— VIII —
That night, Arthur took me into the tiny shop called Bunga Lentera. As we walked into the shop, I was hit by a wave of scents - the sharp tang of herbal remedies, the sweetness of potions, and the earthiness of medicinal plants. It was packed with shelves full of brightly colored bottles and jars, each containing different dried plants, remedies, and shimmering magic powders. To the left, I saw the examination room, with a table and bed ready for patients.
"Wow, this place is amazing!" I exclaimed, eyes wide with wonder. "It's heaven for an alchemist!"
"Make yourself at home," Arthur said when I was mesmerized by the shop.
"H-Huh? Wait, this is your home?" I gasped.
"Yup, I live above the shop," Arthur replied while taking off his shoes.
I raised an eyebrow, "I guess it's nice to have a roommate that doesn't mind smelling like a medicine cabinet."
"The rent is cheap, and I get all the medicinal herbs I need. Being a Greyhound isn't easy, you know. The pay is not that good, but the risk is sky-high. What's with your face? Do you have a problem?"
I crossed my arm and grunted, "Of course I do! You're not expecting me to feel at home, when it's just a guy and a girl in the house, right?"
Arthur confused, "What? Oh right, yes. Seeing how you act, you feel more like a little sister to me. Sorry for not being considerate, enough," he replied with kind smile.
"Uh, no, that's not what I mean! It just, it just... Ugh, forget it!" I clenched my chest, feeling defeated thoroughly.
Arthur shrugged, "Alrigth then. Hmm, but this is a problem. If you don't want to stay here, then where do you plan to stay today? The Inn? You don't even have a penny with you. Under the bridge? As a gentleman, I can't let a Princess like you spend a night like that."
"D-Dammit, I can't deny it... B-But, even if I agree to stay, dare you to touch me even slightly, I would send you to hell. Remember it, Master!" I implored.
Arthur chuckled, "Princess got lost in her little world again. Don't worry, you can sleep with Kiara. I bet she's happy to have you--"
Suddenly, Arthur's strong arms enveloped me, taking me by surprise. My body tensed and I tried to break free. He drag me under the desk and closed my mouth with his hand.
I-I thought he wasn't that kind of guy! Shite, what a fool I am. Of course, a man could want one thing from a woman... especially a defenseless one like me.
"Quiet... There's someone here. This rancid smell, a werebear," Arthur whispered.
Eh?
"Who's that?!" someone shouted.
As the door to the inner hall of the shop swung open, two imposing figures emerged into view. The first was a burly gray-furred bear, wielding a massive sword that rested easily across his broad back. The second was a captivating sorceress with wavy red hair. She was the one that attacked Kiara in the Cathedral before.
With a lightning-fast move, Arthur plucked a bottle of enchanted dust from the nearby shelf and swiftly cast it over the two of us. Wow, it effectively erased our scent!
The bear sniffed the air and readied his sword as he searched the room. Despite his tireless efforts, he soon grew frustrated and scowled in disappointment as he failed to find what he sought.
"I'm sure there are people here," said the bear.
Just as I thought we were in the clear, the bear turned towards our direction, his nostrils flaring as he picked up on our scent. I could feel the blood draining from my face as I realized we had been discovered. I panicked as the bear and witch got close to us, my mind racing for a way to escape. But suddenly, I had an idea. A crazy, desperate idea.
"M-M-Miaww," I meowed, hoping to pass myself off as a stray cat. But as soon as the words left my mouth, I cringed with embarrassment.
How could they possibly believe such a cheap trick? To make matters worse, Arthur shot me a disappointed look and lightly smacked my head.
"W-What are you doing?" he whispered.
"N-Not sure!"
We waited in tense silence as the bear drew closer and closer, his sword glinting in the dim light. Arthur prepared to draw his sword, his eyes fixed on the bear's massive form. But just before the bear found us, the woman shouted. "C'mon, It's just a cat. You're overreacting it, Denova. We got our objective so let's get out before The Company comes." The bear took a deep breath, his nostrils flaring with anger. "Alright, Bian." As they left the shop, I let out a long, shuddering breath. We had narrowly escaped with our lives, and I couldn't help but feel grateful to be alive.
"Umm, Master Arthur... your hands," I implored as I got annoyed.
"S-Sorry," Arthur was surprised and quickly let me go. He stood and check the shop as if nothing happened, trying to distance himself from me. Little sister, huh? He clearly conscious about me. Heh, boys will be boys.
Hah... let him be, I was more intrigued about the break-in anyway. They didn't touch the cash register or steal expensive drugs on the shelves. The magical brews here could cost around boxes full of gold coins, you know.
Hmm, then what was their purpose for coming here? I couldn't shake the feeling that there was more to this than met the eye.
"Wait, this is hers...!" Arthur noticed a necklace fell on the floor together with a handkerchief.
"What's going on, Arthur?" I asked urgently, trying to keep up with his frantic pace. Ugh, that smell. The handkerchief reek of chloroform!
Arthur's face was etched with worry as he muttered, "That idiot…How could a person get kidnapped twice in a day?"
"Is it someone important to you?" I asked, my voice firm. "Then we should hurry and follow them!"
But before Arthur could reply, a loud noise echoed through the street outside. It was another iron cart, racing through the night, and Arthur's face turned pale as he realized what it meant. Without a word, he chased the cart, leaving me alone and confused. But in his carelessness he dropped the handkerchief.
"She must be really important to him," I muttered as I put the handkerchief in my pocket.
.
***
.
Alexandria's splendor cast a shadow that haunts every inch of the wall. Outside the city's thick walls, sprouting like mushrooms, a slum huddled together along a small river.
As I looked around the settlement, my heart ached at the sight of the makeshift houses and shelters. The wood they used had been scavenged from demolished buildings or former war shields, with chipped paint and splintered edges. The roofs were held together by nothing more than a few dried coconut branches, woven loosely and still full of holes. One spark and the entire settlement would be up in flames.
I was met with cynical and hopeless stares from every direction. Old Daemon sat with beer bottles in their hands, trying to numb the pain of their lives with alcohol. The children looked at me with their brown eyes, their bellies were swollen with hunger. Their reddish fur was matted and they wore rugged clothes, yet they didn't smile - they knew nothing but misery. It was a heart-wrenching scene, and I couldn't shake the feeling of dread that settled in my stomach.
Why Arthur went to this slum? As I wonder my eyes caught Arthur running to the dark alley and disappearing completely.
"Hey, wait...! He was supposed to watch over me, but now? Ugh, that guy, really!" I shouted.
Yikes, the lack of patience in this generation always astounded me. Back then, it was a virtue to listen to a woman, you know. Hah, whatever. The one who'd been kidnapped must be someone very special to him, I thought. Could it be a family member? Or a lover?
"This smell... I knew it. There is someone in the house."
A sharp bloodlust stabbed me in the back, as I barely evade the swing of a mighty blade. It was the werebear, Denova! He purposely waited for Arthur and me to come out of the house, before striking us. What a sharp wit he had!
The air was thick with the scent of bloodlust, and the windows around us were quickly shuttered as parents hustled their children inside. The other daemons on the street had quickly hidden, leaving me alone to face the fearsome Denova. I could feel the sweat dripping down my back as I desperately searched for a way out.
"What a shame," Denova growled, his eyes glinting with malice. "To kill a young girl like you. But Pater has ordered us not to leave any witnesses."
My heart sank at his words. This was it. The end. I nervously smiled, trying to keep up my brave front. But inside, I was screaming. Dammit, why did this always happen to me? Why was I always the one caught in the crossfire?