Lowell

Chapter 16

As they made their way down the road to Deidon Hold Estelle asked about Repede as soon as she felt it appropriate. Yuri had to admit the warrior dog was a rather odd sight. "Yuri is this dog yours?"

He smiled at the question. Technically Repede didn't belong to anyone let alone Yuri. "Sort of, he's my partner Repede."

The dog barked and Estelle bowed her head. "Oh, nice to meet you to."

Yuri paused and muttered her words under his breath. "Did you actually understand what Repede was saying?"

Estelle raised her brow. "No…"

Yuri chuckled. "Yeah, I guess that was a stupid question." If Estelle could really understand Repede that would have been a miracle. Yuri often got tired of being the only one who understood what animals and monster were saying.

Now that things were slightly less hectic Yuri got to thinking. According to the map Estelle would be dropping off in Halure first while he went onto Aspio. After he got back the aqua blastia he'd head home and look into Hanna Quin.

He was finally close to some answers.

"You're…" Estelle stopped. "You're not like what I expected."

"How so?" He kept on walking keeping a straight face.

She kicked a stone on the road. "Flynn… he mentioned that once that you were… well…"

"Not entirely human?"

She kicked the stone further and nodded. "Yes. I thought that you'd look more… like a Krytian." Estelle halted and examined him feverishly. "Or maybe you do and I just can't tell!" Then she stopped again and sheepishly held her hands together. "Um… what does a Krytian look like anyway?"

Yuri raised a brow. "You've never seen a Krytian before?" Sure, he'd only met one once before, but he at least knew what they looked like. But, then the nobility had never been fond of Krytians and The Great War had led to them being basically pushed out of the Empire entirely. Not much was known about what went on in the war or the politics behind it, but there was one thing that Yuri tried to forget.

Krytians were seen as enemies of the state. They were arrested and detained, but not killed outright. No, it was worse. They cut the antennae from their head and the Krytian victims fell apart. They wiped out any settlements and made them second class citizens. Humans went on a man hunt for Krytians that finally ended when Yuri was eleven. The viciousness had died down, but nothing could change the damage or controversy.

Estelle shook her head sourly. "They look just like normal people only their ears are long and they have antennas sticking out their head." Yuri wasn't a Krytian though. "If it bothers you to be too close-"

"No!" She exclaimed and then recomposed herself. "I mean, I don't care that you're half-Krytian. I just wasn't sure what to expect." Estelle pouted her lips. "I'm a little disappointed actually."

"How so?"

Estelle kicked her stone again. "With how everyone in the castle talks about Krytians I thought they'd have horns, sharp claws, and big pointed teeth." Repede snickered and Yuri hid his amusement behind a smirk. Two out of three ain't bad. "But, you seem just like any other person."

"Sorry to disappoint." Yuri was freakier than a Krytian could hope to be. If he was lucky then Estelle wouldn't have to see it. They kept on. Diedon Hold was about a day's walk from Zaphias so if they kept pace they could reach the city soon. His head still hurt and he wanted to sleep, but that wasn't an option. As the time went on and their feet got sore it became clear they'd need a place to sleep soon.