All Chapters of Rise of the Hegemon: Chapter 1 - Chapter 10
31 chapters
Prologue
I found myself mysteriously standing at the deck of a wooden ship, the sea stretched out before me, a wide expanse of unknown. I tried to remember as to why I am here, but everything seems to be so hazy and I could get no answer from it, no matter how hard I try. The sudden roaring thunder in the sky quickly caught my attention, I look up and saw the sky as it raged with storm clouds, their intense ashen hues spiraling ominously. And then, in an unexpected surge, an intense impact that struck me like a heavy blow, the wind surged with uncontrollable force, pushing down on me with an almost solid intensity, I struggled to maintain my balance against nature's unwavering embrace. The heavy rain then fell upon me, each droplet of rainwater a weighty reminder of the storm's force, I could also sense the briny tang in the air, the unmistakable taste of salt carried on the wind. Then voices, a lot of them, I turn towards the noise and I saw chaos, men frantically running around as they
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Prologue 2
Mom's features held a striking resemblance to my own, a testament of our shared heritage, though she stood a few inches shorter than me. "Goodmorning, mother." I greeted her as I took a seat at the table. "Goodmorning Carillus." She greeted back as she places a plate before me, the aroma of eggs, bacon, and toast filled my nose as I stared down at the food before me, the eagerness to gobble up everything seems to grow inside of me. "Now now, I do not want to see my sweet Carillus choke on his own food just because he's a little hungry." I turn towards her to see her smiling, her warm eyes focused on my expression. "Am I that obvious?" I chuckled. She sighed as she took a seat at the table, a mug of coffee in her hands, though it wouldn't take long for even the dumbest people to figure out her answer based on her expression. As I began to dig into the food in front of me and savor the taste of the meal my mother had cooked, I couldn't help but feel slightly uncomfortable due to t
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A strange place
The sounds of rustling leaves and nearby birdsong quickly filled my ears. I wildly looked around and an astounding sight met my eyes, towering trees surrounded me, their trunks wrapped in old most. The uneven ground was covered with a blanket of fallen leaves and protruding tree roots. I'm in some kind of a forest. Did that strange void drop me here? how? and why? As questions began to pop up one after another inside of my mind, I tried to recall the events that transpired as I arrived to this place, that strange feeling as I fell through the void while the world around me shift and bend as if the laws of physics doesn't exist. I began pinching myself, in hopes that I couldn't feel any pain and all of this is just a big bad dream. But the sensation of pain was undeniable; beyond that, my consciousness remained intact throughout the entire descent through the void and everything seems incredibly real. Despite my internal efforts to reject such notions, I know that deep within me
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Escape in the forest
Gradually, as consciousness began to seep back into my senses, my head throbbed mercilessly, each throb sending waves of discomfort and agony, It was as if there was a heavy drilling operation taking place inside my head. Blinking my eyes open, everything is a blur as I slowly take in the sight of the blue sky above, I could feel the rough soil beneath my body, a clear indication that I now lay sprawled up on the ground below, leaves and dirt sticking to my skin, the air was also thick with the earthy scent of vegetation, and the distant sounds of rustling leaves and flowing water. "Argh!" I grunted in pain as a piercing pang suddenly shot through my head, causing me to wince and grit my teeth, gently placing my hand on my throbbing temple, I could feel a small bump forming beneath my palm, a sharp pain surging in my head each time my bump makes contact with my fingers. How did I..? And then my memories slowly reassembled itself, the image of the bear chasing me, my hasty and desp
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Who are these people?
I could feel the fresh breeze brush upon my face and tug at my hair as I made my descent towards the valley, my heart rapidly beating in anticipation and excitedness.Ignoring the pain around my whole body, I continued to limp across the vast plain of green, the soft rustling of grass filling my ears as I move forward, each stride sent a rush of exhilaration through my veins.With each breath, I could sense the fragrance of the grass and wind as I propelled my way forward, mingling with the adrenaline that surged within me, the rhythmic thud of my heart matched the rhythm of my feet.As I descended further, the expanse before me gradually unfolded, revealing the widening scope of my surroundings. Before long, my line of sight expanded, finally revealing the uninterrupted stretch of the south road that leads back towards the town in the far distance.The south road eventually breaks into two paths, one that leads towards the west from my current position, and the other one towards the
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Unfortunate circumstances.
I found myself mysteriously standing within the confines of a hall full of people, after examining my surroundings for a while, it didn't take me too long to finally realize that I'm actually standing inside a throne room.Massive stone walls adorned with detailed tapestries surrounded me, their ancient-looking textures speak of history and a thousand stories, sunlight streamed through tall, arched windows, casting golden patterns across the polished marble floor, while flickering torchlights cast dancing shadows inside the room, the air is thick with the scent of perfume, sweat and the acrid smell of the nearby torches.At the middle of it all, a throne sat atop a raised platform, a symbol of power and authority. Seated upon the throne was an old man wearing a crown of gold, it's unmistakable a king.. but of what kingdom?In addition, hundreds of what appeared to be aristocrats and nobles sat on elevated benches on both sides of the room, while dozens of people surrounded the king, s
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New life
My body jolts slightly as the wagon moves forward along the rough and uneven road. Glancing around, I take in the sight of my ten fellow convicts, all of us cramped together in this suffocating, wretched box they call a wagon. My gaze shifts to the two guards from the garrison at the rear, clad in leather armor and armed with swords. The air inside carries an unbearable mix of sweat and foul breath, the constant creaking of the wagon and the murmurs of others around me creates a disconcerting symphony, adding to the tension in the confined space.It has been an hour since we left the dungeons of the Runderdale barracks. My butt is now sore from the rough and hard wood I'm sitting on, and I have to constantly adjust my sitting position despite the cramped space around me. I've already earned a few glares from the others because of this.And speaking of Runderdale barracks, it's located inside the town of Runderdale, the first town I saw after I emerged from that forest.I could still p
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Arrival at the quarry.
The rest of the ride was uneventful aside from the occasional chatter among the prisoners, for the next three hours, I endured the steadily increasing discomfort in my rear end caused by this wretched seat.But I made no complaints.. who am I to complain against two armed guards, not to mention that I don't speak their language.The once visible town was already gone, now replaced by seemingly endless rolling hills and a dirt road that seems to stretch as far as my eye could see. So far, we hadn't passed through any major settlements aside from a few hamlets.Interactions between me and Little Fish only limits to gestures and hand signs, though I occasionally find myself unintentionally slipping English words during my 'conversations' with him. Muscle jaw memories, I guess?When the wagon finally lurched to stop, the constant shaking and creaking of the wagon had finally ceased, replaced by a moment of peace and silence which offered small relief to the rest of us.By this point, all
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Inside the quarry
As the guards ushered us toward the imposing gate, the relentless onslaught of the sun's rays bore down upon me, its searing touch unbearable. With each step, the weight of my body seemed to intensify, the air grew thick and stifling, making each breath a struggle, my throat felt parched, a dryness that consumed my senses and left me longing for even a drop of water to quench my thirst."Water, please..." The words left my lips in a hushed whisper.I could only hope they would offer us food and water before they send us to work.As we approach, the wooden palisade began to extend, its sturdy structure growing larger with each step, casting shadows over the ground. Atop the walls, sentries stood vigil, clad in suits of mail and gambesons, crossbows resting on their backs while gripping spears firmly in their hands, and furthermore, only half of the watchtowers were manned with the same guards, though I could see a few of them held bows.A sense of vulnerability washed over me, a realiz
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Do I even have a choice?
The fuck is this?My eyes blink rapidly as I blankly stared at the parchment sitting atop the table in front of me, my shaking hand tightly gripping the quill given to me.There's a list of what seemed like signatures written in the parchment, a collection of markings resembling signatures yet devoid of any semblance to names, like a scribble that appeared as if a two-years old child had written it.Signatures only?... No names? do they find it acceptable to merely rely on our signatures as a means to document our identities and maintain a record of our existence?I look up and stare at the two men behind the table, patiently waiting for me to write my signature, though I could still find them occasionally stealing a few glances at the outfit and sling I'm wearing.I'm sticking out like a sore thumb, I better get myself a new set of clothes... I'm not comfortable with this attention I'm receiving right now.I could still remember the astonished looks of my fellow inmates, including Li
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