The Rainlords had stopped on one of the larger bridges Hector had seen for a brief refueling break. The two gas stations on either side of the road looked a bit overwhelmed by the dozen vehicles that had suddenly arrived. Hector and Dimas walked together as they made their way back to the head of the entourage.
Now that they were away from the aberration, Hector was more interested in talking. “Well, that was... different than I expected.”
“Indeed,” said Dimas.
“What do you think?” asked Hector.
Dimas nodded lightly. “I think he seems genuine. You?”
“I don’t know...” Hector frowned at being the cynical one. “Have you encountered many aberrations before?”
“Two,” said Dimas. “I doubt that qualifies as many.”
“What were they like?”
“They both tried to kill me within about ten seconds of meeting me.”
“Ah...”
“What about you? You seem strangely interested in them.”
“Me? Oh... I’ve only met one, but... but, ah...”
Dimas waited patiently.
A part of Hector still wasn’t ready to talk about it. A part of him would never be ready. But a different part urged him to. It wanted him to tell this person. Dimas would understand, Hector thought. Just about any Rainlord would, probably.
So he tried. “The aberration I met... he, uh... he killed my dad. And... many of my friends.”
Dimas was briefly quiet. “I am very sorry to hear that,” was all he said.
Hector hadn’t really been expecting anything more from the man. In fact, that was probably why he decided to tell him. He didn’t want to be asked a dozen questions and end up reliving that nightmare.
He tried to think of something else to talk about, but nothing came to mind, and soon enough, they were back with the Elroys. Zeff was still asleep, and now, so was Asad. Asad’s daughter Jada had since joined them as well, along with his sister Imas, and with Hector and Dimas added in, the limousine was nearly at maximum occupancy.
The conversation never reached higher than a low murmur. Most everyone seemed either too tired or just not in the mood to talk much, but through the relative quiet, it was clear enough to Hector that Jada knew the Elroys pretty well. She kept the topics light and infrequent, Hector noticed, bringing up things like pets and food and a bit about what Moaban would be like.
A dark serial novel. Set in a modern fantasy world called Eleg. Mature language. Updates every night at midnight PST by ~400 words.
These last three pages have all gone up in only a few hours. Careful not to skip 'em, folks.
ReplyDeleteYou sneaky devil! :)
ReplyDeleteHmmm... My take-home impression from this: Dimas and Hector should never, ever be seated next to each other at dinner parties. :P
ReplyDeleteTypos:
ReplyDelete"The Rainlords had stopped on [one] of the larger bridges"
"In fact, that was probably why [he] decided to tell him."
Fixed, thank you.
ReplyDeleteOh so Dimas has met, and mostly killed, aberrations before. I'm not surprised in the slightest
ReplyDeleteI wonder when Roman and Voreese might come over and one-up Mevox during his cursing.
ReplyDeleteActually I think they would both quite enjoy that.
ReplyDeleteOoh... I like it, I love it, I WANT SOME MORE OF IT!!!
ReplyDeleteI've really come to appriciate EVERY SINGLE page now.
It was nice back at page 1 when I had almost 900 pages to look forward to.
Keep up the awesome work Mr. Frost
The quiet companionship that looks like awkwardness to the outsider would reach critical mass and possibly become sentient.
ReplyDeleteMy name is Hector Goff, you killed my father, prepare to die.
ReplyDeleteYes, but think of what that sinkhole of silence would do to the table's atmosphere! xD
ReplyDeleteYou want to know who I am? I'll tell you who I am. I'm Hector Goffe, servant-knight of Atreya. The media calls me Darksteel Soldier. My Queen calls me her most trusted vassal. I am the wielder of the Unbreakable Shield, given to me by the inventor's reaper, and the landlord of the Unbreached Fortress, entrusted to me by the builder's reaper. I have slain an aberration and his army of thralls alone and unboosted. I have saved the lives of my King and my Queen in two separate instances, and an entire town with my words alone. I have fought beside the Seadevil and the Lion of the Desert. I have stood between a wounded ally and the crushing grip of Darktide--and won. And before I leave this country, I will add an aberration ally to the list. I am an Atreyan, and I am nothing to be trifled with. Do you have any other questions, Lord Sebolt?
ReplyDeleteHaha, wow.
ReplyDelete*golf clap*
ReplyDeleteGolf clap?
ReplyDeleteNo other response to that, is there?
ReplyDeleteAh, I usually use that to describe a slow, impressed clap. Slow clap would probably be a better fit, now that I think of it. <_<
ReplyDeleteYeah, according to Urban Dictionary, a golf clap is not a compliment...
ReplyDeleteYeah, sorry, I dun goofed, haha. But basically what Mr. Frost said.
ReplyDeleteEric...I actually teared up reading this, man. Twas beautiful.
ReplyDeleteStop, stop, you'll make me blush. I'm nothing special.
ReplyDeleteBonus points if you get the reference.
Yeah, no, from even the second sentence, I knew I was shit outta luck figuring that out lol.
ReplyDelete