Phaedra sat down next to the camp fire with Max. The guards stood around the outskirts of the make shift camp. The camp sat not terribly far from where Phaedra and The Brigand had just fought and where they had all almost been taken captive by the strange suit of armor. Phaedra handed a blanket to Max, which he gladly accepted, and she rubbed his shoulder. His perceptions of her were not the loving and caring type so the hand on the shoulder caused him to sweat nervously. He even jumped a little bit from the contact.
“I understand that you are shaken. I also understand you don’t have much reason to trust me. Do keep in mind that my men and I did just save your life. I lost a guard to that automaton to save you too. Your life has cost another.”
Max felt a pang of guilt based upon that statement. “Well I never asked you and your men to risk their lives for me. Don’t put the blame on me for that loss. I appreciate you getting me out of there. What I don’t know, however, is whether I am in the same situation or worse now as I was then.”
“There is no guarantee I could give you right now that you would believe. Your life is in danger through no fault of your own. What I can do to make you trust me is to let you go. If you like, my men and I could escort you back to your home. Would this be enough proof that I mean you no harm?” She obviously appeared to not wish this deal, but the fact that she was willing to offer it was a great gesture.
Max thought now that the only way he could attempt to trust her would be to see if this offer were really the case. “I accept your offer of escort. Take me back to my home in the hamlet. And by the way, what is an automaton?”
“That metallic creature that tried to take you. It is not a living being in the sense that you would understand. It was not born, it was created. It can shutdown, it can restart. Its memories are not necessarily its own. They are relics of a time long past, some, while others are from faraway lands that we cannot begin to fathom. My belief is that the one encountered today was from a far off place. The same place that its master came from.”
“Where did its master come from?” All the world and the past felt like a total mystery to Max.
“It will take some time to make you understand all of these things. I fear that all the time we have on the journey back to your home would not be enough. I will try to teach you if you feel you can handle the truth. I will stick to the most important parts so as not confuse you and give you the greatest picture.” She crossed her legs in a lady-like fashion that did not fit a combatant. Her extremely long hair touched the ground in this sitting position next to the fire.
Max’s thoughts betrayed his own intrigue into something greater. His mind worked for all these cycles filling with trying to figure out the mysteries of the hidden world, but perhaps adding some context to that would not hurt his chances of comprehension. “Please do so, I would like the opportunity to help my hamlet and myself.”
“About your hamlet, I am not sure what of this knowledge they would be ready for. There are certain conservative elements of every gathering place that may not be pleased with your shaking things up.”
“I’ll be the one to choose that fate for myself. Besides, just about everyone sees me as an outcast anyway. When we get near the hamlet, you’d better turn away and not come close. Oh yeah, and we better approach during the day. There is a beast that stalks our fields at night and kills any that have left the hamlet without any trace. I don’t exactly trust you, but I would not wish that fate upon you or your men. Or myself for that matter.”
She smiled and leaned in towards the fire. The smile was a pained smile, but the pain it showed was nothing to do with his descriptions or their relationship. There was some distant pain that she still struggled to conceal. “Don’t worry. I know exactly of what you speak. There is little to fear suffer the fools. Let us begin the conversations on a later night. We have several on the travels back to your home. That will also give me the time to decide what is best to tell you.”
This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.
Max rested well that night, curled up next to the fire with the blanket that Phaedra had so kindly given him. He had no shelter from the sky, but the night remained clear and the jumping of the flames from the fire by the breeze was comforting. The arrangements comforted him like sleeping at home on a cool night by the fireplace, slowly spitting out comforting heat all night long. His comfort grew as he became aware of a constant guard that sat up throughout the night. The guard wasn’t watching him. Instead he noticed them keeping a constant vigil on the outskirts of camp. This was the best sleep that he had gotten since leaving the hamlet in the forceful hands of The Brigand.
The pace that they set forth on the return to the hamlet was a pleasant one. He just about set it himself, with the others following his lead. The guards seemed casual and enjoyed this slower approach to travel. They carried much more weight in weapons and armor. During this slow paced hike back to his home, Max rested on his own as he stared out into the wilderness, such sights he'd never seen before. He heard the sound of something like the buzzing of many insects perhaps. He looked and saw that Phaedra spoke and instructed one of her men in the ways of polishing his breastplate.
Max slowly got to his feet as he looked in the direction of the sound. He slowly peeled away a couple of branches as he made his way through some thick foliage.
As Max ventured further into the untamed wilderness, he stumbled upon a sight that took his breath away—a wide-ranging river, both majestic and terrifying in its grandeur.
The river stretched before him like an ancient, undulating serpent, its mighty waters surging with an unstoppable force. The sheer expanse of the waterway was awe-inspiring, its width extending farther than the eye could discern. The surface, glistening under the warm embrace of the sun, rippled with a mesmerizing dance of liquid silver.
On one bank, the river's edge seemed inviting, bathed in dappled sunlight that filtered through the dense canopy above. Lush green foliage and vibrant wildflowers lined the shore, their vibrant colors a stark contrast to the somber depths of the water. Birds of various hues perched on overhanging branches, singing their melodious songs as if to beckon Max closer.
Yet, as his gaze followed the river's path, a sense of trepidation crept over him. The river's center appeared as a dark abyss, its depths impenetrable and unfathomable. The currents raced with a thunderous roar, reminding Max of a primal force that could not be tamed. It churned and foamed, a maelstrom of untamed power, daring anyone to challenge its authority.
The riverbanks on the other side seemed distant and mysterious, veiled in a shadowy uncertainty. Towering cliffs rose from the waters, casting ominous shadows that concealed secrets hidden beneath their jagged facade. Trees with gnarled roots clung precariously to the rocky cliffs, their branches twisting in eerie shapes, as if whispering tales of the river's dark past.
Max stood at the precipice, captivated by the river's majestic beauty and overwhelmed by its formidable might. The very essence of nature's duality seemed embodied in this mighty waterway—a breathtaking spectacle that both invited and warned, a testament to the raw power and untamed wilderness of the world he now traversed.
As Max stood there, mesmerized by the river's dichotomy, the soft rustle of leaves behind him startled him. He turned to find Phaedra, his enigmatic charge, standing a few steps away. Her presence, so graceful yet unanticipated, always caught him off guard.
"Phaedra, you startled me," Max admitted with a sheepish smile, his eyes drawn to the golden cascade of her hair that almost shimmered in the dappled reflections off the water.
Phaedra offered a serene smile in response, her voice as melodious as the river's song. "Forgive me, Max. I couldn't resist sharing this moment with you. The river holds a certain enchantment, wouldn't you agree?"
Max nodded, his gaze still fixed on her hair. "It's... incredible. And your hair, it's like spun gold in this light."
Phaedra's laughter rang out like a tinkling stream. "You have a poet's heart, Max. But remember, beauty can be deceptive. This river, as alluring as it is, conceals secrets beneath its surface."
Max met her wise, azure eyes, filled with both depth and mystery. "I won't forget that, Phaedra. It's a reminder that the world can be both wondrous and perilous."
She nodded in agreement, her golden hair swaying gently as if dancing to the river's rhythm. "Indeed, Max. Now, let's continue our journey. There's much more to discover beyond this river's edge."
He then walked back to her men and continued their journey to the hamlet.