Defender of Mirago

Chapter 17

After Rayble healed Kessa's father, he knew he had to get back home and save his grandfather. He went to the room he had slept in the previous night and packed his satchel for the trip. He would need to buy more food and water for the journey, but he was out of coins. God will provide, he assured himself. He had new confidence in his faith, new confidence in his God. With Him, all things were possible. He checked out of the inn and began his departure from Joracem.

"Rayble!" He heard Kessa call. Her father was doing well standing next to her, their cubes hovering above side by side. Rayble was still unsure how the father felt about him, so he refrained from approaching them. Instead he lifted his hand in acknowledgment. "Where are you going?" Kessa asked. She walked towards him, concerned.

"I have to go. I have to save my grandfather. My town needs me, and It's my duty to protect them."

"But," she hesitated, "What about us?"

Rayble walked closer to meet her. "I'm sorry, Kessa. I have to do this. But, I hope to see you again. Maybe the path of the cubes will lead you to me once again."

Kessa's father walked forward. He held out his fist. Unsure what to do, Rayble also held out his fist. Then the father opened Rayble's hand and released a handful of coins into it. "You'll need to be well-stocked with food and water before you go," he said. Rayble's mouth dropped and the father smiled.

Rayble looked one last time into Kessa's sparkling diamond eyes. "Goodbye, Kessa."

"Goodbye, Rayble."

"Well go on already," said her father.

Rayble left, bought all the resources he would need, and made his way back into the desert.

It wasn't long before Rayble was lost. The sand dunes pulled at his feet and the heat from the blaring sun wore him down. The mountains behind him slowly diminished and the vastness of the emptiness in front of him grew. However, despite the hindrance of the elements, he was determined to make it home to Mirago. Even if he was walking in the wrong direction, he wouldn't stop.

Then hours passed of seeing nothing familiar. His legs ached, his stomach grumbled, and the sun would be setting soon. He sat down to rest his legs and grab a bite to eat. He thought of portioning his food to make it last, but lacked the self-control and nearly ate half of all he had. It wasn't till his bellyached did he regret his hasty eating. He panicked at the thought of being lost for days in the desert and running out of food. "What have I done? I'm such a fool!" Feeling a bit down on himself and unsure of where to go, he set up camp and slept under the stars.

Rayble woke bright and early the next morning to a Korugal watching him in the distance. Quickly, Rayble shot up, thinking of ways to defend himself. The Korugal was unmoved and continued looking at him calmly and quietly. Rayble gathered his things, keeping his eyes locked onto the Korugal. After finishing packing, the Korugal turned its head away. Then it looked back at Rayble, then started walking off in the other direction. Rayble didn't know what to do, he had never seen a Korugal act in such a strange manner. The Korugal stopped and looked at Rayble again.

"It's like it wants me to follow it," Rayble muttered to himself. "Do you want me to follow you?" he shouted louder at the creature.

The Korugal began walking away.

"This is crazy," Rayble said as he followed.

It was many hours that the Korugal walked without stopping. Rayble continuously wondered if he was following the creature to his death. It would surely lead him to a big hungry pack of them and they would shred him to pieces. Yet, Rayble still followed. He couldn't shake the feeling that he was supposed to. That maybe this Korugal was one of the ones Kessa and he had spent time with days ago. Maybe it was helping him by leading him home. He trusted that God was in control.

And lo and behold he was taken to Mirago.