Suddenly, an arrow shot from the trees, bounced of Ty’s armor, and lodged itself into the ground nearby. He turned and spotted an orc patrol, hidden by the side of the road.
“Ambush!” he cried to the others, as he drew his sword from its sheath with an angry ring. Quickly, he jumped after the orcs, beheading the archer who had fired at him. He turned for the next orc, and saw a larger pack approaching. He dispatched the two remaining from the original patrol, and faced the rest.
At this moment, the others arrived. As they arrived, they saw the coming horde, and formed a defensive circle so that they would not be overwhelmed by the sheer number of enemies. Ty saw Edwin’s eyes start to mist over with bloodrage, eager for battle. Ty appreciated the raw strength and rage of his friend, which had impressed him many times during their sparring matches at the academy, but he did not fight as chaotically. Before, he had simply reacted to the threat of the orc patrol, but now he was starting to feel the adrenalin rush, his fight-or-flight instincts flaring, his mind flashing between possibilities and probabilities. He closed his eyes, and took three deep, long breaths, pushing all thoughts from his mind and re-setting the rhythm of his body. As he snapped his eyes open, all extra thought and emotion had been purged; he was nothing now but a galvanized machine of battle, perfectly aware of his surroundings and perfectly aware of his enemy.
As the first orc approached, Ty moved into action with lightning speed. His mind did not process his actions, but instead let his body, conditioned by years of training, move itself to find the orc’s weakness. Without hesitation, his finely sharpened blade flashed to a chink in his enemy’s guard, and withdrew his blood-stained blade as the orc dropped to the ground. Coldly and efficiently, he moved to the next enemy, and the next, with ruthless speed and skill. His mind, detached from his actions, watched as his smooth, flowing movements cut down his foes, his blade moving through them frictionless, effortlessly.
As the last orc’s head hit the ground, Ty’s dance of death slowed to a stop. As he returned to his normal mental state, he reviewed in his mind his actions, and the aftermath, as if seeing the past of another person. The effects of the adrenalin returned, and he felt the ecstasy of battle touch his mind. Instead of embracing these thoughts, Ty was frightened, feeling his primal nature rising inside him. With three more deep breaths, he pushed these feelings down, calming his mind.
He turned to his companions, and saw Edwin’s own battle fury dying down as he wiped his blade on the moss and yelled insults at their retreating opponents. His body was covered with the gore of those who had fallen in his path, making him look like some god of war, fearsome and terrible. The knights had also fought well; Trocvis’ swords had beheaded many opponents, and Lance’s massive sword had crushed many under its power.
~~~~~~~~~
-By, Eternal Swordsman
Friday, May 28, 2010
Thursday, May 20, 2010
The Chronicles of Edwin, Ch. 5 "War and Music"
Bluebirds darted back and forth haltingly, in the way that only small birds can. If one could hear their thoughts they might sounds something like this: SEED yum, ooh twig, look good in nest, must... SHINEY, look good in nest, must... PREDITOR, fly away! And repeat.
It was a beautiful day, and not just for the bluebirds. It was the day after a very large storm. The forest had not yet recovered from the ravages of the previous day and the signs were everywhere. But with this came new growth and a change of scene. It was natures way of pruning her forests and hills. This was the day that Edwin awoke to. He worshiped his Lord for blessing him with such beauty all around. He could hardly take it all in, he breathed in deep while driving his brother to the academy. The new air was like water to a drowning man. Edwin wanted to stop at several scenic places to bask in his Creator's glory. But he had plans that could not bear waiting.
Today he was heading over to visit his friends in an outpost on the edge of a large forest. Edwin picked up his friend Ty and they rode the jeed down the highway. Edwin was not paying attention though, as he and Ty were catching up on one another's lives. They overshot the fort by a good mile or two and had to turn around. Finally they found the missed turn and got off the main road and onto the smaller one that went straight into the forest. It was so green and lush. The storm had really done a number to the trees and the road. A large branch had fallen and was blocking the road. Edwin steered his jeed over the obstacle fine but he thought it was dangerous. This was not the safest place for travelers, even if it were so close to a military outpost.
They couple more bends and crested a hill. There was the outpost. Manned by a family of knights. The two oldest sons Trocvis and Lance were out too meet their guests. They had not yet met Ty, so Edwin introduced everyone and the kinights invited everyone inside to cool down from the journey. Apparently they had been taking inventory of their weapon supplies because hundreds of swords, knives, lances, axes, and foreign weapons were littered all over the main room and covered a massive wooden table there. That was immediately the subject of conversation. Edwin had seen this collection once before, but was still impressed to see it again. Ty's eyes lit up with spastic curiosity. The went through and looked at every single piece in the room, handling the deadly objects with so much reverence and awe. One would have thought they were holy relics blessed by the Pope. Every sword had a story, and many of the weapons had seen use in the field of battle. Quiet as these woods seemed, they were swarming with orcs and large man eating beasts.
They must have stared at cold steel for about an hour before it occurred to them to actually do something. So they went into the basement and pulled out the scryver system and played games where they battled huge monsters. After they got bored of hacking virtual monsters to pieces they went to the large stone dining room and ravenously devoured a wonderful meal provided by the women of the resident family. Once done, they figured it would be a good idea to go out and work off the meal by sparring by the lake. Welcome to the mind of the human male. Battle and food dominate their being, unless one is so unfortunate as to fall in love with some fine dame.
Edwin had brought his own gear, knowing that the knights loved to spar, and they fight not holding anything back. Ty was given his choice of the armor and weapons they had looked at before. After everyone was armed they set out toward the lake. The four of them made an impressive sight. Edwin was a giant of a man armed with a large dagger and a large machete ready to dismember foes. He had very basic leather armor on and looked every bit the berserker one reads about in the old stories. Ty took one of the foreign weapons, a katana, and had a light chain-mail suit with helm. Lance of course had his military issue armor and shield. But he added two slender swords at his and one massive sword slung over his back. Over all this he had a black cloak that added a rather intimidating aura to his person. Trocvis had two broadswords strapped across his back and a machete in his belt. He was crazy and went out shirtless, showing off many scars on a well sculpted body. He wore loose fitting pants, and when one adds the flaming red hair and piercing blue eyes he looked like some demon people scare their kids with.
On their way they passed the fallen branch that had been in Edwin's way before. So they stopped and hacked that thing to pieces and cleared the path for anyone who needed to get through. Then they got to the lake. The sky had gotten much darker, but rain looked far off still so they sat down for a moment to enjoy the view. That's when Ty began to shout. An arrow had glanced off of his mail and scared the poo out of him, almost literally. Everyone ducked for cover instinctively and not a moment too soon. Volley after volley of arrows came in from several directions. They waited till the arrows stopped. For a moment there was silence, then all hell broke loose as a score of forest orcs burst into the clearing with more following.
Ty was about twenty yards from the other three and was immediately surrounded. Fortunately he was a highly trained fighter and he beheaded the first three unlucky crud munchers to step up. The initial fear this struck gave the other three time to rush in and form a circle. They paired up and went to work.
Edwin let loose a yell that shook the trees and barreled at a group of orcs. His machete flailed like a maelstrom of death as he reaped their souls. Edwin had never been this exhilarated. People called him the gentle giant, but after this fight he would walk away with another name, demon of the red mist. For Edwin fought so rigorously that blood and gore sprayed everywhere. He was coated in the stuff, whether his or his enemies, only God could tell.
Ty came in coolly behind and balanced his friend's madness with calculated strikes and a calm demeanor. He guarded Edwin's back and finished off the maimed and dismembered orcs Edwin left in his wake. Ty was not fond of fighting, but the blood lust could be seen in his eye if you looked closely. He was fierce when provoked and deadly with a sword, not to mention his years and years of martial arts experience. He was know by the survivors of the ambush as the reaper, for any orc that met Ty's line of sight was slain moments later.
Trocvis took out several with his machete, then got it stuck in the skull of a particularly ugly orc and gave up on getting it back for the time being. He drew both broadswords and set about wrecking havoc with his deadly duel sword technique. Lance circled close to his brother. He had pulled out his massive Odachi Katana and was taking out sledgelings two or three at a time with the ridiculously massive sword. They were known as the demon brothers, Sun and Moon by the darkspawn of the woods, and they lived up to their titles.
When all was said and done the four of them had slain three score orcs and let another score escape. A truly impressive number, but considering these forest orcs where half the size of the average man and had more of a dumb mob mentality, it could hardly be called a fight. The quartet suffered no major injuries. A few scratches and the like, but other than being covered in gore, they couldn't complain. Once silence fell and all that was left was the sound of their panting Edwin yelled, "Is that all you have you yella bellied bottom feeding scum?!" There was a scampering noise a good ways off and the four of them fell down laughing.
It took a while to clean up the mess. So many dead orcs to burn. The ground of the battle was muddy with blood. It would be a long time before orcs would attack there again. But it was getting close to sundown, so they all headed back to the outpost. They cleaned up and said their goodbyes. Ty had such a great time meeting these guys, he wanted to come back soon. Edwin shared the feeling. They waved from the jeed till the building was out of sight. Then they raced home.
The next day Edwin spent most of his time recovering from the small scratches and sore muscles of the day before. His grandparents came over and Edwin had a lovely conversation with them. He helped his brother set up his Senior board for graduation the next day. Michail had put pictures of him in his custom antique armor and clothing and was going to make the centerpiece the chain-mail shirt he had made. It was a very relaxing afternoon for Edwin, and he was looking forward to that evening. His family was friends with an immigrant family whose sons were in Michail's class at the Academy. The younger son was a brilliant pianist and had invited Michail's family to a recital he was holding that evening at the sister university to the one Edwin was attending.
Before leaving Edwin dressed up in his best suit and came down. He wanted to impress his family, sort of like when he was little and would play dress up. Of course his clothes were wrinkled and over formal for the event and they all laughed at him. This dampened Edwin's mood a bit. He went up to his room and threw something more casual on and sulked out the door. He raced to pick Michail up from the Academy and rushed from there to the site of the recital. It was a beautiful brick building, very old. It had an air of prestige to it, like the presence of the many artists of all ages who had previously performed on that stage.
The young man performed above expectations, his fingers flying over the keys. How he remembered the different compositions was anyone's guess, how many hours he must have practiced for this event. When he had finished he was rewarded with a standing ovation by the audience. His parents and siblings were absolutely beaming with pride. Then everyone went out for refreshments. Edwin stayed with his family for the most part. He didn't have any close friends there, it was more his brothers time to socialize. But Ty's father came by and Edwin, Edwin's father, and his grandfather all had a nice conversation. Eventually Ty's father had to leave, his daughter had to get home to cram for an exam in the morning. So Edwin floated into a corner to enjoy a bite to eat and a little solitude. He spotted Kassia, his old crush who he had run into at the play, and hoped she might talk to him. Sure enough, she eventually made her way over. They caught up on each other's lives, it is funny how much can happen in two years. Edwin was surprised to find her so talkative. He remembered why he liked her back then, she was so amiable and sweet, and such a good listener. If he didn't watch himself he'd talk non-stop for hours.
Edwin had no idea how long they talked, it seemed like quite a long time. He was ready to stop several times but she kept asking questions. Finally she excused herself and left. Edwin was getting tired so he followed suit. He said his goodbyes, signed the guest book, and took off for home. He got there and sat in his chair and let out a huge sigh. So much had been happening lately, it was a bit much to take in at once. The rest of his family arrived at home a few minutes later and Edwin's mother commented, "I like that Kassia girl, she's really sweet." Edwin smiled and thought to himself, I do too. But that was enough of that, it was graduation tomorrow and Michail's senior assembly in the morning. So Edwin stumbled off to bed and fell soundly asleep, dreaming of epic battles and the adventures of Edwin and his brothers.
It was a beautiful day, and not just for the bluebirds. It was the day after a very large storm. The forest had not yet recovered from the ravages of the previous day and the signs were everywhere. But with this came new growth and a change of scene. It was natures way of pruning her forests and hills. This was the day that Edwin awoke to. He worshiped his Lord for blessing him with such beauty all around. He could hardly take it all in, he breathed in deep while driving his brother to the academy. The new air was like water to a drowning man. Edwin wanted to stop at several scenic places to bask in his Creator's glory. But he had plans that could not bear waiting.
Today he was heading over to visit his friends in an outpost on the edge of a large forest. Edwin picked up his friend Ty and they rode the jeed down the highway. Edwin was not paying attention though, as he and Ty were catching up on one another's lives. They overshot the fort by a good mile or two and had to turn around. Finally they found the missed turn and got off the main road and onto the smaller one that went straight into the forest. It was so green and lush. The storm had really done a number to the trees and the road. A large branch had fallen and was blocking the road. Edwin steered his jeed over the obstacle fine but he thought it was dangerous. This was not the safest place for travelers, even if it were so close to a military outpost.
They couple more bends and crested a hill. There was the outpost. Manned by a family of knights. The two oldest sons Trocvis and Lance were out too meet their guests. They had not yet met Ty, so Edwin introduced everyone and the kinights invited everyone inside to cool down from the journey. Apparently they had been taking inventory of their weapon supplies because hundreds of swords, knives, lances, axes, and foreign weapons were littered all over the main room and covered a massive wooden table there. That was immediately the subject of conversation. Edwin had seen this collection once before, but was still impressed to see it again. Ty's eyes lit up with spastic curiosity. The went through and looked at every single piece in the room, handling the deadly objects with so much reverence and awe. One would have thought they were holy relics blessed by the Pope. Every sword had a story, and many of the weapons had seen use in the field of battle. Quiet as these woods seemed, they were swarming with orcs and large man eating beasts.
They must have stared at cold steel for about an hour before it occurred to them to actually do something. So they went into the basement and pulled out the scryver system and played games where they battled huge monsters. After they got bored of hacking virtual monsters to pieces they went to the large stone dining room and ravenously devoured a wonderful meal provided by the women of the resident family. Once done, they figured it would be a good idea to go out and work off the meal by sparring by the lake. Welcome to the mind of the human male. Battle and food dominate their being, unless one is so unfortunate as to fall in love with some fine dame.
Edwin had brought his own gear, knowing that the knights loved to spar, and they fight not holding anything back. Ty was given his choice of the armor and weapons they had looked at before. After everyone was armed they set out toward the lake. The four of them made an impressive sight. Edwin was a giant of a man armed with a large dagger and a large machete ready to dismember foes. He had very basic leather armor on and looked every bit the berserker one reads about in the old stories. Ty took one of the foreign weapons, a katana, and had a light chain-mail suit with helm. Lance of course had his military issue armor and shield. But he added two slender swords at his and one massive sword slung over his back. Over all this he had a black cloak that added a rather intimidating aura to his person. Trocvis had two broadswords strapped across his back and a machete in his belt. He was crazy and went out shirtless, showing off many scars on a well sculpted body. He wore loose fitting pants, and when one adds the flaming red hair and piercing blue eyes he looked like some demon people scare their kids with.
On their way they passed the fallen branch that had been in Edwin's way before. So they stopped and hacked that thing to pieces and cleared the path for anyone who needed to get through. Then they got to the lake. The sky had gotten much darker, but rain looked far off still so they sat down for a moment to enjoy the view. That's when Ty began to shout. An arrow had glanced off of his mail and scared the poo out of him, almost literally. Everyone ducked for cover instinctively and not a moment too soon. Volley after volley of arrows came in from several directions. They waited till the arrows stopped. For a moment there was silence, then all hell broke loose as a score of forest orcs burst into the clearing with more following.
Ty was about twenty yards from the other three and was immediately surrounded. Fortunately he was a highly trained fighter and he beheaded the first three unlucky crud munchers to step up. The initial fear this struck gave the other three time to rush in and form a circle. They paired up and went to work.
Edwin let loose a yell that shook the trees and barreled at a group of orcs. His machete flailed like a maelstrom of death as he reaped their souls. Edwin had never been this exhilarated. People called him the gentle giant, but after this fight he would walk away with another name, demon of the red mist. For Edwin fought so rigorously that blood and gore sprayed everywhere. He was coated in the stuff, whether his or his enemies, only God could tell.
Ty came in coolly behind and balanced his friend's madness with calculated strikes and a calm demeanor. He guarded Edwin's back and finished off the maimed and dismembered orcs Edwin left in his wake. Ty was not fond of fighting, but the blood lust could be seen in his eye if you looked closely. He was fierce when provoked and deadly with a sword, not to mention his years and years of martial arts experience. He was know by the survivors of the ambush as the reaper, for any orc that met Ty's line of sight was slain moments later.
Trocvis took out several with his machete, then got it stuck in the skull of a particularly ugly orc and gave up on getting it back for the time being. He drew both broadswords and set about wrecking havoc with his deadly duel sword technique. Lance circled close to his brother. He had pulled out his massive Odachi Katana and was taking out sledgelings two or three at a time with the ridiculously massive sword. They were known as the demon brothers, Sun and Moon by the darkspawn of the woods, and they lived up to their titles.
When all was said and done the four of them had slain three score orcs and let another score escape. A truly impressive number, but considering these forest orcs where half the size of the average man and had more of a dumb mob mentality, it could hardly be called a fight. The quartet suffered no major injuries. A few scratches and the like, but other than being covered in gore, they couldn't complain. Once silence fell and all that was left was the sound of their panting Edwin yelled, "Is that all you have you yella bellied bottom feeding scum?!" There was a scampering noise a good ways off and the four of them fell down laughing.
It took a while to clean up the mess. So many dead orcs to burn. The ground of the battle was muddy with blood. It would be a long time before orcs would attack there again. But it was getting close to sundown, so they all headed back to the outpost. They cleaned up and said their goodbyes. Ty had such a great time meeting these guys, he wanted to come back soon. Edwin shared the feeling. They waved from the jeed till the building was out of sight. Then they raced home.
The next day Edwin spent most of his time recovering from the small scratches and sore muscles of the day before. His grandparents came over and Edwin had a lovely conversation with them. He helped his brother set up his Senior board for graduation the next day. Michail had put pictures of him in his custom antique armor and clothing and was going to make the centerpiece the chain-mail shirt he had made. It was a very relaxing afternoon for Edwin, and he was looking forward to that evening. His family was friends with an immigrant family whose sons were in Michail's class at the Academy. The younger son was a brilliant pianist and had invited Michail's family to a recital he was holding that evening at the sister university to the one Edwin was attending.
Before leaving Edwin dressed up in his best suit and came down. He wanted to impress his family, sort of like when he was little and would play dress up. Of course his clothes were wrinkled and over formal for the event and they all laughed at him. This dampened Edwin's mood a bit. He went up to his room and threw something more casual on and sulked out the door. He raced to pick Michail up from the Academy and rushed from there to the site of the recital. It was a beautiful brick building, very old. It had an air of prestige to it, like the presence of the many artists of all ages who had previously performed on that stage.
The young man performed above expectations, his fingers flying over the keys. How he remembered the different compositions was anyone's guess, how many hours he must have practiced for this event. When he had finished he was rewarded with a standing ovation by the audience. His parents and siblings were absolutely beaming with pride. Then everyone went out for refreshments. Edwin stayed with his family for the most part. He didn't have any close friends there, it was more his brothers time to socialize. But Ty's father came by and Edwin, Edwin's father, and his grandfather all had a nice conversation. Eventually Ty's father had to leave, his daughter had to get home to cram for an exam in the morning. So Edwin floated into a corner to enjoy a bite to eat and a little solitude. He spotted Kassia, his old crush who he had run into at the play, and hoped she might talk to him. Sure enough, she eventually made her way over. They caught up on each other's lives, it is funny how much can happen in two years. Edwin was surprised to find her so talkative. He remembered why he liked her back then, she was so amiable and sweet, and such a good listener. If he didn't watch himself he'd talk non-stop for hours.
Edwin had no idea how long they talked, it seemed like quite a long time. He was ready to stop several times but she kept asking questions. Finally she excused herself and left. Edwin was getting tired so he followed suit. He said his goodbyes, signed the guest book, and took off for home. He got there and sat in his chair and let out a huge sigh. So much had been happening lately, it was a bit much to take in at once. The rest of his family arrived at home a few minutes later and Edwin's mother commented, "I like that Kassia girl, she's really sweet." Edwin smiled and thought to himself, I do too. But that was enough of that, it was graduation tomorrow and Michail's senior assembly in the morning. So Edwin stumbled off to bed and fell soundly asleep, dreaming of epic battles and the adventures of Edwin and his brothers.
Saturday, May 15, 2010
The Chronicles of Edwin, Ch. 4 "The Play"
Edwin dashed down the stairs. To say he was excited would have been like calling Mt. Everest tall. There they were! His maternal grandparents had just arrived from their distant town of Pleasentville. The room was full of smiles and necks were hugged over and again. News was shared, some good, some not so much. Edwin's grandma had brought him some new clothes, for which he was grateful. He was in dire need of things to wear. Donovan had to show his grandpa his newfound skills with the old scryver Edwin's father was letting the boy use. Donovan was very adept for one of his age.
Soon though, Edwin had to rush out the door to join another party. One of his best friends from the academy was headed off to war as a foot soldier in the Army. Edwin had played football with Johan, and was accustomed to being around to protect him. Edwin was not fond of the idea of his friend going to war. But soldiers were needed, and he had to admit, Johan would make a good one. Finally Edwin made it to the party and shared stories and laughs with all present. There was a good turnout, for Johan was well loved.
But again, time came to leave. It was time to see the play at the Academy. Michail starred in a major role in a classic play by Shakestick. Edwin's family all came shortly after he did and they found their seats. The play was amazing. Afterward it was remarked that people could hear Edwin laughing from backstage in the dressing rooms. This brought Edwin great joy, many a time he had been complemented on his laugh, and he loved to share the joy he found in mirth. Edwin took photographs of all the actors and friends there. So many memories. He found his old drama buddies and they had a little impromptu comedy sketch. She was also there... His big Academy crush. He said hi, but made sure not to get caught in an interesting conversation, who know what that would have done to his nerves. She was, he had to admit, radiant that night. The picture he took would prove that to any non-believer. But Edwin distracted himself and found more friends and soon forgot about her.
He took his brother home. There they said goodbye to their grandparents for the night and congratulated Michail on his performance. Edwin had to tell a funny story about his new sandals before they left though. His grandpa had brought Edwin some new sandals that didn't fit right, but were just Edwin's size. Edwin loved them and put them on immediately. It wasn't for a little while that Edwin discovered a terrible secret. The sandals suctioned to his feet just well enough to make noises as he walked. That night at the play, he was asked by the director to pray for the performance as an Academy Alumnus and former drama student. To do so Edwin had to walk on stage. So in complete silence he walked the agonizingly long trail up to center stage. Each step, despite his efforts, made a noise. It started out as a chuckle, but the kids in the corner burst out laughing and that was when the dam burst. Edwin was embarrassed at first, but had to admit it was funny. It sounded like he had a bad case of the walking farts. After the laughter settled a bit, Edwin blessed the performance and went back to his seat. His grandparents laughed, recalling the scene. What good times had been had. They left not long after and Edwin's family settled down in the family room.
As his family talked, Edwin thought to himself. His brother had great potential to do whatever he wanted, but Michail was on a wait list to be considered for apprenticeship to a blacksmith. It was an art that had largely died out since magitech machines could manufacture their wares much faster and for less money. But Michail had his heart set on continuing these traditions on. Edwin smiled, he would one day be the brother of a blacksmith. It was too much like one of the old books he had read. Edwin was happy for him. Edwin himself was not so convicted about his own career choice.
One by one they trickled upstairs to bed. Edwin was soon alone on his throne looking through the pictures he had taken and reliving the night. It was great, so many new memories, and so many old ones that rushed forth. His brother had done such a good job coming out of his shell. One actor who was particularly good, and wore prosthetic facial hair, appeared in a great many photos. Edwin laughed at his favorite scene as he played it back in his mind. A group of characters talked loudly knowing the bearded man would eavesdrop. The bearded man, of course, did not know this and listened whilst sneaking around behind some bushes. Every now and again he would peep out from behind the bush with the most unique facial expressions, or make a noise then more animal noises to, ahem, divert attention. All it did was divert our laughter into an uproar. Edwin liked this scene especially, since he starred in one much like it while he was at the academy. Big ol' Ed, hiding behind this little potted tree. Pure comedy right there.
He went through the rest of the play and got to the pictures afterwards. There were all his old friends from his days as a thespian. That girl was there, the flash had lit up her face so no one could see it. Edwin thought it was fitting though, a face too beautiful to capture by mere film. He reminisced of his senior year at the academy. It was sad he let infatuation get in the way of a good friendship with a beautiful girl. Edwin sort of wished that maybe he could start over... but that would be such a long shot. The Lord will provide though, and Edwin took solace in this. There were many happy times in the Academy with all his friends. They would gather beneath a giant oak and talk or spar or just do whatever they wished.
Edwin missed his friends and those care free days. He had grown a lot since that time, and by looking back he could see where he had matured. His Lord was truly amazing. So, thinking of all that Edwin had done and been though and how his Lord had always been there for him, Edwin drifted off to sleep in tears. But with just a hint of a smile showing through the pain.
Soon though, Edwin had to rush out the door to join another party. One of his best friends from the academy was headed off to war as a foot soldier in the Army. Edwin had played football with Johan, and was accustomed to being around to protect him. Edwin was not fond of the idea of his friend going to war. But soldiers were needed, and he had to admit, Johan would make a good one. Finally Edwin made it to the party and shared stories and laughs with all present. There was a good turnout, for Johan was well loved.
But again, time came to leave. It was time to see the play at the Academy. Michail starred in a major role in a classic play by Shakestick. Edwin's family all came shortly after he did and they found their seats. The play was amazing. Afterward it was remarked that people could hear Edwin laughing from backstage in the dressing rooms. This brought Edwin great joy, many a time he had been complemented on his laugh, and he loved to share the joy he found in mirth. Edwin took photographs of all the actors and friends there. So many memories. He found his old drama buddies and they had a little impromptu comedy sketch. She was also there... His big Academy crush. He said hi, but made sure not to get caught in an interesting conversation, who know what that would have done to his nerves. She was, he had to admit, radiant that night. The picture he took would prove that to any non-believer. But Edwin distracted himself and found more friends and soon forgot about her.
He took his brother home. There they said goodbye to their grandparents for the night and congratulated Michail on his performance. Edwin had to tell a funny story about his new sandals before they left though. His grandpa had brought Edwin some new sandals that didn't fit right, but were just Edwin's size. Edwin loved them and put them on immediately. It wasn't for a little while that Edwin discovered a terrible secret. The sandals suctioned to his feet just well enough to make noises as he walked. That night at the play, he was asked by the director to pray for the performance as an Academy Alumnus and former drama student. To do so Edwin had to walk on stage. So in complete silence he walked the agonizingly long trail up to center stage. Each step, despite his efforts, made a noise. It started out as a chuckle, but the kids in the corner burst out laughing and that was when the dam burst. Edwin was embarrassed at first, but had to admit it was funny. It sounded like he had a bad case of the walking farts. After the laughter settled a bit, Edwin blessed the performance and went back to his seat. His grandparents laughed, recalling the scene. What good times had been had. They left not long after and Edwin's family settled down in the family room.
As his family talked, Edwin thought to himself. His brother had great potential to do whatever he wanted, but Michail was on a wait list to be considered for apprenticeship to a blacksmith. It was an art that had largely died out since magitech machines could manufacture their wares much faster and for less money. But Michail had his heart set on continuing these traditions on. Edwin smiled, he would one day be the brother of a blacksmith. It was too much like one of the old books he had read. Edwin was happy for him. Edwin himself was not so convicted about his own career choice.
One by one they trickled upstairs to bed. Edwin was soon alone on his throne looking through the pictures he had taken and reliving the night. It was great, so many new memories, and so many old ones that rushed forth. His brother had done such a good job coming out of his shell. One actor who was particularly good, and wore prosthetic facial hair, appeared in a great many photos. Edwin laughed at his favorite scene as he played it back in his mind. A group of characters talked loudly knowing the bearded man would eavesdrop. The bearded man, of course, did not know this and listened whilst sneaking around behind some bushes. Every now and again he would peep out from behind the bush with the most unique facial expressions, or make a noise then more animal noises to, ahem, divert attention. All it did was divert our laughter into an uproar. Edwin liked this scene especially, since he starred in one much like it while he was at the academy. Big ol' Ed, hiding behind this little potted tree. Pure comedy right there.
He went through the rest of the play and got to the pictures afterwards. There were all his old friends from his days as a thespian. That girl was there, the flash had lit up her face so no one could see it. Edwin thought it was fitting though, a face too beautiful to capture by mere film. He reminisced of his senior year at the academy. It was sad he let infatuation get in the way of a good friendship with a beautiful girl. Edwin sort of wished that maybe he could start over... but that would be such a long shot. The Lord will provide though, and Edwin took solace in this. There were many happy times in the Academy with all his friends. They would gather beneath a giant oak and talk or spar or just do whatever they wished.
Edwin missed his friends and those care free days. He had grown a lot since that time, and by looking back he could see where he had matured. His Lord was truly amazing. So, thinking of all that Edwin had done and been though and how his Lord had always been there for him, Edwin drifted off to sleep in tears. But with just a hint of a smile showing through the pain.
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
The Chronicles of Edwin, Ch. 3 "Humorous Happenings"
Edwin lay in his bed thinking about things he had done over the last few days.
He spent most of Friday studying and goofing off with his scryver. Then it came time to pick his brothers up from the academy. That night would be the Senior Ball for the varsity students there. Michail was part of the graduating class and had a fancy suit waiting at home with all the trimmings. Edwin had to admit, his brother had grown into one handsome fellow, whether the girls at the academy noticed or not. Edwin took his brothers home.
Donovan ran off to play as usual and Michail went straight to his room to clean up and get his fancy new duds on. Edwin joked that Michail should wear his mail and sword and the boy nearly did. Their mother quickly stopped that and helped make sure Michail was looking his finest. Then it was time for the family chauffeur to drive once more. Edwin dropped his brother off at the ball then stood around observing old schoolmates and such all looking their finest. It was quite an event.
But Edwin did not stay long, he had other plans. Soon enough he was off to his friends dormitory at the university. Apparently he arrived sooner than expected, because nobody was there. Then again, Edwin was used to this. These friends in particular were not the most punctual and were apt to act on a whim. It was not too long till he spotted them running down the road. They had apparently upset a couple of rather unpleasant witches that attended the university.
Gordon was running and trying to cover a gaping hole in his breeches. It looked like one of the witches had got him with a small fireball. Tiglits head was swollen and orange, rather like a pumpkin. Edwin was in tears about to bust a gut when he decided he'd help them. Quickly he cast a basic smokescreen spell, grabbed his palls, threw them in a dumpster and hopped in after them. The stupid witches ran by screaming hysterically.
"Are they gone?" whispered Gordon. Edwin checked and nodded. The three of them climbed out of the dumpster. Gordon was brushing trash off his shirt, "Thanks for the our Ed, but in a dumpster? Really? Not cool man."
"And what would you have had me done lunk-head? It's a wonder they didn't check the dumpster. What on this green earth did you guys do?" Edwin retorted.
Tiglits shook his head and pointed at Gordon, "Don't look at me, he's the one that can't shut his mouth."
Gordon got rather animated, "C'mon, how was I supposed to know they'd chase us? You didn't exactly try to stop me did you Tigs?"
Edwin gave a stern stare and Tiglets muttered, "...Gordon said 'you won't'" To this Edwin and Gordon burst out laughing. The number of stupid things Tiglits has done after someone said 'you won't' is quite staggering.
"What exactly did you guys do then? Or do I want to know?" Edwin said.
Gordon explained. They had been eating a late dinner at a local restaurant with one other friend, Owen, when these two witches came in. They immediately came and started flirting with them and acting crazy, as per usual. They're not exactly lookers, in fact, Gordon swears one of them is a dude. So the three of them come up with a plan of escape while the girls are distracted by a particularly good looking waiter.
Gordon just happens to have a few stink bombs which he gives to Tiglets. They dare Tigs to throw them and simultaneously pull out the seats from under the witches. So, he does. As a bonus, the waiter tripped and spilled tea all over the girls. The trio paused to admire their work, then dashed outside. The witches seemed to recover much faster than expected and came screaming out of the building. Owen was a bit too slow and got turned into a pig. Then the chase ensued from there.
Edwin had a hard time keeping a straight face through all of this. His friends were... unique. "So, is Owen going to be okay?" he asked.
"It was a temporary spell" Gordon said pointing at Tgilits head as it morphed back to normal. "Owen should be back to normal soon. Let's go inside and see who else is coming."
The plan was to meet up with whoever was still available and go see a scryver show that had just come out. Gordon made some calls but most people were asleep or busy so the group was smaller than anticipated. Not a bad thing, with only five, they all fit on Edwin's jeed. The final party consisted of Edwin, Gordon, Tiglits, Owne, and a rather attractive girl Edwin didn't know named Myra. They were a lively group, it didn't take long for everyone to settle in and open up. Had someone walked by the room they would have thought there was a nitrous oxide gas leak.
Time came to go to the movie so they headed over. Edwin wasn't familiar with this part of town and made a wrong turn, but things worked out and they got to the show way early. The ticket salesman was a hoot. Flirted with Myra and made wisecracks at everyone, he was sarcastic, but not completely overboard. The gang all laughed anyway. They then stood there outside the theater waiting for the doors to open.
The movie was late in starting, so when the lights dimmed and the scryver started up a loud cheer went up from the audience. The show was great, action packed and a joke at every turn. Gordon commented later that he would have to get a personal copy just so he could catch all the lines he missed from everyone laughing so hard.
After the show the group went to a cook out that was being held nearby. They hung out late into the night before Myra said she was getting sleepy and they decided it was time to head back. Edwin dropped everybody off and headed home. It was unfortunate Myra had a boyfriend, she was really cool and Edwin found her unfortunately attractive. That night was full of good memories.
Saturday came, Edwin took his little brother Donovan to piano practice that morning then came home and crashed. He did not realized staying up so late the previous night would take that much out of him. He had plans to attend yet another party that afternoon. But, as fate would have it, he slept till the sun was setting and completely missed the party. Edwin was devastated, but kind of glad he got the sleep.
That was pretty much it for Saturday, Edwin was only awake for maybe six hour at max. Sunday he got up early to get ready for Church. He loved going to his Church. The pastors were so smart. It was like school, but no notes or homework, so to speak. How could anyone not like that?! Edwin went and enjoyed the services and talking with his friends. Some of the things said really plucked at his heart stings. Edwin was very emotional for a guy, and several times during the service he fought back tears. God was so amazing, it is hard to describe adequately all that went through Edwin's mind then. So much love, failure, grace, and mercy.
Edwin went straight home after Church and studied in his room.
The next day Edwin took his last two final exams and felt pretty good about them. He was especially proud of the grade he got on his final project, A+. Since then Edwin had just been taking his brothers where ever they needed to be and sitting at home. The one real highlight of these boring days was when the faeries would visit. They would visit and sit on his shoulders and just talk about who knows what. It was nice not to feel alone.
Edwin continued to review the things that happened in his life as he drifted to sleep. He saw the smiling faces of his brothers when he surprised them with an ice cream treat, his mom beaming with pride as he showed her his project, and his dad passing gas in the kitchen. Things weren't all as bad as he sometimes let on, he thought as he floated away like a log in a gently flowing stream.
He spent most of Friday studying and goofing off with his scryver. Then it came time to pick his brothers up from the academy. That night would be the Senior Ball for the varsity students there. Michail was part of the graduating class and had a fancy suit waiting at home with all the trimmings. Edwin had to admit, his brother had grown into one handsome fellow, whether the girls at the academy noticed or not. Edwin took his brothers home.
Donovan ran off to play as usual and Michail went straight to his room to clean up and get his fancy new duds on. Edwin joked that Michail should wear his mail and sword and the boy nearly did. Their mother quickly stopped that and helped make sure Michail was looking his finest. Then it was time for the family chauffeur to drive once more. Edwin dropped his brother off at the ball then stood around observing old schoolmates and such all looking their finest. It was quite an event.
But Edwin did not stay long, he had other plans. Soon enough he was off to his friends dormitory at the university. Apparently he arrived sooner than expected, because nobody was there. Then again, Edwin was used to this. These friends in particular were not the most punctual and were apt to act on a whim. It was not too long till he spotted them running down the road. They had apparently upset a couple of rather unpleasant witches that attended the university.
Gordon was running and trying to cover a gaping hole in his breeches. It looked like one of the witches had got him with a small fireball. Tiglits head was swollen and orange, rather like a pumpkin. Edwin was in tears about to bust a gut when he decided he'd help them. Quickly he cast a basic smokescreen spell, grabbed his palls, threw them in a dumpster and hopped in after them. The stupid witches ran by screaming hysterically.
"Are they gone?" whispered Gordon. Edwin checked and nodded. The three of them climbed out of the dumpster. Gordon was brushing trash off his shirt, "Thanks for the our Ed, but in a dumpster? Really? Not cool man."
"And what would you have had me done lunk-head? It's a wonder they didn't check the dumpster. What on this green earth did you guys do?" Edwin retorted.
Tiglits shook his head and pointed at Gordon, "Don't look at me, he's the one that can't shut his mouth."
Gordon got rather animated, "C'mon, how was I supposed to know they'd chase us? You didn't exactly try to stop me did you Tigs?"
Edwin gave a stern stare and Tiglets muttered, "...Gordon said 'you won't'" To this Edwin and Gordon burst out laughing. The number of stupid things Tiglits has done after someone said 'you won't' is quite staggering.
"What exactly did you guys do then? Or do I want to know?" Edwin said.
Gordon explained. They had been eating a late dinner at a local restaurant with one other friend, Owen, when these two witches came in. They immediately came and started flirting with them and acting crazy, as per usual. They're not exactly lookers, in fact, Gordon swears one of them is a dude. So the three of them come up with a plan of escape while the girls are distracted by a particularly good looking waiter.
Gordon just happens to have a few stink bombs which he gives to Tiglets. They dare Tigs to throw them and simultaneously pull out the seats from under the witches. So, he does. As a bonus, the waiter tripped and spilled tea all over the girls. The trio paused to admire their work, then dashed outside. The witches seemed to recover much faster than expected and came screaming out of the building. Owen was a bit too slow and got turned into a pig. Then the chase ensued from there.
Edwin had a hard time keeping a straight face through all of this. His friends were... unique. "So, is Owen going to be okay?" he asked.
"It was a temporary spell" Gordon said pointing at Tgilits head as it morphed back to normal. "Owen should be back to normal soon. Let's go inside and see who else is coming."
The plan was to meet up with whoever was still available and go see a scryver show that had just come out. Gordon made some calls but most people were asleep or busy so the group was smaller than anticipated. Not a bad thing, with only five, they all fit on Edwin's jeed. The final party consisted of Edwin, Gordon, Tiglits, Owne, and a rather attractive girl Edwin didn't know named Myra. They were a lively group, it didn't take long for everyone to settle in and open up. Had someone walked by the room they would have thought there was a nitrous oxide gas leak.
Time came to go to the movie so they headed over. Edwin wasn't familiar with this part of town and made a wrong turn, but things worked out and they got to the show way early. The ticket salesman was a hoot. Flirted with Myra and made wisecracks at everyone, he was sarcastic, but not completely overboard. The gang all laughed anyway. They then stood there outside the theater waiting for the doors to open.
The movie was late in starting, so when the lights dimmed and the scryver started up a loud cheer went up from the audience. The show was great, action packed and a joke at every turn. Gordon commented later that he would have to get a personal copy just so he could catch all the lines he missed from everyone laughing so hard.
After the show the group went to a cook out that was being held nearby. They hung out late into the night before Myra said she was getting sleepy and they decided it was time to head back. Edwin dropped everybody off and headed home. It was unfortunate Myra had a boyfriend, she was really cool and Edwin found her unfortunately attractive. That night was full of good memories.
Saturday came, Edwin took his little brother Donovan to piano practice that morning then came home and crashed. He did not realized staying up so late the previous night would take that much out of him. He had plans to attend yet another party that afternoon. But, as fate would have it, he slept till the sun was setting and completely missed the party. Edwin was devastated, but kind of glad he got the sleep.
That was pretty much it for Saturday, Edwin was only awake for maybe six hour at max. Sunday he got up early to get ready for Church. He loved going to his Church. The pastors were so smart. It was like school, but no notes or homework, so to speak. How could anyone not like that?! Edwin went and enjoyed the services and talking with his friends. Some of the things said really plucked at his heart stings. Edwin was very emotional for a guy, and several times during the service he fought back tears. God was so amazing, it is hard to describe adequately all that went through Edwin's mind then. So much love, failure, grace, and mercy.
Edwin went straight home after Church and studied in his room.
The next day Edwin took his last two final exams and felt pretty good about them. He was especially proud of the grade he got on his final project, A+. Since then Edwin had just been taking his brothers where ever they needed to be and sitting at home. The one real highlight of these boring days was when the faeries would visit. They would visit and sit on his shoulders and just talk about who knows what. It was nice not to feel alone.
Edwin continued to review the things that happened in his life as he drifted to sleep. He saw the smiling faces of his brothers when he surprised them with an ice cream treat, his mom beaming with pride as he showed her his project, and his dad passing gas in the kitchen. Things weren't all as bad as he sometimes let on, he thought as he floated away like a log in a gently flowing stream.
Friday, May 7, 2010
The Chronicles of Edwin, Ch. 2 "The Interview"
Edwin could barely sleep. The previous night he had pressed his shirt and shined his boots for the big interview. Normally getting up in time to not be late is a miracle from God, but not today. Edwin rolled over and looked at his clock. He muttered the incantation to make it light up. Gah, still an hour till it is time to wake up he muttered to himself.
Finally the alarm went off. Such an annoying thing it was too. It was an older model and used a cricket to make very loud chirps in quick succession. Edwin thought it might be nice to get the same model his friend had. That alarm used some fancy magitech and made the sound of a beautiful woman singing. Unfortunately, amidst all this thinking Edwin had fallen back asleep. Somehow he realized this though and soon fell out of bed.
He took an extra long shower and made sure to trim loose bits of hair. Then he adorned his one and only fancy shirt, put on the newly buffed boots, and was about to head out the door when his little brother shouted, "Put some pants on Edwin!"
After addressing this minor hiccup, he rushed the boys to the academy and rode off to the headquarters of the Magitech company. It was located in one of the larger nearby cities, but with a magical homing device Edwin wasn't worried about getting lost. He actually made good time and got there an hour early. So, instead of going in early, he decided to have an adventure.
Edwin knew that his childhood home was nearby. It had been six years since goblins drove his family out, and he was curious to see it and his old haunts again. So, in oder not to get lost he reprogrammed the MPS to the new desired destination. The MPS, or Magical Positioning System, is a magical homing device very much like a map. It uses magically imbued crystals suspended in orbit to triangulate one's position on terra and will often map out the best rout to whatever destination one desires. Edwin'd had the the standard options, quickest time, most use of roads, avoid mortal peril, and scenic rout. So, Edwin chose quickest time and kicked his jeed into a full out run.
It wasn't too long till Edwin came upon a crowd of travelers. It seemed two men were in a dispute after they ran into one another on their mounts. Things were starting to get ugly, the guards had already been summoned but that seemed to just make things worse. When Edwin saw a riot troll being summoned by the guards he knew it was time to make like a tree and leave.
Soon he began to see the familiar sights of his childhood. Much of the land had not been touched in the goblin raids and was just as he remembered it, the trees were just bigger. There was the huge church with the steeple that scraped the sky, and there was the old barbers shop and mount feeding station he used to walk to. Then he arrived. The entrance to his childhood village. The gates were broken and mossy like moldy bread. There didn't seem to be any danger, so Edwin rode on in.
There he saw the overgrown hovels of his old friends and neighbors. They looked very much like pieces to a game he once played, strewn about in the forest. He had gotten used to the larger houses of the village his family had moved to. To his surprise, a child came running down the street. He was a dryad, a child of the forest. Looking around, it seemed that a whole clan of dryads had moved into the abandoned village. That was a pleasant thought.
Edwin came upon his childhood home. There were more trees now, and a fence. But it looked nice. He thought about knocking and saying hello just to peek inside. But somethings are best left undone. He moved on and visited a few of the places he used to play and have adventures as a kid. It was all very nostalgic. He wished the goblins had never come. Maybe one day, when he had a wife and kids on the way, he would move back to this village with the dryads and show his children the paths he had carved through the woods.
All of this took place in a rather short amount of time, the speed of thought is an amazing thing. Too soon it was time to go. Edwin really did not want to be late after being an hour early, how bad would that look. So, he dug in his heels and held on tight as his jeed took off at dizzying speeds. Edwin was worried he would run into an all out battle royal on his way back, but it seems the riot troll had be extremely effective. There was no sign of the incident left, just a few ornery guards looking callous.
Edwin's jeed made very good time but they were still a couple minutes late. Oh well, maybe they will think I'm just being fashionable... I do look good in these fancy duds... Edwin thought to himself as he walked into the little building. The trip to his home had calmed his nerves and the interview seemed to go swimmingly. Edwin really liked both the men he talked to, they seemed very down to earth and honest. The company helped construct large castles by providing finely cut steel and stone to other magitech firms. It was not what Edwin expected, but it sounded kind of fun. Definitely a great opportunity. He really hoped this one would pan out.
After going home and having a short nap, Edwin realized he had his next Magitech Final soon. This one was going to be a pain. The class was on using scryvers to solve complex mathematics problems, but the professor was always late, he could never hear her, and they were allowed to bring notes to use on the final. What a pain. Edwin thought about using his scryver from home and splicing his feed into the University's server, but if he got caught he could be expelled.
Once again Edwin was off. It was mid to late afternoon now and the sun was beating down like ticked off mother dragon. So when Edwin got to the storage area, he sat with his jeed in the shade waiting for the bhusr. Whoever was driving this particular diplopod was off his rocker. He flew past the first stop, ignoring a few people and nearly missed Edwins! Luckily two rough looking fellows wanted off and made him stop. Edwin barely managed to get on by running out in front of the beast (they are not so great at turning you see). The driver then had the bhusr scurry on, missing yet another passenger who made an obscene gesture.
After nearly getting hit by a scarab and idling in the most random of places, they finally arrived at the University library. Edwin would not forget this driver and was in a rather wrathful mood. He took the final, but that only served to enrage him further. If one could have seen just how miffed he really was, they would tremble in fear... or at least be rather impressed with the amount of steam coming from Edwin's ears.
Edwin swore, if it was that ratty bhusr driver again he would rip the man's head off. Thankfully it was not, and the sight of one of his favorite drivers did much to put him in a better mood. The view on the bus was nice on the way back to his jeed. It was brunette with long flowing hair and sparkling eyes wearing a modest dress, the only decoration a wild flower amidst the locks. Maybe the day wasn't as bad as it had seemed just an hour ago. After all, Edwin had had a wonderful morning.
Edwin got off the bhusr, thanked the driver, and rode off. On his way he remembered promising to pick his brother Michail up from the Aacademy to get a haircut. Edwin sighed, he wished his brother would get a license to ride a mount, but Michael was too thick headed. As Edwin waited for his brother, he watched the fencing team practice. They were getting pretty good. Sword fighting was a requited class at the academy, but some continued to pursue the art for various reasons. Becoming a royal knight was by far the most popular reason for swordplay though. One had to be and expert to make it past the first round of qualifying exams in that line of work.
Finally Michael came out and they headed out. Edwin dropped Michael off at the barber's and then headed home for a nap. Edwin eventually got out his scryver to see if anyone else was linked up. And sure enough they were. One was a young cook whose skills were quickly gaining repute throughout the land, and the other was a rather eccentric young story teller. They chatted through their scryvers long into the night till Edwin fell asleep where he sat.
Finally the alarm went off. Such an annoying thing it was too. It was an older model and used a cricket to make very loud chirps in quick succession. Edwin thought it might be nice to get the same model his friend had. That alarm used some fancy magitech and made the sound of a beautiful woman singing. Unfortunately, amidst all this thinking Edwin had fallen back asleep. Somehow he realized this though and soon fell out of bed.
He took an extra long shower and made sure to trim loose bits of hair. Then he adorned his one and only fancy shirt, put on the newly buffed boots, and was about to head out the door when his little brother shouted, "Put some pants on Edwin!"
After addressing this minor hiccup, he rushed the boys to the academy and rode off to the headquarters of the Magitech company. It was located in one of the larger nearby cities, but with a magical homing device Edwin wasn't worried about getting lost. He actually made good time and got there an hour early. So, instead of going in early, he decided to have an adventure.
Edwin knew that his childhood home was nearby. It had been six years since goblins drove his family out, and he was curious to see it and his old haunts again. So, in oder not to get lost he reprogrammed the MPS to the new desired destination. The MPS, or Magical Positioning System, is a magical homing device very much like a map. It uses magically imbued crystals suspended in orbit to triangulate one's position on terra and will often map out the best rout to whatever destination one desires. Edwin'd had the the standard options, quickest time, most use of roads, avoid mortal peril, and scenic rout. So, Edwin chose quickest time and kicked his jeed into a full out run.
It wasn't too long till Edwin came upon a crowd of travelers. It seemed two men were in a dispute after they ran into one another on their mounts. Things were starting to get ugly, the guards had already been summoned but that seemed to just make things worse. When Edwin saw a riot troll being summoned by the guards he knew it was time to make like a tree and leave.
Soon he began to see the familiar sights of his childhood. Much of the land had not been touched in the goblin raids and was just as he remembered it, the trees were just bigger. There was the huge church with the steeple that scraped the sky, and there was the old barbers shop and mount feeding station he used to walk to. Then he arrived. The entrance to his childhood village. The gates were broken and mossy like moldy bread. There didn't seem to be any danger, so Edwin rode on in.
There he saw the overgrown hovels of his old friends and neighbors. They looked very much like pieces to a game he once played, strewn about in the forest. He had gotten used to the larger houses of the village his family had moved to. To his surprise, a child came running down the street. He was a dryad, a child of the forest. Looking around, it seemed that a whole clan of dryads had moved into the abandoned village. That was a pleasant thought.
Edwin came upon his childhood home. There were more trees now, and a fence. But it looked nice. He thought about knocking and saying hello just to peek inside. But somethings are best left undone. He moved on and visited a few of the places he used to play and have adventures as a kid. It was all very nostalgic. He wished the goblins had never come. Maybe one day, when he had a wife and kids on the way, he would move back to this village with the dryads and show his children the paths he had carved through the woods.
All of this took place in a rather short amount of time, the speed of thought is an amazing thing. Too soon it was time to go. Edwin really did not want to be late after being an hour early, how bad would that look. So, he dug in his heels and held on tight as his jeed took off at dizzying speeds. Edwin was worried he would run into an all out battle royal on his way back, but it seems the riot troll had be extremely effective. There was no sign of the incident left, just a few ornery guards looking callous.
Edwin's jeed made very good time but they were still a couple minutes late. Oh well, maybe they will think I'm just being fashionable... I do look good in these fancy duds... Edwin thought to himself as he walked into the little building. The trip to his home had calmed his nerves and the interview seemed to go swimmingly. Edwin really liked both the men he talked to, they seemed very down to earth and honest. The company helped construct large castles by providing finely cut steel and stone to other magitech firms. It was not what Edwin expected, but it sounded kind of fun. Definitely a great opportunity. He really hoped this one would pan out.
After going home and having a short nap, Edwin realized he had his next Magitech Final soon. This one was going to be a pain. The class was on using scryvers to solve complex mathematics problems, but the professor was always late, he could never hear her, and they were allowed to bring notes to use on the final. What a pain. Edwin thought about using his scryver from home and splicing his feed into the University's server, but if he got caught he could be expelled.
Once again Edwin was off. It was mid to late afternoon now and the sun was beating down like ticked off mother dragon. So when Edwin got to the storage area, he sat with his jeed in the shade waiting for the bhusr. Whoever was driving this particular diplopod was off his rocker. He flew past the first stop, ignoring a few people and nearly missed Edwins! Luckily two rough looking fellows wanted off and made him stop. Edwin barely managed to get on by running out in front of the beast (they are not so great at turning you see). The driver then had the bhusr scurry on, missing yet another passenger who made an obscene gesture.
After nearly getting hit by a scarab and idling in the most random of places, they finally arrived at the University library. Edwin would not forget this driver and was in a rather wrathful mood. He took the final, but that only served to enrage him further. If one could have seen just how miffed he really was, they would tremble in fear... or at least be rather impressed with the amount of steam coming from Edwin's ears.
Edwin swore, if it was that ratty bhusr driver again he would rip the man's head off. Thankfully it was not, and the sight of one of his favorite drivers did much to put him in a better mood. The view on the bus was nice on the way back to his jeed. It was brunette with long flowing hair and sparkling eyes wearing a modest dress, the only decoration a wild flower amidst the locks. Maybe the day wasn't as bad as it had seemed just an hour ago. After all, Edwin had had a wonderful morning.
Edwin got off the bhusr, thanked the driver, and rode off. On his way he remembered promising to pick his brother Michail up from the Aacademy to get a haircut. Edwin sighed, he wished his brother would get a license to ride a mount, but Michael was too thick headed. As Edwin waited for his brother, he watched the fencing team practice. They were getting pretty good. Sword fighting was a requited class at the academy, but some continued to pursue the art for various reasons. Becoming a royal knight was by far the most popular reason for swordplay though. One had to be and expert to make it past the first round of qualifying exams in that line of work.
Finally Michael came out and they headed out. Edwin dropped Michael off at the barber's and then headed home for a nap. Edwin eventually got out his scryver to see if anyone else was linked up. And sure enough they were. One was a young cook whose skills were quickly gaining repute throughout the land, and the other was a rather eccentric young story teller. They chatted through their scryvers long into the night till Edwin fell asleep where he sat.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
The Chronicles of Edwin, Ch. 1 "The Test"
Edwin awoke to the grating sound of his mothers yells. She had already turned on the lights and made breakfast. "Wake up! You don't want to miss the first day of finals do you?!"
"I'm awake!!!" Edwin retorted impishly as he fell back to sleep. But the instant his head smashed into the fluffy mass that resembled a pillow, the reality of what his mother had said hit him. He bolted up, well half way at least. It took him about three tries to finally sit up. He was not a morning person. But today was different. He had two finals at the regions foremost renowned university for Magitechnology, and he was going to be late!
What was worse was his lack of study, but he was rather apathetic of late. It was time to just get them over with and move on. So, Edwin dressed himself in the new clothes he and his mother had purchased just last night and rushed down the stairs. His father was looking lumpy as ever, waiting to take Edwin's siblings to the academy in Edwin's place. You see, it is normally Edwin's job to take his brothers to Crest Academy but because of finals he had to leave early.
Edwin downed a couple pastries and quick as a click, he was out the door and mounting his Jeed. Now a jeed is a funny looking creature, it is big and furry with huge padded feet. Edwin had an elderly red jeed which he rode around most places, it was his favorite mode of transportation. Anywho, he secured his pack on the saddle and mounted the beast. Pretty soon they were barreling pell-mell down the highway.
It was not long till Edwin had stowed his mount and was riding the Bhusr (the 'h' and 'r' are silent), a giant breed of millipede that had been tamed and was used as public transportation by the university. Edwin wasn't nervous about the exams at all. Rather he liked watching all the others riding the Bhusr as they were frantically looking over notes. One girl sitting across from him was rather attractive. She kept looking his way when she thought Edwin wasn't looking...or so he hoped anyway. It is hard to see what someone is doing whilst not looking at them, no?
Edwin wondered what would have happened had he said something, anything, to that girl on the Bhusr. Probably nothing. Definitely nothing. He wondered why he always daydreamed like this. Maybe it was because so many of his friends were in or in some stage of entering relationships. Or perhaps just his boyhood fantasies of finding his princess and having wild adventures till happily ever after came. Oh well, this was his stop. Time to walk...
Edwin hated walking. He was quite round, some believed him to have giant blood in him, some just thought he ate too much and instead of growing out he first grew up. Whatever the case, his feet disagreed with prolonged use and in the event of walking, or heaven forbid, running! They promply started to whine. But, being used to this, Edwin ignored his feet and walked on.
It turns out he had made great time and was a whole half hour early to class. So, he got out his books and mused over the material. "To use magic to create structures, you must first understand what you create. We begin with the simple rod..." Learning to be a Civil Magitechnician was a lot of work. One had to master mathematics, geometry, alchemy, and other technical skills. But it paid well and Edwin would be able to carry on the family trade. For indeed, both of his parents were magitechnicians and his grandfather was too. He worked for the military building forts and harbors and such around the world.
Well, dreams of grandeur only come true one test at a time. And it was that fated time, Dr. Tayedalhi was passing out the exams. Edwin wished his friend luck and went to work.
Three hours later and a little cross eyed he turned in his paper. He guessed way too much on that exam, nothing good could come from that. That's what I get for not studying I guess... I'll live. He thought as he walked out.
Edwin now had a bit of time on his hand, his next exam was a couple hours away. So, he found a place to sit down and got out his scryver text to check 'face-tome'. Then he remembered he had to make an important call. He had accidentally scheduled and interview with a magitech company during one of his exams. The lady was nice though and everything worked out fine. He would be going the next day at 9:00 instead of 1:00. Disaster averted.
Shortly after his friend called inviting him to lunch. Naterasha and Eliza met Edwin at one of the campuses dining areas. They ate and laughed and studied a bit then it was about time to go. Naterasha stopped everyone to hand out gifts. She had made some little notes with an encouraging 'end of the semester' scripture on it, also a piece of chocolate. Edwin and Eliza each got one.
Then they were off. They ran into a couple friends on their way, but quickly got to Haverson Hall. It was a huge round building where they say terrible alchemic experiments used to take place, and that was why there were plans to demolish it. Whether these stories were true or not, the building was real enough. And so were the stairs. Edwin hated those stairs with a burning passion, as intense as the pain in his calves after climbing them.
They all made it to their room though, and after catching his breath a bit Edwin settled into his seat. I was not too long before the exam was passed out and pencils were grinding lead into endless reams of paper. Math, Edwin loved math. Math tests, those he hated. And this one was no different.
Once again, three hours pass and even more cross eyed than before, he turns in his test booklet and leaves.
Exhausted, he goes straight home to relax and prepare for the next day.
"I'm awake!!!" Edwin retorted impishly as he fell back to sleep. But the instant his head smashed into the fluffy mass that resembled a pillow, the reality of what his mother had said hit him. He bolted up, well half way at least. It took him about three tries to finally sit up. He was not a morning person. But today was different. He had two finals at the regions foremost renowned university for Magitechnology, and he was going to be late!
What was worse was his lack of study, but he was rather apathetic of late. It was time to just get them over with and move on. So, Edwin dressed himself in the new clothes he and his mother had purchased just last night and rushed down the stairs. His father was looking lumpy as ever, waiting to take Edwin's siblings to the academy in Edwin's place. You see, it is normally Edwin's job to take his brothers to Crest Academy but because of finals he had to leave early.
Edwin downed a couple pastries and quick as a click, he was out the door and mounting his Jeed. Now a jeed is a funny looking creature, it is big and furry with huge padded feet. Edwin had an elderly red jeed which he rode around most places, it was his favorite mode of transportation. Anywho, he secured his pack on the saddle and mounted the beast. Pretty soon they were barreling pell-mell down the highway.
It was not long till Edwin had stowed his mount and was riding the Bhusr (the 'h' and 'r' are silent), a giant breed of millipede that had been tamed and was used as public transportation by the university. Edwin wasn't nervous about the exams at all. Rather he liked watching all the others riding the Bhusr as they were frantically looking over notes. One girl sitting across from him was rather attractive. She kept looking his way when she thought Edwin wasn't looking...or so he hoped anyway. It is hard to see what someone is doing whilst not looking at them, no?
Edwin wondered what would have happened had he said something, anything, to that girl on the Bhusr. Probably nothing. Definitely nothing. He wondered why he always daydreamed like this. Maybe it was because so many of his friends were in or in some stage of entering relationships. Or perhaps just his boyhood fantasies of finding his princess and having wild adventures till happily ever after came. Oh well, this was his stop. Time to walk...
Edwin hated walking. He was quite round, some believed him to have giant blood in him, some just thought he ate too much and instead of growing out he first grew up. Whatever the case, his feet disagreed with prolonged use and in the event of walking, or heaven forbid, running! They promply started to whine. But, being used to this, Edwin ignored his feet and walked on.
It turns out he had made great time and was a whole half hour early to class. So, he got out his books and mused over the material. "To use magic to create structures, you must first understand what you create. We begin with the simple rod..." Learning to be a Civil Magitechnician was a lot of work. One had to master mathematics, geometry, alchemy, and other technical skills. But it paid well and Edwin would be able to carry on the family trade. For indeed, both of his parents were magitechnicians and his grandfather was too. He worked for the military building forts and harbors and such around the world.
Well, dreams of grandeur only come true one test at a time. And it was that fated time, Dr. Tayedalhi was passing out the exams. Edwin wished his friend luck and went to work.
Three hours later and a little cross eyed he turned in his paper. He guessed way too much on that exam, nothing good could come from that. That's what I get for not studying I guess... I'll live. He thought as he walked out.
Edwin now had a bit of time on his hand, his next exam was a couple hours away. So, he found a place to sit down and got out his scryver text to check 'face-tome'. Then he remembered he had to make an important call. He had accidentally scheduled and interview with a magitech company during one of his exams. The lady was nice though and everything worked out fine. He would be going the next day at 9:00 instead of 1:00. Disaster averted.
Shortly after his friend called inviting him to lunch. Naterasha and Eliza met Edwin at one of the campuses dining areas. They ate and laughed and studied a bit then it was about time to go. Naterasha stopped everyone to hand out gifts. She had made some little notes with an encouraging 'end of the semester' scripture on it, also a piece of chocolate. Edwin and Eliza each got one.
Then they were off. They ran into a couple friends on their way, but quickly got to Haverson Hall. It was a huge round building where they say terrible alchemic experiments used to take place, and that was why there were plans to demolish it. Whether these stories were true or not, the building was real enough. And so were the stairs. Edwin hated those stairs with a burning passion, as intense as the pain in his calves after climbing them.
They all made it to their room though, and after catching his breath a bit Edwin settled into his seat. I was not too long before the exam was passed out and pencils were grinding lead into endless reams of paper. Math, Edwin loved math. Math tests, those he hated. And this one was no different.
Once again, three hours pass and even more cross eyed than before, he turns in his test booklet and leaves.
Exhausted, he goes straight home to relax and prepare for the next day.
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