Anamnesis: Book 1

Chapter 6

Just as Levi determined, they arrived outside of a small, shantytown just as the sun dipped over the horizon. Shades of pink and orange streaked the skies, painting the world above like a canvas. The village was outlined with picket fencing, barbed wire tightly nailed to the tops and bottom of each post. Aster knew it did little good at keeping anything larger than the Zargoon out, but perhaps provided some relief for the townsfolk.

"Where are we?" Aster questioned once they had managed to enter the large, wooden gate. There were no guards or gatekeepers, just the glow of lanterns that lit the path into town.

"Narwein," Levi answered, remembering the pronunciation from his stay several months back. "Simple town. Good people. Not very good booze though."

Aster looked out from the pathway at the poorly constructed houses the people called homes. Slabs of wood were tied or nailed together with varying metal objects, in a very shoddy way. There were no windows or doors, with only sheets to keep the cold out and privacy in. It was less than inviting, though Aster had spent the night in far worse places.

She followed Levi up the sodden road, the occasional whiff of cows and manure flooding her senses. Outside, there was no sign of human life, and even the homes that littered the grounds were still. While Aster felt the atmosphere ominous, Levi was far less concerned. Seeing as how he had been here before, he knew the people in Narwein were a cautious and frightened group. They retreated to their homes before sunset, and only those that worked the pub (along with the occasional drifter or rebel townsman) stayed after dark. And this is where he was leading Aster, to the inn that sat on uneven foundation, held together with crooked nails and repaired with broken pine.

Aside from its disheveled state, Aster hated the idea of inns. In fact, she disliked the towns altogether. They were often loud, bustling with people (of ordinary and criminal backgrounds) who carried on as though they weren't trapped in some madman's making. It wasn't that the world itself bothered her. In fact, she liked the simplicity that much of it had to offer. So much of the land had been untouched by human hands, and some of the forests grew so tall she could swear they touched clouds. But they would never be free, at least, not while the creationist lived. Much like the cows or pigs she came across, they were all penned, kept like livestock for some ungodly purpose. That would have been reason enough to seek out the creationist, but it wasn't her only reason.

"You sure this is a good idea?" Aster asked, breaking the looming silence. "This place gives me the creeps."

Levi cocked a brow at her. "I figured you weren't afraid of anything." Before Aster could defend her pride, he continued. "Anyway, I'm not lettin' you drag me into the woods to sleep on hard ground and get eaten by Zargoons. Even with your great sword there-" Levi pointed at the object with his thumb. "I won't chance it. The folks here are kind enough, just a bit on the wary side."

"Wary is one way to put it," she remarked, still scrutinizing the homes.

"Just try not to make a scene or anything."

"What the hell does that mean?" Aster asked defensively.

"It means that you likely already draw enough attention with that sword. You ain't exactly hard to look at either. So just don't go around starting trouble."

Levi hadn't meant his remark as a compliment, but Aster felt the heat rise to her cheeks nonetheless. More than from mere embarrassment, she found herself angered by his assumption of her. They had only just met and still he made the bold admittance that he believed her to be some sort of trouble maker.

"Don't talk to me like I'm a child. I'm the one who's babysitting you, remember? So, behave and stop acting like an asshat."

"You see! This, right here!" He pointed at her with an accusing finger. "This is what I'm talking about. You're taking things out of proportion and ranting about nothing."