“I’ll be back later tonight, I’m sorry for disappearing.”

“You received the same note, huh?”

The Lamia nodded, handing the parchment over to Vaughn as they sat in the main hall of the adventurers guild. It was relatively empty, being midday at this point and even the few teams that did usually linger having dispatched on a suprise search hunt for none other than the girl mentioned. Callum and Hatsumi payed out of pocket to find the girl after realizing she left, leaving a similar but more close noted message. ’I’ll be back, give me some time.’

“You don’t think this has anything to do with Krakow, do you?”

Vaughn asked, receiving a sideways nod in turn.

“Or it has everything to do with it. Mother was sharing drink with Miss Hatsumi last night and spoke of some outbursts. Least Kiyomi saw fit to not leave us entirely in the dark.”

Beryl laid her head on the table top, almost sulking in her expression.

“All we can hope for is that she’ll actually hold to her word. Given she knows the forests around here a lot better than Krakow, looking for her now would be a mistake when she might come straight to us.”

Vaugh leaned back in his chair, swirling water in the glass that teetered in his fingertips.

“That’s if Lorn doesn’t find her first.”

The two took a moment, their minds drifting to the day they spent searching for Kiyomi back in Krakow. Each one could easily see the sullenness in the other.

“She’ll be-“

Each nearly spoke in unison, before Vaughn pulled himself back.

“She’ll be fine, it feels way too different compared to Krakow to say things are that bad. But I doubt she’d willingly scare her mother so much with ease. I’m also a little shocked she’d supposedly jump the wall, considering no guards spotted her.”

Beryl sat back on her coils, hoisting her body upward as she spoke.

“I’m figuring something happened between them if anything, why else send the miss into a panic first and foremost.”

Vaughn joined her, shoving his own note in his pocket.

“Should we play the fool?”

“Aye, and as much as it pains me to say. If she’s planning to draw this out for multiple days, we should anticipate holding out on that act. We should both keep an eye out for her.”

The two exchanged a nod.

“Got it, I’ll be seeing you tomorrow.”

——————————————————————

The forest, further from Brenton’s reach, across a Bridge, deep in the forest, close to sunset. A long, painful, suspenseful walk.

…

I told you what you would find… I would give words of care to your mourning, but I know that now you cannot do thus. For stealing that from you, I apologize.

“Fuck you.”

I sat, staring at a patch of tall grass at the base of a tree scarred by years of some monster marking its territory.

“Your words carry fuck all for weight they’re supposed to.”

I did give you back that tongue, however.

Solah looked to the sky, her armored palms dropping to her sides.

I did my best, to help him fulfill his wish to the extent of my limits.

“Did his wish include ‘fucking us up’ like this?”

The tree we stared at, was the one that my father, Juro, died under.

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

“I don’t know what I expected after so long, a scrap of cloth? Some bones? I would have— I would have liked something to hold close. A scrap, even finding something to bury would have been preferable.”

I leaned back against the tree I’d sought shelter beneath.

“I suppose… Auntie Sarah is alive. Ko, maybe she followed further? Just enough to bury father… but short enough to never find me. That or something nasty came for a snack.”

Still I stared at the patch of grass.

You spoke once…

Solah left her comment open ended for a few moments.

Apologies, I know longer have to play the apathetic god now that the worst outcome for you has been avoided.

She thumbed at her chin, the gesture uncharacteristic of how the goliath carried herself.

“This is you not being apathetic? What worse outcome?”

She smirked to herself at my comment.

It can be discussed later… as for now… words of parting. You never gave them to him, would it not be fitting? Now that you recognize everything around you as it is? Even—

Her eyes trailed to the patch of tall grass.

It is a facet of your past life, as unhelpful that may seem, given the continuity.

The words were clear, and as much as I wanted to spur every one she uttered outside of direct aid, she was right.

I would like to say something… to father…

No tears, no water works, save a momentary rise of regret. Regret that I forgot someone I loved.

“Daddy, I’m sorry…”

I couldn’t even keep my eyes on the grass, dropping my head further as I closed my eyes. I was trying to imagine his face, how I remembered it.

“I’m sorry that I spent our last meal together sulking. I know you tried, even then, to keep me happy.”

My throat tightened, then was the weight of a short, tearless sob.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t bigger, or more brave, or could use magic.”

The thoughts of Sarah spending her time to keep me safe, losing her arm protecting me. I knew in the end, me not being a fighter was entirely their goal. They wanted me sheltered from that.

“But most of all, I’m sorry I never told you how much I love-“

I tilted my head, smirking at my stupidity.

I was a child, with none of this knowledge I had before.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you how much I loved you.”

The words felt relieving, like a weight rose from my shoulders. I missed my father, but it was something my mind was more equipped to handle now.

And from here, I feel like I can finally move on.

I stood with a groan soon after, being able to fully stand at full confidence.

“Now that that’s over, I think I can head back to town for tonight. Get you off my back, y’know?”

I tossed a rock at Solah, whom continued to stare at the patch.

As long as my charge is well. I’m only visible to you for the sake of the gesture.

“I’m surprised you’d have the balls to give a little girl a handful of seizures like that. Granted, over years, but still insane. The gesture is shite by the way, here for the frying of my brain, but not the second.”

Solah shrugged.

I knew you would be fine before each I allowed to pass. There was no risk, and with that, we part ways for now. That is, until the Kraken decides to make mischief of herself.

Solah seemed to roll her eyes at the words as they passed her lips, as if they were a chore to speak. A flash of the image in my mind, the glimpse of a tentacled woman behind Sabine in the catacombs.

Do not concern yourself, I will ensure your peace from her.

_______________________________________

This was… inevitable. Please put up with it a little longer?

Tyr leaned over the shoulder of an extremely perturbed beast folk, his hands clasped together as he awkwardly smiled.

This was unfortunately part of the plan.

He spoke to Lorn, the only person that could hear him.

Since when is it ever not, to you?

Lorn pointed her thoughts, but they were a scrambled mess for the most part, thanks to the current squabble she found herself in.

“Gods damnit Lorn! I know you can look for her! So why the fuck don’t you?!”

An angry mother screamed, her voice tearing as her frustration was welling further.

“Why didn’t you tell me?! Why did you let me know? There was so much I could have done!”

Hatsumi continued to yell, her off hands nails leaving light scratches in the wood desks top.

“And why the hell are you holding our team here?“

She stepped back, nearly bumping into Callum as she did. Chessa and Stannis both sat on either side of the coffee table at the far end, letting the parents hash out their qualms with Lorn first and foremost. Trusting Lorn, for everything she’s proven and achieved, trusting that she cares enough for the young demon to hold her tongue purposefully. They knew by this point when she lied to them, and her supposed obliviousness to Kiyomis whereabouts was poorly cobbled at best.

“The girl is safe, I can say that much. I’ll go to find her at the right time. What I need you to do is stay put, in case that Skullker is spotted closer to town.”

Hatsumi sneered at Lorn’s words, taking the comment as a brush off of their complaints. That she would not help find her, at least not yet.

“You can’t stop us from searching within the walls! We-“

“Hatsumi.”

It was Callum’s hand that broke Hatsumi’s tantrum.

“Well look around, I’m sure she’ll be back eventually. She wouldn’t leave alone, especially without speaking to Vaughn and Beryl. Well keep tabs on the other two-“

“Cal-“

Hatsumi brushed Callums hand away.

“This isn’t the time for that.”

Callum nodded to the side.

“Aye, but I saw Beryl earlier. She just seemed stressed, not upset. That means those two know something.”

Hatsumi bit at her lip a second, her tail fluttering against the ground with anxiety.

“So what you’re saying is that we should keep tabs on them?”

At the question posed by Hatsumi, Lorn seemed to slam her desk suddenly, looking to her side with a look of aggravation that she’s rarely put forth as of late.it was to her side, where no one stood.

“Are you okay, Lorn?”

Chessa was the first to speak up, prompting Lorn to rub at the bridge of her nose with a heavy exhale.

“Tail them, wherever they go, I can’t stop that. But I forbid you from searching outside of that.”

She seemed to whisper the last part of her sentence.

“The others should already be after her… making sure she has as long as she needs to think things over.“

Chessa raised a brow, realizing Lorn had long handled her part in this.

“The ‘baby sitters?”

Lorn nodded at the question through furrowed brows.

“Aye, now git.”

——————-

Hm hmm. Seems the little wyrm has opened up her shell.

The study was bleak, Sabines idle learning being interrupted by the sing song tone once more haunting her ears. Nyx was uncharacteristically quiet for some time now, standing at the window of the study as she peered outward towards the horizon.

“You have remained silent for some days now, mayhaps you have found a need to shower me with riddles? Of whom do you speak?”

Sabine asked, half joking, but anticipating the inevitable message each bout seemed to bring. Nyx did not look back however, her attention on the horizon through the stained glass window in front of her.

Who else? Kiyomi. It seems the seeds of the seizure you found her amidst have settled and shown the crop of our labors.

Sabine twirled the pen she held within her grasp.

“Do you feel particularly inclined to clarify the revelation?”

She remembers who she is, not just her memories of before, but their meaning to her. Meaning you will be in for more of my sisters presence as well. On that note, it would be convenient to run into her again. I still have my work for—“

“Joy be to the earth and its soil.”

Sabines tone became sarcastic, more so than usual, no doubt at Solah’s confirmed presence being prolonged.

“I would ask a margin more silence in the mean time, I have a rather pressing assignment the guild passed down from Francia. I must study our route.”

Then I would ask of thee, mine fry, is it not pressing enough that you are closer to the answer of your suspicions?

Sabines eyes lost focus for a moment.

“Come again?”

She looked up once more, seeing a glowing eyed Cheshire smile adorning Nyx’s silhouetted face.

To so the seed and maketh sprouts anew, or to guide a lonesome fawn in the dark. A line cast, a fish to the cat. And for one born of this world…

Nyx turned fully to face her, the grin widening to reveal inhuman teeth.

Prithee consider, a seed of this world alone would never come to an alien conclusion such as lead poisoning, you correctly assumed as much. One would have to be a low branch indeed… or not belonging to the trees whatsoever.

It was a long moment before the words clicked together as the puzzle they were. Once they were realized, however, Sabine could swear she felt a subtle smile form upon her face.

“So there is another such as myself.”

She received a simple nod, the taxing hostess of Sabines aggravation disappearing as her chin dropped.