Light of the Ancients
Chapter 12
The Advance
"Huh?" Lest mumbled as he awoke, "What? Where?" he looked around, "how?"
"It is not your time, Lest." a man told him, making the knight turn,
"Who.. Who are you?" Lest asked him.
The man, who looked like a stereotypical nomad, smiled, "I am help..." he handed him a canteen of water,
"Thank you..." Lest mumbled and took a drink, "Ah..." he was refreshed, "Hey.." he shot up, "Where's Frey?!"
"Over here." Frey said, already treated by the nomad, "he saved us..."
"It was nothing, really." the nomad chuckled, "Now, I will help you get to where you are going..." he said, "It will not be hard at all, just head straight... the road will no longer deceive you... but." he became serious, "You must stay on the road! There will be many temptations that will make you want to leave it, but you stay on the road no matter what- Lest you perish! Only by staying on the way will you reach your destination." he finished and pointed ahead, where the road reappeared,
"Alright.." Frey nodded,
"We understand." Lest agreed, "Thank you so much for your help."
"No problem!" the nomad smiled, "That's what I'm here for! Now..." he turned his camel around, "Remember, stay on the path!" he mounted his ride and started to ride off,
"Wait!" Lest called out to him, "Where are you going!?"
"Back." the nomad responded with a grin, and after riding off into the desert, a sandstorm picked up for a split second. When it was over, the nomad was nowhere to be seen.
"Let's go!" Frey urged as the three started to walk.
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"Get your water here!" a vendor called from outside the road, "You there! Step over and get yourselves a drink! You all looked parched!" he said and held out some canteens,
"No thanks..." Lest responded, "Not.. That thirsty." he panted and continued his way,
"Get your dumplings!" a female vendor appeared not long after that, "Oh, my lady! Have a dumpling for your child!" she told Frey,
"No..." Frey rejected the offer,
"You must eat!" the woman urged, "Step out and get some!"
"No!" Frey yelled and continued her way.
"Hey man." a man called out to Lest, "I totaled my car... You think you can lend me a hand?" he pointed at his vehicle,
"What is a car?" Lest asked as he walked over,
"Lest!" Frey held him back,
"Ooh! My bad!" Lest yelled and returned to his spot, "Sorry!"
"Ah! Screw you, man!" the man yelled as they continued to walk away.
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"Well hello there, handsome." a group of promiscuous women told Lest, "Come into our inn and we'll give you a swell time."
Unsurprisingly, the inn was outside of the road,
"No thank you." Lest growled, "I already have my special one."
"Ah... Phooey." one of the women grumbled, and their temptation vanished.
"I don't think I like that..." a man called out to them, "That woman shouldn't be walking such a long distance! Bring her over so she can take a break!" he pulled out a lawn chair,
"No..." Frey rejected his offer, even though she was quite tired,
"Whatever you say..." the man said and started to pour in pineapple juice,
"Pineapple Juice?" Frey took a double glance, "That's my favorite..." she looked at it longingly,
"Well, come and get-"
"Frey, don't you think about it!" Lest grumbled and held her back,
"Aw... Just a sip..." Frey groaned, "Please?"
"No!" Lest held her back, "Come on!"
"Oh! Yeah!" Frey came back to her senses and the two continued their way...
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"Look!" Lest said as he pointed to a large structure that was at the end of the road, it was far out in the distance.
"At least the desert ended." Frey smiled as they entered another wheatfield area,
"Kree." Senti nodded,
"That must be where the Hero is." Lest mumbled, "That looks similar to the Sealed Palace."
"Then let's go!" Frey said as she walked ahead.
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"Look at the Hero!" the ghosts of angered people told the two, "He is a traitor and a swine!"
Meanwhile, projections of people being killed were being shown.
"Did the Hero really cause this?" Frey asked herself,
"He wasn't there for us!" a woman ghost called from the crowd, "He left us to die!"
"That man is a coward!" a dwarf came out, "He is no Hero!"
"HE IS A COWARD!" Terrable's ghost roared, "COWARD! COWARD!" they started to chant,
"He shouldn't have left the people..." Lest grumbled in anger, "He left my people to defend the world and die trying..."
"I know." Frey growled, "But th- AH!" she screamed as her labor came upon her,
"Kree!" Senti said as she popped out, sensing danger,
"Frey!" Lest yelled, "Oh no!" he helped her down, "Oh no! I don't know how to deliver a child!"
"Kree!" Senti took over,
"AH!" Frey screamed, "Lest!"
Lest looked bewildered, all this while ghosts chanted their anger towards the Hero of the Runes...