The Forgotten Faithful: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 2) Cajiao, Jez (best selling autobiographies TXT) š
Book online Ā«The Forgotten Faithful: A LitRPG Adventure (UnderVerse Book 2) Cajiao, Jez (best selling autobiographies TXT) šĀ». Author Cajiao, Jez
Since then, his life had become a nightmare of daily beatings, starvation, and sleep deprivation.
The tiny flame of anger sparked again at that thought, growing slowly, smoldering away, and he took a deep breath, trying to bury it. It was dangerous; for a prisoner with no hope of escape, it came at just too high a cost.
āWhat is this filth?ā A voice called out, carrying over the screech of seabirds and the grunts and shouts of men working.
āNew recruits, sir!ā came a shout inches away from Thomas, making him jump in panic, his heart racing.
āWorthless!ā The first voice snarled, and the sound of steel-shod boots smashing into the cobbles moved closer.
āWhat the hell happened here?ā the voice of authority demanded, coming to a stop somewhere to the right.
āFell outta the wagon, sir!ā came Borisās voice, and Thomas flinched instinctively.
āThen youāre even more of a fool than I thought, jailor. Youāre responsible for this scum. Donāt think I didnāt see who got the recruitment bonus for them, yet still youāre trying to hand them over damaged?ā
āItās āis own fault, sir, tried t' escape.ā came Borisās voice, and a laugh rose from the man in charge.
āāTried to escapeā? With his wrists and ankles bound? Blindfolded and a slave collar on him? Donāt be stupid.ā Hands tore the blindfold free of Thomasās face, and he squinted in the suddenly revealed sunlight, wincing back from the glare.
āWell, boy? Were you trying to escape?ā The man standing before Thomas asked gruffly, his gleaming black and gold-highlighted armor showing that he was a Paladin of the Death God, Nimon.
āNo...ā Thomas started, then spat out a tooth and a glob of blood onto the floor.
āNoā¦sir.ā
āāSir,ā is it?ā the man asked, snorting. āHumphā¦well, at least heās got a brain. Tell me, son, what were you in jail for? Murder? Rape?ā
āHe assaulted a guarā¦ā Boris started, only to have the Paladin cut him off with a roar.
āSilence!ā he screamed, stepping forward and gritting his teeth as he glared at Thomasā tormentor.
āAs far as Iām concerned, youāre no better than them! They committed crimes, but you pulled strings to make sure they were accepted into MY forces, and even had the sheer fucking gall to take a recruiterās purse for them! Your little ploy means Iām stuck with them, nearly twenty fucking prisoner scum Iāll have to train and watch over, instead of the honest men I asked for! The least you can do is shut the fuck up!ā
Boris straightened to attention and swallowed hard, keeping silent as the Paladin turned back to Thomas, breathing hard as he tried to get his fury under control.
āWell, boy?ā he snapped eventually, then shook his head. āIām wasting my damn timeā¦ā He muttered, starting to turn away.
āI took word of my friendās death back to his family, sirā¦and they attacked me for it.ā Thomas said, desperate to seize the slim chance before him.
āYer lyinā bastā¦!ā Boris screamed, yanking his infamous cosh from his belt and lunging for Thomas.
The Paladin had half turned back, only to see the jailor smash the cosh into Thomasā side, then his jaw on the backswing. Thomas collapsed to the floor, blood spraying from the severed half of his tongue, caught between his teeth when the cosh had landed.
āRestrain him!ā The Paladin of Nimon ordered and stepped forward, looking down at Thomas and seeing the blood rapidly spreading from his mouth. āFucking idiot!ā he raged, twisting his hands rapidly as he muttered out a spell. Thomas was struck with a black and purple lance of power that made his entire body go rigid.
āArrrgh!ā Thomas screamed, thrashing about, his tongue regrowing, bones and cartilage popping as they shifted back into place. He rolled back and forth, as far as his chains would let him, crying out in pain as the āDark Mendingā spell tore into him.
When it finally stopped, he lay there gasping and staring up at the Paladin, who stood regarding him thoughtfully.
āYou were a soldier?ā he asked flatly, and Thomas nodded, still trying to catch his breath. āFreelance or sworn?ā
āFreelanceā¦sir.ā he managed to get out.
āInterestingā¦ā
āEās lyinā, sir!ā Boris wheezed from the restraining grasp two of the Paladinās guards, arms wrenched awkwardly behind his back. The guards were dressed in the black and gold livery of the Church of Nimonās forces, and they evidently regarded the city guards and jailors with obvious contempt.
āReally? Well, letās look at this, shall we? Weāve got a prisoner whoās been purchased from the city to be used as a soldier by the Church, a prisoner who arrives in a sorry state, then is further injured, and almost killed. A prisoner who is already the property of the Churchā¦yet a lowly jailor believes that he can not only damage the Church's property, but can kill it? I have to step in and heal the Church's property personally, only after he accuses you of what would be laughed off if there was no truth to itā¦? Does this seem accurate to youā¦jailor?ā The Paladin asked, forcing obvious patience into his voice as he finished with a snarl.
āIā¦Iā¦ā
āI have been forced to accept thisā¦this dross... in place of real soldiers,ā the Paladin continued, āand not only are they far poorer quality than the Church was promised, but you dare to injure them further?ā
āTheyā¦they all be murderers anā such, sir! They all be violent criminals!ā Boris stammered out.
āWell, letās find out, shall we? You have an obvious issue with one of them, and if thereās a grain of truth in what heās said against you, heās certainly got one with youā¦ Release him.ā the Paladin said, gesturing toward Thomas, and another of the Church soldiers tore the keys from Borisās belt and knelt to free Thomas of his restraints.
āAnd the collar, sir?ā the guard asked as he removed the shackles. Thomas slowly rose to
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