《A Journey Away - Book One of The Eternal Flame》Chapter 7
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The soldiers had stacked the multitude of dead bodies into a massive grave made by the wave of Bialo’s hand. No words were spoken, or visible strain was seen as the very earth itself opened its hungry maw. Devouring them in but seconds with another wave of his hand. The simplicity of the act left Michael reeling in confusion and surprise. Bialo had to do nothing at all except gesture, and the world reacted in obedience to his call.
Giving a small prayer to the deceased, he stood in silent remembrance of the ragged people that died for striking at him. In truth, he felt kind of bad for them. Not because they died, no he had nothing but apathy for those that would allow their greed to control them into attacking him. Instead, he felt sorry for those they left behind. Those that had nothing to do with the stupidity that brought them head first into Jax’s blade.
Those dead bodies they had stacked haphazardly were brothers, sisters, mothers, fathers, or grandparents. Someone out there would be waiting for their loved ones return only to be left in their lonesome. Michael felt terrible because he had existed for months in a condition he deemed to be similar. Without family or friends to speak to, just the dark and dusty prison he was placed in. Images of him trying to talk to the guard that had brought him the nasty slush they called food, only to be wholly ignored brought phantom pains he would be better off never feeling ever again.
“Young Master,” called Bialo as he walked towards Michael. Having given him time for himself, to deal with any demons he carried, Bialo needed to speak to him. To discuss their next move.
“Bialo, I’ve been meaning to speak with you. We’ve just been rushed, haven't we?” said Michael, his eyes still stuck on the unmarked grave they had made.
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“Yes, we have much to speak of. But first we must leave this area, we do not need monsters to harry our path more. They leave a very distinct trail,” said Bialo as he began to lead Michael towards the caravan wagon he had woken up in.
As they walked towards it, Michael noticed that everything had been cleaned from blood stains and camp ready to move at a moments notice. It had Michael a bit confused wondering how long he had just quietly stood there thinking. Time moved too fast, extremely disconcerting considering it took forever to pass for his imprisonment.
Shaking his head, he walked up to the wagon, finally seeing it as it was. Massive, it was coated with a brown exterior that matched the wood used underneath. With a pointed roof, and covered in tiles, it was far to decorated for the forest. The wear and tears of travel was already visible on the walls as scratch marks, and a couple of arrows made their mark. Walking up to the door, Bialo made a hand gesture, raising the ground to form steps up to the door. Making it easier to climb.
The door wide open, Bialo extended his arm towards the opening as he lowered his head. Making it clear that Michael was to enter first. Taking the stone and dirt steps up, he entered and was quickly followed by Bialo, closing the door after his entrance. Already seated on the bed, Jax, his frame somehow made to fit, and Agata were seated patiently, but they rose to their feet the second they noticed Michael step in through the doors. They waited on their feet, only seating themselves after their liege had been in his chair.
Unlike before, the wagon was emptied of boxes and things, cleared up leaving space for chairs and a table too, where they sat around. Michael was resting on a red, gold, and plump seat that had soft cushions that he sank in. The others were on chairs of wood with little to no comfort added. As they stayed silent, the rumbling of tires hooves and commands sound clear to them as they began to move once more.
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Clearing his throat, Michael gestured for Bialo to begin as an image of meetings his father had forced him to participate in seemed to guide him on specific protocols and mannerisms. Only speak sparingly, never rest your elbows on the table, let others talk and report to you while you only guide the discussion. There were too many to count.
“As your father's final step, we are to head towards the desert Empire of Rimal. And past that into the Kingdom Atop the Mountain. He had accounted for a great delay and threat in which we would have to go through Death's Forest instead of around it. Though, I would find great comfort knowing we can still go around,” said Bialo frowning as he finished off.
Having just seen the man raise the earth to make stairs, gobble up a multitude of bandits into the earth, then close the enormous hole he had made, Michael was kind of surprised anything could make Bialo anything less than comfortable. And if there were things out in the wild, that could, well that was too frightening of a prospect to think about.
“While it would be a definite increase in safety to go around Death’s Forest. I am not sure we can,” said Jax in reply. “If the dregs of society knew which road we would follow, it is all but guaranteed that those with much more resources know too. I wouldn’t be surprised if they were hired for the sole purpose of slowing us down until more capable people arrive,”
Hearing this Bialo’s frown deepened and a contemplative look crossed his face. As though he would risk being outmaneuvered and caught by larger forces just to not enter a forest. After what looked to be an internal debate, Bialo agreed that it would be wiser to move through the woods than around it. Having also gotten Michael’s approval to move forward, Jax, Agata, and Bialo excused themselves to give him some space and time alone.
But, before Bialo left, trailing the other two, Michael called for him. Waving him to return for another conversation entirely.
“Bialo,” said Michael, as a few vague memories of his time in imprisonment came into view giving him a headache.
“I still don't understand, why did I have to be stuck for three entire months in that hellhole?”
Instead of the response, he was expecting, Bialo looked at him with a confused expression. For a few seconds, that awkward silence extended until Bialo cleared his throat.
“You haven’t read The Scripts of Kings, have you?” Bialo said, noticing Michael nodding sheepishly.
“It was your father’s life work, read it and internalize it. It will help you become as great, or maybe one day, greater than your father had been. May his soul forever rest in the spirit realms. Now if you will excuse me, Young Master, I must see that we are following the correct path to Death’s Forest,”
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Darke Mag'yx
The dread visage of the lord necromancer, sending forth a sea of rotting flesh to mould the world in his image. This wonderful picture flickers and dies as Lucien's undead construct stumbles and promptly melts into an unmentionable slurry. As Lucien struggles to become the dread necromancer he knows he should be, he gets swept up in nationwide conflict that he wants no part in.
8 220Legacy of the Resourceful Hero
A hero by the name of Cereo is summoned from a cube moments before the entirety of Sabarum is laid to waste. Using nothing but his resourcefulness, he creates incredibly powerful gear and weapons on the fly using whatever he manages to find. Whether it's grass, dirt, sand, or - anything else! He manages to construct gear superior to even that of legend. Using his unrivaled skill, he defeats onslaught after onslaught of demonic and monstrous armies, eliminates disease that plagues the world to a seemingly unstoppable degree, and takes care of any and all problems this dangerous world seems to currently face. But... as the opposing force progressively becomes more difficult to fend off, Cereo comes to find out that this gimmick of his is not all that it takes to protect Sabarum. Furthermore, he begins to question whether or not the protection of this land is what's truly important.
8 128Odyssey Of Zero: Journey Ablaze
Lass, a young, shut-in smith who recently suffered the loss of his father, woke up one day to be greeted by something most unexpected. The goddess that seemed to be a work of fiction and appear only in fairytales made for kids, was now indeed standing before him. Telling him that the world and fairytales he once heard were but mere lies, he realized that not all stories can have a happy ending... Now knowing how much is at stake, Lass agreed to accompany the goddess in her quest to save the world they call their home. But throughout it all...why did it feel like something was missing? Like a memory that's been erased and a part of him taken away? Despite him thinking it'd be a swift escort, he instead got dragged along into the thrill and the battles of an adventure with epic proportions, in a journey most bizarre. Now travelling throughout the entirety of the world he had once exclusively thought to be around his home and smithy, they would soon realize that there's many more faces to meet as well as much more to see, feel and experience, than what they could have ever imagined.
8 116Cursed Anti-Hero Against the Gods
I died... that's easy to understand. I am going to be reincarnated based on what that registration lady said, that's also easy to understand. Apparently a Hero is going to be reincarnated into the new world, it's not me so I don't care. BUT WHY DID I GET CURSED BY ALL THE GODS BEFORE REINCARNATING!
8 208F.T.Willz poems (prolly frank iero no one knows)
i've scoured the internet for these lol
8 213LOVE IS NOT FORCED... IT HAPPENS BY ITSELF♥️♥️
here moran are married forcefully but how they clear their way to love this story is all about it....
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