We all sit, with empty pots and full bellies under the massive black void of clouds that hide the moon and the stars. Kilometers-long open fields and hilly forests stretch around us, only the dim, dwelling lights of the far villages flickering in the distance. Far north, the mighty mountains of Ravos connect the void above us with the ground below. The cool breeze rustles around us, making us shiver and move close to the big fire. Only its sound dances around us, bonding us even more in our mutual silence. We look at each other awkwardly, begging for someone to start a conversation. I don't look at Aiul directly, only eyeing him with my peripheral vision. I'm still bitter about the loss, but we will duel again tomorrow, and this time I will win.
"A story?" one of the cousins says, eyeing Tork. He is old, so he must know quite a lot of them. We all move toward him, faces half-lit from the fire. I always wanted to hear stories from travelers and traders back when I was on the farm. This is my chance, so I lean in the most.
Tork stands over us, his head lit from below. "Tomorrow we'll cross 'The First Forest', lads. The first forest the early Hawks found when searching for the center," his tone is deep and dramatic. "Old legends say that monsters still walk in there, waiting and waiting for a lost person to linger there, so they can eat him alive."
He looks at us, open-eyed, with a little smile on his face. "But those are only legends, right? Old myths to scare the children," he says with a mocking tone. "No, no, no. There are monsters there. I've seen them with my own eyes. I have witnessed the fears that forest has to offer, and I will tell you, the legends are very true."
I lean in, curious to hear more. A shiver runs through my skin, and my heart begins to beat faster. "When I was still a young boy, the age of fifteen," he continues, "I went with my father, eager to learn the family art of trading and bribing in the old town of Ravos. Back then, we didn't own as much money as now, so father could not afford to pay guards. We alone took off with the small carriage and the two young donkeys, but we did not take the north road. No… we took a long-forgotten path that traversed the very heart of 'The First Forest'. Not a lot of people took that path; many even doubted its very existence. Father said it was the quickest way from Nirip to Ravos, only taking one or two days to walk, rather than the north road's four."
"I remember that upon entering the forest, a strong wind hit us, even scaring our donkeys. It was like the very forest didn't want us there, warning us not to enter further. Yet we went in, the woods around us growing darker and darker. The feeling of something watching us never left me, only growing stronger as we dove deeper."
He stops to look at our frightened faces. "We walked until suddenly out of nowhere appeared the figure of a small girl with a dirty green dress. She cried at us, screaming and begging for help. My father approached her, telling me to stand back and protect the already mad donkeys that wanted to run away. Upon my father reaching her, the girl's screams became even louder, echoing throughout the woods. That was when an unnatural force lifted her in the air, twisting her body like a piece of cloth. Yet no blood came out. My father and I, frightened to the bones, rushed back, running as fast as our legs could. We abandoned the carriage and the donkeys, not looking back for even a glimpse. I could sense that something was trotting toward us. Something evil and sinister, long forgotten by the world. Thankfully it didn't catch us, and my father and I escaped."
The cousins, Aiul and I tremble, shivering in fear. "Now something far more dangerous walks there…" says one of the guards with a deep voice. We jump back in terror. This is our first time hearing his voice. Tork sighs at him, confusion painted on his face. The guard continues. "Men," he says.
"Ah, yes, the most dangerous monster of them all," Tork nods, replying with a smile. The guard doesn't smile back.
He's right. It was not an ancient creature that killed my family, scaring me for life. It was a man. A cold-blooded monster, wearing gold armor and a skull helmet. No monster will ever be scarier than him.
One of the cousins coughs, scratching his throat. "So boys," he says, trying to relieve the tension around Tork and the guard. He looks at me and Aiul. "Why do you travel north?"
Aiul stands, his face half-lit from the fire. "I travel north to reach the bridged capital and become a Royal knight. To become a guardian of the Emperor," the guards watch him with disinterest. "To bring glory and fame to my family."
"That is a very difficult task, Aiul," one of the cousins replies with a fake tone of interest. "I've heard Royal knights are astonishing warriors, wielding the blade like it's just an extension of their arm. How do you plan to rise to such status?"
"I will join the military and train every day until I become the best," his voice is proud, and he puts a fist on his heart. "I train even now."
"Ah yes, you did not train with Eric today, right?" asks the other cousin, glancing at me. "How did that go?"
"It went great," I reply. Aiul sits down, working his fingers.
"Who won?" The cousin asks, noticing the tension between us. He's the type of man who enjoys watching others argue while he stands to the side. People like him are miserable and sad.
"I won all," Aiul murmurs.
I scoff. "You call those wins?" I stand up, my tone filled with anger. "Don't claim victories you haven't earned. The first time it was a draw, the second a measly trick."
"A win is a win," the cousin smirks at me.
I lift my hands up in the air. "His parents are soldiers, while mine were farmers, yet I still bested him in the last duels. Can you imagine? I, a mere farmer, beating a prodigy?"
"I played by the rules and won, Eric," Aiul says. "Doesn't matter what my parents were or what tricks I used. We duel as if we are fighting with real swords. In a genuine fight, would you really say someone tricked you, and that you deserve to live?"
I move back, my face still full of rage. I cross my arms and look away, refusing to sit and admit he is right. "In a real fight, a farmer will not face a knight, nor will he best him." I spit and wrinkle my nose.
"And why does a mere farmer have such an expensive sword?" Tork mutters while tossing a piece of wood in the fire to keep it hot. "I know Tigo is not your father. So what is your business, boy, traveling alone to the north? Aiul wants to become a knight; what do you seek?" I'm no longer a farmer. I am a vagabond seeking revenge.
"I travel north to reach the bridged capital and become a Hawk," I say. "I will find the center of this world and take what is mine."
"And what is yours?" Tork asks mockingly.
"The head of the man that killed my parents." My words echo around us, resonating like distant thunder. Nobody says a word after that. All of them are shocked, unable to comprehend what I just said. Behind their eyes, I can see their pity for me. Yet none of them know what I went through that night.
"I'm sorry," Aiul says in a warm, soft tone. His words feel genuine and real, and I can sense that he means them. I nod at him, appreciating his sympathy. The silence is loud. Only the howling wind and the crackling of the fire resonate as we stand and move to our sleeping bags, which lay on the hard ground around the fire. I fall into my bag, covering my cold ears with my dark coat of Tigo. I hug his sword under the leather. The others also lay in their bags, falling asleep fast, only one of the guards still sitting next to the fire, holding his spear. He will watch the night while we sleep soundly, protecting us from anything that tries to harm us. I look up at the dark clouds in the sky, saying a little prayer to my dead parents before slowly closing my eyes and falling asleep.
Now they know why I travel north. For revenge…
But perhaps there is something more as well…