Ryck held the simple barbute helmet in his hands, the only interesting thing they had found all day from their search in the ruins. It was tucked away in an old chest that Baemus had smashed open with his warhammer. Ryck would have preferred to pick the lock, as the chest could have been useful, but the deed was done.

The helmet was old, scratched, dented in spots, but showed no signs of rust. It was a little smaller than Ryck was used to seeing.

This helmet might actually fit someone like me and not wobble around, he thought.

“Leave it,” Baemus said. “It’s worthless, no one’s head is that small. Except maybe yours.” The barbarian laughed at his own words.

Ryck rolled his eyes and looked inside the helmet. He brought his torch closer to see better in the dark room. There was some kind of writing scratched inside, which would have had to have been done shortly after it was forged. Strange. Ryck turned it to Baemus for him to see.

The large man shrugged. “I can’t read.”

“Pity,” Ryck said, wondering why he had hired this man to accompany him in the first place.

Ryck lifted the helmet and started to put it on his head.

“What are you doing?” Baemus asked, clearly annoyed.

“I just want to see if it fits,” Ryck said.

It did. And suddenly the whole room lit up as if it were daylight, even though Ryck knew it was still night. He squinted from the brightness.

“On too tight?” Baemus asked, laughing.

HE LOOKS LIKE A PIG WHEN HE SQUINTS.

“Don’t call me pig!” Ryck said and punched the barbarian in the shoulder.

Obviously unhurt, but looking confused, Baemus said, “I didn’t say anything about a pig.”

“You just said I look like a pig when I squint.” Now Ryck could fully open his eyes. The room was totally visible, as if the ceiling was gone and the room were bathed in broad daylight. And he could hear what he thought were mice crawling in the walls.

STRANGE LITTLE FELLOW.

“That! Right there! You keep insulting me!” Ryck said, pointing his little finger at the barbarian.

“I— I—,” Baemus stammered. “I may have… thought it.”

Ryck frowned as he stared down the man. “I distinctly heard you say—”

I SHOULD HAVE STAYED AT THE BAR. CAN’T BELIEVE I CHOSE TO WANDER AROUND WITH THIS LITTLE SQUIRREL OF A MAN.

Ryck stopped. He never saw Baemus’s lips moving, yet he distinctly heard his voice. Ryck narrowed his eyes. “Am I a squirrel to you, Baemus?”

“How— how did you—?

Ryck smiled. “I heard your thoughts.” He took off the helmet. Immediately the room plunged into darkness, save the faint torchlight. “It’s this helmet. It heightened my senses, I was aware of… everything!”

Baemus laughed. “Then what are we waiting for? Time to play cards back at the bar and get my money back!”

(The word prompt today was “Aware.”)

An unplanned part 2 continues the adventures of Ryck and Baemus.

[– 31 Fantasy Characters in 31 Days –]

CONFESSION: This took me way longer than 5 min. 🙂