Diane then stood tall on the roof, grimoire in one hand, the other stretched out, pointed between the twin cliffs that rose above the abbey, and formed the valley she lived in. All was silent there, except for the pitter patter of rain. This was her last chance, for she knew she would be hooked if she tried it again. The monastery had always accepted her, loved her, and for that life to continue, she merely had to rid herself of the book in hand. She looked too it, and the words that called her. The forbidden words that would one day doom her, no matter how sneaky she assumed she was. Words of death, and destruction.
And freedom.
The words flowed like smooth cream, and the power flowed to her tips with the ease of a peer who had cast it a thousand times before. The sparks arced between her fingers, before gathering at the tips of the middle, and pointer. Diane took a deep breath in, and smiled as she released. The bolt that escaped her hand shot out in a blink of an eye, with branches of the deadly shot wrapping around the caster, creating almost a bubble with the excess energy used in such a simple spell. Diane did not flinch, for she knew she was safe. In the accompaniment of her magic, and her lightning, she was home.
Author’s Note
I’ll get back to you after Kat.
…
Bye!
Kat
A young berserker stands in the middle of an arena. The bones of her kind make up the walls and caged top, so that she knows her ancestors watch her in this trial. While this all makes it a sacred place to her people, it only means that he fellow clansmen will yell louder for her victory. None of the hoots, hollers, or even the bangs against the cage reach the lass in the arena. She does not hear it, for if she did, she would have already lost her right to enter their brotherhood.
The woman took in a deep breath, her modest, bare chest rising, and falling. Her eyes were only half open with faded irises, the only sign that her soul was not with the active world, but hidden deep within her body. There it sat in calm, until a wolf bloomed into existence within the emptiness. It growled at her, but only received a calm smile in return. All was still as the two spirits sized the other one up, trying to figure out how the other one worked. Once satisfied, she waited, and didn’t even flinch as the beast lunged for her. When the two made contact, both spirits exploded in cascade of greens and reds, reaching out to fill the shell they had retreated within. The girl in the arena, Kat, smiled, and opened her eyes. “Bring me my wolf.”
An older man, cloaked in a robe of fur, smiled with his daughter. He towered over the others in his clan, and wore nothing other than the wolf’s pelt over his shoulders, so as to bring the leader closer to nature, and thus, the canine blood they believed to be pumping through their veins. One glance at a frail man, set to the side, whose wolf had taken his leg and now resided in the war pens, was all that was needed for the Ashamed to throw the lever to the pen within the stadium. A growl came from behind the great door as Kat’s soon to be soul sister, or destroyer, was set free.
Kat looked past her fiery red hair, crouching low as the first step from her sister slammed onto the ground. Her hair rose, goosebumps covering her bare, petite body as adrenaline filled her. It was not fear that ran through her lifestream though, but pure, uncontrollable excitement. A flash of green passed over her left eye, while a similar red glazed over the right. Her tongue slinked out of her mouth, running over her dry lips as the dire wolf stepped into the arena. It’s hulking mass was almost as tall, and definitely larger, than her, but it only made her laugh. Looking back into the beast’s blood red eyes, her grin widened into that of a mad woman. “Want a hug, puppy?”
The beast lunged for her, its large jaws missing her face by mere centimeters. Kat glided along the monstrosity’s side, her body moving at the rhythm of the creature’s. Such feints continued as the two danced. If it spun, she would soon follow, bounding to keep up. A bite would be met by strong hands pulling at its fur, pulling the girl along its body, and away from the jaws. It was while watching the beauty of her soul sister that something shoved its way into her confidence. A spike that wedged itself into her core, and made her hesitate.
A spike of fear.
Those gathered were not aware of the problem occurring within the soon to be barbarian, but instead they shouted and exclaimed to the clan’s leader adoration for his offspring’s abilities. By no means was Kat the first these men had seen to pass the trial though, but to see one so esteemed as her within the clan filled them with great pride and jubilation. Her father was not ready to celebrate though. Not until absolute victory was to be had. He took in a deep breath, wind building up in his lungs, before it was let out, and his shout rang over the arena like a crack of thunder. “Become one with the beast, and finish it!”
Kat stopped at the words, even as the wolf turned to her. Its piercing, red eyes still held a warmth to her. She felt her arms twitch, and her mind imagined her arms wrapped around the dog. The two being able to fight and survive together. They would be strong, brutal, and legendary.
Teeth barreling at her face brought her dream to an end as the canines came but mere millimeters from her nose. She sprang back, putting distance between her and the swiping claw, whose hair flung dirt away that marred the white skin of the barbarian. It lunged again, and Kat barely dove beneath the hulking mass, coming out the other side unscathed still.
However, the fear still would not leave, and she still wished to show the beast mercy. The hollars of her people surrounded her, boxed her in. They all wanted the beast gone, and for her to do it.If she failed them in this, and attempted to allow her soul sister to live, she would certainly be doomed to the halls of the Ashamed, and perhaps even drive her father to lose his position in the clan. She looked up, hoping for some sort of help. One glance into her father’s cold, green eyes, and she knew she would find none. A tear came down her face as the wolf spun around, and her father turned away.
This time when the wolf lunged, Kat did not merely dodge. This time, she stepped to the side, its fangs missing her again, before leaping over its claws, and onto its back. A cheer came from the crowd as she wrapped her arms around the beast’s neck, and her grip became like iron. She pulled on it, tears streaming down her face. She would blame it on exertion, as her arms, despite being so well trained, were in fact screaming in agony, but they were still not the whole reason. She barely breathed, “I’m sorry,” before a sick crack filled the air.
Cries of triumph could be heard for miles as men banged their weapons on the bone cage that covered the pit, and her father was called back. Her clan was happy, like so many times before. Looking back, the events that caused this sort of a riot were amongst some of the happiest in her life. Now, as she awaited her father to come down and name her as a fully realized berserker, a wolven-kin she felt nothing. It had been her dream for so long to join the ranks of the /others. To be a part of their raids, and destroy everything that might stop her family.
she looked down upon her soul sister, and wished for nothing more than to go back to when two souls were dancing with each other, instead of the none that now sat in the arena.
Her hand gently stroked the fur of her friend as the gates opened to let the others in. She took in one more breath, and let a single tear fall as she closed the wolf’s eyes. She nuzzled against it, before whispering, “Goodbye, my friend.” It was only after this final ritual that she forced a smile onto her face, and stood up. The grin stayed for her father welcoming her to the pack. She couldn’t show them how destroyed she was. Not when they were all so happy, and she had become a berserker, just like so many of them. To be a monster. To be one who could kill their own blood, if they absolutely must to win.
All of this she buried deep as she followed her clan, and joined in on their cheers.
Author’s Note
So these last two are both backstory moments for the couple Diane and Kat, of which, at the time of this publication, I only have one of their stories out: The Bound Bands. And these two have some real backstory t
o them, so expect a bit of a story for this note.
So, first, the stories themselves. These were made almost a year after the first chapter of their book was made, and even from when they were conceived. This is because, originally, these two characters were going to be a co-operative work with the author I mentioned before. He told me the one caveat was that they were lesbians, and I shrugged at that. My fanfiction days had already prepared me for such a challenge.
And so I made a short, angry barbarian, and tall, more stoic sorceress. Classic stereotypes, but with somewhat classic twists to their characters, which is where these two shorts came from. One is the first moment that Kat realizes she isn’t a fan of wholesale slaughter of just anything, while the other is about a nun finding out about the power that she holds deep inside of her, and calls for her to use.
I really love these two, and I do plan to get back to them someday so as to be able to show more of their story, but that’s why I’m also happy that their stories are more standalone than the series I’ve been writing more recently, so that I don’t have to feel quite so guilty for shelving them for now.
Afterword
And now we come to the end of the tales, and as the storyteller, I wish to allow for a more casual ending here. I’m normally an open book sort of person, so if I’m going to say farewell in one last look into my mind, I want to do it in a way that feels personal. Not just some sales pitch like in my normal acknowledgements/endings. Also, there will be an art credits page at the end of this as always to make sure those who help me are still credited.
So, first off, these stories span over two years of writing, spread out from when I was back in Alaska studying to be an accountant, and even to while I’m at Job Corp (where I am at the time of writing this) in Utah, trying to become a Computer Technician or writer. I admittedly really hope that second one ends up being what I do when I leave here, but I need either a big break and a lot more reviews, or more patrons. Aaaaand shameless plug for my Patreon, which you can find under my name: Michael Hudson. You get early access to my stories for donating, which means you can give feedback and make sure I don’t end up missing some small details or large flaws that I’m too close to the project to notice.
But the biggest reason I hope to be able to leave here as a writer is because I love to write, but my mind is a Jumbled mess most of the time, hence why I went by Jumbled Thought for so long online. In fact, that’s where the name of this collection comes from. These aren’t entirely on a whim though, despite some of the author’s notes, but instead a desire to break from what I’ve been writing. Chances to get dark, emotional, silly, and anything inbetween, as I’m a writer who will specialize in almost any genre, and often is working on multiple projects at any given time due to it.
That’s about it for now though. I have had my break from my series, and been able to honor a great man on the day of his death, so the only thing that could make me happier is to know that you enjoyed this, and I thank you for taking the time to read my work, no matter what you shall do with it, or what it means to you.
Art Credit
Demonchester: The person who did the cover, he can be found on Deviant Art and has done wonderful work for me in the past. I highly recommend checking him out, especially if you like anime, as he does a lot of fanart for his favorites like One Piece.
Legends From a Jumbled Man Page 7