《The Martian Bootcamp》Chapter 6: The Offering of Help
Advertisement
Turned out it wasn’t just Beo who wanted to offer me help with the magical quest bestowed upon me. Ight came by just as Beo was stepping out, tucking himself into the room with fluid grace. His large frame seemed comical on the chair when he sat down, and the poor wooden thing groaned anytime he shifted to talk. He had brought with him a scimitar, hanging low at his waist.
“I am not a mage like Beo,” He began, “I can lend my strength as a warrior. If you would like, I can demonstrate my expertise in sword fighting?” He said gesturing to the scimitar.
“Ight, I would be honored to have you.” How could I say no to a massive wolf? Or was it Wolf-kin. “And while you’re here, I something I never got the chance to ask. Do I reek of metal?”
He made a sound like barking, his entire frame tilting back and forth in the chair. A moment later, I realized he was laughing.
“Did Beo say this to you?” He asked.
“Well yes, that and death.”
His eyes widened. “I cannot see the auras of life and death that mages like Beo can and certainly do not know what she meant by that. There is a stench of metal around you and,” He held up his hand, “I mean that as no insult. It leaks out of your every pore almost as if you’ve bathed in molten iron.”
Wonderful. I guess I did reek of metal and everyone but me could smell it.
“Should I take a bath?”
He shook his large head and scratched his chin. “Maybe. I don’t know. It might just be a part of you. What that means, I do not know either.” He looked away after that.
Advertisement
“I have a question for you Druin if that is okay?”
“Ask away.” I said.
“Where do you hail from? Beo said she gave you the name Druin but I would like to know who you were before.”
That is a question I’d like to get answered too. I took a deep breath and told him the story of me waking up in the barren field and making my journey into the forest. About how I’d seen Indra and gotten rescued by Beo and that I didn’t know where I was from or remember anything of my past.
To Ight’s credit, he listened patiently. A couple of times he paced around the room as I described limping away from the battalion running on horseback towards me and meeting Indra. He sat back down on the already protesting chair at the end of my story.
“We ask a lot from you. You have lost your memories, the elemental part of what makes your soul and we ask you to fight for us without truly knowing you.” He said. It broke the silence between us but didn’t make me anymore comfortable. I hoped he wouldn’t ask me to be something I didn’t know I could become, like Mehr had.
I offered him a smile and turned to look out at the evening light from the window. The cicadas had begun their quiet chirping chant while the sunset stained the trees orange red. The forest seemed less gloomy in this light, the pockets of blackness filled with redness rather than pitch black.
“But it is a burden I will gladly share alongside you. The people of Sacred Grounds will forever be in your debt for this and we shall never forget.” He stood up and bowed low at the waist. His black ears brushed the floor slightly and appeared stained red in the light too.
Advertisement
“Ight, you’re making me blush. Beo saved me when I had nowhere to go and I would like to help as much as I can. No promises if I can become a Guardian.”
Ight straightened slowly and brought his hand out, palm up.
“This is the sign of friendship among the Beast-kin, you may lay yours on mine palm up. I would be honored if you would accept.”
I laid my hand on his palm up. A red spot appeared, with an intricate circular pattern and disappeared before I could look at it closer. I look up at Ight questioning.
“The circlet of friendship. A small kind of magic that my house has access to. We cherish our friends and it is a token of my trust Druin.”
With that, he bowed again and stepped out.
That seemed like some sort of omen. I closed my eyes and leaned back, tired of the day. And quite a bit enthralled.
--
Bright sunlight woke me up, unfiltered by the many tree limbs cascading over the window. I had gone to sleep leaning back on the pillow and right onto my left arm. The first moments of being awake were filled with panic as I thrashed around trying to get blood flowing back into my numb arm. I reasoned through that I had not in fact cut off the arm forever and it would just take a few minutes for it to start moving again. When the blood trickled back in with hundreds of microneedles to punish me for cutting off the blood flow, I took a calming breath.
A knock came from the door as I settled back in. How do they already know I’m up?
“Come in?”
Beo stepped through gingerly and looked around.
“What was all that noise? Sounded like a little elephant running around in here.” She asked. She plopped her backdown on the desk and took a seat. She had brought a leather backpack filled to the point of almost bursting and she sported a slender sword on her hip.
“Ah I slept on my arm and was trying to make it come back to life. Anyway, why are you here so early?” I replied.
“Early?” She raised an eyebrow, “It’s almost time to leave. Ight and the others are waiting for us at the front.”
Of course they are.
I got up and began searching through the dresser for clean clothes and a towel. With no luck in the dresser, I moved onto the tiny wardrobe in the room. That yielded several clean sets of clothes and some food stored on the top shelf.
“Do I have time to shower?” I asked hurried.
“Unfortunately… no.” She said and I swear I heard a stifled laugh in there somewhere.
I turned to face her and sighed. Audibly. “Any chance you have a bag I can put clothes and food in. As you very well know, I own virtually nothing besides what I am wearing.”
Beo pointed to another bag next to her own, sitting on the desk. “I already packed for you Druin, thank your lucky stars.”
“Oh you’re a life saver. What’d you pack?” I hoisted the bag on me and took a wet rag she passed towards me to clean my face.
“Ah I’ll tell you on the way, we’ve got time to talk.” And with that, she led me out.
Advertisement
- In Serial725 Chapters
Realm of Myths and Legends
Jin, a hardcore gamer who still lives with his mom at the age of 24. He could never hold down a steady job since graduating, his girlfriend since high school dumped him for his best friend and he's constantly getting beat up by a group of local gang members. His dad left him and his mom when he became rich from the lottery and got a new family, one free of debt and burdens as he called it. His mom works 3 jobs to keep everything from falling apart, except for herself slowly. One day on his way home with the very first and new fully immersive VRMMORPG called Realm of Myths and Legends or RML for short, he died from a hit and run car accident. RML was advertised as the worlds first fully immersive VRMMORPG, allowing for players with skill sets in the real world, like sword training, martial arts, archery or reaction time, to benefit in the game itself! Though Jin died and at that moment a soul from another world crossed over into his body and inherited his memories. The man known as Izroth once hailed as the greatest cultivator in the seven realms, soul reincarnates into the modern world year 20xx in the body of Jin.
8 2906 - In Serial220 Chapters
The Type Specialist
Alex wakes up in the world of Pokémon. Obviously, the next step is to become a Pokémon Trainer, but not just any Pokémon Trainer. Why should I be mediocre with every type when I can be an expert in one? The Type Specialist is my first attempt to write a fiction. It is solely about travelling the world and building a strong team. Don't expect a solid plotline outside of Alex taking on the Gym Challenge and dealing with small problems that pop up here and there. Updates 5 times a week, every weekday until caught up.
8 141 - In Serial32 Chapters
Of Corporate Core Competency Plans, Capitalistic Synergized Growth Projections and Lethal Target Market Analyses.
Shortened title: Core Competency Plans Also, THIS IS ON INDEFINITE HIATUS! Felicia is determined to never let a single aspect of her life slip from her grasp and some stupid teleportation accident is not about to stop her. Winn is trying very hard not to die for reasons his master archmage Talmanael keeps forgetting. A small gem is gleefully waiting to be fed while stuck inside a six-sided prison. Do any of these things have anything to do with each other? Did the author plan anything this time or is he just writing by the seat of his pants, as usual? This is my submission to the RoyalRoad Fifth Anniversary contest and NaNoWriMo 2018. Read at your own risk.
8 141 - In Serial24 Chapters
RE: DIVINE
(Mature story with language, with possible sexual situations and gore later on) Partially a parody for people who complain of the influx of op reincarnated mc's. The main character died and won a prize for doing so. The prize? Divinity! Follow our main character in a realm where he is absolute!
8 75 - In Serial15 Chapters
Survival Story Of A Swordsman In A Post-Apocalyptic World
Waking up in a seemingly new world after being killed in a war. A swordsman navigates through danger to find his purpose. Facing dangers in form of Monsters that have been roaming the ravaged world of humanity. Or perhaps other individuals in his way.
8 90 - In Serial37 Chapters
The Cullens Shared Mate
THIS IS A COMPLETED STORY AND THERE WILL BE NO SEQUEL ANY TIME SOON.In this story Elizabeth Swan is the older sister of Bella Swan. Bella hates Beth for being older than her and her not being the only child. She especially hates her when she grows close with the Cullen family. You should also now that I made this cringy and like other stories because that seems to be what everyone likes. Some of it will be cheesy and other parts will be extra dramatic but its intentional. Bella is not with Edward in this story. None of the Cullens are together they only consider eachother siblings. Esme is not in this story and I am so sorry, I love her but with how im doing it I don't know if I could fit her in correctly. In this story the Cullens are a coven that was blessed with having only one mate that they must share with eachother. THIS IS A BELLA BASHING STORY. It is based in 2020 and ALL the Cullens are seniors. Well except Carlisle. The coronavirus is not a thing. Bella will be VERY out of character, go with it.There will be some cursing and smut with warnings when it will happenI do not own twilight or its plot I only own Elizabeth Jo Swan and the plot I created. This will not follow the timeline or the plot completely so bare with me.
8 130