The+Tales+of+Orion

** “Gallow and his followers. He’s a blood thirsty man who gives no mercy. I heard about him when I as in the **** forest **** of **** Az Landen ****. They were at war with him whilst I was there. I need you to help me fight. The village has already been destroyed, where next? We need to fight back and die with dignity in our hearts knowing that we are the heroes. Remember the saying; heroes go straight to heaven. That’s what will happen to us if we fight for what we believe in and stand up for those who cannot stand up for themselves. What’s the point of living if you can’t do what you think is right? That is why the Lord gave us free will. Now who’s with me?” ** ** To Be Continued... **
 * Our story starts in a land full of magnificent creatures big and small. The land is surrounded in lush green grass and mountains that touch the sky. Amongst the green grass and mountains, there are villages spread around the land with at least a day’s journey to each. Yes, that’s right, we are in the **** land **** of **** Aberson **** where some villages are close together and others aren’t so close together. Our story begins in the small town of **** Alän **** . **
 * Jason is a blacksmith’s son. He earns quite a lot, well he used to until his world fell apart before his own eyes. He became a target to those he did not know and a stranger to most men. He was a visionary to the younger children because of his skills. To some a hero, to others a coward because he ran away from things he could not handle or control like he used to do as a youth. But that will soon be forgotten about; it’s just a matter of time before the prophecy comes true. **
 * Jason had just walked into the ballroom to present his newest weapon to the king. He was quite confident, until he bumped into Princess Lily.  **
 * “Good morning Jason,” she remarked. **
 * “I…it is a good morning indeed,” replied Jason. **
 * “Are you coming to my ball tonight?” she turned away shyly and looked at him through the corner of her emerald green eyes. **
 * “If I can afford it!” he answered stubbornly. **
 * “What do you mean?” it was clear that she was confused as to what he was talking about. **
 * “It doesn’t matter,” he started to walk away. **
 * “I can’t help you if you don’t tell me what is wrong Jason.”She started after him. **
 * Silence. **
 * “Well?” **
 * “He’s dead! I wasted all that money and for what? I’ll tell you what, nothing!” **
 * “Jason, I’m sorry for your loss…but…I think…well…maybe…” **
 * “Ah ha! Jason Orion, I’ve been waiting for you!” interrupted the king. “I trust you have something to show me?” **
 * “Yes, I do!” and he stormed off silently behind the King. **
 * They walked away into the king’s private quarters leaving the princess alone in the empty ballroom. **
 * Once in the king’s quarters, Jason pulled out magnificent sword. His blue eyes gleamed with appreciation. Its hilt was encrusted in rubies. As he pulled the sword out of its case he bowed onto one knee, the sword’s sapphire blade gleaming in the sunlight coming through the stained glass windows.  **
 * “A blade forged in the mountains of Delnúso. Sapphires from the heart of the mountain Ishna in the north of Aberson. Rubies from the kingdom of heaven. All these were put together to make a sword worthy of a true warrior spent two months searching the forest of Az Landen for the correct size ruby. I got back late last week. I only hope it pleases you sir,” addressed Jason. **
 * “This is a magnificent blade!” he took the blade from Jason’s hands. “If you may?” he motioned for Jason to rise. Jason took the sword, he knew exactly what the king wanted him to do. He swung it round in a complete circle with immense speed. After manoeuvring the sword in a range of complicated movements, he shrunk back onto one knee. **
 * “Its blade is made of pure sapphire. Thin but strong. Its thin blade enables its aerodynamics to reach a high speed no normal sword can master.”  **
 * “How many of these can you make in a month?” questioned the king. **
 * “If I have the equipment…a good fifty.” **
 * “I will supply all the equipment you need with, ooh, let’s say, five crowns per sword. I have heard of your loss and that should get you back up to scratch.” **
 * “Thank you sir! I won’t let you…” **
 * He was cut off by a loud bang coming from the courtyard. Jason and the King ran to the courtyard to see what was going on. **
 * The earth was uneven in the empty courtyard. The once training soldiers were now dead. Suddenly, darkness. Jason looked up. Hovering above the castle was a large black dragon with blood red eyes. A man was standing on the dragon with his arms folded. **
 * “Gallow!” muttered Jason. He crept back under the arch to find a trembling king. “Take the princess and hide somewhere no one will find you! Do you understand?” The King nodded and ran to find Lily. **
 * Jason went back into the courtyard only to find that the black dragon had now disappeared. Jason knew what would come next. He didn’t have much time. He ran to the village. It was in ruins, dead bodies everywhere. Blood covered the door of people’s homes. Charred remains of bodies lay here and there. It was like there had been an earthquake because the ground was so uneven. How could anything have swept through the village this quickly? He ran back into the castle and into the guard’s barracks to find the guards cowering in fear. The guards were noble men. Not ones for being scared easily. Had they never seen a dragon before or was it the creatures that attacked the village that had frightened them. At the sight of Jason, one of them rose.  **
 * “Are they gone Jason?” he asked. **
 * “For now! But they’ll be back.” **
 * “Who are they?” asked the guard. **
 * “Aye!!” shouted all the guards at once.  **
 * “Then lets go!” the room burst with cheers. They all grabbed their weapons and ran to the hammerite temple. The hammers were in the middle of a mass prayer.  **
 * “What is the meaning of this mister Orion?” demanded the chief elder, Brother Martus. **
 * “We need your help,” replied Jason. **
 * “We are busy praying…” **
 * “To keep your sorry buts alive and give you a safe route to heaven Blaa, blaa, blaa! Is that all you do...pray? Instead of helping those in need. That’s what I though Hammers did. But instead they’re cowering in fear hoping that their lord the Builder will throw down a massive meteorite and save you all.” **
 * “How dare you! Who do you think you are?” **
 * “Well guess what! I think that I’m Jason Orion. And guess what...we don’t care whether we die or not, as long as we die with dignity in our hearts and our swords in our hands. Now that’s how you die with dignity. However, I do care about getting the Griethians out of our territory. With my plan, you won’t have to pray. Because of our heroics and nobleness, a place in heaven will be reserved for us. We can prove that we are not just a small country in the middle of Aberson but that we are the warriors of Alän, the warriors of the true Lord.”  **
 * “How dare you waltz in here expecting us to ignore all our laws and be violent. Is that what you want, //mister// Orion?” **
 * “Number one, it’s Jason, and number two, yes!” **
 * “Then…” **
 * “We’re with you!” interrupted Kakaroff. “I like change. It would be good to fulfil my dreams once in a while,” he winced at Jason. “Lead the way!” **
 * They all picked up their hammers and staffs and followed Jason back to the ruined village. The eeriness of it all made Jason feel sick. **
 * “Well, where are they?” asked Brother Murrus, a Hammer Elder.  **
 * “They’ll be here!” replied Jason, keeping his eyes focused on the sky up above waiting for the black dragon to appear.  **
 * Suddenly! “Builder save me!” yelled someone. It was Brother Martus. He came running out of the hammer temple being chased by a bunch of hideous creatures. He ran behind one of the hammers and cowered in fear. Jason offered him a sword. He took it without hesitation. The Griethians looked like that of a goblin that had been swallowed up into the depths of hell and spat back out again. Their eyes were all blood red. Their teeth yellow with grime and dirt. Their noses were like that of a pigs. They stopped at the sight of the huge mass of Hammers and guards waiting for them. **
 * “There they are!” Jason remarked.  **
 * “Now what?” whispered one of the soldiers amongst the absolute silence. **
 * “We fight! CHARGE!!” shouted a hammer. **
 * The men charged at the Griethians. **
 * “Ig og ook!” one of them shouted which obviously meant “Stand your ground!” because the rest of them were running away. Jason had thought them to be a little bit braver than that. After all, they were worriers of the devil himself.  **
 * “STOP!!” boomed a voice. **
 * Silence! Stillness! Darkness! The dragon was back. Up stepped Gallow, a cruel man with blood red hair and evil red eyes. In his hand was the arm of a person. He pulled at it so they could see its face. It was the princess. **
 * “We have our goal! Now destroy everything alive!” he shouted. “And bring me…the chosen one!” the Griethians turned around and charged at the army. They did not run, they fought a wicked battle. **
 * As innocent men fell, soldiers and hammers alike, the rain began to fall, lighting in the distance and the echoing thunder all around. It was almost as if heaven was opening up its gates for the lives of the men already lost to this murderous battle. Amongst the thunder, they could hear screams and shouts of men begging for mercy as the Griethians struck them to the floor. The Griethians without a doubt were winning this battle. As the drawer bridge was knocked down, more Griethians charged in killing everything in sight. All seemed lost. There was no hope for Jason and the others. All there was now, was death and a beautiful place called paradise.  **
 * Suddenly, a bright light shone through the lightning struck clouds of heavy rain. The fighting stopped and everyone, even Gallow, looked towards the sky. **
 * “In a village, the Griethians will attack and there will be no hope for the innocent,” came the voice of a mysterious woman. She had brown locks of hair and was dressed in white robes. It was Divina, the goddess of prophecy. This was no description of events, it was a prophecy meant for a certain person in this battlefield. “They are in search of one thing; the Chosen One. But out of the darkness, a hero will rise, one that will take the world by storm.” She disappeared, her pure voice ringing in Jason’s head. The light landed on Jason. Jason was the Chosen One. **
 * “What!” yelled Gallow. “He’s mine!” the dragon, Hriesa, which means sorrow, flew at Jason. Jason stood there rooted to the spot. Behind him, the bloody battle continued without end. He heard galloping. He turned around. Charging towards him was a horse, pure white in colour, its golden horn shinning in the mist. This was no horse but a unicorn. Jason jumped onto its back and they flew up into the air, wings appearing at its side. They flew towards Gallow and Hriesa just missing them. Jason swung his sword over the top of his head in a complete circle. Lightning struck the sapphire blade as it span round and round.  **
 * “Lenatum!” yelled Jason. **
 * He slashed the sword through the air. It hit Hriesa in the chest. The dragon was knocked to the floor landing in a mass of dust. The fighting stopped and all stared. The unicorn landed outside of the mist. Jason jumped off of the unicorns back and ran into the mist. Two minutes later, he came out with the princess. The mist cleared, the dragon and Gallow were gone. They were getting away. Members of the Greithian army were vanishing into thin air to be at their master’s side to aid him if need be. All that was left were the small amount of hammers and guards left after the battle. Not one of them was un injured or bore a scare a scar on their face, one that would reside with them for the rest of their lives as a memorabilia of the great battle fought today which they had won just by the skin of their teeth.  **
 * “Are you okay?” he asked Lily. **
 * “Yes, I am! But what about Gallow?” she retorted. **
 * “I’ll get him eventually!” he jumped onto the unicorns back and they cantered after Gallow with immense speed. They were gaining on him. Jason suddenly pulled on the reins and bought the unicorn to a halt just before the edge of a cliff with Hriesa flying off into the distance.  **
 * And so is the story of Jason Orion. We leave him on a hill in the middle of nowhere, known as the hero that got everything wrong. As the sun set, he looked up, a sly grin on his face. At least he had rescued the princess. Jason decided that from then onwards, he would donate his life to defeating the Griethian army once and for all and freeing all those innocent who had fallen under the might of the Greithian Army. However this does not mean that this is the end for Jason Orion. After all, he is an elf, and elves are immortal meaning that he cannot die. But his next adventure we shall leave for another tale. **