Honor Among Men: Artuck

"Well, we're nearly there. Everyone still doing okay?"

Meila stopped walking and turned around, Mitrax sitting down on a fallen log nearby. The thick trees made the forest look dark, even in full daytime. Strange noises could be heard every few minutes, where they'd hear a strange roar, a whimper, or the cry of some bird. The leaves under their feet were wet, and made a soft squish as the group stepped on them.

Flim walked over and sat on the opposite side of the log from Mitrax, Cruu sitting next to Flim. It had been only three days since they'd left, but Flim was now shivering all of the time, and Cruu couldn't move his hands, as they were, in his words, 'unbearably numb.' Artuck felt alright, but he could swear that as each day passed, he could feel himself becoming less and less energetic. 

It was clear that this curse had taken a significant toll on Flim, as he asked to be carried often, to which Artuck would transform into some horse or bear to carry him along. Meila offered Flim her cloak, to serve as a blanket, but even that didn't help. Mitrax had lit a candle and gave it to Flim to hold, under the pretense of 'You can't die just yet. That's my job.' Regardless, Flim was grateful for the help, despite its ineffectiveness.

Cruu had been mumbling the whole trip, and every so often Artuck picked up a couple words, spoken in the native orcish language.

"Of course it was Cruu's fists."

"These blasted hands of Cruu's."

"Cruu'd always said muscle over magic, but Cruu guesses this just goes to show that even muscle can fail at times."

Whenever Cruu would mumble to himself, Artuck would simply pat him on the back and smile, and Cruu nodded, thanking him for the gentle reminder that he's not alone.

Meila had prepared meals these past few days, while Mitrax went and performed some unholy ritual while he meditated. She made hot veggie soup, which Artuck thought was delicious. Creamy, yet savory, Artuck would savor every gulp of the soup, and he would feel it warm and soothe his freezing soul. Flim wasn't a big fan of it, but he had eaten it, and thanked Meila for her cooking. Cruu had simply gobbled it down, without any manners or respect, but he always burped after he finished and gave Meila a thumbs up, confirmation of his thoughts.

"I-I've been better," Flim chattered. Cruu rubbed his hands together.

"Yeah, Cruu agrees with Flim. Cruu's been better."

Meila nodded at their responses and turned to Artuck, who simply shrugged.

"Well, regardless, we'd better take a break here for now. I'll start preparing some of that soup you guys like."

Meila smiled gently as she finished and gave a knowing wink as she walked into the thick forestry.

Cruu looked over to Artuck, a sad look crossing his face, reflective of his mind's thoughts.

"What if Meila has been lying to us? What if she's leading us straight into a trap? Cruu means, we all saw the bounty posters in Scolt."

Artuck nodded, Cruu's response making Artuck think.

He has a point. We were awfully quick to trust her, but she's had many moments to either outright kill us, or to drug us. Besides, her appearance shows nothing but integrity, and she's been nothing but honest. Even everything she's said about Himrol lines up. But there's some substantial money on the line here. She could simply be using it as a facade before she ultimately betrays us. Regardless of the outcome, I don't think we have much choice in the matter here. Three of the four of us are cursed, and only the gods know where Christol is, if he's even still alive. We have to trust her. Or else we'll all surely perish.

Cruu gave a small cough, and Artuck's thoughts snapped back. He looked at Cruu and gave a small smile.

"I… don't know, Cruu. She could be, but I doubt those are her intentions. Besides, her opportunities have been many. And regardless, we're in this thick forest with no real way to get out, so we don't have much of a choice but to trust her."

Cruu looked at the ground, resting his hands in his freezing hands, and sighed.

"Cruu guesses you're right, Artuck. But we should keep a close eye on her."

Mitrax looked over to Cruu, handing him another lit candle, being careful as to not accidentally touch his hands.

"I can do that. As the only other non-cursed person here, I think it'd be my responsibility anyway, whether I'd want to or not."

Artuck looked at Mitrax with a concerned look.

"Are you sure?"

Mitrax gave a small nod.

"Yep."

A few minutes later, after Artuck and the group sat in silence, Meila returned, her arms full of veggies.

"Alright, I'm back. Say, while I prepare the food, why don't you all tell me a little bit more about yourselves? I'd like to know about you guys, especially if I'll be traveling with you."

"Fair enough," Mitrax said.

"I come from the Cosmon Archipelago. Cosmox, to be precise. Very, very big city. I was born to two fire breathing dragonborns, my mother being a kind, yet sarcastic woman, and my father being a large, muscular brute. He served in the Royal Guard long before I was born, and as his first son, he had high expectations for me."

Meila started a fire with a few small sticks and began to build the structure where the pot would hang.

"Anyway, my older sister made it into the Guards. I, however, was never strong. Even after my father made me do some rather rigorous training, I could never be as strong as he wanted me to be. But in school, I learned about magic. I thought it was beautiful. A way I could be strong like my father wanted me to be, but without becoming the savage he was. 

"So I began to read the tomes at my school, and eventually I learned a spell. A small spell, but it was a start. I tried it while I was at home, and my father flew into a rage. He destroyed the book I had gotten, and was going to beat me, like he'd threatened so many times before. I… ran. Ran as far away as I could. Got all the way to the docks, where I was hoping to be able to sit out on the water until my father's fury calmed. But in my own panic, I had accidentally set the rope that secured the boat on fire, which then spread to the rest of the boat,and eventually, onto me. I jumped into the water, but since I was never taught how to swim, I drowned. 

"But I was given a second chance. So here I am, to destroy my father's life the way he destroyed mine, and make sure that this world is a safe place for my younger siblings and all those who follow."

Meila checked the water in the pot, and since it was now boiling, she added the veggies to the pot. As Mitrax finished, she gave him a soft smile, and rested a hand on his leg, to which Mitrax recoiled from, and Meila took her hand back.

"I'm sorry. I hope you'll be able to accomplish what you've set out to do."

Mitrax simply nodded at her condolences. Cruu cleared his throat, intending to speak next.

"Cruu comes from a long line of warriors. Born a warrior, Cruu didn't want to fight without a reason to fight. Cruu's parents didn't like that notion, so they banished him. Cruu eventually found himself on the doorstep of Tjornne's monastery, where the monks there taught Cruu how to fight with glorious purpose. To keep calm, yet fight for honor and valor. Cruu then left the monastery when Artuck had sent a letter to the monastery and requested me personally. The monks there gave Cruu this amulet, saying that it represented that Cruu was their champion. Their highest honor."

Cruu held up the necklace around his neck, revealing a small, golden circular charm at the end, a picture of a mountain inscribed upon it. He set it back down inside of his tunic as he continued.

"Now Cruu shall follow Artuck with his purpose, and remind Haldore of the honor he once fought for."

Meila nodded, clearly impressed.

"Honor means a lot to you, doesn't it, Cruu?"

Cruu nodded.

"I'm Flim. I was simply a nobody from a nowhere town. Haldore killed my parents when I was young, and he's killed my brother, too. However, Artuck has given me purpose, and I shall fight alongside him. I only hope to be able to avenge my family's deaths. For a new era of true honor, peace, and stability."

Flim looked at the ground as he finished, and Artuck walked over to him and rested a hand on his cold shoulder.

"And fight, we will, Flim. For our families, and for the people of Alteran. They should know what true peace is, instead of this corrupted ideal Haldore calls 'peace.'"

Meila stirred the soup as she nodded.

"And I told you all my story. I hope to allow my people to mingle with the rest of Alteran once more, free from worry of Haldore's reign."

Artuck walked over to Meila, who was scooping the soup into small bowls, and Artuck handed the bowls to Flim and Cruu, while Mitrax got his own bowl.

After a quiet meal, Meila packed up the supplies she'd used and looked at everyone.

"Well, shall we get going, then? Willspore isn't too far from here."

 The group all stood, and Artuck helped Flim to his feet while Flim spoke.

"Yes, let's go. I would like to be free from this curse sooner rather than later, after all."

Meil nodded, and covered the ashes of the fire she'd made, and the group continued onwards.

"So, have you guys come up with a name for yourselves?"

Artuck looked at the others as he realized they hadn't thought of that before now. Mitrax shrugged, while Cruu put his frozen palm to his forehead, and Flim sighed.

"N-no," Artuck admitted sheepishly.

"Alright. How about… The Heart? Since you guys are passionate about this quest. Ooh! What about The Honorable? Since honor is another quality you all seek? Or how about, and hear me out on this one, Haldore's End? Since that's the end goal, right?"

Artuck thought for a moment.

Names? Hmm… why haven't we thought of this before? Oh, well. Well then, let's see…

Artuck perked up a second later.

"Aha! How about;" Artuck paused for dramatic effect before continuing.

"Unwavering Purpose?"

"I like it!"

Meila clapped her hands together as she spoke excitedly.