Humphrey Chapter 2
"Reflections"
(Harmonia/Highland border gate)


Darkness.
"Hey he's moving!"
It constantly surrounds me.
"Come over here!"
Where am I?
"Look at him!"
Am I dead?
"Wake up!"


A sharp kick to the side sent Humphrey Mintz back to reality. He forced open his eyes only to be blinded by the radiant sun. Also, Humphrey discovered that thick ropes on his hands and feet restrained him. Three gloating Highland guards stood over him. "Oh you decided to join us." the head guard sneered.

"……….." Humphrey didn't bother to say anything.

"Giving us the silent treatment eh? We'll soon change your tune." the head guard retorted.

Before Humphrey could react, the head guard grabbed the helpless man's throat and started to choke him. "Now tell me why you were in Highland territory!" he cried.

"Urrkk." Humphrey managed to gasp.

The head guard threw the blond-haired man into the stonewall. "Well?" he inquired.

A thousand answers ran through Humphrey's mind; however, he decided to keep his mouth shut. Pacing across the grassy knoll, the head guard finally resorted to shouting: "Are you mute, man? Tell me why you were in Highland territory!" he screamed.

He grabbed Humphrey's yellow cloak again, choking the older man. Just as the head guard was starting to yell at Humphrey again, a muscular Highland solider casually strolled into the courtyard. "What are you guys doing?" he asked, stuffing a ham sandwich into his mouth.

The head guard dropped Humphrey onto the stone floor in surprise. Gratefully, Humphrey swallowed the fresh, brisk air. Without pausing the head guard walked over to the solider and said sarcastically: "Oh nothing, Bryan. Just interrogating a prisoner, what does it look like? Why do you always have to barge in at the most inconvenient times?"

Bryan shrugged as he poured a gallon of water down his throat. After swallowing, he retorted: "Maybe it's my talent, ever thought about that? Hey, who's the prisoner?"

The head guard scowled. "We were trying to figure that out, before you intervened!"

As the two Highlanders argued, Humphrey tested the strength of the ropes. If only he could break them, then maybe he would have a way to escape. Meanwhile, the argument escaladed into a shouting match. "Come on, let me fight him!" Bryan pleaded.

"Are you going to be annihilated again?" another guard asked.

Bryan whirled around to face his fellow solider. "Shut up! That guy was a legend, so it's no wonder I lost! This guy will be a piece of cake! Come on, face me!" he shouted to Humphrey.

To the amazement of all, Humphrey snapped the ropes in half. He then grabbed his khopesh, lying in the corner. The war veteran maintained a fighting stance, daring the Highland guard to strike him. Bryan withdrew his sword from its sheath, and then started to circle Humphrey. Staring at one another intensively, they dared the other to make the first move, without speaking. Finally, Bryan rushed headfirst into the older man. However, Humphrey anticipated the move and easily blocked it, by thrusting the blunt of his sword in Bryan's face. Surprised, Bryan dropped his sword to the ground. Pointing the tip of his khopesh against the younger man's vulnerable throat, Bryan finally shouted: "Alright, you won! Let me go!"

Humphrey released his grip, causing Bryan to fall into a heap on the floor. Standing up, he muttered: "Jeez, he's just as bad as that Georg guy."

Humphrey snapped to full attention by shoving his khopesh back into Bryan's face. "Georg? Georg Prime? What do you know about him?" he asked persistently.

"He came by here this morning." Bryan said, trying to push the khopesh away from him.

"Where did he go? Tell me now." Humphrey said, leaving no room for compromise.

"To-to Sajah Village, due south of here." Bryan stuttered.

The massive man dropped Bryan onto the stone floor. Then Humphrey walked out of the small border gate. Noticing his prisoner's absence, the head guard ran after Humphrey shouting: "Hey we still have some question to ask you!"

Humphrey whirled around to give the Highlander a deadly glare, suggesting that the guard should tend to his own business unless he wanted to be run through with his sword. Frightened, the head guard cowered. "Have-have a nice day sir." he finished timidly.

Without saying a word, Humphrey proceeded to walk out of the border house. Then he traveled south, further into Highland territory. To gain his bearings, Humphrey pulled a frayed, leather parchment from his satchel. The mapmaker, Templton had given it to him after the Toran Liberation War had concluded. It was extremely accurate for a young boy. He estimated that it would take him about an hour to reach Sajah Village.

Now the battle-scarred warrior thoughts rested on Georg Prime. They had become close friends because they were in lofty positions in the Scarlet Moon Empire; Humphrey was Captain of the Elite Guard and Georg was one of the 6 Generals. Common interests brought them together, although their personalities contrast sharply. Georg Prime tended to have a charisma and charm around him. For that reason, women sought him out to no avail. Mainly, because Georg preferred to keep his true self under smoke and mirrors. On the other hand, Humphrey Mintz was basically mute. It took a lot of effort to pull a word out of him. People enjoyed the protection he could provide on the battlefield, but other than they had no use for him. However their mutual secretness caused them to bond together against any foe.

Unfortunately, Humphrey had not seen Georg in seven years, due to the Kalekka incident.

Now Humphrey focused on finding Georg Prime. It had become his secondary mission in life, the first being to find a dragon for Futch. Hopefully these missions would be completed soon. Suddenly the tiny village of Sajah appeared on the horizon. Humphrey pressed on, determined to finish his mission and to redeem himself of the unconfessed sin, which festered inside of him.


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"Humphrey" and "Futch" are (C) Konami
This chapter was posted on April 4, 2000
This author no longer writes for Humphrey