Nexus Fate - Chapter 12: Noble

Everything is guided.

The golden line of the sky slipped away. The moon could already be seen over them all, at the beginning of its waning cycle.

Venson grew livid, “How can you be this unprepared if you planned to raid Royce!”

Teiy desperately foraged through the rip in the cargo-cover.

Catasca shivered, “We can get some branches, and tear sections off some rags.”

Venson placed his hand over his face, “Head captain, please tell me there's a tinderbox back there.”

Tal'Von Baron put the prepped torch stems aside, “I didn't find one.”

Teiy pulled out the small box, “Of course! It's right here!”

Catasca shuffled over, “Let me see! How much shavings are in it?”

Teiy opened it, to find it was half-empty. The thing already felt quite lightweight to begin with. “Not much, but we can just get some now. Stop the wagon for a second!”

Tal'Von picked up one of the torch stems. They were wide like a club and covered in a gooey tar. The head captain lent the bulky thing to Teiy, “Try this.”

The wagon began to slow, the horses jolting their heads around.

Teiy picked up the flint and steel grip, and started rubbing them together. “Catasca, collect some timber. Quick!”

Catasca rolled to the side, “Yeah!”

Ethel crawled over to the others, and watched Teiy grind the flint and steel together. Sparks flew from the brisk movements.

Catasca leaped off, and Teiy could hear her quick footsteps across the grass. The sparks continued to spurt and the timber, in the box, glowed a faint orange. “It's getting there!”

Tal'Von crossed his arms, “How did you make it this far if you were so oblivious to the dangers at night?"

A small flame began in the tinderbox, “It's hard to explain. I'm not from around here may be the best way to put it.”

A bundle of sticks and deadwood was tossed unto the wagon, and Catasca climbed back up.

Teiy continued, “I'm from a place called England. It was my homeland. There was no such substance as rein stone there. Beasts never showed themselves and weren't commonplace... I'm not from here.”

Catasca faced Teiy, “Why did you come here then?”

“I didn't 'come' here. I... appeared here.”

Venson sighed, “Really?”

Teiy gulped, “I don't have a clue how it happened. I left from my secluded village and went to deliver this shipment to a castle, known as Builth. One morning the landscape appeared slightly off, and my companions weren't awake. Two of them were...”, Teiy examined Ethel's attentive expression, “... and the other one must have taken a horse and escaped.”

The wagon hushed, with only the horse's snout prying over the mute wilderness. Teiy placed the ignited tinderbox down, and took the tar-covered stick from Von Baron.

Tal'Von sighed, “Escaped? I'm sorry, but I doubt that he did.”

Teiy stopped, “... what?”

Venson hunched over and whipped the horses onwards again, “The livid eaters move quick.”

Teiy stared at the growing flame in the box, then bent the stick in it. “He's dead?”

Tal'Von closed his eyes, “I've never heard of someone blatantly outrunning those things.”

Ethel gripped onto Catasca, “Are we going to die too?”

Tal'Von bent over and smiled, “Don't worry. We'll be fine. I'm a professional at this kind of stuff!”

Teiy didn't speak, and lifted the slowly igniting torch in-front of him. Its horrid smell brought him back, and Teiy lifted it above to lessen the consumed stench.

Von Baron nudged Teiy, “Here, hand me that. Just ignite another one and use it. We'll try and work with these four torches for the next hour or two. I'll be upfront illuminating the horses.”

So we're going to try and cover ourselves in light, while moving?

Teiy picked up another broad branch, and dipped it in the tinderbox's flame.

Catasca watched him, “Why do you have such barbaric torches?”

Teiy joined eyes, “What do you mean?”

“Don't you have any oil?”

“I'm no noble-blood. The only other thing I had was tallow back at the village.”

“Oil isn't that expensive, and it's much more effective.”

Teiy looked at the sky. All of its golden glow withdrawn...

“It doesn't stink so much either!”

Teiy grew irritated, “What does it matter?”

“Oil lasts longer than that... tar!”

“What can I do about that? Nothing! We have what we have -”

Catasca cringed, “You do understand this is your fault! This whole situation!”

“I'm trying all I can! I’m not used to this night... anxiety.”

“You can't just appear somewhere.”

The torch in Teiy's hand grew a modest flame, “You don't have to believe me.”

Teiy put the torch behind him and examined the surroundings away from the cliff. He tightened his eyes and focused through the blackening shadow. There wasn't a single movement at that direction. The grass blades swayed back and forth in the breeze.

Teiy's breathe came at a steadier pace, “Is it dark enough for them?”

Tal'Von waved his torch to the right, “It's been dark enough for some time...”

Teiy kept the torch behind him, “How do you know when they're -”

Venson leaned back and flaunted his arm violently.

Teiy returned to silence. The wagon's wheels rumbled across the rocks and dirt as the horses hooves patted across the loose soil. The night was speechless, the moon ruling above. A bundle of trees could be seen up ahead through Teiy's night-vision. Their goal lost distance as they rode close under the edge of the cliff-side trail.

Tal'Von Baron motioned his hand above, past the black cloud of smoke from his torch. Distant overhead, a miniscule glow could be seen on the trail they'd trekked prior. Teiy swallowed in uneasiness.

A leaf cracked softly away from the cliff.

Teiy jolted and peered onwards. Nothing could be seen. Each second the silence continued, the feeling of fear grew. The wagon knocked back-

Teiy laid stiff in agony, “What... is it them!”

Catasca grabbed Teiy's neck-guard and pulled him up. She whispered, “Get yourself together!”

Teiy noticed the torch hadn't fallen, and he was still holding it tight. He slid over to the front and whispered to the head captain, “What's going on?”

Tal'Von pointed to the fallen tree catching the wheels, “Give Catasca your torch and come with me.”

“A- alright.” Teiy turned around and motioned the torch to Catasca, and she took it.

Teiy and Von Baron hopped off the wagon and knelt beside the small, fallen tree.

Teiy examined the tree, “Do you think we can move it?”

Tal'Von nodded, “We can slide it away. That damned torch near blinded me!”

“Were those lights overhead the guards?”

“I would imagine so. I don't think traders would be descending that path after the sand worm attack. Royce won't be too popular for the next week or so. That's not the worst part...”

“What is it?”

“If they're pursuing us this late, they aren't going to let any of us off if they catch us. We're all destined for executions, and dead men to them now. They're risking their own lives in their pursuit, so we need to keep moving. Come on.”

They paced quickly away from the side of the cliff, to the side of the cart facing the open valley.

Tal'Von traced the tree back to its trunk, “Quick, Teiy!”

“Yeah!” Teiy marched over, and the two took hold of the end of the short, fallen tree.

Teiy and Tal'Von pulled back in an instant. The tree slid roughly across the ground. Teiy stared at the torch on the ground in front him, feeling the darkness behind him. The longer he looked upon the torch, the greater the ominous presence felt behind him. He struggled to turn his head back as his adrenaline kicked into play. The hardwood gradually slid quicker across the smooth grass, and the wheels were finally free.

Tal'Von picked up the torch, “Let's get back.”

“Yea.” The rustling of leaves.

Teiy's mouth stretched, his eyes wide. He was eager to move, but he felt stuck. The white finger curled in front of him, and he worked for a scream... but he could not. All of those people at Royce... all of them died by his action. Was this justice? Maybe.

Teiy closed his eyes. He saw Mundi hauling a sweet pie out of the stove. Mundi was like that, always thinking of Teiy as if he were his own child. Father... Mother... Wik... All people of Teiy's old life. However, was this the time for this life? That diamond chest. Those French Soldiers.

Aurdic and Jehan dedicated themselves to protecting that chest. I promised to them that it would be sent... and Lyez. Yeah, I almost forgot, Lyez is trapped in that place. Gladius also tried protecting me when we were captured. Now it's my duty to protect Lyez, is it not? I can't let him be executed or left to rot... I will take your place Gladius. I will take your quest Fenchmen.

A feeling of pressure proceeded on Teiy's eyeball, and he could feel something wrapping around his chest. The fear of failing responsibility drained him. Teiy prepared a yell, but a crash of sound blotted anything out. The thing yanked Teiy back. Air whizzed to his right, led by smashing meat. Teiy fell to the ground, and felt a hand grab his own. He opened his eyes, and Catasca stood, looking onwards.

Catasca looked back down to Teiy, “Hey! Say something!”

There is purpose in this new life. I will go back one day, I know it. For now, though, there's things to do here. This land of Royce isn't familiar and isn't my home, but it's a land I've now laid my mark in...

Tal'Von ran to Catasca's side, “Is he -”

Catasca knelt down, “Say something d****t!”

Teiy gazed upon her, and smiled in gratification.

Thank you.

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).