Melody of War 7

“Is this supposed to be some kind of joke?”

While the jagged nature of the grasslands south of the teeth of the Stormroot Mountains did not offer much cover there were a few lips of earth that created adequate hiding spaces for travelers or any wildlife and monsters in the vicinity. With the morning fog that had descended down from the mountains any such spot became even more ideal if one had the means to stay out of the cold. There were few better methods for staying out of the weather than the ritual barrier that Chain cast to protect the group’s campsite and it was because of the nature of the barrier that Chain could easily see the unique swaddling blanket that lay on the ground awaiting her.

“Don’t tell me you idiots were too tired when we had to move our camp to realize that I told you that there was a combat ready Sentinel out here?”

“One the rest of us have not yet seen Chainmaid.”

“Though I don’t think any of us slept well after having to break and reset camp Link~♪”

“Which means since you have the opportunity to sleep soundly you should be grateful Chain.”

Answered in succession by Wherks, Melody, and Elliot, Chain could do naught but clutch at her left temple irritably. That Elliot had the knowledge behind her recent issues sleeping in the combination of swaddling blanket and carrying sling that she had spent the last three-days dangling in from Varen’s back made his comment unappreciatively ironic. Needing some kind of out Chain settled for giving Elliot a dirty look and received naught but a kind smile in return for her troubles. With a sigh Chain grabbed at her temple even more furiously as she tried an argument she hoped would suffice.

“Well, we obviously still need to hunt for our next few days’ rations since we managed to mess up stretching out that horned wolf from the other day any longer.”

“What are you talking about Link?!~ ♪”

“Gah?!”

Chain was unprepared for Melody suddenly shoving her face into hers from below and nearly fell over backwards at the harpy’s arrival. Melody did not seem to notice that she had thrown her partner off balance and pressed with what she felt was a matter of utmost urgency.

“We made a single horned wolf last for three days amongst a group of six people and I had to barely eat anything to make that happen~♪”

“I still don’t see how you could possibly eat as much as you imply you can.”

Varen’s attempt to join the conversation through Melody fell on relatively deaf ears as the harpy’s mind was solely on her complaints about how little food she had partaken in from their rations. Varen could not help but sigh as he complained seemingly to no one.

“Honestly why do I even bother with those two?”

“Maybe because we both owe Chain our lives…”

Varen could not help but look confused as the normally quite Mail offered him an answer to his question. Looking at the maid as she looked up at him and offered him a weak smile Varen could not refute her words. In spite of that truth Varen could not keep himself from sighing again anyway and uttering another complaint.

“Now if only she realized what that meant instead trying to keep doing everything herself.”

Finding no ground to gain with anyone with his complaints Varen steeled himself to try again to add his say to the conversation.

“Look, Chain, I get you don’t like sleeping in the sling but at least you can. Consider my perspective for a moment. I’m too tall to ever use one myself and considering how you freaked out when we made camp a three-day ago when we woke you up I also have to deal with the potential of you freaking out and hurting the both of us.”

“Did you say something?”

Varen again was taken by disbelief as Chain responded to him as though she had only just heard him and not what he was saying. Seeing Varen’s obvious vexation upon his face Chain could not help herself from flashing him a mischievous grin.

“Just kidding.”

“Though it is rude to interrupt Varen~♪”

“I can’t believe you two.”

“They are who they are Varen. Though Chain, while I can see you arguing to sleep unfettered by the sling while we wait out the fog and begin our necessary hunt for food this morn, it would be better if you acclimated yourself now and that we not waste time hunting separately while we continue east.”

What little comfort Elliot offered to Varen did not carry over to Chain as he switched his attention to the maid. Chain naturally donned an annoyed expression of her own in response but at last conceded to the party’s demands.

“Look I get it. It’s just it would be nice to sleep sprawled out for a change and without fear of getting shot while I can’t do anything to defend myself. But before all of you start making a bigger fuss about me and my sleeping conditions let me just say that today I’ll cast a sleeping spell on myself once I’m in so we might as well get this over with now before I come up with another argument.”

Though having agreed to go along as she had every day of the last three-day, Chain still put up a fuss as she was swaddled and stored away within the confines of the sling that soon joined Varen’s pack on his back. Strong as Varen was and used to Chain’s weight on his back he could not help but feel it might have been a waste to ready for travel so soon as the morning fog was not looking likely to break soon. Varen’s thoughts shortly turned to worry however as Wherks and Elliot began to take issue with the persistent fog.

“This morning’s fog does seem more persistent than this last three-day does it not Master Wherks? Do you suppose we have neared a large body of water or perhaps that our elevation has increased rather significantly?”

“I don’t know why you’re wasting your breath asking me Sir Elliot. I may be a Rattama Song Smith but that does not mean I am intimately familiar with the shape of the world. Especially considering we are naught but anywhere. Still, you are right that this fog seems unnaturally persistent compared to what we have come to expect over the last three-day.”

Pulling a pocket watch from his robes Wherks noted that the time had already well past nine in the morning yet the fog still showed no signs of thinning. Making matters worse was that as Chain had put herself to magic induced slumber her barrier that secured the party’s campsite had long since faded allowing the fog to smother the group in it’s cold dampness. Though loath to admit Wherks could not help but notice that the weather was not good for the naught but a leotard clad Melody who was dancing about anxiously trying to stay warm.

“Hmm.”

Growing unsatisfied with the situation Wherks returned his watch to his robes and adjusted his spectacles.

“This Sentinel you and the Chainmaid encountered last night was armed for combat was it not Sir Elliot?”

“As it killed the beast that Chain and I had engaged with the cannon mounted to its shoulder there can be no doubt master Wherks.”

“Regardless of your foolishness in pursuing the beast at all after nightfall I find myself wont to believe that your assessment of it being part of a party preparing a battlefield to be reasonable.”

“Then this fog?”

“Likely of magical origin. Sorcery to be more precise as neither the Chainmaid or the harpy have made any comment on hearing the Builders’ Song.”

“So then we find ourselves in a perilous situation.”

“Not entirely Sir Elliot. Harpies are Storm-kin and though it will likely endanger her we should be able to trust the one in our company to use her song to clear the fog well enough for us to travel under its concealment.”

“That is quite the risk Master Wherks.”

“I am well aware of that Sir Elliot. Should our fears come to fruition and the harpy were to come to harm as a result I can only fear the wrath of the Chainmaid being unleashed upon the whole of the Stormroots.”

“An eventuality I will take personal responsibility for. We cannot tarry here though considering our lack of rations and the potential of a Hero in pursuit of us beyond a likely future encounter with the Bandit King and the Rattama Hero who accompanies him. Thus we have little choice but to risk her wrath and the safety of the Northern and Eastern Kingdoms both should the worst come to be.”

“Your courage gives credence to your recognition by the Builders as a Hero Sir Elliot.”

“Now let us just hope that my courage does not become folly.”

Offering Wherks a hopeful smile Elliot took his leave of the Rattama and made to speak with Melody on his behalf. Not wanting to consider the risk they were taking at his suggestion Wherks did not watch the Hero and turned his attention instead to the fog that seemed to hide a brewing conflict.

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater