= Chapter Two: Reunion =
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=
Niv reached the gates of Hul'veer around the time he'd expected. The large wooden doors were open wide, and two guards stood on each side. They looked tired and bored as people passed in and out of the city. This could be good, or it could be bad. As he came closer to the poorly disguised checkpoint, for that's what it was, it was clearly a good thing. Only one of the guards was actually conscious, the others having been propped up to seem alert.
Niv calmly strode through the gate, relieved that he wouldn't be searched. Had the guards been more dedicated to their job, and done even the bare minimum, he'd surely have been arrested before stepping one foot in the city. Though he normally disliked such complacency, it occasionally served his purposes. He shook his head, and moved on. This wasn't the time to worry about it anyway. He hadn't been in the city in a long time, and was quite eager to get a fresh meal. A large clock tower loomed over the shorter buildings, and read the time as half past eight in the evening.
After some meandering, he settled on a small tavern-like restaurant that had a familiar feeling about it. It wasn't his first choice, but his favorite place seemed to have been out of business for a while. That made him uncomfortable for several reasons, since he knew of its true nature.
As he walked in, the sense of familiarity became even stronger. The interior seemed uncannily similar, just arranged differently. The same paintings, the same barstools he hated, even the performer's corner was nearly identical to what he remembered. He glanced at the bartender, always a crucial thing to do in this particular city. Many, if not all of the market's proprietors, wore some kind of symbol or emblem to display their loyalty to a guild, or sponsor. While some used this as a form of bragging, others found it a convenient and simple type of intimidation. There were some people, or places, you'd avoid simply because they bore a rising sun.
The bartender wore a pendant that Niv didn't recognize. It belonged either to a fledgling guild with very few numbers, or was a personal token, stating that she held no such political allegiances. A brave statement for a young woman in Hul'veer, and even braver for a human. In either case, it was good news for him.
He approached the bar as she cleaned glasses, as seemed to be a barkeep's traditional pastime. She looked up, and for a brief moment seemed to recognize him, but apparently decided he wasn't who she thought he was.
"Welcome stranger. What'll it be?" Her voice was soft, but in no way timid, and betrayed her mature appearance.
"I'm... I'm looking for an Old friend of mine." It was worth a try, and if he was wrong, no harm done. The woman simply raised an eyebrow curiously and stared at him. He stared back, waiting to see if she understood. She just shrugged, and Niv let out a quiet sigh of disappointment.
"Sorry, dunno what'cher talkin' about. But if you'd like to wait, the table in the corner over there has a clear view of the door. The kitchen closes in a couple hours in case you'd like to order somethin'." She smiled politely, and went into a back room as Niv went and sat at the suggested table. He spent the better part of an hour trying to figure out why this place was so like his old hangout. Then it hit him. Literally.
His head struck the wall as his chair tipped back and was drug through a secret passage. He had apparently been sitting closer to the wall than he should have. He held his head waiting for the pain to subside, when he suddenly stopped, flat on his back. The room, or what he assumed was a room, went dark as the passage closed quickly behind him and his kidnapper. He felt something land on him. Correction, someone sit on him.
Something pressed lightly against his throat. In a situation like this, it was best to assume a knife. "Who are you?" came the hushed voice of the bar girl. The knife pressed harder against his neck. "Well?" She seemed an impatient person. As a result, she'd raised her voice with her last demand, which, along with the clatter of Niv's armour, had garnered the attention of another.
"Arra?" came an older woman's voice, "Arra, what's going on over there?" The light of a lamp came around a corner. "You know you're not supposed to-" The woman stopped short when the two came into view. "What are you doing!?" The woman's tone was subdued, but her anger no less apparent. She hooked the lamp on the wall and stomped over, grabbing Arra under the arms and lifting her up like a small child.
"What is the matter with you??" The woman complained as she moved the young woman to her side. As Niv watched, he saw that the assumed knife was in fact a spatula. He felt kind of stupid, but consoled himself that anyone would have thought the same. He got up and brushed the dust from his clothes. The woman eyed him suspiciously, clearly not sure what to make of the situation. Her anger towards the girl overridden by this pressing matter.
Arra tugged at the woman's shirt, and began whispering in her ear. Humans should know better than to whisper around beast kin, as he could clearly hear every word. "He used the code, Ma. I think he's a spy."
"That's completely circumstantial." Arra looked up in surprise. "Sorry, but, you know..." he shrugging while motioning to his ears. "Can't be helped. However, I'm not here to spy on anyone. I really shouldn't, but..." He hesitated, "to be fair, I doubt I should know about this passage. So..." Niv revealed his amulet to the pair, hoping it wasn't a giant mistake. This time the woman was surprised. "You..." She began, "My sincerest apologies for my daughter, Sir." She bowed as she spoke. "She is very new with Us."
"It's quite alright. I'm gonna take a shot in the dark and say you're with the Guild." He said with a touch of sarcasm. If at this point their affiliation wasn't a foregone conclusion, he'd have more important things to worry about. "Yes. We maintain a passage from the city to the Grove."
"Really? So did this one replace the one a few streets over? I noticed the place had been closed down."
"That tunnel was abandoned about a month ago, when a few of the more hostile guilds almost discovered it. Roan felt it necessary to relocate even though it was still secure. The "acquisition" of a few geomancers made the decision and relocation easier."
"Is that also the reason for those new pendants?" Niv pointed to one of them. "I didn't recognize it when I came in, so I thought this was an independent business."
"A new standard of sorts. It has no discernible ties to the guild, and they are easy to make and replace, unlike the kind you wear. Yours marks you as a sort of senior member, Sir. You are wise to hide it."
"I see. Not to be rude, but can you take me to the Grove from here? I have a summons to answer."
"Oh, yes, right away Sir. Arra, watch the bar while I'm gone. Derl will be able to help if anything comes up. And don't pull anymore 'suspicious' people into the back! You were lucky this time." The woman raised a scolding finger. "I'll be back soon." Arra looked down, obviously feeling ashamed.
"Hey, don't worry too much about it, kid." Niv said quietly, "I made plenty of mistakes at your age, lots of 'em way worse than this." He tried to smile encouragingly. "One almost got Roan seriously injured, but it was funny enough in hindsight that he never held it against me. I think alcohol was involved..." Niv's mind wandered for a moment, as it was wont to do, while he crossed his arms and idly stroked his goatee. The implication of what he said slowly dawned on Arra, and her eyes went wide. Niv placed his hand on her shoulder and then left, catching up to Arra's mother.
"She's a good kid," He said, "she's just a little too enthusiastic. I know it's none of my business, but you might think about putting her through guild training." The woman grumbled uncertainly. "Just a suggestion. She could learn some very useful skills. Everyday stuff, even." Niv yielded his point, not wanting to make an issue of it.
"We must go, or you will have to wait until morning."
"Lead the way."
*****
The trip through the tunnel was dark and winding, though relatively short. The tunnel ended in what appeared to be some kind of church, or at least the ruins of one. It was difficult to tell. The cellar-like door opened to a dirt covered floor. Or maybe it was just the ground. The sun had set some time ago, and the stone walls blocked much of what little light there was.
Niv climbed from the door, but the woman did not follow. "Safe journey to you, friend." She closed the doors as she disappeared back into the tunnel before he could say anything.
Niv shrugged and looked around. There were several windows, each two stories tall and without glass. He could make out a large, arched wooden door at the far end of the room. He walked over and cracked it open, peeking out. The coast seemed clear. He stepped out nonchalantly and made his way across Haven Grove, to the Guild hall.
Nothing much had changed, other than the lack of recognition from the townsfolk. He _had_been away for quite some time, so it was understandable. Then, there it was. It wasn't much from the outside, but that was to be expected. A secret guild wasn't very secret if just anyone could pick out the building.
As he approached the door, a great feeling of anxiety clenched around his stomach. He set his necklace over his shirt, to avoid a repeat of the tavern. He raised his hand, took a deep breath and knocked twice. Once on the door, once on the jam. A loud thud came from inside, followed by very irate mumbling. The shudder slid open.
"Whaddya want?" Came a gruff voice.
"I'm pretty sure that's not what you're supposed to say." Niv replied sarcastically. The raccoon's eyes widened as if he'd seen a ghost. Niv simply raised an eyebrow. "So... can I come in or not?"
"Oh, uh, yes! Right away Sir!" The man audibly tripped over himself trying to open the door. It seemed a simple wooden door at first, but as it swung open, one could see how truly massive the door was, nearly a foot thick. The raccoon made relatively easy work of it, though. He was a very big man, as Niv soon saw. He stepped inside, and the man heaved the door shut.
"Thanks." The man bowed in response. Niv made his way downstairs, as the actual hall was entirely underground. Just the way he left it. He took in the old familiar scent of the place. It smelled of the Old ways. Free ways. It felt good to be back in the closest approximation of a home he'd had for most of his life. The hall seemed to be deserted, though he could hear people in other rooms. He quickly found his old room, the door locked. He dug the key from a pocket in his travel bag and went inside. They'd kept it for him. A profound sense of appreciation overcame him, theirs for him and his for them.
Tossing his things next to the large clock against the far wall, he went in search of old faces. He made sure to lock the door behind him to keep from spoiling the surprise. He listened closely, and caught the faint rhythmic sound of clanking metal. Ahh, the smith was working. A good place to start. Niv wandered in the direction of the noise.
A few moments navigating hallways later, Niv found his target. A grey wolf in simple, white linen clothes, signifying his current "off" time from guild work. Peeking through a doorway, a devilish grin crept across his face as he thought of the ways to surprise his quarry. He decided, however, it was best to be direct, but subtle. He quietly padded into the room, and his eye was caught by a sword leaning against the wall, a red ribbon carefully tied around the ring-shaped pommel to hold a small brass bell in place, a large bolt through the blade where the guard should be. He chuckled to himself. Really Stray? Again?
Niv crept up behind Stray as the wolf watched the blacksmith at work and glanced over his friend's shoulder to the forge. Sure enough, the smith was hammering away at a new crossguard. Niv grinned but still shook his head.
"Another one, Stray?" Niv said teasingly. He prepared his face with the biggest, toothiest grin he could muster, and held his arms out wide.
"Hey, it's not-" The wolf stopped mid-sentence as he turned around. His face lit up like a kid at Christmas. Whatever that is. "Holy crap!" he exclaimed, his green eyes bright with joy. Stray threw himself into his waiting friend, in what had to be the manliest hug the blacksmith had ever seen. "Man, they were supposed to tell me when you got here!"
"You're still the first to know." Niv laughed. "How've you been, man?"
"Oh, you know, job this, job that. Lots of work around here. What about you? I haven't seen you in forever."
"I spent some time wandering around, freelancing here and there. Though I spent the last few months laying low up in Reffar."
"Reffar? Never heard of it." Stray raised an eyebrow.
"Exactly." Niv said matter-of-factly.
"Ahh. So what brings you back to the Hall?"
"You don't know?"
"Nah, they just told me you were coming back for a while. No one will breathe a word as to why. So? Tell me, I wanna know!" Stray was practically bouncing in place with excitement. "Tell me!" Niv couldn't resist laughing a bit at his friend's exuberance. "Okay okay, just calm down dude." He said, still laughing. "You know that job you got to Fair-wool?"
"How'd you know 'bout that?"
"The contractor specially requested I join you for it." Niv said happily.
"No shit? That's awesome! This job just went from boring errand to kick-ass adventure!" Stray's excitement seemed to double at the idea, but at least he'd stopped bouncing.
"It's been a long time since we "adventured" together." Niv smiled earnestly. "But hey, I've got some manly hunger going on, so I'm gonna grab something from the kitchen. I've hardly eaten in the three days it took to get here."
"It took you three days?" Stray said with an incredulous smirk. "No need to rush. We can't all have special scrolls to get around." Niv retorted playfully. "Come find me when you finish up here, cool?"
"Alright man, cool." The two bumped their fists together before Niv made off to combat his stomach's impending revolt. "Hey Kell," Niv shouted as he left, "make this one as tough as you can!"
"Why, he'll just break it again!" The pachyderm shouted back, as all three men had a good laugh.
*****
Niv quickly found the mess hall, and as with every other room, it was deserted. Which unfortunately meant food wasn't being served. Hopping the service counter was frowned upon, but Niv was greatly tempted. And if no one was around... Before he was able to convince himself to jump the counter and raid the back room of its deliciousness, that particular door opened, and an aproned woman appeared, a cheetah, holding a large plate of food.
"Oh good, you're here." She said offhandedly to him. I fixed you something special." She smiled knowingly. Niv was speechless, a dumb look on his face. Not only was someone present to serve food, but they had already prepared some just for him.
"Spicy fried chicken covered in pepper jack, with a side of roasted potatoes." The woman was surely an angel from on high, the most beautiful he'd ever seen. Undeniably the love of his life, sent to him in his time of need. As was any and every person who brought him food.
"OHMYGODTHANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!" Niv feigned tears, though his gratitude was very real. Atess had always been his favorite.
"Hard to forget an appetite like yours." She chuckled as she set the plate on the counter before him.
"Hey, I don't eat that much." Niv protested.
"No, but you have got to be one of the pickiest eaters I've ever met."
"That... Yeah, you got me there, Tess..." He admitted between forkfuls of chicken.
"Damn right." Atess said victoriously.
"So how'd you know I was here?" He asked before stuffing a large chunk of potato into his mouth. His curiosity couldn't compete with his hunger.
"Jen saw you talking with Stray."
"Ah. I swear, he breaks those things like clockwork. So I guess everyone knows?"
"Nah, we thought some food and respite would do you. Not to mention we can blackmail you now."
Niv looked up, fork still in his mouth and an eyebrow as high as it had ever been. Atess just stuck out her tongue and went into the back room.
"Why do women always pick on me?" Niv lamented. But even that was not enough to dissuade him from his food. He moved out into the sea of bland wooden tables and chairs, settling in a far corner. He liked sitting in corners. They always felt safe. Unless he was being pulled through a hole in the wall, hitting his head. Then... not so much.
Niv absent-mindedly rubbed the back of his head.
He watched as Atess came and went, carrying dishes or food, to or from the kitchen respectively. Even with her short fur frazzled by hurried work she was beautiful. Niv sighed. For all the courage he found in battle, he could never find it with women. Some things were just harder when your life wasn't in danger.
His musings were interrupted as Stray sat at the table with him. "Looks good."
"Tsht gud tww." Came Niv's muffled confirmation. Stray chuckled.
"So hey, Roan wants to see us in a few hours, after the meeting. He's got special instructions for us."
"Okay, cool. I'll make myself pretty when I'm done here. What's this meeting about anyway? Seems like everyone in the guild is busy with it."
"Not sure, but there's a bunch of newbies attending. Might be an informal induction. Roan's had too much work lately to do anything overly ceremonial. Anyway, someone's supposed to come get us whenever he's ready. Till then, the night is ours."
The two spent most of the free time taking turns sharing their exploits while apart. Epic tales of battle, mysterious discoveries of the unknown, and a few accounts of romantic encounters, mostly of Stray's telling.
As their time dwindled away, they parted to prepare before meeting with Roan. Niv treated himself to a relaxing bath, daydreaming of the journey to come. He'd never been to Fair-wool, or even in that region of the kingdom. He had no idea what awaited them, but felt confident they could handle whatever was thrown their way.
After a thorough cleaning and air-dry, Niv slipped into his specially requested black linens before brushing and tying back his hair. Since the only thing he hadn't done since arriving was sleep, there was plenty of time for a nap. And the Guild was probably the safest place to do so.
***** A large meadow stretched out all around him. In the distance, large stone walls rose from the ground high into the sky. It called out to him, called him home. He ran to the walls as fast as he could, happy to feel safe, protected. It seemed so far away. The walls parted, and several people ran out towards him. He could only make out their vague forms, but he knew they were his friends, welcoming him.
_ As they drew closer, he could make out their faces. All dear friends, arms wide and eager to embrace him. A fleeting and terrible moment of lucidity overtook him as he recognized one face in particular. It frightened him. He found it on each person as he looked back and forth, panicking. The people continued to run, no longer to him, but after._
_ They opened their mouths, growing long white fangs. Their eyes turned red, and black ink spewed forth. It drenched their faces, creeping over and consuming their bodies. They became a formless mass, reared up into a wave and came crashing towards him._
_ But his fear gave way to anger, as it had so many years ago. Feeling the tears as they ran down his face, he fell back as the wave loomed over him and brought his arms straight out in front of him, bellowing out a massive roar. A small mote of light appeared before each palm, flashing in an instant into a grand eruption of fire. It bore into the wave creature, filling it as it tried to absorb the attack._
_ A high-pitched squeal signaled its defeat, and it burst in place. Falling ink became rain as the sky turned grey and the beast's cry rolled into the distance as thunder, while the fuzzy edges of unconsciousness ate away at his lucid thoughts._
_ He lay against a tree with his arms behind his head, watching the lightning flicker across the sky, feeling the thunder rumble through him. How he enjoyed storm watching. He took a deep whiff of the cool air, the scent of hickory wafting from his nearby fire. It would sizzle as the sparse drops of water fell, and burned off into steam. Two strangers sat with him, one of them stoking the fire with a stick. He felt as if he knew them. The high walls of the city still stood stoically in the distance._
_ A cool breeze blew by and rustled his fur gently, carrying with it the scent of flowers. Off to his right a young woman was walking towards them, picking flowers as she went. She waved up to them, and one of the two friend strangers waved back. He stood as she approached, running into his arms. He spun her around happily, unable to hide his grin, and not caring to do so. Her long dark hair fanned outward, and wrapped around his shoulder._
_ "I waited for you." she said with a coy smile._
_ A flash of lighting followed by a resounding boom struck over the forest behind them. The stranger friend turned to look as he sat._
_ "We_ all did..." The one who waved said slowly, as he too turned around, mirroring the other's motions exactly. But where the first's face was scared and flushed, the waver's face held only a pointy-tooth grin, and red glowing eyes. A face he'd never escape.
_ Another boom came from the forest, but there was no herald of lightning this time. Another boom, shaking the trees. Another, closer this time. He wanted to turn, but couldn't tear his gaze from the waver. The demon. The choice was made for him, as the demon stood and walked away. No, he ran away._
_ His eyes turned to the darkened forest as yet another boom fell, much closer. They all ran from the trees, instinct taking over with a prod from fear. They ran back to the city, but each time the ground shook, the walls cracked and chunks fell away. He looked behind him, and watched as a rift tore through the earth, racing toward them. His limbs became as lead, and the soil loosened underfoot, denying him purchase. He only clawed harder at the soft dirt, the slightest success giving him the false hope necessary to continue._
_ A black void slowly opened below him as he clung to the edge of the world. He saw the young woman, standing nearby, crying. He watched as she mourned him, and then slipped into the dark. The crevice seemed only a thin crack of light now, quickly fading away. The darkness was oppressive and constricting. It squeezed him roughly, and contorted his body, stealing his breath. He closed his eyes and curled into a ball, wishing for the pain to stop._
_ With a great whoosh the darkness fled in all directions, as if a massive gale had emanated from his very being. Soft, fluffy snow gently greeted him as he seemed to float slowly to the ground. His eyes opened, scanning the night sky and its impressive array of stars. The crack was gone, likely sealed up or the ground above ripped apart. He sprawled out, letting his body go limp, breathing heavily. He watched his breath as it billowed out from his muzzle._
_ A handful of stars began swirling overhead. They drifted toward each other, spinning faster and faster before slamming together in a spectacular display, forcing him to shield his eyes. When he looked back, he saw the full face of the moon shining down at him. He reached up for it, like he always wanted to, but it seemed to hover just out of his reach. The distant humming of a familiar tune crept into his ears, rousing him. He sat up; looking all around, but there was no one for as far as he could see. Just a thick blanket of snow and a deep, dark sky. The stiff crystalline powder crunched under his feet and between his toes as he stood up. It must be her. His hand followed the moon as it drifted down to the horizon. It always felt so much closer than it was. Just as his fingers seemed about to caress the smooth orb, it turned to him._
_ Vivid blue eyes looked directly into his as strands of the night sky trickled down either side, and onto his hand, framing a beautiful narrow face with pitch black hair. A thick fog hung around her like a nightgown, her bare feet buried in the snow. He hesitated; his hand hovered beside her face, as a lover's would. He felt a coldness emanate from her glowing skin. She looked down at his hand mournfully, then back into his eyes. He knew what it meant. They could never truly touch, and it was pointless to try. She smiled sadly as he pulled his hand away in concession, turning his gaze to the frozen ground._
_ "Don't be sad," she said softly, her voice like a song, "I'll always watch over you." He raised his head, a solemn look still upon his face. "A gift..." She reached up and gently placed a large, blue opalescent stone on his necklace. It looked as if it had always been there. "...So I will always be_ with you as well." He fiddled with the pendant in confusion, rubbing his finger over the gemstone. It comforted him to do so, and elicited a smile from the moonly maiden, which in turn caused him to smile. The happy and content look on her face made him feel somehow lighter on the inside, as if his soul had shed the mental trappings of his flesh.
_ A cool breeze blew over his ankles, sending a shiver up his spine. It blew thin wisps of snow over his feet as it grew stronger, which melted into his fur. The tight grip of ice crept up his calves, before suddenly yanking backward, sending him face first into the snow. He looked up to the maiden, his vision blurry. She was terrified, holding her hands over her mouth. His instincts told him to yell for help, but it would be for naught. His clawed fingers dug into the snow as panic took a firm hold on him._
_ In an instant, he was skidding across a sheet of ice, leaving a long trail of claw marks. The maiden, standing silently, quickly faded from sight. He could make out the sparkle of her tears as she disappeared into the distance._
_ He spun onto his back just before a sudden stop. A thick, dark fog rolled in around him, leaving a small clearing where he lay. A pair of red eyes opened as the silhouette of a person formed around them, and drifted forward. As it cleared the fog, he saw the familiar friend, his face seemingly undistorted as it had been before. He was engulfed in shadows from the neck, down. The darkness seemed to flow out of his body, forming a tattered robe that waved in a non-existent wind._
_ His face was blank and stoic, his eyes fixed on something in the distance. His gaze fell slowly over the man in front of him, stopping when their eyes met. His lips parted to form an impossibly wide smile, stretching over his cheeks. Within the malicious maw sat rows of bright, interlocking white teeth, all tipped with fine points._
_ The familiar friend brought his hands together as he raised them over and behind his head, the shadow robe's sleeves sliding away, exposing his pale arms. A great, two handed sword rose above his head, held firmly in his grasp. The first true emotion he'd seen on the monstrous man's face was evident despite his fixed features. A sadistic glee pushed his unnatural smile even wider, clearly straining its limits._
_ The sword came down with remarkable speed, landing on his chest more like a hammer than a blade, as the ice beneath him shattered and he sank into the icy waters of oblivion._
_ _ *****
Niv woke as he had many times before, breathing heavily with his heart pounding in his ears. There was a knock at the door.
"Sir?" a young woman's voice came, slightly muffled. Niv sighed and got up to answer the door.
"Yeah? Oh, hey Jen, what's up?" he said groggily.
"Roan's ready for you" she said politely, before dipping into a slight bow and scampering off.
"Uh, thanks." He said after her as she disappeared.
He rubbed his eyes and went back into his room, thinking on the dream he'd just had. He'd never had a nightmare within the guild walls for all the time he'd been there. He wasn't supposed to, either. No one was. The empaths made sure of it. As he recalled more, he could see the pattern. The empaths had been doing their job, and realizing this greatly bothered him. The nightmarish aspects had been so strong that they couldn't keep it at bay.
If they hadn't been steering his mind to calmer scenarios, there was no doubt it would have been a Terror, one of the most horrifying experiences a person could endure. Of course, that didn't account for the more common Terrors brought on by mental magics. Both seemed extremely unlikely in this case, though, as natural Terrors were infinitesimally rare and it was practically impossible to use magic within guild walls unnoticed.
Regardless, now was not the time to deliberate. He'd talk to Roan about it later, since it was already eleven o'clock. He changed into some fresh linens, retied his hair and left for the guild master's office.
The halls were a bit busier, but not much. Most people had gone to bed already, and the ones who hadn't looked like they should. They waved and said hello as he passed. He smiled and waved back, making sure to avoid getting caught up in any conversations.
When he reached the office at the end of the hall, Stray was already waiting, leaning against the wall. Niv yawned as he approached.
"You look pretty beat, man." Stray observed.
"Dreams again." Niv replied as he rubbed his eyes, and leaned against the wall opposite Stray, putting the large door between them. "Really weird this time..."
"Wait, really? Shouldn't 'they' take care of that?" Stray looked down the hall to make sure no one was listening to them. Very few knew of the empaths. It would likely make people uncomfortable to know someone was poking around their minds as they slept.
"That's the thing-" Niv began but stopped as the door opened. The pair turned in unison as Roan filled the doorway. He towered over them, standing a full seven feet tall. But Clydesdales were always big. He wore the standard linen clothes that could often be seen after hours around the guild. What could be seen of his brown fur was marred by many scars, but he always wore them proudly, each one a lesson learned, a victory earned. His long, brown mane and tail were the only clues to his age, as they were both peppered with grey for their entire lengths. Niv was reminded of a shorter, less round, Jota.
"Boys. Have a seat." Roan said in a deep voice, as he stepped back into the room. They followed him in as he sat behind his desk and gestured toward a set of chairs. A large, intimidating hammer was propped against the wall behind him.
"As you're both aware by now, you're heading to Fair-wool." Niv and Stray nodded quietly. "What you're not aware of, is the significance of your mission. The land to the south has become hostile, so we can no longer go around the desert to reach the eastern side of the kingdom."
"There are three parts to your mission; first, you are to help escort a caravan to the northern most town you can find. Their purpose is of no concern to you; just make sure they get there safely. You'll each have two men under you. I'm sure six men can handle anything between here and there. When you reach the north, the four will stay with the caravan, which brings us to your second goal;"
"Mapping a route through the mountains. As I said, the southern nation has become hostile to ours, and has been raiding along the border. We need another way around the desert so our connections with the east aren't severed. I imagine that's their intent, but that isn't what we're discussing." Roan's eyes narrowed as he looked away from them.
"A cartographer will accompany you all the way to Fair-wool. He has family there, and is taking the opportunity to visit them. You will have to go at his pace so he can properly record your path. We won't have the resources to try again anytime soon, so do what you can to help him." He paused a moment. "None of this is part of your contract, but as your superior I expect it to be done." He looked at Stray as he spoke, an acknowledgement of Niv's current relation with the Guild. He couldn't order Niv to do anything, but knew he'd follow Stray like a puppy.
"Lastly," Roan began as he opened a drawer, "you'll be delivering this." He set a small box on the desk, not much bigger than a loaf of bread. It seemed inconspicuous enough, wrapped in brown paper and bound with twine, but it made Niv uneasy for a reason he couldn't discern. "We have someone in Fair-wool who will take over from there. The importance of this package being delivered far outweighs any other aspect of your mission. If you must choose, this takes precedence. It has been mentioned to me that the importance of this even outweighs your very lives. Even so, you're in no hurry to die for it, understood?" The two men nodded in unison. "Good."
Roan placed the package back in the drawer.
"One final thing, and I cannot emphasize this strongly enough, it is imperative_that you. _Do. Not. Open it." His brow furrowed as he slowly looked back and forth between the young men. "Have I made myself clear?"
"Perfectly, Sir." Niv said first.
"Crystal." Stray followed.
"Good." Roan said with a sigh. "You'll be staying through tomorrow, and leaving the following morning. I will leave the package in your care when you leave, and not a moment sooner. You may go." He said as he gestured toward the door. Niv and Stray just made it to the door before Roan spoke again, causing them both to look back. "Niv, a word?" The tiger and wolf glanced nervously at each other. "Uh, yeah." Niv replied, patting Stray on the shoulder, a way of telling him to go on. Stray left, closing the door behind him, and waited in the hall.
*****
After a short time, Niv joined Stray out in the hall.
"What was that about?" Stray queried with a raised eyebrow.
"Eh, don't worry about it. It's nothing." Niv replied, waving away Stray's concern. "Hey, d'you think the kitchen's still open?"
"You're already hungry again?" Stray said with a chuckle.
"Hey, we can't all be skinny bastards. Besides, I think that 'dream' took a lot out of me."
"No doubt. Um, unfortunately, I think the kitchen closes at ten. And with how busy things were today, I think Tess is probably in bed already."
"Damn. How dare she not anticipate my need." Niv lazily shook his fist to emphasize his sarcasm. Stray chuckled. "Oh well. I can deal. Just leaves more room for breakfast." Niv shrugged. "Kell ever finish that guard for you?"
"Mostly. There's still some fitting to do before we can put it on. He said he was gonna finish it in the morning."
"Can you go that long without your sword?" Niv joked.
"No," Stray made a pouty face, "I don't think I can."
"Aww, don't worry. I'll find you a cookie. That'll make everything better." Niv patted Stray on the back as they walked to the mess hall.
As they entered, they saw several display cases placed across the length of the counter, filled with a variety of pastries. A cute young woman stood behind the counter, a doe, and waved excitedly when she noticed them.
They approached her, both of them curious.
"Hey boys, how can I help you?" she said cheerfully.
"Uhm," Niv hesitated, "What... Where'd all this come from?" he asked politely, gesturing to the displays.
"Oh, well, things have been really hectic around here lately, and with folks running around all hours of the night, some of the advisors decided to keep the hall open twenty-four seven." she answered, still very upbeat. "And they put me in charge! So I put some things out for those who are just passing by. And it's nice to be helping out." She punctuated her enthusiasm with a bright smile. "My name's Serril, by the way."
"Oh well that makes a lot of sense." Niv said. "It's nice to meet you, I'm Niv, and this is Stray."
"Hiya." Stray waved happily over Niv's shoulder. Serril smiled again and waved back.
"So what brings you boys to the mess hall at this hour?" She inquired.
"Ah, yes. We come in search of great cookies of greatness." Niv placed his hands on his hips as he spoke. Serril giggled, clearly not put off in the slightest by Niv's unorthodox method of requesting food.
"Well, there are regular cookies at the far end of the counter, but if you require greatness I'm just about to pull a fresh batch out of the oven." Both men expressed their approval and intrigue with a simultaneous "Oooo".
Serril giggled again. "I'll go check on them." She said, and left into the back room, which Niv now presumed actually had a kitchen. It was only a myth to those who weren't allowed into the back, and a very long running joke in the Guild. Niv chuckled to himself at the thought of it.
The two sat at a table near the counter and chatted for a few minutes until Serril came out with a tray of cookies and began placing them in an empty display case. Niv moved up to the counter and Serril offered him the tray. He bowed and carried two cookies back to the table, one travelling between his teeth.
"Aff promiffed, here iff your "few bevver" cookie." Niv proclaimed through his own cookie as he handed the other to Stray.
"My hero!" Stray replied, before happily nibbling away.
After a short time of watching the occasional person come and go, they bid each other a good night, and retired to their respective rooms. Niv laid in bed staring at the ceiling, letting the evening's events sink in. Their mission was easy enough to take in, but it was his private talk with Roan that held his thoughts most firmly. He decided on tomorrow's plans, and drifted off.
*****
A roaring wind blew by, waking him abruptly. No, not awake. Dreaming. A lucid flight through the clouds of paradise. He felt his wings outstretched as the rushing air surged over and under. He reveled in the experience, a dream come true, so to speak. The Great Old Kingdom rose high, breaking through the clouds. It stood proud, defiant, indestructible.
_ He felt complete as he soared through the open blue sky, like the missing parts of him had been found. He was whole, and true again. The darkness languished beneath him, its influence on him rendered impotent. Its hoard swayed back and forth, following him as he circled overhead. A brief glimpse of the horizon revealed to him something unexpected. Atop the crest of a hill, a shadowy figure fought the hoard as it closed in. It ripped limbs apart, bit through swords and shields, and thrashed at the darkness with its hands knocking vaguely people-shaped things into the air._
_ He was awed and terrified by the vicious display of raw, untamed power. It mesmerized him, as he began to feel every motion the shadowed figure made phantomed in his own muscles._
_ A haze grew over his eyes as he squinted into the sunlight, his vision alternating between the dream and reality. As the violent scene dissolved into the waking world, the shadow let out a faint but piercing roar, sending a shiver through his body._
_ _ *****
The roar faded, but the echo memory lingered as he opened his eyes. The visions played over and over in his head. The clock was softly chiming nine, urging him out of bed. He yawned and stretched, and started the day.
He found Stray and easily recruited him for his quick run to the city. They changed into their travelling clothes, which had been cleaned and left in their rooms. Stray looked his old self in his sackcloth pants and leather boots, clearly embossed with Old Kingdom patterns, his sword slanted across his rear beneath his backpack. The silver buckle of his belt was the symbol of the Church, bearing several scratch marks, a personal reminder and public statement that Niv was all too familiar with.
They made quick work of the tunnel, more stories of the past and future making the time seem short. They soon found themselves wandering around the market place, as they weaved their way through the throng of other market-goers. Stray noticed Niv was looking for something specific, but couldn't seem to find it.
"Yo man, what're we lookin for?" Stray inquired.
"Huh? Oh, I'm trying to spot some kind of apothecary, or something. Some place that has herbal stuff." Niv answered distractedly.
"Dude, I didn't know you were into that." Stray teased.
"Oh shut up, fluffbutt." Niv retorted with a grin, more for thinking of his friend as 'fluffbutt' than the implication of his personal use of herbs.
"Hey," Stray whined, "you said you wouldn't call me that in public anymore." He made an exaggerated pouty face.
"Did not." Niv was still scanning the shop fronts through the crowd. Stray merely stuck out his tongue, despite Niv's inability to see. Most likely because of it.
"Aha!" Niv exclaimed, before darting off to the right. Stray was just barely able to stay on his tail, figuratively speaking, as they both ducked into a narrow and practically deserted alleyway. A few small stands were lined up on one side, Niv's target being one of the farthest back.
"Dude, how did you even spot this place?" Stray said, looking back at the constantly shifting sea of people behind them. "Fucking super-vision bro."
"Ha, I wish. Lucky timing is all." Niv replied over his shoulder before turning his attention to the merchant. "Do you have any Paral Leaf?"
"Whole leaves, ground, or powder?" The old man asked in a raspy voice.
"Ground, please."
Stray raised an eyebrow at this. "Dude, are you into that?" He whispered. The merchant seemed indifferent, while Niv chuckled. "Dude, Stray; don't worry about it." Niv said while the merchant took a small portion of the ground herb, folded brown wrapping paper around it and tied it with twine.
"Three Veer." He said, holding his hand out. Niv obliged him with three gold coins after a moment of counting within his pocket, then took the small envelope. "Thank you." He turned to Stray. "Come on, we have one other stop before we head back.
"No doubt. What're we lookin for now?"
Niv placed his purchase in his carry bag, looked back and forth from the crowd and further into the alley, considering their course of action. "Do you think this loops back into the market somewhere?"
"Could." Stray shrugged.
"Hmm. Nah, let's just head back." Niv turned to head back into the busy market when the faint scent of burning found its way to his sensitive nose. "Do you smell that?" Niv asked quietly as he deliberately sniffed at the air, trying to find the direction it was wafting from.
"I do." Stray answered, using a tone that confirmed he as well knew something was wrong. It wasn't a smell of wood or food. It was more a scent of hair, flavored with a taste of something else, but what it was neither could yet discern. Niv sighed. "We might as well give it a look..."
They walked cautiously down the alley, the only path a turn to the left several yards ahead. They each readied themselves for whatever may lay ahead. Niv turned to Stray again.
"Whaddya think?" He asked, as they leaned against the wall.
"Casual is good."
The two men straightened themselves, and stepped nonchalantly around the corner, as any gentlemen in a dark alley would.
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=