Second Born

by Lance Wilson

  “So this is what you desire Attonnan? You hate me this much?” Kenshi says never taking his eyes off the sky.

  “I do not hate you. But what I desire cannot be had as long as you still live” Attonnan says taking a deep breath. He doesn’t want this, but this is what it must be.

  “In that case, you had better give me your best” Kenshi says finally turning to look at Attonnan. It is time.

  Both stop walking and then get into their stance. At first the two only circle each other but then with a shout of fury Attonnan charges Kenshi. Kenshi sees it coming and blocks. He then quickly goes for a side attack however Attonnan is quicker then he remembers. Flipping his blade upside down against his back he stops the slash. Sliding out of the block Attonnan spins around and goes for an overhead strike. Kenshi steps to the side and spins behind Attonnan. Once he is behind Attonnan he goes for an overhead strike but Attonnan is ready and throws his blade behind him placing his hand on the blade to stop the blade. He then goes for a slash but Kenshi blocks quickly and the two press close nose to nose in a lock of blades. The two stay locked for a bit but then Attonnan pushes him back. He then goes for a slash but Kenshi is too fast and steps back. Relentless Attonnan then goes for several trusts with his sword to Kenshi’s head, but Kenshi smiles at him only as he sways side-to-side avoiding the blade by just air. This time it is Kenshi that goes for the slash, but Attonnan is quick and blocks it just in time. The two then lock blades again, a smile on Kenshi’s face. He has never seen Attonnan like this; he is in rare form and is clearing moving with passion and determination to win this fight. Kenshi quickly shoves Attonnan back only a few steps back. Once far enough back Attonnan goes for a slash but Kenshi is ready and hits the bottom of Attonnan’s sword with enormous force sending it spinning above him. As the blade is spinning above Attonnan Kenshi goes for a slash but Attonnan leans far back tell his upper body is parallel with the ground, feeling Kenshi’s spear pass him he spins to one knee and drops into his stance, catching his blade as it lands. As soon as he feels his blade hit his hand he spins and goes for a slash at Kenshi’s legs, but Kenshi is just fast enough to jump back putting a foot or two between them. Kenshi then turns his back to each other and both take a more relaxed stance. Soon they are almost twenty feet apart. It is time to end this and they both know it. Both have measured each other’s skills and it is time to make the last move. Once they are sure that they have gotten enough room between them they turn. Attonnan slowly sheaths his blade then drops into his low drawing stance, his fingers gently tapping the handle, the palm just barely touching it but putting no pressure on the handle. Kenshi smiles at this and lays his spear over his shoulder, and then with a cocky smile he waves Attonnan forward. He invites his death. With a flash of lightning the two are at it, dashing at one another, both too fast for the naked eye. All that can be heard is the sound of blades hitting one another. Both are only a few feet away when they stop, both with there arms extended in a draw. They stand still as statues for minutes, then Kenshi drops to his knees; Attonnan’s blade has hit its mark. Slowly Attonnan walks over to him keeping behind him. He watches as he lays his hand to his chest, the other, the one holding the spear is flat on the ground keeping him balanced.

  “Tell me why” Attonnan says his voice a whisper of a child.

  “Do not believe me if you wish. But what I say now is the truth. I more then anyone wanted to see these lands united. I had planned this all along. I had entrusted you with my death all along. Lord Fuma, death is so peaceful. I am finally free of your cruelty” Kenshi says as tears fill his eyes.

  “Attonnan, finally I can see the rage in your eyes that I always wanted to” he continues knowing that it is that rage that he will need to do what needs to be done to unite the elflands.

  A coldness falling over him he lifts his blade straight up with both hands with a deep low breath he prepares himself for what must happen. Taking another breath he comes down with the blade, but stops just short so the edge is only a hairs width away from Kenshi’s neck.

  “I cannot do this, if I were to kill you I could seize the land and make it my own. But… but that’s not what I want. I want to see this land as only you an make it. I have been foolish, blind to my own weakness.” Attonnan says and watches Kenshi slowly makes his way to his feet.

  Attonnan watches as Kenshi turns and faces him. Gently Kenshi lays his hands on top of Attonnan’s gently lovingly guiding the blade. Attonnan can feel it but like a child he is helpless to do anything, his mind is screaming for him to stop this, stop Kenshi from doing it, but his hands will not listen. Once his is sure the blade is right where he needs it Kenshi steps forward impaling himself on the blade making sure it passes through him, he can feel the cold touch of death upon him. Gently reaching up from the blade he smiles and strokes his cheek like he did when they were lovers.

  “Attonnan, Attonnan, your elflands are one that I would have liked to have seen” Kenshi says, his voice soft and loving as he slips off the blade and falls to his side then on to his back.

  Attonnan howls in fury and sorrow as he drops to his knees. With trembling hands he picks up Kenshi’s head and gently holds it to him

  “Live on Attonnan” Kenshi says and then closes his eyes, passing away as blood gently trickles from his mouth and nose.

  Attonnan stands there in shock, how could it be, how could he have done this. Why would he kill himself like that? With everything in him he lets out a shout, a roar more primal then any beast, in it is all of his fear, fury, and sorrow. Once the shout is done he only kneels there on his hands and knees his face locked in a grimiest of pain. Why, why can’t he cry? Pain wells up inside him like never before but still nothing. He has cried for complete strangers, every time his blade has shed blood tears are shed shortly after, but now, now when he wants so much to just let the pain out, nothing. Slowly Sun walks over to him and lays his hand on his shoulder. Staring down he sees his brother, death has claimed him yet oddly there is a smile on his face, and he had found his peace.

  “Attonnan, the men await your orders” Sun asks and calmly waits for the calm to come back over Attonnan.

  “Tell them… . tell them what ever you want, I don’t care, I don’t care anymore” Attonnan says and slowly gets to his feet, picking up Kenshi’s body.

  Shaking his head Sun goes back to the men, he orders then, as he is sure Attonnan would have. To put out the fires and secure the city. Attonnan however walks with the body to the garden and lays it calmly beside a bed of roses. Finding a shovel near by he begins to dig. He must dig his friend, his master a grave. The act digging is the only release he seems to find. He stabs at the earth with all the fury that builds in him. How could Kenshi do this to him? How could he abandon him like this?

  Hours pass and the night soon begins to fine its way to the dawn. The soldiers have secured the town without a fight. Those that served Kenshi now serve Attonnan as loyally as they served his master. The generals that were once Kenshi’s now wait for Attonnan’s orders on how to proceed. But the orders never come, all the time that passes Attonnan has dug the grave, and filled it but now he only stands there staring at the earth praying to himself that it was only a dream, some kind of sick dream. But it wasn’t and he knows it deep down. He wants to give up, wants to just walks away from it all, let the elflands fend for themselves, what have they ever done for him. No, that is not what Kenshi wanted from him and Kenshi deserved better then a coward for a Lieutenant. Instead gathering what is left inside him he drags himself from the garden and makes his way though the courtyard and to the war room. Attonnan without thinking dislodges the bar keeping the doors firmly locked and opens the. Before he knows it, before he can even react Toph is nose to nose with him her dagger out and the edge pressed against his through. For the longest time they only stare at each other. Attonnan can see the pain in her eyes, tears stream down her cheeks and he can feel her hand tremble with the fe
ar and pain that must be ripping her apart inside.

  “You killed him, he loved you and you killed him” She growls her voice a hurt child’s.

  She stares into those merciless blue eyes. He is just as she remembers him. He should be hurt and in pain, but his face is a mask and nothing shows. She always hopped that he was better then that deep inside but he’s not, he’s just a killer, nothing gets through, she would think that the death of Kenshi would break his heart, but first you have to have a heart.

  “I… . I’ll kill you for that” She growls and presses the blade closer.

  In Attonnan’s mind he is screaming at her, screaming at her not to stop but rather to do it. Cut his throat and end it all. He shouldn’t live, how can someone like him live and be at peace. He feels the blade tip cut though his skin. A small trickle of blood runs down his neck, her hand trembles even more, but he remains as still and calm as stone. Slowly and gently she watches his hand lift from his side. With the gentleness of a lover he places his hand on the side of her face and with his thumb he wipes away a tear.

  “Leave, leave this war behind you Toph” Attonnan says and then watches as she drops to her hands and knees the sound of the knife hitting the floor echoing in the hall.

  He wants to comfort her, but what can he do, he is dead inside, exhausted, he can’t bring himself to feel anything right now. As Attonnan walks out onto the balcony he shuts the door staring out into the coming dawn. It is only seconds later that Sun walks in. Seeing Toph on her hands and knees he reaches out and helps her up and presses her firmly against himself as she sobs her pain away. Tears streaks his own face as he looks out into the city, he wonders about Attonnan, he never saw a tear even cross his eyes. What kind of man can kill a part of himself and not shed a tear.

  “How, how could he do it” She sobs into Suns chest.

  “I can’t answer that” sun says knowing that there must be more to it all then he knows.

  “I can’t stand to look at him, I used to think there was something inside of him, I cared for him, but I was wrong. There is nothing inside of him, he’s nothing more then a heartless killer,” She says glaring at Attonnan over her shoulder.

  “I think your wrong. I know what you’re thinking, you’re thinking of leaving this war. I know I am. But, I need you to stay here. Follow him, be his second. I know what I’m asking of you may seem impossible but I need you to do it nonetheless. You said you wanted to reach him, the real Attonnan, leaving now isn’t going to help you or him. If you leave you’ll never know the real story and you’ll hate him for the rest of your life.” Sun says and gently pushes her to arms length.

  “What about you, your leaving, just giving up” She growls at him, how dare he tell her to stay when he is running away.

  “This was a lesson long time in learning. I didn’t belong here to begin with. I was never meant to be a fighter, sure I thought I was, but I was wrong. I’m going to the town called Suran, start over, and maybe get a farm. Ha, never though I would hear those words coming out of my mouth, I hated farms as a kid, now I miss the simplicity of it all” Sun says and chuckles to himself.

  He understands now what Kenshi was always trying to tell him about war. In war there is no glory, there is only hate and death, and those that die, well sometimes they are the lucky ones. Looking at Attonnan he understands it all now. How many more battles would he have to fight tell he became just like the assassin standing out there, a man so filled with his own loss that he can’t even cry. How much death has he seen, and how much of himself has he killed with his own blade.

  “I don’t know if I can do it Sun” She says looking desperately up at him.

  “Try for me, please” he says smiling at her.

  “For you, for Kenshi. But not for him, not anymore” She says and walks out of the room.

  Sun can’t blame her, the wound is still fresh and it will take time for that to heal. He can only hope that things happen for the best and this damned war end soon. Slowly he makes his way to the balcony and when he is close enough he places a hand on Attonnan’s shoulders.

  “I’m leaving Attonnan. I’m done; I can’t stand this battle anymore. You know, you could come with, leave this war behind you, start over” Sun says already knowing what the answer will be.

  “I wish I could, I really do Sun. but I wouldn’t even know how anymore. No, I’ll see this to the end. Sun, I’m sorry, more sorry then you can imagine” Attonnan says never taking his eyes off the sun as it lifts to the sky.

  “I’ll listen for your legend” Sun says and with that walks away.

  Chapter 13

  Griffin

  Mellyruna takes a deep breath as mourning wakes him. It has been years since he had joined the Wolfpride. Remembering the night that they welcomed him, the night after they had done their first raid still brings a smile to him. He has changed so much since that night. When he joined he was a thin young boy just reaching the edge of manhood, now, now he had quite grown into his form. His body had become large and more full formed his muscles have become taunt and bulkier, this however didn’t change his speed, he was still as fast as ever, his hair is short cut like the roman military and his skin more tanned from all his time outside. Also after joining the Wolfpride he had given up the flashy and bright armor for clothing more simple. His pants were a simple brown, his shirt cut off at the arms, and a simple black color. His shoulders covered in pauldrons that overlap like huge snake scales, along his left arm is a gauntlet, it goes all the way up to the elbow, and then the elbow is strapped in leather. His right hand wrapped in bandages to better grip his blade. Over his shoulders also is a black cloak with white lining. His boots have wide cuffs and are simple leather. Putting all this on he then reaches over for his weapons that have changed as well. The first is a sword as large as him and a good foot wide and inch thick. A great sword. The second is a set of three daggers that he straps to a belt at his side. The daggers fall just at his left side. Smiling he makes his way out to the camp where the rest of the Wolfpride. He goes only a few steps and smiles as he sees them gathered around a fire and what was sure to be breakfast. His mind drifts to the time after the first raid and his time talking to the youngest Judo. It was almost the middle of the night and he was staring at the fire with Judo. They were talking about Griffin and how they all were drawn to his charisma, how they each had a dream, like the flicker of a candle flame that they all clung to in order keep going. And then they met Griffin, and they saw that his dream, his dream wasn’t a candle flame but rather a fire. They all cast there flames into his, giving their dreams to his so that it could burn that much brighter, looking at them all now, sitting there enjoying the company he saw it. Griffin had their loyalty and they dreams held in his hand, and he had done the same. His flame added to theirs, added to Griffin’s.

  It is not long before he is joined by Judo, the youngest of the Wolfpride. He smiles up at Mellyruna. Judo had come to like him, though he is the newest member he has easily made his way to the second lieutenant of Griffin’s. He and Noin had become his most trusted advisors. Although it is true that Noin and Mellyruna do not get along, they are always at each other’s throats.

  “Mellyruna, Griffin wants to see you, you and Noin.” he says and beams up at him.

  “Where is he?” he asked calmly

  “In his tent, I’m almost sure that Noin is already with him. But you never know, if you hurry you might get there first.” Judo said with a chuckle

  “No worries, he’ll wait tell I get there, but I’ll head there now, same me some breakfast will you” Mellyruna says and scruffs his hair as he walks past him.

  Mellyruna then makes his way down the field, each member giving him some kind of mourning greeting. The other generals, those that where introduced to him when he first joined the Wolfpride. They all greeted him outside of Griffin’s tent, a fire in the middle of them as they c
ooked there breakfast.

  “Any ideas” Mellyruna asked but only got a shrug for response.

  Mellyruna walked into the tent to find Griffin beaming at the Noin and soon his eyes smiled at him as well.

  “Good Mellyruna, I’m glad your here. This is big news and I wanted to talk to you and Noin first. Then you two can tell the other generals and so on” Griffin said and smiled at them.

  Noin and Mellyruna both just stood there waiting for the news. Clearly it wasn’t a mission; he would have called all the generals

  “What is going on?” Noin asks calmly taking a deep breath.

  “The Wolfpride has been given a huge honor. We are to accompany the lord Mecmed on his yearly foxhunt. This is a duty that is normally reserved for only the white knights. I think that this is a sign, I think he is finally taking us serious, this may mean a knighthood if we pull this off. I do not think anything serious could happen, this is a highly guarded event.” Griffin says and smiles at the two of them.

  “When do we report to our duties” Mellyruna asks calmly

  “The hunt will last all day and we will need to report for our duties as early as possible that day. However, Mecmed has given a personal request that we go and arrive the day before. So we better get on the road now, that leaves us one day of travel” Griffin says and smiles.

  “Why the day early” Noin asks nervous as always

  “I didn’t ask” Griffin says brushing it aside as he always does.

  “Sir is there anything else.” Noin says and smiles at him

  “No Noin, but I would like it is you leave me and Mellyruna, please” Griffin says and nods to her