“Aren Tang, 3rd division of the Elite Guards at your service!” Proclaimed a young lad standing in front of me. Beaming upon me, he was suited in shining armor with a huge axe strapped behind his back. Clearly this young man took great pride and honor in his position as la crème de la crop of the military.
To what extent have I enlisted the services of a person with such caliber? It seems that my tales have been spreading like wild fire around here. A senior herbalist from the Royal Infirmary had caught word of my sighting of a Blastmelon plant; an exceptionally rare plant with extraordinary healing properties. It is located deep within the Valley of Meru where it is said to be home to many hostile beasts, as well as the rumored feral hounds.
A chill ran down my spine as the reality of the situation slams me right in the face. “Ahem!” Aren cleared his throat to bring me back to my senses. “Shall we go now?” asked Aren with a more serious look. “Y-yes, yes, let’s go… it is towards the north…” I stretched out my hand and pointed us towards our perilous journey.
The Valley of Meru was a sight to behold. Dense foliage grew and covered the entire valley spreading up the hills around it, with thick shrouds of mist engulfing the peaks; giving it a mystical and mysterious feel to the picturesque scenery. “This is it, young master Aren… From here on out, we have to thread lightly.” I cautioned Aren as I made my way toward the jungle in search of the Blastmelon.
As we wandered into the dark damp jungle, we were attacked by wild boars. But with a swing of his mighty axe, Aren cut them down with ease. We even stumbled across a nest of pythons. But with little effort, Aren chopped them up to bits. But the worst was far to come. As we traveled very deep into the jungle, out of no where my hat was snatched up into a tree. “Why that cheeky little!” I shouted at the impish monkey waving my hat around taunting me.
Aren picked up stones around him and threw them at the critter up in the tree. Surprisingly, he missed on all three attempts “If the stone was a bit bigger, I’ll surely hit it.” Aren said as he wandered off to search for a bigger object. Moments later, he returned with a bright orange cannonball shaped fruit the size if a watermelon. “This time, I’m not gonna miss!!” he flung it and it landed squarely at the monkey’s feet with a thunderous “BANG!!” it sent the monkey flying face down to the ground. I reached for my hat, dusted off the dirt and placed it back on my head where it rightfully belonged and asked “Where did you get that?” Aren pointed towards a clearing nearby, there laid a few more of those brightly colored melons which if I’ve not mistaken are indeed what we were looking for, Blastmelons!
As we headed over to collect those infamous melons, the monkey crawled to its feet shrieking in a fit of rage. Then we saw them, hordes of monkeys came rushing towards us gnashing their teeth wildly in the air with drool smeared all over their mouths. Aren and I looked at each other, at that point of time it was as if we reach a state of mutual understanding. Without uttering a word, we turned our backs to the advancing primates and we ran like we had never run before for our dear lives.
It was amazing how we survived that horrendous episode; we even delivered the highly volatile melons intact. I actually felt proud of myself... until I handed them over to the herbalist. “No, these are not Blastmelons… these are Bombkins…” I was speechless. To think I had been through all that for nothing? “But not to worry, your effort will be rewarded… these Bombkins are also wanted for further studies in the area of producing weapons of mass destruction!! Wakakaka!!...”
A high stake mission to retrieve a fabled fruit… being on the verge of contracting rabies… and a mental old man. “All in a days work!” That is what I reckon Aren would say.
By the Wandering Minstrel,
Rong Tau
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