The Traveling Girl and the Metal Spider

I always admired you for your quick thinking, your clever mouth, your sweet talk, and your free spirit. -Illah Ngai, Journal of a Thousand Journeys.

-=+=-

After leaving the Empire of Zeke I traveled west crossing the fallen Gorgonia, and over the Banskie Mountains into the heart of the Leona Continent. I sat in the back of a carriage hanging my feet out.

An old farmer drove the carriage in front, "Say girl, I never got your name?" The old man tried to start a conversation as we rode through fields on fields of farms.

"The name's Eirini," I put my feet up, "What's yours, Grandpa?"

"My name is Ferger, I've lived in Greka all 64 years of my life." The old man said in a dull tone.

"You speak good Celish for someone not from the Celech Peninsula," I looked back, "Are your parents Gorgonian or Zeke?"

"No, the reason I speak it is because we had many immigrants from Gorgonia come in when I was young," he reminisced, "They were my best friends, hoping to make money then go back to their families in Gorgonia." He paused, "And then well they never got that chance and with the major powers dividing up Gorgonia I doubt they have anything to return to."

"I wouldn't be too sure about that, sure Gorgonia is gone but many of the people there didn't associate with being Gorgonian, they were a separate people." We went on for a while longer before we arrived at a little town on the outskirts of the farms. "Heres fine," I tossed a silver coin to him, I made sure it was the right currency.

"Are you sure little lady? It is not the best town for a young one like you to be in." The man showed concern.

I smiled back, "Don't worry, I won't be staying long." With that, I went into the town and he left behind me. In the town, I saw a tavern near the center. Many merchants came in and out of the town all day so a tavern was sure to attract them. I looked around and saw some shady figures hanging out around it.

I walk into the bar and see many farmers, locals, and merchants all crowding around each other. Not many noticed my presence so I took the opportunity to get to the back table to hide myself away from the rest. I sat down and ordered a brew, and some meat and rise. While waiting for the food I took some sips of the beer and looked around for any interesting figures and to my disappointment, all of them looked like normal drunkards found in any tavern across Leona.

My food arrived and I took my time eating it, I was quite hungry and I knew it would be long before I would have another proper meal that wasn't dried meat. The rice was good despite not being from Pansia, I forgot that the local rise in central Leona was just as good as Pansia's rice. Having a pleasant meal with myself wouldn't last long as a commotion began in the bar.

"Ahhhh!"

"'What' hye 'fuck' 'this' breza dos 'spider'!" My understanding of the locals was limited as the closest language I knew to theirs was from a different country. I understood the main subject and I looked to see the spider they were fussing about. I saw that it was still on the table, it was bigger than a small house spider but was nothing insane. I went back to my beer but was once again interrupted by yelling, I looked back to see the spider jumping quickly from table to table making a break for the exit. When I looked at the spider I saw a glint and immediately pulled out a small needle. I threw it straight at one of its little legs pinning, as it jumped, it all the way over on the wall.

The tavern looked my way and was surprised to see a teenage girl.

"'Who' 'she' liya?"

"Brato...."

I ignored their questions and walked towards the spider, I pulled out a glass jar from my travel pouch. When I got up to the spider my suspicions were immediately confirmed, 'a magic machine' I snickered to myself.

A man in the tavern tried to approach me but I quickly pulled out my dagger it flashed it toward him. He looked at me in caution and slowly backed off, only after others backed off did I go back to the spider and put it in the jar. I stuffed it back in my bag and went for the door, a scrawny man blocked the door, I once again flashed my dagger. The scrawny man wouldn't move and was ready to fight.

I looked around the tavern to see the others also getting up, though not to join the man it looked like. Thinking about what to do I decided it would be best not to hurt anyone. Thinking about what to do I remember a proverb from Tural, a country close to here whose language was very similar.

" 'He who stands in the way of others is to be a wall of tyrants, he who is to tear down the wall is to be a bridge of peace' " I spoke in tural in hopes that some would understand my words and my hopes were answered some of the older generations in the tavern understood my words and came to my side.

The man looked around and became frustrated, "Callis!" He spat my shoes, I shrugged him off.

I turned around to those who came to my aid, " 'Thank You' " I bowed toward them and in return, they gave a slight bow in receival. I looked at the scrawny man and noticed a strange tattoo on their neck, it was a snake coiled around the sun. Putting this in the back of my mind I exited the tavern.

Walking around the town I noticed a few presences following me, I made a few turns trying to test them and sure enough, they were still there. I put some speed in my steps and began to lose them but still felt a talented individual following me. I infused some magic in my aura taking away my own presence and then sprinting away into the forest. I got far into the forest and found a branch in a tall tree that could support me.

Feeling the aura around me and in the environment, I discovered that there was no one in the area. I sat on the branch and pulled out the jar with the spider, I closely observed the fine detail of the craftsmanship every part so delicately made and thought out, the gears in the spider so finetuned and the magic source carefully made. 'A true master' I thought to myself thinking about whoever could have made this.

I noticed that the spider too was closely looking around and then had a thought, 'Could the maker be observing me right now.

"Tap your front leg twice for yes and once for no," I told the spider.

The spider froze for a moment then tapped its leg twice.

'Hehehehehe, it can listen!'

"Are you a magic mechanic?"

'Two taps'

Truly a rare thing to find, not many can learn magic mechanics because most of the masters guarded their research like wolves. "Do you reside in Leona?"

'One tap'

"Atheio?"

'Two taps'

"You can understand me?" I was speaking Celish which is rare for outsiders who are not scholars to understand, "Are you a scholar?"

'Three taps'

"What is that supposed to mean," I thought for a moment, "Kind of?"

'Two taps'

I was now even more interested in the maker of this spider, "Can your spider here show me the way to you?"

'One tap'

I was now somber, I had no way of finding one person by myself on the entire continent of Atheio. I thought of a way to maybe get them to trust me. "What if I have a magic machine that's a one of a kind?"

The spider didn't move.

I chuckled and thought that the maker was finally being swayed, "Don't worry it's worth it because it's a wayfinder made by Frecio the Dwarf of a Thousand Ideas.

The spider banged it's little legs on the wall as if saying, 'Yes! Bring it to me!'

I laughed almost falling off the tree, "Okay little maker, I can't wait to see you!"