= Chapter Three: Distractions =
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=
Deserted.
Not a living thing between them and the distant, open end of the alley. There was, however, another path to the right several yards ahead. They continued their charade as they kept walking, discreetly sniffing the air. They'd learned a long time ago that discretion was always the best approach in the face of uncertainty, regardless of whether or not you were alone.
They approached this new corner as they had the first. The scents grew stronger as they came closer. There was no doubt, the source was nearby. Niv quietly drew his sword and held it vertically, angling it just enough to see around the corner. He saw nothing at first, but thin wisps of smoke caught his eye and he followed them back to a large mound, quite far away.
Sheathing his blade, Niv signaled for Stray to come around his left, and both of them moved into the alley in unison. They toned down their casual guise in favor of a more defensive approach, as anyone would be expected to do when approaching a strange thing emitting smoke. As they neared the smoldering cloak, for that's what it was, the flavor the air had hinted at found a name.
Fear.
Niv sniffed closely at the burning pile, confirming what he'd thought despite deliberately avoiding contact. The unmistakable stench of burnt-black flesh and hair painted an ugly enough picture that he didn't have to look. It was a body, no two ways about it.
"Oh man..." Niv said.
"Is it?" Stray asked, making an unpleasant face.
"Yeah. It is." Niv nodded solemnly. He looked to the far end of the alley, which opened into the crowd. No one seemed concerned, or to have even noticed. The end of the alley was at least a hundred feet away, but fire is hardly an inconspicuous method of murder. Someone should have noticed. Niv was certain now of foul play.
"What should we do? There's nothing we can get from this," he gestured to the still smoking corpse, "and I can't see anything useful nearby." Stray scratched his chin, considering the situation. He made random gestures as he processed options in his head. It was unnecessary though, as the decision was made for them. A short cackle came from above them, and they both looked up.
Clutching a windowsill high above them, a well dressed and caped hyena grinned evilly. He dropped to the ground opposite the smoldering corpse, blocking their forward path, and then slowly closed in on them. He had no real hair to speak of, but the fur on his head was styled into several short spikes. His only weapon seemed to be an ordinary quarterstaff.
"Thought that might get you to come a runnin'" He said through a grin, his voice light but grating. "Too bad ya didn't catch on sooner, ya might have saved him." He laughed again. "Took my time, ya know, to give ya the chance. Poor guy." He taunted them with a pouty face. "But it doesn't matter. Yer here now, and I can have some real fun. Peasants always did make terrible toys." He seemed genuinely bored as he regarded the man he'd killed. "Something about being incapable of defending themselves. But moving on, I'd-"
"Oh great, a talker." Niv interrupted, thoroughly disgusted.
"Hey! Shut up! Don't cut me off asshole!" He barked back, his temper clearly short. Niv just rolled his eyes, having his proof that the man was simply being theatrical.
"You obviously went to a lot of trouble to get our attention," he nodded at the lifeless pile, his stern face showing that he knew full well how serious the situation was, despite his sarcasm, "so why don't you just get on with it. Don't waste our time blabbing, trying to sound like some kind of psychopath to, what? Scare us?" Niv snorted. "What do you want?" He enunciated each word to emphasize his impatience.
The man seemed to be insulted, but didn't want to show it.
The hyena's taunt had worked better than Niv would let on, and Stray could tell. It angered him greatly to have lost an innocent, despite knowing there was little he could've changed if given another chance. Luckily, he could still direct that anger at the man who deserved it. It simmered beneath the surface, urging him to do something rash. His hatred for people like this stranger was deep.
The man huffed, apparently thrown off by having misjudged his targets. "You got something my boss wants, and-"
"So you're not just some psycho wannabe?" Stray spoke up.
"Goddamnit shut up!" His temper finally got the better of him as he stamped his foot on the ground. The air became hot, and the rising waves of heat distorted the market scene behind him. "Fuck it, I'm just gonna kill ya and take the fuckin' thing!" He brought his hands up, side by side, as a large ball of fire grew just in front of them. He thrust his hands forward, sending the projectile speeding toward the two.
His aim was as impressive as his patience, however, as the two men easily avoided the straightforward attack. They gave him a look that clearly stated they were not impressed, to which he snarled angrily. He walked quickly up to them, quarterstaff in both hands, murder written on his face. His bold approach seemed an obvious assault, or so they assumed.
They had barely drawn their swords before he unexpectedly leapt forward, the top of his staff pointed at them like a spear. He dove first for Niv, who twisted to the right, narrowly avoiding the strike. He had no time to act on the small opening as the hyena passed him. Stray, on the other hand, had a much better opportunity, standing several feet behind Niv, to the right.
He brought his sword's pommel down, aiming for the head. The hyena's speed was greater than he'd anticipated, but it worked to his advantage, as his blow landed solidly on a kidney. The man fell gracelessly to the ground, but quickly found his feet, wincing as he stood. Niv had fallen to his hands and knees as a result of his dodge. He kept his eyes on the hyena, digging frantically through his bag as he regained his footing. He quickly produced and donned his special pair of gloves.
"Oh... Oh you're going to pay for that." The man hissed. He held his staff vertically in both hands as the heat returned to the air, stronger this time. A spiral pattern began to glow on its surface. It was one, giant focus crystal, entwined with what could only be some kind of enhanced wood. His willingness to strike with it proved as much, as such a weapon would be too fragile if it were as mundane as it appeared.
A fiery aura appeared around his hands, and engulfed the staff. He brought it over his head and swung down, pointing the end at them. A massive rotating column of fire shot forth, filling the alley from one wall to the other.
"Oh fuck." Niv said, more to himself than anyone else.
But the hotheaded fire slinger had tipped his hand earlier, and they weren't unprepared for another magical assault. Niv scrambled to put himself in front of Stray, who stepped directly behind him. Both ducked down as Niv slammed his hands against the compacted dirt, turning the air around them to a bitter cold. Ice clawed upward around them as he raised his hands overhead, forming a thick dome. It reformed as quickly as the fire could melt it, a thick cloud of steam billowing out from the conflicting elements.
But it didn't stop the fire; it hadn't been meant to. Stray heard screams as the column burst out of the alley into the market, sending people running in all directions. The ice and steam distorted and blocked his view, so he couldn't tell if anyone had been hurt.
"We need to push back!" Stray shouted over the roar. "This is practically on display!" He tapped Niv's shoulder, who did his best to look behind him. Sure enough, the panic would have everyone know in moments what was going on, after they calmed enough to investigate, and call the guard. They couldn't risk that. This had to end, and soon.
Niv took a deep breath and slid his to the top of the dome, then apart, splitting it open into flat walls, one in front sending the hyena's fire upward to dissipate, the other behind, blocking the public's view should they overcome their fear once the steam cleared.
The hyena seemed to have gone fire happy, as he refused to let up his attack, a sadistic grin on his face despite the obvious strain it was putting on him. He had no idea the severity of the mistake he was making.
"Can you hold these?" Niv asked Stray, his muscles flexing as he held his fingertips to each wall, feeding mana into them to keep them from crumbling.
"No doubt. I got your back." Stray held his large sword between the walls, touching each with the tip and pommel respectively to ensure a continued flow of mana, the large bolt in the guard looked as if it was spinning in place as it channeled the energy. This allowed Niv to relax, and draw his sword.
"When I say, drop this wall." Niv nodded to the wall between them and the fire. Stray nodded back. The tiger held his left hand in front of his face, his fingers in line with his sight, took a deep breath and ceremoniously raised his sword back and to the right. The air warmed as a crimson glow surrounded the blade. A look of concern came over Stray's face when he noticed a dim glow beneath Niv's armour, causing his concentration to slip slightly. The walls began showing the signs of his distraction as they dripped and cracked. Before Stray could compensate, Niv gave the signal.
"Now!" He shouted. Stray slammed his sword flat against the rear wall, making it stronger than when it was raised. Niv roared and the world seemed to move in slow motion as he brought down his sword. The ice before him shattered, as much from the fire as from his swing. The column pressed forward, but the magic forced through his sword cut it clear in half, turning it back down the alley. It crawled along the walls back to its caller, and for all his previous bluster, he was terrified. The hyena tripped backward over his own feet as he tried to flee, no longer interested in feeding the fire, or his targets, and fell onto his back as his own fire ate away at the flesh of his limbs.
Niv breathed heavily, and began to sway as the world spun around him. Stray ducked his head under his friend's arm to keep him standing.
"Dude, you need to be careful." Stray's concern and assistance stilled the world.
"Had to be done..." Niv said, still woozy. "I think I can stand."
"Did you kill him?" The wolf raised an eyebrow.
"Fuck if I know. Let's see. Maybe we got lucky." Niv's tone was very callous. Despite having overexerted himself, his opinion of their would-be assassin was still clear and strong. Being forced to kill in defense of your own life was not something Niv liked doing, but he was given little choice, and he wasn't going to apologize for defending himself and his friend. They moved over to the man, his motionless form seemingly confirmed their thoughts. Until he started coughing, spitting blood everywhere.
"Damn." Niv wasn't shy about his disappointment. Stray didn't think much differently of the situation, by the look on his face.
"We only have a few moments." Stray pointed out. "That wall won't stand for long, and it certainly won't withstand any attempt to bring it down. We should leave, quickly." He set his sword to rest on his shoulder.
"I want to check him first." Niv protested. "Maybe we can get some idea of what's going on."
"No doubt." Stray moved to the intersection they'd entered from, keeping an eye out for unwelcome attention.
Niv knew they'd have to leave the city immediately, so he rummaged through the dying man's clothes like some would-be mugger. Most of what he found was to be expected; money, personal and magical trinkets, hidden weapons. What he didn't find were any kind of papers, nothing to tell him who this guy was or why he'd be after them. As he searched, he found hidden pockets, and on the outside of one was pinned something that surprised him.
"Dude, come check this out." Niv called.
"Whatcha got?" Stray came to stand by the man, opposite Niv.
Niv unfastened his find, as the heat returned to the air once more. The energy congregated at the hyena's mutilated muzzle as it opened wide. It was the assassin's final, desperate attempt on their lives, and was cut short as Stray slammed his sword across the man's chest, severing his spinal column and nearly his right arm. The ribbon on his sword's pommel had come loose as he swung, letting the small bell fall free to ring a few times before being swiftly silenced in the wolf's grip. Blood gushed from the massive opening, too much for even the dirt to soak up. The two men were careful not to step in the spreading pool.
The energy dispersed, and the man was dead.
But there was no time to loiter, as the brittle ice behind them began to crumble. They sheathed their swords, Stray hastily wrapping up the bell, and bolted back through the alley, exiting to the right. Running past vendors would look really bad and would only add to their trouble.
The crowd's attention was glued to the commotion by the ice wall, as the guards were apparently just breaking through. They slowed their escape to a brisk pace, and integrated into the mass of people. Their hearts pounded in their ears as they did their best to act calm, the rush of adrenaline from facing death still pumping strong through their veins. Though it was a familiar experience, it wasn't one they could anticipate and easily subdue. They could only control it until it subsided, doing their best to restrain any outward signs of their heightened state.
Their deep, heaving breaths were lost on the crowd as they made for the tavern, for which they were grateful. It took only a few minutes, but it felt much longer. Heightened awareness had a way of distorting time. The sea of people around them seemed to slowly undulate as they waded through.
Safety was found in the tavern's walls, and they snuck through one of the more discreet passages to the safe rooms, where they finally stopped to catch their breath and slow their hearts. Niv brought up his right hand, clenched tight since they left the assassin's body. He opened his hand, his pilfered prize having left indentations on his palm for how hard he had been squeezing. He slowly uncurled his fingers and looked to Stray with his brow furrowed.
In his white-furred palm sat a large silver brooch, decorated with blue, white and black enamel and adorned with small jewels. It was the crest of Lexicon Chronos, a powerful mages guild, and of a highly ranked official. They might as well have killed a duke, for all the difference it would make in the public's eye. Niv had no love for those in power, on the contrary, he enjoyed seeing them get their comeuppance as he felt they so rightly deserved. But even he knew the weight of what had just happened.
Stray sighed heavily. "Come on, we should get back."
"Yeah." Niv spoke in the soft, pensive tone of a man lost in introspection. They both knew perfectly well they'd done what was necessary. He tried to kill them, and they fought back. They won. But that's not how it would be seen. They had not a scratch, no proof to say he even tried to harm them. Their skill often came at the cost of credibility.
Niv did his best to let go of his thoughts as Stray nudged him forward. He slipped the dead man's badge into his pocket. He hadn't meant to steal it, but circumstances gave him little choice. Perhaps Roan would know what to do with.
The return trip was much quieter, and felt longer than the first.
They went straight to Roan's office when they arrived, knowing he'd want to be informed of the situation, but as they looked down the busy hall, they saw a man standing in front of Roan's door. Roan was doing something of such importance that no one could disturb him. What it was could be anyone's guess. They'd have to wait.
"I'm gonna let him know Roan needs to see us when he's finished." Stray explained, as he ventured down the hall. Niv nodded, pointing to where he'd be waiting, as they were too far apart now for him to say it aloud. He leaned against the wall, between a pair of maps. He stared at the floor, once again replaying the encounter in his head.
He felt little to no guilt over the man's death, aside from the existential burden of taking another's life. It only seemed logical that any confrontation with an assassin would end in a kill or be killed scenario. That's not what was bothering him. What bothered him was the man's rank. Public or private, _someone_would miss him, and greatly. Possibly try to avenge him, even. It hung over his head like the proverbial sword of Damocles, despite the fact that such a proverb doesn't exist in their world. There would be a lot of power coming after them.
He could only guess the thoughts going through Stray's mind. The wolf was like a torrential storm in a brightly decorated box. You might see the rain leak from a corner, or hear the booming thunder within, but the bright and happy colors were quick to reassure you that everything was okay.
His musings were interrupted as the wolf in question leaned around the corner and waved him over. He suddenly felt ill, like his stomach was being wrung out like a wet rag. In spite of this he made his way over, and the guard let them in to see Roan. They explained everything that happened, and handed over the badge.
He seemed to recognize it right away, though he said nothing of it. He only frowned, turning the badge over in his hands, staring off into space more than actually looking at the trinket. In the past, Niv had seen the great horse verbally tear off limbs and beat people to death with them in similar situations. Now, however, he seemed only to be disappointed. His heavy sigh was a clear indication.
"You're dismissed." He said as he stowed the badge in a drawer.
"Sir?" Stray was slightly puzzled.
"Don't worry about it. It'll be taken care of. For now, you should go meet with Rallom. He's the cartographer I'm sending with you. He's in the library at the moment." The guild master waved them out before turning his attention to the papers on his desk.
The two men left for the library, not sure what to make of the encounter. Roan's influence must reach further than they knew. Now wasn't the time to ponder on the extensiveness of the guild master's network, however.
The library was the third largest room of the entire guild, after the assembly room and the mess hall, of which it sat opposite. It wasn't saying much, though, as it was actually more of a book storage room than a proper library. The unfinished shelves were short, rickety and stood free of the walls. The books themselves were in fairly good condition, despite the majority of them being centuries old, "rescued" during missions, or as the case often was, both. There was a very strong "wizard's tower" vibe, broken only by the two newly built cabinets in the back of the room.
Although the numerous, small reading tables near the center of the room may have also had such an effect. They were covered with simple white cloths, but a quick look at their pedestal legs showed them to be just as new as the cabinets, which had caught Niv's eye. He walked over and lightly ran his fingers across the smooth lacquered finish. He loved smooth surfaces. The feel evoked something within him he couldn't describe. It was also very cathartic.
"Mmm, smooth." He mocked himself.
"Huh?" Stray was still perusing books, and missed the remark.
"Nothing." Niv said quickly feigning a dorky smile. "So, seems he's not here."
"Would seem that way." Stray folded his arms over his white chest, looking back and forth somewhat sarcastically. It would be very hard to overlook someone in this room, as there was nowhere to "accidentally" hide.
"Well, it's not like we have to meet him here and now." Niv reasoned. "We'll probably run into him before we have to leave anyway. We have half a day still."
He was wrong though, as Rallom was apparently too busy for anyone to know exactly where he was. They were always a few steps behind him, and eventually stopped asking people. They resolved to meet him in the morning, and saw fit to turn in early. Though Niv had one small task to finish first.
*****
The hallways were strangely quiet given how active they'd been recently. Maybe everyone was eating. No matter, he thought, as he softly padded his way to the armoury. It was one of the few rooms that was constantly guarded. And rightly so. What good was an armoury if anyone could just walk in and take something? The story was that the room could be better guarded from within, no one ever considering it more than an unorthodox idea. But those who had been around long enough, like Niv and Stray, knew it was only a half-truth.
He peeked around the corner just before reaching the double doors of the armoury as one of them calmly slid to the side. He loved those doors. Innovative yet practical. As expected, Roan emerged, leading the two guards down the opposite corridor. Whatever reason he'd given for removing them from their post seemed important enough, since they didn't seem confused in the slightest. Niv took the predetermined opportunity to sneak inside.
The door easily slid open for him. There was no lock on the outside. There was no reason for one with two men inside at all times. Well, most of the time anyway. Niv chuckled to himself. He was doing exactly the thing they were trying to prevent, with the guildmaster's help no less.
He slunk inside and gently closed the door behind him, sighing with relief. The suspense of stealth work always made his nerves jumpy. Doing it to his own only made the feeling worse. But he had his reasons.
He took a moment to absorb the glory of the armoury, despite only being filled with the most mundane of the guild's stock. He felt like a child in a confectioner's shop, surrounded by temptation. Smooth, shiny temptation. He'd take the lot of them if he could, but he knew he could never travel that way. Though he might grab a spear or some such while he had the chance. He pondered a moment, eyeing a rack of polearms mounted to the far wall, before deciding it would be better to obtain one in a more official manner. No time to dally, best get to business.
Despite the decision, he walked up to the rack anyway. The brackets holding it to the wall seemed ordinary, but a close inspection would reveal their true intention. They were hinges.
Niv undid a hidden latch and swung the weapon rack to the right, exposing the decorative, though minimalist paneling. The outline of an elongated oval, horizontally positioned, was just barely visible to the left. He wouldn't need that yet. He placed both hands on the empty wall and pushed. A large, door shaped chunk receded into the wall, which he then slid to the right. He crossed into the hidden room, and once again felt the pull of temptation. Though it was much stronger this time, it was tempered with caution.
There was a reason few in the guild were aware of this room's existence. The most powerful and dangerous relics procured by the guild were protected here. Even the most magically inept could feel the various emanations of energy meandering back and forth across the room from the display cases that lined the walls. Assuming they'd even be allowed in, that is.
Niv found it easier to resist admiring the displays; he'd seen a small handful of these monsters in action, having acquired one or two of them himself. It was one thing to observe a test performed by a trained caster to determine the items capability. It was far more terrifying to have one used against you by someone dead set on ending your life. The glint of an innocent looking ring caught his eye as he passed the display in which it rested, sending shivers up his spine. The green gemstone set in the silver band conjured very unpleasant memories of events which one could only be glad were long since over.
He gave the ring a disgusted glare, before moving on. Despite being reminded, he was grateful that some events of the past weren't so eager, or persistent, in haunting him. It was easily put out of mind to focus on the task at hand.
He found the spot Roan had told him of, marked by some religious symbol he was unfamiliar with. It gave off a warm, inviting glow of golden light. He thought he could see its edges moving ever so slightly. He'd wasted enough time already, though, and set the envelope of herb on the glass directly above the relic. He then knocked twice on the wall before heading out of the room again.
He pressed the oval on the hidden door, which receded like the door it was on had before, forming a finger grip for him to close the passage. He cracked the main door to peek at the hall, and slipped out of the armoury with all the grace and stealth one would expect of a cat. Especially if one expected that cat to trip over his own foot and fall flat on his face a few paces away.
"Are you alright?" A male voice inquired.
Niv's heart skipped a beat before he remembered that he couldn't get in trouble just for tripping in the hallway.
"Yeah, just mis-stepped." He replied with an intentionally embarrassed chuckle. He got to his feet and brushed himself off, to find the armoury guards before him.
His heart skipped again.
They didn't seem to have noticed his exit, but his heart insisted on beating against his ribs as if they had. He had every right to walk straight back into the armoury if he wanted, and the two men would happily help him with anything he needed. But just knowing that you're doing something you shouldn't will make you jumpy under otherwise normal circumstances.
"Thanks for the concern though. Gotta get going." Niv said, flashing what he hoped was the grin of an innocent klutz, then walked away with all the leisure of a man pretending not to be covered with bees. The guards didn't give him a second thought as they resumed their posts.
He made his way back to his room, his heartbeat slowly returning to normal. The adrenaline of nearly being caught always took its time to run itself through his system, and though it was a thrill in competition, it was a rush he was never fond of when facing very real, very negative consequences. Twice in a day was more than enough for him.
He found the still quiet of his room reflective and sobering as he shut the door behind him. It was as if nothing existed beyond the boundaries of his sight. No bustling, no shuffling. Not even the chirp of a cricket. It was a welcome respite, this imaginary solitude. It was an odd thing, how people seemed to siphon his energy. Though others, like Stray, were more... What was the word? Ah yes, "interactive".
His energy radiated outward, and would loop with those nearby. At least, that's what Niv felt. Stray more often gave him energy instead of sapping it. But it had its cost. Stray's absence, if extended, weighed heavier than that of others. Even worse, should he feel "under the weather", the concern one would feel for him would be greatly amplified.
Niv took a moment to change then lay on his bed, listening intently to the silence, trying to quiet his thoughts. A strange, inexplicable pressure settled over his chest as he drifted off.
*****
Niv woke gradually, the presence of another nearby rousing him. He wasn't used to this, and immediately sat up. He was alone, left with a sudden pang of... Loss? He rubbed the sleep from his eyes, confused. Maybe it was just a trick of the mind. He could think about it later. There were still things to do before leaving. Like getting that spear he fancied. First things first, it was time to eat.
Breakfast was a clusterfuck of chaos. Everyone in the guild seemed to have crammed themselves into a single room. Niv decided it was best to come back later. If nothing else, he still had something to snack on in his bag, that he could replace after the rush. In fact, he concluded, he'd just do that instead. It was a much better idea.
Stray caught up with him en route to his room, where they waited out the crowd together, speculating on the imminent adventure and making preliminary plans. Several books and maps found their way to the floor as the two men sat cross-legged, tracing lines along paper with their fingers.
They decided there was only one real option for them; follow the caravan north, then skirt the mountain as closely as possible for several days until they reached Du'tahl in the desert. They'd stop for a day or two and restock, then head east. It seemed simple enough. Now they just had to find Rallom to get him up to speed.
Mr. Elusive was finally caught in the library, doing the same thing they had just finished with. They sat opposite the young man and introduced themselves.
"Hello gentlemen." He said without looking up from his work. His tone was dismissive. He adjusted his small, round glasses and waved them away. "If you don't mind, I have work to finish before we leave. Our route isn't going to map itself."
"We've actually planned out our way already," Stray began, but before he could finish, Rallom cut him off.
"Oh. I see. Well, I'm glad you decided to let me know." He was clearly irritated. "I guess I can stop wasting my time here." The matter-of-factness of his response surprised them. "I have other work to do." Tucking a few small books under his arm, he walked out of the room. The two watched as he left, then stared at each other, dumbfounded.
"What's his problem?" Niv asked.
Stray just shrugged. "No worries, bro. We should get going ourselves; we still got work to do as well."
"Yeah. I just hope he's not like that for the whole trip. Do you think we should clean up his mess?"
"Not really." Stray said through a large grin. "Shall we eat?"
"Let's! There's also a spear in the armoury with my name on it."
A few hours passed as preparations were made. People piled supplies into a wagon, tacked the horses and helped the main escort into their shiny plate armour. Niv took a moment to admire the fine craftsmanship. He'd never wear so much armour, but it was still pleasing to look at, and he couldn't begrudge them for it. They likely had more standard training and experience than he or Stray, and adventuring was not a part of that. There'd probably be a day, far off in the future, when they'd look back and appreciate this simplicity in life. Until that day he'd envy them, if only a tiny bit.
Niv propped his spiffy new spear against his shoulder as he waited for Stray and Rallom to come up with the package, its broad blade reflected the supply laden wagon behind him, and the people that would occasionally walk by. It wasn't long before the two emerged from the small building, both looking rather aggravated. Stray hid his agitation better than the ram, but Niv could still see it. He could also see a difference from Rallom's irritation, which was of an impatient nature. Stray had an energy about him that gave the impression he'd be quite gratified to punch the young man walking ahead of him squarely in the throat.
Rallom was of course oblivious to this. Not that he would've cared anyway. The ram turned toward the front of the wagon, while Stray headed straight for Niv at the back. They leaned against the wagon in unison and Stray let out a heavy sigh while holding his hands to his face.
"This isn't going to be a fun trip, is it?" Niv asked.
Stray shook his head. "No. No it's not." His tone was deceptively cheerful.
"Well," Niv said with a stroke of his beard, "He doesn't actually do anything until after we separate and head east, right? So we just avoid him on the way north. There are plenty of other guards, and we're not technically obligated to _do_anything with him until it's just the three of us. Hell he'll probably stay in the wagon for as long as he can anyway." Stray seemed a bit uncertain as he scratched his chin.
"I'm not proud of it, but if that's what it takes to keep things running smoothly, I'll make that tiny sacrifice of integrity." Niv was firm on his decision, and Stray had no counter. "What did he do, anyway? I could swear you were gonna deck him."
"Was it that obvious?"
"It was to me, but only 'cause I know you too well."
"No doubt." Stray nodded. "Dude was being seriously stuck up and impatient about this whole thing. Was talkin' about how "everyone should hurry up" and that "no one was listening" to him and his ideas. There was a lot of other, smaller stuff, but I can't remember it all. Was being really flip' though. How you felt about me just now? I felt the same way about Roan. He must've been way too busy though, not to rip into the kid."
"So our ram's more of an ass? That's just great." Stray tried to hold back a throaty laugh, but in vain. He clasped his hand firmly over his muzzle and regained his composure. He kept the smirk though. Niv laughed quietly at the display. "So you have the thing then?"
"Thing?"
"The thing of which is the sole reason we happen to be standing here right now?" Niv teased.
"Oh. That thing. Yes." Stray had a look of "I knew that" as his shoulders slumped a bit. He was obviously exaggerating his expression. He had a tendency to be very animated, even after a brain fart. Especially so, even.
"Good," Niv chuckled, "The foreman's said we're leaving soon. Here, put yours by mine, they're already tied down." Niv motioned to Stray the spot to secure his pack. "Despite certain... 'negatives'... this is still rather exciting. Remember those trips we used to go on when we were younger? It was such a thrill. Frightening, but thrilling. We got into a lot of trouble back then, didn't we?"
"No doubt." Stray nodded sagely. "Learned a lot of stuff the hard way, too."
"That's for sure. Makes me wonder how Kismet's doing, now I think of it." Niv leaned against the wagon and stared into the distance as he spared a few thoughts as to the possible exploits of their old friend. He was shaken from his ponderings when the wagon began to wobble as everyone climbed aboard. He and Stray followed suit, sitting in the far back on the right side, hanging their swords in specially designated places.
The wagon was of an interesting appearance and design. It had been lengthened and modified with benches running along the sides to increase its occupancy, the weight of which was supported by the extra wide wheels. It was also the only wagon Niv had seen with three axles, necessitated by the extra length. Luckily, there were established roads for most of the trip. The trouble would come when they had to make their own road through the wilderness.
A heavy canvas tarpaulin was secured over the supply-laden bed by several people, both on and off the wagon. It was large enough to cover the bed three times over, which, with the added bows, allowed it to be raised into a canopy if necessary. With one last inspection to make sure all passengers were accounted for, and all goods were tied down, the foreman gently cracked the reigns to spur on the four Clydesdales up front. Wood and metal creaked and scraped against each other as the wagon lurched forward, then settled into a brisk pace. At this rate, they'd likely reach Reffar around nightfall.
*****
Many hours went by as the two men occupied themselves with finding images in the clouds and pointing out interesting features of the landscape. The sun was lazily drifting toward the horizon in the evening sky behind them, when the travelers found themselves approaching a large bridge. As they came closer, those in front began complaining all at once, their words becoming indistinguishable from each other. Niv tapped Stray on the knee as he hopped off the wagon's bench to see the problem for himself. Stray, taking the signal, followed him to the front of the wagon.
The middle of the bridge was littered with crates, barrels and a variety of miscellaneous bags and incidental; all of which was blocking their path. Niv's face showed his growing consternation. Everything had been moved, and quite recently. If the drag marks in the thick dust weren't obvious enough for the casual observer, the foot and shoe prints would surely make it clear. They were too preoccupied with bickering about the blocked path to even give a second glance.
"Something's wrong here..." Niv said quietly.
"No doubt. We should have a look."
"Agreed." Niv turned to the foreman. "We're going to investigate, keep your eyes open."
"Hey!" the foreman shouted back, "I'm in charge here! I-"
"No, sir," Niv interrupted, "You're in charge of whatever it is you're doing up north, and whatever falls under that. Our job is to help get you there in one piece, but we are in no way under you." The foreman seemed at a loss for words. He appeared to want to yell back, but couldn't find a way to argue Niv's point. He simply worried the base of one of his horns.
"Yeah, well I... uh..." The gazelle scratched the back of his head, still trying to find the words to defend his authority.
Niv took a deep breath, determined not to overreact. But this man was wasting time and making him impatient. "Look, just keep your eyes open, okay? We may or may not be in danger at the moment." Niv tried his best to sound reasonable, and non-confrontational. "Please."
The man settled down and issued orders to the escort guards. Niv and Stray ventured cautiously onto the bridge. Everything was naturally quiet. No rustling or shifting, just the chirping of day birds as they concluded the day's business. Aside from the obvious, nothing seemed out of place. It took only a few minutes to search the bridge and its immediate surroundings. No more foot or paw prints, no disturbed brush. Niv began to wrangle in his combative mind. Surely there was a scenario in which this deviation was much less threatening. He couldn't think of one that made sense, but tried to subdue his suspicion anyway.
He looked to Stray from the far end of the large bridge. The wolf, standing waist deep amidst various small boxes, just shrugged. Niv shrugged back. They reconvened at the wagon to report their findings, or lack thereof.
"Everything seems normal." Stray said in a matter-of-fact tone.
"Well good," the foreman replied, "can we stop wasting time then, and get on?"
"Hey, if you'd like to cut through the river, be my guest. If you wanna cross here," Stray pointed a thumb over his shoulder at the cluttered bridge, "Then you'll have to wait for us to clear a path."
"More lost time." Rallom said with a heavy sigh, resting his elbow on his leg, and his chin on his palm.
"If you'd care to volunteer some help, we can be done that much sooner." Niv said sarcastically, not expecting much to come of a genuine suggestion. He and Stray didn't bother to wait for a response, going straight to work moving things to either side of the bridge. Some containers had been opened, or were open the whole time, Niv couldn't be sure. He hadn't dug into every last thing during his first pass through. A few others shortly joined in the wondrously mundane task, which carried on for quite some time. The sun's light cast long shadows through the trees, as it dipped below the canopy of leaves to the west. They were nearly finished, only a few large crates left in their path. It took most of them to move each one, which caused as much speculation as to their contents as it did irritation.
Exhausted by the weighty boxes, they returned to the wagon, gladly taking their seats and catching their breath.
"Well," Rallom said loudly, "that couldn't have taken any longer."
"You're telling me." The foreman agreed as he spurred the horses onward.
They refused to move.
"You know, for all your complaining about wasted time, we don't seem to be going anywhere. What's the hold up?" Niv yelled, clearly as annoyed as the two ungulates. Partially because of them.
"If you'd like to walk, be my guest." The foreman replied with a caustic tone, quite happy to throw his variation of Stray's words at someone. "The horses won't budge, and that's hardly my fault."
"Are you good with horses?" Niv asked Stray quietly.
"Not particularly."
"Me either. Let's go save the day. Again." The pair lazily walked up to the horses, still tired. They tried tugging on the leads, pushing from behind, and even slapping their flanks when frustration prevailed over patience. They succeeded only in agitating the great beasts further, causing them to take several steps backward into the wagon. One of the lead horses tried to rear up, and though its harness kept it from rising too high, it still managed to knock Stray to the ground. As he looked up, the source of the horses' fear became apparent.
"Uh, Niv?" He said, his eyes fixed forward as he slowly got up. Niv was busy with the rearing horse, as it continued to its attempts.
"What's up, man?" He looked over his shoulder as he spoke, "Kinda bus-" His grip on the harness was lost as he found himself paralyzed for the briefest of moments. At the opposite end of the freshly cleared bridge a figure stood; his robe black as night as it waved about him, his eyes glowing red in the shadow of his hood. A wide grin of bright, white teeth spread across the dark where his face should be. The air around him moved visibly, as if waves of heat were rising up from the ground, distorting his visage.
Niv's disbelief soon gave way to reason. There was no possible way he could be seeing what was in front of him. He understood the distortions and exaggerations created by his subconscious even as they terrorized his dreams. This couldn't be real. Niv drew his sword and stood by Stray.
"You see what I'm seeing?"
"I sincerely doubt it." Stray replied in an uncharacteristically flat tone, drawing his sword and holding the ribbon and bell along the grip. The certainty of his answer confused Niv as much as the answer itself.
The foreman shouted at them, "What the hell are you two on about!? I don't see a goddamn thing!" No sooner had he finished his statement, than four hooded figures appeared. They seemed to fade into reality exactly as they stood, then drew their swords. "What the hell!?"
"God _damnit!_This is exactly what I was worried about." Niv exclaimed.
"This exactly?" Stray asked. His eyes were still forward, but now they bounced between all threats.
"You know what I meant. I'm almost afraid to ask, but please tell me that you at least just saw four guys materialize out of nowhere."
"_That_I did see."
"Good. Thought I was losing my mind for a moment. I could wager our chances against them aren't all that bad," Niv gestured to the four newcomers, "but what do we do about, uh..." Niv was unsure how he should refer to the shadowy person, "The, uh, first one? In the middle?"
"Wait, what?"
"I honestly don't wanna know what you see there, if it's not what I see. But you know what I'm talking about. The "insert what you see" that showed up before the four others."
"Ah, no doubt. Soooo..... What's the plan?"
"Uhhh.... "Don't die"?" Niv chuckled nervously. "Aaaaaand kill anyone that tries to kill you first."
"Sounds good to me. We should try to keep them on the bridge, away from the others."
"Good idea. Better than my plan."
"I dunno, man, I thought it was a pretty good plan. Not dying is pretty important."
The two moved onto the bridge, blades before them, and waited for their assailants to close the distance. They did so eagerly, the four assassins charging directly at them, their curved swords tucked tightly to their sides. The two in front leaped into the air.
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=