It got harder and harder, his shoulder began to ache, his abdomen still hurting and his breathing was getting heavier. But this was his punishment. He was on his last body, this last of his own people that he must bury. His body was telling him to stop but his heart was telling him to keep going- for he has sinned and this was part of his atonement. After this, he needed to craft headstones for each and everyone that was buried. His family, friends, neighbours. He knew all their names and where they were buried exactly. He could not rest until this was done. He knew was the sole reason for their suffering and their demise. If only he was not selfish, if only he was smarter, stronger, more free. Several hours had passed and he finally had placed the last headstone. Adam, Elizabeth, Lily, his family dying before his very eyes. His friends, Alice, Philipp, John, his neighbours, he knew every single one of them. He knew what they did for a living, what they liked to do, he was an observant person and now it was all gone because of him.
"No...", he thought to himself.
"This was never my fault. I was not the one who caused this, he did. Lohk did.", Ed thought to himself while forming a fist and driving his fist into the ground, his nails popping his blisters.
"I'll find him and kill him for this. Mother, father, Lily, every single one of the Angrotorrians... please do not rest for I will avenge you." Ed said, continuing to drive his fist into the ground, his eyes turning reddish-orange just like the Sun.
Morning had arrived, Ed woke up with his whole body aching. He had a dream that his whole family was still alive, his friends were still playing with him but he was lucid. It was like he was given a second chance. He savoured every single moment of it, his mundane repetitive life- eating, playing, exploring within the compounds of Patho. The very same sequence of events played in his head, him being missing for a few days, coming back home, talking to his father and then venturing out by himself. This time he chose to slept instead of venturing out. But he knew the outcome, he knew that it was all a dream, he had just hoped that things would be different. But reality had set in for Ed, his quest for vengeance must be fulfilled for he nor his fallen people will be able to rest until it is done.
Ed got up and took his belongings with him, he was famised. He took his bag and took out a map. Alagor city, that's where he needed to go. Logically speaking that was where he needed to be in order to find a trail on Lohk. That was where Lohk had come from. He took out his notebook and wrote the descriptions of the men he remebered from Lohk's crew. Lohk, Tholgaius, Kofke, and Saarle. He wrote down whatever he could remember. Their clothing, mannerisms, the size of their crew. He then placed everything in his bag and looked around the destroyed and plundered village, hoping to find a trail, hoping to find something left behind by those monsters. A piece of cloth was found under some rubble, it had a symbol on it that he had never seen before. It must have been one of Lohk's men's or Lohk's himself. It had a head of an eagle and body of a bull with three stars surrounding it forming a triangle. What could this symbol mean? Is their clan emblem? A god they worshipped or a memento left after laying destruction?
"This will be very important, I must safely keep this.", Ed thought to himself.
He then set his sights on getting to Alagor, hoping to find people on the way, his whole body was hurting but his eyes set on his goal. He set to head to the forest to find food, he needed to fuel his body up before he could go any further.
A Kalkarran forest rabbit was in sight. Finally, after searching for twenty minutes, he had found one at the corner of his eye. He needed to be calm and quiet so as to not scare the prey away. Kalkarran forest rabbits have a great sense of detecting danger and would sprint away at the slightest of noises at speeds of up to fifty miles an hour. Ed knew that much after hearing from his grandfather. The way to capture the rabbit was maintaining a distance and making as little movement as possible so as to not trigger its flight response. Thirty metres, it was enough for Ed to keep track of its movements while allowing for him to make his move.
The rabbit had been indulging in some ground leaves and kept moving away from Ed. Little by little, Ed had to move by tip-toeing, making as little noise as possible. He was waiting for the right time to make his move. Minutes have passed and the rabbit seemed to have been satisfied. It started digging a hole and moved inside it. Ed knew it was only a matter of time.
Kalkarran rabbits often overeat and often grow sleepy from doing so. In order to to sleep without exposing themselves to predators, they dig a hole about fifty centimetres deep, bury themselves with a small opening for airflow and defecate themselves in order to mask their scent. They then fall asleep within two to three minutes.
"Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.", Ed whispered to himself as he slowly walked towards the buried spot.
"Zero.", Ed took out his dagger which blade was about thirty centimetres. Ed with his free hand dug from the small opening big enough so as to let his dagger pierce and kill the rabbit, he did not want the rabbit to escape.
"This should do it.", Ed said to himself. He then plunged his dagger straight into the hole. But there was no contact, no feeling of flesh being felt. Ed swirled his knife around to feel for flesh but to no avail. It was then, he realised what was happening.
"Oh crap!"
Ed took out his dagger and started digging heavily into the dirt, filling his palms with as much dirt as possible and tossing it out. He did not have much time, he had to catch the rabbit in time or else it would escape. Ten seconds had passed and Ed tried to feel the around for the rabbit.
"Come on, come on. Arghhh!"
"Ah! I've got you now!"
Ed had gotten a slight feel for the rabbit's foot and took the opportunity to pinch it, he then pulled with all his might but the rabbit's survival instincts were testing his limits. A very small grip of its foot, if Ed were to let go a little, it would be able to escape. It would mean that Ed would not be able to eat, for who knows how long. Ed's face turned red, sweat surrounding his body. His breathing started to get heavier. Ed planted his heels into the dirt and pulled backwards, utilising his bodyweight to pull his prey in.
"ARGHHHHHHH!"
Ed had never used as much strength before, he felt like his light was fading away. But he could not give up. How could he? If he were to give up here, how would he able to get his revenge on Lohk? How would he able to explore the lands, do what he set out to do in the first place? This was a preliminary challenge. A side quest of a side quest. It was all or nothing at this point.
"ARGHHHHHHHH! COME OUT!"
At last, out came the rabbit out of the dirt. Ed fell to the ground, his hands over his head with a rabbit. He was covered in dirt and its feces. Now, the final act had to be done to call this a successful hunt. He had to kill the rabbit. Ed, with his free hand, tried to feel around for his dagger.
"Ah, got it."
He then took the dagger in one hand and swung it to the other side where he was holding the rabbit. The rabbit struggled for a little, almost escaping but Ed held firm, driving the dagger deeper into it. It took about ten seconds for the rabbit to stop struggling. It was dead. It was done. Ed's first obstacle. A Kalkarran rabbit. This was such a huge struggle but it was one that was necessary. Ed sighed and laid on the ground, catching his breath. He could not believe that such a small creature would give him such a challenge. He thought to himself. If this is a huge achievement, imagine what more could be waiting for him.
"Just... a moment, I need to rest...", Ed said to himself.
Burying his fellow Angrotorrians, making headstones for each and everyone of them and then hunting for a Kalkarran rabbit. Ed just needed a break from it all. Ed got up and started to gather wood around the forest. Now was not the time to rest, predators and dangerous individuals may be around the corner, he needed to be on guard. Ed gathered the wood and started a small fire, he needed it to be big enough to cook the rabbit thoroughly while also small enough so as to not get noticed. This much he knew from his grandfather, who taught him several survival tips. As Ed got the the right intensity for the fire, he started skinning the rabbit. He cut out bits and pieces of its fur and fed it to the fire. Then, he took out its organs and drained as much blood out of it as possible. Then, with his dagger he pierced the rabbit and held it over the fire and waited. Soon, he will be fed and energised. Soon, he will be able to set on his journey.
According to personal accounts, it would take about three weeks to walk from Patho to the capital Alagor. It has been two weeks and Ed had still been venturing, he has kept close to the trail but was careful not to expose himself too much for he does not know of the dangers that may await him. Some may say it would be luck that he was able to survive for so long, others may call it skill in the way he handled the situation. Always being passive, neglecting human interaction and conserving as much food and energy for the journey as possible. Ed had seen some humans on when travelling but he had ignored them for two reasons. One, he did not want to take the risk of being enslaved or worse yet, being killed. Not many people are good in this world and many will be willing to exploit the vulnerable if given the opportunity. Secondly, even if Ed made interactions with them, how would he be able to benefit? Ed did not want to be distracted and instead wanted to focus on the highest chance of success in finding Lohk, which is through the Capital City.
"Just a week more, then I'll be at the city.... just a week m-"
"Then you'll be at the city? With your pace it's going to take a lot longer."
Ed was shocked and looked behind. There was a man standing right behind him. He had parted long black hair, a sharp nose and green eyes. He was tall and relatively athletic. Ed fell to the ground. How long was he standing there? The man looked over him and inched closer towards him.
"Hmm.", The man said, observing Ed.
"You are a smart one aren't you? A young child traversing by himself for days on end.", The man smiled, extending his hand towards Ed.
Ed spaced himself away from the man and took out his dagger. He could not be careless in this situation, who knows what this man is capable of? Ed looked at the man and glanced around, this man could be with someone else. No, there was no one. No presence in Ed's vision, nothing to indicate that this man was with someone else. Ed slowly got up, pointing his dagger at the man. He was breathing heavily, his hands were shaking.
"H-h-How long have you been following me?", Ed asked hastily.
"About four, five days. You can put the dagger down, that won't do anything against me.", the man said.
"How do I know I can trust you?", Ed asked.
"Well, I can't prove it, but I do have a little brother, he's about your age and he likes to wonder around. He reminds me of you.", replied the man.
"Well, then I'm not putt-"
"What's your name? Let's start with that. Let's get to know each other.", the man interrupted.
"Uh-uh, Ed, Edward Hars.", replied Ed.
"Nice to meet you Ed, I'm Ralfodoph, leader of the Alagorian Resistance.", said the man.
Alagorian Resistance? Is Alagor in a state of war right now? From what Ed last heard Alagor was in a state of peace with one of the better hearted Kings. Why would Alagor have a Resistance? Is this man a bad guy? What is he plotting to do? Ed observed the man. He could not sense any hidden intentions from his body language. He was calm, shoulders relaxed, almost too relaxed that if Ed were to throw his dagger at him, he would most certainly meet his demise. Ed had to think, whether to trust him, run away from him or try to kill him. Ed assessed the situation when he finally got to a solution. He rummaged through his bag and took out a cloth and held it in front of the man, showing its symbol of the bull body with an eagle's head with three stars around it forming a triangle.
"Do you know where this is from?", asked Ed
"Hmm.", the man said, rubbing his chin. He inched closer to Ed but Ed stepped back pointing his knife at the man.
"Don't come any closer."
"Alright, alright. Well, I do know of that symbol, it belongs to Vyzyzstallyan Army.", said Ralfodoph.
"Vyzyzstallyan Army? From which nation are they from?", Ed asked.
"From the Kingdom of Vyzyzstallyan, they were a ruthless kingdom with warriors feared by many and other countries dared not to challenge them recklessly.", answered Ralfodoph.
"Where is this Kingdom of Vyzyzstallyan?", asked Ed.
"Oh, they no longer exist, the kingdom was wiped out three hundred years ago. Now where did you get that piece of cloth from?", asked the man curiously.
Ed's face looked pale, why did Lohk's crew have something from at least three hundred years ago? The average human lifespan is about fifty years or if you are lucky up to seventy. Could it be a coincidence that a piece of cloth was left behind and that Lohk's crew had no idea what it is? Ed had to know more, he had to get a lead, he needed to start somewhere. Ed looked at the piece of cloth and his eyes turned orange-red, blazing hot like the Sun. He clenched hard on the cloth and pointed it towards Ralfodoph. It was time for him to be honest, all he wanted was a lead. Ed's eyes burned with determination and vengeance.
"This cloth was found on the bodies of my slayed people, the Angrotorrians. It was Lohk and his men who slayed every single one of them. I am on the journey to seek revenge and I will do whatever it takes to kill every single one of them. My people will not be able to rest unless I do so.", Ed said in a straight voice.
Ralfodoph looked shocked. Ed's eyes, his determination and seeking vengeance at such a young age. Ralfodoph then had an idea. He knew nothing of where Lohk was, let alone who he was. He had limited knowledge of the Vyzyzstallyan Kingdom. But he needed Ed, he needed him to overthrow King Ermas. Ed ticked all the boxes- he was smart, perceptive and was in a position to manipulate. Ralfodoph had found a perfect target.
"I see. I can help you. But first, I need you to help me. I need to overthrow the King of Alagor. He has done very bad things, things as bad as Lohk. He has killed people, taken things from good people such as yourself and he is threatening the survival of Alagor's future.", Ralfodoph pleaded to Ed.
Ralfodoph walked towards Ed and reached out his hand and gestured a handshake. His eyes determined to get Ed on his side. Ed looked at him and thought for a second, doubting whether or not to trust him. He had a start here, Ralfodoph had knowledge of the Vyzyzstallyan Kingdom and from there he can get closer to Lohk. Ed thought to himself if he did not take this opportunity, when will he get the next? Ed took a deep breath and looked at Ralfodoph with his sun glazed eyes, he reached out and held firmly and shook it once.
"Very well then. First, we must journey to our base situated outside of Alagor. Help me with my path and I will help you with yours. Let's work on this shall we?", asked Ralfodoph.
Ed nodded his head. Ed and Ralfodoph gathered their items and journeyed towards the capital. They walked together, with Ralfodoph's pace being much quicker than Ed. Ed tried to catch up to him, often jogging in order to close the distance. This much was expected as Ralfodoph is rather tall, him being able to have longer strides whereas for Ed who is under four feet can only cover so much distance. After about thirty minutes Ed was panting, he was wondering why Ralfodoph has not slowed down so as to make him catch a breather. He was sweating and his legs could not take it. He wanted to stop for a few minutes, no, a few seconds.
"Wait! Can we stop for a bit!", shouted Ed, falling to the ground.
Ralfodoph stopped in his tracks and turned around facing Ed. He then took out a canteen from his bag and offered it to Ed. Ed took the canteen and drank as much as possible, disregarding the fact that Ralfodoph may be thirsty or whether or not Ralfodoph would act violently seeing Ed drink so much. He did not care, he just wanted this feeling of pain and thirst to go away. Once Ed was done drinking, he looked at Ralfodoph and passed it back. Ralfodoph's expression seems to be unbothered. He seemed to have something on his mind and could not care less for basic human needs.
"This is a part of your training in helping me.", said Ralfodoph.
"What? Training?", asked Ed confusingly.
"I need your stamina to be better and for you to get stronger if you are to help me Ed. My dream is not of mere words and fairytales Ed. I need it to happen. Just like your revenge, I need it to happen.", replied Ralfodoph.
Ed looked at Ralfodoph, his eyes were not lying, he looked like he had lost a lot in those eyes. Ed could feel Ralfodoph's pain, having gone through the same thing. Ed got up and took a deep breath and composed himself. He had to be more determined. He needed to be stronger, stronger so he can overcome anything that comes in the way of his revenge against Lohk.
"You are right. I need to be stronger. My revenge is not something I just fantasise about. I want it to be a reality. I need it to happen.", said Ed.
"Very well then. We will traverse for about two hours and we will reach close to Lake Cauntre.", replied Ralfodoph.
"Alright. But can we talk? I am curious about you and the resistance and what it is that you guys are trying to do.", asked Ed.
"Very well. But you must be able to keep up with me. If you are not able to, consider it a parting of our ways.", replied Ralfodoph, looking back at Ed.
Ed nodded and thought of some questions. He needed to ask good ones in order to conserve his stamina and know as much as possible about Ralfodoph and the resistance. He thought well for about five minutes and decided not to question Ralfodoph at all. He needed to survive for two hours and decided to keep his questions for later.
"Are you not going to ask me anything?", asked Ralfodoph
"Maybe later.", answered Ed.
About an hour passed and Ed's legs were tired from the constant jogging. He normally would just take his time walking and conserving energy but this time, his pace was much faster, he could tell he had covered more ground than when walking. But his quads and calves were hurting, but he knew he could not stop. Because if he stopped at any point before reaching Lake Cauntre, he would fall behind Ralfodoph.
"Slowly, slowly. Just don't stop. Once you stop it all ends here.", Ed thought to himself.
Ed's stomach was rumbling and his sides were hurting. He was hungry, uncomfortable with sweat running down his forehead. His eyes were irritated from it and he could taste his sweat. He spat out multiple times- to hydrate himself brielfy from his saliva and to get rid of the saltiness. His breathing was the heaviest it had ever been, Ed has been trying to keep it in control.
"Just an hour more. Just an hour more.", Ed thought to himself.
"Try clearing your mind and imagine I'm Lohk. I have killed all your people and now I am getting away, if you do not catch me, I will get away free. Never facing any consequences. Do you want that?", said Ralfodoph.
Ed closed his eyes for a few brief seconds, conjuring an image of Lohk running away from him in his head, he then opened his eyes and there he was. Lohk was right in front of him, his back facing towards Ed. Ed's eyes turned orange-red, glazing hot with vengeance. He had to catch up to Lohk. Ralfodoph sped up by jogging. Ed followed suit, he started running. He was determined to catch Lohk. His feeling of muscles aching, his hunger and thirst were nothing to him now. All he needed to do was catch Lohk. The adrenaline rush ran a course on Ed and he felt that nothing could stand in his way.
An hour passed, Lohk stopped in his tracks. Ed had finally had a clear chance, he took out his dagger and pounced on him, aiming it on his neck. Lohk turned around and dodged Ed's attack and knocked him out using his hand. Ed collapsed immediately. How could he have failed? Lohk was open, how was he able to react? How was he able to-
"Uh-argh..."
"Are you finally awake?"
Ed opened his eyes and looked toward the voice, he saw Ralfodoph sitting by a campfire, skinning a Kalkarran King Elk. He then looked around and saw Lake Cauntre. The moonlight shining beautifully on it, it's dark yet alluring waters tempted Ed to run towards it. He was thirsty, hungry and aching all over.
"Argh.", Ed said standing up.
"Sit down, I have gathered some water. Here.", said Ralfodoph, passing his canteen to Ed.
Ed sat down slowly and took the canteen from Ralfodoph. He then drank the all the water, in the canteen. He wanted to quench his thirst after the grueling travel.
"Oh, sorry. I was just so thirsty.", said Ed.
"It is alright. Come, take out your dagger and help me with this Elk.", requested Ralfodoph.
Ed and Ralfodoph got to skinning, draining and slicing the Elk. Ed's dagger was simply not big enough and he had to use more strength than when slicing up the Kalkarran rabbit.
"Try to use your body weight. Your dagger is not and arms are not enough.", said Ralfodoph.
Ed used his body weight by laying back a litte, utilising his back and hips. It worked better. He did not have to struggle as much. The Elk's insides could be seen. It's organs were huge, being at least four times bigger than a Kalkarran rabbit. Ralfodoph got to removing its organs and placing them on top of a pile of gathered wood.
"Ed, come here and mince the organs.", asked Ralfodoph.
Ed came over with his dagger and tried to chop up the organs. It was hard, the unstable gathered wood and slipperiness of the organs made it hard. Ed had to hold the organs in place and slice the organs in half, then those halves and halves and so on. It was grueling and tested Ed's patience.
"Good, you're doing well. This will be used as bait.", said Ralfodoph.
Ed was exhausted and lied down immediately after hearing Ralfodoph. He thought of questions he could ask Ralfodoph. He sat up and looked at him, ready to ask away.
"Where are you from? Alagor?", asked Ed.
"So, now you have your questions. Smart aren't you? No I was not from the capital of Alagor, in fact I was from the slum sides of Kharyun. A small city of only 10 square kilometres. With structures piled onto each other, walkways so small that people had to walk sideways to get anywhere and where word gets out faster than when you can greet another.", answered Ralfodoph, chopping the Elk up into pieces and placing them on sticks when doing so.
"I see. How were you able to come to Alagor city then?", asked Ed.
"I just escaped the city with my friends. We were looking for work, to better our lives.", answered Ralfodoph.
"I see. H-"
"Ed. This Lohk guy, can you tell me more about him?", asked Ralfodoph with serious eyes.
"Okay, he's-".