Broken Hero, Silent Party

I tried to make life get back to normal after the attack - or whatever 'normal' was supposed to look like. I cleaned, talked with the building (that didn't always answer me, the jerk), sorted books and interacted with the few that did end up coming to the library on occasion.

The air seemed cleaner after the attack. The village livelier. As if life itself was fighting back against the oppression the Choken brought to Lysteria.

However, I couldn't hide the scars on my body. The first to notice was Martha, when she came to check on me the day after the attack.

"Aya!" She exclaimed, appalled, as she entered with a basket full of food in hand. "My dear, are you ok? What are those burns?"

"Martha!" I jumped, startled, my sleeves rolled up as I dusted the shelves. When I see it's just her, I put my hand over my chest, trying to get my breathing back in check. "Gods, you scared me!"

Ms. Honeswitch quickly puts the basket on the reception table and strides towards me, gripping my hand before I could pull away.

"These burns... Aya. Tell me this is not what I think it is." She says, examining them.

"Ah... I have no idea what you are thinking, so it probably isn't?" I say, almost asking with a hopeful tone.

Martha frowned, her eyes never leaving the marks.

"You weren't attacked by one of those creatures people are whispering about, were you?" She asked, before looking at me

I avoid her eyes, looking at everything but her, blushing a bit - I was never able to lie properly, and I sure wouldn't start now.

"Ah... I mean...."

"Aya!" She chastised me. "You are lucky to be alive! Honestly, I told you not to stay out too much!"

"It came to the library!" I quickly defend myself. "I thought it was a patron, not... That!" I then stop for a second, thinking. "Wait, how do you know about them?"

"Everyone knows about them since Yusuke was attacked by the fields! We even talked about it once or twice!"

"Ah..." I gulp. "I forgot?" I try to lie, praying to any god that this worked this time. "But I did win in the end! I'm fine, just a few burns, nothing that won't heal."

Martha glares at me, the kind that only mothers can do, and I wince. The urge to apologize comes strong, but I manage to hold back until she sighs and releases my hand.

"Don't put yourself in more dangerous situations, young lady. I heard the mayor called out for help, so people who are trained to deal with violent encounters will come soon."

"Yes Ma'am!" I say, saluting. Martha chuckles softly, before turning her attention to the food basket.

"Now, have you eaten, dear? I made some pasta today, and wondered if you'd be up to having lunch..."

The rest of that day passed by in a breeze; however, she wasn't the only one to notice the burns. The few patrons that started to come by saw them too, one way or another, and soon I knew the whole village knew, even if everyone was too scared to say anything about it. But I heard the whispers when they thought I wasn't paying attention.

Today marks two weeks since the attack. It's market day, so I am browsing the stalls while pretending I'm not hearing the whispers again.

"Honestly..." I mutter to myself. "It's been so long, already. When is this going to blow over...?"

"Pretty much never." I hear a deep voice behind me. I turn around, and hold back a squeal.

Tall, sun kissed skin, broad shoulders, long black hair tied up in a messy bun, muscled arms that also have the exact same burn marks as mine. I know this person, even if I tried my best to avoid him all this time.

"Yusuke!" I call out, startled. He chuckles, embarrassed.

"Sorry. I forgot how jumpy the attacks make us. But honestly, I'm impressed, Miss Librarian. Who knew you had the guts to survive an attack yourself?"

"Luck, actually." I say, softly, avoiding eye contact. "And what do you mean, it doesn't blow over?"

"I mean just that." He says, as he starts to choose some carrots from the stall in front of us. "These are not exactly easy to hide during summer, and in a town as small as ours, they make for easy conversation."

"Tch." I let out a tut, annoyed. "For them, maybe. It wasn't easy to be the one who got them in the first place."

Yusuke snorts, amused and startled by my sour humor, and is about to reply when we hear the sounds of horses galloping toward the town square. The rhythm is steady at first, and then too steady - like a drumbeat marching straight into our chests. I glance toward the street, and for a moment, the crowd's chatter dies down, as if the whole market is holding its breath. As a unit, we all look at the source of the noise, and what I see makes me feel like I've been punched in the gut.

Fiery red hair flowing in the wind, icy blue eyes staring at each one of us like she is looking into our souls. Armor gleaming in the early summer sun, sword strapped to her waist like a badge of honor, blue cape with the royal insignia floating in the wind. Even her horse shines, white as snow, his big hooves stopping as her companions reach the square behind her.

Dalylah.

For a moment, our eyes cross, and I feel the air leaving my lungs again. She stares at me, looking at my scarred arms, before going back to scan the villagers again.

That's when I notice - for a hero of the nation and her party, the reception seems a bit... Lacking. Not a single villager moves to greet them or even opens a smile. More so for a long-lost daughter of this same village. It seems that, while she thrives with honor and glory, Lysteria lies faded and rotting, forgotten even by its own golden child.

And the people here did not forget about that.

Yusuke besides me sighs.

"Here we go again..." He mutters, loud enough that only I could hear. "You better get ready, miss librarian - if she's here, it means she heard about the attack. And since you are the one that was attacked..."

"What?" I hiss, clutching the carrot in my hand so tight it almost breaks. "They're here for me?"

Before the tavern keeper can answer, the whole party dismounts at once, and start to walk towards me.

Yusuke quickly pats me in the shoulder and leaves, as if running away from the whole situation. The market starts to vacate quickly, but people still try to maintain some sense of normalcy as they pay for their purchases and flee. Some stay, curious to see what will unfold.

I try to move, but my feet seem glued to the ground. Dalylah marches towards me, with her companions behind her - the archmage Ulysses, a young man of the quiet type, and the archer Yuki, a small woman that looks cute but could kill you with a look.

I'd know. I wrote them.

I gulp as they reach me, but somehow gather the guts to raise my hand, silencing Dalylah even before she can start.

"I know why you're here." I say, internally thanking all the gods that my voice did not fail me. "And before the question starts, I'd suggest we move to somewhere a bit more... Quiet, if you will." I let my hand fall and take a deep breath. "Follow me to the library, please?" I ask, turning and leaving, not even looking behind me to see if they were following. I didn't need to, not really - for one, I could hear their armor clinking behind me, and for two, I'd know what I said would anger and intrigue them at some level, enough for them to follow me without questions asked.

Inside, however, I was screaming at myself for being so bold. Each step was followed by a loud 'ARE YOU CRAZY?' or a 'I'mma die I'mma die I'mma die for real this time'. I scowl, trying to keep the panic at bay as we approach my sanctum. I softly open the door, a feel the library oddly quiet today.

Too quiet.

I look around, the same feeling that screams something is wrong that I got the day of the attack creeping up my spine, but I push it down as the clinking of armor grows stronger behind me. I give the books a last warning look, as if telling the building to behave for once, and hold the door open to the party.

Dalylah enters, quiet, but the Ulysses chokes at the air when he enters. I grimmace, the sound reminding me of the ripped paper sounds of the Choken, push quickly push the fear down. After all, this is the main character's party. There's no way anything would happen with them here.

"Sorry." I say, softly. "The smell of old books can be a bit heavy for some. Make yourself at home - I'll make some tea."

"You know why we are here." Starts Dalylah, grabbing an empty chair and sitting down. Her posture is stiff, like a knight in a noble’s house as they receive a new mission. Ulysses and Yuki also sit, both silent, but Yuki takes her bow off her back and puts it on the reading table. I know what that means, I can see the intimidation clear as day.

"I know you came to talk about the attack." I say, walking to the back and putting a kettle on, but leaving the door open. "I do not know why."

Dalylah sighs, irritated, and that's the first sign of any emotion I can see from her in our whole interaction. I frown softly, confused - she was supposed to feel everything to the max, and show it.

"Stop playing games with me, Aya. You know as well as I do how much I hate having to come back, but anything that happens in Lysteria falls under my jurisdiction. So."

And that makes me raise my eyebrows. I almost turn back to look at her as I light the fire, but manage to hold back just in time.

"Well." I start, scolding my expression to something neutral before going back to the main room and sitting in front of the party. "What do you want to know?"

"Are you faking the attack?" She starts, and I can feel her eyes trying to pierce my soul. Too bad my righteous indignation flares up in my eyes as she does.

"Excuse me?"

"You heard me." She cuts me off.

"How the heck do you think I'd fake these?" I ask, showing her the burn scars that go up to my shoulders. "More importantly, why?"

"Attention, for one. I know your library was on the verge of being bought out by Lord Roderick, but suddenly the village started showing interest in you. He withdrew his interest, by the way."

'Who the heck is Lord Roderick?' I ask myself, confused. My confusion might have shown up through my expression, because Yuki clears her throat.

"She doesn't seem to know about that, Dalylah." She says, her voice soft.

"Of course I don't!" I say, my voice raising an octave in barely concealed panic. "I would think that I'd know about someone buying my library!"

Dalylah sighs again, her frustration a bit more subdued this time, and rubs her temples.

"Fine. But you did you fake the attack or not?"

Indignation rises up in my throat again.

"Of course not! An old man came walking through that door and attacked me out of nowhere, making choking sounds as he turned into ripped paper!" I say, and I hear Ulysses choke again. I point at him, too lost in my anger to notice anything. "Exactly like - that...?"

We all stop, looking at Ulysses. His eyes are glassy, exactly like the old man's. His mouth is open, and the choking sounds are coming out along with the faint sound of ripping paper.

We all pale, and I quickly step back, my hand flying to the candle holder at the wall. Yuki gasps, quickly grabbing her bow from the table, as Dalylah freezes.

The archmage opens his mouth impossibly wider, his jaw dislocating and turning into ripping paper. Black ink starts to drip from his eyes, before being pulled back and congealed into a dark mass where his brain should be. In a blink, another Choken forms itself in front of me.

"No." I can hear Dalylah gasp. "Not again."