"A Warden's Future" Part I (Zech/Taoven)

“A Warden’s Future”

A flapping of crow’s wings filled the air as a crude looking torch pierced the dead earth beneath his feet. Zech moved a hand to carefully protect the flame from the breeze caused by his movements, before peering down at the two makeshift graves at his feet.

He lifted a hand to pull the cigarette from between his lips as he closed his eyes, the flickering flame barely illuminating his face. He had come here because he had found himself on edge since the birth of his son. He had been struggling to enjoy the first moments of fatherhood, as he always found himself waiting for the first attack of the day.

He opened his eyes and exhaled a thin cloud of smoke; it was just his luck that the only person that ever calmed him completely was in the ground. He had been there for many years now, and even passing on his namesake to the newborn hadn’t eased him. Revan, a name that Zech had always believed stood for wisdom, rather than strength as many Caan names boasted.

‘Wha’ do I do then, eh dad?’ he muttered as he slowly knelt down in front of the graves. ‘An’ ye ma? Any words o’ wisdom fer me?’ he continued. It wasn’t long before he found himself shaking his head and chuckling quietly, at the realisation of where he was and what he was doing.

Walking into a village that knew only death, stood for death and existed purely as a reminder of death… to ask his deceased parents for advice on being a father. He had done some pretty stupid things in his life, but this had to be slightly on the insane side of things.

‘See guys… I can’t look at me’ son, ‘cause I’m t’busy lookin’ over me’ shoulder all th’time. Th’last thin’ I want is fer me’ boy t’grow up thinkin’ I don’ give a toss. It ain’ why I’ve stuck aroun’ t’be a dad… ah feck it, I don’ know anymore’.

As he finished he lifted a hand to his forehead, the creaking of his armour filling the air around him. As he gently rubbed the skin with rough leather, he listened as the sound was replaced with that of howling, and the rustling of wildlife scampering among the dead leaves and vines that once grew around his home.

He lowered his hand and lifted his head, simply sitting still and staring at the moon. It was the brightest he had ever seen it from the village, ruins or no, and it was full. He smirked faintly at the thought of what his father had once told him about the moon.

‘Ye know why the moon don’ shine down on this village? S’cause it’s waitin’ fer people like ye t’get outta ‘ere, an’ when ye do boy… jes look up’

Zech lowered his gaze to take another look at his father’s grave, before slowly turning his attention to his mothers’. Everything they had wanted for him… everything they had told him he could be, and yet here he was. He had never been known as a Caan to kneel in the mud of the village, he wouldn’t bow to anyone; he just kept himself to himself.

Yet all that faith his parents had in him, he had always ignored. At least he thought he had, until the day he met Ledgic again. The faith that Revan had placed in Zech, he had placed in Ledgic.

He scoffed and slowly stood up, turning his head to stare into the flame. None of this was helping him; he’d walk out of this cesspit with more questions sooner than he’d walk out with any answers. Why was he struggling to be a father?

He slowly turned his head at the sound of twigs snapping behind him, and narrowed his eyes as he peered into the dark. It was around this time he wondered why he always made torches so small.

A man clad in crude looking mail armour stepped into the dim light, holding both of his hands in front of him, in one of which was an old looking journal. ‘Don’t shoot… stab or burn! Or whatever it is you plan to do!’ he shouted.

Zech turned on the spot as the flapping of crows filled the air once again. He lifted a hand and took a grip of his blade’s hilt and grumbled. He certainly wasn’t the most protective of the village, in fact the only part he cared to guard were the graves behind him. But it was for the protection of random strangers, for them to be cast out and forbidden from stepping upon the cursed ground.

‘Ye shouldn’ be ‘ere kid’ said Zech as he watched the man straighten up, revealing quite young looking features, as well as a mess of dark brown hair.

‘Oh… well, looking at this place I shouldn’t think I’d ever have come here of my own choice. I was told to you see’ said the young man as he lifted a hand to his eyes, as if he was guarding them from the sun. Zech lowered his arm and simply stared at the young man with complete confusion for a moment before speaking.

‘Ye were told ta’ come t’Caan village? Ye realise this place ain’ nothin’ but wolves, snakes n’ vultures these days? Though… s’pose, thinkin’ about it, ye’ve made it further in than ye woulda when th’clan were still breathing’ said Zech with a brief smirk.

Shortly afterwards he walked forward and stopped in front of the young man. It wasn’t as if he prided himself on treating strangers like shit, but sometimes it just had to be done. He quickly grabbed the young man by the throat and begun to squeeze.

‘Who sent you?’ he said quickly before releasing the young man and watching as he flailed his arms and gasped heavily.

‘The ELDERS! Don’t strangle me again!’ he shouted as he fell to the ground, landing on his rear end. Zech peered down at the young man and folded his arms; it wasn’t as if he was “in” with any group that featured elders.

‘My name is Taoven, and I’m a scholar. I spent the last six months in the village of Telaar in Nagrand… where the elders had been writing this book. But it isn’t just any book, it’s hugely important to them’ said Taoven as he clumsily dragged himself to his feet.

There weren’t many random games of chance that would lead Zech into this position. Walking into his village for answers he would never receive, only to bump into a bumbling idiot of a scholar, which just happens to have spent the last six months in a village that Ledgic is attached to. So much that it’s obvious he’d throw himself in front of just about anything for it.

‘You’re Zech Caan, right? You’re in the book you know…’ said Taoven as he rubbed his armour down, bits of mud and old leaves falling to the ground. Zech’s brow rose, as he looked the young man up and down, before finally stopping at his face.

‘Is that how you know your way to these ruins?’

‘Hm? Oh… well, there is a map of sorts yet. But I know my way here because I’ve read about us having this conversation. It’s not exact, as the elders told me it wouldn’t be, but it’s close enough. This is where I’m supposed to arrive, inform you of the book and it’s purpose, and my role as it’s keeper!’ said Taoven, progressively getting more excited as he spoke.

Zech immediately narrowed his eyes and reached forward, grabbing Taoven by his crude armour and dragging him closer. ‘Wha’ th’feck are ye talkin’ about?’ he hissed quietly. Taoven flailed an arm for a moment before regaining his composure and gently patting Zech on the shoulder.

‘I… I well, um… ahem, right!’ started Taoven, before Zech lifted his other hand and swiftly slapped the young scholar over the head. ‘Ye either talk proper or I’m beatin’ wha’ I need outta ye’ he said in the same hissing tone.

‘OKAY! Ledgic Caan is the warden of Telaar, yes? Well, it is not a one-way relationship; he doesn’t simply protect them and receive nothing in return. Over the years, the elders have used the spirits and pieces of equipment and armour left behind by their warden to delve into his past and future. I ah… the contents of this book is the story of Ledgic Caan. They told me that I had to tell him, and you, because you are the lore keeper, as the elders said’

Taoven’s words came forth as a mesh of speed and terrified babble, but Zech did his best to follow, before shaking his head and blinking. If he heard correctly, it meant that this boy had the contents of Ledgic’s life, the days he had seen and the days to come… in a book.

‘What feckin’ use would tha’ be?’ said Zech as he released Taoven yet again, almost shoving him over for a second time. ‘Because he is important! And not only that, because “The Three” must come to pass, I am here to make sure it all flows as it should!” said Taoven as he stomped on the ground, mostly to maintain his balance rather than to seem imposing.

‘… The three?’ said Zech as he lowered his arms.
‘I… cannot reveal much detail, as the elders have ordered me. But… what I will say, is that it is very important that Ledgic, you and Eothan Dawn maintain a healthy relationship. Because it will be needed in the days to come’

Zech turned on the spot and looked at the graves of his parents as he ripped the torch from the dead earth once again.

‘I don’ ‘ave time t’be part o’ any group, I’ve got a family to raise’ he said as he closed his eyes.

‘Yes, you do! And it’s important that you do that at the same time, because the children of “The Three” will be the ones to carry on it’s work and the legacy it will create’ said Taoven.

And as Zech turned to face the boy again, he couldn’t help but smirk at the wide smile plastered across his face. ‘I was never a great scholar; it’s always been more of a dream. But… now I get to watch as each story unfolds, and it’s all real!’ he said with an almost childish laugh.

‘Well… ‘ow about tha’, eh? I’ll be walkin’ outta ‘ere wit’ a bollock load o’ questions… but I got th’one answer I came ‘ere fer’ he thought as the smirk widened.

--

‘No Hawthorn will remain when we’re done’
‘I have become shadow itself, to achieve my goals’
‘I guess tonight… I start following the moon’
‘I am not that man anymore’
‘Betrayal’

…

Um. This is ace. Mainly because I'm terribly curious about it all, and because Taoven is seriously awesome. I love how confused he makes poor Zech - and ah, you know me, I always like the stories with legends and fates and prophecies. Bringing in Telaar is very very good.

And '‘Ye know why the moon don’ shine down on this village? S’cause it’s waitin’ fer people like ye t’get outta ‘ere, an’ when ye do boy… jes look up’' is a very provoking line, in a good way.

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