“So,” Mars asked, as she and RK, with Eris, followed a distance behind Deygo, “just what the heck happened back there?”
Eris didn’t immediately answer, trying to think of a nice way of putting things. “Deygo got a… little carried away,” she finally said.
“Gee, ya think?” RK replied sarcastically. “We kinda figured that one. Now, how about telling us what really happened.”
“You both truly wish to know?”
“We wouldn’t be asking if we didn’t,” Mars said.
Eris sighed, staring at the ground in front of her as she walked, debating how much she should tell the two women. Finally she nodded, and looked up. “Very well, I will tell you. But I must go back a ways for everything to make sense.”
“That’s fine,” RK told her. “Stories are interesting.”
“Yes, I suppose some are. But for the sake of time, I shall sum up what has transpired since Libitina first struck. It was many years ago, here, in Oraton, when Libitina was at its most severe, mere weeks after its release. I had just recently escaped from Origin. I came to the realization I was immortal, though I had neither an idea why nor how it had come about. My transformation, and the transformations of everyone else, were later discovered to be a reaction to the chemical. Regardless of this newfound immortality, I was still frightfully weak and incapable of caring for myself after having been weeks without food. It was as I was lying on the ground, outside the window you yourself have just been through, that Deygo found me. He was stronger at the time than I was – he was still suffering the effects of Libitina, mind you, he just hadn’t been food deprived – so he took it upon himself to care for me. He had troubles of his own, but I think restoring my health gave him a good distraction from the thoughts that were plaguing him. For his attention I am very grateful.
“We grew closer and our relationship developed into something… more than friendship. Once I was healthy enough, we traveled together, getting whatever kind of jobs we could. Soon, the two of us developed quite a reputation for being reliable and skilled hires – mercenaries, if you will – and we began contracting with people for more long-term employment as long as the price was right. We knew naught of Veymos evil when we first took a job from him. He paid very well, so we ended up staying on with the despicable man for quite awhile. Gradually, I began to realize his malevolence and I started to harbor distrust for him, discovering hidden motives and half-truths in the information he gave us. I tried to convince Deygo that Veymos was of a malicious nature, but he argued that the pay was good enough to compensate for any wrongs we may be committing in his service. At length, Veymos gave us an assignment, the nature of which was absolutely inexcusable. I refused, of course, suspecting… no, knowing the intention of the assignment to be cruel. Deygo, being the true-to-his-word man that he is, said that we had contracted with Veymos to stay on for another year, so we must finish whatever tasks he gave us, no matter what they entailed. But I would not be persuaded.
“Though it hurt me indescribably to do so, I disappeared. Completely. No good-byes, no hint that I was even going. I’ve stayed well hidden since then, only being discovered once before by Veymos’ spies, following which I was captured by Deygo. Knowing he was taking me back to Veymos, I managed to escape from him, to return to a life of hiding. But he has caught me again, and this time he’s being smarter about the whole thing. That is why this,” she pointed to the band on her head. “This is a ‘thought-binder’ – ‘thu’oh’f’tu-bee’n’day’reh.’ It keeps me from producing illusions, which is how I managed to get away before. They’ve wizened up since the first time. Too bad.”
“So, Deygo’s come to take you back to Veymos again?” Mars asked for clarification.
“Yes, that is what he’s told me. I haven’t had much of a chance to discuss the matter with him to try to dissuade him from his current course of action. Though he has told me all about you,” she said, looking at the two women. “And especially to watch out for destructive and violent outbursts from you.” Eris looked pointedly at RK.
RK averted her eyes sheepishly while clearing her throat in a self-conscious manner. “Hm, yes, anyway, you two met, he helped you, you became ‘more than friends,’ as you so nicely put it, you worked together, along came bad man and bad job, you ran off, he caught you, you escaped, he caught you again… and why and where does the fight with Jodin fit in all this?”
Eris smiled slightly at RK’s discomfiture and succinctness. “Apparently, Jodin (who also works for Veymos) was sent to kill Deygo, kill or bring back you two, and bring me back as well, at least, that is what he said. Deygo simply… didn’t allow that to happen. He really isn’t a bad man. Right now, he’s probably walking along up there feeling all guilty about what he did to Jodin and the assignment he is currently working on, I can almost guarantee it. If nothing else, you can trust what he tells you. I assure you both of that.”
The three women walked on in silence for a while, Mars and RK having new respect for Eris and Deygo after having learned more of their history, together and otherwise. It explained a lot of what they had witnessed so far, though it still gave them nowhere near a thorough understanding of the situation they were in.
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