Calm

“I need to go see the sea.” Mers calmly declared.

Nia and Aez, both exchanged a glance, and then looked at her, confused. She’s insane, Nia thought, there’s no doubt about it.

They had reached Cridelford. The codes that Aaron had supplied had given them entry, though the guards were unwilling. Apparently, the undead invasion wasn’t just at Dottonex. The northern areas of Cridelford were under attack too - especially the places which were nearer to Dottonex were attacked more. Thankfully the eastern areas hadn’t seen any such attacks yet. However, the Tokreians had arrived in Cridelford already and asked Cridelford ministers to ensure high security in all the districts. They told them to stay alert, in case anything ever happened in the other areas too.

The situation was tense. Cridelford government took care of protecting the common people; however, due to past wars and now the invasion, there weren’t enough people in the army to protect the common people. So, kind of reluctantly, they had chosen adults for temporary guards. Many of them were given guns so that they could at least protect themselves until forces would arrive from Dottonex and Tokrei - apparently, they would form a pact soon if the situation became worse.

Nia and Aez both were eighteen. Both were old enough by Cridelford policies, which stated seventeen was adulthood. And so, both of them were carrying rifles, though none of them had actually used one ever. For some reason, Mers, who actually appeared older than them, refused to take any guns. Nia wondered why and when she tried to ask her, she just returned a sharp glance and didn’t say anything. Though, Nia thought, hopefully, they wouldn’t have to use it. It was there as something to give them confidence. Faced with such an extreme situation, they’d probably rely on their feet to run faster than to try to shoot at the undead with their unsure shots.

“The sea?” Nia asked, surprised, “Why do you need to go to the sea right now?”

“It’s important,” Mers spoke coldly. “Well, I’ll do it alone. I don’t need any of you to come with me.”

“I get that,” Nia spoke quietly.

Aez furrowed his eyebrows, and said, “No. No matter what, we can’t let you go alone.”

“Are you two concerned about my safety?” Mers said, laughing.

Nia stayed silent, hoping Aez would respond. She didn’t want to talk to anyone. Her head hurt and she just wanted to sit at a quiet place without having to think - but she knew, if she sat alone, she’d be consumed by her anxiety. The pain in her heart was still there too, and she knew she wouldn’t be able to feel okay anytime soon. Just what was left for her to feel okay for? Her parents - they were gone when she was a child. Only Granny and Leo were there all the time. And now, they weren’t here. Gone. Just like that. She couldn’t take it anymore. She teared up and covered her face with her hands to stop others from looking at her.

There were memories, so many of them, now - haunting her mind. The meal they were having in the restaurant was the same as the one that Aaron had treated both Aez and Nia on the day they had gone to see the scientific demonstrations. But the scenery outside through the windows, it was so different now. Back then, people were hurrying to their jobs, some were busy visiting the demonstrations. A normal landscape was in the city street. Just like it should be. And now, outside, people were lining up. They had guns, just like them. They looked scared, but they were trying to be strong. If Cridelford was attacked too, they’d have no place to go. Nia’s heart skipped a beat as she wondered - what was it like in Dottonex now?

No, no. She didn’t want to think right now. Her eyes were burning. Everything… everyone...

“No. At least, we don’t consider you ‘weak’.” Aez replied to Mers, and Nia paid attention to their words. “And I’ll tell you why,” he continued, “You have been bound for at least years in that forest, without any food or anything, and you still walk fine now. Not only that - you also have such a good sense of direction - it was you who found the direct path to Cridelford after all. You have given us a name, and I don’t think it’s your real name. Though we don’t want to think about it - there is a fine possibility that you are linked to some dark associa-”

“I’ll finish that off for you.” Mers spoke in her heavy voice, scowling at him, “In other words, you find me suspicious. Maybe you two are thinking that I’m the cause of everything that happened since yesterday.”

“We don’t want to blame you or anything,” Nia said weakly, hoping that they wouldn’t start fighting now, “It’s just… too many things happened at once and we are kind of…”

“Well, let me tell you then,” Mers said, clearing her throat, “I don’t know anything that has happened since the third war. I have no idea what happened to Nevidilandi, why Dottonex has strange visitors - Tokreians, you said? And I don’t know why Crilania is called Cridelford now. I don’t know the simplest of things that you all probably can guess. So don’t blame me. If I were really the one who caused the invasion to harm everyone, I’d have killed you all easily. Especially you two - you were vulnerable in the forest.”

That was true though, Nia thought. When we arrived here, her expression was strange. She was mumbling all the time, ‘What is this?’. Has she ever been to Crilania? If she’s from that many years ago? The ancient nation, Crilania is entirely different from the modern Cridelford. And, the way she looks at the food, she has probably never eaten any of these things either. It’s very possible that she isn’t linked to the undead invasion at all, and just happened to be in the forest. But, that still doesn’t mean that she isn’t to be investigated. Furthermore, she… she can’t be a human. A human can’t survive that long. No, Mers, if you aren’t suspicious, who can it be?

But Mers stood up, her eyes cold, “You can do whatever you want. Follow me or not, I don’t care anymore.” Turning away from them, she mumbled, “This is enough. Thank you, I guess.”

As she walked away, Aez sighed. “We made her angry,” he shook his head, “That’s not okay. If we are to understand what she’s after, we have to stay close to her and keep a watch.” Then looking at Nia and her plate, he said, “You didn’t eat a single bit yet. The food’s getting cold, it won’t taste good.”

Nia could merely notice the blurry outline of Aez through her tears.

“Oh, are you crying?” Aez said nervously.

“I-it’s okay.” Nia smiled through her tears, “I don’t feel like eating right now. Don’t worry, I’ll pay my part.”

“That’s not even the issue,” Aez gave another sigh. “Look Nia, I can understand what is going through your head right now. No, we can’t go back yet. We have to wait for my brother. He went back pretty early. He’ll be okay. He’ll come back. I’m sure,” he tried to sound hopeful, though it was a failure.

Nia covered her face, though the tears were falling, uncontrollable now. “I-” she stammered, “I-I don’t know how-how they would find granny… there… would she even get a proper...” she sobbed, “fu-funeral?”

Aez tried to stretch his hand and then stopped. “I’m sorry,” he said, “I-I don’t know how to comfort you. It’s okay to cry. We just have to wait a few days, then I’m sure my brother will come and take us back to our hometown. Until then, just hang on a bit, okay? And about granny… of course, he’ll take care of it. Please don’t cover your head with these thoughts right now,” he looked away, tears forming at his eyes now, too.

“What do you mean it’s not okay?”

Mers’s voice came from the counter and both Nia and Aez looked at her, alarmed.

“Well, you see, miss,” said the shopkeeper in Cridelfordian language with an angered voice, “We don’t accept that currency. Geez, I don’t even recognise that money. Where are you from? If anything, just go to the bank and exchange your money. But anyway, you are not leaving paying me toy money!”

“It’s not toy money,” replied Mers confidently, though it was in broken Cridelfordian. “It’s at least a hundred. Worth much more than the food anyway.”

“What?”

“Uh- I’ve gotta do something,” sighed Aez, as he walked up to the counter.

Oh no. Nia forgot what she was thinking about temporarily, Aez does know what he is doing right? He- he used to be the worst student in foreign languages class.

“Mister,” he said, trying to put on a smile, though Nia could notice, he was sweating a lot.

“What do you want now? Give more toy money as I work so much only to feed people like you?”

“Uh, please don’t mind her,” Aez spoke in ‘Cridelfordian’ that sounded a lot like Dottonexan, “She- she’s with us, you see-”

Nia wiped her face, and then swiftly walked to the counter.

The shopkeeper looked from Mers to Aez, and continued to speak in Cridelfordian. “You bunch of runts - one has no money and one can’t speak. Where’s the security, who even let you two in?” he growled.

“I’m sorry,” said Nia as she bowed to the man, “None of us are from Cridelford. We are Dottonexans and we are taking refuge here. That’s why,” she said with an apologetic smile, “They don’t know how to behave well. Here,” Nia brought out money from her pouch, “This is the cost for three plates, right?”

The shopkeeper scrutinized the money, squinting his eyes, and then finally nodded. He gave Nia a half-smile and said, “Well. Then take your friends and leave. I haven’t seen these many ru-”, he paused and corrected himself, as Mers was looking at him with a deathly stare, “Nothing. Thank you for having a meal at our place.”

Nia gestured to the other two and both of them left. Aez heaved a sigh of relief and whispered to Nia, “Thank you.”

“Nothing,” said Nia, sighing, “The next time, don’t try to talk to someone with a language they don’t know.”

Mers scoffed. “As if they know the value of Estoycan money.”

“So you are from Estoyca,” said Aez, looking at her, “so, that’s all we know about you - from Estoyca, stuck in a goddamn tree in a forest which is far away from your country, and for who knows how many years. Nope, you aren’t suspicious at all,” he spoke sarcastically.

“There’s someone near the sea,” Mers spoke at last, “I need to speak to them. That’s all. And yes, I’d prefer it if you two don’t butt your noses into other people’s business.”

“I think I did that long ago,” Aez said seriously, “When I asked Nia to rescue you from that place. Otherwise, you wouldn’t even be here. So I really wish you could stop acting like none of the things about you concern us.”

“Fine. If you really want to know that much, come with me. I’ll head to the sea now.”

“Nia didn’t even get to eat anything, thanks to you.”

“We had plenty of time to eat, how can it be my fault?”

Nia sighed again, “It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not okay.” Aez spoke angrily, “Mers, do you even know the roads to the sea? Or wait. Do you even have,” Aez had a strange smile on his face, “the money to get there?”

After a moment of silence, Mers spoke again. “Huh, who cares about that? Back then we walked to the sea so often.”

“They don’t let you anymore,” Aez said, shrugging, “It’s not the prehistoric ages. You have to use at least one or another vehicle. And in these times, if they see someone like you loitering around, they are going to put you in prison as soon as possible. You don’t know Cridelford. You don’t even know the way to the sea,” he smirked, “In other words, you have to rely upon us.”

“Fine!” Mers exclaimed, “I will wait. It’s just the damn way everything works for me that I need to rely on two children like you. Go on, but don’t you dare to take long,” she gave them a deathly stare again and walked ahead to sit down at someplace.

“Let’s go, Nia,” Aez said to her, “But this time, you do all the talking. I’ll sit silently beside you. Don’t try to say no. We have to eat and live if we need to return to Dottonex.”

Nia gave Aez a small smile. “Thank you, Aez.”

“Okay, finally the Nia I know is back!”

“Shut up and wait here with Mers,” Nia said, slapping him on the shoulders and pushing him towards Mers, “I’ll be back in ten minutes.”