Thrar Feivrine- The Search of The Flaming Ash, Part 3

[romeo_longsword]

The Childhood

The loving parents of Thrar intended to provide an upbringing that's
free from violent and hate. Since Thrar became part of their lives,
Tisiano decided to give up his sword and free from any martial weapons.

But with his lifetime worth of training is difficult for to erased.
There is a piece of wood that they have in their farm, a stick that
they use to beats away any pests that might threaten the crops or their
farmlands. When he is walks around in the wild or the forest, he often
sub consciously hold it in his hand then put his arms behind his back.
Though he never waves it around that gives away his combat style, but
the way he holds it would show any experienced swordsman his experience
in swordsmanship.

Thrar walked with his father often but was never introduced to any
martial weapons or any necessity in using one. Though he looked up to
his father as the powerful figure who beats away any threat to the farm
with the trusty wooden stick, but he has never seen him as a fighting
man. Life was beautiful and innocent for young Thrar.

Until one day, while Thrar was walking with his father in the wild,
Tisiano was approached by a stranger.

The stranger has an interesting appearance for the simple folks here in
the farmlands, his hair are tighten up in a tail with part of it
loosely flowed in the air. He was wearing muit-layered padded armour in
red and deep blue, with a few metal clips strapped the armour in place.
His hosted two shortswords were placed just below his armpits. Both of
his hands are bandaged in some well-worn cotton like fabrics,
functioning as gloves. With his thick and heavy cape flowing slightly
behind him, held by a set of decorative metal clips around his neck. If
he did not address himself as a ranger, he could be mistaken as a
swashbuckler.

The ranger was named Bokar, the spokesman for a pack of united rangers
form the near by regions, some travelled a long distances to united
with their fellow rangers. He came here to inform the farmers about a
strange event, which was taking place near by.

The deep forest near the high mountain begun to be infected, the
landscape begun to shift and the soils are corrupted. Animals living
within it started to behave strangely, some even known to become
hostile to people.

The near by farms have taken a direct blow of dying crops, but another
strange fact is that they also suffered stocks lost. Some say they saw
giant Eagles with the size of a full grown adult, and wings so large
that could shadow over the whole field.

A gathering with the neighbouring farms and the a few rangers was held
that night, by their news, the spread of infection at this rate would
affect Thrar's farm very soon.

Bokar talked of a telepathic message he received while investigating
the forest, he saw "a man with no form" in his mind that asked him
to contact the sprit of the forest regarding to resolve this case. But
due to the unknown difficult surrounding and possible danger, he
requested the local farmers to guide the rangers deep into the forest.

As a potential dangerous trip, many farmers and local hunters refused
to help, leaving only a small number of volunteers, naturally, Tisiano
agreed to take part.

The following morning, the colour of his farmyard has darken, crops has
died, with the strange cause spreading through in such scale, those who
refused to join the trip last night had all gathered in front of
Tisiano farm, ready to set off to see the end of this cause. Most of
the women and children also came gathered to stay in the same place to
increase the protection for themselves.

More rangers came by to regroup with their brotherhood, ready to set
off with Bokar and the local farmers. One elven ranger, Calias Melin,
was paying a particular concerning interests in Thrar. He was
interested in relationship between Tisiano and Thrar. But his attention
was quickly distracted when the group begun to seek the "sprit of the
forest".

As they moved inwards of to the forest, they begun to feel the
corruption infected the woods, the soil were almost solid black, and
many plants were dead or decaying, giving a strong sick smells to the
whole surrounding. The further they entered, the darker the forests
became. Large packs of ravens flying at the tree height, covering all
possible daylight. As they lilted the torches, the hot air raises the
dead smells from the soil and the bird droppings, making it difficult
to breath.

Through the darkness, they see a dead tree from a distant. The local
farmers and hunters informed Bokar that they are at around the central
point of the forest and the tree could possibly the physical form of
the sprit. As they stepped closer, they realise that the tree is fully
surrounded by dark, decaying vines. Some of which were still bubbling
and dripping with some sort of sticky fluid.

By their condition, they appeared to be dead vines; yet, they are still
moving around slowly if a force of evil processed them.
Suddenly, they moved rapidly towards to the group, at the same time, a
pack of dark wolves jumped out form nowhere, attacking everyone from
all directions.

The dark wolves appeared to be infected by a strange curse, their eyes
seems bleeding internally, as there gums in their mouths were endlessly
bleeding. The group draw their weapons and fought what they could. The
farmers fought with their farm tools and randomly attacked what they
can, while the rangers were trying hard trying to protect the farmers.

But the number of these beasts was many, as they were increasing their
number; the locals and the rangers were forced to moved towards to the
dead spirited tree while fighting the infected beasts and the limbs
grabbing vines. They fought long and hard, some slipped down on the
ground and was immediately helped by others, then, get back on their
feet and continue fighting, not one moment they had a breather.

Until the number of breasts almost fully surrounded the group, the
farmers and the rangers hardly had any space to move. Just as everyone
begin to give up hope; a bright white light busted its glow from inside
of the tree.

It shined away all the infected beasts, and the undead vines quickly
dried off. Everyone felt to the ground from the release of battle. The
white light was indeed the sprit of the forest; it was shining the last
time. As the surrounding slowly claimed down by the light, it began
sending its message to the farmers and rangers. It said that inside the
tree there is a seed, the last and only pure seed. It must be planted
in the forest and be blessed by a pure source of water. That way, the
sprit of the forest will have another chance to re-invent it self,
converting the corporation of into the nature we once know.

The bight light suddenly faded, as the sprit of the forest passed on.
Bokar dig deep into the bottom the of tree through its hallow body,
while everyone was tending to their wounds. As they trying to move out
of the forest, suddenly, Bokar received another telepathic message,
from a person who has no form. The messages spoke of the location of a
pure water source, a natural spring inside of a cave at the peak of the
mountain that's beyond the forest. However, the path to the cave will
be dangerous.

With the background filled with noises of moaning patients, Boar
informed the group the message he received. With their recent
experience, even the farmers have taken this quest on curing the forest
as a personal responsibility. Though many farmers and rangers offers
they help to join the further journey, but the majority of them are too
wounded to go on. For the farmer's safety, the rest of the ranger's
strength was decided to be better used in escorting the locals back to
the farm hut and treat they wounds.

Bokar expressed that he was willing to seek the cave alone, however,
the corrupted and shifted forest provide no clued on the direction of
the mountain and the way leaving the forest. He would benefit with a
local farmer's memory of forest and combine it with his tracking
skill. Within the group of local farmers, Tisiano has been holding
himself as the strong silent type; he has shown his ability in combat
and his claimless during changing situations. Most of all, he was the
least injured person within the group and has the will on saving the
forest; he agreed to accompany Bokar further into the journey.

A quick and informal farewell, the newfound team continue their quest.
They taken the advantage of the claimless generated by the last of the
forest light, speedily leaving the forest towards to the high mountain.
Their partnership worked well, both shown their experience in their
travels and awareness, making a strong and natural bound between
Tisiano and Bokar. They arrived to the high mountain, and the rocky
path was indeed difficult to travel. The dry mountain air was drying
their eyes and troughs and the cold sharp wind was cutting into their
skin. As they reach near to the peak, the dryness of the air has
eventually tightened their skin, which restricted their movement. The
lacking of air weaken their hearing, it became difficult for them to
focus.

Suddenly, a large shadow appeared through the mist a head, flying
towards to the two. From the dazed state of minds, they only remembered
to doge just before the fatal moment. They Looked back to their
attacker, the shadow was a large eagle with wings spread so wide that
would cover a small lake, and claws in such scale that could surround a
full grown man. As they are getting ready for its second attack, a
sharp cold breeze blew the back of their necks, without a moment to
react, they were knocked in to unconscious; it was another large eagle
came and took them from behind.

They awaken heavily injured, as the velocity of the eagle's claw
causes some internal bleeding; they coughed blood in this claim and
silent cave, filled with carcases of farm stocks and terrible smell of
decaying and dirt in a humid atmosphere.

Then the giant eagles approached.

They surrounded them, with one appeared more matured than others
proudfully standing before them.

"Who are you"? It asked though a telepathic wave.

Bokar could barely speak with his body being broken, but he tried hard
and explained their mission and the strange events that has recent
occurred around the region. With a strange sound the proud eagle
produced using its chest and trough, other smaller eagles lifted the
two gently with their heads, taking them into the back of the cave,
there, a giant eagle laid on the ground. This eagle appeared to be the
largest than the rest, it laid his head down weakly with its eyes
closed and its wings loosely spread on the flooring. It appeared to be
seriously ill, though, as the two men were presented to it, it made an
effort to pay the attention.

It lifted its head up with struggling effort, turned it head slowly and
giving the humans the eye contact, then, begun to explain itself.

The giant eagle is the father of the pack; the eagle family has six
members in total four of which are their children. They have too
recently suffered by the changes and the corruption of the land. The
father of the pack is poisoned by bad water and has begun to get weaken
day by day.

With the father being ill and their usual source of preys being
infected, the children were desperate to hunt for their pack, therefore
they were pressured to have reached the human settlement and took their
livestocks.

But the water around the mountain was not naturally turned poisoned; it
was the doing of a pack of evil druids. The pack of evil druids, ridden
the waves of the corrupted natural changes of the land, aim to take
over the region. They changed shape and turned into packs of drakes,
attempted to eliminate the eagle pack. But the eagles were strong and
have defended themselves.

They then poisoned the water to weaken the pack. Luckily, they have
received a telepathic message form a "man-like speaker with no
form", about the location of a pure spring. The pure water of this
cave is the only drinkable source around the mountain, as it also eases
the pain of the poison that their father has, and so they decided to
take resident here and protect this source of water.

Since the pair of human aimed to resolve their problem, the pack leader
decided to help them. It took a horse from its pen, which seemed to be
their food storage, and presented to both men. It said that this horse
has a strong will to live and therefore if should able to aid them in
returning to the forest speedily. Although both men and the horse were
quite injured, after they were fed with the spring water, their
condition immediately improved and was ready to move on.

The new horse was indeed a strong and determine horse, in the harsh
mountain had to rely on each other with their lives, encouraging each
other to live.

It has been days since Thrar saw his father, the worry feeling begun to
irriates him. He decided to take the wooden stick that Tisiano always
carried when they walked the wild. In his inneincate mind, he hoped
that the old stick would ensure the safety of his father.

The possible dangerous did not worry Thrar; his aim was to deliver the
wooden stick to his father, a symbolic weapon that represents defence,
and safety.

As long as his father carries the stick, none can harm them.

With such strong belief, Thrar secretly took a horse form his farm and
travelled into the forest with haste.

As Thrar riding into the forests speedily, a few rangers immediately
appeared behind him. Thrar paid no attention to them but ride a little
faster. Of course, the riding skill of a young farmer cannot match the
experienced rangers, they caught up with Thrar, riding side by side
with him, attempted to convince him to return to the farm hut. Thrar
continued to disobey, hold the wooden stick tightly and remained
silent.

The elven ranger, Calais Melin, suddenly extended his neck and with his
eyes wide looking forward. To the rest of them, what's a head was
nothing but a dense and dying forest. Then Calias drew the arrows,
fired them a head to what it seemed to be nowhere. When the sound of
the arrows was cutting across the air, sent by the graceful discipline
of the archer commanded attention from everyone around him. Calias
requested Thrar to hold ground, then, the small group of rangers ridden
forward a head.

As the pack of rangers rushing forward, they ready their bows on their
mounts. Then, Bokar, Tisiano and a grey horse suddenly appeared,
charging towards to them with speed. A couple of the rangers almost
fired at them by their shocking appearance. Until they realised those
were their friends. But it was too soon for a breather or loosens their
bows. Behind the Bokar and Tisiano, a several black drakes were chasing
them from behind. Calias lead the pack to shot down one of the drakes.
Then, the rangers share the drake's attention.

The excited drakes increased their flying speed, forced the rangers to
defend themselves by standing ground. As the started to fight the black
drakes at melee range, these evil shapeshifters turned into some
oversized bears. Tisiano leaped off the grey horse with his simple
spear, along with Bokar, fighting the bears toe to toe, allowed the
grey horse's escape.

One of the drakes at the back, turned into its true form, a human dark
druid who wears strange marking across his body. He begun to command a
large number of vine to assist his shape changing friends, providing
them with blessing that strengthen they combat abilities.

Couple of rangers leaped themselves at the spell-casting druid,
striking him with speedy blows. But the druid turned himself into a
half tree half man being, with skin like the bark, resisting the
physical damage. Then, its limps turned into tree roots, as the
extension of his arm and fingers, the rangers has no alternative but to
accept the torture that followed.

With the sound of battle, Thrar rushed into the scene, the first sight
were presented to him was a backgrounds of rangers fighting the large
bears, while vines and roots strangely waving across the air, not to
mention, a large bear raised itself before Thrar and ready to strike
him.

As he was looking at the attacking bear in shock, Bokar leaped on top
of this bear and sit on its shoulders with his thighs sandwiched its
neck, paused the bears action. Then, with his already raised swords,
jabbed into the bear's chest. As the dying bear slowly falling
forward, Bokar ridden it's body to the ground, then, smoothly hopped
off, and land his feet on the ground. He attended to Thrar and lifted
him up off the ground, as they both started walking, suddenly, the
flying roots of the half tree beast caught Bokar.

He fallen on the ground, straggled to take the rapid moving roots off
his leg. The dark druid begun to move towards to the disable Bokar,
with no time to escape, Thrar decided to return the favour to his
savoir He stood between the druid and Bokar, holding the old wooden
stick up with his extended arm, welcoming the charging druid.

As Tisiano realised where the dark druid is heading, he saw his son,
standing moments away from his ending. He squinted his eyes, tried to
stayed focus, then, draw the longsword form the ranger to his left (the
ranger were using two shortswords at the time) and swiftly sprung
towards to the druid across the air, cutting the obstructed roots, as
his foot just touched the ground, he removed the head of the evil druid
in one blow.

Everyone were shocked at what Tisiano just did, but his action
encouraged their battle sprit, and begun to turn the tide of the
battle.

Tisiano looked a Thrar, as Thrar looked at his father in return in
shock. He dropped the longsword on the ground, stared at Thrar; feeling
of guilt came flowing in his mind. As he broken the silent promise he
had to Thrar that he would not show him violence. Nor should he present
himself as a killer in front of him. Though in the state of shock,
Thrar was nevertheless overwhelmed with joy to see his father alive.

Before they were able to greet each other with words, the sounds of
creaking trees, shifting sand coming from within the forest. With a
cast of darkness surrounding the atmosphere, they only knew it was the
druid's doing. More druids came as reinforcement. The rangers dived
right into battle without a moment of delay. The new reinforcement
quickly reacted by performing some magical ritual.

Whatever it was, they turned all of the metal weapons into a red-hot
iron in a flesh melting tempture. For the wooden weapons such as the
bows, became overgrown with plant and naturally became disabled. The
rangers were left to defend themselves without weapons hopelessly.
Until a sound of rapid horse steps, rushing into their ears, the
remaining rangers has brought all able bodies form the farmlands have
came to aid. The united force of the local farmers and rangers from all
regions combined their attack in formation, supporting those who are
already engaging the enemies, raised the battle sprit and everyone
fought with passion.

The head druid could not accept such nonsense, and turned himself into
a blue dragon, raising itself over fifteen feet tall, its large wings
flapped, pushing many on the ground.

It then produced a couple of rapid swings with his claws, crushed or
knocked down everyone who was in their path, including the dark druids.

Lying on the floor, the pressure on his chest made him feeling hard to
breath, Bokar passed the forest seed and the pure water to Thrar in his
shaking hand, asked him to plant the last seed of the forest. Thrar too
laid on the ground, struggling from the powerful forced that just
slammed into his body. While lying on the ground shaking, the young elf
planted the seed using the old wooden stick as a tool, and finally,
showered it with the pure water.

Without paying attention to the blue dragon, Tisiano, slowly stood up
and walked up to Thrar and Bokar.

"Dad..." Thrar said, while holding the wooden stick towards to
Tisiano in his shaking hand.

With the tone of his voice if though he was holding the cure to all
these mess. Tisiano accepted the wooden stick and slowly sat down, his
presence provided a slight comfort to the two. Tisiano smiled, looking
at the stick, remembering the image of Thrar attempted to safe Bokar by
holding it and standing before a stronger being that would grant him
certain death. He shook his head slowly while still smiling. He was
proud to have raised such a noble person. At the same time, he was
jealous of Varandil, Thrar's true blood father, to have Thrar to
carry his blood.

Tisiano then slowly stood up with his back turned the dragon if though
it was none existent, the blue beast then demanded the attention by the
screamed in such high pitch if though the whole earth shook.

Tisiano turned around and saw the sparkling lights and dancing flames
gathering at the dragon's mouth, getting prepared to explore into a
great flame. For those who were even slightly able, they tried hard
pushing their broken bodies away from the dragon as far as they could.
While Tisiano walked up towards to the dragon a few steps, keeping his
eye contact, then, raised the wooden stick and pointed it at the beast
calmly.

The blue dragon was surprised in amusement, forwarded it self, closer
to his preys. Its large reptile, metallic body moved in a ground
shaking steps, and its deep vibrating, grumbling sounds has frightened
all those around it.

As it raised it's head getting ready to burn all was in front of it,
Tisiano blinked his eyes slowly, if though he has just accepted the end
of him. He accepted that the role he would play. Like Thrar, like
Varandil, he will place himself between death and his love ones. He
opened his eyes, looking forward to his last sight.

That moment, he hears some sound behind him.

A lively and rapid sound that came closer and closer to him from
behind.

Tisiano did not turned around; he seemed to know what it was. After
living together at the edge of their lives through the high mountain,
Tisiano could recognise the aura of familiar grey horse that was
rushing towards to the dragon form behind him.

Not even a horse would accept the idea of death; its expectation of
survival conquered any doubts, which the dragon may have tried to give.
It rushed towards the dragon from behind the people, with the hope of
life carried with it.

Tisiano felt what it carried too, and he placed trust in the company
that this horse once again offered. As the horse brushing pass him, he
gently and speedily spied himself on the horse, riding it at full speed
towards to the dragon. The dragon blew his cloud of fire, but at this
moment, what the dragon does seems matter little, as everyone carried
hope within themselves, they paid their duty as a living.

The horse could not stand the heat around the fire breath, fallen on
the ground before while Tisiano, the master of firetraps in his
murderous days, held no fear and continued the horse speed, dived in to
the cloud of fire.

When everyone squinted their eyes, watching Tisiano disappearing into
the fire cloud, screamed in such passion if though they congratulate
the courage he has displayed, and in such pitch they could not even
hear it themselves. A split of a moment later, a fiery figure appeared
from the top of the fire cloud.

Tisiano appeared on the top of the fire, with his robe burning and
wavering on his back loosely, created the image of Phoenix out of
Tisiano. The Phoenix flew into the dragon's mouth and thrust the
wooden stick into the dragon.

Without making a sound, the dragon turned itself about, and then
disappeared into puffs of fire and smoke. Tisiano fallen from the great
height, rolled himself on the ground putting off the fire.

The chapter of the evil druids has comes to an end.

Some say it is because of the pure water contacted the wooden stick,
which made it powerful. Some believe that it is because of the faith
and that Thrar has placed into the stick that has conquered the evil.

>From where the dragon laid, they found a dying golden chick. Tisiano
could not let it die, and healed it into a lively chicken but with a
strange broken voice. They believed that the chick is the remaining
form of the dragon, which Tisiano ahs damaged by the final blow. Later,
it disappeared, but after a few weeks, a friendly Hawk came to Tisiano,
too with a broken voice. And since, Tisiano has made friend with the
wild Hawk.

The grey horse that delivered Tisiano to the dragon suffered a burn,
but it healed quickly and was adopted by the Ranger Bokar. He named it
"Ming", a name Bokar claimed to be inspired by the telepathic
voice, which guided him throughout the mission.

Calias Melin witness the deed of Tisiano and his relationship with
Thrar, since then he has stopped showing sign of concern.

Bokar became a closer friend to the Feivrine family; he especially got
on well with Thrar. From then on, Thrar has begun to mimic Bokar's
appearance. They later discovered an orphan baby bear wondering in the
forest, and decided to adopt it as their wild pet. Thrar named her,
"Mini".