3Of Swords and Spirits:
Collision of Destiny
Prolog
Thwack… The arrow shot through the very center of the painted heart on a dummy made of a cloth potato sack and straw. Another arrow soon followed that, landing just over; then another, landing under the first. Who ever the archer was was an excellent shot. Another arrow flew but missed its mark. Three out of four arrows made its mark; the four black feathered arrows sticking straight out, moving just slightly in the cool light breeze.
"You're getting better kid," a rough voice says, as a middle aged man with many, many scares walks over to the straw dummy to remove the arrows. He had ice blue eyes and alburn hair, and a very kind smile.
"You think I'll be as good as you dad?" a young girl about the age of fourteen asks, running over to her father. She held the same colour eyes as the man, but her hair was browner then the alburn hair that was her fathers.
"It wouldn't surprise me one bit," He answered giving the girl the arrows leading them back to a set up a couple feet away from the target. "You're already better than I was at your age. I don't see why, if you keep practicing like that that you'll be better when you've grown older."
The older gentleman set his daughter up again, showing her the stance that she should use that was most effective for hunting. Mimicking, her father the girl stood as he did. He then showed how to hold the bow, and again she followed suit. He told her to take her aim, as he moved out of his own stance. He watched her carefully to make sure everything was alright around them and how she held the bow. And on his command she let the sting go, is singing as the arrowed whizzed through the air to strike the painted heart once again.
Patting his daughter on the back, he smiled down at her "You're a natural…" the girl returned his smile, before dashing to the dummy to remove the arrow. When suddenly there was the sound of a twig snapping near by. With that everything went dead quiet. Both looked around trying to find where the sound came from
"Flair, come here," the man ordered. The girl ran over and held onto her father.
"Dad, where is it? What is it?"
"Don't worry; nothing will happen to you while I'm here."
Then from the right of them, towards the forest a giant red wolf came bounding out straight towards them. The father acted quickly, drawing up his bow and drew back the arrow. He took aim, for a second and let the arrow fly. The arrow made its mark, landing into the wolf's eyes. Quick as lighting another arrow flew, and imbedded it's self in the other eye, blinding it.
"Flair, take him out," the father ordered. She drew back an arrow, taking a little longer to get the aimed target.
The wolf was thrashing about blindly and in pain. Finally her arrow flew straight and it found its home in the skull of the beast, killing it instantly. The bow and arrows landing on the ground in a heap, the young girl hugging her father tightly; her first kill. The father starts to comfort his daughter rubbing her back.
"That's the price of being a fighter," He said, taking in a deep breath. "You have to kill, or be killed."
She didn't say anything, just nodded. She made a silent vow that she wouldn't kill ever again. The feeling of the kill so bad, she wouldn't be able to take it.
"C'mon, let's get home." He said. "Your mother's probably worried by now."
Again she said nothing and just followed her father back home…
In the morning, that same girl was once again on the hill, the beast from the evening before, was gone. Not even the bones were left. She was practicing her aim again, but this time the arrow heads weren't in place. Her aim was also off, constantly thinking about killing that wolf and how deadly her aim really was. She didn't like it; she absolutely hated it with a-…
Suddenly screams filled the air and the smell of smoke drifted with the wind. She turned around and went running back home. The sight that greeted her there was a sight of nightmares. The village; her home were up in smoke and burning to the ground. Who would be so heartless to attack an innocent village with no defense to speak of?
Such a question was answered, when a maniacal laugh reached the young girls ears. Just in front of her was a giant of a man with what looked like a black cloak against the darkened sky. Past him, she could see many of… she wasn't sure but they moved like shadows against the building and how they snuck up on people.
It was him though. He was the one that was controlling those creatures. There was really only one thing she could do at this point, and that was to take him down. But she wouldn't be able to kill him. Maybe just stop him from ever doing this again to another village. Looking at the arrows she had; none had the arrow head that would make the weapon fly true. But that was alright, she didn't want to hit anything vital on purpose.
Drawing her bow up and one of her beheaded arrows, she drew in a deep breath. Drawing the sting back, she called out to him "You Jerk!" He looked around, the look of surprise in his eyes. Closing her eyes, not seeing what his face looked like, she let the arrow fly the second he turned around.
A cry of pain reached her ear, which caused her to look. The blunt arrow had gone through his left eye. He did not seem happy that a little girl had managed to get just a shot in on him. Seeing his one good eye glow red, he sent some kind of power towards her knocking her off her feet and knocking her out cold from the sheer force of it.
"It's been a year since that happened," That same brunette said to her self. She was still on that hill. The dummy her and her father had used so many times for target practice now all covered in weeds and starting to fall apart from the weather and rot. "They kept me from finding that monster that killed my whole village, and my family. His face… that eye still haunts my dreams and I've finally deiced that I'm going to avenge my family and the whole village; even if it costs me my own life. I will find him and take him down and show him no mercy like he showed my people."
She stood, the wind blowing her braid, a quiver of arrows on her back and her bow over that same shoulder. A bag with food and water hung over her other shoulder. A rusted sword, hung on her left hip.
"Father… with your blade and your teachings I will take that fiend down and we'll finally be able to rest. You'll be avenged and I'll be able to life a live without anger."
"Flair?!" A voice rings out. A boy. Maybe ten at the oldest. "Flair, it's time to come back!"
"We must go now, or we never will get away…" She stood, and ran down the side of the hill and out of sight just as the boy crowed the top of the hill.
She didn't know where she was going, but something in her heart told her what place to at least start, and her heart had yet to lead her astray. It would be hard moving, but as long as she grew stronger, and learned what she needed she would be fine. Knowing the monster was powerful and controlled an unearthly army, she needed to at least gain an alliance. Find someone else that he wronged, and then they would be able to put things to right. But she didn't even know what he looked like, but that mattered little. Maybe the left eye she blinded would help with her search.