For the fifth English Major learning outcome I decided to use a short story that I wrote for my creative writing class. This short story is written in the fantasy genre.

ERH 223
John Stann
A Bridge to Nowhere

“This is hell, I hate The North” Marius said aloud “It’s too bloody cold.” He looked over the edge of into the canyon below, his voice echoed loudly causing lose rocks to fall down into the ice choked river that winded back and forth like a snake cutting through the snow peaked mountains. “Why did I even come here.” Marius moaned bundling himself up in his cloak, desperately trying to keep out the cold.
“If I recall correctly, you wanted to escape.” His companion said without turning around to look at Marius’ pathetic form. “Yeah, I wanted to escape Kai.” Marius said teeth chattering in the cold, “From prison. What I didn’t want was to get put in another prison, with you. We could have gone anywhere in the world, but you decided to bring us here, to this frozen, wasteland.” Marius sneezed wiping it onto his trousers.
Kai turned around and stared at Marius, pale blue eyes meeting black. “Then why did you take my help? I would have gladly left you to the gallows. We used to be partners we had made a fortune! We could be there again. Imagine us, sitting in the summer isles surrounded by our wealth, not having to worry about bounties or the king’s men chasing us.” Kai looked dreamily into the distance fingering his sword, as he always did when he spoke.
“If I recall correctly you betrayed me so that you could collect the bounty that was on my head. That was why I was in prison in the first place.” Marius muttered under his breath.
Kai looked shocked and hurt. “Come now Marius, did you actually think I would let you rot away or get killed? No, no no. You are too valuable in our company. I need you, just as you need me.” He turned around and wrapped his burly arms around Marius’ shoulders, almost crushing his neck as Marius fought to escape Kai’s grip.
“I need you.” Marius said flatly. “Like hell I do, my life had been fine, I was the greatest thief in Atikar, then you showed up and things started to go downhill, what you men to say was that you need me.”
“Come now Marius, that is not fair at all!” Kai pouted letting Marius go as they continued to walk up the narrow mountain path. “This is hell.” Marius said again, sighing as he followed Kai up the hill. “Gods, I hate the north.”
“For some reason, I don’t think that the gods are listening to you.” Kai noted looking up at the falling snow. “Its still cold, we’re still here and you are still stuck with me.”
“That’s the problem isn’t it.” Marius stated. “I know very well that no one is listening!”
“Then why say it if you already knew that?” Kai said “It’s a waste of words.”
“It’s a figure of speech.” Marius exclaimed. “Gods you are stupid. I can’t take any more of this!”
“And yet you do.” Kai noted. “You could have left the day before or the day before that. I even asked you before we went into the mountains if you wanted to leave, but you didn’t. Why?” Kai raised his eyebrows as he fiddled with a dagger flipping it up and down.
“Stop toying with me Kai! I’ll leave,”
“Admit it you are curious about why we are going this far north.” Kai responded stabbing the knife in Marius’ direction.
Marius growled and refused to speak.
“We do make a great team though.” Kai said ignoring Marius. “You the greatest thief in Atikar and I the greatest swordsman. Nothing can stop us. But if you want to go all the way back down the mountains that we’ve already climbed and into the hands of the king begging forgiveness for attempting to steal the crown jewels be my guest. I am not holding you back.”
Marius rolled his eyes and continued behind Kai muttering and cursing under his breath, but not leaving either.
“Besides Marius, things aren’t all bad. Look” Kai said pointing ahead of him into the darkness. “There is a bridge!”
“A bridge.” Marius said sarcastically. “Well that makes things a whole lot better.”
Marius and Kai had reached a flat part of the mountain that they were climbing and stopped to rest, Marius sat down on a snow-covered rock, feeling the wet snow bite into his skin, it was uncomfortable, but he didn’t care, his feet needed a rest.
“We are almost in clan territory, we need to be careful, the wildmen clans are very suspicious of outsiders and prone to violence. Just don’t do anything stupid ok?”
“Me do anything stupid? It would be you who would have to worry. You and your big mouth.”
“See, you did miss me.” Kai said and lightly punched Marius in the arm.
Marius grunted, stood up and began to follow him.
The suspension bridge hung across the canyon and seemed to stretch on for miles the snowy wind blocked the other end from Marius sight and bit into his face. Marius stepped onto the bridge behind Kai, the wooden planks creaked and groaned from the pressure, out from the darkness and swirling snow a figure started to loom, a man, carrying what looked like a giant rake strapped to his back which turned out to be a giant sword on his very muscular back.
“Well this is inconvenient.” Kai stopped and looked at the man who had stopped as well, eyeing the two men who stood opposite him.
“Yes, it is.” he said in a deep booming voice, Marius thought, it made him uneasy. “Why would fate bring us together on the same bridge.”
“The North” Marius muttered. “Nothing could surprise me up here.”
The man turned and glared at Marius, he wore beaten leather pants and a wolfskin fur cloak, his long blonde hair tumbled down past his shoulders and his green eyes seemed to pierce Marius’ soul making him gulp. The sword on his back was huge, almost as tall as he was, definitely taller than Marius was.
“Don’t do anything rash Kai.” Marius said, but Kai was already eying the stranger as if looking to pick a fight with him.
“Let me handle this Marius.” Kai said as he swaggered forward towards the mysterious woman. “Good evening, what a wonderful day.”
“No it isn’t” Marius muttered. Kai elbowed Marius in the gut.
The man stared at them curiously, “Well it all depends on how you look at it isn’t it?” the man said in a thick accent.
“See! The giant agrees with me.” Kai exclaimed triumphantly.
“Don’t insult him,” Marius warned. “He looks like he could take us in one go.
“I am Kai the tiger of Harkonin” Kai said proudly, thumping his chest as he spoke.
“And I am Bjorn of Westreach” Talisa said standing even taller, if it was possible.
“Warriors and their titles.” Marius said under his breath, rolling his eyes. Both Bjorn and Kai glared at Marius.
“What are you doing on this bridge?” Bjorn asked Kai.
“We’re trying to cross to the other side.” Kai stated
“As am I” Bjorn responded.
“Are you two done with your stating the obvious competition yet?” Marius asked impatiently. Looking behind him”
“Who is he, your servant?” Bjorn asked Kai motioning to Marius who huffed indignantly.
“More of an apprentice.” Kai said ignoring Marius’ protests.
“I am your partner!” Kai said “the greatest thief in Atikar!”
“You are now, are you?” Kai said to Marius. “I thought a few moments ago you were ready to abandon me to this cold.”
“That is a big sword” Kai noted nodding to the massive weapon on Bjorn’s back.
“Aye it is!” Bjorn said proudly, stroking his beard before pulling the massive weapon out of its sheath and holding it up, the metal gleaming in the snow. “This sword has been handed down in my family for generations! There are many names for it. Some call it the star-killer, grave-filler, the blood reaper! Some say that it was a gift from the gods who came down to earth on a rainbow to deliver it to my ancestors.”
“Hmm” Kai said thoughtfully brushing snow out of his black hair. “My sword was made from the skeleton of a shooting star.”
“A shooting star ehh? That does sound interesting. I have been something of a smith myself. Does the metal give the sword any special properties?” Bjorn asked.
Marius groaned again, if you got Kai started on his sword he would never stop talking.
“Why now that you mention it, it does.” Kai said brightly, pulling the sword out of its sheath. “The metal shines bright, even in the darkest night and its edge never dulls. Starcleaver is what I call it.” The sword did gleam, Marius could see the faint outline of it despite the blinding snow.”
“Are we done yet?” Marius asked. “You both have great swords, but we really should be moving on.”
“Is he always this annoying?” Bjorn asked staring down at Kai, his green eyes making Marius uncomfortable once again.
“Always.” Kai said “He is practically infuriating, that was one reason why I left him to get caught.”
Marius sniffed at that.
“But it is a fine line between bearable and being unbearable.” Kai said, “which is why I came back for him.”
“Now, as my companion said Kai told Bjorn, “despite loving running into you, we do need to cross, we are being chased, by soldiers from the king of Attica and we do really need to get going.”
“I completely understand,” Bjorn responded, “But, funnily as it may seem, I am also being chased by soldiers from the High king of the northern clans and despite being incredibly honored that I would warrant the High King’s attention when he is set to invade the south, however, I really don’t want to be killed by him and thus I need to get across to your side.”
Kai frowned “If you move to the side, then we can be on our way and there doesn’t have to be an issue.”
“But I was here first.” Bjorn said growling “And I would rather not step aside on a bridge as narrow as the one we are on. My weight would fling us all into the chasm below. And I do not appreciate the tone you are taking with me.”
“Then you will like it even less when I punch you so hard you land on your ass.” Kai said half drawing the saex knife that he had at his belt.
“Wait a moment.” Marius said as he stepped in-between the two warriors who were ready to slit each other’s throats. “If you both fight here, on this narrow bridge, as you said Bjorn, there is a good chance of one of you cutting one of the ropes holding the bridge and then we would all be killed. And as much as I would be entertained watching you two kill each other, I am just fine being alive, I would rather not die on a bridge in the middle of nowhere all because your egos were two big to let one of you pass.”
Both Kai and Bjorn looked at Marius, “He is right.” Bjorn said finally
“Yes, yes, Marius does have a point.” Kai mused thoughtfully sheathing his knife once again. “Well in that case, please let us go back to my side of the bridge and we can fight there!”
“Oh, but I insist that we go to my side of the bridge, there was a nice patch of ground perfect for a duel.” Bjorn said.
Marius gaped turning his head to look at Bjorn and Kai. “So the two of you were about ready to kill each other over not wanting to let the other pass, but now you are willing to go back to your side of the bridge to fight, over not letting the other pass?”
“Well of course, it is only manners.” Kai said a matter-of-factly.
“Absolutely.” Bjorn agreed nodding his head in agreement. “Manners are everything, even in a duel or a fight. Manners set aside the civilized from the uncivilized. Which is why I have to ask you to let us go back to my side to fight.”
Kai narrowed his eyes which was almost as deadly a look as his sword. “No, we must go to my side.” He growled.
Marius sighed. “I am surrounded by the two biggest buffoons in the known world, aren’t I! Why do things like this always happen to me? Kai, just let’s go to his side and be done with it.”
“All right fine. But don’t think we are not going to fight just because we get what we wanted originally. I still owe the man a good beating for not letting us go across in the first place.”
“Oh, I wouldn’t dream of trying to stop you from picking a brawl. I’ve learned my lesson from the last time something happened.” Marius said as he trudged across the bridge.
“You are right, this is a lovely spot for a fight.” Kai said approvingly tapping his foot on the ground feeling the hardness of the dirt. “This ground is perfect. It was all rocks and boulders on our side. Now what shall our weapons be knives, swords? It has been a few days since I have drawn StarCleaver and I have been itching to use it.”
“Let us wrestle,” Bjorn said dropping his great sword and resting it against a frozen tree trunk. “It is more about skill then a blade and it will prove who is the better fighter without having to injure ourselves too severely or damage our blades.”
“Quite right, quite right.” Kai said approvingly also dropping his sword, knife and pack against the tree. “Marius, you shall be the judge.”
“He won’t stab me while my back is turned will he?” Bjorn asked suspiciously. He looks like a shady little fellow. Like the type who would cut a man’s throat in his sleep, no honor at all.”
“That’s the thief look, thief’s generally have to be sneaky. But don’t worry, he doesn’t kill anybody, that’s my job.” Kai responded glaring at Marius. “Keep your knives to yourself.” He said.
Kai and Bjorn crouched down and began to circle each other fainting and darting in and out of reach to test the other’s skills. Bjorn almost caught Kai in a headlock, but Kai managed to escape, falling to his back as he kicked Bjorn in the thigh.
“You are a rather quick fellow aren’t you.” Bjorn said. “Now I know why they call you the tiger.”
“And you’re a beast.” Panted Kai as he tried to wrap his arms around Bjorn’s neck.
“Um Kai?” Marius said trying to get the two men’s attentions. “You might want to see this.”
“Can’t you see that we’re a little busy at the moment?” Kai responded in short breaths as he tried to get out of a head hold.
“Well, well well, what have we here?” A voice said looming out of the shadows. Four bearded Nothern Clansmen appeared out of the snowy wind, as Bjorn stopped the wrestling, spat blood out of his mouth and ran to the tree to pick up his weapons as Kai did the same. “Well Bjorn, did you think you could outrun us forever?”
“Not at all Frode” Bjorn said, “I’m just surprised it took you this long to get me, it’s not that hard to track me in this snow.”
“We didn’t have any horses. The High King needs them for the war,” Frode said sullenly.
Marius glanced at the other men, they were all bearded, like most Northmen and had either red or blonde hair and they were all heavily armed.
“This isn’t good,” Kai said to Marius and Bjorn. “Think we can fight our way out?”
“That will be our only option.” Bjorn said I would rather not die, and my people would probably kill you due to the war going on once they find out that you’re southerners.”
“Know will you come peacefully Bjorn or are we going to have to drag you half dead before the High King as he attempts to get his gold back and who are your companions, they don’t look northern to me.” Frode said glaring at Marius, Kai and Bjorn.
“You take the one on the right,” Kai said to Marius, “I’ve got the middle two.”
“No I have the middle two!” Bjorn whispered to Kai, you get the short scrimpy one on the right. Go!” Bjorn said unsheathing his massive sword before Kai could argue. Marius sighed and chased after the man on the left. He lunged and sparred with the man who growled and cursed as he swung his sword. Finally, Marius managed to stab the man in the gut who fell to the ground clenching his side in pain blood seeping from the wound.
“Thank you for helping me,” Bjorn said wiping blood off of his sword, I am in your debt.”
“The pleasure is all mine.” Kai said gasping for air. “Nothing like a good fight to wake you up and make friends.”
“Agreed,” Bjorn said. “Now who did you say was coming after you?”
“The King of Attica’s sending some of his soldiers after us. We had gotten into a bit of a scrap trying to steal the Crown Jewels, but it ended up with Marius in jail and myself without a partner or jewels.”
Bjorn coughed “That’s quiet the ambitious project that you tried. How about to settle my debt I join you and help you defeat your enemies.”
“But aren’t you still going to be chased by the High King?” Kai asked. “We should help you defeat your enemies!”
“You will need a guide though, these mountain passes can be treacherous and I know them rather well.” Bjorn said.
“You two!” Marius said exasperated. “Won’t you ever stop?”
Both Bjorn and Kai looked at Marius and then went back to arguing as they walked down the hill towards yet another mountain that they needed to climb. “I hate the north,” Marius thought “This is hell.”