The Spiteful Swordsmen of the Southern Empire

The warriors have gathered for the tournament. There were only two ideas that would lead a man into joining this madness – glory and gold. The night was young, and after the last few bouts, most of them wanted nothing more than to spend their hard-earned gold. For this reason the tavern was full tonight. It was oozing with banter and laughs. Food littered the ground. There was also an occasional scream or two, and a brief scuffle. Continue reading

A Gust of Wind in the Face

The wan rays of the sun glittered in the tiny puddles that scattered the trail. The pavement was cold and wet from the night’s storm. There were faint traces of snow. Some of it lingered like a crown on a few nearby bushes, while the rest was nested meagerly high above all on the countless barren branches. The wind whistled with tremendous verve, like a warning to retreat. Continue reading

The Ascent

The wanderer pressed his hand on the rock. Grasping firmly, he felt the heat pulse through his hand. The cylindrical structure resembled a well. The boiling wall of stone overlooked the abyssal pit below. The darkness was creeping up from above. Looking deep down below, he grew restless, as sizzling fires snaked across the darkness. Most often, their shape lacked meaning, but sometimes they seemed to be forming words or phrases as if they were speaking to him. They burned into his mind without touching him, his heart throbbed. Continue reading

What Lurks in the Clouds?

The day started with a mild breeze that soon escalated into a roaring, tumultuous storm somewhere in the distance. The wind heaved vigorous gusts at everything around the pasture. The sun hid behind the clouds, and never peeked out. The dozen of men trod forward in silence. It wasn’t that they were particularly weary; their silence came from the lack of enthusiasm. A pointless journey left them slumped forward, ready to collapse from the weight of their armor. Continue reading

A Meaningless Legacy

The sun was hitting the pavement with unusual intensity, but it wasn’t particularly hot. People shuffled through the streets, dodging cars, bikes and fellow residents of the metropolis. The lad sauntered ahead while obliviously staring at the pavement with a shy expression. He came to a halt at the intersection as the lights flickers on to illustrate an intimidating red hand. He sighed. Continue reading