The Escort
"Ummm... is this... the place?". - Elena pulled the map down from her face, she wanted to hear my confirmation
I nod.
Both of us are currently standing before the entrance of Worbol village. The entrance itself is located right before a small line of river. There's a wooden plank placed here, working as a short bridge. We just need to pass this mini bridge, then we can get inside the village.
I look around the outer space of the village. There are just green plains with some trees. The inside of the village can only be seen once we set our feet in there. Around here only has a wooden board written "Worbol village".
"Are you sure, brother...?". - She gave me the map
I tap her back. I point to the word "Worbol village" on the map and then point to that wooden board to prove her. Elena doesn't seem to be educated, but she at least knows some words. The wooden board behind us is the only proof, the only one.
Sadly, the board's surface doesn't look so clean and the letters on it for no reason, are quite blurred. I guess that cause was from the rains. Maybe the government here also neglects it. The illiteracy rate here is high, so maybe they think re-enhancing this wooden board's quality is futile and a waste of time.
"Hmmmm...". - She kept her eyes on the wooden board, as if she was trying to verify. "Well... I hope so". - Elena slowly put the map back to her pouch
"Please wait for me, Alan, I'm going to take some water".
She later comes down to face the river's surface. Elena opens the lids of her two water leather bags with the purpose to fill up the water. While waiting for Elena, I stand on the bridge to watch the village. I can see a small woman's figure coming here.
It turns out to be an old woman, I immediately bow to her to greet her when she comes near.
"I've finished it, brother". "Oh...". - Elena returned after taking the water, she was surprised to see an old lady. "Hello, uhhh... it's very nice to meet you". - Maybe she doesn't know how to address this old lady
"It's good to see you both here... are you the adventurers?".
"Yeah, some sort of that...". - Elena smiled clumsily
"It's afternoon already... please be careful if you travel at night...". - Done saying, the old female villager walked away to go somewhere. "See you two around...".
The old woman slowly walks away, and both of us return to our journey. We start passing the wooden bridge, the size of it is enough for two people to go along at the same time. After we pass the bridge, we have finally got inside the small village. I guess we will have a short break here.
"Arrrrghhh... not again...". - For no reason, Elena suddenly sighed and grumbled. "Brother, what should we do now...? I forgot to ask her confirmation...". - There are villagers here, just ask them
"Don't look at them like that, please...". - She told me to stop looking at the other villagers. "I don't want to disturb them... so please...". - She slowly walked around the village while lowering her face
I see that the village seems to be quite aged. I mean, we mostly see aged people in the village, the young people are very rare to be seen here. Houses are made of wood, small and one floor. Wooden fences can be seen surrounding the field, I honestly don't know what they're planting on the field.
"Hello you two". - Suddenly, an old villager greeted us
"Ah, mister". - We also greeted back
"I see you two come from outside here ". "By the way, do you both need help...?".
"Yeah... I mean... I just want to confirm if this place is called Worbol village".
"That's right, young lady". - The man nodded
"Oh, so...". - Elena took out her quest paper, but she drew it back at the last moment. "Well, both of us, I mean... I am an adventurer, and I'm looking for a man named Carlos, mister".
"Carlos?". - The old man repeated the word, he later turned his head around
"His house is over there...". "Right there...". - The old man slowly pointed his index finger to a wooden house. "He lives alone, his kids have gone to work in the city and... he lost his wife... a year ago...".
"Oh...". - Elena felt bad for the old man or something
"He's alright, don't worry". "By the way, your friend isn't so talkative, is he?". - Suddenly, that villager asked Elena about me
"Yeah... he not talk too much... I mean my brother...". - She just knew to smile at him
"Good luck on your way". - The old man later walked away from us
"Let's go, brother...". - She pulled my sleeves
In a blink of an eye, we have reached the house. The wooden house is small, similar to other houses in this village, not much special. There's a window to look in, so I peek in and see an old man inside. I wonder if he is really the man Carlos that both of us are looking for.
"Excuse me, is anyone home?". - Elena knocked twice on the door, she asked the housekeeper gently
Both of us step aside. Not so long later, that same old man opens the door to let us in. Both of us bow to the old man to greet him. He also does the same, he still holds the door.
"Mister, are you named Carlos? Were you the one that requested the Adventurer's Guild an escort mission?".
"Yes, that's me". "Please come inside, we'll talk later...".
Both of us enter the house and the old man closes the wooden door. Carlos points to a table, we take a seat there. While waiting for Carlos, I watch him. I see him use his magic skills to pour water inside two wooden cups.
"Thank you". - Elena thanked the old man when he served us free water
"It's good that someone has come to take the quest, I was thinking about going without anyone". - He took a seat, then started talking to us. "Thank you for getting through a long tiring way to get here".
"It's alright, mister". "It's just daily basic things of my job, I'm an adventurer after all".
"I'm going to prepare now, it's about to be done". - Carlos slowly got off his chair
"So you want to start the quest right away, mister?". - Elena asked him
"I don't want to slip off the day, sorry...". "Tomorrow will be my wife's birthday... so I want to start right now...".
"It's alright, mister... if that's our customer's demand". - Elena agreed, but I know she is afraid of traveling with a small group at nighttime
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Right now, both of us are escorting our customer Carlos to the Capital city. We left the village about 15 minutes ago. The three of us are now on our way, on foot, going through a forest. We don't use the route that has the dirt trail, but the forest route.
Carlos told us to use this way to travel faster. This forest path can only be traveled on foot or on a horse, carriages can't go through here. Everything is fine. Carlos is leading the group despite being our customer, I don't know what to say on this.
For some reason, I think this old man is some kind of expert traveler. He is wearing a black cloak, behind it is a thick brown leather armor. He is wearing an old and big bag on his back, looks heavy but not so much to him.
He seems to know this forest path very well. This makes me feel like as if he used to live here before.
An old man whose appearance is about 60 to 70. With grey hair and a full beard, in a black cloak, wearing a backpack, he walks his way.
"Uhhh... you're so strong, Sir... despite being this age". - Elena praised Carlos, she smiled while looking at me
"Old age is not the end...". - Carlos replied, he kept on walking on the path
"We were supposed to be escorting you... and now I am wondering who is escorting who...". - She smiled again
"I went alone like this every year to the church, young lady... but I've realized that I'm too old".
"So...". - That's the reason he gave us the quest, huh?
"Please do what both you have been told... I'm now just an old man". - Carlos turned around and smiled at us, the old man later kept walking
The three of us keep going, we decide to go silent at this moment to focus. I look up the sky and notice that the sun is going down, will be very soon. We need to form shelter when night comes. We need to take a short break tonight, then restart our journey in the next day, right during dawn.
I am still wondering how far is this forest area to the Capital city. Based on the map, I assume we will reach the Capital city in the next day. Maybe in the morning, or at noon if we're late. That will be the case if we take an overnight break in this forest.
"Your brother isn't too talkative, is he?". - When I was thinking, I heard Carlos saying something to Elena
"Ehhhh... well". - She giggled. "Yeah, he's like that... he doesn't speak too much, Sir".
"Unlike you, he doesn't look like an adventurer at all".
"Well... my brother has a day off today, so he's helping me". "Only me here an adventurer". - Elena only knew to smile to pass the conversation
"What a good brother, you should... precious him...". "Back in my time, my house had many but we were very separated...". - The old man stopped looking at us, he returned to walk his way
"I used to be an adventurer when I was young too". - Carlos confessed
"Oh, so you're my senior?!". - She later walked along with the old man instead of walking behind him. "I hope you can teach me something, please...".
"I have nothing to teach you, little girl". "You're doing better than what I did at your age, each era has its own difference... keep doing what you're good at, child".
"I'm now just an old man...".
"It's about to get dark... we should find a river... or a stream... we must hurry now". - He asked us to find a river
"Understood". - Elena replied
The three of us keep walking on the path. We're passing some tree lines, they are covering us from the sun. We're trying to find a stream, but we haven't seen anything in our sight yet. I guess the old man knows the way.
"Around here has two streams, but there's one away here a bit". - Carlos told us, he pointed his index finger to somewhere very far ahead. "If you two like to have a break now, we'll stop our journey today". "But if we rest over there, our route will have more advantage".
"Well... I guess I'll pick the second choice...". - Elena smiled at the old man
"Well...". - Carlos stopped walking, he turned around. "Let's burn our feet before making them cold... stay tight, it's very far". - Done saying, the old man returned to open the way for both of us
Just like that... we keep going on our way...
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Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
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This time is already night, it's so silent here. We found a stream after making a long way, but it was quite late when we set up our camp. Staying here overnight while hearing the stream is something very enjoyable.
We set up our camp first... this process took us two hours to finish, I think. We climbed up trees and used cloths that were stored inside the old man's backpack to create a web line to cover our heads. The duty of these dense cloths is to protect us from the sudden rains. After setting up our camp, we went out to prepare for something else.
I helped the group to chop off some branches. Elena set up the logs to make them look like chairs for us to sit on. However, those logs were later used to set up the campfire. The old man replaced them with big stones that he found instead.
Hmmmmm...
I guess I will stop sitting, I'm going to set up the fire.
All of a sudden, the old man Carlos approaches the inactive campfire. Somehow the fire has been set up in the campfire in a blink of an eye. The old man slowly returns to his seat. He raises his hands toward the campfire, he breathes out and grins.
"It's much warmer now...". - Carlos said, feeling very comfortable
I gaze at the old man, wondering how he could fire it up that fast. This reminds me of the magic stone I received from the guy Pemba. Did the old man use magic to set up the fire? This is something... new to me.
I don't have a memory of anything like it. Yet, I also feel it strange, it's unfamiliar.
Hmmmm...
"You've been so silent till this time, young man". - The old man glanced at me, smiling. "I just wanted to help, magic isn't something that a person can learn easily". - Carlos later returned to enjoy the warmness of the campfire
While sitting near Carlos, I hear something sounding in the bushes. I look at that side and realize that is Elena. Finally, she has returned here after a short time going to hunt around. I can see the disappointment on her face.
"Uhhh... haahhh...". - She leaned to a tree, she sighed. "Sorry everyone... I got nothing in return". - She looked up tiredly, smiling
"Everything will be alright, little girl". - Carlos replied. "Have you brought rations with you?". - While asking the young girl, the old man removed a pouch from his cloak and held it
"It's my first time staying overnight in a forest so...". "Well, I did". "My seniors told me to, so yeah... I brought some, but... well... not much". - Elena took a seat beside me, she also removed a small pouch and let me hold it
"It's a good thing when you listen to your seniors...".
"Ah, I forgot this". "Thank you for letting me borrow it...". - Elena removed the leather helmet that had a white magic stone in the middle. "It must be very expensive, isn't it? This helmet helped me a lot without using a torch". - She slowly returned that magic light helmet. "It was so bright, very... I wish I had enough money to buy this thing".
"My very good friend gifted it to me...". "It helped me a lot too, back in the days when I was passing the dungeon". - He put his helmet back into his backpack
"I still have some cloths, we'll use them as bedsheets when we sleep". "Hope that tonight won't be so cold...". - He drank some water from his leather bag, he said to us while looking at the bright and hot campfire
"Ah, remember to turn off the bonfire, the wind can catch fire very fast when we sleep through the night". - He reminded us to be careful
Both of us nod.
"Hmmm...". - Elena stared at the campfire with curiosity. "Alan, you made this?". - Maybe she felt it strange. "Some logs are still here... I thought we would need many to set up this thing".
"I did it by magic". - The old man spoke up
"Please teach me to do it, Sir!". - Elena's sparkled when she heard it for some reason. "Magic magic magic... I always wanted to learn it when I was a little...". - She approached the old man, asking him to teach her
"I just know some basics, I've forgotten most of them so...". - He smiled
I guess I will ignore both of them just now. I'm a bit hungry, I will surely eat a bit.
I open the pouch. I see some slices of meat... dried meat. Not so much to eat, I must save some for Elena or she will be starved. I take some bites of the dried meat, I chew and swallow some.
My hearing sensation ignores Carlos and Elena. Sitting before the bright bonfire, I eat and think about what am I. Everything before me is very strange, everything. I don't remember who I am, I don't know where is this place.
Although I'm adapting well to life here, I still see it has some huge gaps. I'm not familiar with almost everything here, from the people to daily life.
The skin, the hair, the eyes of the people around me may be familiar, but their lifestyle isn't like that...
I have no memories... but I can sense the unfamiliar... most of it is unfamiliar...
The more I try to remember, the more I find out so many gaps in my mind.
The first day I got here, I got diarrhea every time I ate food from Ryva's house. Back in this morning, things had gone better, diarrhea never returned to me anymore.
If I was a person here in the first place, how did I get ill because of eating the food?
All of them just ate like me, but why only I got diarrhea...?
Because the dishes were bad and insecure? No.
I don't think so...
I wonder who I am...
I need an answer...
"Hmmmm...". - For no reason, I spotted Elena watching me while crouching before me
"Alan...". - She suddenly snatched the leather pouch. "You ate it all...". - She grumbled, she showed me the empty ration pouch
"Oh, still have some". - Elena returned to sit beside me, she managed to find some pieces of dried meat that still left. "You're very mean, please say something". - She looked away, she ate her dinner
Why didn't she gather before Carlos anymore...? That old man refused to teach her magic or something?
For some reason, all of us go silent by now. I check on Carlos and see him staring at Elena and me for no reason.
"You youngsters must be having a very rough life... feeding each other, living without help of your parents". - The old man said to us
"We're going through hard times, Sir". "In debt... maybe we'll get more trouble in the future... it keeps going on". - Elena stopped eating, she sighed a long line
"We all have to go through hard times at some point in our life, little girl". - Carlos replied. "Nothing will be forever, it will last... but it will have its own stop point". - Carlos drank some water again
"Don't worry, little girl". "Everything will be alright... you can still see your feet, can't you?".
"Wh-, what do you mean?". - Elena looked down to see her feet, she wondered
"You can still see them...". "Your future only changes when you do something, you're strong". "Things you don't want to come will surely come to you no matter what". "Debts can be paid... so please keep yourself well to have health to fight it". "It will come even if you want to see it or not... so face it...".
"You can get through it sooner or later... so keep yourself healthy first...".
"Thank you, Sir". - Elena put her hands together, she sat beside me while trying to enjoy her rest time
Our conversation ends there, we enjoy the moment of resting together. The deep silence of the forest makes me feel like I'm the only one here. That's what happens if I don't focus on Carlos and Elena, but on myself only. I'm putting my mind in that state again.
The fire from the campfire is getting weaker. The fire itself is dying when I see it closely. It needs more materials to keep the fire bright, I will drop some logs. It's getting colder when the fire is weak.
I throw a small log into the dying bonfire. It brightens up the campfire, the fire is sparkling brighter than ever. The coldness goes away, I can feel the heat of the fire is getting huge. I raise my hands out to let it cover them.
"Uhhh...". - All of a sudden, Elena leaned to me
She seems to be sleepy, her eyes are closing though she doesn't want to. The young girl falls asleep, her body lowers but I hold it back. Maybe she won't be sober even if I do something to make her wake up. I guess I must do something now.
I put Elena on my seat in a lying position. I can hear her heavy breaths, her eyes hold full of undescribed heaviness.
She has had it enough today. Last night was a bad day, today's daytime was a rough day for her too. She deserves to rest well, to recover more.
Hmmmmm...
Carlos also wants to help her or something. He gives me a big cloth, I take it and use it to cover Elena from the cold. Now the young girl is sleeping very deeply. Only two men awake, I have no idea but to keep my eyes on the old man.
I slowly take the next seat near Elena. I take a leather bag and drink some water. The young girl is cute when she is sleeping. I guess both of us will go to sleep soon, we have to prepare to finish soon tomorrow's escort.
"Would you mind talking with me, young man?". - Carlos suddenly asked me
I look at him. I put down the water bag, I keep my hands on my knees, I stay silent.
"She says you aren't so talkative... but I wonder if you can talk".
"I do...". - At least that's when Elena isn't conscious
"Hey, finally". - He raised both of his hands, grinning at me. "Both of you don't look like to be sister and brother at all... am I wrong?". - The old man silently sat beside me
"I'm a stranger". "I don't remember who I am...".
The old man keeps listening to me but he doesn't say a word.
"She respects me, I do it back".
Carlos doesn't say anything, he looks at Elena who is now sleeping deeply. His face suddenly looks sad, he sighs. The bonfire is getting weaker a little bit. It isn't so windy tonight, I can sense it.
"She reminds me of my daughter...". - Finally, the old man opened his mouth
"My kids are in the city now, all grown up, working, living their own lives". - He took a small sip from his water bag. "Theresa - my wife died of an illness...". "Just me alone... only me, you understand?".
I nod.
"We're the same at some point, young man". "You don't remember who you are... you're alone here, with her". - He put his hand on my right shoulder. "Remember to make her happy... she gives it to you, and you give it back". - I don't need you to tell me, old man, I always respect those who respect me
Both of us go silent. The old man looks up the dark sky.
"We should better sleep now, I'll do the guard". - Carlos told me, he dropped a small branch into the bonfire
In the end, I tap his back twice to tell him.
"I'm a light sleeper...". -
"Young men shouldn't sleep late, I'll do it".
I don't say anything. I stay in my seat, staying silent while my hands are on my knees. The old man sighs when I don't go to sleep. He nods twice, then he gives me a cloth to ask me to use as a bedsheet if I decide to sleep.
"Three hours for you, three hours for me?". - He asked
I nod.
"Good night, young man". - Carlos later covered himself in the cloth, he lay on the ground to sleep
Alright. Only I'm now awake...
I will eat something... I'm still hungry right now.
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Our way to the Capital city is very near now. The three of us are walking on the trail, following the route that only leads us to the Capital city. After going on the forest path for a while, the old man Carlos had guided us to return to the main route. That's why we're walking on the trail.
We departed since dawn, so I guess we will get there when the sun has gone high. If we escort the old man to the church early enough, we will return to the guild sooner. Maybe we'll go back there when it's noon. Or afternoon.
Going back to the town when it's evening is the worst scenario that I can think of.
Carlos is now can be seen walking on the path with his eyes looking around as if to find something. I'm carrying his backpack, the old man shouldn't carry this heavy. When we get him to the church, we will accomplish our escort mission.
"Sir, why do you keep looking around...?". - Elena asked the old man
"Just searching for a ride, little girl". - Carlos replied, he slowly turned around. "There'll be caravans of merchants or mercenaries, even normal people going through here...". "You two have worked hard enough, taking a ride now won't be a problem? Don't you think?".
"Well... if you say so, Sir...". - Elena smiled, although her expression wasn't too agreeing with him
She is an adventurer. Accepting the customer's demands is one of many rules she has to follow. We'll take a ride to make the escort to the church finished much earlier.
"Don't be like that, I'll pay for the ride". - Carlos smiled at Elena when he saw her face grumble a little bit
I keep my eyes away from those two, I observe the dirt trail ahead. I can see that there's a long mark of wheels on the trail we are going on. There was a small wave of rain last night. The surface of the road seems to have been affected by the rain as well.
I see the marks of the wheels are still quite fresh, still wet on the soil. The marks tell me there's more than one carriage that past this trail. The caravan isn't far away from this distance. I just hope they're kind enough, I mean I hope they won't act like the meanies who used to scam us.
"No one likes to be alone... you still want someone beside you even if you're the type that loves to live alone ". - Carlos just said something to Elena, but I didn't have a chance to hear that conversation fully. "But life asks you to be alone sometimes...". "You have to adapt, you will get used to it".
"My wife, my kids, all left me to somewhere else". "But I'm not lonely, nature always teaches me to see it as a friend - I see nature as a friend".
Elena listens to every of Carlos' words. She nods sometimes, but she mostly walks slowly while listening.
"Do you have any relatives, Elena?".
"Yeah...". - She slowly nodded. "Elene - my little sister and Jane, my eldest sister".
"They're not with your parents anymore?".
"I think so". "Elene's still a little, she must be still with my parents... but Jane is living somewhere I don't know". "Just my guess, I haven't seen or met my older sister for two years now".
"I hope she's alright". "Some friends of mine went into a dungeon, they never got out". - Carlos, I think you should pay more attention to your wife's birthday
"I hope so...". "Well, she left the family with some words that she would become an apprentice of a town mayor".
"Oh, so she was well educated to work for him?".
"No, she's just beautiful...". - Elena giggled, but I saw some jealousy in her
"Jane's fine". "She always sends me some money at the end of every month...". "I really hope she does the same with mama and papa...".
Suddenly, their conversation stops for no reason. Elena seems to be curious why. Carlos doesn't look at us no more, he keeps his eyes on the road ahead. There are three carriages before us, they're moving on the road in a column, carrying goods.
"We'll talk when we set our butts there". - Carlos then approached the caravan
"Excuse me". - Elena followed the carriage moving on the back of the two others. "We're adventurers that are on our quest t-".
"Speak to Mr. Shatt on that wagon if you need a ride". - The horse driver cut off her words, he told Elena to move to the carriage in the middle
I take a fast glance at the carriage before me. I see three men armed to the teeth with metal armors sitting on the back of the carriage. Maybe there are more of them behind the cloth, I can sense that. The security of these carriages is quite tight.
"Kid, If you need a ride, ask Mr. Shatt in that wagon". - That same guy grunted, he told me to follow his order
I slowly leave that carriage and move to the next one.
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Finally, we got to the Capital city when it was still in the bright morning. The ride of that caravan took us 20 Gads, but at least they were decent. They dropped us right at the Capital's entrance. There's an outpost set up right here to check on the citizen cards.
"Haaahhhh...". - Elena sighed, she took a small sip of water. "Let's go inside, Sir... please guide me to the church...". - She smiled in a silly way, then started walking
"You both can stop here now". - Carlos said
"Huh?".
"You two have had enough... I've disturbed you two". - While speaking to us, he retook his big backpack from my back. "This go was supposed to be one man trip... but I was scared that I would face something bad because of my age so I called you join".
"Is that really alright...?". - Elena was a bit bewildered
"I'll be alright, go back to that guild and take your rewards". - Done saying, he pulled out a white round thing from his bag, he gave it to the girl. "Take it, as a note". - Carlos slowly put on his backpack
"It has the symbol of the guild, uhhh...". - Elena looked up with some confusion
"Take it". - Suddenly, he gave Elena a big and warm hug. "Send your parents my regards if you visit them someday". "It was very joyful to talk to you, daughter...". - The old man tapped her left shoulder twice
"Thank you... I surely will". - Elena put that thing back inside a pouch. "But is that really alright...? You'll go alone to the church... I heard that the Capital was assaulting the rebels".
"Same things like that happened in these past three years, I'm bored with it...". - Carlos sighed, then grinned. "That's your customer's demand... I will be safe, and you will too". "Bye you both". - Carlos slowly turned around, the old man started approaching a guard to let him check on him
We stand there. We wait for the old man to get the guard's approval to let him go inside. After seeing him enter the entrance, we have finally been relieved. Now we can return to the Border town.
"Ah, I forgot". - Suddenly, he got to the entrance to see us. "Your brother isn't so talkative even when he was with me, ask him to speak more". - Carlos later grinned
He waves at us before going back inside.
Hmmmm... don't look at me like that, girl. I'm just a mute...
"Huh?!". - I knew it...