Amaro smacked his head. What was this hopeful thinking? All it took was a little bit of talking for him to start imagining his future with Kaara. He rested his chin on his knees and curled his tail around his shins. He really was hopeless sometimes. His mind wanted to make so many excuses and believe in only the smallest details. He reminded himself that it was only one conversation.
She hated him, but she still accepted him by his side. She was curious to see what he would do. At the very least he had not bored her. He remembered the first Ux dream he’d had. The future that they shared. What had happened leading up to that point? Was it destined to happen, or what it merely something that could happen?
He groaned, running his hands through his hair and falling to his back. It was so quiet in the winter. There were no birds chirping, or insects droning. The clouds were blocking the stars tonight. Despite being surrounded by packed snow, he was warm.
“You know you’re supposed to be keeping watch, brother,” Tulos said with a yawn.
“There’s hardly anything to watch.”
“Well if we get our throats cut in the night, I’ll know who to blame before I get reincarnated.”
Amaro sat up, heading for his tent, “Why did you decide to come along with us, anyway? It’s rather dangerous.”
“It’s precisely because it’s dangerous that I came along. Besides, Kaara and I are one in the same when it comes to our spirit. Anywhere she goes will inevitably turn into a grand adventure, and that is the one thing I’ve always longed for since I was little.”
“I’m sure you could have had just as much fun following Rorik around.”
Tulos laughed dryly, “There are times where the heart must be left to grow fonder. Besides, a young bachelor of the Xirxus clan is spoiled for choice. I may forget about Rori by the time we reach the next town.”
“I think I may try to do the same.”
“Hm? You liked Rorik too?”
“No, no. You know.”
Tulos laughed, “Ah, yes. How could I forget?”
“Good night.”
“Night.”
Amaro lay awake in his tent. Even though he had been sleeping in the wild for nearly a month now he still longed for a bed. He was not physically fatigued, but traveling all day still wore down on his mind. He was exhausted, but not exhausted enough to fall asleep quickly.
There was still one thing constantly nagging him. Who had severed his horns during the war games? Who had lit the puppets on fire? Tulos was clever, and a fantastic tactician, but why did their ranks still hold such order despite him being defeated?
Even if Tulos could plan ahead, he was still a Xirxus. He had his pride. If he was the true tactician of those war games, he would have never allowed himself to be defeated. Not unless he was playing a part.
Tulos was taking credit from someone, but Amaro did not have the foggiest idea from who. Amaro imagined a figure cloaked in shade. The very same one he had seen before passing out that night. Whoever he was, he knew all about Ux. He had single-handedly defeated the strongest among them, but he had not won the war in the end.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Still, if it had been a real war, Amaro would have to question if his side would have actually won with all of its leaders assassinated. Amaro turned over in his sleeping bag. He felt so foolish remembering what had happened. He had allowed Anitus to hurt others. He had taken his own actions too far over a silly game he didn’t care about in the first place. No, maybe he had learned to care at some point. Once he was invested in it, once his father had pushed him to indulge in the violent chaos. Even now, after only a week, he was itching to fight something again.
He thought of Deka and Tadios. What could they be up to venturing to dragon territory? Amaro could not think of a more unlikely pair to travel the Altix. The two of them would become incredibly strong, though, there was no doubt in his mind.
But if Tadios was the only one traveling with Deka, what had happened to Vilka? Amaro had no thought about it at the time, but Vilka was the prince’s retainer. Why would she not be by his side? Unless she was not taking the hunter’s exam in two years? Or perhaps there was something else entirely.
Amaro tossed to the other side of his sleeping bag. He did not remember when he fell asleep, just that he woke up the next morning feeling as though he hadn’t slept at all.
After a quick breakfast, they were off on the road once more. Kaara’s water magic was helpful for plowing the snow in front of them at least.
Tulos slowed his pace to walk shoulder to shoulder with Amaro, “I was thinking, since we’re going to take about a month to get to Kixtahl, it’s probably best to start planning birthday gifts now.”
“Ah that’s right, we missed your birthday this year since you joined the Tibur” Amaro said
“Indeed you did, I think you owe me a gift, if anything!”
“You should have cried about it to the Tibur.”
“As if I didn’t try that. The Tibur don’t even celebrate birthdays every year.”
“Really? They don’t?”
“I was surprised too. In any case, yours is the next birthday coming up.”
“Yeah, but it’s about three months away.”
“Two and a half if you’re counting properly! That’s only barely enough time to plan a proper gift with everything going on.”
“Well you don’t need to do anything special for me. Your company-”
“Oh don’t hit me with the ‘your company is a gift enough’ that’s hardly helpful. You’re not humble for making yourself difficult to shop for.”
Amaro chuckled, “I think I’ll get you a gift soon too, so I can make up for the one I missed.”
“That you should! I would love to have a pocket crucible!”
“A pocket crucible?”
“It’s a blacksmith’s shop I can carry in my backpack. Just speak a command word and we’ve got a forge! I wish there had been one in the Tibur camp, I would have traded anything for one of those.”
“Sounds like another human invention. I suppose it makes sense why you’d want one, though.”
“Of course! Think of the things I could make with one, and how helpful it would be to have on the road while we fight monsters! You never know when you’re going to need a weapon made from special material.”
“Well, first, we’re going to have to make some money. And I’d rather not be indebted to any nobility we visit. Give them an inch, they’ll take a mile, and if a mile’s good they’ll take ten.”
“That it is.”
The party continued on for the rest of the morning. It was about midday when they were planning to take a short break. Amaro dreaded eating more rations. He wanted to learn how to hunt, but in this icy tundra there was hardly anything to capture. Most creatures likely burrowed underground for the winter, or sheltered in the forests.
As he sat down and rifled through his belongings, the earth began to rumble beneath his feet, thunderous claps of stone ripped through the air. He felt as if he were on a boat as the land rose and fell under his seat. Amaro stood ready to defend himself. Were they being attacked by earth magic users from underground? He couldn’t sense anyone nearby.
“What’s going on?” Amaro shouted, stumbling to keep himself upright.
“Look!” Kaara said, pointing, “Mt.Arukuniir!”
Amaro turned, watching a white disk of air boom through the sky and part the gray winter clouds above. The brilliant blue heavens veiled beyond the clouds peeked through in radiant sunlight. That’s when he noticed it, the towering mountain range to the south, Mt.Arukuniir, was slowly rising above the clouds. Not a singular mountain, but every peak within the range now lifted upward across the horizon.
Another tremor shook the ground, then another. Rhythmic in its pace. That’s when Amaro realized it: Mt.Arukuniir was walking away.