Part 20
"Aren't there a lot of plot holes in your story, Jess?" askes the noble.
"Cyeen what the actual hell are you talking about. Do ya expect me to remimber every part of me life pristine clear?" she actually looked offended.
"Right, allow me to apologize."
Jess crossed her arms and looked away.
"Pfft, whateva. Ya'r the only one willing to listien to me anyway. I accept yar apogogy."
"Didn't you say your vocal cords were ripped? Then how is it that you're able to talk right now?"
Jess turned back towards her.
"Calm yar horses, that's a toopic for tomorrow."
"Fine," said the noble with a sigh. "I'll go to bed now. Wake me up when it's my turn."
The demon nodded before getting up to roam around. Inside the other tent, Zoen finally closed his eyes with a smile on his face.
The world didn't seem as quiet anymore. Birds were chirping, the river close by was hosting many unique animals which filled the air with their unique noises. Cyeen woke up feeling good and fresh. She looked up at the trees, then at the birds and other animals. Summer had arrived. It had been officially two months since she left Enidia. Somehow, she had managed to survive for this long. Owing the most of it to Súko of course. I wonder if I forgot something. She opened up the first page of her small book and wrote: "Do you have any requests of me, En, your divine highness."
The feather she used started floating on it's own, starting to write something on the page with a neat cursive writing.
"Yes, my twicen. I was just about to ask something of you. The siblings, make sure they are in your control. And by that I mean their new captain."
She could feel the air get denser even from mere words. Such was the power of divinity. Cyeen quickly wrote she'd do it. The white book flew from her hands by a punch from behind. Actually, it'd be better to say the noble was the one that flew forward. She splatted on the ground after a few flips, looking back in anger.
"Jess you piece of!"
The demon seemed amused with the situation.
"HAHA! Take that ya nerd!"
Jess felt someone teleport behind her which she responded by quickly blocking. A handful of mud went through her block, painting her face brown. She wiped the mud off before seeing the noble on top of a tree.
"You dayre mock me!? Just waid until I brin' ya down!"
She huffed and left to go next to Zoen. She annoyed her brother about something countless times before he finally gave in. Cyeen could swear she heard the guy whisper, "I'm sorry Cyeen."
Cyeen was now face to face with with Jess, on solid ground which resulted in her eating a handful of mud right to the face as well. The noble looked around her in suprise after wiping her face, she was standing exactly where Zoen stood. Her eye caught a glimpse of Zoen on top of the tree where she just was.
"Help." Zoen calmly exclaimed.
"You can jump dyown bro." said Jess, right underneath the tree with her arms in the air.
Zoen immediately jumped, clearly trusting his sister. He landed in her arms before being put down to the ground.
"Zoen, how did you do that?" Cyeen asked in awe, not caring about the mud that was just slammed to her face.
"The teleport? Well my teleportation works a bit different than the rest, I can only switch places with people. Pretty useful for saving someone in a tough situation." he said proudly.
"So useful for throwing you in dangerous situations."
Zoen smiled awkwardly.
"Well I can take it so why shouldn't I? If we're going to be talking about my arsenal why don't we sit down next to the campfire so I can explain?"
She nodded and swiftly went to the other side of the lit campfire. The siblings followed her soon afterwards, taking out their skewered bunny meat, handing one to Cyeen. They all began rotating their own sticks above the fire.
Zoen cleared his throat.
"Let us get straight to the point. My soul weapon is a sword that I usually use with a single hand. As for the essence consuming ones; small scaled illusions, essence push and pull, really loud blasters, and a handheld shield."
They are mostly utility skills? How does he defend himself? The way Jess looked at Zoen took Cyeen's attention.
"Hey broter, didn't I tell you not to revial every skill ya had to her?" she sighed. "Well if we are doin' that then I have a thingk or two I kept hiden too. Why do you alway' do this Zoen."
Cyeen looked at Zoen who had an apologetic expression on his face before Jess clicked her fingers to get Cyeen's attention.
"Looky here you dumbass. So first of all, swords aren' my onliy way of attackin' though all I'm permitted to use in me arsenayl are swords. Whenever one of me swords stabs somethin' I can create a pseudo blaster shot. Secondly, I can sacrifiyce some of my shiel' hitpointz permanenently to incresase (?) my essence. I neva used it 'cause I've no idea how much it takez or if it only refills me essence reserve. Ya got anythin' hidden Flamingberg?"
Cyeen took a bite out of her cooked skewer.
"Not really a hidden thing since I learned it a short while ago. You know how you said my white essence was pretty weak? I learned that it hits stronger the more pain I'm in. I don't know the exact numbers though."
Jess's eyes began shining. This was the perfect opportunity to beat Cyeen up without any consequences.
"Really? Let's try it, cmon!"
Cyeen grimaced, clearly knowing Jess's intentions.
"No thanks, I'll probably only use it for desperate situations. Oh about that, you know I can copy abilities right, Zoen? Can you use your handheld shield for me? It can be pretty useful in future fights."
He obliged, shrugging before summoning his swiss shaped shield. Cyeen watched carefully, observing the circle that appeared along with the shield. It was a bunch of scratches that constantly changed position and shapes. Cyeen tried to replicate the circle inside her mind and... Her mind began getting attacked by meaningless mumbles and whispers, completely wrecking her ability to think and process. She held her head in hopes of stopping them which suprisingly worked. Strange, this normally wouldn't work. In the end, she couldn't replicate the swiss shield.
"So Cyeen, did you do it yet?" asked Zoen.
She shook her head and mumbled to herself.
"I think it failed because it's summoning circle was incomprehensible."
The siblings looked at each other in confusion before deciding to nod at Cyeen simultaneously.
"When ar we leavin' lil Zo?" asked Jess.
He exhaled.
"Now, Jess. And never call me that ever again."
All three quickly gathered their equipment up and hopped on their horses. Cyeen began testing a few things with her white essence. I see, whenever I use a copied skill once, I don't have to imagine it's circle again. She messed around some more. I can also switch those saved skills around. Pretty useful. After messing around once more she came to the realisation of nothing. There really was nothing of importance she came across. Some people name their essence if it has a certain gimmick right? Then I shall come up with one as well.
"Cyee, go ride infronto me. Ya'r makin me nervus from back there." said Jess.
She lifted her head up to see the demon in front of her before slowly riding her horse next to Zoen with a sense of deja vu in her. There was a silence between the two for a long time before Zoen asked a question.
"Were you not born with that white essence perhaps? As I said before, you seem too unfamiliar to it."
Cyeen had to lie her way out of this as she couldn't just say she was a twicen.
"I was born with it of course. I just never used it you see."
Zoen fixed his sitting position before talking again.
"There were cases of people receiving new essences so I couldn't help but wonder."
"I suggest you don't wonder much, Zoen. I have to say I fint it quite hurtful. But, rather hypocritically, I wondered about something as well. How does Jess know of such complex words she casually uses in conversations?"
Zoen went silent for a while.
"You don't just take her as an uneducated pirate now, do you? I'll let you know, she knew how to read and write long before ten. Another thing is she often read books we found on our way to our crew aloud. So, does that answer your question?"
"It very well does."
Cyeen started minding her own business after that, slowing her horse down to ride in between the siblings. En wants me to lead them huh? Zoen would listen to me if I tried hard enough, Jess, not so sure. Even though I'm beginning to see her real colors, I still don't believe she is trying to change her ways. She'd try her best anyway. Change couldn't happen without force.
"Zoen!" Cyeen yelled from behind. "Where are we headed next?"
A clear gulp left him which was heard even by Jess. His voice shriveled.
"East..?"
All the horses stopped in their tracks as if Zoen just had uttered outrageous claims. Jess looked uncharacteristically calm and collected. Cyeen slowly approached the guy.
"Zoen, do you actually know where we've been going?"
He shook his head.
"Cherry, she told me to go east if I wanted to have a chance to encounter #+@)/. She didn't give me exact details of when and where. We've been just going off her words."
Cyeen sighed and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"So we've been going around blind and deaf? I'll take the leader role off your hands then. I recognize this forest."
The noble switched positions with Zoen before Jess joined her from the side.
"I ain't trustin' his ass fo a while. But jus so you knoyw, I doon't trust yar ass too."
Fair, thought Cyeen. She had already acknowledged the near impossible chance of Jess obeying her words willingly. Cyeen quickly stole a look back. Zoen's guilty face made him look like a puppy. He'll get back up surely. She thought as they began moving again. A ton of horse footsteps later, the path they took began expanding with new pathways connecting to it. The random dirt pathways turned into their stone counterparts soon enough. It was clear by now, this road was leading to an important place.
A mansion on top of a hill right in the middle of a big town appeared right in front of their eyes. Cyeen turned back on top of her horse.
"At last. Welcome to Drantu, you pirates."
They had set up camp somewhere they could see the whole duchy from. Their tents were all ready to be slept in and a campfire was lit like the rest of the days. Only this time, they were eating bird meat. Cyeen didn't know if it was a downgrade from the bunny meat or not but she didn't care as long as it tasted good. A good meal later it was time to go to sleep. Jess clicked her fingers to get the attention of the noble. She had been doing this a lot lately. I hope she doesn't accidentally summon a sword on my head one day. Cyeen slowly went and sat across from her, making sure to keep the lit campfire in between them.
"So Cyee, why eaxactly are we here for?" asked the demon.
"For the Gossipers Guild of course. Haven't you heard? It's one of the biggest in Setina." answered Cyeen.
"No of course I haven' you dumass, I spentd nearily half me life on the ship and this plasce is nyot even adjacent to the smallezt amount o' watter." said Jess in a sarcastic tone.
Cyeen shifted her body into a comfortable pose.
"Just start, you're beating around the bush way too much."
Jess smiled, revealing her sharp teeth.
"Am I dat bad at maskin' it? Fine, I was dyin' to contiunatue as well."