It may not be the same part of the woods, but I can hardly tell the difference.
Merrik and Lirien are talking about tree bark and footprints but it's all just beat-up trees and mud if they ask me.
Kaellen disappeared ages ago, saying something about scouting.
Scouting? Are we here to fight a war against an evil lord?
They make it sound so serious when it's just beating up some losers.
Ferra's the only one who wants to chat. She sounds like my friends back home, ready to kick some ass. She gets it—this is a baby job… maybe that's why no one asked me and her to help look around.
After a few hours of searching the woods, Kaellen shows up out of nowhere and says he found the perfect spot.
He surprised the shit out of me but I'm happy to get this day over with.
We walk through some thick bushes into a clearing—flatter, dryer ground than we've seen all day with big shady trees.
I take a deep breath, really appreciating the beauty as I walk over to Kaellen and punch him in the arm.
"The 'perfect' CAMPING spot. Don't get my hopes up next time, asshole."
Everyone laughs. Kaellen drops his head in a big fake bow.
"Sorry to disappoint, master Gōki."
I can't see his face but he sounds like he is smiling.
I stomp to the center of the field and start unloading all the packs.
Lirien taps me on the back and whispers, "Gōki, you didn't really think it would be THAT easy did you?"
"I'm just sick of camping. After last time—It doesn't matter."
Doing my best to not look pissed off while I dig through bags.
"Sorry for laughing at you Gōki…I don't know what happened but if you wanted to talk—"
Spinning around I puff out my chest. No way in hell am I going to be such a sad sack that a dork like Lirien is pitying me.
"Ah ha ha ha, don't worry buddy! I'm just messing with you, let's have dinner. I'm starving."
He doesn't even question it for a second, just a nod and a big happy smile before running back to the others.
He bought it. Why do I feel shitty about him believing me?
I don't need to talk about what happened. It happened. All that's left is to push through.
Everyone sits around talking about their plan for where to look. Doesn't matter to me. I'm just muscle after all, pfft.
I can imagine that little shits face now, 'you don't understand real combat.'
I hear a giggle. Ferra noticed me making faces. Not the female attention I wanted. Camping sucks.
After I finish piling up wood Merrik starts a fire with a little metal stick and a knife. Just a quick little –Chk– and bam! sparks, that's cool.
I don't know if he caught me staring but something about his smile pissed me off.
Lirien keeps complaining about where I put things, re-re-reorganizing over and over, it's funny to watch.
I watch Ferra do her little spear dance while we wait. I don't mind if she knows I'm staring. She's a little boyish, almost like a female ronin, but I don't hate it.
Kaellen left camp at some point. I didn't notice he was gone but he's back with some kind of little gray rabbit thing.
Never seen someone work a knife like he does. It runs through the skin and meat like it isn't there.
After a few minutes he has a pile of meat for the pot, a skin for…whatever he uses it for, and buried bones.
It's nice. No one seems worried. It's just like hanging out with friends—I wonder if this is how things will be from now on. I don't hate it.
The food is simple, a soup with little twigs, mushrooms, and the rabbit thing. It's no curry, but it's pretty good.
Lirien tells me I can sleep so I hop in my tent. They talk for hours about battle plans, who will watch tonight. It sounds fun—wish someone would let me help with it, maybe tomorrow…
Someone is whispering. No one tried to be quiet before, why start now?
Opening my eyes doesn't change anything. It's pitch black in my tent.
I sit up to make sure I am awake. The whispering is still there, two or three people, sounds like little bugs.
Peeking out of the tent there's a flickering light in the woods.
"Let's just see… convince them… mage… boss…"
Twisting my head to listen only helps a little. Maybe these are the guys we were looking for.
This is my chance to prove I can handle shit just fine. Gralkus and everyone else just treats me like dead weight.
Crawling carefully out of the tent the voices get clearer.
"Boss said e' wan's dah mage for shore, why not try an' git 'em all?"
The voice is small and squeaky, like a cartoon dog.
"Because, if they say no we might not be able to BEAT them all stupid, just hoist him up and get going."
This guy sounds normal. I can just make out his shape—not too big. I can take him.
I keep crawling closer. Some sticks and leaves crack against my knees—dammit—they turn to the sound and see me as I jump up.
"See lookie dis one, ee's big, an' ee looks like wunna dah boi's. Hoi, big man, ya make betta scratch workin'' fo' our boss, giv' us a hand eh?"
It's not a dog, it's a little green kid with a big pointy nose, some kind of kappa or somethin'. He points at his friend with long crooked fingers. His buddy looks like a pretty regular guy. He has a nasty looking little club and a torch, but nothing special.
There's a muffled sniffing coming from the tree next to the human. A Lirien-shaped lump is shaking and trying not to cry near his feet. He has a cheap sack over his head, and his hands are tied. Guess this is what they want me to help with.
"Heh, pay? How much? Is your boss rich or something?"
Just act casual until I know what's up. These guys don't look too tough, but Lirien's soft.
Lirien shakes a little when I speak.
"Goki?! Don't listen to them, I promise it's not worth it. I know you owe us a lot of money but these idiots—"
The guy with the club taps it against the tree. Little bits of bark land on Lirien's head.
"Shhh shh shh, little mage, you're better off nice and quiet. Turning you in broken wouldn't make the boss happy."
Lirien yelps and pulls into a tight ball against the tree roots.
It hurts a little that he thinks that cash is all it would take for me to walk.
The kappa giggles.
"Ehh heh heh, c'mon biggy, ya look like ya can carry a lil' mage like 'em e'zee. We'll talk pay on da' way, giv' ya five silva fo' ya 'elp up front."
He tosses me a little bag. It's heavy. Easy money usually feels so light.
Pocketing the coins, I move to grab Lirien.
These dumbasses can't even tell the difference between a handsome hero like me and some kind of greasy thug.
Kneeling down I rip the hood off of his head.
"Quit crying! You think I'd break your sister's heart for this chump change!"
Turning around I raise my fists just in time to catch the club against my shoulder. The bones creak and my left arm goes limp. It feels like all the bones splintered away, but I can't back off yet.
The kappa laughs and slaps its knees while the thug reels back to hit me again.
I've only got one weapon. Reaching to my belt I wrap my fingers through Dad's knuckle duster.
Pulling with all my strength the belt pops loose. My pants drop around my ankles but it doesn't matter.
As the club comes down I barely catch it in the grill of the knuckles. Splintering the wood splinters as it snaps in half.
Ducking quickly before rushing forward, I throw an uppercut, catching him under the chin. The bottom of his face splits open halfway along the jaw.
He screams and falls over, clutching his mouth as a few of his bloody teeth fall out onto the ground.
The kappa jumps and throws itself onto me while squealing like a pig.
I can feel it slamming its fist into my back, but its weak little hands barely even hurt.
Leaning forward I run as fast as I can, crushing it between me and a tree.
It screams and curses pummeling my back while I press him harder and harder against the bark.
His ribs pop and his breathing gets ragged, coughing and bleeding on me as he collapses onto my back.
I shake around and let him fall to the floor.
"See! Hahaha like I told you and Gralkus there's nothing I can't handle!"
Standing up my back is killing me. It feels all wet and sticky. The little freak must have thrown up on me.
Clutching my arm I turn and walk back to Lirien.
He gives me a faint smile. He raises his head but he is looking past me.
"G-goki… You were awesome… h-help me get back to camp… We need to hurry… s-s-orry about your arm…"
His head drops and he slumps down.
Rushing over, I sit him up and he is soaking wet. His back is covered in blood.
Shit, I never noticed before when I carried him. Was he like this the whole time?
With a long slow deep breath I wrap my right arm around him and awkwardly try to stand.
It's no good. I can't straighten out my back. Every time my shoulder shifts my legs go weak.
The ground is slick. Shit, we tumble down, and I try to cushion Lirien.
Rolling over onto my back feels nice. The ground is cold.
Lirien is breathing but he doesn't sound great.
We can't die out here in the dirt. It's my fault for not noticing he was stabbed.
Before heaving every bit of air into my lungs that I can, I shout into the darkness.
"Heeeeeeeeeeelp! Heee–."
Coughing and sputtering stops me from yelling again.
"Why are you screaming? Did you get lost taking a shit—Oh my god! Merrik! Kaellen!"
Ferra runs to Lirien.
Heh, cutesy guys like him get all the girls… at least now I… can relax.
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