The Majestic Forest

[Aleph il'Aranroth]

A clanking noise had reached Aleph's ears long before the sight of the knight. But what a sight that was. Clad entirely in dusty armor, a broadsword in his hands, eyes barely visible through the slit in his helmet. The knight was a terrifying presence to behold, and his voice was as horrible the the ear as his sight to the eye. Before Aleph could answer the knight's question, the unknown knight attacked Beht. He didn't kill the horse, though, he just scared it off, stranding Io where she was. Thinking quickly, Aleph decided to try talking the knight down.

"Have you no honor, no sense of chivalry, Sir Knight?" he called out. "This woman is injured. To attack her would be a breach of knightly conduct. Attack me, if you will, but leave the woman alive." Whether or not that would help, Aleph didn't know. He did know, however, that he could not compete with the knight in strength, and he likely could not compare in speed either. Nevertheless, he drew his short swords and readied himself to fight. If he were good at throwing knives, he would have drawn the one out of his sleeve and thrown it through the knight's eyeslit. But he had little skill in such things. It would be a combat fought hand-to-hand, and not one Aleph expected to win. "Do your best to get away," he muttered to Io. "I'll try to buy you some time."

[Sir Théodbold]

Those words echoed throughout the remanent's mind; what the young knight voiced had merit to it, but it wasn't enough to stave off what Fate had cursed upon the Death Knight. "Honor? A sense of chivalry?", rasped the knight in what would've sounded like a questioning tone only if it didn't sound so vile and insidious, "You don't seem to understand; you can never understand. A Death Knight is not bound to respect what you believe as honor or chivalry; the minute that I was warpped into this unclean form of myself I lost all sense and knowledge of what you speak of in such a righteous tone." Saying such a word that could be considered holy caused the large knight to shudder in place, but after a moment of composure; the swordblade was pointed directly at the girl while the Ex-Brother Confessor voiced what he had in mind for the two interlopers.

"Either both of you will fight or both of you shalt perish like leaves in the wind. I cannot let you out of here unhindered; for then I will be punished even more so by the forces that contort and control my wretched existence," said the Death Knight; his breath becoming strained as he tried to hold back his unholy fury. The gauntlet's tightened on the sword hilt everso slightly and that was a telltale sign that the Knight was either about to lose utter control over himself or he was about to attack. "None can stand against the unholy powers that sew together and keep my form whole against the light. No one can stand up against my prowess in battle; no force of light shall slay me in my own domain. Thou shalt not pass Sir Knight and thou corpse shall decorate this ground. Try not to behave like a child when I spill your innards Sir Knight."

And with that the Ex-Brother Confessor moved in for the kill; his two-handed sword held out in front of him and slowly moving to the right side of his body for an attack. Without a word, the Death Knight stood before Aleph without looking at the girl, and with a grunt, he swung his heavier blade in a horizontal, slashing motion. An easy enough attack to block; but that was the unclean warrior's plan. Tire out an opponent and he will die on his own accord. And that plan of a attack had never failed the being; when he was a man of God or servant of Temptation.

[Io]

(ooc: death knight...you rock. well...i mean not for attacking us but your character and writing style are bitchin')

Io sat on the ground as Aleph took a look at her ankle. He squeezed it and the pain was horrible but she just clenched her jaw and took it. "I'm fine Ale--", Io stopped when she felt something ominous. Like a heavy weight on her stomach that sent wave after wave of chills down her spine. Then from a distance Io could here the clanking sound of heavy armor. After only a moment it came into view. it was a knight but not an ordinary knight.

Io sat wide eyed with fear when he spoke. She didn't want to be killed. She was injured, Io would barely be able to defend herself. She snapped to and buried her fear below. Aleph tried to excuse Io and asked the knight to leave her alone. She knew it wouldn't work, Io knew what this knight was. When she was a child some of the older thieves would tell her stories. Io had heard a story of Death Knights but she had always it was only a tale made up to frighten her. She never imagined one to be real.

The knight replied just in the manor she assumed him too. He wasn't going to let them leave. His sword was pointed at Io and his words called for attention. "The minute that I was warped into this unclean form of myself I lost all sense and knowledge of what you speak of in such a righteous tone." When began to speak Io held a fierce look to her eyes, she always did but this was different. That look melt as she focused on the words. She thought, "What happen to him?".

The knight told them they could not leave or he would be punished further. But why? This filled Io with a strange feeling of sadness. She couldn't explain it. "What forces would do this to him?", Io said softly. Then she peered up to a nearby tree. Why hadn't she even thought about a way of trying to escape yet? Was she loosing her thief's frame of mind. Io was the type to runaway and hope things turned out alright and if they didn't who cared? As long as she was safe.Io rose to her feet, however painful, and managed to stay to her feet.

Io had the sense like she was going to die. She had had this feeling only once before. Perhaps her life was going to end this time. She called out to the Death Knight,"Sir Knight!". Io addressed him respect and went on, "I understand you aren't bound by honor or chivalry but you won't even leave me with a name?". Io took a couple steps closer to him. She only hoped he would listen. "I don't know how many guests you get to the woods but why not humor me? I can see you aren't swayed by the words of others. You said yourself that we aren't going to leave alive...", Io paused and looked at him in all his Death Knight glory, "What more do you have to loose?". She wasn't trying to stall she just wanted peace of mind at death.

[Aleph il'Aranroth]

Aleph's eyes widened as he saw the blade swinging towards him. He had little doubt about how a contest of strength would go, and was sure that the knight could easily batter down his defenses. So instead of blocking, he fell to the ground and rolled to his right (the knight's left). Springing to his feet, Aleph whipped the sword in his right hand around at the death knight's left side. Of course, it wasn't likely to pierce the armor, but he had to try. And every second the death knight was occupied with him was a second it couldn't attack Io. Before his first attack could end, Aleph brought his left hand into play as well. His second sword came up in a slash that would cleave the knight from groin to right shoulder, assuming that neither sword nor armor stopped it.

[Sir Théodbold]

Théodbold should've expected the younger man to perform such a stunt, but he was also thrown off of his concentrating on the battle when the girl decided to speak her mind. They wanted to know his name? What a ridiculous thought that was; as if he even had a name at this point. His name was kept far in the deep recesses of his consciousness and he seldom thought of it, for the pain and suffering that such thoughts brought was immense and unbearable. However in this window of time, the Death Knight saw Aleph's first blade come within striking distance and he realized in that split second that it was too close for him to block or avoid. So with a resounding clang, the sword impacted on the armor, but only left a scratch on the man's heavy platemail. Théodbold had finally brought his sword back into the neutral guard stance and noticed the lad's second blade coming in for his groin, and with his sword Théodbold forcfully blocked the blade which was meant to disembowl him.

Breathing heavily as his fighting blood was up and coursing throughout his body, Théodbold said in a less raspy voice, "Now that attack young Sir was dishonorable in any man's book. I shall have to repay you for such an attempt." Those words were a distraction since the lad had shown to the Death Knight that he believed in honor and Sir Théodbold made use of that weakness. His words were meant to grab the lad's attention, for Théodbold's broader blade was still on top of Aleph's second sword, and with a flick of both wrist and sword; the older warrior managed to disarm Aleph of his second blade. Once that task was accomplished, the larger man feinted a lunge with his blade to Aleph's left side, but in truth it was just another ploy, for Théodbold's right hand released it's grip on the sword hilt while forming a fist and soon that iron gauntlet impacted with a sickening thud into Aleph's left cheek. Stepping back to allow the lad time to rise, the Death Knight turned to look at Io through the slits in his helm and began advancing on her methodically.

"Why should I leave you with a name", questioned Théodbold, "If I did and you somehow managed to escape my clutches then you could give my name to those that would seek me out. I have many enemies that would like to see me suffer; the Chruch, the Royals, and any young warrior seeking to make a name for themselves. They would strip this Forest bare and naked of it's coverings until they found me; I will not allow that. However..you are already injuried and have little chance of escaping like that....so I shall give you to my name. I was once Sir Théodbold, Brother Confessor of the Chapel within the Forest, and a solider of God. However those days are long gone; my monastary has fallen into ruin, I am stripped of my rank and title; and now I am cursed. Does that satisfy you Lady? For now that you know of my name; you must perish with it.". It was at that the Death Knight rose his sword for a blow that would take Io's head off in one clean swoop.

Even if what remanents of the Holy man that dwelt with this carapice of Evil could feel pity for the plight of the girl, there was no way they could help for they had no power over the Death Knight whatsoever. Otherwise Théodbold would still have been a Paladin and never come to this state. That...chance was lost to him and he needed to kill this girl; to escape the pain that should come if he failed and for another purpose. The Ex-Brother Confessor's body was slowly rotting under this accursed state and it was only the flesh and blood that could keep his body in a sembelence of a living state. For Jesus had said, 'This is my body; eat from my flesh and I shall always be with you. This is my blood; drink from my blood and I shall be with you forever and ever.'. An amen would usually follow, but the Curse's sick irony was that Théodbold had to literally do as Jesus commanded and that was what made him accursed. A man of God forced to kill and feast on God's children so that he may live.

"Any prayers to God that you wish to say; say them now", rasped Sir Théodbold; his eyes glowing red with bloodlust, "For he may still listen to a commoner such as you. But I doubt it."

[Aleph il'Aranroth]

Aleph kept his eyes on the broadsword's blade, ignoring the knight's words. Banter was all well and good, but not when it interfered with the fight. His eyes narrowed as he struggled to keep his grip on his sword. They quickly snapped back open, though, when the sword was wrenched from his hand. This was very bad. And a lunge was coming in. Aleph quickly twisted to his left side, past the incoming thrust, as he brought his remaining sword down on the larger man's blade, attempting to knock it away and leave the knight off guard. He was totally unprepared for the punch, unfortunately.

The force was such that he was easily knocked on the ground and dropped his other sword. Apparantly disarmed and dazed, it was several seconds before Aleph could rise. When he did, he saw the knight moving on Io. It wouldn't be long before he killed her. After shaking his head to clear it, he ran towards the knight, whose back was to him. As he ran, he drew the longknife strapped to his back and the dagger he kept concealed in a wrist sheath. His attack would be extremely dishonorable, but he'd never claimed to follow the code of chivalry. As the knight drew his sword back for the kill and announced his name, Aleph leaped.

Flying through the air, the young man called out, "Yeah, I have a prayer of sorts!" He didn't mind so much that the knight had gotten the better of him as he did that he hadn't even had the courtesy to kill the younger man. Aleph landed on the knight's back and cried, "In the name of Christ, begone!" At that instant he simultaneously plunged his longknife into the knight's neck and his dagger into his eye slit.

[Sir Théodbold]

ooc: Seeing how my original post failed to post properly about two days ago, here's a shorter one.

ic: With a spluterring gasp, Théodbold fell forward onto his knees with a loud crash from his armor. He had expected this lad to be honorable, but it seemed that times had changed since the Death Knight had last fought someone and that the rules of conduct had changed. Or either this boy simply chose to disregard them for the sake of this girl; that seemed to be the only logical reason as to why the boy had struck Théodbold in such a cowardly manner. However; his attack had worked with great affect and through the slits of the Ex-Brother Confessor's helm blood continued to pour like a newly-found spring. In both hands, having dropped the sword in his waves of pain, Théodbold in vain tried to wrench of his helmet but he could not. And with one last, sputtering gasp of blood, the Death Knight fell on his face as dead as a doornail.

Or so many would've liked to believe.

For at that very moment, the powers that the Order had used to curse him and the unholy spirits that had entered into his body got to work in storing the former Paladin's sapped strength. His fingers began to twitch from mild sensations and his remaining eye began to flutter open; for his right eye was the one that had been ruined by Aleph's dagger. It had been turned into a shattered shell by the dagger, but the powers within Théodbold melted that eye and used it's remains to become a fleshy covering where his eye had once seen the world. And with ragged breathes, the Death Knight began to push himself off of the Forest floor and slowly stood to his fullest. Blood continued to spew from the slits in his him sparadically, and ran like a river down his breastplate to the ground.

Pulling out the dagger that had wrecked his right eye, with his left hand, Théodbold let out an inhuman shout and ripped the helm off of his face; taking the longknife and a good deal of flesh out of his neck. "Well; that was interesting", murmured the Death Knight as he stared at his blood-colored hands; facing away from Aleph so that all Aleph could see was light brown hair that was greying and covered the back of his neck. "You've taught me something Sir Knight; to expect the unexpected. However as your elder it would be best for your sake if I impound a lesson into that skull of yours.", rasped Théodbold as he turned around to reveal his face to the boy, "This isn't a dream; here there be monsters."

And his face seemed to speak for itself; his skin had become so pale that one could see the veins beneath, but they were not red as one would expect. They were of a sickly green, and even as one looked at the blood that still flowed from Théodbold's eye and neck; they could see that it was green like his veins, but only for a second cause the exposure to the air turned it into a crimson red. His bearded face looked worn, stretched, and tortured; but it were those eyes that glowed with a most unnatural light that showed what he truely. As he reached down for the longknife that was still buried in the hunk of flesh that he had torn from his body, Théodbold rasped, "Never challenge a being or beast that has been rejected by God and contorted into a horror by Evil and Temptation; we normally don't die that easily." Ripping the longknife out that hunk of flesh, Théodbold threw the knife back to the ground with his right hand and placed the hunk of flesh back onto the vacant spot in his neck.

"What is a warrior without his weapons Sir Knight? I have them, and you cannot fight; but I shall show generousity and return them to you; here.", rasped Théodbold as he threw his body forward as fast as he had done before, and shoved the dagger into the boy's sides; once on the left and another on the right. Letting the blade clatter to the ground from his hand, Théodbold stepped back and gave room for the boy to breath. "There; now you have your weapons back and something to remind you of this lesson for Pain is the best teacher. And now I take my leave Sir Knight; but I issue a warning to you. If you or the Lady tell anyone of my residence here; I shall find both of you. And kill you. Fare thee well." And with that, Sir Théodbold walked over to where he had dropped his sword, picked it up, and trudged off into the vastness of the Forest.

Deliver us from Evil....Amen.