Eodem: A Rifle and Sword Adventure (Complete)

Chapter 39: Branching Out

"Miss Cadohagan, a pleasure to have you here again." Colonel Polonsky welcomed the Vampire Witch to his office.

It was a modest room with spaciousness and tranquility in mind for the Colonial Defense Forces' Commander.

"A pleasure for summoning me." Iris smiled. "You brought me here for some new issue that requires my attention?" the Vampire Witch wasted no time getting to business.

"Of course, let us focus on the present, shall we? Lieutenant Samantha Rose. Has her training reached satisfactory achievement?" the Colonel asked.

"Indeed, Ladui Rose has proven to be a prodigious student, able to diligently practice her techniques with discipline and this is coming from someone like myself," Iris answered.

"Unsurprising for a Westpoint Graduate. They have taught her well." The Colonel remarked. "You are no teacher though." Polonsky cross-referenced Iris. A slight chide from his tone reverberated on his frugal chamber.

"I mean as a Sochairfuil." Iris corrected. "

"So—" Polonsky furloughed his eyebrow.

"That is what we are called, at least by the Inquisitors. Our Vampirism and our extraordinary gift of Magic and all. It means 'They whose blood has been Gifted.'." Iris explained.

"Oh, I get it. So that's what you are called." Polonsky nodded.

He remembers the details of King Martainne, Iris' Lich of Grandfather's efforts on attaining power for himself and his next of kindred. Artificially bestowing the power to be able to cast Magic. A fitting but marred name due to its malicious origins.

"That does remind me. When is the happening with Ladui Rose's special garments coming together?" she asked.

"Right now, I have some men obtaining the materials for Samantha's Hecate Suit as we speak by the Ostalrocs." He answered.

"Hecate? What does Hecate mean?" Iris asked.

"From our myths actually." Polonsky chuckled. "You know, you are about to say again, 'but you are like Gods! You Gods can have myths?'."

"I would have said that." Iris chuckled back.

"Hey, everyone is getting used to it now to you Iris. Me included." He clicked. "But anyways, about Hecate. She is the Ancient Goddess of our world or at least from a place called Greece whose domain would fall into magic, witchcraft, nighttime, moons, ghost, and necromancy. I mean, we barely have a box for appropriate names to label everything you know and 'Hecate' has a... kick to it." The Colonel explained.

"How come I wasn't called 'Hecate'? This mythological goddess of yours would be a more appropriate name for me than 'sack-a-jee-way-a'." she humored.

"Well Hecate didn't translate an entire language to some people who didn't have a clue or context to the language. Your name 'Sacagawea' was more than a match for your uses for us." He heartily answered.

"Who is this Sacka-a-jee-way-a woman you speak of so much about me?" the Witch inquired.

"A lady who in our history guided a group of adventurers through a foreign land which that she was a native of. You are like her because you are doing exactly the same thing she was with those adventurers." Polonsky laconically explained.

"That is a most intriguing tale." Iris gave her remarks "But was Sack-a-jee-way-a a witch like me?" she asked.

"Touché." the Colonel wiggled his finger blithely.

"Two of what?" Iris asked.

"It's a word when we say that someone gave me a good argument over something. Basically, you have a point Iris but we can't change it no more. Just stick to being called 'Sacagewea' for now okay my dear?" Polonsky asked.