Seven Seconds - Clint Aribs - Literature - Nairaland
Nairaland Forum / Entertainment / Literature / Seven Seconds - Clint Aribs (334 Views)
Seven Years Without You- Feather's Stories / Life Or Riches: A Seven Days Trial / Seven Ways To Break Free From Your Fear (2) (3) (4)
(1) (Reply)
| Seven Seconds - Clint Aribs by Clintonx01(m): 3:22am On Jul 04, 2018 |
© 2018. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied, transmitted, or stored in a retrieval system without prior written consent of the author. Seven Seconds by Clint Aribs Episode 1 Darkness covers the air as night beckons upon the land of Verdan, the last surviving of three nations of the Aeon empire. Central activity diminishes slowly as the guard fires can be seen lit from the far North Gate of the capital square. Lord Semper watches on from the high builds of the Verdan castle in anticipation of the Blood Moon Night. The event that had continued to plague the Aeon empire for ages has seen two of the empire's nations plummet. The next seventh moon is just four nights away. For the people of this nation, the urgent need for Ake's presence at this time could not be overemphasized. It's been nine years since the Blood Moon Night had seen it's darkest hour that led to the death of over forty-men Verdani battalion and the then reigning Lord Thallacas II of Verdan and as a result of the delayed response from Ake the spirit knight, a lot of people had lost their lives that night. The presence of sorcery since earlier ages is one that had brought great division between the nations before rise of the plague. What was once a mythical story from the lips of many aged tavern drunks is now relived every seven full moons by the people of Verdan. To some, this remains a mythical itch in the ear. With just four nights to spare, it is imperative to begin the order of fortification in the event that the spirit knight reserves her presence beyond fatal circumstances. However, Lord Semper whose ascension to the throne of Verdan hasn't seen more than six full moons, orders the presence of Lancer, chief of the fort guards. "My Lord, what we face is beyond this realm. From what I have witnessed, I believe it is...", Lancer begins. "Weakness!", Lord Semper cuts in. "I asked you not of your beliefs. Prepare the men. Whatever you believe this plague to be, you shall not let it breach the fort." "Yes, my lord", replied Lancer. His footsteps echoes along the walls of the Great Hall as he turns to take his leave. "Perhaps it is time to see the old man." he thinks, as the hall guards opens the doors to his exit. A sense of urgency chokes the air around him. Lancer lets out a long sigh as he reach outside the fort. Two hours past midnight, he saddles his horse quickly and mounts it. Into the woods, he strutted as a watchtower guard catches him leave. Amongst the outskirts of town, in a cottage. "Are you not getting some shuteye?", asked aunt Martha. "I cannot help but ponder our fate here", replied Carla, an orphan girl whose mother died at her birth and had lost her father over nine years ago. He was one of the forty-men Verdani battalion in the darkest hour of the plague. "Do not fret, child. Ake will surely come forth.", aunt Martha replied. "You sound so sure." "That is because I am. Seventeen, Carla. Seventeen times since the darkest hour I had beheld her unfailing glory. Her staff of light cuts through the air in a whim.", said aunt Martha. "Then, why did she...", Carla continues "I know, child. The spirit realm works in a ways we cannot truly fathom.", aunt Martha cuts in. "I do not know why Ake failed us 9 years ago. However, please be assured that she will rise on that night. Do not fret. It will all be okay, sweetheart. Please, get some sleep. Big day at the haberdashery tomorrow." Carla pulls her blanket higher over her shoulders and shuts her eyes to sleep. Deep in the woods, Lancer approaches a musty hut. He stops his horse and fastened it to a tree nearby. A weak light shun from within the hut. He walks up to the wooden entrance and the door creaks open before he could lay a finger to knock on it. He steps in, turned back to watch the door swing itself shut behind him. "Ugh, the old people's smell!", his thoughts lingered. He glances across the room, briefly observing all the bottles of potions before his eyes met a figure in dark corner of the inner room. "Daiyas?, asked Lancer. "I know why you have come.", said Daiyas as three candles lit up themselves in the room where he stood, revealing the saggy looks in his eyes as he speaks. "Good. So, this should be a brief encounter, old friend.", Lancer continues. "I need some good news." Daiyas gives Lancer a long stare before taking his staff and making his way into the main room. The three lit candles go off as he leaves the inner room. "That which was revealed, I cannot say." said Daiyas. "What does that mean? Will the spirit knight be with us on the fourth night?", asked Lancer. "So many questions, young knight." Daiyas slurred. "Come on, now, old friend. We have not much time." "I'm afraid, that which you seek, ye must see for yourself", Daiyas says as he points to a pottery containing a clear liquid. Lancer slowly walks up to it and peered onto it with his eyes wide open. Whush! went the potion as it gives way to reveal that which was written on the bottom surface of the pottery underneath the potion. "DORSUM NUDUM FERO TUI SCELERIS" "What does this mean?" asked Lancer. "It is of old Latin tongue. Seek the meaning thereof from your literary constituents.", replied Daiyas. "What has this to do with the spirit knight?", asked Lancer as he looks back into the pottery, only to find that the words have disappeared. As Lancer turns his head in awe, he finds Daiyas' body slowly disappearing into thin air. "I'm afraid, I am no longer your bridge to the realm beyond or to your spirit knight. You must make haste, the time is nigh.", replied Daiyas as his voice echoes away as if being detached from this realm and into the other. Taken aback by the sight of Daiyas' strange disappearance, Lancer takes an inkling and wrote down the words as he remembered into a piece of ragged cloth before he quickens his footsteps towards the exit as it flung open itself. He unfastened his horse from the tree, mounts it and rode his way out of woods. Episode 1 End |
(1) (Reply)
Living Here; A Thousand Ways To Die / Magical Words / We Watched Her Killed
(Go Up)
| Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10) Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 34 |