The Gunslinger - Chapters 1-3

Chapter 1
The day started like every other day since entering the town. He awoke with the rising sun warm on his face. Hopefully something interesting would happen today. Every day was the same in this town called Stalemate. What a fitting name for a town where nothing happens, thought The Gunslinger. 
The Gunslinger started his day in the same fashion he had started every day since becoming a gunslinger. A modest breakfast (this morning consisting of a bowl of oats warmed over a small fireplace, and a delicious glass of sweetwater), followed by some stretching, tending to his modest farm(on which he grew tobacco, oats and some other assorted vegetables) and a short run. The run served two purposes the first of which was to maintain the physical prowess of the body while the second was to visit the graves of those he had once loved. After returning from his run and cleaning the sweat and dirt from his body, The Gunslinger prepared to face a day like every other before it. 
After donning his custom made (but worn and patched) black leather duster, boots, belt and hat, The Gunslinger reached for the chain around his neck that held two things, a ring and a key. Removing the chain and using the key to open the specially made steel chest at the foot of his bed The Gunslinger retrieved the only items he owned that were of any real worth. The revolvers he removed from the chest were the weapons of a different era. The silvery metal was tarnished and scratched and the wooden handles were worn, but the feeling of the weapons was like nothing else The Gunslinger had ever experienced, the feeling of power, the feeling of freedom, the feeling of revenge. After carefully inspecting and loading each weapon The Gunslinger prepared for his daily venture into town.
As usual The Gunslinger entered the saloon at about two hours after noon, based on the position of the sun. Taking his usual seat he flagged down a barmaid named Danelle. Ordering his usual rumm and sweetwater to tide him over until somebody approached him, he waited, as it was known throughout town that as long a job was not evil The Gunslinger could be counted on to complete the task. While The Gunslinger waited, he thought about the days before all the steam, before the constant grinding of gears, he thought about the days when his family was still alive.

Chapter 2
Back then the The Gunslinger had been known as Clynt Eestwud. A child of 15 years who was slight and gangely with long arms and legs that to others, it seemed that he couldn't control fully. Back then his father and mother had been farmers far outside the city of Briarburgh where they managed a small tobacco farm to earn a living. It had been a good year for the tobacco and the Eestwud's were expecting to make some extra coin. This coin would be used to send young Clynt to the city to attend school. On the day Clynt was set to leave to attend school in the city the news came. The news was brought from a distant neighbor who had been in the city days before. Something was attacking the city. According to the messenger the city watch had been able to contain the threat for now but the future of Briarburgh seemed uncertain. A few weeks later another message came that explained the city was completely overrun with some sort of metal insects that that consumed flesh to remain alive. 
Sometime later after the official fall of Briarburgh and the disolving of the government, Clynt was working with his family on their tobacco farm. While on one of the far fields Clynt heard screaming. The screaming seemed to be coming from the small house on the farm. The small house where Clynt's mother currently was... The Gunslinger recalled the ache in his legs as he thought about how fast he had run to the house. Arriving at the house Clynt took part in a scene that he would remember, and regret, for the rest of his life. 
Men had surrounded his father and mother and were threatening them with weapons that were unrecognized to Clynt's eyes. The weapons made grinding and whistling sounds as small gears turned and steam seemed to hiss from spots where brass fittings didn't seem to quite fit. Then Clynt saw him, the man he would chase for better portion of his life. The man was tall and thin, in the same way as Clynt. But rather than brown warm eyes that Clynt and his family possessed, this man had eyes of a most deep blackness. It was a blackness that seemed to peer into ones soul only to cause pain and havoc. The man signaled to his bandits and they moved forward. A bandit demanded that Clynts mother give up her jewelry not knowing that she only had the small wedding band made of iron that was a gift from her husband on the day of their betrothal. To scared to move Clynt watched the whole exchange from behind a near by tree. A tree for which he remembered many happy days with his family. Clynt's mother handed the small iron ring to the bandits, who seemed to be sated with their bounty for now. The ring would fetch food enough for a few days. It was then that the man said the words that would stick in Clint's mind for the rest of his days. "Kill them..." said the man with the eyes of most deep blackness. At this command the bandits raised their weapons, and fired. The Gunslinger cringed as he recalled the memory. Clynt didn't even hear the hissing and popping the weapons made. He only saw the destruction they wreaked on his family. Bursting from his hiding place he charged the group of bandits sinking his small work knife into the back of the nearest. With a grunt the man fell forward dead. It took a few seconds for the bandits to realize what had happened to their comrade. They brought their weapons up to fire but realized that due to the positioning of the child they were as likely to hit friend as they were foe. Knowing this the bandits collapsed upon Clynt with their knives drawn. Clynt was able to dodge the first knife attack but was immediately caught with a following fist, knocking the air from his lungs. There was then a searing pain. A pain that seemed to cut to his very core. A pain the likes of which he had never experienced. 
Realizing that their quarry was beat the bandits backed off. One commented "Why would that kid charge us? He had to know there was no way he could beat all of us." Another scoffed while picking the gear from his fallen comrade "What does it matter? Leave the runt he'll be gone soon enough." The last thing that Clynt remembered was crawling towards his dead parents.
Sometime later, Clynt had recovered from his wound. Shortly after he had been left to die at his family's farm a man had come by and saved Clynt. The man had the brightest eyes of blue Clynt had ever seen. He referred to himself only as The Gunslinger, and wore two massive guns at his belt. Once Clynt had fully healed he told the story of his parents murder to the man and explained that he planned to follow and kill the man with the eyes of most deep blackness. Hearing his story The Gunslinger decided that Clynt's journey was a good one and that he would help him on his quest. 
While they traveled, the first that that Clynt was taught by The Gunslinger was that one must always rely on his own senses to figure out what is going on around him. Many hours were spent with eyes closed listening or ears plugged with bits of cotton only seeing. Navigation through only smell and touch as well as feeling the vibrations of those things alive around you. After an extended amount of time performing the same rituals day after day, The Gunslinger presented Clynt with a knife so large it was almost a small sword. It was at least 8 inches long and made of the same silvery metal The Gunslingers guns were made of. The handle was wooden inlaid with fine lines of metal, smooth to the touch but not so smooth that one might loose their grip. The Gunslinger then explained to Clynt that he had become proficient enough in the arts to wield the weapon. The blade of a The Gunslinger.
The training that followed was more rigorous than anything Clynt had experienced previously in his life. All the negatives of the training were offset by the fact that the new training involved firing The Gunslingers weapons. The weapons were far too heavy for Clynt to wield at first but over time they became more easy to handle and Clynt rapidly gained proficiency with them. 
One evening after a long day of travel through a heavily wooded forest, the two stopped to set up their camp. Suddenly The Gunslinger froze and hushed Clynt to do the same. Clynt could hear or see no sounds but knew that The Gunslinger being far more advanced than himself could see or here something he didn't like. The Gunslinger drew his massive weapons from his belt and fired multiple rounds into the surrounding trees. Hearing the grunts of men falling Clynt knew The Gunslinger hit each of his marks. Suddenly their camp was awash with bandits. Clynt had his blade out in a flash and slew the three closest bandits to him immediately. He could also hear the reports from The Gunslingers weapons laying waste enemies all around him. Then he saw him. The man with the eyes of most deep blackness. When The Gunslinger saw this man he took aim and fired but the man with eyes of most deep blackness moved with unworldly speed. At the same time the man with the eyes of most deep blackness attacked unleashing a flash of light that Clynt couldn't follow at The Gunslinger. The light, which Clynt realized was a large shard of ice, took The Gunslinger in the shoulder. The Gunslinger grunting in pain raised his guns and fired more shots in the direction of the man with the eyes of most deep blackness. Clynt watched helpless as the battle took place for what seemed hours but was actually only minutes. As the battle was went on Clynt realized that The Gunslinger was going to loose to the man Clynt hated and feared more than anything on the planet. At this point Clynt conquered his fear and charged onto the battle field wielding only the knife he had been given by The Gunslinger. Slashing at the man with the eyes of most deep blackness Clynt forced him to withdraw enough to allow The Gunslinger to regain his footing. The man with the eyes of most deep blackness charged towards Clynt with a shard of ice held like a spear and Clynt was sure that his life was going to end. End with pain that he had experienced before as a child. Waiting for the pain Clynt prepared. Prepared for pain that never came.
Many things happened at once. The Gunslinger was in front of Clynt, the shard of ice piercing him through the chest. The Gunslinger also had a hold of the hand that had been holding the shard of ice, and had drawn his gun into line with the man with the eyes of most deep blackness. Holding the man with the eyes of most deep blackness in place, The Gunslinger fired his weapon multiple times. Seeing that each shot had hit home The Gunslinger smiled. Then The Gunslinger had died.
Clynt saw The Gunslinger die and was overcome with fury towards the man with the eyes of most deep blackness. Raising his blade he attacked the man with the eyes of most deep blackness sinking his blade into the man. He watched as the eyes of the man with the eyes of most deep blackness faded to a light brown much like his own. 
Knowing that his mission was accomplished Clynt wondered what he should do next. It had taken some time to get over the death of his good friend The Gunslinger. Clynt reflected on the fact that he had never known the mans real name. When Clynt had buried The Gunslinger (in the same fashion that Clynt and the Gunslinger had buried Clynt's family when he was young) he had retained the weapons and belt of The Gunslinger.
One day while wandering, wondering what he was to do with the rest of his life Clynt stopped at a small well in a town called Stalemate. It was a town somewhat near where he had grown up and figured it would be a good place to figure out what to with the rest of his life. While pulling water from the well he caught a reflection of himself in the water. Seeing the piercing blue eyes that he now possessed. The piercing blue eyes of The Gunslinger.

Chapter 3
The Gunslinger paused his moment of thought to look down at the iron ring he worn on the chain around his neck. The ring of his mother. The ring he had taken back from the man with the eyes of most deep blackness. Feeling the cool iron on his fingers he looked around the saloon for anybody who looked as though they could use some work done. His eyes fell upon a man with a handlebar mustache speaking to another man at a nearby table. Just looking at this man The Gunslinger stiffened. He realized evil when he saw it. The man with the mustache wore a gun that was large but seemed but a toy compared to the revolvers he was currently wearing. "I bet the man even named his gun." The gunslinger chuckled to himself. The man with the mustache was speaking to a barmaid about a woman at a table in the corner and didn't see that the barmaid had put a little something extra into their drinks. Raising an eyebrow at the woman who was sitting at a table covered in maps and books who he knew was responsible for the extra stuff into their drinks, The Gunslinger thought to himself "Huh. Maybe something interesting will happen today after all." The woman herself gave off an air of command and understanding that The Gunslinger had seen in few other people. Continuing to scan the room not worrying about the woman with maps and the man with the mustache , as the woman could handle herself well enough, The Gunslinger's eyes fell upon another. From what The Gunslinger could tell he was a half-elf and looked as though he was permanently up to no good, but there was no evil in him. The more disconcerting thing about the half-elf was the way that The Gunslingers eyes seem to want to not notice the man. Whenever he would look directly at the man his eyes seemed to wander away. However The Gunslinger did notice when the man decided to slip the tiny copper ring off one of the barmaids finger. He made a mental note to get the ring back for the girl. 
Leaving the saloon with no job for the day The Gunslinger left the saloon with a want to help the barmaid retrieve her ring. If he wasn't going to make any money today he might as well do something good for somebody. To this end The Gunslinger waited outside around the corner of a nearby building. If there was nothing else The Gunslinger had, he had time and patience to wait.
Much later that evening he heard the man with the mustache and his companion collapse. Followed by whispers from others. The Gunslinger picked out the half-elf and the woman with the maps. During their conversation he heard the half-elf name himself Clud... or Clood... The Gunslinger was still disturbed how his words seemed to avoid his careful hearing even from this short distance. The woman did not identify herself but agreed to meet Clod the next day to discuss details of a proposition regarding the mustached man's gun. "Guess i better be here tomorrow." thought The Gunslinger. "Something interesting might yet happen."