After washing themselves up and obtaining a full night’s sleep, Lucas, Iris, and Hagan left Valletal’s inn to make a few purchases for the journey ahead of them. Among the items bought: food, clothing, extra bottles, potions, arrows, and saddlebags for their new horses. While Lucas was eager to abandon the bulky backpack in lieu of the saddlebags, Iris preferred to retain her satchel.
“Why won’t you just throw that stupid bag away?!” Hagan argued.
Iris glanced at him as she continued to stock her satchel with potions. “If you must know, I received it from my father as a gift on the day I left for college. I value it considerably.” She closed the satchel and slung it over her shoulder.
“Has anyone seen Aiden today?” Lucas suddenly asked.
“Nope,” Hagan replied. “Guess we’re going without him,” he said with a grin.
“He’s likely sleeping,” Iris suggested. “Shall we revisit the inn preceding our departure?”
* * * *
Lucas knocked on the bedroom door. “Aiden?” There was no reply. He knocked again. “Aiden? Are you in there?”
“Let’s go already,” Hagan said impatiently. “It’s not like he’s that much help anyway.”
Just then, the door opened and a shirtless Aiden with messy hair emerged into view. He looked at Lucas with squinted eyes. “Hey,” he slurred.
“What happened to you last night?” Hagan inquired.
“Beer and ladies,” Aiden replied, scratching his back. “Well, more beer than ladies, but ya know.”
Iris rolled her eyes. She turned to Lucas. “Perhaps we’re not in need of Aiden’s assistance.”
“No, wait!” Aiden interjected, his bloodshot eyes widening. “I wanna go. Just gimme a sec to get ready.”
Hagan crossed his arms. “I might have had a little to drink myself last night, but at least I know when to quit.” He looked at Lucas. “If he really wanted to go, he should have been up and ready on time like the rest of us. He’s a total mess. We’re better off without him.”
“I ain’t a mess!” Aiden protested before letting out an obnoxious burp.
Lucas looked at his companions’ faces. He didn’t need to read their emotions to tell that they were dissatisfied with Aiden’s lack of preparation. We’re going to need all the help we can get taking down Lord Quinn. He looked back at Aiden. But I’m not so sure Aiden’s help is worth the trouble at this point. “Maybe it’s better for both of us if you stay behind.”
“Come on, Lucas!” Aiden pleaded. “After all the stuff we’ve been through you’re just gonna throw me out?!”
“Pretty much,” Hagan quickly responded. He took a few steps down the hallway. “Let’s go. We’ve got a lot of traveling ahead of us.”
“Wait!” Aiden called.
Rolling his eyes, Hagan turned back to him. “We don’t need your help.”
“Yeah, I know ya don’t need my help,” Aiden answered. He turned to Lucas, who observed a look on Aiden’s face he’d never seen before. It insinuated sincerity. “Look, I ain’t got much goin’ on in my life. I spent years bein’ a real scumbag with a bunch of guys I didn’t trust. I ain’t perfect, and yeah, I screw up a lot, okay? But you guys are the closest things to real friends I’ve ever had. I got nothin’ here. I got nothin’ nowhere. I need a purpose. If ya let me come along, I’ll do everything I can to help.” He looked at Hagan. “And I mean that.”
Lucas glanced at his companions, apparently moved by what Aiden had to say. He scanned the emotions nearby. Wow, even Hagan feels a little sorry for him. He looked back at Aiden. A few seconds passed before he gave a nod. “Okay. Get your things together. And hurry.”
Aiden smiled. “Thanks, buddy! I won’t let ya down! Gimme a sec, I’ll be right out!” He quickly shut the door and dressed himself with extraordinary speed.
“I hadn’t the slightest clue our companionship was of such importance to him,” Iris whispered to Hagan.
Hagan leaned back against the wall. “I guess he’s not all bad.”
It wasn’t long before the four departed from Valletal on horseback. While the horses enabled the group to travel much farther in a shorter duration than on foot, the monsters still proved to be a restricting obstacle. They redirected their route and rode around the threats whenever possible, though other confrontations were unavoidable. To prevent spooking the horses, the group took down the beasts at a distance, conjuring from horseback. Hagan’s bow was exceptionally useful for these encounters as well.
As the sun set, they stopped to rest in the town of Paddock on the western edge of the Jhar Mountains. Then, at sunrise, the group continued their journey to Cymbeline.
“She said that I have the potential to become an advanced mage,” Lucas explained to Aiden as the group rode through a field later that day. “After that, she told me about Aalok–” He glanced at Iris, “I mean Master Bonham.” Iris chuckled to herself. “She said he would be able to help me reach my full potential. Apparently, I’ll even be able to read people’s thoughts.”
“Holy crap, that’s awesome,” Aiden remarked. “Ya might wanna stay outta my head though, buddy. For your own sake. Heh...” He paused before adding, “So Sezuni’s daughter. She still lives with Quinn, yeah?”
“We don’t know,” Lucas replied. “I’m guessing so.”
Hagan took a swig from his flask. Resealing its cap, he commented, “That’s got to be one messed up kid.”
* * * *
The group entered Cymbeline’s eastern border eleven grueling days after their departure from Valletal. While his companions were eager to spend some time in the royal city, Lucas insisted on proceeding further west.
“I’m riding home to check on Grandpa,” Lucas told them. “I won’t be able to relax until I know he’s okay.”
“How far is it?” Hagan asked.
“It’s just west of town,” Lucas answered. “I used to walk here on foot. It shouldn’t take long at all on horseback.”
“We’ll go with you,” said Hagan. “We haven’t gone this far to have you eaten alive by monsters. But when we get back... I think I speak for all of us when I say we could use a little break.”
Lucas gave a nod.
* * * *
Lucas dismounted his horse in front of the small house in the field west of Cymbeline. I’m home; I can’t believe it. It was then that his eyes caught sight of the small mailbox, overflowing with letters. He quickly turned his attention to the front door, heavily damaged and partially ajar. “Grandpa!” Lucas bolted toward the house, leaving his companions temporarily baffled as their horses caught up to his.
Hagan took note of the house’s door. “Something bad happened here,” he said, looking over at the other two.
“Oh no,” Iris said softly. “Lucas.”
Lucas burst into the house. “Grandpa!” His head darted around the room. The kitchen and dining area were a complete mess. Pots, pans, and utensils were scattered recklessly. Two of the chairs were flipped onto their side, far from the table. The iron pail rested near a wall, containing a rather sizeable dent.
He noticed several pieces of ripped parchment dispersed throughout the area. Worried, he collected one of them and observed it. Grandpa’s poetry... looking down, he saw a bloodstain on the floor near the table. His eyes widened. “Grandpa!!”
He bolted into his grandfather’s room. Once he entered, he froze.
* * * *
“Got him,” Hagan proclaimed after his arrow sank into the imp. “Damn things. Not a moment of rest out here.” He looked back at the other two. “Should we go inside?”
“He’s comin’ out,” Aiden responded, pointing to the front door.
Lucas slowly approached his companions, who waited quietly. His red, watery eyes made the news to follow apparent. Yet when he came to a halt near the group, Lucas said nothing. He turned back to the house and stared at it.
Iris dismounted her horse and walked over to him. She placed her hand on his shoulder. “It’s okay.” He looked down at his feet as tears trickled down his cheeks. No one said a word.
The silence lasted for several minutes. Lucas looked over at the large oak tree in the distance. Slowly, he turned back toward his companions, his face stern.
“I don’t care what it takes. Javan Quinn is going to die.”