The day ahead was going to be a tough one. The usual pleasant heat of the sun had sprouted sudden cold teeth and the shade and breeze took turns nipping at Michael's skin.

Still, this was rather nostalgic. As he ate some dried meat for his breakfast, he closed his eyes and thought of every autumn walk he did when going to highschool. Always the same route, the only thing changing every so often being the music.

'Man... I feel old... what's it been since I finished highschool? Three years? Feels like a god damn lifetime ago.' He groaned mentally as he sighed through his nostrils.

His eyes would flutter and blink open as he heard heavy steps crunch on the grass towards him. Runhar and Urla, son and mother, were making their way closer to his spot of respite.

The young man adjusted his position on the stool he sat on and he finished swallowing the bit of tough meat still lingering at the back of his mouth. "Mornin'... I'm guessing we're getting ready to head off?" Although he sounded as relaxed as can be, his mind couldn't reveal his actual dread any better than the next thought going through it would. 'And I'm getting myself prepared to turn into a fucking clown for the rest of the day.'

"Morn' to ya Michael. Aye, Azhul and Oinna'll be comin' along. Also. We had some news." Runhar said as he then yawned and let out a huff, he seemed a bit tired, but the guard captain always liked to push his abilities so he may give his best.

"We shall soon have everything prepared for the rune carving. I wished to ask if you were certain about it? We will not be able to heal the wounds caused by the engraving process with magic. It will just push the materials out and scar you. They will need to heal by themselves." Urla said immediately after, succinct and to the point.

"Yeah, I'm sure." Michael responded with a confident nod, without even a hint of hesitance plaguing his tone. "Even if casting something is a risk for me, these carved runes should at least make it safer, right? Fighting only with my body alone has proven... not that great. I feel weak."

Runhar let out an angry squeal at that comment and he stepped up to Michael with heavy stomps. "Do not dare to say nor think that! Do ya even understan' what yer insinuatin'?! Ya bested me in a fight wif no rune magick. I trained my whole life while yer supposedly just a scholar. Yer strength might not be fully be in yer muscles, but disregarding da strengths ya have... if ye are weak, what does that say about me?" Runhar said in an agravated tone as he grasped Michael's shoulder with a tight grip.

"I... I just know tricks. In a head on fight I don't have a chance without a scheme or without thinking up some sort of underhanded tactic." The young man said as he looked up at Runhar with a pained expression.

If you come across this story on Amazon, it's taken without permission from the author. Report it.

"Then use them. All of 'em. Rack yer head till ye feel like it bleedin' inside. I learned real quickly from someone that if yer dead honor means nothin'. I learned that while gettin' me eyes blinded by sand, gettin' me snout bashed against da ground an' gettin' one o' me tusks broken off... an' I couldn' be more greatful fer that lesson now since I get ta fight besides him." The guard captain said as he extended his other hand towards Michael as he eased up his grasp on the young human's shoulder.

Michael took a moment longer than he'd like to admit to figure out what Runhar was saying, still the short speech hit him properly to get him out of the weird funk that seemed to engulf him for the moment. His brown eyes focused on Runhar's as he smirked, dimples forming in his cheeks. He reached his hand out and grasped Runhar's forearm, the captain pulling him to his feet.

"Hah! God, that made me feel embarrased as all hell... thank you. Yeah... you are right. It's been workin' until now and this is an opportunity to get another card up my sleeve." The young man said while Runhar nodded in agreement.

"I will presume that the weird phrase means that we are to proceed?" Urla asked as she watched the two with her usual silence of stone being broken by her soft tone.

"Yup. And I'm feelin' confident about today, too. In my home country we have a saying. Minciuna are picioare scurte, but it never mentioned anything about wearing stilts! Haha!" ( "A lie has short legs" )

The two tuskir looked at Michael with their usual expressions of confusion when he would spew out something nonsensical. "Do I... even want tha ask what dat means?" Runhar said with a joking tone and a short snort like a chuckle.

"Sigh... agh! Whatever... lies are caught easily, but stilts are like another trick-... Bah! Fucking forget it... explaining it, just ruins how cool the moment was! Let's just... let's just prepare to go." Michael groaned while letting out an exasperated tired chuckle as he headed towards his shack.

"I don't see how a moment can be cold!" Runhar added as Michael walked away which got another annoyed grumble out of the poor guy.

Urla looked at her son and she then spoke in her usual monotone voice, just loud enough for the two of them to hear. "I am starting to get a grasp on those phrases he uses. I know you aren't dull in the head, because yer my son..."

"Oh nay, I am startin' to get 'em too, but it's so funny to see him get annoyed by havin' tha explain 'em. I gots to get back at him one way or another fer smashin' me face in." Runhar replied back with a snorted laugh, trying to keep it as silent as possible until Michael got far away enough to where he wouldn't hear them easily.

"You are still upset about that, my boy?" Urla asked him with a hint of curiosity in jer tone.

"Nay, not really. Tis 'cause of 'im that I'm startin' ta see certain things different like. I changed... Hells, I'd think that I'm better off now than I was before... dunno what ta call it. But if I didn't like 'im, I'd let him kno' by now." Runhar said with a shrug as he took in a deep breath.

They then each went their separate ways to prepare for the day, for those heading out and those remaining in the village, it was bound to be a busy day. The only question being, what kind of obstacles will they each have to face?