《Enigma's Multiverse (Rewritten, link in description)》Chapter 31- The humble farmer
Advertisement
Aaryn Panmis considered how drastically his life had changed in these past few weeks. He had tending to the fields as usual until he was involuntarily sucked into a white room, he still wondered if what followed was reality.
If one would as Aaryn what his hopes and aspirations were, perhaps he would not understand the question in its entirety. His father was a farmer, and thus he had also taken up that profession to support the household. Opportunity to him was such a far removed concept, that it might as well not exist. While the first world had rapidly progressed, much of the third world largely remained the same.
His small village was one of the three settlements in the area, located in an impoverished region. Very few people stumbled across his village, fewer still were willing to give uneducated villagers a chance to work for them.
Standing at a modest 5 feet 9 inches, what stood out when you looked at the man was his wiry, yet muscular frame. It was as if the man had not a drop of excess fat, only compressed strength. Years of toiling under the sun had given his skin a bronze sheen, while a thin moustache on his face gave the impression of a serious, honest looking man.
Aaryn enjoyed the process of reaping nature's bountiful harvests, but found it a pity that the land he farmed upon was not his.... not anymore. What others found to be a simple and mundane life was one he enjoyed, for there was beauty and complexity in the seemingly ordinary art of farming. One who had not tasted raw honey or dishes made from the freshest of produce couldn't possibly understand its greatness.
Regrettably, after a series of bad harvests his father had taken the decision to mortgage the land in order to survive the upcoming winters. He had no option but to go to a private landowner in his moment of desperation, and had to pay a ludicrous interest rate to get a loan in time. Aaryn still held a bellyful of anger each time he recalled how that despicable man had sent over people to consistently harass his father over the years. If not for his father's optimism throughout the situation, his ever constant cheery tone despite the eventual collapse of his marriage, perhaps Aaryn would be filled with hatred and loathing each day he spent at the farm.
It was not like Aaryn had not thought of moving to the city and working as a chauffeur for some rich family. However he knew nobody in the big city, he had no money to relocate there and perhaps deep down, he didn't want to either. But the issue of the debt was only growing larger, either he or his brother had to take a city job otherwise they might be evicted from the land. Before the destined time arrived however, the system had conveniently absolved them of their debt.
A few hours after the system had integrated with Earth, Aaryn had discovered his new powers which allowed him to keep his father and brother safe until now. The fertile bounty of earth that he had cared for all these years now acknowledged him, or at least that's how he felt. The system called it the minor dao of soil.
Advertisement
Though the Flora on this new Earth was more colourful and fascinating, the smell of fertile soil remained the same. Armed with nothing but a short sword, the man didn't look very intimidating. However, oddly enough there was a bulging sack fashioned out of animal hide attached to his robes, definitely something that would catch one's eye on first glance.
They were not very far from their destination at this point, but Aaryn suddenly called for a halt. From the tremors in the soil, he had ascertained movement up ahead, Two, perhaps three people were headed in their direction.
A tall, muscular Caucasian man walked in front, accompanied by a beautiful red haired woman that Aaryn found himself enamoured by for a second. Quickly snapping back to reality, he realized that the third person was still concealed. Both of them had their weapons drawn, a spear and a longsword, as was the tradition these days. Having gotten this far, the ones who were survivors were by no means idiots.
"What do you want from us?" Aaryn asked calmly.
" Haha, well no need to be so cautious. We were wondering if you would like to collaborate with us till we get to the citadel? The monsters are getting harder and harder to kill as we go further. I don't know how longer I can take this bullshit." The Caucasian man asked politely.
"Father, Brother. Move behind fifty steps, to the south west." Aaryn replied, completely ignoring the man's proposition. They complied with great haste, almost fleeing in the direction Aaryn pointed out without any hesitation.
The couple in front of Aaryn were confounded by these actions, it made no logical sense to leave Aaryn undefended like that.
"Drop the charade, won't you? You can call your companion out now, there is no longer any point in flanking us."
"Fuck, he must have a magical beast!" The red haired woman exclaimed and both of them retreated.
"Father are you alright!?" The Caucasian man asked loudly.
"Yes, yes I am fine." The rustling of bushes sounded out as a man wielding two daggers ran out, regrouping with his children.
As if lamenting the unfairness of his life, Aaryn spoke in a sonorous tone "In the previous reality, we had no land to our names, no money in our pockets and no precious belongings to cherish. In this reality, once again we are hounded for what little we possess, the wolves unwilling to let us be with what meagre scraps we live contended lives with. Father, I ask for forgiveness..... for I can no longer comply.
Manhan Panmis' face darkened at this comment, but he did not express disagreement.
"I ask you to leave, we do not wish to fight you. Why must you try and kill us?"
"Sorry, kiddo. Hand over your armor and we can let you leave alive. My wife is already dead because I was too soft.... None of us asked for this, but I won't let my children come to harm due to dumb morality. The beasts definitely have no issues massacring us, it's survival of the fittest out here".
Advertisement
"Hand over our armor? Perhaps you want our weapons as well, because they will pose a threat to you? Might as well just ask us to roll over and die." Replied Aaryn, infuriated at this treacherous double speak. The man didn't even have strength to accept the true nature of his actions.
"Fine then, you asked for it kid. Where's your magical beast hiding, there's no way you'd dare to be this confident without one."
" I have no such beast in my possession. However, if you raise a weapon at me the only outcome for you will be death."
The Caucasian man took out some Brisantia Leaves. Any magical beasts within 50 meters will be attracted to them, according to the system's information scroll. Surprisingly, there was no reaction.
"The kid must've stacked everything into strength, and now he thinks he's a god. I don't know how he figured out I was hiding, it was probably a bluff. We were duped..... Attack him first!" the father of the Caucasian duo shouted.
Three people charged at Aaryn from different angles, he was up against a long sword, a spear user and a dagger user. The first to reach from the center would undoubtedly be the spear. A distance of 20 meters had separated them initially, which was rapidly narrowing.
Aaryn's response was to simply plunge his sword into the ground. The soil was his domain, one would be foolish to challenge him without prior preparation.
Aspect: Quicksand. For Aaryn, the soil was not something that disgusted him. It was a mysterious process of nature that facilitated grand oak trees materializing from these underwhelming brown granules that consistently lodged themselves beneath his fingernails. Scientists provided explainations for it, but they could never grasp the intangible part of it. Only one who's livelihood depended on the fertilty of the soil could grasp it.
The soil particles in a 50 meter radius rapidly loosened, and the water trapped deep inside the soil now rapidly rose through these newly formed passageways. The area around him was turned into liquefied soil, except the patch he was standing on.
"Shit! The fuck is this?" The red haired woman shouted. Their feet were no longer visible, and although they could still move, their speed was cut down by half.
Aspect: Drought. Wherever Aaryn tread on, a small patch of cracked soil appeared. All the water in the area was rebuffed, as the soil in the region concentrated to provide him with a temporary foothold. Wherever he tread, a small patch of solid land would be created for his perusal. After he had passed the area, it would rapidly devolve back into quicksand.
Only a few metres were left between him and the spear wielding Caucasian man. He was impeded by the quicksand, while Aaryn's speed was unaffected. One step. Two steps. Three steps. On the fourth, Aaryn extended his sword while he used his right foot to pivot, the left half of his body hanging midair as he retracted it inwards as if a door was pushed open, his entire body forming a straight line as he fell towards the man, while his sword was angled upwards.
Unfortunately for Aaryn, this makeshift maneovre still resulted in the spear finding purchase on his body, leaving a long gash on his stomach from which blood started pouring out. The tip of his sword pierced through the man's neck, instantly killing him. However, it was a short lived victory as gravity ensured he fell into a muddy mixture of his own creation after that impromptu sequence of moves.
The red haired woman and her father were overcome with grief and rage at these actions. Adrenaline directed them to kill this man while he was wounded, or their deaths would follow shortly after.
Drenched in mud and his own blood, Aaryn quickly used Drought to stabilise the ground beneath him. From the tremors in the soil, there was still some time before his assailants would get into striking distance. He got up to his feet, and gazed with pity at his opponents..... This was not what he wanted.
Terrified by this opponent who could use these mystical powers, both the father and daughter decided to halt, unsure of their next move.
"It didn't have to be this way. Please, do not force me further."
"Motherfucker, you killed him! Now that you're about to die, you want to beg for mercy? Fuck you, you're doomed now" the father shouted.
"About to die? I'm afraid I have to disappoint you." Before anyone could react, Aaryn took out a fistful of brown soil from the sack tied to his waist and applied it over the large wound. Aspect: Nurture. The soil around his wound rapidly solidified, turning into a brown scab. It didn't seem to have healed the wound, but instead completely stemmed the bleeding, hoping the natural recovery process would handle the rest.
"You're.....you're not a human. You can't be. Monster. MONSTER!" The red haired woman shouted, as she started inching backwards. The father too, despite the look of hatred on his face was terrified by this abomination. A moment later they broke out into a desperate run without considering which direction they were heading towards, fear completely dominated their state of mind at that moment.
With a glum expression, Aaryn plunged his sword back into the ground and the soil turned back to its normal state. They had come to kill him, perhaps even his father and brother.... and perhaps they would try to kill more now that they had even more grievances against this world. However, Aaryn did not have the right to judge their actions, neither did he want such a burdensome role. Thankfully, this new reality had given him the power to protect what was most precious to him, or perhaps he too would be a warped, depraved version of his prior self.
Advertisement
- In Serial34 Chapters
The Extramundane Emancipation of Geela, Evil Sorceress at Large
Darkos, holy priest of Alerion, the God of Peace and Healing, has just arrived at the castle of the Evil, Dark Sorceress, backed by his trusty, if clumsy, companion, Geela. They fling open the doors to find the place dusty and decrepit. "Oh dear, this place is showing its age," Geela sighs. And with those words, everything Darkos knew about his friend is turned on its head. Geela, far from a naive farm girl, is a 70-year-old Dark Mistress, hell-bent on exacting revenge on her ex-husband Barney for cheating on her, trashing her place, and changing the locks. Geela is everything Darkos has sworn to defeat. A bastion of dastardly deeds. A pinnacle of evil... ...so of course he finds himself tagging along.
8 173 - In Serial7 Chapters
No content
8 87 - In Serial45 Chapters
Token
Token is a web serial about four friends who find themselves playing through simulated board games in real life. Whether they want to play or not, it is not their choice, and whoever loses a game gets… re-balanced. Will they conquer this mystery before losing themselves completely?
8 93 - In Serial40 Chapters
Fate Of The Swordsmen
Anarion Ragnor struggles to move ahead in a world that is on the brink of collapse. Demons, Gods, Undead, Cursed Beings and more are all fighting for control of Terath. Anarion a student on his way to graduation from the Swordsmen Academy struggles to cope with his issues of abandonment while those around him are trying to breach through the emotional mask he wears to protect himself from becoming attached to the people around him. Anarion is forced to live in the Shadow of his older brother who has fastly become one of the most renown Swordsmen alive. Dealing with his insurecity, ineptitude and inner fears. Anarion must face the world and himself. Swordsmen are ancient Warriors who wield legendary blades that can become so powerful they could shatter reality. They also know a unique magic called Elestran.
8 110 - In Serial8 Chapters
Scorpion
This is my Mother Sharon Bouriaque's work. She passed away in 2003. I loved reading my mother's work and she got me into writing. So I'm putting this out there with full credit to her. I have made some modification to technology since there has been a lot of changes to technology from when she wrote this until now. But other than that and a few very basic edits the work is hers. Jeff Carlisle despises the alien race that has colonized his world and inter-married with some of Earth’s people. Earth’s governments are working to get rid of the Thrans when they learn that something much worse is headed Earth’s way---an invasion fleet of RiaZan. The savage spiderlike race who harvests human types for food. The government leaders are terrified. Earth has no workable defense against ANY invaders from space. However, the Thrans do. They respond to the threat of invasion with an astounding move. They remove the psi-damper from all the people and activate the Scorpion Forces, The psionic warrior who are the elite of the Thran Military units. The Thran’s must also contact a certain youth whom they’ve kept hidden. They must activate the legendary Gold leader, and Jeff Carlisle’s life changes forever when he discovers he is the long-prophesied psionic warrior the Thran’s been hiding.
8 178 - In Serial958 Chapters
Legend of the Lost Star
[More placeholder space for the next Writahon...] [Completed the October 2020 Royal Road Writathon challenge] [Completed the April 2020 Royal Road Writathon challenge] Book 1: First Light Synopsis: As a war of epic proportions enters a ceasefire, a soul from another world enters a dead boy's body. Without any memories of who he was, with only a little companion by his side, the lost soul begins his long, arduous journey to recover his memories, while unraveling the mysteries of a war-torn world. Why was he sent here? And where will he go now? Even he himself does not know. But one thing is for certain: the world will never be the same again. Book 2: Foredoomed to a Rendezvous Synopsis: As war continues to break out between the Five Lands, Gaius finds himself inheriting a legacy of ancient times. With the flames of battle spreading through the South once again, the lost soul throws himself into battle over and over, in an attempt to protect his home and those he holds dear. How will the boy, nearly unrivalled in martial might, fare in a web of conspiracies beyond his ken? Book 3: The Last and the Lost Synopsis: The boy has set himself an unbelievable target in a bid to save someone precious to him. With his former home now out of reach, he stalks the Southern Continent, inciting rebellion and revolution where possible to lure his prey out. Meanwhile, in the heart of the South, embers of war begin to rekindle. Will it be the death knell of yet another nation millennia old? Book 4: The Unravelling World Synopsis: Time is not on Gaius' side. Everyday life, already disturbed by the flames of mortal war, falls apart entirely as beings of legend once again appear on Orb. Forced to a foreign land to treat his injuries, the boy must confront the outcomes of his actions, directly and indirectly. But the tide is rising. Countless enemies are throwing themselves against the nations of Orb, cleaving a path of blood wherever they go. Gaius has to hurry...or drown with the rest. Book 5: World's End, Divines' Rondo Synopsis: The great gods of Orb have staked their claim on the world itself, killing all in their way. Each of the Cardinal Continents are fighting their own battles and making their own peace, but none are aware of the growing threat from the Wildlands, where a self-exiled legend continues to gather strength. Meanwhile, a new threat stalks the whole of Orb, killing whatever remains of the Constellation Heroes. Against such a chaotic backdrop, a boy continues to protect a semblance of daily life for his loved ones, but will he be successful when the curtains finally open? Book 6: The Frenzied Tide Synopsis: A sword hangs above the Eastern Territories. The Human God, progenitor of all life, the direct cause of the beastfolk genocide, has made his will known to the rulers of the East — make peace with the God of Water, or be destroyed in three months. Gaius, who has left the battlefield to return home, is once again called to fight, to support a do-or-die offensive upon their foe's territory. But in the background, the threads of destiny are beginning to come together. Plots set in motion long ago are coming to fruition... Book 7: Limina of Ruin Synopsis: The chalice has broken. The East is beset with turmoil, as factions turn on each other. The Great Divide, however, brims with a setting radiance, ensuring a final, transient peace. And in the midst of it all, one young boy follows the fettered winds and the unshackled waters, heading to a new land to uphold a promise. For him, the days of fighting will be a distant memory before long...and a daily event in the years to come. Uncovering ancient memories, putting to rest regrets, enjoying the last of a peaceful life...the people of the Five Lands will live to their fullest. Yet, this is but the calm before the storm. Book 8: Power Talks Synopsis: Fate. A curious word to most...and a frightening word to Gaius. Alongside the rulers of the North, Gaius witnesses frightening truths, proof of an inevitable future. Spurred by a myriad chilling revelations and urged by a god's killer, the Mortal Light Dynasty gathers both mortal rulers and divine sovereigns, covering past conflicts with a offer of cooperation of an unprecedented scale. However, can this unity, first of its kind, stand up to time, fate and mortal nature? Or will it burn, along with the Five Lands? Book 9: Homeland Song Synopsis: Gazing out at the Orb of old, Gaius ponders his destiny and the great stakes with it. Time and again, he has led a life of choices, making one after another for the sake of those he cares about. His latest choice, however, carries implications of an immeasurable scale. Charged with the protection of the future, all that awaits him is an eternal solitude... On the other side of the false world, a single star shines, one whose light is meant to protect. Gemini, who has long found a homeland in the form of Ark City, has spent years defending it with friends and family alike. However, an inexorable end is approaching. The day the Great Divide falls looms ever closer. At the crossroads of destiny, when the chains of fate bind him fully, what will the last Constellation choose? And what will his choice mean for the rest of the Five Lands? Book 10: Immortal Indignant Synopsis: As the Five Lands reel from an unexpected revelation, Gaius continues his struggle to accept his immortal destiny of eternal vigilance. Mortal fetters continue to tie him down, with the prospect of breaking them a heart-rending prospect. There is little light for him in the darkness; his emotions seemingly a poisoned apple. For him, the days ahead are one of balancing his emotions; his immortal destiny is antithetical to the aspects that make one mortal. However, he isn't the only immortal indignant at the current state of affairs. Behind the scenes, huge powers push and pull, tussling in an insane game of wrestling sanity. The Five Lands and the great gods prepare in the background, awaiting their time to strike... Book 11: Cause Convergent Synopsis: As Orb reels from an unexpected turn of events, the crumbling of the Great Divide speeds up. With time now at a premium, Gaius travels the world, addressing a particular personage's last will, while ensuring that he leaves no regrets behind. Revisiting the Five Lands with his beloved one last time, he casts his eyes to a new future, a world full of a peace forged by collective resistance. Far away from Gaius, at the very borders of the Southern Continent, soldiers train day and night, awaiting the day the rift between worlds crumble. But the battlefield there isn't just between the Five Lands and the Wildlands... Book 12: Boundary Belligerent Synopsis: The rift between worlds crumble. The moon, the sun and the sky shatter, revealing the vast expanse beyond. The cold light of the stars gaze down upon Orb, illuminating a bloody battlefield at World's End, where gods and mortals wrestle. Immortal troops charge the Five Lands, over and over again, only to be repelled by vast engines of war. For many, the moment of destiny has arrived. The Third Extermination has begun. However, Gaius gazes not at the present, but at the future beyond. What does he see there? And what will he do? Book 13: Destiny Divergent Synopsis: Bells ring, and destiny veers. Mortal miracles, having pierced a divine destiny, now turn their light of annihilation upon the legendary land of dangers and dark myth. A single being who should have slept forever reawakens, carrying out a inherited duty to protect. Under a dome of absolute law, the hulks that darken the skies are grounded, forcing the Five Lands to move ahead on foot. Hidden differences erupt, comrades turn upon comrades, and the alliance begins to crumble. What should have been a happy ending begins to fall apart. Watching from high above, the Abyss Sovereign laments his weakness, cursing the new destiny laid upon the world. And yet, he will never give up. Book 14: Abyss Ascendent Synopsis: As a future of never-ending conflict draws closer, Gaius stands at the centre of Orb, his will tempered and set. What the Wildlands has ceased to be, he will inherit. Divine Kingdoms and mortal nations clamour for peace to prepare for greater wars, but Gaius will no longer stand for that. For the sake of his dream, the Five Lands — and now, the Wildlands — must be unified against a common enemy. Gaius himself. Raising the flag of rebellion against mortal nature and destiny, the Abyss Sovereign commences a festival of creation for his new world, a paradise unimaginable to both mortal and divine minds. With his intentions made known now, there is no going back. He will succeed. Or die trying. Book 15: Terminus Transcendent Synopsis: ??? This is a story that may, depending on how impatient you are, take some time to spin up. I have enough in my mind for a long run, so it's essential that I lay out a great deal of groundwork at the start. Eleven books have been released so far, and this work will end at Book 15. Be aware of late arrival spoilers! My Patreon link is here, which allows for up to sixty-five advanced chapters ahead of the free releases, or if you'd just like to support me. Release schedule: My original promise was 2 a week, minimally, but it's been a daily release for a long time. So yeah...
8 844

