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Matt Hein / Journal / WeekTwo / | |
| Week Two, A Dark Figure I had never realized how much It meant to be a member of the Draken. It was thought from an early age that being part of the brotherhood was like being a legendary hero, like a knight from a fairy tale, but I quickly learned that there was much more to it than that. My comerade, Dash said once “never look back on what you do.” I soon learned what that meant... As the overhead fan spun slowly in my dormitory room, and my old ragged calender tacked to the wall flapped about in the breeze, I still lie on the feather bed, my hair unkempt and my eyes closed, as I was entranced in thought. Even through the night I still hadn’t got any sleep, I guess I was too preoccupied with all of the rigors of being a member of the Imperial Army...let me tell you, it wasn’t like they said in the commercials... Even as the pendulums on the dusty old chronometer on the wall froned back and forth monetmously, and the hover car traffic whizzed by on outside, It seemed as though nothing could break my concentration... “Osprey Kalline Briare?!” I could almost hear my commanding officer of company, Lieutenant Adrian yell. For a commander, she was very hard headed, not typical of a syndicate Lt. in this day and age. Speaking of which, it was then that I gazed off to the side to get a quick look at the dusty old chronometer, its faceplate accented with the design of two coiling scaled dragons. Instantly, I flew forward back into the spikey claws of reality, as the clock read 8:77/3.ST Sitting up on the old feather bed, I rubbed my eyes and gathered my equipment. It had seemed as though I was getting less and less sleep lately, as though something were on my mind, but I couldn’t think about that now. I had until nine hundred hours to get into formation. “Osprey! Get down here this instant! I’ll give you another demerit if you’re not down here by 09:00 hours, you hear!” I could hear Lieutenant Adrian shout in my thoughts, as I chuckled. That snob, she strutted around like the owned the place. Hell, she would go to the extent as to inspect my lunch tray to ensure I hadn’t got more than one helping of an MRE (meal, ready to eat) As I put on my socks hastily and my old ragged battle shoes, I managed to get a peek out of my dormitory window before I left. As usual, I could see the seagulls flying below, their graceful wings outstretched as they flew carelessly about the azure blue sky and steepled rooftops, whilst citygoing kids played about the green hills and bonsai trees. It was a pictureseque scene, I thought, and for that moment, It was though I wished I were a bird. Heck, I wouldn’t have had a care in the world, just to flap my wings and fly off into the endless skies. Engaged in though of that, my mind skipped right ahead to the war. “How long will the peace last?” I wondered, as I stole a quick gaze towards the towering elerald mountains of the southern Lucarian province. “I hope we reach an armstice soon...a war should never carry on like this...” Turning away from the window, I fastened my black bandanna around my forehead, and buckled my sword, as I headed for the entrance to my dormitory, a door covered in tattered posteds and drawings of mine, as I headed outside, and dashed off into the hall. And not so soon as I ran hastily towards the main hall, I could almost hear Adrian yelling atme in front of a hundred other soldiers. “Osprey Briare! You are a disgrace to your fellow initiates. How do you expect to graduate from Lancaster Academy before the end of the war? I believe you should speak to the dean and...” ,had I collided into a younger lady, throwing her books and materials to the floor, as I flew backward, nearly losing my balance. Then, from nowhere, a million thoughts raced through my head, as I regained my bearings. Sheesh, Osprey! You could at least see where you were going!” I could imagine my aunt saying. “Well, well, mister chivalrous! Don’t just stand there, help the dear lass up!”. Standing to my feet, I helped the young lady up, as she shaked the dirt off her arms. “I apologize for that...I...” I started nervously. “Yeah, I’m alright...” She spoke softly, as she knelt back to the floor to pick up her scattered materials. “I was in a bit of a hurry...” I finished, as the young lass placed her materials back intoher pack and stood up. “It’s fine really...” “Yeah...” I replied, as I handed her a leather bound black book, as she graciously accepted it. “Look...It was kind of my fault as well...I’m was in a hurry towards my alchemy class...” The girl replied, as she grinned nervously. She seemed a bit younger than me, probably about two years my junior, and she had soft, yet piercing blue eyes and fine golden hair. Wearing a black wizarding robe with the Lancaster insignia a pair of old sparring togs, and a white shirt, she was a dead giveway to a wizard, strange, but oddly betutiful and youthful. She reminded me of an accomplice of mine, Rica, whom I had met several years beforehand. We had been going steady, but she called it quits about a month ago. “Guess you’re a wizard, right?” I asked, motioning towards her black robe. “Not too many of them anymore...” “How did you guess?” she giggled, as she flashed me a quick, somewhat analytical smile, and pulled her short polished wand out of her pocket. “Oh, I forgot my formalities! My name is Luca Aurelle she asked, as she waved her wand about, perhaps rather nervous to introductions. What could I say, though. I was like that as well. “They call me Osprey...Osprey Briare...” I replied, as Luca placed the wand back into her pocket, and reached out to shake my hand, momentarily, speaking kindly. “I’m pleased to meet you, Osprey...” Luca spoke, as the small clock on the library wall began to chime, once for each hour, as they resonated about the library. As we both stood there, Luca suddenly got a worried expression on her face, as she looked towards the clock. It read 09:00 hours...I was already late... “Oh, I must be off! I was headed for my Alchemy class, you know how they are with errant students...till we meet again Mister Osprey Briare...” Lide spoke, as she gathered her books hastily and hurried of towards the western corridor. “Luca Aurelle...” I thought, as I stood in the empty hallway amongst the entrance of the library. “She’s so mysterious...so beautiful...I know I’ve seen her before...” I thought, as I looked up again to see the clock, its intricate wooden hands at the ninth hour. It was then that a small glint caught my vision, as I looked towards the long ebony table, to see an odd trinket with a silver chain bythe legs of an oak chair. “Hmm...” I thought, as I knelt to the ornate rug to pick up the small silver chain with a cool transparent emeraldine stone at its end. Upon further inspection, the stone felt strangely cool to the touch and exhibited a very odd energy, giving me an odd feeling of comfort, as though some sort of invisible force had enveloped myself, shielding him from the tyranny and anguish of the world. It felt almost wrong in a sense, for a pendant like this to exhibit such energy, but I slung it around my neck anyhow, thinking to save it for the next time I saw Luca. Perhaps I would return it then... As I started towards the front hall, I suddenly got a bad feeling, as I thought about what Lieutenant Adrian would say to him in front of all of his comrades. And it couldn’t come at a worse time... I thought, as I raced towards the glass elevator shaft, overlooking the peaceful sky outside. I should return that necklace to Lide when I get the chance...” I said to myself, as the glass doors closed around him, and I began to descend quickly, towards the oblivion below. I braced himself for what was to come, after all, this was an era of war, and any moment, the call to duty could arrive...I was just hoping I would see Luca before then...or hopefully graduate on time... Other Items of Interest |
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