| “John?? John??” It seems somebody was
calling me. I saw somebody who looked like Master fighting with a Fallen
Shaman. “Master, here I am!” In reflex action I picked up my sword and
rushed forward. However, I couldn’t move as if I was held in place by
a huge rock. “Master!” Seeing that Master is fighting a losing battle,
and couldn’t help. “John! What the hell are you doing?” I desperately
trying to free myself from the shadow which was grabbing me. The chance
had come: I clenched my teeth, and the short sword thrust forward. “Help!!!”
I could feel breaking pain from my cheek.
The first thing I saw was not Master, but
Ka who was holding me. “John? John!?” He was shaking me and shouting
my name. “Nightmare?” Then I discovered there were two Rouges grabbing
my two hands. “Do you know you nearly killed me?” There was no accusation
in Ka’s voice. “Sorry…” I don’t know what to say. I must have made
Kurast looked bad…
“What the hell is going on!!” Outside
the tent came Kashya’s voice.
“Don’t move, and I’ll explain this
mess.” Ka said, then he went out.
After about fifteen minutes, Ka was back
with a frustrated look on his face.
“It’s okay now, let’s go.” He said.
“Go?”
“Don’t you remember? We’ve got to go
to Blood Moor!”
“Oh, yes. I’m sorry.” I was shocked
by the nightmare.
“Hurry up and pack the things.” We hurried
for our backpacks: Water, food, medical stuff, Tome of Town Portal.
“Ka…” I could hold that no more.
“What?” Ka was practicing his Two handed
sword. I heard that Barbarians were renowned for their great strength,
now I believe it. There were quite a few Sisters gathered around us, staring
at Ka with their ever-weird look in their face.
“Well… I’m sorry for the mess.” Didn’t
know why, I flushed. Then I knew apologizing in front of a crowd requires
quite some courage. He didn’t reply, but in his smile I could see that
he didn’t even get angry.
“OK, time to go.” He signaled we should
go.
Right when we stepped out of Rogues Encampment,
Akara’s voice raised behind us.
“John! Ka! I gotta tell you…
Recently in Blood Moor there were strangely
numerous monsters. And we discovered that they made themselves a liar there.
Let’s call that Den of Evil for the time being. Now I request you two
heroes to clear that Den of Evil. Can you grant the old woman’s wish?”
“Of course, killing monster is our job.”
I didn’t boast, the work of Paladins isn’t only talking. Ka and I glanced
each other, then with a nod on our hands, off we go.
Fighting alongside Ka was a pleasure. When
he’s by my side, I could fight wholeheartedly without worrying. And Barbarians
were really well adapted in battles. He could give me advices while he
was fighting. With his advice, I could finally pick the quickest, easiest
and the most useful from the numerous Paladin skills.
“John, yours” Ka raised his left hand
and pointed to somewhere ahead.
With a growl, I charged at the Fallen
Shaman. The Charge of a Paladin wasn’t about speed, nor the timing of
impact. It’s about faith, you’ve got to believe in yourself. Then forget
the rest and let your whole body burst forward.
The Fallen Shaman was chopped in two.
The evil aura of the Den of Evil perished with that monster.
“Ka… I really thank you.” I told Ka
once back to the Rogue Encampment.
“Don’t mention it.” He said jokingly,
“I got my share of money.”
We were late for dinner, so we didn’t
expect a single piece of rice. But when the news of two man clearing the
whole Den of Evil spread out. The table was quickly laid and the dishes
rushing in.
“Ka, try this?” “Ka, the veggies are
fresh.” “Ka…
“John was more courageous and furious
than me today. You should eat with him also.” Ka gave me an embarrassed
smile.
Sisters were only crowding him. I know
I don’t care much about this, but somehow I didn’t feel too happy.
“John, try these fried eggs, I made it.”
Appeared beside me was a Sister of my age. Her clean and tidy uniform contained
her flawless body. A pair of emerald green eyes ornates her perfect face.
Her voice ringed in my ears again like a silver bell. “John?”
“Ah… Thank you.” There WAS girl students
in Kurast, but the different sexes are strictly separated. Years of such
life didn’t teach me how to deal with girls.
“My name’s Paige. How’s the eggs?”
“Oh, they taste marvelous.” In circumstances
like this, instinct told me that I’ve got to say so even if the eggs were
poisonous.
“Oh great!” She acted like she won a
prize or something. And she bounced back to her tent happily, leaving me
and the dish of eggs behind.
“John!” Ka approached me with two goblets
of wine. The Sisters who were crowding him was pushed aside. “From now
on, we’re brothers! Every bit of happiness, we share. Every bit of sorrow,
we share!”
Indeed that was a surprise, but being
with Ka must be a blessing I knew.
“Great! Brother Ka!” We knew that more
words were just waste of time. He was three years older than me, he was
twenty one. He became the elder, and I became the younger. But who cares
when you got a brother like this, who really cares for you? |
