Chapter 6

The rays of sun filtered through the forest roof, shining in Sagil’s eyes as he climbed off the bulky green land dragon.

“Just this way now, lad.” Said the red-haired ranger he had ridden with, jumping from the beast. He grabbed the reigns hanging from the its neck and started leading it down the winding path.

The others did the same with their land dragons. One, however, lagged behind the group, his land dragon carrying a wounded soldier. Although his wound had been sealed by the small female ranger, he still felt pangs of pain shuddering around his body. She had only been called an apprentice mage by the others when they took Sagil over the water to their forest.

Sagil reluctantly followed the rangers down the dirt path, winding around giant trees that covered the sky, allowing few beams of light to pass through. A few trees lay on the leaf-covered floors, some covered in scratches and others filled with arrows. The tree stumps were splintered at the top, the trunks forced to the ground with force. It was around those patches of damage that the light shining through the cloudy sky actually reached the ground; with holes in the forest roof.

“Yeah, we’re lucky the forest still looks this good, to be honest.” A squeaky voice came from behind. It was owned by a small, thin ranger lagging behind. His sky-blue eyes had caught Sagil observing the damages, his big round glass reflecting a ray of light from the shadows cast from his green hood. He glanced to the unconscious man resting atop his land dragon before smiling at Sagil.” We told you how we were fighting with that tribe of the beast we fought on the cracked lands, right?"

"Right," Sagil nodded. Apparently, the beast tribe on the other side of the water had let a monster loose and it terrorised the human village. So, the rangers naturally responded with violence.

"Those beasts have led attacks on our village a couple of times. Not even keeping it to the cracked land between us so our innocent doesn’t get hurt. Hell, we’re even luckier we could kill the monster of theirs that terrorised our village in the first place…” his head dropped to the floor and his smile grew sullen. “The reason this shitty war is happening.”

Sagil opened his mouth to reply when the ginger ranger in front turned to say.

"We be here, lad."

He patted Sagil on the back as the rays of light seeping through the forest roof multiplied, burning away the shade and hitting his pale skin.

The forest opened up to a small prairie with quaint shacks dashed around the edge. Larger wooden buildings - cottages - were sprawled around the centre, all connected by a dirt path that led to a rather large church, compared to the other building, atop a hill.

The black, steel-toe boots of the rangers scratched the dirt as they turned left. They were heading for a big shack amongst the small ones that resembled the wooden guild hall back in the town of Airswell. This, however, was put together with much cheaper quality wood, and at a much smaller scope, and with much less care. It looked like it was a village guard headquarters or barracks for the rangers, despite being a bit shoddy in appearance. It seemed like the village was disconnected from a kingdom or any bustling cities that stood on the same continent. Bearing that in mind, it was really no surprise that it was so quaint in comparison to the great Airswell town in the floating kingdom. There was only the odd kid playing in the distance, with two on the closest hill, and a couple of middle-aged men slaving away on a new cottage. Airswell, however, was the only city with an actual Aerial port. And, as such, was filled with merchants, adventures and mages of the like.

Catching Sagil glancing around the village, the leader said. “T’s a quaint village, for a quaint group of people. But it does the job.” He smiled as a swirl of water squirted at him. He whipped his thin sword out in a flash, slicing through the water. Not a single drop et his skin and clothes. “Watch what y’ere doing when y’ere playing, Ban!”

A blonde, fair-skinned boy stuck his tongue out from atop the hill.

“Or else, she’ll get the better of you!”

A pool of water spat into the child, Ban, who just dodged out of the way. With his tunic sleeve a tad wet, he readied his wand. Before he could shout his casting though, a pool of water fell from above him.

A slightly taller girl bore a wide grin a few meters in front of him, yelling, “Godly heavens cloud thy air with a blessing of water!” as she brought her wand down.

“Hah-Hah!” The ginger ranger burst out with laughter as the water crashed down from above and drenched the bratty kid. "I told ya! Silver doesn't let ya off!"

"That's right," the silver-haired girl shouted, struggling to stiffen her smile as she pointed to the kid's wand. "You need better control over your wand. They're made so you can understand magic easier and not hurt yourself as much in doing so, but you can't get cocky. You only started learning some water spells last month."

The kid squirmed, the water tickling his pores, as he mumbled, "Sorry, silver."

"And?" She tilted her head and crossed her hands.

"S-Sorry Uncle Red!" He yelled at the ginger ranger, albeit with disgust in his eyes.

The ranger, Red, chuckled to himself and shook his head. "Whatever, kid." Then he tied the land-dragon reigns to a small stable next to the barracks when he let out, "Ah!" and doubled back, grabbing Silver's attention. "Silver!"

"Yes?" she shouted back as she parried squirts of water with her own swirling orb of water that draped off her wand.

"We're gonna need you for a few minutes, got a few injuries and young Selena can only stop the bleeding and seal wounds right now, not fix ruined muscles and shattered bones etc."

"Ah, got it!" She shouted with a smile as bright as her glistening hair. "I'll just finish up this lesson."

"Nice one!" He replied before creaking the wooden door open and motioning to Sagil.

The room was draped in shadows, with only a few beams of sunlight shining through the cracks between wooden planks. Loud snoring noises filled the darkness, however, as the glasses-wearing ranger walked inside and said, "Let there be light to give us sight in darkness," bright flames danced to life on candles above, eroding the darkness to reveal a man asleep in a creaking wooden chair.

Squelch

"How is that possible...?" Sagil muttered.

Squelch.

The man bit into a handful of grapes, his chewing filling the room. Juice ran down his round chin as he snored without swallowing.

"Oi, fat bastard!" Red yelled and marched over as he shook his head in disappointment and annoyance.

Squelch.

He continued to chew loudly, and muttered between bites and snores, "L-leave me alone, I can eat as much as I..."

Squelch

"Want..."

"Wake up, you old fart!" The annoyed ranger yanked the grey-haired man from his chair.

Squelch

He continued to chew.

Red held his tongue and shoved their heads together, his auburn eyes trying to pierce the man's clamped eyelids.

The man continued to snore. His hand fumbled about for the bowl of grapes and just manager to grab one, popping it into his mouth, not even bothering to close it as he snored and burst the plump fruit between his teeth. "L-let me sleep..."

Red sighed, shoving the man into his chair. "You better be awake in a few minutes," he groaned before opening a door to the back room but walked on the spot, feigning his entrance.

"Wh-what's going on?" Sagil whispered to the four-eyed ranger.

"Just watch," he giggled, placing a finger to his lips.

The old, sleeping man slowly inched his butt deeper in the chair and rolled his arm into a better position.

He snored louder and reached for another grape. He hovered it over his mouth and creaked open his only eye.

"-!"

"Got ya, ya one-eye git!" Red swiped at the old man who fell backwards off his chair.

Squelch.

He popped the last grape into his mouth with a giggle as he danced away from the leader.

Schwing.

Their swords clashed.

"Always sleeping on the job, eh?" Red shouted, his stern expression cracking as he jabbed at the old man's eye. Orange sparks flew as swords clashed again.

There ain't shit to do on a truce day" The old man cackled, his thicker sword staying strong as the thin sword flew back.

"Hah, right!" Red scoffed, a smile belatedly cracking through as he followed the momentum of his sword, spinning round and twisting it up.

"As fast as always!" He said with rapid breaths, pushing the slice away from his face, only losing a lock of grey hair.

"Hair counts as ya body! Red laughed, turning against the momentum and pushing of the air to arc back at his target.

"Doesn't count, I’m balding." He stated matter-of-factly, his smile replaced with a stern expression as he clattered the onslaught of attacks away.

Schwing

Schwing

Scwhing

They didn't stop coming but he forced the rapid shots away.

"But this will!" He croaked as slammed a riposte away, but this time followed through, his heavy sword slicing Red's thigh.

"Hah!" Red let out as he twisted his foot and hopped upon the tip of the blade. He added pressure to the already heavy momentum and crashed it into the wooden floor. "This is game then." He thrust his sword forward, piercing the air as it instantly reached the old man’s eyepatch. No further than that.

A mound of mud clotted the tip of his sword as it dug into the head, using the pressure like a spring and bouncing it back. Red tripped over his foot and fell from the sword with a thud.

The old man cackled and collapsed into the wooden chair he had feigned sleep on. He popped a grape in his mouth and said. "Always making him look like a fool, good job silver!"

"Th-thank you..." the girl muttered as she walked into the room before her eyes widened and her lips wavered. "W-Wait a second! You're in trouble too y'know!"

"Do you not want some grapes?!"

"I humbly apologise, Great Berserker Knight Derrick of the forest humans!"

"Thought so," he spoke as he chewed a few grapes at a time.

"Apart from that unfair treatment..." Red muttered as he got to his feet, rubbing a small bump on his forehead. "Sorry for the little commotion," he nodded at Sagil, who stared blankly wondering what just happened. "We, uh, have a rough relationship. It's all good vibes though!"

"Not when you wake me up it isn't!" Derrick cawed, raising his heavy sword.

"Eh?" Red's smile stiffened and a vein popped in his forehead. "Really no-"

"Guys!" Silver cried.

The two refused to back down but the other rangers stumbled outside as the small girl started chanting.

"Ocean, sea, river, lakes, ponds, and the water in the sky and everywhere else..."

Sagil gulped as he stumbled back. He was trapped between leaving and staying as chanting caught his mind, mystifying him.

Magic flowed through her hands, their faint glow illuminating her skin as it pulsated in a fast rhythm, swirling between her fingers and through her wand.

"Lend me thy water!"

Water exploded from her wand and smashed into the two rangers, sweeping them off their feet along with the tables and chairs that filled the room.

"Shit!" Sagil spat as he scampered outside, the water flooding the floor and soaking his black boots.

"What was that for!" The two rangers cried in unison.

"Hmph!" She averted her gaze with the puff of her cheeks and folded her arms. "I said last time if you did that again I would drench you! So, I did!"

"B-but did you really have to flood the whole room...?" The ranger with glasses spoke up.

The girl stood silent for a few seconds when her pale face blew bright red. She flailed her arms in the air as she clambered around the watery room. "AHHH! Sorry, sorry, sorry!"