Aiven woke up with a start. Sweat racing down his back and forming tiny smudges on his camisole. It took a few seconds before he calmed down.
He should have said something, but years of training himself from speaking as little as possible made him suppress any instinct he has from shouting, yelling or even cursing whenever he gets in any position where a normal person would.
Not being able to express himself in words, it didn't took many years before even his expression became muted as well. He became your typical emotionless person. Though his inner thoughts were always far from being impassive.
That nightmare. Ah fuck. He held up his trembling hands to his mouth, he could almost feel the wave of nausea racking his head as he almost heaved up the last of his dinner.
Ding
Congratulations
Your [Miasma Resistance] level up
Your [Miasma Resistance] level up
Your [Miasma Resistance] level up
You've unlocked Miasma Nullity
Required Skill/s [Miasma Resistance 10] acquired
Your [Abnormal Status Resistance] level up
You've unlocked Curse Alleviation
Required Skill/s [Hex Analysis 10][Curse Detect 10][Abnormal Status Resistance 10] acquired
Even in his sleep, Delica's familiars still has a way of killing him. The miasma levels earlier finally came to him with a vengeance, specially with all the Undead and the ruckus they made. And this time, there was no demon lordling to fend off the negative effects.
His heaving stopped, and with numbed limbs, he hauled his body to sit on the ground. With his head finally resting back on the earthen wall, he closed his eyes shut and groaned in pain. When he felt his mana system starting to filter a different kind of mana energies that he could only liken to antibodies, his body relax for the first time that night.
Right now, he was occupying one of the earthen compartments. The small box of dirt he was sleeping under was from Simos' earth-molding skills. It was warm due to the earth retaining the heat during the day. And when the morning comes, the heat has already transferred leaving a cool shade for them to rest in. On the other room of the compartment would be Delica and Maou, eyes closed and sleeping soundly, at least he was sure the little demon lord was.
Delica on the other hand was far from being out-cold. Even if she seems to be under a deep slumber, she was actually using this time to meditate on her [Undead Grimoire] within her Phylacteral.
She doesn't need any sleep, so when it was time for the first watch, Delica scoffed and insisted that she'll take watch the whole night. There's also her other familiars scattered everywhere, so there was no need to keep watch.
But Simos just argued that it was already a habit and a routine for their party.
Lady Mieu needed someone to be with her during the night after all. Mentioning Maou sleeping did the trick and she reluctantly offered to be Mieu's body pillow which the little girl was extremely happy about.
His eyes finally adjusted on the darkness and he could clearly see two familiars guarding the opening. He made a quick scan and didn't bother to take note of their names. Their bland expressions as they sat cross-legged reminded him of stone gargoyles. The same expressions, he's sure, as with the other two outside the earthen cabin.
Deciding that the night air will do him good, he moved out the entrance that was covered by a heavy canvass. As he passed along the statue-like undeads, Aiven could feel uneasiness working up to his spine. He might never get used with these familiars Delica dragged into their party.
He looked at the firecamp and saw Simos tending the coals.
The fire put dark shadows on Simos' face, reminding Aiven of his dream. It's the rough simplicity of that nightmare that made it all the more heavy on his mind.
The night they came to the Sila-ir stronghold.
Aiven waited until he locked eyes with Simos and when Simos caught his movements, the boy smiled at him and beckoned him to come and have a sit.
Taking Simos offer, he sat with the hearthstone infront of him, their position facing the woods while the camp was on their back.
The shadowy forest and the night strewn with clusters of stars were his background. Fellen Valley was a colossal of a forest. Everything was larger and built for a bigger species than humanoids. The smallest of trees has the width quadrupled that of normal centennial trees and the leaves could pretty much pass as umbrella among others.
The travelling was easy, camping and keeping with the magical beasts in the Fellen Forest was, at present, the most normal thing their party has done for the past days.
“Can't sleep, huh?” and there was enough concern on the blonde's voice to make him smile a little.
["Yup, but I’m feeling better,"] Aiven tried flexing his hands, the [Miasma Nullity] starting to be in effect and despite its discomfort, found it necessary if he plans on continuing helping with the quest.
It's not like he had spend the years living above a three thousand year old catacomb that spews out miasma every ten years. But seriously, living with a cemetery under your bed must have been effective. Simos' resistance to the undead was really astonishing to the point that he doesn’t need [Holy Water] or dispelling spells.
The two boys stayed that way for a while, listening to the little sounds of the forest and the simple movements heightened by the silence.
Like him, Simos had no armor but a sturdy sword was hanging on his hip. Sitting there with slumped back made Simos looked smaller. And without the bulky vests and plates, he could pass as any normal village kid playing at swords.
Not long after Simos handed him a heated water, no flavoring, just warm water to held against the biting wind. His friend looks like he has been waiting for him.
["Thanks,"] Aiven tried to motion on his hands, a habit, but Simos just grunted and crossed his arms.
“We still doing hand signs?” he raised his eyebrows, “I think we're long passed playing guessing games, don't you think?"
You know you could talk to us, forked tongue or not.
Those were the same words from Delica. Aiven became suddenly aware of his disfigured tongue. The uneasiness of using it had passed and the poor muscles already felt at home at its new state.
“When I talk..." Aiven said, testing the roll of words on his lips, "does it shows?”
“No," Simos frowned, "you could be a ventriloquist with how little you open your mouth. So unless you talk with your tongue lolling around, then no one would even guess about your..uh...?”
“Deformity.”
“I was thinking if I should use plural.”
“I don't have two tongues.”
"Right, snake tongue. Or no tongue, doesn't matter. You still don't talk."
Now it's Aiven's turn to scowl. "I am talking."
"But not to us." Simos paused not knowing how to continue, "you've said more words to those Familiars than you would have uttered in a year in our company."
"You know me," better than those idiots, so I don't need to explain what I want to say.
"Yeah, knowing what you want for breakfast just from eye movements? Sure. But you know voicing out your opinions--in specifics, would put me at ease. I mean I'm your party leader, you should at least be able to talk to me."
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
"I'm fine." Aiven replied. He had never heard that bit, but he didn't refute it either, taking it as Simos' way of exaggerating things for effect.
A quiet sigh escaped from Simos, and he became noticeably wary as he faced his silent friend. Same old habits, the very thing Simos does before he would start talking seriously.
"I guess I'm just feeling guilty," Simos finally said.
About Delica?
"Aside from my sister," they exchanged knowing glance, talking about Delica was painful for both of them that it somehow became a taboo, "from the start, I should have asked about you."
"What?" What about me?
"Whether you still want to be a member of this party."
There were alarm bells flashing on his head, but he took control of it and let Simos continue.
"What I'm saying is that you have every reason not to follow this fate.
"From the start you got tangled in our family's affair. Everything, everything about this quest has nothing to do with you. I've used your guilt as an otherworlder and didn't even bothered asking you if you want out, Just so you'll continue aiding us. Even when we've established it was me they've targeted, you didn't even said anything about it.”
Him, being a hero candidate. As with the most of their routines, sharing information among their party was an utmost priority. Among the most vital were Simos' conversation with the Emblems--word for word.
"You, sticking to us doesn't add up," Simos muttered under his breathe.
"Simos, you're starting to piss me off," for the first time that night, Aiven was getting angry.
"Am I now?" Simos started grinning, "now we're having progress."
"Isn't it too late for that?" Aiven snapped back almost fed up.
Simos closed his eyes and heave a sigh. "What I want to say is...I wan't to give you a choice. A choice I should have asked right from the start. My question still stands, do you want out of the party?" There was a jab of pain at those words, as if speaking that question made Simos cringe.
"You're kicking me out?" You want me out of the party?
"No! I--Ancients of Eight, why do you have to word it so cruelly? After everything you've sacrified? After everything you've lost? How can I ask you to continue?"
"I didn't sacrificed anything."
"You've lost your family."
"They're alive and if you've forgotten, I've gained some lately."
"Your honorary nobility shattered."
"Good riddance."
"And you were forced to have your first kill." at this Simos face really did darkened. There was a moment of pain in Simos' expression and Aiven was too intuned to his friend not to notice. There were flashes of confusion and frustration. A face of a lost child who doesn't know who to turn to.
This kid. Is Simos trying to give him counseling?
For once Aiven was really speechless. He was caught up on their problems that he forgot that Simos was just a child trying to make sense of all the changes and responsibilities hanging on their shoulders. Just a kid, despite his appearance.
Whenever he heard Simos talk, he had always felt how strong Simos is, how steady and constant he is. Simos pretty much acted like their anchor through it all.
And now Aiven was watching him shatter, Simos was not moving as if the energy has left him.
“No one forced me. You're tired. You're thinking too much.” Aiven really was not good at comforting people. But Simos only looked down, the crackling of the fire was audible as he went back to silence.
"I'm not sorry that I have to protect my friends…I could say it was necessary, that the ones we've killed were not...innocent, that they were slavers, torturers, killers, abducters, the base of all that was human...but it was all just lame excuses. I can't even use self-defense as a reason for our actions. We came to the Golds that night with all the intention to use anything to bring back Delica. And if you ask me, I'll do it again."
Aiven had decided that the lives of all the Golds were worth it to save a fraction of Delica's soul. A girl who was an Undead, a Lich, who has no rght to be walking abvove ground. And yet, he doesn't feel any regret for bringing her soul back.
"No regrets?"
"No regrets."
"So is that a 'no'? You'll stay?"
At Simos' incessant questioning, Aiven realized that he was asking his 'word' for it. Their situation right now was different than their normal adventuring that Simos wanted to hear it himself and not just Aiven's usual mute ascent and acceptance to everything that comes in their path. In their culture words were powerful. The [Tongue of Babel] was a gift that no one would dare dishonor. Promises, vows, Freareans take their words seriously as if its their last.
Aiven balled his hand to a fist and bumped it lightly on Simos' shoulders, shaking his head as if he doesn't understand why they were even having this conversation in the first place.
"I'll stay, satisfied?"
"Sounds about right by me." Simos breathed out, relief obvious in his every movement as he placed more timber on the roaring fire. "As the leader, we should have more of these one-on-one conversations as standard procedure. Maybe at every event of the quest, we should ask everyone if they still want to continue?" And Simos was back grinning that reckless smirk on his face.
"For a standard procedure, isn't this too personal?"
"It is personal, I have to...make sure. And since we are having the longest conversation of our lives, why not ask more if you blame us, in your own words. Words binding. 'Cause by the Eights, you have the right to do so. You know that any verbal and non-verbal agreements should be black as spades." Simos said, remembering the common phrases of Runsaerines.
"Or be diced and find wanting by blades. Done your research?" Aiven was surprised.
With Simos' hands full with the familiars, it was a miracle he could still find time to use the bathroom, let alone drill the books Aiven had shoved to him about the Runsaer's history and culture.
"Hey I might be careless sometimes but I take being a party leader to heart. And part of it was not making a stupid piece of myself and looking after its members, namely you, skulking."
"That bad?" Then Aiven remembered Simos saying that "everyone" would be questioned, [s]Everyone?[/i] "so you've also spoken this issue to Delica?"
Simos slumped back down again, more defeated than before, "you should hear Delica shrieking at me for asking her if she wanted to leave the party. If only you weren't logged out cold, I could have used some backing." he whined, sounding more like himself, "I swear her familiars were all armed to skewer me when she started having a miasma ready at hand! It's so much easier with Lady Mieu."
"Maou? You've asked her?"
"Yes, of course. She's as much as a member to this party."
"Uh...she's the [Quest Item], why would you ask her to leave?"
That stopped Simos. He stared at his friend and studied his expression and only saw honesty and sincere intentions on his words. Aiven really only saw Mieu as a quest, a mission, nothing more.
Simos has thought that Aiven was getting along with Lady Mieu, did he got that wrong somehow? It's true that Simos saw the demon lord as someone that saved them and kept him and his friends breathing, but hearing Aiven treating her as an 'item' and not a person didn't felt right.
He remembers her little outbursts, the solemn prayers, the way she guided him, and the spark of pure curiosity and intelligence from time to time that was advance for her age.
He shook himself away from those thoughts.
"Sometimes hanging out with just the three of us all the time, I forgot how harsh and cold you treat your fellows."
"Howabout you?" Aiven changed the subject, not even guising the rude dismissal of his question, "If you have the chance, would you want to put a stop this quest?"
There was a pause, then a clear word, "No."
This time they were both smiling, back to being party members on a quest to destroy the world. Aiven stood up and gestured for him to sleep. It was his turn to keep watch and there's tons of work to be done tomorrow.
“You know why you fight, right?”
Simos noticed how his gaze went to the tent where Mieu and Delica was sleeping soundly.
"Yeah," Aiven said softly still smiling before Simos ducked his head and entered the earthen cabin.
----------------------------------------
Generantis
Lignum ignis pascitur ;
Ignem creat terram ( cinis ) ;
Terra et venera ferat metallum ;
Metalli colligit aqua ;
Aqua nutrit ligna .
Expugnaturum
Lignum partes terrae ;
Absorbet aquam terra ;
Aqua extinguit ignem ;
Conflat metallum ;
Metalli transversum lignum
Generating
Wood feeds fire;
Fire creates earth (ash);
Earth bears metal;
Metal collects water;
Water nourishes wood.
Overcoming
Wood parts earth;
Earth absorbs water;
Water quenches fire;
Fire melts metal;
Metal chops wood.