The first rays of dawn painted the dense canopy in shades of grey and pale gold. The air was cool and damp with morning dew. Ryder doused the small, magi-tech heater, and Kaela carefully folded her surprisingly compact sleeping mats, tucking them and the heater back into her magic pouch at her belt. The makeshift camp was dismantled quickly.
"Oakhaven is still the plan," Ryder stated, as he looked at Kaela.
Kaela, looking a little more rested but still bearing the smudges of yesterday's ordeal, nodded. She glanced around the forest, a flicker of fear still in her eyes. "How long do you think it will take us to reach Oakhaven on foot from here?"
Ryder considered the map Hessa had given him and their current location. "If we push it, maybe three days. But realistically, since we'll need proper rests, I'd say closer to four. It's a fair distance."
A hesitant but proud smile touched Kaela's features. "Perhaps… we won't need to walk the whole way." She unclipped a sleek, rectangular metallic object from her belt, about the size of a brick. Then, from her pouch, she produced another, slightly smaller rectangular piece. "This is my 'Dust Devil.' My latest project."
"I've never actually field-tested it. I had the carriage before, you see." She pressed a rune on the larger rectangle. It unfolded with a series of smooth clicks and whirs, expanding and reshaping itself into the rugged frame of some kind of two-wheeled vehicle. Exposed conduits began to pulse with a faint blue light.
She then took the second rectangle and, with another click, attached it to the side of the newly formed machine. It seamlessly expanded into a sidecar-like seat. The tires were thick and knobby, clearly designed for rough terrain. It looked cobbled together in some places, yet undeniably functional and imbued with a strange, advanced aesthetic.
"I built her myself," Kaela said, her voice laced with affection as she ran a hand over a panel etched with glowing runes. "Inspired by some designs I read about from Valerock." Her eyes shone with the pure pride of a creator. "She should be able to carry two, and make good time."
Ryder circled the strange machine, genuinely impressed. It was just like an motercycle from earth.
"That's… something else, Kaela." He gestured to the handlebars. "Mind if I give it a try?"
Kaela's smile faltered slightly, a touch of possessiveness in her eyes.
"Oh! Well, if you don't mind, Ryder, I'd… I'd like to take her out for her first real run. My baby, you know?" She patted the seat. "But we can definitely switch later! I'm sure I'll get tired."
"Fair enough," Ryder conceded with a nod. "Your creation, your get to ride her first."
As Kaela settled into the driver's seat, Ryder took the sidecar. The magi-tech engine hummed to life with a surprisingly quiet, energetic thrum. "So, Oakhaven," Ryder began as they started moving, the Dust Devil handling the uneven forest floor with surprising agility. "You mentioned your family. What brings you out this far with just guards?"
Kaela seemed to brighten. "Oh, well, I'm a magi-tech smith! It's a blend of traditional smithing, magic theory, and engineering! I imbue materials with specific properties, create devices that channel or manipulate magic energies."
She sighed dramatically. "I'm from the Rustsparks family, abd they're more into traditional Anchor smithing, maintaining and modifying existing Anchors, you know. They are all old heads with very rigid views. And they don't quite appreciate me applying magi-tech principles to Anchor smithing."
She continued, "I was heading to Oakhaven because I heard there's a growing interest in newer forms of magi-tech there. And, well, to be honest, I wanted to get away from home for a bit, focus on my own work. My older brother, bless him, helped arrange this trip. If not for him, I'd probably still be stuck at the family forge, only allowed to work on traditional Anchor smithing."
Her brother, huh? Ryder thought. Helps her leave, then the guards and all her valuable equipment vanish. Convenient. He filed that away. Kaela, however, seemed to hold no such suspicions, her expression one of simple gratitude when she mentioned him.
"For me, there was a primordial incident back in Crowpoint," Ryder offered, deciding a little transparency could build trust. "I became an Anchor Bearer then. That's why I'm heading to Oakhaven – to register with the Hunter's Guild."
Kaela's eyes widened. "Truly? You only just bonded with your Anchor? And you fought like that? That's incredible!" Then, a thought struck her. "The Hunter's Guild! Oh! Ryder, I can help with that! My family are THE Anchor smithing family in the Kingdom. Our name carries some weight. I'm sure I can make your registration smoother!" Her offer was earnest, her naivete in the face of her earlier ordeal strangely endearing.
"Hunter's Guild, still the plan, Boss," Betsy's voice was a familiar presence in his mind. "And a little nepotism from the new kid to grease the wheels? Can't hurt."
Ryder mentally agreed. "That true, that and the letter of recommandation will definately make things smoother for us."
The Dust Devil, while impressive, was no match for Betsy's ground-covering speed.
Ryder made the internal calculation: this would indeed add at least another day, maybe two, to their travel time. He felt a pang of longing for Betsy's efficiency but stuck to his decision.
Around midday, as they navigated a particularly dense section of woods, Betsy's mental alert came. "Heads up, Ryder. Multiple small contacts closing in, two o'clock. Energy signatures are faint, but definitely corrupted."
Ryder tapped Kaela's shoulder. "Trouble," he said, his eyes already scanning the indicated direction. Kaela brought the Dust Devil to a smooth halt.
A moment later, a group of creatures burst from the undergrowth. They were deer-like in shape, but their bodies were disturbingly elongated and thin, moving with an unnatural, scuttling gait. Their hide was patchy and discolored, and their eyes glowed with the same malevolent red as the wolves.
"Corruped Deers" Ryder mentally dubbed them. There were four of them.
"More corrupted animals!" Kaela yelped, already fumbling for her handgun, her confidence slightly shaken.
Ryder was already dismounting, his sword and shield materializing. His enhanced strength coursed through him. He met the first Corruped Deer's charge with a solid shield bash that sent it sprawling, then followed up with a quick, clean sword thrust.
Kaela, after a frustrated smack to her weapon, also managed to get hand cannon to to cooperate. A blast of energy caught a second deer in the flank, making it shriek and stumble. Ryder used the opening to dispatch it. The remaining two, perhaps sensing this fight was not in their favor, hesitated. Ryder didn't give them a chance to reconsider, pressing his attack.
The encounter was over in less than a minute. The Corrupted Deers, while unnerving, were no match for Ryder's skill, especially with Kaela providing occasionally potent fire support.
"Getting to be a habit, this," Ryder commented, his weapons demanifesting as he surveyed the dead creatures.
Kaela managed a shaky grin, relief washing over her face. "At least my 'Ol Sparky' decided to work more than once this time." She patted her handgun. "We make a decent team, Ryder."
Ryder nodded. "You're looking tired, Kaela. Want me to take over driving the... Dust Devil for a bit?"
Kaela hesitated for only a moment, the weariness from the constant alertness and the previous day's ordeal evident in her posture.
"Actually, yes please. My arms are starting to ache." She slid out of the driver's seat. "Just twist this to control the speed, and this is the break."
They switched places, Ryder settling onto the main seat of the magi-tech vehicle and Kaela taking the sidecar. He tested the controls, it is just like motercycles.
"You know," Kaela said after a few minutes of quiet travel, the hum of the Dust Devil a steady drone as Ryder navigated them through the trees, "you're not like any Anchor Bearer I've ever read about, or even heard stories of."
He's so calm, even after a fight like that, Kaela thought, glancing at Ryder's focused expression. And the way he handles everything.
He's not just powerful, but also so controlled and decisive. Like he was born for this. Even with a new Anchor, he's more capable than some Hunters I've seen with years of experience.
A sense of security, something she hadn't felt since her guards vanished, began to settle in her.
"Just trying to get by," Ryder replied, his gaze fixed on the path ahead. The forest was dense, but the Dust Devil, under his guidance, moved with an agility that continued to impress him. With this speed, they could reach Oakhaven by tomorrow mid day.