Tears of the Sun Goddess: Chapter 02 (Patreon)

Continued from Chapter 01The Tears of the Sun Goddess. An elusive flower of ancient legend. Its namesake comes from the tragedy of Belaveave, the Sun Goddess of Arcadian lore. 

This flower has been said to have many different properties, the most famous being the ability to heal any and all wounds, even raise the dead. It has long thought to be mere fiction. It may soon be fact.

The ride to Kolboldan City went without issue. Having to hold on to Yoko as he sat behind her, Wolfgang was tempted to put his hands in more scandalous places, but he much preferred not having to walk. After a few hours, they come to Wolfgang's loft, nestled deep downtown. 

Inside, it's like a small museum. A wealth of treasures and curiosities line the walls. Rusted weaponry of warriors long gone, well worn jewelry and ancient tapestries as far as the eye can see. "Make yourself at home," says Wolfgang, as he looks into a wooden chest.Yoko is amazed at the sight of it all. "All these magnificent relics... They should be in museums!"

"Sometimes they are," Wolfgang says as he slowly pulls out an old map and a cross-shaped tool, with what appears to be a knob in the center, "In the meantime, they stay here." 

Unraveling the map, he places it on an odd table and places the tool upon it, the grooves on the edge of the table locking it in place.

"The coordinates are in Meier's code. It's an antiquated system, but we should be able to find the plant's location within 8 square miles."

Wolfgang slowly moves the center of the tool downwards, quietly counting to himself.  Popping the knob on the tool down, he then moves the center along the right. He reaches for a magnifying glass for one long glance. "It's in Bushnel," he says, "in the jungles of Yar."

"Bushnel?" Yoko says, "Strange that a flower of Arcadian legend would be on the other side of the world."

"Not that strange at all, actually," returns Wolfgang, "The Arcadians have ties to all cultures across this side of the world." He walks over to a massive bookshelf, pulling from it a thick, leather-bound copy of the Codex Arcadia. "We're going to have to do some research if we hope to find the plant."

The Codex Arcadia, one of the world's oldest tomes, details the lore and history of the Kingdom of Arcadia. The text inside tells of very outlandish and magical subject matter. Thus, much of it's content has been a matter of debate among scholars and historians for centuries.

Seating himself at a desk, Wolfgang thumbs through the book as Yoko sits atop a nearby chaise sofa.

"When the Unknown Champion fell into the pit of darkness, so too did the Sun Goddess after him. As she searched for the fallen hero, and her tears brought a trail of light to the black."

"A trail of light?" pondered Yoko.

"Awfully loaded, isn't it?" said Wolfgang, continuing to read.

"Her cries echoed throughout the darkness as her visage came upon the fallen one. When her tears fell upon his face, he lifted his hand to wipe them away."Wolfgang leans back to think, "Has to be a cave of some sort. As for where the cave is, I'm not sure."

He looks over to Yoko, who is at the bookshelf, looking to do research of her own. The shelf is expansive, but cluttered, with many books and scrolls jutting out. Wolfgang clearly never intended for anyone else to do research here. He slides the ladder gently towards her. "The book you want is at the top. 'Atlas of the Southeast.'"

Muttering a small "thank you," Yoko makes her way up the ladder. Wolfgang can't help but ogle at her, if only for a moment. She has a very athletic build, with muscles that are slim but finely toned. "You've shown off quite the skill today," he said, "What sort of training have you had? You're clearly no amateur."

"I was trained by a martial arts master named Sheng Long," she replied, getting down from the ladder.

"Sheng Long? The Golden Fist champion?"

"That's right." Yoko places the book down on the desk and opens it, flipping to a map of Bushnel.

Bushnel is a lightly-developed nation, the majority of its mass dedicated to the thick, sprawling Yar jungle. Would take decades to search all of it.

"Look there," said Wolfgang. He points to a spot on the map, right above the cape that pierces into the jungle. From the cape, a small river breaks away. "The coordinates pointed here."

"Perhaps that river leads to a sinkhole?" Yoko inquires.Wolfgang leans back in pondering. "It's certainly worth a look. We should prepare for a longer journey, just to be safe." Looking above him at the skylight, he sees that night has overtaken day. "I suppose we should turn in."

Yoko stretches as she stands up. "Fine by me. Where is the nearest hotel? I can-""Don't waste your money, my friend. You're more than welcome to sleep here tonight," Wolfgang says as he opens his bedroom door."If you think I'm going to share a bed with you..."

"Yoko, please. Don't let my past actions sully your opinion of me. I have nothing but respect for you." Wolfgang lights the room, revealing a neatly made king-size bed. "I'll be just as content on the sofa."

Yoko looks around the bedroom as Wolfgang makes his way out. "Sleep well." He says, gently shutting the door behind him.Now alone, Yoko feels a bit overwhelmed by the days events. She woke up this morning believing she'd only be studying. Now she is in a completely different country, preparing for a trek into dangerous jungle with a man she had only just met. He's certainly got a charm, but could Yoko trust him? Cracking the door open, she takes a quick peek outside to weigh him up.

In a darkened corner of the main room, Wolfgang prepares for bed by undressing. His body is not like anything Yoko's ever seen before. Hair covers his green chest and shoulders, but not completely like that of a Beastman. Dropping his pants, she sees that his legs are also covered in thick, black fur, stopping at the tips of his thighs. She can't help but feel wrong staring him down like this, but she can't help herself. It's then she notices he isn't wearing any underwear.

A small creaking sounds alerts Wolfgang, as he turns around to see the source of the sound. He sees the bedroom door, slightly open but with no one behind it. Seeing this, he chuckles to himself, and turns off the light.

Continued in Chapter 03