Chapter Four
The Trip
Pecon finally let Redconer tag along, hoping that he would get mauled by the first enemy they encountered, like Maxis.
Grandpa packed another bag for Redconer full of clothes, food, several shiny knives, and the book with the Gold Brick legend. After they were all packed, they turned to Grandpa to see where they had to go. They gathered around the table inside Pecon's wooden house.
"Ok, where do we go?" Asked Redconer.
Grandpa pulled out a parched map and laid it on the table, pushing some few books to make some room. The map had a lot of detail in it. There was Archimedes at the top right, a river that was like a semi-circle around Archemidies. There was one road going from the town to the river, there was a bridge, after the bridge there was a Y split, one leading through a heavy forest, to Calradi, the other going through a desert, around a canyon, around the "
NoMansLand", then reached a city called Doven.
Redconer surveyed the map. "What is '
NoMansLand'?" He asked.
"It's a desert where, uh, you don't want to know," Grandpa pointed at Archimedes. "Obviously, we are here." He outlined the trail, to Calradi. "You guys need to go to Calradi."
"Is the Golden Brick in Calradi?" Redconer asked, leaning up on the table.
"What do you think?" Pecon asked, glaring at him. Redconer shrugged.
"Well no," Pecon's grandpa said. "But I have an old friend of mine who lives in Calradi who can help you on your quest to find the Golden Brick." He beamed when he said quest.
"Well, when are we going?" Asked Redconer.
After a few more hours of preparation, the team was ready to go. Their packs full of food and clothes, some knives here and there and a book or two. Grandpa walked them out to the front of Archimedes to the path where they would begin their journey to find the Golden Brick.
"Well, this is were I wish you farewell." He said. He seemed actually happy that they were about to go on a dangerous quest that would probably end their lives. "Good luck."
Pecon hugged her grandpa. "Thank's grandpa. I'll return with you proud."
"I'm open for hugs too." Said Redconer. All he got was a scrutinizing glare.
"When you are going through the forest through to Calradi. Beware. There are known to be several bandits in there. Just keep your eyes peeled." He simply, peeling an orange. "Also! I almost forgot. The person I want you to look for, he's old. About my age or so. His name is
Maurizi Portare. Now, my old brain has forgot exactly where he lives, but you should be able to find him. Last time I checked he was retired. Anyways, farewell."
Pecon and Redconer said goodbye again, unfortunately Redconer had no family back at Archimedes, and his apartment got blown up by Maxis. So why not go with a good looking girl on a quest to save the world? Seems natural, right?
"So, really up to saving the world, aren't you." Said Redconer, on the path to Calradi. They just passed the Y split in the road thirty feet back, and were working their way to the forest.
Pecon glared at him. "Why are you so interested?"
"Well you'd think since we're going after a legendary unknown Golden Brick and we have no idea if we are actually going to get it, let alone that it's not going to be instant, might as well share a few stories on the road trip, right?"
"I don't think so, Cone Head."
Redconer almost doubled over in laughter. "So the great mysterious Princess Pecon finally decides to have a sense of humor?" Stepping over a log. "Since when did that come out?"
"Since you really
did become a cone head." She said, shifting her pack.
"But really, why not share some stories? Here look, I'll start." Redconer looked at the forest. They were there. The forest seemed to be endless, stretching out forever. He shook off the idea that there might
actually be bandits in there ready to get them. "So obviously you know, my name is Redconer Kiritak the Second. I was born to ruler of the land and you should do my bidding!"
Pecon rolled her eyes.
"Anyways, my father, left me when I was a baby. My mother took me here to Archimedes and that's all I remember." His face fell.
Pecon looked at him. "You didn't have to say that." She said, her voice tampered with pity.
They were well deep into the forest now. The winding road and obscuring trees blocked them from seeing the outside.
"We should make a camp." She said, sitting down on a log and putting her pack next to her.
Redconer leaned up against a tree. "Whatever you say, princess."
All of a sudden there was a whistle, and a thud. An arrow lodged itself right into the log a few inches away from Redconer's face.
Redcorner yelped. Pecon stood up instantly, brandishing the sword from her back and hiding behind a tree. Redconer did the same.
"Get them!" A gruff voice yelled. Five bandits emerged from the trees. Three charged at Redconer, two charged at Pecon.
Redcorner ducked as a sword almost went through his head. He rolled to behind the bandits and parried a sword, kicked a bandit, and hit the bandit on the head with the flat part of his sword. Redcorner got kicked by another bandit, stumbling back. He quickly regained his balance and slashed and parried two other swords, looking over to see what Pecon was fairing. She was actually doing better than he was. She seemed to dance while dodging the bandit's slashes. She rolled over to behind the bandit, slashing him with a sword, blocking the other, and slashing him. Redconer felt sick as the men fell, dead.
Boom. A sword hilt implanted itself into Redconer's skull. He fell back, his head blistering with pain. He stumbled backwards. Two more bandits ran in from the jungle and overwhelmed Pecon, knocking the sword out of her hands and pinning her against a tree.
Redconer began to feel hot, as if he was stuck into an oven. The heat rumbled within him, then burst into his hands, feet, and head. He regained full balance, the pain was washed away. He readied his sword and attacked two bandits, parrying the swords and striking them. The rest of the bandits left Pecon and charged at him. He dodged parried, slashed, ducked, and parried. All the attacks seemed to bounce off him. He cut down the rest of the bandits. He went over to Pecon and helped her up. The pain came back, the burn dissipated. Redcorner collapsed onto a log.
Pecon rushed toward him, propping his head up on the log.
"Father..." Redcorner muttered, half conscious.
"Nonono, Pecon." Pecon said. "How the hell did you do that?"
"Bushi... do..." Redconer blacked out.
To be continued...
Poll