COMPLETED Remembrance of Self | Fantasy | LGBTQ

Chapter 1 - Part 2

[This time, he got away and he sighed in deep relief. Haiden dared not to move until he lost sight of it, the air smelled clean and the sound of its heavy limbs was nowhere to be felt or heard. Now, he could relax. His vision blurred and drifted away from consciousness.]

Haiden's brows twitched at the sound of a twig cracking underfoot, it woke him instantly. Still alert from the previous night he quickly spotted the source of the noise. A large brown beast was staring at him mindlessly. Its spindly long legs supported a thick barrel-like torso. A twisted neck ended in a long head on top of which colorful smooth fin-like flaps rattle, just like his colorful tail.

A sigh of relief escaped Haiden. It was Dusty, their deserter wagon mron, approaching Haiden as if nothing happened. As soon as it sensed the creature stalking the wagon, it gnawed and struggled itself free from the harness taking off, leaving both Regor and Haiden stranded to fend for themselves. Mrons are known for their easily scared nature, their only defense against predators being their extreme cowardice, so Haiden bore no grudge against the poor creature that only followed its instincts.

He approached the large animal cautiously not to reopen the wound in his abdomen, applying pressure with one hand and held out the other for the animal to sniff. Dusty recognized him at once and with a few puffs and snorts from its big round nostrils on either side of a long-split snout he rattled his mane and tail. The big animal opened its vertical slit it had for a mouth and licked Haiden's hand. As the mron's sandpapery tongue grazed his skin, the corners of Haiden's lips downturned into a slight grimace of disgust. Dusty raised its big head and started to pick at leaves and bits of twigs stuck in his jet-black hair.

"Ugh...that's gross, pal." his hand was thick with saliva. "Good boy," Haiden patted the mron appreciatively on its thick dark fur wiping his hand clean. The sun shone quite deceptively on a few stripes on Dusty's back while Haiden shivered in his torn clothes.

He then secured his backpack on the mron's back. Having taken off the load and a few hours of shut eye invigorated Haiden with the strength necessary to continue. His wounds were quickly healing from his latent abilities and in a few hours the pain will fade completely.

He kept thinking about Regor, wishing he'd still have all of his limbs and that he'd find him soon and get out of this wretched forest before sundown.

As Haiden and Dusty moved towards the part of the forest where the two companions separated, his frustrations bubbled to the surface.

"That absolute fucker," he said in a hushed voice. "'Young Haiden," he said' Haiden began mocking Regor. "surely, we'll shave two days off if we cut through the forest,' he said. 'Nothing to worry, I bet travelers pass through here everyday,' he said. What a fucking liar! Idiot almost got us killed!" Haiden kicked a rock that stood in his way which he immediately regretted, it had stretched the wounded skin paralyzing his body with a shock of pain.

"You better still be up and kicking r'else I'll shove that..." he could not continue his thought. With a swipe of his dirty sleeve he wiped a stray tear and swallowed a lump. His expression turned dark and serious; he was determined to find his companion in one piece. Now with the danger gone, the possibility of Regor being gravely injured or even dead bounced in his mind constantly picking at his hope of finding him alive and well. Haiden hurried his pace with every dark thought.

They might've had their differences but Regor was a good man. Haiden actually enjoyed his company, bad jokes and even worse cooking - if you can count heating up cans of various pastes, and meats as cooking that is.

He and Dusty moved east through the thick barrage of trees. The wind blew lazily between the naked branches of dark emler and few forgotten chirps blended together to create soothing white noise to calm his mind. He pushed Regor's handsome face out of his mind and shifted his trail of thought.

"Just my luck..."Haiden began sharing with Dusty. "finally, things were looking up for me. You know?" he paused as if to allow Dusty to reply and then continued. "After the accident n'all it got bad. I can't remember much but I'm glad he found me." Haiden stroked the big animal absentmindedly, paying little attention to the road ahead. "told me I'm special," he reaffirmed. "Powerful. Blessed by E'a herself. That was all I needed. Promise that I can be someone. Someone useful. Of course I agreed to his very generous offer. No one else wanted me. No one cared, really. And after months of being unconscious, I was lost until he came and gave me purpose, a way to atone for my sins. Now this fucker had to get 'imself in trouble." Haiden turned to Dusty waiting for some sort of reaction. Satisfied with several puffs of air through the beast's nostrils and rattles he continued. "You got that right. You know, you're better company than your master." he added after a pause and the air had lifted for a few seconds. "I too hope he's alright, pal. I too."

As soon as he raised his head to the trail in front of him his worst thoughts seemed to become reality. A red flicker of light caught Haiden's eye. He rushed to it and pulled a golden chain from the thick mud. It had a red ruby attached on a circular amulet. It was Regor's. He clutched it in his fist hoping that his companion just dropped it by mistake. At least he was on the right track. Pushing dark thoughts aside he moved onward.

The soft patter of Dusty's hoofs on moist soil echoed in Haiden's head. He led Dusty by the reins through the thick emler trees.

"Look, Dusty!" Haiden managed to say, but his dry throat hurt every word he spoke. He rushed over to a leaf free patch of mud to see a footprint. "He was here!" Haiden shouted in relief.

As they moved forward the fallen leaves dispersed even more revealing a pair big footprints that could only be Regor's. The footprints led them through a natural way in the forest, that was probably frequented by the forest animals or that damned creature. Odd items were scattered in the mud: a wooden spoon, a tin can of unknown paste, and multiple pouches - Haiden remembered the pouches of awful herbal tea Regor made him drink every dinner.

He followed the trail picking up Regor's beloved tea pouches. A few hours passed without a sign of Regor and the fire of Haiden's hope withered with every step.

"C'mon you big oaf!" Haiden screamed coarsely at the gray sky lined with dark branches. Where are -" he halted in place as his foot stepped on something defiantly soft and different from the forest bed. He tested the ground a few times before lowering his gaze. A familiar brown bedroll lay sprawled beneath him. Haiden touched the damp thin mattress of the bed with his palm - the warmth was long gone; he sighed audibly letting out a cuss. Luckily, the smell of burnt wood was brought in by a gust of wind. Haiden looked around for the ghost of a campfire, it was just a few feet away from him.

He reached for it with his hand, hoping this time he'd be lucky. It was still warm. His dark amber eyes moistened with eagerness to escape this nightmare and get back on the road again.

"Together,"

"He's alive," And with that reassured dry whisper, his hope of finding his companion alive surged back to life.

He soon spotted the same footprints they followed leading to a distant buzzing burble of a waterfall that gently tickled Haiden's ears. Smacking his lips he swallowed empty. He then looked at Dusty, whose vertical lips were just as cracked and dry and his sandpaper tongue lacked the thick, goo-like drool it once had.

"You too, huh? he said and tugged the mron's rains toward the sound. The waterfall's constant flow became louder with each pace and the ground muddier; shortly the clear water came into view.

Haiden's dry tongue scraped his crusty lips; his thirst taking over thinking only of the cold ice water that waited for him. As he approached the water a man burst from the depths of the pool stark naked.