Embers and Ashes

Chapter 19: Romello

I call out her name as I go back to the place I last saw her. When I arrived, I felt stupid for thinking she would be here. Frustration builds up inside me. I take a hand-sized rock and chunk it at a boulder, but instead of hitting a boulder it hits a man in the chest and knocks him to the gravely ground. I quickly run over to him, apologizing over and over again.

"I'm fine. You can stop saying you're sorry now." Says the steady and soothing sound that comes out of his mouth. I take another look at him once more; he has an elegant and mature appearance. His hair is like my home tribe's stone of night called Jet, but in the light glistens a color of blue. His eyes are reminiscent of the midnight sky but lack the bright stars that shine in the dark of night.

"Anyway, what are you doing chunking rocks around like that?" The man asks slightly annoyed.

"Ah, well, you see..." I stammer.

"Go ahead."

"Well, I lost my partner that I was traveling with." I drop my gaze to the pebbled terrain.

"I'm sorry to hear that. I know how it feels to lose someone close to you." He pauses with his hands postured in a thinking position. "How about this, I'll help you search for your friend if you help me out?" The man negotiates.

"R-really! That would be great! I feel like you would really be a big help!" I practically shout.

"My name is Keir Rune, but you can just all me Keir."

"Alright, then call me Romello, friend." I said as we grabbed each other's hand and shook them as a pledge to an agreement, a bond of sorts.

"So, I take it this is the last place you saw her?" he asks as if he is clarifying what he already knew. "Yeah, this is the last place that I saw her." The excitement and joy that I felt dissipated like it never existed in the first place, while the anguish and fear settled back into its original place.

"Hey, are you okay?" Keir asks, "I'm fine. I'll be okay." I non-reassuringly say. "You sure? Because you don't sound too sure." He questions.

Then it all spills out, except the part where I found out that she could turn into a beast and is the beast.

"I see, so you feel guilty for betraying her trust, am I correct?"

"Yeah, pretty much." I say sulkily.

"What kind of skills do you have?" He asks as he changes the topic. "I can cook, really good at finding food both trapping, ambushing, finding non-poisonous berries, and the like." I say with exceptional confidence.

"So, can you fight?" I feel as if he is insulting me for not being able to fight with actual weapons.

"Well, I can kinda use a knife." Goodbye hope. See you in the afterlife.

"I see... How about I teach you how to use a bow so that you have a multi-purpose. You can use it for both hunting and combat." He suggests. I decide to take him up on his offer while it still stands. I also have a feeling he knows where Ecclaissia is and who has her, so for him to suggest the I learn how to use a weapon means he has a plan to get her back and to get whatever he is after.