The Arrival of a Stranger

"You can't honestly be considering this Angelica."

"What is wrong with it, may I ask? I'm simply checking in on a guest."

Charastro Angelica had just received word that a stranger had arrived in town. Normally, that would just lead to a minor annoyance on her part as the person in question was probably there to see her like another stranger in question that had taken up residence in the town. However, the stranger's bloodied and haggard condition prompted Angelica to close the church doors immediately, so she could investigate. One does not know what threats could be lurking nearby.

Her plain white robes and small figure were heavily contrasted with the man accompanying her who was coated in heavy mail with a short spear strapped across his back. A colorful mask, which resembled an amused man, covered his face.

"A guest! He's a simple vagrant, and he cannot be trusted, showing up like he did. I feel concerned for even the madam doctor being so close to him, not to mention you too."

"What I do is none of your concern, spectre."

"I must be honest, my lady, that language hurt quite a bit."

An errand boy ran through the man's shape revealing its true cloudy form as his body parted like mist for the boy.

Angelica couldn't help, but raise her brow at this, "You can't say I'm wrong, can you though Jester."

"That is not the point my lady. I have devoted my life, well my post life to you, and I think that deserves some politeness."

Angelica scoffed, "If I remember correctly, I'm the one doing you favors, and as far as I'm concerned a second chance is wasted on you."

"I'm sorry for offending you, my lady, I will follow you to the ends of the earth and even into the afterlife if I have to, and that wouldn't even be enough to express my gratitude." The spectre spoke panicky.

"And yet I'm not grateful for having to deal with you. Honestly, I can't believe my luck."

Angelica almost thought The Jester's eyes would pop out of his mask, "My lady you don't have to be so cruel. Surely you can't truly think that. In life I was a member of the order of Lombani."

Angelica sighed, "But now you come to me as a Jester and not a Knight. I wonder why?"

The Jester awkwardly started to bow while he followed his master, "I wonder about that curious fact every waking second I walk on this…"

"It's because you're a joke," Angelica cut him off, "Really, the other spectres wait to be called upon, why can't you?"

"I can never rest until I fulfill my duty to you, my lady." The Jester said with a prideful tone."

"Are you joking?"

The Jester tried to say many things, but Angelica continued to ignore him, she thought it was sad that she had grown used enough to the spectre's ramblings to be able to do so.

The small clinic wasn't too far from the church, just a ten-minute walk with few turns through the small town. It would have taken much longer if Angelica hadn't left in the early hours of the morning. She could barely move when everyone was out and about. Not because the town had a dense population, but because they all wanted to ask Angelica some type of question about their harvest, health, or even their entire future.

This morning she did have to greet some people, but luckily, they were the ones that saw her enough to know the true extent of her abilities, so they just gave brief bows of respect.

Angelica couldn't believe her luck as no one stopped her as she walked past the tall stone buildings of the town to its small clinic. It was a two story creme color building with a myriad of flowers covering it. The flowers had appeared recently as if by magic, and many had asked the town doctor, Tanthia, how they appeared but she would simply laugh them off. Angelica hadn't asked her yet, but she knew she would have to with similar occurrences happening around the town.

her luck soon ran out as a small and feeble man dressed in an elaborate suit stood next to the clinic's door.

"I thought I would meet you here Charastro, with the queer news and all."

Angelica grinded her teeth. She hated speaking to the man even though she had only met him a few nights before, "Hello, Nalenco, how has your morning been so far."

The man gave a fake grin, "It has been well, I hope you have the same fortune."

"Thank you, now may I ask what you need. I hope we have accommodated you well."

The man cleared his throat, he was always doing that. Angelica suspected it was a way for him to control the conversation, "Your town has been a truly gracious host, and I have no qualms about its treatment of me. However, as you know I'm a voice of the emperor and I must fulfill my duty."

He was always reminding Angelica of his high position, yet another thing that annoyed her about the man, but she decided to play along.

"I'm sorry Nalenco, but I've been extremely busy, so forgive me but can you remind me of what that duty is."

Nalenco didn't seem pleased that he had been overlooked, but he didn't let his emotion show in his voice, "The book, Charastro. I've come for the book."

"Oh that? No." She had given the same answer over and over again for the past few days, but she can't fault the voices of the emperor for their tenacity.

Nalenco furrowed his brow at her response, "You know Charastro the Wolf was the one who was originally going to come."

Angelica's blood went cold with the mere thought of the possibility, so much so that it legitimately threw her off guard, which is not something that should be done at any instance especially in front of this man.

She felt a hand on her shoulder, and a warm wave washed over her. She looked behind her to find the jester who she forgot was there, " Should I kill him my lady, I was going to, but I didn't want to displease you."

Angelica sighed, "I hate it when you're useful."

"What was that Charastro," Nalenco chimed.

Angelica waved her hand, "It was nothing, you were saying?"

Nalenco cleared his throat again, "Luckily for you though your empress protested and I was sent instead."

"Hmm? How is our empress doing?"

"That is not the point," his irritation started to show through, "Give me the book, it's safer at the palace than here."

"And why would that be?"

He had finally lost his temper but his voice was an icy calm, "Do I even need to say it. That book is too important to be left in the hands of a mere girl, especially with Heaven's Bane being so close."

The conversation was over. Angelica made her way to the door, ignoring the man's demands. He predictably tried to get in her way, but the Jester blocked his path.

"Why would you even try to do such a thing?" The spectre said with a perplexed voice through his mask.

Nalenco's eyes went blank, "What, Where?" He said as if unaware of his surroundings.

"See my lady, I'm useful!" The Jester said, eager for praise.

"Sure," Angelica said bitterly, still irked by the previous conversation. Why did people have to point out her appearance? Besides she learned from her Rogue that Heaven's Bane had vanished in a town called Verli, of course not before destroying it. She was sure the emperor had something to do with it, but if the Nalenco didn't know then that most likely wasn't the case. Though that wouldn't stop the emperor from taking credit, it was definitely something she had to look into more.

***

Canadine lay in a bed that was unknown to him in a room that he didn't know. He tried to move, but found he didn't have the energy, and even the smallest movement made him let out a groan.

"Don't move!"

A large woman with a homely face put a hand on her chest, and before Canadine could react, forced a viscous liquid down his throat, "That should help the pain a bit, but you'll be a little groggy."

Canadine didn't have the energy to question anything, "Thank you."

"Oh, that's good you can speak, sometimes people can't after drinking that," the woman wiped her hands on her apron which was covered in a green powder.

She clapped her hands and looked right into Canadine's eyes and Canadine looked right back into hers, and there was something oddly familiar about them, but he couldn't place it.

"Now do you perhaps remember how you ended up like that, or what your name is maybe?"

Canadine thought about her question, but what came to his mind only stifled his throat.

A town in ashes

A friend with a hand through his heart

His comrades disgusted glares

A withered flower

He didn't know where the last image came from, but the rest prevented any sound from leaving his lips as the tears that he felt swelling up seemed to do all the talking.

The woman nodded with compassion, "I won't press it. You don't seem dangerous, well your axe does, but you don't."

Canadine followed her glance to the other side of the room and found an axe. The axe had a dark handle with carving running all throughout it in a foreign language. Though somehow, they looked natural. The blade seemed to be crafted of silver, but gave the impression of being as strong as diamond, and held an inscription, which appeared to be in Latium.

"Where did it come from?" Canadine asked in a soft voice.

The woman stared at Canadine perplexed, "You brought it with you, so it's yours isn't it. You're not a thief, are you?"

Canadine didn't reply, and before the women could comment a knock came at the door.

The woman's eyes narrowed as she motioned to the door, "Who is it?"

A smaller girlish voice came from the door, "Its Charastro."

The women gave a sigh of relief, and opened the door.

A young girl of thirteen with blonde curls in a white robe and blue eyes walked into the room, and met eyes with Canadine, "so he's awake."

Canadine thought he had seen the girl before, but couldn't remember where. Actually, he even doubted if he had ever seen her before in his life.

"So Tanthia what's his name?" The girl asks, still staring at Canadine, but questioning the women.

"He hasn't told me." Tanthia said.

"Ehh, what do you mean he hasn't told you…No you don't have to get it out of him." The girl turned to speak into a space which no one inhabited.

After shaking her head in irritation, she turned back to Canadine, "Well who are you and what are you doing here?"

"I knew a Charastro once," he spoke aloud.

"Yes, there are a lot of us, especially to the west, but who are you?"

At her question Canadine craned his neck to stare at the axe. It brought comfort to him somehow.

The girl started to tap her foot impatiently, "Well! What are you staring at!?"

She followed Canadine's gaze in anger, but let out a gasp when her eyes rested on the axe. She glanced at Canadine then at the axe then back to Canadine again.

"Can I speak to you outside for a moment Tanthia." She mumbled.

Surprisingly Tanthia heard her, "What? Did something hap…"

"NOW" the girl demanded, and seized Tanthia's arm and dragged her out of the room.

With that the two left Canadine in a small dimly lit room devoid of windows, but that was fine as he had the axe to keep him company, and that was all he needed.

***

"Has he done anything to you? Anything odd or peculiar?" Angelica questioned.

Tanthia frowned, "No not at all. He hasn't actually said much."

Angelica glanced back at the room, "Okay good, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't treat him without caution. That axe is…"

"Interesting! Very interesting! I couldn't even read the handle, and I'm a very well-read person." The Jester couldn't help but chime in.

Interesting! It certainly was! Something like it shouldn't even be able to exist! How did that bearded vagrant get it anyway?

Angelica was filled with chagrin with that thought. She was starting to take The Jester's words for truth. Maybe she was the joke.

"Listen to me Tanthia, you were smart to put him in the private room, so make sure that no one goes in there. Also give him something that will knock him out so I can look at that axe."

None of Angelica's panic seemed to reach Tanthia as she gave an amused smile, "Oh, you're going to look at the axe? We both know who you're actually going to ask to inspect it, and if that's the case how will you get him to listen to you."

"He will have to listen to me this time." Angelica's voice had a trace of doubt.

"Angelica, that man hasn't listened to a word you've said since you were named Charastro."

He will listen. He has to.

***

Further away from the town near a hill which sat a tree that overlooked the ocean the sun seemed to lose all power as the sky dimmed around it. Though it wasn't that the sun had lost its light, but that it was not strong enough to banish the shadow beneath it.

A figure below the tree clad in black picked an apple from its branches, "It's been so long since I've been able to stretch my legs, and how the world has changed. The air is so sweet that I need only breathe once and I feel that I may never breathe again. It must have been that beautiful fire…yes that fire that drove them all to me, and now that fire is here. The others think they are so strong with Ramus out of the picture, but they will soon know despair, and I will be ready for them."

The figure took a bite from the apple in her hand and immediately spit it out, "Some things never change." It said with a disappointed frown.

She threw the rest of the fruit into the shadow, and fangs devoured it graciously.