Chapter 1

I duck behind a low stone wall as a group of Centaurs ride toward me. They draw their weapons as they gallop past where I have hidden. Centaurs are not evil they are just mercenaries that work for whoever pays the most.  Remaining behind the wall that kept me out of their sight, I let them get at least 250 to 300 yards away before I leaped over the wall and jogged towards the center of the old town. It looked to be a three miles hike through the overgrowth and rubble from the building. From what I had seen so far, I would have a hell of a time just getting there. I laugh to myself when has that ever been an issue for me, with that, I start to think about her and the others that I lost that fateful day. It's been almost five years to the exact day "No Zeke stop that, this is not the place for that," I order myself to stop thinking about it before I lose it again.   

I had just made it about two hundred yards into the outer part of the town as a platoon of forty or fifty Ogres march toward me, I had just enough time to duck into a long building. Thinking it was safe until the back two ranks lift up their heads sniffing the air. Their commander calls them to a halt and orders them to check it out, they stomp towards the building.   

As they approach, I back away from the door. (If you've never seen an Ogre than you're very lucky; they are about seven feet tall, grey or green in coloration, big orange eyes, large bodies, easily 250 to 300 pounds, and a mouth full of sharp, pointed teeth, not to mention the smell, which is like a combination of sewage and rotting meat) I look for a way out as they bash open the doors with their clubs. Now, these particular Ogres were not very smart or had really bad eyesight, because they did not see the door I had left cracked open in my attempt to hide. When they did not see anyone in the room they grunted to each other and turned to leave, with the exception of one.   

Now you may think it cowardice to run and hide, but when you are faced with eight Ogres, who have about two to three hundred pounds on you and are more heavily armed it is just plain smart to hide. As the rest of the group run back to the formation, the one left behind just stood there smelling the air as he looked around as if he could sense my presence.   

I try to move closer to the back wall of the room I had ducked into, I stepped on broken glass. With the loudest crunching, the Ogre grunts in my direction and barrels into the room. I jump back attempting to draw my sword, I barely draw my blade in time to block a bone-jarring overhanded strike. The club slid off the edge of my blade knocking me back. I pull my shield off my back as the next swing comes across my left side.  

I am barely able to parry the blow before the ogre swipes at me barehanded. The blow knocks me ten feet back, forced me back into the wall behind me. Hitting so hard I lose my breath and my sword, I struggle to my feet and bring my shield up to block the next swing. The blow was so powerful that it shattered my shield, the force of it sent me across the room into a pile of desks. Pain lanced through the arm, as I try to roll onto my feet.

Since I could not push myself up I roll onto my side, and unsheathed my dagger and slice the leather strips that held the shield to my arm. I struggle to my feet as it approaches, as the Ogre got to the middle of the room I throw my dagger at the Ogre. As usual, my luck does not hold out and I miss my target, which was the heart. The blade missed by about a foot, though it hit the shoulder.  

Now it was royally pissed off, it gave a loud roar and it ran straight at meme swinging its club. I jumped out of the way at the last second, I realize I won't be able to get back to my feet quickly enough. I glance around for anything to help me, and then I see that my sword had landed only a few feet away. I lunge toward it as the ogre charged me, I made it with just enough time to roll onto my knees and use my chest to brace my sword.    

The Ogre had enough momentum to push me back into the wall. I use the wall to push it over, I walk to where it fell and pull my blade from its chest. I bent down, and pulled my blade out of its shoulder, I wiped my blade clean on its clothes. I sheath my blade looking for the remains of my shield to make a sling out of the strips of leather and wood. I walk over to one of the broken windows to watch for any movement, for thirty minutes I waited to make sure nothing else was after me.   

I headed out with just about an hour before the sun went down I up my pace. As I get within eyesight of the center of town, I see a sight that makes my blood run as cold as the river Styx, there was a camp of monsters right in front of the main compound. Cursing my luck, I search for a place to get a good vantage from to make a plan. You see, I could have just run in there sword swinging as so many adventurers had before.   

You know this place has quite the history, with heroes coming here on quests and to rescue civilians and friends, none of them ever made it home. Even though I had so little to live for now it's still worth more to me than dying for the glory of battle. I was finally able to find a too good two-story building to wait out the night.

      I clear out each room and place a special device in it, it was meant to keep out those that would want to hurt me. The children of the goddess Veda created these, she is the goddess of knowledge and wisdom. Once I clear the building, I go back upstairs to form a new plan, that camp was a twist that I had not expected. As I sit down an odd feeling pass through me, almost like someone was standing over me and dropping dust or sand on me. Next thing I knew I was reliving some of the best and worst memories.