Tested (The Life of Uktesh Book 1) (34 page)

“Is wonderful!” said Repus.

“A hero!” said Esolc.

“A man fit for my daughter.”

“A fiancée for the ages.” said Laurilli.

“Seriously, though, I want to swim. Are we staying here?” asked Uktesh.

“Yes, as someone pointed out, we can afford it.” said Repus.

“Even though it’s,” said Esolc.

“Sad.” the three adults said in unison.

“Great! So are we going to rent four singles and two families?” asked Laurilli.

“I was thinking five singles and no families. Did you want to stay with your mom?” asked Repus.

“Well Basam will be joining us in two months with nine kids, and I was thinking that since we got permission to sleep in the same room at home, while we were on vacation, nothing would change.”

Uktesh felt his face heat again, “Sounds good to me. So the rooms are eight hundred and forty golds, and to stable the horses is twenty two silvers and thirty two coppers.”

“Hmm,” said Repus again with cold eyes, “again.”

“Lectured by a youngster.” added Esolc.

“I just did the math while you guys were complaining about Laurilli explaining that we’re super rich now.”

“Anyway!”  Laurilli said as Repus opened his mouth and she interrupted another monotone rant, “We should get started. It will take some time to load everything in our rooms.”

The three adults walked in the building to reserve the rooms and pay what was needed up front.  As they went inside, Uktesh heard Repus say in a flat voice, “To be lectured.”

“By someone so young.” added Esolc.

“And interrupted by another one so young.” added Heathyr.

“Is sad.” they all three said.

“I think that’s going to become a thing with the three of them.” Laurilli said with a frown.

“Sad.” said Uktesh.

“When,” Laurilli added in a flat voice.

“Old people,” Uktesh said and changed his voice to be flat as well.

“Lose their.”

“Minds.” the said together.  Laurilli threw her arm around his shoulders, “Stick with me kid, and we’ll go far.”

They turned to look out at the ocean, “Yeah, as a place to stay for a much needed rest, this’ll do nicely.”

Beginning

And so it came to pass that granted to the people was a gift that only Uktesh would deliver. Then and in the times to come, this gift would be that which was the only ray of light in the dark times to come.  Their future would be fraught with danger, death, and the threat of destruction for all things living, but the gift of Uktesh would see them through. And though it would come to pass that Uktesh’s life would flee from his body, his gift would remain.  That gift, that precious gift was: hope.  Even though it was not an auspicious beginning, it was their beginning.  The beginning of the true tale of the warrior, the leader, the king, the father, the husband, and most of all the Afflicted: Uktesh.

{From The Life of Uktesh Marrion - 1024 RA – Rise of the Afflicted} 

People groups:

Beletarians – Warrior people

Beleshians – Elite Beleterian warriors.

Sinians – People south of Beletria

Armeans – People east of Beletria

Cratoans – People north of Beletria

Grangers – People west of Beletria

Endevarian – Insect-like creatures in the northern part of Arme

Voukidists – Necromacer Afflicted

Afflicted People – Men and women that have been tainted with an unknown power that started only after the Time of Affliction

Afflicted Animals – Animals that are either a blending of two different animals or creatures that spawned after the Time of Affliction

Places

Sinai – Capitol; Baenok in the west.

Beletaria – Capitol; Ukrech slightly east of the center.

Granger - Capitol; Pernatu slightly south of the center.

Cratoa – Capitol; Croatoa in the west.

Arme – Capitol; Stross in the east

Manori – Home of Laurilli, Heathyr, and Uktesh

Balten – Uktesh’s village

Jubay – Coastal town in the southwestern part of Sinai

Isles of Idej – Place where monsters roam, thought to be birth place of Affliction

Isle de Tramonto – resort island.

Redlake – Town in Croatoa

Helsbay – Port town in Croatoa

Afflicted animals

Wosn – Flying snake.

Lion fish – Fish that’s mane is worth a good amount of money.

Turtledove – Flying turtles.

Saberrabbit – Saber toothed rabbit the size of a tiger.

Boacat – Furry snake

Spider wolf – Poisonous wolf; dark red more deadly the poison hairless

Centaur – half man half horse

Minotaur – half man half cow.

Hine – fast flying small lizard that breathes fire.

Mudhounds – canine animals that are covered with a protective layer of mud.

Lickmutt – canine with long, sticky, strong tongues.

Blade birds – flying fish that have razor sharp fins.

Combat moves

Balanced (2
nd
form):

Willow Bending – Offensive unarmed throw with the opponent behind

Colt springs into the Air – Offensive foot attack.

Dove on the Winds – Defensive sword.

Crescent Moon – Offensive axe.

Cricket Springs – Crouching offensive pointed weapons; lunge.

Sun Awakens the Sky – Defensive; limbo type move.

Bull Rushes Down – Offensive all weapons.

Leaf on the Wind – Offensive unarmed; foot stomp.

Crescent Kick – unarmed top to bottom heel kick.

Moth to the Flame – Offensive sword; weaving diagonal slash

Shield of Air - Defensive/Offensive sword; circular spin

Dances with Bull – Defensive all weapons; spinning sway

Glide Under the Fence – Defensive all weapons; a duck under a chest high horizontal attack.

Imperfect (3
rd
form):

Lightning Flashes – sword.

Crane in the Weeds – sword.

Matador Sways – axe.

Sword Raises the Sky – sword; down to up vertical or diagonal cut.

Hawk Soars – all weapons.

Leaf Falls – all weapons; spinning to ground slash at legs

Rainbow Kick – unarmed flip in the air kicking the opponent.

Spinning Elbow – unarmed spinning elbow attack

Wooden Post – unarmed front kick

Perfect (4
th
form):

Thunder Rolls in the Hills - Defensive sword.

Bear Rushes down the Hill – Offensive sword .

Woodsman's Work – Offensive axe straight down.

Farmer Scythes the Wheat – Offensive sword; horizontal slash.

Serpent Strikes – Offensive one legged pointed weapons; lunge.

Crescent Moon – Offensive all weapons; two handed spinning.

Cat Landing on Fence – Defensive all weapons; evasive leap from crouched position.

Sweep the Leg – Offensive unarmed; low spinning kick to the kneecap

Cat Pounces – Offensive two legged pointed weapons; lunge

Palm Strike – Offensive unarmed; palm strikes the opponents anywhere

Rising Knee, Offensive unarmed; jump into the air, grab his attacker behind his head, and bring it down forcefully into his knee.

Crane Snaps – Defensive all weapons quick parry or unarmed used to grab thrown weapons