Chapter 14:

River of Blood

The Guardian of Hope (Sigma Version)


Alejandro’s shirtless body basked in the sun’s warmth. When the creeping sun reached his eyelids, he slowly came to. His hands gravitated toward his stomach, feeling someone’s hands upon his scrawny abs. He shot a glance, finding Enne nestling into his arm. He felt drool along his arm, resulting from her peaceful slumber.

He scrambled to the side of the bed as her face fell on the pillow. She yawned, sitting up as she rubbed her eyes. The waking elf stretched her arms like a rising phoenix, glimpsing his scowl with her playful grin.

“What’s wrong?” she said in a mellow voice.

“What’s wrong? What are you doing in my room? I left you in your room last night!”

“Yeah, but you seemed so lonely after you left me.”

“Hey, don’t flip this on me!”

“Enne?” Iscah said.

The wanderer trembled, watching the door along with the mischief. The maid’s footsteps approached, triggering his sporadic thoughts. Enne crawled next to him, pulling him toward her. Feeling her hand cradle his chin, he realized he was being taken hostage in her ludicrous skit. Her eyes became lost in his as their faces came close. He reached his hands around her waist, going along with her act.

I’m tired of her teasing, he thought.

He pulled her in for a kiss, a kiss the mischievous woman gladly went along. The door swung open with the maid watching the horror of their passionate embrace. The maid’s face flushed from Enne’s smug smile; Her heart was aflutter after his sudden gesture. They released, lost within each other’s gaze before remembering Iscah was there.

“Stay six feet away from her,” she panicked. “She doesn’t need to be with filth such as yourself!”

“Oh, come on,” Enne teased. “Iscah, you know I enjoy getting down and dirty every now and then.”

“This is unacceptable behavior! To be dealing with this—him, this is beneath you!”

Damn, tell me how you really feel, Alejandro rolled his eyes.

“I dare say, I sense a bit of jealousy in your voice,” Enne delivered a sly wink.

“Lady Enne.”

“Come on, we all have our desires, don’t we? You can join us if you’d like.”

The maid stuttered before scurrying away. With the door left open, Enne’s boisterous laughter filled the hallway. All the while a chuckle escaped the wanderer’s lips. The half-elf laid back down, sprawled along the sheets as he looked on.

“Did you see her face,” she continued. “It was priceless. She’s so easy to get to.”

“You do this to her often?” he asked.

“As often as I can!”

Poor thing, he thought.

“So, about that kiss? We may need to work on it a bit more if we want to pull off a better improv.”

Alejandro saw her observant gaze as she prodded his drool-covered arm.

“What happened there?” she asked.

“That drool?” he responded. “That was totally your doing!

“Impossible! Elves don’t drool, ever!”

“Sounds like bunk science to me. It’s like the dictator that says he doesn’t defecate.”

“Perhaps he has digestive problems?”

His delivery was deadpan, making her feel uneasy with shame.

“I—Think there’s a possibility of it!”

*****

A pleasant breeze trailed along the distant fields with cool weather prevailing. Unlike many of the days passed, it was the right balance between hot and cold. Enne walked alongside the wanderer, thinking about what she had in mind for the day. Alejandro said little, rather lost in the embrace of the expansive distance. It was another solemn moment for him, as he couldn’t fathom such peace; The world’s troubles ceased for a moment in time, but this he knew was just a fracture in time.

“It’s a beautiful day, wouldn’t you say?” she spoke.

“Speaking of weather so soon?” he answered. “You bored already?”

Her pout came instinctively as his deadpan expression.

“Kidding,” he continued. “It is sort of pleasant.”

“Sort of pleasant?”

“I’m just pondering a few things right now.”

She tugged at his shirt’s hem, stopping them in their tracks. He looked over his shoulder to find a quivering frown on her face. Before he could speak, she placed her finger on his lips. His heart skipped a beat upon seeing the Elven belle’s beauty contrast their surroundings.

“Look around us,” she said. “All this beauty that we take for granted. Sometimes it's moments like these that we should cherish more often, don’t you think?”

“Well—” he sighed.

“Is every wanderer caught up in their own little world?”

“It kind of comes with the territory.”

“It comes with the territory,” she mocked. “I know! There’s a nice café by the market.”

Enne dragged him along like a cherished rag doll, which he couldn’t help but follow. Memories of red strands flooded his mind, but that was someone else entirely. They arrived at the café, seating themselves on the second-floor balcony after placing their orders. The balcony provided a beautiful view of the river, hugging along the city. Enne leaned in, observing the flowing river with him.

“Quite a sight to behold,” she noted. “But, nowhere as eye-catching as me.”

“You’re so modest,” he laughed, bringing a smile to her before she seated herself.

“But I much prefer beautiful if you’re describing me. We should drink our coffee before it gets cold!”

“Right.”

“So, I’m sure you have your questions about Gardenia. Ask me anything.”

“So—Blunt,” he responded, his eyes trailing toward clear skies. “I don’t even know where to begin with that.”

“You’ve been wondering this whole time,” she said. “But, you could’ve asked me.”

“It’s just that—This place is interesting. The infrastructure here is more well off than most places I’ve been. When I saw a fully operational hospital, I’ll be honest, I—Was amazed. And there’s no charge for a complex operation? That outdoes a lot of the old world nations of the past.”

“I owe it to my mother and father,” she spoke proudly. “They laid out the groundwork. We just built on what they did.”

“Like training nurses to heal? That’s taboo under Elven code.”

Enne gently set down her coffee cup, clearing her throat with a stern gaze.

“That—I don’t care about restricting myself to those rules, any meaningless code for that matter. Consensus should be the prevailing factor; It’s about what we as a people want. I’m sure you’ve seen the churches in town, right?”

“I have. I was surprised to see that… You even created an Elven shrine.”

“Ah, yes, I built that when I was a young child.”

“You built it?”

“Y—Yes, it was for the goddess when—I still believed. But when you see people you grow up with die while you live for so long, you begin to wonder what kind of cruel goddess would allow your health to deteriorate. Imagine knowing everyone’s great-grandparents? From the cradle to the grave—I can’t shake that feeling. The goddess shouldn’t favor anyone, but favor everyone. What I’ve come to realize over time is how many religions function on an inclusive framework too.”

“But, you still allowed them to remain?”

“You’re free to find your spiritual grounds so as long as it doesn’t infringe upon another, right? It still brings comfort, no matter how fanciful. But you, as a wanderer, can understand how damaging it could be to uphold petty tradition against reason.”

“I do.”

“Going back to the nurses though, teaching them to use mana is the humane thing to do. Whether human or elf, we inhabit this world together. People aren’t inferior to me because I’m mixed with an advanced race; No, they are a part of our community. These are my people.”

Such words uttered by a half-elf were profound to him. Her impassioned rhetoric was a refreshing change of tone from her typical mischievous self; It made her even more endearing to him. She eased her tone after a deep breath, wondering whether she came off too idealistic.

“Instilling a humanitarian culture is challenging,” she admitted. “I’ve read about the world before the Collapse: greed and exploitation. The more I read, the more dumbfounded by how society prioritized material goods over the welfare of the people. Just imagine things of no inherent value being worth more than life itself. I guess you can say it was a reckoning that befell it. The portals that opened only sped up the things they caused.”

“Doesn’t seem like many learned.”

“That’s not a vice that needs to be carried forward. All that is good is in jeopardy when evil gains the slightest ground. It is our moral responsibility to do what is right.”

The wanderer looked up when her voice fell silent.

“Enne?” he spoke.

“Shit, sorry.” She wiped away the tear. “I got a little emotional.”

“That’s fine… It’s a complex issue relating to people. I just wish I met more people like yourself. I think what you’ve accomplished here is deserving of admiration.”

Her lips perked into a solemn smile.

“That means a lot.”

Her vision distorted through her masking tears; Lowered, pointed ears, along with a set of watery silver eyes gazed back with a weak smile. A blinding light forced a reflexive wince, identifying the man before her. She gulped down her coffee with a trembling breath while the wanderer saw her troubled expression.

“D—Dad?” she thought aloud.

“What?” The wanderer winced.

Kenneth and Billy emerged with noted tiredness. Alejandro glanced over, welcoming them as Enne regained her focus, acknowledging them at once.

“Enne,” Kenneth said. “Eh, sorry to intrude.”

“It’s no problem,” she responded. “What’s the problem, Kenny?”

“Ah, where do I begin? I’ll be blunt, we’ve got—Vampires.”

Her watery eyes glimpsed her reflection in the coffee’s ripples. Fifty years of peace became undermined in a matter of weeks. She looked up at the wanderer, as though he had the answer.

“This isn’t a job we can handle easily,” Kenneth continued. “I barely held my own.”

“You came across one last night?”

“The abandoned apartment complex at the edge of the neighborhood. There was only one, but we couldn’t kill it.”

“That’s where most of the refugees are…I can take things from here, Kenny. I was the one that wrote the agreement with the Vampiric House all those years ago.”

Alejandro noticed her uncharacteristic worry, which was appropriate considering the circumstance. The old guard seemed uncertain, almost ashamed of not being able to take down the creature. The wanderer had to admire the fact he even tried.

“There’s nothing wrong with seeking my help,” she continued.

“But, at some point,” he nodded. “We gotta handle this on our own. I mean, I’m sure you want to have children someday!”

“Dad!” Billy muttered.

She refrained from spitting out her coffee. Alejandro withheld his laughter as her face reddened. The entire room stayed quiet as she slowly diffused; Kenneth looked her in the eyes, unable to read her as he cleared his throat.

“What?” he asked. “I’m just saying, maybe your kid could take over so you can finally relax.”

“That will be no time soon,” she said.

“You’ve outlived my great-grandpa. And it’s never crossed your mind to have children? I mean, they’re a joy! Look at Billy! This little rascal grew up to be a man.”

She sighed, breaking eye contact.

“Weren’t we talking about vampires? This is a risky job, not to mention the festival is coming up. There are too many variables, much I would have to speak with Rita and my brother on.”

“Let me come with,” Billy said.

His demand surprised everyone around him, and his father disapproved.

“Billy,” his father spoke. “It’s too risky for you to go out there. Let Enne and Al handle this.”

“I can handle myself! I’m one of the best sharpshooters in town! I’ve got this.”

“This isn’t shooting cans from 150 yards, boy. This is a matter of life or death.”

“I didn’t just stand around last night, did I?”

“I have a suggestion,” the wanderer interjected, discomforted by their immediate stares. “Enne, the festival seems like it’s a priority over the current migrant crisis.”

“Yes,” she answered. “But, this complicates things even more.”

“Then I can search the abandoned areas. Perhaps we can find some clues to this vampire’s presence. Maybe it’s not an infestation—"

“Allie, it’s more complicated than that.”

“I have a few tricks up my sleeves. I’ve dealt with vampires before.”

“Eh, it doesn’t change—"

“Wait,” Kenneth interrupted. “Are you suggesting I should bring a small group?”

Alejandro glanced over, imagining what would happen if they found a den along the outskirts. It would be an easy meal for the starving mutants, but if it was just one the father-son duo came across, it was a straggler. However, Enne’s reluctance raised an eyebrow, especially leaving him to wonder what the “deal” was. He looked over at his son, understanding once he becomes a full-fledged guard, he would take risky missions from time to time.

“I’ll leave that up to you,” the wanderer said, meeting his nod. “You should recuperate in the meantime. But, this may be a good time to let Billy do this.”

“Just—Be careful out there,” the old guard said.

“You have our word.”

Our word now, Enne thought.

“We’ll be on our way then,” Kenneth said.

She didn’t anticipate the veteran guard would listen, especially Alejandro. He was more stubborn than most, but knew he had an ally in the wanderer. Alejandro’s unconditional support came as a surprise, unbecoming of the lone wolf image associated with his kind. But Lone wolves were once a part of a pack or went off to find their place, sometimes opting to remain alone, dying alone. She wondered what he thought when his smile crack along his stony face.

Enne took her last sip; Her heart warmed ever so slightly.



Here we get a bit more history from the woman herself.
We also get more of her compassionate side and her reasons for fostering Gardenia's society.
But, what do you think about how it has been executed thus far?
Leave a like if you enjoyed it!
Thanks for reading!

-june-
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