act39side

You have piqued my curiosity, señor. What relation have you with the wanted criminal Aulus? Or rather, where was it you came into contact with him?

I have so many questions for you, Ægir.

How is it you can recognize a sinful product of alchemy with but a single glance? How is it you know of a long-erased school of alchemy?

...It's none of your business, Alguacil.

Oh, but it very much is. You see, most of that discipline's students have died by my blade.

Isidro considers saying something, but the Alguacil's rapier is already pressing against his throat.

...So you are unwilling to submit to the law.

The Alguacil pulls back his sword as he shifts his center of gravity forward. The blade in his hand spins once before coming down in a brutal chop.

Isidro's intuition as a swordsman tells him that this man is a lunatic. Not even the most unorthodox of fighters would wield a rapier in such a crude manner.

The cold gleam of the blade's edge flashes past his eyes. With an instinctual flick of his wrist, he blocks the savage blow.

A rapier is not made for slicing. Isidro laughs inwardly. Brandishing it like that will only cause it to snap.

But then comes a brittle screech of shattering metal, and he sees it is his own sword that has snapped in two.

Half his fractured sword is stuck point-down into the salty soil. Blood drips down his cheek.

Lay down your arms.

Run!

The Alguacil casually brushes aside the rock the girl threw at him. The second he does so, Isidro runs off to gain some distance.

As he runs, he senses familiar vibrations coursing through the layer of salt underfoot. The pain in his jumbled organs crawls up his nerves once more.

The Alguacil's footsteps approach him as the chase continues. Isidro's mind races. He grits his teeth, and without looking back, he sets his sights on a giant skeleton in the distance poking out of the salt.

Hah, none may leave before I have the truth of the matter.

Do you always talk this much?

(Just... a little... faster...)

Hah...

As he runs from the man hounding him, Isidro holds his broken sword high, doing his utmost to fend off the Alguacil's attacks.

He looks behind his pursuer and sees the layer of salt subside, a familiar furrow appearing on the ground once more.

The Alguacil stops. He too has sensed the vibrations.

An earthquake?!

Looks like this is your first time here too.

Before the words have finished leaving his mouth, the colossal finbeast breaches the ground in front of him, sending its prey flying.

As he flies through the air, the man's limbs splay out like a ragdoll. After a moment of soaring, his graceful arc through the sky comes to an end as he meets the ground.

A puff of salty dirt wafts through the air as the sound of his landing echoes through the dry air.

He has not fallen on the most comfortable spot in the Salt Flat. A sharp bone spur has pierced his body. His blood trickles down the skeleton, staining the pale salt below red.

Phew...

Is... Is he dead?

If he isn't, we're in a whole lot of trouble. If he <i>is</i>, we're in a whole lot of trouble <i>later</i>.

Err... What do you mean, señor?

Did you put this thing in my pocket?

It just fell in as I was pulling you out of that salt pile, honest!

Ahaha... Er, do you believe me?

My pockets have zippers.

Ah, then allow me to beg forgiveness for my transgressions, señor. Still, we're both alive, right?

Why didn't you run when that alguacil was attacking me?

Would you believe me if I said I found a conscience?

Look, if you died too fast, I wouldn't be able to get very far anyway... Not to mention you still had the compass. The buyer paid a loooot of money for it.

If I did try to book it, all that hard work would've been for nothing.

Where are you headed?

Huh?

You might have been the source of my problems, but you also helped me out, so I'll return the favor.

I'll get you where you need to go, and then we're even.

Huh? 'Then we're even'... You haven't even considered going on an adventure with me?

Or we could part ways here. What you stole from me should be enough to keep you going for a while.

I... I'm heading to the town of Aarón, up on that hill over there, but it's a good two days walk from here...

Two days? Half a day should be plenty.

Huh? Really?

The girl senses the underground vibrations closing in on them once more. A towering dorsal fin breaks through the salt and sand, rapidly approaching them.

She gawks at him incredulously, but he looks back with steely certainty.

Mind if I borrow your rope? My sandboard's broken.

Stop hitting it so much, you'll crack the wood.

I wanted to make it sturdier.

...It's sturdy enough already. You were the one who fixed it up in the first place. Unsatisfied with your own work?

Señor Silver said this is how I should do my work, if I want to repent.

What's the sin this time?

The widow looks like she's about to give birth, but she won't let me look after her.

*sigh* She must still be haunted by my past sins that caused my wife's death. This is divine retribution.

I think she just doesn't want to remarry.

What are you talking about? It's been two years since this town has seen its last birth. I have to help take care of the child, no? I would never have such ulterior motives...

That's a good point. Most of the people young enough to have kids have already gone. All that's left here are us old timers.

Wait here and—

W—Wait! Over there! Santo cielo, the sky's full of salt!

Saltfins? Or is it a saltstorm?

Doesn't matter, just run! Aaaaaaaahhhhhhhhh!!!

The cloud of salt and dust swallows up the fleeing townsfolk as they scream in fear.

Soon after, a colossal saltfin parts the cloud, revealing two people riding on its back, one in front of the other. The young man in front pats the saltfin as he extracts a broken sword from its body.

The saltfin digs into the salt crust with its pectoral fins, giving the man a resentful glare before it departs.

He pays no mind to it, instead meeting the townsfolk's fearful gazes as he approaches them.

Sorry to trouble you, señores, but is this the town of Aarón?

Who are you? What do you want?

Isidro. I'm here to find something. Here, my travel pass.

Travel pass...?

(Quietly) Didn't Señor Silver say that nowadays there's a lot of Ægir coming ashore to help us rebuild?

(Quietly) Does he look like he's here to help?

(Quietly) All these outlanders bring with them is disaster!

If I'm to die today, then let me die blocking your way!

Huh? What are you talking about, señor?

H—Hey, let's all calm down now. This is a misunderstanding.

See here? This is my alguacil's badge. The higher-ups sent me and my understudy here to meet the local calificador.

Look, it's real. It looks just like Señor Silver's.

You... He's... <i>He's</i> the student?

He... He had a growth spurt.

Can... Can Ægir even join the Inquisition?

...It's all part of the plans for restoration.

*Sigh*...

I simply cannot keep up with these changing times.

Uh... Thanks. Did you swipe that badge off that guy earlier?

I...

Just asking, not judging. You don't look so good.

I can't... hold it... any longer...

Blurghhh—!

Oh...

I'm just... a bit—

Bleaghhh—!