In Search of Auria Read Online Free Page A

there,
retrieving the sword from Sebastien’s ankle to pierce his gut and
await a great warrior’s death. But even though he had said to
Raymond that his death would change nothing, he wanted to survive.
At some point of his life he wanted to experience something that
the battlefield could not provide; something his mind hadn’t
discovered, but that his soul yearned for. He had seen enough
blood, enough death, and enough violence.
    Reaching the edge, Erik jumped with a groan.
The soldiers were not as brave as him and abruptly stopped, almost
falling down themselves. Erik set his sights down to the river as
he gained speed with every second. He let go of the shield and
crossed his arms over his chest. The wind battered his body as he
dropped through the air. Would he survive the plunge?
    Suddenly, the river disappeared from under
his boots. All became black and all feeling stopped. Darkness
slowly crept into the sight of his eyes…
    *
    The fire I made had died. I found myself
standing in front of the smoking wood with my face buried in my
hands. I did not recall getting up or placing my hands on my face.
These memories I held were of bloody battles and lost friends; too
intense that I sometimes lost reality. I shook my head and cleared
my mind. I needed to rest for the coming day. Perhaps tomorrow I’d
focus on better memories, on the ones of my Auria.

3- In the town
     
    I woke up to a sunny morning. I rubbed my
eyes as they came in contact with the daylight. The sun was already
high in the sky. I had overslept. I needed to gather my equipment
and continue on my path. I folded the thin, black blanket I had
slept with. I always had it in my bag, except for when I was with
Auria. When I was with her back home, I would spread it on the
ground so we could sit and have a good chat. I could’ve been
chatting with her at this very moment, sitting on this blanket. But
we weren’t. And for that I blamed myself.
    According to the map I took from the
outpost, I would reach a village called Vieris if I followed the
route to the northwest. And after the sun went past noon, I was
there. The stone walls around it were so old they had deteriorated
and broken down. The gaps in between were so wide that three
carriages could pass through side by side. But what caught my eyes
even more were the cultivating fields that surrounded the village.
They circled around, full of eggplants, corn, tomatoes and beans.
There was even a small, but noticeable section with flowers. After
my recent encounter with the balorian soldiers, the best course of
action would be to avoid the village and prevent any unnecessary
interaction. But, I was weary after days of walking and hiking. The
sun was too hot and I needed a drink.
    I walked upon the dusty road leading to the
southern entrance of the walls. Passing by villagers and farmers,
the last carrying crops to their wagons, I thought about how easy
it would be to invade this village. The walls were so deteriorated
that a measly kick would crumble them. This is how much war-
infested my mind was; I was approaching a peaceful village, and all
I could think about was how to tear it down. This is why Auria was
so important to me. Not only did I love her, but she would take me
away from my warring life.
    Nearing the entrance, the guards took a
suspicious gander at me. I kept on forward without making eye
contact. And surprisingly enough, they left me be. Maybe things
around here were so calm and dull, they didn’t even worry about
strangers like me.
    The houses inside were made of well crafted
wood, all with circular windows and little bells beside the front
door. Many of them had two floors; a shop on the first and a home
on the second. It only took me a few minutes to find the town pub.
Pulling the creaking door, I let myself in. The barkeeper looked at
me funny when I asked for water instead of mead or wine, but
without any problem poured me a cup. After a few moments of rest, I
noticed two lovebirds at the