Zayne expected to hear the moans of the sick or the wounded as they stepped into a sweet-smelling tent. Instead, all he heard were the trills and quavers of birds and the sound of people shouting commands to one another in the distance. The odor of medicine and rotten wounds permeated all around his perimeter, assaulting his nose with their peculiar stench. Zayne’s heart sank when he peeked inside the tent.
They’re dead. All of them.
Jaspian and Zayne’s noses scrunched as the scent of death clung to every stitch of fabric sown within the bay; rows and rows of wooden beds filled each line, atop which rested the remains of a dead person. Some he recognized, like the blacksmith from Burg, one of the meat sellers, or the myriad of neighbors and local folks. Unease struck when he saw his academy’s uniform. One, two, three, he counted with each step, his eyes stiffening, despair creeping into his chest.
There they were; his classmates, teachers, everyone he knew in the academy, then Agil and Laura. Zayne neared their lifeless eyes, his hands trembling, his legs losing strength. His chin locked shut and he lost the will to speak. A tear smothered his eyes as he placed his hands on their cold hands. His eyes burned, coveted by a wall of wobbling liquid. Why them? They deserved so much better than this…
The flow of wind paused. Silence overwhelmed his senses. “Rest in peace. You two.” He whispered, “I’m sorry I couldn’t be ther-” A sick chuckle left his throat in the form of a cough, “Well, even if I was there, I probably couldn’t have done anything anyway.”
Flashes of their lives played in his head. Their first meeting, their first fight, their mischiefs outside the walls… Agil loved to train near the rivers just before Burg lake. “We promised to see each other again…” and Laura… Laura was supposed to be the next star coming from Burg. She had so much waiting for her. “You are supposed to be the best. You beat me, remember?” He knew they held back during their spar with him, no logical mind believed that Zayne, a coreless, somehow kept toe to toe with them. “Damn-it… This isn’t how it’s supposed to end.”
Zayne’s jaw trembled when the memories submerged his lungs. The loss of Kate, the loss of everything that ever mattered to him was too much. There was a void within his heart that no amount of weeping could fill, no amount of revenge could satiate. He clutched his chest, grasping at his darkened shirt, holding back the wailing he so dearly wished to let out. But he couldn’t. All he squeezed out was a tiny whimper.
Brenhart was right. Only those with strong bodyguards survived the invasion. Citizens of Burg weren’t particularly well-off, those with money tend to seek their lives elsewhere. Opulence granted safety.
“Your friends?” Jaspian spoke, tapping his shoulder gently, “I’m sorry. I… didn’t know.”
“It’s fine.” Zayne’s voice was distant, his eyes lacking the usual strength they carried. “I’ll leave now. Thank you for bringing me here.” He shared another lasting moment with his dearest companions with somber eyes. Thanks for the good times, you all. He turned around and faced the outside, determined to carry their goals and wishes on top of his own. I’ll be strong, and I’ll find out whatever it is waiting in the central continent, I promise. With the revelation, Zayne had little to fear in the upcoming license test.
“Brenhart’s planning to burn them all to cinders.” Jaspian followed him, “I trust that you have no problems with that?”
“No.” Zayne had seen too much death already. He simply wished them a peaceful passage to the afterlife, even if most called him a non-believer. “I’m ready to go.”
The heat outside scalded his exposed skin, but he barely noticed as Jaspian led the way to the other side of the gates. “When’s the next caravan?” Zayne asked as he gulped down a chunk of water, “The license test is set to happen soon, right? And I’m not allowed to participate in quests or dungeons before I acquire a license. So to get stronger, I must hunt.”
“Yeah, those annoying rules, I feel you.” Jaspian nodded, following his line of thought, “Unfortunately, you won’t see any monster near here, and we aren’t so free to provide an escort to an adventurer to get stronger at this moment, I’m afraid.” Then, as if predicting Zayne’s troubled thoughts, he added, “You’ll see an uptick of monsters near Basin, and some kind parties will be nice enough to include you in their missions if they have an open slot. Otherwise, stick to hunting. There’s a spot reserved for those without license an hour away from the western exit; the Vienna plains.”
“Hunting…” Zayne muttered under his breath.
###
“You’ll follow the next caravan, then return here with them once they packed their supplies.” Ronald, a squat-looking old, roundish man with a bald head spoke when Jaspian asked about his next orders, for an adventurer, he seemed to be thrown about to different tasks, as if the captains couldn’t wait to get rid of him. “A few of the local soldiers and returning adventurers will come with you, so don’t worry about dying.” He resumed his speech as he watched Zayne with an inquisitive look, “Well, that’s it.”
“Yes!” Jaspian’s smile couldn’t be any wider. He winked as he turned to Zayne, who watched their interaction with a gleeful composition. “Seems like you’ll be stuck with me for a while longer,” Jaspian grinned, “Come! Get to the cart, there should be a lot of space left for a man to sit on.”
“It’s not a vacation!” Ronald’s cheeks ruddied as he yowled behind the hastily made gate. Jaspian didn’t bother to answer.
“How long will it take us to reach Basin?” Zayne asked after finding a comfy spot on the front corner of an empty supply cart, with Jaspian trotting happily beside him, “Kate once said that it should take a few days to reach Basin from Burg on horseback. But, that may be wrong.”
“A few days it is,” Jaspian mumbled, watching the calm sky and the distant horizon, nothing but plains stretched the empty wilderness all around us, and the path felt smooth without much in terms of turbulence. It had been noon since Zayne began his journey to Basin, and in a few hours, dark skies spilled into the dearth of light remaining. They rested.
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Zayne observed the line of soldiers escorting the caravan, shielding the caravan from both sides. The carriages in front of him were filled with merchants delegated to handle the supply for the containment army, wearing clothes befitting of noblemen; thick coats, usually in the color of purple with frills extending past their neckline, and their hair styled pompously. They aired their swollen faces with a retractable fan, mumbling things about the heat, then mumbling about business and the likes.
It was then that Zayne understood how little he knew about the world. Sure, the books taught him a lot but studying how the many elements of the real world linked together and worked as a collective unit intrigued him, forming a wholly new experience. Had he opted to stay in Burg, all these would remain hidden under the veil of the Walls imprisoning Burg. There was so much more happening outside of what he knew and the invasion opened his eyes to the realities of the world; deaths were expected in this line of duty, but there was a spillage of beauty and calm speckled in between the harsh times, like drips of serenity trickling between the heart-wrenching struggles.
He sighed, accepting that he had acted with an unashamed naivety.
Night embraced the path between the encampment and Basin. The sky was clear and the stars scintillated their own colors, twinkling when Zayne could scarcely blink. A somber fireplace burned as a group of soldiers and the shepherds gathered, jesting, smiling, and laughing, not all too different from the ambient sounds of Kate’s dining hall. Near the edge of their temporary camp, Zayne helped out with building a tent; a skill taught well in the academy, earning a few impressed looks from the soldiers. Matchsticks burned as his fire roared.
Zayne and Jaspian watched the gathering with contented looks in their eyes. For Jaspian, the time outside the containment force felt like a fresh dip in the rivers after a grueling, sweltering day, and Zayne savored the calm moment. To see this much life after the deaths were… refreshing.
“I don’t have coins.” Zayne blurted out his thoughts when he realized how impoverished he was.
“Ain’t that a problem we are all facing,” Jaspian laughed, rubbing his shoulders, “Don’t look at me, I don’t have any to spare.”
Zayne chuckled, “A night costs 50 coppers in Burg, what about Basin? Is it any better?” Zayne asked, curious. He’d considered sleeping in the streets, but he lacked knowledge of the system and topography of Basin. Was it even allowed?
“About the same.” Jaspian replied, tilting his head, “Some are cheaper, but their accommodations are… well, almost unbearable unless you have the stomach for it. If you had the coins; I’ll suggest you head to the sparrow inn, the old lady can be a pain to deal with, but she keeps things clean and her food is edible.” He continued, warming his hands, “I spent my early days in there, she knows me quite well. Can’t say she’s fond of me, though. Never once told me her name.”
Zayne’s eyes followed the dancing flames of the fireplace. Images of rolling monster gems spun in his mind, “How much should I expect for a white monster gem?”
“For the white one? Depends; from the easiest monsters, like the kobolds, rats, and wargs, they go about 10 copper a piece, at medium quality. If you can get a clear one, you can haggle for double the price.” Jaspian rubbed his shoulders, moaning, “If I can suggest, don’t sell those outside of the adventurer’s hall unless you know what you’re doing. The hall is honest, despite how busy it can be.”
“I see…” Zayne threw a few pieces of dry wood into the flames, “Out of curiosity, what rank are you?”
Jaspian drew a badge under his shirt pocket, “Well, I’m an F-3-ranked adventurer, and I’ve been stuck in this since… well, forever. Can’t blame me if I reached my peak this early.” He smiled bitterly, his gauntlets rasped as he pinched his badge. “Sucks to be me, I suppose.”
Zayne was taken aback, “I-I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-“
“It’s okay. I know what you mean.” Jaspian lifted his gaze, staring at the night sky, “I gave up a long time ago. Now, I’ll just focus on the moment, and as shitty as my fate is, I’m just gonna-” His head sank. “-I wanted to say to do my best, but… honestly? Not really.”
Zayne understood his pain more than any other. His eyes stiffened, regretting his careless questions. You’re so smart for asking pointless questions, Zayne. “I couldn’t have wished to meet someone better outside Burg.” He spoke rather awkwardly—the right words rolled off his muddled mind.
“What?” Jaspian laughed, “Relax! You don’t have to act so awkward all of a sudden! If I’m disheartened every time I thought about my situation, I won’t be able to get up from the bed! Relax…” his eyes teared, but Zayne didn’t know if it was from laugher or pain.
“There’s a dungeon outside Basin, it is great for newbies. Many coined it as a rite of passage, most adventures in the outer-western continent usually headed there as their first maiden.” Jaspian spoke, blowing air into the fire. “The misty tombs, most called it that. But you’d need a good party to reach its location.”
Maiden? A woman? Zayne cocked his head, taking a few seconds too long before he understood, “Maiden, as in… their first dungeon?”
“Yes!” His expression lightened, “I remembered that day when my party struggled to beat the chief, but we somehow clawed our way into a victory, it was a sweet moment.”
Jaspian’s eyes glinted as he recalled his early days as an adventurer. The missions, dungeons, his trek in the monolith, all the times he’d almost died, all the times he shared a laugh with his friends, and… well, the moment when he had to stay behind and watch the backs of his party leaving him once he slammed head first against his wall. His gaze darkened to a melancholic stare, his terse voice echoing in the silence of midnight. The dancing flames did little to rouse his spirit. “I… I’m gonna hit the bed,” He said, glancing at the watchful eyes of those on watch duty.
Zayne watched Jaspian’s figure slumped over his bed. The academy taught the basics; how cores work, how to handle weapons, and what the most basic terms and terminologies used outside… but it never taught anything about interpersonal relationships, managing resources, about… people.
The night chill curved the fires aside. He kept his hands near the flames, feeding it kindling every few minutes or so, contemplating his path toward the future. Under the pale color of midnight, he reminisced of his past; the hearth of the inn, the days in the academy, the errands in the marketplace, the people, the environment, the atmosphere, the peace, and… his displeasure of his sickening fate. He lost everything he’d had, but for that price, he gained his wish. His deepest, darkest wish.
###
Four days passed. Zayne fixated on the clear skies absentmindedly behind his cart, hoping to see glimpses of Basin with every dart of his eyes. He and Jaspian had grown closer since the start of their journey, their constant chats and banters eased the passing of time. Though he went mute after their conversation the first night they set out together, then reinvigorated his mood the day after. Now, aspen and oak trees dotted the path they took, light undergrowth spread beneath their tall barks, waving—welcoming their presence with a somber eagerness. Occasional monsters popped into their sight once in a while; Zayne recalled an ogre making its way into their path. His party dealt with it swiftly; strong adventurers were not to be taken lightly.
“We’re close,” He said, smiling, “I recognized the trees, this is a path seldom treaded before the invasion happened. After this, you’d see plains stretching as far as your eyes can see, and in the middle of it all…” He teetered to the right, sneaking a peek past the rows and rows of carts and guards ahead, “Oh… I see it. The walls, over there.”
Zayne got up from his seat, standing a head taller than the rest. “Yep… That’s it.”
The sight of the distant city filled his sight. His eyes gaped at the imperious walls surrounding the city; lines of watchtowers rose a few houses higher sporadically atop the brown-gray barrier, and inside, Zayne saw hints of a few buildings peeking their heads past the walls, roofs brown and green and blue, wisps of large, swaying cloths with variegated colors sailed with the wind. Majestic, opulent, glorious buildings, rivaling the massive thing in the middle demanding his attention, calling to him as he breathed, “Wow… That’s…”
Incredulous.
Basin was incomparably larger than Burg. In the center, where all the buildings and walls were erected in a circle, an inhuman structure challenged the sky, submerging its tip into the foggy clouds. A monolith, Zayne muttered in between his unblinking stare. A structure made of unknown reflective metal, shaped like the gems he found from the monsters; but this one had the size of a mountain. Imposing and otherworldly, Zayne couldn’t help but ogle; the first time he saw a monolith impressed him so much that he forgot to breathe.
Kate was right. Zayne hadn’t seen what the world could offer.