Origins of a Nomad

Part Four: What is and What was

Part Four: What is and What was

The streets of The University were filled with panicked people. I did my best to push though the crowds, making my way to the city gate. It was like swimming upstream. So many tried to pull me back with them, telling me I was going the wrong way. Every step forward lead to one back. I was growing frustrated as the first wave of flaming arrows found their marks. A few trees went up in flame, some innocents fell to the ground, their blood spilling over the white stone. Their robes ignited. Some stopped to help, but it was too late for most. The arrows had take their lives before they'd even known they'd been hit. Screams filled the smoky air, some tried to direct people one way or another. I can remember thinking how great the marble buildings were, they couldn't catch fire, not like in Hideaway. There the buildings were mud and scrap wood.The University at least stood a chance at surviving until morning.

The sound of crushing stone made me stop in my tracks. I'd reached the gate, which had been sealed behind a wall of marble that had come from below the ground. I would have been impressed if I was so frightened of what I knew awaited me on the other side. I stood in awe, with others who wore a Red robe, the soldiers of University. One with dark skin towered above the rest. He was clearly in charge and his men did as he ordered. I was told to stand back, but once they'd caught sight of my blades, they simply left me alone. It was my choice, and they weren't going to turn down any help, or any form of distraction I could potentially be.

The walls around the gate and the marble slab that sealed the entrance began to crack under the pressure of the onslaught that The Ruined brought. The sound of hammers echoed around us as we watched the cracks splinter, and pieces of marble fall to the floor.

"Ready," The man's voice boomed. His men responded in kind, their shields held before them, swords drawn, slightly behind, ready to fly forward and take any advantage of catching an enemy off guard.

One final push and The Ruined demolished the only barrier between us and them. An almost primal roar erupted from the Ceramic clad army before us. A few of the men faltered, and I felt myself take a few steps back, suddenly unable to think clearly. Mumbles of resistance being suicide swept through the ranks. The Dark skinned man had none of it. He told them to stand fast, and they did. One by one, The Ruined filed through the city gate, until the walls surrounding fell, and they poured into the city.

Steel scraped against Ceramic and tore at fabric. Blood pooled around me as one by one, the army The University fell. Then, over the chaos, I heard the sound, the unmistakable sound of gears and servos. I spun around in time to see The Ruined behind me, its bloodied blade raised to strike me down. I sidestepped and noticed that its armor had been cracked. Enough swords had hit in just the right way to give me an opening. I bought the dagger in my left hand up and between the cracked plate. My right hand went above and I pulled, shattering one of the chest plates. I had been right. There, beneath the armor was the clockwork styled innards of the automation and its power source, a green crystal. I reached as quickly as I could and pulled the crystal free, the soldier stopping in mid-swing, it's blade resting against my neck. Any slower and I'd have been dead.

Seeing what I had done, another Ruined pushed through the men that tried to stand in its way. One slash ending their lives. It barreled over it's frozen companion and stared me down. I swallowed hard, holding the crystal up for it to see.

"No matter. You fall." The mechanical voice rang out, clear as day. "Unworthy."

I jumped back, avoiding the thrust of its blade, but not without parrying it with my own. Catching it between my daggers gave me the upper hand, and the solider was easily disarmed. I lunged, no longer thinking, I wedged my blades between the plates at its neck and peeled them from the metal skeleton that it clung to. I removed the crystal and fell the ground. I'd stopped two.