The Traveler: Beyo

Yes, yes, I still think that people like me, the Travelers, are monsters, but I changed my mind a little. Every person in Amaris is a monster in his own way. Maybe we've been monsters all this time and blamed the lost people. I don't know ... I don't know what to think.5

But, if I think about it, Amaris is not to blame because he is attacked and destroyed little by little. From the distance you can only see smoke and you can hear a few screams. Or maybe the screams simply come from Victoria who thought again that the girl in the mirror wants to attack her.

No matter how much I start to hate the mountain and the forest around it, no matter how much I want to find the Creator and throw him off a plane, something is more important than all this. Rather, someone is more important. And I can't wait to see him again. If I see him again ... Silence. Quiet. Cold.That was all I felt for seconds, minutes or even hours. I didn't know how long it was. My eyelids felt tightly closed, and my fingers were ice cold. I could hear a few distant voices and the echo of footsteps. I frown and slowly open my eyes. I raise my hand and place it on my forehead, feeling a thick layer of bandages. My head hurt terribly. I sit up, leaning on my elbows. I wrap my body around my hands in a clumsy hug and analyze the room I am in. The walls are cold, being made of stone. I sit on a small bed made of wood, with a white mattress on it. A table is in front of the bed. A stand with some candles on it is on the table, they being the only light source in the room. On the opposite wall I see a curtain that seems to serve as a door leading to another room. What the hell..?

I shudder when I remember everything . The mission, Leon's betrayal, the commute and its collapse in that mountain. And Camber, God, Camber! I look frantically around me, looking for any trace of the Warrior, but I see nothing. I quickly get to my feet, feeling my knees tremble and my head throbbing painfully. I walk down to the blue shade and pull it aside, seeing behind it a smaller room that looks like a bathroom. I notice a mirror, so I go to it. I frown angrily when I see my expression. I have a few small cuts on my cheeks that stand out on my white skin. A few bandages probably cover a larger wound on the forehead. I think I got all the wounds when I was thrown through the shuttle window.

I go back to the bigger room, my only thought being that those who live here are very backward and that I have to escape. I want to find Camber and I want to go home. I have no idea how I got here or who found me, but I already hate everything around me. I see a chair in the corner of the room where some black clothes are arranged. I sigh with relief when I realize it's my clothes. I was changed while I was unconscious in some pants and a simple T-shirt. I glance around cautiously, then quickly undress and put on my jeans, my comfortable sweater, and my coat. I run a hand through my hair, then check my coat pockets. I still had the dagger with me. The pistol was left in the shuttle, thrown somewhere on the floor.

I step towards some planks that were barely kept in the wall. I think that was supposed to be a door. I open it without much caution, the makeshift door creaking pathetically. Do the people who live here really have no idea what a door is? Even Abingora is more developed than this place! I sigh and start walking down the dark hallway, looking for a way out. In fact, I think better, this room is not a hallway. It looks more like a ... cave. A big cave where someone lives. I hate this place! I want the Camber ...2

I stop suddenly when someone appears from around the corner. A short face, with a boyish haircut and eyes so light in color that they look white. The girl also stops when she sees me. I hold my dagger in my hand, ready to appear if I am attacked. She raises her eyes, looking scared around her, and her hands begin to tremble. I keep going, but the girl starts screaming with all her might, making me look unhappy. What's weird is that the girl isn't looking at me, but screaming at the stone walls and ceiling.

I hear people running towards us. A boy and a woman appear from around the same corner. The two of them don't seem to notice me at first. The woman puts her hands on the shoulders of the girl who stopped screaming and leads her down the hall. The boy follows them, but I come out of the shadows and put the dagger around his neck. The boy is a traveler. He has snow-white skin that draws attention in the darkness of the hall. The boy jumps scared and turns to me. I give him one of my most unfriendly glances and bring my dagger closer to his neck. A trickle of blood trickled down his skin, staining his shirt.

- I'm glad you woke up. he stammered, swallowing hard.4

I don't answer, instead I frown, trying to look intimidating.

- I'm a Traveler, like you. he says.

- Do not tell. I didn't notice. I say sarcastically.

The boy looks at me fearfully, even though he was much taller than me. I wanted to laugh.

- Where am I? I ask.

- Dad ... It's a secret. he says softly.

I raise an eyebrow, then take a step back. The boy exhales with relief. I raise my hand and throw the dagger at him. The traveler quickly falls to the ground almost screaming. The dagger sticks into the stone wall, showing once again how sharp it is.6

- Answer me! I growl.

- Good good! We are in Telia! he shouted, rising quickly to his feet.

- Telia? I ask confused. Where is this place?

- We are not a specific place or city. Telia is a tribe. We live in caves in the mountains. I am the chief of the tribe. sighs the boy.

The traveler extends his hand to me.

- My name is Lerna.7

I look at them for a second hand, then ignore him and retrieve my dagger from the wall. Lerna withdraws her embarrassed arm.

- A shuttle hit our mountain. That's where you fell. he says.

- Wow, idiot, I didn't know I was on a shuttle now ... Wait, how long has it been since then?

- One day. he says.

- One day ago! I finish my thought annoyed. Why did you bring me here in the first place !?

- You were hurt and you're a Traveler and I couldn't leave you alone in the woods. says Lerna, blushing.

- And what if I stayed in the woods? Maybe I've lived there my whole life. I'm lying.

We try to find as many reasons as possible to get out of here. And besides, it was funny to see this traveler so embarrassed.

- Did you live in the woods? Lerna asks in astonishment. And I!

I sigh and slap my face, Lerna looking at me confused. God, why did I get here? I feel like hitting all the walls!

- Did something happen? he asks me.

- Where's the exit? I ask, ignoring him.

- Dangerous EE outside!

I snort and walk around him, starting to run down the hall. I hear Lerna shouting to come back. I pass a lot of rooms, a few people throwing ugly or amazed looks at me. Lerna's noisy footsteps are heard close to me. In a few moments, I see a strong light in front of me. I feel the air around me cool down, which means I'm almost outside. In the end, I come out of the giant cave, Lerna being already behind me. The wind is blowing hard towards us. Frost scared when I see a thick forest all around, we stand about halfway up the mountain. In the distance, in the direction of Amaris, the sky is covered with smoke, and a few flames can be seen from here.

- I heard Amaris was attacked. The outskirts of the city were completely destroyed. says Lerna.

I clench my fists, finding it hard to watch the city that was a lifeline for me be destroyed. And I already know who is behind these attacks. It's Leon , with his lost men. The bastard doesn't give up on this nonsense! Dark . That's what I saw. I didn't know where I was, because I was shaking hands and feeling nothing but the stinging cold. My ears were clogged. I notice that through the fog a red liquid floating around me. I was starting to get more and more confused when I realized I didn't feel the ground beneath me. I shake hands frantically, feeling my eyelids heavy. I let go softly, finally giving in. I exhale the air I was holding in my lungs. I didn't realize at that moment that I couldn't breathe. My body is slowly sitting on something hard. I remember the lessons I learned from my father, that Warriors die very hard. Too bad, I already feel like I'm struggling between life and death. We reached the bottom of the lake.3

I close my eyes, letting the darkness surround me. I hear vague sounds around me. A hand grabs the sweater I'm wearing, pulling me up. There are some unclear moments for me because I didn't understand what was happening. The right side of my abdomen hurt terribly. I guess I was taken out of the lake I had fallen into, because the cold night air froze my body slowly but surely. I feel someone pressing on my chest, but I don't react in any way.

- Hey! You hear me!?

I slowly open my eyes and inhale slowly. I see someone above me, but I can't make out his features through the fog that covers my eyes.

- Come on. I live close by. You're hurt. he tells me.

The boy helped me to my feet, even though I could barely stand up. He puts my arm around his shoulders and supports my body weight. I blink often, frowning. I had an ugly wound on my abdomen that was bleeding heavily, although I had no idea where I got it. We started walking through the forest. I was getting more and more dizzy with every step I took. I vaguely remember arriving at a small cottage. I lost consciousness the moment we entered it.

"Idiot!" I could hear Anta's voice in my head. "Maybe that man wants to kill you and you just let him take you to his house!"7

Short smile.

I know, Antea, but if I didn't die at your hands, then this boy certainly won't be able to do anything to me.

I smile and open my eyes lazily, feeling how I slowly return to reality. The first thing I see is the wooden ceiling. I muttered some misunderstood things and rubbed my eyes tired, then sat up. I tremble when I feel the stab of pain in my abdomen. I look down, seeing that I'm shirtless, and a few bandages cover my wound. I analyze the surroundings, seeing that I am sitting on a sofa in a living room. A simple TV is hung on the wall above a fireplace, and the floor is partially covered by a white carpet. The walls and ceiling are made of wood.

- I saw you when you fell off the shuttle. You hit a boulder before you fell into the lake and then you got the wound.

I look behind me when I hear the unknown voice. A boy my age is leaning against the door frame. He is brown, with short hair, and has brown eyes. I glance at his palm, seeing that he has a sign in the shape of glasses. So he's a scientist.10

The boy opens his mouth to say something, but I interrupt him when I suddenly stand up. I ignore the pain and run away from the living room, looking for the front door. I completely forgot for a few seconds that our shuttle crashed! And Antea is not here! God, how could I forget !?

- Hey! Where do you think you're going? cried the Scientist.

The boy puts a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back. I give him an unfriendly look and jerk from his grip.

- You look deplorable. I don't think you'll last a day in the woods injured. he says.

- My friends may be dead! Do you think I care what I look like right now? I ask snorting.

- Yes? Then where are you going? You will get lost in the forest and you will have a pathetic death, eaten by a wild animal. he says, rolling his eyes.

I sigh and run my hands through my frustrated hair. I don't like to admit that, but he's right.

- My name is Marcus.

I look at him briefly, the boy holding out his hand. I pick it up, then I answer.

- I'm Camber. Thanks for saving me from drowning.5

Marcus smiles at me briefly. He motioned for me to sit back on the couch, and I listened to him because I felt the wound open. The boy leaves the living room for a few moments, then returns with a bowl full of soup. Marcus gives it to me, I thank him briefly. We sit quietly, me eating, and he looking at the wall. I sigh again. I can't think of anything but Antea and where she is now. What if she's alone and afraid? I suddenly shake my head. What am I thinking? Even the fiercest wolves would be afraid of Antea!3

- I heard Amaris was attacked. says Marcus.

- Really? I ask in surprise.

- A Creator led a lot of lost people. They did great damage.

I leave the bowl on a table next to the couch so as not to break it and clench my fists angrily. And Leon . The traitor!

- Are you okay? Marcus asks me.

- I know the person leading the attacks. I say disgusted. He's my stepbrother, but now I don't consider him a brother.

- I also had family problems, I know how it feels. Now I'm glad I don't live in Amaris.

- But why don't you live there? I ask.

- I like to hunt and I have always loved nature. In Amaris it's too crowded for my taste.

An embarrassing silence lies over us. I get to my feet and clasp my hands to my chest, approaching the window. In the distance, in the direction of Amaris, I see clouds of smoke gather in the sky. A flock of birds flies swiftly in the direction of the city. I stick my forehead to the window, closing my eyes. What are you doing to me, Antea? Where are you hiding?