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The Veteran

Chapter Six

The Veteran

If it wasn't for his broken ribs and the blood that he was coughing up, Merry might've considered dragging them both inside. However, the possibility that the bandits might return and use them as target practice refrained him from lighting a fire. Instead, he had to make do by huddling with his new companions.

Companion might be a strong word, yet Braga had indeed proven himself, and Merry liked the idea of having a capable warrior by his side. As for Falven, he seemed a bit unhinged and yet it was immensely useful to have a skilled healer around.

The dwarf was staring down at him, acid dripping from his mouth as he laughed. "You're a fool" he gargled. "You think you're free". Suddenly his hair turned gray, his eyes blue and his face morphed into Malker's. "You roam the world as you please, honour Drigus's path, so you think you've found some truth. You're bound up tighter than you were in my dungeon! Only Neizar's teaching may set you free."

He raised his arms, revealing his chest, arrows imbedded and blood dripping down his torn chainmail. The skeletons around the arena started to rattle as they started crawling toward Merry. He tried to move, but Malker had a foot on his chest. The rattling drew closer and closer, hands were grabbing his flesh, tearing him apart...

After waking up from that lovely dream, Merry had Falven heal him and then volunteered to guard the rest of the night. Come morning, Merry initially proposed to leave as soon as possible yet Falven raised the necessity of first burying his sister.

All three of them approached the corpse of the Karna warrior, each with a different intention. Falven wanted the rapier to bury alongside his sister. Braga wanted a trophy. While Merry wanted proof for a reward. However, all three were impossible, for all that was left was a big puddle that had started to melt through the stone floor.

They quickly searched the underground holdings and the three bodies that fell into the arena. As they searched Falven explained to them how it was obviously once a goblin's clan home, and how the arena was actually just a cave-in of a great hall. They found some coins and food. A black tunic and short sword for Falven. However, they couldn't find anything except a dark navy hooded cloak that could almost fit Braga, so his purple muscular chest was exposed.

Falven carried the corpse of his sister out of the arena and into the forest. Braga and Merry accompanied him, not knowing what to say. They dug a shallow grave for her and laid her to rest under a tree surrounded by flowers. It was clear that she had once been beautiful, despite her body being horribly desecrated.

Falven bent down to one knee and said in a hoarse whisper: "Goodbye Liarna, I'll finish what we started, whatever it takes, I promise."

Incapacitated by grief, Falven stayed frozen, tears running down his face, While Braga and Merry poured dirt over Liarna, her blond hair mixing into the soil. Her face was the last part to go, her soft saddened gaze swallowed up for eternity.

They headed back into the forest when Braga asked: "What should we do now?".

"It's obvious" answered Falven: "You help me hunt down this 'Neizar' and I empty my quiver in him, then blow him up, cut him into little pieces and incinerate them."

"That sounds like a really fun and easy errand Falven" Merry said. "However, We have an appointment in Trendbug first, some people there desperately want to give us some money".

They were walking through the pine wood forest, the soft sound of their leaves rustling from Braga's big foots steps. The cool breeze was making the sunlight flicker, when Falven spoke: "They were volunteers you know, the Karna warriors. Some of them, well some of them had nothing left to lose.. but some, well some were willing to do whatever it takes. Whatever it takes to protect the realm and the ones they loved."