Cities & Knights

With some very funny ominous threats on the horizon, we set off hiking the very next day. Wilderness surrounded our every step as we experienced something absolutely impossible within the city - the ability to walk in a straight line.

And judging by my fellow classmate, we all needed some practice.

Just to my right, Felix drug his feet along one step at a time. His shoes kicked dirt off the beaten path. Only three hours in and halfway to death.

Now, was I any better? Of course not!

Any second and I’d collapse, gone forever from this world! My joints ached, turning to ash by the second - slowly starting to resemble an eighty year old man’s physique. The pain, oh the pain! No torture method known to man could hurt me so.

Meanwhile, Patrick walked along at the front of the pack, back straight and relaxed. Not a beat of sweat had broken out on his fair skin. And if I was a betting man, I’d say his heartbeat hadn't risen one step above seventy since we’d started on this tortuous path. Genetics were a cruel joke played on man.

I eyed Dakota next to me as we slowed to a crawl–a chance to relax just around the corner.
“Everyone!” The instructor, wherever their name was, set the bag down as we entered the clearing. “Thirty minutes until we head off again. Watch for my signal.”

“Sir yes sir Mr. Military man,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. Despite what our roleplaying fanatic of an instructor wanted us to believe, every other staff member was incredibly relaxed as we trotted along from one activity to another.

“Thank god.” And instantly after he turned his back, Dakota collapsed on a nearby bench. “I’m gonna die.”

“Think about the inspiration you can gain from this. Imagine, your daring character having to face his greatest challenge yet–a thirty minute stroll.”

She took a second before responding, catching her breath. “Like your one to talk. ‘Oh my bones, I’m turning to dust with every step!’  Your complaining was exponentially worse than that walk ever was.”

A chuckle escaped her lips. “Besides, my characters get exercise in much more entertaining ways.”

“Oh my god your turning into Val.”

“Please no. I’d rather leap off a cliff.” Her eyes widened as the extent of her sins weighed her down.

“Well whatever, you seen anything that caught your eye?”

“Nah, not that my ragged breaths gave me much room. Who's insane enough to march all the way out here off the beaten path? Not to mention stealthily too.”

“True…” When I pictured your average Vtuber fan, stealthy wasn't exactly one of the first words that came to mind. “Still, never hurts to keep watch.”

After all, while stealthy wasn't one of those very funny words associated with those people, obsessed certainly was. This certainly wasn't the first doxing case, and wouldn't be the last either.

“Anyway, the walk did give me another idea…”

“Damn that's crazy, I gotta go… over there!” I gestured blindly behind my back.

“You have to go to the woman's bathroom?”

Screw my life. “You know what, my schedule just opened up!”

“Sure… Anyway, hear me out!” Always a comforting three words. “In a world unlike ours, there exist several gods representing certain ideals, like destruction! Space travel has been achieved milinia ago, yet without the power of these gods, the actual travel itself is nigh impossible. So the main character rides on a space train–”

“Get help.”

“It’s a good idea!”

“A very original one too.” One of these days I would expose Dakota to some real fiction–Astella’s short stories.

“I’ll come up with something good eventually. Just you wait.”

“The sun will also explode eventually, and I’m willing to be that happens first.” I said as she threw up her hands in exasperation.”

“You’re impossible…” My eyes glanced passed her towards Lilly, who was currently pacing back and forth like a madwoman. “You think we should check on that?”

Dakota turned. “You know, you may be onto something.”

Lilly stayed completely oblivious as we walked over, muttering to herself. Granted, her being completely oblivious to her surroundings wasn't exactly something new.

“You ok Lilly?” I asked.

“Y-yeah, sorry. Just got some stuff on my mind.”

“Well, it happens,” I said, shrugging my shoulders. A few funny thoughts banging around her head wouldn't hurt anyone.

“Kaiden…” Dakota sighed for whatever reason. Whatever–she was weird like that. Though… Lilly was a candidate for Astella and a prominent one at that! Could that be the reason?

“No need to apologize, what's going on?”

She looked around frantically–specifically towards the woods, then sighed. “Sorry, I’ve just been seeing things out of the corner of my eye, but whenever I look there's nothing. All those stories about stalkers must be getting to me!”
“...Things.” I glanced at Dakota. “Well, maybe we should keep an eye out just in case. It’s probability just a deer or something.”

“I’m sorry, you're right. I’ll make sure to keep an eye out.”

“Again, no need to apologize! Keeping an eye out is exactly what I asked you all to do!” I exclaimed. Well, not like this strayed far from the norm. “Honestly all this mystery has been eating at my mental health a bit.”

“Ditto.” Dakota’s shoulders sagged. “I couldn't imagine what Astella’s going through right now. I'm paranoid out of my mind, and I’m the furthest from her physically possible!”

What an interesting comment.

“Hey, if we all look out for each other we’ll never have to worry about such a thing!”

“Here here!” Our three voices shouted in unison.

Why did fate choose the funniest time to act?

“Guys…” Lilly pointed towards a near by cluster of trees–recently ruffled as a shadow moved past.

“There's no way!” I balled my fists. I could talk the talk all right, but could I make those words actually mean something?

“Everyone!” I shouted. “There's someone in the bushes over there!”

A huge outcry followed, everyone dashing towards the woods. We’d been told about the dangers, warned against the potential harm to our fellow classmates, but now was the time!

I dashed forward alone with everyone else, ready to charge at the intruder. We reached the shaking bush, pulled back the leaves–

And scrambled as the deer we’d so rudely trapped burst away back into the woods.

“Well, that was disappointing.” I sighed. All this talk and stress had clearly been getting to everyone–including me.

“I wouldn’t be too sure of that. Our entertainment for the evening decided to make its presence known.”

Patrick stood behind the group, a smug grin plastered on his face. Yet, barely a soul looked in that direction.

A man stood dangling from Patrick’s grasp–held up in the air by his own shirt collar. “Now, let's have a bit of fun. It’s only right to let this pathetic excuse of a human say his piece.”