Mad Miki
Beautiful Insanity
Author's Note: While not strictly any kind of "book", I've been writing conceptual pieces for a universe that I've been building in my free time. This is the fifth and latest addition in the chronology of a tale revolving around two sisters, Aurelia and Terra, and the journey they must take in order to find each other once again.
This particular piece focuses on Terra's attempt to call in a 'favour' from one of her father's old contacts in an attempt to help track down her lost sibling. There may be some absent context, but I hope that it provides an enjoyable reading experience all the same~ ♥
Despite being more than comfortable enough to make her own way towards her target, Terra figured that it would be a little easier to have Aveline guide her. The rain began to pick up as low, rumbling thunderclouds rolled across the port town, drenching the two girls in a matter of minutes as they travelled across the open streets. "What made you come back? I thought the last time we would've seen you was with—" Terra rose a hand to her companion. "I know what you must think. To be blunt, I don't truly care. I am here because I need to be. Your questions will be answered when I ask Aerich." There was a level of intimidation that came from the soft voice of such a small blind woman, which the steel-eyed Aveline heeded. "After what I saw you do? Yeah…" A tender hand was planted on the brunette's shoulder, to which she turned and locked eyes on those hidden behind bandages. "I forgive you, Aveline. What happened wasn't your fault, you and I both know that. The blame lies alone with him." The cold made her shudder, though that wasn't likely to be the only reason. She nodded, knowing that Terra seemed to have a concept of sight even if her appearance belied it.
The detour that the two had taken allowed them to reach the town square in a modest time, despite the interruption. Shady figures stalked the entire area, pulling apart different gatherings of loot and distributing it across their lackeys. Clearly, they had recently scored quite big. Dozens of them turned to look at the girls, more staring at Terra in both bewilderment and primitive attraction, but none acted upon their instincts given her company. At the very least, Aveline acted well as a shield. Adjacent to the town square was a large, comparatively well-kept building; the structure was old-fashioned, but it had been reinforced by ramshackle components of wood, stone, and metal. A true bandit king's fortress. Small, spiked palisades, hanging severed heads, mocking graffiti carved into those who had failed to dethrone the port town's ruler. Brighter torchlight burned at either side of the entryway with two heavyset guards clad in chainmail and metal. One held a longsword, the other a meaty club that seemed almost as big as the man himself. The girls marched up the steps and made it as far as the door before weapons were crossed before them. "Who's your friend?" The large man with the club asked. Aveline rolled her eyes. "In your dreams. We need to see Aerich, shove off." Her voice was stern and commanding, but the two guards glanced at each other before returning to their bandit comrade. "Not a chance, girlie." The other chimed in. "Aerich's on an appointment-only basis." Aveline made a move to speak, but Terra instead stepped forward and raised a hand over to her companion. "Aerich owes me a favour. Are you going to make me ask more than once?" Again, the guards exchanged stares, eventually caving and opening the double doors to the building. "You better be who I think you are, or I'm gonna come up there and gut you myself." Terra gave a short bow and giggled, holding her arm out for Aveline to guide. It made her look more vulnerable than she truly was.
Although the exterior would certainly ward off or demoralise intruders, the interior of the town hall was surprisingly juxtaposed. It appeared lavish, with nice oriental rugs decorating the floors, banners of fallen kingdoms hung on the walls around, and the smell of rich, imported wine in the air, along with a cluster of various foods. It was likely that Aerich had surrounded himself with all manner of extravagant collector's items, trade goods, and commodities – the foyer seemed to be plenty indicative of this. Neither of the two spoke a word as they ascended the large central staircase, which turned around on itself to reach the upper floor. As they made it to the top, another pair of guards stood in front of a second set of double doors. They seemed similarly plated and just as ready to spill blood. The door had a rudimentary carving spelling 'Aerich' in the deep oaken wood. One of the guards huffed through their nose and, together, the two parted the doors and gestured for the women to enter, which were eagerly closed behind them after they had done so. Terra pressed her hands against the doors just for a moment.
Sitting atop a makeshift throne of wealth and trophies, a reasonably tall man with deep, almost bloody, red hair and dark brown eyes was gorging himself on fine dining. A cluster of well-dressed women were stroking at his arms and chest, which was partially bare given that his noble shirt was unbuttoned. They fed him individual grapes, held wine glasses up for him, and one even seemed to be a dedicated fan-bearer. To Terra it seemed comical, she couldn't help but laugh. Aerich heard it from across the room and narrowed his eyes, as though coming out of his high of lavish life. "Who dares to laugh at the Bandit King?" He demanded, half chewing on a grape as he spoke. Terra and Aveline stepped forward into better lighting until they were only a few feet from makeshift throne, though neither spoke. "Well?" His frustration grew, brows furrowing as he stared down at his subjects. "Ah… a simple maiden." Terra finally spoke, a content smile warmly painted on her face, while her hood covered most of the other half - though not enough to hide the bandages. Aerich seemed displeased by the choice of words. "Another one? I didn't ask for another one." For a moment he thought, pensive in his state of narcissistic lordship. "What can you do, girl? Massage my feet?" He chuckled. "Being blind isn't a problem, surely. You don't need to see to be able to get on your knees." Terra sighed, glancing over at Aveline who cautiously backed away towards the wall, perching against it and watching with vested interest. The silence seemed to irritate Aerich more than anything. "Well? Say something! Are you deaf as well?" A few of the consorts around shook and cowered at his raised voice, as though they anticipated mistreating.
Terra took another step forward. "I am here to collect, Aerich." The soft voice stated, seemingly taking him aback. He pushed aside the girls fawning over him and leaned forward in his throne, revealing some of the grey hair plaguing his otherwise fine red hair, and a scar that tore across most of his face. "You better have a good reason for your audacity, girl. I don't take kindly to people wasting my time." While he seemed aggressive and hostile, Terra was brought to a chuckle again. "Oh, you have no idea who I am, do you? Poor thing." Feeling insulted by her condescending tone, Aerich finally stood, strolling down his pile of gold and pointing a frustrated finger. "What makes you think I give a shit, huh? I own this town. I don't owe anybody. So, either get on your knees and bow like a good little girl, or I'll just have to make you." Terra gave a deep sigh and took yet another step forward until she was within arms reach of her quarry. "Allow me to reacquaint you." She raised her hands and placed them at either side of his head. "What are you—" Before he could properly react, Aerich's mind was pulled far away into a time distant from now.
The world warped around them and shifted into what appeared to be a castle throne room, yet this was no cheap imitation. The banners flying and the patterns drawn across the crests of standing armours were symbolic of a house that had since fallen to ruin. The colours of the world were dim and borderline monotonous, as though they had been stripped away. Terra and Aerich stood side-by-side, onlookers to a pair of thrones, in which were seated a king and queen. "Is that—" Aerich started, before a linen wrap curled up around his mouth and prevented him from speaking. "Shut up and watch." Terra hushed. He did not seem to fight it, despite his initial reactions. The two monarchs were deliberating on how to handle a recent riot that had occurred in the kingdom grounds. "They're getting closer every day. We need this war to end before our own people condemn us." The king spoke authoritatively, yet the queen shook her head. "We can't keep doing this to them. They are our people, we need to protect them, not lock them up in jail! I know you have your differences with the Krovatts, but you need to see that our people don't want this war." The counterargument seemed to infuse the king with a measure of frustration. "They have slaughtered our men, burned our villages. Families have been lost to these monsters. We need to put them—" A large door swung open as two knights with large halberds escorted in a fine-looking young man with red hair. Aerich's eyes widened as he looked down at Terra, to which the bandage-laden lass returned with a smile before refocusing on the scene playing out ahead.
"Leave us." The king spoke, waving a hand as the weapon-toting knights were dismissed, closing the heavy doors behind them. The young Aerich cleared his throat. "Your Majesties…" He began, giving an almost comedic bow. "I believe you requested my company?" He flashed a wink at the queen, who only matched him with visible disgust. "I won't have anything to do with this man, Jerard." She stood, pulling up her long dress as she descended the few stone steps and passed by the young stud Aerich who gave her a wiggle of the brows. She sighed furiously, her pace quickening as she exited the grand room. The blood-haired man laughed a little, outstretching his arms wide as he approached the king while completing a full spin to admire the room. "You don't let anything look any less than royal, huh J-man? Even Denieve is looking fine these days." Jerard slammed the throne's arm with his fist. "Silence, Aerich. I didn't summon you for your irritating quips." Shoving his hands into his admiral jacket's pockets, the youthful man gave a shoulder shrug. "Then what did you summon me for, o' great king?" An elbow rested upon the arm of the throne where the monarch's fist once was, brushing his brow with his fingers - harsh green eyes piercing those of Aerich's brown. "I need your help on a delicate matter. The Krovatts are moving a shipment of supplies that are crucial to their war effort along the eastern valley of the Shinxi Mountains." Aerich pulled his hands out of his pockets, holding one hand to his chin. "I think I already get where you're goin' with this, J. You want me to ambush this convoy and make it look like a bandit attack so that you aren't at all implicated. Sound about right?" It seemed like Jerard was struggling with resigning himself to admitting his conniving plan – even still, he solemnly nodded.
Terra looked on, her smile fading. "My scribe will give you the orders. Once you deliver them to your subordinates, burn them. I can't have this coming back to my kingdom." The young Aerich smirked, waving a hand before placing both in his coat pockets again. "Don't worry about it, J. This conversation never happened. I never visited the castle. Hell, I was never in Astrin's kingdom. Your secret is safe with me." He said, giving his condescending bow once more as he turned about on his heel and started to walk off towards the huge exit. From the corner of his eye, however, Aerich spotted the frills of white fabric peeking out from behind a large stone support pillar amongst the court pews. Upon closer inspection, he spotted a young girl, not even in her teens, lurking and listening. She wore a clean white dress, embroidered with the signature pale blues of House Astrin, bandages wrapped across her eyes. Aerich smiled and confronted her, swaying like a jester during his approach, which seemed to instil a little fear into the child despite her lack of vision. "Now what would you be doing here, little girl? Didn't hear all that conversation now, did ya?" The child clasped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. "Aerich!" Jerard shouted, immediately getting out of his seat and rushing down to meet the bandit, seeing the girl's soft blonde locks wobble above the pews. "Do not converse with my daughter!" He continued, raising a pointed finger. "Another word and I'll—" He prevented himself from sharing overmuch in the company of his child. Aerich gave a chuckle. "Right on, J. Don't worry. I'm outta here." Aerich sustained his laugh as he pried apart one of the large doors, looking back to give the light-haired child a wink before slipping through the opening.
After being rid of the outlaw, Jerard marched over to the lass and pulled her up by the wrist. "What are you doing here, girl? How many times must I tell you that when we are in the throne room, you are not?" She stammered a little, the hostility intimidating her. "B-But father, if I am ever to become queen like mother, shouldn't I—" Her cheek was met with a forceful slap, prompting a painful scream from the child. "Enough, Terra! You will listen to me or I'll have you following the maids around for weeks!" Dragging his daughter by the arm, Jerard followed the trail that Aerich left behind, with Terra weeping in tow and struggling to keep up with her father's long strides.
Present-time Aerich and Terra exchanged glances, the fabric slowly unveiling itself from binding the Bandit King's mouth. He only muttered a pair of words before being whisked back into reality. "Aw, hell…" While the dark-haired man stumbled back after the world-shifting events, the hooded maiden seemed to be unaffected, though she did not seem in any way content. Aerich felt the need to clarify. "Th-That was…" He started; a hand raised in defence against the girl in front of him. "My father." She clarified, pressing her fingers against each other below her chest. "You would do well to remember the events of that day, and all the days that followed." Terra took a few strides forward, while the Bandit King began to back away, slipping a little on the mounds of gold as he tried to climb up to his throne. "You murdered my mother, Aerich." Her steps were purposeful, yet seemed weightless, not making any noise as she, too, ascended towards the makeshift royal seat. "You murdered everyone I ever loved!" Tossing her arms to each side, she raised her voice high, frustration emanating from the once calm demeanour that she held – the candlelit room began to grow dim as though the flames were being choked, while the ladies once fawning over the port ruler began to back away to the corners of the room. Eventually, Aerich had nowhere left to go, he was cowering atop his throne with his arms held in front of him. Terra stood tall above him, looking down in both disgust and fury. "I gave you that scar. Perhaps I should give you a few more to commemorate our reunion. That way you'll never forget me again." He couldn't prevent himself any longer, the weeping brown eyes pleading along with a shattered voice. "Please! Don't kill me! I swear I did exactly what he told me to!"
A warm light began to emanate from Terra, bathing the room in a soft, white glow. She reached out and gripped Aerich's throat, lifting him up and off the throne – the glow turned a deep red. "I should make you suffer like you made me suffer." The hold was intense, forcing Aerich to gasp and squirm for air. Raising her other hand, she splayed her fingers like claws and placed them against her victim's chest, slowly dragging it across the bare skin that had so easily been presented earlier. His weak and pathetic screams were stifled only by his inability to properly breathe – pain tore through his body as large, bestial claw marks grew in place of Terra's movements. She didn't stop until she had scored across his entire chest, from shoulder to hip. Quick to dump him back on the throne once she was finished, Terra strode down the pile of treasure and knelt to the ground, placing the same bloody hand against the carpet. "What was borne of nature shall return to it. Ashes to ashes…" The low voice spoke, her wrath seeming to calm a little. Aveline looked on in disbelief as all the precious metals and riches began to fade into nought but ash – Aerich and his throne sinking into a mound of former wealth. "Dust… to dust…" Terra concluded, bringing herself back to her feet. She looked around the room – Aveline immediately turned away to avoid her gaze, Aerich was in shock and bleeding from his new wound, and the maidens cowering in the corner hadn't stopped whimpering for the last few minutes. The bloody red light surrounding Terra reattuned back into a timid white before dissipating entirely. With a wave of her hands, she gestured the girls to leave. "You're free. Go." They seemed to comply, hurrying past the terrifying blind woman and exiting the room.
Coughing up a little blood, Aerich stared down at his assailant, fear apparent in his eyes. "What the fuck are you?" He asked, struggling to string together even a simple sentence. Finally bringing back her confident smile, Terra rebuked. "Something you can't even fully comprehend. I am vengeance." Even in the face of his current situation, this managed to disgruntle him further. "So… what? Are you gonna kill me?" His ragged breaths continued between some of his words. Terra shook her head, looking down. "No. I still need a favour from you." Her blind gaze pierced his soul when she looked back up. "I'd much rather you suffer for the rest of your life, in constant fear that I'll come back to finish the job." A little laugh escaped her lips, which she tried to stifle with her hand. "And one day… I will."
Adjusting himself in his rotted throne, surrounded by dust, Aerich rested bloody arms at either side and leaned back into what little remained of his royal seat. "So what favour is it you need, girl?" With a soft sigh, the hooded girl turned and cracked her neck. "I need a tracker." She spoke as though it were a stern command. Aveline looked down towards the ground, as though in thought. "Really?" He pondered, a raw laugh erupting from his chest, eventually turning into gruesome hacking and coughing. "And here I thought with all the shit you seem to be able to do, you'd be able to find anyone you ever wanted." Aerich smiled, showcasing bloodstained teeth. "Don't push your luck, scum. I need to find someone. Who's your best?" A weary arm lifted and pointed over towards Aveline. "Who do you think you've been traipsing around town with?" Aerich laughed again, almost gargling on his own blood as he coughed it back up, spitting it into the knoll of ash.
Content with the answer, Terra raised an arm for Aveline to take, which she did partly out of fear and newly assigned duty – it was only then she managed to notice that Terra's dress was completely dry and seemed to be in perfect condition - neither weather-worn nor bloodied. As they walked towards the exit, the blind maiden stopped and turned back to face the dethroned Bandit King. "The next time we meet, Aerich… you won't get the luxury of seeing me leave." Her voice was cold and sincere. The port lord knew it to be true and couldn't even muster a response as slumped in his decayed chair.
Oblivious to the events that transpired inside the room they were guarding, the plated bandits seemed none the wiser and each gave a small nod to the women as they strolled downstairs and out of the building. Arm in arm, Aveline and Terra kept walking until they cleared the town square full of highwaymen, on towards the docks that Aerichmire was most famous for. There floated the pride and joy of the town; several ships of unique and intimidating design, all housing bandits of every grade and past. That wasn't what the girls were there for, however, instead opting for a quieter spot at the edge of a pier where they could both sit down and reflect on their recent experiences.
The blind girl made sure to take her shoes off so that she wouldn't kick them into the water beneath as she sat down on the creaky wood below, setting the white pumps down beside her. The rain had finally let up and a shy sun started to peak through the clouds, showcasing a stunning rainbow in front of the two. Aveline sat down beside her new employer, gazing across the water to admire it. "Beautiful, isn't it?" She said, resting her palms behind her. Terra nodded. "Of course it is. She sent it to me." This sentence seemed to perplex the brunette. "You mean Aurelia? I haven't seen her in…" Her voice trailed off as she dug into her memories, but she managed to catch herself and start back up. "I imagine… that's who you need me to track?" Again, Terra confirmed. "We were separated in the Damshien Woods after being chased by Krovatt extremists. I don't think she knows who they were, but… I do." While Terra seemed pensive, Aveline tried her best to keep upbeat, raising a hand up to rest on the blonde girl's shoulder. "Hey… It's going to be okay. We'll find her. If she can send you that…" A leather-wrapped hand gestured out towards the spectacular rainbow. "… then I'm sure we can use some of that bond you share to our advantage."
For once, Terra seemed to genuinely smile, as though her spirits had been lifted for the first time in days. Her own hand raised to compliment the one on her shoulder. "Thank you, Aveline." The gesture seemed to surprise the bandit as she almost instinctively retracted her hand but managed to let it remain so that the moment could last – though Aveline looked away, deep in thought. "Something's bothering you." Terra remarked, her gaze not shifting from the phenomenon ahead. "It's nothing. Just…" She paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say or how to phrase it. "You really fucked up Aerich." A smirk brewed on her face and a laugh trickled out, chest heaving as she tried to contain it. Terra finally broke her stare and tilted her head towards Aveline, smiling equally. Both girls started snickering, laughing away into the deep river blue.
This particular piece focuses on Terra's attempt to call in a 'favour' from one of her father's old contacts in an attempt to help track down her lost sibling. There may be some absent context, but I hope that it provides an enjoyable reading experience all the same~ ♥
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Despite being more than comfortable enough to make her own way towards her target, Terra figured that it would be a little easier to have Aveline guide her. The rain began to pick up as low, rumbling thunderclouds rolled across the port town, drenching the two girls in a matter of minutes as they travelled across the open streets. "What made you come back? I thought the last time we would've seen you was with—" Terra rose a hand to her companion. "I know what you must think. To be blunt, I don't truly care. I am here because I need to be. Your questions will be answered when I ask Aerich." There was a level of intimidation that came from the soft voice of such a small blind woman, which the steel-eyed Aveline heeded. "After what I saw you do? Yeah…" A tender hand was planted on the brunette's shoulder, to which she turned and locked eyes on those hidden behind bandages. "I forgive you, Aveline. What happened wasn't your fault, you and I both know that. The blame lies alone with him." The cold made her shudder, though that wasn't likely to be the only reason. She nodded, knowing that Terra seemed to have a concept of sight even if her appearance belied it.
The detour that the two had taken allowed them to reach the town square in a modest time, despite the interruption. Shady figures stalked the entire area, pulling apart different gatherings of loot and distributing it across their lackeys. Clearly, they had recently scored quite big. Dozens of them turned to look at the girls, more staring at Terra in both bewilderment and primitive attraction, but none acted upon their instincts given her company. At the very least, Aveline acted well as a shield. Adjacent to the town square was a large, comparatively well-kept building; the structure was old-fashioned, but it had been reinforced by ramshackle components of wood, stone, and metal. A true bandit king's fortress. Small, spiked palisades, hanging severed heads, mocking graffiti carved into those who had failed to dethrone the port town's ruler. Brighter torchlight burned at either side of the entryway with two heavyset guards clad in chainmail and metal. One held a longsword, the other a meaty club that seemed almost as big as the man himself. The girls marched up the steps and made it as far as the door before weapons were crossed before them. "Who's your friend?" The large man with the club asked. Aveline rolled her eyes. "In your dreams. We need to see Aerich, shove off." Her voice was stern and commanding, but the two guards glanced at each other before returning to their bandit comrade. "Not a chance, girlie." The other chimed in. "Aerich's on an appointment-only basis." Aveline made a move to speak, but Terra instead stepped forward and raised a hand over to her companion. "Aerich owes me a favour. Are you going to make me ask more than once?" Again, the guards exchanged stares, eventually caving and opening the double doors to the building. "You better be who I think you are, or I'm gonna come up there and gut you myself." Terra gave a short bow and giggled, holding her arm out for Aveline to guide. It made her look more vulnerable than she truly was.
Although the exterior would certainly ward off or demoralise intruders, the interior of the town hall was surprisingly juxtaposed. It appeared lavish, with nice oriental rugs decorating the floors, banners of fallen kingdoms hung on the walls around, and the smell of rich, imported wine in the air, along with a cluster of various foods. It was likely that Aerich had surrounded himself with all manner of extravagant collector's items, trade goods, and commodities – the foyer seemed to be plenty indicative of this. Neither of the two spoke a word as they ascended the large central staircase, which turned around on itself to reach the upper floor. As they made it to the top, another pair of guards stood in front of a second set of double doors. They seemed similarly plated and just as ready to spill blood. The door had a rudimentary carving spelling 'Aerich' in the deep oaken wood. One of the guards huffed through their nose and, together, the two parted the doors and gestured for the women to enter, which were eagerly closed behind them after they had done so. Terra pressed her hands against the doors just for a moment.
Sitting atop a makeshift throne of wealth and trophies, a reasonably tall man with deep, almost bloody, red hair and dark brown eyes was gorging himself on fine dining. A cluster of well-dressed women were stroking at his arms and chest, which was partially bare given that his noble shirt was unbuttoned. They fed him individual grapes, held wine glasses up for him, and one even seemed to be a dedicated fan-bearer. To Terra it seemed comical, she couldn't help but laugh. Aerich heard it from across the room and narrowed his eyes, as though coming out of his high of lavish life. "Who dares to laugh at the Bandit King?" He demanded, half chewing on a grape as he spoke. Terra and Aveline stepped forward into better lighting until they were only a few feet from makeshift throne, though neither spoke. "Well?" His frustration grew, brows furrowing as he stared down at his subjects. "Ah… a simple maiden." Terra finally spoke, a content smile warmly painted on her face, while her hood covered most of the other half - though not enough to hide the bandages. Aerich seemed displeased by the choice of words. "Another one? I didn't ask for another one." For a moment he thought, pensive in his state of narcissistic lordship. "What can you do, girl? Massage my feet?" He chuckled. "Being blind isn't a problem, surely. You don't need to see to be able to get on your knees." Terra sighed, glancing over at Aveline who cautiously backed away towards the wall, perching against it and watching with vested interest. The silence seemed to irritate Aerich more than anything. "Well? Say something! Are you deaf as well?" A few of the consorts around shook and cowered at his raised voice, as though they anticipated mistreating.
Terra took another step forward. "I am here to collect, Aerich." The soft voice stated, seemingly taking him aback. He pushed aside the girls fawning over him and leaned forward in his throne, revealing some of the grey hair plaguing his otherwise fine red hair, and a scar that tore across most of his face. "You better have a good reason for your audacity, girl. I don't take kindly to people wasting my time." While he seemed aggressive and hostile, Terra was brought to a chuckle again. "Oh, you have no idea who I am, do you? Poor thing." Feeling insulted by her condescending tone, Aerich finally stood, strolling down his pile of gold and pointing a frustrated finger. "What makes you think I give a shit, huh? I own this town. I don't owe anybody. So, either get on your knees and bow like a good little girl, or I'll just have to make you." Terra gave a deep sigh and took yet another step forward until she was within arms reach of her quarry. "Allow me to reacquaint you." She raised her hands and placed them at either side of his head. "What are you—" Before he could properly react, Aerich's mind was pulled far away into a time distant from now.
The world warped around them and shifted into what appeared to be a castle throne room, yet this was no cheap imitation. The banners flying and the patterns drawn across the crests of standing armours were symbolic of a house that had since fallen to ruin. The colours of the world were dim and borderline monotonous, as though they had been stripped away. Terra and Aerich stood side-by-side, onlookers to a pair of thrones, in which were seated a king and queen. "Is that—" Aerich started, before a linen wrap curled up around his mouth and prevented him from speaking. "Shut up and watch." Terra hushed. He did not seem to fight it, despite his initial reactions. The two monarchs were deliberating on how to handle a recent riot that had occurred in the kingdom grounds. "They're getting closer every day. We need this war to end before our own people condemn us." The king spoke authoritatively, yet the queen shook her head. "We can't keep doing this to them. They are our people, we need to protect them, not lock them up in jail! I know you have your differences with the Krovatts, but you need to see that our people don't want this war." The counterargument seemed to infuse the king with a measure of frustration. "They have slaughtered our men, burned our villages. Families have been lost to these monsters. We need to put them—" A large door swung open as two knights with large halberds escorted in a fine-looking young man with red hair. Aerich's eyes widened as he looked down at Terra, to which the bandage-laden lass returned with a smile before refocusing on the scene playing out ahead.
"Leave us." The king spoke, waving a hand as the weapon-toting knights were dismissed, closing the heavy doors behind them. The young Aerich cleared his throat. "Your Majesties…" He began, giving an almost comedic bow. "I believe you requested my company?" He flashed a wink at the queen, who only matched him with visible disgust. "I won't have anything to do with this man, Jerard." She stood, pulling up her long dress as she descended the few stone steps and passed by the young stud Aerich who gave her a wiggle of the brows. She sighed furiously, her pace quickening as she exited the grand room. The blood-haired man laughed a little, outstretching his arms wide as he approached the king while completing a full spin to admire the room. "You don't let anything look any less than royal, huh J-man? Even Denieve is looking fine these days." Jerard slammed the throne's arm with his fist. "Silence, Aerich. I didn't summon you for your irritating quips." Shoving his hands into his admiral jacket's pockets, the youthful man gave a shoulder shrug. "Then what did you summon me for, o' great king?" An elbow rested upon the arm of the throne where the monarch's fist once was, brushing his brow with his fingers - harsh green eyes piercing those of Aerich's brown. "I need your help on a delicate matter. The Krovatts are moving a shipment of supplies that are crucial to their war effort along the eastern valley of the Shinxi Mountains." Aerich pulled his hands out of his pockets, holding one hand to his chin. "I think I already get where you're goin' with this, J. You want me to ambush this convoy and make it look like a bandit attack so that you aren't at all implicated. Sound about right?" It seemed like Jerard was struggling with resigning himself to admitting his conniving plan – even still, he solemnly nodded.
Terra looked on, her smile fading. "My scribe will give you the orders. Once you deliver them to your subordinates, burn them. I can't have this coming back to my kingdom." The young Aerich smirked, waving a hand before placing both in his coat pockets again. "Don't worry about it, J. This conversation never happened. I never visited the castle. Hell, I was never in Astrin's kingdom. Your secret is safe with me." He said, giving his condescending bow once more as he turned about on his heel and started to walk off towards the huge exit. From the corner of his eye, however, Aerich spotted the frills of white fabric peeking out from behind a large stone support pillar amongst the court pews. Upon closer inspection, he spotted a young girl, not even in her teens, lurking and listening. She wore a clean white dress, embroidered with the signature pale blues of House Astrin, bandages wrapped across her eyes. Aerich smiled and confronted her, swaying like a jester during his approach, which seemed to instil a little fear into the child despite her lack of vision. "Now what would you be doing here, little girl? Didn't hear all that conversation now, did ya?" The child clasped a hand over her mouth and shook her head. "Aerich!" Jerard shouted, immediately getting out of his seat and rushing down to meet the bandit, seeing the girl's soft blonde locks wobble above the pews. "Do not converse with my daughter!" He continued, raising a pointed finger. "Another word and I'll—" He prevented himself from sharing overmuch in the company of his child. Aerich gave a chuckle. "Right on, J. Don't worry. I'm outta here." Aerich sustained his laugh as he pried apart one of the large doors, looking back to give the light-haired child a wink before slipping through the opening.
After being rid of the outlaw, Jerard marched over to the lass and pulled her up by the wrist. "What are you doing here, girl? How many times must I tell you that when we are in the throne room, you are not?" She stammered a little, the hostility intimidating her. "B-But father, if I am ever to become queen like mother, shouldn't I—" Her cheek was met with a forceful slap, prompting a painful scream from the child. "Enough, Terra! You will listen to me or I'll have you following the maids around for weeks!" Dragging his daughter by the arm, Jerard followed the trail that Aerich left behind, with Terra weeping in tow and struggling to keep up with her father's long strides.
Present-time Aerich and Terra exchanged glances, the fabric slowly unveiling itself from binding the Bandit King's mouth. He only muttered a pair of words before being whisked back into reality. "Aw, hell…" While the dark-haired man stumbled back after the world-shifting events, the hooded maiden seemed to be unaffected, though she did not seem in any way content. Aerich felt the need to clarify. "Th-That was…" He started; a hand raised in defence against the girl in front of him. "My father." She clarified, pressing her fingers against each other below her chest. "You would do well to remember the events of that day, and all the days that followed." Terra took a few strides forward, while the Bandit King began to back away, slipping a little on the mounds of gold as he tried to climb up to his throne. "You murdered my mother, Aerich." Her steps were purposeful, yet seemed weightless, not making any noise as she, too, ascended towards the makeshift royal seat. "You murdered everyone I ever loved!" Tossing her arms to each side, she raised her voice high, frustration emanating from the once calm demeanour that she held – the candlelit room began to grow dim as though the flames were being choked, while the ladies once fawning over the port ruler began to back away to the corners of the room. Eventually, Aerich had nowhere left to go, he was cowering atop his throne with his arms held in front of him. Terra stood tall above him, looking down in both disgust and fury. "I gave you that scar. Perhaps I should give you a few more to commemorate our reunion. That way you'll never forget me again." He couldn't prevent himself any longer, the weeping brown eyes pleading along with a shattered voice. "Please! Don't kill me! I swear I did exactly what he told me to!"
A warm light began to emanate from Terra, bathing the room in a soft, white glow. She reached out and gripped Aerich's throat, lifting him up and off the throne – the glow turned a deep red. "I should make you suffer like you made me suffer." The hold was intense, forcing Aerich to gasp and squirm for air. Raising her other hand, she splayed her fingers like claws and placed them against her victim's chest, slowly dragging it across the bare skin that had so easily been presented earlier. His weak and pathetic screams were stifled only by his inability to properly breathe – pain tore through his body as large, bestial claw marks grew in place of Terra's movements. She didn't stop until she had scored across his entire chest, from shoulder to hip. Quick to dump him back on the throne once she was finished, Terra strode down the pile of treasure and knelt to the ground, placing the same bloody hand against the carpet. "What was borne of nature shall return to it. Ashes to ashes…" The low voice spoke, her wrath seeming to calm a little. Aveline looked on in disbelief as all the precious metals and riches began to fade into nought but ash – Aerich and his throne sinking into a mound of former wealth. "Dust… to dust…" Terra concluded, bringing herself back to her feet. She looked around the room – Aveline immediately turned away to avoid her gaze, Aerich was in shock and bleeding from his new wound, and the maidens cowering in the corner hadn't stopped whimpering for the last few minutes. The bloody red light surrounding Terra reattuned back into a timid white before dissipating entirely. With a wave of her hands, she gestured the girls to leave. "You're free. Go." They seemed to comply, hurrying past the terrifying blind woman and exiting the room.
Coughing up a little blood, Aerich stared down at his assailant, fear apparent in his eyes. "What the fuck are you?" He asked, struggling to string together even a simple sentence. Finally bringing back her confident smile, Terra rebuked. "Something you can't even fully comprehend. I am vengeance." Even in the face of his current situation, this managed to disgruntle him further. "So… what? Are you gonna kill me?" His ragged breaths continued between some of his words. Terra shook her head, looking down. "No. I still need a favour from you." Her blind gaze pierced his soul when she looked back up. "I'd much rather you suffer for the rest of your life, in constant fear that I'll come back to finish the job." A little laugh escaped her lips, which she tried to stifle with her hand. "And one day… I will."
Adjusting himself in his rotted throne, surrounded by dust, Aerich rested bloody arms at either side and leaned back into what little remained of his royal seat. "So what favour is it you need, girl?" With a soft sigh, the hooded girl turned and cracked her neck. "I need a tracker." She spoke as though it were a stern command. Aveline looked down towards the ground, as though in thought. "Really?" He pondered, a raw laugh erupting from his chest, eventually turning into gruesome hacking and coughing. "And here I thought with all the shit you seem to be able to do, you'd be able to find anyone you ever wanted." Aerich smiled, showcasing bloodstained teeth. "Don't push your luck, scum. I need to find someone. Who's your best?" A weary arm lifted and pointed over towards Aveline. "Who do you think you've been traipsing around town with?" Aerich laughed again, almost gargling on his own blood as he coughed it back up, spitting it into the knoll of ash.
Content with the answer, Terra raised an arm for Aveline to take, which she did partly out of fear and newly assigned duty – it was only then she managed to notice that Terra's dress was completely dry and seemed to be in perfect condition - neither weather-worn nor bloodied. As they walked towards the exit, the blind maiden stopped and turned back to face the dethroned Bandit King. "The next time we meet, Aerich… you won't get the luxury of seeing me leave." Her voice was cold and sincere. The port lord knew it to be true and couldn't even muster a response as slumped in his decayed chair.
Oblivious to the events that transpired inside the room they were guarding, the plated bandits seemed none the wiser and each gave a small nod to the women as they strolled downstairs and out of the building. Arm in arm, Aveline and Terra kept walking until they cleared the town square full of highwaymen, on towards the docks that Aerichmire was most famous for. There floated the pride and joy of the town; several ships of unique and intimidating design, all housing bandits of every grade and past. That wasn't what the girls were there for, however, instead opting for a quieter spot at the edge of a pier where they could both sit down and reflect on their recent experiences.
The blind girl made sure to take her shoes off so that she wouldn't kick them into the water beneath as she sat down on the creaky wood below, setting the white pumps down beside her. The rain had finally let up and a shy sun started to peak through the clouds, showcasing a stunning rainbow in front of the two. Aveline sat down beside her new employer, gazing across the water to admire it. "Beautiful, isn't it?" She said, resting her palms behind her. Terra nodded. "Of course it is. She sent it to me." This sentence seemed to perplex the brunette. "You mean Aurelia? I haven't seen her in…" Her voice trailed off as she dug into her memories, but she managed to catch herself and start back up. "I imagine… that's who you need me to track?" Again, Terra confirmed. "We were separated in the Damshien Woods after being chased by Krovatt extremists. I don't think she knows who they were, but… I do." While Terra seemed pensive, Aveline tried her best to keep upbeat, raising a hand up to rest on the blonde girl's shoulder. "Hey… It's going to be okay. We'll find her. If she can send you that…" A leather-wrapped hand gestured out towards the spectacular rainbow. "… then I'm sure we can use some of that bond you share to our advantage."
For once, Terra seemed to genuinely smile, as though her spirits had been lifted for the first time in days. Her own hand raised to compliment the one on her shoulder. "Thank you, Aveline." The gesture seemed to surprise the bandit as she almost instinctively retracted her hand but managed to let it remain so that the moment could last – though Aveline looked away, deep in thought. "Something's bothering you." Terra remarked, her gaze not shifting from the phenomenon ahead. "It's nothing. Just…" She paused for a moment, trying to figure out what to say or how to phrase it. "You really fucked up Aerich." A smirk brewed on her face and a laugh trickled out, chest heaving as she tried to contain it. Terra finally broke her stare and tilted her head towards Aveline, smiling equally. Both girls started snickering, laughing away into the deep river blue.