Rebirth of the Bedridden Warrioress

Chapter Eleven - Famine

Aramis Bronx Davina

The day was almost ending and we're ordered by Captain Herald to stay until he could come to meet us here. He left a while ago saying that he needed to take care of some important matters.

Most of us kept coming back to the hall because the food that was served to us at lunch was still there and enormous. The first challenge is up tomorrow and we seriously have no idea what's going to happen over there.

We asked a few ladies around, but most of them were just as clueless and confused as we were.

"W-What do you guys think? We'll be alright tomorrow, right?" Dahlia asked, she isn't in her usual cheery tone, so we all worriedly glanced at her.

"Don't be like that, let's pray that all of us will succeed," Loane commented, which made me agree with her.

"That's right, plus I'm impressed that you guys got the basics this early today, next time we can proceed on jumping and backflipping on the air," I suggested, hoping that this would cheer her up.

"No way, I'll never do that again," Thalia pouted like she's about to cry, "Do you know how much my back hurts right now?" she complained, which made us three laughs.

"Thalia! Come here! Look at these boots and sparring knives!" Some of the middletians friends of Thalia called her, so she bid us goodbye before running towards them.

Dahlia laid down on the wooden bench we're currently sitting on, "I like Thalia, she's very approachable towards our quarters and everything else," she mumbled while staring right up into the almost lavender skies.

"Right? Just like Aramis here, they're both really approachable and their leadership is exceptional," Loane commented, which made my eyes widen as I faced her.

"You're kidding me right?" After I said that, they laughed and teased me again about being bedridden.

Despite our laughs, I know that they're both worried about what's going to happen tomorrow. I'm also worried, because who knows what challenges they will give most especially that the theme is famine?

A few minutes had passed, and we heard several metal boots clanking on the way towards the grounds. After we witnessed who that was, we all stood up after seeing Captain Herald with his troops.

"A pleasant evening warrioress, gather yourselves here," he ordered, all of us stood in front with our hands at the back.

Luckily it's almost dark, the sun isn't here anymore! I think I can stand here all night then sleep in the daylight.

"Warrioress, I hope you're all aware that your first challenge will be tomorrow," Captain Herald asked, so we all answered him yes.

"Good, now I hope you're all prepared physically and mentally because we'll be taking you all somewhere for a week," After he said those statements, a huge commotion was heard from the warrioress around us.

I can't blame them, I mean who wouldn't be troubled after hearing that they'll be taking us somewhere and a week?

"I hope you don't mind me asking Captain, but where are they taking us?" Loane asked while raising her hands, so the Captain acknowledged her presence.

"The King was still deciding where, but the days have already been stated on the paper," the Captain sighed before looking at us, "I hope you're all ready, pack some decent clothes and some weapons just in case, you don't know where you'll be taken, it's best that you're all prepared," he added and dismissed us after he said those words.

"Where are they putting us tomorrow?" Dahlia sounded worried while we were slowly trotting towards the hallway back in our quarters.

Loane sighed before glancing at us, "I don't know where exactly, but I can tell it's somewhere dangerous," she stated, which made me agree with her.

"Or maybe, it's a place where it's hard for us to get some food, famine is the theme right?" I claimed, so they both looked at me intently.

"That could be it! But where?" Dahlia looks like she's okay after we got back from the quarters, what I said still lingered on their minds. I just hope that they'll focus or else they'll not be able to succeed this round.

My hands fished out that book from my bag and checked if something happened, and as usual, it allowed me to witness what happened a while ago which is really terrifying as hell!

This book is really odd, not only that it looks similar to what my mother almost gave to me before I died, but it also tells me what happened to me a while ago.

I shook my head before keeping that book under my pillow. I should focus and keep my mind at ease or else I'll be dead tomorrow. I just really can't believe how long it's been since I've been not using wifi, I'm surprised I'm still alive.

We all slept early that night, it was quiet and all I could hear were worries and snores of the people around towards the next few rooms.

Tomorrow is the first day that everything about this place will start to get tough.

***

Morning came, we're all ready and dressed in our training warrior clothes. I took the bag of food I stole from the kitchen together with some clothes and knives that we got from the training grounds.

I look like I'm leaving for good, but whatever. I want to be prepared for everything. Who knows what we'll face there?

We gathered near the entrance and saw numerous Conestoga wagon rides that had covers with horses on the front that I've seen in one of my anime movies before.

"Holy crap! Conestoga wagons like this really exist now?" I almost exclaimed while trying to poke it, and luckily only Loane and Dahlia heard about it.

"Sheesh, we have that ever since before we're born, Aramis," Dahlia laughed together with Loane.

"Are you sure you're going to be alright?" Loane bantered, so I nudged both of their shoulders before giggling with me.

"Alright everyone, you're all assigned in different Conestoga wagons, you may now sit over there and wait until you guys can leave," Captain Herald announced on a small wooden platform enough to capture all of our attention.

"Permission to speak, Captain," Loane raised her hands again, so Captain Herald acknowledged her presence.

"Where are we being taken?" Loane asked, but Captain Herald just shook his head at us before sighing.

"I still have no idea, but we're all going together because we're dropping you warrioress there, any further questions?" the Captain asked, no one dared to ask another one again.

"Good, now go proceed to your specific Conestoga wagons," he ordered, so we just nodded at him as we looked at the wooden board with many papers plastered on the front.

"Oh shoot, we're all separated from each other," Dahlia almost looks like she's about to cry, so I shook my head and grabbed those small paper bags I prepared from them. I prepared some three apples each and water for them since I noticed that they didn't bring any snacks with them.

"Uh here," I handed them those bags, "It's not much but I prepared these for you guys, you might get hungry and you two look like you haven't brought anything aside from yourselves with few clothes and weapons," I glanced at their bags, they certainly just bring a few things.

"W-Woah, thank you Aramis, we appreciate this so much, take care on your designated Conestoga wagon alright? I hope I can see you all after a week," Dahlia mumbled like she was about to cry, so I just ran to hug them both.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine, you two should be careful too alright?" we nodded and bid each other goodbye as I proceeded on my designated ride.

The ride wasn't that long though it's hard to guess how long it was since I don't have any wristwatch here. But, if I look up where the sun is shining, it can tell me what time it is in the day and it's almost quarter to 12 noon.

Oddly, I can tell, I think the Aramis before were knowledgeable about this, and I just like reading, so it really helps me a lot.

The capacity of the Conestoga wagon ride was six, my wagon mates didn't mutter any words as they all looked nervously from below.

I can't blame them, we have no idea where we are going.

"Halt!" our coachman, err-- I don't know if I should call him that since we were riding a freaking Conestoga wagon.

"Warrioress, this is where I all should leave you," the coachman peered at us from the front, which made us grab our things and jumped on the outside.

The warm sensation of the sun immediately envelope my body, which caused me to panic as I looked around.

My eyes widened after witnessing we're in the middle of the desert, "W-What the hell, they're doing the first challenge in the desert? I mean, it fits the famine theme, but what the hell?!" I commented, the sun is already freaking killing me!

"Um, but we're in the middle of nowhere, are you sure this is the right place?" one of us asked, and the coachman just nodded.

"Yes, I'm just following orders and I have to leave now, these horses can't stand too much heat. I'll be back here in this specific place after one week, stay alive if you can," After he said those words, he left together with that wagon.

"W-What should we do? There are no trees for us to get food or even water," one of us panicked, so I just sighed and fished out five apples for them.

"Here, it's not much but still will help you get by, apples can take away your thirst too," I said while handing it out to them, "You don't have to panic, keep your mind on your heads," I suggested, so they all just sighed before nodding at me.

"A-Are you sure you're giving this to us?" the other one asked, so I just nodded at her. I don't want to ask their names, I'm not good at memorizing them.

"Thank you for this, Lady Aramis," one of the girls sincerely said, which made me look at her intently.

"Y-You guys know my name?" I'm surprised, and I don't know why I was because of my reputation.

"Who wouldn't know your name?" the girls chuckled, so I just shook my head.

My head is getting irritated because the sun is hurting my skin, I can't stand being in the sunlight let alone in a place where I can't cover myself from it!

I glanced around and saw that this place is really deserted, the sun was high and the others are probably placed all around this desert. It's hot, dry, and it's impossible for you to find food or water around this place.

Deserts are such a harsh environment, they often have names like, "Death Valley," or "the empty quarter," and "the place from which there is no return." It means it's a joke to even survive here without food.

We stayed at that place for a long time before we decided to cover our heads with a cloth to prevent the sun from heating our heads. One of us suggested that we should walk around and leave a clue or cloth just in case we got lost and forgot where we should head back once this is all over.

We walked for hours, hours of torture because of the sun, some of my wagon mates were complaining, but we have no other choice but to endure it.

"Maybe that's why they allow us to eat that many foods for the past two days, we're not camels that can stock food and water in!" the other one complained, which made me agree with her.

"Let's just find a place where it's damp, I know there are few places that have an oasis here, we just have to look for it," the girl named Rhea suggested, so we all just obliged

Oasis if I'm not mistaken, is a place where there's water in the middle and strong trees, such as palms, are placed around the perimeter of oases to keep the desert sands from delicate crops and water. It's rare, and I'm not sure if there's really an oasis here because this looks like it's not a semi-desert.

We didn't trot on the dryness and heat that long until we felt the ground was shaking, I glanced behind our back and saw nothing but eternal heat and dryness.

"What is that?" Rhea asked so I closed my eyes to feel something from our surroundings, it was soundless like it's waiting for us to move again. My eyes widened hearing a sizzling sound, oh crap.

"Aside from surviving from famine inside this torture desert, what do you think is another rival we have to face?" I curiously asked so the girls bite their lips like they're about to cry.

"If that's not the only case, we also have to survive fighting the beast of the desert," After Rhea said those words, a large Saw Scaled Viper rose beneath the sands and looked like it was ready to poison us all.

"Everyone, run!" 

To be continued...