Almost as if deja vu had happened, Neviah sputtered violently at the sudden splash of water assaulting his face for the second time today. His auburn locks had had no time to dry and he was forced to take off the tie binding his pit-length locks as he swiped his palms across his face.
"Get it together, loser! At this point, we'll never catch up with those thugs who kidnapped Mirano!"
Neviah had recalled the unfortunate event and melancholy began to sweep back to his mind as he soon recalled what had led to him being unconscious momentarily: clairvoyance. It is unknown to him how he received such an ability, but he is aware that it was a power so immense that he had no control over the appearance of a prophecy.
"Don't make me repeat myself, Usor!" Shizuru's impatient yell rang in Neviah's ears, which had earned him a big frown of disappointment. Normally, people do not interrupt others when they're lost in a montage.
Based on Shizuru's outstretched hand, Neviah figured that he was asking for a map, which Neviah doesn't have. Groaning, Shizuru clamors to his knapsack and rummages through it, the tinkling of metals sounding off for a while until Shizuru was able to retrieve a copy of the map.
Recognizing the sound, Neviah's eyes drop to the other remaining blades on the ground. "Wait, did Mirano leave all of his blades here?" Neviah asks with a serious frown.
Seeing where Neviah was looking, Shizuru collected the other blades, about three of them, chucked it inside his knapsack, and condescendingly replied: "What does it look like?"
"Come on," Neviah sighed, stooping to look down on the map that Shizuru had unfurled soon after. "That must have been the reason why he was unable to fight properly earlier."
"Or, it was because of you," Shizuru immediately retorted with an insulting glare.
If Neviah had taken the statement personally, he refused to show any reaction about it. Still, the hurt manifested in hid tightening jaw. Neviah cleared his throat. "His kidnappers... they must have been from a guild in the inter-tribal town of Wirgnej." he said while pointing to a star landmark in the middle of an illustration of trees.
"Weer-nedge, you mean?" Shizuru remarked.
"Wirgnej." Neviah repeated, enunciating the "R" at the beginning and the softness of the end sounds while locking gazes with the Digma. "The dull green glow from the activation of their spells indicated the use of a similarly-hued gemstone; the only origin nearby being the Gyamat in this town."
Shizuru breaks his gaze with a loud exhale, ember eyes examining the landmark on the map. "Gyamat being your source of energy to fuel your Sorcery, right?"
Neviah nods.
"How will we know which Sorcerers were responsible for his abduction?" Shizuru raises his arms in defeat. "If the town relied on the Gyamat fueling a green gemstone, then surely all guilds with practicing Sorcerers must be using a green gemstone nonetheless!"
"That will be true, if Wirgnej is a Usor town... but it's not!" Neviah replies.
"Multiple guilds are erected in an inter-tribal town!" argues Shizuru.
Furious, Neviah snatches the map and stomps away, folding it despite Shizuru's complaints. He counters, "Not Wirgnej! While the Gyamats are indeed sources of our Charm's power, the one in Wirgnej is the least productive one!"
As Neviah proceeds to get a good distance away, Shizuru stands and strides to catch up with Neviah, in his anger, pulls the Usor and accidentally raises his voice as he argues, "So?! What are you trying to say?"
Finding the sudden attack on his ears repulsive, Neviah reflexively swings his arm, landing a slap on Shizuru's cheek, the sound of which reverberates across the Digma's skin and left him kneeling on the ground whimpering.
"Oh my!! I-I'm so very sorry! I-I-I was just about to say... there's only one... one Usor academic guild m-m-made to protect the-the-the Gyamat in.... Weer--nedge..."
As if trying to appease Shizuru for the damage he had afflicted, Neviah gulps as the Digma digs in one of his pockets and retrieves a golden ornate hilt. Shizuru still has his head low, albeit his whimpering had already stopped by the time Neviah finishes his lengthy apology.
"You owe me big time, Neviah Kingsley." Shizuru's gaze did not land on Neviah as he speaks, which momentarily confuses Neviah and he follows the Digma's line of sight, which he hoped he had not done so.
Behind them lingers a creature whose form is bordered by a towering swirl of darkness. It stands on four legs despite any of its limbs resembling any known animals to both Shizuru and Neviah. A darker patch occupies the majority of where its face would be, with distortions in the blackness mimicking that of jagged teeth. The debris hanging from those however; mimic none, and was as real as torn flesh and fabric, which deliver a rotten smell across the area. Most prominent in the figure, however, is the large metal chains hanging from the metal brace on its neck, which dig through the ground as it slowly sways its head.
The sight of the unknown; along with the fact that it had just finished attacking something (or someone) struck Shizuru and Neviah so much that they freeze in their place, mouths agape at the bizarre anatomy of the creature, despite it lazing about. With thoughts of demise piercing Neviah's mind at the sight of flesh, he was unable to control his guts and he retches violently, failing to catch his breath every time he throws up. On the other hand, Shizuru was able to snap out of his initial fear when he recognizes an item sticking out of the darkness just above where its "mouth" is.
"Pan's journal!" He exclaims at the sight of Pan's emblem, and begins dashing towards the creature.
With nausea affecting his senses, Neviah was unable to physically stop Shizuru from attacking, and had only yelled a helpless, "Don't!" as the Digma closes in to the creature. However, the effort was futile. Shizuru has already wielded Flaskalf out and has plunged its enormous blade to the creature's face-- or where its face is supposed to be.
Despite having a remarkably large target right in front of him, Shizuru seems to have missed the creature's head, or at the very least, Flaskalf's blade went through the ominous creature's head and volleyed to the metal chains around its neck, the impact of which has sent Shizuru flying a good few feet away.
The creature did not take kindly to the attack and in response, it flails its head while emitting a violent roar and begins charging towards Shizuru. The development has rattled Neviah so much that he immediately picks himself up and flips his spell book open chanting in a quivering voice as he tries to sprint to Shizuru:
"Hera's blinding light,
Assist me in my fight
In honor of your justly might!
Illumi!"
Shizuru has watched as the same blinding ball of light manifested across Neviah's outstretched palm, which the Sorcerer then throws to the creature with a forceful grunt. It seems to have worked! thought Shizuru as he listens to the agonizing shrieks of the creature as it wriggles in its place; its silhouette becoming more distinguishable as the light consumes much of it. No wonder its legs were unrecognizable, Shizuru thought in the few seconds he was able to stare at the creature before Neviah was able to haul him out of the ground: it looked as if it was a perverse cross between a human leg; if one stayed crouching like a frog; only longer than the average man, and a rabbit; the elongated foot and uncanny paws reminding Shizuru of the ones present in the woods near Mado.
The image stayed with Shizuru for a while and he only snapped out of the shock when he somehow fell on the ground again; this time, face down. Blinking, he realizes that Neviah, somehow due to the fuel of adrenaline, has ran away while carrying him and tripped over something and he finds the Usor groaning beside him; gasping upon laying his eyes over the distance where they encountered the creature.
"W-Why did we run away?! We could have retrieved Pan's Journal there and then!" Shizuru exclaims, to which Neviah responds by bonking his head with his spell notebook.
"You're a real dork, aren't you?! Did you not see the immensity of that ROEL?" The image of the carnage in its face returns to Neviah's mind and he turns his face away from Shizuru, trying to stop himself from gagging once more. In his effort, a sob makes its way out of his throat as he speaks further. "We're lucky... very lucky to have escaped it now, oh, but many do not! H-How will we-we-we be able to r-retrieve our-our things?! It's on the other side of the woods..!"
Not quite understanding the origins of the Usor's fuss and also equally rattled about the experience, Shizuru impatiently hollers: "What even is that?!"
Gulping, Neviah clears his throat, sparing his shaky gaze to Shizuru. "A Remnant of Eternal Lamentation; a ROEL for short... it's the most-sought occurrence by Usor Sorcerers in CANDEMARO as it is the main ingredient for Summoning."
"You sound as if you're foraging for an organic material." Shizuru raises an eyebrow.
Neviah slowly stands, pacing around nervously as he recalls his knowledge of the creature. "Their origins are debatable, but the Usor Visionary; Hera Gama, has found a way to control them. Many believe the ROELs are responsible for a multitude of calamities that occur in the country... from droughts to plagues."
Shizuru squints, remembering how his earlier attack had volleyed out from it. "And physical attacks do not affect it?"
"From the looks of earlier, no, but either way, encountering one without the proper Channel will be devastating." Neviah rubs his trembling hands together. "Even if we defeat that one, if we do not contain it... it is possible that it may recover and wreak havoc once more."
"The chains on its neck... I'm sure I heard Flaskalf's blade hit it."
"Why does it even matter? The most important thing is to get away from it as quickly as possible! We still have to look for Mirano at Wirgnej!"
At the mention of Mirano, Shizuru flinches, as if reminded of a more important task. However, knowing that Pan's Journal; the journal which he initially sought at the beginning of his journey, is already within reach, his desire to retrieve it burns. He only has to defeat that ROEL, but as Neviah has mentioned, it might be a difficult task to undertake, especially for someone like him who heavily relies on physical combat. Most of his ideas for some sort of ambush or whatnot lead to possible defeat and the more Shizuru mulls about it, the more desperate he becomes. He briefly glances to Neviah in the middle of his thinking, further considering the possibility of utilizing his Sorcery, but ultimately clicks his tongue in proud defiance of the idea. In his distress, Shizuru digs through his shorts' pockets, hoping to find at least one elixir within his immediate possession, even though he is aware he had kept all of it away in his knapsack, so when he recognizes the smoothness of the glass marble in his palm upon searching his left back pocket, it is only befitting that Shizuru squeaks in surprise. Fortunate, he thought and he further wishes that the elixir he holds in his hand is his Hi elixir; the one encasing the element of fire, however, even his fortune has its limits: as he retrieves an elixir bearing the stillness of the night.
The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.
"I... don't remember owning an elixir like this..." Shizuru mutters as he slowly turns the elixir on his hand, frowning at how uncomfortably still it is inside the glass marble casing.
As he tries to place it on the hollow opening by Flaskalf, however, Neviah covers it with his hand.
"What?" Shizuru finds the action insulting and his frown only deepens.
Neviah's contemplating stare lands on the elixir by the golden ornate hilt. After a few moments, he whispers, "Your elixir... it's not the standard size produced nationwide."
Shizuru retracts Flaskalf, his now soft gaze lands back on the elixir as he slowly swings the ornate hilt around. "Well, no. It's specifically made for Flaskalf."
Gasping, Neviah peers closer, "The Flaskalf? You mean, Pan's most cherished creation?"
As if the fact has not been even more obvious during this bizarre journey, Shizuru's face contorts in a confused expression and he shrugs his shoulders. "Why else do you think we're searching for Pan and his relics?"
It was the Usor's turn to bonk himself in the head. In an instant, the terror and the anxiety seems to disappear as Neviah loudly and slowly exhale. He does not care if Shizuru finds the reaction laughable, but perhaps it was because of his initial rattle over everything that it has taken this long for him to piece two and two together. As if with renewed motivation, Neviah spares the distance another glance. Shizuru turns to look where the Usor was looking, quickly glancing at him and notices the lack of any other distress in Neviah's emerald eyes. Neviah then turns to Shizuru, the immediate meeting of their gazes prompt them to quickly break it by turning their heads to the side.
"Can I borrow that Elixir?" Neviah asks as he clears his throat.
Shizuru flinches at the inquiry and he reflexively clasp on the Elixir.
Neviah purses his lips. He understands that the hilt and Elixir, when combined, may raise their chances of subduing the ROEL, but Neviah also considers the possibility that it may be insufficient and in the event that the ROEL recovers, they may have not enough resources to subdue it a second time. The Sorcerer plops sitting on the ground across Shizuru, much to the Digma's surprise. "I know our initial meeting has not been the greatest, and I know you hate me, but we cannot risk having that ROEL recover. It may contribute to the harm of future travelers... worse, it may come tracking us down."
Perhaps it was the impending possibility of harm that they may inflict to others upon not defeating this creature that has Shizuru frowning some more. He squints his eyes, as if contradicting himself. Or is it because Neviah has reminded him of the animosity they share since their first meeting? A sigh escapes Shizuru's lips as he massages his temples. "How do you contain a ROEL?" He asks after a few moments of silence.
The response has made Neviah smile. Propping himself to sit on crossed legs, the Usor clears his throat. "Like other branches of Usor Sorcery, there is a specific Circle and Chant to properly activate an Affliction spell. If we utilize your Elixir and Flaskalf, I may be able to contain the ROEL and bound it somewhere."
Shizuru simply stares at Neviah as he begins his explanation. Much of the information is unknown to him as it includes details about Usor Sorcery. In all of the intricacies, Shizuru frowns, thinking if this is another Usor strategy to catch him off-guard. The turmoil in his mind has made him groan and his temples throb some more. His past experiences has defined his hatred towards Usors in general, moreso in their menacing abilities. However, Mirano's words with regards to Neviah's integrity ring in his ears. His ember eyes, now brimming with exhaustion, lands on the Elixir in his hands, the still darkness reminding him even more of Mirano and his thoughts immediately shifts to his companion's welfare.
Neviah has sensed the melancholy at Shizuru's silence and he figures that he has somehow contributed to the Digma's stress. Unsure of how to uplift him, Neviah fidgets with his fingers as he peeks to Shizuru. "We have to work together, Shizuru... for Mirano's safety."
While the idea that Neviah is bringing up is something Shizuru has been mulling about since the beginning of their predicament, it is indeed true that their chances of surviving this ROEL creature becomes more probable when they work hand-in-hand. As much as he dislikes the idea, Shizuru disliked the idea of losing more. After all, it will be an insult to Halli if he charges in this fight blindly in a mere effort to uphold his pride. With a purse of his lips, Shizuru hands the elixir over to Neviah.
"You owe me another one, Neviah Kingsley." he says as he stands up, tightly gripping Flaskalf in his right hand.
Feeling the smooth marble on his hands, Neviah flashes a big grin to Shizuru and his trust of him. "I'll pay up front once this is all over." With a nod, Neviah flips through the few pages of his worn out spell book and, as soon as he finds the Circle he's looking for, picks up a stray stick and begins crafting multiple small versions of that Circle on a small radius around Shizuru.
Once he finishes, Neviah shoos Shizuru out of the coverage and glances back on his book, practicing the Chant for the Affliction under his breath. When he finds his practice sufficient, Neviah prompts Shizuru closer, relaying the next few steps for his plan. At the proposal, however, Shizuru exclaims loudly in defiance.
"No way I'll do that!" he shouts while shaking his head.
"Please do! So we can contain it!"
"Did you not see how quick that monstrosity was? If it wasn't for your panic-fueled sprint earlier, we might have not gotten away from it!"
"Trust me, Shizuru. It will not catch up to you! Just make sure it'll come here!" Neviah is almost on his knees again, desperate to receive Shizuru's approval.
Gritting his teeth, Shizuru stomps away, groaning, "You owe me a big lot, Neviah Kingsley!"
Rushing to the nearby woods, Shizuru looks for the horrible ROEL, his heart pounding in meeting the creature again. Fortunately for him, he was able to spot the pulsating silhouette by a clearing across him. Shizuru tries catching its attention by throwing rocks to it, many of which, like Flaskalf's blade earlier, simply lands through its shadows or clinks on its metal chains. With his efforts futile, Shizuru angrily charges towards it, propping the Elixir in the hollow opening in the golden ornate hilt.
As soon as the Elixir settles in Flaskalf, Shizuru expects the element within the glass marble to take the shape of the large blade, which it does, but it is visibly different than most of the elements he had been accustomed to. The darkness that manifests in Flaskalf is so serene that the blade that sprouted from the hilt seems to be an actual dark blade. Still, Shizuru grips Flaskalf with both hands, swinging it across the ROEL's feet.
The creature shrieks as a couple of its hind legs collapse under its weight. Shizuru gasps that the attack has worked and he is now staring at the ROEL's jagged teeth. Realizing that he has finally gotten its attention, he immediately turns around and dashes back to Neviah's location. It wasn't a long distance and the ROEL limps as it gives chase, but it did not stop fear from getting in Shizuru's nerves, especially when he finds Neviah inside his strange contraption motionless.
"Do your thing, Neviah!!" Shizuru hollers as he nears, but Neviah does not budge.
The Usor's inaction has made Shizuru's heart beat more uncontrollably. He begins to shout once more, but the noisy clanking of the ROEL's metal chains drown his next calls. One of the chains violently sways as Shizuru nears Neviah's spot and it lands dangerously on the ground near the Digma. It was fortunate that it did not get Shizuru's ankle, but it broke his sprint and he almost tumbles on the ground. Propping his free hand to push himself back up, Shizuru's voice seems to claw out of his throat as he shouts, "Neviah Kingsley!"
A good distance is left between Shizuru and the creature the moment the Digma rolls forward on the ground, directly across Neviah's radius of Circle. He holds Flaskalf's dark blade as Neviah quickly raises one of his palms. In his position, Shizuru realizes that Neviah's initial inactivity was due to his chanting. The ROEL is fast approaching, but Neviah's chanting is faster and more prominent and Shizuru holds his place, staring intently at the creature as it flails its horrendous teeth, showing Pan's journal hanging in between its front teeth. Shizuru grits his teeth as his grip on Flaskalf tightens. Will they be able to retrieve that relic?!
"Sacramento!" Neviah's full and determined voice echoes in Shizuru's ear, the word triggers the smaller Circles on the ground and the multiple whitish beams of light that appear from it immediately propels through Flaskalf's blade of darkness. The beams take the darkness within it before shooting through the air and piercing the ROEL directly. The pulsating darkness that composes much of the ROEL jitters harshly, as if reacting against the still dark beams that had skewered much of its silhouette. Shizuru squints his eyes at the sharp distribution of light from Neviah's Sorcery, grunting as he keeps Flaskalf in place since the more the ROEL flails, the more the beams seem to falter. Neviah repeats the trigger word and in an instant, the beams morph into thicker ones, pinning the ROEL securely in place.
"What now, Neviah?!" Shizuru asks beneath gritted teeth, as he remembers that part of Neviah's proposition is to bound the creature to keep it from endangering others. The Usor's stuttering seems to offer no definite answer, but before they can even begin another argument, the ROEL's screams echoes past the woods, with parts of its silhouette being consumed by a gentle, translucent light. As Neviah and Shizuru holds the Affliction in place, more and more of the ROEL is consumed by this light, until no sound has been heard from it and most of its form has disappeared within the light. Neviah gasps at the development of the events since he has been pondering where to bind the creature. Watching as the light sways and leaves the metal chains behind, Neviah is even more perplexed when the light travels to Pan's journal, making the item levitate in the air for a few seconds as the remaining glow pulsates twice. When it disappears, the journal lands on the ground, surrounded by the metal chains and debris of flesh and cloths; all of what remains of the ROEL they had bound.
With the creature gone, Neviah retracts the spell, the immediate loss of force has made Shizuru slump on the ground as Flaskalf's blade disappears. Stooping near Shizuru out of concern, Neviah helps the Digma up, who is eyeing the rubble left before them. There is no doubt in what they had witnessed-- the ROEL, for some reason, has been bound in Pan's Journal, without Neviah's intent. Shizuru and Neviah look at each other, the surprise and confusion evident in their expressions. As much as Neviah wishes to retrieve the journal, the remains of carnage that reminds him of his companion has made him turn away. Shizuru was quick to realize this and he skips to take the journal, approaching Neviah and offering it to him.
"Is it a success?" Shizuru asks, looking up at Neviah.
Neviah hums in approval as he stares at the symbol on the journal. "But, I do not understand. It was not my intention to bind that ROEL to the journal, but it somehow ended up there." he runs a hand across his locks, frowning. "It only means one thing: this item by Pan is a Channel. An essential Usor Sorcery tool."
The statement baffles Shizuru as he stares back on the journal. While the retrieval of the item is clearly a success, it only raises more questions: What has Pan been doing? and what is the implications of his guardian's endeavors in ISoS' ongoing persecution of Rogues like him? As Shizuru ponders on these questions, Neviah procures his spell book, aligning it with Pan's journal. As he flips it open to where a strange bulge is forming, both he and Shizuru gasp upon seeing the metal key wrapped across the notebook's spine with the remnants of the rope they had used the night before.
Shizuru sighs loudly at the appearance of the key, recalling his conversation with Mirano and has concluded that his companion has went over his own ways once more. "You must be joking," he mutters under his breath while swiping his palms across his face.
Neviah finds the sentiment relatable and he chuckles, for he has shared a similar conversation with Mirano back in the Panuluyan. He removes his spell book away, turning his attention at the mess behind them. From this distance, Neviah is able to guess his companion's untimely fate. He furrows his brows at their brief engagement. They have not been the most pleasant company in the last few days, given their betrayal, but despite this fact, Neviah's face contorts with sadness.
"Neviah Kingsley," Shizuru softly calls, stretching out a hand to offer him Pan's Journal again.
Amidst his mourning, Neviah finds the gesture touching and he turns to give Shizuru a small smile as he accepts the item. "I thought you do not trust Usors like me?" Shizuru's acknowledging smile has made Neviah's grin bigger. "You and Mirano are not quite the honest people."
"We're both stubborn, yes." Shizuru replies as he glances to the journal. "but we both trust each other's words." His gaze shifts to the side, almost as if embarrassed to look at Neviah. "Though I should have done so earlier..."
Neviah chuckles at the response and despite Shizuru's complaints for him to stop, Neviah's laugh echoes some more within the area. They eventually return to their campsite and retrieve their belongings just as the sun began its afternoon cycle.
Strapping both Pan's Journal and his spell book on his leather belt, Neviah looks over his shoulder, towards the eastern woods where Mirano's kidnappers had disappeared this morning. "We'll rescue Mirano. Together. Right, Jyu?" he asks as he turns to the Digma.
"Calm down, Neviah. You're not quite cut in my books yet to be calling me like that so soon." Shizuru remarks while painstakingly stuffing Mirano's blades in his knapsack and slinging it over his right shoulder.
"Have I not sufficiently repaid my debt with containing that ROEL?" Neviah asks with a raise of his brow.
Shizuru hums, as if thinking, then shrugs his shoulders. "I'll think about that once we successfully rescue Mirano in Wirgnej." he grins as he begins walking.
Neviah grins proudly as Shizuru mimics the Usor pronunciation of the town they are about to visit. Catching up to the Digma, Neviah pats Shizuru's shoulder and dashes past him. "We'll be there soon, Mirano!"
—
To be Continued...