Chereads / The downfall of Meriah / Chapter 4 - The village of Arbon

Chapter 4 - The village of Arbon

As the sun had completely set, and it was too dangerous to keep going in the dark. Nox took the time to properly think about everything that has happened. Up until now, hes been avoiding thinking about it. Keeping himself busy with finding a place to stay, and his new found injuries. Although at the moment, as his body was to tired to bother with pain, he could no longer ignore the memories of that night.

The smell of blood, the look on his parents face, the glee of the soldiers. All of it plagued his mind that night, and will continue to do so for a very long time. Unable to escape the circle of nightmares that come, some distorting to something more horrific, some being pure memory.

As dawn came, Nox got back on his feet and began walking again. Being covered in cold sweat did not help keeping him warm in the increasingly colder temperatures added with how little clothes he's wearing, with it being torn up. At this point, if he cant find any way to get warn again he might get sick, and that was the last ting he wanted. At this point, getting sick was a death wish. The only was he could think of to gain heat was a fire, and looking around there was a lot of material to make one. 'But that can wait.' the thought was firm and unwavering knowing that the sunlight was the only time he could walk closer to his goal safely.

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Nox had been walking for about a week now. Without stop, he had been doing the same routine over and over. At dawn walk to were the sun sets, if any food is found get it, at night set up camp and rest until tomorrow. It was tiring to say the least. At this point he was starting to doubt Geret, but anytime he asked the answer was the same. "Go towards where the sun sets and you'll find a village". But how long is that going to take? A few week? A month? Maybe a year? Shuddering at the thought his mind wandered back to the possibility of already passing the village. He's asked Geret about it, but the goat insists that it would be impossible to miss it.

Stuck in his thoughts, Nox suddenly crashed into something. Thinking that it was a tree again, he was about to sidestep and walk further until a hand grabbed his arm. "Hey kid, arnt you even going to apologise for crashing into me?" The hand belonged to a middle aged man with a long beard, wearing clothes fit for the weather. He seemed peeved at Nox's behaviour but calmed down when he finally got a proper look at him. "Hey.. are you alright? Where are your parents?" concern overtook the man at Nox's appearance, torn clothes bearly covering his body, with evident faded cuts here and there. Not only that but with how thin hes gotten with almost not eating anything for a while, even his aura was pitiful.

".... could be better I guess.." Nox looked down avoiding the man's gaze. "Could be better..? That's a major understatement if I've ever heard one" As a cold wind passed by, the man realized that the boy in front of him must be cold. "Hey, why dont you come with me. I'll take you to someone that can help" Thinking for a bit, Nox decided that he have nothing to lose if he went with. "okay.." The man seemed happy with his cooperation and gladly lead them over to the village. "Oh.. and my name is Igna Rus. What's yours?" " I'm Nox" "Nice to meet you Nox. Now, my friend will be able to fix you up so dont worry."

Stopping in front of a small house, smoke could be seen coming from the chimney. " just on time it seems, she's making dinner" Igna walked over to the door and knocked three times waited and then knocked four times. "What was that?" The pattern seemed strange to Nox, after all, who does that? "Hm? Oh! It's just a little something she told me to do when I'm here" Igna seemed proud of himself, '.. hes a bit... stupid' Nox couldn't avoid thinking. "What do you need Igna?" A woman a bit younger then Inga opened the door, she had ligth blue hair and similar eyes. Starring at Igna she suddenly noticed Nox, "Oh! you brought someone. Hello there, I'm Medax and you are?" Bending down to his level, she began to look him over. "um.. I'm Nox, and can you stop that?" The constant touching was making him very uncomfortable. "sorry, sorry. Anyway, come on in! I'm just done with dinner"

It hadn't been long. At most it's been about 2 hours since he arrived. During that time he had eaten a bowl of soup, gotten a new set of clothes and gotten some information about where he it. Apparently, he's in Arbon. A small town to the south of the capital of Korel. As small as it was, it could only survive with shady deals. Although that was not something Igna nor Medax outright said, if it was hinted any more it would have been a confession. They may have tried to hide it from him, but with how eager Igna was to answer his questions and with how Medax tried to cover it up, only an idiot would miss it.

Either way, he need to get out of here. If the town's people suffer from this already, what will happen to him? An outsider that no one knows, and no one will miss. Staying here is a death wish. Maybe Igna can help him? He seems to stupid to be on this, so maybe he's safe? 'no. no one here is safe. Not Igna, not any one else, and decently not Medax' He could not even ask Geret for help as he can not enter Morox's forest from within civilisation. For the first time truly feeling alone, Nox began to plan a way out.