Twisted Tonelico

Interlude 07-Book 02: Dia oz Shazra cremia hartes dor ar gyenel heig (pt. 2)

Previously: He obeyed again, closing his eyes to this bizarre world. He faintly heard the pair whisper quietly to themselves before his consciousness slipped away.

"Lady Nimue. We really need you and the king's help. The city's gone to bigger hell on Pridelands!"

"I know, but he won't listen to me!"

"He better! Bourd is making things insufferable AND the people..."

~Twisted Tonelico~

~Meryu's Cosmosphere: Lake Vianchiel~

Malleus woke up groggy, feeling as though he slept an entire century away. He slowly rose from his bed, waiting for Lilia to tease him for sleeping in-

"Sheesh. You look like shit."

-That wasn't Lilia! He turned quickly, calling upon his staff, pointing at the person who just spoke. "Hey! Hey! Calm down! Put down your spindle, Horny boy."

"..." His mind felt like it was running a mile a minute. Everything that happened was a dream, but not his dream. Looking around him, the Fae prince noticed he was inside a Cottage-Meryu's Cottage- and the man in front of him is Ruggie, but also isn't. "Ah, my apologies, Garou, was it?"

"Yeah, and you better have it memorized~" He smirked.

With them in a safe haven, Malleus was able to note the attire Garou was wearing. While the color palette matched that of the coppers and browns of a droughted savannah, Garou wore a crop top set of armour with a small shoulder shield on his left side. The bottom half of his attire seemed reminiscent of pants some people wore in the Far East for combat, and sandals looking boots that come up to his knees. It didn't seem to protect much of his form at all, what with his midsection exposed, but the hyena didn't seem to care.

The pounding of a headache was forming again, and he placed a hand to his forehead. Immediately the commander rose from his seat and came to his side. "Whoa, there." He adjusted the pillows for Malleus to lay down on again. "Can't have you keeling over til Lady Nimue comes back."

'Lady Nimue...' He thought to himself. Who was Lady Nimue again? "You mean her, correct? Meryu."

"Nimue. And yeah."

"Where has she gone?"

"With what little we have here at Lake Vianchiel, she left to make some medicine," Garou explained to Malleus. "You're lucky that she's offering to do this for ya!"

"You seem protective of her," He pointed out.

"I owe her big time for saving King Scar. He hasn't been the same since that bastard Bourd came about and caused trouble in the Pridelands."

"Bourd?" He recalls hearing that name before he fell asleep. "Is he the current ruler of the Pridelands?"

A scowl formed on the archer's face. "King is something he ain't. He's been egging on Scar-san and his brother for years with petty squabbles around the border. He staged a coup that caused Scar to lose his brother Musafa and sister-in-law Sirabi. By chance of fate, Lady Nimue was nearby when Bourd invaded the capital with those monsters. It was thanks to her that I'm still alive. Alongside my king, too."

"Were there any survivors?"

"Hehe, not many," His tone took on a somber approach. "Scar managed to escape with his nephew, and a few townsfolk. But the kid was badly wounded. Ended up joining his parents in the Stars. Well, the stars before they were swallowed up by the Black. The wolf boy, Shiro, lost his whole pack when they tried to help push back."