CHAPTER 15 – Stern Child

Okay, perhaps calling this person a child was a bit skewed. They looked to be around early to mid-teens, with rather short stature of five foot three and a thin build.

They were dressed in some type of bodysuit, that stopped at mid-thigh and above the elbow, matching white boots and gloves that looked to have been accented with gold trim. They had rather androgynous features, black eyes and matching black hair that had been styled into a bobbed haircut with a braid resting in the middle on either side of their face, held with a long ornate gold bead.

Reina wasn't sure how to respond to their young saviour. Though they also seemed to be sizing her up too.

"I'm surprised," the youth responded after a moment, arms folded across their chest. "I didn't think there was anyone alive in this region anymore."

Reina cleared her throat. "You… you mean the City?"

"No," was this person's response with a shake of their head. "There aren't any towns past the old mining areas that people live in, at least not anymore. Not since the earthquakes and sinkholes that form the area. It's become far too dangerous to even try to make a living here."

Reina felt dizzy, her mind felt fuzzy as her legs gave out making her sit on the salt-covered ground.

The youth looked concerned. "Hey! Are you okay?"

"Yeah… no," Reina admitted as she closed her eyes. "My eyes hurt, give me a minute…" her eyes were trying to get used to being in the brightness of the sun after being underground for however long they were down there for. But it was the events with the crab and when they were escaping that kept pulling at her thoughts. What was that? Who was that? It felt familiar somehow, but she couldn't even recall what it was from regardless of what she thought it reminded her of.

With a breath, she opened her eyes to look at the youth with a questioning stare. Biting the inside of her mouth lightly she asked. "Then what about you?"

"Huh?"
"You said it yourself that no one comes out here, if that's true then why were you out here?"

The child narrowed their eyes on her. "You know I helped you, right?"

"Yeah, but I was out here on a job, a request to retrieve something from inside the City." She bit out before standing up with the assistance of her weapon. "So I'll ask again, what about you? Why are you here?"

"Recognisance, I was ordered to gather data and information with my partner in this region, but he ditched me."

Reina thought about the strange man wearing black clothes and heels, given he fell into the City, perhaps this person wasn't aware of that. "…I don't think so. I ran into someone when this guy," she indicated to Caim who looked to be silently glaring with discomfort at this new person. "and I became separated, I think the person you believe that ditched you might have had the bad luck of falling through one of those sinkholes and ended up in the City."

Without missing a beat, the youth asked. "Was he wearing all black, tall, reddish hair, with heels? Had an… odd way of speaking?" when Reina nodded the youth sighed. "Yeah, that's him. Where'd he go?"

Reina merely shrugged, she had no clue and it wasn't like the man was going to tell her.

"Great… just great. The Commander isn't going to like this…"

Commander? Reina thought with a confused frown, she knew times were hard but were this kid in some kind of militia group? Reina could recall stories that when the world fell to ruin, factions of the military broke apart and formed their own groups when they didn't see eye to eye on something, be it big or small. There were often a lot of riots and death around such groups, but she wasn't aware that such groups were around this area, they usually avoided going anywhere near the City's from the old world, unless major tech could be used, which now was becoming less and less common. Though some still held strong in some places though she avoided those places as much as possible.

"Well… thank you for helping," Reina said, changing the topic. "I hope you find him."

"Yeah, well, it wasn't just him. There's another reason I'm here besides that. Still, though, it's rare to see humans going into the Cities, given how dangerous they are now."

Reina didn't respond, which the youth then asked another question.

"I know you said you had a job, but, you… almost sounded like you've done this before."

"I have," Reina said. "I've gone to several Cities, though, after this I plan to head back to one I've been to before. There's something I've been meaning to look into. And if this City hadn't begun to have another quake, I would have tried to find answers. Though I doubt it'd be much, given what's there."

The youth gave her a questioning stare. "And that is?"

Reina didn't want to bring her fears to light, but fuck it, if they thought she was crazy maybe they'd leave her alone if she told them the truth and bit her lip before speaking. "I've noticed recently in the last two cities I've gone into I've heard something… ah… not sure if you know but there are churches in some cities, and that I'm able to go inside them. And… I don't know why." She glanced to Caim. "He… he's seen it."

Caim merely nodded to confirm her statement.

"No one that I'm aware of has ever been able to get inside. And you say there are several of these churches?" Reina shrugged, she didn't know if there were more, after all, she had only seen the two as the youth rested their hands resting on their hips deep in thought. Dark brown eyes in contemplation before looking to Reina and asking. "Would you mind if I accompanied you both?"

Well, the truth backfired spectacularly. Great. "Uh… why?"

The youth folded their arms across their chest. "I said before that recognizance was my job, but that's not the only job I have. I've been tasked to investigate those Churches, the one in the Underground was the first I've been able to get into. But I didn't find much since I wasn't able to gather much because of the quakes."

Agitation rested along her shoulders, she wanted to tell the kid to buzz off, to say no and leave it at that. But if this person had a reason, then maybe she might find out why she kept hearing singing every time she got close to one of these places.

"Sure," Reina said with a sigh of defeat and aggravation. "I've already had one unwanted companion, might as well come with." Especially since I doubt he'd leave me alone even if we did part ways.

Caim arched a brow at her sarcasm. He even smirked. Smartass jerk.

"Anyhow, before that, I need to head back and hand off what was promised, it's a bit of a jaunt, so try to keep up. I don't intend to stop unless coming across enemies."

"I think I can manage." The youth said.

Reina merely looked at this kid before heading off, ignoring whatever else that this youth might want to say as they made their way back to the place where Artemisia was waiting where a thought occurred to her when they reached their destination.

Reina looked at this new unwanted companion. "I should have asked this before; you have a name to go by?"

"Innes," the youth said. "That's… my name."

Reina and Caim glanced at each other before look at the one called Innes. "…you don't sound certain about it."

"I'm… not used to it," Innes said. "I've never had a name before."

Again, Reina said nothing while Caim simply scowled as he cocked his head. Trying to figure out what this person meant by that.

"Well, at least it's not a flower," Reina said, trying to make a joke and failing horribly since Caim just gave her an arched stare as she stood up and readjusted her bag. "I'm… Reina, and…this is Caim. He doesn't talk. But knows Sign Language that I'm still trying to learn. I'm not much of a talker myself."

"I know Sign Language," Innes responded.

"Great, that means you both can have a conversation while I get my horse and give the blacksmith what she needed. Be right back." She didn't intend to sound as agitated as she had, but just knowing that another person wanted to tag along was aggravating enough for her. She just wanted to be alone. By herself, with her horse. Was that too much to ask?

"Hey!" Artemisa said the moment Reina entered the shop, smiling with relief and anticipation as Reina made her way up to the counter. "Welcome back," then nervously asked. "So? How'd it go?"

Reina pulled out every single tool that was on the list and laid them out on the counter. "Pretty well,"

Artemisia's mouth opened, only to close it before coming around to the front and hugging Reina tightly. So tightly it almost made Reina's bones bend from the sheer strength. "Thank you," her voice shaking as much as her body did. "Thank you so much, Reina."

Reina hesitated. Unsure, before returning the hug, the overwhelming number of emotions was something Reina could understand. Then, she closed her eyes and rested her hands lightly on Artemisia's back, offering solidarity between them.

They remained like that for a short while. Artemisia then stepped away, clearing her throat. "Sorry about that. I just… I'm just really happy. I never thought I'd see these. I was preparing myself for you to tell me you couldn't find them or that they were broken. But this… I can't describe it. This feeling I have. I guess you'd call it 'Joy'?"

"Maybe," Reina said. "It might be a mix of emotions too…"

Artemisia gave a slight laugh. "Yeah, I bet you're right." She then looked back to the tools. "I never thought I'd see these. But now… maybe with these, I can finally keep my promise after all this time."

Reina looked to Artemisia with slight confusion, something which the tall, muscular woman realized.

"Ah-ha-ha… sorry, didn't mean to get off track." She laughed with nervousness. "Anyway, enough about that. Here's your weapon like I promised!" Artemisia pulled out the newly modified spear, and to Reina's surprise, it had lost the dark blue hue of the blade and had turned a dark crimson red. Mixed with the white ivory that remained, it looked almost like a bloody bone carved by a master craftsman.

Reina just looked at it and made her wonder if the same thing would happen with the other weapon she had found in the Church. But before she could get a word in edgewise Artemisia pulled out another weapon, Caim's broken sword.

Fixed, and looking as if it had been newly forged. "And this too, not sure what kind of materials were used to originally make it, but I did the best I could. I did notice, however, something interesting."

"In what regard?"

"Well, it absorbed the flames from the forge. I've never seen a sword do that before. I figure that this is something rare. I think, over time I could upgrade it to where it could permanently be on fire. Well, maybe, I'm not fully sure how it'd go unless I talked to him."

"Hmmm," Reina then placed the two new weapons she had found. "Do you think you could do something with these? Caim has one as well, I think it could use an upgrade too."

Artemisia looked at the two new weapons, both seemed to hold and an equal amount of interest until a puzzled expression formed her brow. "Huh,"

Reina looked just as puzzled as Artemisia, who then noticed and elaborated.

"The spear, the one that looks like a cross, I think it's the same as the other spear you found inside that Church in the City of Mist."

After biting the inside of her cheek, Reina asked. "How can you tell?"

"They have the same feel, a craftsman can notice these things, but… it's odd. Now that I look at them, it makes me have this… strange feeling. I'm not sure what you'd call it, but I had something like it when dealing with Caim's weapon." Her orange golden eyes resting upon the sword in question. "It's not from here. And I'm not sure what that means..."

Reina didn't respond, she had no answer for this, after all. Wouldn't even know where to even ask Caim, let alone if he'd even tell her.

"Regardless," Artemisia continued smiling at Reina. "They're fine weapons, I know if my old man was still alive, he'd be as interested as I am. I'll be sure to get to work on them right away. And with my new tools, I'm sure I'll get done even faster."

Reina took the finished weapon, and after a moment she responded. "I'll send him your way, thank you… Artemisia."

She smiled at Reina. "No problem, let the moody guy know about his sword. Let me know if you have anything else you need looked at."

With a nod, Reina left the place, where when she came out she could practically taste the tension in the air between the two people who wouldn't leave her alone.

The hell happened? She thought. You know what? Screw it, I don't care. I'm too tired for this anyway… "Hey!" she barked out to get their attention, so that, at least, they'd stop glaring at each other for five minutes. "I'm done, if you've got something to do, go in and take care of it. I going to sleep. Oh, and if you want a bed, ask the blacksmith. Night."

"You're not going to sleep in a bed?" Innes asked.

"I stay with my horse." She said as she walked past them both, handing Caim his fixed sword. "Artemisia did a bit of modification to it," Reina told him. "Said she could even get the blade to have it permanently on fire when you use it, but you'd have to see what she meant by that." Then continued to where she left Rostam. "I'm going to sleep."

She then dumped her stuff next to her horse who nuzzled his snout against her face, letting out grunts and hot breaths as his tail hit the ground. He was happy to see her.

Reina smiled and wrapped her arms around his strong neck. "I… missed you too… sorry I took so long Rostam…" she then took out a carrot to eat from the satchel, which he did with vigorous glee. Even licked her fingers before nuzzling her face, he rarely did this, only when she felt overwhelmed. Something that she was grateful for. Laying back on Rostam's side, she closed her eyes as exhaustion took her into a deep sleep.