Chapter III: Stone Cold Hearts

    

	Arcus Odyssey: Heroes of Arcus

By Long Nguy


	"Is that what really happened Guy?" Kara asked suspiciously.
	"Uh yeah it was an accident," Guy said with his hands on the 
back of his head.  "You should of told me she was at the pond."
	Kara threw her hands up in frustration, "Typical men, not too 
bright."
	"C'mon lets pack up," Jedda said angrily as he peered his head 
in the cave. 
	"I think there's a problem between Jedda and Erin," Kara whispered 
to Guy.
	"Yeah like I didn't know that," Guy laughed.

	
	Erin walked back to camp still furious at what Jedda said to her,
"Stupid, no good, jackass, idiot, Idiot, IDIOT!" 
	Vale looked up dumbfounded to see a very angry Erin.  He thought 
to himself he better not ask any help from her with the horses.  Guy came 
out of the cave with a load of blankets.  
	"Whats with her," Guy asked.
	Vale shrugged.


	The trip through the Forrest of Silence was very unusually compared 
to other forests.  There were no birds singing or any other animals to be 
seen.  
	"The Forrest of Silence was said to be the last battle between Leaty's 
army and Castomira's Dark Lords that had been fought before Leaty was able 
to seal the Dark Lords away.  The battle claimed thousands of lives, and it is 
also said that the trees grew from the bodies of the dead.  The evil presence 
of the Dark Lords still lingers here.  Thats why no animals of Leaty would 
live in this place." Kara told.
	"Dark Lords or no Dark Lords, we'll still find Drake." Vale held 
his hand up.  "Wait stop right here."


	The group stopped and Vale jumped off his horse.  He picked up 
something from the ground.  
	"Take a look at this, bread crumbs in a forest?" Vale held the crumb 
up.  "Drake was here, it looks like he's moving through the tree to avoid 
detection."
	"I think your right Vale, look at the pattern of falling leaves," 
Jedda pointed at the tail of leaves.
	Erin hadn't spoken for awhile and Kara started to get worried.  
	"Erin, you can tell me is something is bothering you.  Don't try 
to keep it all to yourself its bad for you.  So if you have something to tell 
just go ahead, I won't tell anyone," Kara moved next to Erin's horse and 
placed her hand on Erin's shoulders.
	"Thanks," Erin whispered.


	"Here they come," Drake could see the group that been after him.  
"Too bad they'll have a big suprise when they run in my trap,"  He smiled 
evilly to himself.  "This will teach them not to follow me ever again."


	Jedda was leading the way, he noticed a rope around a large tree.  
Before he was able to stop before a net lifted him and his horse into the air.
	A bolt shot out from the tree hitting Jedda in his thigh.
	"It's a trap, get behind the trees!" Guy called out.
	Drake reloaded his crossbow and aimed for Jedda again, this time 
at his chest.  Vale threw his slasher at Drake's crossbow.  It knocked the 
crossbow off aim and struck Jedda in his right shoulder.  His blood dripped 
onto the ground.
	"Get Jedda down Guy," Vale yelled as he caught the returning 
slasher.  
	Guy rushed to the tree with a rope around it and chopped it causing 
the net to release.  Jedda and the horse dropped to the ground with a big 
thud. 


	Again Drake reloaded his crossbow with another bolt, he wanted 
to take down as many as he could before he would fight hand to hand.
	Jedda yanked out the bolt embedded in his body.  His painful 
wounds was bleeding badly.  Vale stopped Kara as she tried to come to 
Jedda's aid.
	"He's trying to lure us out to help Jedda, it's too dangerous for 
you to go Kara," Vale said.
	"We can't just leave him there," Guy shouted a few feet away.
	"Right, cover me," Erin got on her horse and charged to Jedda.
	

	Vale threw Guy his crossbow and launched his slasher at Drake.  
It missed it's mark, Drake seeing his chance aimed for Erin.  The slasher 
suddenly returned in Drake's direction striking him in his back.  Drake aim 
was thrown off and hit Erin in her arm.
	"Ahhh!" Erin screamed.  "Damn you Drake!"
She pulled her horse to a halt where Jedda was lying and was able to get him 
on.  Jedda clothes and armor was covered in blood.
	"Erin we'll handle Drake, get Jedda out of here," Guy aimed the 
crossbow at Drakes leg and fired.  The bolt struck Drake above the knee,
causing him to fall from the tree.  He landed on his back and laid 
motionless. 
	"Guy lets make sure he's dead, you stay where you are Kara," 
Vale motioned Guy to follow.


	Shit, I don't  want to leave the others but I have to stop Jedda's 
bleeding, Erin thought to herself.  "Damn Drake, damnit Jedda you should 
have watch where you were going."
	Jedda was slumped over with his head on Erin's shoulder.  Erin 
stopped the horse near a patch of grass and pulled Jedda off the horse to 
the grass.  He was starting to become pale, she had to work fast in order
to save him.  She untied Jedda's armor and applied a healing herd to both 
wounds and one for her arm.
	"This is going to take awhile," Erin said to the unconscious Jedda.


	"I think he's dead," Guy said.
	Vale held his halberd close Drake's neck suspiciously preparing to 
strike at any moments notice.  Convinced Vale strapped the halberd behind 
his back, soon afterward Drake sprung to life.  He pulled out a knife and 
shoved it into Vale's stomach causing him to stumble backwards a few feet 
before falling.
	"HAHAHAHAHA!" Drake laughed coughing up blood.
	Furiously Guy stabbed his basterd sword through Drake's chest 
going into the ground itself.  Drake screamed in agony before dying with his 
eyes wide open.
	"May all the people you killed rest in peace," Guy pulled his sword 
out of Drake's lifeless body.
	Vale sat up holding his stomach, but to everyone suprise there 
was little blood.  He smiled and lifted his shirt to reveal a chainmail shirt 
underneath.


	Jedda awoken in a dimly lit room.  Kara was sitting in a chair by 
his side.  Erin was asleep in one of the beds so he assumed they were at 
a inn.  He rubbed his sore thigh and shoulder then tried to sit up.
	"Don't try to get Jedda, she helped him take a drink from a bowl 
of water.
	"What happened? Drake! Where is he?" Jedda said as his  memory 
returned.
	"Don't worry Jedda, we got that brute.  Vale and Guy are riding 
to Casilear to collect the reward money," Kara smiled.  "You know those 
wounds of yours were very bad, you almost died."
	"Thanks Kara for saving me,"  Jedda uttered.
	"Don't thank me, you should thank Erin.  She stopped your bleeding 
before it was too late,"  Kara replied.
	"Erin saved me?" Jedda didn't believe what he heard.
	


	"Erin also caught a bolt in her arm while rescuing you," Kara told 
him.
	"What, how?" Jedda said in suprise.
	"Drake took a shot at her when she was trying to get you to safety. 
" Kara replied.  
	"So if she hadn't risked her life you would have been dead.  I suggest 
you try alittle more to be her friend."
	"Are you kidding?  She doesn't want to be my friend and I don't 
want to be any friend of hers," Jedda said loudly.
	"Shhhh.  Keep your voice down she'll hear you," Kara putted her 
finger to her lips.
	"Why should I care if she hears me?" Jedda replied sharply.
	Kara face became red with anger, "Stop being a jerk Jedda.  She 
saved your life, Erin is a nice person if you would even try to get to know 
her better.
	Jedda remained silent.


	Erin laid on her bed with her eyes open, listening to Jedda and 
Kara's conversation.  After hearing enough of them she close her eyes and 
force herself to fall asleep.


	"How much farther," Guy asked.
	"Still a couple of hours away," Vale said feeling the movement 
of Drake's limped head rubbing against his back.
	Wolves howled in the distance forest as the clouds reviled a full 
moon.
	"I think well make it there by sunrise," Vale added.
	After four hours of traveling by horse back.  Guy and Vale 
finally made it to Casilear.
	"We'll stay out of the town until morning, then we will bring 
the Drake's body to the mayor of this town.


	"Stupid!  It was all your fault I almost was killed," Erin grabbed 
Jedda's shirt, yanking him halfway off the bed.
	"No one told you to go out there," Jedda yelled back.
	"What you expect me to do?  Let you die?" Erin yelling five 
inches from Jedda's face.
	"Yeah, not like you care," Jedda replied pushing Erin's hands 
off him.
	"Hey, hey, stop it you two," Kara said breaking up the argument. 
	Erin let out a hmph and stormed out of the room.  Jedda got 
himself out of bed and strapped on his armor.


	"I see your feeling better Jedda," Kara handed him a loaf of 
bread.  "I thought I told you to try to be her friend.
	"She's the one that started it," Jedda replied with a loaf of bread 
in his mouth.
	"I swear, you two are acting like children," Kara stuck out her
 tongue.
	"C'mon I'm going to look around the bazaar," Jedda grabbed 
Kara's arm and dragged her along.
	"Slow down would you." Kara shouted.


	Guy and Vale walked out of the mayor's home with big smiles 
on their faces.
	"Here's your half," Vale handed Guy a pouch of gold.  "I  now
consider you four of you my friends, I'll help you out when ever you need 
it."
	Vale and Guy shook hands and went off to their separate way.
	"May Leaty keep an eye on you Vale," Guy shouted.
	Vale gave a wave and disappeared in the crowd.


	After roaming around the bazaar for awhile, Jedda and Kara 
entered a herbal shop.  As they opened the door to the store strong scent 
of herb hung in the air.  
	"May I help you," an old women asked.
	"Yes we would like to buy some healing herbs," Kara pointed to a 
patch of herb hanging on the wall.  "We'll take ten patches."
	"Would there be anything else?  I have a new batch of anti-poison 
herbs only for five silver piece each." The herbalist pulled out some herb from 
under the counter.
	Jedda was bored, he stared at the wall of hanging herbs.  
	"Ok we'll take four of them too," Kara handed the herbalist a gold 
piece and took the herbs.
	"Thank you, come again," the herbalist replied.
	They left the store and headed back to the inn.


	Erin walked through the street mumbling angrily to herself about 
that ungrateful Jedda.
	"I should of just left him there to die, what an idiot, stupid moron, 
UNGRATEFUL FOOL!" she shouted.
	Time seem to stop, every passerby stopped and stared at the red 
headed women.  Erin was shocked to see that no one was minding their 
own business.  "What are you looking at?" 
	Then she felt a tapping on her shoulder.  She turned and saw Kara 
and Jedda.
	

	"Done making a spectacle of yourself yet?" Jedda said sarcastically.
	"Thats it, I'm going to fix that smart ass mouth of yours,"  Erin 
pulled out her chain sword from her waist and pointed at Jedda.
	"C'mon lets see what you got," Jedda smiled in anticipation of 
battle.  He drew both of his swords making Erin think twice about attacking 
him.  "Whats the matter Erin are you scared?"
	"I'm tired of breaking up their fights, they should settle this between 
themselves," Kara sighed and stepped back to watch.

	
	A large crowd grew around Jedda and Erin.
	"Teach the bitch a lesson," a man cheered for Jedda. 
	"Kick the son of a bitch in the groin sister," a large women called 
out.
	The crowd grew larger and louder by each passing second.
	"What are you waiting for an invitation?" Jedda sneered.
	Erin launched the chain sword at Jedda, but he easily dodged it.  
He returned the attack by swinging his sword blade down on Erin.  She 
was able to block the blades by using her chain.
	"You better quit now before you get hurt," Jedda pulled his sword 
off and jumped back to a safe distance.
	"In your dreams you imbecile," Erin replied.


	The cheers of the crowd could be heard from a very far distance, 
someone even started to take bets.
	"Whats the matter, you need two swords just to beat a women," 
a man said causing the whole crowd to laugh.
	Jedda stopped, "Fine, I don't need a weapon to beat her."
	He sheathed his swords and took a fighting stance.  Erin didn't 
care if he had a weapon or not, all she cared about was giving Jedda a big 
black eye.  She swung her chain sword at Jedda, he caught it as she knew he 
would.  Erin landed a roundhouse kick in his side making him hold his ribs 
in pain.  He was off guard and Erin took full advantage of it.  She threw a 
punch in his stomach and ended with a front kick in his chest.  


	"Damnit, Erin.  Don't say I didn't warn you!"  Jedda placed his 
leg in front of Erin's leg, he slapped Erin in the back making her fall down 
forward.  Erin was about to push herself back up when Jedda grabbed her 
arm and twisted backwards.  She gave a little cry of pain.
	"If I wanted to hurt you Erin, which I don't.  I could of broke your 
arm, so stop it now."  Jedda loosen his hold on Erin's arm.
	Erin struggled, but knowing it was hopeless to get out of the hold 
she accepted her defeat.  She stopped her struggling to let Jedda know 
she was stop fighting.
	"You win, again..." She uttered in a low tone.

	
	He released her from the hold.  Jedda picked up Erin's chain 
sword and handed to her.  She snatched it from his hand and left in 
the direction of the inn without a word.  Kara and Jedda trailed behind 
Erin, not wanted to start another confrontation.
	"Jedda, I thought I told you to try and be her friend, but here you 
go staring another fight with her." Kara whispered so Erin wouldn't hear.
	"With a temper like hers, how could we be friends," he replied.  
"She gets mad at every little thing I say."
	"I doubt she'll get mad at you if you would say nice things to her 
instead of your sarcastic remarks you give her," She punched Jedda in his 
arm.
	"Ok Kara, I'll try not to be a jerk to her," Jedda smiled.
	"You better," Kara gave him a threatening look making Jedda 
laugh.  


	Erin strained to hear the two talking, "are they talking about me 
again?  Why is he always saying such mean things to me.  Ok maybe I'm 
not so innocent since sometimes lose my temper, he doesn't have to be 
a jerk all the time.  Look at Guy he's a good friend, but that Jedda.  
He makes me furious every time we say anything to each other."
	She took a deep breath before letting it out to relive some of 
her frustration, "the next time I fight with Jedda I will win." 


	On his way back to the town where Jedda and the others were 
staying at, Guy was traveling on a desolate road.
	"Hmmmm, if I go another five miles on this road and take a left
I'll still have another 10 miles before I reach Rasa," Guy traced his finger 
on the map.  Off in the distance he could see someone waving for him.  
As he gotten  closer he could see it was a man, and his wagon was missing 
a wheel.
	"Looks like you could use a hand," Guy said cheerfully.
	"Oh thank you sir, I greatly appreciate your help.  My horse ran 
off when the wagon wheel broke off," the man eyed the area nervously. 

	Guy got off his horse and tied it to a tree.  He went over to the 
wagon and examined it.  
	"This shouldn't be a problem, the wheel just popped off," He 
picked the wagon wheel off the road and lifted the wagon to reattach the 
wheel.
	"There all finish," Guy finished reattaching the wheel and wiped 
a bit of sweat from his forehead.
	"No, your finished," the man whistled and a group of 4 man 
jumped out from behind trees.


	"Oh great, here we go again," Guy muttered himself.  "Don't 
you know crime doesn't pays."
	The group of men including the pretender surrounded Guy in a 
full circle.
	"It pays alright.  Now hand over all that money," A dirty looking 
man with short sword laughed and the others joined in.  
	They closed in on Guy pointing their weapons at him.   Guy 
evaluated his odds against these bandits and come to the conclusion that 
they'll won't be a problem.
	

	"Ok guys here's the money," Guy pulled the money pouch from 
his belt and threw it to the men in front of him.  All of the bandit's eyes 
were transfixed on the pouch, but before the bandits caught the pouch Guy 
elbowed the man behind him then sent a tremendous punch to the man in 
front of him.  He grabbed the money pouched from the bandit and pulled  
out his sword swinging crazily at the men.   The bandits ran off in fear. 
	"See I told you crimes never pays," Guy hopped back on his horse 
laughing and continue back on course to Rasa to meet up with his friends. 


End of chapter III