by Dilland Doe
Finio scratched the back of his head. “Ummm, yeaaah. I really didn’t spend a lot of time in training. I was living on the streets, and then when I got into a temple I was a lowly novice. Soooo—”
Stepping forward, Kericles said, “But you got better, right?”
Finio nodded. “Some.”
Narrowing his eyes while flexing his bicep near his head, Kericles said, “Let’s do this.”
Finio set the pot down in the grass. The chinchilla sniffed up at him. He put his hand into the pot and it sniffed his hand. Flickering his finger and slightly touching the nose, the little creature sniffed without fear. Finio smiled.
Kericles jumped in the air, then thrust his spear forward before spinning around and kicking. “After this, let’s go to the craftsmen and create a backpack for your pot. You need to have your hands free in the Torn Lands.”
“Yeah, sure.” Finio concentrated on Kwitty. He focused his mind on the energy open to him from another universe. He swam through the power that flowed from the other dimension into his body. He smiled as he rode light rapids. A reservoir of magic filled to its top, ready to overflow. Then, he released the deep tone with his vocal cords and dumped that never emptying basin onto his cousin.
Kericles exploded into the air, flipping and twisting until he reached a height of maybe twenty yards. He came back down, thrusting, punching, kicking, and swinging his weapon. Kericles moved like a blur. He ran forward, turned, then dashed again while pretending to slaughter legions of men.
“Ah ha ha ha haaaaa! Finio you have improved! You have! This is amazing!”
It seems to work better on him than the temple novices.
The cousin flashed through the air, apparently never tiring. “Let’s go to the Torn Lands! We’re ready! Think of the adventures, conquest, and glory we’ll have!” He leapt in the air spinning with his spear held above his head. “Yeaaaaaah!”
A deep voice boomed from behind. “What’s going on out here?”
Finio snapped around to see the King followed by an entourage of men and his wife.
“Skilled archers could snipe you guys from far away. This open field is an easy target. The perimeter has to be secure to practice. Do you fools not remember that the gorgeous flower of our city was almost killed by fiends who call themselves men?”
Kericles dashed toward his father. “Dad! Dad! I’ve been training hard, and Finio has improved while away. It’s time. Let me not match my brother’s glory, but exceed it! I am going to the Torn Lands!”
The king clenched both his fists and leaned forward. “All the world wants to slaughter your family and you think of fun in the Torn Lands?”
“Not fun. Glory! I need it!”
The king opened his mouth, but long slender fingers set on his shoulders. His mom smiled warmly. Her black hair flowed around her like a smooth raven ready to dive toward a meal. “We’re all targets of assassination here. But assassinating someone in The Torn Lands would break five-thousand years of tradition. It’s a place for Citian battle and glory, not politics. Even with the dangers of battle, it may be safer than here.”
Kericles jerked forward. “Yeah! And then I can perfect my skills in a way only battle can. When I come back, I’ll be a far more powerful and respectable prince. And just imagine how much your wizard will grow when he sees real battle.”
Finio gulped.
Herania’s penetrating black eyes pierced through her son. “If your father lets you go, don’t do anything stupid. You fight smart. Don’t get in over your head. Retreat if you need to. And protect your cousin. I still think the whole idea of fighting for fun is a foolish thing that only a man could think of, but it may suit you well under the circumstances. And again, protect your cousin.”
Kericles nodded, looking toward his dad. “Of course! Can we get Finio an estra suit?”
He shook his head. “I need all the estra here. You and your warriors take your suits, but the mage should do fine in robes.”
I don’t wear robes!
Kericles jolted forward. “So we can go? We have your permission?”
The king sighed. “I’ll let your mother make the call.”
Everyone’s eyes turned toward her.
Aunt Herania shook her head. “Finio, don’t forget to pray to The Divinity. Your cousin often forgets about the one true power that his mother taught him about.” She crossed her slender arms and stared into space, again shaking her head before staring at her son. “May The Divinity guide you.”
Ch. 32
The single sail at the center of the ship billowed forward. Three other similar ships also road the waves carrying fifty Actian warriors each. Before he left Hyzantria, Finio had only sailed once. Since then, he had to journey by sea every few months. The ships were quite roomy, this way if one met peril, its warriors and crew could travel on the other three ships.
The ship hit a wave hard, sending Finio crashing to the wood deck. Men around him laughed before swigging more ale.
Kericles stood above him with an extended hand and a smile. “You’ve got to be a man to drink heavy and stay standing on bumpy seas! Ha haaaa!”
Finio grasped the hand, and his cousin yanked him to his feet. “I’ve gotten pretty used to the seas,” Finio said, “but not the drink. I’ve never drank so much on a daily basis in my life.”
The sweet, happy strings of a mandolin played from the back of the ship. Finio griped, “Does Heractius ever stop playing that thing?”
Through an open-mouth smile, Kericles laughed. “No! Because we all love it! You need to drink more, cousin.”
A handful of men sang to the melody.
Slamming his hand hard into Finio’s shoulder, Kericles said, “Enjoy it while you can. This is the last night of fun at sea. We must be pure for battle. Plus, passing under the barrier Ice Men island is dangerous. You never know when one of those crazy buttholes will pop up.”
Finio breathed in. He wasn’t ready for Torn Land battle, much less a fight with barbarians.
Kericles burst out laughing, bending over. He straightened himself. “Don’t worry, maaaan. They haven’t caused much trouble since the Citian Confederacy stopped them. Father won’t let us forgot how many of them he slayed. They don’t even attack the east half of the long, barrier island we control.”
“Priiiiince! Prince!”
Kericles snapped around to see a shirtless dancing man. “Join us, my Prince. Join!”
Kericles burst into a jig and boogied away.
Finio stared out to sea. He’d been practicing his magic. He could increase the speed of all two-hundred men now, but not as much as when he concentrated on one. Could two-hundred men, most of them young like Kericles, really tear land away from hardened fighters?
#
The ship seemed smaller with the men adorned in their thick, green estra armor. Most held poleaxes, but a few had giant hammers, and Kericles’s fingers wrapped around a medium-sized hammer in each hand. The four ships sailed even with each other toward the beach where about an equal sized force of similarly armored and armed men waited.
Finio stood on the back of the ship that was a little taller than the center. He awaited the landing…and the bloodshed. He forced out of his mind the imaginations of great axes and swords cleaving toward the stupid, thin robes that Kericles forced him to wear. He focused on Kwitty. His pot was on his back in the pack that was made for him. The big thing on his back seemed to pull him backwards. I should have practiced wearing it for hours… Finio open the valves of power and let enhanced speed flow to all two-hundred warriors on the ships. And to himself.
The warriors cheered in yells of fury, thrusting fists and weapons into the air.
The vessels rolled forward with the surf. Green mist lifted from the back of the enemy’s suits and light glinted off their poleaxes. Finio tried to split his mind. One half focused on maintaining the flow of magic; the other on the physical world. Within five seconds of each other, all four ships beached. Kericles leapt off the b
oat, followed by his men. He charged the awaiting Citians, swinging his hammers at multiple opponents. The adversaries stepped back at the ferocity of Kericles’s attack, creating a dent in the enemy line. Men from the four ships crashed into the rivals on land.
Heavy weapons slammed into estra plate, creating deep metal thuds. The plate could not be dented, but strong shockwaves could hurt the body. Finio stayed on the boat, able to survey the whole battle and maintain his comrades’ increased speed. In the middle of the boat, squires watched, ready to jump into battle if their warriors needed anything.
The enemy had no wizard. Their movements to block and strike could not keep up with the viciously fast attacks of the Actians. However, they fought as a team, distracting opponents about to lay debilitating blows on an ally. Tired or hurt men slipped to a second line to recover, while another man replaced him.
The yells of warriors and clashing of metals lessened as the Actians pushed the fight further away from the ships. Enemies fell and lay wounded as the battle trampled past them.
A man from the opposing force yelled, “Yield!” Others did so as well. They dropped their weapons. “Yield!” “Yield!” “I yield!”
While Finio walked to the front of the boat and jumped onto the beach, Kericles laughed in victory. “Men. We won our first battle in the torn lands!”
Cheers rose.
Kericles ordered the rivals to marched twenty yards away, except their leader. Finio jogged to catch up to his allies.
The opposing leader spoke. “We only controlled this landing. We used to control a lot of nice land west of here, but we got pushed out. Now, we control nothing. Congratulations.”
“Thank you.” Kericles said, “You are banished. Go.”
“Sir Kericles, may we keep our weapons?”
He nodded. The rivals grabbed their weapons, still laying in the broken line they were defeated in, then they left.
Kericles yelled, “Scouts!”
An unarmored man jumped from each of the four ships, then jogged to the prince. “Yes sir!”
“I want two of you west. Look for this strong enemy and wealthy land our defeated foe speaks of. Also, one north and one south. Figure out what we’ve captured and bring to me the locals’ representative.”
“Yes sir!” They spoke quietly among each other before jogging in different directions.
After squires removed the estra armor and hung them from wooden carrying poles, the men laughed and ate while they awaited the scouts’ return.
While eating, Finio watched the warriors shove chicken and bread into their mouths. This is the last of the ships’ supplies. We’ll have to live off the land from this point forward. Is that possible?
From the north, two men on horseback approached. One was an Actian scout. He dismounted in front of Kericles, saluting. “Sir! The mayor of a local fishing village. They also have some small farms.”
The other man dismounted and shook hands with Kericles.
Kericles smiled at the mayor. “When did your town last pay the tax?”
“Just yesterday, sir.”
Kericles jerked his hand in front of him. “Darn.”
He surveyed the land north. “What do you know of adventurers’ current control?”
The thin, bald mayor put his hands in front of him. “I’m sorry, but I just focus on my little village. I don’t pay much attention to Citian games.”
Kericles nodded. “I’ll send someone in six days to collect the tax. You’re now under control of Prince Kericles.”
He nodded. “Prince Kericles. Got it.”
The prince turned to his men. “We head west! We’ll meet our scouts on the way. I want more conquest!”
The Actians cheered.
#
Pounding vibrated the ground behind Finio as he ran while the heavy estra armor slammed with greave after greave. The group had defeated a handful of enemy teams with ease, acquiring more territory, but never had an opponent tried attacking Finio! It was hard to run with the huge pot strapped to his back. He feared the man would crush it with his poleaxe. Part of Finio’s mind focused on putting distance between him and his chaser, while another part kept the magic flowing. Kwitty’s power sped up his comrades who blasted into the enemy ranks with heavy weapons.
Finio pumped his speed enhanced legs, but somehow the warrior inched closer. Finio ran as hard as he ever had in any sedeux match, for he ran not for fun or glory, but his life. While chasing, the opponent jabbed his weapon forward. Finio jumped left as the blunt end just missed the pot.
Kwitty yelled from the blue container, “You’ve got to focus my power on yourself. Forget the fighters for a minute!”
Finio knew that was an option, but he feared the sudden decrease in speed would throw off their battle. Half the enemy lay on the ground moaning already. At this rate, the battle would be won, but he had to escape this guy.
His lungs burned. Somehow the guy didn’t slow despite the hard sprint. Finio knew he couldn’t escape.
Kwitty yelled, “Suck his speed!”
“What?”
“Suck his speed! Just do it!”
Finio leapt forward, turning in the air and holding his hands out. He could see blue eyes through the foe’s thin visor slit. The man reared back his weapon to end Finio. Somehow producing a deep sound from his throat, Finio sucked in air while stretching his hands toward the man.
Finio landed, backpedaling as the man froze in his attacking position. Some type of weird energy flowed into Finio’s body, increasing his speed. Kwitty’s power had pulled it in, but…This is not Kwitty’s energy. Finio tilted his head and walked around the motionless man. His legs and axe just barely moved forward. He wasn’t frozen, but going really really slow.
Finio leaned back. “I can take people’s speed?”
Kwitty laughed. “Yay! I didn’t know we could do that either. It just kind of hit me while I was scared.
“Is he just moving slowly, or thinking slowly too?”
From the pot: “Uuuuuuuuh.”
Stamping his foot, Finio said, “How can you not know!?” He pulled a hammer out from his sash, reared back, and slammed it into the back of the man’s helm, then stopped sucking his speed.
He crashed into the ground, not moving. Finio gazed at the battle in the distance, but there was no battle, the enemy had yielded. This power may be useful. We’ll need all the help we can get for the next group… Finio stepped forward before collapsing to the ground as wooziness overwhelmed his mind, then blackness.
Ch. 33
Through several eye-blinks, a foggy world became clearer. A straw ceiling and straw walls surrounded Finio. He lay on a low bed alone in a hut. He let loose a low moan of aching pain.
Someone stepped in from outside. A young Actian warrior looked at Finio.
“Yo! Kericles! Our wizard is awake!”
Kwitty! Finio glanced around the room. Near a wall sat the blue pot, still strapped to the backpack.
“What happened?” Finio asked.
“First of all,” Kwitty said, “we need to feed and water this thing. Your friends have not.”
It was easy to forget an actual animal lived in that pot. Finio let his hand hang from the bed and made squeaky noises. The chinchilla leapt out of the pot and onto the ground. It ran to his hand. Oh, The Divinity! It came! He stroked its head with a single finger.
Kericles entered the room and the creature jumped back to its pot.
Kericles pointed at the pot and laughed.
As an ache pounded through his head, Finio asked, “How much time has passed?”
His cousin knelt next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “You slept the rest of the day and night. It’s almost afternoon now. How are you feeling?”
“My head hurts like I have the flu, but I’m sure I don’t. Kwitty, anything?”
Finio knew his cousin had gotten used to him talking to a chinchilla, even though Kericles couldn’t hear it speak.
“I’m a giver, not a
taker,” Kwitty said. “I didn’t realize going against my nature would take so much out of you. You can slow people, but doing so hurts you. Best you don’t do that again unless you absolutely have to.”
Finio looked at his cousin. “Don’t worry, I did a new spell and it took a toll on me. Just give me another day. And please, Kericles, I know we have dominated every battle so far, but don’t go after the duo without me. I’m not sure we can beat them even with me.”
Kericles smirked while squinting his eyes. “C’mon, man. Did my parents convince you I was so rash? This wizard couple has held their land for five years. They’re well established and have a flock of Citian worshipers who may never return home. I know the couple aren’t high beings, just wizards, but I also know they’re dangerous.”
“If they are so dangerous, let’s not attack them at all. They’ll kill to defend their land. They basically made their own country. There are plenty of weaker territories elsewhere. The Torn lands is a big place.”
Kericles chuckled before staring at his cousin seriously. “You’re not a true Citian yet. Glory is everything. And glory only comes from a challenge. We’ll rest up and collect some taxes. There’s a nice fort right outside this town, I put a few guys in it in case we have to retreat. One of the areas we took had a sweet horse farm. I’ll buy some fresh equestrian legs for our scouts.” He stared off into the hut for a moment before smirking back at his cousin. “Cuz our territory is gonna get a lot bigger.”
#
The fat in the butt flowed back and forth as it shook, rippling across itself. Next to it, dozens of rear-ends vibrated as the naked villagers danced to the drums. Finio and Kericles reclined in their wooden lounge chairs while sipping on sweetened water under large umbrellas that kept the afternoon sun at bay. They stared at the nude performers.
“I don’t get it,” Finio said.
After loudly sipping from his drink, Kericles said, “Yeah, they seem like normal, mundane farmers and townsfolk, but then they have these crazy dances.”