“No one knows,” the man said and gave Bola his food. He was rearranging the wine on the shelf to meet the order the taskmasters had placed on them.
Bola carried his bowl of bread and mutton and sat on one of the empty tables, at the end closed to the wall. The men on the other end were still whispering among themselves, and Bola wished deep down that he could unveil what they were talking about.
He shifted uneasily when one of the men from one of the tables lifted his eyes towards him, as if looking down on him. There was no smile on the man’s face, even as his eyes left Bola back to his company.
Bola swallowed the first bite and gulped them down with a glass of chilled
“They would say it’s a foolish and stupid thing for a girl to do, but it’s my decision anyway.” She said with a shrug of her shoulders. Bola held her by the jacket and pushed her back to the chair.He then shook his head, “Don’t you know that the Watchers do not have any family of their own, these people battle demons all their lives, they put their lives in danger to protect the people on this side of the wall. Is that the type of life you want to lead?” Bola asked seriously. He did not add the fact that if a Watcher had a child, one would be heavily punished. Their whole like must be dedicated to the emperor alone. “You smeared my cloth wi
He swallowed the sorrow, using all his energy to keep his mind from going back to that night when the taskmaster had murdered his family in cold blood.“I am sorry to hear that,” Vera replied sadly. Her voice could not hide the lace of pity that Ginika always despise. “I need air,” He muttered as he wiped his eyes and walked towards the door. Ginika felt suffocated and could not stay in the room. At the moment, he especially felt like shouting or destroying something. Before, he was so busy running away for his life before the recent death of his family had fully sunk it.
“Now,” The man continued, “Each of you has been given a small portion of this fluid.” The white Vesslars—the women in white armor—jumped down from their horses and stood before the girls among the children.“If you are a Drudge, indicate now, because the fluid will kill you if you take it,” His threats hung on the air for some time, until a boy walked out slowly. As if that was a signal, others followed him, both boys and girls alike. There were about fifteen of them in total, and all dressed in fine clothes.“Good, you did well.” The man smiled, “The Watcher is not meant for Drudge” The rest of the children laughed at the slaves. Ginika’s face twitched as his eyes widen with a heat that ma
“Be the princess I could never be,” Abigail said and pulled away. She was looking into the girl’s eyes now, “Be that Queen that the world would look up to.”“I can’t do this, Abi. How could I even think about it? I can’t let you give up your perfect life for my pitiful, wretched life.” Zita said as she grabbed Abigail's arms. Abigail pushed her away to free herself from the other’s gasp. “It’s not your choice to make, and besides. Your life is not wretched.” Tears blurred her vision, but she wiped them away before Zita could see. “You are my friend and sister, Zita, and as long as I live, I will forever love you.”
“Wait!” She heard Ginika say, but she would not pay attention to some boy who thinks he knows how to control every situation.Abigail ignored him as she was fuming inside. She just continued to walk towards the men who carried the children. “Drop them down,” She said, and the whole crowd turned their heads to her. “I said, drop them down,” Abigail commanded, not caring about what the crowd was thinking of her. The Vesslars who carried the children looked at her with confusion for a while, and then, they all erupted into hot laughter as they watched her.Abigail observed hersel
But a little part of Ginika advised him to stay put. It was none of his business, and he already did his part when he tried to stop the stupid girl earlier. He only had little knowledge about a sword fight, and the closest weapon he could manage was a quarterstaff, which his father had taught him how to use anytime they were off, hunting rabbits. But, even with a thousand quarterstaff, there was nothing he could possibly do to these men. At this time, Ginika could only watch like everyone else. The girl, who sprawls on the floor, was now panting slowly, using her fingernail to scratch her body as if that would scrap off the agony.
The third guard charged, bringing his sword from the left angle, and aiming for Ginika’s belly. Ginika jumped back and spanned to the right, just in time to get away from the fourth guard, who had sliced his sword horizontally.He didn’t wait for them to recover from the surprise, which covered their face as a result of his speed. Instead, he jammed the free end of his staff into the rib of the fourth guard, just where his armor was loosed. The man let out a yell, before his body had crushed to the ground.Pain flooded Ginika from his right thigh as the sharp end of the third guard’s sword sliced them. Regardless of the pain, he could not stop and get caught.
The selection of Vesslers still continues. From this point in the balcony, they could still see the children as they meander on both sides of the street until they were lost somewhere in the distance.It’s been about forty years now, yet she still remembers how they had picked her; she could still see the wall of the white wall. All the trainings, the battles, the killings… She always could not forget those as if they just happen recently. “Do you ever think life would have been different?” Balak asked as he gave her dark glare, but ironed his expression with a small frown. Vera frowned, confused about what he wanted to say, “What do you mean?” She asked.
The calmness was alluring, and the serenity so great that she felt she could remain here forever. Nothing seems to exist. It was just as if she was just being born. There was no trouble, no worries, and certainly no death. But where am I?“My sweet child,” Someone said, and the girl could feel the hands that patted her forehead.Abigail opened her eyes, just in time to see the beautiful face of Queen Isabel, as she pulled away from her. The rich lemon fragrance covered Abigail’s nostrils lurking around the fresh morning air that was rushing into the room from the window at the far end.“Mother?” Abigail called. Even her own voice was new to her.“Rest, my child, you need it.” Isabel smiled weakly and stroked Abigail’s forehead.“What happened?” Abigail asked as she sat up from the bed. She was totally found. No part of her body ached from the training, and she was more at ease and…“By the heavens,” Abigail screamed when her fair skin. She stroked her head and laughed from the rich bl
Gen jumped on top of the watchman and ripped his throat out, feeling the sweet savor of the metallic taste that came rushing into her palate. She was careful not to bite off his head as that was a disgusting way to feed.She wiped her mouth with the back of her hands and stood up. She was not satisfied, but she must try to be on mission. Maybe she will come back and finish him off when she was done.A ray of sun tubes in through the roof, and Gen laughed. It was still a wonder to her that she was walking in daylight. She had been in the dark for about 50 years, but now, walking under the light made her realize that there is more to life that the ugly face of darkness.The hands of the sun spreads through the whole earth, blessing everything that stood in the vast distance with its grace. From this place, she could see everywhere in Arkenta. Even the border of Landevia spread out and seemed to be touching the sky. She was supposed to monitor the Cavaliers from this Watchtower, but stand
Vera nodded to Gareth and walked out from among the shadows. She followed behind the cavalier, who was totally oblivious of her presence. The man was about to round the bend when she held his mouth from behind and traced the sharp end of her dagger around his neck. She held his mouth tightly as he convulses but released him when he finally became still.“That’s thirty-two,” Gareth whispered as he walked towards her.“You have been keeping counts?” Vera asked and wiped her dagger on the body of the fallen guard.“A total of sixty-six. You are a warlord mother,” “Which way?” “There,” Gareth pointed to another metal door. The torches flickered with the little wind that walked in the air, revealing the emptiness that lies on the other side of the door. It was day, and the sun was at its zenith. But its hands have failed to touch any side of the dungeon. Dar
“Emm…guys, I hate to break the reunion, but I think we are in trouble.” A girl that was twice as tall as any of them in the arena said. Behind her were two other girls whose eyes were wider than the lens of Victoria.“Olivia? We are friends now?” Dodo suddenly asked as she, Abigail, and Victoria turned to the other girls. The looks on their faces told Ginika to keep off. He wasn’t ready to meddle with women’s affairs.“Ginika!!!” Someone screamed. “Pa Bola?” Ginika’s brow elevated to his skull at the voice of the man who was running into the arena from one of the metal bars. Behind him was a strange-looking woman, in breeches and some yellow shawl hanging loosely on her shoulders.“You must get out of here, now,” The man said. The looks on his face were covered with so many expressions that Ginika could not place a hand on.“Bola,” Dodo called, turning away from the girl she had called Olivia. “You are alive.” “Yes, but there is no time, we must hurry, follow me.” Bola pointed to the
A sweet air bashed Abigail’s face when she finally walked out of the burning hallway. The metal bars shut behind her, leaving her and the other children at the mercies of the crowd and their frenzy. The walls of the arena were high, more than thirty feet away from the dust and sand.“Now what?” Dodo asked as she steady her hands on the pan. Her composure was laudable, and it made Abigail want to run into her arms. The girl was showing no sign of weakness or fright. It was as if she had anticipated all the event and knew what would happen.“How long can you last out here, Victoria.” The voice of Olivia came fluttering with the numerous screams of the crowd. The mockery in them was annoying. The girl was acting as though she had everything under control.The metal door at the other side of the arena opened, and some six boys came jogging out of it. They were also Vesslers who had come to transition. Unlike the girls that were given pans, the boys held the sword, spears, shield, and other
The voice of the metals continued to scream as the hammers of the blacksmith descended upon them. The screams only stopped to a hissing sound when the men imbued them into the water pan beside the metal table, and resumes their previous beating. Those clatter and noise from the anvil could cause the ear to bleed. It’s been hours since they came here, yet none of the three blacksmith had fashion any reasonable weapon. It was as if they were toiling in vain, or were they doing this as a hobby?Abigail wiped her brow for what seemed to be the tenth time that morning. If the sweat had anything to do with the heat of the furnace, then she would have taken solace in the metal door whose air was blocked by the girl’s that clustered on it.
“This is ridiculous.” Richard chuckled, “The funniest joke in the history of the empire.”“You are a coward Richard. And your strength Is in your tongue. The only thing you are good at is staring up strife among brethren.”“Is that what you think,” Richard flared and hurried up to Gabriel, but the other children where just in time to hold the two from ripping their throats apart.“Richard.” Ginika said, and all eyes turned to him. “I don’t care if you hate me
“You ruined our lives. I said it before, you are nothing but trouble,” Richard shouted.Ginika’s stomach tightened as he studied the other children who were staring at him like some kind of god. Betty had hidden them in the forest, the same forest which was becoming like home ever since he was kicked out from the brotherhood. It was easily to see through the expression that lurked in the face of the children. They looked haggard and frightened and five years starving.“You hear me?” Richard’s voice rung in his ears but he tried his best to ignore the boy. “You are nothing but evil. Nemesis will fall on yo
Bola wiped the tears from his own eyes, not able to hold them back any longer. Seeing the reunion between the mother and son made his chest ach. He just could not shut the doors of his emotions as his mind flashback into the past, in that night when his whole family was destroyed by the children of the night. His clan had been so weak to defend themselves. They had been so powerless.“Here,” Vera’s word brought his wandering thoughts back into his body. She had was holding a small book in her hands now, a book which she gave to Gareth.“It contains my memory.” Vera smiled and parted Gareth’s cheeks, leaving a smear of red trail on them.“Please don&