“Hey, wake up, sleepyhead.”
I opened my eyes to see Chelsea. The sun was not up yet, yet Chelsea was staring at me very excited for something. Vesper was standing next to my door, peeking out of the door as if to see if there was anybody following him.
“Did you forget that we were gonna steal a book from a library for Chelsea?” Vesper asked
“Right, it is her birthday”
“Can we start heading to the library now?” Chelsea said towards Vesper.
Vesper looked around the hallway in front of my room, we both straightened our backs as soon as he nodded.
I opened my teary eyes as I realized that was a dream, a memory of a good time. I could not stand being in my own room, as it always reminded me of solitude. There were also a few other people around me, mercenaries that survived the battle. There were some healers, perhaps Goodwin had called them to help with the injured. I looked at my own body, most of the wounds I had were either healed with magic or patched up perfectly. I looked around the hallway, the once beautiful hallway was now reduced to rubbles, blood stains all the wall, and a feeling of nothing but dread and sadness. I wandered around, checking up on the ones that were wounded, thanking the healers for being here, helping us. Eventually, I found Goodwin, holding a shovel at the field behind our home. He looked tired, sweating all over, yet he also looked focused, barely noticing me coming by. I picked up a shovel nearby as I walked to him.
“Let me help”
He nodded.
“Who is this grave for?”
“Karisir, he was one of our assassins.”
I remembered talking to him a few times, he was a good man, even in this line of work. Always had a moral code that he follows.
We lifted the coffin and steadily lowered it down. It was then, I realized that human lives were so fragile, they could be alive today and 6 feet under the next day. After we have put the coffin down, we said our prayers. A part of me was afraid that the next person we dig a grave and say prayers for could be Chelsea, Vesper, or anyone that we were close with. After we have said our prayers, we filled the grave up. May he rest in the gardens of Solis.
“Did you find Chelsea?” I finally asked
“No, no trace of her or the horse was found,” Goodwin frowned as he replied.
“I’m going after them”
“I know you are, and I have no right to stop you, but hopefully, I can keep you from killing yourself.” He said as he motioned me to follow him.
We got to the armory. Most of the weapons here were used in the battle. I wondered why he led me here, as I already had a weapon that I was suited with. He led me into a room, where he took a weapon that was wrapped in cloths.
“Issak loved you like a son Ivo, and not like just another mercenary. This is what he wanted to give you.” Goodwin smiles as he gave it to me. “I know it’s in two months, but happy birthday, Ivo,”
It was a newly forged battle-ax with runes inscribed on the blade. Just from the sharpness alone, one could tell that it was made by an exceptional blacksmith, he could even enchant it with magic. My hands were shaking in excitement as I held this, with emotions welling up inside me.
“Thank you, Issak, thank you, Goodwin” I finally said
“Your bag has already been prepared in your room, there is enough food and water to last for 10 days. Now I know it is not much, but here.” He said as he handed me a few coins.
He gave me one Hydra, one Virgo, and one Ursa, the only three units of currency. Hydra was the highest valued coin, it was equivalent to 10 Virgos. Ursa is the lowest valued currency, 10 Ursas was equivalent to Virgo. ‘
“Promise me, return them to us,” Goodwin said.
I nodded and walked out of the armory.
After getting my bag, I looked around my room once more. I feel like I was going to miss it already because I do not know if I will return from this trip alive or not. I look around my room and grabbed a few books that Issak wanted me to read. In one of these books, were the world map, and the map of this island. I have to go to the Barrsons Harbor on this island, board a ship to the east across the Elwin Sea, travel into the heart of the continent Averyl to get to the country of Magicae. And from then, I will have to find them in the city of Cevine. It is going to be a long trip, long and full of dangers.
Before I went out, I visited Issak’s grave. Even though he was one of the leaders, his grave looks just like anyone else’s. Made of stone, with his name badly carved on it, and the time that he lived for. I guess it didn’t matter much about the grave, because all dead men are equal, no matter what they did when they were alive. I grabbed a flower nearby, a dandelion, and put it on his grave. May he rest in the gardens of Solis.
“Thank you, for everything”
And then I left him, looking for the ones that he tried to raised, and the ones that killed him.
There were two ways I can get from here to the Barrsons Harbor. Across the desert where we fought the cultists or use the road. The desert was much faster because it was a straight way to the harbor but also more dangerous as the heat was known to take travelers’ lives, and bandits roam the desert, looking for unfortunate souls. The road was much safer but it was a long way to the harbor. I considered my options for a while, then chose to walk the road. The desert was too risky, I would not be able to save anyone if I die or if I run out of supplies. The road would take two whole days for me to get there on foot, so I would have to stay the night at one of the villages.
Even though the road is not as extreme as the desert, I could feel my skin getting roasted under the sun. It had only been an hour since I started, but I could feel the strength leaving my body. When the sun finally came down, I had to stop by a nearby tavern. The tavern was mostly filled with sweaty middle-aged workers, who were loud and drunk. Some of them looked at me like I was trouble when I walked in, but I paid them no mind. I could barely walk up to the bartender, a woman with wrinkles and a sharp look on her face.
“Hi there, something to drink?” She said with a bored look on her face.
“I have my own drink, thank you, I just need to rest here for a bit,” I replied
“ I can’t do that, this is a business, you need to buy something or leave, we don’t house vagabonds here”
I looked down at myself. My clothes are all wrinkled with rips from the battle and I looked like I took a shower in mud. I tapped my clothes lightly, trying to straighten them.
“Sorry, do you by chance have spare clothes, I would very much appreciate it. And do you know any place that might sell or rent horses?”
“Got some horses out there at the stable behind our tavern, you going far?”
“Yes ma’am, to Barrsons Harbor.”
She looks at me up and down. After carefully examining my body and equipment, her face switched from boredom as she widened her eyes and tensed up. She looked at me, dead in the eyes. And then she slowly stepped back.
“You are with the mercenaries.” She said at me in a very hostile tone.
“I am not here for trouble, I just want some rest.”
“There is NO room for you here”
“Even the stable with the horses will be fine ma’am, I would pay as well.”
“One Virgo and I want to see you gone by sunrise, your kind brings nothing but trouble.”
I gave her the Virgo, and I headed to the stable. I did not like it, but it was understandable. Mercenaries like me kill people for money. We were all willing to do dirty work for a price. We didn’t really fight with honor, and we didn’t pledge allegiance to any country to fight for them. We were soldiers for gold, swords for hire, and that’s all we were to the eyes of the commons.
As I laid down in the stable, I could see that the horses were all sleeping. The owner of this tavern would never let me borrow one of these horses. The smell of the tavern was horse shit, but I had to lay down and get some sleep, or else I would not have the strength to walk tomorrow. I closed my eyes and tried to sleep, telling myself to not think about Chelsea and Vesper.
The sun was not up yet when I opened my eyes due to a horse neighing next to me. I quickly bolted out of the tavern, but then I thought about yesterday. I could barely make it to this tavern, I did not have the strength to walk all the way to Barrsons harbor for another day. I looked at the horse, and I had quite a mischievous idea. Vesper would be proud of me.
I put my only Hydra in the barn where the horse is, got on the horse, and ran away. They could buy another young horse with that money, so I did not feel as bad as that time I stole the villagers’ horses. By the time the tavern reports this to the guards, I would be long gone. As I ran towards Barrsons Harbor, I could feel the wind fluttering my clothes. The heat did not feel like a problem anymore. Before long, I could smell the saltiness of the ocean.
