Chapter 49 part 4

Which meant that some were harder to see than others. Though, the one in the center would be the one each person would have the same ability to see, regardless of where they were in the stands. Though, since she didn't know much about this, she could only speculate on that point and it wasn't like that would help her know if Charlie was actually down there or not.

Though, she couldn't help but feel drawn to a girl wielding a blade that almost looked like it changed color based on the direction the light struck the metal. The girl had brownish hair, but Beth couldn't make out any other features.

One thing she couldn't help but note was how well she fought. Not only did she seem to be able to break out of any attempt to surround her, but she was also rather nimble at running.

Beth wished she could call out to the girl with her magic, but one thing she had learned when she'd arrived there was that all magic would be blocked in the stands. Primarily to keep spectators from influencing the 'test.' Which while Beth could understand the reasons, it still was aggravating, given that it meant she wouldn't be able to be sure if that was Charlie or not.

Though, when the girl was essentially stabbed in the back, Beth was floored. She couldn't say that she was happy when that person was then stuck down, but she couldn't help but want to jump down out of the stands and race over to heal the girl she'd been keeping an eye on. Even if it wasn't Charlie.

If anyone on that field was Charlie, Beth was confident that it would be that girl. Only, since she couldn't verify, she couldn't be certain that it really was Charlie. Which meant that she couldn't be sure she wasn't wasting her time altogether with this right now.

"Did you hear? The one they had in the center was found in the forest of the lost?" a man nearby nearby asked, sounding rather excited.

"Yeah, but the Lost are a myth. Just a way to scare children into behaving," a woman remarked disdainfully. "Her having been taken by the Lost is merely a gimmick to make her price go up. You know some of the nobles would pay almost any price for someone even rumored to have been taken by the lost."

The man sighed. "You're right. With the way she's fighting, you could almost believe it too. I wouldn't be surprised if she made a new record."

The woman scoffed as Beth saw the girl she suspected to be Charlie getting carried away. Presumably to get her injury treated, if necessary. "If she sets a new record, it probably won't be for her fighting abilities. Just look how quickly she was taken out."

"The last slave sold who had been supposedly taken by the Lost went for around a hundred and twenty ziks and she was made into a fighter even though she didn't last as long as this girl," the man remarked. "It all depends on who has the coin, I guess."

Beth was getting an urge to hit that woman as hard as she could. Even if the girl wasn't Charlie, she looked close enough to Charlie at the moment for Beth to feel like the woman was insulting Charlie.

However, she knew she wouldn't gain anything by watching the rest of the first. Or by attacking that woman. If she did, she was certain that she'd have crossed a line beyond standing out in this city by demonstrating how she was from a different world.

As she left with Hesha, Beth suddenly realized that Hesha hadn't said a word since they arrived in the city. In the stands, it was understandable, since there were too many people around. It would be too easy for them to screw up and say something they didn't want others to hear, let alone know.

While they walked along the street, Beth pulled on her magic, confident that with all the other magic she could feel going on around her that no one would even notice both of them talking with each other through the use of their magic.

–Why so quiet? Usually you've talked to me about a dozen things on our way through the city.– Beth said, knowing her statement was an exaggeration. Hashab wasn't nearly that talkative, even when she really wanted to talk about something.

Hesha sighed and looked away. –It's nothing.– she answered, though the reply took longer than Beth knew it should have.

Hesha was making good progress on learning to talk with her magic, though she had already decided on the ring her mother had left behind as her focus. Only, she was still getting stuck on getting the timing down. However once she got it, she was typically good until the next time she tried speaking with her magic.

–If it was nothing, I'm sure you would have at least commented about which inn we should have picked or even about something to eat.–

Hesha glanced uncomfortably at Beth's amused expression and Beth instantly knew whatever it was, it was serious for the girl. Which chased out all thoughts of teasing the girl or just having fun with the situation.

Beth didn't say anything more, not sure if she should or not. They walked together for several minutes, and Beth was starting to hear Ralph's and Wes' music playing in the distance over the other noise in the city.

–I saw my oldest brother today.– Hesha said suddenly as they walked past an important-looking building. –He was in a group of slaves being escorted to the auction pens.–

Beth could feel the raw emotion in Hesha's thoughts as she said that. Beth knew that it was important to her, but it was also clear that she didn't want to talk about it or disrupt the general plan to try and save Charlie.

Beth threw her arm around Hesha's shoulders, like she'd often done with Charlie, and just like with Charlie, Hesha struggled to get out from under Beth's grasp. Not that it was difficult to do so. If anything, it merely amused Beth.

–If you really want, we can help you.– Beth said. –If that girl really is my friend, then I have a feeling we're not going to have enough to probably even bid on whatever she opens with. So, unless we get really lucky, I'd be willing to help at least save your brother, even if it screws up our plans to save my friend.–

Hesha looked at Beth, tears glistening in her eyes. –Really?–

Beth nodded. –I'd just have to get Ralph and Wes onboard with it, thought I'm sure it won't be too difficult. Besides, I'm sure my friend would prefer we help your brother out before her.–

Hesha stopped her struggling and leaned against Beth. Beth didn't mind, though she didn't get as much enjoyment from the girl having stopped her struggles. If anything, she was at least happy that Hesha was finally able to relax a little from her worries.

While Beth couldn't say she was completely sure that Charlie would approve of what she'd told Hesha, she was confident it was still accurate. Though, she would be willing to accept if she was wrong, but she doubted that she'd learn if she was for a while longer. Even if they did manage to save the girl and it did turn out to be Charlie while they were here.

As they made their way towards where Ralph, Wes, and Feon were, Beth couldn't help but feel a doubt tickling the back of her mind about what they might be able to accomplish here. She didn't know what that was about, but it almost felt like something she might have heard Charlie say that made her feel like even if Charlie was that girl, that they wouldn't be able to save her at this time.

While they Ralph and Wes hadn't had much luck with the songs they had planned on mostly playing, they were at least playing a few right then. With even a few more people stopping to listen than they'd usually had the first time they'd tried this.

Feon was holding out a small bag or hat for offered coins. Beth hadn't been able to figure that out, but she didn't really care one way or another. As long as they were able to get something they could be using an old smelly sock. Although, if it was an old sock, smelly or otherwise, Beth was sure she'd rather keep her distance from it, regardless of how much 'coin' they were able to get in it.

When they were at the edge of the crowd, Hashab abandoned Beth to join Feon to try and collect what they could. While there weren't that many listening, Beth doubted it would hurt any to have both of them trying to get what they could out of the audience. Even those who merely stopped for a brief minute.

While Beth really wanted to talk with Ralph and Wes right away about what she'd learned during her time at the arena, she couldn't argue against trying to get more money to work with. She still doubted that they'd be able to get much, but she couldn't help but hope that they might get lucky and not only save Charlie, but also Hesha's brother.

Of course, she kept her wild dream in check, given reality was rarely ever that king outside of movies, TV shows, video games, and books. Yet, that didn't stop her spirit from declaring what should happen, regardless of what reality wanted.

The day moved by slowly, and when the crowds were starting to thin out, as the sun was setting, they played their last song for the day. While Beth was skeptical about them playing 'Fade to Black' by Metallica as the last song for the day, she couldn't argue that it kind of had its charm, even though she felt it was a little too depressing to really think about.

They'd mostly played instrumentals, but Beth was pretty sure that both of them were trying to get the people of this world to accept the music they preferred as well. While she wasn't sure how much luck they'd get, she had to admit that, at least in this city, more people seemed to find it interesting. Even if they didn't toss many coins their way.

In the end, their grand total of coins for the day had been thirty tist coins, five hesh coins, and one zik. Though, Beth was still confident that the zik was by mistake. Although, she wasn't going to complain about that. After all, it was that person's problem for not keeping track of which coin they'd tossed to them.

Also, with how much they'd been able to earn on the occasional village or inn they'd been able to earn more, their grand total came to four hundred seventy-seven Tits, twenty eight Heshs, and four ziks. After the expenses that had come up for them, at least.

Beth hadn't done the math yet on how much they had left to go, but she was pretty sure they weren't really even in the ball park of an opening bid on the girl they came to investigate, let alone having enough to realistically expect to win her in the auction.

"Something wrong, Beth?" Ralph asked as they finished the song they'd been playing, 'Just Give Me a Reason' by Pink.

Beth shook her head. "Not really, just that I don't see us being able to save Charlie through this method." Beth paused for a moment before quickly adding, "Uh, that is if it is Charlie. We couldn't see her very well in the arena."

"Well, who knows what else might happen before then," Wes remarked. "Stranger things have happened."

Beth sighed. She wished she could feel as optimistic about this as both Ralph and Wes seemed to be, but somehow it only made her feel even more depressed.

"I saw my oldest brother," Hesha said.

While Hesha probably didn't think of it as abruptly, Beth felt like it was and she was even more surprised to find that she'd forgotten about it, even though she had only just learned about that from Hesha, who had learned about it when they were entering the city.

"Where is he?" Wes asked, looking around, letting Beth know he didn't realize that Hesha didn't mean that she saw him 'around.'

"Probably with the others who're going to be auctioned off," Beth replied casually, as if they talked about that sort of thing all the time.

Wes blinked, while Ralph didn't look like he was even listening to them. Even though Beth was confident he was listening to every word that was said.

"Wait, she saw her brother, but he's going to be sold?" Wes asked. "How does that work?"

Hesha shook her head. "I don't know. I just know that I'd hear about rumors about that happening to other villages, but I never really thought much about them," she said sadly, like she might be blaming herself for what had transpired in her village.

"However it works," Beth interrupted, feeling like this was going to give her a headache if she didn't put a stop to it right away, "the fact is, is that Hesha's brother is likely going to be put up for auction tomorrow. Hesha, of course, wants to save him, and I told her that we'd help." Beth looked at Wes, and had to pull Ralph's head to look at hers to ensure that both of them knew how serious she was about this. "That Charlie would want us to help him, even if it meant we wouldn't be able to save her."

Ralph chuckled. "Yeah, that would be Charlie who'd do that, right?"

"So, you'll help?" Hesha asked, sounding like she was afraid that Ralph and Wes might try to veto the idea.

"Of course we'll help," Wes answered, putting his hand on her shoulder after a brief pause of his hand close to her head, since she'd made it clear that she would hurt Wes if he tried ruffling her hair again.

"The only question now is if we can actually get enough to even try for the girl that might be Charlie," Ralph remarked. "And if we can't, what do we do with what we have left over?"

Beth couldn't help but laugh, a little conscious of how she was drawing a few curious looks from people around them as she did so. "You know, I don't think I'd even thought that far ahead. It always seemed like we'd save Charlie and break even, no matter what else happened."

"Yeah, sometimes things are like that," Wes agreed.

"Well, that doesn't say what we'll do with the leftover coins," Ralph complained.

"You could always give them to the church," Feon said quietly.

"Church? What church?" Ralph asked, sounding like he felt he missed something. Beth had to admit that she felt like she'd been thrown for a loop with that suggestion as well.

Feon, however, looked like they'd either said something incomprehensible or blasphemous. Beth couldn't be sure. Though, whichever it was, she wouldn't be surprised to see Feon taking a dim view of it.

"The church is the only one that matters," Feon said, as if that explained everything. "Our eternal mother, her only begotten, who died for our sins, and the holy spirit. The creator of the heavens and Telekario."

Beth listened as Feon went on and couldn't help but recognize an incredible amount of similarities to Christianity, though she didn't say anything. Whether or not they wanted to essentially 'convert' to this religion would have to wait for another day. Right then Beth was more interested in dealing with the problems at hand.

When Feon finally started to wind her long-winded explanation about the church of this world, Beth nodded. "Well, we can always keep that as an option," she said, having no intention of letting their remaining funds get all donated to the church like that. "Though, if we have any leftover from this endeavor, we could at least keep them for funding on future endeavors we're going to have."

"Like what?" Ralph asked, sounding like he didn't plan on letting go.

"Well, if we need money when we investigate possible locations for the griffin canyon, it'll be nice to no have to get more then," Beth answered. "We won't know if we might find something that's a little time sensitive for whatever reason." Beth paused as she glanced at Feon and Hesha, something coming to mind that she felt they should do anyway, even if they weren't really required to anyway. "Also, shouldn't we give Hesha and Feon a cut? I mean, they did help us get these coins, right?"

Ralph and Wes nodded, though Feon and Hesha didn't look like they understood what Beth was getting at. Which she was perfectly fine with. She didn't plan on getting into the specifics, or the nitty-gritty details, but she felt like they should each get a share of the remaining funds. Even if she'd rather not give Ralph any, just out of basic principle that he'd probably do something that would make them regret doing so.

Even though she couldn't say what that might be. She just felt like it might happen and she should be ready for it. After all, Ralph did tend to lean towards that sort of thing. Especially when he got bored.

Which was just something that she felt should be dealt with later. Right now they would probably be better off finding their way to the inn they'd already checked in at. After all, it wasn't like they had planned this whole operation down to the last detail. Right now it just didn't seem like it would have survived their latest hurdle at finding out if that girl was Charlie or not. Primarily because of how they'd learned just how much they'd likely need in order to save the girl.