Falling to Rise [Book 1 of Fate]

Chapter Nineteen

Whoop! Another chapter with a drawing!

Top is Jason, right is Glen, left is Ava, and bottom is Venir.

When I'm not grounded I will scan it and color it digitally, this is by far my favorite traditional drawing ever.

Also dedicated to DaliaTDM for first place in the contest. I keep forgetting to do this :P

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Falling to Rise

Chapter 19

"Where there is no struggle there is no strength"

"We can take a break if you need it Seto." Jerome said.

Seto shook his head, "N-no, I'm fine, really. Let's just make it out of Keuta, we're almost out anyways."

"Alright..." Jerome left Seto's side and moved closer to the front of their little rag-tag gang. It was night, clouds hung over the sky blocking out the only natural light they had. They didn't dare use torches, in case someone was still looking for them.

Every part of Seto's body was sore, he would think that being asleep for several days would give him time to recover, but he only felt worse. He was slow and stumbled often, he was tired beyond belief, he couldn't quiet his thoughts. Just loud, nauseating murmurs and shouts and cries in his head about how he could do nothing to save his parents, what a poor excuse of a son he was. A disgrace. An inhuman disgrace.

Another hour. Just one more. He estimated that by then they'd be out of Keuta and into the forest ahead.

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"Ok, I think we are far enough in. This forest is pretty thick, so chance of being found are small." Adam laid down some of the bags he was carrying and pulled out a few bottles, "Are water supply is really low, so we're going to have to divvy it up."

Seto sunk down to the ground and leaned against the rough surface of a tree. Adam and Ian seemed to be working on the water and food rations they had left. Jerome was setting up sleeping area and Mitch the fire--

"You can't do it like that!" Jerome hissed, "No one sets up a fire like that, you're going to burn the whole forest down!"

"Oh, like you're one to talk, you're putting the sheets too close together, who'd want to sleep with a smelly dog like you!" Mitch countered using a twig to point out the mess of a sleeping area Jerome was setting up.

The two stared each other down before switching roles. Little conflict for once, the argument passed and the campsite was quiet once more as the two of them silently completed the other's role.

A fire was steadily growing in a matter of minutes. Ian prepared a small dinner, Jerome refused his share and passed it to Seto, who only nodded as a thanks.

For the next 30 minutes they were quiet, no one spoke up or tried to make conversation. Seto remained quiet and isolated, he noted Jerome nabbing one of Mitch's arrows as he carefully began to carve away the bark of a fallen branch. Harsh whispers between Mitch and Jerome arise, likely because Mitch saw Jerome take his arrow.

Adam lay soundly asleep and Ian sat taking watch towards the direction they had come.

It was peaceful, but the night felt dark in this forest. Seto couldn't tell if they had wound up in Neim or Eflido, since both are west of Keuta, but only one had forests, if he remembered correctly. But which kingdom was it.