Chp 4 - The Winding Threads of Fate

Earth/Bertotia Kingdom/02_09_2020

(Hooded figure): Yes, my name is Andresia and I am a girl, whoopy-doo

Andresia uses Weaving to melt the door hinges, by vibrating the atoms within the metal to its melting point. The door creaks violently before falling forward at full force. BANG! Ivan stares at the door (now flat on the floor) completely motionless. His eyes move from the door to the girl.

(Ivan): Uhmmm, I’m Ivan…So are we doing the collar now orrrrr…

Before Andresia has time to answer, the heavy footsteps of a large man begin to grow less and less faint. Mr. Briggins is coming.

(Andresia): There’s no time! Let’s go…unless you want to crawl back into your cage again, of course?

Instead of replying, Ivan simply cocks an eyebrow and takes the lead, running full speed through the tight, winding corridors. To Ivan, who has spent years confined in this dimly lit labyrinth, navigating it is a non-issue. He looks over at the hooded girl at his side.

(Ivan): So, would you care to explain why you’re sneaking around in an Arachnophobe’s house wearing a hood and pretending you’re a guy?

(Pissed princess): First off, I wasn’t pretending to be a guy, you’re just functionally blind. Second, stay out of my business, I’m sure you’d hate it if I asked why you were locked in that ce~

(Ivan): Oh well I’m glad you asked, you see, I belong to a race of people called the Bis~

Andresia suddenly stops. Before Ivan can even open his mouth to ask why, she puts her index finger to her lips and begins to edge forward slightly, arms outstretched and palms facing forwards. Peering at the face she’s hidden behind the hood; Ivan notices her eyes are prised wide open. Suddenly, another set of heavy footsteps can be heard from their front, this set far closer than Mr. Briggins. He moves his line of sight over to the source of the new footsteps. Ivan’s eyes shoot open, as if to mock those of the princess.

(Tommy Perkins): It’s been a while, Ivan. How’ve you been?

Tommy’s mouth curls up into deep grin and he raises his Woven¹Woven means an item has been enhanced using weaving, in this case, instead of bullets, the shotgun vibrates the web, reducing reload times and increasing power output shotgun up to his waist, almost as a mock greeting.

(Andresia): Friend of yours, I assume?

(POV Andresia): Great, I thought my luck had reached rock-bottom when I met this Ivan guy, I guess it just got even worse.

Her eyes shift over to Ivan. He offers only a dry laugh in response, opting instead to raise his fists to his face and make as though he’s about to start a boxing match. He looks around at the grey-brick walls of the corridor, at the orange buzzing bulb hanging from the concrete ceiling. Filing through the memories of combat he’s had over the years, he begins to formulate a plan.

(POV Ivan): Right, so considering I know nothing about Weaving, I am limited to Wrangling or Plain Weaving²As both essentially just rely on physical prowess. This would ordinarily be stupid against something with the range and destructive power of a magical shotgun, however…we do have someone that can act as a Twill Weaver here. Okay, I’ll just have to hope she catches on to what I’m about to do.

Taking a deep breath in, Ivan lowers his hips into his legs a little and springs. Springs sideways… Instead of running straight at Tommy, he instead decides to run straight at the wall. Tommy and Andresia alike are both clearly taken aback, stunned into motionless silence for a second or two. These precious seconds allow him to reach the wall. Realising he likely has something planned, Tommy begins to raise his shotgun towards the slave.

(Tommy): I don’t know what you’re playing at, but don’t think y~

At that moment, Ivan changes course and begins to run parallel to the wall. Watching the entire thing unfold, Andresia begins to catch a glimpse of Ivan’s plan, so she prepares herself, quietly vibrating the web close by. BANG! Tommy closes his eyes and shoots. However, once he opens his eyes again, Ivan is still running fine. In fact, Ivan reaches his goal. He runs straight past Tommy, not slowing in the slightest. As if to mock him, a thin smile appears on Ivan's face. The blood rushes to Tommy’s head as he turns around, enraged, back now to Andresia, to shoot the pest properly.

(Tommy): I don’t know how that missed, but this one won’t, ya cheeky basta~

Tommy never finishes his sentence as he feels a burning heat through his chest. Looking down reveals a pair of hands poking out through his chest. Blood pours from the cavity, decorating the pale skin which caused it.

(POV Tommy): A-ah crap… I forgot there were 2 of them…

The smile quickly fades from his face as he stumbles to his knees, eyes locked open in an expression of dumb terror. The last expression he will ever make. Gazing at the blood staining her hands and robes, Andresia is less than impressed.

(POV Andresia): While was facing Ivan, I touched his back with the palm of my hands, melting his skin, bones and anything else along the way. Unfortunately…I think I went a little too far, as my hands ended up going all the way through. Blech, gross. But to think, Ivan’d deliberately run past him, not at him, so it would be harder to aim³the natural reaction would be to run towards your attacker, but running parallel to them means they constantly have to turn to aim at you, something Tommy failed to realise, all while acting as a distraction…what a terrifying man…does he just not fear death?

She looks over at Ivan, a wide, shit-eating grin plastered all over his face.

(Ivan): Shall we get going again, then?

Earth/Europe/Bertotia Kingdom/20_08_2020 (a few days after Princess Andresia flees Rendor):

(Attendant Humphreys): Minister Barrow, sir, here is the report you requested on the state of the royals fleeing from the current invasion of Rendor.

The attendant carefully places the folder on the large, oak-wood desk, curtly bowing before turning to leave. Once he is once again alone, the Minister glances at the folder, deciding it’s worth his immediate attention.

(POV Minister Barrow): I see, as I expected, it appears that the knight and the princess were killed by our advanced party. Wait a second, there were definitely 3 people. The 4^th princess of Heingorfen, the Royal Knight accompanying them…but wasn’t the 2^nd princess of Rendor supposed to be there too? D-does this mean???

His eyes are torn open and sweat begins to bead up on his forehead.

(Minister Barrow): Humphreys!! Organise a party to track and capture⁴likely for interrogation the 2^nd princess of Rendor, and while they’re at it, kill anyone seen associating with her. We can’t have news of this leaking to the higher ups!

Grabbing a handkerchief to mop his brow with, the Minister ponders.

(POV Minister Barrow): It seems this will be a stressful few days…