The sounds of the forest echoed around the walking duo, the only thing sight was a dirt road and trees.
The early morning sun baring down on the back their skulls.
"So...last night-"
Valeo tried to say but it ended up dying in his throat. The old man didn't say anything which made Valeo tense.
"Boyo, it's not up to me ya know. It's ultimately up to you."
Himrick said not looking at Valeo who was confused.
"What does he mean?"
They continued to walk, a forest's natural melody the only thing reaching their ears.
"Valeo."
Himrick stopped and finally looked up to see Valeo staring back him.
"What about him lad? Everybody knows he's the hero of the Wigsi."
"No, that's ours na'e."
Himrick eyebrows quirked.
"It's about time you introduced ya self lad, It was a bit rude that you didn't."
Valeo scratch his temple while his eyes looked at everything but Himrick, the idle chatter they had distracted them, last night's spat fading into memory.
* * *
After a couple of hours the night began to show itself, the duo found a spot that wasn't far from the road and set up to rest. Valeo raised an eyebrow when Himrick grabbed a small cylinder from his backpack, his expression grew more confused when Himrick pressed a few buttons on the device.
Valeo's eyes shined with wonder as the a dome of translucent light spread over the duo.
"It's a ward lad, keeps the scourge away."
Himrick said gaining Valeo's attention.
"The scourge?"
Valeo said he looked the dome then Himrick who pulling supplies out of his backpack.
"The scourge, or how the more spiritual of people call it The blight, is that fog that's slowly approaching us."
Himrick said not even looking up from his backpack.
Valeo turned his head and saw that same fog from that day. The image of that horrid creature sending a shiver down his spine.
"People use theses."
Himrick pointed at the cylinder that embedded in the ground.
"A ward."
Valeo slowly nodded, looking into the fog as the noise of Himrick rummaging through his backpack sounded.
"We've seen...a creature. That ca'e out of the scourge."
"Ah, you've must seen a lost one boyo."
Himrick said laying down two bed rolls, one being larger than the other.
"People who don't make to a ward or get lost in the scourge, tend to be.... corrupted by The Vile Lands, making them creatures straight from your nightmares."
Valeo shivered again the image of the lost one he ran into flashing in his head.
"Unfortunately, wards nowadays are costing a pretty sliver, inflation from the pillars are effecting the outer regions."
Himrick said shaking his head,his tone melancholic.
"We... don't understand."
Valeo said scratching his temple, Himrick sighed.
"Don't worry about it lad, rest now we're not far from our destination."
And with that Himrick layed in his bed roll and fell asleep, leaving Valeo to his thoughts.
"Wait...does that mean, that creature was....somebody?"
Valeo felt sick to his stomach, he's killed people but that was out of survival, the thought that someone didn't make it...the fear and desperation they must've felt.
The pit in his stomach grew the more he thought about it.
"Mommy?"
His entire body froze.
"Moooommy?"
Valeo slowly turned his head, the pit he had growing by the seconds. Its long fur covered centipede-like body wrapped the dome.
It's claws for legs tapped on the barrier rhythmically, each tap echoing in Valeo's ears.
"Mommy?"
The head of the creature was canine in nature, but most obvious detail of it was that there was no lower jaw, only another cranium.
Both sets of eyes gazed deep into Valeo, he couldn't help but to stare back.
"MOMMY!"
The creature crawled around the dome banging its head against it.
It was very hard for Valeo to sleep that night.
* * *
The walk was more subdue since Valeo was practically dragging his feet, bags under his half lit eyes.
"Geez boyo, my nam nam could walk faster than ya. And she's dead!"
Valeo nodded as he tried to pick up the pace nearly tripping over a stone, the sigh that escaped Himrick went unnoticed.
"A...lost one...was... 'aying a visit."
Valeo managed to croak out, his words dragging with each other.
"Oh boyo."
Himrick shook his head.
"You'll have to get use to them some point down the line, I hate to say but their very common."
Valeo in his half awake state still managed to understand what the small old man said.
"Hi'rick."
The duo stopped, they looked at each other.
"Why are you so short?"
The left eyebrow of Himrick looked like it was about to fly off from its twitching.
"Dwarfism, you ass."
Valeo slowly inclined and declined his head, they started to walk again, one being tired, the other very annoyed.
* * *
The dirt road ended and all that remained was a forest path.
The duo walked through the dense forest while having small chatter, with Valeo asking various questions and Himrick answering them cryptically much to the chagrin of Valeo.
"A snails path is it's life? What the fuck does that mean?"
Valeo tried to understand the cryptic saying but stopped when in the corner of his eye he saw Himrick stopped himself.
"Just past this tree line is our destination boyo."
Himrick pointed past the trees blocking their view. The sweat that rolled down the back of Valeo's neck felt like a tidal wave.
"What do we do?"
"Will we be called a monster?"
"Will they hate us?"
Himrick saw the slowly spiraling Valeo and kicked his foot.
"Boyo, fighting with yourself ain't gonna get us to Bale lake ya know."
Valeo shook his to get rid of the thoughts for the moment, his breathing became steady after a few seconds.
"Y-yeah."
They walked past the tree line, the sun blinding Valeo.
When the world came back into view the scenery took Valeo's breath away.
The deep blue lake that stretched for miles that was below them caught his attention first, the sun shimmering on its gem-like surface.
The town the hugged the lake was full of lush white trees, their pale petals flying in the wind.
The cliff they were on gave Valeo and Himrick gave them a view that was straight from a painting.
"Beautiful ay lad?"
"No kidding." Valeo answered still gazing at the sight.
Valeo couldn't help but to stare, the sight being forever burnt in his memory.
But something that was also reflecting in the lake caught his attention.
"Wait..."
Valeo looked to what was reflecting on the surface.
"O'child of wind....power long forgotten returned."
"Cleanse the poison....free her."
The gem from that weird lake was hovering in the sky. It's surface gleaming in the sun. Valeo's body froze, not even a breath escaping his lips.
"Ah that be the Chime lad."
Valeo nearly got whiplash when he turned his head, this made Himrick jolt slightly as well.
"The Chi'e."
Valeo whispered slowly turning his attention back to the Chime.
"Eh close enough, let's go boyo, I'm not trying to be late."
Himrick turned to his left and walked.
"What did it mean by, cleanse the poison, and save who?"
Valeo's gazed lingered for a little longer before he catched up to Himrick.
* * *
The wooden gate made of logs slowly got bigger and bigger the closer they got.
Before the reached the gate Himrick tapped Valeo's knee.
"Boyo, does your cloak have a hood?"
"A what?"
Himrick sighed and started to climb Valeo which confused the four arm boy.
"Aha!"
Himrick draped a hood over Valeo who was looking at the old man confused.
"Trust me boyo."
Himrick saw the skeptical look in the eyes of the boy but it quickly went away as the walked to the gate.
Letting Himrick talk to the guards, his distain evident in his eyes for the law enforcement.
His attention was grabbed as the bustling town, the chatter and movement making the growing pit his stomach grow.
"Boyo?"
Valeo turn to the questioning but worried gaze of Himrick.
Valeo lifted a thumbs up which made Himrick snort and began to walk in the town.
Valeo followed were ever Himrick went but his eyes didn't do the same. The chatter of the people was something he only heard but not saw.
Flashes of the cellar his 'father' locked him came to the forefront and dimmed his mood.
"What did his parents feed him?"
"Is it possible for someone to be that tall?"
"Is he one of them?"
Valeo turned to the question and saw many of the towns folk staring at him, but the look was something he didn't expect, it was....
Fear.
Valeo quickly walked with Himrick who was oblivious to the chatter around him.
"DAMNIT WENCH, IT TASTES LIKE GHOULS ASS."
A loud smack echoed throughout the street as some of the people flinched. Both Himrick and Valeo turn to the gazebo that was in the center of the town.
Valeo's eyes widen when he saw a familiar head of hair.
"Wait we.....know her."