Moonhunter

Chapter 38 .: Rendezvous Point :.

.: Chapter 38 :.

Rendezvous Point

       “Alix, are you sure you’re well enough to travel?” Amax demanded of his brother. It had only been a couple days since Luna and her team had left the Root. Apparently, Alix was planning to go onto the expedition with them. “Shouldn’t you stay here?”

       Alix glared at his brother. “This doesn’t have anything to do with your concern about me,” he snapped. “This is because you think I’m a threat to your little crush.”

       Amax blinked, and immediately retorted, “I don’t—“

       “Yeah, yeah.” Alix pulled the strings on his pack tight and stood. “And even if you do. I don’t give a damn—not anymore.”

       Amax stared after his brother’s retreating figure, unsure of what that meant. “You’re ill!” he called. “You can’t—“

      “I have firsthand experience with Reincarnates. I’m a vital source of experience.” he replied calmly. He stretched. “See? I’m fine.” He gave his brother a cold smile. “You never manage without me, Amax. You never did, and never will.”

       Alix opened up a passage out of Root, seeing many of his warriors there. “Leader,” said Rory cheerfully. “We knew you’d live.”

       He grinned at them. “Don’t sound so disappointed.”

       Piers looked more worried than his brother. “I heard we’re going to Bellatoria. Is that really the best course of action? Shouldn’t we be hunting down the Reincarnates ourselves?”

       “I assure you we are not entering Bellatoria,” said Alix firmly. “From what I heard, we’re meeting up with other reinforcements there. It’s only a rendezvous point.”

       Piers looked reassured.

       Landon pursed his lips. “I don’t see why we have to get involved with these guys anyway. They’ve made it clear they don’t care about anyone other than themselves. Them ‘Bellatorian’ folk.”

       There was a mutter of assent to his words.

       “I suppose there are some decent folk left,” said Alix wryly. He knew Luna wouldn’t call on them unless the situation was very dire. He had seen for himself how strong these Reincarnates were, and he knew that they weren’t only helping Bellatoria but themselves by fighting with them. That they were just as good as those raised in the city. “It isn’t our place to ask why or why not we’re being sent there.”

       Landon and the rest looked down, ashamed at having questioned their goal.

       “We meet up with the rest of the Root’s forces in a day. We’re to scout ahead to make sure there is a clear path, and that we aren’t ambushed in anyway.” He looked around at his fellows, seeing grim determination in their eyes. This wasn’t just a fight for them. It was also a way for them to prove to Bellatoria and the rest of the world that outcast they may be, but they were just as able as anyone.

       Alix lead his team out. It took a while for them to get out of the maze-like forest in which Root was hidden. It was a perfect place to have a hideout. Not many people dared venture the Eitheran Forest because of the tales of those who entered and never left. Their people made a couple rumors themselves. Even those in Root weren’t all too sure how to maneuver around the forest. But Alix and his brother had grown up in Root, once only a small encampment in the very heart of the forest. It was home to him.