Morning ca with Astrid and I waking up very early. We were half expecting the guards to rush into Genevieve's house and arrest us then and there, but instead they just left soone in front of her house to make sure we were not going to run. And once we did leave, the man just asked us to accompany him so we could find Genevieve, who was in charge of the interrogation.
Everything ended up being much smoother than expected. Pala had woken up first and she was able to talk about not just her experience crossing the lake but the bits and pieces that she was able to witness after being poisoned by the matriarch. In reality, the woman wasn't completely out of it during the fight. She was half conscious and saw so images as if she was having a delirious fever. But between her testimony, Michael's and ours, it was pretty hard to believe the matriarch was innocent.
By the ti the interrogation was going on, they still had yet to confirm the existence of the giant crab. But once the people they sent to check on the body ca back, there was no more doubt. The body of the Flathead Emperor was still there, even if so of the worms and other vermin were already trying to take over. Those who went to check were even able to gather a considerable amount of at to bring to the village. They might be dealing with a very big problem now, but than didn't ant they couldn't use the at.
Alia also didn't try to hide and admitted the whole truth. She had indeed been feeding people to the Flathead Emperor for a number of years already. She always targeted travelers, or those who didn't have any family to speak up. That way, when they were gone, they wouldn't have to worry about soone looking for them. She admitted that to everyone, as the interrogation of the matriarch was a public event.
Astrid, Michael, Pala and I were all watching together with a few of the villagers, who were also disturbed by the revelations.
"But I watched you talk to my sister after the festival. How did you do that? It wasn't anyone else I'm sure of that," Pala said.
"It was a blessing from the Emperor," the matriarch replied, "When he feasted upon soone, he left behind a small group of eggs that would hatch in the form of whoever he ate. Those crabs would exist in that body and follow my commands for a couple days and then return to the lake. I honestly don't know if they were just being devoured by the Emperor again or if they were his children still growing in the water."
"But then why? Why my sister not ? Why did you leave behind?"
"It was a mistake. My intention was to have both of you beco brides to the lake. But the cloth ripped as I was picking it up and I couldn't find a way to make it seem natural that I made a mistake. And considering that your sister's na was the one in my hands, I figured it was better to not stir the pot. After all, it's not like you were going to do anything about her going missing."
Pala punched the Matriarch on her face, causing a few of the guards to jump in front of them and pull the woman back.
"Fuck you! You killed my sister. I'll gut you, you bitch," Pala continued to yell as she was pulled away from Alia.
Yet the Matriarch just chuckled. "No, you won't, and even if you do, it doesn't matter anymore. We are all dead already. Living corpses walking amongst the houses. All the years, all my hard work for nothing," she just shook her head, clearly dejected.
Pala scread and tried to break free, but the guards continued to hold her tightly. Michael stepped in and looked into the woman's eyes.
"Stop that. You're better than her. I get that you're angry and that you're full of rage, but killing her won't bring your sister back. And at least now you know she didn't abandon you. She was just the victim of a horrible person."
Pala stared at Michael, tears trying to swell up in her eyes. "But what am I supposed to do now?"
"Live," Astrid replied.
Michael nodded, "You need to live in whatever way you find that is worth living. You may try to do whatever you want, but the one thing you can't let happen is to let the mory of your sister force you underground, pull you to a hole that you can never leave. I'm sure that's not what she would want. So, you put all of this behind you and move on."
Halfway through that small speech from Michael, Pala started to cry. The tears dripping from her face. "I didn't even get to bury her," she said in a weak voice.
"I don't think there's anything we can do about that, but if you want, we can have a small ceremony for her and for everybody who was killed by the matriarch," Genvieve replied.
The woman scoffed. "I didn't kill anyone."
And this ti, I was the one who punched her. Knocking a few teeth with the strength behind the blow, even if it wasn't my intention. "Sorry, my arm gets twitchy when I hear bullshit," I told the guards, not even bothering looking towards Alia.
There was another discussion, and the guards decided to take the matriarch away. They were still not done with her, but the decision about what would happen to her was still sothing they were struggling with. People started to disperse and the rumors about what had just happened would quickly spread. And just a couple of hours, the entire village would be aware of the matriarch's confession and the price they were paying in order to live near the lake. Then again, this wasn't sothing they had to worry about anymore. With Emperor Flathead dead, there was no creature for them to sacrifice people to.
Once the crowd had dispersed, Genevieve approached us with a weary expression. It was pretty obvious she hadn't slept since we ca back.
"What's going to happen to her now?" Michael asked.
Genevieve just sighed. "I don't know. So of us think we should exile her, a couple think we should just kill her, but the majority is talking about imprisonnt."
"You're going to put her in jail? For how long?" I asked. That sounded like a stupid idea. They would not just be wasting resources to keep her alive and healthy, but also have to deal with that woman trying to manipulate anyone who approached her.
"Despite everything she did, Alia was our leader for a very long ti. And she did a good job at it, sacrifices aside. So the argunt is that if we keep her stuck in her house or sothing, we can still use her knowledge to make sure we can handle what's to co."
I rolled my eyes. "Yeah, because leaving the person who hurt you alive never ca back to bite you in the ass."
Genevieve just shrugged, not really having an answer to what I just said. After a mont of uncomfortable silence, she changed the subject.
"But either way, we would love to have you, Cassandra and Astrid, living here with us. I know things might have been a little rocky, but since the two of you discovered what the matriarch was up to, I'm sure you'll be able to help us in the future. We can even try to—"
I cut her off. "Yeah, no, we're not staying here. At least I'm not. You can ask Astrid," I turned to the Frosted Lumberjack who shook her head, "Ok, neither of us is going to be living in a place that sacrifices people and that tried to sacrifice us. I an, technically, it was Michael, but I was there and the matriarch and did push that monster to kill us, so it counts."
Genevieve nodded. "Yeah, I kind of figured, but people asked to try to make you two stay. Still, the offer stands." She turned to Michael and Pala. "And to the two of you as well. In the na of the village I'd like to apologize for what happened and what the matriarch did, but if you still want, you have a ho here."
Pala shook her head. "I'm not going to stay in a place that killed my sister."
Michael nodded. "I have to agree with her. The festival was great and you're all aweso but I think I draw a line when sobody tries to make crab food, you know?"
Genevieve just nodded, a bit dejected. "Can't really bla you for that one. "
Michael shrugged, "Yeah, that's a hard thing to co back from."
The Hawaiian was doing surprisingly well. Then again, this was the first day he had the System, aning that he was probably still basking in the idea of new skills and having magic powers. Genevieve thanked us once more and left. Now in this small area where the matriarch had just been interrogated there were only a handful of people, none of which were actually talking to us.
After a while, with the four of us just standing there, Michael turned towards . "So we had a conversation before all of this and I kind of wanted to go back to it. What do you feel about having a new travel companion for a while? I'm really wanting to see the ocean." He frowned, "As strange as that sounds." He added.
I chuckled, "I guess a life or death experience does make us more intense about our goals. But I don't know." I turned to Astrid, who nodded with a smile. "You know that's fine. One more person wouldn't be much of a problem."
"Great," the Hawaiian man smiled. "Give just a few minutes so I can pick up my things. I have to pack. Do I pack light or do I take everything? I'll figure out. Hang on." He rushed off like a kid who had just gotten a birthday present.
"Can I co too?" Pala asked. "I really don't want to be here anymore."
I turned to Astrid, but this ti she just gave a weak shrug. Honestly, the idea of Pala coming along didn't really spark joy, as Pops used to say. But at the sa ti leaving her here stuck in this village felt a bit too cruel. This was the place that killed her sister and the place that tried to kill her. To make matters worse, by what Genevieve was saying, they would keep Alia alive for a very long ti. Forcing soone to live here after all that was too much like torture.
"You know what, fine. I might be able to take you to another village or sothing."
The girl frowned. "Why are you saying that? Michael gets to tag along for how much he wants, doesn't he?"
"Yes. Because he saved our lives during the fight. So I trust him and he gets a bit more of a leeway. You were unconscious."
"But that wasn't my fault!" Pala protested.
"I agree with that. But it also ans we didn't have a chance to know you better and see if we can trust you to have our backs. I did help you, but I'm not a hero or sothing like that. I'm just trying to survive and if you don't bring anything to the table, I don't feel comfortable having you tag along," I explained.
Even then, Pala was still looking at as if I had offended her sohow.
"Fine. But I'm going to prove to you that I'm a good travel companion," the girl huffed and walked out while stomping her feet.
I gave it a pause for her to be far enough away and sighed, turning to Astrid, "We're going to regret this aren't we?"
"You are. Don't like her."
I squinted. "But you like Michael, don't you? I've seen you looking at him."
Astrid scratched her cheek. "Maybe."
"Okay then. Let's at least get so food before we go. Maybe I'll eat so crab at. I don't know if that's good for breakfast, but I do want to try. Besides, we killed the thing, might as well get our effort's worth from it."
"Michael too. Get skills."
"That's fair. He can get so skills. Also, try not to talk about the System in front of Pala. Still don't know if I'm willing to give it to her." Astrid nodded as we were walking towards the group handling the incoming crab at. Even if our journey might have so bumps, we would at least have a really nice al before leaving.
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