Most nobilities use magical artefacts but those who could use magic would enter the Magic Tower. It was understandable that Brian would be suspicious that she was from some undercover force if she was not in the Magic Tower.
Libitina was in a teasing mood. She lifted some leaves off the ground, which swivelled around Brian mysteriously and caused his eyes to widen even more. Mages represent power, and danger.
A giggle escaped her lips, earning her a deep growl from the red-faced man, who struggled again.
"Stop it!"
"Okay, okay," Libitina sighed, placing her right hand on her chest. "Shall I introduce myself? You know me as your master's acquaintance, the Young Lady of Merveille House. Pleased to meet you, I am Libitina Merveille." She slowly removed her mask, and a hideous face came to view, half beautiful, and half destroyed.
"No, no you are not. You hideous freak!" Brian suddenly spat at her, causing her to flinch in surprise. She had not experienced this in a long time. "Who are you, you wicked illegal!"
She slapped him gently again. "Don't be rude."
"You!!"
"Brian, I am Libitina Merveille."
Her smile caused the scars to wrinkle ungracefully.
"Maybe you can't even remember, but once upon a time, I was a girl known to many as Libby."
She smiled sadly at the horrified man.
"How are you, Brian?"
…
If Libitina were to say that she knew Brian well, it would be a lie. She was taken care of by Briar more, and Brian was more of a playmate than someone close to heart. However, the first few weeks in Enzak had been the most terrifying and exciting time of her existence, and Brian was a part of the whole puzzle.
Looking at the distraught man now, Libitina felt her heart soften. His body had frozen into a statue.
She wanted to ask him so many questions. Yet, she was not sure if she wanted the answers.
Libitina first destroyed the Melody before releasing the majority of the vines on Brian's body, except for those on his ankles. The man went limp, and Libitina hurriedly supported him.
"Hey, I got you. I got you."
"I thought you had died." Brian muttered into her hair, his eyes full of confusion and sadness.
"Libby, I thought you had died," he repeated and looked her in the eye.
"I almost did, Brian," Libitina smiled again. "It was a close shave."
Brian took a deep breath. They both settled down on the ground.
"Yes, it was. I…I am glad to see you again, Libby." Brian tried to smile, but it had a crack in it.
Libitina returned the smile and allowed her hair to cover the half of her disfigured face.
"Where have you been?" she asked. "Why were you sending that Melody? Are you someone I should be afraid of, Brian?"
Brian rolled his eyes. "Moon Spirit of Jeopardies, you can't ask your enemy a question like that!"
"Are you my enemy, Brian?"
"No, not today, Libby. Holy Spirit, so this is the Grey Lady of the Merveilles?" he chortled. "This is what she is?"
"Get a hold of yourself, I am pretty impressive."
"Yes, yes you are, Libby," Brian sighed. "And the reason why I sent that Melody has a lot to do with you."
"I noticed…But why?"
Brian fell quiet and twiddled his thumbs.
"You know," he started abruptly, sitting up straight. "Do you know what happened back then? For you to understand where I am now, I-I want you to know…"
Libitina gazed at him softly. "So…" she whispered. "What happened that day?"
The freckled man gulped as he shut his eyes closed. A deep frown sat on his face before his dark eyes fluttered open again in fragile determination.
Slowly, Brian felt as if he had gone back to that time.
When he was younger, and his youth had all but ended, abruptly, by monsters of human and non-human natures.
Three years ago, Libby and he were just teenagers. He remembered the town had been falling ill, and the head waitress Lucy had given them a simple and honourable task to deliver a Melody to Master Odin in the Capital.
"A gold coin for their service. Simple and neat. We thought it was going to be a short trip."
Everything went peacefully at the start. Libby and he had fun chatting with the mercenaries and travellers on the journey to Solomon City. They wondered at the adventure they were having, fantasized about being warriors if they met any villains.
Then, the rain came down on them harshly.
"Do you remember, Libby, when we huddled together for warmth in the storage carriage whenever night fell, and it was just iciness every inch of our body no matter how hard we tried to stay warm and tight?"
"Yes, I do."
It was wet. It was cold. Their carriage broke down. When all seemed for the worse, the bandits came, their axes out for blood.
He remembered himself saying to the young girl, "We need to get out of here."
"How?" her voice had trembled as she tried her hardest to hold back her tears. "How, Brian?!"
He grasped her hand tightly in his and they sneaked out of the toppled carriage , crawling in the mud.
"Follow me."