Grimoire

Chapter 3- Fear

Scars woke from the best sleep she had in cog turns. It was as if her blood had been charged with mana as she slumbered. She felt like she could climb to Chandelier, which leaned in her favor because she would be climbing half the way. She did not bother to check if Vyncynt had awoken, he was a man grown and if late, she would leave without him. As she walked past his door she had a distinct feeling he was not there.

The Courier Express was not busy during sixth cog. The slow spinning gears and cogs drowned out the low sleepy murmurs of the exhausted couriers.

The commons had two couriers asleep on the long leather sofas it, a very common sight.

She felt the angelic embraces of the furniture on more than one occasion; when she worked the late to early cogs and could not muster the strength to drag her feet to her room. 

Their dull brown leather was polished to a high shine by many weary backsides. Most couriers were respectful and would keep their voices low and dropping blankets atop their sleeping comrades.

Except for ZenZen, no one dared to place a cover over her. Most of the time she would wake halfway through the late cogs freezing down to her very toes.

The moment she stepped up to her locker, a delicate shadow fell over her. A face containing fiery eyes and hair obscured her view.

"Scars! I heard you got a new partner."

Startled, she dropped her leather jacket and glanced towards the voice.

"ZenZen!" she exclaimed, "When did you get back?" leaving the jacket in a rumbled heap by her feet.

"About an hour ago, I am exhausted."

"I bet. You have been gone for half a year."

ZenZen was a half-blooded autumn dryad and Scars only female friend. Scars had always been awed by the dryad's beauty, the way her hair and eyes contained every hue of orange, red and yellow. The way the colors flowed into each other and her leaves would rustle when she walked. She loved the delicate wooden pattern of her skin and would often lose herself to the zig-zag design.

Unlike other Dryads who dressed in foliage, ZenZen preferred less revealing attire; she wore tight, black, leather pants with a matching vest. Like Scars and many of the other couriers, she had donned a leather jacket but hers was lovely forest green. Across ZenZen's back was slung a crossbow and at her side sat a retractable mana shotgun.

If she had to be a half-blood, why could it not have been a Dryad? Shy and gentle; no one was afraid of a Dryad, instead they respected them. Dryads were essential in keeping the Orchard Bio-domes fertile and functioning.

During the fertile year, ZenZen was commissioned by the mother Dryads from the Orchard Bio-dome's to help with the crops. Due to her affinity with plant life, she was the best for the job. Thus, they did not get to see each other often.

ZenZen never shied away from her, nor did she make symbols with her hands to ward off curses whenever she walked too close. Instead, she threw open her arms and eagerly embraced her. ZenZen's gentle warmth enveloped her, she had forgotten the feel of a friend who loved and appreciated her.

ZenZen grabbed her face and said, "Let me look at you. Ah, still as beautiful as ever. So tell me about your new partner. Rumor has it that he touched your hair without collapsing."

"He did. I think I almost died."

"Oh really, was he that good?"

"Good? What are you talking about? I was so scared."

"You are too innocent sometimes. Why were you scared?"

"His presence frightens me. He is the tallest man I have ever laid eyes on. I come up to his elbow when I stand next to him."