Aftermath
> “The reality is…well, reality.” ~Liona
Not even a single Vyndivalian soldier dared spare a glance at Frein and his companions as they rode on Elizzel’s back. It was as if all the animosity each enemy soldier possessed had vanished without a trace, replaced by what Frein could only discern as sadness, or exhaustion. The soldiers gathered their dead, putting them in carts or on their mounts, or carried them by hand.
The Forest Jaws—or Jaws Lurking in the Forest according to Kristel—was kind and careful enough to avoid crushing anyone underfoot. The Vyndivalian soldiers in return passed concerned or bewildered looks.
“You’re not famous, aren’t you?” Frein said aloud, earning the gazes of everyone around him. “Sorry, I’m talking to the Forest Jaws.”
“Nightmares in general aren’t a common sight within civilized grounds, Visitor,” Elizzel replied as she gave a caravan of corpses a wide berth. “Please tell everyone to hold on.”
Frein passed the message and everyone held onto whatever protruding spike or scale they could find.
Elizzel crouched and flexed her wings before kicking off the ground. Frein felt the lurch wave through where he sat and almost fell off. He quickly Drew his Siffera to steady his balance, anchoring himself with one hand. Wind kicked off his face at the same time realization hit him.
The Forest Jaws jumped over a valley of retreating soldiers, gliding over them. She landed as soon as they covered enough ground and this time, Frein was prepared for the recoil.
“That was a ride,” he commented.
“Things should be smoother from here.”
A curiosity caught Frein’s eye. A bonfire of corpses. Soldiers with strong enough stomachs were throwing dismembered and unrecognizable body parts onto the flame.
“What’s with that?” he pointed, addressing the question to everyone this time.
“Cremation,” Kristel replied, her face had turned from one of wonder when she climbed over Elizzel to a solemn expression now that she had observed the aftermath. “If the deceased’s body is beyond recognition or repair, it’s better to just burn them right then and there. No use trying to sort them out, we all burn them anyway. Their insignias are what matters.”
“You all cremate your dead?” Frein asked out of curiosity.
“We do,” the Princess replied. She leaned on one of Elizzel’s protruding scales after making sure how sturdy it was. Her balance was impeccable, even during the glide she had spared the commotion barely any attention.
Katherine gave Kristel a concerned look. “It wasn’t before I left.”
“Sometimes the rain pours more than just water. We’ve suffered severe cases of Hollowing Storms, forcing our dead to rise again. They’re better off resting to ashes than hurt their loved ones as mindless undead.” She turned to Katherine. “Do you remember the last storm before you went away? It reanimated half of the nation’s dead. We just can’t afford anything like that again and I’m guessing the same thing happened to Vyndival. You have a lot of catching up to do. We haven’t even heard anything from the Order for a long—”
“So, just to make sure, you’re the Visitor, right?” The felintine woman in armor jumped in front of Frein. She had black hair reaching down to her waist and yellow eyes on her young face, not a bad combination.
“I guess so?” Frein gave her an unsure answer. He didn’t expect to be called the Visitor specifically. It didn’t have any special impact in it as far as he was concerned.
“Well, you did appear out of nowhere with the famous Lady Katherine Militia.” She erased the chunks of metal around her body, dispersing them like dust in thin air and leaving behind an exquisite corset and patterned skirt. A long tail wrapped around her left thigh. Her greaves also evaporated and was replaced by a pair of laced boots. She looked like a living cat-doll.
“Frein, isn’t it? I’m Flimeth Estura, Guard Knight of Cross Irista.”
“Yes, Frein. Frein Nivan,” he repeated, looking at her fashionable transformation. It was cute and ladylike, but her straight poise didn’t miss a flick of elegance and knightly essence.
“Nice to meet you, Flimeth.” Frein stretched out a hand, but she simply stared at it innocently. “From where I came from, this is a form of greeting. You shake hands as a sign of your peaceful acquaintance.”
“I see. That’s interesting.” She mimicked the gesture. Frein led with a soft shake then gently released her hand. “For us, names and titles are enough.”
“I’m Lor Veli, servant of Princess Kristel.” The half-elf half-orc—who was once in leather armor, but now wore a formal set of clothing—introduced himself and stretched out his hand. “Pleased to meet you. We’ve been expecting you for a long time.”
Frein shook his hand firmly. “Expecting me?”
“I see you’ve already introduced yourselves.” Kristel’s voice echoed from behind them. “Allow me to introduce myself again, Frein.” She stepped forward, emphasizing her small stature compared to the other two. “I am Kristel Irista, Princess of Irista Nation, Royal Knight, and leader of the Cross Irista.” She presented her hand, mimicking the two before her.
“I’m Frein Nivan, no titles. Visitor, I guess…” Frein took her hand, small but strong.
His sensitivity to meiyal reacted in contact. He understood just from that how much training and effort she had invested to be able to call herself a leader, and how she could throw wits against a king without breaking a sweat. Frein had seen potential in young prodigies before, and she was ridiculously overflowing with it.
It was like trying to contain a lake into a small plastic bowl.
“Now that introductions are over, I need to make sure our soldiers do not attack this poor creature.”
“I think she’ll appreciate that.”
Kristel acknowledged as she made her way to the dragon’s head.
“We’ll be at the Forest Jaw’s head,” Flimeth said, waving for a brief goodbye. “When we have time, you should tell me the secret to your meiyal system.”
“No secret,” Frein clarified, but he already knew what she meant. His senses were ridiculously over enhanced during the duel, he couldn’t help but hear them talk about him. “But I can tell you how my Siffera works if you let me play with your ears and tail.”
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
Flimeth stopped midstride and Lor frowned at him.
So obvious.
“Fine, just the ears, then,” he amended before the two could complain. “Nonnegotiable.”
“I’ll think about it, we have to go!” Flimeth pushed Lor and followed the Princess.
“You just couldn’t help yourself, huh?” Katherine sat beside him now that they were alone.
“You know me.”
“So, first impressions?”
Frein stared at her for a few seconds, processing the question.
“We entered right in the middle of a war zone, I ended up in trouble and defied physics and my own limits in the process. I got to talk with a mythical creature. I am on one now. All in the first day.” Frein truly felt satisfaction but it was shoved away by his very nature. “I want more.”
Katherine smiled agreeingly.
“Lor mentioned something about expecting me,” Frein said, implying the question.
Katherine nodded. “They knew I set out for the next Visitor. If I’m not doing Seeker training, I’m usually with Kristel and everyone. She didn’t actually want me to leave.”
“She’s something special.”
“You should see Frill.”
“I’ve been curious about that name for a while now.”
Frein spent the next few minutes admiring the scenery. Even though a good portion of it was spoiled by the marks left behind by both factions, there was something to be admired about a once pristine looking creation of nature now marred by the senseless actions of natives that lived within it.
Even in another world, there’s still violence and war. The thought gave Frein a familiar feeling, a place of comfort he ultimately belonged to. Despite that, he wouldn’t have minded to see the landscape in its former beauty.
“It’s possible,” Katherine said when Frein asked if restoration was feasible. “Minaveil specializes in agriculture and nature. I bet they can do that within a month or two. We can revisit, then.”
She raised an arm and pointed ahead. “I haven’t been here for a long time, but I’m betting Master Midan made those walls.”
If Katherine hadn’t mention it, Frein would’ve assumed the walls was a natural part of the mountain range. Enormous was an understatement; they were as tall as the mountains beside them. But not even the extravagance of the great walls could stop him from noticing soldiers helping the injured and burning their dead on the spot.
One particular soldier removed a badge—an insignia he assumed—before cremating the corpse. Katherine followed his gaze as they both tracked the soldier head for the next poor soul.
“I knew nothing of these guys, but I feel sorry for them.”
“We all do,” Katherine said. “Some of us try hide it.” She jerked her head at Kristel who didn’t seem distracted at all. “Her hands, they’re shaking.”
No matter how hard he tried, his Siffera couldn’t see farther than what his natural eyes could see. He could see clearer, discern details faster, register movements and even predict them, but there was no magnifying effect. He believed Katherine either way.
“I should help her.” Katherine stood and approached with grace, her coat swaying with the wind. She subtly held Kristel’s hand and spoke, too far away for Frein to hear.
“Elizzel,” he called out through his head. He only assumed the dragon could hear him, but it was worth a try. “How come everyone knows I’m the Visitor?”
“The others may have recognized you—or others like you—from the legends. Hundreds of years have passed since the arrival of the previous Visitor.” The dragon replied telepathically to Frein’s relief. The sensation was surreal, but he could get used to it. “Or simply because Lady Katherine returned with you.”
“And you? How come you knew right from the beginning?”
It took a while for her to reply. “I am no mere Jaws Lurking in the Forest, Visitor—”
“Frein.”
“Frein. I am a faunel, a personification of pure meiyal. I am able to assume form of creatures that I’ve consumed once in my lifetime.”
Frein waited in silence for her to explain further. The faunel easily caught on.
“Our kind is not as common as we used to be. I’ve seen only one other faunel in the last hundred years. We are aware of each other’s existence, but we avoid interaction. The reason why I know who you are is because I am birthed from Brymeia’s meiyal itself. If that is not enough proof, our conversation itself should be more than enough to convince you.”
Another question came to mind. “If you’re a shapeshifter, why didn’t you just transform into a smaller creature when they captured you?”
“Our transformations do not come for free,” she replied. “But that can wait. We have arrived.”
As they got off to the top of the wall, they were met by a group of people running in a hurry. Elizzel left for the mountain, hiding herself before more people flocked to her.
“Princess Kristel!” A blonde, young woman in feather-decorated armor approached first, her tone shaking. “It’s Liona! We can’t find her!”
“Frill went off to find her.” A wounded young man with the same hair spoke in a weak exhausted voice. He wore an identical armor, but it was broken and spilling meiyal. A floating sort of stretcher carried him while the woman administered a weak version of Samesia.
“We were too busy; we didn’t know when she disappeared.” His facial features had a great similarity to the other knight. Twins.
“Princess Kristel!” This time an old man, who couldn’t keep up with his breath, showed up. “Our Sky Vision couldn’t locate Liona either.”
“You waited this long to tell me?” Kristel asked the old man. She sounded slightly alarmed, but still in control.
“My apologies, Princess, but your M.O.B.I.L.E. isn’t active.”
Frein made a mental note to ask what a M.O.B.I.L.E. was. It wasn’t the time or place to point it out.
“No, you’re right. Apologies.” Kristel sighed. “Send out the Guard Knights and the Sky Knights to help the search just in case.”
“The Sky Knights are tending to the gravely wounded, Princess,” responded the young woman.
“And the Guard Knights?” Kristel asked.
The old man struggled, fumbling on his mouth as if trying, and failing, to catch the words falling from it. Kristel looked at him, concern written all over both their faces.
“The Guard Knights didn’t make it, Princess. All dead.”
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Something was terribly wrong.
Kristel and Flimeth raced through the eastern forest of Mount Rindea, tracing the exact same route they took earlier. All the while, the Princess remained silent, entranced in her thoughts.
Kristel was thankful her childhood friend knew to keep her words to herself at times like these, giving her space to sort things out and form a theory that would make sense of all that had happened.
It was proving to be a challenge.
Liona was missing and the Guard Knights of Cross Irista were all dead with the exception of Flimeth and hopefully, Venry. Kento had confirmed the bodies and had taken their insignias before burning them. They couldn’t find Venry’s corpse, neither did the Sky Vision find any trace of his M.O.B.I.L.E.
The thought of the device pricked at the back of her head like a dumb nail. How could she have forgotten to reactivate the comms from her M.O.B.I.L.E. on their way back? She tried it to do it when she recorded Frein’s duel, but Vyndival’s jammers and scanners essentially forced her against it. With the success of the defense and the awe of riding atop a Forest Jaws, she resigned to admit she got distracted.
Immaturity was a curse and she made sure to carve this mistake onto her memories. Now that she had her communications back on, it felt rather too late. Trying to reach Frill or Venry through their devices simply ended in failure.
Kristel had assigned Venry to guard the Vyndivalian cargo. With this in mind, she and Flimeth diverted halfway through their route and headed for the highest peak. It didn’t take them long to reach the top.
Kristel expected nothing, but she hoped to at least find a body. The bombs weren’t there, but the impress they found on the ground clearly indicated signs that it was moved.
At first, the Princess had a kindling hope that the Guard Knight simply took caution and was waiting on one of the other peaks. She simply needed to go to all of them and eventually find him, alive and with the cargo. But as soon as she took a step, a glinting object tumbled from her boots.
Flimeth picked it up and looked at it for a while. “Venry Stepholm, Guard Knight.” She passed the insignia, covered in blood.
“We won’t find anything else here,” Kristel concluded. “Let’s go back.”
As soon as they turned, a heavy pressure fell upon them, forcing them on their knees.
“Frill’s meiyal. It can’t—” Kristel couldn’t finish. The revelation and intensity of meiyal was too much, she couldn’t even hear herself think. She fed her Siffera with as much meiyal as possible. Flimeth did the same.
There was no time to think, no time to consider. They pierced through the crippling force and headed towards its source.
Before it was too late.
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