Chapter 84: To Cast A Spell! (Part 1!)

The echoing, scratchy strings of her guitar bounced off each wall of the tower. The sounds flew, descended, and soared around like a bird. The scarecrow, deciding to stay back, was making a soundtrack for something. Something she hadn’t seen before.

Krimm was fighting Sorbet.

“You’re holding it too firm.” Bashing her poleaxe upward, Krimm easily broke her guard and poked her in the belly.

“Ouch! Why did you-” Immediately after, Krimm sent her elbow into her chest, knocking her off balance. Falling to the ground, Sorbet hardly managed to even back up and roll backwards.

The arena they were fighting in was crafted out of the corner of the garden, which itself had changed to accommodate them all. However even with the great amount of space, Sorbet was being trapped.

Each of Krimm’s strikes carried into the other, with a brutal flow. Sitting down and watching the session unfold, Florato and Vega looked on with mixed reactions.

The actress wasn’t one for violence, but this session upset her ever so slightly. Not because Krimm was being cruel, although it could be argued at times. But because Sorbet along with herself were outclassed by the other warriors in their team.

“Jeez, can’t you give her a break?” Florato yelled out, cupping her hands around her mouth. Shocked that Sorbet was still going, she winced every time she got hit. Which was a lot.

“Don’t, ahh! Don’t worry about me! I’m fine!” Barely able to duck around Krimm’s spear, Sorbet put on a fake smile. Clearly she was hurting, and yet she still kept going. Not even she knew why.

“...How could we stand a chance?” Letting her hands fall to her knees, Florato couldn’t imagine defeating Ani Arma.

And as you might suspect, Vega was having the time of her life. Playing a fast paced and exciting song, she rooted for Sorbet and cheered for her.

“Sorbet! She’s the one, she’s the one!” Her singing was soft and slow compared to her guitar strings, but it melted perfectly against it. Like grapes and strawberries.

What wasn’t perfect was Sorbet fighting, as she had now been driven to running away.

“Almost! Ow! I almost gotcha that time!” Running around like a dog was chasing her, Sorbet yelped as Krimm kept poking her in the butt. It was funny.

“Sorbet, you can deflect attacks. Use your attacks to redirect my strikes.” Giving her a moment to breath, Krimm pulled back her spear and began to charge.

“Sorbet, she’s the one!” Vega cried out, just as Sorbet managed to block Krimm thrust. Pushing off Krimm’s spear, she managed to snag the axe underneath her foot.

“Yes!” Pulling back, Sorbet tripped Krimm and actually got her to fall back. Now on the offensive, she went after Krimm without delay.

Seeing what was about to come, Florato held her hands over her eyes.

“Vega, I don’t think she can-”

“Come on, give-give her a chance. All she needs is just a little encouragement!” Wagging her finger and speaking with kindness, Vega wanted Florato to calm herself.

And just a few seconds later, Sorbet tumbled to the ground in a roll, face down.

“...bruh…” Sorbet groaned out. Standing on top of her back in victory, Krimm gave a sadistic smile, one not unlike when she had when fighting Vega.

“Krimm. Off. Now.” Putting her guitar aside, Vega spoke like she was speaking to a disobedient child.

“Fine.” Stepping off her, Krimm hoisted Sorbet up with one arm. Shaking her to dust her off, she let go and Sorbet sat defeated on the ground.

“Are you alright? Anything bruised?” Florato got up from her seat and started to massage her. Her eyebrows bent in worry.

“I’m good. My butt is sore, that's all.” Gently stretching out, Sorbet gave a tired but genuine smile.

“Be glad we were using wooden weapons. Real ones, and you would have died when we started.” Krimm picked up Sorbet’s dropped axe and placed it back on the rack of others. Most of them had to be bought from the city, but Krimm managed to craft a few out of the rubble.

“Can’t you go easier on her? She only just started.” Florida lifted Sorbet up and handed her a cup of water which she drank immediately.

“I actively did. We only have five more months ahead of us. We have to train and we have to train hard if we want to stand a chance of defeating Ani.” Krimm strutted up to Florato, not caring about going easy.

“Still, you can at least make sure Sorbet is fine after the fight.” Florato crossed her arms and turned away, walking back to her seat.

Gritting her teeth, Krimm was getting ready to say something and something mean.

Rubbing her bandage nose, Vega sensed this was going to break into a larger argument.

“Guys! Guys, let’s calm down. We don’t have to fight over this. Let’s just relax. Hey Florato, why don’t we go on a-”

“Walk? Thank you, but no. I’ll go get started on the next batch of manuscripts.” Walking away shyly, Florato went over the desks with the papers stacked high.

“Krimm, do ya-”

“No. I’m going to help out with the rebuild. I still have to help fix a couple aqueducts today. I’ll… see you later.” Also giving Vega the cold shoulder, Krimm wandered out of the garden and into the hall, disappearing in the dark.

You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

Her heart felt a bit torn. She understood why both of them were upset, but she knew there was more at stake than this squabble. Sure, they could use their space, but they shouldn’t end on such a harsh note. Letting her hands drop to her side, Vega looked down at the ground, seeing a tiny crack in the floor.

“Hey. I’d like to go on a walk?” A small hand touched her shoulder, and Sorbet entered the side of her eyes. Though exhausted and a bit sweaty, she spoke and smiled warmly.

“Sure. I think-think that’d be good.”

Going to the only ice cream parlor nearby, they had to pass by many streets for repairs. The reason this parlor had survived was because the street was flooded and now was a permanent pool, which many people took advantage of.

Sitting by the lip of the pool, Vega and Sorbet relaxed on long chairs, enjoying the rays of the sun. Not too far from them, kids played ball in the pool, laughing as they did.

Since Vega could not eat the ice cream (she had gotten a rice pudding), she simply held it up so Kaliba could. The crow’s pecks spilled a lot of it everywhere, but Vega hardly minded.

What she did mind was Krimm and Florato. Even when relaxing, she was thinking about their little fight. Her eyes stayed tracked on two pebbles in the pool, shaking every time someone splashed around or swam near. Only when the water was still, did the pebbles stay together.

“Ice cream is, like, the greatest thing in the world. I think money is a good second.” Sorbet had already gotten started on her fourth ice cream cone, stacking up the others in a little pyramid.

“Sorbet. How did the Oligarchs bring people together?” Vega didn’t move her head, only looking at the pebbles.

“Hmm? Why do you ask?” Lowering her ice cream from her mouth, Sorbet turned to see Vega.

“Oligarch Graham, the guy-guy that invited Skaldi and everyone, he got their attention so easily. Oligarch Glatrix, that ass-asshole, managed a ton of soldiers during the defense. How do I-I do that?” Vega’s voice broke slightly, worried that this argument might spiral into more. It wasn’t that she was hopeless, but she had no clue what to do.

“Money-money?” Kaliba offered a solution, though as morally dubious and likely to work as setting someone on fire.

“I mean, I do technically pay-pay Florato. But I doubt either of them will listen to gold.” Vega patted her belly, making the coins jingle inside.

This social dilemma also seemed to be posing a problem for Sorbet. Sitting up and finishing her ice cream in two bites, she got into a vague thinking pose. This was less about thinking and more like looking like she was in deep thought.

Not wanting to be left behind, Vega mimicked her pose with even more exaggeration.

“...what are we doing?” Sorbet realized how silly this was.

“I don’t know. I just wish Krimm hadn’t been such-such an ass to ya while ya were training. I can keep up with her, but ya can’t.” Spinning on her seat, Vega sat directly in front of Sorbet.

“If you ask me, I don’t think Krimm was being too rough.” Sorbet waved the event off, speaking of it in minor regard.

“She literally kicked your ass.” Vega put it as plainly as she could.

“Playfully! And Florato’s right, she should have checked on me. But like you said, she’s getting used to being around people she likes. It's a new thing for her.” Sorbet’s explanation made Vega back up slightly and look at her hands, realizing why Sorbet hadn’t been as upset as the others.

Even though she had been cooped up in a palace for who knows how long, she had a remarkable ability to analyze other people. Maybe it was an ability that helped to survive there, Vega thought.

Whatever it was, Vega appreciated Sorbet a lot just then. Flashing a wide grin for a moment, she relaxed her smile and got to thinking of how to illustrate that to Krimm and Florato.

“That’s a good idea. However, we need them to come together.”

“Cum.” That’s all Kaliba had to add to the conversation.

“They need something to bring them together. Some… project!” Sorbet lifted her cone like it was a sword, hurrahing in the air. The sudden jolt and huzzah made Vega think about it, then snapped her fingers in agreement.

“Not bad! But what would we do…” Falling back into her seat, Vega rested her arms under her head, as if trying to support any creative thought.

For the past two weeks, the work they had made on the manuscripts and the papers was steady, revealing much of the purpose for the tower. Not only this, but what Soul Gems were inside Jantok Sky, and how they could be used.

“Have-have any ideas? Because right now I’m tapped. Reading all those papers and histories has got my head-head in a knot.” Groaning, Vega shook her head, unable to come up with anything. This work had become a major brain drain.

“Hmmm… what about-”

“Ice cream?” Disappointed but expecting it, Vega looked at Sorbet with half closed eyes.

“…I was going to say sorbet?” Sorbet was a bad liar.

“Food isn’t going to fix this, but hey-hey, who knows. How about some gambling? Let’s go gambling!” Vega imagined rolling some dice with Valiato, like old times.

“I think Krimm would take that too seriously and Florato would probably cheat.” Finishing the ice cream, Sorbet attempted to stack the cone but her pyramid collapsed.

“Just because she’s an actress doesn’t mean she’s good-good at lying.” Vega gestured with her finger, of which Sorbet recoiled from.

“B-but still, they won’t want to do that. They’ll think it's pointless.” Shrugging, she knew that they wouldn’t come together over games.

“Ah, you’re right-right. Dang it!” Shifting in her seat, Vega couldn’t find any comfort now.

“Florato and Krimm want to do something that helps us. I’m pretty sure thats why they didn’t want to hang out. Are relationships supposed to be this hard?” Resting back on the long chair, Sorbet closed her eyes in reflection. Everything from friends and ice cream was so new to her. Was it meant to be like this?

“You’re asking the wrong scarecrow.” Closing her eyes as well, Vega let on a mild sadness. That she too was about as used to this as Sorbet was, if not less. This wasn’t a problem that could be solved by just being kind.

“Yep-yep.” Kaliba croaked out, putting a capstone on their conversation. Shortly after, the children playing got out of the pool and went away, their laughter gone with them. They sat there, lost for a situation that could reunite the two.

Vega knew that if they were goofing off, they’d be wasting their time and they wouldn’t come together. They needed something they could focus on, have some tactical benefit, along with being collaborative and creative.

Just then, Sorbet proposed a thought that would lead to the development of their friendship.

Along… with Vega’s magics.

“…how about Ani Arma?” Speaking as if it were a forbidden Sorbet, she said it out in the air instead in the direction of Vega.

“What?” Opening her eyes suddenly, Vega gazed at Sorbet’s calm face.

“Besides Krimm and you, we don't know who Ani Arma is and what he even looks like. Maybe you guys could, uh, show us!” Turning on her side and glad Vega didn’t find the idea stupid, Sorbet let out an excited voice.

Rubbing her nose in thought, Vega's eyes widened with realization. This was perfect! Breaking down Ani Arma, his weaknesses, and what they could do to combat him! Excellent at preparing for him, as well as having fun coming up with strategies.

“Maybe even do some-some arts and crafts! That’s a good idea! Let’s go!” Leaping from her chair, Vega dove and scooped up Sorbet into a carry. Racing over to a nearby shop, she got ready to bring her friends back together.

The scarecrow practically glowed with newfound courage.