Somewhere Someplace

Antica could feel the cold nightly wind gush through her being as she hopped out into the grassy land outside; though, she could not feel all of such in full detail—the consequences of her…current ‘getup’—but she could feel…enough of it, nevertheless.

Oh, and what a feeling it was, indeed, to finally be able to stand once again. The blood flowing into her legs felt as if they had been liberated… making her perhaps momentarily dizzier; such quickly faded, though. Truly, she better realized just how…uncomfortable sitting in such a way was with all of her gear and…stuff compared to standing.

Noises and sounds, thus her ears could hear. The soldiers’ voices bounced and echoed in the air about, conversating and laughing and such as they…established their ‘camp’ or whatever.

She quickly straightened her hood before her ignited eyes scanned around, her gaze averting the direction of the preoccupied soldiers.

Off-road, it seemed, in a grassy field. Flat. The terrain seemed largely flat, though there were a few hills scattered about. There was a mountain—a single mountain—in the distance afar, likewise.

And contrary to this realm’s name, it was not at all a rainy day. She could feel…the piercing glares of the stars up high; there was not a single cloud in the night-sky. The air, in fact, felt rather lacking in precipitation and humidity; this locality seemed rather dry in general.

She began to wander, distancing herself from the others…but not significantly so. The atmosphered moon shined up high, its albedo-reflected light illuminated much around; though, it was still night: by no means equal to day.

Where did Novea go? She wondered as she wandered. Truly, a stealthy agent that one was, no doubt utilizing that shadow magic of hers to obscure her presence as she…handled her denizen needs.

Hmm… Antica paused; forestry, she noticed. There was a forest of sorts, one that was close yet still distant enough. She stared…at it, evaluating it. Rather small, indeed, more a concentrated spot of trees in this grassland sea than a true sprawling woodland.

Yet…she could not help but think…and be reminded.

Indeed, that forest, despite its clear differences, still looked similar enough…to that very forest into which she had retreated…more than a year-and-a-half prior…after everything had so fallen apart; that failed Remnant operation…

Truly, time’s decay had rusted them so. To think they had fallen…into such an ambush; to think they had been so blind to the obvious. Yet even now…she felt so blind; she felt even more blind than before, in truth.

Strange… she began to feel so very…strange. She began to wander again, though she was no longer wandering as much as patrolling. Guarded and attentive, indeed; uneased and tense within.

That mountain afar, she did not like. She could stare at it, and therefore it could stare at her…and everyone else: ripe for long-distant positioning. Those bumpy hills too… She shifted her attention to another direction and noticed…yet another individual mountain afar—strange topography, indeed, but…yet another place ripe for positioning.

She was exposed. They were all exposed. Much like before.

Indeed, the scenery, the environment, so much of where she was now…reminded her of where she had been before…being ambushed.

Outside of Coastfield… she comprehended, she was outside of Coastfield; that primitive sea of buildings and denizens which those ambushers—those unknowns—so seemingly avoided.

She wondered as she began to gaze off into the distance… What would happen if she were suddenly attacked…again? She only had Bee—not even a security escort, only Bee.

“[Here’s to our Father in Heaven to grant us salvation from any more of those border checks in this feudal nightmare!]”

“[Here here! Haha! Amen!]”

Right… and she was not alone; she knew that, obviously, but now she realized that. Products of this Calamitous playground they might be; local military forces they might be; but they were still denizens. Another attack…another ambush, and it would not be solely her. Indeed, her mere presence alone…could potentially pose a near-constant danger to them all.

She did not want to drag these denizens or…any denizen for that matter…into her affairs, into her domain.

Yet…this day, the day before, and so many…many days before the day before had shown…that the denizens did not care for the same. Day by day, it seemed she was being dragged ever-more into their affairs. It was an inevitability…that they too would be dragged into hers as a result, the consequences of such…notwithstanding.

Though, as you know, your arrival here has already done that

Not to mention that engagement and subsequent carnage

That alone, had its consequences

Your presence here, already, has its consequences

And such will only grow and grow and grow

As this play expands

As this dance continues on and on…

You are, after all, the main character of this play

The protagonist on this grand stage

And all the world will fall for you

“Boo!” so suddenly did such a voice ambush her from behind.

Antica flinched as her figure immediately jerked; she snapped herself around, staring with absolute attention…only to see a shadowy blob of absolute inattention.

“…” Novea stared blankly as her shadow spell’s effects withered, her existence now processable. “…I never thought…I could actually…startle you like that, uhm… sorry, I thought you… ahem” she…apologized rather awkwardly, seeing that Antica’s brightened ignited eyes were by no means amused—they seemed rather hostile, in fact.

Antica’s guard…stood down…as her nerves cooled in kind. So ensnared in her mind, she had not noticed Novea’s approachment—obviously not helped by the effects of that specific shadow spell. Truly, that shadow magic was…dangerous; or perhaps…she herself and her own essence have been becoming complacent.

Antica sighed; “Do not do that again.” she stated ever-bluntly.

“…sorry” Novea apologized again…rather lowly, her corvid masked face withdrawing down and off to the side. Though, she rebounded soon enough; “Anyway, uhm… you’re beginning to wander a bit…far, we should head back. Might have to mingle with the Company men a little bit—build a repour with our escort, you know?”

“You do that. This has been a long day to me; I am going back to sleep” Antica replied before promptly walking off, making way back to that covered wagon—which was also the place the two were designated to sleep.

Novea…stared, feeling…rather bad and guilty for what was supposed to be simple playful tease; she truly did not know Antica could even be startled in such a way. She gently sighed before she began to make way in kind, catching up and following behind.

Antica, however, remained trapped in her mind. Cogitating, contemplating, she remained vigilant… Though, she sighed yet again.

Bee was in the sky up high, and she trusted her sentinel’s overwatching sight; she was not the only one who had learned. That deception, that trick, those unknowns would not be able to pull such a stunt a second time. But…the fact that they had been able to…was indicative of much—an understanding of the Remnant’s faults and tendencies…

Hmm… though, maybe she was not the only one being so vigilant; she had bloodied them, after all; maybe they were even scared and did not want a second time.

Such thoughts were enough to ease her mind…so that this night would not be sleepless.

-||-

Ignited eyes snapped wide open as she lunged herself upwards, scanning around…breathing. She had that dream again; that dream of cyanic popping lights, raining cyanic bolts, and streaming cyanic-trailing lances, among many other…cyanic doings and cyanic things… So much… cyan.

Antica sat herself up more properly… Ugh, truly, her figure…her body…her everything, she was not meant to sleep while in all of this…Remnant stuff. Her back felt…achy—odd, considering all of that which she has done and had ever done…which, despite the toll such had taken on her being in times before, had never caused this sort of back pain. Yet sleeping seemed to have been…that final string which broke her back—metaphorically.

She scanned around…

Novea was back at her spot, and she too was…fast asleep; though, to be quite frank, to state that she was asleep would perhaps be an understatement: she was utterly and unconditionally passed out and it was evident. Tucked gently within her arms…was, of course, that very corvid bird of hers, its shadowy midnight-blue radiating eyes…open, staring right at Antica—she had woken the bird up, seemingly.

It was dark; it was quiet. Everyone was asleep, it seemed. Antica leaned back…trying to relax, yet…that dream reignited her guarded tension. Everyone was asleep; everyone was vulnerable.

Antica sighed… her mind unable to leave her alone. It was…going to be…a sleepless night, she realized. Fine, then, if so…she might at as well patrol around. Thus, she quietly and cautiously...stepped out and back into the land beyond.

She was right, she saw, everyone was fast asleep. Not even a single nightwatch… Weren’t there these ‘monsters’ or whatevers which apparently wandered this continent? Never mind renegade denizens? She did not know if she should interpret this as an indication of this area’s safety or…of these soldiers’ own…amateurness.

Well, regardless, now that she was the only pair of eyes around—on the ground at least—, she might as well inspect. She began to circle around, evaluating this so-called ‘camp’ of theirs.

The wagons formed a triangular perimeter of sorts around the sleeping soldiers who were organized in their own column spaces. They were all sleeping right on the grass, their backpacks operating as pillows. The only one afforded even the most basic of shelters was the Company officer—that ensign. The horses had their own…equine-specific spot—all but one of them were also asleep, and the one that was not…was… gorging upon the grass, quite intensely too.

Strange things…these equines were, albeit animals were by no means her domain. She had spent far more time around automatons than…actual…animals.

Finishing her circling, she stood in place…now back where she had started, simply eyeing around, feeling the cold nightly air, taking it in. It was so quiet, besides the sounds of echoing night and nocturnal fauna—insects primarily.

Hmm… perhaps she would prefer nights over days, would that there were no stars in the night-sky; she still hated those accursed stars, forever taunting.

Hmm…she looked at the grass on the ground below… rather puffy looking, indeed. The cold gusting air, so fresh and clean compared to Coastfield… This nightly quiet, so silent compared to Coastfield; the only denizen noises being that of a snoring few.

Standing…became increasingly difficult, her eyes felt so…heavy, incapable of remaining open. Yet she decided to remain awake…for the rest of the night; yet that choice did not seem to be purely her own, for the next moment she knew… she was laying-ish…upon the puffy grass, her mind quickly retreating away and away, comfort be forsaken.

Yet abruptly, sounding from afar yet still piercing her very ears and essence was the most horrid of screeching screams ever hearable; the screams of a woman being skinned alive and torn apart, almost as if. Followed by another, then another, then another, all permeating from the sparse forestries around.

Her mind was swiftly dragged back to reality by these piercing shrieks; she lunged herself back up and onto her boots, standing, alert and attentive in absolute. She was not scared, nor panicked, merely…alarmed; she was not the only one.

“[TRINITY’S SALVATION! WHAT WAS THAT?!]” so startledly exclaimed a Company soldier, springing up and awake along with…everyone else, all startled equally, albeit showing such in…divergent ways.

“[Banshees! That must have been banshees!]” a soldier shouted, his mind struggling to retake its bearings.

“[Trinity’s Son ward us…]” another blurted.

Antica, being outside and in gazing direction, shut her eyes and simply stood in place…her guarded mind still trying to interpret and process what had just happened, what those…noises even were.

“[Forest lions, you idiots, they were forest lions]” so stated the ensign who had left his tent to calm the alerted soldiers; “[Forest lions sound like grandmothers being ransacked, yes; they are nocturnal, too]” thus explained the ensign, “[They have had their show, so pay them no mind and go back to sleep]”.

However, the Company infantry were…unconvinced; “[You are saying a lion made that sound?! Lions roar, not—]”

“[Different kinds of large cats make different kinds of sounds, you—]” the ensign was interjecting, but…

“[Sire, with all respect intended, I doubt any of us will be able to sleep here after hearing that interrupt us… Quite frankly, some of us will need to clean our pants]” a soldier respectfully interrupted.

Many heads nodded with agreeing mhms, though many also remained silent.

“[This is the Central Continent, ultimately… I refuse to sleep and let chance pick between a lion, a monster, or a harlot banshee…]” another soldier stated.

The ensign sighed; “[Fine… we will break camp, then, and continue forth]” he replied before turning attention to the rest, “[Everyone! Get up and prepare to leave! Gather your things and ready the horses! Carbineers mount up!]”

The soldiers immediately sprang into action as they began to clear the sight and prepare the wagons for departing, doing so rather fast too… their efficiency and speed masking their…panicked fear.

However, soon enough, it became apparent that the night-sky was transitioning, no longer as dark and nightly. Morning’s twilight approached; the night was ending.

“[Oh, speak of… Huh, looks like we’d have to be moving anyway, sun’s making way to rise!]” a Company soldier shouted to the rest.

Antica, still mostly unnoticed due the soldier’s own fixations and focuses, finally withdrew back into the covered wagon, opening her eyes now that it was just her and Novea who…was…still asleep—very much so, in fact. Not disturbed at all by those so-called ‘forest lions’… Not even her corvid seemed to care.

Now that the Company’s men were awake and…out and about, she herself…deep down within felt a strange…ease. Such was hard to explain, really, never mind comprehend thoroughly.

Regardless, she might as well attempt a few more hours of…sleep, then, now that she no longer needed to…be awake and alert; not that such was needed…to begin with.

Yet randomly, echoing from all directions all around… were an onslaught of these laughing…yapping howls and squeaking yips, inhuman in every way.

“[Great! Now coyotes are joining the fun! Heaven bless our ears!]”

Never mind, she decided to remain awake. And she had thought griffons were obnoxious—well, actually, griffons were still significantly more horrid than any of these local wildlife… besides maybe those forest lions. Indeed, perhaps those forest lions had usurped the griffons in some ways, even if not nearly as…ear-violating.

-||-

Novea yawned rather the peaceful yawn as she sat herself up, stretching her arms. Her utter tiredness had made what would otherwise have been rather an…uncomfortable sleep in all of her gear…rather comfortable indeed.

That was probably the fullest sleep she has had in quite the some time—ever the one to often go night after night…sleep deprived. She felt brand new, almost.

Her corvid hopped itself onto her shoulder as she straightened… She took off her corvid mask and lowered her face-covering… “Eck…smells of morning breath, why did I sleep with this on?” she complained to herself, rubbing her eyes to clean off the morning guck.

Novea then opened her large Raven carry bag, or rather a pocket of it, taking out a…type of chewable thing—it was green and smelled of spices. She popped it into her mouth; chewing, her eyes eyed around… realizing quickly…that she was being actively stared at, rather blankly too.

“I greet you” so greeted Antica to the waking Novea, whose head immediately twisted in its sharp turn, staring.

“…oh! You’re awake?” Novea blurted as she chewed, cheeks…blushing somewhat, seemingly embarrassed for whatever reason.

“Yes, for the past…few hours—I was not…tracking the time” Antica replied.

“Great…I overslept then, and I see we’re moving again… double great…” Novea remarked, somewhat…annoyed in voice, “I guess that means I’ll have to hold it…again”. She began to munch on some sort of…dried salted meat of sorts, something she carried in a small sack attached to her belt; her corvid, of course, got its own too.

“Well…” Antica began to say, “I am not certain of when you were supposed to be awake, but—”

“Sunrise, like everyone else…” Novea interrupted…somewhat in blurt.

“But” Antica continued with greater emphasis, “we started to move before the sun rose fully; it was still dark, though it was beginning to brighten”.

Novea tilted her head slightly, “…the convoy began to move early? Why?”

« … » Antica…required a moment’s pause to gather the means to really…explain the why; “…they heard these ‘forest lions’, if I understood their tongue rightly, which… they were startled by and so…we moved early” she explained.

Novea’s cheeks instantly puffed upon hearing this, clearly attempting to withhold rather the laughter, though she certainly did begin to giggle; “They were spooked by forest lions? Of course! I assume they thought they were banshees?” she inquired with giggling voice.

Antica simply nodded “Yes…” she began to reply, “I think so, if your word ‘banshee’ means the same as ‘[banshee]’ ”.

“Yeah, ‘banshee’ and ‘beanshyde’ are the same thing, so I was right” Novea replied, giggling more, “Far Westerners…pfft, these Company men must be fresh arrivals…” She quickly sighed; “Phew… so, I didn’t oversleep that much then, we just…left early, so it must still be morning… and I doubt any of them did their morning…duties, so—”

“We left quickly; they did nothing, largely” Antica interposed.

“So…they are probably miserable, which means a break-stop should be…soon, at least I hope so…” Novea said before nibbling on yet another piece of dried…animal flesh. Though, this piece proved more stubborn—too dry and leathery—, requiring intervention from water, which she began to sip from her waterskin.

Antica stared as Novea ate her so-called ‘meal’ and drank from her waterskin, being reminded that…right…denizens did such things daily and frequently—such must truly be so…miserably tedious. Though, she was also reminded that…right…she too had her own needs… to which she tended to be ever-neglectful.

Hmm…indeed, it has been perhaps a bit of time since her last sip.

Antica, ever the mimicking parrot, began to do the same. She straightened her posture and detached from her equipment-attacher-belt…her small silver-white Remnant liquid flask, of which she had two and which she had barely managed to fit alongside all of the other…stuff affixed to her equipment-attacher—the other, in fact, had to be shoved into her backpack.

Novea…paused in her own water-sipping doings as she began to stare.

With a press of a button, the tip of the Remnant flask slid opened; Antica, lowering her face-covering, promptly began to drink… only to realize, right…she had yet to even fill both of her flasks with…anything—empty… they were completely empty. Yet, oddly, for some reason, she could not detach the flask from her lips; she simply…continued as if she were drinking—pretending, she was pretending to drink, perhaps to…save face…even if she could not comprehend it.

A few ‘sips’ completed, she…quickly snapped closed the silver-white flask and let out a ‘refreshened’ exhale.

Novea continued to stare; “…so you even have a… a mythic-grade magical-looking artifact of a…water…thing—I’m not even going to ask” she remarked and stated frankly, closing her own waterskin, affixing it back onto her belt.

“Although, I didn’t hear any proper sip-swallowing… There was nothing in there, was there?” she bluntly inquired, perhaps with a tease in voice.

« … » Antica simply stared, silence being her response.

Novea smiled a humored smile, before she turned her attention to her corvid. “Look at you, handsome, I bet you want to fly” she said to her bird, voice affectionate and rather…cutesy? As if she was talking not to an animal, but a child.

Her corvid made its own sort of affectionate…corvid-noises in reply, waving its wings.

She gently scratched at the corvid’s feathers; “Sorry…you will have to stay here with me and be bored and miserable…like me; you’re a special bird, too special… Can’t have watchful eyes noticing you’re following this convoy and stitch the strings” she said to her bird, voice…somewhat lowly; she felt a bit bad, suffice it to say.

“So, how did that…‘mingling’ go the night before?” Antica asked, now just engaging in ‘small-talk’.

“Huh?” Novea’s attention shifted to Antica, “Oh, uhm…I didn’t actually…do much mingling, besides speaking with the ensign leading this…convoy—he is the one who told me to keep my shadow raven with me… He was able to notice him following… Reflecting in past-sight, it was kind of stupid that…I didn’t do so to begin with…”

“Your…bird, though, they are not…like normal birds, I was able to tell, they are…magical, no? Unnaturally difficult to notice, much like you” Antica inquired and remarked.

“Yeah, he is a shadow raven and has a natural…affinity for, well, shadow magic, but…not in the same way people do… It is hard to…explain… ahem—but, anyway, he is more easily noticeable in the open sky with not much else around… unlike a city where there’s just a lot happening, if you get what I mean” Novea explained, still stroking her corvid on shoulder.

Antica nodded her head along lightly, “I see…” Ah, so this chimeric bird’s ‘shadowy’ obscurence was dependent on the stimuli load in the immediate environment, then? Hmm… at least, that was what she garnered from the words spoken so far; it made sense, too.

“[Alright, drift to the side and halt!]” so echoed the shouts and whistles of the ensign, orders echoing in repeat by others as the wagons and horses went off-road, coming to a gradual halt.

Novea sighed in relief; “Break time” she said, not even needing to hear it spoken to know. She quickly redonned her Raven mask before swiftly hopping out and into the world beyond, her corvid following along.

Antica remained where she was; she had no reason to depart. She simply stared around… She wondered what was even in all of these crates, sacks, and barrels… such was the only thing she could wonder about with nothing else to do.

Truly, this was going to be…the next several however many days ahead, wasn’t it? On repeat over and over…until their destination was reached. Would that time were not so slow as of late. Normally, she and Remnant troopers in general could stand in place doing nothing as entire days passed by, yet now…such was… « …lentù ac taedíosù valdissimë… » indeed, all so very slow and boring, even if she could more than tolerate it.

Boring for you, and boring in general, indeed

Traveling in these lands is not what it used to be

Not as… action-filled, even if still risky

Though, be careful with what you might desire and wish

For there could always be something

Willing to provide

Later down the line