The Mistakes Of Misfits

    We must have traveled for hours. The blazing sun had beaten us to the point of exhaustion. I was sore from head to toe from the ride. The constant bumping had made my joints feel like bursting. We took shifts moving from the inside of the cart to the front seat. 

    I tried to move with either Varrin or Otah. Varrin made for good conversation and Otah rarely said a word. I would take either over the overly optimistic prattling of the prince. He was a tool we had to use. I would talk to him the least amount possible. 

    Finally after the light of the day had almost left us, we stopped to make camp. I hopped off the front of the cart and tried to stretch out my back. It flared in pain and my ass felt sore from the constant bumps on the road. I would need to find a way to endure this better if I would survive the couple of weeks to Durik. 

      I felt the smooth grass give a bit under my boots. It took every bit of restraint to not take off my boots and feel the grass in between my toes. I did not want to look like a completely crazy person on my first night however. 

       Kasious walked up to my right and Varrin did the same to my left. Kasious stretched his arms out. “Fucking finally!” He exclaimed. “I thought we'd never leave that damn cart.” He looked over at us and gave us a wide smile. He was so damn energetic and naive. It was unbearable. 

        I heard air burst behind us and Otah leaped off of the cart only to land in front of us. Dirt kicked up from his impact but otherwise it was a flawless jump. I raised an eyebrow at the orc. He looked at us with those cold, emotionless eyes. “Fall in line.” He ordered. His mouth straightened as he waited for us to react. 

      Kasious pulled out his longsword with a rye smile. “You two line up, I'll go first.” My curiosity outweighed my temptation to defy the prince. Varrin and myself took a few steps back as Otah and Kasious started to circle each other.

      Otah carried no weapon but he kept up easily with the prince. It became perfectly clear that this was some kind of training exercise. Otah meant to train us as well. My arms crossed in disapproval at the insult that was being flung our way. 

       Kasious spun his blade in quick, skilled flourishes at Otah. The movements were solid, he clearly knew how to handle a blade. “He's not bad,” Varrin observed. 

     I almost sneered. “Just because he has skill doesn't mean he's a warrior.” I countered. After a few more minutes Otah put Kasious on his ass with a sweep. 

     Otah nodded, not a bit of emotion piercing through. “You're too aggressive, keep your lower body guarded.” Kasious nodded as he joined my side. Otah looked to Varrin. “Come, your next.” 

     Varrin obeyed. He pulled his staff out of its holster. “So this is just a sparring session?” Varrin did a flourish with his staff, clearly trying to show off. Otah met that question with a whirling fast punch to his gut. 

     Otah loomed over him. “This is an assessment.” He answered. He looked very unimpressed. Otah drove his knee into Varrin and brought him to the ground. Otah looked at the mage in judgment. “Escape.” He ordered. 

    Varrin gritted his teeth and molded the earth around him. It swallowed him and even pinned Otah's knee in place. Before I could even wonder where he had gone, Varrin burst out from the ground behind Otah and attempted to strike the back of his head. 

     Otah twisted his torso back and caught Varrin's punch. The mage seemed stunned by the movement,  much quicker than either of us could have expected. Otah spun around, ripping his knee out of the ground as if it wasn't trapped at all and pinned Varrin's arm behind his back. Varrin attempted to escape but the orc held him tight. “Where is that power you used against Serena? Show it to me.”

      Varrin's eyes flickered with a bright red energy but no power awakened in him. He shook his head. “I… can't!” He pleaded. Otah's face straightened and he pushed up on Varrin's elbow. I heard the bends and cracks of bones as it was on the verge of breaking. Varrin's resulting scream of pain made my heart race. The mage stomped his foot and spoke a few magic words. Air erupted from his stomp and Otah was forced back. 

      Varrin held his arm and faced Otah. Otah simply let out a sigh. “Reflect on your power. Reflect on what triggered it and we will continue tomorrow.” He spoke as if he didn't just try to snap the mage's arm. He gave Varrin a small bow and to my surprise Varrin returned the gesture. 

      Varrin returned to my side opposite of where Kasious stood. Otah turned his attention to me. I let out an overly sarcastic laugh. “Yeah… no.” I replied. “I do not need your training monk.”

    Otah did something I never would have expected. The mother fucker started smiling. It was not a warm smile nor a welcoming one. His face twisted into an insidious grin as devious plans ran through the old orcs mind. “You think yourself too good for my tutelage?” He asked. 

     I kept my face stoic. I couldn't give him an inch. I moved my hand down to my sword. “Yes, I do.” I told him. I tried to coat my words with as much venom as I could. 

     Otah let out a small chuckle, the sound was unnerving coming from the usually emotionless orc. “How about this Sumi.” He removed his robe and all he had on was his leather trousers. He was surprisingly built for someone of his age. He didn't have a shred of fat covering his heavily tattooed body. He got down in a defensive stance. “Land one single hit on me and you will not have to train with me. When you inevitably fail, you will join me every day for training with the others.” 

     He was overconfident. He would most definitely beat me if we fought but one hit would be far too easy. I had seen him fight Kasious and Varrin. I knew his tricks. This would be all too easy. Someone needed to show this bastard some humility. 

      I rushed him. I hoped that the sudden movement would catch him off guard. I threw a punch into his ribs, hoping to knock the smugness out of his body. Otah caught my punch with speed I could have never matched. He let out a small chuckle. “Oh Sumi, you're going to have to do better than that.” 

       My rage erupted and I swung quickly at the orcs smug face. Otah moved like a ghost, reminding me all too well of Serena. But Serena had been studying me, this was different. Otah was just toying with me. He moved to the side and tripped me, fucking tripped me. I fell to my back. 

      Otah knelt down and looked over my mud covered body. He carried that same shit-eating grin that he had this entire fight. “Are we done here? Or do you wish to humiliate yourself further?” 

     I rose to my feet and stared daggers at the orc. “I’m not done!” I screamed. I rushed him, putting everything I had into a massive swing to his jaw. Otah simply stepped to the side, as if I moved in slow motion. He connected his fist with the back of my head. I collided with the mud and my face. I didn't bother getting up for a long moment. Otah stood over me.

     “None of you are warriors.” He told all of us, but it felt very directed at me as I got up from the mud. “Not yet, but I will make sure you all are ready for battle by the time we reach Durik.” He turned away from us and waved his hand dismissively. “Make camp for the night.” He ordered as he walked away from us. 

        It didn't take long to make camp. I offered to take the first watch. With my humiliation I didn't think I would be able to sleep for some time. The night was peaceful. Insects and small land critters russled across the ground and up the many trees of the tick forest. 

     I smelled the familiar incense. How he still smelled like that after fighting through the mud perplexed me. “What are you doing here?” I asked the mage. 

    Varrin plopped down on the log beside me. He carried a small bottle of wine. He took a sip out of the bottle and offered it to me. “I thought you could use the company.” He responded. His eyes seemed a bit worried.

       I sighed and took the bottle. “Where the hell did you even get this?” I asked. I chugged way too much of the alcohol feeling the sweet taste down my throat. 

      Varrin gestured back to the cart as I passed him the bottle. “Kasious had a bunch stored in the cart by Dagna. It's cheap but I didn't think you would care.” He was right, I didn't. I just wanted to be as drunk as possible. Varrin looked up at me. “You gonna be alright? You've been quiet since training.” 

     I scoffed. “Do I seem alright?!” I countered. “That old fuck humiliated me!” 

      Varrin took a sip of the wine. “No, if you seemed alright I wouldn't be offering you alcohol to numb it.” He was silent for a long moment. “Use this. It may seem tough to do right now but use this humiliation to push you. It gives you something to work toward.” He handed me the bottle and I took in hai words. They were thoughtful and rehearsed, as if the words were being passed down from someone else. 

      I took a very long drink from the bottle. “Easy for you to say. You have magic, you can bend the earth and skies to your whims. With that kind of potential it must seem easy to improve. I just… I just hit things really hard.” I slumped my head a bit. 

     Varrin contemplated his next statement for a long moment. “I'm not the mage you think I am.” He admitted. His face was low, thoughtful. I raised a brow. What could he possibly mean by that? I handed him the bottle and he took a long drink before continuing. “My body, my staff, my markings, all crutches to get me even close to the power of a proper mage. I wasn't even able to channel a simple fireball when I was younger. 

     I felt my heart sink a bit for himq. I knew he wasn't as strong as the mages I had heard about but I assumed the stories had just been greatly exaggerated. “What changed?” I asked. “You may not be a powerhouse but you seem competent.” 

     His eyes seemed to drop even further. “My… mentor Orthis.” He muttered. “He trained me. He took me out every night and…” his voice broke as memories flooded his head. “He beat me, beat me till I couldn't stand. Healed me, then did it again.” 

     My heart shattered at the mage's story. Orcs could be brutal but we never… I put my hand out and offered him the bottle. “I'm sorry.” I told him. I didn't know what else I could say. “That must have been brutal.” 

    He gave me an all too casual shrug as he took another drink, this one being much longer. “It was effective, I would have died a long time ago if not for that brutality.” His words were strong and certain but his body was still slumped in doubt. He handed me back the bottle and I only now noticed we had drank half of the damn thing down. 

      “Look at us. A bunch of miserable octos.” I teased while giving him a small shove. 

       The mage looked up at me with a bit of confusion. “Octos?” He asked. I had forgotten no one else around me, except maybe Otah understood the orc language. 

      I chuckled. “It means outcast, maybe misfit if you're being generous with the translation.” I explained. “But most just use it as an insult.” I took a sip and passed the bottle once more. 

   Varrin swirled the liquid as he thought. “Octos… I think I like the sound of that.” He gave me a playful shove but without his aura he barely moved me. 

       I took the bottle out of his hands and gave him a mistivious smile. “Nice try.” I told him. The playful smile he sent my way sent a warmness through my chest I was wholly unprepared for. In this light the mage looked… hot. I didn't know if it was the wine or that perfect shine of the moon on his chizled jaw. I quickly drank more of the wine hoping to drink away the incoming thoughts invading my head. I gave him an appreciative nod. “Thank you.” I told him. “It's not often I get someone who cares.” 

      Varrin relaxed back in his seat. “You're welcome, it's not often I get someone to care about.” 

      That definitely did not help my thoughts. But I restrained myself as we both spent our watch drinking and talking the night away. But that feeling lingered. Did I… did I care for the mage as well?