Ludejk La’Dwa ab Jujnis, 2997
We ended up going back into the skeleton factory. The men managed to disassemble the contraption, but we never saw Marcus. We did manage to find an office of sorts in which a single portal hovered over a desk. Oda lost a sword to it and Sugalite some strawberries. Bordel then pointed out a journal, in which the she-Gnome read from it. My boss nearly fainted as she read aloud.
Bordel then stood up, cup in hand and walked up to the portal. Of the people I felt more secure around, he was one of them and the thought of losing him to the portal rang in my head.
“Don’t Bordel- please,” I stammered. My eyes were wide and my heart filled with adrenaline.
The man tightened his jaw, pursed his lips, and gave me a firm look. Dread weighed upon me, but thankfully Bordel dropped the cup. He then turned on his heels and informed us all he’d wait for us outside. I took a deep breath and was just about to retrieve the cup for my boss when Sugalite picked it up.
“I suppose we ought not to leave this behind,” she mentioned. I gave a soft smile in agreeance.
Once outside, Bordel approached the she-Gnome and while insisting to have the cup back, stated, “Do you now understand the burden I carry?” As he did this, a sound caught my ear. An echoed howl came up from the cave, it’s eeriness chilling my bones.
“We need to go now!” I instructed, not caring about whatever interchange might have been taking place. The others soon understood what I meant and in a moments notice Fern placed upon us a spell to conceal our movements. She then took flight with her cart to attract whatever was to come from the cave. The plan was we’d head East for an hour and wait for her to catch up.
Once the hour had past, Kimaris spotted a creature following us. It was some kind of three headed bone hound! I was ready to run further and urged the others to do likewise. Bordel however said, “We can’t just let it roam around to kill as it pleases.” The words halted me. I closed my eyes tight, hating how I agreed. I turned around and looked at my boss in the eyes. With my lyre in hand, I struck a chord as I replied, “Then go and do.” With the glow of my magics on his countenance, Bordel lead the attack against the creature. Kimaris was quick to follow, after throwing his robes upon me.
I was still livid with the boy. I forgot to mention that as we headed back into the factory, he slapped my butt! Let alone he’s continued on with childish antics since and I’m starting to wonder which was worse; him when he was a monstrosity or now as an immature boy?
The robes I shrugged off, my attention taking in the fight. Bordel and Kimaris were grappling the creature when a sense of urgency rushed through me. I had to help... somehow. I summoned the translucent hand and sent it to aid in pinning the bone hound. As I did so, I saw one of the heads go to bite Kimaris. In that moment, my voice rented the air with, “Cud!” the hound pausing, and allowing my comrades to get the final blow in.
A short time later, as I recovered from the initial scare, Fern caught back up to us. Having noticed the bones of the creature, she questioned how it was it found us. After some speculation, I asked Bordel if the cup was magical. It was rather a stupid thing to inquire about. He reminded me of the wish that the ten cups together were suppose to bring about.
“Suppose the hound was drawn to it then?” I mentioned. I recall stories in which items of importance usually had a way of luring beasts and folk alike to them, no matter how hard one may try to cover it’s auras up.
When I gave that answer, I hadn’t thought about the gravity of that notion until Bordel said, “Then we can expect more of these creatures to find us.”
Oh the pit that formed in my stomach. I blinked back the tears rapidly as my head spun and my hands became clammy. With Kimaris nothing more than a boy (and a disrespectful one at that!), I no longer feared him. With that gone, there was no reason for me to stay- other than my fear of wandering alone.
I insisted that we return to Asura. Sugalite piped in saying that she was headed that way to turn in a bounty. However Fernwood begged otherwise. “It’s not safe there,” she said. I pleaded with Bordel, expressing that I respected him, but with all that had happened, it wasn’t what I had signed up for. It was clear I wasn’t cut out for the work at hand.
Then came this reply: “Malaney, you knew very well what you were getting into when you took this job on. You agreed to come.”
If ever there was a forest that was amidst a drought and a lightning storm came about, Bordel’s words were the spark that ignited the fire. How dare he think I came willingly! How dare he refuse to help me!
“No!” I shouted, “I did not agree to this! I was BULLIED into this by HIM!!” I seethed, pointing at Kimaris. The boy- or rather I should say Tolaj Yaæ, smirked in his nakedness.
“Hey, I began nothing,” he started in his arrogant tone, “Just because you’re a sheep doesn’t make it my fault.”
“I’m not a sheep,” I snapped.
“Then why are you here?”
I pursed my lips as reason fled. I never had felt such anger before. It’s truly awful.
Kimaris then got in front of me, placing his face close to mine. I’d probably say he was handsome if his attitude wasn’t so foul.
“Hit me,” the boy instructed. Normally I wouldn’t, but for that instance, I clenched my fists ready to strike hard, but he added, “Come on sheep! Hit me!”
My hands remained at my side. I wasn’t going to let him decide for me. Instead I marched away- away from everyone and sat down in my solitude. My fingers itched for music and so I pulled my flute out and played it. I allowed my soul to get lost into it, so much so that I didn’t recognize the song I was playing at first. It was Araja’s song... it has been well over two months since I last performed it.
The song got me thinking. I had felt this out of control once before and it was when Araja died. Achmath told me in light of the little girl’s death that I’d overcome the pain. The loss would flee and my heart would mend. I had questioned, “What if it doesn’t?”
“Toir Aj,” he called me, “You’re stronger than you know. You always make the best of the worst.”
Heavens I miss him. How ashamed I’d be if he saw me now. So in memory of Achmath, I’ll persevere.
✻ ✻ ✻ ✻ ✻
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