The train ride lasted a few days, and the Vanish Brothers left at one of the border cities when the train crossed into Fiore. Vera and Number 8, on the other hand, passed the time talking, making use of the facilities Norman offered (Abusing the buffet, washing the blood off of Vera, etc.), and playing the guessing game with Sho until they finally arrived at the quiet station at Oak Town a couple of days after passing Ripple-Back Mountains.
Oak Town was an old castle town near Fiore's border, where the weather was excellent, and the city was quiet. Lush forests of richly green Oak trees and vibrant, rocky mountains surrounded the city like a natural bowl. A crystal blue river ran through the edge of town, carrying fish and freshwater downstream.
Beyond the natural scenery, the town rested on a hill overlooking the surrounding woods. It held a historical atmosphere with abandoned turrets and battlements throughout its serene streets. The entire painting of the aged town was completed with the grand stone castle in the city's center, sitting on top of the hill that towered over the rest of Oak Town like a slumbering giant.
Vera had to admit...
The city was beautiful.
He wasn't even mad that they'd probably be here for another week or two to get enough money for the tickets to Magnolia. The town was big but not busy, and he could wander around looking for targets without dealing with the anxiousness that came with the crowds back at Monne.
This place is nice...
Vera liked this place. He did; the only problem was...
Number 8 was of a different opinion.
"It... so... hot..."
Number 8 panted as he pulled at the collar of his winter coat, his open arms only doing so much to cool down how hot he felt now that they were in the west. Number 8 would adjust eventually, but he felt like he was boiling right now, even though it was only spring. It was so much warmer than anything he'd experienced in Isvan, or the lab for that matter, where it was kept a cool below room temperature all year round.
I need new clothes...
Number 8, and Vera, for that matter, had been wearing the same white winter clothes he'd stitched together at the lab. Number 8 had traded out the stitching, so their clothes didn't reek, but they were still built for winter. Not the sunny spring weather of Oak Town
"I need new clothes."
Number 8 stated plainly as he glanced at Vera, who stopped basking in the sunlight to look at him with a raised eyebrow. Number 8 ignored his internal questions on how Vera could keep his sleeves on before pointing at his covered torso, "This thing feels like an oven. How do I find something... lighter."
Number 8 needed to learn how to buy new clothes; this was the first time he'd done it. It was never an issue back at the lab for apparent reasons.
Vera seemed to understand that, so he let out an 'ah' understanding before picking at his sleeves with a contemplative look, "I guess this is a little hot..." Vera tilted his head in consideration before giving a slight shrug, "Okay then, we can use a bit of cash for new clothes; it just means we'll have to stay here a little longer than I thought."
It's not the worst town to be stuck in...
Vera watched as Number 8 instantly nodded, not minding the trade-off and ready to follow along before he saw Vera pause, seemingly remembering something. Vera slightly waned as he looked at the nearby houses, "Wait. This might be a problem. I planned to use the extra cash we had to rent a room."
Number 8 winced similarly, a grimace taking his face as he looked at the nearby stores before glancing back at Vera for guidance, "So what should we do?"
Vera furrowed his eyebrows, humming in thought before glancing at his shadow for advice. It rested on a nearby wall, unnoticed by passing civilians, before giving Vera a quick and simple plan. One that made Vera raise an eyebrow because he hadn't expected Sho to come up with a plan so dastardly...
You want to rob the rich people in town...
Vera was about to suggest the same thing; maybe his shadow was learning from him.
Okay, Can you do that without getting caught?
Vera watched as Sho looked in mock horror, as if he was horrified that Vera even doubted his abilities. Vera chuckled playfully as he raised his hands in surrender, "Ok, ok, I'm sorry for doubting you. I'll leave those things to you then."
Sho gave a silent huff before slinking away, pausing as Vera called out, "Make sure it's someone that deserves it!"
Vera watched as Sho gave a silent nod before sliding across the old houses and walls of the city. The people were ignorant of the shadow that raced across the streets, looking for clothes it could steal from people who wouldn't need them.
"There, that's settled. Sho will find us some clothes. In the meantime..." Vera said, glancing at Number 8, who stiffened before narrowing his eyes. Number 8 was about to question Vera's decision before Vera cut him off, "You wanna explore the city?"
Number 8 blinked in surprise; his head tilted as he looked at the town and the giant castle that overlooked it, "Really? Don't we need to figure out the hotel thing and the clothes-"
"Nope. Sho's got the clothes covered, and we can find a hotel later. For now, we got an entire day to kill..." Vera put his hands behind his head, taking a deep breath of the fresh Oak Town air, "Might as well relax and explore now that we have time."
It's been a while since we did something unrelated to getting to Fiore...
Vera was ready to have a little vacation from his quest, and seeing as they were in a beautiful town and didn't have to worry about leaving in a day or two, it seemed like the perfect opportunity. Sho would be busy finding new clothes, but Vera wouldn't complain.
"So, what do you say?"
Vera watched as Number 8 opened and closed his mouth, his eyes furrowed before he gave a slight, hesitant nod, "Okay..." Number 8 glanced around at the people, his voice more confused since he had never... relaxed before, "What do we do?"
How does one... do nothing?
Number 8 looked back to Vera, who gave a casual shrug, "Anything we want. Let's check out the food first; then we'll explore."
Vera started walking into the city, Number 8 hesitating for a second before he followed, his steps falling in line with Vera's as he walked through the old castle town.
Anything I want...
Number 8 had to get used to that idea, even months after he left the lab. Doing things to do things was odd, but...
"Hey Vera, can we see if they have some of that Chow Mein, Jun, and Daisuke mentioned?"
Number 8 didn't hate it.
They didn't find Chow Mein. It was a dish from a country far to the east. One that was past Isvan and even the borders of Ishgar, so the local chefs of Oak Town didn't know how to make it.
"One Alfredo coming up!"
That didn't mean they didn't have good food, though.
"One BLT!"
Oak Town attracted people from various places, most looking to retire in a quiet place. That meant Vera and Number 8 had an array of options that would satisfy anyone, including the boys who had been eating from fish towns in Isvan for a good couple of months. They got to choose from the multiple pastries, pasta, rice cakes, sandwiches, and soups available, each a delicacy in its own right.
"Another BLT! God, what are these kids made of!?"
They chose all the above and splurged a bit since they saved money on clothing. A decision they only ended up regretting halfway through their trip to check out the big castle.
"Ugh..."
Vera groaned, holding his stomach as he lumbered up the hill that felt like it was growing exponentially, "Too much... food..."
I feel like I'm about to explode...
Vera held back a suspicious burp as he heard Number 8 groan beside him, "I regret... everything..."
The food tasted so good... why did it betray me...
Number 8 held his stomach, which felt like it weighed a ton; his head turned despairingly at the long path up the hill before glancing at Vera, who was giving the castle in the distance a similar look. Vera met his gaze before a silent understanding passed between them.
"Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
"Nice," Vera said as he turned back immediately, walking downhill with Number 8 close behind. The two got a good way down before they heard a rumor passed by the townsfolk that piqued their interest: whisperings of a haunted building across the river.
"Have you heard..."
"The children are saying it's haunted..."
"That creepy watchtower across the river..."
"When are they going to deal with it..."
"The stronghold they never finished building..."
Vera tilted his head at the new information...
That sounded...
Entertaining.
"You wanna check it out?" Vera asked, glancing at Number 8, who tilted his head, his eyes wandering towards the river at the edge of town. Number 8's eyes lingered on the stone watchtower with unfinished grey walls jutting out on either side of its circular base, the walls traveling the river's shoreline and surrounded by overgrowth from the forest that had inched closer to the structure after years of disuse.
It looks pretty interesting...
The river faded to grass and trees that climbed up a gentle slope before hitting the unfinished stone wall with the beacon-like watchtower integrated into it. The watchtower, and the wall for that matter, overlooked the riverside it was built on as if it was meant to look over the town and the inhabitants that might wander too close.
Grated windows and arrow slits were littered across the structure, with the top of the watchtower expanded to show that a larger room was held at its peak, most likely used for canons and other heavier armaments. The entire thing felt like a relic of a long-forgotten past, where even the cities in the peaceful nation of Fiore had to build walls to keep threats away, so much so that they made a wall and tower to look over a stronghold that never came to fruition.
It gave off a foreboding feeling, but even then, it wasn't that threatening, just eerily quiet...
Number 8 was intrigued, "Sure."
I've never seen a ghost before.
Number 8 had also never seen the reaction his words got out of the nearby civilians, whose jaws dropped to the floor as they walked toward the edge of town. The occasional 'crazy kids' were dropped as he and Vera checked out the haunted building that Oak Town had in store. Number 8 took a minute during the trek to re-evaluate his earlier judgment of the town; once he got past the heat, it was pretty nice...
This town has everything.
Ghosts included.
The two made it out of town without any trouble; even with some residents hearing of their quest, they figured they would get to the river and give up or get scared off like all the other kids in town. The river wasn't narrow; it was wide, and the trees were dense at the edges of it, teaming with animals that drank from the freshwater and ate the fish that swam its depths. The green shores gave way to sparkling blue water that was as beautiful as it was deep, and it would take a good few minutes to swim from one shore to the other, a task none of the townsfolk believed two children would be willing to do.
It was good fortune for Vera and Number 8 since they could make it to the river before they ran into trouble...
Well, it is more so an oversight on both their parts.
"I can't swim," Number 8 stated plainly, not bothering to hide it since he'd never learned back in the lab, and he made it a point to avoid falling into the frozen streams of Isvan. The only exception had been Monne, and in his defense, he had been hypnotized by the view.
"What do we do?"
Number 8 questioned, looking over to Vera, who blinked at him in utter shock and tried to digest that Number 8 couldn't swim. Vera paused to compose himself before his eyes went wide in silent realization, his hand coming to his chin as he murmured under his breath, "Wait... can I swim?"
Number 8's jaw dropped at Vera's self-question, his eyes wide with disbelief as Vera glanced at the crystal clear water with a bit more apprehension than earlier. Vera looked at the water and tried to imagine himself floating in it, wading in it; hell, even not drowning in it would be fine.
I don't remember if I ever learned how to swim... and I haven't tried swimming since I woke up.
There hadn't been a reason to, but now he had a reason to. He wanted to check out the supposed ghosts in the spooky tower across the river, which meant swimming...
Swimming...
Treading water...
Not drowning...
Yeah, nothing was coming up; his head was still foggy.
Shit, I might not know how to swim...
Vera winced as he glanced wearily at the water before turning to Number 8, who was looking at him with curiosity and mild bafflement, "Uh... okay, new plan. Let's-" Vera's words were cut off as a shadowed leg came out of the ground and kicked him unceremoniously into the river.
Heh?
Vera yelped as he fell into the river with a splash, instincts guiding him as he held his breath and felt the excellent stream wash gently over him. Vera kicked his feet without guidance, solely relying on his body to remember what his mind couldn't and popping his head out of the water after floundering like a frog underwater.
"Sho! What the hell!? I could have drowned!"
Vera yelled indignantly, glaring at his shadow on the shore and silently laughing like a madman. Vera clenched his jaw and spat out the spare water he'd inadvertently consumed on his trip into the river. Vera ignored his growing annoyance as he swam, relaxed as he could swim, towards the shore where Number 8 and Sho were waiting.
"You can swim..." Number 8 said, watching Vera climb onto the grass with soaked clothes and water in his ears, shaking some of the droplets out of his hair as he gave Number 8 an unimpressed stare, "You think?"
Number 8 shrugged, glancing at Sho, who gave a final, silent, mischievous chuckle before slithering back to Vera's side and going dormant. A decision Number 8 attributed to Sho recovering from the trip to 'buy' them new clothes, which were now stored in his shadow. Although going off the way, Vera created puddles with every step he took; those clothes could have come in handy now.
"Ugh... annoying little..." Vera huffed as he glared at his still shadow before turning to meet Number 8's expectant gaze. Number 8 glanced past Vera towards the tower across the river and raised an eyebrow, "So how am I going to get across?"
I still can't swim...
Number 8 knew he wasn't going to like Vera's answer as soon as he saw the grin on Vera's face, "Well, that's obvious..." Number 8 scowled as Vera gestured invitingly towards the sparkling blue and probably cold river, "I'm going to teach you how to swim."
Number 8 looked at Vera with an unimpressed expression, his eyes turning to the water he would most likely drown in. His reluctance seemingly plastered on his face because Vera spoke more seriously, "Hey, I won't let you drown."
Number 8 glanced at Vera, stifling his surprise at seeing Vera without a joke in his eyes. Number 8, understanding fully that Vera meant every word of what he said, he truly believed he would be there in case Number 8 got swept up in the tide...
"Alright."
The strange thing was, Number 8 did as well.
A little over an hour and a very shitty swim lesson later, the two had finally got to the other side of the river and crossed through the bit of forestry that clinger to its shores. They were cold, soaked, and tired, but at the wall at the foot of the watchtower, their eyes dead tired as they gazed at its expanse, lining a small section of the shoreline before it crumbled away into nothing. Either abandoned in its construction or destroyed at some point when Fiore wasn't as peaceful, it was hard to say, but the two knew they would have to walk a few minutes to get to the other side of the wall where an entrance to the tower might be or lug their tired bodies over the top of it.
Neither wanted to do that, so Vera gave an almost petty glance at the wall to the side of the watchtower before he gave Number 8 a slight nod that Number 8 understood instantly. Number 8 took his soaked hands, and a razor-sharp thread fell from his middle finger. He flicked it with practiced precision as he cut three times into the wall, a triangular entryway crumbling into existence, taking a few extras of the older stone bricks.
"Thanks, Eight," Vera said, walking into the overgrown grass on the other side of the wall without hesitation. Number 8 took a second before following him, a slight frown on his face for reasons he couldn't explain and emotions he didn't want to explore. Number 8 quickly decided to ignore them and crossed the border between the abandoned stronghold and the riverside, Vera and Number 8 giving a wayward glance at the stone, circular watchtower as they circled its broad base to get to the aged entrance.
The iron reinforced door was made of old oak wood with overgrown moss on the sides, and the entrance entertained vines that crawled up the sides of the stone. A faded symbol, indiscernible after years of disuse, was stamped above the entryway; Vera vaguely felt like the spherical design looked familiar before shaking his head and walking towards the wooden entrance to the old structure.
"Wow, this place is old..." Vera muttered as he twisted the rusty doorknob and pushed the heavy door, his hands slipping as creaky hinges, giving way after years of disuse, fell off with a snap. Vera barely held back a yelp as the weighted slab of wood fell and landed inside the abandoned tower with a crash, the sound echoing through the empty room and kicking up a cloud of dust that assassinated Vera's sinuses.
"Achoo!"
Vera sniffled before coughing up a lungful of dust, his eyes narrowing as he heard a slight chuckle behind him. Vera sent a rueful glance at Number 8, who was doing his best to stifle a laugh. Number 8, hiding a chuckle in his palm before he glanced away and mumbled under his breath, "Uh... good job."
"Glad to be of service," Vera replied sarcastically before standing up and shaking the dust off him. Vera looked around the empty room with dust, busted chairs, and four broken dining tables. The ground floor of the tower, at least to his eyes, seemed to be the place where soldiers would eat, as there were still a few shattered plates and cobwebbed silverware sitting around. Hugging the back left wall was a ladder that shot straight to the roof, a series of hatches marking the checkpoints for each ascending floor. A large, ripped painting was hanging directly across from the door, and to the right was a small hatch that seemed to be the entrance to the cellar buried underneath their feet.
The place was honestly... a dump.
"This is mildly disappointing..." Vera mumbled under his breath, walking towards the ladder with a skeptical eye, the wooden planks beneath him creaking with every step and the ladder's rungs looking like they'd do the same. Vera glanced at the faded painting hanging on the wall before testing the ladder's first rung with a tug, a small, surprised chuckle coming from him when he felt it hold steady.
Huh, it looks like it won't fall.
That was all the incentive Vera needed to begin making his way up, his foot hitting the ladder before he looked back to see if Number 8 wanted to come with him. Vera paused his question as he saw Number 8 staring intently at the ripped painting next to him. Vera gave it a few seconds before he spoke with an understandable curiosity, "Uh... do you like the painting or..."
Is this just a weird quirk of his... liking ripped paintings?
Vera watched, hoping it wasn't because even if that was more manageable than stripping, it wasn't exactly helpful, and gave a small sigh of relief as Number 8 gave a slight shake of his head before muttering, "No, I'm just curious as to what it was..."
It seems important.
The painting was the only thing in this dump that looked even remotely valuable, at least at one point, as the canvas was still in good condition despite the apparent attack on its portrait. The frame was also laced with intricate designs of Oak trees, no doubt about Oak Town, and had the same faded symbol from the door plastered on its base.
"Maybe I can repair it..."
Number 8 muttered as he used his thread magic to lift the torn pieces of the painting, stitching the pieces together one thread at a time. Vera glanced at Number 8 before shaking his head and walking the rest of the way up the ladder.
"Thread Magic: Sewing"
Vera listened to Number 8's threads pitter-patter against the canvas as he got to the first hatch, giving a slight shove that pushed the hatch open with a creak. The wood snapped against the floor above him and opened the path for the first stop in Vera's exploration.
Now, what's on floor number one... or maybe it's two?
Vera mentally shrugged at the thought before peeking inside to see an old dusty room with a few beds scattered around, with bedside desks by each of them. There were scattered, raggedy clothes on the floor and paper that looked to be from half-finished letters, with the light coming from the arrow slits highlighting a few botched ink spots on the ground.
Huh... boring.
Vera sighed as he climbed into the room and passed it once he had seen all there was to see; each hatch he opened held a similar view. Vera became increasingly disappointed as he searched and ultimately failed to find whatever made the stone tower so haunted.
There's nothing here...
There weren't arrows, armor, or swords, nothing to indicate this watchtower had been used to watch anything. The most exciting thing he found was a spider hanging on one of the grated windows, looking at him like an idiot for expecting anything else...
There weren't even any ghosts.
What a letdown.
Vera felt his shoulders slump as he moved up to the final hatch of the tower, well, before he got to the roof and would be met with open air that showed how much time he wasted. Vera took a moment to hope, maybe even pray, that something was interesting in this last room, the most significant room at the top of the tower. This was his last chance; if nothing were inside this room, he'd go back down and ask Number 8 to help him topple this massive disappointment, regardless of how much attention it brought.
It's not like anyone would miss this dump...
Vera huffed at the thought, pushing open the last hatch and sticking his head into the final room. His eyes widened with delight as he saw what looked like an office shoved into the tower's former headquarters. The massive arrow slits and grated windows that had once been for cannons and buckets of boiling water now lit up the study, where books littered the floor, and a desk sat in the center of the room with mountains of unfinished paperwork. The coup de gras was the locked treasure chest (because Vera would throw it off the roof if there were anything else inside it) that rested in the corner.
Jackpot.
Vera might have found something better than ghosts.
Fixing the painting got old pretty quickly...
Especially when Number 8 realized it was just a portrait of a weird person.
Why was his portrait framed... was he that important?
Number 8 doubted it, even if the guy looked a little scary, with a blue painted face like a skull and short purple hair; number 8 doubted that translating to him was important. If anything, the guy looked pretty vain, always hiding behind a smirk and slanted eyes that screamed he was looking down on whoever had painted his ugly mug.
I thought it would be cool... what a waste.
Number 8 moped as he looked towards the ladder that Vera had climbed, giving it a glance before turning to the hatch that led downwards. Number 8 figured he would check out the basement since Veda seemed to have already gotten a head start on the upper levels.
Hopefully, something better will be down here...
Number 8 could only hope, so he pulled open the hatch and peeked his head into the complete darkness of the basement cellar. Number 8 sighed as he went to one of the dead lanterns and used a quick ignition spell, nothing more significant than a match but good enough to light the lantern so he wouldn't be trapped in complete darkness.
Number 8 hummed as he descended the ladder and touched the cold ground, layering the damp cellar. His breath skin prickled instantly as he felt the temperature drop a few degrees, the cold, wet air lingering in the driest of ways to confirm his suspicions that he was the first person to enter this place in a long time.
This place is... big.
Number 8 didn't have much else to say about it; it was a large rectangular room with wine barrels lining the walls that stretched past the diameter of the watchtower. There were shelves of alcohol taking up the majority of the open space, and he could see a large table in the furthest left corner, a decent ways past where the tower door was located, surrounded by grain sacks and moldy bred, probably a place once used to prepare food for the people up above.
Other than that, the only exciting thing was a few miscellaneous items stashed haphazardly in the right corner furthest from the ladder, a good way past where the tower rested above his head. Number 8 could see a few rusty swords, some broken down armor, stray clothes, a couple of bandages, and an ovular standing mirror with a single stained sheet covering it, tied in a knot at the handle resting above the mirror's concealed frame.
Wasn't this place supposed to be haunted... it's just quiet.
Number 8 had lived years in quiet; this abandoned tower was nothing compared to that. The fact that the townsfolk found this place scary was beyond him. There weren't even any ghosts, just trash, wine, and dust...
Number 8 would be lying if he said he wasn't disappointed.
Wonder if Vera-
'Shuffle'
Number 8 whipped his head towards the trash stash, eyes scanning the pile for rats or bugs that may have scuttled and made a noise. His eyes quirked as he failed to find anything, and his instincts called out to the one most likely to try and scare him for the fun of it.
"Sho?"
Number 8 asked, walking tensely to the dining table and placing the lit lantern on it so his hands could be free; his eyes narrowed as he heard the noise again from the trash pile. Number 8 flicked his head back to the sound, his hands teaming with magic and tense as he called out to the second most likely person to mess with him.
"Vera?"
Number 8 tried one last time out of curiosity, a frown taking his lips as he failed to get an answer. His shoulders tensed as he heard another shuffle from the trash pile, Number 8 flicking his eyes toward it cautiously.
"Okay... ghost?"
Number 8 didn't get an answer, but he felt like that was just the ghost trying to trick him. He didn't trust the trash heap or the standing mirror next to it, so he let his fingers move on instinct. His magic whirled to life as threads began interfolding and bundling themselves until he had two threaded daggers in his hands, his quiet steps echoing through the cellar as he made his way toward the eerily still mirror.
'Shuffle'
Number 8 flinched as he saw the cloth covering the mirror ruffle, his aim now solely on the mirror instead of the trash next to it. Number 8 took measured steps until he was a few feet from the mirror, his instincts telling him to avoid getting closer. Number 8 flipped his dagger and threw it quickly at the bundled cloth above the mirror, slicing it and letting it fall to reveal a round, pristine, full-body mirror underneath...
What is-
Number 8 froze as he failed to see his reflection and instead saw the image of a little girl wearing a hospital gown with bright golden eyes, long, two-toned black and lake blue hair, and a hint of a smile on her face. Her words echoing in his head or the room, Number 8 was too frozen to tell, ringing in his ears with the same warmth they had always held, "You've grown so much..."
The same love as when she was alive.
It didn't take long for Vera to get the chest open.
The lock had been rusty after being unused for so long, and a bit of leverage from one of the thicker books strewn across the room broke the lock. Letting Vera peer inside the mystery guarded at the top of this old, not-so-haunted tower and get a good look at the only thing of interest in this abandoned place...
He wasn't impressed.
Seriously? Another book?
Vera frowned as he tossed his makeshift lockbreaker on the floor and heaved the giant leatherback book out of the chest. His arms shook as he plopped it onto the floor with a slam and a cloud of dust, causing Vera to cough his lungs out before he turned to the book with a curious glint, his hand swiping the dust off the cover to get a good look at the title.
MONSTER ENCYCLOPEDIA
- MK
Vera blinked at the cover, his head tilted as he looked back at the chest, a little confused since monster encyclopedias weren't rare. Vera had seen them in some of the magic shops they had passed to Fiore. There was probably a primary, magic council-verified one in every guild hall since they were the creatures mages had to deal with most consistently.
Maybe the guy was a big reader... like Levy?
Vera wasn't sure, but he wouldn't figure anything out by staring at the brick of a book before him. He instead decided to lug open the leatherbound cover, coughing once again as the dusty insides exploded from the pages. Vera grimaced as he turned the next page and saw the first monster on the list, one he and everyone else in Ishgar knew well. They were found in every region and every climate...
Forest Vulcan
They were also annoying.
A Vulcan, huh...
Vera raised an eyebrow as he looked at the description, failing to find anything unique to put this monster in the book.
Classification
Monster
Threat Level
C-Rank
Photograph
Available [Similar to a gorilla with green fur]
Information
Vulcans are ubiquitous and predictable creatures; they rest in forests and work in groups when necessary. Taking on one is likely to lead to fighting another, and if they can utilize their takeover magic, they will take over the body of the human they come across. Nonmages should stay away, as they will most likely not have the experience or will to save themselves should a Vulcan take hold of them.
Strengths
Physically strong, working in groups, essential human speech, and access to Takeover magic.
Weaknesses
They lack intelligence, are obsessed with women and food, can conflict with their hunting party members, and are incompetent at planning or critical thinking.
Only fight if prepared to fight multiple enemies at once
Vera hummed at the passage, his eyes quirking as he saw a few illegible scribbles in the corner, the most information he could glean from it being a bit on the anatomy of the forest Vulcans. A list of sorts, like their fur, contains elements of grass, not just colored green.
That's cool... I still don't see why this was in the chest.
Vera held back his disappointment as he flipped to the next page, then the next, going through a blur of D-ranks, all the way up to a few B-ranks. It was disappointing; even if this book had more monsters than the regular encyclopedias, it wasn't any more informative or unique. The only difference between this and a sanctioned one was the scribbles in the corners.
What a letdown...
Vera sighed as he got ready to close the book and look through the mass pile of junk, his fingers freezing as he saw a monster, unlike the rest. This one didn't have a picture, and it could be considered the highest-ranking monster in the book.
An Ungaikyo?
Vera peered at the text describing it, his eyes wide as he read the description of the monster that didn't have a picture. Not because they hadn't been seen or couldn't be killed, but because any photographs came up as an image of the photographer.
Ungaikyo
Classification
Monster
Threat Level
B-Rank [Possible A-Rank; more information required for reclassification]
Photograph
Unavailable [assumed to be similar in appearance to a lemur]
Information
Ungaikyo are extremely rare monsters that use magic to hide inside mirrors or reflective surfaces. While inside the mirror, they can peer into the minds of whoever looks into them and will take on the appearance of that person's loved ones to lure them closer to the mirror or surface they inhabit. Once in range, they will try to bring their target into the mirror and devour them whole.
Strengths
Very elusive, they most likely hide themselves until they are alone with their prey in a dark place. Most likely, they have above-average intelligence, as they can impersonate humans. They will likely have access to elemental Mirror Magic, Telepathy Magic, and Transformation Magic.
Weaknesses
On account of the only reported survivor of encountering such a creature, they can be killed by shattering the mirror and killing the fragile monster that will be ejected outside of it. It is hypothesized that these creatures can't live in sunlight, so they inhabit mirrors or reflective surfaces.
Eight known encounters: Seven ended in death.
Avoid if at all possible.
Vera blinked as he read the passage, an impressed whistle escaping his lips as he read the last warning, his hand on his chin as he tried to devise a reason for the monster's high rank in contrast with the low body count. Vera could tell it was dangerous, but it seemed quickly killable if he went off the 'fragile' aspect.
These books must rank the monsters on their 'potential danger' rather than their kill counts.
The fact that the armored dogs were only D-rank was proof enough because fighting them was straightforward, even though they were more prevalent and physically stronger. No mental tricks or magic involved; break their plates or attack the small openings in between, and they're dead, no thinking necessary. Even if they undoubtedly killed more people than these mirror monsters, their simplicity knocked them down on the danger scale.
That's interesting... is that why some Vulcans are C-Rank? Because they use magic?
It was a thought that made Vera want to bring the book with him, but before he could ask Sho to carry it or even see if he was awake, an explosion sounded at the tower's base. It echoed somewhere from the bottom floors, where Vera had left Number 8 alone to explore to his heart's content since there was only a painting and the cellar...
Shit!
The dark, damp, probably spooky, and most likely room to be haunted; cellar.
Did he actually find a ghost!?
Vera cursed under his breath as he jumped into the open hatch, sliding down the ladder railing as he hoped beyond hope that Eight didn't find something he couldn't handle. Vera was halfway down the ladder when he heard a second, almost softer rumble that was compiled with the sound of dirt caving in. The loud ordeal made Vera hurry in his descent, "EIGHT!"
Vera winced as he fell the last bit of the ladder with a thud, ignoring the sting as he practically catapulted his way down to the cellar. Vera yelled as soon as he landed on the damp, cold ground, "EIGHT! HEY, EIGHT, ARE YOU..."
Okay?
Vera's words halted as he got to the room with broken wood and bits of stone thrown throughout it. There were bits of a large dining table scattered about, alcohol bottles shattered, and crates of wine were tossed around, taking a few tumbled over and dismantled shelves with them.
The fading sunlight was lighting the entire room a pale orange through the gaping hole in the ground in the far corner. The cellar wall underneath it was lined with long gashes like the end of the cellar had been run through with a giant bladed fishing net. The floor beneath it was littered with dirt, shattered glass, wood, stray metals, and stone bricks diced into large cubes.
No way...
The most notable thing strewn on the ground was the dismantled lemur corpse that was disintegrating under the light of dusk, its pitch-black and soft purple fur fluttering into the wind like ashes before entirely dissipating along with the rest of it.
Did he find one?
Vera blinked in surprise, shaking himself out of his thoughts as he saw Number 8 standing under the hole in the ground with an overcast, deathly quiet expression. His eyes were colder than Vera had ever seen, maybe even from Ultear, prompting Vera to speak with the barest hint of caution in his voice, "Eight? You good..."
Vera watched as Number 8 released a shaky breath before turning with a gaze that seemed to look through Vera, eyes glazed over as if in the deepest parts of his mind. Vera held back the growing worry as he waited, not summoning Sho or planning an escape; he trusted Number 8 enough to know he wouldn't attack him. Number 8 was just confused, so Vera let it play out, watching as the light seemed to come back in Number 8's eyes, and recognition flashed through the blue-haired boy's surprised expression.
"Vera?"
Number 8 blinked as if waking himself up from a dream before his eyes went wide, and he looked around the now-destroyed room. His limbs were heavy from expending more magic than he had meant to, and his breath was heavy from the strain his earlier attack had left on him and the rest of the cellar. The exhaustion from expanding most of his magic in a single attack made his shoulders sag, unable to fight against gravity as he met Vera's calm gaze and spoke the only thing he could say without breaking...
"I'm tired..."
The only thing he trusted himself to say after the hope he had just thoroughly squashed.
"I need to sleep."
Number 8 let his hands fall to his sides as he watched Vera give a slow, understanding nod, motioning towards the ladder before climbing it. Vera was not asking or prying, not wondering or pushing, just trusting Number 8 enough to lead him to where he needed to be, a place where he could rest, even if it were just for a little bit.
"Thanks..." Number 8 said once they got to the ground floor, Vera turning back with a quick nod and a small wave of his hand, "Don't worry about it. There are beds upstairs we can crash in since it's too late to get a hotel."
Number 8 gave a slight, tired nod before glancing at the ladder; his need for sleep, unfortunately, stopped as Vera caught his attention with a small 'oh' and a quick look towards his unusually quiet shadow.
"Hey Sho, you finally rested up? Can you give us our clothes now? We found a place to stay."
Even if Eight tried to destroy it...
They had seriously been lucky that Number 8's attack, whatever that was, was aimed at the end of the cellar furthest from the ladder, past where the tower was situated. If Number 8 had done that near the ladder, he most likely would have collapsed the entire tower on them, and Vera wasn't precisely hopeful of his odds of surviving that.
Number 8 didn't need to be told that, though, not when his mind was on other things, so Vera kept that thought to himself and watched as Sho formed on the wall. Sho immediately looked at them with his head tilted in question as if asking what he had missed while he was asleep.
Vera gave a silent chuckle as he pointed to Number 8 with his thumb, breaking the seriousness in the air with a harmless, teasing joke, "He tried to destroy a historic landmark."
"I doubt this place is historic..." Number 8 rebutted almost on instinct; the earlier encounter was momentarily forgotten as he crossed his arms with a slight huff before glancing at Sho. Sho shook his head in disappointment; Number 8 flushed before turning his gaze away from the judgmental shadow, unable to hide his shame at somehow making a shadow of all things disappointed in his actions.
Huh... so this is how Vera feels.
Number 8 cringed at the thought, his attention taken as he heard a light cardboard box plop onto the ground. Number 8's eyes widened as he saw various jeans, shorts, t-shirts, collared shirts, jackets, hoodies, and hats inside a cardboard box. All of them were decent to high quality, probably from the same brand if Number 8 was going from the purple watermark stamped onto each piece of clothing.
Wow, that's convenient... wait, wasn't that symbol on the door?
Number turned his head back to the collapsed door, his attention ripped from the open doorway as he heard Vera let out a pained grunt. Number 8 flicked his concerned gaze to Vera, who was gritting his teeth and holding his head like it was on fire, "Vera, what's wrong?"
Number 8 put his hands out to help Vera, who shook his head and waved off Number 8's help. Vera opened his eyes with a wince as he stood up, barely swaying on his feet as he glanced at the box full of clothes with a small mutter, "Don't worry, eight, I'm fine, it's just..."
Vera winced as he felt his mind pulse, digging into his memories at the sight of the small purple emblem reminiscent of a ghost floating out of the ground. Vera narrowed his eyes in confusion as he tried to figure out why this little symbol of all things was making his head throb.
What the hell, I haven't...
Vera grit his teeth as he endured the feeling of knives stabbing into his skull, his eyes furrowed in concentration as he dug up the memories that were trying to breach the surface of his foggy mind. One of the smaller details, something minor enough to forget yet important enough that even his shitty brain was telling him to remember it.
I haven't seen that symbol before... so why...
Vera felt his head pulse as a few minor details of the story were lifted from the fog, not the casual ones like the characters in the story or the main villains. The finer details remained hidden, like the fact that Brago happened to be the place Deliora rested and that this place wasn't just some random town in the middle of Fiore...
Why does it look familiar...
It was Oak Town...
Why does it look like...
It was the home of a significant guild that rested on the castle atop the hill...
A ghost.
It was the home of the Phantom Lord.
Shit!
Vera's eyes went wide with panic as he turned his head to tell Sho to take everything back and put it exactly where he found it. To throw it in the river and let it get washed downstream where the fish could eat. Burn it and use the ashes as fertilizer for the rest of the forest. It didn't matter as long as the Phantom Lord merchandise box was elsewhere but here.
"Sho! Get-"
"Well, I was wondering who controlled that curious little thief..."
A gravely, raspy voice echoed throughout the room, making the hairs on Vera's neck stand up as he gazed towards the front entrance. His eyes widened with recognition and fright as a man, clad in a blue uniform and adorned with a crest on his broach, walked through the front door with measured steps, standing on the downed door with a posture that screamed confidence. His long, maroon hair was in a ponytail, and his tan skin was without a speck of dust on it. His lips were painted black; he had long, thin eyebrows and a blue cloak flowing behind him as he walked.
"I'm glad I found my culprit."
The man's deep brown eyes glanced amusedly at the shadow on the wall before turning to the two boys with a silent sneer. Vera knew all too well how much danger they were in, while Number 8 was slowly starting to realize it. With only a few seconds, his body started trembling as if begging him to escape the monster that had made the one in the mirror look tame.
He's dangerous...
Number 8 gulped, his leftover magic unconsciously brimming beneath his skin as the man's eyes immediately flicked to him with a cruel, taunting smile. A thin eyebrow raised in the challenge as if begging Number 8 to try fighting him, "Well, aren't you powerful..."
Number 8 felt his bones turn to jelly as a magic pressure fell on his shoulders, unlike anything he ever felt before. Nothing could compare to it; the closest he could relate it to was Ultear's frozen fury back at Brago, but even then, the comparison was weak. Like comparing the odor of a trash bag to the stench of a landfill, the man's magic was sickening, so much so that it took everything Number 8 had to stay conscious.
Who is he...
He was more powerful than anyone Number 8 had ever seen before.
"So little thieves..."
He reeked of death and danger.
"Not only do you steal from my guild, but you go as far as to destroy one of our old buildings..."
He oozed of hunger and hubris.
"It seems I need to make an example out of you..."
He was the embodiment of greed and pride.
"I can't have everyone thinking they can slight us and get away with it."
He was a master of Shade Magic.
"Feel free to try running, though..."
He was one of the ten Wizard Saints of Ishgar.
"It'll keep me from getting bored."
He was Jose Porla, the Guild Master of Phantom Lord.