4 Stones

Rolling Stone

"Okay. One last time. You know how to get there. Right?"

"Yes, Dad."

The boy hugged his mother, then his father, then his two little siblings one last time before taking off.

"Don't do anything stupid," said the father.

"Don't talk to strangers, sweetie," said the mother.

"I won't," he replied with a smile on his face

He started riding along with Lailah, a big bird known as a Roadrunner, up the little hill until they were no longer in sight.

So, everybody is going to be there? That's what the letter said. I don't think there can be more than one Caecus Saggita out there. Okay. Just be careful. Will be.

......

What is it?

Do you think they'll be happy to see me?

Of course, they will! Who wouldn't want to see their best friend?

But they never tried to contact me before.

They're busy with their royalty stuff. They have to keep focus.

I know. I... 

It's okay. We'll see them soon.

Sure. If seven days is soon for you.

Caecus finished his internal dialogue with Tensus, but he could not shake the uncertainty that they would not remember him. That they would not recognize him. He could not ask Tensus any more questions.

Several hours later under the setting sun and the rising moon, they settled next to several cactuses in the gradually decreasing temperature of the dessert.

"Honorable guest, how did you meet Young Master Alison, if you are so kind to tell me such story?" asked Laila.

Caecus, who was keeping the fire breathing, replied, "Well, several years ago, Alison came to the village with his father, I think, and they stayed a while at our house. Her father already knew dad and... I think I remember I was already playing outside when they came walking. She was left outside and well... we played for a while because I was left to take care of the shop with mom. Does she still have her hair in ponytails?"

Lailah, who was expecting a more memorable story, replied, "Indeed, Young Master still does every now and then," and then a long paused followed up.

Caecus let the air feed the campfire. He checked he still had everything he needed in his backpack by taking inventory of his possessions: A rope, several sets of clothes, some forging tools, a relic from his grandpa, a revolver he made, food, medicine, an umbrella, and food for his pet. He placed them all in a blanket he spread over the dry land and he checked that everything was in order: turning and twisting, disarming and rearming, checking for dirt and removing it if any. He took his time to check everything like a doctor checks their patient through any and all test if necessary. Leilah took out her daggers and saw her blurred reflection in the blunt blade and then he saw Caecus taking out a knife, small but sharper than her daggers that were supposed to be lethal and flesh-opening. She could not help but see his glorious knife being cleaned and resharpened. Caecus, by mere coincidence, looked across from him and saw how Leilah could not take her whites off his knife.