Le Fay was a small, medicinal town along the giant forest that bordered the Westlands and Southlands. The townspeople were a tight-knit community of farmers, florists, cooks, and researchers, living a self-sustaining way of life away from the turmoil of the kingdom. Their existence was little known but overall peaceful, and they drew in those seeking a more laid-back, "country" way of life. It also served as a convenient place to resupply for Cygnus's research teams heading in and out of the Southlands.
As they arrived in Le Fay, Cygnus breathed a sigh of relief knowing the town had remained untouched. It was the same old wooden villa decorated with bodacious arrangements of colorful flowers, yeasty scents, and the sound of wind chimes gently dancing in the wind. If there were any place he'd want to spare from a war, it was that place.
"We should head to the cottage lab I've built here," Cygnus said. "Hopefully, we can contact the city from there."
"And if we can't?" Samson asked.
"Then I suppose we'll have to go in blind and see for ourselves," Cygnus said. "Hopefully, it doesn't come to that."
As they approached the house, Cygnus's pace seemed to slow. His face grew sour as if he was dreading something awaiting him in the little wood building. None of them, not even his closest men, had ever seen such a bitter expression on the scholar before.
"What's wrong? Are there enemies?" Kofi asked, glancing around.
"No… It's nothing like that," Cygnus mumbled. He placed his hand on the door and turned the knob slowly. The door creaked open, and there stood a woman, his age, over a wooden table, swishing around some glass bottles of violet liquid. Hearing them enter, she looked up from her work.
"Ah, welcome," she said with a pleasant smile as they entered. "Please, make yourself at-"
As the woman's eyes fell on Cygnus, her gaze grew scornful, and her cheery demeanor dissipated in an instant. She clicked her teeth as she grabbed one of the glass bottles on the table and threw it straight at Cygnus's head, who ducked to dodge.
"After all this time, you still have the nerve to show your face to me," the woman said.
"Trust me, Vera, seeing your face isn't pleasant for me either," Cygnus said. His left eye began to twitch. "Even the Moonless Terra isn't far enough from your face. I think I'd have to travel to the moon itself to be satisfied."
"Then I'd have to stare up at the sky every night and know you're looking down on me. No thanks," Vera said with disgust. "The Moonless Terra is far enough. Weren't you trying to get there? What the hell are you doing playing around here?"
Cygnus sighed as he turned to his companions. "This is Vera. She's an acquaintance of mine from my early days in the city. Perhaps I might've called her a companion once, but seeing her now…"
Cygnus shook his head as he spoke in a defeated tone. "I feel nothing but shame."
"Oh, please!" Vera said, marching up to them. "This man doesn't know a thing of shame. All he cares about is his work. Work, work, work, work, work. Nothing more, nothing less."
"And all this woman cares for is booze, sleep, and avoiding her responsibilities," Cygnus said, giving her a penetrating glare.
"Ptah! Ptah! Your presence angers me!" Vera shouted. "You'd better have a good reason for being here."
"Um, actually, we do," Epsilon interjected, pushing his way to the front. "Cygnus, perhaps it's better if we handle the talking, since you two seem to have an unpleasant past."
"We're you guys dating, by chance?" Samson asked, trying his hardest to hold back his laughter.
"Ptah! What gave you that impression, Porky?" Vera asked. Her spit landed directly between his feet, to which he recoiled in disgust.
"Now, now, let's not fuel the fire," Epsilon said. "Porky."
"Why you-" Samson started.
"Anyhow, Miss Vera, correct?" Epsilon asked. "We've come to use your comms-crystal to reach Arthur. Might you have it handy?"
"I figured as much," Vera said. "Unfortunately, I haven't been able to reach the kingdom in weeks. The magic wave emitters in the city have been cut off. You can try, if you don't believe me. The communicator orb is in the room behind me."
"We'll take your word for it," Cygnus said. "Listen… Vera…"
"No, I won't be joining you in your escapade," Vera said. "God, why can't you guys just sit back and relax? Let other people handle this crap."
"Vera," Cygnus said.
"Honestly, there isn't much I can do anyway," Vera said. "If a civil is happening, I can only hope it never reaches this small town."
"But it will," Cygnus said. "It'll reach the ends of the world if we don't stop it. Your medicinal genius alone makes you invaluable. Even if it's not with us, please, return to Arthur and aid him."
"I'll consider it," Vera said as she lit up a cigar. "But don't get your hopes up."
"Haven't I told you before? That's horrid for your lungs," Cygnus said, snatching up the roll. "It's ironic that the one who contributed most to the cure of tuberculosis is such an avid smoker."
"And haven't I told you to mind your own business?" Vera asked, snatching it back. "Besides, it doesn't have anything other than herbs in it anymore. We don't get tobacco imports over here."
"Listen, Vera," Cygnus said.
"I know," Vera said. "It's not your fault, but whenever I see your face, I can't help but remember her. So please, just go."
"Very well," Cygnus said. "If you ever need anything, seek me out."
"Sure, whatever," Vera said. "One more thing. There are a couple of masked folks who have been waiting for you at the inn. Suspicious bunch. Can you go chase them out before you head out?"
"Did they say what they wanted?" Cygnus asked.
"No, they just said they were waiting for Cygnus Rift," Vera said, taking a puff of the flavorless smoke. "I told 'em you weren't coming through, but they seemed insistent you would. Guess they were right."
"I'll see to them before we go," Cygnus said.
"I don't give a damn what happens to you, but for her sake, don't die," Vera said, turning her back to him and walking back to her table of boiling liquids.
"Do the dead really have desires?" Cygnus asked.
"Does it really matter?" Vera asked.