SWNOVELXO Chapter 19: To the Land of Sands
I was never so wrong in my entire life! I screamed mentally as I pulled the cart for Noir to rest.
"Are we there yet?" Two asked.
"No." I replied quickly, trying to hide my annoyance.
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"Yes." I replied, turning my head and smiling at her.
"Seriously?" Two asked happily, returning the smile.
"No."
"Oh! Are we there yet?" Two spoke disappointed but returned to her happy mood and questions right after.
I breathed deeply, keeping myself from screaming. As if that was not enough, the other sisters found their unintentional way of annoying me.
"I am hungry!" Five screamed, her stomach grumbling audibly.
"Well, why don't you eat some of the food you brought?"
"I already ate it!" Five complained dramatically as if she would starve while her stomach roared like a lion.
"I need to go to the bathroom!" Four exclaimed right after, jumping anxiously on her place with her face red in shame.
"Why didn't you go before we left?"
"I didn't want to before!" Four replied, widening her eyes as sweat rand down her forehead.
"Why is the sky blue?" Then, there were Three's incessant questions.
"Because of the spectrum of sunlight reflected by the particles that make up the atmosphere, the blue we see is the light being reflected."
"What are particles?" Three asked innocently, oblivious to my angry tone.
"A very small portion of matter, everything in the universe is made up of particles, including you and me."
"Can I see a particle?"
"Not to the naked eye."
"Can I touch a particle?"
"Technically, you are doing this right now."
"What is a light spectrum?"
"It is the portion of the electromagnetic spectrum whose radiation is composed of photons capable of sensitizing the human eye of a normal person."
"What is the electromagnetic spectrum, radiation, and photons?"
This is going to be a long trip! I thought as I answered Three's questions.
One was the only one who did not cause trouble as she involved herself in a conversation with Noir and Rubrum.
-XXXXXX-
We stopped in a clearing, to rest and eat, but One surprised me with a request.
"Could you repeat it? I don't think I heard it right." I asked surprised, cleaning my ear in disbelief.
"I want you to fight me." One replied, giving me a determined look. However, her sisters looked uncertain at her request.
"Why?" I asked, finishing my dried meat with a few bites and leaning on the tree behind me.
"Sister Zero is the strongest of all of us, if she ever returns, I need to be able to face her, and I have to get stronger for that. So please fight me, I want to know how far I am from her level. " One asked again, stepping forward with fire in her eyes.
I looked at Noir and Rubrum, and we shared a feeling of hesitation.
"Are you sure?" I asked worriedly, raising an eyebrow.
"Yes, I am." One nodded, staring directly into my eyes.
"If you're that determined then I guess we can try but nothing too serious, I don't want you to get hurt." I spoke, getting up and dusting off my clothes.
"I'm not a child; you don't have to worry like that!" One exclaimed. Stomping the ground as her face turned red with embarrassment.
"That's what we'll see." I joked.
Therefore, One and I walked to the center of the clearing and stopped opposite each other, waiting for who would move first.
"Lord Alan, please try to hold back!" Noir exclaimed worriedly as Rubrum floated back and forth nervously.
"Don't worry Noir, I'll take it easy." I reassured them, giving a thumbs up.
"One, are you sure about this?" Two asked.
"This is dangerous! What if you get hurt?" Four exclaimed.
"Better stop this before something goes wrong." Five added.
"I'll bet you a bronze coin that One will die." Three spoke sleepily, scratching her belly and yawing right after.
"Three!" The sisters scolded her.
"What? Did I say something wrong?" Three asked innocently, tilting her head in confusion.
"One, whatever happens; we won't hold a grudge against each other, right?" I asked the girl.
"Yes, but I ask that you treat me like an enemy, I need to get stronger to protect my sisters, that will never happen if I am not challenged." One spoke seriously.
Hm… She is determined, but this talk of getting stronger bothers me. How many times did I see the "I need to get stronger" trope in anime? It rarely ends well.
One assumed a fighting stance and I did the same, I raised my fists and waited for her to make the first move.
"Will you not use your ax?" One asked confused.
"No, no offense, but I don't need to." I answered, smiling gently at her.
One gnashed her teeth in frustration and ran towards me, her speed impossible for a normal person to keep up with, but for me, she moved like a turtle.
One performed a big jump and pulled her fist back, trying to punch me in the face, but I transformed into darkness, surprising her and making her pass right by me.
I reformed and grabbed her by the leg before she landed and held her upside down in front of me.
"I won." I smiled while bopping her nose.
"Put me down and let me try again!" One exclaimed frustrated.
Shrugging, I threw One backward. She flew over my head and re-orientated herself midair, landing safely on the ground.
"You got this, One!" Two cheered.
"Please, fight safely!" Four shouted worriedly.
"You were amazing, One!" Five spoke.
"Break his legs, One!" Three screamed.
"Three!" The sisters scolded Three again.
One gazed at me analytically, shifting into a crouching stance and advancing at great speed again, trying to leg-sweep me when she approached.
I flapped my wings, dodging the attack, launching myself into the air and landing behind One right after, where I lifted her from the ground by the back of her shirt.
"Let me try again!" One screamed angrily. Therefore, I put her down and we returned to our starting positions.
"You are not taking me seriously." One complained, half-closing her eyes.
"Of course not, I would kill you if I did." I shrugged.
"If you will not fight seriously then I'll make you do it." One said irritably and sang, using her magic.
This caught my curiosity, so I watched it unfold. From what little I saw, each of the sisters does something different with their song magic; I wonder what One is capable of doing.
I had my answer when One finished her song and magic bands with strange symbols warped her arms and legs. Giving me a determined look, One assumed a fighting stance and advanced.
What came next surprised me. One rushed at an absurd speed, her initial momentum leaving a large crack in the ground.
One tried to kick my chest when she approached, but I turned into darkness again, making her pass straight by me. I tried to grab One by the leg when I reformed, but she moved faster and avoided my grip.
"Not this time!" One yelled, somersaulting away and turning towards me when she landed.
The girl approached again, jumping and trying to punch me in the jaw, but I leaned back, dodging the blow. One spun in the air and tried to kick the side of my head; I blocked the blow with my left arm and the impact of the attack released a small shock wave.
One and I glared at each other with seriousness; it was time for me to go to the offensive, so I slammed the palm of my right hand onto One's stomach.
The girl grimaced as she released a pained scream before flying away. One rolled across the clearing before planting her hands on the ground and getting back to her feet.
"Are you ok?" I asked worriedly, I hope I do not hurt her.
"*COUGH* Yes, are ready to fight seriously now?" One asked, catching her breath.
"I admit that what you did was impressive, but you are nowhere near defeating me, however, I think I can turn up a notch." I pointed my left index at One as magic gathered in my fingertip and fired a magic projectile.
One widened her eyes as my attack approached; she barely stepped out of the way before my projectiles hit the ground, creating an explosion followed by a magic pillar. One rolled across the ground again, before recovering and running towards me.
I pointed my finger at her and fired a series of projectiles in her way. One did her best to dodge, but each blast knocked her away, covering her body in dust and scratches.
One flew back thanks to the last explosion, and without giving her time to recover, I fired more projectiles in her direction.
One, upon seeing the approaching projectiles, took a deep breath and let out a deafening scream. I grabbed my ears, trying to muffle the noise, and for the first time, my improved senses became a problem.
The scream exploded my projectiles mid-air, creating a smoke cloud. Meanwhile, I shook my head, trying to clear the buzzing from my ears now that she stopped screaming.
I glimpsed One jumping out of the smoke cloud. I pointed my left hand at her, a projectile forming at the tip of each finger, and fired at the ground in front of her, forming a wall of pillars and blocking her path.
One stomped the ground, stopping her advance. I quickly flapped my wings, propelling myself forward before the pillars disappeared, and raised my fist, closing the distance when the pillars finally dissipated.
I saw One widen her eyes in fear as I approached, and then I landed my blow. In addition, by that, I mean that I hit One on the top of the head as if I scolded Nier for doing something stupid.
One's magic dissipated and she returned to normal. One rubbed the hit spot and faced me with tears in her eyes and her face red with embarrassment.
"OUCH! Why?" One asked between tears.
"Because you need to stop before you do something stupid! Look at you, what would happen if you were seriously injured? Because I do not know, any healing magic and we are miles from the nearest village! And besides, your sisters are worried." I scolded her, hitting One on the top of the head again.
"I'm sorry for worrying you all. I just wanted to get stronger to protect you." One muttered, looking at the ground after noticing how worried they were. Meanwhile, the sisters approached One and hugged her.
"It's okay One, we understand." Two spoke.
"You can count on us if you want to talk about it." Four said.
"Just don't try to do it all alone, we're all in this together." Five continued.
"That was dangerous. Can I have your stuff if you die?" Three asked, running their wholesome mood.
"Three!" The other sisters screamed.
"See, your sisters care about you. Please, do not go around putting yourself in danger just to get stronger. You're young, you still have a lot of time ahead, play with your sisters, enjoy the time you still have together, eat properly and someday you'll be big and strong like me. But I don't know if the last part applies to you, you're too short for a child." I provoked One.
"I am not short!" One responded, crossing her arms and puffing out her cheeks.
"Yes, you are." I replied, crouching and poking her cheek mockingly.
"I'm not short, you that are too tall!" One replied, pointing at me.
"Why don't you say it to my face? Wait, you can't!" I answered, smiling from ear to ear.
One blushed with embarrassment and tried to punch me, but I put my hand on her head, keeping it in place. Simultaneously, One punched the air, uselessly.
"Let me go and I'll show you who is short here!"
"And what will you do, bite my shins?"
"AAAHHH!" One screamed in frustration, repeatedly punching the air.
"But One is not the only culprit here. You all are too." I pointed to the other sisters.
"We are?" The sisters asked confused.
"Yes, you all saw that One had difficulty facing me, but you all watched instead of helping her. Moreover, if One were in real danger, what would you do? You cannot wait for One to tell you what to do all the time.
The sisters went silent and looked away ashamed.
"That's why I have a proposal for you all. All of you will fight me, thus learning teamwork and not depend on One's orders. What do you all think?"
They shared a hesitant look, which soon changed to determination and each one of them stepped forward right after. I smiled at the result and let go of One, causing her to stumble forward.
The sisters gathered in a circle on the other side of the clearing and whispered among themselves; sometimes one of them lifted their heads and glanced in my direction.
"Lord Alan, are you sure about this?" Noir asked.
"Maybe, I need to get One out of her mentality of getting stronger alone. They are children, children who almost died to her sister; they need to learn to work together, especially if they will face the Lords."
"I just hope everything ends well." Noir spoke as Rubrum watched expectantly.
The sisters finished their discussion and assumed fighting stances while I did the same.
Five acted first, singing, creating metallic disks above her, and firing magic beams towards me. I flapped my wings, propelling myself in different directions and dodging the shots that knocked down trees and opened holes in the ground.
I tried to close the distance, but Three sang and purple threads appeared around me, trying to envelop my body. I quickly turned into darkness and the threads closed in the air.
I kept advancing, but Five pointed her disks downward and fired, forcing me to reform and back away.
Suddenly, I felt my back hitting something. Turning my head, I saw a large, green magic wall behind me. Looking back to the sisters, I saw Four singing.
Then, Two sang and a big blue magic hand shot towards me, fist closed and ready to smash me against the wall. Simultaneously, Five aimed the discs at me and fired again.
I flapped my wings as the attacks approached and flew upwards. Flying over the clearing, I saw a large smoke cloud where stood previously, so I returned to the clearing, stopping a few meters above the ground behind the sisters.
"Did we get him?" Two asked.
"I'm not sure, I can't see him." Five spoke.
"I don't know, maybe yes, maybe no." I laughed, landing behind the sisters.
They tried to turn around in surprise, but I moved faster. I tripped Three, knocking her to the ground as Five pointed her discs at me, but I grabbed her by the shirt and threw her towards the approaching Two.
Four sang and two magic walls appeared on my sides, closing in and trying to crush me. I flapped my wings, propelling myself forward, and slammed my palm into Four's chest, throwing her back.
"Well, great teamwork, but you guys need more practice. You lost sight of me and were too slow to react when I approached and… Wait! Where is One?" I looked around, realizing that a sister disappeared.
I heard the rustling of leaves above me and looking up, I saw One falling towards me.
I put both arms in front of my face, blocking a kick. One used my arm as support, throwing herself backward, somersaulting, and landing on the ground while her sisters returned to her side.
"Congratulations, you almost hit me, good teamwork." I cheered while clapping my hands, congratulating the sisters.
"But we failed, we couldn't defeat you." One replied, disappointed.
"And did you expect to get it the first time? You do not get strong overnight, you need to try, improve your skills, and learn to work as a team until you all work in sync or can hold your own in a fight. Because no matter how long you all stick together, you never know when you'll have to fight alone."
"But Lord Alan, you became strong overnight." Noir spoke confused.
"SSSHHH!" I put my finger in front of my lips, silencing Noir.
Rubrum checked the sisters for injuries and circled them happily upon seeing that they were fine.
"Are you girls ready to try again?" I asked.
I received a chorus of confirmation.
"Then come on, assume you fighting stances!"
We spent some time training, and the sisters got better at using their magic creatively with each attempt and then, we continued our journey.
-XXXXXX-
"Are we there yet?" Two asked.
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"This is taking too long!" Two exclaimed.
"Well, I'm sorry that we didn't take the bus!" I replied sarcastically.
"What is a bus?" Three asked, pulling my trench coat.
"It is a large, four-wheeled collective vehicle powered by a combustion engine, which travels along a predefined route."
"What is an engine?"
"It is a device that produces force to move machines or other devices."
"Hm… How do you know about all these things?"
"What can I say? I am a well-educated person." I spoke proudly.
"Are you a scholar?"
"You can say so."
"So, teach me." Three spoke with a tinge of determination in her voice.
"Why?" I asked, raising a questioning eyebrow.
"You know a lot of things I've never heard of, and that interest me. Teach me." Three spoke again, her sleepy demeanor disappearing and giving place to a curious smile.
"What do you want to be taught about?"
"Everything." Three said, her eyes shining in amusement.
"Okay, it all started fourteen billion years ago, in the beginning, there was nothing except for an extremely dense particle that exploded violently..."
-XXXXXX-
"So the big bang is what it took for all the events that have occurred to date to happen, including the birth of all of us. Do you have more questions, Three?"
I noticed that the purple-haired girl was strangely silent. Stopping the cart and looking back, I saw Three with her mouth open, eyes empty, and looking in different directions.
Looking at her sisters, I saw that each one had different degrees of the same reaction.
"Three?" I lightly touched the girl on the forehead and she fell back like a cut tree.
Rubrum floated above the girl, watching her worriedly. Using her magic, Rubrum opened Three's canteen and poured water in her face and it worked. Letting out a breath of air, Three came back to life, awakening her sisters too.
"So you mean it all came from this big explosion?" Three asked.
"It's the most accepted theory."
"And that other planets exist?"
"Yes, from the closest to the sun to the farthest, not counting the earth, we have Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. There are diverse systems in the universe, each with its planets and stars, there are also other galaxies."
"What about universes, are there other universes?"
"Probably yes." I said thinking about the events that led me here.
"How is that possible?"
"Well, what happens in our reality is happening simultaneously in other alternate realities out there. Universes where the difference is that you chose to go left instead of right, and completely different ones where a cataclysmic event happened and changed the course of history." I replied, using all my comic books, movies, and manga knowledge.
"Do you take apprentices?"
"How about you enroll in Lyllenas' school when our little journey is over? I am a teacher, so you can learn more there."
"No, I want to learn directly from you."
"Come on Three, that would be cool, we can make new friends, learn new things, and we can wear matching uniforms." Two said excitedly.
"And think of all the cute elven boys we might meet." Five said with a dreamy look.
"Of course, that's all you'd think about! Don't you have a little dehiscence in that hollow head of yours?" Four complained to her sister.
"It's not my fault you don't have the assets the boys like." Five teased.
"Perverted bitch." Four muttered, turning aside while covering her chest with her arms
"Alan, what do you know about Cathedral City?" One asked, interrupting her sisters, but I noticed that they watched me intensely… Weird…
"I know the basics. That the city came out of nowhere alongside monsters and destabilized the world, that the Lords are descendants of the scholars who fled to the cathedral and learned magic, that the city's Institute of Magic was funded by the Catholic Church, and about the disaster that ensued, destroying the institute and part of the city."
"What do you know about the Mercury Gate?" One asked again in a serious tone.
"I know it's a big mysterious gate that no one knows how to open and what's on the other side, but there are stories that whoever opens the gate will get absolute magical power. But I do not believe it."
"Why not?"
"Don't you think this is too convenient? Absolute magical power waiting on the other side of a gate that nobody knows anything about. If there is, a thing that Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark have taught me is that there is a good reason hidden treasures stay hidden in the first place. There must be a curse or world-destroying monster, or something like that, behind that gate"
"I understand." One said before falling silent, looking away deep in thought while her sisters pretended that nothing happened, but I noticed some of them glancing at me.
Hm… They are hiding something.
-XXXXXX-
We continued until night, so we stopped again to eat and sleep. Rubrum lit a fire with a blast of magic and I skewered some meat on a stick to roast.
"Well, it will take a while for the food to be ready." I said sitting on a rock near the fire.
The sisters sat across from me and looked at me expectantly.
"What?" I asked, surprised by their reply.
"Tell us a story with monsters!" Two said excitedly.
"And adventures!" Four said.
"With romance!" Five spoke.
"And mystery!" Three completed.
"A story that makes us think about it for a long time!" One finished.
"I'm not very good at telling stories…" I said looking away and scratching the back of my neck.
"You all don't need to worry, Lord Alan will tell a story with all these themes." Noir spoke to the sisters.
I glared at Noir angrily. Is this because I made him pull the cart? Looking back at the sisters, I saw that Rubrum had joined the group and watched me too.
"A story with monsters, adventures, mysteries and that makes us think? Come closer children, because I will tell you the story of a young man who invaded a forbidden land to revive his beloved, a young man who, guided by the light of his sword and accompanied by his faithful steed, will face the giants that inhabit lands full of ruins, temples, mountains, and deserts."
So I told the story and the sisters looked at me in amazement, never diverting their attention.
-XXXXXX-
After dinner, the girls slept next to the fire to warm themselves up. I, on the other hand, sat down, leaned against a tree, and watched the children sleeping. A small smile appeared on my face until I realized that Noir and Rubrum were staring at me.
"What?"
"You like the presence of these children, don't you?" Noir asked playfully.
"No, I honestly find it annoying how they keep talking, arguing, and asking questions all the time." I complained while looking away, but Noir and Rubrum stared at me again, looked at each other, and then laughed.
"What's so funny?"
"Your actions contradict your claims, Lord Alan." Noir said with a hint of happiness in his voice.
"Okay, I admit it, I like having them around! It's good to have someone to talk to and have fun with, not that you guys aren't nice to be around, of course!"
"Don't worry, we're not offended, are we Rubrum?" Rubrum nodded repeatedly.
"I am happy to hear it."
"But what will you do with the girls when the Lords are defeated?"
"If the Lords are defeated, I would like the girls not to continue with their goal, it will only end in tragedy. I also hope that I can get that mentality out of their heads when we are done with Bass."
Noir and Rubrum went silent, thinking about what I said.
"But, I'd like to find a place for them in Lyllenas, I don't get paid much as a teacher, but I think I'll be able to take care of them if I cut some expenses, and besides, there's the big sister, Zero. If she is that strong as they say, so the girls do not stand a chance. Maybe I can get Zero to change her mind, or in the worst case, to stop permanently."
"Lord Alan, do you think Zero is Miss Rose?"
"I don't know Noir; if she is then we'll have a problem. I cannot imagine why Rose would want to kill the girls who call her sister, but if she is an imposter, well, let us just say that heads will roll for anyone daring to pretend to be Rose."
"We saw Miss Rose die, we saw her body and we buried her, it can't be her." Noir replied but Rubrum waved negatively at Noir's statement.
"What is that Rubrum? Do you think Zero is Rose?" I asked and Rubrum nodded.
"I hope you're wrong, for the sake of my sanity." We returned to silence and I tipped my head back, ready to sleep, but music interrupted me.
"All our times have come."
"Here, but now they're gone."
"Seasons don't fear the reaper."
"Nor do the wind, the sun, or the rain."
My eyes widened and my mouth dropped open. I quickly looked at the girls and they still slept. I knew this song and it came from my backpack. Opening it, I grabbed my ringing cell phone.
How is this possible? How does this thing even have a charge and signal? In addition, who called me?
I read the name Accord on the screen, the same person who left my stuff in the woods after the events of Cathedral City. Therefore, I accepted the call.
"Hello?"
"Hello? Accord speaking, may I speak with Alan?" A female voice answered happily from the other end.
"You are talking to him."
"Oh, it is nice to meet you, Mister Anomaly! I watched you for some time and I must admit; you impressed me with the changes your presence created in this branch."
"Hang on, one thing at a time! What the hell is an anomaly and branch, and how come you watched me?" I asked, taken back by her reply.
"This would be a long conversation. I just wanted to check if everything was ok and to say that we will meet in the future, where we will have a formal conversation."
"Please, answer my questions!" I demanded.
"I'm sorry but I can't do that right now, as I said before, we will have a formal conversation in the future in a private place. But I would like to thank you."
"Thank me for what?"
"For making this branch a little better." Accord spoke, assuming a gentler tone.
"You're welcome?" I replied hesitantly.
Therefore, an awkward silence took over the conversation.
"So what are you wearing now?" Accord flirted.
I immediately ended the call. Accord huh... Therefore, she watched me all this time. I have so many questions now.
"Lord Alan, who was it?" Noir asked surprised.
"It was my stalker."
"Should we be concerned?"
"I don't know Noir, I don't know..."
Then, I closed my eyes with sleep weighing on my mind, hoping that Accord would answer my question when we met.
-XXXXXX-
We arrived at the city of Sandpoint after a few days of travel. The city is located on the border of the Land of Forests and the Land of Sands, becoming the place where travelers stop for supplies before entering the dangerous deserts.
I asked the books to hide in my backpack before someone saw us and stopped the cart at the entrance of the city, letting the girls jump out of it.
"Everyone listen, we're in Sandpoint, the last place where supplies are guaranteed before entering the Land of Sands! From here, we will head straight to Bass's castle! I want you all to stay here while I buy supplies, and Four, you're in charge!" One said to her sisters with a serious expression.
"You can count on me sister One!" Four responded proudly while puffing out her chest.
"What about me?" I asked playfully, raising one hand.
"Could you stay here and help Four?" One asked, her expression softening.
"Are you sure you want to go alone, what if something happens?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Don't worry; I can take care of myself. And Four, do a good job." One replied, smiling at her sister before walking through the streets of Sandpoint.
"I will make you proud Sister One!" Four shouted waving at One as One waved back.
"Listen, everyone, sister One has entrusted me with the duty of looking after you, we will make sure that she can trust us, so behave and do as I say." Four spoke to her sisters, hands on her hips and a determined look in her eyes.
However, the sisters were not paying attention, as they focused on One who disappeared around a corner while Four spoke.
"Well, she is gone." Two spoke hesitantly.
"And it will take some time for her to come back." Five replied, a smile slowly forming on her face.
"That gives us a lot of free time." Three completed, a devilish gleam shining in her eyes.
Then, the three sisters stared at each other.
"Wait what you girls…" Four said.
"YYYAAAHHHYYY!"
However, the three sisters' squeals of joy cut Four short, as each girl ran off in a different direction, disappearing through the streets and among the crowds.
"Wait, Two, Five, Three, listen to me, sister One trusted me!" Four yelled, holding out her hand in the vain hope of reaching her sisters, and then, she dropped to her knees on the sandy road.
Four stared at the floor with her head down. I noticed she shook visibly; I thought she was going to cry.
"Four, are you okay?" I asked bringing my hand closer to her shoulder, but recoiled at the explosion that followed.
"HAHAHA! So this is how you treat me?!? Fuck it! Sister One trusted me, but no! You always have to screw it up! Know what?!? Fuck you Five, you and those fat cow tits of yours; I hope they fall off so you will know how I feel! Alternatively, should I rip them off?!? Yes, I should do it; I would like to see your face after that!"
"Fuck you Three, you fucking weirdo! I honestly wonder if you have some kind of retardation! Always speaking in riddles and acting scary, that is why no one likes you! Not to mention, of course, that annoying hair of yours that you keep cutting, you know the damn work I have to clean up the mess you leave behind?!? I should pull that hair out of your head to give both of us less trouble! Yes, I will rip your hair off along with your head and that pretty face of yours!"
"Fuck you Two, you and your cute act! You go around showing all the goodness of your heart without noticing people taking advantage of you! As if that were not enough, there is your absurd strength that only serves to destroy everything you see, if you were not a walking disaster maybe people would get closer to you! I should kill you and thus stop your trail of destruction!"
"Yes, I will kill Five, Three and Two! I will kill you all! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die! Die!"
I flinched at the profanities that came out of this girl's mouth, things I never thought a child would say.
My eyes widened and my mouth opened but no sound came out, I did not know what to do and I admit that I felt a little scared.
Eventually, Four finished her outburst. Taking a deep breath, she looked around and her face changed to one of shock and surprise upon seeing me.
"Oh... Were you here the whole time? I... I... can explain... That was... That was just... It is not what you think... It was just a slip! That is a slip! We are close to the desert; the heat is not doing me so well... It made me a little stressed you know..." Four stammered looking away nervously as sweat ran down her face.
"What was that?" I asked slowly and seriously, saying it word after word while staring at Four.
Four looked at me and around herself, opening and closing her mouth while trying to come up with an answer.
"I am waiting." I crossed my arms while stomping the ground.
I had my answer when Four's face turned red, her eyes filled with tears and she sobbed.
"WWWHHHHAAAA!" Four cried from the top of her lungs.
"I'M SORRY!" Four screamed on her knees, crawling towards me, hugging my leg, and burying her face in my coat.
"I... I did not want to say this... However, I am tired... I am tired of not being taken seriously by my sisters." Four screamed in between her cries.
However, I saw a line of snot coming out of her nose and connecting to my coat every time she pulled her face out of my coat to speak
I shuddered in disgust. Looking around, I noticed that people stared at me in anger or disappointment. I went red with embarrassment; better defuse this situation before it got worse.
"Listen Four, I'm not angry, just surprised."
"Seriously?" Four whispered hopefully with swollen eyes.
"Yeah, how about you calm down? We can talk about it if you want."
"Yes… Please…" Four replied but not before blowing her nose into my coat, sniffling and red-eyed, she waited for me to say something.
"Listen, how about we talk while we look for your sisters? Better find them before One comes back, no?" I suggested, still thinking about what to do.
"Yes, you're right." Four replied, looking away.
"Excellent!" I held Four under her arms and sat her on my shoulders.
"Mister Alan, you didn't have to..."
"I insist." I replied, cutting her off, and together we walked the streets of Sandpoint in search of her sisters.
"So… Do you want to start?" I asked Four.
"I hate this..." Four replied in anger.
"You hate what?"
"I hate everything about me, I hate my face, my hair, my voice, my body, and the way my sisters don't respect me, but mostly, I hate my nasty fingernails."
"You hate your nails, why?"
"Due to our magic, my sisters and I have something in our bodies that keeps growing. One has her senses, Two has strength, and Three has her hair. Five, well I think you noticed how tight her clothes are on the chest area."
"Yes, I noticed."
"In my case, I have these huge fingernails that keep growing. My nails crook and stuck everywhere, as if that was not enough, I am the least interesting of my sisters. Three has the prettiest face, Five has the best body, Two has the best personality, and One has the best mind, but I... I have nothing... and I hate myself for it."
The situation is more complicated than I thought; this girl has problems and psychology does not exist here in Midgard.
"But you are only focusing on the negative side. How about you focus on your positive points?"
"Like what? There is nothing positive about me."
"Of course there is, just look for it. How about how helpful you are?"
"Any of my sisters could be helpful if they wanted to."
"But do they?"
"No, they are always causing problems, and I am the one who has to solve them."
"We found a positive about you, how much you enjoy helping and caring for your sisters."
"I don't like them that much; honestly it would be better if I left them to their problems."
"But you never did that, did you?"
"No."
"No matter how much you deny it, deep down you still care about your sisters, don't you?"
"You're right, but they never appreciate how much effort I put into taking care of them, all I wanted was a compliment, a thank you, especially from One."
"Then how about you do something worthy of praise?"
"Like what?"
"Well, what do your sisters like?"
"Five likes clothes, jewelry, and food. I honestly do not think there is anything she does not like. Three likes dolls, riddles, and horror stories. Two likes to play and things she thinks are cute, and One likes to read or to stay silent, I think she likes peace in general."
"Then how about you spend some time with your sisters? Doing what they like and knowing them better? If you do that, I believe they will do the same for you."
"Do you think this will work?"
"Yes, you can't just focus on the negatives, either your sisters or yours. They love you despite how annoying you think they are. However, do not do it just to get compliments, do it because you care, because you want to become a better person. Love your sisters and they will love you back."
"I think… I think I can try. But will you help me?"
"Of course, but you need to take the initiative."
"Thank you, Mr. Alan."
"You're welcome."
Well, this was not the best interaction, but I am not a psychologist or a psychiatrist. Four needs the help of a qualified professional, but since they do not exist here in Midgard, I can only be supportive and try to point her in the right direction.
We heard a commotion nearby. Looking in the direction of the noise, we saw that it came from a tavern; I also glimpsed long blonde hair inside the building among the people entering and leaving.
It looks like we found Five. Entering the tavern and ducking for Four to pass, we faced an impressive sight.
Five sitting at a table with piles of plates around her, the little girl ate her food one plate after another like a vacuum cleaner.
We quickly approached the table, gently pushing aside the people who watched in awe.
"Five! What are you…" Four exclaimed.
"Four, remember what we talked about." I interrupted the girl.
Four took a deep breath and spoke calmly.
"Five, why did you leave us behind? Sister One trusted us to behave. Please, stop what you're doing, and let's go back before One returns." Four asked.
"You have nothing to worry about dear sister; One won't even notice we're gone. Would you like to sit down and eat some food? Maybe that will make your assets grow." Five teased as she grabbed one corner of my coat and used it as a napkin.
Four and I shook with rage for different reasons. I think it is time for me to be an adult here.
"Five, have you thought about how Four feels about what you girls did?" I firmly asked the girl, doing my best impression of my dad.
"But what is the problem?" Five asked confused.
"The problem is that One entrusted Four with your care and the first thing you did was run away. Have you ever thought about how Four feels? Did you ever think you were going to end up getting her in trouble?"
"But…"
"No buts, answer the question." I replied, crossing my arms and fixing her.
"No…" Five lowered her head.
"If One came back and didn't find you there what would she think?"
"She would think that something bad happened?"
"Yes, and she would be worried. Do you want to worry One?"
"No, I don't."
"I'm glad you understood. So what do we say when we do something wrong?"
"I'm very sorry."
"But it's not me you should apologize to." I replied, pointing to the girl sitting on my shoulders.
Five got out of her chair with her hands together and approached us with timid steps. Lifting her head, she apologized to Four.
"I'm sorry for causing trouble Sister Four, it won't happen again."
"And what do we say when someone apologizes to us?" I asked Four.
"It's okay Five, I accept your apology. But please, be more responsible next time."
"Four is right, you need to think about your actions and the result of them before you act, you may be the younger sister but that's no excuse to be reckless. And Four, you can't just boss your sisters around and expect them to do your bidding, you need to respect them too." I lectured the sisters.
"Okay, we understand." The sisters responded.
"Great, but I have a question for Five before we go. Do you have the money to pay for this food?"
The blond girl stiffened, widening her eyes and averting her gaze nervously.
"You don't have the money, do you?" I asked deadpanned, looking at her disappointedly.
"No, I don't." Five whispered, blushing in shame.
"Where is the owner of this place? Let's be responsible and try to solve this situation with him." I asked, searching for the person in question.
I saw a man approaching us, and judging by his clothes, he must be a chef.
"Are you responsible for these girls?" The chef asked, crossing his arms and looking at me irritably.
"Yes, I am."
"Here is the bill." The cook handed me a piece of paper.
I almost fainted when I saw the value. It should not be possible for a child to eat that much! I will not be able to pay it with my teacher's salary.
"Thanks… Just give me a minute…" I stuttered, pretending to dig through my pocket for money as I walked over to Five's table. Then, I grabbed a plate full of food and threw it at the chef's face.
"RUN!" I yelled to Five.
Without thinking twice, the blonde-haired girl put a chicken leg in her mouth and ran beside me out of the tavern. I held Five under my arm like a sack of potatoes and heard the chef's screams as we ran through the streets.
"COME BACK HERE AND PAY FOR THE FOOD!"
"Mr. Alan, shouldn't we be responsible like you said?" Four asked.
"Be responsible, but don't be an idiot, Four! I will not pay that absurd amount!" I replied.
"At least I managed to eat a little. Can we get dessert later?" Five asked between bites.
"Five!" Four and I scream.
We ran for a long time until the chef lost us. Catching my breath, we returned to our search. Suddenly, I heard someone crying.
"WWWAAAHHH!"
Entering a street to my right, I found Two crying.
"Two!" The three of us yelled, approaching the blue-haired girl.
"Two what happened?" I asked, putting a hand on her shoulder.
The girl hugged my leg, staring at me with teary eyes as she made incomprehensible noises and pointed down the street, where I spotted a man running and pushing people out of the way.
I see… I threw Five upward and I caught her by the back of her shirt when she fell.
"Alan, what are you doing?" Five asked surprised.
"I am recovering stolen money, Five go!" I yelled as I hurled Five towards the thief.
"AAAAHHHH!" Five screamed as she flew down the street at great speed.
Honestly, I cannot judge the thief for stealing; after all, I have stolen too. However, it is one thing to steal from those who have money to spare; it is another thing to steal from a child.
Eventually, Five hit the thief, landing a head-butt on his back. The two rolled across the ground and stopped when they collided with the wall of a house. I ran after the two and saw Five slapping the thief's face while she screamed when I approached.
"That is for robbing my sister! That is for not breaking my fall! That is for…"
"Five it's enough, I think he learned his lesson." I replied, holding her arm in the air.
I stopped the girl before she killed the man. The person's face was red and swollen with Five's handprints covering his face. Searching through the thief's pockets, I found Two's coins, and the girl in question walked over to me while sniffling.
"Here it is." I handed the bag to Two.
"Thank you." Two muttered, drying her tears.
"Two, isn't there something you'd like to say to a certain girl on my shoulders?"
"I'm sorry for running away and I'm sorry for not paying attention to my surroundings. The thief was too far away by the time I realized he robbed me." Two apologized to Four.
"Four?" I asked the girl.
"It's okay Two, just pay more attention and be more careful next time." Four replied.
We searched for Three now that the sisters reconciled. I carried Four and Two, each girl sitting on one of my arms, while Five sat on my shoulders.
"MOM!" A child screamed.
Letting out a long sigh, I ran towards the screams. Follow the screams and you will find one of the girls, which seems to be the rule.
I found Three and a boy sitting on a stone bench, the two held hands together, but it was clear that the boy did not want to be there. As I approached, I heard the two talking.
"Have you ever wondered how far the human intestine can stretch?" Three asked emotionlessly.
"Please let me go!" The boy begged.
"What about human bones? Have you ever wondered how much they can bend before breaking?"
"What do you want, money? My father has plenty, just let me go!"
"Have you ever wondered how many clothes can be made from the skin of a grown man?"
"Help!"
"And the eyes, do you know how far they can be pulled out of their sockets without impairing vision?"
I think that is enough.
"Three, we need to go back." I said to the purple-haired sister as I approached.
"Okay, it was fun talking to you; I hope we can meet again my friend." Three said as she let go of the boy's hand.
"MOM!" The boy screamed, crying, and running down the street.
Well, I am not responsible for this kid so it is not my problem. Three approached and stared at us, honestly, I expected some kind of problem to solve.
"I'm sorry I ran, Sister Four, it won't happen again." Three spoke politely, bowing down.
"I accept your apologies Three. But I'm always available if you want to talk to someone that badly." Four replied.
"Thank you, sister Four." Three answered with a small smile.
-XXXXXX-
Now I carried Two on my shoulders, Three sleeping in one arm, Four sitting in the other, and Five hanging on my left leg. Oh! This whole search did not take an hour, and I already felt like a tired middle-aged parent.
We made it back to Sandpoint's entrance and the cart was still there. Luckily, One returned carrying a few bags of supplies as soon as the girls released me, except for Three who still slept.
"Is everyone ready to continue our trip?" One asked happily.
"Yes, sister One!" All the sisters responded.
"I suppose there was no problem." One said to Four.
"No Sister One! They all behaved perfectly!" Four replied with her hands on her hips while the sisters sighed relieved.
"Good work Four." One responded as she patted Four on the top of her head. Four's face turned red and she grinned from ear to ear.
"If there is no problem then we will move on." One spoke with determination.
Therefore, we did. Noir and Rubrum got out of my backpack as we walked away from the city while the sisters stayed in the cart. We followed a cracked and dry dirt road with dunes around us.
I am in a dilemma, the sun beating down on my body made me sweat like a pig and the clothes I wore did not help, but I would die in the sunlight if I took them off and there was no shade nearby.
The sisters were not doing better; they sweated profusely, constantly drinking water or spilling it over their bodies, with One suffering the worst.
"Noir, give us a hand here." I asked the black book
"Yes, Lord Alan." Noir responded, creating a large Dark Hand above us, blocking the sunlight and creating a shade.
We spent half the day traveling until we reached a more vegetated area, with the occasional patch of grass and trees. We saw our objective in the distance, the castle of Bass, Lord of the Land of Sands.
END OF CHAPTER