Diago sat perched on the edge of a cliff, playing with his ring. He was a young boy about fifteen, on the cusp of manhood. He had brown messy hair which obscured his sky blue eyes. His pale skin was tan from the harsh sun of Tunaan. He had an agile build, leaving him not scrawny, but not particularly muscular either. As he sat patiently on the cliff’s edge, undisturbed by the height, he examined the knots on his kurigan again. He was proud of the weapon. The kurigan is a unique instrument used only by the specially trained honor guard of Tunaan. As to it’s description, it is a cord of rope that is surprisingly sturdy, due to how it is made. At its end there is a knot that, once folded on itself, can tighten around the user's weapon of choice. Think of it as a long whip with a weighted and often deadly end. The Kurigan has three weapons that attach to it: the knife, the hook, and the bludgeoner. All of its weapons are fashioned with small hooks at their base so that the cord of rope may hitch to it securely. If none of that will do to help you see in your mind's eye what the kurigan is, then think of it as a whip with weapons that are interchangeable on its end. Diago was gifted his kurigan by his adopted father. His father, Sulien, was once a member of the honor guard, but when his wife Hyra died, he quit the core. He was, after all, the only one left to tend to the well-being of Diago as well the others that they brought in. Sulien gave his Kurigan to Diago for his birthday three years ago and taught him to use it. Though it is famed as one of the most challenging weapons to master, Diago had a special knack for the instrument and had mastered it in a matter of months.
Diago had finished his examination and was satisfied that the knots were well tied. They would have to be for what he was about to attempt. He looked out at the landscape below and the sight took his breath away, as it always did. Tunaan was known for its deserts and harsh sun, but this was not the truth for the whole of Tunaan. Yes, there are many dry and scorched parts of the kingdom, especially on its outskirts, but interwoven through the landscape in many places were desert canyon and dense forest living together in harmony. Tunaan used to be all forest, but ages ago when tarrin stone was discovered, the kingdom mined it vigorously, and doing so changed the landscape dramatically. Tarrin stone is an incredibly soft mineral that perpetually retains an almost frozen temperature for incredibly long periods of time, even under the harshest sunlight. This of course became a great commodity throughout the five kingdoms. However, when the tarrin stone was taken from its place, it was not long before the land began to die and wither and become desert. The people realized this too late, and much of the land became desert. The people have been seeking to restore it ever since. The stone is still mined, but now only in particular places when the kingdom gives leave to do so, and only after the stone has had time to replenish itself. This was all long before the good king Eton and the war, which, by the by, did little to help in the salvaging of Tunaan as a once great oasis.
Now, Tunaan’s forests, though still very scarce, are slowly growing again, after years and years of careful cultivation and strategic mining. This gives the land a unique and magical look. Off in the distance Diago could spot the red spires of Tunaan. Blow them, a dune lake, surrounded by small trees which then led to bigger and bigger trees. The trees circumvented various canyons only to dwindle again into dry flat ground. Then he saw the road not terribly far from where he was perched. This is what he needed to keep his eye on. This was one of the main roads to Eldaren, their sister kingdom. Diago rolled his eyes at the thought of it. He had no love for Eldaren. No one did. After all, even after their conquest of the kingdoms and the Arochm which succeeded it, they still remained the richest and most snobby of all the kingdoms. Diago felt some sympathy for them when he considered the upheaval of their great losses during the war, but that sympathy was quickly drowned whenever he ran into an Eldarien. Oh, he would slap them all silly if they’d but descend from their high horses.
Diago was roused from his thoughts by a dust cloud stirred up in the distance. Following the road below was an ornate carriage. He stood on the edge of the cliff, taking out his hook and tying it on the kurigan. He then whistled a particular tune, which echoed loudly down into the forest below. He waited a moment until the tune echoed back to him, from a source somewhere far away, underneath the forest canopy. He flipped his ring and then put it back on his finger. He took a deep breath and steeled himself. He loved testing his capacity. He always did, even when he was young, or so he was told. His father called him the luckiest boy in the five kingdoms. Apparently he had a knack for getting in the most impossible scenarios only to walk out unscathed, but only just.
Today, he was ready again to test himself. He looked down at the carriage once more and knew it was time. He closed his eyes and breathed in deep. After but a moment, his eyes shot open with a fierce and wild intention. He ran forward and jumped.
It was exhilarating. He crowed at the feeling of weightlessness. He loved to feel the wind on his face. It felt like flying. He couldn’t revel for long though, as he was indeed falling to his death if things did not change soon. As planned, after sixty or so feet he grabbed at his kurigan and took aim for a branch in the rapidly approaching forest. In midair he swung the cord around, as he had been taught, and released his grip on one hand, still clutching the cord with the other. The hook sailed through the air. This was it, this was the test, either the hook grappled the branch, or it wouldn’t and he would become more pancake than human.
Time slowed for Diago as he watched the hook flying toward it’s target in anticipation. The hook made it’s way to the branch and grappled to the limb, more than secure. Diago cried out in joy as he swung, feeling gravity pull at his stomach and arms as he swung down at a speed that would cause you to miss him if you blinked. His shoulders burned as he reached the bottom of the pendulum. He feared his grip wouldn’t hold. Somehow, it did. As he began to swing upward, he whipped at the kurigan sending a ripple through it which reached all the way to the hook and dislodged it from the branch. As he flew, untethered, Diago yanked at the rope with another whip, sending the hook right back into his hand. He then threw the hook again at another branch as he started to descend. A perfect shot. He swung again, slowing down this time. He repeated the process until finally he was able to whip the hook loose and free fall only a few feet onto the thick branch of an oak tree. He looked down and the road was just below. He smiled. He then looked back at the cliff which was now hundreds of feet away, and smiled wider. He knew it was rash to try such a thing and he could have very well been killed doing something so reckless, but he didn’t mind. He enjoyed it.
This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
He whistled again, softly this time, to the forest below. The whistle was returned, only this time it was much closer and on the other side of the road. Diago knew the stage was set and that now it was show time. The Eldarien carriage approached quickly. Diago waited for the right moment and then dropped down about fifteen feet just as the carriage was passing. He landed on it’s roof with a thud. His impact rocked the carriage. He seemed to be attempting to make the landing as loud and clamorous as possible.
He heard the driver call out to his horses, “Woah there, woah!” as he pulled the rains.
However, Diago had already jumped off the carriage to the ground. He landed and had a few moments to grab some dirt and smear it on his face and arms just as the driver looked around the front of the carriage to see what had happened. Diago lay on the ground moaning. The driver’s face went from confused frustration, to shock, and thence to fear. He jumped off of his seat and rushed to Diago.
“Oh no no no, are you okay boy?” He said, holding back panic.
Diago moaned again and flittered his eye lids. He got a look at the man. He had a somewhat shrewd look about him. He may not be entirely easy to convince.
“Best give it my all” Diago thought as he moaned and turned over.
“It hurts” Diago audibly whimpered, pitifully.
The man suddenly had a look on his face, like was teetering on belief and skepticism. He looked as if he was about to say something, when he was interrupted by a shrill voice.
“Gringer! What is it?” Cried a voice from the carriage. Gringer, the driver, stiffened, looking both annoyed and afraid.
“It was nothing ma’am!” He replied.
Nevertheless, the door to the carriage swung open. From it came a portly woman with rosy cheeks, dressed in a finery that made Diago want to roll his eyes. He almost did, but caught himself, not wanting to give himself away. This was exactly what he had hoped would happen. He groaned again, only this time a little louder.
“Is that a boy?!” Cried the woman as she hastened to her driver’s side.
She looked down at Diago and wore a grimace. To Diago, it seemed that she would have looked at road kill much the same way, repulsed, with only a slight amount of guilt. The thought made Diago annoyed and all the more willing to continue his ruse. He shuddered as he spoke.
“W-Where am I?”
“In the middle of the road for reasons unknown to mankind” Said the skeptical driver, still undecided about Diago.
“Oh…the pain, the pain! Am…Am I- oh no, I’m not ready” Diago faked a whimper and sob.
Gringer the driver may have been on the fence, but the portly noblewoman ignored the fence entirely and jumped clean over it.
“Oh you poor, poor dear! GRINGER! You sorry excuse for a driver!” She said with tears in her eyes, smacking Gringer between sobs.
Just then, two small heads poked around the front of the carriage, behind the two Eldariens. The heads belonged to the identical twins that had accompanied Diago today. They had a mischievous look to them at present, though keeping a good distance, clearly not wanting to be seen. They laughed quietly at the show Diago was putting on. Diago felt some pride in that. They gave Diago a questioning look. Diago, more subtly than most would catch, nodded his head, giving them the signal. They twins moved forward quietly. Gringer seemed to hear something behind him. Diago kicked into high gear before the driver could inspect the carriage.
“Oh! I see- I see a bright light!…It’s beautiful, please” He said, looking directly at the noblewoman, “take my hand, I don’t want to be alone as I- As I go”
The woman could barely contain herself.
“Oh Gringer, do something!” She bellowed as she gripped Diago’s outstretched hand.
“But ma’am, I’m sure the boy will be fine! He looks relatively unharmed!” Replied Gringer, seeming shaken by his mistress' frantic behavior.
A subtle rattling could be heard from the carriage. Diago hoped that only he could hear it, but the driver seemed to twitch at the sound. Before Gringer could react, Diago shot his eyes wide open and looked intently at the woman.
“Please ma’am a blanket” He said, gripping her hand and pulling her closer. He then looked her directly in the eye and whispered pathetically “It’s so cold.”
Diago rolled his eyes back and sank to the ground, going limp.
“Oh Gringer! You’ve gone and killed someone!” Said the noblewoman, reaching new heights of shrill cries with every passing second.
Diago lay there, risking a very thin slit in his eye so as to see the progress of his plan. While one pair quarreled over Diago, frantic that they may have to pay for funeral expenses, the other pair snuck out of the carriage with money sacks in hand. The twins were jubilant as they ran off and Diago chanced a smile. Now was the time to exit the stage.
“But ma’am” Cried Gringer, so as to halt his mistress’ ramblings, “He doesn’t even look to be injured. The worst seems to be a scratch on his leg”
Diago opened his eyes calmly.
“Really?” He said, getting to his feet, “Well I suppose I must be exaggerating then. Terrible habit! Though I think you will forgive me, as I was quite startled.”
The travelers stood gaping at him, too startled to know what to say. Finally the noblewoman managed the elegant reply,
“Um…but…you were. I thought you-”
“Yes me too” Diago interrupted, “but it appears that I am healed. Praise the maker. I thank you both for your care of me.”
Diago bowed extravagantly at the two, still quite taken aback by the present events.
“Fare thee well” Diago said with true Eldarien solemnity, just before he bounded away into the trees, leaving the two gaping travelers to themselves. He hoped to make as much distance between them, before they discovered their losses.