Behind the Clouds

Journey to the Waste

The journey through town goes as expected. Elizabeth weaves her way through the streets with minimal interaction, many people not batting an eye at the female as she crossed their way. Even when she crossed over the bridge, the one the stretched over the train's canal, and the black smog of the train's funnel spilled into her face, only a slight 'are you ok?' and 'do you need help?' were supplied in response to her profuse coughing.

Things got a little harder when it came to getting out of town. Elizabeth knew that she couldn't walk along the winding country roads, the rural hills being very difficult to navigate by foot. As a result, she had to rely upon a ride - which was very hard to come across.

Many of the drivers turned her down, accusing her of being untrustworthy and yet another crazy girl planning to look for Meliodas in the Waste. Others tried to make her pay through her body, her services, which of course Elizabeth rejected instantly. She may be desperate for a ride, but she was not that desperate. Selling herself to get to Waste was not something Elizabeth was willing to stoop to, especially with her background.

So the goddess spent a good chunk of the morning negotiating with different drivers, trying to catch at least one ride heading toward the Waste. Time and time again, she ended up empty-handed. But luckily, someone heading towards a small settlement that sat right on the border of the Waste, overheard her small squabble with the latest driver. He was driving a wagon piled with bales of hay, a small boy balancing on the front beside him.

"You can hop on if you want," He offers her kindly, noting how she only had a tiny bag. "I'll have to warn you though, I'm not going directly to the Waste."

"As long as it's close, I'm fine," Elizabeth responds, thanking the driver profusely. She then climbs onto the back of the wagon, noting the scratchiness of the straw that was behind her, and waits for the journey to begin.

For a solid two hours, the goddess sits perched upon the wagon, her bag in her lap and the cool country air kissing her skin. Her legs dangle from the vehicle, shaking with every little stone it passes over. Fields of fresh green grass roll by, sometimes speckled with flowers, other times running with rushing crystal rivers. It would have been a pleasant experience if Elizabeth was not worrying about the cubes of hay all stacked above her. With just the slightest wrong movement, those huge cubes could fall and crush her - ultimately making her not fully enjoy the experience.

Soon, the time came to depart from the wagon. Thanking the driver once more, Elizabeth gave him some of her bread, giving him quite a generous hunk of it. He thanked her in return and advised her to ask around if she wanted to know where to head next.

Taking the driver's advice, Elizabeth did just that. She worked her way through the village, asking anyone she saw if they knew how to get to the Waste. They all told her to ask a farmer who lived at the northernmost point of the settlement, high up the hill, who knew all about the Waste and its inhabitants. That led to her walking up the faint dirt roads, her target set for the little cottage located further out from the close-knit village centre.

The farmer was a kind man, giving Elizabeth the directions she needed but also heeding her of the dangers she would face. He watched as she continued along the path leading up the steepening hills, still warning her and telling her to turn back. Eventually, his wife came out and asked what the commotion is about.

"She's looking for her sister."

That was Elizabeth's excuse for all this. She told every person she asked about the Waste that her sister was lost there. That was her supposed motivation for travelling so far and seeking advice on how to survive the Waste. After all, who could turn down a unfortunate young girl looking for her sister?