The Wanderers [Old Version]

Chapter 22: Recruit

Bryn's POV

"Good."

I reloaded the gun just like Nico told me. I had a knack for this. Although, I didn't like that I was good at this.

Nico tossed me a water bottle, that I actually caught without dropping.

We took a seat under the shade tree again and stared off onto the horizon.

I drank some water and handed the bottle back to Nico, "Is it always like this?"

"What?"

"Daily life. Wake up, eat, shower, hunt. Is that all you do?"

"No. Sometimes if we have a good amount of supplies we stay home the whole day and do other stuff."

"Such as?"

"Read. Draw maybe. Now that we have power, we watch a lot of movies."

"Do you ever work out or anything? Lift weights?"

"Not really. The only time I ever lift anything is if something is in my way. And a few days ago I carried Clara when she hurt her ankle, and I know Rain carried you back from the wreckage. But neither of you are heavy. Why do you ask?"

"Because you're muscular! Rain is too."

"Haha. Oh. Living out in the wastes really builds muscle, I guess."

He blushed and turned his head. I trusted him more than I did in the morning, but I still didn't trust him with my life.

The horizon was blue and grey clouds were rolling in. A storm would be here soon. We had walked about 30 minutes to get here.

The city was about a mile in the distance, the woods to the side rested peacefully and quietly.

Two hovercrafts flew in the distance and turned to flew west.

I pointed at them, "Where do you think they're going?"

"I don't know. I don't know any kingdoms that way. Do you?"

"All kinds. My father knew kings from all over the wasteland. The nearest kingdoms west from here would probably be Intra or Austrym."

"Have you ever been to those kingdoms?"

"No. Father said Intra is in a desolate area with nothing but plains as far as the eye can see. Austrym fell last year. Father wouldn't tell me how, but I assumed the monarchy fell."

"Oh. How many kingdoms do you think there are out there?"

"I don't know. Hundreds I suppose. I learned that the population of the Old World was more than seven billion. Lightstone had almost one million people and it was a small kingdom."

Smoke rising in the distance made Nico stand up quickly.

I stood up too and looked towards the smoke, "It's coming from..."

"From the forest...the cabin!"

Nico and I ran down the hill we were on and met the street. Nico had more stamina than me and he was faster, but I kept up for the most part.

We ran and run until we reached the cabin. By the time we reached it I was drenched in sweat and out of breath.

The cabin and most of the forest around it were burning. Rain and Petra ran up a few seconds after we did.

Rain looked over at us through the flames, "What happened!?"

"I don't know! We saw the smoke and came running!"