Aegis

Chapter Two--Into the Fray (Pt.1)

Kyros pulled back his bowstring and shot a flying monster. The arrow of light brought down his prey, which disintegrated into a pile of ashes. Nearby, Erianthe brought down a boar monster. With the last strike, the boar also disintegrated into dust. The pair continued their trek through the woods.

"It's quiet tonight," Erianthe remarked.

Usually, the pair encountered five or so monsters during their treks. Tonight, they had only seen two, the bird and the boar. The only other animals they had seen were a pack of wolves running through the woods.

"At least we get a little break," Kyros said and sighed. Ever since his father and Erianthe's mother had left Delos to fight the Rogues, their training had picked up like a huge storm. "We're going to reach the clearing soon," Kyros said. "Want to take a break there?"

"Yes."

At the clearing, Kyros and Erianthe sat on a patch of grass in the middle of the grass field. Tiny, white flowers bloomed all around them in the dark field as if they were mirroring the stars in the sky.

Erianthe pointed up at the stars. "Look. It's Pegasus."

Kyros leaned back to get a better view of the winged horse's constellation.

"Wish Orion's constellation was out," he said.

Since it was the beginning of autumn, the winter constellation wouldn't come out for a few more months.

"Yeah, it would have been nice to see it," Erianthe said. "I really liked that story you told about the hunter."

Kyros remembered. As he had told Orion's tale, Erianthe was entirely captivated by the legend. Her eyes had lit up with excitement then as if she were enraptured by the tale. It was exhilarating to share all the stories about the stars that Kyros' father had passed down to him. His father was even named after one of the constellations, Orion.

"Yeah? I know more stories about the constellations," Kyros said.

Gesturing at the stars above, he told tales about the stars—about Pegasus' birth and Andromeda's sacrifice—all while watching Erianthe smile at the stories. Her eyes twinkled at the heroes' tales.

"What do you think it would be like to be a hero?" Erianthe asked. The girl clasped her hands together then looked at Kyros with excitement. "I think it'd be amazing. Fighting monsters, helping people," she said. "To be real heroes."

"We do that now," Kyros said with a slight laugh. Every day, they took down a few mad-beasts, albeit small ones. As he talked, Kyros stretched out his arms.

"But to go on an adventure. Without worrying about everything." Erianthe Locke's eyes with Kyros and smiled.

Kyros met her excited gaze with one of his own. Something in her clear, blue eyes drew an answer out of him. It was excitement: the promise of adventure and the chance to be a force for good.

Kyros swept his arm in the air as if he were displaying the stars. "We can go on an adventure. After all this is over. As far as the stars reach."

Silently, he thought it would be amazing to go this adventure with her.

Erianthe chuckled and lowered her voice. "We have to win against the Rogues first," she said. Her hands and her gaze dropped down to the sword on her lap. "And guard Delos."

Kyros bit his lip. Ignoring the small doubt in his heart, Kyros said, "They'll win. My father and your mother. Then they'll come back, and we can celebrate."

They were Delos' heroes after all.

"Then we can go on this adventure?" Erianthe teased.

"Of course." Kyros grinned back at her. "We can go as far as the stars go. Make a name for ourselves, you know? Just like our parents."