Ranger in Gavara

Chapter V

I turn in a panic to see Quicksilver standing behind me. He had taken his wide boots off and made his way to me on foot. He has a slightly sad look in his eye as he begins to speak.

"I get that you hold some grudge against these blighters, but now is not the time."

I nod, I would have blown our cover.

"I am sorry." I say.

"It's alright lad, but let's get going my feet hurt."

I chuckle a little and make my way past enemy lines. I am so close to the camp that I can see the men laughing in the glow of the firelight. One man stood closer to the fire than the others, he had a large staff in his hand. I nearly lose my cool just at the sight of the man who had put me through an emotional war with myself, but Quicksilver's presence calms me.

"Well, what now?" I ask, my voice barely daring to whisper.

"I can't tell if that is my target, we need to get closer." Quicksilver says, drawing a small knife from his belt.

"Any closer," I say, "and we'll be eating dinner with them."

Without another word, we enter the camp, unnoticed. We walk towards the largest tent, to maybe get some confidential information on the bandit group. And what we find, is so much more.

"Look at this!" Quicksilver exclaims.

"What?" I ask, trying to peek over his shoulder.

"Sorry kid," he says, "but this is worth too much gold for you to see."

I am more than a little flustered, but it wasn't like I am about to yell at someone in the middle of a bandit camp. Suddenly, Quicksilver says something surprising.

"Can I trust you, Michael?"

"Yeah." I say, a questioning look creeping into my eyes.

"If I don't make it out of here, take this to Aldum on Mt. Kriznak."

"Uh ok," I say, "but why wouldn't you make it out of here? I mean, I'm probably more likely to die here than you."

"No." Quicksilver says simply,"You have a great purpose, follow what you believe and accomplish a greatness that few men have known."

"Uh thanks." I say, not sure what to think.

After our somewhat brief conversation, Quicksilver and I leave the tent. Sadly, the exit is guarded by about twenty bandits. One stands in the direct center of the group, holding a staff. I know already, who he is. Quicksilver throws his knife, hitting a nearby bandit between the eyes. Lunging forward, he draws his swords and spins through the crowd like an angry hurricane. Throats are cut and blood soars through the air, bandits fall left and right, some not moving and some writhing I agony.

I stand and watch as Quicksilver slices straight through the bandit horde into the center, facing off with the staff wielding leader. After all, the staff man is Quicksilver's target. I stop watching as Quicksilver lunges towards the man, I am too busy fighting off a bandit with my double knives. The bandit is slow, but wields a massive claymore sword. He lumbers towards me, swinging wide. I slide under the sword, thrusting up with my knives. I feel the knives hit home in the man's stomach and I grimace, muttering an apology as I move forward.

I look over long enough to see an intense battle between Quicksilver and the staff wielder, I do my best to reach them, but a few bandits still remain in my path. A bandit notices me and tells the others nearby, a total of four men walk towards me. All wielding a sword, but I don't see any other weapons on them. They surround me, keeping a large distance. I decide to take advantage of their mistake and draw my bow. Before the men can rush at me or run away, I shoot each one in the knee. I wouldn't kill anyone. It didn't feel like I was in too much danger at the moment to begin taking lives, so I wound them to where they can't fight.

To me, all seemed well. Until I look up and see Quicksilver on his knees, a knife in his chest. The staff wielder had stabbed him, but not without a risk. The staff man lay on ground, two swords through his chest and a pool of blood around him. It is very clear to me that he is dead, and I make my way to Quicksilver who is rolling around in agony. I hold him in my arms, trying to stop the blood flow. Quicksilver grabs me by the arm, his grip is uncomfortably tight, but I bear the pain.

"Mt. Krisnak." He says as his eyes roll back in his head. I try shaking him, I wanted him to live, but once again there is nothing I can do as I watch someone else die.

I do what I can with the body. I hold a mock funeral and bury him under a large tree far from the bandit camp. In my heart, I knew that Quicksilver wouldn't want to be anywhere near there, because in his eyes he had failed. In my eyes, however, he had won a great battle. The battle just had a price, a very expensive one.

I make my way back to Eppi, exactly as I had before. I walk the same roads and camp in the same places. And for the second time, I make the trip with my head hung low. Could I even make it to this Mt. Krisnak? All I have done is fail, what reason do I have to believe that I can do anything? As I approach Eppi's gates, I speak to the same guard and go back to where I was staying before.

The next day, I ask the local innkeeper about Mt. Krisnak.

"What?" He says anxiously.

"Mt. Krisnak." I say, a little annoyed at the lack of information.

"What are you?! Suicidal?! Aldum just came out of a deep isolation, the Rahoon don't take kindly to townspeople nowadays."

"Rahoon?"

"That's the name of Aldum's army and people. They are a hardy bunch, bred specifically for fighting the monsters that constantly try to enter Gavara from the Black."

"The black?" I ask. The innkeeper begins to look very annoyed, apparently this was common knowledge.

"You know, Gavara is constantly expanding, the area outside of where people can go is called the Black. Monsters of all kinds are born there and try to kill us, luckily the Rahoon patrol constantly to prevent them from getting far."

"Oh," I say, "but where is the mountain?

"Far in the North." The innkeeper says. "The mountain is huge, but you cannot see it from here. If you do travel there, it will take almost a year or more. You would have to live off the land itself."

I walk out of the inn, I had gotten the information I needed. I go to Eppi's North gate, and begin a journey that I may not be ready for. But if not now, I would never have the courage, so I walk.