The Last Heretic

NIGHTFALL

The stars were beginning to twinkle among their place in the heavens above by the time Aaron found civilization. He walked along the old, waterlogged dirt road of thick and sticky mud sparsely populated with puddles from a recent downpour. The mud caked over his socks and nearly halfway up to his knees as he looked around the little frontier town. The mud was coarse and slimy. Thicker than paste. He had been walking all day - he didn't care. The occasional passer-by stared him down like the vagrant he appeared to be as he wandered through the street. He didn't blame them - who else would walk through the mud in their socks? Another traveler walked out of a saloon and pet their horse, checking their saddlebag for something.

He walked up to the guy, "Hey man, mind telling me what town this is?"

They looked up from the saddlebag, "You're in Siy, friend." His gaze slid down to the young man's muddy socks, "You...lost or something?"

"I need to get to St. Bastion." he mumbled.

The traveler chuckled, "St. Bastion? You ain't gettin' there on foot, kid. Train starts comin' in around seven in the mornin'. It's a full day's trip."

"Oh..." The young man stared into the night sky for a second before turning towards the saloon's door, "Thanks."

The swinging door squealed on its hinges as Aaron stepped into the tavern. It was practically empty. There were a few travelers eating at the tables, and one man at the bar, but otherwise the place was quiet. The young man shuffled over to the counter, his socks leaving a trail of muddy footprints behind him, and practically fell into the barstool. He leaned on the bar with a labored sigh. He had been walking from sunrise to sunset.

"Good evening, traveler!" A young man said from behind the bar, "What can I do for you?"

"Whiskey."

The bartender nodded and fetched a glass as Irvine crawled down the disheveled traveler's arm and sprawled out over the countertop. The little guy looked up at the bartender, "Do you have a map?"

The young man poured a splash of whiskey in the glass, gently pushing the drink towards the traveler, "Sure thing, just gimme a second."

Aaron grumbled, rubbing his eyes. He grabbed the glass and tossed the alcohol down his throat in one gulp. The bartender pulled a map out from a pile of papers in the corner of the bar. He opened the folded paper and laid it in front of the little guy, "Can't sell it to you, but Miss Jacqueline at the store across the street has a few she'd be happy to trade for some coin once she opens up in the mornin'. Speaking of - that drink's five dechs."

'Dechs'? Hopefully they take the Merian dollar here. Aaron reached into his pocket and fished his hand around the dust and lint. His wallet wasn't there. Great.

"Can I start a tab?"

* * *

The campfire roared to life as Dr. Ladswick held his palm over the little tower of twigs and logs sourced from the surrounding woodline. The orange glow of the flames danced among the forest around them, fluttering over the trees and carriage as Manning held a small sandwich to Blanch's mouth. The beast inhaled the sandwich with a mouth full of razor-sharp teeth larger than the man's fingers. Kaia reached into the back of the carriage and fetched his travel bag, carrying it over to the fire. Icara finished his meal and wiped his mouth with a small cloth napkin, tossing the paper his meal was wrapped in into the fire. The napkin went into his pocket as the flames devoured the paper wrapper instantly. Renai flicked her fingers next to her pointy ear, casting a small spell. A cold ball of light bursted to life and hovered in the air next to her head. It illuminated the map in her grasp amid the darkness of the night.