Dragons rule the land and mankind hides underground. Only a brave few dare to cross the great outdoors - Surface Runners.
Enrig of Saggad longs to leave his underground home, seeking adventure and freedom on the surface, far away from the caves of his youth and the reprimands of his addled mother. Joining the Watch seems promising, but what he really dreams of is becoming a Surface Runner, evading Dragons and running across the land for treasure and glory. It is a far-flung wish for one as young as he, until a chance encounter lands him in the lap of the Dragon Dodgers, a Company of Surface Runners on a very special mission. Will Enrig be allowed to join them? And if he is, will he find anything other than death?
Genre: FICTION / Fantasy / Short StoriesE
nrig chased Merriqh up the corridor, dodging weave baskets, pitchers, and even passing workers. His arms rasped against the naked rock walls and he felt the smell of wet stone with every gasp.
“Merriqh!” he called. “Merriqh, wait.”
He was forced to slow down when he reached the exit chamber. Luckily for him, so was Merriqh. The room was packed full of workers. A mob of half-fed beggars, desperate enough to risk their lives on the surface for a dozen gold Spades.
“You have to take me,” Enrig said.
“No, I don’t,” Merriqh replied.
The king’s overseer was a balding man with three scars and a limp that he had earned in the days when he himself had been a Watcher. Enrig swallowed a curse. He was trying his best not to be annoying, but even he could tell it wasn’t working.
“Yes, you do. You need me.”
“Why?” Merriqh inspected a pile of empty containers, then gave a group of workers permission to carry them. “You’re still a kid, you’re too slow to be a Watcher.”
“No, I’m not!” Enrig said. “Ugas is larger than a bull, are you saying he’s faster than me?”
“Hey!” Ugas cried from across the room. “I can hear you, you piece of snot.”
Enrig ignored him.
“And I have better sight than most of them, too.”
“Bull crap!” yelled someone behind Ugas.
With few exceptions, the group of Watchers Merriqh employed was a bunch of overpaid slackers. Even the overseer knew that. They were gathered at the corner closest to the exit, as they would be the first to leave the safety of the underground.
| Language | Status |
|---|---|
|
French
|
Already translated.
Translated by Isabelle de ROSE
|
|
German
|
Unavailable for translation.
|
|
Italian
|
Unavailable for translation.
|
|
Portuguese
|
Unavailable for translation.
|
|
Spanish
|
Unavailable for translation.
|
