This journey should have been beautiful. Mountains riddled with caves. Stone crags, dirt roads that dazzled to their tops, the occasional thin tower stabbing the pale blue sky lit by Tan, God of Daylight and Warmth...
The valleys below are ribboned with streams, patchwork fields, grazing herds, crumbling ruins, blast craters and the hulks of old machinery, each making the risk of this escapade worth it.
34 was right after all. There was a whole world outside to explore.
If only I could enjoy it! This furnace of a truck has been cooking me for like 2 tanths straight! Like, necromatas aren't even supposed to feel heat or sweat unless literally on fire!
And don't get me started with his driving: The last curve cluster made me vomit my chocolate into the windshield! And he takes us through those awful bumpy dirt roads because it is either a shortcut or a 'bypass' to avoid 'Cuirassier' control booths.
Like, what even are those!
...Oh, I can —
— "Fastblade... You always mention Cuira – somethings but, I only know that I have to tell them that we are going to 'Old Andesittania' instead of Tornbricks. Why do you want to avoid them so bad?" —
While smiling, he responded: — "Oh, those guys! They supposedly enforce the laws that Brightstone has. They are the 'Police' if you know that word. Or the 'mares' if you don't like them." —
— "Is because you are doing things that go against the law, right?"
His smile changed to a resignated face: — "Duh! I am lucky they are willing to 'ignore' you if you give them some Cyfoths, the currency of this kingdom."
— "But, then why do you care about naming Tornbricks properly to them if you can 'discourage' them already with money?" — I said with a tilted head.
He sighted and put on that serious face and voice again.
He didn't stop looking at the road as he said this: — "Listen. The Ichorchate and Concordia have been enforcing their truths against the other for centuries. Even misnaming a city, God or general might risk you getting a ticket to their reeducation camps." —
And while looking at me and pointing to himself: —"Been on both. Not pretty." —
He finished: — "Is one of the very few things they take seriously, And I am not taking any chances again. Took me years to learn those damned languages to get out." —
To be fair, I saw him getting wrecked in front of me, so I can believe him getting worried.
But do our Gods care that much about those details? Really?
This world can suck so much at times.
There were some signs along the road. One of them said 'Old Andesittania' and had the number '14' next to it.
— "Hey, we are reaching Tornbricks finally! Well, time to check for the final 'bypass'" —
Oh, oh no, not another dirt road.
After a while, we took a right turn for yet another really bumpy dusty route.
Hold on, extremities!
...
It didn't lead anywhere...?
There were bits of grass, an abandoned shed – The truck parked besides it –, a sizeable clearing in front of it, lots of trees around and some abrupt hills with strange structures on top nearby.
What? Why this place?
I heard him murmur while checking the panel of the truck behind the steering wheel: — "Alright, let's check the time... 5:25. A quarter after mid-day. On time, I guess..."
He got out and started to take each metal lined wooden box to leave it on the ground.
— "Fasty, what are you doing with the boxes?"
— "Oh, you'll see, hehe. Actually, I have some very important task to ask of you. Usually I do it myself, but it takes a lot of breath out of me. I need you to tell me if the boxes are landing in the clearing of the Concordian side."
— "What? What are you talking about! Other side? Concordian side? You want me to climb that mountain or—"
— "Oh, no! Let me..." —
From one of the boxes, he pulled a strange brown bag. It looked like a backpack.
— "This," –he said, showing it up close– "is a 'fall slower' bag. A parachute. Usually for the big boxes with delicate stuff... But for now you will wear it." —
— "But, why make me w..." —
It hit me.
— "No. NO. You aren't gonna... throw me up into the sky or something to check there, right?" —
— "...How observant are you, 20! You are really inte"–{Twack!}–"AAUUCHHH! (Conchetu...) My baaalls!" —
Ahhh, that felt really satisfying. Throw me like a pebble? Is he crazy? (...Still hurts, auch)
— "...Hmgff... It will be fuuun... Hmgff... I promise!... Ju—just look!" —
He took a box my size by its leather handles, limped forward –Because of my kick or his gun foot?– and stopped at the center of the clearing.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
And then he started to spin.
Really fast.
Aaahhh! What a whirlwind! So much dust! Cough! No wonder this place is like this!
And then... A quickly fading whistle sound from the box, now getting smaller behind the hills.
... But what is he doing now?
{BRUMG!}
BY ALIFAE!
He jumped so high! I can barely see him!
{PLAMG!}
He landed leaving a little crater.
— "...Ugh! I missed. Can't see it. Thought I had the angle and distance right. Must have landed on those bushes on the other side. But oh well, as you just saw, I just need you to help me readjust the shots... 20? Where are yo– Oh, just below that dust cover."
I quickly shook myself from the dirt to respond:
— "Plagh! NO! Did you lose your mind? Go that up above? I, yes, I might survive, but it would hurt like crazy! A—And if that 'fall slower' thing fails? No no n..." —
— "Aw, come on! If you help me here, the travel will be quicker!" — He said while raising both of his arms.
— "NO! And what about seeing the other side? Is too far away! I don't think I could notice!" — I retorted.
— "Nah, you will. I can see the other clearing well from here without even needing my [EYE SCOPE] blessing or my rangefinder." —
— "Eye scope? Rangefinder?" —
— "Yes, the first is courtesy of Jagiv, our God...dess? Of exploration, hunt and search. Allows to see far away things as if they were close. Now, the other one..." —
He went into the truck again, searched for a dark green metal box, and from there he pulled a strange pipe of the same color with 2 lenses in the extremes and 2 in the center.
— "This allows anyone to see just as far. Has the plus that also gives you the distance to whatever you are seeing."
...
What a curious artifact.
I wanna tou–
— "No!" –As he pulled it away from my grasp– "...Wait, you want to touch it? Use it, right?" — He said while mischievously smiling.
— "Wha– Noooo!...? Is just that–" —
— "Ha! You want it! Well, here is the deal: I will even teach you how to use it, but then you help me with it to readjust my shots!"
How unjust! I screamed and kicked him and his rusty truck a bit.
...
— "Alright, you win. Let's discuss it." —
The course was really simple: You look through the center openings, you move a dial until the two images align, and then you check said dial to see the distance. He said it also compensated by inclination.
He also promised me incredible views, jumping to rescue me if anything went wrong, giving me more chocolate once I landed...
And of telling me what those boxes had once we crossed the border ourselves.
...AHHGGGG!!! Ok, you win this one!
...
He made me wear that parachute thing and hold onto dear life this green trinket. Then, he tied me to a cord and climbed a tree.
I am having second thoughts about this.
Well, too late for that. here we gooOOOAAHHOoohHHAAOoohh...!
I screamed as hard as I could. This spinning is making me dizzy! Don't break away, extremities!
Oh, I think I am gonna pass out...
—!!!
He released me! To the sky I go! How scary!
The wind hits hard going this fast!
...
Oh, I am slowing down... And falling again! Quick! Pull the cord, 20!
{...PLUF!}
Phew! It worked! Finally, time to stop the scream.
...
Wow, is really... Unique from up here.
At my right, the forest extends a bit through the hills that turn into a mountain range, where the trees stop.
Behind and to my left, the vegetation is sparce and the terrain is plain except by the occasional crater and the road from where we came from. I can see the 'Hard tar' road far away at my left, having some strange metal cabins in a section.
And to my front, the hills have... Walls? Fences? Towers! Wow! Like the walls of castles, but of metal!
Oh! I can see that clearing among the dry bushes! And a big city far away in the distance! Is that Tornb–
–! Don't forget your job, 20! Quick! The tube!
...
I saw through it and operated it as indicated. Wow, so close from here! The clearing is similar to ours, but without the shed and without trees.
All fine. It marked... 2.4 kd? In the fixed dial, and the one that adjusts with inclination says 2. I indicated by lifting two fingers to the ground, and with the other hand signaling where the clearing was.
Did he notice? I looked with the 'rangefinder' thing to the ground.
He was doing a thumbs up gesture, and grabbed another box.
Now, to see if that worked.
...
Here it goes. That wind, and then the flying box.
...!!!
Incredible! The box landed exactly in that clearing! It broke into pieces, and had several bags inside that got scattered around.
I did a thumbs up gesture to the ground too.
...
I am now eating my delicious and well earned chocolate inside the truck as he was throwing the rest of the boxes. I could only guide him for 2 more throws before I fell too much to be of help. But he said that his [MORTAR MAN] blessing makes his throws pretty precise once he gets the distance and angle, albeit it gives him headaches on each throw.
— "Phew! Ok, that was everything! Many thanks for that, 20! But..."
He hesitated a bit, now already in the driver's seat:
— "Well, the thing is... Concordians are gonna ask so many questions if you go with me, so... Also to keep an eye on the wares, can I throw you there too? I will come back for you, pinky promise!"
...
I looked at him.
Very intensely.
—"Look. If the other guys reach first, just tell them I am your master and they will understand. I will leave you there with a radio to comAGH! Not with the scratches again! Bad! Bad necromAUCH! Not the bites!"
After my very justified violent episode, I responded: — "Leave me alone in Concordian Territory?! I prefer returning to my house than to do that! I am starting to question why I have to stick with you! Hmph! —"
He was a bit confused this time: "He–hey, don't pout like that! D–do you really prefer to return to the place you escaped from instead of going to Concordian land alone? That– That doesn't strike me as that brave 20 I got used to. What is with Concordians?" —
What?
What is with Concordians?
He is asking me that?
HE?
— "All is wrong with them! You... You literally fought against them! They started the War! We... We are literally in the Scar itself! I saw the craters and all! You should know better! So, no! I am NOT getting thrown into their lands alone!" —
...
He looked at me... Worried.
— "...What is your version of the War of the Scar?"
— "Well, the true version, of course! As the books said! As Mo–Senecé said! Concordia broke the truce with the Ichorchate and attacked with their metal monsters, destroying our land! This land!" — While stomping my foot.
—"Th–then heroes like you! And the Gods! They all stood up against them!"
"But then they used those... Big bombs that snuffed entire cities! So the Pantheon released to them the horrors of the Deep Sea and Hell!"
He looked at me, covering his mouth with a hand.
"Ah, but the Concordians just threw bigger bombs and metal abominations. It wasn't enough!"
"But our Gods learned how to cast a spell with a power similar to their city killer bombs! And won the war with it!"
"They were merciful, so they didn't destroy Concordia completely... But they shouldn't have been! Why be merciful with them when they weren't against my village before I died!" —
I kicked, screamed, cursed and punched the ground, while he just looked.
And chuckled.
Ch—Chuckled?
I am going to...!
—"Jsjsjs, now that explains it! You have that version!"
As he said that and I was about to bite him, he just grabbed my head out of my body with care of not leaving exposed fingers to my mouth and kept the rest of my body away from his with his gun foot. —"...Aaahhhh, Never gets old hearing it, such beautiful lies... Albeit I a– am sorry if Concordia destroyed your vill..."
- "Lies? Our Gods don't lie! Concordians are the liars! Even their God is a lie! And put my head back to my body already!"
Even with that unsettling smile, he looked more preoccupied now.
He took a while to respond:
- "You really believe all that?"
- "Yes!" I said. Or thought, to be more precise.
He looked at me with more seriousness. His smile faded.
- "...Do you think I am a liar?"
- "Well... Uhh... Ye – no... I... I don't know..."
And now he directly spoke:
— "Would you believe me that that story is just a fairytale of the real deal?"
...
I stayed quiet, even after he put my head back into my body.
— "I also don't know the full story, but... I know yours is the Pantheon's one. I told you. Each faction wants to control the narrative. So." – This time with a half-smile – "...You wanna hear the version of a veteran?"
What of the 2 chapter 1.0 do you guys preffer?
