Chapter 6: Meeting in fossil valley
Fossil valley, another world, 1020 A.D.
Peppor was sitting on a rock near the entrance to fossil valley, his axe held between his legs.
"Are you sure these elements will be enough to beat them Peppor, I mean getting beaten again would be terriblyly terribly embarrassing."
"Of course, a white innate could never resist so much black energy." Peppor said, nonchalantly.
"… but I still think that, you know, we had sir Karsh with us and all…"
"Will ya shaking stop complaining for a second, I'm trying to shake up with a strategy." Peppor said, closing his eyes and placing his hands behind his head.
He then reopened his eyes and turned them to the archeologists who were busy extracting fossils from the rock of the base of mount Renos, one of the two mountains that formed fossil valley.
"You know Solt, sometimes I shaking wonder why I don't just quit this lame job and do what they're doing, at least I wouldn't be stuck here hearing your constant whining."
"I think you'd still be here, if you were to do the same thing they do Peppor."
"At least I wouldn't be sitting on a rock with all my joints hurting from battle exhaustion." Peppor said in a slightly irritated voice.
"Shake it, I really wonder why I didn't just become an archaeologist."
"Um, because you can't tell the difference between a heckran bone and a giant dog biscuit." Solt said, shielding his face with his left hand, knowing what was coming.
However, Peppor' hand came from behind, brutally slapping the back of his head, knocking his helmet away. Solt's helmet bounced several times before stopping mere inches from a deep crevice.
"Hey, careful, Peppor, that helmet protects my head, you know." Solt said, picking up his head-gear.
"Then it's shaking useless." Peppor said, in a nonchalant tone.
"Hey, Peppor, I think someone's coming."
"Hmm?"
Peppor quickly got up and pressed his ear against the ground.
"Shake it Solt, you're right. Quick! In the bushes!
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After the hot and humid air of the sea, the cool and dry air of the valley made by mount Renos and mount Dinos was a relief to the three travelers. Many shadows created by the mountains and a few trees here and there loomed over the valley. Strong gusts of wind often made the tree leaves rustle. Serge and his friends made their way past the ladder that allowed the archeologists to reach the ledge where they had been digging for days, uncovering many bones that belonged to creatures long extinct in the archipelago.
"It's sure been a long time since I last saw the valley." Serge commented.
"Didn't you tell me that Fossil valley is just next to Arni in your world too." Said a puzzled Leena.
"Well, yeah, but you see, when the Porre army began their military actions in El Nido, the devas and general Viper had disappeared without leaving traces. Porre had no difficulty at all to take Termina, burn down the manor and take control over the archipelago. They also blocked all trade routes that led to Termina."
"Martial law must be horrible."
"Yeah, I enjoyed visiting Termina, especially when the magical dreamers came on tour. Those Porre jackasses forbade all concerts after the first show under their control burst into a riot."
"Oi, magical dreamers, I've seen them once, they bloody rock! I can't wait to see them on stage again at the festival." Kid said, taking part in the conversation."
"So, what about you Leena? You like them?" Serge said, expectantly.
"well, I've heard about them, but I never saw them before."
"Oi, you don't know what you've been missing girl, but don't worry, we'll fix that."
"What?"
"You weren't really thinking I'd go to Termina during the Viper festival without seeing the magical dreamers. I haven't been able to do that for years."
"But didn't you say you had business to attend at the manor?"
"Oi ,yeah, but you can't spend your life trimming like a bloody convict. Sometimes you've got to have fun too."
"Well, I guess I could use some entertainment…"
"That's the spirit girl. We'll teach you how to bring down the bloody house."
The three walked silently for a few miles before Kid broke the silence again.
"Oi, mate, what's the name of that weapon of yours again?"
"It's a swallow, or rather two halves of a swallow now."
"Where the bloody hell did you get that? I've never seen anything like that before."
"Once when I was 14 I was walking on Opassa beach and I spotted what looked like debris from a shipwreck. It was lying there. I just took it and brought it back with me. Everybody was thrilled by my discovery except Radius."
"Radius? Are you talking about the Radius that was once a deva.?" Leena asked.
"Yeah, in my world, he became chief of Arni after he retired from the devas."
"Boy, here Radius lives like a hermit on a small island north of here."
"Oi, what was his problem? The bloke couldn't have been jealous."
"Dunno. He said that I should rather be relying on elements rather than weapons. Even if he fought with one for almost fifty years, he's all about elements, says that one day or another steel will hurt you even if you're holding it by the hilt. He spends most of his days teaching kids of the village how to use elements. Mom usually assists him."
"Oi, seems much more difficult to wield than any other weapon I've seen."
"Yeah, it's a weapon made for acrobatic moves and clean cuts."
"Ya were doing bloody well with it yesterday."
"Yeah, but I don't know what would have happened if Poshul hadn't shown up. That Karsh dude seemed like a tough one. He isn't a deva for no reason."
"Sucks that it bloody broke so easily."
"I know. Copper is no match for steel when it comes to weapons. I'll try to have the blacksmith reforge it with steel when we get to Termina."
The trio continued to walk silently until they saw the end of the valley appearing.
"Oi, we're almost there. We made bloody good time."
Serge suddenly felt his body weakening. He fell to his kness, all his bones giving him the feeling that they would rupture under his own weight. His vision was blurring, but he could still see that Kid and Leena seemed to be having the same problem, just not to the same extant.
"Oi, girl what did you put in that fish, I bloody seem to have gained a hundred pounds." Kid said, gritting her teeth.
The effect slowly disappeared, but Serge was still unable to get up, his body agonizing. Just then, two figure came out of the bushes.
"Shake it, Solt! Look what we've found. It's the two kids in diapers, and they've brought a friend. Looks like we'll have to make a bigger crib when we get back to Viper manor."
"Oi, it's Lanky and Fatso! Up for another beating, dragoon-arses?"
"A beating? Look who's getting a beating. Seems like baby-whity can't handle any shaking black elements Solt."
"What? I'm going to teach you to attack people's weak points" said an infuriated Leena.
She closed her fist and one of the green beads of her bracelet lost its glow. Soon several razor-sharp leaves pierced the tall dragoon's armor and had him clutch his abdomen under the pain. Before he could make a move, Leena was on him, her frying pan raised above her head. She brought it down as hard as she could on the soldier's head, knocking him to the ground.
"I shaking don't think so."
Another black bead lost its glow and Kid was brutally swung into the air and out of sight. Seeing this, Leena headed toward the fat soldier, her pan raised. However, Peppor swung his axe and knocked the pan out of Leena's head without a sweat. The soldier began advancing on her. Leena suddenly regretted her decision of following the blue-haired boy.
He's really going to kill me. Mom was right, I know nothing of the real world. I should've stayed home…
Just as Peppor had raised his axe again a loud noise was heard. Sharply turning her head, Leena saw several boulders that were falling from the mountain. The two instantly broke the fight. Leena grabbed Serge and pulled him behind a large tree while Peppor did the same with Solt. The boulders came crashing against the trees, creating a huge dust cloud that blinded all. When the smoke had dissipated, Peppor was alone with Solt, looking around for his rivals.
"Shake it! Shake it to hell! We had him shaking cornered!" Peppor yelled to the sky.
The short dragoon hurled his axe in a nearby tree before letting out another yell of rage.
Not so far from there, Serge was sitting against a tree, the pain in his bones slowly fading and his vision returning to normal.
"Serge, are you okay? Asked a worried Leena.
Serge pressed his thumb and index against his eyes and took a deep breath.
"Leena? What happened?" he asked in a weak voice.
"We were attacked. They used a gravitonne element on us.
"Uh? Where's Kid?"
Leena looked at him in silent for a moment before answering.
"Serge, I don't know how to say this, but I'm not sure we're going to her ever again."
"What?" He said, breaking contact with the tree.
"While you had collapsed, they used a free fall on her, and, well, she was sent flying several dozens of feet in the air and has fallen back to the ground somewhere" she said, not breaking eye contact.
Serge began turning his head frantically, hoping he actually wouldn't have to witness the horrible sight of Kid's dead body lying on the ground.
"Oi, missed me mates?" Kid said, leaning on a tree.
She had several scratches, but she didn't seem to be seriously injured. She then walked toward her two companions.
"But how… how did you survive such a fall?" Leena asked, incredulously.
"Oi, tell you what, the digger up there looked as if a he had heard his bloody shovel talk to him when I came crashing on his bed."
"You fell on a bed?"
"Ya, and the guy wasn't as displeased to have a lady next to him than you were, mate." She said, looking at Serge.
Serge's cheeks reddened in a mix of anger and embarrassment. Leena looked puzzled.
"Well, landing on a bed, you must really have a guardian angel looking over you." Leena said.
"Oi, don't be silly girl, there are no bloody things such as guardian angels."
"Well, you're still incredibly lucky."
"Don't say that girl. You bloody don't know what you're talking about." Kid said, before walking away.
"Can you walk Serge?" Leena asked, turning to him.
"Yeah, I'm alright." He said, getting up.
They were now out of the valley and the air was warm and filled with humidity again. The port town of Termina was one hour of walk away from them. They would reach it before sunset.
Viper manor, another world, 1020 A.D.
Riddel Viper was walking alone in the richly decorated hallway that led to her bedroom. A door suddenly opened in front of her. A feline demi-human came out of it.
"Ah, miss Riddel, what a pleasant surprise."
"Sir, I do not wish to have a conversation with you." She said, failing to hide her fear.
"Why such an anti-social behaviour? I'm sure we could get along well if we only tried." He said, walking toward her, his lips curling in a malevolant smile.
"You heard the lady! Now leave her alone demi-human." Came Karsh's voice.
"Such rudeness. I was just in the middle of a conversation with the lady."
"You get away from her or you'll be the first cat to swallow your own tail." He said, his face inches away from the demi-human's.
"After what happened yesterday evening, I'm afraid you will teach no one a lesson sir Karsh." The demi-human said in a mocking tone.
Karsh's face contorted in anger and he raised his axe. Riddel caught his arm just in time.
"No, Karsh, please, he's not worth it. You know what will happen if you harm him." Riddel said in a pleading voice.
Karsh lowered his axe, his breathing still furious.
"You will not be able to hide behind the general's orders for ever jackass. One day or another, you'll make a mistake and then I'll make you pay for everything you did to this manor and all the crimes you committed five years ago." Karsh said through gritted teeth.
"I' deeply sorry my lady, but such anger makes a proper conversation unachievable. I will bid you good evening and maybe we can have this conversation sometime in the future." He said, walking past them.
Riddel turned to Karsh, but he was also walking away, his steps heavy, reflecting his anger.
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