Chapter 87: Returning to Deldel Fields

Ash: “I brought him.”

Iris: “Why are you carrying him that way?”

Ash sat Nathan down into the cart they recently acquired and sat next to him.

Nathan: “That was really uncomfortable, never again.”

Ash: “I don’t know what you’ve done to end up this way, but we should go on and get out of here, we should get a good head-start.”

Anais: “Head-start, what did he do?”

Nathan: “It wasn’t my fault.”

Ash: “He punched out Gaunt and sent both him and Prince Rufus flying.”

Anais: “He punched out Gaunt? Nice.”

Ramol: “P-PRINCE RUFUS!?”

Ramol, who was sitting up front, turned around after hearing the name.

Ramol: “You knocked out the Prince of Midheim. What were you thinking!?”

Nathan: “I didn’t have a choice, he grabbed my tail.”

Anais: “Your tail?…ah…you made the noise, didn’t you?”

Nathan: “It wasn’t on purpose, it just came out.”

Ash: “Well whatever the reason, we should get going and don’t even think about coming back for a while.”

Anais: “What? Then how am I supposed to get into the Library?”

Ash: “Just come to Midheim with us, the library there is way bigger than this.”

Ramol tugged at the reins and the horse began to move. Kyr was taking a nap besides him as they made their way down the road. They made small-talk to pass the time, Nathan explained to them the events that had taken place, as he spread out on the carriage floor, too tired to move.

Anais: “I didn’t know you could plant seeds into people.”

Nathan: “Well Celes said that they help keep her healthy and they were growing out of her head, so I figured it would work, so I slipped the seeds on them when got the chance.”

Iris: “My Master, you make such a great Hero, I wish you wouldn’t deny it so.”

Nathan: “It’s not the title, it’s the baggage that comes with the title I don’t want.”

Ena: “Um, won’t they find it strange to suddenly have a flower growing from their heads when they wake up tomorrow? If it were me, I would immediately remove the thing.”

Nathan: “Don’t worry; it’s not so easily removed. As for any other problems, Ash and I took care of that.”

Ash: “I didn’t really do anything but write a message. Are you sure we should have just handed them to them?”

Nathan: “It will be fine, besides, she’s the only person I know who can deliver it, without being caught.”

Anais: “Do what, give someone a message?”

Nathan: “Give someone a message without them realizing it.”

Anais: “What?”

Nathan smiled wryly and just stayed quiet, while the rest talked. Soon the topic turned to Ramol’s plans for the future.

Ramol: “So in the end, I think it would be best to auction them off instead of selling them. No one was willing to buy them at the price I displayed and, to be honest, the constant customer fighting and hassling from the guards was becoming troublesome.”

Nathan: “Sorry to have put you two through so much trouble, if I hadn‘t asked so much of you-”

Ramol: “Are you kidding..? If it wasn’t for you, I still be in debt.”

Nathan: “What?”

Ramol: “You were the reason why those debt collectors backed off right? Miss Anais, Miss Iris and Miss Ena as well.”

Nathan: “So you figured it out huh?”

Ramol: “It wasn’t too difficult to figure out. The way they acted when you were around, it was pretty obvious. Plus after hearing what happened to Morty, right after our………business meeting, I had an idea.”

Nathan: “When Anais told us what happened, we couldn’t very well leave it be.”

Ramol: “No, it was my fault, I shouldn’t have borrowed money from them; then none of this would have happened. I won’t blame you for my mistakes or trying to help me.”

Nathan: “Okay, but make sure you let us know in the future if you’re having any problems, thats what we’re here for, you know?”

Ramol: “I’ll…I’ll remember that.”

Ramol took what Nathan had said to heart, it had been awhile since he’d had anyone willing to help him. Both Ramol and Kyr were more thankful to him then he could possibly know or ever would.”

Ramol: Alright, it’s off to the ‘Viridi’ Wilds.”

Nathan: “Actually Ramol, there somewhere I need to go first.”

Ramol: “Okay, just tell me where.”

_

_

Ramol: “This is the place, right?”

Nathan: “Yup, this is it.”

Nathan looked down the hill to the farm-house where he failed his first quest. It’s had only been a few days, but it felt like forever since they’d been there.

Nathan: “We’ll be right back; we got some business with someone who lives there.”

Ramol: “Take your time, we not going anywhere.”

Nathan waved back to Ramol, as he made his way down the hill.

Anais: “Hey, how do you both know if this ‘Vex’, is even still here?”

Nathan: “I don’t know, but he said to come back, before we head inside the dungeon. I think we just have to take a walk through the orchard.”

Anais: “Not much of a plan.”

Iris: “In all honesty, I’m not even entirely sure it was real. I couldn’t sense him before or after he appeared, not to mention that purple mist surrounding us.”

Nathan: “No scent, no sounds, only what we could see in the immediate vicinity. It’s hard to even begin to describe it.”

Anais: “Well the two of you remember it happening, so he was there; but from where I was standing, you were both just standing there staring blankly into the trees. No mist, no character up in the tree.”

Nathan: “Well, you’ll see soon enough.”

April: “Hey.”

The three looked up toward the farmhouse, to see April walking down to greet them.

Nathan: “Hey, April…how are you doing?”

April: “Ah…can’t complain. What brings you folks back here? Thought you’d gone found yourself a fancy rock to sleep under. Surprised to see your faces after the flop from the other day.”

Nathan: “Aheheheheheheheh, *sigh*.”

April: “Don’t let it get you down; you wouldn’t be the first to freeze up when come to hurting them little fellers.”

Anais: “What do you mean?”

April: “Whadda you mean…whadda ya mean? Wasn’t the reason she didn’t fight them was because they were ador-”

Nathan: “APRIL, I couldn’t fight them because I got the first-time jitters.”

Nathan gave April a desperate head nod, trying to get her not to finish her sentence. To his plight, April let out a hearty laugh.

April: “Bwahahahahahahah, yeah them first time jitters, right, that’s what happened hahahahahaha.”

Nathan face flushed, as April laughed out loud at his little secret. However, since Anais and Iris were none-the-wiser as to the true reasons behind his freezing on that day, he let her laugh to her hearts content instead of explain to them the reason.

April: “Anyway, what can I help you with?”

Nathan: “Uh, yeah, the other day, I think I might have lost something while walking around your orchard, if it’s okay with you, I was wandering if we could go take a look?”

April: “That’s not a problem at all; go on, I won’t stop ya.”

Nathan: “Thanks very much, we shouldn’t be long.”

April: “Take yer time, if you need anything let me know.”

Nathan: “Don’t trouble yourself we’ll be fine.”

With that April picked up the basket of fruit and headed into a different part of the orchard.

Nathan: “Alright, let’s get over there.”

Iris: “I believe it was this way.”

With Iris leading, they stepped into the orchard, like before it was a wondrous sight-seeing; the variant tree fruit and colors which were decorating the tree-tops and ground alike. Just like before, Nathan was tempted to take a bite of some of the fruit, but the judging eyes of the two girls on either side of him dissuaded him.

Nathan: “This is the spot.”

Anais: “So what do we do ? Just wait?”

Nathan: “I guess.”

Iris: “It didn’t take long last time, it happened before we were even aware it was happening.”

Anais: “I hope not too long, will Ramol make it in time for that Auction?”

Nathan: “He didn’t specify a time, so I don’t think we have to worry. Let’s just wait for a bit and see what happens.”

With that, the three began to wait for any indication that Vexx was around. Nothing was happening, even after they waited for fifteen minutes, nothing but the sound of wind and the sweet smell of fruit.

Anais: “Oh come on…How long is this going to take?”

Iris: “You’d think that Vexx would have shown up by now.”

Nathan sat down on the ground, stretching out as they waited, when Anais tapped his shoulder.

Nathan: “Hmm, what is it?”

Anais: “Hey, don’t you think it would be a good idea to tell her about that?”

Nathan looked over to Iris, who was hovering nearby.

Nathan: “That?”

Anais: “The poison you fool, the poison.”

Nathan: “Ah, not right now, I need everyone to help convince her.”

Anais: “Stop procrastinating, rather everyone helping or not doesn’t really matter.”

Nathan: “Well, that’s true.”

Iris: “What was that about poison?”

Nathan: “Iris, nothing, don’t wor, Oww!?”

Anais pinched Nathan, nudging him to tell Iris what was happening.

Iris: “Master, what is it?”

Nathan: “*sigh*, well it’s like this.”

Nathan explained to Iris his ability and what he had to do to utilize it. Iris’s expression change various time throughout the explanation, but by the end she closed her eyes and went into deep thought.

Iris: “Then if there is no other way, but to infect yourself with it. Then I’m fine with it.”

Nathan: “Iris I don’t have a choice, I need to do this or I can’t use it.”

Iris: “I understand and again, I’m fine with it.”

Nathan: “………Wait really?”

Iris: “Yes, I know of your immunity to poison, so I don’t have to worry about your health.”

Nathan: “Well………..that was a lot easier than I thought it would be.”

Iris: “You doubted I would consent?”

Nathan: “Well yeah, all the other times I wanted to test my abilities, you were completely against it.”

Iris: “Master, the key word there is ‘test’, dropping a heavy book on your skull, trying to eat a corpse, continuously draining yourself of blood to test the limits of your plants, these are not things a rational person does.”

Anais nodded and agreement with Iris’s assessment. Nathan was always one to absorb and wanting to test his limits, he didn’t even realize what he was asking others to do.

Iris: “However, this is the first time, where it is actually required to perform a dangerous act; a dangerous act to everyone else but yourself. I’m not against you becoming stronger Master, I just don’t agree with your reckless methods or your injury sustaining experimentation.”

Nathan: “I-I see.”

Nathan didn’t know what to say, thinking about it rationally, his actions did make him seem a little touched in the head.

Iris: “I ask that while you strengthen your abilities, you only act as required. No theories or testing, that’s all I ask.”

Nathan: “I………..I got it.”

Iris: “Then we are in agreement.”

Anais: “I’m glad you finally said something, sticking anything he finds lying around in his mouth, he’s like a newborn.”

Nathan: “Seriously, your gonna compare me to a baby?”

Iris: “No, I think even newborns would spit out anything foul-tasting, Master would just continue on with his experiment, regardless of taste.”

Nathan: “Iris, how could you?”

Nathan, annoyed, turned away from the two and their teasing. He guessed he was a bit over-zealous when testing his abilities. From this point on; he would consider his actions a little more before acting.

Iris: “Master, just how much longer were we supposed to wait?”

Nathan: “Huh, oh yeah, I guess we’ve been waiting for a while, well, I guess he isn’t coming, lets head back.”

Anais: “Wait……….. which way is back?”

Nathan: “What do you mean, that way………huh?”

Just like before the trees seemed to have no end and the once-seen exit to the orchard had vanished.

Iris: “Just like before; he is coming, next comes the purple mist.”

As if on cue, the purple mist begun to roll-in and soon encircled the trio.

Everything, but what was in the immediate area, was consumed by the mist, sound nor light could enter, however this is what they were waiting for.

Anais: “So this is that ‘purple mist’ huh?”

Anais made a grab for it, but the mist receded from her grasp, only returning after she pulled her hand back.

Anais: “No wonder I couldn’t see it last time, this is someone’s ‘Room’.”

Nathan: “A Room?”

Anais: “A personal magic space someone can create, though it’s no more than an illusion, a fancy place for one to speak directly with someone over long distances. Done right, it can go completely unnoticed by everyone else, making it a perfect place to speak covertly. But this one has been half-assedly. The projection of where we were just now only stretches so far, the reason why the scenery disappeared is because whoever cast this doesn’t have enough power to copy the area in its entirety.”

Nathan: “So the purple mist is the boundary of Vexx’s power?”

Anais: “Right, the only way for someone to enter, is permission by the creator themselves, but once inside of this space; they are in complete control. But it’s still just an illusion, look these bodies of ours; they aren’t even real, just a projection. Our real bodies are probably staring stupidly in the sky right now.”

Iris: “And how do you know so much about this?”

Anais: “One of Lady Amelia’s books; she spoke about these in great detail. I think she was trying to create one. I don’t know if she succeeded, but from what she wrote, she couldn’t figure out a way to stop the time variation or the memory loss side-effects from bringing someone inside.”

Nathan: “(Memory loss?)”

????: “You are very well informed, this is indeed my ‘Room’ and I apologize for the wait.”

Just like before, from up in the trees, a figure began to fade into existence. The same top-hat, purple furred ears, tail together with the long whiskers. Wanted the figured had become present, they were greeted with a stoic expressionless face, gone was mischievous smile from before and like before, it leaped from the tree and slowly floated to the ground.

?????: “I had some troubling matters to take care of, but I’m have arrived as promised.”

Anais: “Hey this wasn’t what I was expecting, judging from the way you two were speaking, i was expecting alot less Boing.”

Iris: “A crude way of putting it, however,we are just as baffled as you are.”

?????: “...........Is something wrong?”

Nathan: “Uh yeah, last time we were here, I was pretty damn sure you weren’t a girl.”