Chapter 48: A Terrible Offer

Name Claire Class Fighter,Lvl4 Marks 1 Guild Seven Banes SD 984

“It’s no use,” said Claire. “I guess Xem is busy or something. She isn’t responding to me at all.”

Brent had been carrying her through the forest for several minutes and did not show any signs of tiring. She had been trying to call for Xem but the disembodied voice had remained silent. Claire thought she might be attending to one of their guild mates or perhaps was still making the rounds with each of them.

“Don’t worry about it,” said Brent, turning his head slightly to speak over his shoulder to her. “We’re here.”

Claire craned her head and saw the cabin he had mentioned earlier. It looked small and had the quiet appearance of an empty home. There was a front porch and a small wooden door. The windows were dark and beside the cabin was was looked like a stack of firewood. With the snow upon the roof Claire imagined Amelie would call it ‘picturesque’ if she were here.

“You can put me down here,” said Claire as Brent was about to step up to the front door. “I can make it inside.”

“Sure,” said Brent. He gently knelt down and she slid from his back and found a seat before the door. Her leg was still throbbing but the bleeding had long stopped. “Oh no, Brent, your back!”

Her blood had dried upon his shirt and pant leg where she had been while he carried her. Brent had to twist around to see the blood stain and laughed when he saw the dried blood.

“This is nothing,” he said. “Maybe Xem left a change of clothes for us inside. I’m going to get some of this fire wood. Can you get inside?”

“Sure can,” said Claire.

As Brent headed towards the fire wood Claire pulled herself to her feet and was glad that his back was turned so that he couldn’t see her wince in pain. When she was standing, she opened the door to the cabin. It was only a single room, but was furnished with all the amenities of home. There was a tall drawer in one corner of the room, and an empty basin which could be filled with water was on a table before the only window which was by the door. A fireplace was the only thing made of stones, and in the corner was a single bed that looked to have been transported from far away.

Maybe this is where Xem lives, thought Claire. The idea was silly, but she could think of no other reason why there would be such a homely cabin in the middle of the woods.

Instead of laying on the bed like she desired, Claire sat against it so as not to get blood on the quilt. She heard Brent outside and soon the door opened again. Brent was holding an armful of wood.

“I’ll get this fire started soon,” he said. There was a box beside the fireplace which he placed the wood inside and after some hunting around found some flint and steel within a cupboard that Claire had missed when she first scanned the room.

“I’m glad Chase taught us how to start a fire,” said Claire after Brent had a small flame going in the fireplace. He had piled some small wood shavings and sticks he had made and blew upon the fire.

“I hope he’s doing alright,” said Brent. “I wonder if the others are in the woods somewhere too.”

“Xem wouldn’t tell me when I asked.”

“Ah well,” shrugged Brent. The flame was now big enough that he could add larger pieces of wood. Claire could feel the heat upon her face. “Guess it will just be the two of us for while.”

“I guess,” said Claire. She looked down at the floor.

“Are you alright?”

“Huh? Oh, yeah. Say,” said Claire, wanting to change the subject. “Do you have any food?”

“I was about to ask you the same question,” said Brent, smiling. “I’ll have a look around. If Xem is a good host then she surely left some grub behind for us.”

It didn’t take Brent long to find some food. Whoever owned the cabin had left some dried meat in the cupboard. It tasted exactly like Chase’s dried venison minus the spice he sprinkled on it every day to preserve it. Soon they were munching on the meat and watching the fire contentedly.

“It’s not bad,” said Brent after he had finished his snack. “Looks like we have enough for a couple days.”

“I’m sure we won’t be here that long,” said Claire.

“You never know. Personally I wouldn’t mind if they just forgot about us for a while. This is a nice place,” he added, glancing at her.

“It’s…what’s the word? Serene, I guess.”

“Where do you think we are?”

“What do you mean?” Said Claire.

“We definitely aren’t in Avalon. It was still summer when we left, right?”

“That’s true,” said Claire, staring out the window. The snow reminded her that wherever they were it was the dead of winter.

“I know that all the areas in Esem follow different seasons. When its summer in one place its spring or fall in another. Which area is winter right now?”

Claire thought a moment.

“Would have to be Nabonoban, right?”

“Yeah, but it doesn’t look like Nabonoban.”

“You’ve never been there,” said Claire with a laugh.

“I’ve seen pictures of it,” said Brent. “Remember that book we found in the library about all the different areas? Do you remember any forests like this in Nabonoban?”

“I can’t really remember. Those days feel so long ago.”

“True,” said Brent. “I kind of miss them. When it was just you and me.”

Claire didn’t know what to say to that, and so just returned her gaze to the fire.

After a long silence Brent went over to the wardrobe. He opened it up and began sorting through its contents. From where she was siting Claire could tell that it was well stocked.

If you come across this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

“Here you go,” said Brent. He flung some clothes on the bed. “You’ll need to change into these. Those duds you got on are no good for the weather here.”

“Same for you,” said Claire.

“True,” he said. He pulled some more out of the wardrobe. They looked to be animal skins of some kind and looked far warmer than the wet garments they were wearing now. Brent looked at her leg. “Um…do you need help putting yours on?”

Claire’s face flushed and she looked at the ground again.

“I think I can manage.”

“Right, of course,” said Brent awkwardly. “How about I step outside for a bit? You can have some privacy.”

Brent left, taking his clothes with him. Claire managed to get out of her clothes, but before dragging on the new ones she looked at her body, and especially her leg. After months of hard training she was in better shape than ever. Unlike other girls, her muscles were coming in just as strong as she always knew they would. She seemed genetically gifted to be able to stay in shape. Other than her leg and the gash she was very pleased with the state of her body, but was glad there was no mirror. Despite herself she was still very self conscious about her facial appearance. She knew that her broad features were not appealing to men.

Why are you even thinking about that? She wondered to herself.

Brent came back sometime later, having changed outside in the cold. His face was flushed from the weather and outside the window Claire could see that the sun was beginning to go down and long shadows from the trees were streaking across the white snow before their little cabin.

“She still hasn’t spoken to you?” Said Brent, taking a seat in front of the fire.

“Nope. You?”

“Nothing,” said Brent with a sigh.

Claire sat next to him, leaving a couple feet of space between them both.

“Do you think we were meant to kill that man with a hood?” Said Claire.

“If we are then we will surely see him again.”

“He looked pretty strong.”

“So are we,” Brent said simply.

The sound of the fire and the wood crackling before them filled the silence. It was peaceful in the cabin, and very quiet. When they weren’t talking she thought she could hear the forest gently rumbling under the strain of the snow outside.

“This may be the first time we’ve been alone since our days on the island,” said Brent finally.

“That’s true.”

“I think we make a good team.”

“I think so, too.”

“Even without the guild,” said Brent. “I mean we’ve made some great progress lately. But sometimes I think just the two of us could do the same. What do you think?”

“Maybe,” said Claire. She didn’t dare look at him. What was he saying exactly? She had had restless nights imagining this exact scenario a thousand times. She didn’t dare allow herself to get her hopes up about what he meant. That is why his next words surprised her so much.

“One day we should strike out on our own together.”

“You think so?”

“Of course,” said Brent. He scooted himself closer beside her. Now the fire was far from the warmest heat source to her and she felt the blood rush to her face. “Can I tell you something, Claire?”

She nodded her head, and when he spoke she felt his warm breath on her cheek.

“There’s been something I’ve wanted to tell you for a while, but haven’t had the chance to say. What with being around the guild constantly.”

“What’s that?”

“Look at me.”

Claire did as he said. She turned her head and was face to face with him. His brown eyes were steady and his breathing was calm, but there was a flush to his cheeks. She felt herself go queasy on the inside and had she been standing, wound or not, her legs would have been shaking.

“What is it, Brent?”

“I really like you.”

“What do you mean?”

“Claire,” said Brent with a small sigh. Then he kissed her.

An explosion of emotion and feeling. A deep desire that she thought would never see past the veil of reality. A surprise. A hope. Dreams that had kept her up at night and made her sweat. Wishes and daydreams all rolled into one.

When they broke apart she was breathless.

“Understand?” Said Brent.

Claire could only nod and stare at him. She wanted to touch her lips, or even pinch herself to see whether this was real. Brent had just kissed her, and she had kissed him back.

“I’ve wanted to do that for a while,” said Brent, settling beside her before the fire. “Needed to do it, more like.”

Still having trouble finding her voice, Claire only listened to him talk. She watched the side of his face as he told her about how long ago he had noticed her, and how much he respected her as a fighter, and how happy he was that she had joined the guild. Everything she thought she had done for him—pushing him to join the guild so that they could be close—he had done as well. It was a happy mistake that had led them to being alone enough for him to profess his feelings.

“I was never sure if you felt the same way” said Brent. “To be honest, I thought you only tolerated me most of the time.”

“No,” said Claire. “In fact I joined the guild just for you. I just assumed you never noticed me beyond as a training partner.”

“As Chase always says, when you assume you make a…I can’t remember,” he said, scrunching up his face. “You know what I mean.”

“I know,” said Claire, and she allowed herself to hold his arm close to her chest, and she intertwined her fingers with his. This must be what happiness is, she realized. It was cold outside, and yet warm within, and she was with someone she truly loved and who had confessed the same. Claire felt a happiness and a contentment that she had never experienced before, not on the training field or with another person.

They sat like that for some time, talking sometimes about this or that. The world beyond seemed far away, and Claire barely thought about Xem or the challenge or even about their guild. There would be time enough for that later.

“The fire is getting low,” said Brent after a couple hours had passed.

“We need more wood,” Claire noted, looking at the empty basket beside the fire.

“Wait right here.”

Brent rose and headed outside. It was now fully dark and Claire couldn’t see out the window but for the faint glow of the snow in the moonlight. She watched him as he opened the door and went outside.

I wish this could last forever, Claire thought to herself and she listened to the sounds of Brent gathering wood from outside. In reality Xem would likely be back soon to get them to continue the challenge. Claire didn’t care in the least whether she won now or not, and felt as though there was no reward greater than what she had already found.

A sound of yelling came from outside.

“Brent? What’s that?” Said Claire. The sound grew louder.

“Why you…Ah!” It was Brent.

“I’m coming!” Shouted Claire. She struggled to her feet and looked out the window. Her heart was in her throat as the stumbled towards the door.

When Claire opened the door, the sight of hell itself could not have been more terrifying. The hooded man, complete with his tusks and sword was standing outside. A bruised and batter Brent knelt before the hooded man, his neck clutched by the giant man and facing Claire as she burst onto the scene. In one hand he held the large sword and the other held Brent in place.

“Claire be careful he’s—.” Brent began, but a quick shake from the man silenced him.

“Quiet, you,” said the man.

“Let him go,” said Claire. She reached for her sword then remembered it was inside.

“Not gonna happen, lady,” said the man.

“What do you want?”

“Me? I want to be home,” said the hooded man with a small laugh. “But I got a job to do before I am allowed to leave.”

“And what’s that?” Said Claire.

The hooded man raised the sword high above his head.

“This,” he said simply, and then plunged the sword into Brent’s back. The tip burst from his chest and blood with it, coating his shirt and coat.

“Brent!”

“Claire!” Gasped Brent. Wide eyed, he looked down at the blade, and then up to Claire. “Sorry.”

The man pulled his sword from Brent and then pushed him over, face down upon the snow. Claire tried to reach him but her leg sized the moment she put pressure on her foot and she ended up falling over, tumbling out the front door and landing beside Brent.

“Brent!” She cried as she clutched his body to hers. She managed to pull his head up but only a pair of dead, brown, eyes met her own. She felt like the world was ending, like her life had died along with his.

“Why?” Said Claire, her voice cracking.

“Why not?” Said the man. Then he turned around and began walking the way he had come. He left her alive, but she was too far gone to wonder why.

Claire cried from some time, the snow falling around the two of them. Brent’s body became cold, and as the snow piled on her brow and hair she would wipe it away. Tears like she had never seen poured from her eyes. There was no pain like this, nothing that could have prepared herself for what she was feeling.

“Claire, what happened?”

“Xem?” Claire looked around. “Xem! Brent is dead!”

“I’m sorry, dear,” said Xem.

“I thought you said no one would get hurt?”

“Did I? I cannot remember making such a promise.”

“Please Xem,” begged Claire. “Please, you have do do something. This is your world right? Can’t you bring him back?”

“Bring him back?” Said Xem.

“Yes, back to life.”

“To do such would be quite unnatural,”

“But you could!”

“It would require a large sacrifice, dear,” said Xem. “I don’t think you are ready.”

“I’ll do anything,” said Claire. She held his head in her lap as she pleaded with Xem. “Please, just do it. Do you know the way?”

“I can bring him back this instant,” said Xem. “But I will need something from you.”

Claire wiped her face and nodded.

“Anything.”

“I need your life.”

“My life?”

“Yes dear, only a life can be exchanged for a life.”

Claire looked down at his face. He looked at peace, and not in pain at all.

“Your, answer, dear?”

“My life, and he will come back?”

“It is the only way,” said Xem. She sounded like a cat who had captured a pesky mouse and was playing with it.

“The only way,” repeated Claire. She stared out beyond the trees into the darkness.

She made her decision.