The Chronicles of Reneval

Chapter 2 - A World of Broken Promises

Fifty-six years later, Lio sat by Quen, feet propped up on a strategy map.

"I don't get it," she anounced in frustration. Dark circles had begun to form under her eyes, making her look mature in a way she didn't quite understand. "Some people are growing up, but others simply aren't." At this, Lio gestured to her face, "It isn't the same, but I sure as hell don't look 73."

"I don't know what it is, but can't we just leave our fates to the fates?" Quen asked.

"You're no longer greek, you don't have to believe that stuff anymore," Lio surmised.

"I know," Quen sighed, "but there could be gods. Heck, you and I practically make up a god."

"I still don't know... I read a book on natural selection. Do you think this is not so natural selection? I've only seen the worship of one god, and he created everything... I thought that might've been what we were. Gods, though... that changes things."

"I'll try to find them, okay?" Quen said, grabbing her hand in a strictly platonic sort of way *wink wink*, "but I'll be back soon, I promise."

"You can't go on your own," Lio hesitated, pulling her her hands back. "I can go with you..."

"No," Quen corrected, and he was gone with the night. Lio may have stressed for Quen's life until he came back if not for the rustle she heard in a nearby bush. An utterly human rustle in a bush in a secluded forest that shouldn't have any people in it.

A little blonde girl with a quiver of baguettes strapped to her back was crouching in a bush outside of Lio and Quen's cabin, A gleam in her blue eyes. Lio knew her. They were friends albeit an eight year age difference. She knew her when she lived in England. Such a long time ago, and yet--

"Gwen?" Adoni asked. She was dirty and had cuts scattered across her body, but she'd survived these woods, which was saying something. Quen and Lio had made traps and monsters to guard these woods, and Adoni survived.

"It's Lio now. How'd you get here?" Lio asked.

"Lio? Why Lio?" Adoni asked.

"It's from the one book.

"Oh, and I found this weird portal thing, so I went through it, and I came out in this forest, but there were a bunch of monsters, so I hit them with my baguettes," Adoni stated cheerily.

"How stale are those things?" Lio asked, eyes widening in shock.

"Hard enough to knock someone out. Or something," Adoni replied, shuddering.

"Sorry about that," Lio said, cringing. "Come in."