Chapter 27 - Moving On
We eventually cleared the forest, the trees giving way to more open fields, and kept going. We didn't pause until the sun began to set, only then did we decide to stop and set up camp. There wasn't much said between us. I wasn't even sure what could be said.
I think we were both processing what had happened in our own way. I felt slightly conflicted about it. The roper ultimately deserved her fate, she was a sadistic man-eating monster who wasn't going to stop because she spent a few days sealed and her previous victims deserved justice, whoever they were. I just… wasn't comfortable with the fact that I was the one that killed her.
Though, would it have been any different if I had encouraged Luka, or some other hypothetical person, to do the deed in my place? If I had stood by and simply watched? Would I not have played an equal role in her death through inaction as I had through action?
I suppose it came back to the fact that I was more perturbed by death itself, caused by me, than the fact that I had killed a roper. Really, there couldn't be a more deserving "victim".
I continued to quickly muse as we cooked, then ate, dinner and worked out who'd take watch. I volunteered to take the first shift, feeling relentless and slightly on edge, knowing that I wouldn't be able to fall asleep. Luka gave me Angel Halo and lingered for a moment, looking as if he wanted to say something, before simply patting my shoulder and going to bed.
So began my first shift taking watch.
***
I greatly disliked the dark. It was a fear I had ever since I was a child. The unease of not quite knowing what was out there, coupled with an overactive imagination that drowned out the logical part of my mind with primal emotions. I was left on edge and jumping at nearly every sight and sound.
The sword helped though, as was the fact that Luka was right there, albeit sleeping. If nothing else I could beat whatever might have jumped out at me off and called for help. It was a comforting notion.
I mostly sat by the fire and sometimes walked around the perimeter of the camp, making sure nothing was sneaking up on us. It was ultimately uneventful, and as I began to feel utterly exhausted I figured several hours had already passed.
So, deciding that my shift was over, I woke Luka up and we switched places.
***
The morning came and went, uneventful as the night before. I somehow managed to get a peaceful sleep, but felt that it wasn't long enough. Then again, I did love sleeping in as long as possible, even after my body had adjusted to a wholly natural sleeping cycle.
The camp was packed up quickly and we began the last leg of our journey north. If we were lucky we'd reach Iliasport before nightfall, and if not we'd still be pretty damn close.
***
As we continued along the road we eventually passed a few run-down villages. They seemed worn down and stuck in an economic doldrum, though that was simply the impression that I had. It could have been that they were just shabby.
We didn't stop in any of them and kept going.
I could smell Iliasport before I could see it. It stank of the ocean, but more so than that it reeked of foul sewage and waste. The speck in the distance grew into a large dilapidated city as we approached it, swarms of seagulls flying overhead filling the air with a comforting cacophony of noise. I didn't noticed how much I missed the sound of those disgusting shit hawks until then.
Still, in spite of the horrific smell coming from the city itself, I could catch a whiff of the ocean. It was a familiar smell and one that I realized I had missed. Though I didn't live directly along the coast, I certainly lived near it and was used to being able to drive out a short ways to reach it. I hadn't realized it, but seeing the vast stretch of water just beyond the city made me feel as if I was trapped while at Ilias Village.
I was so used to being around mountains and great bodies of water, not having them be there was disconcerting. At least Iliasburg had plenty of rivers and nearby mountain ranges. While I never pretended that I was back home, it was surprisingly nice having such familiar sights.
"Well Luka, there it is." I commented as we drew closer to the port town. "It looks like it's seen better times."
He nodded. "Hopefully we can find a ship willing to take us to Port Natalia. There's bound to be one person willing to ferry a hero over to Sentora."
"Hopefully." I echoed back, then smiled and nudged him with my elbow. "If not we can commandeer a boat as official hero business. I've never sailed before, but how hard could it be?"
He sighed and shook his head, but smiled back. "No, we're not stealing a ship."
"Oh fine, we'll do it your way." I couldn't help but chuckle. "We'll charter a ship, but we're using that hero discount."
"Fine." He agreed.
It wasn't much longer until we would reach the city itself.
***
Iliasport was worse up close. It looked like it might have once been a thriving community, the buildings and amount of glass windows suggested as much, but those days were long past. Although the skies were somewhat clear and blue, it felt as if a depressing atmosphere of grim and despair hung over the town.
The fact that whatever sewer system they had didn't seem to be working didn't help matters, assuming they even had one. There was more than a few people dumping buckets of filth onto the streets below, which pooled around clogged up and rusted drains.
I was already missing Iliasburg. It was a model of modern sanitation compared to Iliasport. If nothing else, the town's situation all but confirmed my fears that Alma Elma was actually besieging the coastline. The town was across a channel from a friendly and prosperous port, a relatively short trip, and was the major port on Ilias Continent. By sheer virtue of geography it should have been a bustling town, even in the worst economic woes because heroes still needed off the continent and the church's hero discount would mean all costs would have been covered.
Though, perhaps that was simply confirmation bias. Either way, I didn't say anything about it to Luka, besides that it was odd the town was in such a state to begin with.
We figured the best place to find a ship to charter was the docks themselves, since that's where the ships were after all.
***
The docks were overcrowded with rundown ships, sails filled with holes or masts entirely missing, alongside hulls in urgent need of repair. There was a general lack of activity, as people aimlessly milled about, seemingly lost and disinterested in their surroundings.
"Well, this doesn't bode well." I remarked as we walked along the street, surveying the various ships in states of disrepair.
"Is it supposed to look this empty?" He asked aloud.
"No, ports are supposed to be busy. They're usually centers of commerce and trade, and Iliasport is no exception." I looked out to the ocean, and on the edge of the horizon dark clouds hung, seeming to stretch unendingly from east to west.. "Yeah, that's foreboding." I muttered under my breath.
I followed behind Luka as he asked around for a ship willing to take us to Port Natalia. Most walked on by without acknowledging him, but one person directed us towards a group of three sailors gathered around a barrel playing some card game.
They were a dirty and pathetic-looking lot. Their faces set in a forlorn grimace and their shoulders hunched forward. They looked like men that had simply given up. Luka and myself were hovering close to them, waiting for an opportune time to jump into the conversation. Neither of us wanted to interrupt them outright.
"I'll raise ya two pieces." One said in monotone voice, as he dropped two coins onto the center of the barrel.
"Call." Muttered another one.
"Ca… Oh what's the point." The third, a short elderly man with a navy blue jacket, threw his cards down. He slumped forward, holding his head in his hands. "What's the point of it all? We've been abandoned by Ilias and left to weather this storm ourselves."
The other two didn't really react, seeming indifferent to his fellow's outburst. "Well," one of them spoke up, "it was this or drink ourselves to death on the hog piss they call grog these days."
"I don't know," the other responded, "that sounds pretty appealing right about now. At least then I wouldn't have to listen to either of you bitch and moan."
"Talk to me like that again and I'll give ya ten across the back." The elderly man replied, face still buried in his hands.
"Make it a hundred, that way I can die feeling something other than bored." He replied without looking up from his cards.
The elderly man raised his head up and looked like he was about to chew the other man out, but then noticed Luka and myself. He turned and looked at us with mild distrust. "Yeah? What do ya want?" The two other fellows glanced at us, and decided we were more interesting than their card game.
Luka spoke up, sounding a bit nervous. "We're uh, looking to charter a ship to Port Natal-"
He was cut off by the three men suddenly bursting out into uproarious laughter. The stoney faces were replaced with wide smiles as they doubled over on themselves while laughing, and it took several seconds for it to die down.
The elderly man took out a handkerchief and wiped the tears from his face. "Ah, that's what we really needed, a good laugh. Ain't no one goes through the storm, much less beyond that."
"What do you mean?" He asked.
"Ya can't leave the port lad. You get more than a dozen leagues out to sea the storm picks up. It doesn't get too bad, no, no, so ya think you might make it across to Port Natalia, but that's when it really gets going." He woefully explained, the smile quickly returning to a grimace. "No ship's been able to leave for over a year now."
Okay, that does pretty much confirm that Alma's at fault… Yay, we have to deal with the fucking succubus queen, assuming our ship doesn't sink beforehand and we both drown.
"We haven't gotten a message out to no one and it seems Iliasburg ain't interested in helping us out." He continued talking. "At least that's what I've heard."
"Do you know what's causing it?"
"If I knew that, lad, I'd 've done something about it. The priest says it's Ilias's wraith, punishment for being sinful, but we ain't the ones associating with mermaids like those bastards in Natalia!" He slammed his fist down on the barrel, causing coins and cards to go flying. "We're faithful men and what did it get us?! Nothing but the fury of the sea unjustly driving us ashore!"
He settled down after his outburst and pulled a bottle out of his jacket pocket, before beginning to drink it in its entirety.
"Ya have to forgive the captain. He ain't been himself lately." One of the men explained as he picked up the coins and cards strewn about the cobblestone. "He's been taking the storm poorly, all of us have."
The captain looked back up at us. "I'm afraid I can't help ya lads. If you want to get across to Natalia, ya best bring a miracle with ya. Ilias knows we could use one." With that, they went back to their card game, mechanically shuffling the deck and dealing out cards without the slightest interest in the outcome.
We stood there for a couple moments, before awkwardly walking away, seeing that they truly were done talking to us.
"That could have gone better." Luka mumbled, sounding dejected.
"True, but it could have much worse." I replied, feeling lost as what to do next. I knew that we'd need that artifact, Poseidon's Bell, to make it through the storm safely, but I didn't actually know where it was. Besides that it was located in some cave shrine somewhere along the coast. "What should we do now?" I asked aloud as we aimlessly strolled through the streets.
"I'm not sure." His face was scrunched up in thought, looking around as if he'd find the answer amongst the buildings and the people of the town.
We stopped at a street intersection, wondering which way to go when a woman suddenly spoke up behind us. "Why am I not surprised to find you two wandering around like idiots?"
I whirled around on the spot. There she was, standing only a few feet away, slender arms enveloped by black gloves, tucked under her ample bosom. It felt like it'd been ages since I last saw her, and I found myself staring, mouth slightly agape, captivated by the sight of her.
Alice was beautiful and I couldn't help but be captivated by her gorgeousness. In human form, her skin was pale and flawless, causing the violet runes to stand out more than they did in her monster form. They started on her cheek in the shape of a heart and I realized my eyes were wandering on their own accord, tracing the runes down the left side of her body. The pattern accentuated her wide hips and exposed navel, trailing down to her leg, the rest covered by her boots.
She was adorned with shiny garments, black upon gold wrapping around her waist, and bra hugging her bountiful chest. The symbol of a vertical eye, red with a golden center, was present on nearly every article of clothing. It was even on herself, a tattoo below her collarbone, framed by the collar and straps of her top.
She still maintained the air of mild annoyance, her half-lidded golden eyes scrutinizing Luka and myself, seeming thoroughly unimpressed with the both of us. Her face framed by alabaster hair, flowing from her head like a waterfall of ivory, the tips streaking down the small of her back as it flowed in the gentle breeze. I was drawn to the crimson eye in her hair that seamlessly blended with the surrounding white strands, yet always maintaining its shape, and the pink flowers in her hair. Their blushing petals adorning that narrow spot above her ears, viridescent vines hanging from them like earrings.
We all stood there, nobody saying anything, until I broke the silence and did the only logical thing.
"Alice!"
I rushed forward and wrapped her up in a hug.
