EaC! Chapter 346: Virid Omen (Patreon)

Barb glared at Tristan while Yanni cupped her chin with the flat of her blade. Tristan’s gaze veered from the decapitated girl to Barb, sweeping briefly over Destiny and Lara to gauge if they were alright.

“Don’t look,” Lara said to Destiny, and the two turned toward Barb.

“Tristan asked you a question,” Yanni said slowly. “You would be wise to answer it.”

Barb’s eyes darted between Yanni and Tristan. Water dripped off the points of her hair while fear flickered in her eyes. An uncomfortable number of seconds passed before the woman finally said something.

“I… I just want to live,” Barb said.

Yanni glared. “That does not explain why you attacked us.”

“I didn’t attack you.”

“Don’t lie to us,” Tristan said as he stepped up to her so that he stood beside Yanni.

“Tristan, please maintain your distance,” Yanni implored. “We do not know what this woman is capable of.”

“If she could escape, she would’ve done so by now,” Tristan argued. Besides, he wanted to get a closer look at her. From the moment they’d met, something felt off about her, and he wouldn’t be able to do that at a distance. “Answer Yanni’s question. Why did you attack us?”

“The girl did,” Barb said, pointing past them. Neither Tristan nor Yanni followed her gesture. “I-I’m just trying to take you to Kalaya. That’s all.”

It was clear now that this city had no intention of cooperating with him. No matter who he spoke to, he was misguided, told to go elsewhere, or given another variable to solve in this Rubik’s Cube of an island. Although he had no proof, he half-wondered if many of these catgirls were in on it. It all felt too convenient that despite Cailu’s missive, he was ushered away like a child who wanted to play with the adults.

He balled his hands at his sides. He wanted to show this catgirl mercy, to believe her words. But what had happened was far too coincidental. Only a fool would assume she had nothing to do with this.

“Don’t take us for fools,” Tristan continued, his patience reaching its limit. “It’s obvious you were working with that girl.” It took immense effort not to look behind him at the mess Yanni had created. [Necromancer] or not, he took no joy in seeing a chopped-up child. “That child was a [Necromancer]. You know that.”

Barb didn’t so much as flinch at the word [Necromancer].

“What are you trying to do here?” Barb asked slowly.

“I’m trying to solve San Island’s economic issues. I’m trying to ensure every child has food at their table, a roof over their head, and a mother to care for them,” he growled. Ravyn’s words rang loud in his head. What she had said was true. This city’s greed was insatiable. “I don’t want to see children in the streets, scrounging up whatever scraps of food they can find! I don’t want them to fall asleep, not knowing if they’ll see the next day!” Then he pointed at Barb with a trembling finger. “I’m trying to fix the problems your people started!”

His heart was racing. Nothing was visible to his eyes, save for the woman seated before him, impeding his progress like everyone else had. This game had run its course, and he was sick of being given the runaround. Something had to change, and if she wasn’t going to cooperate—

“Tristan,” Destiny said softly behind him. Suddenly, he felt her touch gently guiding his hand back to his side. He didn’t put up a fight, but now he could see Yanni; could feel Destiny’s tender touch on his skin. His breathing slowed. His heart calmed. “It’s okay.”

“Whoa,” Lara said as she slowly came to her sister’s side. “I’ve never seen the young master lose his patience like that.”

Tristan sighed. “I’m just so tired of this,” he said quietly. “I’m tired of people standing in my way no matter where I go. We could make this a better place to live if greed didn’t rule your walls.”

Barb’s face morphed from fear to pensive. Her gaze flickered between the four of them.

“You might be the first person I’ve met outside of my congregation that I think actually means what he says,” Barb said with a sigh. “I won’t run or lie to you. But what I have to say isn’t going to make you any happier.”

Tristan’s heart fluttered. So there was something else.

“Why do you say that?” Tristan asked.

Her eyes fell on him as if she were trying to discern his motives. “Tell me, Tristan. How far would you go to see your land and its people saved?”

He frowned.

“Would you uproot the system?” Barb asked. “Would you cast away your people’s religion and safety in the hopes that future generations would be more fortunate? How far would you go to solve a problem so ingrained within your society that, barring war, change may be impossible?”

“Don’t speak in riddles,” Tristan said. “I know you speak of San Island. You make that very clear. I can’t help if you won’t let me.”

“I wonder if you won’t turn on us once you see what I have to show you.” Barb’s gaze traveled steadily downward. She muttered something else, but Tristan couldn’t hear it. “First off, the truth. Yes, my friend and I planned to ambush and kill you.”

“You mean the girl Yanni killed.”

Barb nodded. “That’s right. Don’t worry. She’ll be back.”

A chill swept over his skin. Why was Barb colluding with a [Necromancer]?

“Anyway,” she continued, “you’ve been causing too many problems, asking too many questions. We reasoned that if you stuck around, then it was possible that you’d ruin everything we’ve so carefully constructed. You may see a broken system, but right now it is working exactly as we have intended. San Island may not change in the next five, ten, or even twenty years”—she looked up, and a sinister smile tugged at the corners of her lips—“but we’ll do more than save San Island. We’ll save all of Nyarlea. And it shall be done without the aid of men.”

Tristan frowned. “What do you mean?”

“May I stand?”

Yanni’s gaze veered toward Tristan as if to ask for permission. He nodded his head, and Yanni retracted her sword a few inches. Barb raised her hands and slowly stood up.

“Thank you,” Barb said with a slightly mocking tone. “That’s about the limit of what I can tell you. A brand of silence prevents me from divulging the details of my order.”

“What do you mean?”

Barb took one of her hands and slowly brought the thumb to the lip of her shirt. “I’m going to pull my shirt and bra down. There’s nothing I’m hiding. It’ll make more sense when you see it.”

“Fine,” Tristan said, “but we’re keeping our eye on you. No funny movements, understand?”

“I have nowhere to go. Don’t worry.” Barb gently tugged one end of her bra down to reveal her breast. Beneath the areola was a brand made up of three interconnected circles with a triangle drawn over them. “This disallows me from speaking of certain subjects. My masters have made me incapable of discussing particulars regarding the order.” She lifted the bra back over her breast and returned her hand to its upright position. “Because of that, I can’t tell you anything else. You’ll have to follow me.”

This again. Why was it that everything was a game to the inhabitants of San Island? Besides, there was no proof that the brand did as she said.

“Lara,” Tristan said.

“Yes, master?” Lara said airily.

“Can you tell if she’s telling the truth?”

“I can read the magic, but not its details.”

“That’s fine. Can you check?”

“Of course!” Lara’s shoes clicked against the stones as she approached. Coupled with the rain, it soothed some of the anger and frustration Tristan felt. “Hold still, or I’ll blast you with water again.”

Barb glared.

Lara extended her hand and shut her eyes. The Yanni’s katana glinted as she turned it, her gaze ever fastened to Barb’s face. Tristan counted himself fortunate for the hundredth time that Emberlynn had assigned Yanni to his Party.

“I can feel it. It’s not a normal tattoo. Dark magic emanates from the mark,” Lara said.

“Thank you, Lara,” Tristan said.

Lara nodded, then promptly stepped back to stand beside her sister.

“You aren’t trying to lead us into another trap, are you?” he asked Barb.

Barb shook her head. “No. Grell was the one meant to take your lives, not me. I can’t possibly fight all four of you. Besides,” she said with a shrug, “I’m more of an informant. Combat is not my specialty. I have no intention of running away.”

She could say all that, but just because she had no others to help her didn’t mean she didn’t have a fallback plan. Any messenger or scout worth their salt would have an escape plan.

“No deal,” Tristan said.

“Tristan!” Destiny said. “I know you’re upset, but look at her,” she said with a wave of her arm. “Does she look like she can fight back?”

Numerous situations Destiny may not have accounted for slipped into his thoughts. Barb could hold one of them hostage, sneak away with any number of tools or Skills, slip into an alleyway where more of her friends were waiting, or worse.

“She could lead us anywhere, and we’d be at her mercy,” Tristan said. “That’s not a risk I’m willing to take.”

Barb sighed. “If that’s the case, then you may as well kill me right now. Even without the brand, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that these city walls are always listening. I can’t risk ruining everything we’ve built just to satisfy your curiosity.”

Tristan observed Barb for a time. He could feel no malice, see no wickedness in her expression. For a moment, he wondered if following her might actually help him resolve the issues of the island.

But putting his Party at risk was out of the question. Barb had already attempted to take their lives once, and there was no guarantee she wouldn’t try again. For all he knew, that brand could act as a bomb, an SOS signal, a teleportation Spell, or worse.

Cailu had emphasized before that making the tough decisions was what separated the survivors from the dead. Making a difficult decision didn’t often win you allies or respect, but in the long term, it would ensure their safety and prolonged livelihoods. The needs of the many always outweighed the needs of the few, and if he had to cut down Barb to see it happen…

“You’re right,” Tristan said. His words tasted cold on his tongue. Words he had never imagined himself saying. “We should kill you.”

“Tristan, no!” Destiny exclaimed. “Please stop! This isn’t like you! Let’s just follow her and see what she has to show us!”

“And if she leads us into another trap? What then?” He tried to maintain a softer tone with Destiny, but it was proving more and more difficult with each second that passed. Then quietly, he said, “I don’t want to lose you.”

“I have no intention of running away or harming anyone,” Barb said, shaking her head.

“Why sell out your order? If you were willing to take a brand of silence, then why lead us there?” Tristan said.

“Because it’ll take more than a handful of Second Classes to destroy what we’ve built.” Barb chuckled. “And if you’re a man of your word, you could be of great use to us.”

The memory of [Mark for Death] in the caves of Shi Island still haunted Tristan’s nightmares. The pain was unlike anything he’d ever felt before. Cannoli’s screams were a bloodcurdling soundtrack to a gruesome vision. And he’d be bringing his whole Party to an undisclosed location alongside a woman working with a [Necromancer].

But Barb was the first person on the island who had offered to show him anything at all.

“When we arrive, you have ten minutes to convince me,” Tristan said. “Then you guarantee on your life that we walk away safely.”

Barb grinned. “Consider it done.”