Chapter 23: Unknown And Pride

A person carried over a hooded woman through a path near the riverbanks. Near the river water were a group of soldiers stabbing spears over a scale monster with a salamander head. The soldiers were battered and weary and their heads were filled with bruises.

A soldier whose chest was heaving up and down approached the two. He eyed the two through his helmet and looked at the man whose head was gray and the woman who was clinging to his neck. His eyes adjusted to the woman's legs and he could tell that it was rather pale.

"May I know where you two might be going?" said the soldier.

The man with gray-hair raised his head. He lowered the cloth on his mouth and spoke. "Teresina Settlements should be around here, right?" He said in an impassionate voice. "We are traveling towards that place."

"I see," said the soldier. "Teresina has a monster plague right now."

"I know," replied him. He shifted his cloak and took a head of a monster.

The soldier widened his eyes. He gazed at the monster's head before taking it. "You killed a bark eater?" He eyed the woman he was carrying. "She cannot walk right?"

"Yes," He snorted. "Why does it matter? We can cross the area, yes?"

"That should be fine," He nodded, "Are you going to be alright, friend? You look battered."

He shook his head curtly. "I am fine. Looks like the huntsmen are still not around?" He eyed the dead scale monster.

"Yes. They are taking their time while the whole county gets into trouble. Whole plague of monsters from the barren lands and we are not strong enough to hunt them down. We're stretched thin and our weapons aren't suitable for killing them." He eyed his cloak. "By any chance are you a Walker?"

He nodded twice. "Yes."

"I see," He nodded, "better be careful down the area, friend. There are a lot of brigands around the area. There are even men that are like monsters going around killing and looting the area."

He nodded. The soldier watched the two disappear from his sight. He scuttled down the river bank and patted a soldier who was tired than everyone. He has a black hair and he was rather average and the only thing that was particularly the way he held his spear and the way he talks.

"Lanon!" the soldier said. "Why do you look so tired?"

"It's the beast," the man spoke in an unnatural tone. "We need to kill more like these?"

"Yes," mouthed another soldier. "You are lucky that you got away from the Oasis, Brother Lanon. You can run fast and fight with your fist well but you are not good at killing. You won't survive if you don't kill!"

Lanon looked at the soldier with a confused expression. The soldier waited for his reply, it took him for a while to remember that Lanon had a problem of speaking the Talon language of the Inner Lands. Lanon scratched back of his head and said. "I don't understand."

The soldier waved his hands. "It matters not. Hey, who was the two you were speaking to?" asked the soldier.

"Oh, just a walker carrying a crippled woman by the looks of it," he said. "Hmm, that man was quite tough. I could feel myself shiver looking at him. He was carrying a bark eater's head while that woman was clinging to his neck. I guess that's what Walkers are!"

Lanon placed his eyes on the soldier. "Walkers are impressive?"

The soldier nodded. "Yeah, they trek barren lands and dangerous areas and map them. They can handle themselves well." He looked at Lanon deeply. "You two look the same, Lanon. He's probably a countryman of yours. Lanon, you should become strong like that man!"

"I don't understand," he tilted his head.

The soldier shrugged his shoulders. He plunged his boots on the scale monster's head and looked at the soldiers who had their stomach disemboweled and grimaced. "We lost fifteen men just to bring down a group of them. The others weren't so lucky and got eaten and dragged. Where the hell are the Talon Knights?"

The group of soldiers lowered their heads. They pursed their lips as they pondered what their fate is going to be. Ever since the fall of Oasis, the garrison that was sent away have been fighting the plague monsters. They were soldiers of Throes but they were not that experienced. Some of them joined because they were not given a choice.

Lanon was one of those who didn't have the choice to pick. He had no memories to speak and he could not speak the language. He was a beggar who got conscripted as a soldier. He rather not becomes one but he has no choice. He was not fond of the job and was getting tired of it as days goes.

The soldiers were all grim about their prospect in life. If they were still in Oasis they would have been happy just to get home and enjoy themselves in brothels. They cannot even enjoy the pleasure of the flesh with death seemingly lingering everywhere. They had to save their energies and those who have given up on caring are the ones brave enough to tire their bodies.

The soldiers started to skin the scale monster. They chopped the body of the monster and distributed the parts of the monsters to trade. The body of the monster was worth a coin. If they want to survive then they have to protect themselves better and spend it on equipment rather than the girls on the brothels.

The soldiers left the river banks. The place was filled with trees and foliage. The trees cast shadows over them. There were overgrown roots and thick bushes that they had to cross. The soldiers were wary as they slog forward inside the forest. Each of their movement was careful, their necks were wet with sweat, their breathing was so quiet, and their eyes were darting everywhere.

The forest was silent, the wind blew softly, and the rustles of the leaves made them feel cold. The soldiers came across a clearing filled with tents. They took a good breathe as they entered and walked to the stumps placed on the camp. They still have two days until they can get out of the forest.

...

Nolan crossed the forest slowly like a wary puma. The dead trees, the twigs on the ground, the thick foliages made Nolan alert. Outside the forest was a plain overlooking the Teresina settlements, was the home of villages that forms a union out of farmers and sheepherders.

The road was mudded. Nolan's foot would bury half in the mud. The mudded road continued until he reaches the even path that led to a walled village. The village had second-story buildings lined up in a neat row. They were made in lumber, the houses were barrel-vaulted, and the roads were uneven but dry.

He sought an Inn near the east flank of the village. The innkeeper saw Nolan and assumed and was about to refuse him when he took out a pouch of talons and rented a room for a week. There was saying no to Nolan whose eyes turned to two sigils of woe. The Innkeeper measured the pros of having a Bleak Walker renting and allowed it.

The wooden stairs squeaked as he climbed up the stairs. He walked into the room. The room had a single bed, a square table, a large tub with a bucket, and coat rack. Nolan unstrapped the carrier on his back and laid Ciara. She gently looked at the room and lowered her head down.

Nolan moved slowly and carried her to the bed. Her eyes pointed down, her cheeks reddened with a blush. She moved her hair and moved her legs using her hands. Nolan stretched his body, his body making crackling sounds as he does some stretches.

Nolan sat down. "Do you want to wash?" he asked.

"Yes." Ciara nodded her head. "Can you please fetch some water and a towel?" She reddened slightly. "And if you can then please...carry me to the tub."

Nolan nodded curtly. He went out of the room and trotted down the stairs. He went to the innkeeper and asked for towels. He paid two talons for the towel and went out of the inn to take water from the well. He pulled water from the well, and he carried them carefully back to the room.

Ciara untied the laces of her tunic. She took the towel and wrapped it around her chest. She glances slightly at Nolan who would glance over at her. His face still as water yet his face seem tightened. He crossed his arms and stayed leaning on the wall.

"Please," she said shyly.

Nolan nodded twice. He took Ciara and carefully placed her on the tub. He handed her the towels. He took a step away from the room and told her. "Call me if you are done."

Ciara eyed him. "Yes."

Nolan walked out of the room. He folded his arms and stared blankly at the sconce mounted on the wall. The second floor of the Inn was quiet and empty. The floor below the Inn had noises of drunks and wooden plates clashing along with the utensils. The drunken banter, the shouts of frustrated men, the sultry calls of the waitresses, and the mutters of the despairing male and females of the bar kept the floor below noisy.

Nolan could hear wet noises inside the room. He could imagine Ciara cleaning her body. If this was him when he was younger he would have been agitated at the prospect. To Nolan being excited about someone, bathing sounds juvenile to him now. He has the body of a young man in his prime but his mindset was that of a mellowed old man. There was no need to act so childishly about such things.

"Nolan?" she called from the inside. "Are you there?"

"I am," Nolan called back. "Is it okay for me to enter?"

"Yes," she said.

Nolan entered the room. He gazed his eyes at Ciara who was still wet with water. He trotted towards her and carried her out of the tub. He took the towel that was lying beside her and started to wipe her head and back. He carefully wiped the drops of water on her and then offered the towel to Ciara.

Ciara gingerly accepted the towel and wiped the sensitive parts of her body. Her eyes would glance at Nolan yet she could not find any sort of shyness on him. His composed countenance made Ciara depressed. Maybe he doesn't like her body? She thought.

"You are composed," she worded.

"Yes," he replied. "There's no need to get so uppity about this."

"Must be quite unpleasant? Seeing a burned woman's body," she said mockingly.

Nolan placed his eyes on her. "No. It is simply manners not to look at a woman's body. Or would you prefer for me to look at you?" he eyed her intensely.

Ciara jolted her head back. Her eyes darted everywhere before shaking her head in embarrassment. Nolan withdrew his eyes back and helped Ciara get dressed. Ciara's face was as red as pigeon's blood as she was helped. She was frustrated and depressed being helped like this.

"I am sorry for being such a burden," she said.

"No," he shook his head. "I don't think of it as a burden. I do it because it is the kind thing to do. And that I adore you, Ciara."

She bit her lip as her cheeks burned red. "Nolan, you are a great person. And because of this, I wonder why you are so tasteless when it comes to women."

"I guess I am an eccentric," Nolan shrugged with a grin on his face.

Ciara eyed that grin and bit her lower lip. Although she was frustrated, depressed, angry and humiliated being treated as a cripple and a burden. She could not possibly lash out or even shamelessly get angry at Nolan who was giving his best to make sure that she could get her legs fix and become the War Maiden.

It would have been beneficial for her to become his lover. Yet, Ciara's voice of reason would remind her of her burnt face. Her pride and her self-defeatism when it comes to her appearance made her pessimistic and that she could not possibly have the heart to take advantage of him.

"I should get us something to eat," he said.

"Okay," Ciara nodded. Nolan left the room again. Ciara stared at the door and guarded her heart. His warm back, his figure as he whirls his sword against the enemy was so awe-inspiring that Ciara felt like her heart was going to burst open. "He deserves better than me," she thought with a dejected mind.

He returned with two bowls of soup and two pieces of cheese. He laid the items on the table and slowly dragged it near the bed where she can easily take the items. Nolan handed the bowl of soup. He took out a spoon and started eating.

Ciara took a sip of her soup. "It must have been hard."

"Hmm," Nolan eyed her. "I am used to it."

"Are all Bleak Walkers like this? Firm and composed no matter what life throws at them?"

"Yes," he nodded. "We've been taught how to remain calm when things are out of hand."

"I see. It is an admirable virtue to have." She told him. "But even with this virtue do you feel tired, Nolan?"

"I do." He stirred before sipping on his soup. "I just don't think that there is a need for me to complain about parts of life. I admit however that the fall of Oasis saddened me. I did what I could. I fought a Warden of the Barren Lands and defeating it. I cannot be happy at that." He glanced over the sword on his waist.

She tilted her head. Her arms folded.

"Can the Three Fates really heal my legs?" asked Ciara.

"Yes."

"Are you sure?"

Nolan nodded. "They've always been capable of doing so. In the Outer Lands, they are the only clan that could tell the unruly to settle down. They command respect and power I think that upon seeing that sigil on your back they would not hesitate to help you."

"Is there a price?" she inquired. "It cannot be as simple as that?"

Nolan placed his eyes on her. "I do not know. I only know that they are the weavers of fate. They will help those who have a role to play. You have a role to play upon this world, Ciara. It would benefit them to help you."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

Ciara placed her hand on her chin. "What role do you play, Nolan?"

"Nothing," he answered curtly. "I am the guide which would take you to your destiny. You are destined for greatness and you have a role that will tire you, while I am simply a Bleak Walker."

"You don't know what."

Nolan smiled. "I do," he thought. "I know what role I have to play. I know that even without me this world will be saved. What happens in Oasis made me realize that taking the reins of fate would do nothing but produce chaos. The sight of your bent and broken legs made me realize this. I cannot allow my meddling to turn you into a pathetic figure. You are the War Maiden that led the army of the Six Heroes and the Light's Army. Your bravery and wisdom saved us all from tight situations. You are someone that I cannot simply compare to."

"You are a Bleak Walker with two sigils in the eyes. I think you have a role to play. Indeed, you are guiding me to this destiny of mine, but without your help do you think that I would still have hope to fulfill this?" she smiled wearily at her legs.

Nolan tapped his spoon on the edges of the bowl. "If I didn't meddle," he thought, "You wouldn't have lost your legs. You wouldn't have to be taken to the Three Fates. I simply cannot allow myself to continue meddling over things that I have no complete control over what will happen. If I do not learn from my mistakes then I would be a fool."