Grimn's Fairy Tale

[Grimn]

The Twin Burdens


The man hadn’t moved his hand from the hilt of his sword, she had noticed that immediately, her eyes not giving away the detection but noticing it none the less. How could she not notice it? She had seen the same minute action countless times from another. This man’s actions were not quite the same however. Perhaps it was the foreign way in which his hand rested on top of the blade. It was not that he seemed unable to wield the weapon, just that he would rather not if he had to, a stark difference from her other experience with the motion. “You are not him” mouthed the white clad girl, her eyes looking beyond Gwydion. “Who are you” asked Gwydion, looking directly at the woman. She gazed a moment longer at the spot above Gwydion and then looked into his eyes. She saw the burden that lay within them, the burden that she was all too familiar with. “My name?” asked the girl, looking at Gwydion. “A name is only something that is used to quantify what you are. Names can change, I myself have been called numerous things throughout time” suggested the girl. Gwydion listened to the girl asking himself who she could be. He had never encountered her before obviously, and yet she reminded him of Grimn in certain ways. “No, she is completely pure of darkness” thought Gwydion, sensing the area around her. “She is like the mirror reflection of him”. “No, it was far too soon to draw any conclusion such as that” contradicted Gwydion. “Who are you and what are you doing in a place like this” asked the girl, snapping Gwydion out of his trance like thoughts. “My name is Gwydion. I…just came here” stammered Gwydion, realizing how foolish it sounded when spoken aloud. It was not a chosen destination, simply where his feet had led him. The woman merely listened to these words, taking them for what they were worth. “You should take your hand off of your blade” said the woman, looking over her shoulder at Gwydion. “I am very capable of handling myself” said Gwydion, anger rising as he began to draw his sword. “There is no need to ruin a civilized conversation with such brutish actions” said the girl. In less than a moment’s time, Gwydion found the edge of a sai pressed against his throat. The girl held one sai to his throat while her other hand held the top of Gwydion’s sword within his scabbard. “I have gone by many names but you can call me Rivka” said the woman, continuing to hold her weapons where they were. Gwydion relaxed the grip on his sword, allowing the half that was revealed to slowly slide back into the scabbard. “That speed” remarked Gwydion. “He had been completely unable to see her move. Even when Grimn moved he was able to catch a brief glimpse of him. Who exactly is this woman” wondered Gwydion. “We need to leave, this place is no longer hospitable to people like us” whispered Rivka, beginning to walk for the door, her soft face revealing a pained look. “But I still don’t even know what this place was” said Gwydion, taking a few steps towards her. Rivka stopped at the doorway and looked down, the marbled floors no longer sparkled, the halls no longer gleamed white and reflected what was within them, the seats all sat empty. “This place” began Rivka, placing a hand on the door. “This place was nothing but a dream” she finally said, her words deafening despite the low volume in which they were spoken.

[Grimn]

Time to say Goodbye



The withered hand pushed the door open and Grimn entered the circular room. The room shone bright white and was ringed with raised chairs, varying in heights around the room. The vaulted ceilings gave the impression that the room stretched all the way to the heavens above. Numerous hooded figures walked around the room, each finding their respective seats. Above where each individual sat, on the back of the chair was a large roman numeral that was pressed into the marble slab. These numbers varied greatly and seemed to run from one to over fifty. The only seat that was an oddity to this was the seat that was next to the chair directly across from the double doors. That particular chair was embedded with the Roman numeral I. The seat next to this primero chair had no Roman numeral embedded into it. This chair’s back was a clean slab of marble, devoid of markings or imperfections. Grimn gazed at this chair for a lengthy amount of time before finally turning his attention to the scene playing out. All of the figures had taken their seats, each chair filled except for the primero seat and the blank chair next to it. The building hummed from the different conversations that continued between the various members of this society. A single bell chimed from somewhere far off and a hush fell over the seated members. The figure that sat in the seat emblazoned with the number two began to speak. “This meeting is called to order of the 776 chapter” said the female voice. “Before we begin is there any new business to discuss” asked the female. A single figure leapt down from his perch, landing on his feet in the center of the room, his hood falling back to reveal the green hair that spiked out from his skull. “Members of the Council” began the man, turning to address the entire audience. “It has been quite some time since our leader has mysteriously left us and with no word back from him I fear that we must assume the worst” stated the man. Grimn looked up at the other members of the Council, only able to see small details now that he was able to look at his own discretion. The female member who had started the meeting wore a small smirk, almost indistinguishable. “That is expected” thought Grimn. “She was aware the entire time so she sees the foolishness before her” remarked Grimn. Some of the other members seemed to pay no heed to the man, while many of the members in the higher number ranks listened intently. “This Council cannot function without a leader. It is imperative that we have a strong individual that is able to both lead and make decisions for the betterment of this organization” said the man. “And who do you suppose fits this role that you speak” asked the female figure, her voice devoid of emotion. “Well I see no reason why I cannot assume this role” said the green haired man, a smile plastered across his face. Grimn watched and his face showed the slightest twinge of anger. “You were exactly what I saw you for. From the start I could sense that there was nothing but ulterior motives with you” thought Grimn. “It is because of you that things ended up the way they did” he thought. A large outcry rose up from the smaller numbered figures while the higher numbers argued back. “Order” barked the female individual. “I had a conversation with the primero before he departed with Zero” began the woman. “I must say that when I heard what he had to say I was very skeptical that things would occur as he predicted. But I now must admit…you played directly into what he said you would” finished the woman, an icy chill to her final words. The green haired man’s smile faded slightly from his face, taken back by the unfriendly words of the woman. “The primero is not coming back” said the man, he would have returned by now and because of that it is my time to assume the glory and recognition that I so deserve” said the man. With these words the double doors burst open, the heavy marble slamming into the walls on either side. In the doorway stood two figures, both wearing black cloaks that obscured their faces. One figure was smaller and seemed to almost float despite firmly standing on the ground. The other figure was taller and seemed to take hold of the room’s mood simply by entering.

[Grimn]

The Birth of Rage


The room went silent with the arrival of the two hooded figures, a stillness settling over the entire area. The green haired man looked over at the two figures for a second and his mouth began to open. Immediately the taller of the hooded figures was right next to him, his hand firmly grasping the side of the green haired man’s face. Time seemed to slow as the green haired man’s facial expression began to register the realization of what was occurring. The stillness of the room was broken as time resumed its steady march, the hooded man slamming the other man’s skull into the marble floor. The hood had fallen off of the crouched figure as he removed his hand from the skull of the other man. The man slowly began to stand up, the piercing black eyes seemingly alive with fury as he stared down at the man. The smaller figure stood still at the doorway, not entering the room and seeming to be content with merely waiting for the taller individual to complete his business. Grimn watched as this unfolded, his eyes steadily watching the taller man. “You have confirmed my thoughts” uttered the man, his words laced with poison. “You have returned Primero” said the seated woman, her voice devoid of emotion. Without taking his eyes off of the green haired man, the primero gave his response. “I am no longer the primero, merely Grimn” said the man. “What is this” asked one of the lower seated members. “I can trust none of you” spat Grimn, “that much is obvious” he finished. The room seemed to erupt in protest, many of the members beginning to become visibly agitated in their seats. “You have become weak” said the green haired man, lashing out with his leg. Grimn jumped backwards, barely avoiding the strike. “I will show you why you are past your time” screamed the man, his body contorting and changing.

The green haired man had grown thick hair all over his body and his muscular structure had completely changed. He began to dart around the room, constantly staying out of Grimn’s reach. Once again time slowed, the green haired animal darting around the room in slow motion, Grimn merely standing in the middle, his eyes closed, the members of the council frozen in argument with one another, the smaller hooded figure continuing to watch from the doorway. “The thing I have built up has come crashing down around me” thought Grimn. “The instant I put my trust in others it has been proven foolish. Even after this much careful planning and manipulation one individual has caused the downfall of this many individuals” he continued to think. “One individual has caused my plans to go awry” thought Grimn, his anger building. The man whose emotions were constantly locked away in an armor of coldness began to show the first signs of cracking. The anger began to spill out from within at the thought of his plans failing. Grimn opened his eyes and the dull look was replaced by one of rage and fury. “It must all be washed away” decided Grimn, his anger completely consuming him. In a flash Grimn held two weapons in his hands. Both were shaped like old fashioned pistols, but much more intricate. Each had yellow wiring that ran along either side of the weapon and curved around multiple times. Grimn extended his hand and allowed the rush of energy to extend from his arm through the weapon. The scene seemed to once again resume its natural pace as the black energy exploded from the tip of the weapon. “Do not speak to me about time” screamed Grimn, his entire being completely giving away to the anger within. Grimn rapidly allowed the darkness within to explode through the weapons, firing shot after shot each time bringing the pistols back near his shoulders with the recoil. He could feel the tug within him with each shot, the sign that a part of him was being lost forever. But with each shot he was erasing the faults of his past. The darkness that exploded from the tips of his weapons was amplified and tore through whatever was in its path. The green haired beast managed to evade the first few blasts before being consumed by the dark bolts. The elder Grimn watched as his younger self was not content with merely erasing his betrayer. The shots continued to rain around the room, the building’s structural integrity beginning to weaken. “You must cease this” screamed the woman who had been ruling over the meeting. The younger Grimn merely looked upon the face of the woman before replying “this mistake must be erased and my plan started anew”. With a final outpouring of energy a column of darkness burst upwards filling the entire room. Grimn’s scream of rage permeating throughout the entire complex and out to the fields beyond. The elder Grimn watched as the darkness enveloped everything. Some of the higher seated members were able to call forth their weapons and barricade themselves from the brunt of the blast. The smaller hooded figure continued to stand there and became an island as the darkness was split by her. The small white light that surrounded her buffered the dark waves around her as they spilled out into the rest of the complex. The darkness slowly began to ebb away and finally the elder Grimn could once again see his younger self in a heap at the center of the floor. He was alone in the room, the shiny marble dulled considerably, the stone chairs were jagged and cut and many of the numbers were completely erased. The smaller figure walked to where Grimn lay on the floor. He slowly got up, his body completely drained of energy and the mere movement of standing seemed to be too much. The smaller figure stood beside Grimn and braced themselves against him, holding his weight against them. The two slowly began to make their way out of the circular room. When they reached the doorway Grimn spoke again. “Hold on a moment, I want to remember what this once was one last time” said Grimn, his words choked. The smaller figure’s face held a slight smile, unseen by Grimn. It was rare moments like this that gave her hope that perhaps he was human after all and that her goals weren't completely unachievable. “Let’s go Zero” this place has noting more for me” said Grimn, removing himself from her aid and walking on his own.

[Grimn]

The Three Beats of History


Gwydion and the woman had left the large structure behind them, its former glory a thing of the past. Few words had been spoken between the two of them on their way out, the few questions that Gwydion had asked were met with one or two word responses, short and to the point. “I still fail to understand how our paths have been fated to cross” began Gwydion, his pace falling slightly behind that of Rivka’s. “Throughout time there have been instances when a feeling begins to creep up from deep within me” began Rivka. “I cannot fully explain it, I just know that it is there. There is no particular direction in which I head, it just seems that time leads me to where it is I should be. When I arrived at that place I only assumed that it was where I was meant to be” she finished. She had neglected to tell him of the expectation that she had when arriving at a place such as this. “It was almost as if fate was toying with her, dangling it in front of her face only to snatch it away at the last moment. It didn’t help that she had sensed an immense darkness from the individual within” she thought. That led to yet another problem, where was this darkness stemming from? The individual before her seemed to shun the power that came with it and instead turn towards the light. It was easy for her to see however that his power was nowhere near that of anyone special and yet it was if there was another dwelling within, a caged beast waiting to be let loose amongst the world once again. “I will need to keep an eye on this one for the time being” this much she had already decided.

The blonde haired man allowed his mind to flood with the thoughts of all that had recently transpired around him. “Why was it that everything seemed to go awry? Was it not possible for him to simply lead a boring and normal life? No, someone like me cannot enjoy the luxury that is a normal life” thought Gwydion, looking towards the ground. “One of the many punishments that I must endure for my heinous crimes against humanity” he thought. “Best not to let my new found friend see me with my guard down” thought Gwydion raising his head up with a fake smile plastered across it. His smile was met with the soft yet knowing gaze of Rivka. “So much for that course of action” sighed Gwydion. “Your mind appears to be filled to the brim with thought” remarked the man warmly. “She is like him in so many ways” thought Gwydion, “analytical, calculating, merely observing while already musing over the many possibilities brought about by the simplest of perceptions”. “I am merely thinking about the past” replied Rivka softly. “Yet another similarity” remarked Gwydion. Rivka stopped and looked up at the fading light. “It is getting late, we should set up camp before the darkness swallows us” said the woman. “It is already too late for some of us” thought Gwydion.

[Grimn]

Rivka slowly opened her eyes, the first few rays of dawn breaking through the canopy of leaves above her. She sat up and stretched his slender arms, reaching out towards the rays and allowing the light to play upon her fingers. A quick examination of the campsite told her that Gwydion was not present, although a few of his things were still nearby suggesting that his absence was only temporary. The early morning dew shone brightly upon the grass as the world slowly emerged from its stupor and began anew. Rivka slowly walked amongst the flowers and trees that surrounded her, enjoying the beauty that was present. A shuffling of leaves behind her told her that Gwydion had made his way back to the campsite and before long he had come up beside her. “ The camp is all packed up and we can leave whenever you wish” said Gwydion. “I adore the first few streaks of dawn” remarked Rivka smiling. “The light slowly but surely conquering the darkness and awakening the world to resume its activities” continued Rivka. Gwydion listened to these words but did not give them much merit. “I know of an individual who would argue that dusk is merely the opposite side of that coin. That it is the darkness that slowly seeps into the once well placed plans of individuals and consumes them until only darkness remains”. Rivka maintained her smile, placing a fingertip on a small lily that stood beneath her. “Isn’t that how the world works though? You cannot have light without darkness? Both must exist in harmony otherwise the balance of the world falls out of sync” she continued. Her last words struck Gwydion profoundly, a balance of both light and dark? “Perhaps…” began Gwydion before he was cut off by Rivka. “I believe I know of the individual you speak of” she began, her voice falling considerably. She began to slowly walk through the forest before turning back to look at Gwydion. “We have a long journey ahead of us” began Rivka getting the far-away look in her eyes. “And I would be greatly entertained if you told me of how you and Grimn came to be acquaintances” finished the woman, allowing herself a small smile. “But how did you…” began Gwydion. “Only someone who has spent significant time around that man would have as bleak an outlook on hope and humanity” laughed Rivka.

[Grimn]

The Mistakes of the Past


Grimn stood motionless as the two figures exited the building. The scene remained motionless before the graying man, mocking him in his futile efforts to place trust in others. “Such a pity that things didn’t go according to plan” remarked the handsome gentleman who appeared beside Grimn. “What are you doing here” asked Grimn, his eyes showing a spark of the fire that once illuminated them. “I had some spare time” chuckled the man, pulling out a silver pocket watch and checking to see it was wound correctly. “So what is it you plan on doing now” asked the man, a wry smile on his face. Grimn stood still, unmoving as his gaze remained fixed upon the room. “Well either way you better hurry because the clock is ticking for you” said the man, a pseudo serious face looking at Grimn as he held up the pocket watch. The man turned and disappeared, leaving Grimn alone. The room began to become hazy as the memory began to collapse, Grimn’s vision going in and out of focus. After a moment all was black before Grimn was back in his home, sitting in his chair and facing the fire. The wall had returned to its former concrete shape, a new scene forming upon it. Grimn continued to stare into the fire, his mind working furiously over what he would do. Finally he stood up, his long graying hair falling over his shoulders. The look on his face showed that he had come to a decision. Grimn strode out of the room, his sword in one hand as his coat whipped around behind him.

[Grimn]

Gwydion and Rivka continued to make their way across the wind-swept plain that seemed to stretch endlessly. They had been walking for quite some time, Gwydion slowly revealing bit by bit his relationship with Grimn. Although he had admitted to knowing Grimn, he had still kept their exact relationship a secret. He rather Rivka not know of the atrocities that he committed as Grimn’s second in command. The wind swept through the grasslands, causing the grass to bend freely, almost carelessly. Gwydion smiled, a rare sight, as he watched all of this. “Why would you want to destroy all of this” he asked rhetorically. “The world is filled with prisms of beauty such as this” he thought. Rivka merely watched the man, smiling on the inside while maintaining the blank exterior. “If only this humanity was present on all” she thought wistfully. “So from your questions I have inclination that you are also an acquaintance of Grimn” said Gwydion, breaking the silence between them. The mood took a somber tone, both people avoiding eye contact as they seemed distracted by other thoughts. Rivka breathed a large sigh before opening her mouth. “Grimn and I…” she trailed off as her expression turned serious. Gwydion had already begun to take his sword out of its sheath. “Someone is coming” said Rivka, her eyes scanning the horizon. “There” yelled Gwydion, beginning to point to a far off speck in the distance. The black smudge approached rapidly, flying parallel to the ground and no higher than a few feet above it. “Prepare yourse…” began Rivka before being thrust to the ground by the object. The woman lay there, still and unmoving, her eyes closed. Gwydion looked at the figure that stood in front of him, rising up from the crouch it had been in after pushing Rivka to the ground. The two tone coat gave off a other worldly visage of the individual, his mask hiding his true expression. “You’ll pay for that” said Gwydion through gritted teeth. “There is no room in a play for improvisation. Each character must stick to their assigned parts” responded the masked man, his head turning to the side slightly. “I erase you and I take a step down the path from becoming understudy to main character” said Gale, launching himself at Gwydion.

[Grimn]

The Fight for Identity Part II


Gwydion barely had time to draw his blade before the masked man was upon him, his black blade sparking against the frozen moonlight that comprised his own weapon. The two moved apart for a moment before there was another clash between the two. “Who are you” said Gwydion, his voice full of anger. “I am the actor who has been the understudy for far too long” responded the masked man. With a swift movement the masked man was behind Gwydion, thrust his blade into the blonde haired man’s back. Gwydion staggered away from the blow, blood beginning to blur the pristine white coat that he wore. Gale merely peered out from behind his mask, his sword at his side. “I have come for you just as I have come for the other half” he continued. “Other half” thought Gwydion. Before he had time to fully contemplate the thought the masked man had launched himself again at Gwydion. He could barely hold the strike back, his sword wavering under the force of Gale’s strike. “You always were the weaker of the two” murmured Gale, noticing the lack of power emanating from Gwydion. “It’s almost as if he has done nothing but grow weaker” thought Gale, his eyes maintaining their blank expression of no emotion. The two men continued to trade blow after blow, each strike draining what little strength that Gwydion had left in him. “It won’t be much longer before I will be unable to continue” thought Gwydion, continuing to retreat from the repeated blows.

“Allow me to lend you strength” said a voice from deep inside of Gwydion.

“Never, I shall die before I allow you to roam the earth once more” thought Gwydion.

“I can’t have you dying on me” laughed the caged voice, its voice growing stronger within Gwydion.

“I can do this on my own” shouted Gwydion’s inner voice.

“You say that now” laughed the voice. “But what will your answer be when the last few particles of sand run out on your hourglass” laughed the voice.

Gwydion snapped out of his inner conversation as Gale’s sword barely missed severing his head from his body. He dodged another blow and began to move away from Gale, his pace quickening with each step. “I have to think of something quick if I am to escape this trap” he thought, looking all around him for any means of victory. Noticing a small pond nearby, Gwydion attempted to draw Gale near it. Gale casually followed Gwydion, his pace indicative of one that knew he was in control. Gwydion finally arrived at the bank of the pond and turned to face Gale, his sword raised. However there was no one to meet his steely gaze, only the plains that remained. “You need to be much more wary of secondary moves made by your opponent” said the monotone voice of Gale, his blade slicing into Gwydion’s arm. Gwydion cried out in pain, his white coat now stained by the copious amounts of blood he had lost. His body heaved with heavy breathing, shoulders slouched he looked at Gale, his eyes betraying the anger that boiled up within. “This is my burden. The inability to fully protect those that need protection” thought Gwydion, looking off into the distance where Rivka’s body lay. “The path I have chosen is not an easy one but I will carry on” said Gwydion, his eyes lighting up. The air became still, Gwydion’s body tensed as he began to call up all of his energy. “I will emerge from the shadows and walk amongst the light once again” screamed Gwydion, his hair whipping wildly in the wind around him. The water in the pond beside him began to churn and waves crashed around him. Gale merely watched all of this, his quiet eyes observing all that surrounded him. With closed eyes Gwydion began to mumble quietly to himself. “Waves rise up and crash upon the heavens” said the man, his sword raised in front of him. “Pray for Mercy” he finished as the water behind him erupted upwards and rushed towards Gale.

Gale was caught off guard by the sudden outpouring of water and barely dodged the initial strike. “He seems to have not completely lost what once was” thought the man, continuing to dodge the water as it crashed into the earth where he once stood. Gwydion rushed forward and struck with his sword, his white blade clashing with the dark metal that comprised Gale’s weapon. As the men locked swords a large waved rose up behind Gale and crashed into his back. The masked man rolled to the side quickly as Gwydion’s blade followed the wave and sunk into the ground where he had once laid. The determined look on the blonde haired man’s face showed that he was in this fight completely. Gale continued to move around the man, waves preventing him from getting too close and launching his own attacks. “Hmm” thought the masked man. “This might take a bit more than I had initially accounted for”. Gale launched yet another attack only to be rebuked by the crushing force of the water. “I will crush him now before my energy runs out” thought Gwydion, his breathing becoming ragged from his injuries. With a jagged movement Gwydion grabbed the hilt of his sword with two hands and charged at Gale. Right before the two swords collided a rush of water intercepted Gale’s blade, blinding the man’s vision as well as holding the sword in place. “I will end you” shouted Gwydion, raising his blade upwards and striking down upon Gale’s exposed back. The blade sunk into the man’s coat and Gwydion could feel the soft tissue of Gale’s body give way as the man fell. Gwydion rose up as Gale’s body fell to the ground and lay motionless. The water that had been swirling around Gwydion crashed to the ground and sunk into the ground, leaving just the one man standing there. “See I am fully capable of handling things without your help” thought Gwydion, turning and beginning to walk back to where Rivka lay. “What are you babbling about” laughed the voice within. “Are you so blind as to believe that he is really dead” laughed the voice uncontrollably. “W..What” said Gwydion beginning to turn around, the pressure of Gale’s power just beginning to register on Gwydion’s system. But it was too late, the black blade protruded from Gwydion’s body, the red of his blood slowly wound its way down and around the black blade before it was removed from Gwydion’s body. He slowly slumped to the ground, unable to move. Gale walked around to face him, his blade still wet with Gwydion’s blood. “Act I, a prelude to battle” said Gale’s monotone voice. “This act allows me to gauge an opponent’s strength as well as determine what techniques they may use against me. You seem confused” said the man, continuing to gaze down at Gwydion. “ Perhaps you shouldn’t have betrayed the darkness after all” he murmured, raising his blade and plunging it downwards.

[Grimn]

Grimn had been traveling for some time before he had come upon the rocky outcropping that marked the entrance to his destination. He looked out over the expanse of land that lay stretched out before him. High upon this ledge he could see out far beyond the fields and trees that seemed to completely surround this one peak. This lone jutting landmark, almost as if the ground had reached towards the sky and attempted to tear it down. Grimn turned back around and entered into the small cave that lay embedded into the mountain and slowly made his way down the narrow path, his way only barely illuminated by the small torches that were attached to the wall’s every few feet. In the distance Grimn could make out the dull glow of his destination, the small pinprick of light seeming to be far off in the distance however sneaking up on him after only a few steps. That was the nature of this place, bizarre and unusual energy flowed all around the walls and caverns that isolated this place from the rest of the world. Only the proprietor of the establishment was aware of how many people truly knew of its location and purpose. Even Grimn was unsure exactly of how many people also came to seek out the knowledge that this individual held. “To think that I need others to inform me of matters” he thought, somewhat glumly. This change that Time had taken upon Grimn had brought about many changes, very few of them that he liked. Lately it seemed as if his whole personality had changed. “A funny thing, a personality” thought Grimn, as he continued to walk. “One would believe that a personality was up to one’s own choices. However his current one seemed to be thrust upon him by Time not by choice. Or perhaps it was his future choices that molded his current thoughts upon things. Either way, Grimn found that his new found demeanor and overall self reflection much too personable for his liking. He snapped out of his self judgment to find that he had arrived at his destination.

The cavern had opened up immensely and the room he now stood at the opening of was easily the size of a large coliseum. The floor was a polished white marble, its shine somewhat dimmed by the lack of natural light. The room was ringed by massive circular columns that seemed to hold up the massive weight of the top of the mountain that lay far above the room, its jagged edges barely visible outside of the torch lights glow. The room was surprisingly well lit for its size, numerous torches and candles hung all around the room as well as within it, casting their soft light upon the floor. Grimn walked calmly across the room, his boots making soft clicking noises against the hard floor. Eventually he found himself on the opposite side from which he entered, at the base of a grand staircase. Looking up he could make out the top of the stairs, a single flat area, roofed by a billowy canopy that was suspended by four small golden columns. This room sat easily a full fifty feet above the rest of the room, allowing its lone occupant to look out across the rest of the cavernous room. As Grimn stepped onto the landing the figure sitting under the canopy raised their head. Grimn gazed at the seated figure, their flowing white garb and heavily veiled face seemed to almost meld with the floor of which they were seated. “Hello Grimn” said the soft voice of the individual. Grimn continued to look at the veiled face of the individual, his eyes wavering slightly. Despite the heavy veil Grimn could still sense the person’s eyes boring into his own, seeming to be searching his thoughts as if they were a serious of folders. “Perhaps this is the unsettling feeling others feel when I weight their worth” thought Grimn, thinking of something a close associate had once told him. “I am in need of information” began Grimn, standing in front of the seated individual. “You mean you need my help” responded the veiled figure, their words as soft as before. Although he could not see their face, Grimn could sense the small smile that played on the white figures lips. A twinge of anger ran through his body before Grimn restrained the urge to run the person through with his sword. “You are beginning to irk me” responded Grimn flatly. “It is the least I can do in repayment for the killing of my brother at your hands” responded the figure, the words softly spilling forth from their lips. “You caused a sister to become saddened more than she had ever become in her life” continued the woman. “I do not despise you for it, merely stating the ever present fact” finished the woman, a small chuckle in her last words. Grimn absorbed the words that he heard from the veiled woman. “Your name suits you well” was all that Grimn gave in response. “You are never easy to deal with Grief” thought Grimn to himself, seating himself in front of the woman.

[Grimn]

“It seems as though you are confused about the path that you must take” began the woman, her head constantly seeming to move ever slightly back and forth. “I know exactly what it is that I must do” responded Grimn flatly. The woman smiled softly, amused at Grimn’s continued persistence that he required no assistance, despite him sitting in front of her. “I see things far beyond the scope of mortal men” said Grief. “I know it is not the end goal that is clouded from you rather the process that you must undergo to arrive at your goal. However bringing down a titan of history is not an easy feat” said the woman. Grief’s head tilted upwards slightly, as if something was being whispered into her ear, a silent message meant for her. “It seems that you will be in store for many interesting things indeed” sighed Grief. “For now I will say that you will see that even the most well thought out plans can be tampered with and that those that even trusted friends can be swayed to raise their swords against you” finished Grief. Grimn waited to see if there was more to the oracle’s words before standing and up turning to descend the stairs. “Your words ring hollow. The things of which you speak have already occurred and the mistakes will not be made again. I have no friends in which to betray me. You have been as unhelpful as usual” muttered Grimn, beginning to leave. As the man made his way down the staircase and across the floor of the cavern, Grief watched him go. “Answers to as weighty questions as yours cannot be given as straightforward as others” murmured Grief. “You always bring such weighty tasks down upon yourself, perhaps one day you will see the immense pressure of the tasks before you” she finished.

[Grimn]

Unique


“Come along now” said the voice, ringing off of the white marble walls of the garden. The tiny girl who had been kneeling at the base of a flower looked up in response. Her wide blue eyes gazed softly off into the dark abyss of the archway from which the voice came from. “You’re going to be late you know” laughed the voice softly, its words sounding like that of a caring mother. The little girl’s face broke out into a wide smile as she quickly rose up from her playground and began to run in the direction of the archway. The sunlight shone brightly upon her white dress, her long black hair running down the back. She exited the brightly lit courtyard and stopped in front of the slender woman who towered above her. The cool interior of the home caused a small shiver to run down the girl’s back, her face scrunched up in displeasure. “Haha” cooed the taller woman. “You always did seem meant for the bright light of the sun” said the woman lovingly. The girl merely made a face at her mother’s words. Soon the two had come to the kitchen of the large home and the girl sat at the table while her mother washed vegetables in the sink. “You’re very special you know that” said the mother, not turning to look from her task at hand. “Someday you are going to help a lot of people through a very difficult time” said the mother. “Why” asked the little girl, her small fingers tracing the patterns upon the woodwork of the table. “Well because that is what we are all meant to do” said the mother after pausing to think upon the question. “What if I do not want to” asked the girl plainly to her mother. The tall woman stopped what she was doing and turned to face her daughter. “You have to” said the woman, her voice growing serious. “There are those out there that will try to ruin everything, and it might be up to you to make sure that never happens” finished the mother, turning to finish her preparations. “But why me” asked the girl. “I just want to go outside and play” she protested. The mother sighed but when she turned again to face her daughter her face beamed. “Because you are special” she said. “How so” asked the girl quizzically, her face scrunched up in confusion. “Because you are unique from the rest” said the mother, the smile never falling from her face. “Unique” wondered the girl allowed. “Yes, there is only one like you” finished the mother. “Now let’s have some lunch and then you can go back outside to play” said the mother.

“Unique” thought Rivka to herself as Gwydion and Gale’s blades clashed nearby. She often found herself drifting back to the past whenever conflict arose around her. For whatever reason her body continued to fight while her mind was elsewhere, almost as if her body simply knew what to do without her brain having to dictate every action. If she had known then what it was that made her special then perhaps she may have simply remained in that garden for all of time, never lifting her attention from the flowers around her. Instead she had embarked down this path of life and things had been set in motion. Rivka sighed gently, her long black hair moving slightly in the wind as a single layer of water droplets collided with her face. “Was it known even back then what was to come? Or for that matter if Rivka had acted as she was expected then what would be the path she was on now?” she wondered. “I suppose things would be much different” she thought, slowly coming out of her internal monologue to see that the battle was almost finished. Rivka slowly got up and looked over at where the two men were fighting. This Gwydion individual seemed like he was capable of fighting and yet something was off about him. Already Rivka had made the connection that he had either had or still possessed a close connection with Grimn. That alone made him a person of great interest to her, however in what way she was still unsure. The thing that struck her the oddest however, was the strength, or lack of for that matter, of Gwydion. “Grimn would never travel with someone of that low a caliber” she thought. And yet within him Rivka could sense a great turmoil, almost as if two beings were at odds, tearing one another apart until neither could survive. Gwydion brought the blade down upon Gale and turned to walk back towards her. Rivka made no motion to warn him, what was the point? He was too weak to put up a strong enough defense, better to allow the weak to disappear than carry them. She watched as the black blade of Gale’s sword pierced through Gwdyion as he slowly fell to the ground. Gale raised his blade and prepared to deliver the killing blow. Rivka grew furious with herself, thoughts about the weak were those of another individual, not her own. “My fate is mine to decide” she thought, her eyes growing completely serious. “I will not have it forecast to me” she finally said, her fists tightening.

[Grimn]

He looked at the masked man standing above him, the world seemed to tilt on its side as he lay there. “How could I have become so weak” he lamented. He pleaded with his body to move, to get up as the masked individual raised his sword and end the final chapter on Gwydion’s life. The blonde haired man closed his eyes, waiting for the killing blow to be delivered, his mind fixed upon one thought. The one thought that had consumed him recently and had yet to provide an answer. Was it worth it? That one question played through Gwydion’s mind as the final seconds of his life began to trickle away.

Gale thrust the sword downwards, preparing to feel the rush of becoming his own individual with the passing of a part that had created him. The blade met resistance and Gale waited for the rush of relief to consume him. However no rush washed over him, instead things remained as they were before. He opened his eyes to examine what was preventing him from accomplishing his goal only to see a bright circle of what could only be described as light sandwiched between his blade and Gwydion’s body. Gale looked across the field at the woman who stood there, her arm outstretched, palm facing him. The look in her eyes was one of determination mixed with utter seriousness. “Why have you taken the stage? Your character is not even in this play” asked Gale, his voice remaining monotone. Rivka began to walk towards Gale, her hand dropping to her side, her expression maintaining its serious look. “You have not answered me, why do you meddle in things that are none of your concern” asked Gale. Rivka did not answer, she merely flipped her hand sideways. The circle of light slammed into Gale, knocking him from his feet and onto the ground a few feet away. “I suggest you skip the first few acts of your play if you intend on surviving long” said Rivka, her voice low. “I believe my fighting ability to be a tad above his” she finished motioning to Gwydion’s body.

Gale rose up quickly, the last strike was a powerful one and it was obvious this would be a much tougher battle than the last. This figure had fallen so quickly when he had first made his appearance and yet now it seemed that she was a very high level fighter. “Perhaps it was a ruse” thought Gale, rushing Rivka to strike at her. The girl easily avoided the flurry of strikes that Gale threw at her, her body moving just enough to allow the blade to harmlessly pass by. Gale thrust his sword upwards and Rivka moved to the side, the blade seeming to inch past her at a crawl. Time resumed its normal march but not before Rivka had landed numerous blows against Gale, his body caving inwards with the impact. Staggering back Gale regained his footing and looked at the woman, her face unmoving. “Her strength, it is comparable to my other part” he commented.

Rivka watched the man stagger back from her attack, his resolve slowly crumbling. “It has been quite some time since I last partook in violent actions such as this” she thought. She began to walk towards Gale and after covering half the distance disappeared. She reappeared beside Gale, each facing the opposite direction. “I know what you are thinking” she said, not turning to look at him. ‘You are comparing me to him, to your other half. He is indeed quite strong and someone I have spent a good deal of time around. However you are wrong about one thing” she said. Gale turned and swung his sword but Rivka had already disappeared again. She stood facing him, a little ways off. His sword shook slightly, because although he had not seen her until it was too late this was not what had shaken him. She had already disappeared by the time the words had reached his ears but they rang in his mind none the less. Right as Rivka had disappeared she had whispered to Gale. “I’m stronger”.

[Grimn]

The cost of trust


The power flowed through her, easily meandering throughout her body like a lazy stream. This power did not angrily crash against her body like the power of others but merely melded against it, like a wave crashing against the shore of a beach. It was a complete harmonization of both body and spirit. The light that flowed within her caused her entire body to emit a soft glow such as one might find at daybreak. Yet the face of the woman revealed that her intentions were anything but soft and warm. Rivka allowed a sense of satisfaction to run through her at the sight of Gale, his sword slightly wavering in hesitation. “You would think that he was a god, the way others revere his power” thought Rivka. “And yet when faced with someone even greater they cannot fully comprehend it” she finished. She rushed Gale again, her hand slamming into his sternum and forcing him to shoot backwards. As his body flew parallel to the ground she appeared above, driving her leg downward and causing a small crater to form from the man’s body. Rivka landed a few feet off and watched as Gale slowly dragged himself upright, his coat had torn and his upper torso was bare. “You are certainly a power player” gasped Gale, struggling to remain upright. “I suppose I should expect as much from someone such as you. One day I hope to finish the chronological history of my other half, I am sure you will play a large role in this” said Gale. Rivka laughed softly at this absurd notion. “There are not enough pages on this earth to record all of the events of your other half” laughed Rivka. Gale merely watched her, his eyes not leaving hers. “Act III: Past transgressions” said Gale, his body becoming consumed by dark energy. “You cannot skip acts in a play” scolded Rivka playfully. “Sometimes when an audience is less than receptive the actors must skip to the really gripping portions” shouted Gale. His torso exploded and four leathery black wings sprung forth from his body, two on both the back and front of his shoulders. The front wings folded down and covered his bare chest, His mask remaining firmly fixed upon his face. “Let us put your previous claim to the test” remarked Gale, launching himself at Rivka.

Rivka could feel the sudden uptake in Gale’s power, the air becoming heavier around him. Already his speed had intensified quite a bit and it seemed as though all hesitation from before had evaporated. Rivka narrowly avoided his first strike and brought her arm up to stop the kick that followed it. The next few moments became a blur of black steel coming ever closer to her body as Gale’s speed continued to increase. Finally Rivka lashed out with one foot, attempting to catch Gale on the side of the mask. However right before her foot could make contact with the masked man, he reached up and caught the offending blow, mere inches from his mask. The two froze in place, the pale blue eyes of Rivka locked with the grey, unmoving eyes of Gale. He brought the sword up and Rivka jumped backwards but the damage had been done. A few drops of crimson fell upon the pristine white of Rivka’s dress. She looked down at the stains, a small frown upon her face. “Looks like I will have to go back to that place after all” she murmured. “It matters little, I will write my own path” she said, her face rising in determination. In her hands appeared two sai, the polished steel gleaming in the fading sunlight. “I once fought him you know” said Rivka, almost to herself. “Things were fated to come out one way. In fact you might say my entire purpose for being created was to ensure an evil such as him was never allowed to roam this earth. Great power went into creating me, the utmost care was taken in my preparation and training. My entire life was mapped out for me, all the way until I crossed paths with him” said Rivka. “I’m guessing that you failed then, as he still breathes” said Gale. Rivka stood motionless for a moment before light exploded around her, the entire horizon exploding with the bright glow of the sun. Gale was blinded for the briefest of moments, before regaining his vision. Rivka remained where she had been, seemingly unmoved. “I had feared you had resorted to a cheap trick to gain the upper hand” he said. Rivka remained speechless, the wind slowly whipping around her dress. Suddenly she disappeared and came back into existence behind Gale, her twin sai on either side of his mask. “I did not fail. I chose another path, I chose to allow him to live and forsake those that attempted to restrain me to their whims” she said plunging both sai into Gale. The mask gave way and a large crack ran the length of the mask. The man slumped down, his eyes having a far away and glazed over look. “The flash was a brief output of my power” remarked Rivka, allowing the sai to disappear. “I bury it deep down within. Using it causes me great disdain, power should be kept from being used” she remarked, leaving Gale and heading to Gwydion. Gale merely laid there, face down on the ground as the world grew dark around him. “If the memories from Grimn serve correctly, she is telling the truth” chocked Gale in thought. The darkness seemed to close in around him, his final moments drawing close. “It seems that I will never get my own identity, but perhaps you will” thought Gale to himself, his eyes closing for the final time.

[Grimn]

Two sides of the same coin


Grimn made his way down the mountainside, the dark clouds drawing ever closer to him. His anger had still not eased and if anything his frustration grew from the muddied answers that Grief gave him. The words he had received from the oracle still wound their way around Grimn’s mind, their meaning continuing to elude him. “If no friends are present than it is impossible to be let down by them” thought Grimn. Even if his acquaintances with Rivka and Gwydion were taken to the greatest of misconceptions of friendship, they were not factors in his plan so how was it that they would bring about his downfall? She has allowed her vision to become clouded by personal vendetta” reasoned Grimn. “Sorrow” murmured Grimn, thinking back to a time when he had battled the brother of the oracle known as Grief. Both shared the same viewpoints on battle, the futility of it all. However Sorrow had been in league with Grimn’s opposition and made it his aim to rid the world of Grimn. The two had clashed in battle and Grimn emerged the victor. Not that Grimn had any doubts of his superiority in combat. However it had caused his relationship with Grief to become strained at best. The sole reason that she continued to even speak with Grimn was for the fact that she was required to provide information to all that managed to find her residence. The clarity of the information however was left to her discretion. “I should simply force the answers out of her” thought Grimn in anger, his thoughts clouded by rage for a second. He regained control and allowed himself a moment of pause. “That is something my younger self would have succumbed to” thought Grimn. “I must remain in constant control of the situation and devise the appropriate scenario to aid me in achieving my aims” he thought. He began to wind his way down the mountainside again, reaching the bottom after almost an hour of movement. The sharp points of the base of the mountain seemed to almost merge with the beginning of the plains that stretched outwards as far as the eye could see. Standing against a rock was a lone individual, their arms crossed and head down. Grimn froze where he stood and instantly allowed his hand to drop to his sword. “Come now Grimn that’s no way to greet an old friend” laughed the man, shifting upwards and beginning to walk towards the black cloaked man.

Grimn watched the bandaged man slowly make his way towards him, his arms lifted up slightly in disbelief at Grimn’s actions. “Now I realize that you treat all denizens of this existence with the utter disdain that one usually reserves for the scum on their shoe” began Rage, sighing slightly. “But I must admit that I am hurt by that treatment towards me” he continued to pout. “After all I am a part of you, almost like your brother I suppose” said the man, his mocking tone dripping through his words. “A part of me” questioned Grimn. “How is it that he could be so? “You don’t remember do you” asked Rage, drawing ever closer to Grimn. “When you fought that Gahor fellow you cheated death with your fatal fury technique. Well you see I have always been dwelling within you, that little inkling that drove you to violence. The feeling that crushing your opponents was the easiest path to victory” said Rage. “And when you passed out from using that technique a path opened up for me to make my grand entrance onto this stage” laughed Rage, once again lifting his arms up and spinning around to take in his surroundings. “Think of me as an extension of you. The same is somewhat true for that other fellow, the one with the wings” said Rage, feigning ignorance of the name. “However unlike me he has a part of you and a part of that weakling Gwydion within him so he will most likely be dead very soon” laughed Rage. “To think one would willingly give up that much power” lamented Rage. “But I digress, to the point, I do have an agenda just as you do” said Rage. “I fully intend to call down the rains of destruction that you at one time were so intent upon doing. But unlike you I will not allow foolish sentiment to cloud my vision and stop me” laughed Rage, his black teeth showing through the bandages. Rage stopped a few feet away from Grimn and looked him over. “I’m going to need those gems however to accomplish my task. Please be a good boy and hand them over before you have to get hurt” smiled Rage.

The bandaged man spoke but Grimn was still lost in thought from his conversation with Grief. His attention was piqued however with the mention that this man was somehow a part of Grimn, cast out of his being when he had put his all into a single attack. Grimn’s facial expression did not change with the man’s words, he merely absorbed them and stored them for later assessment. Grimn did feel a spike of anger flash through him at the way Rage did speak to him however, scolding him as if he were an ignorant child. He had killed men for lesser offenses than this and Rage was breaking the cardinal rule of disrespecting him. With the mention that Grimn should simply be a “good boy” and hand over the moon gems, his facial expressions finally betrayed the inner turmoil occurring beneath the surface. Grimn burst forward his sword extended and watched it sink deep into the torso of Rage, his bandages seeming to become even more soaked with blood. “You cannot possibly be a part of me” murmured Grimn, “you are far too weak.” Rage looked up at Grimn and smiled. “Battles are all about sacrifices. The true strength does not reveal itself until one is completely backed into a corner and has to put it all on the line” he laughed. Rage placed his hand on the sword and with a swift movement hit Grimn square in the jaw sending the man flying backwards. Rage removed the sword from his abdomen and let it clang to the ground. His body contorted and swelled, his strength increasing with the pain he felt. Grimn rose up off the ground, visibly shaken a bit by the blow he had just absorbed. Rage laughed once again and motioned for Grimn to come closer. “Come now, I know you are stronger than that, you must show me everything you have. Besides” laughed Rage, “It’s all part of the plan isn’t it” finished the man, laughing the entire time.