Chapter 4: A Vagrant, And A Scout

Angel slept soundlessly on the bed that resided in the once destroyed inn. The innkeeper was very fast and productive when it came to his work. Though he had a large figure, it didn't hinder him in any activity he participated in. The innkeeper was now working on fitting a new sliding window into the window frame. He made sure the slide smoothly went into place with the bottom and top notch of the frame, and he slid it back and forth to make sure it worked properly. It was only when the he sat down and lit his pipe that Angel awoke. He took a few moments to recollect what happened and then swung his feet wildly to the side of the bed and began looking for his sword. He hastily walked around the room, looking in every corner of the room for the sword, when he turned toward the staircase, the large man with the pipe stood in his way.

"It's downstairs on the table. I suggest you wait and think about what you're doing before you rush into things," he said slowly between each puff. Angel didn't say anything, he narrowed his eyes.

"That girl is not an ordinary girl... I must get her back before those foolhardy b******s kill her or worse," he hissed, staring coldly at the man. The man nodded slowly with his eyes closed, he took the pipe from his mouth and sighed.

"At least wait for my daughter. You won't be able to navigate the land in Crystalline Season. During this time, you won't know the difference between solid ground to ice. So please wait for her, she should be home with word on the bandits." Angel shook his head and took a step forward to walk around the man. A strong, heavy, hand gripped his shoulder, aged work muscles at work holding him in place.

"Stay." Angel was going to defy the man but he knew he was right. It would be better to travel with someone during Crystalline. He lowered his head in submission and kicked the bed.

"You said she isn't a normal girl. What did you mean by that?" the man inquired, sitting down on the floor cross-legged. Angel lied back on the bed and put his hands behind his head, "That girl is actually the princess of Borea," The man let out his heart laugh, and it went on for quite a while.


"You really expect me to believe that?" the man clutched his side with his free hand because it hurt from the comedy he has just heard. Angel shook his head and then continued, "She ran away from the confines of her comfortable life of royalty because the king decided to offer her up as leverage to Sylph, causing a cease fire." The hearty laugh wasn't heard this time, a smile wasn't seen on the kind face of the man with the pipe. He put the pipe back into his mouth and took puffs from it. Deep into thought his face contorted with the new information.

"That's terrible," he muttered. Footsteps were heard entering the building, Angel was on his feet, readying for another assault by the bandits. The footsteps were on the stairs getting louder and louder as they ascended.

The Innkeeper sighed in relief, "Ah, Rutee, you’re back!" he heaved himself to his feet and hugged the girl. She wore a white long winter coat, along with a matching hat. A silver great bow was on her back along with a quiver of arrows. One boot was white while the other was black. Golden eyes and short straight blond hair and smooth skin, the only thing wrong with her figure was the straight, emotionless face she held. She hugged him back, holding on to her melancholic face. The man backed away from the girl and introduced her to Angel, "This is my daughter Rutee, she is a fine guide and a very good marksman. She will help you find the bandits." The tall woman nodded at Angel.

"Fine," Angel walked past the both of them and descended down the stairs, the two followed his lead. When he reached the base of the stairwell, Angel walked into the other room and saw his blade lying on the table, the sunshine that poured in from the window made it glow.





Rutee and her father were waiting for Angel outside. Angel paced slowly from the inn and joined the two who were talking. Well, rather, the father was talking to Rutee. Rutee hadn’t spoken a word, she only nodded or shook her head with responses. Angel picked up on this and kept that fact in the back of his mind as he talked to the innkeeper.

"She will take me to the bandits?" he asked, crossing his arms. Rutee nodded and the innkeeper smiled, "Yup, you’re lucky you have such a beautiful lady helping you." He let out the trademark laugh again. Rutee slowly raised his arm and pointed at Angel, she spoke a single word, "Rotheran." Angel nodded in response, the innkeeper exclaimed his surprise, "Ah! She spoke to you, she usually only speaks to me and that's still barely. I guess she likes you." Rutee's golden eyes snapped onto the innkeeper daring him to keep going, but he didn't.

"Rutee's mother was Rotheran, so she is half Rotheran and half Boreanis." He patted her back, she looked into the distance. Angel let his arms fall, 'This girl is the union of Rotheran and Boreanis… She is a fighter that has adapted to the cold harsh climate of this land. She would be very good to have back home…” Angel thought. Rutee began walking toward the outskirts of town, Angel was following. The innkeeper cupped his hands around his mouth and called, "Good luck you guys! And make sure you come back alive Rutee." Rutee turned and held up her fist, and turned back around. Angel observed the woman, watching the way she walked and saw how her eyes scanned the entire horizon. Rutee looked at Angel who in turn, looked forward into the distance.


The two walked for an hour in silence. No stops, no words, no sounds. It was when they were descended down a hill and Angel slipped on some ice that there was any words spoken.Angel slid furiously down the hill, the ice was slippery and his boots provided no traction against it. He clawed against the ice but it didn't help at all. Rutee was sliding forward behind him. He then quickly reached down for his sword and swung it down into the ice. But the hill transformed from a hill to a steep drop. The sword broke the ice but only barely changed Angel's rapid speed. The sword caught onto some rock embedded in the ice and the force of it made Angel lose his grip and was at the mercy at the drop that came right after it. His feet came over the ledge and was shortly followed by his body.   Just when his hands left the cliffside he felt a gloved hand tightly clamp onto his own. His body flailed and hit against the icy cliff. He looked up to see Rutee holding onto her bow that she threw over his sword so that she could hold stay on the cliff and hold his body weight. She kicked her heels into the ice and her one hand was joined by the other so that she could pull him up.

She pointed at his sword, "Grab onto the sword," he grabbed onto the bow and tugged himself along until he got hold of it. They were both on a massive incline, so he had to hold onto Rutee's bow while she kicked into the ice with her spiked boots. After braving the icy hill, they trudged along, the sound of metal penetrating ice echoing throughout the land. They had to camp somewhere because the hill took a fair bit of their time and travelling in the night would be hard for even the sharp eyes of the Half-Rotheran girl. Snow started to fall, slowly falling onto Angel's cloak and shoulders, resting onto them. Rutee showed the way to a cave that lay at the foot of a mountain. The wind started to kick up as soon as they entered the cave. Angel could smell something ...steamy. He walked further into the cave to find a pleasant surprise. There was hot springs in the cave. The cave floor showed rock and melted puddles of snow while the entrance still had snow and presented the storm that was awaiting them outside, daring them to come back out. The two placed their packs down. Angel sat against a rock, he took off his cloak , and examined his sword. It didn't dull at all from being used to carve a scar into a side of a hill.

He looked to see Rutee taking her clothes off, Angel looked away and asked, "I'm guessing you’re going to have a bath." Rutee nodded but Angel didn't look to see the response. Her last article of clothing feel and bare feet could be heard walking and then sounds of water being disturbed. Angel took off his own cloak and his armor but kept his clothes on, he didn't feel the need to bathe because he hardly sweated in the cold temperature. He laid against his pack and stared at the walls of the cave. The rock seemed to be scorched, but it wasn't recent. The ridges in the rock seemed to be illuminate in the light of the hot springs that shown a clear blue, giving the entire cave an ethereal feel.

"Dragon," the word resonated in the walls of the cave. Angel looked over at Rutee who leaned forward against the rock, her head on top of her arms, her head and shoulders were only visible.

"A dragon did this?" Angel asked. Rutee nodded, "The dragon egg was here. When it hatches, the dragonling is very hot so the heat that was given off never left the cave. A memorial to the beginning of it's life." She explained, her voice and face still emotionless. Angel reached back and touched the wall, it was very warm.

"Rotheran," Rutee's soft voice spoke the word differently than her previous sentence. She said it as if it had a certain value behind it.

"Yes. I am a Rotheran," Angel said. Rutee turned around and lied against the wet rock wall.   Angel scratched his head and looked up at the ridges that glowed all around the cave, "I am a Rotheran…" he whispered and then let his eyes close, letting sleep take over.

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West coast of Sylph, last year



Angel woke up to the end of a stick jabbing his shoulder. He stood up, his tattered white clothing glowing in the wind.

"AHH!" a little boy screamed, scrambling away from him. Angel arms were limp against his sides, his right hand clutching the sword. He trudged very slowly through the sand that was all along the beach, "You... brat. I'll teach you to… poke… me," he breathed. He walked slowly after the boy who was running inland. Angel passed out on the sand covered grass that was off the beach.



"Is he alive?"

"I don't know, he's breathing but he looks like he was in a hell of a storm."

"It's wonderous he even got to land."

"Jib said he was still clutching his sword!"

"He could have been killed Arya, you should make sure your brother is safe."

"Ya, but still, he was right to help someone in need.”

"Right, but it doesn't change the fact tha-"

"Oh! He's waking up!"



Angel's eyes slowly opened, he could see 3 dark figures over him, the room was unlit and was hard to make out faces.

"Where am I?" someone sniggered and said, "You’re sure as hell not on a beach." The voice was roughly tapped on the head. An older voice spoke this time, "You are safe. You’re in a sleepy fishing village. Where do you hail from sir?" Angel closed his eyes, his head hurted a lot.

"Wha? Where…" he sniffed, "Fish..." Another voice, a motherly sort of voice that seemed to calm Angel, "Who are you?" Angel rubbed his forehead, "I… I…" He opened his eyes what's again and saw the face of a gentle looking girl, "I am a Rotheran."

The girl smiled, "Hello, Rotheran, My name is Arya."

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"Awake," a familiar voice said. Angel's eyes fluttered open to see Rutee crouched over him, already fully dressed. Angel sat up and clutched his head with his hands. He rubbed his temples slowly. Rutee stared distinctly at him and asked, "Nightmare?" Angel nodded. Rutee stood up and walked to the mouth of the cave. She peered outside and then looked back at Angel, "Bandits close." Angel nodded, he put his armor back on and his cloak. Then he slung his pack onto his back and walked to where Rutee stood, "Let's go." Rutee nodded and they both began to walk.