Chapter Five
“Haah… haa… haa….” Gabe tries to maintain his breathing and focus.
It’s been a few minutes of climbing the wall and the view is starting to get better. He can see a little bit of light coming a few meters above his head and he starts to think that maybe there is a way out of this predicament.
“Just a little bit further…”
Gabe’s condition is not at his best but he pretty damn sure he’s been through worse. His right leg doesn’t help in any way in this situation but his hand and his left leg have never been better. His survival instinct tells him to not give up in any circumstances and the cat in his pocket can only make it harder for him to throw the towel.
Creaakkk…
Light suddenly engulf Gabe’s face. He can hear some kind of wooden board opening above his head. He narrows his eyes in response to the blinding light and tries to see what happened.
A cloaked woman with a black mask appears above him. Her yellow pupils and fully black sclera stare at him.
“OH!” Gabe shouts.
A blazing fire roars across the town.
The houses were ablaze, the flames licking at the sky.
The trees were blackened and twisted, their leaves curling and ash raining down like snow.
The birds had fled, their panicked cries a distant echo.
The green soldiers shout their war cry.
The red enemies respond with dozens of flying fire arrows.
The civilians were in turmoil. Some were running, some were hiding, and some others can only pray for their lives.
A woman was hugging a child, her face was in tears and her whole body was shaking in fear.
Her hands then start to touch the child’s cheek, and her lips then start moving to say some final words.
“fi… g…s …ern ar.. te.. my ….”
The words coming out of her mouth were not clear.
“… to live!”
The last word was loud and clear.
“MOM!!” Cyan’s eyes snap open, her face is covered in a cold sweat, and her heart is pounding like crazy. Her hand instinctively draws her sword and she sat up immediately.
“Huff… huff… huff…” She started to regain her sense and looks around herself.
“What? You’re gonna kill your savior or something?”
The cloaked person shows up once again in her sight sitting on a dead log nearby. A pair of black eyes with yellow pupils stares in her direction. The black mask and the unique leather armor didn’t really tell any info about who this person might be. This is the first time Cyan sees an Assassin Class this close but she feels like she knows this person.
“Eve???” Cyan asked.
“Hahaha, busted.” The Assassin answers
The Assassin then removes her mask, her brown eyes return and her beautiful face shows up. It is indeed Eve, the caring woman from the Inn.
“Can you stand?” Eve stands up and offers her hands to Cyan.
“…”
“Wake up kiddo!” A sound comes from another direction.
“HUH? GABE??? b-but you were…” Cyan shocked face shows up.
“Save the chit-chat for later Cyan. The sun is starting to set, I know this forest should be cleared of monsters but after that worm shows up we can’t be sure there won’t be another.” Eve cut the talks immediately.
“Ah… right,” Cyan answered while taking Eve’s hand and starting to stand up.
“I could carry you back while you were passed out but this idiot really had to break his leg and can’t move.” Eve frowns.
“Ahahaha…” Gabe laughs.
“Take Anne with you Cyan, I’ll handle the useless guild master.”
“Ah, sure!” Cyan replied.
Eve then put back on her mask and casually lift Gabe’s whole body to her shoulder like a sack of grains. Her eyes turn yellow again.
“Eeeeeeeeeh, why are you carrying me like this???” Gabe shouts.
“This is faster.”
“…………….” Cyan can only reply in silence.
Cyan then took the sleeping cat in her arms and starts following both of them.
“Soooooo……”
“Hmm?” Eve replied.
“How did you find us? No, wait. Didn’t you get eaten, Gabe???” Cyan asked.
“You did!?” Eve shout.
“Did I!?” Gabe responds in shock after Eve shouts.
“Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm……… I am not really sure… the last thing I remember was when Cyan and I took the worm out and then it ran away and then we start to leave the cave.” Gabe continues.
“Yea, and then you got chomp you know,” Cyan replied.
“I do remember everything suddenly went dark and then blue and then dark again though.” Gabe confused face shows while he tries to recall what happened.
“What? Did fighting a D-class monster mushed your brain or something?” Eve interrupted.
“No! I really did see those blue lights for a little bit!!” said Gabe with certainty in his eyes.
“D class?” Cyan confusedly asked.
“Yea, I never saw that kind of worm before but for it to be that big it should be above E-rank monsters” The cloaked Eve answers.
“The monsters were ranked?” Cyan continues to ask.
“Yes, did Gabe never tell you?”
“Never.”
“Ahahaha well, she is not one of ours YET so…. Back to the topic! After the blue lights disappear I think I found myself on the base of that old well.” Gabe continues to tell his side of the story.
“Haa??? but how???” Eve raised one of her eyebrows.
“I don’t know, I also knew that was an old well after you found me. When I was inside it I just thought it was some kind of a prison or something.” Gabe answered.
“I got it. So basically you, a veteran guild master of Portland abandon this lovely newbie adventurer by herself and hide in the well. RIGHT?!” Eve pinched his side it almost ripped outside his body.
“Ow ow ow ow… No! I did fight the worm for a little bit!” Gabe answered painfully
“So you were eaten and then you found yourself inside an old well?” Cyan cut the dilly-dally.
“Yeah, I think so.”
“The worm probably sh*t him outta its *ss like some kind of rotten food or something.” Eve frowns
“Ahahaha… probably…” Gabe smiles wryly
“So how did you find us, Eve?” After a few minute's walk Cyan asks another question.
“Right, you guys should be thankful to these,” Eve answered
Eve then reaches her side pocket to pick up two pieces of jewelry, the silver necklace with an ornate emerald stone embedded in the pendant shows up in Eve’s right hand.
“A beautiful pendant.” Cyan commenting on the jewelry
“It is. It’s also our marker. Gabe and I used to be in the same party a long time ago, the four of us then bought this magic item to track each other locations.”
“Hee… interesting, how does it work?” Cyan continues to ask.
“Nothing special, here try it on, close your eyes, and say Traciä.”
Cyan put one of them on my neck and chant the spell.
“I can see three dots. No, four dots.”
In her mind, she can see three green dots in one spot and one little dot far away.
“Yep, it's that easy. One dot for your neck, one dot for Gabe’s neck, and the third one is in my pocket. The fourth dot should be showing where the last necklace is. I don’t know if she still has it tho, might be on some other hand already.” Eve explains the dot situation.
“Your friend?” Cyan asked.
“Was.”
“Hmm, I see.”
“The pendant also glows red if someone from the party were in mortal danger.” Gabe joins in the conversation while can only stay still on Eve’s shoulder.
“Yes, that's why I hurriedly go to your location, then I heard the monster roar.” Eve continues.
“Ah right, thanks a lot Eve. You saved my life.” I bow politely.
The three of them chat while walking toward the town, the sun is starting to set and the moon is rising on the horizon. The stars start to shine above their heads. The air is rich with the fragrance of leaves and loam and the trees were whispering between the winds.
will be continued in Chapter Six
~Terti
