tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11633743967514588272024-03-04T21:27:39.570-08:00M. J. Diack Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-7964076194068105382017-07-28T05:18:00.001-07:002017-07-28T05:18:08.538-07:00Betsensus #FootballsBiggestTip<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">OK, so I haven't posted in a while. But I'm excited to announce that I'm involved in a new project: a community tipping website called <em>Betsensus</em>. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><a href="http://betsensus.com/" target="_blank"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://betsensus.com/</span></a></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #005072; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>What the hell is a Betsensus?</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When three or more people contribute
to a collective prediction: that's a Betsensus. Each member of a Team
influences the final prediction by entering their own match score predictions.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's also a unique and social way to
form your weekend's accumulator, or competitive fun at work, with friends or
family.</span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">If you love fantasy football, I'm confident you will love this website too. You can dip in and out each week, so it's less commital than the season long fantasy football and yet there is still a competitive side to it.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: left;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #005072; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>How is it
scored?</strong></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The League shows all Teams ranked
by % accuracy<span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> of their Betsensus predictions.</span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">+10 (correct score)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">+5 (correct result and goal difference)</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">+3 (Correct result only) and</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">-2 (incorrect result).</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">
</span><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">All Leagues and Team Rankings are </span><strong><span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">weekly</span></strong><span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">; except the Global Betsensus which provides all-time
scores.</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #373a3c; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">I'm looking forward to entering my predictions and see how I fare each week against everyone else - and see if the global betsensus is truly stronger than the individual!</span></span></span></span></div>
<div style="text-align: left;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-70659831111011967072016-09-21T03:53:00.002-07:002016-09-21T03:53:53.394-07:00September Update - Mr P the Pigeon<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
OK, so <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">No Man's Sky</i> got very
boring very quickly. I actually haven't played it since my last blog post
about it. It had huge potential and I still love the concept, but it was
not a 50 pound game. And worst of all, it crashed and crashed. The
developers have gone silent on social media, and so they should. Good
news is, I'm busy playing <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Witcher 3</i>,
<em>Destiny: Rise of Iron</em> and next month is <em>Battlefield 1</em>. Oh, and I also
have the Death Star dlc for <em>Battlefront</em>.<br />
<br /><br />
On the writing front, I have finished my first children's book which I am
seeking to get illustrated. I am contacting my artistic friends,
professionals and browsing the services on Fiverr ( but I am dubious about that
site). I'm also sending it off to publishers, but if that fails, which it
most likely will, then I will self-publish. I’m very happy with the story
and writing for children is also extra rewarding, helping/ encouraging them
with reading as well as promoting good morals and life lessons through your
stories.<br />
<br /><br />
Also, Garden Hopping is now available as a paperback through Amazon.
This is a collection of short stories and my novellas: The Gauntlet, and
Looking for a Job.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s priced at 4
pound 50 pence, which is the cheapest I could put it for the length of the
book.<br />
<br /><br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Garden-Hopping-Michael-John-Diack/dp/1537631896/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8" target="_blank">Garden Hopping paperback edition 1</a><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></span></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-37767665794588562482016-08-12T03:32:00.000-07:002016-08-12T03:32:15.565-07:00The Man in the Woods<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We never dared to venture into the
woods when it was dark. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The closest we
ever got was to the fence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We would turn
our backs to the trees, then close our eyes and play a game of chicken – who was
the bravest? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were only eight years
old, with unlimited imaginations and an enthusiasm to create a competitive game
out of anything our small village could present to us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For us, standing next to the woods in the
dark was the ultimate test. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It was the golden age of innocence,
we were too young to believe there existed real evil in the world, so we
invented our own monsters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The woods,
located behind our primary school, was the perfect environment to act out our wild
fantasies and discuss its possible inhabitants – swamp monsters, giant dogs,
huge earthworms and, of course, witches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was the most mysterious and dangerous place in the village.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">We had been in the woods several
times before with our teacher during school hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dense, leafy bushes and towering, ominous trees
mixed with nettles and other weeds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> There was a</span>
small, murky pond in the middle, covered by algae and waterlilies. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was nothing special, nor was it even that
big, yet there would always be the distant crack of a twig or rustle of a bush
which led us to believe we were being watched.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But we had always felt safe because the teacher was there and obviously,
in our minds, nothing dangerous could happen with an adult around.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Twenty seconds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s how long I had lasted that night before
I sprinted away from the fence in a frenzied state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been a personal record, but I still
hadn’t beaten my best friend, Jack, who was still there when I had finally felt
safe enough to turn around.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I remember
shouting: “You’ve won again, Jack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come on,
let’s go home.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then the bushes
below the trees had rustled and out of them had come a man.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jack had screamed, while I had frozen in
terror.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As quickly as he had appeared,
the man had left, carrying my friend back with him into the woods, vanishing
into the darkness.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-GB; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Jack was gone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The man in the woods had been real all along.</span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-67270443519540920702016-08-10T22:54:00.000-07:002016-08-10T22:54:25.707-07:00No Man's Sky - Early Play Review<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I spent a good six
hours on this last night and discovered and explored eight planets. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I started on a nice, fairly hospitable planet
with abundant gold resources which I was able to mine and sell in the market
place, giving me a timely boost to funds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The drones didn’t pester me too
much, but they can be annoying.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have a
long way to go to be able to afford a decent starship, which is needed, because
you soon fill up your inventory.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s
actually quite frustrating, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think they
need to raise the maximum limit on the number of resources you can carry at a
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For example,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>a 1000 carbon instead of 250.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You soon hit maximum and end up being told ‘inventory
full’ a dozen times.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Overall, it’s a
wondrous game, which appeals to the exploratory nature in all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not knowing what is going to be on the next
planet or moon is a thrill - I feel like I’m in Starfleet exploring for the
Enterprise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think it is a great game
to just pick up, on and off, and spend a few hours eating away at.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You could spend your hours just on one
planet, or even your whole day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When you’re
not being attacked by pirates and drones, it’s very relaxing especially with
the soundtrack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Piloting your starship is an excellent feeling, even though it took a while to get the hang of the controls - be prepared to hit a few asteroids as you learn the ropes! The graphics in the space are also mesmerizing sometimes, I spent a lot of time just staring at this beautiful, cyan aurora around one particular planet.</span></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I’d like to see more
geographical features on the planets, some higher mountains, deep valleys
etc<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m being picky though, there have
been some amazing caves I’ve ventured across and even floating rocks, which
were cool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The fauna is incredible too, I came across a
T-Rex like species last night which I accidentally shot and sent into a fit of
rage against me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately I had to
blow it up with a plasma grenade, which I felt bad about but it was me or him.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Some tips:</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The space pirates are
brutal and in the early game, I don’t see how it is doable to defeat multiple
enemies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Save your valuables in your
exosuit and not your spaceship!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise when your ship gets destroyed, you will lose everything you’ve
been mining the last few hours!</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Be nice to the aliens,
they always give you good rewards but respect the monoliths and artefacts – don’t
go prying into them or you lose credibility.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">You need to learn as many
new alien words as you can, it’s the only way to make sure the puzzles aren’t a
complete guessing game.</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Verdict: 4/5</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">It will be interesting
to see how this game develops and the patches and DLC that comes out for it (if
any).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s got massive potential but
could so easily swing the other way, in the light of all the other great games
coming out soon and the next few months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But for now, I’ll be endeavouring to reach the centre of the galaxy. </span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-75805870398877848832016-08-02T01:28:00.000-07:002016-08-02T01:31:33.900-07:00Update<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It's been a very long time
since I last updated my blog - sorry!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The truth is I have all but given
up marketing for my books, nor I am writing anything new.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want to write, I really do, but I just can’t
seem to bring myself to do it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This was
never the case before, writing was always pleasurable and never a chore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I loved it and I still do, but I don’t have
the same enthusiasm for the entire process as when I first self-published back
in 2012.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m also making very few sales,
perhaps it’s the summer or perhaps I’ve just faded into the ranks along with
thousands of other KDP authors.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; font-size: large; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It’s not writer’s block, I have a
few ideas for new novels but there’s just no will in me to write.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not about the money, it never has
been.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s just simply not fun for me
anymore to market my books via trawling the forums, contacting reviewers,
plugging away on social media etc...<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
market is saturated and I think I have to face up to reality: my writing is
simply not good enough to be competitive.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Over time the good will always rise to the top and the rest will sink
into obscurity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got good reviews, I
got bad reviews.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mostly good, so I can
take pride in that and I’ve learned a lot from all the feedback about how and
where to improve.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve also met some
awesome people along the way.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "calibri" , "sans-serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;"><span style="font-size: large;">A successful writer once told me
if you don’t make it within the first few months on Amazon, you simply won’t
make it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think this rings true, the
odds are stacked against you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I was to have another stab at this
publishing malarkey, it would probably be via investing more time and effort
into contacting literary agents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need
help, quite frankly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t do anymore
or go any further without an agent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"></span><br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">I’m still open to
interacting with readers and I’ll happily lend out review copies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m keeping all my work live, of course,
there is no negative side to this. Even a bad review is publicity!</span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="mso-ansi-language: EN-GB;"><span style="font-family: "calibri"; font-size: large;">For the future I’m
going to try and keep this blog up to date with things that interest me – book reviews,
film reviews and games! </span></span></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-65831042734752739622016-02-10T23:50:00.002-08:002016-02-10T23:50:38.436-08:00Amazon terms and conditions<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br /><br />
Who ever reads the terms and conditions that we actually sign up to? <br />
<br /><br />
Not me. But I came across this little gem in a forum and I thought I'd share it here also, Amazon either know something we don't - or obviously, I hope - it's an in-joke, to show that people will click 'accept' to anything before reading the terms. <br />
<br /><br />
<a href="https://aws.amazon.com/service-terms/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">https://aws.amazon.com/service-terms/</a><br />
<br /><br />
57.10 Acceptable Use; Safety-Critical Systems. Your use of the Lumberyard Materials must comply with the AWS Acceptable Use Policy. The Lumberyard Materials are not intended for use with life-critical or safety-critical systems, such as use in operation of medical equipment, automated transportation systems, autonomous vehicles, aircraft or air traffic control, nuclear facilities, manned spacecraft, or military use in connection with live combat. <span style="background-color: yellow; color: black;">However, this restriction will not apply in the event of the occurrence (certified by the United States Centers for Disease Control or successor body) of a widespread viral infection transmitted via bites or contact with bodily fluids that causes human corpses to reanimate and seek to consume living human flesh, blood, brain or nerve tissue and is likely to result in the fall of organized civilization.</span> <br />
<br /><br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-27133359268369304412016-02-05T05:31:00.000-08:002016-02-05T05:31:38.083-08:00Crew 3361<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span id="goog_1265831919"><br /></span><br />
I spent five years on this crew in Oman, on a rotation of 6 weeks on and 3 weeks off. It was a fully autonomous mobile city in the desert, home to around 400 people - mostly Omani's, Indian's and expats. I have very fond memories of the people I worked with and I have a lot of respect for them, not just their hard work ethics but their mental strength as well, in terms of saying goodbye to their children for 6 or 8 weeks at a time. I don't think I could have done that.<br />
<br /><br />
I enjoyed the desert environment most of all, it was the closest I've ever felt to being on another planet - a silence and emptiness that is both haunting and mesmerizing. It's hard to describe unless you experience it, especially compared to the chaos of normal urban life. There are some images which will stick with me forever: beautiful sand dunes, weathered jebels, utterly flat mud beds, raging wadi's after rainfall and sandstorms rolling in across the horizon. It was a desert, but it was never just nothing. <br />
<br /><br />
Starting work at 6am in the field every day, I would watch the sunrise for 6 weeks in a row and in the evening, see it go down again to the sound of the call to prayer. It was a privilege looking back, especially as I can't remember the last time I saw the sunset or sunrise since leaving. In the winter I'd shiver in the morning under a blanket of fog and in the summer I'd curse how it could be 30'C before 7am. The heat in summertime was a punishing 50'C. It was brutal and pushed my physical and mental strength to the limit, but I also thrived off it. Indiana Jones was my hero growing up, and on my own in the field I got to imagine I was him. I'd go for runs never knowing what was over the next dune or in an outcrop, it was always an adventure. Of course most of the area had been scouted already, but it excited me to think that even on the smallest patch of desert I was walking on land that had never been walked on by humans before. <br />
<br /><br />
The low oil price has meant this crew has to shutdown, perhaps it will mobilize again in the future, perhaps not. But it leaves behind a legacy and expats who will be life-long friends. Muscat is a beautiful city, perhaps my favourite and Oman a peaceful country, with generous and welcoming people. <br />
<br /><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjonv1WuEFkq36MHVBtrasxGiA5KoxZWnRopTaRYLZO4joodivYVesAHUiQmnZ1rpF18VbpCFYt3K7Zd6guRFXBraSXZEOlNSbGgZDPskr4_AZ1P15PmmYXTSsqEdFgoruDJtwxJR9W_rN/s1600/IMG_0116.JPG" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="374" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjjonv1WuEFkq36MHVBtrasxGiA5KoxZWnRopTaRYLZO4joodivYVesAHUiQmnZ1rpF18VbpCFYt3K7Zd6guRFXBraSXZEOlNSbGgZDPskr4_AZ1P15PmmYXTSsqEdFgoruDJtwxJR9W_rN/s640/IMG_0116.JPG" width="640" /></a><br />
<span id="goog_1265831920"></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-67083148266107068072016-02-04T04:16:00.002-08:002016-02-04T04:16:58.530-08:00Drowning in passwords<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I'm a data manager, so I'm pretty organized and efficient in most aspects of my life. But recently, like in the last year or so, I've become so swamped with using dozens of different passwords for websites that I've had to write them all down. I can't even remember my pin codes sometimes for the different debit/credit cards I have, as I have both UK and Danish bank accounts (plus a work card). I feel embarrassed by my inability to remember my codes, even though most of them are the same with a number change here or there.<br />
<br /><br />
I have various websites through work which require a password change every three months, plus the usual websites which everyone uses: Facebook, Twitter, Gmail. I wanted to play a little online poker, that was two new passwords - one for the website, one for the card payment website. I had a courier deliver a package to me, but I was away so I had to sign up to their website to get it re-delivered on a different date. <br />
<br /><br />
Maybe I could de-register from many of the websites, but I know somewhere down the line I'm going to be needing that company again and I can't be bothered to register again. I'm ranting about a first world problem, I know, but I needed to let it out.<br />
<br /><br />
So for now, my master password list is safely hidden. I hope I'm not the only one who has one, but if I am then maybe I do need to get my memory checked. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-81331567079337728022016-02-01T23:48:00.000-08:002016-02-01T23:48:21.964-08:00A recommendation <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been self-publishing for nearly four years now and in all that time, I've come across many writers but there has always been one standout writer: David Jester / Eli Yance. Quite frankly, he is the only one I would truly call a world-class writer out of everyone I've reviewed.<br />
<br /><br />
The first Jester novel I read was 'The Line, the Itch and the Rabbit Hole' and I was absorbed by the quality and the honesty of the writing. Every novella and book he has since released have been huge hits with readers, attracting rave reviews and download levels I could only dream of. He has since found an agent and a major US publisher - congratulations to him! <br />
<br /><br />
There is always something very readable about his novels, they draw you in instantly and yet the writing isn't padded with waffle. He knows how to create a story and my favourite book, Consequence, is just crying out to be made into a film. I wish him well with his publishing future and look forward to reading more of his work. I'm glad I got to exchange a few emails with him from time to time, plus read and review his work. He's a decent, down-to-earth guy and someone I think would be cool to grab a beer with.<br />
<br /><br />
You can check out his website here: <a href="http://david-jester.com/">http://david-jester.com/</a><br />
and pre-order his bestseller, An Idiot in Love, a ridiculously funny comedy, here:<br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Idiot-Love-Novel-David-Jester/dp/1510700013">http://www.amazon.com/Idiot-Love-Novel-David-Jester/dp/1510700013</a><br />
<br /><br />
<br /><br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-83288148205931908942015-11-05T22:05:00.001-08:002015-11-05T22:05:56.499-08:00The Gauntlet: A Fantasy Novella<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Gauntlet is now available to buy here:<br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Gauntlet-Michael-Diack-ebook/dp/B017LWODUM/ref=la_B007J4CHAG_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446788105&sr=1-11" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a><br />
<br /><br />
<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Gauntlet-Michael-Diack-ebook/dp/B017LWODUM/ref=la_B007J4CHAG_1_11?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1446784962&sr=1-11" target="_blank">Amazon US</a><br />
<br /><br />
For generations, knights from the city of Harwell have bravely entered The Gauntlet: never to be seen again. <br /><br />Follow Ash, the latest knight to be selected for this most deadly of missions. Confronted with a land strewn with the corpses of those who entered before him and the malicious beasts that stripped them of their lives, Ash must use every drop of his strength and knowledge to survive. <br /><br />However, he is not alone in his mission to defeat the dark forces that lie inside The Gauntlet. Others also seek to complete The Gauntlet's trials, discover its end and hope to learn the truth behind its existence. <br /><br />Those that succeed will be empowered beyond their wildest imagination. Those that fail... must die.<br />
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-1845622929330195852015-11-03T05:02:00.001-08:002015-11-03T05:02:21.420-08:00The Gauntlet: Blurb<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div>
For generations, knights from the city of Harwell have bravely entered The Gauntlet: never to be seen again.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Follow Ash, the latest knight to be selected for this most deadly of missions. Confronted with a land strewn with the corpses of those who entered before him and the malicious beasts that stripped them of their lives, Ash must use every drop of his strength and knowledge to survive.</div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
However, he is not alone in his mission to defeat the dark forces that lie inside The Gauntlet. Others also seek to complete The Gauntlet's trials, discover its end and hope to learn the truth behind its existence. </div>
<div>
</div>
<div>
Those that succeed will be empowered beyond their wildest imagination. Those that fail... must die. </div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
-------------------------------------</div>
<div>
<br /></div>
<div>
Out very soon on Kindle!</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-70811733873578392682015-11-01T01:27:00.000-08:002015-11-01T01:27:00.323-08:00Cover Reveal: The Gauntlet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9RxwI-i-dD5QGVc_heg_YxE51SDweaZIVOj5VngHTT7HyyE4BfapKwHMiMYB_TDi3-rLuKxjVIZFfXbA589NHe_YW_WClAPvsLFqyzTAi29Zq2KfARd7GtATt0MkR5IPmPS-gm8GWnWe/s1600/gauntlet_b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib9RxwI-i-dD5QGVc_heg_YxE51SDweaZIVOj5VngHTT7HyyE4BfapKwHMiMYB_TDi3-rLuKxjVIZFfXbA589NHe_YW_WClAPvsLFqyzTAi29Zq2KfARd7GtATt0MkR5IPmPS-gm8GWnWe/s640/gauntlet_b.jpg" width="444" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-50275111987080511052015-10-02T00:40:00.000-07:002015-10-02T00:40:29.713-07:00Split-Screen Gaming<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Some of the best memories I have with my friends involve us playing hours of computer games together, in an attic gaming room where the windows are open and the summer breeze is blowing in. This was all possible due to split-screen games like Goldeneye, Mario Kart and countless other classics.<br /><br />As I got older I have played games less and work life got in the way, but I always thought I was a little more clued up about the modern gaming world than the average joe. How wrong I was. <br /><br />Yesterday I went to buy a PS4 and some games for it, but as I browsed through the games I couldn’t help notice how they were all 1 player only. All the fighting games, racing games and shoot-em-ups. Only Fifa was multiplayer. The rest were all network-only multiplayer games.<br /><br />I was going to buy a PS4 with two controllers but in the end I only got one controller. The shop assistant explained to me that as everything is now online, the split-screen is being removed altogether. When friends play games together now they do so over the network with headsets, and not in each other’s bedrooms high-fiving each other when they complete a mission together. It made me a bit sad actually, as it all seems a bit isolated. I guess that is the way gaming has gone and I’ve completely missed the technology. But give me my N64 and three of my friends in a room any day playing Mario Kart, than hearing them through the headsets hundreds of miles apart.<br /><br />Maybe I'm being grumpy for no reason, but it's nice if developers kept the option for split-screen gaming there too. </div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-83932221790846142642015-09-19T00:13:00.002-07:002015-09-19T00:13:45.701-07:00The Gauntlet<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
I am excited to announce my new fantasy novella will be released soon. </div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
It is called The Gauntlet and focuses on Ash, the latest brave knight to take on the unassailable and fearsome chasm between the Clouded Mountains. However, once Ash enters The Gauntlet it is clear not everything is as it seems.</div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: justify;">
Cover release and blurb to follow soon!</div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-51778038672551075862015-07-27T01:25:00.000-07:002015-07-27T01:25:15.920-07:00Shadows in the Sand - Chapter 4<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: center;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">II</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Bayoud,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nimar,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">JD59, Night </span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“</span><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria;">A</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">nother
night of doing bugger all and freezing our backside off,” declared Max.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Bayoud shrugged off his friend’s
comment as he stood guard during his night shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was proud to stand guard and protect the
city he loved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For him, ninety percent
of being a soldier in Nimar was patience, vigilance and self-discipline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The other ten percent was being brave and
heroic when the time came.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Attacks on
the city were infrequent – months would go by without any action – but when
they did occur, attacks often had fatal consequences and caused huge damage to
the city buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What mattered to
Bayoud was being ready, for the slightest delay on his part could spell
disaster for those he loved and cared for inside the walls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All newly graduated soldiers started out on
watch for the first three years, patrolling the massive outer city wall on a
constant twelve hour shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once you
ranked up from experience and age, you’d then get the easier jobs of sitting
inside coordinating the soldiers or, better yet, be chosen to go on a scouting party
like the recent one that had left earlier that day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud had grown up listening to the heroic
tales of previous Grandmasters and Master soldiers and wanted his name to go
down in legend someday as well. Perhaps one day, he would wield the
ultra-weapon of his people – the giant axe called, ‘Gravemaker’.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">At 6ft 5”, Bayoud was tall but his
bones outpaced his muscles and his build was lanky as such.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Smarter than the average soldier, Bayoud’s
intelligence had not gone unnoticed by the Masters during his training.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every soldier was equipped with a 5ft wooden
spear and a knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only the Masters and the
elders had alternative weapons, passed down from one to another, which were
custom-designed and extremely valuable<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Max turned around to survey the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“We should be with the party that left
today to kill the snake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Greater
strength in numbers I say.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“And if the serpent kills all the
soldiers, who is then left to defend the city if we’re attacked by golems or
the serpent in its vengeance?” responded Bayoud.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The mention of golems – the biggest
threat to Nimar – quickly shut Max up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud
stared intently out into the darkness that enshrouded the lands to the
south.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one had ever ventured south;
the early hunters reported a great flat expanse which they called The Void, a
nothingness bereft of life, water, and even shrubs, so no one ever went there.
But the south intrigued Bayoud, sometimes on the clearest of nights, when the
atmosphere had cleaned itself of dust and sand he thought he could make out a
faint violet and green tinge to the southern night sky even if no one else
could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Something lay beyond the horizon,
of that Bayoud was certain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud’s
concentration was interrupted – as usual – by Max, returning to the wall after
popping down to fill up his water, or so he hoped he could.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“They’re rationing the bloody water
again!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I need to drink more water I
think, it stings when I piss,” said Max.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You should go get yourself checked
out. It might not be a lack of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A
sand leech may have crawled inside you during your sleep. It’s a common problem
in our quadrant, something about the living conditions being less sanitary and
our beds closer to the ground.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“What would you know about that? Your
bed is up on top.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Bayoud smiled and replied, “The merits
of winning the spear throwing trials.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You should have trained harder.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It’s your gangly and unnaturally long
right arm that is the problem – no one can compete with it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fine, after this shift ends I’ll go see a
medic.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Good, I’ll come with you to make sure
you go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know you don’t like those cacti
needles.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Max liked to play the tough guy,
exaggerating and hamming up the bravado, but Bayoud knew his friend was no
natural soldier.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In previous attacks Max
had been nowhere, rearing his head only when the danger had passed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud sensed Max’s overt swagger was because
his friend was actually on edge because the city was emptied of its soldiers,
especially Grandmaster Jax. It was the elder who usually took care of any
attacks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Here, have some of my water if you’re
thirsty,” said Bayoud.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Max gratefully accepted a few swigs of
Bayoud’s water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a child, Max didn’t
know what career he wanted to do and, frankly, he didn’t care. Consequently, he
was placed into the soldiers’ quadrant by default like so many of the rest,
mainly boys.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gripping his spear and
focused on the surroundings, Bayoud trusted his gut and he sensed that the
predators outside the walls were watching and waiting for the very second the
soldiers dropped their guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
greatest enemy was that which couldn’t be seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Bayoud kept a watchful eye on the south, his intuition telling him that
one day something would come out of The Void.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The biting wind blew
in from the south, but Bayoud would take a night shift in winter over a day
shift in summer, when the suffocating heat was at its most unbearable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud stretched his fingers and suppressed
his yawn from the other soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would be a typical night of slow-pacing the wall.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Athmane and Faria,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nimar,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">JD60, Sunrise</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></i></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria;">F</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">aria
had hardly slept during the night. She didn’t know if it was excitement or
nerves she was feeling but, whatever the emotions might have been, they were
too much to allow her to sleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like all
of the citizens, she didn’t have many possessions – a satchel bag, water flask
and some wooden carvings she had whittled when a teenager.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were her lucky charms and she had taken
them into every exam she took, not that she needed luck.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It hadn’t taken long for her and Athmane to
organise their things and they’d said goodnight well before midnight.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite Athmane’s advice to not bring much,
before leaving the dorm Faria borrowed two more satchels from her sleeping
roommates, they wouldn’t notice, and she put some empty slates in them with
some chalk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one really needed the
slates anyway and it was important she could sketch out Helven in detail. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria left her dormitory, pausing to
look back and reflect if she’d ever see it again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It might not have been luxurious but it was
safety and security – home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The lands
outside were a dangerous place, even in the company of an experienced
hunter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nimar was quiet at night: only
the patrolling soldiers made whispers of noise and Faria’s footsteps crunching
along the gravel drew their eyes from high upon the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the soldiers thought nothing of it,
just another citizen going to the toilet, yet they did wonder why she had so
many belongings with her before she passed out of sight towards the gate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The wind was cold and Faria already missed
the relative warmth of her dorm, she wondered if she’d even be able to cope the
first night away.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As the first beams of the rising sun
un-blackened the southern sky, Faria waited by the gate and passed the time by
watching the soldiers patrol the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She spotted Bayoud and waved to him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Nearing the end of his shift, Bayoud waved back and smiled, curious as
to why she had a rucksack but his eyes didn’t linger on her too long, his
supervisor, Master Cawes, was nearby and he kept his eyes fixed on the land
outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Good morning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you insist on carrying that extra weight,
be my guest, I’m not helping you,” said Athmane.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I know you advised against it, but I
decided not to listen to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides,
Prisa said you’re to assist me however you can and I feel it’s important to
detail Helven to the maximum.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I had an inclination you’d ignore
what I said! Give me a few satchels then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But if we’re being chased by a golem, these are getting dropped first.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Grandmaster Prisa arrived at the gate,
pleased to see both hunter and craftswoman were on time and ready for the task
at hand.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Good morning to you both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I trust your Master explained your mission,
Athmane.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Keep Faria alive, at all costs.” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You two were chosen for your youth,
dedication and excellence in your fields.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would like you back here in four or five days to report your
findings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that is ample time,
but don’t rush.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s important you make
a thorough assessment and stay safe,” said Prisa. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Another figure approached from behind
Prisa – it was Grandmaster Hawk.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Grandmaster Hawk carried his longbow
and the deadly black arrows in his quill, twice the size of the conventional
arrows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sporting a black moustache and
stubble, Hawk’s fierce blue eyes shone in the dawn sun and his thick black hair
blew in the wind, partially covering his eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Hawk had the air of authority about him, and at the age of fifty he was
the youngest elder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lean, fit and a
handsome face, Hawk assumed command of the hunters and the soldiers in the
absence of Grandmaster Jax.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Congratulations on your number one
ranking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hear your skill with a bow is
almost as good as mine,” said Hawk.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I came close to beating your record
in the training ground, but narrowly missed out,” replied Athmane.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You should have no problem using this
then.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Grandmaster Hawk handed Athmane his
longbow – the ultra-weapon of his quadrant.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“This is one of the three longbows our
quadrant possesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have mine back in
the Sanctum, Master Thane has his on the scouting party and now you have the
other. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one has been to Helven in over
a hundred years and we do not know what beasts may lurk there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be irresponsible of the city to send
two of its most promising people without maximum protection.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane held the longbow in awe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud couldn’t help but notice from the wall
and stared at the remarkable scenes involving his friend, not caring anymore
about being caught by Master Cawes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
longbow was the most revered weapons in the hunters’ arsenal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The three longbows were crafted by Grandmaster
Rufus two hundred years ago and they were kept in the Sanctum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elder hunter was the only one entitled to
the longbow and only he, or she, could decide who could wield the other
two.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lighter than Athmane’s current bow,
despite its bigger size, it was made of the strongest wood and had double the
range of the other bows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You’ll need these arrows for it as
well,” said Hawk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Grandmaster Hawk handed Athmane a
quill with ten black arrows – oak shafts with obsidian arrowheads.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Thank you, I’m overwhelmed. I’ll
bring it back in one piece,” replied Athmane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Finally, here is a map of the Helven
region with the safe route to the centre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We’ve done our best to reconstruct it out of the mess of parchments we
had and I’ve double and triple-checked it. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope it will help, trust your instincts
though,” said Prisa.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Prisa ordered the soldiers on the wall
to open the gate, Bayoud assisted, and the gate slowly began to open with the
rising sun visible through the widening gap.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“All being well, I’ll see you again
soon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good luck,” said Prisa.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Without hesitation, and happy to
escape the city once more, Athmane confidently walked out of the gate with
Gryth’s ashes safely in his satchel and the fierce longbow proudly on his
back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane wasn’t a Master, but he
sure felt like one now. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria followed
behind, pausing slightly as she walked on the outside ground. Resisting the
urge to looking back, she ran a little to catch up with Athmane and then kept
pace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">On the wall, his shift now over, Bayoud
watched his friends leave with curiosity. First the large party of soldiers and
now this. He didn’t like not knowing what was going on and he felt like, out of
the four of them, he was the one least developing as even Mary was shift
supervisor during the day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Bayoud left
with Max to the medical quadrant and then he would try to gather as much gossip
as he could from the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-50074126454645879012015-07-23T23:25:00.000-07:002015-07-23T23:25:11.170-07:00Shadows in the Sand - Chapter 3<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Athmane,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nimar,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">JD59, Afternoon</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria;">A</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">thmane
was walking through his quadrant where the hunters trained and lived.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This sector was always the busiest, as the
elders always placed the greatest emphasis on gathering food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There always had to be a minimum number of
hunters, the city could get by with fewer medics, crafters and soldiers but it
would soon collapse without the hunters bringing in the food.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The elders knew exactly the population of
their city and the minimum amount of food and water required to sustain
them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">New trainees were busy in the archery
range, setting traps in the training ground and studiously listening to all the
Masters had to say within the school buildings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Athmane smiled, he was glad those days were behind him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unfortunately, this quadrant was so busy
because it also had the highest turnaround rate.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nearly 30% of new hunters died in their first
few months outside the city – snakebites, exposure, dehydration, golem attacks,
climbing accidents – it was a tough and merciless world outside the walls. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It all seemed easy to the trainees when they
went on field trips with the Masters, but out on their own, it was a different
matter.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Currently, there were seventy-two active
hunters in the field, ten in the medical quadrant recovering from various
injuries and twenty-four Masters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane
proceeded to his Master’s quarters, whose name was Master Doma.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane walked into his Master’s quarters,
on the stone wall was a giant chalk drawn map of the area Master Doma was
responsible for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Slates covered his
stone desk, each one was a tablet with the symbol of a hunter under his command
and, below each symbol, a chalk tally of supplies gathered.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>During his active days Master Doma was always
glad to have company in the field – unlike Athmane – he loved the sound of his
own voice more than anything.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Welcome back, Athmane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unless my tally is wrong, you’re nearly half
way to meeting your monthly quota already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Not bad, you clearly learned from the best,” said Master Doma, smiling
and laughing. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Master Doma had always been an
optimistic person, he believed in motivation through constantly expressing a
positive and joyous outlook on life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were much grumpier Masters out there and Athmane appreciated his
good fortune.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Master Doma was tanned,
with a tuft of blonde hair sticking up above the forehead, although the rest of
his hair was receding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He also sported a
patch of black facial hair below his lips.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“The Erevas Outcrop has been very good
to me this month and it’s pretty safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Life stocks are high at the moment, I feel it could even accommodate
more hunters if you so desired,” said Athmane.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Maybe I’ll rotate a few newbies into
there then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, on to business.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve selected you for a mission of the
highest importance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandmaster Hawk consulted
all the Masters and asked us to call in the best hunter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Gryth was the best, but he died yesterday.
You’re now number one.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“What happened to him?” Athmane had
been good friends with Gryth all through training and they regularly bumped
into each other in the field and swapped news, his death came as a sad shock.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“He was bitten by a sand viper and
panicked, running back to Nimar instead of staying calm.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He collapsed outside the walls before the
medics could revive him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m choosing
you to replace him on a mission organised by the elders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are to assist a craftsman as he, or maybe
she if you get lucky, explores the Helven region.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I’m essentially on babysitting duty
then?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Yes, and you’ll be the best
babysitter this world has ever seen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Keep the crafter alive, that’s your assignment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandmaster Prisa will meet you at the gate
in the morning to give you your instructions.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I hope I’m not stuck with some old
grumpy crafter who can’t keep up.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I doubt it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandmaster Hawk said urgency was paramount
and fitness was essential.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They won’t
send someone who can’t handle the field.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane thought of Faria, it had to be
reason she was called to the Sanctum and he smiled.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I suggest you get yourself off to
medical for a quick check-up and a little clean-up wouldn’t go amiss either. You
might be the best, but you stink.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Good
luck.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane smelled his armpits, perhaps
Master Doma had a point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way out
Athmane stopped by the archery range, where he deposited the five arrows in his
quill and replaced them with repaired ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even emptied of nearly all its soldiers, the city was still too cramped
for Athmane’s liking.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After watching the
trainees firing at targets in the archery range for a while, Athmane went to
his dorm to pick up a satchel and a spare wolf-skin cloak before leaving to the
morgue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hustle and bustle of the
noise reverberated off the stone buildings, while the sun’s heat remained
trapped within the narrow gaps and streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The breeze did little to quash the heavy and punishing air.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The morgue was a small, grim, grey
stone building on the outskirts of the hunters’ quadrant nestled up against the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dead were kept as far away
from the rest of the city and their bodies disposed of within hours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Athmane entered he saw that a body was
already in the fire and smouldering down into ashes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A hole in the wall channelled the smoke
through a wooden pipe out of the city. The smoke was then carried by the
prevailing wind away from the city (on a good day).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“That’s Gryth, I assume?” said
Athmane.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Been a busy two days unfortunately, only just got round to burning him,”
said Teoth, a trainee hunter in his early teens assigned morgue duty for the
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I want his ashes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can use my satchel to put them in.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Very well, you can collect the ashes
by sunrise.” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane wanted his friend’s ashes so
he could scatter them in the wilderness, not here in the city where his soul
didn’t belong and would never find peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Gryth was a true hunter, his passion for the wilderness and the hold it
had on him was obvious to anyone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Athmane left his satchel and then went to the hunters’ dorm to try and
rest. He’d decided to skip the medical check-up – there was nothing wrong with
his body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The dorm was empty most of the
time, but today Athmane found two other hunters fast asleep already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Using some of his water, he wiped his
body and then crushed some juslen herbs, their fragrance masking his body in a
sweet and pleasant odour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Feeling tired
all of a sudden, Athmane planned to lie down and collect his thoughts for a few
minutes before heading to find Faria. But under the shelter of a roof and the
protection of the soldiers on the wall, a deep sleep consumed him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This part of Nimar Athmane did miss.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Athmane and Faria,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Nimar,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">JD 59, Evening</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria;">F</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">aria
had finished her day shift.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had been
a long afternoon but fortunately being a supervisor carried with it the power
to tell her workers to stop asking questions and to concentrate on their work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She’d discussed for five minutes with her
co-workers, with Master Hamed eavesdropping, that Prisa wanted to know more
about the new toilet system design. Yet she could sense their suspicions and
unease.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria hurried off to find Athmane in
the hunters’ dorm, having expected him visit her. She had, after all, been in
the Sanctum – a hugely rare event.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria
gingerly opened the door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last rays
of the setting sun shone through the roof and dimly illuminated the room, she
saw Athmane fast asleep on the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
room smelled nice, if a little heavy on the sweet side with a touch of
spice.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It nearly made Faria sneeze but
she repressed it, not wanting to wake the others.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Athmane,” said Faria, touching him
dotingly on his shoulder.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Forgetting where he was, Athmane woke
with a jolt and instinctively sprang upright, reaching for his knife.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It’s me!” shouted Faria.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Faria!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought a golem’s tongue was licking me.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria hit Athmane softly on his arm
and said, “My hands aren’t like one of those beast’s tongues!”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“They are quite rough, no offence.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Any crafter without rough hands isn’t
a true crafter.” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I didn’t mean to fall asleep.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re finished with the Sanctum?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Hours ago, I had to go back to my
shift but now I’m free to prepare.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve
been tasked to go to Helven and evaluate the land for access, with a hunter to
guide me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are you my hunter?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Is that why you came back?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t due to be me, but Gryth died yesterday.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It’s a shame about Gryth; I know you
two were good friends.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did your Master
tell you about the mission?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Only that I had to guide you and keep
you safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Helven is a forbidden area
for us to go, truth be told I’m a little anxious.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Prisa said she will double-check the
map Grandmaster Hawk drew tonight and hand it to us tomorrow, supposedly with a
safe route through to the centre.” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I hope she gets the map right, one
wrong step and we’re dead if the stories are true.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Is that all your Master told you, to
guide me?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Yes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Why?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What else is going on?” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria whispered into Athmane’s ear
everything about the dried-up water pool, Dunein and relocating.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It dawned on Athmane that this was suddenly a
lot more than just accompanying a craftswoman.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Come, let’s go to your dorm and I’ll
help you prepare your things.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
shouldn’t have fallen asleep, everything just got a whole lot more serious.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Maybe you were more tired than you
realised?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I think it was the herbs, perhaps I
used too much and the scent knocked me out.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It is pretty strong in here, nice
though.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You don’t smell bad if that’s
any help.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Should we tell Mary and Bayoud?” said
Athmane.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Bayoud is on nights, he’s already up
on the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He doesn’t like being
distracted; you know how he is with duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I couldn’t find Mary either, she must be working extra hours and
visiting dorms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll tell them when we
return from Helven.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This would be the first time since
graduation that they would spend more than two days together, and the two
friends looked forward to each other’s company.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-37514048111525947052015-07-22T22:23:00.001-07:002015-07-22T22:23:59.557-07:00Shadows in the Sand - Chapter 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Faria, </span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">The City of Nimar,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">JD 59, Morning</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria;">A</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">s a
child Faria had always been fascinated by the city walls – the way the chunks
of white limestone lay on top of each other – and how the mechanism functioned
to open the city gate. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She wanted to
understand the structures, their strengths and their weaknesses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her natural curiosity of how things worked meant
that choosing to become a craftswoman was a no brainer for her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those children who knew what they wanted to
become always made the best students.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
craftsmen and women lived and trained in the Northeast quadrant and they
specialised in either carpentry or stonemasonry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One subject was not enough for Faria, so she
specialised in both.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria wasn’t the
first to study both disciplines but her intelligence, passion and skill always
set her name apart from the rest of the trainees.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of the wood from the surrounding gravel
plains was of poor quality, weak and dry; it was good for nothing more than
firewood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The very best wood – that
brought with them from the northern lands over 300 years ago – was used for the
arrows and spear shafts. Those trees which were growing in the outcrop around
the water pool had been chopped down and used for roofing, pipes and other
structures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hunters occasionally brought
in extra wood from the Dead Forest to the east when it was needed, but that
place was not without its risks and was only a last resort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Naturally, being built around an outcrop, stone
was abundant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although that too varied
in its qualities as a material.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria’s motivation and leadership
qualities saw her rise through the training ranks and at the mere age of
twenty-one, she was already dayshift supervisor of the maintenance and
development of the entire Southwest and Southeast quadrants of Nimar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Leading a team of ten craftsmen, Faria
patrolled the two quadrants to help with repairs or act on any problems
reported by the citizens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“The sandstorm really clogged her up
good,” said Arnou, blowing out the sand particles and replacing the outer hood
of one of the cooking furnaces in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Tall, with fiery red hair curling down
to her shoulders, Faria was an imposing presence and she commanded the respect
of her all-male unit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With an infectious
smile, hazel eyes and luscious lips, she had no shortage of admirers either. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You know what to do – a complete
clean out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can’t have everyone
chewing on bits of sand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Collect another
baseplate from the store as well, this one is cracking already.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I told Master Jud we shouldn’t use the stone
from the Syris Outcrop, it’s too brittle,” said Faria. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Although she cared for the city, deep
down Faria had always felt like it constricted her ambition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a world of opportunity beyond the
walls, a wealth of resource and where others saw difficulties and rough terrain,
she saw roads linking new settlements, bridges creating shortcuts and defence
systems to aid the soldiers in their fight against golems.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Faria’s mind, Nimar didn’t have to be one
city trapped within its own walls, but a network of small cities working in
unison.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria saw expansion as the key
to Nimar’s future, the only key to its future.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>No one else she worked with cared for ambition though, for them, life
was a simple routine based on food, water and survival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite feeling frustrated sometimes, Faria
couldn’t criticise the current elders as it was under their leadership and guidance
that she had been able to train and learn her skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Life in Nimar was a routine, but it was a
life and the Nimerians had never had it so good since crossing the Black
Mountains.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria longed for the shift to end so
she could work on her projects in peace.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>She lived, like all the citizens, in a shared dormitory with twelve
other craftswomen.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her sketches, created
by etchings on slate, were scattered across her bed and her roommates, although
each accomplished craftswomen in their own right, couldn’t make one bit of
sense out of them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They didn’t
understand why she had to think outside the box and couldn’t settle for a simple
life within Nimar: build new buildings, repair old ones, retire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her drawings of long-range projectiles and
enormous bridges channelling water from afar, all confused and baffled her
roommates.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, Faria was respected
and liked enough not to have any over-inquisitive questions and shady looks
every time she entered the room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>However, Faria didn’t have any good friends within her quadrant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Her best friends – Athmane, Bayoud and Mary –
all roughly the same age as her, had each joined a different quadrant but
they’d remained very close during training and their teenage years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They continued to hang out between shifts where
possible, even though Athmane was in the field most of the time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Master Hamed, one of the current forty
Master craftsmen, joined Faria by the furnace that was being repaired.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Faria, you’ve been summoned to the
Sanctum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know what it’s about but
I suggest you go straight away,” said Master Hamed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">All eyes turned on Faria, who herself
was startled by Hamed’s words; it was unusual for anyone, ever, to be called to
the Sanctum who wasn’t a Master, but especially someone so young.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Master Hamed struggled to hide his jealousy
of Faria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the Sanctum’s
messenger, Master Filas, who had been sent by the elders to instruct Master
Hamed to find Faria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the elders
often walked around the city, looking in on their respective quadrants, talking
to the Masters and addressing any issues, they always slept in the Sanctum and
it was in there that all the plans for the city were discussed in complete
secrecy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria had been silenced by Master
Hamed’s words and he repeated himself again.<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“The Sanctum, Faria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We don’t make jokes in our quadrant.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Yes, Master.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sorry, I’ll head there right away,” she finally
responded.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The crafters’ quadrant wasn’t renowned
for its sense of humour, they tended to take everything as seriously as their
constructions; it was in the soldiers’ quadrant where jokey banter was to be
found.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As Faria walked over the
compressed gravel of the city streets, her eyes fell on the hunter who had just
climbed onto the wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was her close
friend, Athmane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Always happy to see
Faria, her red hair sticking out from the crowd, Athmane shouted to his friend
from the wall.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Where are you going?” asked Athmane.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Inside the Sanctum,” she replied,
with a wry smile.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Ha! Yeah right.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A day of my rations next time I’m here says
you won’t even dare look Master Braegon in the eye.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Just watch me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll enjoy eating your food.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria’s confident response brought Athmane
running down off the wall to join her on the streets.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was impossible to get lost in Nimar as the
rigid quadrant structure meant you always stumbled onto one of the four main
streets which all led to the central Sanctum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Athmane and Faria hugged each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Along with Bayoud and Mary, the four of them were the closest of friends
having grown up together as foster children, in the care of Grandmaster Fleur –
the medic elder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Despite joining
separate quadrants, the four of them had remained close, sharing a connection
and bond which could never be broken.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“More importantly, why are you
here?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I thought you had three weeks left
outside?” said Faria.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I’ve been summoned.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Don’t tell me you picked the wrong
mushrooms again and nearly poisoned us.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“That was one time, in my first week
outside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re never going to let me
forget it, are you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t wait until
you make a mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Anyway, I don’t know
why I’m here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now, I believe you had
some crazy idea about going inside the Sanctum?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Yes, I can’t delay any longer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll see you later, hopefully and we can
catch up more then.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Master Braegon was the soldier who
stood watch outside the Sanctum entrance during the day; Master Ariss took the
night watch. Reaching the Sanctum, Faria looked up at the spire, as she always
did when she was near it, and marvelled at its beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now she would get to fulfil the wonderings of
many and discover the inside.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane
watched incredulously in the distance as Faria engaged in conversation with
Master Braegon, a huge man with a beard down to his chest and strong, muscly
arms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next to Master Braegon the eternal
flame burned on.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Welcome to the Sanctum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you live up to your reputation – we
need it from the sounds of the commotion coming from the centre,” said Master Braegon.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The centre!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It must be the water pool, thought
Faria.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I assure you I’ll do my best,” she
replied.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I’ll lead you down there.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Come.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Master Braegon opened the thick,
wooden door which creaked loudly so that entries would be known, and they
entered the Sanctum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Watching on from
the streets, a mix of envy and puzzlement consumed Athmane, but he was happy
for his friend and he knew she’d spill the secrets later. Athmane made his way
to his Master’s chamber.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Inside the Sanctum, Faria was
instantly hit by how much cooler the air was and her eyes adjusted to the
darker room, which was illuminated by slits in the rocks above filtering only
shades of sunlight through.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There was a
natural and pleasant earthly smell within the Sanctum, none of the peculiar mix
of odours which wafted through Nimar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Master Filas, the messenger and internal guard, stood erect at the
bottom of the smooth, white stone steps which led up to the elders’ chambers,
the archive room and the top level – the important parts of the Sanctum.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was quiet inside the Sanctum, the hustle
and bustle of the city blocked by the thick walls and heavy door.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It had an air of exclusivity about it and Faria
greatly admired the stonework. Untouched by the rough winds of time and unspoilt
by the battering of the sand storms, the rocks which looked beautiful on the
outside still retained their true colours on the inside, the quartz crystals
within them sparkling in the faint light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Faria stood in awe.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Not too shabby, eh, this way,”
instructed Master Braegon.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Master Braegon led Faria down the
spiralling stone stairs towards the precious resource: a circular pool of water
several metres deep. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the centre of
the spiral, a bucket-pulley system powered by a waterwheel continually brought
water from the well up to the first floor of the Sanctum and into the water
tank, where it was distributed – or not, if the elders restricted it – by four
stone half-pipes to the separate quadrants of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria estimated to be at a depth of 10
metres below the surface of Nimar and the air had gone from cool to cold.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The natural light no longer penetrated the
depths and the stairs were lit by flames burning the oil which resided in
little potholes carved into the walls. The potholes would be refilled every
day; oil was something Nimar was not short of, stockpiling huge amounts which
the hunters replenished every week from the tar sands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Reaching the bottom of the stairs, Faria was
met by the engineering elder, Grandmaster Prisa, a sixty-year-old woman who’d
pioneered the water-pulley system and freed the water carriers of their
backbreaking duty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prisa was a gifted
and intelligent craftswoman, well respected and admired by all in the
city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out of all the elders, it was
Prisa the citizens looked to for advice and they trusted her judgement and
word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Master Braegon retreated back up
the stairs and to his post.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Faria, it’s good to meet you again.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Hello.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The two of them shook hands for only
the second time, the first being at Faria’s graduation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prisa’s hair had turned silver at a young age
and had helped to give her an aura of authority and wisdom, while taking
nothing away from her natural beauty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
anything, it enhanced it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“The Masters speak very highly of you
and they say you have a gift for envisioning ideas where others do not,” said
Prisa.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria was a little startled by the
remark.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You’re too kind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have ideas, whether they can be translated
into reality is another thing. I was under the impression the Masters regarded
me and my ideas with disdain.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“The Masters just don’t understand
your ideas like I do.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They lack ambition
and the spark of imagination.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like
those who think differently.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Your
drawings in the construction building far outnumber the contributions of
others, even some of the Masters I’m afraid to say.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Drawing is a form of escapism for me,
it’s no chore.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, what’s the problem?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Straight to the issue, just like a
true craftswoman should be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So I shall
be blunt as well… Faria, in one month, we’ll all be dead. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water in the pool is not replenishing.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria didn’t respond, Prisa had been a
little too direct with the issue and it came as a massive shock.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only when Prisa mentioned the water did Faria
actually notice the near empty pool behind the elder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prisa turned around and spoke as she surveyed
the water pool.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“We’ve always been careful with the
water and if we noticed that the well was not refilling we’d reduce consumption
to let it catch up and replenish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Three
hundred years and the well has never dried-up completely, a remarkable feat of
sustainability and restraint.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the
last few weeks the water hasn’t refilled, even when times were very bad this
has never happened before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I fear the rains
have not come in the mountains to replenish the groundwater. Or perhaps
something else has cut off the water; maybe the earthquake a few months ago
shifted the underground and diverted the groundwater elsewhere.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This could be a short-term problem and the
well could yet replenish, we pray that it will, but where water is concerned we
cannot just sit around waiting.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must
be proactive and source alternative supplies.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I agree with your evaluation, we need
to source elsewhere but with all due respect, this is a job for the hunters to
scout.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll just be a burden.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Fortunately, two alternative water
sources were located long ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is
a large well located at the centre of the Helven Outcrop to the west and that’s
where you come in.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want you to go to
Helven and evaluate the area for access.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is, by my understanding, a craggy, eroded and undulating terrain with
much of the ground collapsing into sinkholes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Water is the most precious resource we have and we can’t afford
spillages, lengthy delays accessing it or worse, losing lives reaching the well
every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You are to firstly locate the
water well and secondly, you are to assess the best ways to access the well to
mitigate the risks I just mentioned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
believe you caused quite a stir in your final year of training with your <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">unusual </i>construction designs.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria took a moment to take in all
that Grandmaster Prisa had said.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“If the resources are available, I
believe we could build bridges, water-ducts and even tunnels to help channel
the water as easily as possible from the well to Nimar. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even if we took all the wood from the Dead
Forest, we would still only have enough to build in the Helven region.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Manpower would have to then push the water
carts back and forth along the gravel plain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It would be a huge operation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Of
course I want to help the city and I’ll gladly accept the task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I just don’t feel we should put all our faith
in this one plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be an
enormous effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You said there were two
wells?” </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You’re correct – Helven is Plan
B.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the elders have agreed it is best
to relocate entirely to another region, one that is known to have vast reserves
of water to last us forever along with adequate shelter to house us while we
rebuild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s no secret Nimar has
reached capacity, we cannot continue here forever.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The plan is to move and rebuild Nimar in the
Dunein region. It’s been discussed for some time, even before the water problem.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Dunein?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I grew up with the horror stories about that
locality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Its caves are supposedly
occupied by a monstrous snake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Personally, I thought it was just a silly rumour and an extravagant tale
to scare us, but those soldiers that left the city earlier – they were on a
mission to Dunein, weren’t they?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“We felt it was better to be safe than
sorry.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many years ago, well before my
time, the elders sent a hunter on a scouting mission to the northeast
lands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hunter reported a vast underground
freshwater lake in the Dunein caves, but he also found something else: an
enormous serpent’s skin.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Terrified, the
hunter escaped the caves and that night, watching from afar, he eyed the
serpent slither down from the Black Mountains and into the caves.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The hunter barely made it back to Nimar alive,
apparently running most of the way back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Delirious, dehydrated and in shock, the medics could only get strings of
sentences out of him, nothing coherent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Before his death two days after arriving back to Nimar, the hunter awoke
in the night and traced out the figure of a snake in the sands outside the wall
– it was over 50 metres long.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be
honest, we don’t know what the hunter saw all those years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The sun probably fried his brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Still, we had to check out the area for water
and to rid it of any beasts, hence the large party of soldiers we sent out to
investigate the area first.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two hundred
years have passed since the hunter saw the snake and it will have surely died,
if there was a snake in the first place.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I hope the soldiers will be
safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will do everything you ask of
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m still a little unsure of why we
are bothering with Helven now, after what you said.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Well, undoubtedly there will be
people unable or unwilling to move to Dunein – the sick, the elderly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We can still use Nimar, a safe base for our
people and hunters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The bulk of the
population will be in Dunein, but Nimar can still sustain a small percentage of
people, supplied with water from Helven if we can resource it and transport it
here.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“It sounds good.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Two cities for our people, I never thought
I’d see the day.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I know you won’t disappoint us and
after chatting with you now, I’m certain sure you’re the right person for this
task.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We need the energy and passion of
youth on our side – this is for your future after all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll take everything one step at a
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For now, you shall go to Helven
with a hunter to guide you and keep you safe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Grandmaster Hawk has asked his Masters to select the best candidate.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria’s mind immediately switched to
Athmane, although she knew he was second on the hunters’ rankings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then he had been called back…</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Prisa kept on speaking.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You shall evaluate Helven for its
water and ease of access.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want a full
report when you get back.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You shouldn’t
be more than four days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess this is
all coming as a shock to you, but know this: there are three possibilities for
the future of Nimar. Either we bring the water to us, we move to the water, or
we die.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the greatest challenge
we’ve faced since the Great Flood caused our ancestors to migrate across the
Black Mountains and yet it is nothing compared to their struggle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve come a long way as a people and the blood
of the Nimerians will not be wiped out on my watch.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We have enough water in the stocks to last the
city for four weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>By that time
Grandmaster Jax will have returned from his mission to Dunein and the whole
city will know the plan.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“When do I leave?”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“You’ll leave at dawn. I’ll meet you
at the gate and introduce you to your hunter companion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Take whatever things you require from the
store room.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll have a few things to
hand you tomorrow as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Grandmaster
Hawk was working on a map to guide you safely through Helven based on old
scrolls handed down through the years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’d like to spend another night double-checking the map, it’s not that I
don’t trust Hawk but one mistake could cost you your lives and I’m a better
reader than him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Besides, it’s good if
you go back to your shift and work as normal, prepare for tomorrow and rest
well tonight.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“There will be a lot of questions from
my work mates.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Tell them it was about your design
for the new toilet system, which I think is excellent by the way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m sure you can redesign it for the new city
in Dunein.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The last of the water from the well
was raised up by a bucket.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prisa tied a
ribbon around the handle which signified to the water distributor at the top to
stop the waterwheel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nimar was now
officially on a countdown.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The water
remaining in the waterwheel was drained out and into the store tanks, not a
drop was wasted.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Prisa and Faria stared
at the moist pebbly bottom of the empty water pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The upper edges of the water pool had already
cracked and flaked from dryness.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“I’ll stay down here for a bit, I
prefer it down here than at the top, the colder air lets me think clearer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>See you tomorrow morning,” said Prisa.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Goodbye.”</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Faria ascended back up the staircase,
she was curious to explore more of the Sanctum and approached Master Filas, his
cold hard stare resolute and his body unwavering.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria had not been given permission to go to
the higher levels, only to the water well, and any act she made to get up there
would be dealt with swiftly by Master Filas with serious consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Master Filas slammed his spear down onto the
stone floor, the noise echoing off the walls and making Faria jump.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Sorry, just wanted a peek,” said
Faria.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Alerted to the noise, Master Braegon
opened the Sanctum door.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Come Faria, I’ll show you out.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never mind Master Filas, once you come back
and it’s known you helped to save the day I’m sure he’ll be nice to you.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although he still won’t let you up the stairs.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Best of luck out there,” said Master Braegon.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Thanks,” she replied.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The sun was shining and outside Faria squinted
from the brightness. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was stunned and didn’t know what to
feel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All these years of daydreaming
about leaving the city and now it was going to come true, yet any joy she was
feeling was overshadowed by the threat to Nimar’s survival.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What if Jax didn’t return, or if he did and
it was bad news?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The designs she had made during her training
had been laughed off and dismissed by her colleagues as make-believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria knew otherwise, she wouldn’t draw
something that wasn’t theoretically achievable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If the materials could be sourced, the designs could be built and they
would hold up within their structural limits – of that Faria was certain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was pleased her name had gone a long way
and that Prisa had selected her for the mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Walking through the streets back to her dorm
and seeing the children playing, Faria shook off any notions of doubt creeping
in and resolved do to the best she could for the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Faria’s mission might have been a back-up
plan, but she was determined to make sure the city could count on it.</span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-56445734915553034702015-07-21T22:50:00.001-07:002015-07-22T22:24:11.482-07:00Shadows in the Sand - Chapter 1<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div align="center" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 18pt; text-align: center;">
<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 20pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I</span></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Athmane, </span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">Erevas Outcrop,</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; text-align: justify;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">JD 59 of the Year 321, Dawn</span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"> </span></i></b></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong><span style="color: #365f91; font-family: Cambria;">A</span></strong></span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">s he
did every morning, Athmane watched as the red sun rose slowly up from the western
horizon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The giant ball of flame wasn’t
bright enough yet to hurt his eyes and Athmane could clearly see the three huge
black spots that marred its surface.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He
didn’t know what it meant and he didn’t care, all he wanted was for the warmth
to come back to his blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The desert, especially in winter, was cold
at night and the strong wind blowing in from The Void far away to the south
made it even colder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane had taken
shelter overnight in a hollowed out limestone overhang, one of many in his
hunting area.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Millions of years of
erosion and weathering had left it broken, loose and precarious to climb on but
Athmane had no other option. Without shelter from the biting wind he would
inevitably fall ill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Between the ages of
eight and eighteen he had been taught the skills needed to be a hunter and to
survive for long periods in the wilderness. Athmane could set traps but was
particularly lethal with his weapons – a bow and arrow, spear and knife.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He had never liked killing with his knife,
close combat was not his style and using it meant that he had missed with his
spear and arrows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, Athmane was
the top marksman from his class and he was confident of his ability to hit
anything within 50 metres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the age of
twenty, despite his youth, Athmane had a mature head and he was one of the very
best hunters Nimar had. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As the light returned to the desert,
it revealed to Athmane’s eyes a thin veil of mist that had blanketed the sand
and, after taking a moment to take in the new day, he gathered his spear and
bow and carefully climbed down to the flat, gravelly sand plain below.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was time to hunt and then return to Nimar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A city of wind-whipped and sun-baked stone,
Nimar was the last remaining dwelling of humankind in the land. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He knew exactly where his city was and Athmane
could judge the distance he was from Nimar to the nearest kilometre.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane had found it difficult in the
beginning to correctly estimate the distances when dealing with the flat,
deceptive landscape.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now he was
experienced enough to know he could make it home on the water he had remaining
and bring back the food before it went off.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being a hunter was more than about killing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be a hunter was to be selfless, it was
useless killing precious life stock if they couldn’t bring the food back in
time for the benefit of all in the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The landscape offered little in visual
enlightenment but Athmane didn’t mind, in fact he found it peaceful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Out in the wild he was his own boss, in
charge of his own destiny and at one with nature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He preferred the silence of the land to the
noise of the city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane had chosen to
be a hunter gatherer – some of the children weren’t so fortunate in knowing
what they wanted to do – and he had never contemplated any other path.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As early as he could remember, the lands
outside the cramped and bustling city had fascinated him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane was sociable when he needed to be, indeed
he had very good friends from within the four quadrants, but alone with the
land was where he was most content.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
passing wind and streaking whispers of sands across the landscape was all the
conversation he required.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In truth, he
didn’t look forward to his retirement and having to teach, yet he was a long
way away from that and took comfort in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Retirees became known as Masters, expected to train new recruits,
procreate and be called upon when needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Masters never really ‘retired’ in the proper sense of the word; Nimar
was a machine that could not afford for even a few of its cogs to stop working.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Being a Master, however, did afford an escape
from the menial jobs for a more comfortable life with a higher command and more
respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane raised his bow; his sharp brown-coloured
eyes had found their prey: an adult antelope, upwind of Athmane and its senses
sluggish to adjust to the morning light and mist.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Every part of the animal’s body would be
used, once boiled down and placed in a stew it didn’t matter to the people of
Nimar whether they were eating a prime piece of thigh meat or a bit of nose or
tongue, it all tasted the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Food was food and the meat provided necessary
sustenance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane could hunt and cook
his own food in the wild – a perk of the job – but he had to bring back enough
meat, berries, herbs, dates and other forage each week to meet his quota. </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Despite the skilled efforts of its
hunters, there was never a day of excess food or celebration in Nimar. The land
of Empyria was not one that gave, it only took.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Twang!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The slender wooden arrow sailed through the air and pierced the antelope
straight through its brain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane
rarely missed, even when the wind blew strongly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dawn was always one of the best times to hunt
and, while hardly teeming with life, this area was always a reliable source of
antelope, rabbit, fox, lizard and vulture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The hunters always sourced responsibly, if they had hunted too much meat
one week, they would concentrate on gathering other types of food the
next.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane raced over to the carcass,
removed the arrow and stopped the flow of blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The last thing he wanted was for a sand golem
to pick up the scent, descend from its lair in the nearby outcrops and be on
his tail all the way home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Golems were
big, slow, stupid creatures that rarely troubled the hunters but that didn’t
mean it was any fun to have one pursue you, especially after it had picked up
the smell of food in its nose.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of
the time the golems slept in their lairs buried under rock and sand, but when
they did hunt they mainly went after the wolves in the Black Mountains, or sometimes
the people of Nimar, with lethal consequences.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It was defending against the golems, sand eagles and other beasts where
the soldiers came in handy.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Using his
knife, a serrated piece of flint attached to a piece of wood, Athmane marked
his signature hunter symbol onto the carcass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>These symbols were handed out by the Master hunters at graduation and
with them they could easily tally up the meat brought in per hunter each
week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was the meat brought back that
earned a hunter his respect.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Tall, broad shouldered and very
strong, Athmane easily flung the antelope onto his bronzed back and carried it
by its back legs over his shoulder.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a three hour walk back to Nimar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Dressed in ragged clothes passed down through the generations, made when
life was more prosperous in the northern lands, Athmane wore nothing more than
a tunic covering his chest to his knees, exposing his lower legs and arms to
the elements.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">By late morning the land had heated up
enough to make Athmane sweat, the cold of a few hours ago now a distant memory
and something that he longed for again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the winter, Athmane could get by hunting further away from Nimar and
its precious water supply, but in the summer months he would never be more than
half a day’s walk from it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
importance of water was the first lesson to be drilled into the new recruits
and the Masters would never let their pupils forget it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Dehydration was the biggest killer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Head down and watching his footing,
Athmane carefully navigated across the gravel plain and the little shrubs that waited
to trip him up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a journey he had
walked a thousand times before.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
rocks of the gravel plain were black. Exposure to millions of years of
radiation from the sun had transformed their natural, paler colours.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only sound was that of Athmane’s breathing
and his feet trudging along the ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Basic sandals made from the carcasses of animals stopped the hunters
burning their feet in the blisteringly hot sands.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Always alert to his surroundings,
Athmane’s periphery vision picked up a shape 4 kilometres away to his west.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a large party of men, soldiers Athmane
presumed, heading away from Nimar and to lands in the northeast.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane guessed something big was going down,
soldiers rarely left the city and especially so many – over a hundred, he
guessed – but this wasn’t his concern, he was just a hunter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane had his duty and the soldiers had
theirs.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> </span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Reaching Nimar, Athmane headed for the
drop point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The city gate was slow and
cumbersome to open regularly, so the hunters placed their haul on a flat,
wooden crate which was raised up over the 3 metre high walls by the on duty
soldiers.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The soldier on the wall
lowered the wooden crate and Athmane placed the meat on it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was
a sizeable catch and Athmane was slightly jealous that he wouldn’t get to taste
it, for he wasn’t scheduled to return to Nimar to receive new orders for three
more weeks.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Athmane turned away from the
wall and began to walk back into the wild.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“Hang on, Athmane.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You have been summoned to see your Master,”
said the soldier.</span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Athmane closed his eyes and let out a
sigh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A few seconds later a wooden ladder
was lowered and Athmane climbed up.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On
the wall, he already felt uncomfortable by the sheer volume of people and the
noise of the town.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Nimar presently housed
one thousand six hundred people – it was near saturation point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sanctum dominated Nimar, a tower of
sandstone blocks built upwards and outwards in a spiral shape reaching a height
of 15 metres above the top of the outcrop.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The rocks of the Sanctum were a fine mix of orange, yellow, red and
black sand grains which blended together in a wispy texture as if the very heat
of the desert had melted them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the
top of the spire, the four elders presided and viewed the entire city.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">The elders were also known as the
Grandmasters, the most experienced and knowledgeable of their chosen
field.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Grandmasters were elected by
the Masters of each of the four crafts – soldier, hunter, medic and craftsman –
and they held ultimate authority over each of their respective quadrant. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the bottom of the Sanctum lay the most
precious resource of the city – the water pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The very lifeblood of the city, only the elders and a select few had
permission to enter the Sanctum and access the life-giving pool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sanctum also housed the dry food stores,
should the city ever be under siege or times turn hard and, the library,
containing maps as well as various scrolls detailing the land, its resources
and its creatures.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">There was no space for the dead inside
Nimar, the deceased were burnt and their ashes scattered – even those of a
Grandmaster.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At night, numerous torches
lit the city fuelled by the oil from the northern tar sands – a concoction of
crude black oil which seeped to the surface and mixed with quicksand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Outside the Sanctum burned the eternal flame,
used to quickly light the torches at night time, to cook the food and to light
fire arrows in case of attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Southeast
quadrant of the city contained the training buildings and sleeping quarters of
the hunters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Staring at the city, Athmane
was counting down the seconds until he was back on the other side of the
wall.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="line-height: normal; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; mso-hyphenate: none; text-align: justify; text-indent: 14.2pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Arial Unicode MS"; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><br /></span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-72694758706030467912015-01-29T03:56:00.003-08:002015-01-29T03:56:55.591-08:00My J.R.R.Tolkien collection<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;"></span></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb7M4ecOx_zUjqA1BAhfC14rLtF0KtNddAjI6cjmPbtp0tMMpVBYsLB08CuaWpd54_C4jTimrnw6dkLwDWM8ZIV9KAH8IgTvy-tf06AGno4AcN6WtaLNDPvRH5WBcTE9c7eb_bGeME2Hl/s1600/photo.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRb7M4ecOx_zUjqA1BAhfC14rLtF0KtNddAjI6cjmPbtp0tMMpVBYsLB08CuaWpd54_C4jTimrnw6dkLwDWM8ZIV9KAH8IgTvy-tf06AGno4AcN6WtaLNDPvRH5WBcTE9c7eb_bGeME2Hl/s1600/photo.JPG" height="480" width="640" /></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/editor/static_files/" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a> </div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">This is my collection of books by J.R.R.Tolkien and his son
Christopher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I Know it’s not very big,
but compared to any other author I collect it is and I can proudly say it is
only Tolkien I regularly re-read.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
would be a dream to own rare editions but a) they are so expensive and b) I’m
not sure if I’d be able to own a high-value book and just let it sit there and
not be read!<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Hobbit</i>
first when I was in primary school, then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Lord of the Rings</i> and then <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The
Silmarillion</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is probably <em>The Silmarillion</em> which is my
favourite owing to the sheer scale of Tolkien’s imagination and mythical
grandeur which I think reaches its maximum in this book.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was a hard read the first time, especially
the first few chapters but I simply never get tired of reading the epic tales
within it. My copy of <em>Lord of the Rings</em> is actually in my bedroom as I'm reading it again at the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">I enjoyed <em>The Complete History of Middle-Earth,</em> although
perhaps there was a lot of repetition of the stories of the First Age.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> Still, it is really nice to have the three volumes in hardback although some of the cover designs for the separate paperback parts were very nice. </span>I also bought <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Atlas of Middle-Earth</i> late last year, which is a beautifully
presented book especially if you have a keen interest in geography and
maps!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Calibri;">There are a lot of collector’s editions of Tolkien’s works I
keep seeing on Amazon, hardback books with a fancy gold emblem on the cover
but I prefer the paperbacks with illustrated covers. although I did treat myself to a collector's edition of <em>Unfinished Tales</em>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think the next one to get is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Adventures of Tom Bombadil, </i>probably
the most mysterious character in <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Lord
of the Rings </i>and one which has sparked a whole host of discussions about
who or what he really is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> I also recently got a graphic novel version of <em>The Hobbit</em>, which was great to read and something I look forward to reading to my children.</span></span></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-31163542045218091752014-11-24T05:02:00.000-08:002014-11-24T05:02:38.710-08:00League of Legends<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’ve been playing League of Legends a lot lately, it’s very addictive and I
think part of the appeal is the fact that no game is ever the same.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You can be on a killing spree one game reaching
Godlike and legendary kill status, and the next, you’re struggling to even get
assists ( or maybe I'm just very bad).</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">My favourite champion so far is Garen, I’m not a range attack player or a complex-technique
player (mages). <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the characters
who are tanks and just smash at the frontline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Even in Streets of Rage 2 I always chose Max the wrestler.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Brute force over skill any day! <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Some tips I’ve noticed might help you if you are new to the game like me:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Stay alive – Don’t feed the opponents with cheap kills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you only die two or three times in the
game then that’s a good showing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sure,
you might get abuse for retreating sometimes from your team but that’s just
because they are jealous they died and you didn’t.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Don’t forget about the minions – that is how you rank up
and get gold quicker.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Never surrender!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Momentum switches hands so quickly in League, all it takes is a few
seconds of acting in unison with your team champions and before you know it,
you’ve wiped out enemy turrets and taken the advantage again – just because you
are losing on score is never an indication of the final result.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">4.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Don’t forget to use your Masteries, which you can
re-allocate anytime by resetting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">5.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">While the champions all have their pro’s and con’s, some
partner together better than others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Lux
and Garen are one example I’ve found work very effectively together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt 36pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -18pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">6.<span style="font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font: 7pt/normal "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">Just ignore the comment section sometimes, don’t take
anything personally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 10pt;">
<span lang="DA" style="font-family: "Arial Unicode MS","sans-serif"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: DA; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt;">I’m rank 11 at the moment, a long way to go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Please leave comments with your tips, mine
are probably a bit rubbish.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-28416924588491374092014-11-01T02:02:00.001-07:002014-11-01T02:02:31.532-07:00The Secret Lives of Bicycles<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">What if bicycles had lives like ours? They went to work, fell in (and
out) of love, had a role within society; carried expectations, hopes and
fears.
</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />Together humans and bicycles have existed side by side and yet we
are ignorant of each other. That is, until now…until this book.
</span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><br />The bicycles of Denmark are so much more than two wheels and a pair
of handlebars. Discover the hidden truth: the secret lives of bicycles.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Lives-Bicycles-Michael-Diack-ebook/dp/B00P2P6QX8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414832125&sr=1-1&keywords=the+secret+lives+of+bicycles" target="_blank">Amazon USA </a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Lives-Bicycles-Michael-Diack-ebook/dp/B00P2P6QX8/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1414830214&sr=1-1&keywords=the+secret+lives+of+bicycles" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjNShz7HXq6KsHSxxg-Zl6td6sEWq3rTdUvq8RpqlrO0E4NRAl5GMB9Mt8KkM-cUjH12zb0pDVafwDla_Dt4smjKgNCrZGWIzT0DXkmPCPnf1K5VEefGsR3sigloUgZ4SnukyaBDt_mCK/s1600/Bicycle_book_cover.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRjNShz7HXq6KsHSxxg-Zl6td6sEWq3rTdUvq8RpqlrO0E4NRAl5GMB9Mt8KkM-cUjH12zb0pDVafwDla_Dt4smjKgNCrZGWIzT0DXkmPCPnf1K5VEefGsR3sigloUgZ4SnukyaBDt_mCK/s1600/Bicycle_book_cover.png" height="320" width="226" /></a></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-16281655927142846232014-05-31T00:48:00.000-07:002014-05-31T00:48:05.779-07:00Like Game of Thrones or Lord of the Rings? <div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-size: large;">If you are a fan of the fantasy genre , please check out the first book in the Empyria saga: Shadows in the Sand.</span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;">Reviews: 30 reviews, 4.7 out of 5 average</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><i><br />In Empyria it takes courage to live, and more than mere courage to challenge those who want to kill you. Athmane and his friends must take up that challenge or become the next victims. Forced to move they now face many unknown dangers. This story thrives on tension and danger. The sheer depth of “Shadows in the Sand” is simply amazing. This book exceeded all my expectations with its incredible story line that was highly imaginative, inspired and totally unique. The fast moving action pulls me along on a thrilling journey, which is full of vivid imagination and suspense. His characters are unique and original, yet seem simple when you realize that they aren't perfect. This is the beginning of book one where the journey begins. As a side note: the characters are not only likable, but are generally upstanding citizens with strong moral fiber. I like that. Also, there is fighting and death, but the scenes are not written too gruesome or gory. I like that as well.</i></span><br />
<br />
-----------------------------<br />
<br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Shadows in the Sand is set in an apocalyptic world where human survivors
eke out an existence amongst a harsh and brutal environment. In
contrast to the exposition-heavy opening chapters the novel is extremely
well written. It is also a largely based action tale, something rare
for a first instalment of a fantasy series.<br /><br />The plotline is
beautifully simple. A tribe’s water pool is running dry and it is up to a
hunter and tracker Athmane, along with his childhood companions, Faria,
a craftsman, Bayoud a soldier and Mary a medic, to go into new lands
and find out why.<br />This is no clichéd quest but rather a life and
death mission. The desert however is full of perils such as sandghoulls
and serpents which always keep the narrative fresh and exciting. The
mood of the desert, especially at night; its beauty as well as terrible
dangers are wonderfully evoked.<br /><br />The work is very different from
most fantasy novels and reminds me of one of the greatest science
fiction novels of all time, Frank Herbert’s Dune, yet this time with the
tale told from Arakis’ Fremen viewpoint. That is not to say this tale
is derivative. The story is entirely the author’s own.<br /><br />The one
staple fantasy character the author does borrow is the elf. Yet the
reader need not fear clichés for they serve to act as an important
catalyst in the narrative as it is realised the two races must work
together if they are to withstand an encroaching dark, malign enemy.<br /><br />This
first instalment of Michael Diack’s Empyria trilogy promises great
things. The canvas grows increasingly broader throughout as the author
creates the foundation for the second instalment. If Diack manages to
keep the same atmosphere and mood without falling into the usual fantasy
stereotypes I believe this trilogy will be something very special
indeed and attract an army of fans.</span></i><br />
<br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> Please click below to be taken to the Amazon webpage:</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-size: large;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Shadows-Sand-Empyria-ebook/dp/B00E5DNPY6/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1375094965&sr=8-4&keywords=empyria" target="_blank">Shadows in the Sand</a></span></b><i><span style="font-size: large;"> </span></i></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-89845590750054650402014-04-08T08:39:00.001-07:002014-04-08T08:39:48.416-07:00Red and Blue<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">King Martin, G-Boa, Kate and General Nectarine stood at
the entrance to Mt Compton speaking to Albert.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">“This is ridiculous, all
this fighting over a colour,” said G-Boa.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“It
started as a colour thing, but now it’s evolved into a deeper meaning: a loyal brand,”
said Albert.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Why
don’t you take a side, then?” asked King Martin.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do
you know nothing about my flavour?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I am
a Swiss roll flavour, our flavouring is balanced perfectly in its acidity and
alkalinity – we are pH 7 and completely neutral.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As such, our personality is always unbiased
and we never take sides over anything.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am ideal as the gatekeeper for Mt Compton.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Fine,
I guess we’ll side with the blue colour,” said King Martin.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“But I
like red,” replied General Nectarine.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Blue
is a nicer colour and has always suited my package better.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’m the king so I’m calling the shots here.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>General
Nectarine obeyed his king but was not happy and commented, “I now understand
why they went to war.”<span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Albert
handed the four of them blue bandanas and they tied them around the top of
their package, just above the eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Albert opened the blue gate and said farewell.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Albert locked the gate behind him and it was
impossible to escape, as barbed wire surrounded the entire city. </span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“We
look stupid,” said Kate.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
gate slammed shut behind them and the Super Spuds stared at the blue side of Mt
Compton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All the pavements, streets and
walls were covered in blue paper – even the food was painted blue!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, as the city was still an active
human rubbish tip, Blood and Crip had agreed for the sake of the Super Spud
race to settle their war using paint on paper, which was then stuck to
buildings, roads, walls and anything else with white tack (Blood didn’t agree
on blue tack as he hated blue).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When the
humans came around, the Super Spuds took the paper down and hid, thus
preventing suspicion as to why the entire rubbish tip was half-red and
half-blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once the humans left, it was
then a mad scramble to put the paper back up and not lose ground to the
opposition.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Crip, a salt and vinegar
flavour, greeted them and the rest of the blue side of Mt Compton clapped and
cheered.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’ve
chosen wisely, well done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blue is the
best colour in the world: calming, natural, heavenly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a blue, your mission is simple: paint the
city blue and eliminate the reds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
despise the colour red and its angry, fiery and aggressive properties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is so unnatural, you don’t see a red sky
or a red sea, do you?” said Crip.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Actually,
there is a Red Sea.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I had a mission over
there,” said G-Boa.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t make me angry, there is no red sea,
only blue seas reflecting the glorious blue sky above.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here are some cans of blue spray paint, A4
paper, white tack and some paintbrushes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Your orders are to fight anyone wearing a red bandana and if you come
across red graffiti paper, rip it down and place your paper up instead, then
spray it blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you kill Blood, this
war will be over and this city will have peace again.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“What
does Blood look like?” asked G-Boa.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He’s
as good looking as me, only he’s painted his package red.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If he wasn’t so stubborn this war would never
have happened, it was obvious that blue matched our green sponge sofa better
than red.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
four Super Spuds stood confused but respected the passion of Crip, at least.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
don’t feel right fighting other Super Spuds over a silly thing like
colour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This would never happen back in
my city,” said King Martin.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Crip
was handed a paintball gun by his second-in-command, Snoop and declared:
“Anyone who doesn’t fight will be shot, we’ll be watching.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Mt
Compton was divided into two areas, with the middle area between the red and
blue half a constant battleground with each side tussling to paint their
respective colour and capture more ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The two teams were so even, though, that only around 10 centimetres
width of land went back and forth between the two teams.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
don’t see any steak and spinach flavours, only salt and vinegar, ready salted
and saucy barbeque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This should be an
easy mission.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I want your word, Crip, if
we help you must unlock the gate and let us have our freedom,” said General
Nectarine.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If
you win this war I’ll personally fly you back home,” Crip replied.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Most deaths in Mt Compton occurred due to the drive-by
paintballing, which would often be discrete like out of the back of a car, or
from a motorbike.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The high-velocity
impacts nearly always killed the Super Spuds, although death was actually
preferred to the shame of having your package marked an opposing colour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>General Nectarine and G-Boa surveyed the
middle ground and felt optimistic about what they saw.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>General Nectarine was easily the strongest
Super Spud and G-Boa was unrivalled in his field skills.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>General Nectarine picked up a rusty old wok
lying on the ground with his left hand and, carrying a paintball gun in his
right hand, he shouted, “Everyone take shelter behind me, we’re going for the
tactic of shock and awe.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>General
Nectarine and G-Boa led the assault, and followed by Crip and hundreds of blue
bandanas, they proceeded to the middle ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>King Martin held Kate’s hand as they stayed behind General Nectarine and
the king said, “I don’t know what’s going to happen in the future or how long
we will be stuck here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But you’re
beautiful and it was amazing what you did back in Mt Hollyspud for my friends.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I’ve
never met anyone genuine before, all the actors are so in love with themselves
they don’t know how to love anyone else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I’m looking forward to being your queen and helping the people back in
England.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
sounds of paintballs firing disturbed their romantic moment.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“The
fighting has begun,” said King Martin.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>The
red bandanas had never seen anything as ferocious in battle before as General
Nectarine.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The American population
preferred flavours like hamburger, cheeseburger and Texas barbeque.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They thought the spinach part of the steak
and spinach flavour sounded too healthy and generally shunned the flavour, so
S.P.U.D. agreed not to sell them anymore in the country.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Tuna flavours still sold well, though,
Americans just hated vegetables.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>General
Nectarine was by far the strongest and most courageous Super Spud ever to step
foot in Mt Compton.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With his left hand,
he wielded the giant wok and batted red bandanas out of the way, sending them
flying in the air over several metres.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>With his right hand, he fired the paintball gun with perfect accuracy,
even adjusting for the wind and every one of the paintballs hit their
mark.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>G-Boa used his martial arts skills
to take down Super Spuds and he hadn’t even fired his paintball gun yet,
instead preferring to humiliate the red bandanas by ‘stabbing’ them with his
paintbrush and marking them blue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Overwhelmed and outnumbered, the red bandanas retreated from the middle
ground and Blood decided to greet the attackers face to face.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Stop
this attack.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Or everything will be
destroyed!” shouted Blood.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Do
you surrender?” asked General Nectarine.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
don’t think you understood what I just said, fool.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’re the ones who must surrender your
weapons and that wok, or soon there will be a very large bang.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
won’t lay down my wok, but keep talking and we may come to some agreement.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“This
is the end, Blood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew my blue would
prevail,” said Crip.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“If
you kill me or continue this attack, the orange paint bombs will explode and destroy
all of Mt Compton,” said Blood.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Before
their disagreement over red and blue, Crip and Blood were unanimous in their
hatred of the colour orange.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“You’re
lying, there is no way you could sneak in to our territory, plant a paint bomb
and not be caught,”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“I
always had the brains between us, remember?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I put stubbornness aside for a day and ordered twenty of my men to go
undercover, taking off their red bandanas and putting on blue ones.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They sneaked into your half and planted the
bombs as a failsafe in case of my capture, death or if we lost the middle
ground.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If I don’t return home every
night and enter the code, the paint bombs will go off.”</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“He’s
not lying,” said G-Boa, who had interrogated many Super Spuds and knew when
they were telling the truth.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“That’s
right, it’s mutually assured destruction through the ghastliness of orange,”
said Blood.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Let him go.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We have no choice, an orange-covered city would be the death of all of
us,” said Crip.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Wait!
While you two are together, I think you should have my honest opinion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think you both are a bunch of arrogant,
stubborn morons who don’t deserve such a loyal following of Super Spuds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blue and red are also both nasty colours, why
don’t you just like purple?” said Kate.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Purple,
what’s that?” said Blood and Crip together.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Kate
took the red and blue paint and mixed them together to create purple. As the
colours fused together to create purple, Blood and Crips’ jaws began to drop
and they slowly looked at each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>They both jumped in the air, high-fived each other and hugged.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They loved the colour and immediately agreed
on painting their living room purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
a matter of minutes, all the red and blue paper had gone and the citizens
removed their bandanas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Blood and Crip
played the song ‘Purple Rain’ by Prince and all the inhabitants held hands and
sang along to the words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Mt Compton was
now a peaceful city once again.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>“Solving
gang warfare is easy,” commented G-Boa.</span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 35.45pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";">Mt Compton transformed into a city of polite-bys,
handshake-offs and absolute zero-crime.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It even became a cooler city to live in than Mt Hollyspud as its fashion
laws were more relaxed, in fact, it only had one: wear purple.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As the crime rate was now zero, this
drastically reduced the crime level statistics for America as a whole.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This feat was recognized by the President of
the United States and he sent a request to Mt Compton ordering King Martin and
his friends to visit him in the capital city called Mt AC:DC, located in
Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike the rest of the Super
Spud world, in the United States there was only ever one unified ruler of all
the Super Spud cities: the President.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The President was voted into office every six months – or earlier if he
or she died – and unlike the other countries flavouring had nothing to do with
being elected (or becoming the monarch).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The deciding two factors, primarily, were a massive campaign fund and
high-power friends in close places.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
current president was President Bush, a Texas BBQ flavour and he had replaced
President Julie, the first female Super Spud to hold power.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>President Bush lived in the Spud House, a
large white building in Mt AC:DC with a generous lawn and even a fountain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There were rumours of a sophisticated network
of underground passageways and deep survival bunkers dotted around Mt AC:DC to
ensure the President was always protected in emergencies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>America’s Super Spud intelligence agency was
also located there in a building called the Hexagon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Under orders from President Bush, Clint had
no choice but to command the opening of Mt Compton’s gate and ensure the four
Super Spuds were put on the first postal box to Washington.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="Standard" style="text-align: justify;">
<span lang="EN-GB" style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><b><i>This was an extract from Super Spuds Book 4 - Over Land and Sea. If you enjoyed it and would like to read more about the Super Spuds, please click on the book covers at the left hand side to be taken to the Kindle store.</i></b> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-35425558121252019812014-03-22T12:14:00.000-07:002014-03-22T12:14:10.681-07:00The History of Middle-earth: Part 2<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>AR-SA</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-bidi-font-family:Arial;
mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">The second volume of The History of Middle-earth
focuses on The Lord of the Rings, whereas the first volume centered around the
First Age and the mythology of The Silmarillion and the Gods.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I think this second volume will appeal to
anyone who has read The Lord of the Rings or The Hobbit, but perhaps wouldn’t
consider themselves hardcore fans, as I think the first volume was certainly one
for the die-hard contingency due to its ‘heavy’ tone and unfamiliarity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was, at times, pretty difficult reading
owing to the sheer grandness of the mythology and the multitude of names.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">This second volume was nicely structured
and easy to read, Christopher Tolkien introduces each chapter describing his
father’s notes before following with the first draft of the various chapters of
The Lord of the Rings.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was fascinating
to read about how Tolkien developed his story chapter by chapter, without
really knowing where to go with the plot.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In fact, it was obvious from his letters that he was never really
interested in writing a sequel to The Hobbit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He enjoyed writing about hobbits because they were personally amusing to
him and nothing more.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was also surprised
by the large gaps Tolkien took between writing the manuscript, and how he wrote
the chapters often on the back of examination scripts of the students he
taught.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I think Christopher Tolkien
deserves a lot of credit for his work decoding the quite often ineligible
writing of his father and the lack of any order to the notes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was also great to read how the ring-bearer was originally Bilbo’s son, Bingo
and that Strider was called Trotter.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was also originally penned as being Gandalf the hobbits met on the road after
leaving Hobbiton before Tolkien, in a moment of inspiration, changed it to the
Black Riders.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As a fantasy writer, I
know how difficult, yet enjoyable at the same time, it is to control the
timescales and interplay between events.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This is why I’m in complete awe of how Tolkien created and coordinated
the perfect fantasy story involving so many characters, over hundreds of miles
and over such a length of time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-bidi; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-bidi;">I highly recommend this book to anyone who
loved Lord of the Rings, but coming in at a whopping 2,000 pages be prepared to
spend a hefty amount of time reading it!</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 36.0pt;">
<br /></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1163374396751458827.post-89932700241096183132014-02-21T00:21:00.001-08:002014-03-22T12:21:45.305-07:00The Year of Unemployment<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
text-autospace:ideograph-other;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Pleased to announce my new release, a factual account of the year I graduated and was unemployed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">The optimistic – arrogant, perhaps – vision of a graduate’s
future career is quickly beaten out of him by a sequence of hilarious and
cringe inducing failures to secure work. Living at home with his Mum, this is
an unimpeded insight into a young man’s struggles and successes in work, love
and computer games! </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">
</span></i><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Laugh at the honest self-appraisals with a knowing nod to
having shared those same experiences. If you cannot empathise with Michael, you
are probably young enough to learn from his mistakes and commit his advice to
memory. Ten pounds says you won’t, but you’ll have the chance to remember this
amusing account of a year of unemployment in the future! </span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0cm 5.4pt 0cm 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0cm;
mso-para-margin-right:0cm;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0cm;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
text-autospace:ideograph-other;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-language:EN-US;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I hope the Year of Unemployment will strike a chord with
undergraduates, graduates and basically anyone who appreciates a funny, honest
read packed with self-depreciating humour.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">Available on Amazon for only 77p!</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Year-Unemployment-Michael-Diack-ebook/dp/B00IJZXQUE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1392968011&sr=8-1&keywords=year+of+unemployment" target="_blank">Amazon US</a> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Year-Unemployment-Michael-Diack-ebook/dp/B00IJZXQUE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1392967955&sr=1-1&keywords=the+year+of+unemployment" target="_blank">Amazon UK</a></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-GB</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<w:DoNotOptimizeForBrowser/>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--></span></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NswDKFWIqm7xngvkkmVIYkCo3KlJ8rlVaaNDQofHT1_Hzgzw2SICkP47nIRHhjbZPzBof2z7-KEW_b6Jg29T4CUb4O2crmg4syZYtzfszMpbYqcRlyoLHKuWuAvIaSHDu9TS7UZKg-M1/s1600/year+of+unemployment_new.tiff" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1NswDKFWIqm7xngvkkmVIYkCo3KlJ8rlVaaNDQofHT1_Hzgzw2SICkP47nIRHhjbZPzBof2z7-KEW_b6Jg29T4CUb4O2crmg4syZYtzfszMpbYqcRlyoLHKuWuAvIaSHDu9TS7UZKg-M1/s1600/year+of+unemployment_new.tiff" height="320" width="238" /></a></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">
<u><br /></u></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0