A Mad Match for a Mad Hermit!

The wind rushed through her hair as Match looked out the cart window, watching as what was left of the Perilous Mine’s skyline shrank as the party departed further towards the Thorns of the World. While the mountains have a reputation for being dangerous to pass, there are several valleys that provide safer means to get through. 

On this first leg of the journey it was decided that the group would aim to travel two days to reach the village of Sanz, the hometown of Reggie, and where the rest of the supplies they  needed for the mission would be acquired. While Match gasped in amazement as Mara approached a valley running through the titanic rock formations that looked down on them like a squadron of giants, Atta was building up the courage to make a special request to Reggie. 

The two were sitting on the front bench together with Reggie manning the lines. Reggie’s kept noticing Atta looking at him and then quickly glancing away over a dozen times when he finally in an exasperated voice asked, “what the hell you want man! Got a problem with my driving?” Atta now looking embarrassed , cautiously replied” no no, you’re doing great I just ….. well it’s just that…. You know we’re about to embark on quite the journey and we have 3 months and our current estimates show we can complete it in half that time so …”

Annoyed, Reggie exhaled, “spit it out already man, I’m getting paid for this ya know, so it ain’t like you gotta be scared to ask me stuff…. And besides I’d rather you have a bit more trust in me ya know.”

Blushing, Atta whispered something into Reggie’s ear and the boy laughed out loud declaring “is that all man! Well who am I to get in the way of what’s good for the gander hahaha!”

About 8 hours into the ride the group takes a short break to give Mara some water and food. Despite their best attempts, Match who fell asleep at some point refuses to wake up so Reggie and Atta work together to tend to Mara and solidify their travel plan. After coming to an agreement, they decide to ride through the night and camp near the oasis (a spring in the dessert that Atta wanted to bring Match to) so they can enjoy it in the morning and leave after lunch to get to Sanz village by nightfall.

Mara quickly bounds off into the dessert as the sun begins to lower, setting the sky ablaze. Atta decides to gets some rest and joins Match in the back. His eyes close and he quickly falls asleep for what seems but a moment, but when Atta opens his eyes he can see the light of dawn shining through the window and just as he sits up a high pitch WOOSH!!!! Rings out and the cart nearly tips over as Reggie yells “shit!!!!!! Guys wake up now!!!!! That damn Hermit saw us!!!!!! “

Atta looking frustrated called out, “ I thought you said we could avoid him in the night!!!??”

Reggie yelled back, “that was kind of an assumption, but I guess the geezer has night vision, my bad, thought I could shake him off but since the light has started to come up, he is catching up quickly!”

Match then suddenly sprung up and immediately peeked out the window oblivious to what was going on and a small projectile shot right over her head cutting a few of her curls off and then exiting out the front just barely missing Reggie and grazing Mara on the back causing her to stumble on to her belly. 

Regie roared “ Mara!!!!!!!” Atta quickly pulled out a pouch and threw some small pebble like objects through the window that then grew to the size of a house and provided cover for the group. Reggie hopped down and began applying a fast acting wound balm on Mara while Atta attempted to explain to Match what was happening.

“Match I need you to please stay low, I’m sorry but we attempted to make a little detour and it ended up being a bad idea, there is a crazy hermit who is known for attacking people he comes across unprovoked.”

Match simply says. “That’s all I need to know, I can take on an old crazy guy no problem, I’ve been fighting all my life, and best believe I ain’t letting some crusty bastard get away with messing my hair up!” Shocked Atta chokes momentarily before pleading, “wait what!? No! You can’t……… and she is gone…..”

Match quickly jumps out the window and begins scaling the rock giving them cover, at the top she sees a strange looking tower like structure on giant mechanical legs about a quarter mile behind them but quickly closing the gap.  A glimmer of light suddenly appears accompanied by a shriek and Match slaps her hands down on the stone creating a small explosion that shoots her up in the air, avoiding the shot before she begins using her flames like a jet to fly forward through the air towards the tower. 

From below Reggie and Atta watch in amazement. “Hey bossman, did you know big sis could fly?” Atta still looking shocked just barely mutters a “nope.” 

In the tower, an old man looking to be in his mid to late 70’s with a white dome helmet and a beard and face caked in orange dust looks through a binocular fixed to the window at the front of the tower. He then creates a small magic circle that shoots out the tiny but powerful magic projectiles that shriek to their targets. After watching Match gracefully dodge each shot, the old man now flustered mutters “ damn berserkers! Just when you think you got rid of em another sorry beast appears.” The hermit then casts a larger circle with 8 smaller circles inside that begins spinning extremely fast as it releases projectiles like a turret. 

Match calls out “is that the best you got you old man!!!!!!” She quickly tucks in her knees and then burns her shoes and the legs of her pants off now using her arms and legs to release even more flames and fly even faster. In mid air, Match twists her body in position to make a piercing kick as she releases an even bigger flame shooting herself through the wall of the tower and then flying straight up to the top.

The tower halts then immediately is set ablaze and collapses to the ground. The hermit now screaming and pleading for mercy, free falls to the ground and just before hitting the sand head first, Match swoops in dragging him all the way back to where the rest of the party was spectating. 

Feeling pleased with herself, Match smugly says “serving up a crusty ol killer sack of dust.” The old man sitting on the ground wiping his eyes before looking at each of the party members suddenly appears disturbed as he cries out, “none of you are berserkers!!!! What, no…… I don’t understand……”

Atta with a somewhat saddened expression asks, “sir, you know the berserkers were purged from this side of the dessert back in the war of Armageddon 40 years ago right?”

The hermit looks at his hands and his arms, “I can’t believe it, how could so much time slip by, why did my comrades forsake me, I’ve been in that god damn tower for 40 years! ……You say the berserkers were driven out… so does that mean that Thonissia is free?”

Atta kneels down, “sir what is your name?”

The old man coughs out a mouthful of sand and replies “ I am Odroo, I was charged with operating the Tower of Horeya, my home country’s secret weapon, but that damn berserker witch! She … I think she cursed me with this confusion…..”

Atta then said, “ well as a nobleman belonging to the Coleman family, I pay my respect for your commendable efforts, you fought valiantly, but I am sorry….. I must confess to you that Thonissia fell into the Void Ocean 34 years ago and there were almost no survivors. You are probably the last of your generation. Please do not despair, you are welcome to make a new home..”

The hermit interrupted “no! There is only one home for me, thank you for your kindness despite my foolishness….. please if you can do me one favor… take me to the Oasis, I must see it one last time.” 

After a 40 minute dash, the party arrives, beholding dozens of pools of crystal clear blue waters skirted by palms and small shrubs, truly a paradise hidden within a vast land of endless threats. 

Match with eyes glittering in delight, smiles at Atta, “so Addy you wanted to surprise me with this huh? You’re sweet, but don’t do that again please!  I really appreciate it, but I prefer to be on the same page, especially when there are potential dangers. Thankfully this poor old dude wasn’t too hard for me to deal with.”

The hermit lets out a “Hmph!” and then waddles down to the water to bathe. The rest of the party soak in as well for several hours. Getting out and preparing a meal to share before needing to leave. The old hermit suddenly stands up after finishing his food and says "I am off now", as he turns to walk away from the group. Atta calls out, "Mr. Odroo! Where are you going!?" The old man smiles saying, "to join my people, wherever they went as they sunk into those cursed waters."

Match yells out, "you don't have to do that old man!!! You were cursed, you don't need to punish yourself after living in such agony for so long!" As she attempts to run out to him, Atta grabs her arm saying, "let him go, it is not our place to tell him what to do." Match looking distraught, recoils and snaps "let go of me! Do you not value life enough to stop someone right in front of you from throwing away their own?" 

Before Atta could reply a shriek rings out and a projectile narrowly misses both his and Match's head, but once again cuts off a curl of her hair. She quickly turns in a rage yelling "your gonna get it now you deranged coot!" But freezes in her tracks when seeing the old man bowing deep in front of her. "Thank you young lady, it is because of you that I finally was freed from that accursed tower, now please do not mourn an old man who is more of a ghost than actual flesh and blood, I am at peace and content to wander where my kin float on for eternity, it is my final act of free will, so please...... go in peace..... and thank you for being the first person in 4 decades to not fear me and to unchain me instead,"

The hermit walked until he did eventually reach the coast of the void ocean and upon stepping in its waters, he vanished.

The party was silent as they rode off in the other direction towards Sanz village.