The Thought in the Back of Your Mind

By Jacob Flores

A young man is exiled from his isolated island home by his village leader, the Soothsayer. The only words to the young man were these:

"You will bring nothing, and nothing will kill you."

 

Now the young man is on a collision course to the grand city of Deflin, a city in the middle of construction and ripe for corruption. Deflin is also home to a gang of thieves called The Breachers. Donning masks and aliases, they steal Deflin's most prized currency. Almighty contracts that determine who and what you are Their next scheme of these urban magicians to turn their king to a beggar.

 

On the boat towards Deflin, the young man sullenly attempts to process the meaning of his exile. Unbeknownst to him, he has gotten the keen attention of the ever-changing eyes from the Leader of the Breachers.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Jacob Flores
• Release date: Nov 6, 2021
• ISBN: 9798201228996

Book preview

Prologue:

The morning of a new day. People talking, birds chirping, merchants selling, pigs squealing, chickens clucking, blue roving sky and green windy grass. Normal. People weren’t content, but neither suffering, a balance with a break in the fights. The only thing that was unusual today was the request of the Soothsayer, the sacred and most revered character of our simple village. He wanted to meet with me and address something important. That by itself was odd, I’ve already paid tribute and fought my fights for today. But I would do as I am told. I took a chair and trotted up the hill to the old tree that my father planted when he was a child. Butterflies were in the air, and in my stomach. I still needed to do something important later on today, far too important that it won my worry, not the Soothsayer. A brisk wind made the tree dip its branches, it was mature now, just like me. I saw the Soothsayer grow near, he had a grim look on his face and was accompanied with a group of unrecognizable bodies. They forced me up from my seat, made me kneel to the Soothsayer before I could do or say anything. People started to notice what was happening, they didn’t like it. The Soothsayer told me something that stayed clear despite all the yelling tossed around at the wind. The words drifted from his mouth to my mind, worming and clinging their way inside. He raised that staff of his

and.

Chapter 1

Bang! My head cracked up and snapped back towards my bunk, the solid metal bunk. Time blurred and skipped, couldn’t grip onto it anymore. I just went with it, the whole process. I tried to sleep but the violent waves churned and so did my stomach. I couldn’t tell if the captain of this ship was doing a good job fighting the storm or that we were about to sink five minutes later. Everything around me was still solid, and not liquid, so I suppose so far so good. After a few moments of me staring at the ceiling, and its encroaching rust color, that seemed it would stick onto me forever if I even touched it. I decided to get up and go onto the deck, better to risk being tossed overboard up there then be thrashed about by waves down here.

My room was at the bottom of the ship which meant I had a climb ahead of me. It was a medium sized ship made of some metal, if it was even metal, its entirety looked like a cracked bowl of wood with just some rusted sheeting. A few climbs later, I waded through the tired, poor and desperate. I stopped now and then to take glances of my brethren, but I was still moving steadily to get to where I wanted to go. There were many of these here, large compartments repurposed as makeshift housing that would take one and all to a new place, all packed tight of course. Each of them with a glum face. I’ve talked to some of them occasionally, they weren’t so bad, but still they weren’t familiar faces. Their eyes were cast down and their bodies huddled together for warmth most like, the eyes said defeated, but the body said defiant. I saw a child with what I assumed was his father near a small, controlled fire at a corner of the large room.

They were playing peek-a-boo with the man’s hat. They were both smiling, both had absolute joy all over their face, in a flood of uncertainty. They were the light of the room. I saw it and so did everyone else, we all welcomed it for it warmed us more than any fire ever could. We all slowly got back to what we were doing, I was the last to turn away from them. I accidently locked eyes with a man who just witnessed what everyone saw. He wore a nasty knitted hat and beard, with a blank stare and wrinkled face. A brief moment passed, and he gave a good intentioned grin. I nodded silently as if to know what he meant by that. I hurried to the deck before I couldn’t stand it anymore, successful at holding back my tears. I couldn’t figure what came over me, maybe because we were all in the same boat.

The storm let up just as soon as I climbed the last set of stairs to reach the deck. It wasn’t that spacious at all, I figured that it was cut in a way to make more room for cargo. It was in a hemisphere and would probably fit five people on it. I approached the railings when someone caught my eye. I tilted my head in the direction of a boy.

He was looking at the sea. The wind swept his hair, it showed a brown or dirty blonde depending on the light that shined on it. Was in a short tapered style, but the wind still played with the long clump of hair on the top. I could already tell that I was older or looked older, but not by much. I wondered what a boy was doing here alone, but I lost the idea with the loss of interest.

He wore a blue vest with the interior being a light red. The collar looked too exaggerated to be accidental, it reached all the way to the back of his head. He also wore a shiny bright yellow shirt that would no doubt sparkle when the sun kissed it. His trousers were in a split quilted pattern of two colors, orange and yellow. His shoes were like the sea, a deep blue with a tacked on red heel.

He stopped looking at...whatever he was looking at and spotted me. His face was clear, had a tad tan and rounded to be a bit pudgy. The nose was like a button that had a slight tilt on it. Not a single imperfection on his face, which made me a bit envious. The eyes were big and bright but looked irregular. I couldn’t place a single color on them, it seemed that they kept changing by the passing second, I must’ve been losing my reality or needed more sleep. He gave me a friendly grin and a devious look. The grin looked as if it reached from ear to ear and his eyes got even bigger which I thought was impossible.

I shrugged and moved onto the railing though, having him behind me made me have thick nerves. I leaned on one part of the railing, but it cracked, and I almost fell overboard. I heard a chuckle behind me as I balanced myself out.

Dang shoddy wood.

I moved over a tad where it seemed more stable, stopped to take a breather and admire my surroundings, feeling a dread calm. The water was clear enough that I saw my image upon it, like the mirror it was. It showed me an eighteen year old, or was it nineteen now? With a short cut hairstyle, face with a bad but yet, not terrible completion too gaunt I’d say. The musty hazel brown eyes radiated, giving off the only sense of life there was in him. His stubble was light and covered the bottom of the face. The nose was smooth, but dense, which didn’t really make much sense to me. I moved my hand and the image moved with me, together in unison. The stranger scratched his stubble and pulled on his pale skin while I did the same.

I inspected my clothes with the only mirror I had. I wore a black, lightweight, short sleeved duster that reached to my knee, it looked in pristine condition due to my care, but I had it for some time already. I also had on me a long white sleeve shirt which I rolled to my forearms. Below me I had brown trousers with a tan shade hoisted with a brown leather belt with some loose leather strips and a silver buckle. Below that were off-white gaiters that wrapped around my matching shoes with black lining I put on them to make them last a bit longer. Though useless, I thought about going back home, to what the Soothsayer foresaw in the image that was before me.

‘You will bring nothing and nothing will kill you.’

That I too must leave my land, my family, my liberty, my leisure, and my past life. That life wasn't an easy one I’ll admit, but it was mine and the only one I had, the only one I knew. I got tired of thinking about it, pushed it back to the darkest crevice of my mind, only for me to pull it forward again later. The image now showed a face of disgust, breaking apart as the tears trickled down.

I saw an approaching figure in the water, and looked up to see a tall, towering spire. It extended and retracted on the sides of it as if it was breathing. The top seemed odd. It had a white light, but changed in width, it was giving off some type of aura. It kept shooting out different lights from time to time that rivaled the sky’s already blue hue. The lights were probably issuing commands or some other type of mandate. The storms’ natural fog lifted then a little later I saw the makings of land. We were going to a city, it was gigantic. It was surrounded by the standard stone wall, but across from what I could see from the city there were many, from what it looked like, giant construction platforms. The towering light was welcoming its new people, but the question was with open or closed arms?

Chapter 2

Iwas one of the last ones to get out of the boat, last stop. Around me were people greeting their relatives, strangers striking conversations with newcomers, or some swindlers trying to pick a mark. When I talked to some people earlier, they understood me so at least if I got robbed I’d be able to understand the language. I looked back towards the boat I came on, and it read ‘Mania’, what a funny sounding word. People were in the arms of other people be it for good or bad, nobody was unwanted.

I didn’t have anyone, I was alone. I preferred it that way, besides I’d have to get used to it. I pulled on my duster to cover my face as best I could, pulled my hands in its pockets and slipped away. I didn’t walk two steps before I heard something loud behind me.

Hey, handsome man!

I was sure it wasn’t referring to me, so I just kept walking. A few seconds later I felt a force on my head, it felt like a pair of hands. I scrunched my head to my neck and looked up at the same time. Someone jumped over me, their whole body and all. It was the same boy at the deck of the boat. Great, he looks weird and acts even weirder.

You got the wrong guy. I said with an annoyed tone, so he’d know not to mess with me. I tried my best to conceal any accent in my voice in case this place hated foreigners.

He stood in front of me with his back towards me and slowly turned around with that ‘friendly’ grin of his. I saw a knife was in his hands now, he was cleaning it with his sleeve. A few steps towards me, he began to look me up and down very, very, very slowly.

Nah. he declared. I’m not mistaken, I would never forget you from the moment I saw you. Now how much, mate?

Uhh. was the only thing I could muster. I think I knew where this was going, but I wasn’t about to say it. For what exactly ‘mate’?

The dirk in his hand began to twirl too close to my face, it was closer than I ever wanted it to be. I took a look at the blade, it was a black metal dirk with a pearl and black grip. It was engraved nicely, with an arc at the center of it and on top of it rested a beautiful marked ‘M’.

For you know, mate. With that he pelvic thrusted the air and latched his eyes to mine. I couldn’t stand this creeper any longer and leaned my whole body away.

I’m afraid I don’t roll like that friend, now I need to get going. I muttered while keeping my sight straight and putting my feet one after the other. I hoped to never see his face again.

He clenched his knife close to him when I passed him Friend? he quietly said under his breath behind me, as a child would.

Now now, where are your manners? Still got questions for ya.’ I felt a pull on my duster and he reeled me back with a force that was too strong for him to have. Pulled me in so fast that I landed on the floor.

Stay a while. he lowered himself to my level, face so close I could smell his rancid breath. I wasn’t hallucinating. His eyes were changing color right before me and back on the boat. Where you from boy? he said while making his blade dance around his arm.

Boy? I couldn’t help, but snicker because I could tell he was younger than me. His eyes stopped changing color, they stopped on red. His grin was replaced with a blank stare and cold eyes. He stopped twirling the knife and edged it towards me. If it kills you to know, I’m from the isles. I responded. The isle called Capere. he unbent his knee and lifted himself up, his back towards me again. I dared not to get up, his knife was still in his hand. He walked towards the harbor, looking at the sea.

Damn, if this doesn’t work out for me and if everyone is like you, I gotta go down there some time. He spoke in a distant and monotone voice.

Glad I could plan out your next vacation destination. I said whilst still sitting on the floor, Can I go now? I saw half of his face stare at me with the intention to do harm, and his handle knife turned with the intention to kill.

Oh, I’ll let you go. A blur and slide happened then he was right next to me, knife to my chest. If ye say master to me first. I squinted back at him; he wasn’t going to get anything from me. If this was the new place, I’d have to live in then I’d rather just die now and not deal with the hardship.

A moment later he jumped up from me and pulled me right onto my feet, almost dislocating my arm.

Relax! He said like a child that just realized he got in trouble. I was only kidding, wasn’t going to hurt my friend now, would I? he brushed the dirt and dust from my clothing, even going in a circle around me to get rid of it all. You got family close by? Don’t see 'em’ anywhere. Got a plan? What’s the move? I was bombarded by questions from a stranger that just threatened to kill me.

No. I uttered, my family are left back home, I sort of came here by myself.

Well, you got any contacts here? I shook my head from side to side. He sort of attempted a frown, but a giant smile broke through instead. This is just great! he whooped. No family to bother you, able to do anything at your whim and at your pleasure, you don’t know how good you have it, mate!

I missed my family; I never saw or knew anyone who would ever speak ill of theirs. It was odd truly understanding what he said. Well, I could do anything that is legal, mind you, I don't want to get taken away to some prison. I pulled my duster to me and began to walk away. Nice meeting you.

Hold it! I felt a tug on the duster. I turned around and jerked his hand away from it.

What now?

You just said that you have no contacts here.  He had that monotone voice in him again, his eyes had stopped to a sorrowful blue. What are you gonna do now in the big bad city?

I just shrugged; I had no answer to his question.

His demeanor returned, a wild smile. Well then, we can’t have your pretty little face turn ugly in this big bad city, I like pretty things. he lectured me while putting his cold palms on my face. The hands moved so blindingly that I didn’t have an opportunity to turn them away. Hang with me and we’ll go far. His words were swaying, and it was good to have the guy with the knife on your side, but that knife was set on a thin rest, ready to fall and cut anyone.

I shook his hands from my face. Thank you for the offer, really, but I’m going to decline it. Please leave me alone. And with that, I began to walk away.

He crossed his arms. Never met anyone that wanted to be all alone.

I walked a city block or so not knowing where or what I was going to do, reality set itself. Stepping into a new world, making a new life. I walked, but then stopped at a corner, not knowing what to do next. So many things going on that I didn’t understand. People going to things without thinking, were they even people now? A sprawl of people flocking, shouting, didn’t know what to make of it. It reminded me of back home, a warped parody. It seemed so similar, but so different as well. I couldn’t regulate my breathing, and my sight was unfocused, misty eyed.

I saw a few guards or at least they seemed like guards. They gave me dirty looks and whispered to each other. They each adopted frowns and made themselves look even more intimidating. They came closer. One glanced behind me, whatever it was made his face freeze. The others saw what he was looking at and they backed away too. I heard a voice a length away.

Change your mind yet? It was him again, flashing the dirk around. I began to think what the next words would come out of my mouth, but he chose them for me. Look at you, like a lost pup, all lost and not knowing what to do next. he was lecturing me again. Stick with me pup before the mad dogs come and swallow you whole. he extended his hand, but I didn’t extend mine. I could understand the reasons, but not the ends behind it all. Why help me? Why even care?

Okay you w- he cut me off and gave me a light punch on my shoulder as if we knew each other since the beginning of time itself. He didn’t even notice or didn’t care that I’ve disrespected him by not shaking his hand.

Welcome to Deflin. he shot a quick grin at me, and his eyes were yellow like the sun itself looked at me. Can’t leave a friend hanging around now, can I?

Chapter 3

He told me that there was a secret not too far from here, though I didn’t know what type of secret he was talking about, or why we had to travel to it, or why he even told me when I didn’t even ask. But I had nothing better to do, so we went. There was walking and talking. I doing the walking, and him doing the talking. I was admiring the surroundings with a degree of ease. From what this madman showed me, Deflin was an old, but new city. Much of this place was still in change, the buildings were mostly stone, and I wondered where they had kept the wooden homes like back home.

There were pulleys and tools all around, it looks like they were in the process of being changed to the standard metal model homes that I’ve heard so much from the various stories I had in the boat. They talked about it being a marvel, something so unheard of. I wouldn’t believe any of it, until that ship came around to whisk me away to here.

I’ve also noticed that the local peasants had the typical rags, but what was different was that the rags were all in bright colors, matching or in the occasional miss match. Some of them were holding signs or wearing pins on their person. It read B.O.W.S. for Brothers Obedient With Scruples. Another sign read ‘Na’Sule, we are not the Commatar that you think we are.’ I looked back at the stranger who was still talking to me, but fortunately, I managed to mute him some time ago. I looked at his colorful ensemble and figured he was the king of the common. Guess it was time for a talk.

So can you explain why the people are all so colorful here?

What? he blurted angrily and raised his hands at me. If you listened to me, you’d already know, since I already explained it to you.

I jerked my hand forward as if to let an imaginary person pass. Well, you explained it so well the first time, can you explain it to me again?

A smirk was revived. Anything for you gorgeous. I didn’t get this guy, so maybe I would get what he had to say. "You see the high and mighty, the Na’Sule, wear the plain