37 Raxin

Horse drawn carriages travelled through a stony road, the carriages were a sparse traffic, some people with heavy baggages on their backs tread on the path, they were headed to a city called Raxin.

The stony road sliced the green landscape, it was headed directly to the main gates of the city, the city was fenced with tall grey walls that protrudes over the land, ranging few feet in height. On the ramparts were soldiers on high alert, tightening their gazes to and fro on the landscape, checking for any signs of the enemy.

Blue and Celina weaved through the travelers around them, she gazed at the city walls and noticed that it never faltered, there was a hint of glee on her eyes, grateful that nothing bad had happened yet. Behind them was Pelvin who carried Celina's bag.

Staring around the walls, demon corpses and blood were splayed on the ground, they dirtied the land with their color that they could be mistook as garbage. There were icy remnants left on the ground, but most of it have melted, leaving some puddles on the landscape.

Celina smiled lightly. "Skylar is here." She said.

They noticed the gates were broken and under repair, they entered through the gateway, and stepped inside the city, they saw crowded houses were built tightly through out the entire area. The houses were hewn from stone bricks, they rose above to three floors in height at most.

Treading across the stone-slabbed streets, Blue yawned and veered away from them. "See you later woman."

Celina stomped her foot. "Blue, you're gonna come with me. If you're alone, I'm not sure what you're doing. Remember, we have a deal that you won't kill anybody else before the two years span."

Blue cackled scoffingly. "Don't worry, as I said I won't kill anybody without a good reason."

Celina grabbed his arm, and dragged her across the streets. "Whatever, you're gonna follow me."

Blue snorted in annoyance, yet he was forced to follow her steps. Crossing through the city they finally found a shop on the corner.

At the doorway, Blue glared upon Pelvin. "Dirt rag you stay here." He said.

Pelvin nodded and remained on his position.

They entered the shop, it was a tiny room, with shelves lining up in the middle, the shelves contained potions, herbs and books. On one side of the wall, weapons were hanged, such as swords, daggers, spears, different types of halberds and the like.

Behind the front desk was a tall, grumpy old man, his face creased, a monocle sat on his eye and his lower lip naturally buldges over the other. "What do you want." He said aggressively but it may be his casual voice.

Celina approached the front desk. "I want a good sword."

The old man rose his eyebrow, "I can't give you one if you're not specific, but we have selections which you can choose from."

Celina faced Blue. "Hey Blue who are you again before you became immortal?"

Blue crossed his arms. "Some naive soldier."

Celina flickered a smile across her face. "Well then can you at least help me with this, I'm not very good at picking."

Blue paused, staring at her, as though his formulating his words. "The weapon don't have to be special, you just have to choose what you're comfortable with."

Celina chuckled, she lurched forward and hugged him. "Thank you Blue."

As she gripped hold of him, his lips quivered from irritation, but he got used to it, there was no need to burst, it would be a waste of energy after all, knowing her clingy personality.

Celina turned to the wall, sifting her eyes through the weapons, then tested each one, she tried the long sword but with its weight, she struggled to hoist it up, the spears were too uncomfortable as well, though she never intend to buy it in the first place.

Upon the selection of the swords, she noticed a sword with a silvery surface, there was a shimmering crimson marble affixed above its hilt, its hilt was also soothing to the touch, but not as smooth to lose ones grip. She rose it up over her face, its warped mirror surface reflected her keen eyes, the slivers of sunlight from the windows gave it a nice glint.

She swung it on the air, and noticed it was swift swing, and lighter than the common swords she came across.

She eyed Blue. "Hey Blue can I stab you?"

"Piss off." Blue spat.

Celina chuckled. "Just kidding Blue."

Blue grunted as he walked across the room. "Well then woman, I think we have to depart."

The old man cleared his throat hoarsely, stealing their attentions. He slammed the front desk with his arm, with a booming thud. "That would be fifty silvers."

Celina's lips were shaken. "Fi-fi-fifty?" She stuttered.

"If you don't have the coins, then forget it."

Celina became restless, eyeing the sword on her palms, her shaking lips was forced to speak. "Fine, I'll buy it."

Blue narrowed his eyes, his face scowled, he went close to the front desk. "I'm not sure about the figures, but that's kinda expensive old man." He said assertively.

The old man bursted a grunt, crossing his arms. "That's a high quality metal made of Traldion, it's not cheap and its a magic sword after all."

"Do you have any proof of that, old man?" Blue spoke.

Celina tried to butt in between them. "Hey Blue, it's fine, I have the money."

Blue snorted in displeasure. "Whatever woman, seeing you spend lavishly physically pains me. In our several stops you kept on indulging on premium wines, renting a grandious rooms and even this ridiculously expensive sword. The pain its giving me makes me want to die even more." He spat.

Celina pouted, she looked away. "Hmmph, it's my money, why do you have to feel bad for me."

Blue rested his arm on the front desk, focusing his eyes upon the old man. "Well then old man, do you have any proof?"

The old man lifted a smirk, he slid a metal bar on the front desk, then drew it near close to Blue. "Why don't you compare? This is a pure Traldion metal."

Blue snatched the blade from Celina, he lifted it up, and then grabbed the metal bar from the desk with his other arm. He drew them close to each other, assessing their glistening surfaces and semblances, but they were identical, he clang it gently upon the desk, then followed the metal bar.

"It's true that they are similar." Blue said.

The old man gave a solid smirk, reassuring Blue was just wasting his time. "See, they're the same."

"But what about the chemical composition?" Blue spoke confidently.

The old man lifted his brow. "What do you mean?"

Blue grinned villainously. The iron bar and the sword on his arms got engulfed in blue flames.

The old man widened his eyes, his forehead wrinkled even further, astonishment escaped his mouth. "Hey, what are you doing?"

Blue snickered, "calm down." The flames died down, the bar and the sword on his gripped were unharmed and unburnt, it only released a thin mist. Blue then laughed loudly. He eyed the blade. "This one is just an ordinary sword made of a steel compound." Then he turned his attention to metal bar, "And this one is a metal that I can't identify, which I have to assume is that metal thing."

The old man sneered. "Enough horse crap, they are the same metal."

Blue rose his hand infront of him, a thin, calm fire emerged and danced on the tip of his finger. "These flames can feel materials to their fundamental level, and I can feel them as well since these flames and I are connected." He held a manic smirk that spooked the soul of the old man. "What's more is these flames can do more than just that." His threat-filled voice pierced through the old man. The flames grew larger and danced chaotically, illuminating the room around them into pale blue.

The old man swallowed his saliva, beads of sweat passed by his eyebrows. "Okay, I got it, the price is now fifteen silvers." His trembling mouth uttered.

Blue smiled satedly, the blue fire retreated from his hand, he turned around and left the front desk. The old man was left sighing in relief.

Celina scampered to the front desk and dropped fifteen silvers, she then tailed Blue as they left the shop.

Pelvin met up with them as they entered the streets, he was tailing their behinds.

Celina giggled upon seeing the new sword, she hoisted the sword up allowing it to recieve the full sunlight. Realizing it could lend her mana she was filled with glee, it could allow her to cast basic magic spells and help her in future battles. But she should first determine the wavelength of the blade before she could draw mana from it.

It glistened blindingly on a certain angle. "I can't believe the Uncle was trying to trick us but Blue, thank you a lot." She said.

Blue sniggered. "He didn't, but I forced him to, the flames stuff was just a bluff."

Celina gasped in disbelief. "Blue! I can't believe it."

Blue lifted a menacing smile. "That guy is overpricing his stuff, and seeing you bite gives me anxiety."

She looked away with a snort and focused unsheathing her old sword instead, she stared at it with uncertainty, thinking as though what to do with it.

Pelvin jogged towards her. "Miss Mage, I'd like to ask for that weapon."

"No Pelvin, I still don't trust you." Celina said.

Pelvin's body sagged as disappointment dragged him down. "Okay."

Celina sighed eyeing the weapon. "Now, I don't know what to do with this." She said.

Blue gestured his finger enticing her to give it to him. "Let me."

Celina lent it to him, he grabbed hold of it. Blue stared at the sword with a scowl, the flames devoured the blade letting it burn in his fist, it melted slowly, and then he dropped it on the stony ground.

Pelvin gasped upon seeing the blade burning on the ground. "Why do you have to burn it?"

Celina's head pivoted towards Blue. "Hey Blue why don't we just release Pelvin?"

"I was supposed to feed on him but I changed my mind, it's actually quite convenient with an errand boy around." He said snarkily.

Celina held an eyes with a hint of suspicion. "Blue, he's not a slave." She said somewhat annoyed.

"Whatever, your voice is prickling my ears. Where do you want to go next?" Blue said.

Celina smiled mirthly, she hastened her pace and went on first. "Come Blue, I'm gonna buy myself a horse."

Blue snickered as though pleased. "Finally, for the first time I was actually pleased with what you just said." He spoke.

Somewhere close to the border of the city, just beside the walls, there lied a cottaged fence, inside the fence were various tints of mules and horses. The three of them lent their eyes on the horses, eyeing each one, but Celina stared only on a burly white stallion, with long silky mane. She tread to it as though alured, she gripped upon the fence tight, with her face leaning close to the horse. "Sir how much for the white stallion?" She said.

Pelvin went close to her side, he grabbed her shoulder from behind, taking her attention. "Miss mage, I suggest we refrain from purchasing a horse right now." He said.

"What do you mean?" Celina asked confused.

"You still have a letter to lend right? I assume you will have to stay here for a while, in that case you will have to spend more for the horse's rent. It won't be cheap, unless you're willing to haul it everywhere." Pelvin suggested.

Celina felt some blunder on her side. "Never thought of that, thanks for the advise."

Pelvin chuckled as he scratched his head. "You can rely on me, and anyway can I loan some coins from you?" He said.

Celina rose her eyebrow. "What for?"

Pelvin chuckled eerily as he rubbed his arms. "Well, gonna buy some raw materials."

Celina pouted, tapping her foot on the ground, thinking. "Okay, but no more than twenty bronze okay?"

Pelvin nodded readily, he smiled. "That would be enough."

After taking the coins, he anxiously eyed Blue. "Umm, boss just some stuff to do, but I'll be back."

"Whatever." Blue said.

Pelvin turned to the other direction, then spurred himself to sprint away, after some time he disappeared from their view.

Celina leaned her back upon the stone wall, she tilted her head up, she noticed the guards clad in armor roved the ramparts, their clinking footsteps heard. Blue cleared his throat, stealing her attention. "Woman, what ever your business is, you must hurry." Blue demanded.

She scratched her head. "Well I a--" Her words cut off when a yell was emanated from above.

Celina and Blue were forced to look above them.

"Enemy!" The horns blared, echoing across the walls, then the archers lined themselves on the ramparts.

Celina gasped, thinking it must be demons.

"It's humans!" Yelled from a soldier above. "Attack from an enemy incoming!"

Arrows from the sky emerged like rain, it showered the ramparts and some of it were heading to Celina.

From behind her, Blue circled around her and took the damage, he groaned in pain after taking the hit. "Tsk."

Celina's eyes widened. "Humans? That's impossible."