Miray did not move as she stared at Roland, his hand still holding up the freakish green flame. "I can bake a good pie if that is what Dante wants?"
Another smile formed on Roland's lips. "I have heard you are quite the baker. In fact, news of you goes as far as the outlying villages. You have magic hands."
"I just know how to bake good is all," Miray mumbled. She pulled a cloth from the side and started dabbing her hair. She headed towards the fireplace again, as she was still cold, and assuming Roland wasn't here to hurt her, she was now going to make herself comfortable.
"I can help with that,"
"With what?"
"Your chattering teeth can be heard from miles away..."
Miray raised her brow. "So you have super good hearing?"
"My other senses are better attuned than my sight..."
"Can't you just wish wash your sight back?"
"Wish wash," Roland moved his head downwards and back upwards. "I am afraid what has been done to me cannot be undone. Please move away from the fireplace."
Miray took a step back and watched as the green flame left Roland and landed on the wood. She watched as the green flame got swallowed up by the normal yellow fire and she turned to Roland.
"Hungry?"
"If you're offering, I shan't mind," Roland took a seat near the fireplace, his face now lit up by the yellow flames flickering to and fro. Miray could hear the heavy storm outside, and she shook her head as she brought out her stash of pies. She placed some on a plate and cautiously walked towards Roland, still a little uncertain as to why he was here.
"You don't have to be scared of me...girl..."
"The name's Miray," Miray said and walked closer, holding the plate in front of him. He reached out and she almost jumped as he first touched her arm then followed it down to the plate.
"Thank you," he took the plate and Miray turned back to the kitchen, taking out the batch of crumbs to start cooking the mushrooms. She kept looking at Roland, who sat there quietly in her house.
"You live alone?" he asked, breaking the silence. "A woman your age?"
"How on earth could you tell my age?"
"Just because I can't see, doesn't me I can't tell, your voice sounds young...immature,"
"Excuse you," Miray wrapped her arms. "I am very mature, thank you very much."
"You live alone? Are you an orphan?"
"No, I am not," Miray walked past him. "My parents are out...searching for my brother. He's missing."
"I see,"
"Ok..." Miray said and shook her head. She grabbed the bucket of strawberries she had purchased and headed back into the kitchen.
"I'm sorry, but how on earth are you in this fight? Like, no one actually knows that you are..."
"Blind?" Roland turned to face the direction of Miray's voice. "Yes, well, weaknesses are not really something we want to make known, especially not against Javier." He turned back to face the fire.
"So why are you letting me know?"
"Because, we need your help,"
"Yeah, with what?"
"I don't know, maybe you can tell me why an old rock directed me to you," Roland pulled out a green stone. She frowned as she walked closer. It had an inscription. "You can touch it," he said.
Miray lifted up the rock and traced the words. "Seek not the world but the stars? What does that mean?"
Miray frowned as Roland shook his head in disbelief. "Tell me, Miray, how could you read a language that has been forgotten for over a thousand years?" He turned and Miray raised her brows as she realised this was indeed the language she had studied from that book.
"What do you mean? It's written in my mother language,"
"I'm blind, but my companions are not...they could not read this. We needed to find someone who could,"
"Why?"
"It is said that in the deep dark caves, where this stone was found, holds the key to taking down the world's greatest tyrant. Problem is, the language has long been lost and forgotten...until today. I used my magic to find the person who possessed the knowledge. And it brought me to you."
"Woah, hold on, you are not talking about that book I have been reading?" Miray turned to grab the book from behind the pillows and walked up to him. He took it and traced his fingers around it. He frowned and Miray watched.
"You can take it if you want, anything to help with the quest,"
"Except we are short on time," Roland said. "You really think that Dante or Esmerelda have the luxury of learning a whole new language in hopes to read the secrets of the cave?"
"Well, yeah?"
"Even though we have someone perfectly capable of reading it for us standing right next to me?"
"Oh," Miray frowned. "Hold on, no, I am needed here. I need to stay here, and wait."
"The village will be here by the time you return," Roland spoke. "The great Dante needs your help. Esmerelda needs your help. I need your help." Roland stood up and handed Miray the empty plate. "A world of adventure awaits you, I know you too would like to see Javier destroyed."
"I do, more than anything, but I am no warrior...I can't fight a spider to save my life, so and don't even get me started on running and..."
"I will do what I can to keep you safe, Miray. We will do what we can to keep you safe,"
"What if Javier finds out I am working with you?"
"Why would anyone believe that a baker has deep connections with the great hero himself? No offence, but you are not generally the first choice for a rebel...and..."
"And?"
Roland raised his brows, which was odd. He was very expressive despite the fact that he could not see. "I can set a spell here...no one will even notice that you are gone."
"Wait, like mind control?"
"Of sorts,"
Miray raised her brow. "That's how no one knows you are blind...you, you use them, then you make them forget they even worked with you."
Roland shook his head. "You are smart."
"It's common sense...so what? Are you going to wipe my mind?"
"Well..."
Miray shook her head. "No, if you want me to help, you will give me your word, you will not wipe my mind...If I am going to do something so great and exciting as help you guys. I want to be able to tell my kids about it. My life has never been exciting. Once I am back, I don't think that anything else important will ever happen."
Roland nodded. "You have my word. You weren't that hard to convince. I thought I was going to have to bribe you with gold, or utter the songs which the great bard sings."
"I make enough here," Miray muttered. "But, I don't know, I guess, a part of me has always wanted to be a part of some adventure of some kind. It gets kind of boring...but what if my parents return while I am gone?"
"If they are out searching for your brother, I would go so far as to assume you would have returned a long time," Roland stood up. "Shall we get going?"
"Wait in this storm? Are you crazy?"
Roland nodded. "Perhaps it is best we wait till morning. Could I perhaps make use of your couch?"
Miray nodded, then realised he could not see. "Yeah, go ahead, I am not using it right now."
"The food was good...legendary," Roland nodded awkwardly. He turned and slowly felt his way towards the couch. Miray returned to the kitchen, she was going to need provisions after all. She could not help but turn and stare at this warlock lying on her couch.
She frowned as she grabbed the book near the fireplace, turning it side to side. Perhaps it was fate for her to find it, but perhaps...
This could get her killed.
She shivered and shook her head. Of course not! It is just some stupid journey to some mystical cave, where she is supposed to read the message. Then it is back home, and back to waiting for her brother. She walked up to the portrait and traced her fingers. He had been so impatient when she drew this. He sat, half crunched over at the couch.
"How much longer?"
Miray dropped her pencil. "I haven't even started!"
"Gosh, you are slow..."
"I prefer quality..."
"Yeah, yeah, just make me handsome..."
"I can't lie as an artist,"
He laughed there and shook his head. But he sat surprisingly still. He did make another couple of complaints but soon stopped as he saw the drawing. Miray turned her attention back to Roland. He was fast asleep, entirely unconcerned over the fact that his wanted posters were plastered all over the town's walls. Not that he could see them. But he really trusted her if he just decided to sleep on her couch. How did he know she would not betray him? Did that stone reveal that to him? She did not know.
She froze as she heard more howling of the wind, but frowned. It sounded close to the wind, but not quite. It was guttural, echolike. As if there was howling in a cave.
"That's not good,"
Miray jumped as she saw Roland sitting upright. He turned his head towards the sound.
"You know what it is?"
"Seems like a Wendigo has decided to pay a visit to your quaint little town..."
"Wait, a what?"
"Just a creature that feasts on the flesh of human beings, nothing too serious,"
"We've never had a monster in these parts before,"
"Oh, I am sure," Roland stood up and grabbed a wooden stick that lay next to the door. She frowned as she realised he must have put that there. "But people forget that Wendigo's don't follow the rulebook. They love to travel, especially since Javier burnt down their recent food source."
"The outlying villages..." Miray gasped.
"Exactly, like I said, Javier wants to punish this city too I suppose, against their silent rebellion last summer,"
"When Dante attacked,"
"Yeah, he knew to get rid of a troublesome village, he could push this creature to haunt and terrorize this one,"
The guttural howling continued. Then there was one piercing scream.
"I guess that is my cue," Roland started walking towards the door. He paused. "I know this would be awfully bold of me to ask, but would you mind pointing me in the direction of the creature?"
"Wait, like go outside,"
"Yes, I'm gonna kill it,"
"But you're blind,"
"So?" Roland's hand lit up in green flame. "That has not stopped me from killing a dragon before."
"You've killed a dragon!?"
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