BK1 Chapter Twenty-Nine

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Lieutenant Cragborn was true to his word and kept glancing back at us as we marched. I found my breathing had improved considerably with my increase in stamina. I did not tire as quickly as I had previously, and my muscles did not burn as they once had. However, the sun was particularly high, and the warmth of its rays made me sweat. The ground was growing less muddy and more rocky. I had to be careful of where I walked to prevent my foot from slipping on the uneven footing. The Prairie expanse thinned as we walked alongside it. Its reeds grew shorter until, eventually, we passed them and returned to a landscape of meadows.

I informed Teresa of what had happened to Rian and I as we marched. Teresa asked many questions, and Harold was also interested, especially in the Agiluf and how we defeated it. Garret had demanded I give him the Angel shrooms as my fiance; something about what I have should be his. Nonsense quickly shut down by both Harold and Teresa. Garret had moped about civility for a while but eventually relented against our hard gazes. He was too cowardly to fight against us all.

Soon the afternoon loomed, and we slowed for our break. We did not set up fires and instead settled on the rocky ground chewing on cold rations cooked during our trip. I was excited to show Teresa my cooking skill in the evening, if there was anything for us to cook, that is. By disrupting the hunt of the Kreshna, Rian and I deprived the brigade of much-needed meat. Knowing this, I felt a small amount of guilt. However, I still wouldn't have chosen differently. Kuru had helped us; it would have been wrong for me to have helped the Summoners of team five in their attack.

I caught Rian's eye as the trainees tucked in their rations. She sat some distance away with her group, Lacey Weadall, Kit Balburn and a noble I did not know. Rian smiled at me and mouthed she would speak to me later; I nodded and continued my conversation with Teresa.

Teresa regaled to me of how horrible it had been without me; she had butted heads with Garret and his stuck-up attitude towards commoners. Harold did not intervene and only provided distractions from time to time. She had struggled, and I could see how emotionally drained she was. My death must have been a shock alongside the terror of the Horned Baildon attack.

Whilst we ate, my eyes wandered to the summoners nearby. Callan had not approached me yet; he had stayed with his group. However, I noticed he was acting more sternly than usual. His attention was focused on the land around us, and he often seemed to be fidgeting, keeping his Jian drawn at all times. His body language suggested he was on edge, and I frowned as I saw an argument between him and his teammates from the look on their faces.

After our break was over, we set off again for the second half of our march for the day. The smell in the air changed as we progressed. It was something I had not experienced before. It reminded me of salt, and the wind began to pick up considerably as my black hair whooshed around me. Teresa handed me one of her spare hair ties, and I fastened it into a poorly made bun to keep it out of my face. The salt smell grew stronger as the march angled right. Large stones and hills became a struggle to climb, and my muscles soon found their familiar ache again. In front of us, I could see the brigade slowing as we stepped ever higher up the hill we were traversing. Every breath burned my lungs as I found it harder to get oxygen the higher we went. Sounds I did not know of were heavy, loud throbs thumping repetitively in the landscape. I gripped my backpack tighter. Was that the sound of a demonic beast? Its noise was so loud it could be as terrifying as the Horned Baildon. Why had they not sounded an alarm?

Finally, the horn sounded for the end of the day's march. I slumped my shoulders to catch my breath, trying to suck in as much air as I could. Harold dropped his backpack and immediately began to set up his tent, not wanting to lose momentum before resting. Teresa followed suit and quickly pulled out of our tent. I wiped my brow of sweat and helped her set it up, then proceeded to start a fire.

As I got the flames to burn the flufftoru, I heard the noise of someone approaching. Lifting my head, I saw Callan as he entered our camp for the night.

His brown hair was a mess, his hands had blisters from training, and his grey eyes looked down at me with an emotion I could not place.

"Lynette", Callan held out his hand and gestured I take it. I looked at his box and gulped. Placing my hand in his, I allowed him to pull me up from the fire I had been crouching upon. "Come with me" he tugged my hand, leading me away from the camp.

***

Vishka's Guidance System

Callan Heversham

Likeability: 0% (+4%)

Callan took me higher up the hill where the sound of throbs grew loudest. I panicked a little, looking back at Teresa, but she was already occupied talking with Harold. Why did Callan want to bring me closer to those scary sounds?

"Where are we going?" I asked hesitantly as he continued to drag me further away from the brigade towards where the hill met the sky. I could not see beyond its edge.

"To show you something", Callan answered without looking at me as we reached the edge of the hill. I paused as he stood in front when he stopped, the smell of salt so thick in the air.

"Come here" Callan loosened his grip on my hand and gently pulled me toward him. My feet did not want to move, so I stood still.

"W-what is it?"

"Just come here," Callan said, irritated at my refusal. He lightly pulled, and my feet budged into the place he wanted.

I gasped at the top of the hill.

I had never seen anything like it; a vast stretch of deep blue water disappeared into the horizon. Turquoise glinted on its surface as waves pushed against the bottom of the cliff we stood atop. White foam gathered as the waves bellowed below in their throbs.

"It's beautiful", I breathed, gazing at the scene and realising it must be the ocean. I had heard stories about its grandeur, but I did not think I would ever see it.

"I thought you would like it" Callan smiled, satisfied.

"See over there?" Callan pointed towards the distance over to the right of the cliffs, where they bent around the ocean. I had to squint to make it out, but I saw what looked like stone walls. They were small to me, but I knew from this distance that meant they were actually incredibly large. Two large towers planted on the ground reached into the sky as the cliff sloped to meet the ocean on its beach. I saw small vessels bobbing in the ocean near a structure that led out from the walls.

"Is that…?"

"Yes, that's Zromore, the Capital", Callan confirmed my suspicion.

"Does that mean we are close? Is the March over?" I asked, a little excited.

"A few days yet, but we are close" Callan smirked at my enthusiasm.

"I have to show Teresa and Rian!" I turned to go back for them, but Callan quickly grabbed my hand holding me back.

"Lynette", Callan spoke, pained. I turned back to him and saw his eyes looking at me in a way that made my stomach flutter. "I'm sorry", he whispered, frowning. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you back then."

"Callan", I relaxed in his grip. "It wasn't your fault. There was nothing that you could have done."

"I could have gotten to you faster."

"You would just have ended up hurt" My lips tugged up. "The fact you care is enough for me."

It was more than anything he had ever shown me in the past. Callan would often get angry, he would often say things to purposely push people, and he was quick to make judgements. But he never shunned me like Eduard did when I had an outburst in public. He had always been upfront with me about his thoughts on my behaviour. However, he had never been friendly enough for him to show a single hint that he cared.

Callan frowned. "That is not the point."

"Isn't it? It's not like you directly got me killed; you didn't stab me with your sword" I hesitantly smiled, rubbing my chest where the scar remained from that very act.

"I would never do such a thing", Callan scowled.

"Wouldn't you?" I couldn't help it, I knew those were words I shouldn't say, but they tumbled before I could stop them.

“Lynette” Callan dropped my hand. "That isn't funny."

"Is it not? But you found it fun to tell Father I stole Mother's necklace, didn't you?"

"Lynette, what does that have to do with anything?" Callan raised his voice as his eyes glared.

Vishka's Guidance System

Callan Heversham

Likeability: -8% (-13%)

I glanced at the box as the small few numbers it had risen during our conversation drastically fell.

"It has everything to do with my life" I could feel my face contorting into a malicious look.

"Are you seriously spouting such nonsense" Callan growled, his number dropping even lower.

"Of course", I smirked, "It was that day I first received rotten food. It was that very day that Father lost his respect for me. It was that very day that my truths became dirt. It was that very day, I learned, I could not trust you."

Callan paled as he looked at me wide-eyed. His body stilled as he opened his mouth like a fish.

"Lynette… I-I didn't realise" Callan trailed his words as he took in my expression.

"No. I suppose you didn't" I smiled viciously. The emotions of my mistreatment balled inside as I saw his pained eyes. I could see his regret, his anguish at learning the truth of his actions.

But I did not care. Not at this moment.

"Lynette", Callan croaked a little as he swallowed. "I'm, I'm so sorry."

"Yes. Well. It is enough for me to know you cared about my life at least once." I abruptly turned away from him, afraid he would see the tears in my eyes.

"Lynette!" Callan called as I walked away down the hill.

I had never confronted Callan in any of my lives; I had always been too afraid.

This time, I could not have stopped my bubbling emotions as they rocketed out of the cage I had hidden them within.