Heart of Dorkness Terror Thirty-Nine - Slice

Terror Thirty-Nine - Slice

Terror Thirty-Nine - Slice

You only have one? I ask.

The salesman nods. He has a small smile on. Its the sort of smile people who have to deal with custors wear while thinking about how long they still need to spend working. Just this one, he says.

I twist my lips left and right while staring at the statue. All the other gods and goddesses have neat statues. Theyre in simple poses, looking regal or god-like, with little details etched into the stone.

My moms statue depicts her as a large three-headed dragon-thing, though there arent any wings.

Now, last I checked, Mom only had the one head, and she wasnt scaly, so I cant say this is a very accurate statue at all. Are you sure this is supposed to be the Dark Goddess? I ask.

That is how she looks, yes, the salesman says.

According to whom? I ask. No, nevermind, Ill take it.

Wonderful! I must admit we sell few depictions of the Dark Goddess.

I sense rather than see Felix step up next to . That must an this ones not worth much then, she says.

I blink in confusion until it hits . Shes haggling. This is also not the most accurate statue I see here. It almost looks a bit... poorly made.

The salesman laughed. I can give you a discount, if thats what youre fishing for, he said. But only a small one because you three remind of my favourite nieces.

Im not sure if I should be insulted at that or not, but Ill take the discount. He nas a price, and I fish in my purse for the right coin to hand over, then the salesman grabs the little statuette, wraps it in cloth and places it within a small wooden box.

Thank you, I say as I take it. It has a nice heft to it, and the box will make for nice gift wrapping. All I need now is to find a bow to put atop it.

Felix, Es and I peel away from the statue salesman and continue down the row of the bazaar. Why did you want a statue of the Dark Goddess? Es asks.

I hesitate before answering. The fewer people who know about my origins, the better, and Im not entirely sure I can trust Es yet. Sure, we share a bunch of hobbies in common, and soone who likes books cant be a bad person, but that doesnt an she wont freak out about Mom. Dont tell anyone, I say, but my family all worship the Dark Goddess. Im a Disgust mage myself, though Im working hard to multi-discipline.

Oh, wow! Es says. Thats uncommon, especially here. Are you from out east?

She probably ans out near Caselfella, where theyre more lenient about Mom, but technically ho is to the northeast of Montele so... Yup, I say.

I really want to travel one day, Es says. See the world, visit all these neat and interesting places. Thats what Sempers archivists do, you know? They visit old ruins, ancient temples, and forgotten cities. So of them bring back samples to Sempers temples and others just write down what they see, and if its considered an important enough finding, its added to the Great Archive.

Whats that? Felix asks.

I have to admit Im curious too. Ive heard of it, but only in passing.

Its a sort of library made of stone tablets. There are dozens of them across the world, and they have a big stone at the entrance that teaches you how to read them. They have an accurate retelling of the worlds history, details about how magic works, and how to make tools and things.

Whats all that for? Felix asks. Sounds like a lot of work to make sothing like that. Do people visit them?

Oh no, theyre hidden, Es says. Theyre in case the world is destroyed, or if theres another great war with the Monster hordes. The last ti that happened, a lot of things were just... lost. How to make so tools and weapons and alchemical things, so understanding about magic... The Great Archives are there to make sure that if people need to start over, theyll know how.

I nod. That matches what Ive read too. Ive never actually asked Mom about the last ti there was a big monster horde. Maybe I should?

Do you need anything else? Es asks . We could talk more while grabbing sothing to eat. Im famished!

Eating sounds good, Felix says right away.

I laugh. Sure, I wouldnt mind. Where should we go?

Theres a big square filled with food carts and tables. Its not too far from here and its also not too far from the Academy, Es says. We might see so acolytes out on break or sothing.

Oh, thats a great idea, I say. Show us where it is!

Es grins and leads the way, with Felix and I right on her tail the entire ti. We leave the bazaar, a guard inspecting us as we leave to make sure we dont have anything stolen on us, then head towards what I think is the middle of Montele.

Its closer to the Academy, but I cant really say much more than that.

When Es described the square, I imagined it as so place with a few stalls to the sides and maybe a dozen tables in the centre. The reality is different. I cant count the stalls, there are too many wedged in next to each other, and there are so many people around its hard to see past them all.

The entire square is filled with tables, though there is a big fountain in the middle with a statue of what looks like the god Besters sitting on a pile of eggs. So of the eggs are cracked and theres water pouring out of them.

This place slls so good, Felix says. I can almost hear her salivating.

Co on, I know the best one, Es says. She dives into the crowd, and I manage to catch her hand before she disappears. Felix takes my other hand and we slip between much taller people with a laugh as Es leads us to the far end and to a line of people in front of a cart. A fat man in a white outfit with a stained apron on is overlooking a stall where oil is sizzling and fatty foods are being cooked.

The chef glares at all of his custors before cursing under his breath when one of them is slow to pay. A swipe to the side, and a gush of red-hot fire rushes out of his hands and splashes against the underside of the container holding his oil.

Get so billon out now, Es says. He gets extra angry if you make him wait.

What do they sell here? I ask.

You never know! Es says.

The custor ahead of us half-turns. Its bean balls with sesa today.

That does sound good, I say.

By the ti were next, Im absolutely starving. The slls and happy noises of so many people eating and chatting has famished.

We buy six bean-ball skewers and then rush over to one of the seats nearest the fountain, where the splash from the water sprinkles down on us whenever the wind shifts.

Felix is incommunicado a mont later, too busy munching on her skewers even if it looks like every bite is burning her lips and tongue. She doesnt seem to care. Es and I are slower, blowing over our als and taking little nibbles.

Its as good as it slls!

This place is great, I say.

Es nods. Sotis the other librarians will give so coins to run over here and grab food for them. They always know when the best stuff will be up.

Thats great, I say.

Then sothing catches my eye. A single person in the white robes of the Church of the Hero. An acolyte, maybe. Their hood is down, and so I can see their face from the side. Blonde hair, cut short, and bright blue eyes.

A girl? I thought that only boys were allowed, but maybe I was wrong.

Shes... familiar, though. But thats not possible; Ive never seen her. I know I havent.

Valeria? Es asks.

Huh? Oh, yeah, these are good. Do they sell drinks here too?

Yup! Theres a Fear mage that sells fruit drinks with ice in them! No matter the season!

We should go there next, I say.

When I glance back, the girl is gone.

***