章 63: Short Delay
Nia watched the Den of Dragonslayers from a nearby alley. The streets were filled with lights that drowned out the stars, but even so, the full moon shined brightly overhead. Even with all of the lights, the alleyway was shrouded in darkness.
Nia wore her brown cloak and hood closely, even though she still had her illusive ring. While she stood leaning on a nearby wall, the civilians, mercenaries, and soldiers went about their business. The regular shops were closed, but the taverns continued to be bustling. There was still plenty of noise as if King's City never slept. However, where she stood, rats scurried along the shadows and homeless men and women slept next to a bottle.
She continued to watch the den until she had an opening. Nia wondered whether she would be able to see this Akai that Nera has told stories about. She couldn't sense any dragon like she did before, so she couldn't rely on any help. But it gave her comfort knowing that there were other dragons still alive.
While Nia hid in the dark alleyway, drunkards would occasionally pass by from nearby taverns. Crows were perched on top of every corner of every building. The noise of the city and flocks of crows intermixed until they became synonymous with each other.
Nia looked at one of the crows and could have sworn that it was glaring at her. She thought nothing of it. While watching the den, she saw a pale woman walking out from it. She wore a dress made up of chains and had markings on her neck. The green dragon didn't recognize her even though that she was there 30 years ago at the forest. Nia only remembered the Crimson Black Knight - the demon. The others dragonslayers were a blur, however she felt that she had seen the woman before.
The woman walked slowly. Her body seemed frail and weak. She coughed and coughed. Each cough more hoarse than the next as she covered them with her arm. Nia wondered what that ill woman was doing there.
Although she wanted to help her, she made no movements to indicate so. Nia merely crossed her arms in wait for an opportunity to get her in and out safely. She has just got there, and rushing in would be suicide, she thought. First, Nia needed information. She needed to figure out where they kept Nera and the other villagers. She thought that she could grab a drunk dragonslayer coming from one of the taverns and get some information out of him, but none have crossed her path, yet.
As Nia continued to stand by the dark walls, the pale woman slowly walked towards her. Nia looked in her direction as the woman looked down at the stone pavement holding back a coughing spree. As the woman walked closer, Nia looked away feeling slight shame that she was unable to help her and she did so, Nia saw a small maggot crawl into a homeless man's mouth and swallowed it. The sight of it disgusted Nia, but there was nothing she could do, now that it had been done.
The pale lady walked into the dark alleyways and passed by Nia. The green dragon didn't think that this ill woman was a member of the dragonslayers. Perhaps, she was a family member of one, she thought. It was for a moment, but she thought that if the ill woman was a family member of one of the dragonslayers, then she could easily hold her for ransom against him, but she quickly threw away that thought. Nia thought that she wouldn't need to do anything as to take a sick person hostage to rescue Nera. What would big sister Nera think if she had done so, she thought.
As soon as Nia continued to watch the Den of Dragonslayers, one of the homeless men woke up in a daze.
He said, "Agh. My aching head..."
When the man saw the ill woman, he continued slowly as if he were drunk, "Hello, beautiful. It must be fate to bring you here."
The pale woman coughed and said in a weak voice, "I don't want any trouble. This is just my way to home."
The man grabbed the woman and forced her to the sides of the wall. As soon as the woman touched the wall, Nia sprung into action. She had to protect her.
The green dragon unsheathed her red blade and stuck it near the man's neck. Nia looked at the man's eyes in disgust and anger. For a split second, she saw some kind of worm wiggle inside of his eye, but it quickly disappeared. It took moments for the man to realize what was happening and as soon as he saw the blade pressed up against his neck while holding the pale woman in his arms, he let go and put his hands up.
"I- I don't want any trouble. This is a misunderstanding," the man pleaded.
Nia put down her sword and slightly pushed the man sending him to the ground. He picked himself up to his feet and ran away into the shadows picking up his near empty bottle.
Nia relaxed herself.
"Miss, are you alright? I think it would be wise to take the main streets. Plenty of knights in the crowd," Nia said.
The woman coughed and replied in a weak voice, "I'm fine. Thank you, but there are no other routes to my home."
"No other routes? That doesn't make any sense. Especially in a city like this."
"Oh, trust me. There is no other way."
The pale woman coughed more loudly than before as she fell to her knees. Nia helped lift her up from the cold floor.
"I guess it can't be helped. I'll help you get to your house," Nia said.
"Oh, I don't want to impose..."
"Nonsense. It won't be any trouble," Nia said as she took one look back at the Den of Dragonslayers. She thought that helping the ill woman would only be a short delay. As Nia was preoccupied looking at the den, the woman gleefully smiled.
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