Chapter 151
BOOK II
VOLUME VII - BEYOND WEST
CHAPTER 151
ALISON (III)
Southern wind blew gently across the grassy valley, swaying it ever so barely . Crickets sang within its depths as birds roamed the clear blue sky above . Valley stretched for miles on end, shaped somewhat like a strange boot if looked from above . At the spot where the heel ought to be, valley splintered sideways and gave way to a relatively small lake .
The lake itself hounded water from the waterfall falling off a nearly hundred meters tall cliff upon which a strange, green-colored river flew . The very green of the river spilled over into the lake, making it appear oddly exotic . Currently, by the edge of the lake, a woman was performing odd forms, occasionally striking with her hands and feet .
She had golden hair tied up into a ponytail and was wearing simple clothes, a tank-top cut beneath her breasts and shorts barely down to her knees . She had well refined facial features and chiseled jaw which spilled into extremely muscled body which would put almost any man who knew her to shame .
Her azure-colored eyes remained focused as she began kicking yet again, moving forward and backward in the process as though she was reenacting a rhythmic sort of a dance which was inspired by martial arts . She was quickly pulled out of her focus and slipped and fell as she heard some movement behind her . Lying down, she heaved her head back and angrily looked at the source only to see a familiar, smiling face hanging above her .
"Eh? H-hannah? What are you doing here?" she asked the newer . The latter had endearingly beautiful green eyes which seemed to shimmer under the cover of shade and a smile that could disarm nearly anyone . Strands of her seemingly unnatural crimson hair fell down with the rest being neatly tied back . She was wearing ornamental clothes, wide and baroque, a plete opposite of hers' .
"Shane told me you were training," the woman said, smiling, as she sat down . "I wanted to see your progress . "
" . . . weren't you supposed to be attending that ball or something?"
"Really Ally? You think I'd ever attend that crap?"
" . . . point taken . " Alison said, sitting up as well and taking out a towel from seemingly nowhere, wiping off sweat . "So, what do you think?"
"Crude . " Hannah said with a slight frown . "There's no flow to it . You're just kicking and hitting and forming sounds that ought to never leave woman's mouth . You'll never find a husband like this . "
" . . . yeah, I see you're really here only to mess with me, aren't you?"
"Oh, you're finally getting it . " Hannah said, grinning .
"Couldn't you have chosen someone else to mess around with? I mean, I'm not the only one here, you know?"
"Yeah, but the rest have tendency of crying," Hannah suddenly sighed, as though she was lamenting over something grave . "It's not fun that way . "
"Aren't you the reason they're crying?"
"Just because I say a thing or two doesn't mean they should immediately burst out in tears . "
"I distinctly remember you telling Anton that you would rather literally let a goat impregnate you than ever let him touch you when he asked you for a spar . " Alison said with a tinge of anger in her voice .
"How's that a reason for him to literally start bawling like a newborn?" Hannah rolled her eyes quickly . "I was merely testing his willpower . "
"Right . . . of course you were . "
"Are you saying that I wasn't?"
"Yup, pretty much . "
"Ah, Ally . . . you used to be always on my side . . . " Hannah leaned sideways and rested her head on Alison's shoulder . "Who brainwashed you to hate me so?"
"No, nobody, it was pretty much me realizing that my big sis wasn't as cool as I thought she was . She was mostly just mean . " Alison replied, smiling lightly .
" . . . that hurt, you know?" Hannah mumbled, pouting as she glanced at Alison from the corner of her eyes .
" . . . pfft ha ha ha . . . yeah, I don't think there's anything or anyone who can actually hurt you . " Alison said in-between the laughter . "I used to envy that about you . . . still do, actually . "
"It's not even a matter of being hurt," Hannah said, sitting back up . Wind grazed her cheeks softly and lifted the few strands of her crimson hair backwards till it looked like she was bleeding from her temples . "It's -- or at least it should be -- a matter of who's trying to hurt you . "
" . . . and none of us are enough, huh?" Alison mumbled, looking away for a moment .
"Ow e on, you're way too old to be still seeking my approval . " Hannah chuckled and gently ruffled Alison's hair . "You're the Chosen One now, Ally . It's time to step outside my shadow . "
" . . . I don't think I've earned it, though . . . " Alison said, glancing at Hannah with strange gaze . "It felt more like you let me . . . no, like you let everyone and stepped aside . "
"Is that so wrong?" Hannah asked, smirking . "Big sis letting the young ones shine, eh? She sounds like a rather nice person, if you ask me . "
" . . . you said yourself that I'm already old enough," Alison said, keeping the serious tone in her voice . "Don't I deserve at least a little bit honesty?"
" . . . " a faint smile still hung on Hannah's lips as she returned Alison's gaze . "I was never meant to participate in the Holy War, Alison," she spoke only after nearly a minute of silence . "I only happened to be the best they've got . However, luckily, we were quickly blessed by generations far more talented than I'll ever be . And you, sweetcakes, took the throne by a goddamn mile!" lapsing from a somewhat serious to pletely exaggerated tone was something Hannah did often, Alison realized as she felt an arm wrap around her shoulder and pull her into Hannah's chest . "I mean, it was like a frickin' bolt from the sky, you know? Put the rest of us to real shame . "
" . . . ugh, can you stop being so touchy all the time?" Alison quickly wiggled herself out of Hannah's arms and stepped back further . "You should really find a husband and stop harassing everyone around . "
"What if I want a wife instead?" Hannah winked at her .
"Then find one!" Alison exclaimed, seemingly lost with the undertones . "Besides, what happened to that boy you used to visit?" Hannah's eyes suddenly shone in a rather strange light, but she recovered before Alison noticed the difference .
"Oh, him?" Hannah said with a playful tone . "Haah, I'm afraid he'd grown too tired of me and ran away . I haven't been able to find him . . . for a long time now . . . "
"Humph, serves you right! Didn't you learn the lesson?"
"Yeah . . . I did . . . "
"I--I didn't mean it like that--"
"Ha ha, what are you getting so flustered over?" Hannah laughed quickly as she patted Alison's head gently, getting up .
"Where are you going?"
"To harass someone else," Hannah replied as she began walking away . "Your form . . . it's good . It's too fast, though .
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