Atonement - CH. 0
A Dragonslayer seeks atonement for his actions while at war. Will he find the reconciliation that he seeks?
“When the trumpets of war lay silent, and the ashes of conflict lay cold, the surviving soldiers will know their worth not by the number of enemies that lay slain by their blade, but by how heavy their actions weigh against their souls.” -An excerpt from The Book of The Warrior.
The world was a howling canvas of white, a lone figure the only spot of darkness on an otherwise unmarred landscape, the sounds of their footsteps through the almost knee deep snow completely covered by the howling of the wind. If they were to succumb to the elements and fall where they stood, their body would be quickly covered by the snowfall, and it most likely wouldn’t be found until sometime in the spring when the thaw began.
The thought crossed the figure’s mind, bringing a scowl to their covered face. If someone did come across their body would they leave it to rot? Remove his gear and let the scavengers help themselves in ravaging whatever edible parts were left? It would be a fitting end, he thought bitterly, or would whomever found his desiccated corpse plant a marker for him? What would it say? Warrior? Dragon slayer? Murderer?
He shook his head forcibly, clearing it of such thoughts, he would be able to contemplate his death when he was good and ready, until then he had to survive, and so, he trudged on until he came across a small alcove in the snow and rock that dotted the sides of the mountain he was traversing. Knowing that winters were harsh here, and the night would only exacerbate that fact, he decided that the small reprieve from the wind that this alcove would offer would be his best option when it came to surviving another day.
Once a fire was lit, the man huddled up near it for warmth, a small blessing in a world that was currently nothing but cold. It warmed his hands and his face, but did little to warm the coldness that seemed to penetrate more deeply these days, something less than physical. “What are you doing?” He asked himself, though it almost seemed like he was addressing someone that sat on the other side of the fire. When there was no answer, nor should there have been, the man checked over what he was wearing.
His face was covered almost completely in a length of fabric he had wrapped to cover his head, leaving only his eyes exposed. On his body was an incomplete set of armor. He was missing the shin guard off of his left leg, everything below the pauldron on his right arm, and the half plate he had worn for so long fell off some time ago during his journey. He took the time to remove the pauldron off of his arm and tossed it out into the snow. On his torso there was a chainshirt that was fit snugly over some cold weather gear, his pants were wool and he wore layers under them as well, his intent was not to freeze in the unforgiving snow after all. The only reason he began his journey in full kit was out of a sense that it was right, given his goals.
As his thoughts drifted to his future his eyes drifted to the sword and shield that leaned against the rock wall next to him. A dark brown sheath around what he knew to be a full silver colored blade that ended in a simple cross guard and a dark leather grip. His shield was a bit less unassuming, a jet black affair with the image of three flowers emblazoned on it in a deep purple.
How he had come to hate those flowers.
The flowers in question had petals like a rose, layered atop one another, though the stem was woody and looping, vinelike and covered in tiny thistles, almost giving it a furry look to it, though anyone that knew the plant would know that touching it would leave their hand pricked full of holes. The stylization of the shield though made it less fuzzy and more jagged, sharp points jutting out here and there and random intervals.
The man sighed and turned himself towards the wall of the alcove, the flickering flames causing shadows to jump and loom over him as he fell into a restless slumber.
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He woke with a start, an increasingly familiar feeling these days. He sighed deeply, laying still in the position he had fallen asleep in for a few moments. The fire had long gone out, and the chill had returned to the air. The wind had calmed down though which was a plus. He slowly rose to his feet, grabbing his sword and shield once more and breathing deep, holding the breath in his lungs for a count of five before exhaling slowly, watching the cloud that formed from his mouth disappear before setting out on his path once more.
Now that the howling wind had subsided, the cold air did not have the same bite that it did during his travels the day before, visibility was also much better, letting him better see his path. Glancing upwards, the mountain loomed above. Somewhere near the peak was his goal, he only hoped he could make it there before succumbing to the elements. He had done his best to ward off the elements , but given that he had also left for the mountain in a haste, he had forgotten to properly prepare, neglecting to bring proper stores of food. He had a few pieces of preserved meat on him that he was hesitant to eat too quickly as he didn’t know how long he would be searching, but he dare not head back. He could not head back.
His climb continued, stumbling over rocks hidden by the snow or losing his grasp on icy surfaces, his path forward was arduous and the sun was at its peak before a shadow was cast overhead. Squinting, he peered towards the sky, seeing a great beast of white, banking on wings made of ice like flesh, disappearing onto a ledge above him. There, he thought, was the end of his journey. Whether or not it would be the beginning of a new one remained to be seen.
With some effort he managed to eventually climb up the last hundred feet or so, breathing heavily as he pulled himself onto the ledge that led to the cave dwelling of the large dragon that he had seen. The creature was large, easily seven if not eight feet at the shoulder. Powerful muscles rolled beneath scales as white as virgin snow. The only things breaking that pure coloration were the thick black tail spines that jutted from the end of its tail like stripped trees laying among an avalanche, two horns, the color of thick ice, that bowed out near where they met the skull of the great creature before coming close together once more before running parallel, and the membranes of its leathery wings which matches the ice-like coloration of the dragon’s horns.
Noticing its unexpected guest the dragon lifted its head from its meal, blood and viscera clinging to the muzzle of the great beast, a terrifying visage that has been known to send panic into even the bravest of men.
The creature’s eyes narrowed as it glimpsed the emblem on the shield that the man carried with him. “You have come a long way to die Dragonslayer, I assure you there are quicker and less painful ways to seek out one’s own death.” The dragon rumbled in a low voice that spoke of cracking ice shelves and avalanches from the peaks of the tallest mountains.
The man quickly pulled himself to his feet before falling to a knee, cracking it painfully against the stone beneath him, but he did not flinch. “Elder one,” he began, addressing the great creature before him as he would an honored elder among his own people, “I have not come to slay you, but to seek atonement, in accordance with the Old Ways of my people and of yours.”
The dragon’s eyes narrowed, a low growl filling the air, underlining its words with a restrained anger. “There was a conflict, was there not? If they took up arms against you, it is a fair kill.” The dragon busied itself by taking another bite of its meal, speaking through jaws of bloody meat. “According to the Old Ways, you should be kneeling before the families of those slain, could you not find them?”
The kneeling man took a deep shuddering breath, steeling his resolve before speaking. “I have come seeking atonement not for spilling the blood of a fellow warrior, but for spilling the blood of innocents.” He took another deep breath, “and for tearing families asunder, casting the survivors to the wind”
The dragon roared at the man’s words, quickly closing the distance between them. “Innocent blood? Is it not enough for you to make a living killing my kind, but you apply your bloody trade to innocents and young?” Punctuating his questions with another roar and a small gout of flame spat above the man’s head, the dragon’s voice falls low, it’s anger seeping into each of its words that followed. “Should I not strike you down here and now in accordance with the Old Ways that you seem to espouse?”
The man looked up at the dragon, his ears ringing, and with a level voice, he met the dragon’s eye and answered. “If either of us believed that my death alone would be enough to atone for the wrongs I have committed, I would offer you my throat willingly along with my blade so you would not soil your claws with my blood. I have committed acts of evil in this life, I do not deny this, nor would I ever. But before my death I must at least put forth an effort to do some good in this world. I cannot let my legacy be a soul blackened by evil deeds before I joined The Mother in death.”
The two held that gaze for agonizing moments, sincerity clear in the man’s eyes contrasted by the righteous anger in the cold eyes of the dragon. Thrashing its tail, the dragon spat another gout of flame skyward, answering the man with anger in their voice, though further tempered. “Very well, speak your name Dragonslayer, speak your clan, and speak your intention. I’m accordance of the old ways I will set you upon the path to atonement, but I do not do so guaranteeing your life”
The man nods solemnly. “My name is Cyril Clansson, I was raised by the Bay Clan, I come seeking atonement for the innocent blood I have spilled. I know my life is not guaranteed, I only ask that you set me on a path that will allow me to do some good before my demise.”
The dragon rose to its rear legs, towering above the lone human. “I, Icandyr, have heard your plea Cyril Clansson, and I shall grant you your path to atonement” A mighty thud reverberated through the cave as the dragon fell back to all fours once more, “First, I shall mark you with my sigil so that others of my kind may recognize your intentions. Second, you will return to your people. I am familiar with the Bay Clan and their rites. You will hold a pyre and cast whatever remains of your dragonslaying gear into the flames save for your sword and shield. Third, you shall leave your family and this island, only to return upon receiving atonement or not at all. Fourth, while on your path if you should find yourself in need to draw steel, you may not remove your sword from its scabbard without drawing your own blood. And Finally, you may not hide your identity no matter who asks, your shield shall be worn plainly, your name is Cyril Clansson, a dragonslayer, and if that information leads to your death then so be it. No longer shall you walk the path of The Warrior, Dragonslayer. Today you walk a new path, you shall walk the path of The Wanderer, may you find redemption in your travels.”
Cyril kept his head down as the dragon spoke, listening to the terms of the path he would take, when the dragon finished speaking he returned his gaze to the mighty white dragon’s eyes, staring into their piercing blue eyes with determination.
“Now remove your shirt and lay on your stomach, oh, and find something to bite down on, this will be quick, but very painful.” There was a slight edge of amusement in Icandyr’s voice, the idea of causing the dragonslayer before them producing a small amount of pleasure.
Cyril nodded and balled up part of his shirt before sticking it in his mouth and laying down, his stomach pressed against the ice cold stone beneath him. Looking up, he saw Icandyr reaching towards him, a single claw on the dragon’s mighty hand moving towards the bare skin of Cyril’s back. There was a slight pressure behind the sharp tip of the claw as it was pressed against him, then the world exploded into pain.
Thank you for reading this first instalment of Atonement! It is a story that I've had bouncing around in my head for a while now and I've decided to finally put it to paper, I just hope I can do the story that I want to tell justice! Feedback is always appreciated, and stay tuned for the next installment!