Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 283- Shifting Shadow

Somewhere in Gekai.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Fafnir quickly moves through the shadows. Following any scent that reeks of poison.

‘Hm?' She finally got a strong scent from the winds.

She moved with the upmost caution and speed, moving through the shadows like a serpent through the grass.

When she made it near their campfire the scent of poison was poignant.

'People? No, elves and humans? An odd mix.'

She listened closely to their conversation around the fireplace.

"We should be close to Orario, Princess." Said an elf in a kimono and a brown jacket with pale green hair.

"Do you think anyone is going to help?" said the princess, who has dark brown hair and heterochromia eyes, with the left eye being blue and the other being gold, along with a mixture of horns on her head.

"I am sure, Lady Talvi." said a man with a dark cloth covering his eyes.

"Yes!! They will help!!" said the surrounding knights.

"Thank you, Lidari, and you, Uskari, can you get me something warmer? It’s getting chilly."

"Right away."

'It seems like a royal procession. But why do they reek of poison? Maybe I can get some answers if I meet them up close.’

Fafnir got out of the shadows and formed back into her human form with a black monk-like attire, made from her hair. She took out the heavily tinted glasses and put them on.

She emerged from the shadows and approached them.

"Excuse me," she said to them.

"!!"

The knights all got up and drew their swords.

"My apologies, but I am a simple ascetic. I was hoping you could give me a bit of food?"

'Hm? Is it because I am a stranger that they are on guard, or... No. The elf known as Uskari and the human named Lidari is unexpectedly strong. Level 3? Maybe 4 at the most. Whatever they're on guard against must be... I need to be sure.'

Fafnir's eyes and intuition were sharp, most in part because of the Spirits that made her up, giving her a more refined look at strong individuals.

"What’s an ascetic?" said the knights in unison.

"It means she forgoes any luxury in self-discipline." Said Lidari. "Lady Talvi, is it alright?"

"Of course! Tell me, where are you from?" Talvi said, patting the seat next to her.

Fafnir sat down near Talvi, seeing no problem with it.

'She has good faith in her guards to have a stranger sit next to you,' Fafnir thought, assessing that she could have easily taken the information by force if she wanted.

"Wouldn’t you like to know our name first?" asked Uskari.

"Oh, that’s right! Can I ask for your name? My name is Talvi!" She answered.

"That is fine." She nodded with a smile. "My name is Fafnir."

One knight hands her a bowl of soup.

"So, Fafnir, where are you from?"

"I am from the Kaios Desert." She took the bowl and took a spoonful to assure she has trust in them. "I left when I was rather young, and I have been traveling since. And you all? What brings you all out here?"

"We are from Beltane! We are heading to Orario for help in dealing with something!"

"Help? From what I see, you have some rather impressive guards with you. What could make you leave your home to travel to Orario?"

"A Spirit," said Uskari. "She calls herself the quote 'Queen of Poison'. She has the magic, but not the appearance of one."

"Interesting." Fafnir accomplished and finished what she set out to do. "But a Spirit? I could hardly believe it. All the Spirits I met on my travels were not so... malicious."

"It was hard to believe but our goddess, Bheara, told us," said Lidari. "Immediately after, she told us to go and get help."

"She must be fearsome to warrant that."

"Very... So can I ask where did you get the glasses? They appear to be quite expensive," Uskari observed. "Aren’t you supposed to not have anything of luxury?"

Her sunglasses are part of her body, specifically her hair, and of course, she would make them look good.

"You are right, but this was a gift from a dear friend of mine, and I would lie if it didn’t help me on my journey."

"Does it have to do with your eyes?" replied Talvi.

"Yes, they are something special, so I hide them to not have trouble following me, but my appearance is still memorable enough for people to track me. I had a man chase after me, and I would not like that again."

They could see that. She was, in their eyes, a cool beauty. Yet Uskari felt she was suspicious. For one, an ascetic would at least carry a bag of some kind for food or water.

"Could we see? I promise we won’t do anything!" Talvi looked at her guards with a stern look. "Got it! That’s an order!"

"Yes! Princess!!" said the knights together.

"Of course," said Uskari.

"Hm," Lidari said, nodding.

"Then—!!" As Fafnir was about to remove her sunglasses, she felt another nearby. One who gave off a similar feeling as Cirrus.

Suddenly, a flash of darkness filled the night sky, and someone dropped.

Baam!!!

Everyone quickly drew their swords and guarded Talvi, while Fafnir kept her eyes on the figure. Her eyes rotated to see that it was an elf.

"Fuuu." The elf began to dust off her clothes. "I have grown rusty."

The dust cleared to reveal a beautiful dark elf.

"Identify yourself!" shouted Uskari.

"Oh, another elf, my name is Malion Dökk Nida. I am on my way to Orario, so sheath your weapons unless you wish to test my art." Her voice was cool, yet very smooth and sweet.

She was strong. Everyone in the camp could easily tell. Even Talvi, with her inexperience, knew she was someone you would rather avoid fighting.

Uskari sheathed his sword, and the rest followed.

"Sorry, we didn’t expect two people to have joined us."

Malion looked at Fafnir, and her eyes were sharp on her.

'Does she suspect me?' Fafnir's mind raced. 'What could I have to—'

Before Fafnir could figure it out, Malion spoke first.

"… What are you?" She said this while quickly drawing her bow and notching it.

Everyone stared at Fafnir as she sat motionless.

'Who is this woman!? This dark elf!? To just accuse me so accurately!?'

Fafnir wished in her core to shout out objection at the top of her lungs.

"I am but a simple ascetic." She kept a gentle smile and body language. "I was passing by the same as you."

"... No." Malion's eyes study Fafnir intensely. "I feel you are not what you say. Your presence calls up a terrible memory for me. My body is screaming at me to shoot. The only reason I'm not is that you look human enough, which is very curious."

"Then what, pray tell, could that memory be that you assume a defenseless woman would warrant this threat at her life?"

"I was the Hera Familia's vice-captain. I have seen and lived through the horrors of the Black Dragon."

'Ah.' Fafnir figured out how she suspected her. It was her trauma that alerted her.

Fafnir went through different scenarios, but she was sure it was just better to leave. After all, her job was technically complete.

'Damn. If it weren't for these people,' She looked at Talvi and her guards. 'I would have seen how I fair in a fight, but... Hm. I'll just ask Hecton for a spar.'

She would end it. There was nothing else to gain by continuing the conversation.

"What refined instincts, but I think it would have been better if you had just kept it to yourself." Fafnir removed her glasses and opened her eyes.

"!!!"

Her eyes sent shivers up their spines. It was too beautiful to be a monster, yet too disturbing to be human. Even if it was unintentional, they felt hostility from her eyes alone, forgoing their previous conversation.

"What are you?" Malion aimed her arrow at Fafnir.

"I am none of your concern. I am simply here because these kinds of people smell of strong poison." Fafnir stands up.

"So you came to us because we smelled like poison!?" shouted Talvi.

"Yes, I came in search of Wu, but it seems that information came to me by chance."

"Then you know of the Poison Queen Wu!"

"Very." Her eyes rotate and move around. "She and I share a history. But that aside... Hah~" She let out a sigh. "My job was to find Wu, so... Yes. My job ends here." She smirks before putting her sunglasses back on and turning around.

"Where do you think you're going?" Malion shouted. "You have not answered my question!"

"It is not important. I do not care what your business is, but knowing you are Hera's Familia's vice-captain means you are level 8, correct?"

'Master would like to speak with her. I rather not make them waste time.'

Malion squinted as she peered into the darkness of the forest. She was laying out her path to escape, picking and choosing the best path for several different possibilities.

"It seems you know are well informed for a traveler. But you haven't answered my question. What are you?" Malion pulls her arrow a bit more.

"Hmm... No. I think I will simply return to my master in Orario. As far as I am concerned, these will do my job for me." She glanced at Talvi. "Farewell. I enjoyed the soup."

Fafnir took a step, and Malion fired an arrow past her head.

Thunk!!

Thunk!!

Thunk!!

The arrow went through several trees, leaving a straight line of holes.

"I am not asking again. If you find this too aggressive, I apologize." Malion said while readying another arrow.

"How enlightening. You certainly are skilled with the bow, albeit rusty. The holes do not remain straight. Whatever. I no longer have any business here." She took another step.

"Wait! What are—!"

The second her foot stepped into the shadows she immediately left, melting into the darkness and leaving immediately.

Malion was shocked as Fafnir simply blended into the darkness. Any aura or presence was gone.

"Tsk! (Voyager of the Twilight.) [Rǫkkvi]!!"

Darkness covers Malion as she flashes in darkness before disappearing in the air.

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Whoosh!

Malion soon returns to the ground having lost Fafnir. Her clothes and body that were blanketed in darkness dissipated.

"Gone… She’s fast, far too inhumanly fast… No matter, I will find her master, and with Nephele’s son, it should be no problem."

Returning to Orario as quickly as they can, Fafnir takes a breath.

"Huff! Huff! She was dangerous. She had master’s bloodlust and Lady Ai’s focus… times like these, I must praise master for this shadow-like body." Her body turns as dark as shadows, and she regains her dragon form. "Now I must hurry back to master." She opened her wings and quickly flew away. "Ahh... I do wish I could fight her." She was a bit peeved Malion so easily and quickly exposed her.