Kaskia: A Hero's Awakening

Chapter 12

"How is she?" Grape asked, seeing Aiden sitting by Rina's side.

"She's alright." Aiden answered. "She's been tossing all night."

"Has she woken up at all?" Grape asked.

"Briefly. She drank some water then fell back asleep." Aiden replied. "Is it time to go?"

"Soon." Grape answered.

"Can you wake her up? I need to go stretch my legs." Aiden asked, as he got up from his chair and started to walk out of the barracks, not waiting for a reply.

"Yea." Grape answered as Aiden closed the door behind him.

Aiden walked around the fort, looking at all the gear and items that the bandits had stolen, finding weapons among other supplies. The item that caught his eyes was a shield that rested under a bag of junk. Pulling off the bag, Aiden saw that the shield seemed to be the perfect size for him. Lifting it up in one hand, the weight felt right, Aiden pulled out his sword and began to practice with his new gear. Jabbing his sword at an imaginary opponent then lifting his shield to block the attack of another, then swinging the shield outward to bash the attacker he blocked. Feeling satisfied with the shield, he slung it over his shoulder, leaving it resting on his back. Aiden then placed the sword back in its sheath then began pacing around the courtyard, testing out how the two items felt while traveling. Aiden continued to practice with the shield and sword, drawing both from their resting places to get comfortable with each, never knowing how fast he would need to draw both.

"Go Aiden!" Rina cheered, breaking Aiden from his testing of the equipment.

"Oh." Aiden replied, satisfied with the shield and sword, placing them where they belonged. "Are we ready to go?"

"Yes." Jr. replied, coming through the front doors of the fort. "We're maybe an hour from the desert. Once we get there, we need to travel about an hour or so into the desert, then continue heading east."

"Jr.!" Rina said excitedly, rushing to give the Kaiine a hug. "How's your arm? You got hurt protecting me."

"It's ok. Don't worry Rina, I'm fine." Jr. replied, patting her on the head. "You're the one who saved me. You got all the archers with one spell, very impressive."

"I did?" Rina asked confusedly, not remembering what had happened.

"Yes, you did, Rina." Grape replied. "We'll tell you about it once we're on our way."

Aiden was the first to leave the fort, Ellie following on his heels, eager to continue their journey. Grape and Rina waited for Jr., who was leaving a note for Arlington and Squishy, letting them know which direction they were heading. Aiden continued to walk in the front of the group, not wanting to chat with anyone, feeling the weight of the situation wearing on him, Rina's words echoing in the back of his mind, reminding him how he had failed. The sun was rising, as the trees were fading away. The further they traveled south, the fewer trees were in the forest until they finally disappeared altogether, leaving only an open field of grass. In the distance, Aiden could see a glimmer on the horizon. He assumed that was where the desert waited for them. Rina and Grape trained while they walked, practicing her skills with the daggers. This time, Grape was showing Rina how to throw her daggers and telling her that sometimes during battle, it helps to be able to throw it, but she shouldn't just throw them all the time, because if she does, then she will be unarmed and at a disadvantage. The closer they got to the desert, the hotter it was getting. Aiden was drenched in sweat just from walking, his new shield becoming far heavier and harder to carry than he initially thought.

"We're going to rest here for a few before we go into the desert." Grape said, finding a lone tree that sprouted from the ground, providing a little shade for the group. "Drink plenty of water, we all have to stay hydrated."