Chapter 30
6 hours after the battle inside Payon Dungeon....
It's at late morning, but both Sagramore and Palamedes members were treating the injured civilians of Payon. Olivia and George awakened 4 hours ago after their wounds have been treated. Olivia warped herself to Alberta and came back with the other Sagramore soldiers to help the surviving civilians of Payon. They used the abandoned temples and houses inside the city as an emergency hospitals.
Fiorentin fell asleep after Olivia healed her wounds. Olivia, George, Frea and Felicia were still busy helping their respective groups treating the civilians. Elraven sat inside one of the temples, he brought his talkie with him. He turned the talkie on and called his headquarters.
El : Headquarters, come in headquarters. Elraven Sinclair reporting.
HQ : Hey, my man! I've been waiting for your report the whole time! What took you so long?
El : Captain Barragan? You again? And that kind of greeting again?
HQ : Oh, crap! Don't tell me how to greet!! And no need to call me 'Captain Barragan' like that in an occasion like this! Just call me Emilio, buddy!!
El : OK, OK. Sorry, Emilio. I was just...
HQ : Well, no worries. I know you was trying to be polite. Sorry for shouting.
El : I guess we're even, amigo.
HQ : OK! It's settled then! What's on the menu today?
El : Sagramore defeated Lethe guild and conquered Payon. And also, Palamedes joined Sagramore.
HQ : Wow, really?! Tell me the whole story!
El : We arrived at Payon three days ago, and managed to get inside the town after defeating 15 dozens soldiers in one night. Later on, we found out that Lethe guild have asked Palamedes to join them as reinforcements, but the latter turned down the offer and joining Sagramore instead. And then, we pretty much put Lethe guild out of the game.
HQ : Cool! So, who did you fight there?
El : 15 dozens soldiers, an Atroce, Lethe Guild Leader Gloom Under Night and his whore Sniper Cecil.
HQ : Wow, you literally finished half the job!! As expected from the Angel of Darkness!!!
El : Yeah, and I learned some other things about Beelzephir.
HQ : What's that?
El : He defeated and sealed the Asgard six years ago, preventing the gods from interfering this war.
HQ: He what?! He defeated the gods? For the love of heaven, how did he do that?!
EL : Don't know. It seems the situation is worse than we though.
HQ : Do Sagramore know about this?
El: No. I will tell them later. I think I must inform you first.
HQ : Yeah, OK. That's...an honor.
El : And one other thing, it seems someone from the past made a prophecy about the fate of this world.
HQ : What prophecy?
El: The Prophecy of Eisenheim, have you ever heard of it?
HQ : No. I haven't heard about this Eisenheim prophecy. What does it says?
El : About how a white high wizard with his thousands monsters will bring this world to Ragnarok, the end of days. But two mortals known as The Guardian and The Savior will rise and stop the Ragnarok.
HQ : Wow, how did you know about this?
El : Because Gloom Under Night kept referring me as The Guardian and he told me the prophecy as a winning prize.
HQ : You're The Guardian? What does that suppose to mean?
El : I have no idea, amigo. No idea at all.
HQ : Too many mysteries here, huh?
El: Can't agree more.
HQ : OK. You better tell this to Sagramore as soon as possible. I'll try to find out as much as possible about this guardian things.
El : Oh, yeah. One more thing, can you give me a reinforcement here? One soldier will be alright!
HQ : Oh, alright. Let me check if someone can help you down there, OK?
El : Thank you, amigo.
HQ : Your welcome, buddy. Take care!
El : Ditto.
And Elraven turned off the talkie.
****
Later that morning, after Sagramore and Palamedes finished treating the wounded, most of them help the civilians to prepare the festival. Meanwhile, inside one of the temples....
Felicia has just feeding Salvador when she entered her room and found George and Olivia was sitting on her chairs. "Hey, guys. You're pretty much done with the town folks, huh? Want a cup of tea?" Felicia approached her table and prepared a tea. "No, thanks. We...don't want anything for now" Olivia was the one who gave the answer, but Felicia noticed something was wrong with them.
"What happened, guys? I know you hide something. But, you don't have to say it if you feel...uncomfortable" George and Olivia looked at each other at the same time before Olivia nodded. "Well, Fel. We pretty much feel...useless" George admitted the problem. "What!? Useless? What happened?!" Felicia is a caring woman, she will react more if she could.
Olivia answered with a sad face,"We...couldn't do much during the last war. I was beaten to a pulp by Moonlight Flower". "And I was defeated by a swords woman...or to be exact someone with a swords man class" George continued. "Oh please! Don't say that, guys! Olivia, you were just unlucky your enemy wasn't a demon or undead. Otherwise the result wouldn't be the same. And George, even Fio was beaten by that swords woman pretty bad. Not to mention you were exhausted after fighting Eddga, right?" Felicia tried to cheer them but George gave an angered look on her.
"Exhausted after fighting Eddga?!! Look at Elraven!! He defeated the Lethe guild leader and the vice leader at the same time! He won!! How come I didn't feel useless?!" The champion shouted with fire on his eyes, rendering Felicia silence. But George was quick to realize his mistakes and looked down, "Sorry...sorry for shouting I didn't mean to..". "That's OK. You were upset. I can understand" Felicia's words bring comforts to both the champion and the high priest.
"I know how does it feel to...think lowly of yourself. I have experienced this before. I'm not trying to be an asshole, but forget it guys. You won't get anywhere feeling like that. Rather than bragging about what has happened, you should bcome stronger than now. So, next time you won't have to experience this kinda thing anymore, Ok? As for Elraven...something inside me are telling me that he is different from us. Don't compare yourselves with him" She said as she gave both George and Olivia a hug. They both returned the hug as the paladin smiled.
****
Fiorentin finally awakened from her sleep and found Frea was sitting in a chair right beside her bed, "Frea? What are you doing there? What happened? Where's the others?". "Oh, princess. You're finally awake, sleeping beauty. I'm here because Felicia asked me to watch you while you were sleeping. The others are fine, Felicia told Sagramore soldiers to help treating the wounded civilians, and I told my soldiers to help yours. I heard they are pretty much done doing the task and currently helping Payon's town folks to prepare the festival tonight!" Frea approached the lord knight and sat in her bed.
"Well, thanks. I appreciate the help" Frea returned her words with a smile, "Aw, c'mon princess! You flatter me. I agreed to join you, so I think it's only natural to help each other. Not to mention this festival is my business too", Fiorentin gave a questioning face, "Your business? What does that mean? You're in the show business before becoming the mercenaries?". "No, it's not that! Elraven promised me a dance, don't you know? I can't wait for tonight!!" The reply from the cheerful soul linker made the lord knight's mind wandered, "Oh, yeah. Elraven promised her a dance, huh". Frea noticed the surprised look at the former princess' face and ask, "What's the matter princess? You have something in mind?". "Huh? Oh, no, no. I just...wanna say...enjoy your time" Although Frea didn't really believe the respond she got, she chose to believe her for now. "Alright then. I'll excuse myself" Frea walked out from the room, leaving Fiorentin in wonder, "Dance? Dance?!! I bet they'll make out after the freaking dance!!".
****
Elraven walked across the town to see Fiorentin who has just awakened from her sleep inside one of the temples in the guild residential area. The rich civilians of Payon realized their mistakes and let the injured civilians to stay on their places. They admitted they couldn't do that before since Lethe threatening them.
Elraven entered one big temple and walked inside one of the hall. A paladin and a champion greeted him as he entered the temple, the paladin greeted him,"Elraven! You're finally here!". "General Dorn and General Hagi, you're here too?! What a surprise. Why did you leave Alberta?" Elraven shook hands with them.
"No worries, Elraven. We left 500 soldiers there" Gen. Hagi ensured the safety of Alberta as Elraven nodded. "Now, get inside that room. Everybody's waiting for you!" Gen. Dorn told him as Elraven walked inside the pointed room. The two generals followed him from behind. Inside, Elraven found Fiorentin still sitting on her bed and the rest of the usual group standing in front of her. "Hey guys. You are all healed, huh?" Elraven greeted them when entered followed by the two generals. "Pretty much healed" Felicia answered the greet with a smile after looking to her grumpy sister and the silent George.
"So, you called me here right, Alexandria? What's the deal?" Elraven asked the cold looking lord knight with noticing, "She's in a bad mood again, huh? I wonder what's the problem this time...Not only that, Olivia and George seem to be in a bad mood too..". "Well, didn't you say you have another important informations you learned from Gloom Under Night? Can you wait to leak those info till tomorrow?" Fiorentin asked the gunslinger who gave an asking expression on his face.
"What? Why?" But before he heard Fiorentin answering, Felicia already gave him an "insensitive' look at her face and dragged him out of the room. "You stupid insensitive prick!! How many time I have to tell you to come up with your senses regarding people's mood?!" Felicia glared at Elraven with an angered eyes. "What? Insensitive? She explained and I asked back, how was that titled as an insensitivity?" The gunslinger tried to defend himself but received a colder glare which shut his mouth up. "Oh, for god sake!! How come someone with such insensitivity born in this world!?!? Can't you tell why Fio told you to wait telling your info? Payon is going to held their festival tonight? What if your info turned out to be a bad info and totally kill the people's mood. Am I right? It's a bad info right?!".
"Uuuh, yes." A simple answered was more than enough for Felicia to conclude her lecturing, "Well. Then keep the info inside your mouth till tomorrow, got it?". Elraven nodded as Felicia goes back to the room. "God, why did she enjoy lecturing me with her harsh words!? And why was George and Olivia put such a grumpy faces? Oh, never mind. I have a dance to catch tonight" Elraven shake off his stupor form and goes outside, preparing for the big dance tonight.
****
Well, next chapter would be the promised dance. Hope u enjoy this chap, see u!