Chapter 1
Wake up
They say that it isn't until you actually wake up that you realize that life is still going on. Sometimes, if you concentrate, you can feel the motion of the world around you. A leaf perhaps, dropping to the ground, a small animal outside eating, or the small pit pat of a raindrop dripping from a leaf onto the sodden dirt.
This is exactly what I felt as I rose from my small bedroll. It wasn't the comfortablest thing I had ever slept on, but it certainly wasn't the hardest either. It took me a while to get up into a sitting position, considering my back ached, but I eventually got there and looked around.
Three other sleeping bags lay mussed up beside mine. Only two were occupied.
In one lay my good friend Coral. She was relatively small for her species, but her breeding was pure. Her long silvery hair lay strewn across her face as she muttered something. Her bow and arrow lay right beside her as they always did. I don't think I had ever seen her without them. I was at first, tempted to shake her to get her to rise, but knew that I'd probably regret it. Even in her sleep, that girl has amazing aim.
The other one beside her always was an interesting sleeper. Her name was Argenteus, and she wanted very few to know, but previously, Argenteus had been a mermaid. Her gorgeous nearly white hair lay neatly behind her head. It never seemed to get tussled or ratted. I slowly crept toward the door of the tent and nearly tripped over something. Looking down, I saw the rope. Because of her many years spent in the water, Argenteus was still not quite used to sleeping normally like most people do. She always wanted to tie her ankle to something. I suppose in the water, this would help her not float away, but here it was just, well, quite amusing. Nevertheless, I was reminded once more of it as I made my way out of the tent.
And of course, there sat Corr. Sometimes he sat so still sometimes you would think he wasn't awake, or even alive. He was a large fellow, and his shadow overcast me and my own as I sat down next to him. I had never seen Corr fall asleep or rise. He always seemed to be up super early, and at perfect health always.
The day was quiet, things stirred but everything around us seemed to stop short of our presence. Dew labeled the grass and the early morning sun rays caught the gold in Corr's hair, and the gleam of his sword, which lay in his lap.
“Anything happen last night?”
He didn't answer, which usually meant no, but changed the subject “Shouldn't we start packing? We are on a deadline.”
“Aw, but the girls are sleeping so soundly...”
“I'll help wrap up the tent.”
“I'll wake them up.” I sighed.
Crawling back into the tent, I took Coral's shoulder and shook it softly. She barely flinched. “Coooral.” I whispered softly. Best not to alarm her with that bow and arrow so close by. It was then that I had an idea. I crawled on over to my bed, which Coral was facing. Then slowly, I lifted up the covers to her bed and stuck my hand in. I felt around until I came to her precious bow and slowly began to pull it out...
“Hickory- faced lumbart!!!” She yelped and sat up, grabbing her bow and an arrow. She had the arrow in backward, but instantly had notched it and attempted to aim. But thankfully her morning vision was about as accurate as a snail's and she made the arrow go about an inch from where she was sitting It plopped onto the floor. She then let the empty bowstring fly.
She sat there frozen, as if she could not even come to comprehend what had just happened. Her arrow... HADN'T hit anything? It wasn't until I was actually crawling over to Argenteus that she started blinking again. She rubbed her eyes, sat more up in a slacked position and took her arrow from off my bed.
I had woken up Argenteus lots of times. First you untied her ankle and then you shook her awake. It worked like a charm every time. Without her ankle tied up, she started to feel insecure and started to freak out in her sleep. That was when you just pounced on in and she would wake up without a problem.
Soon, I had cooked us some meager breakfast. We were sitting around a small fire that Corr had started and discussing our next move. I had pulled out our small map. Argenteus and Coral were peering over my shoulder at it.
“We're only two miles from Mau.” Coral pointed out the small city.
“Yes, but Dub-Jac is three miles away and it is much bigger.” Corr pointed out as he spooned some oatmeal into his wooden bowl.
“Does it matter what city it is?” Asked Argenteus after she swallowed, “As long as they have supplies, we're fine. Mau is closer, and I'm sure a city at least that large has enough supplies for us to go off of.”
It was then that there was the slight flapping of wings. I saw everyone grip their swords. Flapping of wings was almost never a good sound.
But thankfully, we all soon discovered that it was just a messenger pigeon as it landed near Corr's feet. It cooed politely as it hopped on over to me. Picking it up gently, I found the small capsule on the it's right leg and uncapped it. Carefully pulling out a small rolled up piece of paper, I quickly scrolled it open and read,
Dear TUSC members,
The mapping in Area 1215 (AKA Mau's forests) is complete. Please come back to one of our stations in Dub-Jac immediately to turn in your report and receive your next mission.
11015 Reck Len lane
Yours truly, Tanner Tusc
“Who is it from?” Argenteus said thoughtfully. She always asked this, even when she knew.
“TUSC, duh.” Coral said, snatching it from me and reading it quickly. I took it back and scribbled a quick reply of
We will be there shortly
and then my name:
Volicla
“Dub-Jac it is then.” Corr said, sliding his sword back into it's sheath as he stood.
I turned to Argenteus, “Think you can get us any rides?”
“We still have Elvira,” She said, throwing her head back to gesture at the large animal in the back of our tent.
“Yeah, but if I have to ride one more time on the back of that thing, I think I'm gonna just shoot it myself.” Coral muttered.
“It's true.” I shrugged, “Elvira isn't the... smoothest ride.”
“Or even remotely the fastest.” Coral objected.
“But she's all we have.” I turned back to face the former mermaid, “Unless you can get us a few more?”
She sighed and began cleaning up our eating area, “You know I've tried Volicla, I really have. But for some reason, the moon just has to be exactly... and I have to have the proper notes for proper animals, and different tones-”
It was Corr who interrupted, “Try.” He said.
She stopped abruptly and looked up at him shyly. Sighing once more and slouching over her bowl she was now scrubbing she muttered , “OK...”
Slowly, she turned around, put both knees to one side of her body, took the ground delicately with both her hands, faced upward toward the sky and began to sing. It was a sad tune, one that someone would sing at a funeral or at someone's deathbed. Her voice was so beautiful, it was hard to stop a few feelings emerging, and it was also a short song and was done all too soon. But by the time she was done, not a single animal had come any closer that I could see.
“There,” She sighed, sitting cross-legged like a human again, “When I'm in this form, it just doesn't have the same effect.”
“Weird,” Coral murmured, “Usually whenever she does that at least a chipmunk or two come running.”
“Oh well,” I said, throwing my pack over my shoulder, “We still have Elvira.”
Chapter 2
TUSC
Elvira's back was large and strong, but had a strange rubbery texture to it when you tried to get a grip on it. In short, the only way you could get a good grip on her was around her enormous head, or hold her slight mane. Argenteus hugged her large head while Coral gripped Argenteus' back. I held fast to Coral's back. Elvira bumped and jiggled whenever her large feet hit the ground, which made it hard to get a good grip with five people on her back. Her large shaggy tail was kept straight upright as she waddle ran through the field. I was glad. That meant if I slipped and fell of her rear end, atleast her tail would make a nice bristly slide so I wouldn't get kicked by her massive back feet.
Now would probably be a good time to explain Elvira. Elvira is a Mquewk.
First off, before I explain what a Mquewk is, imagine this. Imagine an anteater and a hippo combined. The size of the hippo, but the brains of an anteater. The back feet of a hippo, a huge version of anteater legs in front. The tail and tongue of an anteater, but the whole rest of her fat neck and torso, hippo. There, now I don't even have to explain. That is what a Mquewk is. In your world you'd call it strange, but here, it's your average livestock.
Now Mquewks are not known for their speed. They are mainly known for their bulk and their strength. It is true, Mquewks are enormous animals with incredible power, but they aren't very smart or fast.
Now I need you to imagine a hero saddling, instead of a horse, a bison. A great big stupid bison and riding off with THAT into the sunset.
Now imagine three heroes trying to get on the same bison and ride off into the same sunset. They wouldn't look very heroic at all. And as you can guess, neither did we.
Don't get me wrong, Elvira is friendly, finds her own food, lets us ride her. But sometimes I just wish we had some better way of transportation. And sometimes I wish three miles would go a lot faster, because I was feeling squeamish and so was my stomach.
“How is the ride?” I heard someone beside me chuckle. Without turning my head, because I was too sick feeling to do so anyhow, I knew it was Corr. Now, Corr either goes out the night before and harnesses an animal, or, if it's a short distance, he can run right alongside Elvira, no problem. But considering the distance was three miles, he had decided to pick out a worthy steed.
Corr does not beleive in keeping one steed or another. They never seem to suit him, but the ones he picks out are healthy, and well, fast. And somehow, he gets them to ride for him. I finally forced myself to draw my face over Coral's back and look over at him.
Riding atop a Ginchurik, Corr looked quite comfortable. Their fur is actually very soft, and makes one of the best saddles. Ginchurik's are like long legged dogs with a small horn atop their nose and webbed front feet. The are built for any kind of terrain. Water with their webbed feet, ground for their long legs, cold climates with their heavy skin and warm for their horn is like a hump for a camel.
“This guy is awfully fast.” Corr grinned, “I might keep him a bit longer than I usually do the others.”
I barely could make the worlds out as I tried to keep from snapping back a very rude retort, “That's good.” I muttered.
It wasn't until near noon that we reached Dub-Jac, mainly because Coral pointed us in the wrong direction. But then Corr righted our track and we started out on our trail again.
The gates of the city were rather like the ones you see on mansions with fancy swirls and statues atop them. Except instead of iron, it as made entirely of wood and was painted a dark solemn red.
“Interesting taste in design,” muttered Coral. Argenteus sat up, sending the other two of us almost reeling back and took Elvira's mane firmly in her hands.
“Hyup!” She said smoothly in an ancient tongue, and kicked Elvira's sides. Elvira grunted and lolled toward the gates. The two gatemen opened the gate without a problem and very soon we were inside Dub-Jac.
The city was bustling with life. Over here a vendor yelling, over here a customer haggling. Coral was distracted easily by some of the weapons on display, and you could see in Argenteus' eyes the interest as she found shiny jewelry tents. But it was Corr who took Elvira's lead and led her down some streets. After some quick instructions from locak villagers, we found TUSC located in the back of the city. We tied up Elvira and the Ginchurik who Corr had now nicknamed “Gyuk” For the noise he made as he ran.
We showed the two ladies at the front desk our note and entered into the backroom where Tanner was waiting for us.
“Ah!” He said, turning away from a microscope in his swivel chair, “I see you all came! Here's a few of my favorite explorers.”
Argenteus' smiled but Coral got straight to the point, “What's the sitch, doc? What'ja need us for?”
“Ah, Coral, I thought you'd want to get straight to the point.” He paused a while as he slid his chair back in and tidied up his things that he had just been working on, “Please come over here and sit down.”
He gestured to a white table with six white chairs surrounding it. Once he had finished with his desk, he came and stood at the front of the table so as to address us all. Mainly me, since I am legally the leader of this group. His blue eyes twinkled, “May I have the map?”
“Oh!” Argenteus jumped up and dived for her pack. Digging through it she said, “I had almost forgotten!” She pulled out a scrolled up neat piece of off-white paper.
Tanner didn't even look at it as he placed it upon his desk and then came back to us. Then he just stared into each one of our eyes. He does this everytime at our meetings, he takes a moment to look us straight in the eye. I'm not sure why, but I always felt that he was checking in our souls to see if we were ready. Tanner takes his work very seriously.
But today he deliberately took more time than he usually does. I've been around Tanner long enough to know what that means. It's big news he's not sure we're going to take well.
And it was.
Tanner took a deep breath, closed his eyes, opened them back up to stare directly into mine.
“I have a brand new assignment from the company that I'm not sure you're going to like.” He said smoothly, “The officials of TUSC have assigned a rather large and difficult task to put up with.” He laced his fingers through each other and began tapping on the opposite sides of his hands, “However, Base TUSC #39 has come up with a solution to this problem.” He looked straight into my eyes again, “The solution would be you.”
I kept my gaze firmly on Dr. Tusc, Argenteus looked around the table. Corr sat there patiently, while Coral snapped, “What are you talking about? Get to the point!”
Tanner began to pace up and down near the table, “TUSC sent us a few more... people and demanded that we set them out to journeys to test their... abilities. Basically, kids, he wants more people on an exploration team than just.. four. Like you guys. Especially you guys. Your group has traveled lands never ever before even known to man, but they want more... succesfully drawn maps and more dedicated researching.” He then called to one of his workers, who then hustled in with a girl.
The girl was quite tall, with blond hair that run along a ponytail in her back. She looked like she could almost make 18.
“This is Ammie.” Tanner said, “A high-ranking biolgist in her natural field of study, plants and animals. TUSC has wanted more samples from new plants and animals since the time the company was founded, Ammie will be the one to do so.”
I had to admit, we had been lacking in our sample collecting skills lately. I was glad to have another on the team. I shook her hand and watched as she sat down, viewing all of us each individualy before turning her eyes to the front.
“This is Jaco.” He waved his hand to the door. “He is one of his village's finest map makers.”
Jaco entered a little late on his cue, but he was short, stout and dark-skinned. He looked like a turtle and when he said, “Hello.” It was heavily accented. He then scuttled on down to sit right next to Corr who greeted him like an old friend.
Another girl was ushered in. She was quite the sight. One eye glinted a gold color while the other was a dark malevolent red. Her hair was short and boyish and a rich dark brown. The way she moved reminded me of some kind of fairy and her ears pointed up out of her hair.
“This is Artemis.” He said. Artemis waved. “She is known for a few of her... special abilities.” That was all he said as he ushered her to her seat. I attempted to shake hands with her, but she must not have seen me because she walked straight past me to go sit down near Ammie. Everyone turned back to the front. I was getting rather worried. Four was enough to a group, I thought. But, seven? Would I be able to keep track of everyone? Would everyone be fed enough? How were we going to get enough supplies for seven whole people? Transportation? I wasn't sure I could take much more of this. I had thought four people had been more than enough.
Tanner took a moment of silence before he began again, pushing up his glasses and rustling his hair and taking a long breath as if not quite ready for this next part. “These...” He said, raising an arm to the door a fourth time, “Are our...”
Three young people shuffled in. Tanner seemed to choose a new word at the last moment, “Special people.”
I observed the group. The first and tallest one was a boy with average brown hair and somehow, icy brown eyes. He was skinny, dressed in a tan tunic and stood there as if this was the last place on earth that he wanted to be. Tanner walked over to him and took his shoulders in a fatherly manner.
“This is Tailan.”
The next was a girl. Atleast, I think it was a girl. She had orange hair that came up above her ears and two streaks, on each side, hung down, all in bright green. In her hand she held a stick. She wore two shirts, a small skirt made of chainmail and some ratted up pants. Her face said, Stay away from me or I'll stick you with anything within reach, which at the moment was her stick. Tanner walked up to her and decided not to touch this one,
“This is Natalia.”
The third and last one was the shortest. She looked no older than 12. She stared at the ground in a shy way and glanced up occasionally. She had fiery red hair, green eyes and freckles dotting across her face. She was quite an adorable girl, and the friendliest looking of them all. Tanner had no problem crossing over to her and putting his hands on her shoulder.
“And this is Magenta.”
He then turned away, paced back to his desk and sighed very loudly.
“What's the catch?” Coral pressed.
“Well...” the Doctor began.
We waited in silence.
Then, just deciding to get it over with, he turned around and blurted out,
“They're all magic users.”
Chapter 3
Disbelief
Argenteus' lept to her feet, but I got there before she did.
“YOU WANT ME TO TAKE IN THREE MAGIC USERS!?” I barked.
Tanner didn't even flinch, because apparently he had seen this coming.
“This isn't a band for magic training! This is an exploration group!” Argenteus shouted.
Tanner nodded his head as if agreeing.
Coral then lept to her feet, “And this is way too many people to keep track of!” She snapped.
That was the one he had been waiting for. “Yes, ten people may look like too much of a troupe-”
“SEEM!?” Coral yelped, “It IS, you old dingbat!”
Tanner stopped abruptly. He then traced his eyes to the floor and then quickly back up to us. Corr sat patiently in his chair. “Those are my orders.” Was all Tanner muttered before he started once again.
“Argenteus,” He addressed her, and she glared at him, “A former mermaid, then cursed with mortality and LEGS.” You could see Argenteus shift her weight. “You needed this job for enough money to go on the expedition to break your curse.”
He turned to Coral, “A lone ranger out there on the wilderness, barely surviving because she was never taught properly. TUSC took you in Coral, since you were 8 years old! Have they ever steered you wrong.” Though it is a rare occasion, I saw Coral shut her mouth.
“Corr,” Corr gave him a patient gaze, “You worked for some kind of traveling act, throwing knives, eating swords, fighting lions and wild beasts with nothing but sticks. When you finally had realized you had better potential than all of that, who took you in?”
Corr paused, “TUSC gave me a good-paying job for my work of skill.”
“There you go.” Tanner said, a slight smile flashing itself. Then he turned to me.
“Volicla.” He said, looking me straight in the eyes, “A raging thief on the side of the road with no idea how you had gotten yourself into this kind of life, and no intention of getting out. When the guards had finally arrested your gang and sentenced you all to hang, who was it that said your leadership and knife skills shouldn't be wasted and should be given a second chance.”
I didn't want to say it, but the words came out the nonetheless, just like the memory of my former life, “TUSC.” I muttered.
“Would any of you want to lose this precious job given you?” He said, holding his hands out. I saw the rest of my group shake their heads.
“Very well.” He said, turning back to his desk, “Then I have one more shocking bit of news for you.”
I could feel Coral biting back a bitter retort and Argenteus resisting the same urge, but it was Corr that then put a hand on my shoulder. I turned my head to meet his steady gaze. He gave me a slight push downwards, and I sat. Argenteus and Coral followed my example.
“Now, orders from the TUSC headquarters are quite clear.” He pulled out a large scrolled up map, “Clear, not simple, but clear.”
Slipping the map onto the table, in disbeleif I read the title in someone's bold inky handwriting.
Drad
I couldn't believe my eyes. All the energy drained out of my limbs. My jaw gave out. I sat there motionless, not able to move. It wasn't that I didn't want to move, because believe me, I would've seriously found something to hit Tanner across the head at this point. But I was seriously, physically unable. Corr peeked behind my shoulder.
Corr never loses his temper. EVER. But right about then, you could hear the slightest tint of it in his voice, as if he was trying to hide it, “And TUSC chose this... interesting choice of their own free will?”
“That is for TUSC to decide, and for us just to deliver.” Tanner shrugged. “I just do my job kiddos.”
Argenteus, who was taking this news slightly better than the rest of us, rolled up the map and slid it into her backpack silently. That was our cue to leave. The rest of our new 'group' had been silent up until now, and still were as they packed up each of their small packs of things and shuffled out behind me.
When we had reached the front desk, they passed me a piece of paper that gave us permits to two more steeds. Just great. At this rate, I thought they would atleast try to pamper me, make me feel better, but instead of giving us enough steeds for the new six people, they had only given me two.
I was going to kill something if even one of them was a Mquewk.
I sent Coral and Corr out to go find our two steeds at the renting stables. It was quite an awkward silence as I sent them on their way and the six new people just sat behind me and stared at the back of my head, expecting, as leader, for me to do something.
I just untied Elvira and hopped up onto their back. I wasn't going to talk to them. I was quite frankly, very angry. At Tanner, at TUSC, at them, at Drad.
It was then that the chills crept along my back again. Where they insane?! Sending us into that place was like literally throwing yourself into a pool full of sharks. Willingly plunging into something that could prove to be fascinating, but most likely, was to be the end of you.
I turned Elvira around, offering her to Argenteus, but she turned toward our new audience.
“Hello.” She smiled, “I am Argenteus.” She paused a while, as if this had been all she had been planning to say, “I... We will be your new... friends.”
“Accomplices.” I corrected her rudely, and then looked straight into Tailan's icy brown eyes, “Now, seperate into groups of three.”
“Wait a second,” said Tailan, looking around, “Am I the only boy!?”
Jaco squeezed between Ammie and Magenta. “I am a boy!” He said with his funny accent slurring the words.
“Oh,” Tailan muttered, not seeming impressed.
It was then Corr came riding up on his Ginchurik, dragging behind him two Yigil. Yigils are rather small creatures that are sort of one third lion, one third deer, one third poodle. Imagine that if you so desire. But when I looked at those two pitiful grunting creatures, I was just about to scream in frustration.
So now you've imagined the three heroes clumsily mounting the bison, right? Well now imagine those three heroes getting six more new people and then expecting them to ride on top of SHEEP. That's about as big as a Yigil is. They are about the size of sheep.
But, as leader, I have to make some quick decisions. I slid off of Elvira and beckoned to Argenteus to do the same. Immediately, Corr slid off his Ginchurik as well. I really didn't want to be doing this. I didn't want to associate with these people, especially give up my ride for them. But as a leader, I must do as I must, and I held out my hand to Natalia, who took it and mounted the Mquewk.
Argenteus showed her how to hug Elvira's shaggy head and then had Tailan and Ammie also get on her back. The Yigils were given to two of the smaller people in the group, Jaco and Magenta. Corr held out a gentlmanly hand to Artemis, who took it and mounted his very fast, very impressive Ginchurik.
Taking the reins of two sheep-like Yigils, a Mquewk that resembled bison and a Ginchurik that could have very well been a race horse, we set off onto Drad.
Our next camp site came that day. Corr went out in the middle of the night, sensing my desperate need for better animals and found, happiyl, another Ginchurik. This one was a female and rather larger than the male he had. It would fit two people. I was very thankful to him.
The six new employers had brought either their own personal tents, or the men, Jaco and Tailan had brought tents big enough for two, maybe three people. Our first camp-out was peaceful. No one really spoke to each other. No one really dared.
I was the first one to enter my tent, grumbling some curses under my breath. Argenteus and I had mapped out the fastest way to Drad. Not only would we have to go through Drad when we got there, but go through Bo-Bon, one of the most uncivil cities in the entier country of Vilekshan. Some more terrible news, we would have to go through Table Fortro territory. Table Fortros are some of the meanest, toughest people. They are pretty much a tribe of assasins. They don't like really anyone, especially other nature people. Legend says that people go into their tribe normal, and come out as horrors never before seen. They say that's where most of the terrible creatures of Drad come from.
But, as a payed explorer, I am not allowed to believe those rumors. I snuggled into my pillow and rolled out the map again. The journey would take 4 days.
If the newbies could keep up.
