Echoes of water droplets could be heard from all around. Gustav opened his eyes and beheld himself to be in what looked like a long dark muddy, wet tunnel. It was freezing and he found Lin’s cloak wrapped around him.
“Where are we?” he asked quietly, almost to himself.
“Under the woods I’d say,” replied Lin calmly sitting by his side chewing on some sort of root. “Want some?”
Gustav’s face could not easily be seen in the dark, the little light there came in through small holes. Even so, Lin could tell Gustav was fixedly staring at him.
“It’s really not bad,” said Lin through his munching. “Edible. Since we forgot a long journey’s essentials, we’ll have to sustain ourselves with what the wilderness can provide. I hope you’re not too sorry.”
Gustav made no reply and still sat there ogling.
“Of course I can always find something else if you’re not fond of roots.”
An unforeseen response took place. Gustav stood up holding the cloak, turned around, and dropped on the ground with his face 2 inches away from Lin’s. His eyes narrowed as he looked at him concentrated, like an artist would examine every streak of a painting.
“Where are we?” he asked quietly, almost to himself.
“Under the woods I’d say,” replied Lin calmly sitting by his side chewing on some sort of root. “Want some?”
Gustav’s face could not easily be seen in the dark, the little light there came in through small holes. Even so, Lin could tell Gustav was fixedly staring at him.
“It’s really not bad,” said Lin through his munching. “Edible. Since we forgot a long journey’s essentials, we’ll have to sustain ourselves with what the wilderness can provide. I hope you’re not too sorry.”
Gustav made no reply and still sat there ogling.
“Of course I can always find something else if you’re not fond of roots.”
An unforeseen response took place. Gustav stood up holding the cloak, turned around, and dropped on the ground with his face 2 inches away from Lin’s. His eyes narrowed as he looked at him concentrated, like an artist would examine every streak of a painting.
“Exactly what are you?” he said gravely. It was probably the most serious and suspicious state Lin had ever seen him in, but even so, being too earnest never really suited Gustav. Lin could only sit still, look back and try to keep himself from laughing.
“What am I? I wouldn’t be here had I known the answer to that. I can’t tell you what I am, but I can tell you what I’m not, and that’s a villain in disguise.”
He shoved the extra roots into Gustav’s open mouth before he was able to speak, pushed him aside and rose. “Eat! And put that cloak back on. You got knocked out on our way here... I must’ve slipped a bit too far up or something. Haven’t used that trick in so long.”
Gustav spit the roots back out. “Oii!” he yelled, “haven’t used it in so long?! Were you gambling our lives?”
“Yes,” answered Lin simply. “...if you want to call it that. However, if you prefer to go back up to the forest and die under Gove’s hands, be my guest. You’ll have to try that without me though.”
“We could’ve died,” retaliated Gustav through clenched teeth.
“We would have most definitely died had I not taken the risk,” said Lin impatiently.
“So you knew him?”
“You didn’t? ... my dear fool, that is Zen Gove, only known to be the most dangerous and deadly magician in this world, nothing more.”
Gustav stiffened. “What would someone like that want with us? Was he not paid for this?”
“Of course he was,” said Lin. “Only not by the nobles, they don’t have a hold over someone like that.”
“By who then?”
“I can only guess here, but what sort of person do you believe would be able to command someone like Gove?”
“Ahhh... someone even deadlier than he is...”
“That’s all very good, but do we look like we’re in a common fairytale here?”
“Yes,” answered Gustav. “Apparently, we do.”
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