The sounds of iron clashing echoed throughout my ear drums. Each time I swung my blade I could feel the wind smash across my face.
I hit harder and harder, yet Red wouldn't budge. She stood there as if she silently mocked my form. I swung beneath her sword toward her legs only for her to jump over it.
I watched her as she dashed behind me and knocked straight into my back. I tumbled forward, only able to catch myself by throwing my body against the momentum.
I turned and swung only to find she was already behind me again.
"Fight harder."
She didn't have to say it twice. I whipped my sword through the ground and flung up a wall of dust. I watched as her dodge left a trail of dust.
This is my chance.
I lifted my arm gripped her leg and slammed her body to the ground. My face was suddenly met with a flash of light as I flew back first through a tent. I grunted as I lay in the dirt.
That power. It was something I had never seen until I met her. I had so many questions about it.
"What is that power that you use?"
Red returned her blade to its sheath.
Her hand glistened with its power.
"I don't have a name for it, but I devoted alot of my life to learn of it."
The light disappeared from her hand, and she reached out to pull me up. I accepted it as I rose to my feet.
"Training you as delayed our trip to the shrine. If you are to protect Black, you have to become something stronger than myself."
Her intensity was something I still was not used to, even though I had countless fights with her. Her determination drove from something deep within her that she had yet to share with me.
In the distance, I could see Black with Garg. They had spent most of the time training in the use of bows. I watched as they prepared to duel.
"I won't hold back on you this time!"
Black darted toward Garg with incredible agility and speed. Garg stretched his massive hand up and smacked down into the ground, missing Black as he spun above Garg.
Black reached to his back and drew his bow with a dulled arrow. The arrow flung toward Garg at light speeds. I could see a smirk run across his jaw as he caught the arrow in one hand and grabbed Black's leg in the other.
"You can't outsmart me, kid!"
Yet, Black laughed which confused Garg. From the sky fell an arrow which hit Garg straight in the dome.
Garg reached for his head, letting Black go in the process. Black landed on his feet and dashed between Garg's legs. He pulled at his bow string which he had wrapped around Garg's legs, causing the massive man to collapse to the ground.
"Seems you got outsmarted." Red clapped her hands together.
Garg stood to his feet and dusted the dirt from his armor. He stood over Black with an intense smile on his face. Then he busted out into laughter.
"You sure learn fast, youngling."
It was impressive how fast Black had learned combat. He was small and agile. I had struggled to even use a sword, but here he was more prepared than ever.
We stood in a circle as Red pulled a map from her side.
"After today's sleep, we will venture to the shrine."
It got quiet. The grin on Garg's face slowly disappeared. Red laid the map on the ground as we huddled around it. She pointed to a large line that spanned to its center.
"The entire journey we must keep our heads on swivels. The Shadows will roam up until we get to this point, then they will all vanish."
Garg mumbled to himself.
"They fear the Blood Vermin. As any creature would to something stronger than it."
Black looked up at Garg.
"Have you seen one before?"
Garg took a deep breath.
"I have. Back in my days when I used to be a mapper, I had ventured into its territory in search of the Fire Cavern."
This was the first I had ever heard of a Fire Cavern. I could only picture in my head a cave of deep fire. But I was learning new things about this world, and yet so many questions littered my brain.
Not only a while ago had I learned more people lived here. I wondered if more children lived in caves. Maybe some rabbits collected carrots and brought them to the shrine.
Red closed the map and ordered us to return to our tents. I walked over to my own which had a small cot within it. But now there was a large bag as well.
I inspected it as it wasn't my own. Within it had enough supplies to last us for a journey. Rope, food, water, and stones to start a fire. On its side, there were small windchimes that were secured by rope. I lifted the bag, but when the windchimes smacked together they were utterly silent.
"Those only ring when the Shadows begin to roam." Red had appeared behind me.
I nodded in agreement.
"You're nervous, I can tell."
She was right. I didn't have to speak to make that clear, my hands shook at the thought of the Shadows. All I could think about was Blue. How I failed him.
"I need to speak to you about that."
Red closed my tent behind her and stood with her hand out.
"I have a plan; one I can't share with the others. We will be splitting up once we get near the shrine."
I shot up, but I was hesitant to argue.
"I have a theory that there is no danger once you are near the shrine. So once Garg and Black arrive, you and I will head back into the danger."
"Why would we do that?"
Red's eyes narrowed. It sent chills down my spine every time she did that.
"We are going to find the Fire Cavern. I have business there to attend to. That is final."
Red walked out of my tent. I stood there, silent. She had so much information she refused to share. But I knew if I was with someone as strong as her, no one would die. I just wasn't certain she would use that power to protect us.
The sleep I had was sparse. It had been hard ever since that day. Every time my eyes closed, I felt haunted. I would often leave my tent with caution, and this time was no different. I could hear the fire spark in the camp as the blinding void flashed my eyes.
To my surprise, Garg was sitting down by the fire. He had stared into the fire, concentrating on the burning mass. He noticed me as I got closer. I decided to take a seat across from him on the other side of the fire.
"Are there any other people in this world?"
Garg kept his glare toward the fire. I wanted to see if maybe he could answer my questions, even though we hadn't made any sort of connection since we had crossed paths.
He took a deep breath as if it was a burden to answer.
"I have a theory that this land is barren for a reason. I have devoted my life exploring, mapping, and learning about this world we live in."
I sat confused at what he meant.
Garg reached down to his feet and plucked a small carrot that sprouted from the ground. Then he reached into his belt and pulled out his blade. He then began to skin the carrot of its orange skin.
"Imagine this skin is this world we live in. This bare carrot is another world, not ours, but beneath it."
I looked up toward the blinding sky.
"Like where the bus dropped us off, right?"
Garg stared at me in confusion.
"Are you referring to when your parents gave birth to you?"
Did they not fall from the sky like I did?
I decided to shrug it off with a smile. For some reason, in the back of my mind, I thought of what he meant by birth. It felt as if I had vaguely heard of the term at some point, maybe a long time ago, but I couldn't visualize it.
"I have known of small homes and villages inhabiting creatures of all kinds. But it has been a long time since I had talked to anyone but Red."
It made sense to me. I wondered how many others believed in the shrine. Maybe the tradition of taking carrots along the dangerous paths to the shrine was common in this world, or Skip was truly misled.
"So, how long have you and Red been together?'
Garg crumpled his fist as he stared into the fire. His aura gave off one of despair, something I had never felt from the man.
"She saved me. I once had a crew-" He hesitated.
"I was starving, walking the lands when she approached me. Though, like any wounded animal, I got scared. I drew my bow as she darted at me."
Garg sat up and looked at me with a chuckle.
"She almost finished me off!"
He laughed as if it was something so comical to him. I couldn't imagine. If she was strong enough to almost kill this hunk of man back then, how powerful is she now?
Garg continued.
"She took me in, and I became her soldier. With my mapping skills, I was a useful asset for her. If it wasn't for that, I bet she would have left me in the fields to be Shadow food."
Garg pointed his massive finger at me from across the fire.
"The fact she hasn't killed you yet means you must be special. Or she plans to use you as a meat shield, who knows!"
Garg stood from the fire and waved as he went to sleep in his tent.
I looked down at a bucket of water that sat next to the fire. As I stared down at my reflection, I noticed how dirty my beard was.
Black was right, it had gotten long. My beard was a few inches shorter when we ran away from the Shadow. That much time had passed since that day.
I took my blade and began to chop it away. I left my mustache to stop dirt from entering my nose, but the beard was no more.
I sat next to the fire until the windchime rang.