The Past Leaves Scars

Chapter 20

Akira

"Why does Adalric always do this to us?" Neyco groaned.

"Don't know, but it doesn't matter. We need to get a move on if we want to get there before dark. Besides, it could be helpful to stock up on stuff while we're there." Akira folded her map back up and tucked it back into her pocket.

"Well, what about them? Got a plan for that?" Neyco gestured again to the three people standing behind him.

Starstreak looked thoroughly confused, the Sanistery soldier was distant in thought, and Seth showed indifference. Akira questioned whether any of them had any competence at all.

"You know what, I don't think it'll be much of a problem," Akira said.

"Let's just get this over with then." Neyco sighed and began walking, pulling Starstreak and Seth with him.

"Why do you dislike her so much?" Akira asked, amused at Neyco's disgruntlement they had to go to Rabexis IV and talk to the head of the town.

"Because she doesn't like me," Neyco whined, "And that's weird. I mean, who doesn't like me?"

"I could name a few people-"

"Don't argue with me when you want an answer to your question." Neyco interrupted.

"Whatever. Let's just hope Bellatrix is in a good mood." Akira smiled.

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"I got it!" Neyco announced, holding up a blue, hooded shawl.

He'd gone into the Rabexis town to get something that would cover up and hide the Sanistery soldier's very obvious Sanistery features. They didn't want to scare people and it was already bad enough they were going into the town as bounty hunters, not to mention they had hostages with them.

Rabexis were pacifist towns, created as safe havens for people wanting to escape the war. They were scattered all across Seathia and belonged to no one House. Most survivors from the dead Houses, Mahkatai and Ra'umi, lived in and ran them.

But this particular town was run by an Aratky. And, hopefully, she would show some grace to Akira and Neyco for being the same.

Neyco gave the shawl to the Sanistery soldier, "Put it on and pull the hood up."

The blue-haired girl did as she was told. The hood of the shawl was larger than her head and it dipped low, better hiding her from view.

"Let's go," Akira said as Neyco took Starstreak and Seth's lead from her hand.

As expected, as soon as they entered the town and started walking through the more populated areas, people were looking at them and whispering to each other, some judgemental, others concerned or curious.

Thankfully, no one spoke up too loudly or caused that much of a scene and the group five continued walking through Rabexis IV to get to Bellatrix's house.

But, they didn't have to as the strawberry-blonde woman spotted them from where she was helping a Mahkatai man unload a wooden cart of barrels.

Akira pressed her lips together and silently agreed with Neyco as he said lowly, "Here we go."

Bellatrix stormed up to them an irritated look on her face. "What in the name of Arank do you think you're doing?" She demanded.

"Heyyy Bell, nice to see you again! Long time, no see, huh?" Neyco said awkwardly.

Bellatrix glowered at him and crossed her arms. She looked to Akira with an eyebrow raised. It wasn't much of a secret that Bellatrix considered her to be the more sensible one of the pair.

"So, uh, here's the thing," Akira started, "We're on a job- obviously- and, well, we're trying to get to Azylim but Adal-"

"-Ric didn't get you a boat at the docks and you need me to do it." Bellatrix said the rest of Akira's sentence at the same time as her. It wasn't the first time this boat thing happened.

Akira nodded and Neyco flashed a smile. Both were attempting to look as innocent as possible with the two hostages and suspicious hooded figure with them.

Bellatrix pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed, "And who are your 'friends'?"

"Well, uh, they're our jobs." Akira answered.

"Why are only two of them tied up?"

"It's kind of a long story, but those two are considerably more dangerous than this one."

"Akira, Neyco, you two know perfectly well this isn't accepted here." Bellatrix scolded them like children.

"We know, but-" Neyco started.

"No buts. Untie them now." Bellatrix said.

Akira and Neyco tried to argue with the older woman but she wouldn't give in. The pair exchanged defeated looks and turned to untie Starstreak and Seth from their binds. Neyco mumbling something about everyone getting murdered as he fiddled with the knots.

Bellatrix stood by and watched them with a hard look on her face. The evidence of war on her body made Akira and Neyco all the more inclined to listen to the woman.

Bellatrix had scars all over, long, jagged ones from swords and knives. The most noticeable one stretched from the top of her forehead, down through her right eye, to the centre of her cheek. The damaged eye was cloudy and white, she was blind in that eye.

And then there were her horns. Or lack of horns. She'd lost them in the war, Akira had always wondered how but didn't have the nerve to ask. Intertwining lengths of laurel leaves covered the dark stumps. Something Akira had seen the children of the town doing once.

Starstreak and Seth's ropes dropped to the cobbled road. And then their muzzles fell too, hitting the stone with metallic clunks.

Akira looked up to see Bellatrix with a somewhat taken aback look on her face as the woman looked at Seth. Akira frowned and turned to see what was so interesting about the Glacian but only saw him putting his black mask back on. Bellatrix must be concerned over the bones on that thing.

Neyco wasn't watching though, he was looking off into the distance down the cosy street of the town. Akira stayed reasonably behind Starstreak, who was eyeing her suspiciously, and Seth. In case they decided to make a run for it.

"Right, well, as for your boat situation," Bellatrix finally began to give the answers Akira wanted, "There's one arriving tomorrow. You can stay one night here. One. I'll take you in the morning tomorrow and then we're done."

"Thank you," Akira breathed a sigh of relief.

"Now I have work to do but..." Bellatrix looked around before lighting up upon sighting who she needed, "Spore! Come here!"

A tall, white-haired man wandered over to the group and stood next to Bellatrix. He looked to be around the same age as Neyco, maybe a tiny bit older and had golden eyes and tan skin. He was Windwalker. Colour was how the people determined hierarchy and to have no colour at all...This man was exiled. No wonder he was here and not enjoying the luxury of a peaceful rainforest.

"Could you take these five to the inn, make sure they get one of the far-end rooms." Bellatrix told Spore.

"Sure, right this way." He gestured behind him.

Akira had to give Starstreak and Seth a push each, so they started following along as Neyco took up the lead, attempting to strike up conversation with Spore.