"I doubt she wants the fortress's founder and leader seeing her like this," Ludendi said. "Let's hide her somewhere."
The scenery around her changed in a flash. Before Ellen knew it, she was in a dark alleyway surrounded by wooden boxes and garbage bins.
"Just keep quiet for a few minutes," Ludendi told her. "We'll tell you when it's safe to come out."
Were they hiding her because they were afraid she'd embarrass them? Considering she'd already called Galvin a clown, they had probably made the right decision.
She was still close to the entrance, so Ellen moved deeper into the alleyway, making it only a few steps before her foot caught on something and she tripped. She landed on her elbows hard enough that they'd likely bruise up later, but despite the pain, all she could do was giggle.
A small army approached the alleyway. She saw them coming and covered her mouth.
Galvin stopped before her friends, who blocked the entrance to the alleyway. "So you're the brave Fortress Brigade kids I've been hearing so much about," he said. His voice was full of passion and energy.
Barry, Trevor and Ludendi were too nervous to properly respond. All they could do was mutter quiet agreements.
"I heard there was a fourth, and I heard she had a strange new fighting technique. Where is she now? I'd quite like to meet her."
"S-she's sick," Ludendi said.
"Our first mission starts tomorrow," Trevor said. "She went to sleep early."
"No worries," Galvin said. "I'm sure I'll run into her in the future. Maybe we'll even battle together."
Their conversation went on and on. Galvin gave them a round of thanks and congratulated them on a job well done. While his words were nothing special, the way he spoke was captivating. Despite not being the direct recipient of his praise, Ellen still felt as if Galvin was speaking to her directly.
Partway through Galvin's praise, Ellen realized she wasn't alone in the alleyway. Something had crept up behind her while her attention was elsewhere. At first it blended in with the darkness so well she struggled to make out its shape, but after staring long and hard, she realized it was a person.
His face was masked in dark and half covered with a hood, but one small feature stood out to her: his mustache. It was wispy and gray, exactly like her guardian's mustache.
Before she could make out the rest of his face, the hooded man turned his back to her and took off running. Ellen leapt to her feet and stumbled after him. "Wait!" she called out.
He darted left into an alleyway up ahead, which was empty when she arrived.
"I'm glad you're alive," she told the deserted alleyway. "I really like this fortress. It wasn't very easy to find, but I made it here without getting hurt."
The alleyway didn't answer.
Ludendi joined her side. "Who are you talking to?"
"I thought I saw someone I know," Ellen said, "but they're gone now."
Her head had stopped spinning for a moment while she chased the hooded man. When it started up again it spun so bad it knocked her off her feet. She hit the hard stone ground and curled up in pain.
"I feel sick," she whimpered.
Ludendi smiled. "Don't worry. We'll take you home."
Her friends were closing in on her. They'd have to carry her, because she ached too much to move on her own.
She drifted off to sleep during the trip home. When she woke up, she was in bed with a blanket covering her. The room was nearly pitch black.
Ellen tried to sit upright, but the throbbing pain in her head forced her back down and the spinning stopped her from trying again.
A figure masked in dark lay nearby. It reminded her of the figure she'd seen in the alleyway earlier, and her guardian. She yearned to see him just one more time, even if he left right after. He'd done so much for her and she had never once thanked him.
Ellen shuffled towards the dark figure and wrapped her arms around it as tight as she could. It had been years since she slept beside her guardian, but all those warm memories were coming back to her now. She pulled a blanket over her head and closed her eyes.
She slept again, but not for long. A poking, prodding hand and a nagging voice forced her back awake.
Ellen opened her eyes. It was still dark. A small, warm body was pressed against her cheek, which was odd, because her guardian was a man and he didn't have such bodies.
"Are you awake yet?" Ludendi asked, her voice harsh.
"Yeah," Ellen said cautiously.
"Do you think you can let go of me?"
Ellen retreated to the far side of the bed as fast as she could. It was Ludendi she'd curled up beside, not her guardian. "It-it was an accident," she said quickly. "I thought you were someone else."
"I don't want to hear it," Ludendi snapped. She climbed out of bed, lit a candle on the desk then started searching the chest.
"It was an accident," Ellen said again, hoping to calm her. They had had one uncomfortable encounter when they first met, but it hadn't been this severe.
Ludendi dug a small pouch of coins out of the chest and tossed it to her. "We can't have things like this happening when we're out on a mission. I'm going to take you somewhere you haven't been before. It should help you clear any strange ideas you have out of your head."
She had no strange ideas, only drunken and delirious ones, but Ellen didn't argue. Ludendi was upset enough already.
She followed her outside and down a dirt road she hadn't walked before. The area was deserted.
"What are these?" Ellen asked, studying the pouch Ludendi had given her. There was a dozen silver coins inside, a crude face with a beard carved onto each one.
"Those coins are our official currency," Ludendi said. "Some people use them, but it's usually easier to just trade for anything you need. But don't worry, this place I'm taking you will accept them."
Her vagueness made Ellen weary, and afraid. "Where are you taking me?" she asked cautiously.
"You'll see when we get there."
The road led to a wooden building so plain looking it seemed as if it was trying to hide. Two strong and stern looking men watched over the entrance. If they had been armed, Ellen would've assumed they were soldiers. They let her and Ludendi pass through without issue.
The building was plain on the inside as well. It looked like the tavern, but much cleaner, and its patrons were far better behaved.
A peculiar aroma she'd never smelt before lingered in the air. It was like sweat, but mixed with something she didn't recognize.
"We're not taking applications right now," the man behind the front desk said. He spoke seriously, far more so than Ellen expected from someone half dressed with his gut on display.
"We're not here for that," Ludendi said.
The man eyed her. "So what are you here for?"
Ludendi gestured to Ellen. "I'm here to buy her a... you know. Don't make me say it. I know it sounds strange, but she has money."
The studied Ellen for a moment then walked off. "Wait here. I'll send someone over."
Ellen trembled in place. Her coins rattled in their pouch. She hadn't the faintest idea what Ludendi or the man had planned for her, but something told her she wasn't going to like it.
A girl who looked to be just a little older than her emerged from one of the back hallways and stopped beside the front desk. Her appearance was so odd Ellen couldn't help but stare. She had long silver hair that reached down to her waist with two small sections tied off in pigtails. She wore blue and white striped socks that reached up to her thighs, a skirt so short even the faintest of breezes would reveal everything underneath, and a top that left most of her narrow midriff exposed.
"Um, is one of you my new customer?" the odd girl asked.
Ellen wanted to retreat right now, the word customer gave her ideas she didn't care to have, but Ludendi shoved her forward before she could move.
"It's her," Ludendi said. "Her name is Ellen. She's really reserved, so you might have to be forceful."
Th
e girl smiled. "My name is Mareem. I'm glad to meet you, Ellen!" She latched on tight to Ellen's right arm and started dragging her away. Ellen couldn't say anything. The few words that came to mind ended up caught in her throat.
Mareem brought her to a small, candlelit room. There was something romantic about it, and something terrifying as well.
"I'm so glad you stopped by tonight," Mareem said, her voice sweet and warm. "I don't get many customers at this time of day." She sat Ellen down on the bed then shut and locked the door. "So what can I do for you?"
She could move aside and let her leave, Ellen wanted to say, but her words were still caught in her throat.
They vanished altogether when Mareem sat down beside her, their shoulders so close they touched, then wrapped one arm around her waist.
Her heart was pounding so hard she could feel it in her head. It was very obvious now what sort of business this was and why Ludendi had brought her here.
"You're so nervous," Mareem giggled. "I don't have much experience, but as long as you're gentle with me, I'm sure I can please you."
She took the coin purse from Ellen's hand. Ellen hardly noticed its absence, she was too busy planning her escape. The door was right there. All she had to do was stand up, unlock it and walk away.
But her legs wouldn't work. They were weaker now than when she had faced the staff wielding monster earlier.
She swallowed a gasp when Mareem started undressing. Mareem slid her skirt and socks off first then pulled her top off over her head and set it aside.
Ellen's heart sped up. Mareem's clothes were already revealing, and her underwear left very little to the imagination. It was only a matter of time before her whole self would be out on display. She had to escape.
Mareem laid back in bed, opened her legs and outstretched her arms as if to welcome her in. "I'm ready for you, Ellen!"
Ellen watched her nervously, her breath stifled. What exactly did Mareem intend for her to do?
She took very good care of her body, she had to give her that. Mareem had perfect, silky white skin and a surprisingly petite frame, and the size of her breasts was something to marvel at. Looking at them made her feel terribly inadequate. Even the grapefruit she occasionally ate for breakfast couldn't compare.
But she saw no reason to lay down with her. She didn't even want to be in the same room as her, but her body was paralyzed with fear and she couldn't move.
Mareem sat upright. Her smile faded. She took Ellen's hand and held it gently. "Sorry," she said, her voice very businesslike. "Most of my customers are very aggressive, so I figured you would-"
Ellen breathed a sigh of relief. This awkward encounter was over and her body was slowly coming back to life. As soon as she had enough strength to make it to the door, she'd be free.
But her strength didn't return fast enough. Mareem sat down on her lap and wrapped her arms around her. She was so close their chests touched.
A wave of lightheadedness hit Ellen, striking her so hard she had no doubt she'd black out any second now. Why did she have to suggest they go to the tavern? Why did she have to drink that strange drink? Why did she have to lay down so close to Ludendi? This whole day was one giant mistake.
Mareem had hazel colored eyes. Her face was so close she couldn't see anything else, and it was getting closer.
Mareem sniffed the air then backed away. "You know you're pretty dirty, and you don't smell very good. You're cleaner than most of my customers, but you should really make an effort to bathe more often."
"S-sorry," Ellen said. She didn't like having an odor follow her around, but if it could save her from this encounter then she'd welcome it.
"What were you doing before you came here?"
"I-I fought a monster earlier," Ellen stammered. Why she was using this time to chat instead of escaping was beyond her, but her thoughts were racing so fast she couldn't make sense of anything. "It was really hard work, but I-I got accepted into the Fortress Brigade."
"Oh, I see!" Mareem looked at her knowingly and smiled. "You just joined the Fortress Brigade, and before you leave on your first big mission, you came here to relax. You should've mentioned that earlier!"
Ellen wished she hadn't mentioned it at all, because Mareem came at her more determined than ever. Her opportunity to escape was gone for good.
Mareem kissed her first. It was a surprisingly warm and tender kiss. All the anxiety welled up inside her disappeared in an instant. Mareem then pushed her back onto the bed. Her hands were quick and precise, and before Ellen knew it, her shoes and tunic were off and her pants were halfway down her legs. The rest of her clothes were stripped from her soon after, then Mareem went to work.
Afterwards, Ellen lay soundly beneath a warm wool blanket, her head resting on what might've been the softest pillow she'd ever felt. Mareem lay beside her, cradling her in her arms. For someone who claimed to not have much experience, she seemed to know a lot.
Ellen curled up beside her. Never once while she was searching for this fortress did she imagine she'd end up laying beside such a strange girl in such a strange place, the thought still terrified some small part of her that didn't have the energy to object right now, but for the time being, she was perfectly content with everything exactly as it was.
"That wasn't so scary, now was it?" Mareem said after a while. She let go Ellen and started moving away.
Ellen thought about following her, Mareem had shown her far more passion than she'd ever experienced before, but that was probably because of her coin purse. They weren't really friends. All that passion was bought.
But still, she wanted to be close to her. The whole fortress could get torn apart but as long as she had Mareem at her side everything would be alright.
Mareem climbed out of bed, then looked back at Ellen and smiled. "This doesn't have to be the last time we see each other. You can visit me any time you have one of these," she said, holding up the coin purse.
Hearing the coins rattle around made it easier for Ellen to leave. They didn't have a relationship, they had a transaction.
She climbed out of bed, dressed herself then made her way back to the lobby.
Ludendi joined her side right away. "Let's get out of here," she said quickly, urging her forward.
It was still dark outside, and the roads deserted.
"You were back there for a while," Ludendi said. "I'm guessing you didn't get scared and run away." She smiled a wicked smiled. "So was this trip worth the money I paid for it?"
Ellen responded with a pleasant, "Yeah."
Ludendi shuddered. Her expression turned sour. "I don't want to know what happened, so do me a favor and don't ever talk about it. And I don't want anyone knowing I went inside a place like that. If you say anything I'll make you regret it. Don't forget, I know where you sleep at night."
"I won't say anything," Ellen agreed.
She walked with Ludendi back to their dormitory. Their first mission into the wilderness started in just a few hours, but despite the massive undertaking that lay ahead, she fell asleep right away.
She woke up the next morning before the bell rang, dug her knife out of the chest then followed Ludendi down to the cafeteria for breakfast. It was the earliest she'd ever woken up. The whole area was deserted.
"Who did you see in that alleyway yesterday?" Ludendi asked. "You sounded really sad afterwards. Was it one of your old friends?"
"I thought I saw my guardian," Ellen said. "He's the one who told me about this fortress. I haven't seen him in weeks."
This was far from the first time she'd had such sad thoughts, but for some reason, probably because the man she saw yesterday had looked so much like her guardian that she had trouble believing it wasn't him, she didn't feel sad anymore. Her guardian was alive and well. The rest of her family was probably alive too.
Of course, she still had no idea why he'd run away from her.
"It probably was him," Ludendi said. "Who else would follow you into a dark alleyway like t
hat? He just wanted to make sure you made it here in one piece." She paused. "I'm not sure why he'd run, though. I guess he had some monsters to hunt and he was worried you'd try to leave the fortress with him. I'm sure he wants you to stay here where it's... mostly safe."
Ellen perked up. That made sense. If her guardian had stopped to talk to her, she probably never would've left his side even if it meant going back into the wilderness to hunt monsters again. "But still-" She looked down. "I'd really like to talk to him just one more time."
"I'm sure you'll see him and the rest of your family again someday," Ludendi said, then she lowered her head. "Hearing you talk about your family makes me feel really selfish. My family lives here in the fortress, and I avoid them at all costs. I even moved into this dormitory because I couldn't stand having them look over my shoulder all day long."
Ellen glanced at her. Ludendi had given her tons of help while asking nothing in return. For that reason, she had no trouble saying: "You're not selfish at all."
Ludendi smiled.
They grabbed breakfast, then headed outside and met up with Barry and Trevor.
"It's the big day," Barry said anxiously. "We're going to be living out in the wild with all the monsters. Who's ready?"
"I'm not," Trevor grumbled. "I couldn't sleep at all last night."
"I hope everyone had a nice last day in the fortress," Ludendi said. "I didn't mean last permanently," she quickly added. "I meant... the last for a couple days."
Barry and Trevor both nodded.
Ellen nodded too. Yesterday had been an odd day, maybe the oddest she had ever experienced, and also quite easily the best.
"We're supposed to meet Kilroy at the training hall first," Trevor said. "We should head there before I... someone changes their mind."
Her friends turned to her, and Ellen took the lead.
She doubted the wilderness would be perfectly safe, but they probably wouldn't meet any monsters like the one that had separated her from her family. That's what she hoped.
Chapter 11
They met Kilroy in the training hall. He handed Ludendi, Barry and Trevor their supplies, explained their objective then escorted them to the front of the fortress.
Forlorn Dimension Page 10
