For the first time in an eon, the storm clouds of gold shed no rain as they hide the obscured the glow of twin suns; instead, they crackled with jagged lines of dark crimson, angry veins that pulsed across the sky, their echoing booms reaching his ears seven seconds after.
His old eyes flicked away from the sky; below him and his rocking chair ¨C perhaps just as ancient as his bones felt ¨C the cliff-face gave way to a sheer drop towards the turbulent waters below, grey waves smashing against the rocky base as though the ocean itself was furious at the lack of rain.
Had he been honest with himself, he would have been just as furious; a lack of rain always predicted an unfavorable turn of events. But as it stood, his capacity to retain anger had faded long, long ago ¨C blown away like dust in the wind, along with all those other pesky emotions.
He felt his daughter will herself into existence long before she actually appeared, a subtle prickle of needles at the base of his skull that let him know. This time, however, they felt pricklier than usual as her feet descended upon sacred ground; she was furious at him, though he already knew that to be the case.
She dared not to stand beside him when she approached, choosing instead to remain seven paces behind his chair. It was a trait that he didn¡¯t quite like about her, truth be told. He preferred to think of himself as any other, a sentiment that none of his children shared with him. It made sense, given the skies above and the decaying golden city at their backs, and no amount of insisting otherwise had ever swayed them.
He was lying if he said it didn¡¯t hurt.
¡°I know not your intentions,¡± His daughter¡¯s melodious voice rang out behind him, singing over the cliff and into the stormy yellow sky above. ¡°and thus, I demand answers, as before me lies a hypocrite of a broken oath.¡±
¡°Ah¡¡± He grinned. ¡°I guessed you¡¯d be a bit mad about that.¡±
¡°You do not guess, you know.¡±
¡°Oh, pish-posh. I ¨C¡±
¡°Answer me!¡± Her voice radiated like a plucked harp string. ¡°I have not crossed the boundaries for you to act like this!¡±
¡°Oho, demanding? Here?¡±
¡°I demand as I must ¨C¡±
He looked over his shoulder, locking eyes with perhaps the only daughter he still trusted; her mouth snapped shut, whatever argument she once had dying upon her lips. Her beautiful stream of white hair flowed well past her knees, thankfully obscuring sections of her bare form, skin like polished obsidian.
¡°I did nothing to break the oath I swore. The only hypocrite here remains yourself,¡± She flinched, though her shimmering blue eyes never left his. ¡°for willingly placing yourself in the affairs of mortals.
¡°My meddling has never been a point of objection for you until now.¡±
¡°As before, I could allow certain influences to slide. You remain a child still; were I to hold you to the same standard as I do myself, well, that would be entirely unfair.¡±
He felt her bristle, anger rippling through her like the waves far, far below him.
¡°We have spoken on this.¡± She said. ¡°I am not a child, not like the others.¡±
¡°Then you are aware of the consequences?¡± He cocked an eyebrow. ¡°You swore the same oath as I did. Do you understand the gravity of your words? Do you understand the punishment for breaking that oath?¡±
¡°Death.¡± She said flatly.
¡°Death.¡± He echoed. ¡°Would that be a suitable punishment for yourself? Shall I strike you down even as you stand before me?¡±
¡°I will not shirk from the effects of my actions. I stand by everything I accomplished, every event I nudged or shoved into place, for I know myself to be right. If you deem it just to strike me down, I will not beg for mercy, for I will descend to the Nine Hells with the knowledge that everything I¡¯ve done, I¡¯ve done for the good of this world.¡± She raised her chin, never breaking his gaze. ¡°Just as you taught me.¡±
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He let out a snort and turned back around; so many demands to be treated as an equal, yet she could not stop herself from acting like a child time and time again.
¡°You correct in a single regard.¡± He said, gazing back out onto the furious sea. ¡°I did teach you to look beyond yourself and do good for this world. But in doing so, you have fixated on the wrong solution, and have broken your oath because of it.¡±
¡°I am aware, but it was not done absent of reason. She remains the most important ¨C¡±
¡°The transient is not worth destroying a city for.¡±
¡°A sacrifice ¨C¡±
¡°For what?¡± His head flipped back around. ¡°Pray tell me Eilistraee, what would sacrificing Waterdeep accomplish for us? Wiping cities off the map is a terrible action, one that requires a healthy measure of forethought to understand its consequences. So, tell me, what benefits have you found from its destruction? I must have missed them if there remain any? Are you aware of information that I am not?¡±
For a single moment, Eilistraee held his gaze, brilliant blue eyes smoldering with an anger that he¡¯d seen countless times before. It only intensified when she finally looked away.
¡°I thought so.¡± Though his accusations were utterly ridiculous, it was for the best to hurl them at her, least she forget whom she spoke to. ¡°Destroying a city for one transient is simply not conducive for what we are trying to accomplish. You may fight me all you want on the issue ¨C though I suppose you already have ¨C but you will not sway my judgement. You think me a hypocrite for intervening and staying the execution of an unaware city by a goddess that remains ignorant of her actions? Then so be it. But know that you are in the wrong.¡±
¡°I know when I¡¯m wrong.¡± Eilistraee said. ¡°This time is not one of them.¡±
¡°A false statement. There¡¯s nothing about this transient that warrants your attention.¡±
¡°She¡¯s special.¡±
¡°She is perhaps the most ordinary mortal I have seen in quite some time.¡± He shot back. ¡°Well, she was. You have made her special from what you¡¯ve taken from her, and for what? A girl who can manipulate flame is nothing more than a speck of dust compared to what we will face, and you waste what little time we have left trying to change that. You¡¯d be better off abandoning her and looking elsewhere.¡±
He sighed the moment he¡¯d finished speaking; his words were not tinged with malice, nor delivered cruelly, but they were true. It did her no good to focus on something as mundane as a trainset she¡¯d witnessed the birth of and decided was something different compared to every other mortal born in the same circumstance. He¡¯d seen countless copies of the mortal, and countless times their existences had been forgotten just as quickly as their deaths. This one was different than the legions before it.
Yet despite his intent, he knew that Eilistraee would never be swayed. Indeed, as he felt her break the composure offered to her by her station, tears streaming down her cheeks, he couldn¡¯t help but feel a brief spark of pity. Everyone wanted something personal for themselves; it was perhaps the one thing they and the mortals shared with one another.
¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡± She finally said.
¡°Were you not the one to admit that I know things? Pray, how ¨C¡±
¡°You¡¯re wrong.¡±
¡°You understand ¨C¡±
¡°I understand what you are!¡± She bellowed, the melodious tone of her voice dying to the thunder that filled it now. ¡°Yet I care not! There are truths that not even you may see, despite the length of your life, and this is one such truth.¡± He felt her body tense, her heart beginning to race; never a good sign. ¡°You may believe what you wish. She is not a¡replacement, nor an obsession. She is ¨C¡±
¡°Do not regurgitate what Mystra spoke of, I have little patience for it.¡±
¡°For it was a piece that you missed.¡±
¡°For it is a prophecy that has no meaning.¡± He waved a hand dismissively. ¡°Your sister held those ridiculous statements to heart and look where it delivered her. I grieve every day that I did not persuade her from her path. Prophecies¡¡± He spat. ¡°Each as false as the last.¡±
¡°Seek paleblood ¨C¡±
¡°Enough!¡± He snapped. ¡°I will not have a child drudge up what should have been left to rot.¡±
She remained mercifully quiet, waiting as he rubbed his eyes, a slight ache forming in the recesses of his mind, as cobwebbed memories shook the dust from themselves.
¡°What you did¡¡± He said quietly. ¡°was unacceptable. The more we act in unpredictable ways, the greater the chance our adversary notices. Had Waterdeep been destroyed, I have no doubt he¡¯d advance his plans tenfold.¡± He folded his hands over his lap. ¡°To that end, I forbid you from interfering beyond your realm, both subtly, and on a grander scale. This isn¡¯t a conversation we should be having; it should have never happened in the first place. I understand why it did, but I will not tolerate a second occurrence. Should you break your oath again, I will erase you as per the terms of our oath. Do not make this mistake.¡±
He leaned back in his chair until all he could see were those stormy yellow clouds above.
¡°Are these terms agreeable for you?¡±
¡°Yes.¡±
And she was gone, vanished from his realm entirely; he had felt the shift long before it occurred, but held no desire in stopping her. Despite her anger, Eilistraee would take his words to heart. There wouldn¡¯t be another issue.
He sighed and closed his eyes, veins of red continuing to crackle above him.
How much he wished he was better with his children; after millennia upon millennia of practice, one would have thought everything would have been easier. Alas, that never seemed the case.
Not that it would matter in the grand scheme of this world.
Abject Stupidity
¡°Why won¡¯t you listen to me?! It¡¯s the end of the fucking world and no one cares!¡±
Marie sighed and glanced up from the drink she was pouring. Her usual dinners ¨C too many to count and all without anything to do ¨C crowded the tables on one side of her inn, still eating the dinner she had prepared: chicken noodle soup, a city favorite. Despite their thin frames and ragged faces, many sipped only the smallest of spoonfuls; wolfing down their dinner would only make the meal end sooner, a fate that seemed worse than death these days. Especially after the most recent ration cut.
So consumed were they by their meals that many in the crowd refused to spare a glance at Gerald ¨C soup already finished and shoved to the side ¨C standing on one of Marie¡¯s good tables, spouting about the apocalypse like a skeleton on a street corner. But what was new?
¡°We¡¯re all going to die if we don¡¯t do something! Can¡¯t any of you see that?!¡± The flicking lights of the lanterns cast long shadows over Gerald¡¯s already ragged face. ¡°This place is doomed! Doomed!¡±
¡°Gerald!¡± Harold¡¯s thin face shot up from his bowl. ¡°Can you just let us eat in peace for once?¡±
¡°How are you at peace?! The world is ¨C¡±
¡°Gerald, enough, please!¡± Alma shouted, closer towards the bar; her children looked as worn-out as the deep lines that were etched across her face. ¡°Not when the children are around, please. They go through enough as it is.¡±
¡°They should know too!¡± Gerald yelled. ¡°Everyone should ¨C it¡¯s the fucking end of the world!¡±
¡°Gerald¡¡± Gath said over the groans that rose like a thick fog around him. ¡°We¡¯re always open to different perspectives, truly we are. But¡you¡¯ve been telling us the same stuff every night. Can we¡skip it this time?¡±
¡°Skip it?!¡± Gerald sputtered. ¡°I keep bringing it up because no one listens to me! Just her me out ¨C¡±
¡°We have been!¡± Jamieson slammed his hands on his table, soup bowl rattling. ¡°Every fucking night we listen to you! It¡¯s been weeks! Fuck!¡± He gestured towards the front of the inn, a scarecrow with an arm extended. ¡°You wanna preach about doom?! Do it on the streetcorner where no one can hear you!¡±
Shouts of agreement were hurled at Gerald, his hands clenching into fists as his head whipped around, meeting every angry gaze that was shot his way. Each time he tried to speak, more shouts arose from the weary crowd, only furthering the furrow of his brows and the trembling of his hands.
Marie chewed her lip and turned to stuff the whisky bottle back into the rack behind her; unruly behavior was never allowed in her establishment, and normally she was more than happy to throw the perpetrators out herself. But she hadn¡¯t the energy tonight, as painful as it was to admit. The day had been long, and her stomach still felt empty, despite eating only an hour ago. Though her patrons always persuaded Marie to eat her fill, she was tightening her belt just as they were, her long skirt slipping down constantly. Vorn shared her plight, his already slim frame growing slimer by the day; his clothes had been tailored twice in the past month and still they looked a little too big on him. His dark skin still looked immaculate, however, probably because he was an elf, the bastard.
¡°Should we¡¡± Vorn asked, accepting his whisky while studying the slow forming mob. ¡°Should we do something?¡±
¡°I will.¡± Marie muttered, wiping her hands on her apron. ¡°I¡¯d had enough of him anyways. Been too easy on him.¡±
¡°I couldn¡¯t blame you.¡± Vorn sipped from his glass as Jamieson began to shout again. ¡°Hasn¡¯t been too bad until now. You want me to do it though? You look exhausted.¡±
A retort rose to her lips, only to die away as Marie sighed and rubbed her face; she was exhausted, there wasn¡¯t a way around that. Months of the same weary routine and dwindling food stores had all but snuffed the flame that normally burned bright within her. It didn¡¯t help that everyone fed off her energy; she hadn¡¯t seen a smile in weeks.
¡°No, I¡¯ll handle him.¡± She said. ¡°Needs to be me.¡±
¡°Afraid I¡¯d mess it up?¡±
¡°No¡¡± Marie watched as Gath leapt to his feet, thin arms trying to block the barrage of insults now hurled at Gerald. ¡°They need a strong hand, not severed ones.¡±
¡°I¡¯m offended you¡¯d think I¡¯d hurt them.¡±
¡°I¡¯m offended you think I don¡¯t know you well enough.¡±
Vorn stared at Marie over his glass and offered her the worst smile she¡¯d ever seen; she rolled her eyes and looked away, unable to halt her own grin from creeping up her cheeks. It faded as the Gerald yelled something, fueling the flames of rage that now roared through the crowd.
¡°What in the Nine Hells did he say?¡± She asked.
¡°I didn¡¯t hear.¡± Vorn¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°You don¡¯t think he knows ¨C¡±
Gerald¡¯s voice rang out over the crowd ¨C a dull knife through the cacophony ¨C as he shouted as loud as his tired lungs would allow:
¡°Waterdeep blew up! It¡¯s fucking gone!¡±
Silence descended upon the weary crowd like a hammer to the anvil; many flinched violently, stepping back from Gerald as though he¡¯d threatened them. The once scorned speaker was equally shocked, his own eyes wide as everyone regarded him with unprecedented attention.
¡°¡that.¡± Vorn breathed. ¡°He knows about that. Want me ¨C¡±
¡°Get Joel and Christy.¡± Marie hissed. ¡°Right now.¡±
Vorn nodded, downed his drink in a single gulp, and hopped off the barstool. As he rounded the bar, Marie snatched his glass from the counter and took a towel to it, her eyes never leaving Gerald¡¯s shocked expression.
How in the hells did he know about that? It didn¡¯t matter that it was blatantly false, no one should have known what happened in Waterdeep. Marie had made sure of it.
She bit her lip as the Gerald found his tongue; there wouldn¡¯t be a point in stopping him now. It would only make everything appear worse. She¡¯d have to make a lesson out of it instead.
¡°I-I had to make sure, but there was an explosion in the city!¡± Gerald yelled. ¡°Massive white light just-just detonated the whole place! It¡¯s gone, off the map!¡±
Gasps ripped through the crowd; many had shot up from their chairs, color drained from their faces.
¡°And it¡¯s gotten worse!¡± Gerald continued. ¡°It¡¯s-it¡¯s like a pre-precru ¨C it¡¯s like a warning! Everything else has gone to shit since and none of us knew!¡±
¡°Like what?!¡± Vae yelled from the corner.
¡°Everything!¡± Gerald threw his hands up. ¡°Everything Vae! They ransacked the Goldenfields, razed it!¡± More gasps rose from the crowd. ¡°It¡¯s all gone, all the food on the coast! Gone! It ¨C¡±
¡°That¡¯s absurd!¡± Gath yelled, moving towards Gerald. ¡°Why would the giants raze it? Last time they just took the food!¡±
¡°Why are they doing anything?!¡± Gerald pointed a finger towards the older man. ¡°You think it¡¯s just the Hill Giants doing it?! Every other one is getting in on it too, Waterdeep was just the start!¡±
Marie squeezed her eyes shut as shouting filled the room again; how much had that damn caravan told him? Or was it somewhere else that¡¯d he¡¯d gotten that from? She didn¡¯t doubt that Mercutio had let something slip, but why to only one person? Way he even the source in the first place?
She braced herself against the bar and leaned forward as Gath shouted down everyone; no, it would have made perfect sense to tell one person. All you¡¯d need is one voice to spark something horrible, and if anyone could do that, it was Gerald. Damn that man.
¡°They¡¯re all doing it!¡± Gerald didn¡¯t wait for anyone to calm down. ¡°The-the stone giants are destroying places at random, not even taking anything! Just wiping places off the map! A-and there¡¯ve been those blue ones on the coasts doing raids and even the red ¨C the-the fire giants are out raiding places too! And it¡¯s moving up the coast! Everything that¡¯s happening, it¡¯s-it¡¯s creeping up towards us! The giants are going to attack us!¡±
Screams of horror drowned out Marie slamming her hands on the bar. She reached down and yanked out a dagger she kept hidden under the shelves; when she popped back up, panic seizing her inn in a stranglehold, Vorn reappeared with Joel and Christy, all three standing slightly behind her counter. The two off duty guards stared at the mob with wide eyes, hands pawing at their belts, while Vorn shot her a glance.
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¡°Joel, Christy, get ready.¡± Marie raised her voice over the cacophony. ¡°Vorn, you know what to do if something happens.¡±
Vorn nodded; Joel and Christy looked at the crowd, back to her, then back to the crowd. Christy opened her mouth to speak, only to snap it shut as Gerald proclaimed perhaps the stupidest call to action that Marie had heard since she¡¯d first stepped foot into Mirabar:
¡°W-we have to go to the Middle!¡± Gerald shouted. ¡°Go in and take everything they¡¯ve got! Food, supplies, water, everything! We take it, and we get the fuck out of here before the giants come! Fuck them!¡±
Screams and shouts of horror blended into a storm of frenzied agreement, every man and woman on their feet, emptying their lungs of air.
¡°We¡¯ll take it all and head over to Luskan! Closet place, we¡¯ll be safer there! We¡¯ll have a chance for food, better shelter, everything will be better! But we have to take everything from the Middle! Everything! Leave nothing behind! Fuck them, what have they done for us?! And they can¡¯t fight us! Not if all of us ¨C all of us go together! We outnumber them 50 to 1! And we¡¯ll do it tonight! Tonight!¡± Roars of approval rang out. ¡°Call everyone up! Get everyone down here! We¡¯ll ¨C¡±
Marie flung the dagger; it sailed in a perfect line over the unsuspecting heads of the crowd and buried itself up to the hilt in Gerald¡¯s stomach.
Silence once again smashed into the crowd as the deranged speaker jerked and looked down at the blade, blood already dripping down. A heartbeat later, his body went limp, and he tumbled to the floor with a horrible crash.
Everyone¡¯s heads flipped around in unison, a field of white, wide eyes; no one spoke as Marie hopped onto the bar, sliding around so that her legs rested on one of the barstools.
¡°First of all,¡± she said, smoothing out her skirt. ¡°The fact that any of you think I¡¯d host a coup in my inn is ridiculous. Second ¨C¡±
¡°You killed him!¡± Vae screamed, backing into a table. ¡°You cold ¨C¡±
¡°Vae,¡± Marie said. ¡°You¡¯ve lost your meals for the next two weeks. Do not talk over me.¡±
The man blinked, mouth agape; not a soul said anything in his defense, many ducking their heads as the furious energy that had once fueled the budding mob vanished all at once, replaced by a visible sense of shame.
¡°I¡¯m away of how harsh that is,¡± She continued, ignoring her own anger that burned in her chest. ¡°and of course, your grandmother will still get her food. But I will only give you enough for her. If you want your share, come see me tomorrow morning and I¡¯ll put you to work with my cook. Otherwise, find your food somewhere else.¡±
Vae nodded, eyes glistening, and looked away.
¡°Good. Now¡¡± Marie sighed and folded her hands into her lap. ¡°I apologize for that. Especially in front of the children.¡± She nodded at Alma, who looked away. ¡°But I do not tolerate abject stupidity in my inn. I know we¡¯ve been struggling for a while. It¡¯s been three months on half rations, and everyone¡¯s ready to break. I get it. But storming the Middle? Really?¡±
¡°I mean¡¡± A voice rose from the back ¨C Jase¡¯s, a man she rarely saw. ¡°If what Gerald said is true¡¡±
¡°It¡¯s not.¡± Marie said. ¡°Well, parts of it. Do you all remember that caravan that came through a couple weeks back? Was pretty exciting since¡no one ever stops by anymore?¡± A few nodded. ¡°Well, they filled me in on what was going on and we¡¯ve missed a lot. Yes, there was an explosion in Waterdeep a couple months back. No one knows what caused it. But the city didn¡¯t get wiped off the map; in fact, if the head of that caravan was trustworthy, he said that the only thing destroyed in the city was a single house. How something like that happened, I haven¡¯t a clue. But Waterdeep is fine. Everything else about the giants, however¡that¡¯s true. They¡¯re not creeping up towards us, but the raids and razing, that¡¯s all happening.¡±
A few gasps went up. Among them, a pained gurgle rose form the floorboards. Marie waved at Joel and Christy, who jogged through the crowd to where Gerald had fallen.
¡°And I will be honest with all of you¡I paid the head of that caravan to not talk with any of you, which is why he was so standoffish.¡± Murmurs went up. ¡°I did that not to be controlling, but to avoid something like this.¡± She waved vaguely in the air. ¡°But it still happened. I don¡¯t know where Gerald figured all this out from,¡± Marie¡¯s gaze followed her two guards as they dragged Gerald¡¯s limp and bloodied body towards the other side of the bar, leaving a trail of blood behind them. ¡°but I¡¯ll make sure to ask. Regardless of that, I want to dispel what Gerald said. We are not in a position to be invading our neighbors. All of you would get maimed at best, outright murdered at worst. Mercutio, as loath as I am to admit it, has done a wonderful job of uniting the Middle against us. The moment you all would try something, every capable person in that district would come in and sweep us out of Mirabar. And as horrible as this place is right now, would you rather be here, alive, or dead outside its walls?¡±
Silence followed her words; a few now stared at her, their eyes hard, faces contorted in various states of shock and anger. Of course, she knew that would be the case. As much as she preached it, Marie knew that her actions would look nothing short of a dictator, something she¡¯d been adamantly against from the start. Many wouldn¡¯t remember that now. But that was alright; as horrible as it was, the commoners of Mirabar were easy to distract and sway.
¡°Now¡¡± Marie spoke slowly. ¡°I do want to assure you all that Gerald isn¡¯t the only one¡thinking, if you want to call his plans that. Vorn and I have been thinking ahead on the problems we have in our little community, and the solutions we devised¡aren¡¯t pretty. But you all have the right to hear them.
¡°Again, I will be honest with all of you, my pantry is dwindling, but I feel as though you knew that with the ration cuts. While it will hold for awhile longer, if we continue at our current rate, we¡¯ll be in the red very soon. Now, I know that Mercutio is able to purchase his food from somewhere, but insofar, my attempts at figuring that out have all turned up empty. I¡¯ll give credit where it¡¯s due, that weasel fuck is good at hiding his tracks. And if I can¡¯t figure out where his food is coming from, well¡we¡¯ll have to look elsewhere. And while I may be short on food, the one thing I¡¯m not lacking on at all is money. But I¡¯ll be damned if I buy food from that weasel. And I¡¯m sure a lot of you would agree with me.¡±
She held up a hand as another murmur rose, one split between nods and frustrated looks.
¡°But¡¡± Marie said. ¡°I know many of you probably don¡¯t agree with me. I¡¯m a proud woman, I¡¯ve no shame in admitting that, but what¡¯s pride in the face of starving? I¡¯m sure many of you wouldn¡¯t think twice about receiving his aid, and I cannot blame you if that¡¯s the case. But if you¡¯re proud like me and refuse his help¡well, the only other option I can see is leaving Mirabar, as scary as that might sound. But¡I¡¯ve been thinking on that and¡ if any of you wish to leave Mirabar and strike out on your own, I will give you everything within my power to help you survive. That includes,¡± Marie began to count on her fingers. ¡°food, camping supplies, weapons if we still have any, and coin.¡±
Conversation erupted immediately, chatter tearing through the crowd faster than Marie had anticipated; she breathed a quick sigh of relief as everyone threw their thoughts to those who would listen, before waving a hand to grab their attention again.
¡°Hey!¡± Marie shouted above the din. ¡°I¡¯m not done!¡± She would never admit it, but there was a deep satisfaction in seeing everyone immediately fall quiet from her words. ¡°In addition to all that, we must look towards the future for the people who plan on staying. The rest of us who can¡¯t or don¡¯t want to leave, including myself, will be stuck here. That means that we need to figure out a solution to our food problem, which probably doesn¡¯t exist in Mirabar currently. So¡I am willing to pay double the normal amount, and then some, if any of you would be willing to travel to the nearest settlement and see what you can buy from them. Non-perishables, of course, but everything helps. It would be risky, and to be honest, there¡¯s a few here that I wouldn¡¯t trust with the job. But for everyone else, if you want¡you¡¯d be making quite a bit of money and helping the rest of us back on our feet. So¡¡±
She couldn¡¯t help but grin as conversation flowed once again, the storm of words drowning out anything she could have said further. What was once a gathering of the sordid and starving Mirabar lower class had now evolved into a meeting of the future; of purpose finally unearthed after being buried beneath a mountain of despair. There were no differing opinions or arguments, but instead a collaboration previously unseen since the doors to the Undercity had been shut tight.
All because Gerald had somehow heard the news about Waterdeep. She¡¯d have to thank him.
¡°How long have you had that one thought up?¡± Vorn asked, leaning against the bar. ¡°I haven¡¯t entertained any idea like that.¡±
¡°Just now.¡± Marie said. ¡°Pull it out of my ass.¡±
¡°Who would have thought that telling them to leave would have been so effective.¡±
¡°Telling them that I¡¯d pay them to leave. There¡¯s a difference there, honey.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Vorn shot her a glance. ¡°Are we able to afford all that?¡±
Marie shot her lovely husband a look back.
¡°Of course we¡¯re able to afford it. Why would you ask that?¡±
¡°Well, I mean¡just checking and all.¡±
¡°Dear, you¡¯re the one who gets the payments from Jurden. You know better than I how much we have squirreled away. Did you spend it without me knowing?¡±
¡°Never.¡± Vorn shook his head but didn¡¯t meet Marie¡¯s eyes. ¡°You know that. I¡sorry, I always like to make sure. You know me.¡±
¡°I do. Didn¡¯t mean to come off snippy.¡±
¡°Of course, of course. No offense taken.¡±
Vorn crossed his arms and watched as the rest of their patrons mingled about, the late hour utterly forgotten. Marie¡¯s gaze lingered on her husband until she turned to watch the others with him.
How stupid did those two think she was?
A pained wheeze sounded from behind her; Marie twisted around and watched as Gerald, still supported by Joel and Christy, limped around the bar to stand in front of her. The dagger in his stomach had been removed, replaced now by ¨C gods damnit ¨C dish rages from the bar, tied in the perhaps the worse attempt at first aid she¡¯d ever seen.
¡°M-Marie.¡± Gerald gasped, one hand clutching his stomach, the other gripping Joel¡¯s shoulder. ¡°I u-um¡I wanted to¡apologize for everything I said. I-it wasn¡¯t my fault that ¨C¡±
Joel elbowed him in the ribs, earning a pained gasp from the wounded man.
¡°It¡¯s completely my fault for getting everyone worked up about things that weren¡¯t true.¡± He sputtered, eyes screwed up. ¡°I was h-hiding when you were talking to the caravan guy and thought I could twist things to get something that I wanted. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°You wanted a suicide mob against the Middle?¡± Marie asked.
¡°I¡no I just wanted to feel like I was in charge or something¡I feel so useless all the time, just taking food from you, and I thought ¨C¡±
¡°That getting people killed would fix that?¡±
Gerald¡¯s shoulders slumped, more so than they already were.
¡°Y-yeah.¡±
¡°Well, that was a fucking stupid idea, Gerald. You could have come worked for me, helped with giving out supplies and food. I would have paid you. My employees ¨C the cook, the servers, the guards, and my lovely husband ¨C all still make a wage. If you¡¯d just ask, I¡¯d have been happy to have you.¡±
¡°I-I know. I¡¯m sorry M-Marie.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t be sorry. Be better.¡±
Gerald flinched and hung his head. On other side of him, Joel and Brielle looked away, pained expressions on their faces.
Marie rolled her eyes and sighed; she had no problem just tossing the man out to the wolves, but Mirabar couldn¡¯t afford leadership like that.
¡°Well,¡± She said. ¡°I may have something you can do to make it up to me, now that I think about it.¡±
Gerald¡¯s head shot up. ¡°I¡¯ll do it, anything! Whatever it is, I-I¡¯ll be your man!¡±
¡°Perfect.¡± Marie grinned. ¡°You said you hid when I was talking to the caravan? You must be pretty good at it then. Tell me¡have you ever been to that shit-hole Mercutio calls a restaurant before?¡±
A Scheduled Meeting
A Drow stood in a forest ¨C the one place he despised the most.
Much of his existence had been spent in an urban jungle, stone pressing in on him from every direction. The cramped streets, the narrow alleys, and the plethora of ceilings above all felt right to him. To exist in a space where the sky was always blotted out felt more natural than anything else he¡¯d experienced. Perhaps that was why any collection of trees felt hostile to him; to glimpse the night sky so open was anathema to him.
Even now his skin crawled from simply standing beneath the stars, as covered as they were; the canopy overhead rustled as the wind whispered through the leaves, raining down gods only knew what upon him. Though the breeze was pleasant, hiking through the undergrowth had left him with a thin layer of sweat under his leathers, furthering his already foul mood. And perhaps worse of all, the typical noises that emanated from a forest so late into the night had fallen away, animals and insects alike utterly silent.
He huffed and crossed his arms; he was better than this, but the burns that laced his body ¨C itching horribly under the leathers ¨C made moving without a sound a difficult affair. Though he¡¯d been reassured month after month that he would be fine now that most of the wounds had healed, he had yet to see any improvement. Yet, despite his predicament, it was nothing compared to the stomping that sounded further ahead.
So dense were the trees that he didn¡¯t catch a glimpse of the romping group until they were far too close; seven Drow, each as thin and armored as the other, dull black half-plate their uniform of choice. They made no efforts to disguise themselves, no efforts to blend in at all, but then again, he hadn¡¯t expected them to. Their house was notoriously horrible at the traditional Drow arts, and no amount of time would change that. If anything, he found it almost refreshing; there remained no patience within him tonight to deal with anything less than direct.
When the group finally caught sight of him, taking far longer than they should have, they halted, hands darting to the various weapons that were strapped against their bodies. From the middle of the panicking bunch, a thinner woman stepped out, hands against her hips; despite the darkness of the forest, the wrinkles carved into her face stood out like canyons, a fact that he knew irritated her to no end.
¡°You there!¡± The woman barked, voice like sandpaper. ¡°Explain to me why I shouldn¡¯t skin you where you stand for making me come out all this way.¡± She looked up at the tree canopy and bared her teeth. ¡°Who in their right mind ¨C¡±
¡°Cut the bullshit Jantree,¡± He barked back. ¡°I haven¡¯t the time, as you¡¯ve wasted all of it.¡±
The woman¡¯s head snapped back to him, a grin slowly creeping across her face; in the darkness, her red eyes looked far more horrible than he remembered.
¡°Oh, please do take my apology Jarlaxle dear,¡± Jantree said. ¡°I just had to make sure it was you. It¡¯s so very rare we get a letter like that anymore.¡±
¡°On the account that no one gives a shit about your house, I¡¯d assume.¡±
Whatever mirth existed in her eyes faded as Jantree curled her lip; behind her, the sounds of unsheathed blades rang out into the night.
¡°Chosen to be rude tonight, have you?¡± Jantree growled. ¡°Dragged us up here just to insult us? I¡¯m sure that would all change once we haul your traitorous hide back to the Matron Mothers; the bounty is more enticing than whatever lies you have in store for us this time.¡±
¡°No lies.¡± Jarlaxle said, digging into his pant pocket. ¡°I haven¡¯t the time.¡±
He tossed the contents at Jantree, who caught the object without much effort. Her eyes lingered on him, hate boiling within them, before she glanced at what was in her hand.
Shock smashed into her face like a mace, her eyes shooting open, mouth falling agape; Jantree¡¯s hand clenched the object as though her life depended on it, before marching over to stand directly in front of Jarlaxle, her gaze never leaving his tired eyes.
¡°You have him?!¡± The Drow screech, sending a jolt through her entourage as they crept closer. ¡°Where?! Lolth¡¯s Breath, where did you ¨C¡±
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¡°It¡¯s not him.¡± Jarlaxle said, taking a step back. ¡°I haven¡¯t the faintest idea where he¡¯s hiding, unfortunately.¡±
¡°Then what the fuck is this?! A fake?!¡±
¡°It¡¯s real. His daughter wore it until recently.¡±
Jantree¡¯s eyes narrowed, her face scrunching in disgust; from behind, a few of her group stood on their toes, peaking over her shoulder for a glimpse at the pendant in clutched in her wrinkled hand.
¡°The bastard bred then?¡± She asked. ¡°I wasn¡¯t aware.¡±
¡°Yes, and with a slave, no less. I suppose he finally fulfilled his end of our bargain, but I¡¯ve come to find that I have no use for the girl.¡±
¡°Ho-o, but I would.¡± Jantree stuffed the pendant into her pant pocket and advanced a pace, red eyes gleaming. ¡°Name the price.¡±
¡°I¡¯m not selling.¡± Jarlaxle mirrored her step away.
¡°Because you think use destitute!?¡± she spat. ¡°We have funds, always have! Name your fucking price!¡±
Jarlaxle¡¯s nostrils flared as he bit his tongue; talking with this woman always proved to be more infuriating than he remembered.
¡°I¡¯m not looking to sell.¡± He said. ¡°And I will not repeat myself on the matter. She will remain in my possession until I say otherwise.¡±
¡°So all this was just a waste of time?!¡± Jantree snapped. ¡°An excuse to mock us?! You expect me to take this lightly?!¡±
¡°I expect you to listen to my offer.¡±
¡°Of what?!¡±
¡°A partnership.¡±
No sooner than the word had left his lips did Jantree¡¯s shrill laughter echo through the trees, violating Jarlaxle¡¯s ears like a dagger. Her guards leapt into the air as birds shot into the night, shaking the canopy above. Jarlaxle recoiled as the hideous noise continued for far too long, before Jantree¡¯s lips suddenly snapped shut, her red eyes narrowed.
¡°Of all the people,¡± She said. ¡°you, asking for a partnership. You think me daft? You think me ignorant of the stories? Every partnership you create always end in death, which unfortunately always seems to miss you.¡±
¡°I¡¯m well aware of the rumors.¡± Jarlaxle gritted his teeth. ¡°But times have changed. The giants have inflicted a larger blow upon my resources than I previously thought, and as such, I need to look towards hiring outsiders, a practice not under me.¡±
¡°Yes, as you slit their throats once they no longer become useful. Spare me the bullshit Jarl ¨C¡±
¡°The only bullshit here is the lump found in that hideous head of yours!¡± He stepped forward, hand snapping to the hilt of his rapier; the guards behind Jantree mirrored him, through the Drow herself only stared. ¡°Now listen to what I have to say you miserable excuse for a bitch before you lose out on the best fucking deal your house will ever get.¡±
¡°Bold words. Spit it out then.¡±
¡°What I¡¯ve been trying to do...¡± Jarlaxle sucked in a breath, shoving aside his anger. ¡°This girl is the key to figuring out Vorn¡¯s whereabouts. She knows where he is, I¡¯m sure of it. Extracting that knowledge from her, however, is a delicate process. The girl proves rather¡difficult, more so than what I¡¯ve dealt with previously, and the wrong move would result in a failure that I cannot currently afford. I ¨C¡±
¡°You¡¯re scared of a little girl?¡± Jantree smirked.
¡°That girl was responsible for the lights over Waterdeep.¡±
The smirk vanished.
¡°You¡¯re lying.¡±
¡°I haven¡¯t the time.¡±
¡°Those lights ¨C¡±
¡°Were apocalyptic, yes, I¡¯m well aware.¡±
¡°Why haven¡¯t ¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t have the fucking time.¡±
Jantree pursed her lips, eyes flicking about Jarlaxle¡¯s face.
¡°So¡you¡¯re scared of the girl and need to adjust everything based around the idea that you haven¡¯t a clue what would happen if you went ahead with your normal¡bullshit.¡±
¡°Horrible way of putting it.¡±
¡°Yet it¡¯s the truth.¡±
¡°As loath as I am to admit it.¡±
¡°What would you need of me then?¡±
¡°Your cooperation and guarantee that you¡¯ll do nothing to fuck this up.¡±
¡°And why should I guarantee anything to you?¡±
¡°Because I¡¯m offering you a way of getting back at the house that decimated your own.¡±
¡°You think I can¡¯t manage that myself?¡±
¡°Of course not, you hag. What do your current efforts have to show for? You¡¯d floundered for the last two decades and come up with nothing, same as me. But now, I offer you a chance at something, a thread that benefits both of us. You may decline it if you wish, though you¡¯d be an idiot to do so.¡±
Jantree rolled her eyes as her guards stiffened behind her; evidently, they disliked the name calling more than she did.
¡°Fine.¡± Jantree spat. ¡°What guarantee do you need from me then?¡±
¡°Your daughter. She¡¯ll work for me for the time being, and the moment you fulfill your end of the bargain, she goes right back into your service. A fair trade.¡±
Jantree looked over her shoulder and barked an order; immediately, one of the smaller guards ¨C a youth perhaps barely older than Vorn¡¯s welp, her narrow face making her look almost identical to her mother ¨C stepped forward, red eyes wide.
¡°Asking for a daughter seems rather unbecoming of you.¡± Jantree said.
¡°The idea of breeding with what looks like a horse is perhaps more disturbing.¡± Jarlaxle jerked his head; the girl obeyed, walking to his side with eyes still wide. ¡°No harm from my hand will be inflicted upon her. I cannot guarantee anything else.¡±
¡°Fine. Now, explain this plan of yours.¡±
¡°It¡¯s rather straightforward but walk with me. There¡¯s much to discuss¡¡±
Burlap to the Face
You think all this cruel? I believe it to be wise. I can¡¯t risk pulling the information out of her, which makes you the next best candidate. You should count yourself lucky, then. I¡¯d make you watch, if I was able to work on her.
¡
Like a bucket of ice water had been dunked over her body, Serena Lash jerked awake to nothing. A sudden intake of breath revealed that the nothingness was really a burlap sack pulled over her head.
She sputtered and spat the fabric out, earthy on her tongue. Her heart hammered in her chest as she struggled to slow her breathing, skin prickling as the inside of the sack grew warm. Thankfully, when she angled her head up, the fabric pulled away from her neck in just the right way for her to suck in fresh air.
It was then, with her head craned back and the fear of suffocation absent, did Serena allow her body to seize with terror, as memories of before came flashing back.
The inside of the sack became unbearably hot with her panicked breathes, beads of sweat forming across her face. The memories came crashing down one by one, each a mace to her mind, each furthering the waves of panic that coursed through her body. As the sweat trickled down her face, Serena sucked the burlap back into her mouth, sparking her panic into flames of horror as she began to choke, chest heaving. Her hands darted to her head, only for the skin around her wrists to burn as she struggled against rope bonds she hadn¡¯t realized where there; the frantic clawing at her face, though automatic, only made everything worse.
After a few desperate attempts ¨C choking all the while ¨C she managed to hook a fingernail into the burlap and pull the fabric from her mouth. She pinched it and held it away as she sucked in a deep breath, then another ¨C and another and another ¨C until the burning panic in her chest faltered to a dull ache.
Serena let herself relax on the floor, her head tilting to one side as the dregs of fear evaporated from her body, now a shivering mess against the stone floor. How long it had taken, she didn¡¯t know, but it had occurred to her ¨C somewhere in the midst ¨C that no one had tried to stop her or hold her down. She was alone.
The darkness looked no different to Serena when she squeezed her eyes shut, only her arms trembling now; perhaps a thousand guesses at where she could have been whirled about in her mind, clashing with each horrible detail of her fight with Jarlaxle ¨C of bringing Werond back to life, of passing her off to Graham, of fighting within an inch of her life, of the brilliant light that blinded her, of ¨C
Serena flinched and shook her head, feeling her heart take up the drum of panic once more; it did her no good to think on any of that right now. She had to find a way out first.
With effort, as though she¡¯d been laying on the stone for years, Serena sat up, groaning as quietly as she could. Her head felt light, and she wobbled a bit, though a few deep breathes solved both those issues. She wiggled her hands and, despite being blind, realized that her wrists had been sloppily bound together, as though done in a hurry. It was a simple effort, then, to curl her fingers towards her wrist and burn through the bonds, cursing as she accidently burned herself several times.
The rope finally snapped apart, the skin on her wrists suddenly able to breathe again; Serena reached up and ripped the sack from her head and threw it into her lap. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the gloom around her, and immediately failed to understand where she was.
The room she was in seemed constructed entirely out of grey stone ¨C chiseled bricks that looked more in place in a prison than anything else. Even the floor was made of the stuff, though she couldn¡¯t imagine why. Motes of dust hung in the beam of light that shone through a slot cut into one of the walls, high up and out of reach, with thin iron bars preventing any from squeezing through. A few feet in front of her, a door of solid wood barred the only way out, looking odd amongst the stone.
Serena¡¯s gaze flicked about the place, her heart beginning to speed up. She couldn¡¯t hear a single thing from outside ¨C no bustle of people out and about, no waves carried upon the wind, nothing to suggest that she was still in Waterdeep. But before she could work where she might have been, catching a flash of green out the slot, Serena jumped as she suddenly realized that she was sitting among four other people, all laid out on the floor, all bound just as she was.
One was obviously Cruck¡¯aa, as his wings, flattened against his back, were a dead giveaway. The person closest to her had to be Jo then, for she was the shortest of the group and still had on the cloak she liked to wear. On the other side of Cruck¡¯aa rested Pavel, easily told from the golden locks that poked out from his burlap hood. And on his side, farthest from Serena, laid someone she didn¡¯t recognize. A giant of a man, he dwarfed all of them, looking as though he were eight feet tall, perhaps almost the length of the entire cell.
And Werond was among none of them.
A horrible mixture of relief and terror exploded through Serena¡¯s chest, threatening to send her into hysterics once more; she buried her face in her hands, sucked in a deep breath, held it, then exhaled. It was good ¨C it was good that Werond wasn¡¯t here. That meant Graham had gotten away. That¡¯s what it had to mean. It had to. She was sure of it, no doubt ¨C
Serena ripped her hands away just as the tears began to fall, her hands curling into fists as she fought against the maelstrom that threatened to rip her apart. She lurched forward and almost fell on top of Jo, determined not to think about anything else but getting her friends free. For now.
She burnt through Jo¡¯s bonds just as easily as she had her own; when she tore the sack off Jo¡¯s head, however, Serena was stunned to find the elven woman¡¯s eyes already open.
Before she could react, Jo¡¯s hand shot out and covered Serena¡¯s mouth, starting her. Jo raised a finger to her thin lips, her sharply angled face betraying no emotion as her green eyes flicked about the room. Her blonde hair lay in a tangled heap behind her head, bunched up from having been stuffed into the burlap, and the white tunic she wore had been stained with dirt and grime, her cloak looking even worse up close, though Serena was sure she looked just as disheveled.
Serena raised her hands to sign; Jo¡¯s eyes snapped back towards her, going wide.
¡°Have you been awake this whole time?¡± Serena whispered.
Realization flashed through her friend¡¯s eyes; Jo pulled her hand away from Serena¡¯s mouth, a bit of red trickling into her cheeks.
¡°Yes, heard you panicking.¡± She whispered. ¡°You okay?¡±
¡°No, of course I¡¯m not okay!¡± Serena snapped, glancing around. ¡°Jo, where ¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. Are we all here?¡±
¡°No ¨C¡± Her heart hammered against her chest. ¡°W-Werond isn¡¯t here¡¡±
¡°I meant ¨C right, okay.¡± Jo craned her head up and looked around. ¡°We need to get out of here. Can you get them up and awake? I¡¯ll check out everything else,¡± she jerked her head towards the door. ¡°in the meantime.¡±
Serena nodded, grateful for a direction for her to stumble in; she crawled around Cruck¡¯aa and towards Pavel as Jo pushed herself up, wobbling and grunting before stalking towards the door.
It seemed odd to her that whoever had taken them ¨C for they must have been abducted, as she couldn¡¯t think of any other reason for their predicament ¨C had simply bound them with rope, of all things. When Serena freed Pavel¡¯s head, his golden locks tumbled out like a waterfall, filthy gold just as Jo¡¯s hair had been, though the waviness was somehow still intact. Unlike Jo, however, Pavel was still asleep, his chiseled face pulled up into a small smile; as disgusting as he was, tunic and pants just as dirty, Pavel still looked almost like a prince from one of the stories Mom used to read to her.
It took a moment for his blue eyes to flicker open, his face scrunched up in annoyance from Serena¡¯s prodding. After another jab in his ribs, Pavel¡¯s eyes shot open, his body tense, only for Serena to clap a hand over his mouth while holding a finger to her own.
Pavel¡¯s eyes snapped to the door as Jo creaked it open; as she stood in the threshold, he glanced around, then locked eyes with Serena, giving her a single nod. Satisfied, she pulled her hand away and wiped it on Pavel¡¯s dirty tunic, before gesturing at Cruck¡¯aa behind her.
Pavel groaned just as Jo had when he stood up, though he tried to stifle it; stiff as a board, he and Serena rolled Cruck¡¯aa onto his side and began going through the legion of rope that had been tied around his wings; when they laid him back down, however, the Aarakocra had already woken up, thrashing and squawking against his remaining bonds as though someone had driven a branding iron into his back.
Pavel was ready when Serena yanked Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s bag off, his hands flying out and slamming his beak shut before he could screech again. Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s hawk like face twisted in fury, brown and white feathers puffing up in their usual display of complete outrage. Despite the gloom, his beady golden eyes bore holes through them both as Pavel leaned down and whispered something in the tuff of feathers that poked out where his ears would be.
¡°Sounds good?¡± Pavel whispered, leaning back. Despite the fury still visible on Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s face ¨C though maybe it had finally frozen that way ¨C he nodded.
¡°What then?¡± Cruck¡¯aa asked, his voice the harshest of whispers as Pavel released his beak.
¡°Jo¡¯s checking outside. We¡¯ll wait to hear from her.¡±
¡°And what happens if she runs into someone?¡±
¡°Then we¡¯ll hear her scream and run out to help. Easy.¡±
Cruck¡¯aa rolled his eyes but offered no further argument as they all stood up; he glanced over to Serena, eyes narrowed, only to look away just as quick when she offered him a small smile. It was good to see him up again, even if he was already back to his usual irritating self.
That irritation become more prominent, however, as she and Pavel moved to the last person. Cruck¡¯aa hovered over them as they kneeled beside the giant of a man, Pavel working the rope around his wrists loose as Serena reached for the burlap sack.
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¡°What are you two doing?!¡± Cruck¡¯aa hissed, causing Serena to freeze. ¡°Who is that?! Why are you untying him?!¡±
¡°Getting him out?¡± Serena twisted around. ¡°He¡¯s in the same situation as us, Cruck¡¯aa, we should help ¨C¡±
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter! That hood must have cut off the air to your head, none of us know who this is!¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t help him.¡± Pavel muttered.
¡°It means we should leave him alone!¡±
¡°And let him lay here and die?¡±
¡°He¡¯d do it to us in a heartbeat!¡± Cruck¡¯aa grabbed at Pavel¡¯s shoulder, only for him to shake the talons off. ¡°You two are going to get us killed!¡± Serena rolled her eyes and twisted back around.
The man laying before them was perhaps the broadest man Serena had ever seen; his chest barely fit within his tunic, the sleeves close to bursting from his trunk like arms. Even his hands seemed muscular, looking as though they could palm Serena¡¯s head with ease; Pavel¡¯s looked tiny in comparison as he untied the man¡¯s bonds, muttering about it being too tight this time. As he pulled away the rope, Serena reached out and ripped the sack off the man¡¯s head, revealing a veritable mane of fire flowing to his neck, thicker than Serena¡¯s, along with ¨C
An opened pair of eyes, darker than blood, staring directly at her.
¡°Who the fuck are you people?!¡±
The giant¡¯s voice was like a thunderclap echoing against the stone; Serena leapt back, heart tearing through her chest; Cruck¡¯aa shot into the ceiling, squawking as he collided with it; Pavel screamed, drew back, and launched a fist into the man¡¯s straight jawline. He didn¡¯t so much as flinch, dark skin rippling under the impact.
The giant grinned; his hands flew out and seized Pavel by his tunic, yanking him to the floor; Pavel screamed again as the man rolled on top of him, dwarfing him to an absurd degree as he sat on top of Pavel.
¡°Shit way to answer a question. Let me ask again.¡± The giant said, flaming hair a mess. ¡°who the fuck ¨C¡±
He grunted as Pavel¡¯s fist connected into his chin, jerking his head back; the giant man looked back down, looking more annoyed than harmed.
¡°You punch like shit.¡± He said.
¡°What ¨C fuck you too!¡± Pavel spat.
¡°I wouldn¡¯t feel you.¡±
¡°What?!¡± Pavel yelled at the giant¡¯s grin.
¡°Anyway, who the fuck are you people?¡± The man asked again; his hands slide up towards Pavel¡¯s throat, eclipsing it as he wrapped them around it. ¡°You¡¯ve got five seconds to tell me before ¨C¡±
Fire sprang to life across Serena¡¯s hands, illuminating the cell like the early morning sun as she aimed at the man, index and pinky finger pointed at his head; beside her, a horrible feral growl tore its way from Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s throat, spiked vines sprouting from his feathers and curling around his talons; Pavel, glancing between them and the giant¡¯s stunned expression, drew back his fist, aiming another blow at the man¡¯s face.
¡°But you¡¯ll feel that.¡± Pavel grunted under the giant¡¯s weight.
¡°Yeah, probably.¡± The giant replied.
¡°Get. Off. Of him.¡± Cruck¡¯aa growled.
¡°What¡¯s the magic word?¡±
The flames across Serena¡¯s hands writhed; they flared up her shoulders and licked the ceiling, scorch marks left in their wake; shadows danced across the giant¡¯s face as he whistled and released Pavel¡¯s neck, though he stayed seated.
¡°Cool trick, but I¡¯m immune to fire.¡± The giant said.
¡°Bullshit.¡± Serena spat back.
¡°Yeah, you¡¯re right.¡±
Serena narrowed her eyes. ¡°Get off of him then.¡±
¡°Get off of him what?¡±
¡°Really?!¡±
Four heads snapped towards the door; Jo, her arms crossed, now stood in the threshold, lantern light bleeding out around her, casting a dark shadow over her scrunched up face.
¡°Is any of this really necessary?¡±
¡°It is when I¡¯m attacked by unknown dwarves.¡± The giant said, glancing down as Pavel laughed.
¡°Get your eyes checked then ¨C the only dwarf here is that ego of yours that you¡¯re trying to stroke. Now,¡± She waved a hand at them. ¡°if all of you are quite finished with your antics, I need you out here. We¡¯re by ourselves.¡±
Without waiting for a response, Jo flipped on her heel and walked back into the other room, lantern light flooding through the now unobstructed doorway. The giant man immediately hopped off Pavel, who looked relieved to be breathing again, and offered his enormous hand to pull him off the floor. After a moment of consideration, Pavel took it, grunting as he flew to his feet.
¡°Thanks.¡± He said, dusting himself off.
¡°Sure. Doriyah, by the way.¡± The giant replied.
¡°Pavel.¡± He turned and gestured behind himself. ¡°Serena and Cruck¡¯aa. They¡¯d have blown you up if you tried anything.¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
Doriyah turned and made his way out of the cell, Pavel hot on his heels. The flames along Serena¡¯s arms winked out as she shared a look with Cruck¡¯aa, his eyes just as wide, before the both of them followed out the door. A part of her knew she shouldn¡¯t be surprised though; from what she¡¯d seen at Mom¡¯s tavern, that was an exceptionally normal interaction between men.
The room adjacent to their cell looked almost identical to it; grey stone made up the walls and floor, lit only by the light of a single lantern hung up alongside a wooden door. A slot window, just like the last one, had been carved into the wall above the door, barely illuminating the room as it offered a view of the trees outside. The room itself was bare save for the table shoved against the wall closest to the door, and the two chairs placed on either side it. Just looking at the decrepit furniture made Serena sorry for anyone who was forced to sit there.
As they filed into the room, Jo pulled one of the chairs away from the table and shoved it against the door, dropping herself into it. She leaned forward and rested her arms atop her legs as Doriyah marched over and took the second chair, creaking under his weight. Serena hovered by the door to their cell and wrapped her arms about herself as Pavel and Cruck¡¯aa stalked into the room, each inspecting it as though it held the revelation of where they now where.
But what did that matter, when Werond wasn¡¯t in this room either.
¡°So¡¡± Jo began, oblivious to the hammering of Serena¡¯s heart. ¡°Poked my head out, I think we¡¯re in a swamp. No clue where, though. No one else around, no footprints, no signs of previous life. The canopy¡¯s thick, but I think it¡¯s close to midday. Now,¡± She pointed a finger at Doriyah. ¡°who the hell are you?¡±
¡°Doriyah.¡± Doriyah replied. ¡°Said it earlier, you deaf?¡±
¡°Does the name Jarlaxle ring a bell?¡±
Serena jerked and ducked her head; she began rubbing the back of her head as her mind slowly unraveled. Someone pounded their fist against the wall, while Cruck¡¯aa let loose a guttural noise of irritation.
¡°It does.¡± Doriyah finally said.
¡°What did you do to piss him off?¡±
¡°Mercenary work. What about you four?¡±
¡°Long story.¡± Jo paused. ¡°We can discuss that later. Seems like you¡¯re in the same boat as us, then.¡± Another pause. ¡°And unless anyone has a better idea, we need to take stock ¨C we have nothing but the clothes on our backs, and we¡¯re in the middle of gods know where. Any guesses as to why?¡±
¡°Jarlaxle wants us for something, my guess.¡± Pavel¡¯s voice came from the far end of the room. ¡°I bet that if we had put him down, we wouldn¡¯t be out here. But if it is him, he didn¡¯t kill us, and I have no idea why he¡¯d do that.¡±
¡°Hostages.¡± Jo offered.
¡°Doubtful. Who¡¯d we¡¯d be of value to?¡±
¡°Selling us, then?¡±
¡°Possibly. But slavery is illegal on the coast. He¡¯d have to ship us further east, and I don¡¯t know if the profits would be worth it.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Jo sighed. ¡°Although¡I suppose it doesn¡¯t matter the reason right now. What does matter is that we get out of here before he comes back¡if he planned on coming back.¡±
¡°Why wouldn¡¯t he?¡± Doriyah asked. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t make sense if he didn¡¯t.¡±
¡°Who knows how that bastard¡¯s mind works. It¡¯s entirely possible that he left us in here to starve, and Serena just happened to wake up.¡±
¡°That¡¯s ridiculous.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said.
¡°I mean, it¡¯s possible.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s not.¡±
¡°Are you going to explain why you believe this or¡?¡±
¡°Look, I really don¡¯t want to get into it with him right now,¡± Pavel cut Cruck¡¯aa off. ¡°we have bigger issues to worry about¡¡±
Pavel trailed off into something else and Cruck¡¯aa said something irritating and Doriyah chimed in and Jo tried to defuse it, but Serena heard not a word; the steady roar of blood rushing in her ears had deafened her to the conversation, while the churning of her stomach pulled her down into a hunch, sweat once again beading on her forehead.
A part of her knew that she should be relieved that Werond wasn¡¯t with them; that meant that Graham had gotten her to safety, it had to. It just had to. But their own predicament meant that Jarlaxle had survived their encounter ¨C regardless of the amount force she¡¯d used against him ¨C and was more than likely still active. It was entirely possible that he had snapped Werond up already, and the gods only knew what he planned on doing ¨C
Her body shuddered, throat tightening. Serena bit into one of her knuckles as she sucked in air around it, fighting in vain to fill her lungs.
They had to get back to Waterdeep, or at the very least, she needed to get back. Sleep would evade her until she wrapped her arms around Werond, but that would be a small price to pay for knowing that she was safe.
Still gulping down breathes, Serena glanced up at the now semi-heated argument that filled the room; none of them would be happy with that assertion, and it was entirely possible that Serena would be forced to set out alone. But just the thought of leaving her friends set the skin along her neck prickling; she couldn¡¯t just run off and never look back, Serena knew she wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it, but neither could she hike away from were Werond might be. She owed it to ¨C
¡°Serena!¡±
Serena shot upright, tearing her hand away, biting off a piece of skin with it. Everyone save Doriyah stared at her, two sets of eyebrows raised in questionable looks.
¡°You didn¡¯t hear any of that, did you?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Ah, no¡sorry.¡± Serena signed.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s going to fly up and figure out where we are, and we¡¯ll strike out based on that. We¡¯ll leave in a moment. Forge or hunt for some food on the way. Sound good to you?¡±
¡°Ah¡yeah, that sounds fine.¡± Doriyah glanced up and narrowed his eyes.
¡°Really? No objections?¡± Jo waved at hand at Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°We¡¯ve heard them all, but if you have any¡¡±
There was a lighthearted tone to her voice, one that didn¡¯t belong anywhere in their vicinity. ¡°No, I¡¯m fine¡are we planning on going back to Waterdeep, then?¡±
¡°If it¡¯s close. If not, we¡¯ll go somewhere else.¡±
¡°Right¡o-okay.¡±
Serena ducked her head as a wave of dizziness descended upon her; before she could sign again, however, Jo grabbed her attention with a small, ¡°Hey¡±.
She looked back up and met her gaze; Jo¡¯s eyes had softened, and a familiar tone crept into her voice, one that she hadn¡¯t heard since she¡¯d been in Mirabar.
¡°You worried about her?¡±
The corners of her eyes stung; Serena nodded.
¡°Did you get her out?¡±
¡°I ¨C Graham c-carried her out.¡±
¡°She¡¯ll be alright then.¡± Jo said. ¡°We¡¯ll get back, eventually. I¡¯m sure she and Graham can take care of themselves. Try not to worry.¡±
Easy to say. A lump formed in Serena¡¯s throat as she nodded and looked away, unwilling to let them see her tears. Her hand moved up to massage her neck, hoping that ¨C
Dad¡¯s choker was gone.
Everyone flinched as Serena shot off the wall, hand around her throat, squeezing against the tidal wave of fear that rose from her chest. ¡°Choker ¨C choker ¨C gone ¨C where?!¡±
Eyes wide, Jo leapt up and began to glance around the room, Pavel following after a moment¡¯s hesitation; Cruck¡¯aa and Doriyah remained where they were, as the three of them began to search in vain.
¡°Probably lost it in the fight.¡± A bitter edge crept into Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s voice.
¡°I didn¡¯t ¨C I didn¡¯t!¡± Serena signed, hands trembling.
¡°Check the cell,¡± Jo said, pointing at the door. ¡°check the bag your head was in, maybe it slipped off. We¡¯ll keep looking in here.¡±
¡°Uh¡I don¡¯t know.¡± Pavel froze in the middle of the room. ¡°I hate to say it, but Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s right¡there¡¯s no place in here to ¨C¡±
His words were drowned as Serena hurling herself through the cell door, the wood smashing into the stone. A frigid fear had chilled the blood within her veins, and despite looking, despite searching through her bag and the other bags and where they lay and the cracks in the stone and everywhere, she found nothing ¨C nothing beyond the horrible realization that the one object she treasured the most, the one anchor she had to her life in Mirabar, was gone. She froze in the middle of the cell, hands clutching at clumps of dirty hair, eyes wide as she knew ¨C knew beyond a shadow of a doubt ¨C that her choker was gone. It was gone, gone, gone ¨C wasn¡¯t in her pocket, wasn¡¯t on the floor, wasn¡¯t in the sack, wasn¡¯t in the corners of the room, wasn¡¯t anywhere close, wasn¡¯t ¨C
She jerked violently as her eyes swept the far corner of the room once more; there was something ¨C someone ¨C in it, someone she hadn¡¯t seen before.
Despite the thudding of her heart and the terror that lanced through her body, Serena pulled her arms to her chest and hurried over, believing for a single moment that this new person may have had her choker. But it took less than a glance to realize that that was a false hope.
Dangling by their arms manacled to chains barely long enough for their feet to scrape the ground, the person ¨C the woman, Serena realized ¨C had seen better days. Bruises and gashes covered the woman¡¯s body, beacons across her dark skin. Her hair lay in matted clumps against her chest, while the tattered remains of a purple tunic clung to her skinny frame. And as Serena halted before her, heart stopping, the woman slowly raised her head to meet Serena¡¯s gaze.
There was no light to be found in Werond¡¯s amber eyes.
How
Werond hung her head just as Serena¡¯s chest caved in on itself.
She was upon her instantly, hands against Werond¡¯s chest, supporting her despite the tremor that invaded her. Werond let out a horrible yell as the battered frame of her body jerked then went limp against her. Eyes screwed up in pain, she let out a moan that betrayed just how long she¡¯d been left hanging. Something wet dripped onto Serena¡¯s arms; she glanced up, then looked away, unable to bear seeing the blood that now trickled from Werond¡¯s wrists.
The door behind her smashed against the wall, footsteps storming into the cell.
¡°Serena!¡± Jo yelled. ¡°Was that you?! What ¨C¡± A gasp; Pavel swore. ¡°Who are you ¨C is that Werond?!¡±
¡°What?!¡± Cruck¡¯aa screeched. ¡°Her?!¡±
¡°Pavel, help me get her down, we ¨C¡±
Something slithered to life, then was pulled taut; Jo yelped, then swore.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, what the ¨C¡± Pavel yelled
¡°I¡¯m saving us!¡±
¡°What?!¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, let me go!¡± Jo screamed.
¡°Not until you see reason!¡±
¡°All I see are these fucking vines on me!¡±
Their voices exploded at once, a storm that echoed off the stone walls, yet all of it became nothing but noise, shattered against the blood pounding in Serena¡¯s ears; she shoved her body against Werond, fighting in vain to halt her tears, and reached up to grasp her face. Her legs began to buckle as she felt the skin that was pulled tight across Werond¡¯s cheeks, felt the cuts, gashes, and bruises that lined her face, felt the trembling pain that rippled through her body. The edges of her vision blurred as Serena pushed up Werond¡¯s head, staring into the muted amber depths of her eyes. The beginnings of a sob clawed to life within her throat as Werond¡¯s gaze took far too long to focus.
She jerked, eyes widening, cracking open a scabbed up cut that ran across her brow. Her lips moved to speak but not a word came out, for barely visible within the dark red ruin of her mouth was the stump of her tongue, cut by an experienced blade.
Serena flinched and squeezed her eyes shut, hands never moving; she felt Werond jerk against her, tears beginning to flow across her fingers, as a whirlwind pounded to life within her mind.
This wasn¡¯t right, this wasn¡¯t right, it couldn¡¯t have been right ¨C Graham had taken Werond, they¡¯d gotten away, there was plenty of time for them to get away, they should have hidden, should have been safe, why was she here?! Why was Werond here?! Graham had promised, promised there¡¯d be allies, promised she¡¯d be safe, he promised he promised he ¨C
Werond let loose a strangled cry from the depths of her throat, a mangled phrase unintelligible, yet familiar still.
Serena whirled around and shoved her back against Werond, the world blurring in her eyes. Another cry sounded behind her, quieter this time; the sob finally burst from Serena¡¯s throat, her body trembling as she reached back and wrapped an arm around Werond¡¯s thin frame. After a moment, Werond leaned her head against Serena¡¯s shoulder, her body sagging against her.
¡°The ¨C chains,¡± Serena signed, hand quivering. ¡°how ¨C break ¨C¡±
She clenched her hand into a fist as she realized that there was no one to see her signs; voices still a storm of argument, Cruck¡¯aa stood with his arms outstretched, green vines wrapped about them, extending out to curl around Pavel and Jo¡¯s waists. Both had dug their hands under the vines as they tried to rip them off, but they held firm, curling tightly against their bodies. A pace behind them, Doriyah stood with his arms crossed and a single eyebrow cocked, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Jo yelled, yanking at the vines in vain. ¡°Let go! Get these fucking ¨C¡±
¡°No!¡± Cruck¡¯aa screeched back. ¡°She deserves none of our help! She ¨C¡±
¡°Gods shut up!¡± Pavel bellowed, staring daggers at Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°None of us care what you think ¨C¡±
¡°Well, you should, I¡¯m the only rational one here!¡± Serena felt her heart plummet as Cruck¡¯aa began moving towards the door, dragging Jo and Pavel with him. ¡°Don¡¯t you touch her either Serena, I¡¯m coming for you next!¡±
The horror that filled her chest burned away in an instant, dying against the heat that now blazed to life with each thump of her heart; Werond shifted as Serena pulled her arm away, struggling to sign against the fire that now roared through her veins.
¡°You don¡¯t get to tell me what to do!¡± She spat. ¡°Let them go, we¡¯re getting Werond down now!¡±
¡°I have every right,¡± Doriyah flattened himself against the wall as Cruck¡¯aa continued to drag Pavel and Jo towards the door. ¡°to tell you what to do when your choices threaten our family! Get away from her!¡±
¡°Fuck you!¡±
¡°See, this is what I was talking about!¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Jo spat as Serena dug her nails into her palms.
¡°No, you quiet!¡± There remained no spark himself left in his yellow eyes. ¡°We¡¯re in this mess because of her! We almost died because of her ¨C¡±
¡°Gods, damnit Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Pavel yelled; he lunged at him, only for the vines to stiffen, holding Pavel at bay.
¡°Because she thought it best to hide everything from us! All of this is her fault!¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Jo yelled.
¡°And not just her!¡± Cruck¡¯aa continued, staring directly into Serena¡¯s eyes. ¡°You fell for everything! Everything! She dragged you into her bed and look where it¡¯s gotten us! You¡¯re just as guilty as she is, how do you not see that?!¡±
¡°Go to hell!¡± Serena screamed, tears spilling down her face.
¡°Not until I send her there first!¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat.
Flames erupted across Serena¡¯s body, filling the room with a blinding orange light. Everyone before her flinched back as a wave of heat smashed into them, Cruck¡¯aa almost pulling Pavel and Jo to the ground.
¡°Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, I will burn you alive if you come anywhere near her!¡±
¡°You can try!¡± Cruck¡¯aa yelled, orange rippling in the whites of his eyes.
¡°Serena?!¡± Pavel screamed as the vines began to smoke.
¡°Serena! The flames!¡± Jo yelled, sweat glistening across her face. ¡°Stand down, you¡¯re going to ¨C¡±
¡°She lies!¡± Cruck¡¯aa flicked his wrists, and the vines vanished; Jo and Pavel threw themselves against the far wall along with Doriyah, all staring with wide eyes. ¡°You don¡¯t have it in you to ¨C¡±
Serena flung out her hand; the stone in front of Cruck¡¯aa exploded as her firebolt smashed into it, sending super-heated fragments flying into the air. Cruck¡¯aa screamed as the force threw him back, bits of rock cutting through his feathers; Pavel and Jo screamed, both shielding their faces and falling to the floor.
¡°Not ¨C another ¨C STEP!¡±
The flames from her body roared into the ceiling, ripping a scream from everyone within the room ¨C save Doriyah, who, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, took a single step forward, hands up.
¡°I can break the chains.¡± He said.
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
Serena stared at him, flames dancing across her arms; behind her, in the one spot where nothing burned, Werond lifted her head.
Without waiting for an answer, Doriyah marched over, reached above and around her flames and, as easily as one broke a stick in half, ripped the chains from the stone. The flames vanished from Serena, her rage along with them, as she caught Werond before she hit the floor, weighing nothing like was before. As she sank down, cradling Werond in her arms, Doriyah knelt and snapped the manacles around Werond¡¯s wrists, throwing them and the chains into the corner of the cell.
¡°You¡¯re welcome.¡± He said, dusting off his hands. ¡°Now, what else do I need to solve for you people?¡±
¡
The decisiveness of Doriyah¡¯s actions seemed to have shocked all of them back to a working normal, everyone too stunned to reignite the argument. As Doriyah helped Serena move Werond to the room outside, depositing her just beside the cell door, Jo divvied up enough tasks to keep everyone busy for hours. But the tasks were few, and the shock temporary; Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s anger quickly returned, but he found no chance to act upon it now that Pavel and Jo were watching his every move. But then even Pavel seemed off, refusing to meet Serena¡¯s eyes, and Jo had been quieter than usual, enough to plant a seed of worry within her chest. All of that had been shoved to back of her mind, however, thanks to the mountain of the task that was healing Werond, and by the time she had finished, the sun had already spent hours below the horizon.
There was little doubt within her mind that whoever had tortured Werond was an expert at it; the wounds across her body had all been inflicted in just the right way to cause the most pain without permanently crippling her. And while each wound only required a small bit of work to heal ¨C sizzling as cuts closed with new skin and bruises lost their color ¨C the sheer number of injuries that Werond had sustained was more than Serena had seen anyone suffer through. And the intimacy she achieved with each had only twisted her stomach into a tighter knot.
Yet the gashes and marks that covered every inch of Werond paled in comparison to the destruction of her tongue. Serena had never healed another person¡¯s mouth before, and the already difficult process had been made worse when she realized that there was no way to return Werond¡¯s voice; her tongue had been neatly severed at the base, and no amount of healing would force it to grow back. And by the time Serena had realized her limitations, she¡¯d already exhausted herself trying.
She sighed and leaned her head back, resting it against the stone wall; Werond¡¯s head lay in her lap, body stretched sideways into the corner of the room. She did not stir as Serena stroked the top of her head, other hand atop her stomach. She had passed out the moment they¡¯d moved her into the room, though she¡¯d woken up briefly during the healing process. Yet her struggle to consciousness had been anything but pleasant, and the entire time while Serena held and whispered to her, Werond seemed to stare through her. Not even a kiss could banish the faraway look within her eyes, and as she slipped back to sleep, Serena couldn¡¯t stop the tears from flowing anew.
¡°Racoon¡¯s done.¡±
Serena¡¯s eyes popped open; shadows danced across the stone walls as flames licked up from the firepit in the middle of the room. Jo, who had cobbled it together with the rocks and twigs Pavel and Doriyah had scavenged for, crouched before it, gently rotating four skewers of meat suspended above the fire. From their residence in the far corner of the room, Pavel and Doriyah perked up, ripped out of whatever they had been discussing in raised voices. And by the door, Cruck¡¯aa let out a noise of disgust, before throwing it open and storming out into the night.
¡°Cold as the Nine Hells out there.¡± Jo mumbled, eyeing the door as it swung shut.
She stood up and arched her back, a few pops sounding over the crackle of the fire, before grabbing two of the skewers and offering them to Pavel and Doriyah. The pair eagerly accepted the food as Jo chimed into their conversation, back hunched with the same weariness that had crept into their voices.
With a sigh, Serena leaned her head back against the wall; she¡¯d heard bits and pieces of what everyone else had been doing while she was left to heal Werond, but even then, she wasn¡¯t sure what they had figured out. Cruck¡¯aa, after his scouting, had claimed that they were in a swamp, though everyone kept calling it a forest, much to his irritation. From all that Pavel and Doriyah had dragged in for the firepit though, Serena was inclined to agree with them. She wasn¡¯t sure if racoons lived in swamps either, nor was she sure about eating them, but Jo had claimed that it was all she could find.
¡°Serena?¡±
She jerked her head up; Jo stood over her with a meat skewer in each hand, steam trailing off into the darkness that rippled across the ceiling.
¡°Did you want one?¡± She asked. ¡°You didn¡¯t say anything.¡±
¡°Oh, sorry¡¡± The knot in her stomach unraveled. ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ll take one, thanks.¡±
¡°Sure. Mind if I eat with you?¡±
Serena shook her head as she accepted the skewer; the meat was blackened in some spots, and it smelled like it shouldn¡¯t be eaten at all, but it tasted alright when she tore a chunk out of it. Like a chicken baked in a barrel of grease.
¡°How is she?¡± Jo grunted as she slid down the wall next to her. ¡°Any better? Worse?¡±
¡°She¡¯s ¨C fine ¨C did ¨C my ¨C best.¡± Serena signed, before passing her skewer to Jo¡¯s outstretched hand. ¡°I healed everything I could. The gashes and bruises were easy, but¡¡± Her heart jumped into her throat. ¡°I-I couldn¡¯t do anything about her tongue. I tried but¡¡±
Her shoulders slumped, chest growing tight; after a moment, Jo reached out and laid a hand on Serena¡¯s shoulder, both skewers held in the other.
¡°You did your best, that¡¯s all you can do.¡± She nodded at Werond. ¡°I¡¯m sure she appreciates it too; you can¡¯t do everything.¡±
¡°I know¡¡±
¡°Don¡¯t let it get to you too much then. Easier said than done though, I know, but we¡¯ll find a way to get it back. I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some magic you can learn that does the trick.¡± Her hand dropped. ¡°She wake up at all?¡±
Serena¡¯s chest grew tighter.
¡°I mean, she did, but¡I don¡¯t know Jo, she seemed¡off.¡±
¡°I imagine. Been hanging up for gods know how long.¡±
¡°Jo,¡± Serena twisted to stare at the older woman, looking odd with a skewer of racoon in each hand. ¡°it wasn¡¯t that it¡when she woke up, she just stared right through me, like I wasn¡¯t there.¡±
¡°She¡¯s probably traumatized from the whole ordeal Serena. Who wouldn¡¯t be? Getting tortured isn¡¯t an experience anyone just walks away from, and getting her tongue ripped out to boot probably hasn¡¯t helped matters.¡±
¡°But ¨C¡±
Jo¡¯s hand shot out, shoving the skewer at Serena¡¯s face, forcing her to jerk back least it poke her cheek.
¡°Stop panicking and eat the meat.¡± Jo said.
The demand was so strange that Serena complied before she realized what she was doing. As she tore another chunk off, Jo bit into her own, and continued to talk with a half full mouth.
¡°Look, I¡¯m not going to undermine ¨C¡± She swallowed. ¡°Undermine what you¡¯re saying Serena, but Werond¡¯s probably been on the verge of death for a while. She¡¯s not going to be herself right now, and I highly doubt she¡¯ll be back to normal anytime soon. She¡¯s lucky you managed to spot her in the corner, I¡¯m not sure how any of us missed her, but it would have¡¡± Jo grimaced. ¡°Let¡¯s not think about that. Regardless, I know you¡¯re worried, and you have every right to be, but you¡¯ve driven yourself sick from all that overthinking you¡¯ve been doing. Don¡¯t deny it either, I¡¯ve seen the faces you kept pulling for the last while. Take solace in the fact that you¡¯ve done everything you can and move forward with what tomorrow brings you. I¡¯m sure Werond will bounce back, you just need to give her some time. Alright?¡±
Serena sighed and nodded; waiting was the last thing that she wanted to do, but she couldn¡¯t argue with Jo¡¯s words. Much of her was too tired to do so anyways.
¡°Good. Now take your dinner.¡±
¡°Why did you feed me?¡± Serena signed, before accepting the half-eaten skewer.
¡°Because you were going to forget to eat if I didn¡¯t.¡± Jo smirked. ¡°Plus, it kept you quiet for a moment.¡±
Serena rolled her eyes as Jo pushed herself up with a grunt, dusting off her bottom. She tore another chunk from her skewer as she walked towards the door, firelight flickering against her body, only to jerk to a halt halfway there. She flipped around and stepped back towards Serena, her voice lowering to a whisper.
¡°Listen¡¡± She leaned towards Serena. ¡°don¡¯t mention this, but I think you should know, Cruck¡¯aa was bitching up a storm about you out there. He¡¯s still pissed about ¨C hey hold up, just listen.¡± Jo raised a hand as Serena straightened up, heart thumping. ¡°He was bitching about your reaction to everything, but I told him off. I know where his mind is coming from, but he had no right to do any of that. Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s not going to let it go though, and while I don¡¯t think he''ll try to do anything right now¡I¡¯m sure he still has a lot to say. It¡¯s just¡something to be aware of in case he brings it up again.¡±
¡°Why ¨C can¡¯t ¨C I ¨C talk ¨C him?¡± Serena signed, fingers shaky.
¡°Because you have your hands full with Werond, and don¡¯t need to be dealing with his grumpy ass right now. Not to mention that we¡¯re in a shit situation, so anything to make it worse is unneeded. Hells,¡± Jo scratched her chin. ¡°I almost didn¡¯t tell you. But my heart beat out my head. Just ¨C be ready, but don¡¯t go out making trouble with him. Last thing we want is more strife between everyone.¡±
Something popped in Jo¡¯s knee as she stood back up; with a finger to her lips, she spun on her heel and walked out the door, pulling it shut behind her. Neither Doriyah nor Pavel seemed to notice, their argument almost drowning out the crackle of the firepit.
Serena¡¯s gaze seemed stuck on the door, and it wasn¡¯t until the heat of her dinner had faded did she rip her eyes away. It had taken far too long for her heart to calm, but even now, she tore at the meat harder than she meant to, a bit of it falling onto Werond¡¯s chest. She snatched it and threw it into the fire, unable to push aside the frustration that itched across her body. A part of her almost wished Jo had kept everything to herself, but another part of her was glad that she had the time to prepare. Cruck¡¯aa had been completely out of line after all, and he needed to ¨C
Something sharp stabbed at her gums as she bit into the skewer; Serena swore and fished out a bit of pinkish racoon bone, sharp as a knife. She flung it into the fire, listening as a bit of fat sizzled off it. Pavel glanced over but quickly returned to his argument as Doriyah said something that sounded ridiculous.
Now wasn¡¯t the time to get worked up over whatever stupid argument would fall out of Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s beak this time. There were more important issues at hand, the biggest currently asleep in her lap, and so long as Cruck¡¯aa kept to himself, Serena would do her best to ignore him. It would do none of them any good ¨C Werond especially ¨C if she tried to pick a fight now, as much as she wanted to scream at him.
With a sigh, Serena leaned her head back and tossed the half-finished skewer into the fire; she snapped her hands clean and laid one just below Werond¡¯s neck, the other gently stroking her hair. It was only by the grace of the gentle rising and falling of Werond¡¯s chest, did the anxiety within Serena¡¯s fade enough for her to drift into a fitful sleep.
A Watery Hell
I must admit, this all feels very familiar. Your mistakes, of course. One would think you¡¯d learn after the first¡evidently his death taught you nothing.
¡
Serena awoke with a groan that befitted her mother more than herself ¨C a groan drudged up from the bottom of her chest, as horse as she was cold. As she came to, sleep falling away like a blanket slipping from bed, she stretched her arms and legs as far as they could go, groaning once more as they began to tremble. Her head pounded for a moment when she relaxed, and though she felt slightly more awake, the almighty stretch had done nothing to banish the chill that froze her limbs.
She glanced about the room as she rubbed out the cold in her arms and legs, cursing that she¡¯d fallen asleep against the stone. Surprisingly, Serena found that she was the first to have woken up in the tomb-like room; Jo had nodded off in her chair by the door, chin tucked against her chest, while Doriyah and Pavel had remained in their corner, statues carved upright against the wall, sound asleep. Cruck¡¯aa was nowhere to be found, though that didn¡¯t surprise her; he was probably on watch or was just sulking outside, though both were preferable to waking up with him in the room.
Serena dug her knuckles into her thighs, winching at the barest relief that it offered her. Their fire had burnt out sometime in the night, and she was sorely tempted to relight it, had she not felt as though she¡¯d fall as soon as she stood up. Whoever had been on watch last night must have forgotten to put more kindling on it. It was probably Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s fault, given that ¨C
Her body moved before her mind realized it, yanked to her feet by threads of white-hot panic; she moved forward and immediately fell, needles piercing her feet, terror ripping through her heart. Serena stumbled back up and lurched forward, smashing against the table, which screeched violently as it was shoved across the stone; Jo jerked awake then yelled as the table smashed into her, sending her flying to the floor. Doriyah and Pavel flew up from their corner, wobbling with sleep, heads a blur as they scanned the room.
¡°Serena?!¡± Jo yelled, leaping to her feet as she stumbled past her. ¡°What in the Nine Hells ¨C¡±
Her words died against the slamming of the front door, crashing with a horrible crack against the stone. Heart pounding, Serena staggered outside, goosebumps crawling across her skin from the chill of the morning air, her head on a swivel for ¨C
A strangled yelp sounded from the ground; Serena jumped, felt her ankle roll, then fell, head spinning, heart trying to tear a hole through her chest.
Across from her, next to the door and just as surprised, Werond lay on her back, sitting up on her elbows as she stared at Serena with wide, dull eyes.
Relief smashed into Serena, almost tearing the air from her lungs; she sat up and slapped a hand to her still hammering heart, fighting to catch her breath. Werond pushed herself up as well, eyes still wide, staring at Serena as though she¡¯d grown a second head.
Footsteps shuffled behind the door, which had bounced closed; it flew back open as Jo burst from it.
¡°Serena?!¡± She yelled. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, what¡¯s going on?!¡±
Still struggling to breathe, Serena pointed at Werond; Jo¡¯s gaze bounced between them for a moment before she grunted and shook her head.
¡°Nine Hells, okay¡understandable, I guess,¡± She said. ¡°but I still wish you hadn¡¯t thrown the furniture around like that. Fuck¡¡± She sighed, then grabbed the door handle. ¡°Listen, you two do whatever you need to do, but come back in when you¡¯re done. We¡¯re going to want to leave as soon as Cruck¡¯aa gets back, so be ready. Probably have to catch breakfast though¡¡±
Jo¡¯s voice trailed off into a mumble, brows furrowed; without waiting for a response, she pulled the door closed, leaving them alone.
Breath beginning to calm, Serena remained seated on the ground, scratching at her chest as though it would help; Werond remained where she was as well, staring now at the damp grass beneath her, as though she¡¯d been frozen by the chill in the air.
As her breath gradually came back, Serena couldn¡¯t stop herself from staring. The rays of light that poked through the ocean of clouds illuminated just how horrible Werond truly looked. Her normally glowing skin was dull, pulled uncomfortably tight, the light that used to fill her amber eyes had all but vanished, and her gaunt face betrayed a miserableness that Serena had only witnessed once before. The tattered remains of her tunic ¨C intact but riddled with holes and tears ¨C hung loose on her frame, reduced to a shell of her former self; Werond had been stronger than Serena, somewhat stockier, but now, she was just as thin.
Werond glanced up, caught Serena¡¯s eye, then quickly looked away, gazing across the clearing towards the trees that surrounded them. The scars across her arms became painfully visible as she hugged herself, and for a brief moment, lost in the silence of her thoughts, Serena lost all recollection of the woman sitting before her ¨C a ghost of the proud woman she¡¯d grown so close to.
Serena shuddered as her chest grew tight. She shoved herself up, brushed off her bottom, and stepped towards Werond, who still refused to look at her.
¡°Hey¡¡± Serena signed, fighting against the tremor that took up her hands. ¡°Uhm¡good morning.¡±
Werond didn¡¯t respond, save for pulling her lips into a tight frown.
¡°Uhm¡I didn¡¯t realize you woke up before me. I got worried, sorry.¡± She swallowed. ¡°Are you al ¨C¡±
Werond squeezed her eyes shut just as Serena flinched.
¡°Right, sorry. Uhm¡forgot.¡±
It was going to take some time to get used to the fact that Werond didn¡¯t have her voice anymore. How easily they took what they had for granted, even something as small as being able to talk, and the moment it was ripped away¡
Werond opened her eyes and waved a hand, easing the tightness of Serena¡¯s chest, but still refusing to look at her. A distant look filled her eyes, and though it was difficult to make out, the sorrow that weighed down her shoulders didn¡¯t seem to be directed at Serena¡¯s mistake.
She stepped closer to Werond and reached out, one hand towards her shoulder, the other signing, ¡°Hey ¨C why ¨C don¡¯t ¨C¡±
Her hand hadn¡¯t been on Werond¡¯s shoulder for but a second before the older woman shot off the ground, leaping to her feet away from Serena like an animal fleeing from an abusive master. She pulled her arms tighter across her chest, turned, and retreated further away, as though she¡¯d planned on running off into the woods.
Serena could only stare, hand hovering in place, chest feeling as though it would collapse any second; Werond flipped back around, caught Serena¡¯s eye ¨C the whites of her own showing ¨C then flinched as though she¡¯d been struck.
Something flapped to the ground behind Serena as Werond trudged back, eyes fixed on her feet; the door opened then slammed shut behind her, but Serena gave it no heed as Werond halted just slightly out of reach.
¡°Werond?¡± She asked. ¡°What¡what was that?¡±
She knew Werond couldn¡¯t answer, yet she asked all the same. The love of her life looked up, eyes suddenly glassy, before looking away once more; she shifted her weight from one foot to the next, biting her lip, head rolling with the weight of whatever was rattling about her mind.
¡°Werond, you¡¯re scaring me,¡± Serena¡¯s voice fell. ¡°what¡¯s going on?¡±
She stepped forward as she signed, causing Werond to mirror the step away. She shook her head and ran a hand through her thin hair, mouth working as though it were useful.
¡°I-I know you can¡¯t¡¡± She found herself unable to say it. ¡°Can you just nod yes, or no? Please? For me?¡±
Werond nodded, though it looked painful to do so.
¡°Are you hurt? Do I need to heal you more?¡±
Werond shook her head.
¡°Okay¡are you scared of something?¡±
Werond shook her head.
¡°Did,¡± Panic flared in her chest. ¡°did Cruck¡¯aa do anything to you? Say anything?¡±
Werond shook her head, pulling a tiny sigh of relief from Serena.
¡°Okay¡then, did I do something?¡±
Werond cringed.
¡°D-did I? If I did, I-I¡¯m sorry, I didn¡¯t¡¡± Her voice trailed off; it was hard to apologize for something you weren¡¯t aware of, but if it meant helping Werond, Serena would do it in a heartbeat. ¡°I don¡¯t know w-what I did but I¡¯m s-sorry Werond. I didn¡¯t mean it, I¡I didn¡¯t¡¡±
Her voice trailed off as Werond shook her head and finally met her gaze, eyes filled with a pain that she couldn¡¯t express. She stepped closer, though doing so seemed to pain her more, and opened her mouth ¨C out of habit perhaps ¨C before snapping it shut with a grimace. She pointed to her lips, and, as slow as she could, mouthed a single word ¨C it took five times for Serena to understand what she meant, the weight of the word forcing her back, smashing her heart like a hammer.
¡°W-what? Werond I ¨C what do you mean, I¡¡± She moved forward, unable to stop her body from trembling. ¡°can you just ¨C¡±
Werond took another step back, face twisting in pain; she shook her head and stepped back again as Serena continued to move forward, her eyes pleading.
¡°Werond ¨C¡±
The door to the stone building burst open, startling both of them; Pavel poked his head out, gold hair a mess of tangled locks, eyes only half open.
¡°Hey, Cruck¡¯aa got back,¡± He said, stifling a yawn. ¡°Don¡¯t know if you guys heard. Says he found a good path to follow. We¡¯re about to head out, so whenever you two are ready to go, pop back in here. Jo¡¯s getting antsy.¡±
And with a thumbs up, he disappeared back into the building, not bothering to close the door.
Without a shred of hesitation, Werond moved towards it, pausing only to brush Serena¡¯s shoulder with a hand, before ducking back into the building.
Serena found herself unable to follow, rooted in place as her heart hammering. Every bit of feeling within her had fled before the tendrils of numb that crept through her chest, the echo of a feeling that was all too familiar, an emptiness she wished she¡¯d never shoulder again. And as she turned to drag herself through the door, that single word cut those numbing vines, the confusion it wrecked upon her the only thing keeping her sane.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
Everyone was up yet no one was awake, the shock of Serena¡¯s panic long since faded. Pavel had retreated to the corner he shared with Doriyah, leaning against the wall with half-lidded eyes. Beside him, Doriyah mirrored Pavel, though he appeared to have actually fallen asleep, propped against the wall at an odd angle. Across from them, Jo had retaken her seat, chair flipped around so she could lean against her hand, eyes barely cracked. Only Cruck¡¯aa seemed fully awake, pacing by the other door, head bowed, arms crossed, angry murmurs falling from his beak like a waterfall.
Werond had already taken a position beside Jo, her scarecrow frame looking even worse next to her. No one so much as glanced up as Serena stumbled in, but the moment she shut the door, Jo shot up from the chair.
¡°Okay,¡± Her voice was thick with sleep, and even now she stood with slouched shoulders. ¡°I know none of us slept all that well ¨C¡±
¡°Or at all.¡± Doriyah grumbled.
¡°Or at all, I know.¡± Jo cleared her throat and straightened up. ¡°But regardless of our current mental¡¡± A yawn overtook her words, sending a chair reaction through the rest of them, save for Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°current mental state, we need to get moving. Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s been scouting ahead and thinks he found the best way forward for us to hopefully find some civilization out here¡but it¡¯ll be a long walk, and an unpleasant one at that. Best we get to marching now, can¡¯t waste any more daylight.
¡°We¡¯ll figure out breakfast on the move, but before we leave, we need to lay out some ground rules. First,¡± Jo stuck up a finger. ¡°No straying from the group unless you can fly. Second,¡± Another finger. ¡°we work together as a team. No being assholes just to be assholes. Third,¡± Three fingers now. ¡°don¡¯t go around eating things we can¡¯t identify. Run it through me or Cruck¡¯aa first. And lastly,¡± Jo stuck up her remaining fingers. ¡°communicate with everyone at all times and get help if you need it. Don¡¯t feel like you¡¯ll be a burden and stay quiet because of it; you become a burden when we have to carry you the rest of the way, and I¡¯m sure as hell leaving none of you behind.
¡°Any objections to any of that?¡±
Everyone save Cruck¡¯aa shook their head, though that didn¡¯t count for much these days.
¡°Good. Remember, we¡¯re a team first and foremost, and every member of the team looks out for one another. Never forget that. Cruck¡¯aa?¡± The Aarakocra didn¡¯t look up. ¡°You ready to lead the way?¡±
Without a word, Cruck¡¯aa stomped out the room, blowing past each of them with a huff of frustration. Jo shrugged and gestured for all of them to follow; Serena flattened herself to the side as Pavel and Doriyah marched past her, Werond on their heels, still refusing to look at her. As Serena moved to follow, heart hammering, the sides of her chest numb, Jo grabbed her by the shoulder and gently pulled her back into the room.
¡°I did another sweep of the place; your choker didn¡¯t turn up.¡± She said. ¡°Sorry. I know it meant a lot to you.¡±
¡°I¡it¡¯s okay, thank you.¡± Serena mumbled.
Truth be told, and as loath as she was to admit it, she¡¯d forgotten about the choker under the onslaught that was Werond. Jo nodded, however, then clapped a hand on Serena¡¯s shoulder, startling her from the numbness of her thoughts.
¡°You alright?¡± She asked. ¡°You look awful, no offense.¡±
¡°I¡¡± What was she supposed to say to that? ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
¡°Werond?¡±
Serena nodded, looking away.
¡°Is she doing alright? She manage to communicate anything to you?¡±
¡°Not really.¡±
¡°Hmm. Does she seem okay?¡±
That single word flared within Serena¡¯s mind; she couldn¡¯t help herself from flinching or stop her voice from coming out a choked whisper. ¡°No.¡±
¡°Oh.¡±
Silence filled the room as though Jo chewed on her words, finger tapping Serena¡¯s shoulder.
¡°Well¡¡± She finally said. ¡°if she¡¯s still out of it, try to give her some more time. Keep on her. I¡¯m sure it¡¯ll work out; you just need to be patient.¡±
Serena nodded, but for the first time since she¡¯d known Jo, she didn¡¯t know if she could truly believe her words.
¡°Right, we better follow them then. March out of here is going to be hell, and we don¡¯t want to be left behind.¡±
And hell it was ¨C within the span of a single hour, the grief that numbed Serena¡¯s chest had given away, only slightly, to the sheer frustration of moving through the gods-forsaken horror of a swamp.
It quickly became apparent that whoever had built the stone building had chosen the only habitable spot for it, as outside the clearing was nothing but a watery hell, stretching out for eternity ¨C or at least, as far as they could see through the dense fog.
The ground underfoot was nothing but hill and mud, every inch a struggle to traverse, made worse by the continuous swathes of knee-high murky water that they were forced to trudge through, soaking through their shoes and dampening their spirits. And of course, it was colder than the Nine Hells.
All of this they had discovered within the first few minutes of leaving the clearing; now, perhaps an hour in, if Cruck¡¯aa was to be believed, Serena wanted nothing more than to hike back to the stone building so she could curl up and die of starvation. Even a slow death would be better than hiking through whatever the hell this place was ¨C she hoped she¡¯d never find out either, so the memories could die as quickly as possible.
Of course, despite their watery torture being brought upon by Cruck¡¯aa ¨C it was his path after all ¨C he remained the only one unaffected. The moment their feet had sunk into the water, he had taken the form of a small bird ¨C a hawk it seemed ¨C and flown over them as he guided them through the bog. And despite knowing better, Serena couldn¡¯t help but hate him for it.
Not to mention that he wasn¡¯t put into formation either; Jo had forced them to march in a line, something she claimed to help prevent ambushes, but the notion of such seemed ridiculous to Serena, who occupied the rear. A shiver ripped up her spine as another splash of bog water slapped against her thigh, and she gritted her teeth as she pulled the flame emanating from her hands closer, almost burning her chin. In front of her, Pavel dug his fingers into his arms, shivering in his ragged clothes, and ahead of him, Werond fared no better, mirroring his discomfort. Beyond her, Doriyah seemed too tall to care, the water coming up to only his calf. Despite her own shortness, Jo, leading the line, seemed perfectly content to carry on as though nothing were the matter, her head craned slightly to watch Cruck¡¯aa as he glided over them.
They had marched in complete silence, something that Serena preferred. It gave her plenty of time to struggle against everything that Werond had given her, and quietly panic all the while. If anything, the continuous horrors of the bog kept most of her mind occupied, forcing her to watch her step rather than focus entirely on Werond. Yet it wasn¡¯t enough, and between every other footstep was a maelstrom of worry, a storm of thoughts that refused to leave Serena¡¯s mind.
¡°For fuck¡¯s ¨C Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Serena jerked as Pavel suddenly shouted up the line. ¡°Hold up for a minute!¡±
Werond glanced back, her shivering accentuating the scrawniness of her frame, and almost ran into the mountain of muscle that was Doriyah¡¯s back. She stepped away as he pulled a leg out of the bog, shook his boot out, then plunged it back into the hellish waters.
¡°Why do I even fucking bother.¡± Doriyah mumbled.
¡°Guys!¡± Jo had halted ahead, a few paces in front of them, while Cruck¡¯aa swooped down to perch on her shoulder; even from a distance, he looked angrier than he had any right to be. ¡°We need to keep moving. Cruck¡¯aa said ¨C¡±
¡°No, hold up!¡± Pavel yelled, splashing his way up the line. ¡°We¡¯ve been swimming forever, and Cruck¡¯aa hasn¡¯t said anything else! Are you sure this is the best way to go?!¡±
¡°Well, considering he¡¯s the only one who¡¯s seen this place with a literal bird¡¯s eye view, I trust that he¡¯s leading us the correct way.¡±
¡°Great! So why hasn¡¯t he said anything?¡± Doriyah leaned back as Pavel trudged past him. ¡°No mention of how far we are, or how close we are to dry land, nothing! It¡¯s starting to look like he¡¯s picked the worst way through on purpose!¡±
¡°Why would he do that?¡± Jo crossed her arms as Pavel splashed to a halt before her.
¡°Because he¡¯s fucking Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Pavel yelled. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t put it past him to fuck with us just because he didn¡¯t get his way!¡±
Werond jerked then ducked her head while Jo shrugged.
¡°Sure, it¡¯s entirely possible, he¡¯s pissed and messing with us, but what other choice ¨C¡± She yelped as Cruck¡¯aa pecked at her neck. ¡°Ow! Ow ¨C you god damn shitbird!¡±
She flung Cruck¡¯aa off her shoulder, who let out a squawk as he almost plunged into the bog; his form undulated as he shifted back to his normal, larger self, flapping over the water with a look that could freeze the blood within Serena¡¯s veins, had it not already been frozen from the water.
¡°Yes, Pavel,¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat. ¡°I am absolutely sure that this is the right way to go. It just so happens that it¡¯s also the worst way to go, but there isn¡¯t much I can do about that.¡±
¡°And you didn¡¯t think to mention it?!¡± Pavel yelled.
¡°What would be the point?¡±
¡°The point ¨C Cruck¡¯aa, all of us are freezing and miserable!¡± He threw his hands up. ¡°None of us knew it was going to be this bad! Had you just told us ¨C¡±
¡°What? You¡¯d find a different way?¡± Cruck¡¯aa scoffed. ¡°No, you wouldn¡¯t. Had I told any of you this, we¡¯d still be sitting in that shack arguing about what to do. Silence was the best choice.¡±
¡°Silence over how your friends feel?!¡±
¡°You¡¯ve already proven that none of you can think clearly for yourselves.¡±
¡°Oh fuck!¡± Pavel spat. ¡°Give it a rest already, no one ¨C¡±
¡°Has this family¡¯s best intentions but me!¡± Cruck¡¯aa growled.
¡°Alright ¨C¡± Jo butted in, moving to stand between them, only for Pavel to shove past her.
¡°You?! The best intentions?!¡± He jabbed a finger at his own chest. ¡°It seems to me that I¡¯m the only one here that cares about everyone else! We¡¯re miserable and you couldn¡¯t care less!¡±
¡°Correct.¡± Cruck¡¯aa shot back.
¡°Guys ¨C¡± Jo tried again.
¡°No, no, hold up,¡± Doriyah¡¯s voice boomed over the bog, sending all of them flying. ¡°better for the idiots to argue now and get it out of their system than later.¡±
¡°Idiots?!¡± Pavel bellowed.
¡°You?!¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat.
And within a heartbeat, their voices whirled together in a cacophony of outrage, a storm of furious argument that rivaled the chill that permeated the air.
Serena sighed as their voices drifted over the bog, and, before she could stop herself, glanced at Werond. The touch of numbness grew within her as she took in just how miserable she looked, a violent shiver rocking her hunched body.
Without thinking, Serena forced her way through the chilly water towards Werond. It took a moment for her to realize, but when she did, Werond straightened, facing scrunching in pain, and turned away, beginning to force her way towards the still arguing group.
Just the sight of her back set Serena¡¯s heart into her throat; she pulled a hand away from her flame and twisted her fingers, sending off a short whistle into the air. Werond flipped back around on instinct, a fact made abundantly clear by how hard she cringed.
Serena held her flame towards Werond; she hesitated, long enough for a dagger of panic to sink into her, before finally making her way over to Serena.
There was nothing warm about her expression, however, as Werond held her hands towards the flame. She looked closer to a cornered animal, ready to bolt at any moment, and while she sighed in relief as the trembling of her fingers faded before the flame, the grimace painted across her face remained.
Serena glanced over at the storm of anger ripping through her friends; though she wanted to march over and call each of them ridiculous and demand they continue, truth be told, it was all Serena could do to continue functioning. That single word still burned within her mind, halting the ever-creeping fingers of numb that wrapped about her chest, but hadn¡¯t yet reached her heart. How much of her felt the yearning to understand ¨C to understand just what Werond had meant by that single word, to finally cease the arguments and tossing and turning that had filled her head ever since they left that damned stone building.
But how much of that understanding would hurt her?
Serena bit her lip, breathing in sharply through her nose.
What did that matter when it came to the woman she loved?
¡°Do ¨C you ¨C want ¨C walk ¨C together?¡± Serena signed with one hand.
Werond deflated, squeezing her eyes shut; when she looked back at Serena, her eyes had resumed their glassy look, lips pulled into a tight frown. She shook her head, and the flame within Serena¡¯s hands flickered as though blown by the strongest wind.
¡°What¡¡± Though it was difficult already to sign with a single hand, the tremor that took up Serena¡¯s body made it altogether worse. ¡°did ¨C I ¨C do?¡±
Werond shook her head ¨C pointed to Serena, then shook her head again, long enough until she understood.
¡°Then ¨C what ¨C matter?¡±
Werond wilted under the question, ducking her head. She pulled her arms back and wrapped them about herself as she sloshed backwards from Serena. The obvious shame that was etched across her face was strong enough for Serena¡¯s flame to wink out of existence, lost amidst the trembling numb.
¡°Werond, please, I¡¡± Serena splashed closer to Werond, who thankfully stayed in place. ¡°Can¡¯t we just walk together? I don¡¯t ¨C¡±
Werond shook her head.
¡°Why not?¡± Her voice cracked. ¡°Why not?! You¡¯re miserable Werond! I don¡¯t ¨C¡±
Werond looked up, caught her eye, and mouthed the same word as before, tightening the tendrils around Serena¡¯s chest.
¡°I¡¡± She swallowed. ¡°I-I know, but are you¡sure? A¡break?¡± Tighter around her chest. ¡°Werond, you don¡¯t¡mean that, do ¨C¡±
Her words died upon her fingers, frozen in the frigid air, as Werond nodded; her gaze was filled by a misery shackled by silence ¨C of a watery plea to ask no more, a look that wrapped the tendrils of numb around Serena¡¯s heart, leaving her nothing more than a walking void.
Jo¡¯s voice rang out ¨C or was it Pavel¡¯s or Doriyah¡¯s, she couldn¡¯t tell; the world around her became a blur, a whirling mass of greys and whites and browns, sound dying upon her ears against the hammering of her heart, perhaps the only part of her she still felt within the numb that consumed her, the same feeling from before, creeping back like the gentle tug of a blanket over her arms, her body, her face, choking her with that same realization she¡¯d felt so long, long ago, that familiar dread that pushed her so close to the edge, so close to releasing her grip upon the world, so close to collapsing upon herself and never getting back up, for it became clear now, clear within that numbing fog, that Serena had once more found herself alone.
A hand ¨C around her arm ¨C
She jerked, the world reforming around her, the dense fog materializing into view, the distant and fading voices of her friends still locked within their argument, and ¨C
Werond, staring at her with eyes wide, lips slightly parted.
A heartbeat passed ¨C then another, and another, before Werond released her grip; her hand jumped to Serena¡¯s face, fingers towards her cheeks, before she caught herself. She flipped around and sloshed away, pausing only to look back at Serena.
Cheeks frozen with a dampness that couldn¡¯t have come from the fog, Serena sucked in a breath ¨C difficult when her body felt nothing ¨C and trudged after her, feeling the numb eclipse her mind, and consume her utterly.
How difficult it was to continue when she had nothing to continue for.
A Soggy Conversation
Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s face twisted into a scowl, one ugly enough to rival the hideousness of the clouds above, a rolling grey ocean that drowned out any hope of seeing the sun.
¡°You sure?¡± Jo asked, despite knowing what Cruck¡¯aa was about to say.
¡°Of course I¡¯m sure!¡± He spat, shooting her a look that could have boiled the water around their calves. ¡°Jo, why would I have any idea where we¡¯re at?! Are you just assuming because of what I am?!¡±
¡°Yes, actually.¡±
¡°Gods above, not every Aarakocra lives in forests and swamps! We ¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯m assuming because of your connection to nature, Cruck¡¯aa. Aren¡¯t you some sort of druid?¡±
Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s beak hung open for a moment before it snapped shut; impossibly, his brows furrowed further, and a hint of anger fueled his steps, water flinging about as Jo slowed to trudge behind him.
Already a day into their march and she wished they had stayed in that damned building, despite all the good it wouldn¡¯t have done them. The dampness of the bog had seeped into their very beings, and no amount of sleep, hastily caught game, or pitiful fires could dry it.
She was already used to it though; Jo had suffered far worse during the marching days of her youth. The others, however, couldn¡¯t say the same.
She paid no heed to Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s grumbling as she glanced back, ignoring the clusters of cattails that poked up and clutched at her soggy clothes. Serena and Werond, an unhealthy distance between them, struggled through the murky water like the living dead, both awake yet neither appearing as though they were truly there. That far away look still remained within Werond¡¯s eyes, visible only when she looked up to occasionally glance back at Serena, who walked as though she couldn¡¯t feel the flame that burned uncomfortably close to her chest.
Jo grimaced; she¡¯d been too busy to check on Serena again, though she knew that to be a terrible excuse. Leading their tiny damp band had been exhausting though, despite only a day having passed, and ¨C
Laughter carried across the water, cutting through the ever-present fog; Jo¡¯s eyes flicked past the middle of the line towards Doriyah and Pavel, splashing through the swamp several feet away. Snatches of their conversation floated by, but from the exaggerated motions Doriyah was making ¨C as though he was chopping something ¨C the conversation couldn¡¯t have been serious.
Her lips curled into a small grin; perhaps it was wrong of her to assume that all of them were as miserable as she felt.
A breeze blew through the fog, gentle yet utterly freezing; Jo cursed as a shiver ripped up her spine, and she wrapped her arms about herself as she turned back around.
Amongst the plants that poked out of the murky water, dotted here and there across the gentle hills of the bog, a smattering of trees stood tall against the grey-white fog, pillars of brown that held up the sky. Each was shockingly naked, not a single leaf or vine to be found between any of them, the upper most branches like outstretched claws. They had only begun to appear halfway through the day¡¯s march, and Jo still wasn¡¯t used to seeing their dark shapes materialize out of the nothingness of the fog. Knowing that the dark shapes were only trees didn¡¯t make it any less unsettling.
She grimaced, glancing at one as they passed it. Gods, where were they? All her years of marching and she¡¯d never stepped foot in a place like this, and she¡¯d been damn near all around the Coast. Had she a map, she was sure she could estimate where they might be, given the topography, but ¨C
¡°We¡¯re getting closer to a forest,¡± Cruck¡¯aa suddenly said. ¡°trees are getting thicker.¡±
¡°And you can tell by just a glance?¡± Jo asked, lengthening her stride until she trudged alongside the Aarakocra.
¡°It¡¯s rather obvious.¡±
¡°Which means you do have an idea of where the hell we are.¡±
So far did Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s eyes roll that Jo believed for a moment that they might disappear within his head entirely.
¡°Given the nature of the coast,¡± Cruck¡¯aa muttered. ¡°it wouldn¡¯t be wrong to assume that we¡¯re somewhere north, above Waterdeep. Bogs like these don¡¯t form all that often in the south, and the ones that do would be leagues away from the city. Too far to make sense. These trees are a tip off as well¡¡± He gestured at one. ¡°Wider at the bottom, bare at the top. Cypress. Doesn¡¯t grow down south.¡±
¡°See, this is why I asked you.¡±
¡°I had to think about it.¡± Cruck¡¯aa huffed.
The retort on Jo¡¯s lips ¨C something about the fact that that was all Cruck¡¯aa did ¨C died when her foot caught the edge of some hole hidden beneath the water. She stumbled but caught herself before she could take the plunge; Cruck¡¯aa shied away as the foul-smelling water splashed around them.
¡°Gods damnit, why is it so murky?¡± Jo grumbled, wiping the water from her arms.
¡°It¡¯s a bog.¡± Cruck¡¯aa stated.
¡°Yeah, no ¨C¡± She sucked in a breath, held it, then released. ¡°Anyways, so we¡¯re up the Coast? North you said?¡±
¡°A guess.¡±
¡°Well, your guess is the best we¡¯ve got right now.¡± Jo frowned. ¡°Begs the question though¡why would Jarlaxle haul us up the coast like this? What¡¯s the point? Why wouldn¡¯t he just stow us ¨C¡±
¡°You¡¯re assuming it was Jarlaxle that took us.¡±
Jo sputtered, jerking to the side as something hideously long slithered by them in the water.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, who else would it be?! We just fought him days ago.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t be sure.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said.
¡°Alright, now you¡¯re just being difficult on purpose ¨C more difficult, I should say.¡±
¡°What I say ¨C¡±
¡°Is contrarian and useless.¡±
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
Cruck¡¯aa grunted, glancing around; Doriyah and Pavel¡¯s voices carried up the line as the pair laughed about something, and for a single moment, Jo envied how relaxed they were.
¡°Jarlaxle,¡± The name curled around Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s beak as though it were wrapped in thorns. ¡°wouldn¡¯t just let us out like this. Too sloppy. Has to be someone else.¡±
¡°Quite the leap with that. I¡¯d disagree.¡±
¡°Of course, you do.¡±
¡°Because the doors being unlocked seems too ridiculous to not be intentional. Perhaps it¡¯s bait and we¡¯re falling right into it, but the doors should have been locked. From what little I know of the bastard, and it¡¯s a tiny amount, that seems like something he would do.¡±
¡°You¡¯re right, you do know too little about him.¡±
¡°By all means then, explain it to me.¡±
¡°There isn¡¯t any need to lock the doors considering this bog,¡± Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s feathers ruffled. ¡°is a death sentence. No one in their right minds would try to traverse it. We, however, are all out of our minds, excluding me perhaps. Jarlaxle knows this, considering we fought him, and with that in mind, he would have locked the doors to prevent us from escaping. Therefore, the fact that the doors were unlocked indicates that whoever threw us in there wasn¡¯t Jarlaxle. They weren¡¯t aware that we are out of our minds. Makes perfect sense.¡±
¡°And how long has that been cooking in that head of yours?¡±
¡°Since the moment I woke up.¡±
Jo grunted and crossed her arms. A storm of tiny black bugs materialized from the fog, a buzzing symphony that made her skin crawl; she barely kept her footing as she edged away from them.
Cruck¡¯aa swatted aside a cluster of cattail that stuck up in front of them, the plant splitting almost clean in half, allowing him to walk through unscathed. Jo glanced back and watched as the plant sprang back to its original shape a few paces later, forcing everyone else to walk around it.
¡°He knows we¡¯re insane,¡± Jo looked back as Cruck¡¯aa grumbled. ¡°he wouldn¡¯t forget that.¡±
¡°Yeah, you said that already.¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s the truth.¡±
¡°Right, because of every one of us is insane except for you. You should like some of the green-cloaks I used to work with.¡±
¡°Green ¨C what?!¡±
¡°The new kids that just got their cloaks from joining up my outfit. You sound like a damned child, Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
¡°Oh, because I speak the truth?¡±
¡°Call it what you like, it¡¯s all false.¡±
¡°How!?¡± Cruck¡¯aa jerked a talon over his shoulder. ¡°We kept her, and she¡¯s the reason we¡¯re in this gods-forsaken swamp in the first place! If that doesn¡¯t prove you all are insane, I don¡¯t know what does!¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa.¡± Jo hissed, glancing back; Werond gave no indication that she heard, head bowed against the fog.
¡°It¡¯s the truth!¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat. ¡°Had we just done what I said ¨C¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
¡°¨C from the very start, and just separated them, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess!¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa!¡±
¡°Don¡¯t you start with me, you know I¡¯m ¨C¡±
Jo stuck her fingers in her mouth, and let loose a long, sharp whistle; Cruck¡¯aa flinched as Jo flipped around, pleased for a moment to see everyone halted and staring at her ¨C save Serena.
¡°Swap the formation,¡± she called, heart skipping a beat. ¡°just for a bit. I need to yell at Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
Cruck¡¯aa huffed, his feathers bristling, but no one questioned her; if anything, that was a valid excuse no matter the situation.
Doriyah and Pavel began to splash up the line, their conversation resumed immediately, neither glancing at the scarecrows in the middle. Werond began after them a moment later, pausing only to look back until Serena began to move, head still bowed against the fog.
Jo grimaced; neither so much as glanced at her as they splashed by, but while Werond looked somewhat alive, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Serena. Her shoulders were hunched, and the flame within her hands was too small to heat even a frying pan. And while her bare neck stuck out horribly, it was the clouded look in her eyes, barely visible, that worried Jo the most ¨C a look she¡¯d seen only a handful of times, in a small number of broken men, always after a long and terrible fight.
She did not react as Jo reached out and brushed her arm, walking like a dead man. Jo watched her go, splashing through the water without a word, her heart beating just a little bit faster.
¡°Why did we switch?¡± Cruck¡¯aa asked, staring at Jo.
Jo closed her eyes, sucking in a deep breath, pretending for just a moment that she didn¡¯t want to throttle Cruck¡¯aa where he stood.
¡°Jo! Why ¨C¡±
¡°Did you see Serena?¡± Jo said. ¡°Did you? Did you see the look on her face?¡±
¡°How is that ¨C¡±
¡°Answer the damned question Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
¡°Barely, but yes. How is ¨C¡±
¡°Something happened between her and Werond, right before we left.¡± Jo inched closer to Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°Whatever they said or managed to communicate with each other, it¡¯s done something to her, shaken her up. Werond isn¡¯t doing well either, but at least she¡¯s consciouses. I¡¯m not sure Serena even hears us half the time. It¡¯s like she¡¯s dead to everything. Do you understand why this is an issue?¡±
¡°It shouldn¡¯t be an issue!¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat. ¡°Had we just ¨C¡±
Jo jerked forward, causing Cruck¡¯aa to flinch and step back, yellow eyes vivid against the fog that framed him.
¡°You don¡¯t, or you just don¡¯t care.¡± Jo hissed. ¡°You need to drop the issue. You need to drop it right the fuck now.¡±
¡°And why ¨C¡±
¡°For two reasons. One,¡± Jo stuck up a finger in Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s face. ¡°she¡¯s our friend, and she¡¯s been hurt. She¡¯s completely detached from life, and that alone should be enough to make you worry. But two, ¡°Another finger. ¡°for your damnable pragmatic shit-show you call a mind, you and Serena are our only sources of defense in this place. If we ever get attacked by anything, not only do we have a civilian to protect, but myself, Doriyah, and Pavel are all unarmed. We¡¯ll be useless. Both of you, however, have enough magic between you to level the playing field, but with Serena being the way she is, I don¡¯t know if I can trust her to be of use in a fight. As much as I hate to say it, with her like this, you are our only source of defense. And if you make matters worse with her, that temporary situation might turn permanent. Follow me?¡±
Cruck¡¯aa remained blessedly quiet, though his eyes had narrowed to slits; from the working of his beak, it was obvious to Jo that he hadn¡¯t thought about that angle.
¡°I don¡¯t know what the hell those two talked about,¡± she continued. ¡°and quite honestly, I wouldn¡¯t know how to brooch it between them. And frankly, it¡¯s not my business in the first place. But until they smooth things out, Serena is out of commission. And until she¡¯s back to her usual self, you are not to speak to her about any of this ¨C your issues, the current situation, anything, to make her feel worse. Do I make myself clear?¡±
¡°Delaying the inevitable will only make it worse.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said flatly.
¡°Delaying the ¨C¡± Jo sighed and rubbed her face. ¡°Can you pull your beak out of your ass for five minutes and understand that now,¡± she jerked a thumb over her shoulder, towards the quickly disappearing group. ¡°isn¡¯t the time to be your usual irritable self?¡±
¡°My correct self,¡± Cruck¡¯aa shot back. ¡°considering that I was right to not trust that woman in the first place.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t give a shit about what you think, you¡¯re not to bring up any of this to Serena!¡±
¡°Give me a reason why I shouldn¡¯t.¡±
¡°I just did! Not to mention that she¡¯s your fucking friend Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Jo failed to contain her voice. ¡°Above all else, doesn¡¯t that matter to you? Do you want your friend to be miserable?! Does seeing her like this feel good to you?!¡±
¡°I want her to see the error of her ways!¡± Cruck¡¯aa squawked. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t allow any of my family to fester like that, and neither should you! We need to ¨C¡±
¡°Leave them alone, that¡¯s what we need to do!¡±
¡°If you refuse to brooch this to her, then I will have no choice but to do it myself! I ¨C¡±
Jo lunged towards Cruck¡¯aa, hands outstretched; Cruck¡¯aa screeched and jerked back, dodging her by a hair.
She stepped forward, teeth gritted, anger smashing her heart like a drum, hands curled into fists at her side. Cruck¡¯aa stood his ground, eyes wide, one foot back as though he were ready to run.
¡°I swear to every god above and below,¡± Jo growled, eyes never leaving Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s. ¡°if you do anything to make this situation worse, I will put you in the ground myself. I don¡¯t care what you think, now is not the time to make everything worse! If you take it upon yourself to broach anything to Serena or Werond, you will be physically removed from this group. Do I make myself clear?¡±
Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s eyes narrowed into slits; without a word, he leapt into the air, buffeting Jo with fog, as he spread his wings and took off into the sky. When she flipped around, she lost sight of him almost immediately, the group having already been swallowed by the fog.
Body burning at her words and a thousand curses rolling off her tongue, Jo jogged after them, praying to every god she knew that Cruck¡¯aa had taken her seriously.
Visible
Tell me, what does it feel like to have fallen so far? What does it feel like to look at her and realize, day after day, that you¡¯ve done what you promised to never do again?
...
¨C she was in the bog, water lapping at her chest, hands pressed into the frigid mud, face hovering above the foul-smelling water as her hair and clothes soaked through, freezing her body in an instant.
The soaked collar of her tunic pulled against her throat, a reminder of what she¡¯d lost, as Serena was pulled to her feet. A voice called behind her ¨C far, far behind her, the words a muffled mess against the hammering in her ears. A hand grabbed her shoulder and spun her about, throwing off her balance.
Greys, browns, and whites slowly sharped as Serena regained her footing, the watery hell of the swamp becoming clear; thick tree trunks sprung out of the water here and there, bare branches scratching the ever-grey sky. Pavel stood before her, golden hair flat against his head, chiseled features wrinkled with worry, as Doriyah trudged through the murky water towards them.
¡°Serena?¡± Pavel asked, cocking his head. ¡°You alright?¡±
She blinked, heart still thundering in her ears. Even pulling her hands up to sign seemed like a titanic effort, so frigid was her body.
¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Serena lied, voice cracking; Pavel nodded.
¡°Right, okay. Just make sure to watch where you¡¯re going then, don¡¯t want to drink this damned stuff.¡±
He smiled at her, and had they been anywhere else, it would have made her feel just a little bit better.
Doriyah rolled his eyes as he stomped past, Pavel shying away from the water he kicked up.
¡°Yes, watch your step,¡± He said, clothes soaked, and hair matted. ¡°when you can¡¯t see a thing in the water. Very good advice Pavel.¡±
¡°In general, I mean!¡± Pavel called after him, smile still plastered on his face; it fell when he looked back at Serena. ¡°Uhm¡ignore him. I¡¯m sure he means well. Just, promise to be careful, alright?¡±
¡°Alright.¡± Serena whispered, not looking at him.
¡°Good. I¡¯ll let Jo know you¡¯re okay then. She¡¯s been looking at me funny.¡±
He patted her on the shoulder, oblivious to the confused look she gave him, and splashed away. When Serena turned to watch him, the world threatened to blur back to its mess of browns and greys, the numbness, having faded during their brief conversation, slowly creeping back to its usual place.
She squeezed her eyes shut and ducked her head, holding it with both hands; her stomach lurched as the vertigo flared, the shivering of her body causing her to wobble, but it soon passed. She waited a moment longer, sucking in a few deep breaths to push back the numb, before opening her eyes and looking up.
They went wide; they were still in the bog, obviously, but when had the trees popped up? Not ten minutes ago, the only thing that stuck up out of the water were those stalky plants, but ¨C
¡°Serena!¡±
Serena started and almost fell back into the water; Jo¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed her shoulder, holding her still.
¡°Serena?¡± Jo asked, voice high with worry. ¡°You good? What¡¯s wrong?¡±
It took a moment for Serena to find her words, hands hovering against her chest. Further behind them, Doriyah, Pavel, and Cruck¡¯aa all stood in a circle, seemingly oblivious to them, the trio locked in some conversation that seemed to irritate Cruck¡¯aa. Werond stood away from them, closer to Serena and Jo, shoulders hunched, and arms wrapped about her damp body. She glanced up at Serena, only to quickly look away as she caught her eye.
¡°Serena?¡± She jerked against the sudden flare of numb. ¡°Worrying me here. Pavel said you were alright, but you don¡¯t seem like it at all.¡±
¡°No, I-I¡¯m ¨C he¡¯s right, I¡¯m okay.¡± Her voice cracked again. ¡°Sorry Jo.¡±
¡°Nothing to apologize for.¡± Her eyes flicked about the bog, as though she were looking for something, before they landed back on Serena. ¡°Not your fault. Can¡¯t watch your step if you can¡¯t see where you¡¯re going.¡±
¡°I¡right. I just meant¡getting distracted, I guess, right after we left the little building. Didn¡¯t mean to¡¡± Her fingers froze; how could she even begin to describe it? ¡°I¡¯ll try to be more focused.¡±
Jo¡¯s eyes narrowed in that searching kind of way they always did when the older woman was thinking. Despite the chill in the air, made worse by her soaked clothes, hot needles prickled their way across Serena¡¯s skin, the small of her back sweating as she broke the older woman¡¯s gaze.
¡°Alright.¡± The gentleness of her voice did not match her eyes. ¡°No one expects any of us to be on top of our game right now. Something happens though¡just let me know, okay?¡±
Serena nodded and crossed her arms; after a moment, Jo patted her on the shoulder, before splashing back towards the front of the line, where Cruck¡¯aa stood glaring at her. He opened his beak as Jo drew near, only for her to swat it close, shoving a finger in the horrified expression that erupted across his face. It would have made Serena laugh, had she not been so overwhelmed.
Frustration coiled around the numbness that filled her chest, a welcome feeling even if it couldn¡¯t banish the other entirely. What she would have given for that to happen, to cast off this ever consuming numb and return to her normal self. She¡¯d been just like this, so long ago, and for the life of her now, Serena couldn¡¯t understand how she managed to function. It was so easy to slip into the deadened state, to lose focus when everything had come crashing down, and yet, she had managed on her own. Even with her friends now, it all seemed so insurmountable.
She rubbed her face, heart beating a little faster. Up ahead, none of them had moved, Jo trying, and failing, to mediate whatever rift had formed between Cruck¡¯aa and the others.
That was the issue though, wasn¡¯t it? Before, she had managed in the end, despite being alone. Now, she couldn¡¯t escape from what had inflicted the numbness in the first place. And how was she to fix anything when she couldn¡¯t understand what had happened? Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, how was she supposed to do anything when she could barely function? Even if the numbness wasn¡¯t as debilitating as it was, there remained no way for her to approach Werond ¨C
Something took up her hair ¨C a pair of hands, Serena realized with a start, that undid the band at the bottom and divided it into two equal halves. Gentle fingers combed out her hair with ease, pulling loose a mess of tangles, and banishing the numbness within her as though it was never truly there. Two passes through each half were all it took.
Those gentle hands that she yearned so desperately for jerked back as quickly as they came, her hair falling loose against her back. Heart smashing in her chest, Serena flipped around to find Werond holding her hair band, still unable to meet her gaze.
There was something within Werond¡¯s downcast eyes that Serena couldn¡¯t understand ¨C a glassiness to them that seemed so familiar yet remained unrecognizable. Without a word, without so much as a glance, Werond handed the band back to Serena, before splashing past her with hunched shoulders.
The numb flooded back within an instant, a riptide that flared through her chest, sending deadened tendrils through her limbs, weighing them down the with a familiar weight. It was all Serena could to do fight against the tide, her arms trembling as she fixed her hair.
How easy it would be to let herself collapse under that weight. How easy it would be to fall back into the bog, and let the tide pull her under. How much her body yearned for the release that the blurring world gave her.
But those tiny gestures, those miniscule sparks of concern¡
She couldn¡¯t, not when there was still something to grasp at.
Jo finally threw up her arms and waved for them to move, at the great displeasure of Cruck¡¯aa; Serena sucked in a breath and, despite the urging of her body, forced herself forward.
Forcing herself forward, however, remained just as difficult as before. Despite Doriyah¡¯s remarks, Serena shifted her focus entirely on watching where she stepped, somewhat proud that she found success in keeping her footing. So focused was she on her steps that the abrupt change from ankle high water to solid, soggy ground started her worse than she would have liked.
Blinking, Serena shook her head, focus shattered, numb creeping back into her chest; when she looked up, the flame cupped in her hands winked out of existence as she jumped again.
The ground before them had risen from the murky bog like a muddy bridge, flanked on both sides by dark, lapping water. The trees from before, once few and scattered, were now legion, clustered tightly together within the flooded mess on either side of the path. So dense was the canopy of naked branches that Serena could barely make out the sky, now only swathes of grey that poked through the sharp tangles above. And while the day had already been dark, with the sun so thoroughly blotted out, within the twisted, dead-looking trees, Serena would have sworn that the sun had already set.
And the sounds¡
A shiver ripped up her spine, sending her heart into her throat, and eyes darting every direction.; gone was the eerie calmness of the bog, replaced now by the howling of the wind through the branches, and the creaking of trees that had not seen human life in generations. And among those trees, cloaked in their perpetual gloom, far too many things splashed about in the bog, sending echoes across the path, loud in her ears. Bahamut only knew what those things were, but her imagination did her no favors.
She sucked in a breath, body trembling from the fear that now itched at her back; gods, how in the Nine Hells had this place gotten worse? And how had she only just now noticed?
Serena tore her eyes away from the gloom-stricken forest, fighting in vain to pretend that everything was fine; a few paces in front of her, Werond seemed to fare no better, arms wrapped about her, the whites of her eyes barely visible as her head snapped from side to side. With each passing noise, with each horrible creak, Werond jerked away, almost stumbling across the path, as though she feared something would leap out at any moment.
The numbness faded, just slightly; Serena sped up, gritting her teeth as the wind howled, sending her heart into her throat. Regardless of what had happened between them, she couldn¡¯t stand to see Werond so scared. Perhaps if they walked together, then ¨C
Laughter shattered the gloomy forest, starting both of them; further ahead, Pavel and Doriyah strode down the path with backs straight and a confidence in their step that Serena couldn¡¯t believe. They had separated slightly from the group, probably due to Werond slowing down, and Serena had to strain her ears to catch snippets of their conversation.
¡°¨C changed! Like in a second completely ¨C¡±
¡°¨C shit.¡±
¡°¨Cue, he was a doppel ¨C¡±
The wind blew, a shrill howl through the canopy, ripping another shiver down Serena¡¯s back, and drowning out the rest of whatever the pair was discussing.
She bit her lip and looked back towards her feet; she hadn¡¯t a clue as to how those two could be so¡joyful, in their current circumstance. Perhaps that meant she was overreacting, and that there wasn¡¯t really anything to fear. After all, it was just a forest, there wasn¡¯t ¨C
Somewhere off the path, lost in the thicket and gloom, splashed in the water, spraying droplets of the horrible stuff in front of Werond.
A strangled noise tore from her mouth as she jerked back and fell to the mud, scrambling back just as the flames ignited across Serena¡¯s arms; with a flick of her wrist, aim thrown off from her trembling, she hurled a bolt of fire into the trees, jumping as it exploded into the water, sending a flash of light through the gloom ¨C
Illuminating nothing.
¡°Serena!¡± Jo¡¯s voice carried up the path, echoed by the screeches of Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°Calm down! Just a fish probably, you don¡¯t need to panic!¡±
The flames winked out of existence, snuffed from needles that pricked her skin; Werond scrambled to her feet and brushed herself off, looking thoroughly frustrated.
The path began to curve softly through the trees, until after a minute of walking, it turned sharply to the left, Doriyah and Pavel disappearing around it for far longer than Serena was comfortable with. As they rounded the corner, Serena caught only the briefest of glimpses as the pair scrambled over a large tree that had fallen further up the path. Within a heartbeat, they were gone again.
Serena blinked as their conversation faded; the trunk itself must have been as wide as Doriyah was tall, how did they climb it that fast? And from the string of curses that Jo spat out, she must have been thinking the same.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa,¡± Jo sighed from behind. ¡°can you go make sure those two don¡¯t just wander away?¡±
¡°What makes you believe I can stop stupidity in its tracks?¡± Cruck¡¯aa grumbled back.
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¡°Because only an idiot knows how to stop stupidity like that ¨C is that what you want me to say?¡±
Despite the pinpricks of fear, Serena couldn¡¯t help but grin as Cruck¡¯aa growled something back, before taking off into the air above them. He soared just below the canopy for a moment, then dropped down on the other side of the tree, just as the dredges of Pavel and Doriyah¡¯s conversation faded entirely.
Werond stopped to watch him go, shivering against the ever-chilled air; she looked back for a moment, at what Serena couldn¡¯t tell, but the moment her gaze slid over her, Werond snapped her back head again. She grimaced and covered her mouth, and it was within that pained expression did the numbness flare within Serena.
She sucked in a deep breath, fighting against the sudden burst; she pushed aside the siren call of simple surrender and racked her clouded mind for anything, anything at all to say. Perhaps if she could reassure ¨C
A hand clapped her shoulder; Serena leapt a foot into the air, starting Werond, who almost fell back into the mud.
¡°Jumpy, aren¡¯t we?¡± Jo asked, standing beside Serena; she smirked as Serena shot her a glare. ¡°Place really scare you that bad?¡±
¡°Yes!¡± Jo snorted as Serena¡¯s voice broke. ¡°Jo, it¡¯s like something out of a book, why do the trees look like that?! And why are they so thick, it¡¯s like ¨C like it¡¯s night!¡±
¡°Sure Cruck¡¯aa could explain that to you, if he the patience to.¡± Jo looked around, that damned smirk never leaving her face. ¡°I kind of like it though, reminds me of where I grew up. Long time ago, though.¡±
¡°What?!¡±
¡°That was supposed to be reassuring.¡± Jo laughed. ¡°Right, we¡¯ve got a tree to clear ladies. Wished those two hadn¡¯t run off and left us, but we should manage.¡± Jo broke from Serena and began marching up the path. ¡°Get it over with then!¡±
Serena could only stare, shaking her head at the little spring in Jo¡¯s step; how any of them managed to remain positive in such a place was beyond her. But from what little she knew about their lives before, perhaps it wasn¡¯t all that far-fetched.
As she began to follow, her gaze fell onto Werond almost instinctually; her head was turned to watch Jo, for the first time since they¡¯d woken up in this gods forsaken place, a small smile was etched across her face, one that could have burned through the fog within an instant. It fell away when Werond caught Serena staring, dropping back to the grimace that was now so common.
¡°Uhm¡¡± Serena began, sucking in a breath to fight against the stinging of her eyes; how difficult it was to sign when you couldn¡¯t feel your fingers. ¡°Are you¡alright?¡±
Werond nodded, eyes downcast.
¡°O-okay.¡± She swallowed. ¡°I didn¡¯t say it earlier but¡thanks for brushing out my hair, I¡didn¡¯t realize it was that dirty.¡±
Werond nodded, shoulders falling just a bit.
¡°And¡if you ever need anything from me, I¡just let me know, okay? We need to¡watch out¡¡±
Her voice trailed off as Werond grimaced, eyes squeezing shut as she turned away.
Her form began to blur, shifting with the dark colors of the forest as Serena¡¯s heart began to hammer in her ears, blood pounding against the wave of numb that flashed through her chest, urging her to ¨C
Serena¡¯s hand shot to her throat, fingers digging into her skin as she fought against the wave that strove to yank her to the ground. She ducked her head and sucked in a breath, holding it until her lungs threatened to burst.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she couldn¡¯t give in. Not now.
¡°Ladies!¡±
Jo¡¯s voice rang out through the gloom, a knife that sliced through the numb, and tore Serena back to her senses. When her head snapped up, the world remained in focus and ¨C
Werond had stepped closer, eyes wide, hand outstretched; she leapt back as Serena started, hugging herself before turning and beginning up the path towards Jo.
¡°Quit standing around!¡± Jo¡¯s voice yanked Serena back before she fell under. ¡°Burning daylight, come on!¡±
Serena could only curse to herself as she made her way over.
Jo had already made it to the tree, standing with her hands on her hips, watching as the two of them caught up to her. It was only until Serena was closer did she realize just how difficult it would be for the three of them to climb over the fallen trunk. Despite lying on its side, the tree itself towered over them, perhaps a foot taller than Werond; most of the bark had rotted away, removing any semblance of a decent grip, the wood underneath slimy and dull. How Pavel and Doriyah had surmounted the damn thing, Serena couldn¡¯t tell.
And from the swivel of Jo¡¯s head as she scanned the thing, it seemed as though she was at a loss too. They¡¯d have to wait for Cruck¡¯aa to come back then, otherwise ¨C
Jo laughed, pointed to something, then scrambled up the tree in an instant, pulling herself to the top and wiping her hands off on her pants. She turned around and squatted, smirking at Serena¡¯s stunned expression.
¡°Put your foot there,¡± She pointed at nothing Serena could see. ¡°and give me your hand. Pull you up the rest of the way.¡±
¡°How did you do that?!¡± Serena exclaimed; beside her, Werond looked around where Jo had pointed, eyes wide and brows furrowed.
¡°Practice. Experience. And general upper body strength. All of which neither of you have. Now, come on. Isn¡¯t that easy, so the sooner we get this over with, the better.¡±
Serena shook her head; Jo had made it look simple, how difficult would it actually be?
It wasn¡¯t until Serena had fallen back to the ground for a third time did she realize the truth of Jo¡¯s words; by the time she had managed to haul her up, fighting back a laugh at the various curses that tumbled from her fingers, Serena was a shivering, sweaty mess. Though she¡¯d been filthy before, the front of her tunic had been thoroughly stained by dirt and bits of rotting bark, much to her annoyance as she wobbled to her feet on top of the trunk. Werond fared better, and despite her diminished framed, managed to haul herself up with only a bit of assistance from Jo.
The path on the other side of the tree remained just as eerie as before; the wind picked up as the three of them turned around, feet slipping under the rotting bark. The drop back down seemed much higher than it should have been, however, and as Serena quickly looked away, she wobbled just enough for Jo to reach out and grab her.
¡°Don¡¯t tumble off please. Last thing we need.¡± Serena grimaced and raised her hands to sign, only for Jo to shush her. ¡°Hold up.¡±
Her eyes narrowed, sending Serena¡¯s heart rocketing into her throat; her head snapped about, staring out into the watery gloom on either side of the path, but she couldn¡¯t make anything out. On the other side of Jo, Werond did the same, though she quickly ducked down and gripped the tree at the first hint of wobbling.
¡°Think I can hear them.¡± Jo muttered. ¡°Up the path. Sounds like they¡¯re arguing.¡±
Panic burned away under the heat of irritation; Serena frowned but strained her ears, barely making out through the howling wind the shrill tones of Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s voice.
¡°Maybe.¡± Serena signed. ¡°Sounds like one of Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s arguments again.¡±
¡°Figured. Werond?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Just us them. Must be our sharp ears. Well,¡± Jo turned to Serena. ¡°think you can do me a favor then?¡±
¡°Now?¡±
¡°Sure. Can you hop down and go find them? Make sure they haven¡¯t hurt themselves somehow, because I¡¯m sure Cruck¡¯aa will give them an earful if they did. Sounds like they¡¯re close, shouldn¡¯t be an issue.¡±
Serena¡¯s eyes went wide; perhaps it wouldn¡¯t have been an issue for Jo, but the idea of wandering alone through a forest that she knew deep within her soul was extremely evil did not sit right with her.
Jo caught the expression, and as Serena began to sign her complaints, she leaned in towards Serena¡¯s ear, sending goosebumps down her neck as her breath tickled against her skin.
¡°I need to talk with Werond about something, best I can.¡± She whispered. ¡°Won¡¯t be long, I promise.¡±
¡°O-oh.¡± Serena whispered. ¡°I guess t-that¡¯s fine. What do you n-need to ¨C¡±
¡°Just some stuff.¡±
¡°Is it a-about ¨C¡±
¡°Yeah, it is. Don¡¯t want to lie to you. It¡¯s nothing bad. No need to worry.¡±
¡°R-right.¡± She sucked in a breath, difficult when she couldn¡¯t feel her chest. ¡°Won¡¯t be long, r-right?¡±
¡°Swear it on my uniform. You need me to help you get down or¡¡±
Her voice trailed off as Serena pulled away from her and leapt off the tree, finding suddenly that she didn¡¯t care how high up she was. She landed with a grunt, falling to her knees as her legs flared with pain; it quickly vanished as she forced herself up, however, snapping away the mud and debris that stained her skirt. Jo called out to her, but Serena waved her off as she began down the path. She didn¡¯t want her to see the tears that now trickled down her cheeks.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, why was she even crying? Because Jo wanted to talk to Werond? Because she¡¯d seen the rift between them? Because it had gotten bad enough that she had to pull one of them aside and talk to them?
Through the sea of numb that deadened her chest, sending its tendrils through her limbs, a single spark of shame flared to life, igniting her heart as it began to pound ¨C a burning reminder that she had failed Werond once again.
How much she hated herself for it, hated that she simply couldn¡¯t understand what she had done, and couldn¡¯t begin to figure out how to fix any of it. How stupid was she when Serena couldn¡¯t help the one person she loved more than anything else? The one person that she so desperately craved to pull her tight, and promise her that everything was alright, but now, was nothing but a reminder that in her failure, she¡¯d once again found herself alone.
The world blurred together in swathes of greys, browns, and blacks. Serena sucked in a breath, sending a sharp pain piercing through her chest as she shook out her head as though the motion could dislodge those horrid thoughts.
No, no, she couldn¡¯t think that way, she couldn¡¯t ¨C Werond still needed her, she had to, none of it was permanent, it couldn¡¯t be permanent, it couldn¡¯t be, not after everything they did together, didn¡¯t all that amount to everything ¨C the hand holding, the caressing, the words whispered against her skin, so late into the night, didn¡¯t all of that matter to her ¨C it had to, it had to, it had to ¨C it didn¡¯t make any sense for it not to, it just didn¡¯t ¨C to throw away everything they had, everything they spent so long building up, it didn¡¯t make any sense, it didn¡¯t, but why then was Werond so cold, so distant ¨C it didn¡¯t make any sense why she shoved her away, it didn¡¯t, and no matter what Serena tried to do, from words or just a look, she always pushed her away and she couldn¡¯t understand why, why, why was she doing it, why had Werond changed so drastically, it didn¡¯t make sense, it didn¡¯t, and all she had to do was accept it, accept the numb that came with her failure, and drift upon ¨C
¡°Serena!¡±
The world snapped back into focus all at once as Serena fell to the ground; she leapt back up in a heartbeat, wobbling as the blood rushed to her head, pounding in her ears. It cut off whatever else Jo had said, still standing on top of the tree, Werond beside her, face buried in her hands.
Jo leapt from the tree and jogged over, and in the few seconds it took her to reach Serena, the blood had begun to quiet in her ears, the world remaining blissfully in place.
¡°¨C going on!? You alright?¡± Jo asked, brushing off Serena¡¯s shoulders. ¡°What in the Nine Hells was that, you just ¨C¡±
¡°I-I know, s-sorry,¡± She couldn¡¯t keep her voice steady as she watched Werond leap off the tree and begin to trudge up the path, head bowed, arms crossed. ¡°I-I don¡¯t ¨C I¡¯ll j-just go, I, sorry Jo ¨C¡±
¡°No point now.¡± Jo¡¯s eyes remained on Serena as Werond walked past them, moving up the path and around the bend; Serena turned towards her, only for Jo to pull her back. ¡°Hey, hold up, you look horrible. What¡¯s wrong? What happened?¡±
¡°N-nothing, I was just ¨C¡±
¡°Serena.¡± Jo leaned in. ¡°You froze for ten minutes, you didn¡¯t move. I had that entire conversation with Werond before I noticed, so don¡¯t tell me nothing happened.¡±
¡°What?¡± Her heart plummeted. ¡°Ten minutes? Jo, what are you on about?¡±
¡°Give or take. Felt like it. Did something spook you?¡±
Serena pulled her hands against her chest, shivering as what felt like ice crept down her back.
¡°What?¡± Was all she could manage.
Jo sighed and looked away, biting her lower lip.
¡°Right.¡± She muttered. ¡°Figured that was the case. After the first time.¡± She stepped back and crossed her arms, meeting Serena¡¯s worried gaze. ¡°You aware that you¡¯re losing time?¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°Losing time. Zoning out. Not taking in what¡¯s going on around you. I asked you to hop down and find the boys ten minutes ago. You stopped and just stared out into the trees. Couldn¡¯t see your face. You just froze.¡± Jo rubbed her chin. ¡°Not the first time either. Remember your comment earlier, about losing focus right after we left that building?¡±
Serena slowly nodded, her thoughts a whirl.
¡°That tipped me off that something wasn¡¯t right. Serena, when you said that, we¡¯d already been out here for a day. Marched through everything, found a place to camp, caught breakfast ¨C all that happened before you fell in the water. Remember any of it?¡±
¡°What?!¡± Serena stepped away from Jo. ¡°No we didn¡¯t, we ¨C¡±
¡°We did, I promise you.¡±
¡°But we ¨C¡±
¡°I have no reason to lie to you Serena. That¡¯s what happened. You¡¯ve been zoning out for a while. Ask Werond too, she kept glancing at you the entire time we were talking, I didn¡¯t ¨C¡±
Jo snapped her mouth shut as Serena¡¯s shoulders sagged.
¡°Sorry, I didn¡¯t mean for that.¡± Jo said. ¡°But you¡¯ve been off for a while and zoning out has me worried. The fact that it¡¯s happened twice is worse.¡± She chewed her lips. ¡°Listen, I know it¡¯s got something to do with you and Werond. And quite honestly, it¡¯s none of my business. But I¡¯m worried about you, Serena. You¡¯re not yourself, and that¡¯s especially dangerous when we¡¯re in a place like this. I say this as a friend, you need to talk with her. Figure out what¡¯s going on. I told her the same thing, she knows. Alright?¡±
Her words were like a hammer into Serena¡¯s chest, ripping the breath from her lungs; so numb was her body that all she could manage was a feeble nod, unsure of what she could have said in the first place. It wasn¡¯t that easy, no matter how Jo framed it, but she doubted she¡¯d ever see it like that.
¡°Good. And while it¡¯s none of my business, if you need me¡just let me know, okay?¡± She patted her on the shoulders as she nodded. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s go find them then, before you and I get lost.¡±
And with that, Jo moved past her, walking down the path as though she were oblivious to the effect her words had. It was all Serena could do to follow along in her wake, floating down the path with a rattled mind.
The shock of Jo¡¯s words fell away, slightly, as they rounded the corner, and caught sight of the rest of their friends. Doriyah, Pavel, and Cruck¡¯aa all stood closer to the edge of the path, under the overhang of particularly horrid looking tree. Oblivious to the fact that barely a few paces away from falling into the bog, all three of them continued to yell and gesture at a broken tree that stuck out of the water; behind them, on the path proper, Werond stood with her shoulders hunched and arms crossed, as always. She didn¡¯t look any worse than normal, but before Serena could feel anything, Jo nudged her with an elbow, and gestured at the broken tree.
Only the lower half of it remained, the top nothing but a mess of splinters and fragments; along the lower half, something had sliced through the bark, each claw mark as thick as perhaps three of her fingers put together. So deeply set were the marks that even Serena knew that no animal could have inflicted that much damage ¨C which, from the sounds of it, was exactly what the group¡¯s argument was about.
¡°¨C you are looking too far into it,¡± Cruck¡¯aa growled, eyes flicking from Serena to Jo as they approached. ¡°if you¡¯d just stop and listen ¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want to.¡± Doriyah said flatly, arms crossed. ¡°They¡¯re bear marks. From a bear. Know what a bear is?¡±
¡°Yes I ¨C it¡¯s too deep to be a bear!¡±
¡°A big bear then.¡±
Cruck¡¯aa screamed and threw his hands up, oblivious to the smirk on Doriyah¡¯s face. Pavel glanced over, then moved towards Serena and Jo.
¡°We¡¯ve been, uh¡¡± He said, standing next to them. ¡°going back and forth for a bit. I¡¯m just watching, honestly. Mostly.¡±
¡°Must be thrilling.¡± Jo remarked as Cruck¡¯aa took up another argument, reaching out to tap the claw marks with a talon; Doriyah simply shook his head.
¡°Oh, it is. I don¡¯t think he realizes that Doriyah¡¯s messing with him.¡±
¡°Sounds like Cruck¡¯aa.¡± Jo gestured at the tree. ¡°He say what those marks were from?¡±
¡°A troll. And a big one too.¡± Pavel shuddered. ¡°Gods, last time I saw one was awhile ago. Ripped a couple of our guys in half before we could stop it. Nasty fuckers.¡±
¡°He¡¯s sure it¡¯s a troll?¡± Jo asked, craning her neck to look at the marks; Doriyah had stepped up to the tree, almost in the water, and began discussing why exactly he believed the marks to not have been made by a troll, but by a bear the size of a troll. This did not sit well with Cruck¡¯aa.
¡°I¡¯d¡imagine that Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s right.¡± Serena signed as he leapt at Doriyah and began tapping his chest with a talon, screeching all the while. ¡°He¡¯d know about this stuff.¡±
¡°I know.¡± Jo sighed. ¡°I just would hate to have our first sign of life around here be a troll.¡±
¡°Well, we¡¯ve only been out for, what, a day? Almost two?¡± Pavel glanced up at the canopy and squinted. ¡°Give it time, we¡¯ll run into something else, sooner or later.¡±
¡°Fair.¡±
¡°Actually, how long do you think we¡¯ve been out here?¡± Pavel asked, looking between her and Serena. ¡°I mean, passed out in the shack. Couple days?¡±
¡°Considering we¡¯re still wearing our clothes from before, I¡¯d say a week at most.¡±
¡°Right. Makes me wonder what Jarlaxle wants with us then, holding us like that.¡± Pavel cocked his head. ¡°Not to mention that we got out really easily. Seems off from someone like him, but I barely know him, so¡¡±
¡°Been thinking about that. I¡¯m sure ¨C¡±
Whatever Jo was going to say was cut off as Werond grabbed her shoulder and shook it, eyes wide. As they turned to face her ¨C Serena¡¯s heart smashing in her chest, Pavel and Jo shooting her looks ¨C Werond leaned in and mouthed something. She grimaced as Jo shrugged, but the more she mouthed the words, the more confused everyone became.
¡°Werond,¡± Serena signed, hands trembling slightly. ¡°I can¡¯t ¨C can you face me¡¡±
Her voice trailed off as Werond began to scour the ground for something, chewing her lip. She threw up her hands and bent down, sticking a finger into a muddier section of the path.
Serena moved over and stood behind her, peering over her shoulder, hands still trembling; Pavel and Jo crowded behind her as they watched Werond write out the two words she¡¯d been trying to communicate ¨C two words that sent a shiver down Serena¡¯s spine, a low whistle from Jo, and a muttered curse from Pavel.
3 months.
Night Echoes
Night was substantially worse within the forest and did nothing to dispel Serena¡¯s notions that the place was indeed haunted. The more she thought about it though, ghosts would have been more preferable than all of this.
Wind whistled through the thick canopy, sending a shiver up Serena¡¯s spine, the thick treetops nothing but a mass of gloom above their campsite. The light from the firepit, dug haphazardly by Doriyah, barely illuminated a few feet around them, the rest of the forest swathed in curtains of pitch, threatening to close in on them at any moment. Though they had sequestered themselves off the path on a dry spot Cruck¡¯aa had found, the splashes of whatever lurked about in the waters around them still echoed through the darkness.
Serena sighed and rested her chin atop her knees, arms pulled tightly around her legs. She felt her skirt dampen from the bit of water that remained within the dirt, but she couldn¡¯t find it within herself to care. Across the way, on the other side of the fire, Jo sat cross-legged, tearing into what remained of her fish skewer. No one else had wanted it, though the rest of them had fallen sleep after the first round of food; Pavel and Doriyah lay passed out off to the side of the fire, both stretched out in odd positions, their snores rivaling the wind that howled above them.
She couldn¡¯t stop herself from glancing over at Werond, curled up on the opposite side from the snoring giants, sleeping in just the right spot to feel the warmth of the flames, yet far enough away to sink Serena¡¯s heart beneath a wave of numb.
¡°Not bad, honestly.¡± Serena¡¯s gaze flicked back to Jo as she mumbled; grease spilled down the sides of her chin as she tore into the fish. ¡°Guys were overreacting.¡±
She caught Serena¡¯s eye and immediately held out the skewer, offering the last few bites; she shrugged when Serena shook her head, and swallowed the last of it. Serena hadn¡¯t much of an appetite, not after Werond¡¯s revelation ¨C or more accurately, Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s exception to everything she had claimed.
The fact that they had been asleep for so long had taken all of them by surprise, yet none of them had any time to process what that had meant, before Cruck¡¯aa began his usual contrariness. From the moment he had been away of what Werond had written, he had taken it upon himself to fight her at every turn, easy when Werond lacked a tongue. No amount of arguing for her helped matters, and as the sun sank lower and lower into the sky, as Pavel and Jo¡¯s levelheaded arguments gave way to screaming, as Doriyah¡¯s threats of violence sounded more believable by the minute, it seemed to Serena that Cruck¡¯aa had made his arguments based only on the fact that Werond had dared to speak up. And by the time Cruck¡¯aa had stormed off, having thoroughly angered everyone, they had no recourse but to find a place to settle down for the night.
The canopy rustled above them as another breeze blew through the camp. Serena looked up and glared into the gloom, unable to see where Cruck¡¯aa was perched. Perhaps that was good; Serena wouldn¡¯t have been able to stop herself from screaming at him otherwise.
She should have yelled at him during the blow up, but Werond¡¯s slump of obvious self-hatred had distracted her from much of the conversation ¨C as though she blamed herself for the ridiculous argument. And no amount of inching closer and asking if she was alright had done anything, save making the numb worse as Werond shook her head and moved away, preferring the company of the bog water over Serena.
The trees whispered as yet another breeze tore through the camp, sending the fire into a strange, jerking dance. Serena shivered and buried her face against her legs.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, it didn¡¯t make sense. Jo had told her the same thing she¡¯d told Serena, that the two of them needed to talk. But even if she hadn¡¯t, none of Werond¡¯s actions made any sense. Why couldn¡¯t Serena just¡be with her? They didn¡¯t have to do anything, she just wanted to be close to her, to make sure that Werond was alright ¨C what was wrong with that? Was she ¨C
Something splashed in the water ¨C far, far too close.
Serena yanked her legs away and leapt half-way up, hands igniting into flame, head on a swivel for ¨C
¡°Serena that was me!¡± Jo said, throwing up her hands. ¡°I tossed the stick away! I thought you saw, honest!¡±
An unbearable heat flashed through Serena; she stared at Jo, flames winking out of existence, before plopping back down.
¡°Oh¡¡± Another shiver ripped through Serena¡¯s back. ¡°n-no, I didn¡¯t, sorry.¡±
¡°No need to apologize. Sorry I scared you.¡±
¡°It¡¯s alright.¡±
Jo nodded, then leaned back on her elbows, glancing around the towering gloom that surrounded their pitiful camp. The shadows from the firepit danced off her body and seemed to frame the exhaustion that weighed on her body like an anchor.
¡°Give any thought to what I said?¡± Jo asked, lowering her voice.
Serena grimaced as she crossed her legs, Pavel¡¯s snores echoing into the trees behind them; now she asked this?
¡°A ¨C a little.¡± Serena signed. ¡°I need to¡I do want to talk to her, but¡was she ¨C did it seem like she was open to talking too? I-I know what you said but¡¡±
Her voice broke as her words trailed off, lost within the numb. Jo cocked an eyebrow but nodded all the same.
¡°Sure. She nodded a lot, though she kept cringing. Think she¡¯s just embarrassed. Listen, you don¡¯t¡¡± Jo frowned. ¡°Just make sure you get out what you¡¯re thinking. Clear the air. Don¡¯t need to get close again right away if that isn¡¯t going to help, but at least tell her how you¡¯re feeling. Because I imagine you¡¯re feeling terrible, and that¡¯s not helping anyone.¡±
¡°R-right.¡± Because it was so easy.
¡°Want to talk to her in the morning? Pull her aside? I¡¯ll make sure Cruck¡¯aa doesn¡¯t interfere.¡± She glared up into the trees. ¡°I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll try to find a way.¡±
¡°Probably. B-but yeah¡I can talk to her in the uhm¡in the morning.¡±
¡°Good. Try not to worry until then, it¡¯ll all work out.¡±
¡°Right.¡±
Jo nodded, yawned, then fell flat on her back. She tucked her hands behind her head and used them to tilt her gaze up until she could look at Serena through the fire.
¡°Be alright if I knocked out?¡± She laid back as Serena nodded. ¡°Right. Goodnight then.¡±
¡°Goodnight Jo.¡±
And within the span of a minute, Jo¡¯s snores gently mixed with those of Pavel and Doriyah, a rumble that drifted upon the wind and through the trees. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, did all of her friends snore? Serena smiled and shook her head. She was sure none of them would believe her. Ned never did, and he had the loudest snores she¡¯d ever heard.
Warm memories of her time before drifted to the surface of Serena¡¯s mind, though they fled, along with her smile, from the chilling wind that blew through the camp ¨C gods, why was it so windy here? She glanced up into the treetops and wondered if Cruck¡¯aa would keep watch for the night. It was hard to trust him would he shot so evil of looks at him when he said it.
She sighed and pulled her legs back against her chest again. Despite being surrounded by snoring friends, it was difficult to not feel alone. It was a familiar feeling, not one that Serena enjoyed, and it was only in the silence of the night, when sleep eluded her, did her thoughts so eagerly run rampant.
Serena squeezed her eyes shut, rocked a few times, then shoved herself up, snapping the dampness out of skirt. On tiptoes, she moved to where Werond lay curled and sat down next to her, slightly out of arms reach, and immediately felt her body grow uncomfortably warm. A guttural noise escaped from her hands as Serena leaned her head back and stared into the trees.
A part of her so desperately wished to shake Werond awake and get everything over with, yet another part of her knew how stupid of an idea that was. She was already distant on the road, why would waking her in the dead of night make anything better?
But how often did they have those deep conversations so late at night, back in Waterdeep? How many times had both of them chosen to whisper to each other until the sun rose, talking about nothing yet somehow growing closer with each spoken word? How many times did Werond pull her tight and tickle her ear with reassurances that sent her heart hammering? Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, how much she missed those moments. Maybe ¨C
The hammering of her heart disappeared under the fresh wave of numb, tendrils creeping into her arms and legs. Serena grimaced and curled forward, burying her face in her hands.
She couldn¡¯t do this. She absolutely could not do this. She had to wake Werond up, she had to talk, she had to ¨C she wouldn¡¯t survive the night if she didn¡¯t.
Serena dropped her hands into her lap, body beginning to tremble; a deep, awful welling creeped past the numb, stinging in her eyes, building in her throat. She stared into the fire as it grew worse, struggling to find the right words to say, before she gave up and turned to Werond, hand raised to wake her ¨C
Only to find her dull amber eyes staring straight at her.
The trembling stopped all at once, her body frozen under the weight of Werond¡¯s empty gaze. There remained nothing cold within her eyes, no hesitancy, no thinly veiled grimace, but neither was there the warmth that Serena so desperately yearned for. She simply held her gaze and did not look away.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
Serena pulled her arms against her chest, fingers finally thawing, the trembling of her body returning as she struggled to sign.
¡°I-I ¨C I thought you were uhm¡asleep.¡±
Werond¡¯s eyes flicked away as she shook her head, as best she could lying on her side.
¡°Can¡¯t uhm¡sleep or s-something?¡±
Werond nodded.
¡°O-oh. I hope I uhm, t-that I didn¡¯t¡¡±
Her hands curled into fists, eyes squeezing shut; she sucked in a few deep breaths, struggling against the smashing of her heart, deafening in her ears, and when she looked back at Werond, her gaze was met with wide, worried eyes.
¡°Can we talk?¡± Serena blurted out. ¡°P-please? Werond, I ¨C I can¡¯t do t-this anymore ¨C I don¡¯t w-want to feel like this, it¡¯s barely been two days and I ¨C¡± A shuddering breath ripped through her words. ¡°Please?¡±
Werond pushed herself up and nodded, Serena¡¯s heart almost tearing a hole through her chest. She crossed her legs as she straightened up and, after a moment¡¯s hesitation, scooted closer to the fire. Serena scrambled after her and sat down beside her, close enough that their knees almost touched. Werond glanced down, then turned to fully face Serena, legs still crossed, gaze planted firmly into the small spot of dirt between them.
The numb squeezed Serena¡¯s chest like a vice, her breaths a shallow mess as she mirrored Werond¡¯s pose. Werond met her gaze for the briefest of moments before her eyes flicked back towards the ground, lips pulled into a tight frown.
Serena squeezed her eyes shut. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, how much did she want this yet she shook as though she were about to face her death. But she couldn¡¯t let her body betray her ¨C she had to talk, she had to make Werond understand, she had to ¨C
She grimaced, flung her eyes open, and raised her hands to sign; they fell after a moment, arms burning from the effort, fingers a shaking mess. Werond looked up at the motion, and for perhaps the first time since they¡¯d left that tiny stone building, it was Serena who found herself unable to hold her gaze. Biting back a grimace, she stared down at her hands, watching as they twitched and jerked, rose and fell. It was only after the fourth attempt did her words clumsily pour out.
¡°Werond I ¨C I don¡¯t ¨C I¡¯m s-sorry.¡± She blurted out. ¡°I-I-I know you said ¨C but it j-just feels like ¨C g-gods, I d-don¡¯t¡gods damnit!¡±
Her hands flew to her head, grabbing fistfuls of hair, the world beginning to blur, heart hammering in her ears; there was too much to say, too much to get across, why couldn¡¯t she just speak normally?! Why couldn¡¯t she just be normal, why couldn¡¯t she just be right ¨C the right person so Werond didn¡¯t hate her, she couldn¡¯t do it, she couldn¡¯t do this, she ¨C
Hands grasped her wrists.
Serena jerked, the grey-orange-black mess of the world slowly clearing; Werond, kneeling before her, yanked her hands away and leaned in, firelight reflecting from her glassy eyes as she mouthed a single word:
Stop.
Serena met her eyes, those dull, amber eyes, as everything welled up all at once.
As the tears fell, as her chest began to heave, as the world came crashing down under the weight of everything she¡¯d tried to bottle away, Werond released her wrists and wrapped her arms about her, pulling Serena into her chest as she was torn asunder. The heat from the fire and Werond¡¯s embrace became almost unbearable as sob after countless sob ripped through her, yet Serena clung to her just as tightly as the first night she so desperately needed Werond, all that time ago.
The sobs were heavy, the tears legion, and Werond held Serena for what felt like an eternity, gently rocking her as she poured her grief into her chest. There was a distant part of her, tiny and insignificant, poking through her hot sorrow like a rock sticking above the waves, that knew she was being childish. But Serena couldn¡¯t find the will to care, having gone without Werond¡¯s embrace for so long. And so, she clung to her ¨C clung to the woman she so desperately wished would come back to her, until there were no more tears to cry.
Her body was still trembling when she finally pushed herself away, breaths shuddering under the weight of it all. Werond pulled back but kept her hands on Serena¡¯s shoulders as she rubbed her swollen eyes, as though she were afraid Serena would fall over.
¡°I-I-I¡¯m sorry.¡± Serena choked out, hands against her chest, voice shuddering. ¡°I d-d-didn¡¯t¡¡±
Werond shook her head as Serena shivered, body cold with sweat; she pulled her hands away and buried them into her lap, mouthing something at Serena before pointing at her chest.
Serena squinted, breath still shuddering. Her mind wasn¡¯t working well, and she couldn¡¯t make out the mouthed words. Werond caught the look and sighed, shoulders falling. She glanced around for a moment, shook her head, then dug her finger into the dirt like last time, angling herself to draw out a few words that they could both see.
No sorry ¨C I hurt u.
Serena blinked. For the first time since they had left that stone building, that look of disappointment, those hunched shoulders, that frown and grimace, none of it was directed at Serena, but at Werond herself.
¡°But y-you ¨C¡± Serena sucked in a breath, words beginning to even out, through her eyes still stung. ¡°Y-you didn¡¯t hurt me though, y-you didn¡¯t. I ¨C¡±
Her words died away as Werond hung her head and rubbed her face, suddenly looking exhausted. When she looked back up at Serena, eyes glassy, she tried to speak, only for a mangled, guttural sound to escape her lips instead.
Serena couldn¡¯t stop herself from flinching, same as Werond; her hand darted up to rub her mouth, but Serena recognized the curse she silently spat out.
¡°S-sorry,¡± She signed. ¡°I didn¡¯t ¨C I don¡¯t know how we can talk about any of t-this. I don¡¯t want to say the wrong thing. Uhm¡Jo didn¡¯t mention any ideas, did she?¡±
Werond snorted and shook her head.
¡°I don¡¯t really¡know what to do, then. I want to talk about everything but¡I feel like I¡¯ll say things that you don¡¯t agree with, and you can¡¯t talk and ¡you¡¯re always shaking your head, so¡¡±
Werond sighed and shrugged.
¡°But uhm¡from what you said ¨C er, gestured at before¡I didn¡¯t do anything?¡±
She didn¡¯t believe it even as she spoke the words; there had to have been something she¡¯d done to make Werond like this, because nothing else made any sense. But Werond nodded, pointed at Serena, then shook her head.
¡°R-right. But I¡¡±
Her words died once more, mind reeling. There was something she was missing in all this. There was some miscommunication, and Serena was missing too many pieces to understand it all. It didn¡¯t help that Werond hadn¡¯t done anything, which to Serena, obviously meant that she must have. But if that was wrong¡
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she didn¡¯t understand any of this at all.
¡°Maybe we wait then.¡± Serena said. ¡°I¡I don¡¯t want to say the wrong thing so¡gods, I wish I could regrow¡¡± She sighed, chest tightening. ¡°S-sorry. I wish I could do something but¡until I can help, or we find someone else¡we¡¯ll just have to hold off, I guess.¡±
Werond nodded, looking equally sour at the prospect. The fact that she wasn¡¯t trying to move or look away, however, calmed the storm that raged about Serena¡¯s mind, enough for a glimmer of hope to ignite through the numb that swallowed her heart.
¡°But uhm¡¡± She signed, hands trembling again. ¡°until then, could we¡do you think we could go back to¡¡± Gods, it felt so stupid to say, yet it was everything Serena yearned for. ¡°how we were before? I¡I miss you¡¡±
Her voice cracked as the words left her fingers. She held Werond¡¯s gaze when she looked at her, heart hammering, that spark within her chest blooming, raging against the numb like an animal in its death throes. It flickered as Werond broke her gaze and stared down at her hands, pressed into her lap, face twisting against thoughts Serena so desperately wished she were privy to.
After a moment ¨C a long, long moment ¨C Werond looked up with a grimace, the same grimace that Serena now realized she¡¯d loathed, and shook her head, mouthing the same word that had started all of this barely two days ago:
Break.
The hopeful spark was snuffed under a riptide of numb.
Serena sucked in a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut against the sudden wave that yanked at her very being, threatening to consume her and whisk her back to that place of beautiful, horrid senselessness. It was everything she could do not to fall apart where she sat.
¡°Werond¡¡± Serena breathed, feeling herself slipping. ¡°I-I don¡¯t u-understand, you still ¨C my hair, the h-hug, why ¨C why ¨C¡±
Her eyes flung open, least the nothingness meld with the numb and finally yank her under. The rest of her words trailed off, however, as Werond pulled her hand away from the dirt, wiping a finger on her tattered pants, having spelled out more words:
Care 4 u.
Serena stared at the words, then looked to Werond; she simply rubbed her face and gazed into the fire, eyes alight with¡Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, so much that she couldn¡¯t understand. Yet, beyond that, beyond everything that Serena wanted to say, beyond the sea of numb that ravaged her from the inside like an incurable disease, that faint spark ignited once more ¨C a lone candle within the darkness, a tiny beacon standing against the greatest of her fears.
A beacon that could guide her home.
Serena¡¯s hand shot out before she could stop it, grasping Werond¡¯s wrist, hot to the touch. Werond jerked and stared at her, eyes wide, holding Serena¡¯s gaze when she released her and began to sign.
¡°Werond, I¡¡± She swallowed. ¡°I-I just don¡¯t understand any of this, I don¡¯t. I¡¯m still ¨C I think, I¡¯m¡¡± Serena grimaced. ¡°Gods, I hate this ¨C not this, but not knowing what to do, what to say, I-I just don¡¯t know. You ¨C you were always the one who knew and¡¡±
She shook her head, chest warming, ever so slightly, against the numb.
¡°I-I still care about you too. S-so much. But¡if y-you think we need a break then¡I can accept that. I-I don¡¯t know why you feel that way, and I-I so much wish you didn¡¯t in the first place but¡I¡¯ll wait. U-until we can talk. I-I just don¡¯t understand any of this but¡I-I know I need to wait. So, I will. I¡¯m not going anywhere, I won¡¯t. But¡¡± She sucked in a breath. ¡°Until then, can we¡still look out for each other? Would ¨C would that be okay? I¡just want to know that you¡¯re still there. Please?¡±
She pulled her hands against her chest, staring into Werond¡¯s eyes, now glassy. Her gaze flicked about Serena, searching for something, until a small smile drew its way across her face. She nodded, then mouthed a pair of words that Serena had seen so many times before:
Thank you.
The spark flared as Serena nodded, and she couldn¡¯t keep herself from mirroring that same smile as she stared down at her hands. And while the numb was still there, urging her under, its grip had loosened, dying back against that spark. Though they hadn¡¯t truly mended the rift between them, Serena knew that she wasn¡¯t as alone as she¡¯d feared, and that was something to be thankful for.
Another breeze blew through the camp, sending a shiver up her back. She vigorously rubbed her hands together, signs forming to conjure back her personal flame, but stopped and stared as an idea sprang to life within her mind.
¡°Hey,¡± She signed. ¡°I uhm¡just thought of this. If you want, I can uh¡I can try to teach you my signs. So¡you can speak without writing. I mean, I¡¯d be the only one to understand, because they don¡¯t know what they mean but, if you want¡I didn¡¯t think about it until now¡¡±
Werond¡¯s brows furrowed together, mouth hanging open slightly. She slammed a palm to her forehead and nodded vigorously, sending a jolt through Serena.
¡°Oh! Okay, I, uh¡¡± Her fingers wiggled and her eyes went wide. ¡°I-I don¡¯t think I¡¯ve ever done this before, so uhm¡I¡¡± Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, how had Ned taught her? ¡°I guess we start with the letters, uhm, then your name? I think. So uh, follow me then, A is ¨C¡±
Serena held up a hand and closed it into a fist, thumb on the outside; Werond narrowed her eyes and mirrored the pose, getting the sign right on the first try.
¡°Okay! That¡¯s good! And B is ¨C¡±
She held up four fingers with her thumb against her palm; Werond did the same, then cocked her head and pointed at Serena, opening her mouth and pointing it.
¡°What¡oh, can I hear you?¡± Werond nodded. ¡°No, that¡¯s just me. I have to focus to make my voice heard in your head. Unless you have magic, you can¡¯t do it, sorry. I can still read the signs though.¡±
Werond nodded, then gestured for her to continue, her face still narrowed in concentration. Serena grinned, happy that, for the first time since they started stomping through this gods-forsaken swamp, Werond seemed to feel something else besides abject misery.
She prayed to Bahamut that it would last until morning.
Trauma
The body was still fresh, swaying gently in the breeze that drifted through the open balcony doors. Though the frantic run home had only taken a few minutes, Tai¡¯s skin, once such a warm bronze, had turned sickeningly pale. His wrists had been slashed open, blood trickling down in crimson streams, leaving dark stains on the wood beneath his hanging body. His neck had stretched out, pulled at an awkward angle, yet even at that angle, his lifeless eyes still bored holes through Werond, leaving no doubt that he had died in agony.
And it was all her fault.
Despite the heaving of her chest, Werond found that she couldn¡¯t breathe; once that long, keening wail had escaped her lips, flying through the doors and piercing the midday sky, her body had simply given up. Without anything working, she had collapsed barely a step into their room, hands ripping at her hair, tears a waterfall down her face, mouth open as she choked on her grief and fought to stay conscious.
Footsteps.
The wood creaked behind her; a voice, familiar, honeyed, whispered into her ear.
¡°Such a shame¡¡± She could feel the Drow¡¯s smile. ¡°Oh, he had such a long life ahead of him. Budding political career. The entirety of Waterdeep watching him, rooting for him¡and now he¡¯s gone.¡±
He tsked in her ear; she flinched as though it were thunder.
¡°I¡¯ve heard how much he respected you, how much he enjoyed working under you. Considered it such an honor. Maybe not to others, but to him, there was no better place than by your side¡and this is how you repay him?¡±
She wailed, curling forward and burying her facing into her hands.
He laughed.
¡°I heard he loved you too.¡± His voice was jovial, the way one would talk to an old friend at a tavern. ¡°Heard a bit too much on that topic. Tell me, did he make you happy in the brief time you were together? He was happy, and yet¡here we are.¡±
Another sob tore through her chest, her world torn asunder, bleeding what little life remained onto the floor of her bedroom.
¡°And to think, had you just listened to me, he¡¯d have still been here to welcome you home. Wouldn¡¯t that have been nice?¡±
A hand seized her hair and yanked her head up, a choked scream fleeing from her lungs as Tai¡¯s body came back into view; he twisted her head until she stared at Jarlaxle, his smile wide, his red eyes crinkling as he crouched down beside her.
¡°I gave you a single warning, and you chose not to heed it. Do you see now that you are nothing to me? All those lofty ideas in your head have blinded you from the fact that I allow you to hold the position you have.¡± His smile dropped, and his hand jumped down to clutch at her cheeks. ¡°You think yourself a Masked Lord? You think yourself powerful? You are nothing but a tool. And I need not to remind you that tools remain obedient to the hand that wields them, else they risk being replaced.¡±
His fingers dug in as he whipped her head back to stare at Tai. She had no will left to scream.
¡°You do not deserve whatever you think you had with him.¡± Jarlaxle spat. ¡°You do not deserve anything save the fervent desire to follow my orders to the letter. That is your purpose, that is your debt. Anything that distracts from that will be removed. I have not finessed you to where you are today for you to believe yourself clever and try to work against me. You are not a Masked Lord. You have no power. You live because I allow it, and you will suffer when I demand it.¡±
He spat the words into her face before throwing her back; her head smashed against the wood, black filling her vision as she yelled in pain ¨C
¡°And yet, here we are once more!¡±
The world snapped back to clarity.
There was a dampness to the room, an earthly smell that felt out of place. Her hands were above her head, chained to the stone wall, cold against her back. Her clothes were ripped and tattered against her body, and she had to stand on her toes so the manacles wouldn¡¯t cut into her wrists.
Jarlaxle leaned against the wall next to her, large hat against his chest, head bowed as he sighed deeply. He stared down at the five bodies that lay on the stone floor in a neat line, their hands bound, burlap sacks over their heads. Despite the darkness of the room, she could still make out each of them, save for one.
Jarlaxle tsked, causing her to flinch.
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¡°Never did learn, do you?¡± He asked, glaring at her, eyes narrowed. ¡°You¡¯d think after Tai you wouldn¡¯t get attached. A shame really, but not unsurprising, given how utterly predictable you are.¡±
He shoved off the wall and strolled over to one of the bodies; when he bent down and pulled the hood up, Serena remained in a peaceful sleep, oblivious to the danger that hovered over her.
Werond screamed, flailing against her chains, ignoring the pain as the manacles cut into her wrists. Jarlaxle grinned.
¡°You¡¯re lucky I don¡¯t like repeating myself.¡± He mused, staring down at Serena. ¡°And well, she¡¯s more use to me alive. But you¡¡± He yanked the hood back into place and stood up. ¡°You still deserve punishment, considering you¡¯ve ruined everything. I¡¯d be impressed if I wasn¡¯t so furious.¡±
He walked over and halted before her, the shadows of the stone prison pulling at his face, giving him the appearance of something that had crawled out of the Nine Hells.
¡°I¡¯ve thought about it for a while.¡± Jarlaxle continued. ¡°Took a couple of days dragging you all out here, plenty of time to think. See, I promised myself last time that, should you prove to be a liability once more, I¡¯d simply cut you loose. It would have been time consuming to make it look like a suicide again, and installing your replacement would take years, but I¡¯d finally be rid of you. Should have done so sooner. Feels as though I¡¯ve put up with you for far too long, sunk too much time into you.¡±
He chuckled and shook his head.
¡°But I kept thinking over it. And I realized that killing you would do nothing for me. There¡¯d be a certain satisfaction, of course, but how long would that last? Ten minutes? Your corpse would still be warm by the time the feeling would pass. What good would that do me?¡±
Jarlaxle snapped his fingers and leaned in, eyes gleaming as though he had the answers to all of life¡¯s questions.
¡°And then it hit me! See, this is the second time you failed someone. First with Tai, and now with her. How much trauma do you think comes from knowing that you¡¯re the reason why the ones you love so dearly all end up dead¡or worse, when I¡¯m done with her.¡±
¡°No,¡± She could barely whisper through the tears. ¡°Jarlaxle ple¨C¡±
His hand shot out.
Werond¡¯s face exploded with pain as he struck her, snapping her head against the stone. Her vision remained clear this time, however, as Jarlaxle grabbed her head and tilted it to look at him.
¡°You are in no position to ask me of anything.¡± He said, eyes narrowed. ¡°And the fact that you believe otherwise is disgusting. Now, where was I¡¡±
He grinned ¨C a toothy smile that set every hair standing on the back of her neck.
¡°Ah, right. You and I are going to have a very long talk about these feelings of yours. After all, it¡¯s always better to come to terms with your failures than to delude yourself otherwise. Helps get through the trauma. And once you¡¯ve moved on from all this,¡± He cocked his head. ¡°we can find a more suitable location for your pathetic skills. Somewhere far, far away, where none of this can ever bother you again.¡±
The Drow laughed, eyes gleaming as her heart plummeted.
¡°Oh, how eager you look. I suppose we should start now, shouldn¡¯t we? Get all those nasty little feelings in order.¡±
¡°J-Jarlaxle ¨C¡±
¡°What? You think me cruel? I believ
Serena yelped and yanked her hand back as Werond shot up like the dead come back to life; her chest was heaving, her eyes were wide, and sweat trickled down her face as her head spun about, looking for some unseen danger.
¡°Werond?!¡± Serena signed.
Werond¡¯s gaze flicked towards her; with a strangled cry, she leapt away and fell on her back, beginning to scramble away. She froze a second later, staring as Serena leapt up in shock, before letting her head fall back, squeezing her eyes shut and covering her face with her hands. Serena could only stare, mouth hanging open at the display.
Across the fire, munching on a fish skewer, Doriyah laughed. Aside from Serena, no one else seemed to notice Werond¡¯s display; Pavel, Jo, and Cruck¡¯aa, further behind Doriyah and almost on the path proper, were all too busy arguing about which way to go next.
¡°Bad dreams in the bog.¡± The giant mumbled as a bit of early light flitted through the canopy. ¡°Feels right.¡±
¡°Werond?!¡± Serena signed again, inching closer, heart hammering. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, are ¨C¡±
Her words died upon her fingers as Werond threw up her hands and shook her head. Body trembling, she wiped away the sweat that coated her face, and when she opened her eyes to meet Serena¡¯s gaze, it was as though she hadn¡¯t slept at all.
A breeze rattled the treetops, carrying with it the sounds of argument, as Werond began to sign. Serena squinted at the shaky signs, before nodding.
¡°Good morning to you too.¡± She grinned slightly. ¡°But uhm¡you got the M mixed up with N though.¡±
Despite the horror of whatever she had dreamt still etched clearly across her body, Werond gave her a feeble grin, and made the correct sign.
¡°Yup, that¡¯s the one.¡±
Werond nodded and let her head fall back, sucking in a deep breath. Hands against her chest, Serena inched closer, as though she were ready to bolt at any moment. Perhaps she would have, given how horrible she looked.
¡°Uhm¡bad dreams?¡± Werond nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. Did you ¨C¡± Werond shook her head. ¡°O-okay. Um¡well I¡¯m sorry to wake you up like that, but I think we¡¯re heading out soon. Cruck¡¯aa caught us breakfast, but you were still asleep, so I¡here, let me help ¨C¡±
But Werond had already shoved herself to her feet, not looking at the hand Serena had half-extended. She waved away Doriyah¡¯s offered fish skewer, waved away Serena¡¯s concerns, and briskly walked to the edge of their little clearing, disappearing behind a tree some paces away.
¡°Nature calls.¡± Doriyah grumbled, tearing into the passed-up skewer.
Serena grimaced, barely hearing his words; she¡¯d never seen Werond wake up like that, not even during the rougher moments of their time together in Waterdeep. What kind of dreams would make her sweat like that?
She sighed, ignoring the flickers of numb within her chest, and the squawks of anger that drifted through the trees. Despite Werond closing herself off once more, that had been the first ¡°good morning¡± she¡¯d given Serena in what felt like a long while. Perhaps that, despite everything else, was a good sign.
Serena sucked in a breath, watching the tree until Werond came back into view.
Perhaps things would be a bit better now.
The Awful Realization
Three months.
The words rattled about Jo¡¯s mind like an arrow broken in its quiver. And try as she might to fix that arrow, something always seemed to break it again. Sometimes it was a passing thought, brought to life at the forefront of her mind. Other times, it was the stories that Pavel shared with Doriyah, squeezing her chest like a vice. And sometimes, it was a glance at Werond, shoulders still slumped, that reminded her of just how long they¡¯d been gone for.
Three months.
So much could have happened in three months. So much probably did happen in three months. Just the very idea that time dare march on while she was unaware put her in such a horrid mood, it took all of her energy not to scream at the sky. This had been her job, back in the day, to keep track of anything and everything that was happening ¨C when had she slipped up? When had she gotten this bad, to let¡
Three months. Gods damnit.
No matter which way she thought on it, there remained too many loose ends and too many unanswered questions for her to be satisfied. And it seemed as though all of them centered around Jarlaxle. Aside from what Werond had told them, their information on the Drow, and what he wanted from Serena, remained limited, and there was no use in conjecturing anything based on that limited information. Even the most pressing of questions ¨C why had Jarlaxle cut out Werond¡¯s tongue? Why leave them unguarded in easily escapable stone building? Should they still care about the Dragon Cult? ¨C couldn¡¯t be properly answered, and the fact alone tightened Jo¡¯s chest in a way that she hadn¡¯t felt in years.
She signed and leaned her head against the tree at her back; maybe she shouldn¡¯t be overthinking first thing in the morning. It was hard not to when there wasn¡¯t anything to do though.
They had stopped right where the forest ended, the rough path halting at the edge of the tree line. Beyond it, more of the bog stretched out as far as Jo could see, with only a scattering of trees breaking up the monotony of the landscape. At least the sun had burned away the fog, and with it, the sullenness of their plight. Feeling a little bit of warmth had done wonders for everyone¡¯s mood as they had woken up, even though they had spent the night in the dirt.
Well, everyone save Cruck¡¯aa. But blessedly, the miasma that was his mood remained absent, gone on the winds that took him soaring through the air. How long he intended to scout for, she didn¡¯t know. But it had been hours already¡
¡°You didn¡¯t change anything¡well it doesn¡¯t look like it¡yeah, I know you made them, but ¨C gods damnit¡¡±
Jo glanced down the path where Serena stood with her back turned, hands on her hips. Doriyah and Werond stood facing her, their hands held up to their chests, fingers twisted in odd ways.
¡°Maybe you should have made them easier to learn then.¡± Doriyah grunted, towering over both Serena and Werond. ¡°Because this is stupid, you can¡¯t twist your ¨C¡±
Serena¡¯s hands flew up, though Jo couldn¡¯t see the signs. Werond smirked and glanced at Doriyah, who pursed his lips.
¡°That¡¯s cheating.¡±
Jo chuckled as Serena threw up her hands; Werond waved away Doriyah¡¯s words, motioning for Serena to continue. That simple hand wave was more than enough to get Serena to straighten up and continue the lesson with a vigor that was noticeable even from behind.
Though she hesitated to say that her words had helped, it had been obvious that something had happened between Serena and Werond after Jo had fallen asleep last night. They weren¡¯t the same as they used to have been back in Waterdeep, but during breakfast and the walk towards the edge of the forest, Werond no longer seemed hellbent on staying away from Serena. And though she still seemed crestfallen, plagued by something that slumped her shoulders and darkened her eyes, having Serena at her side seemed to lessen it all, just a little. There was a distance still between them, of course, but that distance seemed to have shortened.
The canopy shifted overhead, sunlight leaking through, illuminating the signs Werond suddenly stringed together; she smirked as Serena nodded vigorously, ignoring the curses from Doriyah as he fumbled his attempt.
Try as she might, Jo couldn¡¯t get a read on the fiery manned giant. He seemed half-way decent, if a bit simple, but something must have happened to get him sent to the stone prison along with them. At least he got along with everyone just fine, save Cruck¡¯aa. If anything, she would have though he and Pavel were ¨C
Jo flinched and pushed off the tree, moving across the way towards Pavel, who leaned against his own trunk not far from the path¡¯s edge. Despite the sun overhead, the watery depths around them remained shaded, highlighting him as he stood against the dark backdrop. He grinned as he watched the lesson, but glanced at Jo as she marched over.
That smile ¨C Nine Hells, when was the last time she¡¯d checked in on him?
¡°Never occurred to me someone else could learn her signs.¡± Jo said, cocking her head towards Serena.
¡°I¡¡± Pavel frowned. ¡°Yeah, never occurred to me either. I thought you had to have magic to use them?¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s Serena¡¯s magic that projects the words. Don¡¯t need it to learn. Still, would have been helpful if we knew.¡±
¡°Sure.¡±
Werond got another sentence right, her shoulders straightening just a bit as Serena nodded once more. Pavel chuckled as Doriyah leaned his head back, his smile a bit too wide.
¡°You good?¡± Jo asked.
The smile never left Pavel¡¯s face as he met her gaze.
¡°Yeah, bit tired still.¡± He said. ¡°Nothing too bad though.¡±
¡°Feel you.¡± Jo said, crossing her arms. ¡°Sure though? Feel like you and I haven¡¯t had a real conversation in a while, haven¡¯t had the chance. You¡¯ve been too busy chatting up with your new buddy.¡±
¡°Who, Doriyah?¡± Pavel glanced at the giant man. ¡°Well yeah, I like him. We think the same, you know? I guess getting knocked a bunch of times in the head will do that to a guy.¡±
Pavel burst out laughing as though his joke were the funniest thing he¡¯d ever heard; Jo cocked her head and squinted as the sound carried on for a bit too long, drifting through the trees like the twanging of a cord strummed by green hand.
¡°But yeah, he¡¯s great.¡± Pavel finished, smile dropping just as quickly as it came. ¡°Always get each other laughing, you know? He ¨C¡±
¡°Cut the shit, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jo interrupted.
Pavel¡¯s mouth hung open mid-sentence, head twisting to the side.
¡°Hmm?¡± Was all he said.
¡°Don¡¯t hmm me. You¡¯re acting all worked up, same as when you heard about the tournament. And last time, you were covering for guilt that you shouldn¡¯t have been feeling. You¡¯re doing it again. So, what¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°I mean, can¡¯t a guy just be happy for once? I know we¡¯re in a horrible bog-forest thing, and it smells like ass, but I can still be happy despite that.¡±
¡°Pavel.¡± Jo said.
He held her stare, cocking an eyebrow. The fa?ade fell under her glare a moment later, his smile fading, his shoulders slumping as he shook his head.
¡°Can¡¯t get much past you, huh?¡± His voice, jovial before, now sounded horse.
¡°Was my job back in the day. What¡¯s going on?¡±
¡°Oh, you mean aside from me failing again?¡±
Jo sighed, heart plummeting. ¡°Pavel ¨C¡±
¡°No, don¡¯t Pavel me, it happened again.¡± He pushed off the tree and stepped towards her; not for the first time did Jo respect how he could loom over someone. ¡°I messed up the caravan, I screwed up fighting Harshnag, and I fucked up taking down Jarlaxle. All it¡¯s been is one mistake after the next, I ¨C gods Jo, if I could have taken him down then we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess now! I just couldn¡¯t. I should have been able to, but I couldn¡¯t. He was so much better than me Jo, even with all that fire. Gods, I should have been able to beat him, I shouldn¡¯t have failed again, I- damnit!¡±
Pavel spat the curse and ran a hand through his now light brown hair, stained with dirt.
¡°Every time I¡¯m needed the most, I always fuck it up. Just¡constantly.¡± He sighed. ¡°So excuse me if I don¡¯t want everyone seeing that. Especially Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
¡°Pavel.¡± Jo stepped forward until their shoes almost touched, voice lowering to a whisper. ¡°I¡¯m going to tell you the same thing I said before ¨C everything you think is your fault is not.¡±
¡°Jo ¨C¡±
¡°No, listen to me,¡± She jabbed a finger into Pavel¡¯s chest. ¡°because it¡¯s the truth, and we don¡¯t need this right now. None of us expected you to take on someone like Jarlaxle by yourself and come out on top. No one in this group could have done that, no one. But you held out as best you could, for as long as you could, and that¡¯s all any of us asked for. To sit here and think that you failed is bullshit, and we both know it. No one else thinks that but you.¡±
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¡°But ¨C¡±
¡°Did your superiors expect perfection from everything you did? Was that an expectation laid on you?¡±
¡°Yes! It was!¡± It was Pavel¡¯s turn to jab a finger into Jo¡¯s chest. ¡°And don¡¯t pretend like yours didn¡¯t, every outfit is the same!¡±
¡°Then you should know at this point how ridiculous that mindset is! You can¡¯t be on top of every fight, you can¡¯t be on top of everything you do Pavel, you just can¡¯t! You¡¯re only human!¡±
¡°A human who should have done better.¡± Pavel growled.
¡°Gods damnit ¨C¡±
But the rest of her curse cut off under the flapping of wings, and the whispering of the canopy; Jo and Pavel both turned just as Cruck¡¯aa dove through the branches and landed on the path beside Doriyah, scaring Serena and Werond in a flurry of feathers and crunching dirt.
He straightened up, folding his wings, and glared at everyone.
¡°There¡¯s a town about an hour walk from here.¡± He said. ¡°Everyone¡¯s dead though.¡±
Given how Cruck¡¯aa liked to complain, Jo had hoped that his words were nothing but an exaggeration; it was because of that expectation, then, that the crushing realization that he was right stung so much.
Fortunately, it didn¡¯t take long to arrive at the spot Cruck¡¯aa had squawked about once he calmed down after finding out about Werond¡¯s lessons. The trudge had been a bit better now that the sun was out, but whatever positivity the lack of fog had brought them fled before the sight of the ruined town.
Jo bit her lip as they approached the outskirts, Serena and Cruck¡¯aa at the vanguard, Pavel and Doriyah bringing up the rear, behind her and Werond. Silence had fallen over them, everyone tense as the ground slowly rose out of the water, forming what could have been a dirt road. She couldn¡¯t help but feel naked without a weapon, a sentiment she was sure Pavel and Doriyah shared.
¡°Nine Hells¡¡± Pavel breathed, voice carrying on the wind.
The town, or what was left of it, was laid out like a cross, the road beneath them a straight shot down until it intersected with another. Buildings of various sizes lined the road just like Waterdeep, packed as tight as possible, though each remained only a shell of what it used to be. Each was smashed in completely, like a skull caved in by a hammer, leaving nothing but wooden carcasses behind, bones exposed to the midday sun. Shards and fragments of wood and glass littered the road in various mounds, the wind scattering smaller debris into the sky.
Perhaps worst of all remained the complete absence of sound; the corpse of the town had been utterly abandoned, not a soul in sight, neither human nor wildlife. It was as though heavens had fallen upon the place and buried all semblance of life into the dirt below.
Jo fidgeted as their pace slowed, Serena and Cruck¡¯aa picking their away around the mounds of rubble; depressions in the ground were scattered about the place, each perhaps a few inches deep, longer than Doriyah was tall, always somewhat close to one another. As they followed, formation tight, Jo couldn¡¯t help but notice larger piles of rubble much further into the town at the cross section, hills that dwarfed the buildings they stood beside. Before she could cock her head in confusion, however, Cruck¡¯aa suddenly halted and puffed up, starting Serena ¨C fire igniting across her hands ¨C and forcing the rest of them to stop.
¡°Why we stop?¡± Doriyah asked, voice echoing through the ruined town.
¡°Hey!¡± Jo said, looking back, voice low. ¡°Keep it down! We don¡¯t know what or who¡¯s here.¡±
¡°Uhm, probably no one.¡± Werond cringed and looked back as Doriyah raised his voice. ¡°Place is burned, don¡¯t know ¨C¡±
¡°Trolls.¡±
Jo looked back to Cruck¡¯aa, now crouched in the dirt, hovering over what she now saw was a large footprint, perhaps larger than her torso. It was almost in the center of one of the large depressions.
¡°You sure?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Am I sure,¡± Cruck¡¯aa grumbled, dragging a talon across the print. ¡°of course I¡¯m sure. Why wouldn¡¯t I be?¡±
¡°Checking.¡±
¡°You shouldn¡¯t be.¡± He paused. ¡°I didn¡¯t see these from the air.¡±
Jo rolled her eyes and bit back the retort that shot to the tip of her tongue; wouldn¡¯t do anyone any good to start an argument now.
Cruck¡¯aa remained crouched over the print, mumbling to himself. As he did, the rest of their group slowly pulled closer together, everyone glancing about, save Serena, who stared firmly at the ground as she edged closer to Werond. Jo pursed her lips but didn¡¯t say anything.
¡°Figures that the first place we find is wiped off the map.¡± She said to no one in particular.
¡°Makes sense to me.¡± Doriyah said.
¡°How so?¡± Pavel asked.
Doriyah shrugged. ¡°I mean, we all seem like shitty people.¡±
Pavel opened his mouth then closed it, brow scrunching in thought.
¡°Hey uhm, I¡¯m not an expert,¡± Serena signed. ¡°but do you think this happened recently? Everything doesn¡¯t look¡old, I guess.¡±
¡°What makes you think that?¡± Jo asked, glancing at the ruins.
¡°Well, if this happened a while ago, wouldn¡¯t nature be retaking it? Or something like that? Isn¡¯t that how that works?¡±
¡°Not far off, but I¡¯m not sure how much that applies here.¡±
Serena shrugged and edged closer to Werond, who, after realizing their shoulders were touching, inched away slightly. Jo looked away at the tiny frown that Serena¡¯s lips pulled into, and stared at Cruck¡¯aa, who remained crouched in the road.
¡°Well,¡± She said slowly. ¡°doubt we¡¯ll find anything, but we may as well poke around a bit. Figure out what happened here. Who knows?¡± Jo waved around them. ¡°Stay in the general vicinity. Just poke into the buildings that still have the insides somewhat intact. Yell or make noise if something happens. Don¡¯t stray too far, alright?¡±
It occurred to her, as her question hung in the air, that she¡¯d fallen into old habits, assuming that she had authority over her friends. Before she could correct herself though, Doriyah and Pavel nodded almost in unison, before breaking from the group, both heading off in opposite directions. Serena and Werond glanced about, both looking rather confused, before slowly making their way towards what looked to be the shell of a tavern, wooden sign dangling off walls that barely stood against the wind.
The sight of seeing her orders followed almost filled Jo with a sense of pride, one that clashed with the sparking of guilt at her friends letting her take command. Cruck¡¯aa leapt up just as her skin began to prickle, offering her no time to overthink.
¡°Not right.¡± The Aarakocra mumbled. ¡°Trolls don¡¯t come out this way. Somethings wrong.¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t they scavengers though?¡± Jo asked. ¡°Or at least, can they be? I thought I¡¯ve heard ¨C¡±
¡°They don¡¯t come this close to settlements. That¡¯s not how they act. Somethings wrong.¡±
¡°Are ¨C¡±
Cruck¡¯aa whirled towards her, fast enough to start Jo.
¡°Even if there¡¯s the smallest hint of life,¡± He said, eyeing her. ¡°trolls stay away. They don¡¯t like people, don¡¯t like settlements. If there¡¯s tracks in the road then, that means that the giants annihilated this place weeks ago. Only explanation.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± This was the most cordial he¡¯d been in a long while. ¡°that makes sense. But ¨C wait¡¡±
¡°But it doesn¡¯t make sense. Attack the village, slaughter everyone, dig a massive grave, but giants don¡¯t do that. Why? Why?¡± He bowed his head. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make sense. Giants don¡¯t do that¡¡±
¡°Hold on, giants? How do you know ¨C¡±
¡°The way the buildings are destroyed Jo!¡± Cruck¡¯aa threw up his hands. ¡°They¡¯re smashed in from the top! Not to mention those piles of dirt too, too large for people! It must be giants, no other option!¡±
¡°Then where are the giant footprints?¡± Jo asked, looking around. ¡°Because I haven¡¯t seen anything ¨C¡±
But Cruck¡¯aa had already turned and taken off down the road, marching towards the massive mounds further into town. Jo cursed and sprang after him, calling to the others behind her.
¡°Word of warning would be nice.¡± She said as she caught up with him.
¡°No.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa I said for everyone to stay together, this isn¡¯t the time for ¨C¡±
¡°You¡¯re not in charge of me, nor anyone else in this family.¡± He paused. ¡°Except that woman, you can do what you will with her.¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, I ¨C¡± Jo let out a guttural sigh; it wasn¡¯t worth it.
It took a few minutes to reach what Jo now realized were massive dirt piles, towering over the buildings beside them, like an upside archway in the middle of the street. She couldn¡¯t stop herself from glancing over her shoulder, watching as the figures of her friends, still picking through the buildings, grew smaller and smaller.
¡°Should have waited.¡± She mumbled. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t have split up. Gods damnit ¨C¡±
Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s arm shot out and pushed her back; Jo stumbled and caught herself, anger bubbling in her chest.
¡°Gods damnit, why ¨C¡±
Her words died in her throat as Jo realized that she had somehow missed the massive hole in the center of town.
To say the hole was immense would have been an outright lie though; the gaping wound carved into the road extended to a depth unseen, thick shadows obscuring the bottom even when the sun shone brightly overhead. So massive was the size that she was sure Castle Waterdeep could have been flung down it with room to spare ¨C a true chasm that seemed to extend to the bowels of the earth.
Perhaps even odder than the hole itself remained the narrowing of the walls, jutting into the hole like steps, with the distance between any two being thirty or more feet. Each looked large enough to house swathes of the city, and perhaps that¡¯s what their purpose was, given the amount of wooden debris that clogged each section. Along with all the bodies.
Jo gagged and looked away. Strewn about the piles of wood and stone were the crumpled and broken remains of the town¡¯s people ¨C bodies thrown haphazardly into the hole by hands that cared little. Each looked just as crushed as the buildings they came from, torsos and heads flattened, dried gore and blood coating the wood where they had landed. Smaller bodies, equally flattened, were scattered amongst the corpses, twisting Jo¡¯s stomach into knots.
¡°Gods damnit,¡± She gagged. ¡°what the fuck.¡±
¡°Saw it earlier.¡± Cruck¡¯aa mumbled. ¡°It¡¯s smart. Dig the hole, investigate and retrieve, throw them all down. Make it look like a normal massacre, but they didn¡¯t do a good job at hiding everything¡¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa!¡± Jo yelled, straightening up, refusing to look back down into the pit. ¡°What the fuck! Can¡¯t you ¨C¡±
¡°They pulled something out.¡±
¡°What?!¡±
Cruck¡¯aa raised a talon, pointing across the way.
Wide furrows had been carved into the wall on the far side of the hole, as though something massive had been dragged against it. The furrows went up to the edge, then continued along the ground on the other side, though how far they went, Jo couldn¡¯t tell. Though it did seem as though something had been ¨C
¡°They pulled something out.¡± Cruck¡¯aa repeated.
¡°I¡gods, what in the Nine Hells¡¡± Jo muttered.
¡°I fail to see what¡¯s shocking about all of this. Save perhaps the questions, but I doubt ¨C¡±
¡°What?!¡± Jo sputtered, whirling on Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°Pull your head out of your ass for five minutes! How is none of this,¡± She gestured widely. ¡°shocking to you?!¡±
¡°It all makes perfect sense when you expect the worst.¡± He said evenly.
¡°Don¡¯t give me that shit!¡±
¡°Then don¡¯t do whatever it is you¡¯re doing. You¡¯re acting ridiculous.¡±
Anger bursting like a broken dam, Jo yelled and lashed out, grabbing Cruck¡¯aa by his short chest plumage, yanking him in close.
¡°Listen to me for one minute without saying anything, god damn it.¡± Jo hissed as Cruck¡¯aa tried to lean back. ¡°We¡¯ve been out here for three months, and the first thing we see is this?! Things were brewing long before we left, and it¡¯s entirely possibly that something huge has happened, and this¡± She threw a hand at the hole to their side. ¡°all but confirms that somethings wrong! You said it yourself, if this is giants, then none of it makes sense! And that¡¯s what¡¯s worrying me Cruck¡¯aa, I don¡¯t ¨C¡±
¡°Overreacting to questions will get you nowhere.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said.
The urge to hurl Cruck¡¯aa into the hole crashed against Jo in a massive wave, dashing her common sense against the rocks. Before she could act on that urge, however, Doriyah suddenly appeared next to them, starting Jo hard enough for her to release her grasp on Cruck¡¯aa.
¡°Huh.¡± Doriyah said, peering over them into the hole. ¡°Didn¡¯t know trolls could do that.¡±
Cruck¡¯aa rounded on him, eyes narrowed, beak open in retort, feathers bristling ¨C only for that retort to die away, lost under the screams that echoed in the ruined town behind them.
Surprise
The place looked as though it had once been a tavern. It was why Serena had been drawn to it in the first place.
The roof had been caved in almost completely, sunlight flooding through into the main serving area. Shattered tables and ruined chairs lay in heaps on the still intact wooden floor, bits of wood and other debris littering the areas between. The only surviving furniture was the bar at the back of the room, a wall of broken bottles behind it, along with the shadowy mouth of a doorway beside them. A fine layer of dust, or maybe dirt, covered every inch of the place, coating the walls in a dull, dirty grey, along with leaving a trail where Werond walked.
She had strode right into the ruined building and hopped over the bar, ducking from view as she began rummaging under it. Serena, however, had remained frozen in the ruined doorway, her heart suddenly pounding, as the all-too-familiar sight brought with it a flood of memories that she hadn¡¯t expected to stomp her in her tracks.
So consumed was she by those memories of a brighter time that Serena failed to notice the troll until it burst through the doorway behind the bar, shattering the already ruined door frame, and shaking the building with an ear-piercing roar.
Werond screamed as the beast, towering over her, grabbed her torso with one hideous hand, claws curling around her chest like witch nails, and hoisted her towards its mouth. She screamed again as she struggled in its grasp, the beast¡¯s maw opening to reveal rows of glistening fangs that raced for her throat, drool pouring down in streams.
It ate a bolt of fire instead.
The beast screamed as flames erupted in its mouth, almost covering its face completely. It flung Werond away, who disappeared behind the bar, only to reappear as she leapt over it and dove behind the remnants of a table. The troll moved to follow her, only for a second bolt to explode against its chest, forcing its attention towards Serena with a snarl.
Flames rippled to life across the beast¡¯s chest, burning its sickening green skin, snapping at the air like ravenous dogs. Though hunched, it stood far taller than even Doriyah, its face like that of a hideous dog, jutting out with a mouth of snapping teeth. It¡¯s long, thickly matted hair burned at the tips, the tiny fires creeping up its locks at a snail¡¯s pace. Muscles rippled across its arms as it held its claws up and bellowed a challenge, shaking the walls of the broken tavern, and sending a spike of fear through Serena¡¯s heart.
Serena pulled her hands back, flames rippling to life across her palms, racing up her arms and over her chest. She hoped the others had heard that.
With a swipe of its claws, the troll smashed through the bar and thundered towards her, still screaming, claws raised at her head.
Serena stepped back, pulled from the burning well within her chest, and flung her hands out.
Twin streams of flame roared from her palms like dragon¡¯s breath, burning wider and wider as it raced towards the troll and splashed against its chest, coalescing with the flames already burning across it.
The troll¡¯s screams grew louder as it continued its charge, utterly oblivious to the inferno.
Serena cursed and cut off the stream as she dropped to the floor, the door frame behind her exploding into splinters as the beast swiped where her head had once been.
As she thudded onto her back, she threw her hands up and continued the stream, sending another bout of flame into the beast¡¯s face. It only seemed to anger it more.
Still screaming, the troll raised its arms over its burning body and brought them down into the stream, igniting its claws as they raced towards her.
Serena dropped her hands to her chest, flames dying out, and twisted her fingers ¨C the world blurred, spun, then cleared as she landed on her feet amidst the shattered bar, a puff of silver mist where she¡¯d once been.
The mist disappeared as the floor caved in under the troll¡¯s claws, bits of wood flying through the air, the CRACK of the wood causing Serena to flinch.
The troll stared at the ground for a moment, looked up, then whipped around, flames twirling off its body, roaring as it caught sight of her.
Serena thrust out a hand, middle and ring finger curled in, as an orange bead blazed to life between her pinky and index. It launched just as the troll lurched forward, beady eyes glowing orange from the flames.
The bead smashed into the beast¡¯s chest and erupted into a massive wave of flame, utterly consuming the troll, detonating outward, and shaking the building as it blasted through the front.
Serena couldn¡¯t help but laugh at the curtain of flames that now burned across the front of the tavern, blocking her view of the outside. The well within burned pleasantly inside her chest, and she couldn¡¯t help but feel an immense satisfaction knowing that the beast hadn¡¯t a clue what ¨C
The troll burst out of the flames, every inch of it engulfed in fire, like a walking hurricane of flame. It reared back and screamed, before thundering towards her, fire streaming from its body.
Serena flinched and threw up her arms, fingers barely twisting in time to teleport to the side of the room, landing awkwardly on the remains of a wooden crossbeam.
The beast roared again as its flaming claws sliced through silver mist, rounding on her as she caught her balance. Before she could react, the troll swiped through what remained of the bar, wood and splinters tearing through the air.
Serena yelled and threw up her arms, covering her face from the debris, blinding her for a single moment.
The floor shook as a white-hot pain erupted across her arms, the beast¡¯s claws ripping through her flesh like paper. Blood splashed across her chest as she screamed, the force of the blow smashing her into the wall and bouncing off to the floor; wood exploded behind her as the troll swiped where she¡¯d been, narrowly missing her head.
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Her arms hit the ground first, sending a jolt of searing pain through them, yanking the breath from her lungs. The troll¡¯s claws raked across her back a heartbeat later, her body arching as it was sliced open, blood spraying the wall beside her, fresh pain ripping through her back.
Grinding her teeth, Serena forced herself to roll towards the beast, back spasming in pain as dirt and Bahamut knew what else got into the open wounds.
The wood where she¡¯d been exploded under the troll¡¯s claws, the beast screaming in fury; it reached down towards her, claws extended, as Serena, back seizing, twisted her fingers once more and teleported back to the middle of the room.
She stuck the land but collapsed immediately to her knees as stars exploded into her vision, body thudding with pain as the beast roared in confusion. The world went blurry soon after, the burning of the flames growing quiet as Serena fought the urge to pass out. She wouldn¡¯t be able to handle much more of this ¨C Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she was furious with herself that she¡¯d been hit in the first place. When was everyone else going to come in and ¨C
Werond screamed.
Serena tore her head up, wobbling backwards as she tried to find her, only to instead find a pair of claws rocketing towards her chest.
She blinked and found herself flying.
The curtain of flames barely touched her as she soared through and smashed into the road outside, gasping as the breath was ripped from her lungs, fresh pain exploding across her chest and back.
The troll leapt out of the flames and charged at her, still ¨C Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, why was it still screaming?!
Chest heaving, body throbbing, Serena threw up her hands, flames curling around her palms as bolts of fire screamed towards the beast.
Each smashed into its chest, a brilliant eruption of red surging with the flames already raging across it, yet the troll crossed the distance all the same, utterly unphased, still screaming.
Serena yelled in turn as the beast loomed over her, a towering wall of flame, claws raised over head, air thick with the smell of burning flesh. She threw up her hands as the claws came down, pain overwhelming her signs ¨C
A third scream ripped through the air ¨C a blur from the side ¨C
Like a hammer from the gods, Doriyah smashed his shoulder into the troll, the beast¡¯s claws barely missing her as it was thrown off balance, its roars dying to a surprised yelp.
Doriyah leapt forward and ¨C Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, tried to tackle the beast, arms like tree trunks wrapping around its torso, seemingly oblivious to the flames.
The troll roared as its arms flailed about, barely keeping its balance as Doriyah drove his feet into the dirt and shoved, keeping the beast reeling.
¡°Put it out!¡± Doriyah screamed. ¡°Fucking put ¨C it ¨C out!¡±
Serena flinched but threw up a hand and closed it to a fist; most of the flames snuffed out across the beast¡¯s body, though a few streams still burned up from its matted hair.
¡°Hit it!¡± Doriyah yelled.
Another scream ripped through the air.
Serena blinked and Pavel was suddenly on the beast¡¯s back, golden locks a mess as he wrapped on arm around its thick neck, raising a rock overhead with the other.
Face wild, he smashed the rock into the troll¡¯s skull, earning him a roar of pain, and a gout of blood that spurted from its head.
¡°Kill it!¡± Doriyah bellowed.
Pavel brought the rock down again and again and again, blood like syrup splattering across his arms and over the front of Doriyah, now smashing his fist into the troll¡¯s jaw in rhythm with Pavel¡¯s blows.
The beast screamed in shrill panic, deadly claws now useless as it flailed about, unable to process what was happening. Serena scrambled to her feet as the trio began stumbling away, a crimson cacophony of screaming.
Though she stood on unsteady feet, vision fuzzy from the pounding pain, Serena raised her hands up, flames licking to life across her palms. There wasn¡¯t a clear shot she could take, she couldn¡¯t risk hitting ¨C
With a sickening CRACK, a bit of the troll¡¯s head caved in under a blow from Pavel¡¯s rock. He flinched as the beast screamed and, with a massive heave, threw him to the ground.
Doriyah yelled in turn and leapt back, falling to the dirt as the beast¡¯s maw snapped at where his head had been just a heartbeat before.
¡°Fuck it!¡± Doriyah yelled.
Serena snapped her hands forward, bolts of fire streaking towards the beast. Each burst against its mouth, igniting its head in a maelstrom of flame, screams of rage falling away to ones of agonizing pain.
The troll staggered back, almost trampling Pavel underfoot, as Serena fired again and again, bolt after bolt exploding against its chest and head, each building upon the other until the troll was once again a screaming, flailing inferno.
She pulled her hands back as she lost sight of any recognizable features, the sizzling of its skin audible even from a distance. Her stomach lurked as she heard something pop, the troll¡¯s screams growing worse by the second as it burned before their very eyes.
She pressed her palms together, ready to unleash another torrent of flame, only for the burning beast to turn and sprint down the road, a howling figure of flame, flailing frantically as it fled out of town and into the boggy outskirts.
Pavel scrambled to his feet, thoroughly coated in thick troll blood, watching the beast as it disappeared into the bog. Serena dropped her hands, panting, body aching, as Doriyah let loose a long whistle.
¡°Very humane.¡± He said. ¡°You really put that thing out of its misery, huh?¡±
¡°I tried¡¡± Serena could barely sign, so heavy were her hands. ¡°I tried to. Tougher¡tougher than it¡gods, that was the second¡second time I lit it up¡why didn¡¯t it¡die?¡±
¡°Got me. I don¡¯t think you were trying hard enough, unlike Pavel.¡±
¡°How¡how is beating it to death any better?!¡±
¡°I dunno, go ask it.¡±
Eyes still on the bog, Pavel began walking backwards towards them, shaking his head.
¡°You know,¡± He said. ¡°I feel a little bad. Maybe we should¡¡±
He looked over his shoulder, froze, then spun around, sending a jolt through Serena¡¯s chest as he yelled.
¡°Serena! Nine Hells, what the fuck did it do to you?!¡±
She blinked and looked down for the first time; her shirt had been shredded, blood soaking into the dirty white fabric, dripping down into her skirt that was now as dirty as the floor of the tavern. Her back still felt wet, but most of the pain had begun to subside¡which probably meant that she was going into shock, if she remembered everything correctly, which wasn¡¯t ¨C
Serena flinched, hard enough to scare Pavel and Doriyah.
She spun on one heel ¨C easy when it was slick with blood ¨C towards the ruined tavern, gasping as the world became fuzzy and bright, head going light. The blowing of the wind, the squelching of Doriyah¡¯s hand on her shoulder, the yelling from Cruck¡¯aa and Jo from down the road ¨C all began to fade as she fought to stay upright and conscience.
¡°Fuck, that¡¯s a lot of blood, what¡¯d you do? Try to fist fight it?¡±
¡°¨C Hells happened, is she ¨C¡±
¡°¨C stupid can you be ¨C¡±
¡°¨C off, she¡¯s hurt Cruck¡¯aa ¨C¡±
¡°¨Cs stop moving!¡±
Serena blinked rapidly as the world kept going in and out of focus; she tried to wobble forward, towards the tavern, but Doriyah held her back. She couldn¡¯t shake him, couldn¡¯t sign to tell him off, couldn¡¯t see at first the figure that came sprinting out of the tavern ¨C
Werond came into focus, crystal clear in her fuzzy vision, as she almost barreled Serena over. She grabbed her shoulders, somehow shoving Doriyah off, and looked her over, dark face stretching out in horror. She made some noise with her throat as her head jerked back, staring at Serena¡¯s chest, and it was within that motion did Serena notice the burn to the side of her neck and shoulder, the skin yellow and blistering.
She¡¯d hit Werond.
The world dimmed further as Serena fought against the horror in her chest, pulling from the well within, palms glowing with a warm light, barely visible in the darkness.
She reached out towards Werond¡¯s neck, only for the other woman to grasp her hands and shove them back, aiming for Serena¡¯s chest. Heart hammering, Serena fought against her, neither gaining any ground as her hands stayed between them, the light fading somewhat.
¡°¨C her inside ¨C¡±
Werond leapt back as Serena suddenly rose into the air and float towards the tavern, the light vanishing from her palms, her conscience along with it.
No Regrets
Serena¡¯s father hadn¡¯t been there for much of her life, and the times that he was there felt far too short for her. It was because of that that she cherished the small amount of time they had together, each memory held tight, from the day he first arrived at Mom¡¯s tavern to the day Serena left, barely a month later. She remembered every moment she was able to share with her father, from the way he splashed water on her while they washed the dishes, to curling up in his lap and drifting off as he read to her. And yet, perhaps her favorite memory of all remained when she had fallen asleep at the bar, exhausted from a hard day¡¯s work, and groggily feeling her father cradle her into his arms and whisk her away to bed. The whispering of the blankets pulled up to her chin and the gentle kiss on her cheek was something she¡¯d never forget.
In a way, she was reliving that memory, if her father was actually eight feet tall and had the grace of an abusive drunk.
Serena came back to a fuzzy world, one filled with browns, streaks of grey, and the overwhelming blue above. She was dumped unceremoniously into a chair, thrown almost, only to slide off to the floor, consciousness slipping away as she crashed into the wood.
When she came back, head light and vision still blurry, far too many hands were holding her to the chair, as a cacophony of shouting filled her ears.
¡°¨C didn¡¯t want to get blood on me.¡±
¡°So you just throw her?!¡±
¡°She doesn¡¯t seem to mind.¡±
¡°Because she¡¯s half dead!¡±
¡°Which is her own fault! What was she thinking?!¡±
¡°Dunno but it beats whatever the hell you did. How was the jog?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t run, I flew!¡±
¡°Well, I said jog so ¨C¡±
¡°Both of you shut up! Pavel ¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯ve got nothing.¡±
¡°Nine Hells, I don¡¯t ¨C¡±
¡°Just heal her. Can¡¯t you do that?¡±
¡°My magic specializes in the essence of the wilderness, so ¨C¡±
¡°So you¡¯re useless. Again.¡±
A few of the hands withdrew into the blurry world as squawks, shouts, and the ruffling of feathers became distant to her ears. Serena¡¯s head rolled back on its own, unable to stay up, as she felt the breath in her lungs grow cold. Another pair of hands grasped her cheeks, their touch almost familiar, and pulled her head back up, a face materializing from the fog.
A beautiful face, angled, striking amber eyes wide with worry, staring into ¨C
Serena gasped and tried to straighten up, the world shifting back into focus somewhat as her mind came back to her, the pain coming back just as quickly.
Werond grimaced and grabbed her shoulders, holding her as Serena spasmed and cried in pain, back and chest burning as though she¡¯d lit herself aflame. She was vaguely aware of another pair of hands ripping open her tattered tunic, a sharp intake of breath following a moment after.
¡°Gods damnit,¡± Jo¡¯s voice came through the fog; she could still barely see her surroundings, though she heard, distantly, the sounds of familiar arguing. ¡°gods damnit, I don¡¯t know triage, damnit¡¡±
Werond waved a hand at Jo, then pointed towards Serena, back arching as another wave of pain ripped through her. Jo stared for a moment, before nodding.
¡°Right¡right, don¡¯t need it.¡± She stood up and leaned towards Serena. ¡°You hear me? Going still?¡± Serena squeezed her eyes shut, barely managing a nod. ¡°Good. Listen, you¡¯re going to need to heal yourself, none of us can do it. Werond and I got you, but I don¡¯t know how long you have. You¡¯ve lost a lot of blood, so¡faster the better. Right?¡±
Serena nodded again, eyes flying open as she gasped in pain as another wave burned across her body, ripping the air from her lungs.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, everything hurt, she could barely sit still, everything felt awful¡but she¡¯d been here before. She¡¯d done this before. It had been worse so many times before. Everything would be fine, even if it didn¡¯t feel like it would. Just needed to get the healing going and¡
And¡
Hands grabbed at her face once more, a panicked yell accompanying them. They shook the black from her vision, startling Serena back to consciousness. Werond¡¯s tear stained face materialized from the fog a moment later, staring at her with a helplessness that burned like an open flame.
¡°Serena?!¡± Jo¡¯s voice came from somewhere. ¡°Gods damnit, stay awake!¡±
She nodded, blinking in vain to clear the fog. Shouldn¡¯t have let herself fade out like that, knew better. Every other time she¡¯d been fine, there wasn¡¯t a good reason for her to slip now.
Grimacing, Serena offered a weak smile ¨C one borne of embarrassment, but also to reassure them, because she knew she¡¯d be alright, just as soon as the magic flowed. Yet all it did was tear a stifled sob from Werond¡¯s lips and another yell from Jo.
Sucking in a breath, shoving the pain to the back of her mind, Serena raised a hand and pulled from the well within. Her palm lit in a silver glow, barely brighter than a candle, illuminating Jo¡¯s concerned grimace, Werond¡¯s glassy eyes ¨C
And the burns alongside her neck.
Horrible yellow blisters dotted the side, the area underneath a sickening red, dead and flaking skin lining the edges. Serena¡¯s eyes went wide as the realization of what she¡¯d done came flooding back, her chest tightening, her heart falling, as the shame crashed into her.
Fighting against that guilt and the pain that racked her body, Serena¡¯s hand, almost touching her chest, lashed out and grasped Werond¡¯s neck, the sliver light vanishing. Werond flinched as the magic bit into her, skin sizzling as the burns healed. She flinched back, eyes wide, and disappeared into the fog, just as the breath was torn from Serena¡¯s lungs, the black descending over her vision like a curtain ¨C
CRACK
Pain erupted along the side of her head as Serena gasped, the world flooding back, drowning her in a storm of blurs as she fell from the chair. Someone grabbed her shoulders and hauled her upright again, face now throbbing with a red-hot pain. As she blinked the tears away, Werond came into focus. Her eyes, glassy still, were now wide with fury, but her neck looked healed, the skin ¨C
Werond seized Serena¡¯s wrist and smashed it against her chest, open hand squelching against the blood that soaked her ruined tunic. She pushed Serena¡¯s head down with her other hand, forcing her to look at the ¨C Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, still bleeding gashes, each a thin red ruin carved into her flesh, each throbbing with a pain she¡¯d almost forgotten about.
Another pair of hands grabbed Serena¡¯s shoulders from behind, Jo¡¯s voice filling her ear.
¡°Heal yourself,¡± She hissed. ¡°now.¡±
A fresh spasm of pain ripped through her, almost on cue. Serena sucked in a breath to steady herself then nodded, fingers twisting, awkwardly under Werond¡¯s grasp, calling forth the pale light once more.
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She gritted her teeth as her wounds began to reknit themselves, skin sizzling beneath her hand, thin columns of steam rising around her fingers. The throbbing pain slowly gave away to a terrible burning itch, one that demanded her to scratch until her new skin bled¡but she¡¯d gotten used to that feeling long ago. That just meant that it was working.
As the world began to focus, the fog dissipating from vision and mind, Werond released her and marched away, boots painfully loud against the wooden floor. Serena grimaced but continued the healing process. As the last of the gashes closed over, and the rest of the world slowly began to refocus, the argument from earlier drifted back to her ears, still being waged, though that didn¡¯t surprise her.
Breathing labored, Serena patted down her chest, fingering the new skin. It ached with a horrible soreness, but that usually meant that everything was fine. Her back, still slick with blood, would be another issue entirely, though now, she wasn¡¯t about to pass out anytime soon.
She leaned forward, Jo¡¯s hands still on her shoulders, holding her steady. As she began to reach awkwardly up her back, however, Jo dug her fingers in, nails almost piercing Serena¡¯s skin as she whispered into her ear, oblivious to her discomfort.
¡°We need to talk when you¡¯re done.¡±
She patted Serena¡¯s shoulders as a wave of ice washed over her, the soreness in her chest and the pain throbbing in her back suddenly unimportant. Heart pounding, Serena shoved the feeling away, and focused back to the task at hand.
Though done at an awkward angle, the wounds on her back closed just as easily as the ones before, though that didn¡¯t mean it was painless. As the skin sizzled back to normal, that terrible itch taking its place, the blur that coated her senses finally bled away, the world finally returning to its usual clarity.
Rolling her shoulders ¨C Jo¡¯s hands falling off as she did ¨C Serena straightened up and finally took in wherever she¡¯d been dumped. It seemed as though her friends had simply dragged her into the nearest building, this one looking as though it might have been some kind of store. Broken and shattered racks lined the walls, the remnants of tables scattered about the floor, with her chair being the only piece of furniture still in one piece. The roof had been caved in, much like everywhere else, and a thin layer of dirt and dust covered the place
Near the front of the once-store, standing by the open door frame and empty, broken windowsills, Pavel and Doriyah were still locked in an argument with Cruck¡¯aa. While Pavel looked utterly through with the enraged Aarakocra, feathers ruffled and arms flailing, Doriyah seemed to be enjoying himself with a muted smile.
Serena frowned as Cruck¡¯aa continued with some tirade. Had they paid attention at all? It didn¡¯t seem like it, though that might have been for the better. Least they didn¡¯t see ¨C
Jo stepped around and crouched in front of her, just as Serena began to look around for Werond, worryingly absent in the ruined building.
¡°Behind you, against a counter.¡± She said, clasping her hands, resting her elbows on her knees; she nodded at Serena¡¯s chest just as she began to turn around. ¡°Might want to fix your tunic if you can, before anyone notices.¡±
Serena blinked and glanced down, forgetting that she was almost naked from the waist up. It would be an easy fix though, and she should fix it now, but¡
She grimaced and twisted around. Werond was indeed behind them, hunched over against a counter near the back of the building. Her head was buried in her hands, brown hair hanging down, and she occasionally shook it as though in disagreement to some silent thought.
Worry gnawed at Serena¡¯s chest, urging her body to move; as she began to stand up, however, head growing light again, Jo reached out and grasped her knee.
¡°Sit down, mend your tunic, and listen to me.¡± She hissed.
Serena stared at her for a moment, heart pounding, before eventually falling back into the chair. She couldn¡¯t find the energy to argue.
¡°Haven¡¯t seen something that stupid in a long time.¡± Jo began as Serena took up her tattered tunic, hands glowing. ¡°Yes, you probably were loopy but ¨C¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t ¨C¡± Serena tried to sign, only for Jo to throw up a hand.
¡°Stop and listen to me, because I know you think you didn¡¯t do anything, but that couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. So just listen to me. Okay?¡±
Serena held her gaze for a moment before nodding, staring down at her hands as Jo began to talk.
¡°I really need you to understand, Serena, how important you are to this group currently. You are the only one here who can use healing magic. The only one. Cruck¡¯aa can¡¯t do anything, Pavel and I weren¡¯t trained in triage, and Doriyah¡who the hell knows, he didn¡¯t offer. If you go down, we¡¯re completely fucked, no exaggeration. Even something small like a cut or bruise can turn nasty quick, but with you, we don¡¯t have to worry about any of that. As long as you¡¯re with us, food, and where in the Nine Hells we¡¯re going, are our most pressing issues.
¡°Take you out of the situation though, and we¡¯re screwed. Utterly. Full stop. Without you, it doesn¡¯t matter how far we get, because the moment something jumps us and someone gets hurt, we¡¯re done. We can¡¯t come back from that. You can¡¯t wait it out, not out here in a gods damn swamp. Effectively, that makes you one of the most valuable members of this group right now. Do you understand that? Right now, you and Cruck¡¯aa are the only ones who can defend us, and between both of you, you rank slightly more important because you can heal us, should we need it.
¡°So, tell me how it looks then, on the verge of passing out, or death for all we know, you reach out and heal Werond¡¯s burn? A burn that could heal on its own? A burn that was nothing compared to the open gashes on your fucking chest? How did you think that would go? Imagine if you¡¯d passed out right after that and we couldn¡¯t get you back up; sure, her neck is healed, but you¡¯re dead. The trade isn¡¯t even. You almost sacrificed yourself for a burn that wasn¡¯t important in the grand scheme of things, and I know you¡¯re awake, and I know it¡¯s fine now, but Serena¡do I really need to spell this out for you? Do I really need to explain to you how utterly stupid that was?
¡°And did you ever stop think about Werond¡¯s view? She¡¯s worried sick about you and you do that? I¡¯m not surprised in the slightest that she smacked the Hells out of you. Gods above Serena, you were actively bleeding out and you chose to use whatever magic or energy you have left to heal what amounts to a first, maybe second-degree burn. Your last act could have been dying in front of her, because you chose a tiny burn over your own wounds. Would you be okay with that? Letting yourself die like that, even for her?¡±
The answer came to her immediately, smashing into her heart like a hammer and sending it into her throat. But that wasn¡¯t surprising; she¡¯d understood her choice since the first day Werond held her close, their hearts thumping to meet the other. And while Jo¡¯s words made sense, Serena kept that answer to herself. It was too personal, and even if she did explain it¡well, Jo wouldn¡¯t understand.
¡°Look, I understand.¡± Jo continued after a moment. ¡°You love her and would do anything for her. I get it. But don¡¯t light yourself on fire to keep her warm, Serena. She doesn¡¯t seem like the kind of woman who¡¯d appreciate that. Alright?¡±
¡°Alright.¡± Serena signed, the mending of her tunic finished, gaze still on her hands.
Jo waited a moment before sighing and straightening up, knees popping.
¡°Hope you heard me Serena, I really do.¡± She looked over her shoulder at the argument that was still being waged. ¡°Need to go defuse those idiots. Make sure you talk to her while I do.¡±
She turned on her heel and marched towards the front of the store, voice slicing through the argument like a knife through butter. Serena buried her face into her hands, fingertips digging into her forehead, as she ignored the winds of argument that rattled the front of the ruined store.
There remained not a shred of regret for what she had done, yet her chest still burned as though the wounds had never healed. It was a fire that she herself had ignited, however, and try as she might, Serena couldn¡¯t stop herself from feeling that familiar self-hatred. All she wanted to do was mend the bridge between her and Werond, yet all she¡¯d done was tear it down even further.
Her eyes peaked out from behind her hands, gaze glued to her boots. Putting it like that may have been too much, but it¡¯s what it felt like. And what could she even say to fix things this time? She¡¯d known what she¡¯d done, and she¡¯d do it again within a heartbeat, no matter the sense that Jo¡¯s words had made¡or the pain it caused ¨C
Stifling a curse, Serena bolted up, head going light for a moment. It didn¡¯t matter what her actions did, she had to make sure Werond made it out of here in one piece, no matter the cost. Anything else, and she¡¯d¡
Serena frowned as she wobbled, then walked towards Werond, still hunched over the counter, head now out of her hands. Best not to think about that right now, least the numb come back.
As Serena stopped behind Werond, who seemed not to notice her, she reached out to grab her shoulder, then hesitated. While her head was no longer bowed, she seemed to be staring at something on the counter, finger tracing something on¡paper?
Serena stood on her toes, trying to peer over Werond¡¯s shoulder, only for her to smack the paper and whirl around. She yelped and slammed into the wood as Serena flinched and stumbled back, almost falling to the floor.
¡°Sorry!¡± Serena said, catching her balance. ¡°I ¨C¡±
Her signs died midway as Werond seized her wrist, yanking her towards the counter, tapping it frantically with two fingers, though Serena¡¯s attention remained on her.
¡°Hey! What¡¯s ¨C¡±
She furiously waved away the signs and smacked the counter again; Serena tore her eyes away to glance down ¨C
Towards the map that was spread over the counter.
It looked intact, the blues and greens faded under the dust and dirt that coated the whole thing. Nails had been driven into the four corners of the parchment, keeping it to the counter. Maybe it had been a reference for people traveling through? But how had it ¨C
Werond suddenly shook her shoulder, somewhat forcefully, and smacked a finger on the dead center of the map. It landed next to a golden dot, surrounded by blue, with the words ¡°Bog¡¯s Road¡± in tiny print beside it. She traced a line further down to a large splotch of writing beneath the blue, ¡°Evermoors¡± written in golden lettering.
She waved a hand in Serena¡¯s peripherals, and quickly signed, sloppily, when Serena turned to look at her.
¡°I ¨C N ¨C O ¨C H¨C E ¨C R ¨C E.¡±
Widening
The advent of an actual map ignited a spark of hope in everyone¡¯s chests, one that had disappeared the moment their feet had splashed into the endless bog, one that they all feared would never return. Yet accompanying that glimmer of hope came another tempest, eager to snuff out the flame just as soon as it had blinked into existence.
Or at least, that¡¯s what it felt like Cruck¡¯aa was doing.
Serena signed and leaned back in the chair as another of Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s screeches pierced her ears. The sun had barely slipped past the midpoint of the sky, and he was still yelling about¡Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she didn¡¯t even know anymore. It was as though he hadn¡¯t even drawn a single breath from earlier.
Squinting against the sun, she twisted about in her chair, and glanced back towards the counter. Thankfully, Doriyah had taken it upon himself to corral the Aarakocra, physically holding him back as Werond and Jo poured over the map, oblivious to his irritation. Both were still hunched over it, heads almost touching, fingers jumping here and there across the parchment. Occasionally, Jo would look up and ask what Serena assumed to be questions, drowned out by Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s incessant shouting. Werond would nod or shake her head in response, the sun reflecting off her amber eyes at each gesture, filling them with a shimmer that banished the tired gaze she so easily wore now.
Serena couldn¡¯t help but smile as another warmth blossomed in her chest, separate from the heat overheard. It was good to see Werond in her element, purpose once again seizing her, bringing out the woman she loved amidst a thin frame and haggard expression. She¡¯d have to tell her when she had a chance¡
Assuming that¡
The warmth vanished under a wave of ice, sending a shiver down her back as Serena turned around and slumped in the chair.
Werond was going to be furious with her, Serena knew for sure. Her anger had slipped away upon the discovery of the map, but she wasn¡¯t the type of woman to forget so easily. Perhaps she¡¯d listen and see reason though, or at least, see Serena¡¯s reasoning for healing her like that. But it was going to be a difficult conversation no matter how she spun it.
¡°You alright?¡±
She jerked and straightened up, somehow missing Pavel hovering beside her. Hadn¡¯t he just gone out to make sure the troll stayed away? She asked just as much.
¡°He¡¯s not coming back.¡± Pavel shrugged at her question. ¡°Anyways, you alright?¡±
He crossed his arms and leaned in slightly, angling his head away from the sun. It seemed as though it was the first time in awhile since Serena had gotten a good look at him, and what she saw worried her. While he seemed alright, if a bit dirty, something lay behind the baggy eyes, darkening them, pulling his shoulders down along with them.
¡°Yeah I¡¯m¡fine.¡± She couldn¡¯t suppress her sigh. ¡°Just tired, I guess.¡±
¡°Right. No clue how magic works but I bet it¡¯s exhausting. Like swinging a sword a bunch of times.¡±
¡°Yeah, I guess so. I wouldn¡¯t really know though.¡±
¡°Right.¡±
His words trailed off, evaporating under the heat of the sun, though he remained leaned over. Serena glanced away, fingers curling into her hands, as the furious argument behind them filled the space his words had left behind.
¡°Hey, did you¡need something?¡± Serena asked, looking back at Pavel. ¡°Because you¡¯re weirding me out.¡±
¡°Oh, I am?!¡± Pavel leapt back, eyes wide, arms still crossed. ¡°Sorry, didn¡¯t mean to!¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine.¡± She waved the issue away; most men didn¡¯t realize how intimidating they could accidently be, and Pavel was no exception. ¡°So, what did you need?¡±
¡°I uh¡¡± Pavel swallowed and inched closer, though he leaned away from her slightly. ¡°I guess this is weird, but I just wanted to say that I¡¯m sorry for not helping you earlier. I¡¯ve¡been thinking about it a lot.¡±
¡°Not helping me?¡± Serena signed. ¡°But we took down the troll with Doriyah, I ¨C¡±
¡°No, no, after, I mean. When you were bleeding out.¡±
¡°Oh¡well I appreciate that, but I don¡¯t think there was anything you could have done. Jo and Werond were in the same spot.¡±
¡°Maybe. I just think I spoke too soon when I saw you, and I had¡other issues to deal with. But I shouldn¡¯t have been so distracted so again, sorry about that.¡±
¡°It¡¯s not a huge deal Pavel, but thank ¨C¡±
¡°Yes, it is.¡±
Serena blinked at the sudden bitterness that crept into his voice, a shadow falling across his face as he scowled.
¡°I need to be more on top of things.¡± He said, staring at her. ¡°Been fucking up too many times. Gods, I wish I had a sword or something but¡regardless, I just need to be more aware. I have to be. It¡¯s my only job with all of us together, and if I can¡¯t do it, then what good am I?¡±
¡°Pavel¡¡± Serena signed, only for him to wave her off.
¡°It¡¯s fine. I¡¯m fine. I¡¯ll manage. I kept Cruck¡¯aa away from you back there, so at least I managed something.¡±
Serena narrowed her eyes, unable to stop herself from glancing back. Werond and Jo were still engrossed by the map, and Doriyah still seemed to have a handle on Cruck¡¯aa¡though that did involve bear hugging him. A situation that neither of them were pleased about.
¡°What do you mean you kept Cruck¡¯aa from us?¡± She signed, turning back around.
Pavel stared past her for a moment before stepping closer. He crouched down on the balls of his feet, and when he continued, arms still crossed, Serena had to lean in to hear him over the shouting.
¡°I have no clue if you heard anything, being passed out and all but¡Cruck¡¯aa became a bit uh, unhinged when Werond grabbed your head. I don¡¯t think he liked it at all. He started looking like he wanted to do something, but I yanked him back and laid into him, and he laid into me, and Doriyah¡I guess Doriyah had my back. But Serena¡Cruck¡¯aa was pissed.¡±
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¡°Because Werond held my head up?¡± She cringed as Cruck¡¯aa shrieked again.
¡°Are you surprised?¡±
¡°I¡no, I guess I¡¯m not. I just thought that ¨C¡±
¡°He¡¯d have the decency not to try to do something in the middle of a crisis?¡±
Serena nodded.
¡°You¡¯d think, but I guess not.¡± He said. ¡°Serena, I¡¯m getting worried. I know he hated Werond from the start, but with what he tried to do back at her house, and then in the building we woke up in, and now this¡we¡¯ve got to address it at some point. But I don¡¯t know when we should. I don¡¯t want something to happen to our best navigator right now.¡±
¡°That¡¯s stupid.¡± Serena immediately said.
¡°Yeah, I know, but can you blame me?¡±
Her mouth twisted.
¡°Whatever happens, though, and whenever it happens,¡± Pavel said. ¡°just know that I¡¯ll have your back. I understand his reservations somewhat, but the way he¡¯s going with them¡just know I¡¯m here when you guys need me. I hope it doesn¡¯t come down to that though.¡±
¡°I¡thank you Pavel, but you make it sound worse than it might actually be.¡±
¡°You sure about that?¡±
Serena¡¯s face twisted again.
She wanted to be sure, but what Pavel said did make sense. Yes, Cruck¡¯aa had never liked Werond, but these past few days had displayed a different side of their friend. And he still was their friend, or at least, Serena considered him one. But that didn¡¯t change just how worrying he was being.
¡°I can¡try to talk to him too. I guess.¡± Serena signed. ¡°Maybe I can get him to¡stop for a bit, or something.¡±
¡°Right, and next thing I know, you¡¯ll be flying.¡±
Serena guffawed, fingers beginning to sign, only for a bark from Jo to rip her attention away. She was already rolling up the map when Serena glanced back, beckoning them over.
¡°Sounds like they figured something out.¡± Pavel said as Serena stood up from the chair. ¡°Thank the gods. Glad I don¡¯t have to think for once.¡±
While it was indeed a luxury to leave the thinking to someone else, Serena was still impressed with just how thorough Jo¡¯s plans truly were. Within the span of five minutes, everyone knew exactly where they were ¨C Bog¡¯s Road, right in the middle of the Evermoors ¨C and with another five, there remained little doubt between any of them how they would finally escape this god forsaken place ¨C a straight three days walk to Nesme, then off to Silverymoon, barely a week¡¯s march away. And with Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s navigation ¨C promised after much huffing and puffing ¨C the journey would be simple, provided they¡¯d survive it.
That didn¡¯t seem out of the question anymore, however, as they finally put the ruined city to their backs, striking out into the bog once more after a few hours of searching. Between the ruined homes and destroyed stores, Doriyah had managed to find a somewhat intact smithy, a smattering of weapons still strewn about the place. Despite the dust and grime, they managed to find enough blades for everyone, quelling Serena¡¯s worries about getting attacked again.
Though that left her mind free to worry about other matters.
Serena suppressed a shudder as the bog water lapped at her calves and craned her neck to look up the line. Cruck¡¯aa and Jo lead the way, locked in some conversation as they sliced a path through the swamp, Jo occasionally testing the ground with her newly acquired longsword. Doriyah and Pavel remained in the middle, both prattling on about their finds and why theirs was superior to the other, despite both having the same kind of war-hammer.
Aside from the splashing of water and the buzzing of bugs, it was the only sound that filled the otherwise still bog. Yet their racket was still preferable to the silence that stretched between her and Werond, situated at back of the line.
Serena glanced at her, walking with a straight back a few steps in front. She¡¯d outright avoided Serena the few hours they remained in the ghost town, and the sparse moments that their eyes did meet¡
She shivered. It wasn¡¯t quite the anger she¡¯d seen before, but it was close.
It didn¡¯t help matters that Werond couldn¡¯t properly communicate her anger either. Yes, she was getting the signs down far faster than Serena had anticipated, but it still wasn¡¯t enough to hold a proper conversation. If she even wanted to talk to Serena in the first place.
Her anger, however uncommunicable it was, didn¡¯t mean she couldn¡¯t try though. And she desperately needed to talk to her. She couldn¡¯t let the rift between them tear further apart than it already was. But what was she to say? Serena wasn¡¯t about to go back on what she¡¯d done, but Werond wasn¡¯t going to see it with her logic either.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, this was going to be horrible.
Serena sucked in a breath, banished the thought from her mind, and sloshed faster through the water until she fell in line with Werond. Even if the conversation ¨C if she could call it that ¨C was doomed to fail, it was still worth having in the first place. Though by the way Werond stared straight ahead, Serena wasn¡¯t sure if she¡¯d agree.
¡°Hey uhm¡I just wanted to say,¡± Serena signed, watching her footing. ¡°it was good to see you working with Jo. You really seemed¡better than before.¡±
Werond splashed to a halt suddenly, causing Serena to stumble and flip around. Her eyes were half closed, and as Serena stared, hands against her chest, she let out a long, explosive sigh.
¡°Uhm¡¡± She signed, heart thumping in her chest; if that wasn¡¯t a sign¡ ¡°I uh¡I just wanted to say, about back there, I ¨C¡±
Werond¡¯s eyes flew open as she turned to stare at her; Serena wilted under the amber stare, harsher than a knife through the heart, as Werond signed a single letter:
¡°Y?¡±
¡°Because I needed to make sure you were okay.¡± Serena signed, straightening up.
Werond threw up her hands, facing twisting.
¡°I ¨C Werond, I know it wasn¡¯t that bad, but¡it was a mistake I made, and I needed to fix it. It couldn¡¯t wait, and ¨C¡±
Werond barked out some guttural noise and trudged over to Serena, jabbing a finger against her chest, swiping across it in large lines. It took her a minute, and multiple swipes, to understand what she¡¯d meant.
¡°I was going to be fine though.¡± Serena signed. ¡°I know the slashes looked bad but¡I¡¯ve been there before. I just¡I needed to fix your neck, I had to ¨C¡±
¡°N ¨C O.¡± Werond signed, eyes boring a hole through her.
¡°I did though, I had to. My wounds, they¡I just, I just needed to fix you first. I had to, believe me.¡±
¡°N ¨C O.¡±
¡°I-I know you don¡¯t think so but ¨C¡±
¡°U ¨C M ¨C O ¨C R ¨C¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care about myself,¡± Serena signed. ¡°you¡¯re more important and ¨C¡±
Her fingers curled in as Werond suddenly jerked back, eyes wide, lips parted as she stared at her in shock. Heart flying into her chest, Serena stammered as she shook out her hands.
¡°W-What? I ¨C I mean that, what did ¨C I ¨C¡±
Jo¡¯s voice pierced the air, calling for them both; Werond paid no heed as she stared at her, gaze like a vice around her heart.
¡°W-Werond,¡± Serena signed. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡±
Her signs died again as Werond raised her hands, palms toward her, and shook her head. Eyes still wide, she moved her fingers to sign, only to drop her hands after a moment, running one through her hair as she stared at her feet.
Serena wrung her hands as she waited, trembling at the avalanche of signs she wanted to unleash ¨C to explain that she¡¯d misspoken, that she did care for herself, but Werond was, well, Werond, and she couldn¡¯t defend herself, unable to bounce back from things like Serena could, so it made sense that she put her above herself, and not to mention that wasn¡¯t that what you were supposed to do, when you loved someone, put them above yourself and keep them safe, because they meant so much to you, wasn¡¯t that what Mom did, what Dad did, what Ned did ¨C everyone did that, what was the problem here ¨C
She flinched as Werond raised her hands to sign, earning her a hard stare. It faded, however, as she focused on her signs.
¡°S ¨C P ¨C A ¨C C ¨C E.¡±
And patted her chest.
Serena stared at her, eyes flicking about as though the answer to whatever Werond had said lay somewhere on her shoulders, or hands, or grimacing expression. That search died when Jo¡¯s voice ¨C louder, angrier this time ¨C ripped through the air once more.
Werond looked back at their friends ¨C much further away, but thankfully waiting for them ¨C before giving Serena a glance. As their eyes met, her grimace deepened, though she jerked her head towards their friends.
Shoving aside the hammering of her heart, Serena squeezed her eyes shut and, after a few deep breaths, nodded. Behind that smashing, behind those sighs, the numb from before had crept back into existence, tendrils curling outward from her chest and spilling into her limbs.
But she expected that, and for perhaps the first time since she¡¯d felt it, Serena was ready for it. As desperately as she wanted to collapse and let that nothingness take her, she knew it had to be different this time, else that rift between them would only widen.
When she opened her eyes, Werond was still there, watching her. She turned her back when Serena nodded and did not look back for the rest of the day.
A Few Days
They need to fuck already.
Doriyah paused, sizzling fish ¨C always damned fish now ¨C half-way to his mouth, grease dribbling down his chin.
With the way they looked at each other, they probably already had.
He ripped out a chunk of the fish, wincing as a few scales found their way into his gums like kernels from the Nine Hells.
They needed to do it again then. Preferably not in front of him.
Now, he wasn¡¯t any kind of relationship expert in the slightest, not since Mom up and left him before he could even walk. Shame Dad hadn¡¯t been in the picture either, but when you make your living hunting down dragons, eventually you were bound to find yourself chewed up and shat out. Which made his death funnier in hindsight, considering he smashed his head on the doorframe.
But you didn¡¯t need to be an expert to see the tension between Serena and¡gods, what the Hells was her name again? Weraround? Werond ¨C Werond. Who named their kid that? Sounds like a part you¡¯d find on a wagon.
Doriyah flung the last of the fish over his shoulder, grinning as it plopped into the water and scared the Nine Hells out of Cruck¡¯aa. His circle of soggy friends, however, huddled around their fire, paid him no mind as he leapt up and scanned the waters, beady eyes now wide, odd shadows dancing across his form.
After a moment, he mumbled something and sat down, scooting back towards the fire, still looking like a waterlogged owl. Doriyah would have elbowed Pavel to point this out, but his buddy didn¡¯t seem to be in the mood to talk, considering he was still damp, had half a fish in his mouth, and was still pissed at Doriyah.
He pursed his lips. He didn¡¯t know why they were so mad still. After all, it¡¯d been an accident, leading them all into that hole. Couldn¡¯t see shit in the dark and they wanted to blame him for it? They were just mad that they were all short enough to fall in completely. He tried to make it up to them too ¨C he¡¯d manage to catch all these fish when they were down there, but that phased none of them.
Ungrateful, the whole lot.
A trickle of water cascaded onto the dirt; Doriyah glanced up to see¡Werond ringing out her hair again, despite the rest of her ratty clothes looking somewhat dry. Try as she might, she couldn¡¯t seem to get all the water out her hair. Truly the plight of those too short for this world.
The soggy lump of clothing shifted beside him. Doriyah glanced over as Serena fidgeted about, seated across the fire from Werond, eyes never leaving her damp form. Her fish lay untouched in front of her, laying on a strip of bark.
He rolled his eyes.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t stare.¡± Doriyah declared. ¡°It¡¯s rude.¡±
Serena flinched back, her leg kicking her dinner into the fire in a brilliant puff of sparks. Everyone jerked up from their food as her hand darted in ¨C completely unphased ¨C and yanked the now burning fish out. With a quick snap of her fingers, the fire was extinguished, though the flames that burned in her cheeks remained.
¡°I know it¡¯s bad, but it¡¯s not that bad.¡± He said, shaking his head.
Pavel snorted as Jo immediately reached over and swapped her fish with Serena¡¯s, earning her a sheepish look. But like a wet blanket ripped off a child¡¯s bed, their horrible mood slipped away as Pavel began to explain that charring the damn thing made the flavor better. Jo just shook her head as Cruck¡¯aa began to argue with him but listening to arguments ¨C even stupid ones ¨C made everything somewhat better for them.
Well, for most of them.
Doriyah leaned towards Serena, still a damp, miserable mess, marveling at just how tiny she was compared to him. She leaned away, marveling at his audacity.
¡°You realize,¡± He said, voice low over the argument. ¡°that you can¡¯t force your help onto her if she doesn¡¯t want it. She proved that the first time.¡±
Serena grimaced and stared down at her legs. That had been a hard lesson to learn, barely an hour ago, what with all the yelling. Had to practically yank Serena off her.
¡°What did you do back there?¡± He nodded towards the waters around them. ¡°Been a day and she¡¯s still pissed off.¡±
¡°Healed her first.¡± Serena mumbled ¨C gods, and what an unpleasant experience that was.
¡°After the troll attacked you?¡±
She nodded.
¡°Well, that was stupid, wasn¡¯t it?¡±
Serena¡¯s head rolled to the side, eyes squeezed shut with a grimace. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand.¡±
¡°Try me.¡±
¡°Not after that.¡±
¡°Fair.¡± Doriyah shrugged. ¡°But I¡¯ve been thinking¡might be a solution to all this, one you¡¯re not seeing.¡±
Her eyes flew open and she turned to stare at him.
¡°See, if you just found a way to fuck her again ¨C¡±
It was a shame she¡¯d never hear the rest of his little nugget of wisdom, on account of lighting his hair on fire.
¡
They should just eat him. Bet he¡¯d taste good.
Doriyah pursed his lips, head cocked, Pavel¡¯s words ¨C some boast about his past military time or something ¨C going in one ear and out the other.
Was it cannibalism to eat an Aarakocra?
Completely different species, him and the rest of them. Sure, he walked on two legs, but he was about as close to a human as a dragon was to a bird. Or something like that. Surely if they ate him, they wouldn¡¯t get in trouble with any established law. Not to mention that what happens in a god¡¯s forsaken swamp stays in the god¡¯s forsaken swamp. Perfect crime, really.
Then again, didn¡¯t ¡®humanoid¡¯ cover a broad range? Weren¡¯t they all humanoid? If they were, then maybe that was the reason why more people didn¡¯t hunt and eat Aarakocra. Maybe in some bizarre way, a goliath and an Aarakocra were closer than he originally thought. Although if you asked him, Cruck¡¯aa was anything but humanoid. Had to be some kind of demon to argue that much.
He shook his head and pulled his attention back towards the waters before them. As always, he was at the front of the line, watching for holes. Dunno why they still trusted him in that regard. Falling in seemed more like a them problem anyways, what assurance did they have that he¡¯d lead them in the right direction? At least they¡¯d been blessed with a clear day, though it was a shame that only their backs were warmed, and not the frigid waters.
Doriyah sidestepped another hole, disguised by a swath of pussywillow. Like a gaggle of ugly ducklings, the rest of them followed behind him, edging around the hole with all the pussywillow. And of course, a couple of feet later, they had to dodge around another, the pattern repeating just as Cruck¡¯aa had pointed out. Pussywillow and all.
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
Pussywillow.
Pussywillow.
He grinned.
That¡¯s not what it was, but it was fun to say.
That grin dropped, however, as the icepick that was Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s voice rammed into his ears, filling the air like a frustrated lover flinging her cheating spouse¡¯s belongings out the window.
He glanced over his shoulder; behind them, Cruck¡¯aa was still howling at Jo, who remained utterly stoic, eyes on her feet. How she put up with the glorified pigeon, he¡¯d never know
¡°Why,¡± Doriyah interjected ¨C at the wrong time, considering the look Pavel gave him. ¡°do you all put up with him?¡±
¡°What?¡± Pavel asked.
¡°Him.¡± He jerked his head over his shoulder as they shuffled around a particular prickly pack of pussywillow. ¡°Sounds like a chicken being strangled half the time, and that¡¯s when he¡¯s talking about things I understand. What gives?¡±
¡°Well, he¡¯s our friend, for starters, and ¨C¡±
¡°You sure?¡±
Pavel¡¯s mouth snapped shut, his teeth descending on his bottom lip. Doriyah took the moment to glance further down the line, checking on Serena and Wear ¨C Werond at the rear.
Yup, still five feet apart.
¡°I am sure.¡± He turned back as Pavel continued. ¡°We¡¯ve been with Cruck¡¯aa for a while, He¡¯s been a huge help in everything he does. Especially right now. I couldn¡¯t ask for a better druid in our corner to get out of this swamp. But I mean, in general, he¡¯s irreplaceable.¡±
¡°But¡¡± Doriyah said.
¡°But he¡¯s a fucking asshole.¡± Pavel answered instantly.
He grinned as Doriyah let out a laugh that could have rippled the water at their feet.
¡°Feels good to say it, doesn¡¯t it?¡± He asked through his chuckling.
¡°It does. It¡¯s a problem. I don¡¯t think we should be talking about it though. Not when he could hear us.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be a problem.¡± Doriyah said. ¡°He seems a bit busy. Much like¡other people.¡±
He glanced back again; Serena had finally caught up to Wera ¨C Werond, though her attempts at conversation were met with a frigid shoulder. Nine Hells, that was pathetic to watch.
¡°I just don¡¯t get why he wanted to stop and discuss things.¡± Pavel said. ¡°Such a stupid hill to die on.¡±
¡°The whole thing was a stupid hill to die on.¡±
¡°The giant prints?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t stutter.¡±
¡°No, I know but¡I don¡¯t know Doriyah,¡± he gestured at the water. ¡°they seem pretty important.¡±
Doriyah¡¯s face twisted. He was right, they were important. The fact that they hadn¡¯t realized that that they¡¯d been following a trail of prints until they¡¯d fallen into one was frustrating enough but¡for there to be more giant tracks, after what they¡¯d found in Bog¡¯s Road? Something was indeed going on, considering that giants typically never came out this far¡
But he¡¯d be damned if he¡¯d admit that.
¡°They¡¯re not.¡± Doriyah said. ¡°Out for a hike or something stupid. You know how giants are.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t, actually, that¡¯s why it all seems weird to me.¡± Pavel scratched his chin. ¡°We¡¯ve been out for three months¡who knows what¡¯s happened since we¡¯ve been asleep. Giants already razed and sacked the Goldenfields twice from what I remember. And now we¡¯re finding, I don¡¯t know, massive holes in ghost towns and prints all over the place. It¡¯s worrying.¡±
¡°Only if you give a shit.¡±
Pavel let out a puff of air and waved the comment away. ¡°One of us has to.¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa already gives a shit enough for a hundred people. I think we¡¯re covered.¡±
¡°Maybe¡so, what was I saying? Oh! Right, so anyways, as I was telling him, ¡®Mercutio¡¯, I said, ¡®that¡¯s not¡¡¯¡±
But Doriyah had already tuned him out, the words flowing through his head like water down a drain. It wasn¡¯t that he didn¡¯t want to listen to Pavel ¨C far from it ¨C but he couldn¡¯t get the giants out of his head.
Why were they out here? The massive dig site in the town, well, that didn¡¯t make much sense. Neither did the tracks they were currently following, considering there were no furrows in the ground, like the ones they¡¯d first found. This had to be a separate group then, but that only raised more questions ¨C why was there a second group of giants? And where in the Nine Hells were they going?
Doriyah grimaced.
That much was obvious. Considering the direction they were taking, whoever these other giants were, they had probably already reached where he and his friends wanted to go.
And that meant no civilization for them. Or a way out of the swamp.
Doriyah snorted.
That didn¡¯t matter. He¡¯d get himself out of here, one way or another.
¡
She should be asleep.
¡°You should be asleep.¡± Doriyah said, cocking a brow.
Somehow, Serena groaned as she sat up, arms against her knees, both pulled into her chest. She was the only other one up this late at night, everyone else still dead asleep in a loose circle around the fire. How they could sleep, he¡¯d never know, considering they snored loud enough to shake the stars.
¡°Listen,¡± Doriyah said, breaking apart a stick and tossing it into the fire. He selected another from the pile beside him, gathered hours before. ¡°I know you¡¯re mute, but I¡¯m pretty sure you ain¡¯t deaf. Said I didn¡¯t need a change.¡±
¡°I know.¡± Serena ¨C gods, those fucking signs. How did she groan like that in his head?! ¡°Can¡¯t sleep.¡±
¡°Hmm.¡± He said, suppressing a shudder. ¡°Wish you would.¡±
¡°Same.¡±
¡°Lovely. Glad to hear we¡¯re on the same page.¡±
She stared at him as he snapped a few more sticks, forcing the fire to burn a smidge brighter with each offering. Doriyah met her gaze, then went back to his sticks, shivering at the way the fire reflected from her blue eyes. Not in those dramatic ways you hear in stories though. She just looked fucking creepy sitting there with her legs pulled up ¨C who sat compacted like that? Like something out of ¨C
¡°Do you ever regret the things you¡¯ve done in life?¡± Serena asked.
Oh for fuck¡¯s sake.
¡°Nope, I sleep easy.¡± Doriyah said, biting back the edge that crept into his voice. ¡°Sounds like a you thing. Should get that checked out.¡±
¡°Right¡yeah, fuck me, I guess.¡±
¡°Not my type.¡±
The look she gave him matched the creepy way she was sitting ¨C like a doll in an abandoned house that wanted to eat your soul.
¡°I don¡¯t care for men.¡± She said, as though it were a retort.
¡°Good choice,¡± He broke down another stick. ¡°as many of us are completely and utterly incapable of rational thought when the second head is thinking. This happens enough to be an issue, I assure you.¡±
¡°What?¡±
¡°My penis.¡± Doriyah looked up. ¡°I don¡¯t think well when I think with my penis. As do most men. Do I really need to spell it out for you?¡±
¡°I ¨C fuck.¡± Serena rubbed her face. ¡°I knew what you meant. I¡¯ve worked in a tavern before, I ¨C¡±
¡°Only for women, I assume.¡±
She rolled her eyes, though looked as though she were trying to fight back a smile.
¡°You¡¯re an idiot.¡± She signed.
¡°I¡¯ve been called worse.¡±
¡°And I¡¯ll have you know, I was twelve when I worked in Mom¡¯s tavern.¡±
¡°I mean¡in some parts of the world¡¡±
¡°Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, really?¡±
¡°¡¯fraid so. Sure they said something like that too.¡±
Serena shook her head, then flicked a finger towards the fire, her own flame leaping from her painted nail; with a low roar, the flames flared higher, licking at the night air, driving away the chill.
Doriyah snapped the stick in his hand, eyes narrowing at the smirk she gave him. All things considered though, that was pretty funny.
¡°Yes¡¡± He said, grabbing the sticks and flinging them over his shoulder. ¡°There are things I regret all the time. Like getting a bunch of sticks for no reason. And how I ended up with you people.¡±
¡°You never did tell us how you got here.¡± Serena signed, looking past his shoulder at where the sticks had PLOPPED into the night.
¡°And I won¡¯t, for it¡¯s a secret.¡±
Serena rolled her eyes. ¡°Yeah, sure. You pissed off Jarlaxle, we know that much. What¡¯d you do?¡±
Doriyah stared at her, chewing his lip.
That was true, he had pissed off Jarlaxle. But how was he to know that he¡¯d walked in on some super-secret meeting? Or whatever the hell that was about. And he didn¡¯t mean to react like that, but that other Drow was hideous, Nine Hells. Wrinkles like canyons.
But pissing him off didn¡¯t warrant this as a punishment. He¡¯d been a good hire, that was for damn sure. Always did everything he wanted, always got results, never did any of the stupid shit the others did, but mess up one time and this was what he got? These people ¨C her especially ¨C weren¡¯t worth the effort, why in the Nine Hells was Jarlaxle so hellbent on him watching them?
¡°Here,¡± He said. ¡°tell you what ¨C you tell me why you keep following Weer ¨C Werond around, even though she wants absolutely zero to do with you, and I¡¯ll tell you why I¡¯m here. Seems like a fair deal, hmm?¡±
He met her gaze and grinned, showing off a fair number of teeth. She wasn¡¯t about to tell him that, too personal, but it would be enough to get her away from the topic. After all, Jarlaxle had threatened his life ¨C and more importantly, his manhood ¨C if he breathed a word to any of them, so ¨C
Oh gods damnit.
¡°Hey ¨C okay, I¡¯m ¨C look I didn¡¯t mean it like that, sorry.¡± He said as Serena wiped her eyes.
¡°I know.¡± She signed ¨C gods, how in the Nine Hells did she make her voice quaver like that? ¡°Just¡sorry, it¡¯s been¡stressful.¡±
¡°Yeah, I can tell. I thought you two were getting on better.¡±
¡°We were. And I pissed her off.¡±
¡°Because of the troll.¡±
¡°No, I¡it was already bad but¡that made it worse.¡±
¡°So you pissed her off before the troll? What¡¯d you do?¡±
It took a long time for Serena to respond, hands frozen against her knees. It took so long that Doriyah was convinced she¡¯d up and died and decided it best to pretend he hadn¡¯t seen anything. Let someone else deal with it in the morning. Half way to laying on the ground, however, her hands finally twisted, forming quiet words in the back of his mind.
¡°I don¡¯t know.¡±
And then she laid back down.
Doriyah remained in an odd crunch, staring at Serena as she rolled onto her side, and cushioned her head with one of her hands.
Stupid reason, that one.
Up The Ridge
For perhaps the first time in days, after traversing through the water and muck, through the winds and the chill, through the shadows and everything that splashed within them, Cruck¡¯aa had stunned them all by announcing that he¡¯d finally found a proper road ¨C a real road, formed by the travelers that¡¯d stomped their way across the Evermoors ¨C a road that had been drawn out, in a thick line, on the map that Jo had stashed in her pocket ¨C a road that was actually real.
And it was up a Gods damned ridge. Salvation for their weary, soggy feet was only ten feet away, yet those feet looked like miles.
Serena huffed, hands on her hips, head craned to stare up at the miniature cliff. Jo and Pavel flanked her, mirroring her pose, while Doriyah stomped alongside the bottom, inspecting the rocks and dirt with a careful eye. Behind them buzzed the bog, its waters still around their calves, though none of them paid it any heed. Except¡
¡°I ain¡¯t going around.¡± Doriyah proclaimed, starting Serena before she could look back. ¡°We here. Let¡¯s just figure it out.¡±
¡°And if we can¡¯t?¡± Jo asked as he marched past her.
¡°Oh, we will. And it would be easy!¡± He shouted, causing everyone to jump. ¡°If someone would just magic some god damn vines down the wall!¡±
His words echoed over the ridge, his only answer.
¡°Gods damned fucking pigeon¡¡± Doriyah muttered, marching back.
Serena sighed; to the surprise of no one, Cruck¡¯aa had launched himself up and over the ridge, leaving the rest of them on their own. He¡¯d kept muttering something about the road and where it led ¨C Nesme, if she remembered right ¨C and wanting to check on¡something, but that didn¡¯t excuse his behavior. But what was new with him?
¡°I¡¯m going to strangle him, Nine Hells.¡± Doriyah continued to mutter, stopping at a spot, and staring up. ¡°Stick a log up his ass and fucking roast him ¨C¡±
¡°Curse later.¡± Jo said, walking over. ¡°See any place to climb up?¡±
¡°It shouldn¡¯t be too hard.¡± Pavel trailed over, standing behind them. ¡°You could probably haul yourself up there.¡±
He pointed at something, invisible to Serena¡¯s eyes, but clearly visible to Jo and Doriyah, who immediately launched into ideas, thrown out faster than the wind. Her eyes glazed over as jargon began to tumble out, a hurricane of words that all seemed¡well, made up to her. Probably from their ¡®military days¡¯ or whatever they called it. None of it mattered though. She wouldn¡¯t need the help. But¡
Her heart fluttered. Licking her lips, Serena sucked in a breath, and turned around.
As was usual these days, Werond stood apart from them, watching the proceedings with tired eyes. That tired gaze flicked to Serena, freezing her in place, sending a jolt through her chest.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, what was she supposed to do? Each passing day marked another failed attempt at closing the rift between them, and with each of those failures, that familiar numb crept ever closer, widening the hole within her chest. It was a slow suicide for Serena, one that would end not in her death, but¡
She winced, scratching at her chest, as though she could rip the numb off like a scab. Better not to let herself fall down that path again.
¡°Hey uhm¡¡± She forced herself forward, fumbling with her signs. ¡°I was just planning on uh¡teleporting up there, and I thought that, well¡once I¡¯m up, I can help you up? Would that¡would you be fine with that?¡±
Werond only stared, her tired gaze boring a hole through Serena. After a moment, however, she nodded, shoulders slumping as she did. Serena started, heart tearing through the numbness in her chest as it shot into her throat.
¡°O-Okay!¡± She signed. ¡°O-okay, alright, uh ¨C¡±
She turned on her heel and ran back to her friends, unwilling to let the moment go to waste.
Oblivious to the breakthrough behind them, Doriyah had already begun his ascent, the fiery maned giant halfway up the ridge, bits of rocks and dirt cascading down after him. Jo glanced at Serena when she halted beside them, though Pavel kept his head craned as he watched Doriyah¡¯s ascent.
¡°He find a way up?¡± She asked.
¡°It¡¯s not hard.¡± Pavel said. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of footholds, from the looks of it. Should be easy.¡±
¡°Making it look easy.¡± Jo replied. ¡°Got muscles the size of my head, he was never ¨C¡±
Halfway up ¨C around ten feet above them ¨C Doriyah yelled and launched himself towards the edge, grabbing it with both hands. Grunting, he hauled himself up and over, disappearing entirely.
¡°Where is that fucking bird?!¡± He bellowed, voice cascading over the ridge, startling a few birds into the air.
¡°He¡¯s not going to help us.¡± Pavel said with a sigh.
¡°Course he¡¯s not.¡± Jo said as she stepped up to the ridge. ¡°Serena, if you start going up after me, I¡¯ll ¨C¡±
¡°Tell Werond, I¡¯ll be okay.¡± Serena signed, suppressing a shiver as Werond stepped up beside her.
¡°Won¡¯t be if you don¡¯t listen. Now ¨C¡±
But Serena tuned her out, fingers twisting into familiar signs; the world blurred, and she was suddenly above them, standing on the edge of the ridge, silver mist hanging in the air where she once was. Pavel jumped, head flipping back and forth, though Jo looked unimpressed.
¡°Forgot about that.¡± She said, looking up at her. ¡°He up there?¡±
Serena twisted around; in stark contrast to the swamp below, the beginnings of a forest towered over her, trees growing thick the further she stared into its depths. A worn, dirt path lay right in front of those trees, curving into them on her right, and continuing back alongside the ridge on her left. The ridge itself continued for quite some distance, winding out of sight, disappearing into the trees. Doriyah, however, was nowhere to be found.
¡°Nope.¡± Serena peaked back over the edge; the ridge offered an amazing view of the swamp behind them, marred by the grey waters and hideous trees that blanketed the hellscape. ¡°I don¡¯t know which way he went either.¡±
¡°Bet I¡¯ll hear them arguing when I get up there!¡± Pavel called, leaping up ridge with a grunt. ¡°Just ¨C be up in a second!¡±
¡°Careful!¡± Jo broke away from Werond and scrambled up after him. ¡°Don¡¯t need you ¨C falling down!¡±
Serena hovered over the edge, wringing her hands as her friends hauled themselves up the rocks. Unsurprisingly, neither of them needed help as they crawled over the edge, though the anxiety she felt wasn¡¯t directed at them. Her gaze was still stuck on Werond, who stared up the ridge with narrowed eyes.
¡°Right,¡± Pavel said, dusting himself off. ¡°now where do you suppose they went?¡±
¡°Up the path, I imagine.¡± Jo nodded towards the trees. ¡°Just don¡¯t ¨C¡±
A deep voice boomed through the forest, followed by a shrill shriek; the sounds of argument drifted towards them a moment later.
¡°Ha! Told you!¡± Pavel yelled, taking off down the path. ¡°Gotta make sure they don¡¯t kill each other!¡±
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¡°Pavel! Wait, don¡¯t ¨C¡± Jo¡¯s words cut off to a sigh as Pavel disappeared into the trees. ¡°Gods damnit, can you get Werond up on your own?¡±
Serena glanced back and nodded, shivering slightly at the annoyance that filled Jo¡¯s eyes.
¡°Good. Stay safe and get her up quick. Just follow the shouting when she¡¯s up.¡±
Without waiting for a response, Jo took off, the forest swallowing her as she chased after Pavel. Serena watched the spot where she¡¯d disappeared, wondering if any of the noises she could make would be audible, then flipped back towards Werond ¨C
Who was already halfway up the rocks, face screwed up, arms trembling as she slowly pulled herself up. She paused to catch her breath, sucking in gulps of air, giving Serena enough time to crouch down and offer her hand, heart lodged in her throat.
¡°Careful ¨C don¡¯t ¨C¡± She signed.
Without looking, Werond¡¯s hand shot out and grasped Serena¡¯s; she yelped as Werond pulled her to the ground, her head flying up, eyes wide, as she began to fall back.
Serena grabbed the ledge as she was pulled forward, barely anchoring herself before Werond fell further. Her arms strained as she held Werond in place, who struggled to keep her balance, death gripping the rocks with her other hand. For a moment, all they could do was grunt and breathe through clenched teeth, neither gaining any ground.
Bit by bit, and with each labored breath, Serena pulled Werond closer to the rocks, until finally she regained her balance. With a grunt, Werond continued back up the rocks, never letting go of Serena¡¯s hand. Sweat beaded down her face as her arms screamed in protest, her entire body trembling, yet she refused to release her grasp until Werond reached over the edge and grasped the sweat stained grass beneath her.
Serena¡¯s hands shot to her shoulders, and with one final heave, Werond popped over the edge, sprawling out beside Serena as she collapsed to the ground. For a moment, all they could do was lay there, staying up at the uncaring sky above, chests heaving as they fought to catch their breath.
Eventually, Serena raised her hands, arms still trembling.
¡°There¡¯s¡easier ways¡of offing me, you know?¡±
Werond¡¯s head snapped towards her, eyes wide as Serena stared back with a weak grin ¨C and she burst out laughing.
It was a laughter born deep within her chest, one that echoed into the sky above. So sudden was it that Serena couldn¡¯t stop her own giggles from bubbling up, getting deeper and deeper until she joined Werond in uncontrolled mirth, their chorus beating back the exhaustion that weighed them to the ground.
It went on for far too long, but it felt good ¨C as though every ounce of her stress was drained away, flung to the winds as she and Werond finally shared a simple joy again. She didn¡¯t mind when her chest began to ache, or when the giggles kept her from breathing, or when Werond, still giggling, playfully punched her in the shoulder. All of it felt so wonderful after being gone for so, so long.
As the giggles between them bled away to silence, as the ache of laughter faded into yearning of times past, squeezing her heart in a vice, Serena¡¯s hands began to move on their own, words pouring from them before she realized what was happening.
¡°I¡¯m sorry about the troll.¡± She signed. ¡°I just ¨C panicked and moved before thinking and I¡¯m sorry Werond, I know you asked for space and a break but you just mean so much to me still and I could just sit and see you hurt and I can¡¯t just not be with you because I care for you so much and ¨C¡±
Werond¡¯s hand shot out and grasped Serena¡¯s wrists, locking them together, and cutting off her signs.
She started and looked over, surprised to find neither annoyance nor anger in Werond¡¯s amber eyes, but instead¡understanding? At least, her small smile seemed understanding, even if it lacked the warmth Serena so desperately craved.
When she released her hands, she let them drop to her chest, watching as Werond pulled her hands back and signed against her chest.
¡°T ¨C O ¨C O ¨C M ¨C U ¨C C¡±
¡°I¡¡± Serena furrowed her brows. ¡°What? You mean¡me caring about you?¡±
Werond glanced at her and nodded.
Serena held her gaze but couldn¡¯t find her words. How was it too much? This is what you were supposed to do. Put the ones you loved above yourself ¨C that was the right thing to do! Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, even if it wasn¡¯t, how could she not? Werond was¡Werond, and not caring for her would mean that she¡¯d go back to being alone, and she couldn¡¯t do that, she wouldn¡¯t do that, she ¨C
Warm, gentle fingers brushed her face. When Serena flinched back to reality, they withdrew, and curled into more signs.
¡°C ¨C A ¨C R ¨C E.¡±
Werond made a four with her fingers, then poked Serena¡¯s chest.
¡°1 ¨C S ¨C T¡±
Serena could only stare, utterly flummoxed. Werond grimaced as she deflated but shoved herself to her feet all the same. Body trembling, arms aching, Serena mirrored her, waiting for an explanation that never came.
¡°Uhm¡I don¡¯t know what you¡¡± Her signs trailed off as Werond shook her head. ¡°O-okay¡but are we¡alright now? Is there something¡¡±
Werond sighed but nodded all the same; she gave Serena another small smile, one that launched her heart into her throat.
¡°Okay! We¡uhm, we should probably catch up with everyone else then!¡± She pointed down the path that curved into the trees. ¡°They went down that way, should be able to catch them!¡±
Werond nodded and gestured for her to lead the way; Serena was all too happy to oblige, falling in line with her as they made their way down the path. She couldn¡¯t help but beam; it felt good to walk together again.
It felt even better to finally walk on something that wasn¡¯t water and mud. Despite the road being nothing more than a strip of uneven dirt, it was almost enjoyable to walk upon, compared to the watery hell behind them. Then again, walking with two broken ankles would still be better than trudging through the bog.
But it wasn¡¯t just the road that lifted Serena¡¯s spirits, nor that Werond was walking beside her once more, though that was hard to beat; it was instead the realization that they¡¯d finally pulled themselves out of the wilderness and inched back towards civilization, however far that might be, and all the comforts it brought with it. For once, things seemed to be looking up.
The road gradually curved further into the trees, the forest growing thicker the further they walked. It reminded Serena a bit of the smaller forest they¡¯d traversed, back in the bog, back¡gods how many days ago had that been? Time had begun to blur, much as the shadows of the trees did, forming darker patches further from the path. The canopy directly over the road, however, remained thin, and with the light filtering through the leaves, it was almost a pleasant walk¡if she ignored winds of argument that blew down the road.
Werond poked Serena in the ribs; when she glanced over, Werond nodded up the path and rolled her eyes. Serena grinned and copied her, heart fluttering ever so slightly.
The path turned sharply to the right, the trees obscuring any sign of their friends, their voices growing louder with each step. Serena couldn¡¯t make out what they were yelling about, but as always, Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s shrill voice was the loudest. She cringed as they turned the corner, hands halfway up to her ears as ¨C
Werond gasped and flinched back, yanking at Serena¡¯s arm, and pulling her back.
Barely a foot off the road, their friends stood in a semi-circle around the corpse of a man, strung up for all to see. Rope had been bound to its wrists, stretching its arms above its head, anchored between two trees. The chest had been slashed open, with large flaps of skin, grey and rotting, pulled to the sides, stretched out like hideous wings, held in place by a few ribs carefully pierced through the arms. The rest had been broken but not ripped out completely, forming red-white spikes that jutted to the sides. None of the corpse¡¯s organs remained, all laying in a brown, rotting heap at its knees, and ¨C
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, its head was missing.
Serena cringed as her stomach churned, but she found herself unable to look away. Werond pulled away and vomited behind her, hopefully off the path. Everyone else, however, seemed unphased with the gore on display, each keener on continuing the argument at hand.
¡°And I¡¯m telling you,¡± Doriyah said, voice raised, nudging the corpse with his boot. ¡°that a troll obviously did this. How could you not see it?¡±
Which was, as always, more ridiculous than the last.
Feathers ruffled, talons outstretched, Cruck¡¯aa advanced on Doriyah, emitting a series of furious squawks from his twisted beak. Doriyah, in turn, stepped back and grinned, but was cut off as Jo leapt between them.
¡°Enough! Both of you!¡± She yelled, before facing Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°Ignore him for once, gods above!¡±
¡°How can I?!¡± Cruck¡¯aa shrieked. ¡°All he does is say utter nonsense!¡±
¡°Hey, I say other things.¡± Doriyah piped up.
¡°Ignore him!¡± Jo stepped closer to Cruck¡¯aa, pushing him away. ¡°Had a theory on this, right? What did you think it was?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t think, I know!¡± He spat, one of his beady eyes twitching. ¡°Barbarians did this! Red Tigers!¡±
¡°And those are?¡± Behind Jo, Pavel leapt in the way of Doriyah, somehow holding him back.
¡°What ¨C a tribe that lives in these woods, obviously! They¡¯ve been doing this,¡± He gestured behind Jo. ¡°for decades! Just never this far out normally!¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°Because of the patrols from the towns! Gods, who do you think keeps them in check?!¡±
¡°So something changed then?¡±
¡°Yes! That¡¯s what I¡¯ve been saying!¡± Cruck¡¯aa shrieked. ¡°Considering what we found earlier, it¡¯s obvious that other towns have been hit! Which means ¨C¡±
¡°That they can¡¯t protect against troll attacks!¡± Doriyah yelled over Pavel.
Cruck¡¯aa shrieked and flew over Jo, landing on Doriyah like a feathery attack dog. Serena stepped back as Doriyah¡¯s yells mixed with Jo¡¯s and Pavel¡¯s, the three of them becoming a flurry of motion as they seized Cruck¡¯aa, trying in vain to rip him off of Doriyah.
Sighing, Serena turned away from the chaos; Werond was still hunched over behind her, leaning over a pile of ¨C
Grimacing, she snapped away the vomit, the mess disappearing with a sucking noise. Werond flinched and straightened up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.
¡°You okay?¡± Serena asked.
Werond shook her head, pointedly refusing to look behind her.
¡°Yeah¡I know it¡¯s gross, but it¡¯ll be okay. As long as you¡¯re with me, you¡¯ll be safe.¡±
Werond nodded, though she still looked unconvinced as she spared a brief, if regretful, glance towards the cacophony behind Serena.
¡°Trust me, I know it looks scary, but we¡¯ll be fine.¡± She waved a hand. ¡°Worst comes to worse, just hold onto me, and I¡¯ll teleport us¨C¡±
Her hands froze, signs falling apart as the realization hit her like a fist in the face. Werond stared at her for a moment, before her eyes rolled into the back of her head as she buried her face into her hands.
Nesme
Werond gasped and clutched Serena¡¯s arm tighter, ducking her head. Serena suppressed a shiver as her breath tickled her neck. She would have been ecstatic that Werond had remained so close to her, but as they passed the next corpse, strung up just as the last, she found herself unable to feel anything save the dread that squeezed her chest.
They¡¯d stopped checking the corpses. Barely a day out of the bog and through the forest ¨C larger than any of them had thought ¨C and they¡¯d lost count of how many they¡¯d found. Doriyah had tried to keep track, but Jo had yelled at him when he reached twenty. That was an hour ago, and by now, Serena was sure they¡¯d passed twice that number.
She¡¯d gone numb to it though, much like the rest of them. You could only walk by so many ruined and headless corpses before the nausea faded, replaced now only by muted apprehension ¨C a tension that everyone felt as they marched down the path in their line, one that couldn¡¯t be dispelled by the beauty of the trees.
Leaning into her, Werond sucked in a breath, fighting to remain calm. Serena shoved aside her own feelings and laid a hand on Werond¡¯s shoulder. As long as she remained strong for her, things would be alright.
But Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, it was easy to forget how sheltered Werond was to all of this. She¡¯d probably never seen such a display, and to have so many bodies lined up ¨C it was nothing short of a warzone that they marched through. Though that was probably why no one else seemed to care.
She glanced back, looking past Doriyah and Pavel, both rather quiet today. The moment the corpse disappeared amongst the trunks and shrubs, Serena patted Werond¡¯s shoulder. It took a moment for her to straighten up, wiping her eyes as she did, though she never let go of Serena.
At the head of their line, Cruck¡¯aa suddenly halted, head snapping up to stare at the canopy. Jo almost ran into him, sighing loudly, as the rest of them came to a stop.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, I swear to the fucking gods,¡± Doriyah said. ¡°If you don¡¯t ¨C¡±
Cruck¡¯aa shot a glare past Serena, muttered something to himself, then took off down the path again. Jo rolled her head back, before twisting around to face them.
¡°Said we¡¯re about to hit Nesme,¡± She glanced over her shoulder. ¡°Maybe in a couple of minutes. Trees should start thinning out.¡±
¡°And he couldn¡¯t tell us that himself?¡± Pavel asked.
¡°Course not.¡±
¡°Nine Hells¡¡± He nudged Serena¡¯s back. ¡°Come on then.¡±
Serena shook her head as she pulled Werond along, Jo flipping back around to lead. While she was frustrated at Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s antics, a small part of her resented Doriyah for getting him worked up in the first place. Not even Jo could talk Cruck¡¯aa down, having argued with him the night before. It seemed he¡¯d remain in that foul mood for gods knew how long, though his silence did feel like a silver lining.
True to his words, the trees began to thin after a few minutes, the view between the trunks clearing of brush and vines, the grasslands just beyond beginning to peak through. Despite the horrors within the trees, however, Serena couldn¡¯t help but feel a pang in her chest at the prospect of leaving. For the short time they¡¯d been within it, the forest had offered a welcome, beautiful respite from the watery hell behind them. Corpses be damned, it felt too early to leave.
Smiling, she nudged Werond with her shoulder; the shadows from the trees played off her face as she glanced at her.
¡°I kind of like it here.¡± She signed. ¡°You know¡if there weren¡¯t so many corpses.¡±
Werond grimanced and shrugged, eyeing the trunks ahead. Serena felt her heart flutter in her chest.
¡°You know, it¡¯s¡it¡¯s a little hot, but the shade is so nice. I could spend all day here¡uh, without all the¡¡±
Werond shuddered, grimace growing worse. Despite the coolness of the shade, Serena felt her body warm. It would probably be better if they talked about¡well, anything else.
¡°I guess you¡¯ll like Nesme better¡¡± Serena continued. ¡°Finally see some civilization for once¡intact, I mean.¡±
That got a smile out of Werond, as she signed with one hand, ¡°B ¨C A ¨C T ¨C H.¡±
¡°Hey, I¡¯ve been keeping us clean. My spell not good enough for you?¡±
Werond rolled her eyes and waved her off, though that smile remained.
Serena licked her lips, heart speeding up. ¡°And maybe¡they¡¯ll have a tub for two?¡±
The dirt crunched underfoot. Somewhere above, a single bird let out its song, a beautiful tiny melody, almost deafened by the silence between them, and the hammering within her ears.
The smile on Werond¡¯s face remained, but the corners of her lips pulled down ever so slightly, forming that same smile she¡¯d given her yesterday by the cliff. One that, before, had given her so much hope, but now, looked¡
So sad.
Serena pulled her hands down and looked away, praying to Bahamut that she was simply reading it wrong.
The silence grew uncomfortably thick as they neared the edge of the forest, the path curving sharply ahead. It took Serena a moment to realize that, besides the two of them, no one else had said a word for quite some time. Pavel and Doriyah both seemed tense when she glanced back, walking with shoulders squared, hands on their war hammers. They¡¯d been getting less and less jovial lately, and despite only knowing Doriyah for a short while, it seemed rather odd.
As Serena raised her hands to comment on that to Werond, their formation rounded the curve, the forest abruptly ending against the fields of grass, stretching out as far as the eyes could see in, offering them a breathing taking view ¨C
Of a ruined town, walls crumbled and destroyed, a thick column of smoke hanging over it like death itself.
The sight hit her like a fist to the face, Werond jerking back but refusing to let go of her arm. Swearing sounded behind them, but only Pavel continued in earnest.
¡°Gods damn it.¡± He breathed. ¡°Gods damnit again! Again!¡±
He pushed past Serena and Werond, moved around a startled Jo, and took off at a dead sprint, racing across the fields towards the town. Though it looked to be a decent walk to reach the walls, Pavel looked as though he¡¯d reach it within minutes.
¡°I¡¯ll go get him.¡±
Doriyah stepped around them and took off after Pavel. Likewise, Cruck¡¯aa opened his wings and rocketed into the air, soaring over the pair as all three raced towards the town.
Serena could only watch the shrinking figures of her friends, heart falling. It was supposed to be different this time ¨C they¡¯d finally gotten out after so long and this is what waited for them? What in Bahamut¡¯s Name was happening?
¡°Figured¡¡± Jo muttered.
¡°W-what?¡± Serena shot a look at her.
¡°Figured this would be the case. And how Pavel would react.¡± She signed and put her hands on her hips. ¡°Bog¡¯s Road was too big to just be a one off. Whatever¡¯s happening, it¡¯s¡¡±
Her words died in her throat, and she stared at the plume of smoke. There weren¡¯t any fires visible from here, but that large of a smokestack couldn¡¯t be a good sign.
Werond¡¯s eyes were still wide when Serena glanced at her, gaze fixed firmly on the same sight. Her heart sank further. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, if the bodies in the trees had frightened Werond bad enough¡
¡°Better follow them.¡± Jo said, taking off without waiting for an answer. Serena grimanced, but pulled Werond along, her eyes never leaving the smoke.
It was a long walk to the walls, giving Serena far too much time to stare at the holes that had been smashed into them. What once had been beautiful stone built perhaps two stories tall was now reduced to rubble in multiple sections, heaps of shattered brick laying between the sections that still stood. So struck by the destruction was she that Serena failed to notice the river that cut through a section of the city, meandering across the fields without a care in the world.
She grimanced, watching as Pavel and Doriyah made it to the front gates, the smaller section of Nesme on one side of the river. Cruck¡¯aa still flew overhead, circling the larger section of the ruined town.
Serena watched him for a moment, wondering if he¡¯d have the decency to warn them of what he saw, when a hand appeared in the corner of her eye.
¡°H ¨C I ¨C L ¨C L.¡± It signed.
Serena glanced at Werond, still staring at smoke.
¡°What? What hill?¡± She asked.
Werond pointed towards the walls in response. She followed her finger but saw nothing that stood out, and when she glanced back, Werond simply shook her head and grimanced.
There wasn¡¯t a hill visible anywhere she¡¯d pointed ¨C was there supposed to be? Serena couldn¡¯t imagine where it might have gone if there was one, and she wasn¡¯t about to ask. With how distraught Werond looked, it didn¡¯t seem to be the best topic of conversation right now.
By the time they reached the smaller section, Pavel and Doriyah had already disappeared inside, though she vaguely heard Doriyah¡¯s voice echoing as he called after Pavel. The walls looked far more impressive up close, with how high they stood, but that only made the destruction across the river stand out worse.
¡°Must be a gate¡¡± Jo said aloud, craning her head up as she moved around the wall. ¡°Wouldn¡¯t know how else¡yup.¡±
The shattered remains of a gate lay before them as they reached the front, fragments of wood scattered further down the cobblestone path that went into the town. Though the threshold of stone was cracked and broken, the walls around the gate remained undamaged.
¡°Odd.¡± Was all Jo could say when Serena pointed it out. ¡°Better hurry before we lose them.¡±
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She stepped through the gate, boots thumping on the cobble. Werond tried to remain in place when Serena stepped forward, but a gentle tug was all she needed to unstick her.
Whatever part of the city lay on this side of the river had been utterly wiped out, a ghost of what it once was. Fields of rubble lined either side of the path, the carcasses of buildings poking out beneath the shattered stone, fractured shingles, and Bahamut knew what else that filled the mess. A few boats poked out of the river, equally destroyed, though if there used to be docks, they were nowhere in sight. And in almost random spots in the cobblestone, large indents had been pressed into the ground, shattering much of the stone within.
Serena stared at it all as they walked past, unable to imagine what had caused all of the destruction. She finally shook her head and ripped her gaze away, only to find that the rest the city fared no better.
Across the river, beyond the strangely intact bridge that spanned it, the rest of Nesme lay in ruins. Though the town had once been large, perhaps the size of one of the districts back in Waterdeep, now, it looked frighteningly small. Rubble, just like that around them, wrapped around a hill that sat at the center, as though the city had once been constructed in rings around it. Though a few buildings still stood, they were far and few between, loners among their destroyed friends. Further up the hill, similar fields of rubble sat, though in much large piles, the remnants of roofing and what was once finely cut wood poking out like bones bleaching in the sun. And somewhere in the middle, that black column of smoke came pouring out, drifting into the blew sky, towering over the town like something out of a nightmare.
Not a soul remained, no survivors, no scavengers, nothing. Not even Pavel and Doriyah were in sight, though Cruck¡¯aa still hovered in the air around the smoke.
Jo halted only a few steps in, seizing up the destruction. Werond still clung to Serena¡¯s arm, head on a swivel, eyes wide, as though she feared that there was something worse beneath the rubble. She could feel her fear as Werond dug her fingers into Serena¡¯s arm, and it took every bit of her not to flinch.
¡°Wrong seeing the whole place from back here.¡± Jo glanced over her shoulder, eyes blank. ¡°Towns should never be this flat.¡±
¡°I¡yeah.¡± Serena signed.
¡°Just like Bog¡¯s Road though,¡± Jo muttered. ¡°Worse, actually. But what¡¯s the reason? And why now?¡±
She wasn¡¯t talking to them anymore, her eyes flitting about the town, but Serena wasn¡¯t sure she wanted to discuss that right now. Not when Werond was with them.
¡°Hey¡how long do we want to be here?¡± She asked, chest tight.
¡°Long enough to find supplies, I¡¯d imagine.¡± Jo glanced at her. ¡°Shouldn¡¯t stay longer than that. Should try to figure out what happened though.¡±
¡°I mean¡probably the giants, if it¡¯s like Bog¡¯s Road.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t say that for sure until we have proof.¡±
¡°Jo, the whole place is destroyed¡what proof do you still need?¡±
¡°I know. You¡¯re probably right. Rather find something that says we¡¯re wrong though.¡± She glanced back at the rubble. ¡°Love to be wrong.¡±
Serena grimanced, understanding what Jo meant, but before she could sign, Werond pointed a finger at the hill strewn with rubble in the center of town.
¡°T ¨C A ¨C L ¨C E ¨C R¡± She signed.
Jo raised an eyebrow as Serena stared at her.
¡°It used to be taller?¡± Serena asked.
Werond nodded, then raised a hand over her head.
¡°Really tall?¡±
She nodded again.
¡°The hill in the center used to be much taller but¡¡± Serena squinted at it. ¡°Now it¡¯s not. Have you been here before?¡±
Werond began to nod, paused, bit her lip, then shrugged and nodded.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, they really should practice more with the signs.
¡°What could have happened that made the hill shorter then?¡± She turned to Jo. ¡°Was there¡anything in Bog¡¯s Road that ¨C¡±
¡°Need to go find them.¡± Jo suddenly said, flipping on her heel and marching towards the bridge. Serena blinked, and it took a moment for them to catch up, so fast did Jo move, offering her no time to think about the matter further.
Instead, other questions rose to the forefront of her mind as they crossed over the river. A part of her was surprised that the bridge was still intact, almost untouched like the walls from the gate. But then again, if giants had indeed attacked Nesme, it almost made sense for them not to care about it. They could simply walk across the river. Even if people were using it to flee or attack them, what did it matter? With how tiny the town was to them, the giants could have easily quashed any resistance in minutes. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, maybe they used the bridge to their advantage, herding everyone across it¡
She shuddered. With how horrific the destruction was, a few minutes was probably all it took to wipe out the entirety of the town. It would have been as simple to them as kicking an anthill over was to her. But why? What could have compelled giants to come all the way out here and act in such a heinous way? What could they have possibly been doing that required a second massacre of such a scale?
Doubtless she¡¯d never accept that answer, even if there was one.
Stifling the growing frustration that tightened her chest, Serena looked about as they stepped into the town proper, hoping beyond hope that there¡¯d be signs of life within the ruins. Yet everything remained as lifeless as ever, a vast field of death as bleak as the smoke in the air. And there was just so much of it. This close, it was easy to see that there¡¯d been multiple rings around the center hill, probably comprised of homes and businesses alike, just like Waterdeep. She could almost picture it, rows and rows of buildings chock full of life, idyllic sections of city where people lived their lives to the fullest, propelling a city that never slept, something always happening, something always going on¡
Now, all of it, gone.
Exhaustion suddenly flooded through Serena¡¯s chest, pulling her shoulders down. She slowed to a halt, Werond glancing at her. How much she wanted to mourn for this place and its people, yet she couldn¡¯t find the will to do so. It was just¡all too much.
Jo halted at the edge of the ring, looking up as Cruck¡¯aa dove out of the sky, disappearing behind the smoke on the far side. She looked back at them, and her face twisted in understanding.
¡°Need a minute?¡± She called.
Serena nodded, chest hollow. Beside her, Werond¡¯s attention had shifted from her to the few buildings that still stood within the rings, the fear in her body seemingly gone as she straightened up.
¡°Be okay if I kept going? Need to find them.¡± Serena nodded again. ¡°Alright. Make a noise if you need help, not far.¡±
And she flipped on her heel, stomping through the rubble towards the center hill.
Serena watched her go for a moment, wondering if she¡¯d be able to hear anything she¡¯d create. A fireball would be loud enough, but did she really want to ¨C
Werond untangled herself from Serena, drifting cautiously towards the rubble. Serena started, the spots where her hands had been warm with sweat, and jogged after her, towards one of the few still standing buildings. She twisted her fingers, a tiny whistle emanating from them, but Werond ignored the noise, glass and wood crunching beneath her boots until she stood before the building.
It looked like a bakery, or at least, it was one at some point. The wide windows in front were smashed in, shards still stuck in the frame poking up like jagged teeth. Between them, the once beautiful carved wooden door had been smashed in, barely hanging on its hinges. And through the door and windows, much of the building seemed barren, with only a few smashed shelves still standing.
Serena halted beside Werond, whose eyes now flitted about the building. She raised her hands to sign, to tell Werond that they needed to stick together now that Jo had left. But Werond beat her too it, flipping towards her fast enough for Serena¡¯s heart to leap into her throat.
¡°R ¨C O ¨C B.¡± She signed, then pointed at the door.
¡°What?¡± Serena asked. ¡°Werond I don¡¯t¡we need to stay together, can you ¨C¡±
¡°R ¨C O ¨C B.¡±
¡°Werond, I don¡¯t know what you mean. Rob like¡steal?¡±
She nodded, face scrunching up as she continued to sign. ¡°B ¨C R ¨C E ¨C A ¨C K ¨C I ¨C N.¡±
¡°Break in? Like ¨C¡±
¡°G ¨C I ¨C A ¨C N ¨C T ¨C S,¡± and she shook her head, perhaps a bit too much, before turning to walk into the building.
Serena remained outside, blinking, trying to make sense of her words. It was already odd enough that a few buildings had been missed, but what did she mean about break ins? And the giants? But she¡¯d shaken her head at that¡
She frowned, glancing at the shattered windows, broken in such a way that giants couldn¡¯t do.
Maybe someone had come over and broken into the building after the giants? It sounded reasonable, especially if they needed supplies or anything like that. And with the fact that Nesme was now a ghost town, well, people probably wouldn¡¯t care about any laws they were breaking. That didn¡¯t explain why Werond was so obsessed over the place, but then again¡it was somewhat odd. Was she just trying to take her mind off ¨C
Werond burst out the door, scaring Serena for a third time; she paid that surprise no mind, however, as she seized her hand, and dragged her into the building, Serena¡¯s heart smashing through her chest.
That nervousness only rose as Werond dragged her through the main room, and towards another room at the back, its door ajar but shattered, obscured by the shadows at the back.
¡°Werond, what are you ¨C¡± Serena tried to sign, before Werond shoved open the door and pulled Serena inside.
There, in the middle of wooden floor, the room as bare as the one before, lay the corpse of a man, headless and ruined, arms and legs nailed to the floor, chest ripped open, and ribs broken out into wings. Two thick, bloody slashes had been painted onto the wall behind him from the man¡¯s own blood, evident from the splashes of it that dashed the floor up to the wall.
Serena could only stare, blood freezing in her veins. Beside her, Werond grabbed her shoulder, and when their eyes met, Serena saw her own fear reflected from them.
Without asking, she grabbed Werond¡¯s hand and, with a twist of her fingers, teleported them out of the building.
Werond yelped as they landed on the cobblestones, stumbling as Serena landed perfectly. She looked up the hill and found Jo standing at the top, hands on her hips, head bowed. She didn¡¯t give it a second thought as she teleported them closer.
They made it halfway, feet crunching on more rubble, denser, with more wood in the piles. The sound caught Jo¡¯s attention as she flipped around, just as Serena raised her hand again.
¡°Wait!¡± Jo yelled, but they¡¯d already vanished, reappearing in a silvery mist beside her at the top of the hill. Werond stumbled and fell to her knees, but Serena remained on her feet, giving her a clear look at ¨C
Where everyone in Nesme had went.
Within the center of the hill, dug far into the bowls of the earth, lay an open, bloody grave. Hundreds upon hundreds of bodies, innumerable in scope, lay scattered, dashed, and broken upon mounds of rubble and wood, an ocean of jagged grey streaked with brown, and stained in red. So much red, soaking the bodies both large and horrifically small, flooding between the rubble, catching the sun in certain places. Even from a distance it was easy to see the chests that had been shattered, heads cracked, limbs torn off ¨C every possible injury or affliction seemed present in that horrible hole, the entrance to the Nine Hells, a veritable maw lined with grey teeth, and filled with the stench of death ¨C an open wound within the earth itself, unable to heal.
Werond screamed and shoved herself away, falling onto her back and scrambling into Jo¡¯s legs. Serena staggered back, unable to breathe, unable to comprehend the sheer size of the massacre that lay before her.
¡°There¡¯s someone trying to burn the bodies, on the edge.¡± Jo said behind her. ¡°Pavel and Doriyah are running over to check it out. Think Cruck¡¯aa went with them.¡±
A stifled sob broke from Werond¡¯s chest; Serena sank down in a crouch, burying her face into her hands. She hadn¡¯t seen that, but she was suddenly aware that the stench of death was nothing more than that of burning flesh.
A smell she thought she¡¯d gotten used to.
¡°Moving too fast for me to say anything.¡± Serena dropped her hands and half turned, half fell towards Jo. She crouched next to Werond, who had curled up, head in her knees. ¡°Didn¡¯t want either of you to see it¡sorry.¡±
¡°M-my fault.¡± Serena signed. ¡°W-we uhm¡uh¡¡± Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, her heart was hammering. ¡°We¡¯d¡g-gods ¨C¡±
¡°Relax for a moment.¡±
¡°H-How?!¡±
¡°Stop thinking about it.¡±
Serena blinked, resting her hands on her knees, itching from the grass. Stop thinking about it? It was all she could do, the image of that bloody hole burned into her mind, appearing before her every time she blinked like a sunspot from hell.
It didn¡¯t make sense ¨C she¡¯d burned people alive, she¡¯d seen carnage, she wasn¡¯t new to this. Why was she so shaken up then? Why did her chest feel so tight, like she couldn¡¯t breathe, why was her head spinning, her eyes burning ¨C she¡¯d seen worse, she¡¯d done worse, why was ¨C why did all this ¨C
¡°Serena, breathe.¡±
A burst of air shot out of her lungs; a breath she didn¡¯t know she was holding. Serena hunched forward, the heels of her palms pressing into her forehead. Her body was shaking, she realized, quavering with the smashing of her heart, as though it wanted to flee from her chest.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she wanted to vomit.
¡°Find anything down there?¡±
Serena turned her hands a little so she could sign with them still pressed to her head. ¡°W-what?¡±
¡°In the rubble. Saw you two go into one of the buildings. Anything interesting?¡±
¡°J-Jo I d-don¡¯t ¨C¡±
¡°Talk. It gets easier.¡±
Serena blinked, then pulled her head up, hands dropping to her lap. Jo was still crouched beside Werond, now rubbing her back as her body trembled silently.
¡°More you talk,¡± Jo said, eyes blank. ¡°the faster you work through it. What¡¯d you find?¡±
¡°I¡¡± God¡¯s, it was always terrible trying to sign when her hands shook. ¡°W-we found a p-place that was uhm¡broken into. B-by people, not giants. There was a uh¡¡±
¡°A what?¡±
¡°Another room¡¡± Serena sucked in a shuddering breath. ¡°A-and another body. L-like the ones from before.¡±
¡°The ones strung up in the trees?¡±
¡°Y-yeah.¡±
Jo stared at her, expression still blank, a look that told Serena she didn¡¯t believe her. But after a moment, just before Serena could sign again, Jo straightened up, her joints popping loudly.
¡°We need to find the others.¡± She said. ¡°They need to know.¡±
¡°Jo, what¡¡± Serena stammered. ¡°what does the body mean?¡±
¡°Nothing good. Now come on,¡± She grabbed Werond¡¯s arm and hauled her to her feet, still trembling. ¡°we need to go. Now.¡±
Survivors
So large was the hole within the center of the hill that what Serena believed to be a short walk turned into an agonizing trek around its ledge. While Jo knew that Pavel and Doriyah had run to the other side, she didn¡¯t know exactly where they were, and from their angle, they wouldn¡¯t find out until they could see the other side of the ruined town. Despite that, Cruck¡¯aa remained hovering around the smokestack, a brown speck in the otherwise clear sky; so long as they walked towards his general direction, they¡¯d find them soon enough.
Jo spent the entirety of their walk on the hole¡¯s edge, glancing at the mess that lay at the bottom, and occasionally at the smoke on the other side. Just the thought of looking back down tied Serena¡¯s stomach into a knot, however, and thus she remained a few feet to the side of Jo, slightly down the hill. And though that helped calm the nausea somewhat, the same couldn¡¯t be said for Werond, now leaning against Serena once more, head ducked, body trembling under the weight of what they¡¯d seen.
She grimanced as Werond clutched her arm tighter, jerking as she choked back another sob. She reached across and laid her hand on top of Werond¡¯s, the only comfort she could offer her at the moment.
Jo let loose a whistle. ¡°It¡¯s worse¡¡±
Serena looked up as they continued around the hole, the rest of Nesme slowly coming into view. And despite desperately wishing so, she couldn¡¯t argue with Jo¡¯s assessment.
The other side of the city looked strikingly like what they¡¯d already seen. But further down the hill, beyond the rings of rubble, of crushed buildings, of the scant few that still stood, much of the city¡¯s walls were utterly destroyed. A gaping hole occupied the center, wide enough for giants to easily walk through shoulder to shoulder, Serena was sure. But in front of that smashed section of wall lay two massive trenches dug into the earth, extending out of the city and to the fields beyond, but tracing back through the rubble, and up to the base of the hill itself.
Serena narrowed her eyes. There was something familiar about those trenches, too large to be man-made. They were spaced apart so evenly too, almost like something was dragged ¨C
¡°There.¡± Jo pointed, pulling her attention.
Further down and away from the hill, but still a few feet from the trenches, Pavel and Doriyah stood with arms crossed, facing each other over the hunched form of a small man, wringing his hands as he looked back and forth between the pair, the sun reflecting oddly off his bald head. An upturned wheelbarrow lay behind the man, almost as though he were shielding it from the two giants before him.
¡°Who¡¯s that?¡± Serena signed, after getting Jo¡¯s attention.
¡°Faintest idea,¡± Jo said, scratching at her ear. ¡°saw him on the edge pushing in bodies. Sure he¡¯s doing the burning too.¡±
¡°He looks scared.¡±
¡°Bet we¡¯d be too, if we knew what those idiots were arguing about.¡±
Serena grinned, but that smile quickly died as they drew closer to the trenches. She craned her neck as they walked by, peering down their lengths. They looked impossibly wide by human standards, and they stretched so deep that Serena was sure that a fall in would be fatal. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she could barely even see the earthy bottom, so long did the shadows stretch.
¡°Hey¡¡± Serena signed; Jo had fallen in beside them as they walked. ¡°are these ¨C¡±
¡°Yes, like Bog¡¯s Road.¡± Jo said. ¡°Can that for a moment.¡±
Whatever argument Doriyah and Pavel had evaporated as they approached, both turning to face them as though the tiny man between them didn¡¯t exist. He looked worse up close, haggard, with shoulders hunched, yet his eyes remained bright, and wide, as he regarded them.
¡°Short legs.¡± Doriyah said, arms still crossed.
Jo had opened her mouth to speak, but instead let it hang open as she stared at him. Werond finally pulled her head up, red, tired eyes flitting about, though she remained clutching at Serena.
¡°What?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Short legs. Must suck to have them.¡± Doriyah said.
¡°What in the Hells are you ¨C¡±
¡°Took you all forever to get here,¡± Doriyah continued. ¡°because you have short legs. That has to suck. I got here in a minute, considering ¨C¡±
¡°It wasn¡¯t a minute!¡± Pavel stuck his hands on his hips. ¡°I¡¯ve been trying to say, it couldn¡¯t have been a minute. I counted and there¡¯s no way ¨C¡±
¡°How the fuck were you counting?!¡± Doriyah asked. ¡°And why?!¡±
¡°Because I knew you¡¯d say something stupid like that! And in my head!¡±
¡°Again, how? Because there¡¯s nothing up there.¡±
¡°You can¡¯t call me stupid,¡± Pavel pointed a finger. ¡°I¡¯ve seen you eat fish bones!¡±
¡°I like my meat extra crunchy.¡±
¡°How does that ¨C¡±
¡°Excuse me!¡± Bleated a squeaky voice.
Serena jerked, torn suddenly from the pair¡¯s theatrics; her gaze slipped down to the older, who, already short, shrunk further as he cowered under their gazes.
¡°Uh, erm,¡± He pulled at his collar, stained with sweat, and dotted with holes; his droopy, greyish mustache and the wrinkles across his square face spoke of an age far older than any of them, save perhaps Jo. ¡°now uh, my-my apologizes to interrupt y¡¯all, but uhm, y¡¯all said ¨C well, y¡¯all,¡± he gestured at Serena, Jo, and Werond. ¡°are y¡¯all the folks who¡¯d help?¡±
¡°What?¡± Jo said, looking between Doriyah and Pavel. ¡°Help?¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t say anything.¡± Doriyah said. ¡°Can¡¯t speak to midgets right anyways.¡±
¡°I spoke to him,¡± Pavel said. ¡°and offered him our help. I figured ¨C¡± He glanced at the man. ¡°Sorry, what was your name again?¡±
¡°Hugh!¡± The man said. ¡°Or Hugo!¡±
¡°Right, I figured Hugo needed some assistance, and I meant with the bodies, but then we got to talking, and I found out his family is sick!¡± He beamed at Serena. ¡°So, I mentioned we had someone who could help! Figured you could whip them back into shape in no time, right?¡±
Serena blinked, taken aback. That was quite the promise to make, one that she wasn¡¯t even sure she could keep, let alone to someone they¡¯d just met. But before she could sign as much, Jo interrupted with a loud, explosive sigh.
¡°Exactly,¡± She said, looking at Hugo. ¡°what¡¯s wrong with your family?¡±
¡°Oh! I uhm,¡± Hugo said. ¡°well you see, we got, uhm, some of ¡®em upstairs ¨C extended family, y¡¯all know ¨C and uh, they¡¯re a bit, I suppose, wounded from the er, the battle. A little sick. I uh, I don¡¯t rightly know what¡¯s what. Did my best to bandage ¡®em, ain¡¯t no doctor though. If y¡¯all could uhm, just, I suppose, look ¡®em over, I¡¯d ¨C we¡¯d be mighty appreciative!¡±
¡°That¡¯s it? Look them over?¡±
¡°Er, yes ma¡¯am!¡±
Jo squeezed her eyes shut, cocking her jaw. Serena glanced around, unwilling to speak, unsure of what to say, and found that she wasn¡¯t alone. Pavel and Doriyah simply stared at Jo, though there did seem to be a hopeful glimmer in Pavel¡¯s eye. Cruck¡¯aa remained above them still, hovering close enough to intervene, but far enough way to keep himself uninvolved ¨C something very much unlike him, she noted.
Perhaps that was for the best, else the man would¡¯ve been dead by now.
¡°We,¡± Jo finally spoke, eyes still closed. ¡°will make no promises. But we can look them over and see what we can do.¡±
¡°Y¡¯all mean it?!¡± Hugo sputtered.
¡°Of course.¡±
¡°Oh! Fantastic!¡± Hugo hopped into the air, spinning as he did, landing away from them. ¡°Y¡¯all follow me then!¡±
And he took off, jogging parallel to the trenches, and towards the ring of rubble.
¡°You all saw that, right?¡± Doriyah asked. ¡°He just ¨C¡±
¡°Why?!¡± Jo whirled on Pavel, stepping directly into his face. ¡°In the Nine Hells did you promise anything to that man?!¡±
¡°What?¡± Pavel leaned back. ¡°Where¡¯s this coming from?!¡±
¡°Pavel, we know nothing of the situation here, nothing of who that man is, and ¨C¡±
¡°Are you afraid of him?¡± Pavel glanced back. ¡°Jo, he¡¯s a little old man, I think ¨C¡±
¡°That doesn¡¯t matter! We don¡¯t know anything on what¡¯s going on here ¨C¡±
¡°So that¡¯s an excuse not to help anyone ¨C¡±
¡°It¡¯s the reason why we need to be careful! Pavel ¨C¡±
¡°Look, if you all don¡¯t want to help him, then I¡¯ll try. I promised ¨C¡±
But Jo threw up her hands, letting loose a guttural sound of annoyance, before pushing past Pavel and walking after Hugo, now a stopped a good distance, waiting for them. Pavel shook his head but fell in after her, and without a word, the rest of them followed suit ¨C save Cruck¡¯aa, who remained hanging in the air.
No one spoke as they picked their way through the rubble; Hugo led them on a roundabout route, avoiding some areas of debris while going through the next. None of them questioned it, but then, no one seemed willing to. A tense quiet had fallen over their staggered line, punctuated only by the occasional crunch of glass or wood underfoot. Jo refused to look back as she trudged along, and Pavel slowed his walk deliberately, so he was always a few paces behind her, never close enough to talk. It didn¡¯t help that Doriyah strolled between them, a mountain of fiery-maned obviousness, but that was beside the point.
The silence was only made worse by Serena¡¯s own thoughts, as she saw reason in both of her friends¡¯ shouted words. Yes, they shouldn¡¯t just blindly promise to help someone without knowing anything, but at the same time, Hugo looked too old, too¡well, cute, to do them any harm. She was sure she¡¯d help him as well, had she met him first, but that didn¡¯t excuse making promises she wasn¡¯t sure she could keep. But thanks to Pavel, that had already been done for her. But then again if they could actually help¡
Serena sighed; this would pass soon, and then they could leave. All would be fine in a few hours, she was sure of it. No point in worrying when other issues demanded her attention.
She glanced over at Werond as the thought crossed her mind. Thankfully, she seemed better, her amber eyes losing their redness as she walked now with shoulders straightened. Yet she¡¯d remained clutching Serena¡¯s arm and gave only the tiniest of nods when Serena asked if she was okay. She would have pushed the issue, despite the grimace on her face, had they not arrived at Hugo¡¯s house.
He¡¯d lead them all the way to the walls, some distance away from the gaping hole, now impossibly large up close, to a section that still towered so many stories above them. Almost shoved against the stone was one of the few remaining houses in the area, alone in a sea of rubble. Only two stories tall, it looked just like the ones in Waterdeep, with its square windows and pointed wooden roof, so much so that Serena could have sworn she¡¯d seen the design before, perhaps when she and Werond had¡
She shook her head as those memories came trickling back, once pleasant thoughts, now reminders of what she no longer had. It¡¯d do her no good to get lost in them now, despite the pang in her chest urging her to do so.
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¡°Now, uhm,¡± Hugo flipped around to face them, almost walking backwards into the door. ¡°why don¡¯t y¡¯all let me uhm, go in first and tell everyone y¡¯all are friendly. We¡¯ve uh, had too many run-ins and uhm, well uh, I know y¡¯all are fine but they ¨C¡±
¡°That¡¯s alright,¡± Pavel said, as they fanned out around the front of the house; Serena could just barely make out muffled voices from within. ¡°Take your time. We¡¯re not going anywhere.¡±
¡°Right, uhm ¨C right!¡±
Hugo gave them a nod, before cracking the door just enough for him to slip through, closing it behind him.
¡°So,¡± Pavel said, immediately turning on Serena. ¡°I didn¡¯t catch any specifics, just that the family is sick, but after you heal them up ¨C¡±
¡°Pavel,¡± Serena signed, untangling herself from Werond. ¡°I can¡¯t help them if they¡¯re sick. I can heal wounds but¡if they have something, I can¡¯t do much.¡±
¡°What?¡± Pavel raised a brow. ¡°That doesn¡¯t ¨C you¡¯ve never said that before!¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s never been an issue¡that magic uses different spells, and I never learned how to cast them. They¡¯re¡more complicated than just closing a wound.¡±
¡°What? But healing is healing, how¡¯d you never learn them?¡±
Serena bristled. ¡°I just didn¡¯t, okay? Didn¡¯t think I needed them, and honestly, I haven¡¯t until now.¡±
¡°Well¡Nine Hells Serena, I wish I¡¯d known that.¡±
¡°Maybe you should have asked me then, before you went around making promises.¡±
¡°I mean, sure, but I thought ¨C¡±
¡°No,¡± Jo said, glaring daggers at Pavel. ¡°you didn¡¯t. Haven¡¯t been thinking since we got here. Should have left by now.¡±
¡°Left?!¡± Pavel sputtered. ¡°Why would we leave? These people need help and ¨C¡±
¡°And we have to be the ones to offer it?¡± Jo shook her head. ¡°Barely pulled ourselves out of the swamp, have no idea what in the Hells is happening to these towns, and you just offer us up to the first people we meet. Don¡¯t have time for any of this.¡±
¡°Jo, what are we even doing?!¡± Pavel threw up his hands. ¡°We¡¯re ¨C¡±
¡°Going to Silverymoon,¡± Jo said. ¡°and figuring how what the fuck is going on.¡±
¡°And we can¡¯t help people on the way?! What¡¯s the harm?!¡±
¡°They,¡± Jo nodded to Serena and Werond. ¡°found another body, like the ones on the road.¡±
¡°Here?!¡±
¡°Inside one of the buildings. A good enough reason to leave, but you¡¯ve tied us down.¡±
Pavel blinked, staring at them with a wide-eyed expression. As he opened his mouth to speak, however, the door opened, and Hugo stuck his head through, eyes equally wide.
¡°Uhm, so, uh,¡± He swallowed. ¡°no offense, but could the healer come in by herself? We uh, don¡¯t mind but uh, we¡¯ve got uh, some folks in here who uh, might not take kindly to a uh, a a tiny fire giant.¡±
¡°Who the fuck you calling tiny?¡± Doriyah growled, pulling a squeak out of Hugo.
Serena rolled her eyes but stepped towards the door regardless. Halfway there, however, Jo grabbed her shoulder, holding her in place.
¡°Not sending in one of our own like that.¡± Jo said, as Serena glanced at her. ¡°I¡¯ll come with her.¡±
Another hand fell on her other shoulder, and Serena was surprised to see Werond standing beside her, doing her best not to look nervous. They met each other¡¯s eyes, but she quickly glanced away.
¡°My associate will also be coming.¡± Jo said, without missing a beat.
¡°I uhm, well,¡± Hugo said. ¡°that¡¯s a mighty lot of y¡¯all, uh ¨C¡±
¡°We¡¯re women. How much trouble can we cause?¡±
¡°Ah! Fair point ma¡¯am.¡± Hugo opened the door and gestured for them to come in. Before Serena could ask Jo what in the Nine Hells that was about, she shoved Werond and her forward.
It took a moment for Serena¡¯s eyes to adjust as they stepped in, Hugo pulling the door shut behind them. The windows had been drawn down tightly, the only light being a few candles burning beneath them. The room itself was bare, save for a large wooden table in the middle, the benches on either side filled with children and a single woman, all staring up at them as they entered, snatches of parchment and charcoal sticks between them. A few cabinets lined the walls to their right, along with an ancient looking stove, and on the other side of the room, sitting on the first step of a flight of wooden stairs curving upward, was a boy with a short sword laid across his lap. He looked older than the children at the table but couldn¡¯t have been more than fifteen.
The children, tiny and clustered around the woman, perked up as they entered, their voices rising to a questioning chorus, quickly shushed. All wore the ratted clothing of survivors, and despite the wonder in their eyes, each looked as lean and haggard as Hugo was.
¡°Ah, uhm, everyone,¡± Hugo said, standing beside them. ¡°these are, uhm, some of the folks that I uh, met outside. They said they uh, could heal ¡®em. Uh¡¡± He paused. ¡°I don¡¯t think, uh, that I ever got ya¡¯ll names. Or uhm, who between y¡¯all is the healer?¡±
¡°I am,¡± Serena signed. ¡°Serena. And that¡¯s Jo and Werond.¡±
Jo shot a glare at Serena as Hugo and the woman flinched; Serena cringed, forgetting, for once, about her signs, but that embarrassment was drowned out by the children, their voices shouting in awe.
¡°She¡¯s in my head!¡±
¡°Woah!¡±
¡°She¡¯s a mind reader!¡±
¡°Do it again!¡±
Heat ignited across Serena¡¯s chest, rising to her cheeks as the woman shushed them once more, shooting a glare at her.
¡°Oh, uhm sorry!¡± Serena couldn¡¯t help but smile as the children¡¯s voices rose again ¡°That¡¯s not ¨C I¡¯m not a mind reader, I ¨C¡±
¡°Hugo,¡± Jo cut in. ¡°best if you showed my associates to the injured. Before ¨C¡±
¡°Uhm! Right, right!¡± He could barely speak over the chatter of the children, the woman shushing them in vain. ¡°Er, Baron? Would you kindly lead ¡®em upstairs please?¡±
He looked at the boy on the stairs, who glared daggers back. After a long moment, punctuated by shouting and shushing, Baron stood and tromped up the stairs, sword clutched tight.
¡°Ya¡¯ll will have to excuse him.¡± Hugo said, wringing his hands. ¡°Baron¡¯s been mighty suspicious of uh¡everyone, these days.¡±
¡°For good reason.¡± The woman at the table raised her voice over the children¡¯s.
¡°Of course.¡± Jo jerked her head toward the stairs. ¡°Be safe.¡±
¡°Are you staying here?¡± Serena asked, then immediately regretted it as the chorus of little voices rose again.
Jo nodded curtly. ¡°Need to talk to Hugo.¡±
Serena nodded as the man jumped, and moved towards the stairs, Werond hot on her heels. She did not look at the legion of wide, curious eyes that followed her, their little voices falling to an awed hush as she walked by. From the way the woman glared at her, it seemed best to avoid riling up the children anymore than they already were.
The wooden stairs creaked underfoot, their worn surfaces showcasing a comfortable age to the house. They went up, flipped around, and deposited them on a wide, but narrow landing. A table and set of chairs standing on one end below a window, where ample sunlight poured in, illuminating the otherwise dark space. In the middle of the landing, a hallway spanned the length of the house, just as narrow, with a few doors spaced apart on both the walls. It looked almost like the taverns she¡¯d seen on her travels up the coast, an odd design for such a large family.
Baron glared at them from the threshold of that hallway as they approached, sword at his side. He stepped forward to meet them, eyes flicking between them; they lingered on Serena as Werond stepped back, and he gestured at her with the sword.
¡°Now y¡¯all both listen here,¡± He said. ¡°I don¡¯t want no funny business. I see anything, I¡¯ll stick y¡¯all. Make myself clear?¡±
Serena cocked a brow.
¡°Now I mean it!¡± Baron¡¯s voice cracked, and he waved the sword under her nose. ¡°Anything funny and I¡¯ll gut y¡¯all first and ask questions later!¡±
¡°Of course.¡± Serena signed.
She wasn¡¯t in the habit of being threatened by children playing with weapons they didn¡¯t know how to use, but at the same time, she couldn¡¯t help but understand the boy¡¯s terror, evident in his wide eyes. To ask complete strangers to help who she could only assume was family would be frightening in its own right.
Baron nodded, then turned down the hallway, leading them to the farthest door on the left, the wood still creaking underfoot. As they reached it, however, he leaned against it, the bite in his voice disappearing as he regarded Serena.
¡°Don¡¯t know what¡¯s wrong with them.¡± He said, voice low. ¡°They got hit, bunch of swords and axes, and they was fine until¡they got sick. Now they¡don¡¯t really move much.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± Serena said. ¡°I¡¯ll do what I can for their wounds, but if they¡¯re sick with something¡I can¡¯t make any promises.¡±
The boy grimanced, teeth grinding as she spoke.
¡°Can¡¯t you just talk normal?¡± He demanded. ¡°Stuff like that is why I don¡¯t trust y¡¯all.¡±
¡°I would if I could. I¡¯m not¡doing anything, if that¡¯s what you¡¯re thinking. Just talking.¡±
¡°Keep it that way.¡±
And he shoved into the room. Serena glanced back at Werond, who glared over her shoulder at Baron; she shook her head, then ushered her in.
Four beds had been crammed into a room that should have only held one; arranged in twos, they stuck out from the walls, creating a narrow walkway between them, the floor lined with what looked to be fur rugs. Aside from the dresser at end of the room, beneath an open window where Baron now sat, the place was depressingly bare, as though it wasn¡¯t meant to be lived in for very long.
Though perhaps she shouldn¡¯t have thought that.
All the beds were occupied, three with men, and one with an older woman. Each lay in various states of undress, shirts unbuttoned and pulled open, pant legs torn or removed entirely. Swathes of bandages covered almost every visible section of their bodies, all in various shades of white, yellow, and red, and the poor woman near the back had a few covering her face, over one eye. How long those bandages had remained, Serena couldn¡¯t tell, but from their color and general stench of sick that hung in the air, they¡¯d must have been up here for quite some time.
None of them stirred when Werond shut the door behind them, and for a moment, all Serena could do was stare.
¡°What happened?¡± She asked.
¡°Fucking ¨C¡± Baron grimanced and lowered his voice, sword across his lap. ¡°those fucking god damned barbs. Giants came, then them, then this.¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Serena said, heart in her throat. ¡°what ¨C¡±
¡°Y¡¯all gonna help them or not?!¡±
She glared at him, and that brave fa?ade crumbled in an instant; he glanced away, mumbling something, before beginning to tap the flat of the sword against his thighs. She¡¯d have to ask afterwards.
Serena glanced back at Werond, who stood now with her back against the door. She quickly sign, ¡°W ¨C A ¨C T ¨C C ¨C H¡±, pointed at herself, then to Baron. Feeling somewhat relieved, Serena set to work.
In truth, however, there wasn¡¯t much work to be done. None of the men reacted to her presence, nor when she peeled away the disgusting bandages, revealing festering wounds of yellow pus and angry red, throbbing skin. Each burned away under her silver light, the sizzling of flesh filling the air as she healed and closed every wound, no matter the size. Baron took offense at the noise, but a quick wave of her hand, bathed in light, shooed him away once he saw her work, wounds now nothing more than fresh scars.
And yet, through it all, none of the men stirred, none of the men awoke from what Serena knew to be painful. They simply laid there as their flesh reknit, muttering, and sweating as though locked in some terrible dream, one where no amount of prodding could wake them. Expect for the last, the woman, who was already awake when Serena reached her, sweaty and exhausted. But only just.
She looked like a mirror image of the woman downstairs, peering at Serena beneath a half-lidded eye, the other wrapped in somewhat cleaner bandages than the ones across her chest. She sucked in a breath when Serena leaned over her, hands hovering above her.
¡°And where did y¡¯all come from?¡± The woman croaked.
¡°Uhm¡that¡¯s a long story.¡± Serena signed. ¡°But I¡¯m here to heal you, best I can, if you¡¯ll let me.¡±
¡°Of course¡¡± The woman grunted, struggling to even talk. ¡°Glad¡you¡¯re not with the barbs.¡±
Serena paused unwrapping the woman¡¯s bandages, glancing up at her, then at Baron, watching her intently.
¡°What happened?¡± She asked, pulling her hands up. ¡°If you¡don¡¯t mind me asking. Baron talked about the¡barbs?... too.¡±
¡°Raiders.¡± The woman croaked, as Baron made some noise of irritation. ¡°Came in, after them giants. Just a¡few days.¡±
Her eye fluttered for a moment, before regaining focus on her, almost boring a hole through Serena.
¡°Put them stuff on them blades¡¡± She muttered. ¡°Make us¡like this¡¡±
Serena cocked her head and began to sign, only for the woman to quickly slip into unconsciousness. She did not rouse when she pressed her fingers against her neck, nor when she removed the bandages and healed her wounds. She left the clothes on her face, however, after snapping them clean; there wasn¡¯t much Serena could do to fix a missing body part.
¡°So?¡± Baron asked as Serena straightened up, her back popping, worry gnawing at the back of her mind.
¡°They should all be fine,¡± Serena said, facing him and snapping her hands clean. ¡°but there¡¯s¡I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t think they¡¯re sick, but there¡¯s something wrong with them. They¡¯re all¡extremely tired, I guess. I don¡¯t really know the spells to identify what that would be¡sorry.¡±
¡°Well, what good are y¡¯all then?!¡± Baron snapped, leaping off the dresser, brandishing his sword. ¡°Y¡¯all didn¡¯t fix them! Y¡¯all were supposed ¨C¡±
¡°I heal their wounds,¡± Serena snapped. ¡°so they won¡¯t die from them. They won¡¯t die from being tired, but from their wounds, they would have. When was the last time you changed their bandages?¡±
¡°Change ¡®em?!¡± Baron yelled. ¡°How am I supposed to know to change ¡®em?¡±
¡°Nine Hells, you¡¯re lucky I came then! They would have died from infection if I hadn¡¯t!¡±
¡°Y¡¯all don¡¯t mean that!¡±
¡°How would you know?¡±
The boy opened his mouth to argue, then snapped it closed, huffing as he did.
¡°I don¡¯t.¡± He grumbled. ¡°And I suppose y¡¯all be want payment then.¡±
¡°Ah,¡± Serena signed; she hadn¡¯t thought of that. ¡°It¡¯s fine, don¡¯t worry about it.¡±
¡°Nah, I need to give y¡¯all something.¡± Baron grumbled. ¡°Pa¡¯ll will insist if we don¡¯t, and I don¡¯t wanna be in y¡¯alls debt!¡±
¡°I mean it, I don¡¯t really¡¡±
Her fingers trailed off; behind him on the dresser ¨C he must have sat on it ¨C was a small stack of parchment, bound at the top by a strip of leather, a stick of charcoal beside it. From the angle, Serena could just barely make out a few scratches of Common, but the stack still looked full, as though unused.
¡°Are you using that?¡± She asked, pointing; Baron followed her finger, then scoffed.
¡°Nah, why¡¯d I¡¯d be using ¨C¡±
¡°I¡¯ll take that as payment.¡±
¡°What?! It¡¯s just a ¨C¡±
¡°Good reward for my services, yes.¡±
The boy stared at her, mouth working, eyes narrowed, as though he were trying to uncover her game. She didn¡¯t have one, but if she got that parchment and charcoal, well¡maybe she could heal a body part, if only temporary.
¡°Fine then.¡± Baron said, grabbing the parchment and charcoal, ripping off the top sheet. ¡°But then y¡¯all don¡¯t¡¯ ask for nothing from Pa once y¡¯all leave. Y¡¯all got payment.¡±
¡°Deal.¡± Serena said, reaching out.
Baron handed them over without issue; Serena spun on her heel and marched towards the door, meeting Werond¡¯s narrowed, confused gaze. She grinned, then offered the parchment and stick to her.
¡°It¡¯s not your tongue,¡± Serena signed when she took them. ¡°but it¡¯s something.¡±
Werond¡¯s eyes flew open, and she looked down at the stuff in her hands. When she regarded Serena again, it was with an expression somewhere between happiness, and what she took to be pride. Serena couldn¡¯t help but beam.
They made their way out of the room and downstairs without incident. It didn¡¯t seem like anyone had moved, the woman and children still at the table, Jo and Hugo by the door. The children continued to talk in hushed voices, despite the efforts of the woman, while Hugo still stood wringing his hands, nervous about, if Serena could guess, how grim Jo looked, with her arms crossed and head down.
Her gaze snapped towards them as Serena and Werond walked into the room. ¡°Good?¡± She asked as they approached.
¡°I think so. I healed their wounds but¡¡± Serena glanced at Hugo. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else is wrong with them. They just seem¡tired, I guess. Maybe now that they¡¯re healed, it¡¯ll pass but¡I¡¯m not too sure. I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°Ah, uhm, that¡¯s quite alright ma¡¯am,¡± Hugo said, a wobbly grin plastered on his face. ¡°y¡¯all did what y¡¯all could. We appreciate it. Now uhm, payment wise ¨C¡±
¡°Baron already helped us with that.¡± Serena signed, pointing at the parchment in Werond¡¯s hands.
¡°Oh! Well, good! Will uhm,¡± He stammered as Jo moved towards the door. ¡°will y¡¯all be needing a place to stay then? Ya¡¯ll ¨C¡±
¡°Don¡¯t know,¡± Jo shoved open the door, jerking her head at Serena and Werond. ¡°Come on. We all need to talk.¡±
Discussions
¡°So?¡± Pavel asked.
The door was pulled shut behind them as they walked out, a distinct click sounding immediately after. So dark had the house been that it took Serena a few blinks for her eyes to adjust, but when they did, she was surprised to see that Cruck¡¯aa still wasn¡¯t with Doriyah and Pavel. A quick, upwards glance confirmed her suspicions, his form small as it hung against the sky.
¡°Has he come down at all?¡± Serena signed, as Jo ushered them to where Doriyah and Pavel stood, a few paces from the front door.
¡°Nope,¡± Doriyah shrugged. ¡°prefer it that way too.¡±
¡°Right but¡it odd for him.¡±
¡°Probably still pissed. Let him stew.¡±
¡°So?!¡± Pavel yelled.
Serena flinched, his voice echoing off the walls behind her, its intensity matched only by the anticipation that lit his eyes like a flame. Beside her, Werond cringed back, clutching the stack of parchment to her chest, while Jo, sighing loudly, moved to stand on the other side of Serena.
¡°You first.¡± She said, gesturing at her. ¡°Soil himself otherwise.¡±
She ignored the look that Serena threw her way, as did Pavel when she glanced back at him. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, why were his eyes so wide?
¡°Well¡¡± She signed. ¡°I¡helped as best I could. They had some family upstairs, and they were hurt from some fight. I closed all their wounds but¡¡±
Her fingers twitched, signs beginning to form, only to be lost as she let them trail off under the weight of Pavel¡¯s stare.
¡°There¡¯s something off about them.¡± She continued, heart thudding. ¡°They¡¯re¡really tired and groggy. One of them mumbled something about barbarians and¡I think they¡¯re poisoned. Maybe the weapons were coated in something, but I don¡¯t know¡I couldn¡¯t get an answer out of anyone, and¡can¡¯t do much about that. I think they¡¯ll be okay if they rest, it didn¡¯t seem like the poison, or whatever it was, hurt them, but ¨C¡±
¡°You left them like that?!¡± Pavel blurted out, leaning towards her.
¡°Pavel, I had to, I-I don¡¯t know how to help with something like that¡I don¡¯t even know what¡¯s wrong with them, I¡¯m just guessing. I just¡¡± She grimanced. ¡°I did all I could.¡±
And yet, despite the truth of her words, Pavel¡¯s eyes bore a hole into her chest. Gods, maybe there was a way she could have helped, but even so, Serena couldn¡¯t see it. She just didn¡¯t know how to cure something like that, and that wasn¡¯t her fault but¡gods, why did he stare at her like that?
¡°I just¡¡± Pavel said. ¡°I don¡¯t understand. Why can¡¯t you just cure the poison?¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s a different spell Pavel.¡± Serena signed. ¡°The¡words and feelings are different, and I never learned them. I couldn¡¯t do it even if I tried.¡±
¡°But how¡that doesn¡¯t make any sense! If you heal something, you heal something! Did you even try?¡±
¡°What ¨C yes I tried!¡± Serena sputtered. ¡°Pavel, magic doesn¡¯t work like that! It ¨C¡±
¡°Why not?¡±
¡°It just ¨C it doesn¡¯t, I don¡¯t know why, but the ¨C¡±
¡°How do you not know? You use it every day!¡±
¡°Because it¡¯s in me!¡± Serena shouted, tapping at her chest. ¡°The magic is in me! I can draw it out and make it do certain things, but I don¡¯t know how or why or any of that! I¡¯m not a damned wizard Pavel! I just don¡¯t know!¡±
¡°Serena,¡± His eyes narrowed as he stared at her as though she¡¯d grown a second head. ¡°you have to understand something like that to use it. None of that ¨C¡±
¡°Pavel I don¡¯t know! I don¡¯t know!¡± The hole grew, plunging her body in ice. ¡°Please just believe me! I ¨C I swear to the Seven Canaries, I did everything I could, please just believe me! Please!¡±
¡°Serena ¨C¡±
Gods damnit, what more do you want from me?!¡±
Pavel stepped back, hands up as he regarded her with a surprised expression, a look that only served to burn away the cold embarrassment under a frustration so hot she wanted to scream. A hand gripped her arm just as the signs began to form, however, sending Serena¡¯s heart into her throat as she swung her head to the side ¨C
To meet Werond¡¯s gaze, pools of amber shimmering with worry. Her lips formed a single word, one that Serena read easily enough:
Stop.
The guilt and frustration drained away, a different kind of embarrassment taking their place, her skin prickling under its heat.
¡°Pavel,¡± Jo sighed, utterly exasperated. ¡°believe her. Can¡¯t do it, she can¡¯t do it. Getting her worked up over nothing.¡±
¡°But ¨C¡± Pavel said.
¡°But nothing, drop it.¡±
Pavel sighed but nodded all the same. ¡°Right, sorry Serena.¡±
¡°It¡¯s fine¡¡± Serena said, rubbing her face as Werond released her, sweat forming on her lower back.
But it wasn¡¯t, but she wasn¡¯t about to say that. Why in the Nine Hells couldn¡¯t Pavel believe her? Taking her word had never been an issue in the past, so why now did he doubt her? Gods, the way he looked at her ¨C never had she seen such intensity pour off of him, where ¨C
No¡she had seen that before, back in ¨C
¡°Regardless, found out a bit while they were upstairs,¡± Jo said, crossing her arms. ¡°about what¡¯s going on.¡±
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¡°Oh?¡± Pavel asked, hands on his hips.
¡°Yup. Not pretty either.¡± Jo said. ¡°Said that giants came in, fire giants, from how he described it, and ripped the place apart before they realized what¡¯d happened. Started excavating in the middle,¡± She gestured at the hollowed-out hill, further back. ¡°and ripped something out. Big and metal, all he said. Dragged it through the walls and never came back. Same can¡¯t be said for bandits though.¡±
¡°The barbarians?¡± Pavel asked.
¡°Believe so. Couple days later, they swept through, rounded up survivors and whisked them into the woods. Got paid off by the few who still had something, but when the gold and food ran out¡¡± She shook her head.
¡°But not them?¡± Doriyah asked, jerking his head at the house.
¡°Had enough to keep them away for a while. Didn¡¯t elaborate on that. Won¡¯t last though, from what he said. Coming back soon. Wants to leave but their sick are tying them down.¡±
¡°Shame.¡± Doriyah rubbed his chin; Pavel¡¯s face fell, mouth hanging agape. ¡°The hell fire giants doing though?¡±
¡°Haven¡¯t a clue. Asked him about news further down the coast, but he didn¡¯t have any. Still blind.¡±
¡°Bet it¡¯s worth a lot, whatever they pulled out.¡±
¡°Imagine so.¡± Jo sucked in a breath. ¡°Right, Serena, could you tell Cruck¡¯aa we¡¯re moving? Doubt he¡¯d hear ¨C¡±
¡°Wait, hold up,¡± Pavel interrupted. ¡°moving? We¡¯re leaving?¡±
¡°Yes, Pavel. Need to ¨C¡±
¡°We can¡¯t leave! Jo, we have to help these people!¡± Pavel pointed over her head with his entire hand. ¡°If what they said is true, then we need to stay! They¡¯re defenseless, they¡¯ll die if we don¡¯t!¡±
Serena¡¯s heart leapt into her throat as the intensity returned to Pavel¡¯s voice. Jo, however, simply stared at him, her mouth working around words she seemed unwilling to say.
¡°Knew you¡¯d say that.¡± She muttered.
¡°Of course I would!¡± Pavel continued to shout, stepping towards her. ¡°If these people are in danger, we need to help! They¡¯ve got sick in there, for gods sake! And you saw Hugo, he¡¯d barely be able to defend himself, let alone his family! What would that make us if we just left them to die like that?¡±
The words seemed to bounce off Jo as she squeezed her eyes shut, jaw working to the side. It was all the motivation Pavel needed to move closer, palms towards her as though he were pleading.
¡°You know as well as I do that we can¡¯t just leave them like this.¡± He said. ¡°We have an obligation. We ¨C¡±
¡°Aren¡¯t heroes!¡± Jo spat, eyes flying open; Serena jumped as Werond flinched back. ¡°What fucking obligation do we have?! Because we can fight?! Nine Hells, we need to look out for ourselves first! And fighting for people we just met flies in the face of that!¡±
¡°So you¡¯d leave them to die?!¡±
¡°We¡¯re not responsible for that! For gods¡¯ sake Pavel, we don¡¯t even know what¡¯s going on!¡± She jerked her hand over Pavel¡¯s head. ¡°We¡¯ve been kidnapped, beaten, and flung into a shitstorm of corpses and marauding fire giants, and still know next to nothing! We can¡¯t stay here! We need to get to Silverymoon ¨C¡±
¡°Why?!¡± Pavel shot back. ¡°How does that magically fix any of this?!¡±
¡°It gets us answers! Answers we can use to make informed decisions, ones not born from how bad we feel for survivors! Gods, what would you have us even do?! Fight with what little we have?! Help everyone we come across?! Haven¡¯t a clue how wide this is, if it¡¯s happening everywhere or if it¡¯s contained, and the longer we stay in one place, the worse everything gets! We need answers! And Silverymoon might have them!¡±
¡°Or it¡¯ll be a dead end, with nothing to show for our efforts but the bodies we left behind!¡±
¡°You¡¯re not listening to me Pavel ¨C¡±
A whistling overhead.
Serena grabbed Werond and hauled her back, moving her behind herself, as Jo and Pavel leapt away, heads craned up, hands on their weapons ¨C
Only for Cruck¡¯aa to land with a dull thud, kicking up dust as he straightened and tucked his wings behind his back. He shot them all a glare as he looked around, ending with Doriyah, who hadn¡¯t moved at all, a sneer etched across his face.
¡°I leave you all for an hour,¡± Cruck¡¯aa growled. ¡°and you all descend into chaos.¡±
¡°You were going to land on us!¡± Pavel yelled.
Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s beak twisted as he rolled his eyes.
¡°And yet, you all remain fine.
Jo sighed and rubbed her face, frustration pouring off her in waves, and for a moment, Serena swore she could feel it. Or perhaps that was that her own irritation at the bird, though why she continued to let herself become this angry at him, she didn¡¯t know.
A tap on her shoulder ¨C Serena glanced at Werond as she stepped beside her again, face somewhat flushed, and signed a quick thank you. She smiled, but as she raised her hands to reply, Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s shrill voice pulled her away.
¡°None of you have noticed, evidently,¡± He said. ¡°that our path is blocked.¡±
Jo straightened, eyes going wide. ¡°What?¡±
¡°The tribe lays on the fringes of the woods. Can barely see them when I flew up, but they¡¯re there. Thought I could keep an eye on them, but I suppose you all can¡¯t suffer to be without ¨C¡±
¡°The tribe?¡±
¡°Were you even listening?¡±
¡°What tribe Cruck¡¯aa!?¡± Jo yelled, causing the Aarakocra to rear back with a sneer.
¡°The one I discussed before that you seem to have forgotten.¡± He gestured behind himself. ¡°The same one that¡¯s been committing those awful murders we passed on the way in here.¡±
¡°You¡¯re sure?¡± Pavel asked.
¡°Of course I¡¯m sure,¡± Cruck¡¯aa shot him a glare. ¡°else I wouldn¡¯t spend that much time up there.¡±
¡°Is there¡¡± Jo said. ¡°Any way around them?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said. ¡°If you enjoy adding miles upon miles to our journey.¡±
His words smashed into Jo like a hammer, pulling her shoulders down as she rolled her head. Despite her frustration, it took Pavel less than a second to step forward again, hands out once more as he began to speak.
¡°If that¡¯s the case, I think it¡¯s obvious then,¡± He glanced around at them all. ¡°that we¡¯re in no shape to fight them, not with what little we have¡and we¡¯re not going around, no time for that. Right? So, our options are limited. Trying to go through them would be suicide, but¡if we stay here and wait, we could hit them on our own terms, right? Set up and prepare and take them out. We remove the problem, and we help these people. It¡¯s a win-win, right?¡± Pavel shrugged. ¡°And unless someone else has a better idea¡¡±
He continued to look about, meeting each of their gazes, but finding no resistance in any of them. Serena couldn¡¯t argue with his words even if she wanted to, they made too much sense. Yes, perhaps it was a good excuse to stay and help ¨C something she wasn¡¯t strictly opposed to ¨C but Pavel was right, what other option did they have?
And yet¡barely a heartbeat had gone by before Pavel leapt on the situation; there was no thought, no consideration, he¡¯d already made his decision, and only the gods could sway him from his path¡
Just as with the coliseum.
¡°Gods damnit.¡± Jo muttered, rubbing her face, somehow looking even more exhausted.
¡°You know I¡¯m speaking the truth.¡± Pavel said.
¡°Hate it too.¡± She glared at him. ¡°Right though, can¡¯t go out and fight them. Suicide, that. Considering what they¡¯ve been doing though, I imagine we¡¯ll have to, and if that¡¯s the case¡
She sighed and looked over her shoulder.
¡°Hugo mentioned something about if we needed a place to stay. May as well take him up ¨C¡±
But Pavel had already leapt at her words, rushing past her towards the house. Serena watched as he almost collided into the door, before composing himself and knocking loud enough for them to hear from where they stood.
¡°Why did I have to make the decision?¡±
Serena glanced back at Jo, looking as though she could fall asleep standing up.
¡°Well¡you are the oldest.¡± Serena signed. ¡°And you¡¯ve done the most¡I trust you from that alone. I¡¯m sure everyone else does too.¡±
Werond nodded as Doriyah grunted, though Cruck¡¯aa paid them no heed, beady eyes glued to Pavel, now launched into an animated explanation to a surprised Hugo, hiding behind his cracked door.
¡°That why you all didn¡¯t say anything?¡± Jo asked.
¡°I didn¡¯t have anything to add¡I agreed with both of you, but¡I think you made the right choice, if it makes you feel any better.¡±
¡°Doesn¡¯t.¡± She narrowed her eyes at Werond, then pointed towards the parchment clutched to her chest. ¡°Where¡¯d you¡¯d get that?¡±
¡°Oh, they had some parchment laying around and I snagged it for her.¡± She signed. ¡°Figured it would be easier to communicate without the signs¡that only I understand.¡±
¡°So you got that in return for your help?¡±
Serena nodded, somehow causing Jo¡¯s shoulders to slump even further.
¡°Can¡¯t ask for more favors then, I suppose.¡± She shook her head as Serena offered her a small smile, gesturing behind her. ¡°Forget it. Let¡¯s go make sure Pavel doesn¡¯t talk him to death.¡±
Victuals and Casing
The offer, it turned out, hadn¡¯t been a room in Hugo¡¯s place as Serena had believed, but instead the key to one of the houses nearby, perhaps a short walk from Hugo¡¯s. Though it stood only a few feet away from the massive hole in the city¡¯s walls, to hand over an entire house was a gesture that none of them had been expecting.
Until they learned where Hugo had gotten the key.
¡°Uhm, yes sir!¡± He said to Pavel as he led them over. ¡°Took that right out their pockets! Uh, don¡¯t uhm, really need it when you¡¯re dead! Figured uhm, y¡¯all could use it instead!¡±
¡°Ah¡¡± Pavel slowly nodded. ¡°I¡¯m sure it was¡hard doing something like that but ¨C¡±
¡°Oh nah!¡± Hugo shook his head. ¡°Uhm, didn¡¯t care much for uh, for them! Always uh, sticking their nose in uh, places it don¡¯t belong! Reckon this here place is uhm ¨C better without ¡®em!¡±
They walked in silence the rest of the way.
A dark interior greeted them when Hugo shoved open the door, wooden shutters drawn tight, though he took it upon himself to rush in and throw them all open. As the midday sun poured in, the darkness bled away to a room that looked almost identical to the first floor in Hugo¡¯s house, save for the cooking pit that dominated the center of the room. A table stood on the far side of that pit, large enough for all of them, with a set of double doors built into the wall closet to it, no doubt leading to the larder. The doors seemed to match the legion of cabinets built into the wall closest to the front door, providing more counterspace than Serena knew what to do with.
She frowned as they filed in, moving against the cabinets with Werond as the others looked around. Aside from the pit, and that the stairs stood directly across from the front door, the house could have been a twin to Hugo¡¯s, a thought that sent a shiver down her spine, though she didn¡¯t understand why.
¡°Now, uhm, ya see,¡± Hugo said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other as everyone prowled about the room. ¡°this here, uh, place, it¡¯s got it all! Everything needed, uhm, it¡¯s uh, got it all!¡±
¡°That so?¡± Doriyah grumbled, pulling out one of the chairs from the table and falling into it. Hugo cringed as the chair groaned under his weight but nodded all the same.
¡°Uhm, yes sir, place for cooking! Places for sleeping! And place for uh, washing too!¡±
Had she not known better, Serena would have sworn Werond had been struck by lightning, so quickly did she straighten up. The matter was only made worse by the glare she shot her when Serena failed to stifle a laugh.
¡°That so?¡± Jo asked, throwing open the larder doors, hands on her hips. ¡°Place to wash but no food, huh?¡±
¡°Oh uhm, er¡¡± Hugo gulped. ¡°Took that uh¡a while ago.¡±
¡°Can¡¯t blame you.¡±
¡°But we can thank you.¡± Pavel said, turning towards the older man. ¡°So¡thank you Hugo, for this kindness. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll find a way to repay it in full.¡±
By the stairs behind the now blushing Hugo, Cruck¡¯aa shook his head, beak twisting. Pavel, however, didn¡¯t seem to see it, as he walked over and shook Hugo¡¯s hand, who now could only sputter.
¡°A-ah uhm, ah ¨C of course!¡± He all but threw the key at Pavel as he made for the door. ¡°N-now uh y¡¯all don¡¯t uhm, be strangers, ya hear?!¡±
And he was gone, shaking the walls as he slammed the door behind him. Pavel twirled the key around a finger as he shook his head, then stuffed it into a pocket as he flipped around.
¡°Well¡¡± He said. ¡°What¡¯s next?¡±
Of course, he was looking at Jo.
Ned had said something about this, years ago. That leadership was a role best suited to those who wanted nothing to do with it. And from how long Jo¡¯s sigh was as she leaned against the larder¡¯s door frame, Serena knew it was the last thing she wanted.
¡°Check the place out,¡± She said. ¡°look upstairs, see if we can find¡anything. Take stock. Clean up, I guess.¡±
¡°Defensive positions, maybe?¡± Pavel suggested.
¡°Oh,¡± Doriyah grumbled, ¡°against Hugo? Amazing idea. I¡¯ll go make a fortified position to defend against a midget.¡±
¡°Can you not be an asshole for a few minutes?¡±
¡°Be easier if I wasn¡¯t so fucking hungry.¡±
¡°Go catch something then, if you¡¯re going to ¨C¡±
Doriyah shot up from the table, hurling the chair backwards, the crash of it against the wall scaring everyone.
¡°Best idea you¡¯ve had all day!¡± He yelled, smashing his hands together ¨C a thunderclap this close. ¡°Think I¡¯ll do just that!¡±
Grin plastered across his face, Doriyah stomped around the table and made his way towards the door, the walls seeming to shake as he threw it open.
¡°I,¡± He declared, flipping around. ¡°will find us something to eat! Let all the women clean the house, sounds like a job for them anyways!¡±
¡°What?!¡± Serena yelled as Werond threw up her hands.
¡°You heard me!¡± Doriyah jerked a finger at Cruck¡¯aa, glaring at him from the stairs. ¡°Now, pigeon! Find me an animal so I may kill it!¡±
¡°No.¡± Cruck¡¯aa said.
Doriyah grabbed the door frame and leaned forward, teeth bared in a horrible smile.
¡°Sounds like pussy talk to me, seagull!¡± He yelled.
Serena shoved off the cabinet, hands up, expecting Cruck¡¯aa to fling himself at the fiery giant; Pavel seemed of the same mind, having turned around with one hand on the hammer at his belt. Yet Cruck¡¯aa remained were he stood, beady eyes narrowed, regarding Doriyah with a look of utter disgust.
The wood creaked; Serena glanced to the side as Jo stepped beside her, arms crossed.
¡°Would you two,¡± She began. ¡°relax for just a moment ¨C¡±
¡°I,¡± Cruck¡¯aa said evenly. ¡°will not allow you to snuff out an innocent life just to quell your hunger.¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t have any qualms in the swamp!¡± Doriyah said.
¡°That was different, this is now. You will ¨C¡±
But Doriyah was gone, having flipped around, and bolted out the door.
¡°Stop me then bitch!¡± Came his fading voice.
Not an ounce of hesitation came from Cruck¡¯aa as he leapt forward and darted after him. Within a moment, the flapping of wings could be heard, as Doriyah¡¯s thudding bootsteps faded into the ruined city.
For a moment, no one spoke, Serena unable to find her signs as Werond shook her head. Pavel continued to stare at the door, eyes wide, before glancing at them, fingers drumming on the head of his hammer.
¡°I uh¡¡± He pursed his lips. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they don¡¯t kill each other. Can you three get the place ready, in the meantime?¡±
Flames ignited in Serena¡¯s hands before she could stop them, a flash of anger filling her chest within an instant. Beside her, Jo stepped forward, pointing a finger at Pavel, hand on her sword.
¡°Thin fucking ice there.¡± She growled.
¡°Wait,¡± Pavel threw up his hands; though his expression was one of surprise, a shadow of understanding seemed to fill his eyes ¨C a first. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C listen we just need to get ready, and you three seem the most capable of ¨C¡±
He yelped and shot out the door, just as a plate exploded where his head had been.
Serena jerked from the noise, flames blinking out; when she turned around, Werond had snatched another plate from the counter beside her, face contorted in rage, arm cocked, ready to throw at a target that was no longer there.
¡°Werond!¡± Serena yelled, just as Jo burst into laughter.
Werond jumped and immediately tossed the plate back onto the counter; though a hint of red blossomed in her cheeks, she held Serena¡¯s stare all the same.
¡°Serves him right.¡± Jo chuckled.
Werond shrugged, the hint of a grin creeping up her lips. Serena couldn¡¯t help but match it.
¡°Should have thrown it closer to the door.¡± She signed. ¡°Could¡¯ve thrown more when he dodged the other way.¡±
Werond nodded, glancing at the door. Her fingers twisted into signs, ¡°N ¨C E ¨C X ¨C T ¨C 1.¡±
¡°Good¡so uh,¡± Serena glanced around. ¡°now what do we do?¡±
¡°Hate to admit it,¡± Jo sighed. ¡°but we should case the place. Very least, we can get our spots ready. Let them deal with their own. Just¡don¡¯t know where to start.¡±
¡°Well¡we can start with the common room and work our way up. Or one of us can start down here, and the others go upstairs.¡±
¡°Sure, but we¡¯ll need to figure out ¨C¡±
¡°Dust, first off,¡± Serena began counting with her hands, fingers blurring from signs to numbers and back to signs. ¡°place looks like it hasn¡¯t been used in forever. Second, check the cabinets, the larder, everything down here for anything useful¡which I think one person can do. Third, then, we¡¯ll head upstairs and look everything over, figure out sleeping spots, make the beds, fill the tub, because I think Hugo said there¡¯d be one, then fourth, I assume you¡¯ll want to look at security, but I¡¯m not too versed on that, so you¡¯ll have to help me, fifth ¨C¡±
¡°Alright!¡± Jo threw up her hands. ¡°Nine Hells, I get it, just tell me what to do!¡±
The grin crept up Serena¡¯s face before she could stop it; though she¡¯d needed to dredge the recesses of her mind, Mom would have been proud of how much she remembered.
¡°Clean down here then.¡± She signed. ¡°Yell if you need help or anything.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Jo glanced around, hands on her hips, leveling a sigh. ¡°Right¡just me. Fine.¡±
¡°Is it fine?¡±
The older woman glanced about, eyes lingering on counters behind Serena. After a moment, she nodded, rubbing her chin.
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¡°Sure¡another lifetime for me though.¡±
¡°Right¡¡± Serena turned to Werond. ¡°Think you can help me upstairs then? If you make the beds, I can see about getting the tub ready.¡±
Werond¡¯s eyes widened, and the slow nod she gave Serena inspired anything but confidence.
¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±
Werond raised her hands, paused, then flipped around, snatching up her parchment and charcoal from where she¡¯d left it on the counter. As she wrote, the scratching sent a shiver down Serena¡¯s spine, though it faded just as quick when Werond turned back and held up the parchment, her neat handwriting occupying the middle of the page.
¡°I don¡¯t remember how to make a bed.¡± It said.
Every coherent thought vanished within Serena¡¯s mind as she took in the words, hands falling to her sides. Though she understood them, there remained a part of her that couldn¡¯t reconcile the horrible idea that the woman she loved ¨C as flawed as she could be ¨C had no idea how to go about something as simple as putting together a bed. Perhaps Graham wasn¡¯t as good as she thought him to be.
¡°Alright¡¡± Serena slowly signed. ¡°Maybe you can get the tub ready then¡guess I¡¯ll make the beds.¡±
She shook her head and turned towards the stairs, Werond on her heels as they made their way over. Regardless of what she couldn¡¯t do, Serena was sure that, between the three of them, they could get the place in a state that would have made Mom proud.
¡
Mom would have been furious.
Upon initial inspection, the task at hand didn¡¯t seem difficult. The upstairs was almost identical to Hugo¡¯s, a narrow landing in front an equally narrow hallway with a few doors set on either side. Three led to bedrooms, while the fourth contained a simple washroom ¨C a metal tub had been placed in the center, and the room itself empty save for a few racks for towels. Oddly enough, a pipe jutted out from the bottom of it, disappearing into the wood beneath the tub, something that Werond had claimed only existed in the fanciest of houses in Waterdeep, like her own. But that remained the only oddity that stuck out from the house, meaning that cleaning and preparing would have been simple, and finished rather quickly.
What a pipe dream that turned out to be.
Serena noticed the problem first, from the way Werond struggled to drag the bucket of water up the stairs, and the hunch of Jo¡¯s body as she peered into cabinets and swept away an ocean of dust, whenever Serena popped down to check on her. She felt it too, a weariness that settled into her bones, pulling her down as she struggled to get beds made from the meager quilts and blankets she¡¯d found tucked away. Somehow, having a roof over their heads had inflicted upon them an exhaustion not felt in quite a while, made worse for Serena as she fought each of the bed¡¯s siren calls. Multiple times was she forced to stop and sit down, rubbing her eyes as she willed herself awake. By the time she¡¯d pulled the last blanket into place, back popping as she straightened up, the sun had almost reached the horizon, the last of its dying light filtering in through the window above the bed.
No, Mom wouldn¡¯t have been mad at the condition of it all, but at how long it took them to reach it.
With a grunt, Serena flexed her back, digging a knuckle into a spot that ached. The window offered a beautiful view of the world beyond the massive hole in the city walls, cast in an orange glow as the day slowly came to an end. Further away, the forest looked as though aflame, each of the trees a glowing torch. It was almost enough to make her forget about the barbarians that lurked within their confines.
Supposedly.
The thought had crept into her mind as she worked the hours away, like an itch you couldn¡¯t scratch. And try as she might, no amount scratching seemed to banish it, even if it seemed ridiculous in the first place. Afterall, they knew the forest was infested ¨C Hugo said as much, they¡¯d found the evidence on the road and in town, the signs were obvious. But the very fact that Cruck¡¯aa had confirmed it, after supposedly seeing them in the trees, cast doubt on the whole situation. When had he ever just agreed with what was going on?
Serena sighed, digging a knuckle into the spot between her brows. It wasn¡¯t fair to distrust him like that, despite everything that¡¯d happened these past days. He meant well, even if he routinely came off like a massive asshole, something that always took her time to wrap her head around. There wasn¡¯t a reason why he¡¯d lie to them about something like this¡but from everything he¡¯d done, it felt right to doubt him, as though she wanted a reason to ¨C a fact that didn¡¯t sit right with her.
She flipped about, stifling a yawn; worst came to worst, she¡¯d go and see for herself. No doubt Pavel and Doriyah would have things to report once they came back too.
Her eyes darted about the room, giving it one last glance over, before turning her attention to Werond, sprawled out on one of the beds, out like a snuffed candle. Her parchment and charcoal lay beside her, thrown haphazardly when she collapsed about half an hour ago. Despite the jealous twinge in her chest, Serena couldn¡¯t blame her ¨C lugging a water bucket up the stairs would have taken its toll on anyone, even Pavel or Doriyah.
With a grin, Serena crossed over and nudged Werond¡¯s shoulder until she woke up. Frustration contorted her face as her eyes fluttered open, though it vanished as she realized who stood over her.
¡°Enjoy the nap?¡± Serena signed as Werond pushed herself up with a groan. ¡°I made the rest of the beds by the way; we should be fine up here.¡±
Werond glanced around at the other three beds, shooting her a sheepish look. Serena waved it away.
¡°Don¡¯t worry, it wasn¡¯t hard. Just¡tiring.¡± She yawned. ¡°Not as bad as you though. Sorry I made you get the tub ready.¡±
It was Werond¡¯s turn to wave her off, but Serena couldn¡¯t blame her for collapsing as soon as she was done. Despite how close the house¡¯s water pump was ¨C around the back, surprisingly enough ¨C lugging a full bucket up the stairs couldn¡¯t have been easy. And the amount of times she¡¯d heard Werond clamber up the stairs with it, well, she wasn¡¯t jealous in the slightest.
Werond scooted off the bed, snatching up her things as she did and stood up, gesturing to the door as she yawned. Serena understood, and they moved towards it; it had been a bit since she¡¯d last checked on Jo, perhaps an hour or so ago. Hopefully she hadn¡¯t passed out like Werond had ¨C Serena wasn¡¯t sure she had the energy to help the older woman finish cleaning.
As they reached the door, however, she halted, the itch from before surfacing in her mind. She turned to Werond, who regarded her with half-lidded eyes, and a single brow raised.
¡°Hey¡¡± Serena sighed. ¡°This is weird but¡do you believe what Cruck¡¯aa said, about the barbarians?¡±
Werond cocked her head.
¡°About them being there, I mean.¡± She continued. ¡°I just¡I don¡¯t know, it struck me when I was making the beds and I can¡¯t let it go.¡±
Werond¡¯s eyes darted to the side, head still cocked; it straightened as she pulled up the parchment and began writing, a shiver creeping up Serena¡¯s spine as the charcoal scratched against the paper.
¡°Why don¡¯t you believe him?¡± It read when she flipped it around.
¡°Because he¡¯s been even more ridiculous lately. Like¡he¡¯s gotten worse, hasn¡¯t he?¡±
Werond pursed her lips, nodded, and wrote, ¡°So you don¡¯t believe him because he¡¯s himself?¡±
¡°Yeah, which¡maybe I¡¯m being stupid¡¡± Serena sighed. ¡°But the thought came to me, and I couldn¡¯t let it go. I want to trust him, but with everything he¡¯s doing¡it¡¯s been hard.¡±
¡°Fair.¡± Werond wrote. ¡°Doesn¡¯t gain anything from it though. And we saw the bodies.¡±
¡°I know, I know. Again, maybe I¡¯m overreacting.¡±
¡°No. It¡¯s fair. I feel the same, a bit.¡±
¡°Well, that¡¯s good.¡± Serena shook her head. ¡°Regardless, if we are in danger, just¡make sure to stay by me, okay? I¡¯ll keep you safe.¡±
Bahamut only knew how many times she¡¯d said it, and she meant it every time. Yet the smile Werond gave her was the same she¡¯d her given before, back on that ledge ¨C a smile of understanding, filled with only the faintest bit of warmth, tinged with sadness.
¡°R-right, uh,¡± Serena suppressed a shiver. ¡°Let¡¯s go see how Jo¡¯s doing.¡±
And she flipped on her heel and shoved out of the room.
Though it was a short walk down the hallway and to the stairs, Serena couldn¡¯t stop her eyes from lingering about the place, if only to distract herself from Werond¡¯s smile. It amazed her just how similar the place was to Hugo¡¯s, down to the woodwork of the stairs, the boards creaking in almost the same way as they descended them. It seemed odd that they¡¯d been built so similarly, but that probably was common in houses these days.
The downstairs looked far better than when they¡¯d first arrived, the cabinets and shelves dusted, a pot ¨C found tucked away in the larder ¨C set up over the cooking pit, and the large table now pulled out, its sides filled with chairs. Much of the abandoned dishes and other cutlery had been tucked away, and the shattered remains of the plate Werond had thrown were no longer strewn about the floor. With the shutters open, and the orange light pouring in, it almost looked cozy.
Jo sat at the table, elbows propped on it, holding her head as she gazed into the void. Or at least, into one of the darkened corners of the room.
¡°Jo?¡± Serena signed as she walked into the room. ¡°You alright?¡±
¡°No.¡± Jo said, without looking at her.
Serena shot a glance at Werond, who gave her a shrug in return.
¡°Did you manage fine?¡± She asked, pulling out a chair for Werond, and then herself.
¡°Went fine.¡± Jo said.
¡°Are you sure? Because you look a little upset.¡±
Her gaze shot from the nothing it stared at to Serena, sending a shiver down her spine.
¡°Very upset.¡± Jo said. ¡°Should have left. Shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±
¡°Oh¡¡± Though she wasn¡¯t surprised, she was sure that being alone down here with nothing but her thoughts probably hadn¡¯t done Jo any good. ¡°Well¡maybe it¡¯s for the best? We have a place to sleep now, and we¡¯re doing the right thing by helping those people. Can¡¯t be that bad, right?¡±
¡°Can be.¡±
¡°Why though?¡±
¡°Greater chance we root ourselves to one place.¡± Jo leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. ¡°We stay here for a day, what¡¯s another? Another after that? Another then? What if we get hurt beyond your healing? Stuck here even longer. Then there¡¯s the family ¨C think Pavel will just leave them? Think he¡¯ll be okay with just walking out of here, if we get rid of those barbarians? Take them with us, I know he¡¯ll offer that. Can¡¯t take care of refugees like that, barely take care of ourselves. Place is a gods damned deathtrap.¡±
Serena grimanced as Werond began to write. As much as she wanted to disagree, she couldn¡¯t find the signs to. And with the look in Jo¡¯s eyes, disagreeing seemed like an unhealthy choice at the moment.
Werond put the parchment down and flipped it around, pushing it towards Jo; Serena could just make out the upside-down words:
¡°That¡¯s a lot of assumptions. You don¡¯t know what¡¯ll happen.¡±
¡°Think so?¡± Jo¡¯s eyes snapped up to Werond. ¡°No offense, but I¡¯ve been here Werond, in these situations. Happens every time. And with Pavel being how he is right now, it¡¯ll only get worse.
¡°How he is?¡± Serena sighed. ¡°What does that mean?¡±
¡°Noticed anything odd about him lately?¡±
¡°I¡I don¡¯t know¡¡± Serena said. Truth be told, she¡¯d been so focused on Werond, she hadn¡¯t noticed anything out of the ordinary with Pavel¡or anyone else, for that matter.
¡°Messed up still from last time. Talked to him once about it, back in the swamp, and I didn¡¯t like what I heard.¡±
¡°What did you hear?¡±
¡°Thinks he failed,¡± Jo leaned back. ¡°at protecting us at Werond¡¯s, at protecting the caravan, at doing his job. Trying to overcompensate for it and help the first person he meets. Thinks it¡¯s what he¡¯s supposed to do, but all it¡¯ll accomplish is screwing us.¡± She raised her finger. ¡°Hasn¡¯t failed at anything, mind you. Sure he won¡¯t see it like that though. Sure he¡¯ll push for us to take care of these damned people, and that will fuck us.¡±
¡°I¡¡± Serena frowned; that all made sense, and even reminded her of how he¡¯d acted back for the tournament. ¡°I get all that, and¡gods, I hate that Pavel¡¯s feeling like that. I really haven¡¯t noticed. But I don¡¯t think staying here is going to ¨C¡±
Jo smashed a fist into the table, scaring both Serena and Werond as she leaned in, face utterly devoid of emotion.
¡°Came down to it, who¡¯d you¡¯d save ¨C any of Hugo¡¯s family, or Werond?¡±
Serena jerked as though she¡¯d been slapped, fingers curling into her palms; beside her, Werond blinked and leaned back, regarding Jo with narrowed eyes.
¡°All know the answer.¡± She pointed a finger at Serena. ¡°Save Werond every time. And Werond, you¡¯d do the same for her. Both know each other, you owe each other, you both love each other still, regardless of whatever is between you two. These people though? Can¡¯t say the same, and that¡¯s for all of us. Get ourselves into this situation and when it goes to hell, we¡¯ll save ourselves over them, because like it or not, we are a family. Dysfunctional, but we remain together, and none of us are going to forsake that over people we¡¯ve just met. When something happens, and mark me, something will happen, we¡¯ll do the logical thing, and send Pavel into a damned spiral.¡± She leaned back. ¡°And if we do the illogical thing, and save them over one of us, I¡¯m sure that¡¯s just going to make it all worse. Don¡¯t come out of this place with anything but a cloud over his head, and he just¡doesn¡¯t understand that.¡±
Her chair grated against the wood as she shoved herself away from the table and stood up, dusting off her pants.
¡°No use in complaining,¡± Jo said. ¡°done is done, and we¡¯ll make the best of it as we can. Just need to be there to support him when it all comes crashing down.¡±
¡°I¡¡± Serena¡¯s fingers curled in for a moment. ¡°I guess. I just¡hadn¡¯t thought of it like that.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t think you to. Have your own problems to deal with.¡± Her eyes darted to Werond, before flicking back to her. ¡°By the way, something I¡¯ve been meaning to ask you.¡±
¡°What?¡± Serena signed, still processing Jo¡¯s words; from the way Werond stared at the door, she seemed to be in the same boat.
¡°You were the last one standing, back at Werond¡¯s house, right?¡±
Werond¡¯s head snapped to Serena, just as those awful memories, ones she thought she¡¯d shoved down, came roaring back.
¡°Uh¡¡± Serena nodded, heart pounding. ¡°Yeah, I was.¡±
¡°What happened back there? I woke up strapped to a griffon, and the whole sky lit up for a second after, and ¨C¡±
The rest of her words died against the slamming of the door, an explosion of wood against wood that sent all three of them into the ceiling. Cruck¡¯aa stepped in a moment later, the streams of orange light framing his disgusted look as he surmounted the stairs. Doriyah and Pavel followed soon after, hauling with them the massive body of a boar ¨C beaten, bloody, and very much dead.
¡°Where in the Nine Hells did you find that?!¡± Jo yelled.
The two men ignored her as they dropped it to the floor, splattering the wood with blood. Doriyah yanked out his Warhammer from where it had been stuck into the poor animal and waved it about, splattering blood as he did.
¡°Pigeon did something for once.¡± Doriyah said. ¡°Now, how the fuck are we going to skin this.¡±
¡°Pointy end,¡± Pavel said, pulling out his own hammer. ¡°Here, let me, I¡¯ve done this before.¡±
¡°Not in the fucking house!¡± Jo bolted towards them as they loomed over the carcass like cavemen, hammers at the ready. ¡°Not in the fucking house!¡±
Another Morning
The bones of Nesme began to creep out of the darkness as the sun rose over the horizon, the tips of stone and wood poking up like fingers through black fabric. Remnants of a more peaceful time, Jo couldn¡¯t help but wonder what such a place had been like. Which piles of rubble had been the general stores and smithies, the lifeblood of the working class? Which of the shattered remains held the guard posts and bureaucratic offices, all keeping the city running? Had the top of the hill, before it was laid low, held some kind of keep, for the lord or governor who ruled?
The questions vanished as quick as they came. They¡¯d never be answered after all, and Jo hadn¡¯t the desire to go chasing them down, as she had in her greener days, with all the good that had done her.
With a sigh, she leaned back, the stone sending a chill down her spine, her legs dangling over the edge. She¡¯d found a good place to sit amongst the jagged teeth of the shattered city wall; situated a few feet up, it offered a decent view of the city, obstructed only by the mound in the middle, and an even better view of the forest outside.
Where she pointedly refused to look.
Her eyes closed on their own, and for a moment, as the sun crept up to warm her legs, she almost felt at peace. Of course, the thoughts that she¡¯d so earnestly run from that morning finally caught up, slinking their way to the forefront of her mind.
It felt good to get out of that house though. From the debacle of skinning, curing, and cooking the boar, to the nightmare that had been sleeping arrangements, the place had been anything but welcoming. It hadn¡¯t helped matters that Werond had suddenly decided to sleep apart from Serena, and the fact that Doriyah and Pavel had decided to act like children at their first sleepover. That had been the closest Jo had come to outright murder, and perhaps Cruck¡¯aa had made the right decision in choosing to perch on the roof to sleep¡
Irritation flared in her chest, exciting her heart, and forcing her eyes open.
Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s behavior was deteriorating. It¡¯d been obvious, but acknowledging it felt altogether worse. Though they¡¯d learned to put up with him long ago, Doriyah¡¯s arrival had only furthered the issue. But beyond that, the bird hadn¡¯t made any passing references or remarks about Werond, something that worried Jo deeply¡
Perhaps not as much, however, as the rift between her and Serena. Yes, they¡¯d gotten better, yes, they¡¯d continued speaking to one another, but distance still remained between the pair. Like a pendulum, their relationship swung between states, never truly slowing back to normal. And last night hadn¡¯t helped matters, even if Werond just wanted a room apart¡
Which paled in comparison to the true problem at hand¡
Jo let loose a guttural noise and pushed herself off the ledge. Bits of wood crunched underfoot as she landed, a twinge of pain flaring in her knees.
What use was it sitting and worrying? Time continued to march at its inevitable pace, and being knocked out for three months hadn¡¯t changed that. The sooner they got out of Nesme, the closer they¡¯d get to understanding¡well, whatever it was that was going on with the giants and, hopefully, with them.
But getting out of the ruined city involved appeasing Pavel¡¯s sense of justice, and if they were to do that, then another discussion with Hugo was needed. She¡¯d barely focused on the threat within the forest when she talked with him yesterday, seeing it unimportant. How quickly that had changed.
Jo sighed, tracing her steps back through the rubble, and away from the gaping hole in the city¡¯s wall.
Hopefully, it¡¯d be a quick discussion.
Cacophony smashed into her like a hammer.
A flurry of voices ¨C squeaky and young ¨C cascaded out the door like water bursting from a dam. Each struggled to be heard over the last, none making any sense, all blurring together into some approximation of Common. The tidal wave of gibberish seemed to be directed at what sounded like one person, whose voice surmounted the storm, sounding with an authority utterly ignored. It took all of Jo¡¯s will to pretend she didn¡¯t hear it as the commotion flowed around Hugo, hunched in the doorway with a haggard look in his eyes, still wearing his tunic from yesterday.
¡°Uhm, morning ma¡¯am.¡± He said with a voice that felt more at home with a corpse than a man. ¡°Are y¡¯all uhm¡settling in well?¡±
¡°Best we can.¡± Jo said, crossing her arms. ¡°Need to talk with you though, if you have a minute.¡±
¡°Oh, uhm, what about? Y¡¯all need uh¡supplies?¡± Hugo asked. ¡°I uh¡we uhm, might spare some, but ¨C¡±
¡°Fine there,¡± Jo said. ¡°Need to discuss ¨C¡±
The cacophony of tiny voices rose, shrill enough that Jo couldn¡¯t help but flinch. Hugo, however, seemed entirely unphased.
¡°Need to discuss the current situation.¡± Jo continued.
¡°Uhm, current situation?¡± Hugo asked.
¡°Yes, about ¨C¡±
A third voice ¨C older than the children but younger than the mother¡¯s ¨C pierced the storm, screaming at the children a whirlwind of curses that could have made Jo¡¯s old commander blush. In response, the children shouted louder, a feat that seemed almost a miracle, as the mother laid into the third voice, ripping it apart.
Hugo squeezed his eyes shut.
¡°Now uhm, I won¡¯t lie to you ma¡¯am,¡± His voice rose over the shouting. ¡°y¡¯all¡¯s appearances have uh, gotten all the kids all riled up. Been trying to uh, calm them down all morning. Not working. I uh, don¡¯t think the missus will uhm, be happy to spare me for uh, a uh, bit. Not to mention ¨C¡±
¡°Right.¡± Jo said, matching his voice. ¡°apologizes then. Didn¡¯t mean any of that. But ¨C¡±
¡°Oh uh nah, it ain¡¯t your fault ma¡¯am. More those uhm, magic uh, magic words your friend did.¡±
¡°The sign language?¡±
¡°That uh, what y¡¯all call it?¡±
¡°What Serena calls it. What¡¯s the issue with it?¡±
¡°Oh uhm, the kids, well, uh, they want to see it again.¡± Hugo shook his head. ¡°Missus won¡¯t let them, on account of ¨C¡±
¡°Won¡¯t let them?¡± Jo cocked her head.
¡°She reckons it¡¯s uh, dangerous and all, but uh, more so ¨C¡±
¡°Is that it?¡± Jo straightened up. ¡°Not dangerous at all. Hells, I bet Serena would love to show it off. Would keep them busy for a moment so I could talk to you too. Let me go get her.¡±
Hugo¡¯s eyes widened.
¡°Now uh, ma¡¯am,¡± He stammered. ¡°I uh, don¡¯t uh, think that¡¯s ¨C¡±
But Jo had already flipped on her heel and jogged away, ignoring Hugo¡¯s voice as it rose to chase after her. Truth be told, even if he¡¯d gotten out the rest of his sentence, Jo would have ignored it anyways.
The distance between the two buildings proved smaller than she remembered, and she was back at their temporary home within a few minutes. Someone had thrown all the windows open, the sounds of another argument pouring from them as she shoved open the door. Doriyah stood in front of Cruck¡¯aa by the table, grinning as the Aarakocra yelled at him about Gods only knew what. Werond was hunched at the counters behind Cruck¡¯aa, washing a few of the dishes they¡¯d found squirreled away in one of the cabinets with the aid of the water bucket Pavel had dragged in earlier.
¡°¨C was bad enough,¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat. ¡°but I refuse to allow you to ¨C¡±
¡°So what, we¡¯re going to starve?¡± Doriyah asked. ¡°A single deer is more important than my stomach?¡±
¡°That¡¯s not it!¡± Cruck¡¯aa threw up his hands. ¡°You both beat that poor animal to death like savages! Cavemen! Do you even realize how much it suffered?!¡±
¡°Well, animal on animal violence is nature¡¯s way, so I don¡¯t see the problem.¡±
Jo rolled her eyes as Cruck¡¯aa took the bait, launching into some tirade about the balance of the forest and killing humanely; she ignored the grin Doriyah shot her way as she walked past, stepping up beside Werond as she finished the last of the plates, moving onto the few utensils they¡¯d found.
¡°Serena upstairs?¡± Jo asked.
Werond wiped her forehead and nodded, making a sweeping motion against the counter.
¡°Cleaning? Dusting?¡± Jo frowned as Werond nodded. ¡°Place doesn¡¯t need to be perfect, she know that?¡±
Werond shrugged, cringing as Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s voice got shriller. She dried off her hands against her pants, and pulled over the parchment from across the counter, plucking the charcoal from one of her pockets and scratching out a quick line.
¡°There was a lot we didn¡¯t do yesterday.¡± It read. ¡°Think she needs something to do.¡±
¡°Suppose so.¡± Jo shrugged. ¡°Well, up for a distraction?¡±
Werond cocked an eyebrow, dropping the utensils into the washbasin.
¡°Need to talk to Hugo, and his wife, I suppose,¡± Jo said. ¡°but their kids are a handful. Figure I could get Serena to distract them, but I¡¯d feel better if you were there with her. Protection in numbers, you know?¡±
The eyebrow rose further.
¡°Would be good for both of you too, after what happened last night.¡±
Werond cringed, but before Jo could speak further, she¡¯d wiped her hands on her pants one last time, before plucking her parchment from the counter, and moving towards the stairs. She gave no heed to the arguing idiots as she walked by.
Jo leaned against the counter, her gaze lingering on the steps. That¡¯d been far easier than she¡¯d expected. After the fiasco that was last night¡well, truth be told, it wasn¡¯t that bad. It took far too long for Serena to come to terms with Werond sleeping separately from her, but altogether ¨C
A shriek pierced the air as Cruck¡¯aa screamed louder, Doriyah¡¯s laugh echoing it; Jo flinched, hands darting to her ears.
¡°Enough!¡± She snapped, marching towards the pair and shoving herself between them. ¡°Nine Hells, every fucking day with you two!¡±
¡°Can¡¯t help it, pigeons are annoying.¡± Doriyah said.
¡°I¡¯m annoying?!¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat. ¡°You¡¯ve been ¨C¡±
¡°Shut up!¡± Jo yelled, whirling on Cruck¡¯aa. ¡°Gods above, shut up! Can¡¯t you not take the bait for once?!¡±
¡°There¡¯s no bait,¡± Cruck¡¯aa said. ¡°he¡¯s too stupid to bait.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll have you know, I¡¯m a master baiter, thank you very much.¡± Doriyah said.
¡°Gods¡¡± Jo sighed, turning to the fiery giant, who grinned back at her. ¡°Can¡¯t you just go out and hunt yourself? Bring Pavel and fuck off?¡±
¡°Well, he¡¯s out looting,¡± Doriyah said. ¡°or scavenging, whatever he called it. And I need the bird to lead us. Ain¡¯t good at tracking surprisingly.¡±
¡°I will do no such thing.¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat.
¡°Said that last time and look what we caught. Enough to feed us for days!¡±
¡°Which would have gone to waste had I not shown you how to dry and store it! You¡¯re useless without me!¡±
¡°Didn¡¯t need you for those guys in the forest, now did we?¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Jo said, ¡°you ran into the barbarians? How¡¯d you manage to hunt then, what ¨C¡±
Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.
¡°Scared them off.¡± Doriyah said.
¡°What?¡±
¡°Clean your ears. We walked in, started poking around, and when they saw us, they just ran off.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Guess the sight of a real man was too much for them.¡±
Jo¡¯s eyes could only roll so far into the back of her head as Cruck¡¯aa let out some noise of disagreement; bootsteps sounded down the stairs before she could speak, Serena stepping into the room with Werond trailing behind her. Her hair, normally in its loose band against her shoulder, was now drawn up in a high-tail on her head, the sleeves of her ¨C somehow still pristine, probably by magic ¨C white tunic rolled up. Had she not known better, Jo would have assumed they¡¯d hired help when she was out.
¡°Hey,¡± Jo called, moving away from the new argument already brewing between the pair of idiots. ¡°sorry to cut off your cleaning, need you for something.¡±
¡°No, it¡¯s okay,¡± Serena signed, before snapping the sweat from her brow. ¡°just getting the dust out. Nothing really important.¡±
¡°Why do it then?¡±
¡°I just¡need something to do.¡± Serena¡¯s gaze slid over Jo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Either that or¡I¡¯m stuck down here.¡±
¡°Know the place doesn¡¯t have to be perfect, right?¡±
¡°Mom would say otherwise.¡±
Jo smirked. ¡°Right. Take a break then, need you to be a distraction for a bit.¡±
¡°A distraction?¡±
¡°Need to talk with Hugo, wife too, about a few things. Too cooped up with their kids though. Want to see you, and I figured ¨C¡±
¡°They want to see me?¡± Serena asked. ¡°Who?¡±
¡°The kids. Pretty popular from the sounds of it.¡±
¡°Why?!¡±
Jo shrugged. ¡°Got me. Probably the first new thing that¡¯s come through this place in a while. Who knows how kids think. Go talk with them though, keep them busy for a bit. Shouldn¡¯t take too long. Up for it?¡±
Serena stared in response, hands held against her chest, eyes flicking about Jo as if looking for something. She stared back, waiting, the sounds of Doriyah¡¯s and Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s argument growing louder by the second.
¡°If you don¡¯t ¨C¡± Jo began.
¡°I do!¡± Serena exclaimed, ripping her hair out of the high-tail, shaking it out. ¡°I do, I just¡I don¡¯t know, come on!¡±
And she spun on her heel and jogged out the door. Jo glanced at Werond, who didn¡¯t notice, her eyes trailing Serena, the ghost of a smile on her lips. With another roll of her eyes, Jo followed Serena out the door.
Serena had already started ahead, readjusting her hair as she jogged the way to Hugos house. Werond quickly overtook Jo as she moved to keep up, but Jo kept her pace, watching the pair as they fell in together, Serena immediately signing to a still grinning Werond. Not wanting to eavesdrop on a conversation she wasn¡¯t apart of, Jo glanced to the side, her gaze flicking across the ruins, and up the hill where the killing pit lay.
Where was Pavel amongst it all? She¡¯d caught him as he¡¯d slipped out that morning, determined to find something in the rubble, but he hadn¡¯t said much. He could handle himself should the situation arise, but she¡¯d be lying if she didn¡¯t wish she¡¯d followed him, not with his current mindset. Of course, it would have been better if she¡¯d thought to go with him before they¡¯d parted ways¡
She sighed, rolling her head. Too many problems.
Hugo was still outside when they approached, joined this time by his wife, locked in a furious yet hushed argument. Towering over Hugo, she struck a fearsome sight in her stained tunic and apron, the greys of her hair standing out amongst the brown, the spitting image of a middle-aged mother. Jo doubted they¡¯d be able to hear them if they weren¡¯t with how much the children inside were still shouting, their voices carrying through the open windows. Their argument, however, ceased as they approached.
Hugo glanced over, then locked eyes with Jo, his own wide with fear; he broke off from his wife and crossed the rest of the distance to her, wringing his hands all the while.
¡°Uhm, uh, m-ma¡¯am,¡± He stammered, wife marching after him. ¡°N-now uh, ma¡¯am, I uhm, I d-don¡¯t think ¨C¡±
He squeaked as his wife pushed him aside, standing before Jo with arms crossed, and a fire in her eyes that could¡¯ve rivaled Serena¡¯s own.
¡°How dare you.¡± She spat.
Jo jerked back. ¡°What? What did ¨C¡±
¡°Y¡¯all know what you did!¡± The wife yelled. ¡°Walking in here, trying to force your way into our lives! After the stunt y¡¯all pulled yesterday, and setting up so close to ours, and now y¡¯all offering to disrupt our family further?! The lot of y¡¯all are sick!¡±
Jo blinked, taken aback.
¡°Right. Understand the hesitation ma¡¯am,¡± She said, raising her hands. ¡°but I needed to talk with Hugo, maybe you, and I thought ¨C¡±
¡°Talk?!¡± She yelled. ¡°That¡¯s all y¡¯all did was talk! Talk to my sister, to my husband, to my kids ¨C stay out of our lives! We want nothing to do with y¡¯all!¡±
¡°Nura!¡± Hugo blurted.
¡°It¡¯s the gods damned truth!¡±
¡°N-Nura, you don¡¯t ¨C¡±
Nura whipped around to Hugo, causing the man bleat and shrink down.
¡°I do mean it!¡± She yelled. ¡°Them¡¯s going to bring nothing but trouble! We need to survive Hugo, not put up with, with,¡± Nura flung a hand at Jo. ¡°with these opportunists!¡±
Was that how she saw them? It made sense, even if it couldn¡¯t be further from the truth. Nine Hells though, how she wished Pavel could see this outburst, yet even if he did, Jo doubted it¡¯d shake him from his delusions.
¡°Ma¡¯am, I get it,¡± Jo said, causing Nura to glare at her. ¡°whether you want to believe me or not, I do. All we want to do is help though, and to do that ¨C¡±
¡°Help!?¡± Nura shrieked. ¡°all y¡¯all done is been a pain in our sides and it¡¯s barely been a day!¡±
¡°Now that¡¯s just not ¨C¡±
¡°It is! Because of her!¡± Nura jabbed a finger past Jo. ¡°Her and Ninth Damned magic!¡±
Jo glanced back, despite knowing who Nura singled out; the excitement had faded from Serena¡¯s eyes, replaced now by an obvious anxiety as she stepped forward, hands raised.
¡°Nura, right?¡± Serena signed. ¡°I ¨C¡±
¡°No! No!¡± Nura shirked, backing up with her hands pressed against the sides of her head. ¡°You stay out of my head! You ain¡¯t doing to me what you did to my children, witch!¡±
¡°I¡¯m not doing anything bad!¡± Serena protested. ¡°It¡¯s just how I talk! Honest!¡±
¡°Liar! Get out of my head!¡±
¡°N-Nura!¡± Hugo yelled.
Serena¡¯s shoulders slumped, hands now clutched against her chest; Werond stepped over and placed a hand on her back, glaring at Nura, who stared at them with wide, wild eyes.
¡°Alright!¡± Jo yelled, chest tight. ¡°Didn¡¯t go how I wanted, we apologize! We¡¯ll leave, I ¨C¡±
Her words caught in her throat; the hurt that filled Serena¡¯s face had vanished, her eyes now narrowed, her jaw now set.
¡°Good!¡± Nura shrieked. ¡°Y¡¯all get out of here and never ¨C¡±
Serena¡¯s hand shot to the side, fingers curled save for two.
A bead of orange light flashed into existence between those two fingers, the index and pinky; it flared, then rocketed towards a pile of rubble.
Jo yelled.
An eruption of flames tore through the rubble, taller than a house and just as wide; everyone screamed as the noise tore through their ears, as the light blinded them, as the heat washed over them in a wave, forcing most of them back. Bits of flaming wood and melting stone chunks rained around them as the flames died down, the rubble now nothing but a pile of smoking ash.
Jo shot up from her crouch, whirling on Serena, who hadn¡¯t moved, Werond hunched against her, still staring at Nura; the older woman stared back, eyes wide, as her husband lay curled up on the ground, covering his head, letting lose a long string of whimpers.
¡°What in the Hells was that?!¡± Jo yelled.
But Serena paid her no heed, instead stepping towards Nura, Werond almost falling over as she let go.
¡°If I wanted to hurt you or your family,¡± Serena signed. ¡°I could have done it a long time ago. But I don¡¯t want to. You¡¯re afraid of nothing¡all I¡¯m doing is talking to you, nothing more, and all we want to do is help. And we can. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, I already have, I healed your wounded, didn¡¯t I? Everyone else would have done the same if they could.¡±
She stepped closer to a frozen Nura. ¡°I understand your hesitation, I do. But trust me when I say that all we want to do is help. Jo means well, I mean well, Pavel means well, I¡I don¡¯t know how else to get that across.¡± Serena glanced at the smoldering ashes. ¡°I really don¡¯t.¡±
¡°So you blow up a house?¡± Nura asked instantly.
Serena shrugged. ¡°It was already destroyed.¡±
Nura stared at her, long enough for Jo to open her mouth to begin to speak; before she could, however, the older woman shook her head, the edge fading from her eyes as she regarded Serena.
¡°Gods above, fine.¡± She said. ¡°Y¡¯all made your point. Suppose I¡¯m forgetting what you¡¯ve done for us anyhow. Baron will go with y¡¯all, so don¡¯t go too far from the house.¡± She glanced at Hugo. ¡°Go in and tell him what¡¯s going on, else he¡¯ll start attacking.¡±
Hugo ¨C still cowering on the ground ¨C shot up at once, nodded rapidly.
¡°Uhm, of course!¡± He squeaked, before flipping on his heel and running towards the house.
¡°Thank you.¡± Serena signed with a smile. Nura waved a hand but didn¡¯t say anything as she and Werond trailed after Hugo, Werond offering Jo a look, returned with a shake of her head.
¡°Can¡¯t believe I¡¯m allowing this.¡± Nura muttered as she watched them go.
¡°Understandable,¡± Jo said. ¡°tough spot to be in.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Nura turned fully towards her. ¡°Now, got my attention. Make it fast.¡±
A chorus of shrieks flooded out the open windows, a whirlwind of children excited beyond belief.
¡°Sure. Can stay here or¡¡± Jo¡¯s words trailed off as Nura shook her head. Without a word, the older woman moved past her and strode towards the hill at the center of town, Jo on her heels.
As they reached the base, Jo began to slow, hoping Nura would stop, only for her to continue up the slope. Jo sighed, but followed her, eventually reaching the top with her a moment later.
Even with the fires having died down, the bottom of the pit was still too much to look at. Hugo must have returned at some point, as most of the bodies had been reduced to unrecognizable heaps of ash and soot. The few that hadn¡¯t looked worse than before. Jo¡¯s stomach twisted at the sight, and she found herself gazing out across the ruined city instead, wondering if she¡¯d see Pavel poking through the ruins. Nura, however, contained not an ounce of hesitation as she stood at the edge and stared down, hands on her hips, shaking her head as though the scene was something she¡¯d seen every day.
¡°Whole damned place is gone.¡± Nura said. ¡°Shame really.¡±
¡°Don¡¯t mind me saying,¡± Jo said, stepping back until she couldn¡¯t see the bottom. ¡°but you don¡¯t seem too broken up about it.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve done my mourning.¡± Nura turned around. ¡°I¡¯ll always miss the place but moping about ain¡¯t doing anything for the mouths I have to feed. You said you wanted to help?¡±
Jo sighed. May as well be honest, after Serena¡¯s display.
¡°Don¡¯t, actually.¡± She said. ¡°Got places to be, things to figure out. Friend does though.¡±
¡°The girl?¡± Nura asked, unphased.
¡°No. Someone else. Bleeding heart, the best way I can describe it.¡±
¡°Sounds like an idiot then. Should just leave if y¡¯all don¡¯t want to help.¡±
¡°More complicated than that. He¡¯ll refuse to leave until we help, so we might as well make the most of it.¡± Jo smiled. ¡°Apologize for coming off like an ass, but you seem like the kind of person to understand.¡±
¡°I do.¡± Nura nodded. ¡°Keeping to business. Respect it, even if I want y¡¯all gone. Could tell your friend to fuck off if you need it.¡±
¡°Doubt that¡¯ll work.¡±
¡°Right.¡± Nura crossed her arms. ¡°So then¡how y¡¯all expect to help us?¡±
Jo matched her pose, eyes flicking about the older woman¡no, she was probably older than her by far. But there seemed to be a wisdom about Nura that aged her far beyond her physical years, one borne of a willingness to do anything to survive. Her expression towards the dead was proof of that enough.
¡°Well,¡± Jo began. ¡°you were there when Hugo told me about what happened to this place. Figured he kept some of the details from me, or he just didn¡¯t know. Thought you¡¯d fill me in.¡±
¡°Think I know more than him?¡±
¡°Course you do. Hugo strikes me as someone too nervous to remember a lot of things. You, however, remind me a lot of my old friends back in my marching days. Call it a hunch.¡±
¡°Hmm¡¡± Nura said. ¡°Well, it¡¯s the Uthgardt tribe, Red Tiger or some stupid name. Been a pain in our asses for as long as I can remember. We had patrols from the city going out to keep them in check and keep them away. Made the forest outside somewhat safe, but still needed to be careful if you were going in there. Rumor had it that if they grab you, they¡¯d sacrifice you to some stupid god of theirs, who knows. Thought it was a load of shit until I saw the bodies.¡±
¡°They started snatching people?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Sure, right after the giants tore the place up.¡± Nura waved a hand. ¡°You know about that. After it happened though, the barbs came in and started rounding up survivors, taking off into the woods. Some they tore apart in the city though. Seen them myself. Probably a warning. Got to the point where only a few of us were left, but when we started paying them off, it stopped almost entirely.¡±
¡°Paying them off?¡±
¡°Sure. They¡¯re savage, but they ain¡¯t that stupid. Blood sacrifices are one thing, but if they see a value in something you can give them, they¡¯ll take that. Makes me think the whole thing is made up. But anyways, it started going downhill for them when our numbers became lower, and we started hording supplies. Picked the place clean at that point. They needed supplies too, and someone, wasn¡¯t us, offered them food if they¡¯d fuck off. Worked like a charm, so we all began to pitch in. Food, firewood, water, all that stuff. Course, when people started running out, that¡¯s when the killings picked back up.
¡°Only one¡¯s left now, I reckon.¡± Nura said, glancing around.
¡°Right¡¡± Jo said. ¡°But if they needed supplies, why wouldn¡¯t they just attack you and take everything by force?¡±
¡°Oh, they tried,¡± Nura sighed. ¡°they did. That¡¯s where our wounded came from, trying to fend them off. I managed to get through to them that if they kill us, they ain¡¯t going to find where I¡¯ve stashed all the supplies, because we didn¡¯t stash it at the house for that exact reason. Convinced them to let us live so we could keep handing them stuff. Win-win for everyone. Been about¡a few days since then.¡±
¡°Talked them down mid fight?¡± Jo blinked. ¡°How¡¯d you do that?¡±
¡°They¡¯re smart enough that it wraps back around to being stupid.¡± Nura said.
Jo narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t push the issue. Though she¡¯d dealt with tribes like these before, never had she encountered any that seemed to be able to think for themselves. Most were too stupid for that, but anything was possible the further into the Coast you went.
¡°Do you actually have those supplies?¡± Jo asked.
¡°We do,¡± Nura said. ¡°as nervous as he is, my husband was the first one out scavenging. Found a lot of stuff, he did. Good for one thing, I suppose. And no, you won¡¯t find them either.¡±
¡°Was it enough to help out when the others ran out of supplies?¡±
¡°Sure, large enough.¡±
¡°But you didn¡¯t help.¡±
¡°Yup.¡±
Nura stared at Jo with eyes that seemed to long for a challenge, and had Jo been a better person, she might have said something. But as she stood there, on the precipice of the mouth of hell, she understood the choice completely.
¡°Well,¡± Jo said. ¡°regardless, I¡¯m a stranger here, so I can¡¯t judge. Can¡¯t judge the best way to tackle this problem either. Any ideas on how to get rid of these¡barbs?¡±
¡°If I knew¡± Nura said, ¡°they¡¯d be gone already.¡±
¡°Sure. Just getting an idea. Course, I have my own thoughts, but I¡¯d imagine someone who¡¯s lived here since the whole thing began has got some ideas in her head.¡±
¡°Suppose I do. What¡¯s the catch?¡±
Jo cocked her head. ¡°Catch?¡±
¡°We can¡¯t do shit to them, but from what your friend showed off, y¡¯all could. But that would mean you¡¯d be helping us, and we¡¯d be in your favor. So,¡± Nura raised a hand. ¡°what¡¯s the catch?¡±
Jo grinned; truth be told, she¡¯d hoped Nura would miss that detail, but the fact that she¡¯d remembered told Jo everything she needed to know.
¡°Pile of supplies¡split it evenly, and we¡¯ll be on our way once this shit show is over. Need to get to Silverymoon. Been away from things for far too long.¡±
¡°Seventy-thirty.¡± Nura shot back. ¡°We need it more than y¡¯all do.¡±
¡°Sixty ¨C forty. Gives us a chance to rest before we scavenge more ourselves.¡±
¡°Fine.¡±
Nura stuck out her hand; Jo shook it once before they both crossed their arms once more.
¡°Now,¡± Nura said. ¡°I¡¯ve had a couple of ideas, none I could do. But with you lot here, and as unknown as you are, I figure we can get the jump on them. Wouldn¡¯t see it coming. Honestly, I can¡¯t see any other way of dealing with them. Head on attack wouldn¡¯t work.¡±
¡°Too many?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Far too many.¡± Nura replied. ¡°The groups coming in were around seven strong, but we know there¡¯s more of them. They see you, and I¡¯m sure they¡¯d call them in. And any more than that and it¡¯ll be a blood bath. Best to jump them. Kill enough, and it¡¯ll cause enough chaos for y¡¯all to slip through, along with us, though we wouldn¡¯t be going in the same direction.¡±
¡°So, kill a patrol coming in, and escape in the confusion.¡± Jo nodded. ¡°How long would that last?¡±
¡°I¡¯d imagine a day, at most. Plenty of time to put distance between us and them.¡± Nura shrugged. ¡°Soon as they realize they got company, they¡¯ll be too busy sending more into the city. By then, we¡¯ll be long gone.¡±
¡°Sure,¡± Jo said. ¡°I like it. Let¡¯s head back to our place then, I want my friends to ¨C¡±
Her words died in her throat as the realization hit her like a hammer to the chest.
Play
Serena held up her hands, wiggling her fingers at her tiny, captive audience.
¡°Wells,¡± She signed. ¡°Gath, Doreen, Sonia, and Rell.¡±
The four children clustered around her let loose a chorus of excited screams as they bounced about.
¡°Again!¡± They screamed, almost in unison. ¡°Again! Again!¡±
¡°Wells, Gath, Doreen, Sonia and Rell¡¡±
Serena held the last syllable of their names, dragging it out; the effect was immediate. The children hushed into awed silence at the first name, only for each to squeal in turn when they heard their own.
¡°Again!¡± They shouted.
Suppressing a sigh, Serena smiled and obliged.
They¡¯d been like this the moment she¡¯d stepped foot in their house, like tiny animals bursting with energy. They¡¯d almost torn the place apart scrambling towards Serena, clinging onto her, and demanding to hear her magic again, which quickly devolved into a burning desire to hear their own names in their heads. As odd as it was, asking why only furthered their excitement.
None of it was infectious enough to get to Baron, however, barely listening to Hugo as he demanded he stand down, sword raised above his head. It had taken the combined efforts of him and Serena to talk him down, and even then, he demanded to watch over them as the children lead Serena outside by tugging at her long skirt. He stood now leaning against the shade of house beside Werond, the heat of his glare burning a hole in Serena¡¯s back. Werond had made some comment ¨C or line ¨C about watching him, but Serena wasn¡¯t sure she could stop him if sword came to slashing.
¡°How do you do that?!¡± Wells, the oldest of the five, shrieked. He stood a head taller than his siblings, and when he jumped, he almost made it to Serena¡¯s eye level.
¡°It¡¯s just magic,¡± Serena replied. ¡°but it¡¯s my magic. I made the language with my stepdad.¡±
¡°You did?! Can you teach it to me?!¡± Doreen pleaded, tiny hands gripping Serena¡¯s skirt, wide blue eyes like tiny moons. ¡°Please! Please! Pretty please!¡±
¡°Well, I ¨C¡±
¡°No, teach me!¡± Gath yelled; Doreen¡¯s twin, he clutched at Serena¡¯s leg, almost wrapping his tiny body about it. ¡°She¡¯s dumb! I¡¯m smart, teach me!¡±
¡°That¡¯s not ¨C¡±
¡°Me too!¡± Rell, the youngest of the bunch, clutched at Doreen¡¯s tunic like an odd shadow. ¡°I¡¯ll be the bestest ever!¡±
¡°No!¡± Sonia yelled from where she stood apart from them, further into the rubble. ¡°You can¡¯t! It¡¯s magic and Mom said we can¡¯t! Use! Magic!¡±
The pack of children descended into fierce argument, Wells telling off Sonia, Doreen and Gath petitioning Serena still, in between calling the other stupid, and Rell shrieking as loud as her tiny lungs allowed ¨C Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she was just screaming.
Stunned, Serena began to twist around ¨C as best she could with two tiny bodies clinging to her ¨C trying to catch Werond¡¯s eye, hoping she¡¯d have some idea of what to do. After all, despite her initial excitement, Serena hadn¡¯t a clue how to deal with children properly. But someone like Werond would. Working as a Masked Lord would have surely given her some ideas that she could impart to her.
That hope quickly vanished, however, as Serena finally turned around. In stark contrast to the brooding stare of Baron, Werond was bent over, parchment covering her face, as her entire body shook with laughter.
With a deep sigh, Serena twisted back around. She was on her own.
The children, of course, hadn¡¯t noticed her dismay, each still locked in their arguments, or in Rell¡¯s case, screaming at the sky. Oddly enough, it occurred to her that each looked similar to Nura, dressed in their darker colors with hair just as long and dark. Save for Sonia, however, who stood out with her head of gold. Gods, it looked almost like Pavel¡¯s. Where did it even come from? Maybe Hugo had hair like that, before ¨C
¡°No, you¡¯re stupid!¡± Sonia screamed, shattering Serena¡¯s thoughts.
¡°Nuh-uh!¡± Wells shouted.
¡°Yeah-huh!¡±
Wells screamed a scream that sounded more like a cat being strangled and leapt at Sonia, tackling her into the dirt. Sonia shrieked in turn, her tiny fists pounding against Wells as he hit her in turn, both looking like a pair of wild dogs snapping at each other¡¯s throats. A fitting image, them locked together before the rubble of the other houses.
The child still clinging to Serena leapt off at once, yelling as they ran towards the struggling pair, dogpiling onto them to form a heap of tiny flailing arms and legs. And of course, everyone was still screaming.
It was within that moment that the desire to have children, wherever it might have been hiding in the deepest recesses of Serena¡¯s mind, died completely.
Shaking her head, she stretched out her arms, twisting her fingers, before bringing her hands together. The clap was far louder than it should have been, like a hammer against an anvil, but it did the trick; the screaming, flailing mass of children broke apart, each stunned into silence as they untangled themselves to stare at her from the ground. Poor Rell looked ready to cry, hands over her ears.
¡°Sorry,¡± Serena signed, feeling a bit guilty. ¡°But no more fighting. That¡¯s not nice.¡±
¡°But ¨C¡± Wells began.
¡°I said no more fighting!¡±
She hadn¡¯t raised her voice in a mean way, more just trying to imitate how Mom spoke to drunks that tried to overstay their welcome. But it had the desired effect, each of the children stunned into silence as they leapt to their feet, staring at her with wide eyes.
Nine Hells, maybe she was over thinking this. And really, they were acting just like some of the drunks she¡¯d seen before¡
¡°Now,¡± Serena signed. ¡°I can¡¯t teach anyone anything, sorry. Magic is¡really, really hard, even for the best of you.¡±
¡°Aww.¡± Doreen said, shoulders falling.
¡°But I can do other things! And they¡¯re really cool too!¡±
The pack stared at her with eyes that plainly questioned whether that was true or not. Serena smiled in return.
¡°Watch!¡±
And she stepped back, throwing her arms out with a flourish, pointing her hands over their heads, fingers twisting.
Three bolts of flames rocketed from her hands, shrieking through the air above them. The children flipped around in stunned silence, watching as the bolts flew higher ¨C higher ¨C higher¡
Until they detonated into a ball of orange fire, the explosion hitting their ears a few seconds later.
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The children went wild.
Shrieking in excitement, they leapt at Serena, grabbing the hem of her skirt and leaping up and down, their cries for more echoing over the rubble. Grinning, Serena swept her hands out in front of her ¨C
And reappeared a few feet away, the children left holding silver mist. As they swung about trying to find her, Serena snapped her fingers, a sharp whistle sounding from them.
¡°Don¡¯t move!¡± She signed.
The children froze, none daring to draw breath, their wide eyes glued to her.
She clapped her hands together, then slowly drew them apart; in the space between, balls of different colored light ¨C blue, red, orange, purple, and green ¨C winked into existence, bobbing as though tied together. Flicking her wrist, she flung them out, sending the balls of light over the children¡¯s heads; they flew for a bit, before lazily drifting towards the spaces between the heaps of rubble.
¡°Better go get them!¡± Serena signed.
The children yelled and took off, each chasing after their own magical light. Serena¡¯s grin widened as they leapt about, their squeals of delight filling the air as the lights barely bobbed out of arms reach.
Serena turned and made her way back to the house, willing the lights closer to her as she did. Her heart jumped a little as she caught sight of Werond, parchment clutched against her chest, watching the circus before her with a smile. There wasn¡¯t anything special about the way she leaned against the wall yet all the same, Serena couldn¡¯t stop herself from being pulled in.
¡°Gonna just leave them there!?¡±
Serena jerked, Baron¡¯s furious voice ripping her from her thoughts, the stomping of his boots yanking her attention towards him as he rounded on her.
¡°Bunch of rubble and stuff to trip on and you just let them out like that?!¡± He spat, waving his sword around.
¡°Baron,¡± Serena signed, glancing over her shoulder. ¡°they¡¯re a few feet away. They¡¯ll be okay. They need to go burn off that energy anyways.¡±
¡°And you do it in the worst way possible!¡± Baron shook his head. ¡°Too much room to hurt themselves, and the hole is right there!¡±
It most certainly wasn¡¯t, but Serena knew there¡¯d be no arguing with the boy. With a shrug, she stepped around him and continued towards Werond, a snort of disgust and the crunching of rocks assuring her that Baron would be out of the way.
¡°F ¨C U ¨C N?¡± Werond signed as Serena leaned against the wall beside her, pointing at the kids; they hadn¡¯t noticed Baron now standing a foot away, watching with arms crossed.
¡°Oh yeah! Exhausting though.¡± Serena signed. ¡°I can¡¯t imagine having to deal with them for any longer¡I was kind of just¡making stuff up.¡±
Werond raised a brow.
¡°I¡¯ve never dealt with kids before.¡± Serena admitted. ¡°I just¡liked the idea honestly. I mean, it wasn¡¯t hard but at the same time¡it kind of was.¡±
Werond cocked her head, eyes flicking towards the sky. She cradled the parchment against her arm, plucked the charcoal stick from her pocket, and began to write. Serena leaned over to watch and caught the remnants of some conversation she¡¯d tried to have with Baron, painfully one sided. Each sentence was neatly stacked upon the other, and the entire conversation was shoved to one side of the parchment, giving her ample room to write her question.
¡°You never played with other kids at your Mom¡¯s?¡± It said.
¡°Oh, no. Never got the chance.¡± Serena signed. ¡°We weren¡¯t really a¡family tavern either, and back then, I was really the only other helper so¡even if they were there, I wouldn¡¯t have time. Made friends with a lot of Mom¡¯s friends though. Which¡probably wasn¡¯t good for me, but I still had fun.¡±
¡°Wouldn¡¯t trade it for the world?¡±
¡°Nope. Too many memories.¡±
Werond nodded, her attention drifting towards a yell from the children. Wells had managed to catch his orb of light, half his body glowing a dull blue as he held it over his head, yelling triumphantly. As the rest of his siblings began to mob him, Baron on their heels, Serena willed the light up and out of his hands, pulling it to the side as Wells and the rest chased after it. She watched for a moment, until Werond nudged her with her elbow.
¡°I think this is the first time I¡¯ve seen a good reaction to your magic.¡± It said.
¡°No, I¡¯ve¡oh, you mean my signs?¡± Serena asked; Werond nodded. ¡°Yeah¡I suppose so. Wonder why though, they¡¯re the only ones who¡¯ve reacted like that.¡±
¡°Probably just because they¡¯re kids.¡±
¡°Yeah, maybe. Lot of people could learn from them then.¡±
Werond laughed as she wrote. ¡°I¡¯m sure there¡¯s some book somewhere that says that.¡±
¡°Oh yeah. It sounds like¡it sounds smart, you know? Very wise, I guess.¡±
¡°Two different things, wise and smart.¡±
¡°Sure, sure. So, what would the kids be then?¡±
¡°Wise, in a very stupid way.¡±
Serena rolled her eyes and grinned. Her attention drifted back towards the children; the chase now forgotten, Wells had begun to lead the group into a heap of rubble, finding stones to throw at the lights, now dancing over them in a circle. Baron had taken up a position to the side, his protests falling on deaf ears.
¡°You must be that stupid wise then,¡± Serena signed. ¡°because you didn¡¯t freak out when you first saw my signs.¡±
Werond chortled. ¡°If I¡¯m being honest, it was very surprising. I just hid that.¡±
¡°But you didn¡¯t run off or yell at me or anything like that. And I appreciated that.¡±
¡°Of course. I got over it quickly too. I was too busy being distracted by other things.¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Serena signed. ¡°Like what?¡±
Werond pulled the parchment back, a small smile on her lips as she put the charcoal back to the sheet. The stick stayed in place however, the tip pressed into the brown-yellowish sheet. Serena watched it for a moment, glancing up when it was clear Werond wasn¡¯t writing, to see ¨C
Pain.
Etched so clearly in the furrow of her brows, the frown of lips, and the glistening in her eyes. Pain, so tangible that Serena felt its talons rip her breath away. Pain, painted so vividly that it wrenched forth the only memory she¡¯d had of it.
¡°Werond?¡± Serena signed.
It vanished, gone with the jerking of Werond¡¯s body. She looked over at her, eyes widened, charcoal still stationary.
¡°Are you okay?¡± Serena asked.
No response came. Serena shifted in place, skin beginning to prickle.
¡°You¡you made a face.¡± She continued. ¡°Like before, back when you told me about¡your job. And¡¡± She sucked in a breath. ¡°You¡¯d tell me if something was ¨C¡±
A wail went up.
Both of them jumped, heads flipping towards the children. In the center of a rubble pile, Rell had fallen down, clutching her knee as she screamed into the sky. The rest of the children gathered around her, their voices an incomprehensible babble drifting towards Serena and Werond. Baron quickly shoved himself through the crowd and knelt beside Rell, pulling back her hands to reveal a bright red wound ¨C nothing but a scrapped knee.
¡°I uh¡¡± Serena signed, pushing off the wall. ¡°I¡¯ll make sure they¡¯re okay.¡±
Werond ducked her head and nodded; she squeezed her eyes shut and dug a knuckle into her forehead, rubbing it as though it hurt. Serena watched for a moment, chest tight, wishing she knew what to say, before making her way towards the children.
They parted immediately when she drew close, a legion of wide eyes staring at her as she knelt before Rell. Baron, now rubbing her back, offered his sister words of encouragement, but nothing else as Rell continued to sob.
¡°Now, Rell, it¡¯s alright,¡± He said. ¡°no need to fuss, it¡¯ll make you tougher, you know? You want to be ¨C don¡¯t poke at it!¡±
Rell jumped as Serena looked up at him, hands hovering over the wound.
¡°I¡¯m not,¡± She signed. ¡°I¡¯m fixing it. I can do that, remember?¡±
Baron grumbled something, but otherwise remained silent as Serena pressed her hand to the scrape. Rell shrieked and jerked away, but the wound had already sizzled over, new skin where it¡¯d once been an angry red. Serena snapped her fingers over the spot, vanishing the bits of dirt and rubble still stuck to her knee.
¡°There,¡± She signed, standing up. ¡°good as new. Shouldn¡¯t hurt either.¡±
Rell was too young to understand what had happened, and now clung to Baron as she continued to cry. The other children, however, peered closer at her knee, each letting loose some noise of awe as they¡¯d realized what Serena had done.
¡°Wow!¡± Gath said, flipping towards her. ¡°You¡¯re like a ¨C a god!¡±
Serena burst out laughing.
¡°No, no, don¡¯t say that,¡± She signed as she stood up. ¡°I might get ideas if you.¡±
¡°But it¡¯s true!¡± Wells yelled.
¡°No, it¡¯s just basic magic, it¡¯s ¨C¡±
But her signs died upon her fingers, as her gaze flicked toward the city walls, and gaping hole within them.
Framed in that hole strode two figures, each using spears as walking sticks. Though they wore rough tunics and pants, various types of animal furs covered their bodies, wrapped about their arms and torso, matched by the bones strapped to their shoulders. Even from a distance, Serena could make out the red stripe painted across their eyes, almost a similar color to blood.
¡°Gods damn it!¡± Serena jerked, head flipping to Baron, who stood gripping his sword with both hands. ¡°gods¡fuck!¡±
He flipped around, waving his arms at the children.
¡°Inside, now!¡± He shouted, causing them to cringe back. ¡°Get! Now! Go get dad!¡±
¡°Wait,¡± Serena¡¯s head flipped between the children, scrambling to obey, and Baron. ¡°are those the ¨C¡±
¡°Course they are! Who in the hells would they be?!¡± Baron began backing away, never turning from the two figures. ¡°Gods damned barbs coming to get their pay! And Mom isn¡¯t home to get it, fuck!¡±
Serena looked back towards the house, watching the children scramble around to the front, catching Werond¡¯s eye as she stared back with a confused expression. After a moment, however, she turned and followed the children, hurrying after them.
¡°So Nura ¨C your mom, just needs to pay them?¡± Serena signed, heart speeding up.
¡°Yes!¡± Baron said. ¡°But your friend fucking took her so ¨C¡±
¡°So go get her,¡± Serena signed, walking towards the figures. ¡°I¡¯ll stall them.¡±
¡°What?! You got some death wish!?¡±
But Serena waved him off, shaking out her hands as she began to make her way towards the figures.
Encounter
¡°How could y¡¯all be this stupid?!¡±
Jo squeezed her eyes shut and tapped her head against the doorframe, hoping beyond hope that the house would come crashing down and put her out of her misery.
¡°Been asking that for a while.¡± She mumbled.
¡°Oh, and you¡¯re one to talk,¡± Cruck¡¯aa snarled. ¡°If I remember ¨C¡±
Jo cracked an eye just as Nura whirled on him, towering over the Aarakocra with rage so palpable it sent a shiver up her spine. He tried to slink up the stairwell away from her, yellow eyes wide, as Nura laid into him.
¡°Shut your fucking beak!¡± She spat. ¡°All you¡¯ve done is whinge and complain about nothing since I¡¯ve gotten here! Speak with purpose or don¡¯t speak at all!¡±
Doriyah laughed for them both as Jo bit her tongue; leaning in one of the chairs at the table, he pointed a finger at Cruck¡¯aa like a child at a zoo.
¡°Look!¡± He cackled. ¡°He¡¯s afraid of a woman!¡±
In a heartbeat, Nura was on him, looming only because he was seated. His stupid grin seemed to rile her more as she hissed and jerked a finger in his face.
¡°You have no room to speak,¡± Nura said. ¡°considering this mess is entirely your fault!¡±
¡°Sure, sure,¡± Doriyah waved her off. ¡°heard that one before.¡±
¡°Then what do you intend to do about it?!¡±
¡°Uh, nothing until Pavel gets back.¡± He shrugged. ¡°Isn¡¯t that why you two came over here? Wait for him to figure ¨C¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need to wait for another to figure out how you plan on getting us out of this mess!¡±
¡°Working on it, doll-face. Trust.¡±
Jo shoved off the doorframe, leaping towards Nura as she pulled back her fist, much to Doriyah¡¯s amusement. Yet she stopped short as the door burst open, slamming against the wood where Jo had been standing. Pavel stepped in a moment after, light in streaming around him as he stood in the threshold.
¡°Whoops.¡± He said, closing the door with his foot. ¡°Didn¡¯t mean that.¡±
Dirt and dust coated his clothes, his golden locks equally gross, looking as though he¡¯d gone tumbling through the ruins rather than searching through them. Despite that, he seemed to have nothing on him, save his sword in one hand, with its empty and broken scabbard in the other.
With a nod at Jo and Cruck¡¯aa, he moved towards the stairs, probably to go clean himself. He stopped short, however, when he caught sight of Nura, now flipped around and staring daggers at him from across the room.
¡°Oh, uh¡¡± He shook out his hair, as though it would help. ¡°Hello! And who do I owe the pleasure of meeting?¡±
Jo began to speak, hoping to start the conversation on the right foot, only for Nura to stomp to past her so violently, boots hammering against the wood, that she sputtered instead.
¡°You¡¯re,¡± Nura spat, somehow looming over Pavel despite lacking the height. ¡°the bleeding heart, aren¡¯t you?¡±
¡°I¡¡± Pavel¡¯s eyes widened. ¡°I¡¯m pretty sure my heart is fine.¡±
His words hung in the air. Realization smacked Nura in the face a heartbeat later, forcing her back a step as she stared at Pavel with her own wide eyes. Jo would have been impressed had it been anyone else, but she¡¯d figured Nura to be smart enough to realize quick that Pavel was¡well, Pavel.
¡°Anyways,¡± He continued. ¡°I don¡¯t think we¡¯ve met. I¡¯m Pavel! Are you Hugo¡¯s wife? He made mention of you.¡±
But Nura didn¡¯t hear him; shaking her head, she stumbled past him and leaned against the wall beside the door, running her hands through her hair. Wide eyes staring at nothing, she remained utterly silent as her future crumbled before her eyes.
¡°Right¡¡± Pavel said, glancing around. ¡°I take it a lot has happened?¡±
¡°None of it good.¡± Jo said. ¡°Didn¡¯t find anything?¡±
¡°Ah, no,¡± Pavel¡¯s face darkened. ¡°I found evidence of the barbarians though. Similar mutilated bodies, like what we saw in the woods. They¡¯re old, but it¡¯s a clear sign. It¡¯s a good thing we stayed, because I¡¯m pretty sure they¡¯d do the same to Hugo and his family if given the chance. Doubt they¡¯d listen to reason.¡±
The confidence in his voice should have been reassuring, yet Jo could only cringe at just how behind he was regarding the situation.
¡°Pavel,¡± She began. ¡°been talking to Nura ¨C her, yeah ¨C and about those barbarians? We made it worse.¡±
¡°What?¡± Pavel asked.
¡°Allegedly.¡± Cruck¡¯aa grumbled.
¡°Oh no, we did.¡± Doriyah said. ¡°I take full responsibility for my hi-jinks.¡±
¡°Your what?¡± Pavel asked.
¡°When they spotted you yesterday,¡± Jo said. ¡°they ¨C that tipped them off. Know we¡¯re here now. Should have realized it sooner, getting rusty.¡±
¡°Well, maybe I am too,¡± Pavel said. ¡°because I fail to see how that¡¯ll be an issue. If we were facing a military, sure, but these people seem like nothing more than woodsmen gone insane. I¡¯m sure we¡¯ll be fine.¡±
His words hung in the air as he glanced about, trying to meet everyone¡¯s eyes, blind to the mounting rage behind him. That quickly changed as Nura grabbed him and flung Pavel around, clutching at his tunic with both hands as she pulled him in.
¡°They¡¯re meticulous you idiot!¡± Nura hissed. ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what you think they are, y¡¯all tipped them off and now everything I¡¯ve figured out and planned is fucked! Everything! They¡¯ll send more of them now and demand more from us, all because y¡¯all wanted breakfast!¡±
¡°Dinner, actually.¡± Doriyah said, smiling as Jo glared at him.
¡°Ma¡¯am, I understand the frustration,¡± Pavel said. ¡°But rest assured, we¡¯ll figure something out. That¡¯s why we¡¯re here, to help.¡±
Jo couldn¡¯t see what kind of face Pavel had made to her, but whatever it was, it only furthered the rage on Nura¡¯s.
¡°Y¡¯all don¡¯t get it,¡± She growled. ¡°you just don¡¯t fucking get it. Can¡¯t see past anything but your good intentions.¡±
¡°What? Ma¡¯am, I don¡¯t think ¨C¡±
¡°No, you don¡¯t, and that¡¯s your issue.¡± She shoved herself off Pavel, barely moving him. ¡°I had everything figured out. I did. I knew how they worked, knew how they acted, knew how to keep them occupied. Had all the time in the damned world to figure out what we could and then y¡¯all just walk in and fuck everything up!¡±
¡°Okay,¡± Pavel began. ¡°I understand that but we¡¯re here now! Whatever you planned, we¡¯ll make it work. Or change it, whatever ¨C¡±
¡°Nine Hells, we never wanted you here!¡± Nura yelled. ¡°Never! All y¡¯all did was mess everything up and now you promise to fix it?! Be better off just leaving!¡±
Despite agreeing with her, Jo couldn¡¯t suppress that twinge in her chest as Pavel glanced back at her, face falling; whatever he¡¯d been hoping for from the conversation, it wasn¡¯t this.
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¡°Well¡¡± He began, turning back to her. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you feel that way ma¡¯am, but ¨C¡±
¡°Think her names Nura.¡± Doriyah said, feet thudding onto the table.
¡°Uh, right, Nura¡¡± Pavel spread out his hands. ¡°I¡¯m sorry you feel this way, Truly, all we ¨C most of us want to do is help. I apologize if my friends here went and messed everything up, especially after we¡¯ve only been here barely a day. That wasn¡¯t our intention. But if that¡¯s the case, if we have messed things up¡then it¡¯s our duty to fix them. I know you probably hate us right now but¡if we can fix the problem, it¡¯s the least we can do.¡±
Jo sighed. It wasn¡¯t the worst argument to make; part of her even agreed with it if they truly had made the situation worse. Despite that, she was sure that a part of him just wanted to be involved to assuage whatever guilt he now felt. Nura seemed to be of the same mind, as though she continued to glare at him, she remained silent.
It was Cruck¡¯aa, however, who spoke up first, feathers still ruffled.
¡°As much as it pains me to admit it,¡± He said. ¡°I¡¯m in agreement. Should these two have screwed everything up, then we must fix it, if only so we can leave quicker.
¡°What the fuck¡¡± Doriyah breathed, hand on his chest.
¡°Yes, fine.¡± Nura barked. ¡°The thing is right. The sooner you fix this ¨C¡±
¡°Thing!?¡± Cruck¡¯aa caught on.
¡°¨C the sooner y¡¯all are out of here.¡± She stomped towards the door and shoved it open, glaring at them over her shoulder. ¡°Come then. Everyone is at my house.¡± And she left before any of them could respond.
Silence hung in the air as they stared at each other, Jo¡¯s gaze sliding between Pavel and Cruck¡¯aa, ignoring the chuckling coming from the table. After a moment, Pavel shrugged, turned and followed out the door.
¡°Should have left the moment we found our answers.¡± Cruck¡¯aa muttered bitterly.
¡°Look at that,¡± Jo shoved off the wall and moved towards the door. ¡°another miracle.¡±
The crunching of rubble underfoot seemed louder than usual, the sound bouncing off a few of the remaining walls scattered about the ruins. Yet it did nothing to drown out the pounding in Serena¡¯s ears as she made her way towards the barbarians. Nura¡¯s house, despite having a decent view of the hole blasted into the city walls, proved further from the pair than she thought, giving ample time for her decision to turn itself over and over in her head.
There was no regret within her chest, no dread of facing the men alone; no, it was the usual second-guessing that chewed her lip and set her hands atremble. She hadn¡¯t a clue what the situation was for Nura and her family ¨C even stepping up to, hopefully, scare the barbarians away might prove worse for them in the long run. But what other choice did she have? To stand by when she was more than capable was just as bad as acting without knowing. At least, that¡¯s what Serena told herself to quiet her heart.
The minute of walking seemed to stretch to an hour, yet within a minute they met in the middle all the same, the barbarous pair halting between two ruined buildings, eyeing Serena with outright hostility as she approached. Up close, they looked horrific, both in almost matching attire. What seemed like a pair of tunic and pants were actually rough-strew garments, obviously handmade; the furs wrapped about their bodies seemed dark brown, though from dirt or their natural color, she couldn¡¯t tell; worst of all were the bones that adorned their shoulders, holding the furs in place, looking more decoration than functional armor.
And the smell¡
Serena cringed back, eyes watering as the stench wafted over her ¨C somewhere between a decaying corpse, left baking in the sun, and that horrible dumpster they always walked by on the way to Werond¡¯s favorite restaurant. Almost inhuman.
The pair glared at her, hate smoldering within their eyes. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, they were as beady as Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s, maybe worse.
¡°You!¡± One barked, the taller of the pair, exposing broken and missing teeth. ¡°You¡¯re new! Where¡¯s Nura!¡±
¡°We only talk to her!¡± Spat the other, thin and narrow like a post.
Serena suppressed a sigh, raising her hands as she realized that she¡¯d need to talk to them.
¡°She¡¯s not here,¡± She signed. ¡°you can talk to me. What do you¡¡±
Her signs trailed off as the pair flinched, shying away with spears leveled. The tall one hissed and jabbed his spear towards her, a threat had he not been further away.
¡°What is this magic?!¡± He demanded. ¡°I will not suffer you, witch! Speak plainly!¡±
¡°This is the only way I can talk,¡± Serena signed. ¡°so get used to it. Nura¡¯s not here.¡±
¡°Lies!¡± The narrow one yelled.
¡°Speak with your mouth!¡± Screamed the other.
¡°I am! Gods above, you think I want to freak everyone out?!¡±
Evidently, asking them to think proved too much for the rough pair. Both contorted their faces, as though digesting what she¡¯d said, only for the taller one to quickly shake his head and step forward, spear still raised.
¡°Enough of this, we won¡¯t deal with you.¡± He said. ¡°Take us to Nura. Now!¡±
For a moment, Serena considered it. She hadn¡¯t a clue what to say or do with the two, after all, and Nura was far more equipped to handle them than she was. But the very idea of bringing these savages anywhere near the children dashed all thoughts of following through.
¡°No,¡± Serena signed. ¡°I only came over here to tell you to leave. So¡leave. Now.¡±
¡°What?!¡± The narrow one spat.
¡°Who are you to demand such a thing?¡± The tall one yelled.
¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Serena signed. ¡°I¡¯m telling you to leave. She¡can¡¯t meet with you anyways.¡±
¡°And why not?!¡±
¡°Because she can¡¯t. She¡¯s busy.¡±
¡°With what?!¡±
¡°She¡¯s just busy! Come back tomorrow and she¡¯ll see you!¡±
The tall one smashed the heel of his spear into the ground and stepped forward, eyes darkening as his voice lowered to a growl found more at home with a bear than a man.
¡°Listen girl,¡± He began. ¡°you don¡¯t seem to understand how this arrangement works. Shut your mouth and take us to Nura, or else ¨C¡±
¡°Or else what?!¡± Serena spat back, teeth gritted. ¡°Don¡¯t fucking call me girl and demand shit, you don¡¯t get to do that! Nura¡¯s not going to be seeing anyone right now, so piss off! Don¡¯t make me ¨C ¡°
But the thin one let loose a bellow, thrusting his spear forward ¨C
¡°Enough!¡± He screamed. ¡°Get this magic from my head!¡±
¨C and charged
Serena flinched, the spearhead an inch from her heart before she twisted her fingers and vanished. She landed on her feet some paces to the side, the barbarian stumbling through silver mist.
¡°Back off!¡± Serena signed as he whirled around. ¡°I don¡¯t ¨C¡±
He screamed and charged again.
Cursing, she vanished again, reappearing where she was before. The barbarian screamed louder, head on a swivel.
Serena raised a hand towards his back, fire igniting across it, aiming between the shoulder blades; the blast wouldn¡¯t kill, hopefully it¡¯d be enough to ¨C
Another yell ¨C another curse as she remembered.
Jerking back, Serena flung up her other hand as the taller man lunged at her, spear flying towards her heart. The head slid off the translucent barrier that erupted from her fingers and covered her chest, moving towards ¨C
Serena screamed as the tip slashed across her shoulder, blood spraying onto the dirt, soaking her arm as a burning pain flooded through it.
She leapt back, barely dodging another thrust, just as the other came barreling towards her, another war cry at his lips.
Twisting her fingers, Serena teleported further back, watching as they thrust through the silver mist where she¡¯d been barely a heartbeat ago.
Somehow, their faces contorted further, rage fueling their limbs as they sprinted at her, both now eerily silent. Arm burning, biting back another curse, Serena raised her arms, hands laced together, waiting as the pair drew nearer ¨C nearer ¨C nearer ¨C
At the last second, arm slick and spasming, a stream of fire erupted from her palms, wide as she was tall, roaring at the barbarians like dragon fire.
The thinner barbarian screamed as the flames engulfed him, body barely visible in the torrent as he stumbled back, spear thrown away; his friend flung himself to the side at the last second, crashing into the dirt, the fires barely licking his arm.
Serena pressed forward as the burning man continued to stumble back, his screams of agony accompanied by a terrible chorus of popping and sizzling, until his throat burned through, and he fell silent.
She flicked her hands, the stream evaporating, yet the barbarian remained engulfed, the features of his body melting away under the intense heat, the terrible smell of burning flesh filling the air. By the time his body fell to the ground, he was more pile of burning flesh than person.
Serena flipped around, arm outstretched and palm pointing towards the barbarian still on the ground. But he¡¯d already thrown his spear away, face pale, eyes wide as he gaped at her. Scrambling to his feet, the barbarian raced away, never once glancing back.
She watched for a moment as his form began to shrink, until he finally threw himself through the hole in the city wall and into the fields outside. Sighing, she spared a glance at the dead barbarian, stomach twisting as the flames began to subside.
Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, that wasn¡¯t how she¡¯d expected that to go. Then again, given that they were wild bushmen, maybe she should have ¨C
Pain flared in her arm, causing her to gasp; Serena clapped a hand to the cut, hand coming away wet, the wound burning as though a fire raged just beneath her skin.
Why was it burning? She¡¯d been cut before, but never had ¨C
The realization smashed into her chest.
Cursing, she ripped the sleeve of her tunic, exposing the wound as she twisted her arm ¨C superficial at best, but deep enough that the poison might have already seeped in. But what was she to do? She couldn¡¯t cure poison, and while healing the wound would help with, well, the wound itself, it wasn¡¯t the right magic to stop whatever was on the spear. But it wouldn¡¯t help, it wouldn¡¯t help ¨C by the gods how did she mess up this bad? Why didn¡¯t she teleport back, she could have, it would have been easy, but she didn¡¯t ¨C gods above, she wasn¡¯t about to end up like Nura¡¯s family from her own stupidity but what was she to do, they didn¡¯t have any cure, any antidote, if she went down like this she¡¯d be a burden to everyone and she¡¯d killed one of them hadn¡¯t she, she had to tell them, Bahamut¡¯s Teeth she had to tell them, she couldn¡¯t if the posion got to her, how fucked would they be if she never told them, gods above why didn¡¯t she just turn away when she had the chance, why did she stay out, why ¨C
She straightened up, sucking in a breath as she fought against the talons of panic that gripped her heart and shook her body. She couldn¡¯t panic, couldn¡¯t panic, it¡¯d only make things worse, but what was she to do? She had nothing, nothing to heal her, nothing to save her, she had¡
Her flames.
Before the idea could shift into a terrible one, Serena ignited her hand and, flames roaring, slapped it onto her open wound.
Crux
¡°Werond, I said ¨C ow! Ow! I can heal ¨C ow, Werond!¡±
Werond pulled away the foul-smelling rag, dripping with Bahamut knew what, from the burn on Serena¡¯s arm. Not a shred of sympathy lay behind her eyes as she glared at Serena, who leaned away from her, into the table.
¡°Can you please stop!?¡± She signed, arm throbbing. ¡°I can heal it myself, just please ¨C Werond!¡±
Wood ground upon wood, and the bottles of medicine rattled as Serena jerked away, shoving the table back as Werond tried to grab at her arm. She ground her teeth and flung the rag onto the table, landing with a disgusting squelch, almost hitting her bundle of parchment. She snatched it up and plucked the charcoal stick from her ear and furiously scribbled on it; it took Serena a moment to read her words when she flipped the parchment around, her handwriting nothing but angry squiggles.
¡°Maybe if you didn¡¯t want this,¡± It read. ¡°you wouldn¡¯t have fought those two!¡±
¡°What did you want me to do?!¡± Serena signed. ¡°Nothing?! Just let them walk up to the house?!¡±
Werond nodded vigorously, but wrote something still; gods, how awkward it was, waiting for her to write when she remained furious at her.
¡°Yes! Had you just listened to what they wanted or come with us, we wouldn¡¯t be in this mess!¡±
¡°Are you kidding me?! Werond, you saw them, they looked ready to kill! I had to defend you!¡±
¡°You didn¡¯t know what¡¯s going on! Nura could have handled it!¡±
¡° And what if that wasn¡¯t the case?! What if it got worse?¡±
¡°It did get worse! You got attacked!
¡°And? I handled myself fine, I ¨C¡±
Werond jabbed a finger at the cut on Serena¡¯s arm, framed by the burn-print from her hand.
¡°I slipped, okay?¡± Serena signed. ¡°It was an accident. And I¡¯m fine!¡±
¡°And what if you weren¡¯t?¡± Werond wrote. ¡°You got lucky. What if you don¡¯t?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t care about that, I¡¯d be fine, we¡¯d figure something out. And besides ¨C¡±
But Werond yelled some guttural noise, rolled up her parchment, and smacked Serena¡¯s head with it; yelping, Serena threw up her hands as Werond tried again, hitting her arms over and over and over again ¨C until she finally flung the rolled up tube back onto the table, shoved off her chair, and stomped over to the kitchen counter, smacking her hands on it as she leaned against it, head bowed.
Serena rubbed her head and tried to ignore the stinging in her eyes. She wasn¡¯t expecting to be lauded for what she¡¯d done, but neither had she expected the absolute fury from so many; from Jo, yelling about how further everything had been ruined; from Nura, as she glared at her, trying desperately to calm her children and hold back Baron; even from Werond, manhandling her back to their house, medicine bag from Hugo in hand, despite her protests. Cruck¡¯aa had said something too, but his fury had long ago ceased to matter. And not a single one of them had cared that she¡¯d managed to burn the poison out of her.
Which¡was fair, given the circumstance.
She sighed, glancing at the cauterized wound. Fair as it might be, she wished they didn¡¯t mark her with so much anger. More than likely, it was just frustration at a worsened situation, but it was hard to not take things personally, especially from someone you loved. Besides, what was she supposed to do, let them come back to the house? She was right to stall them, even if she hadn¡¯t known what they were capable of, and Serena would never forgive herself had something happened to Werond if they¡¯d truly meant harm. She¡¯d rather die to their blades than let them come anywhere near her.
A grassy ridge flashed through her mind ¨C with it, the blue of the sky and the snatches of conversation they¡¯d had, after so many silent days. And though it brought her a twinge of joy, that feeling was crushed beneath the talons that gripped her heart.
Werond¡¯s anger wasn¡¯t borne of ruining an already terrible situation, and even if she wouldn¡¯t understand Serena¡¯s position, she at least needed to hear it. Letting the silence fester between them would only make it worse.
Picking up Werond¡¯s parchment, and ignoring the ache in her heart, Serena urged the well within to fill her free hand with silver light. She clapped it over her wound, winching as the flesh sizzled, and stood up from the chair; in the second it took for her to reach Werond, only a few paces away, the wound had healed, the cut closed and burn print vanished.
Werond glanced back, shook her head, then turned fully around to snatch the parchment from Serena¡¯s outstretched hand. She didn¡¯t turn back around, however, instead staring at Serena with tired eyes. How difficult it was to sign under her gaze, yet Serena forced herself to speak all the same.
¡°Werond,¡± She signed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry for what I did, a-and making you worry, I just¡¡±
Her signs faltered as Werond balanced the parchment on an arm, quickly scratching out a few words.
¡°No,¡± The parchment read. ¡°you¡¯re not.¡±
A slap to the face would have felt better.
Serena began to sign but Werond twisted around, placing the parchment on the counter, necessary with how much she wrote. And despite having so much to say, so much to plead, Serena kept her hands against her chest, if only to be polite, until Werond held up the parchment again.
¡°I know,¡± She wrote. ¡°that you felt like you had to do something. To stall or something. But Serena you keep getting hurt. You keep doing stupid things and it¡¯s killing you. First Bogs Road now this. If you truly were sorry we wouldn¡¯t be talking like this. So why do you not care about yourself?¡±
¡°I do care.¡± Serena mumbled, looking away.
¡°Don¡¯t lie to me if we¡¯re going to talk.¡±
Serena grimanced. It wasn¡¯t a lie, but how could she explain it so that it made sense?
¡°I¡I do care about myself, Werond.¡± She began. ¡°It¡¯s just¡I needed to make sure they weren¡¯t going to hurt anyone¡especially you.¡±
She remained silent as Werond¡¯s gaze bore a hole through her. It took another moment before she put the charcoal back to the parchment.
¡°You weren¡¯t out there to protect the kids.¡± Her words read.
¡°Yes I was.¡± Serena signed. ¡°But¡I¡¯d be lying if I said it wasn¡¯t because something could have happened to you too. And¡and I just hate the thought of that. So¡I had to do it, and I wanted to do it. It doesn¡¯t matter to me if I got hurt because I know you¡¯d be alright. Better me than you.¡±
In any other time and place, she might have expected to see a softness descend over Werond, her eyes crinkling as she smiled. Yet these past days ¨C Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, how long had it been? ¨C taught her better, for Werond sighed deeply and shook her head, eyes squeezing shut as though she couldn¡¯t bear to look at her. When they opened, they darted to the parchment as she wrote, only meeting her gaze when she flipped her words around.
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¡°You can¡¯t keep doing this.¡± They read.
¡°What¡loving you? Because I won¡¯t.¡± Serena signed.
¡°Serena I¡¯m not worth it.¡±
Serena flinched ¨C from the words, and from the anger that flared within her pounding heart.
¡°W-what, not worth it?! Werond, where did that come from, of course you¡¯re worth it!¡± She signed. ¡°You¡¯re a wonderful person, you¡¯re caring, you¡¯re kind, a-and¡¡± Her signs faltered at how quickly Werond¡¯s face fell. ¡°I mean, I just ¨C I just don¡¯t understand, what do you mean you¡¯re not worth it?¡±
Werond tapped the parchment.
¡°No, that doesn¡¯t make sense!¡± Serena stepped closer, even as Werond flipped the parchment back around. ¡°You¡¯re worth it to me! I know you are, you¡¯re valuable, you¡¯re ¨C you¡¯re wonderful, you¡¯re ¨C I-I just don¡¯t know ¨C where is this ¨C¡±
But the parchment flipped around, almost directly in her face. Werond had only added a few words to the last sentence.
¡°I¡¯m not worth it. Not when I keep hurting you.¡±
¡°What? Werond, you¡¯re not hurting me. I-I don¡¯t even know what you mean, you¡¯re not doing anything! I-I mean, before, when you weren¡¯t talking to me, that hurt, but Werond, you¡¯re not hurting me. That doesn¡¯t make sense! I¡¡±
Her signs trailed off as Werond wrote ¨C stopped, stared at the parchment, wrote, then stopped again. Her mouth worked around some unspoken word, as though she were debating even saying, or writing, anything at all. And even from the angle, Serena could make out the sudden glassiness of her eyes, her heart leaping at the sight. How much she wanted to throw her arms around Werond, to promise her that things would be okay, yet she knew the situation to be anything but.
So, Serena waited, hands against her chest, until Werond drew up the courage to finally finish her sentence and flip the parchment around, unable to meet her gaze.
¡°I can¡¯t have you be like Tai.¡±
Serena felt her heart stop.
A thousand signs sprang to life within her mind, with them, everything she wanted to say ¨C to scream that that would never be the case, to cry as she finally understood Werond¡¯s pain, to reassure her that everything would be alright. Yet everything blurred together as a maelstrom within her head, nothing coming to her fingers, for what could she truly say? She¡¯d seen the power that simple name had over Werond, seen what the remnants of her time with him had done to her. Serena knew, through the smashing of her heart, through the numb that flooded her chest with each horrible thud, that not a thing she¡¯d sign would make a difference. Not after Werond had predicted this back in Waterdeep, so long ago.
She knew this, she acknowledged, yet as Serena fought against the numb, fought against the trembling, fought against the desire to collapse back in a chair and accept her demise, she denied it. It was all she could do. To put Werond above herself was what she knew to be right; that¡¯s what loved ones did for each other. It¡¯s what Mom did for Dad, and Dad to her, what Ned had done for her, and what she¡¯d do for Werond. And had it not been for the love that still seared her body and brain, then it was for the simple fact that Serena couldn¡¯t bear to see Werond in any more pain. Yes, she might get hurt in her pursuit for Werond¡¯s love, but when everything came to a close, she knew it would all be worth it.
Sucking in a breath, fighting against the numbness within, Serena lurched forward, back to that familiar closeness between them as she tried to place her hands against Werond¡¯s chest, where they belonged. Werond jerked back, dropping her parchment as she crossed her arms over herself, Serena¡¯s hands against them instead.
¡°W-Werond, I¡¡± She could barely sign, so hard did her hands quaver. ¡°I won¡¯t be Tai, I won¡¯t! I-I know you¡¯re scared but I can take care of myself, I¡¯ll be okay! It won¡¯t ¨C I won¡¯t, I ¨C Werond, please just trust me. I¡¡± Serena sucked in a breath, her body shuddering from the effort. ¡°I don¡¯t know what else I can do!¡±
Werond flinched, eyes wide; she slipped an arm out from under Serena, pawing at the counter for her parchment that wasn¡¯t there, her gaze never leaving hers.
¡°J-just, please, you have to trust me! I c-can¡¯t ¨C I won¡¯t end up like him, a-and I know it¡¯s hard but p-please, just trust me, I won¡¯t ¨C¡±
The door smashed open.
Serena shoved herself backwards, stumbling away as Werond caught herself against the counter, just as Doriyah led the rest of their friends in, bootsteps thudding against the floor. The giant man headed straight for the firepit, crouching over it as he began fiddling with the wood, while Jo and Pavel, feet dragging, collapsed into the chairs at the table. None of them so much as glanced at Serena and Werond, the only sound between them the scraping of wood against wood, and the flapping of wings just outside the door, quickly fading.
Despite the distance between them, and the hammering of her heart, Serena couldn¡¯t help but share a look with Werond, mirroring her concern. Frustration seemed to pool from Pavel and Jo, though Doriyah looked somewhat happy as he began striking the fire-rocks together. Had something ¨C
Serena shook her head, turning back to Werond; they could wait, she needed to keep talking, she needed Werond to understand, nothing else mattered save ¨C
In a flash, Werond¡¯s hands darted out and snatched hers up, pressing them together. She had to stop herself from flinching when she met Werond¡¯s gaze, as she mouthed a word:
Don¡¯t.
Werond released her hands and turned back to pick up her parchment. Serena remained in place, body trembling, heart hammering, mind going back and forth, back and forth. Eventually, despite every fiber of her being telling her otherwise, Serena forced herself to turn and move towards the table. Jo didn¡¯t glance up when she stood beside her, oblivious to how much effort it took Serena to stand and pretend that she was fine.
¡°Did uhm¡¡± Serena signed. ¡°did everything go alright?¡±
¡°It did,¡± Serena looked at Pavel as he spoke, the bags under his eyes almost standing out. ¡°it did¡best we can hope for, given the circumstances.¡±
¡°You don¡¯t sound¡convinced.¡±
¡°I mean, I am.¡± Pavel shrugged. ¡°It¡¯s just ¨C¡±
¡°We¡¯re to do the heavy lifting.¡± Jo cut in and pointed at Serena. ¡°Thanks to you.¡±
¡°R-right.¡± A shiver shot up Serena¡¯s spine. ¡°Uh, I¡¯m ¨C¡±
¡°Jo,¡± Pavel said, straightening up and turning in his chair. ¡°you know as well as I do that blaming Serena for what happened isn¡¯t fair. Just because everything didn¡¯t go the way you wanted doesn¡¯t mean you can lash out like that.¡±
Another shiver tore through her as Jo glared at Pavel. Fortunately, that glare melted away as she nodded, waving a hand at Serena as the wood creaked behind her.
¡°Right,¡± She sighed, Serena keenly aware of Werond slightly behind her. ¡°right. You¡¯re right. Frustrated is all. Sorry.¡±
She leaned back in the chair, watching for a moment as Doriyah fiddled with the firepit, a meager flame crawling to life between the tinder and wood.
¡°Plan is¡¡± Jo said. ¡°is to get a spot ready to ambush however many comes out of the hole. Nura reckons that we have, at most, a day. Made mention of a spot between two houses, could manage it there. But that means we¡¯re hitting the ground hard tomorrow to get everything ready.¡±
¡°Not that we have a choice.¡± Pavel said.
¡°No, we don¡¯t.¡± Jo sighed. ¡°Nura believes their response is going to be worse. Have to act tomorrow. Don¡¯t and we miss any opportunity to slip out.¡±
¡°Right. Doriyah and I will do the heavy lifting, getting the spot prepped,¡± Pavel continued. ¡°and Jo will keep a look out on the wall, just in case. Cruck¡¯aa is doing¡something.¡± He eyed the door. ¡°I wasn¡¯t listening if I¡¯m being honest. He started arguing with Nura about her family and we all kind of¡zoned out as she yelled at him.¡±
¡°That makes sense.¡± Serena signed; she couldn¡¯t blame them. ¡°What about me and Werond? Do we ¨C¡±
¡°Helping Nura and Hugo get their family ready.¡± Jo replied. ¡°Said she¡¯d need the help, there¡¯s a lot to do. Imagine they need to figure something out with their people upstairs.¡±
¡°O-oh. I guess that¡¯s fine.¡±
¡°Each of us has an important part to share. Yours is just as important as everyone else¡¯s. After all, we¡¯re doing this for Nura¡¯s family. If we didn¡¯t help them in what they needed, what would be the point?¡± Pavel said.
The fatigue that plagued his voice was suddenly gone as Pavel spoke those words; had Serena the energy, she might have asked if he¡¯d rehearsed them on the way over, but as it stood, she just wanted to get back to Werond, to try to convince her against her greatest fears. Even then, Serena doubted she¡¯d be able to sign properly.
¡°With that being said though,¡± Pavel continued, groaning a bit as he stood up from the chair. ¡°we¡¯ll need to eat and hit the hay. I know it¡¯s a bit early but the better prepared we are for tomorrow, the better. Did we¡shit, did we ask Nura for any food?¡±
¡°Answered your own question.¡± Jo said. ¡°Asked Cruck¡¯aa to get something for us. Hopefully he will.¡±
¡°You¡¯re¡you¡¯re trusting he¡¯ll come back with something?¡± Pavel asked. ¡°Something that won¡¯t be grass?¡±
¡°Yes. Considering you two got banned from going back into the forest, he¡¯s really our only hope.¡±
¡°Banned?¡± Serena asked.
¡°Full of shit!¡± Everyone jumped as Doriyah barked the curse; he leapt up from the firepit, now blazing with life, head almost brushing the ceiling. ¡°Can¡¯t keep me from going out there, absolute ¨C¡±
¡°Yes, it can.¡± Jo said flatly. ¡°Else we don¡¯t get our supplies.¡±
¡°Why the fuck do we need their supplies?!¡± Doriyah yelled back. ¡°We have the bird! We¡¯ll be fine!¡±
¡°Do we though?¡±
For once, Doriyah looked as though he didn¡¯t know what to say, instead glaring at Jo. He waved her off and turned back to the fire, though he seemed to be pouting more than warming himself.
¡°You two were banned?¡± Serena asked, tearing her gaze away from him.
¡°Yeah¡¡± Pavel said. ¡°Part of the agreement we put together. Nura didn¡¯t have much faith in us after what had happened.¡±
¡°Makes sense, I guess.¡±
¡°Mm-hmm.¡± Pavel looked between her and Werond. ¡°You two alright? I know we were gone for a while.¡±
Serena glanced at Werond, who, after a moment, turned away.
¡°Yeah¡¡± Serena signed, chest growing tight. ¡°We¡¯re¡okay.¡±
¡°Good. Right!¡± Pavel clapped his hands together. ¡°Better prepare for whatever Cruck¡¯aa is dragging in. Didn¡¯t we find some pots or pans or something?¡±
Serena nodded, ignoring the numb slowly spreading within her chest. ¡°Yeah, they¡¯re over here¡¡±
Preperation
They should protest.
Doriyah paused, crouched over a hunk of rubble, sweat dripping into his eyes.
He was onto something. Hells, it might actually work; they did have a case of clear-cut sexism. The men move the rubble, and the women do, well, everything else. Why couldn¡¯t he and Pavel do everything? Why did they have to swelter under the sun? It just wasn¡¯t fair.
Grunting, legs burning, he forced himself up, waddled around, and flung the rubble towards the pile behind him. It landed with a satisfying crunch, a few smaller rocks tumbling down. Doriyah nodded, glancing over to watch Pavel throw his own onto the pile; his friend was covered in sweat, same as him, but at least Doriyah didn¡¯t have to worry about his shirt sticking to him.
¡°Got it figured out.¡± Doriyah said, dusting off his hands.
Pavel groaned, head rolling back.
¡°Can you stop?¡± He asked. ¡°I¡¯m so tired of listening to you, it¡¯s been all day.¡±
¡°Most of the day.¡±
¡°All day.¡±
¡°Well, this one is the best one, trust me.¡±
¡°Somehow, I doubt that.¡±
Doriyah huffed, rested his hands on his hips, and flexed his bare chest at Pavel, pecs gleaming in the sunlight. Pavel rolled his eyes, which meant that, with his dominance asserted, Doriyah could speak his mind.
¡°See,¡± He began. ¡°Jo fucked up. She made us do all the heavy lifting, and because we¡¯re men, that means she¡¯s sexist. So ¨C¡±
¡°Oh, shut the hell up.¡± Pavel waved him off, turning back towards rubble strewn at their feet. ¡°I¡¯m not hearing this. Let¡¯s just get this thing done quick, alright?¡±
There wasn¡¯t a way in the Nine Hells they¡¯d be done quick, but Doriyah wasn¡¯t about to say that.
It was a good spot though. The square between the two ruined houses must have been some kind of eating or meeting area, though with all the rubble scattered about, it was anyone¡¯s guess. The building between them, however, made it the perfect ambush spot. Situated some feet back, the gaps on either side were the perfect spot to pile the rocks and rubble into. Given how much littered the square, by the time they were done, the only entrance and exit would be the opening at the front.
But that was still a long way out. And in the meantime¡
¡°You know what?¡± Doriyah asked, strutting over to another piece of rubble.
¡°Oh gods¡¡± Pavel grunted, hauling up his own.
¡°I think we should just fuck off and take our chances. Serena handled those two easy. You and I,¡± Doriyah waved a hand as Pavel waddled past. ¡°could take the whole lot of them!¡±
¡°That¡¯s not the point.¡± Pavel grunted, throwing his rock before turning around. ¡°We¡¯re trying to make amends. It¡¯s not right if we just leave.¡±
¡°Tell you what, what was right was us leaving the moment we got here.¡±
¡°Sure, but from what Nura said, I doubt it¡¯d be easy.¡±
¡°Yeah, uhm¡has anyone checked that?¡± Doriyah threw his rock onto the pile. ¡°She keeps saying we¡¯d never survive but we¡¯ve only seen, what, three of them, and one of them died. How do we know she¡¯s not fucking with us?¡±
Pavel straightened up, stretching his back as he gave Doriyah a look.
¡°Why would she do that? She wants us out.¡±
¡°I don¡¯t know. But I do know that she¡¯s getting us to do the work for her.¡±
¡°You agreed to this though.¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t agree to shit, no one asked me.¡±
¡°Well, maybe because you¡¯re coarse, demean everyone constantly, and generally just don¡¯t participate in any conversation without being a massive jerk.¡±
Doriyah glared at Pavel, who met him in turn with a cocked brow. All of that was true, of course, but he¡¯d be damned if he¡¯d ever admitted that. Besides, why should he participate in any of this; it wasn¡¯t like he wanted to be here, working for a dickhead that had him by the balls. The best thing for him to do was to stay off to the side and make everyone hate him, it would work out better that way. No attachments, no strings, no worries when everything went south. Easy.
¡°Whatever. Let¡¯s just get this shit done before Jo gets here.¡± Doriyah said. ¡°Rather get done and then eat.¡±
¡°Couldn¡¯t have said it better myself. Although honestly¡I don¡¯t think that¡¯ll be the case.¡±
¡°Well yeah. I was ¨C¡±
Something glinted, straight into his eye.
¡°The fuck?¡± Doriyah muttered, turning his head.
Further out, within the gaping wound that marked the city¡¯s walls, something was glinting in just the right way to catch his eye. It kept shifting so that the light continually hit his face, painful enough that Doriyah had to squint through an outstretched hand to see what in the Hells was doing it.
The flashing, however, stopped; barely visible through the spots in his vision, a skinny cloaked figure, dressed entirely in black, vanished around the wall. He didn¡¯t need to see its face to know who it was.
¡°What¡¯s up?¡± Pavel asked as Doriyah swore.
¡°Nothing.¡± Doriyah turned back. ¡°Just¡pissed.¡±
¡°What about now?¡±
¡°Shut the fuck up and lift.¡± Doriyah spat, turning away.
-
It wasn¡¯t until the sun had shifted past its zenith did Jo materialize before them like a messiah, standing atop one of the rubble piles, bundles of food clutched in each hand. She tossed them as Doriyah and Pavel turned towards her, before leaping off and landing on one of the clearer spots in the square, the quantity of which growing by the hour.
¡°Thanks Jo.¡± Pavel said, wiping the sweat from his brow.
¡°Oh no,¡± Doriyah said, weighing the bundle. ¡°not yet, this is way too light. What am I, five? I need nourishment Jo.¡±
¡°Need you two to stop screwing around, but that didn¡¯t happen.¡± Jo shrugged. ¡°Get used to it. Saw the deer last night anyways, blame Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
¡°I always do.¡±
¡°I know.¡±
This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.
Waving her off, Doriyah retreated to the side, towards one of the walls that offered a meager slice of shade to sit under. Pavel and Jo followed him as he plopped down, Pavel finding a tiny rock to squat on while Jo leaned against the wall. She eyed the pair as they settled in but didn¡¯t pull out anything of her own to eat. Not that Doriyah cared. He probably had barely enough for himself as it was.
A quick tear of his bundle confirmed what he feared; a few chunks of cold deer, a handful of wild leeks, and an expertly sliced apple that he just knew Serena had chopped for him. Exactly as if he were five.
Doriyah plucked an apple from the sorry pile and pointed at Jo with it.
¡°I work,¡± he said. ¡°for hours on end, only to be fed like a child. A child. I am a grown man.¡±
¡°Act like one then.¡± Jo said.
¡°Oh, I most certainly do! But I doubt you¡¯ve ever been with one to even know what they¡¯re like!¡±
The grimace that twisted her face spoke more than words could have; Doriyah tore his attention back towards Pavel and jabbed him in the shoulder.
¡°Give me your apples.¡± He demanded.
¡°What? Screw off.¡± Pavel scooted away, huddling over his food. ¡°I¡¯m hungry too!¡±
¡°But I¡¯m bigger, I need the protein.¡±
¡°Then go hunt something.¡± Pavel replied, smirking.
¡°Then go hunt something!¡± Doriyah spat back, raising his voice until it could break glass. Confident he¡¯d won, he began to tear into his meager meal, meat gone in a few bites. Pavel did the same, and for a long moment, the only sound remained the wind, blowing through the square as though it could carry the conversation. Cooling in the shade, the smell of dust around him, Doriyah also felt a sense of peace, despite the lifelessness of the town.
¡°You think this¡¯ll work?¡±
Doriyah glanced over, leek halfway to his mouth; though Pavel stared up at Jo, she didn¡¯t meet his gaze, her own oddly distant as she stared at the building across from them.
¡°Hope so.¡± Was all she said.
¡°That doesn¡¯t inspire a lot of confidence, you know.¡±
¡°And? What should I say?¡± She glanced down. ¡°I¡¯m confident? Excited? Ready? Should have left the moment we ran into these people and look where we are.¡±
¡°We¡¯re doing the right thing, Jo.¡±
¡°For what? Them or ourselves?¡±
Pavel opened his mouth, but quickly shut it. After a moment of staring, he looked back down at his paltry meal, a new weight seemingly pressed onto his shoulders.
A part of Doriyah, buried deep down somewhere he¡¯d thought he¡¯d forgotten, bristled at the sight. Wasn¡¯t really fair of her to do him like that. But he shook his head and shoved that bleeding heart back down where it belonged. He was on a mission, serving a purpose; best to set himself apart, growing attached would only make everything harder in the end.
His eyes drifted to his half-eaten leek, tucked between two fingers like a cigar, his hunger vanishing on the wind.
Gods damn it, why him? It was always him, and for what? What was he even doing this for? All because Jarlaxle ¨C
A flash of light.
Doriyah shot up, half eaten food launched into the dirt; Pavel and Jo jerked, throwing him odd looks as he glared towards the hole in walls, catching a distant flap of black disappearing around the wall. Growling, he moved towards the entrance of the square, before quickly coming to his senses, plopping back down against the wall.
¡°You good?¡± Pavel asked, as Doriyah gathered up the spilled food.
¡°Sure,¡± Doriyah said, brushing the dirt off an apple slice. ¡°amazing. Fantastic. Never felt better.¡±
¡°See something?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Nothing important.¡±
¡°So you ¨C¡±
¡°I didn¡¯t see shit, okay?¡± Doriyah spat.
Jo narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t push the matter, turning her attention back across the town. Pavel, however, continued to stare at him as Doriyah demolished the last of his apple, grimacing at its dusty aftertaste.
¡°It¡¯s the heat, huh?¡± Pavel asked, after a moment.
¡°Fucking¡what?¡± Doriyah asked.
¡°The heat. Is it getting to you?¡±
¡°No it¡¯s not fucking getting to me. I¡¯m fine.¡±
¡°Alright. You know you can tell us if you weren¡¯t, right?¡±
They stared at each other for far longer than Doriyah would have liked, that tiny part of him holding his gaze. It wasn¡¯t until Jo pushed off the wall and walked out towards the city, did Doriyah finally look away.
It wasn¡¯t until the sun dipped fully under the horizon, the chill of twilight beginning to creep into the air, did they finally finish. It was rough, and Doriyah was miserable and sticky, but by the Nine Hells, it was done.
Pavel stood beside him as they surveyed their work, standing in the center of the square like statues in a fountain; all the rubble had been cleared out, stacked into two piles in the gaps between the buildings. They wouldn¡¯t be difficult to climb over, but during a fight, they¡¯d be enough to slow anyone trying to get out. Of course, none would get that far; between himself, Pavel, and Jo on the ground, and with Serena and Cruck¡¯aa on the buildings above, Doriyah couldn¡¯t see any barbarians making it out alive. Assuming they¡¯d come in in the first place.
He frowned; it felt like a majority of this plan worked on assumptions. Assuming they could trust Nura, assuming they could get the barbarians in, assuming Nura could get out¡
¡°How the fuck does Nura get out when we start hitting shit?¡± Doriyah blurted out.
Pavel¡¯s face scrunched in thought ¨C a rarity, these days.
¡°I mean¡¡± He began. ¡°She can just¡climb over the piles.¡±
¡°The ones we specifically made to be difficult to climb over?¡±
¡°Yeah¡I don¡¯t see why she couldn¡¯t.¡± Pavel shrugged. ¡°I mean, she seems the most capable out of everyone we¡¯ve meant.¡±
¡°She better be. Put all this fucking faith in her.¡±
¡°You know, you¡¯ve been cursing a lot today. You alright?¡±
Doriyah rolled his eyes and waved the question away. ¡°Of course I¡¯m not good, I¡¯ve had to shove rocks around all day, why the fuck would I be good?¡±
¡°Is it just that? Because you seem more of an ass than usual.¡±
¡°Well maybe it¡¯s because ¨C¡±
Another flash.
Doriyah screamed, whirled around, and stormed out the square. He did not look back as Pavel called out after him.
His march to the walls served only to inflame his rage; each bootstep, each crunch of gravel and rock beneath him only stoking that fire further, until he could practically feel it radiating from his chest. By the time he stepped through the gaping hole, he could feel the sweat bedding on his forehead and back.
He halted just a few paces outside; in the dying light, the fields of ruined buildings looked almost peaceful amongst the flowing grass, bygone relics of a better time, only the wind filling the air. That beautiful silence was shattered as he bellowed to everything around him.
¡°Stop hiding you fucking pussy!¡±
Instantly, a Drow stepped out from behind a house, some feet in front of him. Bundled in a thick cloak with the hood pulled tight over his head, Doriyah could barely make out his eyes, two beady red orbs that glared through him as the Drow walked towards him. The rest of him looked identical to every other Drow he¡¯d seen before; same dark leather armor, same fucking cloak, same absurd number of daggers strapped to¡
No¡that was different.
Doriyah met him halfway, growling as he pawed at his hip for his forgotten sword.
¡°Lot of fucking nerve.¡± He said.
¡°The same could be said of you,¡± The Drow growled back, voice like the gravel he¡¯d just stepped on. ¡°Why haven¡¯t they left yet?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t answer to people I don¡¯t know. Who are you?¡±
¡°That¡¯s irrelevant. Why haven¡¯t ¨C¡±
Doriyah lunged forward, but stopped halfway; the Drow flinched back, hand on a dagger, eyes narrowed to silts.
¡°Matters a lot,¡± Doriyah said, pointing at him. ¡°Jarlaxle doesn¡¯t let you people carry that much shit. And you flinched. His idiots don¡¯t do that. So, who the fuck are you?¡±
The Drow¡¯s lips twisted into a cruel smile.
¡°Clever. I am a member of the Do¡¯Ates, currently working for our mutual employer.¡± The Drow said. ¡°Now, what is your status?¡±
Doriyah grunted. ¡°Pissed off, angry, and ready to bash someone¡¯s head in. And you¡¯re the closest one to me.¡±
¡°I meant on the ¨C¡±
¡°I know what you fucking meant!¡± Doriyah snapped.
Despite being new, the Drow stared at him just like the others, eyes narrowed in what could have only been disgust; that, if he could, he¡¯d try to strike Doriyah down only because he was lesser in his beady red eyes. Nine Hells, it was every one of them, from the lowest fuck all the way up to the grand Jarhead himself. Gods above, none of them respected him, no one did, except ¨C
His lips pulled into a tight frown, the realization dousing him like ice water.
¡°Know what?¡± He finally said. ¡°I¡¯m done.¡±
¡°Excuse you.¡± The Drow said.
¡°Excuse your ass, I¡¯m done.¡± Doriyah waved a hand. ¡°I¡¯m helping them and I ain¡¯t giving you people anything. Try to signal me again and I¡¯ll tell them everything and bash your head in when I find you.¡±
¡°Our first meeting.¡± The Drow spat. ¡°And you¡¯re giving up already?¡±
¡°I never wanted to work for you people! I was forced into this bullshit!¡±
¡°For good reason. Need I remind you what will happen if you don¡¯t cooperate.¡±
¡°Remind my left nut.¡±
The Drow gave him a flat stare.
¡°Evidently, I do need to remind you of the agreement.¡± He said. ¡°You ¨C¡±
¡°I know!¡± Doriyah yelled. ¡°I know! I get the concept! You can fuck off still!¡±
¡°Then you forfeit your agreement and any benefits your clan would receive?¡±
¡°Yes, for fuck¡¯s ¨C¡±
¡°Need I remind you, should you disclose this arrangement, the consequences will be worse.¡±
¡°Would you fuck off with that, yes!¡± Doriyah threw his hands up. ¡°How many times do I need to ¨C¡±
¡°Established.¡± The Drow shifted his weight. ¡°Jarlaxle has instructed me to deliver one reminder of what he is capable of. When it comes, should it be enough, you know how to contact me.¡±
¡°Fucking¡what?!¡±
But the Drow flipped on his heel and marched away, disappearing behind a different building. Doriyah thought of running after him, but after a moment of rolling the idea around, he shook his head and turned away. Knowing Jarlaxle, the Drow would have been gone already.
Pavel was waiting for him when Doriyah made it back between the buildings, the frown on his face deepening as he saw him.
¡°Everything alright?¡± He asked. ¡°I thought I heard you yelling all the way out there.¡±
For a moment, Doriyah debated telling him everything. But that bastard in the stupid hat had thought of that, and despite what he thought, he knew he¡¯d follow up on that promise. Instead, Doriyah simply clapped a hand on Pavel¡¯s shoulder, and nodded.
¡°I¡¯m good. Let¡¯s get the fuck out of here.¡±
Explanation
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, I¡I don¡¯t know!¡±
¡°Gods damn it!¡±
Serena cringed back as Cruck¡¯aa yelled, smashing a closed fist against the doorframe. The warm rays of the rising sun poured over him through the open door, casting him in gold; a veritable phoenix standing before her, marred only by the words that shrilled from his twisted beak. Had they not been the last to wake and eat, she might have yelled at him to stop screaming, but as it stood, the sooner he left, the better.
¡°I don¡¯t know what you want from me Cruck¡¯aa.¡± Serena signed. ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡±
¡°I want specifics!¡± Cruck¡¯aa yelled.
¡°And I don¡¯t have them! It was a cut, and it started to burn. That¡¯s it. Maybe you could go look at Nura¡¯s family? There might ¨C¡±
¡°And look at what?!¡± The feathers around his neck bristled. ¡°You healed everything! There are no wounds left! And they¡¯re passed out! What in the Nine Hells could they say?!¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, I don¡¯t know, I was just offering something.¡±
He sighed explosively, tilting his head so he stared at the ceiling, eyes smoldering with a barely contained rage. She half expected to smell the wood above them burning.
¡°This,¡± Cruck¡¯aa growled through clenched teeth ¡°is utterly ridiculous. Worse than Waterdeep. How can I make a cure for something I know nothing about? She expects a miracle and refuses to listen to any semblance of reason!¡±
He spat the word like it was venom; Serena narrowed her eyes but didn¡¯t push the issue. His idea of reason had been a tirade that went long into the night, keeping everyone up, but she wasn¡¯t about to contradict him. The way his fist was clenched and the labored breaths he sucked in was warning enough. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, maybe it was for the best that Cruck¡¯aa was sent out.
¡°Look,¡± Serena signed. ¡°I get the frustration but¡the sooner you go out and try, the sooner you get it over with. Then you can¡explain to Jo why she was wrong, I guess.¡±
¡°Easy to say, when you¡¯re not the one going out to harvest gods know what!¡±
¡°Yeah but you can fly. It¡¯s ¨C¡±
¡°What?!¡± Cruck¡¯aa screeched. ¡°Discrimination on top of it all! Just because I have wings doesn¡¯t mean I¡¯m the errand boy!¡±
¡°Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, Cruck¡¯aa, that wasn¡¯t what ¨C¡±
¡°You know as well as I ¨C¡±
His beak snapped shut, his words drowned under the thumping of boots on the stairs; Werond, hair a mess, parchment tucked under an arm, strode into the room, looking at neither of them as she pulled a chair from the table and plopped into it. Tossing aside the parchment, she pulled towards her what remained of last night¡¯s dinner, now a meager breakfast for the last to rise, if cold deer chunks could be called that.
How quickly the numb spread, engulfing her chest like a wave, stealing her breath. She¡¯d thought it had bled away, mixed with her quiet tears from the night before after Werond had closed the door on her. It was foolish to believe that though, and perhaps, past that delusion, the numb returned from seeing Werond spare her no acknowledgement of the day or night before. How did she just¡continue on? It was all Serena could do not to ¨C
The scrapping of talons on wood, like teeth grinding together, nudged her from her thoughts; she glanced over, then flinched.
Nothing remained in Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s beady yellow eyes save a vehement hate, its flames singeing Serena where she stood. Like daggers, his glare bore a hole through Werond, his talons continuing to dig into the wood, leaving thin grooves along the frame, splinters leaping after them. Shoulders tense, he leaned forward, beak twisted at a horrific angle ¨C
Only to whirl on his heel and storm outside, slamming the door behind him. Werond glanced up but turned back to her breakfast just as quick, unaware of the glare that had been leveled at her.
Serena remained in place, hands against her chest, eyes flicking between Werond and door. Was that what Pavel had been talking about? But that was so long ago and Cruck¡¯aa had been fine yesterday, for the most part, so what was all that about? The only idea Serena could think of was that he¡¯d been furious with Werond on her she¡¯d treated Serena, but only because Werond had taken it upon herself to doctor her, splitting her from the group. Truth be told, the further apart they become, the happier he¡¯d probably get. So it couldn¡¯t have been that¡
Her gaze traveled to Werond. Was it worth mentioning? She¡¯d tell Pavel, yes, but with Werond, throwing that at her after everything that¡¯d happened the other day seemed a terrible thing to do, and the numb in Serena¡¯s chest wasn¡¯t helping matters¡
She sighed, and moved towards Werond; there were other, more important matters that demanded her attention.
¡°Uhm¡good morning.¡± Serena signed, standing across from Werond.
Werond glanced up, nodded, and looked back to her breakfast. Serena fought back another sigh, the numb spreading.
¡°Uh¡I uh¡I don¡¯t know when you wanted to leave,¡± Her signs faltered. ¡°we uhm¡I know Jo said uh¡that we¡¯d needed to help Nura today but¡I didn¡¯t ¨C¡±
Werond had flipped open the parchment, scribbling down her response as Serena¡¯s signs died; she didn¡¯t bother look up as she flipped and slid the pad towards her.
¡°We leave after we eat,¡± It said. ¡°give me a minute.¡±
Serena crossed her arms, fighting against the overwhelming urge to curl in on herself. Her words were so plain, and she still refused to look at her ¨C how did Werond do it? Serena had so much to say, so much to get across, and yet Werond acted as though everything was fine, that nothing had happened between them, that were was nothing to say.
She stared at the words for far too long, pouring over them as though she could change their meaning. When she did rip her gaze away, Serena noticed that the words had been shoved into the corner of the parchment, longer messages crowding the rest of the page; the fact that it wasn¡¯t a new page wasn¡¯t surprising, but¡
Serena squinted. Series of incomplete sentences and scribbled out thoughts seemed to dominate the page, flowing together into what seemed to be almost two paragraphs worth of writing. Werond normally didn¡¯t write that much when using the parchment to talk. Had she been writing to herself, then? But what ¨C
A hand shot out and snatched the parchment, crumpling the page.
Serena leapt back as Werond yanked the pad to her chest, clutching it like a mother would to her child. Yet it wasn¡¯t a glare that met Serena¡¯s gaze as she expected, but instead, eyes filled with a watery panic, darting away as Serena blinked.
¡°W-Werond?¡± Serena fumbled her signs. ¡°S-sorry, was I ¨C I didn¡¯t see anything, I just ¨C¡±
But Werond waved her off, perhaps a bit too quickly, before scarfing down the rest of her cold breakfast. Without so much as a glance, she pushed off from the table and marched towards the door, throwing it open and stepping out into the early morning light.
Heart hammering through a fog of numb, Serena hurried to follow.
_
¡°Well?¡±
Serena pulled the door shut, then leaned against it. Nura stood across from her, far too close within the tiny hallway; down the way, the sounds of a busy household drifted from up the stairs, the children¡¯s voices mingling with Hugo¡¯s.
¡°It¡¯s¡still kind of the same.¡± Serena signed. ¡°I mean, their wounds are healed but¡I think the poison is still in them. They¡¯re just¡not really waking up.¡±
Nura stared at her. ¡°And y¡¯all can¡¯t do anything?¡±
¡°Me, probably not. Uhm¡I know you don¡¯t like him, but Cruck¡¯aa might be able to do something.¡± She suppressed a sigh. ¡°Just¡might take a bit.¡±
¡°Trust that bird about as far as I can throw him.¡± Nura said.
¡°Right but¡uhm, Jo has him going out to try and find something to cure them with. It¡¯s¡he keeps going on about it being impossible but it¡¯s worth a shot.¡±
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¡°Worth a shot to find some miracle cure out in the fields?¡± She squinted. ¡°He ain¡¯t going out in the woods, is he?¡±
Panic sliced through the numb within her chest, though it quickly drowned under the waves; they hadn¡¯t discussed where Cruck¡¯aa would be looking, but as irritating as he was, he wasn¡¯t stupid. Much as he hated the order, Cruck¡¯aa would stay out of the woods, if only so he could find a way to shift more blame onto the rest of them.
¡°I mean¡hopefully not.¡± She signed. ¡°He¡¯s infuriating but he¡¯s not stupid.¡±
Nura sighed and rubbed her face, that steadfast confidence she normally wore nothing but a veil for the worry that seemed to sink her shoulders and shake her head. Serena couldn¡¯t help but feel her own anxiety at the sight. How much did she take for granted the simple ability to walk and defend oneself; she couldn¡¯t imagine the burden of having to look out for those who could do neither.
Well¡she could, but not like that.
¡°I¡¯m sorry I wasn¡¯t that much of a help. Uh¡if I may ask though,¡± She signed. ¡°what do you intend to do? I could talk to Jo about it¡she might have something.¡±
Her signs fell on blind eyes; Nura chewed at her knuckle, staring into space. Just as Serena began to sign again, however, Nura muttered against her hand, ¡°¡chew it off.¡±
¡°I¡¯m sorry?¡± Serena signed.
Nura glanced at her, then shook her head.
¡°Don¡¯t know yet, need to think.¡± She pushed off the door and moved down the hallway. ¡°No sense in doing it up here though.¡±
Serena frowned, questions forming in her head; she remained silent, however, as she followed Nura downstairs.
The buzz of a busy household turned to a cacophony as they stepped off the stairs; all the shutters had been thrown open, bathing the place in light and fresh air as Hugo held what looked to be a party on the floor for the children. All five sat in a half circle around him, half eaten food on plates before their crisscrossed legs, their voices blending into one as Hugo sang some song with them. Serena couldn¡¯t help but cringe; the lyrics, while catchy, were nothing more than what the children needed to do, when everything went down. It was clever, yes, but the morbidity of it sent a chill down her spine.
Serena remained by the stairs, watching as Nura strode over and crouched beside Hugo, picking up in the middle of the song with him. Baron remained in the place he¡¯d been when Serena and Werond arrived, leaned against the door, sword in hand, a sullen look in his gaze that he cast about the room. His eyes met hers, though he looked away as she held the stare, flicking instead to¡
Where Werond sat. By herself, at the table, where¡
Serena signed, numb flaring; Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, she couldn¡¯t do this, not here.
Ignoring the look Baron threw her way, Serena stumbled over to the family¡¯s dinner table, where Werond sat packing. She didn¡¯t look up at Serena as she sat down across from her, her attention fixed on the sea of supplies strewn about the table. Bundles of cloth ¨C gauze, maybe ¨C dried and smoked food, tiny daggers, and other things Serena didn¡¯t recognize lay in neat piles, a stack of sacks on the far side of the table. Evidently, Nura hadn¡¯t been lying about the amount of supplies they had, which had taken forever to begin packing for the trip. It was an easy enough task for Werond to help with, which she continued to do as Serena stared at her, a flick of her eyes Serena¡¯s only acknowledgement.
¡°They¡¯re the same.¡± Serena signed, unsure of what to say first. ¡°Nothing changed.¡±
Werond nodded, stuffing something into the pack she was working on.
¡°I don¡¯t know what Nura plans to do¡I asked but she didn¡¯t tell me.¡±
Werond nodded.
¡°Jo might know what to do but¡I don¡¯t know, I don¡¯t think it¡¯ll be a good decision.¡±
Werond nodded, and the numb flared.
Wincing, Serena looked away, covering her mouth with a hand; there was so much she wanted to say, needed to say, yet Werond worked and acted as though there wasn¡¯t a ravine between them. Again. And when she was like this, there remained no point in trying to talk her out of it.
So she sat, watching the morbid sing along as Werond paid her no heed. It was within those minutes, however, listening to the children¡¯s instructions, did Serena realize that a crucial piece was missing from the grand plan that had been concocted, one that needed to be discussed regardless of the distance between her and Werond.
She turned to sign, hesitating as Werond continued to ignore her, before pushing on through that trembling numb.
¡°I know,¡± She started. ¡°you¡¯re uhm¡busy, and angry but¡¡± Werond¡¯s eyes flicked up at the word, though she remained packing. ¡°I¡we haven¡¯t talked about where you¡¯ll be during everything. I¡maybe¡¡±
Her signs trailed off as Werond grabbed her parchment from the chair next to her; scribbling out a few words, she turned back to her work after she tossed the parchment to Serena, not unkindly.
¡°I¡¯ll be hiding¡± It said on a fresh page. ¡°in the house.¡±
¡°R-right¡¡± Serena signed. ¡°But I just thought¡maybe to be safe, I should be with you? Because ¨C¡±
Her signs wilted under the look Werond shot at her; putting aside her bundle of gauze, she pulled the parchment back and scribbled under the first sentence, handwriting going sloppy.
¡°Youre needed in the ambush. Ill be fine.¡±
¡°I ¨C I know but Cruck¡¯aa can use magic too, it¡¯ll be enough. A-and with Doriyah, Pavel, and Jo, there should be ¨C¡±
Werond tapped her palm over her words twice.
¡°I know! I know, but¡it¡¯s so easy for things to go wrong, I just¡I¡¯d feel better knowing if I was next to you. Or near you.¡±
Their eyes met, Werond¡¯s gaze boring a hole through Serena. She glanced away, unable to stand the scrutiny, as Werond began to write again. From across the room, Baron seemed to be staring at them, eyes narrowed, though he looked away when Serena met them.
She turned back as Werond pushed some of the supplies to the side, sliding the parchment back over to Serena.
¡°You need to stop obsessing over me,¡± The parchment read. ¡°and focus on whats important. The fight is important. Im not. You need to see that.¡±
Her heart began to crumble, fragments falling into the sea of numb that slowly rose within her chest; it was a miracle she managed to keep signing.
¡°But you are important to me Werond.¡± She whispered. ¡°I¡I-I don¡¯t know what else to do¡I know w-what you said but I won¡¯t be like Tai, I won¡¯t, I won¡¯t, and I just ¨C you don¡¯t b-believe me, a-and ¨C¡±
Her fingers curled in instinctively, her hands beginning to tremble, her eyes beginning to sting. She looked away, sucking in a breath, refusing to break down in front of strangers, despite how much she wished to scream. But what good what that do, when the love of her life remained so closed off from her?
A deep sigh exploded out of Werond, loud enough to start Serena. When she looked back, Werond began to flip back through the parchment, folding multiple pages over the top before arriving at, seemingly, the page she was looking for. She stared at it with furrowed brows and a deep-seated frown, as though she didn¡¯t like whatever was on the page. After a moment, however, amidst the shouting and singing of Nura¡¯s family, Werond flipped the parchment around and pushed it towards Serena, tapping at a section near the bottom. When she pulled her hand away, the two paragraphs from earlier lay on the page, parchment still crumpled.
Serena frowned, leaning in; she¡¯d been right, the writing seemed more like Werond talking to herself than anything, her thoughts transcribed on the page, all centering around¡
Her.
It started with what she¡¯d already seen. The frustration at ignoring her own safety to place Werond above her, the anxiety Werond felt each time it had happened, and the overwhelming realization that Serena ¨C in Werond¡¯s own words ¨C was turning into Tai, a name written with a shaky hand atop damp parchment. And above it all lay the frustration of her written words falling upon deaf ears, and the abject terror that Werond felt knowing that one of these days would be Serena¡¯s last. To lose Serena would be the death of her; because, despite just how frustrating and suicidal she¡¯d been, ¡°I still love her.¡±
A timid warmth blossomed behind Serena¡¯s heart, burning away the numbness like the early morning sun to fog. That one sentence had been written, again and again, pressed into the parchment harder than everything else before, a reassurance spelled out, felt with each stroke of the charcoal, a belief that could never truly be expressed by simple words carved onto a piece of parchment, yet attempted anyways.
Below that sentence, the rest of Werond¡¯s thoughts lay spread out like ink spilled onto parchment, running circles around themselves as Werond worked to make sense of the storm that raged through her mind. Yes, her love was there ¨C shackled without a voice, buried under the weight of her actions, but still there, nevertheless. The embers of her love still burned, their dull heat fueling Werond¡¯s writing, fueling her frustrations upon seeing Serena¡¯s deadly selflessness, and fueling the horrible pain that was her inability to sit Serena down and explain everything. To pretend things were simply fine, to hold Serena close as they used to, would have only been the catalyst for the nightmare that Werond feared with every fiber of her being. So, she pushed Serena away, hoping that the distance would help, giving Werond even a small amount of time to figure out how to explain everything. And yet, her continued silence ¨C from having no voice, from the distance she¡¯d created ¨C had served only to do the very thing she feared the most. Thus, she remained stuck, and with no proper way to speak¡
Here they were.
And again, that line ¨C as above, so below at the bottom of the parchment, penned in bold, dark letters, ¡°I still love her.¡±
When Serena tore herself away from the parchment, her gaze fell into Werond¡¯s, her reflection staring back at her in two shimmering pools of amber. Her heart lunged against the confines of its cage, pulling Serena with it as she leaned over the table, signs barely forming as her hands quaked.
¡°W-Werond, how long has this ¨C w-why haven¡¯t ¨C¡± She whispered, voice breaking. ¡°Werond I-I thought you¡¯d ¨C I just ¨C¡±
Werond reached out and grasped her hands, silencing her; Serena felt herself melt under their warmth, a vibrant heat that radiated up her arms and into her chest.
For a moment, they sat there, entwined by their hands, and by the love that still coiled around them both. When Werond finally released her, despite Serena¡¯s hope that she never would, she pulled the parchment back, flipped to a new page, and began to write. It took longer than before, Werond¡¯s hand visibly shaking, but Serena would have waited forever, if she needed to.
¡°I¡¯m sorry,¡± It read. ¡°for doing this to you. I love you so much. But you have to understand my feelings. You¡¯re hurting yourself, you shouldn¡¯t be. I can¡¯t pretend its okay but I cant talk to you about it. Im stuck. And I pushed you away fearing youd be like Tai. Im sorry. Im sorry Ive hurt you. But I wont let this continue not until we talk. I feel like I cant love you until then and to do otherwise would be a disservice. Im sorry.¡±
It wasn¡¯t the words Serena was hoping to read, yet the numb, barely there, didn¡¯t resurface.
¡°Okay,¡± She signed. ¡°I-I¡¯ll wait. I¡¯ll try. I¡I promise.¡±
¡°Thank you. Can you promise me youll stop hurting yourself for me?¡±
Serena stared at the parchment, signs forming, then dying. Just as she arrived at her answer, one that quickened her heart, a fist slammed onto the table.
Serena and Werond jerked in their seats as Baron lorded over them, the bags under his eyes destroying any threatening aura he thought he exuded.
¡°Enough!¡± He spat. ¡°All y¡¯all do is talk! And no work! Gods!¡± He waved an angry hand at the table. ¡°Pack if y¡¯all going to help!¡±
His bravado died as Serena glared at him; muttering something, he waved at hand at them before moving back to his perch by the door. Nura and Hugo didn¡¯t seem to notice, however, still singing with the kids.
Serena turned away, though Werond watched the kids a moment longer; when she turned back and met Serena¡¯s eyes, she sighed, and began to write again.
¡°Better get this done, I guess.¡± It said.
Serena stared at her words before nodding, getting up and moving around the table to sit beside Werond.
Day Out
Every person had a purpose, each a cog in the machine. It was an idea that had been pounded into Jo by each of her superiors, and it was likely why the outfit ran as long as it did. So long as everyone had a clear directive, entropy took longer to take over. In hindsight, it seemed obvious, but only in practice did she see how critical it was. Their situation within Nesme was no exception. Everyone, Nura¡¯s family included, all had their place in ensuring their survival, each given jobs highly suited to their individual strengths.
Except for Jo, the loose cog that lay outside the machine, completely forgotten. She preferred it that way, though.
The sun had barely passed its midpoint as Jo stepped through the gaping hole in the walls of the city, picking her way through rubble and debris. Handing over lunch to Doriyah and Pavel had kept them from inquiring about her, something she¡¯d been aiming for. She didn¡¯t have the will to put up with Doriyah¡¯s eventual complaining that, while they worked, she had just walked around the city. Her explanation, that information gathering was just as important as manual labor, would have fallen onto deaf ears. Then again, most things did with that man.
But while she understood that, a smaller part couldn¡¯t help but feel frustrated at just how pointless it had truly been. She¡¯d uncovered nothing that they hadn¡¯t already known. It¡¯d been good to confirm it herself, but it still felt pointless.
She shook her head, stepping around a large chunk of debris and looking out at the town outside the city. The place might have once been lovely, with its gentle rolling hills and buildings built atop them. The two massive trenches, however, extending down from the city¡¯s central hill, through the wall¡¯s gaping wound, and through the town, dashed any remnant of that. Two stark reminders of just how little they knew.
Holding back a sigh, Jo followed the pair with her eyes; the deep grooves tore through the town and went right up to the forest that lay some distance away. There, rather than cutting through, the trenches turned sharply to the right, continuing until out of sight, as though the giants had decided to go around the forest.
Jo glanced about, adjusting her sword belt before setting off towards the town, hoping that Cruck¡¯aa, on his fool errand, wasn¡¯t anywhere near to witness her poor decision.
As with many places before, most of the buildings looked identical to one another, the only difference whether they were built of clay bricks or tree logs. Many along the edges of the trenches were trampled, caved in, their debris scattered about much like the wound within the wall. It forced Jo to give the twin grooves a wide berth, as picking her way through the debris field looked dangerous in of itself.
Her gaze trailed a window as she walked past; this place had been lived in before, and now, it was just as much a carcass as Nesme was. Had they seen it coming, those months ago? Were there signs, even for a place as remote as here? More questions emerged but Jo shook them away. One problem at a time.
The town wasn¡¯t that big, and within a few minutes, Jo had cut through it, and arrived at the edge of the forest, head craned towards the canopy. The trees loomed over her, not as thick as the bog forest they¡¯d slogged through before, but still eerie in their own right as they extended out on either side. How much ground it covered, Jo wasn¡¯t sure, but it was enough that going around them seemed out of the question.
¡°Not for the giants, though.¡± Jo muttered, eyeing the trenches.
Had it been up to her, she¡¯d have followed that trench. It felt like a slight to her ancestry to admit that she never cared for forests, especially this one, with how oddly the light diffused from the tops of the trees. A lifetime and a half of marching did that to anyone. Still, it remained their only way forward, and with how blind they were¡
Jo sucked in a breath and stepped into the forest.
She immediately hated it.
Despite it being midday, Jo swore her eyes had to adjust as she pushed through the thicket. There was barely any place she could step without stumbling, so thick was the underbrush, and within the span of a few minutes, Jo had already stumbled twice. The singing of birds and buzzing of gods only knew what felt like mockery as she righted herself against a tree, frustration building in her chest. Even with her eyes adjusting, she could barely make out a foothold in this Gods forsaken ¨C
She squashed the curse with a shake of her head. She shouldn¡¯t be getting so frustrated, yet she felt it building within her all the same. Gods, she was better than this, especially considering she¡¯d been trained for this.
Her eyes darted about. If barbarians did live within these trees, then it stood to reason they had ways to get through them quickly. And if she just looked¡
There, slicing through the undergrowth like a knife, lay a game trail, almost hidden by the foliage around it. Nodding, Jo shoved off the tree, fought through the brush, and heaved a sigh of relief as she walked down the reasonably cleared ground.
For a moment, having her feet not trip through bushes and whatever else littered the forest floor almost allowed her frustration to bleed away. Yet having nothing for her mind to focus on, aside from watching for anyone else, allowed her concerns to creep up on her, filling her mind with doubts.
She frowned, ducking under a branch. Truthfully, Jo shouldn¡¯t be here, especially on her own. They¡¯d vowed to Nura not to go into the forest, as doing so could make the situation worse, and, if Jo was spotted or gods forbid captured, she could see how that would be true.
Yet it never sat right with her to act with only one source of information, and as much as she trusted Nura, she just simply wasn¡¯t enough. They needed another set of eyes on the situation, and out of everyone within their party, Jo trusted only herself to accomplish that.
She cringed; it was a rather conceded thought, but it still rang true. Serena was too distracted by Werond, Doriyah and Pavel were, frankly, idiots, and Cruck¡¯aa¡
Well, she just hoped Cruck¡¯aa wouldn¡¯t see her when she came out.
The minutes bled by as she continued down the trail, winding deeper into the forest. Her eyes wandered about, trying to gage just how large the forest truly was. It had looked massive from the city, quickly forming their opinions of going around it, but it wasn¡¯t until she was within it did Jo truly question how difficult it would be to pass through. Yes, the barbarians were a problem, but from what she¡¯d seen, it seemed entirely possible for them to ¨C
Instinct caught the gentle chatter of life before she did.
Jo cursed and dropped into a crouch, now acutely aware of the voices that sifted through the trees in front of her. Had she tromped about for another minute, she would have, no doubt, stumbled right into whatever was ahead of her.
Gods above, she really was getting worse.
Moving off the trail, Jo shoved her way through the thicket, cringing at the rustling. She had little doubt that any sentries would hear her coming, but she prayed that they¡¯d be too distracted to care. It wasn¡¯t a gamble she was comfortable with, but she had no other option; continuing down the game trail would have been suicide.
The murmur of life gradually grew into a chatter as she slowly approached, creeping towards what she recognized as a clearing. She inched the rest of the way forward but halted right at the edge, parting a bit of the shrubs to get a better view of the camp.
And swore.
A massive bonfire stood in the center of the clearing, perhaps ten feet across, its flames licking the air, bed rolls crowded about the stones that marked its edge. Interspersed around the clearing, some feet away from the fire, stood tents of all sizes, each comprised of wooden frames covered by pelts of all kinds. Only one appeared to be lived in, its flaps closed to the world, with two tree stumps situated outside it; the rest, oddly enough, appeared to hold the necessities of life, with meats hanging to dry just inside one, crates and boxes stacked in another, and what looked to be weapon racks poking out from the other. The rest remained out of sight, cut off by the angle, or crowed by the denizens of the camp.
Jo couldn¡¯t help but smirk; she always did find it comical that, so long as the temperatures weren¡¯t fridged, most of those who lived outside of civilization looked the same. Of the roughly fifty or so men and women that milled about the clearing, attending to their lives, most wore some variation of simple a tunic and either pants or shorts, all crafted from the roughest hides and pelts they could find. Some had bones strapped to their shoulders or arms, the only variation amongst their kind.
Save one man, Jo realized: the one who sat in front of the closed tent. Despite wearing similar clothing to the others, he wore a headdress of some sort, fashioned from what looked to be a dear skull with extra horns strapped to it. Why they needed extra on it, Jo hadn¡¯t a clue, but perhaps ¨C
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The wind shifted, blowing towards her.
Jo gagged before she could stop herself, bile rising in her throat. Flattening herself to the ground, she buried her nose in her hands, sucking in air through her mouth.
Nine Hells, what was that stench?! It was as though they¡¯d killed something and left it in the sun, couldn¡¯t they smell it?! Surely they didn¡¯t just live with it?
She shuddered, fighting back the urge to vomit into the dirt. Gods above, it made her body want to curl in on itself. Despite the horrors she¡¯d witnessed before, and the stenches that came with them, this one felt worse than anything she¡¯d encountered. What could even make a stench this powerful? There hadn¡¯t been any corpses or anything of the like around them that could ¨C
The answer flashed in her head like one of Serena¡¯s fireballs.
Mouth still open, Jo pulled her head from the dirt, fighting off a shudder as she brushed a bit of the shrub in front of her aside.
She doubted the realization almost immediately. These people were too primitive, with their basic methods of food preservation and open bedrolls around a fire. Hells, the weapons clutched in hands or strapped to their backs looked more bone and stone than metal. Besides, who would even be facilitating it? None of the men or women before Jo matched the image she held in her mind. And beyond that, there remained no other instances¡
Jo¡¯s thoughts trailed off, her eyes landing on the bonfire, burning despite the warmth of the day. Why hadn¡¯t she¡¯d seen the smokestack earlier? With its size, she should have been able to see it from the edge of the forest.
She craned her neck and found her evidence. The thick column of smoke, drifting lazily towards the sky, vanished the moment it would have risen over the forest canopy, almost as though an invisible wall blocked it from sight.
The barbarians had magic.
Jo flattened herself to the ground once more, resting her chin against the dirt, mouth still open. A hundred implications coursed through her mind, a thousand questions following in their wake. What kind of magic did these people use, and how did they utilize it? Serena might have been able to tell, though she wasn¡¯t the most¡intellectually gifted in that manner. But had they known, could they have guessed how they¡¯d use the magic? As it stood, it was likely behind the stench, possibly a way to keep people away, and the disappearance of the smoke to hide them. But what else could they use it for? What ¨C
The bushes rustled.
Jo froze as five barbarians tromped through the foliage only a few paces from where she lay, bursting out of the shrubs and into the clearing, each carrying a spear in hand. A few from the camp turned towards them, calling out a greeting as they met each other halfway. One of the barbarians, taller than his four companions, looked irritable as he yelled about something in their tongue, pointing with his spear behind him.
Back the way Jo had come from.
Biting back a curse, she wiggled herself backwards, eyes never leaving the group of barbarians, growing more agitated by the second. Just as the tall one waved an urging hand at a few others in the camp, Jo pulled herself out from under her bush, pushed up to a crouch, and slunk off into the forest.
Her heart hammered as she shoved through the thicket, uncaring of the noise she was making. Nine Hells, she was getting worse; how she¡¯d missed those five entirely, she hadn¡¯t a clue, but if the mutilated bodies from before were any indication of her treatment, she wasn¡¯t about to wait around and ask.
Despite the adrenaline fueling her frantic half-run forward, Jo couldn¡¯t stop her mind from wandering back to those frustrating questions. The appearance of magic created far too many implications, each as worrying as the last. They needed to adjust their plans, they needed to accommodate it all; they weren¡¯t just up against barbaric people in the forest, they had ¨C
Rustling, to her right.
Jo swung around and ripped her sword out, as best she could, heart exploding into her throat, ready to fight ¨C
An equally startled bird that fell from the trees, his squawking obnoxiously loud as it crashed into the underbrush.
Jo cursed, ripping her head towards the camp. She swore she could her voices further away, growing louder by the second. How much ¨C
Wait ¨C that obnoxious squawking.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa?!¡± Jo hissed.
The Aarakocra hissed back, shoving himself up, twigs and leaves coating his feathers and tunic. Jo doubted she looked any different.
¡°What in the Nine Hells,¡± Cruck¡¯aa spat. ¡°are you doing?!¡±
¡°What in the Nine Hells are you doing?!¡± Jo shot back.
¡°Watching you!¡±
¡°What?!¡±
¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here!¡± Cruck¡¯aa threw his arms up. ¡°You wax on about how stupid Doriyah and Pavel are yet you ¨C¡±
¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be here!¡± Jo hissed.
For once, and perhaps the only time she¡¯d seen it happen, Cruck¡¯aa¡¯s beak snapped shut, his beady eyes narrowing at her.
¡°I am aware.¡± He said.
¡°Then what¡± ¡ª Jo shot another look over her shoulder, heart hammering; where they getting louder? ¡°Gods damn it, we can discuss this later, we need to get out ¨C¡±
But Cruck¡¯aa had already taken off, shooting through the trees and into the canopy above, leaves cascading to the ground where he¡¯d been.
¡°Cruck¡¯aa, you motherfucker!¡± Jo spat, before continuing her sprint out of the forest.
¡
It wasn¡¯t until the sun had finally sunk below the horizon did Jo feel confident that no one was following her.
She sighed, leaning her head against the tree, fighting the urge to close her eyes. That was just an excuse, she¡¯d known she hadn¡¯t been followed after the first hour. But admitting that meant going back to the city and to her friends, something she just wasn¡¯t ready for yet.
Her gaze drifted to the right, sweeping over the little town, and towards the gaping wound in Nesme¡¯s walls. She¡¯d stumbled onto a tree that stood at the edge of the forest with a nice crook for her to rest in, and the extra height offered her a stunning view of the abandoned buildings below. It offered an excuse, as well, when everyone inevitably asked what she¡¯d been doing all day. Not a soul would begrudge her for keeping an eye on their enemy.
Yet, with none of them having appeared, Jo found herself, once again, grappling with her concerns.
Despite spending hours rolling them around her mind, Jo could only sigh as the doubts resurfaced. The appearance of magic was concerning; without any idea of what the barbarians could accomplish, she couldn¡¯t help but wonder if their plans would even succeed. After all, every spellcaster she¡¯d ever met could have destroyed their ambush in an instant.
But that left the question of why Nura had never brought the matter up. Surely the barbarians would have used it at some point in their raids. It was entirely possible that Nura had kept the information to herself, but it didn¡¯t make sense why she¡¯d do so. But then, had the barbarians never used it during the raids either? It was evident that they were enjoying its benefits, so why not use it?
And none of these questions touched on why Cruck¡¯aa was in the forest.
Jo let out a guttural sigh, scanning the ground below for a place to jump down.
Somehow, that felt more pressing than the sudden appearance of barbarian magic. The easiest answer was that the damned bird was actually trying to find ingredients for some kind of cure, but Jo knew that Cruck¡¯aa was no fool, on some level, at least. He¡¯d probably known it was a wild goose chase, which meant that he was more than likely attempting it out of sheer spite, so he had an excuse to bitch at them later.
But then he agreed with Jo about something, on top of all of that?
Jo shook her head, adjusting herself to leap out of the tree; that Aarakocra was up to something, but until they were on the way to Silverymoon, she didn¡¯t have the energy to figure out what it was.
She glanced towards the town and city again. Exhaustion had finally begun to trickle into her legs, and the thought of having to trek all the way back ¨C
Jo froze, eyes on the wall.
Doriyah stood just outside the wall, locked in argument with a man utterly unknown to Jo. A foot shorter than him and wrapped in a dark cloak with the hood up, he flinched back as Doriyah lunged at him, only to remain eerily still as Doriyah continued to rant at him. The conversation, if it could be called that, lasted barely a minute, before the man flipped on his heel and marched away, Doriyah gesturing rudely at his back before he too turned away.
Jo watched the man as he slipped into the town, heart quickening. She shoved her questions aside as she watched him, the man not bothering to hide his movements as he wound his way around the empty houses and buildings. After a few moments, he turned towards one, as non-descript as the others, and pushed open the door, throwing it shut behind him.
She wasted no time throwing herself from the tree and running into the town proper, slowing only as she neared the house. Uncertain of any traps or the like the man may have left, Jo flattened herself against a building nearest to the house, leaning around the corner to stare at the door, barely standing within its frame.
Gods above, first Cruck¡¯aa, now Doriyah? Who could the giant man be meeting; he wasn¡¯t smart enough to be involved in plots.
Jo narrowed her eyes, scanning and rescanning the walls and windows, broken to some degree. While he may not be smart enough, he was infuriating enough to deny any accusation she¡¯d level at him. She¡¯d needed proof, something she could throw at him to get the truth. Lacking that would just make matters worse, especially when she¡¯d been gone all day.
Satisfied that the outside of the house wasn¡¯t rigged, Jo shot around the corner, darting towards the wall, and flattening herself against it. She leaned towards the window, jagged pieces of glass like teeth in the sill, waited to the count of ten, then slowly raised her head to peak through it.
The house was comprised of a single, large room, a thick layer of dust coating what remained of the furniture: a solitary couch paired with a table in the middle, a bed shoved to one side, some semblance of a kitchen space shoved into a corner. Each as dark and deserted as the room itself was.
Jo scanned the place, scanned it again, then swore under her breath. She pulled away from the window, fighting the urge to ball her hands into fists.
Magic was at play, it had to be. But whether the man he was simply invisible or gone altogether was another matter entirely. She didn¡¯t dare enter and find out though; Gods only knew what lay in wait that she couldn¡¯t see.
Cursing once more, she stepped away from the wall and stalked around the building, checking each side for another door, or some other kind of exit. Yet she found nothing save for the smooth wood that made up the walls. Even peering in through the cracks in the boards revealed nothing, the only notable detail a bit of rope hanging in one corner. The room, it seemed, was utterly deserted, and she hadn¡¯t the foggiest as to how.
Jo backed away, a myriad of curses upon her lips, and ducked around another house. She leaned her head the wall and tried not to dwell on the frustration that tore through her chest.
She was getting worse. How many plots had she submerged herself within, back in her marching days; how many underhanded dealings had she been aware of, and who was in them. And now, her friends danced around her, their own dealings flying over her head, as though she were a novice.
And perhaps worst of all, she remained powerless to do anything. Jo could go and confront them, of course, but that would mean a disruption of their plan. They needed to get to Silverymoon, to figure out what was going on, and reorient themselves. Anything between that was merely a distraction.
Heaving a deep sigh, Jo turned back towards the ruined city and began to make her way towards it, hoping beyond hope that she wasn¡¯t making the wrong choice.
The Morning
Fingers jabbed into Serena¡¯s ribs, ripping her from sleep; the face hovering over her was not the one she¡¯d been dreaming of.
¡°Up.¡± Jo said, turning away. ¡°They¡¯re coming.¡±
Any remnant of sleep vanished as Serena shot up, heart accompanying her into her throat. It took a moment for her eyes to adjust, only a trace of gold visible outside the window, Jo¡¯s form silhouetted against it as she strapped on her sword belt.
¡°How?¡± Serena signed, kicking the covers off; oddly enough, Jo¡¯s bed beside hers was already made. ¡°How do you ¨C¡±
¡°Cruck¡¯aa. Came by.¡± Jo said, adjusting her belt. ¡°Meet us downstairs.¡±
Without waiting for so much as a nod, Jo strode out of the room and closed the door. The hallway had been just as dark as their room, although Serena assumed that everyone was already up by now.
Shivering, Serena kicked the covers the rest of the way and got out of bed. Her long skirt, the only thing she¡¯d taken off to sleep, lay wrinkled on a chair next to the door, boots resting beneath it. Plucking it off and throwing it on, she snapped the wrinkles away, then snapped her body clean. As she plopped onto the chair and began shoving her boots on, Serena wished, not for the first time, that she could simply magic her boots onto her feet.
She smiled as she laced them up; Ned had made some mention of such a spell existing, though he never bothered to learn it. Too lazy, he¡¯d said. Then again, who¡¯d ever heard of a dragon that needed boots?
The warmth of the memory faded as Serena stood up, glancing out the window. It was hard to remain happy when everything rode on their efforts in barely a few hours time; their escape to Silverymoon, Nura¡¯s family freed from the barbarians, and a lighter conscience for all of them. Assuming everything went well¡
Serena sighed and shook her head. Wasn¡¯t good to assume. It would go well. It had to.
Boots tight, she stood up, threw open the door, and walked straight into Werond¡¯s face.
Thankfully, Werond jerked back at the last moment, notebook clutched to her chest, eyes wide as Serena stumbled. The sight of her did nothing to help Serena¡¯s already hammering heart as she composed herself and stepped into the hallway, closing the door behind her.
¡°Sorry.¡± Serena signed, leaning against it, heat rising in her cheeks.
Werond shook her head and waved it away. Despite sleeping by herself, something that still didn¡¯t sit right with Serena, she looked more haggard than before, as though she¡¯d barely slept. Before Serena could ask, however, Werond flipped the parchment around and held it up; a tiny sentence, scratched into the center of a blank page, was barley visible in the darkness of the hallway.
¡°Be safe.¡±
¡°R-right,¡± Serena signed, chest growing tight. ¡°You too. I¡just, stay ¨C¡±
But Werond waved her off, pulling the parchment back to her chest. Serena nodded, glancing at her feet, cheeks burning. They¡¯d gone over the plan countless times last night, there was no need to remind her. Yet she couldn¡¯t help but worry; they¡¯d made so much progress the day before, yet Werond still insisted on sleeping separately. It was enough to keep her tossing and turning throughout the night. One step forward¡
Serena shook her head. There wasn¡¯t time to worry about that, they ¨C
The floorboards creaked. Serena looked up, so lost in her head that she hadn¡¯t noticed Werond still standing in front of her, shifting her weight. The hallway was rather narrow, and only now did Serena realize just how close they were to each other.
¡°Werond?¡± Serena signed. ¡°We should¡get down there.¡±
Werond nodded, staring off to the side, brows furrowing just enough for Serena to worry.
¡°Is¡something wrong?¡± Serena signed. ¡°I¡I¡¯m sorry, I know I keep repeating myself, I just¡I¡¯m worried, you¡¯ll¡¡±
Her signs trailed off, fingers curled in, as Werond stared at her, brows still furrowed. She unfolded one of her arms and reached towards Serena, only to pause halfway, uncertainty painted across her face. Serena glanced at her hand, frozen between them, then up at her, the uncertainty fading away to ¨C
Werond cupped Serena¡¯s chin, leaned in, and kissed her.
The world blurred as Serena melted into it, bracing herself against the door as Werond pushed in. What could have been a few heartbeats felt an eternity, yet it wasn¡¯t enough as Werond pulled away, her hand against Serena¡¯s chest. Time seemed to still as Werond pulled her hand away and signed with it.
¡°4 ¨C L ¨C U ¨C C ¨C K.¡±
Serena could only stare, certain that her heart had stopped. Yet the gaze that met hers did not match the heat stirring within her chest. Werond sighed, looking towards the end of the hallway; she nodded towards the stairs, eyes flicking to Serena, before moving towards them. Serena followed without hesitation, mind utterly empty¡
¡until the heat finally pulled her back.
Fingers twitching a curse, Serena wiped the back of her hand against her forehead, dragged it against the wood in a vain effort to dry it, and immediately felt stupid as a splinter pricked her.
¡°Easier way to do that, isn¡¯t there?¡±
Serena glanced at Jo, stretched out beside her, chin propped up with her fist.
¡°What?¡± Serena signed.
¡°Snap. Can¡¯t you snap?¡± Jo asked.
Serena¡¯s fingers curled in, a guttural sigh escaping them as she did just that. Jo cocked a brow and muttered, ¡°Good?¡±
¡°No.¡± Serena said.
¡°Can tell. Keep it together, little longer please.¡±
Frustration bubbled in her chest, but Serena shoved aside the retort dancing on her fingers. She¡¯d been doing her best, but her best wasn¡¯t enough to shake whatever Werond¡¯s kiss had done to her throughout the morning. Strange that something she¡¯d been craving for so long had done the opposite of what she¡¯d wanted; instead of the bliss she¡¯d expected, Serena had floated through much of the morning preparation. She¡¯d vaguely been aware of meeting everyone downstairs, then moving to Nura¡¯s house, the door flying open before they could even knock. Nura had barely said goodbye to her family as she marched out with them, Hugo and Werond leading the children back to their building. Serena gave a feeble wave as they separated, though it wasn¡¯t returned.
And of course, that only made the confusion blazing in her mind worse.
Another guttural noise slipped from her fingers as Serena laid her head against the wood. How much she wanted to roll the issue around, figure it out, badger Werond with questions, but they had more vital matters to attend to.
So, shoving aside that all-encompassing confusion, she pulled her head up and craned it just enough to see over the edge of the roof. Just as she did, however, a familiar hiss sounded in her other ear, starting her back down.
¡°Head down!¡± Cruck¡¯aa said, glaring at her when she shot him a look.
He was sprawled out, same as she, against the wood, feathers ruffled as they usually were. Laying like that made him look like he¡¯d crashed into the roof of the building, and it was only by picturing that situation did Serena bite back her frustration.
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¡°Cruck¡¯aa,¡± Serena signed. ¡°it¡¯s fine. They haven¡¯t shown up yet.¡±
¡°And what if they did?! Right as you poke your head up!¡± He snarled. ¡°Think before ¨C¡±
¡°Can it.¡± Jo said, from Serena¡¯s other side. ¡°Serena, Nura still good?¡±
Smirking, Serena craned her head, poking it up just enough to see over the lip of their building. Nura was indeed fine, sequestered in the center of the clearing. She sat upon two stuffed bags of supplies they¡¯d packed earlier, biting her fingernail as her eyes never left the entrance to the square. She hadn¡¯t said a word to them when walked over together, nor when they¡¯d gotten her situated below. Despite the nervous gesture though, her eyes remained set, though if she hadn¡¯t known better, Serena would have sworn she¡¯d stopped blinking an hour ago.
¡°Seems fine,¡± Serena signed, then glanced at the other roof across the square. ¡°just like those two.¡±
¡°Yeah?¡± Jo asked.
¡°Yeah¡¡± Serena said, watching as Doriyah and Pavel, spread eagle on their roof, continued their argument from before with multiple fingers held up; a cock-measuring contest to be sure.
¡°Need them to shut up.¡± Cruck¡¯aa grumbled.
¡°They¡¯re fine.¡± Serena signed. ¡°They¡¯re¡boys, but they¡¯re not dumb.¡±
¡°Unequivocally false.¡± Cruck¡¯aa retorted.
¡°Crow calling the kettle black.¡± Jo said.
Cruck¡¯aa simply shook his head as Serena laughed.
The moment, however, soon faded, their eyes downcast, their ears to the wind. Yet only silence greeted them, and with it, the inevitable turn to her earlier confusion.
Sighing, Serena craned her head up again, glancing back towards the house. She knew Werond had meant it as a nice gesture, but ¨C
¡°Would you get your damned head down!¡± Cruck¡¯aa hissed.
Serena rolled her eyes as she lay back down. ¡°Cruck¡¯aa, relax. Just keeping an eye out.¡±
¡°There remains no need to. Focus on the task at hand.¡±
¡°I am, whether you believe me or not.¡±
¡°A lie. Throw the distractions from your mind.¡±
¡°I have.¡±
¡°Haven¡¯t.¡±
Serena glanced at Jo, who kept her eyes forward, staring at the roof¡¯s edge.
¡°Got a moment,¡± Jo continued. ¡°So¡what¡¯s wrong?¡±
¡°Nothing that I want to talk about in front of Cruck¡¯aa.¡± Serena sighed, ignoring the hiss to her right.
¡°She do something?¡±
¡°Jo¡¡±
¡°So yes.¡±
Serena sighed, squeezing her eyes shut. She couldn¡¯t help it if she¡¯d been obvious, but the last thing she needed was a heart to heart next to a perpetually angry bird.
¡°Yes, she did¡¡± Serena signed. ¡°Don¡¯t want to talk about it.¡±
¡°Okay.¡± Jo said. ¡°Able to focus when we need you?¡±
¡°Yeah.¡± Serena signed.
¡°More lies,¡± Cruck¡¯aa hissed. ¡°The sooner we get rid of that woman ¨C¡±
¡°Say anything else,¡± Serena rounded on him, fingers flying. ¡°and I¡¯ll throw you off this fucking building myself, by the Platinum Dragon I will, Cruck¡¯aa.¡±
¡°Threats,¡± Cruck¡¯aa sneered. ¡°ones you can¡¯t keep. I¡¯d advise ¨C¡±
¡°Quiet!¡± Jo hissed.
Serena glanced at Jo, brows furrowed, but just as she began to sign, Jo shushed her again, jerking her head towards the edge of the building. It took Serena only a few heartbeats more to understand her concern.
Marching.
Her heart rocketed into her throat, and Serena tried to flatten herself more than she already was. It almost sounded like a drumbeat, but that was probably her ears playing tricks; she doubted the barbarians were that organized. Still, the longer she listened, and the louder the marching became, the more worried she grew. None it was helped by the voices that, once muffled by the marching, now rolled over them like a mob as they neared the square¡¯s entrance, a cloud of dust rising overhead like storm clouds.
¡°Pissed off.¡± Jo muttered. ¡°Bad start.¡±
Serena nodded; though she couldn¡¯t make out their words, there was no mistaking the venom that laced the air, a cacophony of rage that seemed to be hurled at Nura, though she couldn¡¯t tell. Bahamut¡¯s Teeth, how many of them were there? There could have been hundreds, and without being able to see, her imagination played wonders with her fears.
They continued to scream for far too long, and for a moment, Serena swore they would simply storm the square and tear Nura apart before they could do anything. But after a minute of vitriol, sweat beading on Serena¡¯s face, a single voice sliced through the din, silencing it almost immediately.
¡°Woman!¡± It barked; a man, older probably. ¡°You have much to atone for!¡±
Nura heaved a sigh, though if it was from exhaustion or one that older people gave when standing up, Serena couldn¡¯t tell.
¡°Listen,¡± She began. ¡°this whole thing has been a¡misunderstanding of sorts, I ¨C¡±
¡°Misunderstanding?!¡± Shouts of rage echoed the voice. ¡°My men are dead because of you!¡±
Heart bouncing off the wood, Serena glanced at Jo, her lips pulled into a tight frown. Somehow, being unable to see the exchange made everything feel worse, and from the grimace on Jo¡¯s face, she seemed to agree.
¡°I never wanted that!¡± Nura shouted. ¡°Never! I told those people, I ¨C¡±
¡°To attack us!¡±
¡°No! I never told them anything like that!¡± She stamped a foot to echo her words. ¡°You think I¡¯d want to cause trouble, bring you all here? My family is in danger because of them!¡±
¡°And you didn¡¯t tell them to leave?!¡±
¡°Of course I did! But they wouldn¡¯t listen! And¡now we¡¯re here. To put it lightly.¡±
Discontent rose from the barbarians, an angry ripple that Nura¡¯s words weren¡¯t enough. Whoever was their leader did nothing to silence them, so Nura had to wait until it had died down before she continued.
¡°I can¡¯t repay the lives lost to those idiots,¡± She said. ¡°But I can at least try to make amends with this.¡± She slapped one of the bags. ¡°Lot of supplies. The usual, but enough to last you all for¡a month? Tools too, among other ¨C¡±
¡°And you expect this to be enough?¡± The leader shouted, his people echoing him. ¡°Explain to me woman why I shouldn¡¯t strike you down for your arrogance!¡±
Serena fidgeted, bracing her hands against the roof, ready to stand. Jo¡¯s hand shot out and grabbed her arm.
¡°Because you¡¯re not like those idiots.¡± Nura replied. ¡°Kill me, and you¡¯ve lost your stream of goodies. No easy food, no tools, no nothing. And after what the giants did¡good luck finding anyone else to steal from.¡±
Serena pursed her lips. It was a good argument, from what she understood of the situation. And from the silence that hung in the air, the barbarians seemed to agree.
An elbow nudged her ribs; Jo met her gaze when she glanced over, eyes narrowed.
¡°Get ready,¡± She whispered. ¡°on me, when they move in. Tell him.¡±
Serena nodded, quickly signing at Cruck¡¯aa, who barely gave her a glance; it seemed like his gaze was stuck on the roof¡¯s edge, but his eyes lacked their usual irritation, filled instead with¡
She cocked a brow. When was the last time she¡¯d seen Cruck¡¯aa nervous, especially with something like this? With all his boasting, she¡¯d ¨C
Laughter rang through the air.
¡°Alright, woman.¡± The leader said. ¡°I¡¯ve participated in this game. Now, have those idiots, as you said, come off those roofs. I wish to meet them.¡±
Serena¡¯s heart tore through her chest, a terrible cold ripping through her body; Jo jerked, hands slapping the roof as she braced herself to leap up, eyes wide, mouth half open.
¡°How?¡± Jo hissed.
Serena glanced at her, then to Cruck¡¯aa, who met her gaze with cold eyes.
¡°How?!¡± Jo said, pushing herself up to a crouch.
¡°I-I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re talking about.¡± Nura¡¯s voice broke.
¡°Drop the act woman!¡± The voice responded. ¡°We know ¨C¡±
A different voice bellowed over his.
Serena, Jo, and Cruck¡¯aa shot up all at once, just in time to witness Doriyah, war-hammer above his head, eyes alight, a terrible grin plastered across his face, hurl himself off the roof towards ¨C
Serena swore.
Standing a few paces from the square stood a veritable army. Around twenty barbarians, all clade is their rough tunics, stood with weapons pointed, their own war cries upon their lips. What must have been their leader stood in front of them, a massive man with an equally massive headdress that glistened in the early morning sun with only the gods knew what. He leapt back as Doriyah smashed into the place where he¡¯d just been, his own wicked grin across his face. He pointed an axe at Doriyah as he ripped his hammer from the ground, his own cry urging his people towards him, a wave of metal and hide, screams filling the air.
Outnumbered twenty to two, as Pavel leapt down after him.
¡°Serena!¡± Jo screamed, whirling on her.
Her body moved on its own, Serena¡¯s hand flying up, index and pinky extended.
Steel clashed against steel as her bead of light smashed into the ground at the barbarians¡¯ feet, far too many pointing at it, screaming.
Doriyah and Pavel both yelled as they threw themselves back, Serena¡¯s fireball missing them by inches as the flames roared, incinerating only a handful of barbarians as the rest threw themselves back.
The flames vanished as quickly as they came, revealing only four charred bodies sprawled before the square¡¯s entrance, weapons scattered. Yet it was enough to force the barbarians back, many now yelling and pointing up at Serena, spreading out but not advancing.
¡°Bahamut¡¯s Teeth,¡± Serena swore; she¡¯d been hoping to hit more. ¡°Jo, what ¨C¡±
¡°Again!¡± Jo screamed, ripping her sword from its sheath, before throwing herself from the roof.
¡°Gods¡¡± Serena watched as Jo broke the fall with a roll, then fell into line beside Doriyah and Pavel. She shouted at them, though only Pavel looked at her, Doriyah too busy yelling at the barbarians.
¡°Oh gods,¡± Serena breathed. ¡°Cruck¡¯aa, I ¨C¡±
Another yell, this time, from the square.
Serena¡¯s heart shot into her throat as Nura sprinted towards her friends. She passed them, scooped up a fallen sword, then fell back in line beside Jo, glaring her down as Jo began to speak.
¡°Bahamut¡¯s Teeth,¡± Serena cursed, heart hammering, watching as the barbarians waved their weapons about, matching Doriyah¡¯s screams. ¡°I¡gods damn it! Damn it!¡±
She whirled on Cruck¡¯aa, fingers alight as she began to sign.
¡°Focus on the ones in the back, I¡¯ll hit the ones¡¡±
Her signs trailed off; Cruck¡¯aa wasn¡¯t looking at her, instead glancing over his shoulder. Serena followed his gaze, finding their house¡
Even from a distance, she could make out Hugo¡¯s form, sprawled out on the ground, body almost cleaved in half, blood reflecting the early morning sun.
The numb washed over her in a wave.
Something stopped her from moving, a vice around her arm. Serena looked back and found Cruck¡¯aa, his words slowly fading as he spoke.
¡°Leave them,¡± He hissed, barely audible over the hammering of her heart. ¡°it¡¯s too late. We need¡¡±
His words fell away, beak moving with no sound. It didn¡¯t matter.
Cruck¡¯aa looked down as Serena shoved her hand into his chest. There was no time for him to react as the flames consumed him.
She barely registered her sleeve tearing, skin with it, as Cruck¡¯aa rocketed away, flames lapping at her back as Serena vanished in a puff of mist.
Interlude
The swamp beyond the clearing sung its usual song; a myriad of bugs buzzed through the bushes and shrubs, frogs matching their symphony with their own jagged crescendos; the sun diffusing through the trees their curtain, masking the beautiful performance in strands of black and gold; the occasional splash of whatever lurked beyond her clearing slashed through it all, a reminder that though she had tamed her own little space of beautiful civilization, the swamp still towered over her, a domineering force.
Gods, how she hated it.
Zahara sighed, straightening up to stretch out her back, now throbbing in protest; she wasn¡¯t built for manual labor, yet suffer it she must. She could have magicked her food into existence, but if she did, what else would occupy her time?
¡°Hurry up!¡±
Zahara¡¯s toes curled in frustration; of course, it didn¡¯t help that a certain furball nagged at her.
She turned around, resting her gloved, filthy hands on her hips, careful to avoid the spellbook strapped to one side. Her pitch-black useless hairball of a cat sat before her, head poking up from among the potato plants. Her little shadow, his only color were his green and blue feathered wings tucked against his back, and his large yellow eyes that stared up from his void of a face. Only through the frustrating years that she¡¯d put up with him, did Zahara know that Elmo was hungry, once again.
¡°You should pick them faster.¡± Elmo whined.
¡°And you should stop complaining.¡± Zahara said, snapping her fingers to vanish the sweat on her brow.
¡°I wouldn¡¯t whine if I had something to do! But no, you won¡¯t let me!¡±
That was true, she stopped letting him help due to how terrible he was at it. Then again, whoever expected a Tressym to push a wheelbarrow?
Zahara waved him off, before reaching up to undo the straps of her blindfold. The world faded away to its usual nothingness as she removed it, and it was only through muscle memory was she able to snap off the sweat that had drenched it. It had been a good idea to create one solely for this kind of manual labor; better this one get dirtied than her formal one.
¡°Maybe,¡± Zahara continued, tying the blindfold back on, the world slowly growing back into clarity. ¡°if you¡¯d actually help properly, I¡¯d let you back into the process. But until then, sadly, it¡¯ll be just me getting this done.¡±Taken from Royal Road, this narrative should be reported if found on Amazon.
¡°Or you could feed me some mangos, and then we¡¯d really get this all done!¡± Elmo squeaked.
¡°Not happening.¡± Zahara said as she turned back to the crops. She grinned as she heard Elmo¡¯s all too familiar raspberry.
Truthfully, there wasn¡¯t a need for Elmo to help her in the first place. Though she refused to make the food out of thin air, she wasn¡¯t opposed to speeding up their growth. The magic she infused within the crops meant that what once took months now only took a week at best, and had Zahara been honest with herself, she didn¡¯t need to tend to them at all. Yet, just like Elmo¡¯s desire to help, Zahara muddled with them simply because if she didn¡¯t, she might truly go insane.
It had been a maddening few months out here, smack dab in the middle of these god-forsaken lands. Of all the places that Maya had sent her to, and this was the best place. Yes, she was privy to plans and prophecies well beyond Zahara¡¯s right to ever know, which probably meant that this terrible place had to be the right one. But that didn¡¯t change the horrible fact that a swamp was by far the last place Zahara ever had hoped to find herself in.
Yet the moon was ever fickle.
Failing to stifle her sigh, Zahara straightened back up again, utterly fed up with her work. How much she yearned to run through the trees at the edge of the clearing and leave this place behind. She wouldn¡¯t, of course. She¡¯d been assigned a task, and Zahara always saw those through; besides, had her visitor decided to show up while she was gone, well, she didn¡¯t want to think about the ramifications. But the thought of fleeing remained ever tempting.
A soft whoosh sounded behind her; within a second, Elmo landed on Zahara¡¯s shoulder, a furry lump that used to knock her over as he pulled himself halfway up, back half hanging down her arm. She¡¯d never admit it, but Elmo looked far too cute with his little feet dangling down like that.
¡°How loooong do we have to stay here?¡± Elmo whined right in her ear.
¡°Until our task is complete.¡± Zahara said, crossing her arms. She stared out into the trees, as though the foliage would magically spit out their guest. ¡°And who knows how long that will take.¡±
¡°We should just leave then.¡± Elmo said, adjusting himself. ¡°Just go home. I haven¡¯t had a fish in years.¡±
¡°Months.¡± Zahara corrected.
¡°Okay, but it feels like years!¡±
¡°Time doesn¡¯t stretch like that for Tressym. You know this.¡±
¡°What?!¡±
Zahara smirked, feeling his irritation radiate through her shoulder as Elmo dug his claws in; it was a small price to pay for her amusement.
¡°Why are you like this?!¡± Elmo demanded.
¡°I ask you the same question every day, and you haven¡¯t given me a good answer yet.¡± Zahara replied.
¡°That¡¯s because there¡¯s nothing wrong with me.¡±
Zahara burst into laughter, earning her another frustrated claw dig.
¡°Why do I put up with you?!¡± Elmo said.
¡°Because you must. Just as I with you.¡± Zahara said.
¡°Well, I think she made a mistake. Like the mistake Maya made sending us out here!¡±
Zahara grimanced, her hand drifting up to her neck, fingering the moon and arrow pendant strapped to her choker.
¡°You shouldn¡¯t say that.¡± She said.
¡°I can say whatever I want, she loves me!¡± Elmo declared.
¡°Well, that makes once of us.¡± Zahara shrugged her shoulders as she turned towards the edge of the field. ¡°Come on, lets get something to eat.¡±
For once, Elmo didn¡¯t complain.