~March 20th, x800~
Shadows drip from the ceiling, pooling together to build the forms of Krait and Bandy.
"You were having such a sweet reunion," Krait says. "We thought we'd give you a moment to-"
Hunter socks Krait right in the face. There's a satisfying crunch as the bones of Krait's nose shatter. He stumbles back, hands on his face. Beside him, Bandy looks stunned.
"Sorry, but I'm not in the mood for your Blödsinn," Hunter says. "Let's just get this over and done with."
"Fine," Krait drops his hands. The red of his blood is stark against his otherwise monochromatic face. A mass of shadows congregates behind him, manifesting angry spikes and thorns. "We'll do it your way. Attack."
The shadows break in two.
One half launches itself at Craish, who barely draws his sword. He slices through the mass, and when that does minor damage, activates the "fire" rune on his sword's hilt; it emits a bright red aura as flames engulf the blade. Another swing at the shadows has them shrinking away from the light the fire creates. Craish pushes the shadows back, but a few of them get brave and make a jab at his side and swipe at his legs. He blocks them, but another creeps around him and stabs him in the back. His armor protects him, but the blow knocks the wind out of him. He recovers in time to block another blow, then another and another. The shadows are rapid fire, coming at him over and over again without rest.
Meanwhile, the other half of the shadows engage Leflin. He dodges their initial attack, and they slam into the ground, leaving a small crater where he once stood.
"That looks like it would hurt," Leflin says, dodging another blow. "I guess we'll just have to play a game of tag now, won't we?"
In the blink of an eye, he drops to all fours as his body morphs into that of a dark grey wolf. He bows in a playful position and barks at the mass of shadows, enticing it to chase him. The shadow strikes out at him, and he easily jumps out of its range.
As Leflin teases the shadows, Bandy sets her sight on Ria, tackling her to the ground.
"Ow!" Ria winces as Bandy pins her, gripping her wrists so hard Ria thinks they'll break. Needlepoint nails pierce her skin. Ria tries to shake her off, but the woman is much stronger than her.
"Your eyes," Bandy says, "they're not nearly as pretty as Marcy's. Your skin and your hair aren't dark enough, either. I know it's not your fault. It's because of that tainted blood running through your veins. Don't worry, though, Sirenita. There's magic that can fix that." Bandy presses her forehead to Ria's with a sigh. This close, Ria can see the choker on Bandy's neck; the pendant of a black snake rearing back to strike rests in the center. "Everything else about you is perfect."
Ria spits in Bandy's face and jams her knee into her stomach. Bandy rolls off her with a gasp, and Ria springs to her feet. She aims a kick at Bandy's head, but the woman dodges it with a roll.
"You fight dirty." Bandy laughs. "That's good! I'm glad that dog wasn't able to temper your spirit!"
"I can only assume that by 'dog' you mean my father. You should know that he's the one who taught me how to fight." Ria fires a blast of water straight at Bandy's eyes.
"No wonder you lack finesse." Bandy holds up her hand, and the water freezes. She snatches the ice out of the air and lobs it at Ria.
While Ria dodges the icicle, Krait throws a punch at Hunter, grazing his jaw. Hunter rolls with the hit, ducking and aiming a jab at Krait's ribs. Krait blocks the attack with his forearm and returns it with a kick directed at Hunter's head.
Hunter grabs his foot with both hands and pushes it back. Krait lunges for him, and they clasp hands, grappling for a bit.
"Why aren't you using your magic?" Krait asks. "All of your friends are."
"Why should I waste it on you?" Hunter pushes Krait away, but the man grabs his arm and shoves up his sleeve, revealing the lachrima embedded in Hunter's wrist.
"You can only use a little of it before you run out, am I correct?" Krait lets Hunter yank his arm back, dodging Hunter's next blow. "I've seen magic like this before. You should know that the human body was not meant to sustain the use of heavenly light. I guarantee it'll be your undoing."
"Don't presume to know anything about me," Hunter says. He slugs Krait in the gut with three quick jabs, adding a quick uppercut before the man recovers.
Krait tries jumping back to get some breathing room, but Hunter sticks close to him. The man swings at Hunter's head, but he ducks out of reach and throws two punches of his own, one aimed at Krait's chest and the other at his chin. The man stumbles back, losing his balance, and Hunter takes the advantage to land hit after hit wherever he can reach.
While Krait blocks some of his punches, Hunter doesn't let up. He forces the man to take step after step back until his back is flush with the cave wall.
"Got you," Hunter says, lifting his arm. "Himmel's Beam!" A holy beam of light pours from his palm right into Krait's face.
The man shouts, crumpling to the floor and trying to shield his face with his arms. Once the light fades, however, his pained shout morphs into a cackle.
"Let me guess," he says, staggering to his feet, "you only have one shot left, right?"
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Hunter drives a quick punch in the side of Krait's head and watches the man fall to the floor with a thud.
His shadows dissipate with Krait knocked out, and Bandy gets distracted long enough for Ria to sweep her off her feet. Craish runs to Ria's aid, pinning Bandy to the floor.
The fight is over.
After they've tied Bandy and Krait up with enough rope to make the two look like they're in cocoons, Leflin leads them to a small chamber Director Vega marked on the map as a supply depot.
Leflin and Craish pick through the supplies for food and water. Ria cleans up Hunter's leg the best she can with the first aid kit, consisting entirely of a near-empty gauze roll, some tape, and three alcohol pads.
"This'll sting a little," she says, dabbing at the wound with an alcohol pad. Hunter hisses a bit at the pain but keeps his leg still.
"What's the damage, Doc?" He asks.
"In my completely amateur opinion," Ria says as she wraps it, "your leg will be fine. If I were you, I'd worry more about that bruise on your jaw."
Hunter lightly traces his finger over his chin. "He got me pretty good, huh?"
"Not any worse than you got him," Leflin says, tossing a canteen of water at Hunter. Craish hands another one to Ria.
"Thanks," she says, taking a long drink. "So what are we gonna do now?"
"I guess we'll have to drag them up to the surface and let Sergeant Astra deal with them," Hunter says.
"We could also try seeing if they'll fit through the transporter nets," Leflin suggests. "Will it work differently on humans?"
"How am I supposed to know?"
"I wasn't asking you."
As Hunter and Leflin bicker, Ria turns to face their captives, jumping back a bit when she sees Bandy is staring at her. The woman smiles. Her eyes beckon.
Leflin and Hunter's bickering has turned into a heated argument now, and Craish is standing in between them, doing his best to act as the peacemaker.
Despite her better judgment, Ria approaches Bandy slowly. As she gets closer, she can tell that Krait is not still unconscious as she'd assumed, but humming quietly to himself a melancholic and sweet melody. It sounds familiar. She's not sure why.
"Hello, Sirenita," Bandy says, keeping her voice low. "What brings you over here?"
"That mark on your necklace... You're part of the Serpent's Nest guild, aren't you?" Ria asks, and Bandy chuckles.
"We are. Would you like to see my guild mark? It's in an interesting place."
Krait's humming gets a little louder.
"Snakes are precious to your guild, aren't they?" Ria asks. "Why would you… How could you…"
"Oh. You found the little ones, didn't you?" Bandy sighs, but there is no sorrow in her voice. "It was a tragedy, but we couldn't let them fall into the hands of the Rune Knights. They would have had a fate worse than death with those dogs."
"What do you mean?"
Bandy just shakes her head. Krait's humming has turned into a soft singing now, but Ria can't make out the words. She's certain she knows the lyrics, though.
"Sirenita, did they tell you why we came to this cave?" Bandy asks.
"They said you were after some rare animals."
"Not just any animals. This cave is home to one of the most beautiful snakes in the world: the Chandelier Snake."
"I've heard of those!" Ria says. "They're crystal-like snakes that hang from the ceiling and catch bats, right? I thought they were only found in Alvarez."
"They used to be in caves all over Fiore, too, but humans hunted them out of existence." Bandy scowls. "This is their last stronghold in the country, and instead of being treated with the respect they deserve, they're paraded about as a tourist attraction. Isn't that awful?"
"It is," Ria says. Her head feels full of cotton. Krait's singing has gotten louder. "It's terrible."
"That's right. So we came here to save them. They'll have a good life with us." Bandy grins. "You see now? We're the good guys. You could have a good life with us too."
"I could," Ria agrees, even as she shakes her head. Krait's singing is loud enough for her to hear now, though she still can't make out the words. "That's a nice song."
There's a sharp pain in her ankle, but it feels distant.
"Isn't it? Krait has Snake Charmer Magic, you see. It makes all of his songs sound beautiful." Bandy leans in close. "If you untie us, Sirenita, we'll take you with us, and you'll be able to hear it forever. You can help us rescue not only the Chandelier Snakes but all kinds of snakes all over the world. You'd like that, wouldn't you?"
"Yes," Ria bends down to untie Bandy. "I would."
"Himmel's Flash!" Hunter yells.
Ria yelps as the light blinds her. Strong hands grab her shoulders and yank her back. She kicks and screams, trying to break free. She can't hear the song anymore. Her ankle feels like it's on fire.
"Snap out of it!" Hunter says, struggling to get Ria under control. Craish has to end up helping him pin her down.
Leflin kicks Krait down and steps on his chest.
"Cancel your spell," he demands. "Release her."
Krait laughs. "My spell ended the second you distracted her. She's not acting that way because of me. Why don't you take a closer look?"
Craish, who is pinning down Ria's legs, checks over her but sees nothing out of the ordinary. No, wait. Her right ankle seems a bit swollen and red. He tries to touch it, but a burst of light shines as the pearlescent scales of a white snake come into sight; its fangs are buried deep in Ria's skin.
Leflin pushes Craish aside and grabs Ria's leg.
"Tell me that isn't what I think it is!" The snake hisses at him and digs its fangs further into Ria's skin. "This is bad!"
"Why?" Hunter asks. "What is that?"
Leflin looks at him with desperate eyes, even as Krait's laughter grows.
"It's an Ivory Serpent."
It's the first time Hunter has ever seen an Ivory Serpent, and the way its scales catch the light, shifting between white and pink and gold, is stunning. It leaves him feeling breathless. Or maybe that's just the panic and dread filling his chest as Leflin speaks its name. Everyone at Phoenix Refuge knows the circumstances of Marcelina Cinerus' death, after all.
Echoing off the walls of the cavern, Krait's laughter grows louder and louder, like a hyena overjoyed by its kill. The sound makes Hunter's blood boil. He tightens his hold on Ria. She's stopped struggling against him, her screams giving way to pitiful, quiet cries.
"It hurts," she sobs. Her hair sticks to the sweat beading on her forehead. Her eyes are unfocused and cloudy.
Heat pulses against Hunter's chest, and he pulls out the necklace Director Vega gave him only hours ago. The attached lachrima is almost buzzing and glows a deep red reminiscent of a sunset.
"What's that?" Leflin asks.
"Director Vega gave it to me. It'll tell her we need help and where to find us." Hunter activates the lachrima, and it starts to beep as it blinks from red to blue.
"Lot of good it'll do," Leflin says. "By the time they find us, it'll be too late."
'What can we do in the meantime?' Craish asks, practically waving his pocketbook in Leflin's face.
"Not much. Keep her lifted against you, Hunter," Leflin says, "we want her heart to remain elevated above the wound. That'll buy us some time, at least. We need to make this damned thing release her." He tries to touch the snake, but it winds itself tight around Ria's leg.
She gives a weak whimper.
And Krait is still laughing. It's more of a cackle now, though, as if nothing in the world is more entertaining than the slow and painful death Ria is facing.
Something in Hunter snaps.
"Craish. Take Ria for a bit," he says. Without hesitation, Craish kneels beside him and gently cradles Ria against his chest. For once, Leflin keeps quiet, choosing to see what Hunter plans to do.
He approaches Krait. The man's hood has fallen back, revealing his milky white eyes and stringy black hair. When Hunter stands less than half a foot away, he stops laughing and gives a grin that's more like a wolf baring its teeth. The dried blood leftover from his broken nose stains his lips.
"Can I help you?" Krait asks.
Hunter strikes him across the face and kicks him to the ground. The man slams down with a thud and grunts as Hunter steps on his chest. A trickle of blood leaves the corner of his mouth.
"Tell us how to save her," Hunter demands.
Krait chuckles again, but Hunter just presses down harder on his chest until he struggles to breathe.
"No one on this planet has survived the bite of an Ivory Serpent," Krait chokes out. "She's not so special as to beat those odds. She'll perish, just like every other mortal. The kindest thing you could do is put her out of her misery."
Hunter stomps down on Krait's hand. Krait's yell drowns out the crack of broken bones.
"Tell us…" He grinds down his heel. "How…" He lifts his foot. "To save her!" He stomps down again with as much force as he can muster, and Krait screams.
"You could try cutting off her leg before the venom reaches her heart," Bandy says. Her voice is far too calm to be suggesting such a thing. She almost sounds bored, and Hunter would believe she was unaffected if not for the way she stares, hyper-focused on Ria. "You'll need to do it soon, though, before the seizures start."
"Would that actually work?" Hunter asks, turning to Leflin.
"Maybe," Leflin says. "If we cut her leg off at the knee, I'd say we have about a twenty-five percent chance of saving her life. But she'll be at a high risk of infection, and we won't have much time to staunch the blood flow before she bleeds out."
"What other options do we have?"
"Hope that Director Vega sends us someone with powerful and ancient healing magic. The chances of which are close to zero."
"That's it?"
"No one has created antivenom for the Ivory Serpent, so yes. That's it."
"She's running out of time, Boys," Bandy says. "What's it going to be?"
From where he stands, Hunter can see the roselike bruise already blooming on Ria's ankle.
"Twenty-five percent is better than zero," he says, and Leflin agrees. "Craish, do you have a sword sharp enough to get the job done?"
Begrudgingly, Craish nods his head. He draws his sword and activates the fire rune. Its blade emits flames at once.
"Good idea. If we can cauterize her wound immediately, we'll at least be able to get her out of here alive." Leflin takes a deep breath. "Help me hold her still, Hunter."
Ria is once more handed off to Hunter, who cradles her close; her lips have turned blue, and her breathing is coming in quick little pants as if her lungs aren't able to get enough air. She seems to be in a stupor. Hopefully, she's so out of it she won't feel them amputating her leg.
Just in case she isn't, Hunter wraps his arms tight around her to keep her from struggling.
"To cause the least amount of pain and damage, we want to take it off with one swing, okay?" Leflin says to Craish.
Looking from Ria's leg to his sword to the snake still biting down on her ankle, Craish sets his jaw and nods.
"Alright. On the count of three. One…"
Leflin pins down Ria's feet.
"Two…"
Craish raises his sword.
"Three!"
The blade swings down on Ria's leg.
Or it would have, if not for the forcefield emanating from the Ivory Serpent wrapped around her. Instead, Craish's sword bounces back without leaving so much as a scratch, followed closely by a flash of bright light and a loud crack.
Leflin and Craish are both blinded by the light, but Hunter can maintain enough of his vision to watch as a group of shadowy hands emerge from a fissure in the cave floor. They wrap around first Krait than Bandy and drag them down into the earth.
"Tik-tok," Bandy whispers as her head disappears into the darkness. The ground sews back up behind her.
Hunter looks back down at Ria and swears; the bruises have traveled up her thigh.
"Guys! We've got a problem!" He shouts.
Leflin rubs his eyes, blinking away the blurriness until he can at least see a little.
"Damn," he says. "We'll need to amputate higher."
"How much higher?"
"At the hip-joint, it seems."
Craish waves to get their attention, then touches his sword gently to Ria's skin. With another flash of light, it bounces back.
"What is going on?!" Hunter yells.
"I don't know!" Leflin shouts back. "I've never seen anything like this!"
"Well, what should we do?!"
"I DON'T KNOW!"
"Why are you guys yelling?" Ria asks hoarsely, rousing slightly. She tries to sit up, wincing at the pain in her leg, then notices the snake. "Oh. That's not good."
"Don't panic, Ria," Leflin says. "We can fix this."
"I'm not panicking," Ria says. Hunter's grip has loosened enough that it's easy for Ria to reach down with shaky fingers. She brushes against its delicate scales, and the snake hisses as it bites down harder. She grimaces but keeps moving until her fingers touch the back of the snake's head. Lightly, she strokes right behind its eyes, and with what's almost a shutter, the snake releases her.
Ria gently glides her fingers from the snake's head to its back, the serpent's body arching up to maintain the contact.
"Look at you," she croons. "You're absolutely skin and bones. How long have you been down here by yourself?" With both hands, she picks up the snake. It hisses at her a bit. "None of that now. You know I won't hurt you. Come on." She opens her shirt. "Get in. I know you're freezing." The snake hisses once more before sliding into the collar of Ria's shirt and nestling against her chest.
Ria remembers she's not alone and is taken aback by the shocked looks her guildmates are giving her.
"Why do you all look like I've come back from the dead?" She asks.
"Was I wrong?" Leflin grabs Ria's shoulder. "Was that not an Ivory Serpent? Why aren't you in unbearable agony?"
"No. That was definitely an Ivory Serpent." Ria leans back with a sigh. Hunter is solid behind her. "But it was a baby, and the babies can't produce venom."
"Then what's going on with your leg?" Hunter asks.
"My leg?" Ria lifts it to get a better look. "Oh... That's... not from the snake. The pattern... is all wrong."
"What is it, then?" Leflin asks. To him, it looks exactly like the bruises he's seen in books.
"I haven't the faintest idea," Ria closes her eyes, feeling nauseous. Bile rises in her throat, and she pushes herself away from Hunter just in time to avoid vomiting all over him. Once her stomach is empty, she finds herself dry heaving. Craish rubs circles into her back and hands her a water bottle.
Ria thanks him and uses it to rinse the taste from her mouth. She feels dizzy. Cushioning her head with her forearms, she lies back flat on the floor.
"I think I'll take a nap," she says, checking that the Ivory Serpent is still tucked against her.
"Wait. Ria! Don't fall asleep!" Leflin says, but his voice is so far away, Ria can't be bothered to listen to him.
"Don't touch my snake, or I'll kill you," she mumbles, drifting into unconsciousness.
~March 24th, x800~
Back at the guild, Razi cuts a small piece of banana and holds it out to Avon. The beetle gives a little sigh and turns in a circle before plopping down on the floor. Its six legs splay out while its antennae wiggle sluggishly. He gives a single, sad chirp.
"See?" Razi says. "He hasn't eaten anything since Ria left. I'm worried."
"Bard Beetles form strong emotional bonds quickly. In their native country, they're quite popular as pets." Ajax pats the boy on the head, mindful of his ears. "Some people even believe they can sense when their masters are in danger. Not to worry, Razi. He's just a little depressed because he misses her."
"But he needs to eat!" Razi pouts. "Ria told me to take care of him, and she'll be so sad if he dies!"
"Two days without food won't kill him. Bard Beetles are hardy creatures." Ajax picks Avon up. "Ria will be back before you know it. Hang in there, little guy."
Avon whistles forlornly.
"Hmmm... Tell you what, let's pay a visit to Evander. He and Ria will have similar scents; maybe he can cheer little Avon up enough to eat."
Razi's tail swishes back and forth. "You really think that'll work?"
"It's worth a try."
In the infirmary, Evander watches Apolla perform diagnostic spells over the girl he found in the woods. He rests his chin in his hands while the book he's been reading to her sits open on top of his head. Once the lights for the spell dissipate, Apolla writes down some notes. Her face doesn't give anything away.
"You're sure there isn't anything wrong with her?" He asks. "It's almost been a week. Why hasn't she woken up yet?"
"Physically, she's fine. Even her bronchitis is gone."
"Then why isn't she waking up?" He asks again.
"She's in a magically induced coma. I don't know who placed it on her or why, but she won't -or rather can't- wake up until whatever conditions the spell requires are met."
"What conditions?"
"I don't know. Only the caster knows." She sighs, scribbling more in her notebook. "I have little experience with these kinds of spells, though. I've already recommended your dad send her to a specialty hospital in Crocus."
"Oh," says Evander. "What he'd say?"
"He'd like to wait another week before attempting it. Moving her too early could do more harm than good, after all."
"Right."
"Why don't you try kissing her, Ev? She's probably just waiting for her prince charming," Silver teases as she walks into the room. Evander flips her off, and the girl laughs.
"Silver, what brings you in today?" Apolla asks.
"I just wanted to get your opinion on a mission I'm taking. You're pretty good with forced transformations, right?"
"Actually, yes. I am. What did you want to know?"
"It's kind of complicated. Why don't you come look at the request with us, and you can tell me your thoughts."
"Who's 'us?'" Evander asks.
"Me, Blue and Razi." Silver sighs. "I wanted Leflin to come too, but he's still out. Weren't those guys supposed to be back already?"
"Who knows? They're probably having a hard time convincing Ria not to bring all the snakes they find back with them."
"That sounds like a chore. So, are you gonna help me, Apolla?"
"Alright. I'll be right back Evander, let me know if anything changes."
Apolla follows Silver out of the room, and once they're gone, Evander sighs and tugs on the girl's long hair. It really makes him think of Calypso.
"Ria really is late back. So is Catie." He twirls the hair around his fingers. "I'm getting worried. It's not like either of them to be out for so long without contacting us. Knowing Ria, she's doing it on purpose to make me feel guilty about the fight. She can be a real brat like that sometimes, you know. But her own guilt'll overwhelm her if she keeps it up too long. And Catie probably got caught up in another crusade that has nothing to do with the job they hired her for. Typical Catie: setting herself on fire to keep someone else warm."
"So? What's your deal? What exactly are you waiting for?" He asks. When she obviously doesn't answer, he sighs again. "Yeah. I don't know what I'm waiting for either." He takes the book off of his head. "Let's pick up where we left off then, I guess..." He clears his throat.
"The knight climbed the ivy-covered tower, drawn to the beautiful singing voice within. At the top, he peeked through the small window, which was blocked by bars made of iron. Once his eyes landed on the fair maiden within, he was instantly in love."
Evander hasn't read much when Razi and Ajax come toting in Avon and shoving the beetle against him. His protests fall on deaf ears, and before he knows it, he's got a Bard Beetle cuddled in his shirt. Caught up in the bustle, no one notices the way the girl's hand twitches.
The smell of antiseptic and bright overhead lights are not a part of a pleasant morning, in Ria's opinion. She groans and throws an arm over her eyes to block out the light. She has no idea what time it is, but it's too early for sure.
Something tickles her chin, but she ignores it. Whatever it is, doesn't give up, though, and after a few more tries, Ria finally opens her eyes. What greets her is the face of the Ivory Serpent scenting her.
"Hello, Little," she says. Her voice is a raspy mess, and her throat hurts. "Good to see you looking better."
With a yawn, Ria sits up, cradling the snake close to her chest. She's in a tiny hospital room, the only other furniture beside her bed, a stiff chair currently occupied by a slumbering Craish in full armor. He does not look comfortable.
The door has been left open a crack, and there is a pair of voices whispering on the other side. On her chest, the snake wiggles. Ria lets it crawl into her hospital gown and soak in the warmth from her skin.
"You need a name," she says. "But I'm too tired to think of one right now."
Ria lies down, and before she knows it, she's back asleep.
When Ria was six years old, she found a snake in her family's garden.
It was small, no bigger than a pencil, and covered in wounds. When Ria picked it up, it was cold to the touch and barely reacted. Gently, she tucked it into her shirt and snuck it inside. Snakes were not allowed in their home. Her mother despised them, and her father wasn't much better, but Ria didn't understand why. Ria thought snakes were beautiful. She'd wanted one for as long as she could remember.
Ria brought the snake to her room. Catie sat on her own bed, reading, and didn't pay her much mind. Ria was careful to keep the snake hidden as she lay down facing the wall. She checked on it, happy to see that it was already warming up. It looked more alert, too.
"Hello," she whispered. "I'm your mommy now."
The snake flicked its tongue out at her in response. Ria smiled and petted it through her shirt.
Or tried too.
Startled, the snake hissed loudly before sinking its teeth into her chest. Ria yelped.
"What's wrong?" Catie asked.
"Nothing," Ria said, fighting back the tears. She felt woozy and sick to her stomach, but if Catie saw the snake, she'd tell their parents, and Ria would have to get rid of it.
The snake released her and bit down in another spot. Ria cried out again, and Catie ran to her. It was hard to breathe now, and there was a burning pain in her chest.
What happened next is a blur. Ria only remembered Catie calling for their dad.
When she woke up, her mother was crying, holding her close. Her chest still hurt. She felt exhausted.
"She'll be fine now, won't she?" her mother asked.
"Yes," said her father. "After a few days of rest."
"Why do you still look so worried, then?"
"...This means she's inherited it as well. I hoped that her affinity for your magic meant it had spared her."
"It saved her, mi sol."
"I know," her father sighed and rested his hand on her forehead. "But what did it take away from her in return?"
No one ever told Ria what happened to the snake.
She never asked.
A couple of hours later, Ria wakes again. The room is darker this time, so she's pretty sure it's night now, and instead of Craish in the chair, Hunter sits, dozing lightly.
She can feel the snake nestled still against her chest.
Ria sits up, and the bed creaks with her movement. Hunter startles awake at the noise, looking ready for a fight. Once his eyes settle on Ria, he relaxes.
"Hi," she says. Her voice still sounds awful.
"You're finally awake," he says, rubbing his eyes.
"How long was I out for?"
"About four days." Hunter gets out of his seat and moves to stand beside her. "How are you feeling?"
"Exhausted, sore, and thirsty." Ria coughs as if to emphasize her last point. "Otherwise, I'm okay."
"That's good." Hunter swallows and rubs the back of his head. "I can go find you some water or ice or something."
"That'd be great," Ria says, "but can you tell me what happened first? Where are Leflin and Craish?"
"Are you sure?" Hunter asks, sighing when Ria nods. "Alright, well, after you passed out on us, we had to carry you out of the cave. We ran into the team Director Vega sent to help us about halfway through, and they gave you first aid. You were in shock. Once you were stable enough to move, we rushed to get you out of the cave. There was an emergency raft waiting, but it was only big enough to fit you and the medic, so I don't know much about what happened after they got you across the lake. Leflin swam across on his own and went with you, but Craish and I had to wait for them to get a proper boat. They brought you to the hospital in Jessamine, but they couldn't find anything actually wrong with you when you arrived, except that you were physically and magically exhausted. The doctor told us we just had to let you sleep it off, basically. Craish and I have been taking turns watching over you, and Leflin's been researching everything he can about Ivory Serpents. He keeps complaining about the library in town and the limited information they have, though. Apparently, he can't find a single mention of Ivory Serpent hatchlings."
"He probably never will. Not much is known about hatchlings since most people only see them as adults." Ria coughs, closing her eyes. "Can you get me that water now, please?"
"Of course. I'll be right back."
Once Hunter has gone, the Ivory Serpent pops its head out from Ria's hospital gown. She sighs and gives it a quick scratch.
"It's going to be a lot of work to keep you," Ria says. "We're lucky this town doesn't have much info about you. Do you know just how many books I'm going to need to destroy in Barberry?" The snake flicks out her tongue, and Ria lowers her voice. "I'll make sure you stay safe, but you have to promise never to bite anyone but me, okay?"
In response, the snake loops around Ria's neck and gently nuzzles against her chin.
"I'm glad you understand," Ria says. "...I think I'll call you Isis. How does that sound?"
Isis doesn't react, merely nodding off around Ria's neck. Ria chuckles and pats her side gently.
"I'm going to pretend I don't see you cuddled up with an illegal animal if you pretend I didn't stop by." Sergent Astra says, startling Ria so bad she nearly falls out of the bed. The Rune Knight chuckles, and Ria's face feels decidedly warmer.
"What are you doing here?" She asks, placing a protective hand around Isis.
Sergeant Astra shuts the door. She murmurs a spell, and a magic barrier takes up the doorway. Her silver hair is curled and tied back in a high ponytail, and Ria watches it bounce as the woman saunters over to her.
"I wanted to check in on you to make sure you were okay." Sergeant Astra fiddles with the arm of her glasses. "And to apologize."
"What for?"
"I may or may not have known there were members of the Serpent's Nest Guild in the caves." Sergeant Astra takes her glasses off and begins to clean them. "And I may or may not have sent you down there as bait to lure them out. And I may or may not have known that they may or may not have had an Ivory Serpent trained to attack on command."
"... And I may or may not think you are a massive asshole." Ria scowls, rage bubbling in her chest. "You couldn't have given us a warning? Let us know what we were actually down there for!? If we'd been prepared, we wouldn't have had any issues! And if someone else had been bitten, they'd be-" Ria stops herself, her breathing coming in shallow pants. Isis wriggles against her neck in distress.
Sergeant Astra rests her hand on Ria's, and a wave of calm washes over her.
"I know. That's why I'm apologizing. I didn't intend to endanger you all. I'd assumed they'd see mages outnumbered them and leave of their own accord, but I shouldn't have gambled with your lives. I'm sorry."
She removes her hand, and while the calm leaves Ria, so does most of her anger. She crosses her arms.
"I don't want to say it's okay because it's not, but I can forgive you. Maybe! Only if you apologize to my friends first, though, and promise never to do something like that to anyone again!"
"I give you my word as a Rune Knight." Sergeant Astra bows. Ria flushes and looks away.
"Alright. I'm glad that's settled."
"So am I. There's nothing I hate more than making pretty girls unhappy."
"How can you just... say things like that?" Ria is certain her entire body must be red. "Don't you have any shame?"
"Shame is for the weak." Sergeant Astra winks. "I have some more amends to make. Until we meet again, Victoria Cinerus. Say 'Hi' to your dad for me."
With that, Sergeant Astra takes her leave, but not before nodding to Hunter on her way out as he reenters the room with Ria's water.
"Wow," he says. "Your type is way too consistent."
Ria groans and bangs the back of her head against the wall.
Fog covers the ocean, masking a large ship with black sails near the northernmost coast of Fiore. In the fog, it's silent, even the sounds of the ocean itself muted. Leaning over the edge of the ship, Bandy stares into the distance. She's not looking at anything in particular. As far as she can see, there's only fog.
"Enough with your pouting," Krait says. "We'll be arriving in Seven soon. Help me prepare the Chandelier Snakes."
"Is Sirenita really okay?" Bandy asks.
"I've told you she'd be perfectly fine several times already."
"You said Marcy would be fine too," Bandy sighs. "And she died."
"She would have survived if she'd done as I told her!" Krait barked. "It was her own fault for being a stubborn fool!"
Bandy ignores him, sighing once more as she continues to gaze at nothing. Krait pinches the bridge of his nose.
"Fine. After the trade, we'll check on Victoria. You can see for yourself that she's alive and well. We'll be in Barberry, anyway."
"Yay!" Bandy giggles, twirling around on the deck. "Oh! I'm so excited! I'll need to buy a new dress for sure!"
"Enough frivolity. Now isn't the time. We still have much to do." Krait heads below deck while Bandy continues to dance around.
"Oh, Marcy! Oh, Sirenita! We'll be together soon!" With a swoon, she lies on the deck, her hands stretched towards the sky. "Finally! Finally! Everything is falling into place! Just as Master said!"
She lies there, gazing up at the fog for a long while, not once noticing the hours slip by.
*Edited January 28th, 2021*