Annouhis is the winner of the Fan Fi for A Soldier's Life. Matt Rhodes was the author. It focuses on how Benito was scripted into the Legion. The fan fi test has just started, and submissions are due November 1st. There is a list oreon with POV choices. Although you do not o join Patreon to submit, one subscribers vote on the submissions
Bets, Bulls, & Butts
Benito let out a loud belch as he rubbed his empty belly. Empty that is, except for the alcohol running through his system. He’d just woken up from passing out in his cups.
The brothel smelled of sweat, sex, and stale beer. The owtempted to cover the smell with cheap inse, whily mao empower the thick cloying st. The bination turned his sour stomach.
Benito reached into his pocket, disappoihat he’d spent his st copper. Broke once again and sulking in his chair, his mind wahe ughter of a nearby table reached his ears. Benito leaned bad eavesdropped on the versation...
“I shit you not, walked right up to the thing. Reared back like he was some actor in a py and smacked it right on its arse. Took off like bloody lightning after that, didn’t eve a scrat ‘em.” The man ehe story with a sp to the table and uproarious ughter from his friends.
“With balls like his, he had his hands full just carrying ‘em around. Of course, he couldn’t pull out to pay for his own ale. Lucky bastard didn’t buy a drink the rest of the damn year!”
Benito’s mouth en, the words ing long before he thought them through, “I would do it for just a night of free drinks.” His outburst silehe nearby table. Its octs all turo look in his dire.
“What did ya say, boy?” one of the men, a scarred, mean-looking curmudgeon asked.
Benito realized his mouth had just bitten off more than it could chew, again, rose from his chair and walked over to their table. “I said, I’d do the same thing for a single night of free drinks. I wouldn’t need a whole year.”
The men traded looks. One even smirked, giving the others a slight nod. Benito missed the bypy, lost in dreams of free beer.
“Is that a fact? Alright d, how about we up the stakes a bit, eh? How does that sound?” the storyteller said, givio a once-over. This is going to be fuhought.
The kid, not much older than a teenager if he had to guess, was a small one. 5’ 4” or 5' 5” max, and skinny. He might be quick, but it was worth a few extra s to the men at the table to find out.
Ied iing a bigger payday, Benito gave it no thought, instead asking, “Up the stakes, how? What did you have in mind?”
The old curmudgeon spoke up this time, an evil glint in his eye. “We’ll buy ya drink for aire week if yur able to do as ya say.”
“And the stakes? I won’t, but what happens if I lose the bet?” Benito asked.
The man grihen, showing a few missih. Swinging his arms wide to enpass the rest of the table, he hollered, “Join the Legion, boy! We all do. It’ll make a man out of ya and by the looks of ya, it’s needed.”
Benito hesitated, but his desire for free alcohol overruled his on sense. “I’m fih that, but it’s never going to happen. You have a deal.”
CRACK
The storyteller smmed his palm down, harder this time onto the wooden table. The sound echoed throughout the room, grabbing the brothel’s attention. Jumping to his feet, the man yelled, “MAER” at the top of his lungs. “We have a Maer on our hands, you twats!”
Benito had heard of someone calling “Maer” when making outndish bets. It was done when one of the bettors believed the other would back out due to fear. Doing so would bel them a coward, their betting days over. To Benito, that was far worse than joining the Legion.
“Hey! I ain’t a coward. All I've gotta do is smaething on the ass a away, right? That doesn’t sound so hard!”
The table in front of him roared with ughter.
Wiping tears from his eyes, the storyteller tried to pull himself together before asking, “Lad, are you telling me you missed the part of the story about what it was the crazy bastard smacked on the arse?”
A bad feeling started to grow io’s gut. Shaking his head, “No, I just heard that he smacked its ass and ran off without a scratch.”
Taking a moment to close his eyes, the man fought back ughter. “A Sacred Bull” he mao say.
Benito frowned, “A what?”“A Sacred Bull, you dumbass!” wheezed the old curmudgeoween coughs of ughter.
Its ropes cut, the sinking feeling io’s gut became a freefall. -----
The men wao turn it into a spectacle. Rather than going straight to the vilge’s Sacred Bull, they set a time for the afternoon instead. They wanted a day to spread word about the wager.
Benito left with his head low. I have no idea how I’m going to survive this, let alone win it. Sacred Bulls were a breed of bovih a stroh affinity. sidered “tame” in the loosest sense of the word. They left you alone as long as you did the same to their herd. Toue of them and they would kill.
“I really am an idiot, how could I have made such a stupid bet.”
“Bet? What’s this I hear about a bet, you been gambling again boy?” In his mood, Benito hadn’t been paying attention to his surroundings. His neighbor, Old Betty, was out watering her garden. She’d been telling him fes to knock off the gambling or he was going to wind up either homeless or dead. Thinking about having to join the Legion if he failed tomorrow, Benito realized that she might just be right in the end.
With a deep sigh, Benito nodded and sat near where she watered her tomato pnts. “How bad is it this time?” she asked, voice tired.“It’s pretty bad. Ma’am.”Tilting her head to the side, she sidered him. “Alright then, out with it. What the hell did
you get yourself into now?”Putting his head in his hands he mumbled, “I have to smack a sacred bull on its ass and----”
She cut him off, “Speak up boy, and quit mumbling. I swear I just heard you say you have to smack a bull’s ass.”
Blushing, Benito took his hands away from his fad started again. “I did, I have to smack a bull’s ass, A Sacred Bull’s ass and I have to get away from it without getting hurt.”
Old Betty stared at Benito for a long moment and then dumped the tents of her watering over his head.
Benito spluttered as the cold water ran down his bad stole his breath. He jumped up from where he had been sitting, looking at Old Betty in shock. There, he found ahis one of pain. He could see the disappoi written on her face as she shook her head. “Benny, sometimes I wonder why I even try. You really be an idiot sometimes.”
Turning to her home, over her shoulder she called, “e with me. There is only ohing I think of to help get you out of this mess alive.”
Looking like a drenched puppy, Benito followed along as she made her way inside. “What’s that ma’am?”
“Train Benny, we’re going to train you.”
“AHHHHHH” Old Betty could hear Benito’s girlish screams from her garden. With a sigh she thought, I don’t know what I’m going to do with that boy. He’s going to get himself killed. This was the only way to distract him I could think of.
Her idea of training involved Benito chasing the mid rats living in her celr. He could “train” his speed aerity, “As they were the only ce you have to see the following sunrise.” She’d told Benito that she’d pay him a copper for every three mice or rats that he caught. Nothing motivates that boy more than money and food.
At the thought, Old Betty’s eyes homed in on her neighbor’s house, an idea f, I think it’s time to call in some reinforts. Old Betty set down her watering and walked across the street.
-------
Benito rushed the er where he had one of the furry little bastards trapped. I'm going to get you this time, those coppers are mine! His thoughts preoccupied, Benito didn’t see the broom haig out until it was too te. It caught his foot, causing him to fall ft on his face.
He let out a groan. After almost two hours, he’d caught eight vermin so far. One away from making his third copper, enough to buy a half-dozen honey buns from the nearby baker.
His stomach rumbling, Benito realized he haden all day.
No wonder I’m struggling to catch these things. I’m starving! F himself out of the dirt, Benito climbed back to his feet with a new drive, this time fueled by hunger.
Walking outside, Benito saw Old Betty crossing the street. “I’ve got ‘em! Nine of the little guys, that’ll be three coppers ma’am!”
Old Betty raised her eyebrows, “Nine of them? That old tom of mine must be getting zy..” Reag into an inner pocket of her dress, she pulled out the three owed s ahem out.
Benito’s mouth had already started to water at the thought of his warm, buttery, ay prize. Imagining the crackle as he broke open its hardened gze. He reached to take the
money, but she kept her grip on the s. “Don’t go spending this on more drink, boy. It’s only mid-afternoon aill have more training to do.”
“We do? Do you have more rats you wao catch?”
Old Betty let out a snort, “Sweet Heavens I hope not, otherwise they are likely to eat me out of hearth and home. No, Benny. Your bit of training is over at Carl’s pce.” She pointed back the way she’d e.
“Okay.... What is he going to have me do?”
Another snort, followed by a cackle, “You’ll find out when you get there, now hurry up. You’ve got a long day ahead of you.”
Benito, rubbing his full belly with one hand, stuffed the final honey bun down his gullet with the other and made his Carl’s stone walkway. Wiping his greasy hands on his pants, Benito knocked and stepped back to wait. After a moment and with no answer, Benito moved to knock again just as the door swung open. It caught him full in the face, knog him on his ass. “O Oooo!”
“Shit! Sorry sonny, ma legs just don’t work like they use‘ta and it took me a sed’ta get outta ma chair.” Carl’s old scratchy voice apologized.
“No, don’t worry about it, Mr. Carl. Old Betty said to e over here and see you about some training?” Benito said, rubbing the goose egg that was sure to form.
Hawking a phlegmy-sounding loogie, Carl spat it an impressive distance. “Sure do. Betty said you’d gotten yaself inta trouble again aa work on a few things or else you’d be carrion food this time ta’morrow.”
Letting out a deep breath, Benito nodded in firmation.
“Said ya needed practieakin up on som’n big. Well, I don’t have nothin big but I’ve got som’n you’d have’ta work for ta sneak up on. I’ll even pay ya ta do it.”
Benito would have do anyway. He didn’t have a choice, but hearing he’d be getting paid, his attention focused in on what Carl was . “How much are we talking about?”
The old man side-eyed Benito, holding up three fingers, “Coppers.”
That’s enough for a meat pie from the stand down the road. “Deal,” Benito replied before Carl could ge his mind. “What do you wao do?”
Acc to Carl, the best way for Benito to train his stalking skills was to catch the backyard chis he had running loose. As Carl said, they weren’t rge but Benito wasn’t having much
lueaking up on them anyway. He’d be just out of arm’s reach when they seemed to sense him, skittering away a moment before he pounced.
After a few minutes of watg Benito try and catch a chi, Carl had to admit the show was too good for him to witness alone. He decided to ask Betty to join iertai.
Carl heard two voices as he approached her home. tinuing around the side, Carl saw Betty talking to Jesup, one of the vilge’s fishermen. Waiving for their attention, Carl hollered, “Y’all wanna see a show?”
Betty wheezed a breath from deep within her chest, “I thought it’d be funny to watch. I was about to head over but wao ask Jesup for a favor.” Carl looked betweewo with a raised eyebrow.
“Wants me to take the boy fishin in the mornin, keep him busy,” Jesup answered. Carl nodded his head in uanding. “That’d be mighty kinda ya. If ya gotta minute, ya watch the dummy runnin round after some chis smarter’n him.”
Jesup’s grin was answer enough.
“Arrrrgh!’ Benito roared, why ’t I catch these damn things! He’d bee desperate by this point. ering one, he dove forward onto his stomach, slid across the grass, and finally, finally, caught one of the feathery assholes. Benito climbed to his knees and raised the chi over his head in triumph, just in time for it to shit down the side of his face.
He gagged, dropped the chi, and wiped off as much of the warm and stinking feces as he could. His stomach roiled at the smell and knowledge of what dripped into his ear. Benito did a poor job of removing it, only smearing it across his fad coating his hands. It was a losing battle and his stomach revolted. Once his insides settled, empty of the honey buns he’d just enjoyed. Benito reached up, wiping the vomit off his lower lip.
----
Carl was willing to pay Benito to catd cut the chi’s flight feathers, even without the pretext of training. He was tired of chasing the damn birds when they escaped his fence. After watg Benito blow ks for a sed time, Carl felt he owed the boy twice as many coppers.
Hysterical ughter forced Jesup to sit and poor Old Betty was worried she’d have an aneurysm, struggling to remember the st time she’d ughed so hard.
Wiping away tears, Carl took mer the fool. “Boy, sweet heavens, that was funny. Ya rightly need some help with this, so watch. Ma bones are too old ta do this more’n once.”
Benito watched Carl enter a half squat, his arms out wide, and hanging past his knees. He walked bowlegged toward a chi. Approag the bird, Benito could see that Carl wasn’t staring directly at it, he was looking at the ground to its left as he approached. Quick as a cobra, he snatched it off the ground, cradling it to his chest.
Benito stood, jaw hanging, as Carl turoward him with a gapped-tooth grin and said, “That’s how ya do it, sonny!”
Benito was showrick to snaring chis, something he was assured, could be used on most animals no matter the size.
“Don’t stare right at ‘em. They gonna feel ya eyes on ‘em. Look just off ta the side of ‘em, ya will still be able’ta see ‘em.”
Benito found it helped him get close to the birds without making them nervous but he still ran into trouble when it came to catg them.
The broom Carl had taken to using, smacked the back of Benito’s head once more. “No! Yer movin too quick, yer freakin ‘em out! Slow sonny, go slow.” Benito tried to follow Carl’s instrus. The problem was, once he was within arms reach of his target, he moved too quickly, startling the bird into squawking and making its escape.
Carl sighed. The boy just ain’t getting it. Deg to take another approach, he called Benito over to him. “Now boy, I don’t wanna hear no denials, I know ya’ve do, I’ve seen ya.”
Benito hunched his shoulders. He wasn’t sure what Carl had seen him do but it probably wasn’t good.
ign Benito’s rea, Carl tinued, “When the baker pulls out a fresh tray of honey buns or hot cakes and ya pn on stealing one.” Carl smacked the top of Benito’s head with the broom as he opened his mouth to object. “I said I seen ya didn’t I? That’s not the point. When ya go ta steal one, how do ya do it, hmmm?”
Benito took a moment to give it real thought, remembering to the numerous times he had stolen a hot cake. I’ve always had to go slow so I didn’t draw attention! The realization smacked Benito in the face like Carl’s broom had all afternoon.
The st puzzle piece slotted into pd Benito knew what he’d been doing wrong. His attempt was a success, as were the following half-dozen.
Carl nodded in satisfa. Huh, I’m better at this than I thought I’d be. He looked back towards Betty’s house, where she and Jesup were still watg. Jesup took the opportunity to mime wiping his and throwing up. Carl snorted loud enough that it made Benito jump and drop the chi held in his arms.
Mumbling under his breath, “Crazy old bastard.” Benito lowered himself bato his half-squat and approached the st obstacle between him and his meat pie.
Benito waved goodbye to Carl, happy with the 6 coppers in his pocket, double what he’d been promised. He earned a bonus for his hard work and roud of it.
Calling it a day on such a high note, Benito went to find dinner and was feeling pretty good overall. Between chasing the mid stalking the chis, Benito felt like he was in peak dition and thought he might have a ce after all.
Passing Old Betty’s house, Benito saw her in her garden again and waved as he passed. Standing from where she’d been pulling weeds, she called, “Benito! Jesup asked for your help tomorrow. you meet him by the docks mid-m?”
Benito hadn’t spoken with Jesup much over the years but he knew Jesup was a good friend of Old Betty’s. “I do that, did he say what he needed help with?”
“Something to do with fishing, said he’d treat you to lunch for helping.” Knowing he would be fed was reason enough, Benito was happy to help.
With food in hand, Benito pyed hot potato with the pies as he walked home for the evening. Oblivious to the fact that he hadn’t worried over tomorrow’s looming threat for hours.
-----
Jesup waited for Benito as he made his way onto the docks. Walking up to him, Benito gave him a small wave and stuck his hands in his pockets.
He felt off after seeing people watg and whispering as he walked by. It must be about the stupid bet. Those four from the brothel sure spread it around fast.
Guessing at what was wrong, having heard about it himself from a couple of gossips. Jesup dht into their pns for the day. “We’re going fishin. Mrs. Betty asked me to show you a
thing or two and train up your rea speed. If yoing to stand a ce this afternoon, yoing to . Yoing to have to react the moment you smack that bull.”
Remembering how good he felt after yesterday’s training, Benito perked up at the thought of more. Recalling that Old Betty promised Jesup would feed him lunch didn’t hurt either.
Jesup had Benito help push a nearby boat away from the dock before they jumped in. Passio an oar, Jesup instructed him on how to use it ahe boat from drifting to the side or spinning in a circle.
After 15 minutes of rowing along the river bank, Jesup called a stop and tossed out an anchor line. Handio a pole, Jesup showed him how to bait his hook and they cast out their lines. Benito’s throw was caught on a low-hanging brand Jesup had to help get it loose. His sed attempt weer, if not where he’d tried to pce it.
Sitting back, with his rod held in the crook of his arm, Jesup began to speak softly. “A lot of people think fishin is all about waitin. They’re wrong. It’s just a part of it, the smallest part. You could e out here, throw out your bait, and yea, you might catch two or three fish a day doing it that way. But, that ain’t fishin, that’s just wastin your time. A real Fisher tell you what I mean...” finishing his st word with a grunt, Jesup grabbed his rod and gave it a strong pull. “We get things done.” With that, he began winding his line around the rod wheel, tugging as needed once he’d reeled in all the s the line.
Benito was impressed, they’d only been out for a few minutes and Jesup had one on the hook already. Jesup pointed near Benito’s feet where he saw a with a long handle. Benito grabbed it and waited.
After a final, strong pull from Jesup, a fsh of silver scales could be seen in the sunlight. Lunging forward, Benito scooped the fish out of the water and into the boat.
Admiring his work, Jesup looked down with a tented smile. “May have made that look a little too easy. I’ve been fishin this river for decades. I know where and when they are going to be. I know what they like to eat, I know them. That’s what I wao teach you. If you learn somethin about that bull, it might just save your ass.”
Bending down, Jesup pulled the fish out of the and removed the hook from its mouth. He smashed it onto the side of the boat, killing it instantly. Jesup then tossed it into a water-filled ste partment to keep it fresh. Returning to his seat, Jesup checked the bait on his hook and tossed what remained into the river.
As he baited on a new worm, Jesup tinued speaking. “The main thing I want to help you improve while we’re out here is your reflexes aion time.” Givio the side-eye, he said dryly, “If that’s even possible.”
Benito looked at him in fusion. That is until he felt the rod in his hands give a small jerk, realizing it’d been doing that for a short while and he hadn’t noticed. Benito jumped to his feet, gave a mighty pull, and almost threw himself into the river. If not for Jesup grabbing him by his belt, he would have fallen overboard.
He also mao snap his line pulling it so hard. Now he was left to reel in the weightless string and thread on another hook.
Settling back down in his seat, new line cast out, Benito looked at Jesup. It was always said that the man didn’t mince words and would give it to you straight. Building up the ce to ask, and before he could chi out. “What do you think of my ces today?”
Jesup gave Benito another side-eye. “Shit.”“Pretty much what I thought...”
Silence reigned after that ao found it f. No expectations, no responsibilities, just pay attention to his rod and pull hard to set the hook the moment he felt a fish bite. Over the couple of hours, Benito had a few opportuo practid even mao catch a few, as Jesup tio reel in fish after fish.
Soon enough, Jesup looked up, the sun high in the sky, and decred, “That’s enough, we’ll head back to the vilge and I’ll cook up a few of today’s catch for lunch.”
By the time they returo the docks, Jesup finished selling the day’s catch, and they fiheir meal, it was well past noon.
The sun was starting its dest and it was time for Benito’s date with the bull. He could be dumb at times, but he wasn’t a coward. I’ve done everything I to prepare for this. Hell, this could be the start to my own legend. Like the stories the traveling peddlers tell of great heroes.
------
“I’m worried for the boy,” Old Betty repeated for the fourth time since Carl picked her up from her home.
“I know, but there’s nothin we do for the little idiot,” he said.
“He won’t make it in the Legiooo soft and the bad apples would eat him alive! Look at what’s happened already with just our local scum.” Betty tinued as if he hadn’t spoken at all.
-----
Heaven’s Mercy, the entire vilge is here. Benito stopped in his tracks and stared at the crowd. He’d known people would e out to see, but he had no idea it would be so many. He stood frozen in pce for too long and was soon noticed by the crowd.
A loud cheer began and a path opened between him and a group of four standing beside the paddock gate. Steeling his nerves, Benito made his way through the crowd. The gatheri split between two groups, those excited to see what was to e and those who looked at him as if he was already dead.
Don’t let it get to you, this is where you make a name for yourself.
Reag the paddock gate, Benito stood in front of the four men.
The old curmudgeon with his gap-toothed grin on full dispy, the same evil glint in his eye. The storyteller stood proud, hands on hips, their two panions w the crowd and takis.
The storyteller stepped forward and said, “You showed up! I’m holy surprised! Are you bag out? You’ll be beled a coward. Don’t fet, I thought you might and called this a Maer for all to hear.”
Benito ground his teeth, yelling, “And I told you yesterday, I ain’t a coward. I came, I’m here, let’s do this. I’m thirsty and could use a drink.”
I do this.
The crowd roared at his procmation ao felt their energy flow through him like electricity.
Fag the gate, Benito saw Old Betty, Carl, and Jesup standing off to the side. Old Betty waved, Carl nodded, and Jesup poiowards his head. A remio use what the three had taught him. He dipped his own in aowledgment and hopped over the gate into the paddock.
Benito’s eyes were drawn to it immediately, the Sacred Bull. Head and shoulders above the surrounding herd, it was huge. Not just in size but in build, its shoulders looked to be made from earthen boulders.
Benito was lucky the bull was off to the side and not in the middle of the herd. He moved forward, each step smooth as butter. He could not risk spooking any of the nearby cattle as his boots ched iall dry grass. He started to sweat as the bull grew rger and rger the more the distance closed. He could practically feel the beast’s aura ohin 15 feet of the creature.
Squatting behind a spotted cow, Benito observed the Sacred Bull in all its glory. Up close, the thing was massive, it was also terrifying. I ain’t no coward. Benito repeated it a few times as he tio “observe” its movements. This is stupid, it’s just standing there eating grass. What the hell am I supposed to learn from that?
As if on and, Benito did learn something. Its cowpies were just as massive and overwhelmingly powerful as the rest of it.
Accepting that he wouldn’t get anywhere with that tactic. Benito decided to make use of another skill he’d been w on, stalking his prey.
Creeping around the heifer he’d chosen for cover. Benito worked his way around to the bull’s rear, where it wouldn’t be able to see him, being careful to view the bull in his periphery, just like Carl had shown him.
Benito edged his way around, lining up with the paddock feo make his escape as quick as possible. Looking over his shoulder at his exit point. Benito saw the crowd had moved to his side of the paddock for a better view.
Great, they better not spook the herd or this bet is over.
Reorienting on his target, Benito took deep breaths to calm himself. He was going to need all of the skills he’d been training. The speed from chasing mi Old Betty’s basement, his quick hands catg Carl’s chis, and the rea time he’d shown fishing with Jesup.
Gliding his way the st two or three feet, silent as a wraith. Benito stopped breathing. The world slowed and the crowd quieted as he closed the st few inches... There.
Benito felt it, the stars aligned, aruck like a viper.
SMACK
He was moving. Tearing off, back the way he’d e. His hand throbbed with pain after hitting what felt like solid rock. He rinting as fast as he could to his egress point when he heard it. A deep, resonating sound that shook Benito to his bohen he felt it. Through the soles of his feet, the ground shook under heavy impacts. Benito could barely hear the crowd
screaming for him to ruhe bull’s bellow. Risking a small peak over his shoulder, Benito nearly shit himself. Taking oep for every two of Benito’s, the beast was gaining fast.
Fear emp his movements, Benito poured on the speed almost missing the spotted oving into his path because of it.
Benito knew he couldn’t stop, could feel it in his still rattling bohat if he did, he died. He also knew he was moving too quickly to get around the animal. This left him with only oion, something only someone of his size could do, he went u.
At full speed, Benito dropped to his side, feet first. He stretched out his body and prayed to anyone who’d listen. Someone must have heard him because his timing erfect. Managing to squeeze right between its slow steps. He grazed a single raised hoof before he was through and back up and running in seds.
Sprinting towards his salvatioo was ting the distance. 20 feet, 15, 10, five fee---- He never got to finish the thought.
“Uhhhgh” burst from Benito’s lips as he was hit by the power of a runaway horse, or, a pissed off bull in this case. A sharp, burning pain started in the back of his thigh, moving up his leg. It tinued until it reached his left ass cheek before digging in deeper, the pain fred ao screamed. He felt pressure tighten around his waist. Shit, it’s caught on my belt. The hio knew, he was airborne, screaming the entire flight.
Goodbye cruel world, I wish I’d had more sweet cakes.
Hitting the ground, Benito’s first thought was whether or not his leg was supposed to bend that way, he retty sure it wasn’t. The , snapped him back to reality, as he looked for the Sacred Bull ing to finish the job. Seeing that he was surrounded by chattering people, it took Benito a few moments to realize that he must have been thrown out of the paddock. It took a few moments more to figure out why he was still alive. Once a Sacred Bull either killed or ran something out of its area, it wouldn’t pursue, It would return to protect the herd.
Benito id his head down iher relief or pain, he wasn’t sure. The agony ing from his leg answered the question of whether or not it was broken and oupled with the pain in his ass, he didn’t have the energy to move. With a deep sigh, Benito couldn’t help but think, I guess this isn’t the start of my fame and fortune.
The crowd, busy watg and staring at Benito parted, and the four men who’d orchestrated the spectacle appeared staring down at him. To his great surprise, wheo met their eyes. He didn’t see the ughter or s he had been expeg. No, now he thought he saw respe their depths.
“Pick up the d, boys. We’ll patch up his bleeding arse, splint that leg of his, a him able to walk again. The Legion will heal him the rest of the way after he’s joined.” The storyteller said.
Benito groaned, “No e getting out of that is there?”
This time, it was the old curmudgeon that spoke, “Sorry boy, ya don’t back out of a bet involving the Legion, but yur goin to learn all about that soon enough.” To his panions, he said, “Now help him up so we get him splinted. After somethin like that, I think he deserves a drink.”
Looking at the man in fusioo asked, “A drink? But I lost. You said I still had to join the Legion.” The old man wheezed a ugh, “Yur right boy! I did and ya are, but I’d buy any man a drink for provin his metal like ya just did. Now call me Sal, Boot, ya drinkin with the Legion tonight.”
-----
Smming his y beer down oable, Benito let out another massive belch. Looking around the table at Eryk, Mateo, Lirkin, and Kolm. He stood with a sway and announced, “And that dies, is how taking one in the arse nded your’s truly in the Legion!”
