As we came upon the gates of the village, we passed naught but bodies and destruction.
I had no more tears.
I fear I had cried them all out, and never was I to shed another.
"Let's look for survivors, then get out of here."
A lump formed in my throat, but I choked it down and wiped away a single tear.
I had lied...
"You look to the South...wait, never mind that, we'll stay together...just in case."
I say, glancing Himora's way as we take in the carnage.
"Yeah...okay."
He agrees, and at that, I shoulder my spear, he, his sword, and we walk together along the war torn path to the center of Leafaria.
I can't say that it didn't hurt...
For it did.
No matter what I did or tried, there was no way I could ever forget this...any of it.
Especially while we were within the gates of this hell hole. Even now, I morn...for the death of my people, my family, and my life as a child.
The village looked like a hurricane had just hit full-force. There is no other way to describe it. Although some were still alive, many were not. The ones who could stand and had some sense within them took hold of the dead bodies around them, laying them in roles along the village gate, most likely in preparation for burial.
I could only imagine how it would be to have to carry your loved ones dead bodies and place them like leftovers on the side...
Himora wasn't even from my village, and he felt the pain just as I did, if not more. I didn't realize that there were Watherians among the dead here. the few that were there must have been with the Shicato army, which made it worse on him, for I knew that none of them had choose to live in our village. While we lived in and amongst the trees, taking everything from the land, yet putting back as we took, the Watherians preferred to live within or around water at all times.
As I looked about, I could only wonder what would become of us. An answer came in the form of a small cart being pulled around the village by an old-looking donkey.
"Who's that guy?"
Himora asks with a look of confusion on his face.
"I...I don't know...I've never seen him around here before. He could be a traveling merchant."
We exchanged a quick glance.
"Unlikely."
Himora said as he lowered his sword from his shoulder to his side and approached the cart.
"I'm going to get some answers."
I follow behind him with my spear at the ready. Now that I had thought about it. why would a merchant be around at a time like this?
"HEY!"
Himora called out to the little man who drove the cart.
"What's your business here?"
The little rider was an awkward one. His hair was long and white, and as he sat, it fell from his head down to his feet. The little man must have been a dwarf for there was no other explanation for such long hair (not to mention, his matching beard). The dwarf pulled back on the ropes and slowed his cart, glancing down at Himora and I as he did.
When he spoke, his words words seemed to fall from his lips pile pebbles, so wild and deep they were. It was said that dwarfs were carved of stone, and spoke for it till they day they died and returned to that form.
"Why, wat do we 'ave ear?"
He said in his thick, Dwarven accent.
"Two wee lads bouncin' aroond da fields as eef dare souls were gone! Aaaahahahahaha!"
He tilted back his head and let out a loud chuckle.
"Wha...whats so funny!?"
I shouted up at him.
Himora and I were both really confused. We didn't see anything funny...but I guess it was just like a drunken dwarf to laugh at almost anything. The only problem is he wasn't drunk. After a while, I began to get aggravated.This was my village, my family, my life, all gone and he was laughing while everyone else around him were in despair.
"SHUT UP!...JUST SHUT THE HELL UP! DON'T YOU SEE WHAT'S GOING ON HERE!? THESE PEOPLE ARE ALL DEAD, AND YOU DARE LAUGH LIKE THE WORLD IS JUST...GREAT!? I think you should leave..."
The little man gave me a rather peculiar look and scratched his long beard.
"Hmmmm. Me apologies, Sir."
The dwarf said with a small bow.
"Wat I meenz ta say is wats the matter wit cha chillen's runnin' about this heer place as eef ye has no place ta be now? Tis no playground, ye know."
I guess he didn't know, so it wasn't fair for me to chew his head off.
I explained our situation.
"Oh...by the beards of me Gods...Ye poor lads. I be very surry fer ma laughter then! I sure don't see anythin' so funny...say, why don't da two of ye come along wit me to da next town over? Well, I be goin dat way anyway, so I could drop ye about there."
I didn't know whether to trust this guy or not. I didn't see any weapons about him, and if it came down to it, I was pretty sure that Himora and I could take him. Maybe even just one of us. We decided to take up his offer and go along till we came within walking distance of the next town.
"Could you wait a second or two, Mr...um, I didn't get your name, sir."
He looked down at me and a slight smile come to his wrinkled face.
"Nor did I get yer's, little 'un!"
I took it as an invitation, so did Himora.
"I'm Bastion...Sir, and this is my cousin Himora."
I said, waving my hand in Himora's direction. He bowed before the dwarf, a custom of the Watherians.
"And a pleasure it is ta meet ye lads! Now hurry about and let us leave dis place. T'is no good here for da likes of da two of ya!"
As much as I didn't like to admit it, and as much as I didn't want to leave, he was right. I couldn't stay there. I couldn't rebuild an entire village on my own. There wasn't much else for me to do but go on my way...to a new life.
"I...I'll be back, Sir...HEY! We still didn't get your name...Sir?"
But before we could get our answer, he had leaned back in his seat on his cart and was quickly fast asleep, so we just walked away.
We would be back anyway.