The Dreamer's Epilogue-Chapter 27: River

Chapter 27 – River

"Don’t ask me how I know," Emrys said, looking at Old Navy and Victoria sitting across from him in the meeting room, "but I know how to get us food and water."

"Most answers are no benedictions," Old Navy shrugged casually, smoking once again, "I wish not to know, I tell you. I shall be willing to pursue worthy knowledge."

’Taking the memories of those you kill, entering the dreams of others when you sleep...are not worthy knowledge?’ Emrys was almost offended, but he said nothing and looked at Victoria.

She smiled sweetly, but her hound growled at him irritably.

Emrys was starting to get annoyed. The hound seemed to have a personal vendetta against him. For what reason, he wondered. He had done nothing but be polite.

Looking at the hound, he could almost swear that he saw the beast smiling mockingly at him.

"Stop the staring contest with the beast and tell us, lad," Old Navy’s words pulled Emrys back to the current situation.

He shook his head, sparing a nasty glare at the hound — who returned the look unflinchingly — before focusing back on the current situation.

"As I have said," he began, coughing a little to loosen up his voice, "I know how we can get food and water. From what I gathered, there is a river at the northwest of the tribe."

He tapped his finger rhythmically on the wooden table.

"There are fish there, and fruits and even non-poisonous herbs we can all eat."

"How far?" Old Navy asked, puffing a cloud of smoke.

Emrys didn’t mind. His father used to smoke. Victoria also didn’t, but it seemed the hound had a different thought about it.

It couldn’t stop growling and snarling at Old Navy; and it only lay down, silent and whimpering, when old bones smacked his pipe against the beast’s head.

Emrys didn’t miss the opportunity to grin mockingly at the beast while answering Old Navy,

"I don’t know," he said, tilting his head, trying to remember some useful memories inside his mind, "but it’s quite far. It would take us at least a day to come and go, if we are lucky."

"Lucky?" Old Navy echoed, "Meaning, lad."

"The lizards that attacked us and some unknown white-colored flying creatures live there, beside the river."

’They call it Lokuru River. But that, they don’t need to know, do they? I wish I didn’t.’

"S-So," Victoria tried to speak, clenching her fist as if giving herself some courage, "they w-will attack us to protect the-the-the river?"

Her face was flushed by her constant stuttering. The hound was looking at them with cold beastly eyes, as if daring them to laugh.

However,

"Yes, Victoria." Emrys said calmly, his face completely neutral except for a small smile pulling at his lips, "they will certainly defend their home. And from what I have gathered..."

"Lad, I must admit, shamelessly, I am now curious about how you know all this."

"...they have some powerful members." Emrys ignored Old Navy, "Class holders, I believe. And their classes are more sophisticated than those of the Tistis tribesmen. Today was only to probe our strength, probably. Next time it will not be the same. So we must prepare accordingly."

Silence swelled through the room, enveloping the three companions like a cloak.

None said anything, and Emrys watched the deep-thinking face of Old Navy with his strange hidden eyes — it always amazed him how the old bones could still see — and the shy, faintly red face of Victoria.

Uncharacteristically, Emrys paused at the unique beauty of Victoria. Not for long, though, as the hound barked at him.

He cursed the ugly dog inwardly, turned his head away, while Victoria berated her hound for acting out.

It whimpered then sprawled on the ground like a child punished by its mother.

"What, lad, pray tell, do you propose then?" Old Navy broke the silence with a question.

"We have no choice but to go seek food and water," Emrys replied, face serious, "But we can also not leave the tribe unprotected. In other words, we cannot all go."

"Then I shall stay." Old Navy said immediately, sweeping his eyes between Emrys and Victoria, "and you two will go look for the food. My power, Smoke, is more befitting in defending and protecting than to attack."

Emrys and Victoria nodded, finding it logical.

Still, Emrys turned his head to the shy girl next, "Are you okay with it, Victoria?"

"Huh?" She immediately exclaimed, surprised to be asked her own opinion.

It took the sight of Emrys tilting his head, waiting for her, for Victoria to finally answer while continuously nodding her head like a chicken pecking at food on the ground,

"Y-Yes!" She almost shouted, "I-I agree! Completely fine!"

Emrys nodded, only to pause. Bowing down, Victoria’s face held an open, happy smile too beautiful to even be described.

Looking at her, one would believe she was told that she had gained billions of dollars.

She lifted her head back, eyes settling on Emrys’s deep shadow-like black eyes. She immediately blushed and turned her face away.

"Stop staring, lad, in love already? Love always finds us in strange situations, I admit."

Emrys’s answer to that was a scowl at Old Navy.

"So we go when?" He asked next.

"It’s night," Old Navy said, looking through the small window, "and the water and food will last until tomorrow night or even after tomorrow if we try to educate our stomach. So..."

He paused a bit, then...

"...after tomorrow, in the morning." Old Navy decided, looking at the two, "and we are all new in this new reality, I believe. So tomorrow it will be wise to use the time to have a grasp on our abilities. If there are no attacks, of course."

Emrys and Victoria nodded, "Fine."

Just at that instant, the door of the meeting room creaked open, revealing Elder with a soft smile.

This was the first time Emrys saw the Tistis shaman smile.

"The food is ready," she said softly, "and we invite you to join our ritual dance, if you please, Climbers."

"What dance?" Emrys asked curiously.

Elder’s smile blossomed.

"The dance of gratitude for Harud, the Lord of Mercy."

—End of Chapter 27—