A Private Little War

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 05:14 PM

The world goes dark for Archonus Arendorr for but a moment, a blinding pain in his head suddenly subsiding. His eyes refocus, and no longer does he stand in the Throne Room at Caer Albion.

Yet, this place is not altogether unfamiliar. He stands on a lonely dock, jutting out over the crashing sea, thousands of feet above the waves. Oceanus.

The draconid ships are gone, but so too are the ships of man and elf that once hung here. He squints, and for a moment he can almost imagine he sees their wreckage piled below the surface of the harbor....a thousand ships, and millions of men, their skeletons still reaching toward the surface.

He blinks, and the image is gone. The sea is calm, but he remains on the dock. There is no activity, here. This is a dead place - he can feel it in his bones. He should be dead, as well.

No, that's not right. He lives. Someone else is dead...someone close to him.

He turns away from the sea, trying to put the oddly empty harbor from his mind. The city burns behind him, plumes of smoke and dust rising like black clouds from the roaring flames. The draconids are gone, but so are the people. The city of Forsaken Elves is merely a forsaken city, now.

This seems somehow familiar. This has happened before.

A voice echoes in his ears, his mind. The voice is his own. The voice is another's. "The world burns like this. A battle was won, but a war was lost - all based on a single utterence. On another, the same battle was lost, but this war was won."

The voice, the familiar voice, is coming from behind him. He's sure of it. His eyes narrow, his gloved hands tighten on the hilts of his swords. Loss sings in his grip, begging to be released, to be freed from its prison.

A grim smile crosses his face. He will oblige the blade.

Silver steel flashes in the firelight as he turns, the blade cutting a flat arc ahead of his turn. This battle will be over before it begins.

A crash. A ring of razored bells. Another blade has stopped his own, delicate runes cut into the surface of the ancient broad blade, glowing blue in defiance of the fire light. A falcon, forged in gold reaches skyward, its upswept wings forming a crosspiece for the blade. Mansblade.

His own face looks back at him. His lips curl in rage. Archonus Bluestar!

The mirror image holds the broadsword against Loss, but Archonus Arendorr can see his muscles straining. He pushes harder, pouring his anger through his arms to his doppelganger's blade. Yet, as his anger fills him, he sees only sadness on the face of his erstwhile twin.

He blocks the firelight from reaching his opponent's face, but for a moment, he could swear that tears cross the grim features of the man before him.

"This," his twin grunts through gritted teeth, "is my world. I created yours."

Archon · 7th April 2005, 05:40 PM

Arendorr spins into his oppenent, letting Mansblade slide of of Loss without much effort, trying to get behind him but the Prince of the North is qucik. Quick enough to be there to block Arendorr's strike as he spins to meet him.
"I'm sick of your lies!" Arendorr spits, "Save them for someone who *wouldn't* rather see you dead."

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archon

Arendorr spins into his oppenent, letting Mansblade slide of of Loss without much effort, trying to get behind him but the Prince of the North is qucik. Quick enough to be there to block Arendorr's strike as he spins to meet him.
"I'm sick of your lies!" Arendorr spits, "Save them for someone who *wouldn't* rather see you dead."

Sparks fly from their flashing blades as he responds, "Then your wish, as mine once was, has been granted."

Archon · 7th April 2005, 05:45 PM

Arendorr kicks away from the Prince as he wheels his sword around to chop down heavily.
"Not Yet!" , as the blades spark as they meet once more. "Not until i've ended your deciet myself!"

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 06:05 PM

For the first time, anger crosses Archonus Bluestar's face. "End my lies, then, if you can find them!" and his blade crashes against Archon's, the momentum shifted in favor of the doppelganger. "This is the world I saved you from!" he shouts, "You squander your place in the world I gave you!"

"No matter what you may think of me," he pants, "I have never lied to you, save once!"

Laurel · 7th April 2005, 06:08 PM

((This is so cool!

Okay i'm not saying any more!))

Queen_Dopplepopolis · 7th April 2005, 06:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Laurel

((This is so cool!

Okay i'm not saying any more!))

((I totally agree... but, which one is in the red Archonus uniform and which is in the blue Archonus uniform?

))

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 06:26 PM

((We're all clear that this is happening in Archon's mind, right?))

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 06:27 PM

((Darn it! They both keep making declarative statements! How do I make AB ask a question....something easier for AA to respond to...))

Laurel · 7th April 2005, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Universe

((We're all clear that this is happening in Archon's mind, right?))

((yep he passes out cold, and this is what he sees, does. It's his sub-conscience making a way for his conscience to understand what is going on and trying to find a way for it to deal with the two minds, two lives now one bit. All as we drag him around, talk around him, etc., since to us IC he just seems in a coma. It's still really cool and interesting.
As for asking a question... is that even possible for Arhconus to do

))

Archon · 7th April 2005, 07:31 PM

Arendorr (red) growls in anger as his rage builds. His attacks grow stronger but strike with less accuracy as he pushes the fight toward the edge of the docks.
"You have given me nothing!!" Clang. "You've only pretended to be me," Spark, Clang, Swipe and a miss, "to gain my friends trust!" Their blades meet with tremoring force as they both struggle to gain the upper hand hundreds of feet above the crashing waves.
"You're nothing but a lie!!"

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 07:57 PM

"I am the only truth!" he shouts back, slowing as he reaches the dock's edge, and then quickly pivoting, drawing Archonus Arendorr back toward the center of the dock. "I am the only one on this earth who knows the truth - who has lived it! Even my Grandfather does not know, though it was his magic that created it."

His breath wheezes out between words, the exertion of the battle clearly having an effect. "I have tried to let you live, yet you dwell in death! I have abandoned all that I knew to give you a chance at living your life out from the shadow of mine! I have shielded you from the truth! Dammit, the truth was the end!"

Archon · 7th April 2005, 08:14 PM

Arendorr siezes the chance to strike at the Prince's blade as he burries his shoulder into the Prince's chest to throw him off balance. Mansblade cuts a song through the air as it plumets off the dock. As both Archons regain their footing Arendorr speaks.
"I'll give you the chance to prove your words." With that Arendorr tosses Loss of the side of the docks and tightens his fists.
"Tell me shadow, what is the Truth?"

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 08:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archon

Arendorr siezes the chance to strike at the Prince's blade as he burries his shoulder into the Prince's chest to throw him off balance. Mansblade cuts a song through the air as it plumets off the dock. As both Archons regain their footing Arendorr speaks.
"I'll give you the chance to prove your words." With that Arendorr tosses Loss of the side of the docks and tightens his fists.
"Tell me shadow, what is the Truth?"

"The world was destroyed!" he shouts back, scrambling toward his only defense, "Arfin's wish...it would have summoned...unspeakable things. Tain would appear a naughty child in comparison!"

"I stopped him," he continues, swooping the ancient broadsword back into his grip, "You stopped him. The price was my life - a price that I fear you must now pay, for mine is already lost!"

Archon · 7th April 2005, 08:29 PM

Confussion sets in as the words way heavily within Arendorr. The Prince's word's feel like Truth despite Arendorr's better judgement. Here and there planks begin to fall loose from the dock. Below the waves begin to reach higher as the angry tide swells. Behind them the sky brightens as the flames of Oceanus grow higher.
Then, shaking his head in disbelief Arendorr responds, "No!"
Arendorr leaps upon the Prince and they roll percariously close to the edge. They grapple for a moment before Arendorr get's his hands on the Prince's collar and slams him against the docks.
"WHAT ARE YOU!!?"

Archon · 7th April 2005, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The_Universe

"The world was destroyed!" he shouts back, scrambling toward his only defense, "Arfin's wish...it would have summoned...unspeakable things. Tain would appear a naughty child in comparison!"

"I stopped him," he continues, swooping the ancient broadsword back into his grip, "You stopped him. The price was my life - a price that I fear you must now pay, for mine is already lost!"

OOC- i figured a weaponless finish would be more personal.

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archon

OOC- i figured a weaponless finish would be more personal.

OK - I just didn't want you cutting his head off, or something.

If AA isn't being overtly threatening, he'll just move near the sword, rather than pick it up and bring it back to the guard position.

The_Universe · 7th April 2005, 08:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Archon

Confussion sets in as the words way heavily within Arendorr. The Prince's word's feel like Truth despite Arendorr's better judgement. Here and there planks begin to fall loose from the dock. Below the waves begin to reach higher as the angry tide swells. Behind them the sky brightens as the flames of Oceanus grow higher.
Then, shaking his head in disbelief Arendorr responds, "No!"
Arendorr leaps upon the Prince and they roll percariously close to the edge. They grapple for a moment before Arendorr get's his hands on the Prince's collar and slams him against the docks.
"WHAT ARE YOU!!?"

Blood seeps from a cut on the back of the Prince's head, "I am the truth that should not be. I am you. But now, you must be me. Both of us. My time is passed, ended by an enemy we both share." he utters through clenched teeth.

Archon · 8th April 2005, 08:33 PM

"WHY!?"
Arendorr shouts above the raising chaos swirling around them as more and more planks loose their grip on the dock. Then, still gripping the Prince firmly,
"Why me?! Why now?!"

The_Universe · 8th April 2005, 08:45 PM

"Because death has found me, and though you might wish to deny it, I am you. Your honor, your sorrow - and parts of your joy, as well. My life's blood is spent - I did not choose this time. Laren Nightgrove did. The fates are cruel, and fickle. You will awake and found you have lost far more than you could have gained, even with my death. You must be a strength - you cannot allow your weaknesses to overcome the needs of this world, the world I...we!...created. We swore to serve! To protect!

Now you must make good on that oath for the both of us."