I wrote this for a contest and I kinda like it. I'm thinking about continuing it, so if anyone likes it, let me know. I'll work on it sooner if I know people want to read more.
Flames of the Free
Ilista and Faryon walked home together after a hard day at work. Neither of them spoke as they made their way quickly down the part of the city where their kind were not welcome. The reason they went together was because a lone person was far more likely to be harassed by those who had nothing to fear from their actions. No one cared if a person of wealth insulted or even assaulted a person of lesser income. They were the scum beneath their feet, the worthless members of society.
How ironic that they depended on them for everything. It was the lower class that worked the mines and tended to livestock and planted and harvested the crops. It was the lower class that maintained their homes, raised their children, cooked their food. Without them, those fortunate enough to be born to wealthy parents would be lost.
Ilista and Faryon were considered lucky ones. They worked in one of the homes of an extremely wealthy merchant. Faryon worked in the kitchens where he cleaned, and Ilista was given a small salary to clean the bedrooms. Somehow, she could never manage to finish the cleaning, even after twelve hours of work without so much as a break.
The even more unfortunate had far more difficult work. Those in the mines were subject to extremely unsafe conditions, and it was rare for a minor to grow older than forty years of age. The farms and ranches were not much better. Not only was work not available in the colder months, but the heat of the sun in summer had claimed many lives.
Finally, Ilista and Faryon made it into their part of town. In stark contrast to the large, lavish houses where they worked, the structures here were old and run down, and tiny. Most of them were nothing more than four crumbling walls and a rotting roof. Before heading home, they stopped by a pub. It wasn’t much of a pub, as no one could afford to buy ale, but at one time, it had served alcohol. Now, it was nothing more than a meeting place where they only beverage was unclean water.
Supposedly, at one time it had been called the Foul Dog Pub. As the sign was long gone, and few people in the area could even read to begin with, no one knew for sure. But the group meeting there that night had their own name for it – The Hall of Freedom.
Soon after Ilista and Faryon had seated themselves in the dark room, a familiar figure walked in front of the group gathered. His name was Umrian, and he was unofficially the leader of the group. Unlike the rest of the group, he could read. He opened a book and stood next to the almost burned out candle and started to read.
“The old world burned by giant’s light. Many perished yet in the end, it was for the best. A new world arose from the ashes and the flames froze into ice. Life began anew and a new order was established. As things started to resemble the old world, a new force arose. The protector of the people had a new ally in the god Lorpi. The protector would do what he could within reason, but Lorpi stopped at nothing to correct injustice. He challenged all who thought they were the right. He exposed their faults. None were left unscathed by Lorpi. Not until the day in which he was bound, locked away from the world where he could no longer challenge the glory of power.”
Umrian closed the book and looked out at those gathered in front of him. “Those are the days we live in! Our god – the one who would make life better for all of us – has been locked away! Those in power keep it and those of us here, we get nothing! We’re forced to work impossible jobs just to scrape by if we’re lucky! If not, we are beaten, abused, and raped! They care nothing for us! This is our city! Our nation! By the power of Lorpi, we will take it back! Hail Lorpi!”
