Young Writers Society

I let out a sigh. I try to sort things out it my head. So... Wold is the Instruction Typo. How in the... ?

"How could Katya not be real? Was it the Author? Was he the one who made it look like Katya was real?"

"No," Wold says, her voice quavering. "RP. He's the one who did it. He was trying to make you feel better, I think. I was going along with him. I thought that it would help. I thought it would be a good way for him to use his power of creating illusions. His purpose wasn't as noble as I assumed though. I wish I could have seen it coming sooner. The real reason I was hiding all that time was to deal with my guilt and find a way to break the news to you."

I nod, resting my arm on her shoulder, trying to comfort her. I feel a slight surge of confidence course through her veins. For a moment I follow the current, but it washes away as suddenly as it came.

"Let's get back to Chicory's," I suggest.

We turn around, following the path. The cool night breeze crests over the top of the ride just as I do and I drink it up. Something, anything to calm the tornado of thoughts that twirls and twists through my veins, threatening to spill out. Not now. Not yet. Wait till we are away from the hobbits. But I can't forget.

I look up on the light of the moon, its craters and mountains just barely visible. I wonder if it has tornados... It is so calm, so peaceful. I find myself wishing that I could always bathe in its serenity. Glancing over a Wold I am greeted with the beautiful sight of the moon shining on her gray fur, giving it a silvery quality. In that moment I realized something; I don't think of Wold as an animal anymore. She's more than that. She's a friend.

~~~

I blink, trying to keep the sun out of my eyes. I think I left the curtains open last night. I suppose I won't be able to get back to sleep. Thoughts of RP flood my brain. Perhaps a walk in the fresh morning air would do me good. I feel an impulse to leave the house. It is early enough that I probably wouldn't be missed.

I sneak out into the hallway, silently creeping toward the cellar door in the kitchen to gather a bag of food for the day. I wince as a floorboard creeks under my foot. I look up and notice Wold pensively pacing back and forth.

"Good morning, Wold," I say, nodding to her. She forces a smile. I hardly notice anything wrong, though I know that she doesn't feel the way she looks. I'm not sure I do either. But I don't feel quite as sad as I did before, either, now that I know that Katya isn't real. Her personality was still genuine, even if the one who made it wasn't.

"You're up early," she comments. I nod.

"Yes, I am. You couldn't sleep?"

"Yeah. I couldn't keep my mind off RP. I am beginning to wonder what RP is really like. I don't... I don't know. Something inside me tells me to not hate him like you do. But it is hard to believe that he could have any justifiable reason for doing what he did. Perhaps I shouldn't think about it as much."

"We should really focus on thinking of how to get rid of the raiders," I affirm. "I haven't had any time to reflect on the matter." I instinctively recoil as RP enters the room, nearly causing me to knock over a vase. Drat! He chuckles at my edginess, earning a glare.

"Good morning, you two. I hope I haven't interrupted your little conference." I continue to look sharply at him, thinking, why must he be so infuriating?

"Racen only just woke up," Wold corrected. We're both pretty tired because of lack of sleep. We were trying to come up with solutions to get rid of the raiders, seeing as you are our only real soldier."

"What makes you think that I am going to help you?" RP queries, holding his head high and sticking out his chest, like a soldier at attention.

I glance at Wold, sensing the tension rising, like climbing up a mountain when your ears are about to pop. Finally Wold breaks it. "Aren't we still friends?"

RP lets out a sigh. "I didn't say that. Still, the Author never mentioned anything about fighting raiders. He said to talk to the owner of some magic shop."

"Cros is the owner of the Magic shop," I retort. "He's a Typo. Aiey's instructions say to attack the raiders! We know that already."

"Bah! I'm tired of following the instructions of the Author." Wold and I share glances with one another.

"You don't know the Author RP. I haven't told you everything I know about him, and I'l tell you no more after... you know what."

RP's hand flys to his sword and his eyes flicker dangerously. "You promised you wouldn't tell!"

Wold laughs, icily. "You broke your promise that you would use Katya to cheer Racen up because you had such a naturally harsh personality. Then you killed her to make Racen angry." RP raps his knuckles on the table sharply and look as if he is going to rush Wold.

"Don't!" I whisper frantically, beads of sweat forming on my face. The humidity only adds to the tension. Just breath. Calmly. In and out. "We don't want to wake Chicory." He only sneers in derision, reluctantly following us outside and glaring at the sunlight streaming directly through doorframe.

"Please RP. I know we don't like you and you feel the same way toward us. But try to help us for once. If you do we will forgive you." RP looks to me as if to ask, would you really forgive me?

I try not to burst out in red hot anger, but the fire burns too hot. "You never spoke of this to me," I say. A twinge of regret threatens to out out the fire, but I force it back. RP is my main problem right now. Helping the Hobbits is secondary.

"No, I didn't, but I think our priority should be to follow the Author's instruction if RP agrees then we will achieve a twofold purpose.

I know that Wold has a point, deep down inside of me, but I can't just give up this easily. I want so badly to smack RP and knock some sense to him. Perhaps do more than that.

"RP, I think Racen and I will go around the corner and have a private talk for a minute, as along as you don't mind."

"I'm willing to do anything that allows me to get you out of my site," he says derisively.

I glare at RP, wanting to punch him, but Wold grabs a hold of my pant leg, threatening to rip it.

"Fine, fine," I say, turning to glare fiercely at RP who pulls up his arm, presumably to hide a chuckle.

When we round the corner of the house I look back at Wold with raised eyebrows. "So..."

"Racen, this might be the only time that we can ever achieve a reconciliation between you and RP. I don't think it is right to be quarreling with him all the time. Besides, I think that he might come to blows with one of us before long. He is dangerous with Báuräc. I don't want anything bad to happen."

"I am not worried about that. I suggest that we leave him." Wold shakes her head.

"Racen, we need to have RP. You and I aren't going to be able to do anything. Aiey and her friends aren't going to be much help, either."

"We shouldn't let that influence us, Wold. We can think of that yet."

"Racen," she states flatly. Her voice is all business. "Listen. I know, for a fact, that the only blade that can kill Chaise is Báuräc. It is one of Arcade's prophecies."

"Well then we take it from him," I suggest.

"No. RP was prophesied to have it. It says that a person short of stature, obviously RP, would save the world from Chaise. There has to be some way to turn him around and make him want to go after Chaise. The logical starting place is right here! The first thing that we will need to do is come to terms with him, no matter how much you don't like it. Now let's go."

"What if the prophecy didn't mean to speak of RP. It could be any dwarf!"

"The prophecy said that he would have light eyes! And that the person would be a Typo. RP meets both of those requirements."

"Fine," I say. "I will go along with it, even though I hate the thought of it."

With a smile, I walk back around the corner of the house and find RP standing with his head bowed.

"Don't speak. I want to say one thing first. It wasn't my intention for Katya to die. However, when the arrow hit, I figured it would be hard to believe that she was alive. I made it look like she was dead. I didn't mean to kill her, but I didn't have a choice. I was going to tell you, Wold, but you were furious and wouldn't let me say anything. I don't blame you. But I just want you to know the whole story, first. If you don't believe me, take the fact that I am willing to help you with the raiders as proof. Báuräc and I will help you, even if it is a fools errand."

I try to keep from scoffing. I shun any hint of belief from my mind. I saw how RP was acting earlier. I am not that gullible. The way he tries to fake sadness and innocence just makes me want to punch him in the gut all the more. That villainous midget!

"I'm sorry I didn't give you the chance to speak, RP," Wold says. "I was too hasty in my anger. But why were you acting so angry earlier."

"I guess I was being a rash. I was more angry at myself than with you. Now I am more sensible."

"Wold!" I reprimand. "You don't mean that you actually believe him?" A lump forms in my stomach. Wold is my friend. I thought she was... now I'm not so sure.

"It seems plausible," she says. What has gone into her?

I look down at the ground dejectedly. How can she do this to me? My hands are trembling, I realize. This can't be happening. All my friends are gone.

I turn around and begin walking away in a storm. I can't believe that I let RP maneuver me into a position like that. I can't trust Wold any more. I will leave them. I don't know where to go in this strange world, but I am going to get away from RP. Now!

I rush into my room in silence, but still conveying a sense of urgency. I wince as the floor under my feet creaks. I reach for my bow and quiver, slinging them over my back. Resolve swirls through me as I bear the weapon. I will never let it go out of my reach again.

In a matter of minutes I assemble all my belongings. No more complaining about long marches or heavy packs. No more putting up with RP. Only a firm resolve to carry me along. I won't hide in the shadows any longer. I am not going to follow the Author's instructions either. Not in the way he wants me to. I am going to take out Chaise myself. When that's done I will kill RP! Then I will be able to sleep at night!