We return to the mountain trail once we have sufficiently enjoyed the hot springs. The climb back up was tedious, but it was worth it. After this, our daily routine continues.
First thing in the morning, I hunt and gather food. I leave the killing and skinning of any animal to Seraphina. Olivia cooks us breakfast and I prepare water for everyone. We walk about 15 miles throughout the day, stopping only for lunch or to use the bathroom. Whenever someone does need a bathroom, I build a small stone barrier for privacy.
At night they chat while I get lost in thought, occasionally joining the conversation. I still rarely sleep well, and nightmares are constant. I wake up early and continue the next day.
Occasionally I run into a monster on the ground level, but I can flee easily. Rarely, monsters appear on the mountain pass. When that happens, I grab the two of them and run away from it while leaving behind things that slow the monsters down.
Three months have passed in total, and we are halfway through our journey. When this trail ends, our relationship with Seraphina will stay as close as ever I imagine. The two of them have become inseparable, partners in crime, best friends, and every other way of describing it. I have grown rather fond of Seraphina as well.
In some sense, Seraphina and I are opposites. She has transcended having mere charisma into being the very definition of the word. She is a rather upbeat person, but capable of cold and calm calculations. While she does have book smarts, she is far more skilled in comprehending other people.
While one could imagine our personalities clashing, they do not. The idea that mere personalities can cause rifts in personal relationships is an idea I have found to be untrue. So long as the two of us act towards each other with the truest form of ‘goodwill’ we won’t clash. In some ways even, our contrasting skills has brought us closer, making up for each other's faults.
I have also gotten to know Olivia very well during this time. I was worried for a while that her choice to take up mundane tasks like cooking, cleaning, laundry, waking up the oversleepers, etc. were acts of subservience, done so that she would not be cast aside. But, this is not true.
She enjoys the simple aspects of life. She likes having a large, good-tasting meal. She smells the flowers when we walk past them. She doesn’t seek out great amounts of knowledge but respects those who pursue it. She likes cute things, and making things cute, often dressing up Seraphine with unique combinations of the few clothes and accessories we packed.
The greatest thing to note about Olivia is her sincerity. When she provides compliments, you can see in her eyes and hear in her voice that it is real, without flattery. It was the greatest stroke of luck that Olivia and I met. Everything that I need she has, and looks to share. What she needed most at a certain point, I had. I imagine our friendship will last a long time, so long as I live through the next few years.
Today is another simple day. I climb down the mountain, at this spot, it is only 50 meters or so to the bottom. In this area I find strange berries, not native to this region, it is clear that these bushes were planted, quite a few years ago.
I pick them until I have three decent-sized portions, and then continue moving. The deer are oddly comfortable with the short distance between myself and them. I make a mental note of where they are and continue walking. Today, I will try to catch a rabbit.
I watch where I walk closely, I tripped on a tree branch yesterday and scraped my knee. I don’t really want to do that again.
10 minutes into my search I hear strange rustling in the bushes. Not just in one spot, but completely surrounding me. I stand up and take in my surroundings, waiting for whatever lay waiting to reveal itself.
Once they realized I was aware of their presence, the group revealed themselves. They were children… no, halflings. A group of seven surround me with weapons drawn, most of them holding bows.
“Ere& $*dfe$ *fs$#”
“Sot#^@ @*tah #*@!”
I can’t understand them. They seem to be talking in some language native to their kind. I can make out some syllables that are also used in common, but that is it. I hold my hands in the air while they discuss privately.
The oldest one, and the only one with scars from war visible on his body spoke in common after the others went silent.
“Human, why are you here? What have you done with the boy?”
Huh? What does he mean?
“I am just a traveler… on the mountain pass…” I try my best to communicate. I have gotten better at talking recently, but I’m still far from Demosthenes.
“The mountain pass is two miles out, state your real purpose.”
“I’m telling the truth, I am gathering food for my companions and me.”
“Companions? Where are they?”
“...I will not reveal them so long as your weapons remain drawn.”
“You wish for me to de-arm myself? What a joke, I know what you humans are like. Especially you soldiers, I can smell it on you, human, you bear the stench of a soldier.”
“Then let me leave and return to my companions. I do not wish to fight."
“You won’t go anywhere until you hand over the boy.”
“I don’t know anything about a boy.”
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“I don’t believe you.”
We were at a standstill, neither of us would budge. I’m not going to bring armed men to the camp where Seraphina and Olivia are defenseless. He won’t let me leave until he has guaranteed that I had nothing to do with what happened to that boy.
This is truly a predicament. The only way out of this situation is through communication or running away. Running away isn’t an option at the moment, so I will talk to the leader.
“Tell your men to put their bows away. They are positioned poorly. If they release their arrows and I dodge, they will hit each other.”
“Hm…” he examined his men's formation for a moment and then called out to them in common “change formation, come to me, and form a straight line.”
The men did as he said. Now I can dodge without causing someone else to get injured. Still, the men had their arrows drawn on me.
Even with the opportunity to escape, I do not want to do it. If there is a child in trouble, then I should help. Talking my way from being the chief suspect into joining the rescue team is… well impossible. I suppose against my better wishes, I should rely on her.
“I will bring you to the trail, and introduce you to one of my companions. My terms are this, only you come, you sheath your weapon, and swear that you will bring her no harm.”
“Hm… I will agree to those terms. But any sudden moves boy… and I will kill you.”
“I understand.”
If anyone can talk me out of this situation, it is Seraphina. I will bring him to a location where just the three of us can talk and go from there. I will keep Olivia out of this for now.
The walk back to the pass was against the wind. Winter is here, and it seems the first snow is beginning to fall.
The sky is entirely gray. White flakes fall between the leaves, landing on my shoulders. The halfling has to remind me to continue walking after I stop to stare into the sky.
The two of us climb up the mountain about half a kilometer away from our camp. He is a bit slower than me but still keeps up.
I write a letter and attach it to a butterfly I crafted out of magic and then send it in her direction. I have it hug the rocky wall on the right side of the pass as it heads in her direction. To make sure she notices it, I also have it make a noise as it travels.
“I have never seen magic like that before.”
“It is an original spell… not mine, but I had it taught to me.”
“I see.”
I take a seat and wait. The halfling stands above me with his hand still on his sheath.
After 30 minutes or so, Seraphina arrives. The halfling seems to relax a bit when he sees her. It is evident that she is no soldier. He has to accept this as a show of goodwill.
“Hello, my name is Seraphina of Carthigus, may I ask what is going on here?”
“Bohdi Stoneheart, I am for a young boy who disappeared from our village. While my patrol was searching through the forest, we came upon this one.”
“I see… I can assure you he had no part in this. Cassius as he is now could not hurt a fly. He was down in the forest collecting food for us. We are supposed to be taking the mountain trail towards Enkantia in order to enroll in the magic academy as students.”
“Do you have any proof of this?”
“ Please give me one moment.”
She reaches into the sac she brought with her and pulls out a letter. After unsealing it, she hands it over to Bohdi.
“Letter of recommendation for the magic academy…”
After reading the entire letter, the man puts it back into the envelope and returns it to Seraphina. He stares at me for a while, stroking his beard, until he says the words, “Very well, you are free to go.”
Unceremoniously, he turns around to descend the mountain. This didn’t satisfy me, if I just wanted to be let go, I would have run away.
“Wait! I can help!” I shout just as he enters into position.
He looks up at me startled, and then returns to a standing position.
“I can help you find the boy.”
Bohdi grumbled to himself after hearing this. He thought for a while and then asked the question, “Why?”
I was stumped. I want to be a better person, one who helps people. That is the only reason, to move towards becoming the person Cassius instructed me to be. But… how do I explain this?
“Cassius is quite fond of kids himself, I imagine he would lose a lot of sleep if he turned his back on one now,” Seraphina explained.
This was a lie, I don’t really like kids that much. But she was right to say that I would lose sleep if I turned my back on that boy.
“Hm…. very well, follow me.”
“Thank you for letting us help sir! We must get our other companion before heading back.”
We lead the halfling to our camp and informed Olivia of the situation. She seems to be enthusiastically in favor of helping the halflings and quickly packs up her belongings.
We descend the mountain, Olivia on my back and Seraphina on his. We make it to the bottom of the mountain and begin walking through the now-snowy forest toward his village. Many miles into the forest, eventually a small basin, a tiny pocket of land surrounded on all sides by mountains comes into sight.
There is one path from the south and one to the north. We enter the basin from the south, and not long after buildings enter into our sight. They are built behind trees, with log walls and leaf roofs, and moss grew on the side of the homes to blend the buildings into the surroundings perfectly.
The patrol of halfling warriors didn’t try to stop the Gohdi from bringing us into the village, they seemed to respect his decision.
The first place he brings us is a spring in the center of the village. He tells us to wait there and then walks off for a while.
He returns with three people, two of them look like a middle-aged or slightly younger couple. The other is an old woman, probably older than him.
“Mrs. Elder, these are the humans I brought,” Bohdi spoke to her.
“So you are the one who intends to help us,” she said to me.
Her voice was raspy and quiet. Her body seems rather frail, she shakes, even when standing still.
“Yes.” I respond, “So please, tell me everything you know.”
Bohdi was the one who filled me in.
“The boy’s name is Toby Tumblefoot. His parents are right here. He disappeared last night just after dinnertime. There was no attack on the village, and I didn’t find any signs of monsters or the like.”
What should I do?
Wandering aimlessly is pointless, there is too much ground to cover. Inviting a large group of others to join the aimless search is a bad idea too, there seem to be monsters active in the area. I’m sure even the amateur warriors I came across earlier could handle them, but civilians?
I suppose I should start an investigation within the village, and then leave when I'm better informed.
“I’m going to start by asking around the village, Seraphina, will you come with me?”
“Sure,” she responds.
“What will you do?” I ask Bohdi.
“I’m going to send my team out on their own to continue, after that I will accompany you. I have no intention of leaving a human alone in the village.”
It seems he still wants to keep an eye on me.
I suppose I should start the investigation immediately.