Book 3: Chapter 8 (1/2)
“I know you wanted to start a war and all, but shouldn’t we have at least told Vur and Tafel where we were going?” Alice asked Mr. Skelly as the two followed behind the woman wearing a grass outfit with the little meatball girl in her arms. “We came here as a party. Parties are supposed to stick together.”
“Oh, it’ll be fine,” Mr. Skelly said and gestured at the woman ahead. “She said the village is pretty close. We’ll be there and back in no time; those two won’t even know we’re gone. Besides, isn’t it more exciting to adventure alone with me?”
“You’re not a healer or a ranged attacker,” Alice said as she slapped away Mr. Skelly’s arm that he was trying to wrap around her shoulder. “We’re both frontline fighters; there’s a severe imbalance in our party composition without Vur and Tafel. We have to be prepared for anything when entering new lands.”
Mr. Skelly chuckled. “You say that, but you’re following me anyway without informing Vur and Tafel ahead of time. Actions speak louder than words. You protest verbally but comply physically; it’s clear what you want.”
Pink tinged Alice’s cheeks as she turned her head away. “I only came along to keep an eye on you. Who knows what kind of trouble you’d start without someone to watch over you?”
“What? Me? Cause trouble?” Mr. Skelly leaned back and covered his open mouth with his hand. “Just what kind of person do you think I am? Back when I was still alive, people praised me for resolving all kinds of trouble. I’ve slain many a ferocious beast threatening the kingdom I belonged to, and I helped many an old lady cross a busy marketplace street.”
Alice rolled her eyes, but before she could reply, a clearing came into view as she walked past some trees. The woman ahead of them turned her head and smiled at the two. “We’re here. Welcome to Sacrifice Village.”
“I think you should change the village’s name,” Mr. Skelly said. “It sounds like something terrible is going to happen to it if you don’t.”
“Please don’t be the cause of that calamity,” Alice said, pulling Mr. Skelly’s shoulder. She walked in front of him and frowned. Though it was called a village, town or city would be a more apt word to describe it. Wooden walls encircled the village, and clay roofs of buildings peaked over the top. Smoke drifted out of chimney tops, but the gray mist dispersed before rising beyond the treetops. Clamoring sounds that accompanied large populations of people rang through the air. “This isn’t what I was expecting at all.”
The woman tilted her head. “What do you mean?”
Alice pursed her lips and shook her head. “Never mind.” If a group of young women doomed to be sacrifices were able to build a town inside of the wilderness, then who was she to question how? Maybe the dragons helped out, but she doubted it. Alice grabbed Mr. Skelly’s wrist, stopping him from marching up to the wooden gates. “Can you tell me what you’re planning on doing before you actually do it?”
Mr. Skelly frowned. “But that’ll ruin the surprise.”
“I don’t like these kinds of surprises.”
“Just because you don’t like something doesn’t mean you should avoid it,” Mr. Skelly said. “Gathering new experiences, even if they’re unpleasant, is one of the thrills an adventurer lives for. How can you call yourself a guild master if you avoid a core part of adventuring because you find it unpleasant?”
“Alright, I’m a terrible guild master; sue me,” Alice said, her grip tightening around Mr. Skelly’s wrist. “Now tell me what you’re going to do.”
Mr. Skelly sighed. “You’re not going to let go of me unless I do, huh?”
“That’s right.”