Chain Melody 5

“I love meat!~♪”

Melody sang out joyously as she dropped a bone atop a massive pile of empty dishes that lay before her. Despite the situation and the tension in the Company House of the Soarmont Adventurer Company, Melody had taken a detour to the mess hall and helped herself to the kitchen. Quite a crowd had gathered to watch the harpy demonstrate great agility in using her talons to prepare herself the extravagant meal of meat she made. Having finally finished stuffing herself Melody sighed contently and smiled brightly.

“It’s been way too long since I could indulge like that~♪ Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪ But I guess I better stop putting off the inevitable~♪”

Jumping up from the table Melody gave herself a fierce shake and began to softly sing a song with no words. As she sang a gentle breeze swirled around her and pulled away all traces of dirt, grime, and remnants of her meal leaving the harpy surprisingly clean. Looking herself over and believing herself presentable Melody finally turned to face the crowds.

“Hi everyone!~ ♪ Judging by the confused looks on your faces you don’t know what’s going on~♪ Well don’t feel so bad because neither do I!~ ♪”

Melody had a distinct effect on people and this situation was no different. The collective disbelief shown in response to the harpy brought a bigger laugh than before out of her and she had to fight back tears.

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!~ ♪ You all look so ridiculous~♪ Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha!~ ♪”

“How can you laugh at a time like this?”

Finally someone spoke up from amidst the crowd but the seriousness of their question had little effect on Melody’s laughter. Dabbing at her eyes with her wings Melody attempted to dry her tears, though with little luck. Forcing herself to take a deep breath Melody offered the crowd a smile.

“Because I’m an adventurer of course!~ ♪ I laugh in the face of danger and live life wherever it is my feet will take me~♪ That’s the creed of Soarmont’s Adventurer Company and Link and I both live by it~♪ Speaking of Link though I should probably find some way to contact her before she blows her top~♪”

“I’m afraid you won’t be able, Melody.”

“Oh~!~♪”

Hearing her voice spoken from within the crowd Melody excitedly tried to find its source. Dashing head first into the crowd Melody pushed the startled adventures aside in search of whomever it was who recognized her. It did not take the harpy long and her face completely lit up as she succeeded.

“Miss Down!~ ♪ Wow am I glad to see a familiar face~♪ I didn’t think you’d still be teaching here this many springs after Swallow and I left~♪ Though with that monster of a princess causing trouble I’m just glad to see you whole~♪”

“I could say the same to you birdbrain. When the boss just let her in and everything that followed I could have been sure that things would have gone more sideways then they have.”

“More sideways?”

Looking upon the relatively plain but muscular maid she found in the crowd wearing a blacksmith’s apron over a plain dress Melody expressed her curiosity. Tossing her brown haired ponytail over her shoulder the maid, Miss Down, looked softly on Melody with her sharp blue eyes.

“The situation is pretty bad here Melody. The boss is dead, we can’t leave, our radios and radio phones are destroyed, and frankly no one here can take on a hero. With the military action of Bright Rift procedure is for anyone with a Relic to leave the country or go into hiding so as not to tempted into partaking in the conflict, so they all up and left before that witch showed up.”

“Eh?! Wait! What! Eh?! What?! Wait! I’m sorry but, WHA~T?!”

Melody couldn’t keep up with all of the information she just received and after dancing about for a moment ran up to Miss Down. Standing as tall as she could, which meant little being only about Chain’s height, Melody attempted to shove her face into Miss Down’s. Miss Down seemed ashamed of the situation and looked away from Melody. Melody refused to back down and danced about some more in a vain attempt to make eye contact with Miss Down.

“What do you mean the boss is dead? Didn’t he let her in? And why can’t you leave? Did the cliff collapse? And I know no one here could ever be a match for Swallow but didn’t anyone even try?”

“Just slow down already you birdbrained fool!”

Having lost her temper with the overly energetic Melody, Miss Down shoved a strong hand in the harpy’s face and tried to hold her still. Though she succeeded for the most part Miss Down still recoiled from Melody’s energy, though she attempted to answer the harpy’s numerous questions.

“First off, yeah the boss let her in, but once he saw how far she was taking things he took his own life out of shame and as an apology to those of us left here.”

“No…”

Melody finally stopped fidgeting about as the fate of the Head of the Company House was clarified. Her shoulders slumping Melody looked down and Miss Down placed a comforting hand on the harpy’s head. As much comfort as her hand provided however, her words were anything but comforting.

“Unfortunately, yes. As for why we didn’t just pull out… Well, it’ll be better to show you.”

“Wait Miss Down. You can’t take her–”

“Who the hell said anything about taking her out of here?! Do I look like an idiot to the lot of useless scrubs?!”

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪ I see you’re still just as testy as ever Miss Down~♪”

“I’d watch your mouth birdbrain. My mood is souring more than it already has.”

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪ I’d be careful if I was you Miss Down~♪ If Link found out about you threatening me it’d be nothing but trouble for you~♪”

“I don’t even know who this Link is you keep bringing up.”

“Ah~, really Miss Down? You don’t remember she’s why Swallow and I decided to become adventures and joined the Soarmont Adventurer Company in the first place.”

“Wait, you mean she’s that Link?”

“Yep~♪ Though everyone knows her as the Chainmaid these days~♪”

Most of the adventurers present had been relatively motionless as they watched the exchange between Melody and Miss Down, but they outright froze at the mention of the Chainmaid. Melody looked about confused but soon found her answers as to why as the crowd began murmuring about the Chainmaid.

“The South’s Little Trouble Maker, right?”

“You’ve got it wrong, I’ve heard she eats her bounties.”

“That’s why they call her the Bandit Eater isn’t it?”

“Who cares about what she does to bandits? I can’t believe none of you have ever heard of the Crimson Demon of Black Mast.”

“Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪ How is it that Link was practically unheard of in Highroot but her typical reputation has made it to Bright Rift?~ ♪”

Melody’s laughter was naturally nervous in response to the reactions of the crowd but her words were poorly chosen. Her casual confirmation of Chain’s identity had a distinct reaction from the crowd and nearly all of the adventurers present bar Miss Down backed away from the harpy. Miss Down herself was perhaps too terrified to back away and could not even remove her hand from Melody’s head as even her eyes trembled at Chain’s mention. She was however still able to at least manage a question for Melody though it dripped with her own terror at earning the ire of the Chainmaid.

“Why the hell would you be involved with that monster you birdbrain?”

“Huh? Why wouldn’t I be? Link and I have been friends for almost as long as I can remember~♪ Of course her temper tantrums have gotten a lot worse and she’s way too over protective of me~♪ But that’s kind of why I need to get in touch with Link~♪ We weren’t really separated in the best of circumstances and knowing Link…~♪ Ah, ha, ha, ha, ha~♪

Melody’s laughter was unquestionably nervous but not just for the sake of the adventurers who joined her. She did not need to say more either as everyone present knew full well the weight of her last statement. That weight though was more than enough to get one more question out of Miss Down though.

“Crap. We’re all going to hell one way or another aren’t we?”

Copyright © 2018 Joshua D Tarwater