The Bird and the Garden 3: The Final Adventure

Chapter 67: Wasted Land

"H-he's not with us, but... But what happened here?" Salem stammered. But Saril didn't look like she knew, either. The arachne shrugged her bare shoulders.

"I don't know... After you guys disappeared, Yin and that dullahan's magic separated Lord Vao from his Blood. There was a really bright flash, and I ran. When I came out of my hiding place, everything was like this."

Saril wasn't any help, they decided. It looked like she had been extremely lucky to just be standing here, and not ending up... Wherever the rest of the Souls were.

The ground trembled as the ash shifted underfoot, the church cracking next to them. With a thunderous slam, a chunk of the wall broke away and dropped above them, caught by a lower portion of the cliff.

"Hey... If we go back inside, couldn't we use the wall like a bridge?" Sapphire asked. Now five, the women moved back into the church, Jasper resting on Salem's shoulder. Sure enough, light spilled where the wall had broken away, and it was strong enough to hold their weight. They were still nervous crossing over the gap, even if it wasn't that high.

The plateau they found themselves conserved as an alternative path up the cliff, the distant town growing closer. Sliding down a dune, they found themselves at the foot of it, the buildings creaking around them.

"This... This is Faralda, isn't it?" Mono asked. Salem nodded.

"A piece of it... It looks like it was mixed with a part of Grimmore..."

Sure enough, the Victorian-styled buildings mingled with the old-fashioned style of the merchant town. It wasn't a very big place, and Grimmore's massive tree loomed at the very end. They figured that was the goal, the women moving through the town quietly. They hadn't gotten very far before Mono tensed, Salem and Jasper looking at her worriedly. "What's wrong, Boss?" Sapphire asked.

Mono gulped, sweat rolling down her forehead. "S... Something's following us."

Immediately they were on alert, their hands resting on their weapons as they swivelled around. There was no hostile intent in the air, nor the unnatural feeling of nearby abominations. But even still, they couldn't be sure. Jasper yelped when a shadow flitted into the alley, pointing her finger.

"H-hey! Over there!"

Carefully they moved closer, Saril peeking around the corner. But the alley was empty. "No one's here," she said. "If they aren't attacking us... Should we just keep going? It could be another Soul..."

"Have you even seen any Souls since the flash?" Mono asked. Saril shook her head.

"No, Milady."

"Then it could be an enemy," Jasper said.

Regardless, they tried to continue through the town, fully aware of the stranger following them. But every time they looked to the sound of the footsteps, they jumped into hiding. With each glimpse, they were beginning to doubt the hostility they suspected. If it was an abomination, they'd have been attacked by now.

Grrrooooooowwwwwlllll...

With the exception of Saril, Salem, and Sapphire, everyone flinched, whirling around. Salem's cheeks burned hot, the princess averting her gaze. "S... S-sorry... I haven't eaten in a while..."

"Control your stomach!" Jasper snapped. "You trying to give me a heart attack!?"

"Surely there is somewhere to get food," Mono murmured, looking at the rows of buildings. "This place is huge, after all."

Jasper groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We could really use Sasha's conveniently-packed food right about now... I'm hungry too."

"I haven't eaten in a long time," Saril agreed.