Trials Chapter 3: Service

                As Ramsey woke yellow eyes stared back at him. The same eyes that stalked his since he first entered the forest. The eyes that saved him, the eyes that haunted him. For the first time he could get a clear look at the person the eyes belonged to. She seemed even more impressive than earlier with shining hair and almond shaped eyes, bent down ever so close inspecting his damaged arm. She had seen fit to bandage it in his sleep and was now checking her work. He looked down and saw how tiny his hand was compared to hers like a child’s. As she continued her inspection Ramsey tried to comprehend his surroundings. The floor was hard stone; cold and uncomfortable. The room was dark with a modest fire as the only source of light. He looked at the ceiling noting the formed stalactites

                “So we’re in a cave are we?” he sighed. She turned her head slightly and gave him a look he couldn’t register. “You couldn’t of taken me somewhere with a bed at least?” she continued to work. “How bout some water? Or tea if you have it?” She looked at him again this time a tad sterner. “What are you doing to my arm anyway and for that matter why did you even save me? I wanted to die you know? They SENT me out here to die!” She gave no response. “All I DID was follow orders and they send me here to DIE!” suddenly a sharp pain ran up Ramsey arm and down his spine. He looked in saw her twisting his arm in her giant hand. He looked her in the eyes and the message was clear. Shut up. “Can I at least get you name?” He croaked dryly

“Kirisiala.” She said

“What?”

“Kirisiala.”

“I don’t think I can say that? Can I call you Kiri for short?” she gave no response. “Kiri it is then. My name’s Ramsey. Do you speak the common tongue?” she ignored his question and started unwrapping his bandage. “Do you talk at all Kiri?” She reached over and grabbed a bowl of green goo and began gently rubbing it on his arm. It stung. “You’ve been following me this whole time haven’t you?” She rewrapped his arm with fresh bandages made from some long rectangular leaf. “Why have you been following me?” She quietly gave him a look clearly getting annoyed again. She finished with his arm giving a satisfied nod a stood up. She left towards the cave entrance and for some reason Ramsey was compelled to follow.

Standing up Ramsey finally took in her height. At 5’10 Ramsey wasn’t a tall man but he was far from short Even still she was easily twice his size his head coming up to just under her hips. She suddenly looked a lot more intimidating. She turned towards him speaking gibberish and making a gesture that could only be recognized as stay. He instinctively took a step back before realizing he wasn’t a dog and continued. A massive hand smacked him right in the chest knocking the wind out of him. Ramsey looked up at her confused by this. She pointed a finger at the entrance and he noticed the birds flying by. He took a step forward and looked back. She nodded in assurance. He peered out the cave took his shock looked down. Way down. The cave was in the side of a mountain hundreds of feet in the air. Suddenly a blur past Ramsey and he saw the massive form of Kiri flying through the air. She let out a primal scream as she plummeted towards the earth and the last thing he saw before she disappeared into the treetops was his sword hanging from her waist like a dagger.

“Son of a bitch.” He said to himself.

Time dragged on. What was minutes felt like hours to Ramsey. He was restless. He looked at his injured arm wrapped tight and un-moveable. Whatever Kiri had done made so he couldn’t even feel it anymore. He dragged himself up and started to explore. The cave itself was pretty narrow barely enough room for two people to live comfortably and with Kiri’s above average size all bets were off. In truth it looked more like a pit stop than an actual home more a place to stop and rest for a night then move on. He looked towards the entrance again the stars were shining bright next to a crescent moon. How was it possible for a cave to be this high up? For a moment he stared at the forest below and he swore he could her shouts coming from the brush and voices on the wind. He turned around and inspected the back of the cave. The fire burned brightly but even it could only do so much against the encroaching darkness. Across from it was a pile of tender. Ramsey threw some on to stoke the flame. He noticed some sticks piled in a corner. A closer look discovered the ends were doused in some greasy substance. “Torches.” He thought to himself. He lit one carrying it in his good arm. With the confidence that came with light Ramsey decided to continue deeper into the cave. For fifteen minutes he walked all the while looking at the cave walls. Simple designs were painted on the walls rough depictions of woman fighting in an arena. Sometimes they fought each other, sometimes they fought creatures. One he recognized as a rage beast. Then he came across a symbol that looked like a crescent moon in the body of a sun. God knows what that meant. Just as Ramsey was about to head back he heard a noise. At first soft but as he drew closer he recognized it as rushing water. Curiosity getting him he continued on until he came to a small spring. In the middle of a cave how was that possible? The spring was hot and he could see steam rising even in the low light. He placed his torch on a nearby ridge and the fire took off almost startling him. It traveled in grooves of the wall lighting up the entire area. The spring was only one of many that seemed to encircle a giant waterfall inside the very mountain. He approached the edge and saw the water runoff into oblivion.

“Son of bitch.” He repeated

Ramsey disrobes seizing a much needed opportunity for a bath with whatever privacy he had. At first he was worried that he would be washed down the waterfall towards that dark oblivion but someone fortunately had the foresight to gate of the opening, plus the current wasn’t very strong. He sighed as the water from an upper pool fell over his body and he began rubbing his fingers through his dark hair and brushing away from his eyes. Never had he imagined his day would end like this. He still didn’t know what Kiri wanted but she seemed decent enough. Was this all just an act of kindness? Was she a part of some group of forest guardians that helped wayward travelers? It seemed like a fairytale but how else would you explain it? He took a deep breath and dunked his head into the water. For a few brief moments he was at peace floating in the gentle current. Suddenly he felt himself being jerked up violently and he swallowed a lungful of water. He landed on the hard ground bent over coughing and spiting up boiling water. He lurched his head upward to meet a pair of piercing yellow eyes and next to hers a pair of dazzling blue.