The Non-Human Society

Chapter One Hundred and Ninety Four - Vim - Societies Return to Lumen

      Everyone was all smiles as they returned home. One could feel the joy in the air as their carts rolled into the warehouse, coming from the piers. I closed the warehouse gate after the last cart rolled into the depot, and went to helping them unload. There was no need to greet them, or ask how their journey had been. I had met them at the dock, and helped moor the ship. I had already gotten a headcount, and been told that all had been fine. Although a few were upset with how long it had taken me to send Reatti and give them the all clear.

They hadn't brought back too much. Nothing that an hour of everyone working didn't take care of... especially since we had some human assistance. Lamp had requested, and Brandy and the rest had agreed, to get a few of her people from their Eastern Guild. They hadn't exactly been told of the Society, or its purpose and those who lived within it yet, but that was the eventual plan. After witnessing the large creature, and the trip on the ship afterwards it seemed Lamp wanted her people to join us quicker than intended... as to keep them safe. She worried for their lives, not because she didn't trust the Eastern Guild but rather because she knew no amount of normal people could have protected them from such a creature.

It was hard to blame Lamp for wanting to give her people what she deemed a better, and safer, life... but a part of me wondered if joining the Society was in the end just as dangerous.

After all so many of us ended up dead.

Walking back into the depot after dropping off a large box to the vault, I found it mostly empty. Most of the Society had finished their tasks, and were likely resettling back into their homes. Or maybe even getting some well earned rest... I knew many of those here struggled to sleep when on the road, either from the stress or worry. I had noticed a few had... rather dark eye-bags, and had moved slowly.

"From the look of the docks most of the larger ships were destroyed and lost. We'll have to keep the Saint Light. The cost of canceling the contract would be far less than what we'd earn short term until everyone else is able to rebuild their fleets," Brandy spoke excitedly to Gerald. They were lost in their little world of business, so I ignored them and approached the largest cart. It was empty now, and the horses taken care of and sent to their barns, but Merit was still messing with it. She was up on the cart and bent down, picking something up.

Stepping up to the side of the cart, I watched as she huffed and lifted a small nail. A black iron one, that looked bent.

"Did someone break something?" I asked. It looked like it was one of the main nails that held the frame together. One of many.

"I did. On accident," Merit said as she stepped over to the edge of the cart, as to stare down at me. Even though she was short, while on the cart she was still taller than me... though not by much.

Glancing over the cart's side railing, I tried to find the spot she had broken. I didn't see it, but honestly didn't spend much effort on it. After all, it was just a single nail in a single cart. Someone else could handle it later.

Merit however held the nail as if it was important... as if it was something drastic. The way she stared down at it, with upturned eyebrows, made it seem as if she could hear the metal nail screaming out in pain and despair.

"What is wrong, Merit?" I asked her.

"During the ride here, a few people made comments. The kind I didn't like to hear," she whispered.

Ah. I see. That must have been where she had been sitting... and she had fidgeted and messed with the nail, or the wooden plank it had held in place, and then thusly broke it when annoyed.

"You're not one to usually let other's words affect you so deeply," I said to her gently. I wonder what had been said? Was it about Brom's death maybe? She had been there, but I honestly figured that those here would blame either me or Renn before anyone else.