Ikando Part One (standard:fantasy, 4051 words)
Author: Ikando	Added: Oct 16 2000	Views/Reads: 3897/2398	Story vote: 0.00 (0 votes)
This is the beginning of a long series I want to post on this site, all of them involving a Ranger called Ikando. If you'd like to give feedback my e-mail is... xsylentikando@aol.com

Click here to read the first 75 lines of the story

eyes soon found the necklace of human ears that hung about the 
commander’s thick neck. 

The rotting flesh and bloody body parts wreaked of death and decay.
Chunks of skin stuck onto the barbed wire string that held the ears. 

“I am,” The boy began, his young voice already firm and strong without
the slightest hint of fear. “Ikando.” 

A smirk crossed the commander’s concealed lips, his voice roaring out
once again. “Ikando, you are the rangers leader’s son; and you are 
alone in this place, during a war?” Laughter exploded from the mask, 
the large man mocking the boy before the rest of the Barbarians. The 
commander’s hand slowly moved to rest of the twisted hilt of his blade. 


A sudden shimmer of light spilt the air as the huge man drew his massive
claymore from its sheath, while his large legs through him into the 
air. The heavy blade was slowly pulled back behind the head of the 
armored barbarian, who prepared to strike. Aiming for the boy’s head, 
the commander swung his weapon forward, its razor edge ripping through 
the air toward the ranger with a shrill whistle. 

Ikando’s eyes watched the man as he drew closer, his eyes moving to the
blade. The tip of the blade suddenly connected with the ground, sending 
bits of grass and dark brown soil into the air with a massive impact. 
The commander’s eyes were wide with shock as the boy side stepped with 
great ease, and moved into a position to counter-strike. A swift knee 
was lifted and instantly connected with the man’s chest as he fell 
forward, the ranger’s reinforced leather armor slammed into the plate 
armor with devastating force. 

A thick crack ran down the middle of the plate armor, while the
commander’s lungs were nearly crushed as six ribs were shattered into 
pieces. Everything had begun and ended within a few seconds. The mighty 
commander remained hunched over the young ranger’s knee, unable to 
utter a word, move or even take in a breath. A large piece of steel 
came loose from the commander’s chest and fell to the ground with a 
soft thud, which brought the ranger’s eyes to the fallen barbarian. The 
huge claymore slowly fell from the commander’s hand as he fell into 
unconscious. 

Ikando slowly put his foot upon the ground again, allowing the heavy man
to slide off, and tumble onto his back, still unable to utter a word, 
though his chest slowly rose and fell as he breathed in soft, painful 
breaths. 

“He’ll live. I suggest you all back down, and you will live as well.”
Addressing the large group of shocked barbarians, the ranger folded his 
arms over his chest slowly. 

An insane battle cry arose from the barbarians as they charged as one.
The massive wave of attackers swiftly closer in on their target. Ikando 
stood motionless as the mob of angry men rushed him. A long, slender 
spear was suddenly thrust at the boy’s neck. With movements too fast to 
be seen, the scout clamped a hand around the spear’s shaft, ripping it 
from its owner’s grip. Spinning the long weapon once, Ikando ducked 
under a second attack by a different soldier, while moving into a wider 
stance to gain balance. 

The boy slapped away a curved blade with the spear, his eyes darting
about wildly to keep him aware of all his attackers. Ikando’s eyes 
shifted to the owner of the spear. He crouched low to the earth, his 
grip on the silver spear tightening as he leapt forward. Driving in 
with naturally fluid movements, Ikando thrust the weapon at its owner’s 
knee. The screech of metal piercing metal tore through the air as the 
ranger slammed the sharpened steel tip through the man’s chain greaves, 
to pierce the skin. 

A muffled crunch was drown out by the noise of the other fighters, as
the spear tip crushed bone and was pushed clean through the man’s leg 
and out the other side of his greaves. Ikando leapt into the air to 
deliver a swift snap kick that slammed a stalk boot into the soldier’s 
face, sending him reeling and crashing into the ground; screaming in 
pain and shock. 

Twisting his body about, Ikando managed to dodge a crossbow bolts in
mid-flight, which spilt the air with a whistle too high-pitched to 
hear. The bolt suddenly slammed into another barbarian, the bolt 
punching a hole straight through the plate armor to lodge the barbed 
tip into the man’s heart. The man instantly crumbling to the ground, 
his hands clenching the bolt, his dark green eyes staring at the man 
who shot the crossbow. 

“B...brother...?” The wounded man’s voice trailed off as he slowly lay
down his head, and closed eyes. The other man rushed to his fallen 
comrade, dropping the crossbow as he moved. Ikando frowned, a small 
sigh escaping his lips as he swiftly darted in closer. Two lightning 
quick jabs brought the crossbow-man to his knee, wincing with pain. 
Shaking his head with regret, the scout sent a foot into the man’s 
chest, which propelled him into a spiral flip. 

Suddenly there was a massive impact across Ikando’s right knee. A
sickening snap rang in his ears, his eyes widening with disbelief. A 
soldier was crouched low, with a steel inserted staff in his large 
hands. The ranger’s eyes slowly followed the shaft of the staff, which 
lead to the blunt point, that was tight against Ikando’s mangled leg. 
Even through his armor, Ikando could see the bone pushing against his 
skin. 

Ikando shuddered with pain, stumbling backward, a hand over his injured
knee. As he glanced about, his mouth went dry, his eyes darting about 
as he counted his opponents. There was over thirty, all beginning to 
form a circle about the wounded ranger. 

Suddenly, one of the largest soldier’s leapt forward, a huge fist headed
for Ikando’s stomach. The Ranger sidestepped, stumbling as he tried to 
use his right leg. His hand swiftly went to a hidden pocket, drawing 
out a small, diamond tipped dagger. With a quick thrust Ikando sent the 
sharp tip of the blade into the big man’s side, who bellowed with pain 
and backed off quickly, moving into the massive group of soldiers that 
surrounded Ikando. 

There was a soft pop in Ikando’s mouth as a fist collided with his
cheek, his jaw being snapped out of it’s socket. Pain exploded from 
inside his cheek as he stubbled to the ground, landing on his leg as 
his leg was twisted about completely. The ranger’s eyes closed tightly 
while he reared his head back, his mouth wide as he released a scream 
of agony that echoed through the forest several times. 

A boot tip was suddenly sent into his mouth, causing blood to flow up
and into his mouth to spill from his cracked lips. The scout shuddered 
weakly, his limbs and stomach numbed with pain. A soft crack was 
followed by laughter, the heel of a barbarian’s foot sent into the 
boy’s hand to break three of five fingers. Ikando rolled onto his back, 
clenching his hand while twisting about with pain. 

In a moment, the soldiers all became quiet, slowly moving to open a wide
passage into the circle that Ikando stood in. The shadows themselves 
seemed to wrap about the form of the man that approached, a hood 
concealing his features. A set of bright blue eyes studies the ranger, 
who continued to watch the surrounding soldiers. 

“Leave us.” The thunder-like tone of the cloaked man sent a shudder
through the boy, the voice deep and sinister. Instantly all the 
barbarians who still stood dropped to one knee, bowing their heads to 
the shadowy man. As one overwhelming unit the other soldiers left, 
leaving the two men face to face. 

Slowly, the man approached the boy, his dark blue eyes flaring with
power from beneath the concealing cloak The ranger slowly pushed 
himself onto his feet, battered and beaten, with three lines of blood 
trickling down his chin.. The cloaked figure continued to walk closer, 
the soft sound of the man’s footsteps ringing in Ikando’s ears. 

“You still may join us,” the dark voice boomed, the thunder-like tone of
the man’s voice echoed in Ikando’s mind as he struggled to stay awake. 
“It’s not too late. Your skills are impressive..you could aid us 
greatly.” 

Shaking his head weakly, the boy raised his right hand in defense, his
left arm hanging loosely at his side, his shattered hand swollen and 
deeply bruised. The shadow-clad figure shook with laughter, the earth 
itself seeming to quiver. There was a slight blur, and the man was 
gone. Ikando’s sharp eyes swiftly assessed the area, darting about in 
all possible directions. Suddenly the man faded into view, mere inches 
in front of the boy. 

A soft ray of pale moonlight stuck the face for a spilt second as he
glared down at Ikando, though the tall man’s features were now 
revealed. As the ranger studied the face, he noticed a small arcane 
symbol, tattooed onto the cloaked man’s cheek. 

“Y..yo..you a mage?!” The boy uttered weakly, speaking through a broken
jaw. A low chuckle came from the man’s lips as he nodded slowly, taking 
yet another step closer. 

“Yes, Ikando. You didn’t forget your uncle, Gideon, did you?” A shocked
expression came to the boy’s tanned face as he took a half step back. 
The mage slowly light a fist, which was surrounded by a light blue aura 
that gave a soft glow in the darkness. 

Everything became quiet again, only the distant sound of a battle, metal
against metal sending screeches through the trees. Ikando glanced 
towards the battle only able to see the faint forms of men battling men 
through the dense fog. 

“T..they rest..of the rangers are here. My father..they..they’ll crush
you..” The weak boy’s voice was a near whisper, though the silence 
allowed him to be heard. The mage smirked at his young nephew, shaking 
his head slowly while folding his arms over his chest. 

“Yes they are here for you. But, I will kill you now and leave, your
father will never find me. I’m sure he’ll think one of these stupid 
barbarians finished you.” Gideon responded, watching the young ranger 
that stood before him, who shivered slightly with each breath. 

“W...why?” The scout managed, keeping his voice very soft. I will make
him think I’m still weak, but if I can gather enough energy, I may 
still win, Ikando thought to himself, watching his large uncle. 

“The barbarians were pawns in my game, boy. I heard about you finding
that Harp,” The man answered, his eyes staring coldly at the ranger. “I 
simply told the barbarian’s commander that you rangers were planning to 
use the Harp to destroy them. They had no clue.” 

“I see...you want the Harp’s power for yourself..” Ikando replied, a
hint of anger in his voice. The mage’s lips parted in a toothy grin, 
nodding once again. 

“Only you stand in my way now, but...your finished!” Instantly the
mage’s body exploded with a brilliant blue light, stunning the ranger 
as a mantle of flame-like energy surrounded his uncle. Gideon’s hair 
whipped about wildly, an unseen force pushing up on him to send his 
hair and cloak in the air. The mage gritted his teeth as the ranger 
stumbled backward, shielding his eyes with his uninjured hand. 

Gideon released a powerful battle cry the rocked the ground, the sky
overhead filling with dark storm clouds, a sudden unnatural wind 
filling the clearing. A slight blur of the black cloak betrayed the 
mage’s position as he attacked, leaping forward at his nephew. 

Ikando’s eyes widen with terror and pain as his body tore through the
air, his abdomen muscles tearing painfully as the mage’s fist was 
slammed into the boy’s stomach, with enough force to break steel. The 
ranger’s body soared through the air, his feet trailing a foot from the 
ground, his back suddenly connecting with a thick tree. The bark of the 
tree shattered as the thick oak snapped, sending a shower of fresh wood 
splinters over the boy. 

After passing completely through the massive tree Ikando slammed into
the ground, skidding over the ground, tearing grass from the soil as he 
tumbled another ten yards. All the carnage had begun and ended within 
seconds, the mage suddenly upon the scout again, standing beside him, 
while in the background the massive oak tree shivered and crashed into 
the ground; it’s slow fall crushing smaller plants and snapping young 
trees apart. 

The mage swiftly sent a foot into the scout’s side, which lifted him
into the air several feet, a spray of crimson escaping his lips with a 
cry of agony unlike any other. Tears escaped his eyes as he felt his 
mind pounding, quickly nearly death. The mad mage did not stop his 
assault. Wrapping his fingers together, Gideon raised his arms back as 
Ikando was lifted into the air. 

Suddenly Ikando was slammed back into the ground, his face deep in the
leaf covered ground, after being hammered downward with unbelievable 
power. Gideon’s continuing laughter flooded Ikando’s mind as he lay, 
shivering with pain as a heavy rain began to fall from the heavens. 

“Is this how you wanted to die, boy?” Gideon asked mockingly, turning
the ranger onto his back with a slight nudge. Ikando’s eyes remained 
closed, his body loose and still. The smirk left the boy’s uncle’s face 
as he glared downward to the ranger, shaking his head softly. “Now, it 
is too late.” The mage turned his back and began to stalk off toward 
the forest. 

“For you.” A strong, deep voice broke into the thick silence, the huge
form of the barbarian commander charging the mage. Gideon turned his 
head to the side, his eyes shifting to the man as he thrust a long 
spear at the mage’s face. The dark figure’s cloak flowed through the 
air as Gideon twisted toward the attacking man, an open palm pointed 
toward the commander. 

Flaming energy exploded from the mage’s palm, sending a massive beam
towards the man. The commander’s eyes widened as the raging inferno of 
energy overtook him, his skin peeling away from the flesh as an intense 
heat washed over his form. The spear fall from the commander’s grip as 
his final scream pierced the air, his blood boiling as his muscle was 
exposed, his skin being shed away from the powerful beam. 

The man’s bulging muscle was swiftly incinerated, leaving only a charred
skeleton which stood motionless for a moment, before collapsing into a 
pile upon the ground. 

“Gideon!” Ikando’s voice shattered the silence as Gideon looked down at
the pile of black bones. The mage quickly turned his attention to the 
Ranger, who was now kneeling on his hands and knees, glaring up at his 
uncle. “I’ve already used the Harp.” 

The mage’s eyes went wide as he stared in disbelief at the boy, who
began to mumble ancient words of power. A massive bolts of jagged 
lightning crossed the night sky, partly hidden by the dark clouds. 

Ikando closed his eyes as he breathed deeply, his hands both spread out
against the ground. The boy’s pain slowly drained from his body, 
replaced with a new power that coursed through his veins and forced his 
heart to beat faster, his muscles tightening as his entire body tensed. 


Tiny vines suddenly lashed out of nowhere at the body, boring tiny holes
into his strong leather armor and slipping underneath as they wrapped 
themselves around his abdomen. The vine slipped under the armor 
completely, growing as it quickly flowed around Ikando’s body, 
spreading as it began to cover him. 

Ikando’s armor upper half slowly began to fall away in pieces, revealing
the tiny green vines that now replaced it. More and more of the leather 
was replaced by dark green vine, a single piece of the living plant 
wrapping itself hundreds of times around the boy in a single section of 
his body. In a matter of seconds all his armor was replaced with the 
new, living armor. There was a sudden jerk on Ikando’s right leg and 
left hand, the vines setting his bones. 

The ranger’s eyes never left the mage as the vine slowly began to creep
up his neck. The scout slowly stood, each hand curling into a tight 
fist. Slowly, the vine ended under the scout’s jaw, leaving his face 
and head revealed. 

“Gideon, it’s over.” Ikando’s strong, empowered voice sent a shiver of
fear down the mage’s spine. The mage charged the boy, the flames of 
energy exploding about him once again as he raised a fist. Gideon fist 
was a slight blur as he swung in a downward strike aimed for Ikando’s 
tanned face. The mage’s fist was stopped in mid-flight, the boy’s hand 
catching the rock solid fist in a tight, vise-like grip. Gideon’s eyes 
widened with terror, focused on the ranger’s hand. The mage jerked his 
hand back, trying to break free of Ikando’s grip, though the ranger did 
not even flinch. 

“You are nothing. You believe you are powerful, though you are a mere
insect...” Ikando’s clear, powerful voice startled the mage who now 
shook with fear as he stared into the ranger’s unblinking eyes; which 
stared blankly into the distance. Ikando shot the mage a sharp glare, 
suddenly tightening his grip on the fist. “If your even that.” 

The ranger’s knee suddenly connected with his uncle’s stomach, sending
it’s contents up and out of the man’s mouth with a gurgling scream of 
pain. Ikando released the fist with a spin, sending a heel into the 
mage’s chest as he did. The mage crashed into the ground with the force 
of the blow, choking and gasping for breath. 

The boy swiftly leapt upon his uncle, sending a foot into the side of
his head to break the man’s jaw. The scout’s movements were fluid and 
natural, with incredible speed. He slammed a foot into the mage’s right 
arm, crushing the bone with a sickening crunch. 

Gideon’s screams of pain filled the air, thunder drowning out the sounds
of his voice as the scout continued his attack, kicking the mage into 
the air, only to elbow him through the air, into a tree. Before the 
mage’s body had a chance to hit the ground, several vines wrapped 
themselves about his wrists and feet, securing him to the tree, though 
his head hung low, his breathing shallow. 

“You were an evil man, Gideon. The path you chose brought you here..I
have no regrets.” Ikando’s voice trailed off as he leapt forward, 
moving with movements too fast for a human eye to detect. His fingers 
uncurled and straightened, forming an almost blade like position. A 
sputtered guggle escaped Gideon’s lips as his jerked back, his eyes 
staring upwards at the black sky. The world silenced, Gideon’s bright 
eyes slowly beginning to fade. 

Ikando stood before the mage, his right hand deep into the mage’s chest,
past the wrist. He could feel the shattered ribs, and moist organs of 
Gideon’s body, his heart spilt by Ikando’s hand. Blood slowly trickled 
down from Gideon’s chest, his breath slowly coming to a stop as his 
form slumped down while Ikando withdrew his blood stained hand. 

A fist sized hole in Gideon’s chest allowed blood to flow out, and onto
the ground. Ikando slowly turned away from the body, his eyes lifting 
from the ground to reach the tall, slender figure of a man clad in dark 
green leather armor. The man across from Ikando slowly sheathed a blood 
stained hanger at his side. 

“Son, it is over now.” The man’s spoke softly his tone gentle and
caring. The scout nodded to the man, approaching him slowly without 
looking back. The tall man wrapped a strong arm about his son’s 
shoulders, hugging him closer as the two walked away into the dense fog 
of the clearing, the thunder rumbling in the distance while flashes of 
lightning rolled across the cloudy sky.


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