Mr. Zac Bradshaw - Health Quest: Fantasize Yourself To A Hard Body!

Health Quest

Fantasize Yourself to a Hard Body!

ZAC BRADSHAW

Copyright 2011 Flea Circus Books

All rights reserved.

ISBN-13: 978-0-9868831-18

DEDICATION

This book is dedicated to 4KDD. 2277. Onward.

CONTENTS

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Chapter One

How the Game Works

Common Sense Advice and the Big Disclaimer

Creating Your Character

The Rules

Chapter Two

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

Chapter Five

Intermission One

Chapter Six

Chapter Seven

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

Chapter Ten

Intermission Two

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

Chapter Fifteen

Intermission Three

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Eighteen

Chapter Nineteen

Chapter Twenty

Conclusion

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I would like to thank:

My Three Kids

for providing me with my ultimate motivation for fitness;

My Brother

for showing me what dedication to fitness can accomplish;

The CrossFit Community and Mark Sisson

for illuminating the true path to fitness;

Gary Gygax

for revealing to us all where imagination can take you;

DC

for his great idea and follow-through in home publishing;

CS

for his patient and ruthless editing;

and

KB

for all the support and love over the years, no matter how fit I was.

INTRODUCTION

The heavy smoke in the tavern is barely a distraction as you gorge lustily on a haunch of beef and fried potatoes with a huge tankard of ale to wash it all down. It isnt that youve worked up such an appetite slaying, just that the Binge and Purge has such great specials on Friday night, that someone would be daft to miss them. And the ale, well, at least this was one tavern where it wasnt watered down to nothing. Some come for the conversation, but youre alone in the crowd tonight. This doesnt matter to you though since the food is excellent. Amid the din, you catch a hint of something more interesting than the usual banter and bluster from two men to your left. You turn an ear while shoveling in some more tender beef.

Like evil creatures of all sorts all of a sudden springing up in my way. Ever time I looked at the scroll and followed the directions, something would show up to take a piece out of me. Its cursed I tell you.

Cursed! Now I know yur lying bein as how you said a knight done give you that scroll.

Shure an a knight did give me the scroll! You callin me a liar?

The two low-lives began to scuffle, drawing the ire of the tavern keepers tough, who hastened the two out the door. Scum. Still, something about that story seemed strange. Conversation in the room returned to its previous uninteresting drone. You finish up your supper and gulp down the last of your ale. With a hearty belch you thank the bartender then start moving towards the door. Once outside, you see the man who had been bragging to his friends about the strange scroll, still brushing the streets dirt from his grubby garb after having been tossed from the tavern. He looks like a thief so you approach him warily, but steadily nonetheless, since curiosity has the better of you.

What did you mean in there, when you were talking about that stone?, you ask, looking back and forth for any of his friends who might be trying to get the jump on you.

Twas called the Healthstone, and who wants to know?

Im just an adventurer, always on the lookout for more gold. You say that the stone is worth a fortune and you have a map to get to it?

Youve got to be kidding. You turn and start to walk up the street. The thief makes a grab for your arm and you begin to draw your sword. He backs up hastily.

Beggin you pardon mlord / mlady. But the knight who gave me the scroll said that the stone had more to it than just coin. He said it was magical.

Shure. An he also said there was more magic than that but he couldna tell me more since twas more than he twigged. But it was shurely magical.

Right, except when you followed the directions in the scroll, you ran into bad luck. Seems to me like the scroll is cursed.

Not bad luck mlord / mlady, bad creatures. They attacked me evry time I tried to follow that damn scroll. Maybe tis cursed, but maybe tis the price you must pay to get to the stone. Me, I dont need that there kind of trouble. But you mlord / mlady, you look like you could deal with the likes of what I found, or found me as it were.

Sensing that the thief was trying to flatter you to make a sale, you nevertheless are intrigued by the story. You have just one more question. So why did the knight give it to you?

He said he had to pass on the scroll as the last part of his quest. Right strange he was in jus giving it to me but he said he had to. An when I asked if he got the Healthstone he just smiled an rode on. Shure and thats the honest truth.

You ponder the story for a while and dont really believe most of it. But youve got nothing better to do for the next while and a little distraction might be just the thing between jobs. You decide to make an offer. Two gold pieces for your scroll.

Tis robbery I tell you. Four!, the little thief exploded.

Two gold pieces, and not a copper more. Take it or leave it.

A distraught look covered the mans face for a moment as he pondered your offer, but it was soon replaced with a look of resignation and a shrug of the shoulders. Sold. Now lets see your money.

You scan the shadows one last time before digging two gold pieces from your pouch. You hold the coins out toward the would-be salesman in your left hand, your right reaching for the scroll. The simultaneous exchange is made, and the deal is done. He quickly disappears into the darkness and with a snicker of laughter calls back, Good luck!

Now that you have the scroll you open it to read it in the light spilling out of the tavern windows. It is hard to make out, but the top part of the scroll reads as follows:

Be these directions to the Healthstone, a gem of immense power, yet one that anyone can attain should they have the will to do so. The Healthstone will confer great health to any who should touch it and many other powers in addition, yet the way is difficult and laden with challenge. If ye be of courage and a stout will, then follow the directions herein.

So far so good. It seems to be what the thief described. Curious yet skeptical, you read further.

If ye truly believe, then go north out of the city on the Silver Mountain trail. If ye believe not, then pass me to a more worthy possessor.

Well, a scroll with cheek. The Silver Mountain trail eh? Hmm, well why not? Besides you have all your belongings on you since you were looking for a new place to stay for the night anyway. Tough choice. Fifty-fifty really. Stick around town hoping something new will pop up while you keep doing the same old thing, or try to find this Healthstone with all its attendant challenges. You wonder if the claims are real, and if so if it is worth it.