[Rift] Regret

[Jasyn]

FOREWARD

For a while now, I've been wanting to capture a certain moment from Wyeth's recent past, yet everytime I tried to tackle it in writing, it just wasn't coming across in a way that was very satisfying to me.  I originally started with typical narrative prose, but it always seemed to get away from me--too lengthy and too distracting from the essence of the action.

The following story, then, is something of an experiment in medium.  Ultimately, I ended up writing it in the format of a poor man's screenplay.  I'm certain the structure breaks all sorts of conventions out of both ignorance and necessity, but I hope you'll indulge the soreness of the thumb sticking out here, especially since I hope it accomplishes what I set out to do in terms of the storytelling while mimicking many elements of in game roleplay.



THUMBNAIL SKETCH

Before getting into the story itself, I'm going to pin this little thumbnail sketch here, which I'm stealing from a post I originally made in another thread, since it serves as a succint introduction to the character of Wyeth as he was before the Shade and before subsequently becoming one of the Ascended.


Wyeth - The Rivenbrook clan was a modestly affluent Mathosian family that produced a long line of carpenters and masons, but Wyeth began his young adult life by breaking tradition.  He loved his Mathosia and the success and prosperity it had afforded generations of Rivenbrooks, and so he chose to enlist with the Mathosian Guard.

Not long before the flickering flame of King Jostir Mathos was extinguished, he found himself serving as a scout assigned to a unit responsible for the security of Prince Zareph and his interests due in large part to his exemplary service.  His duties would eventually lead him to Port Scion, and there, he would meet and come to marry the love of his first life, Emelia Amber.  "I was drawn in by the shine in your eyes, the gleam of your smile," she said in her vows to him on their wedding day, "But I fell in love with your sense of humor, your devotion, your passion.  And forever, I'll keep falling time and again."

In time, Emelia found herself with child, and for Wyeth, life was good.  But the stirrings of civil war between the surviving brothers of Mathos would quickly cause everything to change for life in Mathosia.  Two months before King Aedraxis unleashed The Shade, their infant son, Canyon Rivenbrook, was born.  All too soon, however, the fateful and tragic day would come when so many would lose their lives to the devastation unleashed with the cracking of the ward--Wyeth while in the field, his wife and child while under the cover of shelter.  On that day, Wyeth died four times.  But the Vigil only brought him back twice.

[Jasyn]

EXT. OVERLOOKING THEDEOR FIELDS - DAY

FADE IN:

A grassy knoll sits in an out of the way corner of a valley, possessing a broad, unobstructed view overlooking a field of battle.  The occasional farmhouse hugs the perimeter, sometimes in the shadow of grander landmarks.  Atop a hill above a wooded grove, the town of Ardenburgh bears witness to what is about to unfold.

An army marches forth from an encampment, rolling catapults and trebuchets northward, where in a vale sheltered within walls of natural rock, a machine of sourcestone technology rises ominously, guarded jealously by the imposing opposition, whose ranks are filled with armor-clad skeletal soldiers and soulless husks.

A stiff breeze sweeps across the grassy knoll, causing the blades of lush vegetation to ripple like the gently undulating waves of the surface of a glassy pond, freshly broken.  To the keen eye, there is a counter movement as two paths part through the grass, cutting through from either side of the knoll to rendezvous at the center.

At the heads of each path, BORIS, a wild razorback boar, and SEBASTIAN, a dire wolf, approach each other from opposite directions, stopping side-by-side to survey all that unravels before them.

BORIS
(snorting)
Well, well.  Never thought I'd see you again,  After all these years, I didn't think you were even alive anymore.

Sebastian regards Boris cooly, momentarily baring a row of teeth in a reserved sneer.

SEBASTIAN
Your memory is as selective as ever, Boris.

BORIS
Aw, c'mon, mutt. It's just a joke.  Thought you would've gotten over all that by now.  I know I have.

SEBASTIAN
Why are you here?

BORIS
Same reason as you, ain't I?

SEBASTIAN
Hardly.  I'll ask you again.  Why are you here?

BORIS
(seriously)
You obviously already know, Sebastian, so why are you wasting my time with pointless questions?

SEBASTIAN
I was interested in seeing if you've changed at all.

BORIS
(laughing)
Changed?  Things change all the time, dog.  You, more than anyone, should know that.  The chaos on the battlefield down there?  That'll change everything, too.

Boris motions with a tusk toward the din of battle as the Mathosians march into the territory of the opposing army and its arcing contraption.  The cavalry gallops forward, the swords of the infantrymen clash with those of animated bones, volleys of arrow fire are exchanged as each of the armies' archers let loose.

BORIS (CONT'D)
As for me?  I don't change.

SEBASTIAN
I suppose that means you're still intent on taking advantage of the tragedy of someone else's warfare to perpetuate your little game?

BORIS
I'd hate to waste a perfectly good opportunity.  Besides, it's not tragedy.  It's art.

SEBASTIAN
(sighing)
You're hopeless.

BORIS
Good.  Does that mean you'll stop pestering me and give up your little crusade?  I don't know how many times I have to tell you I'm perfectly happy with things as they are.

SEBASTIAN
Wishful thinking.  You don't change.  I don't give up.

BORIS
Fine then.  Whatever.  So what about the game?  You planning on joining this time?

SEBASTIAN
I've seen how you play your games, Boris.  I'm not letting it happen again.  If it means I lose out on my opportunity to set our past straight because I have to find a way to permanently end your life, then that's a decision I'll have to live with for the rest of mine, over and over again.

BORIS
So you're all in then?

Boris begins snorting in gleeful fits.

BORIS (CONT'D)
In that case, bring it on, pup.

Boris looks across the battlefield in the valley, and he momentarily turns his head to Sebastian before vanishing.

BORIS (CONT'D)
(grinning)
Looks like I'll be seeing you on the other side, again, Sebastian.

Sebastian continues to sit at the edge of the knoll for a moment, helplessly and contemplatively overlooking the bloodshed below.  His eyes scan the battlefield and narrow as they zero in on something of interest to him.

SEBASTIAN
(whispering)
Boris...

Sebastian observes for a moment longer before disappearing into the ether.

EXT. OVERLOOKING THEDEOR FIELDS - MOMENTS LATER

An explosive, blinding white erupts over the scene as the protective ward cracks.  The light fades, and a darkening shade descends as a violent wave of planar energy cascades forth from a massive rift tearing into existence from the Plane of Death, awashing the entire scene.  And Thedeor Fields trembles with the blood-curdling shrieks of all living things ceasing to be.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THEDEOR FIELDS - MOMENTS EARLIER

A scout for the Mathosian Guard, WYETH, is lobbing arrows at his quarry from atop the relative safety of a ridge.  One arrow ricochets off the helm of the slowly lumbering skeleton of what was once a proud Mathosian warrior, but it strikes with enough force that both the helm and the skull roll to the ground, yet the warrior mindlessly continues onward.

Another skeletal warrior approaches Wyeth from behind, whirling its hefty axe in the air.  It narrowly misses Wyeth but severs his bowstring and splits the stave of his bow, effectively disarming Wyeth's ranged offense.

Wyeth unsheathes a one-handed blade, spinning around to swing at his surprise attacker until its bones splinter and collapse into a pile on the ground.

His original skulless adversary is gaining ground.  Wyeth raises his blade and charges forward, preparing to execute the same sentence upon it as had just been delivered to his recently fallen foe.

Wyeth reacts to the THUNDERING sound of BOAR HOOVES behind him, getting nearer and growing louder.  He hardly has time enough to turn to see the wild, charging boar collide into him, goring a tusk into his thigh and continuing to tear across the battlefield with barely a pause.

Disoriented from the surprise impact and the shock of pain, he falls to his knees with his sword in mid-thrust as the headless skeletal warrior encroaches on him.  However, his blade slips awkwardly through an unarmored opening of his attacker's rib cage, doing nothing to halt its advance as its sword penetrates Wyeth's light armor and straight through to his chest.

With his free hand, Wyeth clutches onto the warrior's wrist bone in a vain, wresting effort to keep it from penetrating its blade any further.   However, it offers him enough time to retract his own blade in his other hand, lifting it high enough to allow him to swiftly crush his harbinger of death in two at the waist.

Heaving a sigh, Wyeth collapses onto his back as he yanks the skeleton's blade free from his body, yelling in demonstrable pain and hurling the bloodied sword aside.

WYETH'S POINT OF VIEW:

BORIS (OFF SCREEN)
The clerics are being dispatched to your location.

The sky and the valley walls around Wyeth grow dim as he begins to lose consciousness.

BORIS (O.S., CONT'D)
I wouldn't hold your breath, though.  They won't make it.  Not that it's going to matter much.

Wyeth's field of vision shifts unsteadily, blinking in and out of view as he attempts to move his head to see where the voice is coming from.  At last, Boris strides up close enough to Wyeth's face to be seen.  Wyeth shakes his head slightly, probably in a haze of disbelief.

BORIS
(sneering)
One to none in my favor.  Been a long time since I've enjoyed myself this much.  We're going to be doing this over and over, again and again.  Until you finally break.  Nice to meet you, kid.

Wyeth momentarily slips into a state of unconsciousness, and his surroundings go dark.

SEBASTIAN (O.S)
Hello.  Can you hear me?

Wyeth's field of vision blinks back into view, albeit shakily, as he reacts to the new voice.  He now sees Sebastian's lupine form alone before him.  He squints, perhaps in an attempt to focus his sight and ensure that it isn't betraying him.

SEBASTIAN
You won't suffer for much longer.  I trust your Vigil still needs you.

Wyeth begins to moan, coughing as he gurgles up a bit of blood.

SEBASTIAN
Are you able to speak?  If not, don't force it.  I just wanted to say that, unlike me, I hope you were able to live your life without any regrets.  You may not realize it at first, but it will be important as you move on.

WYETH (VOICE OVER)
(laboring)
I... I regret... failing to protect Emmy.  I regret... not... getting to see my... baby boy again.  I... regret... only having one life to give for my Mathosia.

BACK TO SCENE:

SEBASTIAN
Is that all?

WYETH
I regret... not ever having... a nice puppy like you to watch over me.

Wyeth's eyes close, and his body goes slack, his head coming to rest limply on its bed of earth.  Sebastian kneels in close to Wyeth, whispering something into his ear before dissolving from view.

EXT. OVERLOOKING THEDEOR FIELDS - MOMENTS LATER

We return to the moment of the explosive, blinding white as it first erupts over the scene depicting the cracking of the protective ward.  Everything is SILENT as the light reaches the peak of its intensity, and the repetition of the scene concludes just short of the Shade's first descending wave.

FADE OUT.