《Fields of Deceit (Multiverse OC/SI)》Chapter 4
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There's something to be said about human stupidity. Many things in fact. Their ability to rise in the face of fear is admirable, as it is moronic. I've suffered from that one myself. No, I'm reminded of one particular saying, one that encompasses it all.
Never underestimate it.
I thought the day was over, as I worried about the next, but I smelled them before my other senses caught on. The smell of blood, sweat, and piss. Funnily enough, from three, there was a hint of lilac. Trying to cover the smells that waft during this era. The smells of a life unclean.
There were about a dozen of them, 25 meters away. The most noticeable being what I could tell was Boren. It wasn't hard to guess he had something to do with this and whatever he did, the sounds of armor moving, it was a threat. I could smell the fresh blood on him. Poor Auster...
I tapped Elena's naked back, from on top of my chest, but she only mumbled and clutched tighter. It alleviated some of my unease but I knew I needed to get up. I rolled her softly to the side, disconnecting the arms wrapped around me, and before I rose, I kissed her forehead.
I made my way toward the front door as quietly as possible but before I exited, I called the little ones. As much as it may be smart to greet them in clothes they may recognize, if my guess was correct, going for an impression may be important.
"The Yharnam hunter set, please. And my blade."
They let out a silent cheer, always excited for a Hunt, before they sunk back into the shadows. When they returned, the smell of beastly blood overtook all others. The Yharnam garb was basically dyed in it at this point and while I put it on, memories flashed before my eyes.
It was much the same for the blade, Ludwig's Holy Blade. It feels heavy in my hands. The sheath heavier on my back. Most would go for the more complicated trick weapons, but the simplicity of a sword has saved my life countless times. When it couldn't, nothing else would.
I let myself slip into a time of carnage and claws and when they finally arrived, I opened the door.
"Let the Hunt begin." I mumbled as I stepped out in front of them.
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I let out an exaggerated sigh as I observed them atop their horses.
The two men at the front had a clear resemblance, the same with the only woman of the group. She was in the back but I could see they all shared similar hair and features, dark and grey-eyed. The difference being their countenance. The older man seemed dour and serious of heart, in contrast to the younger, who was already supporting a glare and dangerous smile. The woman though, she looked excited, in spite of the atmosphere around. And, of course, Boren was with them, smug as can be.
"I'm surprised you stayed after what you did to that poor girl and Auster." Boren said, in an air of casualness. He wasn't even trying. I only glanced at him with a raised brow before deciding the better of it and refocusing on the man in the lead. I had a vague idea now with that comment but it was so stupid it was hard to believe.
"To what do I owe the pleasure, Lord... Stark, I believe?"
The man in question ran his eyes over my form, stopping whenever he spotted blood. They stopped frequently. The garb wasn't helping my case but when I decided to wear it, one thing was running through my mind.
Have we not lived in fear enough?
It may be the Dragon blood but I was tired of being put down. Tired of being played by beings seen as superior. Most of all, tired of greed. I didn't have the patience for human foolishness any longer.
I wouldn't become cruel, nor apathetic. But these Dragon instincts? Maybe they were a blessing. They scared me, they truly did. They also were liberating.
It wasn't the Lord that answered but the younger man next to him. I couldn't remember his name, I only knew he is the eldest child.
"You stand in front of us, after what you did, like this? You have some balls, I admit."
"Oh? What I did, was it?" I looked at each of them in the eye, only stopping at Boren for a moment to release a bloodthirsty smile. "Please, tell me, what have I done?"
The younger man pulled his blade free, the others shortly following, but when he made to dismount his horse--
"Stop, Brandon." Short and concise but it did cease the hostility, for a short while. I will admit he did have a voice that commanded respect. Rickard Stark.
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"What is your name, foreigner?"
"My name is Lyle."
"Lyle, then." He seemed to doubt my name, his eyes drawn to my silver hair. My hat did little to cover it, it being so long. "You stand accused of the murder of the town girl Amelia and Auster the hunter. Boren here brought their bodies to me, ravaged and ruined. The amount of blood on you, boy, makes it hard to deny."
I stare him in the eye, as he does the same. I wasn't going to murder these men... nor play this game. My eyes flickered to Boren. But--
Before they could react, I moved. Mayhem exploded as they tried to keep me in their sight. Horses frantic and blades poised, and when it settled--
"Huh?"
I was back to where I started, Boren's neck in my hand, as he struggled to escape my grasp.
"So, you're saying, this sniveling excuse of human excrement, escaped me? To report murders I have no knowledge of?" Boren's begging and pleading supported my claim. "With two bodies on his back? He looks to barely support the armor he wears.
Please, try again."
The silence stretched, as did my shadow. I could taste the fear, even from one such as Lord Stark, who seemed to be a man not easily scared. Tension filled the area and I could feel the temptation of my eyes opening. The beast always hiding in my shadow... and puppeteering this body.
"That was... Excellent!"
And it was gone just like that, as all eyes turned to the single woman in the group. Who's smiled couldn't be wider.
"...Lyanna..." Lord Stark said in exacerbation, followed by an obviously fake cough.
"Yes, well... Regardless, Lyle, even if you didn't commit these crimes, you have just shown you are dangerous. Maybe we co--"
"With all due respect, Lord Stark. Go away." I say as I throw Boren to them. His scream and the sound of snapping signaled something broke. But I ignored it.
"Properly investigate that... thing and give it the death it deserves." My eyes went to Boren on the ground, he was still groaning, but his vision stayed on me in fear. "If I have to do it..."
With that threat, I turned on my heel, going back inside. A yell of 'Lyle' following me.
********
Brandon listened to his father yell to the... monster, as he took in the men's face around him. He was seeing a lot of stone faces, with the exception of his sister. Who has stars in her eyes.
He was waiting for it, what they just saw was impossible. When no one offered what he was hoping, he did it himself.
"What the fuck?!" His voice reverberated through the clearing. His father turned a disapproving stare his way, but he ignored it to mumble more curses under his breath.
"Come, brother, it wasn't that bad." Lyanna said with it giggle. "Did you see the way he moved? I've never seen anything like it."
Brandon sent a baleful glare her way, which, of course, she ignored. Seeing her in her own head, Brandon released a tired sigh as his eyes traveled to the groaning guard on the ground.
"What should we do, father?"
"I believe... for our continued safety, we should leave. Someone grab the guard. Brandon, ask around the town. The man was bloody, but he did have a point. I can't see a way of outrunning him."
They all turned as one, setting course for Winter Town. The guard loading up Boren decided this was the best chance to speak up.
"...um... Lord Stark."
"What is it, boy?"
"I believe that... Lyle. Boren here causes a lot of trouble in town. Using his authority as a guard to solicit sex and favors from the townsmen."
"And this is only being brought to me now?" Lord Stark asked with slight anger. He directed eyes to Boren. "And you, go to a brothel, you fucking moron."
"It has been attempted to be brought to you. By a town's girl. People have been scared and his father is the leader."
"Amelia?"
"Yes, my Lord." Lord Stark could only palm his face.
"Halt. We're executing him now. Perhaps it would appease the man. And Brandon, seize Roland when we get back. Take these guards."
"Yes, father."
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Old Riding Author Lunatic Asylum
Just off the A19, in the dark, incomprehensible lands known as Yorkshire, there lies a town. A town where shadow-silent alleys glint with the secret hunger of knives. Where blood soaks the chipboard window shutters of forsaken terraces stretching off into the night. Where the smog-choked air rattles with the depraved laughter echoing out from clubs that can only generously be described as post-apocalyptic. Well, that’s Middlesbrough. But down the A19 a bit (an impossibly long way down, actually) there lies another town: Raughnen, in the ancient, forgotten Old Riding. It is an equal match in muggery and thuggery alike. It also has magic spells and pointy wizard hats. And now, across the miles and across all sensibilities, a pretty nasty power (a magic one) calls out for its pretty nasty counterpart (a decidedly unmagic one): a proper sound Boro lad. Nothing good can come of it. This is a collection of one novella and four connected short stories: I. A Yorkshire Summoning II. Old Riding Day Trip (the novella) III. Heaven is a Parmo IV. Death on the 66 V. Death on the 257 In total, this comprises 34 chapters totalling around 35,000 words, so try not to worry. It will be over relatively quickly. There are three more short stories with more tenuous links to the core collection: Rush, Paper Round and Scenario 79: Sausage Fingers, all of which can be found in my collection Short Records of Misadventure. Reading these may allow you to make more sense of certain parts of the story, if any sense is to be made at all. NOTE: There are instances of prejudice and discrimination within these stories, including elements of sexism and ageism, which are purely the thoughts and actions of the characters involved and which certainly do not reflect my own views on these matters. ANOTHER NOTE; A WARNING, PERHAPS: This can get a bit weird. In less than 150 pages, we have four viewpoints, first and third person narratives, and a completely disjointed plot with lots of gaps, dead ends and no real resolution. Also ZERO lunatic asylums. It's all a bit odd. If that sort of thing isn't your cup of tea, which it most likely isn't, it might be best to move on now.
8 190Second Chances
Given a chance for reincarnation and tasked by the System, I picked the Sidhe for this second life. A world of Seelie, Unseelie, Kelpie, Redcaps, and Slaugh. The Gods of the Tuantha de Danann forced into sleep, the people forced to remain locked on their home planet. In this latest Book, Teigh Mac de Beleros y Cyronax has saved his people from stagnation and ruin. His denouncement of Olympus and Asgard before the Universal Senate has allowed the Sidhe to break the ties that constrained them, and the chains that kept them rooted to their home world. But the Sidhe and the Tuatha de Danann are unique across all multi-verses and all Pantheons. They have the unique ability to travel anywhere and anywhen. But this ability comes at a cost. The Tuatha de Danann do not have incarnations seeded across each Universe. There is only one Tuatha de Danann, and when Athena and Loki come to Teigh with the tales of a plot that will destroy not only the Tuatha de Danann but the multi-verse, he removes his crown to once more face off against Zeus and Odin and save his people. Second Chances has been taken down for editing and a major rewrite...
8 138The Choices We Make
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8 80To Be Cursed
Scourcers wouldn't be scourcers without chi. The Zagrans wouldn't be Zagrans without scourcers. And Karma, well she wouldn't be Karma without without her father. After King Karmic proposes that he sends his youngest daughter, Karma's kid sister, off to assassinate the Zagran prince, Karma can't keep herself from stepping up. She uses this moment not only to save her sister from certain death, but to gain an understanding of the creatures that everyone keeps calling beasts. She has six weeks to kill the prince, six weeks to explore things unknown, six weeks to figure out why King Karmic really wants the Zagran lands.
8 223Flatlander
A sell-sword struggles to find meaning in a world filled with pain, violence, and loss. Noble Houses rule from Hoverstones that loom over the Flatlands and the Highlands; they act in their own interests, playing politics and more. Tribesmen roam free, a true terror to all they prey upon. Elves scour the lands for objects of great power. And there are rumors of dragons, reemerging at the beckon call of new masters.... Written in a style similar to Game of Thrones, though different and unique, Flatlander is a serial novel filled with uncertainty, peril, and, for the bold, fortune. Enjoy!
8 167Bloody Angel
A youth, who died to a heart disease gets reincarnated in a world of Immortals. However, his reincarnation dosen't end up being as good as he imagined. Being born with a special bodily constitution, gets him shunned from the clan. Living a tough life on his own, with no one to rely on, except for his Yeti, he climbs the lowest levels to the top. Follow him and his Yeti on his yourney on becoming an Immortal himself.*Contains cursing and complete prick attitudes later on.*If you find typos, let mek now so i can fix them.I may rewrite the previous chapters as the story goes along to make it more in line with the later chapters. Think of it like this, I just had a better idea how to progress the story.
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