Luke Skytrekker
In the Trail of Sinners
The sequel to The Fury of Ignorance. Sorry if the story isn't that well-written.
Ever since the kidnapping of his beloved, James had traveled with unrivaled fury, pursuing The Iron Wolf and its cruel captain. He had very little idea where he was going, but he was determined to get there as fast as possible.
His journey had brought him out of civilized country and into the Great Waste, a barren land of rocks and outlaws. The Great Waste belonged to no man, but instead was populated by legendary monsters and fierce nomads. Few ever went there, and even fewer ever came back. It was in the Great Waste that Captain Screwleg was rumoured to have his hideout.
"James, do you have any idea where we're go'n?" said Robert Gearson, a close friend of James' who had come along to "keep him out of trouble", as he gracefully expressed it.
"Let's make for that. It could be interesting." said James, pointing to the remote, steam-spewing form of a vehicle in the distance.
"What do you think it is? Nomads?" said Robert.
"Probably." said James, "Might not be friendly, though. Best keep a low profile."
They set out in the direction of the mysterious vehicle, walking stealthily and keeping behind the rocks.
The vehicle was not going very fast, and they quickly caught up to it. It was large, with a great cage mounted on the back and three rough-looking men perched on the front. They were all wearing tall, conical helmets, each of which was surmounted by a golden knob.
"Goldknob slavers." muttered James. Robert flipped up his goggles, gazing in mild awe at the great vehicle.
"Now that's a steamcycle." he muttered in admiration, "What they got in the cage?"
James squinted up at the dark, massive cage. Inside, standing still and emotionless, was a lone, dark-haired girl, far younger than Angela. There was something inexpressibly peculiar about her. Even the shade of her skin wasn't quite right.
"Their latest catch." muttered James, "Looks like she's an Other."
"What'd we do about it?" said Robert.
"Rescue her." said James.
"Wait, what—?" said Robert, but he was too late. James had already shot the nearest of the slavers. The vehicle stopped short in confusion, the remaining slavers dodging to the other side of it out of firing range. As fate would have it, the slaver James had hit was the only one who had a gun on him, leaving the rest undefended.
Sword in hand, James climbed up the wheel of the vehicle, trying to force the cage open. A slaver leapt at him, twisting away his sword with a claw-tipped pike and jabbing at him with a blade. James teetered, watching his enemy's sword fly towards him. Robert's pistol cracked, and the slaver toppled onto the ground below.
Mounting the top of the cage, James slashed away the lock and levered it open, hauling out the occupant. As he did so, the engines of the vehicle suddenly revved. The last slaver was back at the wheel. Seizing the girl, James leapt down onto the ground, barely making it before the vehicle took off at full speed, bumping madly across the rocks.
James gazed at the receding vehicle and the trail it left behind. Then he looked at the girl.
"She's an Other. Angela's an Other. These men are in league with Screwleg. We must follow their trail." And so they set out, in the Trail of Sinners.
In the Trail of Sinners
The sequel to The Fury of Ignorance. Sorry if the story isn't that well-written.
Ever since the kidnapping of his beloved, James had traveled with unrivaled fury, pursuing The Iron Wolf and its cruel captain. He had very little idea where he was going, but he was determined to get there as fast as possible.
His journey had brought him out of civilized country and into the Great Waste, a barren land of rocks and outlaws. The Great Waste belonged to no man, but instead was populated by legendary monsters and fierce nomads. Few ever went there, and even fewer ever came back. It was in the Great Waste that Captain Screwleg was rumoured to have his hideout.
"James, do you have any idea where we're go'n?" said Robert Gearson, a close friend of James' who had come along to "keep him out of trouble", as he gracefully expressed it.
"Let's make for that. It could be interesting." said James, pointing to the remote, steam-spewing form of a vehicle in the distance.
"What do you think it is? Nomads?" said Robert.
"Probably." said James, "Might not be friendly, though. Best keep a low profile."
They set out in the direction of the mysterious vehicle, walking stealthily and keeping behind the rocks.
The vehicle was not going very fast, and they quickly caught up to it. It was large, with a great cage mounted on the back and three rough-looking men perched on the front. They were all wearing tall, conical helmets, each of which was surmounted by a golden knob.
"Goldknob slavers." muttered James. Robert flipped up his goggles, gazing in mild awe at the great vehicle.
"Now that's a steamcycle." he muttered in admiration, "What they got in the cage?"
James squinted up at the dark, massive cage. Inside, standing still and emotionless, was a lone, dark-haired girl, far younger than Angela. There was something inexpressibly peculiar about her. Even the shade of her skin wasn't quite right.
"Their latest catch." muttered James, "Looks like she's an Other."
"What'd we do about it?" said Robert.
"Rescue her." said James.
"Wait, what—?" said Robert, but he was too late. James had already shot the nearest of the slavers. The vehicle stopped short in confusion, the remaining slavers dodging to the other side of it out of firing range. As fate would have it, the slaver James had hit was the only one who had a gun on him, leaving the rest undefended.
Sword in hand, James climbed up the wheel of the vehicle, trying to force the cage open. A slaver leapt at him, twisting away his sword with a claw-tipped pike and jabbing at him with a blade. James teetered, watching his enemy's sword fly towards him. Robert's pistol cracked, and the slaver toppled onto the ground below.
Mounting the top of the cage, James slashed away the lock and levered it open, hauling out the occupant. As he did so, the engines of the vehicle suddenly revved. The last slaver was back at the wheel. Seizing the girl, James leapt down onto the ground, barely making it before the vehicle took off at full speed, bumping madly across the rocks.
James gazed at the receding vehicle and the trail it left behind. Then he looked at the girl.
"She's an Other. Angela's an Other. These men are in league with Screwleg. We must follow their trail." And so they set out, in the Trail of Sinners.