The sun creeps over the window frame, hitting my face as I rolled over, yawning to a missing Emma. I pulled myself from the bed, walking into the living room to Liam and Emma busy stuffing a variety of things into satchels.

"About time," Emma smiles. Liam completely ignores my arrival; a man on a mission stuffing everything he can into his satchel. Emma motions to the food on the table. I take a seat, eating while I assume Emma fills my satchel for me. Liam has such a determined look on his face that I'm sure will fade within an hour into our walk but nonetheless, I'm proud of him for committing to something for once in his life. I take in my home one last time—I will miss the old musty smell of this cottage, the grey brick walls and the horrible misshapen front door. Then there's Emma... I'm going to miss her the most. With some effort Emma waddles over, dropping a satchel next to me, "It's heavy but I'm sure you can handle it," she smiled, flexing her arm at me. I return the smile before Liam comes over dropping his bag on the table, shaking my bowl.

"I hope we can make the whole trip without having to go hungry," Liam said, looking concerned as he touched his stomach like he was having phantom hunger at the idea.

"I'll make a bow if we need to and hunt."

"I'm going to cry," Emma said, looking at us both with her hand over her mouth.

"Don't, we will be back" I said, picking the satchel up, tossing it over my shoulder. As we make our way out the front door Emma grabs me, hugging tightly.

"don't let him die? He's an idiot but I love him," she said as I hugged her back.

"I know Emma."

"I love you too... I should be stopping you," she says, pulling away looking me in my eyes.

"You've done enough for us , let us do something for you. Plus it will be an adventure, Liam needs to culture himself a bit," I said as we both looked at him and laughed.

"Good luck with that," Emma snickers. Emma lectures Liam on listening to me like a small child, nodding at her every word. She whacks him a few times and after the tough love comes over, giving me another hug. She holds the hug for easily a minute before pulling away, taking two fingers, kissing them before pressing them on my lips.

"May the goddess light your path during the darkest moments and fill your heart with courage during the most trying times—My Aries is going to father the next speaker," she smiled.

"Or your brother."

"Oh that poor woman," she giggles, putting her hands on her hips.

"Bye Emma, I love you," I said before turning to the dirt road waving bye from behind. We pass Allens barn, looking out to the field of men cutting the wheat; I would not be missing that back breaking work. Liam and I walked for hours not saying anything which is odd, I figured he would talk my ear off for three weeks.

"Did you fuck my sister last night?" Liam said as I turned to him slowly, probably with a look of disgust on my face.

"Did you really not say anything for five hours because of that?" I replied, swatting at his head as he dodged, walking in front of me backwards.

"Well? I swear I'm not mad," Liam said with a serious face.

"No of course not, she's my sister too, I would never."

"Mhm, strange you spent the night with her, plus there is no blood relation," Liam said with a grin, "Not that it matters with nobles, Sick royal fuckers, marrying their sisters and shit."

"I don't think that's true and No, Liam!"

"Ok , ok," Liam said, throwing his arm over my shoulder, "I believe you." I just tsk at Liam, giving him dagger eyes as we continue to walk down the dirt road. We oddly don't run into anyone for miles until we pass a town where a middle aged man enters the road.

"Yo , You guys off to the Tournament?" The man said with a rather large beard that spun into a braid at the end. He's rather rough looking with his brown leather jacket and the thick strap holding his sword to his back.

"Yup," Liam said. I'm unsure at first if we should be talking to him, he might be looking to thin the numbers for the tournament.

"Well shit can I tag along? I'm sure numbers will help our chances," he replied with a smile that doesn't fit his face well.

"I won't stop you from walking with us."

"Bloody hell you're one handsome bloke, Almost as if the goddesses shit you out themselves," he blurted, letting out a deep laugh, shaking his belly.

"Thanks , I think?" I said unsure if it was a compliment after the last part.

"Thomathy," he said, sticking his hand out, "you two brothers?" he asked as I shook his rough, calloused hand.

"Yes but not by blood, I'm Aries and this is Liam," I said, putting my hand out towards Liam.

"Ah, I understand I have a few mates that I would say are brothers," Thomathy said as I looked at the abnormally Large sword on his back.

"That's an impressive sword," I said, pointing to the hilt peeking over his shoulder.

"Ah yes this is Margaret she has been passed down for generations," he said, patting the hilt behind his neck.

"What happens to Margaret if you win the tournament?"

"Good question, I guess the speaker won't need a sword," he pauses for a bit, rubbing his beard lost in thought, "I guess she'll turn into decoration."

"Worth it though," Liam said and Thomathy laughs.

"Yes, especially if she's got big tits," Thomathy said with a grin.

"A man of culture!" Liam replied with excitement in his voice. Liam jogs over, talking filth with Thomathy as we track down the dirt path that is winding into a thick forest, leaving the endless plain's behind us. I end up detaching my mind from the conversation to minimize my brain rot. Luckily the tournament was starting on this continent, a boat ride would've cost money we didn't have. We were already at a disadvantage, having to take a boat would have probably crushed our chances of making it. While Thomathy minds was in the same gutter as Liam's he was a good man from what I could tell, He was actually an adventurer which I might have envied a bit—going around to foreign lands, seeing the sights of the world was a fantasy of mine. Meeting Thomathy did give me a wake up call on how screwed we were. No combat training , no armour and most importantly, no weapons. Liam and I just ran out here on a whim unprepared like compulsive children. Emma was right, I haven't grown up. Now I had to keep Liam alive until we could be eliminated the non death related way from the tournament.

"This is a good spot," Thomathy said, turning back to me.

"Pardon?"

"A spot for a fire," he said, pointing to the river bank , running along the road.

"Oh, sure," I said as we all trot down to the bank, gathering stones and twigs to light the fire with. We get a fire going after some effort—the humidity as of late has been terrible with all the rain. I take a loaf of bread out breaking it in half, giving it to Liam. Thomathy pulls some stale looking cookies out of his jacket pocket, crunching down on them, getting crumbs all over his beard as he seems to be enjoying them quite a bit with a grin on his face.

"I would offer food but it might get rough if I share it three ways," I said as Thomathy put his hand up.

"I'm ok brother , if it gets too bad I'll fish or trap a rabbit," he replied, patting his belly, "plus I got a bit of storage that I need to lose for the speaker," he chuckles. We all chat a little about Thomathy's grand adventures to other lands and such before everyone retires to sleep. Luckily the bank was sandy so sleeping on it wasn't too bad. Of course I can't sleep while Liam's snoring up a storm of epic proportions along with Thomathy. I sat keeping the fire burning strong, It was a little cold but luckily no rain which was common almost every other day in this region. Thomathy mumbled something after a few hours getting up as he stumbled over to the water, pissing a River that doesn't seem to stop; I'm truly impressed. He comes over plopping down next to me as I sit with my knees in my arms staring at the fire.

"Can't sleep?" he asks, licking his dry lips, running his fingers down his beard.

"It's normal, I have a hard time sleeping at night but my goddess I can sleep a storm up during the day. It bothers Liam, he always complains," I laughed, looking at his sprawled out sleeping position.

"Awake with the monsters," he chuckles, picking cookie crumbs out of his beard.

"I guess."

"You do know he won't make it in the tournament," Thomathy said as he frowned at me.

"That's why I'm here."

"You won't be able to protect him all the time, a lot of the trials will have you split up," Thomathy said, looking at me with concern. I found his worry unusual for someone that just met us.

"You know this?"

"Thinking they won't have individual challenges is naive. I like you two, turn around and give up on this little tournament, you two are young, don't throw your lives away," he said, joining my staring contest with the fire.

"Liam won't turn around and I'm not leaving him. He won't even make it to the first trial without me. What about you? Why are you coming?"

"Because there is nothing left for me in this world," he replied, looking down at the ground.

"Oh, sorry."

"Don't worry about me mate , try to get some rest," he said, returning to his little sand hole he had dug from rolling around in his sleep. I somehow manage to fall asleep with my chin resting on my knees, watching the fire slowly disappear.