[IC] A Hero Tale: Ren

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~ Chapter 1 ~

_Lament

Haze surrounded the landscape as you lay half-naked on the ground, covered in a mixture of dirt and blood. Your abdomen burned and stung like fire and ice had torn through your flesh. Something was weighing you down, as if your body had been exhausted of all its energy. The haze grew thicker, blocking out your vision with a neon blue cascade of faded lights. "I am very sorry," Somebody called out, standing over your body as nothing more than a shadow. It was a man's voice, smooth and welcoming. Who was he? His hair hung loosely behind his shoulders, and his face was obscured. But one thing stood out beyond everything else. His shining blue eyes...

Ren awoke to silence in his quaint little cottage. The dream had left much to be desired for a good night's sleep. Just what the hell was that? Something about the experience was all too familiar. But he'd never seen that man before, right? There was no such thing as blue mist. Bah, there was no time to think over it too critically, Ren hadn't eaten since yesterday afternoon! Surely his stomach would soon beg for nourishment.

"Eh, Ren," A voice called out to him again. Was he still dreaming? No, of course not. "Oi!" It was Ralph! Today was supposed to be the great unveiling of Laura's new book! What was it called... Upon a New Horizon? It was supposedly a fantasy that took the reader on a trip through the unforgiving void. "Are you coming or not? I brought you breakfast and everything!"

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Ren grunted at the voice, he shrugged off his groggy state with a rub of the eyes and a profoundly satisfying yawn, getting out of bed he'd dress himself in his usual garb, his black coat and various darker toned leathers, he'd not remembered why, but he felt oddly attached to the old gear. He nodded to himself, looking into the mirror before cracking a wry smirk and walking downstairs, grabbing a nourishing, yet quick breakfast from Ralph , smiling at his friend with a mischievous smirk. "Upon a new horizon eh? sounds delightful..." he nodded, starting to walk down the road towards the unveiling with his friend.

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The two men made their way down the short, overgrown path without much delay. "Not so sure about delightful. Laura seems pretty adamant about the book's... uh... Shock value," Ralph whispered as they neared a large crowd that was gather outside of their village's library. It was a nameless little settlement that most referred to as 'village' and nothing more, but the townsfolk were lively, and always nice to Ren when they had the chance. Near the library's entrance, stood Laura, as gorgeous as always. Her long black hair hung loosely behind her. She'd only tied it back when it was windy. But as soon as Ren and Ralph arrived, Laura had already sat down and begun answering questions. They'd missed the initial presentation! Not that it really mattered, it's not like the book was going on sale today, anyways. "Damn it! Ah well, maybe she'll tell me more about that spooky demon thing she was talking about last week!" Ralph, without a second thought, darted through the crowed towards Laura's table, and found a place in line.

Ren caught a momentary glimpse of neon blue in the thickness of the crowd, but it was gone in an instant. It appeared again, near the front, but disappeared just as quickly. Something about it was frightfully familiar, but it had to be his mind playing tricks on him, right?

"Next!" Laura called out to the people in line. Looks like people were desperate to have their questions answered.

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Ren saw the neon blew light flicker, then disappear. He'd lightly move about the crowd, attempting to get to where he last saw it... something about it was bugging him and he didn't know what. "Ralph... cause a distraction for a bit if I shout Cackoo?.. trust me on this" he moved further into the crowd, lightly slipping past those he could or politely shoving them if not. He'd often steal the occasional look in Laura's direction. As lovely as her literature was, she often sold the stories with her own image "Cute one eh" he thought as he kept moving, the crowd's cries for questions to be answered masking his approach somewhat.

What was Ralph on about regarding demons he wondered..

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Something akin to a 'yup' left Ralph's mouth as he disappeared into the crowd. Ren made his way towards the last location of the light, pushed from side to side by the others nearby until he was finally allowed to the front of the group, where he could see the line-up completely toppled by a large man with short, light blue hair, and a set of oddly designed armor, tinted with darker shades of blue around the layered shoulder pads, and smooth breastplate. His armor revealed small portions of his body, looking more mobile than defensive, but that wasn't the weird thing about it, it was that fact that he was wearing armor. Nobody in the village ever needed to wear something so gaudy, or ready for combat. It was a peaceful place, without any ruffians to attack its people. Hell, Thievery was practically extinct, save for the few troublemakers running about and taking the occasional bun or sweet treat!

The blue-clad man's face was also covered with a black mask that revealed only a small strip of skin underneath his left eye, like it's been cut by a knife. There was a scar, but it didn't look like a cut at all, it looked like he was burned, or his skin had rotted in a strange, swirly pattern in the small section below his neon blue eyes. The man made his way to the front of the line, shoving people aside until he was face to face with Laura on the small pedestal. She looked up at the 6 foot man in shock, and reeled back, clutching her book tightly. The strange man whispered something to the frightened author, prompting her to shake her head in protest. Something was definitely not right here, and the crowd knew it almost immediately.

"Hey!" Somebody shouted, "What are you doing to Laura?"

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Ren stepped forward from the crowd, "Sod it, I owe em all a show at least" he mumbled as he barged out in front of the man and he'd shout. "Hey! ya big blue baffoon! what are you doing to the lovely lady?" he'd look at the man with cold eyes... something was nagging at his conscious mind.. as if he knew the man from somewhere..

He'd approach the man, sizing him up slightly.. "I suggest.. you leave her be... I don't know what your doing, but I don't like people breaking the piece around here..." he'd turn to mockery "Armor? here? are you lost good fellow, or perhaps your afraid of the bees? or perhaps the dreaded stinging nettles!!" He'd chuckle softly, almost playing to the crowd like a performer, he'd then turn to the man and look at him with a stony, emotionless gaze. "Listen here, blue boy, leave her the fel alone... or your gonna talk to me"

He barely knew laura in person, but it didn't feel right to leave her being so afraid with this man.

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"But you're already speaking with me," The blue clad warrior mocked subtly, turning around moments after, "And you're being awfully rude about it, already. I just asked this woman if I could read through her book. Nothing more, a simple request, and the easiest route for everyone involved, I assure you." The man seemed awfully polite, disregarding Ren's unsavory insults. Laura's reaction may have been a little dramatic for what had actually happened here.

"You're the rude one for pushing your way to the front of the line, asshole!" Ralph shouted from the back of the line. The newcomer looked over at him and frowned, although it was barely visible behind his face-hugging mask. The blue glimmer in his eyes flickered as he looked back at Ren, as if he was unsure on how to proceed.

"Yea," Laura grunted, "You can't just push your way to the front like that- Ren, could you please take him away?"

"Hold on," the newcomer interjected, "I'm afraid I'm a hurry here, lady. I just want to look through you book, it will only take a few minutes..."

"Wait like the rest of us!" A crowd-member yelled. The armored man turned his sights back on ren and began rubbing the bridge of his nose irritably.

"I'm not leaving, but if you'd all just let me do as I'd like, there won't be any conflict here," he assured Ren, turning his back to the boy and glaring at Laura. "Just a quick peek, I promise." Laura looked at him with and contempt, and then looked to Ren for further assistance.

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Ren sighed nonchalantly.. "What do you even want with her...or the book?" he'd stare the man down, cold, now arguably vicious eyes locking with the blue clad man's "You said about conflict eh?... I don't like arrogant fools mucking with this lot, specially the cute ones." he'd gesture to the back of line line.. almost knowing it'd have no effect, plus it gave him a chance to flash a cheeky wink at laura, "May as well be a charmer" he thought.

Assuming the man did not comply, he would sigh, approaching the man he'd murmur "I suggest you leave... I don't think your wanted here." all the while slowly slipping his dirk from his rear sheath behind his back, appearing to be rather formal from the front on in his posture.

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The newcomer sighed and turned back to Ren irritably. "I'm not leaving, and I don't have time for this, I'm scheduled for tea in three hours-" He spun back away from Ren and snatched the book from Laura's hands. "-You can have it back, just give me-"

"How dare you!" Laura shouted, backing away in shock, "That's theft!"

"What!? No, I'll give it back, I just-"

"Stop trying to so darned formal! You're just a crook!" Laura growled. The armored man stopped and sighed, opening her book and flipping through the pages rapidly, with his eyes glowing brighter than before.

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Ren cried out "Cackoo!" praying the distraction was enough, capitalizing on the man's focus on the book he swerves his dagger round, using his momentum to leap slightly on to the mans back and slam the knife into his shoulder, he'd then leap down, ripping downwards through the shoulder muscles if successful, attempting to incapacitate the man efficiently if possible. He knew the man was up to no good and had over stepped the line. As he drove the dagger in he'd whisper "Fuck you, thief"

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The armored man looked up at Ren, when suddenly a bagel struck him against his unarmored head. His short blue hair shook and he cocked his head to the side, but he didn't seem too phased. He turned to Ralph, who was hollering and waving his hands at the man in a panic'd dance. "Um," he said quietly, glaring down at the bagel that had just struck him. That's when Ren approached him, from the side and struck between his armor with his dirk. It hit his skin, but the armor man pulled away before he could do any real damage. He continued to flip through the book though, slowly backing away from Ren. He closed it and tucked it into his armor with a heavy sigh. "Ok, I only have so much patience, kid," He grunted, clearly annoyed. The man rose one of his hands, and a swirl of mysterious blue energy began to form what looked like an exact copy of Ren's Dirk, albeit with a blueish hue. "And you've gone and exhausted all of it."

"WHAT THE HELL?" Ralph shouted. The crowd went silent as he materialized the dagger out of thin air. Was that magic!?

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Ren identified that it must've been some kind of magic, attempting to make himself hard to hit he'd rush towards the man, side stepping on occasion before eventually feinting to the right, attempting once again to drive his dagger into a chink in the man's armor, this time trying to stab him him with the full length of the blade as apose to cutting.

"Ralph! Rally the others! this guy is a threat big time!" he'd shout as he rushed towards him and performed the aforementioned actions.

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"Kid," The man spat, parrying Ren's stab with his own dirk, "You're seriously starting to get on my nerves."

Laura ran off into the Crowd as Ralph began to shout orders. "Everyone! Uh.. Dogpile.. Him? Get weapons! Or uh.." Needless to say, Ralph did a poor job of directing anyone. The crowd stood their frozen, slowly thinning out as people fled the scene. The blue weapon that the large man wielded began to shine brightly. He rose it up above his head, and sent several blue orbs of magical energy above the crowd. The sudden display made them flee in terror, despite Ralph's brave attempt to rally his people. Ren was left alone, as Ralph took off as well. "Ah... Sorry Ren.."

"Look! Your people flee!" He shouted, stepping back once. The orbs above them flew back towards their owner, and several feet hovered above his head. "Are you still so dedicated to this silly book?"

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Ren, seeing everyone retreat looked about in dispair... "why?... why are they leaving?!.... Why?.... Why the heck are they running... I thought..." he thinks to himself, before swinging a dextrous flurry of stabs and slices at the man, constantly reversing his grip on his dagger, his temper making his blows hit harder and faster, but with more predicability... his vision was clouding in anger.. he felt betrayed... why?... "Why are y'all running?!" he shouted...

"as for the book?!... if you were gonna take it I presume so, magic user" he would then attempt to pivot and drive the dirk into the man's leg, knowing he was outgunned here... he could almost feel his will to fight ebbing away as the last members of the group leave... eventually ren's blows would slow and he'd eventually be completely open to attack, confused at this seeming betrayal.

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The armored man's eyes widened, and he took another step back, and another, parrying each of Ren's blows with relative ease, all while losing ground. Then again, there was't much to be lost in ground. As the blows get faster, the man's eyes flickered, and he stood his ground, straight on matching Ren's strikes, blow for blow. The two blades clashed against one another and sparked wildly until Ren moved out of his predictable flurry of stabs. As he pivoted and went for a stunning blow, the man shifted his leg, allowing the armored plate on his thigh to absorb the full impact of his attack, after which he drove his neon blue knife into Ren's, snapping his dirk clean from it handle.

"Feh, kids like you," he hissed, stepping back and slashing at Ren's chest with a vertical slice, "Shouldn't be allowed to speak!"

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Ren took the blow, slashed across his chest and staggered back, not attempting to truly dodge due to his mental state... he saw his own blood seep across his chest as he staggered back.. then slumped over and kneeled... clutching his chest.. breathing erratically. He looked frantically at his own blade as he moved his gaze up to the man. "Fuck" he said, matter of factly mind you. He'd realised he was out gunned here... and almost consigned himself to his fate.

"Don't give in"

he heard the faint whisper... but then nothing.

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The man stepped back from Ren once. "As expected. It didn't have to end like this, kid. I wasn't here to kill anyone," He paused, pulled Laura's book from his armor, and continued flipping through the book. "That wound isn't fatal. Just stand down," He begged, not looking all too eager to strike Ren down.

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Ren glared back up at him... though at this point he was beginning to doubt his allegiances to the people he lived with... they abandoned him after all and it could show through on his face.

"why d'you even want the book, blue" he grunted, growing ever weaker.

"Don't, give, up!" the voice repeated.. he slowly stood to his feet, eyeing the man feebly

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"My name is not blue, it is Nexus," The man spat, dispelling his magical Dirk. "I was ordered to retrieve all books unique to this village, and the only one that my mimicry did not recognize was Laura'a novel. That's all there is too it. Sit there and be quiet, I'll only be a few more minutes.."

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Ren grimaced... then feebly threw himself at the man, attempting to shove him back and make him drop the book, if successful he'd then attempt to repeatedly punch him. "I won't let you.." he screamed in anger, lashing out at the man with is fists, punching at him angrily, the voices eminnating louder in his head.., the man could see the panic in his eyes, a shadowy, deep aura surrounding him, and Ren looked like he had absolutely no control