Chapter 4: Rui (part 3 of 5)

  With the Ranger looking over my shoulder and offering tips, I was able to trim down my baggage considerably—and humble myself once more in the process. Besides the one rucksack filled entirely with magnet blocks, I had also tried to bring reference books, suture kits, pots and pans for Buddha knows what reason, and even a massive atlas of local Maladies I had bought on a whim and never opened once. By the time Zahir and I finished gutting and reshuffling the contents of my baggage, I was left with just the one sack, mostly containing spare clothes. I did also keep about a dozen of the magnet blocks and stuck them into the peripheries of the rucksack. I had gone through so much trouble making these blocks that I simply didn't have the heart to let them all go to waste. With Zahir's help, the rest of the magnets along with my extraneous belongings all went into a storage shed in one corner of the courtyard.

  By the time we finished repacking, the rest of the party had gathered again and were loitering outside the tea room. Among them, I caught the familiar sight of a tall, ponytailed girl, also dressed in a silver-and-red tunic. On the surface, Lucy's three years in the field hadn't changed her much beyond a darker tan and perhaps more definition in her muscles. But she had a different presence about her now; something about her felt more settled, more self-assured.

  We were born just under a year apart. Growing up, it always felt to me like we were twins and Michael was our one older brother watching over both of us. There was a part of me that had always harboured an inferiority complex toward Michael, but Lucy and I had been practically equals every step of the way. We did almost everything together, and played with the same group of friends. I was born in January and her in December, so we were even placed in the same academic year, through compulsory education then onto medical school.

  It had come as a bit of a shock to the rest of the family when Lucy first announced that she had successfully applied for specialization into Field Medicine. I hadn't been privy to her plans either, but I wasn't surprised by the news. It fit perfectly with the Lucy I knew back in our days racing through alleyways and playing Adventurers and Maladies with boys in the neighbourhood. More often then not, she would find a way to win our games that had no rules to them, and she shined brightest whenever she waxed poetic about the horrors and wonders of the outside world.

  Now, I observed her chatting and laughing breezily with Boonie, looking completely at ease in the company of an older man that terrified me. I felt a pang of envy, a sensation that I had grown accustomed to. Here was my sister, facing unfathomable dangers day in and day out, yet exuding an air of perfect confidence—looking like she belonged. I thought of my own unending list of inadequacies: my phobia of the chaos hour at the hospital and my discomfort with sharing the workplace with my own brother, just to name a few. Perhaps Lucy had her own chaos hour, her own doubts and insecurities. But if she did, she certainly showed no trace of it now. It seemed to me that both of my siblings were fulfilling their respective promises with aplomb, and leaving me in the dust.

  There wasn't time enough for a heartfelt siblings' reunion. I waved at Lucy as I approached and she flashed me a smile, but her eyes quickly flicked toward Prisha. Sure enough, the Lancer-cum-party-leader began to speak as soon as Zahir and I rejoined the group. She did not have to raise her voice for the chatter around her to die down immediately. "Right. I apologize for the slight delay, but we're all gathered now so let's get started.

  The rest of us naturally fell into a semicircle around Prisha and all eyes trained on her. Sensing that departure was near, I could feel my nerves starting up again.

  "We'll begin our final departure briefing. There hasn't been any changes to plans, but we'll recap. Party leader is myself Prisha Kumar, Lancer. My second is Chua Yap-Boon, Daoshi."

  I glanced at Boonie. He was the only person among us who was shorter than Prisha, though I thought he wouldn't be if he had only stood straighter. I eyed his slouch and his sneery smile that I could swear was becoming a smiley sneer, and I couldn't picture a Daoshi that was skilled and experienced enough to be second-in-command to Prisha. I tried to shake the thought, reminding myself that I was here to learn and not to judge.

  "The vanguard will be, again, myself and Boonie. Midrange support, we have Darsik Ramani, Guru. Artillery: Zahir bin Ahmed, Ranger. Rear support: Lucy Tao, Medic. Today, we also have a civilian joining us, Mr Ruihong Tao."

  I couldn't help but note that the mention of my name was not followed by a title. Even though I—same as all of my doctor colleagues—was a fully attuned Magicker myself, my area of expertise was clearly too far removed to be considered relevant here. I might as well have been a lawyer or a rickshaw driver; as far as these adventurers were concerned, it had no bearing on their mission.

  "Our client is the Jeweller's League of Jurong. They've requested a supply of Oliphant tusks. One set to meet the quota, and they're also prepared to offer bonus payments for up to two additional sets. As per usual, there will be deductions for damaged or incomplete goods."

  I felt my mouth open slightly as my eyes widened and searched for Lucy's. My sister's attention was fixed on Prisha and she didn't notice my reaction. This was another in a series of realizations that felt self-evident after the fact. Of course someone was funding this quest in exchange for a service. Lucy had told me that we were to hunt Oliphants but she neglected to mention at whose request. In yet another example of self-absorption, I had never stopped to wonder about this, and had accepted that this was to be an expedition purely for adventure's sake. No, of course it made sense that it was cold, hard business, and I was merely a neutral observer.

  "Recon has provided us with a map of the nearest fresh Oliphant tracks. We will start by following Pulai River to its first fork. If we haven't engaged by then, we will need to veer off eastward and circle back through the basin. I will make the call as we develop, but for now, the plan is for three days out and three days back at a maximum. Recon also warned me that there's increased Jungle-hound activity in the area, so we must proceed with maximum caution."

  I'd heard tell of a subset of adventurers who specialized in reconnaissance. To my knowledge, they acted alone and would never engage Maladies unless forced to. Personally, I'd never seen a Reconnoiterer as a patient at the hospital; I hoped this signified that they were very good at staying out of trouble and not that the trouble they did run into had been too much for them to handle.

  "We'll travel on horseback to the Pelepas outpost and continue on foot from there. This will—" Prisha paused, catching my newly horrified expression. "Don't worry, Rui, we won't risk getting you to ride with us. You'll have a seat on the supply wagon. Comfort not guaranteed, but it will be safe."

  I nodded, trying not to be obvious about how relieved I felt. I hadn't ridden a horse since my childhood visits to my grandfather's estate, and that had been with my father sitting behind me and holding the reins. Though my heart did ache as the glorious image of myself riding seaside on horseback faded away as quickly as it had formed.

  "As I was saying," Prisha continued, "this will double as a supply run to the Pelepas outpost. As far as I've been informed, there's no request for transport on the return trip, but as always, we'll keep an ear to the ground."

  The coastline across the Golden Strait was dotted with small settlements. Occasionally, they sent in shipments of fish, ores, and lumber, escorted by adventurers hailing from various agencies across the city. A good friend of mine from medical school—admitted a slightly odd fellow—lived and worked as an Outreach Medic in one of these fishing villages. Whenever he was back in the city for respite, he would regale us with harrowing—and possibly at least partially fictitious—tales of fending off Mud-leapers armed only with a scalpel. He seemed happy enough, though that might largely be thanks to the generous subsidies his occupation entitled him to.

  Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

  "Right. That about covers the summary. Any questions so far?"

  Prisha surveyed the group. I was of course full of questions but couldn't decide if any of them were appropriate for the moment. I had already resigned myself to keeping a lid on it for now and hoping that things will be made clearer along the way, when Boonie spoke up. "Think I'm the only one here with experience of taking a civilian out. Reckon we should go over again what that entails, for the civilian's benefit too."

  This meant that Boonie had already been a trusted adventurer at Silver Crane the last time they had conducted a civilian tour, more than a decade ago by Ihaka the attorney's reckoning. Boonie's mostly smooth face made it difficult to age him by appearance, but this bit of history likely put him in his mid-thirties at least. Boonie's suggestion sounded perfectly reasonable and was meant to help me, yet I fought down another prickle of disgust and annoyance. I still couldn't help but put up my guard, as if his every word were a personal attack.

  "Yes, that was going to be my next order of business," Prisha agreed easily then looked to my sister. "Lucy, this is your first run out with this group, so it's for your benefit too. Pay close attention," she then turned to me. "Rui, I'm going to give you a quick rundown of what to expect during a quest, just the bare minimum you should be aware of when we're out there. I'd ask that you do your best to retain the information."

  "Yes, of course," I nodded emphatically and felt my nervousness make way for excitement. I believed that—no matter what boring job we all ended up settling for—all Temasekians once dreamed of adventure in their heart of hearts. Such was our admiration for the calling; adventurers had built this city and adventure was still our lifeblood. Ours was an age-old tradition of adventurer worship, from the Great Founder Jun Ze to the Lioness Anwar binti Anwar to the legendary tales and undeniable charms of Seah Choo-Kang. If I closed my eyes, I could still picture my boyhood self, running alongside Lucy in pursuit of our friends pretending to be a pack of Barongs. And here I was now, about to be let into the real deal.

  "First, let's discuss what happens on the way to Pelepas. The coastal path along the Golden Strait is relatively safe. The view is clear over a large patch of low-lying vegetation. It's unlikely that any Malady would be interested in us there, but if anything happens, we'll have plenty of warning. Best thing for you to do is just sit tight on the wagon unless you're told otherwise."

  Anyone with taels to spare and an appetite for a strenuous hike had the option to take a brief tour atop the city gates. My father took the three of us up there when I was ten. Like everyone else born inside the city, I had seen paintings and had heard phrases like 'shimmering blue water washing up on golden sands' or 'lush greenery stretching to the horizon' but previously had no real concept of what the outside world looked like. In truth, I didn't even truly understand what a 'horizon' even was. So back then, I couldn't fathom how it could be remotely worth the hellish climb up uneven stone steps that just about made my feet fall off. Both Lucy and I were crying long before we reached the top, carried up the last few steps by Father and Michael. Then we saw it, and instantly, it was all worth it. We were then quickly ushered away by grumpy city guards, but I would never forget the sight for as long as I lived. It hadn't quite sunk in yet that I was about to walk those shores on my own two feet—or at the very least, roll along on it within the safety of a supply wagon.

  "When we go through the jungles on foot, however, there are certain principles you need to be familiar with, so that you can follow simple commands when the need arises. Do you know anything about tactical formation?"

  "Erm, are you referring to the different positions on the party, like vanguard and artillery?"

  "More or less. It's the configuration we organize ourselves into as we traverse an area of expected Malady engagement. It allows us to respond quickly to incoming threats and transition smoothly into the early stages of battle. In this party, Boonie and I make up the vanguard. Boonie takes point, meaning he will walk ahead of the group. I will be off-point, following behind and covering one side of the party should the terrain allow for it. Darsik is centre; he will be behind me but across on the other side of the group. Zahir then is the rearguard, bringing up the rear and keeping his senses up for any potential threats from behind us."

  I tried to picture this in my head, and it seemed clear enough. The four of them made up the points of a kind of lopsided diamond. The Daoshi and the Ranger would be in line with each other, while the Lancer and the Guru formed a diagonal that cut across them.

  "Lucy, you're going to be the rover, and I want you to default to Darsik," Prisha continued, and I saw Lucy nod her understanding. "Rui, the instruction I just gave Lucy means that she's going to be the free man in the formation, and essentially act as a messenger between the rest of us when needed. Her default position will be off-centre, just inside of Darsik. As for you, I want you to stick as close to your sister as possible. At all times. That's where you'll be safest."

  I nodded along but could feel a slight frown forming. Prisha had said earlier that it was the team's responsibility to keep me safe. I would have thought that the act of protecting me would fall to one of the combat-oriented adventurers, yet the instruction was for me to stick close to the Medic.

  "Put it to you this way, doc," Boonie spoke next, and all heads turned to him. "When we're in the jungle, you'll be Lucy's shadow. Wherever she goes, you follow. Whatever she does, you copy. That goes for when the fighting starts and there's nothing but movement around you. Just keep your eyes on your sister, and follow her lead. You got that, doc?"

  "Yes," I said, perhaps with a larger hint of defiance than I had intended. I directed my question to Prisha. "But could you maybe expand a bit on why it's safest for me to stay with Lucy?"

  "Of course. But I think perhaps I've done enough talking. Lucy, why don't you take this one?"

  "Um, sure," Lucy seemed to be caught off guard by the impromptu quiz, and fidgeted slightly as she prepared to answer. In that moment, I felt a kinship with my sister that brought her back down to earth. She was a young adventurer after all, just as I was a young doctor, equally anxious when put on the spot. "Well, I think you can imagine my position is sort of in the middle of the party. If there are any threats from any direction, one of the other four guys will be the first to notice and alert the group. My job when an engagement begins is to assess how the fight is developing and assume a position of safety, away from any potential threats and ideally with a good view of the whole battle. So... yeah, in theory, you'll be safest if you just stick close to me."

  After Lucy finished her explanation, Prisha nodded her satisfaction, and I felt myself relax with secondhand relief. "Good. Anyone have anything to add to that?"

  "Just know this," Boonie spoke up again, this time turning his sneer this way and that to address the whole group. From the way the other party members turned their attention to him again, I could sense that he commanded a similar level of respect as our Lancer. "This isn't any different to what we normally do. The muscles keep the beasties busy, keep them away from the squishy Medic. Medic does what she's been trained to do and keeps herself out of harm's way. It just so happens that this time, she's got a tag-along following her every move. As for you, doc," he then focused his gaze and sneer on me alone, "as long as you trust your sister and don't try to do anything you haven't been taught to do, you're going to come back here in one piece. Trust that she knows what she's doing, and trust that the rest of us are keeping an eye on you too. But know this," and there was a sudden change to Boonie, not in his expression or tone—which were still sneery and nonchalant—but rather the air around him. I felt a light tingle in my temples, not dissimilar to the ones I might experience whenever I Inducted. "Even the best of us can't roll with all the punches. Outside the city gates, nothing out there cares if you're a vet, a newbie, or a layman. They'll come at you just as hard, and they'll try to kill you. And if worst comes to worst and I have to make a choice between saving you or one of ours... just don't be under any illusion about your place on that scale."

  The group was silent for a moment as Boonie held my gaze. I looked him in his dark eyes and didn't trust myself to speak. They were the eyes of a man who had seen deaths, and had dealt his fair share of them—deaths of unfeeling beasts, deaths of enemies, and the deaths of his friends. There was no glint or shine to his eyes—only cold determination. I nodded with as much sincerity as I could muster.

  "Thanks for that summing up," I heard Prisha speak but I still couldn't take my eyes off Boonie. There was no hint in the Lancer's voice that her Daoshi had said anything out of the ordinary. Everything he said was their fact of life. "Right, well, I think there's no better way to learn than to actually do it. We still have time for a quick walkthrough before we head off."

  That piqued my curiosity and I turned my attention back to the group. Only then did I notice that Lucy had been eyeing me with a look of solemn concern. It seemed that at least one other person had also been affected by Boonie's words. I tried to show her a confident smile, though I had never been good at faking these things. Presently, Prisha started walking toward the back of the courtyard, the centre of which featured an elevated building with large iron gates. She beckoned for the rest of the group to follow. "Come on. I think we've kept our Beastmaster waiting long enough."