Chapter 32

“I would like to have tea too! Please!” Aramaleo was looking at the tea in front of Silva with a gaze full of longing.

“Sorry, fresh out of it.”

“Okay, then coffee?” Aramaleo did not give up.

“Sorry, fresh out of it,” Mika repeated.

“I did help you before, why are you three so hostile. I did nothing to warrant this!”

“Yes, but I suspect we will be paying for that help today.” Mika reasoned.

“Besides, we don’t like you,” Steven finished.

“Ah, don’t say that! I am not a bad guy and we will be in contact from time to time from now on. It would be better if we did get along.”

“As I said, there is no more tea left,” Mika ignored the pleading look.

“Wait, really?” Steven suddenly addressed Mika. “I thought you are messing with him! Then what do I get?”

“Hot water?”

“Silva you have to share! It was freezing outside!”

Silva almost choked as she drank. The tea was still hot, but the real problem was that the rest of the room was now wishfully looking at her cup.

“Mika made it for me.” Silva slowly started. If Aramaleo wasn’t there she would consider sharing, but with the man sitting across from her she did not feel comfortable enough and did not want to show any weakness. “So, no!” She knew for a fact that with Steven’s vitality this amount of cold would be of no issue to him.

“Look, can’t we just get down to business?” Mika suggested. Silva could feel that she was the least pleased with Aramaloe’s presence. And for a reason too. Not only the man had known where to find them, but also when. It was hardly a coincidence that all three of them just happened to arrive around the same time as him. At least Silva did not believe in such coincidences.

After sending the last glance at Silva’s cup Aramaleo started to speak.

“Sure, the faster we get over this the sooner I can get back home. A place with tea. Several types of tea in fact.”

“Must be nice.” Steven inserted.

“Uh, yea, where was I?”

“At the start,” Silva helped.

“Right, so, as per the agreement, I have come to you with the goal of beginning to settle it.” Aramaleo declared. “Don’t look at me like that! We are actually helping people here!”

“Are you the people Armamaleo?” Steven prodded.

“That’s not my name.”

“Are you the people Amamaleo? Mika asked.

“Hey!”

“Are you the people Marmelademan?” Silva used the chance followed by a moment of silence.

“That was not even close!” Aramaleo accused after the moment passed. “Not funny!”

Silva did have the conscience to blush a little. A glance sideways revealed that at least her friends appreciated the attempt. At least Steven was giving her a thumbs up.

“But no, actual people. Normal people. Actually, now that I think about it I never confirmed that you… Um…”

“Silva,” Mika helped.

“Yes, that you have an ability, but I am assuming that you do. I would be stupid to think otherwise.”

Silva benevolently decided to ignore the fact that the man had forgotten her name. In a sense, it was only fair. But then something occurred to her. She as quickly as possible activated her mana sight. The lazy mana movements around Aramaleo proved that he was like them, but…

“You can’t tell?” Silva shot a question in spite of herself.

“What do you mean?”

Sensing the reproachful look from Mika Silva hurried to correct her mistake.

“I mean, how with how you found us. We thought you had away.”

“Really? Didn’t I say something about that not being me?” Aramaleo scrunched his eyebrows together.

“You didn’t,” Mika came to the rescue.

“Oh, okay, it wasn’t me. But, with this, I am sure that you have an ability. That makes things easier.” Aramaleo seemed to be pleased with himself, but Mika was not done yet.

“Before we continue, do you know about yesterday’s phenomena in the mountains?”

“You know, for people who want to get over this quickly you sure ask a lot of unrelated questions.” Aramaleo looked confused. “Was there something?”

“A big, local snowstorm in the mountains? With all the lightning? Just outside the Oldsteel?” Steven asked in disbelief. “I thought it would be all over the news and the internet.”

“Ah, I was busy with other things. This, uh, well, this ARPG came out yesterday, so I was busy, but this is unrelated to what I have to say. Probably just nature being nature anyway.”

Silva almost admonished Aramaleo for his irresponsibility, but when the man continued she was forced to reconsider.

“So, do you have any other questions? No? Okay! Here is the deal. I was given the task to take you to a place where you will have to break out an animal from its cage. Simple right?”

Silva almost raised her hand to signal that she has a question but changed her mind right after. It was better to not give Aramaleo ideas that he was in any sort of control here, even if he was.

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“Why? What’s so special about this animal? How is that ‘helping people’ as you claimed? Can’t you just teleport in, take it and the teleport out? Why should we agree?”

“All valid questions.” Aramaleo nodded as Silva spoke. “And seeing how we are going to work with each other I’ll try to answer them. Starting with the last one. Take this information from someone who experienced it... Simply put, my employer saved my life. I am not going to go into details due to personal reasons, but that’s how it is. A favour, it was called. And afterwards, I tried to avoid returning the favour I had received. You see, I am… Not the bravest person. And well, I think I mentioned it before, but nothing happened to me.”

There was a pause and Mika used it to speak “Then why…”

“Nothing happened to me.” Aramaleo ignored her. “But after every request… After every time I ran away from my responsibilities… I always knew what the results were of my inaction.”

The silence ruled the kitchen now as Aramaleo was now starring at the ceiling. The trio did not disturb the young man in his reminiscence and soon he continued.

“You know, at first it was not that bad. Some people were worse off, sometimes there was damage to the buildings or nature. Sometimes people just… Lived. Those times were the easiest you know. People always continue to live… But with time people lost limbs. People lost homes. People lost families… And always I knew. I… It’s hard to explain. The information just came to me. Not in dreams, or not always… Before you ask I tried to find out if what I knew was actually real and… It broke me.”

“I am sorry you had to…” Steven soothed Aramaleo.

“Don’t be. I… I am trying to change.” Aramaleo clapped his hands to change the mood. “So, there you have it. As to for why I just don’t go in and out, it’s simple. You are overestimating my power. And nope, not gonna explain. As to for what is special about it it’s similar to us and if we don’t free it’s guaranteed that there will be far-reaching consequences.”

“Wait, you mean it has an ability?” Silva was surprised, but after she thought for a moment she realized that it was not strange at all. Had they not found a surprising amount of random tidbits on the internet about strange animals? Had they not run into a gigantic wolf just a while ago? And what’s more, no one had ever caught any of those animals, but maybe that was not the truth at all.

“Sure, animals are living beings as well.” Aramaleo shrugged as if stating something obvious and known by everyone.

“Right, sure. So, you want to take us to where exactly?” Mika wondered.

“Dunno.”

“Hmm?”

“I said I don’t know.”

“How does that work? You surely must know!” Mika did not understand.

“No, no, another misconception about how my ability works. This time my employer is going to guide me.”

“Wait,” Silva interjected. “Didn’t you say that it’s not cold at the destination?”

“Ah, you did hear that. Well, yes, it’s not in this country, I know that much.”

“But didn’t you say that you can’t take three people far?”

“Yes, that’s why my employer is going to help me with the fuel.”

That… Sounded almost too familiar.

“Who, or what exactly is your employer again?” Steven was the first one to ask.

“I didn’t tell, nor am I going to do it now. I assure you that my, well, now it’s our employer is entirely trustworthy.”

“But you have met him? Her? It?” Mika tried to get more information.

“Oh yes, I have. As I said she saved my life?”

“So it is a she?”

“Maybe, if I had to guess, then yes, my employer is a she. It’s not like I know for sure. Look, I really can’t tell you more, so please don’t ask. So, will you agree to come?”

“We have to talk, can you go outside for a moment.” Mika struggled to find the answer to Aramaleo’s question.

“Okay, I understand.” With a huff, Aramaleo got up and exited kitchen and Mika followed after him.

“I think you didn’t. I said outside.”

“You-, you can’t be serious! Why outside?” Aramaleo protested.

“Is there a problem?” Steven followed after Mika.

“No, no, I was just thinking that I should get some fresh air!”

Silva blankly looked at the, now empty, cup in front of her. She was still in thoughts when Mika took it away and when Silva raised her head Steven plopped down in the seat where Aramaleo had sat just a moment ago.

“So, we are going to do it, right?” Silva stated more than asked. “But do we have to do it now?” Her gaze settled on Steven’s face. She was not great at reading other people, but even she could tell that there was a storm of emotion behind the static expression.

“When we threw him out he said that only a little bit time is left until it’s too late. Not more than an hour, he said… I… I don’t want to see what will happen if we don’t. If I… I can’t-.” Steven’s voice broke.

“We will do it.” Mika stopped Steven. “Let me go and dry my hair before we do.”

Mika left and Silva was left with Steven who was squeezing his hands together. Something about the previous conversation had upset him.

“Do… Do you want to talk?” Silva tried.

Steven flinched. “Sorry, it’s just that... Let me take a breath and I’ll be alright.”

“You don’t look alright.”

“Must be bad coming from you.” Steven gave Silva a crooked smile, which she tried to return.

“Ah, you are still bad at smiling, if that’s what you are doing. Thank you. It helps...” Steven’s smile did seem to improve.

“You can… count on me?” Silva did not quite understand, but if her smile did make him feel better it was all the same.

“Of course, of course. And you can count on me. You can.”

Silva was about to thank Steven in return but before she did she shut her mouth. It seemed like he was speaking with himself more than with her. Again finding herself with nothing to say Silva kept looking around the kitchen until her gaze fell on a knife.

“Do you think we should take something with us?”

“What do you… Oh! You probably shouldn’t. It’s too easy to injure yourself without proper training.” Steven shook his head.

“Is that so?”

“Yea, it can get pretty bad. Last time I saw… No, nothing. Just, keep my advice in mind.” Steven’s mood once again took a swing downwards.

“Don’t you think that with my stealth it come in handy?” Silva’s look still lingered on the sharp object.

“You may be right.” Steven seemed to reconsider. “But not that knife, that’s aunties favourite. Let me see here.” He got up and walked to one of many drawers. After a short search, he presented her a sheathed utility knife. “Just keep in mind that these knives are not for stabbing. Keep it strictly for self-defence. If there is anything dangerous first let-, let me deal with me. Okay?”

Silva nodded as she took the knife from Steven’s hand. Only then she realized that she had nowhere to put it and was left awkwardly holding it until Mika returned.

“What’s with the knife?” Mika carefully eyed the utensil Silva held.

“Silva wanted something to take with her,” Steven explained.

“Should I also do the same?” Mika, now thoughtfully, looked around.

“Better not, it’s only because of her ability that I allowed it.” Steven shook his head.

“Okay, then let’s go get Aramaleo?”

Silva watched her friends walk out of the kitchen and she hurried to follow them as she awkwardly held the uncomfortable object in her had. “Maybe it was not such a good idea.”