The Master of Names

Chapter 6- Bertram's glory

  The march was long, stony, and silent. Few words were exchanged during the trudge, but the glances Keldon received spoke loud and clear. They clearly didn't like him.

  Keldon dragged his feet through the soil, only stopping for a moment to rub the newly formed red blisters on his ankles. Looking down at his pants, he stroked his hand over a tear the size of a pinky he had probably gotten tumbling down the side of the Hissings, hoping that it would magically stitch itself back together. To his complete and utter surprise. It didn't.

  "*sigh*... and I just got Mrs.Maithier to mend these the other week too." He said

  "*ahem*"

  Keldon looked behind him to see the group of recruits had caught up to him while he had fruitlessly tried to rub out the tear.

  "Right. Sorry. This way." Keldon said as he marched ahead of the group.

  It had been just under an hour since the group had started marching away from the Hissings. The greater the distance Keldon and the group put between them and the Hissings, the more life bloomed in this desolate wasteland. Short blades of grass, poked out from the earth as dandelions and heartier plants such as bindweed and thistle blossomed through the dense soil. Keldon continued walking until in the distance, Keldon spotted a tall boulder spire, jutting out from the ground and covered in moss.

  Even this far away from the Hissings, only the heartiest of flora could survive. Sharp pine needles littered the ground in browns and greens, as each snap of the dried needles beneath his feet filled the air with tension. Keldon had kept a close eye out for any sign of Aberrants on the way to the sifting site, not wanting to risk lives more than absolutely necessary. However, he knew that the only way he'd be able to guarantee that all the new recruits could meet quota is if they came out to the edges of Deeproot woods. It was a decision that he'd made long ago and consciously kept during each expedition.

  Keldon paused, waiting for the group behind him to move forward ahead of him, as he waited for Bertram.

  "Need Sometin'?" Bertram asked, picking out gunks of food from between his teeth.

  "Any sign of Aberrants?'

  "Nutin' so far. Might be a good idea to head back early though."

  "Perhaps. We can head back as soon as the group makes their quota though." Keldon said stroking his chin.

  "Wellll... maybe we can mosey back even a little earlier. I didn't stamp out the coals from makin' mah lunch and I'd hate to come home to a smokey bed and all." Bertram said.

  "I suppose. We'd have to make up a little more on tomorrow's expedition but I'm sure the new recruits wouldn't mind having a bit of shorter duty. As long as they gather enough Tahlacite dust before the week's end, I'm sure Hilda wouldn't mind."

  "Mhm, that's what I'm thinkin'. Plus we'll be seen at like we're kindly folk to these poor saps too. Very kind indeed." Bertram said, nodding to himself.

  Keldon gave Bertram a strange look as he raised his eyebrow. Bertram turned away from Keldon pointing out to the group of recruits in the front who had ran into a wall of dense forest trees, looking back at Bertram and Keldon, unsure of what to do next.

  "Should prolly' take care of that though." Bertram said, pointing it out.

  Keldon looked to the front of the group, running towards the poor confused fellow in front, guiding him past the thicket of brushes as they made their way further into Deeproot woods.