Yaga generally didn't have anything against storms. Provided she wasn't within their reach and they did not steal roofs over her head.
Or did not throw a wooden cage in which she was closed. And every collision with bamboo shoots created new bruises on her body. Her "cell" colleague had an identical problem. Of course, their guard ran away.
At some point, with another strong jerk, a strange, white hat with long ears (or maybe it was horns?) fell from his head, showing greasy, dirty-yellow hair and... a pair of shining, blue wings.
Oy, It has to be this last jerk Yaga started to touching her head to find a bump.
"Don't look!" Qilby yelled while trying to hide the oddity on his own and raise his white hat in this same time.
"I can not see anything, totally nothing!" The girl covered her eyes to prove the truth of her words. About the things that can't be showed to others she knew pretty well. She would even boast a few of them if... well.
"All right, now you can," the man hissed, correcting the hat's horns on his wings. Yaga took her fingers from her face.
"What's with your lips? This color is from swelling or some cure?"
"From swelling, but it will soon disappear," muttered Qilby.
Yaga would gladly continue the subject (since it was not marked as forbidden), but then another huge blast of wind came through the grotto, which threw the girl's cage at Qilby's. There was a burst of cracking wood, two surprised screams, then a loud splash and characteristic, empty noises when the bamboo fell down on the rocks.
"It could have been worse," muttered Qilby as he and Yaga managed to get their heads out of the water. Then something roared behind the "window" of the cave and a two prisoners has been attacked by gigantic amounts of sea water.
"Oh, seriously?!" Yaga squealed as they reached the lake's surface again "I don't know about your scientific findings, but remember: 'When you ask the Universe what else can go fuckin' wrong, one thing is sure. IMMEDIATE ANSWER'!"
"BUT I SAID THAT COULD BE WORSE, NOT WHAT CAN GO WRONG!" protested the Eliatrop, tugging his hat on for the second time that day.
"THE UNIVERSE DOESN'T FUCKIN' CARE, FOR IT THIS IS EXACTLY SAME THING!" Yaga roared, then she narrowed her eyes. "But your version is a variant of optimists."
"WHAT'S GOIN' ON HERE?!" Shouted a feminine voice from the door.
"Hi, Kira," Yaga grumbled, and she was about to continue to quarrel with Qilby when something came to her. "What...?"
The surprised girl looked toward the entrance to the cave. There was a slightly irritated Echo, Adamai with erect scales on his tail, scared Robin and angry Kira.
"Oh, you already know each other!" nothing better came to Yaga's mind.
About half an hour and 20 curses later...
"Let me make it clear" Qilby raised his eyebrow, trying to keep his teeth from jingling. "As soon as we ran after Yaga, you took off your stage dress, ran behind us, you found her bag and... repeat the last part, please"
"I quickly bought the boat and started rowing after you," Kira said, shrugging her shoulders. "Unfortunately, it started to leak and that's why I came with such a delay"
"That is possible at all?" Adamai frowned. The thing was Robin's ship was fast.
"There are things in the Universe that philosophers, physiologists, and people visiting tax offices haven't dreamed about, dear" Yaga muttered, smiling from the corner of her mouth. And shaking from the cold from head to toe.
"Changing the subject," Echo snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "What can I do with her? I can't throw her away..."
"Just try it, sunshine" Kira said.
"...because she knows the location of the Cursed Citadel" the woman didn't even notice her "Unless... Can we talk for a moment?"
"Be careful, she uses the tricky questions," Yaga whispered.
"We can" Sram's venerable answered "Only one cute little thing, Yaga, your bag"
And she gave her friend's leather backpack, which looked as if it had been made of a random pieces of fabric (mainly in the dark colors). Surprised Yaga opened it and looked inside. Her face was filled with a wide smile.
"Echo..." Yaga put her hand on the demigoddess' shoulder, ignoring her angry glance, "I think I can do for you more than massage... But that doesn't mean you can't ask for one."
Echo conducted a brief environmental interview with Kira and ordered Robin to take her... somewhere, Yaga didn't hear it. Then Adamai grabbed Qilby by his hair (and part of neck) and pulled him into one of the tunnels that led deeper down, and Lady Echo clenched her fingers at Yaga's elbow and dragged her (with the bag) up the stairs to the higher "floor".
This part was one of the original parts of the fort, judging by the parallel stone blocks that pierced through a dense moss. But Yaga couldn't take a closer look at them (shame, because at the moss were some really interesting plants and mushrooms), because Echo led her to the door, which looked like a new.
It was a large, brightly lit training room with wooden floors and large windows without glass. Near wall opposite to the door stood: Ush, Kali (the daughter of Goddess Sacrier), Toxine and son of Goddess Feca. And they stared intensely at the dark-haired girl.
"My dears, it's Yaga," said the woman."She has some extraordinary skills that I would like to check out. Have fun" Echo smiled maliciously and left Yaga alone with a group of demigods.
"Damn it," Yaga muttered under her breath.
Adamai dragged Qilby to a place where was terribly cold. The drenched man shuddered and jingle his teeth. Death from pneumonia, that on the list of deaths didn't have yet!
"It's here," the ivory dragon snapped, removing the thick white winter coat from hanger, next to the silver metal door on which winter motives were and... a frost? Adamai reached for one of the silver snowflakes on the door and turned it first to the right and then to the left. Qilby watched the door with fascination. Once, many centuries ago, he designed such door to the mausoleum of the Firstborn Eliatropes, so that no one could steal their Dofus. Then he and Chibi installed such in their workshops.
There was a mechanical clang and the door opened. A cold fog spilled from the inside. Qilby looked at Adamai doubtfully, and the young dragon pushed him to the room, giving him a cloak.
Count Harebourg's laboratory was amazing. And bloody cold. In some places, a thin layer of snow was visible. All documents and delicate devices were properly protected from cold. The room was illuminated with some white crystals. All instruments and machines were constructed of silver (or very similar, but stronger metal) and sometimes adorned with star sapphires. Everything was carefully and precisely designed. Harebourg was a true master in his profession.
"Beautiful," whispered Qilby, touching the unfinished clockwork owl lying on the table. "But what does that have to do with me?"
"We lost the only good scientist," growled Adamai, avoiding telling in what circumstances it has happened to. "Lady Echo wants you to look through his notes and make use of what you have in this sick head of yours"
"It was your mistress who finished him," the old Eliatrop muttered amused.
"Not your business," whispered the ivory dragon, grabbing his hair, but this time he let go quickly enough.
"If you say so..." Qilby grinned so wide that Adamai saw his wisdom teeth. "The door is open, so use them and go out"
"How dare you…?!" Adamai felt a fireball rise in his throat.
"If I have to work with these I need peace and silence," Qilby said calmly, without stopping to expose his teeth. "And you would not know what that was, even if you were kicked in your tail by it. So out"
Adamai's whole body was shaking with fury, but he slammed shut the door. Qilby chuckled and placed the notes left by the previous laboratory's owner on the only free desk. Suddenly he frowned.
"Okay, come out," the scientist growled angrily, and the Masqueraider emerged from the shadowed corner. Qilby remembered that he had three masks and now had this looking like a skull with fangs and mane of colorful feathers. The masked man didn't have a coat to protect him from the cold. It looked like He did not even feel the effect of the negative temperature. Qilby couldn't see his eyes, but he knew that the Masqueraider was staring at him intensely.
Wonderful, now I have a nanny, the Eliatrop thought angrily, and began studying the Count's scientific projects.
After an hour, an hour and half later Echo decided to check what's with Yaga. She locked up all the drawers in her office and went down several floors below. The first thing that disturbed her was a new door that was balanced from hinges and thrown out, into the corridor. Among its broken remains unconscious Kali was laying. The longitudinal wounds on her forearms were slowly healed*. Disturbed Echo slipped into the room, which she quickly regretted.
The training room looked like after a cataclysm; equipment and mannequins shattered, on the walls and floor appeared traces of burns (from where?). Ush lay in the corner, stuck under the remains of training dummies. Toxine was entangled in the net and tried to free herself, cursing furiously.
And Yaga, half lying, twisted the hands of kneeling young Feca back holding his wrists and pinning the toes of her feet between his shoulderblades.
"I, fuckin', love this job!" She laughed loud and cheerfully, ignoring Echo's face expression.
* I have such theory: if this liquid which Sacrier warriors use is called "Sacrier's Blood", then maybe her daughter, Kali can control her own blood? Just a theory. Nothing more.
Okay, this is the last chapter I publish, before I go for a vacation, next one will be when I go back (so You have to wait two weeks). Sorry for a lack of concrete action, it will be in next chapter. And sorry for a spoilers to Season 3 of Wakfu, I heard that there will be a young woman named Kali, who is Sacrier Goddess' daughter.
So... See You soon!
