James heaved the pitchfork up and tossed the last bale of hay into the hoversled. "Yup time to quit." he told himself. James was about twenty-four, average build and a face that nobody would remember. Essentially he was a nobody, one of countless millions on the planet Wyall. Looking at the dying light he couldn't help but take in a sigh. The rolling golden waves of the hay seemed to sway back and forth as if obeying some call in the wind. Walking back to his house he knew that his wife would be making supper, andhis two kids would be underfoot. Sometimes he was glad for his simple life. turning back he looked over his crops. "Yes it would be a good season this year." he told himself he was about to turn around when a glint of metal caught his eyes. Somewhere on the hills, he was about to make his way there when all of a sudden it was gone.
"Honey is that you." he heard his wife call. Stepping out on the porch she was even more beautiful. The sun seemed to strenghten her very soul. She was a women to be loved and cherished. A lass of 22 he was lucky to have her. Her with her golden hair, he beautiful figure that would, and had, put many younger girls to shame. However on this night the thing that he loved most about her was her eyes. A beautiful hazel that seemed to draw the eye.
"I'm coming." he said hopping on the porch and giving his wife a kiss. With that he made his way inside the kids were setting the table and it looked as if dinner would be ready in about twenty minutes. Yes that gave him just enough time to finish the chapter of the book he was reading. Now the one thing that separated James from any other backworld farmer was the fact that he was constantly hungry for books. He read them all the time. "Ill be in the basement if you need me." he told his wife.
"sometimes I think that you love those books more than me." she said faking sorrow.
"Well there was this one..." he had to duck a towel that his wife threw.
"Dinner will be ready in 15." she said laughing.
walking downstairs he flicked on the lights. Taking in his haven, it was his paradise. Books on rack's covered the walls. And in the center was a Leather couch that he bought several years ago when the crops had turned out exceptionally well. Plopping down on his chair he picked up his book. This book like all the others was made in town where a travelling author sold them. This, like all the others that he owned, was about a man who was forced to fight in the imperial guard. After many acts of heroism he retired on his homeworld and lived with his wife. That is until a monster terrorised his village and once again he took up arms and killed it. He was almost done with the 17th chapter when he realised how late it was. "Crap" he said after he realised that 1 hour had passed. knowing that he was going to get it for being late he jumped out of the chair and raced up stairs. The sight that greeted him almost gave him a heart attack. The walls, where once there was a bright yellow color were slick with gore and blood. Stumbling into the dining room he saw the sight that nearly killed him. His wife hacked up as if by some deranged butcher lay on the table. Arm and legs and organs in a parody of a meal were carefully placed on the table. "God-Emperor no." he wailed the tears finally catching up to him. There were his kids or what was let of his kids. They were packed in the freezing unit. Right then and their something inside of him died. The tears finally trickled down and than stopped. He stumbled outside and proceeded to be violently sick. After his stomach was empty he slowly and carefully got up. What was that....There it was again. The sound of someone sharpening a blade. Rushing inside he grabbed the sword off the mantle. It was a gift from his father on his wedding day. It felt heavy in his hands but somehow as if it belonged. Rushing outside to meet the killer of his family and hopefully kill him. When he got outside it was not the deranged man he thought it would be. It was a noble, dressed in blue and white silks. Calmly cleaning his blade.
"Ahh more cattle." The noble said calmly.
"you, yyooouuu." he was having trouble saying it "You killed my family." he shouted at the arrogant bastard's face. "Prepare to die." he said. Yes thats something that they say in the books.
"Well it looks as if this one will put up a fight." he said lunging forward.
Now James was no swordsman, and when he deflected the first blow he was surprised. After all the long years of his reading he had learned a few moves. he lunged forward with all the grace of a dead grox. Catching the man off guard he managed to rip the Noble's shirt. Thinking that he now had the upper hand he let loose a volley of slashes. Each one seemed to be barley deflected. the last on scoring a deep gouge on the nobles face.
Touching his hand to his face he calmly looked at the bloodied hand and said "Now, now we can't be having that." With that the noble attacked a flurry of blows most of which left cuts on James's body.
While desperately parrying and back-peddling James knew at once that the noble was toying with him. He knew that he was going to die and that did not scare him. In fact he was completely dead inside. He made one desperate lunge. The noble deftly caught it in his blade rotated his wrist and sen the sword flying off into the night. Moving like a serpent the noble plunged his blade into James's heart. James knew that he had failed and that hurt him more than the blade through his heart. He knew that he could never be in a story some normal man put through extraordinary situations and always came out on top. No James was just a man.
"...te....tel....tel l me your name." James said softly, James knew he had moments left to live.
"umm no." said the noble and walked off.
Three days later when the shipment from James's house didn't show up they went looking for him. Upon reaching James's house the sight that greeted them forced several local militia into early retirement. The house had been painted with James's blood and re-decorated with his entrails. The house had to be burned down and to this day no crops will grow on the land.
+++Historical note: composed by adept Thanus
The planet Wyall is a small planet. In the frontier worlds. Wyall principal purpose is to supply the solar systems other planets with food. The Governor of the planet is Greg Wyall,Founder of the planet. His most noticeable feature is a deep scar across the left side of his face.
