NaNo Part 4!
Enir Sine, Sam decided, was one of the sweetest and most well-mannered women he felt that he had ever had the pleasure of meeting. (Although he wasn’t exactly too sure just how many sweet and well-mannered women he had the misfortune of forgetting, she was definitely among the top.)
She sat across from him, reclining in a pile of cushions with an almost exhausted smile on her face. Bandages wrapped around half of her head-obscuring one deep green eye before getting lost among the dark red strands of her hair. There were similar bandages around her left bicep. A small, beige frog was perched on her knee, a pair of skeletal wings sprouting from its back.
Niko was sitting on his left, holding out one hand towards the boy. “This is Sampo-”
“Samuel,” he corrected.
“That’s what I said,” the man replied gruffly before returning his attention back to the bandaged figure. “He’s the one that Aelies was trying to turn into the Deacon.”
The woman used her good arm to push herself into a more upright position-wincing with the movement. “I see. And you have already talked to him about his memories and explained to him what he is to expect?”
Sam leaned forward eagerly. “I will be able to get them back, right? And I will be able to go home when this is all over, too?”
Enir Sine tilted her head to the side, the dark red hair shifting around her shoulders. Despite the momentary look of confusion, she offered the boy a winning smile. “Of course, Samuel. Restoring you to your original condition is one of our top priorities. Leaving you caught up in this mess is the last thing that we need.”
He was quite sure that he was blushing, unable to sit still long enough under her even gaze. (Or would it be uneven seeing as she only had one eye?) “What… am I expected to do then? While I’m staying here?”
She hesitated for a moment, casting a quick glance at Niko. The man only offered a shrug, but Enir turned back to Sam with a smile. “You don’t have to do anything, if you so choose. We’ll keep you safe, so the only thing you have to worry about is keeping your head on your shoulders if something should ever come up.”
Sam gulped at the implication behind her words. “Do you think something will come up?”
Enir’s pale face was serious, the single green eye focused on him. “You are being sought after by members of the Fallen. The Grave Robbers will not hesitate at anything to have you on their side, especially if our sister Aelies is leading them for now.”
“Former sister,” Ky shot from the back. She had been so quiet until that point that Sam had forgotten she was even there. “She left us, Enir Sine, and she wants to remember us when she comes to destroy whatever we have left. That tramp is no longer a member of the Wood Nymphs. She says hello, by the way.” The last bit came out as a snarl.
The woman’s polite smile returned to her face. “It does pain me to think that Aelies would betray us like that, but you should not talk about one of our former sisters like that. To the Goddess, Aelies is dead-and it is wrong to talk about the dead in such an impolite fashion.”
With a small sound, the silver-haired girl returned to her silent position.
Sam opened his mouth, voice hesitating as he tried to think of a question to form. “Will I…”
“Yes, Samuel?” Enir questioned softly. The small frog on her lap let out a croak and crawled up onto one hand.
He flushed again, unable to help a silly smile at the sound of his name said so sweetly. “Will I have to fight?”
The green eye wavered. “I can’t promise you anything, Samuel. We will do our best to try and protect you so that you won’t have to fight, but there is only so much we can do.”
Sam ruffled his brown hair with one hand. “Thank you for everything-for all of your help so far. I just… can’t promise how much help I can be when it comes down to it.”
The serious look didn’t leave Enir’s face. “I wish that it wasn’t true, but if you indeed had started to bond with the mask as Ky and Niko have said, then you will be quite efficient in fighting already.”
The boy paled, letting out a tired whimper at the memory of the small weapons in his hands. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Her expression flitted briefly to pity, but she closed her eye and offered a smile instead. “Samuel Evans, please do not worry. The members of the Resistance will do their best to assist you and protect you. But we are at a point where we will need to move quickly with all of our plans, so I only hope that you can trust us.”
“Oh, I do. I do trust you,” he replied eagerly. “But if what you all say is true, then I hope that I will just be able to trust myself.”
Niko reached out and clamped a hand onto the boy’s arms. “Don’t worry, Sella. We will do our best to make sure that you are kept safe and won’t have to resort to using whatever skills the mask might have started to enter into you.”
With a gulp of hesitation, Sam nodded in understanding.
“Now then,” Enir Sine sighed, sinking back into her cushions. “Niko, have you spoken to the other Guardians?”
The man gave a short nod. “We’ll be fully prepared at the end of the week.”
Enir returned the movement. “What about Ren and Beryl?”
“They will be leaving in the evening and will journey on ahead-taking a separate path from the rest of you,” Ky spoke up.
“Ky and Sam will leave along the same path at the same time we depart,” Niko continued. “After Beryl and Ren reach Milo, they will back-track and join up with these two.” He swung a hand to the side to indicate Sam.
The boy looked at him startled. “We’re not traveling with you…?”
Enir Sine’s green eye opened slowly. “It will be safter for you to travel on your own. As we will be in one group, it offers more of a chance for attack. Once you join up with Milo and the others, you will start your training.”
Sam’s brow furrowed. “Training? What kind of training?”
“The training will help with curbing the violent tendencies you will be feeling due to the mask,” the woman explained patiently. She paused for a moment to rub a finger over the frog’s head. “Also, you will start with a clerical training for a certain element.” Enir leaned to the side. “Ky, will you help him figure out his Order?”
“Of course, Sister.”
He made a small noise, looking around frantically as the figures in the room began to rise to their feet. “U-um…” His brown eyes swiveled to the side when a cool hand landed on his shoulder.
Ky squeezed his shoulder and took a step back. “Come on, we should speak with Ren and Beryl before they leave.”
Sam hurried to his feet, dusting off his pants before tailing obediently after the silver haired girl. “What is clerical training?” he asked.
She glanced at him briefly over one shoulder. “You will be assigned to a season and element and learn the prayers needed to use the spells.”
“But isn’t clearly like…” The boy struggled to find the right word, his hands fluttering at his sides in frustration. He knew hew knew the word, but he couldn’t recall the meaning.
“Religious? Yes, to us it is the very base of our society.” Ky paused, waiting for the brunet to catch up with her.
“Is it okay, then… if I practice it? Because I’m not-”
She shook her head. “It’s hard to explain because I’m not too sure how it works either.” The girl shrugged and pulled open the door to allow Sam to pass before her. “I think it has to do with the fact that you’re able to see spirits, you’re already connected to the gods. Now, it is only a matter of… tapping into that connection.”
“I don’t think I get it,” he admitted. “But I will try my hardest!” There was something in the back of his head that brought to mind false gods and having ‘no other gods before me,’ but whoever ‘me’ was, Sam couldn’t remember. He was beginning to realize how complicated this ‘missing memory’ thing was getting.
The door to Beryl and Ren’s room was closed, and Ky lifted her hand to knock against it with her knuckles.
“Come in,” a voice called quietly.
“The silver-haired girl opened the door and slipped inside, holding it open for Sam.
Beryl was perched on the edge of the bed, smiling at the younger two. Ren was stretched out on the bed behind her, one of his hands still gripped with hers.
“Sorry, I told him to get some sleep before we left.” She leaned over, touching the side of the young man’s face with the fingers of her free hand. “Wake up,” Beryl said and drummed her fingers over his temple.
The young man stirred, opening his bleary blue eyes and peering across the room to the figures in the doorway. “Ah, my apologies,” he said with an uneasy smile. Stifling a yawn, Ren Hari pushed himself into an upright position. “Don’t just stand in the doorway.”
Sam shuffled in behind Ky, the girl’s strides more confident and familiar. He accidentally bumped into her when she stopped suddenly in the middle of the room.
Her amber eyes were studying the pair before them carefully-almost curiously, Sam thought, but he couldn’t be too sure. “Beryl-”
The young woman returned the stare with a patient smile. She must have understood Ky’s unasked question because she gripped Ren’s hand tighter and leaned against his shoulder. “I’m still a Fallen. I won’t get into trouble right now.”
Sam furrowed his brow, tilting his head slightly to the side I confusion. “A Fallen…?” He remembered her mentioning the word before when he first woke up.
Ky struggled with her words for a moment-the two on the bed remaining silent. “It’s something… I’ll have to explain it to you later in better detail…”
The brown-eyed boy felt embarrassed for some reason, and oddly guilty at seeing grief flicker across her face. “I’m sorry, you don’t-”
Her placid expression returned, but he still felt guilty. “It’s something you’ll need to understand, Sam. Because it’s a thing that you’ll need to know and realize about us.”
“Who’s ‘us’?”
Ky’s gaze hardened and she was struggling to keep some form of composure. It almost looked like she was going to break out into a childish fit.
“Myself, for starters,” Beryl Dawn stepped in. “Ky, Aelies, and the rest of the Grave Robbers.” Her golden gaze was steady, despite the way the silver-haired girl across the room was wavering on the same topic. “Ren, too, would be a Fallen.”
The male in question let out an uneasy chuckle. “It’s only due to the Attack last year, and that the Order has been so dysfunctional because of that.”
“Becoming a Fallen is a serious subject,” Beryl continued. “Just understand that for now.”
“Alright.” Sam’s nervous gaze shifted to Ky. “I’m sorry for bringing up something so painful.”
She shook her head, eyes closed and pale fingers fidgeting in front of her.
“We’re not here to discuss that,” Ren interrupted. He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and planted his hand son his knees. “Beryl and I are going to be leaving tonight. We’ll be traveling ahead to Milo and the Resistance. The two of you will follow after us a week later-Ky knows the path, correct?”
The boy took a deep breath. “Where are the other going? Miss Enir and Niko made it sound like they weren’t going to meet up with… um… Milo.”
“There is a larger group of Hill-Folk further away,” Ky explained. “Right now, we are located rather close to the zone between our land and the City-Dwellers.”
“I see…”
“We’ll join up with Niko, Enir, and several of the other guardians and clerics when it’s safer,” the blue-eyed male added with a small smile. “Don’t worry, Sam-Milo and the Resistance are very strong. Nothing will happen when you’re with us.”
Sam was feeling frustrated. He wasn’t too sure why-maybe it was the way that everyone was avoiding the topic. Or how they were all babying him. Unbidden, one of his hands clenched into a fist at his side.
“Samuel Evans.”
The boy looked up, startled.
Beryl’s golden eyes were focused on him-a stern but concerned expression on her face. She extended her hands. “Come here.”
Obediently, he shuffled across the room and came to a stop when their knees were touching. He was still annoyed, frowning down at her expression of almost-pity.
Without saying anything, her fingers closed around the side of his head. They were surprisingly warm, compared to Ky’s icy touch. She pulled his head down and rested his forehead against her own.
An odd peace flooded through his body, and Sam could feel his shoulders slump. “It happened again…” he muttered.
Beryl only smiled, brushing her fingers back through his unruly hair in a way that made him blush. “I know.”
“You could tell?” the boy gasped, suddenly ashamed of his actions.
“Not quite,” the young woman replied with a light laugh. “Not quite in the way you’re thinking.” She touched two fingers to his forehead. “You’re the Deacon of the Grave Robbers, Samuel. Because we’re so close in proximity and still unstable with controlling our minds… I am affect to a degree by your emotions.”
The guilty knot in his stomach tightened. “I’m sorry! I didn’t even notice.”
Ky made a noise, and Sam twisted around to find her with a slightly annoyed downward tilt of her lips.
“Aw, does Ky want a hug, too?” Beryl teased as she let go of Sam.
“No,” the girl returned curtly. Her arms were folded over her chest in a childish fashion.
Ren patted the spot on the bed next to him. “Have a seat.”
Ky closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She was about to answer when Sam cut in.
“If we’re done, we should let you rest.” He returned to the silver-haired girl’s side with a small smile. “I’m feeling a little tired myself,” he admitted sheepishly.
“That’s a good idea,” the red-head replied and stretched her arms over her head. Her posture dropped, and her entire body looked exhausted.
“Best of luck, Ky, Sam. We’ll see the two of you in about a week.” Ren bowed his head to them.
Ky returned the gesture, and Sam quickly tried to imitate before he had to follow out after her.
“You’re mad, aren’t you?”
Ky arched an eyebrow, but didn’t turn to face him. “No, I’m not.”
Sam made a frustrated sound, hurrying to catch up with her. His hand caught onto the girl’s elbow. “I said something I shouldn’t have and I made you mad.”
She froze, still not turning around. “There are three ways to become a Fallen, Sam.”
“Ah, wait, shouldn’t we talk about this somewhere else?”
Her eyes narrowed and she turned to face him sharply. “The hall is a good a place as any to talk about this.”
“But…” he faltered. “I don’t feel comfortable talking about something so private in the hallway like this…”
“You wouldn’t be doing any of the talking,” she returned bluntly. “Besides, it’s common knowledge for the Hill Folk.”
Sam flushed in embarrassment, but he wasn’t about to give up. He squeezed her elbow gently. “Ky!”
It was her turn to look flustered. “It really bothers you that much…?” She let out a tight giggle, causing Sam’s color to deepen even more. “Alright, fine. Follow me.”
He released her arm, crossing his arms uneasily over his chest and trailing along after her. Sam suddenly realized that he was still wearing this suit (well, minus the tie and jacket). He also felt gross. “Um, do you think…”
“Hm?” Ky looked over her shoulder as she pushed open a door to reveal bright sunlight.
The boy blinked, lifting a hand to shield his eyes until he was used to the glare. “Would it be possible… if I could be able to take a shower? And get a change of clothes?”
“Oh! Yes, of course.” She paused, still leaning on the open door. “Would you like to do that now?”
Sam’s face dropped into a frown. Without answering, he strode purposefully out of the hall, grabbing onto Ky’s wrist as he passed. Despite the fact that this was the first time he had even stepped outside in this new world, the boy continued across the green grass without the slightest hesitation.
When they were under the shade of a large tree, the spreading branches keeping away most of the bright sun, Sam looked around. Content that there was no one else in the area, he dropped down onto the ground and made himself comfortable in the grass.
He turned his bright brown eyes up towards Ky and patted the spot next to him. “Tell me about the Fallen.”
Ky let out a small sigh, smoothing her hands over her skirt and knelt down where he indicated. “I don’t know how well I can explain this to you, because this is something that we all accept as common knowledge. Becoming Fallen only refers to those of us who are clerics, because we live most of our lives in worship of a god or goddess.”
“Is Niko a cleric?”
She shook her head, concentrating on the blade of grass that she twirled between her fingers. “He is a Guardian. They dabble with clerical spells, but focus more on physical combat.” Her mouth twisted into a wry smile. “They have their own set of rules.”
Sam glanced briefly at Ky’s hand as she fidget with the blade of grass. “I see.”
“For the clerics, there are three ways to become a Fallen. The first, and this is what Aelies has done, is to turn your back on the goddess.” She lifted one finger without looking away from the ground. “What I say, of course, is more technically the rules for my order, the Wood Nymphs.”
The boy tilted his head to the side in curiosity, but didn’t say any more.
“The second, which is most common for clerics in my Order, and other only-female Orders, is to sin an love a man.” She lifted a second finger.
Sam couldn’t keep quiet. “Wait, you’re not allowed to like anybody?”
Ky hesitated, trying to find the right words. “In the case of the Wood and Water Nymphs, we are not allowed to, because our bodies and minds must be as pure as the elements we are attached to.”
“Then Beryl-”
Her lips twisted into a wry smile, but Sam thought he could trace a hint of sadness (or maybe jealousy). “Beryl is a member of the Water Nymphs. But she feels that since she is already a Fallen, she will be able to be with Ren for some time until we have to return and perform the purification ritual.” Ky looked away. “But she’s just going to get hurt…”
He was troubled by the silver-haired girl’s expression. “But then how do you have children?”
Noting the slight shift in subject, Ky sighed. “The members of the other Orders can have marriages under the supervision of the god or goddess they worship. But if one of the clerics loves another out of the law, they become a Fallen.” She looked up at the branches of the tree, studying the shifting leaves before speaking. “This is what I’m afraid is going to happen to Ren-but like he said, we’re lucky everything is so out of order.”
Sam wanted to try and comfort her, but he couldn’t think of the proper words or actions. “And the third way…?”
Her amber eyes slid to focus on him. “The third way to become a Fallen is to kill someone.”
He felt the blood leave his face. “And? How did you become a Fallen?”
She gave him a sorrowful look before turning away. “I was accused of the third one.”
The brunet hesitated. He wanted to ask her to repeat herself-he must have heard her wrong. “Y-you killed someone?” Sam squeaked. His hands started to tremble as he tried to scurry away.
“No, it’s not-” Ky reached out and grabbed his hand. He noticed that the girl was trembling also. “I didn’t kill anyone…”
Sam sat back down and grasped Ky’s hands between both of his own with a determined expression. “Then how were you convicted?”
Ky studied his hands for a moment, but he didn’t pull away (despite the mounting embarrassment). “The technical rule is to stain your hands with a person’s blood that has been drawn out of violence. I-I held my brother’s body as he was dying. Because my hands were stained, I became a Fallen.”
He frowned, gripping her hands tighter until she looked back at him. Her small, ivory fingers made his hands look so much larger and tanner. “Nothing stains you hands,” Sam told her in a confident voice. “You aren’t guilty of anything.” As he said this, the boy could feel a blush crawl onto his cheeks and he started to let go.
She clutched onto his hands, surprising herself with the action as well. But the expression passed and she turned her gaze back to him. “Thank you, Sam.”
“A-anytime,” he stuttered, turning his head away to hide the red cheeks.