It's a place where I can write anything at all.
So, today we yet continue or journey into this head of mine. See if the kicks are still there.
And start.
Rilzen wasn't the best man nor the best archer in the world, but he still wants to be as gentlemanly to others as much as he can and he can shoot about a whole lot of distance from the target. His eyes weren't the prettiest but sometimes there was that glint inside his eyes that say, "I'm going to be the greatest!" even for a moment before the arrow hit the target and after he released the rock-pointed slick wood. In this, he didn't really trust because he was just a village boy, aged 18, considered matured by most and childish but those to the ones that have raised him single-handedly from the times when he was still a babe. It didn't came to him either that became one of those guys that looks at each other and could say rude things about each other and laugh out like it was nothing. It didn't occur to him that he would've stayed in this village beneath a mountain's shadow, Huang's Grit it's name was and still, because he used to think about what's on the other side of the mountain and beyond
A hunter, someone said he's going to be someday. And yes, a hunter he had become for some while. Hunting small snacks was usual for him and easy targets, his eyes could take up anything from the reflection of the sun on the sands that covered his village and surrounding to the eagle, seemingly a dotted speck in the sky. A lot commended him on that but he still wasn't satisfied. Part of him says that these are only small feats and the other just sits around and look at him expectingly. He didn't really mind the other's praise but the other guy in his head that just gives him looks really bugged the hell out of him.
His hair isn't blonde like the merchant's that sometimes pass through his home, and his eyes are brown, deep brown almost black, keeps him distanced from the merchants and other guys in the village, who have green or blue eyes. It made him a little uncomfortable whenever the merchants would point out to him and ask about his origins. And the girls weren't any better there. Sure, they looked at him, and they giggled like mad hyenas, then they just walk away whenever he looks at them back. He doesn't like that sometimes because they put him off balanced like an egg sitting on the surface of the lake.
There was a lake near Huang's Grit, and it was simply named Likui's Mouth because of its deep-looking surface but rather shallow depth. Time didn't keep away the Likui's Mouth surface, though because when they're droughts, and those are often here, the lake would just empty out. But it never flooded here, so it was safe for the village to make homes that root themselves right into the earth like spikes.
So it was considered a blessed place for most and paradise for some. Rilzen never believed that.
It was two weeks ago. When news of danger came from the merchants that were passing their village. There wasn't much of them that passes through the forest, Depeng's Forest it was called by the locals but it was considered Depeng's Wall by a lot of strangers because of it's thickness and there was no track there. This particular merchant, his name was Tulj, was either mad or a really good person with maps to cross that forest.
"Fever. They call 'em Yellow Fever, over at the cities and whatnot. These yellow spots came out of your skin everywhere but they don't itch. Rather, everytime you touch 'em, it's like your skin just burns up. And worse, you can't even move when it gotcha. Take my advice, and move away from here. This disease is spreading like wild fire,"
"But where would we go? The Spines are over to the west, Huang's just up front and you know it's impossible to hike that, and it'll take days to circle it and hunts are scarce,"
"Figure it out! I'm just giving good words here! I don't really care about you small people but I don't want to see another village full of dead people," the merchant, all blond and blue eyes and silk around his body with a rapier at his side, says. His voice wasn't soothing but there was something in his eyes that what he's saying is probably true.
There was a lot of commotion after that. The ones that lead the village, Ju Zin, Jing, and Koros, with the healer at their back and the women's own leaders, Wang, Kiuti and Nam Ling, they all just looked at each other and went off into Ju Zin's house. Rilzen saw them just before he set off to one of his hunts that take him close to the mountain but never too far. His bow and arrows, a broad sword and leather water-case were at their usual spots.
Likui's Mouth wasn't dry and the weather was good and sunny. The sun was looking at him from the northwest, evening was descending upon the land. He could hear horses neigh when he set off. Tulj, the merchant was really true to his words of not being a bother to the village. His voice was a little giddy when the carriage finally went out of his sight.
Rilzen didn't really understand. Diseases were never an enemy to him, just merely annoyances and Krak, the village's healer, would make him as good as any in perhaps just hours after she gave him one of those bitter things. He never liked being in bed and sick at the same time but he couldn't really control what he couldn't see.
"Hey, Zen! Where are you going?" a voice called out to him from behind.
His name was Kirin but everyone just calls him Rin. He wasn't particularly clever but he could handle a sword as well as anyone in the village. Rin was also a hunter but he belongs with his father's batch of hunters, the ones that set off to find big animals or pelts off some dangerous predator to make clothes. Rin was especially good with the Kilik, his own crafted broad sword that have an upward curing edge and very sharp. He's wearing it on even now.
"To the mountains. I need to get some fresh air," Zen was already stepping away. Rin was clingy.
"Hey, didn't you hear? This disease thingy could be anywhere. I think you better stay for tonight, right?" Rin said, still coming up at him.
And Pause.
God, I'm becoming really bad at this. I need to get myself fixed up. READ, DUDE, READ.
Gotta get back into reading.
Terry Pratchett FTW!
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