Book One – Interlude – Part Two – Servi’s Nightly Stroll II – Attack on the Markets

Ten or so minutes later, Servi was sitting on a small rotten bench that threatened to crack under her weight.  

You know, comparing the weapons inside the guild store with that dagger, I’d say it’s probably around two or three thousand dupla. Itarr said, after being quiet for a while.  

“If she sells it, she can find shelter and fill her stomach.” 

Servi looked up at the night sky and then around her. The beauty of the two didn’t match up. The moon looked regal and inviting, while the trash slums around her felt like she could catch a disease just from looking at it. The rotted houses surrounding her all had many problems. Most didn't have a roof, and the vast majority of them were missing large sections of walls. Canary might've been a somewhat rich city, but it seemed most of the money only went into the nobles' pockets. Servi didn't know why the people in charge couldn't try to pry some people out of poverty.

“You know, maybe I could be like Robin Hood," Servi said, staring up at the moon.

Who is that?

Servi giggled and began to explain. “I don’t know how I remember or know this, but Robin Hood is from a story. It's about a guy who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.” 

Why did he do that? 

“I don’t know. I guess good ole' Robin grew up poor and saw all these wealthy people wasting their money throwing these lavish parties. I always thought he got tired of watching it and wanted to do good in life."

I’d like to meet him.  

“Me too, but he’s not real. It’s just a fairy tale.” 

I see. Itarr said with a hint of sadness buried in her voice.

It was about that time when Servi heard a cry for help. Standing up, she ran through the fat and empty dark streets. Since it was after midnight, not many people would risk traveling through such a dangerous area at night. That probably was why the only people Servi saw looked shady, but as long as they didn’t bother her or hurt people, she let them live.  

Rounding a left at the intersection where two people were stumbling about drunk and full of beer, Servi ran until she heard a scream for help once again.  

It’s close. Keep running, and I’ll pick up anything in your way.  

“Thanks!” 

Not having to worry about dodging trashcans or pieces of rubble, Servi ran at her top speed, which was a little bit faster than two days ago.  

“Huh, I could probably match Momo now,” she said as she came across a sight in a dead-end alley. Deciding not to run out right away, she took cover behind a wall and glanced out.  

Two Earth Elves, their skin a bit darker than honey beige and in their early twenties, stood above two dead bodies. Their weapons, a long spear with a slightly curved blade, were inside the chest of the left-most corpse.  

Of the two, one was a man. His pointy ears stuck more outward than up, and his long black hair completely covered them. He had black armor that looked like wood protecting his chest and stomach. It was sleeveless, just like Momo’s armor. His footwear was only two pieces of wood with a few vines tied together to keep them attached.

The other was a woman whose pointy ears went up, though the tips themselves were covered by white hair. Her armor looked like it was made out of the same wood that the other Elf had on. It defended most of her chest but left her toned midsection uncovered. Even though she had on pants that could theoretically function as armor, Servi had to stifle a laugh. The Elf wore a necklace reminiscent of Warden's dog tags, but instead of metal, she had a ring tied to a piece of leather wrapped around her neck. Unlike her companion, she wore brown boots.

“That armor is pretty impractical. Why would you leave your belly open to attacks?” Servi said as she came from her hiding spot.  

The man instantly grabbed his naginata from the corpse and spun around, the blade just a meter away from taking off Servi’s head as it sprayed blood in an arc. She effortlessly ducked the spray of crimson.

“Cousin, protect the two kids,” he said which the girl, who nodded and walked backwards. She kept a close eye on the mysterious intruder and turned briefly turned around. That split moment allowed Servi to see the kids, and they were two that she would never forget.  

Two Singi. Twins. A girl with one ear. A boy who had no choice but to hobble on his healthy leg because that man with the silver and gold armor stabbed his foot.  

“Begone and leave us. I don’t want to take the life of a woman,” said the male Earth Elf as he flourished his weapon. Servi watched closely at the tip as it sliced and diced through nothingness.  

“Why do you have those two? And why did you kill these two guards? I’m not here to fight. I just want to talk.” 

“I don’t have to answer to you. Now be gone! This is your last chance.” 

In the far back, where the Elf’s cousin stood, the young Singi with one ear spoke cried out to her brother.  

“Seko, I’m scared…..” 

“Don’t worry, Seka, I’ll protect you,” he said through chattering teeth.  After picking up a stick and walking in front of his sister, he held it like a sword.

“No, we’ll protect you two. Cousin!” the Earth Elf woman shouted to the man.

“I’m sorry, but I gave you a chance to leave, and you didn’t take it. I will not ask for your forgiveness.” He charged forward with his naginata’s blade raised up high. He was preparing a downward slash, and with his weapon, he had range on his side. Unfortunately, it would not reach its target.  

“I’ll handle it,” Servi said.  She was telling Itarr to stay back.

“Geh! Wh-what?!” the Elf found himself floating in midair. His weapon slowly descended and landed in Servi’s hand.  

“It’s a nice weapon. A bit too large and strange, but I like it,” Servi said.  After waving it around and testing it, she absorbed it.

“How dare you! I demand you bring it back, now!” he growled.  

Servi laughed as his cousin looked fearful. She ran to the corpse and grabbed her naginata.  

“Look, you’re the ones who attacked me. All I wanted to do was talk, but I don’t look kindly on people trying to kill me,” Servi said as she manipulated Telekinesis to make the Elf float higher and higher. She walked up to the cousin who bared her weapon as the two Singi slaves cowered behind.  

“What do you want? You can do what you want with me, but please don’t hurt these children!” She begged as tears clouded her eyes.  

“I just want t—” Servi started to speak, but she was interrupted.  

“Don’t listen to her!” 

Servi brought the bound Elf down to her level and stared at him.  

“Shut up. This is YOUR last warning, alright? If I wanted you dead, you’d be dead.” 

“Just tr-mmmmmm!!!” he started to speak, but an invisible force kept his mouth shut.

“You know what, I’m done trying to be nice,” using Telekinesis, Servi lifted the Elf girl in the air along with absorbing her weapon. She screamed, but Servi put a quick stop to that. She then approached the trembling twins.  

“Ge-ge-get away from us!” the boy, Seko, yelled out as he charged at the strange woman with a weird mask.  

Servi let the stick hit her before absorbing it. She thought about the best way to restrain the two twins.  Ultimately, she decided on Telekinesis.  After all, it's been the solution to nearly all of her problems.

“MMMMMMPMMMM!!!!!” both Elves struggled to say something, but they couldn’t. Telekinesis was just too strong.  

“I’m sorry it took me a while, but I’m here now. This shouldn’t hurt, but if it does, I’m sorry.” 

Servi moved her hand to Seko and put a hand to his arm. A fresh wound leaked blood just above his elbow. It was black and puffy, and it must’ve happened just before she arrived. If she had to guess, one of the two dead guards was the cause.  

Warm white light flowed from her as the nasty red cut disappeared, leaving flawless skin in its place. It also healed the wound Arnold gave Seko, healing the infected scar on his foot.

Next, she put both hands to Seka’s head where her missing ear was. Servi and Itarr used Remedium and stacked it to the absolute limit as something incredible happened. The white light from Servi flowed to the wound and slowly took the shape of an ear a Singi would have. A moment later, the light disappeared, leaving something that they’d never thought would come back. It wasn’t fully healed, as Remedium couldn’t bring back the hair, but that would grow back.  

“Seka! Your ear!!” Seko cried as Servi released Telekinesis. He ran over and lightly touched the new ear.

“It’s back!! But how? Why? Did you do this?” he said as he turned to Servi, who sadly smiled. Seka put a careful hand and lightly grazed her sensitive new ear before smiling.  

“Take this too,” Servi said as she pulled out some clothes from her ring. They floated in front of her. “I’m sorry if they’re too big." Servi extracted a table, then set the floating clothes down on it. Next, she put a hand to the ugly bracelets, and they winced in fearful anticipation. The images of so many of their slave friends being blown up by a drunk master flooded their minds.  

“Wait! If you do that th—” Servi ignored their cries of protest and used absorption to take the unethical bindings off.  

“There, no more bracelets,” the two twins closed their eyes and waited for death that never came. "It's okay. You don't have to worry about them anymore."

Tenderly, Seko opened his eyes and gasped. Seka did the same after Seko told his sister it was okay. Together, the siblings touched their wrists, feeling nothing but skin for the first time in years. They had never thought freedom was attainable until that moment.

The Earth Elf cousins stopped struggling and stared at the miracle happening below them.  

“But why? How? I-- I don't understand...” Seko whispered. Servi crouched down to meet them eye to eye.  As if a dam broke, her emotions and tears flowed endlessly.

“I’m sorry…. I’m so, so sorry. I saw you two over the past few days, and I couldn’t help. If only I had this strength earlier, then you two wouldn’t have had to suffer so much. Please, I’m so sorry.” 

The young Singi girl walked up to the bawling Servi and embraced her the best she could. With a loving voice and soft touch, she spoke to Servi and slowly rubbed her head in a way that was full of affection.  

“Thank you so much for helping us. And I don’t really know why I’m saying this, but I guess it’ll help you… I forgive you? I can tell you really wanted to help us. And now you have,” Servi wailed even hard as she embraced Seka, who also started crying. Seko joined in on the hugging and crying, and soon even the floating Elves above had water coming from their eyes. Though if you asked the male Elf if he cried, he would deny it outright.  

Servi, I think I wanna cry… 

After the crying party ended, Seko spoke and pointed to their tails.  

“Seka, look! Our tails are wagging!!” A pair of tiny black tails, smaller than Momo’s pink one, fluttered about rapidly.  "It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Seko brightly smiled, gazing down at his furiously speedy tail.

“Yeah! Umm... Miss Lady?” Seka said while looking up.

“Yes?” Servi replied, following Seka's gaze.

“Umm, those Elves aren’t bad. They killed the bad guys who hurt us,” she said, pointing to the guard corpses.  

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Servi apologized and brought the two Elves down to the ground before undoing Telekinesis. They jumped back and took an unarmed stance, only stopping when Servi tossed the stolen weapons back to their owners. They accepted them and just stared, speechless.  

“See? I told you two I didn’t want to fight,” Servi said as the cousins looked at each other and sighed. The male Elf embarrassedly rubbed his head.  

“Look, I’m sorry. I really am, but you have to look at it from my point of view. Humans don’t like us Demi-Humans, and we just can't trust you.” 

The girl raised her voice and scolded him. “Cousin! Don’t be rude. This girl regenerated her ear from nothing, and she did it so easily without saying a single word!  She has to be strong. Maybe we can ask her to he—” 

“No! We can’t trust an outsider,” he raised his voice, and the two started arguing.  

Servi ignored them and walked over to the twins, who rifled through the clothes on the table.  

“Here you go. You gotta be hungry,” Servi said as she glanced through her ring in search of food. Eventually, she found some kind of meat on a stick and held it out. The twins stared hungrily at the food as their stomachs growled.  

“Huh, this is still hot, even though it’s from yesterday.” 

It appears that when items are stored in the ring, their time stops. If something is hot when it goes in, it’s hot coming out. The same with cold and wet items, too.  

Servi took out two more sticks for a total of three. One for her and two for the twins.

“Is it really okay for us to eat such expensive food?” Seka asked.  

“Of course it is. I got more stored away if you’re still hungry. So be sure to let me know, okay?” 

They ate while watching the argument between the cousins.  

Seka bit into her meat stick and chewed happily before swallowing. Then, she smiled, surprising herself. 

I haven't smiled since momma and poppa... We're still alive... Seko and I are still alive... Momma... Poppa...

She turned to the girl with a mask that altered her red eyes. “Thank you, Miss Lady!” 

“Yeah, thank you!” Seko added on his thanks.  

The smiles from the two children were worth it, Servi thought.  

“I’m sorry I can’t tell you my name, but you call me Blue,” Servi said, pointing to her once red eyes that were blue thanks to the mask. The two children nodded and continued nibbling on their snacks.

“Fine! But you’re taking responsibility if she messes up!” the male Elf stomped away, leaving only his cousin, who sighed in annoyance. Servi took this as her moment to talk to her since she looked more levelheaded.  

“Umm, what’s your name?” she asked as Servi approached.  

“What’s your name?” Servi asked back.  

“I’m sorry, but I can’t tell you.” 

“Then I can’t tell you. Just call me Blue," Servi said, pointing to her eyes. “And I’ll call you Navel.” 

“Why that name?” Navel was confused. She placed a hand on her chin and blinked twice at the odd nickname.

“Because of your armor. Isn’t the point of armor to protect your skin? Why is your belly uncovered? And you." Servi pointed to Navel's cousin. "How come your arms aren’t covered?”  Navel put a calm hand over her belly button and giggled. The other one stomped back in anger and explained himself.

“Because we were in a hurry and didn’t have time to pack our armor. This is the best we could do with the materials on hand. And no, we didn’t have a lot. That’s why my sandals are a flat stick with vines tied around them and why I have no sleeves. That's why my cousin’s armor only covers the top of her chest. We just didn’t have the time to properly prepare.” 

“Whatever. Before you interrupted Navel, she was gonna say something?” 

“Navel? You mean my cousin? Why'd you call her that?” 

“Because she didn’t give me her name. Call me Blue, for my eyes.  She’ll be Navel for obvious reasons,” Servi pointed to Navel’s naked belly button, and the girl in question lightly blushed for some reason. “And you’ll be Arm.” 

Arm, the male Elf, tried to argue but couldn’t find the strength.  

“Fine. Look, we’re here to find three slave markets, raid them, free the slaves locked below, and destroy the markets. Can you help with that?” 

Servi nodded. “I can, but I don’t know where they are.” 

Navel spoke up. “Don’t worry about that. We have the locations.” 

“Okay, so what’s the plan?” 

“We want you to go to each market and find our associates. Don’t worry, we’ll tell you where they are. But after you meet up with them, start the raid on the market. The goal is to rescue the slaves. From what we have gathered, one of the markets keeps its slaves underground. Be on the lookout for a staircase or something nearby. The other two are forcing the slaves to sleep in their cages, so they’re gonna be above ground. They might be inside a building or something. Remember, only one is below ground,” Navel said.  

“Alright, then what?” 

Arm finished explaining. “Once the slaves are free, our comrades will take them to an area in the city where we have an underground tunnel built. It’ll take them from the city to a forest that’s nearby. Leave the rest to us.” 

“And is that all?” 

“Pretty much,” Navel said as she rested on her naginata. She looked dazzling as a small guest of wind playfully bounced her white hair.  

“What are you two gonna be doing?” 

“We gotta take the twins to the tunnel and make sure everything is ready.” 

“How are we gonna handle this? Which market do I get?” 

“You’ll get this one,” Arm said as he pulled a map. It had three spots marked a blue dot. “Look, you’ll leave through here and take the fifth left. Honestly, you can’t miss it. There are signs everywhere advertising it. Our guys are going to be nearby. Just hold this up,” Arm reached in his pouch and pulled out a wooden emblem. It was about the size of Servi’s hand and gave it to her. A symbol of a staff and an eagle was engraved in it. “Walk around the area with this in your hand. An Elf will approach you and ask for a password. That’s when you say ‘Freedom.’ Got it?” 

I do.  

“Yep. Just walk around with this thing in my hand, and the password is freedom,” Servi repeated back. “After the market is freed, what do I do?” 

“How can you talk like it's going to be so easy? By our counts, there is going to be at least fifty guards.” 

“And? Fifty is nothing to me. Itarr, do the max for Fire Wall, but make them small,” Servi said as she absorbed the emblem.  

Right.  

“Who’s Itarr? And ma— What?!” 48 Fire Walls, all to their smallest size, gently swayed like fireflies in the night. It didn't matter if they were tiny. Each floating flame gave off a substantial amount of light, illuminating the nearby area like a searchlight.

“I can make them small, and I can make them big. To me, fifty enemies are the same as fighting one enemy. Tell me, what do I do after?” 

Realizing the amount of attention she brought to herself and the fact that she heard the twins yelp in fear, Servi quickly got rid of the Fire Walls. Immediately, the area became cloaked in familiar darkness, with only the moon and a few spaced-out torches providing any sort of light.

“Uhh…. I guess head to another market? Look, the original plan was for my cousin and me to hit one each, then team up for the last,” Navel said.  

“Can  I have a copy of the map?” 

“Sorry, but no.” Arm answered.  

Frustrated, Servi stomped the ground. "Then how am I to get from one place to the next!? I don’t know this city very well!" 

“Look, ask our associates, and they’ll let you know. Hell, one of them might even bring you to the next one themselves,” Navel was the one who answered. She stopped resting on her naginata and held it by her side. Arm did the same. He called out to the twins and asked them to follow him. They hugged the clothing Servi gave them in their little arms, holding the presents close to their chests.

“We’ll get going and get these two to safety,” Navel said as she held out her hand. Servi shook it.  

“I guess I’ll see you two later,” Servi said as she went to turn around but stopped when she felt something tugging on her.  

“Miss Blue, I’m sorry for hitting you. I really am. I thought you were gonna hurt us like all the others. Especially the man in silver.” 

“There’s no need to be sorry,” Servi said as she crouched down. She placed one hand on Seko’s black hair. “You were very brave when you protected your sister. And you don’t have to worry about the silver armor guy. I took care of him. He won’t be bothering you anymore. Hey, can you promise me something?” Servi asked.  

“Sure, anything!” Seko said, full of happiness and glee.  His tail kicked into hyperdrive.

“Promise me you’ll continue to protect your sister, okay? Be a good brother and keep her safe. And I’m sure we’ll meet each other again.”

"I promise! You have my word, Miss Blue!" Servi rubbed his head for a moment, then backed off.

“Thank you!” Seka hollered as Servi walked away. Like with Elly, Servi threw a hand up in the air and kept going. Her destination was the first slave market.  

Those two Elves were pleasant, even if Arm can be a bit serious. But I think he means well. 

“Yeah. I’m just glad I was able to help Seka and Seko. I really am."

You did good. Those Singi won’t live a life of fear anymore.