"Here. Put this on. It might help with your paparazzi problem." The old man smiled like a young boy as he pulled a helmet that looked like a zombie head out of his pocket. Steve's smile lopsided when he saw the mask as more of a joke. "No, I am serious." The store holder chuckled. Steve then shrugged, grabbed the helmet that was decorated to look like a zombie head, and put it on. Other than that his skin wasn't green, he looked quite like a zombie. Luckily, Steve could still see through the eye holes, but he felt a little silly wearing that. Lyla chuckled a little but he didn't want her to think that phased him any, so he began walking over to the door before suddenly stopping, not knowing what to do.
"Hey, can I use a helmet like that real quick?" Lyla asked the store holder, noticing how awkward Steve would feel going out with no idea what to do, probably just making a fool of himself. The old man smiled and handed her a zombie "head" as well. She put it on and right away slouched over, getting into character. Then she clumsily walked unsure step after another past Steve, moaning as she passed him. Steve chuckled under the mask and slouched to the side and moaned as well. They both banged the doors open and moaned, all slouched over and unsteady on their feet, looking for the reactions of the people outside. None of them were crowding around the door. They were all back to doing their own thing, but when they saw the slouched moaning monsters, instinct kicked in. And luckily for Steve and Lyla, that instinct was to run back home and lock the doors behind them.
"The zombies came out earlier than usual!" One of the runners shouted to a random person beside them, who was already thinking the same thing. As people ran, Lyla lead the way across the road to the front door of the Inn, still slouching and moaning in case anyone was to look back. Steve had to keep himself from laughing as he followed closely behind, doing the same. They both had to keep themselves from laughing.
Once at the double door of the two-story tall Inn, Steve took the lead and failed his arms wiledly, banging the door every now and then, basically acting like an idiotic zombie. (excuse my language :) They both then moaned at eachother as if speaking in a zombie language. By that point they were just having fun. The last person ran off and Steve knocked open the doors, still acting. In their zombie way, the two clumsily walked over to the front desk where a middle-aged woman looked at the two both horrified and curious. She looked maybe only a little older than Lyla and had bright red hair with emerald green eyes and a long sleeve shirt was on her, anything below was blocked by the counter she stood behind.
Lyla and Steve then proceeded in trying to talk to the lady at the front desk in their super secret zombie language, which she obviously didn't understand one bit.
"Ooohhh! I see what this is.. You two are excited for Halloween, aren't you?" The lady then smiled at the two. Steve and Lyla saw it coming and took off their helmets. Right away they couldn't hold it in anymore and dropped to the floor laughing like little kids. Meanwhile, the lady at the front t desk fangirled over the fact that Steve the legend was right in front of her.. But on the floor laughing.. Not how she had expected to see him for the first time.
"Oh, that was just too funny!" Steve looked at Lyla with tears in his eyes from all the laughing.
"I know right?!" Lyla had tears of laughter in her eyes too.
"..I- I. I don't think I have laughed like this in years!.. Wh- we're like little kids!" Steve laughed.
"Same!" Was all Lyla could say. After maybe fifteen seconds of on the floor laughter the two slowly calmed down and stood up.
"We would like two rooms please." Steve turned to the lady at the front desk, still chuckling a little. The lady then swiftly ran into the room behind. As Steve sighted that final finishing laugh he turned to Lyla. "Ya know, I never did get your name." He continued smiling as he said that. Lyla finished her last laughing as well and answered.
"Lyla." She gave her name with a slowly fading smile. Steve's smile quickly dropped as his face changed to question.
"Lyla? As in Lyla Lyla, Lyla?"
"Pffff! Yeah!" Lyla laughed at that a tiny bit before noticing his face hadn't changed as well. "What? Is something wrong with it?" She asked, looking up into Steve's wandering look with a raised eyebrow. Steve shook his head a little and his eyes went back into focus on Lyla.
"Oh no, nothing! It's a beau- nice! Name.."
"What's wrong? Does your head hurt or something?" Lyla asked as she looked at the side of his head where he was rubbing his scalp.
"No, nothing's hurting! It's just a -different- name." Steve followed with an awkward chuckle. Lyla knew there had to be something going on in that head of his, but the lady at the front desk interrupted the moment with a loud excited slam of a single key on the front desk, making the two jump.
"I would be glad to help you out, Steve! You have been an inspiration to me for so long, knowing that there was someone out there looking over this world, one who could survive anything at the age of twelve! However, your friend is going to have to pay for her own room sadly. I have to make a living somehow." The lady at the store counter said. Lyla sighed and pulled out her amulet.
"Figured I would have to use this anyways." She sighed. "Do you think this is worth anything?" Lyla asked the lady. The lady leaned in and looked at the amulet a little closer before a massive girly smile rose on her face.
"Worth anything!? You have got to be kidding me! This is none other than one of the Souls Of The Sky! The rarest gem one can get! Only royalty are able to afford these, darling! Why.. you could buy this entire village, or even more, with this amulet!" The lady shrieked. Instantly, Lyla held the thing a little tighter, suddenly knowing it's worth, and snapped her gaze onto Steve.
"How come you didn't tell me about this?!" She asked him with a little anger.
"....-OHHHH! So THAT'S what it is.. I thought I recognized it from somewhere." Steve played dumb. Lyla punched his shoulder pretty hard for that, but didn't continue to pester him about it.
"Well, do you think it would be possible to trade this for diamonds, emeralds, gold, anything that might actually be useful?" Lyla asked. Steve's eyes widened.
"Of course! My father happened to be very rich! He always kept just enough to afford one of these so one day if he ever stumbled upon one, he could pay for it. It was always a life goal of his to someday have a Soul Of The Sky in our family name. I store all his treasures away safely but could easily get them back if you agree to a trade." The lady smiled MASSIVELY. Not only was she meeting her hero, but was finally fulfilling the wish her father always had.
Alright then, looks like we have a de-"
"-WAIT!!" Steve interrupted, shocking the two ladies in the room, plus a red-bearded lumberjack who had just been casually sipping tea the entire time. Lyla turned to him with absolutely no idea why he had disturbed the fair bargain. "That thing is too valuable to just TRADE. What do you think the person who gave it to you would think if he found out you had sold something so treasured for a mountain of gold?" Steve made a good point. Lyla thought for a moment, before making a decision.
"You know what? I agree with Steve here.. Thanks for the offer, but I think I could just trade you something else instead, just enough for one room.. I never really wanted to be rich anyways. Too much pressure, ya know?" Lyla backed off in the uncomfortable situation.
"Are you ABSOLUTELY.. POSITIVELY, sure about this? Because I could give you more if you wanted. I have even more reserves left from other family members. Chests upon chests, all here if you want." Her desperation was beginning to sound a little creepy.
"Sure for sure." Lyla forced a little chuckle and smile on her face. Then she was pulled and turned around by Steve. He then escorted her to a lonely corner in the room, even though there were only two- wait, where did the lumberjack go?.. Anyways, he then very quietly whispered to Lyla as both their backs faced the lady at the front desk.
"Okay so here's the plan. I take the free room, and you go outside -but then later you come back and we swap so that I sleep outside. -Now don't argue. This is my plan, and we are sticking to it. We clear?" Steve said in a hushed, plan driven tone. Lyla nodded and began to turn around but before she fully could, Steve grabbed her shoulder again and pulled her even closer to whisper in an even more hushed manner, one that made him sound a little too paranoid for the little awkward situation. "-And when I say go outside, I mean it. Dig into the ground, place dirt above you and hide there until I call for you.. Got it?" He said as more of an order. Lyla nodded as worry spread through her. What was so dangerous here? It was just a lady who wanted her amulet. If Steve was so scared about the situation then wouldn't it be better to just give it to her? I mean honestly! She's just a harmless young lady!
After that mind-twisting chat session, both Lyla and Steve turned back around and Steve accepted his key, while Lyla said her goodbyes and left.
Once she left the building, feeling urgency, she ran into the spruce forest and as instructed basically buried herself in the ground. Her only hope was that the situation really wasn't as bad as Steve had made it sound.
Steve walked up and into his room. It was room 23, a simple room with two separate beds and a little chest for putting your stuff in. The room was also decorated with little to large paintings of colorful sunsets and bright green plants. But none of the pictures showed how Steve felt inside. His heart was thumping hard and once he was out of sight even his breathing became unsteady. There were many causes to this, and all of them revolved around that amulet. The whole time he knew it was special somehow, but it was just then that he remembered why, and it was like all those years back all over again. He thought he was over with those feelings but no, they were back; and even stronger. Steve had no idea what to do. He had nothing he could do. All he could do right then, was wait..
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Several quiet minutes passed at the front desk. The lady looked agitated. After so long, the thing her father had searched for all his life was so close, and yet, she couldn't have it. She would never be able to hang it up on her wall as a proud family symbol.. Or would she?
With this new idea, the lady picked up a phone and began dialing in a number.. She waited a moment for a response. Finally, one came.
'"You have contacted The Trudgers, state your business and how much you are willing to pay or die."' A deep distorted voice answered the phone. The lady didn't even show fear on her face.
"Um, hello, this is Raethe." The lady answered with a so fide nice in her voice that was hard to recognize.
'"Miz Raethe? So sorry for not noticing the number sooner, i- it's just, you never call. What do you want from us?"' The voice still pretty evil sounding immediately swapped to nonthreatening.
"Yeah, you see.. This is girl named Lyla. And she has something I want. Bring her to me dead or alive, and you can have an entire deposit.. I WANT THAT AMULET!" The lady then slammed the phone to hang up and she continued looking rather upset, until someone new entered through the front door and she had to quickly regain her composure and look as innocent as she always seemed.