Tales of Undeath: The Von Virtus Chronicles

XLIII. Fading Fractals

Jargen: Rel. Are you doing it, or should we?

Jargen nodded toward the room where Faya was being treated, not far down the corridor.

Punjo: Jargen, don'tcha think it'd be best if we all did it...?

Jargen: You're asking me...? Hell if I know. If it was your son, what'd you prefer...?

Punjo: I'd prefer we'd at least have some sorta clue of his whereabouts...

Rel: Let's not overthink this. Madam Anya needs to know, so let's go there and tell her.

Rel walks hastily down the corridor, aimed straight at the room's door.

Jargen: Dammit kid, not thinking about it isn't going to help you when the woman goes apeshit...

Punjo: May be best if we just rip the band-aid off . C'mon!

Punjo follows Rel, with Jargen right behind. As Rel opens the door, Anya's gaze locked onto their entrance.

Anya: Finally...! What took you so long?! I've been so worried...

Faya seemed to be in a deep slumber. Her wound seemed to have significantly worsened, but at least she did not appear to be in pain. Anya herself looked tired, as if she hadn't been able to get a full night's rest in days.

Jargen: We had to get patched up, Cabdan's men were waiting for us... Things weren't as smooth as we could have hoped. Nothing we couldn't handle, though.

Anya tries to peek behind them. Whoever she was looking for wasn't there, as evidenced by her disillusioned look.

Anya: ... And Virno...?

Jargen: Virno was right there on the frontlines, it was thanks to his efforts that we managed to get to the girls as quickly as we did. If it weren't for brave young men like him, we'd-

Rel interrupts, shaking his head.

Rel: He's... Missing, madam Anya. We haven't seen him since the battle ended.

Jargen looks at Rel with widened eyes, as if he'd just committed a cardinal sin.

Anya: He's... Missing...?

Anya stands up from the old wooden chair she was sitting on, its creaks the only sound filling the dense silence that overpowered the room.

Punjo: Miss, he stayed behind to stave off a-an... E-enemy...

Rel shakes his head.

Rel: Whatever that was, it was no mere "enemy". What we saw was nothing less than a demon. 

Anya: Demon...?! My son was left to fight against a demon?!

Jargen throws his hands up in resignation.

Jargen: Fuck it. I tried.

He crosses his arms, as Rel and Punjo scrambled for an explanation.

Punjo: We dunno if it was a "demon" demon Rel, we shouldn't jump to callin' it that...

Rel: What'd you call it, then? Look madam, you know Virno better than any of us. The elderly gentleman that was with us, Ballo... He was the one that was supposed to stay and fight the demon. Alone. But because Virno was the one to... Awaken that thing... He felt it was his duty, too. He chose to stay, even when we told him not to. Now that the dust has settled... He's nowhere to be found. We don't know if he's dead or alive.

Anya clenches her fists.

Anya: His "duty"... That stubborn, reckless, pig-headed bastard...!

Their eyes widen in surprise, reacting to her choice of words.