Of Dreams and Nightmares
Disclaimer: No… -shifty eyes-
Chapter 6: Circles
Sapphire irises flicked to rest upon Arashi in a calculating manner, one eyebrow arching as the other girl settled down onto the dusty floorboards of the caravan, line of vision slowly moving to the journal cradled in her slender hands.
"…What's that?" was Klo's slow inquiry, feigning indifference.
Her previous anger towards the Selkie dissipated, Arashi smiled warmly. After all, the people in this caravan were like her new family.
"My mother gave it to me before we left. A journal, for me to write in."
A ghost of a smile now found its way to Klo, and she reached to gently take the item for a closer look, sunlight dancing upon her pale hand as it moved. But both heads quickly turned to where the others walked, shouts steadily growing in volume, Rema suddenly becoming quite talkative.
"Quite eating! We'll be out of food by evening if you keep on like this!"
"I'm hungry!"
"You can't be hungry! You've been snacking since early this morning!" Rema voice hollered, snatching the striped apple from Morok's desperate grip.
"A guy's got to keep his energy up, what with all this exhausting traveling." was the gluttonous teen's indignant retaliation.
"Exhausting? We've only-" Rema's incredulous tones were promptly interrupted by another's furious reprimand.
"Will you two shut up!" It was Arashi, glaring disapprovingly at them from inside the now halted wagon, dark expression deepening as they stared, stunned by her sudden outburst.
"What are looking at! You two morons would have been clawing at each other's throats given a few more moments!" The two were jerked from their stupor as Klo assisted Arashi, an equally enraged scowl surfacing.
The pair spouted a halfhearted unit of grumbles, but separated and left each other alone.
:A Few Hours Later:
"Alright, before we walk across this bridge, we have to make one thing clear." Klo stood before the caravan, preventing her companions from taking another step, making this sudden announcement. The rest simply stared quizzically at her, awaiting an explanation.
"Once we go in there, there will be monsters…" Her obvious statement was rewarded with five pairs of raised eyebrows.
"So," she continued, voice rising in volume, "we can't fight." At this she looked pointedly at Morok and Rema. "We don't want the beasts taking us by surprise…"
"We want to take them by surprise and have the advantage." Nitaren finished for her, and Klo nodded her thanks as Morok indignantly spoke up.
After several complaints and two pieces of meat later, they had crossed the bridge leading to the River Belle Path…
"Did you hear that?" Rema's hoarse words were returned with the nods of five others.
As the group crept on, each caravanner faced a different portion of the path, on guard for the beast that was surely ahead.
Abruptly, Arashi's arm rose to stop them, gaze riveted upon the large clusters of shrubbery lining the edges of the dirt path. "I saw something…" she whispered, hand shooting to the hilt of her sword, the others reaching for their own weapons.
Sure enough, croaks of gruesome cackling emitted from a pair of beasts within the thickets, slowly coming forward, expressions you might call grins plastered over their mutilated features.
Nitaren was the first to rush forward; the others came after her on each side, surrounding their foes. All but Beron, who hung back, preparing a spell. As Arashi thrust the point of her sword towards a goblin, others appeared about them, smaller raccoon-like beasts at their sides.
Nitaren, bugling a short battle cry, hefted her spear with ease, swinging it round to take out two, their skulls swept clean from their necks.
Arashi stood back to back with Morok, each swiping expertly at each monster that came their way. But already a few minor wounds littered their bodies. The young Clavat girl paused as she heard Klo cry out as one of the nasty rodents sunk its talons into her leg, knocking it from her calf with a punch and falling to the ground. The distraction put her off guard, and was hit, now in the dirt, arm sporting an open gash.
A choked shriek nearly came from her as the creature in front of her bent down, about to thrust its rusted weapon through her. Moments later she shouted her thanks to Beron, who had unleashed his magic on her opponent, its form freezing over to shatter as Morok swung at it.
Rising rapidly to her feet, adrenaline dulling the searing pain in her arm, Arashi looked to Klo, who was being gallantly protected by Rema.
Silence reined painfully over the area as Nitaren skewered the last enemy, Beron the one to break it after a few moments.
"Gather together, I need to heal you." Came his gruff voice, his companions instantly complying. Klo carefully pushed herself up, wincing as she put a bit of weight on her leg, hobbling slowly to the others.
It was the oddest sensation Arashi had ever experienced. One hand clutched at the wound, drenched crimson, as the spell took effect. A shiver of surprise, and a bit of fear, passed through her, skin and muscles quickly repairing themselves, knitting back together.
:A Few Minutes Later:
"I hope not all of the stupid beasts travel in that big of groups…" Nitaren grumbled as they moved on from the battle, the others chuckling dryly, yet bobbing their heads in agreement.
"Which way should we go…?" came Klo's soft inquiry, and the group looked up to see a fork in the path.
"Well… the river's that way…" Rema observed, gesturing to the right.
"Then I guess we'll go that way." Nitaren quickly said, tone obviously leaving no room for argument.
:Another Few Minutes Later:
Cupped hands brought the crystalline liquid up to the young girl's mouth, and Arashi gulped it down, letting her eyes slip shut for a moment in contentment.
"Can we get going now?" Nitaren complained loudly, free hand on her hip, heavily booted foot tapping against the damp earth.
"Be patient Nit!" Morok said with a roll of his eyes, the last word uttered in teasing tones.
"I told you not to call me that!" the piqued Liltie shouted angrily, stalking up to him and planting a smack on his forehead.
"Hey!" he whined, rubbing the red mark he now had and continuing, "That really hurts, you're wearing gauntlets!"
"Want me t' hit you with something else?"
"I thought we made it clear that there would be no fighting!" Klo interrupted, arms crossed over her chest and glaring mercilessly at the two.
:Several Hours Later:
Rema kicked at a few pebbles, leaning against a large boulder beside the river as the others argued… others being Nitaren and Morok.
"We're going in circles!"
"No we're not!"
"Yes we are!"
"We haven't passed by here before!" the Selkie boy indignantly shouted, gesturing to their surroundings, which he found to be unfamiliar. The Liltie who was now staring at him, eye twitching in an attempt to be patient, thrust an appendage at the open treasure chest half buried in the rocky earth.
"Do you see that chest? Yes? We opened it an hour ago!"
Morok stared at it for a few hushed moments, turning back to 'Nit' with a frown, eyebrows deeply furrowed.
"Why didn't you say that before?"
"…"
"…"
Klo Arashi quickly rushed forward, grabbing hold of Nitaren's arms, pushing her backwards and foiling her sudden plan of strangling the unfortunate Morok.
"Kiai!" came Arashi's high-pitched shriek of rage, leaping upwards to take a swing at their latest opponent. Though its movements were slow due to its size, the ork managed to move its axe of a weapon in front of itself, steel clashing upon steel as the two blades conflicted harshly.
A sting of pain shot rapidly through Arashi's arm, weapon still ringing from the hit.
Rema leapt forward, steps quick and agile, sword that might seem to large for his lanky mass slashing to slice the creature's coarsely made leather armor, and pierce its thick hide.
Now blinded by pain and the spell of blizzard Beron had cast upon it, the beast stumbled forward, aiming randomly just before it fell to collide with the ground, dust rising and creating a crater of sorts.
The relieved caravanners let out a series of coughs as the grime entered their throats, Nitaren stepping forward and prodding the now dead monster with the point of her spear.
"Certainly a big 'un…" she bluntly stated, the others nodding a bit in agreement.
Indeed it was large. For the oversized goblin was nearly three times taller than any of them.
Quickly, Beron healed them all, including himself, and once again Arashi shuddered as it repaired her injuries, the rest of the group walking towards an object lying next to their foe.
A key.
Beron was the one to pick the item up, enormous hands brushing a bit of dust from it, and carrying it towards the fortified gate to their left.
Each young person grimaced as its sturdy wood scraped noisily against the stone bricks beneath it, expressions held until the gate halted its motion.
:A Short While Later:
"What's that?"
The group stopped to listen, running water greeting their ears.
"That's not the river… A waterfall, perhaps?" Rema suggested, the others murmuring a few 'maybes'.
"We haven't run into any monsters in awhile…"
There was silence between them as each caravanner pieced things together, grins lighting upon each face as it became clear.
"Let's go!"
"Wow…" Klo breathed, gazing about wide-eyed at their surroundings.
"It's beautiful…" Arashi whispered as well.
Beams of sunlight reflected across the enchanting pool of water, currents of ripples shivering through its mass due to the white torrents of a waterfall, cascading down the dark stone of a sheer cliff. And on the side of the area opposite to the group, a myrrh tree. Its emerald boughs drooped to the earth, magic visibly flowing through it.
Just as they began to rush towards the relieving sight, they shakily halted, bracing themselves to keep from falling.
"What was that?" came Arashi's nervous whisper.
Silence, and then it came again.
A sound, somewhat similar to thunder, tremor through the ground, emanating from just behind the once beautiful waterfall.
"Our luck cannot be that bad." Klo muttered bitterly as their final enemy from River Belle Path moved from its dwelling.
Muah! Heh, sorry this was up so late. But see, tis extra long just like I promised! Erm… well… sort of…
xXxAngelicXTearsxXx: Wow, thanks! It's not everyday a writer receives such compliments, and as you can see, I am working on the length. - Were it not for your gracious review, I probably wouldn't have gotten off my butt and finished this. Heh. (See people, reviews really do make a difference!)
And by the way, people, please tell if I was too gruesome with the fight scenes! -;; Dewa mata!