used everything, wasted nothing. There was nothing wrong with having such a resourceful edge.
Set had to respect what he knew of these people. They could make a stick off the ground just as deadly as his sword. From what he knew, they also were pretty good shot with a rock. And he certainly did not want to tangle with a poison dart. Plus they wasted nothing. What better use for their dead enemy, but food. The warrior had to admit that of all the things he had done, he never ate an enemy.
That sort of thing was better left for the natives. So long as he was not the meal, they could eat anybody they wished. He thought about those poison darts for another moment. Perhaps it would be wise to slow down and pay attention. Trotting through the forest as loudly as possible was going to get him a place roasting over a pit.
He stopped under the branches of an old towering tree. The breeze rustled the leaves gently. He felt a slight misting of water on his face and realized that there was still a bit of rain in the sky. The birds fluttered from tree to tree. He heard the pop of a twig being snapped. The man turned slightly. Perhaps it was a man. Maybe an animal. The natives were known to be silent as they walked. Thus he doubted that it was one of them.
He waited for a long moment to see if the sound would occur again. He heard nothing. If it were an animal he wished it would have come closer. It was well past breakfast time. But whatever it was steered clear of him and his sword. He could not fault the wisdom of such a choice. He decided to linger a moment more in silence.
Set watched the forest just as it watched him. How many hidden eyes peered out at him from dark little corners? He had no idea. Danger lurked everywhere in this place. He placed his hand back on his sword and began to move again. His nose led him forward. He would find the source of the smoke.
He walked perhaps another mile. Every step was taken with care and he stopped often to listen to the sounds of the forest around him. So far, nithing seemed too keen to attack. In fact, it seemed as if everything was keeping a safe distance from him. Who could blame them?
He pushed his way past a collection of low hanging vines. Just ahead lay a small clearing with a few tents within them. Set frowned. He had expected locals, but these were travelers. That was indeed a strange sight here. Anyone who was brave or foolish enough to travel these forests must be quite formidable.
A campfire sat in the middle of this small clearing. Set counted three tents. He did not see anyone, however. He approached slowly noting the small flame licking the bottom of a large pot.
His stomach growled almost angrily. He peered doen into the pot and there was some nice warm fish just waiting to be eaten. Set almost laughed out loud. All that hunting and he finds a meal just laid out for him.
Perhaps this was cheating. After all,he did not catch it himself. But, he was hungry. The fish was just sitting there calling his name. How could he say no tosuch an invitation. No, he did not own the fish. But finders keepers. He found it and if they did not like the fact that he ate it, there could be a dicussion at swordpoint.
He spied some plates sitting by a pile of bedrolls. They did not look that clean but Set was not too picky. He also failed to see any forks. That was fine. Who needed a fork. Fish could be finger food. After all, who was about to tell him that he could not dine on someone else's fish with his fingers?
Carefully he reached in and grabbed his prize. The fish and the pot was burning hot. But the prize was worth the pain. This was a battle with himself. Not much of a battle though. In this, he was the winner. And perhaps he was the loser too. After all he now sported some interesting burns to his fingers. He knew going in that he would have a burn. But he was also about to have breakfast which would silence his annoying stomach.
The fish did not amke the best meal on the planet. But it was good enough. Certainly much better than standing there starving. Thankfully whoever had started this meal got the chance to clean and prep them. Set completely ate the first piece, then his had went in the pot for the second and the third. he had to think that it was pretty considerate for someone to just leave this here.
Finally he managed to eat evry last bit of the fish. His fingers burned somewhat from the heat, but his stomach was content. That was a good trade off. He took a seat briefly on a little cushion that was situated by the cooking fire and wondered just who belonged to this camp.
Hunters possibly. though what ordinary hunter would come here of all places? This was much to damgerous to just be some tourist stop. maybe someone had a death wish. of course, they were nowhere in sight, so maybe their wish was answered. He assumed that just because he had no desire to be dino food did not mean that someone else felt the same way. Seemed a terrible way to die. Set would rather take a sword in the gut over crushing and chewing.
He considered that for a moment. Everyone dies at some point. One day his turn would come. How would it happen? Dying in battle seemed appropriate. This was the warrior's way. So he might take a sword in the gut or find himself over powered. He would go down in a blaze of glory.
At least people would know his name after he went. Some of his escapades were legend. Fame was not the thing he set out for. he had a job to do and he did it. He did not go out of his way to be known.
It was simply a side effect of what he did. Kill a few people and suddenly folks know who you are. maybe that was so they could quickly make their exit if they saw him coming their way. He did not blame them. But if his contract said 'kill', he would. it did not matter how hard they hid, where they hid, or who hid them. They were done. Life was complete. Set would send them straight to their maker.
But one day, someone was going to send him straight to his. That was only fair. You could not have victory in every battle. One could hope. But the odds are against you. Maybe it would happen when he got older. Nobody fights time and survives. Old age always wins out. And everyone suffers the same fate in the end. Did not matter if you were King or simply a poor man in the street. In the end we all die. This was a fact Set considered at times. But he did not allow it to be the first and foremost thing in his mind. That would be a distraction. He could not afford it.
Set sighed. Sitting here was getting him nowhere. No amount of training would be accomplished by sitting on his ass. He pulled himself up to his feet and started poking around the camp. It did appear to be some sort of hunter's camp. Several pelts were hanging on a line just behind the tents. He noted camping supples sprinkled about. Pots, pans, bedrolls. He nudged a small pile with a foot absently looking. he really had no interest in this place. he was more curious as to where the occupants went and why they were there in the first place.
A sound from the forest drifted to his ears and Set's head popped up with a snap. it was just a twig snapping but that was enough to alert him. His hand flexed over the hilt of his sword. Then he heard a voice. Then two voices. Seemed the owners of this place were on the way back. He imagined whoever it was would not be too happy to find their breakfast eaten.
They were not too quiet either. Sounds of twigs snapping and voices allowed Set to pinpoint what direction they were coming from. Fools like this were going to attract one of the large predators in the area. Dino food indeed. Set took a couple steps back and drew his sword. He kept one ear open behind him just in case.
When the three hunters emerged from the forest, Set almost laughed, though he was also surprised. He knew them. Criminals of the worst sort. he had a contract once to kill an associate of theirs. he had no killed them because it was not necessary to complete the task.
The man in the middle was their leader. A tall man with long black hair tied into a fierce knot on the back of his head. He carried two swords and was known to be deadly with both. But he was also just as deadly as Set with his fists. He had a reputation as a murderer with a cold cruel heart. The man's dark eyes lifted to Set and for a moment he just stood there with a slightly surprised look.
The man to his left was a bit shorter, also with dark hair. Set did not know the man but from the company he kept, the warrior knew he was bad news. There was also a short sword at his hip. he was dragging the body of a small dinosaur along the ground. Seems they had been hunting.
Then there was the third man. He was as tall and dark skinned as Set. The man seemed to have no weapons on him which alerted the warrior to the idea that he fought with his hands. Bulky muscles rippled up and down his arms and legs. he carried a slightly annoyed expression on his face. Seems that he also wasn't expecting company. He took a few steps forward. Set swore he heard a growl. Seemed he must be some sort of attack dog.
"Well, how delightful," their leader growled. He placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. The man's eyes almost glowed and Set could feel waves of hate coming off him. Both the man's hands dropped to the swords at his side. Looked like this situation was about to fall apart quickly.
Set was not interested in having a conversation. He was curious as to why this man, such a well known criminal, was taking a hunting trip in the middle of such a deadly place. Perhaps it was for the same reasons Set had selected this place. These were men who obviously trained. Yet, he cheated. Bringing help. That was a sign of weakness. Cowards hid behind others. It did not matter. he would cut them all down.
The group came at him at once. However their attack was hindered by the tents and the scattered equipment on the ground. Set planned to have a good laugh when this was over. The man with the dinosaur tripped over the pot and landed face first. That was all the advantage he needed. There was no way he was about to let the man get back on his feet.
Set leapt to his side and drove his sharp sword straight into the man's back. He twisted quickly. that should be enough to kill him. He was not about to let him get back up. Of course, the others were taking the opportunity to attack him. he landed a punch and a kick to both men as he freed his sword from the dead man at his feet.
The battle continued with the leader swinging both of his swords with deadly calculated precision at Set. He dodged the swings, though a few came too close for comfort. He found himself driven back slightly. He grabbed a tent and flung it toward his attacker.
That had the effect of slowing him down just a bit. Set jumped over another tent and came up on the man's back. he landed a heavey blow to the attack dog. Hos fist centered directly on his jaw. His sword flashed and he managed to knock one sword away from their leader.
So now he fought two at once. His sword rang against the other man's sword matching blow for blow. While his fist and feet countered the second attacker. His focus, though divided, was completely on the kill. Any opportunity would be taken.
His sword flashed toward an opening left by the leader of these men. It slid into his gut like a knife in butter. The man gasped and tried to grab Set in attempt to undo the damage that he had just done. Set pulled the sword free and quickly turned to face the other man.
The leader fell with a thud behind him. Blood gushed from the wound in his gut. Set heard a moan but he had no time, nor did he care. He focused on the last man who was a powerhouse of attacks. He managed to land a few punches to Set's brw. The warrior felt a trickle of blood near his eye.
Nothing pisses Set off more than the other guy landing a punch. The good thing about anger is that it gets the blood boiling and spurs one to fight harder. Yet, anger was a distraction in itself. Set needed to find his calm center. Angry fighters tended to react poorly. their timing was off. they made mistakes, Anger blinded a man to the situation.
So, he leapt backward just out of reach. The sword slammed home back in it's sheath. His fists would be as deadly. In fact, he preferred the feeling of dealing blows with his bare hands over the slicing of a sharp sword. There was simply more satisfaction in such a deed.
He regained his focus quickly and felt the calm center. Set summoned the inner strength and focused a blast of ki straight into the other man's chest. He staggered backwards. Set followed the blast with a kick to the abdomen and a fist in the face.
Set did not stop his relentless assault. he had ni intention of allowing his foe to recover. He surged foward landing more punches to the man's face, to his gut. He cicked him repeatedly pushing him further and further back. The other man tried to defend himself. But he grew weaker as the assault continued. Set easily blocked the attacks.
Finally the man fell to his knees. blood streamed from a broken nose. he wheezed weakly for air. Seemed his ribs were broken. He coughed weakly. Set did not pause to assess his situation. There was no mercy in him, only cold resolve. he was indiferent. Would this man not have done the same to him. Set was the victor and this man, the loser.
He shed no tears for a defeated foe. Nor did he allow the job to remain incomplete. The enemy that still breathed was still a threat. Set stepped around the man. he grasped his head and twisted violently. he struggled. he foght with the last bit of strength he had. Set barely made note of the hand that grabbed him. he twisted harder until hh felt the pop he was looking for. The man's body became dead weight in his arms. Without ceremony, he let the dead man fall to the earth.
Set stretched his back and stopped to check himself for injury. Sometimes an injury was overlooked in the heat of battle. A wise man knew to treat his wounds before proceeding. Nothing was broken. He had a minor cut above his eye but the bleeding had already stopped.
No ribs were broken. His arms and legs seemed to be fine. There was a bruise forming on his abdomen. Appeared that a fist or foot caught him. Set could not recall that happening. Other than that he appeared in good shape.
He glanced around the campsite at the carnage he created. That was a satisfactory fight. Of course it was. He won after all. He picked up one of the leader's swords and examined it. Shame such a fine weapon went to waste.
Word Total: 10,683
Edited by Set, Sep 24 2010, 11:44 PM.
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Zoro
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Sep 25 2010, 12:26 AM
Post #3
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Administrator
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- Oni Giri, Rashōmon, Tora Gari , Shishi Sonson
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PowerLevel: 133,087.
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Set
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Sep 26 2010, 10:20 AM
Post #4
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Set dropped the sword back on the ground. He was not one to take trophies from battle. And he had no need for a defeated man's sword. Perhaps had the man known how to use the sword better, he would still be holding it. But he did not and Set claimed victory.
He turned back to the campsite once more. Victory was sweet. And breakfast was even better. He wondered where they had caught the fish. Seemed there must be a river or a lake nearby. He did not see any fish there. But thoughts of fish were not important. he reminded himself that he had more important things to do.
So once again he moved forward. He had no destination in particular. This entire journey is the destination. First this was about survival. He had to hone his instincts. He had to anticipate the enemy. In this place there were countless things that could kill him. If a man could survive here, he could survive anywhere.
Of course, strength was part of the goal. The stronger he was, the more likely it would be to claim th evictory, But strength alone was not enough. he had to be clever. he had to have his wits about him. he had to think on his feet. His mind needed to able to focus. His energy, his ki needed to be at his disposal on demand. Every aspect of his physical and mental being needed shaped, toned.
That was why he was here. Training was a requirement for anyone. Should he be any different? He had bet mercenaries over the years that took more time in drink and women than in perfecting their skills. One did not live long that way. They dies doing their assignments. Some died half drunk in a bar. He felt no sorrow for fools. He had no time for them either.
Fools died a fool's death. They deserved what they got. This was not to say that Set was all work and no play. he had his fun. But work came first. His life was on the line everytime he took a contract. He was not about to allow anyone to simply take his life. Carelessness had no place in his life. Neither did complacency.
He left the campground behind him, a memory now. He was not certain if there was a lesson there in that battle except the one regarding hiding behind eithers. Set fought alone for good reason. how could he rely on someone else to save his life if they were too busy saving their own?
He could not. He would not. If he died in battle, he would be the one to blame. No one else could shoulder that burden. No one else should. On the same subject, he had no desire to shoulder that burden for anyone else. He fought alone. Another person at his side would be a distraction and that might get them both killed. Plus, he simply wanted to get the job done without the extra chatter.
So it was time to train. He needed toconcentrate. His tomach was full. Thus there was no need for delay. Not time to pause. Set stretched his muscles and began running. It was a good thing the forests were not so thick here. Had he attempted this thing further back, he would be tripping on every other vine that grew out of the ground.
Here he ran around the trees and evaded the ever present vines. He paidno attention to the noise he was making. The dried leaves crunched under his boots. He snapped twig after twig. Perhaps allthis noise would attract unwanted attention. He would deal with that if it came hunting him. He already had to once. And then he was trying to be quiet.
He surged forward. His heart beat a steady but fast rhythm in his chest. His breaths came in ragged pulls. Set wanted to extend himself. He needed to push himself further than he had ever attempted in the past. He leapt over small bushes and downed trees. He barely avoided a tangle of vines along the ground.
The muscles in his legs burned from the effort. What was it they said? No pain no gain.He continued running. The land in this place was marked by steep tree covered hills. He felw down them and struggled to run up them. He slipped here and there. Recent rain made what little grass that grew slick. He came across some sticky mud here and there as well.
Birds fluttered out of the trees overhead as he ran. Seemed they were not used to such a large ebony skinned man running through their territory. There were animals in these woodlands. Finally, he came across some deer. This would have been a nice find when he was hungry for breakfast. They quickly ran from him, vanishing into the misty shadows of the forest. He considered giving chase. After all he might want lunch and dinner. But he did not want to stop running.
He came to a place where there were less trees and more meadows. This grassland was a bit easier to run through. It helped to have such even ground. Unfortunately, there was a rock or two and Set nearly tripped. He cursed and reminded himself to pay attention to where he was going.
He noted that some of these rocks looked man made. Or perhaps they were carved in some way. He decided notto stop to look. But these were odd looking rocks. Perhaps he was getting closer to the land of the natives. These were dangerous people. He reminded himself to remain wary.
The last thing he needed was a poison dart in the forehead. The natives would enjoy a big tasty treat such as himself. With all his muscles, he could probably feed the tribe. Even if he were skinny as a beanstalk, they were not too picky. He kept his eyes open as his feet continued to pound the earth. He had no desire to wake up roasting over a fire.
He was not certain how far he had run. Seemed like it had been miles. Set ran until his muscles screamed in protest. He wanted to find his limits and exceed them. He had done just that. One learns that pushing limits again and again will allow you to go further and do more. That was what he needed. More strength. He needed to extend himself as far as his protesting body would take him.
He wondered what his limits would be when he was older. Certainly he would not be able to go as far or doas much. He hated that idea. But what man cheated time itself. Who cheated death? Not Set. Not his enemies. It simply did not happen. It would not happen. At some point he would stand at the brink of eternity looking down into the pit.
Death would claim him. He considered this idea again. He had once already in this journey. But when one dealt death to others, one sometimes paused to consider the concept of death. One day he would die. Would he be an old man? Set wanted to laugh thinking about himself as old. He could not picture it. What would he be doing? Would his days be passed by sitting on a porch drinking tea?
He figured that even if he were old and useless, he would likely have an enemy. He had enough already. All these bitter people who lost a family member or a friend were enemies.He could not blame them actually. There was no point in taking their assaults personally. Well maybe it was personal to them. Understandable. But work was work. A man had to make a living. Sadly that argument got him nowhere with an angry mob.
He smiled as he slowed his pace. His heart still beat out of chest. He still had a bit of a hard time breathing. His legs were screaming for relief. This was good. His body was working as it should. His smile was at memories long past. Once a mob did come to find him. That was a memorable day. He needed a good fight. Nothing like an angry mob to fill the bill.
He picked up speed one last time. His legs had moved past pain to a new sensation all together. He wondered if he would feel like doing too much walking tomorrow. Of course, he would have to if he wanted to eat. Plus after the dinosaur encounters he had no desire to stay too long in once place with his guard down.
A chance like that and once becomes dino bait. That would nicely defeat all the hard work he had done here. Of course, he would require some sleep. That, in itself, would be a challenge. But it was a challenge he could consider later. There was still plenty of daylight. He planned to use every ounce of it to the fullest. He could waste time in the future on silly things like sleep. Who needed sleep anyway?
His run ended at the edge of what appeared to be a deep lake. This place seemed peaceful. Birds twittered in nearby trees. He noted animal tracks along the edges of the cool late. He walked that edge, his boots catching in the sticky mud. Little fish swam in the shallow portions hiding among plants from the bigger fish that might see them as a meal.
He paused to look at the fish. Everything was a fight for survival. How many of these fish would live to see the next day? How many would be a meal? The dynamics of a aquatic life did not interest him that much. But there was a lesson in this as well. Everything fought for life. Certainly the nature of the fight changed per the details. These fish were not about to whip out a sword. Yet their hiding was every bit a battle as any he had ever engaged in.
Set stretched at the edge of the lake. His body dripped with sweat and a cool swim sounded nice. Plus he would be using an entirely different set of muscles swimming. He pulled off his shirt and kicked off his boots. He unbuckled his sheath and laid that on top of his crumpled shirt. Then, without pause, he entered the cold water.
And it was cold water. The icy chill surprised him.He contined forward to the deeper parts. It took a moment for his body to become accustomed to the shock of the water. Yet soon it became warm and felt good. He could feel seaweeds brushing against his feet. Fish swam around him. He noted a snapping turtle nearby.
The warrior took a deep breath and began to swim. His legs kicked behind him. His arms pushed the weight of his body through the water. Back and forth he swam in the lake. The clouds overhead darkened somewhat and a light drizzle dusted the lake surface. He heard the distant rumble of thunder. The thought of lightning strike came to him. No amount of raw strength in the world would save him from electricution.
He turned over in the water and faced the cloudy sky. The water felt good. He really did not want to leave it. He relaxed his body and allowed himself to float along the surface face up. The light drizzle brushed against his skin. He barely felt it.
This was a good time to meditate. Usually he meditated sitting down while closing his thoughts away. Yet he felt oddly at peace for this brief moment. Almost as if he were one with the forest. He closed his eyes and cleared his mind. He allowed himself tofocus on the sounds of the forest which was oddly muffled by water in his ears.
He sighed,suddenly feeling tired. If a man fell asleep while floating in water, would he sink and drown? He hated to find out. Reluctantly, he reopened his eyes and faced the clouds once again. He really needed to climb out of this lake and return to his journey.
Set decided that his rest was over. He swung his arms beside him. He was situated in about the middle of the lake. His was face pointed directly to sky above. The drizzle had become more of a mist now. There still was a hint of thunder in the distance. Set could smell rain in the air.
He continued to swing his arms until he was halfway back to the place where his sword, shirt, and boots waited. The water was just a bit more shallow here. He paused just a moment longer knowing that the air would be cold once he stepped out.
A small sound caught his attention. A little splash. It really was not anything that should cause concern. Yet, it seemed out of place. Set remained very still. He searched around with his peripheral vision. He saw nothing. Yet something did not feel right.
Slowly, he righted himself in the water. He wanted to get back to shore, but he was not certain that the lake btween here and there was safe enough to swim. He remained up right, moving his feet slightly to maintain the pose. He felt the seaweed brush against his leg. His eyes dropped to the water. But he could not see in it. All he saw was the reflection of the grey clouds above and his own bald head peering in.
His eyes scanned the surface of the lake. It was not still. Small circular ripples formed each time a heavier rain drop landed in the water. Longer ripples were created by tiny insects that skimmed the surface. He could see nothing large. Set crackled his knuckles and frowned. He could not escape this odd feeling.
A fish jumped out of the water just before him. It landed back into the lake with a splash. The sound was similar to the one Set heard. Had it just been a fish jumping? For a brief second, Set felt a bit stupid. Fish jumped. They splashed. Why be alarmed?
Yet, he realized that he was trying to ignore his own gut feeling. That was not wise. Often the best source of information came from one's instincts. The mind tried to fool the warrior with rationalizations. The eyes played tricks. The heart had no place in battle. But the gut, that was where trust should be placed.
And Set's gut spoke to him now. Something was not right in this lake. He was not accustomed to battle in water. Not that he felt he could not engage in such a thing. But he would be at a disadvantage in the water.He glanced toward his sword laying safely out of reach. His fists would have to do.
He drifted backwards toward the shore just slightly. His feet found just a bit more purchase on the soft ground. He continued to watch the water for signs of movement. Nothing stirred aside fromone of those little skating bugs. He scowled, perhaps he was making too much of nothing. Yet better safe than sorry.
A current formed in what should have been very still water. Set felt the feathery touch of an underwater wave hit his leg. Something moved in there. Whatever it was, it was larger than a fish. His muscles tensed in anticipation of an impending fight. He clenched his fists. His jaw set hard. Set's eyes studied the water for any sign. Yet he saw nothing.
The attack came quickly. And as ready as he was for it, he was not ready. Something large knocked into his feet. Set fell backwards underwater. Whatever it was had a death grip with some sort of tentacle.
The tentacle was wrapped tightly around his leg threatening his circulation. He was now completely submerged attempting to untangle his leg from whatever beast had it. His fists grasped the long twisting tentacle and squeezed with all of his strength.
Blood gushed from deep puncture wounds he made with his fingers. A massive jerk dislodged him briefly. Maximilion kicked with his free leg and surface only briefly for a gulp of air. He returned to the task of removing this thing from his leg. By now his foot was growing numb.
He dug his fingers in deep. The thing twisted and pulled. It took all of Set's strength to pull away and keep from being dragged deeper in the water. He kicked violently. He squeezed as tightly as he could.
Finally, he had freedom. The creature recoiled. Blood painted the lake water read. Set's foot was throbbing. But he had no time to worry about it. He swam back as quickly as possible. He was gratefull for air when he reached the surface.
The beast, whatever it was, also surfaced with a large violent splash. Set wiped water from his face. What was it? There were several tentacles and a head. He would have sworn it was a giant octopus, but this was fresh water. He wondered howmany of these things were in this lake. When you saw one, there were usually others you did not see.
He suddenly had an overwhelming desire to kill the thing. He did not have to. He could have simply waded his way back to shore. But he had been challenged. Now he would see the battle to the end. It seemed that his enemy shared the same resolve. It jumped in the water, then fast as a lightning bolt raced toward Set.
The man reached forit as it cam. He got two hands on seperate tentacle. The thing twisted around him. Set was surprised at it's brute strength. He struggledtohold on to it as it twisted and attempted to wrap around him.
He lifted it out of the water as high as he could. A meaty tentacle wrapped around his neck. Set coughed. He needed to get free quickly. His fingers dug into the beast and with more strength than he thought he had, he pulled in opposite directions. Tentacles tore from the thing's body. It convulsed as it died. A large tentacle struck the warrior on the back of his head.
The blow staggered him. Set stumbed slghtly. He felt dizzy. A bit of nausea welled up in his stomach. He could taste the fish he had eaten for breakfast and it did not taste that good the second time around. The thing twitched angrily in his grip. It was dying. Blood splattered all over Set. He heaved and threw the beast back toward the center of the lake.
It floated there twitching for a long moment. Set watched it without really seeing it. His head throbbed. The lake spun around him. He decided that it might be best to get away from the water.
He turned and slowly walked back to the edge of the lake. Even outside of the water, he felt as if he were still walking in it. Once he was a safe distance from the water he turned tosee what became of his enemy.
The beast lay still, floating on topof the water. It no longer twitched. A pool of red blood surrounded it. Set stared silently. There was an odd ripple in the water nearby. A tentacle rose from the liquid surface and wrapped around the remains of the the beast. Quickly it vanished from sight.
Seemed these creatures were cannibals. Well the body should go to good use. Set reminded himself to steer clear of any more deep bodies of water in this place.
He had to learn a lesson in this whole adventure. This was a good lesson. Never let your guard down. Never relax when in hostile territory. He was nearly lunch. He thought about the fact that this lake was likely full of these things. Perhaps that had not been seaweed around his feet.
He gave them the opening. He went into the battle with his guard down. He entered combat not knowing what he was fighting. While he claimed victory, he could not help but feel he had failed in some way. This battle was too close. He might have lost.
Set felt the lump on the back of his head. He had to admit that he earned that. The pain would be a reminder to pay attention next time. Carelessness led to death.
He reached down and grabbed his shirt. Pulling it over wet skin was a bit difficult. His boots were not exactly an easy task either. He started to pull one on and stopped. What was that, He thought he saw movement.
He turned the boot over and a snake fell out. Nice. Set wondered what other bad luck he could have this day. He reached down quickly and grasped the snake. It tool little effort to kill it. Just a squeeze of his big fist and it was broken. He let it fall to the the ground.
Finally he had his boots on. He reached for the sword and put it in place buckling it securely. After a moment of adjustment he was ready to proceed. He glanced around. Where? More forest, no particualar direction. Where his feet tookhim, he would go. he tapped his sword stepped toward the trees.
So the lesson. Set considered the lessons he had just learned as he stepped toward the trees. Never let his guard down. Do not relax. Especially on the battlefield. What had he been thinking? He cursed himself.He still had no idea what that thing int he water was. But he was nearly a meal. Foolish. He would remember this lesson well. How many warriors were put as ease thinking things were safe,only to discover their mistake much too late? He was determined not to allow that to happen to him.
His hand remained on the hilt of his sword as he stepped under the trees. After eveything he had encountered thus far, he would not be surprised to find himself on the wrong end of a hunt. There were certainly more dinosaurs in this place. He thought he heard a distant trilling call. That might have been a bird or a dino. He had no idea which.
His thoughts drifted back to the three men he encountered. What could this placepossibly offer them? Training? For some reason, he doubted that. They did not seem the type. They were lazy warriors that hid behind each other in battle. Perhaps this place held some other interest. Certainly not camping. He imagined that there were plenty of safer campgrounds to go to.
Set's head was still throbbing from the blow. He stopped under a old termite ridden tree to rub a hand over his hairless scalp. It hurt to the touch. He imagined that there was a bruise forming. Terrible place for a bruise. At least the nausea and dizziness had passed.
He placed his hand backon the sword and carried on. He did not pay too much attention to silence. So the leaves crunched under his feet. He snapped twigs. Some birds were startled from the trees. He expected attack. Though, he also figured the noise might scare certain predators away.
Where was he headed. North, he belived. Toward the tribals. He considered the three men again. Perhaps that was where they went as well. Stories had circulated for years about treasures within their temples. Of course you had to get past the natives and survive whatever guarded the ruins.
That would not be an easy task. Those natives knew how to kill their enemy. They had no problem doing it either. And they defined 'enemy' as anyone who was not them. It occured to Set that approaching their territories might not be wise. They had numbers and the means to dispose of him from a distance.
Plus they were silent hunters. He did not have to see them or even know they were there to be killed by them. He could take lessons from that sort of fighting style. Set was no trasure hunter, but he was also not the type to turn down a nice payment. If he found something, he could sell it.
He frowned at the thought. What sort of treasures did they have? Hopefully nothing too big as he would have to carry it out of here.
He continued his journey through the forest, attempting to remain silent as he stepped. That wa not an easy task, Sometimes he throught he caught a whiff of smoke on the breeze. Somewhere, fairly close, there had to be a fire. It smelled like wood smoke. He saw no signs of people. No voices drifted on the wind. He did note places where branches had been broken on the lower part of the trees. That could have been done by people or animals. Spidewebs stretched across the broken path he traveled. That suggested this area had not been traveled for at least a day.
Soon, he came to a place where trees had obviously been cut down. Set paused to examine the chop marks. Obviously these people had made some sort of axe. He guessed that they likely sharpened stones. Set made a mental note. They would likely have spears and arrows as well. It appeared that combat with these people would be a bit more complicated than fending off rocks and sticks. He doubted that they had anything as advanced as a sword.
He knew that they also had numbers on their side. An entire tribe armed with spears, arrows, and axes stood a good chance of taking him down. Not to mention the fact that they had poison darts, so he had once been told. He was walking straight into a viper pit. Part of himwondered if this was actually a wise journey.
Set stepped over some fallen trees. A good part of this land had been cleared. Obviously they came to this place often. He walked to a small mound of dirt. Ashes were mixed in with the soil. They camped here. Was this place far from the village? Part of a stone bowl stuck out of the ground. Set fished it out and peered at the odd markings. This was definately a camp site. His gut warned him that they had been here recently.
He placed the bowl back on the ground and moved back to the seeming safety of the trees. The wood smoke smelled a bit stronger. He noted that the breeze came from the west. There was no visible evidence of smoke, only a vague persistant scent. He paused a moment considering which direction to go in. West meant trouble. North might mean trouble. He had no idea what lay to the east. And south led him back to dinosaur infested woods.
After a moments consideration he chose to travel east. In the back of his mind, he knew this might be a bad idea. His hand stayed close to the hilt of his sword. He chose every step carefully. He shuffled through the leaves more than he stepped. This was much quieter. He sounded more like a soft breeze than a large warrior trotting through the woods.
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Set
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Sep 26 2010, 10:20 AM
Post #5
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- Posts:
- 11
- Group:
- Members
- Member
- #22
- Joined:
- Sep 22, 2010
- Alignment
- Evil
- PowerLevel
- 137,587
- Planet
- Earth
- Transformations
- N/A
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The wood smoke led him onward. He followed that scent much like a bloodhound. His eyes remained peeled for any obvious dangerous. His ears were focused for any sound. Nothing came to him.
Just ahead was another clearing much like the one he recently left. He noted more downed trees. The sap on some of them suggested that the chopping had occured in the last few days. Set assumed that they were using the wood for their houses, or huts. He smiled to himself. He had no idea what primitive little hovels they lived in. The smoke smell came from another dirt coated fire pit. He bent down and placed a hand on the soil. There was a bit of warmth retained in the ground. But it was by no means hot. He figured that it might be a day old. The rains had likely doused it along with the soil. The ashes felt a bit damp.
He stood erect and allowed himself a moment to look around the camp. Set noted a thin trail leading off into the woods. He wondered if that trail led to the village. They would have to have some sort of path to get back home with the felled trees.
The warrior twisted slightly to study the forest around him. There appeared to be no obvious danger. It seemed still. Almost too quiet perhaps. He still heard the faint rustle of the trees overhead giving way to a gentle breeze. Off in the far distance a low rumble of thunder could be heard. But there was nothing to indicate the presence of any enemy.
So he decided to continue forward slowly. Set knew that he was slowly headed toward a pile of trouble. Yet he placed one foot in front of the other and kept walking. The trail was narrow in most places. He could see where people had walked,stomping down some of the stubborn plants that wished to grow there. He wondered how these people possibly managed to haul a tree through here. Perhaps they cut it in the clearing, then carried it. The weight had to be a bit much. He needed to lift some weights. Perhaps he should chop down a few trees.
Set smiled despite himself. He was no lumberjack. While that was a good strength building eexercise, he couldnot imagine chopping down trees. Lifting weights was one thing. That he would do all day. These people had to be fairly strong. That would make them a good challenge.
He passed by another man made clearing. There was a pile of chopped pieces of wood here. That answered his question. They were still quite heavy, but someone with adequate strength could handle them. He paused by the pile of lumber to lift a rather large piece. His muscles strained with the effort. Good exercise indeed.
After a few minutes of lifting logs he turned to leave. The log fell out of his hands and back into the haphazard pile to await the natives that cut them. Set stared off into the gloomy forest looking for signs of life. He saw nothing. He sighed. It just seemed too quiet. Why did this nor feel right? He was not certain.
Something was not right. Even an experience warrior like Set would have missed this. He was not of the forest. This was not his typical arena. Did he expect too much of himself here? He sought a battle with foes he could only guess at. He was strong. His sword and his fists were as powerful as any man. His ki could knock back and enemy, two enemies, three. Only a fool would challenge a man like Set. Usually.
The people of the forest had no idea what it was that moved through their lands. Set might not have seen them, but they saw him. They watched as he chose his steps carefully. And while the little rustles he made as he shuffled through the leaves seemed like nothing to him. They heard it loud and clear. This was not a natural sound. It was no animal. The natives heard and listened. They waited and watched.
These people were like shadows. They blended into the darkness and remained still. Set's eyes darted toward their hiding places. But his eyes fooled him. He saw shadows. He saw darkness. He did not see eyes. His gut told him something was not quite right. While he heard the warning, he did not heed it. If Set was tolearn anything in this trip,it would be to listen to the wisdom of his gut. It knew what the mind did not. It saw what the eyes did not. It heard what the ears did not.
So he pressed on. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword. They saw that too. That sword buried in its sheath at his hip. The natives knew of such weapons. Others had come to this place with swords. Others meant them harm. They knew the bite of such a weapon. They saw how close his hand stayed to it.
Set had been right in his estimation regarding their weapons. They were crude. They had rough axes madeof stone and wood. They had stone tip spears. These were quite deadly. Their arrows were a matter of pride. The feathers had to be taken from certain birds. The arrow heads were carefully made. The balance was important for it to fly properly.
They had poison darts. This was used rarely though. As the poison in the dart made whatever they used it on dangerous to eat. These people would eat anything that moved. No,they did not need poison. They had darts that caused the victim to sleep. That gave them all the time they needed to dispatch the hapless creature, carve it up, or roast it on a spit.
So they watched this man invade their territory. He was dangerous, that was plainly obvious. But he was also quite muscular and in good shape. He would make a good meal. So they moved silently alongside him. These shadows made not a whisper of sound as they stalked their prey. Set heard his gut, but he proceeded. At this point, it was far too late.
Set slapped his arm. It felt like a bee sting. He cursed quietly to himself. Amazing that a stupid little insect could cause so much discomfort. He had been in so many battles over the years. Swords bit his flesh. He had been stabbed. Many timesover he was punched and kicked. He experienced broken bones. Yet, somehow a bee sting just seemed like one of the worst insults he could have recieved. Strangely he had not heard it buzzing. Had he heard it, he would have squashed the thing before it ever had a chance to sting him.
He continued forward trying to ignore the odd throbbing in his arm. He still made every attempt to keep his footfalls as silent as possible. Still he saw no evidence of natives. Nothing at all aside from the strange clearings that he encountered. But they had to be around here somewhere.
The throbbing in his arm grew more insistant. Finallythe warrior decided to take a look at the wound. Around his shoulder was a red area that was swelling quickly. It felt warm to the touch. He frowned. There was a small object sticking out of his skin. It looked like a tiny piece of wood. Was this his stinger. He pulled it out to examine it.
It was a little piece of wood clearly man made. Set's mind reeled. This was a dart. He stopped dead in his tracks. The sword came free of its scabbard. His gut had been right. Someone was there. They were too silent to be heard. They were too clever to be seen. And from the looksof things, they might have won the battle before it began. Was this poison? Set grappled with the idea that he might die in this very spot from a dart painted with deadly poison.
How could he have been so careless? He felt stupid.He had walked into the unknown, unprepared and allowed the enemy to take advantage of that. There were clearly lessons to be learned in this encounter but he feared that he would not be around to learn them. He certainly might not be around to put them to any good use.
He flicked the dart onto the ground. Set felt a little dizzy. Nausea welled up in his stomach. He wondered if this were a psychological reaction tothe idea of being poisoned.He would not be surprised if that were the case. Yet no matter what the cause,he now had the symptoms. The man wanted to throw up.
He lifted his sword so that any onlooker could see that he was dangerous. Yet, he wondered what the point was. They could just shoot him with another deadly dart and call the deed done. His eyes darted across the shadows. Where? Where? He saw nothing. No one.
He stepped back and felt another sting. Seemed they were going to dohimin at a distance. He reached over his shoulder and plucked a second dart out of his skin. He really did not feel well now.
Waves of nausea rocked him. The forest spun slightly in his vision. Set knew somewhere in his mind that he was dangerously losing control. But it was becoming increasingly difficult to think. His thoughts were unfocused. He could not reason. He waved his sword at the trees that now appeared to be moving. In fact it looked like the entire forest was about to attack. His sword glanced against the heavy bark of one of the trees. Set mumbled a challenge in a slurred voice. He knew what he said. But it was the doubtful that the tree did, or the natives who waited patiently for their prey to pass out.
They did not want him dead. Food was better when it was fresh. They planned to carry him off to the village, put him in the cage, and carve him up when the time was right. The hunters would be well praised for the bounty they brought this day. They were pleased. They dared not shoot another dart into the man lest they kill him. There would be time later for killing.
The warrior stumbled forward. His feet felt oddly heavy. He heard the crashing sounds he made in the leaves and cursed his noisy self. He needed to be quiet. He could not rightly recall why. But all this noise was going to attract trouble.
Or had he already done that. Set struggled to focus his thoughts. He tried to find his calm center. But it seemed out of reach. He felt he was in a nightmare or drowning. Perhaps it was both.
He found the forest was getting darker. Or maybe he was losing his vision. A loud buzzing rang in his ears. The man dug a finger in one seeking a cause for the sound. He felt as if he werelosing control. This was a new sensation and his mind had been numbed by the drugs. Thus, he could not process it.
Another step forward and his foot found a root sticking up from the ground. He pitched forward. Luckily he did not land on his own sword. It flew from his hands. He blindly attempted to feel for it. Hisfingers brished against the hilt but he could not seem to get the hand to work. The sword was pushed just out of reach by his own fingers.
As hard as he struggled, he could not prevent the drugs from taking over. His breathing grew shallow and his muscles relaxed. His hand remained stretched at an odd angle attempting to catch the sword.
The natives waited a few more moments prior to approaching. This man was dangerous. They had no desire to meet that sword. But he lay there unmoving. The darts worked,Their prey was ready to be taken back home. Yes, this was cause for celebration. It was not often food wondered so willingly into their lands. Even the animals knew to avoid the place.
Slowly they rose from their shadowy hiding places and moved silently to the now sleeping Set.
Set was notfully asleep, but he was not quite awake either. It seemed like a strange foggy dream. Was this to be the end? This was no way to end his career. Taking his leave of the world at the hands of hungry cannibals. After all the fights and battles over the years, this did not seem like a fitting demise. There was certainly no glory or pride to be taken in such and end. And the lesson to be learned here was futile. Why learn a lesson when you will never get the chance to use it?
He felt hands on his body. Set could not quite see them. But they were there. Many hands. He cursed himself. How could he have not known they were there watching? Why did he not listen to that feeling in his gut? His instincts had warned him that something was not right. He felt it. Yet he allowed curiosity to lead him blindly forward. Now it seemed he would pay the ultimate price.
They lifted him. He wanted to get his muscles to work. He envisioned destroying the entire mob with his bare hands. They had no idea what it was they had captured. He would tear them limb from limb if he could. He wanted to. Why could he not move? It was hard enough just to breathe. His lungs felt heavy. His chest felt as if a ton of rocks were laying upon it.
If he could feel the hands and feel his lungs, would he also feel te knife. That was a terrible way to die. Of course had he died in battle, he would feel the sword rip into his guts. The last thing he might see was his own intestines spilling in a wet heap on the earth. Every fighter prepared for the possibility. But every one of them always though that it would not happen to them. In this, he was no different. The lesson here was that despite his strength, he had weaknesses. He could be defeated.
He felt movement. Clearly he was being carried. The hands on his body grabbed him in awkward locations. There was a bit of pain here and there in the way they grabbed him. Fingers dug into his flesh. He thought he was bleeding here and there. He was certainly going to be bruised.
Set could not give upon the fight. Was he going to allow these people to make him a meal? He was not sure how he planned to stop them. Yet,if he did nothing he would certainly lose. He plannedto die fighting in whatever capacity he could. Anything less was beneath him.
He concentrated all his energy on his muscles. He struggled mentally to move something, anything. A fist would be nice. Yet, nothing budged. He felt as if he were tied in tight twisting ropes. He just needed to try harder. They still carried him. But suddenly, he felt himself fall. Seemed they had arrived at their destination.
It seemed like eternity that Set lay awkwardly on the ground. His internal struggle to fight the drugs he had been given was not obvious on the outside. As hard as he tried he could not fight the neurotoxins from the dart. No mortal man could. But these things wear off in time.So, after a while,the man was able to open his eyes. His muscles felt incredibly sore and he suffered a bit of pain when he moved. Yet, he was able to stifly move his arms and legs.
The weight on his chest lifted. It felt good to take a deep breath. He stretched his arms and legs slightly, then thought better of it. Clearly, he was not dead yet. If possible he was going to be certain that he did not die this day.The natives, however, were about to have a very bad day.
He remained in the dirt in an awkward uncomfortable position. His eyes popped open. Set took the chance to look around without moving his head. He appeared to be in some sort of hut. The ground was a hard packed dirt. Though some grass peeked up here and there. He could hear the chatter of the natives in an odd harsh language.
It sounded a bit muffled. He imagined that the voices were outside. He heard a bit of laughter. There was some strange haunting music. The sort of mournful sound when one blows into a twisted bull horn. He could also smell wood smoke. There was a fire nearby. He wondered if these people had planned to roast him.
He heard a sof sound in the hut. A foot step. His eyes narrowed to a thin slit so that he could still see but it would not be obvious that they were open. The feet appeard before him. He felt a sharp stick jab into his shoulder. It hurt, but he made no sound. He had been dealt much more and worse. He remained very still. The native was likely checking to see if he was waking up.
For a long while, those feet stood before him and the stick jabbed at him. It was obviously satified that he was asleep. The feet turned and began to walk the opposite direction. That was all the chance he needed.
Set sprang to his feet lightning fast. He grabbed the native from behind. It was a little man carrying a long spear. He roughly attacked the man's neck, snapping it in such a way that the bones stuck out the back. He dropped the body on the ground. He felt for his sword, but it was gone. He wondered if it were still in the woods.
His muscles were very stiff. Perhaps that was a result of the dart. maybe it was the result of the way he had been tossed on the ground. He had no time to worry about it. This village was going to be destroyed and he planned to be on his way. He scanned the dark room to assess the situation.
Obviously he was not alone in this hut. Another man lay sleeping close to the location he had been dropped. The man had the appearance of a native. Set figured that he likely had been captured from another tribe. He knew nothing of their politics, but from the looks of things,they did not like each other. Of course there was possibility he was some sort of criminal or had been condemned for something. This small hut appeared to be food storage. Set turned back to the body of the guard.
The man had been armed with a cride spear. That was the sharp onject that he jabbed into Set's arm. He picked it up and examined it a bit closer. The stone tip was sharp enough. The wood seemed fairly sturdy.
He turned his attention back to the sleeping man. He wondered if he were close to waking. The last thing he needed was someone to watch out for or protect. The man would become a liability. He would get them both kiled. So Set decided to take care of the matter before it bacame an issue. He drove the sharp end of the spear straight into the man's heart.
The drugs must have been still strong in his system. He did not move or twitch. Even his eyes remained closed. Set wondered if the man was able to feel what had been done. At least it was an easier fate than being roasted alive which is what he figured was planned for them both.
Some might say that Set committed an evil deed by destroying a defenseless man that had done nothing to harm him. But Set did not see it that way. He was here to survive. Anthing that might stand in his way would be cut down. There was nothing evil or wrong in that, at least not in Set's opinion.
Now he needed to figure out how to safely get out of this place. He considered waiting in this hut and cutting them down one bt=y one as they entered. Yet, they would eventually figure that out. He might be surrounded ot they might just set the entire thing on fire. Last time he checked, he was not fire proof.
He cautiously approached the door. Outside people still chatted with each other. He heard laughter. The wood smoke was a bit stronger. He needed to use a bit of stealth here. After all these people could put him back down with a couple of darts. And this time he doubted they would let him back up.
Just outside the door stood another native. These people were not exactly big. He noted that he was covered in muscle, but compared to Set he was just a beanstalk. Set ripped open the door, grabbed the man, and dragged him inside. He twisted this man's head in just the same way he had done his counterpart.
It was an easy task. He allowed the body to crumple to a heap on the floor. Set wondered if they would notice a lack of guard at the door.
Once again he peered out. This time he needed to weigh his options. He could not possibly sneak out of this place.These natives were brown skinned with dark hair and short. They had a lean appearance. Set was none of that. He was a mass of muscle, ebony skin, and lack of hair. If he tried to walk out of here, they would certainly notice.
He also could not just walk into the middle of the village and start cutting them down. That would not be wise considering how good they were with their darts. He sighed. This was not about to be an easy task. He noted a couple of warriors wonder past with heavy spears clutched in their fists. No, this was not going to be easy at all.
He rolled his spear in his hands considering what to do.The direct approach was not going to work. Perhaps mass panic and confusion would do the trick. His eyes drifted up to the thatch wood roof. These huts were a bit wet from the rain. He wondered if they would burn.
Set went back to the door and peered out. There were a number of huts in sight. Women stood in front of some making dinner, he imagined. They appeared to be cooking. Small fires were situated in front of several huts. If he decided to do this, he needed to be quick. He would have to keep moving. He would have notime to stopor stay still. the moment he did was the moment one of their darts landed under his skin.
He closed the door once more. Set bent down and stretched his sore muscles. He planned to demand more out of them than he had ever asked. He stretched his legs feeling a slight burn. He arched his back. A small pop answered his movement. He cracked his knuckles and stretched out his arms.
The warrior picked up the spear once more and returned to the door. This time his eyes searched for trouble. Hopefully most of the guards with the darts were scouting the forest. He saw a few men with spears still wondering about. A woman in a nearby hut stuck a few sticks in her fire to get it hotter. He heard children playing in the distance.
He gripped the spear tightly. Now or never. Much like the wind, he flew from the old worn hut. His spear and fists were to save him, though he missed his sword. He surged up to the two warriore he has seen earlier. Swinging the spear, he used the blunt end on each of their heads. The both fell to the ground. He could not stop.
He raced to the woman, his spear crashed into her head as well. She fell with a little cry. He pulled a blazing piece of wood and sent it flying to her hut. He could not wait to see if the flames caught. Instead he raced to the next two huts and repeated the process.
Flames rose into the air on the second hut. Set spun backto the first and threw another blazing stick at it. Soon three of the huts and the grass in between was in flames. This place was about to become an inferno. He heard shouts and knew the battle was about to begin.
He had to keep moving. One second still was enough for them to catch him. Set gripped the spear tightly. He expected the flames would keep them busy. Or at least they would be distracted enough that he could take them.
He heard shouts and the sounds of footfalls. The fire spread to the small hut he had been housed. The place slowly erupted in flamed. The smell of smoke in the air was thick. Set coughed.
Much like a flowing wind, he moved between those that came running. He never paused, never stopped. It was a dance of his own making. He leapt, twisted and turned as appropriate. He chose to strike them with the blunt end of the staff where appropriate. The sharp end might get stuck in someone's body and he could not afford even a minute delay.
Luckily these warriors were smaller and weaker. They went down easily. Yet the exertion of constant movement winded him. He chose to continue. He could not stop.
The fire rapidly spread. He helped it where he could by tossing flaming sticks at huts. Some of the natives cameout of their huts screaming and burning. He did not pause to witness their deaths. it was good enouth they were dead.
Arrows whizzed past him. He worried a bit about the warriors that kept their distance. He had no doubt that they were also armed with those vile darts. He could not run straight at them as that would provide them the chance to hit him.
As he ran past their locations, he shot blasts of ki their way. The sounds of grunts and thuds let him know that they had taken the force of his attack. Sometimes he shot blasts of ki around him just to frighten or confuse any that planned a long distance attack. Where he could, he tried to keep burning huts between himself and the long range attackers.
All he could do was keep up the momentum. Warrior after warrior fell under the heavy blow of the blunt end of the spear. Building after building fell to the flames. He heard screams and cries. It did not matter. Anything that stood before him and breathed was to be destroyed. Man,woman, or child. He took down the elderly. He destroyed the young. It mattered not. They could shoot a dart just as well as the fighters. They were all enemies and they would all die.
The body count grew. The smoke became to thick to see in some places. The attacks grew less and less. Though he did not stop. He would not. He had no idea if they were peering out at him from the trees. They caught him once that way. He was not foolish enough to allow it to happen again.
* * *
He started hearing crackling louder than that from the flames on the huts. Some of the trees were catching fire now. It occured to Set that he might have caught himself in his own clever fire storm. There were stills ome shouts. Hopefully any natives in the forest were in retreat.
He spied a small group ahead. Two warriors and another wearing some sort of animal headdress. The leader, he assumed. The smoke partially obscurred his vision. He was finding it difficult to breathe.
Something caught his eye. It was a familiar flash. There, in the leader's hand, was Set's sword. A low sound issued from his throat. There was no way in hell he was going to allow someone to kill him with his own sword. His eyes narrowed and he rushed forward with full strength and speed.
The sword flashed toward him. The native really had no idea how to properly wield a sword. He did know that it had a sharp end and that end should be stuck in his advisary. Set easily dodged the strike. His spear struck both warriors quickly in the head. Both fell sideways. Set spun the pointed end around and stabbed at the leader.
The first blow grazed the little man's arm. He howled and jabbered some curse in his own language. Set was relentless. He kept moving in case the dart shooters were near. Though he doubted they were with all the smoke and flame. His spear struck again. This time he sunk about two inches into the man's abdomen before the leader jumped back. The blow was not a killing blow,but Set imagined it was a mortal wound.
He swung the spear to the side stricking the otherman's sword arm. He heard a crack as the man's arm broke. The sword went flying. Set threw the spear straight at the man's abdomen. It sunk in deeply. Blood poured from the wound.
The warrior rolled quickly, grabbing his sword. He was back on his feet before the leader could fall down. His sword flashed. The man's head came off his shoulders cleanly with one blow.
Breathing heavily, Set raced through the smoke dodging angry flames that seemed to be everywhere. He still heard voices and still felt danger. But he had a chance to flee and he was going to take it. He had no idea how many he just killed but it seemed to be most of the tribe.
He ran as he had before moving through the trees like the wind. He stopped for no reason until he was far from the burning village. He still smelled smoke but the odor seemed to linger on his own body.
Finally he paused by a familiar stream. His muscles ached. But he survived. Helived to tell the tale. Though he might leave out the part where he was hit by sleeping darts. After all, he already felt like an idiot, he did not want everyone else to think he was one.
He sat down heavily by the stream and flopped onto his back, staring up at the nighttime sky.
"Pain in the ASS!" he bellowed into the sky, glad that the whole ordeal was now done with.....
......or was it?
TO BE CONTINUED
Word Total: 9,704
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Mugetsu
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Sep 29 2010, 02:43 AM
Post #6
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