To Be a Hero {SBI Fantasy AU}

8. Campfire Chats

With more people in the group, making camp was a lot faster. Very soon a pile of branches, dry grass and leaves had been collected and they'd chosen a little campsite. A small gap in the trees served as their temporary resting area. Very soon Philza had started a cheery fire and the five of them huddled around the warm flames.

The small group had seated themselves comfortably around the campfire, engaging in various activities. Tommy and Tubbo sat beside each other, eating their apples and dried meat while Wilbur had finished his meal and began strumming his lute gently. Techno was still eating his baked potato but he also had a book balanced in his other hand whereas Philza was finishing up the last bites of his dried fish. 

"Hey Techno," Tommy called, "whatcha reading?" Looking up from his book and swallowing the bite of baked potato he'd taken, the man responded, "The Art of War by Sun Tzu." Hearing his curt answer, the young mage piped up, "So you like to read Techno? What's your favorite book?" Turning the page leisurely, the man dryly stated, "Guess."

"Uh, if I had to guess I'd say the book you're reading right now or the Banished King's Ballad." Tubbo responded, "I remember you said that you thought his legend was pretty cool." The bard perked up at the mention of the ballad. Typical. 

Wilbur grinned, "The Banished King and Winged Warrior are popular, and even I'll admit they're good, but I think the Legend of the Golden Lute is pretty underrated." For once, Tommy couldn't agree more. "YES," he exclaimed, "nobody ever remembers that one but its such a cool story! Like the golden lute could literally hypnotize people! But somehow everyone forgets it!" Putting down his lute, the bard mentioned, "Weeeell there was a little more to it than just that in the legend—"

"Yeah I think its one of the coolest things!" Tubbo agreed, "But I mean I can see why other people would like a story about a hero rather than one about a magical instrument." The eldest laughed a little, shaking his green hatted head. "You boys are really attached to those legends, aren't you?"

Tommy couldn't help but lean forward with a proud smirk, "Of course I am! One day I'm going to go down in the books just like them! That's why I've decided to go on adventures like this!" The brown haired man couldn't help but snort as he heard the squire's statement. "It would definitely be a very unique tale," he laughed while making a wide sweeping motion with his arms, "The amazing Tale of the Gremlin Child!" The older one broke out into a fit of giggles as he thought longer about it.

"Hey!" the boy shouted, "One day I'll be more famous than you ever will be! I bet you have an even dumber reason for being out here!" He couldn't help but scowl as the other took a moment to compose himself after laughing so much. His reasoning was sound, thank you very much! One day he and Tubbo would be the best heroes in all of history! The stupid bard probably was out and about for something dumb like... like..

Well he didn't know what a dumb reason would be but he knew that Wilbur would definitely be the one to have one! And his reason for adventuring would be absolutely ridiculous!

Wiping a stray tear from his eye and still shaking with laugher, the man straightened himself up. "It's hardly a dumb reason." he continued, "I just adventure because staying in my hometown forever would be so boring! When you're out here, anything could happen, and I think that's part of the beauty of it. Some things are unexpected, yes, but hilariously so. The world is full of 'what-ifs' and I want to answer them! They might be silly questions and competitions and whatnot but the sheer spontaneity of it all is exhilarating!"

Leaning back on his arms lazily, he turned to Tommy with a smug grin. "I mean I wouldn't expect a child to understand my motivations." He was ready to launch into an angry tirade against the stupid wanker but the other had already turned to ask a question to the figure beside him. "What about you Techno? Apparently its 'campfire bonding time'" he said with exaggerated air quotes, "and I wanna know why a big strong berserker is out here hanging out with this ragtag band instead of going off to find some better paying job."