Dark Horse (On Hold)

Chapter 2

"So, where would you even suggest looking? Y'know to find some answers?" I inquired as we were walking through the half-decayed city. I was actually pretty curious as to where he would even start looking, to see whether if he actually had any idea or thought anything through before asking a stranger to help him. 

"I'm not really sure," Caleb answered. "A library? The forest where I found it?"

Yep, Caleb was definitely a typical human.

"Good luck finding a library," I stated, looking at the decomposed buildings as we walked through an old housing sector of the city. "Half of the books in the world were burned whilst the criminals were loose."

Caleb sighed, I considered his idea of searching in the forest. Maybe there could be some sort of excess energy that he stated was released when he found the relic. However, even then we couldn't be completely sure that there was. But it was worth a look and much better than doing nothing.

"Which forest did you find the relic in?" I asked, hoping that he actually knew where he was at the time. He did worry me, I wasn't sure if he was all there. Of course, I was just as crazy because I actually believed his story.

"Gnatok Woods," he answered as he ruffled his hand through his short, raven hair.

"That doesn't sound like a human kind of forest..."

"That's because it was in the Karator Lands; the orc lands. I was there because I was a mercenary. The orcs hired me to help them catch the criminals roaming in their forests. Or people they presumed were criminals. I know I said I was 'helping' some local guards but...well...I have my reasons as to why I didn't tell the complete truth..."

That explained near enough everything to me, I could never trust mercenary. Although I still decided to help him, I would have my wits up about me though. Just incase he would turn against me. I sighed stressfully, the Karator Lands were so far away from the city we were in. It would be a long journey on foot.

"We could get a ride," he said as if he could read my mind. "To save a long foot journey."

"Oh really?" I asked, suspiciously. "And where is this ride that you'll be getting?"

"I said we 'could' meaning we probably won't because it would involved 'criminal activity' which you don't agree with..." Caleb's tone dropped again.

"Hey, you said yourself that 'criminals have gone missing, I think it has something to do with this mystical relic that I picked up off the floor and probably belonged to someone'." I childishly impersonated him, I couldn't believe I had stooped so low to do a dreadful impersonation of a mercenary.

"I do not sound like that!" he argued almost in a playful way.

"Oooo I totally do not sound like that," I continued to impersonate him, making puppets with my hands to demonstrate him talking.

After that we awkwardly stayed quiet as we walked out of the huge front gates. We both gazed down the extensive pathway that seemed to have gone on forever. It had become slightly broken over the two years, probably because of the drastic change of nature. It was strange how a criminal outbreak could cause such chaos in all of Qualar. We continued to stroll down the pathway, although it seemed a long way it was still better than thieving an innocent's horse.

"So," I tried to break through the awkward silence. "You're a mercenary, doesn't that make you a criminal?"

"It depends on the job," Caleb chuckled a little. "I wouldn't 'kill' someone who was completely innocent. In fact I wouldn't kill anyone, that would be my employer's job. Of course the 'criminal incident' was an exception."