literature

Edmund Montegue

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Literature Text

Circa 2014

The desert winds blow by, kicking up errant sand as a lone cloaked figure traverses the wastelands. The sun glares overhead at him, wanting nothing more than to bake him alive.

The figure stops. He has wandered into a town. A small desert town, with sun bleached colors and buffered walls all around.

There were people there, of course. A mish-match of everything; the yellows and pales from Sakkaku, browns from Fintaar, whites of Delmin, and two or three darker Crestin natives. It was a pioneer town if he ever saw one, anyone and everyone who wanted to join into a new civilization jumped the wagon. And it looked to be doing just fine.

He trudged forward, down the wide dirt road. The town appeared to be little more than an extended street, with "houses" on either side. It was an amusing detail for him at least.

He eventually found the tavern.

It seemed that every man in the town was in that room at once. It was a cacophony of languages, mostly English and Japanese, but also some of the blubbering that passed for language among the Fintaarans.

The bartender was nowhere to be seen. He stood at the bar and watched the rest of the room as best he could from there. He sighed.

Four years, and he is still no closer to his goal.

As of late, he's lost sight if it. Go home and be welcomed. That was it, but how he could do it...

"You Delminites... I don't understand you." The dark haired boy said as he sheathed his black sword behind his back.

"You stupid child!" The man shouted from the bloody dirt. "Of course you could never understand the Pride of a Knight!" He hissed.

"...Hmph." The purple eyed youth twirled his white blade before sheathing it as well. "Pride is why the hero Dezmin had to off Lucy all those years ago. Don't become the new Lucifer, old man."


"Sir?"

The man grunted when he was pulled back to reality. He found the bartender, a lady about his age, with weathered dark skin and hair that was just starting to grey, standing in front of him.

"Ya look like ya've had a rough day. Care for a drink?"

The man turned his gaze down to her. "Yes... Any Ram Spirits?"

After an incredulous gaze, the bartender gave a short chuckle. "'Fraid not. Aven't gotten to handle any a the ritzy stuff for abou' thirty years. Since ya like the hard stuff, how abou' some Dragon Mead?" He grimaced at the word mead, but said nothing as she poured the weak sauce.

He took it in one gulp. It did not burn, but he was surprised. It was strong and sweet. The sweetest thing he had ever tasted, if his clouded mind was to be trusted.

"So, who are ya?" She refilled his glass.

"I was a knight of the Royal kingdom of Delmin." He said with shame. He downed the second shot.

He sneered and a hint of Pride entered his voice. "I was Sir Edmund Montegue von Delmin."

The bartender smiled and sighed. "Ow long 'as it been, dearie?"

Edmund lifted his drink to his lips and nursed a sip. "Since, pray tell, what?"

The bartender shook her head. "Since Ah've seen mah big brother."

Edmund scratched his short goatee and looked up to the ceiling. "Nigh on twenty years it seems."

His sister chuckled and punched Edmund in the shoulder from across the bar. "That's not what Ah meant!" She stood back and leaned against the bar. "Ow 'ave ya been, Eddy?"

Edmund downed the rest of his drink. "The same since last year. I believe it was last year."

"Twas." She replied as she reached over to top off his drink. "So, ow is the world?"

"Much like this town. It changes little if you look at it everyday. But if you leave it be and come back..." Edmund leaned in a little bit, which his sister mimicked.

"You'll realize it changes even less than you initially thought."

The bartender giggled and stood back. She smiled for a moment, then donned a more serious face. "Ya know, ya don' 'ave ta walk the world."

Edmund shook his head. "I have to."

"Stupid boy!" The man coughed. He glared up at the teen before him. He grit his teeth and ground out, "What would an undignified worm like you know of heroes? You have no honor! You have no Pride! You are nothing!" He spat.

The uncaring youth turned away from the Knight. "I have my friends. That's more than you have." He began to walk away from the man. "It's better than your Pride."


"I need to." Edmund meant to down the third cup when a hand grabbed his arm.

"Brother." Edmund looked down at his sister, her eyes glowing with determination, and behind that, a hint of remorse. "She's forgotten abou' ya. Yer son as forgotten ya. Yer king made ya ou' ta be a monster o'er these past four years. There is no reason Ah kin think of fer ya ta want ta go back."

Edmund's eyes flicked to his sister's hand. She released it, allowing him to lower the glass. "Sister. I've known that I couldn't go home for a long time now. Maychance you were trying to protect me, or this really is how long it takes for information to get out here, it makes no difference." Edmund paused and teetered. "That mead is slow and powerful." He muttered and burped.

The bartender raised her hands to try and steady Edmund, only to have them waved away. "S'why I call Dragon Mead."

Edmund shook his head. "It makes no difference." He continued. "I have to continue. I have to find a goal. And it's not here."

She shook her head, her eyes closed. "Yer a lost man, Eddy."

Edmund grunted. He turned to make his leave.

"Where ya goin'?" His sister asked.

He turned back to her. "What was it last time?"

"...North."

He nodded. "Then I suppose I should be going South."

"Give cousin Susan mah regards." With a pleading tone, she added, "And be safe."

"I will. Cousin Hank said hello, wished you a happy anniversary. As do I." He turned again and began walking this time.

She nodded. "Wait, Edmund."

Edmund stopped.

"If yer goin South, maybe ya kin visit the ol' temple there? The one where that there Virtuous Crusader Dezmin lived a long time ago."

Edmund froze at the mention of the hero's name. "What good would that do?"

She shrugged. "I heard he was like you. Didn' ave a proper home, no one lahked him. So he stayed in that temple all by his lonesome till that one day. Maybe his spirit still lingers. He could maybe set ya'll on the right track."

Edmund smiled under his hood. "Thank you. I'll see you next year."

"G'bye big brother. Be safe."

"I will."

The man walked out of the tavern and back into the town. It was just as he left it. It was just as the world left it.

He walked out of the town, and made his way for southern lands. The sun was merciless, the air was dry, and the sand in his boots never felt courser.

'Marcus River. I could never thank you enough, my young rival.
I. I dunno. I was panicking today when I realized I had nothing to turn in for this week, and then this happened.

Okay. Well, I will write a better... This thing tomorrow.

Characters (c) ~qinop
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