Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams
Copyright © 2011 Sky_Knight
(Short Story -II.)
*A Hero's Return*
Alone in a crowd of rugged men, nursing his drink in the far corner of the old post town's only tavern: Kaim.
A single man strides in through the tavern door. Massively built, he wears the garb of a warrior. His soiled uniform bespeaks a long journey. Fatigue marks his face, but his eyes wear a penetrating gleam-the look of a fighting man on active duty.
The tavern's din hushes instantly. Every drunken eye in the place fastens on the soldier with awe and gratitude.
The long war with the neighboring country has ended at last, and the men who fought on the front lines are returning to their homes. So it is with this military man.
The soldier takes a seat at the table next to Kaim's, and downs a slug of liquor with the forcefulness of a hard drinker-a man who drinks to kill his pain.
Two cups, three, four...
Another customer approaches him, bottle in hand, wearing an ingratiating grin-a typical crafty town punk.
"Let me offer you a drink," wheedles the man, "as a token of gratitude for your heroic efforts on behalf of the fatherland."
The soldier unsmilingly allows the man to fill his cup.
"How was it at the front? I'm sure you performed many valiant deeds on the battlefield."
The soldier empties his cup in silence.
The punk refills the cup and adopts an ever more fawning smile.
"Now that we're friends, how about telling me some war tales?
You've got such big, strong arms, how many enemy soldiers did you ki-"
Without a word, the soldier hurls the contents of his cup into the man's face.
The punk flies into a rage and draws his knife.
No sooner does it leave its sheath than Kaim's fist sends it flying through the air.
Faced with the powerful united front of Kaim and the soldier, the punk runs out muttering curses.
The two big men watch him go, then share a faint smile. Kaim doesn't have to speak with the soldier to know that he lives in deep sadness. For his part, the soldier (having cheated death any number of times) is aware of the shadow that lurks in Kaim's expression.
The tavern's din returns.
Kaim and the soldier pour each other drinks.
"I've got a wife and daughter I haven't seen since I shipped out," says the soldier. "It's been three long years."
He lets himself smile shyly now for the first time as he takes a photograph of his wife and daughter from his pocket and shows it to Kaim: the wife a woman of dewy freshness, the daughter still very young.
"They're the reason I survived.
The thought of going home to them alive was all that sustained me in battle."
"Is your home far from here?"
"No, my village is just over the next pass. I'm sure they've heard the news that the war is over and can hardly wait to have me home."
He could get there tonight if he wanted to badly enough. It was that close.
"But..." the soldier downs a mouthful of liquor and groans.
YOU ARE READING
Forgotten Dreams of Eternity: Lost Odyssey: Thousand Years of Dreams
Science FictionA science fiction novel with 33 short stories foretelling the forgotten dreams of Kaim, A immortal who has lived over more than a thousand years. This novel is based on the hit video game Lost Odyssey. Short Story XV, Short Story -XXI, and Short Sto...
