Chapter 50 - The Scrapper's Captive

Søren knelt down next to the former captive of the Scrappers and took a moment to look them over. The youngish looking man was looking pretty rough. His short, dark blonde hair was matted with dirt, blood, and debris. Blood had dried on his face, crusty on top and still a bit sticky along the hairline. He cradled his right arm against his stomach, holding it close and trying not to move it much as they tried to sit up. Søren reached out and helped the Scrapper's captive to sit up. The captive turned his slate grey eyes on Søren and tried to scramble away.

"Slow down there," Søren said and tightened his grip on the captive's shoulders.

"What happened?" the captive asked, looking around the shattered camp and the bodies that Sehro and Neeka were dragging to the edge of the firelight.

"We wanted to ask the same thing about you. How'd you end up in the hands of these Scrappers?" Søren asked. The captive took another long look around the camp and a long look at Søren and his two companions. Søren waved his hand in front of the captive's face.

"Sorry. I just had given myself up to being sold off by the Scrappers and to have this happen," the captive explained. "It's a bit of a shock."

Søren nodded and pulled his backpack off his back, shrugging out of the straps.

"You don't have to tell me about being in shock," Søren mumbled. "Anyway, let's get you fixed up. I have some bandages and medicine to keep any wounds you have from getting infected. My name's Søren. That's Neeka and Sehro. Neeka is the one with the spear. She's pretty good with it."

The captive nodded, looking between Søren and the Fuerven.

"Water Finder tribe. Haven't seen them in a very long time. Not since my grandfather's time," the captive said quietly, more to himself than anyone else. "I'm Jarth. Jarth Earthrunner."

"Jarth? That's a, uh... interesting name," Søren said cautiously. Jarth laughed.

"Yeah, my father's name is Garth and I was a fluke. So that's what he named me." The former captive just shrugged his shoulders and regretted doing so immediately. He winced and pulled his right arm tighter against his chest. Søren frowned and reached into his mind, past the interface and into the depth of Potential hidden inside him.

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He called to mind visions of cells splitting, threaded bundles of nerves mended, and muscle and flesh stitching itself back together. He thought of spring and renewal. Rebirth. A time of growth. Søren then reached towards the [Path of the Shaper] and spoke several Atlantean words that bubbled up from the depths of his mind. He rested a hand on Jarth's arm and invoked the Skill those words had triggered.

Congratulations! You have discovered the Skill, [Minor Rejuvenation]. Would you like to spend a skill point to learn it? Y/N

Søren tapped yes mentally and felt the Skill finish casting. A warm green light that reminded him of earth, spring, and renewal spread from his hand on Jarth's arm. Jarth's eyes widened in surprise.

"You're a healer?" he asked in shock.

"Eh, I dabble," Søren explained, leaving out the source of the skill being used. He watched as green numbers ticked by, floating upwards over the former captive every second, as the [Minor Rejuvenation] skill counted down. "A hundred TEK and ten seconds for a few hundred health. Seems decent enough. Anyway, how'd you get caught by the Scrappers? Where are you from?"

Jarth was jarred out of his stupefied state, jerking his eyes away from the rapidly healing wounds on his arm and body.

"Oh uh, the Scrappers caught me out foraging for mushrooms. Good season for it in the backwoods near Karlsfjord," Jarth shared, his gaze steady on Søren. "Small town on the trade road between Haven and the next city-state, Bastion."

"We're headed to Haven. Would your town be on the way?" Søren asked. Neeka had rejoined the two while Sehro was hidden out in the shadows, keeping watch.

"No, not really on the way," Jarth said, "but if you're going overland instead of along the road, it might be faster to visit Karlsfjord first and then take the road. Somewhat safer too."

Søren looked to Neeka.

"That ok with you?" he asked.

Neeka, who had been keeping one eye on Jarth and the other on Søren flicked them both at Jarth and then both at Søren, just nodded.

"Don't make trouble for us Jarth," she finally said after a few long moments. Her spear glinted in the firelight as she turned it slightly in her claws. Jarth's eyes widened slightly and he just nodded back to Neeka.

"Let's head out to our camp," Søren suggested. "Don't want to stay here just in case there are other Scrappers in the area. Neeka, cover our tracks please. Sehro, lead the way. I'll keep watch and help our new traveling companion here."

The group of three from Caisleán had grown by one after a blindingly successful raid on the Scrappers camp. One can hope our lucks holds out, Søren thought to himself as he walked next to Jarth, and slightly behind, to keep an eye on the Scrapper's former captive.

"If you don't mind me pestering you," Jarth asked once they were underway. He then paused and waited for Søren to react. Søren just shrugged and Jarth assumed it was ok to go on. "How did you get that weapon and that armor?!" he asked excitedly. "By the Devourer! It looks fucking amazing."

Søren took a deep breath and sighed.

This is gonna be a long trip.