Chapter 134: - A Game of Dice and Chance
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A/N: Apologies for not keeping up with my scheduled, I have been out of town because of a last minute family matter. I will be posting two here - I had them saved from before I left and I hope to get back into the swing of things. Enjoy.
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"And why do you want to do this?"
Arnold was in the midst of dressing himself in his armor, placing each and every large and thick plate of armor on top of his clothes with careful precision. His expression told Lia that he was tuned out of this conversation, but his occasional choice of words told her that this was merely a front.
"I believe we got off on the wrong foot. I'm asking this of you because I believe that there are things we can learn from one another."
Arnold scoffed, pulling on one of his large gauntlets that was covered in small scales and spikes, most likely from one of the many monsters he had slain in his Hunts.
"And what makes you think I want to get to know you better? If you think this will make my impression of you better, think again."
He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes filled with a chilling gaze filled with hate.
"I'm still going to kill you after this is all over."
Lia was prepared to back down several times believing her own plan to be stupid and foolish. However, Arnold's words kept her going, fueling a rising anger and distaste she had for him.
She needed to distract him for long enough for Cain to find where that Soul Stone had come from. In this case, she needed him to bite on the hook,but she feared he was growing smarter and she would fail.
"If you're prepared to kill me, then I guess you're prepared to leave your questions unanswered."
So she baited the hook with something he could not refuse, something no human had the right to refuse themselves of. Answers.
"And what makes you think you need to be the one to answer them. I can find my answers from other people, people who know more than you do."
"But not all of those people will help you, and not all of them will tell you what you want to know when they find out I'm dead."
"I can get it out of them."
"Are you sure?"
Arnold gave her a look, a look that implied he was questioning himself, questioning if this was all really worth it. He was weighing the pros and cons of what she offered, but eventually, he sighed.
"And how would we do this?"
He bit the hook.
Lia smiled, reaching into her pocket for a small cloth pouch she had kept with her since Neverdark. Pulling her and from her pocket, she opened her palm to reveal two small six sided dice, a part of the set that Cain had given her in his domain.
"With a game."
***
"I thank you for your kindness."
A small cup of tea and teapot had been placed on the table, another long wooden plate filled with small biscuits and cookies sat in between him and the farmer.
Cain watched the man take a sip of his own tea, his face pulled back in a smile filled with nothing but kindness. His wife was at the sink, cleaning the dishes from their supper just hours before, while her husband sought to find the reason as to why Cain was on his property.
"Don't mention it, young one. Tell me, you said you were with the Hunters yesterday, is that correct?"
"I believe I did say that yes."
The farmer nodded, taking another sip of his tea as he looked over Cain with kind and endearing eyes.
"Such nice people they were. Though I do hate how we lost our barn, the old thing was coming down anyway. It was nice to see that they got rid of that monster before it hurt anyone bad."
He nodded, turning his eyes over the dinning room, the farmers' large and decorated plates, their wooden mugs and cups shelved in neat order, as well as the seemingly spotless tables and chairs.
It all looked perfect.
'...but normal humans aren't perfect.'
"Tell me, sir."
"Hm? Of course, what can I tell you? Ask and I shall answer?"
Cain kept up the part about him being a Hunter, he had seen many in his past and knew how they acted, so he was straightforward and calm, composed, but above all he made sure he was brimming with confidence.
Normal Hunters were after all.
"The creature that tore through your barn. Was that the monster you reported seeing to the Master?"
"Well, yes. I describe the beast as having bright yellow eyes and…oh now what was it?"
The farmer feigned ignorance, pretending to have forgotten but Cain could see the farmer for what he was really doing. The man hadn't forgotten about anything, he was merely testing to see if Cain was who he said he was.
"Black skin like the night. A sleek and slender figure that I could hardly see?"
"Ah, yes that's it. The monster certainly fits the description I would say. These old eyes of mine, I would have hated if the Hunters who came here had to go chasing a monster that didn't exist simply because I have poor eyesight."
Cain smiled as it was the polite thing to do when someone ranted about their problems or about some issue they were having. People often needed someone to rant to, someone to hear, but this man acted as thought he was the one being an inconvenience, so Cain made sure he was polite and kind.
"Don't you worry about it sir. Any monster they would have found would have still been a monster anyways. The reason I'm actually here has something to do with that."
"Oh? Then please, tell me what I can do to help?"
Cain thought for a moment, he wanted to be careful, meticulous and calculating. He needed to ask what he needed to know without giving away too much until it was the right time.
'For now I should act the part, and play my role. I'm nothing more than a soldier…yes, that part will play nicely here.'
Before the farmer could see through Cain's silence, the role of a soldier taking orders from the higher beings in the land washed over him. It was quick, careful and calm. The farmer never notice the change in Cain's expression.
"I would like to know if you've seen any more monsters around these parts? Most of the other farmers, travelers, woodsmen and cart drivers who all travel the roads have reported seeing more than one beast hiding in the forests."
"Oh dear…then it seems this battle is not yet won then?"
"It would be best to assume so, sir. Until we know the size as well as the quantity of creatures and monsters alike, we won't be able to scale a force large enough to deal with them."
The farmer sighed deeply, clutching his cup of tea like it was the only support he had to keep himself from slouching. His wife of course was still busy with the sink and the dishes, moving like a mechanical machine.
Cain took note of that, something he should be careful to notice later on if things went the way he thought they would.
The farmer noticed this of course and was careful with his next words, laced with a feeling of deep sadness. The sadness of an old man who had seen the worst and the best life had to offer, only to find himself here alone.
"I fear for my daughter, you see. She doesn't live with me and my wife anymore, choosing to spend her time laughing, dancing and partying in the city center. I suppose the quiet life out here was too much for her personality."
Cain narrowed his eyes, feeling the pity this farmer was trying to impose on him as his hand quietly touched the small rock in his pocket. The Soul Stone.
'Why would a farmer be so careful with his words? Is he trying me for pity?'
"Most people don't like the quiet woods. I can relate to you sir, I prefer the woods over the city."
"Well, I'm glad someone does."
'Or is this man searching for security.'
The farmer felt awkward with Cain's unwavering gaze, hard like stone and as cold as ice. It chilled his spine to the bone and he had to stop himself from shivering.
He turned to look towards his wife, his mouth already open ready to give her a new order rather than just have her stand there and wash the dishes so mechanically. But his voice was stopped by Cain.
"One more question, and then I will leave you to be."
"Oh, of course Hunter. What else is there I can do for you."
"Just one thing."
Cain stole a glance at the wife, catching sight of her dull and unblinking eyes. Her body moved like a machine and it seemed that she would have stayed in that position even when all the dishes in the sink had been cleaned.
"You've seen many monsters in your life, but I happen to be curious about one…"
The farmer blinked, feeling his body stiffen up as he gripped his hands together hard, his mind already beginning to race.
'Monsters… plural. But I only told him I saw the one…'
His eyes widened as Cain felt a surge in the Soul Stones power as it reacted to its master's call. Cain and the farmer shared a glance, one with stone cold and imposing eyes, the other with a look of fear and terror hidden behind his mask.
'Found him…'
"...golems."
***
"So, how do you play?"
Lia and Arnold sat opposite one another, both giving the other looks of intensity and a heavy gaze. Lia let four six sided dice fall to the table between them, small but large enough to keep the dice centered, as they fell from the small cloth pouch.
"You roll two of the dice and the winner is the one who gets the higher amount. You win, you get to ask a question the other must answer."
Arnold gave her a look as he picked up two of the dice, holding them in his hands as he began looking them over for any signs of being tampered with.
"Why do things this way? Why go through the process of playing a game when we could just ask one another questions?"
"Why not? Do you think I loaded the dice?"
Arnold gave the dice a small glance, watching Lia as she looked up from the table to meet his eyes. In one swift motion he tossed the dice onto the table, rolling and rolling until they came to a stop before Lia.
6 and 7.
"Alright, I'll play. But I still don't know why you would do things in this way?"
His suspicions hadn't dropped even if the dice had proven not to be loaded. In fact, now that he knew the dice were not loaded, his suspicions had only proved to grow.
'Why play a game like this? What's her angle?'
In truth, the reasoning behind it was much more simple that he thought and for the first time in years, Arnold had to do a double take.
"Because it makes us careful with our questions."
"Careful?"
"If we simply asked one another questions, we would go over and over again wasting time. In this way it forces us to pick certain questions, things we need to know the answers to, not want to."
"Efficiency for what is important?"
"Correct."
Now Arnold was ready to bite, his own interest had been sparked as he picked up the dice, shaking them around in his hand.
"One question per win?"
"Yes."
He smiled, finding the sense of risk in this game all too exciting.
They rolled. Lia lost with 4 while Arnold won with a perfect 12.
"The Basilisk. Where did you find it and how did you catch it?"
"Normally that would be two, but I'll allow it. The Salamander wasn't the first monster to be seen in these lands. I ran into the Basilisk on my way through here, traveling across the north before I ever came to Kokono. I simply paid him a visit."
"And how did you kill him?"
"We set up a small ballista. More like a makeshift crossbow that was larger in many ways. It shot a bolt through the snake's open mouth, killing it instantly."
Arnold was intrigued, but he was more interested in how the question was answered. She was straightforward, well centered on her answer as if she had all the time in the world to think on his question.
There was a reason for it and Arnold could finally see the true risk in this game. The risk you would give too much away than what you were asked.
"You came from the north?"
"That's a third question. Roll if you want me to answer."
They rolled. Lia lost again, this time by only a single number; 7 to 8.
"I did come from the north. My home was along the border, mostly plagued by the border wars. I lost my parents at a young age and since then, I've decided that I never want to live in the north again."
Arnold found himself nodding his head, sharing Lia's painful memories with his own. He had once been called to the border for a monster plague that was growing from the dead bodies of soldiers. Undead.
Those wars had plagued the land, made all the green go away, all the animals fleeing for safety farther north or farther south. He had seen the state of the land and the people there. In his heart he cursed the five leaders of Morden and their many clans.
No one should have to live in war times, even a small child.
What he did not know however was that Lia and Cain had come up with this lie in hopes that she could use it whenever she needed.
'Use a lie enough and eventually it becomes the truth.'
They rolled again; Lia won with a 10, Arnold lost with a 2.
"Snake eyes. Just my luck…"
Lia had run through the questions in her head several times before she came to Arnold with the idea of a game. She knew what she wanted to ask, but she also knew what would happen if she asked it. The looks she would get, the suspicion that would arise within Arnold.
Taking a deep breath, Lia fueled herself with her courage, her mind thinking back to Cain for support.
"Why did you send the four brothers and what was the mission?"
"Isn't that two?"
"It's one if you answer it right."
Arnold eyed Lia for a long time, the seconds passing by like hours. Outside the streets were lit with bright lamps, fires, people and the sounds of music and laughter. It was a party out there, but here it was war.
"I sent the four brothers off to find my son. He left my sight several weeks ago and since then I have heard no word from him. I'm simply a father who is searching for his son."
They rolled again; Lia won with a dominating 12 compared to Arnold's three.
"What happened to Ken? I have not seen him since the Outpost and I have my own suspicions."
"I have sent Ken back to our main guild office in one of the five capitals. I didn't kill him for a reason."
Lia wanted to ask what that reason was, but she knew she would have to roll for it. She shook the dice in her hand and rolled, fumbling with one of them as it fell off the table.
3 to 5. Lia lost.
Arnold eyed her from his side of the table, the cheers of the people still echoing through the walls from outside. Pirates were raging with the thoughts and fears of monsters lingering. The people wanted to forget, focus on something else for the night.
It was a feeling Lia wanted now, as she could already guess what Arnold was going to ask.
"Becka can walk again, her leg was mended and healed last night. A miracle."
His eyes screamed suspicion as his lost mind wandered through puddles of his own suspicion.
"You wouldn't have anything to do with that, now would you?"
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
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