Natalak's slumber was disturbed by the unbearable warmth of the sunlight. And the voice of a woman calling, shaking him to rouse from his sleep.
"Natalak, wake up!" Riya violently shakes the traveller. "The food is ready."
Hungry, Natalak slowly roused— he looked at the sky, and the sun was near to its peak, probably nine to ten in the morning, he assumed. He looked at the druid and saw that he was gone from the camp, which led him to believe the elven woman had been awakened. However, there was no sign of the lady elf, nor Sheila.
"Where's Miss Sheila?" Natalak said, his voice was so low that only Riya could hear him.
"She's inside the tent, accompanying the elf lady," Riya whispers. "Come, you should eat; we've already finished our breakfast."
"Uh," Natalak shakes his head, still drowsy.
A bowl of stew was handed over to him, though his eyes were constantly looking at the tent and his surroundings. The only company he had was Riya scribbling in her books.
"So, about the druid guy?" Natalak said in a low tone.
Riya nudged her head, pointing at the forest. Quickly apprehending what her actions mean, Natalak nods in approval—stirring the hot stew, breathing cold wind before slowly filling his mouth. And while he was starting to enjoy his meal, the lady elf and Sheila emerged.
"So, this is your leader?" The woman said, looking somewhat disappointed.
The elf was covered in a blanket, and a pin brooch was placed on her right shoulder. Confused, Natalak looks at Sheila for an explanation, and the moment she averted her head to the other side, the traveller quickly knew what she did.
Above-average in height, the lady was, but in contrast with Ashalain. The paladin was about four inches taller.
"Ah, it's not what he seems to be," Sheila says, trying to ease the tensions.
Previously, while Natalak slept leisurely, Sheila deliberately appeased and persuaded the woman. It was slow, but Sheila's kind words coaxed her.
Hours before the meeting—
"Where am I?" The elf said, hiding the fact that she was trying to cast magic.
To Sheila's surprise, she kept her composure and calmly negotiated.
"We're still in the forest."
"Forest?" The elf widens her eyes.
"Yes, we're trying to find a way to exit the barrier… We're still trying to find the druid sigils."
"Druid?" The elf blurted.
"Yes, we did manage to incarcerate him—" Realising she was spilling information, Sheila covers her mouth.
"Please tell me that the druid is safe?" The elf's voice whispers of unrest.
Sheila was silent, unsure whether to answer her questions with lies or the truth. "I cannot tell you anymore—"
The elf expressed a heavy sigh. "The druid you've captured was my uncle…" The elf paused, noticing that Sheila wasn't adhering to her words. "Look, it might be strange to you, but I'm an associate of the druid society myself."
Still, Sheila wasn't convinced. An elf with mixed blood, imploring that she's an affiliate of the druid people, is highly unconvincing, especially for a dark elf.
"Look, I don't know what your leader commands you to do. If you have a truth-seeking orb, we can settle this trust issue." The elf spoke with a confident tone.
Sheila was silent, quite convinced when the lady challenged her to a truth-seeking orb test. But unfortunately, there was no crystal orb. The only way to tell if the elf was lying is to take her to the adventurer's guild or the temple of Adra.
"We don't have that item at our disposal," Sheila responds. "Nor do we have any followers of Adra in our group." Sheila continues, hinting at a gloomy expression in her voice.
"I understand, forgive me for my rudeness. My name is Chifya. And for my request, I would like to see the druid you've captured and to your leader." Chifya said, slightly giving a bow.
After the elf's word, the atmosphere turns silent. For minutes, Sheila finally breaks the silence.
"I will release your bonds," Sheila spoke, showing Chifya her guild's badge. "Then you must know something about our guild's crest?"
Chifya nods, "I only know a little, all I know is that it had magical imbued by followers of Adra, that's all I know. And I swear by the three goddesses of the moon, what I told you is true."
"I understand, then for additional, the crest will hold you accountable if you manage to kill me." Sheila confidently responds, though half of her words were lies. "Comrade Natalak, sleeping in a situation like this."
Chifya nods and readies herself for Sheila's unbinding.
"Thee I set you free, thee, by decree of the law, let these chains of prison be broken," Sheila spoke, touching the bindings, and when her hand pulls away, the magic rope dissolves like paper on a raging water.
Quickly, upon dissolving the bindings, Sheila cast her abjuration magic and readied one of her offensive spells. She tried to suppress her adrenaline anxiety— for the elven maid, she looks at the mage's arms open, no threat to display.
Minutes passed, and Sheila slowly gained Chifya's trust.
Returning to the present time—
"Listen, leader of this party, I would like you to help me with this place," Chifya says, her voice hinting at an authoritative tone.
Somehow, the elf's approach shows a different side when it comes to Natalak. But for Sheila and Riya, Chifya was different. Natalak glances at Sheila, and she looks away, confused by her mindset—
"Should I be an asshole for today? Or should I first have a private conversation with Sheila?"
"Um, Miss Sheila, can we have a personal conversation, if you're okay with that?" Natalak spoke, ignoring Chifya's words.
Sheila nods, and the two move farther from the elf, leaving Riya to attend to Chifya's presence. Uncomfortable, maybe, Riya tries her best to keep Chifya occupied. Asking her origins, her adventures, anything that will dissolve the thorny atmosphere. And while the two ladies are deliberately exchanging words, there on the farther side of the table—
"Um, who is that woman?" Natalak whispers.
"She's the lady from last night. And her name is Chifya."
"I-I don't understand, she's an elf at night and human in the morning?"
"It is-it's quite complicated and long to explain. Let's just first focus on the situation we are in."
"I get ya… but she's somehow not so good with me, should you just tell her you're the party leader?" Natalak said, horizontally shaking his hand towards his throat.
Sheila recess, she didn't have the asset to look at Natalak.
"I can't, not when I gave her enough lies."
"Ayah… Fine, I'll act as your party leader just for today, but once we're out of here. You should probably explain it to her."
"That won't be a problem."
"Also, what about her items? She looks like a murder hobo to me."
"I don't think it's a good idea to give all her the items, we should inquire about her more." Sheila sighs, "If only he were here." She mutters.
"Inquire?" Raising his eyebrows. "I-I think I have something that might be of good use, wait here." Natalak continues before going towards the tree.
"What?! You have the Eye of Adra with you all the time?! Why didn't you tell me earlier?!" Sheila murmured.
"Wo-wo, I didn't know you needed it so badly?"
"Shar be praised, I thank thee for delivering this man to us," Sheila said, praising her hands to the sky.
"Stop that! Let's head back; we've used enough time… As for her items—"
They returned, and Chifya was alarmed to see Natalak holding a truth-seeking orb.
"Aye, it's a truth-seeking orb, now, before we give you your items. Promised us that you won't go into a killing spree." Natalak said.
"I have no reason to do those kinds of things, I'm not my other kin, nor am I that kind of person."
Natalak carefully looked at the crystal and saw it hadn't changed; not even a single speck of darkness.
"Okay…" Natalak scathes his head. "What's your relationship with the druid man we've captured?"
"He's my foster uncle, and for you to know, I myself am a part of the druid society."
He looks at the crystal, and true enough, Chifya was telling the truth.
"The elders of my cove sent us to investigate the disturbance from the place," Chifya utters. "Uncle Rick tries to enter the Sylvian Realm to locate the cause, only for him to be corrupted by whatever fouled this place."
"I see, about the barrier, do you know anything about it?" Natalak follows.
"It is to prevent any tarnished spirits or foul energies from escaping this Sylvian Realm. Uncle and I first erected the barrier before he crossed the threshold of the Sylvian Realm."
"Okay, any recommendation on how to remove the barrier?" Natalak said.
"I expected more from someone with that face. You have a remarkable talent for missing the obvious. Removing the barrier will spread the corruption from this area." Chifya gave a disdainful look.
"You are so very quick in judging assumptions, perhaps you should go back to your mother for another maturing process, or perhaps your father," Natalak said, his voice calm, but the words were a dagger to Chifya's heart.
The traveller, amused and relatively pleased with his response, quickly faded when he saw that one of Chifya's fingers was clawing the fire ring stones. Slow and steady, her nail was like iron, easily scraping the hard rock.
"Shit, did I take it too far?" Natalak's eyes were swaying left and right, his senses screaming for him to run. He looks at the crystal and thinks about asking if Chifya wanted to kill him.
Even Sheila and Riya felt the tension; their eyes would meet as if relaying a warning.
"Um, about your uncle, Lady Chifya, should you first need to check on him?" Sheila intervenes.
A subtle sigh Chifya gave before she stood. "Take me to him." She spoke, her head shifting towards where the druid was hidden.
Leaving the camp, the three headed towards where the druid was incarcerated.
"By the way, did the guild give you some information regarding this place and its whereabouts?" Natalak whispers towards Sheila.
"The guild manager did warn us. She said that this place was once used as an experiment by cultists long ago. They might have some connections with the problems here." Sheila replied.
"You may be right." Natalak nods.
While Sheila and Natalak were exchanging messages through murmurs and whispers, little did they know that Chifya's ears were sensitive to their undertones. And that moment of conversation sparks a question from Chifya.
"Let me ask you for a moment. Natalak, is it? Are you perhaps a member of the adventurers' guild?" Chifya paused, turning towards Natalak.
"Yes, he's part of our group." Sheila quickly replied, but her voice was nervous.
"You have the truth-seeking orb? Why don't we try it?" Chifya gave a defiant look.
The atmosphere turns cold and silent, and only the breeze can be heard. For Natalak, he was pondering, and suddenly, he was tired of quibbling.
"No, why?" Natalak bluntly replied.
The atmosphere became silent; Chifya's shoulder slowly shook, then laughter followed. Her laughter wasn't for relief but in disbelief, as if mocking herself.
"I can't believe a younger man speaking to me condescendingly." Chifya blurted, laughing.
"He's not even a member of the adventurer's guild. And I blindly squirm at his words." Chifya continues to laugh; now it shows both self-esteem and self-ridicule.
As for Natalak, he was rather confused and somewhat miffed by Chifya's laughter. When she finally stopped her mock, Natalak saw her expression change, as if speaking back to her would turn him into a headless man.
Her face now full of morale, daring Natalak to retort. Grinning in anticipation, Chifya waits for his response.
Recalling the teachings of his past elders. Natalak looks away at Chifya.
"Thank you, Miss Sheila, for the healing and the provision that you gave me. But I must go on my own way."
Slowly, Natalak saunters away. And while he does keep to his words, Chifya's grinning anticipation slowly diminishes.