Hello, I'm back after reviving a deeeaaaad fic *to the tune of dead meme*. This little chapter is in celebration of the Rune Factory 4 Special release! I am sooo excited for this remake. Rune Factory 4 is one of my all time favorite games and I can't wait to play it again and see all the new fans. I'm hoping that, with the remake, some of the fandom will be revived. I miss writing Rune Factory 4 fics and seeing all the cool fan art. Anyways, here is the new chapter. Don't forget to like and subscribe. Please tell me what you think of this latest chapter and whether I should continue the story!
Frey groaned as she sat up, eyes bloodshot from the night before. Her head was spinning, and not in a good way. It was as if all her thoughts were jumbled together, swirling around in her head as she tried to make sense of the night's events.
She knew two things were certain: for one, she was done wasting time in Rune Prana until she found a viable solution to making it through the hellish dreamscape; and two, her friends will always stand by her side, no matter how much of a dunce she's been the last few months. Knowing this, and given her current circumstances, she was happy to have them stand with her, all things considered.
But now, she had a few pressing matters to attend to — things she wasn't exactly excited to address.
The woman's words from the night before echoed in her head. "Elfreya, is it really you?" She had looked at Frey with such intensity — her eyes, blue as the ocean, filled with confusion, relief, and even love — that Frey didn't know how to react.
"I thought you were dead."
And then there was that little elephant in the room. It wasn't just what she said, it was how she said it. "I thought you were dead…" the woman, who claimed her name was Emery, like the iridescent golden flower that escaped even the most skilled gardeners grasp, almost seemed … sad. It was just another thing Frey couldn't wrap her head around.
Emery, if that was her real name, was happy and relieved to see her alive, but there was a sadness that transcended her words.
Frey closed her eyes and massaged her temples as she heard footsteps approach her door. It was no doubt Vishnal, her trusty butler and sidekick, coming to brief her of her morning duties. Although a little clumsy and, at times, incredibly annoying, she couldn't deny that he was one of her best friends and a trustworthy advisor.
"Princess," Vishnal nearly sang as he entered her room carrying a tray of eggs, toast, and warm passionfruit tea. He neared her bedside, not even giving her a moment to think before starting his spiel. "I prepared your breakfast for the morning. I know you had a long night, but you'll need your strength this morning. There's plenty to do and …"
He continued to ramble as Frey slowly opened her eyes and reached for the tray of food. For once, the eggs were cooked, not burnt, but sunny-side up as she liked. The yolks topside up jiggled as the tray shook in her hands. She smiled.
"Vish," she interrupted, placing the tray on her lap and picking up her fork. "This looks delicious. Has your cooking improved?"
Vishnal blushed deeply as he took a step back from the bed, bowing as he did. "I-I am sorry to disappoint, but Clorica actually cooked the meal. I just plated it. It is, as she said, not a morning for fun and games."
Frey furrowed her brow, flipping her long mint hair over her shoulder as she leaned over the tray, taking the first bite. "Delicious as always. Give Clorica my regards."
Vishnal shifted his stance as he stood, placing a hand on the back of his neck. "Princess … about last night …" he trailed off, searching her face for approval to continue. Frey waved her hand, gesturing for him to go on.
"That woman … Emery … She spoke to you as if she might know who you are," he said, eyes glued to the bed. "But there is still so much we don't know about her. As your future butler and advisor, I'm not sure how much we should trust her. For now, at least. We've all been through so much."
Frey swallowed, patting the corners of her lips with a white laced napkin. Sighing, she twirled the fork between her fingers before speaking. "We will monitor her until we know for certain she isn't a government spy sent to us from our beloved neighbors," Frey finally said. "Dr. Jones and Nancy can keep an eye on her until she recovers. There's no doubt that fall, jump, whatever, did some damage. After that, we'll decide what to do with her."
Vishnal nodded, "I'll relay the message to the others." He turned to leave, pausing for a moment to look out the window to the farm lands stretching beyond the castle walls.
Despite all the construction and home renovation Frey had done, she still kept her bedroom on the first floor of the castle. For old times sake, it seemed.
"Its good to have you back, Princess."
...
Frey finished her breakfast and threw on her usual clothes, choosing to keep the armor off for once. It was time for a change, and the warm spring breeze ruffling her house plants through the window signaled that time in the season. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, leaving their soft pink petals littered across the blue and grey cobblestone streets.
The princess stepped outside the castle walls with a newfound pep in her step. Despite the ominous words of the second woman to fall from the sky in Selphia, Frey felt as though a weight had been lifted from her chest. It was almost as if she were floating as she turned the corner and walked toward the clinic.
Bado nodded to her as she passed, continuing to lazily sweep the dust from his store's front steps. "Mornin', Princess," he drawled, raising a brow as she skipped past. "I've got a fresh box of shipments heading this way, if you're still interested, that is."
Frey paused only long enough to say hello and politely decline the offer. There was no need to scour the earth for the strongest weapons she could get her hands on. Not for awhile, at least.
After several minutes, she found herself outside the clinic, reaching for the door handle before hearing a familiar voice call out to her from behind.
"Frey," Doug, the redheaded dwarf, called out to her from several feet away. Accompanying him was the local general store owner and grandmother figure Blossom, who he walked to the clinic for her routine doctor's appointments. "Wait up a second, will ya?"
Frey took a step back from the door, waiting for the pair to catch up with her. Blossom smiled as she hobbled along, clinging to Doug's arm fro support. "Good morning, dear," she said. "Are you here visiting our new friend?"
The princess nodded curtly, trying to keep her emotions in check. "Just seeing if she's awake and if she'll answer a few questions."
"Quite an exciting night we had, wasn't it?" Blossom asked, pausing near the door. "But, we always have attracted a few interesting characters over the years, I suppose." She glanced mischievously toward Doug, who widened his eyes.
"H-hey, don't look at me like that," he said, holding his hands up defensively. "What's that s'posed to mean anyways?"
Frey laughed, rolling her eyes and she helped the older woman open the wooden door. "Don't think about it too hard, Dougie, or you might strain a few braincells," she teased as Doug's face began to match the color of his hair.
"T'ch. You've been hanging around that damn horse too much," he muttered, just loud enough for her to hear, lest he'd receive a scolding from Granny Blossom.
Went trio entered, they were greeted by the unusual scene of a frantic young ghost girl flitting about a less enthused woman wearing an unusual top-hat and elaborate dress. The two were engrossed in their own conversation, failing to notice the door open.
"Calm down, Pico," the woman said with exasperation. "Nancy and the doctor can handle the girl. We'll take care of Blossom when she arrives."
"I don't know, I don't like it. That girl is weird."
"So rude."
"She fell from the sky after a monster gate appeared," The girl said. "I don't want to leave them with her alone."
The woman laughed, "I think Nancy and Dr. Jones can handle one incapacitated woman for a few hours."
Frey grinned, placing her hands on her hips. "Dolce, it's been a while since I've heard you laugh like that." The woman turned toward the group, startled and blushing as the ghost girl giggled.
"Oh, Dolly has the best laugh! You should hear her whenever — "
"Pico," Dolce hissed, covering her face in embarrassment. "Shut up, you little perv."
Frey stifled a laugh and shook her head, "You two never change," she said. Dolce looked at her, face softening as she sighed contently. "I take it our new friend is on the other side of the curtain?" Dolce nodded her head,
"Yes, and good morning to you, too, Granny Blossom and … Doug," she said, maneuvering around the small makeshift examination room. "Our usual space is preoccupied, but you don't mind taking a seat at this table, do you? I will help with your checkout while Nancy assists the doctor in the other room."
Doug helped Blossom to the table, where Dolce prepared to take her vitals. He looked over his shoulder as Frey peered through the curtain, not yet ready to enter the examination room. After helping Blossom onto the table, he walked over to the princess, worried about what the woman said the night before. Everyone in Selphia knew of the princess' memory loss, but it never seemed to bother her. But, if there was a possibility for her to remember, to find out who she really was, the dwarf wondered if she would eventually leave the town.
No, she wouldn't do that, he thought, keeping his eyes trained on her soft features. She furrowed her brow as she inhaled deeply, reaching for the curtain.
"Frey, do you want some help?" He asked, keeping his voice low. The princess' eyes widened in surprise as she suddenly became aware of his presence. Smirking, she placed a hand on his shoulder,
"Afraid I might do something stupid?" She teased.
"N-never," Doug said, chuckling nervously. "We both know you have a better head on your shoulders than any of us."
Frey nodded her head toward the examination room, "Let's go," she said as she pulled the curtain back.
Laying on the examination bed was the woman from the night before. She was propped up on several pillows to keep her head up. From beneath the bandages wrapped around her forehead, Frey could see blond pixy-like hair peaking out, disheveled and somewhat matted. Her clothes were piled on the floor, covered in dirt and grime. For now, the doctor had her wearing a simple tunic that swallowed her small frame.
"Ah, Frey and … Doug," Dr. Jones said, looking up from his clipboard as Nancy fluffed the pillows behind the woman's head. The woman frowned in annoyance, shifting in her bed as she tried to get more comfortable. "Checking in on our newest addition to Selphia?"
Frey nodded her head as the two fully entered the curtained-off room. "How are you feeling?" She asked, watching the woman carefully. "I'm Frey, princess of Selphia. Emery, isn't it?" Emery looked up at her, raising an eyebrow curiously.
"Adequate," she said curtly, forcing herself to sit fully up in the bed. She hissed, clearly in pain as she moved, causing Nancy to 'tsk' and help her adjust. "Feels like I jumped out of an airship."
Frey smirked and said, "Fair enough." She briefly wondered if the woman was trying to make some kind of joke or if she was usually just that blunt. An unusual response, but Selphia is full of unusual people, she thought. "About the airship, you know it —"
"Did anyone else jump?" Emery interrupted suddenly, watching the princess intently. Frey stepped back,
"N-no, not that I'm aware of," she said, looking to Doug for support. The dwarf shrugged his shoulders, unsure of what to say or do. "What were you doing on that ship anyways? Why was it … on fire? What was … that monster gate you went through?"
Emery looked around wildly, face paling as she began to panic. She swung her legs around so she was sitting on the edge of the bed as Nancy fretted around her, trying to keep her from making any sudden movements, "Dear, you know you were fairly injured when they brought you in last night. Gave us quite the freight," she said.
Jones nodded in agreement, looking over his clipboard. "Head trauma, a sprained wrist, several burns and lung damage from smoke inhalation …" he trailed off, "You're lucky someone was there to break your fall. You're lucky you're alive."
Emery shook her head, dismissing the two and focusing her attention back on the princess. "I-I don't care about that," she said, voice starting to raise an octave. "My sister was on that ship. She was supposed to …" she paused, gripping the sheets on the bed before trying to stand up. "I have to go get her."
She stood, legs shaking as she stumbled forward slightly. Nancy grabbed her by the arm, steadying her, "Oh no, you can't go anywhere in this condition," the nurse said, helping her sit back onto the bed.
Emery shook her off as she sat down, "Look, I'll answer all your questions, but I need to find my sister," she said, wringing her hands. She inhaled deeply, muttering to herself as she exhaled for several seconds. "Then we'll gladly get out of your hair."
Frey furrowed her brow, "Your sister … ? That ship was burning and it crashed into the monster forest just outside of town," she said, crossing her arms. "I-I'm not sure …"
"We'll go get her," Doug blurted out, placing a hand on Frey's shoulder. "Don't worry, if anyone can find your sister, it's Frey." The princess glanced at the dwarf, feeling her cheeks warm at the compliment. I'm not sure I'm capable of much of anything these days, she thought, placing her hand over his. There's an enchanted apple tree guarding that forest, if the ship disturbed it, it's possible the girl is …
Frey shook the thought from her head, "Right, we'll find your sister. But, when we return, I'll have some questions for you." Emery finally relaxed as relief washed over her face. For a moment, she looked like a completely different person, almost like she did when she held the princess' face in her hands the night before. But as quickly as it came, the woman's serious facade returned and this time she trained her eyes onto Doug.
"You're the one who broke my fall," she said, nodding at the dwarf. Doug dropped his hand from Frey's shoulder, taken aback. He pointed at his face,
"Me?" He asked, chuckling, "I-I guess you could say I did that," he said, knowing that he really just pushed the princess out of the way and didn't have time to move himself. "The name's Doug. I work at the general store with Granny Blossom."
Emery watched the dwarf, keeping a straight face before averting her eyes and looking at the wall. He wasn't particularly short, and he didn't look like any of the dwarves she met previously. His flaming hair and steel-colored eyes stood out compared to the rough and ragged mining dwarves in other parts of the realm. What realm is this again? She briefly wondered before snapping out of her thoughts, realizing she should probably say something before the man became too uncomfortable.
"Thanks," she said, placing a hand on the back of her neck. "You saved my life. Probably." Unsettling is the word her mother probably would have chose to describe her, Emery mused. What an awkward thing to say.
Frey glanced between the two of them, watching them curiously as Nancy and Jones returned to quietly monitoring the woman's vitals. Emery winced as Nancy gently took her left arm and inserted a needle into her vein, drawing blood before the woman could protest much.
Doug's ears turned a light pink color as he shifted feet, "Nah, it was nothin'," he said, looking up at the ceiling. "We should probably head out if we're going to get your sister before dark, though." He looked at Frey, silently praying for the princess to step in and take control of the conversation again. While there were times the dwarf wouldn't shut up, he admitted he wasn't great talking with people he didn't know as well. Aside from casual comments about bread, the weather and maybe warnings to stay away from a certain horse-man, he really didn't have much to say.
The princess smirked, "Right, we'll find your sister … uh," she trailed off, raising a brow at Emery.
"Willow."
"Willow. We'll find Willow and we'll return shortly," she said, placing her hands on her hips. "Just … hang tight."
"I kind of can't go anywhere," Emery said, returning her full attention back to the princess. Frey caught a slight smirk, albeit small, playing on her lips before she looked away again.
Frey laughed heartily, surprised at the woman's comment. "Well, Jones, Nancy, I'll leave her in your capable hands," she said, waving the the trio as she left the room, Doug following close behind.
What a strange person, Frey thought as they entered the lobby once again. I can only imagine what her sister must be like.The princess paused, standing off to the side of the room as Doug explained to Blossom where they were about to venture off to. She could only faintly make out the conversation as she stared off into space, preoccupied with her own thoughts. Somehow, after that … less than enlightening conversation, I am left with even more questions than when I got here. Who is this person? Where did she come from? What happened to her sister, and what were they doing on that burning airship?
"Frey, are you ready to go?" Doug asked, brining the princess back to reality. Frey shook her head, pushing the questions to the back of her mind.
"We should get reinforcements," she said, heading for the door. Doug hesitated before following,
"R-reinforcements? We could totally handle this rescue mission on our own," he said, chuckling nervously as the left the clinic and headed down the street. "It's just one girl."
Frey raised a brow as he caught up, keeping pace with her as she made her way back to the castle. "One girl who crash landed a burning airship in the middle of Yokmir Forest where, need I remind you, is an enchanted apple tree that was, for lack of a better term, quite pissed the last time I defeated it," Frey said, leading the dwarf to the courtyard. "I'm not about to go in swords blazing without taking at least three other people."
Doug groaned, knowing the princess was right, but also having an idea of who she would choose to join the excursion into the woods. "Don't tell me you're going to drag that stupid horse into this," he sighed, rolling his eyes. Despite the fact that the dwarf didn't get along with a certain blue-haired fellow, he couldn't deny he was also vying to spend some more alone time with the princess. It had been ages since she had stopped by the general store to chat or even ask him to accompany her on a mission. But, the princess had been distant with everyone it seemed, so what made him any different? She never really recovered after losing Ventuswill in the Forest of Beginnings, and none of them could ever pretend to know exactly what happened in that … place.
Frey grinned, "Contrary to popular belief, absence doesn't make the heart grow fonder, and you're only going to become friends through forced companionship," she practically sang as they approached a group of their friends hanging around the castle's courtyard, soaking up the warm spring sun. Forte, the dragon knight, and her brother seemed to be trying to keep the peace between several members of the friend group, mainly Leon, who endlessly teased anyone who crossed his path, and Dylas, who was more than difficult to speak to.
"Besides, can't you two get along just this once? For this one little mission? For me?" Frey asked, slinging her arm around his shoulder. The dwarf felt his heart skip a beat, averting his eyes to the ground as they entered the circle of friends.
He grumbled, crossing his arms, "Fine. Just don't make me be nice to him."
"What was that?" Dylas, a man with shoulder-length blue hair and fluffy horse-like ears said, taking a break from giving into Leon's endless teasing. "You have something to say to me?" He nearly growled, causing Doug to raise his hands in defense and Frey to drop her arm. Dylas opened his mouth to say something, but caught a warning glance from the princess and decided against causing a scene. At least for her sake.
Clorica, another butler within Selphia's castle, yawned, shaking the sleepy feeling from her body as the Doug and Frey joined the circle. The purple-haired woman stretched her arms over her head, glancing between the two before posing her question.
"So, how'd it go with the newest addition to the town?" She asked, barely holding in a second yawn. Vishnal perked up, nodding his head in with earnest interest as Frey gathered her thoughts.
"Well," the princess started, garnering the attention of the the remaining members of the small group: Leon, a former dragon priest with fox-like ears and a tail with a mind of its own; Forte, a fierce dragon knight with a taste for sweets; and her younger brother, Kiel, an avid reader with an ear for local gossip. "She's definitely injured …" Frey trailed off, sure of where to start.
Forte furrowed her brow, "Where did she come from?" The dragon knight asked, cocking her head. Her younger brother, Kiel, looked at the princess curiously, rubbing his chin.
"I'm … I'm not sure. She said she'd answer our questions," Frey said, placing a hand on the back of her head. "There's just one thing we need to do before she does."
Dylas frowned, "She can't hold information above our heads like that," he said, almost aggressively, but the princess knew better. He was just worried about her. And the town, but mostly her … Well, she'd liked to think he was mostly worried about her, that is. But these days he seemed to keep her at a distance and refused to tell her what's on his mind. She'd be lying if she said it didn't sting when it seemed rather obvious he was avoiding her.
"I don't think she's withholding information as a way to manipulate us," Frey said, crossing her arms. "It's more like … her sister was on that air ship, and —"
Kiel gasped as his sister gripped his arm, "Her sister was on the ship?" Forte asked as though she were about to charge into Yokmir Forest on her own at any second. "Frey, it was completely engulfed in flames and then it crashed into the middle of a forest full of monsters … That is not —"
Frey raised her hand to stop the knight, "I've already made my decision," she said. "I'm going into Yokmir, but I need some backup."
...
Back at the clinic, Emery stared that the white walls surrounding her, still occasionally being poked and prodded by the doctor and his doting nurse. The woman wasn't used to having so much attention given to her, let alone from two people at once. It was almost too much for her to handle and she found herself struggling to maintain a normal level of conversation. She felt as though every word that came out of her mouth sounded weird and wrong, and it didn't help that she couldn't get the thought of leaving her dear friend Claire behind to be killed in Mineral Town.
Finally, the doctor and nurse — Jones and Nancy, she recalled — left the woman alone to recover. At least for a few hours. But, every loud noise, every chair dragged across the wooden floor, every clink of glass had her teetering on the edge, wanting to bolt at the drop of a hat. Her body felt cemented into the hospital bed and her limbs too heavy to move. She was trapped in every sense of the word, except she wasn't. She was free to move. She was free to leave. And while her brain was screaming for her to run, her body wouldn't let her.
She laid her head back, resting it against the wall behind her bed. What are we doing here? Monsters? Dwarves? We're practically walking back into the hands of the Empire. At least … in Mineral Town we were safe. For a few years.
Selphia … from what I recall, we've somehow landed in a border city in the Kingdom of Norad. They're practically neighbors with the Sechs. Emery closed her eyes, trying to remain calm as she knew the princess and her dwarf friend were going to rescue her sister. Willow — that idiot. Why didn't she just jump when she had the chance?
Emery inhaled deeply, exhaling and counting to ten as she did. "The next time I see her so help me gods I'm going to wring her neck," she muttered, pushing herself into a better sitting position. "Reckless, thoughtless, selfish —"
"Such harsh words," a cute, young voice said, giggling from around the corner. Emery raised a brow, opening her eyes as a small child with lavender colored pigtails twirled as she entered the room. Dressed in clothes fit for a circus witch, the girl's cat-like hat practically swallowed her small head, and her light green eyes twinkled with mischief. "Dolly, she's talking to herself again!" The girl giggled, now floating, wait, floating?
Emery nearly jumped, taking a closer look at the girl, who seemed almost transparent. Another women wearing an equally confusing and distressing outfit — a black top-hat with a bat and a maroon and red 1800s style dress — entered the room behind the girl. The woman's light pink curly pigtails flowed from the side of her head.
"Pico, don't be rude," the woman said, addressed the younger girl. The woman tucked a strand of hair from her heavy bangs behind a slender pointed ear, "I'm Dolce," she said, nodding at Emery. "And this … nuisance is Pico. We live with Jones and Nancy …" She said, trailing off as she looked around the room. "They went into town to fetch some items. Is there anything we can help you with?"
Emery looked at Dolce, studying her and then Pico before looking around the room. She hadn't taken the time to really take in her surroundings since she woke up. The white walls were lined with dark wooden shelves with vials of pills, potions, and strange containers shaped like bats, hearts, and skulls. The wrought iron hospital bed was nestled in the corner of the room, which was curtained off from other beds. A dark wooden desk and matching cabinet were near the foot of her bed along the eastern wall. An assortment of herbs, grinders and other medical equipment were laying around haphazardly.
She winced, "My head is killing me," she said, folding her arms. Dolce nodded to Pico, who flew around the room and fetched a bottle of pills from one of the higher shelves before floating back down and taking a seat on the edge of Emery's bed. "Thank you," she said. "I'm Emery …"
Pico giggled, returning to Dolce's side once again. "What a strange name," the girl said. Emery watched the young girl as she flickered, her level transparency ever shifting.
"I'm … sorry, but … What are you?" Emery asked, squinting at the girl. Pico grinned mischievously,
"I'm a ghost!" She practically shouted, appearing suddenly inches away from Emery's face. The woman jumped in shock, barely holding in a yelp. "BOO!"
"Ahh," Emery stammered, feeling her face flush. "I-I see."
Dolce stifled a laugh behind her hand as Emery glanced toward her, her ocean colored eyes begging for help. "Pico … Take it easy, we don't want to scare her off," she said. Emery sighed in relief, chuckling nervously.
"I've never met a ghost so … lively," Emery said, shifting in her bed. Pico blushed, gripping Dolce's skirt tightly. "Thank you for the medication."
Dolce nodded her head, "You're injuries were mild considering what happened," she said, gesturing to the woman's bandages around her forehead and left wrist. "Between the pain reliever and rest, you should be cleared by dinner time." Pico returned the pill bottle to the shelf as Dolce turned to leave. "We're always close by. Call if you need anything."
As they left, Emery laid her head onto the hospital bed's pillow, closing her eyes. While exhausted from battle and the events from the prior night, she felt more at ease in her surroundings. Dolce and Pico … and Frey and Doug. What strange people, she thought, yawning. This town … it's just like the others. Everyone is so open and inviting. We should leave as soon as Willow is able … before they realize their mistake.
...
Frey led the charge into Yokmir Forest, about a twenty minute hike from the castle walls. Following closely behind her were Forte and Vishnal with Doug and Dylas bringing in the rear. Maybe she was taking the threat too seriously, but it had been awhile since she cleared the monsters hiding throughout the forest, and she wasn't about to fight that damn enchanted apple tree alone.
After losing Ventuswill, she wasn't taking any chances with her friends. So, she either went on solo missions or brought significant backup. These days, however, it seemed that she preferred fighting alone. Slicing monsters, destroying gates and purging the dungeons of threats was relaxing in a strange way. It gave her time to think, time to reflect on her past and where she was heading. It made her feel closer to Ventuswill, in a way, when she was taking down fields of goblins among other monsters.
At the entrance of the forest, a wooly darted across the field, taking cover in a bush. Frey watched the cloud-like monster cower and looked over her shoulder, "Don't wear yourself out on lower level monsters," she said to her friends. "Let's just get through the main forest and into that clearing. It looks like the fire is mostly out, we can find the ship by following the smoke."
Forte nodded in agreement as they pushed forward, "Stay sharp," the dragon knight said, unsheathing her sword. Frey and the others followed suite, brandishing their weapons as they made their way into Yokmir.
As the team pushed through the forest, battling a nasty pack of orcs with an affinity for the bow and arrow, Frey fell into line with Dylas before he could avoid her further. While it was true she had been rather distant, he was still one of her closest friends. For several weeks, whenever she would emerge from the depths of Rune Prana, he would avoid speaking with her. She'd be lying if she said it didn't hurt that, whenever she would approach him, he would shoo her away like some kind of annoying fly.
Frey raised her blade, delivering a decisive blow to an orc, banishing him to the Forest of Beginnings. She shuddered, remembering what it was like to walk among the monster realm just as Dylas pushed her behind him suddenly, blocking an attack from another orc hiding behind several trees.
"Tch, be careful," he growled, quickly taking out the orc. Frey frowned,
"Why have you been avoiding me?" She asked, confronting him as the others crossed the field to deal with other monsters. Gods, this place is crawling with monsters. How long has it been since I cleared this place?
Dylas jumped to the left, again blocking yet another attack from an orc coming up from behind the two. "Don't you listen?" He asked, piercing it with his sword. "And I'm not avoiding you."
"Yes you are," She nearly shouted as she lunged to her right, slicing an angry blue beetle. It oozed a smelly green sludge before vanishing. Frey retched, scrunching her nose in disgust. "Damn beetles …"
Dylas rolled his eyes, "I'm not avoiding you," he said, kicking a giant ant over the cliff overlooking the Yokmir river. "I just — tch." He grunted, sheathing his sword as it seemed the majority of the monsters were gone. "I don't want to talk about this right now."
Frey waved her sword in the air, flailing her other arm as she did. "Oh, when would be a good time for you then?" She asked, feeling her throat close off. "You're aggressive whenever I come —"
"Am not—"
"You won't talk to me," She said, huffing as she sheathed her sword. "What am I supposed to think? It's like … you're becoming the old you again. I thought … We're friends, yeah?"
Dylas pushed past her, walking to join the others, who were moving closer to the clearing at the center of the forest. "I just don't want to talk to … you," he muttered, averting his eyes as he walked away. "You're not the only one who lost someone."
Frey stood dumbfounded, watching as the group headed further into the forest with tears in her eyes.
Face red, she clenched her fist and imagined herself punching the nearest tree as hard as she could. What did I do wrong?If she were alone, she'd take her sword out and cut down anything that got in her way. Since Ventuswill, she found it difficult to conceal her anger — another reason why she preferred to take solo missions. At least then her friends would't see how ugly she'd become.
Whatever. Frey unclenched her fist and shook her head. She wouldn't let Dylas and his stupid dumb face and equally dumb smile and stupid idiotic reasoning distract her from the mission at hand. Maybe I've been a bad friend, but I've nearly had it with this silent treatment.
Upon entering the clearing, Frey easily spot the airship still smoldering near the tree line. The ship landed with its nose pushed into the ground, and despite the splintered wood and piles of surrounding it, the princess could see easy access to a cabin that most likely led into the bottom decks.
As the group cautiously walked into the clearing, they could hear something creaking and groaning menacingly. Looking toward the eastern side of the field, Frey saw the dead apple tree coming to life again, and it didn't look happy.
"Shit," She hissed, unsheathing her sword. "Everyone, the tree!" The others joined her, preparing for battle. "Watch out for those apples, they may be small, but they hurt like a son-of-a—"
"FREY," Dylas yelled as the tree shot a string of shiny red apples the size of a soccer ball hurling toward her. He pushed her out of the way, taking at least one hit to his upper back. "Idiot, there's no time for talking," he growled, gripping both of her arms. He winced as the others dispersed, circling the tree. Frey furrowed her brow, but before she could say anything else, he released her and returned to the battle.
Frey followed closely behind, trading in her sword for a few fire spells Arthur, the true prince of Selphia, had taught her over the years. Between the fire and clashing of swords, the team defeated the tree after nearly thirty minutes of heart pumping battle.
Coming out on the other side with only a few scrapes and bruises, the group rested at the bottom of the bow of the airship. Breathing heavily, Doug and Vishnal flopped onto the ground, wiping the sweat and grime from their foreheads.
"That tree was no joke," the dwarf said, grinning up at the princess. "I guess it wasn't so bad having some backup," he winked. Vishnal nodded his head,
"It'll recover soon I fear," the butler said, leaning back on his hands. "We should hurry up and get out of here." Forte peered up at at the ship, rubbing her chin.
"There's an access point here," she said, pointing at the piled up dirt. "If we use the dirt to climb onto the deck, we should be able to easily enter the cabin area from there." Frey placed her hands on her hips,
"That'll do," she agreed. "Emery — the woman — didn't mention anything about the layout of the airship or where her sister may be. But, fortunately, it doesn't look like a huge ship. We'll be fine if we get started now." Frey hesitantly kicked a clump of the dirt pile, testing to see how dense and sturdy it was before taking the first step. Satisfied, she began to climb.
"Let's go," Forte commanded, gesturing to the two sitting on the ground. Vishnal stood up, holding a hand out to Doug, who whined,
"Awh, but we just sat down," he groaned as the butler pulled him to his feet. Dylas rolled his eyes,
"Don't be such a baby," he said, almost teasingly. Doug opened his mouth for a retort before receiving daggers from the dragon knight.
"Ugh, fine," he said, climbing onto the ship.
The wooden deck was scorched black in some areas, looking as though someone would fall through the planks if they tried to step onto it. Frey led the team to the plain-looking ship cabin door, jiggling the handle before forcing her way into the room.
Inside was a modest living room with a couch and a coffee table on the eastern side. Near the back was a small kitchen, complete with a sink and oven, but not much else. A shattered teapot was scattered about the floor as well as several other personal items.
Vishnal looked around the room, spotting a small picture frame with a photo of two young girls on a dresser. The girl on the left with long blond hair and sapphire-like eyes sullenly held a fishing pole as a girl on the right with pixie-like mint green hair and matching eyes smiled cheekily for the camera, holding up a peace sign. The butler glanced over his shoulder at the princess before pocketing the photo. It's almost uncanny, he thought, remembering what the woman said the night before. Elfreya…
He hummed, moving on to a second photo of a girl with shoulder length black hair and icy-blue eyes carrying a boy with light blond hair and eyes the color of an amethyst on her shoulders. The two were laughing as it appeared they were falling just as the camera captured the moment. I wonder if this is the girl we are looking for… Vishnal grabbed the second photo before joining the others, who were combing through the strange trinkets and books littering the room.
"One of them likes to read," Forte said, picking up torn books covering an assortment of topics, including spells, magical items, and alchemy. "Should we bring a few items back for the girls? This ship is pretty well trashed."
Frey furrowed her brow, looking around the cabin. "Save what you can, but don't overburden yourself. Grab the things that look precious or important," she said. "I'll need at least one of you to keep your hands free when we find the girl."
"I think … I've found her," Dylas called from the back corner of the room. Peering through a small bathroom door, the group found an unconscious woman laying haphazardly across the floor wedged between the toilet and bathroom wall. Her head was thrown back, long black hair sprawled across her shoulders, and left arm draped across the toilet. It appeared as though she had stumbled backward after getting knocked out. "The hell?" Dylas asked, glancing around the room.
Frey pinched the bridge of her nose after looking into the bathroom herself. "These people …" she groaned before motioning for Vishnal and Doug. "Please," she said, pointing at the woman. "Help her."
The princess joined Forte, who was quickly grabbing an assortment of clothes and other items that were strewn about the room. "Good thinking, they'll need something to wear," Frey said.
Grunting, the three men managed to heave the woman up and out of the bathroom and drag her to the middle of the cabin before gently setting her down. Forte and Frey joined them, preparing to use the return spell.
"All good?" The princess asked before zapping them back to the town entrance, exhausted.
...
Back at the cabin, a creature stirred beneath the ship, roughly jiggling the basement hutch near the rear western corner of the room. After several minutes, a man managed to push through the locked door, emerging from the dark underbelly.
Coughing, the man yanked his helmet off his head, chucking it across the room fiercely. He ran a hand through his chin-length blond hair, glowering as he looked about the room. A device on his left wrist crackled with static,
"In-come-ing — crackle — Captain? — Do you read? — crackle — Aleister? Do you copy? — crackle — Capt—"
The soldier smacked the device twice before pressing a button. "Yes, gods, Pip, I'm here," He said, voice gravelly from smoke inhalation. He clenched his jaw. "Man down. Kind of," he said through gritted teeth.
The device crackled again, "Oh thank gods — crackle — what is your location? — crackle — What happened out there?" Pip asked, prompting a heavy sigh from Aleister.
"Those stupid girls," he growled. "The older one jumped ship, leaving her sister to fight me one-on-one. We lost air due to the heavy amount of damage the ship took from your harebrained idea to launch fire balls at us. The younger one dragged me into the cabin to take cover, but I stupidly fought back—"
"Nice! — crackle — Never one to take a handout!" Pip interrupted. Aleister huffed, rolling his eyes.
"She kicked me into the basement and locked me in," he said, kicking a fallen book. "I've no idea where she is now."
"It looks like — crackle — You're near a border town in the Kingdom," Pip said, finally able to get a location signal. "That's a good sign — crackle — You're not far out. Better report back to the empire — crackle — And fix this damn faulty equipment!"
Aleister rolled his eyes, shaking the device again. "The tech's just not been as good since Ethelberd …" he trailed off, shrugging his shoulders. "Whatever. We'll get those girls. And that damn princess, too. Over and out."
The captain turned off his wrist device before shaking off the dust on his armor. Sighing, he picked up his helmet and pulled it over his head once again before heading out.