a bard’s song, “We are the invisible hands that sow the seeds that make your daily bread. We chop the wood that forms the bed on which you sleep at night. We defend those walls that protect you as you stroll across the marketplace. But people will never see us for what we truly are. Every young man fears to join us, and every twenty-eight year old is ready to forget the past ten years of his life. What we need is not antipathy, but support to form a stronger Guard. I see the bitter truth every day, and it is not getting any rosier. Quite contrary, unless things out here start to calm down, our productions won’t be able to support the city much longer.”
I was absorbed by Terric’s words. Despite being afraid of asking for any more than he already opened up to me, my curiosity pushed me further, “What… what are these things out there?”
“Some of them look like brutes, sheer monsters. Others look unmistakably like you and me. What some have in power, the others have in cunning. Many of my men have been tempted and tricked by the latter. There is just one thing I can tell you,” Terric slowed his speech and looked me in the eyes, “they might look like us, but their souls are possessed by hatred. The most deceptive things in this world are what our eyes entrust us with.”
Chapter 12
“ T ake a seat everyone, and don’t touch the leaves,” Terric ordered as we entered the common-hall. Nigel, Peter, James and I hid in the last row behind the other first and second trimester students. Terric took his position in the front of the common-hall where usually the food was given out, “Today as part of your survival training, I will introduce you to some plants that can either save or kill you, so pay close attention.”
Nigel stretched his lanky arms and yawned luxuriously. “Boring,” he whispered, extending his vowels as if he were physically bored by the lecture.
“See, in the city I would find a nice girl and skip classes like these,” Peter said with a bragging grin.
“I loved taking out ya mother during class, ya’r completely right,” Nigel said with an even more triumphant smile.
Peter punched Nigel in the side, who then bumped into James. “Gentlemen, calm down,” James said furiously, shaking his head from annoyance, “some of us are trying to pay attention.”
Peter and Nigel mocked James and continued with their games. After listening to Peter rant about his girl adventures for ten minutes I jumped in, “Peter has one big mouth, but he never actually touched a girl.”
“Oh really?” said Peter tilting his head. “At your celebration while you were feasting with the Inquisitor I was feasting on the butcher’s daughter.”
“The butcher’s daughter, Johanna? What a whore! I had her before too,” Nigel yelled baffled.
“Quiet down and pay attention you idiots!” said Terric, whom we had already forgotten in the midst of our conversation.
“My parents always said: ‘Sharing is caring’,” whispered Peter patting Nigel on the back, “Adam on the other hand doesn’t like to share. Did you know he met with the Inquisitor’s ward at night sometimes?”
Nigel looked at me in disbelieve. “We looked through her telescope and talked, that is all,” I said defensively.
“Looked through her telescope, I am sure,” Peter laughed.
“Shut up, we were just friends,” I said getting progressively louder.
“That’s enough! Blacksmith, come up here,” Terric yelled angrily.
I hesitated for a moment. After he insisted, I got up and walked to the front of the room. Everyone’s eyes were glued on me as I faced Terric in the front of the hall. He turned to me with two leaves in his hand. They were seemingly identical, with the same light green and slim shape. One of the two had pointy edges, while the other was smooth. That was their only difference.
“You are alone in a cave, starving, and can find absolutely no game,” he said. “Which of the two would you
I was absorbed by Terric’s words. Despite being afraid of asking for any more than he already opened up to me, my curiosity pushed me further, “What… what are these things out there?”
“Some of them look like brutes, sheer monsters. Others look unmistakably like you and me. What some have in power, the others have in cunning. Many of my men have been tempted and tricked by the latter. There is just one thing I can tell you,” Terric slowed his speech and looked me in the eyes, “they might look like us, but their souls are possessed by hatred. The most deceptive things in this world are what our eyes entrust us with.”
Chapter 12
“ T ake a seat everyone, and don’t touch the leaves,” Terric ordered as we entered the common-hall. Nigel, Peter, James and I hid in the last row behind the other first and second trimester students. Terric took his position in the front of the common-hall where usually the food was given out, “Today as part of your survival training, I will introduce you to some plants that can either save or kill you, so pay close attention.”
Nigel stretched his lanky arms and yawned luxuriously. “Boring,” he whispered, extending his vowels as if he were physically bored by the lecture.
“See, in the city I would find a nice girl and skip classes like these,” Peter said with a bragging grin.
“I loved taking out ya mother during class, ya’r completely right,” Nigel said with an even more triumphant smile.
Peter punched Nigel in the side, who then bumped into James. “Gentlemen, calm down,” James said furiously, shaking his head from annoyance, “some of us are trying to pay attention.”
Peter and Nigel mocked James and continued with their games. After listening to Peter rant about his girl adventures for ten minutes I jumped in, “Peter has one big mouth, but he never actually touched a girl.”
“Oh really?” said Peter tilting his head. “At your celebration while you were feasting with the Inquisitor I was feasting on the butcher’s daughter.”
“The butcher’s daughter, Johanna? What a whore! I had her before too,” Nigel yelled baffled.
“Quiet down and pay attention you idiots!” said Terric, whom we had already forgotten in the midst of our conversation.
“My parents always said: ‘Sharing is caring’,” whispered Peter patting Nigel on the back, “Adam on the other hand doesn’t like to share. Did you know he met with the Inquisitor’s ward at night sometimes?”
Nigel looked at me in disbelieve. “We looked through her telescope and talked, that is all,” I said defensively.
“Looked through her telescope, I am sure,” Peter laughed.
“Shut up, we were just friends,” I said getting progressively louder.
“That’s enough! Blacksmith, come up here,” Terric yelled angrily.
I hesitated for a moment. After he insisted, I got up and walked to the front of the room. Everyone’s eyes were glued on me as I faced Terric in the front of the hall. He turned to me with two leaves in his hand. They were seemingly identical, with the same light green and slim shape. One of the two had pointy edges, while the other was smooth. That was their only difference.
“You are alone in a cave, starving, and can find absolutely no game,” he said. “Which of the two would you
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