Plus Ultimate

by Simon Archer

  “All of our supplies are still here,” he said, relief in his tone.

  “Good,” I said.

  We set up camp nearby in silence and went straight to bed, though I had trouble sleeping, staring up at the tent’s ceiling, listening to the rain pattering down outside, and thinking about everything I had learned and everything that still lay ahead.

  14

  The next morning, Bernsten shook me awake, as he had the last watch. Normally, we wouldn’t have needed to maintain our customary forest watch schedule in the safety of the center, but given Amaka’s warning about potential looting, we hadn’t even needed to discuss continuing it.

  “Anything happen, buddy?” I mumbled as I rose and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. It felt like I’d only fallen asleep a few minutes before, and given how long I’d lain awake, I wouldn’t have been surprised if that was true.

  “No, we are safe,” Bernsten said, shaking his head, and I knew without asking that he meant our supplies. Given the current situation, without them, we would starve.

  I crawled out of my makeshift sleeping bag of wrapped blankets and shook my head to clear it as Bernsten moved on to waking Godfried next to me. The younger elf was very difficult to wake in the mornings. Much like human teenagers, his natural rhythm left him prone to staying up late and sleeping long into the morning hours.

  “I’m coming, I’m coming,” Godfried groaned, nearly punching Bernsten in the face in his efforts to push the older elf away. “Just a few more moments. We have nowhere to be this day.”

  “Very well, Godfried,” Bernsten relented, “but we will be eating shortly.”

  The kid merely groaned in response, and I chuckled, remembering his pain from all those days my mom had to try to wake me up so early for school when I was younger. I crawled out of the tent, still rubbing my eyes, to find the rest of my companions clustered in a circle outside of the two tents, preparing a small morning meal of leftover bear meat. Nadeine was telling the story of how we happened upon the bear and preserved its meat.

  “It must have been hibernating to survive for so long without sustenance,” Freyja reasoned. “That’s why you were able to eat it without getting sick.”

  “Indeed, that makes sense,” Nadeine said as she nodded. “Your people could teach my people much about hunting and gathering food.”

  “I’m sure that we could,” Freyja said slyly, showing just what she thought of the kingdom elves’ capabilities.

  Ishida nodded her otter-like head. “When this crisis has passed, we’ll have to look into that.”

  “Indeed, there is much cooperation that would be of great benefit to us all,” Nadeine agreed before digging into her breakfast.

  Nadeine sure had come a long way since referring to all forest elves and savages and wanting to kill them on sight. My spirits lifted a bit at that, and I accepted a sliver of meat from Bernsten.

  “Bear for breakfast,” I commented. “Interesting.”

  “We all must make sacrifices!” Bernsten’s bombastic voice boomed throughout the area as he eyed his own breakfast with disdain. “By the end of this, I may never wish to eat bear again.”

  Considering that we had been eating it three meals a day since we’d found the bear, I was growing sick of it too, no matter how filling the food or how rich the taste.

  “Me neither,” I said, rubbing my stomach with distaste.

  “I share this sentiment,” Marinka said, her nose wrinkling cutely, “but even so, we should be grateful that we found it. Thanks to you, Leo, we can also use our magic to heat it, so we need not eat it cold, given the danger of fire in these surroundings. Imagine what it would be like cold!”

  I thought of eating it cold myself and realized it wasn’t so bad as is.

  “This is true,” Bernsten said, nodding. “We would do well not to forget the ways in which we are fortunate.

  “Indeed,” Nadeine added as she took a bite out of her own sliver.

  “We’re leaving tomorrow, then?” I asked, looking around at my companions as I chewed on breakfast. They all nodded.

  “I believe that is best,” Marinka said.

  “Good,” I said before shooting a look back at my tent and lowering my voice. “Is Godfried okay?”

  “I do not know.” Marinka sighed as she followed my gaze. “I simply do not know.”

  “Should he go back to the kingdom with the forest elves?” Nadeine asked while simultaneously reaching out a hand to stop her brother from speaking. She undoubtedly knew he would be unable to keep his voice down.

  “I will offer that possibility up to him, but I do not believe he will take it,” Marinka mused softly. “I fear that he knows how much shame his father will feel if he does.”

  “That guy’s an asshole,” I muttered, shaking my head.

  “I do believe that is an appropriate term to describe my uncle, Leo.” Marinka flashed me a slight smile. “Sill, my cousin reveres him. He does not dare disappoint him.”

  “How old is he?” Ishida asked, gesturing at the tent where Godfried still slept. “He looks really young.” Freyja nodded in agreement, her fox ears tilting forward curiously.

  “He is seventy-six,” Marinka said, and Ishida and Freyja looked at each other in disbelief. Ishida shook her head and twitched her whiskers. “That is too young for such a dangerous quest.”

  “Why is he here?” Freyja practically scoffed. “Is he not more of a danger than an asset given the circumstances, to himself and us?”

  “Long story.” I sighed as I shook my head sympathetically.

  Nadeine rolled her eyes slightly and went for the succinct approach to the story. “His father pushed for him to accompany us to put it simply.”

  “He is very talented and brings much to the team,” Marinka offered. Nadeine, Bernsten, and I nodded in agreement because that technically was true. To say otherwise would be a lie, the kid had a sharp mind and was well trained. “But I worry that he is ill-prepared mentally for this mission.”

  I nodded because that was the concern we all had about him.

  “I don’t blame him,” Ishida said.

  Marinka sighed. “Nor do I. We shall see what he says when he wakes up. We will discuss it further with him then.”

  With that sitting on our collective shoulders, we sat in silence for a few moments as we ate. Finally, as I finished my meal, I decided to break the silence to find out more about the situation from our forest elf companions.

  “So how has it been here in the center?” I asked Freyja and Ishida. “Do you really think there could be looting soon?”

  “It’s a real concern,” Freyja said when she had swallowed her last bite of her own bear steak. “Most of us are banding together, but there are some bad actors.” She scowled.

  “They’re just afraid,” Ishida reminded the fox-elf. “We have to remember the reasons they are acting this way. They just want what’s best for their own families.”

  “It’s not helpful, though,” Freyja argued, but as she opened her mouth to say more, Ishida cut her off.

  “I know that, and you know that, but they’re scared,” she began, sighing and shaking her head as she looked back in the direction of the other forest elves wistfully. She looked dejected, but there was the same fierceness in her eyes as there had always been, if not more. “Most of these people haven’t been in the center in years, if ever. Our culture is changing since the mad kingdom elf was destroyed, but it’s changing slowly. They’re reacting rationally as they understand it. I don’t give them a pass, but I do understand them. Remember our parents. What would they be doing right now?”

  “Probably hoarding as many resources as possible and heading for the kingdom,” Freyja relented. “You’re right, of course, and as usual, you’re a better person than me. It still drives me nuts how they’re not listening to reason, though.”

  “Me too,” Ishida said.

  “So, there are people here who are panicking and looting?” Nadeine asked. “Why are they still h
ere? Why have they not already left for the kingdom?”

  “Many already have,” Ishida explained. “The ones who remain are heeding Amaka’s advice. She told them to stay and wait for you. She told them Leo Hayden, the ultimate mage, would come and save us.”

  “Oh,” I said, feeling heat rush to my face. “Well, we’re just going to the mountains, we’re not here to bring resources or anything. They know that, right?”

  “They do,” Ishida said hurriedly. “We all know that. But you’re… we’re going to the source of this, right? That’s how it will be fixed. And Amaka couldn’t leave until meeting with you.”

  “Oh, okay, good,” I said, sighing with relief, though I knew my face was still flushed. “I hope they leave soon. If they only have a few weeks worth of food for everyone, they’ll need to get going. The journey to the kingdom will take all that time.”

  “Indeed,” Marinka said, nodding gravely. “We must make sure that they leave when we do. We cannot guarantee that we will reverse whatever caused this destruction to the forest before they run out of food and water.”

  “Agreed,” I said, just as Godfried crawled out of the tent and made his way over to us. He plopped himself down between Bernsten and me.

  “What is to eat?” he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  “What do you think?” Bernsten asked, responding in kind as he grabbed the last heated strip of bear meat and handed it over to the younger elf.

  Godfried rolled his eyes and took an exaggerated bite, chewing with great distaste. “Delicious,” he muttered bitterly.

  “Be glad you have it, and that it is heated,” Marinka reminded him.

  “I know, I know.” He waved away her words as he continued to eat.

  “Did you sleep well?” Bernsten asked in an effort to diffuse the tension.

  “Indeed,” Godfried said. “Until you woke me, though continuing to sleep after that was better than nothing.”

  Bernsten chuckled. “Very good. I am sorry for waking you.”

  “No, you are not, but thank you anyway,” Godfried said, grinning. Then, when he finished his meal, “What are we doing today?”

  “I imagine we will meet with Amaka and Akash again,” Marinka mused. “Then we will prepare to leave.”

  Godfried’s face fell at that. “So soon?”

  “Indeed,” Marinka said hesitantly, looking around at the rest of us. “Though, cousin, the forest elves will be leaving for the kingdom soon as well. Perhaps it would be helpful for them to have a guide, someone who will lead the way, communicate their needs to our people, and protect them using magic should the need arise.”

  She looked at him pointedly, and I admired the way in which she had broached the subject with him. It took a careful manner to do it so diplomatically while also making it seem like he would be providing a necessary service. To be honest, it didn’t sound like a bad idea at all to send one of us back with the forest elves.

  “Oh, no!” Godfried shook his head and held out his hands. “No no no no no. I am going on this quest, cousin. I have made that clear from the beginning, have I not?”

  “Of course,” Marinka said slowly, choosing her words carefully. “I know that. But it would be a great help for you to assist the forest elves--”

  But Godfried cut her off. “Then send Sir Bernsten with them, if that is truly the case,” Godfried said, gesturing forcefully at my friend. “I am the most skilled in magic in this group, after Leo and Nadeine, and I am the most skilled swordsman. If we are to lose one of our number by necessity, then I am sorry to you, my friend,” he turned to Bernsten and placed a hand on his shoulder in apology, “but he is the one who should go.”

  “No offense taken.” Bernsten shrugged as he admitted, “This is probably true.” Marinka stared daggers at him, and he looked away. “On second thought, I will stay out of this.”

  “That is probably for the best,” Marinka said through gritted teeth, still glowering at him.

  “What say you, cousin?” Godfried asked, looking at her pointedly now.

  “I…” she started, her voice trailing off as she searched for the words. “Look. This is an important task, Godfried. You are correct that you are of advanced skill, and the forest elves will be in great need of those skills.”

  “Greater than this expedition to the mountains?” he asked, not breaking his pointed gaze. “Will you truly commit to claiming that my skills, independent of my age, are needed more with the forest elves than with you? If so, then I will heed your suggestion, and of course, by royal decree, I am at your command, regardless. But do you truly claim that this has nothing to do with my age?”

  Marinka was silent for several moments after that, and she closed her eyes tightly as if in pain, searching for a way to respond. Finally, without reopening her eyes, she spoke.

  “Cousin, I will not lie to you, I am concerned for you on this journey--”

  “Thank you for your honesty,” he said sharply, without a hint of the gratitude he spoke of in his tone.

  “You are welcome,” she said slowly, stopping on every word, with her eyes still shut tightly. Then, she opened them and continued. “You cannot truly blame me for my concern. You cannot deny that you are under much pressure from your father to continue on this quest--”

  “I accept that pressure and place it on myself,” he snapped, cutting her off. “You know this well.”

  “I do,” Marinka said slowly, making an effort to hold his gaze despite his irritability. “But, as you said, you are young. How do you know where your own will ends, and your father’s begins?”

  “You think I do not know my own mind?” Godfried asked, openly displaying his anger now.

  “I do not know what to think,” Marinka snapped, responding in kind now. “I have seen the pressure that my Uncle Noham places upon you your entire life. I believe I have seen and felt it even better than you. Can you truly claim that you would have asked to join us on this quest were it not for his influence?”

  “I am in control of my own actions and desires,” Godfried growled. “I am in control of my own destiny.”

  “Are you truly?” Marinka asked. They glared at each other in silence after that until Bernsten reached out to place a hand on each of their shoulders and attempt to diffuse the tension.

  “We have all seen your great skills on this journey, Godfried,” he said kindly. “You would undoubtedly be a great asset to us in the mountains. But we have also all seen your fear and uncertainty given our circumstances.” He rushed to clarify when confronted with the younger elf’s hurt expression. “We do not blame you for this. In fact, we all feel some of this fear ourselves to be certain. But you are very young, and likely should never have been pushed to join such a quest so early in your training, despite your advanced skills. You will be a great help to the forest elves on their journey to our kingdom.”

  “And your dad never has to know,” I added. “Our story will always be the one Marinka gave you at first. That the forest elves needed you. Which they do. There’s no shame in any of this.”

  “And we do not wish to lose you in the mountains,” Nadeine said before Godfried could open his mouth to respond, “or for you to waver and become a liability to our quest.”

  “You think that I would do such a thing?” Godfried asked, aghast. “Truly?”

  “We do not know, cousin,” Marinka said, not unkindly now. “Sir Bernsten is right. You have been noticeably perturbed since we entered the forest. We do not blame you for this, but we must do what is best for our quest.”

  “What is best for our quest is for our most talented party members to be on it,” Godfried snapped.

  Marinka and Bernsten exchanged a look.

  “This is true.” Bernsten sighed, shrugged, and turned to Marinka. “His abilities are far beyond either of ours. Could we truly afford to lose him?”

  “Could we afford to lose him permanently?” Marinka asked, an edge in her voice again as she now turned her anger on Bernsten.
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  “Are you truly afraid that I will sabotage our mission, or that you will lose me?” Godfried asked her, his voice growing softer. Marinka turned to him angrily, but then her face fell, and her shoulders slumped, her anger dissipating.

  “I do not know, truly.” She sighed. “I worry for you, cousin. I cannot help it, and I have seen how my uncle puts pressure on you. I know you and your skills are invaluable to us, but I do not wish to lose you. My worry is that you will buckle under the pressure, eventually. Anyone in your situation would.”

  “But have I?” Godfried asked. “I admit I have been spooked by the state of the forest, but have I once not done what is required of me?”

  “No,” Marinka admitted. “You have lived up to your duties, even in the face of the obstacles we have faced.” Her tone turned pleading. “But we know not what greater obstacles will arise when we venture into the mountains.”

  “That has always been the case,” he said. “You need me. You know you do.”

  “I know,” she sighed, her shoulders slumping even lower. “I know.”

  “I will do my best not to be overwhelmed,” Godfried said firmly, “but I am not leaving, cousin. Not now. Not when I am needed so, by both my people and my family.” I could read the conviction in his voice, something that didn’t come from his father, but within him. He reached out and touched his cousin’s hand. “I appreciate your concern and will do my best to communicate better with you.”

  “Very well.” Marinka squeezed his hand slightly before releasing it. “But do not say we failed to warn you.”

  “I would not dream of it,” Godfried said, smiling at her.

  I let a moment of more relaxed silence reign before I spoke back up again. “So… what about the forest elves? It didn’t sound like a bad idea to send someone with them.”

  “No, it did not,” Nadeine agreed, furrowing her brows together. “They could use an escort.”

  “Should I go?” Bernsten asked. “I would be glad to, should we decide it necessary, though I, of course, would prefer to join you, my companions, on this most dangerous of quests.”