We break camp at sunrise to begin our journey across the vast ocean of grass. After last nights shenanigans, John had to be put into a carriage as he complained about tasting dirt and his head feeling like it was splitting in half. Fucking lightweight. We then spent a quarter of a day traveling across the plans, towards the camp of the grey beaks.
About 200m away, a group of 5 horse riders comes to meet us. They look relatively close to what people would classify as normal apart from a few features that stand out. They are very tanned with butterfly-shaped ears and giant hands that ended in small claws. As they approached we stopped moving to wait for their arrival.
“Greetings ladies Heartstone and friends, we bring greetings from the tribe grey beak.” one of the horse riders says as they slow their approach. As only begin acknowledged as a ‘friend’ I decided it was not my place to answer in the noble ladies place so I gave a respectful nod instead.
The noble ladies in question along with their maid exit the carriage to start a conversation with the messengers. I started to listen until I realized they were just exchanging greetings and explaining what has already happened, so I completely zoned out.
Looking at the riders I noticed that one of the females was looking at me with curiosity, so while the others were talking I went up to her and decided to start a conversation. “I apologize for my arrogance but what do I refer to your people as?”
She looks at me before responding. “There is no need to apologize, I was thinking the same thing about you. We are simply called the nomads, not much different to the humans. We have simply adapted to a different way of life.”
“Thank you for indulging my curiosity. I am an albino, it is just a rare birth defect. So what's the reason behind the festival or more importantly can I join?” manners cost nothing.
“It is a coming of age festival, there are games to play, with feasts and dancing to partake in. It celebrates the coming of age ceremony. The younger generation climbs to the top of the twisted arch to collect a specific fruit. It sounds simple but they will have to fight against the lous flowers which weaken a person the closer they are to them and the higher they climb the higher the concentration of the flowers. There should be no issue with you joining in with the celebrations but you aren't allowed to participate in the ceremony. You may climb the twisted arch with the participants but you can not interfere.”
“Sounds like fun I have never done any of those things before, thank you for the information. Hey, guys I heading to the festival call me if you need me!” Before they could reply I headed off to the camp at full speed leaving a trail of dust and surprised faces in my wake.
Reaching my destination, I plan to find the feast with my sense of smell but that plan immediately failed. There was so much going on, with large groups of happy nomads sing and dancing I couldn't distinguish what was what. So I just wandered around aimlessly looking for things of interest. I played a couple of games such as hit a moving target with unbalanced throwing knives, which I won with relative ease, giving me a few prizes.
The prizes were things such as little wooden dolls which I had no use for. I did notice a bunch of kids looking at me with curiosity in their eyes undoubtedly from my appearance, so I gave them the toys. [Hey little children come over to this pale stranger so he can give you some toys. Yeah I should probably leave before I am put on a list, again.]
Becoming bored of the games I head over to the base of the twisted arch planning on climbing it while sending Shade off to find the others in case they need me [Can't have all my hard work go to waste.]
Finding my destination was easy considering it towers over the entire camp. Getting to it, however, proved to be irritating with the mass of people walking around like a bunch of excited ants. But I managed to make it without harming anybody. [Not permanently anyway.] Finally making it to my objective I notice something slightly odd.
Standing at the base of the twisted arch is an alone 13 to a 14-year-old girl who is wearing odd face paint and a headdress. I can tell from my empathy that she is very upset and her emotions are in turmoil. [Might as well cheer her up, sad people are not as fun.]
I walk up to and stare at the twisted arch with her. “What's the matter, your fashion statement not go to plan? Wow, that sounds bad now that I say it out loud.”
“Leave me be, I can't afford to be distracted.”
“Ah yes, heaven forbid I distract you from standing in the middle of a field by yourself staring at a glorified tree.”
This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.
“You don't understand, I can't afford to fail.”
I roll my eyes
“Sure you can. Failing is easy it's living with failure is hard. Being sad and having a staring competition with a tree won't help the outcome. Unless losing to the tree in a staring contest is the thing you can't afford to fail at?"
She glares at me.
"well, live life to the fullest and don't sulk about matters you have no control over. Don't let the older and stronger tell you what to do, just kill them in their sleep, they cant be stronger if they are dead. Don't think of your problem as one big-picture look at the smaller parts and systematically destroy them.” Before I could continue the girl started to laugh.
“Well that is not what I was going for with my sage advice but that will do.”
“I am sorry it's just you started off so well and then told me to systematically destroy and kill my family and the branch tribe head family while they sleep.”
[I sense a small group approaching us from behind]
“Who people are doesn't matter, it's what they do that defines them and blood doesn't mean shit if they are cunts. I never knew my blood and people I called family betrayed me. So who knows you may be better off removing them.” Before we could continue our conversation the group came up to us. It was a group of boys around our age who were wearing the same face paint and headdress as the girl.
“The fuck do you think you're doing talking to my Jane you little freak,” he says as he pulls me around to face him properly.
[Now this guy can be fun to fuck with.]
“Well, Jane I think I may have figured out why you were upset. Does it have something to do with this thing?” I ask in "concern".
“Do not ignore me freak!” ‘Thing’ yells.
The smile was gone from her face as she nods slightly.
"Don't stop smiling its looks far better on you then the sad staring at a tree thing you had going.
“What are you nodding for bitch? I own you.”
[Little shit stain. I could kill him... but it would be more fun to break him first.]
“First of all, you can’t own someone she can make her own choices and do what she wants. Second of all would you like to make a bet?"
My face lights up as I stop pretending to be concerned and considerate to the little shit and the random female I don't know.
" A race to the top of the twisted arch to write their name on it as proof. If you win I become your slave for a year and you can have all of my money. If I win you have to challenge Jane to a public duel were you announce that if she wins you will terminate any engagement or interactions with her, as I assume that is what is happening. So are you up for it, or you too scared to lose to the freak? This is if you are ok with this Jane” she looks scared but nods again.
As ‘thing’ contemplates my offer I notice many young people with face paint and headdresses start to gather around the base of the tree along with some other random people. [Is the ceremony starting now? I have great timing] “Fine I agree, but we should know each other's name. I am Kristoff grey feather son of the head of the tribe branch and who are, freak?”
“Names Jacob. Now you want to shake on it?”
Nodding he goes to shake my hand and I yell at the top of my voice the bet we have just made to everyone at the base of the twisted arch. He looks around annoyed but shakes my hand while agreeing in front of all these people. [Can't have him back down now can we? First I will break his pride and then I will give the shit stain a painful death. And I also get to help out a pretty lady so it's a win, win situation.]
Before anything else could be said a large gong was brought over to the base of the twisted arch before it was struck creating a loud noise to silence everyone. And an old man begins to speak.
“Greeting participants of the great ceremony, and friends. You should all know the rules but I will repeat them anyway. The ceremony aims to climb to the top of the twisted arch while getting past the luos flowers and to collect a luos fruit and bring it back down. There will be no interventions from others. There will be no flying. There may be fighting but no killing or crippling of any participants or others. On the sound of the next dong, you shall begin.
On your marks…
[Looks like we are starting] people rush to the base so they can climb at a moments notice.
...Get set…
I circulate the aura into my legs as well as adding extra muscle mass as I crouch.
Gong!!!
...Go!...”
I jump straight into the air causing a crater to form at my feet as I am propelled 2Km into the air approximately ⅖ on the way up the twisted arch. I would have gone higher but I did not want to be accused of flying. When I reach the peak of my ascension I grab on to the twisted arch and being to climb at great speed. I make my hands and feet into claws to give my greater purchase as I reduce my weight allowing me to climb up faster.
Originally I wanted to climb up without using any powers just for fun but now I have a bet to win So I may as well go all out.
It does not take me long to climb to the top. The luos flower's pheromones which is what weakens normal people have little to no effect on me so I have no trouble in climbing the twisted arch. Once I reach the top I carve my name in large and deep letters on the bark before I take in the view. For a human, the planes would stretch as far as the eye could see but I could see various forests, mountains, and villages, as well as a city in the distance, where I will travel to after my business with the Heartstone is done. There I can hopefully become an adventurer to grow stronger and see the world.
My sightseeing came to an abrupt end when the sound of shattering glass fills the air. Looking around I see not too far away from the camp aswirl of purple and black takes the shape of a hollow circle where the middle is showing a different terrain than the plans (Basically it is a teleportation gateway). Several men and women walk out from the circle and I feel hostile intentions from them with my empathy. The two strongest of the group come out of the gateway last. One wore black robes with a helmet that covered his face while the over one was sparkling from crystals covering his skin.
At the same time as the circle appearing, Shade informs me through an image that the maid, Amy has taken Sophie hostage with a knife to the throat.
[Hahahaha finally something fun to do, I hope they put up a good fight.] Seeing a group of grey beaks riding over to the intruders I jump off the twisted arch towards them while yelling “I call dibs on the sparkly dude.” [This should be fun.]