Chapter 2: Independence

Rain peltered the side of the old cart heading down an old dirt road. With the ground beneath the cart turning to mud as the cart bounces across the road.

The driver holds his hood and tightens his grip on the rope for the horses. up as the wind starts to pick up making the rain fall faster and harder. Inside the cart three men sit, two holding a conversation, while the third man sits in the corner head resting against the wood of the cart. The man has been quiet the entire trip, with his cloak covering his body.

"Man, this rain has been hitting us hard all month." The first man speaks, his jaw clicking on every third word. The second man picks up, "Well as soon as we back to Gaitro we'll have to gather the crops, winter's hitting soon. Rain or not." His voice sounds muffled over the sound of the pouring rain.

"It sucks that the local wizard couldn't have told us how long the rain would continue. That man cost us 10 silver for a 2nd tier spell. Bloody robbery I tell you."

The first man shakes his head, as the second man picks up. "Casper you know we need to know the weather in order to farm correctly. Even if he was off slightly its better to know when we're getting sun or rain. Knowing slightly will help us." His fingers tap the side of the cart anxiously.

Casper sighs through his nose and starts to raise his voice, "I've worked the farm longer than you, Dennis. Stop acting like you know everything." His tone full of annoyance. The wind started to howl louder, with the cold air making the wet driver shiver.

Dennis just rubs his eyes as he says, "Yeah. yeah I know, you don't have to mention it every time I slightly correct you. Ma has always said...." "I don't care what Ma said," Casper snaps, cutting Dennis off mid-sentence. "She's gone. You need to listen to me. I'm the one who saved your ass when you got beat up at some, not her. Ma said that we shouldn't fight, yet you get into a brawl over some broad."

"Don't talk about her like that!" He shouts so loud that his voice cracks, and for a moment, even the rain seems to fade into the background. His breathing starts to pick up speed. The third man stirs as the argument intensifies, yet still asleep.

Casper counters by adding, "She tricked you. Made you blow all your money on her and when she started to look at someone who wasn't broke, you got into a fight. Face it she never loved you, get that through your thick skull!" Both men are now standing, faces flushed red with anger.

The rain outside starts to pick up, as thunder is heard off in the distance. Casper's fist clenched tighter, his muscles taut with fury, as he stared at Dennis like a man on the brink of violence. The storm outside surged in time with the storm inside the cart.

Their faces twist in anger, with Casper starting to move his arm to throw a punch. However, a voice is then heard that made them stop their argument, "Quiet!" Thunder is then heard in the cloudy, grey sky getting closer. The third man in the cart speaks up for the first time since the start of the ride.

"Oh look, the silent monk now perks up. Mind your business, we're having a conversation over here." Casper's voice has now directed its anger towards the third gentlemen. He steps towards him, his hand clentched even tigher.

The darkness from the cloud hides the third man's features. The cloak he wears to hide from the cold, covers his body fully, making his shape ambigious. His eyes look discontently at Casper however, as his hand shifts towards his side.

"I wouldn't do that." The driver pipes up from the front of the cart.

The rain still pounding on his face, he yells out through the howling wind, "That man protected me a few days back from being robbed by a few thugs. They tried to steal my goods, and I would've let them, they had daggers after all."

"But, that man, he was my miracle. He stabbed the first guy in the back. Then he took the dagger that man had and threw it between the eyes of the second. Then for the final one, he started by cutting off his hands, blood poured all over me. Next he grabbed his head and started pounding it into the ground. Pound! Pound! Pound! He didn't stop until the theif's head was one with the ground."

He stopped, with Dennis squinting his eyes to see the blood although days old was still hanging on the hood of the driver ever so faintly.

His breathing started to increase in pace, with Casper still looking down at this man in anger, but now mixed with fear. The third man stayed silent, but his eyes shone golden as thunder flashes across the sky.

They both started to go to the other side of the cart where the third man wasn't. The tension from the last few minutes died down and an hour of silence passed like that as they sat still listening to the rain fall and wind howl.

Eventually Dennis gained the courage to speak to the driver, "How far are we away from Camelot?" This peaked everyone's attention in the cart even the silent third man. The driver looked through the rain to see any markers nearby, but slowly he shook his head. "No idea but we should come to the barrier soon."

The two brothers just nodded their heads and started to slowly go back to the silence a minute ago. However the third man spoke up curious, "What barrier exactly?" Casper looked up at him and asked, "How rural are you to not know the barrier?" Dennis kicked Casper in the leg, clearly annoyed by his remark towards the stranger.

"Very rural, never really left my hometown, first time I'm out." The third man looked outside towards the sobbing sky and the moist ground below the cart.

Dennis speaks up before Casper can say anything, "The barrier was set up by the Maker of Camelot, with the blessing of Gaia. It stops any dangerous weather from affecting the city, that way people can go about their daily lives not stopped by the weather. Making it the perfect city."

"That must have been a long endeavour, the amount of magic to create a permanent control weather, would be gigantic." The third man's eyes lit up with some kind of passion. 

"That's not all the barrier can do." The driver spoke clearly, the rain was slowly dying. "It's also a protective barrier against invaders. The Witch of the Woods creatures attacked long ago, so the Maker who initally made the barrier for the weather made it so the King of Camelot could close and reopen the barrier at will."

The third man looked up and said, "How do you all know so much, you look like you come from a rural village like mine?" Dennis spoke up, "Well I got my education from the Academy of Wisdom, they recently developed a test that allowed those under 18 to particpate and enter the academy. I was lucky to get sponsored."

Casper then annoyed said, "Yeah but you also blew your sponsorship money on Anna, and where is she now. All that education and you never learned to see when people are tricking you. Your sponsor won't give anymore money, you know that." Clearly he was annoyed at his brother's foolish actions as of late, as he sat there silent once again.

The driver sensing the tension moved on to him, "The Academy of Wisdom is a good place, but I learneed from my pops. He was a travelling story teller. The funniest man you would ever meet. Owned the cart as well." Athough he was turned around the others behidn him could detect the sadness in his voice.

"How would one get into the academy?" The stranger was clearly enchanted by the Academy of Wisdom. Dennis spoke up and stated, "Well they do certain tests. One that tests aptitude for weapons, for magic, crafting and scholarship. They then would assign you into these classes. You could multi-class but that takes up a lot of your time and only real geniuses do it. But like I said you have to be under 18 to enter." 

"I'm sixteen." This statement caused a wave of shock to fill the cart. With both the brothers and the driver faces filled with confusion. They all look towards the man, who's face is covered in scars and body clearly more built than an average adult man. Casper looks towards the man in suspicion.

Casper looks towards the man in suspicion, leaning and states, "You know they can detect your age right saw them do it for Dennis here." Dennis adds, "They'll then kick you out of the city for lying. Akways happens at least five times a year."

"But I'm sixteen, and I ain't no liar." The third man stands up his impressive build towering over the two brothers. Casting a large shadow over each. The tension in the air is thick. But then the driver shouts, "We're here." All three look towards the front of the cart which turns bright. The clouds disappate ,as the rest of the cart turns a pure light, showing a sunny sky.

They eventually reach the gates and that's where they have to get off. The brothers Casper and Dennis get out of the cart and head towards the gate, with the third man doing the same. The driver asks the third man, "Never got your name stranger." The third man hesitates but then says, "Arthur, just Arthur. Thanks for the ride."

As Arthur his eyes look towards something other than the gate. With a screen appearing before his eyes.

'Map Unlocked'

Arthur looks towards the gates and thinks, "Finally freedom."