Post by oddball on Feb 23, 2007 11:41:40 GMT -5
I will probably add more to this chapter later on, but I wanted to get you all thinking... So many characters involved now, my head is spinning.
Trial by Fire
Family History Revealed
Plant life had taken over, the halls of memory retaken by nature itself. The trees that had stood for so long, were charred and broken. The foundation of a house, still as strong as the day it was made. The wooden frame, beaten into submission by months of neglect and stormy weather. This was a home once, in what seemed an age since past. Spiders and rodents now called it home, the previous tenants abandoning it to it’s fate. Here is were memories stirred, here is where truths, long hidden, come to light. A photograph begins the journey, and an aged heart spins the tale.
“This photograph here, shows Morgan Dal and his military comrades. There’s Morgan there…” A finger points to a faded and smudged face.
“He’s so handsome…”
“Yes, he was. I’m sorry you never got the chance to meet him.” Said a younger, more energetic voice. The voice was fair and feminine, though strong.
“That’s Eebrum there… In his younger days, before he lost his senses.” The dark face looked outward into the afternoon light, not knowing whom it was that looked on him. A taller male stood, his arm around the young Eebrum.
“Whose that?” Asked the younger voice.
“Eebrum’s older brother, Martonis… This is his younger sister here. Her name was Tetsuna. They were from a family started in my line, years before the Dal, Delina, and DeMaria families. The house of Venuchi has stood for a good hundred years more than any of yours. But they mingled their bloodlines with other breeds, resulting in Eebrum’s sufficient lack of ability.”
“So you started Eebrum’s family as well?” Asked a curious Rose.
“Yes… There are in total fourteen different variations of Canio Dragons in existence. Dalmatians, Wolves, Foxes… There are many different kinds.”
“Someone was busy in their youth…” Said the youngest, Celeste. “Where are they now?”
“Martonis disappeared some time ago. And Tetsuna is in hiding… She won’t get involved in her brother’s war. With or against…”
“So Eebrum is a middle child?” Rose looked again at the photo. “It’s tough, always feeling second best to your older sibling. Then seeing the younger get the attention next…”
“Speaking from experience Rose?” Asked Oddy curiously. “Some memory of your family coming to light?”
“I had two sisters… You should know that better than anyone.”
“Psyren and Lily…” Oddy nodded. “Both were talented, but neither did anything with their abilities.
“I know what it feels like to be a middle child.”
“Perhaps, that is why Eebrum favors you of all his hired help… You, most of all, know how he feels. Striving to be your best, but never getting the recognition you deserve…”
“But I found my recognition… I was abandoned by my family, remember?”
“Point taken…”
“Whose this?” Asked Celeste as she held up a small photo of five Dalmatians in a group. The photo contained two males, and three females.
“That’s the Maxwell family.”
“More of your descendants?” Asked Rose with a smirk.
“No… They are normal Dogs…”
“Then why did my parents have a photo of them?” Asked Celeste as she studied the picture carefully. “Hey I know this dog… He came by the cabin on a couple occasions. Trio… I think his name was.”
“Yes, you are correct.” Oddy took the photo from Celeste and wiped off the cracked glass. “Trio Maxwell, and his family were orphaned after birth. Your parents took them in for a time, sort of a foster family. Vaughn should have some memory of them, he was about three or four when they left. You and Vincent wouldn’t remember, as you’d both just been a little over a year old…”
“Your friend in Eebrum’s service?”
“Trio is in the military force that Eebrum commands. His brother Shadow, works at the bar where I ran into you and Basil. His two sisters, here… Tammy, and Splash, work in the main government building as secretaries. And Bridget here, the beautiful young pup, works at the store where I get my supplies. Pays to know people in high places…” Oddy smirked and placed the photo into his bag. “I’ll hang onto this one if nobody minds…”
“So you know what’s going on with Eebrum, in the government, whose going to the bar, and you get discounted supplies. Now I see why the government values you as a freelance agent. You’ve got better connections than half the country.”
“It pays to know people… If only Mira knew what had become of those five, she loved them so…”
“I’ll tell her later…” Said Celeste calmly as she looked into an old book, half charred and buried. “I take it this is where Vincent’s been living…”
“Well, not anymore… Since he found out I was bringing you down here, he’s moved to a new location… I don’t even know where. I’m sorry.”
“Your student has deserted you?” Asked Rose as she looked at Oddy over Celeste’s head.
“Desert me? No…”
“What about his training in swordsmanship?”
“I can’t teach him anymore… So he’s gone off to fight in some real battle. No better way to learn than by doing… Right Rose?”
“Shut up Oddy… That wasn’t a fair fight and you know it…”
“So you say… I went easy on you. I mean, not too many people I know would fight off an offered helping paw…” Oddy said sarcastically as he looked at Rose.
“You’re hopeless…” Said Rose as she smirked at Oddy. She picked up another photo, the weathered image showed a young smiling pup. “Whose this?” She showed the photograph to Celeste.
“That’s Vincent…”
“That’s Vincent!?” Rose looked at the photograph for a moment as images of Vincent’s face emerged in her mind. His half crazed expression haunted her, could this smiling face really be the same dog?
“Yeah… That’s him alright. He was a stubborn kid if I remember right…” Said Oddy as he looked at the photo, his eyes seeming to look back in time to that day.
“He’s changed a lot though. Hasn’t he?” Asked Celeste as she continued to sift through the rubble.
“Actually… He’s worse.”
To Be Continued
Trial by Fire
Family History Revealed
Plant life had taken over, the halls of memory retaken by nature itself. The trees that had stood for so long, were charred and broken. The foundation of a house, still as strong as the day it was made. The wooden frame, beaten into submission by months of neglect and stormy weather. This was a home once, in what seemed an age since past. Spiders and rodents now called it home, the previous tenants abandoning it to it’s fate. Here is were memories stirred, here is where truths, long hidden, come to light. A photograph begins the journey, and an aged heart spins the tale.
“This photograph here, shows Morgan Dal and his military comrades. There’s Morgan there…” A finger points to a faded and smudged face.
“He’s so handsome…”
“Yes, he was. I’m sorry you never got the chance to meet him.” Said a younger, more energetic voice. The voice was fair and feminine, though strong.
“That’s Eebrum there… In his younger days, before he lost his senses.” The dark face looked outward into the afternoon light, not knowing whom it was that looked on him. A taller male stood, his arm around the young Eebrum.
“Whose that?” Asked the younger voice.
“Eebrum’s older brother, Martonis… This is his younger sister here. Her name was Tetsuna. They were from a family started in my line, years before the Dal, Delina, and DeMaria families. The house of Venuchi has stood for a good hundred years more than any of yours. But they mingled their bloodlines with other breeds, resulting in Eebrum’s sufficient lack of ability.”
“So you started Eebrum’s family as well?” Asked a curious Rose.
“Yes… There are in total fourteen different variations of Canio Dragons in existence. Dalmatians, Wolves, Foxes… There are many different kinds.”
“Someone was busy in their youth…” Said the youngest, Celeste. “Where are they now?”
“Martonis disappeared some time ago. And Tetsuna is in hiding… She won’t get involved in her brother’s war. With or against…”
“So Eebrum is a middle child?” Rose looked again at the photo. “It’s tough, always feeling second best to your older sibling. Then seeing the younger get the attention next…”
“Speaking from experience Rose?” Asked Oddy curiously. “Some memory of your family coming to light?”
“I had two sisters… You should know that better than anyone.”
“Psyren and Lily…” Oddy nodded. “Both were talented, but neither did anything with their abilities.
“I know what it feels like to be a middle child.”
“Perhaps, that is why Eebrum favors you of all his hired help… You, most of all, know how he feels. Striving to be your best, but never getting the recognition you deserve…”
“But I found my recognition… I was abandoned by my family, remember?”
“Point taken…”
“Whose this?” Asked Celeste as she held up a small photo of five Dalmatians in a group. The photo contained two males, and three females.
“That’s the Maxwell family.”
“More of your descendants?” Asked Rose with a smirk.
“No… They are normal Dogs…”
“Then why did my parents have a photo of them?” Asked Celeste as she studied the picture carefully. “Hey I know this dog… He came by the cabin on a couple occasions. Trio… I think his name was.”
“Yes, you are correct.” Oddy took the photo from Celeste and wiped off the cracked glass. “Trio Maxwell, and his family were orphaned after birth. Your parents took them in for a time, sort of a foster family. Vaughn should have some memory of them, he was about three or four when they left. You and Vincent wouldn’t remember, as you’d both just been a little over a year old…”
“Your friend in Eebrum’s service?”
“Trio is in the military force that Eebrum commands. His brother Shadow, works at the bar where I ran into you and Basil. His two sisters, here… Tammy, and Splash, work in the main government building as secretaries. And Bridget here, the beautiful young pup, works at the store where I get my supplies. Pays to know people in high places…” Oddy smirked and placed the photo into his bag. “I’ll hang onto this one if nobody minds…”
“So you know what’s going on with Eebrum, in the government, whose going to the bar, and you get discounted supplies. Now I see why the government values you as a freelance agent. You’ve got better connections than half the country.”
“It pays to know people… If only Mira knew what had become of those five, she loved them so…”
“I’ll tell her later…” Said Celeste calmly as she looked into an old book, half charred and buried. “I take it this is where Vincent’s been living…”
“Well, not anymore… Since he found out I was bringing you down here, he’s moved to a new location… I don’t even know where. I’m sorry.”
“Your student has deserted you?” Asked Rose as she looked at Oddy over Celeste’s head.
“Desert me? No…”
“What about his training in swordsmanship?”
“I can’t teach him anymore… So he’s gone off to fight in some real battle. No better way to learn than by doing… Right Rose?”
“Shut up Oddy… That wasn’t a fair fight and you know it…”
“So you say… I went easy on you. I mean, not too many people I know would fight off an offered helping paw…” Oddy said sarcastically as he looked at Rose.
“You’re hopeless…” Said Rose as she smirked at Oddy. She picked up another photo, the weathered image showed a young smiling pup. “Whose this?” She showed the photograph to Celeste.
“That’s Vincent…”
“That’s Vincent!?” Rose looked at the photograph for a moment as images of Vincent’s face emerged in her mind. His half crazed expression haunted her, could this smiling face really be the same dog?
“Yeah… That’s him alright. He was a stubborn kid if I remember right…” Said Oddy as he looked at the photo, his eyes seeming to look back in time to that day.
“He’s changed a lot though. Hasn’t he?” Asked Celeste as she continued to sift through the rubble.
“Actually… He’s worse.”
To Be Continued