A wonderful place this was. Round tables of dark wood sat in an orderly fashion around the great hall. Their seats were set underneath them, the soft, pearl-white, table cloth cascading over the cushions. The carpet was a brilliant vermillion, strangely clean. It was as if though the same entities that maintained the luxurious suite that was their save room had also done this place as well.
"I'm not certain," said Van, admiring the hanging, bell-shaped lights rimmed with gold.
"Wherever we are," Nu rubbed her feet upon the carpet, "we still have to keep moving."
Vandal agreed but first gestured for Nu to wait as he reloaded. He despaired, realizing he only had a few bullets left. Damn it, Vandal cursed himself quietly, only three bullets left. Having enough Banfrow had never been a problem. He'd make sure to produce some at night before he fell asleep, but finding iron was difficult. He had been using rocks, though it took him hours to grind them down on the sidewalk in the days before. But now even those were scarce, being in the town and all.
I still got the axe, Van thought as he slid a finger along its ash wood shaft. He had popped the gems out of it though, and affixed them to the dog(the little lever that slams down to fire a long gun) and enchanting the little jewels with heat.
Van got up and, together with Nu, they looked for an exit before any more beasts could bother them. Walking down one hallway, something caught his eye.
A bathroom's door was wide open, yet did not lead into one. Beyond was another grand space, this time, lined with shelves and wooden signs that showed the images of various fish. Long poles of various colors hung from walls or stood in barrels like reeds.
Vandal stepped through. Looking behind he noticed the walls were awkwardly set together as if the two buildings had been chopped in half and welded together. This land doesn't cease to try and drive me mad.
"Now where are we?" Nu said, almost tripping in the doorframe which was at odd angles with the room.
"Looks to be some sort of shop for fishermen," commented Vandal as he tested the strength of one of the fishing lines, wrapping them around his fist and tugging.
"I wonder ... " Vandal uttered to himself.
"You wonder what?" asked Nu, swinging a flimsy fishing pole like a saber.
Van saw a sign over a wooden box that said "iron weights" and felt his mood lighten. It was as if the gods had seen his plight and thought to reward him. They were round and a good size to fit his long gun. There was more than he could carry, so he just took enough: enough to keep him well-armed, but not so many as to weigh him down if they had to run again.
"Whoa ... Van?" said Nu, pointing at something outside the store.
"What is that?" asked Van with astonishment.
They both walked out to admire the pillar. It was a little taller than the street lamps and stood crooked. At its base, the asphalt had crumbled, as if the monolith burst from the ground. All around it were engravings. Though, Van surmised that, by its order and form, it must be some sort of language. Vandal ran his fingers across its sand-colored surface, feeling the ancient words. He felt some sort of energy emitting from it.
A voice called from above the structure.
"This realm lacks no mystery," it said, "wouldn't you agree, Vandal?"
That voice, Vandal thought with distress.
A woman sat with her legs crossed atop the pillar. she wore scarlet hunting boots with platinum buckles. Her trousers were bone white, and her jacket, crimson with cloth of silver trims. Her hat, wide-brimmed with the iridescent feather of a simurgh stuck in it, sat over the white-gold tresses that fell on her shoulders.
"You ..." was all Vandal could say.
Was she killed too? Van thought. At least in this realm, he took joy in knowing he was away from her.
"You?" the woman in red mocked, "is that all you can say, for all this time apart? "
She sighed and slid down the pillar, her boots kicking some of the old sand into Vandal's face.
Vandal stepped back, gripping Leonette's stock so hard, his knuckles whitened.
"What are you doing here?" Vandal questioned.
"I died of heartache!" she said, clutching her heart, pretending it hurt, "After I got the news of your death, I just had to follow you. Just like the stargazers predicted!" She laughed, a mocking smile playing on her ruby red lips.
"They're nothing but old fools, Ladnavia" Vandal said laconically.
"Not in a cheery mood, love?" she said and shrugged. "Fine," she said, "the truth is your death caused some trouble. A rebellion, you may call it. The child, Ren the Prince Slayer, well ... his cruel death after his capture, ordered by His High Holiness, was not taken lightly by the dirt farmers you love so much."
Ren is dead, too? Van thought bitterly.
"You were killed by insurgents?" asked Van.
"Hunting Accident," Corrected Ladnavia in a tone that Van could not tell if she was lying or not, "it was bound to happen soon. You may not believe the stargazers and the fate they see in their wisdom, but I do."
The door to the fisherman's shop opened, and Nu walked towards Vandal
"Van?" asked Nu with confusion, "is everything alright?"
"Van? That's cute. Who is this?" said Ladnavia with that cruel, mocking, smile.
"Nu, get back—" called out Vandal.
"Don't be rude, love," she said to Vandal. "Come here, little girl," she said to the Elementalist, "I don't bite."
Nu looked to Van, vexed by Ladnavia's words. He stepped in between her and Ladnavia.
"Just go back inside," Van said to Nu trying to keep his anger in, "please."
Ladnavia, enjoying the pair's anxiousness, placed her hands behind her back, tilting her head to inspect Nu.
"Oh!" she said bringing her hands to her mouth in faux shock, "I have been cuckqueaned, haven't I?"
"Shut up," Vandal snarled.
"I mean you must have ... with those brown locks and eyes ... " muttered Ladnavia, "she looks just like her!"
"I said shut up!" Van shouted as he aimed his long gun.
Ladnavia, just as quickly swiped two throwing knives from her belt.
"One for you, and one for your lover. You best not miss, Van," Ladnavia spat, her voice no longer in playful tones. "I'm not here to kill you, but if I must in order to return home, I will. Until then ... "
Vandal lowered Leonette and Ladnavia sheathed her knives.
"Well," said the woman in red, "I best be going now. It's been a pleasure."
Ladnavia blew a kiss to Van, who spat in the dirt as a response, and waved at Nu sweetly. She turned and sauntered away, whistling tune of a hunter's song Vandal also knew. Hanging from her back and beneath her flowing blood-red cape, Van could see she found her Alaunt: a large, metal double-limbed crossbow, capable of firing two bolts at once.
"Say," Ladnavia shouted, her back still to them, "You haven't seen a lunatic swinging farming equipment around, have you?"
She means Cordis, Vandal knew but decided not to reveal anything.
Not getting a response, she only shrugged and continued on whatever journey she had before her.
"Who was that?" Nu asked when she was gone.
"Her name's Ladnavia," Vandal said solemnly, "my wife."
VANDAL'S INVENTORY:
Bullets 12/12: ⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫⚫
Banfrow: 60%
Note: 10% used per shot.
ns 18.68.41.175da2
