Western Istan Isles.
Ishenvale City.
Start of the 3rd Harvest.
112th Era.
Alyce stares at her reflection in the ale. Seeing her own face for the first time in two years. She looks up to her old teacher, Yorham Skelgren. A large, bearded man with kind eyes and bushy eyebrows. The top of his mustache stained with ale and soup. Alyce clears her throat for the story she was preparing to tell.
"The last time you saw me was when I was 8, for the past 10 years I've gone through hell and I'm just comin' back. Before I tell you why I'm here, tell me why you're here. I only found you because of some apprentices you were meant to receive. Found their escort torn to bits a few miles back I'm sorry to say they didn't make it."
Yorham looks to the musty wooden floor of his home and workplace. "Hm, yes they were a few days late. I had wondered what was taking them so long... After the fall of the Merk Organization my reputation was ruined as those new Diel starting tearing apart my weapons like nothing. I left the organization only a year ago. And one day out of nowhere I received a message from the Duke here in Ishenvale City. He wanted me to make his soldiers weapons and armor. He apparently had heard of my skill and wanted to see what I could do. I've been here for only 6 harvests and I've made a lot of Peilens in that time." Alyce takes a sip of her ale. And looks up to Yorham.
"So. You work for the Duke?" Her voice turning cold.
"Uh, yeah. Is there an issue lass?"
"Hm, I'm sorry but you'll be going out of business soon enough."
"W-what!? Alyce what are you planning!?" Yorham slams his tankard on the table and glares at her.
"You see, Yorham. My father stopped having you come around because my profession was changed. At the age of 8 I displayed an ability that piqued his interest. He began training me instead of my cousin to become a Merk." Yorham's glare doesn't falter even with Alyce's smug composure.
Alyce takes another sip. "I was in training, I was accepted a full 3 years early into the academy because of that ability, only so that I could be surrounded by teachers who could help me train it and take full advantage of it."
Alyce places her tankard back on the table and looks up to Yorham. "Now. That's when the Rebirth occurred. I was on a dungeon dive with my team, and then the new Diel came out of the shadows, they used tactics. I honestly was impressed. They took out the leader and killed the majority of my team. Only me and my friend Rachel were left. We were running towards the exit when I suddenly fell. My legs were sliced off by something I didn't get to see what. And then I watched my friend get grabbed by something. Then I blanked out."
"Alyce... I'm... But... How do you..?"
"Gettin' to that. When I woke up, I was in a hospital." She lifts her pant leg to show her false leg and takes off the cloak revealing her false arm. "I was given mechanical limbs to replace the old ones. What's great is that these operate as Gandalams so I've been able to fight Diel along my travels." Alyce stares deeply into her false hand. "However, I didn't escape with everything all well and good." She moves her hair and shows her dead eye, which now had black veins pulsing lightly around it. "The doctors that cared for me had no idea what this was. The only thing I know is that when Diel see it they fly into a rage and become stronger. So I've been covering it with my hair."
Yorham looks at the eye and gets an unnerving, evil, and uncomfortable feeling. He quickly looks away shaking it off. Alyce looks up towards the ceiling "Then the isle the hospital was on was attacked. Not only by Diel. But by Esmians as well." Yorham looks back at Alyce who had covered her eye once more. "I came into contact with the leader of the raid. And I got damn lucky and killed him. I found a note about a meeting on his body. Turns out it was a group of separatists from the Merk Organization who slowly took it down from the inside for their own reasons."
"I think I understand where this is going, Lass..."
"I've sworn to kill all those who brought down the organization and destroyed my team. So far over the past 2 years I've killed 20 members. And the 21st is here in this City."
"The Duke." Yorham drops his head into his hands remembering how stubborn the girl sitting before him is. She would not give up such a task. Especially when she's knee deep in bodies. "So what do you plan to do Lass?"
Alyce picks back up her tankard "I'm going to kill the Duke in 4 days. For the time being I need to make preparations. One of which, is armor. I was hoping you could help with that?"
Yorham crosses his arms and thinks. "Well... I would kid, not for free though but even if you paid me I don't have any materials. Hell I'd take the materials as payment really."
"Whatta need Yorham?"
"Depends on what you want."
"I need to go light, so maybe some Astrel lined fabric. I'm thinkin' Delivery tunic, maybe a hat too? Some short tights with Astrel cured leather on the sides and some boots? Also you think you could sneak me a Gandalam? Want one for my left arm." Yorham takes a moment to think on all this and then looks up to Alyce and only now notices the Blade on her side.
"Your sword there, is it broken? Would you like me to-"
"No."
"Huh? Why would you be using a broken blade? I could easily forge another for you!"
"Yorham. My sword. Is fine." Alyce's voice is stern with conviction.
"Fine. fine. I'm going to need a lot of Astrel lined fabric though and that stuff is really expensive. It rivals water in price!" As Yorham says this a knock is heard at the door.
The door is nudged open by a foot. And there stands Cylika, with a large sack over her shoulder stuffed to the top with stolen goods, the sack also most likely stolen. Not only that but her arms carry several more goodies.
Alyce and Yorham stare in awe at the little Helf-Elven's carry capacity.
"Hey uhh... Don't ask where I got all this ok?"
Thanks for reading Ainavale! If you have any suggestions critiques or compliments please, let me hear em! I seriously want to get better with this stuff. So help me out to improve my story!
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