"Argh... I hate it when I cannot even get a small respite from all of these ridiculous events that are happening today!..."
"Haaah... Uh, what are you mumbling about, Tori?"
"Oh... nothing! Just... nothing..."
...
When I looked at the same tree where he was pushed aback, Razorfang stood atop of another tree in our opposite direction. He's holding his right shoulder as he was panting heavily. I guess that damage he had earlier made a number on him, huh. Just like Roy here, it seemed that he was extremely tired on their duel earlier.
"This idiot… he can still withstand the damage of my assault?!" Roy gritted his teeth on my side.
"Ha~ha~ha… Are you jesting me, Tiger? I do not even know if that move was your ace but it nearly caught off my guard! Fufu… *cough* I really think that this entire duel was just a child's play! HAHA- ahem! *cough* *cough*."
Right. Look who's talking.
When he seemed to have recomposed himself, he sheathed his green sword then jumped uncannily up high on the trunk of the tree where he fell in the first place.
"Where do you think you are going?! Get back here, criminal!!!" Roy shouted at Razorfang.
"Well, whatever. Stay sharpened, tiger…" Razorfang said tiredly. Seriously, what's your reason for calling Roy a tiger? "More importantly…" Razorfang looked at me while pointing his left finger at my direction.
"Things just got interesting there, oh fair Lady. It seemed that something just prevented my strike on you. Normally, everything will be over when I call the winds but this! - Hehehehe. AHAH- *cough* *cough* ahem!!!" he coughed some more.
Stop talking, hoy. This is embarrassing to watch.
"A word of advice for both of you: next time we meet, there may be another sword clash I reassure you that but, there may be something else far more interesting…" Razorfang mysteriously said while recomposing his smug earlier the first time we meet him.
"Furthermore…. tend to that little boy when you happen to see him back to that place… MUAHAHA!" he darkly laughed.
Hold on- are you talking about Nada back home? T-this criminal!!!
"In this world, wherever there's wind, I'll ALWAYS find you." He said then jumped off in the darkness of the night.
"Coward…" Roy said.
I tightened my grip in the arms of Roy due to my panicking about the things in the smithy. This is bad. We definitely need to go back home now!
In a hasty manner, I hid the sack of azurites in the bag and carefully helped Roy on carrying himself.
With our fleeting bodies and souls from the fight, we walked on the dark road while supporting each other and finally, we reached our dear city.
Estocia. The city for aspiring swordsmen and err, women.
It is a city that kept me- it never changes for as long as I can remember. Some say its's a city of brute mercenaries. Some say it's a place overpopulated by people who are hungry for fame. Some say it's a den of nasty politicians and schemers. Some even claim that is the place where there will be no champion who'll stand up for the place for everlasting millennia.
For a general visitor of the city and have been acquainted on the hustle and bustle of it, one may think that it is a realistic and honest-to-world observation.
But…
"Oh! Astoria! Good evening. The League is looking for you, you know?"
"Hey, Tori! It's already dark outside! Why don't you come over to our house for a cup of booze?"
"Well if it isn't Tori and … wait, Roy? Hey uh, what is… I see… so both of you are already in that kind of stage huh?"
Upon entering the plaza of the city, wherein it serves as the first opener for the city proper, some of the wondering sight-seers and mercenaries blocked our way with uncalled queries.
Seriously, you guys have the leisure of the time to slack off when there are still preparations to be accomplished for tomorrow's success!
Furthermore, uh, if you guys are unaware, we are kind of tired and damaged here.
Especially…
I looked at the little girl who asked me that last and most inappropriate question:
"Hoi, Fae. It is quite rude to ask your big sister like that. You are just a little kid and seriously, you are supposed to have attended the 'ceremony' already in order to ask that kind of question to anyone!" I lowly and seriously admonished her while kneeling down.
Faelene "Crimsca" Arsonstel, the blood relative of this "Hot guy" in my back, kept her usual behavior amidst my suggestively "mature" chastising. Her swiveling crimson hair moved alongside the movements of her childish demeanor. She swayed and moved her body from left to right as if about to dance in an awkward yet playful manner. Her cute skirt also moved in the swaying motion of hers as she finally replied.
"Huh? Why's that?" she tilted her head on my statement.
That is… because… Huh…
Why though?
I could just tell her that the "ceremony" anointed by the elderly of the city is given to those aspiring swordsmen and women and practically everyone who is related on ways of the sword which is, basically, everyone in this city. You can call it as the "coming-of-age" ritual for everyone born in this city and… wait.
I seemed to have just realized it by now, perhaps with the long daydreaming and dozing off while walking, and coupled it with this talk and volume of people that blocked us when I entered the plaza…
Roy was soundly asleep.
No, if I'll make a more accurate description, he was sleeping like a log.
"Hey, Fae." I said, breaking my train of thought.
"Hmmm? What is it, big sister?"
"Could we just take this conversation elsewhere?"
***
To the infirmary of the city.
We decided to head into this establishment first in order to mend our tired and beaten bodies.
(Nada please, stay there in the smithy!)
I was waiting patiently on the room where the head therapist performed a healing procedure at me where they exposed my wounds in enchanted emerald cores but he uncannily said:
"But you have no wounds, milady! Are you perhaps making a tasteless joke? Haha. You should not do that in the deepness of the night!" the head therapist said while laughing.
Huh?
I kept on looking at the therapist of the city. He was famous from being one of the elite and renowned therapist as countless swordsmen and mercenaries were healed because of him and from that, they were all indebted to his name. Some even called him the "healing wing" of Estocia from his uncanny skill and knowledge in restoring arts. Wearing a snow-white cloak with a lace and buttons, leaving the uppermost button as his fashion style, it leaves the impression on me that he is on the younger age of range, possibly same as I am. At first, you'd think that he is old because as white his cloak is, so are the very strands of his hair. His bespectacled face makes it hard for a regular person to make-out what he wears as an expression but if you will look closely enough, you'll notice that his default emotion is happiness or relief, maybe no…, I am having a hard time on determining the correct term so I would say, happiness will do for now. Seriously, given the fact that he works on a profession that involves blood and torn flesh or any gore scenarios, you would think that he shouldn't have that as his default expression.
He seemed to be entertained on my unusual revelation which reinforced the weird joy in his face.
"What? I can seriously swear that I've been cut and had some burns on our figh… I mean accident together with my friend." I said to him with a tinge of confusion and unease on my heart. Maybe, I'll leave the fight with Razorfang incognito for now.
To get to the point of my confusion, there were a lot of times that I 've been pushed aback, had some scathing burns (thanks, Roy), wounds from falling down on my accident on the cave and the fight from Razorfang!
Speaking of that weirdo, I seriously thought that my slick throat was lightly cut from his sword even though it did not really land on it!
When it seemed that I am making an unintelligible expression on my face, he said to me:
"Come now, Astoria. The important thing is that you are alright! You should not always wonder the wonders that are happening on our lives. From its basis and even its origin, sometimes, if it was from the good, you should thank for it and not question it." He said while smiling.
This smile of him gave the image of gentleness in my eyes… Wait a second…
How did you know my name?
And more importantly…
Are trying to be profound here, mister?
"Oh no, don't misunderstand! I am not trying to be profound or anything." He said, maintaining his smiling face.
Did you just read my mind?
"Well then milady, you be careful now. I tend to give some pep talk wherever I help them recover… the patients like you, I mean."
"Wait, isn't it supposed to be 'I restore them from their wounds and heal them' kind of statement that you are supposed to give in this kind of situation?" I said, further confused in his words.
"Lady Astoria," he said looking at me directly, seriousness began to flow on his expression. "I do not 'heal' the patients that are asking for our help. We are not some kind of healing god, are we? It is against the rule of nature that a person can heal someone from their physical irregularities and unease or for extremities, revive them from death. No, that is physically and morally impossible and unjust, if I do say so myself." He said as if explaining an unanswered riddle at me.
He got up, reached up from the nearby wooden acacia cabinet and continued, "Indeed, we use a kind of technique where we expose various patients into some "endowed-by-nature" gems and ores in order to restore them but like I said, those are just merely techniques. You could probably find a more unique and practical way of restoring someone but fundamentally speaking, a person will not heal unless they wanted to!" he emphasized while forming the symbol of number "one" in his hands as if giving me a tantamount advice.
Huh, I guess you are right, mister.
He smiled when I seemed to be clear on confusion based of my facial expression and faced me formally then spoke:
"Here, take this."
It was a blue piece of paper. It is small in its dimensions that is rolled cutely by a red thread and is seemingly strong for some reason.
"What is it?" I said when I tilted my head while asking and looking at the paper at the same time.
"It's a protective parchment. Though it is cute and adorably small, it'll ward off those life-threatening wounds and damages you will inflict in a future adventure you'll have. In other words, it is a charm, you see." He said brightly.
Huhhh… a charm you say?
Heh. Thanks, doc. I also do not believe on those 'magical' talisman anymore.
Wait, does anyone uses that term anymore? The word "magic", I mean.
I just laughed it off, but as a form of courtesy even though we had a conflicting belief on that last second, I received the "magical talisman" from him.
I realized something once more but, doesn't this exchange of words of ours a little bit off ever since from the start?
He knows my name, and the full one at that but I do not know his.
"Mister, thanks for anything. If you'll allow me for one more request other than giving me a talk and restoring me…" I said formally even though it was unintentional.
"Ho, no need to be so formal with me, Astoria. Sure, what is it?" he said.
"What's your name, doc?"
"Huh…"
As soon as I uttered my intentional and pure query to him, his 'huh' swiftly escaped from his mouth. Is it because that I asked an unexpected question to him, or I affixed a 'doc' word on my statement suggesting his image for my perspective?
We looked at each other in a good ten seconds when he spoke up.
"That's right! My, how rude of me to have a casual conversation with someone when I haven't even gave my name! Ha~ha. I guess that's what I get when I am overdoing it on my shift, huh." He said, laughing while gently pounding his head jokingly.
I will be a liar if I did not admit that he became cute at that glimpse of a moment.
He recomposed himself by flicking his cloak lightly and said gently,
"My names Rafael Canary. It's a pleasure to be of a service to you!"
WAH. He is glowing.
"Well, I'll be seeing you then, Lady Astoria." He said then exited my room.
Huh… There he goes.
I admit to myself that even though I knew mostly everyone here in the city because of my Pops, I'd say that people like Doc Rafael and their mysterious personality makes me doubt my impression in the inhabitants of this place.
When inevitable silence enveloped my room as Doc left, I already realized something:
I am supposed to be tired, right?
Come to think of it, I should have passed out due to the events that unfolded today!
But to my surprise, I am even unscathed! It is as if, I did not even experience those life-threatening circumstances earlier! My light body feels the same, my senses feels sharp as usual, and my mental state seemed to have replenished! I know, that I am just rehashing the conversation that I had with Doc, but I feel like I am so alive!
Not that I am complaining though, it is extremely odd, however.
Even Doc made some vague and brief postulates about it.
Some moments later, Fae came rushing through my room.
"Astoria! Astoria! You are alright! Are you truly fine?" she said with a childish impatience tone on her voice but oddly cute at the same time.
"Yes, I am alright, Fae. How about your brother?" I looked at her eyes.
"Oh yeah, about that…" Fae replied at me vaguely as she broke the eye contact we have established.
"Hoi Fae! Do not pester Tori like that! She is extremely tired when I rescued her so, shush!" roared by Roy at her back as she smacked her head by his left hand.
"OWW! I get it, big brother! But you don't have to hit me like that! Huaaaa!!!" Fae emerged on a cute cry.
I always forget the fact that both of these red-haired individuals are siblings.
I do not know whether this scene was serious or something that I can just laugh at.
I mean, I cannot relate to this situation.
To begin with, I don't even have a biological brother nor a sister.
"I get it. I get it. Now Fae, send some words for Tori's Pops. We'll be coming over the smithy short after we talk okay?" Roy said to her sister.
But wait a second, I thought…
"Hey, what are you talking about, Roy? You're supposed to have an extremely high fever, right? Why are talking like that- wait, why can you even stand in the first place?!" I said in a baffled voice.
"That's the thing that we are going to discuss, Tori." He looked at me, seriousness is gleaming on his face.
He then faced his little sister again and said, "So Fae, be a good lass and follow big brother's words, okay?"
"Hmph."
Fae replied a disgusted tone that suggested that she intentionally and deliberately threw them to his brother's ears (if you are going to look it visually). She turned around her body, especially her face, oppositely on his direction while making grumbling sounds at him and later said:
"Do you expect that I can send me in an errand after smacking my face?" she said, pouting.
Ah, I see.
So this is what you call "Bickering."
More specifically between siblings.
"Huy, turn around here, Fae. Come on, I was just kidding!" Roy said.
"Hmph."
"Come on! Big bro is already apologizing!"
"Hmph,"
"If you'll do it, I'll treat you in an eatery tomorrow night!"
"…Hmph!"
"No? Then if you will follow me, I will take you to a trip on the Golden mountains that you wanted!"
"…Hmph!!!"
Uh, how should I put it, isn't this rather cute?
When it seemed that some of the ace cards that Roy already sacrificed did not pay off, he took a glance at me then went back on his banter:
"Hoi. If you really don't heed on my commands, I shall ask for Astoria here to never talk to you again, forever!" he darkly demanded.
Hey, what makes you think that I would do such a thing?
The moment that Roy made those preposterous words, Fae flinched at the exact moment and made an expression as if her precious tiara have been abducted.
"Eeeek! No, no! Wahhhhh! That's cheating, Roy!" she cried and protested yet again.
Knowing that he claimed the upper ground of the bicker, Roy added an insult by saying:
"Well little, sister? Let us hear a reply."
"Argh. FINE. Fine. But remember, I am doing this for Tori!" she then pouted again while looking at me.
"That's a good girl!" he said laughing while patting her squirming head.
At the end, it seemed that even though the two siblings were fighting earlier, they were fine nonetheless. No damage or anything. Still siblings, all the same. In this even while thinking at it, Fae sought outside and closed the door firmly.
"Well then, Tori." Roy began his words. His seriousness still remained on his expression even earlier.
I noticed that my throat went tense and it involuntary made a gulp without myself telling it to.
"Would you kindly explain to me what happened earlier?" he then continued, lowering his voice along the process of interrogation.
Huh?
"What do you mean by that? There were a lot of things that happened to me ever since I took the quest from Pops okay?!" due to my nervousness on Roy's uncharacteristic portrayal, I made my mouth spout some things.
"I am talking about that uncanny moment where that thug earlier was seconds on making a slash on you. How did you do that without handling any swords with you?" he lowly inquired.
Is he talking about that "scenario" where everyone, including him, became uncannily slow?
"I have no idea… More importantly, you should be the one asking yourself that since you were fast enough to counter the blade of Razorfang!" I responded seriously with a tinge of confusion.
"Heh, that was just some simple- wait… did you just call that thug with his alias?!" he was about to say something there but he cut himself off with another question.
"What's the problem? He calls himself on that name, right?"
Everyone has a name.
Be it good or evil.
"Argh. Stop doing that. It makes me feel-"
Oh?
I stared on Roy to complete his statement but he stopped mid-sentence.
He then turned himself away from me for a second to wipe something off on his nose.
Strange.
"I-In any case, you be careful in the future! You will never know when that guy or other thugs will show off!" he tensely nagged.
"Don't worry! I have a cover!"
Doc gave me a magical talisman that makes me immortal.
"Right… Anyway, let us go." Roy said while standing up.
"Huh? Where?"
***
We took a little stroll away from the plaza since there is still a consistent volume of people preparing for the festival for tomorrow and it made us hard to move around freely and went on our destination.
Yes! It is time for payback!
Here I come, Pops!
The League. To be specific, the "Estocian League"!
A place renowned due to its legacy in breeding one of the finest and abled swordsmen (and women) in all of Ea. Countless of distinguished and talented swordsfolk originally started here on giving their services for the city and they made their own names ever since. This league is functioning in a systematic, yet rowdy manner as inside, a lot of staff-members, leaguesmen, and deans are busy on their last-minute preparation for the festival tomorrow.
In the left bench of the building where there was large log table into it, I saw a big and robust man who is familiar to me even if I do not see his face. He is in the middle of writing some parchment papers while talking besides two important-looking people.
He was known as the finest swordsmith of all Ea, the prime of Ea, and even the treasure-hand of Ea. Popular from his feats and deeds when he was a child, rumors from different angles of the continent went like a swift wind that engulfed every aspiring adventurers and swordsmen/women alike.
Stories portrayed him as a hero. Some claimed that he battled through various monsters that attacked the city including some wars that has something to do with them.
The scourge of Molthos: A war with the lava king carrying the same name. He created a sword of a water fairy to battle the blazing king atop a fiery volcano. Conclusion, he was the winner.
The siege against the Awsung Prince: A holy strife against the clan of shadow Awsung and their prince. He was imprisoned first due to the fall of his allies and seconds before his execution, he created a sword brandished out of dirt with holy feathers. Conclusion, he was the winner too.
The war with the dark Multh: An intense battle that shook Estocia for decades for the reason of the rebellion of the Dark Multh King together with his warriors. The battle between the two generals- him and the king lasted for a month of non-stop mano a mano swordfight and decided to put a freeze on it. Conclusion, it was a draw.
Needless to say, he was a legendary, renowned, and a living hero!
For me though…
I inhaled large amounts of air in my lungs in the point that they might burst and bellowed in an angry manner completely ignoring the important-looking people inside of the league:
"POOOOOOPPPSSSSS!!!"