The headquarters are empty, and that damn headache's back again. Esmeralda. The sound of kids playing. The Chimerians. All of them. Gone as soon as I open my eyes. The clocks hanging by the walls are not moving. Not this again. I rise from the bed and wander around... Gods. The metal corridors agree with silence. It's getting at me. Shit. I don't think I'll be able to handle this.. Hmm... Unless there's food, of course. Maybe this is a good chance to find some... I'm an idiot. Seriously. Finding food in a dream?... Wait... Huh. I'm aware that I'm dreaming. That's good.
"...Help..."
An unknown voice. It pleas again, only this time, there's another voice with him. And another. And another. A few minutes more and they become unbearable. The unison of voices start to get louder with each repetition, and the earth dances along with their prayer... Hypocrites. Help, they say, but they don't show themselves... Shit. My head's hurting even more. The tremors and the voices are starting to get to me. I wanna fucking vomit so bad. This feels worse than a hangover. Way fucking worse. Shit. I'm too weak to even react properly...
"...te..."
"...S...."
"...Ake..."
"....Please..."
... Huh. I can't even fall quick. It feels like time's slowing down.
"...ol?..."
"...ppening?..."
The voice keeps on calling as I fall into the stone flooring, hitting my already hurting head in the process. The gate collapses, and the light of a Tyrant shines brightly. It roars and wakes me up from my nightmare. The cold, wet sensation of a towel sits on my forehead, but I still feel hot. The headache's gone, though. Esmeralda and a few Chimerians are surrounding me, some of them looking at me with wide eyes... Oh. One of them's the girl who helped me when Arra got drunk.
"We're meeting a lot often these days." I say.
"Do you know her?" Esmeralda says.
"She helped me when Arra got drunk."
"Oh, yeah! I recognize you now! You were the one carrying 'The Blue Admirer' around!" She gasps. Snakes and Goats glare and storm off as soon as she said this.
"Huh. 'The Blue Admirer'. Is that Arra's title?"
"I think so. Nelen tells me a lot about her." Esmeralda giggles and replaces my towel with a new one.
"Where did she get it?"
"She's always seen near flower shops, so we affectionately call her that. She really likes flowers." The familiar soldier fixes her armor.
"Huh. It fits well with Nelen's. 'The Red Maiden and The Blue Admirer.' The Violet Ladies."
"Hee-hee. I'll tell her you said that. She'll love it."
Esmeralda punches my arm as the unnamed Chimerian goes away. Maybe I should've asked? Or will it make things awkward? I don't know. Runes float on the ceiling as I pass the time watching them, and Esmeralda sits on the bed, chanting a spell to the towel she just took. Hmm... I wonder if I can combine spells.
"Can I combine spells?" I ask as I continue to watch on the runes.
"Oh. Why ask?"
"I don't know. Just curious, I guess."
"Uhm... I think you can cast multiple spells at the same time, yes. I was told that you weave the word 'te' in between spells to mix them. However, the first spell cast will be the base magic."
"Base magic?" I look at her.
"It means that the first spell will largely influence the magic. Do you know two example spells?"
"Hmm... I know Ignys and Vento Laurem. I think I got that one from Strauss when we fought back at those thugs. Do you remember that?"
"Yes. That was my very first fight. It was fun." She smiles. "Uhm... So back to the lesson. You basically chant Ygnis te Ventus Laurem."
"I don't get it. Why does the 'I' sound like 'Y'?"
"The spells evolve, I guess? Uhm... I don't know how to put it."
"Huh. What a weird world."
"Trust me. It's only the beginning. You still haven't seen the creatures yet. There's this one monster with just an eye and a pair of wings. It shoots brown laser from its eyes. Uhm... I don't know what it's called. Nelen just dragged a body inside the house for no reason. It's weird."
"Hmm... Why are you happy?"
"What kind of question is that?" She giggles and crawls on the bed. "Make some room for me."
"You sure giggle a lot for someone who had her home all poisoned."
"It's because I don't go out much. Holing up inside the shop for months and even years. I'd be excited, too. At least I don't have to worry about the endless queues of customers."
"Wow. Your shop's popular?"
"Just a bit, yes. I actually made the queen's clothes, and she gave me a lot of money for it. She's very luxurious."
The runes dancing on the ceiling often bump to each other. They turn their direction as soon as one connects with another, and watching all seven of them never gets boring. Maybe it's because they swap colors when they touch? Esmeralda's also having f... Oh. She's sleeping. Well, that's nice. She must be tired. The towel she gave me contained something soothing, too. I'm guessing she chanted something that cools the body and heals headaches?... I should give her some space. This place is big. Maybe a good wandering around will waste time.
"Hey! Come here!" A voice calls as I go to the kitchen. It's that woman from before.
"Huh?"
"Get over here! Quick!"
"Uh, okay. What's this abou-- Fuckin' hell! Take your hands off me! I don't know you like that!"
My rant attracts a few glances as the lady drags me to a room and closes the door. Despite her small frame, her strength is comparable to that of a gorilla. I wonder if she'll beat me Oh. Cleaning supplies. That's neat.
"You know Arra?" She glares.
"Yeah... I don't like the look you're giving me right now. Wanna fight?" I glare back.
"Oh, sorry. This is my questioning look. You know Arra?"
"Well, yeah."
"How do you know her?"
"We're working with her to track Cerberus down."
"Nothing else? That's it?"
"What else can there be?"
I say as she takes her hand off me. What a weird girl. She walks around the room, but tells me to stay put. Then, as if she's remembering something, she begins to lower my shoulder by putting her hands on it. She's tall, and her strength is no joke. It's a good thing I have a bit of muscle, otherwise I would've fallen to the ground along with a few random items. It's a good thing I held my ground.
"About 'The Blue Admirer'. I've seen you with her on multiple occasions. I'd really appreciate it if you stay away from her." She starts.
"What? I can't do that. I'm working with her." I yawn.
"No. Just stay away from her. She's mine."
"I can't do t-- Oh. I get it now. You're jealous. You're lesbian, aren't you?"
"No. I'm already married. What are you even talking about?"
"Oh, sorry. What did you mean by 'She's mine', exactly?"
"I can't tell you."
"Huh. What a weird c--"
"OH! NO! I MEAN YES! YES! I'M JEALOUS!"
"Whoa, wh--"
"Please tell me what you know about her. I'll give you something in return. What do you need? I'll help."
"Are you a stalker?"
"What? No?"
"Yep. You definitely are. STALKE--"
"Keep quiet. Please."
She states in a cool tone, but she's already grabbing me by the shirt and blocking my mouth... Hmm... I'm feeling that I'm getting controlled again. I wonder if I can do what I want... Who am I kidding? She's not gonna stand a chance. Yes. That's it. I'm leaving this place. Her strength's not gonna stop me. I take her hands off me and go through the door. What a weird girl. I should ask Arra to stay away from her... What was her name again?
"What's your name again?" I say as she opens the door.
"Oh... Ellys." She closes the door and acts all indifferent.
"Okay. I'll tell Arra to watch out for you. You're cree--"
"No. Please. She mustn't know. I'll do whatever you want!"
"Anything?"
"Yes! Anything! Just don't tell and give me information about her."
"I don't know about that last part, but I'll forget this conversation if... Hmmm... What kind of food do women love here?"
"Most women here love apples. They're cheap and tasty. Wh--"
"Your treat."
"Really?" She sighs. "Catch me outside. I know a place where they sell good pieces."
With one last glare, she leads me out and into the streets. The commotion's all gone now, and some people are going to the direction of the headquarters. Ellys talks with some of her fellow guards for a while, but I can't hear what they're saying. Their golden armors shine as her fellow Chimerians nod before she turns to me.
"Come."
"Where'll it be? Another random marketplace?" I joke.
"Yes. It's very near."
"Wait, I'm right?"
"Just follow me."
We walk into a marketplace on the way to the North. Blue smoke can be seen all the way to the roofs of the buildings ahead, but the old people don't seem too affected. Old people sold everything from meat and fruits to accessories and clothes. Typical marketplace, except for the fact that this city's getting attacked by an unknown group of terrorists. Why are they so calm? And why are all of their eyes closed? Damn. I didn't notice it before, but now I do. That old man at the bakery when Ellys and I first met had his eyes closed, too. It's eerie. I wonder if Rusar and his grandmother are okay. It'll suck if something happened to them.
"Are you seeing this?" I start.
"Yeah. It's very unusual. It's been going on for days."
"Huh. That's weird. I hope they aren't getting attacked."
"They aren't. For some reason, the Dolls don't attack old people and children. They focus on--"
"Nobles and Chimerians? Yeah. I've heard that line before."
"Yes... What's your name?"
"Oh, I didn't tell?"
"I wouldn't ask if you did." She sighs.
"Right... I'm Sol. It's only a given name. I don't know my true one and where I came from."
"Oh, we're the same! Ellys is also my nickname. I don't know my name, nor why the kids back at the orphanage called me that, but it sounded nice so I adopted it."
"You're an orphan, huh?"
"I used to be, yeah."
"Well, then. I'm assuming you grew up with Nelen?"
"No. There are two orphanages in here. One in the west and one in the east. I grew up at the east."
"Interesting... Your husband is lucky. You look like a bit like Arra, and you have this demeanor that eases tension. Too bad you're married, though. I couldn't get to you first."
"You should've come early, then. You're a looker yourself." Ellys flirts back.
"Why, thank you. I like how this conversation is going. Maybe I'm not going to ask you to treat me some apples." I say as we pass by a stall selling good-looking apples. The owner's old eyes are closed. Just like his fellow vendors.
"You sly dog. I know you're giving this to someone. I'll still treat you and your friend, of course. I could go for some good apples myself... Oh, we already passed it!"
She goes into the stall I noticed, glancing at me with joyful eyes before looking at the apples. Velvet red glistens on every fruit's skin, and the old man selling it is jeweled in fancy clothing. Come to think of it, all of the vendors here are dressed nice. Much better than the ones who are selling the same stuff back at the West Gate.
"I've noticed that the people in here are dressed differently from the ones back at the West Gate. Why is that?" I yawn.
"That's because they choose to do so. It's common sense, really. Everyone who helps maintain the community in some way deserves to govern their stalls on their own terms. As long as they pay taxes, of course. That includes blacksmiths, clothes makers, shop owners, land owners, and anything that takes money from the pocket." She takes an apple and sniffs it. "The king then takes the taxes and uses it to repair buildings and pay the Chimerians. Just your typical government."
"If that's how the system works, then wouldn't the money be vulnerable around the ones in control?"
I reply as I take two random pieces of apple from the display.
"Don't worry. Their crowns are imbued with magic that senses lies. It'll glow forever once they do something inappropriate, and they're always required to wear it. Now go and pick your apple. I'm choosing these."
She gets a paper bag, puts her seven apples in, and takes mine. Two stray apples fall to the floor, so I pick it up and put it back in its place. Ellys thanks me and looks around the other stalls of sellers. So she's only starting to notice the silence, huh? Took you long enough.
"Took you long enough."
"How much for this?"
She ignores me, but the vendor doesn't respond to her. It's just standing there, eyes closed and arms free. She asks again. No response. This angers her, and she kicks a wooden box near her. After seeing the vendor's reaction (which is still nothing), she takes a handful of Cings from her pocket and throws it at the shop.
"Fucking jerk. I'm never buying here again." Ellys storms off, and I instinctively follow her. "I've been buying on that shop for the past five years! Unbelievable!"
"Maybe he's tired." I chuckle. "Maybe all the shopkeepers here are just tired."
"This doesn't happen often."
She looks back at the market as we make our way into the Legion's headquarters. There's a hint of both confusion and unease in her face. Like she knows something is wrong, but she's not sure what it is. I mean, who wouldn't be apprehensive in that situation? Sheesh... The sky is quiet now.
I wonder who won? The crunch of fruit sends all my worries down the drain while a crowd near the castle's hill catches my eye.
"I'll go and check what that's about." I say to her.
"Sure. Do you want me to give the apple to Esmeralda?" Ellys replies.
"Yeah... Wait, you know her?"
"I'll just pretend I didn't hear your stupid question."
"Hey, that's hurtful."
I say as she pretends not to hear me and heads for the gate. Mmm... The apple tastes fresh. Almost like it went straight to the market. I could live everyday eating this. Another crunch sends me close to heaven, and the murmurs from the crowd are starting to make sense now. Something about... Huh... Wait a second. Did I just hear that right?