The Story of Runekane

R

Runekane

Rocket/Rail Combo Killer
Adventurer
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
Messages
901
Location
Mississippi
Website
www.myspace.com
Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I awake to the soothing sound of a babbling brook beside me. I groan as I look down at my gloves and boots set aside for my night of sleep and recovery from the previous day. Hell, my task sounded easy enough from the nice lady in the Sundries shop! "Get me some Tiger fangs, I sure could use them! You're an able-bodied adventurer!" Recalling this exchange between the lady and I forced my imagination to wander, trying to comprehend how many other adventurers she'd sent out of the same task, and to what grizzly fate they'd met. No matter, this was my second day in a row out here, and I awoke to be alive without any new wounds!
For the most part, I'd been able to dodge the massive paws and gaping maws that the forrest tigers possessed in the past day, but I'd been knicked a few times, and had a gash in my usually sturdy Brigandine. One large claw mark raked across my neck where one had gotten a hold of me while I was daydreaming. I think the loss of focus on my adventuring life was starting to go for the worse... Of all places to slip into my dreams, Jugner Forrest, notorious for dispatching even powerful combatants. I've survived on my wit and will for so long, I believe I'm capable of anything. Emptying my trouser's pockets, I push around the 7 good tiger fangs I'd been able to pluck out so far and delicately set them down in a pouch. My flower was still near my heart... not just any flower, however. A mithra who took a liking to me back when I was a fledgling battle mage back in the Valkurm dunes after I'd started my life over for the first time gave me this flower as a token of her admiration for me. Why me, a Tarutaru, outcast from Windurst and abandoner his natural affinity for the Arcane? I cared not... I had never been loved before. It was a nice feeling. A nice feeling that would probably get me killed someday.
I gaze out into the wilderness with my back resting against a mossy cliff, spying an Orc here and there. Something over to my left catches my attention, something in the trees. I act as if I don't see it, as to not tip it off about my awareness. The lumbering form hops out of the tree surprisingly nimbly, while I can hear its footprints bend the blades of grass. Leaning my head back, I draw in a deep breath and get ready to act, my small muscles tensing...
... and it pounced. But it missed. I snickered as I landed on one bended knee behind it, grinning up at it with perfect aim towards its flank. I tore into the predator with all my strength, making it as well-placed a blow as I possibly could. Shrieks of pain rip through the treetops, ruining the pleasant morning atmosphere and sending birds flying. Before it had a chance to recoil on my tiny frame, I struck my left dagger into the same spot, hurling my body weight forward as to do a frontflip onto the tiger's back. It swatted at air again, crying in frustration and in a great deal of pain. Grinning, I balance along its spine, tiptoeing onto its head thrashing about, backflip off the top of its head, making the out-matched creature gnash upwards at the air. My feet met the ground perfectly, and thrust my hand holding a wicked curved beetle dagger upwards and slashed out across its exposed throat. The yellow eyes dimmed inside the skull, and it thundered down to the ground in its death throes. While wiping my dagger off on its fur, I open its mouth to reveal that no teeth inside fit the description of what Turmilla had described, much to my dismay. The river in Jugner ran red this morning... and the day had just started. I held my mitt-covered hand to my heart where I kept the beautiful, kind mithra's flower. Not only did it symbolize the first kind soul that liked me no matter what my deficiencies I had, but it also kept me sane in such struggles as my latest excursion through the high tree canopies of Jugner. Looking down at my almost full packs, I'd decided I'd return to town, maybe with news from the mithra, Harmoney. The hope keeps my aching muscles going, and drives me forward each waking day.
Hair bristles on the back of my neck as I hear a snarl approaching behind me. Smiling, I ready my dual daggers, and perform a flip forwards into the dense woods. The hunt was underway yet again.


(I am aspiring to be a writer as well... feel free to give me any input. My roleplaying profile is in the sections so you can get some background on my character... I'm going to try to make this at LEAST weekly) ^^
 
Working on it... been busy with real life lately -_- My place of employment has thrown me into an awful schedule lately. If anybody cares, I'll have more up here within the next few days.
 
Very good. ^^ I'd love to see more. I wish that people who could write as well as you would write some long, epic, 50k+ word fanfiction for FFXI. I do so love to read stuff like that. ^^;;
 
Awesome, Rune!! Maybe we could try to RP more in the LS? Just a thought... (I could use the practice, lol).
 
btw rune i know harmoney :lol:
im just wondering if that part was real or you just saw her name and added it
she's never mentioned you :shock: ill have to ask her next time i see her

P.S. Very nice
 
The hunt had been more successful that I had foreseen. While I was aware that there was a den of tigers within Jugner, nothing could have prepared me for the massive ambush vaulted against me by the cunning beasts. Luckily, I escaped with only a handful of scratches and better yet, a few handfuls of the quality teeth I had gone out there to get. After the ambush, I counted at least a half dozen of tiger bodies strewn about the clearing in the forest, and I salvaged what tiger hides I could off the ones that I cut clean with precise strikes. The sun was bearing down on me in the grassy knolls of La Theine, but I didn’t let the heat bother me. I’d been through much worse before anyway. My spirits were high, knowing I’d be able to afford some of the luxuries I’d denied myself in the past months, and finally be able to afford a good time.
Fellow adventurers passed on their large chicken-creatures, chocobos, marveling at my large haul of tiger skins slug over my tiny shoulders, bringing the biggest grin to my face from pure joy of being respected. Strangely enough, I saw almost none of the wildlife usually associated with the Plataeu on my trip back to San d’ Oria. They probably saw my tiger hides and were intimidated by the stench of death, I reassured myself. Smiling and skipping along, nighttime was quickly approaching along with dark clouds heavy with rain looming overhead. Why do I always run into the worst conditions? Ah well, Altana must have something out for me. Chuckling to myself, I made my way down the ravine near the Ephemere in the Plateau, a sight of mixed blessings, mostly signifying one of the entrances to the famous Ordelle caverns. Perhaps if I was careful enough, I could manage shelter there for the night. Hell, I’m more than capable to handle any threat there! At least I hoped.
I picked a blade of grass and hummed it between my lips, making a buzzing sound to amuse myself as I made my way down the trail, the wildlife again absent, perhaps seeking shelter from the rain. Some of the mysterious creatures that appear like mushrooms remained, stalwart against the coming torrents of rain which already began to drizzle down from the heavens. What stubborn creatures! I wonder if they even have thought patterns, or what they eat… or how they eat. I dismissed that train of thought immediately as I didn’t particularly want to have nightmares of being devoured by plants!
The harder the rain began to fall, the faster I made my way towards the entrance at the bottom of the valley, not wanting to soak and ruin my select tiger hides. With the gil I could possibly make from the tiger teeth (if that lady DOES make good on her deal), and with the surplus I’m going to make from selling these hides to the strange Elvaan tanners throughout the city, I’ll have enough money to live comfortably for at least a few weeks! Perhaps I could afford a decent meal, which I haven’t had since a succulent meat pie I bought from the Pheonix’s Perch Inn. Supposedly, they’d made it out of mutton from the sheep in the local area. Surprisingly good! My stomach growled as I approached the gaping dark opening in the side of the valley, leading into the infamous Ordelle’s Caves. I reached into my backpack and pulled out a piece of meat jerky to munch on while I collected my belongings and set up camp at the mouth of the cave, with enough cover to protect me from the wrath of the hard rain.
I’d been traveling by myself for years now… it’s something I had to accustom to as an outcast. Small twigs, dry leaves, rounded gravel surrounded my camp at least twenty paces into the cave… if anything was coming, I’d at least hear it. Just a little trick I’d been taught by observing the habbits of other more experienced adventurers. I’d improved upon their methods, of course… they never saw me coming. Or if they did, they sure didn’t sense enough trouble from me to take any care whether I was near or not. Afterall, I am just a TaruTaru, even small for one of my own race. Unfortunately, my physical appearance isn’t too intimidating, so I get by other ways. Collecting my blanket as well as one of my knifes curled up in my hand, I lay down to sleep facing the lush fields of the crevice I came through to come to this opening. I admired the beauty of the raindrops deflecting off the flower petals, and I unconsciously gripped my left breast where the flower from the Mithra was always kept. Smiling, I dozed off into slumber, gripping my dagger tight. The pouring rain resounded in the hollow cavern, echoing back off the limestone walls towards the entrance, amplifying the sound seducing me into slumber. If danger came in the night, I’d be ready for it… I hoped.
 
Great follow up

I really liked the story man. Very nice in detail and set the next story up for a lot of action. Lookin forward to it!
 
heh, rune, i guess you must be really small, you make tigers sound like behemoths...but that must be from a taru point of view, its a big world through their eyes....
Otherwise its pretty good, but is their like a background for the story? You just start off like bwam! Just asking, i'm also wanting to become a writer, i think its best that writers try to help and support other writers...
 
See the RP profiles for background for Runekane... and yes, the story was intended to start out like BWAM. It's a writing tactic that's won me many awards and acclaims statewide :)
 
oh, lol, i guess that could work, its just funny to start reading and its like
Bwam! Runekane walks into the forest!
Don't get me wrong, your writing is good, i guess if it was going to be a book, you could do
Bwam! in the beginning and then somewhere later on do like a background, like in a movie where it shows the past, and blah
 
I was on my feet instantaneously, surrounding myself in a whirlwind of slashing blades at the sound of snapping gravel. Blood splashed against the wall, and a groan erupted from my intruder who I caught with a glancing blow on the arm. I could sense it staggering back, reeling in the pain, so I pressed my advantage with a double-thrusting tactic, rapidly stabbing my small arms forward again and again. My target reeled on the ground, and I smelled the horrid stench of Goblin as I got close to slit its vile throat. Not thinking twice, I slashed deeply across its windpipe so it couldn't make noise, also severing its vocal capability.
I left it there, kicking on the ground, and couldn't help but watch it struggle as it bled to death. Because of the darkness and the sparse moonlight, I could only make out the outline of the evil beast as it thrashed its limbs around trying to hold onto any thread of life. It was hopeless, and would die very soon. Looking at the position of the moon over the LaThiene plateau, I guessed I had at least a few hours until sunrise. I gathered up my things and made haste, leaving the goblin to bleed to death on the cold, cave floor.
That's funny, I thought to myself, usually they send a sentry out first before the attack force reaches. At least that's the tactics I'd been taught. I hurried out of the valley, sloshing through the inch-deep water up towards higher ground as fast as my little legs would go, and found focus within me to will myself to travel even quicker... I couldn't afford to take on an assault team of Goblins. I'd eventually be overwhelmed, and with their explosives and their poor judgement of using them, I could have been incased in permanent darkness thanks to an untimely cave-in. Luckily for me, the sentry wasn't careful enough, and now I had my chance to escape certain death.

----

The combination of mud and foilage near the over-flowing Ephemere allowed me to make a suitable enough disguise for me to move un-noticed by the naked eye through the coming dawn in the plateau. After an hour passed, I finally saw the tall pines of the proud San D' Orian outlying region, Ronfaure. Home, sweet home. The typical border contingent of the Royal Knights was out and about on this day, with a new face among the ranks.
Tezz was a young and promising recruit, a Taru with a heart the size of a lion's with the courage to match. His blue eyes showed his youth visibly, and didn't yet have the feel of scars and turmoil that many Taru develop over many many years of hardships. Tezz was built quite solid for a Tarutaru, putting up formidable fights using his exceptional strength and uncanny footwork to take down many opponents during his training period. When he took down a higher ranking soldier within twenty seconds, the only folks in the arena unblinking were him and myself. I fully know what Tezz is capable of, his cherubic face belying his ferocity and mastery of close combat.
He nodded to me and shared a knowing smile as he re-arranged his double-bladed axe fastened on his back. The rest of the guard showed the same indifference towards me. Afterall, this wasn't the first time I'd scraped by trouble into the sanctuary of Ronfaure and the home guard. Some of the newer knights looked past me to see if I happened to drag anything with me, but the veterans knew I always left my trouble behind confused or dead. Smiling and whistling while skipping along, I nodded to to some of the proud Elvaan as I passed by.
I'd managed to keep my haul from Jugner in tact, somehow, even through all the rough terrain and events from the night before. Perhaps luck was on my side afterall. I patted the flower in my shirt pocket, unconsciously smiling at the touch. Soon I'd see my love again, I hoped. I neared the gates and I could hear a comotion coming from the guards on the palisade and shouting down below to a contingent of people dressed in white and navy blue. Bastokans! What in Vana Diel were they doing in San D' Oria? Voices and tempers flared as I neared the gates cautiosly, as I noticed one of the gruff voices from a man in a navy blue aketon, adorned in the rest of his body in the well-known bluish scale made famous by Bastok's infantry and higher ranking scouts. Memories rushed back into my mind as I recalled who exactly it was speaking: Roin.
 
WTF!?!

Way to go spielburg! Just leav us hanging! Geez, the nerve of the new aged writers....

:P

Great story thus far boss, Keep it up! I can't wait to read more! Atleast now I can finish eating the lunch I stopped when I started reading! :P

Later
 
nice story rune ... you have come a LONG way since i first met you in yhoator ... im sorry to see you leave man but well farewell
 
your writing is great Runekane, very professional. if you ever feel the need to RP in game, throw me or any of the other NB a /tell :P, as most of us do it frequently ^_^
 
runekane!

those stories were amazing why didyou not talk about them more while you were on. hope you keep writing and i wanted to let you know your being missed andyou made Saitaru cry j/k
anyways peace out matchuu :P
 
nice story rune ... you have come a LONG way since i first met you in yhoator ... im sorry to see you leave man but well farewell
Click to expand...

I was on my 3rd job through that level range, first being through there with RDM, then THF then BLM. :) Warrior was just a fun little side job of mine... hehehe

I may continue writing these, thanks for the compliments, but we'll see what happens.
 
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