THE JOURNEY THROUGH ETERNITY
A Diablo 2 Fan-Fiction – Rated: Teen
CHAPTER 3
"The day of recalling"
Upon Akara's warning, Kashya told Warriv what to do. I didn't know but, I think it's about hiring mercenaries.
Good. Now she needs someone since the day…
Never mind… Well, she wants me to go with him, because – you know, defenseless people needs to get defended. I'm the defender.
I took my bag full of food and some quivers of arrows. I also dragged my mat, in case we need to sleep in the middle of our journey. And while I was there inside our tent, where I and Kashya used to sleep together, Akara appeared, from the outside. The rogue guards were there, and opened the tent for her of course.
I looked up at her, smiled and went back to my bow. At least I expressed some greeting. However, not regarding the way I just treated her, she said, "How are you, my child?"
I feel a second of heaven. But as that moment passed, I looked around, a little depressed.
The gray and lonely tent, grass floored, and few candle lamps… It was really silent, I think.
"Now, now…" Akara said. She sat down beside me. "What bothers you?"
Now it's the good time to tell.
"Don't be afraid," Akara told me, "As I said before…"
"Just," I told her. "Don't tell Kashya about this."
"Trust me…" Akara said.
"I…" I started.
"Shh…" Akara said. "Tell all the events through your mind – to keep everyone from hearing it…"
I smiled. Then I recalled…
It was sunny, and hot. The sands are shifting below me. The horizon's giving illusions; huge, eroded rocks stand every where. I was in my past self, and I feel the way I felt before – exactly.
Thirst and sweat, hunger and tiredness – all is in me.
I walked through the endless desert, the sky was cloudless and only hungry vultures circle around me.
I was wearing a brown shirt and a skirt with a symbol of a bow and arrow on each side. It was the symbol of the rouges. My hair is long, but yellow. My sister said I got it from our mother. But my mother is just so – nothing… I mean, she's gone for almost 20 years but still she's not here. When will she return? Is she dead?
No, definitely not. I have a strong feeling about this.
I must search her anyway I can. But if I'm defenseless, what should I do? Be dead? Why here? I don't want my body to be eaten by flesh-hungry scavengers.
But I know hope is on the way.
Few hours more, the weaker and weaker I get. But I forced myself to stand up, because I am afraid of being eaten alive – I'm not sure if it's possible, but it's good to make sure.
A mile ahead from the place I've been two hours ago. I can't stop… I can't stop until…
I found a faded image of a woman. I tried to catch up. I needed someone – help… HELP!
The voices in my mind seemed to have remained there, I never yelled one bit.
The figure is going this way. I waved my hand, but sadly – it can only reach as far as my head. The heat is going on – and I just have to wait for a very cold night. But that woman might help me.
I walked, slowly and slowly.
But the time I wanted to come is here. She came near me smiling.
"Look, look who's here…" the red haired woman said. Her hair was fixed in a pony tail. She was gorgeous. She has a band tied across her forehead. She was looking at me curiously.
"Please help me…" I said in a small voice.
"Hah. You seem to be suffering." The woman said. She saw the bow and arrow symbol. "A rogue? What a surprise…"
"Please – water…" I said.
She kneeled. An Amazon, I thought. She was carrying with her javelins and a spear and a long bow and a quiver of arrows. She kindly gave me some water in a small wooden bottle.
"I shouldn't harm a cute harmless child. That's one of the practices we follow…"she said.
"But aren't the Rogues and Amazons rivals?" I asked.
"That question makes me think you're hesitating." She said. "Yes we are. But a defenseless young woman like you shouldn't be here. And you shall not be harmed. Therefore I mustn't harm you in any way."
I finally put my back against the sand. "You should take a rest. Good Idea…"
"I can't move anymore…"
"Don't worry…"
I fell asleep, and the view changed into darkness.
When I woke up, I noticed like I was flying. My legs are loose and I am sitting on something.
The environment was not a hot blank desert anymore. All I see are tropical trees and plants and bushes. It was a lot cooler.
I just noticed that I was leaning on someone's back; the Amazon.
"What's your name?" she asked.
"Leashya…" I said.
"I am Danaetia…" she replied.
Then after lots and lots of trees unknown to me, we stopped at the edge of the hill, and I didn't even notice that we arrived in a beautiful, spectacular place.
"Welcome to the Land of the earth," she said. I was a little bit confused of the name, but that's how the place is called. Who cares?
I just smiled as she watches the free place. I can see all women worked hard and helped each other and some even practice how to use weapons – and they were even younger than me.
And I forgot to tell you how wonderful it is…
"Come Leashya…" she told me.
As I follow her down through the small hill, I remembered every detail. It is a circular town, protected with huge walls of firm Aldergrove Trees. Those trees are indestructible unless destroyed with a powerful spell. But how did they get the seeds? Aldergrove seeds are very rare, but they are very fast to grow. Its leaves are blade-like, and it is even useful for weapons. They are not even affected by any season, considering them as evergreen trees.
We entered the huge gate of two 1000 year-old Aldergroves. Its trunks were huge, and smooth.
"Greetings, Danaetia." The guard nearby said. Danaetia looked at her, smiled and went back on her way. It is a sign of greeting.
The guard, as she looked at me, her face became somewhat like – she wants to grab and kill me. That is not very welcoming…
"Ignore them." Danaetia whispered.
All that we passed by greeted Danaetia, but not me. They all look enraged when they put an eye on me.
As Danaetia told me, I must ignore them.
The beauty of the town seems to fade away. It's just a town, a barbaric town, I guess… Houses made of clay and twigs, unpaved roads… It's just a black and white town.
"Sorry…" I told Akara, using my own voice.
"I understand my dear, if that's enough – you can come to me anytime." She said in an airy way.
"Thank you Akara…" I told her.
She went out of the tent with me. As soon as we got out, I inhaled the sweet fresh air. I looked at Akara.
"Bye." I said. I'm rude, I thought, why am I in such a rush?
Maybe because of – I don't know. This is the strangest feeling I ever had since I got my hands – or much earlier than that.
She just left, turning her back on me and never looking back at me. I hope she ignored the way I treat her.
I stared at her for a moment. Fortunately, no one noticed me standing – as I start to drool a little, making it stop from the moment I felt my hands going numb. I wiped it, humiliated. Then I walked on.
My head is empty, hearing the noises my step makes on the wet grass. The air was still, the sky is completely reddish-brown in color, and the sun is – well, dull yellow that you could look at it like it was just a piece of circle-shaped, yellow paper.
I don't know where am I going, but I think I came to the right place.
Warriv was there, preparing the strong, brown horse and a small carriage with a white, water-proof cloth as the roof. It was filled with supplies that could last for a week. I thought of this clearly, filling my mind, and I said…
"How are we supposed to get out of this place? We can't go out of this wilderness with the monastery gate closed."
He stopped and looked at me straight in the eye.
"Do you think that the monastery gate is the only way out of this?" Warriv told me, as if he knew everything in the world.
Yes. Yes it is. I just said these words in my mind, but I prefer to keep it and let's just wait what he says. He knows I'm curious from the looks of my kind, innocent face. My eyebrows are raised; my mouth is like a small line crossing from the left cheek to the other, my blue eyes stared at him like crazy, but I think it is doing its duty – looking like the eyes of a sweet little angel.
It was silent for awhile.
"Okay…" he said, looking at me. I didn't answer, did I? Good. He was looking at me, his eyebrows raised in annoyance. Is 'annoyance' the word anyway?
My face turned into the look that might say, "Hmm? What now?"
I did not say those words… My looks did.
"With that look," he said. "I should tell you that we are not going through that gate."
I remained silent, my looks turned into the one that says, "What? Why?" with a slight shock on the face?
"We need a little bit of help…" he answered. "But a powerful one…"
That was a very short conversation, don't you agree?
I walked away from him. The same, I heard the sound effect the grass-covered ground created every time I step on it, but now my mind is filled with something else.
Wow, I saved a lot of voice back there… I thought. Yeah, I didn't waste any voice back there – just looks…
It doesn't matter. I went back to my large gray-colored tent. It was the Herthinya's property, which means that is our property – Kashya and me.
Sorry, I didn't say our last name at the beginning of this story.
I entered the tent quietly and found Kashya there on the table. She had many scrolls up there; the map of the world, rogue warrior-and-archer lists, and a bottle of ink. The inked feather was on her grip, writing all the things she needed to put down with her right hand. She also had a lamp on the side.
"Hey," I said awkwardly.
She looked up. She just glanced and put her eyes back on the work. "Oh, hi Leashya…"
I didn't bother to ask her about what she's doing. She hates every one asking what kind of work is she doing or simply, what she's doing.
I looked at her silently then turned my back on her. I just looked at the darker side of the tent – then…
I entered Danaetia's tent. It was all gray, too – but it's all different. The arrangement differs from our tent now, but the table is full of scrolls Kashya usually take a look and put responsibility to, and a bottled ink and feather set. The table is on the left side, with a chair in both front and back, to make Danaetia and the visitor feel comfortable, and the bed was behind a wall of white silk cloth which was all the way at the other edge of the tent – left side of Danaetia's point of view if she was sitting on her chair. The bed was just ordinary, a comfortable bed of light feathers and the pillow, too and the blanket is made of black fleece. There was a small table beside it which carries the lamp to light her night before going to sleep.
On the right side of the tent from the entrance, there was a small case of scrolls and tomes – blue, brown, red and green and the sides are all lined with golden marks of magic. I don't know it Danaetia's been studying magic but – it's still useful I think, for future use.
The ground was grassy and only the entrance had a red mat and at the center is the large carpet of the skin of a dead grizzly bear, which I think came from the nearest water falls – I can hear and smell it from here. But the only thing that I could do is that…
I looked at the dark side of the tent – which looked like… Empty, obviously.
"Danaetia," I said. I looked miserable. I know it from the weight I feel on my face.
She looked at me. "Yes? What is it Leashya?"
I faced her. "Can you train me?"
She looked at me. Her face showed an expression of doubt, "Well… Sure…"
I just half-smiled after she said that. Seeing her face in doubt made me feel a little bit uncomfortable. But if she said yes, okay. I know she will…
"I trust you…" I whispered to myself. I think she heard it, she smiled at me. I noticed it when I glanced at her before I go fetch some water.
I know she needed it for what she was about to cook…
Old memories, is just something that has passed away. This has been a day of recalling. Those moments made me feel good.
"You're here for?" Kashya asked. I think she waited for a response to complete the sentence she didn't complete – but whatever…
"Well, I just wish to take some rest…" I said.
"Hope…" Kashya said, smiling. "Say 'I hope' if you know it's possible. Come here, rest behind me. This won't take long, you know. And it doesn't make that much noise…"
I just smiled. I walked towards the bed she was sitting on as a chair and laid my head down. I just saw the shadow of her back before I fell asleep.
I don't know. In these times of darkness, only the darkness of your eyelids make you feel good. I feel like it was just twenty seconds then I woke up from a dreamless sleep – a new start.
It was already morning, about dawn – before the sun rises up. I just packed my clothes in a small bag I used to carry with which has a large capacity. It's magical. But still it has a limit.
I put there my bow, three quivers of arrows, 4 water jugs, my spear, two magical rings and five potions Akara made just for me for free.
I walked out of the enlightened tent. I saw Warriv, Akara and Kashya there, talking about something. I advanced, moving towards them.
As I walked from here to there, Kashya noticed me. "Oh. Good morning, Leashya."
I yawned and stretched my arms. I saw Akara looking at me, without revealing her face. The shade covered most of it, just revealing the tip of her nose and her mouth. Until now, I wonder why she's always hiding her face with that purple hood.
"So, what are you guys talking about?" I asked.
"It's about how should you get out of this place without using the monastery gate." Kashya answered. Her strict face looked at me, but I think the intention was just being nice to answer my question. Akara looked at her while saying this. I know, since there was a slight shock on the skin of my neck, where she was located.
"Is that even possible?" I asked.
"It requires magic, Leashya…" Akara said. "…a lot of it. It's a huge portal, and it will not close until Warriv comes back to town…"
"You mean Warriv's not coming back after getting a mercenary?"
"Yes" Akara said. "Warriv's looking for more mercenaries while you escort the first one here, thus he's not coming back with you. He'll return someday, whether he goes in the portal or not. The portal automatically closes after recognizing Warriv's aura again in this camp."
"Oh…" I said, gaining a new fact.
"You are one of the people who will summon the portal…" Kashya said. I stared at her in shock.
"Why? I don't have magic like Akara." I said, totally unwilling to participate.
"Is Akara the only one who has magic?" Kashya asked me.
"Um… Yes?" I answered.
"Don't be such a lazy person, Leashya." Kashya said. "You are an Amazon, and you already mastered survival. You have your own energy and magic. Even rogues."
I was silent. "But…"
"Don't worry, it's simple." Kashya said. "You put your hands on Akara's and she'll do the rest of the procedures."
After that, we spent hours on measuring the distance between the ride and the summoning location. We put the stone table in the center front of the carriage ride. The stone table is a few feet away from the carriage, so that the horses have time to gain speed while entering the portal and also, the summoning takes a large space, with some magical effect going on the ground. We're just making sure of that for safety measures.
"Okay, we're ready." Warriv said. It was mid-morning, near lunchtime, since the sun was above us giving off some dull light.
Akara nodded. She walked towards the stone table and instructed: "Kashya, you go there in front of me and you Leashya, beside me."
I whispered to Kashya, "You too?"
"Of course, it's for the good of this world." Kashya whispered back. Then we walked towards the stone and went into position.
Akara cast her hands over the scroll, her right hand over left. "Do the same thing, and put your left palm over the back of my right hand."
Kashya didn't want to go next to Akara, so I put mine instead. I also followed the right over left position of the hands and put the bottom one over Akara's hand. Then Kashya followed.
"Close your eyes." Akara instructed.
We closed our eyes.
Akara chanted a spell, a very long one. It took minutes and while Akara chanted, our hands became colder, a comfortable feeling of coolness.
She wrapped up the spell with these words…
"Ael fam Jent
Ceth korl L'Dent
Hael gon Holia
Fen neish Sentoria
Aphe re al viro
Fen noes U'genviro
Jost gen galia
Fos, olt namia"
Those are magic words. I can understand a little bit, though... I think it meant about telling nature to accept the gift, and asking nature to warp us to our destinations and then giving life to something without life, and bring us home safe and sound.
Those were accurate. I took lessons of the language and I can't believe that sometimes magic uses basic chants to make one complicated thing.
Anyway, let's go back to where we're supposed to be…
We heard a very, very loud sound. It wasn't disturbing, but still it's loud enough to make your head explode. The noise was broken when Akara said, "You can open your eyes now."
Wow, I thought. Kashya and I were in awe seeing this very huge, rectangular portal. It was green in color, and if you look into it, you can see the place outside of Khanduras. It was not a desert, but a land with little vegetation for sure. I can see small grasses growing and some rare bushes that you can only see in that type of place.
We moved the stone table away from the way.
"Well done!" Warriv said. He was a little bit excited of getting out; who wants to stay long in this place anyway?
"I may take time to recover," Akara said. "But it will not stop me from protecting this camp with my magic. Luckily it's enough. Shall I go to my home then?"
"Thanks," I told her. "I cannot thank you enough…"
She just left, but I caught her small smile on the face.
I still looked at her, until Kashya told me, "Hey…"
I faced her. "Oh… What?"
"Get a move on. You're going now…"
Author's Note:
I wrote this before any of you commented. In chapter 2's case, I modified every thing that seems not quite good. (Like some parts of the fighting scene which came out really gross... : )
But to Inner Fire - THANK YOU VERY MUCH. Ophelion and reptilia are a lot of help too.
Thanks for your support!
But is it good? (I can't comment it, can you guys tell me what's wrong?)