Out on the Town (attn: Sherper)

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kyle Kirnan walked the streets of Amador. He had arrived at the Fortress of the Light and had been spending his time as a recruit training and learning the ways of the Children of the Light. At the Fortress all of his needs were met, but he was beginning to feel a little cooped up, so he requested leave for a night to explore Amador. He had been doing well learning his letters, so Roudal had put in a good word for him, and his request had been approved.

 

Kyle had traveled a lot of places throughout his childhood, but he had never ventured as far west as Amador. He had never even heard of the Children of the Light until he met the recruiters in Caemlyn.

 

Even though he was on leave, Kyle still felt compelled to wear his Children's garb. Even without the sunburst, many recognized him as a Child of the Light and gave him room to pass. Kyle nodded his thanks to them as he passed.

 

It was around dinner time and Kyle had some money to pay for dinner at an inn, so he began looking for one that looked like it would suit his needs. After a half an hour he went by the Sword and Shield.

 

He entered the common room. The room was well as a Gleeman had made his way to Amador and was juggling brightly colored balls and was telling The Great Hunt for the Horn. Most patrons were paying attention to the Gleeman moreso than their food and drink and didn't see him enter.

 

Moments later, a short, fat man approached Kyle, wiping his hands on his apron.

 

"Ah, another Child of the Light. Welcome to the Sword and Shield. Would you like to sit with your fellow companion or should I find you another table?"

 

Kyle blinked at the inn keeper and looked around the room, spotting another man in Children's garb. With his back turned toward the entrance, Kyle could not tell who he was. Kyle fingered his leave notice and pulled it out in case he needed to present it.

 

"If he is willing, I would be fine with sitting with him, but if he prefers his space, I will grant it. Let me go ask him, and I would like a meal as well."

 

The inn keeper bowed and moved to fill his request as Kyle approached the table. Kyle moved around the table to face the man and Kyle recognized him, although he had trouble placing him.

 

"Would you care for some company, sir?" Kyle asked politely.

[Sherper]

​Left thumb fingering the rim of his tankard filled with ale, Ackley Carnel - Hundredman of the Children of the Light, pretended not to notice the newcomer to his table.

 

A very poor time to be having a drink with me, he thought as he averted his eyes so they wouldn't meet with that of the recruit. Take the hint kid, go away. He made it obvious for the newcomer to see that he wanted to be left alone. But then again, he couldn't risk being too obvious, else that might compromise everything he had worked for tonight. All in all, the child had put him in a very awkward position.

 

He waited a moment, not responding to the asked question, then prayed the awkwardness of the silence between them was a strong enough deterrent for him to be left in peace. Unfortunately for the grumpy Hundredman, it wasn't...

 

The boy repeated the question, only now with a confused frown on his face. It was getting too much - any more and the others might begin to suspect. "Take a seat." he said crispy up at the boy, "don't say anything, and do exactly as I tell you. And wipe that look off your face, they can see you a mile off with that."

 

The boy blinked a few times in utter confusion, but thankfully - blissfully - he complied, slowly taking a seat at Ackley's table. "Call the bar tender and order yourself a drink." he said, left thumb still tracing lines around the rim of his cup. Plans will have to change because of this. He wouldn't be able to work the last one without it falling apart.

 

He raised his eyes, which had a moment ago, been staring at the wood of the table, then met them with that of the recruit. He quickly recognised the boy, and just as quickly put a name to the face. Kyle. Ackley had only met the boy once, but that one time had left a reasonable enough impression. He could probably trust this one with some information. Probably...​

 

It wouldn't do to reveal too much though, if this one worked for the others, then Ackley would be exposing himself to even more danger than he already is by coming to this place. How the hell did I get rolled up in this mess anyway? It would be just like them to send a harmless deterant, to snope out any potential suspects, of which Ackley was definitely one. He had to be careful here - very, careful...

 

"Got any idea what you just got yourself into?" he asked, trying to keep his expression light and casual as he clicked his fingers together to call over the bar tender. The boy shook his head and Ackley smiled, though it was done more to mask the scowl he felt like producing. "Keep yourself steady, and don't make any sudden moves. You chose a very bad time and place to be having dinner."

 

He leaned back and turned as the bar tender walked over to the table. "Yes, what can I do for you Master Carnel?" the slightly chubby man said, leaning over with a wooden tray proferred in one hand. "Give my boy a drink - and make it a strong one, mind." Ackley replied, maintaining the smile as always.

 

"I don'-" Kyle began, but cut off as he noticed the subtle sharp look Ackley shot at him from the corner of one eye. Fortunately the bar tender didn't seem to notice - or care - as he quickly scribbled something down on a piece of paper, before sauntering off to another table.

 

Ackley raised the tankard he was holding and took a long pull, using the action as a distraction to any watching eyes, to examine his target sitting on the other side of the common room. The man was still where Ackley had last seen him, sitting by himself at a table with a platter of fish laid out in front of him.

 

He was dressed in ordinary plain travelling attire - brown shirt with matching trousers and a dark overcoat. The sleaves and cuffs were decorated with silver trimming on the sides, but under any ordinary circumstances, that really wouldn't have raised any eyebrows. This was no ordinary circumstance however.

 

Others might have guessed him to be a travelling merchant or some kind, stopping in an inn to enjoy a quiet dinner of spiced cod. But Ackley knew more - much more... For he knew the man was a darkfriend.

 

 

-Ackley Carnel

Hundredman in the Army of the Light.

 

(OCC: Italics are not working, as I'm using a tablet, so I'll just have to fix that when I get back to a proper computer)

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Ackley Carnel was his name. That's right! thought Kyle as he frowned, wondering what he did wrong. It seemed as if he had messed something up and the Hundredman seemed angry with him.

 

Kyle obeyed the orders given to him, confusion in his posture and face and tried to protest when the Hundredman ordered him a drink.

 

An officer drinking!? Kyle was getting more confused as things continued. He was beginning to think he picked the wrong inn.

 

Kyle sniffed at the drink questionably and grimaced before taking a sip. He wanted to spit out the liquid , but, he had already upset Ackley, so he swallowed. It was his first time drinking alcohol and he wasn't sure he liked it. He grimaced once more as he put the drink down.

 

Kyle thought about the interaction he had had with Ackley thus far. The man seemed to be trying to avoid detection. Kyle could play along with this. He had been in situations like this before. It would be harder in his Child's recruit garb, but it was still possible. Kyle relaxed, emulating several people at tables. He was a man here for a quiet drink. He didn't know the man across from him, it was an open seat and he had taken it. Blending into crowds was something he was good at.

 

Kyle knew that taking only one sip would make him stand out, so he picked up the mug again and took a longer drink. He didn't speak, waiting for Ackley to speak to him instead.

[Sherper]

The boy shifted nervously about in his seat as Ackley lowered his tankard. There was a question painted in the youth's eyes, and Ackley knew he had to give an explaination soon. "Boy. Tell me what you think, of darkfriends." He watched the shock replace the confusion, and a definite tension rrun across the entire length of the Child's bofy. Ackley wasn't listening to the youth's reply, he nodded at the correct reaction to the given statement. He could probably trust this one, for now...

"That one over there - the one with the nice shirt and platter of fish," he gestured subtly to the figure from before. "Well, he's one of them." He watched as the youth wipe his head about, and stare directly at the man he had indicated. Ackley sent the boy a sharp reality check by kicking him in the chin. Kyle jumped in the air a bit, shocked at the sudden pain on his right foot, then seemed to remember himself.

"First rule of not being noticed." Ackley said coldly. "Stop being noticable." He took another pull on his ale, then set the empty tankard down. This was his third cup tonight, and Ackley had hoped the others might be able to dismiss him as too drunk to be doing any spying. The boy evidently tried to assume an indifferent posture, but it was a far stretch from being perfect.

"Well, can't we go catch him then? I mean, if you already know..."

"I'm not here because of him," Ackley explained further, continuing on where the boy had trailed off. "You don't really need to know any more apart from the fact that, I'm here for bigger fish. Wait, I think he's here. Act normal." The two of them assumed casual poses once more, as Kyle took a pull on his own ale, then grimaced. Would have to work on that in the future, if he's ever going to get anywhere.

At that moment the front door to the Inn's common room opened, and in stepped a man, who also wore a white tabbard. He made his way further inside, and eyed Ackley for a few moments as he crossed their table. The man wore the insignia of the lightning bolt beside the usual sunburst, which marked him out as another Hundredman, like Ackley. He was tall - nearly a foot taller than the standard average, and had a pointy, yet comely face, along with wavy blond hair. Ackley couldn't quite put a name to him, though the mere presence of the figure was enough assurance to know, his efforts tonight hadn't come to waste.

The man took a chair across from the already seated figure, Ackley had spotted earlier, and the two shook hands. The Hundredman called over the bar tender, and from the distance Ackley could hear him order a tankard of ale and some food be brought up. Covering up why you're really there, Ackley thought, taking another sip at his own mug before realising it was empty. He set the cup down and turned his head sideways to regard his recruit. There was no way to overhear the conversation the two darkfriends were having, which was a shame, but not a huge loss, really. First though, he had set a own decoy in motion somehow.

"I need you to do something for me," Ackely said in hushed tones, leaning in closer and whispering so the recruit would do the same. He didn't need to try very hard to act shady, which was the entire point of this exercise. They needed to be seen doing this. "I'm going to mumble something in your ear, and then hand you a bag of coins. When I do this, just nod and pocket the thing. Then, once I give the word, get outside and wait for me there. Try and stay out of sight as much as possible."

He reached inside his pocket and fished out the money pouch there, which had been emptied gradually throughout the night, to pay for his ale. He gestured for the boy to lean in closer and then - as he said he would - mumbled a string of random words into the boy's ear, making it look like some kind of instructions Kyle nodded, then reached out and took the money pouch from Ackley's hand. The Hundredman settled back in his chair and gave the youth a cheerful grin, as he watched the Recruit saunter off out into the night.

Hopefully, whoever was watching him, would assume Ackley had just bribed his way into something, and he had used the Recruit as a middleman. It was a shaky cover-story, but fingers crossed, it would just be enough to avoid suspicion. It would do, for now. The two men had finished both their meals, and it looked like as if one of them was about to leave. Ackley waited, fingering the rim of his empty tankard as he quietly loosened his sword buckle.

~Ackley Carnel
Hundredman in the Army of the Light

Edited March 6, 2014 by Sherper

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kyle listened to Ackley's explanation.  That he was on the hunt for Darkfriends.  Kyle found it somewhat surprising that there would be Darkfriends within the Children of the Light, but took it into stride.  It would be a good tatic for the Dark One to have spies within an oranization dedicated to serving the Light.  They wouldn't remain for long anyways - light always took over darkness in the end.

 

Kyle followed Ackley's instructions to the letter.  He took the money pouch offered, finished his ale, and then left the tavern  In the street he moved to a spot where he could remain hidden, while still being able to see the door.  His thief instincts took over and he found a place that would serve his purposes well.  The streets were relatively empty as most had gone home or were in the common room of the inn.

 

Kyle waited, staying out of the street and keeping hidden as Ackley instructed.  Excitement rose in him.  He was only a recruit, but he was already on a mission of sorts.  He stumbled into it by accident, but still, he was on a mission.  He breathed in and out to slow down his heart rate and remain calm.  He needed to think clearly.

 

His thoughts once more drifted to Darkfriends and wondered what their fate would be.  He thought back to his lessons.  Darkfriends were executed.  Kyle wondered about that for a moment.  Shouldn't all be offered redemption - at least once.  After all, he was a criminal, but had joined the Light.  Could Darkfriends be redeemed at all? His lessons taught him that "No man is so lost that he cannot be brought to the Light."

 

Kyle cleared his mind and turned his attention once more to the door of the tavern, waiting for Ackley to give him his next orders.

[Sherper]

The streets were dark when Ackley stepped out of the Sword and Shield, a few minutes after the other Hundredman had made his exit. The Amadician glanced about, looking for signs of the recruit who he had instructed to wait outside.

  “Where the devil has that boy gone to?” he wondered out loud as he stalked down the winding alleys and peered into the nearby clumps of shadow. Someone tapped him gently from behind on his left shoulder, and the Hundredman nearly jumped out of his skin as he spun, broadsword already halfway out of its scabbard.

 

Kyle took a frantic step back when he saw the sword spinning to meet him, and raised both arms to show that he was unarmed. Ackley relaxed instantly as he identified the shape of the figure in front of him, and hurriedly stopped the blow mid-swing; re-sheathing the sword before any bystanders could notice.
  “Seriously Kyle,” he chided the boy. “Never do that again,” he glared down at the recruit before turning his attention back on the dimming streets; the silence of the night settling in once more.

 

The young recruit looked somewhat ashamed at what he had done, and his eyes were lowered as if he had just been caught by Ackley stealing candy. The Hundredman rolled his eyes then let out a small sigh of exasperation. He thought, and knew, it wasn’t the boy’s fault that he had been scared into jumping in the air like a little girl. A combination of paranoia and tension were the real culprits behind this. Though in his own defence, the boy was unusually proficient at sneaking about in the dark. Ackley wondered for just a moment, how or more importantly – where, the boy had gained such an unusual set of skills. Certainly not from the training offered to a Recruit within the Children. Be a bloody efficient spy if he ever manages to live long enough.  

 

His thoughts returned from their wanderings just long enough for him to remember the reason for them being there. He waved a hand over towards Kyle, and ushered the boy to come closeer to him.
  “Did you see where that other man went?” Ackley asked and peered towards the end of a winding alleyway that headed in a north-easterly direction. Beside him, he felt the recruit nod then raise a hand towards the alleyway that Ackley was staring down.

 

“Are you sure you want to do this?” he turned towards Kyle, stepping back a half step so he had the recruit in full view. “There’s still an opportunity to turn back now and return to safety before it’s too late.” The boy was wearing his armour; full breastplate with a billowing white cloak like Ackley’s that totally stood out against the darkening streets. The boy hesitated for just a moment before nodding his head, the fire of determination ringing bright in his eyes.

 

The Hundredman nodded, and then, noticing the empty space on the left side of the recruit’s belt buckle, where a sword usually sat, began un-strapping his own weapon to give to the boy for self-defence.  Recruits, unlike Hundredmen, were not allowed to carry away their weapons whilst on leave, which meant they now only had one sword between the two of them.
   “You’ll need this more than I do,” he said, handing over the bulky broadsword over to Kyle, who began securing it to his belt. “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be alright. If everything goes as planned, we won’t even need to use it.” When the recruit looked just about ready, he nodded once more, checked the alleyway ahead; then began a silent run, Kyle following a few steady paces behind.

 

~Ackley Carnel
Hundredman in the Army of the Light

Edited March 9, 2014 by Sherper

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kyle saw Ackley leave the tavern and soon after another Hundredman left as well.  Ackley looked around and muttered something Kyle couldn't understand, as he walked towards Kyle's hiding place.  Kyle waited and was surprised to see that Ackley passed him without giving him a glance.  It brought a short smile to his face.  Of all the skills that still came to him naturally, remaining hidden in plain sight was something that he remembered well.

 

Kyle moved behind him and gently tapped Ackley on the shoulder.  The hundredman jumped and turn, bringing his sword out of his sheath.  Kyle stepped back, raising his hands to show that he wasn't going to hurt the man.  Kyle certainly didn't mean to scare him, he just wanted to let him know that he was here, but Kyle nodded as Ackley chided him for his mistake.

 

Continuing, Ackley said, "Are you sure you want to do this? There's still an opportunity to turn back now and return to safety before it's too late."

 

Kyle frowned a bit at Ackley's words and thought about it.

 

I could turn back and return to the Fortress.  After all, I came out for some leave, not to get involved in some mission.  But no, I can't do that.  Something tells me to stay.  At least maybe I can ask my questions.

 

Kyle nodded in determination and was surprised as Ackley handed Kyle his own sword saying that Kyle would need it more than he.  Kyle quickly buckled the sword to his own belt and then followed as Ackley began a silent run.

 

Kyle was able to keep up and remain just as silent as Ackley did.  Kyle pushed his thoughts aside.  Now was the time for action, not questions.  He focused on the mission.  Ackley kept to the shadows, although the streets were mostly empty, he still desired to not be seen.  Kyle allowed his eyes to wander, keeping an eye out of any unfriendlies.  His right hand stayed on the hilt of the sword, ready to draw at a moments notice.  His own sword skills were limited, but he would fight to the last if he needed to.

 

The movement felt good, some of the motions from his own past at running through city streets enhanced by his training in the fortress.  A few civilians remained on the street, but most were heading home as dusk began to fall.  Suddenly, Ackley stopped, raising his hand to stop Kyle as well.  Something felt off, but Kyle couldn't see anything out of place, but there was a tension in the air.  A tension that just felt wrong.

[Sherper]

He wasn’t sure what made him suddenly stop dead on the spot. Simple instinct – instinct honed by years spent on the fields of battle, was telling him something was seriously wrong here. Ackley felt he needed to divert from his current course of action as quickly as possible; to scamper, flee, away from this place.

 

They had been running for nearly five minutes through the darkening streets of Amador, the shadows and the fragmented figures of the night playing tricks on their eyes as the two of them tried to catch up with the darkfriend Hundredman ahead.
  The man had not been making his way back towards the fortress, which was evident from the direction he was heading. North, whatever the hell is up north?
  Ackley was certain the man was a darkfriend now and it would be his goal, tonight, to see if he could connect a few more dots on the board. All of that was very far away from his mind at that moment however, as his eyes darted about, trying to figure out what his instincts were trying to scream to him.
  The recruit, Kyle, came to an abrupt halt behind him as the two of them stopped at an intersection between two crossing alleyways. He had caught a glimpse of the Hundredman a few streets back, the edge of his snowy white cloak disappearing behind this particular alleyway. The man must have been running too, else Ackley and Kyle would’ve caught up to him long ago.

 

There was a tension in the air – a tension which he seemed to share with the other Child. The young man’s hands were grasped firmly around the pommel of Ackley’s sword, as the two scanned their immediate perimeter.
  “Oh sugar,” Ackley heard himself curse. “I think we’ve walked into an ambush.”
Sure enough, as if on cue to his words, the sound of boots thumping against the rough cobblestones echoed loudly in the night as men approached them out of the shadows. He could’ve kicked himself for missing the obvious. The Hundredman hadn’t been running to get anywhere in a hurry; he had been running to set up the ambush for them. It would appear they had been noticed at the Inn afterall.

 

“Last time I’m going back to that place,” Ackley muttered moodily to himself.
Last time you’ll be going anywhere, his sub-conscious wryly interjected as their attackers began surrounding them. The rasp of steel rang loud in the silent night as swords were drawn, axes hefted and spears brandished. Ackley slowly spun about, his head wiping from side to side to assess the situation.

 

Ten.

 

Ten men; all armed and readied to the teeth.  It was a further indication of just how much crap he had landed himself in. Light blasted, cursed, bigot of a buffoon! It was also proof that there were indeed shady elements existent within the Children. And at that moment, those shady elements were thinking very much on how to best skewer him through with the end a spear.

 

He felt his back press against something and realised it was the figure of the Recruit Kyle as he turned about to look. “What do we do sir?” the boy – for he was really still a boy. Light, I should’ve never gotten him dragged into this, rasped softly as he held Ackley’s sword in a two handed grip.
  “It’ll be alright son,” Ackley replied, just as softly with a comfort he himself did not feel. Even with untrained armed thugs, the odds of going one to five were slim at best, suicidal at worst.
And one of their number being unarmed. It was, to put it lightly, a pretty dire situation.

 

A thought suddenly occurred to Ackley. He dropped down to his knees and threw up both hands in the air.
  “I surrender!” he yelled, the tinge of panic in his voice not at all feigned. “I can’t take it anymore. Please, Hundredman Kyle, let’s just give up and go home. This was foolish. ” The Recruit spun about, sword still pointed towards the three thugs he was directly facing as he studied down at Ackley. A look of pure and utter confusion passed from those bright widened eyes. The tension of the moment – the pounding of one’s heart, the oncoming surge of adrenalin, Kyle looked completely dumbfounded at what his commanding officer had just suddenly decided to call him.
  “But I’ –”
  “Please, sir! I just want to go home!” he cut the boy off before any of the ambushers could hear what the boy was interjecting.

 

From the corner of his eyes, Ackley caught a pair of thugs look towards one another, and then grin. They took the opportunity to move forward, thinking that the real threat – the one holding the sword – was at that moment being distracted. He allowed them to get within two steps of striking distance from Kyle before he leapt to his feet.
  “Follow my lead!” he barked, a small woodsman’s knife coming loose from its inner sheath under his boot, into his hands as he charged the two unsuspecting figures. The first went down as the tiny dagger pierced his neck; Ackley’s crude imitation of Viper flicks its tongue working as intended. The man dropped his spear, clutching both hands at his pierced windpipes, and trying to stem the unstoppable torrent of blood from gushing out. Ackley caught the spear and spun about to face his second opponent. This one won’t be as easily dealt with as the first.

 

The big man leered, the scars and unsightly bruises from his face making the expression particularly menacing, especially under the waning light. Darkfriend, or just ordinary trained thug, Ackley did not know, or cared much for that matter. For at that moment the man began a horizontal hack with his axe that would’ve left Ackley with a decapitated head had he not dodged out of the way at the last second.
  The problem, of course, with these overly elaborate strikes, is that it allows your opponent a small eternity of time to perform a counter-strike. Ackley stooped, bringing about his newly acquired spear; he spun the weapon along its wooden handle, then crashed the butt end into one of the man’s exposed knee caps. A distinct crunching sound could be clearly heard as the man groaned and collapsed in a heap to the floor. Two down, eight to–

 

Once again, Ackley’s trained instincts saved him as two swords whistled past, one coming close enough to nick him on the side of his face. He parried two more blows with the tip and haft of his spear, careful and always aware never to be caught between the middle of two assailants.
  “Kyle!” he roared, as the sound of combat rang true around him. He saw the boy facing a man nearly a head and shoulder taller than he, holding a particularly menacing pole-arm with a backwards hock down the middle of its haft.  “Kyle, you crackbrain! Get the hell out of here!”
  He took down another of the thugs with a clockwise swirl of his spear; his upwards block of the incoming sword, turning into a feint at the last moment. Can’t hold out. Have to get out.

 

Two minute ago, the quiet streets of Amador felt nothing but the sound of wind and the occasional caws of night birds. Now, they were filled with the cries and screams of men, as steel clashed against steel; metal against flesh.

 

~Ackley Carnel
Hundredman in the Army of the Light

Edited March 13, 2014 by Sherper

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Confusion teared at Kyle.  So much was happening...so fast and he realized that no amount of training could prepare him for this.  He could be taught how to fight.  He could be taught how to defend himself.  He could be taught sword forms, but no one could teach him real combat.  No one could teach him the fear and confusion.

 

Kyle was driven out of his thoughts when Ackley shouted at him, "Kyle, you crackbrain! Get the hell out of here!"

 

Kyle looked towards Ackley, momentarily torn between self-preservation and duty.  He soon caught himself.  He had limited experience as a swordsman and no actual combat experience.  He would be a liability to the older solder, but there was no way Ackley could take all of them.  A thought came to Kyle and he ran, passing by Ackley and giving him the sword.  He could do without it for now and Ackley would need it.

 

There were in Amador, the heart of the Children of the Light's power.  There would be patrols of Children around the city.  He should be able to find one soon.  He only hoped the Hundredman could hold off long enough for them to arrive.

 

By the grace of the Light, Kyle saw a patrol of five entering a tavern for their evening meal.  They must be off duty, but Kyle had no choice.  He ran into the inn, the door opening loudly.  The patrol turned around and the captain looked at Kyle a little disapprovingly.

 

"Recruit!" he said.  "Why are you out of the Fortress and why are you barging into taverns like a wool-headed lummox."

 

Kyle pulled out his leave paper and gave it the man, "I'm on leave...no that's not important now.   Hundredman Carnel has been ambushed by Darkfriends.  He needs help.  I would stay but my abilities are limited and I would be a likability to him alone."

 

The captain began to read, but as soon as he heard about the ambush, he stuffed the note into his pocket.  The men around him formed, well trained and left the tavern, allowing Kyle to lead the way.  Some Children had multiple weapons and one of them gave Kyle a sword.  Kyle led them to the location and thanked the Light that Ackley was still alive.  He had taken some cuts and was bleeding a little bit, but seemed ok as of now.  The veteran soldiers immediately joined into the fray on the captain's orders.  They moved in a way to make sure they could relieve Ackley of some of the pressure that the darkfriends were putting on him.

 

Kyle took a breath and joined in, picking an enemy and moved into Cutting the Clouds.  The other deftly defended the blow.  Kyle didn't want to fight and was scared, but knew that it was his duty.  He kept striking and parrying, keeping a good rhythm and was caught by a feint attack that struck Kyle on the left arm.  Kyle hissed in pain and stepped back a bit.  His opponent approached him grinning.  The man thought he had won, but Kyle brought his blade up to bare to and he locked swords with his enemy.

 

Kyle remembered his lessons and remembered learning how to disarm an opponant.  He moved into the Grapevine Twines moving his sword in a circular motion.  It was clumsy, but Kyle's opponent was not expecting the move and the sword left his opponent's hand and Kyle had immediately moved into The Heron Spreads It's Wings and his opponent - a nameless darkfriend slumped to the ground.  It had all happened in a matter of seconds and Kyle froze.  Everything had happened so fast and Kyle didn't know what to do.  He had killed a man.

 

The other Children were getting the situation under control and Kyle stepped back, his hands shaking and not just from the pain in his shoulder.

 

He was a darkfriend, right? Kyle thought. I didn't do anything wrong did I?

 

Ackley had sheathed his sword and was approaching Kyle.

[Sherper]

He fought with the determination brought about by desperation, parrying blow after blow as they came upon him. Ackley felt the urgency of the situation; their dire circumstance and the burden that pressed down heavy on his shoulders. He wasn’t a terrible fighter; ten years leading and being led had seen to any rough edges in his stances. Yet no soldier apart from perhaps the cream of the Children’s elite could hope to overcome odds such as this. Another spear narrowly missed him as he pivoted on the balls of his feet, bringing his weapon to bear on yet another pair of oncoming tuffs.
   Guess this is how you die.

 

At that moment the figure of Kyle came between the pair of charging men, bumping one of them aside as he ran to Ackley’s side. His eyes narrowed and he felt his jaw tighten as it turned into a bare toothed snarl. He was not going to die – not yet anyway – not until he could buy enough time for someone who still had too much to live for to escape. Kyle ran past him, the sword he had given the boy deafly returned to him as the Recruit squeezed between a gap in their encirclement. Atta boy, he thought as he orientated his spear into his left hand.
   The sound of footsteps retreating behind him was a single source of comfort as he turned to face his demise. The boy wasn’t out of danger yet, which is the sole reason he still stood.

 

“Alright, come on. This isn’t the flaming Sunday knitting circle! You ladies are gonna have to try harder than that!” He roared as he stared across as his remaining assailants. The seven Darkfriends converged on him and Ackley switched to a shield fighting stance; sword raised vertically in his rear hand whilst the spear acted as a deterrent in his left.  
   Seven. Not a bad way to die in any event, he contemplated how many he could bring down to their graves as his eyes locked on a man moving on his left. He smiled as the street tuff raised a double edged sword to strike him. The wound on his side burned like a hot pan, yet his movements still maintained their form, and his sword found the soft fabric like material of flesh as it cut down the advancing foe. Six.

 

***

 

His opponents were beginning to grow weary of fighting him. He could see that from the subtle signs of impatience that crept into their behaviour.  Obviously, their orders were to trap and eliminate both the soldiers that were tailing their leader, yet Ackley had given them no gap to do this. Whenever he saw any indication of one of the men breaking off to find where Kyle had gone, he would attack. It was an infinite cycle of delay, and strike.  
   One of the men swung a mace at him from the side and Ackley instinctively moved to block it, bringing his sword arm about to slash at the man. The mace connected with the wood of the spear, and shattered it as its weight broke through the flimsy material. He took a step back, dropping the broken spear to the ground and in the process returned to a conventional sword fighting form.

 

Fatigue and the scores of wounds he hadn’t been able to block pressed down heavily upon him; making his movement slower, his strikes increasingly more flimsy. He knew he wouldn’t last for much longer, and so did his opponents. The fight was coming to its conclusion, of which its only ending would be Ackley’s death. He held on, though a part of his mind estimated he had already bought enough time for Kyle to escape. Yet a part of him still clung to the notion of holding on, for just a little bit longer, as if…

 

The familiar sound of a battle cry erupted from somewhere down one of the entrance alleyways and for a moment, Ackley was confused by the clamours of fresh steel to the fray. Is this the delusions of a mind at its last few seconds of death? Perhaps his brains were giving him false hope, to help him bear the pains of finality. Yet after a second his rational reasoning eventually worked out that what he was seeing was not a fabrication at all.

 

A patrol of the Children ran headlong into the backs of the startled line of Thugs; their snowy white cloaks making their formation look like an arrow made up of light as it pierced and shattered the Darkfriends. The fight was over in a matter of seconds, the remaining Darkfriends sensing they had lost their opportunity, scampered into the night leaving behind their weapons.
   Ackley stared, blinking for a moment as he examined the aftermath of the scene around him, still not quite believing what his eyes were telling him. His body moved, though more from muscle memory, as he returned his now bloodied sword to its sheath. His hands shook as he did so and one look to his side told him he was still probably losing blood.
   The man in charge of his rescue force he saw, as he turned and looked, was barking orders down an alleyway. Evidently ordering a few of his men to chase after the fleeing thugs, though he thought chances of that were likely already to be slim.  

 

“Oh Light preserve us.” He inhaled a deep breath as he scanned the line of bodies and his eyes came to rest on the figure of a boy sitting slumped against one of the alleyway walls. Despite his fatigue, despite his injury, he found himself quickly stepping and kneeing down beside Kyle. The boy was still breathing at least, a sword – not Ackley’s own – lay coated with blood and abandoned beside him.
   “Kyle… Are you alright?” he said, softly and carefully, as if afraid of what he might hear. The recruit did not immediately answer, so he repeated himself.
“I’m… I’m…” the words died in the boy’s mouth as he swallowed heavily.
Battle Trauma, Ackley thought as he unstrapped the boy’s breastplate and found no outward sign of injury.

 

“I… I…” the boy tried to speak again. “I killed him.”
“Oh dear lord.” Ackley sighed under his breath, finishing off his inspection and deciding to sit down beside him. He had injuries of his own to attend to; wounds that were probably more serious than any he could just shrug off. Yet he knew sometimes the internal pains could just be as harmful as the external ones. Kyle was going to need someone there for him.
   “It’s alright Lad,” he said in what he hoped was a soothing tone. “The first one is always the hardest. Just remember to not hold anything back; you’ll be alright by tomorrow.” He wasn’t sure if that was entirely true; he sometimes still remembered the nightmares of battle in his dreams. Yet the words sounded right – as if they were what he was meant to say. The Recruit was speaking again…

 

~Ackley Carnel
Hundredman in the Army of the Light

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kyle was unaware of Ackley's approach.  His eyes were glazed over and unfocused as he stared at a spot of dirt in the street.  He thought he heard someone asking him if he was alright.  He didn't respond seeming disconnected from the world around him.  He continued to stare as he started to speak.

 

"I'm...I'm...I...I...killed him."

 

After he said it, more words were spoken.  Kyle heard them but didn't process them, his eyes remaining in the same spot.  His hands were shaking and his thoughts took over.  I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong.

 

The mantra-like thoughts soon came to his lips as he continually spoke them as if trying to convince himself to believe them.  He was unaware that he had drawn his knees up to his chest and was hugging them desperately. 

 

"I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong. I did nothing wrong."

 

Kyle began to look around, beginning to notice his surroundings for the first time.  His eyes went across the blade with the blood on it and he quickly looked away and down.  He then moved his head back up, afraid to look at his hands in case their was blood on them.

 

Blood.  It brought back memories.  Vivid memories of the day in his past that had changed his life forever.  He saw his mother making dinner and then his father coming in, babbling incoherently.  The was a crash and fire came out of his father's hand.  Lightning struck from nowhere making loud booms that coincided with Kyle's own heartbeat.  Kyle ran to the other room, scared.  He was six and didn't understand what was going to happen.  He heard his father's maniacal laughter and his mother's screams from the other room.  The smell of burning wood filled the air.  Kyle ran, leaving the house and remembered coming back the next morning.  The house was completely destroyed and the smell of burned wood and blood filled the air.

 

The memories were so vivid that Kyle felt as if he was that six year old again.  He suddenly felt small and insignificant.  He really had not had a childhood.  He had to grow up fast to survive.  He had no memories of playing with other kids.  He only had memories of surviving, and in this moment of weakness, he needed someone.  He needed someone to guide him.

 

The mantra had changed during his memory from "I did nothing wrong" to "it wasn't my fault" and suddenly Kyle stopped speaking as his mind drifted back into reality.  He looked around, really taking in the scene for the first time.  He saw another Child on the other side of the alley, watching concerned and continued to turn his head, really seeing Ackley there for the first time, a very concerned look on his face.  Kyle saw a breast plate sitting next to Ackley on the ground and then realized he was no longer wearing his breastplate.  Ackley must have removed it.  Kyle felt some tears on his face.  He had started crying during the memory, but was scared to wipe them.  He didn't want to look at his hands.

 

"It all happened so fast.  I didn't mean it.  Please I'm not a monster." Kyle said, taking him awhile to realize that he probably made no sense.

 

He paused, thinking through the words and realizing that Ackley knew nothing of his past.  Ackley didn't know that Kyle had spent the last twelve years as an orphan, beggar, and thief.  Kyle wanted to tell him everything, but he was scared that he would be abandoned by the Children because of his past.  The penalty for stealing was rather harsh.

 

Kyle began to speak again softly enough so only Ackley could hear, telling Ackley that this is the second time in his life he had really experienced death.  He told him of his father - a male channeler who went mad and brutally murdered his wife and would have killed the son as well if he had not run away.  He told him that as a six year old boy, he had had to learn how to survive alone and on the streets. 

 

"And I did..." Kyle's voice trailed off and his breathing quickened. as he approached the thing that he thought cause the Children to send him away. "I did some bad things.  I took food from people.  Please don't send me away this is my home.  I'm not bad.  I'm not a monster and I walk in the Light now."

 

Kyle paused, looking at his hands for the first time and was surprised to see that no blood stained them.  He wiped the tears from his face.  Ackley listened, allowing silence to prevail for a bit until Kyle broke it again, "Am I a monster...for killing him?"

[Sherper]

He had seen his fair share of trauma victims over the years, but though perhaps, never as serious as this one. Kyle was weeping openly now; his tears falling like water drops against a stain glass window as he relayed his worry, his confusion, his past and his fears towards the only source of comfort he knew at that moment. Ackley listened, and was on the inside horrified by what the boy told him. Kyle was very unstable. He had just killed a man – an event already sufficient of enduing trauma on its own – but it had also triggered a momentary relapse into the old horrors of his past. Creating a link between two otherwise unrelated, yet at the same time, completely justified events.

 

Kyle had grown up on the streets as an orphan, having lost both his parents to a fire after his father had been driven to madness by the taint from channelling. The boy had grown up fast, never having had people to look up to for guidance, council or comfort.
  “It’s alright.” Ackley said soothingly, allowing the boy to lean his head against his shoulders. “You did what you must, and there is nothing wrong with that.” Light, the Children was probably the closest thing the boy had come to family in years. “The Orders wouldn’t turn away someone just because they tried to survive and help themselves.”

 

The boy stopped weeping for a second and turned to look across at him. “Am I a monster… for killing him?” We’re all monsters for the things we’ve done, Kyle. A part of him thought, but the other part prevented him from turning it into words. Soldiers killed, because that’s what they do; yet he could not tell that to the boy. He would just need to find that out for himself when the time comes.
   “It’s alright Kyle; you’re not a bad person. The man tried to end your life, so you had to end his.” It was a sort of half life which Ackley often told himself. The excuse seemed to work; the boy was no longer crying – at least, not for the moment. “Besides, he was a Darkfriend, wasn’t he? In a way, you did him a favour by releasing them from this world.”

 

~Ackley Carnel
Hundredman in the Army of the Light

Edited March 15, 2014 by Sherper

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kyle hadn't realized that he had put his head on the older man's shoulder.  A gesture of a child - one that Kyle had been deprived of.  He raised his head and listened to Ackley's gentle explanation that he did no wrong and the Children would not send him away.  It brought a momentary smile to his face to know that everything was okay.  For the first time, Kyle noticed Ackley's injuries which were a lot more serious than his own.

 

"You're hurt," Kyle said, a concerned look on his face. "I'm sorry, I got here with help as soon as I could."

 

The officer nodded and stated he would be fine, but Kyle was still concerned.  His own concerns came back as he stood and offered a hand to help Ackley stand.  The man had given him counsel and had shown him that it is okay to question your actions.  Kyle was still afraid to ask the questions that haunted him - would the older man see his questions as treasonous?

 

Kyle waited until the older man had dusted himself off a bit before turning to face him, "Sir, I have some other questions." Kyle's voice wavered and he stuttered a bit going into the question. "Ih...ih...if we teach that no one is so far gone from the Light that they cannot return, why aren't some given second chances?  After all, I was given one."

 

Kyle avoid using the word darkfriend, but was sure that Ackley would catch his meaning.  Kyle had said it and felt a weight being lifted off of his shoulders.  It was good to say it, but Kyle was still nervous about the man's response.

[Sherper]

They stumbled out from the alleyway; Kyle carrying the injured form of the middle aged Amadician from the darkness of the street. Ackley had a limp, but asked for no more assistance from the young recruit beside him as they made their way back towards the Fortress. The boy seemed to have recovered slightly from the initial trauma, as there seem to be a lot less… darkness surrounding his form.
   “Sir,” Kyle voiced as they rounded another bend in the winding street intersections. “I have another question.”
Ackley waved his free hand – the one not being prospered on Kyle’s shoulder, and allowed himself to be carried along by the boy.
   “Ask away; I’ll answer if I can.”

 

The boy stuttered slightly as he began, repeating the same words as if some tremendous barrier prevented him from exercising his ability to speech. Finally, after taking a deep breath, Kyle let the words out and gave them to Ackley to consider.
   “If we teach that no one is so far gone from the Light that they cannot return, why aren’t some given second chances?” although left without room to produce gestures, the boy’s posture suggested signs of agitation; almost as if he would be fidgeting. “After all…” he said, finally into the silence that had returned to the night. “I was given one.”

 

Ackley remained silent for quite a long time. How was one suppose to answer a question like that? Of course, the boy was referring to the problem with Darkfriends; which leaves him at a very awkward position. How much to tell?  
   The boy had a bright career in the Children ahead of him. If there were to be any silver lining in this night of unfortunate events, it would be that the boy would become one of the few recruits with actual firsthand combat experience. Ackley sighed heavily; his mind deciding upon its course of action.
  
 “Everyone deserves a second chance, Kyle. Not just you; everyone.”  Kyle was now silent too, evidently grabbing and latching on to his every word. “There is a Light in all of us. Only…” His words trailed off into the night as his mind began reliving the final moments of Mehrin Deathwatch. He had been a good man in the end, and… as it turned out… not a Darkfriend. The scholarly side of Ackley longed to burst forth and regurgitate logical fallacies and theories more revised than the blasted doctrines taught by the Children. To educate Kyle about the wrongs in this world, the sins they were committing by simply remaining docile. But –
   No, he couldn’t. Just like greed, lust and envy, knowledge too can corrupt; sometimes deeper than anything else in the world. Ackley couldn’t bring himself to taint this Child with the same burden he carried with him… all the time. Ever since that night…

 

Unfortunately for Kyle, things were not as simple in this world as they were in fairy tales. There will always be the good side of man; a manifestation of the Creator’s design; the Light within them all. Yet somehow – for some reason, the oath that Ackley had only recently been able to understand, that every friend of the Dark took upon committing his soul to the shadow, prevented them from ever breaking their allegiance.
   The thought had horrified Ackley when he first knew of its nature – the small prism of light trapped in an endless abyss of shadowy mist.
   Even those who wish to return will not have a chance to. That – was the moral dilemma. How should he tell the boy all that, without sounding like both a traitor and a lunatic? It tore him apart on the inside, partly perhaps due to his excessive loss of blood, to have to choose the boy’s path then and there.
   “Yet for those to whom you think of…” he let out finally, “there will be no hope for them. The Dark Lord has forsaken them to an eternal cycle of damnation; having taken away the good things about them.” It was a manipulation of the truth; a small lie to escape the bigger one. To hide the core fact of the issue; that Darkfriends do deserve to be saved, yet there is just no way for them to do it. It was better to keep the boy from knowing what he could never achieve.

 

Better to live in ignorance, than bear the regrets of knowing the impossible.

 

~Ackley Carnel
Hundredman in the Army of the Light  

Edited March 17, 2014 by Sherper

[WolfbrotherKronos]

Kyle listened to Ackley's explanation.  It seemed to make sense that although they had the Light in them, they were bound to darkness.  He could accept that for now.  Kyle found that he was looking up to the officer more and more.  He felt safe asking him questions.  It was a comfort that he previously did not have.  They walked through Amador, Kyle helping another soldier walk back to the Fortress.  Ackley refused any help offered, and although he looked pained, he carried himself well.

 

They arrived at the Fortress quickly.  It was dusk and many were indoors.  Without crowds in the street, they were able to go quickly.  Upon arrival at the Fortress, Ackley and the Captain of the patrol spoke with the guards at the gate.  One left and soon came back with another officer.  They spoke quietly and Kyle couldn't here them, but the officer looked in Kyle's direction for a minute.  Kyle assumed they had told him that he had killed someone.

 

After their conversation, they entered the Fortress.  The new officer took Kyle aside and told him to follow him.  Kyle followed as instructed and was taken to a small room in the Medical tent.  The officer spoke with a man and instructed Kyle to sit down.  The man nodded and the officer left.

 

"Hello Kyle," the man said.  "I hear you had a bit of a rough night.  Let's talk about it."

 

The rocks fell into place.  He was being evaluated based on his experience.  He experienced a traumatic event and need to be checked to see if he was still fit for duty.  Kyle spoke, leaving out his questions, but keeping the story up.  He told of his memories.  After speaking, he was given some more sessions for counseling to help with his issues.  Kyle knew he would be ok after awhile.  He went back to his barracks and immediately fell asleep.