Fang: "Mister Omeo, did you really want to accompany me?"Steven: "Yeah, and I wanted to get out of the lodge more."
I trailed along with Fang on a short shopping trip. Of course, it wasn"t required of me, but I"m doing it to get away from Mei and mostly Bao. She"ll blow up on me like I just placed a lit match in a box of fireworks. I can"t figure her out, she"s friendly one minute and angry the next. If I try defending myself, Mei inevitably comes in on Bao"s side.
I know that they"re family and all but it really does p.i.s.s me off.
Fang: "It"s fine, I understand."
She smiles smugly, seemingly knowing why I"m really with her.
Fang: "But why don"t you spend your time with Lian?"
Steven: "Well, we"re not exactly friends, and I don"t want to put her in danger."
No doubt that if the Old Guard, the Lord"s personal elite guard that we found out to be investigating the Lord"s death, finds out about us and Lian, they"ll get back at us by attacking her.
Fang: "I can"t say I would agree, she"s more than capable of taking care of herself. But, it is your choice."
I know that we"re at the edge of the town, but the streets around us are surprisingly quiet. I expected some form of martial law and increased patrols. h.e.l.l, the Old Guard has yet to come into Fang"s lodge while their investigation is ongoing. Perhaps I"m just letting my guard down, but we could"ve been long gone by now if Mei had chosen to leave.
Fang: "Oh, Mister Omeo, have you heard that Mei has considered you to be a potential inamorato?"
Steven: "Has she?"
I don"t even know what she means by it.
Though, I do wonder what the sisters are up to back at the lodge. I left with such a short notice that it might"ve interrupted Mei"s plans. Bao did look visibly annoyed, then again, she usually does look like that.
Steven: "Fang, why does Bao always get mad at me?"
Fang: "Bao? Bao… Bao doesn"t exactly trust men. I blame it on her father, he was quite a well known womanizer."
It would explain why they all look different. Bao"s soft red skin, Biyu"s blue with the Queen, Mei and Lilith are half-Elven. Huian is supposedly also a pure blooded Eastern Demon with horns, like Lian, but I haven"t seen her in person.
Fang: "But please don"t go and ask them, it"s a sensitive topic for them."
Steven: "No, I don"t plan to."
We turn a corner on the street and enter a small general store. The bell rings when I"m the first to enter and it sort of reminds me of the potion shop in Everhand. Only without the potions; there"s a small arrangement of herbs on the walls, with a large round table in the middle holding a wide a.s.sortment of goods from candies to vegetables. I naturally find myself drawn to the herbs. I don"t know Alchemy, but I"m eager to learn.
Fang: "Do you have an interest with Alchemy?"
Steven: "I do. I lived in a potion shop back home."
Fang: "So I"ve heard. With the same people you served for as a servant?"
I"ve never told her I was a servant. Looks like Mei has been talking about me behind my back. Whether that"s a good or bad thing will be something to contemplate.
Steven: "Yeah, how did you know?"
Fang: "Mei told me."
The individual in charge slowly came through the open door in the back and welcomes us. To my surprise, it was Lian, welcoming us both by name. She was dressed in an ap.r.o.n, red flannel shirt, and had her hair in a ponytail.
Lian: "Fang, and—Steven? Welcome."
Fang: "Good morning, Miss Bai."
Steven: "Oh, Lian, I didn"t expect to see you here! Since when did you 2 know each other?"
Fang: "Well, you never asked, so I didn"t expect you to care."
Steven: "Girl…"
Fang: "Now that I recollect, I forgot something across the street. Can you wait here, Steven?"
Never asked, my a.s.s! Fang and Lian had just collaborated together and set me up!
She walks out of the store with haste. I had half the mind to follow her but my hesitation made it seconds too late. The front door shut and it was me and Lian, alone in a store filled with an awkward silence. I may as well try and make small talk, it"s almost guaranteed that Fang will be a while.
Steven: "Well, Lian, how do you know Fang?"
Lian: "You won"t judge?"
Steven: "I won"t; I"m not exactly perfect either, Lian."
Lian: "Then… she"s my girlfriend."
Steven: "Girlfriend?"
Love is really something special. I never would"ve expected them to be an item! It also means we"ve committed the unforgivable!
Steven: "Wait, you cheated?!"
Lian: "No, don"t say that… it"s just an open relationship."
As if things couldn"t get more interesting, Mei just then walks into the store by herself and looking a bit off. I a.s.sumed it was because she wasn"t wearing any makeup because she normally looks a bit paler, and with less wrinkles. The power of makeup can really make someone look younger!
Steven: "Mei, did you forget to put makeup on?"
Odd-looking Mei: "I… yes, I did, sorry."
Steven: "And shouldn"t you be at the lodge? What if someone sees you?"
Odd-looking Mei: "I"ll be gone, but I have something for you to hold onto."
She walks up to me, a little closer than she usually does and it makes me back into a counter. Only a mere couple of feet away from me, she slips an aged folder stacked with paper into my arms.
Odd-looking Mei: "And, could I see your hand?"
Steven: "What are you doing, Mei?"
I obliged her and she actually holds it, interlocking our hands together. I"m uncomfortable at this point and Lian is watching from behind the door to the backroom. I"m holding hands with Mei, who doesn"t plan on letting my hand go anytime soon.
It didn"t take long to notice the grey strands of hair on her scalp. This isn"t the Mei I know, she"s far too old!
Holy f.u.c.k, what if she"s with the Old Guard?!
Steven: "Umm, excuse me?"
Odd-looking Mei snaps back into reality and quickly lets go of me. Looking around the store, and spotting Lian in the doorway. I was about to prepare for a fight when she leaps back and runs out of the store, finally disappearing. I chased after her, but she really vanished outside. Any direction I looked, there wasn"t even a single footprint. Confused, I head back in and pick up the folder she left.
It was obvious someone like Lian would be worried and slowly steps out of the door, concerned for me. I really don"t want her to be worried, so I just play it off as Mei being weird.
Lian: "What was that about? Are you alright?"
Steven: "I"m really sorry about this, Lian. I don"t know what my friend was doing."
Lian: "Would you like to sit down back here? It"ll be safer."
Steven: "I… sure, I"d like to."
I don"t know what kind of danger we"re in but Fang will need to know unless they"re messing with me.
In the backroom of the store, I sit down on a couch and Lian pulls out a bottle of red wine from one of the the cabinets.
Steven: "Wine?"
Lian: "Sorry, it"s all I have to offer. I keep all my water at home."
Steven: "I could use a drink after what happened."
Together, we go through about half of the bottle. Working ourselves up to a nice buzz. It wasn"t as strong of a drink, but it made us both have loose lips, telling each other stuff normal "sober" people wouldn"t divulge.
Lian: "Can you stay with me tonight?"
Steven: "Wh-what about Fang?"
Lian: "I told you it"s fine. Do you really hate cheaters?"
Steven: "I can"t say that. I"ve been dating this married woman back home, y"know."
Lian: "Oh, do you regret it?"
Steven: "No, I just wish I went about it better. It"s pretty hard to keep it a secret from everyone."
Lian: "Without the hardships, we wouldn"t be so happy with life, Steven."
Steven: "Is it? It"s pretty hard to look up in life when the people you care for the most are suddenly gone."
I really can"t seem to catch a break, if I can call it that. I lost my friends and my mom, at first. Now, I"m on the other side of the world from Kanna and Yuuna.
Lian: "Well, I"m a single parent, Kang"s father was abusive and told both me and Kang that we were holding him back in life."
Steven: "Are you f.u.c.king serious? What happened to him?"
Lian: "Bandits attacked on a delivery of his and held him for ransom. I couldn"t pay it then, and they… they…"
She stops momentarily and takes a deep breath.
Lian: "But… I"m happy. I have Kang and Fang."
Dang, the more she mentions Fang, the more I"m convinced that she is in a relationship with her. Lian scoots closer and rests against me. Her cold hands were wrapped around my arm and s.n.a.t.c.hing my warmth.
Lian: "You"re very warm. I could use you as a pillow."
Steven: "I guess it"s the wine, right?"
Lian: "I"ll get us some more wine then!"
Steven: "I don"t want to drink too much, Lian."
The room falls into a calming silence and suddenly the couch feels like a good place to rest. I glance down at Lian and see the sparkle of curiosity in her eye.
Lian: "What was your father like?"
Steven: "My dad? Hmm… he was a really good chef. I learned a lot about cooking from him before he pa.s.sed away and my mom took the responsibility of teaching me."
All this talk about family is really bringing the mood down. We sat, making small talk and finishing the rest of the bottle down to the last drop. Fang returns and comes in the backroom. It came almost surprisingly as the bell to the front didn"t ring.
I must"ve been too drunk to notice…
Fang: "Oh, am I interrupting?"
Steven: "No, where"s Mei? I thought she"d be with you."
Fang: "What are you talking about? She"s not supposed to be outside and you know that."
Lian: "Oh, I remember. She came in and gave Steven some folder."
She grabs the folder that we were using as a coaster for the wine bottle. Using the folder as such drew some criticism from Fang.
Fang: "You should set your priorities right, the both you."
Steven: "You ran off, so we waited."
Fang: "Oh, you sure did, half drunk with each other. I fear what I would"ve walked in on if I waited another hour."
Lian: "Yeah, I can"t run a shop like this. I"ll be closing early."
Fang: "Are you sure, Lian? Your struggling with money as it is."
Lian is struggling with money?
Steven: "How much do you owe?"
Lian: "Almost 60,000 Yingbi. I make around 17,000 monthly, but it all goes to every bill you can think of from Kang"s schooling and food. I have little left over to pay it off."
I reach into wallet and pull out exactly 60,000 Yingbi. Making it was said amount of money by counting it before handing it off to her.
Steven: "Here."
Lian: "Oh, no! I couldn"t make you do that, Steven."
I"m doing this because it just feels like the right thing to do…
Steven: "I insist! I have far more in Shouyi."
Lian: "But… are you sure?"
Steven: "I"m eventually going to spend it on liquor, so I may as well put it to a better use."
Fang: "If he"s offering Lian, you should take him up on it."
She hesitantly takes my money and pockets it.
Lian: "Th-thank you, Steven. It really means a lot to me and Kang."
Fang: "And I hate the break the moment up but we have to head back to my lodge. Mei needs to explain why she came all the way out here."
Lian: "Hold on, I"m coming with you."
After Lian closes up the shop, we made haste to the lodge as an overcast was barely starting to roll in and by the looks of it, rain will be following real soon.
Fang: "Will Kang be fine at school? Those clouds don"t seem good."
Lian: "I should pick up Kang first then come over to the lodge."
Fang: "I"d be happy to see Kang again. He"s such a sweetheart."
Lian splits off from us and heads in her own direction. With just me and Fang, I tried using the opportunity to chat with her and ask about her relationship with Lian.
Steven: "What"s with you and Lian?"
Fang: "You already know."
Steven: "Yeah, but why an open one?"
Fang: "By choice."
I found it preferable that I were to remain silent. Not another word was uttered until we arrived inside the lodge. Mei had essentially converted one of the tables into a desk area where everything related to Lord Abram is located.
If there were more of her, she"d turn the lodge into an office. She already has a doppelganger.
Mei: "Steven, good, you"re back."
Fang: "Yeah, and why were you walking around outside in the open?"
Mei: "What are you talking about?"
Steven: "You walked into a shop we were in and handed me the folder Fang has."
She denied doing so, and Mei in the lodge was looking a lot younger. It became clear that it was indeed some kind of doppelganger had stolen Mei"s ident.i.ty but she wasn"t believing anything until Lian came in with Kang and backed us up.
Mei: "You let strangers in on this?"
Fang: "Lian is my friend and unfortunately with us when it happened."
Mei: "This is troubling."
Steven: "There"s 2 different Mei"s in town."
Fang: "Don"t be ridiculous, it could be someone using transformation magic."
Steven: "That doesn"t make sense either. They have to know about Mei, and her knowing me."
Fang: "What are you talking about? That does make sense. The Old Guard can be anything if not resourceful."
Mei: "Could it be Lian?"
Lian: "What?"
Steven: "She was with me when it happened, Mei."
Mei: "By the—I need to think… please, leave me be for a minute."
Bao comes from upstairs looking like she had finished taking a bath. Her att.i.tude seemed relaxed, and walks to the table where we were gathered.
Bao: "What"s going on?"
Mei: "Bao, come sit, I need your help with something."
I went back to the room by myself. I figured a quick rest would put my mind back on track from the drinking. Which was actually working for a while when the door opens slowly and Lian pops in with her hands behind her back.
Steven: "Oh, Lian. What are you doing?"
Lian: "Everyone else is doing something. So I thought I"d come up here."
Steven: "What about Kang and Fang?"
Lian: "They went to make lunch for everyone."
She lifts up another bottle of red wine into my view.
Lian: "I also thought we could continue drinking."
She either knows me too well or we have alcoholism in common.
Steven: "We"re drinking buddies now?"
Lian: "Haha, yeah!"
Steven: "Though, can we do it tonight? This whole situation is troubling."
Lian: "Why are you here doing nothing then?"
Steven: "To clear my head."
She shrugs her shoulders and places the bottle on the nightstand.
Lian: "Nice, can I join?"
Steven: "Yeah, just lay down."
She lays down across from me, a little closer than I expected. I found it exciting and get on top of her.
Lian: "Ahh~! I thought you were clearing your head!"
Steven: "I can spare a few minutes."
Lian: "Oh, so, naughty…"
She pulls me closer so we can kiss.
We"re interrupted by Fang, who doesn"t seem to mind that she saw us making out. Though, we may have moved so fast when the door opened I don"t know for sure if we were caught.
Fang: "Sorry, but Mei needed to speak with you, Steven."
Lian: "Where"s Kang?"
Fang: "In the kitchen."
Lian gets up and straightens out her clothes.
Lian: "I should check on him."
Fang: "He"s fine, Lian."
Lian embraces Fang and proceeds to kiss her pa.s.sionately and deeply. She stops and looks back at me seductively.
Lian: "Still doubtful?"
Steven: "No…"
I wasn"t even doubtful in the beginning…
The room starts to feel hot and I air my shirt out before leaving the room. Downstairs, Mei was sitting at the edge of her seat armed with a sword. I got a little nervous by seeing her like that.
Steven: "Did you need me, Mei?"
Mei: "Yes, I have something for you."
She taps on a black and gold silk cloth laid out across the table. I unveiled it, revealing a brand new sword.
The scabbard was a black leather, with the chapel and locket being made of gold. The cross guard as with the pommel, were made of gold and more decorative than it should be. The symbols denoted that they were of the Klein Dynasty. It"s grip was also black leather, and it had a good feel to it when I drew it from the scabbard.
The blade was double edged, and didn"t taper until it neared the tip. The bottom half of the blade had this beautiful sunflower etching.
It"s very light, and a few swings later, this thing was indeed built for a fight.
Mei: "Consider it a gift from the Klein Dynasty. May it serve you well until death."
Steven: "Thank you, Mei."
It fitted almost perfectly on my belt and complimented the style of my armor. I was happy, and wanted celebrate with a drink until a commotion outside drew all of our attention.
Old Guard Captain: "Mei Klein! Get out here, get out here, now!"
I take cover behind a window, peeking out and spotting at least 20 others scattered throughout the street all pointing crossbows at us. The one yelling at us, however, isn"t even a Demon! He"s a Nekomata!
Old Guard Captain: "You and your Elven a.s.sociate, Steven!"
Mei: "How does he know us?"
Steven: "It had to be your doppelganger, Mei."
This guy looks like he"s Old Guard to me. Curiously, he hasn"t mentioned Fang or Lian. He probably never was able to make the connection to them.
Mei: "Alright, Bao, cast Shadow Leap in the back, we"re getting out of here. Fang, your job is to keep Lian and the child safe until then."
Fang: "Understood."
Bao: "You"ll have to lend me yours and Steven"s Magic Power. I can only hold up to 2 other people."
Mei: "That"s fine! Steven, you"re with me and we"re going to solve this problem."
Steven: "How so? I spot at least 20, all with crossbows pointed at every exit."
Mei hides besides the door, drawing her own sword, which looked similar in appearance to mine.
Mei: "Hey, excuse me! I only see 20 of you! Where"s the rest?"
Old Guard Captain: "You"re standing in front of the full might of the Old Guard! We may be few, but we are elite!"
Mei: "Are you, by chance, Touma Takahashi? Captain of the Old Guard?"
Touma: "You know me well, princess."
Mei: "I can recognize a terrorist and traitor to his people."
Touma: "I never thought fighting for what you believed in was inherently evil. Or is that only when they don"t line up with yours, princess?"
Mei looks to me, she was calm, unfazed, confident. She was different from me, I was scared. I know my strength but not against so many people.
Mei: "Steven, with skill we"ll divide and conquer. You go left, and I"ll go right. On my go…"
I draw my new sword, I"m going to have to beeline as fast as I can if I"m going to avoid those crossbows. After that, I might get on the rooftops and see about those crossbows.
Mei: "Now, go, go, go!"
Sprinting out the door and sharply turning left, I could hear the crossbows firing and their bolts striking just behind me. I ran fast and as hard as I possibly could. The last of the bolts land beside me when I turned a corner.
By a miracle, I somehow survived. Two of the guards soon joined me and we end up in a standoff, pointing our swords at one another, and slowly circling each other.
A loud explosion rumbles the ground beneath us and I"m the first to strike, quickly felling one of the guards with a quick thrust into his neck. The other guard, retaliates and strikes my left pauldron, protecting me.
We clash our swords together, sparks dancing in the turmoil. Yet another explosion rocks us, yet even stronger than the last. I spring backwards, as a tarp falls from the rooftops, covering my opponent.
I leap, taking advantage of my opportunity, and strike the guard while he"s down. Driving my sword through the tarp where the guard was struggling. He squirmed as his blood soaked through the tarp. I striked repeatedly until he struggled no more.
Touma, the captain, comes from the corner. He draws a sword and dagger, pointing them downward. Does he want to talk?
Steven: "You chose not to follow Mei?"
Touma: "I prefer a challenge."
He really underestimated Mei…
Those explosions have to be coming from somewhere and I have reason to believe that Mei is at fault. She"s taking care of the rest, on her own.
I jump into my fighting stance.
Touma: "You may have a.s.sa.s.sinated our Lord, but you don"t have your element of surprise."
Steven: "I don"t need it."
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Yet another explosion shakes the town, this time it was strong enough to create an earthquake and cause me to stumble. Mei"s doppelganger catches me, and keeps me on my feet.
Steven: "You!"
Odd-looking Mei: "He"s strong, but we can do this if we fight together, Steven."
Steven: "Why?!"
Odd-looking Mei: "Just shut up and fight."
G.o.dd.a.m.n, I really am going to be fighting alongside a doppelganger?!
Steven: "R-right, try and get him from both sides."
We both go wide and close in from the sides. He deflects the doppelganger"s swing and uses Wind magic, Wind Torrent, to throw me down the street. I land on my knees, disorientated.
He"s a Wind master! I didn"t hear him cast it and he did it so suddenly. I"m really in for it if I"m not careful. I drop to my hands and knees to focus all my magic power throughout my body for a defensive spell.
Steven: "Shielded Winds…"
I get back up and sprint towards Touma. Jumping up and thrusting in his direction. He just barely moves away and I graze him. He tried using magic to cut me down, but my defensive spell deflected it. Instead, while he still could, my momentum was taken advantage of, and I"m thrown straight to the doppelganger. But not before his dagger slices me in the arm.
Odd-looking Mei: "Oh!"
Steven: "Sorry…"
Odd-looking Mei: "You"ve been wounded!"
Steven: "Not now!"
I roll off her and Touma tries to jump on top of her with his dagger. The doppelganger, almost instinctively, kicks him with both her legs and sends him backwards. Jumping back on her feet and dashing at him and getting a thrust in on his leg.
In the scuffle, Touma"s dagger glides into the doppelganger"s side. She yelps and falls to the floor. I get my bearings back and start casting magic to bring him down.
Steven: "Slashed Winds!"
Touma"s arm spurts out blood and drops his sword. Shouting in pain, he holds his wounded arm and leans against the wall. Engaged, I forcibly drive my sword through his heart until it hits the wall behind him. He drops even more blood, spilling onto my armor. His fierce drive had been weakening by the second.
Touma: "Never thought… you were capable of magic…"
I pull my sword and watch his now lifeless body drop to the floor. I try to keep my mind clear when I hear Mei"s doppelganger painfully writhing. I tried to keep her alive, but I"m not experience in first aid or healing magic.
Steven: "Hey, you can"t die on me! We"ll take you to the lodge where we can heal you. There"s a lot we have to ask."
Odd-looking Mei: "It"s too late. I feel it coursing through me already. I"ve been poisoned; I"m dying…"
Steven: "At least die with a clean conscience. Was it you who exposed us to the Old Guard? Why did you help me fight off Touma?"
Odd-looking Mei: "No, of course not. I gave you a fighting chance that you will succeed, and fight off the ambush… but I was wrong…"
Her hand hovers over the slash wound on my arm.
Odd-looking Mei: "I"m so, so, sorry, Steven."
Her hand slides down my forearm, taking some of my blood with it, and holds my hand.
Steven: "What are you talking about?"
Odd-looking Mei: "They… you were… were… poisoned."
I had witnessed her draw her last breath. The fighting around us has so died down, no more explosions, we won. The last of the Old Guard is finally no more. I"m nearing the end of this event, yet I"m no closer to understanding it.
Was it worth it?
Steven: "s.h.i.t…"
Out of respect, I gently lay the doppelganger on the ground. All this fighting, the killing, and blood spilled.
And for what?
For me to clear my name…
Yet, despite all the work done, I"ve been poisoned in the end. My arm is starting to feel numb.
But…
I can"t give up yet!
I tried to stand up and find Mei, but I struggle even with all my effort. Bruised and bloodied, I collapsed back on the muddy brick road. The knife and it"s poison have begun leeching at my life. Bao appears through the smoke, coughing and running towards me. She lifted me and did her best to keep me alive.
Bao: "I got you, Steven, stay with me! The portal is open!"
Steven: "But… I don"t see the light…"