[The Training Gallery] Ballads of Cold Steel

by **Xen** on April 8th, 2014, 5:41 am

Spring 11, 514 A.V

Xen takes ahold of the handle of his weapon and pulls, unsheathing the cold iron exterior from it's sheathe. He holds the unsheathed katana within his left hand, allowing the torchlight to shine upon the surface of his blade. While in the presence of the light—the katana gleams beautifully, its tip holding a keen and precise edge. Xen stands in place with a focused and serious expression. This day would spark the end of his lax nature and carelessness towards the jungle.

He closes his eyes and severs his sense of sight—temporarily blackening his mind. Xen proceeds to observe the world around him with his other senses, letting the various vibrations, sounds and energies from his environment to flow around him. He could detect the small vibrations moving across the moist floor beneath his feet and touching the tactile receptors on his toes. The vibrations were faint yet their frequencies were strong enough to allow Xen to pin-point their location. He slides his feet across the floor and makes a slow approach towards the vibrations—his weapon ready.

Xen was aware of the water that was collecting on the ceiling above him and knew they would gradually form into the droplets and fall onto his blade. These little constructs of water clung defiantly to the ceilings surface, unwilling to abide to gravities rule. The first droplet fell from the ceiling and hits the ground near Xen in a matter of minutes. He turns his head to the right after hearing the first droplet of water landing near him.

“Focuss, learn to detect and feel the movementsss within the air around you.” Xen thought to himself

Xen concentrates his mind and gathers his focus. The small vibrations that were in his reach had a rhythm to them. He could feel the vibrations, water droplets falling in a complete circle around him made them. Xen pays close attention to the rhythm at play and slowly tightens his grip on his weapon. He swings his katana to the left; his horizontal stroke misses a droplet that splashes water onto his toes. Xen waits for the next droplet to fall and relies on his sense of hearing to detect the slightest sounds the droplets made. He was careful and made sure the area he occupied in the training gallery was empty. Xen knows how protective the constrictors were over their young and the punishment he would face if he injured one...would be death.

A droplet falls past Xen but the other wasn’t so lucky. Xen places his right hand on the handle of his weapon with his left hand on the lower part of the handle and performs another horizontal stroke, aiming towards the right this time—where he manages to cut a droplet of water in two. The droplet scatters into pieces upon impact with Xen’s blade: like a soul’s crushed aspiration, its pieces fall to the earth and disappear.

by **Xen** on April 10th, 2014, 2:11 am

Ballads of Cold Steel

The stillness presents itself to Xen, as a heavy silence falls upon the training gallery. He lightens the grip of his right hand below the guard while keeping the grip of his left hand, beneath his right hand, firm. Xen places the katana in front of him and holds this stance. He poised motionless on his toes and meditates, his eyes remained shut the entire time. Xen allows his concentration to fall solely on his weapon, letting the worldly distractions around him fade into the darkness of his mind.

During his meditation, Xen creates a world devoid of color and structure. In this empty world—the pitch blackness beneath his feet replaces the earth and ground. A person who could gaze into this world would think Xen was levitating in complete nothingness, as the world above and below appeared to be the same. However, a white droplet of water materializes from above and touches the emptiness beneath Xen. The droplet creates ripples along the surface of the void to reveal that Xen was standing atop of a blackened sea.

“Be restful in the spirit, placid within the body and mind.”

He keeps his posture straight with his chest and torso facing forward. Xen could feel the weight of the katana lessen; he was synchronizing with the weapon and allowed its energy to unite with his own. He keeps his elbows bent with the tip of his katana pointing upwards. Xen indulges in the powerful calmness of his world and lowers the point of his katana towards the sea below him. He stood with his feet held closely together and maintains a stance that was deceptively open. Xen remembers this stance: it was the first stance he had taken in battle.

He continues to meditate until a strange sound enters his world, causing ripples as it scratches along the surface of his mind. Xen raises his katana and waits for the rustling to approach him, for it to enter his range. He would punish the thing that dared to disrupt his focus and have it taste his weapon’s blade. The rustling reaches him, moving elegantly through the air just meters away from him. Xen takes five steps before bringing his blade down on the object of his distraction.

“Huh, a leaf?”

Xen opens his eyes to see he had murdered a leaf. The foul creature didn’t stand a chance against his cold, iron blade. Xen was embarrassed, glad that he was the only soul to witness the shame of his ways. He sighs and places the katana in it’s sheathe. Xen then scratches the back of his head and looks around for some form of life.

by **Xen** on April 18th, 2014, 2:26 am

Ballads of Cold Steel

Xen picks up the green leaf and looks around for more like it. He peeks around the wrestling ring and notices a trail of them leading around to the other side. Xen tilts his head to the side, displaying confusion and intrigue. What person would do this: maybe, someone holding an armful of leaves? Xen wanted to meet the constrictor of leaves: who had been wandering around the training gallery surrounded in mystery and silence. He crouches low to the ground, places his hands on the wrestling and presses his back against the structure. Xen scoots alongside the wrestling ring as quietly as he could until he reaches the corner of the ring.

He sees a constrictor standing with his head lowered. Xen sneaks up on the constrictor to see why he would be looking at the ground, or was so preoccupied with it. He watches as the constrictor picks up something and holds it in front of his chest. This item was narrow and silver in color, its edges were serrated and the tip ended with a sharp point. Xen rushes forward and grabs the item from the constrictor’s hand in one swift motion of his hand. The constrictor turns to face Xen but stumbles and falls backwards onto his bottom.

“WHAT WERE YOU DOING WITH THISSS KNIFE!?” Xen shouted

Xen raises his voice at the constrictor that was more surprised to know that someone was here with him—rather than Xen’s yelling. Xen grabs the constrictor by the collar of his shirt and looks into the constrictors eyes with anger burning within his own. He knew what the constrictor was about to do…commit suicide. But he had stopped the lethal act and now had to deal with the suicidal constrictor. Xen tightens his grip and pulls the constrictor close to him, his nails threatening to tear through the male constrictors clothing.

“I…I’m sssorry, thiss iss the only way…. I can regain my honor.” Said The constrictor

The male constrictor bursts into tears, causing the large and intimidating image he maintained to crumble. Xen lets go of the constrictor, knowing the feeling all too well. The loss of one’s honor would lead to insanity or vengeance driven by grief and hatred. He backs away from the constrictor to give the poor man time to grieve and regain his composure. Xen couldn’t stand seeing a constrictor cry; it just wasn’t something he was use to at the moment.

by **Xen** on April 25th, 2014, 9:15 pm

Ballads of Cold Steel

Xen knew how it felt to lose the honor and passion in something, having the joy and decadence effaced from one’s life, could permanently nix one’s aspirations. In this constrictors case, it was the loss of his life’s honor and after experiencing such dishonor, he chose death. Xen found that this was more than just a coincidence and decides to help the big male constrictor regain his honor as a male and as a proud dhani of Zinrah. He presents his katana to the constrictor, which was inside its scabbard but if one was close enough to touch the scabbard, you could feel the sharpness of the katana through it.

The katana’s sumptuous handle was prim and the fabric along its handle—tried and true. Xen was confident in his weapon and after strapping the weapon onto his hip, Xen extends a hand to the constrictor, who would hopefully accept his gesture of kindness. He always wanted to help a constrictor, knowing that helping one constrictor could potentially help all of Zinrah someday.

“ I losst a dagger in the jungle while essscaping a few myrian’ss. The weapon hass ssentimental value to me, ssso be careful with it! I’m ssure you’ll be able to find the path I made, it’sss…. don’t laugh when you find it. ”

The constrictor lowers his head to hide his rosy red cheeks from Xen. Xen only grins and accepts the job with a nod. However, there was something he needed to do and that was to put on a shirt and get his shield from his cavern. Xen turns his back to the constrictor and walks through the exit—where he disappears. The constrictor watches Xen and grins as he walks through the training galleries exit and disappears from his sight. There was some devilry afoot, hiding behind the visage of a constrictor.

Xen walks down the tunnel and enters his cavern after a long walk. He lies down on his bed and closes his eyes to relax his body. Xen would complete the task after he rests his body and regains some of the energy he spent in the training gallery. Time passes, turning seconds into minutes and those minutes into hours. Xen was ignorant of this change and remains asleep, letting the morning hours change to noon.

by **Xen** on May 3rd, 2014, 7:00 am

Ballads of Cold Steel

The hour of dusk was beautiful Xen. He believes it to be a moment when night and day collided with one another and created a perfect synergy: where the stars and clouds share a time together with the sun and its fading light. Xen looks into the jungle and remembers the constrictor saying something about a trail. He looks around but could not notice anything out of the ordinary. Xen had to look a second time before he notices a path leading into the jungle. When he approaches the trail, he notices it was littered with tore and soaked clothing.

Xen grabs a small twig and picks up a small piece of the clothing.
He could tell someone was in a hurry or in desperate situation by how the trail was made. There were many small trees and shrubs that had been trampled by something heavy and large. Xen smells the cloth and throws it into the brush—what a terrible smell. He couldn’t imagine the creature that was able to produce such a transfixing aroma! Xen follows the trail and avoids stepping onto the foul smelling cloths that was littering the path he follows.

“Ugh, ssmellss like sssomeone wet themsselvess and left their shame behind … wait a ssecond! Oh! Thiss isss what conssstrictor wasss talking about!? Don’t tell me, sso he… in hiss clothess… nasssty, that’sss ssso nasssty!”

Xen felt like he was going to vomit and spew his precious lunch across the jungle floor. He manages to hold it but his only reward was a bitter aftertaste on the back of his tongue. Xen was beginning to regret his decision and was starting to wonder if this was a joke of some sort. He wouldn’t be surprised to see a group of constrictors laughing at him when he reached the area the constrictor had lost his dagger. A series of bells passes before Xen finds that he was wrong, terribly wrong. He unsheathes his katana from its scabbard and looks around with caution.

There were corpses littering the ground near a pile of severed limbs! He could identify some animals while others were unknown to him—these being the bodies of an Akila Hound and the Nightmare Bat. Xen memorizes the bodies of these creatures with puncture holes through their chests. This was a mistake. He did not want to be here in the jungle with dusk approaching. He couldn’t stay in the jungle at night: it was too risky and nightmarish. There was a chilling moment of quietude that descends upon the jungle. Xen could hear his heart beating, as nothing moved or made a sound in the jungle.

“Sssomething iss in the jungle but where, where iss it!?” Xen thought

Xen could sense the danger but its presence overwhelms him, preventing him from finding the true location of its being. The tension in the air was building and forces him to tighten his grip on his weapon. It was only when a midnight breeze cools the sweat along his forehead did he regain his composure—his courage restored. Xen would fight and would not break down before the enemy! He closes his eyes despite the tinge of distrust he felt towards the encroaching darkness. To render his sight to temporary blindness would enhance his other senses: yet this was a double edged sword, which left him vulnerable to the enemy. Xen concentrates on his surroundings and makes his body the center of the world around him.

The absence of wild life made it less difficult to find what was lurking beyond the light and hidden within darkness. Xen spins around with his eyes open—the thing he was facing was fast. The creature moves the second he finds its location but he felt that it wouldn’t be long before it revealed itself to him.

by **Xen** on May 5th, 2014, 2:51 am

Ballads of Cold Steel

Darkness consumes the jungle and the night made itself present. Xen patiently awaited the arrival of his enemy: his foe—the jungle lurker. He had not lost track of the time and remembers that it took him five hours to get to this place. Xen could hear water nearby and believes it was probably a small river of some sort. He takes note of this, as he would need to make this place his camp for the night. The only problem was that he needed to kill his foe and survive the night in the jungle. A loud cracking sound penetrates the silence within the jungle and a tall creature emerges from the blackness.

The bright gaze of the moon extends the creatures shadow towards Xen. The shadow overshadows Xen, encasing him in the aura of the creature it branched from. He could sense how abnormal this thing was despite it being just a few feet away from him. The creature stares in Xen’s direction, its eyes glowing slightly in the moonlight. The way it stood and behaved, so disarmingly, would make you think it did not recognize Xen…but it did. When Xen reaches for his katana and slowly unsheathes the weapon, it was like it could hear the cold iron rubbing against the scabbard. The creature suddenly extends its fan-like wings and propels itself forward by kicking its legs.

This creature was exceedingly fast! It was capable of closing the distance between it and Xen within a minute and was ready to liberate the limbs from his body. Xen unsheathes his katana and swings for the creature’s neck! The creature leaned back to avoid Xen’s katana and retaliates by swiping with its right incisor… with a throat as its intended target. Xen slides his right foot backwards and kicks forward with the heel of his left foot, as he jumps backwards the creatures incisor glides pass his face and slashes open a large tree next to him.

The impact was loud and fierce, as small fragments of wood flew through the air. The thickness of the tree meant nothing to this creature, as its dense exoskeleton had effortlessly absorbed all of the recoil. Xen slides backwards across the jungle floor and ducks as the creature swings its left incisor. The incisor collides with a nearby tree, which in turn causes the plant to explode as the incisor slices through its thick bark. Xen backs away from his foe before running and jumping with his katana held in the air! While in the air, Xen brings his weapon down onto his enemy. The creature responds quickly and swings its left incisor with unbridled power!

The impact was inevitable—cold iron would collide with thick bone. There was a loud ‘‘Shiinnng’’ as Xen drops behind his enemy, facing back to back with this unusual creature. The creature screeches in pain as its limb tumbles to the ground. Xen knew what he was doing: he aimed for the joint and placed all his weight behind the blade of his katana, hoping that it would cut through the hard tissue. The cold iron katana within his grasp was probably one of few things that could pierce through the creature’s armor.

In the open Xen could clearly see the form of his foe: a large praying mantis. The insect stood seven feet tall and held an imposing and muscular physique. A Ya’ Tago: one that was nearing adulthood was Xen’s opponent for tonight. He could not discern the difference between the creature’s pain and anger: it seemed to be an unhealthy mixture of the two. Xen was sure of one thing—that his body would not allow him to keep up with such a foe. The Ya’ Tago was fast and its attacks were heavy and devastating. Xen was certain that even one of its blows would kill or knock him unconscious.

by **Xen** on May 5th, 2014, 6:10 am

The End

The Ya’ Tago turns and charges him with greater speed and ferocity than before. It raises its one incisor and sends it barreling down on Xen’s head. Xen raises his katana and holds the weapon horizontally over his head with his right hand behind the dull side of the blade. He tilts the blade, ensuring that the blade would not only block but also parry the attack. When the Ya’ Tago's incisor strikes the katana, the weapon was trapped within the creatures thick hide and Xen notices this and struggles with beast to retrieve his katana.

The Ya’ Tago screeches loudly and kicks Xen in the chest—the blow was powerful and sends him flying through the air. Xen’s body descends into the Kandukta Basin, his consciousness fading. He could see the stars and the moon as his vision began to fade. The warm water embraced his aching body, coaxing him to close his eyes even further. Xen could see memories, his memories within the bubbles escaping his nose. He could see his mother, his father, uncle and lastly his deceased siblings. Xen grins at these memories containing the faces of his loved ones. He could see the darkness devouring him and the abyss below becoming his grave. Xen’s eyes were almost shut until he hears a voice.

‘‘Do...not...worry—I’am with you….always. ’’

Xen’s eyes burst open and he swims to the surface, his legs kicking wildly against the water. He reaches the surface gasping for breath as he digs his hands into the dirt. Xen grins while facing the ground and starts to chuckle. The chuckle turns into sinister laughter as he raises his head to the sky. Xen then wobbles to his feet and stripes off his wet armor and clothing. Once bare, he shifts into dhani form, allowing broad scales to emerge from his flesh. The scales on Xen’s body stood upwards as he releases a sound reminiscent to a roaring hiss.

‘‘Shaaaaah!?’’

Xen’s cry was loud and foreboding: it disturbs even the large crocodiles that were drawn to the splashing he made earlier. He looks into the jungle and lunges into the darkness, his movements wild and sporadic: like that of a crazed animal. Xen channels djed into his claws and teeth, he could feel a tinge within them and focuses upon his appendages. The fangs within his mouth were transformed into rows of serrated teeth and his claws became longer and more pronounced. Xen even as he morphed teeth and claws into flesh rendering instruments… he still did not feel satisfaction.

He wanted to taste blood—the blood of his enemy upon his tongue. Xen slithers through the jungle and into the opening where his opponent still remained. He would have his vengeance and would not need to use his katana. The Ya’ Tago was eating away at its own incisor in a desperate attempt to free itself from the katana. The creature turns and faces Xen, it hisses and stomps its six legs on the ground. Xen flares his hood and hisses loudly before coiling his body and springing forward—he glides through the air and slams into the Ya’ Tago. Xen bites into the creature’s neck as it beats him with the nubs it had for appendages.

The creature’s desperate attempt to save itself did nothing: it only fuels Xen’s rage as he bites hard and slashes away at its chest with his claws. He coils around the Ya’ Tago’s lower body to prevent it from flying. Xen could taste the blood flowing into his mouth and tears a chunk of flesh from the Ya’ Tago’s throat. He bites down again and tears away as the creature wails through the jungle. The Ya’ Tago had brought Xen back to where it had met him and falls to the ground—weakened and near death.

A ball has passed and Xen was still lost in bloodlust and did not realize he was now devouring the soft meat underneath his fallen foes exoskeleton. He slides his body from the opening he made within the creatures chest and releases a victory cry before losing consciousness. The morning came and Xen awakes in a cold sweat. He remembers all that had happened last night and vomits on the jungle floor. Xen felt sick to his stomach but summons up enough strength to gather his armor, clothing and katana.

‘‘I’m sorry you had to die so painfully—rest in peace now.’’

Xen stumbles away from the scene of carnage and heads back home. To every coin: a head and a tail. A single instance where a coin would have single head but two tails: a tail that leaned within mellifluousness and the other submerged in carnage. That coin would be a rare possession and its extra tail hidden within the image of the other.

by **Catastrophe** on May 7th, 2014, 12:48 am

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Xen :

Notes :

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