Ray bid good bye to the elf village. He headed to board the cart.
Then he paused, stopped, for some unknown reason and thoughts, he smiled, looking around to see the village, the villagers, the children...his new students. Then the barren land...the harsh realities, and hope that still stands.
The two elves waving to him were slightly puzzled seeing their uncle stop.
Then Ray turned around to look at them with a calm gait, calm eyes and a lingering smile.
It wouldn't be a long before they joined him again, but when they saw Ray's expression, Aelar and Artina, slowly went still.
There was something in his expression, just then, something that felt special. Like that of a priest's or a deity's, as he watched his new students. It felt strangely enchanting. This wasn't about looks- his looks were only decent, no... it felt something much more.
As though...it was...
It was the feeling of being happily looked at by someone... someone wholly and entirely present.
Then in a soothing voice just as enchanting, he said in a way only those three could hear. Only him, Artina and Aelar.
"It may rain tonight."
With the same calm gait, he headed off, climbing the cart, already chatting with his teammates, but none of that was audible to the two. They stood rooted in place...
Still unable to understand the meaning behind his smile or his words. It was only after the carriage with the carts disappeared into the distance, that they shook off their daze.
They looked up, straight at the scorching Sun as drops fell to the ground. But that wasn't rain...it was tears, tears of joy.
Not only because of the removal of the curse, but because they felt something in that moment the three shared. Though they did not know the meaning behind that smile, they knew it was something very deep, and it was directed solely and only at them.
They felt a joy, indescribable, for reasons they could not gather.
***
On the carts, behind the carriage, Ray and his team weren't alone. Many other passengers who had caught a ride through this merchant carriage.
Everyone chatted, introducing themselves, getting to know each other. But there was one man, a priest of some church., who didn't socialize at all!
Only gazing off into the distance, with a sombre smile, he never spoke, never looked at others. Throughout the day's journey, he spoke not a word.
Just stared into the expense with a worrying expression.
As dinner time rolled around, the carriages and carts had stopped. The merchants and the workers kept to their own fire, while the 'passengers' shared another.
The food was stale, but it filled their stomachs well enough. As they ate, Tidlen took the role of the narrator, telling those present, his team's harrowing and dangerous journey.
Of course, before this Matt had explicitly reminded him, as he and Ray had cornered to not speak a word about their 'earnings'.
Everything else was fine. Just not a word about the money!
Of course, Tidlen didn't need much convincing. He too was an 'understanding' person. Slowly, the particular part was covered up by more exciting details.
Matt silently heaved a sigh of relief.
The other passengers and even some of the workers marveled at their story. It wasn't every day that such grueling and anguishing journey had been triumphed.
Tidlen also left out the message of the Dragon King- unsure whether to say it or not...he had finally decided to keep it under wraps.
As the night deepened, most people retired to their tents.
The tents were divided between women and men sections. The women who were few felt somewhat grateful of Kyle and Lily, who were there to protect them, if necessary.
Throughout all of this, that lonely looking priest never uttered a word.
Nobody knew if he had eaten dinner. He was just present- and absent at the same time!
He sat beside the fire like a statue, completely still, wearing his worried expression.
Ray, who was returning to the tent with Tidlen, saw this scene. He slowly approached the priest and silently sat beside him.
There was silence. No one spoke. Then Ray asked in a gentle tone,
"What is it that is troubling you, sir?"
There was no response.
The priest continued to stare off into the distance, gazing at the fire, as though the entire world was burned under.
After another stretch of uncomfortable silence, Ray asked again, in the same gentle and soothing voice,
"Maybe some of us can help?"
Again, there was no response. The two sat there. throughout the long awkward silence, Ray's gentle expression never broke, not one bit.
Then the old priest turned his head to look at Ray, and finally rasped,
"This world is rotten.
"No matter how much we seek salvation, there is nothing that I can do. Nothing that any of us can do."
At this, Ray revealed a slightly puzzled look on his face as he thought what to respond.
After a long while, he said, "The world has many evil creatures, roaming, -many who are yet to be born, many who died trying to resurrect..."
As he said this, his voice trailed off. His expression, somewhere nostalgic and had a tinge of grief.
Before the priest could respond, Ray went on.
"Yet the world still lives because there are good people, innocent people, small children who can be molded into anything, people who have hope for a bright future.
"Both sides must balance each other. When either one becomes too great-"
With this, he left off.
There was no trailing in his voice. There was calmness, which slowly turned heavier.
After a small silence from the priest, Ray stood up. Looking at the old man, he extended his hand and said with the same gentle expression with some cheerfulness, same as he had started.
"Come on, sir. It's time we head off. We all need some sleep. Let me help you up."
The priest stared at the offered hand and his body involuntarily took it.
As he was helped up, he was still in a daze, turning over the words this boy had said- a boy the age of his deceased grandson.
As the young boy walked off into the distance, heading to his own camp, the priest slowly followed his back, as though he wanted to grab on to him, as though he were his own grandson.
Then as reason returned, he stood silently, his thoughts in chaos, unsure what to do.
He could only stare at the starry sky. His eyes were moist, but his face was determined.