Where Lies Adventure!

INT. KIKI’S KITTY CAT CAFÉ Along the walls are a bunch of loose cushions and bean bag chairs – lots of soft stuff. Kids are running all over chasing and playing with all kinds of cats. High-top tables line the center of the room where trendy adults stand, sipping organic teas and ignoring their kids. Behind the coffee bar in the back is a 40-ish white woman with the build of a shot-putter – like from the Olympics. This is KIKI, and she watches on with a relaxed smile. A THIN WOMAN and TREVOR, her ten-year old, approach Kiki.                           THIN WOMAN                We’re done.                           TREVOR    ...

           “Or is that three?” the shorter man joked. “Damned right it’s three!” Van shouted as he hugged this small man. The small man hugged back with equal force.   Van was impressed.   Finnian Pell had gotten much stronger since the last time Van saw him.   They released each other and Van was suddenly struck by something. “Are you drinking two ales at once?   Why order three?” “It’s a day of celebration my friend.   Thrace has been made captain of his own militia.   He should be joining us at any moment to share in the festivities,” Pell said. “Thrace is a captain now?” Van asked.   “I’m not surprised.   He was always the most ambitious of us.   The most disciplined.” “It’s true.   But to be a captain at only twenty eight years old is no easy task, even for one who works so hard,” Finnian replied. “You gentlemen can sit,” Cecily said.   “I’ll bring your ales to the ta...

CHAPTER 1          The Vagrant                    The tavern was mostly empty.   Not unusual for the early afternoon.   Most men were working the fields, dreaming of a few short hours from now, when they would be able to end their day with a mug of the finest ale in all the town of Rookwood.   But Van was making his dream come true.   Sitting at the bar, he finished off his third mug.   There was no work for him today.   Truth be told, there had been no work for him for quite a few days.   “Another?” he heard Cecily ask.   Van looked up from his mug then.   He had been daydreaming; but no dream could be lovelier than Cecily.   He had known the young barmaid all his life, and she had never ceased to impress him with her beauty.   Her red hair always unkempt and loose, while her green eyes probed into him searching; always searching. ...

         The knight quickly scanned his immediate surrounding area for the strongest vine he could find.   He found a beautifully thick one a few feet to the right of where he was standing.          He turned his head back to the giant just in time to see his massive arms coming down in another tremendous attack.   With sword in hand, he jumped out of the way just in time.   The reverberation from the blow caused him to lose his footing, but the warrior jumped up as quick as he could and sprinted toward the vine.          He grabbed it, and without missing a step, turned toward Alteus and began running toward the son of earth.   Alteus was readying his tentacles again, but just before they shot out the earth shook.          The knight was surprised.   He hadn’t expected t...

            And not a moment too soon.   The giant’s arm had fully re-grown, and it was on the offensive once more.   It approached the young warrior slowly - a drawback of its incredible girth and earthen attachment.   The young man kept his eyes on it, even as he addressed the dwarf.          “Can you at least tell me what this thing is,” he asked of the deity.          “An earf giant.   I thought that would’a been obvious.   Name’s Alteus, son of the very earth itself.   He’s got brothers all over the world.   It’s been a while since I’ve named’em all, but I can try…”          “Why are his legs growing out of the ground?” the warrior said hurriedly, cutting the dwarf off from an hours-long genealogy.   That was the way to the dwarf’s heart,...