You ready? We’re almost there. You ready to do this?
SUGAR HOLSTER, DAUGHTER OF DESPAIR It was slow going getting to Coeur and it was even slower once we got to the forest. We had no idea where we were going. We weren’t used to being on the road like Candle was, and we went to bed hungry more often than not. We tried to hunt, we tried to find the Spire, we tried to figure out what we were going to tell Snow once we got there. We were lost and the best we could do was wander the forest hoping to get lucky.
“Weeks,” Banquet said one night. “We’ve been at this for weeks. We have no idea what we’re doing.”
“This looks familiar,” I said. “Doesn’t it?”
“It’s just trees,” Banquet said. “How can you tell?”
“I don’t know,” I said. “It looks familiar.”
“Do you think we’re going in circles?”
“I don’t know,” I said, sitting down suddenly. Collapsing. Putting my head in my hands. “I just don’t know.” We decided to make camp for the night. Cut some glow wood branches off the trees for a campfire. We tried to sleep, our bellies audibly yearning for sustenance.
That was the night we were ambushed by bandits.
“Get up,” I heard a voice say. Male. “No sudden movements.” I woke all at once and looked up at the voice. Three filthy, armor-clad men adorned with scars stood above Banquet and me. All with swords. Not neon, but our swords were in our sheathes by the fireside. If we had our swords we’d have the advantage, but we were unarmed. Banquet woke more slowly, looking groggy despite being held at sword point.
“Whazzat?” she said, rubbing her eyes. “Who’re you?”
“No sudden movements,” the man in front said.
“Wait,” one of the men in the back said. “Look at ‘em. They’re them, ain’t they?”
“Shit,” the man in front said. “Yeah, they are. You’re them, ain’t you?”
“Who?” I said. “What are you talking about?”
“Daughters,” the man in front whispered. “With the…” He gestured to our hair, to the green robes laid out by the fire.
“How’d you know?” Banquet said. She couldn’t read the room. We weren’t in a room but you get it.
“The whole get-up,” the man in back said. “I’m sorry. We didn’t know when we set upon ya.”
“How do you know about the Daughters?” Banquet said. I looked at her, shot her a glance that said shut the fuck up.
“Everyone in Aorta knows about the Daughters,” the man in front said. They had all sheathed their swords at this point. “And everyone knows not to fuck with ‘em. You’re the worst kept secret in Coeur.”
“I don’t know about that,” I said, sitting up. I reached toward the fire and grabbed my scabbard just in case they decided to change their minds. “But don’t worry. You take us to Aorta, we’ll forget all about it.”
“It’s only fifteen minutes west from where ya at right now,” the last man to speak said. “Din’t you know?”
“We got turned around,” I said, hoisting myself up. “Though I appreciate the help.”
“Ya not gonna kill us, are ya?” the man in front said.
“Not if you get the fuck out of here,” I said. They all exchanged glances but stayed in place. “Now.” They turned tail and ran, back in the direction they said Aorta was.
“Holy shit,” Banquet said. She was finally awake. “That was incredible.”
“It’s weird that they know about the Daughters, right?” I said. “But that’s what saved us in the end.”
“A town. There’s a town nearby,” Banquet said. “Let’s get something to eat.”
“Not just any town,” I said. “Aorta’s the dirt bucket Candle said the Daughters get their supplies from.”
“We’re close,” Banquet.
“Real close,” I said.
“Let’s get something to eat,” Banquet said, starting to assemble our things.
“I could use a drink,” I said. “I nearly pissed myself back there.”
2
RUMORS FROM THE HEART TO HEART
BOSS HAPPY, OWNER OF THE HEART TO HEART Whisper? These fellas bothering you?
You know, Whisper and her da’ are like family ‘round here, but even then, the Heart to Heart ain’t really the place for a little girl. The fellas ‘round here are pretty… intense. Not to mention the ladies.
Alright, alright, I ain’t one to second guess you, Whisper. Just keep to yourself, you understand?
Now, what can I help you fellas with?
Sure, we know about the Daughters. Everyone in Aorta does. Worst kept secret in Coeur, the Daughters. They come by all the time for supplies with their silly hairdos and fancy robes. But don’t tell ‘em that to their face. They’re dangerous.
I don’t know about that. What’s in it for me?
No one ‘round here’s gonna talk to you fellas without gold exchanging hands, you feel me? This a town of mercs, after all. No one’s gonna talk to y’all if you don’t grease their palms first. Even me.
Come on. Look at you. Fancy armor, neon swords. Clean-cut. What’re you, royalty? For serious, you look like you could be Family. You can do better than that.
That’s what I’m talking about. Alright. Sure. I know the Daughters. What do you want to know?
Well, they live somewhere ‘round here, I can tell you that. They’re not lugging those supplies very far when they come. They buy in bulk, I’ll tell you that.
I don’t know much about that. But I can tell you something ‘bout the Daughters that no one else here can. If you happened to have more of that shine…
Thought so. You gotta keep this to yourself, though. They could come hollerin’ after me if they find out what happened, what I’m ‘bout to tell y’all. They’d kill me dead if they knew.
Alright. I killed one of ‘em once, a Daughter. Right after they started wearing their whole get-up. They weren’t always like that, with their silly uniforms. Must have new management. Anyway, I didn’t recognize her as a Daughter. I just saw a starry-eyed girl out of her element. Thought I could get the jump on her, get some gold out of it. Those robes are really fine crafted, you feel me? Anyway, she fought back but I got the better of her. And when I dug the knife deep in, you know what I found?
She didn’t bleed. Not at all. There was wires and metal and shit below the flesh. It was all fake. They’re machines. Like them they have in Cervello, at the university. Maybe the Daughters and the Cervellos in cahoots, you feel me? You ever hear about something like that? Machines masquerading as humans? That ain’t a lie; that’s the full truth. And if you show me some more shine, I’ll tell you their weakness. I’ll tell you how I took her down. That’s gotta be worth a little more gold, don’t it?
No? No. Didn’t think so.
What the fuck’s a Spire?
FLAG DIGITAL, MERCENARY You want to kill Daughters? Sure. If you have enough gold. I’ll kill anyone if you’ve got the gold. I’d kill that little girl right there if you gave me enough gold.