“I have never fought against another human,” Thad lied. “Do you think you can start me on rank two? I would prefer not to jump into this.”
“I could do that,” the man replied. “Though I pity the poor men who you will fight. One of the reasons that we separate by skill is that is allows more to live. It is hard to replace good fighters.”
“I will do my best not to harm any of the fighters,” Thad said hesitantly.
“Well if that is all, I still have much to do,” The man said ripping off a sheet of parchment and handing it to Thad. “Take that to the man at the counter on the second floor. He will tell you what you must do and answer any questions that you might have.”
“Thank you,” Thad said, bowing his head. Without another word, the man walked away and started inspecting the other fighters.
It didn’t take Thad long to find the stairs leading up. The building he was in was large, most likely the second largest building in the city. As Thad looked up the stairs leading up to the floors above, he started to dread his choice. It had been years since he had fought in a real battle, and his nerves were giving him fits. Taking a deep breath, Thad walked through the door and found another man sitting behind a nicely carved oaken desk.
Walking up to the desk, Thad placed the piece of parchment on the man’s desk. The man looked down and picked up the piece of parchment and read it. “First day and already rank two,” he pulled out a full sheet of parchment and wrote on it then handed it to Thad. “You can take that to the first floor and you will receive your monthly stipend. Your first bout will be in three days. Until that time you can train here if you wish. Your weapons must stay here. If you wish better ones you may commission them, but until you reach rank four they must remain here.”
“Thank you,” Thad said, removing the belted sword at his waist and sat it down on the desk and walked back toward the stairs. After asking around, he found a caged room where he showed the parchment and was given a bag of gold. He quickly counted it and found that it held twenty small gold coins. “Do you happen to know where I can find lodging?” Thad asked hoping that the question wouldn’t give him away.
The man behind the desk gave him a weary look then wrote something down and handed it to Thad. “You can go down to Price and ask him to show you a house. I am sure you can come to an agreement.”
Looking down, Thad found that the man had drawn out a map to the desired location. “Thank you,” Thad said, before turning and leaving.
It didn’t take him long to find the building on the map and inside sat a mousey looking man. After a short talk, the man showed him to a three bedroom house near the edge of the city. He had wanted Thad to take a larger dwelling closer to the heart of the city. It cost him seven gold coins a month over the period of ten years, but it could be paid off earlier and should Thad die in the arena before it was paid in full it would return to Price’s ownership.
After a quick walk in the city, Thad had everything he needed to last him for a good amount of time. After he had purchased beds and other furnishings for the house, Thad found that he only had two gold pieces left or marks as the locals called them. It wasn’t a fortune, but more than enough to live off of until he received his next stipend.
Once he was sure everything was in order, Thad snuck back out of the city and made the long walk back to where the others waited. He was surprised to find Bren waiting for him not far from the camp. “How did it go?” Bren asked as soon as Thad had drawn within earshot.
“Well enough,” Thad replied. “I got a lot of information, joined the arena and procured us a house near the edge of the city.”
“That’s good,” Bren said. “I don’t mind living off water and magic bread, but I would kill for something with a little more flavor,” he added with a thin smile.
After rejoining the others, Thad explained everything he had learned. They decided that it would be best if they moved into the house one at a time so that if one of them got caught it wouldn’t endanger everyone.
No matter how well everything had gone, Belaroan still wasn’t happy with the plan. She would needlessly point out every conceivable flaw or problem that might occur. Thuraman was just as annoying, though his worry was easier for Thad to understand. The staff didn’t want for Thad to be hurt, especially given that if anything happened to him, there would never be another person to wield him.
After everything was planned out and the sun had dropped below the horizon, Thad made his way back to the city. The thought of sleeping in a real bed delighted him, but most of all he looked forward to having the weight lifted off of him.
The house was nothing special. It was made out of brick and had a grey slate roof. It wasn’t the outside that really mattered, at least not to Thad, it was what lay inside. The kitchen was small, but the living room held a nice fireplace. Thad took the upper most room and started laying out the things he had acquired. He had gone back to the smithy and bought a large amount of pig iron. He didn’t know what he would make with them, but it had been so long since he had done any enchanting he felt an urge to work while he was here. Maybe there was something he could make that would aid them in their fight.
After scratching down a number of plans, Thad began to get ready for bed. It was already late and he planned to return to the arena to practice in the morning.
Before shutting his eyes to sleep, Thad looked over to the corner of the room where both Thuraman and his sword sat. The sword was decently made, but not the kind that Thad was used to. He missed his old sword and hoped that once he had reached a high enough level in the area, he could either commission a better one or perhaps gain the use of a forge so that he could make one of his own. The idea of working a forge again thrilled him, though he doubted that he would have the months it would take to finish a proper blade using magic. It was a slow process letting magic flow into the metal with each strike and required long tiring hours of working and folding the metal so that it became strong. It was hard work, but in the end what was made would be stronger than any other weapon made and it would be uniquely his.
Shutting out the thoughts that ran through his head, Thad closed his eyes and tried to sleep. For more than an hour Thad lay tossing and turning, some out of anxiety, some out of anticipation, until he finally drifted off to sleep.
Shortly after he fell asleep, Thad felt the call of the darkness. It was a warm call and he knew instantly that it wasn’t Maria that was trying to reach him. Thad feared that his daughter would want to talk about the fact that Bren would not be fighting and let the darkness take him.
As the darkness cleared, Thad found himself standing in an unfamiliar room. There was a four post bed that was covered in dark purple satin sheets. Other than the bed, the room was almost bare except the large number of books that covered most of the floor.
“Hello father,” A wispy voice said from behind Thad.
Turning around, Thad found his daughter sitting in a chair reading from a thick book. “It is nice to see you.”
“Mother has been quite upset,” Sandrea said coldly. “She won’t talk to me about it and Bren won’t answer her summons.”
“What do you want me to do?” Thad asked, though he was sure he knew what she would ask of him.
“I want you to talk to my idiot of a brother and get him to at least try and talk to mother,” Sandrea said in a huff. “I don’t care if they ever get along. He can’t let it end like this, mother will never forgive herself.”
“I think you would have more success with him then I would,” Thad replied.
“Don’t you think I have tried?” Sandrea said with tears brimming her eyes. “We got in a fight and he hasn’t talked to me since.”
“I will talk to him,” Thad said after a few moments. “I doubt it will do much good though.”
As he watched his daughter drop her head into her hands and weep, something tugged at Thad’s stomach. Thad took a step forward, intending to comfort his daughter, but before he could take a se
cond step the darkness drew around him in an instant and he was carried away.
CHAPTER XVIII
Thad woke the next morning still feeling the need to comfort his daughter, but without the ability to do so. It was an odd feeling. It reminded him of when the children were still babes and he would hold them as they cried. He didn’t know what they wanted or what to do. He was lost and even as they grew, he never really got over that. Maria, on the other hand, always knew how to calm the children.
Sitting up, Thad threw his legs over the edge and looked toward the small window in the room. The light filtering in was still dim and Thad caught himself watching the dust dancing in the air. Reaching his hand out, Thad let his fingers comb through the light.
Blinking a few times, Thad’s mind cleared and he slowly got to his feet. Walking over to the corner of the room, Thad let his hand brush against Thuraman. “Wish I could take you with me, but I think you would give me away.”
Are you really sad that you can’t carry me around? I remember you threating to break me many times in the past.
“Let’s just say my time in the void without you opened my eyes,” Thad said with a shake of his head.
You will forgive me if I don’t believe you. Even so, you know that at any distance I can still talk with you and can come to you at any time. I would suggest that you worry more about keeping yourself alive than if you can carry me around or not.
“Point taken,” Thad said with a small laugh. “Well to make sure that I live for longer than a day then I better get going. I am out of practice and I doubt that the young soldiers will give me the time to warm up.”
When nothing was forthcoming from Thuraman, Thad pulled his hand back. With one final look back at the staff, Thad walked out the door of his room and into hallway leading to the living room. Sitting at the fire, Thad found Bren and one of the scion sitting and talking.
As soon as he saw Bren, Thad remembered his talk with Sandrea. A gnawing feeling ate at Thad as he looked at his son. “Bren, can I talk to you later?” Thad said as he berated himself for not knowing what to do.
“Sure father,” Bren replied without ever looking at him.
Thad felt as if he should say more, but nothing came to mind. It was as if he was walking in a darkness so thick that no light could cast a shadow. Disgusted at himself, Thad quickly walked out of the door without getting anything to eat.
The one downside to where his new house was located was that it was a long walk to the area, though today that might be a bonus as he passed many food vendors and had his choice of a nice breakfast. In the end, Thad opted for a loaf of oat bread and cheese. It wasn’t that he wasn’t hungry, but that he knew that eating a heavy meal might come back to haunt him, on the other hand, he could always eat more should hunger strike him later.
Just as the day before, he found a long line to get into the area, and just like the day before he got in the line and waited. While he waited, his eyes scanned the lines of people waiting to enter the area. Most of them looked to be in their early twenties, though there were a few that could barely be out of boyhood. The men in line reminded him of many of the soldiers that had fought in the Brotherhood Wars. They were not warriors, just farmers and common people, who were searching for a place in life to call their own.
“Thad, rank two fighter,” he said as he approached the table.
The man looked up from the long parchment and looked at him. “You do know that area fighters don’t have to wait in line. There is a door on the opposite side that you can enter.”
“Thank you,” Thad replied, feeling slightly embarrassed as he walked past the desk. Taking a sharp right, Thad went straight to the stairs and went to the second floor. Inside, he found a number of warriors already practicing. He also noticed five men moving through them and showing them their mistakes and helping them with their training. After watching for nearly half an hour, Thad went to the desk to claim his weapons.
“Did you find everything you needed yesterday sir?” the man from the day before asked as he brought Thad his weapons.
“Yes, for the most part,” Thad said with a weak smile. “I will still need to get some armor and the like, but that can wait.”
“Unlike weapons, you must provide your own armor,” the man said in an offhanded kind of way. “You can spar with the others or you can work on your own, but I wouldn’t suggest that you make friends,” the man added, almost as an afterthought, as Thad turned to walk away. “You might find yourself faced with them in a death match.”
“Death match?” Thad parroted the man’s words. “Are they common?”
“Not in the lower ranks, but they do happen when one sponsor wants to show up someone he has a grudge with.”
“Do I have a sponsor?” Thad asked wishing that he didn’t need to ask so many questions.
“Not unless one has approached you and you have signed an agreement. Most of the time, the sponsors are retired fighters who now have their own businesses and wish to regain some of their lost glory. There are also lords from the homeland who visit, who like to have a fighter or two with their colors.”
“You can travel back and forth from the homeland?” Thad asked with more than a little shock in his voice.
“Don’t get any ideas,” the man said with a sharp look. “Only those that the great lord has given leave may move through the gate when it is opened, and as far as I know, only his personal fighters are given that privilege.”
“Of course,” Thad replied, trying to sound properly rebuked.
Thad spent the first half of the morning switching between self-practice and sparing with a few of the other fighters. Very little was said during the sparing matches or after for that matter. By midday, Thad felt lonely even though he was completely surrounded by other fighters. When an elderly man entered the floor, he noticed that everyone stopped their personal practice and moved over to where he stood. Not know what was going on, Thad followed behind them, watching. When it became his turn the man looked at him with his clear grey eyes.
“What do you want to eat boy?” the man asked, looking Thad over carefully. “If you don’t know then move aside and let others who have decided what they are going to order.”
Thad pulled out a silver coin from his pouch and handed it to the man. “Just grab me anything that you think would be good.”
“And what name should I put it under?” The man asked, pocketing the silver coin.”
“Thad,” he replied, before turning and returning to the small stone circle that he had been practicing in before. Thad had not even thought about food all day, but now that it was mentioned, he felt his stomach tighten in hunger as he worked his sword through a few simple attacks.
“What are you doing down here in the second level?” A man slightly older than himself asked. Thad recognized the man as one of the trainers that moved among the group instantly. “The proctor must be losing his touch; you should be on the fourth or fifth level with your level of skill.”
“It has been a long time since I held a sword and I was a little unsure of myself,” Thad replied hoping that the man wouldn’t catch onto his ruse. “Thought it would be best to start lower and work my way up.”
“That’s one way to do it,” the man said with a laugh, slapping Thad on the back. “Better to live long than to live fast, I always say. The names Burk. I used to be a level four arena fighter before I took a bad blow to the leg.”
“Bad luck that,” Thad replied, noticing for the first time how the man favored his left leg.
“If you don’t mind me asking what happened to your eye?” the man asked.
“Lost it when I was a child. My father had it replaced with a colorful piece of crystal. He thought it was better than just leaving the socket empty,” Thad replied, this having been one of the questions he had been prepared for.
“From the way you move, no one would even guess that you couldn’t see out of it,” the man said, looking Thad over closely. “I would suggest
that you play it a little. The better fighters will be watching the matches, and every advantage you have against them all the better.”
“I will take that under advisement,” Thad replied.
Thad tried to dissuade the other man from talking to him by making short barbed statements, but it had little to no effect. In the end, Thad and the man talked until the old man returned with their food. Thad ate a large bowl of what tasted like beef stew though it was very spicy and left him wishing for a cold glass of milk.
After the meal was finished, Thad went back to his training. Jerrod, the trainer, sparred with him and Thad found that even with a lame leg the man was twice the fighter of any of the others he had faced thus far. By the end of the day, Thad and Jarrod might not have been best of friends, but there was a silent understanding between the two.
The walk back to his house was much slower than the walk out had been. Every muscle in Thad’s body ached and a few of them screamed in pain. He knew that he could call Thuraman to help sooth him, but didn’t want to risk the staff drawing attention. He would have to wait until he reached the house.
As Thad walked down the street, his weary eyes noticed something that he hadn’t before. The people moved and walked as if they carried an unseen burden. Thad knew the look well; it was the same he had seen when one looked upon the young men of the slave academy.
From most perspectives the city was free and far different than he had expected. When he had first learned about them, he had thought they would be full of scions and he was more than a little surprised to find that humans lived within a protective bubble around the city. The truth though, was that the city was a prison. No one who lived in it could escape with any real chance of success.
When he first noticed a thinning of the buildings, Thad felt his hunger come back to him in full force. He was almost home and his body knew it.
Crystal Throne (Book 1) Page 14