The Maid of House Jones

would think something like those things would be in everyones history books. ”

”They are in one form or another. ” Wallace stopped walking and turned to me. ”But only Seliana has detailed descriptions of the many giant types that existed. There is no guarantee that we will be attacked again, but if we ever are there is a chance that the next giant will not be the same as the first. ”

”So… that was our last chance? ” My heart sank with the thought of going through such an event again even less prepared as before.

”No. Not our last chance. ” At that moment, Wallace no longer seemed to be looking at anything in front of him. He was deep in a thought that troubled him.

Tina took notice and spoke with great concern. ”Master, you can be thinking about that place. ”

”Do you have a better idea? ”

”Master, we have maids that could always actically acquire what we need. ”

”You mean steal. ” Wallace said bluntly.

”Thats a really bad idea. ” I said. ”Its bad enough that the ruler of this place seems to dislike you guys. Even without proof of who could have potentially taken her things, shell put the blame on you. ”

”Besides, Im not putting any more maids in harms way. ” Wallace said sternly.

”But you can be thinking of using the Eye of Truth! The last time you did… ” Tina went silent as her words fell short.

”Whats the Eye of Truth? ” I asked.

”Our last chance for answers. ” And with that, Wallace took off to the fountain where Lilly was waiting. Tina followed him at the heel trying to convince her master to try other options.

Tina used everything from sweet words to stern comments. Nothing seemed to change Wallaces grim expression.

At the fountain, Tina grabs Wallaces arm, stopping him in place. ”Wally, listen to me. ”

Wallace turned to her slowly. It was like he was trying to avoid eye contact with her.

”Eve. ” said Wallace while still looking at Tina, ”Let Lilly know we
e going to the Eye of Truth. ”

”No we are not! ” Tina retorted. ”Wally. ”

I was locked in place. Tina was sad and desperate while Wallace was determined yet defeated. Eventually, I made my way towards the fountain. Silently, I prayed that Tina would forgive me.

At the fountain, Lilly was nowhere in sight. I bent over to the crystal water and called out for her. From the pool, Lilly popped out splashing the water on me.

”Yes? Oh. ” Lilly covers her mouth realizing what she did. ”Im sorry about that. ”

”Its fine. ” I said with my clothes heavily dripping off of me. ”I came to tell you we
e going to the Eye of Truth. I think thats what it was called. ”

”I see. Well, I think I can assume that the meeting with Seliana didn go well. ”

”No, and I don think I made the situation better. ”

”Maybe not, but I had a feeling it would end like this. ”

Wallace and Tina finally made it to the fountain. Wallace looked towards Lilly and asked, ”Are we ready to go? ”

After Lilly gleathly confirmed that she was, we made our way through the portal.

We arrived at our next destination standing on a dock. It was just as empty as the waters surrounding it which panned endlessly on all sides. The water barley rippled even with the light winds skimming across it. The land the dock was attached to was mostly a cliff with a cave entrance.

Compared to the city of bronze, this place disappointed me. I guess it would be better to say that I was expecting something ominous based on how Tina reacted to it. Yet, from what I saw it was nothing but a giant rock sticking out of the water, Wallace must have seen something else. He was the definition of dread looking at a place that held bad memories for him.

From the waters, Lilly says to Wallace, ”Come back safely. ” Wallace would only nod in response.

I couldn wrap my head around the fear everyone had for this place, but figured I would get my answers eventually. We finally reached the entrance of the cave. It was bigger up close and its plain exterior was contrasted by the white marble inside. I couldn believe I missed what was essentially a hospital waiting room from the outside. Lantern lights reflected off the white interior so brightly that I wondered how it didn show outside.

The residents of this place were small, brown skin goblins that wore professional and casual cloth.

We got to one of the desks occupied by a male goblin who looked up from his papers slowly.

He addressed Wallace saying, ”I see you have another maid under your employ, Master Walace. ”

I whispered to Tina, ”Is it that obvious? ”

Tina whispered back, ”No. They just have a unique connection with the Eye of Truth. ”

”I still don know what that is. ”

Wallace says to the goblin, ”Im here to use the Eye. ”

”Very well. ” says the goblin bowing. He jumped off his seat motioning all of us to follow him.

While we walked, Tina explained, ”It is what the name implies; a tunnel that shows you the truth. ”

”That doesn seem that bad. ”

Tinas eyes darkened. She held her response when we stopped at a large opening in a wall. The light barely illuminated the edges of the entrance only to be unnaturally consumed by the darkness inside.

Wallace looked into the painfully familiar darkness.

”May you be enlightened. ” said the goblin sturred, but Wallace didn address him nor did he look back before he took a step forward.

To those who go into the Eye of Truth, they would describe the experience as being wrapped in the darkness but always having a light glow from you. It was in the darkness you had to keep on a solid question for it was the loudest question in your mind that would get answered.

How do I defend against the giants? Such a simple question was hard to keep in his mind for Wallace knew before getting an answer he must pass the trial. Wallace took a deep breath as the scenery changed. He wasn going to die.

The darkness gave way to a lightly forested area on uneven ground. Small hills rolled across the land until it began to sink. The sun was maybe 2 hours past noon directly shining over the depression illuminating a town in its center. Past the town was a canyon that made the whole place look like it was once a body of water fed by a large river.

Wallace didn recognize the area, but that was the case last time at the end of the trial where he was underground. He decided to make his way to the town only to be stopped by a familiar voice.

”Master? What are you doing here? ”

With a sunken heart, Wallace turned to see who it was. His face became pure white, yet his eyes filled with a semblance of hope. Before him were many maids that were part of the Valkyrie corp. The front most one and the one that caught his eye was the one with short brown hair and almost pink skin. Two top fangs protruded from her mouth revealing her canine nature.

Wallace breathlessly says her name, ”Rebeca… ”

It was only after Wallace walked into the whole in the wall when Tina decided to continue.

”I don know how long the Eye of Truth has existed, but it wasn until the goblins colonized arounded it that people began to take more of an interest. Through their willingness to die and their fast increase in numbers, the goblins were able to master the Eyes trials and gained many truths making them recognized as an elder race. ”

”This place kills people, and Wallace just casually walked in there?! ” I understood the air of dreed that even now clinged to Tina.

”Master took on the trial before and succeeded. ” Said Tina.

”But you don sound confident this time. ” I said, commenting on the hint of quivering in her voice.

The goblin who brought us to the Eye spoke up. ”All the trials are the same. One must experience a corresponding truth before receiving the answer to their question. Sometimes that corresponding truth is too much for some to handle. ”

”They can move on. ” It was then I understood the potential problem Wallace could be dealing with. He must have considered what he might find there before he got his answer. Yet he did not hesitate to walk in. How desperate was this man to save his home?

”Go home Rebeca. Take your Valakaries and go. ” At some level, Wallace knew that this was just a dream. The past was in stone and nothing he did here would change his reality, but she was right here. If he could just save her here, then maybe he can be forgiven for failing them.

”I don understand, Master. ”

Wallace didn have time to explain. Unfortunately, it didn matter. The ground began to shake and the air grew thin. The wind blew in the direction of the town causing Wallace to turn in its direction. Between the canyon down in the valley, a small light began to grow into a tear rising into the sky. When the tear reached a point where it couldn go any higher, two sets of giant fingers came through to open the portal thruther. Frost erupted out of the portal freezing the immediate area completely covering the houses as well as most of the valley.

Wallace couldn turn away as he watched the same giant that attacked his home come out shaking the ground as it walked.

Wallace ordered his valkyries, ”Run! Get to a portal and leave. ”

One of the valkyrie pips up, ”That town had the only portal in miles. ”

As soon as she mentioned that, time moved forward where the valkyries were fighting the giant. Nothing they did damaged the monster and many could barely douge its attacks.

But why still fight? Wallace thought to himself, but he didn allow himself to fall into the darkness of his mind. He summoned Gungnir in his hand and took on his third form. Phantom ears grew on his head and he lined up the spear so that it would hit the giants heart. This is not their fight. And with that, Gungnir was launched.

The darkness gave way to a lightly forested area on uneven ground. Small hills rolled across the land until…. wait.

Wallace recognized the area. He was here not too long ago.

”Master? What are you doing here? ”

With a sunken heart, Wallace turned to see who it was. Rebeca stood where she was before looking at him as she did the first time. What was the Eye doing?

Tina had to sit down. She wouldn talk to me as I could imagine it was taking everything she had to not think of the worse case scenario. I stared deeply into the dark tunnel hoping to see Wallace.

The goblin walked up to me and asked, ”Is there a question you need answered? ”

Still staring at the tunnel, I responded, ”I do, but I don think Im brave enough to walk through. ”

”Its not alway bravery that pushes people to act. Curiosity, fear, greed…. The Eye only cares about one thing; acceptance. ”

”Do you believe Wallace can accept what he sees in there? ”

”We have come to expect nothing from anyone. All go in, few come out. That is the truth we accept. ”

I looked over to Tina. I was sure she didn want anything bad to happen to Wallace, but at that moment I thought about all the others who would worry just as much. An entire house of maids who have made it their lives work to make the life of Wallace happy and comfortable. I wondered if Tina offered herself to go into the Eye only to be turned down by Wallace.

If Wallace failed, the house would be lost long before any giant could make another attack.

I turned back to the tunnel and began to walk.

”May you be enlightened. ” said the goblin.

Tina was quick to grab my arm, squeezing it to the point where it was hurting. ”What are you doing? ” she asked frantically. Her eyes stared deep into mine as if to scare me into submission.

I was taken aback. I had never seen her so upset. Yet, I managed to reply. ”Im going to make sure that Wallace comes back. ”

”You can go into the Eye. You won find Wally let alone find your way back without completing the trial. ”

”….I have to go. ” I said timidly.

”But why? You have no obligation to him. ”

”Which also means I have no ties to him. If something happens to me, there is nothing he has to lose. Its why you won go after him because he doesn want to loose you. ”

”But you can just throw away your life like this. ”

We stood there in silence for a while as she slowly let go of my arm. ”When I came to your door, I had just finished many years of learning and not a lot of doing. Much of who I am came from watching and listening to others. Im important to a good number of people, but Wallace is important in a different way. If he dies, much will change for the worse in comparison to my death. ”

”You barely know us. ”

”And based on the little time Ive had with you, I think I can trust Wallace. ” Before she could object, I stormed into the Eye. I sent up one last prayer before the darkness took me.

”Rebeca! ” Wallace tried to block the on coming attack from the giants club as it was about to crush the last remaining valkyrie. As soon as the block connected, the loop started anew.

The loop would restart every time Wallace did something to try and save his maids or attempted to look away from their fate. They had to die in order for the loop to stop, but Wallace couldn allow that. However, each loop cost him stamina to stand against the giant. At this point, he was in his normal state barely holding up Gunginre.

YOU MUST LET THIS PLAY OUT. Said the manifestation of the Eye of Truth.

”Why even show me this!? ” Wallace breathlessly screamed at the sky. ”How does this connect in any major way to the giants?! ”

THIS IS THE TRUTH YOU FAIL TO ACCEPT.

”I have accepted their deaths. The reason Im here is to prevent new ones. ”

YET YOU HAVE CHOSEN NOT TO SEE THEIR BODIES. YOU DROWN IN THE MEMORIES OF THEIR LIVES AND CANNOT MOVE ON.

”Ive chosen to be productive! ” Lighting flared out of Wallaces mouth. ”I am choosing to move forward while not forgetting them. ”

THEN THIS TEST IS SIMPLE. Once again, the scene replayed as one by one each maid fell to the giant. Wallace shouted as lightning left his mouth aimed at the club, but this time with no effect.

Wallace closed his eyes for what was to come and dropped to his knees when the club shook the earth.

Silence. Wallace could do nothing else but cry.

He spoke to himself, ”I just want to save them. ”

THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE. YOU MUST ACCEPT THAT YOU CANNOT.

”….I can . ” Wallace looked up with tears in his eyes as light shined off them. Rebeca stood in front of him, but Wallace couldn stand to look at her.

”Master, ” Wallace didn move, ”you can blame yourself for this. ”

Wallaces eyes snapped open. Rebeca still stood in front of him, but he could tell that she was looking at him sadly rather than in confusion. Confused himself, he responds, ”You didn have to die. ”

”I guess not. But we did. Thats not your fault. ”

”I know. I can change what has happened, but this is still the second time a death has happened to someone outside of my control. I can wrap my head around it. ”

Rebeca kneeled down to her master and hugged him. ”Even still, you can stay here in the past. Save who is left. We aren going anywhere. ”

Tears rolled down Wallaces face once again as he hugged Rebeca back. Another light shined through Wallaces closed eyes as a flood of information about the giant came to him. The next moment, Eve was helping him out of the Eye of Truth.