Chapter 21: Stalker
The young man pushed the plough through the dry earth. The sun beat down on him without mercy, as it did every day. But even so, he pressed on, sweat falling from him onto the parched ground like rain. And as the sun traced in an arc across the sky, beating down on him all the while, the young man pushed on, driving the blade of his plough through the ground. But eventually, the sun began to sink toward the horizon in the west, and a hollow banging echoed across the field, the signal that the working day was finally done. The young man left his plough where it was. He had no need to worry about thieves- his plough fed everyone in the village. If any would-be thieves stole his plough, they would starve as well.
Work. Eat. Sleep. That was the entirety of Sai's life. That's how it had been for as far back as he could remember. And that was likely how it would be for as far into the future as he would live. As he trudged toward the village center, as he did every day, his head empty of thoughts, he abruptly bumped into something. Every day was exhausting, but he was always careful enough to avoid any obstacles, or so he thought.
Until the thing he'd bumped into spoke to him: "Walk with your head held high, Sai."
Sai looked up, finding himself face-to-abdomen with a taller boy. He looked up, to meet the taller boy's gaze. "Baligant?"
Baligant pounded a fist against his chest. "I already told you! Don't call me Baligant- call me Bro!"
Sai shrank away. "But, we're not related." That went without saying. Sai was short, even for his age, and thin despite the grueling nature of his work, with short black hair and dull grey eyes. But Baligant… he was tall- already taller than most of the men in the village, even though he wasn't yet fully grown- with years' worth of muscle, and red eyes that seemed to shine with energy, his hair flowing down his back like an ebony waterfall. They were about as far apart as two people could be. Yet for some reason, the older hunter had taken a shine to the younger, unassuming fieldhand.
Before he could get away, Baligant threw an arm over Sai's shoulder and pulled him close. "Maybe not by blood, but we're soul brothers! Brothers of the spirit, get me?" He held up his hand. "After all, why else would we both have these?" On the back of his hand was a black mark, in the shape of a four-pointed star.
Sai had a similar mark on the back of his hand as well. Most in the village were convinced it was an ill omen, but Baligant was certain that the mark was "a mark of destiny," in his words- a symbol showing the two of them were meant for greatness. And he was certain that whatever destiny the two of them had in store, they would face it standing side-by-side.
Baligant turned- bringing Sai with him- toward the field. Sweeping his hand over the freshly plowed rows, he said, "You and me… we're meant for something special. Something far greater than this." He then began to walk, still dragging Sai with him. "Now come on. Let's get some food in ya. I got a great cut of boar, just for the two of us."
As they walked the dusty road that cut through their small village, Sai felt a question rising in him. Baligant was a hunter- not as experienced as some of the others, but skilled nonetheless. His ambition made sense. But Sai… his role was to work Neith's fields. The edges of the field he plowed and planted may as well have been the edges of the world for him. And eventually, his reluctance gave way. "How can you be so sure? About… me, I mean."
The older boy looked down at Sai with a grin. "I just feel it, Sai. I feel it in my soul! Don't tell me you don't feel it too?"
"Uh…"
All at once though, Baligant stopped. He was looking at something. "Man, look at all that. What a waste." He was looking at a stone altar resting alongside the road, laden with meat brought back by him and the other hunters, and fruits that had begun to ripen early.
Sai already knew what the older boy was thinking. "Don't even think about it, Baligant," Sai said firmly. "Those offerings are meant to appease the earth."
The offerings had been sitting out for five days. In that time, they had remained exactly where they had been placed, slowly being picked apart by flies and other insects who had no fear of the earth's wrath. "…Call me crazy, but I don't think the earth has much of an appetite right now," Baligant said bluntly, before pressing on, never once slackening his grip on the boy he called his brother.
The only records of Alondight's early years come from his sporadic recollections recorded in Lescatié's journal. He, along with his first companion, Baligant, was born and lived most of his early life in a small village called Neith, in the domain of the Fiend General, Ixion. The exact location of Neith, as well as Ixion's domain, are unknown, and Alondight (or rather, Sin, as he would later refer to himself) gave only scant amounts of details. In the Dragonslayer's own words- "My life didn't begin until after I left Neith. Before that, I just… existed." However, from the information he provides, it can be surmised that Neith was subject to the system of tributes which had been documented in other regions governed by the Fiend Generals. And it was the collection of these tributes that would spur Alondight into taking the first steps that would cement his place in legend.
- Dragonslayer, Chapter 2: The Beginning
The water of the bath soothed Abel's aching muscles. And better yet, he got the whole bath to himself. It was pretty rare for the men's side to be completely unoccupied, but since it was, he had every intention of enjoying the solitude. As much as he enjoyed his companions' company, there were times when he simply wanted to be alone. Being around so many girls… even after so many months, he hadn't quite gotten used to it.
No… That wasn't right. It wasn't that they were all women he wasn't used to. It was that… they were kind to him. That they… enjoyed being close to him. That… they might even-
From behind, Abel heard the bath slide open. He sighed. "Raine, can't I have at least a few minutes to myself?"
"When else would I be able to catch you alone?" a gentle voice replied. And one that did not belong to the witch. Even though he already knew who the voice belonged to, Abel looked.
It was Lailah. Wearing nothing but a towel she held against herself to preserve some semblance of modesty.
Instantly he averted his eyes. "Wh- he- wh-wha-what are you doing!? You didn't have to come over to this side!"
"I know. I didn't have to. But, I wanted to."
The towel began to fall away. Abel quickly turned away. A few moments later, the water sloshed and rippled as Lailah, unseen, climbed into the bath next to him. She wasn't touching him. But she was close. Very close.
For some time, the two of them simply sat in an awkward silence. But eventually, Lailah found the wherewithal to break the silence between them. "There's something… that I wanted to ask you," she said, in slow, halting words. "What… do you think of me?"
Abel almost looked over. Almost. "What… do you mean?" Then he realized what she must have meant. "Lailah, if this is about… what you are, I already told you, I don't care about that. What I said before hasn't changed: I won't fight to protect a world where you and I have to be enemies."
She shifted. "That… isn't what I meant. I want to know… what you think of me as a person."
As a person? That was easy. And he spoke without hesitation. "Lailah… You're… amazing. I've never known anyone as kind as you are." Abel paused, wondering if he should say what he was about to say next. But ultimately, he decided he would be honest. With Lailah… and with himself. "When I met you, I thought you were just like everyone else I'd known: just waiting for me to drop my guard so you could… so you could hurt me. But… I was wrong. You aren't like that at all. You were there for me… when no one else was." He dared to look over. "You're… the best thing to ever happen in my life."
Lailah's expression shifted. She… didn't seem happy, though. She almost looked… pained. "You're wrong… about that." She turned toward him, face flushed. "I'm not as good… as you think I am." She shifted, swinging her leg over to straddle him.
"Lailah-" Abel flinched, trying to pull away, but there was nowhere to retreat to.
She leaned closer. Her whole front was touching him. "I think… that I'm actually… a bad girl."
She was… she was so close. So… soft. His hands began to move. Part of him wanted to push Lailah away, but another part… a much larger part, wanted to pull her closer, to pull her against himself until there was no space left between them. To indulge in her softness.
His hands touched her waist. She flinched. He did too, afraid that she would pull away. But… she didn't. And she didn't pull away when his hands slid up her back.
She… smelled nice. Like some spice he couldn't quite remember the name of. Was it some kind of perfume? Or… did girls just naturally smell good?
His heart hammered in his chest. Part of him was afraid that even now, after all of this, she would pull away, that it was nothing but a temptation to be cruelly snatched away at the last moment. But… she didn't resist. In fact… she put her hands on his shoulders, before sliding them over his back, returning his embrace. Her heart… he could feel it, through her chest.
It was beating even faster than his.
She began to draw even closer. So did he. Until he could see was the blue of her eyes, shining like gems. He thought… he'd be more afraid. But… it felt… right. As if… this was where he had always meant to be. He felt the faintest brush against his lips…
…And then Abel awoke to find a dark figure looking down at him.
He inhaled. But before he could scream, a pair of hands pressed down hard against his mouth. As he squirmed, a voice said, "Abel, shush! You're making too much noise!"
That voice… it was Liz. He glanced down and oh god she was naked. She was naked and she was touching him. She'd crawled inside his shirt, pressing her whole front against him. And… had she been trying to take off his trousers?
Abel writhed, trying to slip out of the girl's grasp. He would've just pushed her away normally, but she was inside his clothes, not to mention…
Liz pressed her hands against his mouth even harder. "Abel, I just said to be quiet!" she hissed.
Taking a moment to collect himself, Abel reached up and grabbed Liz's wrists, pulling her hands away from his mouth and sitting up. "What do you think you're doing!?" he whispered harshly.
"Repaying you," she said quietly, but calmly. "You did kinda save my life. So I figured you deserved a little something-something in return."
Repaying him? What in the world did sneaking into his bed and trying to take his clothes off have to do with repaying him? "…The money you provided was more than enough."
Liz pulled herself out of his shirt, and kneeled by the foot of his bed, frowning and still very, very naked. Even in the dark Abel tried not to look directly at her. "Most boys would be thrilled if they woke up and found a naked girl sharing their bed." She leaned forward with a sly grin. "Would things have been different if I was a boy?"
"Wh-What does that have to do with anything!?" he stammered, his face burning.
Liz tilted her head to one side, her smile disappearing. "You… have no idea what I was trying to do, do you?"
"Of course I do!" Abel snapped back. "You were trying to kiss me!"
She tilted her head to the other side. "And…?"
Abel's brow furrowed. "And… what?"
Liz looked… surprised. Then, disappointed. "…well now I just feel like I'm taking advantage of you. I'll see myself out." And with that, she slipped off Abel's bed and scurried out of the room, leaving Abel alone and confused.
For some time, Abel sat, staring at the spot where Liz had been kneeling. If he thought about it, he could still feel the sensation of her body pressed against his.
Was it… was it just him? If Zechariah or one of the other boys from the village had been where he was now, they would have been thrilled, he imagined. Even a few of his companions wouldn't have turned down the opportunity. Abel threw himself back on the bed, covering his face with one arm. He couldn't believe he was missing the parts of his journey where people were trying to kill him. He could make sense of those parts at least. But this…
Abel closed his eyes, trying to get some sleep. But when he did, he felt Liz's phantom still pressing against him. He instantly shot upright. Sleep would probably be out of the question. Fortunately, he had a remedy for situations like these. Reaching under his pillow, he retrieved a thick, slightly blackened book. Reading a chapter or two from Dragonslayer would surely put his mind at ease.
The sun was beginning to set, painting the sky a vibrant orange and casting long shadows over the deck. At one end stood Abel. Fiann stood at the other. Gripping the hilt of his sword tightly, Abel said, "…Alright. Come at me." Fiann nodded… then simply stood. Abel waited, watching her, waiting for her to make even the slightest twitch. When she did, he drew his sword… but it was only halfway out of its sheath when Fiann touched the side of his neck with the blunt end of her axe.
After a moment, Abel let out a breath, and returned his sword to his sheath. As he did, Fiann put her axe away and pulled out her journal, quickly writing something inside. [Your reflexes are improving. Before, you weren't able to draw your sword at all.]
Abel let out an unhappy huff. "Maybe in another two weeks I'll be able to finish drawing my sword before you kill me." His eyes turned toward the western horizon. "Guess we should call it a day here."
With the money Liz had generously provided, Captain Baird and Cinquedea were able to begin repairing the Princess Louvia right away. And within a few days, the ship had put to sea once again. The winds were favorable, and Cinquedea said that should they persist, they would reach Lohan in roughly two weeks' time. From practically the moment they'd raised anchor, Abel had thrown himself into a new training regimen with Fiann's help, asking the bard to strike at him swifter, harder, with more ferocity than ever before. The encounter with the gorgon, and later Cavall, had been a rude awakening for him. His victory over Guillaume made him complacent. And as hard-won as that victory had been, there were foes who were still more powerful ahead, Abel had no doubt about that.
It wasn't just Fiann assisting in his training however- several of his companions stepped forward to help. Minze, Raine, Lailah… even Holly had stepped in on occasion. He'd considered asking Seth how to use a bow, or Claire to instruct him in magic. But Lailah intervened, shifting his focus back to improving his swordplay, even gently (but firmly) steering him away from taking up the spear, after he'd convinced himself his skill lay not with the sword but a different weapon entirely. After all, they would only be at sea for two weeks- his time would be better spent honing what skills he already developed, rather than trying to learn new ones. Begrudgingly, he acquiesced.
Frowning, Fiann wrote in her journal, [You seem distracted. Is something bothering you?]
"I'm fine," he replied, quickly. Perhaps a bit too quickly.
Fiann's frown deepened, and she scrawled, [It's because that new whore girl isn't here, isn't it?] She quickly added, [Did something happen between you two?]
Abel's face turned a bright shade of red. "Nothing happened," he said, again too quickly to be true.
Fiann's frown twisted into a full scowl. But rather than press the issue, she snapped her journal shut and turned away, making her way below decks.
"Wait," Abel said suddenly.
Fiann stopped, and looked back, tilting her head.
Abel took a step forward. "I just… I wanted to say thank you. For helping me. I'm glad to know that I can count on you."
Fiann didn't write any more messages. She simply turned, and descended the ladder descending into the ship's interior. But as the bard turned away, Abel couldn't help but notice that she was smiling.
Abel let out a sigh, before making his way to the edge of the deck. Fiann, of course, hadn't been wrong. Since beginning his regimen, there had been an additional participant, acting not as an instructor, but as an observer. And ordinarily, once he was finished for the day, Liz would have sidled up to Abel, wrapped her arms around one of his, and complimented him for his hard work. When Minze questioned her, she said she was simply "supporting morale…" but Abel couldn't help but feel that she had ulterior motives for wanting to stay by his side. Their… "encounter" the night before had been the most flagrant indicator, but there had been other signs: she was always close, finding every excuse she could to touch his hands, his arms, his chest… once, she'd even invited him into her bunkroom while she was in the middle of changing clothes, seemingly unbothered by his presence in the slightest. Apparently, this was normal for those who hailed from Proserpina, at least according to Raine: both men and women were quite forward in physical displays of affection to those who'd caught their eye. Ordinarily, that wouldn't have been a problem- Liz's behavior wasn't far off from how Raine herself acted around him- except…
Well, Liz wasn't a child, but she very clearly wasn't an adult, either. And much like Raine, she seemed to delight in making him uncomfortable. And there was part of where the trouble lay. Was it all just a game to her, or were her expressions genuine, at least partially? And what if she were to try again? And this time, Lailah or one of the others found them? How would they have reacted? Whenever Liz was near, Abel could see Fiann in the corner of his eye, absolutely fuming, her glare so fierce Abel was certain the bard was trying to burn a hole through the young merchant with just her eyes. Her displeasure was the most apparent, but he couldn't help but feel the others were just as unhappy- they may have hidden it better, but he could still see it, in brief flashes. Would they have believed him if he told them the truth? Or would they have concluded he had initiated the encounter with the worst of intentions, and refused to hear any answer other than what they expected to hear?
But as it turned out, Abel wouldn't have to worry about any additional encounters. Liz didn't come to observe his training the next day. Or the day after that. Or any of the remaining days before they finally pulled into Lohan's harbor. And in the few times he did see her, she always remained at a respectful distance, never touching him or standing uncomfortably close. And once the Princess Louvia dropped anchor and its passengers disembarked, Abel thought- or rather, perhaps, he'd hoped- that Liz would do, or say something, anything… but, she merely shook his hand, thanked him for saving him once again, and then went on her way.
But as soon as she was gone, Abel found another girl at his side clambering for his attention. Even before the Louvia had dropped anchor, Seth had been making plans to visit Marsya and the Archbishop, to find out everything that had happened in the city since she'd left. And it would have been a lie if Abel were to say he wasn't curious as well. There had been no news from Istar since they'd first arrived in Mavors. He wanted to know if anything had changed- if what he'd done that day had caused any changes. So when Seth asked if she would go with him, there hadn't really been much of a choice. He said yes. And so, Abel and Seth parted from the others, leaving them to handle finding lodgings while he and the thief set out to the Temple of Bacchus.
"…Still, it's gotta be a little awkward for her," Raine began. "We were hanging out with a merchant who's negotiating with a rival to her family's business."
Claire didn't look Raine's way as she propped her head up on her hand. "Why not just ask her what she thinks about the whole thing, instead of just speculating?"
The witch sank into the chair next to Claire. "I mean, I guess I could… but wild speculation's way more fun, don't you think?"
Claire glanced over at the witch with her eyes narrowed. "…I'm not sure if I already told you this, but you're much more attractive when you keep your mouth shut."
But before any banter could be exchanged, a timid voice spoke, asking. "Um, excuse me. Miss Meltrose?"
Claire and Raine looked back, to find Holly standing behind them. She'd taken off her armor, wearing only her thick, long-sleeved shirt and a pair of long, thick black socks. Claire's gaze turned to Holly. After her eyes lingered on the mercenary's chest for a moment, she scowled and asked, "What do you want?"
"I had a question I've been meaning to ask you," the mercenary said. "You use a staff in battle, but, where does your staff go when you aren't using it?"
"I keep it stored in a personal Pocket Dimension spell. I summon it when I need it, and dismiss it when I don't."
"Pocket dimension?" Holly's brow furrowed, before she quickly perked up. "That sounds like a useful skill! We wouldn't have to carry around so many supplies!"
Claire turned away. "I don't have much of a talent for conjuration unfortunately, so the pocket dimension I can create is very limited in what it can store. A dedicated conjurer could store a lot more- the best can create a space big enough to live in."
At that moment, the inn's door creaked open. Seth stepped inside, followed by Abel. At once, Raine waved them over. "There you are, Blue!" she called cheerfully. "What kept you?"
"Sorry," Abel began. "A lot happened while we were away."
Raine moved her hand in a circle. "Such as…?"
"Well, Marsya and the rest of the Farm are fine," he replied. "Most of Vargo's mercenaries finally left the city. There's still some diehards, but most decided to cut their losses after the Vargo Group was dismantled. But Notte…"
Seth continued in his stead: "The Archbishop moved her out of the city," she said. "Vargo's trial is still some time away, and the Church can't guarantee her safety while she's still in Lohan."
"And what about you?" Claire questioned. "You're free to wander the streets without an escort?"
The thief brought a hand to her chin, feigning deep thought. "You know, I hadn't considered that. If only I'd thought to conceal my identity when I attacked the Vargo Group's properties, perhaps by disguising myself as some sort of Ghost…?"
Claire opened her mouth to say something else, but before she could, Raine cut in. "Alright, that's enough flirtatious banter for one day. Now get over here, Blue. There's something we need to do."
"Huh?" It took Abel glancing at Raine's table to realize what the witch was talking about. "Oh, right!" He hurried over and pulled out his amulet. With a thought, it began pointing toward the nearest of Alondight's altars.
After a few moments' assessment, Raine drew a new line on the map, away from Lohan and in the direction the amulet pointed. "Alright," she began, and looked over the map. But within a matter of moments, her cheerful mood vanished. "Well… this might be a problem."
"You said that last time," Abel began, as the others began to gather around the map. "I'm sure it's not that bad. Now let's see…" He looked at the map- specifically, at where the two newest lines intersected. "Huh, that's pretty far south. It looks like the closest city is somewhere called… Ulara."
Abel's words were met with absolute silence. When he looked up from the map, all eyes were fixed on him. Unnerved, he asked, "…What? What is it?"
It took several seconds for anyone to respond. And the person who did was Violet, who asked, "You… want to go to Ulara?"
"It isn't about wanting or not wanting to go," Abel answered. "If there's an altar close by, I have to go there." He stepped back. "Well, since we have our destination, we should let Captain Baird know. Come on."
"Absolutely not," Cinquedea said bluntly.
"Sorry lad," Baird added. "But I'm afraid I have to agree."
"What!?" Abel asked. "Why!?"
"If you knew what you were asking us to do, you wouldn't have asked us at all." Cinque looked down at Abel, eye falling on his sword. "Trust me, if you're looking to kill yourself, there're much faster and easier ways to do it."
Abel's attention shifted to Baird. "Captain Baird, you said yourself you'd take me to whatever shore I was hoping to get to, no matter how far. So-"
"I know what I said lad," Baird interrupted. "But Ulara? That city… that whole damned jungle is cursed. I don't care what books say about what it used ta be like- men ain't meant to set foot there." Baird looked down at Abel sternly. "I know I'm in yer debt, lad. But this is one line I'm not willin' ta cross."
Abel's gaze shifted between Cinquedea and Captain Baird, but it was clear from their expressions that neither would give in. So, shoulders slumped, he turned away, left the harbor, and began trudging back to the inn.
He didn't get far before a familiar voice called out, stern and cold. "…I told you this would happen," Seth said. He looked back, to find the thief leaning against the corner of a building.
She had told him. As had the others. But Abel hadn't listened to her. To any of them. "I don't get it…" he said. "What are they so afraid of?"
Seth pushed herself away from the wall and began walking, as Abel hurried to follow her. "Before I answer that, let me ask you something: what do you know about Ulara?"
The answer was, very little. According to the map, it lay to the south of Istar, by the ocean. It was in an area labeled the "Olorun Region;" other than marks for Ulara itself, the forest surrounding it, called the "Messina Wildwood," and a few unnamed mountains at the forest's eastern edge, that section of the map was almost completely blank. And when he shared this, Seth looked away, her expression serious, before she began explaining:
"Ulara was a colony founded by Cybele, just like Aglis and Fueno. It was their last colony in fact, established just before the Vinland Wars. Unlike those colonies, which were self-sufficient by the time the war began, Ulara was still reliant on supplies shipped from the homeland to sustain itself, supplies which were now being shipped to the front lines. Ulara held out for a while, but eventually, the colony collapsed and fell into anarchy as people began fighting for what few resources remained. Those that could fled back to Cybele; those who couldn't died out, either from starvation, disease, or through violence. And as the war went on, Ulara was almost completely forgotten, its ruins being reclaimed by the jungle."
The Vinland Wars again. Niel had mentioned them as well. Abel decided at that moment he would need to look into the subject in more detail.
Seth continued, "Since the Empire's collapse, other nations have sent expeditions to Ulara, either in an attempt to resettle, or to claim any treasures left behind. Most never return. Because of its history, some began to believe the land itself is cursed, and any who go there suffer misfortune. Some even believe that if you so much as lay eyes on Ulara's ruins, you're fated to die a horrible death soon after. Even pirates won't use it as a hideout, which should tell you something about its reputation." She finally looked in Abel's direction. "So I hope you can understand now why people wouldn't be willing to go there."
Abel did understand. At least in part. But even so… "I know. I get it. But whatever might have happened in the past, I have to go there." He returned Seth's gaze. "You know that, don't you?"
Seth looked away. She let out a faint sigh, and in an almost inaudible voice, she replied, "…yeah. I know."
The inn came into sight not long after. And as before, the others were gathered in the common room, awaiting his return. Raine raised a hand to wave at the two. "Hey, you're back," she said. "Let me guess- no dice?"
Seth shook her head. "No dice," she repeated.
The witch fell into an open chair with a sigh. "No surprise there." She then sat up. "Alright. Let's pool all our money together. Maybe we can hire a different ship to take us."
"That won't work," Claire said. "Most sailors won't go anywhere near Ulara, no matter how much gold you throw at them."
Abel's map was still spread out across one of the tables. Violet looked down at it, regarding it for several moments. "Perhaps we could travel over land," she suggested. "There appear to be at least a few cities in the south."
"But… isn't there supposed to be a swamp along Istar's southern border?" Holly asked.
"There is," Raine replied. "The Marake Wetlands. And crossing them wouldn't be difficult; 'impossible' would be a better way to describe it. The diseases the bugs there can give you are no joke- bloodworms, devil's fever, the green rot… all fatal, of course. And that's on top of the monsters that live there." She turned in her seat, gaze shifting to Abel. "Blue could probably fly right over all of it… but I doubt he'd wanna take on whatever's waiting for him in Ulara solo. So our best bet at getting there is by sea."
"Maybe we should put in a request for aid from the Church," Lailah said.
"That… may not be a bad idea," Seth replied. "I'm sure that angel friend of yours could make some sort of arrangement on our behalf, Abel."
"I don't know…" Abel put a hand to his chest. "Niel… has been sleeping a lot lately. She said that she had to rest to regain her strength after she gave me her blood, but… something's different about this." He clutched his shirt. "I'm worried about her. And I don't know if she can help us."
"Oh really?" a scratchy voice asked in response. And with a flourish, Niel emerged from Abel's chest, fluttering an arm's span away, arms folded over her chest and a scowl on her face. "You think I can't handle a simple negotiation, o ye of such little faith?"
"N-Niel?" Abel stammered.
Raine waved casually. "Oh, hey Parrot. Feels like it's been forever since I last saw you."
"How long were you listening in on our conversation?" Seth asked.
"I woke up right around when you were explaining Ulara's history to Abel," The angel answered, before turning away, her gaze turned back towards Abel. "Leave the Church to me. I'm certain they can find a boat willing to take us to Ulara." Then, without waiting for a reply, she darted out of the inn through an open window, turning into a bright streak that raced through the sky like a comet.
For a moment, the group could only stare at the window Niel had left through. Eventually though, Raine turned her attention to Abel. "And you said Parrot wasn't feeling well," she said playfully.
"So… what do we do now?" Claire asked.
"Now, we wait," Raine replied. "Shouldn't take too long for the Church to get back to us, though. They are 'bound by oath to provide whatever aid a Hero requires on his journey,' after all. And if that isn't enough, we could always just dangle exposing Kamash Vargo over the Archbishop's head." She turned, looking toward a counter at the far side of the inn. "Hey, innkeeper! Get me a mug of ale!"
Seth took a seat at Claire and Raine's table. "I doubt that'll be necessary."
"I must admit…" Violet began, finding a seat next to Seth. "I am aware that the Church provides aid to questing Heroes. But, what sort of aid do they provide?"
"Oh, all kinds of stuff!" Raine replied, as the innkeeper brought her the ale she requested. After a long drink, she continued, "They send messages, gather information, negotiate with guilds, provide weapons and funds…"
Lailah took a seat as well. "It's all true. When people in Hokes found out Abel was a Hero, the abbey got all kinds of donations: weapons, travel supplies, gold… though that's probably also because he saved the whole town."
Violet perked up, leaning toward the priestess. "Did he now?"
Raine laughed, slapping the alchemist on the back. "Oh yeah! Started his quest off with a real bang."
Fiann edged closer to the table. She held up her journal, which Minze read for her: "'Can you tell us the story?'"
Lailah nodded. "Sure! Everything actually started about a month before Abel arrived. Woodsmen from the surrounding villages were suffering from more injuries than usual…"
The priestess's words faded as Abel's mind began to wander. Again, it seemed no one else had noticed. But Niel… she-
"Abel?"
Abel was suddenly snapped from his thoughts. He looked down to find Holly standing next to him, holding his sleeve, looking up at him with worry on her face. "Is… something wrong?" she asked.
"It's… nothing," he lied. "Sorry to worry you." He tried to keep his face neutral, but Holly's question lingered in his mind. Is something wrong? Abel… didn't know how to answer that.
And that… worried him more than anything else.
Just as Raine said, the Church did not take long to respond. After an hour, when the sun began to set, and the group was sat down for supper, the inn door swung open, and a blonde woman, clad in black-and-gold robes, with a silver mask over her eyes entered the room, Niel fluttering through the air after her.
Lailah quickly shot to her feet. "S-Sister Superior!" she stammered. "We weren't expecting a personal visit."
"The feeling is mutual," Archbishop Beatrix replied as she crossed the room. "I wasn't expecting you to return to Lohan so soon." Her "gaze" turned to Abel. "Nor did I expect you would request aid in finding passage to Ulara of all places, Lord Abel."
"I wouldn't have asked for the Church's help if we didn't need it," Abel replied.
Raine leaned over, giving Niel an odd look. "Parrot, what gives? Didn't you fill the Archbishop in on what's happening?"
Beatrix replied before the angel could. "Her Grace has informed me of the situation," she said, seating herself in a chair at a nearby, unoccupied table. "You believe one of Alondight's altars is located near Ulara."
"We don't just believe it, Sister Superior," Lailah replied. "We know it is."
"So… what's the problem, Your Eminence?" Seth asked. "Were you not able to find anyone? Or are you here to persuade Abel to not go?"
"Neither," the Archbishop replied. "Is it so unusual for a member of the Church to want to see if a member of their congregation is well with their own eyes? …Well, for a certain definition of 'see.'" She tapped her mask with her finger for emphasis. "Anyway, if you truly believe an altar is in Ulara, then I will trust your judgement. As for arranging you passage…" She turned toward the door. "Enter."
Again, the inn door swung open. Through it stepped a girl, probably a few years younger than Abel. Her short, messy brown hair was pulled into a short and equally messy tail, her eyes a bright shade of blue, wearing a knee-length dress of red-and-white, a thick, worn leather belt with many pouches on her waist, and a pair of boots that looked well-worn from use. From behind him, he heard a thump as Claire's head hit the table, and the president muttered, "Oh you've gotta be fucking kidding me…"
Liz's eyes fell on Abel, and her face instantly reddened. Slowly, she raised a hand, and gave a feeble wave. "…Hey," she said shyly.
"Liz?" Abel asked, confused. "What are you doing here?"
For a moment, the Archbishop turned to Abel with an eyebrow raised, before saying, "…I see you already know each other. However, for clarity's sake, this is Elisabeth, member of the Amorenya Trading Company, and as of this morning, owner of the Four Winds Trade House."
"Acting owner," Liz corrected. "Until the Company assigns someone to take charge."
"So, I'm guessing negotiations were successful?" Seth asked.
"Four Winds has been on the decline ever since the Vargo Group was dissolved," Liz replied. "Their main rivals, the Nakva Bay Company, managed to snatch up all of Vargo's previous contracts. Things are so bad now, the owner agreed to sell to me outright. It's gonna be a while before this branch is a big enough operation to compete, but with the right investment and some-"
"Miss Elisabeth has graciously agreed to loan the Church a ship from her company," Beatrix said, cutting off the young trader. "It is a smaller vessel, but it should be adequate for your purposes."
"But, what about a crew?" Holly asked. "Aren't most sailors too scared to go near Ulara?"
Beatrix nodded. "Indeed. That matter will require a bit more persuasion. Currently, we have messengers combing the harbor in search of free sailors, promising generous compensation in exchange for their services. Failing that, we will select Crusaders with previous naval experience to crew the ship."
"Sounds like you have everything under control, Miss Beatrix. Thank you." He then quickly added, "…How long will it take before everything's ready?"
The Archbishop gave a small nod in acknowledgment. "You're welcome, Lord Abel. I expect assembling a crew will take no more than a few days. Now, if there are no other questions, I shall take my leave." She then stood. "I will return once a crew for the ship has been assembled. Good evening, everyone."
With that, Beatrix left the inn. For a moment, Liz stood in front of Abel and his companions, staring awkwardly at the group, before she said, "W-Well. When the Church came to the Four Winds for a job, I didn't expect it would be carrying you guys. Small world, eh?"
"Yes…" Minze replied. "Most curious…"
Liz gave an awkward smile. "Well, I- I should be going. I still have paperwork to fill out, not to mention I have to send a message back to Company headquarters. Um… bye!" Then without waiting for a response, she scuttled out of the inn like some kind of insect.
For a moment, Abel looked on, at the inn's door. But then Claire said to him, "When we left Ermis, that girl was crawling all over you. Now it's like she's afraid to go near you. …Did you do something to scare her away, degenerate?"
"Oh, let him be, Prez," Raine said coyly. "Besides, it's not what Blue did. It's what he didn't do that's the problem."
Abel blanched. Did… she know? She must have! The way she smiled, as if she knew some secret…
"What's that supposed to mean?" Holly asked.
"Oh, nothing," Raine replied casually.
Abel needed to come up with something, anything, to steer the conversation from a potentially compromising topic. So, he said, "It seems like the Archbishop and Liz will be taking care of the ship for us. But what should we do until they're ready for us?"
"Aside from the usual 'stock up on provisions, sharpen our weapons' and so forth?" Seth asked.
"We should check the city libraries to see if they have information about the region surrounding Ulara," Violet answered. "It will likely be incomplete, but something is bound to be better than no information at all."
"That would be wise, Lady Violet…" Minze said. "But, I believe we should wait until tomorrow before beginning our research. We've been in the city for less than a day, after all."
Lailah nodded in agreement. "Yeah. It's been a long day for all of us. We should take some time to rest."
Raine, midway through another drink of her tankard, spluttered. "What!? You're turning in already!? But there's a whole nightlife out there waiting for us! We should take advantage of it! Especially since we didn't get the chance last time thanks to a certain 'Ghost' prowling around." Her eyes then turned to Seth.
Niel gave the witch a sideways glance. "This isn't a holiday, witch. If you want to have fun, do it on your own time, not Abel's."
Raine's shoulders slumped, before she turned her attention to Claire. "Hey Prez, how about you and I enjoy a night on the town? Just the two of us? It'll be fun!"
Claire looked excited for a moment, before suppressing her emotions to give the witch a flat look. "You want me to take a woman who isn't my lover out for a night on the town?"
Raine nodded eagerly. "Yep."
The president's expression remained stoic, but she couldn't hide the spark in her eye. "…You're very confident for a woman with no tits, no ass, and only average legs at best," she replied, rising to her feet. "You'd better be very good at using that mouth of yours, because it's literally the only thing that can save you."
Raine smiled, rising as well. "Why, Miss President, are you flirting with me? Because-"
But before she could say another word, Claire put a finger over her lips. "No more talking," she said in a low, sultry voice, as her hand moved to Raine's shoulder.
Raine said nothing in response, but gave an eager nod and rose to her feet, letting the president guide her out of the inn. For a moment, the others sat in silence, before Violet asked, "Minze… what exactly did Claire mean when she said 'using that mouth?'"
Minze's response came quickly. "Nothing you need concern yourself with, My Lady."
Two days passed before the Archbishop and Liz returned. During that time, the group prepared themselves for the journey as much as they could, stocking provisions, inspecting and repairing equipment, and visiting the local library to learn more about Ulara. Unfortunately, information about the area was scarce, and seemed to contradict itself at every turn. One tome claimed the ruins were overrun with a savage tribe of humans that ate flesh and rode spiders the size of horses; while another claimed the ruins were empty of any living creatures, instead overrun with plants that could ensnare unsuspecting prey and drain them of blood; and yet another asserted the ruins were filled with a strange, malign magic that drove intruders to madness and turned them against one another. But all the accounts agreed on one thing: Ulara was an unwelcoming, dangerous place, and to enter was to guarantee almost certain death. And of the Messina Wildwood, nothing had been recorded at all.
On the third day, the Archbishop and Liz returned, and escorted them to the harbor. The ship that was to be their transport was not particularly large- roughly half the size of the Princess Louvia- with a figurehead of a group of clouds shaped to resemble the face of a glaring man. Her name was the Mistral, and according to Liz, she was the fastest ship in the Four Winds' fleet.
"…We expected much more difficulty in finding a crew," Beatrix began, as the group boarded. "But it seems there's no shortage of aspiring sailors willing to brave Ulara, as long as the price is right." Indeed, the deck of the Mistral was crawling with sailors, moving crates and barrels, or tying and tugging ropes.
"We promise to bring everyone home safely, Sister Superior, Miss Liz," Lailah said, trying her best to sound confident.
"Oh you don't need to worry about making promises," Liz said, before following Abel's group up the gangplank. "I'll be overseeing the job myself."
Abel came to an immediate halt. "Wait, what?"
Liz stepped through the group, continuing, "We've selected a captain for the Mistral, but I'll be in charge of the expedition overall." She stopped once she set foot on the deck. "Don't worry- I've already notified Company headquarters back in Proserpina, and they gave me the go-ahead."
"I… see," Claire replied. "And you're doing all of this because…?"
"Call it a personal ethos." Liz looked up toward the sun. "I learned a long time ago that any job has a certain amount of risk. But if you're not willing to shoulder that risk for yourself, you have no business taking the job. You owe it to those you work with to see things through with your own eyes." Her eyes turned back to Abel. "Besides, working with Heroes is a very lucrative venture. The businesswoman in me just can't let a chance like this slip away."
Violet spoke up. "But, the Amorenya Trading Company's primary business is in transporting cargo, is it not? And I would think a visit to Ulara would be… far-removed from that."
"Well, the company was founded on shipping, yes," Liz answered. "But-"
"Excuse me, Director," said a man who stepped next to Liz. "The ship is ready to depart."
"Ah, thank you Captain," Liz replied, before looking to the group. "That was Cid. Or rather, Captain Cid. We'll be passing through the Franciscan Sea on the way to Ulara, and he has quite a lot of experience navigating those waters."
"I suppose this is where we part ways," Beatrix said. "May the Gods grant you safe travels."
"Thank you, Your Eminence," Abel replied, before continuing up to the ship.
The Archbishop took her leave. As Abel and the others stepped onto the Mistral and the gangplank was raised, Liz called out, "Alright everyone, cast off! We've got a lot of ground to cover, so let's make haste!"
Almost at once, the crew jumped into action, untying the lines securing the Mistral to the pier. Once the last line was cast off, the ship began to move away from the docks- slowly at first, but then faster and faster, until the city was nothing more than a distant blur on the horizon.
After a few days at sea, the Mistral passed Istar's southernmost border. Where the shoreline had once met with parched deserts dotted with the occasional town or village, it now was almost completely masked by thick undergrowth that crept onto the sand, and without exception, there was no sign that the land had been so much as tread upon by human feet, much less settled. The further south the ship traveled, the denser the foliage grew, until the coastline disappeared entirely, replaced with a marsh choked with reeds, vines, and other greenery. And as the Mistral moved south, the air became hotter, and thicker with moisture. At first, it reminded Abel of the natural heat in Fueno, but before long, the mild discomfort became almost unbearable- if the humid air of Fueno had been like walking through a curtain, here it was like trying to breathe through a noose. As if the very air itself were trying to drive them away. And the crew's spirits, which had been high when they left Lohan, began to ebb away, and their voices fell silent.
Then, on the sixth day, the mist came.
As the Mistral passed a cluster of rocks rising from the sea, the mist rolled in without warning- a thick wall that seemed to cling to everything it touched, completely masking everything more than a few steps away. But despite the blinding fog, Captain Cid remained steady on course, expression grim. For two days the fog persisted. And yet, somehow, Captain Cid kept on course, steering the Mistral with an almost supernatural precision. Then, as suddenly as it had appeared, the mist vanished- when Abel looked back at where they had come from, he saw nothing but white which seemed to stretch on forever, as if they'd been sailing through a cloud. But the calm was not to last. Two days later, a violent storm hit them- the sky blackened, save for flashes of lightning that lit the world for an instant, and the wind howled like a pack of wild beasts. The waves swelled so high that they seemed to touch the clouds, and each time one broke against the Mistral's hull, it felt as though the ship would shatter like glass. The crew scrambled to secure ropes and batten hatches, but Captain Cid steered with unwavering resolve- not once did he falter or lose his grip on the helm, even when the very ship itself seemed to be fighting back against him.
For an entire day and night, the storm raged. And then… it was over. The sky cleared, and the seas calmed, as if the storm they'd passed through had never existed at all. Yet, there were no cries of celebration, no elation at successfully braving the storm. The crew remained tense, as if bracing themselves for the next challenge. And so for an entire day, they remained on edge. And the next day. And the day after that. Finally, on the tenth day of their journey, a cry went up from the crow's nest. "Land ho!"
Abel, along with his companions and any crew members who weren't otherwise busy, scrambled to the bow of the ship to get a better view. But although Abel managed to push himself to the front, as hard as he looked, he saw no signs of a city- no sign of anything to indicate that people had once lived here. One of the other crewmen spoke before he could, saying, "…There's nothing there."
Then Abel felt a tug at his sleeve. He looked, to see Liz standing next to him, a spyglass in her hand. "Try this," she said.
Abel took the spyglass, and began scanning the coast ahead. But as before, he could see nothing but thick, vine-covered trees. "I still don't-" He stopped when his eye swept across a splash of white that was out of place amongst the sea of green. He looked closer, and realized that it was the white plaster wall of a building, almost entirely smothered by vines and other plants. As he swept the spyglass over the forest, he spotted more buildings hidden in the foliage, with white walls and slanted roofs coated with orange tiles. There was only one place it could be.
"There it is…" Abel said, lowering the spyglass. "Ulara."
The lookout also spotted Ulara's harbor- a row of massive stone piers jutting out into the water. As Captain Cid steered the Mistral toward one of the piers, the city's details came into sharper view- buildings which had once been grand mansions, now crumbling into ruin, their walls covered with vines and other plants, as if nature itself were trying to erase them from existence. The ruins were still, and silent, without even the sound of singing birds- yet as they neared, Abel couldn't help but be filled with a strange feeling. Even though he couldn't see it, there was something out there… watching them.
Captain Cid brought the boat alongside one of the piers and dropped anchor. But before the gangplank was lowered, Liz commanded the crew to gather. "Alright everyone, listen up," she said. "We're about to set foot on one of the most dangerous areas in Windurst, and maybe even the whole world. So before anyone takes a single step off this ship, I'm going to lay down some ground rules for everyone to follow. Rule number one: keep your guard up. There are dangers lurking here that we can't even begin to guess at. Which leads right into rule number two: No one goes anywhere alone. And rule number three: if you find anything worthwhile, you bring it back to me. If you try to sneak anything for yourself, I will find out. And believe me when I say that when the Company gets done with you, you'll wish whatever monsters live here had eaten you instead." She paused, glaring at the crowd of sailors. "Got it?"
The crew, who had been tense ever since the storm had passed, nodded solemnly.
The young trader turned. "Alright, that's enough lecturing from me. Let's get out there and see what we can find."
The gangplank was dropped, and the crew began to disembark. As they did, Liz turned her attention to Abel and the others. "I know you have your own business that brought you here," she began, "but you wouldn't mind watching my men's backs while we search, would you? At least for a little while."
"Of course not," Lailah replied in Abel's stead. "If anything, we should've gone out first to make sure it was safe."
Liz nodded, satisfied with the response. "Good. Now," she turned. "Let's see what this place has to offer.
And so, and his companions set foot in Ulara. Once, it had been a Cybelian colony, traces of the Empire's influence still visible even a thousand years later. But now, overgrown with vines and silence, Ulara seemed more like a graveyard than a city. The street leading from the harbor, paved with massive slabs of stone, was overgrown with mosses, giving the road a strange, spongy feel. The surrounding buildings were crumbling, their walls coated with vines that spread over the walls like veins- in some places, they held their shape even after the wall they'd grown over had crumbled away. One could almost think that the plants were some strange sort that naturally grew to resemble buildings, if not for the ruins that remained standing around them. But through it all, there was nothing but silence, broken by their passing.
Eventually, Abel's companions spread out, each taking a different direction to follow one of the groups of sailors. Abel himself headed south, accompanied by Fiann, before they emerged in what looked to be a grand plaza. As he made his way through the overgrown streets, the feeling that they were being watched grew stronger and stronger- but every time he stopped to look around, there was nothing amiss. Nothing had moved. Not even the rustle of leaves in the wind. Fiann was seemingly just as unsettled- she didn't write him any messages, but merely drew her axe and held it tightly in her hand. Following her lead, Abel drew his own weapon.
The plaza itself was a strange mix of decay and nature- the ground, paved with stone slabs that had been worn smooth by countless feet over the years, was now covered in mosses and vines, which reached up to smother the surrounding buildings. In the very center of the plaza rose a tall obelisk. Though it too was covered in vegetation, underneath there looked to be some sort of inscription. Abel approached the obelisk, intending to read it, when Fiann suddenly reached out and gripped him by the arm, hard. "Fiann, what-" he began, only for the bard to release him and clamp her hand over his mouth instead. With her other hand, she pointed the blade of her axe to one of the buildings nearby. Abel immediately understood. There was only one reason Fiann would act this way: something dangerous was nearby. And now that he focused, he could hear a faint shuffling coming from the structure Fiann pointed out.
Abel pulled free from Fiann's grip and gestured for the bard to follow him. He crept towards the building, taking care not to make a sound, with Fiann close behind. But as he reached the doorway to the building's interior, the shuffling stopped. Abel paused, listening intently, but all that met his ears was silence. He took a few more tentative steps toward the open doorway…
…only for a figure to rush from the building and directly toward him. Before Abel could react, it had slammed into him, knocking him to the ground, the impact forcing the air from his lungs. He struggled to breathe as he looked up at the figure- a kobold, eyes wild and fangs flashing as it let out a strange, halting bark that sounded more like… laughter. But although the beast had seen him, it hadn't seen Fiann. And in an instant, the bard ripped the monster away from Abel, threw it against the ground, and buried her axe into its neck. The kobold's strange laughter died, and it gurgled out its last breath.
Abel climbed to his feet, still struggling for breath. Fiann stood over the dead beast, but only now that he was looking at the whole thing did he realize… it wasn't a kobold. It looked.… almost human, but with a dog's head, clad in crude armor of bone, wood, and leather, covered in thin beige fur with small black spots. At first, Abel thought it was a flesh golem- but its blood was a deep red, and its body was intact, free of the metallic implants Guillaume had favored. As he looked over the dead creature, he asked, mostly to himself, "What the hell is this thing?"
But before he could ponder further, the air was split by another of those strange barks. Abel and Fiann whirled around, to see another dog-headed man leaping down from atop one of the buildings. It landed hard, before it snarled and charged the two, waving a crude flail made from a rock over its head. Fiann rushed toward the beastman with blinding speed, and with a single stroke, hacked its weapon arm off at the elbow. But undaunted, the beast swung its free hand at the bard, catching her on the arm before she could pull away. Fiann didn't falter. Instead, before the beastman could fully pull away, her free hand shot out, grabbing its wrist. She twisted the beast's arm, causing it to let out a pained howl before she yanked it forward, slamming the beast into the ground head-first, and driving her heel into its skull, crushing it into red paste.
But no sooner had the bard released her grip on the beastman before a third scrambled into the plaza, followed by a fourth, and then a fifth. And before Abel knew it, he and Fiann were surrounded by nearly a dozen, snarling and waving their crude weapons. "Angel Fire!" Abel raised his hand, and a jet of white flame shot from his palm, dousing a few of the beastmen- the ones that had circled behind them, blocking the route they had come. But the flames did not deter the remaining beastmen- they let out their strange laughing barks, and surged forward. Abel turned, unleashing another gout of white flame, this time aimed at the beastmen in front. "Fiann we need to find the others and get back to the boat!" he shouted, before thrusting his sword at a beastman that had avoided his flames, burying it deep in its chest.
Fiann swung her axe at a beastman she'd seized by the throat, cutting off its snout, before tossing it away and giving Abel a quick nod. Then the two began to retreat, retracing their steps back to the harbor. More of the dog-headed monsters flooded the streets, swarming out of the surrounding buildings like insects, but they pressed forward, At times they would have to slow so Fiann could carve a path, or so Abel could keep the ones at their heels at bay with a gout of Angel Fire, but the two didn't dare to stop- if the horde managed to catch them, they would be overwhelmed in seconds.
But pain surged through Abel's leg, and he cried out, falling to one knee. He looked down- an arrow was embedded in his calf. Just as he feared, within seconds, one of the dog-headed creatures closed the distance, raising its weapon over its head to strike. Fiann, seeing him fall, turned to intercept the approaching beastman, and cut it down with ease… only to leave their front exposed as well.
Abel had to do something. Healing his wound would have been easy… but even those few seconds would have given the beastmen more than enough time to close in. And Niel hadn't stirred this whole time- he couldn't rely on her to save them. And his magic… most were useless against such a large group. Except… he'd only ever successfully cast it once, while Niel was in control of his body. Every other time had failed. But it was the only chance they had at surviving. He couldn't afford to fail. Not here. So, raising a hand, he pointed his finger toward the rushing horde, and cried out, "Light of Judgement!"
A beam of blinding white light shot from Abel's fingertip, filling the street ahead. It streaked forward, faster than an arrow, and struck the lead beastman, piercing through it as if it wasn't there at all, before continuing on, carving a line straight through the horde. The monsters in its path fell to pieces as they collapsed, disintegrating into ash before reaching the ground. And when the light of the beam faded, the corridor was empty, empty not only of the beastmen, but the overgrowth as well, leaving only bare, bleached stone.
Abel then turned his hand in the other direction. Fiann had cut down a half-dozen of the dog-men already, but there was seemingly no end to the horde, and not even seeing their comrades cut down before their eyes was seemingly enough to deter them. So he aimed at the horde, and shouted "Light of Judg- gaah!" Pain flared through Abel's temples and spots danced across his eyes. He was out of mana already? But how? And what was he supposed to do now?
But then, from somewhere close by, Abel heard a voice intone: "O chains between heaven and earth, bind my enemies together in torment: Chain Lightning!" A bolt of blue lightning shot through the air, arcing back and forth from one beastman to the next. The creatures seized and writhed, howling in agony, smoke pouring from their mouths, before they collapsed, dead.
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed through the now-emptied street. Abel looked, to see Claire and Seth approaching. As she neared, the president's eye fell on him. "And there's one half of my debt settled," she said.
Abel yanked the arrow out of his leg and put his hand over the wound, ignoring the pain in his head as he focused on healing his wound. "Where are the others?"
Seth aimed her bow in the direction she and Claire had come. "Not sure," she replied, her words clipped. "Got separated."
Abel finally got back to his feet- his leg was still stiff from the healing spell, but he'd have to put up with it for now. "We need to get back to the boat, before more of these things show up."
No more words were exchanged as Abel led Fiann, Claire, and Seth back to the boat. There was seemingly a lull in the horde of beastmen, and they managed to reach the harbor, but the sight awaiting them drained the hope from their hearts in an instant: the Mistral had cast off its lines and was pulling away from the pier. "What!?" Claire shouted. "No, no no no, fuck! Those fucking cowards abandoned us!"
Something drew Fiann's attention, and she tensed. At the same time, Seth readied an arrow. "I think we have a bigger problem here."
Abel turned. The beastmen had returned, slowly advancing toward them. It seemed that with nowhere to run, they were in no hurry to catch their prey.
Backing away while readying her staff, Claire asked, "…Degenerate, I don't suppose you can carry all of us to the boat, could you?" That had been Abel's first thought, but there was no chance it would work. He struggled to carry just one person in his arms- burdened by three, he doubted he would have the strength to get himself off the ground.
The president must have taken his silence for a no. "I see," she said grimly. "Then we'll just have to fight our way through."
But suddenly, strange cries erupted from within the beastmen's ranks. Not the normal barking laughter from before, but something different, something more panicked. They turned, weapons ready as if to face some new threat, but their ranks were closed so tightly that Abel couldn't see who- or what- it was. Had one of the others been left behind as well? Whatever it was though, it was fast- seemingly every second, a fountain of blood erupted from somewhere in the horde, each spray closer to the front than the last.
Then, Abel saw it. A flicker as something weaved through the beastmen- then, one of the beastmen at the very front of the column pitched forward, its head falling from its shoulders. Then another fell, a hole pierced through one side of its head to the other. Then another, and another.
Abel's guard began to slacken. Was it… Niel? Was she doing this? No, that couldn't be it. The angel would have used her magic to wipe out the beastmen in one fell swoop, not picked them off one-at-a-time while sowing discord in their ranks.
The beastmen's fear erupted into panic- some began to flee, while others turned their weapons on each other, seemingly convinced their enemy was one of their own. But in brief flashes, Abel could see the figure slipping through the horde, flickering like a flame, appearing to strike down one of their number and vanishing just as quickly. But then, one of the beastmen seemingly regained its senses, turning its attention back to Abel's group. Letting out a barking laugh, it raised its weapon- a club lined with sharp rocks, and charged toward them. It took precisely three steps toward the group before a spear burst through its chest with a spray of blood. It staggered forward a few more steps, before falling, dead, revealing its attacker. It wasn't another beastman- they were far too small, but rather… a human, with bronze skin and a long mane of pale yellow hair running down their back, almost sweeping the ground, clad in little more than torn rags, their face covered by a bone-white mask shaped to resemble a beastman's skull. With impossible speed, she approached the fallen dog-man and pulled her spear free, before turning to face the horde.
But the beastmen were in full retreat, leaving their dead and dying behind, and quickly melted back into the ruins, disappearing as if they had never been there. For a moment, the stranger stood tense… before turning her attention toward Abel and the others. Again, the stranger stood for a moment, regarding them… then as fast as Abel could blink, they had closed the distance, arm pulled back for a lethal thrust. Abel tried to move to the side, but the stranger was simply too fast, and her spear bit deep into his side. Then the stranger rammed into Abel with their shoulder, knocking him on his back and sending his sword flying from his hand, before leaping on top of him, spear clutched in both hands for a fatal, inescapable strike.
All the while, the stranger screeched in rage. But Abel quickly realized the stranger's cries weren't merely animalistic shouts, but words: "Va suvi! Va suvi va suvi va suvi va suvi!"
Kill you! Kill you kill you kill you!
Abel brought up his hands in a desperate attempt to protect himself. Please wait! is what Abel tried to say. But the words that actually left his mouth were, "Fil vunil arfala!"
Abel had braced himself, expecting the girl to stab him. But, the pain never came. And when a faint clatter came to his ears, he dared to open his eyes. The girl was still standing over him, frozen, her spear having slipped from her hand. Behind her mask, he could see her expression: a mixture of shock and confusion. She leapt back, tense, though Abel was unsure if she meant to attack him again, or run away.
Cautiously, Abel climbed to his feet, not taking his eyes off the girl. As he rose, he spoke. What Abel intended to say was, It's alright. We aren't going to hurt you. But again, the words that actually left his mouth didn't match his thoughts at all: "Arvu teach. Chi va dulasir xuqi."
The girl flinched, and retreated, hiding herself behind the corner of a ruined building. She peeked out, and asked, in a halting voice, "…K…koeach…?" W-Who…?
Claire took a step forward. "Wait, you actually understand her?"
But Seth's hand snaked out, grabbing the president's wrist to hold her back. "Hold on. Don't interfere."
Abel took a tentative step toward the girl. "Riin Abel. Arhir rich se usejir." I'm Abel. These are my friends.
The girl tilted her head, face scrunching. "Ei…bo?"
Abel took another tentative step forward. "…What about you? What's your name? Is any-"
But the girl darted back, quickly scrambling up the side of the ruin, disappearing over the edge of its roof. Abel waited for a moment, but the girl didn't emerge. As tempting as it was to use his wings and fly up after her, that would probably only frighten her more.
Claire huffed. "Nice going, degenerate. You scared her off!"
"As if you would've handled things any better," Seth muttered, loud enough to ensure the president heard her.
Claire scowled, but before she could say anything in response, the Mistral began to move, pulling back alongside the pier. Before the gangplank was lowered however, something leapt over the side and landed close by. "Abel!" Lailah shouted, hurrying to his side. "Abel are you alright!?"
"Yeah," Abel replied, placing a hand over his wound to heal it. "Mostly."
Seth's gaze swept across the ruins, before she finally lowered her bow. "I guess Abel and his angel friend aren't the only ones in our group with wings."
Lailah made an odd face, but Abel quickly pulled the conversation elsewhere. "What happened to the others? Is everyone alright?"
The priestess was silent for a moment, before answering. "…two of the sailors were killed. Those monsters were lying in ambush- by the time we realized something happened it was too late. Some of the others were hurt falling back to the boat, but everyone else should live."
"I think we're all forgetting something rather important…" Claire began, pointing a thumb at the Mistral. "You all pulled away from the pier." She then marched up to Lailah, pointing a finger under the priestess's chin. "You had every intention of leaving us to die here."
"That wasn't our intent," Liz said. The group looked, to see the gangplank had been lowered and the others were stepping down to the pier. "We waited for you as long as we could. Any longer, and those things would've gotten aboard and killed us all."
"Besides," Lailah added, "you had Abel and Niel with you. And need I remind you that both of them can fly?"
While Abel would have normally appreciated Lailah's vote of confidence, internally, he doubted he would have managed to meet her expectations. Not to mention, Claire seemed much less appreciative. Both were tense- something Seth noticed. "I think there's a more pressing issue we should be focusing on," she said, approaching the fallen beastman. A cautious prod with her foot confirmed that it was truly dead, and not merely feigning for an ambush. "What are these things? Werewolves?"
"They're gnolls," Raine replied, stepping past Seth and kneeling next to the body. She turned its head aside, exposing the muzzle. "See how short its muzzle is? A werewolf's is much longer. And the fangs are thicker. Werewolf fangs are built to tear through flesh- gnolls use their fangs to crush bones."
"Gnolls are a demihuman species that reside exclusively in Windurst," Minze continued. "Apparently, they only appeared relatively recently- some time after the fall of the Empire, in fact. However…" The maid's gaze turned, focusing on the building where the stranger had fled. "…I'm much more interested in that stranger from before." All eyes turned to where Minze's gaze had fallen. Nothing emerged, but Abel had that curious sensation from before. The sensation of being watched.
"You don't think she'll attack us again, do you?" Abel asked.
"What was she doing here in the first place?" Violet asked. "Do you think she is a native?"
"If she is, it may not be a bad idea to win her to our side," the maid replied. "She's likely to have at least some familiarity with the surrounding area. She may even know where Alondight's altar is located."
Claire dismissed her staff, and began walking toward the ruin. "Well what are we waiting for? Let's track her down."
But Lailah stepped in the way. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves," she said cautiously. "We need to show her that we don't mean her any harm."
"And how do you propose we do that?" Claire demanded.
"We wait," Lailah answered. "Until she decides she's ready to talk."
"That might take a while," the president pointed out.
"Yes," Lailah agreed. "It will. But as someone with missionary training, I assure you, I know what I'm doing."
"I'm with Sis on this one, Raine cut in, standing upright. "I think we should wait this one out. But until then, it would probably be for the best if we all returned to the ship."
"Why?" Claire asked coldly. "Those- what did you call them? Gnolls? They're long gone by now."
"For now," the witch replied. "But they could come back at any time. And I saw just how upset you got the last time we left you behind."
"Fine," Claire huffed. "We'll wait."
The group made their way back onboard the Mistral. Though no gnolls had been sighted since the horde retreated, everyone remained tense- no mooring lines were tied, and sailors were stationed to raise the anchor and gangplank at a moment's notice. But the excursion hadn't been a complete failure- some of the sailors had managed to find a few artifacts before the gnolls attacked, and Liz wasted no time in appraising the recovered relics. Most were unremarkable- bits of jewelry, silver and gold coins, or small clay pots- but the fact that they were recovered from Ulara would drive up their asking price to astronomical levels… or so she claimed. Abel had to admit, after seeing what was found, a small part of him wanted to go out and search for treasure as well, perhaps even inspect that obelisk he and Fiann had discovered earlier. But he didn't dare leave the boat alone. And no matter how much he tried, he couldn't seem to awaken Niel, either because she was that deep in slumber, or because she was awake, but choosing to ignore him.
An hour passed. Then two. The sun began to set, and eventually sank beneath the horizon entirely. But still, there was no sign of the stranger. Lailah had cautioned that it would take time, but just how long would that be? Apparently, the "missionary" work she'd mentioned could last for months, even years, but they didn't have that sort of time. And as Abel paced around the deck, lit faintly by lanterns scattered about, doubt began to set in. Had the gnolls' retreat been a feint, meant to lure the stranger into an ambush? It seemed unusual that so many would retreat from a single foe, after all. They could have been out there somewhere, dead… or worse. And they were here, waiting for a friendly contact that would never come.
But… he had a solution to the problem, hanging around his neck. His amulet would lead him right to the stranger. He began to focus, impelling it to find the stranger…
"Would you quit that pacing, degenerate?" Claire asked from the other side of the deck. "Watching you is putting me on edge."
Abel stopped, looking over at her. "I'm just trying to figure out what we should do," he said defensively.
"We wait. Like your priestess friend told us to," Claire replied. "That's all there is to it."
Abel would have argued against her, had he not been overcome by a now-familiar sensation. Something was watching him. And he had a suspicion that he might know what. But he needed to step off the boat, if only for a few minutes. After a moment's thought, he gave his excuse:
"Claire, I'm gonna step off the boat for a few minutes. I have some business I need to take care of."
"Business?" Claire asked, narrowing her eyes. "What kind of business could you have at this hour?"
"You know, the… physical kind? I know the head is right there, but I'd figured you wouldn't want to watch-"
"Stop." The president held up a hand. "I really didn't need any more after you said 'physical.' Just hurry up and get it over with."
Abel didn't wait. He made his way down the gangplank, and down the pier toward the ruins. He slowed, as the sensation of being watched grew stronger, before stopping completely. And then, in a faint voice, he said to the surrounding darkness:
"Nach. Ra koa arvur ude." Come on out. I know you're there.
Faint, almost inaudible footsteps drew near. And from the darkness, a figure emerged. "Vo." You.
It was, of course, the girl from earlier. She stood at the very edge of the lantern's light, enough to be visible, but far enough to melt back into the surrounding darkness. Now that they were close, Abel could see that their mask wasn't merely shaped to look like a skull, but was a skull- a gnoll's, if he had to guess.
"Eibo…" the stranger said. Her voice was stilted, awkward, but unmistakably… feminine. She then reached up, and removed her mask. Her face was human, with unusually sharp features, and violet eyes that seemed to shine even in the faint light from the ship. But what immediately grabbed Abel's attention were her ears- pointed, and long.
An elf.
The elf took a step forward- now within arm's reach of Abel. And that was exactly what she did- she reached for him, placing a thin hand against his chest. "Eibo." she repeated. Then, she reached down, and took one of its hands, placing it against her chest. Abel tried to pull back on reflex, but the elf girl held his hand firmly. "Sion."
It took longer than it should have for Abel to understand what the girl was trying to do. "Is… is that your name? Sion?"
The girl pressed her lips together, giving him a nod.
"Well… it's nice to meet you, Sion." He pulled, and the girl finally released his hand.
The girl- Sion opened her mouth. For several seconds, her lips moved, but no sound came out. But eventually, she answered, with a slow, labored, "Nice… meet you?"
"So… umm," Abel said, clearing his throat. "Does anyone else live here? Are you… alone?"
Sion tilted her head to the side. "Here," she repeated. A moment passed. "Nobody. Here." Another moment. "Always… alone."
"That's… not good." Abel shook his head. "But, what happened? How did you end up by yourself?"
For a moment, Sion looked down, focusing on the ground as if the answer to the question was written there. Then, slowly, she replied, "…Bad men came. Took me. From my house. Brought here. Then, wolf-men came. They fight. Bad men die. I ran. Live here now."
"And, what about the gnolls?"
Sion tilted her head. "Nol?"
"The… wolf-men."
There was another long pause while Sion searched for her answer. "Live in mountain, toward where sun rises. Stay away, normal. But, come here more now. Ever since…"
"Since… what?"
"Big monster live there now. Lots of heads. Like this." She held her hands up with her fingers spread. "Monster strong. Too strong for wolf-men. So wolf-men run."
Abel sighed heavily. So the gnolls had been driven out of their territory by something even worse. Then, he asked, "Did you see it? The monster?"
Sion nodded. "One time. When wolf-men start coming here more. I follow them. To find out why. Find monster by their camp."
A monster to the east… the altar was also in that direction. And Abel had a sinking suspicion that the two were connected somehow. But before he could ask any more questions, a voice called out from the ship. "Degenerate, what's taking you so long!? Hurry up!"
Abel winced, and looked toward the ship. "I have to go," he said, as he turned back. "But, can we-" But when he looked, Sion was already gone. "Damn it," he muttered. He'd had more questions he'd wanted to ask.
"Degenerate!" Claire called again. "If you don't get back here right now-"
"Alright, I'm coming!" he shouted back, and began walking back toward the ship. There was nothing more to be done for now, anyway. But as he walked, he couldn't help but think about what Sion had said. A monster with multiple heads…
As he stepped onto the Mistral's deck, Claire said in an irritated tone, "There you are. I was starting to think you were gonna make me stand this whole watch by myself. What kept you?"
"Not sure why you were worried," he replied. "It's not like I'm ever alone. Remember?" He tapped his fist against his chest for emphasis, before crossing the deck. "Anyway, I was doing some thinking-"
"A rarity for you, I'm sure," the president cut in, a smug grin on her face.
Abel shot her a glare, before shifting his gaze back to Ulara's ruins. "…I wanted to ask if you knew if elves lived in this region."
"Elves?" Claire raised an eyebrow. "You think our mystery native is an elf?" Then, her brow furrowed, and she brought a hand to her chin. "Actually, now that you mention it, elves are said to have a swiftness and grace unmatched by most races. My family had me trained by some of the best warriors in Proserpina, but even I could barely keep track of her. If our mystery native is an elf, it might explain how she survived on her own for so long." She then shook her head. "But if that's the case, then we can't rely on her for help."
"Why's that?" Abel asked, turning back to face her.
"Elves are known for a lot of things. And one of the more prominent is their dislike of humans. They view us the way we view orcs- crude, violent, and filthy. There are some exceptions, but most elves would never come into contact with a human if they can avoid it."
That was a strange thing for Abel to hear- although cautious in their encounter, Sion didn't give the impression that she hated humans. If nothing else, she seemed to trust him enough to show him her face… not that Claire was aware of that. So he said simply, "I'll guess we'll just have to wait and see, won't we?"
Claire looked away, but gave a small nod. "Yes. I suppose we will."