Awakening Of The New Emperor

POV: Recruit 79

"So, we're finally setting off, eh?" I asked.

"Yeah," Oswin grunted as he lifted up some of the heavier luggage that we'd be taking with us. Good news for him, is that it'd only get lighter as time goes.

"Sending out any goodbyes before we head out?" I asked, mostly out of curiosity. While I've only known him for a few days now, it seems like he's almost told me everything about him. He spends his days drinking or getting into fist fights, similarly to the one we saw earlier at the bar with two drunk dudes parading around over a silly argument.

Outside of that, he also acts as a guard for some of the local people. He'll take care of pesky wild animals, especially the ones that carry a bit of nexus energy around, or fend off against a couple of thugs or robbers.

But through all the fucked hallmark movie stories he's told me, not once has he mentioned anything about blood relatives.

Through all my self reflection, I noticed he still hadn't replied to my question.

Instead, he was biting his lip out of frustration.

"Is... something the matter?" My confusion seemed to have shown on my face, as he looked over and dropped his act.

"Nah, nothing. And there is one person I wish I could say goodbye to, but they're out getting married right now," he finally answered, with a more joyful attitude this time around.

"Ah, well, I send my congratulations of course."

That's interesting. So he does have friends, and they're getting married! It's nice to see a raging alcoholic have people who care about him.

Most alcoholics back in Vareth are on the older side, tending to not have anybody to phone with their problems. A lot of bloods and families died out, lineages cut due to the fall, so many lost connections with those few they cared deep about.

"Well, I checked around just to be sure, but we don't appear to be missing anything. Let's get this show on the road!" Oswin exclaimed.

"I agree, especially while we still have energy," remarking, thinking back to when Oswin cut my sleep short of a few extra hours by his obnoxious banging.

We finished cleaning up all of our luggage and safely securing them around our waist, or amongst any area of which still had space left. Oswin carried most of the load, and while the quantity wasn't a ton, the bit we had was still quiet heavy. We didn't really carry any weapons outside of a thin dagger that Oswin seemed to pride by his side.

'I'll need to get a weapon eventually...' I thought to myself, worried about the journey.

After all, we will probably run into a lot of monsters on this path.

***

The winding roads were tormenting, even just hours later. A true test to our pathetic endurance, one of which I was failing miserably.

Oswin, on the other hand, seemed to be almost thriving in such circumstances. The air only got colder as we pushed onward, the constant breeze being sharp to the skin, almost painfully chilling in it's own way.

We had passed the occasional traveling merchant on our trek, these paths seemingly used by a lot of people to traverse between some of the outer villages.

However, as time went on, we began seeing less and less people.

The path had split at many occasions, likely why this path became so empty so quick. This path will bring us as close as traditional travel would get us to the region of Vareth, which would be weeks in of itself.

Upon reaching the end, we would have to continue through the heavy, dense forests that separated the two regions, which would likely stretch out our timeline by another few weeks, and even longer if we have the misfortune of finding ourselves lost amongst the tall trees.

"We should stumble upon a camping ground very soon. They shave out a lot of quaint areas for a quick reset," Oswin broke the silence.

"It would be most wise to take a breather once we find one."

"I agree," I replied, mostly out of thanks to finally have a second to rest my legs.

As we continued moving onward, a few stragglers passing by to say hello, or even eye our bags, I came to an abrupt stop as I felt something hit my head. Whatever it was, the weight of it was almost nonexistent, already vanished from when I tried to brush through my hair.

I look up, observing. Oswin followed my lead, as he seemed to have also picked up on it. "What the hell was that?" I asked.

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Oswin was about to say something, but he ate his own words as more of the unknown substance began falling down from the sky.

It was white, and as it landed on my now stretched palm, I was able to crumble it up as it dissolved, almost reminding me of a sand in a very weird way.

Oswin noticed my confusion, as well as awe by the weird sight, as he couldn't help but laugh. Not out of teasing, but out of relief.

"It's snow you idiot," he laughed once more. "Have you never seen it before?"

'Snow.. I've heard of this before,' I thought to myself.

"I've definitely heard of it, but I've never gotten to see it for myself. The skies of where I reside are usually fogged by heavy smoke, the effect of nexus machinery ravaging the fields and surrounding lands mostly," I replied as I continued to gather snow in the palm of my hand.

From just a few droplets, it now began pouring down snow heavy, quickly rushing to the ground. It will easily become nothing but a pain as the days go by, but for now...

I was enjoying it. All of it. It was beautiful.

I've never seen anything like it before, and I'm glad I was able to.

"Let's keep moving then."

"You said it," Oswin replied eagerly.