As The Snow Falls, As The Hail Pelts

[Simulacrum]

As the Snow falls, as the Hail pelts

Screams, so intense and terrible that only a female giving birth could make them, destroyed the silence of icy Ko-Wahi. The screams came from a small, deteriorating shack, secluded and, for the most part, forgotten. It was normally a silent, uneventful place, but tonight, as the snow falls, and the hail pelts, a new individual was being born.Inside the small, rotting-walled shack, a sweating, moaning Toa of Water was being encouraged by a tall, thin Toa of Ice. “You can do it.” The Toa of Ice encouraged, his voice uniquely beautiful and distracting. There was something in the way he moved, something hidden and dangerous. Like a beast confined, waiting to be released. A fire crackled in the hearth, but he ignored the heat.Turning her head, the Toa of Water smiled at him. “Kirian…” She said, lifting her hand to his cheek. Her touch, while gentle and feminine, had a distinguishing, strong quality to it. The grip of one who fought for what she believed in. “It’s coming…”Kirian cursed panickedly as he stepped to where he was previously kneeling, the foot of the bed on which she laid. A smile on his face, he spoke encouragingly. “One more push!” With a low-pitched scream, the Toa of Water did as she was told. Soon, her cry was overshadowed by another, high-pitched one. She stopped instantly, but the second cry continued. “Is it okay?” She asked between gasps.“She’s perfect, Ayana.” He said quietly, cleaning her as he walked over. Stopping next to the child’s wide-eyed mother, and his wife, he placed the crying baby into her arms. “My beautiful daughter…” Ayana said softly, tears of joy flowing down her cheeks. “My beautiful Gahuari.”Kirian smiled softly at the now-quiet infant, who beamed up at her father. As he leaned down next to her, a furious knocking at the door startled both him and Ayana. Cautiously walking over to the door, he spoke. “What do you want?”.A lengthy silence followed, and the knocking abruptly ceased. As Kirian waited, a few steps from the door, the sound of something heavy being picked up could be heard. As Kirian warily took another step back, a massive boulder crashed through the door.Looking up from where he kneeled, bleeding and holding a gaping cut on his thigh closed, Kirian stared at a group of two dozen bounty hunters.“Want we want, convict, is your head.” the apparent leader of the group said, holding a stone tablet in front of him like it carried a disease. The tablet read MURDER, REWARD DEAD ONLY, with a likeness of Kirian on below the headline, and the reward -a hefty 25,000 widgets- below. Silence followed the bounty hunter’s statement. Kirian looked up at the multitude of them, unsettling calm the only emotion he seemed to possess. “Well then.” He said, his voice crystal clear, as if he was addressing a crowd. “I guess this won’t end well.”“Karz right it won’t.” The leader grinned. “Come outside calmly, and we’ll give you a painless death. But for your friend there, she won‘t-”The hunter’s words were ended abruptly, for an arrow protruding through his neck, fired by Kirian, prevented further speech. With a cry of outrage, the other twenty ran into the small space, and only two stayed back, waiting for the moment to strike.Cries of pain and screams of anguish filled the cold night, for Kirian, wielding a length of steel that was formerly used for shifting logs in the fire, using his medical knowledge to strike where death, or at the least, unbearable pain would be caused. First four, then six, and then a entire dozen of them met their fate as he merciless beat them to death.As the next ten advanced, a Toa of Iron revealed himself, and absorbed the weapon. After killing him with his hands alone, Kirian ripped his sword out of his sheath, and proceeded to cut down three others. By now, the remaining hunters had learned to stay out of reach, and were spreading out, though careful to avoid the south corner of the room, where Ayana lied. The third bounty-hunter had attempted to strike her, and Kirian had rendered his corpse unrecognizable.Snarling a challenge, Kirian literally leapt at a Skakdi, his blade piercing his leather armor with ease. A Vortixx, as he attempted to retreat, had his life taken gruesomely. Only two remained, and Kirian stood a few feet in front of a terrified Ayana, who stared at the mangled corpses in disbelief. Kirian’s mind had lost all rationality.When the smarter of the two bounty hunters controlled the flames of the fire so that they disappeared, they were all plunged into darkness.The Toa of Fire created a ball of fire so that he could see. The foolish -and fatal- mistake allowed Kirian to heave a particularly heavy log directly at the Toa’s head, killing him instantly.Listening closely for the last hunter, Kirian heard the sound of breathing behind him, and he whipped around, driving the sword into flesh. Standing up, he pulled the sword back, only to whip it around again as a mighty roar sounded. The blade once again met flesh, and the true last bounty hunter fell dead.“If that was the last…” Kirian thought allowed. Suddenly his eyes went wide, and he paled. “Oh Mata-Nui…” He breathed, rushing over to Ayana’s bedside, where she lay, bleeding from a fatal wound. Before he even got to her, she died, gasping, only to never make a sound again.That night, as the snow fell, and the hail pelted, the darkness was filled with two new sounds, the wailing of a child, and the sobbing of Kirian.***Hound, his golden and black armor hidden beneath a thick, furred cloak, walked through the icy wasteland of Ko-Wahi. He walked leisurely, humming a deep, orchestral tune as he trudged through the snow.The titan-sized being seemed perfectly home in any element, and as the sound of Rahi could be heard in the distance, he continued his journey, never pausing, never tiring. In hours, which he treated like minutes, he reached the rotting, decaying shack. Silence reigned, except for the bleating of a small, goat-like Rahi, tied to the house, a lone infant Rahi next to it. “Hmmm…” Hound murmured, sounding thoroughly amused.Opening the door, Hound stared at the trail of drying blood. “His skill is as good as they say.” He said quietly, looking at the bundle of bodies, tied together, and shoved in the corner. Only Ayana’s body wasn’t there, for Kirian had spent the entire day after the tragedy burying her.“Kirian, you can come out now.” Hound said, amusement in his voice. “The Huna doesn’t stop noise. I can hear you breathing.” The Denuian continued, sitting down on one of the decaying chairs, which groaned and creaked in protest.The Toa of Ice appeared, holding Gahuari. His eyes were bloodshot, and he stared at Hound, anger and rage visible on his face.“Now, now.” Hound said, wagging a finger at him like one would at a naughty child. “Don’t give me that look. I’m not here to hurt you, I have an offer.” He continued, smiling a smile, faking friendliness. “From your silence, I’m assuming you’ve allowed my continuation. I’m gathering a team. I’m looking for people that no one will miss. I dare say that the Guards would pay me to take these beings. That’s right, I know about your ‘condition’. Your tendency to mentally snap, to lose all rationality at a moment’s notice. I dare say you’ve made a display of it here. Back on my original conversation, I have a mission, suicidal and unappealing, but I have a feeling you’ll accept it.”Pausing from his speech, Hound’s eyes wandered from Kirian to Gahuari. “What do you have to lose? Ah, yes, your child. But what would happen if she stays with you? Do you want her to live a life of bloodshed and screams? The child’s seen enough death in the last week than most see in their lives. So I a present you an offer; You’re child’s safety, in the form of a new home in Ga-Koro, for your services to me.” When Hound finished, he made no noise or move, letting the words seep into Kirian’s mind.“I accept.” The Toa of Ice said slowly, eyeing the Denuian warily.“Good!” Hound said, genuine happiness in his voice. “You start now.” With that, Hound shot forward, grabbing Gahuari from him, and then stepping out of reach of the blow Kirian intended. “I have a friend at Ko-Koro. He’ll deliver this child to her new home.” The Denuian explained to the confused Kirian. “Until then, I shall hold her. Don’t want the offer to be reconsidered, do I?”With that, the Denuian calmly walked into the cold, wrapping his cloak around the child, and taking the pain of the cold upon himself. Kirian noticed this as he walked behind, and from that moment on, viewed the Denuian with respect.

Edited May 23, 2012 by D.A.V.E.

[otter]

Hmm...something I forgot to mention earlier, I really like the ending-you make Hound seem rather cold to Kirian's feelings at first, quickly taking his daughter, and then proving himself still to be nice by covering her with his own cloak.Berry nice.

[Simulacrum]

Berry, berry nice. Almost strawberry nice. Anyway, thanks for the review! You already did me a great favor by proof-reading it.

[Athmos]

Wow, Gahuari is Kirian's child? That's a bit of a shocker. This sounds wrong, but I enjoyed the part where he killed his wife.

[Cambion]

Oh goodness.I do believe I read this without realizing that it tied in with another story.And I probably spoiled said other story by reading this..____.

[BULiK]

Oh goodness.I do believe I read this without realizing that it tied in with another story.And I probably spoiled said other story by reading this..____.

WHAT?Karz! I hope they weren't spoiled for me too by reading this.where can I find these other stories?

[Cambion]

Oh goodness.I do believe I read this without realizing that it tied in with another story.And I probably spoiled said other story by reading this..____.

WHAT?Karz! I hope they weren't spoiled for me too by reading this.where can I find these other stories?

Probably on the author's profile, or in the archives.

[Simulacrum]

XD Don't worry. This story's an Origin story for Kirian, the other is for another character, Tirus. His story is actually on the current Short Stories page, labeled Take The Stars From The Sky.The only thing they have in common is Hound. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!

[otter]

I'm happy with this...because I know what's coming up next.Tee-hee.And Gahuari's story is not one of them...unless Darkon has changed the plan.

[Simulacrum]

Nah. This doubles as her story too. And may I ask why you're so excited about what comes next?

[Cambion]

XD Don't worry. This story's an Origin story for Kirian, the other is for another character, Tirus. His story is actually on the current Short Stories page, labeled Take The Stars From The Sky.The only thing they have in common is Hound. Anyway, thanks for reading and reviewing!

Well, okay, but who are these characters? BZPRPG, I'm guessing?

[Simulacrum]

Yep.

[otter]

I just thought of something, Darkon. You mentioned strawberries up there.I take my hat off to you, good sir. And I wonder...have you made a short story for Onyx yet?Also, you should go read my epic I've got three chapters in so far.-shameless self advertising-

[Simulacrum]

The only stories I've written are these two, thanks to my lack of a writing program at the moment. Epic? I'll have to go check that out.