The next day Villain and Jeck found themselves much too busy to continue their conversation. As soon as they awoke, they were tasked with learning how to tear down the tents, starting with their own, so that they could make themselves useful as they accompanied the Travelers.

“Why is this so complicated?!” Jeck shouted at a tent pole lying on the ground. He had been trying to fold it into a small enough length that it would fit into the cloth sack he was provided yet was unable to do so. It was made of a material unfamiliar to him that the Travelers refused to identify, only saying that it was of their personal design and nothing more. It would bend when enough pressure was applied to it and snap straight as soon as that pressure was released. The problem Jeck was having involved the release of pressure as he tried to shove the folded pole into the sack. The second he let go with one of his hands it would snap out of the other one and fly several feet away.

“Just let me hold it open for you already!” Villain, who found the sight amusing at first, was growing agitated in Jeck’s stubborn refusal of any help.

“I can do it damn you!” Jeck stormed over to the sack lying on the ground, folded pole in both hands, and glared at it for a moment. Then he nodded his head once to himself and slammed the pole on the ground in front of the sack’s opening. Inch by inch he slowly wiggled the pole into the sack, sliding his hand over the fabric as he went. When he finally managed to fit the entire pole in and secure it closed, he placed his hands on his hips as if striking a victory pose.

“Great job. Now, can we work together for the rest?” Villain swung his head and gestured toward the other nine poles, each as long as the first, lying in a pile by the stack of cots. Several passing women laughed as Jeck deflated immediately and sheepishly nodded his head.

“Get a move on you two, there are many more tents that need to be torn down!” Vern, and several other people including Gene, were busy plotting their route on some rather large map that had been placed on the ground. Villain and Jeck managed to get a good look at it before they started but could not make heads or tails of what they were seeing. Neither of them had seen a map before and were never taught how to read one so to them it just looked like a bunch of lines and colors.

“Did they tell you where we’re going?” Villain asked Jeck as they began working on the rest of the poles. Jeck shook his head, grabbed a sack and held it open for Villain.

“Apparently that small group of people are the only ones who can read a map, so they help decide the route. Outside of that the others aren’t told where they are heading next to prevent anyone from selling that information.” After thinking about it for a moment Villain came to understand why. The Travelers were one of the wealthiest groups of people outside of the capital city and he figured many people would want to try their hand at robbing them.

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see like everyone else then eh?” Jeck nodded and the two of them finished their task in silence. Once they had gotten the hang of it, packing up the tent poles wasn’t a difficult task. As long as they worked together anyway. After the poles and the cots were loaded onto a wagon, the tent itself was wrapped over them to protect them from any bad weather. It was a process that they soon came to appreciate as it allowed them to work without their minds wandering away to darker places.

After the camp had been packed away and everyone had readied themselves to move out, Vern gathered the eight survivors in one place. There he gave them a quick overview of the responsibilities of each part of the caravan and ensured them that if they could keep up and follow their rules, they would be safe.

“We don’t move fast, and we don’t take breaks often, so use your energy wisely.” The eight of them nodded and took their designated place in the center. Everyone except Villain and Jeck that is.

“Where are we going exactly?” Villain asked as they were pulled away from the others.

“You will be following me today. As for Jeck, I have someone I think he should get to know.” The two of them followed Vern toward the front of the caravan, passing several curious eyes along the way, and stopped when they had reached a small gathering of armed men.

“Is this the boy?” A large older man that stood almost two feet taller than them slapped his hand on Vern’s shoulder and pointed his chin at Jeck.

“Aye, this is him.” Jeck looked back and forth between their two faces before speaking.

“What’s going on?” The large man eyed him up and down several times, grunting to himself every so often, before stepping toward Jeck and reaching out a hand.

“I hear you want to be a hero kid.” Immediately Jeck’s face turned red and his eyes shifted to Vern who was stifling a grin rather unsuccessfully. “Well? Is that true or are you saying that Vern here is a liar?”

“I-It’s not-…I don’t want to-” Jeck became flustered as he looked back and forth between them once more.

“Spit it out kid!” Vern yelled from behind the large man, still trying to maintain his composure.

“Well, let’s hear it!” The large man in front of him leaned down, his eyes squinted as he watched Jeck’s face.

“I want to learn how to fight! …S-Sir?” His body was stiff and tense as he waited in silence for the man to respond. As the seconds grew longer, he began to wonder if there was something wrong with what he said.

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“To fight hmm.” The man leaned in a little closer, close enough that Jeck could now feel his breath against his face. It smelled like stale wine and tobacco. “Why?”

“T-To protect my villa-…” Jeck trailed off into silence, turning his head slightly so that he could see the rubble that was left of his home. The man stood straight again and grunted.

“You’re a little too late aren’t cha?” The man scanned the horizon as well for a moment before setting his gaze back to Jeck. “So now tell me. For what reason do you wish to learn how to fight?” Jeck returned his gaze as well and remained silent for another minute before he answered.

“There are people that still need me.” Vern shook his head behind the large man and turned around.

“Now you’ve done it kid. Let’s go Villain.” At the sound of his name the large man snapped his gaze in his direction and Villain froze. It was the same as it had been with Jeck. Villain found himself subjected to a full scan from head to toe.

“I see. So, we have a villain,” the large man shifted his gaze back to Jeck, “and a hero. What a strange pair the two of you make.”

“It’s just a name.” Villain found himself spitting it out before he could think. The man’s eyes narrowed for a moment as the air around them thickened before cracking a smile and leaning back.

“You are right.” He said waving Villain past so that he may follow Vern who was tapping his foot impatiently. As Villain moved past him the man added one last sentiment. “For now, anyway.”

“Leave the kid alone Griff.” Vern said over his shoulder as he continued to walk toward the very front of the caravan. Villain, now in a much worse mood, followed in silence. As they grew further away the sound of Jeck’s interrogation faded until eventually he could no longer hear them. After several minutes passed the signal horn to move out resounded through the air and everyone began to push forward. Without realizing it Villain followed Vern to the very front and then continued to push out ahead of the caravan. His mood had distracted him long enough that they were now several dozen feet ahead.

“What are we doing out here?” he asked.

“I told you before didn’t I? I’m the scout.” Villain turned his head behind them and squinted, trying to make out Jeck’s position and failing.

“Then why did you bring me?”

“Would you have preferred to stay with Griff?” Villain frowned and faced forward once more.

“No.” Vern laughed at his quick response.

“He isn’t a bad guy, really. He’s just a bit…paranoid? No, no I should say superstitious I guess.” Villain raised one questioning eyebrow which prompted Vern to let out a small sigh. “You aren’t the first power seeker’s child he has met. While they don’t actually inherit power, many of them inherit terrible personalities. Griff isn’t one to go into detail about his past, but he did tell me two things. The first is that he showed great kindness to a woman named Soul and the second is that she betrayed him.”

“She betrayed him?” Villain asked, glancing back toward the caravan to make sure Griff wasn’t sneaking up behind him.

“Like I said, I don’t know the details. All I know is that when we found him, he was mostly dead. I honestly think it was his anger that kept him alive long enough for us to heal him.” Vern yawned and stretched his arms above his head.

“Soul huh…” Villain mumbled her name under his breath, trying to commit it to memory in case they ever crossed paths. Then it occurred to him that Vern had still not answered his original question. “So why did you bring me?”

“To see who is faster.” Vern smirked and stopped walking. Villain tilted his head, confused.

“What?”

“You heard me kid. It’s a footrace.” Vern began squatting and stretching his legs while Villain stared at him, dumbstruck.

“You’re joking right?”

“Nope.”

“You are clearly faster!” Villain protested, referring to the first time they had met when Vern had knocked him unconscious.

“Tch. That doesn’t count!”

“How does it not?!”

“Neither of us were rested.” Vern smiled and leaned over with one arm in the air and the other on his hip.

“Why does it matter which of us is faster?”

“I’ll tell you if you win.” Villain frowned and looked back at the caravan that was closing in on them at a decent rate.

“Is this really okay?” He turned back to Vern, who nodded.

“You see that mountain in the distance?” Vern pointed northwest and Villain traced his gaze until he found it. Sure enough there was a small mountain out there, so far away that he could have easily mistaken it for a large hill.

“What of it?”

“There is a small lake at the base of it.” Villain frowned again.

“And?”

“Kid do I have to spell everything out for you?” Vern seemed to be growing frustrated, so Villain shrugged. With a sigh Vern continued speaking. “It is a freshwater lake, which means we can drink it.” Villain looked over his shoulder in the direction they had come from, toward the ruins of his village and the river behind it.

“There was water back there though.”

“We aren’t called the Travelers because we stay in one place kid. We stay on the move, and as such we need to find places to refill our water stores. That lake is the next source of water.” Villain licked his lips as the thought of water made him thirsty. Reaching into his sack he pulled out the waterskin he had been given and took a large draft. “We’re scouting kid. Think about what that means for a moment.” Vern nodded toward his waterskin. This time Villain only needed a moment to understand what he was saying. If they were scouting, then they were going to be quite far ahead of the rest, which meant being quite far away from more water. He licked his lips again as the thought made him thirstier.

“Will we be joining them again before reaching the lake?” His worry was evident in the tone of his voice and Vern smirked as he shook his head.

“Like I said. It’s a footrace.” He pointed toward the mountain again and took a deep breath. “The first one to the lake wins. As long as you head straight toward the mountain, you won’t miss it.” After another moment of thought Villain began to stretch as well.

“You never told me what happens if I lose.” Vern laughed and turned toward the caravan which was now only twenty feet away. Villain turned with him and found Jeck off to one side struggling to pull a wagon by himself while Griff sat on top of it yelling at him.

“You have to join your buddy for some light exercise.” Villain frowned deeply as he watched Jeck slip and hit the ground, sending a small dirt cloud up around him.

“Is he really going to be okay?” Vern smirked and let out a loud whistle to which Griff raised his arm above his head and held it there.

“You should worry about yourself more.”

“What?” Villain asked, nervously watching Griff in the distance. Before he could get an answer however Griff lowered his arm in one swift motion and Villain felt a light breeze brush against his back. When he turned around Vern had already created a gap between them of twenty feet.

“Shit!” He took off as fast as he could, stumbling slightly from his panicked start, and cursed Vern inside his head. “That was dirty!”