Stewart
April 27th, 2003, 05:16 PM
Here we go again.
Dominous watched over the dying figure of his father, the ancient form of the man who had once led armies was now a pitiiful sght to behold. His fur had long ago fallen out; he was completely bare save the loincloth around his waste. His fatless flesh was creased with thick wrinkles that screamed of his extreme age. Dominous took the hand of his father's into his own, his own slender fingers intertwining with those of the man who had given him the life he had for so long now lived. Yet seeing all this, experiencing every raspy, labored breath, seeing every twitchy movement of this dying body Dominous felt no grief. He felt nothing but a shallow emptiness and a shame he knew would be eternal, for he was not feeling the things he should at this most terrible of moments.
Dominous looked up at the slave master that was watching over him on the other side of the tent and glared. It was dangerous to show his anger so plainly, the slave master was staring right back at him and could see it as clear as a cloudless day. He could see the hostility on the face of the slave that was Dominous and could without any consequence retaliate if he desired to do so. The dagger sheathed at his side was no more than a small reminder of this fact. Even still, Dominous glared, pouring every ounce of hatred and bitterness he felt at this moment into his eyes. After a moment however he looked back down at his father who was beginning to stir and wake for perhaps the last time.
At first Dominous' father just stared straight up at the roof, gazing at the light that was shining through the thin white cloth of the structure. Dominous tried to imagine it, seeing light for the final time, the brightness terrifying as the realization that of death came to be and at the same time the wondrousness of the beauty it beheld. His father's eyes then shifted, the pupils sliding across the orange of his eyes, scanning his surroundings, searching for the source of the hand that gripped so tightly his own dying paw. When their eyes met, father's and son's there was a silence like none other Dominous had ever felt, a silence accompanied by a feeling of fear and anxiety that Dominous could not put into words if he tried. In his father's eyes he saw everything, every fear and courage, every stupidity and spark of genius, everything that characterized the living. Then the old man's lips moved, a whisper so faint emerging that it was barely heard by Dominous.
Dominous knelt down closer, moving his long pointed ear above his fathers mouth but keeping at least some distance. There was a fear in him that he could not understand, this fragile creature, this man holding on to life by a broken thread was his father, why should he be afraid?
"You are my son?" The whisper asked, Dominous barely comprehended the tiny voice. Dominous nodded and a spark appeared in his father's tired eyes. "You are Dominous Don Dragius?" His father questioned.
"I am Dominous Don Dragius, I am your son, you are my father." Dominous said, his voice seemed like a bellowing horn in comparison to that of his father's. His father took a deep breath and closed his eyes. For a moment it seemed nothing else happened, and indeed Dominous thought his father had perished. Then however his eyes opened, so quickly and so suddenly that Dominous jumped with surprise. He heard the cruel snicker of the slave master but ignored it for his father once again began to speak.
"I had a dream once." His father said, his voice even weaker than before. Dominous had to use all his concentration to hear him now. "I dreamt of creating an empire. I dreamt of marching my legions across the world and uniting all of our kind under one banner." His father with more extertion than Dominous had ever seen a man give lifted Dominous' hand and placed it on his chest where the slave masters had long ago burned the mark of a slave into his flesh. "Let this be your banner my son. Swear to me that my dream will no die here. That someday you will lead your legions and throw off the chains that bind us. That you will march across the land and create such an empire that the Gods in the realm of heaven will look down upon you and smile, and then upon your death they will see as an equal in their presence. Swear to me." The intensity with which these words were spoken seemed impossible as they were barely audible, Dominous just stared blankly at his father trying to comprehend the immensity of what was being asked of him. But could he say no?
These were his fathers last words, the last request this man would ever make of anyone before he passed on into death. If there was ever a more sacred thing than this Dominous knew not what it was. To make it more momentous Dominous was this dying man's son, if he agreed to this now than he would have to give his best try at doing so. To do otherwise would bring upon him such shame that he would never be able to live with himself. His own slave mark, burned onto his body when he was but ten years old seemed to tingle a reminder of what he was, little more than a slave to the will of others stronger than he was, stronger than he could ever be. But he had to try.
"I swear on your death, on my life father that if it can be done, I will do this. I will create an empire more grand than any other, and I will do it in our name." Dominous said.
With this Anagius Dan Dragius, father of Dominous Don Dragius time ended.
Dominous let the now lifeless hand of his father go, the last warmth of his parent's life still on his palms. He placed it on the mark over his heart and remembered what he had been told. This would be his banner, and someday if it was possible at all he would have an army to follow it.
Dominous watched over the dying figure of his father, the ancient form of the man who had once led armies was now a pitiiful sght to behold. His fur had long ago fallen out; he was completely bare save the loincloth around his waste. His fatless flesh was creased with thick wrinkles that screamed of his extreme age. Dominous took the hand of his father's into his own, his own slender fingers intertwining with those of the man who had given him the life he had for so long now lived. Yet seeing all this, experiencing every raspy, labored breath, seeing every twitchy movement of this dying body Dominous felt no grief. He felt nothing but a shallow emptiness and a shame he knew would be eternal, for he was not feeling the things he should at this most terrible of moments.
Dominous looked up at the slave master that was watching over him on the other side of the tent and glared. It was dangerous to show his anger so plainly, the slave master was staring right back at him and could see it as clear as a cloudless day. He could see the hostility on the face of the slave that was Dominous and could without any consequence retaliate if he desired to do so. The dagger sheathed at his side was no more than a small reminder of this fact. Even still, Dominous glared, pouring every ounce of hatred and bitterness he felt at this moment into his eyes. After a moment however he looked back down at his father who was beginning to stir and wake for perhaps the last time.
At first Dominous' father just stared straight up at the roof, gazing at the light that was shining through the thin white cloth of the structure. Dominous tried to imagine it, seeing light for the final time, the brightness terrifying as the realization that of death came to be and at the same time the wondrousness of the beauty it beheld. His father's eyes then shifted, the pupils sliding across the orange of his eyes, scanning his surroundings, searching for the source of the hand that gripped so tightly his own dying paw. When their eyes met, father's and son's there was a silence like none other Dominous had ever felt, a silence accompanied by a feeling of fear and anxiety that Dominous could not put into words if he tried. In his father's eyes he saw everything, every fear and courage, every stupidity and spark of genius, everything that characterized the living. Then the old man's lips moved, a whisper so faint emerging that it was barely heard by Dominous.
Dominous knelt down closer, moving his long pointed ear above his fathers mouth but keeping at least some distance. There was a fear in him that he could not understand, this fragile creature, this man holding on to life by a broken thread was his father, why should he be afraid?
"You are my son?" The whisper asked, Dominous barely comprehended the tiny voice. Dominous nodded and a spark appeared in his father's tired eyes. "You are Dominous Don Dragius?" His father questioned.
"I am Dominous Don Dragius, I am your son, you are my father." Dominous said, his voice seemed like a bellowing horn in comparison to that of his father's. His father took a deep breath and closed his eyes. For a moment it seemed nothing else happened, and indeed Dominous thought his father had perished. Then however his eyes opened, so quickly and so suddenly that Dominous jumped with surprise. He heard the cruel snicker of the slave master but ignored it for his father once again began to speak.
"I had a dream once." His father said, his voice even weaker than before. Dominous had to use all his concentration to hear him now. "I dreamt of creating an empire. I dreamt of marching my legions across the world and uniting all of our kind under one banner." His father with more extertion than Dominous had ever seen a man give lifted Dominous' hand and placed it on his chest where the slave masters had long ago burned the mark of a slave into his flesh. "Let this be your banner my son. Swear to me that my dream will no die here. That someday you will lead your legions and throw off the chains that bind us. That you will march across the land and create such an empire that the Gods in the realm of heaven will look down upon you and smile, and then upon your death they will see as an equal in their presence. Swear to me." The intensity with which these words were spoken seemed impossible as they were barely audible, Dominous just stared blankly at his father trying to comprehend the immensity of what was being asked of him. But could he say no?
These were his fathers last words, the last request this man would ever make of anyone before he passed on into death. If there was ever a more sacred thing than this Dominous knew not what it was. To make it more momentous Dominous was this dying man's son, if he agreed to this now than he would have to give his best try at doing so. To do otherwise would bring upon him such shame that he would never be able to live with himself. His own slave mark, burned onto his body when he was but ten years old seemed to tingle a reminder of what he was, little more than a slave to the will of others stronger than he was, stronger than he could ever be. But he had to try.
"I swear on your death, on my life father that if it can be done, I will do this. I will create an empire more grand than any other, and I will do it in our name." Dominous said.
With this Anagius Dan Dragius, father of Dominous Don Dragius time ended.
Dominous let the now lifeless hand of his father go, the last warmth of his parent's life still on his palms. He placed it on the mark over his heart and remembered what he had been told. This would be his banner, and someday if it was possible at all he would have an army to follow it.