by Aaron Hicks
“Just to sleep?” asked Repus outraged.
“Well, it’s that much a night or six gold pieces a week, or twenty four golds a month, and because they’d never had anyone stay for six months, they told me that they would further lower the price to one hundred twenty golds for six months, which is a month free.”
“Before the tournament, I never owned a hundred gold and they get it every four months for every house?” He looked around at all the houses, “I’m in the wrong business.”
“That also comes with a buffet for breakfast, lunch, and what she called supper which she assured me is another word for dinner.”
“Well that makes it better I guess.” said Esolc.
“How many do they hold?”
“They come in different sizes, from single, which is the price I quoted since I assumed we would all want to sleep alone, up to a family sized house that houses five people for three golds a night and everything else is also tripled.”
“We probably won’t get much of a different price since they all compete against each other. How much to stable the horses?”
“Three coppers a night.”
“Well at least that’s close, at only triple the normal weekly rate.” complained Esolc.
“I did say three coppers a night, not a week.” said Heathyr, to which Esolc and Repus’s jaws dropped.
“Wow! We. Are. Millionaires! We could stay here every day for the rest of our lives and never run out of money! You two need to change your ideas of ‘normal,’ because this is going to become normal.” said Laurilli.
Esolc and Repus looked at each other, “Sad,” said Esolc.
“Yes, when children believe they know more than their elders.” Repus said deadpan.
“To lecture one’s elders on money means that one must have no appreciation of the value of money.” Esolc continued.
“To think we’ve failed to instill the ideology of ‘save a copper earn a copper.’” added Repus.
“This new generation is so willing to spend, spend, spend. What happened to the quiet moments in life where one contemplated the next meal, and how receiving it would be achieved?” lamented Esolc.
The both turned their sad eyes onto Heathyr and she added in an equally sad and lamented voice, “These two have always seemed to earn more just by going through their day than most people in a week, month, year, or lifetime. I blame myself.” she pretended to wipe away a tear, “You try your best, but with children such as these, how could I lead them down such a sad path?”
Esolc and Repus each patted a shoulder and consoled, “It isn’t your fault.” said Repus.
“It couldn’t be.” added Esolc.
“For years, she was a ‘normal’” Repus turned his sad eyes on Uktesh, “child.”
“There must be something new in your life, maybe someone new that has taken her, stolen her from the path of righteousness.” added Esolc.
All three of them stared at Uktesh, “The one who stole her from you.” said Repus.
“The one who corrupted her.” added Esolc.
“The one who stole my little girl’s innocence.” continued Heathyr.
“The one who made the three of you millionaires.” Laurilli added dryly.
“Is clearly only misguided.” said Esolc mock thoughtfully.
“Can be redeemed with proper guidance.” added Repus.
“And perhaps she corrupted him more than he corrupted her.” said Heathyr.
All four turned to Uktesh who curled his hand and looked at his nails while he said, “Is able to repeat that feat year after year, but only for friends.”
“Is wonderful!” said Repus.
“A hero!” said Esolc.
“A man fit for my daughter.”
“A fiancée for the ages.” said Laurilli.
“Seriously, though, I want to swim. Are we staying here?” asked Uktesh.
“Yes, as someone pointed out, we can afford it.” said Repus.
“Even though it’s,” said Esolc.
“Sad.” the three adults said in unison.
“Great! So are we going to rent four singles and two families?” asked Laurilli.
“I was thinking five singles and no families. Did you want to stay with your mom?” asked Repus.
“Well Basam will be joining us in two months with nine kids, and I was thinking that since we got permission to sleep in the same room at home, while we were on vacation, nothing would change.”
Uktesh felt his face heat again, “Sounds good to me. So the rooms are eight hundred and forty golds, and to stable the horses is twenty two silvers and thirty two coppers.”
“Hmm,” said Repus again with cold eyes, “again.”
“Lectured by a youngster.” added Esolc.
“I just did the math while you guys were complaining about Laurilli explaining that we’re super rich now.”
“Anyway!” Laurilli said as Repus opened his mouth and she interrupted another monotone rant, “We should get started. It will take some time to load everything in our rooms.”
The three adults walked in the building to reserve the rooms and pay what was needed up front. As they went inside, Uktesh heard Repus say in a flat voice, “To be lectured.”
“By someone so young.” added Esolc.
“And interrupted by another one so young.” added Heathyr.
“Is sad.” they all three said.
“I think that’s going to become a thing with the three of them.” Laurilli said with a frown.
“Sad.” said Uktesh.
“When,” Laurilli added in a flat voice.
“Old people,” Uktesh said and changed his voice to be flat as well.
“Lose their.”
“Minds.” the said together. Laurilli threw her arm around his shoulders, “Stick with me kid, and we’ll go far.”
They turned to look out at the ocean, “Yeah, as a place to stay for a much needed rest, this’ll do nicely.”
Beginning
And so it came to pass that granted to the people was a gift that only Uktesh would deliver. Then and in the times to come, this gift would be that which was the only ray of light in the dark times to come. Their future would be fraught with danger, death, and the threat of destruction for all things living, but the gift of Uktesh would see them through. And though it would come to pass that Uktesh’s life would flee from his body, his gift would remain. That gift, that precious gift was: hope. Even though it was not an auspicious beginning, it was their beginning. The beginning of the true tale of the warrior, the leader, the king, the father, the husband, and most of all the Afflicted: Uktesh.
{From The Life of Uktesh Marrion - 1024 RA – Rise of the Afflicted}
People groups:
Beletarians – Warrior people
Beleshians – Elite Beleterian warriors.
Sinians – People south of Beletria
Armeans – People east of Beletria
Cratoans – People north of Beletria
Grangers – People west of Beletria
Endevarian – Insect-like creatures in the northern part of Arme
Voukidists – Necromacer Afflicted
Afflicted People – Men and women that have been tainted with an unknown power that started only after the Time of Affliction
Afflicted Animals – Animals that are either a blending of two different animals or creatures that spawned after the Time of Affliction
Places
Sinai – Capitol; Baenok in the west.
Beletaria – Capitol; Ukrech slightly east of the center.
Granger - Capitol; Pernatu slightly south of the center.
Cratoa – Capitol; Croatoa in the west.
Arme – Capitol; Stross in the east
Manori – Home of Laurilli, Heathyr, and Uktesh
Balten – Uktesh’s village
Jubay – Coastal town in the southwestern part of Sinai
Isles of Idej – Place where monsters roam, thought to be birth place of Afflic
tion
Isle de Tramonto – resort island.
Redlake – Town in Croatoa
Helsbay – Port town in Croatoa
Afflicted animals
Wosn – Flying snake.
Lion fish – Fish that’s mane is worth a good amount of money.
Turtledove – Flying turtles.
Saberrabbit – Saber toothed rabbit the size of a tiger.
Boacat – Furry snake
Spider wolf – Poisonous wolf; dark red more deadly the poison hairless
Centaur – half man half horse
Minotaur – half man half cow.
Hine – fast flying small lizard that breathes fire.
Mudhounds – canine animals that are covered with a protective layer of mud.
Lickmutt – canine with long, sticky, strong tongues.
Blade birds – flying fish that have razor sharp fins.
Combat moves
Balanced (2nd form):
Willow Bending – Offensive unarmed throw with the opponent behind
Colt springs into the Air – Offensive foot attack.
Dove on the Winds – Defensive sword.
Crescent Moon – Offensive axe.
Cricket Springs – Crouching offensive pointed weapons; lunge.
Sun Awakens the Sky – Defensive; limbo type move.
Bull Rushes Down – Offensive all weapons.
Leaf on the Wind – Offensive unarmed; foot stomp.
Crescent Kick – unarmed top to bottom heel kick.
Moth to the Flame – Offensive sword; weaving diagonal slash
Shield of Air - Defensive/Offensive sword; circular spin
Dances with Bull – Defensive all weapons; spinning sway
Glide Under the Fence – Defensive all weapons; a duck under a chest high horizontal attack.
Imperfect (3rd form):
Lightning Flashes – sword.
Crane in the Weeds – sword.
Matador Sways – axe.
Sword Raises the Sky – sword; down to up vertical or diagonal cut.
Hawk Soars – all weapons.
Leaf Falls – all weapons; spinning to ground slash at legs
Rainbow Kick – unarmed flip in the air kicking the opponent.
Spinning Elbow – unarmed spinning elbow attack
Wooden Post – unarmed front kick
Perfect (4th form):
Thunder Rolls in the Hills - Defensive sword.
Bear Rushes down the Hill – Offensive sword .
Woodsman's Work – Offensive axe straight down.
Farmer Scythes the Wheat – Offensive sword; horizontal slash.
Serpent Strikes – Offensive one legged pointed weapons; lunge.
Crescent Moon – Offensive all weapons; two handed spinning.
Cat Landing on Fence – Defensive all weapons; evasive leap from crouched position.
Sweep the Leg – Offensive unarmed; low spinning kick to the kneecap
Cat Pounces – Offensive two legged pointed weapons; lunge
Palm Strike – Offensive unarmed; palm strikes the opponents anywhere
Rising Knee, Offensive unarmed; jump into the air, grab his attacker behind his head, and bring it down forcefully into his knee.
Crane Snaps – Defensive all weapons quick parry or unarmed used to grab thrown weapons