Chapter 40: 1-38: A Peaceful Ride on a Train

The train arrived at noon, a metal beast that snaked around the bend that the station came in from into the distance. I was ushered onto the train via being carried by Nox after refusing to get on since it looked like something ripe for crashing or exploding or other general danger issues. We made our way across the cars, past the large storage area and into the two cabins which we were afforded the luxury of staying in. The cabins were triangular with a seat on each side of the three-sided room. Blue was the color of the seats and walls, little square spirals in a lighter shade decorated the wallpaper. A few stains could be seen on it, from what I couldn't tell.

Quaza, Caela and Hayli had a cabin while Nox and I had our own. The fact I wasn't with Hayli was explained with something about unmarried lovers traveling in the same room being taboo here. I had tried to complain that I slept with Hayli and Quaza but was rightfully reminded that was in the castle not a public area such as the train. And thus, my sister and I shoved our way into our cabin where the lucky single passenger they shoved in with us was already waiting.

Bright red hair that stuck out from a blue bonnet, yellow eyes half shaded glaring at us as two goat ears came down from each side of her head and two small dark red horns poking out from her front.

Nox nodded and greeted her, "Oh, hey. Guess we're riding with you. I'm Nox."

The woman squinted her eyes and shook her head speaking with a strange accent that I am not transcribing because that's bad writing, "I thought I was done with tall personable knights. Sorry, I mean, I'm Quaza. I hope you're better than my last cabinmates. They were so uptight."

"Oh, have you been riding long?"

"I'm riding until my... friend shows up." She eyed us warily.

I blinked slowly, "Don't you have a place to meet your friend?"

"Unfortunately, we both arrived here by... odd circumstances. By the way, you are?"

"Oh, I'm Terra."

"Who did your back?"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, is that not open? Got it. These lips are sealed, sister."

Nox interrupted, "So, where are you from? Me and my sister are actually from the Human Kingdom. Obviously."

"Human Kingdom? Doesn't it have a name?"

"No. It's a collection of loose states that a conjoined under a king and a religious leader and the only thing really putting it together is the fact that each area is majority human."

"And we are currently where?"

"Demon Kingdom." I replied.

"What the fuck, can't you have an actual name?"

"Why. We've called it that for ages. Where is the place that you're from called. Your Zurah Kingdom?"

"Technically nowhere since I was kicked out, but Feenruhe. Which is the country and capital of it."

"What does that mean? Sounds like just a random word."

"Fairy's Rest." She replied.

"Okay wherever you're from has one country with a normal name. Okay, is your friend from Feenruhe?"

"This her? No, Nana's from the Empire."

"The Empire of?"

"Just the Empire."

"And Human Kingdom and Demon Kingdom is weird?"

"We don't have any other Empire, so whatever name was before or after it was lost to history. And since I'm not a nerd like Lara, I don't know it."

Nox coughed, "I'm sorry I've never heard of Feenruhe. Are you from far away."

"I'm assuming. I am still not sure how I got here. The only thing I do know is this conversation is getting old. How about I show you to the food car?"

My stomach rumbled, "Fine."

Quaza stood up and lead us out. I could hear the trio in the other car chatting about a normal topic that Quaza is not holding a knife to my neck to convince me to not write that it was actually a really weird topic. (Exactly. - Quaza)

We passed by more cars full of triangular cabins on each side like two saw blades threatening us from either side. There was even less human than in the capital on the train- in fact the majority we passed seemed to be staff. I was starting to question why Quaza put her only two humans together in a cabin like that. It seemed unsafe, but what do I know?

The dining car was extravagantly upholstered and furnished, a blue green color scheme over everything, a chandelier that swung loose from the ceiling and a few bolted down tables and chairs and a full stocked bar. At Quaza’s entrance the bartender on duty shook their head, “Are you planning on disembarking anytime soon, ma’am?”

“I said when my gi- my friend gets on.”

“Right. Red Wine and the salad as usual? And they two lovelies beside you?”

“A Vordarton Shuffle and some kebabs for me and a lemonade and the giant pretzel for my sister” Nox replied.

“Aight, coming up.”

Us cabinmates sat down at one of the tall tables, as the bartender placed three glasses in front of us. I sipped mine; it was disgustingly sour- just as I liked it.

"So, why are you traveling?"

I glanced at Nox, who shrugged and spelled "LIE" with her fingers, "Oh, we're traveling with our boss and my girlfriend. Have business down the line."

"Girlfriend? Oh, thank twins. I was worried you might be backwards."

"No, Demons are quite progressive, it's us humans that are usually the issue." Nox replied.

"So, obviously your friend is your girlfriend then."

"That seems such a light term for us, but yes."

"What's her name then. Just in case we run into her."

"Nana. Nana Kathe. She might also go by another name since the other one isn't around but most likely it's going to be Nana."

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"Will remember." (No, Terra will not. - Quaza)

"And your companions?"

"Why do you care to know."

"I like have names to throw out if I find myself in sticky situations."

"Well, there's Terra's girlfriend Hayli, her mistress Quaza and her fangirl Caela."

"Oh? She's like Ly? Poly?""

"No! Nox what the hell."

"You've been sleeping with Hayli and Quaza for a while, Terra." Nox grinned at me, that same grin which often was painted across Vern's face when he was mocking me. They truly were twins.

"Yep, much better company than my previous cabinmates."

We drank and idly chatted, mostly Zurah asking things that most people knew about the Kingdoms already. It was like she was from another continent or something. Eventually the others came into the car and made their way to the table next to ours.

"Wow, with Terra that's three. That's technically the same number as us. So, which one is her girlfriend?"

"The one with scales."

"Oh, neat another Magic Molded."

"A what?" I asked.

"Oh? What do you call her?"

"A humon."

"A what?"

"Humon."

"That just sounds like Human."

"No, no. It's Humon with an o."

"Homan?"

"Nope, Terra, do not strangle the nice lady. Just swallow it down. Okay, no. H-U-M-O-N."

"Oh! So like human and monster."

"Actually, it's human and demon. It was a derogatory term, but no one could actually take it seriously as one." Nox explained.

Quaza coughed, "I see you're making friendly with you cabin mate, Terra."

"Yes, that's a thing you can do when you aren't named Quaza."

"I am not sure why you think that insult works but ouch regardless." She turned to Zurah, "Cute horns. I'm Quaza, Princess Quaza. But keep that bit shush."

"Oh, that is neat. A pleasure to meet you."

"Most people react more to that."

"Well, I know a lot of nobles and demigods and gods, so it's just neat."

"Terra is your cabinmate brain damaged."

"Yes." I replied.

"No, I am just from far away."

"Really far by that accent." Caela remarked, "Sounds weird."

"I see being rude is just how people talk here. I love it. Nana's probably hating it."

"No, that's just how rich people talk here." I replied.

"And you?"

"I grew up with my brothers one of who is an egoist and the other thinks you can eat dirt."

"I-" She began before our food was placed before us and we dug in, stopping whatever question my admittedly insane sounding answer had bubbled up in her head. We ate and drank and ate and drank and drank and drank until Nox drug me to the cabin to rest at some point in the night. 

The next morning, we all stumbled to the food car for breakfast, half awake and unwashed, squeezing through a gathering of whispering demons. That perhaps should have been warning enough, but... you know. Tired.

As my head peaked out from the mass of demons, I could see two guards nervously pointing spears at a human in robes of the Twin's Church.

"Sinners, sinners, sinners. Ye demons and humans who walk with them. They will bring retribution against ye all!" He held a flask in his hands and uncorked it.

"Put it down son!" Yelled one of the guards, "You don't want to do this."

The man smiled, "I am but a servant of the Twins." He tipped the flask to his mouth and at that point I grabbed the wall near me to help not be crushed by the fleeing crowd. I would rather have run back if I had realized the severity that was about to happen.

The fanatic began to glow from his stomach, and the smell of smoke began to hit my nose. And then with no time to do anything but fall prone to the floor as the world turned a hot burning white and the world went black with a deafening bang.

In short, the train blew up.

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