Jakare sat on a large log laying longways alongside the road just outside of town. He flipped a coin, catching it in his palm and returning it to his pocket before pulling out another and repeating the process. The merchant, a tall hooded figure carrying three wooden boxes on their back that towered over them, adjusted the straps over his shoulders as he neared Jakare. They each nodded to each other as they passed.
"Travelling to Tabern?" Jakare asked.
The figure stopped walking. Jakare hadn't realised how rhythmic the figure's footfalls had been until they stopped. They nodded, though from behind the boxes, Jakare could barely see it.
"And it's your first time?"
The figure nodded again, this time turning their body slightly towards him. The inside of its hood was dark and Jakare couldn't make out any features of a face.
"They're suspicious there. Not mean, mind you, but you might run into trouble if you're not the talking kind." He flipped another coin and slipped it into his pocket and stopped, a smile crossing his face. "Why don't I walk with you? I forgot something in town and we're not far."
The figure shook its head as Jakare hopped down to the ground.
"Oh come on, you won't suffer me for long. And I won't talk, for the most part." He turned his face away as he scoffed to himself at the thought. As Jakare walked past and got a bit of distance, he swiveled on his heel and turned to face his new companion. Even head on, there was no features under his hood.
Jakare laid on the grass and looked up at the stars. They spread out before him for as far as he could see. Reaching up, he traced a line between a group of stars. "They could make pictures, you know? If you trace them, like, put lines between them."
The cleric chuckled to himself. "We called those constellations in my original world."
"Constellations? Remember any?"
The cleric thought about it, but let out his breath with a sigh. "I don't remember anymore. There was a belt, and another that was a bow. Someone was holding them, but I don't remember who."
"Nice, like warriors?"
"Yes, like warriors." The cleric sat up and rested on his elbow. The ground was faintly wet from a past rain, and had slightly dampened his white robe. He looked in the distance towards a group of dim lights on the horizon that flickered gold. They lay on the side of a hill that sat before the water. There was no wind this night, and the water made no waves. "It's the calmest I have ever seen it."
"Oh don't scare me," Jakare piped up with a chuckle. "You know it's always the calmest before the storm!"
"That's just superstition" corrected the cleric. The sun had gone down long ago and the lights had reached their peak. One by one, they dimmed, until there were only a few lights left and the stars grew brighter. "Have you told them yet?"
"Noone but you. We should be able to take this on our own, c'mon." Jakare noticed that the cleric was sitting up and hopped to his feat. "Alright. Is it time?"
Jakare walked down the wooden ramp and hopped off into the dirt below. He turned back to Steve who leaned on the archway further up and waved.
"Won't miss you for a fuckin' second, kid, but good luck" Steve called out as the vehicle continued down the road.
He pulled a fruit out of his pocket and ate as he walked, realising he forgot to ask anyone what it was called. The road further on split in two directions. The wide tread of the vehicle went down the well worn road on the right. He turned left.
Grass and low growing weeds littered the path. A single trail down the center was well worn. He continued down the path with a long stride for hours as the sun drifted overhead. A hunched figure up ahead caught his attention. It was short and moved slowly, if at all. He kept his pace with his hand on a pouch in his coat as he approached. The old woman raised her hand and waved with a smile.
"I didn't expect to see anyone on this path," Jakare called. He checked behind him before stopping and greeting her with a slight bow.
"Well, I'm full of surprises," she said in a harsh, light voice.
"Do you know how much further it is?"
"Which is?" She asked with a smile.
Jakare chuckled at himself and yawned. "Ah, well, town I guess."
She turned to look down the path behind her. "It's, oh, I want to say you'll be there before nightfall."
Jonathan pulled the door open. The ring of the chimes and the bustle of the crowds greeted him as he entered the tavern. Skylights let natural light enter from above. Light wood furniture and potted plants in corners and on shelves along the walls gave it the look of a well-kept forest. A couple of bugs buzzed around, but none of the many patrons took notice.
A tall man sitting in the back looked up from his book at the sound of the chimes. He closed his book around the thumb of his left hand and waved to Jonathan. His long blonde hair waved slightly at the motion.
Jonathan made his way between the tables towards the round table and pulled up an unused seat from nearby.
"Now," the blonde-haired man began, "are you Lev or Jonathan?"
"Jonathan," he said with a slight nod of the head as he sat. "I think Lev said they were shorter than me."
"Well, it's my pleasure, Jonathan. You can call me Capybara." He held out his free hand.
Jonathan had to sit up from his chair to reach it across the table. "Ah! I thought you'd look less elvish. Is that your real name?" Jonathan ventured.
Capybara laughed. "No, my parents are simple folk. I just believe we could all use a little more capybara in our lives."
Jonathan nodded. "I'm sorry, what is capybara?"
"Oh, it's an animal. I will show you sometime."
The chime rang again. Capybara's eyes shot towards the door. A tall man almost his height ducked as he entered the room. He was roughly shaven, and a set of leather armour covered his broad shoulders. Capybara began to raise his arm to wave but stopped as the man turned away to sit at the bar.
Jonathan turned to look back at the bar. "Didn't realize this place was so popular."
"It's gorgeous if you ask me." Capybara took out a leather slip from his pocket and slipped it into his book. "I wish I knew about it eons ago."
The door opened again, but before Capybara and Jonathan could get a look, someone was already making his way through the crowds. "Hey," the shorter figure called as it weaved through the patrons. Emerging in a flurry, it launched itself onto the wooden bench and slid clumsily into Capybara. "I'm, uh," he began as he tried to straighten himself upright. He folded his hands before him on the table and sat with his mouth open, mid-thought, but they could hear his foot tapping against the hardwood.
"Lev?" Capybara cautioned.
Lev looked like he snapped back into reality as he looked at Capybara. "Oh, yeah, that's me. You're Cap, and you're Jon," he said, turning to look at Jon, whose facial expressions were still trying to catch up with the new bustle of activity. "And you're Greed," Lev said as he looked past Jon's shoulder.
Jon turned to face the leather breastplate that stood behind him. The broad-shouldered man nodded as he placed a chair he brought with him on the table beside Jon.
Capybara sat up and shook Greed's hand as he sat. "We saw you enter but weren't sure if it was you. My apologies."
Greed shrugged, and metal clinked from beneith his armour as it shifted. "Ah knew Ah'd find y'all eventually."
"Drinks?" came a voice from behind Jon, who jumped in his seat.
He let out a breath as he turned to the server. "Yes, just water."
"Brandy," said Greed.
"Do you have any peach juice?" inquired Capybara, who raised his hand to speak.
Lev stood with his hands flat on the table but still had to look up to the server. "I'll have something tasty!"
The server, having been about to respond to Capybara, smiled at the group. "I think you'll find yourselves right at home here. I'll have your drinks to you in just a moment."
"Well," said Lev and the other three turned to him, "I knew it was you Greed because of the armour. You said you never went without, right? I thought that was cool. And Cap," he turned to Capybara's smiling face. "I remember thinking you speak like an elf, so it makes sense that you look like one too." He laughed as he sat back down in his seat.
"And me?" Jon cautioned.
Lev shrugged. "You don't speak about yourself, but you're neither elvish nor armoured, right?"
"So, process of elimination." Jon sighed and looked over his shoulder to the bar. The server and bartender were laughing amongst themselves as they prepared the drinks.
Lev leaned back against the bench and tried to put his feet up on the table but couldn't fit comfortably.
"Well," said Jon, capturing the silence, "that makes the four of us. I know we've been in contact before but let's start from the beginning."
Capybara nodded. "I would be happy to do an introduction." He looked over the three of him before he began. "I'm Capybara. Not my real name, no, but it's much more entertaining this way. For this mission, it would be my pleasure to be our guide. I will help support you all from afar if it comes in need."
Jon nodded. Lev stood up and put a closed fist to his chest as if to salute. "I'm Lev. I brought you all here. This is my mission, and I'm happy you all are willing to be a part of it."
Greed sat upright as Lev sat back down. "Ah'm Greed, and Ah'll be our strength. Capybara, Ah will b' relyin' on yer guidance."
"It will be my pleasure," Capybara said with a smile and tilt of the head.
Lev cleared his throat. "I'm Lev. It's an honour to put my sword forth to support this crew. Greed, I'll be right there beside you, and likewise, I'll be relying on your guidance, Capybara." He looked to Lev, who was biting their lip and tapping the bench beside him. "Lev, thank you for bringing us together."
"Now," Lev said without a moment of hesitation as the server came by with their drinks. "Who's ready to hunt some treasure?"
Adam turned to the voice. The figure pulled back his hood and lifted his long golden hair from inside the brown robe, letting it fall out behind him. "Jake?" Adam gasped.
Jake nodded. Adam's knife fell to the ground as he ran to embrace him but stopped. Two of the shadowy forms were approaching from behind him. He looked between the figures and Jake but they didn't seem to notice each other. Everyone was staring only at him.
"I see you're well," Jake began. "Sorry for not catching you earlier, seems you and Para were out of town?"
"They're," Adam tried to motion to the figures now standing at Jake's side. Each towered above him, but they were still dark enough and far enough away that he couldn't make out their features. "We tried to find you, out there."
Jake laughed. It was a light laugh but it was honest. "No, not quite."
"But we tried using the map. It wasn't working?"
"About that," Jake sighed, "it only works if you're on the right plane." He made a gesture with his open hands where he moved them parallel to each other, "they're like you're here, but, just above, so- No," he stopped, "it's easier to show you."
Jake disappeared. Adam looked slowly up at the figures, suddenly much more aware of their presence without Jake there between them, before a voice called out from behind. "Here!"
Adam turned to see Jake waving a short distance away on the other side. "There's actually other dimensions," Jake explained as he walked around Adam and back to the figures. "Once you know they're there, it's easy to slip between them. It's a little weird, I'm still getting the hand of it. Your map," he motioned vaguely to Adam's belt but couldn't spot it, "only works on this one.
Adam shook his head. "Jake, what's going on? Do you know why the town is burning."
"Oh yeah," Jake turned to look back at the town burning behind him. "Unfortunate, but what can you do. We'll just pull it into the other plane, I think they're finishing up the runes on the other side."
"No, I don't get it. Are you with these things? What's happening with everyone?"
Jake sighed and shrugged his shoulders lightly. "That, I'm not going to explain. I'll be with them once the sacrifice is done, technically. I'm sorry, Adam." Jake took a step forward towards him. Adam suddenly felt the urge to run.
Adam turned away, looking down the path that ran alongside the tall fields and his tired legs carried him forward. Fumbling at the empty straps at his belt, he glanced back. No one was there. Looking back, Jake now stood on the path before him, his arms open. Being unable to stop in time, he stumbled into Jake's embrace, Jake's arm wrapping around him and holding Adam tightly against him.
"Thank you Adam. I'll remember you," he heard Jake whisper as Jake slid the knife between his ribs.
The tall stalks whipped his face and snagged his hat as he ran. He reached behind him to grab it, but the thundering footsteps kept his feet moving. Fumbling for the book at his waist, his hands slipped it out of the bindings, but his trembling fingers dropped it. Before he could think to stop, he'd broken out of the field and into one of the side paths.
He looked down the path in a panic. Shortly down the road stood one of the burning houses. Another dark-clad figure was standing up from his post and turned to face him. Adam glanced at the ground behind him but couldn't see the book. With spotting the new figure beginning his sprint in his peripheral vision, he gave up and broke into the next field.
The chase felt like forever. Glancing over his shoulder, he couldn't see the shadows, but the thundering footsteps gave them away. He thought of Para in his chase, running from two of his pursuers off in the other direction. The sunlight of another path appeared through the field before him as he pushed through the final stalks.
He stood on the main road they first came down and looked for another field. The rest were neat, flat rows of newly planted vegetables. The footsteps behind him had disappeared. Pulling the knife from his side, he waited, frozen in place, listening to something that could give him a clue to what he would find if he turned around.
"Adam?" came a voice from behind him down the path.
As he walked past the first house, he found it quieter than he was expecting. The roof of a building off in another field caving in made Adam jump. It sent a plume of smoke into the graying sky before returning to its quiet smouldering.
He broke off of the road and walked along the edge of the tall field. Outside of the gates, he saw two bulky forms standing on either side. He knew he'd have to find another way inside. Turning down the first sideroad he encountered, he zigzagged his way between the crops. Once the wall was visible, he cut into the crops to approach the wall directly. He hadn't heard anything from Para since something chased him off the main road. The crops opened up to a small stretch that lay between the fields and the wall.
No one was visible on either side of the curving palisades. He could hear the crackling of fire coming from the inside, but something at his feet caught his attention. Circling the wall was a red line. Along the inside, crude letters painted with the same colour spelled out something that Adam couldn't make out. It stretched as far as he could see.
Turning right, he followed it for a while before a noise stopped him. A dark shape suddenly appeared from around the bend ahead. Its footsteps shook the ground as it began to run towards him, and it made a sound that he couldn't identify as language, a deep gurgling shout.
Without looking away, Adam darted into the crops beside him.
Para's smile dropped as he watched a series of expressions cross Adam's face. He turned, saw the plumes, and followed them with his eyes down to where the town would be behind the last of the forest. "No!" Para yelled as he broke into a sprint down the road. "Jen!"
Adam rose to his feet and drink some water from the flask on his belt. He started walking to where Para disappeared around the corner. The light wind shifted in his direction. For the first time, the smell of smoke hit his nostrils.
After turning around the second bend, the trees began to clear. The town appeared in the distance on the plains below. Several small farmhouses dotting the countryside lit the morning with their flames. He couldn't see anything within the town's walls except for some movement by the gates. A small figure down the road ran towards it. He watched the figure halt in its tracks before darting in another direction. Two large shadows burst from one of the nearby houses and chased it, long weapons in hand. They all disappeared into the tall fields a short distance away. Adam lost track of them.
He checked his pockets. His book sat in its proper spot at his side. Just behind it, a small knife sat in its sheath, rarely touched. He fumbled with the strap to make sure it could open and stopped before closing it back up. Taking a deep breath and straightening his hat, he took his first step towards the burning town.
"They're fresh," Para called out from behind. "Like, yesterday!"
Adam slipped the bag off one of his shoulders and used his momentum to toss it aside before he broke back into the forest. It landed beside some empty wooden crates that he hadn't noticed before. He turned backwards for a moment to look over the clearing one last time. "It was a camp?" he asked as Para rushed past. Leftover supplies lay scattered in corners and rested against logs. Logs and rocks surrounded small spots that marked where someone had lit small fires. He turned back down the path. Para lead the way as the two followed it back to town.
After a while, Adam slowed down to a walk and exhaustion caught up to him. Para jogged back through the forest to where Adam leaned up against a tree. "Adam," he called, "you're in luck."
"I'm in many things," Adam said between panting. "Luck doesn't feel one of them."
"Well, slowpoke, we're near the road. Should be easier on your ankles. Don't think I haven't noticed you tripping. Come on," he broke off the uneven path and back into the underbrush. Adam went to follow. His legs screamed out to him even after a moment of rest, but he pressed on. Soon enough, they could see the light through the trees, and they broke out back into the path they had taken the day before.
"See?" Para said. "That wasn't far. Catch your breath."
Adam stepped up onto the path and sat down on the hard dirt beneath. He looked up at Para. Para smiled awkwardly, his figure silhouetted with the rising sun behind him, surrounded by the plumes of rising smoke coming up from the town down the road.
Para stood in the center of the clearing as Adam cautiously passed the last tree. He turned his head as he heard Adam approaching. Adam stopped when he saw Para's expression. "I don't know what I'm looking at," he whispered. The grass lay in shreds. Hundreds of tracks of all sizes lead into the forest away from where they entered. They stood together looking forward into the forest for a moment. All the underbrush had been trampled and cleared away.
Adam took a deep breath and looked at the chaos around them. "To differentiate Jake's tracks in this," he shook his head.
"Adam," Para said, nudging him with his elbow.
"Yeah?"
Para was pointing down the path. "That's the direction of town."
Adam blinked. He looked between the path and Para's face. "Wait, are you sure?"
Para nodded.
Fear growing in his mind, Adam felt his feet began to move and he started running down the path.
Para held a finger to his lips before Adam could speak and began to work out the directions. Adam followed closely behind as Para darted into the trees. After falling twice and getting distracted by a distant bird call, Para stopped. Ahead, the light lit up the ground as the tree cover broke. He motioned Adam to get closer.
"We saw them across this clearing. Just back there," he pointed behind Para, "I found skids in the dirt, our tracks out. Jen and mine for sure. Only ours though." He kept his eyes on the clearing. They sat in silence for a time.
"Maybe he ran elsewhere?"
Para nodded. "Possible."
"We should check."
Adam began to stand, but Para quickly turned and put a hand on his shoulder to keep him down. "Right there, idiot. We saw them right there," he pointed to the clearing. "We need to be smart about this, ok?"
Adam nodded and crouched back down.
"I can't see yet. Keep an eye out, I'll need to move forward." As he began to climb over the log they hid behind, he stopped and looked back to Adam. "Be ready to run."
As Para approached the treeline, Adam kept checking their surroundings. He took a moment to look for any tracks, but the forest floor seemed as chaotic as before. It had never been his forte.
He looked ahead as something caught his eye. Para was standing and motioned him to follow as he walked through the treeline into the clearing before them.
"So, did you pack sleeping supplies?" Adam shook his head and rested his backpack against a tree. "Looks like we're roughing it then." The two of them cleared the larger debris from beside a log and settled in. Para went to light a candle for some light, but Adam shook his head. "It's best we fall asleep along with the light."
Para hesitated and sighed when he went to put it away. "You're right."
As the night descended, the two nervous adventurers did their best to fall asleep. Para jerked awake at every sound in the forest and sat up to check their surroundings, but Adam never stirred.
As Adam’s acute awareness of the solid ground below him grew, he opened his eyes to the stray beams of light shining upon him through the underbrush. He looked for Para as he sat up, but the forest floor lay empty. As he stood in a jolt, he heard a crack in the trees and looked up. Para was waving down at him from a branch above the dripline.
He did some stretches and got his backpack on as Para found a way down. "I found it," Para whispered after he hit the ground beside him. "We weren't far off."
Adam looked down at his feet and took another step, cautiously avoiding another branch laying nonchalantly in his path.
Para waited for him around the distant tree. "This was also Jake's idea," he whispered as Adam got close enough to hear. Adam looked up, but Para's gaze was elsewhere. "He saw a clearing deeper in, said the flowers looked pretty." Adam nodded. "I saw tracks behind us, we're getting close."
"We're really far in though?"
"You know how his obsessions get" he concluded as he began moving forward again.
Adam turned to look behind him but couldn't see the tracks. Para had already drawn far ahead when he turned back. Adjusting his backpack to sit higher on his back, Adam felt it beginning to slow him down. As he climbed over a fallen tree, he found Para sitting facing him against a stump up ahead. His foot caught on a patch of moss that slid out from under him, sending him stomach first down upon the log. His backpack slid forward, dragging them both to the ground.
As he scrambled to get upright, Para stood over him with his hand extended. "Case and point, it's getting dark," Para began, "it's too late to travel."
"Then we're just, well, stuck here?" Adam asked as Para helped hoist him up onto his feet. He brushed off the dirt from his arms and winced as he realized his elbows had been rubbed raw.
Para nodded. "It's as good a place as ever."
Adam's brow furrowed as he glared at him. "What happened to us being in monster land?"
Para shrugged. "I don't know. I'm completely lost.”
That last part of Lost in Legends was hard to write. Not grammatically ( though I know it has its problems ), but knowing I'll have to set Para straight in the next chapter is intimidating.
Para, I just made you. Why do you have to go and stir up shit already?
Adam and Para stepped off the trail and entered the underbrush. "Should be here," Para whispered. "We came out just after the bend."
Adam held onto his hat as every bush threatened to take it. "Why did you travel so far?"
"Jake thought we'd find game up in the mountain. Some idea that was."
Adam looked up through the trees to the sky above. Para flinched away and sneered back in Adam's direction as a branch snapped under-foot. "I told you not to bring your gear. You're too heavy. Walk quietly!"
"You don't know what state Jake is in. I'll need my supplies."
"I know what state we'll be in if you're not quiet. Dead. That any better?" Adam continued on his path as Para turned away, shifting direction slowly after checking for tracks. "Imbecile," he muttered under his breath.
Adam stopped and raised his head to Para's back. "Why are you so mean to me?"
Para flinched again and stopped, raising his hands slowly as if someone has soaked him with rain. "Do you have a deathwish?" he asked as he turned around. "You're asking that now?"
"Yes. Got a better time?"
"Maybe when we're not stalking around in the territory of ghostly fiendish monsters?"
"Is it because Jake isn't here to protect me?"
"And whose fault do you think that is!"
A group of birds fled from a nearby tree as Para caught his breath. As he straightened, his eyes began to dart around as he lowered his posture and returned to stalking through the woods. Adam stood in silence, watching the leather-clad back of his friend descend into a forest that grew darker every minute.
The merchant shook his head. Adam's smile fell. "Kid, I'm no fighter," he began. "I had my era, but it's passed."
"But, my friend," Adam began, but the merchant put up his hand to stop him. He dropped his gaze down to his feet.
"Your friend knew the risks. You all did, and you learn from it. Plus," the merchant put his hand on Adam's shoulder, "don't give up on them yet. This world works in mysterious ways, kid."
Adam raised his head to meet eyes with the merchant. "Are you sure? Can I count on that?"
The merchant laughed. "The only thing you can count on is yourself." The door behind them opened, and the merchant stood. He extended his arm to Adam to help him stand. "Now, kid, Adam was it? Adam, I think your friend is here. Don't make his effort go to waste.”
As Adam rose to his feet, Para stumbled through the door to their right. A large man came out behind him and gave him another shove sending him tumbling down the steps. "One more time," the man called out to Para, "and you're done in this town. Got it?" Para lay on his back on the dirt ground and shot Adam a weak smile. The big man slammed the bar doors behind him. Adam rushed to help Para stand.
The merchant came down the steps behind them. "You kids are all kind of trouble. Don't get killed, alright? I won't be the one to tell your friend she's all alone."
Para brushed himself off and Adam turned to the merchant. "Thank you, sir."
"Don't mention it," he said as he sped back down the road.
