Lian's Peculiar Journey
Chapter 22
Straight from the Underground
Seris solemnly stood alone in the darkness of the abandoned fortress she resided in, not speaking at all as she looked at the dark corner of what was her lavish bedroom.
To her left was her Victorian-esque bed covered with purple linens and dark pillows and surrounded by elegant candlesticks and crystal powered lights.
There were no windows in this room, and it had decorated walls adorned with abstract paintings of dark colours and morbid themes such as skeletons, souls, and phantoms.
There was one portrait, however, that took a special prominence in the room.
A portrait of a man with flowing white hair, and below it a table adorned with beautiful candelabras and wilted flowers.
There was a knock on the dark oak door behind the woman, and a cloaked man walked in and bowed.
"Seris."
"I know." Seris responded as she held her exposed neck. In fact, the only thing she was wearing was a bounding cloth across her chest and a thin veil skirt to cover her waist area and her legs.
The man stood straight up.
"Whatever it takes, we can stop them."
"Stopping them isn't part of the plan." Seris responded, "I need them. In the end, she will come to me… dead or alive." she murmured and rubbed her shoulder.
Stretching down from her shoulder all the way to her waist were burn marks that scarred her body. Some of these scars raced around and curved in a way that made her appear that she had suffered an attack from a whip.
"The blood from normal men is not enough for me." Seris continued as she kicked aside a leg into a dark part of her room. She walked towards one of her lighted stone desks and grabbed the bronze bowl that was found atop it.
Inside this bowl was a dark red liquid which Seris put her hand over. A faint purple glow overcame her arm and after a low hum and an intensity in the glow, the liquid inside was gone.
"You said you required the blood of Sarah… your sister." The man spoke as he walked up to Seris and took the bowl from her hands.
"Not only her blood." Seris responded, "How could you forget so easily?" she grumbled and walked over to her bed.
"Regardless, without it, I can never fulfill the true reality of my stand."
A ghostly figure appeared behind her, dark and covered by the shadows that surrounded them.
"You were never one to proclaim weakness." The man returned to Seris' side and down on the bed before her, "What do these lowlifes have that they bring this out?"
The ghostly figure grabbed the man by the throat and choked him.
"Don't you dare imply I am crying out in fear." Seris coldly retorted and called away her stand, then sat next to him, "I am merely stating reality." She added.
The man cleared his throat and sat back down as the ghostly figure disappeared.
"My apologies."
"I have already lost most of my Abyssal powers." Seris spoke as the glow in her arms was minimal, no matter how much she concentrated on intensifying it.
"I am not afraid, however, as my stand can and will consume them all."
"Your stand is the most powerful I've ever laid my eyes on." The man told her as he placed his left hand over her right.
"I have no doubt you have the might to destroy them and take what is rightfully yours."
Seris looked at the man and nodded.
"And I have no doubt you will serve me along the way." She said and reached for his other hand.
"Whatever you require, I will stand by your side as the world becomes yours." The man said as he neared her.
"Then you shall call our beloveds, prepare them for our guests." Seris spoke, "Our destiny is at our doorstep. I highly doubt that fool with the bow will get rid of them, and I only have you and one guard here…"
"Who is that other guard?" the man asked.
Seris chuckled and whistled a somber tone.
A flap of wings was heard throughout the empty fortress, the rustling of feathers, and finally a horrid screech as something came through the doorway.
Seris extended her arm, and something rapidly flew past it.
The man nodded in understanding as Seris's arm came clean off and tumbled to the ground.
The flapping of wings slowed until the figure rested and came under the light of the candles.
It was a red bird, crowned with upright feathers at the head. It had a beige underbelly with golden feathers, and its legs were covered with shin guards made of bronze. On its sharp beak was a silver guard that extended a few millimeters outward into a sharp blade.
"This is a pet I received from one of our servants." Seris spoke as she picked up her arm and placed it back where it was, the Abyss energy coming out soon after and reattaching it in its regeneration.
"I took the liberty on training it to become my own watchdog. Luckily for me, it took its job quite well." She said and pet it on the head.
The bird nodded but kept a keen glare.
"I trust you will defend this place while we retreat to Seris, will you?" Seris asked the bird, who squawked in agreement.
"What an intelligent animal." The man commented.
"More intelligent than some of the fools we've sent to take care of this job." Seris spoke and shrugged her shoulders, motioning the animal to leave.
The bird did so and flew off out the room and into the dark fortress.
"Now then, we should be taking our leave to Seris and let our pet here take care of that trash. We have more important things to attend to." Seris continued and put her left hand over the man's chest.
"I will see to it that we make haste." The man responded.
"For now, let us take our share of the night." Seris lowly spoke she grabbed the man's chin and brought him to bed with her.
Outside of the room, the bird flew through the empty corridors and halls, avoiding columns and spires, stairway drops and rises, and all sorts of torn up banners and statues until he spotted the only window in sight- a large stained-glass window that had a tiny opening at the top. The bird flew through this opening and came out into the outside world.
The sun was out and shining over the nearby town.
The bird gave out a loud screech and noticed a group of men walking in front of the stone walls of the abandoned fortress.
It was a young group of hooligans throwing stones, harassing women and old people, and causing a general ruckus on the street. They were completely unaware of their surroundings except for the people they were targeting at the moment.
The bird squawked lowly and kept its keen eyes on them, then started to fly down.
The young men started to cause a racket between themselves and they stopped in front of the rusted gates that led to the entry to the fortress.
"Take a look at this old place." One of the men laughed and grabbed one of the small cobblestones stones that once made up the wall and threw it at the fortress.
The rest of the young men joined in and started throwing stones at the fortress, targeting bushes, old statues, and small windows.
The bird landed on the iron gates, causing them to stop at that moment.
"Hey, take a look at that." The same man from before pointed at the bird and laughed, "Get out of here!" he grabbed a rock and threw it at the bird.
The bird flew away, causing all the young men to laugh and jeer before grabbing more stones to throw.
"Hahahaha!" the young man that had thrown the rock at the bird laughed and threw his stone, but before he could grab another, he heard a strong gust of wind.
Then felt an impact to his chest.
"AHHHHHH!" the young man closest to him screamed, causing the others to turn and see the horrid sight.
There was a gaping hole through the man's chest.
The bird landed nearby, shaking itself of the new redness it had on its feathers before it lunged at another one of the young men and flew off back into the fortress.
The young man that was targeted this round had his arm completely removed.
It was now that the group of ruffians took off in fright, leaving their wounded comrades to fend for themselves.
0000000
Sarah sat down with her allies by where they had originally met Abdalah and Yamina at the edge community duck pond. She was looking into dark waters, though ignoring the ducks and other birds that were there.
Lex, Lian, Zhin, and Moji were sitting nearby at a picnic table eating lunch and conversing between each other. It was only a moment until Lian noticed Sarah's apparent distant behavior, compelling her to excuse herself from the gang and sit down next to Sarah under a sycamore tree.
"How's it going?" Lian asked her.
Sarah turned to face her and smiled, "It's going well. Why aren't you with the rest of them?" she asked and looked at the three others.
"I thought you were getting lonely, so I decided to stop by." Lian responded, "Though I should stop being the one that has to take all the initiative." She sighed and looked up to the sky.
"Hahaha, I'm fine." Sarah chuckled but gave a weak smile.
Lian looked back at her and frowned, "Something's wrong, is it?"
"Well, I must admit almost losing Lex and you was less than pleasing." Sarah said and looked at Lian's hands, "Yes… It wasn't a good feeling."
"Relax." Lian said, "We all made it out ok thanks to you, and I am very grateful." She put her hand to her chest and bowed her head, "Without you, I don't know what would have happened to us."
"Neither do I… Pyre knows what Seris would do to your soul." Sarah gulped, "She's… just so evil…." She growled and clenched her fists.
Lian looked at the emotion of the woman but raised her alarm when saw tear stains on her sleeves.
"Sarah?"
"L-L-Lian." Sarah stammered and covered her face, "Why is she like this? Why my sister? She did so many horrible things…"
Lian became confused.
"She made a girl kill herself." Sarah cried out, "All because she feared her! By the Pyre I hate her so much!"
It was at this point Zhin and Lex noticed the outburst and turned to face the two. Lex motioned Zhin to go, which Zhin nodded, but not before motioning Moji to stay where she was.
"Why my sister!" Sarah wept, "I loved her so much, yet she keeps trying to take away the things I love! Why is she so evil?!"
"I'll tell you why." Lex, who was now next to Lian, spoke. "It is my belief that there are events or desires in this world that can cause even the best of men to become the worst of criminals. Once that happens, they become irredeemable in the sight of the Law. From what you have told us, your sister has fallen under this same fate."
Sarah looked at Lex.
"I know…" she mumbled and wiped the tears from her eyes, "That is why I'm trying to stop her… There are times I believe that it would be best if she died, because then her soul will stop seeking evil."
"Whatever you decide for us to do, we will help you." Lian said, "We have all sword to aid you in this quest, and I, as a princess, will keep my word. I don't know about the other two."
Sarah gave a small smile.
"You have my word as a swordsman." Zhin added.
"And mine as a Lawman." Lex finished, "We all believe that Seris should be stopped from what we have seen and heard."
"I am honored I could have your support." Sarah stood up, "Then we shouldn't hesitate! We should leave before sundown tonight!" she raised her hand.
"As long as Abdalah or whatever his name is fixes the wagon up in time we can." Lian commented, "Say Zhin, where's your ladyfriend?" she asked.
Zhin huffed.
"Who?" he crossed his arms.
"The one you took a bullet for." Lian continued teasing him, "I think she really liked that from what she told us and her father. Be careful, he seems like the type to arrange marriages, you know those lot."
"Said the princess." Zhin grumbled, "Regardless, I don't know where Yamina is, and I don't care. She could be off with her caravan and I wouldn't give two-" he turned around and saw Yamina walking down with her father towards them.
"Would you like to repeat your testimony?" Lex chuckled lowly as he saw Zhin turn back towards them.
"Shut up."
"You know everything you say can and will be used against you."
"Say a word and I'll- Hey!" Zhin saw Abdalah and Yamina join their group, "How's it going!"
Abdalah had the most serious face ever, a face so serious that even Lex was becoming unnerved. His body loomed over them as he stood silent, like a sentinel watching over a king, like a tower rising from a castle.
He pointed straight at Zhin.
Zhin visibly recoiled at the gesture.
"You." Abdalah spoke, then the widest smile appeared on his face, "You saved my daughter!" he called out and gave the man a huge bear hug.
"HWAK!" Zhin gasped, his eyes wide open and nearly bulging out of their sockets as his body was crushed between the man's tree trunk-like arms and broad built chest.
"I will never not be thankful for your work." Abdalah set the man down and turned to Yamina, joyfully speaking to her in their native tongue.
Yamina smiled and turned to Zhin.
"I really don't know how I can thank you." She fixed her head covering and walked up to him, opening her arms.
Zhin stood confused at the gesture.
"I think she wants you to hug her, fool." Lian spoke up.
"Yes! Yes! A hug!" Yamina spoke.
"In our culture it is forbidden for a woman to hug a man first unless it is his wife." Abdalah told the Paladins.
"Uh… Ok." Zhin stammered and hugged Yamina but was shocked when the hug was rather personal.
A smell of exotic soap hit his nose and caught his interest, but before he could catch any further scent he pulled away with a rather flustered face.
"I… Uh… No problem!" he said and bowed.
Yamina smiled and turned to her father and talked to him in their tongue.
Abdalah nodded, bowed, and walked off towards his caravan.
"What did you tell him?" Lian asked, taking the reins of the conversation yet again.
"I wanted just wanted to talk to you all." Yamina responded, "It seemed you all were having a good time, I didn't want my father to interrupt. He can be quiet… intrusive…"
"Tell me about it." Lian said, "But don't worry about it, we were just having a small talk is all." She put her arm over Sarah's shoulders.
Yamina nodded, but then looked at Sarah.
"Hmmm… Are you ok?" she asked her.
"Huh?" Sarah looked at her with confusion.
"You seem sad." Yamina titled her head, "Were you crying? Awww." She sighed and walked to her, "Don't worry, it will be ok."
"How-" Sarah said, "How did you know?"
"Your eyes… They are very sad." Yamina said with the kindest voice, "They are red from crying, but have lost their color because of pain. I just want to tell you it will be alright."
Zhin's eyes widened in surprise at the woman's genuine demeanor, even Lian took a note of it.
Sarah could not help but smile at the woman's action as she felt a warmness in her heart.
"Thank you, Yamina."
Yamina smiled in return.
"Keep strong." She hugged her and stepped back, "Zhin." She turned to the man.
"Ahem- Yes?" Zhin cleared his throat and addressed her, "Yes, Yamina?"
"Thank you for saving me from the robber." Yamina smiled again, "I am forever grateful." She fixed her head covering again.
This time it was a bit more nervously than the last.
"A-Again, no problem." Zhin stammered and bowed, "It was my honor- I mean pleasure!"
Yamina nodded.
"I will see my father." She excused herself from the conversation and walked away, but not before giving Zhin one last glance.
"Oh my…" Lian smirked and walked towards Zhin, "Zhin, it seems you have a little lady in waiting. When are you going to tell her you were the rooster at her porch?" she asked him.
"Never!" Zhin shot back, "You don't understand, I can't be with Yamina! She's too pure for me or for this world! Did you not just see how she was with Sarah? By hell I can't be with her!" he put his hands to his head in frustration.
"With my record with women, Yamina would be better off living a widow!"
"Don't say that." Sarah said, "You are a very caring person, especially to those who have a pure heart."
"I am not!" Zhin shook his head, "I've been a bad man for most of my life… A terrible person." He recollected his past, "Look, Yamina doesn't deserve me… And she definitely can't be with me considering what we are doing. She doesn't have a stand and all we have been facing are stand users. You yourself stated that people without them cannot see them! She's going to be a sitting duck to whatever more your sister sends us."
"Sounds like you are really concerned for her." Lex pondered, giving a short chuckle as he did so, "Well it seems that is something you'll have to notify her about, not us."
"I know…" Zhin groaned and looked at Yamina, who was appeared to be arguing with her father over something.
"Hmmm?" his attention was piqued.
"What is it?" Lex asked and turned to that direction and saw the same sight.
It was not long before Yamina returned to them with something with her hand.
It was a silk ribbon, it appeared to be made out of the same material her head covering was made out of. It was red in color and had ornate designs of golden flowers on it.
"I wish for you to have this." The woman said and looked at Zhin, "As a symbol for my gratitude." She stepped up to the man and reached for his right arm.
"What?" Zhin stepped back.
"I'm sorry!" Yamina shook her head in embarrassment, "Can I please see your right arm?" she asked politely.
Zhin gathered his bearings and nodded, then extended his arm out.
Yamina stretched out the silk ribbon and tied it a little bit above his bicep in a fancy bow-like not.
"There." She smiled and looked at Zhin.
"Uh… Thank you… ?" the man responded.
"It is my pleasure." Yamina bowed and walked back to her father's caravan.
"What was that about?" Lex asked, genuinely curious at what events just occurred.
"If I may hop in." Sarah walked next to Zhin, "You may have a little admirer, Zhin." She informed and pointed at the ribbon.
"In my long life traveling in order to find other stand users and learn the powers of my own stand, I met a lot of people and experienced a lot of cultures." She added, "I think I finally figured out what tribe Yamina is from. She is from the desert tribe of the Al-Jamir, and I know that because they have a little tradition in which if a girl likes a guy… well she gets him a little ribbon and ties it around his right arm, level to his heart. Apparently tying it on the right arm signifies that the girl admires the man's strength and it being level to his heart means… well, she wants to be right beside it. It's kind of cute if you think about it." She smiled.
Zhin looked at the ribbon and saw that it matched exactly to what she had described.
"And what would the man have to do reject this advance?"
Lian sighed.
Lex shook his head.
Sarah frowned.
"Well you have to undo it in front of her and hand it back straightened out and in your two hands as if presenting a platter." She grumbled.
Zhin sighed, then made his way towards the caravan.
His feet were making haste, but his heart lagged behind. He didn't want to go, but it was necessary.
This had to stop.
He made his way until he was only a few meters away from Abdalah and Yamina, who by now noticed him walking towards them but only kept cordial looks about them.
"Yamina." Zhin spoke up and stopped in front of her.
"Yes?" the young woman asked.
Zhin took a deep breath and reached for the ribbon on his arm. His hands grabbed hold of it and started to tug on its bow.
Yamina stood silent and looked down at the ground.
Zhin frowned but continued to unravel the ribbon until it was finally loose.
"I am sorry." He said and stretched out the ribbon and laid it across the palms of his hands, "Please, forgive me." He bowed.
"Regrettable…" Abdalah shook his head.
Zhin gave out a deep sigh and looked at Yamina.
"Why?" she asked.
His throat became tied up. His tongue lost the ability to speak.
"I'm sorry, please forgive me."
"For what?" Yamina raised her head, showing she had a smile on her face.
"I'm happy!" she exclaimed.
"Huh?" Zhin turned to Abdalah, "What-"
"It is regrettable my family was not around to see this!" Abdalah laughed his hearty laugh, "Oh, my daughter, you have a suitor for you! How do you feel?"
Yamina smiled.
"Happy!" she said and extended her right arm.
"What?" Zhin said.
"You're supposed the do the same thing to me!" Yamina laughed, "Oh, I guess you don't know the culture very well." She said and helped him tie the ribbon across her own arm.
"What!?" Zhin yelled.
"Why are you so shocked, my friend?" Abdalah asked, "You should be happy!" he laughed and patted the man on the back.
"Zhin, I can see myself being your ladyfriend…" Yamina smiled and put her hands to her cheeks.
"LADYFRIEND!?" The swordsman cried out in horror.
"Yes, you just showed romance to me!" Yamina responded, "I must say you know a lot about Al-Jamir culture, I'm so impressed!"
"But we've only known each other for a day what how what?!" Zhin stepped back.
His friends had heard the commotion and ran to his aid.
"What is wrong?" Lex asked as he tried to assess the scene.
"I'll tell you what's wrong!" Zhin turned to Sarah and glared at her, "Someone gave me directions to ask a woman out- one I've only known fully for a day!"
Sarah's eyes widened.
"Oh… Yes…." She chuckled uneasily, "Well… I…."
"WHY DID YOU DO THAT FOR!?" Zhin was livid.
"Zhin, calm down." Lex tried to get in between them.
"Well Zhin, I thought the same way you did…" Sarah answered, "I thought she would reject your proposal for a relationship because you've only met for a day, so I told you how to romance a girl in the Al-Jamir culture in order to save you the burden…"
Zhin's eye twitched.
"Ha… ha… ha…" Sarah chuckled in fear.
"WRYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!" Zhin yelled in rage at the sky. He stopped and panted, then turned to Yamina.
He saw her worried expression and was immediately calmed down.
"Uh… Apologies… It's just that…" he stammered again.
"I understand." Abdalah spoke, "It must be difficult to process all your emotions knowing that you will court my beautiful daughter soon." He said with a grin.
Zhin sighed.
"You don't understand, my daughter has been trying to get married for a while now." Abdalah continued, "She's had no suitors in years since she became of age, I am really worried for her. Her little heart was always open for love yet all those dogs that rejected her broke it every time!" he became visibly enraged.
"Oh father!" Yamina said, "Please don't say things like that in public!"
"Look!" Zhin snapped, "I don't want a relationship with you!" he pointed at Yamina, "And I don't care what you believe!" he pointed at Abdalah, "Or what you all say!" he turned to his allies, "I will not endanger her life! Not when we are out here busting our asses fighting assassins with stands that can easily take us all out! I won't repeat myself! I won't have another innocent person die in front of my eyes like my mother!"
The environment went quiet.
"You- You wouldn't understand!" Zhin groaned and swatted the air with his left arm, then stormed away towards the other side of the duck pond.
"I- I'm going to go talk to him." Yamina spoke and ran off behind him, picking up her dress skirt as she did so.
"Moji, stay here with Abdallah." Sarah instructed Moji as she turned to Lex and Lian, "We should go too."
"I know what happened last time Zhin ran off by himself." Lex commented as he took the lead.
"What a pain…" Lian grabbed her tiara and shifted it side to side across her forehead.