Bladeraver (pt45) (407 hits)
Category: NoneRating: 1.94 on 28 reviews (Rate this item) (V)
Submitted by Tactile Ire (View user info) at 2007-04-03 18:25:36 EDT
The Mantling found them late the next day. He had been forced to run a long course around the feeding worgspiders, and then back, almost to the battleground to pick up the refugee's tracks. They were moving slowly across the loam.
He felt shocked at how few were still alive - less than twenty, nearly half of them children. Throttling emotion again - there was a time and place to unleash the storm - he stepped from concealment ahead of their familiar point man.
Drewhldt dropped into a crouch and pumped his fist twice before he recognised the Mantling. He swept his hand out wide, palm down and the tired men behind him lowered their small bows. Drewhldt walked up to the Mantling grinning broadly. They clasped forearms in greeting. "Now, it's clean and heavy," said Drew' warmly.
The Mantling seemed about to speak when Arjl pushed through the ranks behind them. "You pimp-minded little fallen shite!"
"Arjl!" said Drewhldt. "He saved us. Remember?"
"Like fall. I remember he ran us into that killing ground as a distraction and then took off. He wasn't there with us."
"Hey! Neither was I," said Drewhldt.
"That was different! He gave me his Final! He went in to die buying us time and then he abandoned us. I say we kill him now."
"Then kill me with him Arjl. I abandoned you too! When you called the meatbomb I didn't just drop with the rest of you. I opened my chute early and high - sailed away from the dropzone as far as the thermals would take me."
"I was going to find Ramm.' I told myself that he might still be alive. That I could help him. Stupid, I know. I guess ...I just needed to say goodbye. But then, while I was still up, I saw the worgspider take that first guy - right out of the air. I knew then you were in trouble. Doubled back as fast and far as I could."
"That's the point," snarled Arjl. "You came back as soon as you knew we were in danger. This little faller left us."
"You don't know that. You don't know what happened while he was gone," said Drewhldt.
"He's right, Arjl." Jeena's voice was a tired, flat thing. "All we know for sure is that he did come back."
Arjl growled. He knew he was defeated. Deep inside he knew that they needed the Mantling's skills, now more than ever, but he knew that the strange one had betrayed them in some way. He had judged the guy right after all. The Mantling was not to be trusted.
"Hey Man'," said Drewhldt. "What did happen? Where did you get the scent bomb?"
The Mantling offered no explanations. Instead, he lifted his piercing gaze upwards. "What are you people doing down here?" he said, scanning the underbrush warily.
"Can you not see?" said Jeena. "We have no equipment to climb. Nor any stomach to face the mants again to tell the truth."
"The mants are gone. They took their best shot. Then they had to leave. Now - I need help. I can't carry enough climbing gear for us all."
The battle-shocked group looked at him mutely.
"C'mon, people. You think the worgspiders were bad? We need to get off the ground before something mammalian scents us! I need volunteers for a reccé back to the creek bed."
Drewhldt looked the Mantling in the eye and nodded. Slowly Flens raised herself to her feet, moving uncertainly, as though not trusting her legs to hold her. The three of them looked at Arjl.
The old fighter kicked the ground. Spat a curse. Then smoothly shouldered his bow and set off at a dogtrot back the way they had come. Drewhldt and Flens dropped in behind him. As they moved away the Mantling turned his gaze on Jeena.
"We'll take cover in the roots of one these g'trees," she said, waving a hand to indicate the still forest giants around them. "Don't be too long. I don't want to have to wait up," she gave him a brief, warm smile to match the light bantering tone.
He turned and trotted off, amazed at her ability to hold her sense of humour.
*
They approached the creek in a cautious bounding overwatch. The Mantling crawled the last thirty feet alone and slipped his head over the edge of the bank. The creek-bed was littered with discarded weapons and equipment. There were surprisingly few bodies. Nothing moved but the restless river.
He motioned the others forward. They were subdued as they made their way down the bank, stringing lines to get back on as they went, carrying cut poles to get them up the other side. They made the creek bed and moved around the site of the battle, now smoothed over by the gentle action of the water.
Flens moved downstream, questing back and forth. Soon she gave a small noise, an unconscious whimper as she knelt and pulled a long, straight haft from the silt. The Toothpick.
Drewhldt went to her but she did not acknowledge him. She knelt in the stream, hugging the weapon to her chest as tears flowed down her face.
Eventually Drewhldt went to help Arjl and Mantling as they sorted through the discarded gear in the dropzone. After nearly an hour Flens joined them. The atmosphere was brittle as they worked. Too many competing hurts sapped their ability to gel as a team. They worked together alone.
*
Late that afternoon they started back towards Jeena, the battle-shocked adults and the tired children with them. The first stage of a long, twisting journey back to their city. Free of constraint. Free of pursuit. Free to seek their home after all these moons.
As he walked, the Mantling felt his stride lengthen. The challenges of the canopy waited for him but he knew those dangers. They would survive that world. He would lead these people back to the city that had spawned them. He looked forward to his arrival there. He let his anticipation wash over him - shivering in unaccustomed emotion.
He had such works to do.
User Reviews
Submitted by messmind (user info) at 2007-04-12 15:59:48 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-12 05:27:16 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Ah, happy times..
Submitted by messmind (user info) at 2007-04-12 03:48:41 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-04-12 03:22:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fear not, Fey one.
Bladeraver will return.
On Monday morning (Aussie time.)
*********great news!!!***********
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-11 08:17:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
rorrim, are you laughing at me?
<prepared to get knickers in twist>
Yeah, that was humor!
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-04-12 03:22:35 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Fear not, Fey one.
Bladeraver will return.
On Monday morning (Aussie time.)
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-11 08:17:42 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
rorrim, are you laughing at me?
<prepared to get knickers in twist>
Submitted by rorrim (user info) at 2007-04-11 08:13:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-11 08:00:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excuse me, but what am I supposed to read now?
Help.
hahahahahaahahaa!!!
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-11 08:00:03 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Excuse me, but what am I supposed to read now?
I can't start any actual books, because I don't stop until the book, the series, and, in extreme cases, everything by that author is finished.
With school/work/boyfriend/life actually requiring some of my time some of the time, this one chapter a day thing was perfect.
Help.
Submitted by AshK (user info) at 2007-04-04 16:29:04 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I think this is an excellent series.
Starting a new chapter in the city that works as a stand alone would be an excellent move IMO. I am curious about his future interaction with the slore, and seeing how these people go on about daily living interests me, too.
There are a lot of good relationships here that could be explored, and I would truly enjoy reading more about these folks. Including some back story on our "mantling's" father and Ramoon.
So, there's my 0.02. I hope to read more soon, this was just supurb.
Submitted by messmind (user info) at 2007-04-04 12:46:26 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-04 12:25:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No. Don't give it up. Don't stop. I wanna know what his works are.
As I've said before, write at your pace, let people read at theirs. I think it's more a case of uberites not being used to something that requires their extended attention, and as Rob says, they will come.
And if not, don't punish the four of us who are here without fail for every new instalment. =)
I even 'plugged' you in one of my posts (http://www.ubersite.com/m/99679).....
Every single hit=potential readers/forwarders/linkers....
Welcome to eternity !
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-04 12:26:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
And thanks.
Submitted by Fey (user info) at 2007-04-04 12:25:21 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No. Don't give it up. Don't stop. I wanna know what his works are.
As I've said before, write at your pace, let people read at theirs. I think it's more a case of uberites not being used to something that requires their extended attention, and as Rob says, they will come.
And if not, don't punish the four of us who are here without fail for every new instalment. =)
Submitted by rorrim (user info) at 2007-04-04 11:21:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Obvious alter abuse..
Submitted by genericIntent (user info) at 2007-04-04 11:03:49 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I also would like to read more of this.
Submitted by JoeyG (user info) at 2007-04-04 06:50:12 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-04-04 00:27:15 BST (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-04-03 15:43:09 PDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by The_Drake (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:28:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Is it over....please say it's over.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Had enough Drake?
What do the rest of you (all four of you) feel?
Should I just leave this here?
-----
yes.
You have talent to write something else - but no one will ever know because no one will trudge through a 45-part series - ask Axolotl.
18-20 episodes is enough - that gives you 3 acts, some exposition, and time enough to develop characters.
------------
On the contrary. I'm happy to sit and read this now it's ready to be appreciated in full.
I've printed them out, and will no doubt take an entire afternoon to trudge through it, and rate accordingly.
Submitted by orph (user info) at 2007-04-04 03:52:23 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I'm being staliked on the internet by a -2 bombing faggot paul_anthony (alias lukecart)
Submitted by lungfish (user info) at 2007-04-04 00:34:07 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I don't know if I'll ever get around to reading any of these, but I noted that you are a Chomsky fan.
Submitted by Benny (user info) at 2007-04-03 22:51:29 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Thanks Glenn for sharing an amazing story with us.
I for one would like to see where you go with this. I have really enjoyed the fact that I can get onto Uber everyday and read the next instalment. Nobody has ever done that before (that I know of).
It might be my imagination but I think the series improved in quality the further along it got (and it started at a high level anyway).
Submitted by locksly (user info) at 2007-04-03 20:34:31 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I really should go back and review all these next time I have a day to kill
Submitted by Zebra (user info) at 2007-04-03 19:43:34 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Nice work.
Submitted by Draco (user info) at 2007-04-03 19:29:55 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
I started this series today.
I should be reviewing this again in a couple weeks.
At best.
Submitted by JonnyX (user info) at 2007-04-03 19:27:15 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-04-03 15:43:09 PDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by The_Drake (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:28:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Is it over....please say it's over.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Had enough Drake?
What do the rest of you (all four of you) feel?
Should I just leave this here?
-----
yes.
You have talent to write something else - but no one will ever know because no one will trudge through a 45-part series - ask Axolotl.
18-20 episodes is enough - that gives you 3 acts, some exposition, and time enough to develop characters.
Submitted by messmind (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:58:22 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
'He would lead these people back to the city that had spawned them. He looked forward to his arrival there.'
That fire's not out yet...
Submitted by goferforhire (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:52:06 EDT (#)
Ranking: 1
If you continue it, can you at least call it something else?
Submitted by rob_berg (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:51:56 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Absolutely not.
Well... not unless you keep writing, get a book deal and then send me a signed copy.
Barring that - continue. Please.
Actually I think your readership is way up in the double digits by now! (shockingly under appreciated, but that is only a matter of time - the quality is absolutely there. Write it and they will come.)
BUT, as this IS coming to a pause - I want to thank you for providing such an interesting, fantastic bit of enjoyment to my day each time you posted up another one of these literary gems.
You rock.
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:43:09 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
Submitted by The_Drake (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:28:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Is it over....please say it's over.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Had enough Drake?
What do the rest of you (all four of you) feel?
Should I just leave this here?
Submitted by Merlina (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:37:47 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
No Comment
Submitted by Snare (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:31:08 EDT (#)
Ranking: 0
And there we have to leave the last few survivors, at least for a while.
I have started work on what-happens-next, and will be ready to start posing this series again sometime after Easter.
Thanks to you, you few loyal and patient readers, for sticking with this. I appreciate the support. I REALLY appreciate finding it in a place like Ubersite.
And I promise, I won't leave you hanging...for too long.
Glenn.
Submitted by The_Drake (user info) at 2007-04-03 18:28:57 EDT (#)
Ranking: 2
Is it over....please say it's over.