"Alright. Inky 2! Will you train me?" We've gotten far enough away from the other Inky. This one is mine.
"I already told you no before." She says as she makes Z turn, like turning a horse.
"That was the other Inky, this is different Inky. Yes?"
"Ah. No. I am one. Not many." Hmph. I can train myself!
"Inky. Can you make training dummies'?" A question mark forms above Inky's head ahead, waving back and forth before straightening out.
"I could. I know a great many things. Basic woodworking schematics is one of them. You and Ball can build them together" Ball? Ball can build things?
"Ball knows how to make stuff?" The Air is starting to smell hotter. Ahead.
"Yes. Ball chose to learn woodworking, runes, and clothing. Ball made the clothes the two of you wear." How does Ball know what the clothes of my home look like? Z thinks home is very far away.
"How does Ball know the clothes of my home?" Inky jiggles. Is that how she laughs?
"I don't know. I can't understand Monster tongue. It was likely just instinct." Monster.
"What does Monster mean Inky?" Mother and Father never talked about Monsters. And Momma only had one book.
"A Monster. An existence whose sole purpose is to slaughter all life that isn't also a Monster. Historically, they attack all life on sight until that life, or the Monster is dead. Ball is the first Monster I've ever seen who doesn't do that." That sounds like Corruption. The Antithesis of the Martial Path, Father called it.
"How do you know Ball is a Monster?"
"You really don't know? Based off the things you do remember, I figured you had common sense knowledge down." Am I being called dumb?
"Where I grew up Monsters are not called Monsters, Father called them Corrupted Beast. Corruption." I can be a teacher too.
"It goes like this. A very long time ago, the strongest Archmage in recorded history cast a spell that encompassed all, the spell cost their life. The goal was peace with the Monsters. It aimed to make all vocal communication automatically translated to whoever is listening. It worked on everything except Monsters. That is why you can understand Z. And why we know for fact that Ball is a Monster." Doesn't that mean...
"So the good guy lost?" Inky slides onto me. Climbing up onto my head
"No. That was the end of the language barrier. While the mage failed in their main goal. The result of that spell led to the end of countless conflicts." Oh! I have an idea!
I grab a piece of wood from a tree we pass bye. Writing onto it with my finger, burning letters into it. "Where did you hear that story Inky?"
"I have visited the Mage Towers. It is a story contained in their history books." I hold up the wood to Inky. 早安
"Can you read this Inky?" Hehe. Now I does the teaching!
"Nope. Where is this from?" Inky's voice has a interested tone for once.
"Home! At Home, there were four places. The! Er..." Blank faces, blank buildings, shifting symbols all pass through my head. Not a single clear image of home. Why? "I don't remember... but this means Good Morning. A greeting from home."
"On this entire continent, I have never seen that language. Not even in those vast libraries." I feel a pat on my head "No matter the truth. This is your home now. And as the Boss, you've stuff to do. Look ahead."
Ahead is three people. Sitting along a campfire. They don't see us, lurking in the trees. Covered by the snowfall. Z is about to speak, but I hold my hand out. "No no, I have to try to witness them."
Okay! First. Big guy, If I stood on my head, he might be taller still! Has all the armor on. Big Shield... no weapon? Only shield? I've never seen someone only use a shield before... Does he hit people with it too? Back home, the shield is always a backup. Or they use defensive techniques.
Next, the middle lady. She is wearing clothes I've never seen before. Like a big sack with a hood. And everything is black, pants, hair, makeup. Glasses? She has glasses! She is normal adult sized, not like shield guy.
Last, yellow hair lady. Wearing leather. Two daggers. A little taller than middle lady. I've seen her type before. She looks just like Guǐ Zōng. Nothing like the beautiful blade dancers of home. That of shadows and evil. I look down to Z. "Did I do good?"
"I cannot hear your thoughts, Little One." Z's words sink my heart. I forgot to talk? Whatever. "Okay Z, let's go say hello." Inky gives a wave then collapses into a ink splash. Though it doesn't stain my hair. Off we go. Approaching them. The shield guy stands, getting into a defensive stance.
"A Spirit Wolf..?" He sounds super deep and echoy. "State your business, one in the guise of a child." Huh?
"I am small, not a fake small." He looks to the yellow hair lady. She shrugs. "This is my home, I come to greet the guest."
He relaxes, stance broken. Though keeping his weapon ready. "What are you talking about? This forest was uninhabitable until recently. Why do you not dress for the cold? I don't see nor sense magical warming tools about you." This guy is annoying me. And the girl in the middle, she looks distressed. I will not stand for this treatment from guest.
"This is my home. And I am the Boss. I will no-" The yellow hair lady looks past me. To the sky, speaking out, interrupting me.
"Calm down big guy. It's just a dog and a child. As if a Spirit Master lives here, and is a baby no less. Hey, little one. Know anything about the Blood Moon? Four days ago, the Moon turned red. And has been a full moon every day since." Red? It's not Red.
"We cannot afford mistakes, Cecil. We've a ward." I guess her name is Cecil. And the look she gives him is the look of annoyance. He only gets more assertive. "Focus on one job at a time."
"Look, Mark. Boss-Man gave out a order to Investigate the Moon. Kinda a big deal, takes precedence over a simple ward no? The world could be ending, the fucking moon is red." Now Cecil looks agitated.
"A simple ward? Look at her! She is a prized scholar!" Mark looks ready to do battle. With that tone. Are they new teammates?
Bloodlust? I look to Z. Those eyes are not eyes I've yet seen. The opposite of when we met. Z does not like these people. "Why can't the moon be different colors?"
"What a good question. I don't know! All the common folk are freaking out though. And the smart people can't explain it." Cecil leans forward, looking down towards the fire. "So you live here, this is your home?"
"Yes! I am the Boss!" The armor guy sits back down by the fire. Though his shield is still at the ready. "Why are you here?"
"This lass here is a Monster specialist. With the forest being survivable again, Monsters have come. We are here to investigate." Mark gestures to the lady all in black. "A typical escort quest."
Cecil looks down at her wrist. There's a band around it, glowing. "There's a problem Mark. Mako says all outside communication has stopped working. And the emergency device was broken. Even the mundane tools. All of them just spew Ink."
"What about his Wards?" Mark stands as he ask. "What about the supplies?"
"No problems there. The only things having any problems are the communications. He's going to attempt a ritual now." Cecil motions Mark to sit back down. "Mako is much stronger than us. And a uptight punctual kinda guy. If he was asking for help, he would of asked. He was just keeping us updated."
Mark's helmet turns to me, staring for almost a minute before he sits back down. "Let's just finish our break and keep moving." Cecil looks to her wrist again. Numbers appearing.
"Few more minutes" She leans back, looking past me once again. I turn, the Moon is rising through the sky. "I think it'll summit by the time we start moving again. I'm always lucky like that, getting to see beautiful sights." Cecil looks to me. "You should come with us! This cold hellhole is no place for a child."
The Garden is a beautiful place. Everyone in the Garden can wander to their hearts content. Live without worry. A home for those beyond even unorthodox. "Z, what do you think about these guest?" Z holds his gaze on the middle girl.
"I think these are unworthy Adventurers. Committing the most grave sin one can commit in The Garden. From the rules you told me." Oh? We will see. All guest are free to watch the flowers. Any who would cage a flower.
Cecil and Mark get in position to respond to a threat. The Moon summits the sky, the Garden is bathed in Crimson. As soon as the Light touches the girl in the middle. A translucent ring expands from inside her neck and shatters. She dives towards me. Cecil reacts swiftly, trying to drive a dagger into her leg. The girl holds her hands together. A barrier forms around her for a moment, the daggers is reflected. The girl rolls across the snow, crawling behind me.
The falling snow evaporates around me. The ground melts. An eruption of flame. It Envelops Z, causing his fluf to ignite, infused in Crimson. I hold my right hand out, palm facing the ground. A Crimson butterfly forms. I crush it. Blood like flame leaks. I release my grip, the remains are pulled into a ball. Crimson condenses inside it. A staff forms in my grasp. The sky darkens. Clouds form. This is anger.
"To cage a flower. To declare yourself an enemy. I Bring Death"