Hey!
I hope that this chapter finds you all as well as humanly possible!
Or maybe even as well as INHUMANLY possible!?
Who am I to judge?
I don't think it matters just as long as you continue to read along, lol.
Sooooooooooooo, we have a bit of a problem.
While all of what you are about to read is canon to the O.L.K. Universe, I simply don't have ALL of what the story entails.
There are two reasons behind this.
The first: I wrote this story just over 21 years ago, you know? Given all that I've been through, AND the number of times that I was shipped about as a kid, I am blessed to have retained this amount of content for so long.
The second: An ex-friend of mine was once deployed overseas for something to do with the U.S. Military. He had written me and requested that I send him a care package, and if possible, could I throw in some reading material and song lyrics.
I did just that.
I packed a box full of snacks, books, and printed lyrics to dozens of songs.
I also packed several old notebooks that were full of stories that I had written about 10 years prior (at that point in time).
That ex-friend was once the inspiration for "Himora Amir" in both the O.L.K. series and the Leafaria origin story before I was forced to burn that bridge due to several immoral actions on his end and a profound lack of accountability.
I had honestly considered killing his character off, but I would feel horrible for many reasons, the first and foremost being this: You all.
I know that he is someone's favorite, you know?
I would hate to ruin not only that immersion for you all, but also to throw the whole story off just for the sake of my personal feelings.
Himora is NOT the person who he was originally based on, nor are any of my other characters a model for or representation of the people who they are extremely loosely based on.
They are all just figments and creations of my imagination, and the artistic abilities of my paid artist.
They are what YOUR LOVE makes them.
Your connections.
Your fanship.
Your loyalty.
I love you all.
Thank you all for 27.47K views in English so far, and an additional 5.75K in Spanish, and 6.35K in German!
I am forever grateful!
I am sorry that I can't easily finish the story of Leafaria for you, and just when it was starting to heat up again!
But many, if not all, of the characters from that story will carry over into O.L.K., so worry not!
For now?
Let's see where Bastion and Himora are over in Crayosia, shall we?
I think that the missing chapters account for six/eight years skipped, give or take, so Bastion should be between 14-16 years old, and Himora should be around 13-15, I believe.
Hmm.
I will go back and confirm that.
Oh, one last thing...
This notebook STARTS in the middle of chapter... 9 of whatever timeline this is, lbvs...
Work with me, yeah?
Please!?
Lmao.
Let's see where the story picks up, okay?
And off we go!
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*This chapter is presented from the perspective of Bastion for the most part.
From what I've gleaned, the group -led by Bastion and consisting of Himself, Himora, a female warrior named Athena, and a berserker named Moshido- has made their way into a fortress of sorts of one of the Draconian King's generals. This 'Dragon King' seems to be the very same man who destroyed the homes of Bastion and Himora in their youth: Yatsimoto Shicato.
From the looks of things, the group has been engaged by an opposing group of equal force.
Bastion vs. an Aether-maddened spearman?
Himora vs. a pair of duel-wielding twins?
Athena holding off a barrage of arrows?
Moshido battling a bumbling giant!?
Hmm, lbvs.
It's definitely interesting!!I will see you all back here soon enough!
Enjoy!
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But as I look on in amazement at the crazed Athena, I stumble back and trip over a rock, landing flat on my back.
My spear flies out of my hand.
I land hard, hitting my head on the ground, yet managing to shake off the pain and dizziness just in time to find the mystery man's spear head to my face.
"If I'm correct, we haven't had a chance to introduce ourselves correctly, Bastion!"
The man says between heavy breaths.
"Who are you and how do you know my name!?"
I demand as I kick his spear out of his hand while simultaneously flipping over and grabbing mine.
"Aah, quite the fighter, I see... this should, if not my last, quite an interesting battle!"
A wry grin spread over his twisted, pale face.
"This guy is crazy!"
I think to myself.
He answers nearly instantly, as if to read my mind.
"I am Nathanial Shicato... Eager brethren of the infamous Yatsimoto Shicato! Back at the castle, your name causes quite the ruckus. I'm very pleased to have you die at my spear's tip!"
The maddened combatant lunges at me bare-handed and grabs hold of my spear.
"WHAA! WHAT THE HELL!?...LET...GO!"
I yell as we flip and swing each other around, trying to gain control of my weapon.
-----
Himora is outnumbered but not out-skilled.
He dodges and flips over and under the two men, countering several combinations of vicious attacks before countering with some of his own.
The pair was resilient, to say the least, and more skilled than Himora had given them credit for at first.
"Why won't you die!?"
He yells at both of them out of pure annoyance.
They both stop and together shout:
"..."
-
*The next page is missing, but I assure you, the combat sequence that followed was jaw-dropping! I will make it up to you!
-
"Ha! One down, one to go."
Himora boasts as he flips high over the second brother, landing nimbly before him as he freaks out at the sight of his brother's dead, busted-up body.
"WHA-WHAT HAVE YOU DONE!?" YOU BLOODY BASTARD! YOU'VE KILLED MY BROTHER! I SWEAR BY THE NAME OF SHICATO I'LL SLICE YOU UP AND FEED YOU TO THE WANDERING WOLVES!"
The forsaken madman rushes at Himora in a full rage, swinging his swords and slicing down anything in his path.
Trees fell and animals scattered as the duo made their way through the wood, the twin on the offensive, and Himora blocking attack after deadly attack.
"This game isn't fun anymore."
Himora yawns as he easily dodges and counters every attack thrown at him.
Then, as the pair of swordsmen's blades collide at speeds that were faster than the average eye could track, sparks danced through the air and winked out of existence between the blows.
Himora ducks down just in time to dodge a precise slash that was aimed at his neck, and proceeds to slide his slick katana into and through the stomach of the swift villain.
Both men stop in the positions they are in as if they are frozen in time, then the man speaks his last words.
"By the gods, mate...you've beaten me... I guess... This is how it was meant to be..."
At that, Himora looks up at the dying man and says between labored breaths;
"I'm sorry that I had to be the one to aid you in breaking your vow to your king... But when my time comes to die, I'll know...This is not my time, it is yours."
He closed his eyes and pulled up on the handle of his lethal blade, slicing the man up and through his middle.
A crimson spray coats a quarter of his garb.
"Aah, dammed it! I just cleaned the suit!"
He shouts at the pair of dead bodies.
With his job complete, he runs over to aid Athena in blocking the arrows with the last of his strength, which, might I add, wasn't much.
-----
Somehow managing to multitask, I turn from my own brawl (fighting for control of my spear) and chance a look over at Moshido, who, not surprisingly, is holding his own.
He and Giantis (as he would come to be known as) both hold their ground as their giant weapons collide, sending massive sparks showering to the ground around their feet.
"GIANTIS NOT GIVING UP TO YOU! I KILL YOU NOW, CAUSE YOU ARE TOO WEAK!"
The huge man spat crudely.
"Naah."
Counters Moshido, his voice booming above us.
Loud but not as abrasive as his opponents.
"I've got plans later."
The two men swing their massive weapons once more and knock each other to the ground with an earth-shaking crash.
"I can't go on much longer this way."
Moshido thinks to himself.
But as I look on, I see that both are growing tired.
This can't last much longer, but by the looks of it, that was Moshido's plan.
The earth rumbled under our feet as both men flung each other to the ground once more.
"Oookay, that one kind hurt."
Moshido grunts as he rolls over quickly and climbs to his feet.
"GIANTIS LIKE YOU! YOU ARE FIRST TO GET BACK UP AFTER GIANTIS KNOCK YOU DOWN! BUT THAT NO LAST LONG!"
Giantis flings himself full-speed at Moshido.
"THIS ONE FOR SHICATO! YOU DIE NOW!"
But at the last moment, Moshido drops down to one knee and thrusts his mighty axe up and into Giantis' chest, sending him flying nearly straight up into the air.
"Sorry, can't take your offer, Kid. Besides, I've got too much to live for!"
At this, he launches himself straight up and past Giantis on his downward descent.
Then, with a bone-shattering blow, he sends the giant-of-a-man spiraling to the ground with the strength of over 20 elephants behind the mighty swing.
The impact is enormous as Giantis is driven face-first into the hard-packed path.
He lies there lifelessly.
A second later, there is a second thunderous boom as Moshido lands on his feet several yards from the collapsed body of his enemy.
"Glad that's over..."
He huffs, but he has little time to celebrate as a shout rings out from the direction of Himora and Athena.
He looks over just in time to see the utterly exhausted Himora hit the ground hard with several arrows lodged in his left arm and leg.
"NOOO!"
He shouts as he starts off toward his fallen comrade, but then, out of the corner of his eye, he spots Athena, who is at the end of her rope and about to give out.
"Oh, my god, this can't be happening."
He thinks to himself as he looks back and forth between his friend and his future love.
He reassures himself that Himora's healing abilities would be more than enough to keep the skilled swordsman alive long enough for him to get to her first.
"I am sure Himora will be alright!"
He thinks as he runs towards Athena.
"Aaaaauuaaah!"
He hears a shout of pain as he grows closer to her, then, out of reflex, he dives straight at her.
Just as his body collides with hers, nearly a hundred arrows force themselves into and through his armor and deep onto his back.
For Athena, at that moment, time itself slows as they fly through the air, and the clang of metal on steel can be heard as the arrows drain the life from her knight in tainted armor.
Then they snap back to reality.
They hit the ground with Athena under Moshido, his body tenting her from the blood-seeking arrows. As the seemingly endless rain comes to a stop, Athena whispers to her fallen love.
"Mo-Moshido?"
Her voice cracked and trembled.
"Yeah, I'm still here... for now..."
His voice trails off.
"NO! You can't die...I haven't had the chance to love you...Moshido? MOSHIDO!!"
He rolls over and lands hard as several dozen arrows snap on contact with the ground.
"Go...go to Himora. Make sure...he is okay...don't worry about...me. I'd rather die before you, than...live on without you..."
His head falls heavily in her hands as the life of him is gone to another place.
"No..."
She pounds on his chest.
"YOU BASTARD! WHY DID YOU DO THAT!? WHY!? YOU CAN'T DIE NOW! YOU CAN'T!"
She backs away with tears streaming down her crimson-colored face, and her body bruised and tattered from the combat that just passed.
I feel the pain she feels as I continue on in my own battle.
She kneels next to him and seals his death with one last kiss.
"The blood of Moshido is on my hands, but never will another die for my name."
She turns from him and runs to the aid of the fallen Himora.
-----
I can't remember much after I saw Athena and Moshido fall, but I think I lost control again, because I can't recall much besides a sudden rush of energy and power, then Nathanial stumbling back, grasping his arm, and limping.
"What the hell was THAT!?"
He exclaims as he brandishes his spear before him defensively while backpedaling.
"Bah!"
He spat.
"I have no time for you intolerable muts! I've got bigger plans ahead...we will meet again, and next time, I will be the victor!"
He turns and runs back to his men.
"Retreat...for now."
The turn and run off into the distant forest.
"Himora, are you okay?"
I shout to him and Athena as I approach them, out of breath and strength.
"Yeah, I'm fine."
He assures us as he pulls the arrows from his body parts, and the wounds seal almost instantly.
I often forget that the majority of his body is literally made of H20.
"What happened to Moshido?
He asks as he climbs to his feet and looks in the direction of the lifeless fighter.
"No! NOO, NOOOO!"
I exclaim as I sprint as Moshido with tears suddenly streaming down my face. I grab his head and shake it in a useless attempt to wake him.
"...I promise I'll avenge you...I promise."
-----
Hmm.
That was something, yeah?
Lol.
I hope it works for you and holds you over for the weekend!
This is going to get violent and a bit complex, Folks.
But I will do my best to make it make as much sense as possible, lbvs.
Thank you all for your time and patience.
The end of the year is drawing nearer, and so is my birthday!
Show me some love by following me over on Instagram and Facebook!
@blackguyinnabowtie
and
I will see you all back here soon enough for the next chapter!
Maybe with a bit more reading, we can put together what is happening....TOGETHER!
LMAO!
I am sure Bastion is chasing down the man who slaughtered the majority of his people, while Himora's path and tale are very much parallel to that of his best friend.
What happened to Hikari and Lumaleza?
I am sure they will come back around.
Airyos?
I am not quite sure yet, but he will not be left aside either!
Traggs Hammersmith has a deep and unfinished story to tell.
Who is this Moshido, and who also is Athena!?
How do they affect the main story, and what waves will his death cause!?
Sheesh...
So many unanswered questions, lmao.
We will figure it all out with time, yeah!?
Winter is just around the corner, so it is about time we all sat down and dove back into our reading habits!
Get to it, and I will see you all soon, okay.
Safe travels out in the real world, Folks.
And as always:
Stay safe.
Stay healthy.
Stay vigilant.
-Bluu.