Bk 2: Chapter Four (4)

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Helen sat by the window looking out at the scenery dashing by. They had been on this train for a day since escaping from the Nether lord. Lizzy had been strange since their escape. She was sometimes so silent; Helen would forget she was there. She looked up at the girl still veiled like the day they had left. For some reason, Lizzy had grown to love hiding her face. When they boarded the train that day, they were both injured, mostly her. Si Sanga had taken them to go by clothes. This train had a restaurant, sleeping cabins, and even a boutique.

Helen had washed out of her dirty clothes with great difficulty and changed into a soft lace dress, a popular style in this world. Lizzy had worked fast, helping her change and do her hair, before changing to a grey dress. These dresses were much more comfortable to move around in than the ones from back home. Even though the sleeves were long and they were layered around their body, flowing onto the floor, it weighed nothing. Helen had noticed that Lizzy opted to be veined in a light lace fabric to match her grey dress and refrained from commenting. She was not sure what Lizzy had gone through in the Nether halls and had not been sure how to ask her.

Looking at the Quiet Lizzy seated before her, Helen sighed.

"Are you okay, Lizzy?" she asked.

"Yes, my lady," Lizzy answered.

"Were you hurt in there?"

"No,"

"Then why..," Helen started to ask, then went silent. She could not see Lizzy's face through the veil but felt she was looking right at her.

"Did they make you do anything? You.. you are silent more than usual," Helen asked.

"Oh… I would usually serve the master so I spend days in silence. I have gotten used to it," Lizzy said. At her words, Helen frowned.

"The master? Lizzy, why are you still calling him that?" Helen asked.

"I don't know his name, my lady," She answered in confusion. Helen thought she was confused by her anger, but Lizzy was confused by the fact that she was used to calling him the master.

"He is the Nether Lord," Helen corrected.

"Yes, my lady," Lizzy answered.

"So it's true. Someone escaped from the Nether Lord's clutches," Helen heard a young girl say and looked up to see a petite girl before her. The girl was dressed in soft blue lace, her hair tied up in place and a soft smile on her pink lips.

"You are?" Helen asked.

"I am Kheal," the girl said and sat beside Lizzy opposite Helen.

"Helen," Helen answered.

"You two are legends on the train. No one has ever escaped the Nether lord," Kheal said. To this, Helen recalled the Nether lord's lazy pace and shivered. Either they did not dare to try or the Nether lord always caught them in the end, these victims. It crossed her mind for a second that the Nether Lord may not be really trying to catch them, and she immediately threw out the thought.

"We were just lucky," Helen said.

"I am curious though, what happened to the engine?" she asked. Helen saw a cold glint flash past her phoenix eyes and paused.

"Why?" she asked.

"Just curious," Kheal answered with a shrug.

"That engine, it is always loud. Even though one cannot see it from the outside, one could hear it if the train passed by. Not hearing the engine is of course odd. But, you expect me to believe you approached me only out of curiosity?" Helen asked. Kheal paused for a moment, before breaking out into a high-pitched laugh.

"True. The Nether lord's issues, one cannot just be curious. So, will you tell me?" Kheal answered.

"Why should I? What makes you think I know?" Helen asked.

"Oh? If you don't know, then no one does. No one escapes the Nether Lord. Even if they did, they would be pursued by the oath hunters. The Nether lord coming after you two, himself; there must be a special reason. Looking past the fact that you escaped safely, the fact that you escaped at all, means you left with some information," Kheal explained. To this, Helen smiled.

"Then you must offer me something for this information, then," Helen said.

"I thought since we are of the same roots you would do your sister a favour," Kheal pouted.

"I have never been mistaken for one of such benevolence. You would excuse my slow brain," Helen chuckled.

"Fine, what do you want?" Kheal asked.

"I want to get to Sorventii, can you get me there?" Helen asked and the girl paused.