That Makes Three

In the aftermath of the battle, the defeat of Father Briggs had demoralized the guards and the people of the town generally. The state of the church and a few surrounding buildings were not in good standing, yet somehow still standing. 

Ariana’s mind raced with thoughts. She hasn’t come here to destroy the town or hurt anyone; she was just passing through. It started because she intervened with the guard and the children, and it ended up this way because she ignored Koichi’s warnings about the church. 

Was she wrong to have done what she did? It didn’t feel wrong to stop that guard, but it led to all of this. 

And now Koichi had set his sights on hurting Alex again. 

Hayden stepped over and knelt down next to her and Ellie. “This might sound bad… but the guards are gonna want us locked up. We should do what they say for now. I can talk to the Captain; she trusts me. We can get this cleared up in a few days, and you’ll be free and clear.”

Ariana looked at him. She gave a weak smile. “I trust you. Besides… it wouldn’t be the first time.”

He sighed. “Might wanna keep that last part to yourself, miss.”

A few more guards arrived shortly and surrounded them. Hayden stood up and put his hands behind his head. A woman with a deep tan and long dark hair approached him. He clears his throat. “Morning, Captain.” 

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Care to explain why half the town is blown to smithereens?”

One of the tangled guards shouted at her. “A demon! A demon attacked the church!”

The captain leaned over to look behind Hayden. She scanned over Ariana and Ellie.

She returned her focus to Hayden. “Casualties?”

He looked over to the church. “Well, Father Briggs probably ain’t looking good. That was me. Other than that, just some guards roughed up and some scared folk.”

“You attacked a priest?”

“Technically, yes.”

“Is there more to it?”

He nodded. 

“…and?”

“These two ladies joined the service. Guards attacked them, and they defended themselves. Father Briggs came out, and I stepped in. I interrupted a spell Father Briggs was casting, and the spell blew the roof off.”

The captain seemed skeptical. “That’s a bit more one-sided than your usual reports…”

“Feel free to ask around, but you and I both know who people are gonna side with.”

She sighs. “You realize this is going to be one hell of a mess.”

He nodded again. “The truth is obvious enough if you ask the right questions.”

“And what are the right questions, Lieutenant Hayden?”

“Why did the fight break out? Who attacked first? Everything else should unfold from there.”

“Very well. Come quietly, let’s get this resolved.” 

Hayden nodded and turned to Ariana and Ellie. “Come along now, It’s gonna be alright. We can trust the captain. Just follow my lead.” 

Ariana took a deep breath… and stood. Ellie reluctantly did the same. They did as Hayden suggested and placed their hands up on their heads. The three of them were led off to a large stone building. 

They had to give up their belongings. They were led into a small room with a long bench. The door was heavy and had a small barred window. 

Ellie gave a nervous laugh. “Never thought I’d go to prison…”

Hayden sat at the end of the bench casually. “Just a formality. We’ll be free in a few days.”

Ariana sat on the other side. 

She sat silently for a minute. Ellie took her place in the middle. Looking at them all side by side, Ellie was the shortest, and Hayden was the tallest, and about a head of height was the difference between them. 

Ariana turned to Hayden. “Why did you… Help us?”

Hayden exhaled a little through his nose. “Didn’t sit right with me, is all. Y’all didn’t do nothing worth all that fuss by my count.”

Ariana turned her focus to the ground in thought. “The priest called you an Outworlder. Is that true?”

Hayden nodded. “Came to this world the hard way.”

Ariana looked to him. “I’m sorry to hear that…”

“Don’t bother me none. Don’t regret my choice, I’d do it again every time.”

Ellie looked up. “How did it happen?”

Hayden settled back, took a deep breath, and remembered.

“It was a sultry night. We got a call about a domestic disturbance. My partner and I took the call while we were en route back to the station. Good kid, hope he lived a long life.

We arrived on the scene to the sounds of screaming… and shots fired. We ran in. Man lying on the ground bleeding out, woman on the other side of the room with a smoking gun. Weren’t hard to do the math on that one. 

Figured pointing more guns weren’t the out. I talked low and moved slow, tried to calm the situation down. Partner went to check on the man, called in EMT. Did his best to stop the bleeding. 

Whatever was going on beyond that, the lady wasn’t right in the head I reckon. Might have been drugs, might have been the panic, maybe she wasn’t well to begin with. 

Regardless, she aimed at my partner. I dove and took a bullet to the chest. Cracked a rib, but my vest saved me there. She fired two more times before the gun ran out of bullets. One hit me in the leg, the other in the armpit. Hit some major arteries. I was a goner and I knew it. 

Woman ran. 

With my final breath, told my partner to save the man. Heard him calling an officer down. I knew it was too late.

Woke up to some voice, gave me the magic. Found myself somewhere out in the woods. That was about 10 years ago.”

Ellie and Ariana stared at him silently.

Ariana hesitated for a moment. “Did you… have a family?”

Hayden shook his head. “Had a wife. Lost her a few years before that. Never had kids.” 

Ariana looked down. “I’m so sorry…”

“No reason for that, miss. I came to terms with it long ago. Just glad she weren’t around to deal with my passing.”

It was quiet for a while longer.

Ariana decided to share her own story. Ellie, a while after, shared hers. The three became familiar, bonding over the shared experience of Outworlders.

Hayden looked to be in thought. “So you think the demon lord is your son.” 

Ariana nodded. “I’m more sure of it every day. That’s why I’m travelling.”

Hayden leaned forward. “It’ll be a hell of a walk to Indrock’s capital. Might wanna think about getting a horse.”

“Do you know where I could get one?”

Hayden chuckled. “Yeah, I reckon I do. I’ll tell you more when we’re outta here.”

Ellie groaned. “In three days?”

Hayden leaned back again. “Give or take. Might as well make yourself comfy.” 

Ariana looked around. “It’s certainly not as cozy as the first place I was held in… but it’s only three days.” She smacked her cheeks and stood up. “Right, I think I’ll do some cleaning to pass the time.” She looked around at the walls and the floor. She spotted a slight hint of green along the bricks in the floor. Things could grow here. 

She worked her magic, and some growth pushed one of the bricks out of place, revealing the soil underneath. She grew a fluffy swab of cotton to dust with. She then grew a patch of grass for sweeping. She thought about how to grow a long shaft for a makeshift broom. She thought for a moment. Just plain wood could do the trick. She quickly grew a long, thin stalk, plucked it from the ground, and lashed the grass to one end of it with yet more grass.once satisfied, she pushed the brick back in place and pressed it down with her foot.

Hayden watched this display, dumbfounded. “If I were supposed to guard you, you’d be my worst nightmare.”

She set to sweeping. “I’m just doing what I can to pass the time. If we’re spending three days in here, I’m not going to just ignore all the dirt and grime.”

He shrugged. “Fair enough.”

She swept from the corner over to the door. “It would be nice to have some soap, though…”

Hayden kicked back. “You can grow plants, can’t you? There’s plenty of plants that clean up.”

Ariana tilted her head. “Like what?”

“Well, think about soap. Avocado, Coconut, Cocoa, Shea… hm… you ever seen any of the plants those come from?”

She thought for a moment. “No, I don’t think I have.”

“You ever been to Sonora? Real neat flora out there. They got ocotillo, they got agave, they got aloe… mm, and there’s a bush they got out there… that bush is what desert rain smells like. S’called creosote.”

Ariana racks her brain. “I think I’ve heard of all that… except the ocotillo… They are usually in soap and lotion, I think.”

“Mostly, yeah. Agave ain’t usually for soap, though. That’s more for syrup or sugar. Booze, too.”

Ariana turned to Ellie. “Do you know anything about those plants?”

Ellie looked down. “Um… not really… I never really paid much attention to what was in soap, and I didn’t use lotion.” 

Hayden nodded. “Lot of plants from ‘round that area are good for cleaning or eating if you know what to look for.”

Ariana mused a bit. “If I knew what they looked like, I might be able to grow them.”

Hayden sat forward again. He picked up a rock from nearby. “We got time to burn, anyhow. Come sit a spell, I’ll try to picture it for you.” 

Hayden scratched at the wall with his rock to try to draw out what was in his mind.