Chapter 32: Alcina the Cheery

Lanon was at a K-shaped street in a small village just outside the outskirts of the City of Moirai. His days were simple and the events that happened days ago amount to nothing grand. There was no change and he was just still a normal guardsman standing watch for the village.

He would have liked if his days would go by like this but there was someone who has recently goaded her way into the guardsmen of throes. She was a farm girl who became a guardsman out of desperation. The destruction of the farm products made her take such job instead. The guardsmen of Throes usually don't accept female guardsmen and just place them as camp followers who would be the last desperate defense. Yet, recent events allowed her to be a guardsman.

They were now a duo who would watch over the villages. They wore the general equipment of the guardsman of throes. Leather body armor, leather gloves and boots, a long spear, and a buckler strapped on their left arm. They look so bland that they might as well be decorations. They were getting paid for standing so Lanon and Alcina have no complaints.

However, Lanon was no expert in talking to someone like her who could make a discussion of anything. Lanon has been standing still with his spear at hand and yet he was not bored at all. She was talking and talking about so many things that he was learning more from her than the men of the guardsmen of Throes.

He was like a baby who had to learn everything. He came to this world not knowing anything. He didn't have his memories. He didn't know how to speak the language. All he had in him was the ability to climb like a monkey and think more broad-mindedly.

He was able to survive his first days because of the thought. He was called the coward because he preferred living than dying so foolishly. He wasn't a one-tracked person who would jump at a monster to prove that he was a man. It was better to live as a coward than die early. This thought would remind him and because of this that he was barely hanging from being executed by someone or hanged by the guardsmen of Throes. He could leave the organization but there was no place for him to go. Not to mention that leaving means that those guardsmen would have the right to finally kill him for what he has done in leaving his comrades while he ran away to save his own life.

That accident would forever brand a lasting gift in his heart. He was simply afraid to die. He ran because he wanted to live. He couldn't possibly kill the monsters whose scales were harder than iron. His spear wasn't enough to pierce those scales. He was ashamed of what he did and they would forever be on his mind. He has grown to live in this world yet his heart and mind would never belong here.

"Are you okay?" she elbowed him. "Lanon, you were looking at the distance like you were missing something. Do you miss your home?"

"I wish I know where my home was," said Lanon. "Alcina, you could still work on that settlement yet you chose to stay here in this city. There are many jobs you could take but to think that you would become a guardsman. Are you really sure about this?"

Alcina crossed her arms and lifted her modest breast. "I didn't want to be a farm girl any longer! Isn't it a simple a reason?"

"It is," he kicked the dirt. "But this is a dangerous profession. Alcina, you saw that Hob right? It was a lower monster and I had a hard time killing it. That was just a lower monster by their standards and we might encounter these monsters."

"I know," she agreed. "But Lanon, do you know the feeling of having a heart heavy? Like, you just want to break out of that cycle and do something else? I've been doing rice berry picking that I could probably teach it to someone on what is the master's way of picking it! Yet here I am foolishly joining the guardsmen of Throes! I will die by a monster surely or get stabbed by a bandit or horribly raped!"

"Alcina, your way of thing sure is advanced," he shook his head.

"What? I was just listing the possibility. Lanon, the worlds cruel and I am not that stupid to assume that everything will go right!" she said firmly.

"Wow," he tilted his head. "You are sure carefree, Alcina. I am not trying to judge here but how about worrying about your future?"

"Future?" she scoffed. "I cannot really do anything about that. What matters is right now! I could die today so I might as well be living in the present to be content of what I have now."

"That's one way of putting it," he tapped his spear on a rock. "But I do understand it."

"Certainly, it is such an easy thing. I mean shouldn't you worry about the present? You can do nothing about the future! So why worry and heavy your heart? I hate it when my heart becomes heavy. Hence why I am standing here guarding with you." Her smile could reach the heavens.

"Wow," he mouthed. "You are something else but I have to ask why you stick with me instead of the others."

"You seem nice. And you don't look frightening like Sir Rave and the others. So I don't have to worry about you taking me into bushes and doing something lewd!" she smirked.

"Am I not that reliable?" Lanon frowned.

"Yup, the guardsmen think of you as a coward who wouldn't even join them on whoring. Don't you worry Lanon, if you want to I can take you as my househusband!" she said casually. "You have a great body! And I don't mind losing it with you!"

He widened his eyes. "Oh...that's quite odd to say...uh...are you okay?"

She smiled, "Look at you! Blushing and stuttering like a sissy! I might actually drag you somewhere and push you down unto the bushes!"

"What the fuck," Lanon said with a raspy voice. "Should you really be saying all of this?"

She snorted through her nose, "Don't think that men only think of doing it!"

"Yeah, but, to say it to me like this," he scratched his head.

"Oh please, look at me, I am twenty and I still haven't done it. My friends have sons and daughter and here I am still untouched. My ma would always ask me if I was a foolish girl! My pa would have long told me, "Alcina, why can't you find a good man?" and go on about how unlucky I was for being a plain farm girl," she crossed her arms.

"Uh," he nodded. "I don't think you are that plain so it is hard for me to accept that you'd be this aggressive. So you want to sire a kid? Yet you are here?"

"I heard that there are many good men in the guardsmen of Throes!" she touched her left cheek. "But all of them are so grim and horny! If I talk like this with them I bet they will grab me by the wrist and do me over a covered area! But, they would call me a little girl or as a farm girl who looks really stupid!"

"Alcina, are you just here because I am not that threatening?" he asked.

"Yes."

"That I am a coward who wouldn't do anything?"

"Yes."

"So that's why you are able to talk at me so casually about these things?"

"Yes."

He sucked in cold air and tapped his forehead, "You really do make me look so little. I am actually offended."

She made a smug look, "Oh geez!" she tapped his back. "I was just teasing you! Don't be so down!"

"Stop with this kind of talk, okay?" he lamented. "I might actually be down all the time."

"Hehe," she laughs teasingly.

The sun was starting to go down. The two was blanketed by the afternoon sun as the wind carried brown leaves that fell from the trees. A cart pulled by an ox passed by them. The old man nodded at them before urging his ox forward. Three kids run around near them and played ball until their parents called them. Lanon eyed the moon and stared silently at it.

"Lanon, have you heard of the recent rumors?" she said.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Recently, there's a ghost roaming around the inner lands. They say that this Ghost lures monsters and slaughter them! No matter which place he seems to attract the monsters. No one knows his face. There's no drawing of his face and he's like a shadow!" she gestured with her hands.

"He's not dangerous?"

"Who knows" she shrugged. "All we know is that this guy goes around the inner lands attracting monsters. Some believe that he's looking for the barren lands invaders. He's skilled enough to become undetected and dodge the monsters following his scent. If I have to put it in some way then he's living monster bait!"

"How could you live like that?" he asked. "Each day you've to watch your back against monsters and even men that are like monsters. I don't think I can live that kind of life."

"Me too," she agreed. "Even I am not that crazy. Still, he must be really used to it to keep on fighting. They call him the Ghost now and he has this scary glowing red eyes. So when you see someone like that you better run away fast!"

"Alcina, you should do that as well." He watched a man lit a lamp. "It's not like they would punish you for running away."

"Hmm, I will if that ever happens."

The sun went down. The moon and the stars came out. They didn't have to stay in the village so they followed the route back to the city and sought a nice quiet tavern to drink. The two sat near the window and ordered some food to eat.

Alcina pointed at Lanon, "So with the War Maiden making use of her time. Do you think that the other Heroes would show up?"

"I don't know," he leaned on the table. "I am not that knowledgeable when it comes to stuff like the Heroes of Elemental Lights or whatsoever."

"Are you serious?" she sipped on her cup of wine. "Even the kids know what the Heroes are! They are birthed to serve the world and carry on the task of pushing back the barren lands. Lanon, the God's above are rather fickle, there are light and darkness. Both sides want to win therefore they are bestowing powers upon the Heroes. These Gods cannot stand in this world since they would destroy it, therefore, they can only give blessings instead!"

"I see," Lanon forked a vegetable. "It must be nice being bestowed power and being chosen to wield them. How can mere mortals like us compete against these monsters?"

Alcina touched her chin. "We make do by having weapons. We can always learn magic but that take years to study. Most of the Wizards have either started when they are young or they've applied to learn them. I doubt that you can learn a language of chaos when you are even having a hard time speaking the talon language."

"Certainly," he said. "But getting a simple fireball spell would do anyone good. Sadly, I don't think I will have the talent to understand the runic language. I mean you're right I can't even properly speak my name. I am actually surprised that I was able to learn the language in such a short time by being desperate enough."

She finished her cup of wine and leaned on the table, "Still, it must be hard losing your memories. You have your name but that's it."

"Yeah," he agreed. "I feel like I was robbed. I don't even know if the memories that I have right now are memories that have been retained are real. Was I really there? Did I truly live like that? Questions like that are all over my head."

She pointed her cup of wine at him, "It doesn't really matter now, right? Since you don't have that many memories then you should make one with this! It's alright because you have me as a friend. It doesn't matter if you are a coward. I'll be good to you!"

He smiled genuinely. "Thank you, Alcina, you are really are a good sister."

"Of course I am! Let us drink more!"

The two continued their stay on the tavern peacefully.