The Falcon's Quest

The Good or The Bad

We continued our course for some time now. The others continued to chat lightly in their pairs, while I remained silent near James. Gazing at the landscape in this world is enough to pass the time.

The terrain changed a bit from high hills to lower ones, as more rocks and boulders sprung up from the grassy ground, and the floating islands disappeared completely now. The breeze that was persistent a while ago now left as well, as the temperature dropped ever so slightly, yet still comfortably. I wasn't straining myself going through such terrain, not even breaking a sweat throughout the time we've been walking.

No doubt this place's "effect" on us.

As we rounded around a large boulder, Clément halted the group with a hand motion. We got quiet as we stopped, with Clément messing with his wrist device.

"There is some life signs on the other side of this hill." He said in a low voice, pointing to a hill we were about to go over. "Let's go around it. We might just pass them."

The group continued around it, as there was a kind of commotion heard on the other side. Gunshots rang out, as the group brought out their weapons and moved on. That's when I heard someone calling out.

"HELP! ANYONE!"

I looked to James, who kept his gaze forward. "Keep moving, David."

Some more shots rang out, followed by the distinctive sound of something dematerializing. The same voice cried out once more.

I felt the urge to just do something. I know that I shouldn't, if James says so. The group seems to trust to keep on going...yet something is once more pulling me to go and help whoever is calling out. James seemed to know what I was feeling.

"Trust us, David," James said to me quietly, "We're better off not getting involved. No point in getting ourselves into any more dangerous situations than need be."

"It's not right," I said back, "we just can't do nothing."

"We can, and we must."

I stopped moving with the group, as Jack stopped as well, with Preston coming up.

"David what're ya doin?" Preston asked as quietly as he could yet trying to keep a stern volume.

I had no second thought as I unholstered the gun at my side. I did not care as I heard Preston say "Aw dangit" and James cry out "David, wait!" as I dashed up the hill. I felt as though something had to be done as I reached the top and saw the scene.

There was a wagon that was being pulled by some small mechanical vehicle made of what looked like copper. The wagon had a number of different sized crates and containers on it, along with some other random materials bundled up. It was parked beside a large lone tree, with several figures around it.

There was two armed men yelling at a figure in the ground. Yet, the men themselves seemed to have ghostly white skin, outfitted with some crude metallic armor, each holding a gun, one an old fashioned carbine, the other a blunderbuss. The figure they were yelling at was a deer, hogtied on the ground, gun barrels pointed right at its head. The deer appeared to be a buck, with a set off antlers on its head.

  There was one plain looking man with a wide brimmed hat going through the contents of the wagon, a spear strapped to his back. Beside the tree seemed to be a large bipedal lizard creature of sorts, holding another person with a large knife pointed at their exposed throat. I couldn't make out the hostage much as they wore some leather armoring and a dark face-plated helmet.

    "If we have to ask again, we'll kill the other one!" One of the ghostly men yelled to the deer.
The deer struggled against its bindings, only snorting in agitation.