Which school of banditry? Which school of banditry? “Winter makes traveling on the roads, a task by itself. No wonder peddlers and merchants use this season to return home.” Ming grumbled while shading his eyes from the morning sun. Half of the morning had flown by but the reflective glare did a number on his eyes. He and Rose wrapped up their early dawn training, a litter later than usual since the girl wanted to practice a special fighting move. “Even though you can see the ground in the little patches from melting snow, it’s difficult to make out the road from it. If the line of hedges and ..read more

Asking for recompense from the wrong person Asking for recompense from the wrong person The stable boy thanked his luck while preparing the horse-drawn wagon. With the warm coppers in his pocket, he even assisted the woman and the young maiden up the portable wooden steps. Dyna walked over from petting the horse as it nuzzled and licked her face. Second, only to the horses, she spent most of her free time sleeping in the stables. She then guided the horse as the wagon rolled into the open roadway before the south entrance. The iron hinges groaned under the heavy load as the stout door pushed o ..read more

On the road On the road “See that shallow bank there beside the road? It’s perfect for setting up camp. The open field around it is also free from patches of brown. Remember how the wheels sunk down when we passed places like that on the road? Just before and after winter, melting snow is your enemy as a wagon driver.” The teen pointed to the blanket of snow surrounded by sparsely scattered, little brown islands. Tossing his shoulder-length black hair behind, he clicked the wagon forward to his intended destination. Beside him, on the driver’s bench, sat a thin and tall, blonde girl with a fai ..read more

Oh! Curse the short life of humans! Oh! Curse the short life of humans! Mrs. Thomas walked towards the lone tree behind the short hedge. With the sprawling branches stripped naked by winter, the short yet wide and knobby trunk testified to its stout perseverance. Her footsteps left a trail over the thin snow as she paused beside the living relic. Resting a gloved hand on the gnarled trunk, her eyes then roamed the training field. It didn’t take long to discover the objection of her affection. A couple of stragglers practiced archery at the far end while half a dozen dotted the open field, enga ..read more

The Jalethorne blossoms end winter The Jalethorne blossoms end winter Clod announced before breakfast that spring arrived early. He and Jim had spotted the purple bloom of the Jalethorne shrub in the herb garden. The welcomed announcement generated cheers and a collective sigh in the workshop. The Jalethorne shrub long represented the official sign marking the end of winter. Even on the farm where humans didn’t resort to hunkering down, the end of winter shed its constraining burden. “I need to check the seeds in the storeroom. We might have to purchase some more.” “We definitely require more ..read more

You can’t judge a book by its cover You can’t judge a book by its cover Chu retreated from the growing circle of bodies surrounding Rugol and Toll. Making his way to the Trading Post, he gained a meeting with the current leader. The old man ushered him to the usual vacant corner of the shop. “Master Chu, our caravan came in today from Karst. I have a letter for you from a member of the Merchant Guild.” Receiving the letter, he broke the seal to skim across the contents. “I have a question. How fast can I send a reply to a merchant in Frost City? The last letter I sent to the city probably took ..read more

Demon beast slayer Demon beast slayer Chu raised his head as he surveyed the wide treadwheel towering to nearly the rafters. Glancing at the large doors of the warehouse, he breathed in a sigh of relief. Like an upturned wagon, the pair of wheels hovered on a platform while joined by a thick wooden shaft. At their center, cogs of different sizes connected on axels of iron to a large drum, and a series of raised levers. “We tried to place it on wheels, but the movement proved limited. After breaking a few wheels, we decided to use the transport wagon.” “Bon has also been playing with the iron p ..read more

How old are you? How old are you? Ming hitched up the saddle and after securing it, he adjusted the bucklers for the stirrups. Unlike the common saddles in the Empire, the farm housed modified ones. Chu shared his vague recollections, and through trial and error over the years, the riders also contributed their experience. After acquiring his first batch of horses from the bandit raids, the numerous inputs and suggestions created a saddle much easier to use. “Don’t forget the true purpose of your trip, ok? Use the token only if you have to. Keep your eyes out for skilled tradesmen, Rose has th ..read more

Goblin Woodcutters Goblin Woodcutters. The easily spotted blips grew larger as the approaching greenish-brown party struggled across the open snow. By instinct, his hands corroborated his sheathed weapons before venturing out into the grassland. “Send a message to Dyna. Have her meet me near the forest.” The hastening boots, receding from behind, informed Chu his order had been fulfilled. Jim watched young Rind scamper off to the waving sentinel standing on the wall. Reaching for the bow and quiver hanging by the door, he followed the young boss, while slinging them over his shoulder. A few pa ..read more

Progress on different fronts Progress on different fronts. Visible waves of heat emanated from the surface of the forge. Adjusting the lever which varied the speed of the pumping bellows, the apprentice reached for the tongs. Clad in a thick leather apron, a full leather headgear, and donning gloves extending to his shoulders, he appeared like a visiting alien. Using his familiar tool, he plunged a bar of iron into the white-hot coals. Ignoring the raging embers, he squinted through the slit in the headpiece. Now and again, the young man lifted and rotated the glowing metal. Achieving uniformi ..read more