RuffWriter
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Chapter 412 - unedited as usual :Sadface:
🕑 Added 2019-01-11 02:19:03 +0000 UTCIt's a little late and a lot unedited, but it's done. I'll probably take a bunch of time this weekend editing the chapters, finding memes, and generally getting them ready for RRL release, but yea.
Also, a lot of you have been upping your pledges, so I want to take a moment here to thank you for all the support. I'm all warm and fuzzy inside with greed and longing :D. That said, please remember to check the posts for the other rewards, namely the google drive (for epubs) and the naming post if you wanna name stuff in SD.
Anywho, enough of my ranting which no one really reads, here's the chapter. Enjoy!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ge_-0vFvDAqufO2rjU5O6hIOkwno9ExvBqRQGa1E8V0/edit?usp=sharing
Buffeted by waves of ice -cold terror, Jorani watched his doom unfold like a spectator watches a play. A small part of his brain screamed at him to scream or run, to do something, anything, but he couldnt. Unable to even draw breath, his lungs burned and knees quivered as he stood rooted in place, helpless to act as the Defiled Champion drew closer and closer, his massive club and black grin grower larger with each step. This was how he would die, reduced to meat paste in front of a crowd of thousands, with no friends or allies to save him. In the face of overwhelming power, there was nothing he could do, his fate sealed the moment his opponent unleashed his Aura.
No. Joranis fate was sealed the moment he was born to a common washer-woman from Sanshu.
The strong thrive and the weak survive, such was the way of the world. Maybe if his father hadnt been an absentee deadbeat then things would be different, but without wealth or power, Jorani was destined to a life of mediocrity. While he was busy scrounging for bread and coppers, others who were fortunate enough to be born into better families ate the best of meals and received the finest instruction. Jorani was seventeen when he first found Balance, almost a decade later than the average noble, and only bound his Spiritual Weapon a year ago. With so much working against him and having come to power so late, how was he ever supposed to measure up to his peers?
If only GangShu had stuck around or provided some sort of support. The stingy old bastard couldve supported a hundred thousand families and still have more to spare, but instead he left Ma and Jorani to fend for themselves, because rat daddies dont stick around. Jorani wasnt even the worst off of his unfortunate half-siblings either, like poor Sorya and Anrhi were sold into slavery after their mother pass away. Who knew how many others never made it to adulthood? Why was Daxian the only one to enjoy their fathers care and attention? While they never spoke of it, it was clear GangShu played a part in Daxians upbringing, but why him?
Back then, news of a half-rat rising to the rank of Major had made waves throughout Sanshu, and Jorani had been the butt of so many jokes. More than a little jealous, he had looked into his supposed half-brother and cursed his good fortune. At fifteen years old, Daxian joined the army as a private and quickly rose through the ranks on sheer talent alone, easily the match of any young talent nurtured by the ruling factions. After rising to the rank of Captain at eighteen, Daxian won his Spiritual Weapon in an army-sponsored tournament by defeating all competitors in a massive free-for-all melee. At twenty two, he earned his promotion to Senior Captain during a Defiled raid on an outer fortress, killing fifteen Champions in successive duels before leading his unit in an all-out charge to rescue three senior officers from what should have been a hopeless situation. Then, at twenty-six, he fought off an ambush from not one, not two, but three Demons, killing one of the Demons in the process of saving his commanding officer and thereby securing his promotion to Major.
A rags-to-riches story only found in fables and dramas, it was one meant to inspire and embolden, but back then, Daxians success had pushed Jorani into a spiral of depression. They both shared similar origins, so why were they as different as night and day?
Because unlike him, their father supported Daxian.
So why Dastan and not Jorani? Why was the Mother so unfair? The past year proved Jorani had no lack of talent, he only lacked the time and resources needed to become an elite Martial Warrior. Hed made great strides along the Martial Path in a short amount of time, but even the fastest sprinted needed time to catch up when given a handicap measuring in years. Jorani was out of his depth facing an Aura-capable Defiled Champion, a helpless lamb before a starving tiger. Maybe if hed been trained by the old bastard from young, like Daxian so obviously had been, then Jorani would also have an Aura, but as things stood, he was still years away from even attempting it. Even then, there were Martial Warriors who trained their entire lives and never condensed their Auras, so who was to say Jorani would be any different?
He wouldnt be. He knew this in his heart of hearts. He was weak, and such was the way of the world.
Strength. He needed strength, and a lot of it if he wanted to survive, and he most certainly did. He thought he was ready for death, but he wasnt. There was still so much he had yet to do, so much he still wanted to do. He wanted to find a wife, settle down, have kids, and give them everything he never had. He wanted to be a hero, a leader his warriors could respect and a man his children could look up to. He wanted to prove that bastard GangShu wrong, prove his entitled half-brother Daxian wrong, and show them both that Jorani was better than they thought. He still remembered the disappointment on GangShus face the first time they met. Oh? GangShu had said, his eyes narrowed and nose wrinkled like he was looking at a pile of garbage instead of his abandoned son. Yer Hangman Jorani? That cant be right.
Scathing condemnation and casual disregard in one simple statement. Not exactly the reunion with dear old dad Jorani had dreamed about as a child, but he didnt know why he ever hoped for more from his rat-bastard of a father.
All this and more passed through his mind in a matter of heartbeats as Joranis hour of death drew near. The hulking, bare-chested Defiled Champion made his way over until, following some unspoken rule of duelling, he stopped about twenty paces away and started stretching in anticipation of a good fight. Sadly, the human-leather wearing savage would soon be disappointed, for he didnt know Jorani was helpless before him. The small part of his brain not gibbering in terror found that odd, because surely his opponent knew Jorani didnt have an Aura to counter him. Thats how it should work, right
Not that it mattered. Even without the Aura, Jorani didnt stand a chance. This was a Defiled Champion, a natural-born killing machine who thrived on death and bloodshed. Opposing him was a street-rat from Sanshu, here only by a strange quirk of fate. Falling Rain couldve chosen any of the surviving bandits to be his figurehead, almost all of them more qualified than Jorani. Perhaps thats why he was chosen in the first place, because Rain wanted someone pitiful and pathetic to control, an expendable stooge to use against the Council. If it wasnt for GangShu asking Falling Rain to look after him, Jorani would probably have died after the Battle for Sanshu, kissed by a dagger to tie up loose ends. In fact, thats probably why Falling Rain chose him to lead the Mothers Militia instead of picking Chey, because he didnt want to waste her potential. Out of all the recruits from Sanshu, Chey had improved the most, a charismatic leader who, while not quite as strong as the likes of Wang Bao, Ulfsaar, or Neera, was the most likely candidate to reach their level.
In contrast? Jorani was a coward and a drunk who lost the respect of his subordinates and superiors in one fell swoop. No one respected him. He could see it in their eyes, the scorn and ridicule they had for their one-time leader whod been relegated to digging ditches for them to shit and piss in. Thats where he belonged, down in the dirt, because he was a fraud and a charlatan, a puppet whose reputation and accomplishments were all faked. He was a lookout, a scavenger, a bottom-feeding rat lower than the least of them, and they all knew it.
And now, he knew it too.
His foolish dreams of grandeur would never come to pass, not while he kept playing by their rules. Theirs was a broken system, one designed by some Bitch sitting on up high, meting out trials and tribulations with impunity, all for Her twisted, sadistic amusement. What did those poncy, puffed-up nobles have that Jorani didnt? Sure, he formed his Core late, but how many of them couldve done what he did and hold off an entire army of Defiled by himself? How many of them couldve persevered under Falling Rains merciless gaze, forced to run and fight day after day, put through exercises and gruelling training regimens for months without end? Jorani suffered through all that and more, but for what?
So he could be abandoned here on the battlefield, where he would die alone and unappreciated.
He should surrender, like he had planned, only... surrender didnt necessarily mean his life was over.
It wouldnt be the first time Jorani changed sides. How many gangs had he been a part of, how many bandit crews had he joined and then subsequently betrayed? He never betrayed anyone to benefit himself, but at the end of the day, he had no choice in the matter. When a gang is defeated, you either join the new crew or die with the old, and Jorani was nothing if not adaptable. Thats how he survived all those years after his Ma died, by siding with the biggest and baddest thug around, no matter who he had to leave behind. The Empire was doomed anyways, so why not join the winning side? With the Defiled, not only would he grow stronger, but his strength would earn him respect and status. Wealth, women, and whatever else his heart desired, he would have it so long as he renounced Balance and surrendered.
Its so easy. All you need to do is let go.
Surrender.
You have nothing to lose either way. What are you waiting for?
Surrender.
They left you here to die. You dont owe them anything.
Surrender.
Silence fell on the battlefield Jorani found clarity, the world simple and straightforward once again. Surrender, and he would live. Resist, and he would die. There was no other choice. The Defiled Champions Aura melted away as Jorani affirmed his decision, and all that was left was to walk over and join his new comrades. Freed of all his woes and worries, Jorani marched across the grassy field beneath the moonlit sky, his steps light and head held high, watching his newfound friends as they waited to greet him. This was it, the start of a new Jorani, a better Jorani, one in control of his own fate.
Twenty steps later, Jorani came face to face with the Defiled Champion. Well, face to nipple, but no matter. In time, Jorani would grow taller and stronger, he knew this to be true. How he knew it, he wasnt sure, but doubts and apprehensions were for the old Jorani. New Jorani did what he pleased, and this... well, it wasnt pleasing, but it felt like the right thing to do.
...
Right?
...
Right.
Craning his neck back to look the Champion in the eyes, Jorani spoke quietly, the words not coming as easily as he thought they would. Me names Jorani. Okay that was easy enough. Now the next part. Im here... Im here to
Kick his ass, boss!
Fer Sanshu! Fer the Mothers Militia.
Learn im what the Bekkies taught ye!
Almost choking on his tongue in his haste to swallow his words, Jorani turned around and gawked at his people behind him. What was Erkin doing? Why didnt he use this time to regroup for another charge? Ral stood tall atop his quin, Squeaky, waving both arms as if afraid Jorani wouldnt see him. Dastan was also there, grinning like a madman as he always did when there was a battle to be fought, and his was mirth echoed in Sahbs features beside him. Jinoe. Ciro. Kimi. Ronga. Awdar , all of them were back, maybe eighty people in total lined up for the Enemy to gawk at, a poor showing compared to the two thousand Defiled across from them.
Yet still, there they were, standing around like lambs waiting for the slaughter.
To make matters worse, none of his people seemed to realize how shit the situation was. Instead, they hooted and hollered like they thought Jorani was here to fight and actually stood a chance against the muscled behemoth of a Champion. Had they all gone mad? In what fantasy dream world would this would even be an option? Did they not know who he was, what he was really like? Jorani was a coward, a drunkard, a failure and a disappointment, not dueller of Champions or a leader of men. Hed stayed behind to save these idiots, and they didnt even have the courtesy to let him!
Jor!
Wait? He did this to save them? Didnt they abandon him?
Hey Jor!
No, they didnt abandon him, he stayed behind because thats what needed to be done.
Jor, can you hear me?
He did this to save them, so why didnt they leave?
Jor!?!
Unable to think due to Rals constant shouting, Jorani screamed, What?! What do you want?!
Tail wagging so furiously he was liable to fall off his quin, Ral grinned and shouted, Beat him good, Jor!
Oh right, Jorani had almost forgotten hed come here to fight. Turning back to the Defiled Champion, he locked eyes with the towering giant for a moment, and in that brief, infinitesimal instant, Joranis intentions were revealed.
There would be no surrender. Not today, not ever.
Roaring in anger, the Champion raised his club to strike, but to Joranis eyes, the behemoth moved far too slowly. Coiled around his fist, Joranis Spiritual Weapon smashed into the Champions jaw with a rising uppercut. Warm blood splattered across his face as each successive layer of his coiled cord ground away at leather, skin, flesh, and eventually bone. Instincts and training kicked in as he drew his dagger and slashed it across the Champions gut, but even as the flesh parted and guts spilled out, Jorani knew his efforts were wasted.
After all, the Champion was already dead. Defiled were tough, but not so tough they could survive losing half their head.
The faceless corpse fell to one side, revealing the crowd of angry and surprised Defiled to Jorani. Now that the fight was over, he belatedly realized he was closer to the Enemy than to his people. Not the safest place to stand, but then again, this was war. Arm still raised from his killing blow, he flicked his wrist to slough off the blood before taking a triumphant stance, hiding his fear and uncertainty while staring down the Defiled horde.
He had so many questions, like what just happened? Why did he think the Defiled would accept him? Why didnt the Champions Aura affect him? Was he actually secretly strong but didnt know it because he was surrounded by freaks and monsters? Seconds ticked by and Jorani realized the Defiled were treating him with quite a bit of respect, not exactly backing away but less enthusiastic about charging in. Ha, his skills scared them away, did it? Well, Jorani couldnt blame them, that uppercut was something else. How did he do it? Reinforcement, Amplification, his special brand of Honing, and... something else.
Wait... The Defiled werent looking at him. They were looking past him.
Well done lad. A meaty hand clapped Jorani on the shoulder and he almost dropped to his knees. Staggering from the impact, he turned to curse the damned fool but quickly held his tongue. With his tangled beard and ragged robes, Lei Gong didnt look the part of an Expert, but he certainly gave off the air of one. There was just something intangible and indefinable about him, something that transcended his shabby appearance and elevated him to a man worthy of respect.
Oh wait. Never mind. Jorani realized what it was. The old man was sober for once. Thats why he looked so different.
Oblivious to Joranis rude, yet honest thoughts, Lei Gong steadied Jorani and nodded sagely. Youve come a long way since Sanshu, he said, and Jorani knew he wasnt talking about distance. Seems for once, this old man has lost a bet, but cant say Im angry about it. Next time though, how about you tremble a little less? You had this old man thinking hed have to run in a save yer ass.
Told you we wouldnt need to step in. Appearing out of the shadows, Daxian didnt even spare Jorani a glance. Well settle our accounts later. Theres work to be done.
That there is. Feel like another wager? Say... which one of us kills more Defiled? Same stakes as before?
No.
Come now, wheres yer competitive spirit?
I learned from you. Never make a bet youre not confident of winning.
Scared?
Not fear, but pragmatism.
Bah. Yer no fun. Give an old man a chance to win it back, yea? Ye only made the bet because ye didnt want to... Err, by the by lad, you can put yer arm down now. With a roguish wink, Lei Gong continued, You did good work here, bought enough time for yer people. Mister Rustram and his lot will be around soon enough, so what say we get the festivities started? Without waiting for an answer, Lei Gong raised his cane and pointed it at the Defiled. Lightning flashed and thunder roared as the old man showed why he was called the Lord of Thunder. A bolt of lightning lanced across the field and illuminated the world before crashing into the Defiled. The sight left Jorani blind for several seconds, but soon the stench of burnt flesh wafted over on the breeze, lifting Joranis spirits as the tension melted from his body.
Finally, the heavy hitters were here and little old Jorani could finally take a break.
Come on lad, Lei Gong cackled, unleashing a second bolt of lightning while dragging Jorani towards the Defiled. Show this old man what else youve learned in our time apart.
Reluctant to turn and run, Jorani quietly followed along while waiting for his vision to return, reasoning that the safest place to be was beside two powerful Experts. Together, the three of them led the charge against the Defiled, and Joranis vision cleared just in time to see Daxian sweep away five or six Defiled with a single strike, only to do it again and again. With spear in hand, the Virtuous cleared away the chaff while Lei Gong followed closely behind, sending bolts of lightning to wreak havoc across the battlefield. With little to do except clean up the odd stray Daxian sent his way, Jorani used his time to look around and get a better feel for the overall battle. Crashing into a veritable wall of Defiled flesh, Dastans cavalry scattered weapons and bodies before them as the cut a swathe through the Enemy ranks. Erkins scouts followed soon after, protecting the rear while simultaneously picking off the scattered remnants still reeling from Dastans charge. Having learned from his mistakes, Dastan had directed the charge at an angle instead of going head first into the fray, so despite their best efforts to hold the cavalry in place, the sheer mass of the Guonei chargers and support from the quins and Lei Gong proved too much for the Defiled, and Dastans people soon pushed through and emerged bloodied but whole.
In between the booming of thunder and rumbling of hoof-beats, Jorani could make out a familiar sound, the twang of crossbows and whistle of arrows. No, just one crossbow, he soon realized, a single shooter working alone. Across the battlefield, he spotted signs of the marksmans work as a Defiled warrior toppled over with no enemy in sight, his death going largely unnoticed in the chaos of battle. One of the dead mans companions turned around to face the killer, only to be shot down a few seconds later, though this time from a completely different angle. Pride swelled in his chest as Jorani put the pieces together, whooping with joy at the news of Siyars safe return. Though he had yet to spot the sneaky smuggler, Jorani didnt know anyone else who could evade detection like that and still use a crossbow.
It wasnt just Siyar who stood out either. Still standing on Squeaky, Ral wielded his massive quarter-staff with unnatural grace. Always spinning this way or that, the weapon danced in Rals hands as it smashed this way and that, never still even for an instant. Barely recognizable beneath all the blood and viscera, Erkins head moved back and forth on a swivel while guiding Ral to where he was needed most. No slouch in battle himself, the squad leader brandished his broken spear about, likely more comfortable with the improvised club than an actual weapon. Less impressive were Jinoe and Ronga as the inseparable duo covered each others flanks, while Kimis beastly quin eviscerated everyone in its path, its feral personality well-suited for its unhinged rider.
His chest swelling with pride, Jorani raised his voice in a wordless scream of triumph. Who would have thought a rag-tag group of thieves, smugglers, crooks, and vagabonds would do so well against the Defiled? They werent the best warriors around, but they were his people, and theyd be damned if they let the bossman down.
Well... they were Erkins people, but only for now. Today marked the beginning of a new Jorani, a better Jorani, one who would no longer drink (to excess) and wholeheartedly pursue his goals (or lower his standards). Perhaps he should take another look at Kimi. While she was a little more intense than Jorani would like, it might be nice to be with a woman strong enough to protect him and their future children.
They lived in a dangerous world, and new and improved though he might be, Jorani wasnt too proud to admit hed need all the help he could get.
Comments
ThePolarParadox
Hate to break it to ya, Jory-boy, but Kimi's already got her own ride.
