The Gambling Hero

Chapter 18: Full Moon

Once we got into the tent I laid out our new stuff, and noticed that small cots had already been prepared for guests. Bastrin turned back into a cat, and decided to get started in laying in his new bed early. Lilith relaxed in her cot with her magic book laying close by, and she said, "Master was it really all right to give her hope like that? It's more likely that she will just become a slave again, and her dreams will end in failure." I was aware that I was making a lot of promises, but I trusted in my friend, and knew that he would someday come here. I was the type to travel through one place after the next without looking back, but I knew Noland would take a lot more time in each country. I also figured he would catch onto the rumors of this "hidden" town of Blascot given that he was very resourceful. I explained to Lilith, "Noland will stumble upon this place given his personality, and he is also the methodical type who despite what he would have you believe also has an equally rigid sense of justice. Noland will do more than help Kelita, and I won't even need to send so much as a word telling him to do so." Lilith thought for a moment and then said, "Master you seem to trust this Noland person with an almost religious faith." I smiled, "I just know that guy better than I care to admit is all."

Bastrin looked over at the both of us and said, " I don't mean to break up your reminiscing, but the next place we are going is the country of Ruthan, which to me is an unknown factor." Lilith spoke up, "I have not been to Ruthan directly either. I choose to bypass it on my journey south given its nature. Ruthan's borders much like the other countries have little security, but the difference is Ruthan actively tries to sell itself to outsiders. The reason for this I hear is because the country of Ruthan is ruled by cult religions trying to convert others to their cause. That is why many avoid the place all together, and the best route around the country is to stay away from the center." I mentioned, "The best place closest to us around Ruthan is to travel across the eastern border which is mostly unknown to me." Bastrin and Lilith nodded in agreement, and it seemed that neither of them had been there either, but it was decided this was the best route through Ruthan.

I decided to eat a bit of a light dinner, and I also took out my map to mark down landmarks we had seen along our way in Hastain. I would have to keep updating the map every time we entered a new country, but this was somewhat of a hobby of mine so I didn't mind. I laid down in the cot, once I was done, and decided to close my eyes, and try to fall asleep. I thought about how I hadn't had any issues with the ring since last time, so I assumed the effects were random. I felt a pretty intense aura of anger around the orc that Bastrin had killed today, but I would have to keep my eyes open for any new emotions. I figured that the trip to Ruthan would be a dangerous one since we had no idea about the route we were taking, and grandpa had never even taken this route north. I felt myself slip into a light sleep, and felt the exhaustion that came with travelling nonstop for a many days.

I woke up in the morning earlier than everyone else, I decided to write a letter to Kelita before we left, and left it in the room. I decided to thank her again in the letter for the room, and told her again that I would be excited to see what her inn would look like in the future. I woke up my companions who slowly got out of bed, and we set off with our stuff for the horses. We located the tent where the horses were being kept it seemed we were so early the shop owner wasn't even awake yet. We just took the horses, since we had already paid, and headed off for the next country.

We took off towards the Northeast, and decided that at least till we got to Ruthan that we would ride nonstop. The ride would take about a half a day, and after that we would continue further into Ruthan making sure to stay along the eastern border. I figured since Ruthan map wise was said to be a sizable country that it would take us four days on horseback to get through the entire country. I was prepared for this, but was somewhat hopeful that we could perhaps find a faster mode of transportation. I wasn't in any rush, but I knew we would need to travel by boat to the next continent, so I would prefer to start the journey on the seas as soon as possible. One thing I knew about Ruthan was it was somewhat more advanced than that of other more "barbaric" countries. I figured we would know when we reached Ruthan since the dirt road we had been traveling on since Blascot would turn perhaps into a more paved road.

After a few hours had passed I spotted exactly what I thought the dirt road we had been on had turned instead into a paved road leading North. We took a short break making sure to eat, and drink what was a plentiful stock of goods from Blascot including water. I made sure to also feed, and give the horses water, and we proceeded to get back on the horses towards the Northeast. I decided to stay off the paved roads, and instead proceeded towards the endless plains in the east leading towards the ocean. I talked to Bastrin along the way, "Bastrin have you really never heard any rumors about this area of Ruthan?" Bastrin said plainly, "Kid I have been alive for hundreds of years now, so yes I have heard a thing or two about this area, but nothing that would apply to today." I answered with another question, "Just out of curiosity did anything stick out to you in particular? I mean it doesn't hurt to hear anything even if it's not relevant." Bastrin sighed, "Only thing I can think of is that human used to live in this area long ago, but they have been rumored to have long since died off many years ago."

The conversation cut off after that, and I silently agreed that the information seemed irrelevant to these silent plains. We passed in silence for another few hours until it got dark, and we again decided to make camp. I wasn't really fond of camping out, but what can you do. I had made more of my bug repellent since we had traveled to Blascot and resupplied, so sleeping on the plains wouldn't be that bad. I spread out my blankets, and laid down again. We didn't make a fire since it would burn the area around us. Instead I decided to proceed right to sleep, or at least I would have liked to if not for a rumbling coming from the ground below. I felt my ring glow, and knew that we were in immediate danger before I could speak. The ground erupted where our horses were standing. Whatever had shot out of the ground had killed the horses on impact, and was now hovering above us. I couldn't believe my eyes. What I saw was beyond even my imagination. A giant worm appeared before our eyes spanning 20 feet tall, above us it towered like a giant.

I could see my ring glowing in the corner of my eyes, a faint light blue hue, and I shouted orders to my allies quickly. They stood shocked in place, so I snapped them out of it by shouting, "Bastrin, Lilith! Snap out of it, and let's run as fast as we can!" My allies followed my lead, and we took off into the eastern plains only carrying what we had on us. The giant worm was much faster than us, but since we had a head start on the beast it allowed Lilith to fire back any magic she had as we ran. The worm seemed outraged, and obviously Lilith magic no matter how potent didn't seem to do any real damage to the monster. Bastrin also lashed out firing arms, and legs into its eyes to slow it down. I focused on running as fast as my legs could carry me. I started slowing down, and Lilith took notice right away. She grabbed with ease carrying me in her arms as she ran at blinding speed. Bastrin followed in front making sure to focus on making as many legs to run as possible.

After what seemed like a century the rumbling behind us seemed to die out, and I imagine the giant worm finally gave up and went back underground. Lilith put me down, and we began walking North again. I felt despair take over when I realized how much we had lost. The horses were likely dead, and we had lost any sleeping stuff we were using. The bright side was that most of our supplies were in our luggage. I walked on tired feet looking up at the full moon thinking how unlucky we had been to stumble upon such a creature in the middle of the night. I spoke to my companions, "Let's find a place to crash for the night I am exhausted." They seemed to agree as we drudged along the dimly lit plains. Bastrin whispered besides me, "Dammit I lost my new bed because of that stupid worm, but kid that quick thinking was it the rings doing?" I was confused, "What do you mean?" He explained, "You reacted to the worm faster than anyone even Lilith couldn't keep calm in the face of such a monster." Now that I thought about it I did see a light blue glow from the ring earlier I said, "Well the ring did glow a light blue, which means an emotion was taken away, but i'm really not sure what emotion I lost." Bastrin said, "Well kid whatever emotion it was it seems that stupid demerit actually saved us for once."

The ring was truly such a risky tool to use even the demerit served as both a pro, and a con given the situation. We came across some trees that seemed to lead further into another forest like the one we had rode though in Hastain. Bastrin decided he would keep watch while we slept all night along the trees since he stated, "Demons don't really need sleep as much as other creatures do." I was too tired to argue, and laid myself out in the cold along a nearby tree. I didn't get much sleep because there was no comfort to be found out here. After sleeping a few hours I looked around again, and spotted a pair of eyes staring at me from the bushes nearby, a pair of green eyes seemed to be scanning me for weak points, and worst of all I couldn't sense any emotions coming from the bushes.