Fallscales Mountain

As we approached the first of the Triplet Peaks, the Fallscales mountain, we could already see the structures of the society that lives there... It's an ancient society that lives here, I have studied about them once, though very superficially. It's said to have been once a very powerful place, capable of rivaling even Coventry...

And because of that, I thought I would be presented to a glorious city, with high walls protecting it and tall buildings all around, just like my kingdom and the other city we once visited.

But instead, before us, we had the image of a rather poor city, with no walls, houses that could fall at any moment... And burn marks of everywhere, although it didn't seem like it was arson that caused it, like the one of the previous town... It would probably explain why I never heard of it ever since I learned about its long-ago history.

"Oh, travelers! I am so glad you have decided to pass on our city...", a person greeted us as soon as she saw us approaching the city. I was glad that she didn't seem to know who I was, even with the sword I was carrying with me.

"Umm... May I know what happened here? Your city seems pretty ruined...", Jeffrey was the first to ask.

"Oh... That's why you came here, right? You don't know about our sad history... If you knew, you would probably take the long way to the Starway valley", she said and then a long pause remained, as though she was searching for the right words to say something to us... She seemed rather sad.

"Uh... Actually, we were looking for this city all along. We're searching for the possible place goddess of Air lives. Would this be the place?", I asked her, seeing if I could change the subject to maybe make her feel better.

"I don't know... But it's definitively not here. If this goddess lived here, I am sure he or she would have protected us from the dragon a long time ago", she said, still looking a bit sad. Seemed like my attempt was futile, but my curiousness had increased.

"Dragon? What the dragon did?", Jeffrey asked.

"Well, ever since our society was established here, a dragon decided to torture us. At the end of the week, it would always come flying in the sky and burn down our buildings, kill our friends, and destroy our food... It's nearly impossible to live here and now, we are very limited in number... This place just might end in the next attack", she explained to us.

"And that's why you don't receive many people here, right?", I observed.

"Yeah. We can't even have proper places to accommodate you, I am sorry. But I am sure you can enjoy our city in some way...", she said and then guided us to inside her city. The streets... They were almost empty, one person here and there... It was like looking to a place that just has survived a catastrophe but was still harmed by it... And that, according to her, is the truth.

"Well, do you have a blacksmith? I would like an armor suit for myself...", I said to her and she laughed a little.

"A woman doesn't need an armor suit, don't worry... Though you look like a warrior with this sword", she said and I scratched the back of my neck... I wonder if this would make things better or worse, but I wanted to tell her who I was if this could enlighten her why I needed that.

"Uh... I am Dagger Everblade...", I said to her and she just smiled slightly. Did she already know who I was?

"And I am Anna. Anna Velisca". She seemed to not even know what I meant by saying my name... It's as though that name never was relevant here or anything similar.

"I am Jeffrey. Jeffrey Gilber", Jeffrey said, and then Anna turned to the fox on my shoulder.

"What about the cute one, does it have a name? I am guessing it must be... Beech, isn't it?", the fox smiled a little with the name and even jumped on the arms of Anna.

"We never gave it a name... But it seems to like the name you just guessed for it", I said and the fox energetically nodded in agreement.

"I am glad I could help with a name for it!", Anna said smiling and then returned the fox to my shoulder. "Well, anyway, even if you want a blacksmith for an armor, we don't have anyone... I didn't mean to be rude or anything", she said. I could only sigh a little in disappointment, it seemed like I would need to face my next challenges without proper protection. I just hope I won't have to face one anytime soon.

"What about a priest? Or an elder of the city? He might know a little bit about the mountain we're actually searching for", Jeffrey asked Anna and she put herself in a thoughtful mood.

"Well, we have only one person that can be described as an elder... He liver by the center of the city. I will guide you there", she said and continued to walk ahead of us, leading us to the house of the elder...

A little bit nervous to talk with someone of long-term experience, I looked at the house she took us to. It was a rather old and unstable-looking house, just like all the others of the city, a simple gentle breeze seemed like could destroy it in an instant, yet, the breeze was blowing right now and the house was still standing. Anna even had the courage to knock on its door.

"Oh, Anna, my daughter... What brings you here?", an old man said, opening the door. He was combing his long gray beard and smiled a little too enthusiastic for his age.

"Those travelers wanted to know the location of the goddess Air. Do you know anything about it, father?", she asked. I was a little bit surprised... He seemed very, very older than his daughter, maybe he has enough age to be her grandfather... I guess he had children very late. But if a family wants to have their child or children late, who am I to judge?

"The goddess of Air? Are you seeking her element? Well, I know about it, but why would you be searching for her, anyway? ... The elements, even when combined don't have many known usages, they are worthless"

"It's not worthless. I am doing this for love, and I won't give up. I have already got the Water element", I said to him and even took the bottle of the bag to show him. Surprised, his eyes wide opened.

"You... You really seem determined, huh... Well, if you want Air so much, the stories that I recall say it rests in the highest mountain of the world", he said, combing his long beard a little bit more as he tried to remember if that was really the place the stories told.

"I see, thank you... I will be going now", I said, not wanting to lose any seconds in my journey.

"Wait, don't you want to enter? Have a cup of tea or a slice of bread?", he asked me. I only shook my head, refusing.

"Keep your food, I know how hard is to live with the dragon burning your food stocks", I said to him and smiled, returning to walk my way out of the city, with Jeffrey and the fox behind me.

"Then... Then, might I ask you something?", he said. I closed my eyes for a moment, considering... Even if I don't want to waste time, I can't just turn a blind eye to a request from someone that just helped me... Besides, who knows, it might be important for him to continue living in the dire conditions of this town.

"Sure, what do you need?", I asked.

"Well, you seem to be a very kind soul. One unique kind soul, a woman wielding a sword is rare... If not even non-existent, if I may say so. If you're a fighter, could you perhaps do something against the dragon so it will stop destroying our city for no motive?", he asked. I looked at Jeffrey and then the fox to see what they thought and they just nodded... Could we really face a dragon though? It seemed a little bit too much for us... But if it was torturing the poor city that was struggling to live... I guess it might worth a try.

"Well... We can try...", I simply answered.