Tales of Alterra Chapter 5

 

Chapter 5

“We need you to figure out what happened.” Elyse pointed at August. “Somehow, our souls got melded when we fought an Anfalus Hypnogogus.”

Dex pursed his lips. “English please.”

“Dangermuff.” August crossed his arms. “We fought a dangermuff and our minds melded.”

“Ah, yes, yes. Mind meld. Quite common.”

“Are you pulling my leg?” Elyse gabbed Dex by the collar. “I’ve never heard of such a thing as this!”

Dex was sweating profusely. “Then you’ve been in the wrong circles for your entire life. On the street, there’s this drug called Miraplax that does this all the time.”

“Drugs? Drugs, I know everything about drugs!”

“You obviously don’t.”

Dex and Elyse stared at each other. Then Elyse let go of Dex’s collar. “Fine. Tell us how to treat it.”

“It will go away in about a decade.”

Elyse slammed her fist onto the table. “You’re kidding.”

“No, no, it’s the truth.”

“And you’re telling me this is common.”

“Yes.” Dex now looked smug. “Though I’ve never seen it happen naturally.”

“Ahhg!” Elyse rubbed her hair with frenetic energy. “I can’t live like this!”

“Get used to it.”

Elyse grabbed August by the collar. “You. What did you do to make our minds meld?”

“I’m not sure myself.” August removed Elyse’s hand with a gentle touch.

Elyse sighed. “Okay. Whatever. It’s not intolerable.”

August brushed his shirt off. “I will do everything I can to help you through this.”

Elyse frowned, looking over at Penny. “I think it’s time for you to explain yourself as well.”

Dex appeared confused. “Wait, she’s not your chaperone?”

Elyse and August both looked at Dex in surprise. Elyse tiled her head. “Chaperone? What do you mean?”

“What, you’re with a majoshin and somehow don’t know it?”

Elyse looked as confused as Dex. “Majoshin? The majoshin? The legendary witches who run the third most powerful guild in the city?”

“The very same.”

“And Penny here is one of them.”

“It’s obvious. Have you never seen a witch of the majoshin before?”

Elyse rubbed her chin. “No, I haven’t.”

Dex sighed. “Well then. I suppose I can’t really do anything to help you if you’re traveling with a witch.”

Elyse rubbed her hair violently again. “Ah!” She turned around. “Let’s get out of here before my head melts off.”

Penny followed Elyse without saying anything. August was left standing near Dex’s desk. “Sorry about her. She has a tendency to make a big deal out of things.”

Dex chuckled. “Take care of her, will you?”

“I will.” August followed Elyse and Penny out of the building. His last sight of Dex was of the man leaning back in his chair, a slight smile on his face.

When they were outside, August stopped Penny. They were in a shadowed alleyway, separated from the noise of the main street. “Penny. What happened in Dunhollow?”

Penny looked away. “I can’t tell you. I promised.”

Elyse knelt, putting her hands on Penny’s shoulders. “We’re not going to hurt you. We promised to stick with you.”

A voice called out from the shadows. “Penny Sharp.” A figure stepped out from between two crates. It was about the size of a cat, had four legs, white fur, and long ears like a rabbit. It floated up on a cushion of light and darted around Penny’s head. Its eyes were deep, deep red. “You have arrived. I have your first mission for you.”

Penny, all of a sudden, appeared much more mature than she should have given her age. Her eyes were deep, filled with wisdom and magic. “Tell me.”

Elyse was about to say something, but August put his hand over her mouth.

“You and your partners must repair the chain of command.” The flying rabbit landed on an exposed pipe. “Tonight you will be visited. Be prepared.” Then the figure shot into the air and disappeared into the sky, leaving behind a trail of stars.

August took his hand off of Elyse’s mouth. Elyse rubbed her chin. “Who was that?”

“Koko.” Penny turned around. “The one who gave me my new powers.”

“A magic rabbit? I have an extensive knowledge of zoology and I’ve never heard of such a thing.”

“Koko is not a rabbit.”

“Rabbit, big eared rat, whatever. It doesn’t match anything I’ve seen.”

“Koko is not a rat either. He’s a star child.”

Elyse chuckled. “Well, whatever it was, it was special.” She picked up a small amount of glitter that Koko had dropped when he flew away. “I’ll analyze this. Maybe I can even be the discoverer of a new species?”

The artificial sun, which was at around four in the evening, suddenly swept across the dome and disappeared in the space of ten seconds. Stars were now cast upon the underside of the dome and a moon, at about half waxed, appeared.

“Damn clockmaker’s guild.” Elyse took off her sunglasses. “What are they thinking?”

August shrugged.

“Whoa!” Penny’s eyes opened wide. “What just happened?”

Elyse also shrugged. “Politics. The night guilds probably bribed a major seat in the clockmaker’s guild. Oh well. Night suits me better anyways.” She removed her hood, stretching her arms out. “Anyways, I’m tired. Let’s find a place to sleep.”

“But it’s nowhere near night outside!”

Elyse chuckled. “You don’t want to be outside after midnight clockwork time.”

August put his hand on Penny’s shoulder. “Elyse is right. Unless you want to end up a vampire thrull, you need to be inside.”

Penny made a face. “I don’t like that.” She paused. “But it makes sense? I guess.” She sighed. “Let’s go.”

Elyse turned towards the main street. “Great. I know a place that’s cheap and has good service.”

The three of them walked along the main street until they came to a different part of town, one that appeared a bit rougher. Several cats flitted in between pipes and crates. Elyse walked up to a small door and knocked.

The door opened. A man wearing leather clothes leaned out. “Twelve for the night.” He looked between August and Penny. “Make that fourteen.”

“Oh come on.” Elyse made a face. “You’re killing me here.”

The man narrowed his eyes. “Fourteen. Unless you want to spend the night out there?”

Elyse sighed, pulling a purse out from a wormhole. The purse popped into existence with a “floop” sound. Elyse made a frustrated noise and fished out a silver coin and four copper coins, handing them to the man.

The man waved his hand. “Come in. Dinner will cost you extra.”

Elyse grimaced, but followed the man inside.

August and Penny hesitated a moment.

Elyse turned around. “What?”

“This place.” August crossed his arms. “It doesn’t strike me as a reputable establishment.”

“It’s better than being out there.”

August shrugged and followed Elyse in. After a moment’s pause, Penny stepped in as well. The doorman closed the door behind them after looking both ways suspiciously. He locked it twice after closing it.

“What exactly happens out there after midnight?” Penny put her hands on her hips.

“The night guilds do their recruiting.” Elyse sat down at a table.

The room was high-ceilinged and lit with magical lanterns. A pig was roasting on a spit inside of an open fireplace. About a dozen other people, mostly ruffians, sat at tables as they smoked, drank, and gambled.

“She means they suck the blood of innocents and turn them into zombies.” The doorman grinned, showing broken teeth. He bowed a bit. “Always a pleasure to serve a majoshin. It appears you must be relatively new.”

Penny frowned, tilting her head. “I don’t understand. If you know who I am, why did you charge us more?”

“Precisely because of that, missy.” The doorman ran his hand through his greasy hair. “You witches always cause trouble.” He made a pointing motion with his thumb. “You’re in room three.”

Elyse kicked back at the table. “What about food? Is your menu still just roast pig and vegetables?”

“Plus beer, missy.” The doorman went behind the bar and began filling up mugs with beer.

“I don’t drink.” Penny shook her head.

“Miss, you’re not fooling me.” The doorman slid a beer towards her. “It’s the only liquid you’re getting around here.” He made a gesture with his fist. “Unless you want to drink water.” He made a disgusted face.

Elyse crossed her legs. “This is the Capitol. It’s beer or cholera.”

Penny sighed, grabbing the mug as best she could. It wobbled in her hand. She sniffed it, and then made a face. “How do you drink this?”

“Hm.” Elyse tapped her finger on the table. “Your body weight is low, but as a witch I think you should be fine.”

August crossed his arms. “Aren’t you a witch too?”

“There’s a difference between witch and witch.” Elyse shrugged. “I’m just a girl who works with potions. A majoshin is a whole ‘nother category.”

Penny sipped her beer. “It’s not bad. Like liquid bread.”

August took his tankard and drank from it. It wasn’t bad beer. Not good, but palatable enough.

August stood up after finishing his drink. “Penny looks tired. I’ll take her to her room.”

Elyse stood up as well. “And I’m tired too. Let’s go.”

The three of them walked up the stairs and entered room three. There were two beds and a window that overlooked an alleyway.

“Not the best accommodations.” Elyse did a twirl. “But it works.”

Penny held her palms to her ears. “Something. Something is coming.”

An explosion happened on the first floor. People started yelling. A distinctly female voice yelled out: “Where’s the chosen one?”

Elyse put her palm to her face. “Oh no. They’re here. The majoshin.”

“What’s so bad about that?”

The door to the room blasted off of its hinges and collided with the opposite wall. A girl stood in the doorway with her foot held high.

She had bright red hair. She appeared to be about Penny’s age, but her eyes were wizened and did not look like those of a teen. She wore a colorful red and blue dress. Her right hand held a hammer made of pure ice. She pointed it at Penny. “Chosen one. I challenge you to a duel.”

Penny shied away. “I, um …”

A second girl, this one with long black hair, leaned against the doorframe behind the red-haired girl. “Sweetie, just go with it. You can handle her if you trust your instincts.”

“Whose side are you on, Justle?” The red haired girl stamped her foot on the floor. “How can she be the real chosen one?”

“You just called her that.” A blonde girl with short hair walked past the red-haired girl. She wore a plain blue dress and had a huge sword strapped to her back. She extended her hand. “Denyse. Nice to meet you, Penny.”

The red-haired girl muscled Denyse aside and pointed her hammer again at Penny. “Now. Duel me. My name is Ruby Grandsham. Majoshin captain. If you are the chosen one, you will fight me.”

Penny waved her arms. “I don’t know anything about being a chosen one.”

“Are you playing with me?” Ruby’s hair floated up in a halo of energy.

Elyse groaned. “This is going to be so expensive …”

Ruby struck at Penny. The instant before the hammer hit, a red sword manifested in Penny’s hand. With a single strike, Penny deflected the hammer, sending sparks flying.

Denyse whistled, stepping back. August drew his sword.

Justle held out her hand and shook her head at August. August sheathed his sword.

“So you have power, like the prophecy says.” Ruby spun her hammer in her hand. “Let’s see how long that lasts.” She struck again.

Penny deflected it with seeming ease. “I don’t want to fight!”

“But I do.” Ruby swung her hammer in a huge arc, with Penny’s head as the target.

Penny ducked underneath it with surprising agility. She rolled on the floor and popped up again.

“I don’t want trouble!”

“Well, you’ve got it.” Ruby spun her entire body, swinging the hammer at near invisible speeds. “And I’m going to deliver it.”