Etsy's Journal

Gaining muscle is neat.

Ahem... Been a spell since I put down my thoughts. Basically my school years are unfolding as expected. Learn in class, punch people, eat, learn more, punch the friends of the people I punched, sleep, repeat. I almost miss Blood Camp. As terrible as it was it was more diverse in its torture.

How long did I sleep? Wuh? Amon? Azeen?

Some kids want to push Amon to follow them in the forest. We've been in enough s*** to know that's a bad idea but surprisingly Amon ain't against it. Whatever, we're almost done with our mandatory camp of doom so I'll stay home and relax.

I'm going to have a campaign in my world soon, campaign called the Rossan-Valid Deadlands. Anyone who wants in on the action may contact me for info.

"Punch harder maggots! I want see to parts of your ribcage in your puke!"

I keep reading posts about the campaign K'tesh, Kimki and those other people are playing. How do I join?

"The absence of proof doesn't mean there's nothing to prove."

Amon and Azeen just saw the first snowfall of their lives. Today's Restday so I'm teaching them to make snowmen and snow angels. The days will be getting colder and the last caravan to that special training camp will leave soon. I've received some er... serious pressures to accept this assignment so I will probably join despite my reservations. Dunno what M and Z will choose though.

There is nothing fluffier than your bed in the morning, even if it's made of stone.

"Things that are factually correct can still be unfathomably idiotic"

The Third-Year girl I defeated in the arena found me today and vowed to be my rival until end times and that she will evolve before me thanks to the camp training. Sure, whatever. Funny how everyone assumes I'm actually going there. I haven't decided yet but I guess it's better than the boring lessons we've been getting lately. Even my morning squats have more twists than the battle tactics we're taught. The Drill-Master who kept calling us "maggots" also got replaced. Too bad, he was fun if a bit extreme. Seriously why does it feel like the world wants us to go up that special camp?

TL;DR We can join a high-risk assignement to get out sooner or end our three years of Battle-School normally. The grabby teacher I talked about, Rilo Catho I think, earned a pretty penny by betting on us. He's got a proposal; we join a special camp up north, near a dangerous forest where we'll fight for our lives daily. Lots of high-ranked Demon army guys visit to see potential jewels. According to him,if we get noticed we can be selected as officers which means we won't be forced in the frontlines. Also we may evolve sooner which means less likely to get killed and we become full adults with free choice. It's worth considering.

Hmm... I admit getting a name made everyday life at battle school more enjoyable. Me and Etf... I mean me and Azeen have admirors now trying to join our trio. The usual dumb bullies have been replaced by Third-Years seeking vengeance for the good names they couldn't get. Despite these attacks, we are all well on our way to evolution and free choice. Amon is spared the vendettas though. Apparently, he picked a name our culture considers uh... "Unpickable". The last Amon in the Empire was a egostical and wasteful Demon who ended up losing a huge chunk of the Empire to the Humans. There's a super disgusting story of that ancient Amon doing very, very bad things to children, which enraged the ancient Human Heroes. The name basically became pretty offensive after the cease-fires. Doesn't bother our Amon though.

"They say education is like lighting a fire. Could be... but they forget to mention that a fire's usually stuck in a hearth doing as it's told. Me? I look forward to burning the house down."

For crying out loud... Amon's sad again. He was humming a moment ago and now he's pouting. He's saying something like "I can't poem good enough.". Who's responsible so I can have a little chat?

The pain has passed. A perk of being young and bred like lab rats. From Etsy, Etny and Etfy to Aroth, Amon and Azeen. With these names seared on our chests, we are allowed to own money and not rely only on what attending battle-school entails. It's weird how our names all begin in [i]A[/i]s, but it's not life-threatening. Now we just have to finish battle-school and evolve and we'll be adult Demons less than three years after being born. Of course, our only path after that'd be to join the army like the masters want.

You haven't known pain until someone carves your own name on your chest with a knife, burns trenches into it with a burning brand, and fills it with black soot. I wish I could joke and say "good times" but it hurts too much. I want to sleep.

Earned a New Name

After a decent rumble at the Name-Pit, the little Imp formerly known as the numbers Eight-Two-Sixteen has taken the first step towards adulthood and chosen a new name. Henceforth, he shall be known as...Aroth.

After that little torture session, I entered the finals. Surprisingly, Etfy didn't wanna lose again. I'll keep the story of our fight for another time. Anywho... As the second placed guy, I have the choices between: Ka ("Blood" or something) Bo ("Scream") Meavor ("With-One-Slice") Aroth ("Art" or "Success") Amon ("Pale") Parthma (literally "Defeater") And more... The woman at the register warns me that some of these have bad bearer history. There's also the fact that the longer name I take, the more painful the operation will be. I don't fear pain though, I fear being uncool.

Me: [i]Pins my opponent down.[/i] "Give up or I break your arm." Kid: "Never!" Me: [i]Breaks his arm.[/i] Kid: [i]Screams[/i] Me: "Give up or I squash your balls." Kid: "Okay! Okaykaykaykay! I give!"

My second fight was a closer one. The girl I fought against knew hand-to-hand techniques not taught at battle-school. But I had far more endurance so I just needed to watch out for her counters and not attack for a long while. A gut punch sealed the deal. It displeased the crowd, but that's what you get for not having time limits in your matches. The quarter finals will come soon. I'll fight the dude with the broken fist next, while Etfy just qualified to face the arena's favorite. She told me she'd try and get defeated there. If all goes well (or rather too well), I'll lose to him in the finals too. Honestly I'd rather fight Etfy, the dark horse, than the top runner on this race. I'm a bad actor and now that we've come this far I should fight against a proper opponent before they get suspicious. Do I ask her to face me or do I let her lose on purpose?

I guess that's my name now... until I die... "Farto"...

So... Etny lost his fight. He stopped punching altogether and dodged nothing. I think the other kid broke his hand against my buddy's hard nogging though. My fight with him'll be easier. Etny's alright. Bruised but satisfied. I guess he took my "don't do what you did last time." seriously. I hope he won't get a bad name because of it.

"Don't hit too hard." "But he said "Give me your best shot!", no?" "He literally can't take it. Just... don't do what you did before."

Alright, first round over. My opponent was a guy my size, a scrawny Second-Year nobody cared about so I could win without too much controversy. Etfy did even better than me: she headbutted a bigger kid by "accident" and earned a "lucky" victory. Our scores make it so we can get decent names, but the show isn't over yet. I wonder what name'd fit me...

Fun fact: Kid Demon bones are surprisingly fragile.

I saw the brackets for the Name-Pit tournament. As I said before, there are no losers, just a classification. The best fighters pick the best name. Our opponents look confident, most of them are third years. We are first-years, but technically the thirdies are five times our age what with our accelerated aging. So the problem is, we supersoldiers would easily beat the competition and create a big commotion in the stands (betting on fight is a serious business around these parts). I don't want to see another bloody mob fight like what happened back home (which ended up with us being grounded). But I also don't want to lose on purpose and get named something like "Smelly" for the rest of my life.

Today's the day. Arena fights are good entertainement in the week-ends and there's already quite an audience. From a barred window I can see the crowd. There's Rilo our proud teacher with grabby hands. The Drill-Master who calls us "maggots" all the time. There's also a few big adults with big horns. Males and females. They're well-dressed and muscular. Huh... There's also... Snafa relaxing at the top of a pillar like a cat. Do enjoy the show you super-fast crap-sac.

Why do the fightings have to be done on a Restday? WHY?

Decided to get myself a name after all. Name-Pit here we come. Etfy and Etny want to participate in the tournament too. We've trained together before, but this time I feel like they want to win. We'll see who's the leader of our little trio soon enough.

What's your favorite day of the week? Some say it's Restday, but i prefer Sixthday because that's the one just before Restday.

Battle-School is weird. In here it's not just being strong and cruel that counts, but also presentation. If you beat five people but don't strike a pose, nobody bats an eye. But if you beat two people AND use a great catchphrase, you're a god made flesh.

I don't like the teacher called Catho. His hands are sticky, he keeps touching our muscles, and he insists we join the Name-Pit to get proper names. While I don't want to be just a number anymore, I really don't trust the guy.

The three of us, as well as the other group of supersoldiers, are really shaping up nicely. We're bigger than most of the first-years and we soar through the written tests. We've gotten used to the training quite fast too. Everything's actually easier than back home if you forget the verbal abuse. Weird considering the rumors about this place. I guess we're just that good. I think I should update my profile picture soon. I haven't drawn in a while though, and the current one was a commission from a talented individual. What to do...

My fangs are growing a lot lately. It's weird to feel them on my lips all the time.

Keeping a low profile. Meaning I'm letting my friends get their times of glory while I ambush their bullies in the dark. Is it wrong that I grew to love punching stupid kids?

One good thing about Battle-School is that we're allowed to visit the city when we've done our duties. Most of the other kids are super tired and can't move but we super-kids are fine. I haven't been in a city since a bunch of months ago when my Mom was still around. Maybe I can go check it out if my buddies want to tag along.

"Move maggots! I don't care if you break your damn legs, you better run those laps or I'll replace your fat noses with the cork of my sandals!"

Loosy food, rude cooks and dirty tables... The mess hall is not my favorite part of the Red Citadel.

Have you ever beat someone up with a hammock?

There are some good things here. We have actual beds now, not just holes in a wall. There are even bedsheets so we got that going for us, it's nice.

They say when you enter a prison, you gotta take down the meanest baddest inmate you can find for instant respect. It never works of course. My fellow supersoldiers didn't get the memo though.

When we finally entred the Citadel, we noticed a huge pack of kids glancing from over the walls, screaming and taunting the caravan. It felt like we entered a prison instead of a school. "Newmoon! Newmoon!" they called us when we got out the wagon, laughing and growling and showing their butts. Pretty disturbing stuff for Etny and Etfy.

You ever look at a big building and think to yourself "Overcompensating"?

We arrived on the outskirts of Mako Marith. After passing a very long wall, I could see farm fields as well more of those fluffy bovines. Etny desperately tried to get out the wagon and jump on them. Thankfully, he calmed down. The city walls are not that far now. They are big and tall, as expected. But while the supply wagons will enter the City-State, we head towards the Citadel which is seperate. From here it looks like a castle with red roofs, complete opposite of the blue ones from our previous home.

Good news everyone, the cavalry's here. Well... The Legion actually. A full batallion led by super-strong Generals helped our competent Caravan Guards exterminate both groups of monsters. They were heading for the border to fight the Humans, I guess war saved our asses then. Yay... Looks like the way is clear to the next city. It's called Mako Marith. From what I heard back at school, it's a pretty rough place for young ones. Super harsh training, no supervision outside of class, and the food is terrible. ... So... Why the hell are they sending my group there then?

Welp, this journey just got interesting. After we split up with the rest of the caravan, we stumbled upon two groups of monsters arguing with their fangs. Then they saw us. Some of the guards got killed. It's not looking good. We're hiding in the chariot now... Do the gods of this world hate me or something?

"Only a miracle can help us pass unharmed now." --- "Really? Do we have one of those?"

Huh... I must have dozed off. Are we there yet?

"Fluffy!"

Seeing adult Demons squaring against giant monsters makes my punching bullies look like baby squabbles. They're literally tearing the land apart as they fight!

All 20 members of the superdemon program are now travelling in groups towards the different City-States of the Empire. We all have the potential to become Demon Lords in less than twenty years so everyone wants a piece of us. Right now we're all part of the same fortified caravan on the main road, but we will split later along the way. The chariot's feels confined what with all the supplies stashed as tightly as possible. The scenery's nice, for now...

... I guess I overestimated my persuasion skills. At least Etfy and Etny helped me convince the Director to deport us together. I wonder... do they really like me or do they just not have a lot of friends?

Screw this, I'm not letting them deport me like that. I'll do an Etfy and actually speak up.

Okay, apparently "cutting" us was a metaphor. The Director likes comparing us to diamonds. He explain we outshine each other and can't prove ourselves by staying away from the other Demons. So, they're gonna split us into teams. He sounds frustrated though, looks like it wasn't his idea. Right now he's pairing us, randomly I guess... ... ...Okay he's done. I'm not with Etfy and Etny but it's fine. "Gather your things, it's a long way to your future homes." He says. ... Wait, what?

Worst thing about fantasy medicine; no anesthetics...

"You children are our jewels, our future. Which means, sadly, that a bit of cutting is required."

Not been in combat training for a while. Some weeks ago we fought small monsters and dueled each other, but now nothing. I don't dislike using my bare hands in a brawl, but I'd rather learn how to wield something pointy and/or sharp so I don't get eaten one day. The blade I found in the wood was confiscated, and Snafa was ordered not to bring us "dangerous" stuff. The various Masters say we need to wait until Battle-School before we get to spill more blood, whatever that means...

So... Etfy doesn't like hugging... Ouch...

I just learn that Eight-Two-Five was the one who told on Snafa. I could kiss her, but I'm a demon and it's not what we do... Then again I'm a demon so screw the rules. I'll give her a hug.

I may have spoken too soon... They don't call Snafa "the Swift" for nothing. He's so fast I can almost hear a sonic boom when he leaps over the walls to look for an item. Plus he loves running so nothing we ask for bothers him, the farther the better. Dangit...

Good news. It has been decided that Snafa the Swift will "handle any delivery service the subjects might need." Basically, Snafa is now our class' errand boy, effective immediately. Say what you will about the Demon Empire, their bureaucracy works fast. Fuhuhu... I'm gonna enjoy it.

Okay so our most hated teacher, the Master-Breeder, and the Director are long-time friends. Snafa is obviously the happy trouble-maker, Ar Eron is the super serious type, while the Director (I think his name's Akoth) sounds like the angst-filled leader who makes the big calls. Apparently they're used to Snafa's bullshit but this time they want him to "own up". What do they have in mind?

I'll be damned. Master Ar Eron and the Director himself interrupted our last session with Snafa. They didn't mind our presence and are having a pretty heated argument about wasting resources and endangering the "specimens". Not very flattering but I'll take it. I wonder who warned them though? I admit I was wallowing in our misery and didn't think about actually complaining to the higher ups.

That crap-sac Snafa tossed the full batch of supersoldiers down a giant obstacle course he dug out who knows how. There are actual spikes below the platforms and he even asked some adults to cast fireballs randomly. It'd be pretty funny if I WASN'T THE ONE GETTING SHOT AT.

First day of gym with Snafa ended... Long story short, fourth most horrible day of my short life. I have never hated a teacher as bad as him before... He's making me hate effort... He's making me hate having legs... He's making me hate having a functionning brain...

A new Drill-Master was assigned to us at the Citadel; an Archdemon named Snafa the Swift. He laughs a lot but doesn't look very... er... committed...

Now that I think about it, we little demons had no summer break, like at all.

I hope I didn't mess stuff up with Etny... I just want to go back to punching people and learning how to knit clothes.

So... Let's say a 100-days-old supersoldier is crying on a rooftop at night. Any tips?

It's chilly up the tower, summer will end soon. I'm careful not to make too much noise but I have experience sneaking around in the middle of the night so I'm not too worried. In saw guards in front of every doors on every floors. No way Etny got past them. I thought I had gone the wrong way when I noticed something out of a window. He is right outside, on the roof of the main building, curled up in a ball. Good grief. I'm no baby-sitter. It's not my job to solve his problems. Save him from certain death? Sure... But still... Urg... Now I wish I brought Etfy along...

Do people who are afraid of heading down a dark set of stairs feel the same about walking up to a dark place?

The adults really don't trust us nowadays, there are sentries on every exit. The only way he could have gone is up the Citadel's tower.

Should I wake Etfy up and go looking for our missing friend? Or do I go alone? Too bad I can't save my progress before these decisions, that'd be helpful...

Weird. Etny's not in the hole next to mine tonight. I'm supposed to be the insomniac of the batch, not him. Where has he gone?

Nothing like mosquitoes to keep yourself awake weither you want it or not. Wish I could use magic already so I could burn their flying butts off.

You ever get the feeling like your best buddy's hiding something dark from you?

The adults are escorting us out of the forest. A stern scolding is on the horizon. Etny proposes a group hug while we still can. For your information, we're all covered in blood, so... heh... fine... friendship it is.

"Thanks for the killing and saving."

We survived. The adults arrived just as me, Etfy, and Etny finished slicing the throat of the last monster we pinned down. The dagger I found on that corpse earlier was quite useful. Etfy's stick broke while perforating the stomach of another monster. I'll give her mine later. All's not perfect though... The big wolf died dealing with two of the monsters by herself. I think I mentionned when she and her friends showed up in front of the class and we all howled at each other? That was fun... Now she's gone, and we live. Rest in peace.

Seriously... I don't care if I'm a superdemon being bred for war. I really don't like getting close to dying. Been there done that.

Great news: The "something" behind us is actually a tamed wolf from the Farm. That means the adults are close. Very bad news: The monsters are about to reach Etny. We need to help now, but... Extremely bad news: Etfy has just rushed in to help, alone, with a wooden stick, against four monsters twice our weight. Shit.

Good News: We found our friend. Bad News: He's stuck in a tree, surrounded by lizard-wolf-looking monsters. Decent news: We're downwind and we Imps don't have mana so the monsters can't sense us. Horrible news: There's something behind us.

"Do we share the same hearing of things?"

Found a skeleton

First actual corpse-robbing of my life. Yay...

Rest your gaze upon me! I have acquired a ligneous stick!

What the hell am I doing...

Eight-Two-Nine is missing. No one's seen him in hours and I highly suspect he's gotten lost in the woods near the Farm. I'd like to go and help him, but last time we left a walled settlement without an escort, he and I almost died. Me and Eight-Two-Five warned the adults, but they might take too long to reach him. Getting in danger's not on my bucket list, but doing nothing feels uncool. We did get stronger these past weeks, plus I really like the little guy. What should I do?

People say slavery is wrong, but when you see how hard-working an enslaved child-rapist becomes after getting whipped, you begin to wonder.

Farming's hard work when the veggies are bigger than your head.

Ever seen a pack of giant wolves having a howling contest with a bunch of kids? It's the funniest thing ever.

"Now that you know how to survive, we will teach you how to live."

Killing small monsters is way scarier than punching people.

NOPE NOPE NOPE. NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE NOPE. NOPE. Nope nope nope nope. NOPE NOPE nope nope... Nope. Nopity nope nope. NOPE.

What the hell's a Dire-Duck?

Outdoor lesson today. We're going monster-slaying. What could go wrong?

I look 7 but I feel 30.

No offense but the other kids are more messed up than I am.

... I miss my mom. I wish I could have made her smile before she was forced out of the Citadel.