《A picture is worth a Chapter》


 The Sands of Krutanis (pictostory 4)

    Josh picked up the pace as the town of Krutanis loomed on the horizon. His feet were starting to hurt from the neverending use, but he still ambled forward. He briefly considered slowing down and resting, but even thinking about what a town could provide at this moment made it more alluring.


    He had traversed the dunes of Mal''holog in its entirety from west to east, stopping at every oasis he could stumble upon. The desert constantly changed, albeit inconspicuously; one week a lustrous oasis would be located a few leagues outside the city of Verhall, and the next week it would be gone. It did not help that some towns, like Krutanis ahead of him, could shift their positions themselves.


    The town was built on top of a Magnus Tortoise, one of several that perused the area for ambient mana to take in. The Krutanis Tortoise, named after the settlement founded on its humongous back, was one of the gentler giants of the Mal''holog desert; it would rarely move farther than a league at a time, its nigh permanent residence close to the void-rift of Krutanis, again named after the ubiquitous settlement. The actual origin of the name was long lost to any but the most fervent of archivers, and Josh wasn''t one. He only needed to know where he was going and what for, so the history of the place had very little meaning to himunless it was the sole reason for travelling in the first place. Considering it wasn¡¯t in this case, he didn¡¯t bother questioning it further.


    Josh took the water canteen from his satchel, mentally berating himself for forgetting to swap the flask with the brandy for an additional water cannister. Liquor was a welcome sight on any journey but the one he just undertook. The flask shined victoriously, too valuable to throw away and too risky to consume, just standing there in his satchel, mocking him for his moment of forgetfulness.


    Josh steadied his steps, sand gushing out behind him as he wove through the few remaining dunes, eager to finally see something that is not endless sand. The last oasis he encountered was three days ago, the same time he parted with the group he travelled with.


    The town was within reach, a few hours of walking at most, and the sun was still high, so he would hopefully get there before the evening.


    It was perplexing to think that the desert was actually more dangerous at night, but Josh quickly got used to the sentiment when the convoy was attacked every night by various monsters. The heat of the day and the light of the sun were a welcome sight after a gruelling battle against a steel back scorpion, one that killed two of the convoy''s mules. If the mules weren''t already there just to allow for those kinds of killings instead of human losses, the travel would''ve surely been severely hindered.


    Now, however, he was only facing a few more miles of walking if he had any luck at his side. He stroked the pendant on his neck, it had worked thus far as a charm, surely it wouldn''t stop now. He kissed it and put the pendant back into the cloth. He was told sand would easily get everywhere if he weren''t careful so he was not taking any chances. It had been hard enough to obtain a proper wyvern tooth just to lose it to some mishandling or specks of dust.Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.


    The trek across the sand continued as Josh finally remembered the details of why he was going to Krutanis in the first place. He was sent here by his handler to obtain rare rift gems. ''Rare'' was a relative term, the town of Krutanis was said to have as many tonnes of gems as the Tortoise had years. However in some other areas, like the elven principality of Torra, the same gem could pay you a stay in the wealthiest of inns. It was that kind of imbalance in the availability that convinced people to actually stay here in the first place. That, and some people apparently liked living on top of the Tortoise.


    A few hours of walking and no brief pauses later, Josh could finally see the humongous beast in its entire glory, the giant reptile basking in the afternoon sun. The largest of the buildings could be discerned on its back, and a lengthy string of runes ran across the sturdy legs and torso. The magical elevators at the torso could only be used when the Tortoise wasn''t standing, but Josh'' pendant was apparently in effect as he approached the resting animal. It would have taken him a dozen more minutes to trek around to the legs, and he could not wait to finally lift his feet of the sea of sand.


    He approached the elevator, a similarly cloaked man emerging from a small cubicle attached to the reptile''s skin. "Entry costs three shillings."


    Josh grunted in annoyance for having to pay even more travel fees but soon relented and produced the silver coins from his purse. It wasn¡¯t optional anyway, as this was the destination. The man nodded and went back into the cubicle, reappearing a moment later.


    "The line takes about a minute to come down, and we usually keep it up to reduce wear." The man chatted as Josh absorbed the random musings. It was nice to hear a voice that wasn''t his own.


    "And you work here for most of the day? Must be boring." Josh noticed how dull it would''ve been to just sit here and stare at the sand as you waited for someone to approach. He convinced himself that those cubicles must contain more than one book with erotic imagery. How else would a man pass all that time?


    "Most people consider this stupid work but it pays well enough. And it¡¯s not that boring sometimes."


    "How?" Josh considered why this job would require any skill in order to be paid properly but his thoughts were disrupted by a sudden shift in the sand dunes around him.


    A large worm emerged from the sand, opening its mandibles to reveal rows of serrated teeth. That kind of dentition was not common for a worm, John thought as he holstered his weapon. He hadn''t had a chance to use the Sandworm Executioner, as the locals called the magical bottle, but this was as good of a time as any.


    He positioned himself to throw the phial directly into the approaching monster''s mouth but was stopped by the hand of the man next to him. As casually as breathing, the man holstered a large gun, the metallic pipe glinting in the sunlight, and shot at the offender. A blast of air dispersed the sand around them as soon as Josh managed to plug his earholes. The glittering projectile entered the worm''s mouth and the monster stopped in its tracks immediately. If Josh had blinked, he would''ve probably missed the explosion of green liquid that followed. All that remained of the monster was an abstract painting of gore across the sea of sand, soon to be scattered by the passing wind. It appeared artistic, even to Josh at this moment.


    He only glanced at the gun-holder that was broadly smiling through his veil. "That''s why."


    Mal''holog was really weird, Josh thought, as the stone platform of the elevator slowly slid to rest on the sand. Perhaps this journey wasn''t as uneventful as he initially considered it.


    He stepped on the platform and waved to the man who already stepped back into his cubicle. He finally reached Krutanis, and he desperately needed a bath.

 Pandemonium (pictostory 5)

    "Would you hurry up, Josh?" An iron-clad woman shouted at her partner from the back of her trusty mount. It was important to get to the city, as the delivery was on a schedule, and they were late, at least late in getting there early as she liked to operate.


    "Yeah, yeah, stop mothering me," the lanky, laid-back young man responded, shifting in his saddle. It was his first journey to Pandemonium, but he simply decided to take in the scenery one hoofprint at a time. He scratched the scruff that could only be called a disgrace of a beard, enjoying the tickling sensation on his fingers and cheeks. He never could grow a proper, manly man''s beard, and his friends, female ones in particular, never let him forget it, always teasing about preferring ¡®a real man¡¯ as their travelling partner compared to ¡®a kid playing dress-up and war''. His eyes slowly moved to gaze at her armour, leaving plenty to his imagination. The stirring in his pants reminded him of how long his urges were left unsatisfied, and taking this job immediately after coming back from Krutanis hadn''t helped. He didn''t even shower or sleep properly, the handler being quite adamant that this delivery was extremely time sensitive.


    The payout was large enough for something that was so small, so there was no reason to deny the offer. If only he actually read the assignment closely, he would¡¯ve realised what he was getting into.


    Sandra was a slavedriver. The woman had no qualms about whipping you, both figuratively and literally, into doing what she considered you were supposed to do. The only reason anyone ever went along with her and her downright sadistic antics was because she was uniformly recognised as being one of the most skilled porters while being drop-dead gorgeous to boot. There was a rumour in his hometown about redheads, and Sandra certainly ticked every part of the list based on what he heard.


    "You know, you could chill out sometimes, Sandra. It''s not like we''re going to be late. You always make sure to be early, so why not take it slow this time, take in the scenery, enjoy the wind against your face?" Josh quipped at the woman slowly gaining ground on him. He wasn''t as good at horseback, and he never owned a mount, or at least bought one, Chestnut here borrowed from a friend. Zac surely wouldn''t mind Josh taking her for a small walk, Pandemonium was only a week away at most. He made sure to leave a note this time as well.


    Josh gazed at the scenery in front of him, the greenery much more pleasurable to the eyes compared to the endless sand of Mal''holog. He closed his eyes for a moment, the murmur of water drowning out the hoof stomps of their mounts and, hopefully, Sandra''s curses and orders.


    His meditation was cut short by something sharp grazing the top of his nose. The sudden sting of pain and itching made him almost leap off the horse, the timely realisation about his whereabout stopping him from what would be a face-first collision with the ground. He glanced at the direction the shot would be most likely to come from and Sandra was already barking orders at him.


    "Goblins! Get going and get down!" She clasped the reins of her horse and lay into her saddle, both mounts gaining speed. Josh could only hold onto the reins and hope to not fall, Chestnut instinctively following the gallop of the larger stallion in front.


    Projectiles flew through the air as Josh discerned some small arrows and pebbles being the weapons of choice for their would-be assassins. Goblins weren''t actually assassins, the vermin being too loud as they fed on simply causing as much destruction of human property and lives as possible, but such minute details were of no importance at this moment.


    The horses raced forwards, the gallop bringing them closer to the Upturned Mountain, as the large aberration of the ground in front of them was called. Josh could discern their destination but was dejected to realise they first needed to fight off their attackers. Goblins would eventually swarm and cause a lot more damage than seemed possible, so removing a smaller group on sight, or in many cases smell, was advisable.


    Eventually, the barrage of small objects stopped as the pair turned a small hill, quickly abandoned their seats, and sent horses further away to not get in their way. It was difficult to fight goblins on horseback, as horses easily got spooked and the cretins were too short to get hurt by anything that wasn''t a lance.


    Sandra readied her twin swords and Josh holstered the small crossbow he took for the journey, starting the chants in his head. His skills as a close combat warrior were lacking, and his destructive magic was iffy at best, so he got used to fighting on the sidelines when he was actually forced to.Stolen novel; please report.


    Moments later, a small glittery arrow was nocked into the crossbow, the arcane mana glowing against the dull colours of the softwood, and many more could take its place as his repeater was getting slowly filled. Sure, the repeating crossbow had little of the range and a fraction of the power of a regular bow, but it was perfect for someone like Josh, a rank one arcanomage with no elemental affinities. Until he could learn to control the arrows with more finesse or perform bigger, more impactful magic, the small arcane projectiles were good fodder for the repeater, being able to dish out a barrage for lengths of time, or at least until the old thing got stuck or fell apart.


    Josh grasped the crossbow with one hand and secured it close to his hip as he held the other hand on the lever, then shadowed Sandra as she slowly made way to where the enemies would be coming from.


    Seconds passed with neither of them uttering a sound, as Josh gulped audibly, steeling himself for the ensuing bloodshed. Soon enough, the air in front of them reeked of the encroaching goblins, the stench preceding their ugly mugs. Trying not to gag or retch, Josh counted their attackers as they ran downhill. Quickly cementing himself, he pulled on the lever, targeting the abomination closest to him. The projectile lodged itself in the thing''s leg and made it stutter, its inertia causing it to fall over, the other goblins nonchalantly stepping over their fallen comrade as they ran. A clumsier goblin would trip over the downed one, eventually slowing their race downhill.


    Sandra stepped forward, decimating the goblins that reached the bottom of the hill. One goblin would have its head cleaved off its spindly neck, the other would lose a portion of the lanky limbs that were holding a makeshift spear or a club, and a third would simply get skewered and kicked off the sharp blade. To an observer, Sandra would move like a graceful dancer between her enemies, not letting anyone reach her. Her blades danced in accord, terminating anyone that stepped into her range.


    Josh''s job, on the other hand, was far simpler and cleaner. He''d casually pull the lever back and forth and an arcane arrow would slice through the air between him and the goblins. Some would get hit in a leg or an arm, which caused the small lanky goblin to simply become easier fodder for Sandra''s blades, while the luckier ones would receive a bolt in the head or heart, the arcane magic rippling through the organs as they detonated the surrounding magical channels, ending their already fleeting lives instantly. Now and then, Josh would miss and curse, but the aim would be simply readjusted and another arrow would be flung not even a second later.


    The battle, or more appropriately the slaughter, lasted until what little surviving goblins decided to scram, some holding their disabled limbs as they limped across the reddened grass.


    Josh sat on the ground, exhaling loudly, the air gushing into his lungs as he could finally feel his heart racing. Goblins were one of the least dangerous enemies they could encounter on their journey, but without Sandra, he would''ve been hard-pressed to stay and fight a swarm of them.


    He glanced at his companion, the redhead cleaning the goo off her blades, and sighed. She looked more ravishing with her armour bloodied, something that shouldn''t have been possible. Another throb in his loins reminded him to take his eyes off her. He turned to taking care of the cut across his nose, taking a small gauze and peeling it on the skin, while chanting a small healing spell. It stung like all hell, but it would have to do.


    Sandra watched the man applying the spell to his nose, the protruding feature bathed in light. She had to admit, he was useful in thinning the numbers, despite his non-existent discipline and easy-going attitude. She glanced at his dishevelled brown hair and caught herself smiling, then quickly got back to polishing her blades and armour.


    "Not bad, Josh. Nice aim," she spoke while avoiding to look at the young man. "Well, mostly," she pointed at the patches of ground that got upturned from being hit by arcane blasts.


    Josh simply scratched his head and smiled. "Yeah, I''m trying to get better at it." He then lost the grin, and for the first time during their travel, Sandra could actually feel him being serious. "Thank you, Sandra. I don''t know what I''d do without you." She actually appreciated the sentiment. It felt empowering to be able to help and fight alongside someone, especially considering she was mostly mocked for ''trying to behave like a man''.


    They started combing through the bodies but gave up after the first few remains gave nothing but a sour smell and dirty rags. They gathered the few outlining corpses towards the larger litter of bodies and set it ablaze, as the stench of the smoke stung their nostrils and watered their eyes.


    A whistle caused the steeds to trot back to them, as they mounted up and got back to their journey. The city of Pandemonium was ahead, the storm clouds covering the Upturned Mountain sheltering it from view. The Mountain held not one, but two void-rifts, one on each of its sharp peaks. The city was frequently besieged by monstrosities but held nonetheless, standing as a paragon of human stubbornness against nature. The shining tower was said to occasionally light up, the burst of light dispersing the clouds, signalling the position of the city to the travellers.


    Josh and Sandra regained their earlier tempo, a bit more eager to get to the city. Sandra looked back at the man that already took a slouch in the saddle. He appeared more confident or looked a bit stronger somehow. Maybe there was something more about him than what he showed so far.


    "The first drink''s on me," Sandra shouted, Josh only grinning in response. There was still a long way to Pandemonium, but the journey was at times more enjoyable than the destination.

 Vast Freedom (pictostory 6)

    Four youths walked along the open fields, their feet crushing the few stalks of grass that could be discerned among the dirt road. When a regular person thinks of four children in a plain, an image of careless playing and exuberantlaughter comes to mind.


    But these children were largely different.


    Mostly because their worn clothes contained more dirt than fabric and their loose footwear barely held itself together as they walked, each step thinning the thick black soles. Grime gathered to mix with sweat on their faces, giving them the appearance of someone vastly older than they actually were. Each of the youths had short hair, even the one which had already started to slowly grow out into a young woman. The colour of their hair varied from place to place, mostly depending on which part of their head connected to the ground most often, as that was usually the case with young slaves.


    The children sometimes looked around as they walked, occasional glances at the scenery followed by a steady deadpan gaze at the ground or the convoy in front of them. They dodged the animal droppings that littered the road, most coming from the similarly overworked animals in front of them. At times, children would ponder upon the differences between them and said animals. Both had collars around their necks, and all of them had a scorched mark somewhere on their body, reminding them of their fates. The difference was that, while the cattle''s collars were nondescript worn out brown and usually had bells attached, the children''s collar was elaborately engravedwith various runic words of phrases that would periodically glow, the imbued magic seeping out into the air.


    The children never turned around to see what or whowas behind them, because they already knew. A single whip crack once any one of them made even an attempt at looking back reminded them of the horrors that they experienced and would most likely have to endure still. So they didn''t dare look behind them and kept ambling forwards, to lands unknown.


    Speaking was a worse offence still, neither of the children allowed to mutter a sound unless they were asked to, and even cries of pain were largely ignored, or worse yet, punished further. The only sounds that came to the youth''s ears were made by the hooves and the rustic wheels as their owners strolled along the beaten path.


    One of the children, a boy who appeared to be around nine years old, trudged along the road, lost in his thoughts, the only thing he actually still owned, and that was even up for debate if someone would have their way. His head of brown hair bobbed slightly as he made steady steps along the path, occasionallyglancing at the scenery next to him. His mind was filled with worry and despair. He thought about what caused all of this to happened to him, dreaded whether he would receive a meal or a beating in the evening, but somehow found time to muse about the tales he had heard gathered near the fires of the camps. The stories told of adventure, great mages and courageous warriors fighting terrible monstrosities that prowled the wilderness. The epics told of great void-rifts in the open which would call upon great terrors to whatever town or city happened to be near it, as the adventurers were sent to defend those who could not fend for themselves. The world at times seemed so enigmatic and vast, but reality would soon set in and the usual worries would overthrow hopeless dreaming,


    Because to Josh, adventure, warriors, and mages were as distant as the Sun above him. He only knew the world of beatings, sour food, endless treks across the roads, and the words of his owners spouting obscenities at every step of the way. He wondered if there was anything that he could do to change the endless cycle, but every day seemed as horrifying as the last.


    His inner thoughts were disrupted as a resounding boom echoed in front of him and the convoys were instantly covered in the remains of one of the horses and possibly its rider, yellow mist splattering the road and the travellers on it. In the blink of an eye, the world around his spun as the people shouted and ordered everything around, and he could only discern one simple command. A glow on his collar and a dull pain crossed his head assimple words of ''Take cover'' resounded through it. Josh moved, almost instinctively, along with his three compatriots, running to the grass that bordered the road, trying to push his feet to their limit.


    He glanced back at the convoy, only now realising what had happened. They, or rather, it, was under attack. From whom or what, it mattered little. Josh'' mind agreed that same applied to his inner debate of who would win. His orderswere given, and all he could do is watch.


    The carriages were either set in flames or annihilated completely, the husks of wood littering the scenery, as the group of people that Josh called his owners spread around, the guards holstering their weapons and shouting at each other and the air in turns. Little of that reached his ears, the constant drumming in his mind overpowering any sound from outside. Pain echoed in every bit of him as he clenched his fists and ground his teeth to try and will it away.If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.


    A different group of people, glad in very different clothes to that of his owners, appeared on the field. Some of them wore heavily embroidered cloaks, others carried various weapons, some of which were completely new to Josh'' young mind.


    A cloaked man looked to chant something, as incoherent as every other sound, and an arc of lightning jolted towards a guard, knocking him backwards. ''It was magic!'' was all Josh could put into his head, as another round of dull pain traversed his insides. He didn''t know what was happening to himbut wished it to stop nevertheless.


    The new arrivals took short work of the guards, as Josh realised what boon magic was in combat. Soon, the sight in front of him contained numerous unconscious or killed men, as the smell of metal made his nose itch. Some of the men who he called ''master'' or ''owner'' were laying about, their faces still in an expression of pain and horror, their eyes glassing.


    Josh noticed the movement in one of the men nearest to his hiding positionand guessed that soon their attackers would notice it as well. He looked the person in the eyes, pain whipping around his body and thoughts crawling around his head. The face was unmistakable, as the eyes of the man who held the whip connected with his own.


    Everything suddenly became clear. Pain whirled about Josh'' body, but he didn''t notice it anymore. His mind focused on two simple thoughts it could follow. Freedom. Revenge.


    The collar around Josh'' neck burned, his mind ached and his limbs felt like ants were crawling inside, as Josh suddenly focused on one simple thing- the man in front of him. Josh'' feet sprung up, hoisting his lanky body in the air, as his fingers enveloped the burning leather and a jolt of pain seared his neck as the collar was yanked off.


    The look in the man''s eyes told of resignation as Josh freed himself and stretched an arm towards the sprawled body. A ball of light condensed in Josh'' palm and began to stretch itself, slowly moulding into something akin to an arrow or a sharp stick. The shimmering arrow bolted from Josh'' hand and pierced the man''s body, ripping through his insides as blood flowed from the mouth. The man struggled to move or speak, but his squirming didn''t last and his eyes soon stopped, mirroring his heart.


    The pain inside Josh'' head stopped, and for the first time in minutes, he could think clearly. His eyes darted between his hands, the man he just killed, and the people that gathered in front of him. The same people that had saved him. Or that would enslave him again.


    A single man stepped forwards from the crowd, a non-descript cloak covering most of his features. Josh could only discern a sharp smile in the black stubble. The man approached Josh, and Josh somehow knew he shouldn''t move.


    The man put a strong arm on one of Josh'' shoulders, the sudden added weight making him stumble a bit before regaining balance. The man spoke, a powerful and confident, yet gentle voice coming from below the cloak. "You are free now. You can come with us, and we will take care of you until we reach a town."


    Words rang in Josh'' ears. Was he finally free? Of all this? Someone actually helped him?


    "If you wish, you can stay with us, and we will help you. Train you, if you want." The man tapped Josh'' still opened palm, the specks of light among the grime covering the skin. "You can use magic, boy, and such talent should not be wasted."


    Josh gulped audiblyand peeked to see what was under the cloak. His saviour''s eyes were gentle, full of light. Full of hope. He knew he had to take this chance. He simply nodded, hoping it would get his point across.


    "Very well. My name is Marcus." The man took Josh'' hand and shook it.


    "J-J-Josh."


    "Nice to meet you, Josh. And welcome to the porters."


    The word was unknown to him, but he paid no mind. Anything was better than ''slave''. The man left to go to the other three children that still hid in the shrubbery, leaving Josh alone to gaze at the scene.


    Josh turned away from the grisly sight of blood and bodiesand looked into the distance. Birds flew in the open sky as the evening sun turned the bright blue into a mash of colours.


    Tears welled in Josh'' eyes as he slowly stretched his arms to enjoy the passing breeze. Everything was as it should be.


    <hr>


    "Josh?" the words rang in his ears as Josh opened his eyes, rubbing his eyes to try and focus on the person that was speaking to him. He noticed his eyes were wet, but shelved the thought and looked towards his companion. "You alright?"


    "Yes, Sandra. Once again, stop mothering me." Josh looked around, the morning sun basking the fields around them in light, the morning dew gathering on the grass.


    "Some bad dreams, I presume?" Sandra''s question hanged in the air for awhile, as Josh recollected what he had been dreaming about. The first time he was free to roam the world, the moment he realised what he wanted in life.


    "On the contrary, one of the best." A smile erupted from his face as he slowly stood up.


    "Well then, let''s get moving, Pandemonium should be a day away now." Josh nodded to Sandra''s words, as they picked up their belongings and mounted their horses, Chestnut neighing happily at the prospect of a long ride as Josh caressed her skin.


    The two travellers resumed their steady pace across the grasslands, basking in the sun and breathing the fresh air, as Josh gazed at the scenery, the still image in his dreams still clinging in his mind. He would never forget it, for it means all to him.


    The world was vast, and Josh was free to explore it.