Five days.
That's how much time had passed since Raihan's encounter at the forest spring. Five days he had been on guard duty, searching the woods for the supposed "witch" causing sickness throughout the kingdom. Five nights he had detoured to the spring, calling out for the musician, only to hear the echoes of the water, crashing from the glass against the rocks. Ever since hearing Piers's music Raihan had been unable to get the soothing melody out of his ears. He could still remember it so clearly as if fiddler was living inside his very ear. The melancholy sounds ripped through his nerves with a sharp, anxious sensation despite how smooth the image of Piers playing flashed in his head every second.
Raihan was alone in this experience.
On the sixth day, he rested, and then Raihan was back on the witchhunts.
"A whole week of this, and still nothing. You'd think people would just learn to stay indoors and avoid each other until we figure out the cause of all this, at the very least," Leon whined as he followed Charmeleon through the woods like the previous nights. It had been a tiring effort, discovering nothing beyond a few wild berry bushes and a nesting ground for a colony of impidimps and morgrems. Unless the entire kingdom would believe the scapegoat of trickery magic then it had been doubted worth reporting.
"There isn't much we can do about it now." Raihan was treading slowly behind Leon with a lantern in hand, keeping his eyes, or more so his ears perked up in case of anything. A whole week later, and he was still fixated on those sounds, on the man who had been playing it. Yet, now that time had passed he was beginning to doubt himself. Music hadn't been heard in the forest ever since. The waterfall remained as deserted as ever. Maybe it had been his imagination or a dream.
He sighed momentarily, jabbing his spear into the dirt as he walked. He was gritting his teeth. Just as he thought it was impossible, Raihan's ears twitched, causing his head to turn. A noise plucked and chimed through the air.
"Hey~ you hear that? Man, something must be up with the water! You can hear the Magikarp splashing around like crazy!" And one could.
Just as Leon had said, when Raihan dialed his ears to focus, he could hear the sound of Karp, huffing and splashing from the river close by in a mad frenzy. The tune that played in his ear- was there a correlation between them? "You hear that?" he asked sternly.
"The Magikarp? I mean, how could I not? They're pretty excited if you couldn't tell."
It was happening again. Someone was playing music, and only Raihan could hear it. He wouldn't waste this opportunity to confirm his suspicion.
"Where are you headed? Raihan? Aren't we supposed to stick together?" Leon called out as Raihan began heading in a different direction. "Or do you want us to search a different area?"
"You said so last time we were paired up, didn't you? We can cover more ground this way! Go on ahead with me!" No time was spared. Raihan charged ahead without looking back.
He had almost memorized the way to the falls. However, having the music and the sound of the karps guiding him, Raihan made it faster than he had any previous night. His eyes were bright in the reflected light from the water's surface. Lips trembled lightly as he stood on the river bank where he had been just a few days ago, gazing out over the river towards the rocks at the base of the falls.
Piers was there, sitting down this time, legs stretched out in front of him. Between them was none other than the source of the pleasant music he had heard. The musician's fingers smoothly ran along and plucked at the strings of a harp that was almost taller than he was when sitting. With each charming note resounding from him, it was as if the river was alive, just as the woods had moved for his fiddle. Karps sprang and splashed around the rocks, one after the other as if risking life out of the water to better attend this musician's performance.
Raihan sank from the banks to the sandy spot below, yet still dared not to venture into the waters. He planted his spear into the sand and watched, listened, and then applauded when Piers finally slowed to a pause and then reclined. Plated metal and mail clinked together as he clapped. "Bravo," he called out to the other.
When their eyes connected they shared a moment of stunned silence. Piers slowly stood, naked. His skin glowed against the moonlight reflecting off the surface of the water. Bright eyes pierced through the evening dew of the falls.
"I've been curious when I'd hear you play again. Please, come closer. I mean no harm!"
Piers didn't say a word but slowly descended from the rocks. He walked across the water with his harp tucked under his arm. How? How was he able to just tread across the water like it was a solid surface. Raihan still had no idea, unless Piers was some kind of bizarre hermit bard. It would at least explain the man's lack of clothing. When he was but a few paces away from the shore, he stopped. Their eyes connected once again, not a word being offered from Piers.
The dragoon just blinked, staring at him until it was clear Piers was waiting on him to speak first. "Erh- um, hello."
"Why are you here?" Pier's voice had been stern, almost demanding.
"I just followed the sound of your music and- "
"How is it you can hear me? Human ears are not capable of hearing the songs of a fossegrimen, even if one desired it."
"W-what? Hold on a sec," he reared back slightly, holding his hands up to try and calm his company. What did you say? A fo-foss...fossegrimen?" He struggled to get the word out, having not heard it before. "Is that- are you not human?"
Piers nodded his head. "The question is...are you?"
Raihan was silent for a moment. "Of course I am! Both my parents are. So why wouldn't I be?"
Once again, no response. Piers's eyes remained fixated on Raihan, scanning him as if he was growing horns on his head.
Raihan felt awkward, just standing there in the sand on the receiving end of such a threatening stare. His eyes traced over their surroundings, across the waters, and along the rocks, and then honed in on the pile of Magikarp, waggling about. "Um...you hungry?" he asked as he looked back at Piers. "I mean...you got all those fish there. I could build a fire." Maybe it wasn't the best way to break the tension, but-
To Raihan's surprise, Piers's face slowly softened and then he nodded. "Very well. If dinner is being offered then I won't refuse," he said. The grim glided across the water to collect the small pile of gasping Karp.
A fire was built in the sand from gathered sticks and dry leaves. With a little help from his lantern, it had been easy to get one going big enough to roast fish over. Four karps were impaled on a stick each, propped up against a stone over the open flames. Smoke hazed around them. The wood crackled and snapped as lake water dripped and sizzled from the fishes' scales. Before long, a nice smoky, salty scent wafted through the air around where the two were sitting.
Piers eyed Raihan and the roasting Karp impatiently as his fingers continuously tightened their hold around his harp, plucking a string every so often. Up close Raihan could finally see more to him than just his pale skin or bright eyes. The man's nails were, in fact, claws, dirty with sand, chipped and cracked in some places, but with points nonetheless. Whenever he tugged his lip back sharp teeth could be made out, and the man's hair was so heavy from the water that it was down, lapping over his thighs. The way he sat, slouching and clawing at his instrument showed how anxious and impatient he was becoming, yet he just kept staring at the fish as it roasted.
It was true. Whatever Piers was- it wasn't human.
"Something wrong?" Raihan finally asked, unable to stand the silence any further.
No response. Instead, Piers reached over to one of the barely cooked Magikarp and pulled it from the smoky fire circle, pricking his claws into it as its tail fin twitched.
"H-Hey! It's not ready! It's only been a few seconds!"
Fangs snapped around it, breaking the hard exterior of scales like it was nothing. Bones cracked and blood splashed. It dripped from Pier's jaw and down his chin. He tore into the fish's flesh and devoured it as though he were still alone, disregarding Raihan staring at him. His tongue licked over his lips and around his cheeks. The point of his tongue helped to scoop loose meat and flesh as it dangled from the Karp's exposed bones.
Raihan was speechless, watching Piers devour the Magikarp. Despite the carnage, the man sitting across from him remained cool. Magikarp were known for their strong, dense scales that were difficult to remove. Yet Piers was crunching right through them using only his teeth, effortlessly; like it was completely normal for him. The dragoon just blinked, hesitant to reach out and take one of the fish for himself. "If you were that hungry...erh-"
Piers shot a look at him that made Raihan freeze.
"Erh, what exactly did you say you were again?"
"A fossegrimen," he answered sternly after licking the last bit of blood that had spilled down his arm. Piers appeared to have calmed down after having an appetizer.
"A fossegrimen...a grim. What exactly is that? I'm not all that savvy with things outside of dragons or fairies."
It should come as no surprise that Piers didn't respond right away, but instead reached for his harp and began to strum along, using his nails as picks. "You asked if I was a siren last time. Remember? Think of me like a siren, only harmless."
"Why should I trust you? How do I know you won't try to drown me?"
"I'm sitting here on dry land with you, aren't I?" he asked as he kept playing. "Tho we are relatives, fossegrimen are docile towards humans. I was born here in this river and I'll die here, playing my music for those who can hear it." Another fish was had, this time one that was fully cooked. Still, instead of peeling the skin from it, Piers sank every fang into it. Not a shard of bone or scale went to waste with him.
However, Raihan picked at it, trying to get as clean of a meaty bite as possible until Piers moved closer to him and extended his harp out for the other to take.
"Thank you. It was delicious. Now, the deal is struck, shall we begin?"
The dragoon blinked, confused as he looked down at the harp. "Is this a gift for me?"
A small laugh. "No. I would never part with any of my instruments." Slowly, his gaze was brought up to meet Raihan in the eye. "You're a dumb one, aren't you? I'm offering to teach you how to play."
Raihan leaned away slightly and raised a brow. "Wh-what? Why- why would you- sorry! I must have missed something. Why the hell are you trying to teach me to play the harp?"
"It comes with the territory. Usually, those who offer food to a grim is someone who wishes to learn their musical capabilities." Once again, he extended his harp for Raihan to hold.
"Um...I was jus' being nice. Not a 'musicale' kind of guy. Why don't you just play me another song, huh? I like hearing you."
Once again, Piers didn't respond. He only scanned Raihan before slowly retrieving his instrument and gave a shallow nod. His nails began to pluck away at harp strings, ringing in a pleasant, soft tune. At the same time, the waterfall became quieter, water falling slower. Ripples in the river bubbled and the faint sound of splashing could be heard. The fish still in the water were responding to Piers's music. No- the entire forest was, and yet Piers continued playing like nothing was out of the ordinary.
"You're a strange one," he muttered as he continued playing. "Who are you, exactly?"
Raihan's attention was grabbed once again. "I'm Raihan. A dragoon and dragon rider for Hammarlocke. I thought I had told you last time," he said with his mouth full as he tore away fresh meat for the Karp's bone in his hand.
"No. That's not what I meant. Tell me, Raihan. Where are you from."
"Here! I don't understand what you're getting at. I was born in Hammarlocke and I've lived there my whole life. I was trained in the royal guard ever since boyhood!"
Piers continued playing, not once looking up at Raihan. "And?"
"Well...I don't know what else to say. My parents were kind people- bakers. Though, they said I wasn't a planned child. They never explained it. Something about magic beans and an old witch's curse. They moved here shortly after I was born, but father refused to talk about it much beyond that, and mother...well, father said she died giving birth to me."
The mood shifted, as did the tune. Piers's fingers slowed and went for thicker strings. The music drifted into a bleaker number, similar to the one he had played on his fiddle. "I see…"
"B-but I mean- everything was still good. I met my best mate, Leon when we were training together. He ended up getting promoted to beast tamer and I was selected to be a dragon rider! Well...more like the dragons selected me! Hehe, no one could explain it but a lot of times the wyverns and dragon pokemon we take care of would flock to me and obey me, sometimes with more loyalty than even our teachers!"
Finally, the grim's song came to an end, and the forest slowly returned to normal. The waterfall crashed against the rocks. Rapids collided in the river. The fish simmered down, and Piers just gazed upon Raihan with a small, modest smile across his lips. "Fascinating," was all he said.
The fire was dying, and the last remaining fish was burned. Piers took it and devoured it just as he had the previous two. "It is time to go," he declared before standing up.
"What? Wait a second! We've hardly spoken. You can't just decide that! H-hey!"
Piers was already stepping back across the water, harp in hand, slowly, his back turned to Raihan. "I don't like leaving the water for long. Please, return next week. I only ask that you come alone."
"Aren't you listening?! I said to hold on! I'm not finished speaking. Just-" but it didn't matter. As Raihan charged into the water, fully armored, Piers strummed across his harp. Immediately a thick fog shrouded the area. The river became violent, hurling waters at the dragoon, and sent him back towards the sandy river bank. He landed on his back, crashing into the fire pit.
Raihan coughed and spat river water as he pulled himself up, tossing off his helmet and reaching around for his spear...that was now nowhere to be found. Nor was there anyone there. Piers had vanished into the mist. He was alone, and just like last time all there was to hear was the sound of the river, cutting from the forest.
