The sweat ran down his face, as he swung the pickaxe with all the force he could muster at the mountain face. The sun barred down on him, and as pale as he was he feared he'd have a burn in the morning..
His arms ached with his exertion it seemed as if it had been a decade since he worked his muscles so hard, but at the same time he felt exhilirated. He was rebuilding the Empire, rock by rock. Just as he had done to begin with so many years ago.
He had stripped to the waist to try and keep cool, but he was still sweating even in the mid morning chill. It had been almost a week since he awoke in this town, uncertain of how he had come to be here, and he had seen no one he recognized save Young Caska Kenaustin two days ago.
Caska had seemed equally puzzled about how they had come to be here, but it didn't bother Toben much as he thought about it. This land was as good as any other land really. It had montains rich in ore, and it had warriors who would need armour and arms.
Where there were those things one could almost hear the opportunity on the wind, and to Toben, that was all that really mattered..
