“OK… Let’s put the knife down! I don’t know why I’m here either, nor why I’m… a book…?”
I’m still focusing on this book. I’ve never seen anything like this before. A floating and talking book?! It appears that either a person is stuck in the book for real, or he could be deceiving me. There’s always a slim chance that some people have ulterior motives.
“WHAT THE HELL?! WHY AM I A BOOK?!”
He’s… confused? Maybe he IS actually just some dude? For now, I’ll trust him. He seems to not have any malice towards anything at the moment, and there’s no way a guy like this would even be capable of such things. I sheathed my knife into my holster, and approached him.
“Hey. Calm down. Look, I don’t have my knife anymore. Let’s reassess things right now.”
“I COULDN’T CARE LESS ABOUT YOU, I JUST TRANSFORMED INTO A FUCKING BOOK!”
This guy…
“HEY!” yelling at a high voice. He stops freaking out and turns toward me. “Why don’t you just relax? I might have some answers that you perhaps would want to hear. I’m not too sure about my situation either.”
Surprisingly, he sighs deeply and lends me his attention. He rests on the counter where the note and goggles were found. For someone so panic-stricken, he knows how to take initiative…
“Alright… Explain what’s going on. Who are you, what am I doing inside a book and why is my memory so hazy?”
“Jeez, I only have one answer to one of the questions you have, Ranku Anchria. I’m Ranku Anchria”
“All I remember is that I was given the name Liberus.”
Well so he remembers his name but not his past. Weird… I would assume that Vita and this “Omni Sect” bestowed this name upon Liberus. Thought he would know what to do the moment he was summoned, but guess not huh? He’s just as clueless as I am! Great!
“Well? Is there ANY explanation as to what’s going on???”
“Be more patient jeez! Look, I was killed and brought back to my own body with you in my hand. I don’t know what the purpose of this Omni Sect group is, but here we are.”
“So let me get this straight. You died and were sent back by the Omni Sect, correct?”
“Yea, that’s right…” I nod.
“And you have no clue what to do?”
“Mhm…” I nod again.
“I swear on my name… These guys don’t know how this shit works…”
He knows who the Omni Sect members are?! Thought he lost his memory? This is huge though. There’s not a single clue as to who the rest of these Sect members are, or their goals having to do with myself.
“You… know them?”
“Unfortunately, it’s the only thing my mind can stir up right now… All I remember is them telling me something…”
“They say anything? Anything at all?”
“I… don’t remember those details… I just remember that there were six of them before I went into a coma. This feels all fake… like a dream almost… Where even is this place anyway?! Floating books didn’t exist back where… I… lived…”
“Hm?” squinting my eyes. He doesn’t seem so sure of himself…
“Oh, it’s nothing. By the way, did the Omni Sect members even give you any goals at all? Like something to strive for or even achieve?”
“That's the thing! They didn’t! I’m just stuck here, doing shit all about this whole situation!”
I actually never considered it. There’s no obvious hint as to what these Omni Sect guys wanted from me. They never gave me any instructions, teaching or even at least showing me the basics. They just tossed me aside to fend for myself.
“For now, I’ve got just one damn thing in mind, currently…”
“Oh? What is this you speak of? “
Having not trusted him fully, my silence was given, with my eyes drifting to the left.
“Alright, I suppose not then. What are you going to do about it anyway? Remain idle with nothing to do about it like a slacker?”
“Don’t fucking test me. I’ll have you know that we just met not so long ago. I have no obligation to spill any of my secrets to you.”
“Okay! Okay! Sorry for making you ticked off! So melodramatic…”
“What is that supposed to mean..?”
“Nothing, nothing!”
He was partially right though. Doing absolutely nothing in the face of losing my family isn’t what I want right now.
Almost forgot to grab some things. Don’t want to leave them behind.
----------------------------------------
“Why are you following me?” Glancing to my left, seeing this floating book again.
“Can’t do anything about it.” Liberus follows.
“Right…”
Can’t believe this Liberus is supposed to stick with me… I’d rather do everything myself like I’ve always have. Him being in the way will most definitely affect how I do things here.
To be honest, there wasn’t really a clear way a decision like this could be made confidently… The 50/50 chance of me either going the right way or the wrong way is too much of a risk to take. It has to be 100/0. Gotta find more information.
“You have no idea where you’re going, don’t you?”
“Shut up. Like you’d have any idea how hard it is to find someone-“
“So you’re looking for someone?”
“…”
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
There I go again. My stupid self running my mouth again to complete strangers. Should’ve learnt how to keep this habit in check.
It was pretty silent again for the next few minutes. No form of leads from exploring the city came across to me, which made me become rather impatient. Each tick of time meant that I was getting further and further away from dad and Vel.
“Y’know, if it’s a person you're looking for, wouldn’t a place with an abundance of people be useful at all to you?”
“I don’t… think I can do that…”
“Hey, just try it out! You never know if you might stumble into a lead!”
He did have a point there. Going to a lot of people and asking if they’ve seen my dad and brother is a great idea, but sadly, there aren’t many people who would even bother to talk to me at all. Who knows whether or not I’ve stolen from any one of them or not… I’ll consider his idea and try out a few locations in mind.
“Let’s go to the marketplace. I’ll take your word into consideration.”
“Ha! Now we’re getting somewhere!”
It wasn’t that much difficult to get there. Talking to others and asking them for information might seem a bit risky, too risky to my liking.
“Say, isn’t this where you live? Why are you so cautious all the time?”
“Quiet! I might attract some sort of attention here with your blabbering.”
With my sudden realization, I tucked Liberus away into the inside of my brother’s book bag that felt nice to bring along. A damn floating book that can talk isn’t something you see everyday. There’s a chance that AEGIS might show up again…
“Mffgh! WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?! He shouts.
“Look, you’re attracting so much damn attention with what you are. You aren’t normal by any means.” I whisper back, glancing my eyes back and forth.
“… Fair enough. Most would probably also panic if they saw an inanimate object that could speak and fly. So? Where to next? Clearly you aren’t comfortable with talking to others. And hey, if you have anxiety-”
“Just… enough. Please. I’m thinking of stopping by a few places first. Stay put. Don’t say anything.”
“Fine.”
My choices were pretty limited. Many places have AEGIS officers wandering Inwell due to its high crime rate. The marketplace, plaza, and the central district isn’t a place of interest. I could try some shop owners, but again, those guys hold grudges against me. Asking local townsfolk would also be a decent idea, if it wasn’t for the minister forcing everyone to be like his own eyes. I seriously don’t have any clue where one would be safe and to find others that are willing to spend their time to lend me their info.
“You really don’t look like you know where to go.” Liberus, peaking his ribbon out of the cap. “Are you seriously that cautious of your choices? You’re losing the person you’re looking for~”
“Shut up already!” I whispered in a harsh voice, gritting my teeth. “You’re seriously no help at all.”
If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.
“Not that you’ve ever asked for my help to begin with in the first place.”
“Because I don’t fucking need it. You’re proving yourself to be more… nevermind.”
Liberus snapped, flying out of the bag. I thought he was about to lash out at me, like everyone else does, but instead he seemed to mellow out.
“Ok… What about a tavern then, hm? Try looking there. The place is filled with people who won’t remember anything the next day.”
“Are you kidding?! Why would I…”
Wait… He has a point… Taverns are a pretty good place to look for hints to where my family went. Alcohol also has the tendency to make people draw blanks once dawn hits.
“Ok, I’ll take back what I said earlier, I guess…”
“See? You should give others a chance once in a while. It could provide some opportunities that can be pretty valuable.”
“Yeah. Sure…”
There’s really only one bar here at Inwell, and it’s apparently quite famous, even residents of the outer cities such as Fiole or Cario visit this slum of a city just for their great booze and grub. It wasn’t that far of a walk from here too, so there’s a plus. I tug Liberus’ ribbon and stuff him back into the bag.
We didn’t talk much on the way there. He isn’t wrong about the remarks he made. Working alone is more of my forte. Depending on people? It hinders how I work, having to worry about others. But unfortunately it seems like it’s required this time. There’s no means of physically parting with him.
----------------------------------------
“Debilis Drunkard. The only tavern in the city. Now, are you going to behave and stay? Or are you gonna lash out and make a scene?”
“What am I, your pet? I know when to react and when to not.”
It was a bit nerve wracking, interacting with others after my execution for the first time besides that stupid officer and Donovan, it was also my first time coming to a place like this, since it was only till recently that drinking booze was legal for me. Taking a deep breath and stepping in.
Instantly, there was this vibe that I’ve never seen from any other place in Inwell. It was… cheerful… Everyone looked like they were having a good time, a great time even! The place, although reeking of alcohol and smoke and being quite run down with all the warped planks in the walls and flooring, had this sort of charm to it. Maybe it was the first time I’ve ever seen genuine damn happiness from the public.
A woman came to greet me. She had this gray, wavy hair that reflected the light with a pair of tight overalls, and oddly enough, this mask that she had over her mouth with an odd symbol on it. She never spoke a word to me… I followed her signals as I then took my seat near the bar counter. She presented a slit of paper and handed it to me. It read:
It seems that you are new here! I’m Grace Debilis! If you have anything you need, please don’t hesitate to ask. My brother will be with you shortly.
“T-thank you Grace!” I replied. Grace had many other papers inside her chest pockets, ready for me to answer.
What can I get for you today?
“Uh, I’ll have whatever you recommend, please. Also, I was wondering if I could get some… help.”
Instantly, her expression went from cheery to a bit serious. She didn’t demonstrate it, but it was clear that she’s done this before. Grace shuffles through her pocket for another slip of paper.
Seat 7. “Reality can often be quite deceiving” to my brother, Vale.
Grace guided me to where my new seat was. Nothing conspicuous so far, or anything that feels like it would lead me astray. Soon enough, I’m waiting at my seat. A man comes from the kitchen behind the bar counter. He appeared to be an extremely busy guy, with a lot of shit on his hands like preparing cocktails and meals for the customers. I’m assuming that was Vale. He looked quite similar to Grace too.
It wasn’t until only he would approach me is when I would get a good look at him. He had sleek bangs spreading outwards with an intricate pattern on the bottom of his hat’s crown. He was also sporting a blindfold with a triangle to where his right eye would be. As Vale approached me, the atmosphere was a bit unnerving. His experience with situations like these must’ve been with many others…
“Well? What can I get you?” He says. I imagined his voice to be rather deep, similar to that of my dad. His tone was more similar to that of Solas’.
“Reality can often be quite deceiving.” I say, clenching my fists with a cold sweat trickling down my forehead.
Vale hummed slightly. He placed down his shaker to take a small book that he kept in his pocket. The book even seemed off. Instead of just writing, it had weird divots into the pieces of paper… As he put away his notes, he then turned to me, ready to ask a question.
“What do you need?” Vale asks as the sound of him slamming his palm to the counter takes me by surprise, awaiting for my answer. I panicked. I had no idea what to say to him, but I can't blow this chance away. This is the only lead I’ll probably have. My mind took over though.
“I-i’ll have whatever you recommend..!”
“Hm. Not bad.” He acknowledged. I was… confused? Did I say the right thing..? He hands me a drink that he was making earlier.
“Customers should loosen up a bit before asking those types of questions, Ranku Anchria.”
“Wha- How do you know my name?!”
“You’re quite famous here. I’m not that short of my hearing to listen to people gossip about a certain thief entering our establishment.”
My wariness went through the roof here. If this Vale guy knows about me, even with a blindfold, who else would know once they saw or even heard of my face. How did Solas of all people not recognize me?
“Here. This is my personal favorite drink for beginners such as yourself. It’s called: A Stranger’s Temptation. Try it. Tell me what you think.”
Vale served it to me in a chilled glass. The transparent liquid in the glass sloshed around and the ice cubes hit each side of the drink. Taking a whiff of it, it was odorless.
“Are you sure this is the right drink? This looks like water to me.” I question, with the drink in hand.
“It does appear to look so, yes. But have you even tried a sip? It'll reveal itself once you learn.”
“Sure…”
I, although hesitant, take a sip. It was nothing like water, and its taste felt almost spicy. However… It gets quite pleasant once you get the hang of it.
My bag started to shuffle a bit. I tried to keep him in, but I guess staying inside a bag all this time wasn’t the most comfortable for him. I excuse myself to the bathroom and consult Liberus. I allow him to leave the bag and he springs out.
“God, are you going to find where that person is? Or are you going to take your sweet sweet time drinking with the tavernkeep?”
“You seriously don’t understand, do you? He’s clearly not gonna give me anything for free. I at least have the courtesy to order something before asking him for any favors.”
Liberus let out a huge sigh. Clearly, he doesn’t know etiquette here. This guy is so damn impatient…
“Look. All you have to do is stay still. If I attract any more attention from the bystanders, who knows if AEGIS will catch on that I’m still alive.”
“The AEGIS..? Who the hell are they?”
I forgot that he doesn’t have any memory prior to me awakening him… I might have to explain shit to him along the way…
“It’s the Ariolan Executive Guards In Security. They say that they maintain safety in Ariole, which to some extent they do.”
“Why do you hate the justice system so much? Are you perhaps a criminal?”
“So what if I am?”
“Ok, now this is seriously making me uncomfortable. I’m starting to think that maybe I shouldn’t cooperate with you… I can’t imagine what kind of the vile things you might’ve done-“
“QUIET ALREADY! IT’S NOTHING OF THAT SORT! I HAD TO DO WHAT I COULD.” I scream with my jaw stretched as far as it could go.
”…”
The bathroom was quiet, with the ambiance of the tavern echoing through the planked walls. He lowered his ribbon as I stormed outside the bathroom. Dealing with that dickhead? I’m through with him.
“Welcome back. Was everything fine back there?” Vale asks, with a handkerchief in hand.
“It’s ok. I had a bit of trouble with opening the door to leave.” Grunting with my arms crossed.
“Sure, I suppose…”
Took a few more sips of my drink to help ease my nerves. That stupid book. He doesn’t understand anything. He’s just more added stress on top of all of the piled up things that’s going on right now.
“Well? Seeing you enjoying it is all I need to know. What’s your real deal here?”
My eyes widened to the sound of that sentence. It took me off guard, and my composure was lost.
“O-oh! Well, are you offering any information surrounding two people? One is an adventurer in his mid forties, while the other is a student. They look similar to me.”
“Family, huh? I don’t recall seeing anyone of that description stopping by here. Apologies.”
Instantly, my only light had turned dim. What I thought was my last hope, was instead just another false path.
“It’s… fine.” I mumbled under my breath, holding back my tears.
Finishing the last drops of my drink. This place didn’t have anything for me. A girl with unusual clothing took the seat right besides me. Her presence was hard to ignore.
“Oh! I’m sorry~ Did I startle you?”
“No, no. It’s alright… Please, enjoy the rest of your evening.”
I excuse myself from the counter, maintaining a courteous attitude. Well, keeping this act up for long isn’t necessary. I walked out the door, forgetting that he had to come with me too… Almost forgot him in the bathroom…
I turn towards the bar counter and head straight for the bathrooms. Tch. If only I could’ve worked alone. Things would be so much easier…
“Stran and Vel Anchria… hm?”
That whisper, where was it? They named my dad and brother?! It was in the direction of where Vale was. I rushed over to see that the spoken words came from the girl.
“How… do you know their names..?” With my fists clenched and my lips tightened. This feeling of being excited and nervous at the same time made my mind stir.
“HA! Wouldn’t you like to know…” She smiled.
“YES! PLEASE! DO TELL ME!”
There’s no way! Someone knows where they’re at?! YES!! I never thought that someone would actually have the answers I’m looking for!
My previous seat next to the girl was taken again by me. Her long ears that stick to the side, along with the many ribbons and tail that she sported, indicated to me that she’s most likely a chimeran of some sort… Her dress was also quite, foreign to what the people of Inwell wore. Could my dad and my brother have gone to a completely different city in that short amount of time?
Presenting myself, continuing to make conversation. “I’m Ranku, Ranku Anchria by the way.” Lying can wait here. This person has what little information I have left. Chances cannot be taken.
“Kina Vastly. Pleasure’s all mine!~”
“I’ll give you anything for their whereabouts. Do you want Kols? What about… this knife here-“
“Hey hey! Relax!~ I’m not interested in those meaningless items. I want something more… or let’s say… a favor!”
“A favor? I’ll do anything. Please, tell me.”
Kina leans over to the drink that Vale made her. She didn’t savor even a sip of it though. Just straight up downed the drink! Afterwards, she replied to me.
“I’m pretty sure you’re familiar with the Zox, yeah?”
“O-of course! The business behind half of all drug exports?”
“Yeah! Bring me the head of the IW post’s manager. I have some business with them.
That’s… a very odd request… How can someone such as Kina be affiliated with the Zox? Is she a lazy mercenary? Or perhaps seeking justice? It was hard to get a read on this girl. But, that's all there is. This Kina is my do or die.
“Sure. And once that happens, you’ll promise to inform me where my dad and brother are, correct?”
“Yes! Yes! I’ll be waiting here near the Drunkard until that head reaches my table.”
Reaching my hand over to hers, we come to an agreement.
----------------------------------------
Back in the bathrooms, this stupid book was still sulking on the sink. He was oddly observing his face, using that ribbon in weird ways, twisting it and bending it to his will…
“Hey. You. Get back in my bag. We’re going somewhere. Found someone who knows where to look.”
“I don’t think I would like to. The thought of traveling with a murderer makes me sick.”
“Since when did you ever hear that someone killed another..?”
“Didn’t you mention that you were a criminal-”
“Yes, for stealing. Not every crime is murder y’know.”
That big eye of his glanced to the bottom as he faced me. His ribbon was tucked behind his cover as he began to float towards me. He was in my bag.
“Alright. Hurry up. Where to next?”
“We’re gonna kill murderers, if that’s ok with you, Liberus.”