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Rise of the Hegemon A miner's start
Clutching my new pickaxe tightly with my only available hand, I endeavored to steady my panting breath, while exhaustion slowly crept over me. The reverberating symphony of Artanian chatter and the ceaseless percussion of metal meeting stone enveloped me from all sides.It's barely even a minute after Gulfram led me here to finally start my job mining and now I can barely keep myself from collapsing.Admiring the small cracks I inflicted on the massive boulder in front of me, I rested my tool on the boulder before wiping the sweat from my forehead. Curious, I turn my head to my right.As I gazed ahead, the scene of Little Fish and a procession of miners diligently extracting a portion from the stretching cliff-wall promptly captured my attention.Merely a few meters from where I stood, Little Fish ceased his mining activity and briefly pivoted in my direction, as though attuned to my scrutiny. Despite the dirt smudging his body, his appearance seemed surprisingly vibrant. Were it not
Rise of the Hegemon New morning
I was suddenly woken up by movement and familiar voices around me. Opening my eyes, I could see figures hovering and shuffling around, the sound of groaning and yawning filled my ears at the same time.Though I wish I'm fully well and recovered, I could still feel the lingering pain all around my body, especially the ones from my limbs and broken arm, however, the pain is less intense compared to before. And that's where the memories of yesterday flooded back to me; the journey to the quarry, the exhausting mining work we undertook, all coming back in vivid detail.Great, more work, more pain..Rubbing my eyes, I sat up and glance around, my eyes darting from my fellow miners to miners until they landed on the familiar figure of Little Fish, not only that, he seems to be locked in a conversation with Arde.I, along with the other miners in our group who had also just awakened, began to rise from the old and dirty cloth we had slept on. It was spread wide enough to fit within the shed,
Rise of the Hegemon We're hungry
The sky is already dark and our shift for the second day is now over, my body is drenched with sweat while my hands shakily gripped the handle of the pickaxe that was resting on my shoulder, I could hear my labored breaths as I endured the pain and aches across my entire body.Currently, me and the rest of the group are descending down the hill, by the looks of everyone, they are all exhausted just like me, even Little Fish seems to be panting, but he's slightly in better shape compared to the rest of us.I suddenly felt my stomach grumble as we traverse down the narrow and complex pathways of the hill, I then gritted my teeth as I try to ignore my stomach's protest.I've never felt so hungry and exhausted before.If only we were given more food during breakfast then perhaps we wouldn't be in this condition right now.Fuckers..It felt like an eternity before we finally managed to return to our shed. After resting their own pickaxes against the wall, at least a third of my group went
Rise of the Hegemon Confrontation
As we continued walking down the path, I couldn't help but hear a commotion in the distance, by the sound of it; it's like a group of people were arguing and shouting at each other.I took a small glance at Roslik and I could tell he'd heard it too. With that, he quickly broke into a small jog towards the noise, the others following suit."W-Wait!" I called out, feeling the strain and ache in my legs intensify as I try to quicken my pace.I can't do it... it really hurts.Maintaining a walk, I noticed myself falling behind the others, the sound of their footsteps and hushed conversations fading as they moved ahead. Little Fish, however, spotted my lagging pace and hurried back to me, placing a reassuring hand on my back and helping me catch up with our group."Thanks.." I expressed with a nod at him to which he responded in kind.At this point, I could already see a few miners peeking out from their residential quarters as we walked past them, some of them even leaving their buildings
Rise of the Hegemon The value of food
Just as the cloak's axe was poised to descend upon the injured miner on the ground, a sudden shout echoed from behind the cloak. In swift succession, the figure of a familiar miner emerged, bursting onto the scene from the rear.Wait.. is that?I could feel a small weight lift off from my chest as I watch Gulfram try to wrestle the axe from the cloak's hand, while also shouting something at the same time. By this point, the wounded miner had already been dragged away to safety by his fellow miners.I noticed several cloaks halting their advance, casting bewildered and confused glances at Gulfram. This pause granted certain miners the opportunity to scatter and flee. Nevertheless, the count of miners that fled was so small that it failed to impact our collective strength significantly.I shifted my gaze uneasily in the direction of Arde, who appeared equally taken aback, grappling with a mixture of shock and fear, his efforts to arrive at a decisive course of action evident. Little Fis
Rise of the Hegemon First week in the quarry
"Wood" Gulfram said, holding a piece of plank in front of my face, "Repeat it."I stared at the plank for a second before clearing my throat, "W-Wood.." the moment the word left my mouth, I could already tell that the pronunciation was a little bit off.Gulfram chuckled briefly, then gestured toward the fireplace in the corner of his room, directing my attention to the crackling firewood nestled on the hearth."Wood" I repeated the word once again, despite the funny accent and pronunciation, Gulfram was nodding his head in approval, a small smile plastered on his craggy face.Then, he raised all of his fingers in front of me, "Ten repeat" he blankly stated.Clearing my throat once more, I began repeating the word 'Wood.' However, on the eighth try, my tongue slipped, turning the word into an incomprehensible jumble. This mishap elicited another chuckle from Gulfram."Again.. from start." Gulfram said while crossing his armsWith a sigh, I embarked on the process once more, only to stu
Rise of the Hegemon A bloody day
I took the bread given by the cook in front of me and quietly made my way toward the table where my group was sitting. Despite the appetizing smell of all the newly cooked bread inside the wagon, I knew better than to linger around. After all, there's still a line of miners stretching in front of the carts.I could feel the gazes of nearby cloaks and guards as I walked past them. Because of this, I lower my head along the way, not wanting to attract any attention to myself.Let's just get this day over with...As I passed by tables crowded with miners eating and talking, their voices merged into a cacophony that blended with the surrounding noises; the clanking of tools, the creaking of wheels from passing wagons in the near distance, and many more.Suppressing a yawn, I felt the morning breeze sweep over me, sending a subtle chill through my entire body.There, spotting my group sitting in the farthest corner, I carefully made my way towards them, doing my best to avoid bumping into
Rise of the Hegemon An emotional night
I found myself standing in the midst of an empty space, surrounded by an endless expanse of white void. The surface beneath my feet seemed non-existent, yet I could distinctly feel that I was standing on something substantial. As I attempted to stomp my foot, a distinct tapping sound echoed through the emptiness.Where the hell am I?"Carillus" My name was suddenly softly whispered in the most angelic voice, like a gentle breeze caressing my ears, not to mention the voice was so oddly familiar.I turn myself towards the sound, and there... stood the figure of my mother, her entire body was glowing, as if she's an angel herself. Also her face remained blank, devoid of any trace of emotion."Mother..." was all that escaped my lips. Despite the countless questions swirling in my mind, I found it difficult to decide which one to ask first.Where am I?What brought me here?Why are you here?Before I could finally ask her one of the questions in my mind, she suddenly asked, slightly catchi
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- Rise of the Hegemon
A Miracle?
Seemingly shocked by his outburst, Gulfram released his grip on me and gazed at me with eyes filled with surprise." Carillus," He sighed, "You've already became a killer, and I know you're going to be good at this job until you die." Gulfram then clasp both of his hands together before moving his gaze towards the other miners. I followed his gaze and noticed that all of them were silently observing us. Even Little Fish and Roslik appeared unusually quiet, their eyes locked onto us with unwavering focus, though I could trace a few hints of worry and pity etched on their faces. "But please," He suddenly continued, now moving his gaze back towards me, "Just don't ever... ever let this quarry take away whatever childhood you have left." After everything that has happened to me, do childhood and all that shit even matter anymore? As much as I want to let my thoughts on the matter out, I controlled myself and kept quiet instead. And just like that, we spent the rest of the time disposin
- Rise of the Hegemon
Disposing
The instant Gulfram gave the orders, every man sprang into action without hesitation. There were no complaints, only the faint sounds of acknowledgment and slight reactions.I noticed that the miners accompanying Roslik and Gulfram swiftly exited the alleyway and returned with a horse-drawn wagon a few dozen minutes later. The wagon was complete with a driver whom I had never met before.Meanwhile, I stood on the sidelines with my back against the wall, observing their process of loading the two bodies onto the cart with utmost silence and care.Little Fish also stood beside me, and though I could sense he was attempting to offer comfort by initiating small talk, his words, however, fell on deaf ears as my mind wandered elsewhere. I didn't even hear almost half of what he said."Sorry, can you repeat?" I ask, my face flushed with embarrassment and disappointment directed to myself.Little Fish sighed, but before he could open his mouth to speak, he suddenly turned his head towards som
- Rise of the Hegemon
Alley aftermath
Arriving in front of my shed, bloodied and exhausted, I cast one final wary glance around to ensure no one was following me. Finding no pursuers, I pushed open the flap and swiftly stepped inside.It seemed like everyone had already fallen asleep, but that was about to change. Little Fish was the first to stir at my abrupt return."Huh? who's-..." He stop his words when he saw my current state, eyes wide open with shock, he began waking everyone up one by one.I disregard any thoughts and worries about the consequences of my actions and plainly walk forward before sitting myself in the corner which is also my sleeping spot.By now, everyone had been roused from their slumber and was beginning to gather in front of me."Carillus, what happened?""What's with the blood, Saragonian?""There's so many blood on you, are those even yours?""Are you injured or something?""We were wondering why you're so late, Carillus. The fuck happened?"Arde was the first to question me, followed by the o
- Rise of the Hegemon
First kill
"You little shit!" The bald man screamed as he stumbled back, his hand clutching his bleeding head.By this point, rage and instincts had seized control of my body. Without warning, I launched myself at the bald man in front of me, swinging both of my hands wildly toward him simultaneously.I could hear the curly one behind the man in front of me cursing as their bodies collided, but I didn't stop there. Despite still in the process of regaining my breath, I continued my relentless attack, now switching the plank to my right hand.With the plank now in the grasp of my dominant hand, I could feel my swings becoming more accurate with each passing moment. They cut into parts of the bald man's arm as he raised it in a desperate attempt to block me. My sudden, rapid attacks were pushing him backward, inadvertently pushing the curly one behind him in the process."The fuck are you doing? it's a fucking child!" The curly one shoved the bald man aside, sending him sprawling to the ground, th
- Rise of the Hegemon
Alley struggle
Before I could even process what had happened, a large fist suddenly shot out and struck me right in the face, and then everything went black.As I opened my eyes, I surprisingly found myself standing in the midst of a grassy vast plain. However, grass were not the only thing present around me, rows upon rows of men dressed in oddly familiar blue colored uniforms and carrying what appeared to be muskets were marching past me.At that very moment, after a brief and careful inspection, I came to realize that they were American soldiers, back during the Revolutionary War.But the question is... Where the fuck am I? and how the hell did I end up in here? The first thing I sensed when I first found myself in here, were the rhythmic stomps of their boots striking the earth and the distant, continuous beats of drummers, creating a mesmerizing symphony that seemed to hang in the air. Amidst this auditory dance, commands like 'Eyes front!' bellowed by nearby sergeants added to the tapestry of
- Rise of the Hegemon
Encounter
Pulling the flap open, I carefully begin to enter the confines of a hastily assembled shack, slightly lowering my head due to how short the entrance is.As I entered, my eyes were drawn to a lone familiar miner seated with his back against the corner wall The air was heavy with the musty scent of dirt and dust, but I paid it no mind whatsoever."It's done, Erik." I said, resting my pickaxe on the wall besides me.Erik, the miner, acknowledged me with a nod, then rose from his seat and walked over to a wooden chest on his right.He stood at least a couple of inches taller than me, yet despite his slightly towering figure, he appeared incredibly slender. In his current topless state, the contours of his ribs were visible, protruding from his chest. His face had an intriguingly slightly-oblong shape, with droopy eyes and a long nose. A mop of short, tousled hair sat atop his head, and a modest stubble adorned his mouth area, suggesting he was likely in his thirties.Opening it, he began
- Rise of the Hegemon
Hope?
The moment those words escaped from Gulfram's mouth, an overwhelming wave of joy and excitement flooded over me.Tunneling?! yes, this could be it... Digging our tunnel to freedom! Why didn't I think of this earlier... but then again, it likely demands manpower, tools, and an unbelievably long amount of time. I could never excavate a tunnel all on my own. Now that I have friends in the quarry, including Gulfram himself, then maybe... tunneling our way out of this damned place might become feasible.Despite my best efforts to hide my elation, I couldn't escape Gulfram's disapproving shake of the head, a clear indicator that my true emotions had been revealed.But why is he like this?After a moment's hesitation, I mustered the courage to pose the burning question that had been gnawing at my thoughts, "You want escape?"His eyes widen slightly at my question, clearly caught off guard. 'What do you mean by wanting to escape?' he asked, his hand rising to scratch his beard in contemplati
- Rise of the Hegemon
Is escape even possible?
"So, what would you like to discuss before we begin our lessons?" Gulfram asked, taking a seat behind a table and placing his pickaxe against the wall to his left.Closing the door behind me, I then make my way towards the table before eventually sitting right in front of him."Uh yes," I finally began, rubbing my right palm on my frozen left hand for slight warmth to remove the chill that clung unto me from the outside."Did anyone.." I paused, searching for the right words in my limited Artanian vocabulary to continue my question. After a few seconds of pondering, I finally found the perfect ones, "Try escape quarry? anyone succeed?" I knew my Artanian was this bad, but I think it's enough for Gulfram to understand it's meaning.He froze, his eyes widening at the same time."Don't tell me you-" before he could finish his statement, I suddenly interrupted him."N-No no no, you think wrong." I waved my hands at him, chuckling nervously in the process, "I's just curious.. yes, curious.
- Rise of the Hegemon
Acceptance and moving forward
Months had passed, and the brisk winds of autumn were now in full swing. The days seemed noticeably shorter than before, and the air carried a crisp chill, with temperatures gradually dropping.Sighing, I turned towards my fellow miners in the group, who were arranged in a line on my left. Each of them was diligently working on their section of the wall-like rock in front of us, the relentless sound of their pickaxes hitting the rock creating a cacophony of clanks and thuds that resonated within the nearby area.Not to mention the pervasive scent of sweat that hung in the air. It was only thanks to the occasional cold breeze that wafted over us, briefly dissipating the familiar stench of sweat, before it inevitably returned once more.I withdrew my gaze and turned to look at my right hand, which was firmly gripping the handle of my pickaxe, its head resting on the ground below. The muscles in my right arm had grown significantly over the past months. Comparing it to my broken left arm
