[ The Bronze Woods] The Calling Part 4

[Holland Rolandus]

Spring 11th 515 A.v

Following haven arisen the next morning. Holland smiled and realized how much more beautiful and serene the scenery was. He was elated, and glad that he even woke up this fine day. The morning was beautiful, and he could hear the whisper of the wind as it kissed the trees. The sun graced the land with its absolutely gorgeous love, and shared with the entirety of the biome its light. The morning dew lied upon the grasses that wove about oh so elegantly. A prose-worthy day, but Holland of course wasn’t a writer. Holland wasn’t going to attempt bothering to write either. Today wasn’t a day to use being lazy. In Holland’s eyes if one wastes time they wasted their lives doing nothing. Holland thought to himself; what was the meaning of life when it is spent sitting about like a motionless boulder? Philosophy was something Holland grew more interested in over time. He continued to search for the true meaning of life, and why it was so valuable to people. Holland tracked all of the bandits down one by one, and now the final one was the one he needed to find. The question was where he will even start looking; he thought to himself as he opened the Tent. Walking directly over toward the first Tree that he saw, and trying to figure something out. Why was the bark upon this specific Tree directly in-front of him so damaged. What he saw for looked like charred ash and embers still freshly ablaze upon the tree. Holland figured that he was practically stared death right in the face at this point. Holland wanted to turn around, but he hadn’t yet found the strength or the courage.

Holland wanted to turn about and leave. He had to face trials and tribulations during his early childhood. He didn’t want to complete the work, and especially not if it was this level of dangerous. Yet, Holland knew he had to finish what he started. If it weren’t for the physical aspects of these battles; Holland would’ve considered it a mental battle. The past few days he has been battling against himself, and not truly with his opponents. Holland became inspired to fight, for the well being of others. Holland chose to fight in order to save what was sacred to someone else. Holland wasn’t usually the individual to care about anyone or anything but himself. Claudia, she had done this to him and made him caring. She changed his attitude about a multitude of things; she showed him the value of life. He wanted to change not only for himself, but for the greater good, and to develop himself. He wanted to become strong, and protect her with his life. Holland had an ultimate goal of saving others. Yet, in order to protect and save others Holland knew he had to first be able to save himself. A clenched right fist up-rose, and Holland raised it immediately. Holland grasped hold of a bit of the charred remains of Tree-bark and parted his lips. Holland spoke in a whispered tone, and his voice only came to grow louder. “Claudia although you cannot hear me now, I vow to you to become stronger. I shall make myself the best man that I can be. I shall live on to inspire others to be like you and I some day. I shall change, and starting now I will fight on even if I lose!” He exclaimed at the top of his lungs.

Holland turned about swiftly; guided by his newfound courage. Before darting off into the woods and rushed toward a dark figure. Only to be met with flames that danced and crackled over part of his exposed flesh. The outside of his right hand had been charred in a circular pattern. Holland lets out a blood curdling scream, as he realizes further what kind of danger he’d gotten himself into. Holland’s eyes widened immediately and he ducked behind a Tree as best as he could. Before the Tree too, was struck with a ball of flame. Before long, Holland was surrounded at the heels in flames. The bright light of the illuminating flame met Holland’s gaze. Holland leapt over the small ring of flames, before charging forth. He attempted to attack an opponent he could hardly even see. Holland was forced to inhale smoke as he attacked what seemed to have been thin air. Holland coughed and hacked a bit after inhalation, and finally spotted his target. Having observed through the distance; before concentrating some of his own res. The lavender-gold glow emitted itself from both his hands simultaneously. Holland concentrated on strong emotion. Holland wanted to douse the flames, and that he did. Holland generates water by sacrificing a bit of what was inside his own embodiment. Holland rushed forth at the now blinded opponent, and attempted to strike. Yet, the moment he struck; he missed. The bandit immediately threw outward an instinctive kick to Holland’s right thigh. Holland began losing the ability to think and immediately began to think of his god. W-wysar, I need you. I need your strength. I don’t want to die. I’m losing this battle my lord. I need you to give me strength. Please help me. Holland thought as he fell to the ground, and the opposing entity brought downward his right fist. Slamming it directly into the back-and-breast armor Holland wore. Although his hand didn’t penetrate Holland still felt pain. His armor had been dented with a single strike. Holland was absolutely shocked and felt horrified at the fact that a punch could generate that much force.

How was it possible, and why was the Bandit defeating Holland this easily? Holland lacked the one thing he needed in combat. That thing was faith, and he began to lose it as the battle went on. Hardly able to endure the battle as is, Holland didn’t know what to do anymore. Holland didn’t want to give up and look like a coward; he told that woman he would retrieve her weapon. Holland wanted to be a man of his word, but for now things weren’t working in his favor.

[Holland Rolandus]

Holland was at the brink of failure. Yet, he knew he couldn’t afford to simply fall backward like a coward. Holland outstretched his right hand, and clasped the opponents’ wrist. Before twisting it, and throwing his right leg out beneath the opponents left. Sweeping his heels, and rolling over atop the Bandit. Holland attempted to strike the opponent with his cranial structure. Bringing downward his forehead and he failed immediately. The Bandit simply stopped the attack using a palm and bringing it upward. Having caught Holland’s cranium The Bandit pushed it backward. Forcing Holland to move away and regain ground. Holland staggered to his feet, and immediately unsheathed his weapon. The sound of clattering steel could clearly be heard as the blade length erupted from the scabbard. Holland threw outward a rapid swing, and attempted to hack-and-slash away at the opponent. Only to miss, and be counter-stricken as The Bandit grabbed hold of his wrist. Throwing outward a punch toward Holland’s nose, and reflexively Holland ducked. Using his opposite hand to strike the opponents gut and he threw out the strike. Attempting to get away from his opponent Holland uses the environment. Brawling with the Bandit and grasping hold of a clump of soil and Holland threw it upward. The bandit reeled back, and was impacted in the visage with a fist full of dirt. Forcing him to let go of Holland’s wrist and immediately Holland reacted with a relentless punch.

Holland slammed his fist directly into the opponents’ visage and fell forward simultaneously. Impacting the ground torso first, and pushing his body up off of the ground. Holland wasn’t going to let up and give the opponent the opportunity to strike back. Holland immediately stood upward and leapt over in an attempt to tackle the bandit. Yet, the bandit reacted much more swiftly then Holland initially though he could. Holland was unable to react, as a knee struck him in the stomach. The bandit snickered as the strike impacted Holland immediately. Holland felt as if he wanted to vomit, and yet he didn’t. As Holland descended from his slightly elevated position the leap provided him with. Holland mercilessly moved his cranial structure forward and sank his teeth into the flesh of the opponents’ visage. Holland figured that if he wanted to win he would have to fight like he wanted to survive. Holland shook his cranium violently and fell atop the opponent. Tearing a large portion of flesh from the opponents’ visage and spitting it out. Gritting his teeth simultaneously and getting up off of the opponent. Holland threw outward a strike with his rapier. He could only hope the strike would hit, and Holland heard something horrifying. Simplistic was the sound of metal against armor, but it was still horrifying.

The bandit wore a breastplate beneath his black raiment. Holland was outraged and yet remained calm. The bandit immediately smiled and began to speak. “You thought that you won!? You are such a young lad and have so much to learn boy! I am going to rob you of the future you’ll need to learn in order to do that though. Don’t worry, I’ll kill you quickly!” The Bandit exclaimed as he rushed forward into Holland’s embodiment without warning. He charged with a motivation to kill, and slammed his shoulder into Holland’s back-and-breast plate immediately. Sending Holland barreling backward and Holland slipped a bit. Regaining his balance as he staggered to his feet; Holland threw yet another strike of the rapier. Holland aimed to punch his opponent with the steel pappen-heimer guard of the weapon. Holland finally broke the opponents’ defense and landed the strike. Impacting the opponents’ nose and hearing nothing at all crunching. Perhaps his nose had already been broken, or he had a very high pain tolerance. Holland was shocked, and yet he knew he had to try something. He combined the strike of the guard with an unarmed combat attack. Throwing his elbow into the strike as his guard bypassed the opponents’ nose. Holland slammed his elbow into the opponents opposing cheek that didn’t leak aqua de vitae. Observing as the opponents cranial structure snapped sharply to the right side. Before his opponent reacts instinctively and slams his cranial structure into that of Holland’s own.

Holland stepped backward, and then leads the siege again. Holland struck relentlessly burning out majority of the endurance he had left to do as much as swing. Holland missed majority of the strikes. Two actually impacted, and Holland still struggled to even battle on any further. He wasn’t adept in terms of unarmed combat, and was better with his rapier. Yet, He continually battled with his opponent using a combination of both. Hollands forearm slammed into The Bandits cranial structure immediately. Holland forced the bandit to duck. The strike led to the opponent falling victim to another assault. Holland immediately launched his right knee upward and slammed it into the opponents’ visage. Claiming jaw and bone, Holland himself collapsed atop the now unconscious man. Holland had to use subterfuge once more in order to search the opponents’ body for the weapon. He found several things on this individual, and unlike the other two he found ropes. Ropes with serrated edges that could very well be used to slash an opponent wide open, and then he found it. The object he had been searching for the entire time was upon the body of this scum-bag. The dagger the elderly woman looked for, and had Holland go all this way to find. Now the task would be to get back to the rearing stallion where the elderly woman told him to meet her once he’d found it. Finding it alone was no easy task, and surely getting it back safely wouldn’t be either. The scabbard of the dagger was ornate and golden. Holland unsheathed the weapon and looked at it for only a moment, only to attempt to read the small engraving upon it. Yet, he couldn’t quite read it at all, and he would have to return it to the elderly woman now. He rushed off to storm-hold castle and attempted to bring the woman back her prized possession.

[Katelyn Marks]

Due Rewards

“After nourishment, shelter, and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.”

― Philip Pullman

 

Holland

Skills
➢ Observation +2
➢ Acrobatics +1
➢ Endurance +1
➢ Philosophy +1
➢ Rhetoric +1
➢ Reimancy +1
➢ Unarmed Combat +2
➢ Tactics +2
➢ Brawling +1
➢ Rapier +1

Lores
➢ Claudia: Inspiration for Courage
➢ Brawling: Fighting Dirty

Comments: I have to say, things escalated pretty quickly. I feel like this should have been more than two posts. It didn't flow well, jumping instantly into combat without any explanation. In your defense I haven't read any earlier parts to this thread series, so I had no idea what was really going on. Also, you did portray the fight pretty well to your level, so I awarded you there. All I can say is to try not to jumble everything together. Try and organize your posts a little bit better in the future and maybe don't repeat so many of the same words over and over in your paragraphs. It doesn't help the sentences flow. Other than that, good job.

If you have any concerns or questions about your rewards please feel free to send me a message. Also, please edit your original grade request and mark it as graded. Thank you and enjoy!