The Far Wilds

Part 10

The trip didn't take long. The Bay, packed with it's flower-riddled isles, was easy to navigate, and before long Smevy and Flame had arrived on their friend's doorstep.

Lucas and Candy were waiting, Candy running to give Flame a hug as she approached. "I knew it was you!" Exclaimed the mute woman, making Flame wince behind her smile.

"Just be glad you didn't lead Caden to us," said Lucas, letting a bulging sack fall to the ground with a slight clinking sound.

"What have you got in there?" Smevy asked.

"Everything," said Lucas simply, "They made it clear they never wanted to see us again, so..." He reached down and waggled the bag, his eyes betraying a sense of betrayal over his unofficial banishment. Flame filed it away for later and changed the subject. "Wait, so how did you know we were nearby?"

"Lucas has a locator map of the Bay," said Candy. Flame nodded. A locator map was magically infused with a compass upon creation, allowing it to inform the owner if someone was near via a rectangular colored marker. The only downfall of using one was that there was no way to tell if the marker was friend or foe, so approaching someone through it was always a risk.

"Where are you guys going?" Smevy asked.

"Somewhere," Lucas replied, glancing at the ruined house with a curiously guilty expression. "Somewhere other than here," he amended.

Flame cocked her head. "What was with that look?" She asked.

"What look?" Lucas asked quickly. Too quickly.

"The one you gave at the house. What do you know?"

"I-" He glanced at Candy, but she looked just as curious as Flame. Smevy narrowed his eyes. "Lucas, what did you do?"

"Nothing! Well..." he sighed, dropped the bag again, and sat on it. "A few years ago, I was a griefer." He threw his hands up helplessly, glancing from friend to friend for any semblance of compassion. "There, I said it, okay!?" He raised a finger, defensive fire racing to his eyes. "Hate me if you want, but you should know that I only burnt a few things, and I felt terrible about it." He lowered the finger, but the fire didn't leave. "This one was the end of it. I left a note and promised I would never do it again, and I never have." He locked eyes with Flame and licked his lips nervously. "I'm really sorry about it, and I hope you guys can forgive me."

She flinched at the attention, took a deep breath, and said, "I don't know about the others, but I forgive you."

She glanced from Candy to Smevy. "Well?"

"Of course I do!" Candy said. She gave Smevy a harsh look, but he didn't falter. "I do too, but why didn't you tell us about this before?"

"I...I don't know," said Lucas. "I guess I've never thought of it. I try not to remember what I've been- it's the future that matters, not the past."

Flame's face twisted in disagreement with that statement, but she didn't say anything.

It was Smevy who spoke next. "Well, we might as well start rebuilding. What do you think, Flame? Will this work?"

She gave the ruins a once-over. "Eh... not even the bones of it are left, and a lot of travlers pass through here... I'd rather be safe then have a lot of pretty scenery."

"My thoughts exactly," said Lucas, springing up. "How about Iceland? It's the exact opposite- not a nice place, but it's out of the way."

"There are plenty of other places," argued Smevy. "What about-"

"Before you ask, is it safer than Iceland?" Lucas countered.

Smevy bit back whatever he was going to say and glowered.

"So Iceland it is, then?" Flame said, eager to break up any incoming fights.

"Sounds good to me," said Candy, glancing between the boys.

"It is safest," admitted Smevy.

"Then what are we waiting for?" Flame exclaimed, "Let's go!"

So they set off- the leader, the mute, the ex-griefer, the follower...

And the dark shadow lurking behind them.