Fantasy Kaizoic: Earth Reborn

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo seemed a little bit hesitant about that. “I like the idea, but don’t you think that might be a bit of a problem?” He said. “I mean we don’t know where he’s gonna be going.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“Wherever it is, it’s closer to the camp than we are now.” Rufus pointed out. “We can make it, and sooner since you already got decked out with supplies.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

It was impromptu, but it was clearly the only chance they would get. He’d trust Rufus’s guts on this one.

“okay then. Just give me the word and we can go.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“Well I don’t want to just jump into this.” Rufus cautioned. “We’ll head out in the morning, so we can prepare.

Plan on a light sleep.” He added, then reentered the Rest.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo nodded so slightly that it almost wasn’t visible. Watching Rufus as he went back in the inn, Kairo couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous about that whole trek. He hadn’t been here long, but he’d gotten used to the town and it’s people. Everything seemed much more calm and laid back here compared to camp, and now they’d be leaving this place, and possibly never coming back. Not only that, but he’d only got half a day’s notice too.

He sighed quietly too himself. Drafisl will be fine, his camp tho. That place must be a shitshow by now, chances are, Stryx probably doesn’t have much of a hold over his people anymore. That itself was cause for concern. As much as he’d like to stay, he didn’t belong here. He belonged back at camp, with his people. Still, standing here and soaking in the views of the town. He couldn’t help but feel torn between two completely different worlds.

After a few moments out there, he turned back around and walked in with Rufus. Better to drown his thoughts with good company. That always helped to relax him.

 

[Da Doofus]

Rufus had returned to the bar, and was beginning to state his intentions to the three. He left out the part of putting a tracker on Dracon, and thanked each of them for their help toward he and Kairo.

“. . . And I swear,” he became sincere. “I won’t say a word about what we saw out here. The rest of them won’t know where you are.”

Cräga cocked a brow, and Bom nodded. Darrek was quiet, and glanced at Kairo by the door.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo graced Darrek with a small, sad smile, before sitting down next to Rufus on the bar stool.

“Don’t worry, we’ll lie better this time.” Kairo said, directing the joke at Cräga.

 

[Da Doofus]

“This time?” Bom asked.

“It’s nothing.” Rufus quickly answered, and shot a glare to a now grinning Cräga.

Darrek looked between the two.
“Be honest . . . Do you think we can get along with you guys once the cat’s out of the bag? I mean sooner or later they’re going to find this place or another town.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

That hadn’t even occurred to him. The though that his people wouldn’t take kindly to theirs was a very real possibility. And as much as he hated to admit it, he knew there wasn’t much he could do about that.

“I.....” He paused, trying to figure out what to say. There was a quick sigh before he looked at Darrek. The most serious he’d been in a while. “I can’t be sure. But we’ll try our best to make sure we can” He said. “I still gotta take you out on that car ride someday.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“The hell you will.” Cräga spat at Kairo.

Bom chuckled and said something in Kendian. Cräga rolled her eyes, seeming to calm.
Rufus however, smiled and began to walk upstairs.

“I’m calling it early tonight.” He said as he ascended to the upper floor. “Kairo, don’t forget. First thing in the morning.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo definitely was a bit intimidated by Cräga’s comment, he chuckled nervously as a response. He was more then relieved to see her calm down a few moments later.

Then as Rufus started talking about turning in, he couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. “You’re gonna take a shower first? You look and smell like shit.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“Yeah yeah, I’m gonna nap first.” Rufus dismissed him and entered their room.

“There’s a tub in the back.” Cräga informed. “He can use that.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo nodded quietly, watching the man as he walked back upstairs. His unease still heavy on his mind as Rufus’s figure slowly disappeared to the upper floor.

Kairo tapped the plate which hosted the remaining scraps of the wasp he’d catched. His finger moving erratically at the idea of the trek back. He couldn’t quite nail it down as to why he was feeling like this. Maybe the trek? Leaving Drafisl? Or maybe the state of camp when he finally did get back. Most likely a combination of all three. Either way, he didn’t seem to be having fun.

“I don’t like this.” Kairo said, not particularly to anyone. He kept his voice reserved to make sure Rufus couldn’t hear him. “I’ve wanted this for a while, but now that’s it’s happening, it all just feels to fast.”

 

[Da Doofus]

Bom looked to Kairo.
“Change does not often come easily, youngling.”

“It’s for the best.” Cräga added in. “Trust me, after a while you’d have to relocate anyway. Work isn’t as steady after the holidays.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

“Eh, me and Roof probably could of lasted using just the gold.” He said jokingly. Before glancing over at Cräga. “ But You don’t deserve to deal with our shit for that long.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“Actually, you would’ve probably bought out the stuntie within a month.” Cräga admitted. “Only so much he can trade for before there’s nothing left.”

Darrek patted Kairo’s back. “Maybe we’ll see you around here again one day. Maybe this place will be like Oasis down in Arvekii.” He smiled with an optimistic expression on his scaly face.

 

[Chai_T3a]

There was a light smile present due to Darrek’s optimism. He’d definitely like to believe that maybe things wouldn’t turn out badly like he’d thought. They’d had enough bad for a lifetime, it was due time for them to finally start getting rewarded for that.

“Mmm. I like that thought.” Kairo answered, absentmindedly grabbing a piece of salad from the plate and stuffing it inside his mouth. “My people are nice. I’m sure they’ll warm up to all of this someday. As soon as all that shits good I’ll
Come back for a visit.”

 

[Da Doofus]

“I look forward to such a future.” Bom nodded with a smile. “But unfortunately, I must return to my work.” The Kendian stood and grabbed his walking stick.
“Good luck in your return, youngling.
It has been most enjoyable meeting an Archaic.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

“Cya Bom.” Kairo said, trying his best to not make it sound like a final parting. He waved goodbye as Bom began to leave the inn. “I’ll talk to ya soon.”

He then turned back to face the other two. The chat and the food was beginning to make him realize how tired he was. Maybe he should turn in too, tomorrow was going to be a big day after all.

“Hey. I think I’m gonna go and get a bit of sleep.” Kairo said, getting off of the stool

 

[Da Doofus]

Darrek tore off another piece of wasp.
“Don’t let the bed bugs bite.” He said, chomping into the armored meat.

Cräga frowned at the Irokai and slapped his shoulder in a brief scold.

 

[Chai_T3a]

A small chuckle left Kairo’s mouth at the scene in front of him. Cräga was definitely still Cräga, grumpy and too old for her age. He only wondered how the women would react when hearing that Darrek would be leaving again. Probably uninhibited anger.

“Night.” He added, waving goodbye to the two. He crouched down slightly as he got to the top of the stairs in order to prolong his presence in the room like a dumbass. Once he arrived at the top, he head straight for Rufus and his shared room. Giving it a quick knock before entering.

 

[Da Doofus]

No answer came aside from Rufus’s faint snoring from within. He was face down on the bed with his jacket still on, clearly having collapsed once he arrived inside.

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo did his best to stay quiet as he entered the room. The other man would need his energy for tomorrow, considering he wasn’t sure how long they’d be out in the jungle for. He closed the door slowly, wincing a bit when the sound it made was louder then he expected, before walking to his own bed facing the window. He sat down on the bed, set his bag of supplies beside the bed, and started to slowly unlace his boots.

As he laid down and his muscles relaxed, his mind was doing quite the contrary. Running at a mile a minute, it went through all the possibilities that could happen tomorrow. Curse him and his stupid mind, always overthinking things. All he wanted to do was sleep, but it seemed that would be a bit of a challenge for him. Sleep would only come to him half an hour later, when his mind became to tired to function.

 

[Da Doofus]

Later that evening . . .
The night sky was a glittering mural of stars and the silhouette of the great mountain that cast its shadow over the jungle.

Vincent had just closed his store for the preparations of his retirement from playing nice with these Hennasian Archos. After Kairo’s purchases, he could afford to relocate to more civilized surroundings.
His tranquil thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the general store’s door.

“I’m closed.” He hollered out, and the locked wooden entrance was broken into.
The iron lock was snapped into bent metal, and from the outside night of Drafisl entered three strangers. Two Irokai and a man. One was a large orange male with burn marks over his face and exposed arms, the second was a dark grey female with elongated and purposely sharpened claws. The man was a young fellow with dark hair and a confident smirk.

“Last minute shopping I’m afraid.” Victor proclaimed as Bazin and Seythe smelled the air. The presence of the predatory Archos made Vincent’s blood go cold.

The large male Irokai tracked his targeted scent to a pair of dirty body suits in the corner of the store.
“This was theirs.” He growled as he inspected the Archaic cloth. “They’re here.”

“So we’ll be collecting them then?” Victor inquired as he plucked a nearby jar of salted meat and opened it.

“I can track them further.” Seythe offered with hidden eagerness to collect on the Archaic bounty.

It was tempting to just tear the town apart until the human pests were found, but Bazin felt that there would be more to come of them.
”The humans you got these from . . .” He glared at Vincent. “They trade for anything?”

“A few supplies.” The dwarf squeaked at the Irokai’s sharp gaze. “But the younger one was in here earlier today. Bought half my stock . . . Looked like he and the other one are leaving soon from the looks of it.”

Bazin huffed and snatched the Noah suits from their spot on the shelf.
“I’m taking these.” He snarled.

“That’ll be forty bits if you got em.” Vincent dared to haggle.

“Don’t think he said he’d buy them.” Seythe smiled toothily and stepped aside to allow Bazin to leave the store.
Once outside, her boss sniffed the cloth once more. She and Victor followed after him.

“So we nabbing them here or what, Bazin?” Victor asked as he stepped around a leftover pile of livestock feces.

“No.” Bazin answered, eyeing the North road out of town as he followed the scent. “They’re going somewhere, and I’d like to know where that is.”
He stuffed the suits into his satchel and turned for the South road.
“We see how this pans out.” He ordered, and stomped out of Drafisl for the night.
*****************

“Hey, Kairo.” Rufus’s voice broke Kairo’s sleep the following morning. “Come on, get up.”

 

[Chai_T3a]

Kairo slowly opened his eyes, the glare of the sun's morning rays making it difficult to do so. Even with that though, he found it easier to wake up then the other days. The anxiousness of the upcoming trek being a great motivator to get him out of the bed.

He shifted the blanket off of himself, getting up into a sitting position.
"aawwwwwwwh! Why'd you always wake up before me?" He mumbled with a yawn. "We heading out right now I'm guessing?"