Young Writers Society

Elias chuckled during the conversation and then looked over at Aerik when the conversation was pointed back at him. Somehow, it felt like these guys knew more about him than he knew himself.

"It's different," he said. "You can say it's more... what's the word... archaic. But it's nice to have the freedom to do things. Having random people trying to kill us isn't that nice, though."

"Ah, yes, well, you had the misfortune of running into the man who hates Jerica more than anyone else alive."

"Biryn," Jerica interjected.

"Biryn wants you alive."

"Biryn needs me alive."

Aerik inclined his head, acknowledging her point, then turned back to Elias. "Unfortunately, the people who dislike Jerica tend to come in swords swinging... did you get hurt as well?"

Elias scratched his head with a nervous smile.

Who was Biryn, again..? Man, I need to start writing these names down or something...

His train of thought was interrupted as Aerik then asked him a question. "Huh? Oh, hah, no," he said with a small smile as he dropped his hand. "Jerica is, um... a great protector. Even though she technically brought the bad guys to her. But still."

"Hey, that wasn't my fault," Jerica said defensively. "I just wanted a bottle--" she trailed of, looking at Aerik guiltily.

"It's always the rum with you." He sighed, shaking his head.

"What can I say? I'm a boozy bitch." She smirked and looked back at Elias. "I am glad you didn't get hurt, though. I was a little worried when we were in the thick of it."

Elias let out a small laugh, remembering when he thought people were chasing Jerica and trying to kill her because she stole a bottle a rum. If only it were that simple.

"Thanks," he said with a slanted smile. "I'm glad I didn't get hurt either."

It was supposed to be a lighthearted silly statement, but he truly was glad he wasn't hurt. For... more reasons than he'd like to get into, really.

"Alright..." Aerik clapped his hands together, sighing. "So, what do we do with Femola now?"

"Kill," Jerica answered without hesitating.

"No," Aerik answered just as quickly.



"What about you?" Aerik asked, turning his attention to Jayk.

"Kill?"

"No," Aerik repeated, then finally looked at Elias, even though he wasn't too optimistic he'd be able to give a good answer. It would be about as useful as Jerica and Jayk seemed to want to be. "What about you?"

It took all of Elias's willpower to not keep up with the joke and say 'kill,' but he was too much of a pacifist to say anything like that.

"Let's invite him to dinner and use the power of friendship to make him good," he said with a deadpan face instead, but he was clearly suppressing a silly smile.

"No," Aerik repeated yet again. "Alright. I guess I'll ask Derik."

"Tell him I say hi!"

Aerik snorted but reached for a piece of paper. "Alright... 'Femola saw Jerica. What should we do with him now? P.S. Jerica says hi.'"

Jerica nodded approvingly, grinning weakly. She was still so exhausted. But she looked back at Elias. "My uncle. He's very smart."

Derik, Aerik... these names were way too damn similar.

"Right," Elias said like he totally knew who Derik was. He vaguely remembered Jerica telling him about her two uncles and how she became involved in what she was doing because of them.

"Why do I have a feeling your uncle is going to write back with the word 'kill'?" Elias mumbled over to Jerica.

Jerica laughed, a bit too long. That would be ironic. And hysterical. The letter disappeared from Aerik's hand, and Jerica leaned back in her chair, chest heaving a bit, looking over at Elias with heavy eyelids. "Nah, Derik will probably say to kidnap him or something... I wonder if we could, like, figure out a way to discredit Femola so no one believes him? I mean, I don't know why anyone believes the asshat to begin with... but...? You know?"

Elias scrunched his nose in thought, slouching back on his chair. "I mean, isn't this world like, full of crazy magic? Can't you do magic voodoo stuff to make people not believe him? I dunno."

"Actually, come to think of it..." Aerik rubbed his chin, looking at Jerica thoughtfully. "We did do something similar, to get Derik in at the Palace."

Jerica rubbed her face. "Has any part of my life not been a lie?"

"The lies kept you safe," Aerik said. He glanced at Elias, not quite sure how he felt about that statement. "Sometimes lies are necessary for survival."

"I have no idea if what I said meant anything, but I'm glad to help," Elias said with self-satisfaction. He then eyed Aerik when he said the deep statement about lies. He decided to not comment on that further.

"Well--" Aerik stopped as a letter materialized in the air in front of him.

"What'd he say?" Jerica asked, perking up a bit.

Aerik read in silence. "Well, I'll be damned.

"What did he say?" She sat up, leaning forward like she was thinking about standing up, even though her body started to tremble from even that much exertion.

"Sit," Aerik ordered, pointing a finger at her with a stern look until she leaned back. "He had the same idea as Elias... mostly. Just that we make Femola forget what he saw, and hope he hasn't told too many people yet."

"And?" Jerica pressed.

"He said he'd look for a sorcerer who can accomplish it for us without running their mouth after."

Jerica frowned. "And?"

Aerik rolled his eyes. "And, and I quote, "Hey Jer-Bear, don't kill Femola, okay?'"

Jerica smiled at the first part but snorted at the last bit. She looked over at Elias (who apparently had been pronouncing his name entirely differently than she thought his name actually was). "I still vote kill."

Elias beamed, proud that he had a similar idea than this smart guy Derik... even though he wasn't really even sure what the details of his idea was, exactly.

"So, how would you make Femola forget then?" he asked. "Is there a memory power?"

There was a memory power on Earth, but he had no idea what it was like in Beirania.