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Post by Caleb on Dec 20, 2008 14:08:26 GMT -5
Bruce was running in the field with Gallea one day when Earth came up behind him and jumped on top of him. Snarling and growling in his face, "Do you think that you can survive your Trial of Strength O' Mighty Hunter?".
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Post by taran on Dec 21, 2008 21:47:50 GMT -5
Bruce felt the air leave his lungs when the mighty Spirit of the Earth knocked him to the ground. He rolled until he faced the mighty creature while he looked up from his back.
"Careful, Earth," he spoke calmly and levelly. "I am the Hunter after all. What am I to do but hunt?" Bruce smiled at Earth with a wide grin, not menacing nor afraid. He liked Earth so far. "What is my trial, sir?"
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Post by Caleb on Dec 23, 2008 0:31:21 GMT -5
Earth smiled at this Hunter, he was more interesting that the others had been. "Your trial is simple, if you can survive it." she said. Suddenly they were transported back to a dark room where two bodies lay beside each other. "Bruce, I'm sure you recognize the two figures, and here is what you must do, watch and endure. It will take all your strength. These are unbreakable bonds, I'm afraid you have but two options. Take it, or lose your mind." Earth explained as two dark hooded figures with two animals, a cat and dog, creeped up the the bed and grabbed the figures. There in the moonlight, Bruce watched his parents die for the first time.
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Post by taran on Dec 23, 2008 13:51:29 GMT -5
Bruce watched in horror as he saw his parents die as if it were the first time. The tears rolled slowly down his cheeks, his eyes transfixed on the two forms of his parents.
"I understand," he said calmly. Bruce fought in his mind for reality, knowing that what he saw was not real, only a simulation of what had happened. His father had died of cancer when he was a senior in high school, and his mother three years later of old age. He watched, but not with discomfort. They had died and there was nothing he could do about it, no matter his powers. He took a deep breath and cleared the tears from his eyes. "There was nothing I could do then, when it was real, and there's nothing I can do now. This isn't real, Earth. What is the point of this? I can handle my mind. I know how to handle what is real and fake in my mind's eye. I don't see the need for any kind of strength here, emotional, mental, or physical."
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Post by Caleb on Dec 24, 2008 0:43:40 GMT -5
"Ahh but you will young Hunter." Earth said as the picture changed. The ground was strewn with bodies, body parts, and the overwhelming scent of blood and sweat stained the air. Suddenly Gallea was running across the field to Bruce, and out of no where a sword went straight through her throat. With her dying words she said,"I don't know if this is real or not, but never forget I'll always be with you.". Then, Gallea's body went limp and all that stared back at Bruce was her cold, lifeless eyes. Suddenly his friends all appeared, except Mica, fighting their hardest against all the shadows that appeared with them. "Help us Bruce, we need you." Caleb called. Earth sat back and waited to see what would happen.
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Post by taran on Dec 24, 2008 1:33:12 GMT -5
Bruce frowned, letting the tears fall at watching Gallea die before him. He looked briefly at Earth, his eyes full of anger and rage and duty. There was something stronger in the world than himself. His friends were important, and were who he ultimately fought for. Closing his eyes, Bruce turned back to his friends, pulling the sword from Gallea's lifeless body with his power and holding it tight. As he opened his eyes, fire sprung from the sword, casting a red glow all around the Hunter, illuminating the ground within a hundred feet. Without a word, he lashed out with the fiery light, striking the shadows and severing their vague forms in two. Bruce never moved from his spot. There were simply too many shadows. He could fight all day and night and still not see an end to their number. With a sigh of frustration, Bruce took the sword in his hand and flung it at the round between Earth's legs, turning to face the Spirit.
"What is the point?" he asked, gesturing at the fighting figures. "This battle, like the battle between good and evil, is rediculous, unending, and pointless. There will always be evil, like the shadows. There will always be someone to fight it, my friends and me. What do you want of me, Earth? I am the Hunter, not a god. Even with all the power of the world and all the spirits behind me, I cannot abolish this evil. I may be able to subdue it...for a time. But even I will die, like my friends, and leave this place for another. Then what? Evil will rise again, only to have another Hunter and Huntress fight it. . . or join it. I can fight here all day and all night, but that is not the strength you are looking for I think."
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Post by Caleb on Dec 24, 2008 1:47:03 GMT -5
"You are wise beyond your years young man. Your correct, I'm not looking for physical strenght, we both know that you have that. You must pass one more test to end this trial." she said, picking up the sword and flinging at the sky. The sword sparkled in midair and the surronding's changed once more. The Sword cam down, point first into someting on the ground. Bruce looked down to see Mica's body empaled by the sword. No words were uttered this time, no shadows and no friends appeared. It was just Mica and Bruce alone in the field, no where to go and no where to hide from the pain that was coming.
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Post by taran on Dec 24, 2008 18:30:39 GMT -5
Bruce felt his knees weaken at the sight of Mica's dead body, her lifeless eyes would haunt his nights for eternity. Slowly and numbly, Bruce began to walk to her, falling to his knees at her side. He picked her head up into his arms, holding her tight to his chest as he cried. The sorrow and terror of losing Mica burst through his mind like a wave thrashing a ship in deep sea. His mind and sanity was the ship, ready to be toppled over and crushed beneath the weight of his sorrow.
"I love you," he whispered to the dead figure, kissing her brow and slowly pulling the sword from her to lay it on the ground. "I'll never forget you, my love. I will see you every time I close my eyes. I will feel you every time I take a breath. I will smell you every time a rose blossoms. I will taste you every time I eat and drink. I will hear you in the wind. I will love you forever. If this death is real, my love, I will not stop fighting until justice is done and our cause triumphs over wrong. You will not have died in vain, my love. I would expect nothing less from you if our positions were reversed. Goodbye, my love." Bruce kissed her cheek one last time, then stood and picked up the sword, facing Earth. "Are you done now, tyrant?" he asked, moving closer. "You've given me my worst nightmare. What more do you want from me? i still have my sanity, I still hold true to my purpose. If you think there will be another trial from you, then it will be a trail that determines whether you live or die by my sword. Understand? I am finished with you, leave me be before I kill you as you have killed that image of my love and sever you from both worlds."
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Post by Caleb on Dec 24, 2008 20:36:18 GMT -5
"Ha, you have no patience O' Hunter. You couldn't kill me if you tried, but her on the other hand, is a different thing." and as she said this. A shadow suddenly moved through the grass and took over Mica's dead body. "Oh Love, prepare to join me in DEATH!" the shadow screamed. Slowly the form of Mica rose and began to move menacingly toward him, darkness shone in her eyes.
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Post by taran on Dec 28, 2008 12:11:09 GMT -5
Bruce smiled evilly at Earth, his eyes full of anger but under control.
"I wouldn't be too sure if I were you, spirit," he said as he turned and faced the form of Mica. "She's dead, if this is reality, and that is not her, only her body. I did not fall in love with her for her body." Without another word, Bruce took his sword from the ground and flung it through the air, whistling as it split the air. With a loud thud, the sword slammed into Mica's chest, knocking her to the ground.
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Post by Caleb on Dec 28, 2008 12:59:45 GMT -5
"You have passed." Earth said simply. "Hunter, do not be quick to think one thing, for even though you figured out my trial, you will not do so well on the last three." and with that, she left him and Gallea appeared in the field once more.
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Post by taran on Dec 29, 2008 12:59:52 GMT -5
Bruce frowned at Earth as he disappeared, his anger and rage boiling within him. The so called council was doing nothing but stalling for something.
"Gallea," he said as he mounted his strong companion and spirit guide. "Why do they do this? It can't just be to 'test' us. There's something else going on behind the scenes. . . and I'm going to find out sooner or later." The spirit horse let out a soft little chuckle, starting out into a soft trot.
"I know, Bruce. They're hiding something, I could feel it in Earth. But we'll have to find out later, and with Mica at your side." Bruce nodded, and looked ahead to the horizon as they rode through the spirit world.
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