An Aimless War (Greatest Thief 2)

Bonus - The Reasons to Enlist - Excitement

Thirteen years before An Aimless War

There was a satisfying thud as the axe embedded into the wooden block. Evrik went to retrieve it, grabbing the handle and giving it a sharp tug. When that didn't work, he wiggled the axe back and forth until it was loose enough to slip out of the wood. Evrik smiled to himself as he ran his fingers over the cut. It was deep. The deepest he'd ever made. He was getting stronger.

Behind him, the bushes rustled and Evrik spun around, holding up the axe. When he saw who was pushing aside branches, he lowered the weapon with a sigh. "Evran, what do you want?"

"Father sent you to collect wood hours ago. He told me to come out and make sure you weren't hurt." Evrik's older brother stepped into the clearing and eyed the wooden figure Evrik had been attacking. It didn't look much like a person, but Evrik had draped one of his father's old shirts over it. So it was clearly meant to be a person.

Evran crossed his arms. "So... what are you doing?"

"Practicing." With the axe, Evrik gestured at a pile of chopped wood near his brother's feet. "I finished with that first."

"So who are you killing?" Evran asked.

"No one," Evrik said with a shrug, turning back to his wooden figure.

Evran was silent for a moment, then he nudged the pile of wood with his foot. "I'll help you carry these back home, then? You know, there are other chores you're supposed to get done today."

Evrik crouched next to his brother and helped stack wood in Evran's arms. "I know, but..." he shot another glance at his wooden enemy. "Do you really want to be a farmer forever?"

"What else is there for me to do?"

"Something exciting."

"Killing people?"

"I'm bored." Evrik helped Evran stand, but didn't move to pick up the rest of the wood. "All I do is check on the animals or chop wood."

Evran laughed. "That's because you're still a child."

"I am not. Evril's a child."

"You're two years older than him, it doesn't make a difference."

"I'm not a child." Evrik pointed towards the figure. "Look at what I can do."

Evran blew a strand of hair out of his eyes. "You can hit a wooden figure with an axe. Isn't that the same as chopping wood? Anyone can do that."

Evrik frowned. He turned and took a step closer to the figure, while unhooking his hatchet from his belt. He held it lightly in his right hand, hesitated a moment, and threw it. It slammed into the middle of the log, right where a human's chest would be. It was a really good throw. Maybe one of his best.

He turned to his brother. "Tell me that anyone can do that."

Evran's mouth was open in shock, his eyes wide. "How did you do that?"

"I practice. I started with knives but I like the hatchet better." As he spoke, Evrik walked to the figure to grab the little axe. "I used to play games when I chopped wood. I'd pretend I was a great hero and the wood was a horrible monster and I'd defeat it over and over again. But it was too easy, so I made up different monsters." He returned to his brother's side and started to pick up the rest of the wood. "Flying ones that I had to throw knives at. Then I broke my knife-"

"The one father gave you for your birthday?"

Evrik stood, precariously balancing wood in his arms. "Yes. But anyway, then I tried using the axe. It was different but I figured it out. And anyway... I want to go to West Draulin. I want to join the army and go on adventures like the ones grandfather used to tell us about."