An Odd Face

Since the C.A.R. was technically a ground-based vehicle, despite the fact that it hovered on the ground, Frein and the rest of the group had to go to Atlas Sid first. They had to return the vehicle and borrow a different one at the same time. A proper flying carriage this time.

Kristel did most of the work. She took a favor from Jaylene to make the exchange outside of Atlas Sid in order to avoid any snooping onlookers accidentally finding out Ashtine’s condition.

“Our resupply’s taking a bit,” said the felintine. “Recruiting is slow since we’re in the middle of the year. People who graduated earlier already found their own jobs. I think returning Ashtine to the High Palace is for the best.” She brought two hovercrafts with her, one for the C.A.R. and one for them to use. These were legitimate aircrafts, meant to carry a platoon with them along with a number of smaller crafts like the Close-Air Relocator.

“A.I.R.,” Jaylene introduced to Frein. “Advanced International Relocator. Efficient meiyal usage. With a full supply, she can stay up in the air for up to a week at cruising speed or up to half a month while stationary. Has enough room for twenty troops, with four wide sleeping rooms, equipped with sanitary and shower rooms each, a large kitchen, and a stable for up to ten yumas.”

The A.I.R. took the shape of a ship, at least its main vessel did. No masts, no sails, just the main body. It was surrounded by a number of small meiyal crystals that served as its levitating device. They looked like the ones on Atlas Sid, only smaller. If those on the grand carrier were the size of a fist, the ones here on this ship were fingernails.

“You sound like you’re selling,” Frein commented.

“You looked bored,” she replied. “Thought I might get your interest.”

“I’ll look around if I feel like it. So far, out of all your acronyms, this is the lamest one.”

“Shut up.”

“No training rooms?”

“Your flight from here would take about thirty minutes tops. If you want to train, do it on the roof, try not to fall off or something.” Jaylene made a face and went to do other things with the other A.I.R. ship. Frein responded with his own face, which eventually broke into a yawn.

“Guess the scenery’s gone old at this point, huh?” Katherine asked, nudging him awake.

Frein yawned even more. “I haven’t had a spar in a spell. All I’ve been doing is dealing with Nightmares, and they don’t necessarily fight back the way normal people do.”

“We sparred, like, three days ago,” Kristel reminded him.

“That’s quite a long time, if you ask me.”

Katherine shrugged and nodded. “For him, I guess that’s true.”

“See you around, folks,” Jaylene said after loading the small C.A.R. into her A.I.R. She went around hugging everyone—yes, including Xiv, who was awkward about it, despite the light embrace. Frill was laughing at him while she hugged the felintine. “And advanced happy birthday to you, Princess. Not sure if the Admiral and I can make it to the ceremony.”

“Thank you. And it’s quite alright. There’s no pressure to attend.”

“Ceremony?” Frein asked.

“Her coming of age,” Jaylene answered. “Technically, it’ll also be when Monarch Denis should declare Kristel as his successor, but we’ll see.”

“So that’s the deadline for the competition?” he asked. “You’ve barely done anything for it.”

“It’s fine,” Kristel said. “I won’t let Tryvinal get the crown.”

“That’s the spirit.” Jaylene smiled before turning to Katherine. Their embrace took the longest. “You know where to find me.”

“Take care, Jam.”

The felintine took one last look at Frein. “Proud of you, Frein. You keep her happy, alright?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

The group waited for Jaylene to leave first before proceeding as planned. But at this point, despite how he would love to explore the new vehicle, he just could no longer stay still inside another vessel. Enza was feeling the same.

“Can we fly outside instead?” he asked everyone. “Enza’s just as bored as I am.”

“I better come with,” Katherine said. The lack of denial was reassuring. She looked at his yuma. “Just make sure you don’t push it if you’re getting tired, alright? There’s a way at the back of the ship if you need to take a break.”

Enza eagerly barked, wagging her tail. “I can do it!”

With all that settled, the group began to fly. Enza took Frein to the air, Katherine used her Rivasia, and the rest of the group boarded on the ship.

As expected, Enza couldn’t exactly keep up with the A.I.R. ship yet. She had to return to rest after just ten minutes of constant flight.

“You did good,” Frein said, still fighting his own nerves and absorbing the fact that he had been riding in the air without any safety measures.

“Next time for sure!” Enza barked with a vengeance. “I’ll be faster than anything out there!”

“I’m sure you will.”

----------------------------------------

At long last, Frein felt it again; the sensation of entering another world. Like it was with Minaveil or with Atlas Sid or even with Schrodie’s Realm, the sight of the High Palace was like staring into an alien planet with its own unique environmental features.

As far as impressions went, that was his. In reality, the effect of novelty and meiyal and all other foreign things was the driving influence to his absurd look at this new place. He was obviously overreacting, if he would compare himself to his other companions.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

Luckily enough, Xiv was with him, and the Vyndivalian was also visiting the High Palace for the first time. Both of them gasped in amazement.

The three women looked at them with proud smiles, and Kristel took the opportunity to introduce them.

“Welcome to the High Palace, Frein and Xiv. Make sure you don’t step off the cloudbark.”

“What in the world am I looking at?” he asked. It was obviously a rhetorical question.

It was impossible to miss the colossal skull of a dragon floating above the clouds. And above it, was a civilization. An entire city settled above a fossil of exponential size. They were still quite a distance away, and Frein couldn’t believe how large it already looked.

He could not begin to identify which part of the city was what. He couldn’t even determine which was supposed to impress him more. The fossil, or the fact that the people of Irista Nation chose to settle their most prestigious family on top of a dead dragon.

“It’s not just any dragon,” Kristel said.

“It’s Zerax’thum’s skull,” Frein finished for her. “I read about it. Just… sometimes you can’t believe historical facts until you see it with your own eyes, you know?”

The Princess smiled with swelling pride. “And now that you have, what do you think?”

Frein shook his head while smiling like a kid in a theme park for the first time. “Mind-blowing. Where are we headed first? And tell me that I can go wherever I want.”

“Well, we’ll go through the normal procedures, since we have you and Xiv to register. I can ask them to expedite the process.” Kristel tilted her head and pondered for a moment. “As for places you can go, I can probably give you the same access as I do, except, of course, my father’s personal quarters, and the female dorms, and the Royal Knights’ personal quarters, and the Guard Knights’ as well, and the forbidden library, though I did promise I’ll get you access to those, and the…”

“I get it, I get it. Just tell me where I can or can’t go later, depending on which is fewer.” Frein looked for Xiv who was already engaged in a discussion with Frill. The two were getting closer by the minute, and it looked like they found something to bond over with.

“I can show you around, you know?” Katherine whispered teasingly. “Just like you said, Kristel’s going to get busy when we get there.”

“That’s the plan,” Frein said. “I—”

Just then, a loud, deep moan echoed from outside the A.I.R. ship. It was similar to a whale, a huge one, and it reminded Frein eerily of a Da’bloop. He moved with urgency, but the rest of his companions didn’t follow. Regardless, he reached the deck and looked around to find nothing but clouds.

A shadow loomed behind him.

Frein turned to see a huge, white, wormlike creature with a face disturbingly similar to a person’s. It was surrounded all around by white fur, smiling with a huge set of human-like teeth that curved up to where the absent ears should be. Its eyes were completely black, acting like inquisitive mirrors that reflected his face, as if those pupils stared right into his soul.

“Greetings and salutations,” it said slowly in a deep, reverberating tone that made Evanclad’s voice seem childish. Its mouth didn’t move, but Frein could feel the sounds coming from it, rather than being directly delivered inside his mind as during telepathic communications. “You are a curious fellow. A curious fellow, indeed.”

“Wha—?” Frein couldn’t finish his question. Not because he was frightened, nor was his mind stunned trying to come up with any logical explanations as to what was happening, nor was he undecided whether he should treat this creature an enemy or not. He was simply taken by surprise.

The creature inched closer, showing its true size. Frein considered himself to be average in height, yet he could barely compare to the size of this monster’s tooth.

“You think me a monster? How rude. How very rude, indeed.”

“I’m… sorry?”

Somehow, the creature’s smile curved a lot higher than it was supposed to be able to. “Apology accepted, Visitor. Oh, great Visitor. Such an honor to meet you. Such an honor, indeed.”

“Umm… I suppose I should ask, who are you?”

“Hmm…” The creature’s musing caused the very air to rumble, masking the footsteps from below. Katherine and the others were on their way. “I am of strict obligation to refuse you any answers, Frein Nivan. Such a shame. Such a shame, indeed. You seem a kind fellow. Kinder than the others before you. But alas, only those under my watchful gaze possess such ability to name this one and those of mine to a mighty person such as you.”

Kristel entered first.

“Ah, and she has arrived at last. At long last, indeed.” The creature, despite all possibility, smiled wider. “Welcome home, Princess Kristel Irista, rightful heir of Irista Nation. Your presence puts this one and the rest of one’s kin at ease. No more worries. No more worries, indeed.”

After the second time, Frein finally understood that the creature referred to the rest of its kin. He looked around and found more fuzzy colossal worms swimming behind the clouds and cloudbarks, their white fur allowing them to disguise themselves easily. He counted about nine more eagerly staring at him from afar, showing their smiles when he caught them before diving under the safety of those clouds. There were probably a few more just minding their own business. Now that he paid attention to it, his Siffera could feel them surrounding the A.I.R. ship.

“George!” Kristel exclaimed. The Princess jumped on the creature’s—George’s—head, bouncing like a child jumping on a new bed. “It’s so good to see you!”

“George?” Frein asked. Xiv had the same look, but Frill and Katherine were just smiling. At the very least, he understood that they were in no danger at all. It was a weird reminder to him that not all fantastical creatures on Brymeia were limited to Nightmares—despite caring for a yuma. Now, he just wanted to know who this fuzzy giant worm really was.

“Ah!” Kristel jumped down as if she forgot something. She sauntered over merrily next to Frein, George’s head following closely behind. The entire picture looked like a horror show. If he didn’t know better, he’d think the creature intended to swallow the Princess whole.

“Let me introduce you. George, meet Frein, the Visitor, and Xiv, our Vyndivalian informant and my new retainer. Boys, this is George, or Georgery Brianfen Plauntifur.”

“Georgery Bri—what?”

“Georgery Brianfen Pauntilfur.”

“I heard it the first time. Sorry. I’m just… can you please explain?”

“Oh!” Kristel smiled awkwardly. She looked like she was imitating George. “That’s right, we don’t include them in our records. George here, is a King Cloudbark Worm. His kin are oath-sworn to protect the Royal Family. It’s a decree sent by a god before the Divine Severing, but they honor it despite well… the Severing. Basically, you can treat them as some form of angel.”

“Uh huh…”

“And now that this one has been formally introduced, I am now able to address any of your concerns,” George said.

“I’ll definitely have a few questions,” Frein started, addressing the Cloudbark Worm. “But maybe after I’ve sorted everything in my head. Can you clarify first—”

“Wait a second!” Kristel blurted out. “I completely forgot you can talk to meiyal-attuned creatures!”

“Wait, you don’t understand him?”

“Unfortunate. Very unfortunate, indeed.”

Kristel shook her head, but her face was excited. “Tell him, I missed him!”

“Ah, but I did miss the Princess as well.”

“He can understand you,” Frein clarified. “He says he missed you too.”

“Oh!” Kristel hopped back on George’s head, sliding down the rest of his furry body. She disappeared and reappeared from the clouds before ultimately circling back to the A.I.R. ship. It made Frein realize how colossal this worm was.

“If you have no questions for now, Frein Nivan, then you may call for me when you have them.” He leaned closer, smiling ever wider. “And since you and I have not formed a bond of friendship, you shall address me by my full name. Or else, I shall ignore your call.”

The King Cloudbark Worm motioned to leave, bidding everyone farewell, but Kristel stopped him.

“George, umm…” the Princess hesitated.

Georgery Brianfen Plauntifur turned to her and smiled. For the first time, Frein thought it was a genuine, understanding smile.

“You need not hesitate, kind Princess. What is your concern?”

Kristel turned to Frein, asking if the worm said anything. He repeated it verbatim.

“How’s my sister?”

George sighed. “She has not quelled the burning flame sparked from the night of your departure, Princess Kristel. I’m afraid your return shall be met by her anger. Second Princess Scuti Irista is young. Please be patient with her.”

After Frein conveyed the message word for word, Kristel dismissed George to return to his kin. The Princess sighed.

“Sibling quarrel?” Frein asked Katherine.

“I think so,” she whispered, nodding silently.

“It’s fine.” Kristel turned with a confident smile. “I’ll make her understand.”

“Interesting name, though. Scuti.” Frein mused while turning to Xiv.

“What about it?” Kristel asked.

“One of the largest stars Earth discovered before I left was named Scuti.”