《Eldritch》 At Night in the Camp * * * Kody * * * It was night. The forest''s soft murmur filled the air. The guards had long gone to sleep, only a few of them still milling about. Kody stood amongst the branches of a large oak tree, surveying it all, memorizing patrol times, searching for blind spots. With a little luck he''d only need to planewalk once or twice. Once he was satisfied with his planned route, he silently descended the tree, and approached the encampment wall. The palisade was less than a year old, the nearby area only having started recovering from it. Kody placed his hand on the wall, and pushed gently. It phased through with some resistance. He stepped into and through the wall, slipping in unnoticed. In front of him were a number of fabric tents. Further on, near the center of the camp were wooden huts, and one, well-guarded stone building. His target. He moved in a wide arc around the camp, taking his time avoiding detection and confrontation. In some cases he passed only a few inches behind the backs of patrolling soldiers. Eventually he reached the first wooden hut. Passing behind it, he found a soldier slumped into a ditch, probably having fallen asleep. '' New recruits '' he thought. The huts lined up nicely, and moving by their back walls made everything much quicker. He found a second soldier, this one splayed across a bench at an unhealthy angle. An arrow stuck out of his chest. He wasn¡¯t the only unwelcome guest here. The arrow tail wasn¡¯t of a style he immediately recognized, but it looked familiar. Elven maybe? This worried him. He slowed down, carefully peeking behind corners, avoiding moonlit areas. The Moonfest was Still a couple of nights away, but the silvery light made everything plenty visible. As he reached the stone hut, he stopped. The front door was in full light, two soldiers with torches standing guard on either side. Whoever the mystery archer was, would have too good a shot at him that way. Sighing, he placed his hand on the stone wall, and phased through it. It mustn''t have been older than a few weeks, as it offered little to no resistance. Furthermore, a now detectable aura of magic enveloped not only him, but the entire building. The key was in there after all. As he set foot on the inside, he found himself face to face with a very surprised camp lieutenant. Before the soldier could move a muscle or utter a word, his throat was cut, and Kody lowered him to the ground. He saw two more guards sitting at a table, who for a brief time wouldn''t spot him in the dark corner he managed to emerge into. He didn''t leave anything else to chance. He threw a dagger at one, and leapt between them, kicking the other in the chest. The soldier fell back on his chair, and knocked a shelf off the wall. Its contents showered him with various sharp splinters and blunt hits. The noise muffled the thud of the other soldier landing on the floor as well, the dagger sticking out of his forehead. Kody was sure the commotion could be heard from outside, and so he made a beeline for a cabinet, where he felt the magic was strongest, and tore its drawer open. Inside was a small chest, just big enough to fit something he could pocket easily. He grabbed it and noticed it was locked. A key probably hung from the lieutenant''s neck, but he had no time to search for it, as the two guards posted outside charged into the room. He swung at one with the chest, the impact producing a loud '' CLANG '', and breaking it open. With his other hand, he stabbed at the other''s neck, the dagger¡¯s blade disappearing into the soldier¡¯s flesh. The chest''s contents scattered on the floor, a small, star-shaped relic among them. He grabbed it quickly, and noticed it was broken. Not from the last few seconds, but more deliberately; half of it was missing. The key was supposed to look like a twelve-pointed star, the points forming a rough sphere, but in his hand were only six, and a gap in the middle, where a crystal should''ve been. Not knowing how much time he had until reinforcements came, he grabbed the soldier he''d first incapacitated, and shook him awake. "Where''s the other half?" he asked. The soldier looked at him with a mixture of confusion and pain. "Where is it?" he shook the man further. The soldier''s eyes focused on the relic. He took a few seconds to process it, but then answered: "In a base up north" he said, his voice slightly slurred, then in a wide, flailing motion, kicked Kody, who fell to the ground. The relic rolled away again. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author. Kody got back up, kicked the man in the side to roll him over, then stabbed him on the back of the neck. The soldier sighed one last time, and stopped moving. He got up, looked around, and couldn''t see the relic anywhere. He heard someone running away outside, and looking out the door, he spotted a short, hooded figure turn a corner. He immediately chased after them, hoping they would be running for the main gate - not everyone could pass through solid walls. As he ran, he saw more guards, lying face down in the dirt, slumped against walls, arrows sticking out of them. They were shot as they came to help their comrades. Based on the direction, the archer was up in the same tree Kody had used to scout the location. He ran behind the tents, hoping to avoid the archer''s line of sight, getting a few short glances at his quarry. They were running for the main gate. Thirty feet and closing in. As he neared the gate, the line of tents ended. He tried to jump, hoping to tackle the thief, but he slipped. Under him was a fine layer of ice, denying him traction. The thief looked back at him, a pair of eyes glowing like stars in the dark. He skidded to a stop in the dust as he watched them round the corner again, leaving the camp. Not all was lost just yet. He could still catch them, even if the thief escaped. He could go after the archer. He turned towards the tree, now under the camp wall''s cover, and jumped through it, landing softly on the other side. The thief was not yet there, so Kody set about neutralizing the archer. He climbed up as silent as he could manage, and spotted¡­ a ranger? He was a Patron. His turquoise cape shimmered magically, hiding his form, but Kody''s angle on him revealed him entirely. Kody grabbed at his ankle and dragged the ranger down the tree with him, weighing him down once they landed. "Who are you?" Kody asked, dagger at the ranger''s throat "William" the ranger sighed, knocked out of breath by the landing. "Why are you stealing that key? Who''s your accomplice?" "I''m not an accomplice. " a soft, feminine voice said behind him. Kody jumped off of the ranger, keeping the dagger to his throat still, but now facing the thief. She had removed her hood, and was now looking at him. A short, humanoid figure with a scaly, lizard-like face, small horn jutting backwards from the top of her skull. A vern . "My name is Zeenie and I''m-" ¡°A little thief!¡± Kody interrupted, ¡°And you have something of mine.¡± ¡°And you have my brother there!¡± ¡°If you don''t want to see him die, hand it over!¡± The vern girl clenched her fist. Her pupils dilated then refocused in her frustration. Nostrils wide open, she looked just about ready to spit at him. ¡°You have nothing over me here.¡± Kody said ¡°Either you give it to me or he dies.¡± Her form shifted slightly. Not enough to be magically distinct, but Kody could feel the magic radiating off of her. She was something more. He thought quickly; a lone vern without a tribe, not visibly missing one, with a human companion she called her brother. Could she be¡­? Her breath was visible in the air, and her hands started freezing over with a fine layer of ice. ¡°I can hurt you plenty, I¡¯m a-¡± Magic. No tribe. Human brother. He put it together. "A dragon." he stated. "How''d you know?" she asked, a bit disoriented from the surprise. He didn''t have to answer out loud. She knew. '' Orthus, you''ll like this '' Kody thought really hard. The telepathic message took some concentration, but he managed it. "I¡­ know a dragon" He said after a short pause. Zeenie looked at him quizzically. He wasn''t sure if it was surprise or disbelief he saw on her face, but nonetheless, his answer had invoked an emotion. "Let go of him!" Zeenie said, re-assuming her stance, "Please." "Not until you give me back my key." "We need it." William said. Kody looked back and forth between them. They didn''t seem hostile. Maybe he could use them. "I will let you go." he said, but still held onto his hostage. "Part of the key is missing, but I know where we can find it. You are going to help me get the rest of it, then I will let you use it, and take it back afterwards." Zeenie took the relic out. It became clear to everyone it was only half of the key. Her expression changed to that of slight disappointment. The pair shared a glance. It was the kind of quick consensus he was familiar with. Orthus and he also used to do that instead of discussing things. "Yes, we will help you." Zeenie said, " Please let him go. Kody carefully let go of the ranger, and sheathed his dagger in a very elaborate way. "Thank you." the dragon said. The ranger nodded at him, and he nodded back, in unspoken understanding. "So," William said, "Where is the rest of it?" Kody studied him closely. He didn''t look dangerous to him, not up close at least. He made the decision to trust these strangers for the moment. "It''s in a base up north." Kody answered. "One of the guards told me." "That could be anywhere!" the ranger said in a hushed shouting voice. "He used the word ''base'', and not ''camp''." Kody answered. William looked down. He looked to be thinking, and Kody hoped he realized what an Empire Base meant. "Heavily fortified and guarded then." William said finally. "Yes. We''ll need a plan." * * * Orthus * * * Orthus flew over a large lake, his silhouette reflecting off of the still water. The next gate hub was still a while away. The night was still early, a faint glow on the horizon was hanging onto daylight still. '' Orthus, you''ll like this'' Kody''s voice whispered in his mind. The message was a vague sense, an overall feeling rather than a set of words, but once received, he knew exactly what his partner wanted. He tipped his wings to the left, and made a wide arc as he turned around. The assassin had found another dragon. Planning a Heist * * * William * * * ¡°So, you can phase through solid matter?¡± William asked Kody ¡°It¡¯s called planewalking¡± Kody explained, ¡°at least according to the century-old textbook on planar magic at my family¡¯s mansion.¡± ¡°Can Orthus also do it?¡± Zeenie chimed in ¡°I guess so.¡± Kody said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen him do it, and it never really came up in conversation.¡± ¡°So how¡¯s it gonna help us?¡± William interrupted ¡°The older something is, and the longer it¡¯s been there in its current place, the harder it is to pass through.¡± Kody said, ¡°Newer structures take little or no effort to push through, but that camp wall was a bit harder. I can use this to pass through walls, to arrest momentum after a fall, or to walk on recently removed things¡¯ imprints in lower layers.¡± ¡°You seem¡­ well-educated on this topic.¡± ¡°Orthus taught me most of it, but I also read a bunch of my sister¡¯s books as we were growing up. The actual experience came from building The House.¡± ¡°That¡¯s where we¡¯re going?¡± ¡°Right.¡± Kody nodded, ¡°I need rest, you need sleep, we need a plan, and Orthus may arrive at any minute¡­ or in a few days anyway. I don¡¯t exactly know how far he is.¡± The rest of the way back to the house was mostly spent in silence, Zeenie occasionally breaking it with a question about Orthus. As they arrived, they were privy to a sight not many have ever seen. At first, everything seemed normal. They were trudging through a thick forest, which was getting thicker with each step. Then, without any previous sense of it, or without a real feeling of transition, they found themselves in a circular meadow with a ruined, two-story house in the middle. A faint aura of magic was visible emanating from it like an aurora. On the side of the house was a single, heavy-looking wooden door engraved with intricate patterns interlaid with precious-looking gems embedded into the wood. Kody grabbed the doorknob with one hand, the frame with the other, and twisted on it slightly at the same time as he flipped a hidden switch, and the door groaned ajar. He pushed up against it, and opened it wide. Inside was not the tiny room that should¡¯ve been possible by the ruins¡¯ external dimensions, but a large, triangular room with a wall and a door under a set of stairs to the left, and a tall, hollow column that also served as hearth and chimney. Where that chimney actually led was a mystery, as it certainly did not lead outside. In the middle was a rectangular pit, lined with sofas on all four sides, a matching table in the middle. Stepping in, the initial triangle was revealed to be merely a slice of an even larger, overall circular room, with the chimney serving as the central load-bearing piece. To the right, another set of stairs led up to an internal balcony, the same as the left side stairs. A bit further in was a hallway running tangent to the room, a table with space for eight chairs (only two were actually present, across the table from each-other), and a kitchen with a window looking out into what seemed to be a blank, white void. Zeenie ran inside, overjoyed, marveling at the spectacle, but William felt suddenly very aware of just how powerful this ¡°space magic¡± of Kody¡¯s was. ¡°I know, it¡¯s a lot to take in at first.¡± Kody tapped him on the shoulder, and passed him by. ¡°How¡­ How long have you been with this Orthus exactly?¡± William asked ¡°About six years.¡± Kody said ¡°I¡¯ve had some minimal training before, but it was him that let me reach this level.¡± he gestured around the room. ¡°Each segment more or less exists in its own pocket, so we could overlay rooms and hallways.¡± ¡°The floorplan must be a nightmare¡± William chuckled. Kody seemed glad to see him lighten up a bit. ¡°It really is.¡± He smiled back. ¡°This exact uh¡­ setup of rooms is only about a year old. It¡¯s hard building an interplanar house when all you have is an assassin and a reluctant shapeshifter.¡± ¡°Shapeshifter? You mean-¡± ¡°He¡¯s not exactly like Zeenie.¡± Kody explained, ¡°Correct me if I''m wrong, but based on what I¡¯ve seen, Zeenie can only switch between her dragon and vern forms. Orthus is older, much older. He can take almost any form he wishes, and he usually appears human when he¡¯s around me. Although, he struggles a bit when trying to take on a woman¡¯s form.¡± William looked for Zeenie. She was staring at something in the underside of the right-hand stairway, her head tilted to the side, with an expression of concern on her face. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± William asked You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story. ¡°Do we know her?¡± she pointed at a small altar with two candles, a lock of hair, and a palm-sized painting of a red-haired girl looking into the viewer¡¯s eyes. ¡°That¡¯s¡­ No, that can¡¯t be.¡± ¡°I think it¡¯s her.¡± Zeenie said, ¡°I think that¡¯s Lexie.¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯ve found it.¡± Kody¡¯s expression was mournful. ¡°Her name was-¡± ¡°Alexandra Nyma¡± William said ¡°How¡­ Did you know her?¡± ¡°She used to live in the ranger camp where we grew up.¡± William said ¡°She was weird.¡± Zeenie added ¡°And, believe me when I say that. I''m a dragon, and she was the weird one.¡± she gestured at herself. ¡°She never really felt at home there.¡± William continued, ¡°Got into fights, stole stuff, then one day she just walked out of camp.¡± ¡°She walked out through the wall !¡± Zeenie said ¡°I thought that was just a rumor¡­ Up until now.¡± William said ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Kody said, ¡°When was this?¡± ¡°About ten- no, eight years ago.¡± ¡°I met her eight years ago.¡± Kody said, ¡°Up north, a few weeks¡¯ walk from here.¡± ¡°The camp is a bit further north.¡± ¡°She must¡¯ve left only a few weeks before we met. She was so kind to me. I¡­ Sorry, can¡¯t talk about it. Maybe later.¡± William didn¡¯t want to push it. She obviously meant a lot to Kody, and he wasn¡¯t going to risk getting the second half of that key on an assassin¡¯s mental state with a dragon for a companion. * * * Kody * * * Kody retrieved a large region map from a drawer. He laid it out on the dining table, and pointed at the key locations: ¡°Alright, this is where we are, this is the camp where we got the first half, and this is what I assume based on what the soldier said is the local base of operations.¡± ¡°Almost a day¡¯s walk from here.¡± ¡°Not exactly.¡± Kody said, ¡°See this town right next to the base? I have a shortcut there.¡± ¡°A shortcut?¡± ¡°The same as the front door, it¡¯s got its own pocket-plane, and that door," Kody said, pointing to a second door next to the main entrance, "leads to a tavern basement in that town. I get contracts through them a lot of the time.¡± ¡°Ah, right, assassin.¡± ¡°Yeah.¡± ¡°So, how¡¯s this gonna work? I mean, you can just planewalk in, but we still need a physical route.¡± ¡°I need you to cover me from outside.¡± Kody said. ¡°I can go in and take care of things, but I need you to distract or take out any soldiers who could gang up on me. I can handle myself in a fight, but I¡¯d like to avoid one.¡± ¡°What will I get to do?¡± Zeenie asked ¡°You can be our runaway.¡± William suggested, ¡°Wait for Kody at the wall, and fly away with the key once he¡¯s got it there.¡± ¡°Could work.¡± Kody said, ¡°This gate hub is the closest to the base. Is it okay for you two to use?¡± ¡°Yes. It gets us very close to the Aquilans.¡± ¡°You¡¯re visiting the king?¡± ¡°Ha, I could only hope. No, I¡¯m meeting one of their elders, I need some information from them.¡± * * * Zeenie * * * Zeenie couldn¡¯t pay attention to the two men. They were so deep in planning every moment of their heist they didn¡¯t really think about involving her in it. She was only supposed to wait about, then fly to a location she already knew about. Then there was the elephant (or rather, dragon) in the room; Orthus. Kody had only told her a few details about him so far, and she really wanted to meet him. He would be the first other dragon she¡¯d seen except for herself. He was old, so he could surely teach her some things. As time went on, she grew more and more anxious about missing this opportunity, in the case Orthus arrived too late. Even Kody couldn¡¯t tell how far he was. Zeenie could usually tell where William was, a gut sense telling her both the direction and distance. Maybe it only worked for short distances. She¡¯d only ever gone a few minutes¡¯ walk away from Will. Maybe she could stay this time, let him do his thing, while she did hers. She really liked the idea. As she was wondering, she was also wandering. She walked into the hallway, only to have it turn around after a few steps. A long section of hallway led to a number of identical rooms on either side, turning at the end further, as if to form a circle around (or inside?) the main room. Were these two hosting a small army, or were they just megalomaniacs? What were they even planning with that key? It was bad enough that the gate hubs barely ever functioned, now an increasing number of them had been robbed of their keys, for whatever reason. It was probably more of the same type of megalomaniacs taking them for their own use, or self-appointed gate guardians sitting on them for entry fees and literal gatekeeping. Gods, that gate guardian was a hassle to get anything out of. She was glad they found Kody. He knew where a hub was, where it went, and how they could use it. In the other direction was an exact mirror copy of the other hallway. Zeenie opened one of the doors and peeked inside. It opened into a rectangular room, empty for the moment, but if some rangers were to move in, it could have easily hosted about ten of them. Ten rangers per room, twelve rooms that she counted, half a camp could move in here and not even get noticed. She wondered where Kody slept. Where Orthus slept. Did they sleep together? Kody did say Orthus was his partner. But then again, William also sometimes referred to her as a partner, and their relationship was that of siblings. ¡® More like ranger and accessory ¡¯ she thought. How easy it was for Will to rely on her for everything. She wanted out. She¡¯d been wanting out for a while now. She just didn¡¯t want to be left alone. Not again. She went to the end of the hallway, and found herself back at the start of the other. The place was looping, but there were only two, rectangular turns in it. Her head ached, trying to process it all. She opened another door. Empty. Another. Also empty. Empty, empty, empty. She almost didn''t open the last one. Almost. As she placed her hand on the doorknob, she felt the familiar warmth of a room that was being lived in. She paused, then opened it wide. Inside was a king size bed, almost wider than long, with a canopy over it, the curtains open. A lone disturbance in the sheets¡­ so he sleeps alone. In the corner of the room was an armor rack, currently also empty. Two bedside drawers, a desk, and a lot of empty space. Zeenie felt lonely just looking at it. Then she spotted it. In the corner, obscured by the door, was a pretty comfortable-looking sofa, worn quite a bit, by someone much heavier than Kody looked. Is Orthus keeping watch over him? Zeenie stopped. She had realized she intruded on someone''s personal life without really meaning to. She quickly left the room and closed the door as silently as she could. Walking back out into the main area she looked the assassin in the face. He was in the midst of explaining something to William. He looked young, younger than Will by at least two years, but his expression, his gestures felt more like a very particular middle-aged ranger master she''d known. She walked past the men and sat down on a sofa facing the hearth. First Night * * * William * * * William couldn''t fall asleep. The bed was too big, too soft, and too empty. He''d gotten used to sleeping in hammocks, in single beds, or on the ground with many others, growing up. After he and Zeenie left the camp, they''d been sleeping on the ground or up in trees, both much harder than this bed. He was a bit surprised when - in the middle of Kody leading him to this room, Zeenie asked for a separate room from his. It was understandable, since there was only one bed, and they''d never slept in the same bed before¡­ not even with Violet, his actual sister, but still, Zeenie and him have always been in at least the same space. He felt lonely. Maybe it was the place; the large, empty spaces, the silence, or the cold, endless white void that was outside every window. He quite literally was in another world from the one he''d gotten used to. It felt both too sterile and alien. For a bit he got lost in thought, trying to wrap his mind around how this house worked. If there were any sense to it, then he would be lying on, more likely inside the dining table. But he wasn''t. He was in a room, too large and empty for his liking, in a nonsense maze of a house behind a door that couldn''t have possibly opened into it. It was overwhelming. He''d tired himself out thinking, and was now on the verge of falling asleep, but not quite just yet. He could feel the familiar pressure of sleep, the dreamlike limbo of weightlessness, and he was already half dreaming. The room seemed to breathe with him, echoing his every heartbeat. At long last, he''d shut his eyes, and drifted off to sleep. His dreams were weird and nonsensical. The impossible geometry of the house had more of an impact than he''d anticipated. In his dream, he was walking in an infinite, twisting hallway, with doors lining all four walls. As he stepped on one of them, it rotated, making him face the wall. He heard a knock from the next door on the floor. He turned and opened it. The floor inside was fixed to the door, turning at a right angle from where he was standing. He stepped inside and for a split second felt gravity shifting. Something in the now vertical infinite hallway fell, only missing him by a split second. The room he now stood in was awfully familiar. The roof cut off its ceiling at a sharp angle. In the shorter end was a small bed, on the bed a small boy, looking at the opposite wall. It was him, the young William. He knew where this dream was going. He''d seen it many times. He opened the door again, and found the hallway the right way around, with no twisting this time. He stepped out into it, shutting the door behind him. He walked on, until he could smell smoke in the air. He stopped, and looked around. As if on cue, knocking started coming from all of the doors, followed by screams of despair and noises of violence. Panic started overcoming him. Breathing became hard. The choking, burning stench made each breath hurt. The air turned into jelly around him, and he struggled to move at all. Then one of the doors started visibly smoking, the light of flames shining around it. He knew he had to get there and open it, but each step felt like moving through mud while wearing lead boots. After a few seconds that felt like a century, he reached the door and turned the knob. The dreamscape shifted, and he was looking down at himself, his young self, balled up in a hole in the ground, clutching a small, bluish white egg. * * * William * * * He woke in cold sweat. The room felt even bigger and emptier in the dark. He took a moment to steady his breathing. He got up and looked at the window. A finely polished metal sheet covered it, serving both as shade and mirror. He quietly opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. Flashes of his dream came rushing back to him as he saw the doors on either side. He went over to where Zeenie was sleeping, and peeked inside. She was sleeping peacefully in her bed. He didn''t want to wake her, so he closed the door and headed for the dining area. He sat down at the dining table, and buried his face in his hands. For a few minutes, he did nothing, just concentrated on his breathing. Slowly in, holding it, then out. After a while he managed to calm down. As he sat there, he looked at the shrine. New candles. The shelf it sat on had been dusted off. Kody had looked very upset even just mentioning Lexie. What could''ve happened to her? "Will?" Zeenie stood in the hallway opening "Sorry, didn''t mean to wake you." "I wasn''t sleeping." she sat down across the table. William didn''t reply. "You were having that nightmare again." Still no reply. "Do you want to talk about it?" "This place¡­ Lexie¡­ it was a bit much." "I like it." "It''s so¡­ empty" "Yeah¡­" "Not even the forest is in here. Dead silence." "Give it some time, soon Orthus will come." "Zeenie," William said, "I don''t know how to tell you this, I''m not sure Orthus exists at all." "He does!" Zeenie exclaimed, "I''ve seen-" "What, a second room with a bed in it? So Kody has four beds, not three. We''re going away tomorrow anyway, and if he''s not here by then-" "I want to meet him." Zeenie said with a determination he''d never seen in her. "Tomorrow, if he doesn''t arrive by the time we''re done getting that stupid key, you can go wherever you like, visit your elves, but I''m staying." She stood up and stormed inside her room, shutting the door. What was she on about? She''d never acted like this before. All it took was for someone to clock her as a dragon, and she''d believe anything. He knew she''d be in danger alone out here. Not wanting to risk another confrontation, he headed back to his room silently, and went back to sleep. Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings. * * * Kody * * * Kody woke early. He''d been expecting Orthus to have arrived by now. The familiar presence was still missing. How far exactly had he flown? He relayed his question to the dragon, and the answer came soon enough. He''d arrive that day, sometime around noon. Kody told him where to go, another hour or so. He walked out into the living room, and found both his guests had already awoken. Zeenie was sitting on a sofa with her back to the hearth, feet up on the table. William was in the kitchen, making breakfast. Fresh scorch marks on the ceiling indicated some trouble getting used to the elemental-powered stove with eventual success, a bowl of minced mushrooms and potatoes brewing into a nice stew. The spice cabinet above was wide open, several jars moved from where he''d last left them. Salt, garlic, ginger, and some others. It smelled really nice. "Need any help?" he asked the ranger "Yeah, can you get me some sweet paprika? I couldn''t find it." "Here" Kody handed the jar over after some searching. William took a large heap of it with a tablespoon and stirred it into the stew. A bit much compared to what Kody was used to, but surely a ranger knew how to make a nice meal. William nodded, gesturing for him to sit with Zeenie. As Kody sat down, Zeenie removed her feet from the table. "Sorry" she said "No problem." He sat down and put his feet up too. She smiled and put them back up. "This table used to belong to my family." "Used to? Are they¡­" "Dead? No." he said "I just took it from one of their vaults." Zeenie looked at him quizzically. He sat down properly, and stared absentmindedly at the table, and the intricate patterns cut into the wood. "Even though I''m an assassin, I get to enter some places in the Empire most are not privy to. "Are y-, are they nobles?" Zeenie asked, puzzled. "Yes." Kody sighed "The great noble house of the Johnsons. Built on deceit and betrayal. It was part of my absolution to go in and take some of their stuff." That was, strictly speaking, true. He had not told a lie. What he omitted however, and what was now weighing on him uncomfortably, was when and how he took it. It wasn''t the time to reveal that. He needed them to trust him, and that base would be a hard nut to crack. "Hey!" William called, "Food''s ready." The stew was delicious. Kody made a mental note to use more paprika next time he cooked. William and Zeenie sat across the table from him, but something was amiss; an unspoken tension was between them. Had they had a fight last night? That was something for later though. Now he had to take the leap, and hope they''d catch him. ¡°Are you ready for the heist?¡± he asked them. They looked at each other, then back at him. ¡°Yes.¡± William said ¡°In that case, let¡¯s head out.¡± * * * Zeenie * * * Zeenie was ready way before the others. All she had to put on were a pair of leather vambraces and her hooded cloak. Her shoes were little more than sandals and the pants were designed for children. Her small frame didn¡¯t really fit anything else. William was second. He wore his usual apparel of light leather armor, bow and quiver, his shimmering cloak, and the rest of his belongings tied up into a tight roll hanging from his waist. He looked at her with expectation. Was he hoping she''d changed her mind? That she''d just announced her departure as an outburst? As soon as Orthus arrived she''d be saying goodbye to William. She''d finally have the opportunity she''d been waiting for her whole life - to learn from another dragon. Kody was last. He wasn''t in the comparatively casual outfit she''d seen him in earlier. It was a full black leather suit, seemingly made of individual straps overlaid on top of each other with exacting precision. Small daggers, throwing knives, darts, and various other tools and weapons lined his entire torso, and most of his limbs. The man must''ve doubled in weight from all of them. He too carried a bundle of - surprisingly expensive-looking - cloth, for what reason, Zeenie couldn''t tell. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. "Alright." - Kody said, "Everyone ready?" They both nodded. "Where''s the shortcut?" William asked. Kody didn''t reply. Instead he walked to the front door, flicked a secret switch not unlike the one he used to get into the house earlier, and opened it. On the other side of the door wasn''t the outside they had come from. Instead, a long hallway lined with stone and shelves on either side stretched in front of them. The assassin stood back, and gestured for them to go inside. William hesitated so Zeenie took the initiative. The hallway was noticeably colder than the living room. The stone around her wasn''t radiating that mild heat. It was also noisier. A low, constant droning sound echoed throughout the structure. How big was this place? "Two rights, then a left." Kody''s voice sounded behind them, "There will be another door at the end." "What is this place?" William asked "It''s the storage." Kody explained, "I found it when exploring hidden dimensions looking for stable ones to place the rooms in." Zeenie passed a bronze statue of a dragon. It looked as if half made of crystals, and she felt a strange pull towards it. She hadn''t noticed, but she had zoned out and was now staring directly at the head of the statue, looking into its eyes. A gentle pressure on her shoulder snapped her out of it. "Zeenie, you okay?" William asked "Yeah, just¡­ got distracted." "That statue does that sometimes." Kody said, "It was already here when I found the storage." "What kind of place is this anyway?" William reiterated "I''m not sure, to be honest. My guess is that it''s either the end product of a lot of collectors finding and adding to it over the ages, or a sort of weird, natural lost-and-found for powerful stuff that goes missing." Zeenie didn''t like the latter option one bit. It made her feel like walking into the stomach of some monster. If it was one, was it sleeping? Was it dead? Hibernating perhaps? She didn''t want to think about it, but couldn''t stop herself. Luckily for her, they had reached the other door. It was similar in design to the house, but more crude, less refined. Kody went ahead, opened it, and led them out into the basement of a tavern. They were in an abandoned hallway, not far from the actively used parts of the place. The noise of people talking, shouting over eachother filled the air. Zeenie found it surprising how suddenly the near total silence was replaced with this lively cacophony. Kody led them through the basement, and up a set of stone stairs. Around them, people looked. Humans, aquilans, a lone ferodinian towering over the rest, occupying a full booth by himself, his four eyes studying them. The humans were mostly mages, she could feel it. Some rangers were present, a few assassins, both nodding to their respective colleagues, shooting glares at eachother, eating and drinking away as they walked past. As they reached the top of the stairs, a jolly deep, motherly voice called out to them. "Mr. Johnson! Welcome back!" "Hey Betty!" Kody said, and walked over to her. She was tending the bar, cleaning glasses and mugs, a few plates of fresh food waiting behind her to be served. "I told you, you don''t need to be formal with me anymore. Call me Kody!" "Ah, you know me mr. Johnson," Betty replied, "I''m old fashioned." "Whatever." Kody sighed, "How''s business?" "Boomin'' as ya see." she gestured, "Word got out I''ve been hostin'' all kinda'' creatures in ''ere, so The Empire showed up." "And you sent them away?" Kody raised an eyebrow "Nah! T''was your pals. And then his." she added, nodding at William, "Place is full of'' em!" "I''ve seen." "What are ya'' up to now, laddie?" "Going on a heist with my friends here." "Serves those bastards right!" "Gotta go now Betty, thanks for the chat." "Yer welcome!" They exited the tavern. Kody looked around before gesturing for them to follow. A pair of empire soldiers stood across the street, not really looking, as they were harassing a lone ranger. William was about to head over when Zeenie pulled him back. '' Not now. Not here. '' she told him mentally. The town was tense. On every other corner stood an empire soldier, a ranger, or an assassin pretending not to be doing anything. It was a powder-keg, and any small altercation could be enough to ignite it. "This is what an Empire base does to the neighborhood." Kody noted "I didn''t think it would be this bad." William said "And they apparently locked down the gate hub as well." "I''ve seen a few of these." Kody said, "They build a base, lock down the area, drive out mages, kidnap their children, then march in the army." "Shouldn''t we try and be less¡­ conspicuous?" "No. I''ve got an idea." The Heist *** Guard *** The guard stood on the fortified wall, over the gate, looking down at their new guest; a fully geared assassin walked towards them. He was alone, and he wore a cape, brandishing the Johnson family crest. ¡°Another goddamn noble.¡± the other guard grumbled. ¡°Open it up!¡± their captain commanded. The gate wings creaked wide open, and the wrought iron yett slid up into the wall. The assassin walked in, then was greeted by the captain. *** Kody *** ¡°To what do we owe this honorable visit, Master Johnson?¡± the captain asked. ¡°You know exactly why I''m here, captain.¡± Kody said, looking him directly in the eye. ¡°Perhaps we should continue this more privately.¡± the captain said. ¡°Good.¡± Kody followed the captain silently, looking around, as if surveying the location. He''d never really gotten used to how accommodating empire soldiers can be when there''s a noble around. Especially when he acted rude and condescending. He was led slowly through the base, giving him a good opportunity to size it up. Double stone walls reinforced with iron, many watchtowers, several sets of ramps and stairs leading to higher elevations and into smaller and smaller enclosures, the buildings and sleeping quarters getting fancier the further they went. Latrines were dug and covered with huts, small sewers, too tiny for even Zeenie to pass through, leading out into the forest. As they passed, soldiers stood at attention, scrambling to clean clutter off of surfaces or to sort weapon racks, working really hard to appear responsible and busy. What were other nobles doing when they visited? They arrived at the captain''s cabin. It was a small stone hut, decorated with empire regalia, ornate weapons lining the outer wall. They went inside and sat down. ¡°So,¡± Kody said, ¡°It''s pretty obvious what you''re doing here captain. What''s the situation? Where can I help?¡± ¡°Nearby towns are flooded with rangers and assassins.¡± The captain said, ¡±We can''t march the army in without it escalating to civil war.¡± ¡°Who do you want me to take out?¡± ¡°This many¡­ agitants must have some center of coordination. I want you to find it, and eliminate it.¡± ¡°Any leads?¡± ¡°There is town about an hour south. Beryl, they call it. There''s a tavern there under constant surveillance. I think that''s your best starting point.¡± ¡°Just came from there in fact.¡± Kody said, ¡±The place is certainly tense, but not a command center. Your men there are also slacking off, captain.¡± ¡°Are they now?¡± the captain raised an eyebrow. ¡°I doubt they''ve seen me enter or leave the tavern, but I''m sure once mentioned they''d report me traveling with a ranger, maybe a patron even. What they won''t tell you is the one they were harassing in front of me. If I were in your place, captain, and really didn''t want to risk a civil war, I would tell them to stand down and do their job instead. Am I clear, captain?¡± ¡°Clear as day, sir.¡± the captain sunk into his chair. ¡°I will continue my search for the command center. I hope you''ll appreciate my efforts when I find it.¡± ¡°Generously.¡± the captain forced a smile. Kody enjoyed playing with the man. He could almost understand other nobles. Almost. ¡°Well, in that case, my business here is concluded.¡± Kody watched the captain''s eyes light up for a moment, ¡±But seeing the state of your reconnaissance and your operations, I think I''d better conduct a full inspection of the base.¡± *** William *** William watched as Kody was led to the captain''s cabin, emerging a mere two minutes later, with a considerably angry, sweaty, and disheveled looking captain, seemingly about to throw up. They''d begun a full inspection of the base. ¡°That''s our cue, Zeenie!¡± he said. They snuck along the base walls, unnoticed by soldiers now much more worried about the shine of their armor and the patina of their swords than about any potential intruders. Reaching a side gate, William picked the lock fast, and let Zeenie in. ¡°Back in five.¡± she said as she slipped in, past a guard cleaning his shoes. *** Zeenie *** Zeenie lowered her hood. Her hearing was much better than she''d ever let even William know, and her small form was ideal for sneaking about. She slipped past the guard and scurried along the wall. The key''s magical aura was faint, but she quickly worked out its general direction. The shortest way to the key was a zigzag of ramps leading up the incline of the base, flanked on all sides with walls. Too visible. The sewers? Too small. She then found a narrow set of stairs leading up a level, with guards at the end, a ladder leading onto the wall. She bolted up the stairs, then climbed. At the top was another guard, hurriedly trying to polish his sword before Kody and the captain arrived. In his nervous rush he dropped it, the metallic chime deafening both of them as the blade hit the stone. He grabbed it, and walked away in shame. She stepped onto the wall. A long, winding path stretched before her, now much emptier than before. There was another ladder at the end. She climbed one level up, then another, and another. It almost felt too easy. She took great care to avoid even passing notice; her current form wasn''t suited for combat. If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. At last she was getting close to the key. The magic radiated stronger from this part than the last. She could feel it through several feet of stone and dirt. It was underground, there should be a door somewhere. She looked around, carefully circling the source of the magic. Dashing from building to building, hiding under tables and behind weapon racks as soldiers scrambled around her to get the base in order, she snuck closer and closer. At last, she found a pure iron cellar door, closed, at an angle like a storm shelter, way too heavy for her to lift. From her safe vantage point, she looked and thought. She picked up a pebble from the gravel, and tossed it at the door. It hit right in the middle, making a loud banging noise that echoed through the base. *** Kody *** Kody could hear a loud bang from near the middle of the base. He looked at the captain, who suddenly looked equally scared and angry. ¡°What was that?¡± he asked. ¡°Sounded like the cellar door,¡± the captain said. ¡°Should we check it out?¡± Kody still enjoyed playing with the captain. He was visibly sweating, and perpetually on the verge of saying something that could cost his career. He sighed, nodded, and led Kody to the cellar. The door was lying almost completely flat on its hinges. Two soldiers were ordered to open it, and with some considerable effort, they hauled it open, letting it fall with another loud bang. Sturdy. The captain led Kody down into the cellar, then took out an oil lamp and lit it. In front of them stretched a large cavern, filled to the brim with shelves, armor stands, and weapon racks. He could feel the same sensation as back in the camp; the key was somewhere here. He strolled casually among the shelves, inspecting them thoroughly. He stopped on occasion to pick something up, a weapon, a piece of armor, ballista bolts, trinkets, carefully checking it. At last he stood in front of an ornate vitrine, filled with magical artifacts, stolen and confiscated from the people of the neighboring settlements and from ruins. The key was among them. He took a glance at the captain, who looked just about ready to resign on the spot. He then opened the vitrine, and picked up the key. This half of the twelve-pointed star also only had six of its points, but it also had a tiny, light blue crystal in it. It glowed faintly, then lit up momentarily as he picked it up. ¡°Where have you gotten this from, captain?¡± he asked The captain swallowed. ¡°We confiscated it from a merchant a few days ago.¡± ¡°Where¡¯s the other half of it?¡± ¡°What do you mean, sir?¡± Kody raised an eyebrow. So they were not consciously locking the area down, and just happened to get the key from a thief. ¡°Even if I didn¡¯t know what this was, captain,¡± Kody said in a condescending tone, holding the key visibly in front of the captain''s face, ¡°It¡¯s obviously missing half of it.¡± The captain¡¯s shoulders sagged. ¡°I expected better, captain.¡± ¡°We¡­ will search for the other half.¡± ¡°No need.¡± Kody said, ¡°I will find it for you. I won¡¯t even charge extra for it.¡± With that, he marched out of the cellar, but made sure to ¡®accidentally¡¯ keep the key in his hand. Once they were out, and once the heavy door was shut, he brought it out, frowned at it, then handed it to the captain. ¡°Can you take care of this for me?¡± he asked. The captain nodded, then marched off with it to his cabin. *** Zeenie *** Zeenie watched as Kody entered the cellar, brought out the key, and handed it over. She snuck after the captain, and could see he was very unhappy with the entire situation, silently cursing Kody out the whole way, once he was out of earshot. He tore open the door to a small stone hut that looked like his personal cabin, tossed the key onto his bed, then marched back to babysit their guest. As he left, Zeenie scanned the area. No soldiers were paying attention, but the cabin was a dead-end and had only one door. She mustered the courage, and bolted inside. There, on the bed, right in front of her sat the other half of the key. Uncontained, unbothered, the crystal inside glowing slightly. She grabbed it, and was about to head out when a soldier opened the door on her. ¡°Freeze!¡± he shouted, pointing a sword at her. She backed into the corner. Her free hand touched the wall, and she could feel the cold ball of fear in her stomach flow like water through her arm, into the rock. She took a deep breath, and the wall exploded in icy shards behind her. The soldier got startled and fell back. She got up and ran. The exit was far, too far away, several levels down, through dozens of armed soldiers. Not even her magic would be enough to escape here. Panic overcame her. She ran, without knowing where, just out as fast as possible, all the while gripping the key so hard her knuckles turned white. She ran past a soldier, who jumped at her. She dodged and froze the ground to make it slippery. It worked against Kody, hopefully the soldiers would take it worse. Next, along a wall, she dragged her hand on the stones, freezing them rigid. A few crossbow bolts flew past her and hit the stones, shattering them. The wall started crumbling. With a loud crash, it toppled over and crushed a few cabins. She slid down the ladder, and found herself facing three soldiers with freshly polished swords. To the left was a considerable drop, but also freedom. The nearest ballista was on the wall segment she¡¯d just collapsed. She took her chances, and jumped. The landing was painful. She couldn¡¯t hear bones cracking, but she had surely sprained her ankle. She desperately tried to limp on, getting closer to the river, hoping she¡¯d be able to use it, when she spotted the soldiers running towards her, closing in. She wouldn¡¯t reach it in time. William was nowhere. He was probably still waiting for her at the side-entrance, or running towards her. The soldiers were closer however. In her desperation, she tossed the key as far as she could, and watched as it plopped into the water, without a trace of it remaining. The magical glow she''d been feeling from the key had vanished under the surface. She tripped painfully, and fell over. As she rolled over to look up, she found a sword tip in front of her face. ¡°Got you.¡± the soldier said. He didn¡¯t have time for much else, as his comrades both stopped in their tracks, and fell over, arrows sticking out of their backs. In the confusion, he looked away for a second. Zeenie grabbed the blade between her palms, and immediately yanked it at an angle, simultaneously cooling it beyond any temperature it was designed for, snapping it in half. With as much force as she had left in her, she threw the sword tip at the soldier, grazing him with it. He did not have time to turn back towards her as William barreled into him and knocked him down. ¡°Where¡¯s the key?¡± he asked ¡°In¡­ the river.¡± Zeenie said, wincing from the pain in her ankle. William looked angry at her. He paced for a few seconds, then grabbed her. ¡°We don¡¯t have time for this.¡± he said, and dragged her to safety. *** Kody *** The captain had just returned to Kody, when they heard a loud noise, as if something had exploded. They both started running towards the noise. Then another one came, and they saw one of the mid-level walls with a ballista on top crumble under its own weight. Kody took a right-angle turn, and quickly climbed the wall to his left. ¡°Captain!¡± he screamed, ¡°Surround them! I¡¯ll come around the other side!¡± He threw his rope around a weapon rack and used it to dampen his descent on the outer wall, pulling it over once he was down. The scattered weapons would make it hard for anyone to follow him. He ran along the outer wall, and saw as Zeenie jumped off of it. Three soldiers were chasing her, coming from the side gate, and three more looked on from above. He knew he shouldn¡¯t be seen helping, so he started planewalking. He closed the last few hundred feet totally invisible to anyone, then waited. The onlooking soldiers from above could not see him even as he popped back into normal space, then watched as William shot two of Zeenie¡¯s pursuers, barreling into the third one at full speed. He grabbed Zeenie over the shoulder and the two of them ran out of sight. With some purposeful delay, he ran after them, ¡®chasing¡¯ them through the woods. Once they were well out of sight from the base, he caught up to them. ¡°Are you alright?¡± he asked Zeenie ¡°Sprained my ankle¡± she winced. ¡°Where¡¯s the key?¡± ¡°She dropped it into the river¡± William growled Kody sighed. A well-executed heist that went wrong at the last minute. ¡°Let¡¯s go to a safe house. I''ve got one nearby.¡± The Safehouse *** Kody *** The safehouse was a small shack, but still big enough for the three of them. It was in a now abandoned settlement about an hour from the base. A few years prior, when Kody last saw it, people had still lived there. "That''s the Empire for you right there" he said as they entered the place. "Zeenie, can you transform like this?" "Yes, it should fix my leg, but¡­ is it safe?" she said. "If you change back quick." "Right." Zeenie pulled herself free of William''s grip, and motioned for them to step back. They cleared the space, and she began transforming. A spike of magic flooded the air momentarily. Kody had to take another step back, and William turned to shield himself from the burst. What magic did he even have? Maybe it was his connection to Zeenie. Her clothes scrunched up and disappeared, her limbs elongated, her tail grew long. A slight cracking noise could be heard as her skeleton shifted. She took several deep breaths, her chest expanding as she inhaled, keeping the new size for the next breath. In a few moments, instead of the small vern girl, a young dragon stood in front of them. Light blue scales lined her back smoothly, like a snake, with a white belly and a dark blue pattern running along her side. She leaned on her folded wings, then carefully put some weight on her injured leg. The tendons stretched, her claws dug into the ground, and a slight inflammation faded as the humans watched. She looked back at it, and satisfied, reverted, staying on all fours for a bit before standing up. "How''s it?" Kody asked. "Not completely healed, but it doesn''t hurt anymore." Zeenie smiled. "Alright, now that that''s dealt with-" William spoke up, "What the hell, Zeenie? You throw our one way out of here away because someone scared you?" "I was surrounded, Will!" Zeenie snapped back, "I didn''t even see the river, I just wanted to get it away from them!" "Hey, both of you, calm down!" Kody said, "Or at the very least, keep it down, I don''t think they had any mages at the camp, but if they did, they could sense that transformation. Let''s continue this inside the safehouse!" They shuffled in, and sat down. Kody sat on the bed, William leaned on a pile of old firewood, and Zeenie retrieved a chair. "Okay, so, Zeenie, please tell me what happened!" Kody asked calmly. "She blew it, that''s what happened!" William snapped. "Well, next time you can do it all by yourselves then!" Zeenie snapped back. "Zeenie, please calm down." Kody said, "No one is blaming you." "I am!" "He is!" they both objected in unison. "Well, I''m not. Can you please tell me what happened?" Zeenie sighed and collected herself. "I got surrounded on the wall, so I had to jump. I botched the landing, and tried to run away, but they caught up to me. I fell and wanted to get it away from them, and I couldn''t see Will anywhere, so I threw it. I didn''t notice the river was there until after it was already flying." Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings. "Alright then," Kody said, "We''ll need to fish it out." "Unless they already have it." William said. "It isn''t a big river, but it still has some drag. It''s probably somewhere downstream, where it''s wide and shallow." "I¡­ I think I can move the water" Zeenie said. Kody nodded at her. "I''ve never tried it with running water, but I can move it enough to give myself air underwater." "The base is still going to be on alert." William sighed, "I''ll keep lookout while you search." ¡°Alright.¡± Kody said, ¡°We¡¯ll rest here until night falls, then head back. Moonlight is strong enough. Zeenie, can you heal fully until then?¡± ¡°I think so.¡± Kody nodded and looked to William momentarily. The ranger looked around the room with some guilt, then got up, and headed outside. *** Zeenie *** With plans at the ready, the conversation died down. William went outside to clear his head and watch for any pursuers. Kody lay down and took a nap. Zeenie sat and tried to rest her leg. The last time she had to do this was when she fell from the top of the ranger¡¯s great tent. A large tree held up the entire thing, grown specifically for the purpose. The very top of it stuck out through a large hole, its leaves forming a second, smaller tree up there. She liked sitting there, looking down at the platforms built onto the tree, the hammocks hanging from its branches, and around at the camp and the neighboring forest. She had been following a flock of birds with her eyes, her back turned a bit, when someone had pulled her leg, and she had jumped in surprise. She had accidentally kicked the poor boy, Atlan, who had been trying to get her attention because he had a crush on her. Worried that she might have injured him, she jumped down, and promptly broke her own leg on impact. Humans healed fast - major wounds and broken bones healing in mere hours or days - but dragons did so even faster. She remembered the camp physician planning to break it again so it wouldn¡¯t fuse back together in the wrong way. That was when she had transformed, and reminded them she had less to worry about these injuries. The only really bad parts of it were the initial pain, and then the long sore as her tissues mended themselves. By the time she was finished remembering all this, her leg had almost completely healed again. She looked over to Kody, who was by now awake again. He must¡¯ve heard William¡¯s footsteps coming back from his break. The door opened and the ranger stepped inside. ¡°It¡¯s getting dark.¡± he said. ¡°Any movement?¡± Kody asked. ¡°None.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± Kody stood up, and headed for the door, ¡°time to go and get th-¡± He couldn¡¯t finish the sentence. As he grabbed the door handle, the door exploded at his face without much warning. The cracking noise was so loud Zeenie flinched, and had barely any time to shield her face from the oncoming spray of splinters. Kody flew back and hit the opposite wall, landing on his back, knocking the breath out of him. A figure stood in the door. Average height, wide, almost entirely silhouetted against the moonlit forest. His eyes glowed a dark blue, and his left arm seemed to be pulsing with a similar shade of magic. William tried to surprise him, but the stranger grabbed him by the arm, and pushed him into the side wall, knocking him out. Zeenie backed up next to Kody. ¡°What do you want?¡± she asked the intruder, the air already cooling around her. Tiny particles of ice collected on her fingertips, forming razor-sharp - if tiny - claws. ¡°Where is the key?¡± the stranger asked in a low, slightly raspy voice. ¡°We don¡¯t have it.¡± She answered. ¡°You have its scent on you.¡± the stranger stated, and walked up to her. She was now in the corner, and she could see everyone. She didn¡¯t know what to do. William was out, Kody was next to her, choking on air, and in her current form, she was too weak to fight. In her desperation she opted to start freezing something sharp out of the air behind her back. ¡°It¡­ It¡¯s in a river, next to the base.¡± She said, trying to buy as much time as she could. She saw Kody start to draw one of his daggers. ¡°Then you¡¯ll help me get it.¡± the stranger said, and grabbed her. She tried to claw at him, jam the half-formed icicle into his side, but he was either extremely durable, or was wearing a lot of armor. Kody lunged at him, but with his free arm, he grabbed the assassin by the neck, and threw him against another wall. Kody fell behind the bed and did not get up before Zeenie lost sight of him. The stranger dragged her with him, out of the hut, through the forest. She kicked and screamed, but she couldn¡¯t get free. She tried transforming, using her magic, but the man¡¯s grip on her seemed to be draining away any power she had. ¡°Let me go!¡± she screamed. ¡°After you find me that key¡± the stranger said. Kidnapped * * * William * * * William woke to Kody shaking him. His vision was blurry, his chest felt crushed, and he had trouble breathing. The back of his head ached in numb, pulsing waves, and he was just about ready to throw up. ¡°Will! Will! Wake up!¡± Kody screamed at him, ¡°He took Zeenie!¡± He suddenly felt a cold panic radiating from his stomach. The adrenaline cleared his vision momentarily, enough for him to take the assassin¡¯s hand and stand up, only to black out for a second. He leaned on the now empty door frame, and took a few, deep breaths. They hurt. Whoever this stranger was, had pushed him with enough force to knock the air out of him. ¡°Will!¡± Kody grabbed him by the shoulder, ¡°Zeenie is in trouble!¡± He shook him a few more times, then left. The world was spinning with William, and after taking a few shaky steps outside the hut, he fell over and promptly threw up. The acrid smell and the acidic, burning sensation in his throat was enough to wake him up properly. He wiped his face clean, then headed after Zeenie and Kody. The stranger¡¯s footprints were easy to spot. Deep prints, evenly paced. The man was heavy and marching at a steady pace, not getting thrown off By Zeenie¡¯s thrashing¡­ if she was still thrashing around. Kody¡¯s prints overlaid the stranger¡¯s slightly. Smaller, more shallow, more erratic. He was sprinting after them. After a while he seemed to have lost the trail and veered off in the wrong direction. William couldn¡¯t spare the time to look for him. Not much later, Zeenie¡¯s tiny, reptilian prints appeared, and the stranger slowed down notably. He followed their trail, and saw the two sets of prints slowly even out. They must have already reached the river. Abandoning the trail, William ran towards the shallow part of the river Kody had mentioned earlier, hoping Zeenie would be there, unharmed. * * * Kody * * * Kody had left William at the hut, as he was obviously in no condition to come. He tried to follow in the direction he reckoned the stranger had taken Zeenie. After a while however, not only had he lost track of both the stranger and Zeenie, but he had also gotten lost. The forest stretched endlessly in all directions around him, and he could hear his heartbeat pounding in his throat from the running. He decided to stop, and look for any clues as to where he was. Nothing visible, but he could feel a slight tug, a vague sensation. It was similar to the gate key¡¯s aura, but stronger. It was Zeenie¡¯s magic, used in excess, but nothing was frozen in the vicinity. He tried feeling around for the stranger¡¯s aura, but got nothing, or rather, a distinct lack of a detectable aura. He had one, William had one, and even nonmages had some semblance of an aura, but this person felt like¡­ a void, a hole in the world where magic should be. Having determined the general direction, and after a short breather, Kody took off running again. * * * Zeenie * * * Zeenie had arrived at the river with the stranger. The key¡¯s aura was strong. It was near. ¡°Move the water!¡± he ordered. Zeenie didn¡¯t bother asking how he¡¯d know she could do it, nor to talk back. All she needed was time. William and Kody would be there any minute. She concentrated on the river, and tried moving the water. It was different to the lake she¡¯d experimented on before, and so all she accomplished was some slight rippling on the surface. ¡°Now!¡± the stranger growled ¡°Give me a minute!¡± she snapped, ¡°Do you know how hard this would be, even if you weren¡¯t here forcing me to do it? What¡¯s your name anyway?¡± The stranger sighed. ¡°I¡¯m Ezon.¡± ¡°And I¡¯m Zeenie, not that you asked or anything.¡± she tried again, this time taking into consideration that the water was moving. She imagined a bubble moving upstream, slowly, then faster, growing from the size of a pinhead to something she could breathe in, then further. At first, the water only rippled, but then it split, and the river bed was revealed. Barely two feet deep, she knew it wouldn¡¯t take long to find the key. Ezon grumbled. ¡°What¡¯s taking so long?¡± ¡°This is my first time moving a river. If you want to make this faster, I can just freeze it over for you.¡± ¡°Hm¡­ try it!¡± Zeenie sighed in frustration. She abandoned the bubble and the water fell back into its regular flow. She stood in it, feeling the currents around her. She placed her palm on the surface and concentrated. The familiar coldness flooded over her, and the river froze in a six foot radius. Waves splashed over the ice, but quickly froze in place, sheltering her in the middle. She started feeling about for the key. The ice wasn''t perfectly clear everywhere, soft cracks and trapped air obscuring the view. She carefully re-melted bits of it and froze it back over to make it clear, letting it fog again up once she had looked. If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement. It wasn''t an ideal situation to practice her magic, but she knew, the more she used it, the easier it would be for the others to pinpoint her based on it. Soon she started feeling the water currents around and through the frozen area, tiny veins of melt-water passing through the ice, like a miniature glacier. She was reminded of a picture-book she''d read back at the camp, about the northern territories, and about Hyperborea. Gods were supposed to live there, past the ice, past the cold sea, all the way on the northern pole. She vaguely remembered dragons originating from there too, and was suddenly overcome by a strange kind of homesickness for a place she had never visited. A soft grunt from Ezon brought her back to reality. She had only been searching for a few minutes, and she already felt herself closing in on the key. The magic radiated from it as before, but¡­ it felt different, jittery. She wrote it off as an effect of running water, or maybe the ice, though she wasn¡¯t sure if water could do that. The river burbled around her, continuously overtopping her ice, and freezing onto it. Ezon looked over her from just a few feet away, standing on the ice, his unblinking, glowing blue eyes glaring into her very being. As she searched, she could feel William getting closer. Back in their childhood this same feeling had made for a great opportunity to cheat in hide and seek, but now it filled her with a warm feeling of safety. ¡°Watch it!¡± Ezon warned her. She hadn¡¯t noticed, but she had let her mind wander from keeping the ice solid, and it was melting back into the water. She focused again and expanded it further, so now it conveniently reached the river bank. ¡®I¡¯m here¡¯ she felt William¡¯s mental message reach her, and she risked a glance over in the direction they had come from. She couldn¡¯t see anything, as the trees blocked out most of the moonlight. ¡°So what are you planning with this key once you get it?¡± she asked her kidnapper. ¡°I need its power¡± Ezon answered. ¡°Yeah, but for what though?¡± ¡°I need to kill a god.¡± ¡°Gods¡­ don¡¯t exist?¡± She looked at the stranger, worried. "They''re only in picture-books and myths." ¡°They do.¡± Ezon insisted, ¡°They are many and ever-present. One of them killed my family and destroyed my home.¡± ¡°How did you escape?¡± By this point, Zeenie had stopped searching entirely, and the ice began to shrink again, save for a narrow path touching the bank. ¡°Keep looking!¡± Ezon ordered her, and she half-heartedly returned to searching. The key was close, a few feet away at most. ¡°You know, holding up the water and searching is a bit difficult.¡± ¡°The quicker you find it the sooner I can go.¡± She spotted the faint glow of the crystal in the key through a clear segment of ice. She quickly made it so tiny cracks fogged it up, making it white and opaque. She slowly melted it away, inch by inch, making sure to waste as much time as possible. ¡®William, you better do something, I can¡¯t do this much longer!¡¯ As if on cue, she heard a soft noise from the trees, like something brushing the leaves, then saw as Ezon¡­ turned around incredibly fast, catching the arrow in his left hand. She had to act fast. In the blink of an eye, she melted all of the ice, and grabbed the key. Ezon fell into the water, but stood up almost as quickly. She threw the relic back out of the river, to where she hoped William was, and leapt at Ezon, transforming mid-air to land on him with her full, dragon-sized weight. She pinned him down momentarily, but he grabbed her left wing and threw her off like she weighed nothing. She flew up into the air, above the trees, and let out a mighty roar, razor-sharp ice crystals spewing from her mouth. Ezon held up his left arm again, a force-field shaped like a bubble shielding him from the blizzard. Zeenie spotted Kody, sprinting in from the deep forest. He snatched up the key, and emerged from the woods, William appearing not far from him as well. They had surrounded Ezon, who didn¡¯t seem phased at all. He ran at Kody, who at first, tossed the key to William, then just as Ezon was about to reach him, popped seemingly out of existence, only to reappear a few feet to the side in an instant. Ezon lunged at him, only to miss the teleporting assassin, again, and again. William took another shot at Ezon, only for the arrow to shatter against his force-field. Ezon abandoned Kody and was now running for him. He threw the key up, towards Zeenie. She snatched it up, and started flying away, when Ezon grabbed William by the arm, and threw him at her. The two of them plummeted down into the river further downstream, Zeenie trying to shield him as much as she could with her wings. As they landed, Ezon was above them. Zeenie was back in her vern form, unsure when she had reverted. He twisted her arm to make her let go of the key. There it was, in her open palm, ready for the taking. Ezon grabbed it, but Kody tackled him into the water, knocking the key out of his hand. It flew and landed on a boulder right on the river bank. A small flash of light emerged from it, illuminating the area momentarily. Both Ezon and Kody bolted for the key, wading as fast as they could. Kody was faster. He grabbed the key, and made a strange face as its power coursed through him. As if dropping a hot piece of metal, he let go of the key, and an expression of pain passed over his face. He looked confused and worried. Ezon barreled into him, grabbing him by the neck, and smashed him back into the river, holding him down with his left arm. With his right, he reached for the key, now back in the water. A shadow passed over them. It was large. Everyone looked up, to see a dark mass plummeting towards them at terminal velocity. Ezon had barely enough time to stand up, key in hand, and let go of Kody, who in turn teleported out of the impact radius. As he popped up and fell over on the river bank, the dark mass had landed, disintegrating the boulder in a small explosion. The river splashed over in a twenty-foot wave, raining down over the other bank. As the water and dust settled, Ezon was pinned again, this time under a large, black dragon, wings high up in the air as his front leg held the helpless man down. ¡°Orthus!¡± Kody coughed. ¡°I see you¡¯ve been busy.¡± Orthus¡¯ voice was deep and rumbling, vibrating through the earth around them. Zeenie stood up and ran towards him, William in tow. Just as she passed Kody however, she spotted something glistening on the ground. It was the key. It was shaking, vibrating, throwing off sparks at an increasing rate. She carefully reached for it. Everything within two hundred feet - including everyone present - flashed over in a pale, blue light, then everything went black. The Four Kingdoms * * * Orthus * * * Orthus didn¡¯t like hard landings, he didn¡¯t like getting teleported against his will, and he especially did not like falling through the void between spaces, however briefly so. The crystal in the key had fractured, and without the gates to guide it, whatever had happened around it had set the exit location. In this case, it was almost two miles above a city, towards which they were now all hurling, falling uncontrollably. He spotted the other dragon, a young wyvern, transform mid-air and catch the ranger. He saw Kody falling too, unconscious. He scooped him up, but let their attacker plummet. Fragments of the forest, trees and bushes, large chunks of earth, and a significant portion of the river came falling after them, about to wreck the city below. They both dodged out of the way of the scattering debris, and flew in wide arcs to avoid getting hit. The city below looked devastated by the time the had landed. The set their respective humans down in the town square. In the middle of the square stood a large statue of a dragon, made of pure basalt and what looked to be obsidian. It was in a triumphant pose, wings spread wide and tall, standing on four legs above an egg made of the same materials as the rest of the statue. It looked somewhat familiar to Orthus, but he had more important things to concentrate on. They both reverted to their humanoid forms. A young, vern girl stood in front of him now, her expression a mix of worry and excitement. ¡°Is the ranger alright?¡± he asked her. ¡°Yes, he¡¯ll sleep it off.¡± she answered, ¡°Kody?¡± ¡°He will be fine. He heals fast.¡± ¡°So¡­ you¡¯re Orthus?¡± ¡°Yes, I am.¡± ¡°I¡¯m Zeenie¡± she was too excited about meeting him to spot the guards closing in on them. ¡°Nice to meet you, Zeenie.¡± he then nodded at the approaching guards. ¡°Halt!¡± one shouted at the two of them. They both raised their arms in surrender. Swords and spears were pointed at them. A tall, thin man approached them, the weapons parting around him. "The last dragon we''ve seen in this area destroyed a lot. How are we to know you aren''t here for the same?" Orthus thought for a moment. The area seemed very familiar to him, but he couldn''t place it just yet. A strange feeling in the back of his head made it hard to think. "Lead them away!" the man said, and gestured for the guards. They grabbed Zeenie by the arms, and as she struggled, Orthus tried to intervene, only to find his own strength faltering. He too was grabbed on either side by two guards, and was dragged away, barely able to resist. Something was draining his power, and fast. Before they had dragged him into what looked like a prison cell, he was already struggling to stay awake. He passed out just as they dragged him across the cell threshold. * * * William * * * William woke with a splitting headache. He was cold. His head rested against something cold and hard. Stone. Below him, more stone. He opened his eyes, and wondered if he¡¯d gone blind. He was in a cell, but the darkness of it felt unnatural. There was some light filtering in through cracks in the ceiling, but it all seemed¡­ muted. His body strained in a dull ache against each and every movement. He felt itchy and dehydrated. He didn¡¯t notice he¡¯d also been deafened until his hearing started returning with a strong case of tinnitus. ¡°...so you throw it forward and give it a little spin.¡± Kody was explaining something, but to whom? ¡°I usually just chuck it and hope for the best.¡± Was that their attacker¡¯s voice? ¡°Yeah, that works sometimes, but you¡¯ve got to actually aim.¡± ¡°Hmm, makes sense.¡± the other man reacted after a short pause. ¡°You¡¯ll know you¡¯ve hit the mark if you hear that small squelch as it stabs into them.¡± ¡°Or the crack of their skull.¡± ¡°Yeah, that too. If you hit a bone and it cracks-¡± ¡°Hey, what¡¯s wrong with you two?¡± William called out, ¡°And why are you¡­ chatting?¡± ¡°Well, at first we did try to kill eachother.¡± Kody explained nonchalantly. ¡°But I am old and your friend has no knives.¡± the other man added. ¡°And so, we just¡­ started talking.¡± ¡°About what noise people make when you stab them?¡± William asked them in disbelief. ¡°...Eventually.¡± ¡°Freaks.¡± Help support creative writers by finding and reading their stories on the original site. ¡°How are you, William?¡± Kody asked. ¡°Itchy, dizzy.¡± ¡°Yeah, I feel the same. Ezon?¡± ¡°It isn''t that bad, but yes.¡± ¡°I feel half-blind.¡± William added ¡°I think I know what this is.¡± Ezon said. A small noise came from their cell, but William couldn¡¯t see there. ¡°Oh dear.¡± Kody sighed. ¡°It¡¯s not that bad.¡± Ezon said, ¡°I mean, it did hurt a lot when I got it, but this feels¡­ milder.¡± ¡°What are you talking about?¡± William yelled in exasperation. ¡°An infectious fungus.¡± Ezon explained, ¡°My arm. It¡¯s been infected for¡­ a while. It lets me absorb magic. I think it¡¯s doing the same to all of us now.¡± ¡°That would explain why I couldn¡¯t planewalk out of here.¡± Kody said, ¡°If our magic is being drained, I don¡¯t know how we¡¯re going to get out.¡± William¡¯s head was spinning. His vision went even darker. He fell back and hit his head. The pain scared him, way too intense for what he was used to. He was panicking. He bolted back up, grabbed the bars of his cell, and started yelling. ¡°Hey! Let us out! You''ve got a ranger Patron in custody!¡± he screamed into the void, hoping someone would react. ¡°Zeenie! Where are you?¡± A small noise came from the other side of his cell. No, from the neighboring cell. ¡°Will?¡± Zeenie asked. Her voice felt weak and hoarse. ¡°Zeenie! You¡¯re in here too?¡± a deep grumble came from the same cell. ¡°Yes. Orthus is also here. Something made us pass out when we landed. Why are you yelling?¡± ¡°I¡­ sorry, I got scared.¡± ¡°Orthus!¡± Kody called out carefully. ¡°He¡¯s still sleeping.¡± Zeenie said. ¡°Did you two catch us all?¡± ¡°Yes- well¡­ no.¡± Zeenie paused for a second, ¡°We let Ezon fall.¡± ¡°That explains my back.¡± Ezon said. ¡°Wait, you¡¯re here? How are you alive?¡± Zeenie sounded dumbfounded and angry. ¡°He¡¯s though.¡± Kody said, ¡°Seems we woke up before the rest of you. We''ve had some time to discuss it.¡± Before any of them could continue, the cell block door screeched open, and a thin, tall figure stepped into view. ¡°You¡¯re all awake, good.¡± he said in a quick, jittery voice. ¡°We have much to discuss.¡± ¡°You better let us go or watch yourself!¡± Kody yelled. ¡°Kody, no.¡± Zeenie objected. ¡°You didn¡¯t see what¡­ our accident did to the city.¡± ¡°Thirty seven buildings demolished, forty damaged, six flooded, twenty with minor roof damage, and ten families with random debris landing in their homes.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Kody sighed. ¡°We¡¯re... sorry?¡± ¡°I am well sure you are.¡± the man said, ¡°But the damage has been done. You owe the city and the kingdom reparations.¡± ¡°What if we don¡¯t comply?¡± Ezon asked ¡°Simple.¡± the man replied, ¡°You will be kept in these cells, and the fungal infection you¡¯ve all probably been already feeling will keep you from using magic ever again.¡± William took a deep breath. He never suspected before, but now was sure. He did have some magic, and most of it went into enhancing his vision. What he was seeing right then, was what the others saw all the time. He felt guilty for not having recognized this sooner. Still, he didn¡¯t feel he could continue for long this way. If only he had his bag... ¡°And if we do?¡± he asked with the most diplomatic voice he could muster. ¡°Our elders have decided that since you are not going to be of direct use in repairing the damages you¡¯ve caused, your debt can be paid by eliminating another danger.¡± he paused briefly, and retrieved a note from his pocket. ¡°A large beast has been threatening our citizens, killing one roughly every two weeks. We do not know what the beast is, but we know it is large, aggressive, and hunts at night. Rebuilding will be easier without having to keep up the guard at all times.¡± ¡°So if we kill this¡­ beast for you, you¡¯ll let us go?¡± ¡°You will be let go either way, as we cannot assure your return, but if you do return, you''ll be provided with the antidote.¡± He paused, sighed, then continued. "Normally, that would be the baseline, but we need some assurance." * * * Kody * * * As they were led out of the prison block, Kody approached the man. He was their handler for the time, but beyond that, he seemed to be more important to the city. He was just as thin and tall as he looked the first time he saw him. A strange scent hit his nose, just as the man turned around. "I would prefer not to be approached from behind." he said, "What can I help with?" "Our¡­ accident." Kody said, "It was caused by a malfunctioning gate hub key. Did you happen to recover it? Do you have it?" The handler sized Kody up, then nodded. "Yes, we have it. It is damaged, and there is no crystal in it." "That''s what I was afraid of." Kody sighed. "I need to go find a replacement crystal for it." "You won''t be given the antidote before your return." the man said. "I know, I just¡­ I want to go alone, separately from the others, find a crystal, and return with it so we can leave for good." "Not alone." Ezon interrupted, walking up to them. "I want to go with him. I need a crystal like that too." "Our rebuilding efforts may benefit from a few crystals as well." the handler said, "Fine. You two can go off together. I will arrange it with the elders." "Thank you." Kody said, and took a suspicious glance at Ezon. The handler went ahead, and they slowed down so the others could catch up. "What did you two talk with him about?" William asked Kody, glancing nervously at Ezon. "We are going on another errand." Kody said. "Kody, are¡­ are you sure you want to go with him?" he nodded at their not-so-long-ago attacker. "I won''t hurt him, ranger." Ezon said. "I need his help, and by now I know better than to attack any of you." He reached a hand out at William, who, after a brief pause, took it and shook. "I''m William." "Ezon." They were led to an armory, and saw all of their equipment neatly cleaned and sorted, hanging from the walls and resting on shelves. They retrieved it and were soon back in full gear. The handler returned, and handed Kody a small, star shaped object. The key. Kody took it, and thanked him. He and Ezon then locked eyes for a moment, silently preparing for the upcoming journey. "Here," the handler handed out small packages to everyone, "Your rations. Not much, but it can keep you going for a few days. After that, you''ll have to hunt for food." "Thanks." William took his package, and studied the handler''s face. "You''re awfully hospitable for someone whose city just got demolished by the people you''re talking to." "You don''t know our history, patron." the handler said. "We''ve fought long and bloody to be independent of Erigian control. It was thanks to another that we succeeded." He paused and gestured at the dragon statue in the main square. "That was enough hostility for several lifetimes. This is the bare minimum our culture and laws permit. I wish you a safe and successful hunt." Kody sensed a bit of hurt in the handler''s voice, but didn''t see the understanding on William''s face. He carefully maneuvered towards the two of them, and gently elbowed the ranger in the back. "Thank you for¡­ your hospitality." he said. "We will do our best to make it up to you." William added. Within the hour they were all ready, and eager to leave. Even half-demolished, the city looked pleasant and welcoming, which only served to heighten their sense of guilt. They were led to the southern city limits, where the road forked. Zeenie, Orthus, and William headed east in the fork, leaving Kody and Ezon to go west, and hopefully return before them to fix the hub key. Errands * * * Zeenie * * * Zeenie walked beside Orthus, who had been mostly quiet since their landing. William was leading them into a nearby forest, hoping to catch whatever beast the locals were afraid of. Her mind however was occupied entirely by the older dragon next to her. She tried to collect her courage to break the silence, but William spoke first. ¡°So, you two are¡­ stuck like that?¡± he asked, ¡°No dragon form?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± she confirmed. ¡°I can''t switch out of this form.¡± ¡°Orthus?¡± ¡°I am also stuck.¡± he answered. His human form was large, dark-skinned, with pure black hair and deep, brown eyes. Even now, his mere presence radiated a kind of power, making Zeenie hesitant to get close. ¡°Are you¡­ alright?¡± Zeenie asked, ¡°You slept a lot after we landed.¡± ¡°That city.¡± Orthus said, ¡°It¡­ reminds me of another place, from long ago.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Zeenie sighed, ¡°Did something bad happen to you?¡± ¡°Not bad, just¡­ unpleasant. It brings back memories I haven''t had to consider for a long time now.¡± ¡°Well, we aren''t there right now.¡± Zeenie chimed, ¡°We are going to spend a few days away from there, then leave fast after we go back.¡± She stepped closer to Orthus and grabbed his hand reassuringly. After some hesitation he squeezed hers gently, then let go of her. They were almost in the forest now. * * * Ezon * * * Ezon felt the tinge of the fungus in his left arm, a slight itch radiating into his chest. The experience was a much milder version of what he¡¯d gone through for his arm to become like that, but he preferred not to dwell on those memories. He marched slightly behind the assassin, silently contemplating what to do. The original crystal was gone, and finding a replacement wouldn¡¯t be easy. Space crystals didn¡¯t grow in every swamp or cave, and even though Kody was obviously a space mage, Ezon doubted he would still feel the pull of such a crystal with his magic diminished. Still, he seemed mostly alright, as if losing access to his magic didn¡¯t affect him at all. Ezon noticed he had gotten lost in thought, and looked up at Kody, who for a brief moment, looked like he was enveloped by a thick, black cloud, which quickly dissipated. What the hell was that? ¡°I hope you aren¡¯t planning on attacking me and escaping with the crystals.¡± the assassin said, ¡°I have my weapons back, and your magic is still gone.¡± ¡°I meant what I promised the ranger.¡± Ezon replied, ¡°I am not going to try and kill you.¡± ¡°Good, because it wouldn¡¯t work.¡± Kody doubled down. Ezon just now realized how young he was. 22-23? Barely more than a child, and so hardy already. He couldn¡¯t help but feel for the poor guy. ¡°How come you aren¡¯t as affected?¡± Ezon asked, ¡°By the fungus.¡± ¡°I¡­ grew up not really¡­ using my magic.¡± Kody replied. He seemed to be choosing his words very carefully. Was he forbidden, or just didn¡¯t realize he had it? ¡°So you¡¯ve got the assassin training as if you were someone without it.¡± ¡°Not entirely.¡± Kody explained, ¡°My family¡¯s¡­ situation is a bit complicated.¡± ¡°How so?¡± Kody paused for a moment, collecting his thoughts. He quickly nodded to himself, took a deep breath, and explained: ¡°One of my great-great-something-grandfathers abandoned the assassins, deserted The Hierarchy. He started taking up contracts that they didn¡¯t¡­ agree with.¡± ¡°Ditched the moral code?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Kody said, looking back briefly at Ezon. His eyes were filled with a mixture of grief, rage, and shame. ¡°Soon, he got hired by the Emperor himself, and earned himself and his descendants an office. We have been nobles of the Empire ever since.¡± ¡°That explains why they didn¡¯t send someone after you.¡± Ezon said, ¡°Not you personally, but your family.¡± ¡°It wasn¡¯t that.¡± Kody explained, slowing down slightly so he was next to Ezon. ¡°The sort of training my family puts all of their kids through, it¡¯s rough. Cruel. If you don¡¯t make the mark, you¡¯re out. I have a surprising amount of uncles and great-uncles, once or twice removed, working among the assassins... just like me.¡± ¡°Any aunts?¡± ¡°Some, but not as many. Even if they don¡¯t cut it, they are often married off into other noble families to ''strengthen the family''s position''. It probably would have been the fate of my sister Jane, and probably Judy too.¡± ¡°Wait, Jane and Judy Johnson? Isn¡¯t that a bit too alliterative?¡± ¡°My family isn¡¯t very¡­ imaginative when it comes to names. There are seventeen John Johnsons that I know of. Six or seven Janes, a bunch of Judys, and only a handful that aren¡¯t named in this fashion.¡± ¡°Like you.¡± Ezon said, poking an elbow playfully at Kody. ¡°Yeah, like me.¡± Kody stared off into the distance, like he was contemplating something. ¡°Anyway, I think I still feel some pull from the nearest crystal. That way.¡± They walked on a bit, Kody occasionally stopping to pick a new direction, until they were well into the thick of the forest. The humid air and damp smell suggested a swamp nearby. Ezon tried to look for threads of magic in the air, but with the fungus blocking his own magic, he could only catch occasional glimpses. The colorful cavalcade was not there. Neither were the layers of possibilities, the slight blurring around the edges as time itself went out of focus. He was surprised how used he had gotten to seeing things before they happened. The less likely they were to happen, the less solid they looked, but right now, he was stuck in the present, only seeing what was definitely then and there, in front of him. ¡°What about you, Ezon?¡± Kody asked abruptly. ¡°What about me?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve heard a bit of my story, I¡¯d like to know a bit of yours.¡± Ezon was flooded by flashbacks. Events from his past he had suppressed, forgotten, or chose to not engage with. He took a moment to compose himself, and picked through the forest of memories. ¡°I was stolen as a baby by a cult.¡± He said. ¡°That¡¯s a hard start.¡± Kody commented. ¡°They did¡­ things to me.¡± He raised his left arm slightly for emphasis. ¡°Was that when you got your magic?¡± ¡°I think I had it before, or at least something, but they changed it a lot. They thought I was some kind of omen, or maybe a warning by the gods. I never figured out exactly why.¡± ¡°So, when did you escape?¡± ¡°I was¡­ - it¡¯s hard to tell, I age a lot slower now - ten, fifteen maybe? Could¡¯ve been more, but I was still a child. It was long ago.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t look that much older.¡± Kody said ¡°As I said, I age much slower.¡± Ezon continued, ¡°I am not sure exactly what I did, but the caves they kept me in started collapsing, and I ran. The rest is a blur, up until the point when Pa found me.¡± ¡°I guess that¡¯s not your actual father.¡± ¡°No.¡± Ezon paused, ¡°He was from a small village near the cult¡¯s caves, and he took me in, raised me as best as he could. I had a life; a wife that I met not long after Pa found me, eventually a daughter, and for a few years, all was good.¡± ¡°I am sensing a ¡®but¡¯ there.¡± Kody said, ¡°This way.¡± He pointed deeper into the forest, the undergrowth getting thicker by the inch, until it all suddenly cleared out, and they found themselves at the entrance of a swamp oasis. A small spring with just enough water to permanently wet the earth had eroded away quite a bit of stone, and was now the spot of a damp, dark swamp with about a foot of murk to wade through. ¡°We¡¯re here.¡± Without any warning, Kody marched to a nearby boulder and started laying out his full gear - tools and weapons - on it. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Ezon asked. ¡°This is going to take a few hours, and I''m not soiling my stuff combing through that.¡± Kody replied, pointing to the swamp. ¡°You should also strip.¡± with that, he unbuttoned the straps of his suit, and pulled most of it off in one, swift motion. Kody''s back was a horrifying experience to look at. Most of it was covered in cuts, scars, various markings, and burns, healed over many years ago. ¡°Uh, no, thanks, I''m good.¡± Ezon said after a brief pause. The assassin''s form was impressive even without the clothes. For such a short man, Kody looked surprisingly strong. He had very little bulk, but was noticeably compact instead, his muscles well-defined, and his every move signaling how little of his full strength he was using. Some of the scars were tattooed over, highlighting, rather than covering them. Kody turned around, now facing Ezon. His chest also had some scars, but more of them were tattooed than on his back. ¡°What.¡± he said. Ezon realized he''d been staring. ¡°Nothing.¡± He blinked and quickly averted his gaze. ¡°Alright, out with it.¡± Kody said, performatively rolling his eyes, but it was obvious he wanted to answer. ¡°How''d you get so many scars?¡± Ezon asked, a strange mix of emotions swirling inside him. ¡°The ones that aren''t marked, I got while training. The marked ones I got while working.¡± Ezon didn''t know how to reply, so he just nodded, raising his eyebrows slightly. ¡°This one,¡± Kody said, pointing at a marked scar on the side of his midriff, ¡°Is the first work-related scar. My first actual job. I was sent after a serial killer - yes, you can laugh, it''s ironic.¡± Ezon faked a small laugh. He was sad for the poor boy, but also, strangely interested. Kody continued. ¡°He was killing people in a small, hidden-away town up north, and making it look like werewolf attacks. I tracked him to a cave. Got the drop on him. When I had him on the ground, he stabbed me, hoping I would leave him be, but I slit his throat, and patched the wound up.¡± As he was speaking, he removed the bottom half of his suit, leaving him in only his underwear. Ezon tried not to stare, but couldn''t help himself. Kody''s thighs were just as compact as his upper body, with barely a gram of fat to spare. Ezon wondered how much he weighed without all the gear, and for a moment, feared a strong gust of wind could take him away. He noticed a bruise on the verge of fading away entirely on Kody''s left calf. The faint yellowing seemed to be getting less and less noticeable by the second. ¡°Do you also heal that quickly?¡± Ezon collected himself. He realized he had never had to look at someone healing from a wound. Even his daughter was mostly tended to by his wife. ¡°Minor cuts heal over in seconds, stabs in a few hours or sometimes days, broken bones within a week, and I''ve never gotten sunburnt.¡± Kody quickly summarized, then walked over to the swamp, and carefully stepped inside. ¡°You coming?" ¡°I¡­ think I''ll just keep a lookout.¡± Ezon answered, ¡°Don''t want to get jumped with my clothes off.¡± ¡°Alright, you do that, I will search for those crystals¡­ Ouch! I think I found one!¡± Kody dug into the mud and retrieved a small yellow crystal. ¡°Well, this one could be anything, and I can''t test it now.¡± He tossed the crystal to Ezon, who instinctively tried to drain it, but to no avail. He only got a vague sense of the energy inside. ¡°I think this one''s air.¡± he told the assassin ¡°That''s good!¡± Kody chimed, ¡°Those are rare in swamps. Maybe we''ve got a chance at finding a space one.¡± * * * William * * * William felt tired already. Earlier, the cell was too dark, but now, the sunshine made everything way too bright. He was squinting all the way until they reached the forest. ¡°Will, you alright?¡± Zeenie asked, ¡°You look... grumpy. And tired.¡± ¡°I am, Zeenie.¡± he replied, ¡°Having no magic sucks.¡± ¡°You tell me.¡± she laughed, ¡°I¡¯m stuck being¡­ tiny.¡± ¡°What about Orthus?¡± he nodded towards the old dragon, ¡°How is he handling it?¡± ¡°He seems alright.¡± she answered, ¡°Something in that town really upset him. I don¡¯t know what yet. He said it brings back bad memories.¡± Did he visit this town sometime earlier? What did they do to him? William wondered, but then a sunbeam shined into his eyes, and he flinched painfully. When he regained his sight, he saw Zeenie walking alongside Orthus about a hundred feet ahead, chatting. Their footprints were clearly visible on the forest floor in the soft ground. He rushed ahead of them, and started trying to find the trail of the beast. He was looking for large, deep footprints, with claws, and possibly foot-pads. The information he was given was vague enough, and he reasoned it could be an escaped great tiger. Grown on a regular diet of meat, close to humans, if abandoned, they could turn on their former masters and start eating them instead. ¡°Did you find anything?¡± Orthus¡¯ voice boomed behind him. ¡°Yes, I think.¡± he answered, and pointed at a large, clawed, padded footprint just a few steps ahead. ¡°That looks pretty big.¡± Zeenie said cautiously ¡°I think it¡¯s a great tiger.¡± William said, explaining his reasoning. ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that.¡± Orthus said, ¡°Great tigers have a very strong smell, and while our magic is diminished, my sense of smell has always been good. I can smell nothing like that right now.¡± ¡°My eyesight also ¡®has always been good¡¯, but I didn¡¯t know how much magic was enhancing it. Seeing now as everyone else, I feel like I need glasses.¡± Will retorted. He wasn''t sure how annoyed he sounded. He hoped not too annoyed. ¡°Makes sense.¡± Orthus said, ¡°So, what can we do to capture it?¡± ¡°Once it¡¯s gone feral, there¡¯s no bringing it back.¡± William explained, ¡°It needs to be killed. Preferably quick. An arrow between the eyes might do the trick.¡± ¡°Wait, you just said your sight is worse now. That looks very risky.¡± Zeenie interjected. ¡°I¡¯m a ranger. Even with normal eyesight I¡¯ve got the best shot at killing it.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± Orthus said, ¡°What can we do to help you?¡± ¡°Once we get close enough, I need you to distract it. Tire it out. They can walk a lot, but they can¡¯t run for long.¡± Orthus nodded, and returned to Zeenie. William continued tracking the beast. They followed the trail for hours, with no sign of the tiger itself, and eventually they reached a clearing. The two dragons continually chatted away behind him, and it was driving him increasingly irate. This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. ¡°Could you two please stop talking?¡± he snapped at them. Zeenie¡¯s eyes immediately narrowed as she shot a disapproving look his way. ¡°I¡¯m not going to march silently behind you, Will.¡± she said, coldly. ¡°Your chatter is driving it away!¡± he replied, ¡°I¡¯ve been the one tracking it, and it¡¯s moving faster now.¡± ¡°Alright, both of you, calm down.¡± Orthus stepped between them, his palms open, gently signaling them to stand down. ¡°I know you¡¯re both tired, without your magic you feel weaker. I-¡± ¡°Fine!¡± William interrupted, ¡°I¡¯ll just keep tracking it, and you two, please, keep it down a little.¡± Orthus nodded, and put his hand on Zeenie¡¯s shoulder gently. The young dragon looked ready to jump the ranger. William turned around without further addressing them, and looked down at the ground¡­ The footprints continued on for a few steps, but then, they disappeared. William held up a fist to signal the others to stop. He could practically hear Zeenie rolling her eyes at him. ¡°What?¡± she asked. ¡°The trail is gone.¡± ¡°Gone?¡± ¡°Gone. It just¡­ ends.¡± he turned to them, ¡°Could it be up in one of the trees?¡± They all looked around, and William drew his bow, just to be sure. The forest was quiet, and only the trees rustled in the wind. The trio walked cautiously ahead, looking around, expecting an attack. William turned frantically, left and right, checking every tree for a hiding tiger individually. There was nothing. The trail had simply ended. The soil wasn¡¯t different or disturbed, no damage was visible on anything in the vicinity. The beast seemed to have just disappeared. William looked around, checking between trees, behind bushes, around boulders, but he found nothing. He was about to put his bow away when he suddenly felt a pair of clawed feet grab him by the shoulders, dragging him forward. He hit the ground hard, and had barely enough time to flinch before the dirt got into his eyes. The beast had slammed him into the ground with great force. Turning his head to look up at his attacker, he saw a long, feathered neck, and a beak about to bite down on him. * * * Orthus * * * Orthus saw a great shadow pass over them, then heard the beast land with a heavy thump. Turning around, he saw a large gryphon pinning William to the ground. The ranger was out, and the beast was about to chomp down on him. Orthus instinctively ran at the gryphon, slamming into it with his shoulder, knocking it off-balance for a second. It flapped its wings and swung its tail to regain balance, slapping Zeenie across the face with it. The young dragon was knocked to the ground, but quickly got back up and sprinted to William, not really paying attention to the beast. ¡°Get him away!¡± Orthus shouted, then waved his arms up in the air, trying to grab the gryphon''s attention. As it turned towards him, he looked into its eyes. It snapped its beak towards him threateningly. He noticed a couple of white-brown striped barbs sticking out of its neck, just under the beak. He knew what to do. Unable to transform, he had to use his present shape and weight. The gryphon snapped at him again. He dodged and grabbed it by the neck. He then grabbed as many of the barbs as he could, and yanked on them. He managed to pull half of them out, to which the creature reacted by shrieking in pain, and swatting him aside with one of its front legs. As he landed, he felt a sting in his hand; the barbs had scraped the skin off his palm and he was bleeding. He stood up fast, and just as the beast snapped at him again, he brought his fist down directly onto its forehead. It staggered and fell over, but got back up quickly. It took another, measured look at him, then glanced over to Zeenie, who had dragged William into the forest, and was just now hauling him up against the trunk of a tree. The beast took a few steps, backing away from Orthus, then it turned around and leapt into the air, tiny droplets of blood trailing behind it. ¡°Zeenie!¡± Orthus ran over to them, ¡°Are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine.¡± she answered, ¡°But it got Will pretty bad.¡± The ranger was waking up. His clothes were torn at the shoulders, his bow lay broken where he was attacked, and he too, was bleeding. ¡°Wha¡­¡± he groaned. ¡°Just sit there, Will, it¡¯ll be alright.¡± Zeenie grabbed his hand, and held it tight. She looked worriedly at Orthus. He nodded slowly, and grabbed her hand too. ¡°It will be alright.¡± he repeated. * * * Ezon * * * After a few hours of digging in the mud, a veritable pile of crystals lay in front of Ezon. As suspected, they had found a lot of fire crystals, some water-aligned ones, a few with air, and a single one with lightning in it. He watched as Kody waded in the swamp, searching for more, and especially, for a space crystal. They both knew the chance was very slim, but it was still worth looking for. ¡°Hey, Ezon!¡± the assassin called out for him, ¡°Could you bring some water? I don''t think we''re gonna find it here, and I''m getting all sorts of wrinkly.¡± Ezon nodded, and was about to head out when something occurred to him. ¡°Hmm, I wonder¡­¡± he said, and took out two water crystals from the pile. Kody looked puzzled, but waited patiently. Ezon tried to use the crystals, but his magic still wouldn''t budge. He then took one, and scraped it against the other one. Both crystals lit up with a pale blue light as the elementals inside woke momentarily, and the ground started shaking gently. Within the minute, the spring supplying the swamp burst with clean water, a cool geyser spewing from its source. ¡°Hmm, that was smart.¡± Kody smiled, and Ezon couldn''t help but smile back. As the urge faded, he found himself looking into Kody''s eyes, still. A brief moment of silence filled the air between them. Then, as if waking from a daydream, Ezon shook his head, and went to retrieve Kody''s clothes while the assassin showered. With his back towards Kody and the swamp, Ezon only heard his partner''s noise of surprise. He turned around, and he saw a still almost fully nude Kody holding a tiny, pale blue crystal pulsing with power. ¡°We found one!¡± Kody grinned, holding the crystal high. Ezon grinned back at him, but found his eyes wandering. He felt himself blush, so he turned back around, and grabbed the assassin''s gear from the boulder. ¡°Here.¡± he handed the clothes over. ¡°Thanks¡± Kody replied, handing the crystal in turn to him. It was tiny, but he could feel the power within. ¡°The geyser brought it up. It literally hit me in the head.¡± he chuckled. ¡°Will it be enough to activate the key?¡± Ezon asked. ¡°Plenty enough.¡± Kody replied, ¡°Space crystals are¡­ denser, more powerful. That tiny bit holds about as much power as half the pile combined¡­ speaking of, if you still want to drain some of it, I suggest the lightning one, it''s almost as dense and I don''t have another use for it.¡± ¡°Thanks, I''ll do that.¡± Ezon said. He waited and watched as Kody got dressed again, then handed the crystal back. ¡°Do you have a bag, or something for those?¡± he asked, pointing at the pile. ¡°Here.¡± Kody unfolded a sack made from a very thin, fine fabric, and handed it to Ezon. ¡°Fungal silk. Strong, and doesn''t take up much space.¡± ¡°Great texture.¡± Ezon said, carefully rubbing it between his fingers. They chatted away as they washed and packed all the crystals, the geyser subsiding just after they were done. * * * Zeenie * * * Zeenie retrieved a bundle of bandages from William¡¯s bag, and started patching up the ranger¡¯s wounds. Upon closer inspection, they weren¡¯t as severe as she¡¯d feared, and even without magic, they looked like they¡¯d heal in a few weeks. She bandaged his shoulders, using up three rolls to fully cover up all wounds, and carefully helped the ranger get to his feet. ¡°Does it hurt a lot?¡± she asked. ¡°I¡¯ll live.¡± he said, wincing, ¡°You two go ahead, catch that thing!¡± ¡°And you?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll¡­ rest a bit, then head after you.¡± she couldn¡¯t tell what he was planning, but she left him to it. She turned to Orthus, and nodded for him to start moving. As they left the clearing, he gently nudged her in the shoulder. ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know. He asked us to go on. He¡­ Orthus, you¡¯re bleeding!¡± she grabbed his hand and inspected it. ¡°It was the gryphon.¡± He said. He brought into view one of the barbs and showed it to her. She took it carefully. White and brown in stripes, lined with miniature tooth-like bits, all pointing away from the tip. ¡°Porcupine?¡± she asked ¡°I think so.¡± he answered, ¡°No wonder it¡¯s attacking people. It cannot catch anything else like that.¡± ¡°We might not have to kill it after all.¡± she said. ¡°It¡¯s probably sick.¡± Orthus objected, ¡°and by now it¡¯s gotten a taste for humans.¡± ¡°I¡¯d like to try and save it.¡± she insisted. The two of them walked on for a few minutes. The sun was high up, birds were chirping, and the trees rustled in the catching wind. It reminded Zeenie of a lot of her days at the rangers'' camp, looking out over the sprawling wilderness from the top of the tree-tent. Home, supposedly. She felt uneasy at the thought of calling the camp her home. It certainly was Will''s home, but not hers. ¡°You alright?¡± Orthus asked, ¡°You were looking a bit upset there.¡± ¡°I''m fine.¡± She said. He didn''t reply. The uneasy silence was building. Eventually she couldn''t resist. ¡°Will''s been pursuing his career ever since he became a Ranger. And I''ve just been¡­¡± ¡°Tagging along?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± she stared off into the distance, collecting her thoughts. ¡°But even back at the camp, it was his family, his childhood, not mine.¡± ¡°Zeenie.¡± Orthus said in a calm, fatherly way, ¡°You are a dragon. You''ve only barely begun your life, and there is a lot of it ahead. I have a soft spot for humans, I''ll admit that much. They''re short-lived, and want to fill their lives with interesting things just as much as we do.¡± ¡°What are you trying to say, Orthus?¡± Zeenie asked, slightly annoyed. ¡°Let him.¡± he stated. ¡°Let him pursue his dreams, his career, the interesting bits. You''ve got plenty of time to spend on everything else. Try to spend as much of it as you can with these wonderful beings.¡± ¡°You really do have a soft spot for them.¡± she smiled. ¡°Yes, I do.¡± he answered. ¡°I''ve been alive for a long time now. In that time I''ve seen them build empires, invent all sorts of amazing things, and explore huge areas of the world." ¡°...What about dragons?¡± she asked, hesitantly ¡°Most of our kind skip these things.¡± he explained, ¡°They take long sleeps in some cave or under a mountain, and dig themselves a living grave where they don''t need to see the world pass by.¡± ¡°Sounds lonely.¡± ¡°Most of us are.¡± ¡°Us?¡± ¡°I''m old. I''d spent about seven hundred years sleeping before Kody woke me.¡± ¡°How old?¡± ¡°I can''t remember precisely.¡± he said, ¡°I can only guess from what historical events I''ve been alive for.¡± ¡°So?¡± ¡°I saw the Old Erigian Empire rise and fall.¡± ¡°That''s¡­ more than three thousand years.¡± ¡°Yeah, that was a long time ago.¡± ¡°Orthus?" ¡°Hmm?" ¡°How were you born?¡± she asked, unsure herself of what exactly she was asking. ¡°I was born in the middle of a war.¡± He said, ¡°I have vague memories from my mother, passed on to me. She flew over a scorched battlefield, and was shot down with a ballista. She burned everything around her, including herself to ashes trying to defend the egg.¡± he paused. ¡°And then?¡± ¡°A young human found me. Nissa. She was around six or seven. She brought me home, and I hatched in her arms.¡± ¡°I hatched in William''s hands.¡± Zeenie said. ¡°I don''t have any residual memories, just an endless sense of cold, and... pressure.¡± ¡°Huh, you might have been older than me if you hatched right-away then.¡± he commented. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°Dragons pass on a lot of things to their children; magic, memories, habits. A bit of the soul of all our ancestors lives on in us. If you don''t have inherited memories, that means you likely don''t have as long of a bloodline as I do. There simply wasn''t that much in there to remember.¡± ¡°Or maybe, my ancestors were the kind of dragon to sleep under rocks.¡± She suggested ¡°Could be.¡± he admitted. ¡°Though my version certainly sounds more hopeful.¡± ¡°That it does.¡± she agreed. ¡°Thanks, Orthus.¡± They continued on in silence for a while. The wind had died down, and the birds stopped chirping. Still, there was a distinct noise of rustling coming from the woods around them. * * * William * * * William watched as the two dragons walked into the forest. Once they passed out of view, he dug deep in his bag. Zeenie had messed it up searching for his bandages and it was now in disarray. He searched for a bit, then retrieved a small, wooden contraption shaped like the crescent moon with a handle sticking out of it in the middle. At either end, small magic crystals were embedded into the wood. Nature crystals; very rare and very expensive. His mentor, Halt had given it to him as a child, and he''d kept it a secret ever since, even from Zeenie. He placed the crescent over his shoulder, and twisted the end of the handle. He immediately started feeling a heat passing through him, as energy flew between the crystals. He could''ve sworn everything got a bit brighter around him. Was the treatment curing his infection too? Was he regaining his magic? He wanted to try if he could shoot his bow again, but that was when he saw it, shattered, lying on the ground a few feet away. He tried to move his injured arm, and found the pain was gone. He dialed the healing tool back down, and held his arm out in front of him. It felt mostly healed. He had an idea. He got up and grabbed the bits of his bow, piecing it back together carefully, not to miss any splinters. Once it looked like a bow again, he placed the healing tool over the broken area. He twisted the handle again, and saw the crystals come to life. Still, nothing happened. He dialed the tool further up, until he felt the handle reach its end position. The air was getting hot around the tool, and the wood of the bow had sprouted leaves. Thin roots were growing from it in the damaged area, catching onto eachother. Within a minute or two, the bow was once again in one piece. He turned the tool down and bagged it. He then grabbed his bow, and felt a moment of discomfort as his fingers brushed against the leaves. It took a few minutes for him to carefully snap them off, but eventually he held his bow in hand, string at the ready, and an arrow nocked and aimed at a nearby tree. He definitely felt better than before the gryphon had attacked him. The forest looked more vibrant, brighter, and more welcoming. He aimed at the tree, and took his shot. The bow was just as strong as before, and his shoulder didn''t hurt either. He watched as the arrow flew towards the tree, only to take a sharp turn right before it hit, and fall to the ground a few feet away. ¡°Hmm, noted.¡± he told himself, and retrieved the arrow. He packed up properly, and headed after the dragons. He noticed a thin trail of blood droplets, and two sets of footprints following them at a walking pace. He picked up his own pace to catch up with them faster, and soon enough, there they were, only a few hundred feet ahead. He knew not to call out to them, instead he willed his way to Zeenie through their psychic connection. Zeenie stopped and turned around. She waved at him, and a sense of welcoming came over him. He closed the distance, and nodded at Orthus, who returned the gesture. ¡°Will!¡± Zeenie called out to him delightedly. ¡°Hey there,¡± he said, ¡°Any signs of the gryphon?¡± ¡°Only the blood¡± Orthus said, pointing down. ¡°It''s gotten barbed by a porcupine.¡± Zeenie said, ¡°We might be able to save it.¡± ¡°It''s eating people.¡± William said, ¡°It needs to be put down.¡± Zeenie''s expression changed from delight to anger. She turned around and stormed off. ¡°Did I say something wrong?" ¡°I told her the exact same thing.¡± Orthus answered. ¡°Oh.¡± * * * Orthus * * * ¡°So, how are you feeling?¡± Orthus asked William. The ranger looked healthy, vibrant, even. Either the gryphon had the antidote to the infection, or he had used some healing device. His bow was there again, over his shoulder, looking fresh and strong. ¡°I''m okay, thanks.¡± William answered. He looked flustered at the question. Healing device it was. ¡°Have you found anything interesting?¡± ¡°No.¡± Orthus answered. ¡°There''s only the blood trail and the occasional broken branches.¡± ¡°Do you think it can be saved?" ¡°I don''t think so. It''s gotten a taste for humans now, and even if it''s healed, hunting humans is easier.¡± The ranger looked unsettled at the idea. They walked on in silence for a bit. Zeenie was not to be seen just yet. ¡°Orthus?¡± William asked. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Have you ever¡­ hunted humans?¡± Orthus chuckled. ¡°No, I haven''t. I''m quite fond of your species, actually.¡± William looked puzzled. ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It''s a long story, but the short of it is, I hatched in the hands of a human, and my first experience was a pleasant one.¡± ¡°Do all dragons have such strong first impressions?" ¡°Most of us. I had actually just explained this to Zeenie; we carry genetic memories, passed onto us by our parents. Not all of it is vivid or useful, but it means we need strong impressions to leave a mark amongst all our inherited memories.¡± ¡°And what does Zeenie think of¡­ us? ¡°She''s still very young for a dragon. She doesn''t remember anything residual yet, so all her experiences are relatively strong. She loves you a lot, but she''s also annoyed.¡± ¡°Annoyed? At what?¡± ¡°As she said, she''s been living your life so far, instead of hers.¡± William looked at the ground in front of him, staring blankly into the middle distance. ¡°Can I make it up to her?¡± he asked. ¡°I think so, yes.¡± ¡°How?¡± ¡°You know her better than I do, but I''d let her have more agency in what the two of you do. She''s driven, strong-willed, and eager for adventure. She just needs to be the one making the choices sometimes.¡± William looked ready to retort, but at the last second, he changed his mind. ¡°Alright, I''ll try.¡± he said. ¡°Thank you.¡± William suddenly perked up and grabbed his bow. ¡°Zeenie''s found it.¡± * * * Zeenie * * * Zeenie was angry. She stomped as she ran away from the other two. She stayed on the path, but went ahead by a lot. She almost missed the trail of blood turning off of the path and into the forest. She turned too and headed after it. Without magic, without her true form, she was just a vern; small, weak, but quick and agile. Her sense of smell was also better than human, and she could feel the metallic smell of blood in the air, mixed in with the scent of rot. The further she got from the path, the stronger it got. Eventually, she saw a clearing, the gryphon lying in the middle, a small puddle of blood pooling under its head. The beast looked strangely calm. It probably hadn''t spotted her yet. She snuck closer and closer, hiding behind trees and taking it slowly. As she reached the clearing, the gryphon''s head perked up and sniffed the air. As it inhaled, a painful squeaking sound left its nostrils. It wasn''t dangerous. It was dying. Realizing just how far gone the poor beast was, Zeenie abandoned her stealthy approach, and slowly walked around the clearing, so the gryphon could see her. As it spotted her, it tried to get up, to snap at her, but all of its strength was gone. It lay helplessly in its own blood, waiting for death to take it. Zeenie held out her arm towards it, and approached carefully. She touched its beak, and ran her fingers up its forehead, down its neck, and along its back. It relaxed, sensing she meant no harm. ¡°It''s alright, it''s alright.¡± she whispered to it as she circled around it. It had a veritable collection of scars; missing feathers, toes, arrows broken long ago stuck in its side, the flesh having healed around them, several broken bones that healed together in the wrong way, and upon closer inspection, it was totally blind to the right side. Its right eye was white and hollow. ¡°It''ll be all alright.¡± she said, trying to reassure herself more than the beast. She knelt, then sat by its neck, hugging it with one arm, caressing it slowly. The gryphon raised its head slowly, the pain visible in its twitching muscles, and looked with its still working eye directly into hers. It was scared, in pain, and seemed to be asking her. She took out her dagger, and showed it to the beast. It looked at the weapon, then back at her. Then, like a cat, it slowly closed and opened its eye, nodding slightly in the process. ¡°You¡­ want me to kill you?¡± she asked softly. The beast didn''t answer. It moved its head painfully towards the dagger, and nudged it with its beak. Zeenie felt sad for the poor thing. Injured, beaten down, bleeding out, and all it asked her for was release from the pain. Tearfully, she took the dagger in her other hand, the one around the gryphon''s neck, and placed it against the gap in its vertebrae. She caressed its beak one last time, and pushed the blade into the beast. It shuddered, its limbs stiffened for a moment, then the entire thing went limp, and its good eye closed for the last time. Zeenie started crying. She couldn''t help it, the tears were just coming. Not only could she not save it, she was the one that had to kill it. She couldn''t even look at it or the dagger. She balled up next to the dead beast and wept. After some time, she couldn''t tell how much, she heard hurried footsteps coming her way. It was William, closely followed by Orthus. The ranger looked at her in worry, but his expression quickly changed to surprise, pride, then concern. Orthus stood a few feet behind him, staring at the beast stoically. ¡°You¡­ killed it?¡± William asked. Zeenie couldn''t speak, so she only nodded. She wiped the tears out of her eye, and stood up. Without even knowing what she was doing, she stumbled over to him, and hugged him tight. She barely reached his waist in her current form, and as she hugged him she looked at Orthus, who looked back at her with an understanding frown. He did not come to hug her. Instead, he walked around the two of them, and knelt at the beast''s side. Zeenie didn''t see what he did, but the squelching sound made it clear. He pulled the barbs from its jaw, and retrieved her dagger from its neck. ¡°Here.¡± he walked up to them, and handed the blade to William. The ranger took it and sheathed it into the side of his bag. Zeenie let go of him, wiped the tears out of her eyes, and studied him closely. ¡°You''re healed. How?¡± William looked red with embarrassment. Zeenie narrowed her eyes, and tilted her head in an accusatory manner. The ranger opened his bag and slowly pulled out a crescent-shaped wooden device with a handle in the middle. Two strong crystals filled with nature magic were embedded at either end. Zeenie wondered where William could have gotten such a device, but didn''t know how to phrase her surprise. ¡°That thing''s probably worth more than The House.¡± Orthus said. ¡°My old mentor, Halt, gave it to me.¡± William explained. ¡°It was a parting gift right before we set out with Zeenie.¡± ¡°I got nothing fancy like that.¡± Zeenie said. A fresh bout of anger was welling up inside her, and mixed with the sadness of the preceding events. Had she had the device, she would have healed the gryphon. If it wasn''t for William''s secrecy, the beast might still be alive. She said nothing. She marched back to the path and headed back to the city.