chapter 13 on the road

"I got your back, Dom!" Luca shouted, thrusting his hands forward. A powerful gust of wind surged from his palms, kicking up dust and debris as it slammed into the bot that had managed to sneak up on me. The force sent it crashing into the metal wall with a deafening clang, shattering its limbs into pieces.

"Thanks," I said, quickly pivoting on my heel. A chill spread through my fingertips as I conjured a flurry of ice shards, launching them toward the two remaining training bots. The icy projectiles whistled through the air, but the bots reacted swiftly, twisting their metallic bodies out of the way before charging toward us.

"I see you raised the difficulty level of the robots," Mrs. Dean said, adjusting her glasses as she observed from the sidelines.

Mr. Stone nodded, his arms crossed as he analyzed our movements. "I set them to a medium level, but I'm happy to see them keeping up," he said with a proud smile.

One of the bots lunged at Luca, swinging a sharp, metallic arm. He ducked just in time, then twisted his body, using the motion to summon another powerful gust. The wind howled as it expanded outward, swirling around him like a protective barrier before blasting the bot backward.

Meanwhile, a large green magic circle flickered to life on the ceiling, its glowing symbols shifting as if responding to his energy. A sudden rush of air whipped through the room, gaining strength by the second. In response, two small blue magic circles formed on my palms, their surfaces rippling like disturbed water. A deep hum resonated as i summoned heavy torrents of water, streams cascading from my hands like twin waterfalls.

The water and wind collided, fusing together in a spiraling dance. A fierce vortex began to form, growing larger and faster as it sucked in everything nearby. The training bots struggled against the force, their metallic limbs scraping against the floor as they were lifted into the air. The winds roared, droplets of water catching the light as they swirled within the storm, creating a dazzling yet chaotic display.

With a final surge of energy, the twister imploded, sending the bots crashing down in a mangled heap. As the magic dissipated, steam rose from the soaked battlefield, and the remnants of our opponents lay scattered across the floor.

"Seems I have my work cut out for me," Mr. Stone sighed, rubbing his temple as he surveyed the damage.

After the dust settled, Luca and I exchanged a victorious high-five.

"We're getting way better with our teamwork!" I gushed, still catching my breath.

Luca grinned, his chest rising and falling from exertion. "I know! I think I'm understanding my powers more, too."

I took a swig of water, the cool liquid soothing my throat, and sank down onto the floor. Luca plopped down beside me, stretching his arms behind his head.

"Excellent work, you two," Mrs. Dean said, striding over with an approving nod.

"I've been thinking," I said, my gaze drifting toward the ceiling.

Madison approached with Mr. Stone. "What's wrong, Dom?" she asked, concern lacing her voice.

"Nothing... it's just—I think we should go beyond Market Street," I admitted.

The room fell silent as they absorbed my words.

"Especially if we need to find the other Guardians," I continued. "I'm not very fond of carrying around the stones."

I stole a glance at Mr. Stone, but his expression remained unreadable. I mentally relaxed a bit, feeling better that I didn't get chewed out for expressing my feelings—something I wasn't able to do with my family.

"You're not wrong. We do need to expand our search," Mrs. Dean agreed.

"I can agree with that, but we need to decide where first," Mr. Stone said sternly.

"The next closest town is a three-day ride by carriage," Madison announced.

"Lime Denn is a poorer village. If we go, we'll need to bring at least two weeks' worth of supplies," Mr. Stone said, calculating everything in his head.

"Guess the adults will make the necessary plans while you all..." She trailed off. "What is it you three do, exactly?" she asked curiously.

The three of us looked at each other, and I shrugged. "Stuff."

The other two burst out laughing.

She rolled her eyes, clearly not amused. "Kids... I remember when I had my youth," she muttered, her tone longing.

"What were you like when you were younger?" Luca asked while rummaging through my backpack.

I side-eyed him as he pulled out various things.

"I was quiet. I loved reading books," she said with a smile, reminiscing. "I didn't have many friends except for one, but... I imagine she's forgotten about me." Her tone was low, with a hint of bitterness.

"Did you two have a falling out?" Madison asked curiously.

She crossed her arms and sighed again, clearly over the conversation. "It was so long ago, I can't remember. And who knows? I was a little awkward." She turned to leave. "I just wish I never sacrificed my youth," she muttered before rushing out.

"Damn, what was that about?" Luca mumbled, barely audible through his mouthful of pickles.

I raised an eyebrow. "Uh, hungry much?" I teased.

He nodded vigorously, chewing with a satisfied moan. "Mmm, I don't know what these are..." He paused, grabbing another one and biting into it. "But I'm obsessed."

I shook my head. "I see you found the jar of pickles I made."

He whipped his head toward us. "Pickles?! Is that what these amazing things are called?!" He shouts, grabbing another. "Anyways, have either of you ever been to this Lime Denn place?"

"Once, when I was younger with my mom," Madison says. "She traveled to poorer areas for work and volunteer-related stuff. I went with her when she just so happened to be going there."

"What was it like?" I ask, sipping my water.

"It was very run-down. From my memory, the people there live in huts."

I look at her in utter shock. "Huts?!" I repeat. "They don't have regular houses?!"

"No. Lime Denn used to be a mining town, but once the government mined everything, they left the people with nothing," Madison explains.

"Is that even allowed?! What about the people?" I say, upset.

"It's not uncommon in Halo," Luca interrupts, drinking the pickle juice. "The kingdom favors the greedy nobles above a lot of things," he says, his voice dry despite quenching his thirst.

At that moment, I remember that he used to be part of those same nobles. I'm still very much interested in learning more about his past, but I respect that he isn't ready to talk yet.

"Welp, like it or not, we're going there. Hopefully, we can search through the town fairly quickly." We start to grab our things and head upstairs.

"Fast or not, it's still going to take three days there and back. In that time, JoJo and the other landlords could come," Madison says worriedly.

"I'm actually curious about what this JoJo looks like," Luca says.

I frown, thinking about him. "Creepy clown man who steals faces. You're not missing out on much," I say dismissively.

Luca chokes on the pickle juice at my response.

After marching up the stairs, the sun greets us. "So, what do you guys want to do? We've got time until my dad sets things up."

"She should make me more pickles," Luca says, rubbing his belly contentedly.

Madison and I exchange looks of lighthearted annoyance.

"What?! It's a new healthy obsession."

"I'll make you some later," I say. My mind trails off as I space out.

Madison taps my shoulder. "Dom, what's on your mind?" she asks sweetly I paused before answering. "I want to know more about the royal family."

They both looked at me in surprise.

"Why do you want to know about them all of a sudden?" Luca asked, wearing an interested expression.

I ushered them to our room, not wanting the maids to eavesdrop. "It's just... all the times we've passed the royal palace..." I paused, my cheeks turning slightly red as I searched for the right words to describe these feelings. "I-I feel like there's something behind the walls, pulling me... or rather, calling to me." I hesitated, looking at them. My face felt like it was burning.

"Interesting. Maybe that JoJo guy is hiding away in there," Luca said, scratching his head.

"NO WAY!" I yelled defensively, my eyes widening at my own outburst. "I'm sorry. It's just that this calling... it's more of a warm and inviting sensation." I clasped both hands to my chest.

This is so weird. I don't know why these feelings have me acting so frazzled. I calmed my anxious heart and steadied my breathing.

"Better now?" Madison teased with a giggle.

I blushed and turned away, irritated by her remark.

"Well, why don't we ask the butler to show us the library?" Luca suggested with a playful grin.

I sighed. "Okay, let's go."

He smiled, letting out a light laugh before throwing an arm around my neck in a buddy-like manner. I just let it happen. Not too long ago, I had wished for friends. It looks like my prayers were answered. Madison wrapped her arms around mine, and a smile spread across my face as the three of us set off to find the butler.

We wandered through the hallways, our footsteps echoing in the grand corridors. The castle was vast, and without knowing exactly where the butler might be, it felt like searching for a needle in a haystack. We peeked into the dining hall, the sitting room, and even the garden, but there was no sign of him. Just when I was about to suggest splitting up, we heard the sound of polished shoes clicking against the marble floor.

"There he is!" Madison whispered, pointing ahead.

The butler, ever composed, carried a silver tray with a teapot and cups. He paused when he saw us approaching. "May I be of service?" he asked, raising a curious brow.

"Yes! Could you show us to the library?" I asked eagerly.

He gave a small nod. "Of course. Right this way."

The library was even more magnificent than I had imagined. Towering bookshelves lined the walls, filled with volumes bound in leather and gold. A massive chandelier hung from the ceiling, casting a warm glow over the wooden floors. Dust motes danced in the air as we stepped inside, the scent of old parchment filling my nose.

We spent what felt like hours searching through the shelves, flipping through book after book in search of anything about the royal family. The initial excitement soon turned into quiet frustration as we skimmed through countless historical records, none of which gave us the information we wanted. Madison groaned, resting her forehead on an open book.

"This is hopeless," she muttered. "There are thousands of books in here. How are we supposed to find anything useful?"

I sighed, rubbing my temples. Time had slipped away from us, the once bright afternoon light now dimming through the tall windows. Luca sat cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by open books, his brows furrowed in deep concentration. I had nearly given up hope when—

"Hey, girls, I think I struck gold," Luca called, waving us over.

We rushed to his side and looked at the contents of the book he was holding. It was a family tree dating back hundreds of years up to the present. However, there wasn't much personal information about the current royal family—just that the current king's name was Richard, the queen's name was Layla, and they had three children.

I threw my hands up in frustration. "That's it?! That can't be all!"

"Makes sense," Madison said, annoyed. "I bet only nobles know details about the kids."

"They have two sons and a daughter, if I'm remembering correctly," Luca casually added as he set the book down.

Madison and I exchanged surprised glances before looking at him.

"Uh, Luca..." I began.

"Abandoned noble, mind you," he said sassily, rolling his eyes.

"Oh yeah!" we said in unison.

"Do you know how old they are?" I asked.

He shrugged. "I just know they're all old enough to marry."

I was about to throw more questions his way when the butler entered and announced that it was time for our departure. "Looks like we're on our way to Lime Denn," Luca says, with a bad taste in his mouth. We head outside and see Mrs. Dean and Mr. Stone waiting for us.

"Hey, Dad," she hugs him, and he returns her embrace.

"You guys ready to go?"

"As ready as I'll ever be," he groans, clearly not pleased. Mrs. Dean sees this and teases him.

"What, you're not happy with community service?"

"Didn't know being a guardian meant slumming it in backwater villages."

"Look on the bright side, Luca, it's only a few days," Madison encourages.

We all hopped in, and the carriage departed. The maids and the butler waved until their silhouettes disappeared. I looked outside the window as the carriage trotted along the bumpy roads. The inside was uncomfortable to say the least. The padding on the seats didn't help cushion the hard wood benches, and I didn't have much room with Luca and Madison on each side.

The sky was growing dark, and I felt my eyes growing heavier.

"If you're all getting tired, we can pull the benches out to make a bed," Mr. Stone says. I nod, and the three of us struggled to our feet with the rocking of the carriage. We bumped and stumbled into each other while preparing the beds. Once finished, everyone practically passed out.

I took my time to get comfortable, which wasn't easy.

"I'm sorry," I look up at Mr. Stone, who uttered those words. He was staring right at me with a guilty expression.

"I don't understand wha—"

"I placed a burden on you too great for a girl your age," he says, clenching the blanket on his lap. His voice is low, as not to wake the others up.

"Please understand my reasoning. The average human here is weak. Yes, we have magic," he collects his thoughts. "The only ones with enough power to change the world we live in are the nobles. Unfortunately..."

"Even after my wife's passing, I would go to every Round Table meeting," he says somberly.

"The Round Table?"

"It's a meeting of high-ranking nobles and heads of every department."

"Like mayors, and hospital directors and stuff?" I ask, trying to tie together some similarities.

"We don't have mayors, but directors and military heads, yes."

"I used my position as head of magical tools and development to bring up changes and better quality of living for the commoners," he gritted his teeth. "But every time, without fail, I was mocked and dismissed. Eventually, I understood—even with my rank." A single tear formed, and as fast as I saw it, he removed it so casually that I thought I had seen wrong. "You need power, and not just in standing, but power in magic."

"With the landlords getting more active and no help from the people around me, I turned to the last thing I could put my hope into," he said, looking at me with sad, shame-filled eyes. "The Guardians." He continued, "But please believe me, I never meant to hurt or cause you anxiety. I saw you as my hope and a guardian before I saw you as your own person, and for that, I'm sorry."

I took in his words and felt better knowing he acknowledged my stress. "Please, from now on, you and Luca make the decisions. The rest of us will follow." He smiled warmly, and I returned it with one of my own. "Thank you, Mr. Stone," I said through my yawn.

"It's late. Get some rest," he said, rubbing his own eyes. I nodded and lay back, taking in everything that had been said as I fell asleep peacefully.

I woke up to someone gently shaking me. I groaned, reluctantly waking from my sleep. "Hey, we're stopping at this outpost for a while," Madison said, rubbing my back. I sat up slowly and wiped my eyes. I looked around and saw everyone else was out of the carriage. I stood up, fixed my hair and shirt, and stepped outside. I saw a stable with a small building next to it and a house with a barn not too far away.

The two of us walked inside the small building and found the others sitting at a table with menus covering their faces. We plopped down and waved to everyone. I swiped Luca's menu and looked it over, not expecting to see anything, but despite that, I found something decent.

A lady came and took our order. I ordered four eggs and bread, while everyone else chose what they wanted. "After we eat and stretch our feet, we can get back on the road," Mrs. Dean said.

"Fine by me. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can leave," Luca said, with a look of disgust on his face. I laughed. All this talk about it, despite being negative, made me want to see it. My interest was piqued. There's still a lot about this world I don't know, so I'm kind of excited.

My thoughts were cut short when the lady brought our food. Mine looked edible. I bit into it—it had no seasonings and was bland, but it was better than a lot of the garbage I'd been presented with.

"Oh, did you find something you can eat?" Madison asked, biting into whatever was on her plate. I shrug. "It's not good, but it's not bad."

"You know what is good and would go great with this?" Luca says, pointing at his plate.

"Huh?" Mrs. Dean mutters.

"Pickles. Dom, when are you going to make me some?"

I look at him. "There's stuff for it in the cooler. I'll make it before we get back on the road."

A smile shoots across his face. "Thank you, I love you," he says with a playful tone.

We chatted and ate for a while, paid, and left.

"Pickles, pickles, pickles!" Luca chanted excitedly.

"Okay, I got you," I say in defeat. We pull out everything, and I get to work, throwing all the ingredients into a jar.

"Now we wait for it to ferment for three to five days," I say. His smile fades as if I told him his puppy died.

"That long?"

"Guys, ready to head out?" Mr. Stone asks, opening the carriage door. We hop in and peel off. The trip was certainly long, and we were only a day and a half into the journey.

Hours go by with the scenery passing by. The sun eventually goes down, and we sleep, bringing in the next day.

We stopped at a large farm. I see a lot of fields with a big brown wooden house standing beside them. A girl with red hair pulled back into a ponytail was tending to the crops, along with a man and woman who looked like a family of farmers.

I continued to stare until we passed them, making a mental note of the girl because she was quite cute.

Mr. Stone and Mrs. Dean walk up to them while we hang back. After a while, we were waved over.

We follow them up toward the house. The girl would look back while walking and smile at me, and I would awkwardly wave back with a fake smile.

"Your mother and I will bring out the eggs and vegetables. Why don't you go milk the cloffoo and bring our friends here some milk?"

The girl with the long red ponytail nods and ushers Madison, Luca, and myself to the barn, while Mr. Stone and Mrs. Dean go with the parents of the girl.

"So, are you all on a trip somewhere?" the girl asks.

"To Lime Denn," Madison responds.

"Oh, do y'all have family up there?"

"No, we're just visiting," Madison answers.

The girl walks over to a creature that looked like a cow and goat hybrid. She pets it and places a bucket underneath its udders to milk it.

"Guess that's breakfast," I say, grossed out.

"Have you tried cloffoo milk before?" she asks.

"I have," Luca says. Madison also says yes.

"I've never tried it," I confess.

"You'll love it. It's good," she says with a smile. "By the way, my name's Crystal."

"What are all y'all's names?"

"I'm Dominique, and these are my friends Luca and Madison," I say. They wave as she continues to milk the cloffoo.

"Have you lived out here your whole life?" Madison asks.

"No, we moved here from Cester to start over."

"Where is that?" I ask.

"It's a large city at the furthest part of the Kingdom of Halo," Luca explains.

"You must not be from around here if you don't know that," Crystal states.

I shrug. "Something like that."

"Welp, here you go," she says, handing me the bucket of milk.

I grab it, and she leads us back out to the house, where Mr. Stone and Mrs. Dean are waiting for us.

"Got the milk, I see," she says, adjusting her glasses.

"We got everything else. Lime Denn is just an hour up the road," Mr. Stone announces. "We can eat everything once we get there."

We nod and wave to the farmers.

"Thank you for the produce," Mrs. Dean says.

"Thank you for your patronage," the wife replies

We headed out on the road, and eventually, we saw the poor village of the infamous Lime Denn. The roads were very muddy, and deep potholes were scattered across the path, making travel difficult. The village was a stark contrast to what I had imagined. The people lived in rundown huts made of tattered wood, straw, and other salvaged materials. The clothes they wore were ripped and tattered, hanging from their thin frames. It seemed as if the entire village was barely surviving. The air was thick with the smell of rot, as if decay lingered everywhere—the stench of spoiled meat and waste permeated even with the windows up.

Despite the dire conditions of the village, there was something striking. A massive, perfectly constructed wall stood in stark contrast to the squalor surrounding it. The wall was made of smooth stone, towering over the village with iron spikes at its top. It stretched across the horizon, blocking off a large area from the rest of the town. There was only one entrance, a gate guarded by soldiers standing at attention, their hands tightly gripping weapons. They were an imposing presence, ensuring no one could pass the checkpoint.

The carriage driver yelled out that this was as far as he would go, signaling us to get out. We grabbed our bags and hopped out, only to be immediately swarmed by the locals. They reached out to us, their faces filled with desperation as they begged for food and help. Mr. Stone and Mrs. Dean handed out half of the vegetables we bought earlier along with the milk. The locals eagerly took them, their eyes wide with hunger. Once we had given what we could, we quickly slipped away, trying to avoid further attention.

"Wow, this is a very sad place," I said, taking in the poverty around us.

"I told you, this is just one of many towns like this," Luca replied, his voice calm as his hands rested behind his head.

"Where are we staying, Dad?" Madison questioned, looking around with concern.

"In the guard town behind the wall," he answered.

I looked at him, surprised. "How are we able to go there? Isn't it off-limits?"

"I used one of my old connections to let us stay there," he said, giving me a reassuring smile.

"Thank goodness. The last thing we need is to be robbed by the villagers," Luca muttered, clearly irritated by the thought of further danger.

"Isn't that ironic?" Madison teased, flashing him a sly grin.

Luca grinned playfully. "I'm a changed man, Miss Stone. Kindly forget my past."

We made our way through the village, walking past hastily built huts. The streets were narrow and uneven, with mud squelching beneath our feet. Eyes followed us from the windows and doorways, prying and curious. I noticed there were more children and adolescents scattered throughout the town than adults. Their faces were hollow with hunger, and their eyes looked distant, as though the weight of hardship had left its mark. Many of them seemed to be orphans, left to fend for themselves in a world that had forgotten them.

We reached the imposing wall, and the guards at the entrance demanded we state our business. Mr. Stone spoke to them, and after a brief exchange, they allowed us to pass. As we walked through the gate, I couldn't help but feel a mix of awe and unease at the sight of the wall up close. It was far more imposing than I had imagined, and the surrounding area behind it was clearly more prosperous, with clean streets and better-kept buildings. There was a sharp divide between the two worlds, separated by that wall.

As I took in my surroundings, my gaze shifted to a distant tree. Perched high in its branches, I spotted a boy with bright red hair, with black tips, watching us intently. His figure was almost ghostly against the backdrop of the trees, his eyes fixed on us with a blank expression. He looked malnourished, his clothes thin and tattered, and his skin seemed stretched tight over his bones. His posture was stiff, almost unnatural, as if he had been sitting there for a long time. Despite the distance, I could sense a deep sadness in his gaze, like he had witnessed too much suffering.

Before I could focus further, Madison called out to me, pulling my attention away from the boy. I quickly rushed inside, joining the others as we made our way deeper into the guard town behind the wall, but the image of the boy lingered in my mind.