Chapter 12: Set's Gift
Chapter XI: Set's Gift
I lost my virginity, got a girlfriend, and I couldn't even enjoy it for an hour! No, a fucking GOD had to show up and ruin things for me.
Bianca didn't know why I was freaking out and she wouldn't believe me if I told her. So she drove me home and I promised I'd see her before I left. I saw her two more times, and I tried to get that memory of Set out of my head when we hung out. I hope I didn't associate her with him in the future.
My mother was going to be spending a month in Quebec, so I was put on a flight and sent home. I don't know why my school was starting on a Tuesday, but I wasn't about to look the gift horse in the mouth. That left me a whole night to play Primal Vale without anyone bothering me.
Daliah was out of my life at least since I was going to be starting school soon. Now she was some other poor bastards problem and as far as I was concerned, better them than me.
It was going to be a long flight, but I was in first class, so at least it was comfortable. I positioned my seat just how I liked it, watched both parts of Dune, and fell asleep as I started to rewatch the movies.
When I opened my eyes, I was back in Primal Vale. Or... Watching one of the scenes play out from a quest. It was a quest that I had taken during the beta, but why was I dreaming about it?
Since I knew this was a dream, I tried to wake myself up, but Set's face flashed across the sky. He said he was leaving me with a gift. He wanted me to watch ta cutscene from the beta?
If I remembered correctly, this scene was from Yunkina's point of view. She was an important NPC for a line of quests in the future.
**********
Branwell was a small border town, at the edge of the, but despite its size, the mayor's house was huge. It could rightfully be called a villa and was far too big to have been built for the mayor of a rural border town. It looked like it belonged to an official in one of the big cities. Yukina was at a loss as to why it had been built there.
The mayor of the town was a minor noble, the head of a small branch of a noble house. He had built it himself, which explained everything. He had been hoping for a position in a more important place, and Yukina could imagine he hadn't been happy when he found out he was posted to somewhere so unimportant.
She stifled a yawn as the mayor pointed out at his gardens. "Blue roses. It was expensive to buy them and have them brought here, but as you know they have wonderful healing properties. It was worth every penny spent, and I do say they are so beautiful when they bloom after winter. If you would permit me to show you the rest of my garden, I have a collection of plants that you'd hardly find outside of the oriential regions. Though they will grqadually became less expensive, with the heroes repulising the darkness."
His voice sounded like nails on a chalk border. How could his servants stand to work for him? If it were her, she'd have thrown in the towel long ago. Maybe it was just her lack of sleep, but she couldn't stand him.
"I would rather discuss your problem."
"Problem?"
Was he serious? "Your hellhound problem. I wrote my report before I went to sleep last night." Or tried to sleep. She kept waking up and eventually gave up. "Surely you've read it."
The mayor looked taken aback. "But of course-"
"Then you should know you have a problem. That pack has a smart alpha. Branwell is in danger."
"Surely you wouldn't go that far, dame. We have you with us. The rest of your retinue is arriving today. Once they arrive, it won't be long before you can exterminate the vermin."
"If this was a normal pack, Vivianne and I would have dealt with them last night. As it was, they remained hidden and left almost no trace of where they have been. This pack is extremely dangerous."
"Are you not overselling it, dame? The bigger and more dangerous this pack is, the more money that will be kicked your way-"
"I'm distinqished, with high standing in my house. I don't need money. Do not insult me."
The mayor blinked. He could see the sweat on his brow. "I did not mean to do so."
Yukina let it go. "I would recommend putting your town into lockdown for the day. Once my retinue arrives, we can search the forest more broadly."
"Put Branwell in lockdown? Why ever would I do so?"
"That pack could attack your town at any moment. Branwell will be easier to defend if everyone is safe in their home, instead of out on the streets or at work."
"You believe the pack will attack this town? Those hounds have been attacking isolated farms. Mostly livestock. That's quite different than a town."
"Do you not understand the danger you're in?" Yukina asked. She leaned forward across the table, ignoring Vivianne and Benjamin. "This is not a single hellhound or mindless pack. They have a leader. They're after someone in this town. A target. For all we know, you might be that target."
"Target? They are targeting someone in my town?"
"You would know that if you read my report."
The mayor finally looked away. Was he hiding his shame? "... Perhaps I could-"
A door was thrown open and a police offer ran inside. "Mr. Mayor!"
"What is it? Can you not see I am having tea with-"
"The school is under siege! A pack of monsters has surrounded it! We cannot get close!"
The mayor shut his mouth. Vivianne was at her side in a flash. Yukina stood up and grabbed her sword.
"W-wait! Madam knight! Where are you going?"
"To your school. Where else would I go? Let's go, Vivianne. Benjamin, I want you at the guarding the bridge. When they arrive, explain the situation and have them come-"
"WAIT!" the mayor yelled. "Wait! You cannot leave!"
Yukina froze. "Excuse me?"
"Y-you cannot leave! I forbid it! You must remain here!"
"Why would I stay here? The monsters are at your school."
"Surely it's too late, madam knight. They could have already eaten their way through the school! What purpose would it serve now? It would be prudent to remain here-"
"So we can protect you? You would throw the life of the children of your town away so you can be safe? Would you throw your own children to the hounds? Of course, they don't attend school in Branwell, do they? You've sent them away to a prodigious boarding school, far away from here. It's not your children that you'd be sacrificing."
"How dare you-"
"I don't have time for this, Mr. Mayor. If you are so concerned with your safety, then flee. I've been sent here to protect this town, not its mayor."
The mayor started blubbering, but Yukina ignored him. She found the police officer instead. "Take us to the school, quickly."
***
I had watched this scene play out in the memories of the Yukina after I found him in the woods. Why was Set showing me this? There was no guarentee that this quest would be part of the official game.
The mayor and the three other NPC's froze. One by one, they turned to look at me. The three armed NPC's drew their swords.
This was no part of the memories. This was not in the game.
Yukina lounged at me, her sword piecing my stomach. Before I could register the pain, a flash of light exploded.
***
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