Ark Lore Part 1: The Goal

30 Minutes Later

The wagon was fully loaded and quiet for once. Lars and Raymond were sitting atop, Lars was controlling the reins while Raymond was carefully carving a slot away in the wood of the Bow of Loyalty. Zac sat towards the back, his back was against the wall he had dug out an old sewing kit and was desperately trying to fix his coat but he was just making it worse. Kaitlyn and Anya sat together in the middle trying to make something for dinner that did not require fire. While everyone else sat in defeat over the recent loss.

"Hey Kaitlyn!" Raymond said while looking down into the wagon.

"Y-Yeah?" Kaitlyn said while walking over to the steps up to the top.

"Hand me my briefcase please," Raymond said while pointing towards the back of the wagon.

"S-Sure," Kaitlyn said while walking back. She grabbed the briefcase that was stationed across from Zac. She walked back and handed it to Raymond. "Hey t-tell Lars to stop soon so I-I can cook something," Kaitlyn said.

"Yep, and don't go anywhere I'm almost done," Raymond said while opening his briefcase. Kaitlyn stood waiting. Raymond pulled out the light blue diamond shaped stone and placed it into the perfectly shaped hole he carved out. The stone started to glow as Raymond handed it to Kaitlyn.

"T-Thanks so much, this will be very helpful!"

"You're welcome," Raymond clarified while Kaitlyn walked back down to examine the food rations with a smile on her face.

"Lars, what's the plan?" Raymond asked.

"Uhhh, we are heading to the Eastern gate and we are going to sneak our way into the castle," Lars said, jogging his memory.

"Oh, that's good. Lance just moved troops away from there to Airroad yesterday before I left. But if we take too long, he could arrange more troops to all gates."

"Yeah that's why I'm having the horses move so fast, and I'm not stopping dammit."

"But if you don't rest, you will be too tired to fight incase if we get into any trouble. So I'm going to get some rest so I can drive when you get tired later."

"Fine."

"Great." Raymond clarified with a soft smile while walking down into the wagon. "I would make a salad, we aren't stopping."

"O-Oh, okay." Kaitlyn responded while grabbing herbs and vegetables that were mostly rotted a light shade of brown and unhealthy dark green. She watched as Raymond took off his lab coat and halo and hung them on a nearby peg. He undid his belt that held his katana and leaned it against the wall. Kaitlyn shivered as she knew someone meant their end to this blade. She looked over her shoulder and she saw Zac signaling her to come over to him. Kaitlyn walked over and whispered to him

"What?"

"Why is he going to bed so early the sun is still up?" Zac whispered mysteriously.

"I-I don't know... m-maybe it's part of his routine... I-I wouldn't question him though..." Kaitlyn whispered with nervous eyes.

"Yeah."

"H-Hey um, do you need help with that?"

"Uh, sure." Kaitlyn sat down and yanked the sewing kit and jacket out of Zac's hands. Zac watched as Kaitlyn pulled out all of the work he has done.

"Zac, t-this is so bad, I don't think even I could fix this."

"Oh."

"I-Im sorry."

"It's okay." Zac said while putting his jacket back in his bag. Kaitlyn walked to the supply bin and started to chop up some almost inedible lettuce to make a salad to barely fulfill everyone's needs.