Return of the Fallen Volume 8 Chapter 16
It didn’t take long for Lamia to come up with a secret that only she and Nunulyy knew. After telling it to Bozek, Bozek memorized it easily.
“After I get in touch with King Brian, he’ll relay the message, and we’ll have not only him but your daughter on our side. Once they know what Garn did, they’ll be more cautious than ever, but at the same time, I’m sure King Brian will figure something out. Whatever he comes up with, I’m sure it will end with Garn’s demise. They’ll know not to cross Garn and to play on his good side until things are settled. I just hope things will be settled sooner rather than later. Who knows with this damn war though.”
Lamia and Tsura both came to the same conclusion. Warn the others so they don’t cross Garn. They didn’t know Bozek all that well, but he was against Garn, and that made him much more favorable right off the bat. In the end, this was all they could do.
Bozek pulled out a small mirror from his ring. Several tiny crystals filled with power were embedded along its edges. Activating the mirror, the reflective face began to flicker as if an image would form, but unfortunately, only a second after activating it, nothing happened. The screen dulled and lit up no more.
Bozek was confused and grew worried. This was the only way he could communicate with King Brian.
“Somethings wrong. My communication device isn’t working. It’s like the signal is being blocked.”
Bozek looked at this weird mirror and found a few cracks in the crystals, which powered it, but there should still be enough power for it to work. Something else was interfering.
Bozek passed it over to Tsura, but taking a single look at it, she hadn’t a clue what she was seeing. Lamia, too, had only ever seen a few of these long-distance communication devices. One’s this small were still in testing when she last saw them, and she wasn’t very familiar with them.
“I’m sorry, but none of us are experts when it comes to this type of Magitech. When I was running my own shop, I mainly dealt with raw resources, not finished products. I don’t even know where to begin with it.”
Lamia was about to hand this weirdly shaped mirror back when little Mei reached over and snatched it up.
Mei immediately shook it hard and knocked on it several times, drawing everyone’s ire and her mother’s scolding.
“Mei Mei, that doesn’t belong to you. Hand it back before I turn your hide raw.”
Mei knew her mother was serious because Tsura rarely threatened to actually spank her. Usually, when it came to punishment, it was right and swift. Her mother wasn’t one to hold back. If she was making threats, it meant Mei really was causing trouble and misbehaving.
Mei gingerly handed the odd mirror back to Bozek, who cupped it as though it were made of eggshells. Mei wondered out loud.
“If there’s no problem with it then maybe it’s this place instead. After all, this place is separate from the rest of the world, right?”
Lamia Tsura and Bozek all shared a look.
“Little girl…I mean big bird, you sure are clever for such a tyke.”
Mei tilted her head a bit.
“What is a tyke? Is it tasty?”
Bozek and the ladies couldn’t help but chuckle after hearing this. Mei didn’t know why everyone was laughing, but she fell into their mood and joined them in a laugh.
“Right, there are a few cracks, but that damage is only in the crystals, which power this mirror. If it’s just that, then I should still be able to send a message, but since I can’t, the big bird makes sense. It must be this tiny world blocking my signal. I’m not exactly sure how this tiny world works, but if it really is separate from the regular world, then that would seem to be the problem. I just need to leave this place, and then I should be able to send King Brian the message. Right, which way is the exit?”
The moment he asked, Lamia and Tsura seemed to deflate.
“Right a way out. How could we be so stupid? There is no way out, at least not without Big Brother.”
Bozek didn’t understand what Lamia meant, or at least he didn’t wish to.
“Big brother, you mean Glacious. What does he have to do with leaving this place?”
The two ladies fell silent, and the mood shifted.
“Tsura, Lamia? There is a way out of this tiny world, isn’t there?”
Lamia shook her head.
“Big brother, he’s the one who can use space magic. Without him…No one can leave.”
Bozek sucked in a cold breath.
“Doesn’t that mean he’s trapped you all here until your deaths? If he doesn’t return for some reason, this place becomes your tomb!”
Lamia denied it.
“He will return! Big Brother is nearly invincible. This isn’t a prison nor a tomb; it’s a paradise. He left us here to spare us from the danger out there. The war—what can I do?—I’m just a human, and Tsura and Mei are hated by Garn even more than he hates you and Nunully. At least with Nunully and you, you are both half-human. Even if he hates you two, he sees the use in you. He knows the two of you would both fight and die for humanity, but he places no trust in this pair of mother and daughter. Even under big brothers protection, Garn might kill them off in some shady way and make it look like an accident. You are proof of that.”
Lamia was going off on a tangent. She was not even connecting her earlier point, and she was starting to ramble. Tsura held her hand and tried to calm her down.
“Lamia, no more. You’re going to send yourself into a spiral. Breathe. There must be another way for Bozek to send a message, we’ll find it, so just breathe.”
“Um, Mama, why don’t we just use some of the Golems. After all, uncle has more than just one or two. Each one can use magic, and they don’t all use the same element. I’ve seen a few that can use space magic.”
Lamia’s eyes widened in shock, and she almost tackled Mei to the ground. Mei though, was a powerful beast so instead, it was like Lamia hit a wall. Lamia crawled up to the unmoving Mei, and even with a stinging face, she asked with all seriousness.
“Mei Mei, is that true!?”
Mei nodded with a wide, radiant smile.
“Mei guarantees it!”
Lamia then asked.
“I don’t understand. I’ve never seen any of these Golems. Since when did such a thing exist?”
Mei tapped her chin and thought.
“Hmm, a long long time. One day, when I was playing out in the forest, I saw one of the Golems gathering food. It was picking lots and lots of fruit from a super super big tree. The weird thing, though, was that it wasn’t carrying a bag, basket, or anything else to take the food back. That’s when I saw the food vanish after it was picked. I didn’t understand and followed it all day. It picked fruit all throughout the forest before going back home. It entered the kitchen, and that’s when I saw it hold its hand over an empty spot, and all the fruit came pouring out. I asked uncle about it later on, and he said it was a secret. He said that if Tilly finds out, she might try and sneak out. Tilly found her own way out, though. Poor Tilly.”
Mei became sad recalling Tilly, but Lamia still found it unbelievable.
“I’ve been here for so long, and I never noticed such a Golem.”
Mei nodded.
“That’s because auntie never goes to the forest and never goes into the kitchen either. You never pick any food, and you never ever cook anything. Auntie likes to play all day or lounge around. There’s no way auntie would know.”
A slight blush rose around Lamia’s cheeks as she felt embarrassed. Mei’s words cut and made it seem like she was a bit on the lazy side.
“It… it’s not my fault I don’t cook. Tsura makes the best food I’ve ever had. It would be a shame if I touched a skillet. I’d simply burn it all, and then we’d all be upset. As for playing and lounging around, what better way for a lady to retain her beauty. To overexert yourself would only leave unnecessary wrinkles. Mei, you’re still young so you don’t understand how important a woman’s skin and figure are. Wait until you’re older, then you’ll see.”
Mei tilted her head again and pointed at a small bit of fat on Lamia’s side.
“Auntie, what about that roll on your side, though? If that were bread, I’d have long eaten it.”
Lamia’s eyes widened. She had been a bit lazy and with Tsura’s incredible cooking, it was only natural to put on a few pounds. Hearing it from Mei though, it was a little depressing.
Tsura could see Lamia was about to crumble. Tsura didn’t understand such things as beauty or fashion, and whatnot, but Lamia was still her friend, and she would protect her even from her own daughter’s words.
Tsura quickly changed the subject.
“Mei, forget about that. This Golem that can use the element of space, do you think it can open a path and let Bozek out from this world?”
Mei slapped her chest.
“Of course! It was made by uncle and his late husband. Tilly said many times how great the designs were. If she was bragging about them, then there’s no doubt.”
Mei then got up and walked out of the room, all matter-of-fact-like. She popped her head back in after no one followed.
“Mama, auntie, old mister, are you guys coming or not? If not, then let’s have another snack.”
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