Chapter 9
"All right, to recap.", said Archemedies. "You are to ride Southeast until you touch green. You are to follow the lake until you reach the hamlet, and you are to defeat the men in the encampment to the Southeast." "Which we can do." Askandir looked at Jun with a hesitant assuredness. "Yes, I'm sure we can pull it off. Tell me Archimedes, what was the most help to you, in your days as a swordsman? Askandir scoffed and Jun stifled a grin and rubbed his foot in the sand. "Well I, well I'll have you know, I really was! What? I really was!" Archimedes looked at them earnestly. "We're only kidding, Archie." "Just having a little pre-battle banter, that's all." "Well I- Well that's quite alright, I'm sure I know what it was like when I was your boys' age. They belittled the only man who was helping them. How juvenile. But it was all in good fun. Archimedes grinned and gave them a knowing look out of the corner of his eye, the boys a little more knowing than he, not that Archimedes would have cared either way. He was just happy to be helping a group of strapping young lads in on an adventure. He was just happy to be here. And out of the house and away from Miriam for a while. You see, he and Miriam had been having...problems in their relationship for a while, or rather, *he* had been having issues with Miriam but that was a tale for another time. "Oh, and also, Jun. Here. I want you to take this." And Archimedes handed Jun a silver wristwatch. "If you are ever in too much trouble, simply turn the switch. You'll see what I mean." "Supplies?" Beckoned Askandir. "Yes, I'll give you some rations and a horse, but for Pete's sake, it's only 6 an hour's journey on horseback. Oh, yes, horses, I almost forgot..."
Jun and Askandir rode on horseback, one horse between them, which caused great strain on the horses due to Askandir's height but he rode on the back end to alleviate stress. They had to stop a lot to feed the horses, something they accounted for before the journey. To the southwest from Archimede's homestead, as per the location marked on the map. "Say, Jun." Said Askandir, chewing a piece of jerky. "Once you actually pay off this debt what do you suppose you'll do?" Jun had not thought this far ahead. "I don't know." Replied Jun matter-of-factly. "Maybe I'll retire," he jested. "Hah!", Askandir. "You are far too young to retire. You know this. Come on, really, what do you want to do after we get this gold, split it 25/75 and go our separate ways." "25/75? You'd better be joking!", Jun spat. "Hajaha!" Jun could hear a little bit of Askandir's accent coming out.
Jun and Askandir rode out and reached the hamlet, and what they found there confounded senses. Not a hamlet, but what was once a smoldering wreck where the hamlet once stood. "Good Gods!", said Askandir. "What in Hell's name happened here?" Jun brushed his hair back. There was only one thing that left a trace of what had happened here. A white flame flickered from the smoke, turning blue, and then orange, and then red, and then becoming one with the smoke, the smoke eclipsing the wrexkage of the hamlet, adding to it. *A flame burning backwards.* *What in Hell's name indeed...
