Lameria: Surviving Fate

ABSOLUTE CHEESE

Flames reached high and far into the night sky as the moon shone down on the cobbled street below. Crowds of onlookers stood around the former Inn in shock, none attempting to venture in to save the family within. Nearly thirty bandits stood in a circle around the building, waiting for any signs of life to emerge from the charred oaken doors. The attack had occurred in the middle of the night when everyone was sleeping, some tried to attack the bandits or save the family within, all of which were cut down.
The leader of the bandits re-tied his shoulder length blonde hair as his eyes swept over the carnage. It had been an easy attack for the bandits, they family hadn’t put up any fight at all. Sligg regretted bringing along his bow, he had hoped to get some practice with it before the night was out.
Lifting his right arm into the air, Sligg gestured for the bandits to regroup and prepare to leave. More guards would be on their way, and the mission was completed.
Townspeople took a few steps backward as the bandits formed around their mounts, each one of them ashamed of their own fear to protect neighbours that would have died for them. Cries echoed into the night as the horses galloped in their escape. The falling of the central door caused the crowds to turn their attention back from the bandits to the scene before them.
Niek stood in the flaming doorway, the dead bodies of his parents slung over his shoulders. Everyone watched the young man for a few moments as he walked out of the burning building. The innkeeper’s son laid the two corpses down at the cobbles before looking towards the retreating figures. Tears lined his face as he walked toward one of the dead guards.

Sligg grinned widely as he galloped towards the slums of the city, none of the guards would dare venture into that area without caution, ensuring the bandit’s escape. The leader turned his head slightly to the side, glancing at the men surrounding him. No casualties, it was a good day.
As his head turned to the left, an arrow sliced by his right ear cutting his temple before embedding itself into the neck of the bandit in front of him.
Sligg quickly grabbed at his ear and swore as he pulled the reins on his horse to turn around. “Re-group!” The bandit screamed as he drew one of his two short swords. As the horse turned another arrow shot past where his body had been, only to skewer into the shoulder of the bandit to his right. The group all drew their swords and looked around them to find their assailant. It wasn’t long before they saw it. Sligg looked at the boy that stood an impossible distance away, “He cant even see us!”

Niek drew another arrow from the guards quiver and placed it against the wood of the bow. Raising the bow into the air, the innkeeper’s son slowly turned it into the wind and slightly more into an elevated position. As he released the arrow, he watched it turn in the air and descend upon the huddled group of men. That was three dead. Reaching into the quiver he took another arrow and repeated the process.
The crowd crouched around the dead forms of their old friends, some cried into the arms of their loved ones, others sat in perpetual shock. There was rarely violence in the Lamerian streets. Ferazi wasn’t the best of rulers, but he usually kept an iron fist on crime since prisoners fought in his arena for his amusement.
The innkeeper’s son was always a quiet boy that never shown violence, not even when he was picked on by certain patrons. Now he stood around the corpses of those dear to him, his mind completely focused on killing those responsible.
“They’re coming back!” A woman cried out as the group made their way back to the ruined Inn. Niek threw down the bow and ran back into the flames of the house. The crowd screamed at the display, but Niek knew otherwise, the flames had not harmed him for some reason when he had first felt the fire around him.
“In times of trouble, go to the wall on the far side of the hall on the third floor. Break the wood and get my iron box, only use the object contained if you have to. Prolonged use of it could kill you…” Omel had told his son countless times when he was a child. Niek had often wondered what lay within the walls of the homey Inn, but his curiosity was never strong enough to defy his father’s will.
The flames still spread throughout the wooden structure, multiplying every time they touched a new surface. The smoke made it nearly impossible to breath and Niek was forced to go to his knees.
“If I don’t hurry, they’ll kill the people outside!” The young man berated himself as he climbed the stairs leading to the third floor. The timber cracked as he placed his weight on it, but he trudged onward, hoping to make it in time. As he got to his feet at the summit of the stairs he squinted his eyes in an attempt to see a part of the wall that would give him a clue.
“What did you hide father?” Niek asked himself for what must have been the thousandth time in his life. The sounds from outside indicated the bandits return. He had to hurry.
Niek crawled under the smoke and got to his knees in front of the charred wood, he drew his arms back and lashed out at the timber with his fists. His actions were rewarded with a loud crack as the wood gave way.
The young man had expected a small box, or maybe a chest…but from what he could vaguely see through the smoke, he was wrong.
Niek tore his shirt off and wrapped it around his hands as he lifted the heated metal from the wall. The box was slender and almost as tall as himself. A crash sounded overhead as one of the support beams cracked in two. Throwing himself to the side, Niek rolled away from the beam that crashed beside him. Turning his attention back to the box, Niek started to unhook all the latches that kept it closed.
The firelight flashed upward once again, revealing a small inscription on the top of the box.
“Albertus Bernhardus”
Niek smiled as he opened the box to reveal a glimmering quarter staff.
Apparently the stories of his grandfather were not embellished. Taking the staff in his bare hands, Niek was surprised to find that it was cool to the touch. Instantly the flames withdrew and funnelled towards the staff almost as though it was absorbing the fire. Niek got to his feet as the smoke started to clear. He would have time to mourn the death of his parents when justice was served.
“I used to think you told me those stories to make me feel special, father… But, this staff, it cant be as you said!” Niek said to himself as he looked down at the black staff.
“I wish I listened to them more…” the young man said with a smile as he gripped the staff.
A sharp flame emitted from both ends of the black staff. Niek raised his chin and looked out toward the stars through the cracked roof. “I will see you both soon, and I will make you proud!” Niek said as he started walking down the stairs and toward his death.

Author's Note

... I'll make it less cheesy at a later date.

Reviews

[-Aurelia Mirella]

Cheesy? Hardly...I actually really liked this chapter. I really like Niek's character. He's different, and I'm very curious to see what he is going to do...

Again, well done!

Always,
-Aurelia ♥

[Nocturnal Huntress]

All right, it's official. There are simply to many characters to keep track of.

I do appreciate that Niek wishes he'd listened to the stories his father told. I realize it'd throw off the continuity of the book just a little, but I'd like to see a piece about what those stories might have been.

[FoolsGold23]

not cheesy, persay, one cannot be noble all the time, especially when one's parents are dead. Poor Neik, though how he figures into all this will be quite a treat to see. YAY