Chapter 17: The Winter's Beginning

 Time flies and the eventful festival flame etched to everyone hearts especially the people of Greengard. Even so, everything that happens already behind the time and the town already restored half of the damage. All people still in a bit worry for incoming winter that should be around a week later. The wind become increasingly cold as the time moves.

 It's been three week since the incident happened. Black Blade, Codex and Emerald already planning to return back to the base also known as home for them in Lothal. They stay there for three weeks for helping the people recuperating with the loss. Many deaths occured and it will not be easily forgotten by anyone.

 In the morning, Black Blade give the recovered shop of Ekiu and Equ a visit. He get a warm welcome from the twins as they chat.

 "Hey, Ekiu. May I have a word with you?" He ask as he was sitting with him at the living room.

 "Sure. What seems to be the problem? Do you want to have an order from us?" Ekiu replies as he push the cup of tea towards him.

 "No. I may interested in your wood carving skill but I have something more... important. Here... the Denials actually getting short of hands lately as we might make use of your magic and your sister fighting prowess into this. What do you say?"

 Ekiu lean againts the slightly burnt couch as he thinks to Black Blade's offer. To him it sounds pretty juicy since maybe he could actually sharpen his magic skill with people in Denials. After a short silence he finally spoke while Black Blade was sipping the tea.

 "I am interested with that since it could give us some advantages with that. Tell me the detail. Maybe I can take this offer further."

 "Hmm... We Denials actually scattered all over Melloyern. There is some of our member in every state. Like the legendary 12 Deadly Roses. We have a few members here and there to make our work around the whole Melloyern paninsular more efficient. So. we may need you to be the Denials member of Oakwoods since we don't have any so far." He explains.

 Ekiu again hums while thinking about the whole thing. Suddenly, the door at the corner of the living room opened and Equ step in with her slightly different outfit. The color is not that she always wears.

 "Maybe we can just take the offer. They helped us here. Plus, it's not like we gonna have to leave the shop behind. we can just live our life naturally until there is job to be done." She said as she sit down be Ekiu's side and her lips curved into unusual sweet smile as she look at Black Blade.

 "Hmm... Make sense." He said as he look at her thoughtfully.

 Black Blade raised his eyebrow, satisfied that the twins seems to be interested in this offer. He just look at the two as waiting for their final answer.

 "Well... What do you two say?" He take a sip of the tea calmly.

 "Okay, we both agree. That should do... right?"

 "Yeah. We will be communicate with letters so check your mailbox daily so you wouldn't missed any news." He said genuinely satified with the situation.

 "Okay. will do." Equ said and take her cup and sips the tea.

 After that, Black Blade leave the shop. As he open the door, he heard someone ourside exclaim.

 "Snow! Snow! The winter has begin!" there is a kid along with their friends running around eagerly watching the snow falls.

 As hearing that, Ekiu and Equ get out the shop to see the snow. They both stand by his side.

 "Here it come..." Equ sigh, visibly irritated with this situation.

 "This time of the year has come yet our town preparation is the worse." Ekiu said as he look at the kids playing happily in the snow.

 "One after another." She said as she step in the shop.

 "It's gonna be a tough ride huh?" Black Blade turn his sight to Ekiu.

 "It was actually a season that we love to have but the town condition and preparation for this is just... the worse this time. That's why my sister very frustrated."

 "I see." Black Blade nodded in agreement. He fully aware the situation of the town.

 After bidding farewell to each other, Black Blade walk around the town watching the environment here at the start of winter. The streets already turn white as people walks here leaving trails of their footwear. Kids running around while the adults some seems to be frustrated and some seems to accept everything with a grain of salt.

 As he walk around the town, he saw a girl sitting by a building alone. She was building a snowman with a gloomy face. He approach the girl and greet her.

 "Hey there. Are you having your time alone?" He said as three other kids running past them.

 "Oh. Mister. I... just feel a bit sad. I can't play snow with my friend... she was gone during the incident.." She said before looking down seemingly at the brink of tears.

 "I see. Here, take this." He sits by the girl side and give her a necklace.

 The necklace have an ornament tied to it in the shape of simple yet cute Emerald. The girl look at him and wipe her tear before smiling.

 "I can really take this? It's so cute, Mister!"

 "Yes you may. This necklace is my own handcraft so it's okay. We all have our fair share of problems. how about we holding to something dear that we own?" he said as he pat the girl's head.

 The girl nod enthusiastically as she swear to keep it. Black Blade give her a hug before he leave the girl with the snowman she made.

 He sigh to that. He feels like his heart being shred into pieces seeing such a sight. To loose something while didn't really understand many things is a bit too cruel. This town is a mess. everything is not what it's always like.

 The snow stacks on the street as people start to lit up the torch around town to melts the snow away. Everyone was on their own business. some still completing their roof. some was collecting and preparing their rations and so on. Some just sit there on the empty barrel frustrated.

 Then, Black Blade hear someone calling him. He turn just to see Emerald charging at him with full speed and hugs him.

 "Master! Where did you gone! Sis Codex being looking for you!" She said sounds a bit worked up but sound childish enough with the pout at her cheek.

 "I'm just finishing some business here and there. I just planning to go back to the inn."

 Emerald then nodded understandingly but before heading back, she has other plans. She ask for Black Blade to buy her a leather jacket. Black Blade refused a few times just to get convinced by her word and they heading to nearest leatherworker shop.

 Meanwhile, At Ekiu and Equ's shop. Someone knocking at the door.

 "I'll get the door." Ekiu said as he open the door.

 "Good morning... Is that you... Mister Ekiu?"

 Ekiu were shocked to the sight of a woman wearing a cloak standing there with a smile. Her face have a slight burn wound and her left arm loose half of it and just at her elbow. Ekiu recognize the voice and the face.

 "You are... Anna... Right? What..." He shake his head and invite her in.

 "you recognize me... Thank you, Mister Ekiu." She said as she hug him instead of getting in the shop.

 "Anna... Sorry." He wrap his arm around her back.

 Anna shake her head a few times and look up to Ekiu's face. She put a smile on her face with tears welling in her eye.

 "No... It's not your fault. I should just tell you i'm coming for the festival but I wanna make it a surprise and... it really surprising indeed."

 "Yeah... It's indeed a surprise. And I'm sorry for not be able to do anything about... your arm."

 "At least I found you now." She giggles and again hugs him and burried her face in Ekiu's chest as she shudder in between her tears.

 Equ just came out from a door in the shop and see the two embracing each other. She planning to tease but she reallise the fact that the woman didn't have an arm intact to her elbow. She just let the two be.

to be continue...