Days passed, in fact months. No one had apparently seen Sephiroth after that day. Arnath and Sifl became acquaintances since then and occasionally held light conversations.
"So whats with you anyway?" Arnath asked. "Ive known you for a while and I still dont know anything about you." His curious eyes focused on the mans unusual appearance.
"Hmm" Sifl said. "Do you really wish to know?" He grinned and placed his hand upon his dagger. "No, Id rather not say." The evil smirk sent a sense of unease to Arnath. Sifl was too mysterious for his liking. Nevertheless, he was the closest thing to a friend hed had since Sephiroth left.
"Grr" Arnath grumbled. Sifl smirked again at Arnath, shaking his head. Most of the men who had followed them from the tavern at Witwood had again gone their separate ways. All that remained of the Dragons of Earth was Arnath and Sifl. They didnt even speak of its disappearance, and yet they continued venturing in search of something. Neither of them knew what they were searching for, but they kept walking.
"Look theres a town up ahead," Sifl said, approaching the peak of the hill. "Ill go on ahead." Sifl ran with exceptional speed yet not a branch sounded beneath his ground. As Arnath arrived at the peak himself, his companion was no where to be seen.
"Sifl," Arnath called. "Where did you disappear to?" He continued venturing toward the town.
As Arnath walked along the narrow streets, it was noticeable that there were very few people out at that late an hour, besides the gamblers and drunkards that had most likely been kicked out of inns. He noticed a sign hanging above the door of a building reading Flaming Dragon Inn. Pressing open the entrance, he walked though. As he stepped inside, he noticed Sifl occupying a seat at the bar table.
Sifl turned his head at the sight of the shadow of a familiar face. "Greetings Arnath. How art dos ye fair this fine evening?"
Arnath nodded slightly to him, before taking a seat at a table and laughing to himself. "I fare well on this eve, good sir. And how, dos you?"
"I fair quite dark," Sifl said witfully.
Arnath looked at the comment quite curiously. "How so?" he asked. Suddenly realizing the pun, Arnath continued "...Unless that was humor...A play on words, I didn't catch at first." Sifl lifted a hand to the side of his face, shaking his head back and forth at a slow constant pace.
Arnath almost blushed at the realization. "...Indeed, I am wooden-headed."
"Jus' like your sage staff," Sifl replied. Arnath nodded, smiling at the comment.
Suddenly a nightly sentinel burst through the entrance. Her knuckles whitening upon the sill, her hidden mien quickly turned at the sound of the others. "I...there is something out there...it followed me."
"I hope you don't mean me," Sifl jokingly said to the woman, smirking. He turned back to Arnath. "Just resting in my travels, I am."
Arnath nodded to him. "And who is your worried friend?" he said referring to the woman.
"...No," she said, still caught up in whatever she had been through. Again, she glanced to the window, her slender hands receding into the darkness of her cloak.
"I just had pleasure of making her acquaintance," Sifl said, "only the moment you've done the same upon your own arrival."
Arnath began to feel concerned. He rose from his seat and walked to where the woman was standing. His right hand firmly gripped the hilt of his sheathed blade. "What is out there? Have you any idea?"
"Yes, care to elaborate?" Sifl added. "Your few words are so obscure that they left us to wonder what you mean."
She glanced at the two with her fathomless eyes, their depth stoic but vocal music cringing. "I thought I had escaped them...yet it seems that my hunters still follow. They are...were...men, once."
"So they are dead? Zombies perhaps?" Sifl asked.
"Whoever you speak of," Arnath spoke firmly, "surely Sifl and I shall do our best to protect you from them...If you do so desire our assistance."
"Battle without pay." He jumped looking to Arnath. "Surely I will do no acts without pay. I am an assassin, not a holy knight of kindness."
"Battle ensued a night ago," the woman continued, "And I was sure...that I had disposed of them all...yet I am afraid it is not just..." Grimacing as if in pain, she collapsed to her knees, grasping the edge of the window for support. "They are mind flayers...and a beast I will not mention." Shaking, she remained with her gaze averted to the ground.
In the corner of his hues, Sifl saw her as she collapsed. "Are you, ok!?"
With a slow sigh, she pulled back the cowl of her cloak. Cascading ringlets of silver hair streamed down her shoulders and finally stilled, her orbs glowing with a fierce veracity. "Yes, just...they are near." Their depth mysteriously opaque whites were striated with lines of indigo, like a pallid iris. Pulling the cape from her shoulders, she set it to the ground and rose to her feet.
"Nothing to fear. You will be ok." Sifl insisted.
"Mind flayers..." Arnath spoke. He became drowned in thought for a moment. "No creature with such a name should earthbound. These creatures must be..."
"What are they Arnath?" Sifl asked.
Arnath did not respond verbally, instead his hand raised his sword from its sheath, holding the blade steadily in front of him, expectant of battle.
The woman was dressed in a light leather armor, a tear in its side showing a jagged rip, the wound still open. Two sheathed weapons hung from her waist, and with a deep breath she closed her eyes, trying to stay in control. "I...shall be fine, thank you both. Please do not get involved. As your friend has voiced, you need money. I have none." With that, she started to stride to the door.
Arnath's attention became diverted to the female, who seemed to be fighting off an evil from inside of her and seemed to be loosing. Her hand shook as she pushed open the door.
Sifl followed her through the entrance of the inn, most likely to find the creatures for himself. The bartender seemed unaware of anything that had been happening. He was still humming merrily.
"You should sit down," Arnath called to the woman. "Rest a bit."
Her pointed ears reclined back against her laves of hair at his voice, she turning to look at him with a kind smile, it lighting her crimson lips. "Should and shall are different, good sir..." Her orbs seemed glazed with sadness, yet the slight dimples still limbered on her fair cheeks. Her attention quickly shot back to the outside as a scream of glee echoed from the darkness. She rushed into the cloak of night with no further words.
Arnath hurried out himself as to assist them, yet he noticed not a single person. Turning back around, he noticed the bartender still stood, clearing the countertop. The crickets sounded throughout the nights sky.
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