The Slayer

Chapter 15 - the following one

Chapter Fifteen

The Following One

Sumaey and Waltz sat at the bar for a short time together, drinking the strange pink drink. Eventually they left, both thanking the barman who smiled kindly at them.

The pair decided to wander the town, to see what they could find.

'This is a wonderful place' Sumaey sighed contentedly as she leant forwards against the rails at the edge of the town, looking out at the glassy sea over which the town was built on. 'I've never seen waters so calm' she said.

'Yeah' Waltz smirked beside her. 'It's pretty nice isn't it?'

'Have you been here before?' she asked him.

'No' he answered. 'Have you?'

'No' she shook her head.

A moments silence passed between them.

'I wonder what creatures live in these waters' Sumaey said aloud. 'Whatever they are...I bet they are beautiful.'

Waltz smiled.

'Come on' he said moving away, 'there's a bathhouse we passed by earlier. I want to go there.'

In only a short while later, Waltz and Sumaey were lounging back in a large bath set in the ground, the spar they had come to was a warm and welcoming place, the people were friendly, and the air was fresh.

Sumaey breathed a heavy sigh, leaning back with her arms resting on the edge of the bath.

A satisfying distance away on the other side, sitting as far away as possible from her, was Waltz. They shared the same bath now, the water itself was heavy with fluffy pink bubbles, and nothing below the surface could be seen, and each enjoyed their privacy.

'This is wonderful' Sumaey said, feeling the warm and soothing touch of the bubbly water that surrounded her. 'Remind me to indulge myself like this more often' she sighed, sliding deeper into the back and closing her eyes contentedly.

'Sure thing' Waltz waved to her from the other side of the bath. He lifted his hands before his face, staring at them. 'My fingers are shrivelled' he said, lowering his arms back into the water again. Waltz glanced to the side then, tensing slightly. 'What's that?' he said.

'Hm?' Sumaey replied, without turning or even opening her eyes.

'There's someone out there.'

Sumaey opened her eyes, lifting her head towards Waltz and seeing him staring over her shoulder.

She turned, spying a humanoid shadow that fell across the sliding panel doors.

They both watched it for a moment, but it did not move.

Sumaey looked back at Waltz then.

'Turn around' she said to him, 'and close your eyes.'

Waltz complied, staring the opposite direction with his chin resting on his folded arms. He shut his eyes tight, listening as Sumaey moved in the water behind him.

She rose to her feet, climbing out of the bath and grabbing a nearby towel. Wrapping it around herself, she made her way to the door, sliding it open to see what was outside.

The bathhouse was at the very edge of the town, the view from the room they bathed in was that of the ocean, only a step below them.

Sumaey froze at the sight of the figure she saw there. The moon was behind, casting his silhouette forwards upon their door. She saw a familiar figure, with blue skin, horns, shaggy hair and gold rings around his body. It was the same figure she had seen not long before, the one she had saved from the men that threatened to harm him.