Shattered Seed Part 1

Okay, it's time I got out of just writing my perspective of Joneus' story. I may still do it from time to time, but for now I'm just going to write whatever I please and therefore not feel limited in what I write or fear creating inconsistencies between my side and Joneus'.

I hope this works. This is a story that I wanted told months ago in a really good role-playing event that Kalinka, Joneus and I all tried to coordinate. Unfortunately, the event turned sour and nothing ended up happening. I kept hoping that the event would pick up where it was left off, but that didn't work out.

So now, I'm just going to write the story that I imagined happening. Which is actually better because it eliminates the human factor and I have complete control over everything that goes on.

Which is good, because I'm, admittedly, a control freak.

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You could taste it in the air, the growing fear that everyone in the room saw towards Kalinka. Kalinka our leader, and our friend looked around the room and saw nothing but the cold stares of the people see loved more than her own life.

Some might say that the distrust was justified, afterall, she had just murdered one of our own. Though truthfully, none of us ever truly accepted him, murder is still murder.

She had put forward an idea to aid the less fortunate in a way that did not involve a bloody battle, something peaceful without unnecessary bloodshed. Our companion disagreed with her approach and voted instead to fight for personal glory and threatened to leave us behind and bring others with him.

This angered Kalinka, justifiably so, and she lashed out at him. First with words. Then when those couldn't penetrate his skull, her vines did.

That caught us all off-guard. Before any of us could react, the man we called friend lay dead on the floor. The whole time Kalinka just stood over the lifeless body, smirking as though she had done the world a favour and was proud of herself.

I can't speak for the others, I'm not a mind-reader. But this turn of events had not gone unforeseen by myself. Kalinka had confided in me long ago about the existence of another presence in her mind that fought for control. She came to me for advice, which I volunteered without pause, I myself knew what it's like to fight for control of one's own mind. She asked that I would kill her should she ever lose control completely. I refused then, without even considering what she was capable of. Now I saw it for myself, and still I can't bring myself to lay a finger on her in aggression.

Then Llyd stepped forward, our former leader; the man who trusted Kalinka enough to step down and follow her, and spoke. "What have you done?! You just murdered one of our own! You abyssal demon!" Always with the theatrics. Even after stepping down, there were many of us who still regarded Llyd as the rightful leader, and I could see many of those members rallying behind him.

"Killing him was never my intent. I merely planned to 'fix' his mind. I just got a little over-zealous. He did make me very angry, afterall. And I suppose I do need a little practice with that little trick." She strode over to Llyd. "Now perhaps we can discuss my actions in private." With that she spread seeds across the floor. The seeds sprouted almost instantly, creating a wall of vines, closing the rest of off from their conversation.

Fortunately for me, my sense of hearing had been heightened enough to hear the conversation through the vines. Tuning out the cries of my companions as they desperately tried to cut the vines, which quickly re-grew preventing any progress one their part, they feared for the life of their friend, Llyd.

I knew better, Llyd wasn't in any danger. Despite her actions, this other presence is still Kalinka, and she said that all she wanted was to talk, and that was what she was doing. Within that cage of vines the only one who's life was in danger was Kalinka herself.

Par for the course, Llyd was being bullheaded, and saw no other course of action then to avenge his fallen comrade. And though I saw his logic, I knew that what Kalinka did was wrong, I not only couldn't bring myself to harm Kalinka myself, I couldn't allow harm to come to her at all.

At that moment I heard the familiar sound of a sword being drawn from it's scabbard. I knew I had to make a choice, and I did not hesitate. I quickly drew all the moisture out of the vines to kill them and cut through with one powerful swing. Llyd turned to me, expecting my aid to combat a mutual foe. I begrudgingly had to disappoint. I darted swiftly towards him and held him by his throat.

"Harm a hair on her head and I will kill you where you stand." Knocking his sword aside in his weaken state. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a few of the others advancing toward me, weapons ready. I had expected this, I was like a teacher to them all, it hurt to see them hate me like that, but I made my decision and I was not about to change it.

It seemed that a battle was inevitable. I had trained them all how to fight, but only a few of them were willing to learn how not to fight. But then a few of the others stood at my side.

"We will stand behind Lady Kalinka on whatever path she follows." Or at least that's the message they tried to deliver. I wasn't listening to the words they used, just their meaning.

I was lost in my thoughts when the the others began to fight amongst themselves. What's going on? This is not what I intended to happen. I only wanted to protect Kalinka, not spark an internal war. Tossing Llyd aside I jumped between the fights that had broken out and disarmed every single one of my friends.

"Stop this right now!" I ordered, something I never thought that I was capable of. "We're all friends here, what will this fighting get us?" I could tell from their expressions that their minds, like mine, were made up. They were intent on killing each other to decide which side was right. As though that was a good way to decide anything.

Then Llyd stood up and faced me. "You were really ready to kill me just now, weren't you?"

I looked him straight in the eyes, they held the same adamant desire to fight this out as the rest of them. "Yes, I was. I will not let any harm come to Kalinka. I made that promise long ago, and I intend to keep it." I saw the hypocrisy of my words as I said them, but I didn't care.

The rest of my friends stood with the sides they choose to follow, with me in the middle. I looked towards Kalinka, whose eyes held a tragic hatred for all those around her, and I looked to Joneus whose eyes still only held a resolute anger at my betrayal.

"Then go, follow your mistress to hell. Because that is the only destination that her paths can lead to." Said Llyd, as he pointed his sword, Bastian, in Kalinka's direction.

"Yes," said Kalinka, almost emotionlessly, "choose your side."

Kalinka, at least, understood my actions it seemed. "If your 'sides' can think of nothing but fighting one another, then I choose neither."

"Then you are alone," said Llyd, "for you are not welcome among my Grey Knights." That name had not been used since Kalinka took the title of leader all those years ago.

Then both side walked in opposite directions, an unsteady peace between them for now. But when Kalinka's Lucid Seed and Llyd's Grey Knights crossed paths again, a battle would be sure to follow, and with battle there inevitably comes pain and death.

I could not let that happen.

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There you have it. Part one of the epic "Shattered Seed." I hope you liked it. And before anyone asks, I didn't use anyone else's name because I want you to choose your sides for yourselves. I encourage you all to tell your sides of the story, but I already have the skeleton of this story set up in my mind, try and not break it.

Oh, and the one who was killed? That was either a faceless person who never truly existed, or Trevirn. That I leave up to you guys.

Marr Vell