The Crimson Claymore

Chapter 5-1

Chapter Five

The human, kheshlar, and wizard traveled relentlessly through the meadow without conversation. Searon was thankful the wizard had kept his mouth shut during the journey. They had fewer trees to travel through ever since leaving the kheshlarn territory, and it made their path an easier one to follow. It also meant they held less cover from wandering eyes, and so they made pace carefully. Searon only hoped the tales of the kheshlars had been true—that they had sensitive hearing—and only that rumor kept him at ease through the open path.

Often he looked back at the kheshlar with scattered glances, where he studied her. He noticed her glancing back at him and smiling without the attention of the wizard. Her smile appeared sincere, and she seemed to be studying him as much as he studied her. She had long blonde hair sparkling in the sunlight, with waves bouncing with each stride. His eyes remained on her as often as it did the beast she traveled with. She rode on top of a jaguar, and he admired the beast’s bronze fur with black spots. At first, he had been afraid of the creature when it had approached shortly after the start of their journey. Soon, he realized the kheshlar had called the beast. She climbed atop it like he would a horse, but without a saddle! It kept high pace along with their horses, and so she hadn’t slowed them in the slightest.

When the light from the stars touched them, she only seemed to glitter more in their glow. Her namesake proved true, and she shone with their same intensity. It almost seemed as if she glowed at night, but it came and went with each smile that graced her lips. Searon wished he could get her to smile indefinitely because it brought such a profound beauty to her he could never even dream of.

They agreed to stop to rest for the night, or at least for a time. They needed rest and to find food. The kheshlar took off west through a small forest without a sound despite the scattered broken branches which lay among the bare trees. Searon decided to head east to search for wild game. His stomach grumbled for something besides the dried meat and water which filled his saddle.

He stalked the bare forest for what seemed like an hour before he heard the faint footsteps and the sound of a trickling stream. Peering through a prickly bush, he noticed a large wild boar drinking water. It shone black with stiff bristles and fine fur. Searon hadn’t seen such a large boar before, and his mouth watered at the savory flavor it could create over a hot fire.

His hand dropped to the back of his sash where he grabbed an arrow from his quiver before detaching his bow from his back. Its fine oak exterior molded in his hands as he remembered handcrafting it as a young man. The smooth texture rested in his left hand as he nocked the steel arrow with his right. He hardly used the bow for more than hunting, and most of the time it stayed with his saddle and horse. Keeping his aim steady, he licked his left index finger to check for wind. It blew to his left slightly in the same direction the small stream headed. He held his bow tight, aiming to the right of the boar, and let go of his arrow. It whistled through the air with barely a sound, but before it could reach the boar he already had another out and nocked. He didn’t need the second arrow, as the first one struck the boar in the heart.

He minced to the large beast by the stream, taking its last drink. At least it became hydrated at its death. With struggle, he hefted the beast onto his shoulders before struggling forward one step at a time. He didn’t expect it to weigh so much, and his mouth watered even more at the amount of meat he would have.

Back at the camp, Karceoles sat on a stump with his long-stem pipe in hand in front of a fire. The pipe and the fire were smokeless. Searon set the boar beside the fire. The wizard laid his pipe on the stump as he stood, tying the boar to a few large branches he seemed to acquire with twine.

“Magic trick?” Searon asked, glancing back at the fire.

The fire burned the wood, turning black, but there wasn’t any smoke or the smell the smoke would produce. No ashes or sparks traveled from the wood, and the tasteful crackling Searon enjoyed so much was absent as well. It was rather impressive, and he became fascinated by the useful tactic for traveling.

“Well, you don’t expect me to let them know our whereabouts, now do you?” Karceoles bit his tongue.

Starlyn approached, sitting on the opposite side of the fire, where he now sat roasting the boar, with some vegetables and fruit she had picked while he hunted. She quietly ate from a shaped wooden bowl and made no notice of the others. It seemed she sat deep in thought as she slowly picked at her food.

Searon filled his emptied water skin from the stream into a tin kettle. He added a few thick black leaves from his pouch before placing it next to the fire. It would be nice having some hot black tea with the fresh boar for once.

“Want some boar?” Searon asked with a disapproving look at her bowl.

“I do not eat animals,” Starlyn said, still avoiding his gaze as her nose seemed to cringe in disgust.

“Why not?” Searon asked, bewildered.

“No kheshlar does; it is cruel to end the life of a living creature just to settle our stomachs. We can better ourselves and don’t need meat to survive,” Starlyn said, glaring deep into the wizard’s eyes now.

“Yeah, but what about those poor plants? You tear them to shreds, and they are living as well. It would be better off if we all just starve and die,” Karceoles said.

“Plants still live when you take from them; animals do not,” Starlyn said.

“Not all plants continue to live after picked. The animal’s offspring are like the plants seeds; when the plant dies the seeds are left to carry on the family. The same goes for animals. All creatures die one day, and animals are meant to be eaten; it’s the circle of life. Meat makes us stronger, as we are not naturally strong like your kheshlarn kind. We must have more energy to feed our bodies for the strength we need,” Karceoles defended.

Silence filled the air, and Searon often checked on the boar, eagerly awaiting it to be cooked. Once it became fully cooked throughout, he and Karceoles set the beast on the ground to begin carving it with knives. There had been much the two set aside to be dried out and packed into their packs as travel food, but they immediately carved their favorite parts for their meal of the night. Searon cringed as he noticed the wizard had taken the hog’s brain, heart, and other organs to feast upon.

When their stomachs were full, Searon pulled out his pipe, followed by Karceoles. The wizard held his zylek next to his pipe and began puffing, allowing it to ignite the tobacco and herbs. Searon held out a taper he ignited from the fire before placing its tip on his tobacco, inhaling the soothing mixture of raspberry leaves and harsh tobacco with whiskey spice. Smoke encircled them before disappearing with the wizard’s magic. Searon was glad to have the aroma linger in the air for a few moments making a pleasant smell to go with the boar and the fire.

“Why are you really after the draeyks? I know there is more to it than you will let on. There is a personal hate toward these creatures. I know there is because I share that same quality with you,” Starlyn said. She studied him with interest as she seemed to scoot forward slightly.

Searon nearly choked on his pipe and coughed a few times, allowing too much smoke to escape his lungs. He stared at her and opened his mouth in an attempt to speak, but no words came out. Closing his eyes in frustration, he rested his head on his clenched fist which turned white from the blood draining from it. When he looked back up to meet her gaze (which hadn’t faltered), he attempted to speak again, but still no words would flow. Exhaling deeply, he cursed as he rose to his feet, staggered away from the camp without glancing back.

Shivering from the cold night, he walked just far enough out of earshot from the camp before stabbing his claymore into the ground. Leaning on its hilt, he gazed at the stars shining extra bright down on him. They blurred in his vision, and he fought back tears from falling. His heart pounded inside his chest, and he shivered at the haunting memories sinking back into his mind. He knew the time would come to divulge the information to the helpful kheshlar, but he didn’t think he was ready yet. It was hard enough having the burden to bear, but sharing it would be even harder.

With only a few minutes of silence, he heard footsteps treading the ground behind him. He heard three distinct presses against the ground, and he knew it wasn’t her. Turning around, he saw Karceoles staggering over to him, using his zylek as a walking stick. He stopped in front of Searon before leaning on his zylek. The wizard shook his head as he spat on the ground before taking his pipe out to give it another puff.

“Do not take your suffering out on that innocent kheshlar who only wishes to help you. She wishes to connect with you because the both of you have a personal interest against these draeyks,” Karceoles said, brushing his long grimy hair out of his face with his right hand.

What the wizard said caught Searon by surprise. He swallowed hard. He had never heard the wizard speak with such serenity and compassion. Surely, there had to be an ulterior motive for it, otherwise the wizard would be provoking conflict instead of trying to resolve it.

“Since when do you care?” Searon challenged.

Frustration baked Searon’s bones, making them feel like they were aflame. He wasn’t cold anymore, but he still shivered at the haunting thoughts seeping through his mind. Every time his past came up, it only got worse for him. All he wanted to do was bury it and move on without glancing back through his personal history.

“She can be a great ally for fighting the draeyks and eventually connecting the kheshlars to our cause!” Karceoles spat.

Realization struck Searon now, and he contemplated on the wizard’s wisdom. Wisdom? He had never known the wizard actually had any. Most of the time, it seemed the wizard spat out of his mouth before he could think, but Searon realized every foolish move the wizard did was a part of his greater plan. Where do I stand in this fool’s plan? I don’t want a part of this. I only want to kill the draeyks and go home … home … No, I want solitude, not a home.

“Is that all you care about?” Searon asked.

He cursed himself inside. If the wizard didn’t know everything he seemed to about the draeyks, he could ditch him. But could he ditch the wizard? It seemed the wizard knew every button to push and where to find anyone who held problems with the draeyks. Perhaps the old man had only been lucky so far, but why take the risk? Searon knew he had to follow the old man—and into the war he was creating. I want no part of any war. Curse wars.

“There are other reasons, but yes, to be blunt. Now go apologize, you fool of a human.”

Searon cursed himself in his head again. It was a strange feeling to be wrong about something and especially a strange feeling for the wizard to be right. He knew there would be little chance of receiving any help from the kheshlars in the future, but with Starlyn … there was a chance. No matter how little of a chance, it was still a chance. The wizard tilted his head toward the campfire and cleared his throat.

The memories he kept suppressed for so long drowned him in such a rush, making it hard for him to breathe. He remembered the first time he had seen Victoria, his love.