“What!” said Falcon, his nerves shaken. It was bad enough that Faith had a chaos wielder hunting her, now she also had to deal with a poison wielder?
“Calm yourself, Mister Hyatt,” said the grandmaster. “Panicking will not help the situation. Besides, we have more important matters to attend to.”
“Faith’s life is important,” Falcon countered.
“Of course, but we must keep our perspective open to everything that is going on around us. We have received a mission request from Sugiko. There is a young woman who claims to be the rightful heir to the crown. You will go and investigate.”
Falcon couldn’t believe what he was hearing. Zoen was the only person in Ladria who believed the Suteckh were a threat, and instead of doing something about it, he was sending them on a useless mission.
“But, grandmaster,” Falcon said. “This isn’t the time for missions. We need to warn the other capital cities of the incoming Suteckh attack.”
Zoen smiled, creating an uncountable number of wrinkles across his face. “I agree completely. But don’t forget that you’re still a Rohad mercenary, and as such are expected to go out on missions. That is why officially I’m sending you three to Sugiko.”
“Are you saying two of us should go to Sugiko, while one of us goes to warn the capital cities?” asked Falcon.
“I would never say that. I am obliged by my position to order you to fulfill our contract.” The grandmaster grinned from ear to ear. “Of course Rohad mercenaries are given freedom to fulfill their missions as they see fit, provided they don’t break the law. No one will follow you around to make sure you all go to Sugiko.”
Falcon smiled, feeling a much deeper respect for the ancient man than he’d ever felt before.
They instantly left the painted room and got their belongings ready.
“Be safe,” said Aya, taking his hand.
Falcon returned the handshake. “I’ll miss you too. Be extra cautious.”
They had decided that Aya and Sheridan would head to Sugiko to fulfill the mission, while he and Faith would head over to Missea to warn them of the incoming attack. But now he wasn’t sure that was the best idea. He hated the thought of not being there to protect her.
“Don’t worry about me,” said Aya, noticing the worry in his face. “I can take care of myself.”
Falcon nodded. “I’ll see you soon.” He jumped into the carriage.
The inside of the carriage had dark wooden seats, soft padded walls, and an opening on each side. It was large, with enough space for four people, though at the moment Falcon and Faith were the only passengers.
He moved the thick curtain aside and waved goodbye to Aya.
“Be careful,” she shouted, waving back at him. He continued to wave until the carriage turned the corner and he lost sight of her.
“Don’t worry,” said Faith. “Aya is the strongest girl I have ever met. She can look out for herself. Believe in her, like she believes in you.”
Faith’s words dissolved some of Falcon’s nerves. “We’ve been friends ever since we were kids. I already lost Lao. I don’t think I could handle losing her, too.”
Faith smiled. “You won’t.”
Falcon stared at the girl. He knew she blamed herself for the villagers Shal-Volcseck had killed, including his own parents. He imagined it also couldn’t be easy to know two psychotic wielders were after her. Yet, she appeared as serene as ever.
“How do you do it?” Falcon asked.
“How do I do what?”
“How do you remain so calm? Yesterday, for example, when Laars spilled his drink on you, you didn’t seem angry. Most girls I know would have gone ballistic if someone had done something like that.”
“Getting angry wouldn’t have helped. I can’t control what Laars does or doesn’t do. But I can control how I react to it. From now on I’ll just have to avoid him.”
“I can’t do that. Seeing what he did made me so angry. I thought I was going to explode.”
She caressed her hair. “We each have our own unique ways of dealing with stress. Maybe next time you feel like you’re losing control, you should think of something soothing.”
“The Ghost Knight told me to think of people I care about when I get angry, to use them as barriers. I tried it when I ran into Shal-Volcseck back at Sandoria. But that didn’t work. You saw how I began to change into that…that thing. The chaos element inside is too strong to control.”
“Have you ever been able to control your anger?” she asked.
“Yes, one time. When I fought Lao I was at the brink of defeat. I only managed to beat him because I composed myself with a thought.”
“Wow! Really? Who did you think about? Your mom?”
Falcon staggered back, surprised by Faith’s sudden giddiness.
“Well?” she said after Falcon failed to produce an answer.
He remained quiet, struggling to find the right words. How could he tell her that the thoughts of her and Aya were the only things that had saved him when he fought Lao?
Falcon cleared his scratchy throat. “Well. I was thinking. Yes. Thinking of—”
The carriage suddenly stopped.
Falcon allowed himself to breathe.
The door opened and two men boarded the carriage. One was young and skinny; the other was old and heavy.
“I’m Father Lucien. Good morning,” said the large, bald man, taking a seat in front of Falcon and Faith. His large purple robe gave him the appearance of a priest. He had beady eyes and thick red lips.
“Good day to you, sir,” responded Faith with her usual smile. “Nice to meet you.”
Falcon settled for a much simpler, “Hello.”
The skinny man eyed Falcon from top to bottom and extended his hand. “I’m Lakirk, son of the mayor of K’vitch. I’m glad you’re on your way there. It’s about time some professionals took a look into the disappearances.”
“We have no business in K’vitch,” said Falcon. “We’re only passing by on our way to Missea.”
Lakirk grimaced. “That is troubling news.”
“Excuse me,” said Faith. “What disappearances do you speak of?”
“It is the reason I’m headed to K’vitch now,” said Father Lucien. “Children have been disappearing for the last two months. One moment they head off to sleep, the next they’re never seen again. I’m hoping I can shed some light on the situation.”
“With all due respect to you, Father Lucien,” Lakirk said, “my father is mistaken. In order to get to the bottom of this we need real warriors, not more unanswered prayers.”
Lucien smiled. “Don’t be so quick to dismiss the power of prayer, my son.”
The mayor’s son waved his hands dismissively. “I don’t have time to listen to this rubbish. I wasted enough time coming here to collect you at Father’s request.” He motioned at Falcon. “What we need is a professional Rohad, like him.”
“Not everything can be solved with violence,” countered Father Lucien.
Lakirk scratched his forehead and yawned. “I’ve heard enough of your sermons, Father. I’m going to sleep.” He leaned against the wall and closed his eyes.
“To have so many children go missing.” Faith gasped. “That’s terrible.”
The priest nodded. “Yes, indeed it is. The situation is arduous, but not as arduous as the walk of life.”
“Er…um. Yes,” mumbled Falcon.
“You’re a priest?” Faith asked.
“Yes indeed I am. Father Lucien is my name. But my friends call me Father Lucien.”
“You just said the exact same thing,” said Falcon.
“Did I? The same things in life are only the exact same thing when they are not different.” The man stared at Falcon as if awaiting an answer.
Wow. This guy is crazy. Best to ignore him.
When he got no answer from Falcon, the father turned to Faith. “Once I settle in K’vitch, I will aid the children by teaching them. This way I’ll be close to th
em and can perhaps see what is causing the disappearances, and I’ll be able to tutor them. They are in dire need of some formal education.”
“Oh, you’re also a teacher?” asked Faith “I also teach. Well, I did. Back when I was in Asturia.”
The man nodded again. “There is always a time to teach. Whether young or old, teaching leads to learning and learning leads to teaching. Wouldn’t you agree, young man?”
“Sure, why not?” said Falcon.
“One shouldn’t answer when not sure. Uncertainty leads to disaster.”
Falcon’s frustration jumped a few levels. Why couldn’t people just speak clearly?
“Quick to anger, I see. That is not good. We at the priesthood have found a simple way to overcome such anger without fail.”
Falcon was suddenly interested. “Really? Tell me.” The man was frustrating, but he seemed carefree. Perhaps there was a secret to this.
The man leaned forward between him and Faith, as if he were about to divulge a classified secret. “In order to control your anger, you must move forward with your head turned to the back. Learn from it. It might have lasted forever a lifetime ago, but now it slips through your fingers.”
Falcon looked at the man in confusion. “What? I don’t even know what to say to that. What does that even mean?”
“That’s beautiful,” said Faith. “I couldn’t agree more.”
Falcon turned to Faith with his mouth wide open. “You understood that gibberish?”
“Of course. Why wouldn’t I?”
Falcon went numb. Am I really this thick?
“I can see you’re a very bright young lady,” said the father. “But I’d appreciate it if you were to not explain the riddle to your friend. Like many situations in life, one must sometimes work through tribulations on our own.”
“Of course, Father Lucien,” said Faith. “You have my word.”
Falcon leaned on the soft carriage walls and closed his eyes. The father and Faith continued their conversation as Falcon dozed off. The soft clack of the horses’ hooves against the dirt path was surprisingly soothing. In no time Falcon fell fast asleep.
“Everyone out!” yelled the carriage master. “We have reached K’vitch.” Falcon opened his eyes. Faith remained asleep, head resting on his shoulder.
Falcon gently tapped her elbow. “Hey. We’re here.” Faith opened her eyes, and for a second Falcon found himself lost in the mesmerizing color of emerald.
“What?” asked Faith, her cheeks turning a soft pink.
“Oh, nothing,” Falcon quickly mumbled.
Father Lucien stepped out. He moved with the grace of a wild boar, slamming and crushing Falcon as he moved, wearing a smile on his face all the while. As soon as he got out, the carriage popped up six inches. He held out his hand for Faith and helped her out. He didn’t bother to do the same for Falcon.
“It was nice to meet you, Faith,” said Father Lucien. “Once you’re done with your mission I would love to have a missionary like you. Come look for me in the Temple of Ladria. Tell them I sent you.”
“Thank you, sir. It was a great pleasure to meet you as well.”
The father turned to Falcon, whispering in his ear, “Ironic that one who doesn’t enjoy riddles, riddles himself.” The father gazed at Faith, then back at Falcon. “Sooner or later, we must all choose what we really want in our life. Or who we want. The heart cannot wholly belong to more than one.”
Falcon remained quiet. He’d had enough of trying to solve Father Lucien’s riddles.
The father smiled and walked away, singing loudly to himself.
Falcon turned to Faith. Her eyes twinkled as she stared at the village.
The village looked like something out of a painting. It was surrounded on all sides by green hills, two of which had stone temples atop them. The cabins in the village were small, but beautiful. They all were made of fine logs, with dark wooden roofs. Every cabin had a small patch of flowers in front of it. The local pub even had vines dangling out of its windows.
Falcon couldn’t recall K’vitch looking so alive the last time he’d visited.
“Hey!” he called to a little girl who ran in front of him with a string of flowers on her hand. She had dirt on her face and hair. Both her ponytails were a mess. “What’s going on here?”
“Why, the festival of flowers, of course,” said the girl as if the festival was common knowledge. “We celebrate it each year, to bring peace to the world.”
“With all the disappearances going on lately, is it really a good idea to be celebrating?”
The girl shrugged. “I don’t know, mister. I don’t make the rules. But what I do know is my way around this here town. If there is anywhere you need to go, I can be your guide.”
“Perfect,” said Falcon. “We need to find the local inn.”
The girl held out her hand. “Thanks won’t fill my stomach, mister.”
Falcon searched his pockets and came out with a gold coin. He held it inches away from the girl’s begging hands. “Show us the fastest way there.”
The girl jumped at the opportunity. “For a gold coin? Sure, follow me!”
Falcon and Faith followed the girl through the stone paths of the village. They stopped for a second to admire a group of women who performed a beautiful lullaby at the center of the village, then kept on moving.
“Here we are.” The peasant girl pointed at a blue painted cabin. “Gsa’s Inn. The owner is the nicest woman in K’vitch. Her prices are the best as well.”
“Thanks.” Falcon handed over the piece of gold.
The girl took the gold piece with a giant grin on her face. “Will you be attending the festival at sundown? It will be a lot of fun.”
“No,” Falcon said. “We will get a quick rest and be on our way.”
“Oh, well, see you around.” The girl tucked the coin in her pocket and dashed away.
Falcon and Faith checked in and got their room. Falcon tried to get a room with two beds, but those were all taken.
“I’m sorry,” said Gsa. She had long red hair, white skin, and a pointed chin. “Many people are visiting because of the festival of flowers. I only have one room available and, as I said, it’s a one-bed room.”
Falcon sighed. “If there’s nothing else, we’ll take it.”
Gsa handed Falcon a bronze key. “Upstairs, last door on the right.”
“Thanks,” said Falcon, taking the key. He and Faith went up the stairs and down the long corridor.
“These people love to decorate. Even the walls are full of flower decorations.”
“They sure do,” answered Falcon. He opened the door and walked into the small room. It was simple, just a small bed in the corner and a wooden drawer beside it. Beads of red and white flowers hung from the ceiling.
“You take the bed,” said Falcon. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”
“Are you sure?” asked Faith.
“Of course. I can sleep anywhere. It’s part of my training.”
“Thanks, then.” Faith threw herself on the bed and spread her arms. “I like it here. It reminds me a lot of Asturia.”
“Yes it does. Especially with all the flowers.”
“I would love to see the festival. Do you think there will be dancing?”
“I suppose so. Why do you ask? Don’t tell me you also like to dance.”
“Of course I love to dance. It’s so liberating.” Faith got up and twirled in place. “I have this dream to one day dance in front of a crowd of onlookers. Like the princesses from all those fairy tales we heard as children.” She threw herself on the bed. “Don’t tell me that you don’t like to dance.”
“No, not much. Aya use to drag me to every dance Rohad held back when we were students. My legs would always be killing me the next day.” Falcon thought back to all those nights with blisters on his feet and grimaced. Though he had to admit that he would love to go back to the days where a dance was his biggest problem.
Faith giggled. “Well,
you won’t have to worry. We’ll be out of here by then, right?”
“Yes, we will.” Falcon gazed out the window. The sun was right above him. “Listen. I have go check on something. I’ll be back. You should get some rest.”
“Good idea. I had just dozed off in the carriage when we arrived.” Falcon wasn’t surprised. She had probably spent most of the trip talking to Father Lucien. Falcon was just glad he was asleep most of the trip and didn’t have to deal with him.
“I’ll wake you up when it’s time to go,” said Falcon, walking out the door.
~~~
Faith felt a soft tap on her leg. She sat up and rubbed her eyes. Falcon stared back at her.
“Is it time to go?” she asked.
“Sort of.” He grinned. “C’mon, follow me.”
“What do you mean, sort of?”
“You’ll see. Just come downstairs.”
“Fine.” Faith was intrigued. Why is he acting so mysterious all of a sudden?
“Close your eyes,” said Falcon, just as they reached the inn door. “No peeking.”
Faith did as Falcon said and closed her eyes. She was tempted to peek, but fought the urge. Falcon grabbed her hand and led her forward. The door creaked loudly as Falcon opened it. The soothing breeze coursed through her hair as she moved outdoors.
“You can open your eyes now,” said Falcon.
“Happy Flowers Day, Faith!” yelled the crowd of strangers.
Faith’s heart jumped. The peasant girl handed her a bouquet of pink and orange cream-colored flowers.
Falcon walked to the middle of the crowd of people and extended his hand. “I feel partially guilty for the horrible dance you had the other day. Let me make it up to you. May I have this dance?”
Feeling strangely nervous, she took his hand. The group of female singers she’d seen earlier sang a slow melody. It was just like her dream.
“But I thought we had to leave tonight?” she asked.
“It turns out the road to Missea is currently obstructed by a rockslide. There’s no way across until it gets cleared tomorrow morning. I thought we might as well make the best of it.”
Butterflies fluttered inside of her. “How did you ever get everyone to do this?”
Legacy of Chaos (The Void Wielder Trilogy Book 2) Page 8
