Short stories

The Wilting Willow

This is the story of the Knights of Dryaght, or Enforcers as their called. They are revered as the strongest warriors of the realm, but what happens when they fight a foe from outside the known lands.
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Dryaght was at war, the King of Gyert had attempted to stab King Quyt during their peace negotiations but, Drake had been his guard that day and he reacted with all the speed and power of the cheetahs seen in faraway lands. He had drawn his sword and parried the thrust and elbowed the King in the stomach, Then spun on his heel and smashed ed the pommel of his sword into Gyert's temple, knocking him out cold. " Feeble attempt with you around my friend, now let's deliver this man to his country and claim rights to all conditions of surrender." Quyt said. Drake said nothing. Quyt chuckled, "Well put, but I wish you actually spoke. Why don't you speak?" He asked, silence. "I expected that. Now disarm and tie up our guest." Drake took Gyert's dagger and picked him up by his feet nd shook him as if he were a garment that needed shaking, two more daggers, a sword and a vial of poison fell from his person. Once Drake collected the weapons he tied up the King and slung him over his shoulder. "Alright Drake now we walk!" He declared, Drake Blew on a horn and a Bear ambled in. "Ahhh, your strange friend, I forgot that Enforcers always take a trip to the ancient Willow, but more later let's be off!" He repeated and after three short blows on the horn the small party was on their way, the Pair of kings on the bear and Drake on land jogging at a fast pace to the enemy camps.
As soon as The party entered the camp Drake walked to the command tent and then slashed through its support beams and the flag of the camp fell, then the army fell upon him but, then the bear roared and the enemy saw their debilitated king. They threw their weapons down and hunched in defeat, "He attempted to kill me in a dishonorable manner during our negotiations and I have claimed full rights to the terms, Dryaght claims the lands of Gyert and the right to command it's armies and lands, and Dryaght has now conquered the entirety of the explored lands." Declared King Quyt. Drake stood in silence as the army disbanded to carry the news to their countrymen and to adjust to the new life that will follow.
Drake contacted his fellow Enforcers by putting a message into a bow and had his companion , Dral, pull back his bear bow and shoot off the message arrow in the direction of the Isle of Champions. He received a return message. Return to us, Dryaght has no more use for our services. Drake showed the letter to King Quyt and took his leave. "So long my friend and don't forget to visit soon!" He called as Drake and Dral sum out to the Isle, an impossible task for any who try except an Enforcer, they knew the ways around the powerful currents that protect the Isle. "Drake, welcome back now we observe the progress of a unified continent.
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Many years went by with peace and prosperity, but as the Order of Enforcers continued to train and defend their order and then a new King inherited the throne and now his top advisor has a score to settle, and the Ancient Willow tree is at the center of it.
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King Quyt has given the throne to his son, Hej. Gab is his top advisor and the son of the King of Gyert and still holds his father's loss close to heart, his father has come to terms with his loss and has told him to let it go. "Hej, we must take control of the Enforcers they have become the strongest army ever to exist. Once we have taken command we will begin an empire of all known lands!" Gab urged. "Gab, how will we take command if they are the strongest, and they are isolated on an unreachable isle surrounded by relentless currents that will tear any naval invasion to pieces." Haj rebutted. Gab stormed over to the map of the Continent, "But, all Enforcers must travel to the Ancient Willow to complete their training! So we ambush them as recruits appear at the tree, and then when they search for the recruits we will capture their leader and only release him only when they swear allegiance to us!" He declared triumphantly. Now with their plan in action they set an ambush nd waited.
After a few months, Drake went in search of the recruits along with a small group of senior Enforcers, "Drake look! An Eagle and Falcon with the armor marks that their partners received from the Willow! They must have been ambushed. Let's hurry up." One Enforcer shouted. Drake called Dral and he roared to get the attention of the birds of prey. Once they were safe and healed the small party moved on and came upon the Willows clearing. And scattered as arrows rained on them, Drake quickly shot return fire to realize that the arrows shot were made of pure dark energy, and the archers were not any creature he has seen before. His arrows still had a massive effect as they struck their marks right in the area he assumed was the head, the creatures fell. And Drake checked on his party to find them unconscious, not dead but very close, but Enforcers are tough and they will pull through. When he walked around the tree he found the recruits and saw that they had been caged, along with the King and his advisor and his army. Drake shot the King a questioning look, but stopped when he realized that his face was half of the creatures face.
Drake called over his fellow Enforcers over and then they examined the King and his legion of soldiers. "They all appear to be turning into those creatures that shot us and that you killed earlier, and they seem to be attracted to The Willow." One man said, Drake also pointed to the King then the tree, and when the others didn't connect the dots, he slashed open the cage and slammed the King into the branches. Before they could stop him they realized that the Willow was glowing with its ancient power, the King was gently set down fully himself and then the Willow creaked and groaned as the branches twisted and intertwined with each other. And the root ripped themselves from the ground, the Willow had transformed into a giant humanoid figure with a Hunched figure and the willow leaves as the membranes for its wings. My friends an ancient threat has been awakened, the advisor has cast a spell that summons a powerful army to vanquish any foe. They are the Original Enforcers, you may call them the Elders. Drake your powers will be useful here. Inform your companions while I heal the legion. The Willow lumbered away to heal the legion. "Drake what powers? You better speak now!" The lead Enforcer demanded. Instead Drake called Dral and put his hand in his fur "The reason I'd rather not speak is because when I came to the tree to be bound to the Enforcers, I was informed by Willow that I had hidden potential so he awakened me. My speech is powerful and the Willow had me test it on a tree, I told it to uproot itself and it did, I can also just shout and a powerful wave that blasts all in range away. I don't talk because if no one knows of my power I won't be targeted. Also I won't destroy something every time I talk. That's why my bonded animal is a Bear not a bird of prey like all of the other Enforcers." Dral spoke in place of Drake. The Willow returned then. The Elders will return, they know I hold the key to their destruction. We must find their lair and kill this threat before they infect the whole world. But first we need to gather my Enforcers, they are the only people marked by my magic and are immune to infection. The Willow rumbled away towards the edge of the clearing. Explain to the King and then meet me at the Isle! Willow called as it spread it's wings and took to the skies.
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Later on the Isle thee Enforcers gathered to see a showing of drakes power. "Drake destroy all three dummies any way you can." Called the lead Enforcer from the branches of the Willow. "Fly away! Agghh!" Drake shouted sending one dummies sky high and crashing back to Earth , only to be blasted away by the second shout along with the second dummie, they landed in the king's courtyard across the continent. The third time he opened his mouth he blew softly but the third dummie exploded as if it had been hit by a giant boulder at high speed.
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The next month was spent training with the Willow to fight the Elders. Then they found the bulk of the invasion force while on a scouting mission with Willow. Now I see that they have learned to infect animals, and they have developed an artillery unit. See that Big bear in the back of their lines? He throws balls of dark energy That is devastating to anywhere it hits, but he takes forever to charge this energy during battle. The Willow announced to the entire Enforcer Army that was riding on its back. "Alright troops let's land in the forest near the left flank of their army to plan the attack." The lead Enforcer shouted over the wind. After much discussion they decided that The Willow will charge up enough power to defeat the Elders and cure the animals and soldiers of their condition, and The Enforcers would attack from the flank, while Drake snuck up on the artillery and used his powers to destroy it and then he will join the fray.
Drake use your power wisely and make sure the bear doesn't get back up. Also here. Willow gave Drake a vial filled with gleaming liquid. It will heal me enough to return to my clearing if I am damaged by their shots when I cure the non-Elder warriors. Drake nodded and took the vial Drake saluted the Willow and ran off to find the Artillery. "Enforcers this may be our final battle, but now is the best time to fight. No alien threat will topple the human race! Their invasion stops here and now!" The Chief shouted and jumped into battle. The small force of highly trained warriors cut through the enemy lines and drew the attention of the rest of the army. Surrounded the Enforcers held their ground, by forming themselves into a loose ring, two lines fought with swords and knives, and the rest used bows and slings to harass the rest of the Elder forces. Drake crept his way out of the forest and located the Corrupted Bear. He pointed to it and blew his new war horn the resulting sound punched a hole through the Elders and Drake sprinted into the hole. Drake could not be caught, the monsters swarmed around him and tries to shoot him, but Dral crashed through them and his claws shredded the energy arrows as they rained down.
"Now or never! Goodbye Bear, you will not terrorize the populace any more!" Drake shouted and The bear launched into the air. Before Drake stopped running he was blinded by a dust cloud. Then he was saw why, the Artillery Beat had crushed the back half of the Elder army and then the Willow had blasted a giant orb of pure magic onto the bear, who acted as an amplifier and pulsed the energy out nd through the army. When all the animals and people had been rescued, the Enforcers squared up with the True Elders.
Before either side could attack, the Willow crashed to the ground with tremendous force. The Elders cheered, in their weird clicking noises that echoed in one's mind. Drake picked up a fallen limb of the Willow, it morphed into a new weapon that was inscribed with the final message of the Willow, Use it wisely it will amplify your power and bring in an ugly surprise to anyone who it is aimed at. Drake nodded and screamed with all his might into the Willow horn. The sound was so forceful it rocked the Willows body cot the side and when the Elders felt it, they flinched but seemed unfazed by the sound. Drake looked confused until, he heard the rumble of many heavy footfalls approaching. "Whoa! Your horn must summon an army Drake!" The Enforcers shouted above the roar. The army crested the horizon. They realized that they force was comprised of Willow saplings sprinting at ful, speed to the battle field. Everyone we will give you all the strength necessary to fight the Elders! The Saplings shouted as they flashed into each of the Enforcers. "Drake you don't have a sapling because you are their commander!" The Chief shouted in tandem with his sapling.
"Charge!" Shouted Drake as he drew an arrow that glowed with power. The arrow streaked through the air and stuck itself in the head of the lead elder. The Enforcers sped towards the remaining Elders. The Enforcers slashed and ducked like never before, and their birds pecked and clawed at the Elders that were starting to over power the Enforcers. After the last Elder was shot to the likeness of a porcupine, Drake rushed to the Willow and poured the vial onto the hard wood of its body. The Willow creaked and groaned as it stood up. And flew away.
Later at the Willow's clearing, Drake led the remaining Enforcers to the Willow. I have used up all of my remaining energy defeating the Elders. Now my saplings will, watch over the land with you enforcers. Drake my powers have been fused with yours, you will have to bind the next generations of Enforcers. The Willow creaked as it glowed it's last as it wilted and stopped speaking forever.
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Drake passed on leadership of the Enforcers and secluded himself on a high mountain, where he tested and bound the new Enforcers to their animals.