"Okay, everyone, settle down," I said in the tavern on an early sunny day. My group looks tired, and the only one who seems to be awake was Cedric and Unmei like usual. Cedric was by the bar with Giovanni drinking his latest vodka and coffee mixture. While Unmei played with darts nearby. I sighed and said, "We earned a visit to the hot springs as a reward for the Aka trial," Alwen and Dawn started to become more awake. "Wait! So we finally can sleep?" Alwen asked, and I nodded. "HEY, GIOVANNI GIVE ME THE BEST CAKE YOU HAVE!" She shouted contently. "Cake!" Dawn smiled as Emilio slept quietly. "Hm?" Unmei stares and aims his dart right in Emilio's arm. "GAHHH!" Emilio shouted, "Oh, I missed yikes." Unmei collected his dart off Emilio's shoulder. "EEEK!" He winced in pain.
"Why are you sleeping? Don't you usually go farming for Goro?" Alwen asked as Emilio rubbed his arm. He pondered for a moment before answering, "I guess these days, I've been lazy, Haha." He gently laughed as Giovanni brought a cake to our table. "This looks wonderful!" Dawn smiled as Alwen looked like she about to take a bite. Hey now, you can eat cake after I finish my announcement," I said, Alwen crossed her arms with disappointment. "Cake..." She groaned. "Though this is a short vacation for us, it's also a job." I heard Alwen moan louder before speaking again.
"There's been suspicious things happening in Axis. Lady Tomoya will be there to greet us and support us." I said. "What's been going on there?" Cedric asked. I cleared my voice and proceeded, "There have been reports of missing children, though the reports come back the same.." I answered. "Like what?" Emilio asked. "It tends to takes a little girl while there asleep. Many people in Axis are now trying to sleep alongside their children; even then, they still get abducted." I answered. Everyone stood silent, "Well, we work first, then hot springs later." Unmei replies, shooting his dart directly into a hit. "But, but the cake..." Alwen groaned, and I rolled my eyes. "Yes, you can eat the cake," I answered; she happily cut a big piece for herself and began to munch on it. "Are you taking any of that strawberry cake?" Giovanni had asked me, and I shooked my head. "I think my piece can wait for now." I smiled gently. Unmei gazes at Emilio and Dawn and felt they were acting peculiar. He watched as Dawn didn't enjoy the cake earlier like she did and put it back on the table as Emilio fell asleep again. "How odd." He muttered.
As I was at home packing, I took out the floral pin inside my tunic and looked at it. "You seem to be a lucky item for me, huh?" I smiled gently. The red amulet attached to the pin faintly glow like usual, and I always assumed it was just protecting my heart; I placed it back inside and packed some new clothing pair. I heard the door slide open to see Marie, the court maid holding a cloth in her hands. "Miss I finished picking up your sword from the blacksmith, he said to be careful wielding it next time because of the heavy material." Marie smiled. "Thank you, Marie." She nodded and was about to turn to leave, "Hey, Marie." I asked as she turned. " You from Axis, aren't you? Tell me more about it. I need it for this trip." I said. Marie nodded and sat upon the floor, "Axis, a beautiful border that surrounds itself with nature. I grew in the rural part; I often had to walk many hours to get to the capital for more materials like bread or wine for my mother. Axis was a great place to live until seven years ago." Marie said, "Ah, are you wondering why until seven years? Once ruled by a kind, wise emperor who cared for and cherished his people until he died from a sickness called tuberculosis. Everyone knew that the emperor had another successor, and that was his son named Abius." Marie said.
"So?" I asked as she began to speak, "Before the son was ever placed as a king, he was summoned somewhere. According to everyone, the emperor had left the last will for him to do, and nobody knew what it was. Abius never returned, and the capital lost its control without actual power. That day was very dark. The council didn't even care anymore and let Axis burn. It wasn't until they spoke about letting a young man who had the same ideologies as the emperor to have that power. Everyone thought that was absurd at first since he was young. Eventually, people saw what others have seen in him and began relying on him. Since there was no sign of Abius, the council agreed to let this young man named Ratio rule. 7 years now, I think I would prefer Abius; it seems this Ratio had lost control." Marie looked a bit depressed. "It's okay, Marie, you don't have to continue," I replied and shook she shook her head. "It's okay. I want to be useful to you, Maia. 7 years now, I would say Axis suffered a loss of people's deaths; it was hard to trade with no money pumping in. I would say the crime rate is typical now; people pickpocket others who seem rich. Though Ratio only lasted for 7 years, it set Axis back, and we had to begin again with a new leader, and so far, she is doing fine." Marie smiled gently at that last thought. "Ah, so everything is okay now?" I asked. "Well, of course not, there's the rich and the poor and crime is the minimal but pickpocketing is still common. Though ever since she's been the leader, kidnapping has become more common in girls. I'm not surprised if they were sold in the black market. It existed ever since Ratio came into power, and people ran out of resources. I have never seen the new leader, I haven't been to Axis since Ratio reign, but I heard it all from my friends and families that still live there. She is a kind leader, but she doesn't make much of appearance like the others." Marie answered. "What was the new leader's name, do you know?" I asked, and she nodded, "Her name is..."
Dawn finished packing to go to Axis. She sat on her bed looking out the window; there was nothing but cotton clouds and blue skies. "How boring." She mumbled; she lays on her bed until the others picked her up from her cottage. "Ugh, why are they taking so long?" She thought to herself, holding her pillow to her face with anger. Eventually, Dawn calmed down and felt anxious. "Axis, I hate that place," she said as she closed her eyes. "I hate that place. I don't want to go back!" Dawn shouted. She opens her eyes again and got up from her bed. Dawn looked through her drawers and finds a box. The box has a dragon carved onto it; as she opened it, there were pieces of paper in the box. Dawn picked up a piece of paper with an address on it and placed it inside her shirt. She continued to rummage through the box until she picked up a photo; in the picture, it showed two parents holding their child for the first time. Dawn sat down and sighed at the image, "Hi Mom and Dad." A rush of anxiety had overrun her mentally and physically, viewing a photo of her as a baby. "What are you doing?"Dawn heard a voice behind her and turns around to see Emilio. She put the photo back into the box quickly, "Why don't you knock." She calmly said. Emilio stared at Dawn coldly, "I always walk in with no knocking." Emilio responded as he walked closer to Dawn. "What were you doing?" He asked as she stood silent. "I was studying the marble you got from the gamma Maia gave you." Dawn calmly said. Emilio steps closer, his blank expression showed no sign of joy or laughter. "Then, why is it on the bookshelf and not on your desk?" Dawn froze as Emilio grabbed the dragon carved box."STOP IT!" Dawn tries to grab it from him, but Emilio doesn't let it go. "What's in here, Dawn?" Emilio coldly said. "IT DOESN'T MATTER GIVE IT BACK!" She shouted furiously before grabbing a side of the box from Emilio. "LET GO!" She yelled, "WHAT'S IN THE BOX DAWN?!" Emilio held tightly to the other side. Dawn didn't answer his question and tried pulling as Emilio let goes and let the box fall open onto the floor. They both stood silent as Dawn trembled. Emilio picked up the small pieces of paper and read the initials, "V.T" before Dawn looked away.
"Her name was Vern Tzu." Marie said.
YOU ARE READING
Mutations
Adventure"You can eat me, so I won't be hungry anymore." Maia said to a demon who looked famished, but the demon gave her a bright substance to eat before he disappeared. During the Edo Period, Yaku hunters were known for cracking down on man eating demons...
