We somehow manage to finally go back to the building with all the plants were I first met Cain, but for some reason… it was on fire!I sniff out the place while hearing shouts and seeing buckets of water been brought back and forth to appease the fire as the big flames s.h.i.+ny up the sky, dancing like little devils as they consume with hunger a place full of wood and plants.
I start getting worried that, amidst the flames, some bodies could be found, especially of the person that I was looking for.
Well, how much value my word would have if I get Isa killed not even a day after promising to take this annoying brat away safely?
My already sour mood was going down south quickly.
The once immaculate white walls were now black and threatening to fall as they were savagely consumed, and as my eyes pa.s.s over the chaos of the once immaculate pristine environment, I cannot stop myself from thinking how that seemed like a bad omen; how it was just the beginning… of the corruption that was bound to grow inside this place.
With a frown I finally find Isaac"s smell over the dust and soot, having a hard time making sense of the scents as my nose is constantly attacked by the black smoke.
As I walk over, sniffing the air and following his trace, guiding this little pack around, I pa.s.s by the other nuns and eunuchs as they- or rather, some of them- work hard to stop the fire, while others gossip.
And of course I perch my ears to hear it better, especially when our name comes out of their mouths.
"No way, why would the Terror be here? Is a joke right?" One of the nuns ask, but by the looks of it that one was not present when the fire began, her clothes still pristine and very clean, while the other coughed as she spoke:
"Are you questioning this sister"s words? How dare you!" Still coughing and trying to clean her dirty clothes, the already angry woman seemed even more displeased by the lack of respect showed by the other. "Know your place!"
"S-sorry high sister, I didn"t mean it that way, is just that is hard to believe… what does a beast like that has to do with us? How it entered the place without being seen? Is it big as a mountain as they say?"
"Silence! Your voice annoys me!" She says after sitting on the side while making the other fan her as she continues: "And how am I supposed to know how a beast"s mind works?! The only thing I saw- and I did saw alright- is that that good for nothing Isa brought him in! That I"m sure of! And I told you all from the beginning that that woman wasn"t worth the air she breaths! Should have got rid of her sooner, now look at what she has done!"
I finally reach a point on the road where I"m unable to hear more of her words, but before that I"m able to see a crowd gather around her as she keeps complaining.
Well if that gossip wouldn"t spread quicker than the fire behind them.
But what the h.e.l.l was that about the Terror? I did not show up there! Though I can say I left a mark on the battlefield, none had gone there yet for that being the cause of this talk! How quick could that information go? Not faster than myself walking up to this place!
And as I feared, Isa was being framed, or at least put to questioning… it was only a matter of time before they realize his secret, and if so… not only a traitor, but a sinner and liar.
I cannot even phantom what punishments await him, and even though it was not my problem it doesn"t mean I"ll be a cold-hearted creature and leave him to die here after helping us out.
Though it doesn"t mean that I will babysit him either… nor trust him.
One problem at a time, first find him, get out, save Leo, save my brother.
Suddenly his smells drift away from the main path, turning towards the woods that surround the place, and narrowing my eyes I can see that there was a hole on the barrier right there, a place where they linked together, barely able to fit a person in.
I could clearly see it with my third eye, but normal people could not, so it wasn"t a surprise to see some problems with big barriers like this, is like trying to draw with your eyes close; who could blame the magicians for such flaws? Even more when more than one person was involved in such big project.
But still, how could Isa know of such thing? Could he see it too? Or perhaps…
It wouldn"t surprise me if he had a few plans for running away up his sleeve, he was basically living under his enemies nose, this sort of thing was bound to happen one day.
No doubt, I finally manage to find him down the mountain, stumbling over, but sure of which direction to take, already away from the others, the darkness probably making things hard for him as his feet keeps getting stuck on roots and b.u.mping unto rocks.
I stop, and suddenly an idea comes to mind that makes me smile and wiggle my tail in the air as I half-crouch in a playful manner that makes the others frown.
Then I jump right in front of Isa.
His eye widens and his mouths opens, about to scream, when his hands move fast and close it before any sound could come out.
However when he calms down he doesn"t hold back.
"What the f.u.c.k hound? Are you freaking crazy?! What stupid idea, do you even have-"And blablabla. I yawn, amused by his reaction and the slight improvement that scaring him brought to my mood, and when he finally stops complaining, stumping his feet as he walks away, I hear people shouting from above.
I have no time to ponder how they may have found us; though I"m extremely doubtful of my new lackey"s stealth skills; when I turn and bite Isaac on the waist.
Bite gently alright? Not cut down in half, only carrying him in my mouth.
He doesn"t seem pleased, which only improves my mood more, hehe.
"Wait! W-what are you doing hound? Let go of me!" He says while I keep walking with him and maybe purposely trotting a little so he would shake like a bag of potatoes, which only makes it rather difficult for him to keep talking normally and not biting his tongue.
"What does is seems like? Saving you, dumba.s.s." I somehow manage to say it with his body on my mouth since in this form I could not close my jaw around him, but rather carry him like a kitten.
"D-dumba.s.s?! Oi, you know that I didn"t need you to take me away, people will get suspicious of me if they find me with you!"
"They already are dumba.s.s! And even more it won"t make a difference since someone like you, who never had a servant before, turns up with one that disappears amidst the confusion, so yeah, double dumba.s.s!" Though I"m sure Cain had a hand on this situation and in how quickly people got to the conclusion that I had been there and, even more, that I was somehow responsible for the fire.
Taking resources away from me I see… not like I was expecting him to play fair.
"Y-you! Who the h.e.l.l asked you to save me? I could have lied my way back there somehow, I-I can still make some excuse up, I just have to clear my thoughts a bit! So let go of me, I won"t be able to go back, after disappearing like this after that commotion!"
"Well, actually, that old lady asked you know, to save you that is." Plus Cain already knows that you are on my side, who knows what he may do to you once he takes control of the church too? "You are not safe there anymore, trust me on this." Maybe she knew about this too, that"s why she asked; though I can"t be sure…
"Wait, Eanna? Why would she do that?"
"Who knows." I simply say. "She was just worried about you having to stay there and be discovered someday."
"But why now? I have stayed there for so long, sacrificed so much, all to naught now… unless… unless she knew something more? Something is amiss, I have to go back and ask her hound!"
"Nope."
"Thilgon!"
"If you have a death wish you might as well, but I wonder how Eanna will feel knowing that all her efforts to keep you alive where wasted for lack of trust on her and mere… curiosity. But go ahead." I say after stopping, releasing him on the ground and making the hounds almost trip to a full stop. "But go knowing that I will not turn back and save you again. If you go there, go on your own two feet."
We stay still for a while, staring each other down, being overlapped by the deep shadows cast by the tall fire burning on the mountain, an orange light sometimes flicking over our faces and reflecting in our eyes. I see his hands clench beside his body as he says:
"Let"s go."
"Uhm."
I do not waste any more time there as he jumps on my back, rus.h.i.+ng away as Isa turns around one last time to watch the church fade away, deep emotions burning in his gaze as he stays still, silently watching, thoughts haunting his mind as he finally casts his eyes down and turns around.
"Yes, let go…" He whispers for himself as we finally resume our journey.