Fate and Choices

Eleven - Returning Fears

★★★

Much to our dismay, the villagers know nothing about the whereabouts of the Palladium. So, we kept going towards the south. Somewhere along the way, my nose started to smell something. Something sharp and unpleasant.

This is... I thought.

"Sulphur..." I said.

"Huh?" Gabe asked.

"I think we're nearing a volcanic ground..." I said, "this horrid smell... it's volcanic ashes..."

"Ohh... volcanic ashes, huh?" he said.

The smell of volcanic ashes became stronger and stronger as we went on. Soon, we found ourselves in a lush village with brown and grey soil. Vegetations grew everywhere, filling every spot.

The two of us walked into the village. Everything was quiet except for some caged dogs yapping at us, naturally, as it was nearing midnight. Then Gabe stopped and looked up. I followed his gaze and noticed a big volcano standing tall in the distance.

"A volcano..." he muttered.

"This looks a bit dangerous," I said, "we could even smell the sulphur from a few miles away... it might be in the verge of erupting,"

"Wh-what? Erupting?" he asked.

"No, no, miss..." said someone from behind.

When we turned around, a bald man with long beard was standing behind us. He was smiling as he gazed at us, narrowing his already small eyes into thin lines.

"This volcano has been dormant for decades," he said, "but once in a while, it gives us some volcanic ash and only ashes,"

"Ohh..." I said and looked at the volcano again.

"What are the two of you doing in the middle of the night?" he asked.

"We just got here, sir," said Gabe, "we're travelers - we were in Cauldron Village this afternoon and suddenly it's already dark"

"Ohh, travelers," the man said and nodded, "why don't you come rest at my house, then?"

I looked at him, then at Gabe. Gabe looked at me, then to the older man. He squinted his clear, indigo eyes slightly, as if scrutinising the man in front of him. I suppose he was wary. If I'm not mistaken, that was how Matt and Satoshi caught him back in Arcane Town and naturally it made Gabe a little wary.

I turned to the man, and he flinched from my stare in an instant.

Am I really that scary? I thought.

"Well, if you think I'm a suspicious guy, then I'll just leave the two of you be," he said, sighing, "I'm just a humble theatre star..."

He turned away. I just noticed that he was carrying a big transparent bag with a bunch of colourful clothes stuffed inside. I turned to the right and saw a few people coming out of a building with the emblem of a film roll.

Oh, the theatre is the only place that still open at this late... I thought, maybe he really is a theatre star... what's a theatre doing in the midst of a village like this, though?

"Well, maybe we can set our tent here," said Gabe.

"Okay," I said, "let me help you,"

Just then, I heard an alluring melody somewhere near. I looked up and saw a woman figure with bird wings with claws.

A harpy? I thought, what a beautiful voice-

"Aaaah!" Gabe exclaimed, his scream breaking through the air. Right in that instant, I snapped out of it.