Chapter 26:
Heart Dream - How I Got To Chase My Dreams and Myself In Another World!
Back in the dimly lit room, Isabella and Caoilainn still relaxed inside the warm pool. Half awake, they felt a citric aroma in the air. Then, they saw a man entering the room. He was athletic, charming and well dressed. He approached them and said:
- "Good evening ladies, my name is Isen, pleased to meet you" - he bowed with a gentle smile - "may I know your names?"
- "Isabella, pleased to meet you."
- "Caoilainn, pleased to meet you" - they answered. The man continued:
- "So, I am here to offer a special back massage, a specialty of Neggenegg." - he bowed again - "would you be interested?"
- "Well, of course!" - Caoilainn was excited - "And you Isabella?"
- "Well, me too, I guess" - she replied. The man then answered:
- "Well, that might be an issue" - he touched his head - "you see, I am alone today and that means I can only treat one of you." - he let a goofy smile - "I guess you are gonna have to decide between yourselves" - they felt a small blow. Isabella looked at Caoilainn and said:
- "Well, I'm not one to take things for myself, but I really wish for a massage today" - Caoilainn pouted and quickly replied:
- "No Isa, I already did a lot of work and alchemy today, I guess I deserve more" - Isabella continued:
- "Caoilainn, you know how I feel."
- "And you know how much I work!" - Caoilainn raised her voice. Also raising her voice, Isabella replied:
- "I really wish for this one..." - but she paused. She felt angry and saw Caoilainn was also getting pushy. She looked with the side of her eye and noticed the man's smile turned sly. Something was fishy. Caoilainn continued:
- "If you are giving up, I will get my massage" - Caoilainn was ready to get up, when Isabella replied:
- "Caoilainn, do want a lobster for a massage?" - hearing that, Caoilainn stopped and her eyes widened. She paused a bit and said:
- "I see, what's your idea?"
- "Well" - she looked at Isen and said: "Isen, come nearer, we have some doubts" - Isen approached, bowed and said:
- "At your service my ladies."
- "So Isen, you got us wondering, why can't you give a massage to both of us?" - said Isabella. Caoilainn continued:
- "Can't you handle both of us?" - this time it was her that smiled. Isen got a little embarrassed and said:
- "I am really sorry, these are the rules here." - Isabella replied:
- "Why? Is that some rule of the Duke?" - Isen stepped back a bit and said:
- "Err.. yes, I mean, he makes the rules and I follow them." - Caoilainn took the word:
- "I don't think so. I think you are afraid of us" - Isen was calm and polite again:
- "No, I just wanna do the best for you, my ladies" - Isabella said:
- "So it's those rules then." - she ran her hand on her wet hair - "why don't you call the Duke here and we can ask for an exception?" - Isen opened his eyes more and said:
- "I deeply apologize, but that would be impossible."
- "Impossible?" - Isabella asked - "Do you not want to work or are you that afraid of the Duke?"
- "No, it's not it" - he paused - "it's that" - he paused again - "it's that the Duke was clear, massage just for one of the girls" - Caoilainn replied:
- "That's bullshit! You can't disappoint us due to that, go talk to your Duke!" - Isen was visibly worried. Isabella said:
- "Yeah, go talk to him, or we might make a complaint" - he said:
- "No, no no... that wouldn't be necessary."
- "Necessary?" - asked Caoilainn - "It will be essential! we will not budge until you go talk to him" - Isen was trembling and said:
- "No, I I I I... can't. Must do massage" - he paused - "must do massage" - he started moving randomly - "must do massage. Must do massage!" - then he shouted - "Must do massage to fool those girls!" - as he said that, a puff of gray smoke covered his body. As the smoke subsided, the girls could see a skeleton with a leather armor and a sword.
Not trembling anymore, he spoke in a high pitched voice:
- "You should have accepted what the Duke said!" - he prepared his sword - "Now die!" - and jumped in their direction. Unbeknownst to him, Caoilainn held her right hand with her ring high and threw three fireballs at him, which exploded inside his skull. The skeleton released gray smoke and disappeared. The girls then jumped out of the pool, and grabbed their equipment. Isabella said:
- "Well Caoilainn, let's go, we need to find them!" - she sighed - "it was a trap after all and we almost got caught" - Caoilainn said:
- "Yeah we must hurry" - she looked inside Isabella's eyes - "and good job noticing, I was close to falling for it. However, I was bothered by competing with you, I wanted the massage, but I was annoyed by that" - Isabella smiled:
- "They thought they could fool us by pitying us against each other" - her smile widened - "little did they know, it will take a lot to more to break our love" - Caoilainn replied:
- "Hehe, you are amazing Isa, and we are amazing! The best team ever!"
- "Sure, Caoi. Well, let's go!" - then they left the room.
As they left the room, they found themselves in a dark corridor lit by torches, without a clear end. Caoilainn said:
- "This was not here before." - she paused - "whatever we are dealing with, is about illusions. We must take nothing at face value." - Isabella paid attention and they moved forward. Soon, small skeletons appeared, sporting small gloves, helmets and big weapons. Isabella looked at Caoilainn, who smiled with determination. In the following instant, Isabella leaped forward starting to strike the skeletons with her sword. Always looking at their back, Caoilainn conjured waves of fire balls which exploded reaching the skeletons, giving them some room to keep running.
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