Type Mix (Yet another prologue)

I'm going back to Manila today, so no real updates. Here's something I've been working on the side though, a new fic - still related to Ragnarok Online, but barely. The fic is untitled still but I have several chapters written already. The overall atmosphere of the story so far is light. And I hope I can keep it that way. Here's the draft of the prologue

Prologue: The Forest of Payon

The darkness of the thick forests of Payon gives no man merit to pass through at night. Its thick, ageless conifers block any night light with branching canopies, seamless and unforgiving. The largely uneven terrain filled with bluffs, craggs, and bottomless pits made sure anybody foolish enough to tread it without prior knowledge would never be found again. Stories of vanishing travelers, caravans and even armies were not uncommon, for even the most experienced of rangers dared not enter the wooden labyrinth of its heart.

But to a desperate soul, the untrodden path would be best to lose everything but oneself.

Thundering claws rumbling through soft earth blasted through the tranquil nightwatch of the local fauna as two heavily armoured Pecopecos, legendary birds of burden, came bursting through a section of foot-high shurbs in the midde of the forest. The beasts exhausted squaking was blood-curdling, and their breath filled the thick damp air with blasts of mist.

"We can make the Balaclavan line if we cut through these woods," a deep, huffing voice from the back of one of the Pecopeco's shouted. It came from a figure in thick verdune chain mail armor, the likes of which were usually seen worn by heavy cavalry of the Lateran front guard of Alberta.

The other rider just kept going, going through one thick foliage after another, careful not to hit the branches practically flying towards their direction at reckless speeds.

"We seemed to have lost them," the cavalier with the deep voice said with unblemished delight. "It was a good call to have escaped through this place, master. We'll be hitting the main road shortly." The wind howled back at the riders, seemingly to taunt their progress.

Countless whistles filled the forest as arrows tore through the evening mist. "Arrows! They're still following!" the other rider shouted with full Pronteran grace. "Double your pace, Pietro!" he commanded with authoritative conviction. The other rider kicked his beast with his stirruped boots as they sped some more.

The arrows started raining from above, pouncing like little imps spawning from hell itself. It landed on everything on and around the riders. One of the riders started slowing down and his ridingmate could only look back - but it was all too late. With a single grunt, the Pecopeco crumbled like weathered stone, its exposed wings laden with arrows and it's rider motionlessly slumped behind its back. What was left of the bird and the soldier landed on the ground with explosive force, sending dirt and dead leaves flying all over the place.

The other rider punched through a final set of shrubberies and landed on the dirt road his mate had been telling him. He was now all alone, with his pursuers appearing from behind as dancing red smears torches in the blackened woodlands.

"Damn it, they got Pietro too!" he howled as he lifted the visor of his casque. His moonshined sapphire eyes scoured for any signs of clearing. The bird he rode rumbled through the dirt track burned through the forest floor without any sign of stopping. "Now where am I supposed to go?" the rider irritatedly asked at some unseen counsel.

The rider peered through what light the holed canopies provided overhead - and with that he saw an unexpectedly surprising apparition. An old man standing at the middle of the road - unmoving and oblivious of his rampage. Move away, he wished to himself. The old man turned his head, and for one fleeting second their eyes met. The rider's heart stopped.

It was all too late - the man was real. With one full swing, the rider tried to veer his Pecopeco to the left and caused it to lose footing in confusion. The bird and its master tumbled across alongside the road, disappearing as quickly as the rider had appeared in the forest - just as so many have gotten lost in the thick forests of Payon.