"It's good to see you again, Ferris."
"Yeah. It's been years. Though I can't say the same to you, Faux," Ferris grumbled.
Faux chuckled. "Who's the pup?"
"This is Ryu. Ryu, this is Faux. She's an oracle and a witch, so be careful."
An oracle? Ryu mussed. Ferris told him about them. They could see a person's past and future. But also a witch? A being that used hexes and concoct potions?
Ryu looked at Faux, and the latter just smiled at him. for some odd reason, she made him uncomfortable. Like she would skin him alive.
"I presume that you being here had to do with him?" Faux questioned. Not really interested in the answer. As long as she was paid, she didn't care about trivial matters.
Ferris nodded. "I brought him here 'cause I want you to look at his past for me."
Faux's fingers cradled her chin, nails painted in black. "Sure. You know the drill."
Ferris threw a rare golden four leaf clover in Faux's way. It was just a clover bloomed gold in rare occasions. It was useless for Ferris but Faux used it lots for her potions.
Faux caught the item and inspected it before her smile widened.
"Bring him here," she said.
Ferris led Ryu to sit on the opposite chair as Faux, but the latter shook his head.
"Don't worry . . ." Faux licked her black lips, "I don t bite."
Ryu's beast whimpered. He didn't know why he felt danger towards the monochromatic lady.
"Don't worry. Faux is like that, but she wouldn't harm her customers," Ferris assured.
"Except if they're being difficult," Faux added, and Ryu sat without a word.
"Now, I want you to place your hands on the orbs."
Ryu followed what Faux instructed, and when she placed her hands on top of his, his spine twinge and every nerve in his body froze from the chilling cold of her skin.
"Now. Relax."
At the soothing of her voice, Ryu's muscles sagged like she put a spell on him. His eyelids dropped, and the crystal glowed in haze.
. . .
. . .
"Hm . . ." A tiny creased appeared on Faux's forehead though her smile remained plastered on her face.
"What's wrong?" Ferris asked, eager for answers. "What do you see?"
"Hmm . . . interesting . . ." Faux looked at Ferris and smiled. "I see nothing."
Ferris wanted to smack the silly grin from Faux's lips. "What? Why?!"
Faux gave an elegant half shrugged. "His past is locked that even I can't access it."
Ferris slammed her fist on the table. "Can't you do anything about it? You're the infamous oracle in the entire realm. Even the angels came to you for help."
Faux huffed a laugh. "Temper, my dear. It's not good for the skin."
"Faux!"
"Relax." Faux waved a hand. "You know I can't force open his past. It would deal a lot of damage to his memories."
Ferris suppressed her inner demon when it threatened to come out.
"But . . . ," Faux teased, enjoying every bit of Ferris's agony. "I can access his future if you want."
". . ." Ferris calmed herself and said, "Fine. Do that instead." She couldn't say that she was disappointed since she somehow expected it. Those runes carved on the pentagrams in Ryu's body were no joke.
"Very well then." Faux eyes shone like marbles. Ryu was still in a dreamlike state as she said his future. "The lands are far, the sky is dark, and the ocean is wide. You are surrounded by nothing but the sea. Water everywhere and waves crashed everything."
Faux opened her eyes and let go of Ryu's hand. Ryu blinked and shook his head.
What happened? Ryu wondered.
"That's it?" Ferris's jaw dropped.
"That's it." Faux shrugged. "There's nothing I can do. That's all I saw."
Ferris's eyes dilated and she snarled, "You can see in one cycle moon. That's ninety days into the future, and you're saying that all you saw were waters?"
Faux suppressed her laugher. She always enjoyed teasing little Ferris. Her demon form, however, was not cute.
"It just meant that the next ninety days, you'd be traveling in water. I might take a couple of items against water elements if I were you," Faux said and put a finger on her lips. "That reminds me of the Mortal realms event. Maye you'll participate in it?"
Ferris sighed in exasperation, and Ryu still wondered what happened.
Faux leaned closer at Ryu, and the latter back away, feeling uncomfortable with the way her dead eyes were staring at her. Her creepy smile was also terrifying.
"So," Faux slurred, "anything else?"
Ferris swallowed the series of disappointments and asked, "Do you have someone who can forge Ryu a weapon? Preferably a gauntlet with affinity in lighting?"
"You're preparing already. I like it." Faux opened her palms in Ferris's way. "You're in luck. I do know of someone. But you have to pay up first."
Ferris gnashed her teeth. "What? Why? You're not the one who's going to make it."
Faux closed one eye, lips puckering as she said in a coquettish voice, "Connecting you to this person is not cheap."
Ferris was red in anger as she was about to burst while Ryu pretended that he was air. He didn't want to come in between the fight of two crazy women.
Another four leaf golden clover appeared on Ferris's hand, but Faux stopped her, saying. "I need other ingredients this time, my dear."
Ferris's eyebrow twitched. "What do you need?"
"Two Mermaids Tears in the Forgotten Lake. Four Moondrop Flowers in Merino Cemetery. Seven Banago Fruits of the Undying Tree and a Frozen Crystal Ore in Freezing Mountain. Bring me this, and I'll introduce you to a master smithy."
". . ." Ferris gaped. "Are you nutz?! Those are like realms apart! How long do you think I'll find those ingredients before my weapon is made?!"
"We can always perform the Seal of Promise, and I'll connect you to the smithy. Right here. Right now."
The Seal of Promise was an official binding seal that you couldn't escape. If you couldn't fulfill the promise at the given agreed time . . . you'd either become a servant or your soul would shatter. Never to be reincarnated.
"You . . . smelly drooling Orc." Ferris's nose was exhaling smoke. Her innards were boiling. This was why she didn't want to come here if she didn't have a choice. Faux was a shrewd woman to the core.
Faux giggled. "Most call me a poisonous, scheming witch. But I also don't mind the Orc."
Faux grinned when Ferris was about to explode in anger. "Tell you what. Since I'm feeling generous, I'll give you a bonus. I'll give you four Mermaid's Water Breathing Potion and two Crystal Passes. One for the half breed."
Ferris's breath was rapid from inhaling and exhaling. She controlled herself and said with a grating tone. "These items are still rare."
"Be glad that these items are none compoundable. They are basic ingredients. Though rare, they may be. Or else, you'll need Lizzaforth's help. And you know that old hag. Or better yet, see if that hag has the ingredients I need."
"Lizzaforth is not in her tavern until the three moons are up! You know that lizard hates the heat."
Faux shrugged. "You could always go to Oroborough. Maybe they have it there."
"I hate that barman."
"You hate everyone, Ferris." Faux eyed Ryu and licked her black lips. "Well, maybe not everyone."
Ferris grinded her teeth. Then she inhaled a mouthful of air. "How good is this smithy?"
"He's a master smithy in the Dwarven colony."
Ferris held her gasp, and Ryu poked anything that his hand could touch. He was curious when they mentioned a dwarf, and he asked. "Is he . . . that good?"
Both Ferris and Faux nodded.
"Dwarves are master crafters of weapons and armors in the entire realms. But most of them retreated to their colony located inside the Elven Realm when the war ended fifty years ago. Finding a master smithy and a dwarf at that was impossible since they were protected inside the Elven barriers," explained Ferris.
"So how are you . . . going to bring him here?" Ryu asked the obvious question at Faux.
"Not bring." Faux winked, and Ryu shivered with goosebumps. "More like to introduce her to a master smithy which is already rare, considering that no one could enter realms with the barriers and all. It's a good opportunity."
Ryu's brows were tightly knitted. "Then the weapon . . ."
"I'll personally deliver it to Ferris when it's done," Faux said and added, "You don't have to worry a thing, little pup."
Ryu's frown deepened.
Ferris sighed in exhaustion. Faux, Lizzaforth, and Oroborough were both anomalies in this world. Even she didn't know how they could travel between realms. And what's more, they live in a space outside of Septverden's map. Without a special pass, you couldn't enter their shop.
Ferris slashed her palms with her nails and extended her bloody hand on Faux. "Let's make that trade."
----
A/N
Weekly Goals:
#Top 50 PR or GR
5 - extra chapies