"Ak", waking up in a cold sweat wiping the trickle of blood off of his chin Marcus stirs abruptly like he had been yanked out of a nightmare ,"So I lived?", he questions himself is a mutter while slowly prodding at his wounds and peeling the straw away from the congealed blood. " I the survived murderus initiation set by my grandfather to be free from familial duties, the youngest to attempt it and survive." He looks lazily around the empty barn stall he'd known for the past five years after he had announced he would not be a soldier for the family but an adventurer. His patriarch had sentanced him to perform a rikan, a deadly duel with a champion of the houses choosing.
"Marcus! You went and fucking lived didn't you? Well ain't that a surprise." The grizzeled old man wondered in with some bread and water, Uncle Gill is a kind man and had been the only one to give me a chance of survival in this duel with death. He helps me sit up and I eat while he checked my wounds, " So young Marcus, you have your life, what will you do with it?"
I pondered the question while I sat still soaked in blood and sweat. "I intend on heading to Gilgamesh and trying my hand at adventure."
"Gilgamesh hey, that's a long fucking walk, I bet you'll be needing some coin for the trip?" He retorts.
"That is something I was hoping you may help me with?", I chuckled.
With a stern look in his eyes for a mere second he stares at me and suddenly he softens,"Lucky for you I only bed whores and not wives, aye you can have some coin and maybe a new sword considering you left you last one halfway up that cunts arse."
"Aye uncle, what a way with words you have."
"Hopefully when your bigger you'll understand it ain't the letter of em but the intent that matters" he snikkers as he drops a sack of coin, not hefty not small, onto the ground along with a small backpack and sword. "I'll be seeing you" He says solemly as he walk out the stall.
Thirteen, the age to decide your future, the age I had made my mark and have been given my freedom. Whatever I decide now is my choice. A future of long walks down dangerous paths and hopefully one that won't put me six feet under.