He saw hundreds and thousands, perhaps even more, threads flowed with shimmering presence with its colours changing gradually between blue and orange across his head. Looking down, he noticed the threads flowing. He was bathed in the mysterious colourful threads among the endless stretch of darkness. Observing the threads, he discerned the threads only flow in one direction. Touching the threads, thousands of images flashed through his head. Life, breath, consume, growth, decay, death. It was the flow of cycle. It was Natura.
Wondering what lied ahead of the flow, he focused and expanded his senses to one of the threads with his touch. The thread flowed slowly but firmly increasing its pace the farther it traversed from him. Suddenly, he saw a silhouette ahead of the thread. The figure was getting larger and clearer as he followed the flow of the thread. Cladded in tattered equipment, the figure limped on with his spear as an aid. An emblem of three shields lining over each other was seen over the missing arm on his left. Knights of Sheldon.
His blood ran cold as he frantically sought the face of the figure. Covered with dirt and dried blood, the hair was stuck and scorched at a side of the haggard face. No, it cannot be, but there is no one else, he thought. From the way the mouth tightened and the cheeks crested to the limping of the legs, he saw the shadow of the one who had always been in his mind for the past month. Suddenly, the figure fell forward, but there was no ground in the void. The figure could only fall endlessly away from the flow to the deepening oblivion below.
Stretching his hand, he tried to reach out to the falling figure. Grasping on nothing but darkness, the figure continued falling and disappearing from his sight. Willing to follow, he was about to jump into the unknown oblivion when he felt a force pulling him away from the darkness as his sight began to bath in blinding light. He screamed and struggled desperately, but in vain as he was rapidly pulled by the force and surfaced into the light.
A painful smack on his head dissipated the light and Lucious found himself looking at the mild grey tent. He turned slowly and found a disgruntled Cassia glaring at him. “Aren’t you being a bit too dramatic in your dream, sitting up and screaming?” Clearing his confusion, Cassia sighed. “We camped here for today. Obviously, brother and the rest of the first squad cannot move an inch after the battle. Of course, it’s also about you, an overburned trainee.” Upon hearing the news, Lucious exhaled in relief and rubbed his eyes, ready to rise.
“No, lie down and rest. There is no chore for you.” Pushing him back to the sleeping cover, Cassia pulled a blanket over his chest. “How is everyone?” “Few scratches. Quingon complained about leaving him to deal with the dying beasts. Obviously, he wanted a good hunt, but who cares about the gorilla.” Lucious smiled faintly at the sight of Quingon screaming to Cassian who was ignoring the harpy warrior. “Anyway, do get some rest. I’ll rouse you when it’s time for dinner.” Lucious nodded as Cassia rose and walked away. “And one thing. I heard the flesh around the spine of Fang Coyotes is a delicacy when roasted over a fire. You can count on the dinner tonight.” Smiled in anticipation, Lucious rested his hands over the blanket and closed his eyes as the tent cover flapped silently.
Waking up by the stimulating aroma of meats roasting on the fire, Lucious grabbed his groaning stomach and climbed out from the tent. The campsite was amicable with loud talks and soft whispers as everyone gathered on the campfire, watching Lowen and Olwen worked with large chunks of skewered meats on the fire. Cassia was chatting excitedly with Emma and Penn while Quingon aiming the meats in obvious lust. Julian was minding a pot of pottage, leaving Pop and Gabriel tending to their equipment silently. Cassian was discussing something with Merridian in deep expression. “Ah, my lad. Glad you awake.” Lucious was about to join the party when a voice calling out to him cheerfully. He turned to meet Floki and Lucson who was coming back from the back with their towels.
“How’re you, Lucious? Hurt anywhere?” Lucson asked with warm concern. “Sluggish, but I’m ready for the meats.” Floki and Lucson threw their heads up and laughed earnestly. “Good, good. Now, if you please, the man of the hunt.” Floki winked at Lucious who made a questioning look. Floki took his young trainee on both of his shoulders and turned him around. Lucious was surprised to find everyone from the expedition circling around him. “How’re you?” “You sure you’re alright walking around?” “Not bad, kid. Although I could have done better...” “Said the bald Pop who barely had his Breath left...” “Hush, Cassia. And Penn, stop wiping Pop’s head” “Hmm...Hmm” “I guess you’re braver than you look, ruffian.” “My, my, Quingon. Praise him honestly and don’t look away.”
Lowering his head, Lucious was brushing his hair in embarrassment when he caught Cassian at the corner of his eyes. Cassian looked at him with an expression difficult to describe. The shield knight looked calm but in such penetrating cold seriousness that frozen his heart. The expression passed into a warm smile in an instant as Cassian called to the circling members. “Guys, I think we made our man embarrassed.” Nodding to Lucious, Cassian continued. “To make it clear for Lucious, let me propose a toast.” Julian passed a large bottle of wine to Cassian and the rest of the party broke to grins and moans. “With this Red Quaint, I toast to the man who braved himself to rescue his team and created the turning point of the battle. To Lucious!” Cassian passed the wine to Lucious and smiled at him in anticipation. Catching on, Lucious whipped a mouthful with his back arching as he brought the wine to his mouth under the cheering and clapping from the party.
Feeling a slight warm rising from his belly, Lucious passed the wine back to Cassian who then took a mouthful and passed it to Cassia who ran away with the bottle. The rest of the party chased and surrounded Cassia and trying to take the wine from the mischievous girl. Lucious and Cassian laughed out aloud when Floki and Lucson threw their towels aside and ran to join the fray. “Well then, why don’t we help ourselves with the meat?” Lucious approaching the campfire with Cassian when he caught the burning gaze from the twin directed at the man at his side. “Oops, I know, I know. Leave the meat be and good luck with the wine.” With a nod, Cassian relieved the twin and they quickly charged at Quingon who took the bottle from Cassia and facing the all-out attack from the others.
“Here you go.” Noticing Lucious’s lustful gaze at the roasting meat, Cassian beckoned for the boy to sit down. Cassian took the large meat away from the fire, sliced a piece from the well-roasted part, and threw it to the boy. Catching the slice with his hands frantic with the heat, Lucious took a bite and widened his eyes in surprised delight when the juicy meat burst in his mouth. Not too soft and not too tough, the meat was chewy. Lucious took a slice of bread from Cassian and wrapped it to the meat. It was so fulfilling that Lucious attacked another slice of meat wrapped in a giant slice of leaf in gusto. “Doing well, lad?” Lucious swallowed his meat with a helping of water and turned to meet Floki who was roasting a skewered raw meat. Lucious suppressed a burp and nodded his head comfortably. “Cassian lad, it’s getting a bit out of control down there...” Floki directed Cassian’s gaze to the rest of the party which was getting serious over the bottle of wine. Cassian sighed and walked toward the rest of the members who started to fight.
“Now, kid. Do you have your answer ready?” Floki asked almost casually while busying with his meats. “I think I might take the chance.” Lucious absentmindedly answered without any hesitation. Stopping his hands, Floki turned to regard his young trainee in surprise. “Really? Are you sure?” Realising his bashful response, Lucious quickly swallowed his meat. “Floki, you don’t have to remind me how slim the chance I have. I know better than anyone I was lucky today.” Lucious raised his hand to stop Floki from interrupting. “However, after the battle today, I realised once again how easy for one to die just like that. There is no guarantee for my safety either if I stay or run. At least, I want to stand on my ground and die knowing that I have done what I can in the way I want.” The air became silent even when the wine scuffle reached all over the campsite.
“It’s something that I must do. Regret will plague me if I turn my back against it. Please, Floki. Let me continue the quest.” Lucious pleaded Floki with his eyes staring straight into Floki’s impassive eyes. Some moments have passed before Floki breaking the eye contact and brushing his scalp with a sigh. “Well, you’ve done well today, kid. You might make it if you continue with this momentum.” Lucious brightened up. “That is if you can suppress your barrier, or better don’t use it anymore and survive the rest of the quest.” Lucious was about to interrupt when Floki raised his hand to stop him. “You should at least do that much. Consider it the final test for earning your ticket to Jercflosey.” Lucious nodded begrudgingly after a short silence.
Nodded agreeably, Floki retrieved his roasted meat, grabbed a piece, and chewed it with satisfying grunt. “Well then, let’s continue the feast. It might be your last one.” Lucious frowned disapprovingly at the wicked grin on Floki’s face and was about to retort when a sharp shrilling noise stabbed into his ear that he dropped his meal and covered his ears in pain. Floki dropped his branches of meats on his laps and snapped with annoyance. “What in Tresses belly are you doing?!” Following Floki’s infuriating shout, Lucious found the rest of the group except Emma, covering their ears. It seemed like Emma had obtained the wine and summoned a wind elemental to create that painful noise.
Ignoring Floki, Emma talked briskly to the rest of the members with the bottle gripped firmly at her side. The rest of the members looked embarrassed and apologetic to the warm but firm Emma. Taking a mouthful, Emma passed it to Penn and looked at her intently. Penn passed the bottle on to the others as each of them took a mouthful. “Well done. Emma girl always has a way with kids.” Shaking his head, Floki turned away and continued to mind his meats. Looking at Cassian talking appreciatively with Emma, Lucious thought of the warriors and Maeists of Jercflosey. “Floki, do the guys from Jercflosey always been like this?” Floki raised his eyebrows and snorted. “From what I know, the sum of the rest of the Union of the whole continent does not even reach half of the strength of the Principle. Of course, those lads have the heart to fool around.” Taking a brief look at Lucious’s expression, Floki adjusted his seat to face his trainee. “Well, perhaps the only thing in Jercflosey that remained unchanged is the way they appreciate each other for being alive with celebration, drinks, feasts, and festivals. That was how it was for me and it might stay true for eternity as long as Jercflosey is still standing.”
Digesting Floki’s words, Lucious looked silently at the chatty and rowdy group of people who he fought with today, overlapping the sight with the memory of those wonderful days when everyone including Grawyrad and Daelous was still alive. “Floki, I wish I could be among them, fooling and fight with them side by side. At least, someone to stand with me, adventuring together.” Lucious narrowed his eyes as his gaze passed the group toward the sky in loneliness. “It’s no longer possible for me to be in Tressmoor, but can I really find someone and start anew in Jercflosey...?” Words trailed off as Lucious felt insecure over his uncertain future. A smack of his back brought Lucious back from his hesitation as Floki looked into his eyes seriously. “If you can make it to Jercflosey, I promised you it will be so.” Surprised by Floki’s seriousness, Lucious smiled appreciatively and thanked his mentor as they looked on to the starry night.
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