In A Different Timeline, Far Away From Reality Part 12
By: CD
After Mercy had been revived, Chip and Philip set out to find any trainers, while not telling her what was up with her. She had asked them exactly what caused her to faint, but was annoyed to know that neither would answer to her question.
"I think that tent is where we want to be." Chip suggested and pointed at their destination.
The pavilion was colored white and blue and a few weapon racks stood outside alongside to a ammo cart. The sounds of steel clashing with steel and arrows hitting their targets could be heard. Inside they could see a variety of medieval training dummies, shooting targets and hazard courses. A rugged man in leather looked on as several recruits where sharpening their skills.
"Are you the teacher of this gym?" Chip asked and caught the man's attention.
"Do you feel lucky?" He challenged the three newcomers.
Mercy looked around and her eye fell on two thugs wrestling in the dirt.
"Ah, not exactly. I'd rather have some information." Mercy interrupted.
"I've never seen your kind around here. You must be adventurers who stopped by for a hospitality. What is your destination?" The trainers asked.
"We're trying to get to Fata Morgana. So right now we're traveling to Lion Shield." Chip explained.
"Well you're lucky, I know a thing or two about that town you're trying to reach." The muscleman shared.
"Oh yeah?" Chip let out surprised.
"Yep, I've been a scout once so I've pretty much seen every place interesting. Fata Morgana is a desert town ruled by Sultan Abdullah. He's a good man, the type of person who wants a party everyday. Most of the treasury money is spend on festivities. Unfortunately his sultanate is constantly threatened by restless conspirators, led by the Caliph Mohammed. He think he should be above the sultan and constantly schemes to usurp the throne for himself. But every time it look like he could strike, something prevents him. Sometimes an emir abandons his cause, or there's another festivity making it virtually impossible to incite a coupe and sometimes the caliph simply waits for an even better opportunity. Anyway, it's unlikely Mohammed will ever succeed. The people love their sultan, and are prepared to fight for him. The wizard of the city is a trusted advisor of Abdullah and aware that the caliph is planning to overthrow the sultan. The sultan is one of the few people who haven't figured out about the caliph's motives yet. This doesn't make him stupid however, he's a great poet and writer even though he's clueless on politics. Nobody has told him that the caliph wants to see him end up in the dungeon, most fear the caliph and his emirs and would rather not die at the hands of an assassin."
"Interesting, and is there anything you could warn me about that stand between us and Lion Shield?" Chip inquired.
"For that you'd have to simply hone your skills. This forest throw a whole lot at you and it would be best if you spend some hours here trying to learn about your weapons or spells." The instructor advised and placed his hand on the pole next to him which supported the tent.
"Right, thanks for your assistance." Chip thanked him and decided it wouldn't hurt if he learned how to handle a sword better.
-
Having gotten the attention of a experienced mage who agreed to supervise him, Philip prepared to do some target practice.
"The object is to hit the bag of sand over there. Shouldn't be a big deal, and it should show you how powerful your shot was." The bearded elder instructor instructed and pushed Philip forward.
The chipmunk boy looked defiantly at the target and rolled up the sleeves of his robe. He created a ball of flashing energy between his two hands and waited for it to be charged up. After that he shoved the projectile toward his target. It exploded upon impact with the target.
"And, how was that?" Philip eagerly inquired.
"Good, but next time you might want to tell me you're planning to use a fireball." The wizard advised.
"Why? I was supposed to hit it with a spell right?" Philip reminded confused.
"Yes, but the blast radius can be tricky." The teacher explained and pointed to a man who had plopped his behind in a bucket of water, steam rising from the water.
-
Mercy was awaiting her turn to climb the rope ladder. An athletic but somewhat fat trainer looked on as the last man in front of Mercy climbed up and down.
"Next!" He announced and was stunned to see Mercy approach.
"Are you sure you belong here?" He asked when he spotted the unearthly color of Mercy's eyes and her growing fangs which where exposed by her smile.
"What's wrong with me? You never get any woman here?" She asked and the ignored him.
The training master scratched his head while Mercy stood in front of the rope ladder.
"Must be a creature I haven't seen before yet. I don't think she could be a vampire though, she'd already have been burned if she was."
Mercy grabbed the rope ladder with her paws before looking up. She immediately grew dizzy when she saw how high this thing was and reluctantly she climbed up. She climbed and climbed until she felt like she was halfway up and looked upward to see that she was only one fourth yet. She then looked down to see a considerable distance between her and the ground.
"Don't look down, you'll only frighten yourself!" The teacher shouted at her.
He turned around to face a bunch of volunteers who where sniggering.
"What are you laughing at, that could happen to you too!"
A scream caught his attention and he whirled around to see that his student's fear had gotten the better of her, causing her to let go of the ropes and falling to the ground. The instructor quickly prepared to catch the unfortunate Mercy and succeeded his in his job to keep his pupil alive.
"Gee, you alright? That was a bit of a close call. Next time, don't look down while climbing." The man warned her and set Mercy down.
"I don't know what happened. I'm supposed to be a good climber, but all of a sudden I felt rather weak. I've been like that for quite a while now."
"Since when?"
"Ever since I recovered from fainting. It's like I lost all my youthful energy." Mercy described, rather unhappy and sad.
"It could be some sort of curse cast on you by some evil wizard." The trainer suggested
"No, that can't be it." Mercy dismissed, shaking her head "That healer surely would have found out. I don't suppose they assigned him to that first aid tent because he can't identify magical tampering."
"Makes sense, in any case it would be best if you sat your training out. We don't need woozy-dozy girls spreading their intestines all over the floor!"
-
After having left the encampment behind, Mercy decided to finally get the answers she wanted from Chip and her brother.
"Okay, now tell me what wrong with me! First I faint for no reason, then vertigo nearly gets me killed and I've been feeling exhausted for hours now! Don't tell me I'm weak or a wimp, something's going on and I know you are aware of it, while I should have been the first one to realize what's up." Mercy demanded insistently.
"Easy Mercy, it's not your fault-" Chip objected.
"Nope, you're the one who never told me anything. So how it be my fault?" Mercy backfired mockingly.
"It's all because of that charm you're wearing, it has turned you into a vampire." Chip revealed.
Mercy was shocked, even more than her brother and Chip where when they heard the news.
"You-you mean I've turned into a bloodsucker?" Mercy asked perplexed.
The two males nodded, and Mercy responded by putting a hand to her head.
"That.that's despicable!" She uttered "But.why can I walk outside during daylight? Isn't that supposed to be harmful to me?"
"From what we know, that talisman protects you from your weaknesses or you're simply not a true vampire." Chip explained.
"But I don't want to be a monster bent on killing everything around her!" She protested and grabbed Chip by his robe.
"Believe me, I don't like the idea either." He reassured her.
"What am I going to do? Will I bite your throat when you're unaware?" Mercy panicked.
"I heard that it indeed would be better if I allowed you to drink my blood, it keeps you from going totally insane."
"Are you sure you want a woman like me plunging her teeth into your neck?"
"Of course I'd allow it to keep you alive. Just leave it at biting would you?" Chip agreed.
"And if Chip doesn't want it, you still have me!" Philip reminded his elder sister.
"You two are angels." She said and hugged them, crying softly.
"Oh, and we've been told there are rumors that state there was someone else turned vampire who got back to normal." Chip recalled and told the young girl.
"Then we should see if those rumors are true, I have no intention of staying like this." Mercy stated "By the way, would it be alright if I took my medicine now? I'm still not feeling better."
"Equal share for everyone, or something like that." Chip joked.
"Sharing is nice, I like that."
When will the next part arrive? Sometimes or other I guess.