They all sat by the fire, cracking as meat roasted in flames.
It was lunch time, Nollan and Zodiac sat together talking about something. Their voices were low, so low that the crackling fire masked the words.
Kael was nowhere to be seen… nor was Terren.
"What is your name, mister?", asked a young man, small in structure carrying a lute in one hand… his fuzzy hair and ember eyes gave the impression of a wandering soul. A bard.
He was looking at Zodiac with sparkling eyes and a silly smile.
"Zod", Zodiac replied, not even bothering to look at him.
"The way you killed that swamp-back", bard said "You used Yantra… didn't you", He turned towards his other mates, gesturing something.
Zodiac looked at the bard, his face sculpted as ever.
"Yes, I am"
"We will make a song about you… You are strong"
Bard turned back, his silliness flowed as he walked.
"Children nowadays…", Zod murmured, poking the meat.
"You are not that old yet", Nollan muttered, a smile scaled his lips.
Zodiac glanced at him, and a smile covered his face too.
Two friends who had roamed more than half of the landscape together… they were each other's support.
Thwakk-
A loud bang of wood snap. Two wood sticks were at each other's throat.
"Huff…", Terren unleashed his beastly strength as he swung a thick wooden stick.
Crakk-
A stick snapped… Kael and Terren were sparring with wooden sticks.
They were dripping in sweat, breathing heavy. Kael let go of his stick… It had snapped, he lost.
"Hahh… hahh… you have gotten strong", Terren pointed, panting, he dropped on the ground, tired.
"You bet!!… huff..", Kael replied, excited also falling to the ground.
"Hahhh…", Kael let out a deep breath. "Freedom… absolute freedom", he muttered, looking up at the tree over him.
"It's funny, isn't it?", Terren murmured. "Your freedom… is my chain…", He smiled.
Kael's eyes snapped open upon hearing that. He had never seen the world from that angle. For a young son of a wealthy and reputable family, it was a burden to live as he wished. But for a young man born in a poor family, living no matter what… It was a whole another story in itself.
"The world in itself is a funny place… don't you think?", Kael asked, sitting up.
Terren glared at Kael… blankly.
"I am not that smart you know…", He sighed, tilting his head as he lifted his hands.
"Haha", Kael let out a laugh… "Hahahaha", Terren followed.
The atmosphere was light and heartwarming.
"We're leaving", someone shouted.
It was the carter. He was an old man, grey hair, thin body and a rather moderate beard.
Kael and Terren headed towards the cart.
"How long will it take until we reach the next village?", Kael asked.
"We must be reaching there by night", Terren replied, walking beside Kael, "That's if we reach there", his voice low.
Kael looked at Terren, confused.
"But… we are on the main road…", Kael said, puzzled.
"Ohh.. that..", Terren smirked, clearly teasing him. "I am just kidding… we will definitely reach the next village by night… It's the safest road."
Kael also broke a smile.
It was the time of sun set... The sight was slowly fading as sunlight dimmed. Just as the bull reached the peak of the hilly road, flickering lights became visible. In open ground, covered in grass, some trees came in sight, scarcely situated. The town was bordered by a wooden wall but was clearly seen from up where the party was reached.
Cold wind flew across the plane as people were scarcely visible moving towards the town gate from outside. A loud but calming bell rang... It was the prayer time.
"What a beautiful scenery", Kael adored the view, as he and Terren sat just behind the carter, looking front.
They reached the town in no time. The gate was open, people were moving in and out of there, as two men wearing helmets stood guard. The cart entered the town and the first thing that welcomed them, was the structure which held the bell.
It was a big structure... a temple. It was large enough to hold all the people of Valler. 'The first thing inside the wall is a temple!?' Kael wondered.
They got off the cart, picking their stuff. Kael took his bag, clinging it on shoulder while Terren helped him carry his blade since one of his arms was clearly useless. Zodiac took his bag and headed deep in the town, finding a place to stay. But Nollan went a different way... directly to the temple. Kael found that Intriguing and went after him... while Terren went after Zodiac.
"What is this temple!?", Kael asked, curious, trying to match Nollan's pace. Nollan glanced at Kael, still facing the temple. "What direction is it!?", he asked. Kael confused at first, looked at the setting sun. "West", he answered, still confused. "The direction we are facing is west"
Nollan stopped. They had reached the temple. "The temple is facing the west", Nollan said, pointing towards barely visible sun. "They are welcoming a deity... the mother of all."
Just as the sun died behind the hills, the moon came to life from it, glowing with elegance.
"If Sol is the one who gives the life", Nollan looked at Kael in a priestly manner. "Then Selen is the one who gives the purpose" At that point, Nollan was a sage of life in Kael's eyes.
Nollan entered the temple still ringing the bell and sat on his knees, kneeling towards a statue in the middle of the chamber. There were already people inside who were kneeling. He closed his eyes, joined his hands and started chanting something. Kael did the same, unconsciously.
Kael had finally found a teacher... and a big brother.
That day was far more beautiful than Kael had imagined. Terren's words and Nollan's faith stirred something in Kael. The desire for more... more adventures, more monsters, more towns, more knowledge. But most of all... The freedom and the satisfaction of being true to his inner self.
...
As night fell and prayer bells faded into silence, they found an inn to rest for the night.
Kael sat on his bed, crossed legs trying to meditate and just beside him lay Terren with his face dumped in soft pillow of bed, his body was sore after such a long travelling day.
"How much did it cost, exactly!?", Kael asked Terren. "The ride, stay and food." It was a generic question, as Kael was the one who initiated this journey... so, it was his responsibility to pay his companions. "The ride was three scrips a head", Terren answered. " Stay is five scrips a room, I believe. And food is forty shards per head."
Kael calculated the total, twenty-three scrips a day, considering it was a humble day without any surprises, the cost has very much capability of winding over thirty scrips per day.
"This is not good enough", Kael said, worried about finances. "I only have fifty solin. Considering our journey is going to be at least two months, just reaching the capital... this will not even cover half of what we will need" It was a long journey, and spending money without any thought could lead them to a dead end. "Do not worry", Nollan stepped up, standing by the door. " We will be taking tasks on the road, clearing missions. That will be enough, if we spend individually." "An usual Ashborn makes around twenty to fifty scrips per mission, and considering this quest is grander than any... Ten solin will suffice the fees", Nollan offered a deal. "After that, everyone will cover their own expenses... nobody will have anything to do with other, financially." That was a great offer, paying the fees upfront and continuing as an adventurers party from there on.
"That will do...", Kael agreed and passed each party member ten solin each as fees for accepting the quest. He passed Nollan twenty solin, since Zodiac was not available.
"I can't accept that", Terren refused, "I am not even an Ashborn and I did not accept this for money... We are on an adventure, I will make out for it.", Terren was very humble, he felt bad about taking money from a friend as a fee.
For Terren, ten solin was no small amount. His family used to work entire year at noble's farm just to earn six solin a year… so receiving nearly double that amount, he was not ready for that.
But at the end, Kael insisted and Terren gave in thinking about his family.
"Then," Nollan said, "We will be taking a detour on our way.", slowly sitting on the bed.
"To where?", asked Kael.
"The road ahead holds no jungle. That's why we're not taking it… instead we will proceed towards Redmere fort and from there to Durmira"
His tone was low already but it dropped even further, "But, the blakewood forest is in the path"
He paused.
"We will only take that path if you are ready for the hardship" his lips curled. "Since you are on an adventure",
"Will I survive?", Kael asked, blankly.
"Depends", Nollan said, standing up from the bed. "If we encounter him, you might not"
Kael paused before answering, then he smirked.
"Pay me ten solin, if I survive then", he said.
Nollan's brows shot up… he hadn't expected this twist. he chuckled a little then to his usual demeanor.
"Deal", he said. "That's if you survive."
Nollan exited the room just after that and Kael began his meditation again.
"Blakewood is dangerous, Kael", said Terren, tensed.
"Do not worry", Kael replied, smiling "As long as they are with us, they are bound to protect us"
Terren got the grasp of the situation, but tension still lingered his face.
What if they are not the ones we think they are!? he thought.
…
Kael's eyes burst opened in the night.
What was that!? he wondered.
Sleep still covered his eyelids, barely open. He looked around in the dark, turning from a side to facing the ceiling.
That is weird!! Why did i feel like someone was watching me!? He wasn't sure.
His eyes wandered around, eventually fixing at the end of his bed. The room was dark, there was not enough light to see anything. Kael could barely draw out the borders of objects in the room, eventually his eyelids surrendered, unable to see anything.
He sighed, as the darkness covered his vision entirely.
His heart skipped a beat, feeling like he fell into the depth of fear. He opened his eyes with a jolt, body reacting before his mind, he sat up as he pulled his legs with a jolt.
His eyes were wide open; face pale and drenched in sweat.
He was not alone on his bed. Someone sat by his legs… too large for the room. It was too dark to draw out anything, but one thing was clear... it was looking back at him from the dungeon of darkness.
"Hah" Kael flinched, frowning. Breath caught in his throat, unable to breathe.
Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh-
Kael screamed in fear, it was too much for him to bear.
"Hey hey… Kael"
Pat Pat-
Kael woke up, gasping under Nollan's quick slaps. His eyes nearly burst out, he was barely able to breathe, sweating all over his body.
"Hey hey…. What happen!?", asked Nollan, his hand on Kael's shoulder.
"Huh!?"
"I said, what happened?", Nollan asked again.
Kael looked at Nollan, his eyes were filled with fear and distress.
"I… I don't know", he replied, standing up slowly. Nollan gave him a hand but he was shivering uncontrollably.
Nollan's eyes squinted, he saw something. A scar on his right leg, just above his ankle. Black line covering his entire ankle as if it was a thread.
"A brand of beginning and the end", he murmured.