Galen Vesa

The joy that followed my declaration transformed into a proper party soon after we left the bath. I think it would start right there, among the soap bubbles if not for the lack of wine and snacks. A quick trip to the guild’s kitchen fixed that inconvenience and soon we began to sate ourselves on several bowls of cookies Li prepared in advance, a selection of snacks borrowed from guild’s pantry, and more than a few bottles of wine haggled off the cook for the price of a... Should I feel dirty about it? We got a whole basket of wine bottles and a small barrel of something stronger after I flashed him with my underwear. Well, he also got a nosebleed and a concussion after his wife readjusted his face with an iron frying pan. Interesting woman. She also gave us a large stone jar of pickles and some mead while at the same time she kept her husband begging on his knees, smacking his bleeding head with some rag. Awed by her proficiency with this improvised whip, we thanked her and left with our spoils.

I don’t mind parties. There is a simple trick to every party where alcohol is involved. That is, one needs to be sociable enough to last until all the participants are drunk beyond giving a damn. Then it’s a matter of smiling and filling up other’s glasses with fresh wine, vodka or whatever else poison they enjoy. After that point people leave you alone. Well, there’s also the second way, a high-speed train to hell fueled by whatever drink is available in copious quantities. I call it the Joe’s method, after a colleague from marketing department.

Joe knew how to party. People called him zombie Joe, a name I understood only when I met him in the elevator on the morning after a corporate party. Sunken, bloodshot eyes. Pale, ghastly skin. One corner of his mouth dropping lower than the other. Drooling. Hypersensitive to light and each sound. Spreading highly flammable fumes all around himself, he wobbled in a corner of the elevator until a kind soul would push him out on his floor.

As effective as it was, Joe’s method would not work on my current body so with resigned smile I answered questions aimed my way, stuffed my face with cookies and drank with whoever wanted to drink with me. With bathroom breaks sprinkled here and there. Even build as I was, my bladder had its limits. The entire party ended after, I think fifth or sixth such break when I came back to a room full of snoring people. Well, Vi and Tala were going at it on a furry skin of some unlucky critter that ended as a rug by a fireplace. All, much to the fascination of Zee’s little sister, the only other person aside me, sober at this hour.

“I don’t think you should be watching this at your age. Come, let’s get your sister to bed.”

“Yah... shrimp, yah listen to yer auntie... ye have time for sex when ya grow up... now, listen to yer aun’tie, e’re iving...”

To her credit, Zee still managed to get up but that’s as far as it went. I caught her before she could depart into the land of dreams. And spared her a concussion since her head was aiming for our table. We left the room jus in time for the love birds were beginning to storm the fifth base.

“A-auntie?”

The little shrimp meekly asked as I toted snoring Zee back to their room.

“Hmm?”

“Shouldn’t we keep an eye on that shady lady? She did not give sister Vi any coins.”

Logic choked within me, spitting out the imaginary wine she just drank. What kind of life did those two had to give raise to such reasoning?

“Although it looked as if she was happy... She won’t cry later wont she? Other girls always cried when they got no coins.”

Her eyes were digging into my soul. Funny, I wonder if I still have one.

“How old are you?”

She showed me nine fingers.

“Did anyone ever told you what sex is?”

“It’s when a boy comes, gives girl coins so she could take off her dress and spread her legs. Then the boy put his rod inside the girl, boys have this strange thing dangling between their legs, and girls have this special pocket for the boy’s rod, and they start moaning. Moaning is important. If the girl doesn’t do it properly, she won’t get any extra coins.”

It took me a moment before my muscles relaxed. I really, really wanted to hit something. Someone.

“Well, while it looks similar, that’s not sex. That’s prostitution. Sex is much more. When two adults trust each other and enjoy each other’s company. When they want to, they can have sex and it does not require anyone to pay coins for it.”

“But girls that don’t get coins don’t eat!”

I dumped Zee on her bed and liberated her from her clothing, letting silence stretch for far too long. I just had no words for this little one.

“Will, will I have to bring coins too?”

“No.”

Altina would murder in horrible, horrible way anyone who would even think of grooming a child for that kind of work.

“No one here will ever ask you or your sister to do any of that. If there is someone like that in the guild, go straight to that fluffy wolf lady or her scary friend in those fancy glasses and tell them everything. The guild master will beat to a wet pulp anyone that would want to hurt you.”

Stolen novel; please report.

Her eyes became large like two shiny buttons.

“I-I won’t need to bring coins?”

“No.”

Tears. Tears of joy were dripping down her chin. I put Zee on her side, tucked her in.

“Your sister drank a bit too much. Are you big enough to take care of her? You’ll know what to do?”

The shrimp cleaned her snotty nose with her sleeve and lividly nod her head then run for a bucket.

“If she gets sick, call for an adult and make sure it all goes into the bucket!”

“Right you are. There’ll be a maid outside so if anything happens just call out.”

Patting her head, I said good night and slipped out of the room. I found the maid on night duty busy in the corridor and asked her to keep an eye on them. Leni, a freckled redhead of purple eyes boobed her head in agreement and continued cleaning the floor. Seems like some party goer failed to reach the bathroom in time. Indeed, inside the restroom I found Chuko helping Li balance over the pot.

“You’re good?”

She murmured a response I classified as ‘i’m good’ but her slightly greenish tint said not all might be good. Anyway, Chuko drank the least between all of us, so I left them there and went to check on love birds, hoping they managed to climb the peak when I was out. No such darn luck. In the meantime, I helped Cora distribute snoring people back to their rooms. I wonder whether I should be impressed or scared that people here kept drinking till the very end.

Waiting for the noise coming from near the fireplace to die down I dropped on an empty bed, and I think I too dozed off. At least I don’t remember anything that could explain why I would be naked and sandwiched between the lovebirds while Fire in her corporal form hoovered over us, brandishing a sword of eternal flame.

“You dare...”

Her body burned, no longer bearing any semblance to a human being. Where flesh once covered ample shapes now infernal flames danced with ire. Even through the shield cast by my shining bracelet, I felt scorching heat. Her arm rose, lifting her sword of final judgment. Its menacing blade slashing through space and time felt as if it would slay gods had she wished to.

Enraged, the Queen of eternal flame announced her judgment by bringing down her arm. I saw the tip of her blade fall towards my face and my hearts stopped.

“You dare slither into my domain and touch what is mine?!”

Shriek of uncountable aberration consumed by hellfire, exploded beside my head. Black acrid goop burned next to my cheek, skewered by Fire’s sword of judgement.

“Begone to the whore you worship.”

She drove her sword even deeper, turning the tormented shrieks into wails of death and despair when her flames spread from the sword and consumed the entire black blob.

“There is no escape from my flames, forever you shall burn.”

My third eyelids slammed shut yet even through that magical barrier I’ve witnessed a shade of her true form. I saw all consuming fire. The never-ending blaze and all trapped within, condemned to eternal torture. They burned, burned. Their souls burned...

“Hush my love, hush.”

Water closed my screaming lips with a gentle kiss, her arms locked around my drenched, shivering body as I sat in a puddle of my own sweat and piss.

“I hope you can forgive my brainless sister for showing you what no living mortal should see.”

My old human heart hammered inside my chest. It took me a moment before I understood the meaning behind her words. I saw something. Something I should have not seen. Something familiar. Run, I should run.

“Hush. You are safe here, hush.”

My shaking arms greedily closed around her. At that moment I did not care what she was. I did not care where I was. I just had to hide. Hide until the mist fades. I held onto her frame no less frantic than a drowning man. If hell did exist, i think i saw its vestibule.

“Calm yourself my love. You are safe. ”

I wept in her arms, unable to control my body. Water held me, spreading her calming aura yet, even in her embrace, I could still hear their screams. Wailing...

“Love, no power can clench those flames. Not even Fire herself can order it, however know this, nothing from that place can cross to this side. No matter what others may think, nothing returns from within that blaze. Such is the law. You are safe.”

Was I?

Enough of this. Compose yourself.

Calm, icy voice of Logic smacked my mind, reining in my body.

And it stopped.

I felt like a beast that just shook out water from its fur. A weight I did not need fell off me, returning my reason.

“I have calmed. You may stop hugging me.”

And I don’t want others demanding the same treatment. Fire in particular. My stomach would not stand her presence in any near future.

“That I see my love.”

Reluctant, almost heartbroken, Water released her hold of me. Without a word, she also cast a spell over us, cleansing me, the bed beneath me and the two women lying frozen beside me. For the first time in a long time I felt shame.

“There is nothing shameful in your reaction my love. People die when confronted with a fraction of what my idiot sister made you experience. For that we are eternally…”

“Don’t. One more word and I will puke. What the hell was that thing?”

“A remnant of things that should be forgotten. Something she already dealt with.”

“Can you not be more specific? Did she kill it?”

“It was dealt with.”

“Dealt with, a? How frugal you are with your words today. Does it mean she could not kill it?”

Water's irises tightened but her expression did not change.

“My love, as I said, it was dealt with and can no longer bring you any harm. She is the end of everything. Now, if you would lay still, I will return us back to where we should be. Our realm is no place for mortals to dwell.”

Well, it’s not like she would tell me more if I had stared at her any longer. Instead, I returned to my place between the unmoving lovers and waited for the subtle shift in reality to happen. It came like a gentle breeze, space bending a little and time jumping back into its flow. And Tala becoming grabby with her hands. Wherever her dreams took her, I moved her arm to a safer place. Perhaps this was also a time to leave them out of my issues? What if another thing comes?

I extracted myself as gentle as I could, but my actions were met with only a partial success.

“You’re leaving?”

Vittoria watched me with a sadness in her eyes.

“Yes.”

Her hand travelled up and down my thigh but attempted nothing else that would stop me as I hovered over her.

“I see. Will you be coming back?”

She began exploring beyond my leg and, I did not mind. Her touch was gentle.

“I would want to.”

“But?”

“But my presence here puts you all at risk. I do not want that.”

As pleasant as it was, I had to escape out of her reach. Getting my ass in some pants also seemed like a good idea.

“So, you will not come back?”

She got up and followed me to the door. Before I could escape outside her arms trapped me in a desperate hug. I think my silence answered her query for her embrace tightened.

“I have a selfish request before you leave but not here. Somewhere private. Would you listen to me?”

“Vittoria, I cannot be what you want me to be. That will not change.”

“And I will not force you. Please, it is not about that.”