by Logan Jacobs
I moved to comfort him, but he flashed me a broad grin and held up his hands as though to ward me off, so I got the hint. Willihard was one of the older miners in town, and he’d lived here since before it was renamed as Bastianville. I was sure his pride would be more injured than his body if I went to give him reassuring words, so I stayed where I was and contented myself with giving him an approving nod.
Walthard’s son, Niconor, was doing much better than his father, and the younger man groaned with effort as he hauled his small boulder across the field toward the marker. The miner passed by Jaxtom, Riondale, and Jorgen as he crossed the distance with a determined expression on his face.
“Come on!”
“You can do it!”
People chanted at the competitors from the sidelines, but it certainly seemed as though there were a few favorites among the audience, and the young miner in the lead was a crowd pleaser. He flashed them cheeky grins and feigned yawns as he made his way steadily down the field.
Niconor was already close to the marker, and he would be the first to make it that far, but Riondale’s three cousins, Brynn, Thanor, and Ian were hot on the miner’s tail, and all four of them passed in front of the miner at the same time.
However, Brynn dropped his large rock with a loud grunt about a foot past the marker. Thanor’s rock went several feet farther, and then Ean’s landed right beside Thanor’s. Finally, Niconor stepped forward and lugged his boulder with a mighty grunt, and the rock splashed down into the mud far past the rest.
We had a winner.
“Good job, Nic!” I congratulated. “You’re officially a member of the Bash A Team.”
“It is a great honor, Great One,” the miner said with a tired smile.
“I know it is well earned,” I assured him. “I’ve seen how hard you’ve been working today. You left it all on the field, and I couldn’t ask for more than that.”
“You noticed, huh?” Niconor smirked. “I hoped so.”
“I see all things, Nic,” I reminded him in a godly tone, but then I jerked my chin toward the winner’s circle. “Go on and join the victors while we set up for the next event.”
“I’m relieved I don’t have to compete anymore,” the miner admitted. “I’m bone-tired after the previous races.”
“Which is how we will know the winners are the best of the best.” I nodded sagely.
“Thank you for this opportunity, Great One,” Niconor said over his shoulder as he headed toward the other winners where they stood near the judges.
The boulder carrying was entertaining, but the results were surprising. I hadn’t expected the young miner to do so well in the event, let alone be the victor. I’d have to get to know him better so I could understand his strengths and weaknesses, but I supposed spending time in the mine hauling rocks around had given him an advantage. I still needed to learn the mining skill myself, but it seemed as though there were always more pressing things to focus on.
Maybe Niconor could help me resolve my dilemma soon.
I was definitely collecting a motley gang of mismatched people, but I was excited to see how everyone handled the journey to the palace. Many of them would be like fish out of water as soon as they left the safety of the small town, but I knew they would be fine as long as I was around.
And I was going to be around for a long time.
In any case, it would be much more enjoyable to have friends with me than to just hire a bunch of guards and soldiers.
Mahini suddenly caught my eye as she began to cross the distance between us, and I flashed her a broad smile.
“Are we ready for the next event?” I asked.
“Everything is prepared.” The desert goddess nodded curtly. “I am anxious to see this one. It will be quite a contest.”
“If you’re excited, then I’m definitely eager,” I laughed. “It’s hard to get you excited about much.”
“Not much is exciting.” She shrugged. “Besides you, anyway.”
“Alright, alright,” I chuckled. “I’ll announce the next event. Will you bring the javelins over to the starting line?”
“I’ve already distributed them among the contestants,” the desert goddess replied with a mischievous twinkle in her ice-blue eyes. “You just need to explain the rules.”
“Thanks.” I smirked, and then I turned to the gathered crowds of townspeople before I raised my voice loud enough for all to hear. “Who’s ready for the next competition?”
A loud roar of approval echoed my words, so I could only assume the people were more than ready for the next event, and I marched over to the starting line where the contestants were eyeing their mock javelins curiously. The girls, our helpers, and I had already sharpened the ends of multiple long, thick straight branches, and while the spears were crudely made, we’d had very little time to work with.
Elissa passed by the line of contestants with a basket full of strips of fabric in different colors and designs. All the competitors then marked their chosen projectiles with the colorful strips so we would be able to identify the winner after they were launched from the contestants’ hands.
Jaxtom, Riondale, and Jorgen stood side by side on one end of the starting line, and on the other end stood Stryker with two woodsmen, Jeron and Maud. Scattered behind them were the rest of the Bullard guardsmen with Jax’s apprentice, Janus, and in between the two groups of men stood a young girl, but she couldn’t have been older than sixteen. She had ashen hair pulled back into a no-nonsense ponytail, round cheeks, and was incredibly tall for her age. Her limbs were long and slender, and she held the makeshift javelin awkwardly. Her face was full of pride and determination I wouldn’t have expected on one so young, but the expression fit in perfectly with the men around her.
I’d never met the young woman before, so I made a quick save point to remedy the situation. Then I strode toward the girl with a friendly smile, and I waved when I caught her attention.
“I’ve never met you before,” I observed. “What’s your name?”
“Oh my, it’s the Great One!” the girl gasped, and her eyes flicked from my face to the ground multiple times. “M-My name i-is Celeste. It is an h-honor, Your Greatness.”
“How old are you, Celeste?” I asked in a gentle tone.
“I-I’m fifteen,” Celeste stammered out.
“Where are your parents?” I furrowed my brow as I shot a glance at the audience.
“Dead, sir,” Celeste said in a somber tone.
“I’m sorry,” I replied, and I gave her a sympathetic smile. “Where are you from?”
“Castle Bullard,” Celeste explained, and when she finally met my eyes, I noticed the purple hue.
What a strange girl.
Celeste didn’t seem hesitant to answer any of my questions, but she didn’t volunteer much information in her answers, which only left me wanting to know more.
“So, what brought you to Bastianville?” I pressed.
The other contestants began to notice the delay in the event, and I heard discontented murmurs among the crowd. It didn’t matter, though, since I planned on resetting back to my save point anyway.
“My parents dying.” Celeste shrugged, and I frowned.
Was she not upset? Or maybe still in shock?
“Do you mind if I ask what happened to them?” I kept my tone comforting and friendly, but I was officially dying of curiosity about this girl who felt confident enough to stand next to the strongest men in town with her head held high.
“They were killed by the dragon,” she explained in a low voice, and pain sprung into her violet eyes. “T-Thank y-you for k-killing--”
“You are more than welcome.” I squeezed her in a quick hug while she was still mid-sentence, but my heart hurt for the young girl who had already suffered so much loss.
No wonder she’d ended up in Bastianville, it probably seemed like the safest place in the world after what happened in Bullard.
I’d learned enough, though, so I reset back to my s
ave point with a wave of my will power.
Chime.
I eyed Celest for a moment as I thought over what I’d learned, and then I cleared my throat to get everyone’s full attention.
“On my mark, you will throw your javelin across the field and over the tall string.” I gestured to the makeshift goal posts we’d erected and strung a piece of rope across. “Go up and over the rope, and then whoever’s javelin flies the farthest past that point will be our winner.”
The contestants all nodded their understanding, so I repeated the arm over the head movement as I declared the event officially started.
“Ready… Set… Throw!”
The sticks whooshed through the air as the contestants grunted with the effort it took to throw their spears, and then a chorus of thuds echoed across the field as the javelins landed in the dirt.
I crossed the course to the other side where the ends of the sticks jutted from the soil like a porcupine’s quills, and I moved straight to the one in the very front. I yanked the makeshift javelin out of the dirt and held it up over my head for all to see. The color wrapped around the base was a dark green, and I knew immediately who it belonged to since I’d watched the contestants tie on their ribbons earlier.
“Jeron is victorious!” I shouted, and the woodsman pumped his fist in the air.
“Congratulations.” Riondale shook Jeron’s hand, but he couldn’t hide the disappointed expression on his face.
“Well fought,” Jax growled as he clapped the woodsman on the shoulder, and the burly blacksmith forced a smile.
The other competitors rushed to congratulate Jeron, and soon the woodsman was blushing from all the attention, so I decided it was time to save him.
“Alright, alright,” I chuckled as I pushed Janus back away from the winner of the javelin toss. “It’s time for Jeron to join the winner’s circle.”
“Thank you, Great One.” The woodsman nodded, but he let out a small sigh of relief as he followed me away from the field of competition to where the winners stood beside the judges. “I can’t believe I actually won…”
I didn’t know much about the man, but I knew he made a living cutting timber for the Bastianville lumber mill. He’d also been among the first to volunteer for the small militia force I’d gathered to protect the town, so I knew he had guts. I’d have to spend some time getting to know all my entourage along the journey to Vallenwood, but for the moment I had a tournament to finish.
“Welcome to the big leagues.” I grinned, and then I turned to the judges. “How much time do we need before the next event is ready?”
“Our runner to the mine entrance should return any moment,” Elrin informed me, and the mayor of Bastianville rubbed his hands together with excitement. “This next one should get interesting. The competitors are already getting tired, so it will be a feat of endurance to return the victor.”
“That’s why I pushed the more physically taxing events for the second half,” I explained. “I wanted to see how my people would perform under great pressure and challenging circumstances, so I had them get harder and harder as they progress. The final winners will be some of the strongest and most clever people Bastianville has to offer.”
“You deserve the best of the best, Great One.” Elrin inclined his head, and his eyes twinkled as his gaze flicked to his daughter.
“I agree.” I grinned.
Then Corvis trotted over with a broad smile on his face, and he saluted briskly as he came to a halt.
“The marker is placed at the mine entrance,” the horseman announced in a pleased tone.
“That means we’re ready, Bash,” Elissa informed me. “You can announce the next race now.”
“Thanks, beautiful.” I planted a quick kiss on each of my women’s foreheads before I jogged back to the center of the field where everyone could see and hear me.
The gathered crowd of townspeople quieted as I took a stance in the middle of the field, but I waited until I felt all eyes on me before I began to speak. I waited patiently a few more moments, but then I sensed I was the center of attention once more.
“The next event is a foot race,” I announced loudly. “The first person to retrieve the flag at the entrance to the mine and bring it back to me will win the next spot on my entourage.”
“To the mine?”
“That’s so far!”
Isak, Asher, and a few others split away from the group of competitors to join the audience.
“Anyone else wanna change their minds?” I asked, and I shot the remaining contestants a critical glance.
They looked run down and tired, but determined to see the tournament through to the end. The stoic demeanors and lifted chins made my heart swell with pride for the people who followed me, and I would have been happy to have any of them with me on my journey. Time was of the essence, though, so I still needed to thin the herd by a few more people.
Which was exactly what the next events would do.
“Runners to your marks,” I shouted, and the group of competitors all rushed over to the starting line. I raised my arm over my head for what felt like the millionth time, and then I lowered it with one swift motion. “Go!”
The racers all dashed off at a fast pace, and it didn’t take them long to leave the field and get out of sight. We’d have to wait patiently for someone to return with the flag, but I trusted the townspeople not to cheat in any way. There was too much at risk for them since it was common knowledge that I knew everything before it even happened.
“What do we do now?” someone from the audience asked.
“Wait for someone to come back,” I laughed. “But you’re welcome to watch from the gates if you want to.”
“At least here we can see you!” Deena hollered in a teasing voice.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I flashed the woman a cheeky grin, and the crowd cackled with laughter.
It was good to feel the people’s happiness before I left on another quest, and pride filled my chest. Sometimes, all that mattered was that I’d made an impact, but being adored and worshipped by over a hundred people was pretty cool, too.
I joked and made small talk with the audience for a while, and then I spent some time discussing possible winners with the victors of the previous events. A lot of people were placing bets, and I heard Jax’s name thrown out a few times. The blacksmith’s effort and determination had been obvious to everyone, it seemed.
“Look over there!” a voice called out, and everyone fell silent as all eyes turned to the edge of the field where the street led into Bastianville.
A figure appeared at the end of the dusty street, and dirt kicked up around them in a cloud, so it was hard to see who it was from where I stood. I squinted in an effort to see better as the figure drew steadily closer, and then my eyes widened in shock.
It was Celeste.
The ashen-haired teen had a frown of concentration on her face, and her knees lifted high as she ran at full speed toward me. Her violet eyes lifted to my face when she was a few paces away, and she skidded to a halt a few feet away from me. The young girl flourished the white flag we’d placed at the entrance to the mine, and she presented it to me with a stiff bow.
“Your flag, Great One,” she gasped out as she heaved in oxygen. Her face was flushed crimson, and sweat stuck some stray strands of silver hair to her forehead.
“Celeste wins!” I announced as I shoved the flag up into the air and waved it around. I grabbed her by the wrist and lifted her arm up, too, and the teen giggled self-consciously as everyone cheered and shouted. Finally, I dropped her arm and shot her a wide grin. “Looks like you’re headed to Vallenwood. Better start packing your bags.”
“I thought there were more events still…” Celeste frowned. “But of course, I will do as you say, Great One.”
“There are,” I laughed. “I’m just teasing. Go join the winner’s circle while we get ready for the next event.”
“Yes, sir.” The young girl nodded curtly,
and then she trotted over to where the victors stood.
I scanned over the heads of my entourage in progress and took a quick tally of who was coming with me so far. Caelia, Bellona, Sarah, Adelina, and Celeste added a feminine touch to my group while Bron, Niconor, Jeron, Kylor, and Corvis kept our forces strong and capable. I was excited about both the new and familiar faces among my team members, and I was confident the journey would be more than entertaining.
My entourage was almost complete. Now, I just needed to round it out with some tough-as-nails brawn.
“The next event will be a little bit different,” I said in a loud voice, and the crowd immediately hushed to hear what I was going to say. “This one is a bit more dangerous. While there are no weapons involved, the contestants could get hurt. Only those willing to risk bodily harm should step forward.”
I paused to give the remaining contestants time to think this over and decide if they wanted to drop out, but everyone stayed where they were. I glanced over who was left, and I nodded in approval.
Jaxtom and Riondale stood side by side at the front of the group, but Jorgen, Thanor, Bryn, and Ian were behind the pair while Janus and Stryker stood off by themselves. While younger than the other men, the blacksmith’s apprentice was already just as muscular as they were, and the barkeep could certainly hold his own as well.
This was going to be good.
“The next event is a wrestling match.” I paused to let my words sink in, and I noticed a couple of the contestants nodding their understanding. “You’ll have to beat all the other competitors fair and square in order to be considered the victor. We’re pairing you off tournament style, and we’ll narrow it down by a process of elimination. Does that make sense to everyone?”
I got nods and “yeahs” in response, so I grinned.
“Good.” I clapped my hands together. “Now, I’m going to divide you into two groups. Those who have lived in Bastianville for a long time, please step forward.”
