Chapter 4 – The makings of a hero.

“You have questions. I can tell, even if you cannot speak them I know that you have many. Once we are safe, I will answer. But first let us get you somewhere to heal.”

Still unable to feel, the only way for Landurs to know how far they have travelled is by the sound of the thing that has gathered him up travelling, at some point the sound beneath the thing changes from the stone of the deep mine into something sounding like scaffold. Without the ability to speak Landurs cannot ask the thing where they are or where they might be going, all they can do is wait listening for anything else the thing might be wanting to say on the pair’s journey towards this ‘safe place’.

“You seem confused as to the new sound; we’re back up where the miners would mine on one of the deepest scaffolds in the mine. This area isn’t inhabited by monsters; you’ll find out why soon enough.”

The thing that carries Landurs remains cryptic and ungiving with information such as how they made it back to the deepest scaffolds so quickly, but at least they were safe for now. The pace of the thing slowed and eventually stopped, the sound of Landurs being placed on the ground was next then came a new set of footsteps followed by another new voice.

“You found him then, couldn’t have tried to get to him sooner? This will take a while because of the lack of natural lighting down here.”
“I am sorry it was hard to find him; he had no remaining torch on him so I couldn’t tell where he was.”
“This is the first titan candidate from our village in cycles we cannot see him die yet. Just go keep guard I will begin healing him.”

After the short exchange Landurs hears one set of footsteps leave the room and the other slowly come towards him, stopping centimetres from his body and then what sounded like the thing kneeling next to him before beginning a soft chant and the familiar sound of the healing light forming above him. Eventually the ability to feel things returned along with smell and taste, not too soon after sight returned and with that all Landurs could see was darkness.

“Don’t worry, you’re on your stomach, you can see but right now there isn’t much to see.”

Those words at least calmed down Landurs and stopped him from wanting to flip himself over or do something else that might be more detrimental to his recovery than good. As he felt energy returning to his body the ability to speak once again returned to Landurs.

“So, who are you two?”
“You speak again, wonderful that happened faster than I thought. As for who we are I will save that until you are healed and can look upon us.”
“Both of you are so cryptic, and are you some sort of titan or was the voice I heard while dying before the other one found me lying?”
“I mean we are titans, but when you see us, you will not think that. We shall tell you what a titan and hero truly are. But for now, you may be able to speak but the rest of your body is still incredibly damaged.”

With that the thing ceased conversing with Landurs no matter how hard he tried to get more answers until eventually he shup up and went to sleep while the thing healing him worked on the injuries that he had sustained in the deep mine. Laying there asleep the voice that had spoken in the deep mine retuned.

“Well looks like you doubt me son of the light. My words are always true young one, now to the matter at hand beyond the exit of this mine when you leave. Know this that the hardship you have felt until now will be dwarfed once you leave the confines of this here mine. The one you were with has betrayed you and has told everyone that you have died but because of the titan that lives down here that you might be revived and come looking for vengeance. You must be prepared to receive no help from the people of the nation you want to protect, but do not fear those who know the truth will always have a place to stay and a meal to eat. Look for the sign of your village carved into doorframes, there housed will be those ready to lend a hand. Do not fear Landurs the perennial your tale is not told yet. For now, heal and learn, this will help your journey back home.”

The voice trails off as it speaks its last words to Landurs, once more each voice he hears since entering this mine confuses him and raises more questions in his mind than it answers. He’ll have to ask his questions to the things that seem to be around him when the time comes, as going anywhere with this many questions floating around would lead him nowhere as everyone else would probably call him crazy before even hearing his questions. Just before Landurs was going to finally enter a deep sleep his body was turned over violently.

“I apologise for the rough treatment; I am not that strong so I cannot control heavy objects like people well. Please continue to rest while I finish healing your remaining wounds.”

Landurs decided that a bit of sleep after the day or days he isn’t sure anymore he’s had would be a worthwhile endeavour as when he awakes again, he knows that there will be quite a few questions for him to ask and absorb answers to. Landurs replays the events as he and Gilbert entered the mines together over and over in his sleep trying to guess as to what that bird handed to Gilbert and if that was what caused him to push Landurs into the deep mine or if it was just Gilbert’s personal hate towards those, he saw as inferior. Knowing he couldn’t just get up and walk it off until his mind had cleared itself he just had to lay there and hope that the healing finished soon so that he could ask his questions or that his brain would figure out that this was a futile effort and move on trying to finally get some true rest for the first time since entering the mines.