Quest

Prologue

This is a DRAFT. This is not meant to be a Final Draft. If you enjoyed or didn't enjoy something in this draft, comment about it or like a comment that you agree with. :]

The tropical trees loomed over the jungle floor as did the palace towers over the people. Echoes of tyrannical birds cawed distantly, invisible to the men trudging through the mud. The moon peaked from the branches and slithered onto the forest ground, trying to find any living creature on the floor. Other than the sound of birds and brush of leaves, the only sound they could hear was the beating of their hearts as they slithered through the thick jungle.

Half a dozen transporters paced in a pack protecting what was peculiar package. The king had requested no one to peek into the crate containing the object, and that anyone who does will join his daily executions. The only man who knew what was in there was the king himself.

"I can't anymore!" Cried out one of the two old men carrying the box. "We have travelled for 30 kilometres, non-stop, day and night. I can't carry it anymore!"

The old man flopped himself onto the ground, dropping the box. The second one followed, even more tired than the first.

The leader stared at them in disgust. His amber, vine-long hair shone in the dim moonlight, shining slightly just like his yellow eyes. He was younger than them, much more tolerant to the harsh condition judging by his strong stature, tattoos of indigo waves going through his bulky muscles.

"Fine." Sighed the leader, giving orders to what he thought were a bunch of babies. "We will have a break. We can stay for 9 hours, at the very most. If you won't carry the box after that, you will be left here to starve. Nothing in the Western forest is edible except the honey that is guarded by killer bees, so you better carry the box at dawn."

The old men were scared to death at the thought of them being left behind in the Western forest yet happy that they could finally have some well-earned sleep. They began positioning leaves into a pile and silently dived into a pit of calmness. Never had it ever felt better to lie down and let your body take over your mind.

The leader sat down onto a log, trying not to look like as if he needed a rest too. He can't show his emotions to the rest of the crew. Anger was one of the only things he showed, as it scared all of the members, especially the old men, and those guys need tough rules.

Relto tried to sit down next to the box to glance at what was in it, only to be interrupted by the leader.

"Relto, the old men will be guarding it. Step away."

"Leader," Relto said, a very smart excuse forming in his head, "what if someone tries to steal the box?"

"In the middle of the Western forest? Not possible."

"Very possible. Bandits lurk around every corner, and what is inside this box is wanted heavily by the whole kingdom, from what I know. If you have two tired, hungry old men sitting next to it, how do you think they will be able to fight off a bandit with at least a couple of knives up their sleeves?"

A short pause of silence rang in the cold air. The oak trees silently swayed side to side in the dry evening air. Relto was the only one known to be able to change the leader's opinion and, besides, the leader did not mind. It was enjoyable for him to know that there was someone smart in the team, because before Relto came, it was all bonkers, no intelligence in sight, and he was glad he had at least someone.

"I will let you guard the box," said the leader, his cunning sharp teeth showing on his white lips as they smiled a wide smile.

Relto happily smiled back, knowing that he had the leader's side every time. Relto sat down next to the box, the other old men laying on the ground, calmly snoring in their napping.

Finally, he could see what was in the box. He peered down to see a small child, wrapped in a blanket so tightly that it seemed that she couldn't breath. Ocean blue eyes glanced up at him, ocean blue and ocean deep. A single lock of black hair came down on her face, making her skin, which was unbelievably pale, even paler than it should. So this was the living object.

Why would the king want this child so badly? Relto thought curiously, looking at the leader who was also staring at the child.

Relto looked down at the child again, one of her arms were now free. She stretched it out, trying to grasp Relto's nose. She gave a soft giggle and grabbed his nose with a tight grip.

Nothing made Relto feel so sad, that such a little girl would be taken away.

"What will happen to her?" Relto asked the leader.

"The king is not to say," the leader answered, "but nowadays, he makes lots of sacrifices just for fun. Only Master Lepiko knows the real reason. He talked to her before making the decision in court to bring the girl to his palace. I was there with Grand Master Upolik."

Those last words confused Relto. "You have a Master? I thought only the rich could have Masters."

"That is most definitely not true. Masters will teach to whoever is willing to donate all their time to the practice of swordsmanship." The leader looked down at his sword, a long machete with a dark green handle and a carving of a skull at the end.

Relto nodded, baffled by the new information. The only way he'd been able to get into the king's crew was to work and practice by himself to master the craft of the sword. He didn't have a Master in his region, and that there was only one on the outskirts who taught for a mountain of money. The king's selfish ways have spread.

After those words, the leader laid down onto the log. He always tried to fall asleep when no one was watching so that no one knew when he was vulnerable to attack.

"I'll be keeping watch for meantime," Relto said, patting the leader on the shoulder. "Besides, I can tell you need some rest."

The leader smiled about how Relto was the only one to look beyond the anger and cold face he always held. It was a bit of a relief, after being so fake for so long.

"Good night, Relto."

"Good night..."

The leader looked towards Relto, giving a small grin. "Wajov."

Relto finally knew the name of Wajov. It took him 5 months but it was worth it in the end.

"Good night, Wajov."

Slowly, Wajov fell into deep slumber. Relto was the complete opposite, restless as he realised that the small girl could die for the king's murderous joy.

She can't die like this. She does not deserve this. I can't let her risk her own death. She will have a better chance at life not going to the king's palace. She needs to get out of this death sentence. But why is she being transported to his castle? Simple pleasure for death is not enough to bring a whole division to take care of a kid. There must be something more. She must be something that could be used against him, otherwise he wouldn't care.

But what to do? I can't run away from the king's gang with their precious object they must deliver. But they are asleep...

Relto's mind raced for what to do. He couldn't leave the child to be taken to the palace, that would be downright cruel. In the end, he decided that he had only one choice.

Carefully, Relto picked himself up, took Wajov's sword and walked towards the box. The child smiled happily up at him as he carefully picked her up and began walking south, past tall willows and redwood trees, to a town he had visited before.

What should I name the child?

Hrdina. Yes. Hello, Hrdina.