Disdain

Disdain – by VlatTheImpaler

Disdain: The Story of VladTheImpaler

The full moon shown bright over the clear black sky. The air was cold this night with a slight chilly breeze from the north. This day had been rough day for Vlad and he was happy to finally get a chance to relax. He had been working continuously for weeks to build up his body. It was worth it though. No one could match his endurance in battle now. Vlad looked up at the myriad of stars. He often looked at them before falling asleep, wondering how life would be if things were different.

Since a terrible accident that occurred years ago, Vlad has preferred to sleep and live outdoors. Every night in his dreams, he is haunted by the screams of terror that are only silenced by the screams of his enemies. Vlad leaned against the side of a large oak tree near the Brotherhood of Arenascape Headquarters and slowly drifted off to sleep. Tonight, as usual, Vlad had that nightmare. The dream was the same every night…

…Vlad had just gotten finished hunting in the woods a few hundred yards from his house and as he was packing up the deer to take back home, he noticed smoke coming in the direction of his house. He quickly dropped everything to the ground, jumped onto his horse and raced to the house. As he got closer, he could see the flames in the windows and hear the screams coming from inside. Glancing around trying to find a clue as to how this happened, Vlad saw three men on horseback riding away.

“Mesaana!”, Vlad yelled out.

Mesaana had been his wife of two years. She was beautiful. She was his life. He lived everyday for her. Vlad jumped off his horse and ran towards the house. As he burst through the door, he could hear Mesaana’s screams coming from the bedroom. The heat from the flames were almost unbearable. He tried to open the door but the door was boarded up. There was no way in.

“Those men must of done this. Who are they? Why would they do this?”, Vlad thought to himself.

“Help me Vlad!”, Mesaana screamed out.

Vlad took a few steps back and rammed the door as hard as he could without it budging an inch. He tried several more times but it wouldn’t work. Vlad grunted in frustration as Mesaana was praying for help. Suddenly, the roof creaked and groaned as it began to cave in. Vlad ran to grab his axe and with a cry of pain dropped it from how hot it had gotten in the fire. To this day, his right hand is still scarred from it. Vlad ran to the door and looked through the small crack in between the boards as there was another loud crack from the roof.

“Get out while you still can.”, Mesaana said.

“I will not leave you.”, Vlad replied with strain as he wiped the sweat from his forehead.

“You must or you won’t be able to escape in time. Go, now!”

“I love you, Mesaana.”, Vlad said while looking deep into her soft blue eyes.

“I love you, Vlad.” Mesaana said with tears running down her face.

There was another loud snap and Vlad turned around and started to run for the front door.

“I will always be with you!” Mesaana cried out.

Just before the roof caved, he managed to get out of the house. Ten yards away from the pile of burning rubble, he collapsed on the ground and blacked out. He awoke a few hours later to the thick darkness of midnight. The only beacon of salvation was the silvery moon all alone in the sky. The little bit of coals that were all that was left of the house reflected off the trees and slowly died out as he watched. The smell of smoke and burnt flesh hung heavily in the air. Vlads right hand had a painful burn on it where he grabbed the axe, as well as the several other small burns on his arms and legs. He struggled to get up but could only manage to sit.

Vlad sat there and succumbed to sorrow. Leaving her was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He never imagined that he would have to let go so painfully. Through the grief sprouted pangs of rage, and he vowed to find those three men, wherever they were, and make them suffer. He would avenge his love..

Vlad screamed as he awoke from the nightmare with a racing heart and cold beads of sweat running in rivulets down his face. Another day was rising and time for more training before another night of the same nightmares.

“Help me Vlad!”

“I love you.”

“I will always be with you!”, the voice echoed in his head.

Vlad placed his head in his hands and went deep into thought remembering the few months after the fire. Vlad left the land of the Black Knights and wandered around while the pain in his heart grew unbearable. He often wished he would of stayed with her so she wouldn’t of died alone, or even that he was the one who was to die and not her. Vlad went on a rampage. He would strike anyone he thought was those three men down and leave the bodies impaled on large stakes. After a months time, he gained the name “The Impaler”. If he had killed one or none of those men, he did not know. Vlad not only wanted revenge on them, but the world to be his. He was enemies to no one and everyone. He could think of no reason for them to board Mesaana in and set that fire. He settled his rash ways after a time but, he was always ready for a fight. In place of happiness or hope, he started to love the thrill of battle. Vlad trained constantly and wanted to be ready for the day when he came face! to face with those men.

While wondering around from town to town, he heard tales of clans called The Knights of the Rune Table and The Brotherhood of Arenascape. After debating for awhile which clan he would join or if he would stay alone, Vlad eventually came to the conclusion that he would join in the hot rivalry between the two clans. BOA looked stronger to him and ventured off to gain favor with the Leaders of BOA. Vlad quickly climbed up the ranks.

“Help me Vlad!”, the scream interrupting his thoughts.

Vlad pounded his fist onto the ground as the never ending screams reverberated in his head. He often thought he was insane. His heart and soul still ached from the pain of losing Mesaana. Vlad slowly stood up and tried to clear his head. He went into the Headquarters to gather his armor and weapon and decided to start his training early today. He suited up in his armor, took his sword in hand and walked out to the gates of the walls. Gazing out into the morning sky, her voice echoed in his mind…

“I will always be with you.”

lifted