Indu's home lay in the center of the town. Two giant streets partitioned the town into four areas, with a smaller circle seating twenty or so houses in the center. Smaller, rougher streets branched out from the main streets. Shops – weapons, clothing, food, and many more – lined the main streets. During the day, taverns beckoned men, and merchants attracted the women while carriages sauntered along the paved stone path.
But in the dead of night, the streets remained ghostly quiet. Indu could only hear the chirping of crickets, the hooting of owls, and the soft crunch of boots against rocks. Soft moonlight illuminated the path along with the occasional kerosene streetlamp.
She darted between the buildings, shielded from the light of the purple moon. Only bandits and those of suspicion traveled this late. Her outfit fit right in with those who garnered suspicion, and because she was the daughter of the town lord, her being seen could lead to an unnecessary headache.
"At least I can rest assured knowing salacious rumors won't circulate. Who would want a scarred woman?" Indu chuckled self-deprecatingly.
When she reached the town walls, she carefully ran her hands along its concrete-reinforced, cobblestoned surface. But instead of smooth stones, these ones were sharp and jagged – great at stopping wall climbers.
"But it can't stop me."
Lightly touching the ground as she carefully gripped the wall, Indu prodded a specific section obscured by the moonlight. Pebbles dotted the area, and she carefully pushed them away in search of something.
"There it is."
A rock shaped like a tri-tip steak contacted her toe. Confirming that it was indeed what she had been looking for, Indu picked up and neighboring pebble and struck the rock with minuscule force.
*Tink*
The sharp sound emanated by the rock acted as a signal. Even if a passerby heard it, they would only attribute it to a rat walking atop scattered metal.
A few minutes later, a shadow appeared at the top of the wall. It shuffled and fumbled with something in its hands before it cursed, and then a ladder dropped down. Indu climbed the rope ladder without a word. When she reached the top, a slender hand pulled her up.
"Maxi!" Indu hugged the person before her.
"Indu!" Maxi reciprocated the hug. Her cold chest plate crushed against Indu while the bow in her hand pressed against Indu's back. Strands of striking green hair poked out of her helmet.
"Thanks for helping me with this."
"Must you do this?" Maxi sighed with downcast eyes. "You never know what can happen."
"I'm sorry, Maxi, but my curiosity will devour me alive if I don't investigate this now. If there really is a mountain monster, it's best for the town to know."
"That's something the scouts can do! And even then, you're basing the existence of this monster off mercenary and merchant rumors! They're notorious for exaggerating tales for cheap clout."
"If it was one or two, I would've written it off as mercenary talk, but nearly every mercenary I've talked to these past few weeks all said the same thing – at the point where the two trees touch, ominous screams and guttural howls plague the mountain. They said the screams were so horrifying that even the most experienced of them nearly pissed themselves in fear." Indu narrated with an animated expression seldom concealed by the night sky.
"If even they're pissing themselves in fear, why are you going?!" Maxi grabbed Indu's shoulders.
"I'm curious!"
YOU ARE READING
Moon Glaive
RomanceRumor had it that a monster roamed the Virgamau Mountain Range. From mercenaries to merchants, all spoke of the anguished scream that plagued the night. But no matter where anyone searched, it couldn't be found. That was until Indu Ambrose set off...
