赤裸裸的滑稽故事

Ashleigh spent the rest of the night thinking about what to do. As the sun rose the following day, she was already walking through the trees.

She had already been searching for more than a month. How could she give up now?

From what the journal had said, the scout believed that the lake monsters were preparing to attack the mound. That meant that the stream he found must have been near it as well, and that is why they were gathering there.

She knew from the first time she had come to Moonguard that the mound was still at least two miles north of her current position. If the cave was near the stream, the scout must have left the journal on his way back down the mountain.

On her way up, she had not encountered him or found any sign of him, which meant he had not returned the way he had come up after the treant attacked him. From up in the tree, Ashleigh had surveyed the area to try and figure out in which direction he might have gone.

The problem was that it was a dense forest, and it was difficult to see where it might lead to a cliff or turn you around and send you back up the mountain.

She needed to find higher ground. It was a risk that would eat up a lot of the day, but it was also likely the same thing the scout would have done.

Unfortunately, it took her four days to reach higher ground. The number of fae that roamed the woods had increased, and she had been forced to outrun or fight the patrols she encountered.

She was covered in minor wounds and bruises when she reached the overlook. The sun was setting, and the sky was covered in deep orange and red.

Ashleigh was exhausted. She had pushed herself harder than she had the strength to do, but she had made it. She intended to camp here for the night. When the sun was bright in the morning, she could get a much clearer view of the land below.

Only then could she try to formulate a strategy on how she would find the scout.

That was the plan.

But, as she reached the top of the hill and was bathed in the sun's dying light, her mission abruptly ended.

Several hours later, the black sky was speckled with the glittering light of distant stars.

Leading up to the overlook, lifeless bodies of bats, frogs, and at least one of the lake monsters were scattered across the winding path. Killed after they had been drawn to the light of the large roaring fire that burned on the hill.

On the ground before the fire, Ashleigh sat, covered in blood and dirt. Her arms were crossed over her knees. In each hand, she still held firmly to the obsidian karambits, ready to be used at any moment. Her head was tucked down in silence against her thighs.

She was well beyond her limits. On any other day, she would have collapsed hours ago. But not today. Today she had to push through. She would not sleep or lower her guard until dawn fell on that hill, and the scout’s passage to the Goddess was complete.

It was the least she could do for him.

Her phone rang.

It was unexpected, but she didn’t have the energy to be surprised. She usually kept it turned off in her bag, only using it every three days to check in with Fiona. But today was the third day. She had just finished sending her message to Fiona when she found the scout’s body.

Ashleigh had moved the phone to her pocket and forgotten about it. It rang again. She set down one of her knives and pulled it out.

She lifted her head, and her face was covered in blood and dirt, but streaks of tears ran down her cheeks. She swallowed and looked at the phone.

In the almost two months she had been gone, Fiona had never called, only sent messages. There had to be a reason.

Ashleigh glanced back at the pyre.

This day had begun with a faint hope in her heart that her mission would end happily. But as the sun had set, so had that hope. Ashleigh turned back to the phone and clenched her jaw.

There was no chance that the reason for Fiona’s call would be good.

Ashleigh brought the phone to her ear and answered but said nothing.

“Ashleigh?” Fiona’s warm voice spoke through the phone.

Ashleigh swallowed and closed her eyes but still said nothing.

Fiona took in a breath and let it out slowly.

“Ashleigh,” she sighed, “you haven’t spoken to anyone these past two months. So, I assume you won’t speak now?”

There was silence.

“All right,” she said softly. “You don’t need to answer. Just listen.”

Fiona cleared her throat, and Ashleigh could almost see her straighten her back as she took a deep breath and let it back out slowly.

“I know you left because you felt there was something you needed to do,” she began. “I understand, and I respect that. But…”

Fiona paused, and Ashleigh’s heart thumped heavily in her chest.

“Six months is almost here,” Fiona said quietly.

Ashleigh took in a shaky breath and clenched her jaw.

At the end of the call, Fiona closed her eyes and swallowed.

“There will be a vigil in two weeks,” she said. “The preparations have already begun. There is no turning back. Caleb’s people will mourn him properly.”

Ashleigh sniffled as she swallowed the lump in her throat. Her jaw shook, and her eyes filled with tears.

“Ashleigh… I’m sorry…” Fiona whispered. “I really… I hoped things would turn out differently.”

A sound from down the hill caught Ashleigh’s attention. She wiped her eyes and peered down. Three bats were making their way over the bodies toward her.

She took a deep breath.

“I understand if you don’t want to—"

“I’ll be there,” Ashleigh interrupted as she picked up her second blade and got to her feet.

“You will?” Fiona asked in surprise.

“I will,” Ashleigh replied.

She hung up the phone without another word. She clenched her jaw with anger as she turned toward the monsters that had the unfortunate luck of running into her right now.