BANE: avenge

chapter 21

4 chapters left! Book will be complete on September 29th!

I looked up at the black building, almost falling to pieces & laughed unbelievingly.

He had to be kidding me. There was no way that this was where Apollo's Oracle was located. Completely impossible.

I looked at the decrepit fenestres, the glass falling in shards, & looked to the floor, covered in pieces of the glass, bits of old paint, & the pieces of a black, grimy plaster fallen to the ground, exposing bricks that were falling apart. Trees overgrown, vines & nature covering the whole place; the wilderness taking back what was once hers.

I looked at the shambled building & turned to Al incredulously.

“Surely this is not the place I have walked two entire hours to get to, is it?"

“Wel-"

“Surely this is some sort of cruel joke, is it not?"

“Actually, this is precisely where you told me to guide you to."

“What about the house next to it? It looks slightly better."

“No, miss. It is this house. This is the one they tell stories about."

“Stories?"

“Yes, miss."

“What sort of stories do they tell?"

“The sort one tells the wee ones to scare them off a bit before bed."

“Al-right, tell me one. You had better have a good reason for bringing me hence."

“A good reason? You told me to! I never said a peep about wanting to come hence to this dump, much less lead you hence for free!"

“For free? Why I said I was going to pay you when I found my friends!"

“Your friends? They ran off."

“My friends ran off?"

“Those friends of yours ran out of the house seconds after you defenestrated the man. If you ask me, I should say they are chickens."

“They ran out? Why?"

“How should I know? They didn't happen to stop their running & tell me why they were!"

“You know where they went?"

“No, after that I got told - actually, heard - that some bloke had gotten murdered by a machine lady, so I ran off to go take a look before it got too crowded."

“Well, just get to telling me the story."

“Oh, that? Well, apparently the mess & plaster around this house has stayed exactly as it is for ages. Once, I came hence & took a bit of the wall with me, & the next morn, it was gone. I came back hence & checked, & it was right where I had picked it up from. In fact, hence it is now."

He picked up a piece of plaster from the floor & showed it to me.

“Exactly in the spot."

“That's not exactly a story, Al."

“It was a figure of speech, miss."

I took the plaster from him & looked it over. It looked like a completely normal piece of plaster, albeit a blackened & old piece of it.

I frowned, but I still wasn't convinced.

“If it doesn't change, then why is it in this state?"

“Why would I know?"

“I think you are just pulling my limb."

“Suit yourself, miss."

I turned over the piece of plaster in my hands.

“Where were they going when you last saw them?"

“Who? Your friends?"

“Yes, my friends. Where were they heading?"

“They went right. I could take you back, if you want. I've nothing better to do."

“I think maybe we should do that."

“Alright, I shall take you back, miss."

I threw the plaster in the opposite direction of the house & was about to follow him when I heard a shout.

“Do not go with the girl, Olesya! Go inside the house!"

A girl?

“What girl? Why would I go with a girl?"

“Olesya, do not leave, go inside the house!"

“I don't want to! You always yell at me, forcing me to do things without explanation! I want to know who you are! I want to know why!"

By now, there was a small crowd around me as I turned around, looking for the voice's body.

“Miss! I think we should go. Miss!"

Al was tugging on my arm, but I shook him off.

Him?

Was it him?

“Are you talking about Al?"

“Her name's Almira, & I am behind you."

“Behind m-?"

My breath was knocked out of me at the sight of her.

“Almira? Do you see this?"

She'd backed away with a fearful but curious look in her eyes.

“She can't hear or see me. Only you can."

I turned back to the maiden.

Her pale, shimmering skin flickered. The dress - toga - she was wearing was made out of a fabric I had never seen before. It looked somewhat like steam, but it glittered & rippled with all the colours of a steam-bow.

“But why can't they see you?"

“I was sent to help you, & you only at this moment."

“Sent to help me? Why only me?"

“That is not my place to tell."

“Why? Why is it not your place to tell? Who are you?"

“I was not sent to tell you that. As for my name, I am Iris, messenger of the gods & goddess of the rainbow."

“Gods? Goddess? Rainbow? What in the Aetherverse is a rainbow?"

“I suppose here on earth it would be called a steam-bow these days."

“You are the goddess of the steam-bow? That exists?"

“Yes, it exists. You know who I am, now go in the house."

“Go in the house?"

I fumed.

“Why should I?"

“It is where the Oracle resides."

“Oh? Is it now?"

“Olesya. I have told you what I was sent to tell you. I will take my leave now. Obey the gods, or suffer the consequences."

“Wait! I-"

She vanished, leaving behind nothing. Not even a wisp of cotton-like appearance. Nothing.

I fell to my knees in my frustration, placing my hands on the dusty ground, my hair wrapping around my face. Then, I jolted as I heard a gradual applause starting & growing as coins showered on me. Al - I mean, Almira - started rapidly collecting them. I paid it no heed, as I was so astounded.

“Capital performance, child.” an old lady choked out with tears in her eyes.

Performance?