A Warrior's Final Ride

[Norman 492]

 

"I am the hammer.

     I am the point of His spear.

          I am the bane of His foes.

               I am the sword in His hand.

                    I am the gauntlet above His fist.

                         and the woes of the treacherous.

                             I am the End."

 

     Samuel marched from the Geminine longhouse late at night, the beginnings of an autumn snow falling around him. Trudging through the frosty grass, clad in his crimson knight armor under a cloak, Samuel's gauntlet-clad hand moved upwards to grasp the two rings hanging from his neck. Megan ... She was gone. Arthal was gone. All he once knew - what he believed in - was gone.

 

     Sam neared his large, black war horse, Onyx, who was tied to a post on a hill overlooking the manor. He smiled sadly at the mare, running his large hand through it's mane before putting his armored boot into the stirrup and pulling himself up onto Onyx's back. Taking the reins vaguely, Samuel looked back to the home he had built up for his noble house. He closed his eyes for a brief moment as he thought of his sons, before turning Onyx and trotting off.

 

     The horse and it's armored rider galloped past the lands of Ager, passing through Abresi, and going across the large bridge into the woods leading up to Kingston. The duo rode by the newly-formed 'Kingdom of Salvus', and finally onto the bridge into what was once the glorious Kaedrin.

 

     Kaedrin ... where Samuel had spent two decades of his life, serving the order that was now only represented by the tabard upon his broad chest. The White Rose, thought Sam, as he remembered the once-great order that was now whittled down to a single man, sitting on a black steed as he passed his road of memories, happy, sad, and bittersweet.

 

    Samuel and Onyx finally rode into Kralta, passing the colourful town quickly as they galloped by a few bystanders. As Samuel rode, the snow in the ear slowly became mixed with layers of sooty ash in the air, and the dark night was dotted with flames. The smell of burning filled the rider's nose, and he knew that he was nearing his destination.

 

    Tendrils of flame licked the field of death, as the horse trotted through it skittishly. Sam looked to either side, seeing that he was approaching Greywynn's now corrupted halls. Immense red tentacles touched the clouds as Samuel rode towards the gates of the dark fortress. Onyx reared up in fright, and with a single parting pat on the back, his rider of thirty years hopped from the saddle, and Onyx trotted away - back towards Savoie, way back where they came.

 

    Samuel watched Onyx, the last remnant of a friend that he had left, trot away. He turned, and, unslinging the single-bolt arbalest from his shoulder, marched through the curled gates of the demons' home. He walked past flames that sweltered him beneath his armor, and frayed, broken, skinned bodies lining the red brick path to Greywynn's bridge.

 

    As he entered the point of no return, Samuel came to a stop, closing his eyes and muttering a soft prayer. As he opened his eyes, two of the corrupted creatures made their presence known with roars and chitters - a large beast, what was once an Uruk, and a thin, wiry thing, with pointed, twisted ears. Samuel straightened his posture, rolling his neck evenly as he stared up at the demons.

 

    "I am ready to die ... are you?"

 

    His response, a deafening roar from the larger of the two. Samuel calmly raised his crossbow, grinding his teeth as he pressed his cheek against it's worn stock. Lining up the shot, he fired. The bolt rocketed towards the Uruk-come-undead-monster, sinking into it's thigh. Samuel immediately dropped the arbalest aside, putting a hand on the hilt of his Knightly longsword.

 

    As the beasts began to lumber and stagger towards him, Samuel drew the gleaming blade - the sound of steel singing as it was pulled form the scabbard. He tightened his grip on the hilt with two gauntlets, holding his ground in a defensive stance as they came for him. Finally, Samuel mustered up his final rush of bravery, and opening his mouth, charged them, taking them slightly off-guard.

 

    With a primal, fierce war-cry, Samuel charged the Uruk, who simply swung his warhammer-arm down at him, crushing the warrior's pauldron. He grunted, oof, as the hit unsteadied him. He brought up his blade to parry an attack from the second creature, and heard the sound of metal sliding into flesh - looking down to see the sword-arm in his upper chest, his blood dripping from the barbed tip of it.

 

    Samuel's mouth opened as he failed to comprehend what had happened, a drip of blood falling from his open lips. A third creature had circled around, he thought in vain, as he looked to the encroaching beasts surrounding him, preparing for the kill. No ... No ...

 

"NOOO! GRRRAAAAAAGGGHHH !!!"

 

    Sam thrust his blade outwards at the smaller creature in front of him, and grinned through bloodied teeth with sickening satisfaction as it impaled the thing through and through.

 

"The ... Creator ... awaits me."

     He chuckled raggedly as he dropped to his knees with a clatter of his armor, his torn Rose tabard fluttering listlessly. Samuel hung his head as the creature fell a few feet away, twitching. He awaited the mighty blow from the war hammer, as death encompassed him. A parting thought crossed his mind as his eyes fluttered closed once, twice, then for good:

 

    Megan. His wife would see him soon, thought Samuel, as the Uruk-thing brought down his weapon onto his head, with a final, killing strike, sending him sprawling out onto the ground amongst the ashen snow, to die on the cold floor of Greywynn, after a final fight against the forces of evil plaguing Anthos ...

 

~~~

 

     One day later, Onyx half-trots tiredly back into the Geminine longhouse. One would find a simple note tied to the horse's saddle, written with two mere words.

 

"Forgive me"

 

[[ OOC: Well guys, Ser Samuel Geminine, my first character, has been killed off, so I can start fresh, anew. It's been a great time playing him, and I've really achieved a lot as him. But I've been inactive on him for a long time, so I decided it was time that he bit the dust. Thanks to epix37, ilikefooddude, and iseemoosego for the great RP and final fight! ]]

[Malaise 1570]

The courtyard of the Geminine longhouse. Snow falling silently as winter approaches. A laughing child, a smiling mother. As the snow falls, the soft trot of Onyx approaches, his journey home having ended. A note with no messenger. Twitching hands. The inevitable. A look of worry. Arya Geminine grasps the note, reading it slowly, taking in the mere two words. 

 

"...Come, Bella. Let us go inside."

 

A mother leading her child inside. A note left on a table. The snow continues, and the silence returns.

[Anawkin 247]

**Henry stands at the front of the longhouse, gazing upon hearing the hooves of onyx patter the ground, a wild grin hits his face at the thought of his uncle returning. He blinks several times, shaking his head as he watches onyx stand there riderless, his face going red as he unveils the letter, before leading onyx to the stables. He than rushes to his room, stopping to sit at the foot of his bed, his hands and lips going numb as his eyes flood with tears, mumbling under his breath, he tucks his head into his knees. He then looks up to the sky, arising to his feet as anger fills his eyes and the  tears continue to stream down his cheek, his body shaking as his voice stirs "DAMN YOU SAM!" Then collapsing to his knees with a shake of his head "T-Thank you… f-for.. " he pauses, looking up again to the sky "E-everything uncle"

[Mish_ 101]

((Thx for all the fun times as my rival))

[Norman 492]

((Thx for all the fun times as my rival))

[[ Hahah, np man. You outlived me in the end, eh? ]]

[epix37 62]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggNymSJ52Fw

The cold winter wind whips at his coat as Aliestor Geminine, Baron of Gemglade and Compton, trudges home to the marsh from Abresi, his cane slipping in the slushy snow. He reaches the great swamp of Greymarsh and sniffs the air; the thin layer of ice on the surface has cut the usual stench of decaying plants. Aliestor stops at the gate of the Gemglade keep, giving a curt nod to the guards atop the wall as they open the gate for him. Taking off his snowy coat and damp shoes, he pads downstairs to his room. He pauses, seeing a piece of paper on the floor. Aliestor drops his shoes and coat, slowly approaching the note and picking it up. The note simply says ‘Forgive me.’ He continues to stare at the two words intently, ascending the stairs to the main hall in a daze. He walks to the meeting hall, where his wife Arya plays with their daughter Arabella. “Arya…?” She turns away from their two year old daughter, tilting her head, “Yes, dear?” He holds the note up for her to see. “What is this?” Her voice sounds weak as she replies. “…Sam’s note.” A smile forms on Aliestor’s face. “Sam is back?” Arya looks down at the floor, not answering him, as their daughter plays loudly in the corner with her doll. “Arya… where’s Sam?” “H-he was headed to Greywynn.” Aliestor stands in shock. “What… But… Why would he do that?” “He didn’t tell me. He only hugged me, Bella… And left. And… he told me to tell you that je is very proud of you. And that you are now the permanent patriarch of House Geminine.” His little daughter Arabella tilts her head in imitation of her mother, “Hug and weft.” The note falls from Aliestor’s shaking hands… floating peacefully back down to the ground. “N-no… No, no, no…” He lowers his head, tears streaming down his face. “He was like a father to me. Today, the world has lost a great man.” He returns to his room to mourn in silence.

[Chaseman57 21]

Desmond Geminine, one of two twin boys of Samuel, sits alone in his room as word reaches him. The 16 year-old "birthday boy" stares blankly at the wall in his room. Tears begin to form around his eyes. He clenches his fist. "No. No tears. Be-strong Desmond." he says struggling to speak. Those downstairs hear loud smashes, wood splitting and the angry screams of a now parentless young man. He looks to his shoulder, his blue worn-out White Rose arm band on it. He then looks down to his ankle, a band decorated with 3 large triangles tied around it. He looks around him, standing up and picking up a bag. He fills the bag with a helmet which his father left him, a note sealed up with the words "Open when Desmond is of 18 years." written upon it, and some food. He sheathes a sword on his back as well as a blackened dagger left for him by his uncle to his hip. He takes a piece of paper, scribbling down a note and leaving it on his bed. He throws the bag over his shoulder, and sets off knowing that there is nothing left for him in the town which both he lived in during the passing of both his parents. He waits for a brief moment, before sliding another piece of paper on Noah's bed. "Only to be read by Noah." it says. The note reads; "Noah, you know where to find me. Goodbye brother." Finishing up in his room, he grabs the rest of his things and sets off, no goodbye's just off, away from a town covered with terrible memories. 

[Imam Faiz Kharadeen 3167]

((This topic hit me right in the feels.. The choice of song, the wording as well... It was beautiful, I commend you on your great job))

 

As Faiz finds himself in Adunia, he decides to settle himself in an inn for the night so that he can continue his journey to abresi the next morning. He enters the local inn, takes a seat near the bar and orders a glass of water. While waiting, he overhears a conversation between two men. He listens in, curious as to what they are saying. One man was of the talking, his voice was filled with fright, and he spoke with haste as if this was of great importance... "I tell ya, the man just rode inta the ol' ruins up north, as if to pick a fight with the evil that lurks behind them walls! He dun wore the marks of the white rose!" frantically says the one man. "Ohh, what happened to him?!" replied his companion, very interested in knowing how this story ends. " All I 'member seein while i was trekkin back home was his war horse, ridin away without his master.." The bartender hands Faiz his water. Faiz continues to listen in on the conversation, taking a few sips of his water. "What a foolish man, who would dare ride up north alone?" his companion said. "I su'pose he had himself a death wish.. What do you expect after all?He is a rose, or should I say was one!" The two men start to burst out in laughter at their little disrespectful joke. Faiz finishes up his water, then whips the empty glass at the two men. It shatters into pieces against the wall, shards falling onto the mens heads. The two men, including the rest of the inn stared at Faiz, looking dumbfounded as to why he threw the glass. "To disrespect a dead man, who has in the past protected your life and keepsakes, is just pitiful. You both should be ashamed of yourselves, you wish you could have the courage and bravery that that man had!" Faiz then gets up, leaves some minas on the counter, and starts to walk towards the exit, while the everyone still continued to lock gazes at him, still very much confused. Faiz pauses at the door and says aloud for all to hear "That man was of great honor and a true loyal comrade to his fellow soldiers until the end. He was a hero." Faiz then opens the door and walks out of the inn, leaving everyone in the inn in complete silence.

He walks east into the night to Abresi so that he may conduct his business, and to also pray for the man who lost his life fighting against the demons to the north.

[Norman 492]

((This topic hit me right in the feels.. The choice of song, the wording as well... It was beautiful, I commend you on your great job))

[[ Hahah, thanks for that man! Glad you enjoyed it, and thanks for the RP post! ^~^ ]]

[epix37 62]

((I would just like to point out that I have the best feels music of all time for a death post <3))

[Aptrotta 162]

    Harrison tilted his head upwards as the Captain walked down the creaking stairs from the upper deck, a candle in his hand lighting the dim room. The light danced across the ships interior casting eerie shadows on the walls. Raising the candle up higher the captain began to speak. "We have arrived Master Geminine..." he said, no emotion showing in his voice. Harrison raised his head. "T-thank you" he stuttered, his voice cracking. The captain nodded and lowered his candle before climbing up the steps leaving Harrison in a small dim room again, the tear stained letter announcing the death of Samuel in front of him.

 

    Harrison closed his eyes and took a deep breath, his right hand moving across the table towards a small red candle. His fingers curled around the small brass handle of the candle's tray. He slowly lifted it up, his eyes locked on the flame. He took a step forward, his feet thudding on the cold wooden floor. 

 

    Harrison climbed up the steps out of the lower deck into the cold air. He set his left hand on the small frost covered gate leading to the  docks. His emerald green eyes moved up to study the land hidden by fog which Geminines called home. 

 

    Harrison stepped off the boat holding his candle at mid chest level. He trudged forward, his head tilted downwards. He slowly climbed the old wooden steps on the cliff leading to the fogy marsh. 

 

    Another deep breath and Harrison turned his head to the right raising the candle up. Through the fog he could make out the old Manor of the Geminines, an old building built in front of a pond with a rose garden planted near by. His bottom lip quivered. "Roses..." he thought to himself as he walked over to the small garden, the candle light dancing off the water of the pond. 

 

    Harrison raised his left arm as he reached out towards a once white rose bush, every rose wilted and covered in frost. Harrison took a small breath as he plucked a pedal from a large rose. He twirled the pedal through his fingertips, frost falling to the ground. He spread his fingers apart and watched the old wilted pedal fall to the ground landing in a small pile of snow. 

 

    He slowly turned his head to the right looking out over the cliff the rose garden was planted on. A few chairs covered in frost sat in the middle of the garden. The light from the candle glinted off a small colored glass box as he turned, an emerald on the lid. Harrison tilted his head to the side as he took a step closer. Bending his knees and lowering the candle to be closer to the box a name written in gold lettering was revealed. "Samuel" was written on top of the box. 

 

    Harrison took a sharp breath as he reached for it, his eyes becoming red. He tapped the lid with his finger tips one time before taking another short breath. His fingers fumbled with the small iron swing latch for a few moments. Closing his eyes he lifted the lid.

 

    He opened his eyes to see a small emerald necklace laying on top of a velvet cloth. Lip quivering and taking short breaths, he closed the box gently. He turned his body to the left and started to walk holding the box close to him. The candle light glinted off of an old metal sign hanging from the top of an archway. The sign said "Sudden Valley Cemetery".

 

   Harrison turned his head looking at the angel statue carved to look like Megan marking where she rests in her eternal slumber. He locked his eyes with the statue's. "Y-you t-wo will b-be together again..." he mumbled. Looking back at the rest of the graveyard he locked his eyes on the Geminine Mausoleum, its old wooden door with intricate carving closed.

 

     Harrison pushed the door open with his foot. He tilted his head forward looking down the steps leading into the earth, the passage way covered in cobwebs, old unlit torches hanging on the walls. He raised his candle up and held it in front of his face tilting it side to side to light torches as he descended father into the crypt. The room opened suddenly, coffins lining the walls and an intricately carved wooden coffin in the middle sitting on top of a stone stand. The coffin was carved to have roses covering it and vines wrapping it around. The lid only had a thin layer of dust, an amount that could pile up in a few days. Harrison swiped his hand across the lid making the carvings easier to see. Kneeling down he set the candle on the ground beside him, the box still in his left. His fingers curled around the lids lip. He pulled it up slowly, the loose silk lining waiting for something to lay on top of it. 

 

    Harrison turned his head to the left as he lifted the box up. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes the memories they made flashed through his mind. He opened his eyes and exhaled. "Every rose wilts eventually." he mumbles as he gently sets the box down in the middle of the coffin. "Sleep well cousin. You will be missed." His eyes remain locked on the box as he closes the coffin. As soon as the lid was closed he wrapped his fingers around the handle of the candle's tray and stood. His eyes wandered up to the middle of the coffin. A circle made of roses and vines was carved in the wood. Inside of it were two woods which Harrison read out loud.

 

     "Sepulcrum Floris..." Harrison turned his head and began to walk up the stairs, candle in hand. "Grave of the Flower..."

 

    

[DagonsChosen 85]

                                      

 

 Seymour stands in Gemglade, on the cliff that leads down to the beach, snow falling all around him, and his coat fluttering violently in the wind. His gloved hands are dug into his pockets, and his black leather boots buried in the snow. His always stern face is turned to the horizon, and his emerald-green, cold eyes, eye the dark, restless water.

     A Redheaded boy arrives, mounted on a black and white appaloosa poney. He jumps down from the small creature, and waddles through the snow, until he reaches Seymour. "Ser Seymour... This letter arrived..." He holds the letter to Seymour, that grabs it, staring blankly at it.

     Seymour reads the letter that speaks of his brother-in-law's death slowly, and again, and again, until he finally accepts the truth. He looks up to the boy, and waves dismissively "Get lost... Go!" The boy turns, gets onto the back of the pony, and gallops away.

     He starts to tremble lightly, as the boy leaves, and a single tears rolls down his cheek, and freezes as it hits the ground. Seymour sudenly begins to tremble violently, more and more tears following the first one. He drops to his knees, crying in in a mix of sadness and anger. His face is a grimace, full of sorrow and hatred, and he begins to repeatedly punch the snow, screaming "WHY?! BROTHER, WHY?!"

________________________________________________________________

 

     Seymour walks towards the stambles, his face stern again. He grabs Onyx's leads, and leads her out of the stables, before mounting onto his own horse, A grey lusitano steed; Argos. He starts trotting towards Kaedrin, mounted on Argos, and leading Onyx by her leads.

      As Seymour rides through the gate of the abandoned keep, he jumps down from his horse, and continues walking, leading Onyx, and stops in the middle of the courtyard. In a suden movement, he unsheathes his long, thin dagger, and brings it to the horse's large throat. "A horse dies with his rider..." He slices the animal's throat, and kicks at it, making it drop to the ground, and watches it squirm, for about a minute, before sighing sadly.

     On the way back to Gemglade, galloping quickly through the night, he opens his mouth to speak, his voice not more that a trembling whisper, that losed itself in the wind. "Creatoris, custodite ultima resurrexit ... Creator, guard the last rose..."

 

 

      

[Aislin 4354]

Gronkk strokes Gonkk and the head as he chuckles. The world shall become his.