Taken: The Life of Uktesh Book 3 Read online

  Uktesh couldn’t figure why anyone would want to wear clothes that revealed part of their butt, until one of the dock workers yelled to another to hurry back to their storehouse and get a fifth wagon. The man who’d been yelled at fell forward and as he did he seemed to expand until where the man had been a tiger stood! It jumped the twelve feet between piers and took off running through the crowd. The people didn’t even react to the dangerous creature running through their midst. It was then that Uktesh saw most of the “pets” he’d seen on the pier were also dressed in the form fitting clothes. He saw one of the horses shrink into a man with broad shoulders. His rider, a young boy, laughed as he went from riding a horse to holding onto the back of the man, who lifted the boy until he was sitting on his shoulders as they went into a store.

  Uktesh wanted to comment on this, but he was led past the dragons as they shuffled away. He didn’t like where his mind led him to when he thought about why he was being separated. It’ll either be to show me off, in which case I’ll be tested, or it’s to kill me. Although he thought that unlikely, his mind spun a tale where Astiau made it possible. Or it’s to let me go, the optimistic part of his mind thought, but that seemed even less likely than death. Uktesh knew he’d get his answer soon enough as Cavavos chained his hands and led him away.

  As they walked through the city they passed where the rest of the dragons were being tied to the back of a wagon at the end of a long line of creatures and wagons. Uktesh saw that at least the chains around their feet were being removed, but didn’t understand why they were being chained to a bar between two wagons. Uktesh saw another type of dinosaur. This one was small, comparatively, though it was still several times bigger than Uktesh. It looked like an armored giant turtle with a mace tail. Uktesh saw Cavavos loop then lock Uktesh’s chain around the tail so that Uktesh would follow the creature. He wondered why all the dragons and he were at the end of the train of dinosaurs and wagons with only three guards on each side.

  Uktesh quickly found out that being tied to a dinosaur’s tail was not the best thing for a peaceful walk when it jerked him off his feet and to the ground. He lay stunned for a few seconds before the beast dragged him over the ground as it swished its tail the other direction. It kept swishing its tail back and forth and Uktesh had to move so that he wouldn’t fall again. While Uktesh was zig-zagging behind it waiting for it to start moving, it let out an explosive fart. Although Uktesh held his breath for as long as he could, the horrendous smell continued to linger. Uktesh couldn’t blink back the tears as he tried to breathe shallowly.

  Uktesh desperately tried to use his Affliction powers to ask dinosaur to stop, but when it didn’t he guessed that taming a dinosaur would take more skill than he currently had.

  The soldiers around him laughed as Uktesh tried not to throw up. While he gagged he didn’t pay attention to the tail and suddenly he was pulled off his feet and almost immediately dragged the other direction. He found himself being dragged backwards in the midst of a coughing fit that could easily turn into a projectile puking fit. Lord Astiau and his brother rode up to have a good laugh at Uktesh’s expense. At any other time their mounts would’ve demanded closer inspection as they too were dinosaurs, but they moved on two feet with three massively clawed toes on each foot. They had short stubby arms and hands that also had sharp claws. They were both a greenish brown color and had the telltale scaring on their snouts.

  Uktesh got his feet underneath him and jumped with the tail swing to remain that way. Finally, the smell dissipated. Uktesh watched the two dinosaurs carrying the Lords go from standstill to speeding away in seconds. I’ve got to get me one of those. Uktesh jumped again to avoid being dragged. This is going to get annoying. Uktesh jumped on the tail, which didn’t seem to bother the beast, and slid his chain up the tail as much as the loop would allow, then stepped forwards to sit on the back of the armored shell. The beast still swished its tail, but at least now Uktesh didn’t have to worry about it dragging him.

  Uktesh tried to bring up a breeze with his power to take away the lingering smell, but couldn’t tell if he’d succeeded. If I had the dragon’s power I could. He quickly increased the power he sent to the wind speed as the dinosaur let out another explosive fart, and felt the breeze pick up. Uktesh held his breath and continued to blow away the smell. When he could no longer hold his breath he tested the air to find that it was clearer, but by no means had the smell gone totally away. Toxic turtle you may be the death of me. He assumed that this was just punishment for Lord Astiau’s eye, and not something that would actually kill him.

  As the line of animals, carts, and soldiers started to move forward Uktesh had to wonder if they’d added this creature for the sole purpose of torturing him, as it wasn’t carrying any burdens other than Uktesh. Uktesh quickly released his hold on the power, now that they were moving, as he’d begun to get dizzy from power use. As they traveled Uktesh found, to his horror that not only did the toxic turtle’s excrement smell worse, but that the creature seemed to need to release its bowels on a nearly hourly basis.

  Each time the toxic turtle would defecate Uktesh would bring up a gust of wind to push away the worst of it. The prisoners were fed and if the guards thought anything about him sitting instead of walking they didn’t say anything. Uktesh cursed his fate until he saw around a bend in the road that the dragons behind the cart behind the dinosaur had to walk through the muck due to the bar that ran from the cart in front of them to the cart behind them. They tried to avoid it, but it was impossible.

  Uktesh thought that that was a cruel and unusual form of torture. The next time the creature released its bowels Uktesh continued to use a gust of wind to blow the smell away, but also used earth to create a path of dirt over the droppings. He felt light headed after the attempt, but knew it would be appreciated. He continued to help as much as possible, but long before they stopped for the night he began to run out of strength. He made the only logical choice and stopped creating a path. Several hours later and before they made camp for the night, Uktesh saw that the dragons were unchained from the pole and then led to a river where they were allowed to clean their legs and feet of the excrement. Uktesh was left tied to the dinosaur and given food, which he was fortunately able to finish before the toxic turtle continued its hourly torture upon his nose.

  He spent most of the night awake, trying to ignore the smell that was impossible to ignore. He was proud that he only threw up twice during the night. He was awake as the sun began to lighten the world around him. He was greeted with a spectacular sunrise, and he didn’t know if it was because of the smell, the loneliness he felt without Laurilli, or the pure beauty of the new day, but he felt tears slide down his cheeks. That was how Astiau found him minutes later when he walked up holding his nose. He stopped to laugh and point, as if Uktesh didn’t know who he was laughing at, before he quickly retreated from the smell. Uktesh smiled and patted the toxic turtle and projected, yes, you’re a good boy, you keep him away and I’ll keep practicing my magic.

  Uktesh felt the beast rear up on its back legs for a moment and he had to fight to keep his spot. He leaned back and tried to get some sleep while he could.

  The torturous trip took twelve days. Halfway through, Uktesh saw a giant tower in the middle of nowhere. He risked questioning the guards and said, “What’s that?”

  One of the guards said, “That’s a Dungeon. If we were closer we could see that at the base there are camps for House Spelunkers, and if it was a more established Dungeon there might be a whole town built up around it.”

  Uktesh asked, “What’s House Spelunker?”

  The guard said, “Someone who is a part of a House and Dungeon dives for that house.”

  Uktesh said, “And Dungeons are the only way to get those magic clothes?”

  The guard laughed, “Well you could buy one for hundreds of platinum marks, or you could try your luck in a Dungeon. Some people, though, take their chances and wait to ambush Spelunkers after they return
from a Dungeon dive. It’s pretty stupid, because I wouldn’t want to mess with someone who could survive in a Dungeon, but every once in a while someone must get lucky because there are still those who try.”

  Uktesh asked, “How does someone join a House?

  The guard said, “Find any House, apply, and see if they accept you.”

  Uktesh asked, “Do you need to have a House to be a Spelunker?”

  The guard said, “Yeah. How else would you sell anything you found?”

  Uktesh asked, “What if you didn’t plan on selling any of it?”

  The guard said, “You’d still probably need a House.”

  Uktesh asked, “Could someone start a House?”

  The guard nodded and said, “Sure, but you have to have one hundred gold marks, the signatures of either fifty citizens, ten nobilis, two of the high nobilis classes, or a special allowance from the Emperor.” Uktesh opened his mouth to ask another question and the said, “Enough. Ask someone else.”

  By the end of the trip Uktesh knew that his sense of smell had forever been dulled by the turtle, but he also had grown in power, as he could now gust the wing and create a path in the muck each time the turtle released its bowel during the day. Uktesh had tried to cover up the stench with earth, but had nearly passed out from the strain, and hadn’t covered any of the muck.

  Uktesh knew something had changed when at midday Lord Astiau came riding back to Uktesh, perhaps to mock, perhaps to inform. His attitude changed when he saw Uktesh seated comfortably on the shell of the dinosaur. It probably didn’t help that Uktesh was whistling and lounging with his hands behind his head while staring at the sky. Astiau moved his dinosaur toward Uktesh, bringing its teeth dangerously close to him. The toxic turtle must have felt the same way because without warning it slammed its tail into Astiau and his mount and both fell to the ground hard.

  The mount dinosaur was quickly on its feet. It took a quick bite at Astiau, who back-handed it with his fist before it bolted away from the wagon train. Astiau called for three mounted soldiers to chase after it. Uktesh tried to hide his mirth, but couldn’t. Astiau pulled Uktesh from his perch, unlocked his chains, and dragged him so that he could see they were on a hill looking down at a massive city, one with dozens of towers and eight pyramids. “This is the last place you will ever live. I will make sure of it! Welcome to Enixidem!” Uktesh never saw what hit him, but he felt it! The last thing he remembered seeing was the ground rushing toward him.

  A God Form in the Life of

  A month and three weeks apart from Laurilli

  Uktesh woke up, groaned, and put a hand to the back of his head. He sat up and realized he’d been sleeping on a single slab of rock. That explains why everything hurts. He took a look around him and, giant snake! The snake lunged at him and Uktesh slammed the back of his head into the wall behind him in his attempt to put some distance between himself and the giant snake! He felt his fist slam into the snake’s lower jaw, which snapped the mouth, and all those teeth, shut. It reared back again, rubbing its chin, and Uktesh saw its full size. It had to be nearly nine feet tall, wait hands? Uktesh saw that it had quite humanoid arms and hands that were currently massaging its jaw.

  “That wasss a sssound hit,

  even I have to admit!”

  Uktesh felt his jaw drop in shock, it spoke! Uktesh was still pondering the fact that a snake with arms spoke when it repeated the feat.

  “Sssadly, ssspeed, ssstrength, and ssskill will only get you ssso far.

  To sssurvive you’ll need to learn how to become a ssstar.”

  Uktesh just continued to stare,

  “Ssspeak if you know how,

  I tire of thisss game now.”

  Uktesh said, “You can talk!”

  The snake rolled its eyes at Uktesh. Uktesh was proud of himself for not commenting on that out loud,

  “Ssstupid boy thinksss me a beassst,

  but doesss not know he isss the leassst.”

  Uktesh slowly repeated the sentence in his mind until he understood it, and asked, “Least? What am I the least of?”

  The snake show Uktesh all its teeth, and Uktesh felt himself pale at the gristly smile,

  “You are the leassst gladiator!

  All othersss are already better.”

  Uktesh laughed as said, “Ha! That barely rhymed!”

  He didn’t, however, see the thing’s tail hit him, he just felt it and then the wall as he slammed into it.

  “Lord Neftalixss hasss told me to teach you all I know,

  but I firssst you will give me a ssshow.”

  It slithered out of the cell that only now Uktesh realized he was in. Uktesh shivered. Why is it so cold? I was sleeping outside without any discomfort just last night. Uktesh stood and followed the snake through a maze of cells until they were outside in a sand pit. Uktesh saw the dragons lined up opposite people who must be the gladiators. The seasoned gladiators. I guess we’re all gladiators; they just have more experience. Why are they all only wearing loincloths? The dragons shied away from the snake, but didn’t look overly shocked to see it so Uktesh assumed they’d had a similar welcome.

  “Ssso thisss isss the one you sssay,

  will bessst my bessst gladiator today?

  I sssay he will fall,

  to the leassst of all.”

  The snake said something like, “Sssielexss,” and a man stepped forward. Uktesh saw he was armed with a shield and sword and that behind him were rows upon rows of wooden weapons. He saw the all the swords were the same length and size. They were short barely longer than his forearm and hand, thick, and double bladed. Or at least the wooden version looks like the metal version should be. He grabbed two swords and stood in front of the gladiator, who looked relaxed. He realized the man he was about to fight wasn’t really his enemy so he reached out his hand and said, “I’m Uktesh.”

  The man looked to the snake who nodded, “Be welcome, I am Cielex,” before he took Uktesh’s outstretched hand. The snake turned to look above where Uktesh had just exited. Standing there were dozens of well-dressed people including Neftalix and Astiau. Clearly, though, the leader was the graying man in the middle who had an aura of authority that made people stand in deference to him. Unlike Neftalix and Astiau, the leader had a platinum ring in his lip. The snake raised his hand and Uktesh saw it now held a whip. The man in charge nodded. The gladiator shouted, “We salute you, Dominus,” and pointed his sword at the man.

  Uktesh felt the whip crack against his back and pointed his sword at the man and said, “I salute you, Dominus.” The man nodded again and the gladiator took a fighting stance with his shield blocking most of his body. Uktesh stabbed the shield with his left sword, purposely exposing that arm to a counter attack, which Cielex fell for. Uktesh Stepped to Cielex’s exposed right side and poked him with his sword.

  Rather than stop all action, as they would in a tournament, Cielex spun and slashed at Uktesh, who barely dodged in time. He got slammed with Cielex’s shield and fell to the ground. Uktesh rolled and blocked the sword attack, braced for the shield push and when it hit pushed back with all his might. Cielex didn’t move at all. Instead Uktesh found himself being pushed toward a wall. Bracing was a stupid idea. Uktesh started backing up and Cielex stayed with him. Each picked up speed as they raced toward the wall. Inches from the wall Uktesh Stepped to the side as Cielex, suddenly without any resistance, tripped and slammed into his shield and fell unconscious to the ground.

  Uktesh walked back to the weapon rack and put his swords away, then walked to stand next to the dragons. By the time Uktesh had settled himself, Cielex was stirring. With a roar he came to his feet only to find Uktesh unarmed, dozens of feet away, and clearly the victor. His shoulders slumped. The snake took his shield and sword angrily and said,

  “Congradulationsss, you’ve earn a ssspot in the Ultimate Rumble.

  Make sssure to sssurvive the firssst round before you ssstumble.”

  Cielex’s shoulders slumped further
and he nodded as the snake said,

  “Omero, you’re up,

  come back here pup.”

  Uktesh assumed he was the pup in question so he grabbed his sword as Omero, the twice-damned giant, walked to stand in front of Uktesh. He was slightly closer to the end of the line than the beginning. As Uktesh assumed they were in order of rank Omero was slightly better than half way.

  Omero was eight feet tall and built with more muscles than even Larut. He was also unarmed so Uktesh asked, “Is it okay if I use these?”

  The snake nodded and raised his hand with the whip to the man again, and again he nodded. Omero and Uktesh both said, “We salute you,” though Uktesh forgot the Dominus and was rewarded with another whipping, so he quickly added, “Dominus.” Uktesh sprung backwards as Omero made a quick grab for him. The he reversed and Stepped in and delivered a perfect Sweep the Leg that broke the big man’s leg at the kneecap. Uktesh had to Step back twice to avoid the falling giant. Although down, the giant was not done. He knelt on his broken leg. Wow! The pain tolerance! Then he punched out at Uktesh.

  Uktesh threw one of his wooden swords at Omero and when he blocked it, Uktesh Stepped twice, and threw his last sword at Omero. He Stepped twice more to get behind Omero and one final Step moved him in where he adapted the imperfect Sword Raises the Sky to jump in the air and then the perfect Palm Strike to the back of Omero’s head, which dropped him like a rock. Uktesh was glad he’d been right about the Palm Strike not killing Omero.

  Uktesh retrieved one of his swords and couldn’t find the second one he picked out another one from the rack. He assumed there’d be at least one other test. This time the man at the furthest end of the line stepped forward. He too was armed with two swords. The man stepped in front of Uktesh with his hand out and said, “I’m Emexida. You’re good, but you got lucky.” Uktesh took his hand and tried not to show that Emexida’s grip was close to breaking Uktesh’s hand. The snake raised his whip hand again to the man who nodded, clearly happy with the display. Emexida and Uktesh shouted, “We salute you, Dominus!”