Redemption Run

Chapter 6

The journey was surprisingly uneventful. I had expected some kind of resistance, or maybe someone or something to get in our way, but nothing happened during our trip through the day. By the time we had to make camp for the night, I was both relieved and suspicious of that fact.

Reynara was able to make a fire for us while Arilena set up a pair of tents. Nal set up her own tent, I assumed since it was a smaller one, and Kydro did as well. Once that was done, the elves and Kydro ran off to hunt for some food, leaving Rhys and I around the fire with Nal.

For a long while as we sat there, no one said anything. Rhys sat close to me, Nal sat across from us staring into the fire, and I just let my mind wander, thinking of things like when my best friend back home, Max, and I met, or what Rhys and I would do when we got back to my world.

"If you don't mind," I said, turning to Nal, "What's your story?"

"... Pretty much the same as everyone else's," said Nal after just enough time to make it awkward, "My home got displaced by the emperor and burned to the ground when we tried to fight back. That's what happened to pretty much anyone who's in this rebellion. I was only able to survive by joining a travel party - that was where I met Rey and Ari."

Nal grimaced.

"Our party was being constantly harassed and hunted as we went on. A lot of people died. Only a couple of of us made it to the camp, thanks to Rey and Ari. We've been inseparable ever since. I owe them my life."

A rustling of the bushes put me on edge, but the reveal that it was the group made me relax. They were carrying an impressive amount of game together, and we ate well that night before we separated into the tents, finally allowing me to get some alone time with Rhys and Felice.

"What do you think of them so far?" Rhys whispered to me.

"I think they're reliable." I whispered back, "Though we haven't seen them in combat yet. I think Dimitri's opinion can be trusted."

"What makes you say that?" Rhys asked.

"A gut feeling." I said, "I've learned to rely on it."

"Fair enough." said Rhys. She snuggled close to me and wrapped an arm around me. The warmth of her body caused me to drift off to sleep almost immediately.

# 

I was in a dark place, again. This type of dream was pretty common to me at this point, though Felice wasn't with me, which was making me a little bit nervous - she always appeared in my dreams now.

"Maybe you're getting a little too stressed."

I turned to see someone I hadn't seen in what felt like forever.

"Katie." I said. I had meant to be shocked or surprised, but I didn't feel either, more like just numb.

"How've you been, Riley?" Katie asked, stepping up to me but stopping at a foot away and keeping back.

"I mean, I've been living." I said.

"More than what I could say." said Katie. I cringed when she said that.

"Katie, I'm so sorry," I said, "I wish you were here with us right now. I wish things had gone differently."

"Wishing isn't gonna bring me back," said Katie, "Unfortunately. But hey, at least I got a cool death, right? Though, I wouldn't use the term 'cool' to refer to what happened to me."

I cringed even harder, remembering the screams Katie gave when she was burned alive by Zappiel.

"Even in death, you're still making those terrible jokes." I said.