Ersia: Raven Dawn

Two weeks have passed since the incident in the tavern. Randia now traveled south, to the neighboring Queendom of Rosmayne. It's a peaceful and relatively quiet place compared to other domains. He decided to stop in a small town on the outskirts of the realm. On the side of the map, the guards and other officials are less likely to be strict with strangers such as himself.

After weeks of walking and running nonstop without sleep, Randia's legs were no longer able to go any further. His toes are covered with rashes and blisters, and his weariness is starting to take its toll, even when his physique is far superior to common men. Thus, he makes his rests in a quiet alley, to take shelter from the blazing sun.

In such a time of emptiness, his mind is flooded with memories of a distant past. Both the good and the bad. The more his heart yearns for the unreachable, the more his torturing solitude drowns him in sorrow.

That was until he noticed a faint hint of magic in the air not far from where he sat.

"Alana? No . . . Yarna."

Attracted to the source of such peculiarity, Randia stood up again. The waves of magic in the wind soon brought him to the city's market. There, he saw a lot of caravans. Yet, he is only interested in one particular merchant who is selling his wares and a short person cloaked in dirty clothes who is seemingly sleeping next to the crates nearby.

Randia waits and watches from afar. He couldn't believe his eyes when he saw a flower vase of ceramic move on its own, and the swirling colours of Yarna that enveloped it.

*Clank!*

"OH NO! No, no, no, no! This one cost a fortune! Oh, God! Why?!" One of the merchants turns hysterical.

"What have you done?! The boss will kill us if she knows about this!"

"It wasn't me! I swear I put it up safely for sale! Trust me!"

"So, you're saying it moves on its own?! Don't bullshit me, you lamebrained halfling!"

While the merchants argued with each other, the short person who was sleeping next to the crates took the chance and slipped away with a handful of bread, cured meat, and some trinkets. They went to the nearest alley to make a run, but then bumped straight into Randia and fell on the ground. Unfortunately, some of the marble trinkets fell and made a loud rattling sound.

The cloak was pulled back and uncovered the face beneath. It's a little girl who did the snitch. Her hair was wavy raven black and she smelled of rotting manure. Randia stares at her carefully and feels nothing but pity toward her. It's as if she's made of only bones and skin, so thin and saddening, just like her shabby clothes.

"Ugh! Why you-?! B-But there was no one!" the little girl confused.

"Hey! It was her! She's stealing the goods! After her!"

Unfortunately for the little girl, the merchants noticed. They ran for her as she got back up and made a run for herself. Randia makes way for the three of them as he decides to step back and observe for a little while longer.

"Agh! Dammit! If only that fat pig was not in the way!" the little girl cursed Randia as she moved her little legs as fast as she could.

"Stop right there, thief!"

"How dare you break the vase! You little bitch! We will fucking skin you for dinner!"

After seven turns in the alleyways, the merchants finally cornered her. Though they are out of breath, they are able to hold the little girl down. They grabbed her so hard they could rip her limbs apart.

"You! *Huft huft* I'll take my time with you!"

"I don't care *Huft huft* even if you are a brat! I have beaten the shit out of anyone no matter how they look! Just so you know!"

The girl is down on her knees and has completely submitted herself to the world of pain that is coming for her. She closed her eyes in trembling fear and hoped that she could at least still be able to walk after they were done beating her up to a pulp.

One of the merchants finally makes a full swing right at the little girl's face. In the nick of time, Randia stood between them and made the swing stop halfway.

"Wha - Who are you?! Let go of my hand!"

"How much?"

"Bastard! Are you also looking for trouble with us?!"

The other merchants grabbed Randia's shirt and tried to pull him closer to his face. An absolutely futile effort given their difference in stature.

"I'll ask again. How much do I have to pay you for the things she took?"

". . . Three. Fucking. Hundred. Rios. Hard coins!"

Randia knows that the numbers are exceedingly far above the market rate. Even the merchant's partner reacted a little when he heard the price. Even so, a deal must be made to prevent the problem from becoming too much of a hassle.

"Two hundred. Take this and walk away before your boss comes checking on you. If you are a real merchant, then you know it's not worth it dragging this out."

After a moment of consideration, the merchant took the bag of coins rudely.

"Heh. Wish there were more idiots out there who love playing knights like you," the merchant scoffed.

After the merchants left, Randia looked to the side and found the little girl whom he just helped was already running away for the second time. Randia calmly followed her. Step after step into many parts of the town.

"I lost them. I lost them all! It's all good now. I'm fine. I'm alive, and that's what matters! There will always be next time!"

Just when she thought she had escaped everyone on her tail, Randia showed up from some random alley like he was expecting her.

"W-Whoa!"

The girl hit the brakes and stumbled backward, refusing to believe what had happened. No one knows the turfs more than her, and she's very confident about it. Today was the first time she got caught, and she was sure it was just a coincidence. It's a coincidence that will never happen again as she vowed to herself during her run.

She quickly got back on her feet and ran again. However, despite all her efforts, the same thing happened over and over and over again. It was at this point that she realized there was something wrong with the man who had been following her.

On the ninth time when she is jumpscared by Randia who suddenly shows up from random alleys, she finally gives up.

"W-What do you want?! Try anything funny and I . . . I-I will call the guards!"

In fear of Randia, the little girl cried a little as she breathed uncontrollably. The man stops walking towards her when he notices that she is feeling intimidated by him.

"Stealing is bad. Using magic with no wisdom nor knowledge is also bad."

"You want these?! Take it then! Take it all! J- Just go and leave me alone! Stay away from me!"

Cornered once more with her back on the wall, the little girl throws everything in her hands on Randia; The bread, the meat, and the trinkets. Then, she sits while burying her face in her knees tightly.

When Randia was busy grabbing the stuff being thrown at him, a jar of dried beans fell upon his head from the roof of a house behind him. The man quickly grabbed it in reflex and observed it for a moment before quick-chanting a repelling incantation to it. By the softest touch of his finger to the jar, the girl is suddenly knocked out of her sitting pose.

"Ku - hah!"

"However, stealing with poorly carried out magic, is even worse."