Heroes of Layrucia

CHAPTER EIGHT: ELECTRO

Chumno Village was crowded.

No wonder, of course. Chumno was the supply stop of the east, and just one step away from Seaport. It wasn't very big, but it was full of just about everything. Blacksmiths, tinsmiths, silversmiths, merchants and food vendors were just a few things that were found there. The village dwelt on a hot, dry landscape, strongly opposed to the place I hailed from. I wasn't feeling very well; I had run out of water about two or three hours back, and my head ached a bit. My stomach growled at the sight of food and I realized I hadn't eaten since I left Kronos. I reached into my pockets and found a few kips. I started to walk to the nearest food vendor who was shouting something about fresh fruit.

"Electro!"

A female voice called my name. I turned around, only to be tackled into a hug. Then the person pulled away. I straightened my shirt.

"I have yet to see subtlty in you, Pinta," I admonished good naturedly. "Seriously, you're gonna accidently tackle someone else someday."

Pinta tossed her dark, ginger - tinted hair; her hazel eyes shone in the sunlight. She flashed a smile and replied,

"Thanks for your concern, but there truly is no mistaking you, Electro, with your blond hair." "Oh," I muttered. "Right."

"Gosh, you look awful," she continued.

"Well, I -"

"And when was the last time you ate? And how come you haven't come to see me lately?"

"I -"

"Come on, let's go eat something!"

She took my hand and pulled me to the cart.

Yep. That's Pinta.

We bought a few things and began walking around. I filled her in on everything that had happened - about the attack on Kronos, about Morrow, about my encounter with Zipporah and what she had told me about Frozene, two 'others', and myself; how we had to join together and fight a gigantic, fire breathing dragon and save Layrucia. I also showed her the Sword of Lightning, and explained its significance.

"So what do you do now?" Pinta asked when I was done.

"Well, Zipporah told me to come ward off a giant enemy encampment somewhere around this area. You don't know of anything, do you?"

"No. Sorry."

I shook my head.

"I don't know what to do after that. Apparently, Frozene is doing her own thing. And eventually, we'll have to meet the other two, but I don't know where or when; or anything really."

Pinta took my hand and said,"Whatever happens, I know you can handle it."

I smiled at her gratefully. We wandered a bit more. There were so many people, it was like trying to navigate through an ant hole. There weren't many soldiers either. Sure, almost all Layrucians knew basic combat skills, but I saw mostly children and mothers. They were sitting ducks.

"So which villages are here?" I asked.

"Oh, Layrucian Village, Theros, well, most of them anyway, the normal Chumno residents. That's pretty much it; some have already moved on."

"No news on Kronos?''

"Not that I've heard. Oh," she said suddenly. "Here. You left these at my restaurant last time you were there."

She reached into her belt and pulled out several pieces of paper. I took them and unfolded them. They were blueprints for the new invention I was working on. It was a device that would put together special chemicals that would explode when lit.