The Journey Begins

Lauren awoke to the sound of a rooster crowing. The sunlight shone in through the window and hit her in the eye like a laser beam. She groaned and pulled the covers over her eyes and groaned. The sound of glass breaking and shouting shocked her out of her drowsiness and she opened her eyes instantly. For a moment Lauren thought she was home, but then she realized that she was in a totally different world.

She threw the blankets off of her and hurriedly pulled up her boots and pulled on her coat.

Lauren opened the door and ran down the old wooden stairs, two at a time. The yelling and shouting grew louder as she rounded the corner to see...Amias and Odi having an argument. Glass crunched beneath Lauren's feet as she made her way over to the table where Odi and Amias were standing.

"...can't be trusted!" Amias shouted.

"You have no idea why!" Odi shouted back.

Lauren looked from Amias and then to Odi as they continued to yell and shout for a reason that she was not yet aware of. "IS ANYONE GOING TO TELL ME WHAT'S GOING ON?"

The shouting ceased and Amias and Odi turned to look at Lauren, oblivious of her previous presence. Amias slowly stepped forward. "He can't be trusted!"

"Why?" Lauren asked.

"I came down early this morning to get ready for our journey, and I saw Odi sitting at our table looking at this dagger!" he said, holding the small dagger up for Lauren to see.

"And?" she asked, confused.

"And," Amias said, glaring at Odi. "The dagger that he is holding was my father's dagger!"

"How does he have it?" Lauren asked, staring at the dagger.

"That's what I'm trying to find out!" Amias nearly shouted, glaring even harder at Odi.

The whole time Odi had stood silent, looking at his accuser, but now he threw silence aside. "And what do you think I was trying to do? Kill you? Or kill the one who is meant to save us? How many times do I have to tell you that I am trying to help? I do not know how I have it. All I know is that on the day I became Icas's captain, he gave me that dagger as kind of a present, if you will."

Lauren looked at Amias like she would a child that needs discipline. "If that dagger proves anything, it would prove that Odi is innocent and Icas is guilty because it is just more proof about your father." For a moment Amias had nothing to say and Lauren took advantage of that. "Well, let's get going. It's getting late."

Lauren stormed up the stairs. She walked over to her bed and opened a haversack. She threw some blankets and some food inside. She found an old sheath and the sword fit perfectly in it as Lauren buckled the belt around her waist. She threw the haversack over her shoulder and made her way to the door. She didn't open the door but instead, she pulled out the pouch containing the Starstone. Lauren sighed and put it back in her pocket.

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The trio made their way to the beach where the Crystal sea separated Wakemark from the rest of Eddeathra. A small rowboat sat on the sand by the water.

Odi gestured to the boat, "We can go in this." Amias hesitated, but Lauren walked up to the boat and nodded. Amias was about to protest when Lauren glared at him. "Unless you want to be left behind, I suggest you stop moping around and get in with us. The longer we wait, the less time that we have to save Ben."

Amias slowly approached the boat. "How do we even find this cure? How do we even find out what it is?"

Lauren sighed and she reached for the Starstone. "I do not know, but I know that it's here somewhere." The Starstone shimmered and emitted a faint glow. "It has to be."