Chapter 40: Chap. 33 : Shattered Pieces

Zoemie stared at the old man, then at Xajymzia, confused. He's talking about Xaj's people, right ? Who... something happened to them, right ? She grumbled internally. I hate being left in the dark. People always did that to her before, it never failed to piss her off. "So. He's talking about your people, right ?", she said instead to Xajymzia, looking for confirmation, who nodded quietly in answer.

She had been really put off-balance when he had started to talk in the other language. Because for some reason, despite having never heard that language before, she could understand him perfectly, and it had really unsettled her.

"I... shit. Look, if you don't want to talk about the past, that's fine. I don't want to talk about my past either, there's nothing good in there." Well, almost nothing. Neth was okay, and so was her dad. "But, like, I hate being left in the dark, so, I was thinking, is that OK if", and as she said that she turned to the old wizard. "I ask him instead ?", to which he smiled.

Zoemie couldn't guess what kind of smile it was, so she was uncertain what he was feeling like. Xajymzia, however, looked at her, and nodded. "...If you want, that's fine by me.", she said after a bit, Zoemie nodding in turn.

"My knowledge on these events is incomplete, but it would be my pleasure nonetheless.", the old man said, and Zoemie was not under the impression he was being mocking or sarcastic. She could kind of tell when people where trying to make fun of her, and judging by his words, and what the mask told her of the old man, he wasn't.

Zoemie activated a spell to teleport herself and the old man to the dining room, Xajymzia simply looking at her and nodding a second time, before teleporting herself in her lab.

---

Yuulvan smiled slightly as he was brought inside the dungeon, looking around at the well-furnished and large, if slightly empty, dining room. He had not quite expected things to go that way, but that was fine. Better than fine, good even.

"Want a drink ?", the Warden asked as they both sat down on a chair. It was large, but not overwhelmingly so, and comfortable without being too rigid or too soft. He did not recognize the materials, however.

"Water will do", he answered, as the Warden teleported them both glasses of water with clear habit in the movement. Yuulvan had never been one for strong drinks, and although he had drank before to some degree, it was never to excess and it had been a few good decades at least since he last touched alcohol.

"So. When I... arrived in this dungeon, I knew that people had lived here before, Or at least I guessed that much, since it knew that people needed to drink, there were a bunch of empty rooms, and similar things.", the Warden started. "But I don't know anything about them."

Yuulvan nodded calmly in answer. There were various humans communities far north, who lived in dungeons... but this was a Teranjor. There was no other possibility in this case. "They are known as Umdoranz, which in their tongue translate to "dungeon-dwellers" or "dungeon folks".", he explained, the Warden nodding as he did so.

"What do they look like ? And, like, why do they live in dungeons ?", the Warden asked in turn, Yuulvan taking a bit to formulate his answer properly.

"They look like human in body structure, save for having not white but black in their eyes, and having very different skin colors.", heexplained. "Northern Umdoranz have purple-red, greyish skin, while southern ones, where humans have dark brown skin, are ash-grey instead." The Warden nodded.

"Umdoranz need to live in dungeons, it is for them as necessary as water and food. Otherwise, they suffer from jrovtaldormor – the Decaying. A slow, unpleasant end as their bodies break down. They have designed tools to ensure they keep functioning even when out of a dungeon, however.", he continued, dispelling memories.

He had helped in designing these tools, after all. He had seen first-hand the sheer necessity of those. The Warden nodded, calmly. "Uh, so that's why Xaj looks like the way she does. Should've expected something like that... Okay. Anyway. So, what happened ?"

"The details are obscure even to me, even after all this time. But what I do know is that, a long time ago, human armies started to attack Umdoranz dungeons. There was a clear pattern in their actions, but their exact goals remains unclear, partly because I think they didn't get what they wanted, partly because the true movers and shakers have never come forth. They likely died of age."

The Warden took a breath, assimilating the information. "But... I was about to ask why the fuck, but, you clearly have no idea either." They took in another breath. "I mean, I know that the answer is likely "people are fucking assholes", but even then... Jeez, what the hell ?"

"All I have is speculations, and I do not like to speculate without hard proof.", Yuulvan said. "That said, there are some parts that I realized some time later.", he said. Which was true, but it had taken him some time to connect the dots.

"First, the harvest the years before had been particularly poor, with almost of a decade of particularly mild summers and harsh winters. Second, the perpetrators had inroads with the nobility, as otherwise they would never have tolerated an army travelling through their territories."

"Wait, you were there ?", the Warden interjected, suddenly much more suspicious of him. Yuulvan found this reaction interesting, however. It helped him corner what kind of person the Warden was, and he knew the antidote to suspicion was honesty.

"Yes, I assisted with evacuating a dungeon while I was travelling.", he answered, with nothing but the truth. "I wished I could have done more, but sadly, I arrived late due to being held by other problems." An admission that pained him, but it was 2-7-4, and when 2-7-4 breaks out, it's an all-hands-on-deck emergency. That thing's curse could kill dozen of thousands like nobody's business.

"Damn, that's... like, I kinda guessed that there was something fucked up going on, but man, that's really fucked up.", the Warden mumbled. "But the question, tho, is, what now ? Are there even any of those... Umdoranz left ?", they asked.

"Yes, I can confirm that," Yuulvan answered. "I met a caravan a few years ago, and they have some established settlements in the Demon Realm. They do tend to avoid the human kingdoms much more now, however.", he continued.

"Established settlements... in dungeons, then ? Like this one ?", the Warden said, Yuulvan nodding in turn. "Since they need to live in dungeons, after all, that makes sense they'd settle down. Especially if you can just conjure food and clothes by the ton, it makes things a lot easier."

"That is correct. In fact, this dungeon was a Teranjor, specially built for Umdoranz settlement.", he explained, the Warden nodding in turn. There was a reason Umdoranz didn't generally pick random dungeons, and that was the tendency for monster Wardens to mistreat them for their own ends.

"And the Uujuwhatev... Xaj, I mean, she was built to serve as the Warden ? The first one, I mean, before she gave me the place.", the Warden continued, Yuulvan nodding a second time.

"Indeed. I must admit I am curious, how did a human even acquire this place ?"

"Xaj told me that... Well, okay, my situation is complicated, but what you need to know is that I couldn't have possibly benefited from these events in any way.", the Warden said. "Or something like that."

"I see", Yuulvan answered. Something within his mind clicked as he had a thought. It had been here since he entered the Teranjor, and only know had he grown fully aware of it. I really would like to be able to stay for a while.

The Warden seemed, while not friendly, at the very least non-hostile, and every scrap of knowledge he could accumulate from here would serve him for a long time to come. Yuulvan sighed internally. He always kept some degree of leeway in his travels, but he was expected to spend the winter in the Demon Realm, so he couldn't stay too long in this place.

He could stock up on books and various similar items, but if he really wanted information, he would have to stay as long as possible... and at most that would be a month. Really not that much, in the grand scheme of things. He considered while the Warden drank from their glass.

"So. What are you going to do now ?", he asked after a bit, trying to see how the conversation would go before he tried to steer it to his request. He was asking, after all. Being forceful was not going to be a good idea.

"Talk with Xaj about it, I guess. I mean, what else am I gonna do ? What are you going to do, anyway ? You were travelling, right ?", the Warden answered, to which Yuulvan nodded. Good. He could go from there.

"Well, yes. Although I do have a month or so of leeway in my current schedule, and would be interested in spending it here. If you'll have me, of course." The Warden stared at him for a bit, his heart thumping slightly as they did so.

"...Dunno. I'll think about it." Well, he had a foot in the door. That wasn't too bad. "Need to talk to Xaj first, no matter what.", The Warden said as they up and left. Now, all I can do is wait. He drank a bit of water. It was clear and tasted good.

You are reading story The Pale-Masked Girl at novel35.com

---

Zoemie grumbled, assimilating the conversation she just had with the old man. Frankly, I kinda expected something among these lines. There was one thing she wasn't sure about. He wants to stick around ? But, like, why ?

Zoemie wasn't sure how she felt about it. On one hand, the old man had done nothing to earn her ire so far – he had been pleasant, properly honest and respectful. On the other hand, there was a part of her that told her to avoid him, because people hated her, and always had no matter what she did.

Zoemie grumbled as she approached Xajymzia's lab. She had thought about what to say to her, but... No matter what I say, it'll be the wrong thing. She grumbled. The old man was taking up her mind right now, she couldn't really focus.

She stopped at the door. Normally, she'd open it, but she knocked instead before gingerly opening the door, her throat dry and her heart thumping.

Xajymzia turned around to face her. In some ways, she looked the same as before, but there was something in her eyes that Zoemie couldn't quite put. Sadness ? Or has it always been here and I didn't see it before ? It was possible, after all.

"Hey", Zoemie started. What do I say now ? "I heard it from the old man. Sorry. I don't really know what to say... I... shit, I'm not good at this." I can bulldoze my way through people, but that... that I don't know how to deal with.

Xajymzia simply turned her head back, looking at the ceiling. "I failed them.". It was an admission, heavier and more painful than the steps of primordial titans, as if the very earth had shook from those words. Zoemie could do nothing but nod, a slight shiver in her spine. "It won't happen again.", she promised, with cataclysmic weight to each word.

"Do you know what I did to the guilty ?", Xajymzia asked after a short while, Zoemie shaking her head. "Some... some of my people had visited during their travel what they described a mountain of fire – a volcano. When none of them were left, when they had evacuated or died, I teleported the dungeon inside." There was something in Xajymzia's eyes that scared Zoemie to her core.

Gruesome, but deserved. Damn, Zoemie thought. "Serves them right." Zoemie said. "...He told me that there were some left. Met them while he was travelling." The air in the lab entrance felt a little lighter, as Xajymzia acknowledged it with a nod.

"Does he know why ? Why all of this happened ?", she asked, but Zoemie shook her head.

"He ain't got that much of an idea. More than us, but still not much.", she answered, Xajymzia nodding in answer. "...What I do know is that he wants to stay here, at least for a bit.", Zoemie continued.

"Are you going to allow him to ?", Xajymzia asked in turn, to which Zoemie looked away, her stomach churning with anxiety.

"Dunno. I'd need to talk about it with you anyway, since if he stays, that would give you more work, and I don't wanna drop that on you with no warning.", Zoemie explained. "Like, I at least want to warn you first." She hated when people dropped shit on her with no warning.

"While there are a few things I would like to discuss with the man, ultimately, it's your decision.", Xajymzia said, Zoemie grumbling internally. Well, shit. Zoemie thought as she conjured a chair and sat down.

"I really don't know. Like, on one hand he hasn't been hostile, but like, I don't know if I want to deal with him.", Zoemie said, rambling and unsure. "At most, he's staying a month, and...". She sighed. "The thing here, I think he's the kind of guy that if I asked him to leave, he would.", Zoemie explained. "And, like, as weird as it sounds, that makes me more willing to let him stick around, at least for a bit."

"I do not think that is all that strange.", Xajymzia said, Zoemie grumbling. Ultimately, that doesn't really makes me feel better, so... what's really the problem, then ?

"I think the problem is... right now, he's being nice, but, like, I want to say, I'm... I'm afraid that it's gonna change, but at the same time, like, that's what I got the mask for, right ?" So I can figure out if someone's an asshat or not.

Zoemie grumbled. "As far as I know, the mask's judgement hasn't evolved so far, but...". She sighed. The issue is that people... people don't improve. They either stay the same, or get worse. Or if they do improve, I sure as hell never saw it. "But, like, at most it's one month. It's not that long, it is ?" Xaj can't make that decision for me, either... I don't know. "Uuuurgh..." I mean, if he does turn out into an asshole, I'm probably strong enough to take him on ? But I'd rather not...

"One thing I am noticing, is that, knowing you, if you really wanted him gone, you'd already have made up your mind." Xajymzia started, breaking Zoemie out of her brooding. "So I believe the relevant question instead might be, what would you require of him to feel confident about letting him stay ?"

I don't know. Shit. Maybe she's not wrong. Zoemie thought about it for a bit. "I guess... mostly, it would be not being too disruptive ? Like, don't wake me up in the morning and don't go bother me when I'm in my room ?", she said tentatively. "Other than that, don't be an asshole ? Yeah, I think that would be primarily be it..."

"I think it's a reasonable set of demands.", Xajymzia said, Zoemie nodding in answer. "But do ask him anyway what he thinks of those.", she said, as Zoemie nodded again, a little more sure of herself.

What am I gonna have to do if he sticks around ? I think the big thing is conjuring a few summer shirts. She didn't particularly give a shit if Xajymzia saw her topless during summer, but she was of a very different mind about the old man.

Other than this... setting him up personal quarters. Which should be easy. And... well, as long as he doesn't cause trouble, everything should be fine ? I hope I don't regret this... She sighed as she started walking back to the dining room.

---

Yuulvan smiled as he heard the footsteps of the Warden coming down the corridors. He had conjured and stored large amounts of books from the jetuzran while the Warden and the Uujutzerja had been talking. He knew not a single one of them, but that way, even if he had to leave now, he would be able to gain some of this crucial knowledge.

And if he could stay, we'll, he'd read them later anyway, so it was a fine use of his time either way. He turned his head to the Warden, who entered the room and sat down. "Righto.", they said. "I've, yeah, talked with Xaj a bit about what we talked about earlier. But, so, about your request...". The Warden took a deep breath.

"Thing here, is, I want you to see where the hell I'm coming from.", they said. "So, the thing here, is that people don't like me. I don't know why, I would love to know why, they just do. So, the thing is I don't know if I can trust you... but, okay." They breathed in again. "Two conditions." Yuulvan nodded. "Don't wake me up in the morning and don't be too disruptive. Don't bother me when I'm in my room, by example. Oh, and don't bring other people in here, either. I want my peace and quiet."

Yuulvan considered for a very short time. That is an extremely reasonable set of requests. He couldn't bring in more people here even if he wanted to anyway, as he wasn't powerful enough to overcome the Warden's teleport interdiction.

Not waking them up in the morning was no problem, and disruptiveness... he would have to see the kind of person the Warden was and get a sense for their level of tolerance. It would require him to be observant, but nothing he couldn't handle. "That is fine by me.", he said.

---

The girl ran at an impossible speed as she raced towards her objective. She would definitely reach the dungeon before the white frosts. Most likely, it would be during the red leaves. All that mattered now is to keep going and be conservative with her resources.

The boots had started to show damage with all the running she had been doing, so she had used a crystal from the purple-haired human's provisions to repair them. They were her lifeline, after all – they not only massively increased her speed but also prevented any strain in her legs. On the other hand, her legs weren't getting any stronger either, but... it was not very important considering her situation.

She so far only used the weapons a little –partly because her provisions were holding, partly because she wasn't very good at it. She did find another item in the storage ring, however, for her wrist, that allowed her to detect edibles. It had been a lifesaver as well.

Between that and the enchanted sleeping place, she was doing better than she could have ever hoped for. Also, the magical clothes for warm weather and water-generating artefact. Even if she didn't really get sweaty with the shoes, these were still very handy with the increasing heat.

Well, there was still the jrovtaldormor, but she couldn't do much about that unless she somehow found another grouping or passed by a dungeon. And even then she would have to be careful, as there was no guarantee they would take well to her presence.

It would not be easy, it would take her time and effort, but as long as she didn't approach humans groups too close, and evaded monsters, she would make it. As for what would happen after ? She didn't know. She had a strange dream at one point, a voice telling her to keep going, but that was it.

She kept her eyes towards the horizon as she dashed further ahead.

You can find story with these keywords: The Pale-Masked Girl, Read The Pale-Masked Girl, The Pale-Masked Girl novel, The Pale-Masked Girl book, The Pale-Masked Girl story, The Pale-Masked Girl full, The Pale-Masked Girl Latest Chapter