The Flower (part1)

  Conori's grip tightened around the heavy metal as he walked, It's solid… 

  Sounds of battle slowly faded in as the halls stretched on to an opening but he couldn't hear them.

Dripping

"It's time for you to finally fulfill your purpose."

  The old man's words bounced around Conori's head to the rhythm of the dripping, "My purpose…"

  "What do we have here?"  Conori's brow twitched at the annoying voice,  "Looks like his holiness gave his favorite dog a new toy!"  A curly haired man strut into Conori's path, blocking him from his solitude.  "What do you need… Gabriel?"  An empty blue gaze matched to a set of twisted crimson eyes.

  "Just get done licking the shit of his Holinesses boots?"  A crowd materialized around the two,  unfortunately for Conori he needed to pass the training yard to return to his room.  And it just so happened to be that Gabriel, the young star of the guard and only disciple of Regius, was training some new recruits.  

  "Say 'Blade of the church'…" quiet chuckling washed through the crowd, "I'm training these new bodies and could really use a hand!"  A bright smile plastered itself across the dark haired demon posing as a man before Conori.

  "Ask someone else Gabriel."  Conori stepped aside to pass but was swiftly cut off,  stepping in close Gabriel stared up into an icy glare with a dangerous smirk, "Oh come now, I'm sure you want to play with that new toy."  

Dripping

   Conori grabbed Gabriel's collar and lifted him with one hand, pressing his forehead into Gabriel's.  "Move.  Now."  The long blonde hair did little to hide Conori's animosity,  the crowd was silent letting a quiet giggle crawl out from Gabriel's mouth.  

  "Make me!"  The swirling red eyes gleaming at Conori's anger,  and sickening smile darkened Gabriel's beautiful face.

  WOOOSH 

  The giggling mad man flew from Conori's grip into the court yard,  "HAHAHA, come at me big boy!"  Gabriel shouted landing on his feet.  A shadow cast itself over him as the giant loomed above him.  Conori's figure towered over him, drawing his blade Gabriel lunged at Conori with blinding speed, flashes of silver clashed against Conori's blade, "Oh?  That new toy sure is sturdy!  Maybe this time you won't break it like you do with everything you touch!"   A heavy swing sliced through the wind trimming of a strand of dark hair,  Conori's sword was heavy and powerful forcing Gabriel to parry rather than block.

  A song of blades echoed through the yard as the smaller man quickly danced around Conori in a deadly duet.  The crowd filled with cheers and applause as the two played,  a swift slash cause Gabriel to fly back.  "Haha that monstrous strength!  Show me more!"  The twisted imp giggled dashing back in.

  He was quick and extremely accurate, Gabriel had bested everyone among guard at this point, save for his master, however this left  his thirst for a good fight constantly unchecked slowly building day by day as he had to watch these losers futility swing their blades, Conori on the other hand wasn't counted among the guard, nor has Gabriel once bested him.

  Another quick and heavy blow crashed into the ground besides Gabriel,  "SHOW ME WHY YOU'RE THE BLADE OF THE CHURCH!"  The tip of Gabriel's blade zipped towards Conori's face.

Dripping

  A chill ran down Gabriel's spine causing him to jump back but Conori was already on top of him again, rays of sun glimmered behind the massive blade hurdling down at Gabriel's head.  Even when looking death in the face, its icy blue eyes glaring down at him, Gabriel couldn't stop smiling.  How could he? Nothing else excites him more than the look of death Conori gives him.

  "STOP THIS INSTANT!!" 

  Conori's blade halted inches from Gabriel's head, anger fumed through Gabriel like rolling magma, "WHO SAID THAT!?" He barked at the crowd,  Conori lowered his blade and dropped to his knee.  "Gabriel! How many times do I have to tell you! You cannot fight Conori!"  Regius marched through the crowd with quick and heavy steps.  "Conori to your room now!"  He barked at the kneeling man, "Yes sir."  Quietly rising he started towards his solitude once more.

  Regius gaze rested on his disciple again who was now quietly gritting his teeth with his head low.  "I apologize master, but… no one else-" 

SMACK

  The sound rang through the yard leaving Gabriel's cheek red, "I'm well aware there is no one among the guard that can match up to you.." Reguis' voice boomed, "..however his holiness strictly forbids any and all physical conflict with Conori!" Gabriel bowed his head, "Forgive me, I will accept my punishment right away!"  The older man sighed, "You will not be punished.  But if this happens again you will not be so lucky, now get back to training!"  Regius shouted to the crowd.

Dripping

  It's deafening.  Conori stumbles down the slowly tightening halls towards the dark,  passing the cages he arrives at his decrepit door.  A old wooden crate rests besides it with a note.

"The clothes for sir Conori to wear to the conference tomorrow."

  Picking up the crate he walked into the room and plopped on his tattered cot.  With the dim light slipping in through the cracks in the door Conori places his new blade on his lap, running his fingers along the dark cold metal.  Crude and dull, what the blade lacked in polish and finesse it more than made up for in sturdiness and weight,  its handle was long and rapped with a thick cloth grip.  The blade was uneven, jagged edges threatened a nasty wound,  he placed his new companion next to him against the wall and shifted his attention to the crate

  "My purpose…" 

Dripping

  As soon as night fell so to did Conori to the terrifying reality that is sleep,  the night terrors he suffered from haunted him like a dark cloud threatening to wash away all the light in the sky.  His eyes shut and his nightmares opened.

   The cries of an unfortunate woman, the horrors humanity hides in the lowest parts of themselves,  the countless faces of those he's robbed of life in the name of the gods melding into one.  

  "Protect…"

  A voice? No it's just words forming from inside his head.

  "Protect her…. In our name…."

Dripping

  Blue eyes awake to the dark damp ceiling.  "It's loud…"  a soft mumble escapes Conori's lips and echos in the silent room.  Sitting up he strips himself of his rugged cloak and dirty clothes and pulls out the clean and clearly expensive outfit left for him.  It was well fitted for a man of his stature, something he was not used to.  The crest of the church shown proudly on the soft white chest piece and back of his new cloak, a leather sling as also given to him so he didn't have to carry his hefty blade freeing his hands.  

  Stepping out and making his way towards the center of the church guards began to line the halls as he approached the conference room, each avoiding looking directly into his eyes.  

"Conori.  Come your place is behind the pope!"  A nameless guard stammers before leading Conori through wide wooden doors into a huge room filled with all kinds important figures from across the Capital, "Ahh Conori! Come come we are about to begin!"  The old man waved from the back of the room.

  "You look very good young man! If only we could cut that hair of yours."  The pope chucked, Regius gripped his blade but was quickly shut down with a harsh glance.  "No worried I have a feeling that will be sorted out soon."  Conori frowned at the old man's words but swiftly positioned himself to the left of the pope,  "Now everyone!"  The room fell silent instantly at the words.  "Thank you all for gathering here on such short notice, however the gods have spoken to me yet again and I kindly ask you all hear what this old man has to say!"

  Everyone in the room held their attention at the pope as he spoke, not daring to even cough.  But some their gazes also wondered towards Conori, trying to hide himself he let his hair cover his eyes.

  "The gods have spoken of the return of the beast of legend."  Silence no longer filled the room,  the men and women stood there stiff with anxiety, "Your holiness, if I may…" a nobleman spoke with a shaky voice, "..surly you don't mean the beast the gods had to slay all those hundreds of years ago."  The pope raised his wrinkled hand and the man fell silent again.

  Long ago when humanity was less united and war was a frequent companion of the world,  a monster appeared and toppled even the most fortified walls with ease.  Its skin was snow white and so thick no weapon made by man could scratch it and wings able to blow away an entire village.  Its dark claws caused anything touched by them to crumble and blow away, the monster let out ear piercing howls and hypnotic whispers.  

  This beast caused humanity to unite in order to avoid extinction but even when humanity fought back with all its might the beast trampled and slayed indiscriminately,  seemingly unstoppable the beast rampaged on and destroyed every kingdom previously established leaving nothing but despair.

  That was until three beings came down from the sky's and pierced the beasts beating heart, the tattered remains of humanity worshiped and praised these beings for saving them. However the beasts heart still pounded, to keep it from reviving the gods split it apart and gave a piece to each leader still left alive.  Now the pieces belong to each of the five kingdoms and grant humans extraordinary abilities when consumed.

  "The gods have commanded me to gather each piece and offer it to them so they may rid the world of this threat!"  The people in the room began to sing praises to the gods but again were hushed once more,  "This leads us to why I have gathered everyone here today."  The old man glanced at Conori, stepping forward he knelt down before him.  "We already possess one of the five pieces of the beast, and Sir Conori here will be the one to retrieve the other four from the other kingdoms….