webnovel

To Sleep In The Sea Of Time

This is a story of a guy who loses everything, and then gets it back. Same old new world story, just a different kind of story teller. *** They took away our hunter tags. They had us grow our hair. They gave us a new brand, when we were over there. They staged us out of Dragur, East of the Olim Horn. I guess they call us Slaves, but no one calls us much anymore. There is no fun in killing. I don't want to do it anymore. Karn brought Sorrow. Pookie brought Fear. Milk brought the fly boys. They did work in Undia. I worked mostly clandestine. Some Legends I should not say. We played with better wands. I could use the extra pay. Did Mara give the order? Did venom pay the way? They said we were slaying demons, but it was kind of hard to tell. There is no fun in killing. I don't want to do it anymore. This was before HALO, and Codex was king. Hej atop the rider, he never felt a thing. When our rider caught a spell, and both the mages killed. It pitched us over sideways on some cold Sylph hill. My back felt like it was broken, my legs I could not feel. I kept on slaying demons, but it was kind of hard to tell. There is no fun in killing. I don't want to do it anymore. I never did heal up right from injuries sustained Officially in Torin, unofficially we train. I remember all their faces. They dream about me still. I guess I'm slaying demons, but it's kind of hard to tell. There no fun in killing. I don't want to do it anymore. I speak the cold logistic, that old boys speak so well. Veni, Vedi, Vici. I'll see you in Hel. Maybe it's bravado, or an unspeakable guilt. That village, they were demons, but it was kind of hard to tell. There is no fun in killing. I don't wanna to do it anymore. I've done plenty. What is one more? -Corb Lund *** Come guess me this riddle. What beats shire leaves and fiddle? What is hotter than pleasures touch, and whiter than cream? What best wets his whistle? What is clearer than crystal? What is sweeter than honey and stronger than steam? What will make the lame walk? What will make the dumb talk? What is the elixir of life and philosopher's stone? And what helped Pookie-Baba dig up a tunnel, that runs from Shalamanda to West-Torin? When you are digging a crater, It is the best thing in nature, for sinking your sorrows and raising your joys. Sometimes I wonder, if lightning and thunder, is made out of the plunder, of the reddest hiski and oils. *** If you can keep your head when all about you, are losing theirs and blaming it on you. If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you, but make allowance for their doubting too. If you can wait and not be tired by waiting, or being lied about, don’t deal in lies, or being hated, don’t give way to hating, And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise. If you can dream, and not make dreams your master. If you can think, and not make thoughts your aim. If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same. If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken, twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools, or watch the things you gave your life to, broken, and stoop and build them up with worn-out tools. If you can make one heap of all your winnings, and risk it on one turn of pitch-and-toss and lose, and start again at your beginnings, and never breathe a word about your loss. If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew, to serve your turn long after they are gone, and so hold on when there is nothing in you; Except the Will which says to them ‘Hold on!’ If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue, nor walk with Kings, nor lose the common touch. If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you. If all men count with you, but none too much. If you can fill the unforgiving minute, with sixty seconds worth of distance, run. Yours is the World and everything that’s in it, and which is more you’ll be a Man, my son. - Rudyard Kipling

man_of_culture3030 · Fantasy
Not enough ratings
467 Chs

Pretty

I head over to the arena at the appointed time.

It is a Colosseum-shaped building with a heavy crowd today.

I spot Reem and Surma waiting for me at the entrance.

"It's almost time," he says to me as he guides me through the throng towards the arena.

A tall lanky Terra walked up to us seemingly emerging from thin air, but I knew better he was waiting specifically for us.

"Have you washed your neck cleanly Reem, when your head goes flying so does your little Olim bitch's skirt".

The man was followed by another Terra with blonde hair and dark brown eyes.

He was six foot and had a one-handed sword along with a golden chest plate and bracers on his chest and legs.

"I won't be fighting" after a moment's hesitation he pointed at me saying "He will".

Both men burst into laughter "You Olim sure do love sending your young to die" he said looking at Surma, her eyes watering.

"Talk about entertainment, tell me kid how scared are you right now," he asked me.

"Truly afraid, there is nothing more frightful than ignorance in action".

Neither of them expected that and I was met with a dead pan silence.

"The name is Ambrose pleasure to kill you," I said before walking towards the arena with Reem and Surma in tow.

"You don't have to do this," Surma said in a whisper.

"Actually, I do" not turning around to look at her I step to the official giving him my name and association.

He knows why I am here and tells me to head in.

"It's a fight to the death kid, if you want out right now is the chance".

I nod and walk to the center of the ring.

It is a fifty-yard field with rows of pews filled with people shouting, talking and some even brawling.

The Terra man stepped into the ring quickly making his way over until he was seven feet away from me.

"I'll make it quick kid, you won't even know it happened".

He must really believe that was a mercy.

Unfortunately for him, I cannot afford mercy, my annoyance turns to anger at these ignorant fellows.

'If only they knew' I think to myself.

'If they knew what I was dealing with, if they had to deal with it they would be a crying puddle'.

I flood my mind with mana, making his movements become slower in my eyes and more telegraphed.

As he brings down his sword, I lean into it avoiding it by a hairs breath and roll underneath his feet cutting his Achilles tendon.

He involuntarily kneels to have his crotch meet with my sword in an upward swing.

He doubles over howling in pain as I crushed his manhood.

I do not look at him, I look at the man responsible for getting in between me and my resources.

Letting out a wave of unchecked bloodlust I stab my short sword into the man's neck while staring at Deed.

The crowd is silent, it was so quiet you could hear a rat pee on cotton.

"Are you not entertained"? I mouth to Deed from my position in the middle of the ring.

His mouth still hanging agape I turn and walk away.

I stop in front of Reem "Any other issues"?

"None" he replies instinctively for the first-time fear in his face.

"Then I will be seeing you in a month and a half".

I walk back to the inn leaving a crowd of stunned spectators.

I quickly gained a new nickname, they called me the little monster.

It bought me some unwanted attention along with a new stalker who watched me no matter where I went.

It wasn't a problem for me, as he thought he had his eyes on me, I was monitoring him.

He never took any action against me and I didn't need to leave the Village at all, so I just bided my time.

A week after the fight Isla had her first minstrel cycle and didn't know what it was.

I explain to her what I know and how to deal with it with mana.

I go shopping and purchase cotton, linen, and bandages creating makeshift pads for her.

I also show her how to make them and make her a pack of twenty she didn't take it very seriously as she could just manage it with mana, but I give it to her non the less.

The exchange rate for four duffle bags of purified coal from Reem was one mana stone.

Fairly good if you asked me but Reem still complained.

I guess being a blacksmith coal was the bread and butter he could not get enough.

Isla and I prepare for our journey and head out after a week of rest.

We head west towards the glades direct and go south.

Isla pays no mind to my change of direction and continues.

As we head further and further southwest, we reach a lake.

I stop and get off my scile, I leave it untied and lay back underneath some shade using a huge rock as support.

"What are we doing"? Isla asked me from atop her mount.

"Waiting for some company" I replied with my eyes closed.

'I really do work too hard' I think about my recent schedule and how I don't really have time to enjoy myself, even when I did in the village what would I do?

I think it might be time to teach Isla chess but even then, I would wipe the floor with her.

Shortly after I shut my eyes a group started to emerge from the east, west and north.

A total of forty-seven figures most of them men with three women mixed in.

I stay lying down seemingly sleeping.

As they closed in, they slowed down eventually stopping after surrounding us on all side creating an encirclement with our backs to the lake.

All of them were Terra, all of them were armed and had armor, except for one.

It was Deed, coming forward on his skile he looked down on Isla and I.

My eyes closed, relaxing in the shade and Isla hunched over filling out a multiplication table in the dirt, neither of us giving them much attention.

"You filthy little brat! I am going to kill you so, so slowly but before I do, I'll sell you to every single man and woman for as little as a loaf of bread!"

I hop onto my feet and as I do, he flinches and rears his scile taking a few steps back.

Without looking at him or anyone else for that matter I walk over to the lake water and wash my face along with taking a few gulps, "Got to make sure I look pretty".

Like it ? Add to library!

man_of_culture3030creators' thoughts