Post by Guardsman Patrick on Oct 12, 2006 23:22:49 GMT -5
Chapter 5: Story of Fate
“Well, it all started about three years ago. I remember it was raining that day and my dad headed off to Andorg for some meeting he had with the leader of a big company. When he arrived, they asked him some questions about his life, you know, trying to get to know him before they started telling him what it was they were going to offer him. They were mainly interested in his skills as a swordsman, but it seemed strange why they wanted a swordsman. With the technology they had, they really wouldn’t need a person who fought using a hunk of sharp steel with a handle. It wasn’t because of that though. It was because they wanted an inexpensive mercenary. They wanted to use him to kill people who owed the company money or had been giving the company trouble. They wanted him to not only kill them, but also anyone who the person was related to, any of his or her friends, anyone they knew personally and anyone that they wanted to know. Senseless killing is what they wanted him for, and nothing else. I guess it was a surprise to them when he refused the offer and said that he wouldn’t change his mind. All the leader of the company did was nod his head and say he would give him time to think about it. They were hopeful he would return and take up their offer.
“Well, until yesterday, everything was pretty quiet, and everything ran pretty smooth. It was then that the company decided that he wasn’t coming back and his mind wasn’t going to change, so they sent out two hired mercenaries to our house. When my dad opened the door, they began restating the offer. When they finished, he boldly refused again. All they said was, “That’s too bad”, and “we were so looking forward to working with you”, and that’s when dad turned to me and whispered for me to go to his room, get his sword, and run with it. I didn’t want to leave him, but he told me that there was no other way and that I shouldn’t turn back.”
“'If all I can save is one life, then that is fine with me, and if math serves me right, then one is more than none,' he finished, so I did it, without looking back. I was just reaching the edge of the clearing when I heard the energy wave being released. I tried to get out of its way, but it hit me in the back and I blacked out. I remember that I had a dream. A dream that I was in this…strange place that I had never seen. I don’t remember much from it, but I get the feeling it was something…important.”
“What do you think the dream meant?” Alex asked.
“Alex, sometimes dreams are just dreams, they don’t have any meaning. Haven’t you ever had a dream that had absolutely no meaning, even though you think it did? That’s what I’m feeling right now. I know it didn’t have any meaning, but my gut tells me it did. That’s not the point though. The point is that it was a strange dream, and it had nothing to do with any of this stuff that has happened,” Patrick almost sounded angry when he said this, but he calmed back down and began yet another period of silence.
“Well, I can understand your situation with you’re family. I had something happen like that too, except…not as quickly. Sorry if I upset you by questioning you on it,” Alex said, sounding a little guilty.
“Nah, you didn’t upset me. I was taking it a little far with the whole dream thing. It’s just that I was starting to think about the events myself, and I didn’t want to be thinking about the dream and losing my family to two mercenaries at the same time. It was too much, if you know what I mean,” Patrick corrected, trying to make Alex feel less guilty.
“Do you know the company’s name that sent those two mercenaries? If you do, we can try to take that one down first,” Alex said, trying to help cheer Patrick up a little.
“No, the name is only mentioned among those who work for the company, or are high enough on their list of allies to know. If anyone else knew, the company would most likely kill them as well,” Patrick seemed to be familiar with the companies in Andorg and this also would help him to be better at the job of Gym Master.
“Why was it that they wanted you’re dad exactly? It had to be more than that they wanted a skilled assassin,” Alex asked after the long silence.
“I have an idea of why, but I don’t quite trust you enough to give you that information,” Patrick boldly replied, making it clear to Alex that he had not yet earned his trust.
“Oh, okay, well, I hope I will earn your trust as we begin this project,” Alex said, yawning before he walked off. “Well, I think I’ll catch up on my sleep. Try to catch some yourself. We have a big day tomorrow.” Alex walked back over to the dying campfire so he could put some more wood on it before falling asleep again.
“Yeah, I hope you will earn it too,” Patrick said to himself before walking back to his own sleeping bag to drift into a silent sleep.
“Well, it all started about three years ago. I remember it was raining that day and my dad headed off to Andorg for some meeting he had with the leader of a big company. When he arrived, they asked him some questions about his life, you know, trying to get to know him before they started telling him what it was they were going to offer him. They were mainly interested in his skills as a swordsman, but it seemed strange why they wanted a swordsman. With the technology they had, they really wouldn’t need a person who fought using a hunk of sharp steel with a handle. It wasn’t because of that though. It was because they wanted an inexpensive mercenary. They wanted to use him to kill people who owed the company money or had been giving the company trouble. They wanted him to not only kill them, but also anyone who the person was related to, any of his or her friends, anyone they knew personally and anyone that they wanted to know. Senseless killing is what they wanted him for, and nothing else. I guess it was a surprise to them when he refused the offer and said that he wouldn’t change his mind. All the leader of the company did was nod his head and say he would give him time to think about it. They were hopeful he would return and take up their offer.
“Well, until yesterday, everything was pretty quiet, and everything ran pretty smooth. It was then that the company decided that he wasn’t coming back and his mind wasn’t going to change, so they sent out two hired mercenaries to our house. When my dad opened the door, they began restating the offer. When they finished, he boldly refused again. All they said was, “That’s too bad”, and “we were so looking forward to working with you”, and that’s when dad turned to me and whispered for me to go to his room, get his sword, and run with it. I didn’t want to leave him, but he told me that there was no other way and that I shouldn’t turn back.”
“'If all I can save is one life, then that is fine with me, and if math serves me right, then one is more than none,' he finished, so I did it, without looking back. I was just reaching the edge of the clearing when I heard the energy wave being released. I tried to get out of its way, but it hit me in the back and I blacked out. I remember that I had a dream. A dream that I was in this…strange place that I had never seen. I don’t remember much from it, but I get the feeling it was something…important.”
“What do you think the dream meant?” Alex asked.
“Alex, sometimes dreams are just dreams, they don’t have any meaning. Haven’t you ever had a dream that had absolutely no meaning, even though you think it did? That’s what I’m feeling right now. I know it didn’t have any meaning, but my gut tells me it did. That’s not the point though. The point is that it was a strange dream, and it had nothing to do with any of this stuff that has happened,” Patrick almost sounded angry when he said this, but he calmed back down and began yet another period of silence.
“Well, I can understand your situation with you’re family. I had something happen like that too, except…not as quickly. Sorry if I upset you by questioning you on it,” Alex said, sounding a little guilty.
“Nah, you didn’t upset me. I was taking it a little far with the whole dream thing. It’s just that I was starting to think about the events myself, and I didn’t want to be thinking about the dream and losing my family to two mercenaries at the same time. It was too much, if you know what I mean,” Patrick corrected, trying to make Alex feel less guilty.
“Do you know the company’s name that sent those two mercenaries? If you do, we can try to take that one down first,” Alex said, trying to help cheer Patrick up a little.
“No, the name is only mentioned among those who work for the company, or are high enough on their list of allies to know. If anyone else knew, the company would most likely kill them as well,” Patrick seemed to be familiar with the companies in Andorg and this also would help him to be better at the job of Gym Master.
“Why was it that they wanted you’re dad exactly? It had to be more than that they wanted a skilled assassin,” Alex asked after the long silence.
“I have an idea of why, but I don’t quite trust you enough to give you that information,” Patrick boldly replied, making it clear to Alex that he had not yet earned his trust.
“Oh, okay, well, I hope I will earn your trust as we begin this project,” Alex said, yawning before he walked off. “Well, I think I’ll catch up on my sleep. Try to catch some yourself. We have a big day tomorrow.” Alex walked back over to the dying campfire so he could put some more wood on it before falling asleep again.
“Yeah, I hope you will earn it too,” Patrick said to himself before walking back to his own sleeping bag to drift into a silent sleep.