Nexus Fate - Chapter 9: The Beginning...

Everything is guided.

“W.. we're still alive!”

There's something wrong with this whole place. This entire landscape... it's just wrong. I can't even dictate this is England anymore... not with a clear conscious.

Lyez leaned back, kicking up his legs. “Yea -”

“D****t! What am I going to do with all of this cargo?”

“You could open shop,” Lyez chuckled, “but I’m more concerned as to why the King was so disappointed in that spear. How did it break so easily?”

“Yeah, that was strange... My master is a well-known blacksmith. He wouldn't make such a fragile weapon as that!”

“The design of the spear I held, during the accident, was well-done... but I never -”

“Was that spear you had part of my cargo?”

“Huh? Y- yeah.”

“Oh, I thought you were a spear-wielder... and that, that wasn't yours?”

“Nope... but I guess it could've been”, Lyez laid back with laughter.

“Yeah~”

Lyez moved his arm back, through the tear in the wagon-bed's covering. “Who knows, maybe this other one will do!”

“Ha, ha, ha...”

“I guess I should head over to the barracks and get my equipment. You could probably tell this armour looked a little off, compared to the other guards. Plain-silver sticks out from all the green. This was ceremonial armour, from my grandfather. I didn't feel like bringing a load of stuff to the inn too, resting in peace ya'know.”

“Why didn't you wear what you were assigned to?”

“I didn't want to get ambushed by any cynics. That'd be a pain.”

“Huh. Ya, well, I'll head to th... W- wha~!” The ground ahead of the wagon's front-end receded, dirt draining within. Immediately, a mushroom tip plugged from the hole's surface, ejecting skyward!

“What?”

“Tell me you saw that, or are you blind as a bat!”

“Saw what? Let's get a move on -”

“The god-damned mushroom that just popped out of the ground! The one that's right there!” Teiy leaned forward, stretching his arm past the horses, almost touching the thing's frayed surface.

“What are you talking about? Let's keep going already.”

“So you are as blind as a bat!”

“I see it, I see it! No big deal. Let's get a move on!”

“'No big deal'? It popped out of the -” The tone of an out-of-place suction, and raucous friction, caught his ear. At a turn, two other mushrooms could be seen over the heads of the crowds walking by. “What's going on?”

“Nothing~!”

“This mushroom came out of the ground! How else would it be right in front of us? In a crowded city at that!”

“Because I’m not the one driving this thing!”

“You mean to say you didn't see these things pop...”, past where Lyez sat, another mushroom tip protruded out of a sink hole. “Popp " ing out of the -”

A tapping made light at the wagon's side, “Excuse me, could you two keep moving? I need to get my supplies across the street.”

Lyez looked annoyed at Teiy, and Teiy responded. “Oh, I’m sorry!”

Lyez crossed his arms, “I bet! Now go to the right after this bakery.”

“Lyez, there's something wrong with everything that's been going on.”

“What do you mean?”

“I... I don't think this is where I should be... this place.”

“Royce?”

“Not Royce in itself, but this whole land isn't my homeland. It isn't England. You said it yourself, we're in 'Nori'.”

“But you traveled by cart from your hometown didn't you? That alone would make what you're thinking impossible.”

“I think something unexplainable must have happened. Like that mushroom for Pete’s sake!” Teiy stabilized at the returning sensation of his former gloom. “Where I lived, beasts never showed themselves. Common-people didn't dress this glamorously... it's hard to explain.”

“Maybe weapon durability is another factor of change”, Lyez laughed again.

“These were professionally made! That King must have done something to that halberd! It could have, maybe, been worn some-how... but -”

“What are these blades imbued with?” Lyez looked in the back once again, through the ripped hole.

“'Imbued'?”

“Your joking! You mean these armaments are plain?”

“... You're talking about magic?”

“My, maybe you aren't from Nori after all. Or your village is something else -”

“Answer me!”

“It's not magic exactly, it's more... well, to be honest, I don't think anyone knows what it is for certain. All I can tell you is, you get a part of one of those big, Rein Shards, and you've got yourself a noticeable improvement over this.”

The cart turned the corner to the right, only for another shroom to bloom in its path. “By god! Tell me you saw that one at least!”

“I did, tell me you wont run into the next one...”

“'Run into'? Say it with me this time... IT CAME OUT OF THE GROUND.”

“I don't get what your saying. It was there the whole time!”

“Stop messing around!”

“I'm not messing around! Teiy, you know I’m starting to think maybe there's something wrong with you. Should we go to the pr-”

“Sheesh~ you're mad! Where to now?” Teiy hunched, pouting.

“Just keep going straight. The barracks are merged onto the town's wall. So just keep goin', but Teiy -”

“You know what, just shut your trap! We'll get your supplies, then I think I’ll head back home. I'm tired of this... this...” Gladius... “I - I'll go back to my village to get help. Then I’ll search for Galdius again... I’ll come back then...”

“Are you sure about leaving? You don't seem to be aware of, about, anything, no offense. I'm thinking of your ability to handle these things you haven't been told. It's a shame really...”

“I think I can handle myself to my hometown. I just wont ride at night. I'll be fine.”

Royce's, metallic-green battle-wall became ever-so-close. A wide overhang of leather covered the barracks, which was embedded into the wall's side. The barrier curved out to a tower at this section, and windows could be seen going up its structure, with apparent stairs curling along with them inside. The cart stopped under the overhang, that was high above them.

Lyez hopped off, “I'll be right back Teiy!”

“Wait! Are you coming with me to the front gate?”

“Of course!”

“Thanks!”

Teiy dropped the reigns, and pressed his palms against his cheeks. He rubbed his eye's faintly, and noticed another shroom upon returning his vision to the world. The thing had a great curvature at its tip, and the stem was frayed a great amount. But why was it even there?

Why doesn't anyone care for their existence? You'd think that would be an immense problem considering it could cause property damage, or a nostalgic sensation of your papa lifting you atop his shoulders... what the hell.

Footsteps sounded to the left, away from the barracks. Three guards made their approach to the wagon, “You there! Merchant!”

Teiy scratched his noggin, “Yes?”

“Get off the wagon.”

“Why?”

The guards looked to each-other, and burst into a sprint.

“S**t!” Teiy tugged the reigns, and lashed at his best. The horses dashed past the running guards, onwards to the streets. The crowds still filled them, with a lone mushroom every few dozen feet... They really grew in numbers since the first forced out, and no-one even stopped for a glance. Looking back, the guards forced their way through the crowds, still on the pursuit.

“Damn, damn, damn!”

Teiy continued whipping the steeds, trying to find his way around the endless masses. Two, differing guards joined the chase close by!

Why are they after me?

The crowds moved in such a way that a gap was noticeable for a moment.

“Come on!”

Teiy tugged the horses away from a bent-individual, and the wagon raced onwards!

What if they got Lyez? Did the King see the chest? No, he couldn't have with such a short peek. If this was his plan, it'd be pointless! He could've taken everything we had on the spot. This is something else... something different. Is Builth some secret? Does he know I see the world in a different way? Is it wrong to see it in such a way? Is it even his doing to begin with?

“Hey! Watch it!”

Damn, I’m thinking to much. “Sorry!” Where was the gate... Oh no.

Mounted guards joined the pursuit up ahead.

I have to turn, now! Come on, I need an opening. “Move! Out of the way! Forgive me!”

Teiy turned a hard left, into an alleyway between two taverns. The sides of the wooden, and stone, structures oozed with grease. The walls dripped, as Teiy rode by with haste! The opening was there, at the end. The alley was empty, allowing for faster travel there. Back to the crowded streets... and there they stood! The three ominous gates towered before him... the bars fell. The right gate's bars collapsed down, crushing whatever was beneath it.

Teiy was speechless. What... you psychopaths! Two left, I've got to go fast! Faster d****t!

The middle gate fell, the melody of mashing wood raised hell. The traffic's movements slowed, a loud rucksack of voices and screams built.

They're going to stop moving entirely!

There was no other way. The only exit Teiy knew of was the front gates. He was lucky to even get this far on his own. If they all closed...

Lyez, please be alright.

A voice shrieked from behind, “Stop boy! Stop your wagon now!” A bolt crashed through the back of the wagon. Wood chips flew in the air, receding behind Teiy as he picked up speed. CHING! The final gate was loose. Teiy made it underneath the toppling iron. He knew it'd be impossible to get out in time. So wide...

This is it. I'm going to die...

“Ahhh~!”

Author's Note

This is my first attempt at writing a full story.
Also the chapters are at a short length because I posted them first on DeviantArt, and people will never read your stories if they are too long there (which is why I moved here).

I'd appreciate any type of criticism as this is my first writing.

*By the way, I will very likely combine chapters to lessen the total number after I have completed the book (as with chapters of this length, the amount will very likely enter 3 digits).