1Note: Short background sketch story pertaining to Blade, who first appears in Escape from the Underworld, a Mythopian Kaneberon story. Since it's a short sketch, it's not meant to be serious writing or very detailed. Since the "chapters" are so short, I will split the chapters into sections and just randomly label them. It was started in July 2004, and so I decided to finish it now in 2006.
Part I: The Escape of the Family
Part II: Loss of a Father
Part III: Alone
Blade's Story: Child Without a Past
Why me?
Why me?
Why not he?
I can't see.
I wanna be free.
Not a hunted me.
Why me?
Leave me be.
Oh, the horror, gee.
Gimme the key.
No, darn it, there's no fee.
I just wanna be free.
Oh, why me?
Umm, I'm getting queasy.
Someone give me some tea.
Oh, why me?
Why not he?
Turbulence
A solitary figure in a cloak walked on the dirt path in the forest, his footsteps pitter pattering lightly on the dirt. The cape of his cloak fluttered behind and around him as the wind blew playfully. He shook his head slowly as he walked. Negotiations better have gone well.
He walked off the path and arrived at a small clearing with a pavilion. There waiting by the pavilion was small wiry man, whose arm seemed to be wounded. The figure stopped in front of him and nodded.
"How were they?"
The man shook his head. "I'm afraid not too well, your highness."
The figure took off the hood to reveal vibrant red hair and a silver circlet resting on his brows. His violet eyes went to the man's arm and observed the blood trickling down the arm. "How bad? You're wounded."
"I don't know how much time we have. The emperor was resolute. He was not in a position to negotiate at all. I barely escaped. He's ordered the army to attack the clan."
"What? When?" The red haired man shook his head. First the Wild Mages, now this. I wonder why.
"I would guess now. He did say as soon as possible, your highness."
"We must return now!" He quickly healed the wounded man, and they rushed back. I wonder how much time we wasted.
"The emperor's troops are coming! The emperor's troops are coming!" The alert went through the whole clan.
Auburn haired green eyed Melana blanched. It's too early. My husband isn't back yet, and the hunters are out somewhere hunting! She hugged her baby close to her as she bundled and prepared. The servants rushed to her. "No, no, I'll handle this. Uh, tell everyone to disperse and hide. We must move."
"Yes, your highness." The servants bowed.
Melana shook her head. Why? Why did the emperor hold something again the clan? They had done nothing wrong, nothing to provoke him. She looked at the bundle in her arms. Oh, Kaji. You're too young for this. Hugging him against her, she ran outside and surveyed the process.
Everything was being packed quickly, but Melana's heart sank. She could feel the army arriving. She ran through the clan, asking the able fighters to stand and hold off the enemy as the others fled. They agreed without arguing. It was a grave matter.
The army was approaching. How large it was, Melana could not fathom. The sound of hooves and heavy equipment could be heard from so far away. She knew they weren't that close yet, but…it was so terribly loud. Was it overkill? The army was so vast. It had to be, considering the amount of noise it was making.
One of the lookouts reported back to her and confirmed her fears. "Milady, the army is huge. There is a slim chance that we can stand up against it."
Melana's face fell. "Very well. Tell everyone to flee. We have no choice."
She retreated to her home and waited. Everyone was leaving, and her husband hadn't returned yet. It was her duty to get everyone to safety if he wasn't present. She sighed and went outside again. "Go! Go! Don't worry about me! Go! Hurry!"
She herself ran to one of the lookout spots and watched the approaching army. Oh, Zar'nde, where are you? Obviously, negotiations went terrible.
They charged toward the tribe site, finding it dismantled and empty buildings save for Melana.
"Where?"
"I told them to flee. Look at the size of that army! There's nothing we could do!"
Melana's husband looked at the army and frowned. He sighed as his face fell. "You're right. Safety first. Survival of the clan. We must leave. Melana, you and I will take separate paths. I will act as a diversion." He looked at the previously wounded man. "You, save yourself."
The wiry man hesitated, but with a glare from the king, he nodded and ran off. Melana looked at her husband with tears. "Promise me you'll live."
King Zar'nde embraced her and gave her a short kiss. "I promise. Now, take Kaji to safety. We need him and you if something goes wrong." He nodded and looked away.
"Zar'nde…."
"Go!"
Melana didn't need to linger anymore. The tone her husband had spoken with was serious, and it would do no good to be in his way. She quickly scurried off with the bundle in her hands.
Zar'nde looked around him. The army was huge. He shook his head. The emperor was intent on annihilating the clan. He sighed and unsheathed his sword. "Well, BLADE, you've never let me down yet." He looked more closely at the army. It was strange. The number of men was increasing by the second. "I see. They have us surrounded. Well, let us be honorable then. I hope the rest of the clan is safe."
The army was closing in.
The red haired rebel smiled and readied himself. "Soaring Heaven's Flash!"
Escape into the Other Land
They were alone. Melana ran with her son as fast as she could. They were going to have to cross the border to ensure safety. She had overheard soldiers saying that the clan had scattered and that they were going to hunt all over the land to kill them all. Melana was panicking; her hands started to sweat slightly. There were soldiers on her trail. She could hear them, and they were fast.
Thinking quickly, she crawled carefully and quietly into a bunch of bushes. Unfortunately, at that moment, Kaji began to cry. Melana panicked. "Shhh…" The queen rocked him carefully, and the crying ceased. However, it was enough to alert the soldiers. She froze as they began to search the bushes.
Don't cry, Kaji. Don't cry… please…
The baby began to wail.
Melana grimaced and started moving away from the bushes, but they caught her.
"Found one. Baby gave her away," one of the soldiers said. "Go look for the others. I'll catch up to you."
The other soldiers nodded and left.
The soldier in front of Melana was very undefined. His features were obscured by his armor attire. She didn't like it. With a mask and hidden figure, army soldiers could and would commit atrocities without their faces being known. Melana backed away from the soldier and stood up. She ran without looking back. After running for about a minute, she looked back panting. Strangely enough, the soldier was still standing there. He had made no movement to pursue. Melana blinked. She swore that she saw him wink. She shook her head and continued running.
Zar'nde ran towards Melana and the soldier. No, I can't let them take her! He stopped short when he saw Melana flee and the soldier not even attempting to pursue. He sighed. Perhaps a bit too loud, though he was sure that no one could hear him. The soldier looked in his direction. He froze.
"No need to be afraid," the soldier said, his soft voice carrying to Zar'nde's ears. "Hurry and go!"
Zar'nde's feet were rooted to the ground. He didn't understand. He moved when he heard other soldiers' footsteps. As he fled, Zar'nde wondered. Strange. Who was that soldier?
They met up in the Dark Caves, the passage between the lands of Kaneboro and Mythopia. None of them had ever set foot on Mythopia's turf before, but Melana, in her random idiosyncrasies, had read much on the land. She very much wanted to rest, but Zar'nde disagreed. "They'll catch up to us before we know it. We must press on."
And so they did. Zar'nde ended up carrying Melana and their son when she tired. As they trudged though the never ending labyrinth like caves, Zar'nde wondered if anyone else had survived and if they would ever find their way out of the caves. He wouldn't have been surprised if they ended right back in Kaneboro, but he was wrong.
Mythopian Country
The light hit him hard, blinding him momentarily. He stumbled. Alerted by his wife's screams, he realized that he had dropped her and the baby. Zar'nde quickly found his footing and tried to save his family. He was too late. They were all on the floor. Zar'nde laughed to himself softly. "Sorry, Melana."
She glared at him. "It sure is bright here in contrast to those caves we were in."
"Gee, I wonder why they're named the Dark Caves," Zar'nde mused.
Melana glared at him. "Let's go."
The nearest city was the star shaped Shine in the Emerald Kingdom. Luckily for them, Melana had remembered to pack some money in the frenzy. They exchanged currency in the information office. Life on the other side didn't seem too different.
Melana made a living by finding a job in the nursery. She was able to take care of Kaji in that way as well. Zar'nde became enrolled as an instructor in a martial arts school. Naturally, the family had to change their names. Kaji became known as Blade, since his father wanted to link him to his sword somehow. Melana's name was changed to Lana. Zar'nde had a more difficult time changing his name. He wanted something creative, but Melana talked him out of it. Zar'nde became Zedd. As time progressed, they became citizens of Shine, but they decided to leave as soon as they could. Word had been spread somehow that there were Kaneberon assassins about.
The three moved away from the Dark Caves area. They traveled north for days and found themselves in the Forcena Kingdom. Deciding that this was far enough, they settled down. A year had passed.
It bothered Zar'nde that he had not heard about anyone else in the clan. He went out each day to work and search for words. Each day, he came home disappointed.
"There are survivors," Melana assured him. "There always are. They just don't know where anyone is. They're just like us."
Zar'nde put his hope in her words.