Chapter 2
The Walker's Way
It was a little strange the way there was a ring of light surrounding me, marking where Miasma was drifting ahead. I soon became accustomed, however, and our caravan traveled in peace. I found interest in watching the billows of Miasma being pushed away from the safe haven of our barrier as we plodded along.
Suddenly something happened…the light broke. Part of the ring shriveled like a piece of plastic being touched by a flame. Clouds of the poisonous air seeped into the once safe space, like groping hands trying to find someone to strangle next.
I jumped from my caravan, running to the back and throwing open the flaps, searching for the chalice. I found it, but there was something wrong with it. The crystal placed on high was cracked. It was cracking more, taking on the appearance of an icicle breaking to shards.
The Miasma hesitated from getting too close to the crystal, but, the tinkle of light rock falling to the ground was heard, and the Miasma approached me. I had nowhere to run…
I fell to the ground, coughing out in pain as it got inside my lungs, searing my very heart, twisting and turning it, hoping to shred it to pieces. My mind was a blur, I could not think…So soon and I was already…gone?
I sat up abruptly, nearly flinging the necklace around my neck into the fire. Good thing it wasn't loose. I looked at the sky. It was pitch black, no moon or stars to be seen. I hated the moonless nights. It felt almost as a curse that I had to be out my first night without something to light my way.
I looked down at my necklace. I'd nearly forgotten about it. I'd had it since about a week ago. Some sort of 'good luck' charm from Leon. Truth be told, all it looked like to me was a full set of fish bones strung through the eye with twine to get my attention and think of him every so often. Well, it worked. I thought about him for a while, and how much I was already beginning to miss my family. I pushed the thoughts to the back of my head and nodded to myself. No time to ponder on lost things.
The beast of the caravan was lazily sleeping on its back, all fours stuck in the air, stiff.
"I wish I could sleep that easily," I murmured, running a hand through my blonde hair. I knew I wouldn't have been able to sleep after my dream, so I stood, walking to the center of the ring of light, where the chalice was resting inside the cart. I smiled and sighed thankfully as I ran a finger down the crystal's smooth and unbroken surface. I knew we were safe…
After washing up and eating a bit of breakfast, I had a rough time getting my beast to wake. We both got a long drink of water from the stream just down the way, and continued. Though not too long afterward…
"Hail caravanner!" Someone called. I looked over to see a short man in armor calling to me. Looked somewhat like a band of Lilties. The leader tapped his spear on the ground and the rest of the Lilties hurried and lined up behind him.
"Hello," I greeted them, pausing to watch more out of amusement more than anything.
"I'm Sol Racht, leader of this caravan from Alfitaria. That chalice looks mighty heavy." The leader nodded.
I glanced at the chalice in my hands. "Just one less heavy thing for this poor guy to hold, plus, it makes me feel safe to carry it." I patted the beast with one hand.
"Here, take this moogle. He should be of help," they said in unison.
A little ball of fur flying around the leader's head (which I had not noticed before) flew towards me, suddenly swooping down and taking the chalice from me.
"Hey! I can carry it for a while longer," I said, grabbing it back, looking at the moogle suspiciously. "Thank you anyway," I said, smiling at the Lilties.
The moogle blew a few raspberries at me before perching on the top of the cart.
"Would you like a few lessons in combat while you're at it? I'm Stiltskin and will teach you anything you need to know," piped up another moogle, dressed in yellow fabric, intricate designs placed all over the outfit.
"No, thank you. I've got all the skills I'll need."
"Even with magicite?" he asked, waddling up to me.
"Magicite?" I'd heard of it, but never seen any of it.
"Ah hah! Come on, off we go, off we go," he said, getting behind me and nudging me forward.
He taught me the art of magicite, though I ended up burning myself quite a few times by the end. He eventually gave me a cream to cover my burns, and I was feeling a little better by the time I got back to my caravan.
"Thank you for the lessons," I said, wondering if I'd even use them later on.
"No problemo," Stiltskin said, and waddled back to his group of Lilties.
I nodded them farewell and pulled my beast along to get him back up to speed.
"So what's for lunch, kupo?" a small squeak came from the cart.
I jumped and shrieked, almost falling as I looked over my shoulder and a bright fuzzy red ball tickled my nose.
"Don't hurt my pompom!!" Mog squeaked angrily, flying into the air.
"I had lunch before we got to your caravan, so you'll have to wait till dinner," I said irritably, smoothing my hair back.
"I want food now, kupo!!" he complained.
I quickly got a piece of hard bread from the cart and stuffed it in his mouth, keeping him quiet. This was going to be a loooong trip…
Diary Entry 2:
Not far from the village, someone called to me. The man introduced himself as Sol Racht, leader of the caravan from Alfitaria. It seems that news of my caravan had already reached them. They showed me much kindness, and a moogle named Stiltzkin gave me a lesson in combat.
A little ways further, we stopped at a river. I refilled a few of my water barrels and sat against a post, falling asleep not long after.
"Who could be more stupid?" A thief murmured, grinning. He turned to his moogle, which was dressed in purple and white stripes. "Alright Artimecian, time to get some gil."
The old man behind them snorted, smacking his lips as he woke. "Muffershumpishnipergil? Gil?" He all of a sudden looked awake and alert.
"Yes, gil," the younger thief said, rolling his eyes. "Now, Artimecian, you go and distract that dumb moogle who's keeping watch, old man, go and feed that beast sleeping weed, and I'll get the goods," he instructed his two companions.
The purple-striped moogle immediately dashed towards the cart, but much to his dismay, a rather large pebble (being the size of his paw) blocked his path, and he went flying headfirst into Mog, making him rather noisily. Mog made a noise similar to the squeak of a squeeze toy.
"KUPO! KU-KUPOPO!! THIEVES KRUBOPO!!" Mog squealed, pelting into my head, making me slip balance from the post and fall backward, landing on the ground.
'My head…' was my first thought, but when I saw the three figures hastily raiding my caravan, I hopped up, doing the first thing that automatically came. I kicked the younger thief square in the nose, sending him flying. The other two thieves backed away slowly, arms full of bread…and my wallet! I reached around under the flap of the cart on the side and brought out the first thing I picked up, which just so happened to be a slab of meat, raw and uncooked in a small plastic bag. I hurled it at the old man, leaving him on the ground. Artimecian just stared at me with wide moogle eyes. My wallet dropped from his mouth, and he waddled away.
Mog fetched my wallet and safely tucked it away in a corner of the caravan, while I knelt over the younger thief, raising an eyebrow. He was knocked out. The older man was still on his back, though he was blinking and breathing. I wondered why he wasn't getting up.
I didn't want to ask the thief if he was alright. He did try to steal from me after all. Mog scared him away for me. He flew over the old man's head, growling and bearing his small, but sharp, moogle teeth.
The old man stood and took off after Artimecian.
"…Now what to do with you…" I muttered, prodding the young man lying before me.
"Can we toss him in the river!?" Mog asked hopefully.
I sighed, rolling my eyes. "No. Here, come on, help me drag him over to the post. It's getting late."
Once we set up camp, I opened my diary and soaked my quill.
Diary Entry 3:
Well, I haven't found any success in finding Myrrh today, but that's alright. It was filled with more than enough events, including a strange trio trying to empty my cart. I have one of them right now – he's unconscious. I guess I'll find out who he is later…
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Well, there ya have it! Review please =D I'll be writing my own occasional diary entries obviously…