Here's another feeble and futile attempt at descriptive writing. My tenses and grammar are screwed. Bah... Anyway here it goes:
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As Hasegawa slowly marched through the forest, he took a deep breath. He let out a contented and satisfied sigh. Oh, the sweet air of home. How many years has it been since I last tasted the air of Kamelar? he wondered to himself.
The twittering of zanee birds, the croaking of mud frogs, the whoosing sound of the wind through marawi tree leaves, the constant humming of the wood bees and the steady thundering of the great waterfall - God's Leap made Hasegawa feel more at ease. The familiar noises reminded him of all the good and bad times he had experienced as a child and as a young man.
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As Hasegawa slowly marched through the forest, he took a deep breath. He let out a contented and satisfied sigh. Oh, the sweet air of home. How many years has it been since I last tasted the air of Kamelar? he wondered to himself.
The twittering of zanee birds, the croaking of mud frogs, the whoosing sound of the wind through marawi tree leaves, the constant humming of the wood bees and the steady thundering of the great waterfall - God's Leap made Hasegawa feel more at ease. The familiar noises reminded him of all the good and bad times he had experienced as a child and as a young man.
Here, in the ancient forests of Kamelar, he had spent countless hours playing, laughing, hunting, crying. Here, he met friends who later became his brothers and comrades. Here, he fell in love with Seona. Here, he lost his family to a rival clan. Here, he became a man by avenging his beloved family members' deaths. Here, he became a soldier.
But, there and then, he was just Hasegawa - free from pain, death, blood, tears, worries, troubles, mistakes, disappointment. For the past 20 years, he had been fighting fierce wars and brutal battles at lands foreign and far from Kamelar. He had been a soldier serving under the banner of some unknown "great" king. On one unfortunate night, Hasegawa's platoon was ambushed. The skirmish was quick and bloody. Survivors were held captive and were sold as slaves. Hasegawa escaped his captors and wandered like a madman. He had no hope, no honour. Somehow, he remembered home. Yes, home was where he wanted to return to.
The desire to be home again drove him. He regained some of his senses. Hasegawa resorted to becoming mercenary as means of sustaining himself. He travelled with rich masters, merchants and traders to lands that were new and strange to him. Through his journeys, he gained experience and knowledge. And, the entire time, all he thought of was home. Slowly, Hasegawa learnt about the world outside Kamelar. The jobs he had taken were mostly plain and uneventful. But, there was one that changed him forever. He could not forget what he had experienced on that expedition. However, he slowly got over it and after a few years, he had collected enough money and information to get himself home. Feeling sure of himself, he set out for Kamelar.
And so now, he was in the forests of his forefathers and their's before them. He was so near to home. In his mind, he could already see the wooden windmill, the chickens running around, the children chasing one another and fighting imaginary wars. He could almost hear the housewives reprimanding their naughty children, the mongers yelling out for customers and the sounds of the people's merry chatter. As Hasegawa trod down the trail that would lead to his village, his heart raced but it was not because of excitement. He sensed that something was amiss. Feeling dread deep in his gut, he ran the last few yards. As he turned the last corner, all he faced was horrific. Blood was splattered everywhere. Decapitated heads were all over the muddy ground. The thatched houses were black as if from fire. Dead bodies twisted in odd positions were filled the scene. The gore would have made anyone faint in disgust. Even the seasoned Hasegawa had trouble keeping the contents of his stomach in. His knees became weak suddenly and he was nauseated. The aura of blackness and death was evident and it set the atmosphere tingling with evil energy. Hasegawa collapsed feeling rage and despair.
***
He woke with a scream. He screamed and screamed until his throat gave out. As he sat up coughing and choking on his tears, Seona aroused and gently held him.
"What's wrong dear?" asked Hasegawa's startled wife.
"Nothing," mumbled Hasegawa quietly, not wanting to divulge the details of his nightmare.
"Nothing you say? My husband must have lost his senses," replied Seona. "You wake up howling like you've lost everything you cherish and treasure. And, you look horrible. And, you're drenched in sweat. Yet, you say there's nothing."
The couple sat quietly for a few minutes.
"I have to leave," started Hasegawa.
"Why?" asked Seona, her face a mask of calmness and serenity. A tight frown slowly formed on her gentle forehead. In her heart, she feared the worst.
"My dreams, they are full of death. I must leave - it is a sign," explained Hasegawa.
"How do you know? A sign hinting at what?"
Hasegawa sighed painfully.
"I've been hiding something from you all this while, and I'm terribly sorry for it. On one journey, I was given the offer of escorting a group of mysterious people to Mount Thunderhell. The five of them were not ordinary people - that I could tell. They wore black robes and their eyes were a funny dark colour. Each had a unique and intricate design tatooed on their left cheek. I knew I had to be wary about these people. I don't know why I had agreed to escort them. So, all went well until when we were ascending Thunderhell."
Seona's eyes narrowed in suspicion; she had a thing against magic and sorcery. Hasegawa felt her scrutinising eyes burrowing holes into his.
"We were attacked by a band of creatures that I do not know of. There were three of them. The fearsome creatures were ghastly. They could fly and their howling nearly drove me mad. It must have been a miracle for me to have survived the encounter. I was so terror-stricken that I dropped my sword - I didn't think that my sword would work against them either. The five men I was escorting were unnerved. They stood in a circle as those creatures advanced on us. Then, there was a chorus of murmuring and I could feel the air tingle with strange power. The men screamed one word at the same time. Suddenly, streaks of black energy came down from the sky like lightning and struck the creatures. They instantly dissolved into nothing and the air stank of rancid flesh."
"Then, what happened next?" interrupted Seona, her heart racing for she knew her husband had gotten himself involved in something she didn't like.
Hasegawa gulped in air.
"They told me that they were disciples of Sixor - the Death Goddess. And after witnessing their banishing of the spirits, I must assume the mantle of disciple also, for no man is allowed to watch the power of Lady Death and go free. I refused and fled, so they put a curse on me. I was forced to become one of Sixor's avatars. Whenever I am needed, She will send me a nightmare. This time, I must seek out someone evil and powerful and eradicate him. Or her. That person is misusing power by doing something only Sixor has authority to do."
"Evil and powerful? Who? Don't go. It's too dangerous," said Seona with a worried tone. His husband had only come home two months ago and he was going to leave her.
"I don't know who but I will know when I see him or her. And, I have no choice. I'll have to do it, or else...."
"Or else what?"
Tears started to stream down Hasegawa's rough and slightly wrinkled face.
"Or else, my divine mistress will claim all of Kamelar to be hers. And I shall have to live alone with no home and honour."
Seona began to sob.
"I am sorry my dear Seona. I must serve my mistress because She is the only one who should have any say over who lives or dies," whispered Hasegawa. A lump began to for in his throat and he struggled to speak.
"Then, leave if that is what you wish and need to do," screamed Seona bitterly. The moment she feared had come - Hasegawa was going to leave for a foolish and futile mission and die in the process, and she won't see him ever again.
"Please understand," said Hasegawa, trying to comfort his wife. "I'll return, I promise."
Seona fled the room crying.
Silently, Hasegawa got out of bed and dressed. Now, he had a mission to accomplish.
======================================================
Heheh... And oh, by the way, Happy Chinese New Year!
But, there and then, he was just Hasegawa - free from pain, death, blood, tears, worries, troubles, mistakes, disappointment. For the past 20 years, he had been fighting fierce wars and brutal battles at lands foreign and far from Kamelar. He had been a soldier serving under the banner of some unknown "great" king. On one unfortunate night, Hasegawa's platoon was ambushed. The skirmish was quick and bloody. Survivors were held captive and were sold as slaves. Hasegawa escaped his captors and wandered like a madman. He had no hope, no honour. Somehow, he remembered home. Yes, home was where he wanted to return to.
The desire to be home again drove him. He regained some of his senses. Hasegawa resorted to becoming mercenary as means of sustaining himself. He travelled with rich masters, merchants and traders to lands that were new and strange to him. Through his journeys, he gained experience and knowledge. And, the entire time, all he thought of was home. Slowly, Hasegawa learnt about the world outside Kamelar. The jobs he had taken were mostly plain and uneventful. But, there was one that changed him forever. He could not forget what he had experienced on that expedition. However, he slowly got over it and after a few years, he had collected enough money and information to get himself home. Feeling sure of himself, he set out for Kamelar.
And so now, he was in the forests of his forefathers and their's before them. He was so near to home. In his mind, he could already see the wooden windmill, the chickens running around, the children chasing one another and fighting imaginary wars. He could almost hear the housewives reprimanding their naughty children, the mongers yelling out for customers and the sounds of the people's merry chatter. As Hasegawa trod down the trail that would lead to his village, his heart raced but it was not because of excitement. He sensed that something was amiss. Feeling dread deep in his gut, he ran the last few yards. As he turned the last corner, all he faced was horrific. Blood was splattered everywhere. Decapitated heads were all over the muddy ground. The thatched houses were black as if from fire. Dead bodies twisted in odd positions were filled the scene. The gore would have made anyone faint in disgust. Even the seasoned Hasegawa had trouble keeping the contents of his stomach in. His knees became weak suddenly and he was nauseated. The aura of blackness and death was evident and it set the atmosphere tingling with evil energy. Hasegawa collapsed feeling rage and despair.
***
He woke with a scream. He screamed and screamed until his throat gave out. As he sat up coughing and choking on his tears, Seona aroused and gently held him.
"What's wrong dear?" asked Hasegawa's startled wife.
"Nothing," mumbled Hasegawa quietly, not wanting to divulge the details of his nightmare.
"Nothing you say? My husband must have lost his senses," replied Seona. "You wake up howling like you've lost everything you cherish and treasure. And, you look horrible. And, you're drenched in sweat. Yet, you say there's nothing."
The couple sat quietly for a few minutes.
"I have to leave," started Hasegawa.
"Why?" asked Seona, her face a mask of calmness and serenity. A tight frown slowly formed on her gentle forehead. In her heart, she feared the worst.
"My dreams, they are full of death. I must leave - it is a sign," explained Hasegawa.
"How do you know? A sign hinting at what?"
Hasegawa sighed painfully.
"I've been hiding something from you all this while, and I'm terribly sorry for it. On one journey, I was given the offer of escorting a group of mysterious people to Mount Thunderhell. The five of them were not ordinary people - that I could tell. They wore black robes and their eyes were a funny dark colour. Each had a unique and intricate design tatooed on their left cheek. I knew I had to be wary about these people. I don't know why I had agreed to escort them. So, all went well until when we were ascending Thunderhell."
Seona's eyes narrowed in suspicion; she had a thing against magic and sorcery. Hasegawa felt her scrutinising eyes burrowing holes into his.
"We were attacked by a band of creatures that I do not know of. There were three of them. The fearsome creatures were ghastly. They could fly and their howling nearly drove me mad. It must have been a miracle for me to have survived the encounter. I was so terror-stricken that I dropped my sword - I didn't think that my sword would work against them either. The five men I was escorting were unnerved. They stood in a circle as those creatures advanced on us. Then, there was a chorus of murmuring and I could feel the air tingle with strange power. The men screamed one word at the same time. Suddenly, streaks of black energy came down from the sky like lightning and struck the creatures. They instantly dissolved into nothing and the air stank of rancid flesh."
"Then, what happened next?" interrupted Seona, her heart racing for she knew her husband had gotten himself involved in something she didn't like.
Hasegawa gulped in air.
"They told me that they were disciples of Sixor - the Death Goddess. And after witnessing their banishing of the spirits, I must assume the mantle of disciple also, for no man is allowed to watch the power of Lady Death and go free. I refused and fled, so they put a curse on me. I was forced to become one of Sixor's avatars. Whenever I am needed, She will send me a nightmare. This time, I must seek out someone evil and powerful and eradicate him. Or her. That person is misusing power by doing something only Sixor has authority to do."
"Evil and powerful? Who? Don't go. It's too dangerous," said Seona with a worried tone. His husband had only come home two months ago and he was going to leave her.
"I don't know who but I will know when I see him or her. And, I have no choice. I'll have to do it, or else...."
"Or else what?"
Tears started to stream down Hasegawa's rough and slightly wrinkled face.
"Or else, my divine mistress will claim all of Kamelar to be hers. And I shall have to live alone with no home and honour."
Seona began to sob.
"I am sorry my dear Seona. I must serve my mistress because She is the only one who should have any say over who lives or dies," whispered Hasegawa. A lump began to for in his throat and he struggled to speak.
"Then, leave if that is what you wish and need to do," screamed Seona bitterly. The moment she feared had come - Hasegawa was going to leave for a foolish and futile mission and die in the process, and she won't see him ever again.
"Please understand," said Hasegawa, trying to comfort his wife. "I'll return, I promise."
Seona fled the room crying.
Silently, Hasegawa got out of bed and dressed. Now, he had a mission to accomplish.
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Heheh... And oh, by the way, Happy Chinese New Year!
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