Vengance of the Keys

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ Chapter 10: Reylyn ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

  In the span of two hours, the three of them had made it to the border of Bituin and Resnadan. She plopped down on the course dirt.

"We should camp here for the night. There's no chance we can make it to Besnal before the sun goes down," Madelyn suggested. "Besides, the bugs usually come out during dusk," She tossed the dagger Harkin had gifted her in the air. The hilt was black leather, and the blade was a normal bronze color, with no special designs on it. She hadn't lived in the sect long enough to be gifted one like Reylyn's and Harkin's

"I've been on a quest like this one," Reylyn looked up at the sky. Her perception of time was off, the sun was still bright in the sky. "Of course that was in a different continent, but you make the most of it during dusk. Less dangers during the night,"

She gasped. "You've been on multiple quests before?" she stopped tossing the dagger and opted to put the scabbard on it.

"Plenty. When you've been in a rebel group since you were eight, you get accompanied to danger." she swatted a bug away. Reylyn remembered her first quest, one week after she had found the agaiator. She had to venture out into Maleni's forest to find a rock placed by their current leader, Maisie. Eight year old Reylyn had been horrified by her. She had gotten the rock out with no scratches. Reylyn on the other hand had earned herself a long cut running from the end of her left shoulder blade down to the crease of her elbow. Over time it had turned into a scar. She gently turned her elbow over her lap to look at it. The scar had faded over time, though you could see it slightly.

"You're talking about the scar on your shoulder," Harkin spoke up. It caused the girls to jump suddenly, he hadn't talked on the way here except to give them direction. "The one you got from the great Scabour tree,"

"Is that really the scar I'm referring to?" She raised her eyebrow, her way of taunting him. "Or the one across my hand?" She glanced down at her left hand. This scar she had gotten when she figured out her powers for the first time.

"The one shaped like a spark, or a flame? It's definitely not that one. You love showing that scar off like its a trophy,"

"Well, I am proud of it, why not show it off?" she glanced up at him to see his nonchalant look.

He gave her a cheeky thumbs up before landing his gaze on Madelyn. She was picking at the roots. "Reylyn's right. We should travel through the night, and besides, you can lead the way with your flash of teleportation skills."

She looked up and grumbled. "Those flashes only happen if I'm frightened by something. This morning I just so happened to be frightened by two scary looking people throwing daggers across the arena,"

He laughed. "Oh, you think I'm scary? Such a surprise," he clicked his tongue. Reylyn began to knead dirt under her fingertips. "I may sense your attacks before you proceed with them. Hence why I have no visible scars."

"What about the one on your palm?" She stood up and grabbed his hand and turned his wrist over. It was surprisingly warm, but she couldn't tell if it was from her own wrist, or his. His scar was shaped into a zigzagged R, the ends of the letter were slightly more zigzagged then the rest of the letter. "He has one visible scar if your sneaky enough with seeing it,"

Harkin smirked. "I usually know everyone's plans, remember that!" he snickered. Reylyn gently let go of his wrist and watched as it fell to his side. "Let's get moving," He hoisted the girls' and his own bag over his broad shoulders.

Reylyn pulled out the map that had been crumpled up during their adventure due to Harkin taking the lead. "It looks like there's a shortcut through this river," She traced the small abbreviation which was labeled with a big S and some trees scattered around it. "It's about three miles away from here,"

He snatched the map out of her hands with a cheeky grin. "Time for me to take a peak, Flames," He landed his finger on the place her own was resting just a few moments ago. Reylyn would try to get it back, but he would be five steps ahead of her with that mindreading of his. It was useful sometimes though.

"That's four miles away. Not three," he ruffled her hair a little.

"I was close enough," she reached forward to snatch his dagger out from his back pocket. Her fingers curled around the hilt, and she yanked it out with an evil smirk plastered across her face. "It's a tie."

"That was a cheap steal,"

Reylyn hissed as a mosquito bit her arm. "Darn bugs!" sweat dripped down her forehead at the humidity.

"The species bordering these to cities are active during the night. They also feast during dusk," Madelyn commented. "That's why I suggested we stop to sleep,"

Reylyn tossed the dagger high up in the air. The blade scraped a few of the green leaves in the process. "You think some bugs scare me? No they don't," she looked up at the sky. The clouds had darkened more since they had left and a light drizzle could be felt on her arm.

Harkin fluffed the drops of water out of his hair as he scanned the scenery from some place to sleep. "There's plenty of trees you can sleep in here, if that's your cup of tea," he smirked. "I know Reylyn over here just looooooves trees," he nudged her side with his elbow.

She snorted. "I like to attack them with daggers," She made a sarcastic face as she climbed up one of the trees. "Throw me up my bag! It's the ruby one!" Her gut wrenched. She wondered where her dragon Tempest was.

He took the bag off of his shoulders and threw it up. Reylyn caught it with a swift curve of her arm. He rested Madelyn's bag back on the dirt as he climbed up the tree to her right.

"Erm...I would rather sleep on the dirt," Madelyn laid her sleeping bag next to the trees they were currently laying in. "Goodnight,"

"Who says goodnight to each other in a forest?" Harkin snorted. "It's night, not goodnight. Because if it were a goodnight, I would be recreating dreams with others peoples thoughts! Ahh!" He rested a blanket across the tree and plopped down on it. "Night, Rey. Night Madelyn,"

Reylyn hid her blushing cheeks at the new nickname with her own blanket. "Night, Hark. Sleep well," She closed her eyes and sleep engulfed her.