“I don’t have a fucking bedtime!” Grace roared at her. “Now take me back right now! I have very important things to be doing and you’re getting in the way, and I fucking hate people who get in my way!”
“How about this,” VelRyan proposed holding a hand to his chin. “We’ll take you anywhere you want to go tomorrow that’s safe for you after Vale has had time to rest. For tonight you’re all welcome guests and can take this opportunity to recover as well. We have plenty of warm beds to sleep in and you can enjoy a complimentary breakfast here tomorrow morning as well. After all if you do intend to go on a warpath against those who have angered you then you’d best not do so on an empty stomach.”
Grace growled at him through gritted teeth while Lelu finally yanked Max away from her, the boy then being lodged face first into her chest as she coddled him close and backed away from the elf. VelRyan smirked and gave a slight bow to Grace as the young girl crossed her arms stubbornly.
“Consider this our way of apologizing for ‘getting in your way’. Would this hospitality be enough to make amends for the trouble we caused you?”
Grace looked away for a while as she growled quietly to herself. After mumbling something she rolled her eyes and glanced back to the man.
“Fine. I suppose you do owe me big time for all this crap. But I want some fucking meat for breakfast. You try to serve me a measly salad and I’m going to make you sorry.”
“That can be arranged,” VelRyan chuckled. “Though, if I may, would it be alright if asked you a few more questions tonight? I’m very interested to know how you three came to be attacked like you were, and what exactly you meant by ‘avenging your mother’. Could you please enlighten me as to your plight?”
“Whatever,” Grace muttered as she marched past, grabbing Max by the hand and yanking the boy away from Lelu with her. The others stood aside as she led the gasping boy who finally managed to take a deep breath into the building while Lelu rushed after her yelling the elf’s name.
“She’s very… touchy,” Bermuda commented.
“I smell evil on her,” Vale cautioned.
“Those monsters who attacked them,” Syliandanchevas worried. “You don’t think…”
“We’ll see,” VelRyan answered as he walked back in. The fey and Bermuda followed after while Vale looked up to Red Peak with a distant gaze.
“This land may be blessed, but I’m scared that soon it won’t be enough,” she quietly said. Hovering back into the observatory the curtain flowed gently behind her before becoming still, with silence befalling the compound while the statues of harpies continued watching over those that slept below them.
*****
Making their way through the dimly lit hallways Max and his two companions were being led to their sleeping quarters by Bermuda, the arachne skittering along the carpet before them while having her arms crossed and a worried expression on her face. After a while she slowly glanced back to see Max looking around the interior of the manor with a cautious eye while Grace and Lelu were staying close to him with troubled frowns on their faces.
“I’m sorry to hear the hell you’ve all gone through,” Bermuda spoke up. “Ruhelia being wiped out… Green Haven falling under siege… and your home at Trixton Pass being raided by monsters like that. I had no idea things were so grim out there.”
“The Sisterhood has been nothing but a curse on this land,” Grace growled.
“For once you and I are in agreement,” Lelu quietly added.
“Losing your mothers like that,” Bermuda sadly continued. “I’m truly sorry. Especially knowing that my own kind played a part in it.”
“Those assholes are going to pay for what they took from me,” Grace whimpered with eyes shut tight.
“I sincerely hope they do,” Lelu agreed before holding Max’s hand. The boy kept looking around the hallway with a careful eye while the centaur stepped closer to him then noticed Bermuda watching him with a slight smile on her face.
“Max Harollson,” she gently said. “Brother to the famous Harollson Sisters. I’m sure your sisters are out there right now dealing with those wretches. Given their reputation I’m confident Lelu and Grace’s people will be avenged.”
“They’re not out there avenging us,” Grace snapped. “They’re out there murdering more monsters just like they’ve always done. They’ve done so to both of our people before, they’re nothing but fucking bloodthirsty killers.”
“Would you quit it with the attitude already?” Lelu barked at her. “At least they’re out there fighting those monsters who ruined our homes and killed our mothers. If anyone could help us get revenge for our losses it would be them.”
“I have to agree with her,” Bermuda added. “The Harollson Sisters are well-known monster hunters, Grace. You wanted those that invaded your home to be dealt with. It should bring you some relief knowing such skilled monster hunters are after the very ones who hurt you so.”
Grace grumbled and looked away from them while Max lowered his head with a nervous frown trying to form against his will. Bermuda saw the boy trying to hide his unease then turned around to skitter backwards while facing him.
“I understand you’re worried about them, Max. But I have faith they’ll be just fine. Your sisters are quite famous in Koskaysil for being expert monster hunters. Vale and I were easily able to dispatch those rogues that invaded your home. I can only imagine just how many fiends your sisters would be able to dispose of on their own.”
“I hope so,” Max quietly said. “If those monsters made it as far as Trixton Pass, did they get by my sisters… or…”
“Don’t lose faith in your family,” Bermuda urged. Max looked to her curiously as the arachne stopped along with all of them. “They’ll be just fine. I’m sure of it.”
“Why do you even care?” Grace asked with a raised eyebrow. “They’re monster hunters. They’ve probably killed plenty of your kind before. Why are you speaking so nicely about them like this?”
“I have no right to place judgement on them,” Bermuda solemnly replied. “Here at Shadow’s Refuge we don’t discriminate anyone, human or monster. Max’s sisters may be monster hunters, but they’ve never personally harmed me or anyone I care about. I’ve never even met them before, so what right do I have to condemn them simply because of who they are?”
“They kill monsters like us!” Grace shouted before waving to Max. “His sisters are going around slaughtering any of us they find like animals!”
“And monsters kill humans,” Bermuda simply replied. “Monsters kidnap and rape humans every day. Even elves can be guilty of harming humans if they have the mind to. We’re all capable of killing, Grace. I even did so tonight along with Vale to save you three. Am I the devil because of that?”
“I didn’t need saving! And what’s your deal anyway? Aren’t you supposed to be a pacifist or something like that? Isn’t killing going against being nice to everyone like you were taught by your dad?”
“Here at Shadow’s Refuge we treat everyone equally,” Bermuda reasoned while gesturing around her. “Out there however, as Vale put it, all bets are off. After all it’s not hallowed ground throughout the entire world, and there are times when using force is needed to save a life. Like how we did with saving yours.”
Grace growled something through her teeth while Bermuda glanced to Max and slowly shook her head.
“Your sisters may be professional monster hunters, but that doesn’t make them evil in my eyes. Though they kill some, they save others. That’s their primary objective, isn’t it? To save people?”
“Yes, that’s right,” Max agreed while watching the arachne curiously.
“How stupid are you?” Grace scoffed at the girl. “His sisters go around killing any monster they see. How don’t you see them as evil?”
“As I see it they’re only doing what they need to,” Bermuda answered. “To protect their own from monsters who would harm them or those they care about. You need to open your eyes and se
e the world for how it really is, Grace. It’s not as black and white as you claim it to be.”
“Fuck you,” Grace snapped before she stormed ahead of them. Bermuda watched the elf marching off while swearing and shaking her fist around then turned to Max with a weak smile.
“I’m not getting through to her at all, am I?”
“No, but you’ve certainly surprised me,” Max commented as he and Lelu watched her inquisitively. “I never thought I’d meet an arachne in person, much less one that would speak about my sisters so kindly or even defend them.”
“We’re not all bad,” Bermuda remorsefully said. “Though sadly most of my kind… is. I wish I could say I’m sorry on behalf of what they’ve done to you all, but I doubt that would be close to enough to make you feel better.”
Max rubbed the back of his head as he looked down, taking a moment to think about what he was going to say before turning to Bermuda with a small smile.
“Thank you,” he said, with the arachne showing a curious expression at him along with Lelu. “For saving our lives tonight. Even if it was an accident, thank you.”
“Even if we didn’t mistake you for ingredients for Silly’s alchemy we still would have stepped in to help,” Bermuda assured. “I may have been born an arachne but I was raised by a wonderful father who taught me the difference between good and evil. Saving you three was the right thing to do, I never had a doubt about that.”
“Silly?” Max repeated amusedly as Lelu giggled a little.
“It’s our nickname for her,” Bermuda explained with a snicker. “It’s so much easier to say and, well, she is sort of…”
“Silly?” Lelu said before the children laughed a bit. The centaur looked down and away for a while before showing Bermuda a remorseful smile.
“Thank you, Bermuda. You saved me and Max tonight, something I’ll never forget. My home may have been destroyed by arachne, but you’re not like them. I can see that.”
“Thank you, Lelu,” Bermuda said lowering her head. “It really means a lot to hear you say that. I am sorry the pain my people caused yours. I really am.”
“You don’t have to apologize,” Lelu assured waving a hand. “You personally didn’t do anything to hurt us. You’re not responsible for their actions.”
The three children smiled at each other for a moment before Grace marched back and yanked Max away by the hand, dragging the stumbling boy with her while Lelu and Bermuda jumped in surprise.
“What the fuck were you doing?” Grace demanded. “When your mistress leaves you leave with her! C’mon, boy! Take me to my room, right now! I’m fucking tired!”
“Wha- but- wait- hold on- ow- Grace- wait, I don’t know where our rooms are!” Max pleaded as the elf shouted more curses and dragged him away.
“Grace!” Lelu yelled before charging after them. Bermuda watched them head off down the hall then smirked and skittered after them with a curious eye on the human in the grip of the volatile elf.
“And then there’s you, Max,” she quietly said to herself. “A human who would show heart to a monster in her hour of need. A very noble soul indeed. You’re just like my father.”
As Bermuda quickly skittered in front of where Max was being tugged side to side by Lelu and Grace and attempted to direct them towards their sleeping quarters there were a few others elsewhere who were wide awake still. Atop the spiraling stairs a suit of armor finished climbing back up to the observatory and walked over to its resting position, the enchanted suit finishing its orders to gently carry Lelu down to the ground floor then return again. VelRyan noticed the armor returning out of the corner of his eye yet did not give it a fleeting glance, both because he knew what his magic was doing and also his attention was more focused on what was before him. Seated at the table he and Syliandanchevas were looking down at the glass square in the stand while Vale hovered over the man’s shoulder, the three watching the wavering image of what appeared to be a topographical map of the region being shown through the glass window.
“The Sisterhood,” VelRyan said while holding a hand to his chin. “Not exactly an original name.”
“Who are they?” Vale asked shaking her head. “That’s not what the others have been calling themselves.”
“Master VelRyan?” Syliandanchevas softly asked. “What do you think this means?”
“How many times must I ask that you not call me master like that?” VelRyan mused with a curious glance to her. “Just call me by my name.”
“Sorry,” she replied looking down with a blush. VelRyan shook his head then carefully examined the map while moving his hand around a few distinct areas.
“This is the first we’ve heard of The Sisterhood, yet certainly not the first we’ve heard of rampant monster attacks. It’s unfortunate to hear that Ruhelia and Green Haven have come under siege as they have.” Moving his finger from the centaur homeland over to Green Haven a black fog formed around the settlements, the same fog that was seen in many other locations on the map.
“Max’s sisters were going to the human village of Rees,” Vale said hovering over another marker, with VelRyan drifting his finger past it and trailing more black fog that covered the area. “By order of Queen Leanna to handle a growing monster problem around there.”
“And those same monsters made it all the way to his home,” Syliandanchevas worried. “They knew monster hunters lived there, they must have known who Max’s sisters were. But… does that mean they… did they…”
“The Harollson sisters are quite the skilled hunters,” VelRyan speculated as he turned his attention to another area on the map. “For now all we can do is hold onto hope Max’s sisters are alive somewhere out there. At least he’s safe here with his friends, certainly more so then they were back at his home. However a more pressing matter is what all this means in regards to the current problem at hand.”
Vale slowly hovered back onto VelRyan’s shoulder and shook her head while Syliandanchevas nervously held a hand over her mouth and stuttered something under her breath. Although the newly placed black fog on the map showed plenty of ruined homelands and settlements, there was something immediately noticeable aside from that. When the map was observed in its entirety and zoomed out further with VelRyan gently flicking his fingers atop it to change the view there was a considerably larger amount of black fog that was already marked by the sorcerer up until now.
“It won’t be long before Bermuda starts asking questions,” Vale mentioned with a concerned frown.
“We can’t let her know of this just yet,” Syliandanchevas insisted shaking her head. “It’ll only make her worry and distract her from her studies.”
“She’s going to get suspicious,” Vale argued. “We’ve already taken in twelve new patients from the southern region and six from the east. Things are getting bad out there.”
“All the more reason not to burden her with this. You know Bermuda, if she hears what’s really happening she won’t be able to focus on anything else. We need her to help tend the new arrivals and the others we still have, and as talented as she is with her magic she still needs a few more lessons on self-control.”
“Boy does she,” Vale agreed scratching her head. “But still, look at this. The longer we keep this from her the worse she’s going to react when we finally do tell her. I mean, look!”
Eyeing over the map the two girls fell silent with growing concern while VelRyan remained deep in thought about what was causing this odd phenomenon. The entire region of Koskaysil was displayed with the surrounding provinces and their borders clearly marked. To the north was Rarsheele, the land mostly being of rocky mountains and a few highlands where settlements could be found. The east held the wastelands in Memgora, the dangerous and desolate landscape having more monsters than humans in it by far while also bordering the Opelega Sea. To the west was Clar Juveran, which was filled with lush forests and bountiful farmlands once you got past the steep mountains that divided it and Koskaysil. The southern region of Ventras h
eld vast countrysides with many winding rivers and lakes that provided plentiful agriculture shared by both humans and monsters alike. Among all these places there were monsters of various races that could be found, as to be expected. However what wasn’t expected was an abnormally high amount of reported monster attacks and sightings steadily moving through all these lands like a plague.
“We don’t want to cause a panic here yet,” VelRyan mentioned.
Rarsheele had black fog marked across many of its valleys and highlands, showing monster attacks have been washing over the rugged region in nightmarishly high levels. The dark markings flowed to a stop at the northern border of Koskaysil, revealing those that had marched across Rarsheele were encountering resistance from something.
“Um, VelRyan?” Vale nervously said. “This might be the perfect time to panic.”
Memgora, which was normally already a monster-filled region, was also nearly covered by a wave of black fog that crept into Koskaysil. The trailing haze appeared to have crossed the Opelega Sea and spread out across the entire desolate region where it steadily flowed towards Koskaysil’s border.
“This is… this is…” Syliandanchevas slowly whimpered before covering her mouth fearfully.
Clar Juveran also had a noticeable spike in monster attacks and sightings as the black fog was marked all across the region before colliding with the eastern mountains, the lingering haze appearing to have come in from the neighboring region to the left and having great difficulty continuing forward into Koskaysil.
“This is bad, I understand that very well,” VelRyan cautioned.
To the south Ventras had black fog creeping up through its own southern borders, however these were shown to be hitting opposition as they appeared to come to abrupt halts in various areas. Only a small stream of fog was faintly seen making it through the land and crossing into Koskaysil through its swampy southeast border.
Vale slowly hovered over the map, looked around at all the gently flowing dark fog seen on it, and then turned to VelRyan while holding her arms out in distress.
“Where are they all coming from?” she cried out. “This is crazy! It’s like monsters everywhere are all choosing to come here of all places! Why? When did we ever send out a letter asking them to come play with us? I’m almost positive we never did!”
Chronicles of Eden_Act XI Page 27
