The Lion of Eomar, Eric K, Hasler [top young adult novels .txt] 📗

Turning her head that way, “what is?” she asked.

Bodwin looked at her, with his eyes wide, and eyebrows arched, and asked, “What did you say?”

Luacresha turned and snapped at him, “I'm not talking to you!” her tone was deep, angry, slightly high pitched, and yet somehow sexy.

It's in the blood whispered the voice again, taste the blood! Her eyes widened, her head dropped “I don't know what you are talking about!”

You will soon

Bodwin placed both of his hands on her shoulders, “Lucaresha,” he asked, “are you alright?”

She smiled, “Bodwin,” she said while rubbing her right hand across his left cheek, “my beautiful, smelly friend.” He had never heard her voice sounding this sweet, or this alluring before. “It is more than enough to know that The Watch will not be sacrificing you today!” She took a step backwards, and as she was about to walk away said, “Don't get caught,” battering her eyelids and widening her smile, “I don't know what I would do if I couldn't... smell you again!” then she disappeared down the Southern Pillar road.

“Well Bodwin,” said Trayvr steppeing forward and placing a hand on his shoulder, “you have some weird and interesting friends!”

Coustin laughed and Hendi asked, “You have to introduce me to her again some time! She's the type I like.”

While cachinnating Trayvr said, “She'll eat you alive, Hendi. Come on, we've got to train this love sick puppy!”

“Who's the love sick puppy?” asked Bodwin, which caused the other three to laugh.

 

 

 

 

Chapter Four

 

The Rotten Splice was starting to come to life as many of the poor returned from the daily worship. Groups of human figuers were scattered around the edges of the square squabbling about this and that. The centre itself was almost empty. The cauldron was perched on the edge of the central fire pit and there was some scruffy old woman dropping chunks from some kind of dead animal into it. Bodwin shuddered at the thought of the foul slop that would emerge from the cauldron at the end of the day.

“This will nicely,” said Coustin as they reached the centre.

Trayvr and Hendi smiled and stepped back ten paces, “I quite like this part,” said Hendi.

Trayvr looked at him, his right eyebrow arched upwards, “So I take it you don't remember this lesson then?”

“I never had this teaching,” replied Hendi.

Trayvr chuckled, “That's not what I remember!”

“What will do nicely?” asked Bodwin as his head spun between all three of them. “Why have you two moved away? What is going on? What doesn't Hendi remember?'

“His training!” replied Coustin, “Let's show him what he's missed, hit me!”

Bodwin chortled, “What?”

“Hit me,” replied Coustin.

“No,” said Bodwin, “friends shouldn't fight with each other.” He frowned, “We are friends, aren't we?”

Coustin smiled, “only if you hit me.”

Bodwin scratched the back of his head and looked at his feet 'this doesn't make sense' he thought. He looked up towards Trayvr and Hendi and shuddered at their smiles, 'first they get me to run, and now they want to beat me up!' he thought, ' and they call it training?'

“You always do that,” said Coustin with a laugh.

“Always do what?”

“Scratch the back of your head when you're nervous,” replied Coustin.

“I do not!” spat Bodwin, “and how by the gods would you know? We only met yesterday!”

“And you always defend yourself when called to task for your actions!” said Coustin through clenched teeth.

 

Bodwin frowned and in the pit of his stomach was an eruption. Heat rose in him and started fighting for control. His eyes began to twitch, sweat protruded from his forehaed, his hands clenched into tight solid balls. He hated this eruption feeling; it was as if something else was trying to internally dominate him. Attempting to control the inevitable outcome he began inhaling deeply slowly through his nose and exhaling fast through his mouth. Control never came.

Coustin stepped up to him, “all you will ever be in this life depends on how you react in a fight. You need to know when to fight, and when to walk away. This isn't the time to walk, you need to learn to take a beating as well,” Coustin smiled.

“You're pretty sure of yourself!” replied Bodwin through a slightly nervous chuckle, “What makes you think you'll beat me?”

“Hit me and I'll show you!” said Coustin.

“No,” said Bodwin. As he turned and started to walk away Coustin shouted after him, “How much can you ever know about yourself if you refuse to fight?”

Clusters of Human figures started to gather around the centre, obviously sensing some form of entertainment was about to explode.

“You will never do what is right until you learn how to fight!” shouted Coustin. “Bodwin, Eomar is suffering a lot, and not because of the corruption of The Watch, or Ruskin the usurper, but because of the inactivity of good people like you!”

Bodwin stopped, turned back and stared with a confused look upon his face, then shouted back “Everything happens for a reason!”

Coustin interrupted with loud insulting laughter, “Sometimes the reason is because people like you are stupid. Stupid people make bad decisions!” Coustin took two steps toward Bodwin, “Do not allow you're self to become one of the stupid comfortable people Bodwin. Comfort is the enemy of achievement!”

The look in Coustin's eyes was something to behold. It was as if he was something different, something vicious. Something of a vigil-anti hero or whatever it was he was supposed to be in whatever city he came from, however long ago that was. Bodwin shuddered at the sight, swallowed, took a step closer. 'I must be crazy to do this' he thought as he tried to smile, which came out more like a snarl. Bodwin took a quick look at the others; Hendi was smiling and nodding his head, while Trayvr's mouth was drawn long and flat as if he was trying to suppress a smile.

“Do you really think I'm comfortable living in this filth?” rasped Bodwin. “Take a good look at this place! These people are everything I hate about this city. They do nothing to help themselves, but gather around in their silly groups contemplating the impossible task of breaking into the warehouses.”

The fire within was burning beyond control, even though his breathing was relaxed, and the sweat beads had slowed their arrival. His head was remarkably calm and yet almost consumed with an anger toward Coustin that was battling for control. It felt like there was somebody else inside him trying to get out; an alter ego that was fuelled by rage, hatred, and violence.

“So what are you going to do about it?” asked Coustin.

There was no hope of control left for Bodwin. The firey rage won, completely immersing him in hatred for the way the poor were used to appease Dazbog. The way the good poor people of the city did not react when The Watch came hunting them. Poor people thieveing from the poor, mass produced food prepared out of desperation from the most terrible ingredients. The state of the dilapidated buildings that were almost falling down around them, and the smell! The faecal slop tossed into the street was most probably the reason for all the different types of diseases the urchins were plagued with. It was all too much for Bodwin; he snapped, rushed forward, and grabbed Coustin around the throat with both hands and started squeezing. Coustin just smiled, took hold of Bodwin's wrists and leaned backwards until he fell pulling both of them to the ground, he then rolled to the left, broke Bodwin's hold and stood up.

“Now, that's better, my friend,” he snarled, then leaned forward a little, raised his hands and spat in front of him “come and get me, Eomarian trash!”

Bodwin jumped to his feet at the sound of the insult, and then lunged again at Coustin who managed to step aside and slap him on the back of the head. Bodwin spun to the right on his left heel and connected in the midsection with his right foot, which Coustin caught and lifted up above his head forcing Bodwin back to the dirt. Climbing to his feet he saw the grin on Coustin's face, that look of hatred for his opponent; Bodwin shuddered 'he's not my friend' he thought as Coustin stalked towards him with his fists balled and held in front of his face. Bodwin copied him.

Many of the human figure that plague The Rotten Splice with their presence had formed a circle around the two men and were beginning to shout and cheer as Coustin threw a left jab into Bodwin's jaw. Bodwin unwittingly threw his left fist into Coustins face and followed through with a right that sent Coustin stepping backwards, with a shocked look on his face.

Hendi laughed, “I've never seen that happen before!”

“He has courage, I'll give him that,” replied Tryavr. “However, he will pay for that!”

Seeing a chance of finishing it Bodwin stepped forward and threw a series of punches that were easily blocked by Coustins forearms. The crowd grew bigger and the cheering grew louder.

“Look how fast those punches are!” said an astounded Hendi, “Have you ever seen anything like that before?”

Trayvr shook his head, “It's not about the speed, although it helps. Look how easy Coustin blocks him, there is no power in his punches. He's not strong enough for this yet.”

Coustin's right foot sprung up kicking Bodwin in the stomach forcing him backwards. Coustin took two quick steps forward, jumped and threw a flying right punch into Bodwin's nose causing an explosion of blood to splatter across his face leaving a pattern resembling that of a crimson spider web. He staggered backwards in a crumbling manner from the force and sharp pain then fell on his butt. The crowd was ecstatic with shouts of “finish him!”

Tryavr looked at Hendi, “told you he'd pay for it!”

Coustin wasn't finished. He circled around and came from behind, dropped to one knee, clamped his right arm around Bodwin's neck and started to block the flow of air. Bodwin's eyes widened, as the steady crimson flow continued to ooze from his nose and started to pool on Coustins forearm. 'Can't breath,' thought 'what to do.' He started to get dizzy, his eyes began to feel as if they were sweating, and his brain screamed for air, he started to claw at the forearm with no success. POKE HIM IN THE EYE said a deep, calm voice; a new voice. Without thinking, Bodwin complied and stabbed Coustin in the right eye with his index finger and the hold was broken. The crowd roared with jubilation.

“That was unexpected,” said Trayvr through a large smile, while looking sideways at Hendi.

Bodwin clawed his way back to his feet, panting heavily. He turned to see Coustin stamping around holding his eye, and cursing at anything and everything. Bodwin took the opportunity. He sprung forward and stared punching Coustin, both hands taking their turn while shouting, “Is this what you want!” until he felt a sudden sharp, sickening feeling explode from his groin causing him to double over. Trayvr started clapping, “looks like Bodwin has taught Coustin something new!” he laughed, “Did you expect that?”

Hendi shook his head, “no” he said through a devious grin, “but I just learnt something!”

Looking up through his eyebrows Bodwin