13 Disheartening Encounter

The warmth of the sunlight brushed on Silicia's light, ivory skin. She lay comfortably in the soft sheets of the bed, unsure of how she got there. She had fallen asleep on the floor yesterday, and there was no way she magically transported herself to bed using magic. The image of Kenmer tucking her into the sheets made Silicia scrunch her face in disbelief. She was alone, and Kenmer was nowhere to be found. He must have gotten up early. Though the reason was unknown to her.

Shrugging off her thoughts, Silicia got up and began getting ready for the day. She didn't really have anything especially important to do, but she thought it would be best to get ready for Team Aislinn's return. They should be returning early that evening. She hadn't seen them in nearly 3 days, and she was dying to talk to someone other than Kenmer.

Typically the adventuring team never split up, but Team Aislinn was in dire need of some money. Their weapons were degrading, and the armors they wore were pretty damaged and broken. They decided to take on one of the more challenging quests and refused to let Kenmer and her join, afraid that they would get hurt, saying that, "It's too dangerous."

Silicia slips on her boots and takes a good look at herself in the mirror. Satisfied, she nods and rests her hand on the pommel of her rapier. She leaves her room and rushes down the creaking wooden stairs, glancing around the Guild Bar for Kenmer. She thought he might have been waiting for her downstairs, but he was nowhere in sight.

"Urghhhhhh," Silicia groaned as she walked towards the receptionist's desk. "Have you seen my teammate? He looks like a dude with blonde hair and dark blue eyes."

The receptionist looked up. She had been organizing some files on her desk. "Who?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, was probably flirting with you last night," Silicia replied, sticking her tongue out in disgust.

The receptionist giggled, blushing as she covered her mouth. "You must be looking for Kenmer! He left early in the morning, shortly after the break of dawn."

Silicia brought her palm to her forehead, shaking her head in annoyance.

Kenmer gets about 3 girlfriends in every town they visit, though the relationships never last. The girls always end up breaking up with him after getting to know his rude and cocky manners. He always goes and whines about his relationships, saying how they broke his heart, but he'd be absolutely fine in about 2 days.

Looking up, she asked, "Did he say anything about me? Did he at least leave me any money or something for me to do?"

Kenmer was given the duty of training with her and 'protecting' her while Team Aislinn was gone.

The receptionist shook her head. Kenmer didn't leave her any money. What was she supposed to do? Sit on the side of the street and stare at the sky?

Silicia grit her teeth. "That son of a-"

"He paid for your breakfast. You can eat at the bar, though he didn't mention anything else." The receptionist nodded towards the guild bar, where several adventures were drinking beers and inhaling large steaks. It looked chaotic and uncivilized.

"Thanks," she sighed, walking towards the chaos that the guild called a 'bar.' At least he fed her… at least she wouldn't starve.

After she finished her meal Silicia left the guild building in search of something to do. She should've known better than to listen to her team members and let Kenmer handle all the money while they were gone. She should've taken a few coins from him while he wasn't looking, then she wouldn't have to spend this day in vain. If she had money, she could pay the entry fee for the local town library.

Silicia wandered the streets aimlessly, going past the town market and trying her best to ignore the tantalizing smell of freshly baked pastry treats.

The town was busy and bustling with people, unlike last night. Everyone came out in the day, but no one dared to step out of their door when it was dark. They believed that monsters and rebels roamed the land when it was dark. Silicia heard rumors of witches and servants of evil using black magic to torture townspeople. Nothing was backing the information though, they were all baseless rumors.

Soon Silicia wandered far enough that she was at the gates of the bell tower again. The place where she met the girl in the hood and the crimson eyed boy. The tall tower loomed over her with astounding height, and she wondered if she'll see them again. After last night's rest, her curiosity faded a bit, but she still felt that the two were suspicious. If the rumors were true, they could be witches or servants of evil, though she doubted that.

"DOOOOOOONG." The tower rang loudly, announcing that it was noon. The townspeople in the square were packing things up, preparing to go home for lunch. The bell sounded every morning, noon, and night, signaling the townspeople of the different times of the day.

Silicia didn't have money so she couldn't buy anything for lunch. She felt hopeless and lonely as she turned around, watching the townspeople. They wandered happily and joyfully with no worries in their hearts, while there she was standing in front of a weird tower as if she expected something.

Why was she at the tower anyway? Seriously, she knew better than to stare at a pretty building all day. She looked up at the tower again. Despite all the warning signs, Silicia decided to enter the private grounds of the Bell Tower.

She jumped over the steel gates and onto the pebbled ground surrounding the building. Looking around, she chose to use the main door to enter the tower.

"Hey!"

A familiar voice stopped Silicia in her tracks. She turned to her left. There she was, the girl from yesterday, dressed in the same grey linen cape with the hood still pulled down to her nose. Why does she cover her eyes? Is it because she is a thief? Thieves are known to hide their faces so they can't be easily hunted.

"Hello," Silicia greeted, walking closer to her. "You're Haven, correct?"

The girl was silent for a while before speaking. "I see you remember me," Haven grimaced. "You do realize you're standing on private grounds?"

Silicia raised her brow. "You don't seem to be the owner of the building. Aren't your two feet standing on private grounds too?"

"That is none of your concern. I am to report you to the town guards for trespassing." Haven turned around swiftly, walking away.

"What's your problem?!" Silicia shouted after her. "You're so stuck in your own head that you have no sympathy for others. Yesterday, you almost broke my wrist. I was only trying to help!"

Haven stopped walking. She turned towards Silicia again. "Your nosiness and curiosity annoy me."

"What?" The word stumbles in Silicia's mouth, barely escaping her lips. She didn't understand why Haven's words scared her. They sent chills through her spine.

Maybe it was boredom. Maybe it was curiosity. Maybe it was her greed. There was no reason to be standing where she was. She had no reason to talk to the girl in front of her. Silicia knew that.

There must have been a weird expression on Silicia's face because Haven broke her concealed aura and sighed. "Look, I don't know why you're here or what you want, but if you're looking to play around, I'm not down for that today. Yesterday was a one-time thing, and he's tired because of it."

She said, 'he.' He—that boy. The vision of his dead eyes and eeriness flashed her mind.

"Is he alright?" Silicia stepped forward.

"Yes, he is fine. He used quite a lot of mana yesterday. His fragile body can't handle pulsing large amounts of mana for very long."

It surprised Silicia that she replied in such a kind tone. She didn't expect her to even want to speak to her.

"Oh..."

Haven walked towards her, close enough, so they were face to face. Although Haven looked older, she was around the same height as Silicia.

"If there is nothing else, I wouldn't like to see you again," Haven spoke, her tone dark.

Silicia didn't want to leave. She wanted to know what happened to the boy's eyes. Maybe if she convinced her to open up, she'd tell. Maybe they could be friends.

"It's none of your business," Haven's words echoed in Silicia's ear as if she'd read her mind. "Please leave, or I'll have to violently escort you out."

No words had left Silicia's mouth for Haven to respond to. She hadn't said anything or asked for anything. This girl acted as if she could read minds.

"I-" Silicia began, but she didn't know what to say. "How did you-? I don't understand."

"Because there is nothing for you to understand."

Silicia heard a metal clink in Haven's hands. There she held a silver spiked knuckle brass fitted tightly on her fingers. She held it like she was planning to attack her.

"Your intent is evil. Your intent will hurt my brother. Your intent will do nothing but harm to us." Haven's voice was angry, yet she stood calm. It was as if she was giving Silicia a chance to run.

Had something she'd done angered her? What did she do wrong?

"No! What? Are you assuming that I want to hurt you?" Silicia reached out and grabbed the sleeve of Haven's cape. "I'd never hurt anyone! We can be friends!"

"Friends?" Haven's voice was quiet and warry. "A non-existent friendship is what you want? You think I don't know your so-called 'friend' left you with no money to fend for yourself. You haven't eaten lunch. You're hungry. You're lonely. Is that what a 'friend' is to you?"

Silicia's eyes widened. She was shocked, hit by realization. Everything she said was the truth. Silicia was hungry, and her stomach rumbled. She was alone, that was the only reason she ended up here… but... "He... He is my friend."

"You think so? You really think so?" Haven laughed; her voice mocked Silicia as if she pitied her.

Her words ran circles in Silicia mind, boggling all over. Was he her friend? Kenmer… Kenmer... He was the only one who Silicia spent her days with, talked to, hung around with. She hadn't had a friend other than him after she joined team Aislinn. She couldn't. She never dared to open up and talk to others. She had lived through her life happily no matter how poorly Kenmer treated her, and she didn't bat an eye. To her, that was how he was. Kenmer was a sarcastic and self-centered loser, but that didn't matter to Silicia because he was her friend.

"He is my friend!" Silicia shouts fury and rage, lining her voice. "Who do you think you are? You think you know me?"

"I don't have to. Your face shows everything."

Silicia grits her teeth. If she really thinks she can manipulate her with words, she's wrong. "Shut up before I slit your throat."

A smirk emerges on Haven's face. "You're funny. Didn't you want to get to know me? Didn't you want to," she pauses, "be my friend?"

"I-" Silicia was at a loss for words. "You're unreasonable!"

Haven's smirk disappears. "And you're annoying." Then, Silicia's face met the impact of Haven's fist. Silicia fell to the ground wincing in pain, holding herself up with her right arm.

Silicia smiled. "You're pretty weak for your age."

Haven didn't laugh. She showed no reaction.

Silicia gripped the handle of her sword and swung it at Haven's neck. Before her blade even made it inches near her face, Haven stopped the sword with the brass knuckles on her hand.

"You're so predictable," Haven sighed.

Silicia jumps back on her feet swiftly, holding her blade forward. "You really want to fight?"

Haven didn't respond. She looked as if she was pondering Silicia's question for a second but didn't give it much thought. The next moment Haven jumped up and aimed a kick towards Silicia's head. She quickly blocked it with her sword, only for Haven to jump off the blade. As Haven landed on her feet, she made a punch at Silicia's stomach. From the impact, Silicia propelled towards the tower, slamming her back on the stone wall.

"Do you want to fight?" Haven repeats Silicia's question. She laughs. "Seems like you're the weak one here."

Silicia stands up, still holding her blade towards Haven. Sighing, Haven lifts her hand and motions for Silicia to come closer.

Silicia lowers her hand towards the side of her boots. "Activate," Silicia speeds towards Haven with her rapier pointed towards her chest. Haven vanishes from before her, and Silicia feels a fist slam against her back. The pain ripples through her body. Before she falls, Silicia catches herself on her foot and turns her blade towards Haven. She swings at Haven's dodging figure but misses again.

"Are you going to keep up this charade?" Haven says mockingly. She grabs Silicia's arms and throws her onto the ground. She falls, tumbling a few feet away.

"Shut up," Silicia spits.

"Aren't you going to use magic?" Haven asks in a sugary voice. "Or… you can't?"

Her words travel through one ear and out the other, bouncing off every corner of her mind. The pulse in Silicia's blood stops, and her eyes widen. Her hand loosens on her sword, and it drops, falling down beside her. What… what did she just say?

She hadn't heard those words since she was 6 years old. It's been 7 years since she'd heard those nasty cold words. Those were the words that once ate at her every day. They were so horrifyingly painful she wanted to curse them.

Then Silicia's feet seem to move on their own, springing up and running faster. Faster… Her feet meet Haven's leg, and she crashes down onto the ground.

"What did you say?" Silicia asks, staring down beside her at the grimacing face of the girl. Before she could respond, Silicia is on top of her, tightening her fist. The blood begins pulsing again, beating, pounding, like thunder in her heart. Loudly, banging, wanting her fist so much to collide with her arrogant face.

"Do it," she snarls. The hood slips off her face revealing Haven's black eyes. They looked so pure, yet the words she spoke were careless.

Silicia watched as Haven's smirk grew wider each second that she hesitated. The massive, loud beating in her ear screamed, and she wanted to do it. She wanted to punch her face so hard that she'd bleed.

"I know you want to," Haven whispers, as if she was laughing, making fun of her hesitation.

Silicia grabs Haven's neck and angles her fist towards her face. She holds her neck tightly in her hand, choking her. "Didn't I tell you to shut up?"

Haven starts struggling, scratching at Silicia's hands. She struggled helplessly, the black beads in her eyes glancing all around as if looking for someone.

"STOP!" Someone yells. Who is there?

Silicia's fist connects with her face, and pain erupts from her knuckles, clawing up her arms. The jolt sears through her body, and at that moment, Silicia notices the blood on her hands.