Chapter 33: The Peculiar Alleyway Shop

“Thrud, speaking of which, what are your thoughts on the mist Aldoran mentioned?”

As Aldoran and Qing Yu worried over the reports in the newspaper, Thrud and Liliya found themselves in a small alleyway shop, enjoying grilled skewers.

This unassuming shop was one they had stumbled upon while pursuing leads, though neither could recall precisely how they had come to be there. Nevertheless, Thrud, feeling a pang of hunger upon their arrival, decided to indulge and rest with Liliya.

‘I don’t know,’ Thrud mused, taking a sip of her strawberry juice. ‘But Master would never lie.’

Truth be told, the strawberry juice was rather unpalatable, always carrying a peculiar, fishy undertone.

Meanwhile, Liliya propped her chin in one hand, her other idly drumming against the table, a look of profound dejection etched upon her face.

The plate set before them, laden with octopus tentacles dusted generously with pepper and cumin, had been delivered by the server. Yet, Liliya found herself utterly devoid of appetite, for the tentacles seemed to possess an unsettling, perpetual wriggle.

‘Without even a shred of a clue, how are we ever to investigate this mist?’

‘Perhaps we could inquire with the server,’ Thrud suggested, utterly oblivious to the unsettling movement of the octopus tentacles, continuing to happily shovel food into her mouth.

‘How could a mere server possibly know anything about such matters—’

Before Liliya could finish, Thrud had already waved towards the interior of the shop. The server, a slight limp noticeable in their gait, immediately made their way over, their movements suggesting some discomfort in their legs.

‘May I assist you, esteemed guests?’ the server inquired, a polite smile gracing their lips as they stood beside Thrud.

‘Excuse me, Mister Server,’ Thrud began, ‘have you perhaps heard anything about ‘the mist’?’

‘The mist?’

The server tilted their head, a look of profound confusion clouding their features.

‘You know,’ Liliya elaborated, waving her arms animatedly as she struggled to recall Aldoran’s description, ‘that mist—white, visible to some but not others. It even rains, transforming into all sorts of bizarre phenomena.’

The server’s expression deepened into one of even greater bewilderment.

‘A mist that morphs into strange things, I haven’t heard of that,’ the server conceded. ‘However, recent news over the past month has indeed mentioned a peculiar fog, one visible only to certain individuals.’

Liliya and Thrud exchanged a look of profound astonishment.

‘Could you, perhaps, elaborate?’

They spoke in perfect, eager unison.

‘I’m not entirely clear on the specifics myself, you see, as I don’t much follow newspapers,’ the server began, a slight shrug. ‘But the earliest reported sighting emerged about a month ago. It was a rather notorious drunkard from town who claimed to have seen a strange mist on her way home at night. Yet, that evening had been exceptionally clear, without a wisp of fog in sight, so everyone merely dismissed her account as the ramblings of someone heavily inebriated. What makes it chilling, however, is that the very next day after her supposed discovery of the thick fog, she vanished mysteriously from her home.’

As he spoke, the server offered a shy, almost bashful smile. A shaft of bright sunlight, piercing through an unseen opening, spilled onto his form, refracting off tiny, glistening droplets of water, creating a faint, crystalline shimmer.

‘That’s roughly the extent of my knowledge; I’m afraid I cannot offer any further details.’

‘Ah, but there is one crucial detail,’ he quickly added. ‘Following that initial sighting, reports of the white mist escalated dramatically within a mere few days, and concurrently, the number of disappearances skyrocketed.’

Having delivered this final piece of information, the server sealed his lips, content to wait patiently.

‘Are there, then, any more specific descriptions?’ Liliya pressed, her face alight with urgency. ‘For instance, when does this white mist typically appear? What does it look like? Are there any particular circumstances or locations associated with its emergence?’

‘My apologies,’ the server chuckled softly, a fleeting glance falling upon the food on their table, before his gaze settled with evident satisfaction upon Thrud. ‘I’m afraid I know nothing further.’

‘However, given the strange occurrences plaguing our town, I would advise guests against lingering here.’

‘Oh, is that right?’ Thrud responded, a slight, embarrassed scratch of her head as she noticed the server’s lingering gaze, completely disregarding his implicit warning. ‘Then, perhaps the boss might know something?’

‘My apologies, esteemed guests, but the boss is not present today,’ the server replied, his professional smile unwavering as he stood respectfully to the side. Liliya, however, observed that the sticky sheen of sweat on his forehead seemed to have intensified.

‘What’s the matter?’ Liliya inquired, a hint of concern in her voice. ‘Are you feeling warm? Would you like to sit down?’ She gestured to the empty space beside her, lightly patting the bench.

‘There’s no need, thank you for your kindness,’ the server responded, taking two steps back, his gaze lingering on Liliya’s eyes for a few unsettling seconds.

‘But you appear to be sweating profusely; are you truly alright?’

Thrud, too, cast her gaze upon the server, yet she discerned no beads of sweat upon his form.

‘[Ah, perhaps Liliya has taken a liking to him.]’

With that thought, Thrud quietly resumed sipping her juice, content to silently await the conclusion of Liliya’s conversation with the server.

‘No, no, I’m quite alright, thank you for your concern, esteemed guest,’ the server reiterated, retreating a few more steps.

Liliya, no longer pressing the server, simply reverted to her own musings, staring blankly into space.

Thrud continued to sip her juice as the server turned and departed.

****

A resounding ‘Boom!’ ripped through the sky, followed by a serpentine flash of fire streaking across the horizon.

Then, ‘Pat-pat,’ individual raindrops began to fiercely lash against the earth, each impact blossoming into a miniature spray of water.

Only moments before, the sky had been a vast, clear expanse of brilliant azure, bathed in golden sunlight. Now, however, it was plunged into a tempest of wind and rain, punctuated by furious thunder and lightning. A thick, oppressive darkness descended, threatening to crush the very earth beneath its weight.

‘What’s happening with this weather?’ Thrud murmured, tilting her head back to gaze at the ominous sky. ‘It was perfectly fine just a moment ago.’

‘How truly peculiar,’ Liliya echoed, absently plucking an octopus tentacle from the plate and examining it in her hand. ‘But since it’s raining, I suppose we’re confined to staying here a little longer, aren’t we?’

‘It appears Master’s task for me won’t be completed today,’ Thrud remarked good-naturedly, continuing to happily stuff food into her mouth.

‘These grilled sausages are quite delicious; it’s hardly a loss at all~’

Upon hearing this, Liliya, who had moments before been steeped in dejection, sharply turned her gaze to Thrud.

‘Grilled sausages? What grilled sausages?’

From the very beginning, the table had held nothing but octopus tentacles; there were absolutely no grilled sausages.

‘What?’ Liliya exclaimed, her voice laced with disbelief. ‘Thrud, please, say that again: what is this?’ She pointed emphatically at the octopus tentacles, questioning Thrud.

Thrud tilted her head, her gaze fixed on Liliya with an expression of utter bewilderment.

‘These are grilled sausages, aren’t they? What seems to be the matter?’

‘But aren’t these octopus tentacles?’

‘Octopus tentacles?’ Thrud glanced at the plate, then back at Liliya, before erupting into a peal of laughter.

‘Oh, come now, Liliya, don’t tease me. These are clearly grilled sausages!’

‘Grilled sausages? Thrud,’ Liliya cried out, her voice a gasp of pure shock, so loud it momentarily eclipsed the drumming of rain against the earth. The server, seated inconspicuously in a corner, turned their head to look in their direction.

Witnessing this peculiar exchange, a faint, almost imperceptible smile played upon the server’s lips.

‘Stop joking, Liliya, these truly are grilled sausages,’ Thrud insisted, picking up a piece of what Liliya perceived as an octopus tentacle and bringing it to her friend’s mouth. ‘You should try some.’

Gazing upon the bloody, still-wriggling octopus tentacle, Liliya felt her stomach churn; it was utterly impossible for her to even consider consuming it. She couldn’t begin to comprehend how Thrud could possibly stomach such a sight, let alone eat it.

‘Thrud, do you genuinely believe these are grilled sausages?’ Liliya questioned, pushing away the chopsticks Thrud had offered and frantically waving her hands in protest.

‘Alright, alright, Liliya, stop teasing me,’ Thrud chided, a hint of mock exasperation in her tone. ‘If you persist, I might actually get upset.’

‘B-b-but—’ Liliya stammered, merely pointing at the continuously wriggling tentacles, utterly at a loss for further words.

Thrud’s demeanor betrayed no hint of jest; she appeared to genuinely believe that this plate of repulsive fare was, in fact, an array of delectable grilled sausages.

Liliya, almost instinctively, cast another glance at the juice Thrud had been steadily consuming—

It was a cup filled with a viscous, unidentified red liquid.

‘And this, what exactly is this?’ Liliya asked, swallowing hard as she pointed towards the mysterious liquid.

‘This?’ Thrud replied, her expression utterly earnest as she lifted the cup and gave it a gentle shake. ‘Isn’t this strawberry juice?’ Liliya, to her horror, could discern strange, wriggling detritus floating within the viscous liquid.

‘Server! Server! Come here!’ Liliya finally erupted, her patience snapping. She sprang to her feet, her voice echoing as she loudly called out for the server.

Yet, at that very moment, there was no server to be found within the shop. The once bustling hall was utterly empty, nothing remaining but the dilapidated, leaking roof, from which raindrops steadily plinked onto the floor below.

‘Hey, hey, hey! Thrud!’ Liliya shrieked, her voice edged with panic. ‘Look at the hall! It’s completely empty!’ She roughly swatted the bowl and chopsticks from Thrud’s grasp, forcibly turning her head towards the cavernous space.

‘Empty?’ Thrud questioned, her head forcibly twisted, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Liliya. ‘Aren’t all the furnishings still arranged in the hall?’

‘What?’

Liliya whirled her head around once more. This time, every single furnishing in the hall had reappeared: the exquisite tables and chairs, the imposing counter, the cabinets brimming with liquor—all perfectly in place. The very server they had spoken with stood in the corner, a faint smile gracing his lips as he gazed directly at Liliya.

Liliya rubbed her eyes furiously, and just as swiftly, the hall reverted to its desolate, empty state.

‘Hey, hey, hey! Thrud, stop eating! We have to go!’ Liliya cried, halting Thrud’s attempt to continue her meal. She seized her friend’s hand, ready to pull her to her feet.

This shop was far too peculiar; they absolutely had to leave at once.

‘No! Liliya, I haven’t finished eating yet!’

‘Forget about finishing your meal; leaving now is what truly matters!’ Liliya insisted urgently, failing to notice her footing. She stumbled, tumbling to the ground.

At that very instant, thunder roared, and the earth began to tremor violently.

An earthquake.

Dust rained continuously from the ceiling, and the entire building groaned and creaked. The supporting pillars, already shaking, began to show pronounced cracks.

The fragile crossbeams seemed poised to collapse at any second.

‘Hey! Liliya, watch out!’ Thrud reacted with remarkable speed, a wave of her hand conjuring a spherical golden energy that enveloped both her and Liliya.

The heavens and earth themselves seemed to tremble, the ground continuously heaving. Cracks spread rapidly throughout the entire shop. The crashing sounds of liquor bottles and wooden tables falling merged, howling amidst the rumbling thunder.

The oppressive, dark clouds pressed down, and a violent storm roared, threatening to engulf the very earth.

Distant houses toppled one after another, emitting a mighty roar like colossal beasts, as a whirlwind of dust obscured Liliya’s vision.

Beams crashed to the ground, and the shop collapsed with a deafening roar—

‘Cough, cough.’

‘Cough, cough.’

Once the swirling smoke and dust finally dissipated, the two dust-covered figures found themselves standing on a brightly lit street, bathed in sunlight…