Fantasy Chronicles of Cre' Est

[GojiBean]

Linde blinked, and a faint pink coloration filled her cheeks at his question.

"Oh! I um. Yes. I live alone." She said as she looked ahead and started walking slowly, hoping the pink didn't show in the night's low light.

"It's no bother at all if you'd like to stop by for a meal. I usually try to have at least one with all my customers at some point or another." She giggled. "Anyway, my offer stands." She said as she continued.

She didn't look back at Maretu after speaking. She only continued walking. Just another two blocks and they'd reach her abode And with any luck, it would be a calm, quiet evening.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Hah! Wonderful. What I wouldn't give for some peace and quiet in the house. Tsubaar's a dear friend, but he can be quite bothersome and loud at times. Somewhere I could call my own someday would be... Quite comforting, I'm certain, but until I get somewhere in my research, somewhere helpful enough to maybe pay the bills? Then I could look into it." The idea of his own place to take care of research as well as himself was intriguing, to say the least. He hated feeling like a freeloader to others, after all.

"Goodness, all of them? You must have guests over quite often then, huh?" He tilted his head out of surprise. Linde must have seen tons on tons of people in need in her time, and the idea of sharing a meal with all of them made him more than a little shocked. "But, I suppose if you insist, I would be honored to sit down and eat with you. You truly make for thrilling conversation, Doctor Almna."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde chuckled, keeping her eyes ahead as they walked.

When they arrived, Linde entered first and held the door for him to come inside... And thankfully Whimsey had done a good job cleaning the blood, as there wasn't a trace of it anywhere. Linde had, of course, done some extra cleaning in the days that followed. But still. Whimsey did the bulk of it.

The entryway was quite wide and opened almost immediately into a living room area to the right of the entrance with an open kitchen and dining area on the left. A stairway directly across from the door on the opposite side of the room led upstairs to her bedroom, bathroom, and private study. Putting her bag down on the coffee table in the living room space, she walked towards the stairs while removing the scrunchie from the base of her long, flowing hair.

"Make yourself at home, mister Arjun. I'll just be a minute."

She disappeared upstairs, and returned about two minutes later. In place of her usual pants, boots, shirt, and doctor's coat, she now wore a flowing blue-violet collared, long-sleeved nightgown that stopped just below her knees. She wore no footwear, and had moved the scrunchie much higher to the back of her head in a more traditional ponytail style (though it still was long enough to brush her ankles).

"Do you fancy a stew? I have more than enough ingredients for two people." She offered.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

As Maretu followed Linde into her home, he in truth hadn't been expecting such a large place. Perhaps it was just because he sought a more humble lifestyle, and didn't need much in terms of niceties to get by, but he was amazed in a lot of ways. Sure, she was the Angel of Cre' Est, but even so, she had this place all to herself from all the hard work she had done over the years. "Quite a nice place, Doctor Almna. You're full of surprises, you know that?" He chuckled and nodded as Linde headed upstairs, and decided to simply take a seat in the living room area, setting his own bag down just beside him on the floor. "Take your time." He insisted, before simply tilting his head back and relaxing for the time being.

When Linde returned a few minutes later, he couldn't help but glance over to her and immediately move his eyes back to the table in front of him. "Stew sounds wonderful, Doctor Almna. All I eat when I'm here at Tsubaar's place is stuff he brings home from the tavern he works at, or simple bread and such." Shrugging, he glanced back to Linde and kept his eyes on her as opposed to her attire. "I never... Fully noticed, but you've got so much hair, Doctor Almna." A hand moved up to his own, that came down just past his shoulders. "I've been growing mine for a few years now. Gets bothersome to take care of. I dunno how you do it."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde glanced over her shoulder with a smile as he spoke about his admiration for her home and his thoughts on Tsubaar's meals. "Thank you very much." She said with a giggle. And as he spoke about her hair, she laughed heartily.

"I guess I do keep it rather long, don't I?" She giggled. "It takes a decent effort to care for it. But I guess I just got used to it. Though, I usually trim it to my hip level before it reaches the floor. So I guess I'm due to a cut fairly soon aren't I?"" She asked, twisting her body a little to look down at it as it fell around her ankles. "Hmm. Maybe another week or two."

Linde began preparing the stew, and closed the windows so the aroma filled the room. And as it was complete, she brought a few bowls to the dining table and set one down for Maretu.

"There you are."

She took a seat not directly across from him, but partly to the left. Putting her hands together, she gave a silent prayer in thanks for the meal before beginning her meal.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"It suits you well, just the same." The last thing he wanted was for Linde to think he was telling her that she should cut her hair, or that he didn't like it long. As the woman went and took care of the stew, he at the very least got the table set for the two of them, before simply taking a seat and letting himself space out for a few minutes as he waited.

Before long, the clink of a bowl against the table in front of him brought him back to the real world, as well as the absolutely scrumptious smell of the stew. "That was fast!" A happy chuckle followed his words as he adjusted his posture to stop slouching like he tended to when he sat. As Linde gave a brief prayer before they ate, he brought his hands up as well and joined her. While he himself wasn't certain if he truly believed in the Gods, he saw prayer as a wonderful opportunity for any two people to be connected by such a simple thing as fascinating. As such, he never turned down the opportunity to do as such.

With that out of the way, he set to his first bite and let out a sigh of satisfaction as he did. "You're a wonderful cook, Doctor Almna. I can't say the same for myself. But this is marvelous!" As he continued to work his way through the food, he couldn't help but admire just how nice this was. Sure, it was late, and they were both clearly tired, but even just sitting alone without much conversation and sharing a meal was soothing in a lot of ways. "Tsubaar would smack me if he knew I was having dinner with you, after that stunt you pulled to get him off my back." He laughed again just thinking about the look on Tsubaar's face, and how he hadn't once brought it up since it happened. "He's... Never really had luck with women."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde had her spoon in her mouth when he said Tsubaar didn't have much luck with women, and she nearly spit her spoonful of stew out as she tried not to laugh. She cleared her throat, swallowed the spoonful, and coughed once.

"Poor Tsubaar." She giggled, once again clearing her throat. "He seems like a good man. And he's not bad looking either. I'm not sure why he's having issues in that department." She brought her spoon down for another bite. "Though. If his temper runs as hot as I saw it all the time, I can maybe see that as a bit of a barrier to some women." She chuckled.

A small "thud" from the ceiling sounded as she brought the bite to her mouth, and she paused briefly and inwardly flinched... Knowing full well what that sound was.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"He's got a big heart, he just... I dunno, never thinks before he opens that big mouth of his." A hand scratched at his neck for a short moment, before hearing the small thud from upstairs. It didn't worry him all too much at first, though his eyes did look upwards for just a short moment. "Keep a housecat or something, Doctor Almna?" He asked dismissively before taking another spoonful of the stew.

"Tsubaar's my best friend, though, we've known each other since we were kids. He looks out for me, and I very much appreciate his kindness. Even if he... Brings up issues of the past more often than I'd like to admit." His eyes shut for a short moment as he spoke, before he simply shook his head and pushed that topic aside. "But, that's besides the point. I've been looking more into what we had last discussed, Doctor Almna, and while I can't say I found anything all that helpful... I'm still going strong at it. I'm confident I'll make some real progress soon."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde's relief washed over her like a tsunami when Maretu didn't address the thump from upstairs.

"If there's anything I can help you with for your research, I'll do my best. Hopefully I can keep a fairly open schedule, given that the clinic has been seeing fewer patients come in the last few days. Which has honestly been a bit of a reprieve since it means fewer people are getting hurt or sick. And as a doctor, that's always the goal to begin with." She chuckled.

Suddenly, footsteps could be heard moving towards the stairway.

Oh please, no. Shadow. Don't you dare come down here! She thought nervously.

The footsteps grew louder. Until at last, a black boot appeared around the corner at the bend in the stairs and Shadow stepped into view. However, much to Linde's sheer astonishment and relief, he was still wearing his blindfold and cloak like a blind man.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Oh, no, it's no worry in the slightest, Doctor Almna. I'll manage just fine, though I do absolutely adore our conversations together." A nod followed his words as he paused, hearing footsteps coming down the stairs. "A-About that housecat..." Now he seemed more than a bit nervous about the sound, since it sounded more akin to a person as opposed to a pet. When the figure made his way down the stairs, he stood up from his chair with a nervous look in his eyes.

"D-Doctor Almna, I thought you lived alone...!?" A hand drifted to his pocket nervously, more than ready to pull the flintlock he kept out should Linde seem sure that this man was a threat.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde took a breath, and Shadow's walking stick came around to help "guide" him down the stairs.

"I do live alone, mister Arjun. This is Gregory. And he knows better than to show up unannounced." She said as best she could while maintaining a voice carrying a calm tone.

"You provided me a key, Doctor. And I just wanted to let you know that I completed my task earlier today. I came back here to wait, but ended up falling asleep after using the bathroom."

Linde pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed.

"That's fine, Gregory. Anyway. This is mister Arjun. He's a scientific researcher. Mister Arjun. Meet Gregory, one of my assistants."

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

Maretu's hand quickly came out of his inner pocket and back down to his side as Linde seemed to be familiar with the man. A blind assistant...? It sounded odd, but as he had already established, Linde was full of surprises. As surprising as it was, and weird as it seemed, Maretu completely believed the story.

"My apologies for raising my voice, then. I must be on edge because of this whole lockdown..." Shaking his head, he sat back down at the table and gave a small wave to Gregory, before realizing he couldn't see it. "It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Gregory. I hope we didn't wake you with our conversation. I'll be on my way soon enough, I can assure you."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Shadow stepped off the final stair and walked towards the door.

"It's fine. I was just leaving myself. I just wanted the Doctor to know that her Greisha flowers are at the Apothecary and Clinic. Have a nice evening."

As he made his way to the door, Linde looked up while setting her spoon down.

"Wait, Gregory. Can you sit on the couch, please? I'd like to have a word with you after mister Arjun has finished his meal."

Without a word, Shadow simply nodded and went to sit down. He set his walking stick across his lap and leaned back, trying to look like he was relaxing.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Huh. Greisha flowers? The nearest field of those is pretty far out, last I checked. You must be quite proficient to make trips for those, Gregory." A small exhale followed his words as he leaned forward and took a few more spoons of the soup before being finished with it.

"Doctor Almna, I truly appreciate this. I look forward to speaking again in the future. Perhaps I'll swing by the clinic sometime to share some theories? I have an utterly fascinating one about adapting the process of stimulating nerves to machinery." With that, he stood up and stretched his hands above his head. "I'll speak with you soon, Doctor Almna. Take care. You too, Gregory." Waving, he made for the door and saw himself out.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde smiled. "I look forward to it, mister Arjun."

As Maretu began leaving, the door flew open almost hitting his hand. And in the doorway stood a man in a dark gray robe with a black insignia on his chest. Shadow, despite his injuries, was instantly on his feet, as was Linde. From behind Shadow's back he drew a single orichalcum dagger while simultaneously throwing the blindfold and cloak to the ground revealing the glowing red orbs previously hidden beneath.

It was the same large assassin Linde had tangled with before, complete with the curved sword Linde had taken from him and thrown into the alley. They must have retrieved it before the morning came.

"Finally." He growled.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Of course. Have a wonderful n-" A shout escaped Maretu as the door in front of him flew open, a large man storming through the door. He stumbled backwards and fell to the ground, grabbing at the gun under his coat and pointing it at the man. It didn't take him long to figure out that this wasn't the sort of man to yield to a simple threat like that, though... Hopping up to his feet, his first priority was immediately Linde's safety, as he wasn't aware that the girl was an extremely tough fighter who could at the very least hold the man off for a second.

As he glanced back to evaluate the woman's safety, his jaw immediately dropped as he saw the shining red eyes that the man he knew as 'Gregory'. His first conclusion wasn't a positive one... Was the Red-Eyed Demon really here as well? What sort of trouble had he just gotten into!? "Son of a..." Maretu shook his head and stepped backwards, trying to hopefully get closer to Linde. "Doctor Almna, you should go! Try and alert some guards, or anyone!"

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Contrary to Maretu's order, Linde grabbed his shoulder and pushed him behind her as she moved forward and took her stance. Shadow as well moved forward, standing beside Linde with dagger forward glaring the man down at a relatively even eye level. Or at least more even than Linde's. Shadow's 6' 2" frame was a bit shorter than this man's roughly 6' 5" frame. But not nearly as steep a difference as Linde's 5' 8" frame.

"So you're here too, eh?" He growled at Shadow.

"Do you really think to challenge me?" Shadow growled.

His wounds were still present. And fighting this man would not be pleasant. Especially if he landed any hits on his healing wounds. But he had few other options than to bluff for the time being with Linde nodding slowly.

"Hmph."

The man charged forward, and then stopped instantly as Linde and Shadow reacted by sliding towards him a half step. Having tested their resolve to fight, and knowing full well who Shadow was, the man stood up and returned to the doorway.

"Now we know where you stay, doctor. You'll share the fate of that girl soon enough." He said as he walked out and closed the door.

Linde took a deep breath, and Shadow sheathed his dagger and stood up as straight as his wounded stomach would allow while turning towards Maretu. Linde turned around with a slight pink blush in her cheeks.

"Uhh... Where to begin?" She mumbled.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

Maretu stared forward for a moment before Linde shoved him backwards, seeming ready to throw down and fight with the man in front of her. "D-Doctor Almna, surely you don't...!?" Before he could say much else, the armed man and Shadow were exchanging in a short bit of banter. Just as quickly as the man had broke in, he was turning and exiting out the doorway. Just as he was gone, Maretu turned and pointed the gun this time at Shadow. It was less of a threat that he thought would pay off, and more of a way to make himself feel at least slightly more safe.

"...You." The hand not gripping his gun tightened into a fist at his side. The look on his face quickly changed from the relaxed, happy researcher that he normally wore, to one that was deadly serious. "The Red-Eyed Demon..." He grit his teeth for a moment, before taking a deep breath. Lashing out wouldn't be beneficial for anyone, in this situation. Sighing and trying to get back into his more aloof and calm mindset, he glanced over to Linde and tucked the gun away.

"I never would have imagined. The Red-Eyed Demon and the Angel of Cre' Est? Sharing an abode?" A half-assed attempt at a chuckle to lighten the mood escaped him as he walked back over to the table, sitting down to try and relax. "An explanation would... Certainly go a long way, Doctor Almna. This man is a known murderer, and yet you're addressing this so calmly..."

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Linde ran a hand through her hair as Shadow glared Maretu down.

Using the back of her hand, she smacked an area of his chest she knew wasn't wounded. "Behave yourself."

Turning to Maretu and walking over to sit down on the sofa, with Shadow leaning against the wall nearby, Linde took a deep breath.

"First off, we're not sharing an abode. Shadow stopped by, presumably, because he needed to talk to me about something." She said as she glanced his way.

"That was the second Te'i Sai assassin to visit this house today. The first was when I first got back from my errand... He didn't last long."

"Tell me I don't have to do more cleaning!" She barked.

"No."

Linde sighed, and looked at Maretu.

"Sorry about that, mister Arjun. This is Shadow. You know him as the Red-Eyed Demon. And yes. He has a very dark and gruesome history. Long story short, Te'i Sai is hunting one of my staff at the clinic and Shadow is helping me keep her alive."

"Trying to help keep her alive."

"Would you just!!....... Just... Stand there. Okay? Just stand there." She ordered through clenched teeth.

Shadow crossed his arms and looked at the wall to his right.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"Shadow..." Maretu had been mostly silent as Linde started her explanation, and the two had their short bit of back and forth bickering. Though, once the proper introduction had been made, he stood up and tucked his hands in the pockets of his coat before taking a few steps towards Shadow. "How absolutely fascinating... Maretu Arjun, at your service, Shadow." A hand drifted to his neck as he stared at the man, blinking twice before sighing.

"Seeing as you don't have a knife to my throat, I have a question. Does the name Ajna Chao ring any bells to you?" His tone was serious and concerned, as if he feared just what Shadow would answer him. "A young woman my age from Shaharan. Lived with her parents, an older brother, as well as their bedridden Grandfather. I need to know if you know anything about her." The girl's entire family had been killed mercilessly at one point, with no culprit ever having been found. Maretu didn't want to go deep into detail about her, but had always wondered if the Red-Eyed Demon had been the one behind those murders. The family, however, had no ties to Te'i Sai in the slightest, even distant ones.

"Please be honest with me." He stayed in place, hands dug into his pockets, and eyes locked on Shadow's.

GojiBean

​

 

[GojiBean]

The glow in Shadow's eyes subtly increased in intensity the closer Maretu came. But as he asked his question, the glow receded to its usual level.

"No." He answered simply.

"Te'i Sai only deployed Shadow against high-profile targets with either political value, or targets which actually presented a threat to Te'i Sai in some way." Linde added for clarification to Shadow's overly simplistic response.

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

"I... I see." Maretu sighed and looked down at the floor for a moment. Of course he wasn't involved; it must have just been some random killer then. "Apologies for the question." Shaking his head, he looked over towards Linde and nodded.

"That... Makes enough sense." A hand went up to his head, rubbing at his temple for a moment as he started to cool down from the intense situation that had just occurred. "Well, it has... certainly been a pleasure, Shadow, and as much as I would simply love to pick your brain via some conversation, I get the, er, oddest feeling you wouldn't be willing to discuss things like your thoughts and history."



GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

Shadow simply stared at Maretu while Linde rubbed her temples.

"Sorry Maretu. Shadow's not exactly a conversationalist on a good day."

Shadow glanced to Linde, but without any change of expression, what he was thinking was up for grabs.

"I'd be happy to discuss things with you in more detail later, if you'd like. Feel free to drop by the clinic tomorrow around high noon. I'll be on a break at that time and I'll make sure to let Cheyanne know to let you into the office if you come around."

Mothman

 

[Mothman]

“I see... I suppose that’s fair.” Finally feeling that there wasn’t much else he’d get out of staying, he turned and walked over to the door, before glancing back to Linde. “Thanks again for the meal, Doctor Almna. I’ve... Learned a lot tonight, to put is simply.” Bowing his head to the woman, he opened the door and walked out onto the streets.

His first immediately worry was that the man who had burst in a moment ago was still in the area. Would he be at risk now, as well...? Not wanting to risk anything, he picked up his pace to get home, telling himself he would go to Doctor Almna’s clinic again tomorrow.

GojiBean​

 

[GojiBean]

As Linde sat there rubbing her temples, Shadow picked up the blindfold and put it, and the cloak, back on as he made his way to the door.

"Did you already forget?"

Shadow paused, turning his head.

"You and I need to talk. So come sit down." She said calmly.

Shadow heaved a sigh through his nose and went to sit down while Linde took a deep breath.

This was going to be a long talk...

Mothman