Sely and Toslevi leave the room.

The silence, the darkness. The mayor runs her fingers through the rusty, chipped jewels.

“Wise lady” a hooded figure intervenes, whispering.

“Did you notice it too? She can hide her eyes, but her skin, her hair. Is it clear what I mean?”

“Yes, wise lady.”

“We can't pretend, we are all witnesses of what we have just seen. Toslevi the alchemist trades with insects. For this, he will be punished.”

Silence falls again. The mayor scrutinizes her hooded colleagues one by one. She pulls up her hood as well.

“What about Endya and the expedition?” a figure insists.

“He wants to be an alchemist, right?”

⁂

“OHHH! How annoying!!!” Sely kicks a small stone with her foot.

The rock rolls down the ledge, a small cliff outside the city.

“Sely, I can imagine how different the life you led with Tossyllia is…”

“Dad, you didn't say anything! You looked completely different! She treated us as if we were the lowest beings! AAH, how angry!”

Toslevi, with his warm, hairy hand, caresses Sely's head.

“Ah ah ah, my daughter. You are nice in your naivety. Humans are like the sea; they separate and bend between the rocks.”

Sely moves her father's hand from her head, and the antennae move. With her hands, she fixes her disheveled hair. “These sayings are not funny. She needs help and treats me like she's doing me a favor! Even the promise of a reward felt like a threat...”

“See carefully, because it was.”

“So, now?”

Toslevi looks at Sely. He inhales deeply, the sea breeze makes his beard flutter.

“Sely… no one is forcing you to stay. Go back to your mother, to your life. I'm very happy to have seen you grow up. You thank Tossyllia for the warning, we will take care of the city.”

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“B-but-but the expedition to Creraga!? It seems dangerous!”

The man nods.

“No. Dad, Mom sent me here to help you! What's the point of giving you bad news and then leaving you alone!?”

“Tossyllia could do it… hahaha.”

“Don't talk bad about mom.”

Sely isn't sure what to feel. She sits on the ground, short, soft grass caresses her fingers.

“Look, it's about to rain again. Do you see that cloud front over there?” Toslevi points to the sea.

“Hm…” Sely doesn't look at him, busy fiddling with some stems.

“First, when I got angry, you were looking for bullets. I remember well?”

“Yes… I only have one left. Even if I wanted to, it's not enough to survive the journey home...”

“…Are you good at shooting?”

“Yes, a lot. I have very good reflexes and very sharp eyesight.”

Toslevi moves away from the precipice, reconnecting with Sely. He places a hand on her shoulder.

Sely looks up.

“There are no bullets in Vanoge. It is true.”

“Uh…?”

“But I can improve your weapon. Show the gun.”

Sely takes her revolver out of its holster. Her fingers run over the smooth, still shiny silver barrel, the dark wood handle. A small engraving in the barrel forms the fantasy of wind and lightning.

“Do you know what gun this is?” Toslevi takes the weapon and turns it over in his hands. He holds it and pretends to aim at a house on the edge of Vanoge.

“Mom's?”

“Yes. I restored it. Me together with a great blacksmith, a companion in our adventures.”

Sely watches with interest. She doesn't know what to say.

Mom never told me about other people, about old adventures…

Should I believe Dad?

Even if he tells me to be wary of those similar to him?

I've seen it before, completely different from now... humans are like waves…

“There are no bullets in Vanoge.”

“Dad, you already said it.”

The man gives the gun back to her daughter.

“I'll improve your weapon tonight, Sely. Then you will decide whether to go home or stay.”

87th day of travel

Chronicle of Sely, daughter of Tossyllia

Humans are very different from how I imagined them.

Physically, it is now clear to me, they are quite similar to me and my mom. Furthermore, in our species, there is much more variety. They are very similar to each other.

The mayor of Vanoge is a truly haughty person, she reminds me of my mom's stories about the Marquise of Diamonds.

I didn't speak to Dad again after the afternoon.

We went back, I helped him with the herbs. After dinner, a little while ago, thunder started to be heard.

Dad has locked himself in a rear area of the structure, under the antenna, and is working. He feels himself being beaten and jerked.

He has the gun with him. I trust him. I want to trust people.

Mom told me there are humans to watch out for, but Dad isn't one of them. And then I would like to meet Endya. I want to understand what happened.

That man, Folfo, doesn't count me right.

But maybe it's me who struggles to understand a different species, the scriptures have no answers to such banal questions…