My dear forum.This is it, I finally managed to write this goddamn prologue. I hope I can somehow satisfy the SoT and WW-fans, but it's really up to you.
And sorry for any logical errors,like Ben Mattes, this is my first serious work, but I hope I makes more sense than Ubisoft really did 8P.
PREFACE (can be skipped)
quote:
Dear Reader, if you are reading this then it will seem you are interested into the thoughts and minds of the author. Thanks,bro. I am a Spartan of great words, but I hope you can enjoy my little rambling.
A preface is usual for books, but not for fics. I want you to understand first why am I writing this. Of course the correct answer of 98% of all fanfic writer would be :''Because you are a fan of the game''. Yes...and no. I can admit that I am a huge fan of the first two episodes of the ''old'' franchise of Prince of Persia: Sands of Time and Warrior Within. But not of The Two Thrones.
Sands of Time and Warrior Within were both fascinating games which drew me deep into the world of the pre-Islamic and the medieval Persia. Of course, anyone would argue that WW had nothing to do with Persia,but you won't ignore the ancient architecture which can be seen in the ancient ruins of the orient. I can say I enjoyed the second game. I was sad during my first game through with some of the elements taken out from SoT, but new elements came in which made up the lack. And the finale ''good ending'' made me eager to know what will happen in PoP3. I became the answer soon. Really soon.
The finale of the franchise promised to combine both of the best elements of the games and and the E3 presentation promised a well executed finale worth of it's name: ''Kindred Blades'' Both 1001-romantic and ancient-dark elements were mixing together into a new game ,a metotes alla Aristotle of Twilight.
That game however never came out. Instead ''fans'' cried out and Ubisoft became the evil Disney Cooperation we know now. No more Mister 'nice independent French'. This bullcrap we were playing as finale was just a month short lived redesign just to make the game as SoT-ish as possible. And we have a really crappy PoP-follower which never was a match to the other two games.
The Kindred Blades the fans hoped for never came out and we will probably never see it's true face hidden in the computers of Montreal.
I really want to know how Kindred Blades would have turned out, so I thought I would just do what J.K.Rowling did with her ''Harry Potter'': Just write and see what happens.
Now, for imaging it as a new game you are playing, just imagine how I think Kindred Blades would turn out. ___________________________________________________________________________ The combination of Sands of Time and Warrior Within and both will influence the new gameplay heavily.
*FFF - System :
KB will still be a 3rd Person Action Game with the highly praised FFF-System, but it won't be just a 100% adaption of WW:
-Primary weapon will be the ''Tigerknife'' I like to call it shown in the screens of KB. Attack pattern will be not the WW-movement, it will have it's own. Maybe a 4-combo type,but faster and more furious. -The attack pattern of the secondary weapon will differ each class of weapon and combination (Sword,Axe,club,Knife,Spear), letting live out the full potential of the Free Form Fighting- System. A new weapon, the Spear, will be available. The original sword attack from Sands of Time will be back if the Prince uses a Sword as a secondary weapon, which will change the original FFF-style of WW. -A new fighting option will be available: You can pack your enemies in front of you now if you use the ''Throw''-button and take decision how to take out your fiend in a fast and brutal way. -The major difference from previous PoP-games is that the player can switch to other weapons and thus different fighting styles aswell. -I won't give the details, but the known Bowsword will be one of them. The Prince will be able to use it for shooting ,supporting the Run&Jump-elements further. Also combatwise will the Bowsword like a double edged spear for stronger,but slower attacks,and blocking will be harder. -Fatalities.See God of War.
*The Dark Prince:
Through Corruption of the Sands the Dark Prince will be awakened inside the Prince.
-Same look from the original Kindred Blades demo -You will be able to activate him through fire and turn back through water -FFF-System will differ from ''Light Prince'' in more elegant yet more brutal way. -The Daggertail will be linked with the ''Tigerknife'', giving the chain a deadly weapon for short and longer ranges(see God of War) -Attack pattern of the sword as secondary weapon would be the same as from WW. -Speedkill won't differ much from the original KB-demo, though more ways of killing will be added.
Sand of Time:
Through the Corruption the Prince will be ablte to controll the sands of time inside him thanks to his amulet and can ''upgrade'' more powers, giving the famous SOT-element it's last sharpening. More info read the story 8P.
*Speedkill-System: The new enemy is not so stupid like in SotF. They can learn your moves quickly, are more vicious and charge in hordes. If you want to survive (and save time) look from good old Sammy!
-Unlike in T2T, the Speedkill will be more fluid and more flexible, adding more gameplay fun. -The static Quicktimeevent will be removed. -Enemies can hear better. -You can variate your type of Speedkill depending on Enemy-type, situation,lenght and number, using the enemies own weapon and using your secondary weapon. -The Enemies can always block your Speedkill attacks if you used your finale blow too late.
*Artistic Aproach:
-The artistic approach will be like it was presented in the KB-Demo and earlier screens. -Environment will be darker, but the SoT-Elements will be back. -Day/night-switch included. -The tower of Babyl will turned back to the original one
*Music
I would recommend you getting all of the PoP-ost including God of War ,Heavenly Sword and Godmask's ''Serenity'':Maybe even ''Epika'' by Kamelot. I ripped also unreleased tracks from T2T probably intended to be for Kindred Blades. They will be available on my youtube account. I will post them somewhere else due copyright policy.
*Favoured Features of SoT and WW added in the game:
SoT
*Farah(as supporting character) *Saveplace in sand clouds *This music thingie if you drink water *First Person view *sandclouds in general *Secret fountains *Penguins *secret game *voice teller/wit
WW *Funny Secondary Weapons *Treasures *Find 500 different weapons for achievement(8P) *Secret Passages *Multiple Endings *thinking with Portals *Boss battles(many) *taunts, but not so much logically
We all make mistakes. Some are small, some are large. But his mistakes, born of innocence, and fuelled by pride, were the greatest and most terrible of all.
Some believe that when the desperate Persian journeyed to the Island of Time to escape his death, he returned alone, the amulet destroyed, the Dahaka appeased and the Empress dead. But this is not how it happened. The truth is that he chose to save me from my destiny and in doing so, he set me free... and doomed us all.
Most humans believe time is like a river, which runs swift and sure in one direction. But be certain that they are wrong.
Maybe you remember this tale in the form of a lullaby, your caring mother sang to you once upon a time. A story meant to send you off to the farthest lands; to a place of dreams and wonder. A story of the self-inflicted torments, of redemption and of the tragic sacrifice this Prince had to make to save the kingdom that was rightfully his. But you know nothing of what really happened. How could you, when the truth has been buried by the sands of the hourglass; his story hidden under, like a grain in the desert. I doubt you even know his name...
But alas, I shall tell you of this Prince of Persia, and his final adventure. It all started with a nightmare. No, a vision....
Fire; that was all his eyes could see around him. Wide eyed with shock he stared, quite still, while his home burned, leaving nothing but ashes. He could smell the cooked flesh of it's innocent victims and could hear the cries of children off in the distance. The once great tower of Babel, constructed by the favoured architect Nymrod, was now crumbling to soot, flowing along with the wind. The crimson flames ate through everything, yet did not dare approach this Prince. The screams came from every direction and the floors were covered with strained or flesh blood. But under this thick layer of different sounds one voice could he hear clearly. ''All what is yours is rightfully mine'', this voice, growling like a dragon threatening the princess, droned from the fire. Before the raven haired Persian could react, he felt lava, hot, and overpowering pulsating through his veins, burning on the inside, and bubbling to the surface. ''And mine...it will be'' , this voice finished. The burning man witnessed then suddenly a shadow growing before him,looking like the reaper itself. Suddenly,this silhouette grabbed at the sword of his victim and impaled --- ______________________________________________________________________________
''NO!'' , shrieked the Prince, raising his head from something hard and cold. With an immense push, he got onto his knee‘s. Panicked, his blood shot eyes darted from wall to wall, taking in his surroundings, scanning the area he was in. After some short heavy breaths, he noticed a fountain, and limped towards it. He filled a pale with water and poured it over his head feeling his heated skin cool instantly. Slowly he started to realize where he was and began to regain control over himself. Just a nightmare, he told himself, releasing a breath of weary exhaustion. The Prince looked around the room, and suddenly it felt much smaller. When he was trying to get to the pale of water, the room felt like the size of his Babylonian dinner hall but now it was no bigger then a prison. The Prince got back to his feet and tried to remember the details of his dream. ''It was so real and vivid… too real'', he whispered, as he took a deep breath. Still dazed from his sudden awaking, he picked up what seemed to be a broken mirror; his mirror… His usually daily routine on this ship was to get up and make sure he was on the correct course, then shave, change his clothes and some days, sharpen his sword,then exchanging the made up shift with his one time partner, who controlled the route to Babylon at night. He had followed this sort of regiment for close to a year while returning from the island of time. If he was lucky, he would be arriving at Babylon quite soon.
But all he could now was staring at his image and taking in all notes to his current looks,trying to think of something else than that dreadful nightmare. His sweated body was covered with rough scars, reminders of his past adventures, especially the one that stashed across his left eye. If he could, he would've just washed them like dirt off his body, but they won't go, not as long as this body exists in this world. On his right overarm was a ringed tattoo carved in, a different reminder of a more pleasant night he had 7 years ago with a certain Indian princess, but unlike the scars, the once intensive black went each day more and more off. The one who made it promised him it won't go off. Talking about being tricked twice.
But a new tattoo was carved in ,taking his whole left part of the shoulders and his triceps. It was an image of a tiger, crawling cautious, yet majestic, maybe to attack some prey, not knowing of it's doom. This came from a different night. Associating to it, the Persian warrior thought back of his intimal actions with his comrade, remembering what exactly happened. He really didn't know. Every time they were at it, he was like in a trance, feeling her smooth body pressed at his, but that was it. Aside of that, the only thing he was aware of what happened was after the ''private times''. Worst hangovers he ever got from his live. Every inch of his body trembled from those sore muscles, and his headache could be best described as ''Brute hitting like a hammer on his skull 'till brain splatters out''. He asked her three times already what was happening in those nights,but she just ignored him. It was hard enough to get her into any conversations because of their different shift times, and even if the Prince managed to get her into one,also it was a chance of luck to get anything of her out. The content of their talks is only on rough surface. If the Prince tried to go deeper, like asking about her past, the woman shutted herself out, and resembled more like a marvellous porcelain doll staring emptiness into the blue ocean. She did that always, but he can't blame her. She seemed to have a past which terribleness was beyond his imagination, added to the fact that she has developed paranoiac dementia during her life on the island of time. Living in an isolated island where no live spread since millennia, in a fortress filled with cruel monster, ready to kill their own kinds for the sake of their empress, and traps no simple man can surpass can only explain paranoia. But alas, she didn't ignore him completely. Though the Prince was one of the more silent types of man, he opened his heart to her. After all those 7 years she was the only real human being (if she is really human) who had listened to him. He really didn't had to talk to someone if he was hunted by some dark guardianship. He knew that she was the Empress of Time, she knew of his live, he found it foolish of him to tell her the same story, but he needed to get it out. The pain, the horror,the sins he has done, the sick thought you can die in any minute,any second, everything...
Suddenly he shook his head. He doesn't want to think on that time again. It's over now. He freed himself from this fate. Now there is a future of hope.
By this he tried to grab at the next best thing that can serve as a razor while still staring at the mirror. His real one was lost in his first ship, and the...companion only had weapons to offer,since she and probably her ''guardianship'' didn't need to shave. He wondered if swords were her secret fet...
He wince as he grabbed on something sharp while he dwelled on that (weird)thought. Sharp enough to cut his palm. Seems to be the right one.
The grumbling Persian let go of the object and searched for some bandage, while grumbling. Although he hated it when something like that happened(which happens a lot), he was glad to think of something more...interesting than of new strategies how to survive. After binding his wound, the Prince focused now on this cursed object on the shelf next to the mirror. It was a dagger. A really simple fish bayonet as far as it looks like, but it wasn't an ordinary one.
''You again'', whispered the Prince, a grim expression crossing his face. He knew that malicious dagger. He saw and used it on several occasions during the time on the ship, but really couldn't say that it was his. The dagger seemed to have an own will, always appearing on different places,on different times. And the dagger seems to hate him, because this cut wasn't the only one. He needs to ask that darn woman again what's the deal with that knife, since he presumed she used it instantly (Now he really has to wonder about her fetish.).
After waiting some moments of hoping that the dagger would answer to his accusation, he then stepped closer and took the the bayonet and examined closely. The blade was double edged,but has a simple bend,like any ordinary knife. The hilt was simple constructed without any wires,also bend,suggesting it's oriental origins. Yep, looking all ordinary. But the hole doesn't. Under the bayonet guard sticks a huge ringed hole out. The Prince wondered about that some time why is it that. He first concluded that it was a design question, but the way the knife was constructed,and this hole, gave him a deja vu to a certain other dagger. But it can't be. No, he knew the dagger he thought of is still on the island, somewhere deeply hidden.
While shaving he thought of today schedule. If you imagine sailing 8 months alone , you would just think of having *waaaaay* too much time to think. But reality is a *****. He wondered who build this damn ship since it was a mess. The dock is mostly softened due to some water lacks, scratches were everywhere and the sailing has holes cut through. So it means he has lots of time to repair this ship only not sink. Food and water was also on schedule. He has to coordinate the routes and plan when to go on land to buy food and water, and he still has this paranoiac feeling of being followed. But after 2 months he got used to it. If the companion were not just standing around this ship and acting all isolated...
Before the lift off he asked the ex-island keeper not just to use the trireme Shadeeh attacked him with that at the very beginning and take some of the sands monster for the paddles(no matter how many of them he killed there were still over 2/3 of them wandering around the Island of time.). As weird as it sounds(also that the monster were hating him with guts for slaying their comrades and... lovers .) it was a logical conclusion. The ship she offered, if you can call it a ship, was a mess and while having some burns and a giant cleft on the sailings, the trireme was still in tact. But she declined. It was an important tool for guarding this island. ''While still guarding it? The sands is gone...technically if you put your guards out '', he argument. But she shook her head. ''It's better that way'', was the only answer and was given as an ultimatum. The poor royal regretted that acceptance one week later.
After the Prince finished his morning cleaning he dressed himself up. There was a white west with a cape attached somewhere on the little ship, but he couldn't find it. Besides,he hated white anyway. To royal. So he just took his old armour. As prejudice as it sounds, the only thing she did was flicking his clothes and cooked the meals. He told her that she didn't need to but she still insisted. The old armour didn't changed much, thanks to the time reversing he spared much of the damage. His comrade decided to give an more suitable exterior look to the Prince. She made for the Persian a brown coat which was complementary to his armour,which is opened up in the middle,still letting show Farrah's amulet he still has from the journey through Azad. Also a cloak was attached to the coat to give a more elegant appearance. Of course she made that at the beginning of the trip,so it began to wore off and get dirtier, but he can't find the darned white west! Order wasn't really his strength.
The Prince added to his wires on his right arm a little arm shield to block weapons that way better. The scarf stayed on his torso keeping his baggy trousers firmly from falling. The boots were replaced by golden pleated ones. They gave more protection and were more flexible on running surprisingly.
All in all, he still looked like a cold blooded warrior, or like many called him, ''Ahriman's son''. But better be save than sorry, if they were attacked by pirates or enemies of the Persian empire.
That done he gave a last look around in the chamber before going to the deck.
8 months living in that chamber wasn't really royal luxury, but modesty was a born virtuosity of any Persian King he knew of. Beside a bed , good weather and a world wide bathroom, what do you really need more? Maybe some social contact and wine, but beggars can't be choosers. The Prince looked at the opposite direction of the bed and saw his writing desk. It is scattered with many s****s of papyrus , some crumbled ,some even completely inked. But over this mess was some sort of thin notebook. The Prince went closer to the desk and picked the book up and opened it. The writing was a pure slaughter field. The content was readable, but was fuelled with ugly scribbles and brutal strokes almost cutting the page. Which didn't made it look worse, many pages have been ripped out and this book didn't took it well. The abuser was the one and only Prince and he wonder if he should apologize to the book. After all, it was his diary.
By the beginning of the hunt of the Dahaka the Prince has made unforgivable mistakes out of his desperation. Hearing of a box which was promised to make wonders drove the Prince to disobey his father and drove the Deavan deserts to find this curious object. He found it. He opened it. He sinned once more. By freeing an army of angered Daevans the Prince released a powerful enemy which attacked in a short time Persia. His so caring mother died under a thunder spell. He can never forgive himself killing again the one of his loved ones. King of Persia Sharahman punished the Prince for his crimes by clearing his name out of history records and made sure everyone only remembered him as ''the Prince'', a word,nothing more,nothing less, forgotten in history. A nobody not worth to acknowledge his existence. Even he forgot what really his name was. His real name didn't mattered him any more , since his only focus was survival. But now he was regretting that consequence. How can you still be a Prince if nobody,even you, can't remember his own name?
So he thought of writing a diary. He made some records during the Dahaka hunt, but it was more of working his problems out,like the failed battle against the Daevans years ago. Unfortunately those were lost in deep ink then when he escaped suddenly, so there was no hope of getting to that again. He first started with an autobiography trying to summarize his whole life in a simple writing style. He was no Herodot maybe, but he managed a detailed story from his childhood to the last days on the island. He didn't feared of the consequence to mention the use of time travel because the threat of misusing it was out of question now. But still, the memory of his name is gone. Damn, he hoped his father could tell it, even if it sounds stupid. What actually pained him were retelling the time he fled from the Dahaka which took a quarter of his life. The pressure, the hardship of torments for escaping, that thought that the dark monster will catch you twisting your entrails, no moment when you feel peace or happiness, only fear and trusting only your instincts say how to survive. Yes, those memories didn't vanished. It still felt like yesterday. And he could never forget that.
It was also the very reason why this book became so devastated. He often lost the concentration when the pain of the memories were too big . Instead the Prince wrote something he didn't intended which caused to bubble his anger up and tried to correct it. But then it happened again and the page was to full of ink and he tore that useless page out then. This process repeated itself again and again, then just skipped the hunts most of the 7 years but just wrote what else he experienced which was really little. He used the rest of the pages as an diary of his ship trip back to Babylon: Not much to write anyway, so he just made an entry every week or when something special happened like when he finally got to an conversation with her. . The Prince looked back to the ripped out notes and frowned. The Dahaka may be gone , but not freed from his mind. The Prince still has those nightmares, where this monster terrorized him and mad him run like a cowering rabbit from the big bad wolf. His companion made him sometimes a brew she made from mysterious herbs if those nightmares went worse. They helped, but not for long. And those herbs she used to brew this curious beverage called ''tea'' were not unlimited. Anyone could guess that those herbs went out after some weeks. Another reason to get on land sometimes. It never made sense to him. He was no coward. Never been before. And he knew that not by ignorance. He faced the most brutal soldiers of the Spartans, hideous monsters of the Daevan army, and creatures from the deep of the Ocean and more. And maybe he was shocked at those moments, but wasn't scared to fight against them. So why did the fear of the Dahaka still twist him? He couldn't figure it out,so resigned he just lay the book back on the desk. If he got back to Babylon he really needed to speak with some Priest to help him out to surpass his inner devils. He heard that a pilgrimage to Epidaurus could even cleanse the most twisted pains. But he never trusted the Greeks.
The Persian warrior sighed.''It's time to go up'', the Prince concluded. Though he figured it's still early dawn since he didn't hear any gulls yet, he couldn't go back to bed now. If he were right with his coordinates then the ship would reach Babylon soon in a few hours. A good thing he had that nightmare... The Persian blinked. Now the Prince realised why he felt so anxious. This nightmare. The picture of his kingdom being burned down. Pictures of civilians and Persian soldiers slaughtered to bits. And that mysterious voice which sounded so familiar....it was...it felt so...real. And he experienced a deja vue as he remembered it. When he didn't dream of the Dahaka, he had those dreams , but only in different appearances. Could they be...visions? The Prince shook his head.'' Impossible'', the Persian heir said aloud. ''This is the Persian empire. We are the strongest of the world. We managed to convince those who stood against the empire submit to us by showing our true potential, alas we became united. No one is crazy enough passing all defences to invade Babylon and or strong enough to succeed at that. Or I will haunt those who dares to threaten my Kingdom!''
At that , he grabbed the dagger which seemed to follow him again and took the cerulean glowing Watersword at the corner beside the stairs. 7 years was the warrior hunted by the Dahaka, and that magical weapon helped him to defeat that monster. The Empress of Time crafted that sword to take on the Dahaka by herself if she managed to kill the Prince.
At the realization the Prince chuckled at this bitter irony. After all, instead his fights against the horrors of the island and it's inhabitants and the Empress herself, just some communication and compromises could've prevent all this.
But for now this sword has fulfilled it's duty and the Prince is not ungrateful. If he returned to Babylon, he will grant his saviour a temple for the riddance of the Guardian of Time. A proof that fate can be changed. He won't let it rot in the island, and he told this his companion if she liked it or not. At least,Prince of Persia gave a last glance behind his chamber and nodded. With a swift jump. he climbed on the higher part of the stairs and went to the promising soft light.
It was time to meet his future. ___________________
Today the shifting wind was favourable for the crew of the eremite ship, which was like a tiny brown spot on the vast ocean. In a gracious yet fast speed, the little ship slid further and further across the soft orange water to it's destined goal. It was still dawn, but the heaven expressed a surreal scenery of variations of pink,orange and violet colours. The moon was still to see, covered by soft clouds, more and more vanishing from the colourful sky. The dawn of the sun began to rise faintly making the heaven a little brighter each minute .
At the bow of the ship , the Prince hung over it and watched the beautiful scenery before him. He did that quite often while he sailed on the ship. It gave him inner peace somehow. During the hunt of the Dahaka, the Persian Prince focused only on escaping the eye colourless demon and ignored everything else around him. He had forgotten the beauty of the the world, the little details what makes life interesting. In the seven years of despair he only found haven in the depths of the seas where the beast couldn't follow him. Except on some occasions that forced him on land, he never dared to step out of his ship. He forgot the pure tone of music, the fresh taste of fruits and flesh, the sulky skin of a woman except for his comrade ...in his last 8 months he tried to catch up those joys of life. On land he rediscovered the means to seek contacts with other humans. He joined different feasts,learned new forms of dances which supported him to learn forms of sword fighting and visited the market squares for all kinds of food. Thankfully to his cloak he could hide hide his identity but he doubted that he would need it if the population seemed to forgot about his existence. Often the former Empress trailed with him along.
The Prince felt the strong grist of wind hitting against his face. It would take still some hours until they will be reach the cliff which protects the port of Babylon from hostile soldiers or thieves. Still looking straight, the Prince fingered the curious object which seems to be fixated on his armour with his free arm and suddenly took it out. He lifted the gold glowing object to have a better look at it. It was an amulet. Made by a golden like material with a symbol of a half moon on it. It looked like a normal accessors, but it wasn't. It was an artefact from the Empress of Time, a tool which any man can control the fabric of time at a certain sum of time. But the Prince saw even more in it.
The amulet was his only companion all those 7 years, a last fragment of a non existent past .A past he prevented. A non existent past that haunted him. In his young years he kept it as a reminder of someone who helped him to change the fate he was responsible for. They fell in love. But she betrayed him so that she can return to the time and stop the vizier who betrayed her kingdom. It was like a devil's circle. But she died...and it was his fault. It didn't mattered that his actions prevented all the nightmare on Azad and irreparably altered the true course of Time. No matter if he told her all this and killed the traitor,she hadn't believe him. She was dead for him. And he accepted it and tried to move on. If that monster who cleanse all time paranormals out of Timeline didn't showed up and ruined his life.
Now the amulet was nothing more a scar cut through his hearts deeply . All his fears he tried to forget bubbled up again. He recalled another voyage, where he became swirled in waters that swept him to a place of horror. He remembered to fight hundreds of sand corrupted monsters, worse than anything he had faced before. And finally, as he had to decide: to sacrifice the Creator of the Sands who herself was bonded to her destiny like he was to die just to save his own skin. Or to face the monster he run from so long before. The Prince recalled voices he had heard from different person. All with the same message: ''....You cannot change your fate, no man can...'' "...You have two choices, run or die...." "...No matter what you do, you will still fail..." ''YOU WILL DIE''
Suddenly the Prince found himself beside the bow again shocked up by the sudden stagger of the ship he still hung at. He twitched and lost the grip.----- He was again at the same pose and surpassed the upcoming stagger.Rewinding time became a daily routine to him, considering how much of the sands of time he can use now thanks to his partner. Assured that he was safe,he looked at the amulet again. He thought if he should do it. A nagging thought in the back of the head warned him not to do it, but then he decided for it, to avoid more trouble.
Slowly, his hand twisted and the amulet slipped from his hand. Though it saved him many times, it would be better to get rid of the last tool to control the time, for a time. Though it is still charged with the last remnants of sands, he won't need it any more. He has changed his fate forever, despite what everyone else said. Now the future is open for him. He saw the amulet falling and falling, reaching the surface of the oceans. For some reason, it looked like an eternity. Maybe the sands really affected his---
Suddenly, a golden like sand cloud appeared with a high pitched sound near the surface and vanished quickly afterwards. The scenario went like a split second for the Prince and blinked.''What the---'', the Prince stammered out and blinked again. The amulet...disappeared. Logically it should if it would sink in the depths of the sea, but he didn't saw it reaching the water for the first place. Have his mind played tricks on him. No, he knew that cloud...
''KAILEENA!!!'' the Persian roared when he realized who was responsible for the disappearance of the artefact. Swiftly climbing up with the rope, he was on the top of the bow and saw in front of him a woman in red. She turned her back on him. ''What the hell do you think you're doing!'', he asked her irritated. ''Why, don't grow-ups look after children that they don't throw their toys away easily?'', Aileen counter asked in a sardonic tone, her hands on her hips showing a ironic gesture of a rigorous teacher admonishing his disciple. ''Don't play with me!'', the Prince responded harshly. The Prince suffered under the virulent tongue of a woman. Again.
He charged at her with outstretched arms, determined to get that amulet. But she teleported right before his eyes again. Grinding his teeth he looked out for that red wearing woman. Suddenly her voice appeared behind him: ''I dunno,maybe someone wants to still keep it. As a keepsake for the good old times.'' His head dashing to the side, he made no effort to swift around and pack the annoying woman. Yet again she vanished. His nerves reaching a new edge the Prince of Persia looked for her everywhere and shouted: ''If you mean me kicking your butt, then yes, it were good times and will be!''
Great, she is in her good moods again. Nothing bad about seeing her different than the emotionless empress he had met in the island at least, but the Prince discovered really quick that she has a naughty side. Like that Indian princess who can't go out of his head. When he heard her chuckle he lifted his head and saw her sitting leg crossed on the top of the sail, flipping the amulet like a coin for gambling.''It's such a beautiful sight, why don't you enjoy that instead playing cat and mice with me?'', she taunted him.
He grunted and started to climb up to the top. ''I admit the weather is even better than in your holiday island, but nothing new really'',he replied sardonic .He was now only a few steps away from her. Steps to balance.''Besides'', he said as he started this challenge.''I can't really enjoy the scenery if you have my stuff.'' ''Yours?'', she asked him as the Prince watched the amulet thrown in the air.When the amulet's gravity pulled it down, the Empress grabbed it with a quick snatch and continued:,, I didn't gave you permission to convey one of my artefacts.'' The Persian man looked aback at that statement.''Your artefact?'', he said, not believing at what she said. '' Remember that I am the one carrying this thing around aside now? Even if it was yours,why do you claim it as it right now?'', he asked her ,now a few inches away from her. She just laughed at him turning her head at the Prince. ''Because I figured it looked good on your armour'', she said with a wink.
Growling, the Prince nearly jumped like a angered tiger at his prey. Again, she teleported. The Prince eyes widened as he tried to take hold but it was too late. Falling down and holding at the pole which hold the sail.No luck, he lost grip and slid through the sailing downstairs crying at the coming end. And that hurt. As he managed to get up again from the dirty wood and lifted his head the Prince saw then Kaileena at the edge of the rail sitting like a little girl while playing with her legs out of boredom. Frustrated, the Prince sighed in defeat. This is getting nowhere. Time for plan B: Sympathy.
''Look'', he tried again and took a step closer to Kaileena. ''I stopped the creation of the sands and changed our fates, but that doesn't mean that this is really over.'' The Persian reached for the amulet , but Kaileena continued to flip it and ignored him. ''Please Kaileena, nobody may know of the sands...'' ''Is it really because of the sands?'', she asked him, not showing his face to him. The Prince blinked. But then he snarled interpreting her rhetorical question. ''Oh I see, the great Empress thinks I try to get rid of my past by throwing that stupid emblem away. Well, thanks ,Doc, for your analysis. ''That's not what I mean'',she replied. The Prince remained silent,but he became intrigued now what she means. ''You got it from her,right?'',she asked him. The Prince knew who she meant and turned away looking at the side.''It must be really precious to you for throwing it away''.The sarcasm of her helped really to make the Prince feel guilty for betraying his feelings. Yeah, he got it from her, at the night when he loved her...and lost her.
''This time doesn't exist any more'',he answered, saddened at this memory.''It's better not to mourn at something so...void.'' ''So you want to enter a new phase of life by throwing the only proof that this time happened. How symbolic'', she commented nonchalantly. The Prince didn't answer. It seemed like an eternity between them,so long they remained quiet,lost in their thoughts.
But then after one last flip, the Empress threw the amulet towards the Prince, who cached it dumbfounded by this sudden action. ''Keep it'', she just said, not giving any further glances. ''Why?'', the Prince asked bewildered. ''I cannot force you to do it, but you should take my advice for your own sake.'' She then stood up and walked slowly too the Prince.''This artefact saved your life, countless of times before. It might save yours again. '' ''You mean it's still not over?'', the Prince asked, remembering the nightmare of the morning. Gulping , he realized what she meant.''Have you seen it in the Timeline?'' She shook her had. ''The Timeline is not like a diary you can just open and read the current entry,Prince. Fate is something far more complex,even I can't say where it's true intention or logic lies. Rarely it allows me to look into the future, most are short fractions only.''
She looked at the Prince again and saw a look what would say the line 'So what now'? She sighed.''Every time we both try to change our fate, things go worse. Even I---'', but then she stopped realizing what she wanted to spill and looked down. The Prince crossed a brow at this. Too bad, just now he would've learned a probably important aspect in her past. But what? What caused her so much pain to try to shut it out?
But then she shook her head but more vigorously and looked up at the Prince. ''What I am saying is, what consequences have our actions? Have we angered gods even greater than the Dahaka?Will a death far worse than our last one be upon us? Have you ever thought of that when you threw the amulet, our only trump card,AWAY?!?'', she then began shouting at him furiously. The Prince cringed at this sudden change of situation. He should be mad, not her! But he understood what she meant and looked ashamed at the ground. Of course she was right. What was he thinking doing something foolish like that? ''I'm sorry,I should have known better...'', he just murmured. Kaileena sighed again and put her hand on the man's shoulder gently.''It's okay.'' Her hand slid on the Persian's check and caressed it. Shocked by this action the eyes of the Prince focused on the red woman again''But remember: Think before you act. You are a potential heir of a powerful empire, and any decision could bless or doom everything you own.''And then she hugged him.The Prince feeling save and loved somehow in her arms returned that hug.
__________________________________________
''There arose a myth 6 years ago when I left Babylon'', the Prince told Kaileena nonchalantly. Both were leaning at the rail of the upper deck and watched dolphins swimming through the water. ''A myth?And so young?'', the former Empress said, interested about that notion. The Prince nodded.''I heard it from my crew when they were chatting about it. We have a really old architect called Nymrod, who have designed,organized and probably still works on the building of the great tower of Babel.'' ''I've heard about it. '', the woman in red replied. ''it was said the architect wants to create a link between the humans and the gods, to reach onto the heaven ,even the stars. A really arrogant and superstitious project.'', she commented, ignoring the twitch from the mouth of the Persian besides her.'' But why 6 years? That man seemed to work on it all his lifetime.'' ''Well, that's just it. If the tower will be finished, then...'', the Prince kept silent. Kaileena then turned her head to him. ''Then what?Your death?The end of Persia? Ormazd goes cricket with the king?''. ''No, then...at the same point...'', the Prince gulped.''I have arrived Babylon.''
The woman looked at him oddly. ''So?'' ''That's what I also asked the crew.' Sounds great ,then why do you look so worried about?' The ones who told them this story said it would be... the end of the world.'' They both kept silent. But then the Prince said.''Since the beginning of my odyssey through the sea, I always wished to return to my home town. I know that Persepolis is the main metropolis of Persia but still... it's the place where I was born, raised and learned for the first time to wield a sword...'', then he looked up to the sky.''To think about it, the town was always like a playground for me, the place which gave me the possibilities to learn the acrobatics I am known of. Who knows how I would've ended up somewhere else. But now...'', he looked at her again, a gleam of desperation in his eyes, ,, I am scared of returning. What will happen if the world, my world, would fell apart?Again? Could I still take such a loss?'', he remembered those nightmares he had for months, that his homeland would burn under the corpses of the people, his people.
''Only time will tell, my Prince'', his companion remarked.'' but you shouldn't forget that humans can change their fates and those from others. You are the very proof of that.'' His eyes turning away and locking onto the fishes swimming away he calmed himself.''Yes...yes, you are right.''
It was time for switching the topic,he thought.''So tell me, what was the island of time before you were there?'' ''What?'',the Kaileena looked at him off guard.''Wh-why do you ask?''.
''Dammit Kaileena, for a whole year you completely shut yourself when it always came to your past.'', the Prince said having enough from her reactions.''I am confessing my whole life to you, and you don't even tell an inch of your probably millennia old existence. I doubt you will even answer how the Maharajah know of the island---'' ,,He didn't'', the woman in red said, interrupting the Prince with the same cold attitude when it came down to her. '' A prophet foretold him when he became the lord of India he will reach a mysterious island created by the gods and will find honour and glory in it. Of course like any foolish man he started searching for it. Their arrival was pure coincidence. Or was it fate? I don't care any longer.'', she then turned her head to him and her green eyes pierced into the cold blue ones. ''Why do you care of my past anyway? You have maybe saved my life, but it doesn't give you any right -'' ''I just want to know if you understand me!'', the Prince pressed on.'' You act like that you just acknowledge all what I tell you with no care. I want to know if you accept me,I want to know if you care about me, I want to...I just want to know.'' The Prince looked at the Empress again but this time a look that even the Empress herself was surprised that this warrior was capable of: A puppy dog pout: ''Please...''
Not standing the miserable look of him she raised a hand in defeat.,,All right,all right,you win. But only this time''. She placed her hands on her hips when the pout dissipated on the face from the Persian as if it never existed.''Where did you learn...that?''
The Prince crossed his arms and murmured:''From an Indian brat.'' Kaileena chuckled at that remark of him.She then took the same pose before and began:''As to your question: I don't know much either what the island was. When I reached the island through --- let's just say, something- I thought I found heaven. It was a beautiful landscape with any animal you could rarely see these days now. The People were one with nature and had a really liberal and matriarch orientated structure. Any human would say it was paradise itself. Too bad it had to turn into that island you just experienced.'' ''But just why have you done this? Was your fear of death that terrible?'', the Prince asked, surprised to hear something like this. He knew she was desperate...but to go that far?
''It was the Sands doing, not mine.'' the Empress answered, who seemed to know that reaction was coming.'' I am maybe the Empress of Time, but not of the sands. Though I can do what I want with it, I nothing more than their host. If it wants something, nothing will stop it.Like turning everyone into sand monsters. The hourglass was a solution of mine to seal the sands if I happen to die.''
The Prince listened carefully, feeling stated of the theories he developed during the years. Makes also sense now why she did that hour glass in the very beginning. But what is the sands? From what evil came it from to take a woman as their host? It seems to be more than just some magic as she stated it. It seems to be...conscious, in some way.
But he doesn't want to go that deep. Not yet. Those answers were enough for the beginning. He has to go a step back and engulf more about the Empress herself. ''So the island... it was never a home to you,did it?'' The Empress blinked. '' A home...?'', she looked like she really thought through that question, but then she shook. ''No, it never was. It was like a prison I was torment to. The castle,the nature...even the eyes of my servants locked on me are a reminder what I am...what I have become...'' She stopped with her lips moving silently, but the Prince nodded then.
''You don't have to tell me more. I think I have heard enough.'' Damn,he didn't know that it would make him feel that bad hearing about the Empress feelings. Th Prince wondered if she felt the same as he told her his feelings. ''It's alright'',she then said.''Too be honest...'', a little smile curled on her mouth.'' I didn't know it felt that relieving to talk about it.'' At that, the Prince,even so small, gave a smirk on his face. Maybe it wasn't so hopeless after all.
In front of them the dolphins sung and dance like it was no tomorrow. Both passengers saw them reaching the horizon of the soft orange ocean taking a new course.
So, that's it for now. I will upload it on fanfiction.net sometime if I am sure that people like my shiit.
Oh yeah, and don't forget to comment. I need motivaaaaaaation.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: Tristan_129,
"I grabbed Salma's *** just to keep things moving... ." -Penelope Cruz
My, that was a good read. Super nice intro tristan! Can't wait to see what will happen next. If your intro is like this, i can't imagine what the battle scene will look like. Bloody brilliant!
The Prince blinked and looked around. He happened to notice the huge cliffs around the ship. He remembered that they drove into the cove, but the cliffs looked different. And he noticed something else...a simple wooden shield standing out in the water, having the symbol of a tower engraved on it. But he knew that shield... ''You just teleported us over thousands of miles!We've almost reached Babylon! But how...'', the Prince started to ask but Kaileena interrupted him. ,, I already told you,if I am near land, I can teleport anywhere I want. With luggage.'' She added with an arrogant smile. At this statement the Prince looked back at her suddenly angered and now really growled at her:,, Then why haven't you done that when we were on those other towns we landed on!?! We could have saved 8 months!8 WHOLE MONTHS!!!''. ''Hush'', she just winked him off, used by his outbursts.'' I am not the kind of girl who is into rushing things.'' The Prince still growled at her, but turned and stepped to the helm. ''Damn witch'', he cursed under his breath. She heard that. He guessed she heard that since he found himself hanging over the water. Shocked, he looked right-up at the side and saw that a stream of clouding power held his leg with an immense grip. ''What ... did you just say?'', he heard the voice of the Empress of Time, suppressing any sign of wrath behind the voice.
The Persian warrior didn't knew why that answer came out. Either lying or telling honesty would lead him to the same terrible end by being pierced up by the scarped edges of the close cliffs. Maybe he should have just used the sands he still had and turn the clock back. Or he could've used the dagger still by his side and stick it into the wood of the less stable becoming ship. But he didn't. Instead by his panic forgetting any rational meaning this answer came out: ''kakulukiam?''
"I grabbed Salma's *** just to keep things moving... ." -Penelope Cruz
Okay, let's just assume that PoP: SOT, like GoW, lives in a mythological world based when 'Alexander the great ****' didn't invaded Persia. Mythological by all means, how Herodot wrote about Babylon(which is architectual totally incorrect) or how the bible portrayed the town with our lovable tower we saw in the E3-trailer.
Problem is, I don't know how the town was build in the mythological and historical correct aspect.
For the right location I made some research on my Atlas,so tell me if I am incorrect.
Babylon lies on the Euphrat, a long canal which leads to the Persian gulf, which is also part of the ''Red Sea''. Well, I guess you can assume the rest in this weird map of Herodot's mind:
And now a more correct one:
Can someone tell me how the town is constructed?
Also, which stages of Babylon should I use in the novel? I know I'll use some of TT, but I guess there were more places intended on KB...
"I grabbed Salma's *** just to keep things moving... ." -Penelope Cruz
Ah well,seems no one has any idea. Too bad, now I am forced to give up the correct geographical aspect and starting to use my IMAGINAAAATIOOOOON.
So anyway, have a new piece:
quote:
Darkness...that was all he saw... he felt nothing, heard nothing, smelled nothing ...all his senses were knocked out...but slowly, really slowly, he felt a dull pressure coming from his chest area...he started to breath again, deep and concentrated...then the first pains kicked in, instantly in his head, yet hollow. And soon, he regained senses to reality...his ears heard something strange then.
‘’ Ph'nglui.... mglw'na?'' ,,....-fh wgah fhtagn!’’ What kind of rambling is that? , The Persian wondered when he regained conscious. His days of the Dahaka forced to sharpen his instincts and to use them for anything which moved or gave sound off. And those sounds came from humans,normal humans. But this language...he never knew that such a language did exist. He knew Greek, Arabian, Indian, Farsi and even some Chinese...but he never heard of that language. This isn’t even a language a normal human would use. The phrases they spoke were unpronounceable, the emphasis of each word were so sinister it was creeping the skin the Prince started to feel again. He never expected to feel that...fear again he learned from the dark guardian. And the voices... somewhat off . Whatever they were, Prince realised quickly that he wasn’t safe.
He let his left eye open slowly and avoided any groaning or similar sounds to let draw attention. From the pressure of the sands and the weight of his wetted clothes he realised that his body seemed to reach the ports of Babylon and survived the crash of the ship somehow. Funny, he got a déjà vu from this conclusion somehow... The sun was already in high place and its rays induced the optics of the Prince, but he saw enough of what was not far from him. Two men stood over the Persian. They wore armours, not really recognizable,but the right one hold an axe, the other a long and sharp sword. Soldiers, the Prince figured, but they don’t belong to the Persian troop or the Babylonian Gardé. He could see that by the designs of the weapons. Those designs were very new to him, not regular weapons soldiers usually use. But what the Prince interested was more how to get out of their sight since those men didn’t seem to be any allies. They seemed to be in the heat of an argue from what the Prince can tell by the raise of their voice. What were they arguing about so much? The Prince didn’t want to know. He wanted them to get lost. His eye was darting around to see if he still had the Watersword in his possession. No, of course not! Why is it every time he wakes up he has no weapon! That’s the seventh time now. Great, he reached his lucky number, hopefully the men just happened to be touri--- Wait a minute. The warrior’s eye gazed now on the Tigerdagger, not far away from his right hand. Maybe if he could reach it.... Suddenly the soldier with axe was starting to get irritated by his comrade and swung the axe of the Prince. Shocked, the Prince wanted to roll away, but the one with the Sword hold the soldier off, shouting at him with his inhuman ramblings. Anticipated, the Prince waited for a moment if the attention was drawn on him again and continued to grasp at his tiny hope of escape. Is this what they are arguing about? To or not to chop me in pieces? , the Prince wondered, disgusted by that thought. He knew that he chopped people in pieces too, but he didn’t went screwing with some random bodies around like a mad man. That’s just...sick, and it was against his ethical values he still kept as a warrior. Slowly, his arm kept closer to the little dirty dagger that was his ticket out of here... damn, why did it have to be so far away?!?Okay, stay cool, stay cool, just a few inches--- The brutal step over his hand brought the Prince out of his focused and now concentrated on that sharp pain of having his already messed hand being crushed under a heavy tank boot. The Prince gasped aloud and his body wringed in pain. He looked now with both eyes up and saw that the soldier with the blade was the one preventing him to escape. His face was not discernible due to the bright sunlight but the man was looking long over his prey, thinking about what to do. Then, he crouched down and looked directly the Prince in the face while he grinded in his torment. What the Prince saw made him nearly jump: The head of that soldier was a the one of a monster. At first the Persian though he saw the Dahaka again, but his upstaging panic went a little down when he realized that it was a masklike helm. It almost resembled the head of a bull, but the horns of it were twisting in irregular directions, almost showing the same impression of the Beast’s horns. But by the looks of it, the origin of the helm was really that of a bull by the way the material glowed an almost golden tone and was cleanly polished. But despise the face was hidden; the Prince knew the soldier was smiling under that mask. Worse, he seemed to enjoy it torturing him. The men brushed his feet deeper into hand of the Prince to make him scream. The warrior didn’t give in to his torments, but still groaned due to those brutal actions. The soldier snickered under the helm and said something. His tongue was creeping the Prince already out, but the tone suggested a sadistic nature. The soldier was clearly taunting him, but the Prince couldn’t understand what he was saying. Then suddenly the man with the axe appeared on the other side, in opposite direction of the one with the sword and stepped on the chest of the Persian with one feet. But not without force. It knocked the air out of the Prince and he couldn’t breath any longer.. The Prince rolled his head over to the other soldier. He wore also a helm. Masklike, but in different form. The material was that of blueish glwong steel, and the helm had several tentacle like laceys coming out of the exterior sides, but this time really symmetrically ordered. And the nose area gave a bug like jaw off. What was it representing, a scarab or what? But what the Prince instantly noticed that this helm was showing the mouth of the soldier, and he was grinning widly, baring his yellow yet really sharp teeth. He was laughing like he had lost it and sheathed his axe once more to strike over his throat. They seemed to agreed on chopping me into pieces, the almost cynical thought flashed in the Prince’s head.
"I grabbed Salma's *** just to keep things moving... ." -Penelope Cruz
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