Five days had passed, and we reached the Jormungand border. There was nothing in sight except for a lone obelisk where we waited around. An hour passed, another caravan arrived from within our employers’ territory. We spent the remainder of the day transferring loads between the two. At sundown, we rested.
Three days later, our caravan was now heading back to the Great Blue Zone, with cargoes full of finished goods that the Jormungands produced.
When we traveled to their territory, everyone was on guard of their surroundings. Now that we were going home, there were laughter and chatters throughout the caravan. This quest wasn’t as exciting or dangerous as our party expected. Although, we did get to experience what it was like in the Yellow Zone. Still, I needed to be vigilant, especially since we were at the back of the caravan.
“Two more days, and we’re finally home for that sweet nine thousand chaffs.” Katie grinned while shooting her arms in the air. “How about we spent a slice on that reward to celebrate.” It sounded like a great idea. Wilt, Li, and Alex agreed. She then turned to me. “How about you?”
I thought of it for a second. “Sure, but this isn’t the time to let our guards down,” I replied in a cautious tone.
“Come on, Sam,” Katie coaxed. “Lighten up a little.” She dropped her smile when she shifted toward Brock with a soured face. “How about you, dunderhead? You’re up for it?”
Brock mumbled in approval while his attention was somewhere among the dunes. Probably he was watching out for scorpions.
“You should relax, Sam,” Katie said. “You look tense from time to time ever since we left the Blue Zone.”
“Well,” I mumbled, “one needs to be careful….”
She stopped to lock her glance into mine. “You’re not a people person, are you?”
I was taken aback. I couldn’t take another step while people passed around us. As I fumbled my words trying to make an excuse, Katie snuffed them with the silent treatment and a raised eyebrow. After exhaling a long sigh in defeat, I was about to start talking when Brock tackled us both to the ground.
“Dunderhead! What are you —” Before she could finish, a boulder flew over our backs and struck the front leg of the behemoth next to us. It bolted up on two feet, roaring in pain.
Its rider tried to calm the beast, but the heavy loads on its back weighed down its standing legs to tilt toward us, still lying on the ground. I hurled the two in a safe distance and tried to get back up, right before the beast crashed on top of me.
“SAM!” My eyelids flew opened after hearing my friends’ voices. As I glanced around, I was under the arched gap of the beast’s bent neck, which saved me from getting crushed. Once I crawled my way out, Wilt and Li grabbed my hands and pulled me onto my feet.
“You alright?” Li asked in a concerned tone.
I nodded sluggishly in response.
“We thought you were a goner, man.” Brock embraced me with his eyes watering.
My friends gave us weird looks, but I wasn’t paying attention to them. I was still in shock from what just happened. Upon scanning my surroundings, the whole caravan grounded to a halt. Four behemoths, including the one beside us, were lying on the sand and wailing in agony.
“What happened?” I asked.
Before anyone could answer, we heard a scream, “RAIDERS!”
A leather-clad group sprang out of nowhere.
“WE’RE UNDER ATTACK! WE’RE UNDER ATTACK!” someone bellowed, alerting the entire docile herd to huddle together. The Jormungand warriors and the veteran-looking hired ones prepared for battle. The rest were running for their lives as the raiders hacked and clubbed anyone standing in their way toward the Jormungand’s precious cargoes.
One nearby raider threw a spear at me, but someone ran by and got unluckily impaled in my place. There was no blood. The poor guy turned gray, both skin and clothes; cracks began to appear until he immediately crumbled into a pile of dust.
Still panicked after witnessing someone’s demise, my nerves froze as the raider produced another spear out of thin air and was about to stab me. Wilt swooped in and parried the spearhead away with a sword in his hand. With a single step and an upward stroke, he cleaved the raider’s chest open, bursting out dust instead of blood before crumbling into a pile as well.
Wilt glanced at me. His lips moved like he was calling my name. His voice was getting louder and louder until my senses snapped back. “…Sam, Sam!”
Just when I was about to speak, an ax-wielding raider dashed behind him, but Li intercepted and caught the swinging blade with two fingers before kicking the raider’s chest, sending him flying.
“Ow!”
“Back on Earth, right?” Wilt slapped me for my late response, unaware of the danger he had behind him.
I answered with a nod while rubbing my stinging cheek.
Eight more were coming toward us. Wilt bolted to confront them, throwing his sword at the charging raiders, producing two out of his hands, only to throw them as well. While the enemies were deflecting the hurling blades, Wilt was close enough to pop one more and slash three of them at lightning speed before they could counter. He spun his sword to fan the dust of their fallen brethren, blinding the rest. This allowed him to finish them all, leaving nothing but their weapons and belongings on the ground.
“He’s so cool,” Katie awed at Wilt standing in triumph. Although, nobody asked about the swords coming out of his hands and the skills to take down nine people.
“Guys, get behind me!” he cried, snapping us to do what he ordered. “This is it. We must stick together, no matter what happens. We will survive this.” His words steeled our nerves, but that immediately shaken when another wave of raiders appeared and joined the others. With their combined numbers, they broke our line.
I scanned around to find a way out when they were getting close.
“Wilt, look.” I pointed at where our side regrouped to form a new line. He ordered us to go there, which we obliged.
Relieved, now that we were safe in numbers, until someone yelled, “ASURA!” The raiders began to split into two.
My friends and I couldn’t help gawking in terror at the newly appeared enemy marching through the opened path that the cheering raiders created. It was a giant, standing four meters tall and bulky. He looked like an Indian warrior, but his steel armor matched the skin color, like a living metal statue.
“My God, what is that?” Katie gasped. The rest of us were trembling.
“That’s an Asura,” someone beside her replied. “A brave that can transform into a metal giant.”
Once the Asura stood in front, the enemies resumed their advance, and our forces crashed into each other. Unfortunately, none of our weapons put a scratch on the Asura’s skin as the giant bashed and threw anyone in sight with his bare hands, slowly breaking our second line. Wilt ordered us to retreat, but the cluttering chaos had people shoving each other to flee, and we all got separated. Brock was being pushed in random directions until he was right in front of the Asura.
With nowhere to run, whether he was bold or stupid, Brock faced the giant with his right fist ready. “Come on! I’ll take ya!”
“Brock, don’t!” Wilt cried when the jock leaped to give the giant a hook.
Thud!
When his right fist landed on the Asura’s metal face, a cracking sound was heard. The jock was on his knees, screaming while holding his right hand with swollen knuckles.
The giant bellowed in laughter at the sight of his agony. Out of anger, Brock got back on his feet, clenching his teeth to bear the pain.
“Oh, you want this then.” He readied his left fist while placing his broken right hand on his chest.
“Don’t be stupid, Brock!” Katie cried in a distressed tone. “You’ll break your other hand!” Her words didn’t reach his ears as he prepared another hook.
Amused to see him breaking his left hand, the Asura crossed his arms with a nasty smile, allowing the jock to land another punch. Brock let out a battle cry and —
Gong!
The sound of a beaten gong boomed throughout the battlefield. Then everything went silent. Everyone from both sides was stunned to find the Asura lying on the sand, out cold, with a fist mark dented on his face.
“Hah! How do you like that?” Brock taunted his unconscious opponent. He raised his left fist in the air and howled triumphantly.
Seeing their powerhouse fell, the raiders scampered in retreat, but nobody pursued them. Awestruck and confused, one question popped up in everyone’s minds: How did he do that?
There was a glimmer on his left fist, still hanging in the air. Upon closer look, his hand was polished silver.
“You have a metal arm?” Katie gasped.
“Hey!” a Jormungand warrior called everyone’s attention. “There’s another group attacking in the middle. We need to go there now.”
Many complied as they started sprinting into the next battle.
“We have to go there,” Wilt said.
“Uh, we prefer staying here and try not to get turned into dust,” Katie protested, which I nodded to agree with her. “So, no, thank you. Plus, he needs a doctor.”
She pointed her thumb at Brock rubbing his swollen knuckles, almost like he was about to shed a tear because of the intense pain.
“You don’t understand,” Wilt said. “Sally and Travis are there. We have to make sure they’re safe.”
We knew that those two had Red Tails aiding them. We didn’t want to get ourselves jumping to another battle — but they were still our friends. The whole gang reluctantly agreed that we must help them.
“Alex, you and Brock stay here and find someone who can heal his hand. The rest of us will press on. Move!”
Wilt, Katie, and Li made a dash. I was left standing while Alex tended the jock. She motioned me to go with them.
I sighed, “Why do you have to be a hero?” My thoughts weren’t sure who I was referring to, Wilt or me? I brushed that off from my mind and started trailing them with haste.
Upon arriving, the entire battlefield was twice larger and bloodier than we fought at the back of the caravan. Dozens upon dozens of dust piles trampled under the feet from both sides that were engaging in a messy melee while blades and projectiles flung over our heads. Amidst the chaotic battle, we found six behemoths lying on the ground. Two of them were dead. We also found Commander Raja shouting orders to everyone not far from us. Katie scurried toward him with an angry face. Wilt, Li, and I shared concerned looks. We went after her, understanding that there could be trouble. “Hey, Commander!” she snarled, which got his attention. “You said the raiders weren’t as many as fifty. You said we’re safe in numbers. But look around us. We are all under attack!” When our fellow hired ones heard what she said, they all glared daggers at the commander. “I know, I know,” he admitted, “but this had never happened before.” “What do you mean?” Wilt aske
“Extra, extra!” a newsboy cried. “The Black Sun conquered Eagle’s Nest. No actions made by the big shots.” I groaned on my bed after hearing another awful news from the window. I got up and headed for the balcony to check what was happening on the streets. It had been eight days I stayed in my apartment, only to come out to wash my clothes at the laundry shop; that was enough for me to stretch my legs. Things had never been the same ever since we got back. It was nine days ago. After the raiders scattered in retreat while leaving their wounded behind, I was lying on the ground, exhausting all my rage and adrenaline rush from pummeling them left and right. My friends rushed toward me, overjoyed to see me alive. Then they chastised me for recklessly attacking the raiders alone. As the whole caravan began recuperating, Commander Raja ordered all the newcomers to gather in one area to rest for the day while everyone worked. We were happy that the commander sympathized wi
The whole gang was here. My phone had received their messages that they were coming. Now that everything was back to normal, we were going to have a celebratory lunch for completing our first high-class quest. I held my breath and opened the door, just slightly enough for my head to stick out. “Hey,” Wilt greeted. “Hey,” I replied. After a brief pause, he said, “May we come in?” “Um, yeah, sure.” I swung the door wide open. Upon entering, they were astonished to see mounds of gift baskets and letters all over my apartment. After we got back home, I’d been getting invites and gifts from different guilds for eight straight days. That was why I was a bit embarrassed about letting them in. Li was staring at the basket of chocolates on top of my desk. “Go ahead,” I told him. “Help yourselves.” “Thank you.” He bowed before making a dash toward the chocolates. “Don’t mind if I do.” Brock followed behind, so was
By nighttime, we arrived at the Party King’s castle. The girls wore knee-length dresses, blue for Katie and white for Alex, though Katie tied her bushy hair into a bun. Wilt, Brock, and I sported coats and jeans while Li added a longer robe to his attire. According to the locals, Rad’s parties were the best of the best ever since the Boston Tea Party’s founding. Due to the power of Dionysus, he and his guild were in charge of every event in the city, including Christmas, giving them tremendous influence in the Great Blue Zone. From sundown to sunrise, “It’s a little paradise here in this world,” they said, and people would pay gold to get into one. Since our invitation was free, this was a better choice to celebrate completing our first high-class quest instead of eating in a pricey Chinese restaurant. We went to a Victorian-era department store this afternoon, finding a perfect outfit for each of us. The place had almost every piece of clothing from different timeli
“That was quite a show when you messed with those raiders,” Rad exclaimed. “I like the part where that truck rammed you — BOOM! Then, like Superman, you lifted the darn thing in the air and — SMASH!” he laughed hysterically. “The best part is — no one got recalled.” “Wait a minute, how did you know all this?” Wilt inquired. “You weren’t there when that happened.” Our leader was right. We all nodded to agree. “What are you talking about?” Rad asked. “It’s all trending on Viewcom. It got over ten thousand views.” A confused look crossed each of our faces. “Viewcom? The greatest thing on the internet since Quest. And the internet itself.” “My liege,” one of the girls reminded him, “these are newcomers.” “She’s right,” the other said. “Viewcom is only a week old. They haven’t yet been informed.” The Party King’s eyes widened before bursting into laughter, “Ah, silly me. That Chernobyl cocktail earlier ga
It had never crossed my mind that I would ever meet this girl again. On that first night, I was mesmerized when I first saw her soaring in front of the full moon. A teacher I once knew had said that we, boys, would sometimes do stupid things for a girl. I, for one, ran an entire section of a castle wall just to check her out. She was even more beautiful at a close distance; crystal-blue eyes, a heart-shaped face, and red freckles on cheeks resembled autumn leaves. Now that I got one last glimpse of her, it was time to leave. I did understand why my heart right now was hammering like crazy, but for me to go and talk to her was impossible for two reasons. One, I had zero experience in making the first move to woo a girl; I even stuttered when I got nervous. Two, by the looks from her sad eyes staring at the moons, something must’ve happened that made her unhappy. Deciding to leave her alone, I tiptoed my way back toward the entrance. “Hello.” As I whirled aroun
“Out of this city,” Marseille said. “Out there. See the world. Go on adventures.” I lost a word for a moment there. “W-w-what makes you say that?” She chuckled, “You didn’t come out here just to get some fresh air.” My cheeks pinked to my embarrassment, then reddened when she flew close to me again. “Call it a woman’s intuition, but I think you and I are pretty much alike.” “Alike? H-how?” Marseille jumped back on the merlon, gazing at the city again. “Here we are, standing alone in the middle of the night, looking beyond this city, beyond those mountains, wondering what’s out there.” She shrugged her shoulders. “Sure, there are many dangers in the Yellow Zone, but there are other Blue Zones and wonderful places as well. Sometimes I wish I could go out there and visit them all.” “And leave all your problems behind,” I agreed with a sigh. She nodded. “But something weighing us down that we couldn’t.” I knew the a
There was no point in lying to my friends anymore. “Yeah, but I never told anyone about it,” I admitted. “Who’s Hercules?” the Shaolin asked. “I’ll tell you about it when we get home,” Wilt replied before turning his attention to their leader. “You must be a Jormungand commander.” “What makes you think that, newbie?” Wilt turned his glare toward Del Rio. “We’ve already acquainted with the lieutenant during their last caravan run. And this guy —” He then turned to the biggest person in their group, a towering Indian, about a head taller than Li, wearing formal clothes from his homeland. “I’ve heard some gossip here that you’re famous. Captain Madhur, I presumed?” The towering captain bowed to greet our leader out of courtesy. “So seeing you leading this group with a ranked captain like him,” Wilt continued explaining. “I’d say that makes you their superior officer. And the way you stand there like a posh with an English accent and fancy