Flash Fiction - 'In fear of the Huntress'

In fear of the Huntress

by

Andrew Bruce Fisk (September 2012)

The last of the Krestarti nursed her wounds. The hunters were near and she must be ready to defend against their relentless assault. The night had not gone well. She had not eaten for days and her body ached for the release of sleep. Her home in the caves above the high tarn was no longer sufficient for her needs.

They called her the Monster. The Murderer and worse, the Thief. She was old enough to know another name. She guarded that secret well.

In the long darkness she had born sons and daughters, had conversed with magelords and fought the warrior kings of the east. Now old and alone she had but one task left to do. So she hid from danger, keeping rock and ice between her and her enemy.

Outside the wind howled a challenge to those you would attempt the mountains. She wanted to think that they were cowards. The ones who desired to harm her would reconsider. She had chosen this place wisely. The steep sides of the peak could not easily be reached from the lowland below. She was protected by sharp walls of vertical rock. It would be difficult for them to access the summit above the lake.

She faced no such limitation. She had ridden the wind for a millenium as they measured time. She wished she could leave this lands of torment and ride again the currents of ice and dark. Maybe she could return to the far west. To the home of the Krestarti race. She hoped for a moment of meeting others of her species. To hear the ancient music of true speech that was now lost forever. Except in her dreams.

She was alone. The others were gone. Hunted and killed by the new people who now gathered below.

One such creature approached her sanctuary. It was a female. She sensed its bravery and its fury long before hearing the clip and scrap of climbing gear. Metal against rock. She smelt the taste of revenge mirrored with her own. This human child that had come to face her was kindred indeed.



Jonares entered the lair of the Dragon. Her people had chosen her not for her prowess in battle or her knowledge of weaponry. The girl had lost too much to be denied this honour. Her brothers had perished in the famine. This thing of evil that dwelt up here in the heights had taken their herds and left them with nothing to face the winter. She had watched her family starve and she wanted a reckoning. The climb had been hard. Her fellows had prepared her. She alone had the agility and courage needed to make the ascent.

The young woman observed the cavern mouth, holding her brother's longsword clumsily in her left hand. She could hear laboured breathing. A deep signing susurration. Jonares hid her fear deep and considered how to slay this enemy of her people.

The pitch black of the underworld swallowed her. She made her way forward with care. Into the dark hole she went ready to end the source of her terror. The rock floor crunched with the pressure of her boots on grit. The sound echoed loudly in the confines of the the eyre.

“So you have come to end me?”

The words echoed in Jonare’s mind. She looked up in alarm. The jet darkness was complete, rending her vision useless.

“I have known many like you. You come and desire revenge. Is it anger you feel, or fear?”

The human girl dropped to the floor and sought out the source of the voice.

“If it is not fear then come forward and let me see you?”

She remained still. The soft melodic syllables continued to run through her thoughts. She knew the drake was capable of sorcery. She would be careful.

“Am I not entitled to regard my killer?”

Jonares waited. Her moment would come soon. The air in the cavern was growing thick making breathing difficult. The sound of slow movement accompanied the deep voice of the dragon.

“I know your place, I can feel the heat of your anger. It is like the the suns of my homeworld. You can not hide from me.”

Silence dropped. The wind howled, a cry for mercy from an unforgiving spirit. A moment later even that sound receded, leaving only the beating pound of racing hearts.

“One of us will die.”

Jonares bit back the growing trepidation that threaten her now. Her brothers would have faced this better. Now they called to her from their shallow graves. She must not fail. She had nothing left. This bitter hatred had kept her alive through the winter. Its warmth filled her now, beckoning her on to violence. Jonares the Hunteress prepared for battle.

“I have lived for countless ages of your time. The music of creation still rings in my ears, little one. Do you hope to rid the world of all dangers, all terrors, all creatures of the night with only that piece of forged iron in your hand? Do you think the next winter will be easier than the last? I have known your kind. I know your thoughts little one. I could kill you in an instant if I wished.”

Jonares felt a touch. A feeling she had not experience for a long time. A foreign concept. A threat to her being. A compromise.

Gentleness.

“I ask of you but one thing when I am gone, little one?”

Jonares reeled in confusion. Overwhelmed by wave after wave of sadness. An empty vault of memories flooded her. They were not her own. Regrets and unfulfilled hopes of an alien mind mixed with her life experiences. Human and Krestarti merged, for one brief moment,

And then she was alone. The cavern empty. All was quiet. Except for one thing.

“Spare my children.”

Flash Fiction - 'The Deserter'

The Deserter

By

Andrew Bruce Fisk (September 2012)

The woodland stretched out its welcome to the last of the warriors. The sunlight pierced the protective visor that had guarded his eyes during the wars. Nanotech filaments shifted in configuration to remove the glare. Aestus blinked away the tears. Once more he was shielded from harm.

Aestus shifted his body into motion. He entered the tree line scanning for hazards or opponents. Training modules became active, inserting defensive subroutines, targeting his senses on areas of concealment or sites of potential ambush. For a moment he considered the wisdom of his mission here on this forsaken world. Violence followed him along every step of his journey. He was sure that the bloodletting would continue even out here, beyond the reach of the empire.

He was tired of war.

The glow of the forest canopy enveloped his stark form. The trees radiated health and calm. A quality denied him by imperial battle conditioning. Avian lifeforms scattered in his wake. Their chirps of greeting or alarm failed to sway his focus.  He had travelled many parsecs to reach this place. The dangers that had surrounded him for so long troubled him still.

Aestus dreamed of another world. Another time long past when his life had been simple. A world and time without death and grief and the effects of shock. A place where nightmares could not reach.

The bringer of death marched on.

His cybernetic implants informed him he was near his destination. The anxiety he had been suppressing rose to almost overthrow his purpose. Why take the risk? There was another way to end the pain. Simple self annihilation was consider an honorable fate for one such as Aestus. He knew the protocols well. He had a attained a rank and status that entitled him to such a fate. His body screamed for release. Surely it would be better than this?

Aestus cursed his cowardice.

The clearing opened up before him. The broken stonework of an abandoned dwelling was scattered amongst the tangle of roots and undergrowth that covered the floor. Shafts of light broke through to reach him, illuminating his armoured body, exposing him to harm.

He had been born here. He must return to this place to find closure or absolution for his sins.

He had lost his independence here, his family was surely gone, scattered by the actions of the recruitment operatives that had taken him star-wards. There was no one to greet him. This was it. The end of the long road home.

The loner turned to go. His life was complete. Aestus of the Third Imperial Guard Legion began the long walk out of the wilderness.

And then he heard the noise.

His sensors had been screaming at him for some time but his emotions had distracted his attention.

There was a lifeform close by. Hidden from him by a malfunctioning stealth field. Forbidden technology. A threat.

Anger surged through the warrior augmenting combat routines and spurring him forward towards the source of the signals. He leapt back into the lee of the trees that guarded the broken stone structures of his former home. Weapon lock was achieved and Aestus waited for his enemy to reveal its intent.

There were two lifeforms. The clarity of the data continued to improve with every moment. He waited. Sounds of muffled voices reached his auditory centres. Rapidly the sounds were re-processed. Aestus prepared to attack.

Human.

Immature. Their voices betraying emotions. Language recognition systems indicated they were pleading for mercy.

In later days he could not account for his actions. years of conditioning would never provide him with an explanation. For in that moment Aestus ceased to be a part of the Imperial Guard. He dropped his defenses and walked forward.

At long last he had rejoined the human race.

New ideas for this blog - Flash Fiction coming soon

Just to let readers of this blog know that I will be publishing a few Flash Fiction (ultra short) stories in addition to my usual posts.

I hope you enjoy reading them.

The first in the series is due out tonight and is a science fiction piece called 'The Deserter' It is 639 words in length so it will not take too long to read.

Happy reading!

A good time to buy that Android Tablet

So the Nexus 7 is selling fast.

http://www.itproportal.com/2012/07/24/google-nexus-7-hitting-other-android-tablets-hard/

And Google's own brand tablet is going to force the other manufacturers to respond. Prices will drop and features will improve.

Watch out for some excellent deals in the next few months. And then Christmas! With more devices from Google and Amazon on the way.

So even if you don't fancy a 7inch screen there will still be loads of other options available.

Nexus 10 'rumoured' to be in production

Another juicy story from the 'Times of India'

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/tech/personal-tech/gadgets-special/Google-Nexus-tablet-with-10-inch-screen-on-the-cards/articleshow/14528799.cms

I would love a Nexus device with a larger screen. I just hope that the so called Nexus 10 doesn't cannibalise sales on the Nexus 7...

My main purpose in having a Tablet is to use it to 'input' text (ie write) on an ultra-portable device.  I can't lug my laptop along with me every where I go...

Lets see if there is any substance to these rumours.