《From Boy to Man》


 Introduction

    They say that in life there comes a moment when you realize your existence. Your whole world crumbles in front of you and is replaced by a completely different universe of new, unexplored realities. The last few days were filled with nightmares for Bernard. His world was completely shattered, one surprise after the other dealing decisive blows to the bubble of protected life he had created around him.


    A few moons had past since the morning his life took a crazy turn for the worse. In the blink of an eye, the kitchen he was using to cook the meals for the Morgum soldiers had been transformed into a small battlefield. A shady man was holding a girl captive, and a Morgum general was after him. A crossbow bolt ripped the air, flying towards the general¡¯s throat, splitting it open.


    Blood started spraying all over the ceiling, walls, and floor, as the general dropped to his knees. The young cook froze for a few seconds, his unimportant life rushing in front of his eyes in seconds. The dreadful feeling of punishment for treason gave its place tosheer hate as Bernard jumped over his cooking station, dagger in hand, and slit the general¡¯s throat.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.


    The soulless body dropped on the floor and the cook burst into tears, glancing at the shady man and the terrified girl who was trying to escape the spy¡¯s grip. The Morgum empire had already taken his home, his family, and now he threw away his last chance for survival by killing a Morgum official. And yet he felt strong. Taking the life of a few pigs before you turn them into stew for thousands of soldiers was nothing compared to taking the life of a sentient being. And yet he smiled.


    It¡¯s almost refreshing how a creature can change when you grab it and throw it in an environment completely unknown to it. What¡¯s Nature¡¯s secret of providing calmness to anyone who embraces her? The illiterate 14-year-old cook would soon come to realize that boys don¡¯t become men thanks to the caress of their mother, but because of the raw reality life is unleashing upon them.

 From Boy to Man - Chapter 1 - Mother

    Upon arriving at the woods, I noticed more than a dozen men and women working. Why is the thrill of being a wanted person so much sweeter than the ¡°safety¡± of being trapped while trying to survive a crisis? Through the tree leaves the stars shone bright that night. Alas, they were unable to help me sleep for more than a few minutes before waking up sweaty from another nightmare. Why am I overtaken with delight by the memory of his blood spilled everywhere?


    The following days were filled with the smell of hospitality pouring out from every corner of the settlement. The smell of warm drinks and hot food overwhelmed the woods, as Mother oversaw every station, her eyes providing comfort and warmth that could destroy the despair of being alive in our era. Every beautiful, calm morning gave its place to terrifying nights filled with nightmares. Getting whipped to death by Morgum officials, being haunted by the ghost of the bastard I killed before setting myself free.


    I was drowning in a pool of blood pouring out of his throat and his twisted laugh made me wake up screaming. Drowned in guilt, wondering if this man had a wife and children. How would his family survive? Did any of the maggots that were serving him cry for his loss? None could escape the misery of our times. Even those who sided with the empire lived their own drama, carried their personal weights, and had their own nightmares. No one was happy.


    The first two weeks at the settlement flew past me as I took upon the role of the cook. I managed to keep a big group of people well fed, using the few things at my disposal. My father taught me that it doesn¡¯t matter what you eat, but who cooked it. I made sure even the soups I made were tasty. Seeing people relax after a hard day¡¯s work and enjoying my food offered me the calmness I was looking for. I had found my new family, the caravans. I hadn¡¯t heard my name for a long time. Everyone called me ¡°The Cook¡± and that made me happy.Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.


    I left my past behind me and looked ahead. For years I was the stupid one of the team. Every single night back at the Morgum inn the soldiers made sure they reminded me I was inferior to them. These maggots spent their time harassing children, raping women, and burning down homes. I was definitely in a better place, but I couldn¡¯t imagine there was more.


    Never it had crossed my mind up until then that I was about to meet someone who would not only erase my guilt but would teach me how to channel my hatred for those who killed my parents. My mother took her own life a few months after the empire declared its control over our land. She took her wedding sheets and hanged herself in the cellar of our house, leaving behind a medallion for me. Her only child. The night she set herself free my father¡¯s soul was shattered.


    A few weeks later I found him dead in his room. A wise man told me he lost his mind, couldn¡¯t bare the sadness of losing the love of his life. I found him lying on his bed, his eyes stretched, and his mouth crooked. All these haunting memories would become a distant past thanks to the bravest warrior I¡¯ve met in my life. He would help me escape the swamp of my thoughts, showing me how to destroy as many empire scum as I could before I died. I should have expected that war was the only solution to my problems.


    Mother once told me that my eyes and my heart cannot be contained inside a kitchen. I didn¡¯t believe her at first. I thought she was telling me what I wanted to hear, like every mother does for her children. Luckily for me, she was right. She could probe in my mind deeper than I could ever do in 60 years. As expected, the needs of the caravan people didn¡¯t allow me to meet Ogre from the first day. But even that could have been how fate had it in its books for me.

 From Boy to Man – Chapter 2 – Set yourself free

    Two months after my joining the caravans I managed to get proper sleep every night. I became soft. I couldn¡¯t hear and see better than a normal person, like I used to before. I was rusty and that was the reason I jumped away, cowering in fear, when a hand touched my shoulder early in the morning. A tall, seasoned man with scars on his face was standing in front of me. His smile didn¡¯t have the effect of reassurance he expected. Irony was pouring out of his eyes and a thunderous laugh woke up most of the caravan people sleeping nearby.


    ¡°If you really think that with this reaction you would survive during a war, it¡¯s better you go find a corner to hide and don¡¯t dare set foot in my training grounds¡±. The alpha male has made himself clear towards me. A few seconds later more than two dozen men stood in lines in front of him, their eyes buried on the forest floor. Their discipline was almost charming and didn¡¯t originate from fear that one punch from Ogre could crack their skulls open. His gaze alone was enough for anyone who crossed it to realize he¡¯s had his fair share of experience, in combat and in socializing. Ogre was not your standard issue general who would make you clean feces and piss. If you swore obedience, you should make sure not to make a mistake. Why? Because the punishment would be strict.


    Even if those few minutes seemed to be centuries, they were not enough to make me get past the thought that conquered my mind: ¡°This man will be able to unlock powers I never even dreamed of having.¡± I left the training field thinking about the recipe for today¡¯s meal, while a small voice inside my head was commanding me to follow Ogre in battle.


    The next few days I had managed to completely forget what happened in that tavern. These thoughts were replaced by my scheme to approach Ogre and find calmness through everyday training. Tire myself to sleep without dreaming. The trainees met such challenging requests from the legendary warrior that every night practically fainted, coming back six hours later to resume their training without nightmares bothering their soft minds. Or dreams, for that matter.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Even stronger was my need to find a role model, a necessity which led me to the best decision of my life. Like every important meeting, my first encounter with Ogre didn¡¯t occur for weeks. I had to feel safe, I had to sense that this man would offer me more than the empire had taken away. The night I met Ogre I felt the need to speak with Mother. For six weeks I only watched her from afar since she wasn¡¯t having her meals with the rest of us and free time was found seldom in the caravan camp.


    Apart from cooking every day¡¯s food, I was cleaning the caravan carriages, and from time to time I was helping people carry heavy crates. That night was one of the nights nobody requested help, everyone was able to have some fun, but not me. And there I was, standing outside her carriage, trying to prepare a proper greeting, something respectful. ¡°Good evening, my lady¡±, I whispered as I entered her simple and cosy home. ¡°Do you have a few words to spare for a simple worker?¡±


    As always, the response was a warm smile and a loving hug. She pointed at the pillow lying on the floor across her, offered some tea and like reading an open book in front of her, she said: ¡°What troubles you, young cook? Your eyes are filled with doubt and ambition. Only the eyes of a man who has dreams can hold that kind of spark.¡± And just like that I started talking.


    ¡°I¡¯m afraid I might have started on the wrong foot with trainer Ogre. He made sure I never step foot on his training field, which to be honest made me feel completely empty.¡±


    No longer did she need to read my hand moves and my eyes. She was the one who taught all of us how to talk properly, with her easy-going way and the reassurance that everything will be fine as long as you speak your mind. And only your mind.


    ¡°You desire to fight. You can feel your blood boil and you feel trapped between the kitchen and the several chores. Follow your father¡¯s footsteps and teach someone how to cook. Show someone how to clean the caravan carriages. After a week has passed and you feel that you will not be missed from the kitchen, go and stand in front of this warrior. Look him straight in the eyes and make yourself clear about your intentions.¡±


    The warmth and comfort of Mother¡¯s presence was now a happy memory that had been replaced by unbearable anxiety. My hands started shaking, and just the thought of me holding a weapon made my body shiver. However, my mind was going too fast. Ogre didn¡¯t let me touch anything that could kill during our whole training.