Tainted: An Original Yogscast Story

Chapter 4

It was my turn to take watch. As the others rested I sat there alone and awake. Thankfully I was the last one to be on watch landing me more at the time of dawn. I groaned looking down at my arm that was all bandaged up. The pain snaked up to my shoulder now and it was only getting worse. If this shaman person Duncan was talking about can really help me then we need to see her soon. 

I thought about what happened the other day in the Volcano and the forest. Those three people seem so set on something, like they had a master plan, an end goal. There was a nagging feeling in the pit of my stomach. Like something still just  wasn't right with the three of them. Like why would shooting me with Purified Dark Matter do anything beneficial to their plan? I slammed my head down on my knees, this is all just crazy. My head began to pound in my skull a voice rattling that wasn't my own. "Humans must perish for what they did to me." I gripped my temples groaning.

"Rythian?" A concerned flame headed girl rested her hand on my shoulder. 

"I'm fine Zoey." I looked up to her. Doubt flashed in her eyes.

"No your not Ryth. I saw your hand, something is wrong. I need to know. What happened Rythian? What happened to you that day?"

I opened my mouth only to close it again. Zoey noticed my hesitance and sat down in front of me taking up most of my sight. "I'm your girlfriend am I not?" Her voice was caught in her throat like she had to force the words out. I nodded. "So I deserve to know."

"I don't want you to worry."

"Well screw that I am already worried. I've been worried since the day you left to search for what ever did this to you." She rested her hand on my damaged one. "Let me see Ryth."

I quickly pulled my hand away. Pain contorted her face. "Rythian..."

"We have to start moving." I said starting to get up. 

I felt a tug on my arm. "I can't take this anymore. We deserve to know..."

"Yeah, we do." I quickly turned, seen a blonde haired scientist leaning on a tree. 

"Duncan." I said through gritted teeth. I shook Zoey off walking over to the sleeping forms of Nilesy, Lewis, and Sjin. Again my head pounded and the voice came back, "Hurt them like they hurt me, like they hurt us." Duncan took a few steps behind me. "Lay off me Duncan you got your answers." I hissed.

"Not all of them, I need more." He grunted. 

"Why?" I asked turning around.

"It's better to know the whole story then just bits and pieces that you want us to know." I turned back around shaking the three awake. 

Groaning they all got up. "C'mon we are heading out to Kalico City." 

"What time is it?" Lewis asked rubbing his eyes. 

"Sunrise." Duncan said walking away from them and over to the horses. He saddled up his horse and Zoey's. I walked over, saddled mine up and started to work on Lewis's horse. The three sleepyheads trudged over and began to work on their horses Lewis taking the reigns from me, quite literally.

We hopped on and began to ride towards Kalico City. The ride was tense and quite. No one wanted to say a word to one another. We all kept looking at the trees or animals around us afraid of catching a very awkward glance with someone else. The only thing that broke our silence was the magnificent city of Kalico in the distance.

Duncan spoke first. "Alright so here is the plan, when we get in Lewis and Sjin go to the Market Place and get supplies in case we need to move again. Nilesy you get a room at the Brokeback Inn. Zoey, Rythian, and I will go and see the Shaman." 

Everyone nodded and broke into their respected groups. Kalico, unlike other cities allow the usage of riding horses around, most don't allow  it in case of accidents. Duncan led us down winding roads. The houses we saw were made of stone with wooden roofs. The city was built on a mountain, the houses seeming to roll down the hills of cobblestone. Smoke billowed from the chimneys. It was very refreshing to be in a city after a life away from everything. Zoey on the other hand seemed out of it, restrained almost.