Melody of War 9

“Everyone, wait, wait, wait!~♪”

“Is something wrong Melody?”

Elliot’s question was ignored by the harpy maid as she quickly skipped between a number of rubble piles before stopping atop a tilted column of smooth stone decorated with a wide red band of color. Straining with uncharacteristic concentration Melody looked out over the archaic ruin strewn, grassy hollow hidden beneath the surface of the earth. From atop the crumbling column Melody looked about as franticly and quickly as her tail twitched to and fro irritating Wherks to no end.

“Well out with it harpy! Are there more of those infernal wolves about or is there something more pressing awaiting us in these dreadful ruins?”

“Try to be quite please~♪ It’s hard to hear the wind down here with you being noisy and distractingly adorable~♪”

“Well I never–!”

“Let’s try to give her a moment Master Wherks. I find that I trust Melody down here after her recognition of the architecture and meaning behind the runes that have been scrawled across any number of these columns.”

“Your confidence may be wrongly placed Sir Elliot.”

“Could you work more on being quiet and not an noisy, adorable ball of fluff please?~♪”

Wherks found himself taken aback as Melody again asked for his silence and earned a smile from Elliot. Elliot did not keep his attention long on his Rattama charge as he looked over the light bleached stone walls that had been hewn from the stone and painted with red bands and runes a very long time past. Even the floor underfoot and a number of columns similar to the one that Melody was perched on and joined the cave roof above were built in a similar fashion. This left Elliot to wonder about the technique used to create the monolithic tunnel of archaic design from the black stone of the mountains that they traveled below. Perhaps the part which astounded the Hero most was that the whole of the tunnel was still lit by some long forgotten mirror and ventilation system hidden in the ceiling high above. Elliot was pulled from his observations however when Mail spoke up unexpectedly.

“Melody don’t! Chain has yet to say that you are healthy enough for flight again.”

“It’s fine~♪ I’m just making a short hop~♪”

Pulled first by Mail’s words and then Melody’s own Elliot’s line of sight soon fell upon the harpy whose wings were held fully open and aloft. Before Elliot could say anything himself to stop Melody she sprang from the column she was upon towards one that was missing its center between floor and ceiling above. With a couple of powerful flaps of her large, white feathered wings the harpy easily made the jump, or easily at first look at least. Elliot did not fail to notice the strain that appeared on Melody’s face or the red stain that began to slowly spread in the white fabric of her leotard where she had been struck by a monster some four-day before. For her part though Melody did an admirable job resisting the influence of the pain in her side and kept a firm grip on the broken pillar with her talons as she balanced herself with her wings and tail. Straining against everything that came with her new footing Melody finally heard what the wind was trying to carry to her.

(Darn it Melody! Just say something before I really freak and go on a rampage!)

“Link!~ ♪”

Melody’s excitement was palpable as she cried out joyously at the sound of Chain’s voice on the wind. As the nature of Chain’s spell only allowed the harpy to hear her voice the others were left wanting for an explanation even though they understood the nature of the spell. They would have to wait however as Chain had Melody’s full attention and the spell soon carried the harpy’s voice away from their ears as well preventing them from hearing even Melody’s half of the conversation that took place between the two maids. Having to wait for Melody to finish however brought obvious anxiety to Wherks and Mail with the former fretfully cleaning his spectacles and the latter nervously fingering the bowstring of the bow she had borrowed from Chain. Elliot was not ignorant to the plight of his companions as he understood the danger but was able to maintain his calm due to virtue of training, experience, and a fear of Chain that far outweighed any he might have for what lurked in the darkness of the archaic ruins below the Stormroot Mountains. Much to the group’s fortune however nothing which potentially dwelled in the dark made its presence known before Melody finished her conversation with Chain and leapt down from the column to rejoin the group.

“So Chain and Varen ended up over in Nest Cliff somehow after Varen talked his way out of any trouble with who turned out to be Highroot soldiers~♪”

“So they are both alright. That lifts a great weight from my shoulders.”

Though Elliot had shown no anxiety in comparison to Wherks and Mail everyone noticed the obvious weight that came off of him at the mention of Chain and Varen’s well being. Melody was still feeling talkative though and continued filling the air with her melodic speech with giving the Hero’s relief much heed.

“Link was pretty relieved to hear that I was alright as well.”

“Though we probably need to do something about your injuries. They’ve reopened after you pulled that stunt.”

Melody’s words left an opening for Mail to point out the harpy’s blood stained garment and Melody could not help but offer a funny little laugh at the sight of the blood. Wherks was not in favor of staying in the monolithic tunnel any longer and verbalized his displeasure at the idea.

“Perhaps we could tend to the harpy’s injury elsewhere. We have spent far too much time in this massive chamber already and have likely begun to draw unwanted attention from whatever horrors dwell in this ruin.”

“Unwanted attention that will increase to unwanted bloodlust if we don’t tend to her wound. It will only take me a moment to redress her wound though I ask that you two turn your attention elsewhere. Without Chain here I think our collective knowledge of harpies would impose a risk I’d rather not take to speak nothing of her privacy as a maid.”

“Honestly I’d think there isn’t an intellectual amongst our rank listening to your prattle.”

“But Mail is right Master Wherks. Though she has lived naught but the life of a deliverer of parcels she is intimately more familiar with the tendencies of monsters than yourself. As such I am inclined to agree that we give her the time that she needs to redress Melody’s wound.”

“Do not blame me if our situation sours then Sir Elliot.”

“I believe that is your leave Mail.”

“I guess we will simply have to relocate ourselves Melody.”

A laugh was all the reply Melody offered Mail as she sighed in exasperation at Elliot not providing the two maids the privacy she had requested. Not bothering to waste time trying to point out that she had made such a request Mail instead led Melody behind a nearby column that was still whole and had the harpy get down on her knees. Undoing the clasps below her breasts that held the top half of the back of the turtleneck leotard in place Mail queried of Chain’s plans as she reduced the harpy to a state of near nakedness.

“So how does Chain intend to rendezvous with us?”

“Well Link was pretty surprised when she learned that I’ve been here before with my mentor during that first year of our lives as adventurers but she decided to trust in me anyway~♪ That’s pretty special to me since usually it’s Link who comes up with the plans but since I know these ruins, or at least how to read the road signs, we agreed to meet up in Misthead~♪”

“Misthead?”

The column may have provided the two maids privacy from prying eyes but as it did not offer them protection from prying ears it was not unnatural for Elliot to interrupt Mail and Melody’s conversation with a question in response to the stated location. Melody was unbothered by the interruption and gladly answered.

“It’s a funny little town way up high in the Stormroots that worships a sleeping dragon whose presence keeps them safe from the bandits in the mountains~♪”

“I find it hard to believe that a sleeping dragon could keep bandits at bay harpy.”

“But it’s true~♪ Supposedly it’s kept them safe for generations and I even had the chance to see the green lightning that erupted from its center horn turn a group of bandits into dust~♪ It was a pretty astounding sight~♪”

“I’ve no doubt of it Melody, but if the town is high up in the Stormroot Mountains how is Chain to join us? You told me back in Highroot that she is not fond of the Junk Birds and would never ride in one of their airships.”

“Well, Chain does have a grudge against the Junk Birds that even I don’t get but there are other ways up to Misthead~♪ The main way today is actually by an airship from the Bright Rift side of the mountains since they provide an aerial ferry of sorts to the town even though it’s technically part of Highroot~♪”

“Adding credence to our concerns of a brewing conflict.”

“Yet it is this very contested village that we are making for Sir Elliot. Suddenly following the harpy’s lead seems like a worse idea than it was already.”

“Well I’m sorry but I wasn’t even here for a full year and I only know how to read the road signs back to Misthead because that was the basic training exercise for junior adventure in Bright Rift~♪ And from Misthead I’m most familiar with the sky ferry because that’s what I used to get there and back down~♪ And besides, these old tunnels are perfect for keeping us out of everyone’s sight for a while~♪”

“Still Melody, it would be difficult to wait for Chain to make her way around to the ferry. It would perhaps be better for us to take the ferry ourselves out of Highroot.”

“Well you didn’t let me finish~♪”

Melody offered Elliot a pout as she came out redressed and cleaned up from behind the column with Mail. Elliot offered her a smile and a prompt apology.

“I did not mean to offend Melody.”

“Well you did~♪ But, Link is probably going to try to reach the old gondolas on the east side of Misthead to get there~♪. They’ve been out of use for a long time as well as the road from Nest Cliff but since it’s just Link and Varen she should be able to make good time~♪ And since their route is more direct and not dependent on being able to read old faded road markers she’ll probably beat us there~♪”

“And here I am having to suffer even longer in the company of an imbecile despite being a genius by harpy standards.”

“Come Master Wherks, I find it advantageous that Chain will likely reach our next stop first as it will give her the chance to prepare for us a safe and secure arrival.”

“Oh I don’t know Elliot~♪ I may not be familiar with this part of these ruins but I’m still more familiar with this part of the world than Link and I don’t want her to have any more days of having great meat than me~♪ In other words, if you’re all up to it lets make it a race!~ ♪”

“The absurdity of such a suggestion.”

“I agree Melody. I just redressed your wounds yet you’re aiming to tax yourself hastening through an unknown environment.”

“It’s not a problem~♪ I’ve already won a race against Elliot when my side hurt more than it does now~♪”

“That you did Melody, but let us not forego caution for the sake of victory. At least not until we arrive in tunnels you are more familiar with.”

The looks of disbelief that Elliot received from Wherks and Mail made the smile he offered Melody that much more out of place with their situation. The jubilant expression of joy that spread over the harpy’s face however was brilliant enough to wash out the disbelief of the two dissenters. Dancing in place for only a moment Melody had to restrain herself so as not to bolt off ahead of the group even as she encouraged them to chase after her.

“Come on!~ ♪ Come on!~ ♪ Let’s go and beat Link!~ ♪ And then celebrate with lots of wonderful meat!~ ♪”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater