Vannana Castle

Hello, dream world.

Roxanne was once again trapped in the world of her own mind. The light figure began darting around the space around her, finally having the words “YOU’RE NOTHING.” rattle in her mind with such intensity that she was forced to the floor. The being slowly faded into nothingness as the tendrils started erupting around her, forcing her to sink to the ground.

“What is going on back there?” Freyja asked quickly. It was the first thing Roxanne heard when she came to besides her own screams.

“It’s just night terrors, relax.” Julian replied casually, trying to shoo away Willow who was clearly freaking out at her guest drooling all over her floor out of nowhere.

“Drain the saliva…sit her upright.” Julian mumbled to himself, setting Roxanne up on the airships couch.

“And she’s fine?” Willow asked.

“Yeah, this just happens.” Roxanne nodded as she tried to adjust to being alive. “I just have really weird nightmares sometimes, no big deal.”

“It’s shocking how used to it you get.” Cassandra added, barely looking up from the book she was reading. Something about proper interiors for large spaces. Sounded kind of boring, honestly.

“Interesting.” Freyja said emotionlessly, with Willow glaring at her from behind. “Regardless, she’ll have plenty of time to recover now that we’re here.”

Cassandra looked out of the airships window, and they were approaching the Vannana Grand. A giant metal wall hiding a small ocean, and in the centre was the main hub of houses and shops, with the castle in the middle of it. And away from the main landmass was what seemed to be a few smaller islands. They flew over the chilly looking people dressed in winter coats as the airships lowered to the top of Vannana castle.

Julian could instantly see his breath as he left the airship, the chill somehow making its way through his incredibly worn-out clothes.

“I missed this place so much.” He mumbled sarcastically to nobody in particular.

“You get used to it.” Willow said as she walked out in just a grey hoodie.

“You’ll be inside for the most part, I wouldn’t worry.” Freyja said calmly. She looked around her ship and saw two airships parked inside. One from Ropear and one from Sandala.

“Ah, the first arrivals.”

They descended a staircase into the top floor of the palace where all the rooms were. Calming blue walls and doors upon doors upon doors.

“So which is gonna be my room?” Roxanne asked Willow.

“Well, this part is for me and my siblings, guests sleep on the floor below.”

“I’m sorry, your siblings?” Cassandra asked. “The whole floor?”

“Yeah. My mom has eight husbands and twelve other kids, we need a lot of space.”

“I’m sorry, eight husbands?”

“If I remember correctly, it’s a cultural thing.” Julian added. “It’s meant to signify the peace between the grands or something.”

“Right on the money, mister Julian. Also, one of my sisters has a massive crush on you from your hero days, so just watch out for the Ropeara looking one, got it?”

“Understood.” Julian sighed, already looking exasperated.

“And speaking of the other kids, here’s Donal.” Willow said, picking up the toddler crawling around under the watch of a butler. “Two years old, second youngest, half Saoloran.”

“Aw, how’s it going little guy?” Cassandra asked as she lowered herself to his level. Donal responded by pulling her hair and refusing to let go.

“Okay, let’s not…ow…pull at…ow…our…Willow, why is the toddler so strong?!”

“No idea.” Willow replied, tickling him in the hope he lets go, which luckily worked.

“He a wielder?” Julian asked.

“No clue, got two that are for sure, though.”

“Sounds right.” Julian nodded.

“Willow, can you hand me Donal?” Freyja asked as the kid was handed to her “Downstairs?” Freyja said over the phone. “Understood, I’ll get them to you.”

She hung up and started soothing Donal. “You three know Kazumi Wado? She’s here in the dining room, go meet her.”

The three descended yet more stairs into the bottom floor. They were looking at the door out to Vannana itself, but they had to go to the dining room, which a servant politely told them was on their right.

In there was a dining room with calming blue walls and a door leading into the kitchen, alongside a large fish tank with very large looking fish swimming inside it. There were one long wooden table in the middle, alongside about twenty smaller circular tables. It was on one of these tables that four people were seated. One was Kazumi in all her glory, wearing a bright yellow t-shirt and jeans, eating with Nuria and a short man who must be her son, as well as a larger well-dressed man who must be her husband.

“Excuse me, we’re the Miracle Scouting Group.” Julian said quietly with a quick tap on the shoulder.

“Hm, what’s that?” Kazumi asked, turning around so quickly that the fish in her mouth went down too quickly, making her have to force it down with a few self-inflicted punches to the chest.

“Oh, so you are.” Regaining her regal composure just as quickly as she lost it. “How’s my axe doing?”

“It’s doing pretty good.” Cassandra confirmed calmly.

“Excellent, excellent.” Kazumi replied. “Now, there’s one issue I need to deal with if you’ll let me.”

“And that would be?” Julian asked.

“Oh, that would be the citizenships, right?” Roxanne asked.

“Correct.” Kazumi replied with a finger snap. “If I can just go to my room and get the papers, that’d be great.”

Kazumi left to get them, and the three sat down next to Nuria.

“So, you three are the protecters, huh?” Nuria asked.

“We are.” Cassandra replied as they sat down.

“Excellent, how’s that going?”

“About as good as it can, I guess?” Julian replied. “All that’s happened so far is a broken leg, so we’re doing better than we could be.”

“And you must be the best one here, seeing as you were with the Battlestorms.”

“I…was with them, yes.” Julian nodded slowly. “We’ve parted ways for a while now.”

“Were you with them before or after they stopped that attack on Gurut?” Her son asked.

“After. A lot after.” Julian said. “Anyway, how’s the fish? Must be good here.”

“I’ve always been of the opinion that Saoloro is where to go for fish instead of here, but it’s not that bad here either.”

“Wow, that’s a take.” Julian said quickly, darting his eye back to the door Kazumi left from.

“So, you must be Willow’s date.” Roxanne said to Nuria’s son. “So uh, what would your name be?”

“Javier.” The boy replied. He was pretty normal looking, with a small afro, black rimmed glasses and a red flannel shirt, like something you’d find anywhere instead of the textile hub of the Skies.

“So I’m guessing you’re excited to date Willow, huh? She is certainly…something special.”

“I guess.” Javier nodded, looking more confused as he finished his meal. “I’m just here as a favour.”

“Oh, right.” Roxanne ended the conversation, joining Julian in staring at the door for Kazumi. And as if by magic, she appeared holding three documents in her hand.

“Okay, if the three of you would sign here to let you keep the axe, that’d be great.”

The three members signed their documents and were officially crowned as citizens of Sandala.

“Woah, I’m like…a person now.” Julian said cooly.

“Also, the cameras were still on during the invasion. I’ll let the generator theft slide.”

“Look…I mean…scouting groups don’t really get many resources, so we just kind of.” Cassandra started.

“Off brand scouting ship, we know.” Javier said. “I’m honestly shocked you guys didn’t get shut down.”

“It’s because they made the Battlestorms, I think.” Nuria replied.

“Yeah, that’s it.” Julian nodded. “Got a couple grants from the Lux, but the bosses wanted more, you know? Then they got murdered by the legion.”

“What’s this about the Lux?”

Julian turned around to see Freyja and Willow standing near them.

“Nothing in particular, we were just discussing the scouting ships.”

“The glorified kidnapping schemes?” Freyja asked.

“Yeah, those ones.”

“Well, it seems the other members of the Lux Congregation won’t be getting here until later, so now it’s up to me to train you in acting in the presence of royalty.”

The three all looked towards Willow, who shook her head defeated.

“I tried to stop her, but you’re all stuck here.”