《Gateway》Chapter 50 - The Scrapper's Captive
Advertisement
Chapter 50 - The Scrapper's Captive
Søren knelt down next to the former captive of the Scrappers and took a moment to look them over. The youngish looking man was looking pretty rough. His short, dark blonde hair was matted with dirt, blood, and debris. Blood had dried on his face, crusty on top and still a bit sticky along the hairline. He cradled his right arm against his stomach, holding it close and trying not to move it much as they tried to sit up. Søren reached out and helped the Scrapper's captive to sit up. The captive turned his slate grey eyes on Søren and tried to scramble away.
"Slow down there," Søren said and tightened his grip on the captive's shoulders.
"What happened?" the captive asked, looking around the shattered camp and the bodies that Sehro and Neeka were dragging to the edge of the firelight.
"We wanted to ask the same thing about you. How'd you end up in the hands of these Scrappers?" Søren asked. The captive took another long look around the camp and a long look at Søren and his two companions. Søren waved his hand in front of the captive's face.
"Sorry. I just had given myself up to being sold off by the Scrappers and to have this happen," the captive explained. "It's a bit of a shock."
Søren nodded and pulled his backpack off his back, shrugging out of the straps.
"You don't have to tell me about being in shock," Søren mumbled. "Anyway, let's get you fixed up. I have some bandages and medicine to keep any wounds you have from getting infected. My name's Søren. That's Neeka and Sehro. Neeka is the one with the spear. She's pretty good with it."
The captive nodded, looking between Søren and the Fuerven.
Advertisement
"Water Finder tribe. Haven't seen them in a very long time. Not since my grandfather's time," the captive said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. "I'm Fluke. Fluke Earthrunner."
"Fluke? That's a, uh... interesting name," Søren said cautiously. Fluke laughed.
"Yeah, my father's name is Luke and I was a fluke. So that's what he named me." The former captive just shrugged his shoulders and regretted doing so immediately. He winced and pulled his right arm tighter against his chest. Søren frowned and reached into his mind, past the interface and into the depth of Potential hidden inside him. Reached towards the [Path of the Shaper] and spoke several Atlantean words while pulling on that path. He rested a hand on Fluke's arm.
Congratulations! You have discovered the Skill, [Minor Rejuvenation]. Would you like to spend a skill point to learn it? Y/N
Søren tapped yes mentally and felt the Skill finish casting. A warm green light that reminded him of earth, spring, and renewal spread from his hand on Fluke's arm. Fluke's eyes widened in surprise.
"You're a healer?" he asked in shock.
"I dabble," Søren explained, leaving out the source of the skill being used. He watched as green numbers ticked off every second, as the [Minor Rejuvenation] skill counted down. "A hundred TEK and ten seconds for a few hundred health. Seems decent enough. Anyway, how'd you get caught by the Scrappers? Where are you from?"
Fluke was jarred out of his stupefied state, jerking his eyes away from the rapidly healing wounds on his arm and body.
"Oh uh, the Scrappers caught me out foraging for mushrooms. Good season for it in the backwoods near Karlsfjord," Fluke shared, his gaze steady on Søren. "Small town on the trade road between Haven and the next city-state, Bastion."
Advertisement
"We're headed to Haven. Would your town be on the way?" Søren asked. Neeka had rejoined the two while Sehro was hidden out in the shadows, keeping watch.
"No, not really on the way," Fluke said, "but if you're going overland instead of along the road, it might be faster to visit Karlsfjord first and then take the road. Somewhat safer too."
Søren looked to Neeka.
"That ok with you?" he asked.
Neeka, who had been keeping one eye on Fluke and the other on Søren flicked them both at Fluke and then both at Søren, just nodded.
"Don't make trouble for us Fluke," she finally said after a few long moments. Her spear glinted in the firelight as she turned it slightly in her claws. Fluke's eyes widened slightly and he just nodded back to Neeka.
"Let's head out to our camp," Søren suggested. "Don't want to stay here just in case there are other Scrappers in the area. Neeka, cover our tracks please. Sehro, lead the way. I'll keep watch and help our new traveling companion here."
The group of three from Caisleán had grown by one after a blindingly successful raid on the Scrappers camp. One can hope our lucks holds out, Søren thought to himself as he walked next to Fluke, and slightly behind, to keep an eye on the Scrapper's former captive.
"If you don't mind me pestering you," Fluke asked once they were underway. He then paused and waited for Søren to react. Søren just shrugged and Fluke assumed it was ok to go on. "By the Devourer, how did you get the weapon and armor?!" he asked excitedly. "It looks fucking amazing."
Søren took a deep breath and sighed.
This is gonna be a long trip.
Advertisement
School-life & Swordfights: A Clubs and Stubs Tale
Warning: Clubs and Stubs contains strong language and situations throughout that may not be suitable for younger readers. "This story takes place in a fantasy world with a modernish setting. It mainly follows four students of Hardires High School who are members of one of the greatest Team Arena Squads in the history of gladiatorial school athletics. Already two-time high-school world champions, they have entered their fourth and final year of high school in hopes of capturing a third straight world championship—something that no other school on the continent has accomplished. As they prepare for an upcoming match with a rival school, it becomes evident that keeping their two-and-a-half-year winning streak alive will be tougher than expected. As both personal and external problems abound for the student-gladiators, can they manage to keep it together under the constant pressure of being the perfect fighting unit? A blend of action, drama, adventure, and humor collide in this brand-new series!" Thanks so much for checking out my story! This is the first time that I've released any of my work to a public space so any feedback, be it positive or negative (but please be respectful if so) would be greatly appreciated. I'm hoping that this story is only the beginning of a long-running series of short stories set in the Clubs and Stubs universe. Temporary Book Cover Design by David Watson The release schedule is rather tentative, but the goal is to release a chapter every 2-4 days. I want to make sure that every scene is the best it can be before it’s released, so it may take a bit longer especially if it's a longer chapter. However, no chapter should take more than a week to be released. Each scene varies in length, but are usually between 1,000 to 2,000 words.
8 105The Chains That Join Us
Flip Finnigan, a dysfunctional hedge-wizard with poor social skills, haunted by demons and debt, is drawn into an adventure that could save the world or lead to a disease and demon riddled destruction. Expect: -Character driven storytelling -A magic system built on poetry and occult tradition -Poetry -Adventure; including travel, combat, and riddles -Dungeons and Dragons style storytelling -The power of friendship (kind of?) -Spite. -Mild gore, some violence, and occult content Reviews and critique are highly encouraged. I am a civil and fair responder, don't be afraid to initiate a conversation. This project is complete. Edits may be performed occasionally and suggestion helper is now enabled if you feel like contributing. If you see this story posted anywhere outside of RoyalRoad, AO3, or Inkitt, please let me know as those are the only sites I currently host this story on.
8 162The Rise of the Radiant Rooster
A rooster in a Xianxia world discovers a treasure that grants it sentience. So, it uses that newfound sentience to cultivate and become the most radiant cock in the world. Cover art by j0nn0 Feb 18, 2020: Story’s dropped matey’s. Forgot I even wrote this.
8 279The Vanguard
Eyde arrives in Volgorne, a city built into the side of a mountain, with grand ambitions. However, his dreams of becoming a researcher in the Volgoran Institute of Zoology begin to seem out of reach as an unfortunate encounter leads to Eyde becoming entangled in something larger. The Vanguard is a long-form series set in the world of Esthia. A magical adventure with intrigue and action amidst a setting of Victorian-era manners and technology. Corset, waistcoats, magic, and hidden dangers abound!
8 172Love Thy Vampiress
The world faces a constant threat of unknown origin, the Darkness. Normal weaponry and tactics are useless against them. However humanity has found its weapon to fight the monstrosity: The Vampiress. Formerly ordinary girls who've gone through an unknown evolution that allows them to use magic and convert normal humans into Blood Warriors. Mutsuroku Academy is a education institute on a artificial island to train the Vampiress and their Blood Warriors. Kotaro is a student within this academy, and is a Blood Warrior who fights without the aid of a Vampiress. Join him as he searches for his missing sister, makes friends, enemies, and rivals. Throw in some Vampiress Hunters and a mysterious organisation with an unknown objective, welcome to Love Thy Vampiress.
8 98Whiskey Gun-Smoke
In the city of East Diamond Gate crime flows like the blood of its victims. 2048 is the year of Crime lords and local gangs running the streets, as the cities government turns a blind eye and the police wither away. In order to get a grip on crime an assassin agency has been established, and one of its newer employees being Whiskey, an unranked Gun slinging assassin with a selfish motive. That selfish motive will lead Whiskey down an unexpected road.
8 80