"Then Usagi chopped off its leg, causing the beast to tumble into the canyon, taking our supplies with it."
"hah, what bad luck!" ordin said, pouring more wine into his goblet.
"What happened to the skunkette mage? Wasn't she on the cart?" Annabella said, engrossed in the story.
"she managed to jump off in time, but landed into quicksand, head first, tail up!"
Ordin burst out laughing, spilling the pitcher. "That must have been a sight to see."
"That crazy Gen jumped in after her without a rope. Usagi and I pulled them both out."
"Tha wud have bean an orrible way to die!" Rook was utterly smashed. He could hardly string words together. Also, his eyes were unashamedly goggling at everyone's tits. The mouse maid didn't seem to mind as she bent over to fill his cup, giving him a good look into her cleavage.
"I will never go near Jall'nara again, at least if I can help it" Makkito gulped her wine. It was her tenth cup, and she showed no sign of drunkenness.
"Dat a good; Jall'nara duh nah look kindly tuh trespassers.." Mampai was drinking out of the pitcher. She and the cougar could drink everyone under the table. Annabella wasn't sure who would win between the pair of them.
"what would you do if you encountered them, Mampai?" Rickard was out of his leathers and wore slacks, a white silk shirt and a red waistcoat. He kind of looks like a pirate, Annabella thought.
"Mi wud beat dem up, bond dem and kick dem back over di border." she added, "as long as dem come from di northern border. If dem come from di southern border, They mite nuh be breathing."
"you would kill them?"
"Nah, Deh is monsters even Amazonians wud nuh go near. Also, wi still at war wid Chevar, Amazonians mite think yuh an enemy."
"Hmm, I will keep that in mind; it might be a fact in my favour not to go there" Makkito began to get up.
"well, I think it's time for me to head back to the temple. Thank you for sharing your wine" the cougar woman stretched her arms, arched her back and gave out a tired yawn.
"don't you want to stay to take part in the team-building season?"
"Oh, is that what you plan for them? Thank you. I would, but I have to return to the temple. Usagi and the others are heading out at daybreak. Samurai are quite proactive, and I would hate to hinder them."
"ah, a shame, Good luck in your ventures, my friend."
"and good luck in yours, diva willing, we shall meet again" she turned to the rest and bowed. "It was nice to meet you all."
"likewise," Ordin said, raising a goblet to her.
"I look forward to meeting you again" Annabella smiled.
"luck bi with yuh fren" said mampai
"by by pritty lady," said Rook, still eyeing her up
The mouse maid opened the door and escorted Makkito to the surface.
----
"she's nice; where did you meet her?" Annabella reached to the side of the bed and picked up her goblet. The red wine hued the inner vessel, tinting the gold.
"Temple in Beothain, she comes from Naht-seko."
"Naht-seko?" Annabella read books about the invasions led by the Sahareli rulers. And the lands blasted into enchanted sand, fueling mana to their war mages. It also made those lands infertile, much like their homeland.
She thought about those history books, The mage sultans and their conquests. Their defeat, however, was censored from mainland literature. But not in Balzarsa, where anyone could buy uncensored books from travelling merchants. The mana that fueled their armies was drained from them and turned against them. Too late for the invention of the mana globes, magi trachea.
The scars of battle are still there, ruins of great cities and bones of many people buried in the sands.
"it's okay; she has no ill will for you. Those wars were long ago."
"but the scar on their lands remains."
"not the hate from her, at least, I assure you."
Rickard turned his attention to Mampai "you know something about the sword Annabella described, don't you?"
"Wah eff I do?"
"Just wanted to know if you heard of such a blade."
"Jus fram ah legend of our diva who bestowed ah sword"
"Tek'lana, the savage serpent diva, right?"
"Yuh know of her?"
"I know enough. Please, tell me the legend."
"Hmmm... Let mi tell yuh."
----
In a time long forgotten, When the maleficent one sent their beasts to ravage the world. The Amazonians and tribesmen fought them as they poured out of a portal, swarming Jall'nara. These beasts used the jungles against them; many of Tek'lana's favoured Died by claw and maw.
A boar-man named Cortzador led the tribesmen against the monsters, setting traps and Ambushes, turning the tide against the black beasts.
His cunning and agile prowess made him unmatched by his peers. He slew numerous monsters with nothing more than wooden spears and rocks.
The Diva, Tek'lana, took notice. She pulled a shard from her mouth. A piece of her tongue. The custodian angels fashioned it into a blade of bright jade and silver.
Tek'lana came to him from the darkest part of the jungle, wearing a hooded cloak of vines and moss, bearing the blade. She was pleased with him; her emerald lips kissed him, turning him into a demi-god. The sword was gifted to Cortzador, who named it, The tongue of severance.
With this weapon, Cortzador pushed the horde back into the portal, where he gave chase. But the monsters were never-ending and would soon overwhelm him. In his final act, he sliced their sun, killing all within that realm.
With that, the portal and Cortzador vanished.
----
"But the vision-" Annabella stopped, not wanting to contradict a legend.
"did di bearer of dat sword slice di sun?"
"I don't want to offen-"
"it's jus ah legend," Mampai said, "ah story fi children. Witch fren, tell mi, what yuh saw."
"The one with the sword did not reach the sun before everything shattered."
"He did not cut it?"
"I did not see what caused the shattering of the sun and... well everything."
"maybe nah cortzador, another boar mon then? sum other sword."
"Do you think a blade like it would be in Jall'nara?" asked Rickard
"A dragons real? Nah, it's jus ah legend. Wi nuh make weapons fram di sacred jade. Offensive tuh us, so nuh funny ideas, Rickard."
"I see" Tho Rickard seemed undeterred; he would ask around about it for sure, Annabella thought.
There was a moment of silence, broken by a crunch of an apple ordin had found on the platter.
Annabella stretched her arms out and crossed them over her head. it was time now-