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Pain… all there was, was pain. So much pain. For what felt like an eternity, lights flashing and disappearing, incoherent voices, everything just feeling wrong. He groaned quietly, or at least he thought he did. His body felt heavy, heavier than he remembered. Remembered… what did he remember? What led to this moment? Did he even know where he was? Probably not. Think. Think what happened?
His mind was suddenly filled with flames. A spire burning in front of him. He could feel the smile that was on his face. He remembered this now. His father burning alive. Him sitting front and center in the marketplace as the man was set ablaze by the executioner. He was free from that monster’s torment at last. No more screaming, throwing, or even beating him for things he couldn’t control. Innocent mistakes were enough for that monster to lay into him even. That creature’s screams filled his head, and he relished it for a moment. Then that memory was gone, filled by another he didn’t recognize.
A warm breeze on his skin, the sunset well on its way into the night. The stars above shining like he had never seen them before, leaking what he could only relate to as mist, from the heavens above. Like clouds but… different. He felt a nudge on his back and turned to see a faceless figure? He wasn’t sure what it was. But it felt like safety, something he was completely alien to. He tilted his head to the side as he looked at them with a familiarity he didn’t realize he possessed, like he knew this figure from the moment he hatched. Wait, hatched…?
Suddenly he was in the sky, far above the trees. The sun high above him and the wind whistling in his ears. He felt alive with the wind under his wings. Wait… wings? Like nothing could touch him. Nothing could touch him, all things that had tried failed. Those nameless figures falling under his golden talons. Each victory earning him a meal and the promise of survival till the next day. The mist and clouds swirling around him as he dove towards the ground at an accelerating speed, his wings tucked in close to his body. His eyes trained on a target far below him. He started to reach out with his front talons, his prey just outside of his grasp when the memory changed again.
This time he was faced with what appeared to be an unending void below him, blue fading to black nothingness. He was on edge; something didn’t feel right here. Like something was peering up at him just out of sight in the darkness. Then he heard a melody. A tune that sounded alien to him yet oh so familiar, he answered it with his own. At least he thought he did. Either way he was turning in the direction the sound had come from, towards the surface. His lungs were starting to ache anyways, best to-
Pain suddenly blossomed along his body from underneath him, sharp pain; like a thousand knives digging into him with a force he had never felt before, piercing his flesh with little regard to him. He was being attacked, hunted. He struggled and fought to free himself with little to show for it as his attacker on tightened its jaws on him. The melodies he sent out earlier were now panicked and fearful. It hurt so much, where was his mother? He needed her. Now. He could feel his body starting to give way under his attacker’s thrashing.
Then suddenly there was a shadow above him, bearing down on him and his attacker. Its eyes glowing a bright and dangerous orange color, filled with what he could only describe as pure and utter fury. A mother’s fury. He felt a harsh tug as she sped past him and rammed into his attacker with her own jaws. For a moment, he thought, that just by her attack alone, he’d be ripped in two as he was freed from whatever had a hold on him. He didn’t want to know what it was, He just wanted to get away, to get to the surface, to get on land. Anywhere but there above that inky black void.
But he felt so tired now, and his lungs felt like they were stabbing him with the same ferocity as the teeth of whatever had gripped him. He could just barely see the waves crashing into each other above him when his vision started to go black, he was so close just a little farther… suddenly something was pushing him up, much faster than he ever could on his own; and he could breathe again. Air hitting his lungs with force he’d never soon forget as waves rolled on and off him turning red with the blood from his wound as well as the lesson to never stray too far from what was known as safe; but he’d live…
Suddenly, he was in a castle, an imposing figure with a crown on his head and an advisor to his side. They where dressed in royal attire and he in nothing any where near that level of craftsmanship. He was being handed a pair of clothes he could feel he didn’t care for but didn’t voice, as the crowned figure started to address him.
“You’re that traitorous fool’s boy are you not?” the crowned mans voice was soft but still held a slight edge to it. Something he didn’t remember hearing at first. He didn’t respond to the man right away, too on edge, afraid to say something wrong. He was glad to be rid of his father but didn’t want to end up in the same place he did.
“Come now my boy, you’re not your father, you don’t need to be afraid to speak to me, I’ve heard some stories about how that idiot treated you. Rest assured child, that such things will never happen to you again. … if you behave of course and mind yourself.” He looked up at the man and remembered, recognized who was speaking. The ever beloved and fair King Elliot Ludwig. He had missed the underlying threat at the time, but it stood out more clearly now. But alas, hindsight will always be viewed clearer than in the moment.
He remembered speaking up after that. Answering the King’s questions as he should’ve. Apparently impressing the man enough to allow him in fully a short time later. All but moving into the castle after a few months of working as the court’s new fool. He still hated it; it reminded him too much of his father. He had voiced such thoughts to the king once when he just couldn’t seem to get himself to smile just right. The king prompted the confession when the court finally released that day. He remembered the king looking thoughtful as he explained his dreams of perhaps one day being a knight or a bard, but quickly dashing his own hopes soon after speaking them. Admitting to himself, as much as the king, that he knew such dreams were just that, dreams.
Then the memory of opening his chamber door after a long day of entertaining nobles and the rest of the king’s court, to find an unexplainable gift sitting upon his meager bed. A simple violin. He remembered being terrified to even look at the instrument at first, in fear that he may be accused of stealing it and betraying the king’s generosity. But his fears were soon laid to rest when one of the king’s aid had made a quiet question to him, asking how he had liked the gift the king had sent them out on to acquire for him. From that point on he barely put the instrument down on his meagre and short free time. Lending a practiced ear to each musician he encountered, some giving him pointers when they noticed him paying such close attention to them, others just ignoring him and continuing about their day…
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A loud bang tore him from his mind and back to reality, pain once again reminding him it had never gone away while he had distracted himself so thoroughly. Mustering what little strength he had, he opened his eyes just to shut them again as he was briefly blinded by fire light dancing off metal. He grunted at it and opened his eyes again, taking note of the room he was in. It was massive cave like structure but he could make out parts of what appeared to be a building’s foundation. So, he was in a dungeon or cellar of some kind. But he didn’t recall ever going to such a place on his own. At least he didn’t think so. The source of the loud crash decided at that moment to make itself known as a servant tumbled down the only flight of stairs he could see. He then heard shuffling to his right side and a gruff man’s voice scolding the servant.
Wanting to get a better view as to what was going on, he had tried to turn his head to the left a bit only to realize he couldn’t. The unmistakable sounds of metal chains shifting echoed directly around his head as it clicked that he was collared to a wall. Or ceiling. He wasn’t sure yet. The noise of the chains moving also brought the attention of the servant and the man onto him as panic started to build in his chest. Why was he chained? Did he do something wrong? What was happening?
Meekly he tried to ask the two at least one of those questions bouncing in his head only for him not to recognize the noise that emitted from, at the very least, his direction. Said noise also caused the two people to flee from him in a panic. That certainly did not help him either. He tried to move again, the chains shifting and rattling as they held him firmly in place.
That’s when the panic fully set in, he tried to cry out, begging for anyone to help him, he didn’t want to die to whatever monster was in the cave with him. But each time he tried, the monster’s cries eclipsed his own, drowning him out. The vivid memory of whatever attacked him in the water resurfaced to the forefront of his mind causing him to thrash harder. He didn’t know why, he didn’t have time to think about it. He just needed to escape, to get out.
Get out, Get Out, GET OUT, GET FREE.
Something gave way with a crack behind him as he suddenly surged forward, the chain that held his right arm breaking free from the stone wall. Unfortunately, the chain did not simply fall to the ground, instead slamming into his side where he buckled in pain from the impact. That’s when he realized why he felt so heavy, so utterly wrong, and in so much pain. His arm wasn’t his own. He looked at the offending appendage in horror; his forearms incased in dark metal with bones threatening to protrude from inside and thick leather straps keeping it all in place. His eyes moved to palm next, he had no fingers but points on the back that resembled knuckles. Moving his gaze back down his arm he saw stitched skin meet metal in some unholy union he couldn’t even begin to describe.
He tried to call out again, but slowly this time; trying to force his heart to slow down as he started piecing things together. The only sound that greeted him was the pained sounds of the monster he was so desperately trying to get away from just moments ago. He made those sounds. There wasn’t anything behind him trying to kill him. To hunt him. No. He was frightened by his own voice. A voice he did not recognize, something just as alien and confusing to him as everything else suddenly was.
While shocked in his own stupor as he began to examine himself, he failed to notice the thundering steps of multiple people advancing towards him from the stairs. The next thing he knew was feeling himself slump against the chains that still held him, just barely catching a brief glimpse at man standing before him while wearing the most familiar crown. Then he was falling back into the void of his own mind.
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“-liver?”
He groaned as something or someone roused him from his sleep. He was still oh so tired. Those same memories from before having plagued his mind as he drifted. Feeling every gust of wind on his face, every drop of blood from a kill, every tooth that pierced his hide and how he could never seem to have enough air. He tried to bury his head deeper into his arms to make it clear he didn’t want to be woken up just yet. His face felt sore anyways, like her got hit in the face by a bucking mule. He didn’t recall such events but it felt real enough. His side and stomach also felt just as sore.
“—ver, wake up my boy”
He slowly peeked open an eye, expecting to find himself in his chambers; his beloved violin resting near him. Besides the familiar face of the king, he became acutely aware of everything and everyone he was unfamiliar with. He tried to move but found himself unable to do so, the memories of his last wake up call in that area rushed back to greet him as his anxiety began to rise with the beat of his heart. The chains started to strain at his movements.
“Woh woh now there Oliver, you’re ok” king Elliot had his hands raised in a calming gesture “no one is going to hurt you.”
Oliver looked down at the man. Down. He had to look down to see his king. Someone he normally looked up to. Everything was wrong. He could see things he never could before now that he was paying attention to it. That mist he saw before in his memories? Dreams? Either way he recognized it before him now as it settled on the stone floor. But it looked different, looked sick and dull even. It didn’t have the same shimmer. Almost instinctually he knew it was used for something it was never meant for, twisted by a darkness he couldn’t see let alone understand.
“Try using your voice now my boy. When you woke up last time it wasn’t quite ready yet but it should be good now.”
He looked at him confused and unsure. But old habits die hard and he was just told to do something by his king. Besides, he might as well try. At first there was nothing but a gargled mess of noise that left his throat, the sound frightening him. Chains strained again as he moved and re adjusted himself, letting out a few hoarse noises which he could only relate to as coughs.
“Almost there now Oliver, keep trying” the king encouraged.
It was painful, but slowly he started to speak in a voice that didn’t sound like him. It was deeper, more guttural and harsh. “H.. Hurrrr-….”
“That’s it! Come on Oliver”
“Hurrr…tssss……. Hurrrrrrtsss….. Wh……y?”
The king didn’t respond to the question right away. Instead it looked as if he was thinking about which words to use, selecting them carefully.
“That is an excellent question my boy. Do you remember….. my daughter?”
Oliver closed his eyes and thought, trying to see if he did remember anything about the royal family. “N-…no? Y-yes? Yo-u….spo-“ his broken words halted as another coughing fit emerged. The king waited patiently for him to recover and motioned for him to continue, his voice now sounding worse than before but speaking became a little easier. “You spo-…ke about her…. I th-..ink? Y-yes…. She… was all…. You ta-lked about.”
“Yes yes…. I do speak of her often, don't I?” The king mused. “Well, to answer your question, you were chosen for a wonderful purpose. And one I cannot thank you enough for. Especially now that you’re awake and still alive. Though I will say you did give us quite the scare there for a moment.”
“Wha…t do yo-u ….mean?” He shifted painfully, wincing as a groan escaped him. Chosen? Chosen for what? And why did he bring up the princess? That doesn’t tell him why everything is wrong. Why his body feels like it’s trying to pull itself apart.
“Well… with your… success, you’ve given her a new chance. A new life. A better one she will be able to see fully.” The king explained
“I ….. don’t un-…erstand…?”
“You my boy, you will. In time. For now… rest. You’re still recovering from everything.” The king started to back and turn away from him. Evidently deciding that he was done with the conversation. He said he’d answer, he never did. Not fully. Instead he just left him with more questions.
“Nnn….no….tell… now” Oliver tried to emphasize the last word, he wasn’t sure if it worked before he fell to another coughing fit.
“Now?” The king turned his head to look back at the boy but his tone, his tone was completely different compared to how he was just speaking.
“And just who do you think you are speaking to Oliver? After everything I’ve done for you? For you to be making demands of your king? I will tell you things when I deem it necessary, and right now, it is not.” He leveled a measured look at the boy before his eyes softened again and his voice changed to something sweeter once more. That change only unnerved Oliver as he hesitated and instinctively adjusted backwards from the man; unwelcome memories of something he was told he’d never have to remember or fear again resurfacing. “Rest now, all will be told… soon.”
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Oliver woke with a start, an involuntary shiver running down his spine. He growled at it and shook his head. He had no idea why that stream of memories decided to make themselves known but he didn’t appreciate it at all. Looking around himself he realized he unintentionally fell asleep while working. He didn’t need to sleep, technically. But, there was only so much he could do during his down time with little to occupy his mind. He yawned then angled his head down close to his chest, a pair of smaller arms reaching up to rub and clean his snout. He hated doing that also. Too animalistic, but enough time had passed since his “rebirth” that he just didn’t care anymore, having filed away the action in the back of his mind as just being a part of his routine now.
Noises could be heard above his head beyond the stone that made up his sanctuary and work space. No matter how hard he tried, pests had always seemed to find their way into his territory; it got to the point where he started to reason with himself that as long as they didn’t bother him or his beloved sister, they could live. Unless he happened upon them of course. In which case, fairs fair. They shouldn’t be there. And he must admit, he does enjoy a bit of cat and mouse.
With a small sigh he shook his head again and lifted himself up out of his spot, uncurling his tail and stretching before dragging himself up and out into the cooling air as day was turning to night.
Dark clouds covered the sky as he looked up, figuring it’ll be raining soon. His eye lingered there for a moment more before drifting down towards a tall tower a short ways out from him, attached to the decrepit castle he called home. There was light emitting from it as a small figure appeared in its sole window then left as quickly as it arrived. He sighed and continued on his route deciding to patrol the area before it stormed too heavily. Heavy Storms were becoming frequent at this time of the year and he did not want to be caught out in a downpour. He made that mistake once. Once.
It took nearly four and a half hours for him to circle back to the castle, stopping here and there to scare things out of his territory and to take down a couple of deer he found along the way. Finding deer in his territory was a rare occurrence and he oh so did like venison as a snack. Nailing one for himself specifically and the other for his sister to prepare as she saw fit. As much as she fought him at every turn, he still made it a point to bring her fresh food whenever he found it. Even if it was a moot point, one she insisted on reminding him of every time he brought her something. He had tried to argue it at one point but resigned himself to letting her just rant at him and leave. He was pretty sure the only reason some of the creatures that resided in the castle with them only stayed was because of her.
He let out a huff as he mentally prepared himself for another one of her rants when he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks at the entrance of the overgrown courtyard. A horse stood grazing on the grass having not noticed him just yet. It had light armor on it and some supplies strapped to its saddle. He had dropped both deer at the sight of it, the sound of the carcasses hitting the ground alerting the animal to him and as he watched it, it neighed in alarm and suddenly took off at a breakneck pace. It had been nearly eleven years since he had seen one that wasn’t wild.
That’s when the reality of the animal's presence hit him. He had missed an outsider making their way into his home. Quickly abandoning the deer, he made his way inside the castle, giving little care to things he knocked over in his hurry toward the tower that housed his sister. The only creatures he’s ever seen with horses armored, even by the slightest bit, belonged to either foolish naïve adventurers which usually showed up in groups of at least four, or knights. When he arrived at the tower’s entrance he growled and let out a roar that shook the castle to its very foundation, having found it wide open.
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The princess stopped suddenly, freezing in place as something, or someone, shook the foundation of the castle that had imprisoned her. The knight beside her instinctually gripping their short sword, ready at a moment's notice to bring it to bear should they need it.
“No…. No no no…. He’s early…” The knight gave her a questioning glance as they started walking again. “The Cursed One has returned.”