Save My World

~ Chapter Five ~

Ash sped ahead of Sophia, His purple shoes creating clouds of dust from the pavement stones. Sophia glared and ran after him. Her footsteps tapping on the path before her arm reached out for his shoulder and she spun him around. Ash looked at her. He was nervous no, he was dreading this conversation.

"You lied to me." Sophia glared.

"I didn't-"

"You said this world is for people like me, who want to escape reality, did you or did you not say something along those lines?"

"Well yes but..."

Sophia scoffed and crossed her arms. Villagers seemed to overhear the row and look towards their direction. Ash's eyes darted around him, they were gathering quite the crowd now. "Not once did you mention that I would have to go kill some freaky dark wizard called Mordren!!"

The crowd around them gasped.

"Sophia not now-" Ash gritted his teeth. His hands were getting clammy from his nerves. Sophia was going to object before Corwin set foot through the crowd.

"I believe you all have jobs to do?" He asked looking around. The crowd murmured and sent weird looks to the pair who were arguing and left them be. Corwin walked over to Ash with a large piece of old parchment paper. It was a map of the entire realm, it would expand as you discovered new territories. "This will show you where you need to go."

"And where will that be?"

"The first keeper, they live across the mountains in a secluded spring enveloped by time. It's very hard to get in so you will need to bride the guards that protect the area with some gifts."

"Okay, thank you, Corwin." Ash smiled up at him.

"Good luck, both of you." Corwin bowed his head at the younger goblin in respect for his noble decision before turning back towards his small cottage like home.

Sophia just stood there not knowing whether to forgive him or storm away. Then again, if she were to storm away she would most likely get lost. Instead, she opted out to sighing and then folding her arms. Ash glanced at her awkwardly before staring down at the map Corwin had presented him. It was old and darkening towards its rigid edges. It was stiff yet so very delicate in his hands. The map of the land was sketched in a darker shade of brown to what the paper was. The outline of the isles in black ink. Ash's eyebrow raised when he walked a step towards Sophia. The map began to gain color. With every step into unknown territories, the map would turn from a brown-yellow, unknown drawing, into a colored, detailed, and freshly painted area. It was like the world was being drawn before your eyes.

"Interesting," Sophia muttered looking over Ash's shoulder. She watched as with each step he took a pixel of the map was revealed. It would take a long time to unlock the whole map in color, that was one this she knew. Her eyes darted to a very significant symbol on the map. Past the mountains and a large river marked on the parchment paper sat a symbol of the sun. In the suns circle was a smaller symbol in a language she did not recognize. At first, she suspected it to be some ancient Egyptian language or maybe some Chinese symbols but Ash was able to read it judging by his focused expression. He then looked up to face her.

"Do you know how to read this?" He asked.

"No, What does it say?"

"I think it means Keeper in the Ancient language," Ash said turning the ma on various angles to de-Cipher it.

"Where do you think it is?"

"Well from what Corwin said and based on the map, it's past the mountains and over a small river." He replied in a concentrating tone. Sophi looked around to find people staring at them. Worriedly she tapped his arm gently which caused him to snap out of his daydream. He hummed and then noticed the stares they were getting. Ash glanced around before grabbing her hoodie sleeve and guiding her past some village houses and stores.