Chapter 59: Train incident
1827 Words
The sun was brightly shining overhead. The large ring of light cast over many shadows in Crimonia city. We could say it was a sunny day, but the sun's heat wasn’t enough to take over the chilly winds surrounding the city.
Taking off my clothes and washed both from top to toe. I happily walked toward the hot spring and dipped myself.
“ A hot bath is the best way to relax…”
After many battles, my shoulder became stiffer. Normally, this won’t happen. These following days, I have gotten a lot busier, I think. Usually, I was aimless at my destination. Right now, I’m looking for places I want to go to and hope I have got fragments of my memories.
My head is still vague about the memories I gathered. First, I have this blonde girl holding my hand. Her face is blurry, I can’t remember what exactly she looks like. All I know is that her head is warm while holding mine. The surroundings are covered in white. Second, the memories of the black-haired girl. She is showered with bright light. Snapping lights, people cheering around her. She could be me and not at the same time.
“My head hurts… I wish my head hope melts together with the.”
I muttered and dipped my head into the hot water.
Next to me was Shaymi, who also enjoyed her bath.
While we were enjoying ourselves, from the misty hot water released from the hot spring, I saw two figures ahead of us.
I didn’t notice that there was another person beside Shaymi and I was bathing in the hot spring. This is not a mixed bath so I don’t have to worry. The other figure had wings and seemed to be flying around.
A monster tamer…
The mist cleared away, drifting, revealing the other girl. She was surprised when she saw my face and smiled widely.
“Hanayuki, it's been a long time.”
The girl speaking was Ninym, the spirit user. Before, I helped her revive her spirit friend. During that time, my plan was just to follow Ninym because she was a party member of the criminal I’m tailing. Everything goes well as Ninym’s friend is saved and the criminal is put in jail.
“Snow… Hahaha, that tickles.”
Snow the white feather dragon. Ninym,’s spirit friend, played with Shaymi. Licking Shaymi’s face.
“Ninym, I’m happy that I’m able to see you again. How adventuring?”
“Many things have happened… I’m good at being alone but now I have decided to form a party. Experiencing new things and improving with friends is something I am prioritizing right now. Knowing new people is wonderful.”
“You got party members now… That’s great to hear.”
“Would you like to join us?”
“Thank you for the offer, but I have to pass…”
I’m still traumatized by my previous experience. I would like to move little by little. My first step was traveling with Shaymi.
“That’s sad to know… But I know Hanayuki had a good reason for it… Umm, Do you have free time? This might be a dangerous quest and we need some powerful adventurers to come with us. Hanayuki is an S-class adventurer and I know how powerful you are. I would like to ask you to join us… Not permanently, but only for this mission.”
“There is nothing on schedule… I’m still thinking about my next destination and relaxing here first. I guess I do have some spare time to give. What kind of quest is this?”
I think as I tilt my head.
“Have you heard about the train incidents?”
Train incidents… I heard the story when I entered the guild early this morning. There was a mysterious train that appeared at midnight. Anyone who rides the said train disappears.
With the little information I got. I knew how dangerous this quest might be.
“Why that quest? It's way too dangerous. I heard that knights have trouble catching this train.”
I asked.
“That’s because we suspected that the train had one of the eyes of the demon king. The reason why the train became a demonic creature was because of that eye. We have to retrieve it before other people get their hands on it. The red robe terrorists and the witch cult might get their hands on these eyes.”
The eyes of the demon king… When the sword hero defeated the demon king years ago. The demon king's body was separated into 13 eyes. Each eye contains massive dark magical powers. Simply touching it will turn a person into a vile creature. The eyes were forbidden and supposed to be sealed away.
“... The truth… My party was part of a revolutionary group. And it's our mission to retrieve the demon king's eye. I’m sorry for not telling you all of the details, but that is all I can say.”
It will be dangerous for Shaymi because he doesn’t have enough experience, but it also interests me. Before, I made a friend that was part of a revolutionary group. Her name is Yuri and she is a good girl. The kingdom is full of corruption and evil rulers. Revolutionary groups are people trying to do their best to fight them in the shadows.
I had lots of respect for them.
If this is for the future of this kingdom… Then why not?
“I’ll help… Shaymi will stay in this Inn for a while.”
“Why? I have already practiced a lot of magic. I can take care of myself in the quest.”
Shaymi protested.
“Not yet, this is way more dangerous… The thing we’re dealing with was a demon class monster.”
“Treating me like a kid.”
“You’re a kid.”
“Still, I want to be strong… To become strong I would like to have lots of experience in battle.”
I replied.
She continued to retort. This is what I’m afraid of. Shaymi is too hard-headed about the things she wants.
Shaymi cried a lot and threw a tantrum. She cried five hours straight when I didn’t let her join me in my previous quest.
I took a deep breath.
“Fine, but please use your teleport card immediately when things get dire. Please don’t cry when you get hurt.”
“Okay.”
“Is it fine?”
“She’s a strong girl … I think it's going to be fine.”
I’m at her side and I will protect her. I won’t let myself lose a friend in front of my eyes ever again.
The next day, Ninym immediately introduced me to her adventuring party. The vanguard of the party was named Seth. The Archwizard Nina, the assassin ninja Zed, and the sword user Yana. Ninym serves as the head of the party and also supports him as a magic user.
Shaymi and I are not the only ones who are invited to join the quest. Other adventurers also came with us. Counting Shaymi and I. We’re a total of 20 adventurers set to retrieve the demon king's eyes and end the train incidents.
“Are you serious about inviting this little girl on our quest? I hate to say this, but I don’t like burdens.”
Seth asked Ninym, pointing his finger at us.
“No, Hanayuki is extremely strong. She’s the girl I was talking about before. She defeated a dragon by herself alone. She may not look like it, but she’s an S-class adventurer.”
Ninym explained.
“This little girl is an S-class…”
“?!”
I held a knife in my hand. It was so fast the image melted in the air. The knife doesn’t make a sound, a perfect technique for killing. This knife must be from him…
I turned my head to the ninja assassin and threw back his knife.
“She is the real deal.”
Zed muttered seriously as his blood met mine.
I felt like I passed some kind of test.
The man named Seth clicked his tongue and turned his head away from me in annoyance.
“Just ignore him, little girl… Seth never caught my knife. His insecurity is talking over him.”
“Who are you calling insecure?!”
“It's obviously watch me, I’ll catch you’re damn knife and strike your head next time.”
Cutting between them was a sword-user girl named Yana.
“Please watch your attitude that many people are watching. Don’t taint the honor of a revolutionary group… Sorry about that… Let's, about this meeting. Everyone knows what kind of danger we’re going into in this quest. We’re going to get the demon king's eye located on the demon train. The only thing I wanted to say is… Please, don’t die.”
Her bold statement and tone mean this quest is very serious.
“Hundreds of knights have already died just facing this demon train. Some high-skilled adventurers tried and they all failed... We might end up the same. We don’t have data on what kind of ability this monster has. So we need to be extra careful… Retrieving the demon king's eye is the main priority. Once we successfully obtain the demon king's eye. We should have leaped out of the train to avoid further casualties.”
“Question… How are we going to touch the demon king's eye? Once touched by a human. A human could turn into a demon.”
I asked.
“I almost forgot… When you found the demon king's eye. All you need to do is poke the eye with this sealing talisman. Once sealed, you can touch it normally. Everyone will be given ten of these talismans just in case somebody loses theirs.”
Ninym walked around the adventurers and gave them the said talisman. The talisman was paper with a holy script attached to it. I could sense powerful holy magic embedded inside of it. The one who made this talisman must be a powerful holy magic-user.
The brief explanation ended.
The train will appear after midnight. The revolutionary group calculated and predicted that the demon train would appear at Crimonia train station past midnight. All of us adventurers waited for the train to arrive.
From a distance, the train lights could be seen. The steam and sound of metal in the railing echoed. There is no one beside us, the adventurers in the station. The moment the train arrives, its doors open on their own.
Shaymi was afraid and doing her best to muster all her courage to step forward. Anxiety can be seen in others. While others were calm and deadly serious.
I didn’t feel anything looking at the train or sensing anything weird.
Looking at each other, we all nodded and stepped forward. Entering the demon train.
- Writer
