Like a cunning hawk, Maya Schrodinger stared at the slightly yellowing pages of her novel, looking at the words through the pale firelight, but finding her focal point of interest hovering just above the written words. It emitted a tiny humming noise that was easily standing out in the silence of the campsite, buzzing around with ignorance and pompous bliss. It was almost like it owned the joint. Maya hated mosquitoes. Her eyes slightly narrowed in muted loathing, she watched the insect loop a few times in the air and settle upon one of the pages, hairy legs splayed outward and wings folded. The mosquito didn't know what hit it as Maya immediately snapped the book shut, offering the annoyance a swift and painful death.
Waiting a few seconds for the impact to set in, Maya eventually opened the book again, seeing a greasy smear of the unfortunate insect all over the page, a slight patch of stolen blood marking the paper like ink. Well, that was one less bloodsucker left in the world, that was for sure. Swiftly, she set her gloved hand on the page and wiped away the gunk before it could settle, yet that lingering bloodstain continued to remain. It was too bad, the book she was reading was a first edition too. A repeated harsh noise resonated throughout the campsite every so often, the noise one of steel striking aged wood, making an indentation in the grained surface but not creating a deep enough cut. Todd was practicing again.
An old deadwood tree left to die in the wasted canyon offered Todd the chance to hone his fast draw skills, the man striking the flaking trunk of the deceased plant with the edge of his blade, tearing small welts into the surface. Each blow carried the swordsman's strength with him, and the object of his practice was to decrease the time length of each swing, making his technique even more powerful. The object of the fast draw skill was to finish the attack before anybody could have a chance to react. In addition, he was also cutting firewood under his master Alfred's direction.
The youngest member of the team was sitting near the fire, the strange cat-like creature called Shady curled up in his lap and devouring his evening snack, spreading crumbs all over the place. Every so often a little puff of smoke would escape from his mouth as the feline chewed, a fire-breathing critter that he was. Alfred tried to work on his small compact computer with the cat in his lap, arms around Shady with the console resting on his furry head. He made a good, though unorthodox, workbench. "So," Alfred murmured, the grey screen of his computer lit by the campfire casting a reflection over his blue eyes, "Where did you say we were going again, Sis?"
Sighing loudly, irritated, Maya closed her book again and crossed her arms, leaning against a rock jutting out from the ground and slanting a little to the right, like a huge headstone for a giant's grave. "I told you already, we're heading for the Abyss." She replied in her usual condescending tone, leaning forward as she spoke to her kid brother. "We're not that far, just a few more mountains to cross and we'll be there." Resting the book in her lap, Maya picked up a foiled object and peeled back the wrapping, eating her dinner that consisted of dried meat and water. The teams had already eaten their fresh reserves and had moved onto unappetizing rations.
"Hiking then, I guess." Said Alfred, turning off his computer and snapping the lid closed, tucking the contraption away in his pocket. Thinking over his sister's plan, the timid boy found that he had to ask her a question creeping around in the back of his mind. "Why do we need to go there? The only things within that ruin are darkness and nothing else. Not many people come back from that place, and they say it isn't very-"
"Aha!" Maya exclaimed, pointing at Alfred accusingly with a finger. "That's the kind of attitude that brings a good drifter down! Don't overestimate things, especially when it's been subject to tons of rumor! Look, that's the place where we're goin', and I'm sticking to it." Clambering to her feet, Maya set both hands on her hips and looked at the boy contemptuously, secretly wishing that he could somehow grow himself a true spine. Using her trademark smirk, she continued. "They say the gems in that ruin are more priceless than any other on this planet. They shine a clear blue and generate their own source of light, even in the darkness. Only someone like me deserves to possess them!"
Shady snickered, sniffing the smoky air. If there was one thing he learnt from his team leader, it was that it would take more than the demon race to bring her down, or even change her mind. Maya was as unyielding and resilient as the planet Filgaia itself. "You ain't gonna change her mind," He said quietly to Alfred, wiping the crumbs off his orange fur and purring a little because he was contented and well fed, "Nuthin' short of the apocalypse can."
"I know." Alfred sighed, resting his chin on one hand. "Oh well. I don't really mind a hike, anyway. And I'm sure the Abyss can't be all that bad. Besides," He brightened a little, smiling slightly, "We still have Todd to rely on if anything goes wrong." The boy turned to the older man who had finished his practice training and was stacking firewood not too far away, the sword in it's saya hanging harmlessly by his side. He was their protector, and Alfred couldn't even remember a time when the swordsman wasn't there to help. Even as small children, Todd had always been charged to protect them.
Glad that she had once again made her point, Maya unfolded her arms and glanced at the sky, the thick clouds becoming patchy and showing the perfect white sphere of the full moon, it shone so much in the night that it was almost like a gem in itself, which made Maya instinctively appreciate it's presence. An opaque diamond, made of the purest ivory, that was what the moon was, to her. Beautiful. Rubbing her cheek and then stretching, she came to a decision that only she could resolve. "Alright. Night-watchman, who is it gonna be this time?"
Todd was too quick for everyone else. "I volunteer." He announced, bowing a little to the leader. "Allow me to do so tonight, milady. I do not mind at all." Running one hand through his frizzy black afro, he adjusted his purple-tinted sunglasses and smiled, looking eager to help. A period of crickets chirping took over the campsite momentarily, the head Schrodinger considering Todd's proposal carefully. Shady puffed out some more smoke, creating little balls of fumes in the air. Finally, Maya spoke.
"Nope." She answered him. Todd just looked blank for a good few seconds, then he blinked, not expecting that kind of a reply. When he tried to offer a rebuttal, all Maya did was raise a silencing hand and he immediately shut up, not wanting to talk back to her. "Look," She continued with the air of one who had already won the argument, "You're a good watchman and all, our best, you know, but you've been doin' it for nearly a week now, don't you think you could do with an uninterrupted sleep?"
"But I-" He began.
"Uh-uh!" She argued before he could finish his sentence, shaking her finger and grinning, "No buts! Shady's doin' your job tonight, and there's nothing you can say to change that." The cat winced at the proclamation of her order, loving sleep almost as much as food. Todd slumped and Alfred nodded his head, agreeing with his older sister's idea. The man had been overworking himself lately. Exhaling a long breath, the swordsman made a motion of agreement with her, obeying Maya's command, what the deceased Lord Schrodinger had ordered him to. He had been beaten.
Then, without any warning, the entire drifter team jumped as an unfamiliar sound cut like razor sharp knives through the area, long, melancholy, and somehow frightening. It was quiet and very far off, but also much too close for comfort. It was an eerie howl that chilled everyone present to the bones. Alfred shivered. "S-sis?" He murmured, voice a little uneven in mild fear, "What was that?"
Maya huffed, trying to cloak her own dread at the sound of the noise. It struck something in her instincts that made her feel uneasy. "Ah, it's just a lone wolf," She explained airily, looking disinterested, "Don't worry. They don't attack humans if the odds are against 'em. Now," She reached down and picked up her favored book, holding it under one arm, "Go to sleep soon. I'm gonna retire. Shady," She turned to the cat, "Don't you dare fall asleep at your post, 'else you gotta answer to me." The comprehension on the feline's face told her he understood and she walked over to her pitched tent, being the only person who needed one, because she was a 'lady of quality'. Getting to her knees and crawling inside, where all her most important possessions were, she stuck her head out one last time and scanned the area, her golden hair set slightly red by the fire. "G'night all!" She called out, receiving her own share of 'goodnights' before going back indoors and preparing for a long night's sleep. She would be indisposed until morning.
Todd and Alfred just lay down on their thick and comfortable blankets, the starry sky their endless roof for the night. They didn't need tents, anyway. Not on such a marvelous night as this. Shady bemoaned his misfortune for awhile, yet eventually found entertainment in seeing how many smoke rings he could create in a certain time with his flame breath, amused. Everything became quiet, and sleep was achieved by almost all.
It would be very, very short-lived.
Catherine could barely keep up with Gallows as he ran backwards and forwards between his house and Mearas waiting patiently outside, carrying with him all the equipment needed for a small journey. He had just been in a conference with Shane and Halle, then he had suddenly begun to rush around like a fast-approaching deadline was near. He didn't even have time to answer the confused Catherine as she followed him, her eyes full of worry. The Baskar set his hands against Mearas's side as he tacked up the steed, hastening through the procedure at a phenomenal rate. Gallows was about to leave, and she didn't know why.
So she did the only thing she could do, the best method for success in her situation. When the man wasn't looking, trying to juggle some blankets and a bag of unusual tools at the same time while walking over to his horse, Catherine reached out, grabbed him by the ear, and demanded answers. Truly startled by the woman's approach, he dropped both items and the tool bag landed on his foot, filled with heavy metal implements. Tearing himself away from her by the pain, he hopped up and down on one foot for a short while, grunting curses. Seeing her chance, Catherine strategically placed her own foot out near him and the priest expectantly tripped over it, falling on his derriere and groaning. Leaning over him, Catherine graciously offered Gallows a hand up, which was accepted promptly.
"Ow… Why'd you do that?" He moaned, trying to rub his backside and his ear at the same time, his voice exceptionally whiny. Stooping to pick up his stuff again, he slung the tool bag over his shoulder and watched Catherine pick up the blanket, lending a helping hand. Batting away a moth from his face, some fires lit nearby offered a little light in the dark outside of Baskar Colony. He could see Catherine's face, and she looked beyond perplexed.
"You're packing, aren't you? What's going on? Why are you leaving?" The woman asked, rolling the dropped blanket back into a more compact state, able to be attached with ease to a horse's flank. Going at a much slower pace than before, Gallows and Catherine walked back over to Mearas, waiting patiently for the departure. Whinnying gently at the return of his master, Gallows patted him briefly and stuffed his tool bag into a pouch near the saddle, saying something quietly to the animal in his own native tongue.
"Geez, Jet and Ginny didn't tell you yet?" The Baskar questioned her, scratching his head and looking quite restless, "We gotta mix up this cure, ya know, and that means we need all the ingredients. There are some we don't have with us right now, so me an' the others are gonna go and get 'em." He reached out and took the blanket from her arms, securing it tightly to the black stallion with the help of a few small straps. "I'll be back soon, don't you worry about me." He grinned and patted the horse again, seeming to be unconcerned with the extra weight he was being forced to carry.
"Just don't fail miserably, and I'll be happy." Halle called from the threshold of the Caradine house, her aged voice piercing and cracked. Slowly, she made her way over to Gallows, Catherine and Mearas, unhindered by the darkness that shrouded the area. Smirking, she held up something very important and overlooked by her young grandson, to Gallows's increasing embarrassment. "You forgot this."
Going red and becoming even more embarrassed, Gallows took his Coyote ARM from his grandmother with respect and chuckled self-consciously, mentally scolding himself for being so forgetful. "Okay then," He said while hoisting himself up on Mearas's back, "I'll be back by tomorrow, or even earlier, if I can. I don't think I'll be sleeping tonight, but hey, it's for a good cause. I won't let you down, Granny!"
"Well, those are famous last words if I ever heard 'em." Halle replied, shaking her head before becoming far more serious. "I think I have every ingredient for the cure in the storeroom, except for two. The herb Arnica, which you have to find for me, and the herb Aconite, which the other two drifters have chosen to locate. Thank the Guardians you have the easier task, because at least I know where you can find some. Head south to the foot of Mt. Zenom, the herb grows there in this season, but you must hurry, Arnica dries quickly after picked, and it is the juices that are crucial for the antidote."
"What about the other one?" Catherine asked, the way Halle chose to describe it, it didn't seem like the old woman knew where it was. She turned around as she heard trotting behind her, seeing Virginia's pure white mare come to a stop only a few feet away. Stybba was also geared for a journey, and Virginia held the reins while Jet sat behind her, double-mounted and ready to leave. It looked like Jet's horse had been giving him trouble again.
"Aconite is a very rare flower, almost impossible to grow and raise, it is a light purple colour and it used to grow in the flower fields around the more humid areas of Filgaia. Now it is practically extinct." Halle explained sullenly. "If you can find some, then you will be performing more than your share of miracles. This plant is sometimes referred to as Wolfsbane, if that helps you any in your search."
"I think we might have an idea," Virginia informed them, "We'll try our very best. I promise." She looked down at Catherine and smiled sadly, "We can save him. I know we can. And… if we can't…" She swallowed hard to continue, "Then we'll end it for him. We will end it all." Catherine nodded, still clutching her aged notebook tightly, like a lifeline. She felt small around the group of mounted drifters, small and unable to help.
Jet leaned forward and looked over Virginia's shoulder at the Baskar elder, barely seeing the top of her head from his inhibiting vantage point. Awkwardly, he added his own blunted input. "Uh… 'Bout those miracles," He muttered softly, "I just wanted to say that… If there really are such things as miracles, then loudmouth over here can do 'em, hands down." And in an incredibly rare and valuable occasion, Jet smiled sincerely, violet eyes open to the world.
It somehow made Catherine feel a million times better. "Thank you." She said with deep feeling, "Thank you all." She had never known that Clive had such wonderful friends like this, true friends. If only he could see it now. These people loved him, even the stoic Jet, who was an asshole nearly twenty-four seven. Gallows, a great friend to anybody and everybody, fun to be around, and especially Virginia, where she could not even begin to describe her many virtues. Yes, true friends. Having an idea, she turned to Gallows, determined. "Please, take me with you. I want to help."
The priest opened his mouth to reply, but Halle silenced him. "No." The elder said with authority. "Your place is here, with Shane and I. You, dearie, are an important part of the antidote's formation. It will not work without you."
"Me?" Catherine wondered out loud, "But how-"
"I will tell you later." Halle explained, gradually hobbling back to her house, leaning on her walking stick. "Just wish them luck and come with me." The two horses whickered quietly to themselves as Catherine moved between each one and softly wished the mounted drifters luck, patting each animal delicately and feeling like she was moving within a dream world. Clive's humanity rested in the hands of his teammates now, she hoped to the Guardians that they would not fail. But she could trust them, Catherine knew she could. Following Halle back into the house without looking back, the woman knew that she must trust her leader with her husband's life, and in doing so, also the life of her daughter.
I beg you, Virginia, Gallows, Jet… Save my family…
Two horses, one pure white, the other, darkest black, rode out into the night. It was uncertain if they would ever return.
Catherine shivered, then she closed the door.