Ruce stepped out into the late afternoon sun and cringed.
The light…. it burns!… It freezes!…
He threw one arm over his eyes and stood slouched in the back yard, panting. Then whipped his arm down and gagged.
GUH! I stink!… Time for a dunk in the lake.
The light…. it burns!… It freezes!…
He threw one arm over his eyes and stood slouched in the back yard, panting. Then whipped his arm down and gagged.
GUH! I stink!… Time for a dunk in the lake.
Three days and nights at the bottom of stronger and stronger bottles of wine; trying to forget; trying to dull the pains. It had taken its toll. He imagined he might look even worse than he smelled. Just not as bad as he felt. He was sure of that.
It started with him snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The insane little group he had joined up with a week ago ~ (hells -- it really was exactly one week ago. His life had descended to this in only one week!) ~ had somehow ended up with every missing orphan. At the cost of the lives of two fellow adventurers, and dozens of skulks, creepers, hobgoblins, and other hellish opponents, they had freed the children and were climbing out of this dungeon once and for all.
Then the … the thing!
Ruce shuddered with both rage and horror as he staggered down the alley towards the lake.
They called it a "beholder." It came from nowhere, and took… GODS…. took the boy! Took the…
He slammed into a alley wall and doubled over choking, each breath a kick in the ribs.
Took the boy! And we just LET IT! EAGERLY! Happy little lickspittles ready to throw an innocent child into hell if it meant we could walk free!
"Far too powerful" they claimed. "Would have slaughtered the party in seconds." "All worked out: the boy was returned after all." Every excuse was another wrenching of his spine; another searing poker down his throat.
I failed. Failed to ssssave Terem, just like I failed to sssssssssssssave…..
"SSSSSS!….."
He hissed, feeling the bile rising. Hells, he wanted another bottle. He wanted ten! Wanted the pain - but more, the memories - but more, THE PAIN to GO AWAY! But tonight he couldn't. Tonight he had to clean back up. Tonight he had to eat something, no matter how unlikely it was it would stay down.
Because Qabbiqah had just visited. Apparently, the whole party had been invited to the town hall tomorrow morning. "By special request of the captain of the town guard." He should probably try to look decent - or at least not 3 days dead - for that.
Ruce growled. Actually, only the elf had been invited. OF COURSE the elf! Smegging WIZARD is OF COURSE the leader of the party. The lord mayor will speak with him and HE can hand down the laurels of praise to "the little people."
"Congratulations adventurers on your heroism," his voice rasped into the sultry air. "Your brave ssssacrifice of the orphan half-orc has earned you a place of honor among… among…"
Ruce fell to his knees and released the last of three days of fermented poison back into the gutter, his sobs continuing long after the convulsions had ended.
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It started with him snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The insane little group he had joined up with a week ago ~ (hells -- it really was exactly one week ago. His life had descended to this in only one week!) ~ had somehow ended up with every missing orphan. At the cost of the lives of two fellow adventurers, and dozens of skulks, creepers, hobgoblins, and other hellish opponents, they had freed the children and were climbing out of this dungeon once and for all.
Then the … the thing!
Ruce shuddered with both rage and horror as he staggered down the alley towards the lake.
They called it a "beholder." It came from nowhere, and took… GODS…. took the boy! Took the…
He slammed into a alley wall and doubled over choking, each breath a kick in the ribs.
Took the boy! And we just LET IT! EAGERLY! Happy little lickspittles ready to throw an innocent child into hell if it meant we could walk free!
"Far too powerful" they claimed. "Would have slaughtered the party in seconds." "All worked out: the boy was returned after all." Every excuse was another wrenching of his spine; another searing poker down his throat.
I failed. Failed to ssssave Terem, just like I failed to sssssssssssssave…..
"SSSSSS!….."
He hissed, feeling the bile rising. Hells, he wanted another bottle. He wanted ten! Wanted the pain - but more, the memories - but more, THE PAIN to GO AWAY! But tonight he couldn't. Tonight he had to clean back up. Tonight he had to eat something, no matter how unlikely it was it would stay down.
Because Qabbiqah had just visited. Apparently, the whole party had been invited to the town hall tomorrow morning. "By special request of the captain of the town guard." He should probably try to look decent - or at least not 3 days dead - for that.
Ruce growled. Actually, only the elf had been invited. OF COURSE the elf! Smegging WIZARD is OF COURSE the leader of the party. The lord mayor will speak with him and HE can hand down the laurels of praise to "the little people."
"Congratulations adventurers on your heroism," his voice rasped into the sultry air. "Your brave ssssacrifice of the orphan half-orc has earned you a place of honor among… among…"
Ruce fell to his knees and released the last of three days of fermented poison back into the gutter, his sobs continuing long after the convulsions had ended.
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2 comments:
this is a great commentary about Ruce. I like it, and it brings him to life, more than just numbers and stats
That's the idea, isn't it?
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