Beyond this World - Dragon warrior (Book 1/?)

Chapter 12 (Part 1)

Aaron turned back and went to sleep; although his statement was crude and unfeasible in terms of proof to back it up Lloyd was convinced Aaron spoke the truth and the fire was indeed unordinary. Lloyd flinched seeing the wolf staring at him; he quickly turned around and cut off eye contact with the wolf.

Morning came before any of them were aware. Lloyd looked around; they made it through the night in one piece. Aaron was turning some kind of skewered meat over the fire and it made Lloyd's mouth water as well as his stomach growl.

"Grab yourself a stick and get roasting." Aaron pointed towards a bunch of sticks leaned against a horizontally laid branch. He looked at the meat that was piled up on the whittled sticks; sure enough this was certainly not a domestic animal.

Though he wouldn't eat it under normal circumstances, he was too hungry to look for his own food; also, it was highly unlikely he'd find anything remotely appetizing. He picked up a stick and held it above the fire.

As the strange greyish meat roasted Lloyd noticed Tundra wasn't around. Just as he was about to ask Aaron about the wolf's whereabouts; she showed up dragging what looked like a cluster of spikes or thorns. Aaron took his sword out and began cutting away spikes and extruding the meat from it. Lloyd wasn't all that hungry any more.

"We are going to the marsh in about half an hour so let's get over the plan." Aaron sheathed the blade.

"I don't know what's there to go over; grab the flower, go back and make medicine for Elias."

"Living trees are not the only inhabitants of the Dark marsh. One wrong step and you're dead." Aaron explained briefly and sighed before going over the plan he envisioned. "The three of us will head in together. The moment we gather three stems we turn around and go back."

Lloyd groaned to how standard and cliché the plan sounded. "Lloyd, you will be the one to carry them..." Lloyd rolled his eyes. "... should a monster appear you will take the orchids and run for it; make sure Elias get's the medicine."

Lloyd's hairs stood up. "What do you mean by that?"

"There is a reason this is a difficult ingredient to acquire; one of us needs to make it. I'm not leaving Tundra behind and I don't think she'd leave me either; that only leaves you. This is still an 'if' situation; we might not have to resort to this plan but..."

"What are you saying?!" Lloyd slammed his fist against the ground; Aaron could not see the source of his frustration. Lloyd grits his teeth. "You talk like you will sacrifice yourself to ensure my getaway! What am I supposed to tell Elias; or Sir Cameron?! That you died heroically?!"

Aaron looked at him and coldly asked. "What was the last rule I told you when we left Arkbowel?" Lloyd flinched, he stood up, walked to Aaron and lifted him by the collar; looking at him with crazed eyes. Lloyd drew back his arm and punched Aaron's jaw.

Tundra stood up and would have intervened but she was genuinely afraid to go near them; the aura of a dragon surrounded them and Aaron clearly didn't want her to butt in. Aaron repeated the question several times and every time he repeated it Lloyd would punch him.

Lloyds hand was throbbing and was in more pain than Aaron's face was. He repeated the question and Lloyd was downright sick of it. "I don't remember...! Must have been a pretty shit rule!"

"Whatever happens out there, you will not tell a single soul." Aaron reminded him but those words brought little clarification on what Aaron wanted. "I am not the same person I was back them. In case you are concerned for my safety, which I highly doubt, you should go back and let us handle the ingredient gathering."