Where the Young Prince Stands

  Chapter I Bard walked about his house on the first morning of the first visit of his children where none of their mothers were present. He just wanted to see them and wish them a good morning, because he loved them.             First was Amare, who was the only real adult in the house, including Bard. Xey were in the kitchen, making breakfast.             “What are we having?” Bard asked, seeing that Amare had just put out a match xey used to start the stove’s flame.             “Bacon, and some eggs,” said Amare. “We are going to have to go to market later and get more of both those things,” xey said without looking back at Bard.             “I didn’t know you were going to be making this,” replied Bard.        ...

             Bard had won the fight, but he hated that he used it even though he hated it, and did not even need it, that power, the Fire Element Essence. But Bard did not regret his decision to use it, even if he regretted the consequences, he just could not bear to let anyone that even tried to hurt his children live, regardless of if they would have been more useful left alive for questioning. That was all in the past though, now Bard had to do what was right and make sure everyone got home safely. But first, he had to check on his children and thankfully, they had gathered behind him, all of them except Amare.             “Everyone alright? No one got hurt?” Bard asked. His five youngest replied with unsteady nods with blank faces. “Amare, how about you?” Xey were on hands and knees, still seemingly stunned by the display of fire Bard had just put on.       ...

             Amare was unfortunate enough to have seen someone die in front of xem before. Xey could not see the face of the killer, although they recognized him as the carpet guide from the previous day. Bard had a shocked look on his face sprinkled with blood.             “I believe some introductions might be needed,” said the killer, wiping off his bloody fist on his clothes. “I am Jin, and my client has hired to watch over some of his various operations, making sure no one reveals his identity,” he said in a way far too calm for someone who had just brutally murdered a man. “It’s a shame about Autca here. He had quite a bit of money himself before my client hired him. He could have easily hired me to take out annoying pests like you. But orders are orders.”             Jin swung a right hook at Bard. Bard ducked and weaved. Bard let ou...

             Tilian analyzed the structure of the giant robot, it seemed to be rather crudely put together, but he could not quite figure out how.             Suddenly, two figures in black armor rushed from the other side of the dig to in front of Bard. They were the BMC soldiers from before, the ones that Tilian and his siblings could not hope to survive against in a real fight.             “Looks like we got a prison break,” said the BMC Soldier on the right.             “And it seems to have been orchestrated by that Language Consultant the boss just fired,” said the one on the left. He looked directly at Bard. “Oh, you didn’t hear? Yeah, our employer does not want the secret of his new weapon getting out, so he is having us kill you, just like the last translator.” The two soldie...

            Smallblade awoke in darkness, only illuminated by the dimmest orange light from above, it was cramped, and he could feel warm bodies around him. His eyes adjusted to the lack of light and he was able to understand his surroundings. The bodies around him were his knocked-out siblings, piled haphazardly on top of each other, he could not quite tell who was who aside from Tilian, but he thought it might be Shabaka’s leg on top of his own. It was not so much a room they were in, as much as it was a large sand pit at least eight feet deep with a flat roof covering the top.             “Guys, guys!” shouted Smallblade. The silhouettes laid around him made startled motions before quickly rising to their feet. Smallblade still was not quite able to tell everyone apart.             “Where are we?” asked Vito.      ...

             Vitoroy had not been looking forward to this trip, preferring home above anything else in the world. But the summers were the only time he got to see his father, and every year Vitoroy thought he could finally figure out what he wanted out of life by spending time away from home. Every year, that did not turn out to be true, even Vitoroy was not sure why he kept going. Perhaps he just wanted to make his mother happy, let her know that her son was not a total shut in, but it did not make Vitoroy dread the trip any less. It was not the heat of the desert heat that worried him, all dwarves even half-breeds had internal temperature regulation. It was just having to be away from his mountain, or even his father’s house, away from any semblance of home that made Vitoroy uncomfortable.               But now, now Vitoroy was there at the dig, marveling at the massive tent that surrounde...