New Chapter!

Yay!

Millie knocked on the door of the inn before entering. It was a quaint little place, with a check-in counter and a door that led to a single room with two beds. Patty was reclined back on one of the beds. She had removed her skirt and shirt and was now wearing a loose shirt and some blue shorts.

"Hey darling," Patty greeted when she saw Millie. She sat up when she saw what Millie was carrying: two bowls of soup, a pitcher with two mugs, and a large piece of bread. "Did Erinn put this together?" Patty asked.

"Yes, for the two of us to share," Millie said with a smile. When she had gotten back to Erinn's house earlier that day she thought she was going to be yelled at. Instead, Erinn began to coo over her like a concerned mother hen. It had been like being around Mistress Columba again. Millie felt a faint smile fleet across her lips, but it vanished when she began to wonder if she'd ever see her again. She shook her head.

She didn't want to think about it.

Millie had recounted to Erinn what had happened, leaving out the part about the ghost and skating over the details of her injuries. She mentioned talking to the Mayor, but Erinn shook her head.

"He'll understand if you need to recover," Erinn had said, standing by the stove, "but expect questions when you get up tomorrow." With that warning in mind, Erinn put food on a tray for Millie to take to Patty. She suggested that it'd be better if someone Patty knew stayed at the inn with her, instead of Erinn's grandfather. The old man was more than happy to switch, eager to be back in his own bed. Erinn handed the tray to Millie and ushered her out the door, urging her to hurry so Patty wouldn't starve.

"Sweet. Food," was all Patty said. Millie handed her the tray to hold as she dragged the nightstand between the beds as a make-shift table, carefully watching the unlit lamp to make sure it didn't fall. Millie placed the lamp on the floor, wincing as she did so. "Didn't you get someone to look at those?" Patty asked, noticing the look and nodding to the bloody stains on Millie's clothes. She shook her head.

"Erinn should be over later. I'll ask her to look at them then," Millie said, straightening up. She took as spoon and tore off a piece of bread, which was already half-gone thanks to Patty. They ate in a comfortable silence, finishing it in a few delicious minutes.

"That girl sure knows how to cook," Patty said, leaning back on her bed again. Millie nodded in agreement. The purple-haired woman rolled off her bed and onto her feet. Millie leaned forward, ready to catch her as she stood up, testing her previously injured leg. "Good as new," she declared happily. "Want me to take a look at those scratches you got?" she asked. "I know my way around medicinal herbs pretty well."

"Sure," Millie said. "I've got some with me," she said, pulling them out and handing them to the woman.

"Alright, shirt off," Patty ordered as she took the herbs, sorting through them quickly. Millie pulled off her colorful tunic, leaving her in a long-sleeved yellow undershirt. It was shredded in parts and splattered with blood. That came off next, leaving her with nothing from the waist up.

Now, as a Celestrian, Millie didn't really feel shame when it came to being exposed like she was currently. She felt it when she was younger, but now she was just too old. It was one of the things she found strange about mortals. Perhaps they were too young and lived too short lives to get over the strangeness of nudity. Patty seemed surprised by the lack of blush in Millie's face.

"That's quite a few scratches," Patty said, rising up and stepping over to the nightstand. She picked up an empty mug and shredded up some leaves, mixing them with a little water. She squished and swirled it with her fingers for a few minutes before she was satisfied. She returned to the bed and began to run her wet fingers over the scratches on her stomach. They were all from close calls with cruelcumbers. "This will help you heal faster and stop infection," Patty said, focusing on her work and trying her best to ignore how close she was getting to Millie's chest. She was more careful when she got to the more serious injuries: Millie's upper arm and her hip. Patty tried to be gentle, but Millie still let out small hisses of pain as the healing liquid seeped into them. "Sorry it hurts, sweetheart."

"It's fine," Millie said. Patty, finished with the leaves, moved to her bag and pulled out a bandage, something she brought with her on her trip on a whim. A whim that clearly paid off.

"Sit up, darling. I'm going to wrap you up now," Patty said. Millie did as she was told, her back to Patty. "Move your hair, sweetie." Millie pulled her hair aside, making Patty stare between her shoulders. There were two oval-shaped marks, slightly darker than her skin. The looked like birthmarks, but their shape was too perfect for nature to make. "What are these from?" Patty asked, touching them lightly.

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you," Millie said, looking over her shoulder with a smile that seemed almost sad. Patty shook her head to force herself to stop staring. She wrapped Millie with the long white bandage, looping around her torso and arm and back again. When she finished, she picked up Millie's shirt and sat down on her own bed again. "What are you doing now?" Millie asked, watching as Patty picked up the cup with leaves again.

"It's an old wives spell," Patty said, muttering something under her breath. The cup flashed with orange light before returning to normal. "It's for mending clothes," she explained as she dipped her fingers back into the liquid, this time running them over the slices in Millie's shirt. They seemed to sew themselves shut on their own and the bloodstains faded out completely.

"Thank you," Millie said earnestly as Patty handed the shirt back. It was as good as new. She slipped it on over her head. She smiled as Patty flopped back down on the bed again, clearly a little drained from the magic. A knock at the door brought Millie's attention back to the front of the inn. Erinn entered, smiling broadly.

"Hi! How are you two feeling?" she asked as she made her way into the small bedroom.

"We're doing well. Just finished working on my lovely patient," Patty said without sitting up. Erinn peered into the cup that still contained leaves.

"That was very kind of you to do," Erinn said, gathering up the tray. "I'm going to leave you two now. I'll be back tomorrow around ten, but if you're up earlier than that you can come to the cabin, just as long as it's after seven.

"Can do," Patty said.

"Thanks, Erinn," Millie said, waving and smiling at her as she left. Once the door was closed, Millie let her hand drop and she turned her attention back to Patty. While she was nice and helpful with healing herbs, she was also a bit of a mystery. Millie didn't actually know why she was here, and she was more than a little curious.

"What brought you to Angel Falls?" Millie asked as she shifted on her bed, getting comfortable.

"I'm here to talk to Edwinn," Patty said. She glanced over at Millie, who had screwed up her eyes.

"I think I've heard that name before," Millie said, "but I'm not quite sure where."

"He's an incredible innkeeper," Patty said. "The best in the world, in fact. I need him to help fix up the old inn back in Stornway. Haven't you met him yet?" she asked. Millie shook her head and yawned out an answer that sounded like 'no'. "That's odd. This is his inn, and Erinn is his daughter."

Millie pulled up her blankets. She had been in Angel Falls for over a week and neither Erinn or her grandfather brought up Edwinn. Millie shrugged under her blankets. "Maybe he's out of town," she suggested.

"He would have swung by," Patty said. "He always does."

"It might've been an urgent matter," Millie said, yawning again.

"I don't know," Patty said, finally settling down in her own blankets. "I'm going to get a bit of shut-eye now, sweetie. I suggest you do the same."

"Of course. Have a peaceful respite, Patty," Millie said, closing her eyes. Patty nodded off immediately, with Millie joining her just a few minutes later.

...

Aquila sailed slowly through the still, chilly winds. The sky was grey behind him and dropping delicate snowflakes. He scanned the ground beneath him like a bird of prey until he spotted what he'd been looking for: Cygnus, one of the two guardians of Stornway. She was flying low and slow. Aquila descended so he was flying next to her. She jumped when she saw him, but still followed him as he descended further to a snow-covered clearing. They both landed with a crunch in the ankle-deep snow.

"Hello, Master Aquila," Cygnus greeted, bowing her head slightly to the elder Celestrian. She was dressed in traditional guardian clothes, her long grey hair braided tightly back behind her head. She was a tall, elegant woman with dark skin and black eyes. "What brings you here?"

"Apus Major asked me to find you and inform you that you are being reassigned to search Bloomingdale and the surrounding areas," Aquila said. Cygnus gave him an odd look, craning her long neck to the side.

"He gave me strict orders-,"

"They've changed," Aquila cut her off. She opened her mouth again, but Aquila held up his hand. "You are to head there immediately to search for the heavenly figs."

"I was assigned here because I am the best searcher in the Observatory," Cygnus said with a sniff. Aquila's eyes flicked for a second to her bright red nose. It was clear that she was not accustomed to the extremely cold weather. "If anyone is going to spot or sense a fig in this unforgiving and difficult terrain, it's me."

"You are such a good searcher because you search an area thoroughly one time through. You do this at an incredibly slow pace. I am not here to judge the way you conduct your searches-,"

"Are you sure? Because that is exactly what you are doing," Cygnus said. Aquila ran a hand over his head and tried not to grind his teeth.

"Your pace will definitely find you the figs, but it will also get you captured like so many of our brothers and sisters," Aquila said. "We are currently on a wild goose chase searching for the figs. Once we find a general area that a fig might be, we will bring you in to pinpoint it. Until then, you must not be captured. We cannot risk loosing you. That is why I am telling you to go to Bloomingdale."

"I would like to return to the Observatory first, to rest and to discuss my change with Apus Major," Cygnus said, her eyes turning steely. She did not appreciate the superior tone that Aquila had acquired with those last few words. Even though they're older, Celestrians are still bound by strict obedience ties, but out of respect they avoid giving each other orders. Aquila was coming dangerously close to breaking that respect.

"Of course. Just try to be quick," Aquila said. Cygnus nodded, still looking at him.

"May I ask who will be taking my place?" Cygnus asked. "Is it you? Are you staying?"

"Yes. Apus Major wants me to take over the search," Aquila said. "I have the best chance of the remaining Celestrians to avoid getting captured while looking-,"

"I assumed that you would be looking for your apprentice," Cygnus interrupted bluntly. Aquila stiffened, and it wasn't from a sudden gust of cold air.

"I have other orders," he said, looking away from Cygnus.

"Is anyone looking for her?" Cygnus asked, taking a step closer to him so she stood at his shoulder.

"The other Celestrians have been told to keep an eye out for her, but no one is tasked with finding her," Aquila said. He felt Cygnus's hand on his shoulder and he turned to look up at her. She had a sympathetic look in her eyes.

"I'll keep an eye out for her in Bloomingdale as well," she said. Aquila nodded his thanks but didn't speak. Cygnus patted his shoulder again before turning away and taking to the sky.

Aquila stood in the snow, letting tiny flakes to accumulate on his head and wings. Once he was sure that Cygnus wasn't going to return, he spread his wings and rocketed off the frozen ground, heading west. He had finally gotten all of the Celestrians away from the Northeastern Continent. It was vital that none of them interfered with what he was about to do. He had to keep it a secret from everyone. Apus Major, Phoenix.

Even Columba. This was one of two secrets that he was keeping from her, but it was the first one that he had to openly lie about to her in order to keep it. He did not like lying to her. He knew she'd be furious if she found out what he was doing, and she'd spend hours trying to talk him out of it. It'd be incredibly hard to say no to her and leave her behind.

Aquila pushed the thoughts of Columba away and focused on his journey. The weather around him had gradually changed from dry and freezing to dry and hot. The snow that he failed to shake off melted, and the water evaporated away as he passed over a heat vent.

He looked ahead of himself. The land before him was dead, with few living things other than monsters. There were pockets of poisonous water scattered throughout. He spotted two buildings. The first was low-lying and looked like a square bowl. The second, his target, was a tall building, round in shape with sprawling walkways. It was surrounded by a dark force field and a poisonous moat. Aquila landed before the bridge, just outside the fortress barrier. On the other side was the man -or rather, the being- that he had arranged to meet.

"Hello," he said. The being nodded it's strange head to him.

"Hoo are you?"

Chapter done!

Gee, I wonder who Aquila is meeting.

Sorry for the late update. School sucks. Big surprise.

I hope you guys liked it! Point out anything weird.

Thanks for reading.