"Thought I smelt something good!" I let out with a smile as I finished hopping down the stairs. The mixture of good-smelling food and some actually joyful people... It put me in a good mood.
"Hi, Vadei!" Liadanann waved from her seat next to Omb. With the pair having clearly already done a brief exchange of snacks and meals.
"So what brings you around?" I asked as I took note of what was there. Interestingly enough as well, it was all Einervaene's favourites. But that didn't mean they weren't also mine one way or another. So I sneaked a few bites here and there.
Smiling and grinning as I nicked salted, crispy bird skin or bits of juicy fruit.
"Well, I just wanted to make sure Einervaene was okay. After that..."
"She seems to be fine to me, she is clearly bothered by it but she hasn't said much." I tell her as my smile disappears and I glance upwards towards where I could sense her.
"She hasn't left her room either." Omb adds on as he taps the nearest tray to point out what he has been doing.
"Have either of you tried just going into her room? Speaking to her?"
"She locked the door," I say with a shrug before I hear a distinct click, "She's unlocked the door."
"Now might be my chance the-"
"It might be best to let it rest for a little moment." I whisper to Liadanann as I hear footsteps move towards the stairs. Then, they went down and it wasn't long before it was clear she had made it downstairs.
"Is that Liadanann?" Einervaene asked from the other side of the doorframe.
"I like to think so, how have you been?" the woman in question jokes as she tries to get a better view of our friend. The efforts, however, come to a halt when she moves into the kitchen on her own.
"Thoughtful." Einervaene tells her as she moves closer to the table to look at the food. And, that is when I noticed something that struck me as odd. Her outfit was very different from usual. Being a country girl, it was easy to note when something was built for long journeys and hard work.
"Einervaene...?" I asked her as I looked at her outfit very carefully. In terms of colours, it was very dark and was broken up by the copper she normally had on. The designs though were very focused. She has clearly put all of her knowledge up until now into the layout.
To some extent, it was like a fancy set of armour...
Armour that was all built on top of a clearly new kimono and a long, flowing cape. The usual details were also all different as well. It lacked the sexiness she picked up from Rose'lhia and it did little to emphasise her figure. She did, however, still have high-heeled boots, though they were far thicker and sturdier in design.
Why she didn't move onto actual boots, I did not know but...
"So that's everything I have brought!" Liadanann happily declared as it became clear that I had been ignored for the moment. Something else clearly happening as I inspected my friends strange and sudden fashion change.
"Einervaene! What's all this?" I asked her before I noticed the staff she had left beyond the doorframe. Said staff being far more like a multi-tipped spear than anything else. It was very concerning to see this. Her clothes were now like armour and her staff had shifted into being more like a weapon...
She wasn't planning on starting another fight, was she?
"I suppose there's no point in hiding my intentions... I am leaving."
"What!?" I let out as the formerly noted practicality was made sinisterly clear.
"I can't take it anymore... I refuse to be so close to someone who is going out every night only to be slashed apart into a bloody mess... I refuse to stay here when I have things I need to do... My mother needs me but I am staying here in this school with people who cannot HELP ME!" she explains as tears start to take hold of her. Her anger and frustration rising higher and higher as she went on...
"Einervaene..." I let out as I tried to hold her. But, she refused such comfort and instead backed away. In a way, it reminded me of Nin back when we saved my family. He had a hard time letting it all go so he just tried to snap away.
"I am sorry... You lot... But, I've already handed in all the stuff I need to make this official. I am a student no longer. I am just Einervaene Bosphama." she explains as she goes for her staff. But, with quick reflexes and a strong aversion to this. I rush ahead and knock away her staff.
"You aren't going away that easily!" I snap out at her face as I do my best to obstruct her path.
"Einervaene, if you had something like this, why didn't you ask us fo-"
"BECAUSE NONE OF YOU CAN HELP ME! NONE OF YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH! ONLY NIN WAS AND HE ONLY CARES ABOUT THAT DYING GIRL ON A BED!" she screamed out before she seems to suddenly switch in behaviour.
"No, I am not letting you just go out there on your own!" I tell her as she looks down at her hands.
"Besides... Was he ever really my friend? I was just a slave to this damn bracelet..." she adds as she reveals the accessory Nin always wore.
"Don't be so hasty with this, Einervaene-"
"Hasty? We've all thought it. Leaving, what good is our stay here!? It was never any of our plans to go here! Besides, it's been two years since Rose'lhia disappeared with the other one like her! Now it's my tu-"
"Don't you ever speak like that to me again." I say as I bring back my sore hand after the harsh slap shut her up.
"Please don't try and stop me... My mother needs me... It's why I came to this land, to begin with... To find someone or something that could help her..." she tearfully explains as she staggers back to the nearest wall. Only to slide down to the floor.
"You two, I think it may be right to let her go." Omb chimes in as he walks out from the kitchen with Liadanann.
"You too!?" I asked as I stared at the duo. To my despair as well, they both nodded in answer.
"I know I shouldn't be saying this to my friends... But, I know why you two come by as often as you do. You're always hoping to catch a glance of Nin, hoping that he is alright. But it is the same each time, he comes home bloodied and beaten and ever-driven to vengeance..." Liadanann explains.
"That doesn't justify our friendship suddenly meaning nothing! That doesn't mean we should suddenly fall apart and never see each other again!" I bark out to them.
"It was only ever going to be temporary." Omb admits with a saddened expression.
"Fine, guess I'll go too." I huff out as I cross my arms. Offended by the idea that our friendships were clearly that easy to break.
"Vadei... No, you want to protect your..."
"Yes, I want to protect my family. I wanted to be so strong that no slavers or osibindah would ever threaten us again. But what good is that if you're all gone...? Even with my goal, I can't motivate myself to do it as the rest of you can. I feel like I have just reached my limit here..." I admit in defeat yet also triumph as I had gotten stronger.
I may not be like Vapooliar, but I could now cast spells and use magic! I was incomparably beyond what I thought I could ever be!
"So we'll be even quieter now, then?" Omb asks as he looks down at us.
"Seems that way..." I mutter as my ears fold downwards.
"Then I will see you off properly, my friends." he says before he picks us all up to hug us.
"Eh!?" someone squeaked as Omb started to tremble.
"I will see my friends ready before they go." he explained as he tried to keep a straight face.
"No onions..." Liadanann quietly lets out with an upset giggle as the hug got tighter.
"I'll make the best food you ever ate!" Omb declares as he finally lets go. His belly then briefly showed as he wiped his eyes on his shirt.
.
.
.
"You don't have to come with me, you know." I once again say to Vadei as I leaned back on the sofa after having finished my food. A quiet party surrounded us as she curled up in her flight jacket.
"I am only going as far as my home village, so you don't have to worry about me joining you all the way down south."
"It would be quite the trip..." I joke before I let out the sadness it brought to my mind. It would be quite the adventure indeed. I could've brought everyone down to my homeland and we could've saved Mom. They'd be heroes and get their dues. And, me and Nin would...
No... That was never me. That was always something the bracelet made me think. Yet, I still wanted it...
I never actually loved Nin but I wanted to feel like I did.
"So what is exactly your plan, Einervaene? I never did see you scream in delight as you suddenly realised it." Vadei asked me, her voice slightly muffled by her collar.
"I won't head home straight away. But, I think I have a place I can go." I explain to her as my mind fills with memories from when we were flying across the continent. To the time I felt the storm above the Anvil-Peak lash out against me. There was a power there that I might be able to use.
The power to save my mother and prove my heritage lay beyond that molten gold.
"I assume you are not going to tell me much more so you don't worry me..." Vadei comments as she picks up on why I was so brief.
"Yes, I suppose." I sigh before her hand reaches out for me.
"You'd worry me either way." she tells me with a grin that puts a smile on my face. At least for a moment.
"I will miss you all, you know." I then say.
"I will too... But, let me promise you something, Einervaene." Vadei begins to say before she straightens herself out.
"Go on."
"We will all meet again... Every single one of us. We'll all meet again in the future and do all kinds of stuff!" she lets out hopefully while I turn away.
"Yeah..." I let out knowing how foolish it was. The world was a big place, and, with our obligations in place. I could not see us ever coming back together. Our time at this academy might be all we ever had...
I just hated the fact so much of it was spent in varying states of misery... But that is also what made them such valuable friends. We went through all of it and we were still together at the end. Yet, I suppose, that killer who went after Larishazza finally broke our spirit.
"Promise me one thing, though, Einervaene..."
"Anything for you..." I tell her with a smile as this was probably going to be the next most important promise I would ever make.
"Stay my friend, even as we grow distant..." she says to me, clearly on the verge of tears.
"You'll always be my friend, Vadei." I tearfully tell her as I pull her in for a hug. And, I make sure to make the most of this hug even if I could likely get more later. As, well, this was it, we were both destined for vastly different lives now. She would return to her village, and me, I would go back to my future lands...
She was going to be a protector of one village, I would be the protector of hundreds.
"So... How far do you think you could go now? It's been quite some time since you did that sprint back when we were in my village." she suddenly asks as she tries to brighten the mood.
"I don't know, I never really considered it." I answer with a shrug as our hug breaks.
"Hm, I like to think you would just barely make it. What, with all the cakes you have been eating." she jokes before she pokes my tightly packed belly.
"Hey!" I snap as she laughs. Crossing my arms with an annoyed pout as she cackled at her joke. So, to get back at her, I sent a little jolt of electricity at her. Smiling as she suddenly turned on me with bared claws.
"You two! Over here!" Omb suddenly calls out as he gathers those he could before he sets something up.
"A picture?" I asked as I watched him manipulate Tiyanats pose.
"Yes, now, come! Hurry along!" he tells us as he finally finished sorting out his pupil's pose.
"Like this?" I ask before Liadanann pulls me in against her chest.
"More like this!" she clarifies as I smile up at her once I pushed past her breast.
"Dorm Forty-One!" Omb suddenly lets out on his own before the device goes off.
"Dorm Forty-One?" Vadei questions as she gets her self some space for her tail.
"Yeah, it's the one thing we all have in common." Omb chuckles as I suddenly remember that our home these past few years had a name of sorts.
"Oh, right..." I quietly let out, not wanting to be embarrassed by teasing because of it.
"Our dorm is better." Seigunfrei scoffs cockily as he reminds us of his Exceptional origins.
"Yet, we are all here, curious." Vadei tells him as she prods at his face.
"I suppose, so, huh?" he asks back as he blows some magic at her tail. But, as the pair got to playing about, I headed out towards the kitchen for a solitary moment. And, in a rare instance of actually wanting to drink the stuff. I poured myself a glass of alcohol.
"Don't force it." Tiyanat said as she walked in as if she were somehow not there at the same time.
"It's just one drink..." I sheepishly mutter as I push the filled glass away.
"Make sure it stays one, then, please?" she asks me. And, knowing how it went for here at the start of all of this. I took her advice and avoided the drink.
"When I get home... We should do something in an official capacity." I decide to joke.
"Bring about peace between our nations through the power of friendship?" she adds with a giggle.
"Yeah, our friendship will dominate the world!" I laugh out before going quiet. Turning towards the night sky outside for a moment as she went quiet as well.
"You won't ever come back to see any of us again, will you?" she then asks all of a sudden. And I froze up whilst continuing my wayward gaze.
"It is unlikely, no." I answer after what felt like an eternal shudder. A tremor of the worst kind rippled in my heart and I was quick to go quiet again. And when her hand touched my arm, it felt hotter than any bolt I could cast.
"Einervaene, as long as it is for a noble reason and cause. We can never fault you for it. If you can never leave your mother's side after you save her. Don't let memories of us eat away at you." she tells me with a saddened tone.
"There is this one thing I hated about coming here... You know..." I begin to say as my body and voice trembled with uncertainty.
"And what's that, Einervaene?"
"I hated being lonely... I lost everyone when I left my homeland. Not because they died, but because I was alone with no way to speak to them. I had no one to play with or laugh with. And, then, when I came here, I thought I would continue to be alone. As, you know... I... I was just some foreigner, I have this silly accent and strange customs and ideas but instead, people took me in... I got to know them and love them as friends. I wasn't alone anymore but now I have to say goodbye to all of them... I don't want to be alone again, Tiyanat."
"Oh, come here you. Don't you worry, you won't ever be alone again." my friend tells me as she hugs my trembling body. And hides my teary eyes.
.
.
.
"Huh, what's all this?" Vadei asked me as she looked through the bag she had packed. But, the mischievousness of it amused me enough to create a smile.
"I won't be needing a lot of it now, so, I thought I would give it to you." I tell her as she partially brings out the kimono I modified for her after the Inter-House.
"I'll be a one-of-a-kind girl..." she chuckles as the runs her prints across the freshly cleaned silk.
"You already are." I remind her as I hold out my gloved hand for her to take. It was about time we got on our way now that Vadei's tabletwork had been sorted. We were both now officially no longer students here. For me, however, it also offered a degree of freedom.
Because this delay my friends created pestered the bureaucracy of this place.
"So are you two off, now?" Liadanann asked as she stepped out of the dorm with the others.
"Yes, we might need to go a little farther but at the same time, I really want to try myself against the power of the city." I answer before I demonstrated the city's vast arcane power by letting my lightning flow towards it like a delicate wind. Then, I took control of it and resisted the pull. With only the slightest shiver remaining to indicate what would happen if I relented.
"I'd rather not be a casualty of your rising pride." Vadei huffs even if her tone betrays the confidence she had in me.
"Make sure she is at least well fed, then." Liadanann tells me as she hands over a pair of packed meals. And, I had to admit, I was curious as to who made the majority of it. Because it was clear both she and Omb had been at work up until now.
"Thank you, Liada." I teasingly said as I took this last opportunity to call her by that. To the disappointment of my joker's mindset, though. She took it in stride and just smiled at me this one time.
"Don't let us keep you." she reluctantly tells us as she slowly waves.
"One final hug?" I offer to everyone as I bring up my arms for them. And, before I even finished, the pair of us were swarmed with affection by those who cared enough.
"Do you not want in, Grumpy?" Omb remarked from his dominant position as the biggest of us.
"No, let them go home already." he told him with a slight twist of his head. But, when he saw me, he just nodded respectfully. Albeit, I was not in a position to respond well to his gesture. Nor did I go about it when the hug finally ended.
I just gave them all a general wave as Vadei took my hand as she has done so many times before.
"I hope I can see you all again!" I tell them all with a smile as I fight back the urge to get emotional in the wrong way. And, when I felt like that urge was about to break through, I started up the spell. Shooting up into the cloudless sky before we arced down into the clouds. Like a wagon that had suddenly landed, it was a rough transistion.
But, it was also near-instantly as well that I got the hang of it and we were just travelling. Like the spiral-trams leaving the mountain, we just glided along our strange tracks. And, because I wanted to add a little excitement to it, I aimed for the breaks in the clouds. Sending us out into the open as we were normally before I turned again.
With the power of a storm propelling us forward, I danced through the sky. Sometimes through the heart of parting clouds or their gathering brethren. Other times, I brought us below them and shot out multiple branches of ourselves. Seemingly replicating the art of swinging about before I landed us down on a plateau for a brief moment.
"You did take a map, right?" Vadei questioned as she tried to discern which of the many mountains behind us was where Thrurstradtur rested.
"Nope, none at all!" I announced to her excitedly before I dragged her off the mountain to renew our journey. I was going to bring her home, but, there was one stop I wanted to make before we went there. So, for what likely seemed to her as a brief moment, I shot us about close to the ground. Renewing my memories of the journey I once took along these paths before stopping.
"DAMN YOU!" Vadei screamed as we suddenly turned normal again just as I found a paved road. With a hearty laugh announcing our descent, I put out my magic to make it a safe drop. Seemingly sliding on lightning before I came to a running halt. And, once we were on the ground properly, she dropped out of my arms to scream.
"You should've expected it." I giggled as she threatened to claw out my eyes with exaggerated anger.
"Damn you and your stupid magic!" she spits with a huff before she crosses her arms just as armed men approached.
"Wise choice to stop out here on the road rather than in town." he announced as he holstered his weapon.
"Just to make sure, is Tryhpeltzweig along this road."
"Indeed, just around that forested corner there." the man answered as I began to recall details about this place. If my hunch was correct, the road we were now walking along was very close to where I saved Nin and Rose'lhia. It was also the road I chased the pair over when I mistook Nin for something else.
It made me laugh in retrospect and I also found myself yearning for that time once again. It was such a simple one in comparison to now. I had freshly arrived in this land at the town Mother told me to go to. And, I had made my first two friends in this land.
This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.
Of course, there was Baltanthan too, but he was being carried about in a bag!
"What're you laughing about?" Vadei demanded to know, clearly offended by the lack of involvement.
"Sorry, I was just remenicing."
"About what? It's just some town in between the mountains." she comments with a shrug.
"So was the town we picked that special flower of yours."
"Tch." she lets out with a groan.
"It really is amazing how such simple places can mean so much to us, no?" I ask her as I thought about all the details of this town that I had experienced. I could even see the results of our actions in the way it had all changed. Despite being this small town, it had learned well from our departure.
It felt more like a fortress of civilisation. I was sure even that this road wasn't as paved as it was the last time we were here. Most importantly, however, was how much effort had gone into upgrading its defences. But, I suppose it was to be expected after Nin's...
Urgency.
"Hold up now." one of the guards said as he came out from a small building built into the wall.
"Hello." I greeted for some reason as if it were a casual affair. Amusingly enough, though, he waved back.
"What brings you here to our little town?" he asked us before we briefly caught a glance of a guard moving something about inside.
"I'm here to see someone." I decided to answer with as it might've been unbelievable that I was here to see Brewbrt? I don't know, I felt like they'd laugh at me.
"Just bolt us over you polite annoyance." Vadei comments through her teeth.
"No!" I tell her seriously as the guards were clearly on edge about the idea.
"Now, now, now! Is that who I think it is?" a familiar voice called out joyously as a powerful aura descended upon us. Along with a cloud of roadside dust and litter when they landed.
"Hello again, Brewbrt!" I greet after coughing and wheezing at all the mess he had created.
"Founding-Lord! Sir!" the guard let out before Brewbrt put his arm around me casually.
"Just open the gate here for my friend's daughter!" he snaps dismissively but not aggressively or angrily.
"H-How have you been?" I ask him as I suddenly found him pushing me along as if I was nothing. I could've sworn he wasn't this strong last time.
"I've been doing much better now that you are here! But, let's not get ahead of ourselves. At least come into my little town before we unpack everything!" he joyously tells me before he catches sight of Vadei, who he had left behind.
"That's my friend, Vadei, I'm taking her home to her village."
"You gonna want a bath...?" Brewbrt randomly asks her before I noticed how angered she was at the state of her tail.
"You are damn right I want one along with the finest brush you have you damn, reckless gust!" she snaps angrily as she stomps ahead of us while trying to ignore the mess. Yet, she could not hold herself back and was quickly picking away at all the dust and dead or loose plant life.
"Honestly, I said I was sorry!" Brewbrt comments as he lets go of me to gesture wildly.
"You actually didn't." I tell him with a coy smile.
"Don't you start." he fires back with before he laughs it off.
"So I see you have changed a lot since we were last here... Better yet, I am surprised you remember me this easily." I say with a mixture of regret, awe and surprise.
"What kind of man would I be if I forgot my old partner's daughter?" he asks back with.
"I guess. But... Sorry about the mess we caused." I say before I leaned close to him to whisper ever so quietly into his ear.
"Don't worry about it, I needed a reason to upgrade the place anyway." he whispers in response.
"W-We... Didn't cause too many issues, right...?" I asked him, somewhat dreading the results of our actions.
"Don't worry yourself over those things, Einervaene. Just come on into my home and make yourself comfortable again within its walls!" he declares as his magic sweeps up the stairs to slam the doors open.
Yet, this careless display had one issue, "I WILL CLAW EACH FINGER OFF!"
"N-No, Vadei, inside now, get it sorted now!" I quickly let out as I tried to diffuse the situation Brewbrt's careless casting had caused.
"S-Sorry..." I heard him sheepishly mutter as he tried to keep himself occupied with the smallest of whirling spells.
"Honestly, you need to be more careful." I tell him after Vadei had disappeared into the house. Likely to the confusion of his servants and guards.
"You are speaking to the same old man who tied himself to a major political crisis in Eusorochii to save his friend's daughter and let a special man charge out of his settlement after he blew up his own home as part of an act..." he started to explain fine at first before he got quieter and quieter.
"Idiot." was all I had to say as a sense of gratitude filled my body.
"Indeed." he chuckles as we enter his home. The doors then closed behind us once he got in and did it manually.
"I hope we didn't come at a bad time?"
"No, no! You came at a perfect time. I was getting a little bored and now I have guests over!" he let out with excitement as he hung up his coat.
"What were you up to before we got here, then?" I asked him as I followed him up the likely rebuilt central staircase. Only to stop when I found a particular art piece on his wall once you got past the grim history lesson he had there last time.
"Oh! Right, I had this made some time after you lot departed as a memento!" he explained as I started to recognise those within the piece.
"Is... Is that..." I began to say as I blushed at the seemingly fresh memory.
"I found it quite the laughing matter when I found out." he sniggered before I turned to face him with a volt-covered hand.
"Take it down while Vadei is here." I threatened as my hand loomed over him.
"No." he answered as his grin grew before my blush took my features over.
"No!" I started to whine, "If she sees that, she won't ever let me forget it!"
"You look like you never forgot it yourself, Windowbreaker." he cackled as I tried to withhold the embarrassment.
"You cruel man..." I whined as I started to foresee the laughter from Vadei. I would hear never-ending laughter from her as she learned the tale of how I decided to crash through a window... Because I somehow thought Nin was the lord of this town.
"Would a cruel man offer a lady a chair? Would a cruel man be getting his chef on standby to make his adorable guest delicious food?" he asked me with a put-out lip for some reason.
"I suppose you could apologize by making me my favourite..." I begin to say with a knowing smile. But, I kept the answer out of sight to see if he could remember it.
"Of course, Einervaene." he says with a smile before he disappears likely to get it sorted. But, while I appreciated the kindness. I did need to make sure Vadei was doing fine in this large place. While our dorm of a couple of years was a big building, it paled in comparison.
"Vadei? Where'd you go?" I called out only to get quieter when I passed by any of Brewbrt's staff. Thankfully, however, I found my friend quickly as she seemed to be looking for me as well.
"Where's the bathroom!?" she demanded to know as she continued to pick out the mess from her tail. And, what was likely out of spite, she dumped it all over Brewbrt's carpets.
"Which one?" I asked back as I laughed quietly at her reaction.
"The closest one, then!" she went on to correct as she began to flick her tail's tip at my face.
"Through there! Through there!" I guessed at random just to get her to stop. But, it was too late and I ended up squeaking out a sneeze. And I turned red as she started to howl in laughter. She even mocked me by copying the noise.
But, I still guided her to where I thought a bathroom was and we found ourselves in a smaller guest room. Interestingly enough, while I had no way of telling if this was the same one. It looked much like the room Nin, Rose'lhia and I stayed in all those years ago. For a moment as well, I forgot about my revenge against Vadei and just recalled everything.
How me and Rose'lhia made our kimonos in a room like this after she opened up to me. It was in a room like this where our friendship began... And even the kind of room where I shared my first bed with another man... Even if I don't love him, the thought still heated my face up.
"It's just a pair of beds." Vadei remarked before she went into the bathroom on our left. And her excited laughter dragged me out of the nostalgia trip I was taking in that brief moment.
"You have everything you need?" I ask her as she made quick work of stripping down and getting the bath ready.
"I don't even know... There are just so many things... Bath bombs, bubble-making liquids... I could leave here smelling like an orchard!" she exclaimed without an ounce of shame.
"Vadei... Your..." I try to say as I turned away so I did not have to look at her confidently-held body.
"Oh, come on now! You've seen it all before." she laughs before she kneels down in front of the bath to take in deep breaths of the oils and fragrances.
"I have..." I say as I notice a bucket and her increasingly distracted mind. So, I carefully moved towards the bucket and slowly turned on a cold water tap. A smile grew on my face as it filled up. And she continued to be oblivious to it.
"AAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!" she screamed after I threw the cold water onto her bare back. Even better as well, she ended up diving straight into the still hot bath. And she squealed in response to that but chose to stay inside the bath.
"We'll be waiting for you in the main dining hall. Up the central staircase at the entrance." I tell her before I laugh on my way out. Yet, once I was out of the room, I found myself trembling. I knew why but I also found it weird. It was something that hadn't happened in a while.
But, I was just as quick to remember that I was still geared up entirely in my new outfit. All this blood-runed copper about me could've easily recreated my problem. And, it would probably be a lot worse given my friend was in the water... And Nin was-
"No... Stop thinking about him." I snap to myself before I sighed at the seeming impossibility of it. This was the place it all started, after all. And where I planned on heading out to, it was the sight of one our greatest trials as friends.
And at least, from my warped perspective, as a potential lover...
Yet, it made me angry trying to think of that. I never loved him, I cared for him as a friend. But everything beyond that was just a manipulation. A dream I wish I never had to wake up from again...
"I'll forget about it all, eventually." I then remarked before I quietly returned to the dining room. And I returned the wave that Brewbrt sent my way as he got up from his chair to pull me out one.
"Making sure your friend found her way?"
"Yeah, I made sure she got there." I told him before silently thanking him as I sat down.
"So, what brings you back this way?" he asks as he takes a sip from his drink. It would've made me smile seeing him drink at this time of day. But, his question confused me.
"I already said that I was taking my friend home." I reminded him as he ran a hand along the top of his head. Flattening his silver-green hair in the process as he did so. Yet, I could also see in his eyes that there was a different intent even if he looked calm and relaxed.
"No other friends, then?"
"We said goodbye to them before we left."
"No, I mean for you." and when he said that, I turned away and sighed.
"They can't help me..." I quietly muttered.
"I do recall quite clearly telling that boy to keep an eye on you." he commented flatly.
"And he has... But..." I started to say before his bloodied, frenzied body filled my vision. I even heard a ghostly echo of his roar.
"What happened?" he asked me as he got up and moved closer.
"I... I don't know..." I tearfully admit as his pushy behaviour made me come to terms with the fact I was on my own again.
"Einervaene..." he let out quietly as his hand reached out for my knee.
"If you really want to know why we are here... It is so I can ask you for help. I think I have found a way to help my mother but I have no idea how dangerous it might be and..."
"Sure." he answers as he rolls his clicking neck about.
"B-But you don't even..."
"My old friend whose daughter I took in is asking me for help. Now, I wouldn't be much of a friend if I turned her away just as she comes upon the cusp of freeing her, now, would I?"
And his words made me smile, at least for a moment, "Thank you..."
"Now, I am sorry for pushing you as I did. But, know, if you want to talk about it, I am right here."
"And why would you leave your own home?" I question as I wipe away the remaining tears. Smiling a little more at my bad attempt at a joke while he sat back down with a smile of his own.
"I can think of several reasons why I might want to dust off the old coat and go on one final adventure." he grins excitedly as he began to flex his trembling hands.
"I am sorry I won't be able to explain exactly what it is I have planned..." I mutter as I try to think it over. But how could I explain something as peculiar as a storm wanting to be left alone? He was a wind-magic user, he had no connection to this kind of stuff!
"Wouldn't be much of an adventure if you could!" he tells me as a careless attitude possesses him.
"I'd rather not get you needlessly hurt..."
"Don't worry about me, now. All you got to concern yourself with is yourself and your mother. I might be finely aged. But, I am no polished dullard." he tells me as he takes another sip from his drink.
"I guess we could talk about that then, when Vadei gets back from her bath."
"What, all my old adventures? Perhaps even how I met your mother?"
"Oh, that would be interesting!" I say as Mother never did tell me much about what she did when she was younger. Maybe it would even give me the hints I needed to find my father... The man who could be seen as the one at fault for all of this. But, I didn't want to blame a man I did not even know for a problem that came about because of myself...
It had to have been a self-inflicted problem... It had to be! People weaker than me had golden lightning when they cast their spells and incite their magic! Yet, I...
I sparked a bright blue...
"Well, anyway, I best start thinking of something because your friend just finally willed herself out of the bath." Brewbrt idly commented before he started to tap the base.
"E-Excuse me!?" I let out after hearing that.
"Oh, that, get used to it now because as you grow as a witch, you'll be finding it very easy to sense what others are up to." Brewbrt idly commented as he went back to his pondering.
"When you become so powerful, you have trouble stopping yourself from doing something so simple?"
"No, I just keep my senses active about my house as a security measure. It was how I also found that boy, by the way, when he snuck back into my house for your combined luggage."
"Yes, I recall..." I, unfortunately, found myself saying as the memories flickered in my mind.
"Ah... That was nice..." Vadei let out with a relaxed and booming sigh as she came into the dining room. And, she was decked out in what must've been the dressing gown I had ever seen. I think it was fair to say that when she nearly melted into the chair that she was comfortable.
"We have some food on the way up, so, while I have you as my guest, why not tell me who you are?"
"Shouldn't you introduce yourself, first?" Vadei snapped back at him as she slowly slid down the chair. All the way until she had to scrunch up her chin just to look our way.
"I suppose that is fair," Brewbrt laughed before he sent a little bit of magic at Vadei's face, "I am the Founding-Lord Brewbrt, and this is my ravineer town of Tryhpeltzweig."
"Vadei of Agaudi..." she mutters right back as she cleans up the freshly made mess.
"Agaudi... You're decently south, aren't you?"
"I don't know, I never paid much attention to the geography of it." she says with a shrug.
"Well, I can say I am looking forward to heading that way again. Especially if we arrive during the famous bitch-off." he laughs out, much to Vadei's annoyance.
"Hey! Don't make such a wonderful event seem so crass..."
"But that is what it is, no? The women all fight over who can cook better."
"Yes, and it is the best." Vadei huffs before she sits upright.
"But, yeah, I do honestly like the idea of seeing an oxfuinei village again. It's been a while, in fact, since I have seen anything but a human."
"Aelenvari not come this way?" Vadei asks as she brings her tail up in front of her.
"They used too before I founded this town way back. However, we went on to dominate the entire junction so they started taking a new route as war was off the table with me here."
"You're strong enough to deter a war?" I asked as it was a new concept to me.
"A very small one. I mean, it's a flower vs a town, not much of a difference with how many people are there."
"So... Did you stop it by actually being strong or by..." Vadei began to ask suggestively as he started to fill with laughter.
"V-Vadei!" I let out knowing what she was on about. My friendship in Rose'lhia had given me some insight into how these 'flowers' worked. But I had never seen it firsthand.
"No, those meetings were purely man-on-man." Brewbrt clarified as he continued to laugh before he played with my current reaction.
"Don't!" I complained with a whine after he gave me a particular wink.
"Though, actually, on the topic on that sort of stuff. As I did say not long ago, Einervaene, I'd talk about my old adventures. One of the things we used to do on the road and something a lot still do is present themselves to a flower. Even if you cannot get into where the petals are, you can still work it around a bit."
"I don't think Aahtha encourages decadence like that." Vadei huffs.
"You did it for the supplies, really, not for the thrill of the bedcover-bound adventure. I mean, sure, the younger lot out there probably do go there for that sort of stuff. But me and my lot just used them as mobile shops, really. An intermediary between the 'legal' settlements and us ravineers."
"Yeah right, you walk into a flower of son-crazed women and you keep them on? Don't make me laugh." Vadei scoffs between bouts of playing with the cutlery and other stuff.
"It's the fact it is so easy that turns a lot of adventurers off as they grow more powerful. Especially for likes of people like Tornado Valley Tyohr or Ravine Carver Jeckels. It's more of something you did as you were growing and the fame rushed to your head." he explained further.
"I think I remember hearing people talking about them back in Suhurlodst..." I mutter as the names sound familiar. But, they weren't prevalent enough in my memories to mean much.
"Some of the top free witches on the continent right now. Adventurers, mercenaries, whatever term you think is appropriate."
"So... What name did you go by, Brewbrt?"
"My old guild name? Oh, that takes me back... The terror of Sky-Bomber Brewbrt!" he reminisced with a wide smile.
"Wait, guild name?"
"You register yourself up into a greater, hands-off organisation."
"Oh, like Ni-" Vadei began to say before she suddenly recalled that I was here.
"Nin! That was it, the boy went and joined the Free Witches Guild? How come?" Brewbrt began to say full of excitement before he saw my depressed expression. He then went quiet and the only noise that followed was his staff coming in with food and drink.
"Well timed..." Vadei let out quietly as she quickly went to the food and picked at it.
"I need to get some air..." I sighed out before I got up to leave.
"Would you like me to set you aside a plate? It's your favourite, no?" Brewbrt asked me with an apologetic tone as he briefly gave chase.
"Yes, please." I told him with a stiff tone before I closed the balcony door behind me. Then, once I had some privacy up here above this garden square. I tightened my grip on the balcony guards and tapped one of my heels. I shouldn't be getting frustrated like this, but, I was starting to think along the lines of 'how could I not!?'
And it was true! We were just talking about Brewbrt's past when he was younger. A while before I was even born! And somehow, somehow!
It went back to Nin... The discussion somehow became about him.
"Gods damn it..." I let out quietly before I looked above and behind, "But, not him... Don't damn him."
.
.
.
"Should I or should I not get started on sorting all this out?" I asked myself as I rocked back and forth in the Undwote-inspired rocking chair. It had been quite some time since I used my armoury. I didn't even go in here when that strange osibindah migration happened the last time Einervaene and her friends were here.
But what would I take on this adventure, anyway? I owed it to my dear friend from another land to take this as seriously as possible. Einervaene's reserved nature about it as well also necessitated some paranoia as well. If it could be called that, anyway.
Yet, with all the years I have had under my belt. I couldn't help but feel some of this might be a bit extreme. Ancient armours I have dragged out of formerly drowned ruins. Weapons that would make a Valkinvar blush with desire.
I had it all really.
"But I suppose I should try and pry what I could out of her before I make any final decisions..." I then mutter before I glance up in the direction of my friend's daughter. Einervaene had been pretty immobile since that unfortunate verbal stumble earlier. The pair must've fallen out pretty hard. But, Thrurstradtur or Suhurlodst be damned, if he broke his promise...
If there was something to this that demanded it, then, well, I'll have a reason to get my best equipment.
For now, however, I gave the situation the benefit of the doubt and just rose to my feet. Locking my armoury behind me before I began the walk to my favoured guest. As I did so, I did the usual things with my members of staff before I then reached the door to her. And I knocked to see if she was willing to suffer my presence right now.
To my delight, she was and the door opened at her behest before I took the final step.
"It's a very different view down here, you know." she idly commented as she gazed towards the sky.
"I am very aware." I told her before smiling as she briefly laughed quietly.
"It feels strange that this feels as weird as it is... I grew up in a land where metal islands were held together by a net of thunder's light." she explained, and I nodded along with her as that was indeed a comparison. Having been to her homeland, I knew very well how strange it must seem from the outside.
"So seen as you can turn into said noisy light, have you ever tried to emulate the way your homeland works?" I suddenly decided to suggest when the idea suddenly popped into my head.
"No... I think I would stretch myself out trying to do that." she answered with a smile as she looked skyward again.
"Well, it's an idea to think about should you decide to grow your arcane arsenal." I tell her with a bemused huff before going quiet. If she wanted to say something, I would try letting her get it off her chest first.
"I know this might sound strange, Brewbrt... But, are you my father by any chance?" she suddenly asked me without even looking my way. So she must've not had faith in the idea herself.
"I am sorry, Einervaene, but no. Your mother is a dear friend but we never went that far even over a drink. All I know is that your father is a man from one of the colonies on the southern coastline." I tell her as I place my weight against the nearest side.
"I suppose I'll never figure out why I am different, then..." she lets out with a downtrodden sigh.
"Nothing wrong with that, history is built on the backs of those who dared to be different." I tell her, mostly thinking of the story of the Lone Lancer the Seven-Peaks Union holds so dear.
On a beast of burden did he charge, for who better to carry the saviour's burden than the strong steed? On that saviour steed did the Lone Lancer ride with Might at his back. A benevolent power like none had seen before. All to the fore did he implore...
"But what history am I going to change? All I have done is cause my mother indescribable pain... She has only suffered because of me."
"She suffers this because she loves you, she encouraged you to come to me for the same reason. So that you could be safe. And, you might've forgotten it as well, but she never asked you to save her."
"I never forgot it... I know she didn't ask me. But I saw the way she looked at me as I sailed away on that first ship." she clarified with an almost blank face.
"And this guilt has been driving you on?"
"I don't know what drives me... A daughter's love for her mother? A fear of change? I don't know!"
"I prefer the idea that it is the first one that motivates you." I tell her, smiling as I did so before I gave her a reassuring pat.
"I can't, however, help her like this..." she despairs as her blue lightning arcs about her hands.
"There is plenty of power coursing through your blood." I point out as my vision briefly changes to every adventurer's best tool. The ability to see as if they were aelenvari themselves. Even if it was such a basic thing.
"It doesn't matter if I am powerful... This is why I am not at home eating those sweet meat pancakes and other familiar delights... I am not learning how to take over from my mother like I should be. And it is all because of this!" she frustratedly explains.
"So you cannot gain the desired colour by growing your magic? Like how one's wind glows a brighter emerald the more powerful it becomes?" I ask her as I put on a demonstration of my own.
"No, I need something greater than just some tuition..." she remarks as she caresses her palms.
"And our adventure is to seek this power?"
"I already know where it is, I just need to... Convince it." she explains cryptically.
"You find a dragon or something?" I question as I guess it would be possible for a dragon to lend it the visage of power. But I don't recall Jaadagoren's crowning as their ruler ever influencing them to do such deceptive behaviour. Dragons were very constant in their behaviour.
As avatars of pure power, they never wavered from the idea of displaying it so proudly.
"No, something greater." she corrects as the briefest glimpse of her awe at it came through.
"Thurnmourer himself offers his aid?" I jokingly ask.
"Maybe." she teasingly answers.
"Come on..." I childishly whine, wanting to hear a little more about where we were headed.
"However, I have to admit... I was hoping to do this with more than just you." she suddenly said as the smile disappeared from her face.
"You wanted Nin to be here?" I asked, and she nodded.
"Do you want to perhaps talk about him? Get it off your chest somewhat? Whatever happened clearly happened recently."
"Yes, it was only a few days ago that I fought him."
"He become a criminal or something?" I asked as my brow raised. It seemed a little odd that they would just fight in a manner that would cause such a response.
"No... For the past two years, he has been relentlessly chasing after one called Smiling Jhurack."
"I see..." I quietly say as I knew full well who that madman was. Even in the ravines, the uncivilised part of the world as many knew it as... His reputation reached out here. If only because we were within the webbed borders of Thrurstradtur more than anything.
My connections to Suhurlodst kept me pretty informed as well.
"And... I just couldn't take it anymore... I could not tolerate seeing the man I... My friend, I could not tolerate seeing him being led about on a torture run." she explained with growing anger. Less out of concern for my property, however, I reached out to her. Doing my best to calm her as her magic started to lash out around her.
"So you tried to stop him from being led on by this man?"
"I did, yes... I even made a point of developing my own magic in response to some foreign warrior training him and goading him along with it."
"You were not powerful enough, then?"
"No... I was more than powerful enough..." she comments as she clutches where wounds must've been. However, this might've just been her pride talking.
"He caught you off guard?"
"Yes, and... I don't think my heart was fully in it... I knew what I wanted to do, planned it and prepared... But when the day finally came for me to put my foot down. I wavered and trembled."
"It's not an easy thing to fight a friend in a vicious manner. So don't beat yourself up over it." I tell her, speaking from experience as adventuring was a harsh profession. It tested teams and broke strong men.
"Nin is still out there you know... Tonight even... He is being slashed apart by that scum... And I failed to keep him safe... If I can't even keep one friend safe from himself... How can I-"
"No, that's enough!" I tell her as I pull Einervaene closely in for a hug. I didn't want to hear her enforce doubts in her head. And I kept her locked in the hug until all I could hear was her crying. Which, then made me ease up on the pressure to give her room to move.
"Please... Help me... I don't want to let my mother down as well... Please help me!" she begged despite already knowing that I would help her.
"Yes, Einervaene. I will give you my all." I tell her with a nod as I stroked the back of her head. And, as she proceeded to calm down. I thought back to my pondering in the armoury. I had my choices made now.
I would take the best stuff that I had! The strongest weapons and the most magically engorged of items would help her. I would not crack or snark as we went about it. She would have my all.
Her mother would have my all as well. For by helping her daughter I helped her and I reminded her of our friendship. That friendship that built our names across the world! Sky-Bomber Brewbrt would be soaring once more in seek of thrill!
Though, my thrill this time would be to smile as a daughter and mother held each other once again. Even if Einervaene went on to doubt herself in this journey. If despair overtook her and she could no longer move. I would be the hope that led her.
"So, when do you plan on heading out anyway?" I decided to ask her once she had properly quietened down.
"Tomorrow..."
"No, that won't do. You've travelled here within the day and are late going to bed. You'll rest here for a few nights before we then head out." I explain to her before I mentally remarked about my own situation. As, while the schemes and pecking order had been established should my absence be an issue. I still needed to make everyone aware of that fact.
A lesson I learned quite well when I first became a Founding-Lord... I still hadn't quite realised what 'settling down' meant. And, that caused a few issues for my fledgeling settlement. Thankfully, I have had time to mature on that front.
"I didn't bring a change of clothes..." she then muttered incoherently.
"Sorry, what was that?" I asked as I pushed her away slightly. And I became increasingly bemused at how red her face was. It was not because she had just been crying as well...
"I didn't bring a change of clothes... This is all I have."
"Idiot." I breathed out without a second thought.
"Hey!" she complained as I held back a laugh. Patting her on the back as I brought her in doors. And, we strolled about briefly before I finally found a female servant.
"My friend's daughter here decided to go on a trip without much thought put into it. I don't suppose you have any clothes she could wear?" I asked the servant bluntly.
"Uh... There should be spare clothes in the utility room. But I do not know if they've been cleaned or n-"
"Thank you." I quickly say as I get Einervaene moving once again. Keeping it up despite her growing protests before we finally arrived at this part of the building that I never use.
"Wh-What if none of it fits...?" Einervaene blabbers as I got to work finding something soft and comfortable. I suppose it didn't matter what so long as it fit her.
"Are you the kind that sleeps nude?" I then asked her without even considering the kind of question it was.
"N-Nude!?" she repeated with a returning blush.
"No..." I draw out in response before I start to finally assemble something she could use.
"Th-Thank you..." she mutters when I finally dump the load unceremoniously into her grip.
"Off to bed now, and, if you want, leave that by your door for someone to collect and we'll clean it."
"Would you even be able to clean this?" she questions as she reminds me of the copper guidance system she had on this attire of hers.
"Yeah, we can handle that." I tell her confidently even if I honestly had no idea if we could handle it. My staff sort of had a clear divide between armour and clothing. Though, I suppose they did have experience cleaning thick leathers covered in hooks and buttons.
"I'm... I'm sorry to burden you with this, Brewbrt."
"Don't worry about it Einervaene. There's not a burden from you I would refuse when it is held with this kind of sincerity." I explain to her before I gestured for her to get going to bed.
"Goodnight..." she said quietly as she disappeared.
"Sleep well, Einervaene." I say back to her before walking off. Stopping briefly to look back in her direction before frowning. Oddly enough, I then began to think to myself. That question of hers from earlier was lingering.
But, no, I just could not see any such connection existing. Yet, I would be even more proud of her if she was, in fact my daughter.