ra's gaze bore into mine, her red eyes seemingly glowing as she searched for any hint of deceit on my face. After a tense silence that felt like an eternity, she finally asked, her voice a mix of skepticism with a hint of curiosity, "Why would you, a complete stranger, someone I tried to kill, offer to travel with me?" I paused for a moment, deep in thought. "Era, I can see that you have a lot of potential as a puppeteer. I know you aren't fond of humans, but I want to bring out that potential in you. I think as a team, we could create something beautiful, something never seen before in all of Eldoria." She furrowed her brow, considering my offer, and then asked, "What exactly do you get out of this, human?" I smiled, "I just told you. I want to bring out your potential. Look, I have made dolls before and can teach you what I know. I think you'll truly bring something out of these creations that I could never."
I added, "Listen, I know puppeteering is a dying art, but I think together we can show the world the true potential of this art. We can breathe new life into the art of puppeteering." Era's eyes grew wide; she seemed shocked. "Human, it won't be easy. How do you know you can trust someone like me?" I laughed, "Well, for starters, call me Lucius. We can build up our trust for each other over time." Era responded, "Hu- Lucius, I don't take handouts. You can't expect me to take charity from someone I just met." I suggested, "Alright, well, if it makes you feel any better, you can act as my bodyguard. I am not particularly strong, after all."
Era hesitated for a moment, her red eyes flickering with uncertainty. She seemed to be wrestling with her pride and the unexpected offer before her. Finally, she sighed, a hint of resignation in her voice. "Lucius, I have been alone for a long time. I have learned not to trust humans, even if my father himself was a human. Being a half-harpy has always been difficult; my own kind hates me, and humans scorn me as a freak. However, your proposal is intriguing, and I can't deny the appeal of honing my puppeteering skills further. I'm not making any promises, but I'm willing to give it a shot." I guess that explains her black wings that I saw earlier. I nodded understandingly. "That's all I'm asking for, Era. We'll start slow, and you can decide whether this partnership is worth pursuing. And remember, it's not charity; it's an exchange of skills and experiences."
Era gave a slight smile, saying, "Alright, we have a deal, but just know that if you betray me, you'll lose a lot more than just my trust." I smiled back and stuck out my hand for her to shake. "Wouldn't dream of it," I assured her. We both shook hands, symbolizing our new verbal pact, and we were now set to travel together as a party. Now, I asked a pressing question that had been on my mind. "Now that that is settled, why exactly were you trying to kill me again? I assume it was a job?" Era nodded, "Yeah, I mainly make my money taking jobs from the locals in cities and towns. I got a job when I had stopped for a bit at a small city called Astralum. A gang leader approached me. She had long red hair and said she was a part of a gang called the Crimson Knives. She said she had a job for me, that some merchant had recently caused problems for her brother, and she would pay to have his head delivered to her."
I put my hand on my chin. I had never met the leader of the Crimson Knives, but her brother must have been Holvick. It seemed they weren't just going to let me run away; they meant to hunt me down. This could be an issue in the future. I nodded to Era, "I fought with her brother before I came to Veilstead. He was trying to extort money from me, so I knocked him out and ran." Era frowned, "They seemed furious. I doubt it will end once they realize I haven't delivered your head to them; they will send more people." I sighed, "Yeah, that seems likely. I guess we should stay alert, at least until we leave this area. The further we go, the less likely they will be able to reach us. The reach of their knives only goes so far. I think it would be ideal if we kept moving."
With that in mind, I started getting my stuff ready. We should try to leave Veilstead right away; staying too long could be dangerous. Era helped me bring stuff out of the room. I got dressed properly and headed out. We put her doll, which she explained her father had named Juna, into a leather backpack. Just as we were stepping out into the street with our backpacks and other gear, we were stopped. Dex, the man from the other day, approached me in the streets. He came up to me, smiling with an overly friendly demeanor, and stated, "Oh Lucius, just the man I wanted to see. Could I have a word with you for a moment?" I raised an eyebrow, "Oh Dex, what is it? Our business is already done, right?"
Dex gave a devilish grin, saying, "Yeah, we made a deal, and you've fulfilled your end of the bargain, but there is a slight problem." Oh boy, this isn't good; we are in a hurry, and I needed to give this urchin the slip quickly. I offered, "Listen, buddy, I am kind of in a hurry here, so bottom line it for me: what do you want?" Dex's smile cracked a bit. "Well, you see, we have a small problem. Our regular customers say that the product they received from you had no effects. Would you happen to have any idea why?" I frowned, "No idea." I tried to leave, but one of Dex's goons to my side put a hand on my shoulder. He was a big, bald man with a scar on his eye. Dex's smile faded completely, and his expression turned malicious. "You think you get to just walk away? After screwing over our customers."
I felt Era next to me turning hostile, and I sensed an aura of murder emanating from her. I raised my hand to signal her to calm down a fight here could be dangerous. "I guess it's never that easy. Alright, like I said, what do you want?" Dex regained his smile, "Right, I knew you were a smart man. Listen, buddy, we just want compensation. It isn't about the money, but what you did damaged our pride as a business." I nodded, "Again, bottom line it for me. I don't exactly have the time for this." Dex scowled a little, "Right, that isn't for me to give. Listen, buddy, what I am saying is you are coming with us. The boss wants to chat with you." I smiled, "Ah, sure. I guess we have time for an evening stroll through the city." I whispered to Era, "Trust me, okay?" She nodded, seeming fine with it for now.
Dex regained his grin, "Excellent. I would have hated to get rough out here in the open." I had a plan. I would speak to their boss. I had no chance of winning a fight with this many people anyway, even with Era's help. Dex and the big guy from earlier walked on either side of me as they led us deeper north into the city. The buildings here, unlike the town square, were made of stone but looked like age had really begun to show itself. The town here was more like ruins than a proper district of the city. I would wager that this was the poor area of Veilstead, but this was even worse than the poorest areas of Astralum. As we walked, I saw people huddled in corners, scratching their hands, and empty vials could be seen on street corners. The people here, as I had feared, were heavily addicted to some drug. They even called out to Dex, who ignored them as we walked.
We arrived at a shoddy-looking building covered in crude drawings all over the hideout. It was worn with age, and there was even mold growing from the ceiling. The place smelled like the inside of a swamp, and the air tasted like sweat and dirt. Some guys were playing cards in an open area in the front, and they didn't seem to notice us as they exchanged money. There was even a bar area where a man with a brown beard and bulging muscles was serving all sorts of alcohol to the patrons. We were led even deeper into their little hole in the wall until we reached a smaller room. Dex opened the door and gestured for us to step inside, and we did as we were told. The room had a desk in the front that looked more like boxes poorly hammered together to make a desk, and an old-looking grey chair with holes in it sat behind it.
There were a few old chairs that seemed to be for guests to sit down, so I nodded at Era, and we took a seat in the front. In the back, I noticed an old board. It looked like this may have been a classroom at one point, but those days were long gone. The most interesting feature in the room was the woman sitting at the desk, whom I assumed was the boss. The boss was an imposing figure, her presence commanding attention the moment we entered the room. She sat tall and confident, her demeanor exuding authority. Short, jet-black hair framed her face in a stylish yet practical cut that accentuated her sharp features. Her eyes were piercing, a shade of deep emerald that seemed to bore into your face with an intense focus.
Each eye held a subtle hint of amusement, as if she found the current situation to be nothing more than entertainment. The woman had both her feet up as she showed off her endless tattoos all over her legs and arms. Her arms were covered in a symphony of ink, a blend of tribal patterns, mysterious symbols, and delicate artwork that peeked out from under the sleeves of her dark, well-tailored attire. Her attire was both elegant and functional, a black leather ensemble that hinted at her readiness for action. At her waist, she wore an array of small, gleaming knives, each one expertly crafted and designed for a specific purpose. The woman was probably in her early 30s, but her presence far exceeded her age. She smiled once we sat down, "Isabella Steel, nice to meet you, kid. Welcome to our little playhouse."