TW// Panic attack

The streets were just as Tivon remembered them to be. Nothing had changed. Shops and houses were cramped together, only little narrow side streets spreading them apart. The streets were filthy and muddy, crawling with diseases. The air was filled with choking dampness and if Tivon already had problems catching his breath, now he felt like he would suffocate.

Cornelis silently followed him up the street. They would first look at the apartment Elias was staying at when he was in The Jade Paradise. They would do Cornelis’s job later. They had already gone pass The Jade Paradise. The pleasure house was abandoned, part of it still burnt down from the explosion. He felt a pinch in his left eye, and he could swear that he saw someone walk through the ruins of the pleasure house. Tivon didn’t stop to look at it. They were probably just people rummaging through the house.

He was surprised that he still remembered the path through the labyrinth of streets to the apartment. They quickly found themselves standing before doors with a red mark above it.

“Do you have the keys?”

“No.” He took out his lock-picks. “I’ll use this.”

“I could’ve guessed that Elias hadn’t had the keys.”

Tivon crouched down at the lock. “No, he didn’t”

Cornelis looked at him confused. “Remind me of whose apartment is this again?”

“I don’t know.” Shrugged Tivon.

“So, we are breaking in?”

“I guess.”

Tivon’s heart was beating loudly. He could hear it in his ears. He really hoped that by some odd chance Elias would be here, or that he might have been here. The lock gave in, and Tivon opened the door. Just as they stepped in, the trapdoor up the stairs started opening. Tivon’s breath caught in his lungs. He just wanted to run into Elias’ arms.

But the man coming down the stairs wasn’t Elias. For a split second they just stared at each other. The man's hair was short and brown, his eyes a matching colour. Cornelis just stared, eyes darting from Tivon to him.

“Who are you?” Tivon was silent, he didn’t know what to say. The man stepped closer. “H-how did you get through the door? They were locked.”

Cornelis elbowed Tivon in the back. Tivon stumbled for his words. “H-have you seen Elias?”

“Who?”
“A tall guy, with long black hair. Maybe he was wearing a mask, but if he didn’t, he has blue ey-”

“No, I haven’t seen him.” He started reaching for something behind his back. Tivon froze in place. “I-I don’t know who you are, o-or how you got into my apartment, but I’ll ask you to l-leave.”

“Tivon.” Said Cornelis reaching up her hands.

“Please l-leave.”

“I’m sorry.” Said Tivon, grabbed Cornelis’ wrist and ran outside on the street. He was still holding Cornelis as he ran to the main street, away from the apartment. The heartbeat in Tivon’s ears started to grow louder. He couldn’t hear Cornelis screaming his name until she yanked him and grabbed his shoulders.

“Tivon, calm down!” Tivon’s eyes started darting all over her face, unable to focus. “Look into my eyes and calm down.”

Tivon focused on her eyes. They were almost glowing. Her golden eyes. They reminded Tivon of snake’s eyes. He didn’t even notice his heartbeat slowing down. He looked down at his chest to see Cornelis’ palm resting over his heart, slowing his heart down.

“Just breathe.”

Tivon obeyed. “T-thank you.”

“There you go. I don’t know what happened right now, and you don’t need to explain, but is there anyone in this town that you know of that might know where Elias is.”

Tivon thought about it. He had pushed the memories of this place so far away that he needed to recall, who he had met here. And there it was. A bright, happy memory of this godforsaken place. He looked up at Cornelis.

“Follow me.”

He ran up the street, Cornelis barley catching up to him.

The store was still there, but it has gotten bigger. Her business seemed to grow since Rea helped her open a shop in the village in Naydawin. Everyone loved her work. Rea had even offered her to move to Naydawin, but she refused to. Tivon couldn’t understand why she didn’t want to leave this awful place, but after all it was her home.

Tivon opened the door and entered the shop. He must’ve lost Cornelis somewhere in the streets as she was nowhere behind him. As soon as he entered the store, he was filled with indescribable joy. The shop was filled with colourful handmade jewellery and decorated knives and daggers. Someone came from the back door. A big smile painted on her wrinkled face.

“Violet.” Smiled Tivon.

Violet came behind the counter and ran into Tivon’s arms. Tivon didn’t feel that happy and safe in someone's arms in months. She looked up at him and stroked his face with her hand. Despite her wrinkled hands, they felt smooth and warm against Tivon’s skin. Violet smiled and every time she did, her eyes would close. She really was the only sparkle of light in this dark murky town.

“How are you, Violet?”

She smiled and nodded. She nodded towards him.

“Me? I’ve been doing okay.” Lied Tivon, hoping that he could cover his lie with a smile. Violet held his hands in hers. She smoothed the black ring on his finger. She pointed at it and looked up at Tivon.

“Elias? That’s why I came here. You see-”

The door to the shop opened and Cornelis entered it. »There you are, I’ve been searching-” Her eyes met Violet’s. “Everywhere for you.” She continued, her voice low.

Tivon looked between them. Their expressions were unreadable. It looked like they had seen each other before. He could only see Violet swallow down and tightening her grip on Tivon’s hands.

He broke the silence. “Violet, this is Cornelis. Cornelis, Violet. Cornelis is the one who saved me.”

He pointed at the scar on his chest. Violet looked at him with worried eyes.

“We’ve come here because Elias is missing. I hoped if I came to Bradfordshire I could find him.” He held her hands. “Violet, have you seen Elias?”

She shook her head. Tivon sighed. Violet reached her hand to his cheek. “No, it’s okay. I just had to make sure if maybe he- Thank you Violet, nonetheless.”

She tried to smile. Tivon knew that if she could, she would help him find him, but if she hasn’t seen him, he really could be anywhere.

“Tivon, we should go.” He looked at Cornelis. Her expression was dull. “We still have work to do.”

“Yeah.” He looked back at Violet. “I’m sorry Violet, I would love to stay-”

She started nodding her head off and holding his hands to Tivon’s chest. She smiled.

“Thank you. When I find him, I promise I’ll come visit.”

She smiled and released his hands. Cornelis already stormed out of the shop and when Tivon said goodbye to Violet. He couldn’t ignore the worried look on Violet’s face. However, there was something more. She wasn’t just worried. She was also angry. Angry as someone who had something very precious taken away from them.

Tivon has never been that far into the Bradfordshire. The streets there were even shadier than at the port if that could even be possible. The people were sitting crammed on the streets, looking at Tivon like he was prey. He kept close to Cornelis, his eyes fixed on the ground.

Their whole time Cornelis was talking to herself in a tongue unfamiliar to Tivon. She did that when she was worried or angry. He had already caught up with some of the words, but he still couldn’t make sense of the sentences. Right now, he only understood the words hodqr and yonygy which meant fault and voice.

He tried to ignore her, but it was better to focus on that than to think about Elias. Now that Violet didn’t have a clue where he was, he had no lead. He was at the end of the road again. He almost crashed at Cornelis when she came to a stop. They were standing before an abandoned building. Cornelis scratched her long black nail across the doors wood as if she was painting something.

Someone opened the door and offered them to go inside. Tivon couldn’t see the person’s face as it was covered with a hood. The place was small and there was someone sitting at the end of the room, hiding in a shadow. Cornelis went to him and spoke in a low voice.

“Uyqon.”

“Zyrgu,” Tivon’s bones shook at the deep voice of the person. “Zuor uoya ona gonsarry uyty hont?”

“Y payak ron hypk s tonryt.”

Tivon understood only fragrances of what they were saying. He understood find and sister.

“Qonon yp Rhiamon.”

Tivon looked up at the name of the ruined village Rhiamon. It quickly made sense to him. That village was known for witches. He just didn’t understand what they could possibly find there. The village was only stone and ruin.

“Rurop ona.”

Cornelis grabbed Tivon by the wrist and started heading out.

“Zuor’yx ruor aon konypib zyru ona?”

Tivon understood that. He was asking about him.

“Y payak uys. Uyx yy, Y kon ponr ponz zour yx yr yor, adr xonsarryruypib oaondr yr…”

“Tysarrysayt ruy uyxaront.”

She nodded and pulled Tivon out the house and started walking quickly towards the harbour. Tivon just managed to understand that she needed him and that it has something to do about the eye. Well, he only hoped that was what she said. However, he couldn’t understand what the men had said.

“Cornelis, can you slow down.”

She suddenly stopped and released his hand. “S-sorry.”

He rubbed at his hand. “It’s okay. What do we do now?” Tivon already knew that she wouldn’t want to look for Elias anymore and he had a pretty good clue of where they were going. He just wanted to make sure.

“I might know where to find my sisters. It’s a town in Neydawin. It’s called R-”

“Rhiamon.” Cornelis looked at him. “I know where it is.”

Cornelis nodded. “Then let’s not waste any more time.”

____________________________________________________________________

Cornelis' language

“Uyqon.” “Hello.”

“Zyrgu, zuor uoya ona gonsarry uyty hont?” “Witch, what have you come here for?”

“Y payak ron hypk s tonryt.” “I need to find my sister.”

“Qonon yp Rhiamon.” “Look in Rhiamon.”

“Rurop ona.” “Thank you.”

“Zuor’yx ruor aon konypib zyru ona?” “What’s that boy doing with you?”

“Y payak uys. Uyx yy, Y kon ponr ponz zour yx yr yor, adr xonsarryruypib oaondr yr…” “I need him. His eye, I don’t know what is it yet, but something about it...”

“Tysarrysayt ruy uyxaront.” “Remember the history.”