Beneath the sun's relentless gaze,
They tread on paths of dust and haze.
With armor hot and throats gone dry,
Their weary hearts still reach the sky.
The blade they wield feels twice its weight,
Yet onward they march, defying fate.
Each step a trial, each breath a chore,
Yet dreams of glory drive them more.
The gold they seek, the tales they weave,
Can scarcely mend the wounds they grieve.
But in the end, with shadows won,
They'll rest beneath a kinder sun.
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The poem I made when I was learning how to read and write is stuck in my head as we travel in a caravan under this heat. I wonder why, but that poem hit me as soon as i realize the situation I am in.
The rhythmic creak of the caravan wheels accompanied my thoughts, a metronome counting down to the moment we'd disembark. I glanced at Kael again, her relaxed posture at odds with the tension coiling in my stomach.
How could she be so calm? Even under this relentless heat, she carried herself with the ease of someone who had seen the worst and come out unscathed. Or maybe she just hid it well.
[You're staring, you know] (Kael) She said, her tone teasing but her eyes still fixed on the road behind us.
[Got something on your mind, mister mage?] (Kael)
I shifted uncomfortably, caught off guard.
[No] I lied, tugging at the collar of my tunic.
[Just… wondering how you don't melt under that cloak]
Her laugh was light, almost musical, but there was something sharp behind it.
[You'd be surprised what you can endure when you've been through worse] (Kael)
I wanted to ask what she meant, but the way her hand lingered on the hilt of her short sword told me to let it go. Instead, I turned my attention to the horizon. The dusty road stretched endlessly before us, a wavering mirage where the land met the sky. The intersection loomed closer with every passing second, and with it, the gnawing pit in my stomach grew deeper.
The Deathly Hollows. Even the name felt heavy on my tongue, a weight pressing down on the back of my mind. I clenched my fists, the leather of my gloves creaking softly.
Kael seemed to sense my unease. She leaned back, tilting her head to look at me properly.
[You've been awfully quiet since we set out, having second thoughts?] (Kael)
[Third, fourth, and fifth thoughts, actually] I admitted, trying for a joke but failing to hide the tremor in my voice.
Her gaze softened, but only slightly.
[Good. Means you're not a fool. But don't let it paralyze you, either. You've made it this far—don't stop now, and remember when I told you to meet me when you are ready?] (Kael) Huh?
Easier said than done. I thought back to the whispers I'd heard about the place we were heading. Stories of adventurers who went in with bright eyes and big dreams, only to never return. Or worse, to come back shattered and hollow, haunted by whatever they had seen—or done.
[I think you are ready] (Kael)
Her words did not fully reached me as the caravan jolted to a sudden stop, snapping me out of my thoughts.
The driver called out, his voice gruff and impatient.
[Intersection's up ahead! This is your stop if you're headed to the Hollows] (??)
Kael stood smoothly, sliding her swords into their sheaths with practiced ease.
[Guess this is it] (Kael) She said, her tone as casual as if we were stepping into a tavern instead of the edge of a graveyard.
I hesitated, my boots feeling like lead as I swung my pack over my shoulder. The other passengers barely glanced at us, their eyes downcast and their faces worn. They didn't envy us; they pitied us.
[Thanks for the ride, sir]
I tightened the straps of my satchel as I bowed my head.
[No worries kid, but take care okay? You have probably heard of what to face there, and missy take care too] (??)
Kael nodded and hopped down first, landing lightly on the dusty ground. She turned to look up at me, one eyebrow raised.
[Coming, or are you waiting for an engraved invitation?] (Kael)
Swallowing hard, I followed her. The heat hit me like a wall the moment I stepped off the caravan, the air shimmering with the promise of more to come. The caravan didn't linger. With a groan of wheels and the crack of a whip, it rolled away, leaving us standing alone at the crossroads.
For a moment, the world was silent, save for the faint rustle of dry grass and the distant caw of a crow. The road to the Forgotten Hollows stretched before us, darker and more foreboding than the one we'd left behind.
[Last chance to turn back] Kael said, though her tone suggested she didn't expect me to take it.
I shook my head, forcing my legs to move.
[I've come this far. No turning back now]
Kael smirked, a glint of approval in her eyes.
[Good answer. Let's see if you can keep that resolve when we get there] (Kael)
As we started down the path, my poem resurfaced in my mind, unbidden and insistent.
"The gold they seek, the tales they weave,
Can scarcely mend the wounds they grieve."
I tightened my grip on the straps of my satchel, each step feeling heavier than the last. I wasn't ready. I knew that. But I was here anyway, walking toward the unknown with a woman who didn't seem fazed by death.
"In the end, with shadows won,
They'll rest beneath a kinder sun."
If there was any sun to be found beyond the Hollows, I prayed it would be kinder than this one.