Tresh stared at the horizon, seeing the sun just now beginning to peek over the mountains, casting an orange glow upon their towering, jagged majesty. Apparently, the way to Lagos involved crossing through those mountains. The road they were on would inevitably become a large tunnel, one that had been carved out of those mountains years ago… what had they been called?


    Lore Check: Success!


    Right, they were the Creebak Mountains. Little things like that seemed easier to remember, but trying to recall anything about himself was difficult. All Tresh knew was that he was a wanderer, and that he liked to fight. So far it seemed he was fulfilling those needs completely, though there was something off… something he couldn’t put into words. He felt like Lenny was involved somehow, and that the spirit was hugely important. In what way though, Tresh had no idea, but he’d sure as hells find out.


    He rubbed at tired eyes as he stood, popping his back before approaching Lana’s tent. He’d been keeping watch all night for the past week, only getting a few naps in during the day so he could stay up… but it was wearing him down. He needed some proper sleep or he’d fall over eventually. Not that Lana would care.


    “Wake up!” Tresh yelled, his voice echoing across the grassy plains, “Time for breakfast!”


    “Must you shout every time!?” Lana shouted back, her tone frustrated, “Why do you not wake me up gently? I’ve asked you time and time again to use an inside-voice for this, why is it that you insist on yelling!?”


    “Cause you sleep through it when I do that.” Tresh replied honestly, “Ya can’t hear me over your snoring.”


    “I do not snore.” She snapped indignantly.


    Tresh snickered, “Yeah ya do, like sawing logs.”


    “I don’t!”


    “I dOn’T” Tresh mocked, “Just get ready, you said the next town was just half-a-day away and I need some real sleep, in a real bed.”


    “You’ve been getting far more than should be necessary for one of your kind.” She told him.


    This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it


    Lore Check: Success!


    “You’re an elf, you shouldn’t need to sleep half this much. Ain’t it two hours a week or something like that?” He asked.


    “I have a condition.” Lana replied, emerging from her tent with a frizzy head of hair and a scowl, “I need far more rest than others of my race.”


    “Is the condition laziness?” He questioned, raising an eyebrow.


    Lana let out a close-mouthed growl, “Keep up that attitude and I’ll only pay you half what we agreed to!”


    “Nuh nuh nuh nuh nuh, I’m Lana wah wah wah wah wah.” Tresh mocked, pitching his voice higher.


    “Childish, as expected of your mentally stunted kind. Hurry and chow on your pig-feed, we’ve a long day of walking ahead.” She said dismissively, emerging from her tent with a stretch, “Otherwise, if you’re willing to wait, I will make us breakfast… Honestly, I don’t understand how you can possibly be so immature, have I judged you wrong? I had, for a moment at least, thought you above your mud-eating kindred. Clearly I was mistaken.”


    “Don’t be rude.” Tresh said, narrowing his eyes.


    “Wha-But- You started it first!” Lana stuttered,  stomping her foot in frustration.


    “No I didn’t-” He paused, “Oh, guess I did. Sorry.”


    Lana blinked, “It’s alright, just please try to act more professional from here on out.”


    Tresh laughed, shaking his head, “I’ll try my worst.”


    “I honestly don’t know why I bother, there hasn’t been a sign of any bandits or monsters this whole trip, at least thus far. Breynia’s roads are quiet, I could have saved a good amount of gold had I not taken you into my service.” She told him, approaching the campfire.


    “Don’t jinx it.” Tresh told her, “That’s what always happens, seriously.”


    Lenny internally confirmed this to Tresh, no doubt today there would be trouble on the road. What kind of trouble , he couldn’t say, but he knew it would be bad. Could be bandits, monsters, travelling salesmen, there was no way of knowing what problems would come their way today… all because Lana jinxed it. She warmed her hands by the fire for a moment before letting out a sigh.


    “Has anything come to you yet?” She asked, “Has Nebraska come back to your hollow head?”


    Tresh squinted.


    Lore Check: Failure


    “Sure don’t.” He replied, “I got a feeling that you aren’t gonna be able to find it on a map though.” Lenny continued.


    Tresh quashed the spirit, ensuring no more of its dribble could exit Tresh’s mouth.


    “Well, that is something at least.” Lana replied, “If it’s not on the map, it could be an undiscovered continent.”


    Lore Check: Critical Failure!


    “Sure.” Tresh replied, that sure sounded right to him.


    Lenny didn’t agree, but what the hell did it know? It was just a dumb spirit.


    “Right, well if you would please be a dear and pack up my tent while I prepare breakfast, that would be swell.” Lana asked, turning back to the fire.


    Tresh frowned. Pack up her tent, again? It felt more like he was her personal servant, rather than a bodyguard… still, she was going out of her way to make breakfast every morning, maybe packing up the tent for her each day wasn’t a big deal? Then again, he was Tresh the Mangler, things like this should be beneath him…