Chapter 10: The First Step

"Really Baro, I'm fine." Crystal complained as Baro wrapped her leg.

"Just hold on a minute, I'm almost done." Baro finished tying the bandage around her knee. "There, all set."

"Lets go then." Kazekage said standing by the windows. He had checked the streets every few minutes since they had arrived and seemed a bit uneasy.

"In a hurry?" asked Baro. Kazekage made no reply but kept his attention to the streets.

'He's not very friendly is he?' commented Crystal mentally.

'I know what you mean. We should try learning more later, but for now lets just get going. Are you ready to leave?' Baro asked her. She nodded and got up slowly.

"Alright, lets head out." Announced Baro. He took out a map and placed it on the floor to show Kazekage. "The plan is to ride out to Islan's Mark, a outpost that surrounds some historical rock."

Kazkage nodded. "I've heard of it. Something to do with King Antony's fight against the native shamans. Back round the empires founding it was something of a big deal, as far as I know now it's used for smuggling and refuges."

Crystal cocked her head to one side. "Refuges?"

"People whose homes were destroyed from war. They all headed for Islan's Mark, since it's the only place where they can go. Anthonian aide comes through there to give away supplies, help them to build homes, that sort of thing."

"That's so sad…" Crystal said. "How many refuges were sent there?"

Kazekage shrugged. "Does it matter? There's enough to take all the housing, too many to feed, and not enough money to support them." He made a very cold face towards the window again and stopped talking.

"Well it's the nearest point I can see between here and Shriladen… any other suggestions?" Baro asked him. He still didn't say anything. "Then Islan's Mark it is. We should buy another horse, whatever else we need, and get going."

"I'm ready." Said Kazekage plainly.

"Same here." Crystal got up and stretched. Shadow barked in reply and the four of them walked down stairs and into the stables.

Baro examined all of the horses and had a long talk with the stable operator. Only two of the adults were for sale, a brown one that had been left here by its owner, and a white one that had been found in the plains.

"You don't want that one sir," offered the stable keeper. "She's much to wild. The last time anyone tried to ride her he was sent off into the side of the barn. It's got the mark to prove it." The man pointed to a sizable dent in the stall's door. "Took all of my stable hands to round her up after that, you'd be safer with old rusty."

Crystal walked up to the white horse. Its name was written over the stall. Lightning. She patted the horse's head softly, but it reared to her touch and whimpered. Crystal then opened the stall to get closer.

"What are you doing?" complained the operator loudly but Baro held him back reassuringly. "Just watch." He said calmly.

Crystal opened the stall and waited. The horse backed up at first and stomped its front leg in protest. Crystal waited patiently and watched the horse, its eyes seemed so sad, like it was afraid.

"It's alright girl, No ones going to hurt you." Crystal said in her soft, gentle voice. She reached out again slowly and touched its head. The horse was obviously uncomfortable but this time let her come closer. "This horse has been mistreated."

"What? No, you must be mistaken. I don't have time for this." The man started to turn around when Kazekage stood in his way. Kaze didn't say anything, but puffed up his chest and stared down with an iron gaze.

"I think I'd like to hear more from the horse." Said Baro and walked slowly to where Crystal was. He saw nothing unusual at first, but noticed several scars that were poorly concealed on its back.

"How much for Lightning?" asked Baro, not reacting to the horse's wounds.

"Well I wasn't planning on selling her… but I could be persuaded. Make an offer." The man sat back in a near by stool, making no attempt to hide the greed in his eyes. Baro checked his belt for his money, he had fifteen silver pieces on him and several copper. Your average horse would go for perhaps fifty silver pieces, but that was an average one. This one was already known to be wild, and looks like it has been abused.

"I'll give you ten silver pieces for the wild one." Baro said and laid it out in his hand. The operator scoffed.

"Only ten pieces?"

Baro nodded. "That's my final offer. It will be challenge enough just to tame him, and you yourself admitted to the damage he has caused you. If anything I am doing you a favor, if I am not mistaken you have not been able to find a buyer."

The operator was disappointed and scowled openly, but nodded and took the pieces.

"She's all yours." He sneered and stormed out of the stable rudely.

The horse moved uncomfortably again as the man left but seemed to calm down the farther away he was.

"It's alright girl." Crystal patted it gently. "No ones going to hurt you again." A few quick sparks flew from her hands and landed on the horse's scars, healing the torn muscles.

"We still need a saddle for her." Baro said and reached over to stroke Lightning's mane.

"Saddle found." Said Kazekage and took one off the wall. Baro starred at him briefly but shrugged and helped him saddle the horse with its new equipment. As they were leaving Baro left a couple copper pieces on the stool.

"What was that for?" asked Crystal.

"I can't spare enough to pay him fully, but I'll give him what I can."

"Why?" asked Kazekage. This time Baro heard actual concern in Kazekage's voice.

Baro looked up at him to answer him. "It was his saddle, his horse. By all rights it should of cost us over seventy pieces for everything. He deserves some compensation, even if he is a jerk." Kazekage looked out ahead now and thought about what Baro had said. This was exactly the kind of thing that kept him up some nights, but soon he shook off these thoughts and continued to scan the crowd.

When they reached the northern gates, Kazekage mounted Whirl whip and Crystal mounted Lightning. "Wait." Said Crystal. "What about you? You can't walk to Shriladen."

"We would move faster with a third horse." Commented Kazekage.

"I suppose you keep a spare one in your jacket?" said Baro jokingly. "I'll just ride on Lightning." Crystal blushed when he jumped on behind her but quickly tried to stop when she noticed Kazekage watching.

"Um yes. Ok." She said embarrassed and quickly asked something to Kazekage. "So, um. Kazekage. What do your friends call you?"

"Friends?" asked Kazekage.

"Yea, you know. People who don't want to kill you." Joked Baro again. Kazekage scratched his head and said, "Well. Some people call me Kaze when they get tired of saying the whole thing."

"Kaze, that's a cool name." Said Crystal. The three chatted lightly as they trotted out the gate with Shadow following behind them.

'Poor Shadow.' Thought Baro to himself, looking back at the lone wolf. 'She sure is faithful, follows Crystal everywhere. Even across country.' Baro wondered whether the wolf was intelligent. It always seemed to stare at him when he wasn't looking, sometimes even when he was looking. 'Weird.'

The ride outside of the city was much like the trail the week before. Golden grasslands mixed with green and brown tones, only now the mountains were behind them. The wind was getting colder now that autumn grew older by the day and made Baro shiver in the chilly weather. The sun slowly moved across the sky through gray clouds and lazily sat on the horizon at sunset. Occasionally Crystal would say something or laugh at one of the animals out on the grasslands but the passage of time seemed slow and hazy.

At nightfall they camped out on under a rocky hill that covered them from the cities view. Kazekage asked after everything was unpacked, "Who has the first watch?"

Baro looked at him confused. "Watch?" Kazekage just laughed lightly.

"You mean to tell me you've been hunted for a week and never thought to watch over one another?" Kazekage asked as if talking to a young boy, which compared to Kaze he was.

"It's just never occurred to me. I'd rather have us both rested and ready to fight them when they find us then half asleep and weary." Baro kicked his foot embarrassed.

Kazekage sighed and looked around. "I guess I'll do it then." He shook his head and mumbled something Baro couldn't make out, but sure it was something about him. He almost felt a surge of magic connect between two of his fingertips, then another. A third spark fell from his fingers and burnt a whole through a dead leaf.

"Come on Baro, help me set up our tent." Crystal said and dragged him away from Kazekage.

"I don't need you to protect me from a fight." Baro said to her hotly, but soft enough that Kaze couldn't hear. She looked at him strangely and whispered to him,

"Don't act like such a stupid boy. I swear all boys want is to fight and defend things."

Baro shrugged off his juvenile anger and let him self settle down. She was right, another minute and he might have unintentionally erupted with energy towards Kazekage. He wasn't even sure what would have happened, but had a feeling it would have involved fire. Lots and lots of fire.

They pitched the tent and set everything up, though this time Crystal wanted to cook some food. She had bought a small amount of special food she said she used to have when she was a kid, and wanted to use some of it for tonight.

As he waited for her to cook the food Baro walked around a little outside of the camp. The stars were out beautifully tonight and the half moon was out above him. He figured while he was here he might as well try to relax and lay down to view the heavens above. Once a man had tried to tell him about the constellations in the stars, something like heroes that were honored by the God's by having them placed in the shining multitude. Baro lost himself trying to trace out the stars and dozed off on the quiet plains.

Soon he was awakened by Kazekage, which made Baro jump. Kaze smiled and gloated, "If you think I scared you, think about what would have happened if I was sent to kill you?"

Baro sighed sharply from the shock and got up. "We'll see."

"The foods ready, lets eat." Kaze said and put an arm around Baro to lead his weary friend to the campfire.

Crystal had laid out the food far better then Baro ever did, he was more of a fan of piling food high and a lot of it instead of presentation. There were three plates, each with sliced fruit, nuts, a pork chop, and potatoes that had been roasted over the fire. She had also filled three cups with a crimson liquid.

"Eat up boys." She said grabbing a plate eagerly. They did likewise and dug right into the foreign food.

"What are these fruits?" asked Baro taking another green and white slice. "They look like apples but they taste different. More sour."

"Oh, those are apples that grow more in the northern groves. My family used to have them all the time."

Baro and Kaze then both sampled the drink. Kazekage sputtered on it and asked disgustedly, "And what would you call this… 'delightful' drink."

Crystal frowned a little bit at his reaction but answered weakly, "That's cranberry juice." Baro took another sip of it.

"I like it, sort of a bittersweet flavor." Baro kept eating and noticed Crystal perked up a bit as they continued to finish off their food.

After supper Baro and Crystal retired to their tent while Kaze hunched himself against a rock to lookout towards Glodin Falls. He seemed well enough by himself but Baro still wondered why he acted so older. He only looked to be about seventeen years old but was dressed like a professional guard. Baro shook off his concerns and replaced them with dreams of sleep. He crawled to his side of the tent and fell straight to sleep.

This time his dreams were normal ones and he didn't feel like it was consuming his energy. Baro was relaxed and happy to slip into unconsciousness thinking of the day's happenings. Suddenly he was thrown out of his dream world back into reality.

Baro awoke to two paws and a black nose in his face. "Follow me." said an ethereal voice, but it was coming from the wolf over top of him. From Shadow. He got off Baro and trotted outside the tent.

It was still night out and the cool wind blew across the camp. Kazekage was asleep against the rock he was leaning off which made Baro smirk, but he decided to follow Shadow. Baro was very concerned about Shadow now, Crystal had said her would companion was a spirit guide but he had no idea what that meant.

Eventually they were far enough from the campsite that no one could hear them, and Shadow sat down. The wolf gave him the same stare Baro had been getting all day. It was friendly, but curious and watchful. Whatever it was it made Baro uncomfortable that the wolf was so serious.

"What do you want?" asked Baro uncertainly. After Baro asked the question, Shadow put a paw forward and greenish blue rays emerged in front of him blinding Baro in a flurry of lights. All of the lighting rose up towards the sky and Baro was forced to throw an arm across his eyes from its brightness.

After several minutes the light ceased. Baro looked up and there before him stood a ghostly man in primitive leather clothing.