The journey north was, at the very least, picturesque with Autumn coming in as the painted leaves turned to a mixture of vibrant yellows, reds, maroons, browns, and orange. The grass slowly turned into the color of faded gold. The mountains and rolling hills were like that of a landscape painting one would see in a prestigious art museum. Naga squad trudged onward on their horses in full armor.

  Shoyo was in his typical all black, plate armor with a T-shaped opening helmet. His small, black leather covered, round shield rested gently on his back. His black, wool cloak flapped in the wind. He rode ahead confidently as he admired the scenery around him.

  Ren was in her custom, all white, Elvan made armor without a helmet. Instead, she had a white fur Cossack hat with thin plating on the top for some protection. Her white fur cloak rested elegantly on her back as it majestically flapped in the light breeze. A purple sash was wrapped around her waist just under her belt and harness for her katana. Her fingerless white gloves were holding the reigns loosely as she peacefully took in the scenery.

  Gil wore light armor with more of an emphasis on chainmail covered by a thin, dwarfish iron breastplate. His helmet was fur lined and had a single spike on the top of it. His two scimitars rested on his back. No cloak for him. He wore a silk undershirt underneath a thick padded gambeson covered in a full, chain mail shirt. His fingerless gloves were black leather in order to compensate for his sharp fingers. He wore no boots due his clawed feet. Instead he had fur leg and foot wraps. Gil was re-reading the map multiple times to ensure they were going in the right direction.

  Clara wore light armor with more of an emphasis on mobility in the arms and legs. Leather vambraces, archer gloves, loose fitting gambeson, light breastplate made of lightweight Elvan steel, an open faced helmet, and a cropped cloak. Her recurved bow and arrows were slung across her back. Her short sword was by her side. She was teasing Gil for being cold and nervous much to his annoyance.

  In the rear was Remi. He wore the heaviest armor on top of riding the heaviest and strongest horse. He was in harsh, grey armor from neck to toe with the toughest armor from the southern Orc lands. The armor was more functional than looking elegant or intimidating. He wore an open faced helmet due to his strong jaw and tusks. His great axe was slung on his back. He had a custom sized cloak made for his large frame. He was whistling songs to himself ignoring everyone around him. His horse was calmly pushing onward, though it was obvious the horse hated carrying Remi.

  Gil said aloud, “Should be nearing the village soon. About thirty more minutes.”

  “Right,” replied Shoyo as he and his black horse calmly strode on ahead. Shoyo looked back noticing Ren looking off to the right staring at the mountains. He smiled and hung back a bit to ride next to her on her left. He asked sweetly, “It’s a beautiful view, don’t you think?”

  “Hmm?”

  “You know… Those mountain peaks right there… That tall one in the middle. Legend says the mountain was originally a plateau long before man and beast roamed the Earth. There was a battle between two of the gods up there, the creator and the war god. It turned into a draw and the ensuing damage from the gods’ power destroyed the land creating this beautiful valley and those jagged, pointy peaks. Some dare say that if you climb it, you will be able to touch the bottom of heave. So they say.”

  “Interesting… Why are you telling me this?”

  “You seem fascinated by the view. Plus, I think it’s a neat story.”

  “Still a story one tells children.”

  “Nothing wrong with that.”

  “How so?”

  “It may be a child’s story, but there is beauty to be found in its simplicity… Life may be short, but that doesn’t mean you can’t stop once in a while to admire nature. Sounds stupid, but I always found something peaceful about it. You never think this?”

  “I… No,” Ren said quietly. In fact, she often thought of this. She enjoyed being out in nature and away from everyone and everything. She never could articulate her feelings. Yet Shoyo was able to express them so easily and openly. Ren wanted to enjoy the serenity of the view. However, she had to remind herself she was on a mission.

  Shoyo gently nudged her with his elbow and smiled, “May be I can spend the rest of this journey teaching you the wonders of nature and the small things? What do you say?”

  “Hmm,” Ren replied with thin eyes.

  She lightly tapped the top of his head and nudged her white horse forward as it sassily trotted away from Shoyo. Shoyo’s horse sounded as if it was laughing at him almost like squeaking a door hinge. Clara said loudly from behind, “You tried sir! No shame in it.”

  Shoyo flung his middle finger in the air at Clara laughing to himself.

  The village was nice and tucked away in the trees at the base of a large hill. It was a quaint fishing and farming village known for its wheat and pumpkin harvests. They were preparing for celebrating an annual pumpkin harvest with help from neighboring villages. The Naga squad just-so-happened to stroll on in at an almost perfect time. The old chieftain of the village talked about a giant boar ravaging in the nearby woods causing crop destruction and killing hunters. Shoyo happily said his squad will help and take out the boar.

  Naga squad roamed the nearby woods on foot being ever vigilant. Clara lead the way bow in hand intensely studying the terrain for any signs of tracks. Shoyo calmly walked behind sword at the ready. Gil was sniffing the air for anything suspicious. Remi was eagerly waiting for action. Ren was unbothered, though mostly annoyed by this detour on the mission. Her katana was still sheathed and her arms were crossed.

  Ren asked Shoyo on his right, “Why are we doing this side quest? This is killing time for our mission.”

  “It’s dusk, Ren. Besides, the villagers were all sweet and we’re not going to travel for the night. Might as well be grateful for the hospitality and help out when needed.”

  “It’s an unnecessary risk.”

  “She’s not wrong,” Gil added from behind.

  Shoyo shooed him off. Shoyo laughed and said, “Well that tells me something about you, Ren.”

  “Hmm?”

  “You are very black and white. Always pragmatic, but never willing to waste energy if deemed unnecessary.”

  “…”

  “Not being harsh or mean. Just an observation. I get it… But, look at this side quest this way: we kill a monster, get free food, free drinks, free lodging, and we make fun memories on the way. Childish, yes, but I see it as something to treasure for later.”

  “You’re so weird, commander,” Ren said undoing her crossed arms.

  Shoyo was expecting some form of movement to come across her face, but she remained stoic and seemingly unbothered. However, Ren was secretly grasping the concept of “treasured memories.” She ascertained that she would eventually come to understand it later in life. Reminded her of Argos trying to teach her about enjoying the company of others while you can. Ren was never good at that, but she determined that she had to learn it eventually. Shoyo felt a little disheartened by Ren’s coldness and sighed tiredly.

  Ren then said quietly to Shoyo’s surprise, “I guess I understand why though.”

  “Come again?”

  “Why we do this… Makes things more… How’d you say? Memorable? Fun?”

  “Yes. Actually yes. I’m surprised you say that.”

  “I maybe cold, sir. But I still care,” Ren said walking ahead of him. Shoyo blushed and smiled with pride upon hearing her response.

  Remi joked, “Did she smile for once?”

  “Shut up, Remi,” Gil replied. Shoyo just looked at Ren and was happy he got her to say something positive overall.

  Clara immediately stopped crouching down. She felt the outline of a deep indent left by a hoof print. It was very light on the dying grass, but the indent was there. It was roughly the size of a stone mil. Gil sniffed the air sensing something off. Clara knocked two arrows and gave a hand signal. Everyone readied and spread out. Ren calmly walked behind a tree waiting patiently.

  Shoyo whispered to Clara, “What is it?”

  “He’s close… He’s… SHIT,” Clara yelled jumping backwards into a roll.

  She immediately sat up firing her two arrows and immediately sprinting to the side. A boar the size of an elephant charged out from the left tree line and tried to trample Clara a few times. Each time she dodged. Gil hopped onto the boat and stuck his scimitar into the back of it. It yelled a blood curdling scream and shook off Gil sending him into a thorny bush. Remi jumped forward and grabbed onto the boar’s back only to be shaken off.

  Shoyo yelled out, “Lure it to me! Plan Alpha-Hazard! Move!”

  Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  Everyone dispersed along the ground trying to lure the angry boar towards Shoyo as he stood at the base of a large oak tree. He was cursing to himself, “This is fucking stupid! This is fucking stupid! You’re going to die! NO! You’re going to win! Just time it right!”

  Remi and Gil were able to force the boar towards Shoyo with Clara firing arrows at its back side forcing to sprint angrily at Shoyo. All was according to plan.

  His sword was at the ready and he stood his ground. His hands tightened intensely around the handle as he pointed the sword forward. His breathing slowed. Tunnel vision was ensuing. His eyes narrowed harshly. He was ready to make to killing blow to the head. He imagined what he was going to do. Jump out of the way last second. Make the giant boar hit the tree face first. Once it’s stunned immediately stab at it with his sword into its head. Shoyo was ready.

  Shoyo told himself, “Jump to the side. Let it break it’s skull on the tree. Kill it with Remi and Gil’s help. Also Ren… Where the hell is she?”

  Suddenly, Ren jumped down from the tree Shoyo was standing in front of piercing her katana downward into the boars thick skull. The impact made from her speed and swift attack forced the boar to crash into the dirt dragging itself forward as it dug a shallow ditch into the earth. The boar’s mouth and tusks hit the ground first sliding forward as Ren held onto the katana tightly on her knees. Soon, the boar slid to a stop just before Shoyo’s feet. The giant boar’s massive, blood dripping nostrils and tusks were a mere few inches away from his face.

  Ren casually hopped down and wiped her katana with a rag. Shoyo looked at her amazed and confused. Ren nonchalantly said, “I know you were trying to force the boar to crash into the tree incapacitating it. However, I saw fit to kill right then and there. You looked frozen in fear, sir. Can’t have that happen to you.”

  “I wasn’t afraid.”

  “Fooled me,” Ren said sarcastically.

  Everyone else ran around excited by what just happened. Remi picked up Ren in a surprise bear hug lifting her off the ground as he cheerfully congratulated Ren. Ren was struggling to breath as a result of the hug. Gil had to calm Remi down to let Ren go. Both of them were laughing as Ren was getting her breath back. Clara slapped Ren on the buttocks and said, “Well done, major.”

  “Thanks.”

  “No problem,” Clara said happily. She walked over to Shoyo who was smiling as usual and calmly put his sword away. She said, “She’s a keeper.”

  “You’re not dating her.”

  “Not that, though that would be nice… She is very skilled and strong. You know how strong you have to be to pierce through a skull that size? That’s about a half meter thick of skull. Pretty sure the tree plan would’ve take multiple tries to crack him, eh?”

  “Plan would’ve worked anyway… She sure is… Still need to work on communication though. Almost seemed like she abandoned us.”

  “Yeah… I see,” Clara said noticing Shoyo’s eyes only being fixated on Ren. She playfully tapped his shoulder and said sweetly, “When the time is right, Sho. I’m pretty sure she would open up to you.”

  “What’re you implying? That obvious?”

  “Sho,” Clara said with rolling eyes. She looked over at Gil and smiled. “Anyway… Need to pull thorns out of Gil’s stupid chainmail again. You better thank Ren later. Even if she went against the plan. It worked this time, but maybe not in the future. You know this.”

  She walked over to Gil and started to pull out thorns from Gil’s armor and clothes as he was wincing with every pull. She mocked his light armor and how he always got hurt. He mocked her slow reaction to the boar.

  Remi excitedly said to Ren, “That was awesome!”

  “I guess so.”

  “Come on! You killed it like it was nothing. The stone cold face and effortless strike is just amazing… Is that a technique from your old clan or something you made up.”

  “Made up. Just seemed right. I mean… Some training against demons of all sizes does help in taking down beasts. I suppose there is some merit to it,” Ren replied plainly. Remi was ecstatic to learn more like an excited puppy.

  Shoyo walked over and said, “Alright! Everyone! Good job. Especially to you, Ren… Next time though… At least give a tiny heads up. Communicate. No one knows what you’re thinking unless you tell them. We’re still a team. Everyone here helps each other… But nonetheless, well done.”

  “Thanks,” Ren said expecting a more harsh dressing down. Shoyo smiled instead surprising Ren. Remi nudged Ren’s shoulder with bouncing eyebrows. Ren rolled her eyes and shoved Remi’s face away from her.

  Gil said to Remi laughing, “I guess it’s safe to say she likes you – OW Clara! Careful! You’re pulling off my scales.”

  “It’ll grow back and stop being a sourpuss. Next time get thicker armor or an even thicker undershirt if… Deep pull – sorry. If you know there are thorn bushes around.”

  “Please tell that’s the last of it?”

  “Nope. Three more in a cluster. Remi hold him down. He has em in his arse.”

  “What,” Gil said worryingly.

  Remi grabbed Gil as Clara with a pair of metal tweezers pulled hard getting the small cluster of thorns out from his bottom thigh. Remi held Gil providing comfort as Gil whimpered quietly. Clara spun the tweezers in her hand and laughed.

  Ren stood next to Shoyo as they both looked at the giant boar. They both concluded the new mini-issue at hand for the squad: moving the boar carcass and how exactly to do it with only five people and having no mage on top of it.

  That night, the villagers all came to help with moving the giant boar providing three villages of meat. The harvest festival was done being set up and preparations for tomorrow were being made in order to celebrate the harvest and the help of the Hero Squadron. Shoyo gladly accepted the recognition and thanks. Ren remained humble almost cracked a smile. She was mostly trying her best to deal with all the kids running up and asking her a barrage of questions. They asked about who she was, her armor, if she was a princess, and all the plethora of questions kids with wild imaginations have. Remi and Clara came in to entertain the kids much to Ren’s silent thankfulness for them doing it. Gil engorged himself on food passing out from the amount her ate.

  Ren was out of armor wrapped in her white cloak as she watched the stars and the half moon. The cold chill ached at her bones and the smell of pork lingered in the air. She was smoking a sage joint trying to calm herself down. She wanted her thoughts to shut up for a bit, but all that played in her head were the past battles she fought, the men she has lost so far, the mission at hand, what could go wrong on this mission; everything. She promptly burnt her joint out cursing to herself that it never worked for her.

  Shoyo wandered out flask in hand as he leaned on the wooden rail of the balcony watching the stars as well. Ren was leaned back in a chair looking like a burrito in her cloak as her chair creaked slightly. Shoyo was wearing his all black clothes out of armor with his messy hair slicked back a bit. He smiled and asked, “Can’t sleep?”

  “No. You?”

  “Same.”

  “How come?”

  “Lots of reasons,” he smirked to himself as he took a big gulp from his flask. “Oh that burns a bit… Want some? It’s gnomish Scotch.”

  “No thanks.”

  “More for me,” he joked quietly. “I assume you have the same reasons as me for why you’re still awake?”

  “Kind of,” Ren quietly replied. She pulled fur-lined hood over her head. “Chilly right now.”

  “It’s just the wind that makes it cold. Feels nice for me.”

  “How’re you only wearing a shirt right now? There’s frost on the rail and trees.”

  “Don’t feel it… Stopped caring and feeling a long time ago.”

  “I see,” Ren said understandably.

  Shoyo sighed maintaining his typical smile. However, his green eyes appeared disheartened. There was a silent gnawing of doubt and pain in him that Ren was able to notice just in his body language. She looked into her cloak pocket feeling for more sage joints. She lit one and quietly stood next to Shoyo. She handed the joint to him as she stared at the half moon. Shoyo was surprised by this gesture, but was grateful nonetheless.

  He thought to himself, “She’s not a ghost like they say… But I see why she refuses to get close to anyone. Appears as if she’s trying.”

  Shoyo smoked the joint and he gently patted Ren on the back as thanks. Ren nearly blushed, but forced her gaze at the moon and stars as she pulled to hood to further had her face from him. She wanted to hug him. However, she knew that this was not to be tonight. She wondered if he secretly liked her or not. She wondered the same for herself and him. She was not certain. She debated within her that this feeling was nothing more than a dumb crush. Nothing more. Secretly, she hoped thing could work out between the two of them. He secretly thought the same, but remained cool and slightly distant because he was still the commander after all.

  Both stared at the night sky as they gazed upon the twinkling stars and grand half-moon above. There was a peaceful calm to the night sky that both wanted to be a part of. Something that both of them yearned for; but as soldiers, they knew that this yearning for peaceful calm was not to be. Their memories of their actions lingered forever like rabid dogs running loose in their heads. Their hearts were forever hardened by the hardships of being a soldier. However; just for this one night in a peaceful village in a picturesque mountain valley on a chilly, Autumn night, both found that elusive peaceful calm even if it was momentary.

  Shoyo asked sincerely, “The night sky is beautiful, don’t you think?”

  “Hmm?”

  “This place… Minus the war and the beasts that roam the nearby forests, this place is very beautiful.”

  “Yes… What’re on about?”

  “The night sky with the endless solar system and sea of endless stars, the grand moon, and cascading light bouncing off the mirrored lake and trees… It’s beautiful in it’s simplicity. As if the gods made places on this earth to be like magnificent paintings brought to life… Nature can be wonderful.”

  “It can also be cruel.”

  “That may be, but such is life I suppose.”

  “…”

  “Sometimes… A night like this where you and whoever is next you can just look at the stars and enjoy the silent beauty of it all is something to admire… It’s a small thing, but it’s one of many small things that make life worth it. The smile on the villagers when we brought in the dead boar. The happy children. The free food and ale. That’s what I was trying to get at before after you killed it… I’m probably speaking nonsense just now.”

  “It’s not nonsense… It’s… Sweet.”

  “You think it’s sweet, Ren?”

  “Yeah,” Ren said quietly hiding a thin smile.

  She did enjoy the beauty of nature. However, she never truly said anything of it to anyone. Shoyo was the first to outright say the feelings she always had. Reminded her of talks with Argos when she was younger. Reminded her more so of her mother. Shoyo was surprised by Ren’s warmth overall.

  Shoyo said sternly, “Trust in your teammates more. Everyone has a skill set like I said when you first met them. But they all work in tandem. You can do the same, but your years of being a lone wolf are hard to break… I understand. I was the same… Anyway, Ren. Please try to trust everyone else’s abilities. Don’t just rely on your own skills. Communicate. It’s okay to talk. It’s okay to learn about others with you. No one will know how you feel or what you think unless you tell them.”

  Ren turned around and said with surprising gentleness, “Understood, sir. Night, Sho.”

  “Go – goodnight, Ren.”

  “Wrap up before you catch a cold. You’re shivering.”

  “Yeah. Yeah.”