《Advent Noion》


 1 - banal beginning

    Advent Noion


    1


    everything shakes. sparks rain from the helix poking its head through the ceiling. sirens wail over her humming tune as she slices and bags noion, walking into the light outside. the shaking stops and the helix falls as she steps into her shoes.


    she skips for a while, "la di da-"


    and then stops, "di la la la."


    pausing to look up, squinting against the brightness, "another drill."


    looking down, "rab''s little fruit store."


    rab''s orchard, situated just across the lane.


    she looks at the falling above her, laughing, "hahaha!"


    she turns away before it impacts, still whirling, digging itself into stone, throwing plumes of rock into the air.


    she sighs, opening her parasol, walking away, "not today."


    walking for ten minutes through the crowd, some freelancers finally pass her with the necessary equipment in spirit-drawn carts to quell the bright beast. she reaches her destination shortly after, keeping to herself until the top floor.


    a guy in blue waves, "hoy, nisida!"


    she looks his way, nodding, "hey, kampo."


    he watches the helix outside, "we almost lost you there, eh?"


    she sighs, "almost."


    he spits into his glass, "ya stare long?"


    she gets to a desk, falling into a chair, "no-"


    she notices the listing board, "anything new?


    silence.


    she takes stock of the empty desks, "or is there even anyone else here?"


    distracted kampo finally answers, "oh, neh. they prolly passed ya in lane. that one was pretty big."


    she lays her head down, "wake me up when something happens."


    she closes her eyes, "almost. maybe tomorrow?"


    -


    the glow streaming from the windows facing the helix has died down.


    awake, she looks around, "ka... kampo?"


    silence.


    geting up, she stretches, grabs her noion bag, and walks downstairs. an unfamiliar guy in a black loose shawl is signing paperwork around a crowd of neets. she stops to observe his writing.


    a voice to her left, "heh, nisida, right?"


    she turns to face a beardy man covered in grease, "yes?"


    he works up a sweat in excitement, "that was awfully close to nisida''s place, wasn''t it? i was worried about-"


    she interrupts, "eh, thanks. i''m fine."


    she glances back to black-dressed guy, "who is that?"


    he growls when looking his way, "he''s just some neet we got today. anyway, it''s almost one-hundred, do you want to grab some-"


    she interrupts again, holding up her noion, smiling, "sorry, on a diet. see ya."


    she sits across from the black-dressed guy and waits for the paperwork on his table to end. an hour or so passes by unoticeably, all the while he avoids meeting her eyes.


    she speaks to him, grinning, "now what?"


    he finally looks up, confused.


    A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.


    she motions to the lane outside, "want to get some food? you just got here, right?"


    -


    she draws two cigarettes out of her sleeve, handing one out for him, "smoke?"


    he spends a moment in thought, "no."


    impressed, she slips both between her lips, "eehhh!"


    he shakes his head, looking over the selection of food as they walk.


    lighting her mouth, she gags on some wispy strands of hair while trying to suck the flame in, "impressive-"


    she sighs out smoke, "i thought all neets did."


    she points to dugoh cart vendors busily cooking animal-shaped batter on frying pans, "want some of this? it''s really good."


    he shakes his head, "no."


    she puffs smoke out in his face, "are you just saying that because you haven''t been paid yet?"


    he coughs, looking away, "no."


    unimpressed, "say something other than no."


    he hesitates, looking at her now, "yes."


    she groans, joking, "ughh, you''re probably from some weird village, right?"


    he looks to his feet, shaking his head.


    she laughs, stopping in front of another vendor "ha! what a lame response, you need to work on lying. just split this dugoh with me."


    she hands a ten-lak bill from her back pocket to the vendor and receives one-lak plus a phantele dugoh, tearing it in half, "here."


    he accepts the greasy rump and she chows down, not planning to wait any longer, "mmm yhghm mmd phandeg."


    he finds himself staring at her bag for a moment.


    she licks her lips, looking down at her bag, "what?"


    she grins, pulling out a slice of crunchy noion from within, "this?"


    he almost smiles, "can i?"


    she laughs, "ha. really? you want this instead?"


    he nods, smiling, as she hands over her bag, "have a good feast."


    ~crunch~ they enjoy their meals as they ~crunch~ continue walking through the ~crunch~ vendors. the glow from the latest drill has completely died down and everyone begins hoisting ~crunch~ marked lanterns out above the gourmet lane to advertise their services and ~crunch~ wares.


    she glances at him, laughing "hurry up and eat that stuff already!"


    ~crunch, crunch, crunch~


    she stops to rest against a spirit tiedown, comparing themselve''s for a moment, "you''re taller than me, but you act like a little boy. how old are you?"


    he stares off into a house of vice, "nineteen."


    surprised, she turns, facing him, "really? i guess we are the same."


    silence.


    she tries to feel his spirit, but confusingly there is nothing, "hey, what''s wrong with your spirit-"


    he runs off.


    startled, she falls over, "ow! hey, what are-"


    he is gone.


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20769</a>


    aan

 2 - rolling rigor

    Advent Noion


    2


    she sighs, "he has no spirit."


    reclining in a seat, staring up at the tiny ceiling helix, she suddenly shouts, "hey, kampo!"


    he pokes his bald head over a desk "what!"


    she grins, "where are all the others?"


    he shrugs, rests his head, "keep it down, ya? i''m tired."


    silence.


    she stands up, begins walking toward the stairwell, "i''m going for a walk."


    she visits the neets below, but discovers the guy from before is missing.


    while checking the work roster displayed on a pegboard wall, she realizes, "oh, i never got his name."


    her skin crawls as someone calls out her name, "nisida!"


    she turns, facing the beardy man, a forced smile on her face, "hello."


    he leans against the roster, posing in his sweat-stained jumpsuit, "nisida, you really need to work on-"


    she interrupts, "hey, what''s that new guy''s name again?


    he glares at some sudden imagination beyond her, "him! did jfion harass you? that rascal... i need to-"


    she interrupts the man, laughing, "haha, jfion? what kind of name is that?"


    she finds jfion''s name, his assigned job, and his location on the roster, and begins walking outside, "thanks again... neetman!"


    -


    she whistles, holding up a bag of noion "heeyyy fijion!"


    ignoring her, he continues acting as cordon for the spiritworkers inside the remnant crater to his rear.


    she climbs up, flailing the noion around, "jifijoin! got some noiooonn for you!"


    which causes her to slip and come tumbling down, "ahhhh!"


    she whimpers a while, before giving up, "hey! i fell for real, come help me up."


    he grumbles, before climbing down to extend his hand, which she grabs to right herself, "ha! just kidding, i meant to do-"


    groaning, he lets go of her hand, "ahhh!"


    she falls once more, throwing the noion at him, "ow! fuck you, jifio!"


    he resumes his cordon as she retreats.


    -


    a young girl carrying an armload of calibration equipment suddenly asks, "can you help me survey the drill?"


    she looks around the office, completely empty, but still asks, "eh, me?"


    the girl sighs, "some friend you are, nisida."


    she groans, "ugh. okay."


    -


    kicking rocks for entertainment, she finally asks the girl, "so, how far is it?"


    the girl looks into the air, "can''t you see the rays? we just follow them."


    she almost laughs, "no, i mean where is it?"


    the girl points ahead, "right on the border. i asked jingo for this drill."


    she imagines a small elf, "jingo, what a cute name!"


    the girl turns around, asking her, "isn''t mine also?"


    staring at the girl''s face through the calibration equipment in her grasp, "clarel?"


    she pauses, thinking, "no, it''s more of a pretty name."


    This story has been unlawfully obtained without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    clarel coughs, "keh! pretty! is that so?"


    she nods, "yeah."


    the visible radiation just beyond the corner of the next building is near-blinding.


    clarel looks back, encouraging her, "i think we''re almost there."


    squinting, trying to keep her hair in front of her face to block the light, "i hope so... i can''t even see where i''m walking!"


    they reach the corner, clarel relieves her arms, "here, i''ll take those."


    clarel neatly arranges everything on canvas, "this is weird, isn''t it?"


    she slaps down her visor, intent on rounding the corner, "weird?"


    clarel calls out, "wait!"


    she feels the concern in clarel''s voice, "eh?"


    clarel stands up, looking around, "why is there no debris?"


    clarel continues, worrying, "it''s a drill, right? where is all the debris?"


    she backs away from the corner, "let just leave? we already reached the quota-"


    clicking equipment together, clarel interrupts her, "i haven''t, that''s why i asked jingo for this."


    she grumbles, leaning against the wall, "ughhh. can''t you do another drill tomorrow?"


    clarel stands up, holding meter in either hand, "no, i''ll be on vacation. this one will be fine."


    she pats clarel on the back, laughing, "ha! good luck, i came this far, but i''m not doing it."


    clarel giggles, "hehe, silly! it''s just a drill."


    clarel goes beyond the corner, bathing in the light for a moment, patting herself with confidence.


    clarel looks back reassuringly, "see, it''s fine!"


    clarel smiles and turns, facing the light.


    and endless stream of brighter-than-white spirits, crying and sobbing between bouts of piercing screams, bombard and pass through clarel.


    she backs away, horrified, "clarel! what are you-"


    clarel drops to her knees, her body limp, and begins falling backward.


    eyes and mouth agape, she screams, "clarel!"


    clarel''s glowing head detaches as her body hits the ground and begins gently rolling down the lane.


    she tries feeling clarel''s spirit, but nothing remains. clarel''s charred skull comes to a stop as she looks down, just beyond her feet.


    -


    she stares at the ceiling tiles, motionless, resting in the infirmary.


    a man pressures the nurse, "we need to finish questioning her, be sure to contact us as soon-"


    the nurse groans, shooing the crowd away, "ugh! yes, yes, now be gone!"


    -


    jfion peers through the open jalousie, through the door, through a handful of noion which he places on the bedstand to her left. she doesn''t react.


    he sighs, "she has no spirit."


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20799</a>


    aan

 3 - spacy stupor

    Advent Noion


    3


    left in the dim corner, two weeks of fjion''s noion have grown into a mass of curly nubs, below curly tubes leading into her arm, dripping water below, she faces forward, propped up in her bed, unmoving.


    the scarfed man draped in red tassles enters her room to sign paperwork. the nurse reviews everything while glancing at her. they exit together. the nurse returns with her clothing and transitions her onto a spirit-chair.


    the red-tassled man eyes her over, "a nice one, her."


    the nurse blushes, puling out her lakpurse, "of course, the best for laufen! now, about the-"


    he interrupts, "one-thousand."


    the nurse looks away, confused, "only one?"


    he nudges her, trying to get a response, "it''s not very lively, is it?"


    the nurse anxiously smiles, "yes, well, you see-"


    he counts lak from his jacket, glancing at her glazed eyes, her expressionless face, "it''s practically dead, though i suppose some are into that."


    he hands the nurse a stack of lak, "here''s an extra half, but find something better next time."


    the nurse smiles, "of course, laufen!"


    she turns to face the noion, as the nurse clears everything into a bin, as laufen pats her head.


    -


    the spirit-chair trods alongside laufen, through the gourmet lane, without a helix to light the way, only lanterns.


    the spirit tiedown sees use as laufen goes inside the house of vice. she looks at all the passersby, without moving her head, for jfion.


    listening to the noisy lane, she closes her eyes.


    -


    she is kicked awake by someone shouting, "get your pretty ass up!"


    the lady in a long black-trimmed dress kicks her neck, tramples her ribs, and grabs her by the hair, pulling her up, "did you not hear me!"


    she gasps and begins screaming as the lady slams her face into the ground.


    laufen opens the door, repulsed, "ugh, margo! next time, do that while i''m out, if you must."


    margo spits on her, "this pretty whore is thinking she can nap whenever she wants!"


    he walks away, "just get it away from the front door."


    -


    sirens cry, but her swollen face tunes it out as a lullaby, unable to see the light, and the floor trembles, rocking her to sleep.


    -


    in chains, nude, she rests atop an unprepared bed.


    a man in the adjoining room audibly grunts, "ah! ah, ugh!"


    on the opposite side of her room, a girl asks, "you awake?"


    Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.


    she struggles to open her eyes, groaning as she turns to face the voice, "clarel?"


    clarel reclines on her own bed, looking confused, "what?"


    she smiles, "clarel, i knew you were alright-"


    her face tears up, "why did you scare me like that?"


    confused, clarel looks down to her food, "uh, you hungry or somethin?"


    she is already asleep.


    -


    a man, half-dressed, looks her way, as he pounds clarel into the mattress, "can''t we include her?"


    clarel laughs, winking toward her, "not less you want a nasty disease!"


    disgusted, he turns away, "ewwh!"


    he concentrates on clarel''s slender frame in the bustless dress, pulled up for easy access, legs wrapped in simple stockings, and her hair in twirls.


    she watches the entire affair with curious eyes, drinking down a glass of leine.


    he finishes, panting, "ugh! aha."


    he begins dressing himself, looking over clarel''s body, "worth every lak."


    clarel puffs smoke in his face, drawing a circle on his hairy chest, "then be sure to come back soon."


    he exits with a smile, closing the door behind him, as clarel sighs, "drink, smoke, debauch."


    she faces clarel, "i had no idea you were like this."


    clarel laughs, "i told you, i''m not your fuckin-"


    she interrupts, looking at he iron-barred window, "clarel, how we do we escape? the others should be looking for us, right?"


    laughing, clarel throws her a case of cigarettes, "escape? ha. you need to calm down."


    she lights one and lies down, facing up at the ceiling, watching the smoke rise, "hey, do you want to stay here?"


    clarel coughs, holding the leine bottle out, "kah! course not, but what part of ''we are slaves'' don''t you get?"


    she clinks the chains around her feet, "how come only i have chains?"


    clarel sits up, looking to the floor, "no risk of me runnin away."


    she sighs, whining, "that''s not fair... we both got here the same time."


    clarel walks to the door, looking back at her, "goin to clean up."


    silence.


    she tosses the cigarette at the ceiling, "why am i naked?"


    it lands on the bed. she waits for the smoke to rise, before brushing it out with her hand.


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20864</a>


    aan

 4 - laconic lewdness

    Advent Noion


    4


    relaxed, eating crackers and squishy fruit, she calls out, "hey, clarel?"


    clarel pouts while powdering her face, "stop callin me that. what?"


    she giggles, "but it''s your name... oh, i was wondering: where do you get all of this food?"


    clarel kicks her grocery sack off her bed onto the floor, "i buy it, why?"


    she slowly stops chewing, "wait, you mean-"


    and spits a mouthful of fruit into the air, "what!"


    clarel repeats herself, almost laughing, "ha, i buy it?"


    she sits up in bed, facing clarel, her hair covered with bits of fruit, "no, i thought you said we were slaves!"


    clarel glances toward the iron-barred window, "well, we are. that goes without sayin."


    she picks her hair clean, confused, "what kind of slave can leave prison?"


    clarel laughs, "ha, like just walkin out and not comin back?"


    excited, she looks to her chained feet, "yeah! when do i get my chains off? i''m ready to get out of here."


    clarel shakes her head, "you''re so funny. you haven''t even had a single client."


    she crosses her arms, rolling onto her belly, "eh! of course not, rather i''m surprised you''re so good at this."


    clarel giggles, "i must be gross to you."


    she turns, facing clarel, frowning, "oh, sorry."


    clarel reclines on her bed, "i''m just kiddin."


    silence.


    she quietly asks, "clarel?"


    clarel looks to her, "what?"


    she answers, nervously, "can you give someone a message from me?"


    clarel sighs, "ah, you really think you can escape?"


    she smiles, "that''s right! we can escape together. what do you say?"


    clarel stares at her, frowning, "don''t you realize they kill people for a livin?"


    she grumbles, "i guess that''s a no."


    -


    clarel strips down as the client commands, tossing her clothing aside in a pile, kneeling down with her arms behind her back.


    sprawled out ungainly over her bed, bored, she thinks aloud, "why does clarel get clothing and i don''t?"


    the new helix brightens up the room, revealing detail previously hidden under dim candlelight.


    finally realizing the extent of her undress, she looks to clarel, "clarel, can''t i have some of your clothing?"


    the woman pushes clarel''s face between her fat thighs, grinding against her open mouth, "ah! dirty girl! ah, mommy likes that!"


    she sighs, "nevermind."


    -


    getting dressed while walking the room, clarel begins, "hypothetically, supposin i were to maybe deliver that message of-"


    she interrupts clarel, laughing, "haha, you sound really funny, clarel, but i''m glad you''ll help."


    clarel contains her smile, trying to seem serious, "funny? hey, i said hypothetically and supposin and-"


    she rolls onto her back, clapping with her hands and feet, "thank you, clarel!"


    Stolen novel; please report.


    clarel looks outside, lighting her cigarette with the dresser candle, "what is the message?"


    distracted, she celebrates, drinking leine from the bottle, "mm! i wish we had some noion right now."


    clarel turns, facing her, nodding, "i see, who is it for?"


    she bursts out laughing, "hahah, what! that''s not my message-"


    clarel slips her shoes on with indifference, sighing, "aha, would have been a fine secret phrase. i thought you had somethin like that prearranged with someone."


    she lies down, smiling, "eh, you''ve been seeing too many plays."


    she watches clarel head for the door, "hey, wait! are you heading out now?"


    clarel holds up her empty grocery bag, "yes."


    she jumps off the bed, running to stop her, "wait! come back, i''ll tell you the-"


    the chain around her feet reaches it''s limit and she falls onto the floor, "messahhhhh!"


    -


    he opens the door, notices clarel waiting on her bed, and smiles.


    clarel playfully invites him in further, patting the spot beside her, "hello, cutie!"


    clarel slowly undresses and he makes his way to the center of the room.


    clarel shouts, "now!"


    holding the chains over her shoulder, she kicks aside the mattress propped against the wall that concealed her presence, and  runs straight for him, "i''ve got you, jfion! now you can help me escape from here!"


    tackled to the floor, pinned down, he screams "ahhhh-"


    she covers his mouth, smiling "hey, shhh! look, it''s me! see? i was kidnapped!"


    he struggles, trying to free himself, "that''s not my problem! get off me!"


    she clings onto him, holding him down, "what? no, you''ll just leave me here! how can you be so cold to your good friend, nisida!"


    someone knocks on the door, before opening it, revealing a big man.


    the big man begins to lecture the room, "boss says you need to quiet down! boss says you are rudely interrupting the customers-"


    he looks toward the big man for help, "help, hel-"


    but she covers his mouth with her own.


    the big man notices clarel and smiles, "oh, hiya min-"


    clarel suddenly coughs, "kaaaa! hey there, moori! can we give them some privacy now? they''ll be quiet."


    he looks up at the big man with fear as she rubs her face against his, winking at the big man, "soooorry about that!"


    the big man blushes as he shuts the door, though not completely, and she notices, teasing the big man, "hey, no peeking!"


    the big man giggles as the door shuts completely, walking away quietly repeating her, "hehe, no peeking. no peeking. peek-"


    still nude, she holds him down, looking into his eyes, "please, we have to do it!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20878</a>


    aan

 5 - besieged bedroom

    Advent Noion


    5


    the door once more is opened, this time forcefully, by a group of uniformed men storming inside, their spirits armed, halfway encircling him and herself.


    startled, she backs off jfion, covering her chest and groin, "eh? who-"


    the older man with a mustache stops to rub the splintered door frame admiringly as he enters the room, "hmm, very well done-"


    the older man shakes his head in disapproval, pointing down to her, "you''ve caused us plenty of trouble this past week, but now-"


    he stands up, his hands above him, face marked with fear, almost in tears. "i confess! i''m a spy, yes, but i haven''t even found out anything! please, have mercy!"


    the older man stares for a moment, checking the paperwork in his left hand, and then addresses all of his men, "who is this fellow?"


    silence.


    the older man waves his hand, shooing him, "well, don''t fucking stand there! someone get him out of here!"


    confused, jfion looks around as he is cuffed and escorted away, "wait. wait, what is-"


    the older man points at her, glancing over his paperwork, "miss nisida: for reasons as follows-"


    he mumbles incoherently, before coughing, "kaa! and so, you are hereby under arrest for suspected involvement in one or more ongoing-"


    she interrupts, "hey, what was that? you mumbled! let me see that paperwork!


    clarel chimes in from her bed, "frauuud!"


    he addresses his men with a swooping arm gesture, before turning around to leave, "make the arrest!"


    -


    she whines, "can''t i have some clothing?"


    the lady holds up a parcel, smiling, "only if you say: please."


    she groans, "ughh. really?"


    silence.


    she rolls her eyes, "pleeeeease! now give me some fucking clothes!"


    the lady drops the parcel, shaking her head as she leaves, "oh, dear. not with that attitude."


    she gasps, trying to catch it, "gah! hang on! at least free my arms so-"


    the lady shuts the door behind her.


    she stares at the parcel of clothing at her feet.


    -


    the well-dressed man with a cane enters the room, speaking with someone else outside, "...and that''s how it typically-"


    they halt. she is lying on the floor, nude, hands cuffed behind her back, and her mouth busily gnawing at the half-opened parcel held in place with her neck.


    he glances at the sign on the door, then back to her, "...miss nisida?"


    -


    sitting across from the well-dressed man at the table, she stretches, "whew! it''s been a week, no, maybe two since i''ve had clothing."


    he slowly nods, "right."


    she leans back in her chair, looking around the room, "this is nice."


    This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.


    confused, he smiles, "miss nisida, do you know why you''re here?"


    she closes her eyes, shaking her head, "it''s a phony arrest! i already know you''re all frauds, you just want me for my-"


    he slides a photo in front of her, "do you recognize this location?"


    the corner building from the drill survey.


    she pauses for a moment, but pushes the photo back, shaking her head, "no, should i?"


    confused, he pushes the photo toward her once more, "are you certain? think hard. you were here with another freelancer-"


    he glances to more paperwork laid out on the table, "with miss clarel, you two were here-"


    she cocks her head, grinning, "clarel? what happened to her?"


    surprised, he rubs his chin, "you... you don''t remember?"


    she groans, "ugh, i was just with her when you arrested me?"


    he writes something down, nodding, "i see-"


    he gathers all the paperwork, exiting the room, "...as i suspcted. give me a moment, i''ll be back shortly."


    -


    light streams in through her window as another helix frees itself, shaking the dried-out pots of noion, her metalware, and everything else left lying loose as she pillows her face against the blaring sirens.


    -


    a grainy voice chirps out, "hoy, nisida? nisida, ya back yet?"


    she grabs the spirit-ear from the dresser and speaks into it, still half-asleep, "uh... whah?"


    the spirit-mouth continues chirping above her bed, "welcome back. ya get the memo?"


    she rubs at her eyes, "memo... is this kampo?"


    "ya, seems you''re relieved. dunno what happened to clarel, but heard ya-"


    she sits up in her bed, "eh! relieved?"


    "ya, have to ask the bureau why though."


    she yawns, "aaaah... damn."


    "already sent ya belongins home, should be-"


    she groans, "ugh, okay. thanks, ka-"


    and accidentlly drops the spirit-ear onto the floor.


    -


    she enters the neet office complex, looking for jfion, and carefully trying to avoid someone.


    a voice from behind her calls out, "nisida!"


    she jumps, startled, but turns to face the bearded man, "eh, it''s only you-"


    she returns, facing the roster, looking for jfion, "sorry, i''m busy, but can you tell me where jfion is?"


    he laughs, pulling a marker out from his jumpsuit, "apparently midheaven didn''t need him around any longer!"


    concerned, looking at his spotty beard, she repeats herself "where is he?"


    he answers while laughing, crossing out jfion''s name from the roster, "discharged!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20913</a>


    aan

 6 - easeful elder

    Advent Noion


    6


    she hands her identification to the window, "five-hundred, please."


    silence.


    confused, she peeks her head behind the empty counter into the abandoned building, "hello?"


    she laughs, falling to her knees, "haha! ha, of course! it was all just a scam."


    she sobs, "ha, baaahhhh! bahh! baaaa-"


    someone shouts from elsewhere, "shut up!"


    she shouts back at the voice, "no, you shut up! i''m sad!"


    she continues sobbing as another voice calls to her, "this place ain''t all that great! ya just get here?"


    she looks around, through teary eyes, "who said that?"


    the man waves his hand outside a window above her, "up here!"


    surprised, she waves back, "oh, hello up there."


    the man repeats himself, "ya just get here?"


    she wipes at her face, "oh... uh-"


    the man starts rubbing his beard, "listen, i''m headin back to my village. ya''re more than welcome to come along with me now."


    she feels her clip, empty of lak, "i can really come with you, gramps?"


    the man lowers the rope ladder down from the spirit-house, "course! come on up and make yaself at home!"


    she climbs up and finds herself inside a cabin, "ooh! nice place, gramps."


    the man waves away her compliment, "thank ya, missy. enough with the gramps, i go by lepfnanbol, how about ya-"


    she bursts with laughter, "haha! lep... lepfla-"


    seeing lepfnanbol''s upset face, she begins apologizing, "oh, sorry. i was just thinking of something funny. i''m nisida."


    lepfnanbol squints his face toward her, "you don''t happen to find my name funny now, miss nisida, do ya?


    she acts surprised, "what? not at all, lepflanbob is a fine name!"


    lepfnanbol grabs his stomach, doubling over in laughter, "haha, ya can''t even pronounce it right!"


    she joins in, "ha! only because it''s so silly sounding!"


    he throws her a woven hat, "true, true! tis a silly name. take this and join me for some brew!"


    she dons the hat, falling into one of his chairs facing the open porch toward the front of the spirit-house, "thanks! where are you from again, lepa?


    he smiles, bringing forth some bottles from the wall, "a lil village way south of midheaven, wait til ya see our groems!"


    -


    she downs a mug of brew in between laughter, listening to lepfnanbol''s stories, "hahaha! and you actually ate all that manure?"


    lepfnanbol proudly pounds his chest, "ya bet i did, more times than i''ll ever admit, too!"


    she kicks her feet up on the table, "haha! you''re so crazy, lepa!"


    a faint voice is heard, "help! helppp!"


    lepfnanbol turns to the porch to listen, "ya just hear somethin now?"


    the voice repeats itself, "help!"


    she cocks her head, also trying to listen, before getting up, "i think so. let me check."


    she opens the floor hatch and sees him below, struggling to keep up with the lumbering house-spirit, "nisida? hey, it''s you! help! give me a ride!"


    Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.


    lepfnanbol bumps her shoulder, winking at her, "some friend of yars?"


    she plays along, "hmmmmmm, do i know this person?"


    he panics, "not funny! please, give me a ride!"


    lepfnanbol points down at him, "oh, now look at that! he''s got slooches trailin after him!"


    she laughs, "haha! slooches, really-"


    she continues, "he sure looks like someone i desperately tried to seek help from in-"


    he screams, scrambling to distance himself from the slooches, "ah! i''m sorry! please, help me out!"


    she grins, grabbing the rope ladder, after looking to lepfnanbol for approval.


    -


    she reclines on a couch, "a villager? no, he''s just a spy."


    lepfnanbol scrutinizes him, "hmm, that so now? jfion, the spy..."


    he defends himself, looking between her and lepfnanbol, "i''m still a villager though! and i didn''t even get to spy."


    lepfnanbol nods, "well, what were ya spyin for?"


    silence.


    she kicks him in the shin, "well?"


    he holds onto his leg, hopping up and down, "ow, alright-"


    he composes himself before continuing, "a way to process and refine helix, but they wouldn''t let neets-"


    she interrupts him, intrigued, "you have drills, too? where are you from?"


    he crosses his arms, "of course we do, it''s not just midheaven-"


    he pulls his sleeve up, revealing a raised-tattoo of black wrapped around his forearm, "does this answer your question as to where i''m from?"


    she draws a cigarette from her own sleeve, looking at his arm, "no, what is that thing?"


    lepfnanbol agrees, "hmm, strange arm ya got there."


    he looks at the pair in disbelief, "what! you haven''t heard of bolmoa? are you two serious?"


    lepfnanbol shakes his head.


    she strikes a match, sucking the flame, "wait, bolmoa... isn''t that a snake?"


    he grumbles, "bolmoa, not boa!"


    she shrugs, reclining further on the couch, "eh..."


    he continues, "it''s my village, though it''s small and unable to handle the helix, so it''s overrun with those-"


    she nods, feeling his arm, "hmm-"


    he withdraws his arm, "hey, stop that. i was entrusted with the task of learning the-"


    she interrupts with a drawn out grumble, "ughhhh, this is some boring political problem or something, isn''t it?


    he sighs.


    she puffs smoke into his face, pointing her finger accusingly, "i know what you''re thinking about... us going on a merry adventure to save your home and along the way-


    he interrupts, staring down at his feet, "no, you''re wrong. i can''t return to my village."


    she smiles, laughing at his display, "haha, why''s that? afraid of failing your little mission?"


    he holds up his arm, wrapping his other hand around the tattoo, "they''ll just cut off my arm and send me back to midheaven to try again."


    she stares, "oh."


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20929</a>


    aan

 7 -flub fob

    Advent Noion


    7


    she enters the helm of the spirit-house, looking outside rose-colored windows at the stony tunnel ahead, barely lit from strands of helix dangling above.


    curiously, she watches lepfnanbol work, "lepa, what''s your job?"


    he turns around, poking the bottle tucked beneath her arm, "ya''re drinkin it!"


    confused at first, and then smiling, "brew? oh, you''re a brewer!"


    he faces forward, bent over the table examing an unscrolled map, "ya bet."


    she asks, looking down at the map, "what''s this for?"


    he coughs, and flattens the map out some more with his hands, "kah, just plannin our course. tis been a while since i''ve been out here."


    she nods her head, agreeing, "interesting, can i help?"


    silence.


    the map, a curled sheet of symbols, old notes, lines, concentric circles, and apparent doodles, maintains his attention, leaving none for her, so she climbs downstairs to look for him.


    in the kitchen, she finds him, "lepa seems busy, how about you, jfion?"


    elbow-deep in a stack of dirty dishes, he tries ignoring her, but she drones on, "jfion... jfiiiiooo-"


    upset, he throws down the sponge and plate he was just using, and turns to face her "what!"


    she grins, "lepa seems busy, so i-"


    he whines, "i''m even busier than him-"


    splashing water around, "look at this, you two actually filled the bathtub."


    she laughs, "ha, someone''s grumpy today"


    "if you cleaned your dishes, i wouldn''t be so grumpy!"


    she sighs, "well, hurry up and clean-"


    drinking a swig of brew, she leans against the wall, "i want to take a bath soon."


    -


    he nods, looking down at the foamy water up to his waist, "it is pretty nice."


    she leans harder against his back, teasing him, "see? i told you! who needs dishes when we''ve got this?"


    he glances at the messy pile of dishes dumped onto the floor, "i still have to do them after this, but-"


    she interrupts, splashing water backward onto his head, "but nothing, this is paradise!"


    -


    she stands in the kitchen, staring down at her feet, frowning, "hey, jfion! come here for a second."


    he calls back from the adjoining room, "what is it? i''m busy organizing all of the bookshelves-"


    she interrups him, "you deserve a break, jfion. come here!"


    he enters the kitchen, confused at the colored blobs laid out across the table, "uh, what are those?"


    excited, she hands him two yellow blobs, "foot massagers! here, put your feet in these."


    he briefly examines the balls, smiling, "really? my feet do hurt..."


    she ushers him along, "go on, try them on."


    ~squish~


    he steps into both of the jelly blobs, "oohhhh! that does feel good."


    ~squish~


    after a while, he looks back to her, "how do i take them off?"


    This book''s true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.


    she looks away, grinning, "eh?"


    he senses mischief, "how did you remove yours?"


    she glances down at the blobs still attached to her feet, "oh, you know..."


    he squishes his way beind the counter to look at hers, "let me see-"


    silence.


    he stares at the blobs on her feet, "you couldn''t remove yours, could you?"


    she sighs, shrugging his disappoint off, "no, but i tried everything i could think of."


    he leans forward onto the counter, lying down, defeated, "ah! why trick me? why include me with your mistakes!"


    she pats him on the back, "we''ll, looks like we''ll just have to suffer through this together, jfion."


    ~squish~


    he turns to leave, "like hell! i''ll just ask lepfna for-"


    she grabs his arm, holding him back, "no! i mean... we shouldn''t bother him, right?"


    he ponders the thought, "you''re right... we''re basically annoying guests at this point."


    she sighs, "whew, let''s just come up with some plan on our own."


    -


    lepfnanbol knocks from the other side of the restroom door, "miss nisida, ya seen my missin flebabs?"


    she looks down at him with a confused face, "eh! fle-whats?"


    ~squish~


    he quietly moans, "ugh, it''s not coming-"


    she whispers back, "try harder!"


    lepfnanbol scratches his beard, "my flebabs, ya see, four are missin."


    she answers nevously, "eh, no... can''t say i have, lepa!"


    lepfnanbol laughs, "ha. i see, and have ya found that jfion guy yet?"


    she looks at him, holding onto her foot, tugging with all his might, "oh, he''s uh..."


    ~squish~


    he loudly whispers to her, "he said my name? did he just-"


    she shushes him, "shhh! i mean, oh, jfion? no, haven''t seen him!"


    lepfnanbol coughs, "kah! i''ll just leave ya two alone now."


    he whispers, "what did he say?"


    she grunts, pulling her foot out of the flebab, "ugghhh, who cares! harder!"


    -


    within the library, reclining on couches, their bloody feet propped over the center table, they gulp down lepfnanbol''s latest brew.


    she smacks her lips, "mm! tasty brew."


    he closes his eyes, "i love this batch..."


    lepfnanbol enters the room, laughing at the pair, "ha, ya two look right at home!"


    he continues drinking, smiling up at lepfnanbol.


    lepfnanbol stops for a moment, noticing their feet, "interestin red feet ya have there, picked up some fungus mayhap?"


    he panics, his face turning pale, "fungus! no, we-"


    she interrupts him, exhaling a long trail of smoke, "we cleaned the dishes with our feet."


    lepfnanbol spits out a mouthful of brew, holding his cup away with disgust, "blehhh! ya what now!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=20990</a>


    aan

 8 - happy hoodlums

    Advent Noion


    8


    lepfnanbol calls out from within the helm above, "we''re here now!"


    she jumps from the couch, excitedly looking out a side window, "let me take a look-"


    the spirit-house is situated atop a winding cliff with just enough space to maintain its footing. beyond the window, the helix-studded chasm endlessly stretched out ahead affords a view comparable to the forgotten starry night skies aboveground.


    horrified, she backs away from the glass, "i wish i didn''t look."


    he remains, looking out with awe, "the helix is actually pretty..."


    she makes her way to the helm ladder as lepfnanbol climbs down, "lepa, where are we? i still don''t see anything outside."


    lepfnanbol motions above, walking to the library, "etla, climb up and see for yaself. i can trade my brews and resupply."


    she climbs up the ladder, repeating after him, looking outside once more, "etla, et la la..."


    the chasm crosses over, creating an impassable separation between two sections of buildings jutting out from face of the cliff, situated dangerously on either side of a long and narrow bridge.


    -


    she tugs on his shawl, dragging him along through the shabby market, "hey, look! he''s got noion."


    he groans, feeling his empty back pocket, sighing, "ugh, i wish i had lak."


    she grins, looking at the noion, before coughing loudy, bumping him into the stall, knocking all the noion off, "kah! watch it!"


    she winks to him.


    the vendor angrily shouts at him, pushing him back, securing the fallen noion, "hey, you! keep away from my stall!"


    she grabs a bundle of noion as the vendor turns away, placing it behind her back as the vendor replaces his noion back onto the stall.


    -


    she walks with jfion along the edge of the lane just outside town, when a childish voice calls out from behind, "i saw what you did! you stole his noion."


    she turns around, hiding the noion behind her, smiling nervously, "eh, what! what are you-"


    the boy points, glaring at her, "behind your back! i watched you steal it."


    he notices the noion, finally understanding the situation, nodding, "hmm, so that''s what happened."


    she laughs at the boy, "haha! big deal, i only took some noion."


    the boy glares at her, "it wasn''t yours to take!"


    ~crunch~


    she bites into a stick, mocking the boy, "it''s mine now, see?"


    the boy walks over, intent on retrieving the noion, "you can''t do-"


    she swoops the small boy up by his coveralls, hanging him out over the railing, laughing, "ha! i can''t do what?"


    the boy screams, looking to him for help, "ahhh! help!"


    he sits down, watching the boy''s shoes flail about, "if he keeps it a secret, it should be fine."


    -


    they sit together near the edge, their feet off into the twinkling light below, listening to the clanking metal sounds and croaking bugs around them.


    he looks down at the noion on his lap, thinking back to midheaven, "why were you in the infirmary?"


    she leans back, smiling, "i wasn''t?"


    he glances at her neck, "you must have forgotten. were you there from a head injury?"


    Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site.


    she frowns, "maybe. i don''t know, but i might have done something bad."


    he faces her, confused, "bad?"


    she nods, "i don''t remember why, but i felt bad everytime i looked at clarel''s face."


    he shrugs, "she seemed fine to me."


    she looks away, "yeah, but kampo and some detective also said things-"


    she pulls a cigarette from her sleeve, placing it between her lips, "but i know clarel''s fine, i even asked her before leaving..."


    silence.


    ~crunch~


    she leans forward, examing the sticks on his lap, grinning, "you sure enjoy that stuff."


    he grins, "bolmoa grows noion-"


    ~crunch~


    she interrupts, recoiling from the crunchy stick, "eh, that nasty stuff?"


    he continues speaking with a mouthful, "but the fields became too bright, so we started tunneling-"


    she plays with a lighter, trying to start a flame.


    he swallows the noion, gulping, "and they found a special helix underground-"


    she interrupts, looking into the chasm, "a special drill?"


    he nods, looking down over the edge, "yes, but no one is allowed near it."


    she sucks away her cigarette, "why? what would happen?"


    he crosses his arms, "i don''t know."


    silence.


    she bumps his shoulder, pointing ahead through exhaled smoke to the sparkling chasm, "what about this? much better than some boring tunnel helix!"


    -


    she groans under the weight of a jug of brew, "eugghhh! why do you have so much, lepa?"


    lepfnanbol smiles, pushing an empty dolley back toward the stack of crates, laughing at her, "haha! ya don''t have to do that when i got this, ya know?"


    she dismisses lepfnanbol as she finally reaches the door of the warehouse, "ha! i can''t let you do all the-"


    ~crash~


    he opens the door, knocking her down, cracking the jug, and spilling brew everywhere.


    lepfnanbol leans against the crates, looking down at the mess, "what was that about helpin me out?"


    he apologizes, "forgive me! i was coming out to help with-"


    lepfnanbol shoos them away, laughing, "haha! you two, go and play inside now! can''t have ya helpin out like this any more..."


    she lays in the dirt, defeated, licking red brew off her arm.


    -


    the boy shrieks, "ah, it''s her again!"


    she growls at the boy from across the room as the older woman kneels down, "you shouldn''t react to our guests like that, aufri-dear."


    she kneels alongside the older woman, "aufri, eh-"


    she pulls his cheeks apart, teasing him, "hello there."


    the older woman giggles, "hehe, look at that. so cute, aufri!"


    he enters, dragging in a bundle of blankets from the other room.


    lepfnanbol kisses the older woman''s hand, looking around the place, "this will work fine, thank ya aujien!"


    aujien blushes, "stay as long as you like, lepfnanbol!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21010</a>


    aan

 9 - lacking lak

    Advent Noion


    9


    she sits up, excited, "what! you mean you saw the surface?"


    aufri grins, "kinda, in this one dream i was-"


    ~pomf~


    she launches her pillow at little aufri, knocking him onto the floor, "eh! who cares about your dreams!"


    jfion rolls over to face the two, "i had a strange dream where-"


    aufri interrupts him, "no! my dream is better than-"


    she holds the pillow down, smothering aufri, "what did you dream about?"


    he rolls onto his back, staring at the ceiling, "it was pure fantasy..."


    he continues, arcing his hands above him, "mountains of noion."


    aufri climbs from beneath the pillows, spitting out downy feathers, "beh! i''ll tell on you next time!"


    she laughs aside aufri''s insult, glaring at him, "ha! will you even be alive next time?"


    -


    aufri buries his face into a bowl, "mmm! blag is the best!"


    she puts down her spoon, looking to jfion, "this is nice and all, but isn''t it a little boring?"


    he continues eating silently.


    she examines the frothy mixture, "how many days have we had blag soup?"


    he sighs indifferently, "what do you expect? we have no lak. i don''t want to ask lepfna for anything more, i feel bad enough already."


    aufri adresses the pair, "why not get jobs?"


    she looks to aufri, smiling, "interesting, but i have a better idea..."


    -


    he enters the warehouse, "have you guys seen my-"


    she stands back, admiring his black shawl wrapped all over aufri, "yeah, just like that... perfect!"


    aufri poses atop a crate, "am i really invisible?"


    she grins, "i can''t even see you right now! aufri, where are you?"


    aufri runs circles around her, laughing, "haha! you can''t see me!"


    she pretends to look around for aufri, "wow, amazing!"


    jfion looks at the pair, concerned, "what are you doing?"


    she looks at him, trying to contain her laughter, "ehh, ha..."


    aufri begins creeping toward him.


    as aufri approaches, he impatiently grabs his shawl, "what were you two doing with this?"


    startled, aufri runs back to her, whining, "master, he saw me! it failed!"


    she winks at him, "he can only see you because he''s the dark magician who created it, remember?"


    he shakes his head, "you''re both idiots."


    -


    she pushes aufri forward, "go, aufri! begin the operation!"


    aufri runs off into the marketplace, disappearing into the darkness.


    silence.


    he asks her, "will it really work?"


    she sighs, "yeah, it''s dark. he might as well be invisible right now."


    This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.


    -


    he shakes her awake, "what''s taking him?"


    she looks around, confused, "huh, the... is he not back yet?"


    he shakes his head, "no. do you think he was caught?"


    she stands up, laughing, "haha, i hope not, but let''s go find out."


    they stretch their legs before entering the marketplace to look for aufri.


    she trips over something, "ow! what was-"


    she notices the shawl, "hey, he''s over here!"


    he pulls his shawl up off the ground, "i''ll take this."


    she rolls aufri over, looking for any food on him, "hey, aufri, where''s the food?"


    aufri groans, rubbing his stomach, "ughh, i can''t move..."


    she repeatedly kicks aufri, "ah, worthless! you selfish midget! you didn''t even leave us any!"


    aufri cries out, covering his face, "ow! ahh, stop! forgive me, master!"


    -


    she tightens the apron around her waist, "so, it''s come to this..."


    the man with two buddies on either side of him calls to her, "hurry up! i''m thirsty over here!"


    she picks up their order, muttering under her breath, "you annoying bastards-"


    the man yells back at her, "what was that?"


    she smiles, nervously, sliding their orders onto the bar. "eh, nothing! here you are."


    the man whistles as she turns around to leave, "whew! nice ass ya-"


    the second man shoves him aside, "idiot! she''s not some-"


    the man pushes him off the barstool onto the aisle floor, "who ya callin an idiot!"


    she groans, turning back to shout at the pair, "ugh, stop! you two are giving me a headache!"


    the third man lowers his glasses, staring into her eyes, "no, you stop! you''re giving me a-"


    the third man dramatically grabs his chest, "heartache!"


    she frowns, walking away "talk about lame!"


    the second man rolls around the floor, laughing, "hahaa! what was that! heart, ha! heartache?"


    -


    ~crunch~


    she reclines against the pillowed floor, "so why was i the only one to find a job?"


    aufri smiles, "because i''m only eight!"


    she nods, "okay, you''re excused."


    ~crunch~


    he gets up, noion in hand, intent on escaping, but she grabs him, "hey, what about you!"


    he coughs, looking around the room for an excuse, "kah! ...i''m sick? that''s right, kah! kah!"


    she squints at him, "you better be, if you expect to keep crunching on those in the future."


    he gulps.


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21080</a>


    aan

 10 - hanging harlequins

    Advent Noion


    10


    she picks up a large bundle, examing it, "just noion?"


    he anxiously watches from behind, "i thought it looked nice."


    she grins, "you want to waste your share on all this noion?"


    aufri tugs at the hem of her gingham frock, "me next! i know what i want to waste-"


    she kicks aufri down, "hey, hands off! i just got this!"


    aufri rubs his head, standing up, "ow, master! i want a-"


    she laughs at aufri, "ha! who said you get a share?"


    doubled over from the sack of noion on his back, he trods away, "i''m going back to the inn."


    -


    he stands before the pair, sack in one hand, a sheet of paper in the other, "lepfna asked me to find these herbs for his brewing..."


    she laughs, turning away, "haha! good luck with-"


    aufri interrupts, grabbing the paper from him, "sounds fun! let me see!"


    she glares at aufri, "hey, you traitor! let''s go steal stuff instead."


    aufri sticks his tongue out, mocking her from behind him, "bleh! i''m tired of stealing!"


    he grins at her, "won''t you help us, nisida?"


    she grumbles, "ugh."


    -


    they walk near the edge of town, scavenging through the surrounding vegetation.


    she holds up a leaf, counting the numbers of spiked tips, before thrusting it in his face, "can''t we just buy these from the market?"


    aufri shouts, pointing to the ground, "here''s one!"


    he examines her leaf, glancing back to the paper in his hand, shaking his head, "i already checked, these ones are what i couldn''t find stocked anywhere."


    they gather around as aufri pulls up a small sprout half his height, but it shrivels up in a matter of seconds, "hey! it died!"


    he reads from the paper, "it seems we are after the taproot, so we must dig it somehow."


    aufri whines, before scrambling to another plant, "ugghhhh... hey, i found more!"


    she laughs, clapping her hands, "haha! aufri, you''re good at-"


    he interrupts her, smirking, "hmm, aren''t you glad you came along?"


    she brushes him off, kicking some leaves, "i mean... damn plants! i hate this!"


    they gather around aufri, busy digging with his bare hands like a dog.


    she sits down, watching the dirt flung backward, "how many does lepa need?"


    he joins her, glancing at the paper with a pained expression, "if i tell you the amount, you''ll probably leave."


    aufri proudly holds up the entire plant, taproot and all, after a minute of digging that leaves his tunic a dark brown, "ta-da!"


    she takes the plant from aufri, placing it into his sack, as he reads from the paper in his hand, "we need nineteen more of those..."


    aufri groans, looking at his tired hands, "ah! nineteen?"


    she leans back against a tree, closing her eyes, "wake me up when you guys finish."


    -


    she opens her eyes, looking around, "eh, where is aufri?"


    he is busy digging with a stick, surprised to find her awake, "oh, aufri? he went home a while ago."


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    a voice is heard, "...and it happened like th..."


    another voice, "...ya had to..."


    they stop to listen.


    silence.


    she quietly makes her way to him, looking back to the treeline, whispering, "jfion, did you hear that?"


    clearly afraid, ready to run back to town, he answers, "uh, yes."


    she grins, poking him, "what''s the matter? weren''t you a spy? let''s spy on them."


    his face turns pale.


    ~


    they push through the dense vegetation, finding their way to the cliff, sparked with helix all the way up as far as you can see.


    she looks up at the cliff, whsipering to him, "have you heard the voices again?"


    he shakes his head, "no, let''s turn back-"


    she grabs his shawl, tugging him along, "wait, jfion! i found a cave-"


    she glances at his paper, "lepa needs mushrooms, right?"


    he nods, grabbing some helix from the floor to light the way, "you want to explore it, don''t you?"


    she grins, "it can''t be helped! there could be treasure..."


    -


    not five minutes into the cave, she triggers a rope trap, swooping them up into the air, leaving them dangling from the ceiling.


    she screams, "ahhhh! ahh-"


    he covers her mouth, shushing her, "shh! someone will hear us!"


    she spits away his hand germs, looking around, "peh! who?"


    he tries wiggling  to escape, "whoever placed this trap."


    she glances at the thick strands comprising the trap, "do you have a knife or something?"


    he shakes his head, "no, sorry. i should have grabbed one before i went to gather herbs..."


    she sighs, "eh, don''t worry. it''s just rope-"


    she begins gnawing at the strands, "we can chew out way out!"


    -


    pinned against her, he tries glancing at her work, "uh, how is it coming?"


    her sore mouth hanging open, she groans, "ughhh... halfway through one... my jaw hurts."


    he pushes her aside with his head, "move, let me-"


    a voice is heard coming their way, "who''s out there?"


    the first man coughs, "kah! see, there ain''t no one here."


    the second man looks to the third, "what is it, fablio?"


    fablio thrusts his lantern into their section of the cave, "i''m sure i heard something-"


    the trio of men from earlier in the bar find the pair hanging above them. they stop to appreciate her upturned frock, admiring her exposed underwear.


    the first man whistles "whew! i''d recognize that anywhere, it''s the girl with the nice ass!"


    she moans, looking down, "aghh, not you three assholes, again!"


    fablio raises his arms out in praise, staring at up her, "my love! you-"


    fablio falls to his knees, tears in his eyes, "came back to me!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21087</a>


    aan

 11 - fetter frock

    Advent Noion


    11


    the first man throws his cards down onto the floor, "gah! i''m bored of watchin them, they ain''t goin anywhere!"


    the second man neatly gathers the cards, looking to fablio, "should we return to the others?"


    fablio holds flowers in front of her face, "what good fortune to be reunited, at such an opportune time, too!"


    she looks away from fablio, digusted, "ewh, stop that!"


    the first man slaps the second man on the back, smirking at fablio, "look at that dope over there!"


    fablio pushes the flowers further into her face, "why, my love? did fate not bring us together once again for-"


    the second man yells to fablio, laughing, "ha! come on fablio, stop playing around!"


    fablio frowns, whispering into her ear, "tonight, my love, we will express our love to another and-"


    fablio''s companions drag him away, as he shouts to her, "toniggghtt!"


    the trio leaves, shutting the door to the cavern, leaving them alone in the dark, their feet and neck tightly bound with rope around a large column of stone spanning the floor to ceiling.


    silence.


    he asks her, curious, "what about tonight?"


    she grimaces, "we just need to escape before then."


    he coughs, "kah! why did we enter this place? it was-"


    she jokingly pokes his side, "at least our hands are free."


    -


    she pulls a cigarette from her sleeve, placing it into her mouth, "... is probably what that guy is thinking."


    he groans, "ugh, so that''s what he meant by tonight..."


    she draws a lighter out from underneath her frock, lighting her mouth, "yeah, that''s why we need to escape by then."


    he nods understandably, staring at her cigarette, "if only we had some-"


    silence.


    he grabs at her cigarette, angrily, "what! you had your lighter this whole time-"


    she tries pulling away, he knocks it to the floor, "hey, stop! ahh! that was my last one!


    he sighs, "ah. you idiot, just burn through the rope!"


    she grumbles, "ugh! fine, fine."


    silence.


    he nudges her, "uh, what are you waiting for?"


    she looks to him, "you... knocked the lighter out of  my hand..."


    silence.


    he looks grimly to the floor, "is that so?"


    she nods, "yeah."


    he awkwardly looks away, "oh. uh, sorry."


    she pushes him, "yeah, way to go! now what?"


    he looks resentfully to her, "why didn''t you use it earlier when we were stuck in the trap?"


    The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.


    she nervously looks away, "my arms weren''t able to reach it! they were stuck facing outside-"


    he pushes her, "what! i could have reached it for you!"


    she laughs, nervously shaking her head, "ha, no."


    he asks suspiciously, "why not?"


    she blushes, "eh? i''m not telling you!"


    he shakes with rage, "you idiot!"


    she looks to her feet, "just trust me! you wouldn''t have reached for it anyway."


    he tries grabbing her frock, "trust you? look where that got us! where was it? what else do you have!"


    she looks to him, laughing, "ha! fiiiine! it was in my underwear, alright? i don''t have anything else."


    he looks away, embarassed, "oh."


    silence.


    he asks her, curious, "why was it there?"


    she looks down, "this stupid frock doesn''t have pockets! what am i supposed to do?"


    he looks away, "uh, i would have still reached for it, you know?"


    she smirks, "gross, i wouldn''t let you."


    he points to her, accusingly, "ha! what? says the person who once clung onto me, naked, begging for my-"


    a small voice interrupts him, "ew! what are you talking about?"


    he looks to the open door, "that voice! could it be-"


    she laughs, peering into the darkness, "haha, aufri? is that you?"


    aufri takes off the shawl, "ha! you didn''t see me, because  i was invisible!"


    he sees his shawl, "hey, that''s mine! how-"


    she looks to aufri, happy, "how did you find us?"


    aufri sits down, "i never went home. i was spying on you all along, master!"


    she grimaces, "eh, you little creep-"


    he interrupts, "sorry, but can you just help us out here?"


    she shouts at aufri, "oh, hey! search the floor for my lighter so we can escape!"


    aufri smiles, "i''ll do it-"


    she happily points nearby her feet, "great! it''s somewhere around-"


    aufri grins evilly, "for your panties!"


    she grinds her teeth, smiling madly, "oooohh, you little pervert! just you wait until i free myself-"


    he interrupts her, raising a thumbs up to aufri, "it''s a deal!"


    she looks to him, confused, "eh, what-"


    he yells at aufri, "free us, aufri! i promise to obtain them for you, so find the lighter-"


    she claws at his face, strangling his neck, and beating his head, "what! what the hell, jfion! ahhh! i''ll kill you!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21109</a>


    aan

 12 - why worry

    Advent Noion


    12


    they sneak outside of the cavern prison, following aufri''s guidance to the exit, through arches of flowstone, dimly lit pools of helix water, and across floating rafts of calcite.


    aufri shushes the pair from ahead, "shhh!"


    a voice calls out, "glory!"


    fablio''s voice, "tonight... toniggghtt!"


    another voice, "hahaha!"


    a raspy voice declares, "when the bridge is taken care of, we can really control this town!"


    a harsh voice, "you''re a genius! the master plan!"


    the raspy voice, "haha!"


    a deep, booming voice, "the master plan!"


    another voice, "to the master plan!"


    a voice cries out, "to glory!"


    glasses clink and everyone can be heard drinking.


    -


    he scratches his head, "master plan?"


    she looks confused, "what the hell were they talking about?"


    aufri panics, "what if they destroy the bridge?"


    he shakes his head, "it doesn''t sound good... but what business is that to us?"


    she nods, "i''ve had enough adventure today. let''s go back to the inn."


    he laughs "ha, finally! that sounds like a good idea for once."


    aufri worriedly repeats himself, "wait! what about the bridge?"


    she shrugs indifferently, "who cares?"


    he shakes his head, "not me."


    -


    they recline on the floor at the inn, trying to sleep in vain.


    she grins, looking at him, "jfion, how do you plan on giving aufri my underwear?"


    he nervously looks away, "uh, it was our only option to get aufri''s help..."


    she laughs, "ha, answer my question."


    he looks at her, surprised, "won''t you just give them to me?"


    she withdraws in horror, "eh, no way!"


    he looks to her legs, contemplating something, "perhaps i''ll just take them when-"


    she grimaces, throwing a pillow at him, "like hell! forget about that! i''ll get lepa to kick you out if you even try."


    he shudders, "i can''t survive without lepfna''s brew... consider it forgotten."


    -


    they decide to visit lepfnanbol''s spirit-house resting near the warehouse to hand over their gathered herbs and soon find themselves drinking the night away with his latest brew.


    lepfnanbol stands up, "...ya bet, and we might even be leavin tomorrow!"


    she smiles, "where to, lepa?"


    lepfnanbol nods, "embiorka village! it''s just a few a days over the bridge if we-"


    Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    he interrupts, his face turning pale, "the... the bridge?"


    lepfnanbol stretches, yawning, "ahh. ya heard right, etla bridge."


    they sweat, glancing nervously toward one another.


    lepfnanbol heads to another room, "i''ll be goin off to bed now, ya need to lock the hatch when ya leave for the inn, and don''t forget to-"


    she interrupts lepfnanbol, "okay, lepa! nighty night!"


    silence.


    she looks to him, anxiously, "lepa said we will cross the bridge... it will be fine, right?"


    he smiles, laughing nervously, "haha... yes! i''m sure the bridge will be good to cross..."


    -


    aufri pops open the floor-hatch, shouting, "there''s a monster! the bridge has a-"


    she steps on the hatch, "shut up! lepa''s asleep and i''m trying to get drunk!"


    she crashes back onto the couch.


    he rolls over, half-asleep, "the... what... a monster?"


    she shrugs, "who knows-"


    aufri pops the hatch once more, pleading to her, "master, you gotta help me!"


    she laughs, "ha, why is that?"


    aufri thinks for a moment, smiling, "because i helped you!"


    he nods, eyes shut, "mmmm... does seem fair."


    she scoffs at aufri, "helped? yeah, you helped in exchange for my underwear! i''ll help only if you forget about your perverted deal, both of you."


    he thinks momentarily, before nodding his head, "uh, sounds good."


    aufri smiles, "master, lead the way!"


    she kicks him, "you lead the way, you little bastard! i don''t even know where the bridge is."


    aufri rubs his injured head, proudly declaring, "ow! okay, i''ll lead the way!"


    she kicks him again, "stop with that, just go already!"


    aufri cowers away from her, "ow! okay! i''m going, i''m going!"


    -


    aufri points excitedly, "see! there it is! a monster, i told you!"


    he steps back in awe, "it''s huge!"


    a collossal spirit-barnacle has embedded itself onto the bridge, completely blocking the path to the other side, with a mouth tentacle as thick as a tree dangling about above, glowing brightly.


    she cranes her neck looking up at the beast, "ah! what the hell is that thing!"


    aufri cheers for her, "master, go beat it up!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21174</a>


    aan

 13 - obstructed overpass

    Advent Noion


    13


    aufri continues cheering, "go on, master! beat it up!"


    the barnacle''s tentacle notices them and retracts, before shooting upward into the air, splitting into a mass of filter cirri that come smashing down just five paces ahead of them, shaking the entire bridge.


    ~crash~


    she turns around, shaking her head, "to hell with that! i''ll just give you my underwear and we can call it -"


    he grabs her arm, focused on something, "hang on..."


    the barnacle''s filter cirri roll themselves into a single long tentacle which slowly withdraws to its shell.


    she looks to him confused, "eh, what? you can''t seriously-"


    he points toward something glowing near the base of the barnacle, "do you see that?"


    aufri nods excitedly, "i do! what is it?"


    he looks to the barnacle, then to her, "i don''t know. can you distract it so i can get a closer look?"


    she laughs, looking to the barnacle, "haha! distract... that?"


    he makes his way to the railing and slowly crawls along the outside of the bridge,


    she watches him with surprise "you''re serious... hey, aufri! start throwing rocks at it or something!"


    aufri scrambles around the ground, finding rocks to pelt at the tentacle, "take this! ah... and this!"


    she finds two branches discarded nearby and starts drumming onto the metal railing, "heeeeeeyyyy! over here, you ugly bug!"


    she realizes how close he is to the barnacle and panics for a moment, shouting to aufri, "more! yell at the top of your lungs, too!"


    aufri screams insults at the barnacle in between rocks, "ahhh! you dumb monster! die!"


    one of aufri''s rocks strikes the barnacle, causing it to shudder. the glowing tentacle pulses, splitting into separate cirri, all pointing toward their location.


    she looks to him, shouting to let him know, "get ready!"


    he trips, falling to the edge and the barnacle redirects its attention to him, "uh, oops..."


    she screams, "jfion, run!"


    ~crash~


    the mass of cirri come smashing down at his location, knocking away the section of bridge around him.


    she stops drumming, drops the branches, and falls to her knees, distraught, "jfion!"


    the cirri wrap themselves up, and the tentacle slowly withdraws, dragging the dangling portions back onto the bridge.


    she closes her eyes, "jfion..."


    aufri points to the debris, "look, he''s alright! do you-"


    she wipes her face, interrupting aufri, peering at the rubble with surprise, "what!"


    he throws his arm over and slowly pulls himself up onto the bridge.


    she shouts madly at him, "jfion? hey, get the hell over here!"


    he stands up, dusting himself off as he winces away from the incident, "i''m alive!"


    she yells at him, "hurry up!"


    he looks back to the tentacle still busily retracting itself, grinning, "it''s not going to strike! and my leg hurts..."


    This book is hosted on another platform. Read the official version and support the author''s work.


    aufri whistles, "wow! he''s so lucky!"


    he rejoins the two at the far end of the bridge, laughing, "haha. did you two see-"


    she slaps him, "hey, what was that! you almost died!"


    he whines, "aah! ow, that stings!"


    aufri, looks at his legs, "are you okay?"


    he lays down on the ground, resting, "yes, somehow."


    silence.


    she sighs, "that''s great and all, but did you find out what that thing was?"


    he shakes his head, "uh... no, i didn''t-"


    she rages, "eh! you almost died for nothing!"


    he continues, "it disappeared gradually as i got closer, but it looked like part of the base-"


    he sits up, looking to the barnacle, "it''s big, but it''s still a barnacle. i don''t think it''s going to move, so we can take our time to think now."


    she reclines on the grass, groaning, "ugh. how did those bastards even move it here?"


    aufri grins excitedly, "maybe it was summoned!"


    he laughs, "haha, that''s impossible, but good question-"


    he looks around, "i don''t see any tracks on the ground around this side of the bridge."


    she nods, "sooo it came from the other side?"


    he lays back on the ground, sighing, "if we could reach the other side of the bridge and follow the tracks, we might find something-"


    she repeats herself, looking to the collossal obstruction, "the other side..."


    he laughs, "haha. yes, the other side, but we can''t pass that thing... i don''t care anymore as well."


    she sighs, "yeah, why were so concerned with this anyway?"


    aufri whines, "but... but the bridge!"


    he stands up, yawning, "ah, who cares! i''m tired of this..."


    she agrees, "yeah, i-"


    aufri interrupts them, running off to the barnacle, "if you won''t, then i will!"


    -


    they sit back-to-back, faces turned toward the barnacle, waiting.


    he peers out into the darkness, searching, "it hasn''t moved, but i lost sight of aufri before he was close..."


    she leans her head back over his shoulder, "i guess that means he made it."


    he nods, "he is good at sneaking around."


    silence.


    he elbows her jokingly, "were you worried when i fell?"


    she scoffs, "ha! i wasn''t worried."


    he frowns, "what! really? i almost died..."


    she laughs nervously, "ha, maybe a little bit."


    he turns to face her, "nisida, when we get back to the inn... can we-"


    a voice interrupts from far away, "ahhh! i''ve got it!"


    she sits up, looking for the source, "eh?"


    he points to the barnacle, shocked, "aufri! ...uh?"


    the barnacle is shaking the entire bridge, it''s massive tentacle split into fans of cirri, each madly striking around the escaping child.


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21199</a>


    aan

 14 - etlan escorts

    Advent Noion


    14


    aufri cries out, narrowly avoiding all of the barnacle''s attacks as he retreats back to the pair, "ahhhh! i got it!"


    he holds up a small glowing tentacle, "i got the glowy-"


    the barnacle''s cirri wrap themselves up into a massive tentacle, recoiling into its shell, preparing for a powerful strike.


    she looks in horror as it targets aufri, "aufri!"


    he shouts to aufri, "watch out! aufri, jump!"


    ~crash~


    the barnacle''s thick tentacle comes smashing down as aufri leaps forward to safety, but it doesn''t withdraw like before, rather it begins growing and expanding outward.


    the force of the impact knocks everyone to their feet, causing aufri to accidentally release the glowing tentacle onto her, "ahh! what the hell!"


    he backs away, staring in awe at the barnacle''s transformation, "uhh..."


    the slimy tentacle wiggles across her lap and under her frock as she panicks, kicking it into the dirt, "ahhhh! get it away!"


    before it slithers away, aufri pounces on it, "gotcha!"


    he starts running away from them, shouting, "retreat!"


    she and aufri confusingly glance at the barnacle, before scrambling to their feet, "ahhh!"


    the barnacle''s tentacle, now larger than the barnacle itself, creeps forward to them, lifting the shell onto its back and sending out spiny tentacles intent on piercing aufri.


    he leads the way, "run for the trees!"


    they run full speed into the treeline, hoping to lose the snail, but it towers over the treetops, crushing with ease entire trees under the weight of its massive body.


    she screams, looking back to the path of destruction it''s leaving behind, "it''s a fucking snail? ahhh!"


    he shouts, "barnacle, snail... who cares! run!"


    aufri shouts, narrowly avoiding the spiny tentacles embedding themselves into the trees behind him, "it''s only after me!"


    she looks at the glowing tentacle in his arms, realizing the cause, "aufri! it''s after your pervert tentacle!"


    aufri shakes his head, screaming, "noo! i went through so much to get it!"


    he nods, stopping, "you''re right, come over here!"


    she detours to his location and they watch the enraged snail pass them by.


    she screams to aufri, "aufri! lose the fucking tentacle already!"


    aufri whines, disappearing into the trees ahead, "no, master!"


    -


    for the past hour they have been following the destruction left in the wake of the mad snail, trying to reach aufri at the end.


    she whines, "ughhh, how can he run for this long?"


    he stops for a break, panting, "ah... i''m... ah... out of shape-"


    she grabs his arm, dragging him along, "look, i see the snail!"


    he looks upward, confused, "it''s... a barnacle again?"


    at the edge of the treeline, at the start of a cliff, the transformed barnacle resumes its stance just like before at the bridge, its solitary glowing tentacle drifting above. keeping a safe distance away, they search through felled trees for any sign of aufri.


    Stolen content warning: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.he calls his name, looking about, "aufri!"


    aufri climbs out from below a tree, grinning, pointing to the cliff, "i''m fine, but look!"


    the cave entrance.


    she sits down, straddling a log, laughing, "haha! you led the snail here to block those bastards in?"


    he claps, "good job. to be honest, i thought you just wanted to keep that tentacle of yours-"


    aufri grumbles, "ugggh. i had to return it. it was so mad at me! did you see those spikey things?"


    he grins, crossing his arms in satisfaction, "yeah, we both almost died today, didn''t we?"


    she turns away, "oh, what idiots you are. that''s nothing to brag about!"


    he smirks, nudging aufri, "uh... sounds like someone is jealous of our selfless display of courage."


    she walks away, "go to hell!"


    he yawns, "it''s... what time is it? i''m tired."


    she sighs, looking back, "can we finally go back now?"


    aufri bolts off, "me, first!"


    he laughs, "ha! how is he still able to run?


    -


    lepfnanbol glances down at the paper in his hands, "ya three demonstrated remarkable bravery in spoilin their plan and securin etla''s precious bridge, so much that etla village has conferred titles onto each of ya, along with the lak reward i mentioned-"


    she looks to lepfnanbol withgreed, "lak! did you say lak?"


    he sits up with surprise, "we actually are being paid?"


    aufri grins, "ha! aren''t you glad i saved the day, master?"


    she scoffs, "this was all your fault, it''s only natural you fixed it."


    aufri growls, "my fault! i saved master-"


    he looks to lepfnanbol, curious, "what titles are they giving us?"


    lepfnanbol clears his throat, glancing through the paper in his hands, "ahem... it seems to be: etlan escort."


    he nods approvingly, "etlan escort sounds good."


    she laughs, looking to him, "ha, how is that good? escort sounds like we are prostitutes."


    lepfnanbol laughs, tossing the paper aside, "haha! well, anyways, it''s an honor receivin somethin like that. ya can claim everythin tomorrow."


    -


    the man opens the door to their knocking, exclaiming with joy, "greetings, honorable escorts!"


    she smirks, "honorable escorts... ha."


    aufri grins, "master, he called me an escort!"


    the man  continues by introduces himself as well as the other man beside him, "i''m etla''s mayor, yorn, and this is escort pomfrey."


    he nods his head, acknowledging them both, and returns the introduction, "hello. we are escorts jfion, nisida, and aufri... here to claim our reward for-"


    mayor yorn interrupts, ushering them in, "come in, come in! we have much to discuss!"


    -


    the pile of lak on the table between the two parties is only the appetizer for mayor yorn''s oration.


    mayor yorn continues, "...essentially monster hunters."


    she sits up excitedly, "monster hunters!"


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21271</a>


    aan

 15 - surly scrimshanks

    Advent Noion


    15


    she mulls over mayor yorn''s offer, "a sponsorship..."


    mayor yorn shakes his head, "what? no, weren''t you listening?"


    he scratches his head, "uh, sorry. i''m not sure i understand, either."


    mayor yorn explains, "anyway, it''s nothing like a sponsorship. if anything, you''ll be the ones sponsoring etla village!"


    she nods, "eh... so, it''s a reverse sponsorship!"


    mayor yorn shakes his head frantically, "no, no! just forget about it being a sponsorship! you''ll hunt monsters in the valley that twenty of our neighboring villages share to earn prestige for our own village. do you understand now?"


    aufri bounces in his seat, "that sounds awesome!"


    she grins, "it does sound interesting, but what''s in it for us?"


    he looks to mayor yorn, confused, "and how do you expect us to hunt monsters?"


    mayor yorn throws his hands into the air, looking at the pair in disbelief, "what! isn''t your latest feat proof enough?"


    she nervously laughs, "haha... what feat?"


    mayor yorn"what! you flawlessly foiled the greatest threat our village has ever faced, did you not?"


    aufri nods, "i sure did!"


    she grimaces, "like hell we did! we barely did anything at all to qualify us for monster hunting. also, what''s even in it for us?"


    myor yorn looks between the pair, upset, "well, for you there is... uh... prestige!"


    he frowns, looking away, "sorry, i''m not interested."


    she crosses her arms, "no, thanks!"


    mayor yorn pulls his hair in a frenzy, "what! i never imagined our village''s escorts would need a reason for something as prestigious as this! it seems your rumored voracity for rewards is indisputable."


    -


    she laughs, holding out handfuls of lak, "haha! now we''re talking!"


    mayor yorn''s face is pale with despair, "is... is that all, escorts? are you quite satisfied with this?"


    he nods, his mouth watering, "that''s a lot of noio... i mean lak."


    mayor yorn walks away, rubbing his bow, "please, just prepare well for the journey and bring prestige for our village."


    -


    they skulk through the marketplace, selfishly acquiring all the trinkets, novelty foods, and snacks they can find, storing them in a small wagon trailing behind.


    their fellow escort, pomfrey, awkwards follow the trio around, "should... shouldn''t we be preparing?"


    she looks back, startled, throwing herself onto the sack of lak, "ah! who are you!"


    he rubs his chin, thinking, "oh! poppy, wasn''t it?"


    pomfrey nervously looks away, "umm, pomfrey, but close enough, i suppose."


    she picks her nose, looking to pomfrey, "ehh... what should we be doing?"


    her expression dumbfounds pomfrey momentarily, "uh... well, for starters, there is the matter of transportation and then securing adequate provisions for-"


    she groans, "ugh! can''t you just buy all that stuff for us?"


    pomfrey looks to his feet, "welll, you see, i''m only the assigned guide, so-"


    The author''s narrative has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.


    she sighs, "how much?"


    pomfrey looks to her, confused, "um, what?"


    she holds a handful of lak out, carelessly scooped from their stash, "how much lak do you want for doing all that stuff for us?"


    pomfrey accepts, taking it all, and darting off, "if... if you insist, then, please, excuse me!"


    he calls out to pomfrey, "wait! poppy, are we leaving tomorrow?"


    pomfrey turns back to him, "um, it''s pomfrey, and yes, unless you would like another-"


    he sighs with relief, "whew. that''s good. i''m tired of this place."


    pomfrey returns away, "alright, well, then i''m off to make the necessary preparations."


    he nods approvingly, "poppy is a handy guy."


    aufri points to a stall of pastry appotions, "master, let''s get these!"


    her mouth waters, "ooh!"


    -


    at nightfall, they return with pomfrey just beyond town to the camp he set up, a fire going, hot meals prepared, bedding laid out, and all of their supplies loaded onto separate lomloms.


    she looks at the establishment in awe, "eh! you got all this today?"


    he claps, nodding with approval, "good job, poppy. this is impressive."


    pomfrey smiles, "yes, um, price wasn''t an issue, though the limitations of weight were-"


    surprised, aufri interrupts, running to the cargo, "wow, lomlommss?"


    pomfrey points, "yes! we all have lomloms, as you can see."


    aufri climbs atop one of the resting reptiles, "haahaha! we get to ride lomloms!"


    -


    they quietly wake up aufri in the middle of the night.


    aufri looks around, half-asleep, "huhhhh, whaa-"


    she shushes him, "shhhh! follow us."


    she begins tying off each of the lomloms and loading the rest of the suppies.


    he looks around, whispering, "where are we going?"


    she smiles, "we''re going to ditch that loser and make off with the lak."


    he silently laughs, "ha, really? good idea."


    she grins, "i know, isn''t it? to hell with monster hunting."


    he begins tying pomfrey''s lomlom to his own, "since poppy isn''t coming, i''ll take his lizard."


    she nods, "nice."


    aufri frowns, hanging over his lomlom, pouting, "aw, but i wanted to see more monsters..."


    she turns around, quietly cackling like a witch, "hahahaha! you''re looking at the worst monster!"


    she continues boasting, "ditching our beloved lepa, betraying etla village, dumping this loser behind, and now making off with all the lak... can i be any more of a monster?"


    he looks to her suspiciously, "wait, aren''t we sharing the lak?"


    she smirks, "of course, but i want to claim the idea."


    aufri laughs, "haha! are we the bad guys now?"


    she nods, smiling, "we''re badder than bad!"


    he looks grimly to the sleeping pomfrey, "farewell, poppy."


    to continue reading the next section, click here:


    http://www.royalroadl.com/forum/showthread.php?tid=21284</a>


    aan

 16 - implex irreflex

    Advent Noion


    16


    she cries from above her stampeding lomlom, "how the hell do you control these! ahhh!"


    he calmy uses his reins, "good lizard! follow nisida!"


    aufri cheers, "yaay! lomloms!"


    they ride into the night, leaving behind lepfnanbol, pomfrey, the prestige of monster hunting, and everything else related to etla village.


    -


    he looks down to the stash before him, "...we really made off with all of this lak."


    she leans back onto her lomlom, "a perfect escape from boredom! our life of crime begins now!"


    aufri frowns, "i hope everyone in etla is okay."


    she looks to aufri, concerned, "eh... hey, aufri, did we just kidnap you?"


    he nods, "technically, i think we did."


    aufri shakes his head, boasting, "i''ll follow master anywhere!"


    he laughs, "why? she treats you so badly."


    aufri dismisses him, "that''s because i''m not as great as master."


    she smirks at aufri, "i''m great? haha... if you say so."


    silence.


    pulling his face away from the shash, he looks to the others, worried, "i just finished counting the lak, it''s over five million..."


    aufri begins counting his fingers, "one, two, three-"


    she looks to him, "five... no way! we are really big time criminals now."


    aufri frowns, looking to the others, "how do you count to five million?"


    -


    ~crunch~


    he shouts to the others, hanging to the side of his lomlom, "look! my lizard eats noion!"


    she turns away, repulsed, "yuck! it''s probably just hungry, maybe we should stop and let them rest?"


    he stops his lomlom near a piece of timber, "good idea-"


    she looks back to him, "eh! right now?"


    he shouts, dragging the wood to his lomlom, "no, keep going! this is firewood!"


    -


    rope in hand, he hobbles his lomlom, "look, we must do this to keep our lizards from running away."


    aufri imitates him, "...like this?"


    he nods, "yes, good job."


    she winces, "that looks painful."


    he shakes his head, "only if they try and run off. now, we connect them all together like-"


    aufri runs around, tethering them all, "done!"


    he nods approvingly, "good... lizards are secure, so now we can prepare camp."


    -


    sitting near a small camefire established offlane, to avoid any trouble from passing travelers, they wait for supper.


    she stares at him, "...jfion, you sure are smart."


    he withdraws from the pot, grinning, "what? of course i am!"


    she laughs, smiling, "ha, i''m just teasing you."


    he continues stirring the pot, adding in spices.


    she watches with envy, "but where did you learn all this?"


    he sighs, "i told you, i came from molboa village-"


    Ensure your favorite authors get the support they deserve. Read this novel on Royal Road.


    she nods, thinking back, "oh, yeah."


    he looks to aufri, "this is stuff any villager knows, even aufri might."


    she frowns, "i can''t think of anything i''m good at..."


    -


    she watches a falling helix in the distant ceiling of the night.


    she whispers to him beside her, "jfion... are you awake?"


    silence.


    she stares at the glowing lights stretched out endlessly above.


    she closes her eyes, "the drills are getting larger..."


    -


    the next morning, before they depart, he warns her and aufri, "don''t look or speak to any other travelers."


    aufri whines, "whyy? are there badder guys than us?"


    she grins, "who knows, one of them might be a werewolf..."


    aufri throws down his hood, hiding himself, "ahh!"


    -


    several days later, in the early morning, they prepare for another day of travel.


    he stops bundling his lomlom, glancing down the lane, "i think we''re heading for midheaven."


    she nods, pointing far away, "yeah, i realized. the drills are larger, see?"


    aufri grins, excited, "midheaven! we''re going to the midheaven?"


    she laughs, "haha, the one and only..."


    he leans against his lomlom, "how will we enter?"


    silence.


    he looks to aufri, "i was discharged... and aufri is... i think technically he''s our captive-"


    she groans, interrupting him, "ugh, being a criminal sucks."


    he looks to her, "i think you''re the only one who can enter for now."


    -


    after a week of detouring around the main entrance to midheaven, they arrive at a small side entrance. she proceeds on foot, while he and aufri remain at their hidden campsite.


    -


    the guard looks to her, suspicious, "...are you sure we haven''t met before?"


    she coughs, turning her head, "kah! ehh, you must be mistaken..."


    the guard scrutinizes her, "hmmmm-"


    the guard accepts her identification, "alright... and where are you coming from, miss nisida?"


    she hesitates, "etl... i mean embiorka village?"


    he rubs his chin, thinking back, "ohh! how was it?"


    she looks to him, nervous, "eh... how was what?"


    he nods with imagination, "embiorka! must have been nice."


    she smirks, "right, right, it was... unique!"


    he stares at her face once more, "hmm."


    she avoids eye contact, turning her head.


    he glances between paperwork on his desk and her indentification, "alright... everything looks to be in order. welcome back, miss nisida! enjoy your-"


    she interrupts the guard, pushing through, sighing with relief, "whew! thanks, buddy!"


    the guard backs away, "ahh! how impolite-"


    the guard notices the wanted poster directly ahead and shouts, chasing after her, "hey! halt! you are not welcome herreee!"


    aan