Spectacular World

A Path Paved With Broken Rocks

Nikos and Cora had packed some food. It wasn't anything too crazy, just a few hand-picked crops and dried meat that they had from their village. Alexander cooked some of the meat over a fire once morning came, and they all ate mostly in silence.

The rain had stopped pouring around the time the sun rose. Day one of the Murder Games had come rather quickly. That left just six more until the Immortals would make their move. Just six days to prepare and find a way out of here.

"Nikos, you and your sister are going to be heading out, right?" Hope asked as they began to head out of the cave.

"Yeah. We're going to be heading back to our village." The older boy nodded. "Why do you ask?"

"Well, I was wondering where the queen you mentioned was." Nikos suddenly grew very nervous as Hope spoke. "I'd just like to know what town or city she hangs out in."

Nikos scratched at his chin the same way he did last night. It was a dead giveaway that he wasn't happy to be talking about the subject matter. "I don't actually know where she is. I grew up in a village, as I said earlier. We have a few cities; I'm sure one of them is where she is, but from what I remember, she just sort of appears whenever the time is right. You'd have to speak with a scholar or a merchant that travels around a lot if you wanted to learn more."

Hope nodded softly. "In that case, would it be okay if I tagged along with you and your sister to your village? I think the reason the 'mages' didn't seem bad was because they were all getting ready for the Murder Games. Now that it's started, these lands are going to be kind of dangerous to travel in. I don't want you or your sister getting hurt." She also wanted to see one of these villages up close and maybe find out more about the realm. Earlier, Nikos had mentioned someone she'd be able to talk to in Pine Tree Village.

Nikos looked a bit uncomfortable for a moment. "I guess I could, but if I'm being honest, miss, your way of thinking is very different from ours. We were taught to trust the mages and that they are here for us, yet you claim some are evil. Not to mention how closely you resemble the Queen... Are you perhaps related?"

"No."

"Oh..."

Hope gave the boy a smile. "Please. I'll be on my best behavior."

Nikos nodded after some time. "You are a mage, and it is our job to help your kind out just as you helped us out. Even if you are a bit odd..."

"Odd? How am I odd! I'm perfectly normal."

"Well, it's really that red little thing," Nikos explained. "I thought it was a wild beast or a monster at first, but it and that wolf seem to listen to you."

"I don't listen to her!" From the entrance of the cave, Lycaon walked out with Kevin on his back. The red orb formed a pair of large buff arms, which it folded over its body. "I don't listen to anyone. I do what I want when I want. I'm my own person, got that? Shift is the only top dog around here!"

Also, from the cave, Cora and Alexander stepped out. "So, are they coming with us, brother?" Cora asked.

Nikos nodded to his sister. "Yes. This mage asked to come to our village." He turned back to Hope and gave a faint smile. "I'll warn you now, though, it is a bit of a walk. It'll take at least half a day."

"Seriously?" Hope felt herself be hit with a bit of annoyance. She really didn't have all that long to do anything, thanks to the ticking time bomb that was the Murder Games. Her plan right now was to find the fake Cinder, beat the crap out of her, and then use the information she learned from Druid to force the monster to open a way out of here. Once her dad was out, she'd be able to think a lot more clearly and wouldn't have to constantly worry about him.