Chapter 18: Chapter 18: Salute
Lia cried out my name as I rushed towards that person, not intending to let them escape. The person turned around and noticed me swiftly approaching. He put on his hood and ran. "What the…" I continued my pursuit and followed him through the market, maneuvering through people and stalls like an obstacle run. He tried to shake me off a few times, but I managed to keep up, though only barely. Eventually, I lost sight of him. I climbed on a cart for a better view and scanned the area frantically. I miraculously caught a glimpse of someone turning through the street corner and hopped down. I ran to the corner. He was gone. I turned my head left and right and found no one. I heard a fluttering sound coming from above. I looked up. He dropped behind me and kicked. I fell forward on the ground. He grabbed one of my arms and tried to twist it. But being familiar with grappling moves, I shifted my weight and counteracted the move, shoving him aside. I stood up briefly but he swept my feet, and I fell again. This time, he managed to lock my arms and dislocated my shoulders.
"Aaarghh!"I screamed, stabbing pain in my shoulders.
"Who sent you?" the person demanded, his voice muffled by a mask.
"What?" I asked ignorantly.
He increased pressure on his hold and send another surge of pain to my shoulders.
"Aaaargh!"
"Answer the question! Was it Delek?"
"Who the hell is Delek!?"
"Wrong answer!" he shouted at me and applied pressure again.
"Wait, wait, stop!" I pleaded desperately.
"Feel like talking now?" he asked smugly.
"Duh valak tes Arthuri, mo?" I said in Elvish.
He froze for a while before finally loosening his grip.
I heaved a sigh of relief, "Do you under-"
He took out a knife and put it against my throat, "Quiet!" and began padding me down, searching for concealed weapons. He unhooked the item I bought and studied it for a moment, then tossed it away.
"Hey, I just bought that!" I complained. He ignored me.
Unable to find anything, he released me. I rolled to the side slowly, turning my back against the ground, breathing raggedly.
"You chased me down, only to ask for directions to Arthuri, and without a weapon at that? Are you an idiot?" He wore a light leather armor, fitted perfectly on his slender build. He crossed his arms, looking down at me condescendingly with his purple eyes.
"Who needs weapons when you can use magic?" I tried defending my pride.
"Tsk, yeah, right. Silly of me to have failed noticing the non-existent fluctuations of magic around you," he sneered.
I cradled my dislocated shoulder with my good arm and frowned at him, "So do you know the way or not?"
"No, I don't, since I wasn't born from there. Even though Arthuri is one of the ancient Elven Kingdoms that most Elves know about, it's specific locations are only known by a select few."
"..." All along, I had thought I could learn the whereabouts of Arthuri, as long as I managed to find an Elf and convince them of my identity. To think that I've been so naive as to assume all Elves would know the directions. Maybe I'm an idiot after all. Wait, does that mean I got my shoulder dislocated for nothing?
"Besides," he continued. "Who would want to live in such a desolate and backward place? I heard that the ancient Elven Kingdoms are currently in decline due to the inflexible traditions of the elders. Their populations are also in steadily plummeting since most of the Elves who left didn't want to return any more. Places like those are better left to crumble in the dust of history," he said coldly.
I glared daggers at him. I might not stand a chance in a fair fight, but I still have my trump-card with me.
"Oh? You wanna have a go again under that condition? Seems like you're not all talk after all," he pulled back his hood and mask, revealing his feminine features and auburn hair, tied in a bun. The pointy ears present, obviously.
I was dumbfounded. It turns out that 'he' was actually a 'she'. She helped sat me up and put one hand on my hurt shoulder, another one holding my arm.
"This is gonna hurt like a bitch," she said.
"Wha?-aaaooow" *crack* she snapped my shoulders back in place.
"Mikeeee! Where are you?", I heard Lia's voice calling from a distance.
"Right here!" I answered in misery.
She spotted me and jogged, "Mike, what happened? Are you hurt?"
"Dislocated shoulders, few minutes ago. Snapped back in place already," I explained briefly.
Lia hurriedly took out a vial out her bag, pulled loose the cork, and handed it to me.
"All of it," she instructed.
I took the potion and downed it all. I felt the pain lessening a few seconds later.
"Thanks."
"Try not to move it too much, it's just a mild painkiller," she took out a long piece of cloth and started tying up a makeshift sling. I turned to look at my assailant and saw her already walking away. I decided to let her go and not pursue the matter any further. While she might've over-reacted, it's only because of the fact that I had approached her in a seemingly hostile manner. And for such, the entire blame could be said to lay entirely with me. Lia put her palms on my shoulder and began channeling a healing spell. As usual, nothing happened. The reason she keeps doing it is because I always seem to recover faster afterwards. "You should get injured more often," a faint voice resounded in my head.
"Shut up!" I shouted internally.
Ellariel went silent again. This woman...
Lia helped me put on the sling and said, "I'll head to the guild and tell them we can't make it. You should go back to the inn and rest."
"It's okay, Lia. You don't need to, I'm coming to the guild with you. It's barely even lunch time right now. By the time the test starts, I would've already healed by then," I tried convincing her.
"No, Mike. Go back to the inn and rest," she said sternly. She tried frowning to look fiercer, but it backfired, making her look cuter instead.
How adorable. I couldn't contain my grin and avoided looking at her.
She scowled at me, "You just smiled, didn't you? No one ever listens to me! Even if it's for their own good!" she snapped.
"I… I'm sorry… I just…" I tried to appease her, but the words just won't flow.
She sigh, "It's fine. Let's go to the guild anyway. But if you haven't recovered by the time the test starts, I want you to call it off! Clear?"
I stood up straight and gave her a military salute, "Yes, ma'am!"
She smiled. I'm glad to have seen another side of her today. Never would I have thought Lia could actually get mad like that - the awkward and easily flustered Lia. And for my sake, no less. We resumed our initial objective before I got sidetracked, and made our way straight to the guild.
"By the way, how did you even managed to get your shoulder dislocated?"
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