TALES OF
THE FALLEN
PALADIN
It was a dark, bleak night, but of course that was no surprise. I didn't mind the dark so much, I wouldn't be that much of a Dark
Knight if I jumped at the shadows of the night, would I? Anyway, It was warm, and I was a bit sweaty in my armor. I had recently
eliminated a band of gypsies in this land known as Ravenloft, and a good fight always gets me sweating. Not because I'm nervous,
mind you, but it can get darn warm wearing armor, and the weight involved is always a good workout. The gypsies did put up a good
fight, but were easily no match for a fighter of my caliber.
I had my horse loaded with the loot I found on the bodies and in the wagons, and was heading back to Pinnacle to see if Cancer would
find any value in it, and maybe put some of the better stuff in the box for the other guys to use. Yeah, I'm not so wild about those
dippy Light Knights using a lot of the stuff, but they're entitled to it as knights. Honor, glory, and all those other little details. That's
okay. I know who would eventually win in the end. But right now, I wouldn't mind heading back for a little warmth and companionship
at the guild pub, having a few tankards and some good old BS. These were the thoughts on my mind as I came across the tree.
It was an oak, far as I could tell. There were no leaves on it, and probably wouldn't have caught my attention if it hadn't been for the
body that was stuck to it by a rather large spear. As I examined the body, I could tell it had been there for awhile. The armor on it's
body was in good shape, but had begun to show signs of rust and rot. A few dents and deep scratches showed where he had been
struck a few times, probably before whoever had come along and decided he'd make a good decoration. I figured that he'd probably
bought the farm in a good fight, and really shouldn't be left there to rot. Surprisingly, the body was in good condition, and showed no
sign of the normal decay a body should have gone. I didn't make too much of it, so I started to wrench the spear from his chest.
Whoever had put it there in the first place must have had a good strike, for the blade was buried rather deeply in the tree. A bit of
wobbling, though, and it withdrew from the tree and the body with only a bit of fuss. I looked over the spear, and seeing it was in good
condition, decided to put it with the rest of my loot to sell. While I was tying it to my horse, I heard a bit or rustling behind me. I
turned around. Big mistake.
Instead of being sprawled at the base of the tree, where it had fallen after I removed the spear from its chest, it was now standing
erect. It also had a sword and shield which had apparently materialized out of nowhere. It was looking at me the way someone hungry
looks at a side of beef. Oh great, I thought to myself, now what have I gotten myself into??
Now I should point something out here. Yes, I'm evil. I've been in the presence of knights eviller than me, and I've barely flinched.
I've touched the Orb of Darkness, let it bend be more towards evil, and I reveled in its glory. But the evil I felt flowing from this
ghastly appartion nearly put the fear of god in my pants. I knew I was in for trouble.
As the figure advanced, I drew my own sword and shield, though I had no idea in heck how I was going to fight this thing. I quickly
thought through all the tactics and stratgies I had been taught over my tiem as a fighter, but I couldn't find any that covered how to
fight someone who won't stay dead. I guessed a defensive posture would be most appropriate at this time, so I shifted so my shield
side was towards him, shield well in place to block any attack I expected... and quite a few I could imagine.
For some inexplicable reason, the figure stopped. It lowered its sword. From what I could tell by its gaze, it was looking intently at
the crest upon my shield. It then spoke with a voice that defied comprehension. "You are one of the Knights of the Dark?"
By this point I was completely unnerved. About all I could manage was a squeaky, "Y-y-y-yes!"
The figure contemplated a moment. "Ah, a fellow warrior who has chosen the path of power and darkness, as I once did... a long time
ago..." He seemed to go a bit distant at that point.
I lowered my sword, though I kept the shield up, since it seemed to have some effect upon him. "Um, uh, yeah, I'm a Dark Knight.
You were one too?"
He snapped back to the present. "Yes, and not entirely by my own choice. It is a path which has led me far and wide, and now it is a
path which apparently is not going to be ending for awhile. Ah, the stories I could tell..."
I was thinking quickly, figuring if I had to fight this guy, I probably wasn't going to be hitting the pub anytime soon. "Well, I happen to
be a storyteller and keeper for the guild, maybe you could pass on your knowledge?"
He hit me at that point with a gaze that would send even greater men into a fit. I have no idea how my brain stayed in one piece at
that point. "Oh really? Has the guild devolved into a group of people who go out, hack at a few puny goblins, then return and tell yarns
about what great creatures they have faced?"
I wanted to answer back about that, but I figured a diplomatic answer at this point would have a better affect on my continuing health.
"Uh, no, we're as valiant as ever, but the occasional story of someone's deeds or even a just demonstrating some of our greater
virtues has a great effect in raising everyone's morale." I thought my armor was going to rust from the inside I was sweating so
much.
He held my gaze for a bit more, and then looked aside. "Hmmm, I guess there is merit in what you say. I'll let you live for now. I hope
you do have some writing instruments with you, for I wouldn't want my tales to be cluttered up by some mind as weak as yours."
Now that was REALLY getting offensive, but I wasn't about to argue with him, so I grabbed my journal, ink, and pen from my horse,
and found a somewhat comfortable spot to sit. Opening the journal, I inked my pen, looked up, and muttered, "Ready when you are."
He let it pass. He summoned a chair from nowhere, sat upon it, and leaned back slightly. "Ah, where to begin. It began so many years
ago........."
-=Tales from the Fallen Paladin, Part the First=-
My youth is so long ago, it is nothing but a hazy memory. I remeber nothing before my application as a novice to the guild. Before they
would let me enter, they required three quests of me. One, I had to chop down the the oldest tree I could find in the lands south of
Pinnacle. Second, to restore the statue of Oscar to the rightful hands of Mickey the Mouse. Lastly, to end the ravages of one Mack
the Maniac on the Land of Duplo.
Equipping myself with the best weaponry and armor I could afford at the smithy, I ventured into the lands in the south. Long did I
search the forests for my first goal. Oh, many times did I find a tree which stood old and stately. But every time I did mark one as
such, I managed to find another before too long. Finally, in frustration, I smote my sword against an oak which I had come across, and
proved my last guess incorrect. My anger quickly became surprise as a small, nible young lady stepped from the interior of the tree.
"What are you doing to my home!!' she cried.
"My apologies good lady. For days I have been searching for the oldest tree in these woods, and having been proved wrong again and
again hath proved quite annoying. I meant no harm to your tree, unless by some means it is the crux of my quest," I replied.
"Well, this is indeed the oldest tree you will find in this forest, but I am afraid I cannot let you harm it," she answered with a hint of an
edge in her voice.
"Truly sorry." I don't know how I kept a straight face as I cleanly ran her through. She sighed, and dropped lifeless to the ground.
Quickly, I drew the axe from my pack, and made quick work of the tree.
I pondered which quest to pursue next, and decided that ending the life of Mack would be closer. Long did I scour the Land of Duplo,
and I finally found him in an attic of a house, raving and tearing the heads of the land's tiny inhabitants from their bodies. He did prove
a bit more of a fight than the dryad, but in the end I claimed his head also.
Finally, I only had to restore the Statue of Oscar to its rightful owner. It took me many weeks of searching, and the cooperation of
several of the locals before I finally restored the statue to Mickey. His speech of gratitude still grates upon my ears.
I brought back the merits of my worth to the guild, and I was duly inducted into the guild. There was a large celebration as I was
welcomed into the brotherhood of the knights, and I reveled in it. I knew there was going to be much to learn, and many hard hours,
but with a company such as this, there could be no wrong.
-=******=-
It grew quiet as he drew the story to a close. I looked up at him, and asked, "Um, that's it?"
He glared at me again. Lord I hated that glare. "No, I have simply grown tired of my voice for now. Also, the light doth grow in the
east. I have grown hateful of the light, and do try to avoid it. Now leave me. Come again, if you dare, and I will continue anon."
I figured this was a very good idea. Besides, I wasn't that fond of the morning anyway. "I'll return soon." I put my implements upon
my horse as I prepared to leave.
I remembered his grating voice as I left the vicinity.
"I'm sure you will."
