Tragedy, and Prix

“That was…” Idalec searched his mind; the name sounded familiar,

“The farmer with the hay wagon,” Prix said, roasting her mushroom skewer over the fire,

“Sure.” Idalec said, ‘He was-’ Idalec could so much as picture his face. “What's in it for you? Why are you leading Sato around?”

Prix huffed, looking over to Sato’s tent before speaking to Idalec in a whisper, “I want to become queen of Lira.”

“Hmm.” Idalec nodded, lifting the mushroom skewer, creating a ring of fire around it so he didn’t have to move an inch. ‘I should have guessed.’

“My father decided to summon a hero since he- I mean, I’m sure you also heard rumors that the chalice had overflowed?” Prix leaned in to Idalec,

‘Everything is based on a mere rumor?’ Idalec sniffed. “No?” taking the roasted mushrooms from his skewers and dropping them into a bowl that he had been carrying with him in his suitcase,

“Really?” Prix asked perplexed

‘Do I come across as a gossiper? Have I fallen even lower in my honor than even in my last life?’ Idalec didn’t speak as he started putting more mushrooms on his skewer,

“Well, you must know about chalice? Well, we heard a rumor that it had overflowed, which is why we summoned Sato and sent the army to Sigfire Castle. Sato was meant to be with the army but…” Prix thought about her words carefully. “But I convinced him to run away with me… Not romantically, but so he could get experience fighting, you know? I left my father a letter, and two days ago I sent another letter to him and the army, telling them that we will be meeting up with them.” Prix waved her hands as if trying to shoo away the misunderstanding before the settlement,

“And how is all this going to help you become queen?” Idalec asked, roasting another batch of mushrooms,

“Well, if I'm the one who led the hero to defeat the Calamity, or the Candidate's, father would appoint me as heir.”

“What are Candidates?” Idalec asked, “They came up in that poem, right?”

“Candidates for those who can become the Calamity,” Prix explained, pulling her batch of mushrooms off her skewer and into Idalec’s bowl. “I overheard my dad tell Metos-”

‘Her younger brother.’ Idalec recalled,

“That if he can defeat the Calamity, then he’d be chosen as the heir over Elmo." Prix sighed

“Damn, a muppet is the heir to the throne?” Sato asked, popping out of his tent; his eyes were still red, but he looked much better. “Mushrooms.” Sato changed the topic before Prix could even utter a word.

“Umm, Sato…” Prix's hand started crumpling a corner of her dress,

‘I guess Prix wants to tell him that Sunya already left.’ Idalec thought, ‘Is it wrong to not tell him?’ “Sato, Sunya has left.” Idalec said

Sato had found two twigs and used them to reach into the mushroom bowl. “I know.” To Idalec’s surprise, Sato managed to pinch one mushroom out with the two sticks and ate it,

“Did she talk with you before leaving?” Prix asked,

“No. Luna was larping as her this morning.” Sato said matter-of-factly,

“Right.” Prix nodded unsurely. ‘What does that mean?’ she mouthed to Idalec, who shrugged,

“After everyone's eaten up, we’ll have to get going-” Prix said gently,

“To buy Sunya back.” Sato finished her sentence,

“No, to meet up with the army and march on Sigfire Castle.” Prix finished sternly,

“We’re going to go buy Sunya back, then we can go to Sigfire Castle.” Sato corrected her, grabbing another mushroom,

“Sato, you're a hero, and heroes save the world instead of running away.”

“Screw being a hero!” Sato stood up. “I’ve lost a quarter of my slave harem! IN ONE DAY!”

“Sato, you shouldn’t even own slaves.” Prix shot back,

“Well, I do. So get over it.” Sato crossed his arms,

“I will not get over it.” Prix put down her skewer. “Slavery is holding everything back in our kingdom from moving forward.”

“Don’t care, don't ask.” Sato snapped back. Miki and Garia came out of his tent

“From now on you're not allowed to buy any more slaves. If you keep spending so much money, we wouldn’t even be able to buy food anymore.” Prix told Sato pointedly as Carrot stretched as she crawled out,

“Nah-ah.” Sato wiggled his finger. “You know there’s a saying: If a smoker runs out of money, he doesn't just say ‘Oh well, I don’t have any money, so I guess I wouldn’t smoke today.’ No!” Sato started clapping every single word out, “They. Haul. Ass. And. They. Get. Smokes!” Sato straightened up to look dignified. “And do I look worse than a smoker? That’s the Sato…u Yaniko mindset.”

“Is that why your stamina is so atrocious?" Idalec pulled another batch of mushrooms off.

Sato stood there for a moment before his mouth twitched into a tiny smile. “That was a funny sensei, I’ll give you that,” Sato muttered,

“Carrot, Garia, Miki, eat up.” Prix welcomed them to take some from the bowl Idalec made. Luna also came back, full, as the six of them finished up. “Let's pack our tent and get running then,” Prix ordered before everyone dispersed. They were now like a well-oiled machine, taking down their tent in just a few minutes, before getting back on the road.

“Thank you, heroes.” Erik the Elder said as they were leaving,

“It’s our pleasure helping you.” Prix nodded,

“We will not forget this kindness.” Erik the Elder bowed,

“Wait!” Sato suddenly said, taking out his sword and putting it into the ground like he was some kind of knight, “Since we saved your village, I have the right to rename it.”

Erik blinked. “Do you want us to rename our village to Sato Village?”

“No.” Sato held out his hand. “You will call this village TheVillageWhereSunyaLeftMeForeverAndBreakingMyHeart Village. Can you not do that?” Sato looked expectantly at Erik,

“We’ll do that,” Erik said, while his face read that he wasn’t going to do that.

“Let’s go, my work here is done.” Sato re-sheathed his sword and started with the remaining six.

“DAMN IT!” Sato yelled out after hours of walking,

“Did you forget something?” Prix asked, worried,

“I forgot to buy a new slave girl!” Sato looked around, Carrot holding onto him while walking. “Whatever, I’m not even mad that I didn’t buy a slave in TheVillageWhereSunyaLeftMeForeverAndBreakingMyHeart Village, you know? I’m not seething!” Sato said, sounding really angry, “I’m locking in! No more Mr. Nice Guy.” Sato clasped his hands behind his back as he walked, not fitting him in the slightest. The group walked in near silence for a bit longer; the only noise was Garia reading her book out loud in her own language, when Sato spoke up, “Idalec, can you teach me how to swing a sword? Now that I’m no longer being distracted by WOMEN, I’m sure I can learn the art of the sword in no time.”

Idalec looked Sato over. “Do you really want to learn how to use a sword?”

“Yes. What else am I going to learn, fist fighting?” Sato demanded,

“You could learn to use a mace or a spear?” Idalec suggested

“Nah.” Sato declined, pulling out his sword.

Idalec sighed as Sato swung his sword around playfully. “Your first exercise is to hold your sword in front of you with only your dominant hand.”

“Why?” Sato asked after holding out his sword with his right hand.

“So you have enough strength to hold your sword. Also, don't cast healing spells on yourself.” Idalec eyed Sato as his hand had suddenly calmed,

“But like if I cast healing spells on myself then I’ll be able to hold it for longer,” Sato complained,

“Just don’t for now,” Idalec said without raising his voice, not caring.

“Fine, sensei.” Sato agreed, holding up his sword. Idalec gave Sato a few more tips on sword fighting, a few stances to move between, and how to fall back to cast magic with his off hand. The point of the sword is mainly to act as a backup for when the enemy suppresses magic in Idalec’s mind.