As Lee enters the city where only the mightiest rule, a thud behind agitates him. He turns his head, then locks eyes with the white-haired woman. Now that she stands right behind him, the boy notices that her ears are a lot longer than the pair humans are assigned, and she is taller than most people too. An Elven warrior, he mutters under his breath.

“Hello! My name is Valkyrie. I am the chief shieldmaiden of this city, chosen by King Wilhelm himself. The King has tasked me to locate all fine warriors who travel here. Tell me the truth boy, why have you chosen to visit the heart of where the Bulls tread?”

Her eyes carry a peculiar glint. She reminds Lee of his meeting with the Great Old One. The rueful smile has not escaped her lips yet. There it is, the old sense of dread crawling up his spine. Lee has a feeling that if he lies again, his head may end up severed.

Lee: Alright I shall be honest with you. But can we find a better place to talk? This area does seem quite crowded.

Valkyrie: Your assumption is fairly accurate. Follow me lad and do not play any tricks till we reach our destination. Stupidity is a quality reserved for the weak and the dead.

The trio began walking together. The elven warrior has a silver outfit that resembles the gear that Templar Knights were mostly known for. Her hair ventures past her shoulders, extending all the way to her slender hips. She carries a broadsword and a black shield, both of which seem rather heavy.

Lee: I cannot help but notice that you don’t have a holster for that sword. Is that not tiresome? Keeping one hand free would help you preserve more energy.

Valkyrie: Let me tell me something lad. Violence is an innate part of society, it is one of the two major things which is unreasonable and yet omnipresent. There might be an attack on San Uber at any moment. I prefer being prepared at all moments. The King has trained me personally over the years. It is my sacred duty to protect the heart of his great Empire. Thus, readiness is key. You are young now, you will learn if you choose to make this place your home.

Lee: What is the other major thing?

The shieldmaiden smiles again. “Love lad, love.”

Their brief walk brings them to the doorstep of an inn. The trio go in and the man behind the bar bombards them with an instant greeting. His jovial voice resonates through the entire room and several heads bow as the shieldmaiden passes them.

Kross: And how are you today, Valkyrie? Same old, same old? Ah, it seems you are with someone. My Gosh, is that a Vagabond Ant? You must tell me how did you manage to capture it?…

Valkyrie: It is always nice seeing you, Kross. Do you happen to have a room where we won’t be disrupted? We will place our order in a few minutes once our discussion ends.

Kross: Certainly, honourable shieldmaiden. Right this way.

The owner guides them towards a separate room away from the gathering of drinkers and merry-makers.

Valkyrie: I am gonna shut the door now. When I am ready to order, me or the boy will come out alright? Make sure no one tries to butt in.

Kross: As you command, ma’am. I hope you have not stirred up too much trouble young man. This one is tough to handle.

They take their seats. Viola can smell the alcohol and is thus filled with excitement.

Valkyrie: I suppose your pet will relish the mead Kross makes. He is a talker, but a man of his word too. You can safely unburden yourself without fear. But remember, one more lie and you shall be prosecuted.

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The sorrowful smile just doesn’t seem to fade away.

Lee: Very well. I come from a different world. After my death, I was transported to this realm wherein the ruler granted me another opportunity so that I could enjoy life to its fullest. That is it.

The shieldmaiden narrows her eyes.

Valkyrie: And this ruler, this being who brought you into this world, is it God?

Lee: I do not think….

Before the boy can finish, the Great Old One materializes next to him. Within a fraction of a second, the shieldmaiden swipes through Cthulhu, but the sword cuts through him like his body is made of clouds.

Cthulhu chuckles, “You are quite brave. I have not seen a warrior even dreaming of challenging my authority in thousands of years. Well done, shieldmaiden. I am pleased.

Valkyrie: I knew there was something off about you. This thing, I haven’t had such an aura during my entire life. Even when I faced off against the Demon Lord’s Bishop…

“Relax, I am speaking”, the shieldmaiden’s demeanour suddenly changes. Her face bears a blank expression, her eyes are wide open. The shield and the sword fall, and she is defenceless.

“If I had wished to kill you, you wouldn’t have been alive till now. Pay attention because I shall only speak once. The boy is here because I deemed it so. I got bored in my palace, and I needed a release. That is all. I shall not harm you or any other resident in this city. I have latched onto the soul of this boy and when his body perishes, he shall return with me to my realm. Do not fear, for I have done nothing yet. Think of me as a mute spectator, if you will. On the other hand, if you try hatching nefarious plans against the kid, let me tell you this: my grandfather is not as compassionate as I am.”

Lee had not seen the form of the Great Old One quite clearly in the realm. Perhaps the monster was trying to be kind towards the kid who was snatched from the jaws of life so early on. But now the boy is dumbstruck. The sheer size of its bulbous head and the tentacles slithering across the air seem to trace their way towards the petrified duo; his chimaera-like appearance would immobilize even the bravest of souls. Was it a dragon, an octopus, or a humanoid centipede? Dull colours and shapes kept morphing in a kaleidoscopic fashion, hypnotizing both the onlookers. Viola has been driven unconscious, perhaps she found her way to the liquor inside the barrels too early. The nightmarish creature then vanishes leaving behind a greyish mist, and the shieldmaiden regains her senses.

Valkyrie: What the hell were you up to in your previous life? Why would you listen to a monster like that? What is it you want?

The previously confident face of the shieldmaiden now appears contorted with fright.

Lee: I just wish to be a warrior like you ma’am. I am a Knight, and I hope to train and be good enough to fight alongside you one day.

Valkyrie: That thing has a grandfather? I cannot even comprehend what HE would look like. Can you bring the monster forth any time you want?

Lee: I do not think he listens to me. It is just a game to him I guess.

Valkyrie: And that doesn’t paralyze you? I think San Uber is the perfect town for battle-hungry maniacs, but you may be a different breed of animal altogether. Nevertheless, I shall not be an obstacle in your way. I do not need more bad dreams to come my way.

Lee: So can we grab some grub now? I am famished, and Viola would probably love to drink.

Valkyrie: How can you think of eating right now? After what you just saw? Are you insane? I… alright fine I will go out and order something for you and the ant. Then we can head on towards the adventurers club. You will need to register to earn money.

Lee: Cool. I will be right here waiting for you.

The shieldmaiden goes out. A few minutes later, she returns with Kross, their hands filled with jugs of mead and plates of food that suspiciously smelled like biryani.

After thrusting a spoonful into his face, Lee feels relaxed. Golly, this is exactly like biryani! At least the food doesn’t seem too bad. Viola clicks her mandibles with glee as she slurps up some of that mead.

Kross: Do not be drinking too much of that mead young one. My God, this is the first time I have seen you without the shield and sword in hand, Valkyrie. What did y’all talk about?

NOTHING! Both the boy and the shieldmaiden blurted out abruptly.

Kross: Alright, alright! Geez, I am not a spy working for some clandestine traitorous agency. Take it easy. Once you are done, pay up at the counter and I sincerely hope to see you again, boy.

The owner disappeared. The succulent rice was cooked with what tasted like clarified butter, and the symphony of flavours was enough to brighten up Lee’s day. The meat was cooked with the rice for a few hours and thus fell off the bone real quickly. The boy wonders, what if he had ended up in the Kindom of Heaven instead of Cthulhu’s Palace? Does the ever-merciful God have good cooks, does he even have a kitchen?

Valkyrie: Take your time, no need to rush. Someone else is filling in for me at the gates.

The sword and the shield are now back in her hands.

Lee: How do you eat with your hands full ma’am? How do you sleep?

Valkyrie: Please eat in silence. Ask questions later lad. Let my head clear up.