Jaidon Perils

My name is Jaidon Perils, and I tried to stop a prophecy from becoming reality.

* * *

I clambered down into a cave-like pit just outside the border of Grephaire, the biggest military town in the country. Once at the bottom of the long rope that dangled into the long vertical tunnel, I switched on my lantern and moved forward.

The small cavern suddenly opened into a large room, with a four-foot-tall stone pedestal in the center. On the pedestal sat a silver arch, about the size of my hand. I gripped the two sides and lifted it slowly, thinking of the story my father had told me before bed when I was a kid, about Indiana Jones and the small golden idol that was on a pressure plate to ward off thieves.

I heard a sudden noise like a champagne bottle popping, and my head whipped around to see what had happened. 'It better not be another cave-in,' I thought, not seeing anything at first. But after a few moments of scanning the large room, I noticed a slight ping of movement to his left. I moved my eyes over to where I saw the flicker, but my head stayed in position. I slipped the arch into my bag and moved toward the exit of the cave, acting as if I had seen nothing.

Then the bullets started flying. I dropped like a fly, protecting myself behind a rock. I loaded my gun and stood, shooting five times at the now visible opponent. He dropped, draped over the boulder in front of him. I stood up straight, proud of my marksmanship. I headed out, climbing the rope with powerful arms. I had climbed a rope alone many times before, though I had tied knots every twelve inches for a better grip.

* * *

Once I reached town, I felt at ease. Nobody paid any attention to me, for I was simply a poor boy. Or so they thought.

I went past a smaller than small alleyway but soon backtracked, deciding that it was a good place to inspect my loot. I shimmied in, taking a quick look around to see that there were no beggar children waiting to pounce. Seeing no one, I pulled the silver arch form my bag, gazing at it and imagining the money I would get for it.

"What's that?" I heard a voice say. It sounded feminine, but I didn't know where it had come from. I looked around frantically, putting the arch back in my bag. My eyes laid on a rat that happened to be looking at me, and I gave it a questionable look.

Before I could reply to the talking rat, a girl dropped from somewhere high up and landed softly in front of me.

"You thought the rat was talking?" She questioned me with a condescending stare.

"Well, I... there wasn't anyone... and then... um..." I stuttered. I felt my cheeks turn red and I flipped my shirt over my gun holster to hide it. "I have somewhere to be..."

I turned and made my way back to the street. It took me a while to push myself to look behind me. I saw the girl, following me from a distance. I stopped and saw that I had reached my destination. The dirty sign above the door read 'Traveller for hire'. I looked at the fine print and it said 'up the stairs, first door on the right.' I opened the door and looked around. The room was empty, save for the staircase to my left. I headed up and was about to knock on the door when I heard the girl's voice again. I jumped when she started talking.

"I want to come," She told me without any form of a question forming in her tone. I leaned my left side against the wall and thought for a moment.

"I guess I could use a lookout." I replied, then added, "though, you might get shot."

"I don't care." She said abruptly. I tilted my head as if to say 'alrighty, then', and I went to knock on the door, but before my fist touched, it opened. I almost fell forward but caught myself.

"Two gold each. But if you want to find another friend, I'll give you a deal of five gold for three." The traveler said, businessman-like. I politely declined and handed over the four gold. "Where you going?"

"Ebbeon," I said quickly. Within an instant, blue mist enveloped us. Once it cleared, we were on the rocky surface of Ebbeon.

To be continued...

Maybe...