The streets of the town leisurely brighten as lamplighters kindle the streetlights, dying the surrounding with vivid colors as nighttime draws near. Folks fill the sidewalk with their constant chitter-chatter and tittering, there are stalls of different kinds that contribute with the festivity as shoppers flock towards them interested by what the vendors can offer. Merry odes accompanied by a lute echoes across the streets giving a pleasant atmosphere to the people participating in the festival, even the sweet aroma of treats and mouth-watering fragrance of food tingles the nostrils and incites hunger as it freely wafts in the air. Cheerful shouts and clappings can be heard as a group of performers does their routine to amuse the spectators, kids vigorously cheer when a trick unveils in front of their innocent eyes. With sparkling eyes and antsy steps, Nana trots all over the place, it's her first time witnessing a festival outside of the colony. Like a kid visiting a toy store, delighted and upbeat she observe the place.
"Hey, hey! What's this? C'mere Natalia, it has a sweet nice smell, this brown looking rock. Is it edible?"
"Hello there missy! Want some freshly baked brownies? They're the best in town!!"
The vendor exclaims, promoting his product to Nana. Natalia grumbles since she has little money left but buys a couple of them anyway, just to relinquish Nana's curiosity that has been rampant since they arrived in town. It was an unexpected turn of events, Nana joining her that is, she was reluctant at first but gave in as the pestering didn't seem to stop anytime sooner. She made a cloak for Nana to wear and hide her cat-like ears and tail, it might cause a riot if a beastman suddenly appears in town since humans are easily scared by the unknown and things that defy their reasoning.
"Mmmm, human food is so diverse. Can't stop myself from binging on human culture, especially the food! Ahh~ I'm so blessed."
"Hurry it up, we still have a place to visit and I'd like to be done with it as soon as possible."
Natalia slips into a dark alleyway, away from the unwanted gazes; Nana wolfs down her food as she follows her. The noise from the festival diminishes as they venture through, the sweet fragrance of the stalls changes into fetid and pungent smell coming from the sewers and rotting wastes left on the corners. Squeaks of vermin rats disturb the silence as they scamper in and out from the cavities of the walls to their nests while being chased by some stray cats with hisses and sharp claws. They reached the most awful part of the town, where scums of all kinds reign the place with fear and outcasts of society that given no choice but to live in this dreadful place. Nana snuggles closer to Natalia all afraid and shivering but still keeping her guard up for any threat that may come unannounced. A group of thugs that are drinking on the side of the muddy road wobbles towards the two with bottles of ale and sharp objects on their hands. They snigger and look at them with lust, the others creep around to surround their prey, they have guts because of their advantage in number and under the influence of alcohol but once scarred they will scamper like a whimpy battered dog.
"Ho ho! Are these poor little sheeps lost? Perhaps these ol'sheperds can lead you the way?"
"Maybe give you some hot man milk and juicy sausages?"
"Or do you prefer a good trim down there?"
The group burst into laughter with their distasteful sexual harassment, one of the thugs approaches with huffings and the desire to lay his hand to the supple and untouched body of the two.
"It's getting cold, don't you agree? Why don't we warm your body up? It will be fun."
One of them proposed while licking his lips. Natalia scorns at the thugs while Nana tries to reach her boomerang hidden within her cloak. But before the two could lay their hands at the assailants a silhouette darts like an arrow and with precise strokes incapacitates the thugs and they fall like timber on the mud. The silhouette turns into a young man with blond hair and deep blue eyes, muscular with a broadsword in hand and dressed as a royal guard of the church of light, as he bathes in the silver moonlight.
"Danger never leaves you eh? Bright Claw. Been awhile."
"Alucard the Demon Hunter, glad to see you didn't change one bit. Brute as always."
They exchanged comments as soon as the two sees each other, Nana pops out from the back of Natalia and looks at the guy as he sheath his weapon.
"Mister, will these guys be okay?"
She asks as she pokes the unconscious thugs with her boomerang. Alucard looks at the unfamiliar face that accompanies Natalia with surprise,
"Don't worry kid, I used the blunt side of my sword, patrol guards will be here soon to put them in jail. Anyways, what's your name and what relation do you have with Natalia?"
"I'm Nana fr-"
"I picked her up along the way, it's a long story that I don't wanna discuss at the moment. Can we go now? Time is not in our favor."
Natalia cuts in, thumping her foot to imply that she's in a hurry. Alucard simply sighs in reply and makes a gesture with his hand to follow him. After a few minutes of walk, they arrive at a run-down apartment that might crumble sooner or later; the flooring is as bad as the structure, cracks everywhere and their every step is followed by creakings of the rotten wooden floor. The place is covered in dust and cobwebs, the smell of mold and methane gas wrinkles the nose as they go in further down the basement. A candlelight illuminates the place as Alucard opens the only room in the basement, a feminine figure on a sea of papers and books appears inside the room. Blonde twin tails and slim physique, she portrays the beauty of a Victorian gal; her attention shifts to the three that enters the room and puts the paper that she's holding down on her desk while holding her head with her hand as she gives a smirk to Natalia.
"So what brings the mighty Bright Claw in a backwater town like this? How can the humble me be of service?"
" Cut the sweet talk, Layla. I've stated all in the message that I sent beforehand."
Natalia replies as she sits down at the sofa that is in front of Layla's desk, Nana admires the room that is filled with different kinds of books, tomes, and grimoires while Alucard just stands near the door as a guard. A sigh slips out from Layla's mouth and rummages through the pile of papers on her desk; she took a file and gave it to Natalia.
"Vexana is known as a necromancer and she's venerated as a goddess by some people in the southern part of the Nekêşî region. Her cult has already invaded our land and some of her leaders have established churches that indoctrinate the people who are out of reach from the church of light's teachings. The cult leader from the Cewher ruins, Faramis, is one of her higher ranking leaders; she's also gathering natural life force from forests, river banks, and grasslands to gain eternal life. We've been on her case for the past months and found her headquarters is near the Jiyanê river on an abandoned dungeon filled with different races: dark elves, orcs, cyclops, mermen and so on; all corrupted by her power. Infiltrating that place alone is even impossible for you Natalia."
Natalia closes the file as soon as she's finished and returns it to Layla's desk. Layla made a great job at gathering information, in fact, she's one of the best scouts of the church of light;
"So what do you suggest? Leave her as it is? I'd rather clash head-on than end a dog's death."
"Calm your horses will yah? Don't make harsh decisions that you'll one day end up regretting. You and the church share the same goal and enemy, I know that you've resigned from the order but nevertheless, the church will gladly take any helping hand... By the way, who is that little runt?"
Layla points at Nana who, at the whole time, has been roaming around the room poking at anything that catches her curiosity. She waves her hand to Layla upon hearing that she became the topic of the two girls.
"I'm Nana fr-"
"That's a beastman that I've found on the rainforest. A group of dark elves under Vexana's control were disturbing their place, I decided to help them and she became fond of me. The end."
"At least let me do my own introduction you piece of-, damn it! You piss me off!! Argh!!"
Nana pounces on Natalia's head, biting and scratching her out of spite. Layla giggles off at the silly display of the two, even Alucard started to snigger.
"Well, it's a little late but it's nice to meet you, Nana. My name is Layla, a scout of the church of light and sister of Alucard, the fine young man over there, he's a guardian of the church of light pretty much like Natalia. Please do forgive our friend for her rudeness and insensitivity."
"The pleasure is mine, Ms. Layla and Mr. Alucard, I'm Nana from the colony of beastmen at the rainforest and daughter of the chief. I'll gladly be of assistance if my strength is ever needed."
"That's reassuring to hear! As a member of the church of life, we wholeheartedly accept your help and may this be a bridge for humans and beastmen to have a good rapport in future endeavors... Back to the problem at hand, my plan is already in motion. Care to listen?"
The briefing lasted until the break of dawn with revisions to ascertain victory, losing is not an option and it will never be. For the church and the believers, for the future and peace, to eradicate evil from this world; that is their goal. Natalia yawns as she resurfaces from the beatdown apartment, her bones crackle as she cranks her body to dissipate the fatigue accumulated from the past days. The other three comes out after her as chirps of birds and the smell of dew welcomes them, a typical morning that it's easily taken for granted. How long can they enjoy a peaceful morning like this? The four strides toward a future that the ending is still unknown.
I've discovered that Vexana's name came from the Kurdish language that means "to drink." So I went and named some places with it:
Nekêşî means "jealousy"
Cewher means "Jewel"
Jiyanê means "Afterlife"
Hope you liked this chapter, drop a support!!
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