• The “Witchblade Remnants” Legend Part 1
    Supposedly the 2 Witchblades are part of a set, that a Goddess crafted for a human man she loved, but the man refused, deciding they were too powerful for him. The goddess agreed, and gave a piece to each one of her servants to guard. 2 gauntlets, a helmet, a chest plate, and a tasset. Legend says the helmet bestows unfathomable knowledge to its user, the chest plate unbreakable armor, the right gauntlet unimaginable power, the left gauntlet unbeatable stamina.

    Chapter 1 “That stay dog strut”

    Blood. My vision failing me, I traveled the streets, looking for a safer place to rest. My attackers, some people out partying. My right eye burns again, blood trickling into it. I shake my bushy mane, as my small, black, frame weaves in and out the people of Versus. Why had they chosen me to attack? These were hard times for me. A lone wolf-dog, first pushed inside the city limits, then forced to hunt outside again. I grew tired of the same old food inside Versus, needing something refreshing, I headed outside during the nighttime to find something different to eat, when a group of people that had been partying outside the city limits attacked me, calling me names I could not understand. I should have known better. Ever since the “Outbreak”, a lot of people have been on edge. I cut a nearby corner, avoiding another person just barely. My strength being sapped away fast, I decided to rest in a hidden alleyway, next to a bar I knew. It was darker inside, and the damp smell of mold invaded my keen nose, blocking out the humdrum of other scents. Deciding this was a safe place, I looked for somewhere to lay teetering, as dawn ducked just beneath the horizon. Spotting an old sheet, I headed over to it. Suddenly it moved! I jumped back, newfound power electrifying its way through me! My orange eyes adjusted to the dark, and I posed to attack, for this was MY spot. I was not going to give it up so easily. Calculating the best spot to lunge, I knew my black fur hid me well in that alleyway. Before I could do anything, beaten, battered, and bruised, my ears picked up the sound of gentle crying. Closing my drooling mouth from a vicious snarl, that is when I saw it: A small human head, poking its way out from the sheets, looking right at me. Before I knew it my body hesitated, and I had made my first error.

    A small can from the crumpled brown form flew in my direction as I ran to another spot, beginning to snarl again. Taking a closer look, I realized that the head was a young girls. Her hair was a dull brown. I was fond of humans, just not ones that attacked me. I never went up to a human first, for being in the streets of Versus taught me to fend for myself, ever since my owner was brutally killed. I had never killed a human before, but tonight I wasn't going to take anymore chances. Beginning to stumble, I readied myself for another attack. Then, I made another deadly error. I was used to reading body movements first but I managed to find her eyes, something about her face seemed so familiar. Looking deep into their reddish hues, I saw... My old owner looking right back at me... The whimper escaped my lips before I knew it and I found that I could no longer hold myself up. Collapsing on the ground, bleeding out slowly, I wagged my scruff tail vigorously, the alleyway becoming darker. My owner had returned, all thoughts of the girl and the state of my body had left me. Finally life would be normal again... Taking a deep, ragged breath, I closed my eyes, expecting to hear the snap and the pat on the head like always. When it did not come, I took a look up, and there in the dark I saw the young girl's rough face staring back at me again. The girl was peering down at me, on her knees, the brown tattered cloth gently draped over her small frame. I managed to bark out “What is your name?” but she did not reply. Before I could think about anything else, I heard a snap, then felt the hands slide behind my ears. Bit by bit, I could smell the rain coming, but I was starting to drift off into unconsciousness, her soft scratches bringing back the old familiar feeling of warmth. I felt a raindrop on my nose, and then another. I prepared to close my eyes for the final time, the coldness of the raindrops starting to set in. My death would this night be a peaceful one indeed...

    Waking up to the sound of rain around me with a start, I took a look at my surroundings. It was still dark. I was still in the alleyway and felt something tight around my snout and my head. It was brown bandages. Something was also pressing against my body. It was the girl, holding onto me as we lay out in the rain. I assumed the girl had made the bandages, and even used the rest to make a small tent above us. The rain was coming down in torrents, and I took the time to think about my situation, laying down. I decided to call the girl No-name. She had helped me come back from the verge of death, her small but amply balanced frame bringing warmth to me. She was not one of the bad ones, so I decided I would at least bring her something for her troubles, just like I used to do my old owner. Sliding myself from her arms, I heard her mumble. Right then my nose picked up the scent of blood! It was not mine, so where was it coming from? Sniff sniffing my way around her I saw it. She wore a small tan dress, the brownish gray color matching the small fort she made. The dark red stain stood out clearly in the moonlight, the rain coming to a fine mist. The blood was freshly marked right between her legs, and the pungent-sweet smell wafted to my nose, letting me know something was wrong. I had never smelled such a thing before and her whimpering and tossing only became more violent. The blood started soaking through more and the smell was becoming unbearable. Deciding to take action once more I made my way through the rainy mist and began tugging away at a huge leaf poking through the side of the bar (I was going to put that on her wound). Pretty soon I noticed the leaf was hiding a large hole. What luck! Poking my head partially inside it looked like the storage room for the bar. I ran inside and sniffed around, some dust accumulating on my bandages. I found what I was looking for, a small medical kit. Taking my nose, I rustled it around until it was open, hearing the muffled sounds of laughter. I stopped for a moment, then grabbed the white can and took it to the girl outside. Nudging her she woke up with a small start, and I rolled the can to her leg. She looked at it with her soft, red eyes and started to snicker. Annoyed, I looked off not knowing what I had done wrong. My owner only laughed at me when I confused him, so I figured the same must be for her. She held the can up and looked at me, shaking her head, pointing to the words that read “For external use only”. Reading was something I didn't do often out of habit, I only knew how to because my owner used to read to me as a pup before I went to sleep in his arms. Taking the can from her hands I turned my back on her and ran to the hole. Her eyes looked softly at mine and she waddled over to where I was, a look of excitement on her face once she recognized the hole was there. Watching her go in, I followed after her and stood by the entrance once we were inside. Her movements in that dark room where careful, and she must have finally found what she wanted.

    Chapter 2: “The wolf and the Goddess.”

    No-name now looked at me with a harsh look, something about it said “Go away”. Lowering my ears, she ushered for me to shoo. It seemed after all that she wanted me to finally leave. Holding my head down and my ears lowered, I started to the hole. Maybe it was for the best. Turning, I heard a small “snap!” and took a look to where it came from. No-name was right by me, her hand coming down on my head. How she knew to do it to me I'll never know, but it caught my attention in an instant. She made me look into her eyes again, and for a moment just held my face in the same spot near hers. That moment seemed to go on forever, and I sensed something deep inside me stir. Her face gave off the look of “it'll only be a minute”. Her point made, she let me go, and I had to shake the shock off a moment then I headed outside sitting. I noticed that daybreak was starting to come, and I sat looking at the sun rise. A few minutes later she came out, and I noticed she had a change of clothes. Now wearing a workers vest, and a pair of pants to match, it was my turn to laugh. She just didn't look suited to wear it physically, her eyes where the only thing that betrayed her. Barking happily, I calmed down as not to alert the owner of the bar, and decided I might stay with this human girl with No-name who was so full of surprises. She stood in the morning hour, and twirled around giving me a good look at herself. Running around her she giggled, another surprise that caught me off guard. Wagging my tail around her had come normal now, the cold dew on my black fur signaling for a shake, I shook instinctively, not thinking how close I was to her, and she started to laugh. Something about it carried a different tone than before, and just as she started, I heard saw a huge form creep up behind her!

    “Get away from my bar!” was the thing I heard, and jumping around in front of No-name I saw it was a big man, wearing a dirty smock. His hair was black and he was carrying a frying pan. I had seen him before on my runs past the bar, greeting people as they went in. Judging by the expression on his face, I realized that he was looking past me at the girl, and I opened my mouth in a snarl. I stood my ground firmly, tail raised defiantly, ears back. Suddenly he glanced again to me and then to No-name, the look on his face changing to a look of compassion. The girl stood behind me quietly, my keen ears picking up the sound of her hushed breathing. I had seen the lines in the man's face before, noticing that my owner once had the same look on his face. I couldn't take a chance, just learning how fast humans can change their look, so I kept my stance, teeth bared. This human girl had a sort of magical grip on me, she had come into my life, and I did not know what life had in store for us, but I was going to try and find out. I had already come to decide that she was alright, after she bandaged me up. The man's eyes laying on me once more, he said “wait here”. I looked to No-name, and she looked like she was thinking about something. I tugged at her pants leg for us to leave, our hiding spot would probably be found out anyway. She stood there, refusing and I could not figure out why. The big man could have gone to get a better weapon, for I had a bad experience with that before. Looking quietly to her face again I voiced my concerns in half whimpers, her look never changing. She just kept staring straight ahead so I sat near her leg to wait for the worst. The man came back out again, holding something steaming!

    The sweet smell of rah greeted my nose, it was a treat fixed only in these parts, and consisted of spicy and sweet herbs, mixed with fish meat. I loved it. It was the only thing I would steal when I had nothing else to eat at times. The big man stood some feet away and sat the food down on the ground, on top of some fresh white cloths. Weary, I looked to No-name again. She was already making her way to the food, so I followed. Sitting down, I started to eat ravenously, while watching the man standing there. No-name smelled it and started to nibble on hers. Suddenly the man spoke, without movement of his hands, something I looked for often in people who where about to attack. “A piece offering?” he said, looking between me and No-name. “My name is John, John Credit, like the currency.” John said it in a calm tone, and I could hear no stress in his voice, which helped to calm me down even further. “Mighty strange wolf you have there girl, what with those orange eyes and everything.” He said, speaking to No-name. I could tell he was studying us in some sort of manner, and I started licking the plate clean. She was still on half of hers, and I she seemed fine for the moment, then started to whimper, making such a strange commotion! “Oh oh oh! I forgot that young girls don't really eat this dish much! I'm sorry lil' lady!” John said. Running to the back, he came out with a pitcher of what I smelled to be milk, and poured her a glass right on the spot. She frantically grabbed it and drank, while I sat holding the plate smartly in my mouth, knowing she would be OK. John looked at me, taking it and replied “I thought so. You looked like a bigun' too. I'll be right back.” Smiling, he took it and came back out again, and I started to wonder why he was being so friendly. Not one to pass up a free meal, I started on the new one he sat in front of me. “So, do you have any names or do I have to make em' up?” He said next looking at me, and I stopped to bark “Mine is Wildtail”. Standing in the daylight, he looked like a round hulking statue. Taking a look to my big, bushy, wagging tail, John laughing said “I get your name, Wildtail, but what about hers?” He said, pointing to No-name, who was curiously poking off little bits of the rah and eating it, followed immediately by a drink of milk. I barked out “She has none, I call her No-name”. He didn't seem to get it and I barked again, shaking my ragged mane. He got the point that time. “She seems like she cant talk. Can she hear me?” John asked, and I barked happily that time. Nodding, what he said next astounded me.

    “Well Wildtail and No-name, it would be nice to have a pair of hands around the kitchen, and a breath of fresh air from the regular customers my wife serves here, would you like to stay for awhile?” John asked. I began barking excitedly to No-name, knowing this opportunity could not be passed up. Money meant more food!, and a more stable place to live at would be nice for the both of us. No-name suddenly got up, the little bit of rah that she had left spilling everywhere, and rushed in, giving John a hug. I suddenly stopped barking, watching his reaction. Laughing he replied that it was really not a problem, and I could see his eyes spoke the truth. Looking into other people's eyes where the most important thing I learned to do in the past day, for I only used to look at my owner's eyes when I was with him. “Well, go on and get washed up, the bar is closed during the day and you two are free to do as you please after you get done with some errands. Town is that way, and I'll need some ingredients if you want to keep eating that rah.” He said with a small smirk on his face, looking at me. I yipped now, becoming a little excited. No-name finally stopped hugging him and nodded, a huge smile plastered on her dirty face, her eyes bright red in the morning light. I realized that just that fast, in that moment, we had made a friend. I never had any friend other than my owner, who kept me close by at all times. John leaned off the brick wall, and with No-name and myself following closely behind, we met his wife, who was just coming outside commenting that he needed to place some orders.

    Nick- Well, this is where I last stopped at. whee I hope you liked it so far, and sorry to stop the story so suddenly. Lemmie know what you think. 4laugh