Tearha: The Number 139

Chapter Twenty: Hero of Monsters

Who are these monsters knocking at our doors...

Kathleen's body had been moved to the morgue and the ward was left with just Nadier and Adelaide herself. She could not help staring at the blank expression of her fellow elf as he looked stoically to the wall. In his hand, Nadier casually twirled his ring dagger around, his dexterity and coordination no longer requiring visual help.

Unable to hold it in any longer, she said, "I know what you're thinking."

"The last time I saw you, you can teleport, not read minds," Nadier replied apathetically.

"You're thinking about going to Ta'Galadul yourself to find out what the dark elves are plotting."

He stopped playing with his dagger. "I need to know."

"I'm not coming with you, you know that, right?"

"I don't expect you to." He started to swing his dagger again, never once glancing her way. "I'm sorry about blackmailing you."

She clicked her tongue and looked away. After a moment of thought, she replied, "Make sure you survive the trip."

"Why?"

"I want to kill you myself."

They looked over and their eyes met. Nadier sighed and gave a thin smile. "Sure." He cleared his throat before hastily changing the topic, "That girl you said you met, Stella Barber, why do you think The Watcher reacted that way when you mentioned her name?"

"Probably someone from his past," she speculated.

But Nadier corrected, "He said he came from another universe."

"I still don't quite believe that." She laid back into her bed and stretched slightly, careful not to reopen her wounds. "But we've given him everything we know. What he does next is up to him."

"What about you?"

"What about me?"

"What are you going to do now?"

She let out a deep breath before replying, "I'm going to Valent to get my forest back."

Whose claws are sharp and teeth bared raw...

As Miguel applied the finishing touches to the item, he wondered how he should compensate his apprentice for letting him use her workshop. He shook the idea out of his head for later before raising up the pocket watch for a final quick inspection by the light. The crystal embedded in the back of the case flickered.

He turned to The Watcher who sat waiting patiently on a chair in the corner of the room. Miguel asked, "And this Stella girl is in Muscoh?"

The Watcher replied, "According to Adelle, yes."

"That's all the way to the eastern coast." Miguel passed the man back his pocket watch.

"Which is why I'm getting all this done. I'll be leaving tonight, before all of you." He held up the watch to examine it. The crystal was perfectly fitted into the casing, as if it had always been so.

"Looks good. But does this actually work?"

Miguel puffed his chest as the aesthetic was complimented. "The crystal's energy is now part of the watch. As long as you're holding the watch, it'll be connected to your circuits."

"Was this really necessary though? I really liked this watch."

"Which is why I suggested it," Miguel explained. "It's best to embed the crystal to an object that you keep close to you. The crystal itself is small, and you'd be surprised how often people misplace them."