3 Truth from the Titan (1/2)
”An enigma?” my father asked.
”Yes, but it didn't have the same form... it was constantly changing throughout the dream.”
”It's just a nightmare son, don't think too much about it.”
Although it was a dream, it felt so real, like it was really happening but the oddest part about it was when I felt power surging inside me. That extraordinary feeling: I felt invincible, powerful, enlightened. It was something I've never felt before, as if I transcended the physical world. It was some form of spiritual realm and everyone was tied to it, the orb had veins or roots that bonded everything into it as if guiding or empowering them.
”Argh! my head hurts.” I muttered to myself.
I should stop thinking about it, it was something other worldly, something that can't be comprehended even by scholars. I glanced around and saw my father feeding the horse, the leftovers of the boar was tied with a rope behind the horse.
”Here you go!” as he tossed something.
I caught it with both hands; it was an apple. I felt my hunger as I saw the enticing, bright red color of the apple then bit into it.
”where are we headed now? we can't go back home.”
”I told you already, we're going to look for a comrade of mine.”
”but you don't know where to find him? how are we suppose to find him then?”
”Let's go to the nearest town and we'll start from there.”
He said honestly but underneath his words I knew there wasn't any certainty that we'd find this person, we we're grasping at straws, trying out our luck.
”Who is this person? why do we need to find him? and you still haven't told me why we were chased from Yorkburgen.”
”I-I'll tell you soon enough but now is not the right time.”
”You've been saying that ever sin--”
*Rustle... rustle...*
”Shhh!”
The nearby rustling of the bushes interrupted my sentence, I glanced at my father and he told me to wait here while he went to check. I waited that felt like ages until finally he came out of the forest with another person behind him. It was an old man with a straw hat. My father explained that this person was a merchant and that he was headed to Hennely down south which happened to be the closest town. They negotiated that my father would give him a horse in exchange that we'd safely travel with him. Soon we rode to Hennely aboard the roofed wagon of a kind merchant, we didn't introduce ourselves and the old man didn't mind. He maybe realized that we wanted to keep it that way; safer for himself too.
In the middle of the road, on the way to Hennely my father told me that we'd be on the road for a couple of days. Their negotiation included food and water provided for us. The occasional shake of the carriage was caused by the rocky road, so I took a look outside and saw that we had pass through a crossroads. I saw the sign from afar and there it was standing. The enigma was facing at our direction but for some reason it was shaking it's head as if it was displeased and then later it pointed to the other path. I saw this and was unnerved by it. It felt like it telling me something but I wasn't so sure so I turned to ask my father.
”Father?”
”Hm?”
”Are we headed the right way?”
”I asked the old merchant, he said this was a shortcut...”
Then he leaned in towards my ear and whispered.
”I don't think we're heading the right way but whatever happens just follow what I say.”
I nodded.
I don't know what my father had in mind but I trust him, I didn't dare ask him about our situation even if it bugged me. The Merchant would hear so it was better to be quiet about the whole situation. Soon it was already dark and the stars littered about the sky while the moonlight brightened everything. The nightly cold breeze was blowing that chilled my bones, it was wonderful but for some reason I felt uncomfortable... Later the wagon had been put to a halt in the middle of the road. As my father went to check the merchant up front, he turned to me and said.
”No one's here...”
”We have you surrounded! hurry up and come out! Don't try anything stupid we're armed!” someone shouted.
”What are we going to do?”
”Stay here! I'll deal with them and when they come... run.”
”B-but what are you going to do? you heard them! they're armed!”
”Don't worry, I'll be right back.”
He then smiled and proceeded outside. I went to peek from the front of the wagon. I listened as I watched the whole scenario play out. My father walked out with both hands above his head walking towards them.
”What do you people want?!” He shouted.
From out of the shadows there was at least fifteen men and they were all armed with various weapons. They all wearily approached the hulking man standing before them. I was afraid of what's going to happen so I tried rummaging inside for a weapon or anything sharp that I could use. I opened each barrel and they only contained food or water. Then I realized that it was futile...
”Doesn't matter! and kneel to the ground!
”You caught a big one old man!” as they started laughing.
”I knew it” I thought, we were being played from the start but I didn't want to leave my father all alone. He might be strong but that doesn't mean that he can't die especially now that he's out numbered. I looked outside again and there he was kneeling, completely surrendering to them. Then I felt something creaking on my foot , I checked, it was the floor board and felt that I could lift it up. There I saw a beautiful gem, glowing bright in the night. It looked like the same crystal that I held before in Yorkburgen so I picked it up.
”HONOR YOUR PROMISE! THE CHILD HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THIS!” he shouted.
It was followed by loud laughter as they had mocked my father.
”You think we'd let 'im go? for both of your heads we could claim a lot at the Black market!”
I held the gem as tightly as I could, hoping that it would give me the same power I felt before. Desperate I needed the strength to help him, but nothing happened.
”Come out boy! I won't hurt ya!”