"Taltimia?" Davo inquired, groggy from waking up.
"You and your friends looked cold," an adult, blue-haired woman stated, squatting near Davo with an orb spell activated over the young man, a warmth emitting from it, yet she kept none for herself as she was soaking wet from the previous downpour of rain, "So I used some magic to keep all of you warm and dry."
"Thanks." He paused. "But... where have you been this whole time?"
"Doing some dirty work, kiddo. What Darien couldn't do." Davo had a curious look on his face. He wondered why Avdaviel never specified to Darien's mission.
"What was Darien sent to do?"
"Well, long story. But in short, our half-brother ran when his Courier Knights fell, and tried to assassinate the Eslient marshal while he was at it."
Davo gasped. "No. No, no, Darien never runs. What was his real mission?"
"I'm sorry, kiddo." Taltimia patted her younger brother's head with a pit-pat. "He really did run. But he didn't run for nothing; he ran away from us to find the bad guys, and eventually he got damn close to it. Sadly, I don't know what exactly happened with him or why he wasn't able to kill Dei... but in the end, his mission is complete because the target's dead anyways."
"... Hmph. So. What is your mission?"
"Killing Darien's target. I'm the one who finished the job, but by the gods did Darien get far. If Darien wasn't dead, he—"
"Dead?" Davo perked his head up, listening intently. Did his sister just say that Darien was dead?
"You didn't hear? I thought you would have, considering you're the one who has been in Eslientia this past year in that Academy place."
"I... I didn't hear."
"Sorry." Pit-pat, patting his head again, the lady tried to comfort her brother. Both of them held heavy frowns. "On the bright side, a... bad man is dead. War has started. All we have to do is find our other siblings." Davo regained his posture.
"Alone, it could take me years, but with you here it could take perhaps only one single year."
"I know where the Mrvde-obsessed boy is. I can find him."
"Really? Well, then I guess I'll find Feolin."
"Feolin is already near Vinrea. He sent me a letter that he was in the Northeast, heading towards there. That was a while ago, so he should be close, if not in, Vinrea."
"Um... then I suppose we can both accompany each other to find Ilvan."
"Mhm." The sister stood up and looked down at her brother. "Davo, what was your mission?"
"To find information on Count Eslient."
"Hm."
"... What? Do you think it was something else?"
"Avdaviel might have wanted you to be able to find Darien and me before anything got worse... sadly, everything has gotten worse, what with Darien's death and all."
"... Aye. No good omens here."
'Definitely not."
"Excuse me?" another blue-haired figure came into view in the doorway, "Who are you?"
"Amaliva," Davo began, "This is my—"
"You can call me Tally, kiddo," Taltimia winked, "I'm a friend of Davo's."
"From the Academy?" the younger girl asked.
"No, but I live in the area."
"Good to meet you. I'm Amaliva."
"A lovely name! So, Amaliva, what is your relationship with this young man here?"
"He's my official slave."
"What she means," Davo interrupted, "Is that she's terribly mean and orders me around all the time."
"That's lovely," Taltimia chuckled, "Putting him in his place, hm?"
"Tally!"
"That's what I hope to achieve!" Amaliva admitted.
"Amaliva!" The girls laughed with each other, only to quiet down again.
"So... Tally, was it?" The older one nodded in affirmation. "Can you help us with getting out of here?"
"Alright," Taltimia answered, "Where are you going?"
"To a friend's farm, ma'am."
"Then I can help you get there. I have a horse outside that can carry things, and she's only holding my essentials right now, so plenty more she can hold."
"Okay, sounds good. Come on, love." She helped Davo to stand up. "Let's go." The boy nodded in return.
Taltimia huddled close to Davo. "Love?" she wondered with a sparkle in her eye.
"Don't question it, Tally," Davo replied, "It's just how her dialect goes."
"Hmm... sure, sure. Just how her 'dialect' is." She made air quotes at the word 'dialect'.
"Let's just go and help the others..." The two caught up with Amaliva into another room where the six others were just waking up.
"Morning, you two," Ek yawned, "Er... three?"
"I'm Tally," Taltimia greeted, "A friend of Davo's." Everyone nodded in greeting.
"Alright, everyone," Amaliva announced, "Let's get going. I don't want to be at a battle site for too long. The storm has let up, but the flood is still ongoing, so watch the current. Okay?" 'Okay' and 'yes, ma'am' resonated in the damp room. "Then let's go. Hup, hup!"
With everyone on their feet, the lot walked down the stairs and back into the flood. During the walk, Davo and Taltimia shared more information with each other.
"Darien has two sons and one daughter," Taltimia stated, "The spirits tell me this."
"Ah," Davo sighed, "So... that's how you know where Ilvan is. He taught you about the Mrvde Forbidden Magic, eh?"
"Aye."
"And strengthened your telepathy."
"Aye, he did. Useful stuff, that."
"Huh, well I'm be damned. All of this, and yet he forgets about his little brother."
"Not forgetting, Davo, he just knows that you would trip over yourself with this black magic." Taltimia snickered at her younger brother. "You never were adept at anything other than healing!"
"At least I'm not trying to kill myself with that forbidden crap!" Davo scowled.
"Pfft. Still as immature as ever, hm, Davo?"
"And still trying to act mature, hm, Tally?"
"Aye. Not much has changed at first glance. Taking a closer look, though, much has changed."
"Aye, too much. It's scary sometimes."
"Yes it is. I'm talking about your girlfriend right there, by the way. Quite nice you finally achieved something in your life."
"Tally! She's not my girlfriend, you dimwit."
"I can see past your lies!" Taltimia chuckled softly, bringing her brother close in a one-arm hug. "Don't worry, I'm just teasing you, kiddo."
"Hmph. Sure."
"But hey, we have to find Darien's children. One has spoken to me through the spirits, yet the other two are unknown to me. The kid talking to me says he believes that the Flau farm's children are the other two, but it's difficult to understand these spirits sometimes."
"Okay, nice. One of those farmers is here right now, by the name of Nattia. The other one must be her sibling."
"Sounds like it, hm? I'll need to talk to that girl. Which one is she?"
"Oh, I don't know, maybe the one with dozens of spirits following her?" Davo bobbled his head sarcastically.
"Oh, right." Taltimia patted her brother on the head once more and treaded off to the front of the group where Amaliva and Nattia were conversing.
Amaliva contained a warning tone. "—thus we will need supplies for the road," she continued, "I don't expect you to provide much, but we need to at least have enough to get by while we try to return to our Western homes."
Nattia nodded, a sympathetic smile touching her lips. "Don't worry," she reassured, "My family is generous. We might be able to spare a few day's worth of food, and new clothes, and perhaps a few copper coins for your travels." Seeing Taltimia enter their vision, both girls briefly turned their attention to her.
"Hello," Taltimia started, "Sorry if I'm interrupting, but may I ask something?"
"Go ahead, please." Nattia smiled, inviting the third party into the conversation.
"Thank you. I would like to ask: are you a Flau?"
"Yes, I am, ma'am."
"Ah, I see. Do you know your father's name?"
"Um, it's Denor, ma'am, but—"
"I see." He was never good with names, Taltimia concluded in thought. "Well, was he a Westerner?"
"Ma'am, my family doesn't talk much about him, he... sort of..."
"Don't worry, I know enough to tell. But, please answer this, was he from the West?" Taltimia put a firm hand on Nattia's shoulder and looked into the younger girl's eyes sternly.
"Y-yes, he was..."
"Good, good. Your mother is looking for a Western boy, no?"
"W-what? Um, I'm sorry, ma'am, but... I... I don't know."
"Hm. I'll need to speak with your mother when we meet her. I have questions."
"... Sure..." Taltimia let loose her grip and strayed back to Davo. Once she was out of earshot, Nattia let out a breath she was holding. "What was wrong with her? Asking such personal questions..."
"Aye," Amaliva, who spectated the scene with queries, wondered, "Quite a strange woman, her. Might as well have been asking you about when your time of the month is. She's apparently Davo's friend."
"Eh... yeah, I guess that's an analogy. And that Davo guy? He does seem just as strange sometimes..."
"Hm..." Amaliva stared ahead, pondering in her complicated head. "Ah!" she exclaimed in success, "It makes sense! She's his sister!"
"Oh? I couldn't tell."
"They do look alike, and their mannerisms are similar, and Davo's... that. So it all makes sense to me now." They're both Freirs! she yelled in thought.
"Ah, they do seem similar, then." The group walked into what seemed to be a clearing. "Oh! We're nearing to my house! This is a pond where we would fish at." She waved towards a small, oval pond, reminiscing over old memories.
"Nice!" Amaliva turned around, walking backwards, facing everyone. "Oi, everyone, we're almost there!" Each person nodded in acknowledgement, and a few proclaimed a 'yay' or two. "Ah, come on, people, be a bit more eager."
"I just want somewhere dry to sleep," Ek moaned.
"Agreed," Malro shrugged, "This has been a very strange beginning of our second year."
"You're second-years, eh?" Hannaette wondered.
"Aye, miss, we are."
"Nattia and I are firsts. Just about to learn stuff when a fucking war broke out." Hanaette huffed out a breath, stomping a bit in a mini-tantrum.
Imillia touched the Scentral girl's shoulder. "Are you okay?" she questioned.
"Yeah..." Hanaette sighed and glanced at Nattia. Must be terrible for her, she thought, This county is her home. "I'm from another county, so it doesn't upset me too much. But now that the town's in flames, I won't learn anything... war sucks."
"War's never good..." Keko muttered, his head looking down at the forest floor.
"How'd you know, Kekie?" Amaliva asked.
"I was a small lad when the war was at its end. I'm from a hamlet outside of Vinrea, and since then, the trade back home has been terrible. Anywhere near that cursed kingdom is poor and desolate."
"Eh?" Imllia gasped, "Now Keko's down? You alright?" The boy shook his head.
"I went here to learn military arts, so that I could become a soldier and send home some pay." Imillia nodded in understanding.
"He's right... his family is especially poor, and mine's not good either." Imillia now sulked.
"Alright, enough crying and cradling," Amaliva said, "All this sad talk is going to ruin us. Let's just get to that farm. You here me, lass?" She directed her gaze to Nattia. "Where's the farm?"
"There," Nattia stated, pointing to a building in the distance, "The roads are practically in front of us." Everyone looked around, seeing that they were no longer in the forest, but in an open field.
"Damn, didn't notice with all the sad talk."
"We're here." Nattia beamed, having a smile that happily squinted her eyes. "I'll be able to see Arren and Mother again!" A few more 'yay' and 'nice' here and there in celebration.
"You got dry clothes?" Ek asked, "These clothes suck like rabbit and mud."
"I don't get that analogy," Amaliva admitted, "But Nattia said that they do indeed have clothing."
"I'm not entirely sure, Amaliva!" Nattia warned, "I mean, there's only three of us at home, and one is but a child while the other is a grown woman. That only covers you, me, Imillia—"
"She gets the child's clothes, right?" Amaliva held a teasing smirk.
"—and maybe Ek and Malro. Not sure about Davo or Keko, as they're grown men. No grown men in my house."
"Fuck yeah, no need for grown men!"
"That sounds wrong," Hanette repulsed.
"Yeah!"
"I'm sure we'll find a workaround," Keko assured.
"Of course, Kekie, we'll make sure you and lovely Davo don't get a cold or anything."
"Aye, thank you."
"Um," Nattia hummed, "We're here." The farmhouse stood some meters in front of the group, causing everyone to slow their footing.
"This is it, eh," Amaliva deadpanned. She gazed at the neat house, admiring the simplicity.
"Yeah..."
"Lovely!" Amaliva gave a hug to Nattia. "Let's get going, okay?"
"Yep!" and "Aye!" was the party's response. Everyone happily moved towards the safety that the small house offered. However, Taltimia still sought conversation with her brother, causing her to bring Davo close again for a few words.886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡZHYaTmxnry
"Some spirits have a fervent obsession with this girl," Taltimia revealed, "They've gone so far as to possess the girl's pet dog. I'm sure we've hit the right place."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iryM5OwoC
"Aye," Davo observed, "Seems like it."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡJefZjK5Ocj
"I wonder what her family is like. A mother, I believe, and a sibling. I think..." Her eyes stared blankly at Nattia, her mind racing to decipher the spirits' languages, ones of emotion and images. She took longer than she would want to due to the spirits' incapability to speak words, but found comfort in the emotions they displayed for this girl and her blood, her family. "I'm sure the mother is Nigon, but the sibling, a brother, I believe, seems to be silenced. He was never awoken into magic, and is an apparent Nigon. I'm sure that a spellweaver might be able to get his Magon abilities up."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡWgrfVfsENm
"Spellweavers? Good luck with that; most spellweavers were purged during the war."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ6iXlIq3WAR
"I hear that Northeast deserters take a liking to spellweaving."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLnUA2JXG4i
"Indeed, but you forget that it's dangerous for them to be anywhere save the South."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0Rc8PheSvf
"True... they've deserted their military post and escaped their slavery, so Scentral is out on the hunt for them, all-the-while everyone else, including the Southeast and Mrvde, and I don't think I have to explain how much the North and West hate Northeastern warriors—"886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsHprkM6e9u
"For good reason." Davo looked at his sister with a grave face.886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡUlh4bYajWj
"Aye, for good reason." Poor kid hasn't gotten over the war, eh? Taltimia pitied in her head, Then again, none of us have... "And... well, funny a slave warrior's only respite is with his masters or in the presence of those that are enslaved. The South is Scentral's source for the slaving market. Damn slaver bastards, the lot of Scentral."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡB9QKibyEAD
"Sure, they're bastards, nice. Now back onto the topic at hand, how would we teach Ms. Flau's brother?"886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjOx4N1Qy7s
"Well..."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrS3ZE3qi0e
"And don't suggest going to the South for a Northeasterner."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKvFgeFbrb
"Well, then, well... I'll have to think about it. For now, don't mention much to this Flau family, mhm?"886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡM2GvY1wFFw
"Aye, alright."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡq6QFhcDk1n
"Goodie." Taltimia gave her little brother a pat on the back and started off with the rest of the group into farmhouse's small yard. A few patches of garden here and there, with bugs flying and crawling around.886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFszALFjDc
"Nice place," Taltimia complimented Nattia, suddenly by the girl's side.886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡPioJ6qQ14O
"Oh!" Nattia exclaimed, a tad surprised to the lady's quick appearance, "Um, yes, my mother always takes care of it. The Barking Knights help, too..."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ1Kpg2ar3zB
"Barking Knights, eh? Heard of them, some kind of Aelveil spies, no?"886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbxRHHNLLLg
"Sp-spies? No, I would doubt it..."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡsoed5if9hW
Whoops, Taltimia thought, Bad man's thoughts seem to be mine now, hm? He was dillusional... best stray away from that mindset. "Joking, joking, I'm kidding. From what I've heard, they're a good bunch."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡlFYSPjKCHE
"Yes..." Nattia opened the door to her house. "Welcome, everyone! You can step inside." Thanks were heard, and Nattia held the door for everyone. However, Taltimia still stood by her.886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡpPoQPaAf5k
"You seem worried."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5KT9p2o7gs
"I just wonder how many Aelveil countymen were in the chaos back in town."886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ2HO6kFqxSG
"I'm sure that the boast of Aelveil wouldn't get so much as scratched if they faced a few Magon guards. Your Barking Knights are fine, Nattia." With a pat on the head, Taltimia entered the house with Nattia close behind.886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwLl5MEnFF0
Well, Taltimia thought again, in the end, I'm sure all good will prevail, hm?886Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ8Ko5tPkPBk
