The Priestess who handed the Thresher an enormous loaf and a tureen of spiced lentils told him the thing in his heart was a gift. He said nothing to her but she saw through him into his heart. The Goddess would not take it away like she would a physical wound. It hurt but it separated him from the things that squirmed and writhed in the vaults beneath the Tower of Pain. The ones which, turned loose, would mindlessly kill and kill until driven back into the cave with holy sigils and command words.
Animals had instinctive fear of man. A sword was no different from a stinger or a claw and from the moment they could walk, they ran. Not so for children, even the children of monstermen. They associated creatures larger than themselves with smiling faces and food. They rushed toward the armored figures as they came through the door, chirping excitedly, expecting companionship and play-
At what point had he himself gone from expecting companionship and play to accepting the splash of arterial blood on his face without flinching? He recalled playing with pillbugs in the straw. Imagining he rode a dragon. He recalled also how he had set a trap for the cat under the milk pail. He had tormented ants until they flew into a rage and killed their sisters. If others were cruel to him he was crueler still. Perhaps there was no transition.
Was that an excuse he made to himself? Did he say he was born rotten because he couldn't accept that he had allowed it to happen?
A click came from the big board. Below the image of the bread and the sword, the display ticked over. The Thresher's name appeared in the order of precedence next to his new score.
The Goddess' love came freely but her approval was hard won. It filled the Thresher in an instant. Stronger than beer and the taste of buttered bread. Stronger than the bullet in his heart when he thought about what he had done to get his name there.
ALDRICH
All Hope Has Abandoned You - Skid Granite
Assault of the Giants - Fancy Meat ComputerGod King's Blessing - Bolt Thrower
BARBICAN OF THE BLASTER CASTER
Alejandro Vendren Combat - The Senescence
Explore - Mystic Cryptic
COMBAT
DENT IN THE SHIELD
Explore - Drowning
Star Spawn - Unknowable
DESERT AT NIGHT
DESERT
FLOODED FORGE
PALACE OF THE NAGA RAJA
Explore - Singing SandNaga Raja - Sparkling Sand
PEOPLE
Al Abbas - Tethered Sun
Cactus Cat - The Cryptozoologists
Chelicera's Radio Song - The Whisper
Cortez' Rangers - Factory
Dead Elves - Woods and the Goddess
Giant Corps - The Clamber
Gnolls - Khans Of The New California
Great Lord of Embers - Smoldering Corpse Bar
Living Ship - Greenpath
Halfling Combat - Dagger Dance
Hogman Combat - Cigarettes Smoked Away
Hsigo Air Assault - Death From Above
Military Orders - Bates
Military Orders Combat - Wild West
Nephilich - Fallen Tree
Night Hunters - Control Area
Repo Men - Ludopathy
Sphinx - Multiple Personality
Temple of Quickness - OniryaTombherd - Blackpath
Triumvirate - Generated Song
Worm Chariot - Shanteytown
RIVER TRAVEL
Halflings - Saltfork OST and Soundsense OST
Mowers - Hardspace Shipbreaker OST
SETTLEMENT GENERIC
SETTLEMENT SPECIFIC
Adventurer Farm - Deep Cover
Destroyed Settlement - Soft Skin
Grange Bank - Agent Cruller's Sacred Hall
Grange Bank Underground - City Facilities
Meatcamp - Martinaise, Terminal B
Oil Well - At the Heart of it All Potion Addict - Elton At The Bar
SHRINE OF THE DRAGON
Explore - Mithreaeum
Lindworm - Sand and Sunder
SHRINE OF SANCTIFICATION
Angel Fight - Flashpoint
Explore - Lethe
Explore - The Angel Cried Out
Explore - Whitepath
TOMB GENERIC
TOMB OF GOD
TRAVEL SPECIFIC
Air Travel - Leap Around
Air Travel - Prevailing Westerlies
Boat Adventure - On Blue's Waters
Chase - Modern Day Ouroboros
Welcome to Hogman's Plain - Dying on a Warm Planet
UNQUIET TOMB
Rats - Labrat
Explore - Subterranean Homesick Malign
WIDOW'S GROVE
Combat - desert_battle
Explore - Foreigner in Zeal
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