Memories Will Sustain You

Lloyd and Kratos strolled through a small valley in the small area that ran in between two large mountains. They were on their way to an area known as Hakden Island, a mid-sized island that that just off the Southern tip of the Altamira coast. They could catch a small boat there from a small port that lay near it, and the place was almost guaranteed to be deserted. The island was used as a refuge during the great Kharlan War, but was known to few. It was there that Kratos had trained in his younger days, which was a couple hundred years ago.

“Kratos… how much farther?” Lloyd begged desperately. He was about to collapse with exhaustion. They had been traveling all day in the blazing sun, and hadn’t taken a single break. A drop of water had not touched Lloyd’s lips since before even before Kratos had told Lloyd they would be leaving.

“Patience, Lloyd. We will rest was soon as soon as we reach the port. After all, we only have a couple more miles to travel, and judging by the sun’s position, it’s just past midday. Relax, and we’ll be there soon enough.”

Lloyd sighed and trudged along. His legs felt like they had turned to stone and he had to drag them along through the hot dirt and mud. They were deadweight. Everything was beginning to turn blurry, and Lloyd felt like any moment he would pass out right there.

“Why can’t you just activate those wings of yours and fly us to the island?”

“Because this part of your training, of course. Endurance is a vital skill to a swordsman.”

Kratos went off on a lecture on the skills and qualities necessary to being a master swordsman. Lloyd tuned out around the part about “bravery and courage” and instead focused on the gnat buzzing around his face. He kept whacking it away, but it persisted. He grabbed it in his hand and squeezed tightly. There was one enemy that was finished off quickly.

Three hours later, the small port came into view.

“Wow that sure was a quick trip!”

Kratos exclaimed. Lloyd face faulted, and came back up spitting dirt and sand out of his mouth. Despite his overwhelming fatigue, Lloyd broke into a run towards the single building that made up the port “town.” Kratos caught up and jogged alongside him, and a minute later Lloyd had collapsed on a bench inside and Kratos was inquiring the old fisherman inside about a boat ride to Hakden Island.

Kratos slid a couple of coins on the desk over to the old, fat fisherman and rejoined Lloyd near the entrance. He sat down next to his son and stared down at the red-clad swordsman curiously. He was slumped over in the seat, with his head hanging upside down near the floor.

“Get up, Lloyd. The old man has gone to prepare the boat, we’re heading to the island.”

“NOW?!” Lloyd exclaimed in a tired and irritated tone. He was hoping he would at least get to rest for the night before they left. He was never going to get to sleep; Kratos was going to work him to death.

Kratos took Lloyd’s shoulders in his tight grip and yanked him to his feet, then dragged him out the door. He thought he would never have to go through all this childcare nonsense, but here he was, trying to keep his seventeen-year-old son in line. It’s not as if he didn’t care about the boy, and he did, but sometime he was a pain.

Half an hour later, the small paddle boat has set out over the sea on the relatively small journey. Lloyd has fallen asleep and actually fell out of the boat into the water, but was yanked out by Kratos and sat soaking wet in the boat. The fisherman wasn’t too pleased, and began yelling in a deep, gruff voice about “damn children and them rebel attitudes.”

A small bridge had been erected in the sand as a makeshift landing for any boats that came to the small island. The fisherman rowed in and tied his boat to a small peg with a rope. He climbed up and Kratos and Lloyd clambered out after him. Kratos rushed forward, his boots kicking up sand behind him. A couple of birds chirped overhead, and the calming sounds of waves surrounded the peaceful scene. A large forest that made up most of the island lay before them, tall and almost foreboding. But Kratos welcomed the sight. He hadn’t been to this place in some fifty years, but the place hadn’t changed a bit. Some areas stood against the test of time, and Kratos was overjoyed to see that this place was one of them.

“C’mere, Lloyd, just look at it.”

Lloyd staggered forward, jumping in between sleep and consciousness every few seconds. Kratos had to grab Lloyd’s shoulders to keep him steady, but the boy was still a bit wobbly. Just as lazy as he was the since they had “met” at Martel Temple.

“Isn’t it just great, Lloyd? Huh? How I miss the old days… Anyway, we’ll have to get to training straight away tomorrow, but for now… welcome to Hakden Island.”

(((I promise that the good stuff will be coming soon!)))