Chapter Sixteen

“Gone? What do you mean gone?” Alder asked, bewilderment spreading from his words to his face. Jeann and the rest of the team were gone? That couldn’t possibly be right.

“As I said before, the party removed themselves from their rented room nearly four days ago,”

“Did they say where they were going?”

“Not as far as i am aware, a few of them are still staying within the Hall on the single room floors but Lady Jeann left after forgoing to the rental agreement for the shared room.”

“Great, so Jeann up and left.” Alder did his best to quell the growing frustrations, though the task was growing more difficult with each nerve grated away. “And She didn’t say where she was going either.”

“Correct.” 

Alder shot the receptionist a look before shuffling away, He hadn’t expected the group to disband in the intervening time. In honesty he’d have expected them to still be losing money in ridiculous gambling games. Finding the entirety of the team absent and their leader away was a large setback, ignoring its position atop a nearly impossible task. With nothing to keep him further and a growing sense of anxiety from the outburst minutes before, Alder did the only reasonable thing left. He decided to go to the tavern. 

As luck would have it he didn’t need to try going far, the nearest elongated building with a faded sign of a frothing tankard held the prize he sought. Dantes sat in a far corner nursing a tankard of incredible similarity to the one depicted and seemed to be distracted watching a pair of patrons order drinks. 

“Dantes! Hey ho-” 

“Sit down and shut yer mouth, boy” Dantes hissed the final syllable with as much muted rage as he could manage, but never removed his eyes from the duo. “What are ye doing her Alder? I thought ye had a stack of books up yer nose.” 

“I did, well i still do, but i havent found much. Honestly the work is getting a bit draining. Have you ever tried slamming your head against a wall day after day? Its not very productive.”

“Oh Alder, ye make me wish for the sweet embrace of silence once more.” 

Alder chuckled nervously, then shifted the subject. “What are you doing here? Where are the others?”

“Working. Working.”

“Care to… Elaborate?”

“Depends, how good are you with that magical stuff?”

“Magical stuff? Oh!” realization striking Alder quickly “not very good. A few basic elements and some minor combat.”

“Got a weapon?”

“Well, my spear I suppose.” Alder tapped the shrunken cylinder with a light touch of reassurance. 

“And that? Are you any good with that?”

“About as much as the next soldier I guess. Why?”

Dantes’ eyes grew harder and his vision seemed to lock onto one of the pair with a sense of urgency that forced Alder to spin around. He did so just in time to see the duo bounding out of their chairs and hurling a small sphere of molten fire in his direction. Alder threw himself from the seat and narrowly avoiding the slowly shifting result of the melting chair while Dantes bounded over the top of his corner table and made to follow. The three were out the door and sprinting full speed by the time Alder crossed the threshold and started after.

He caught Dantes panting against a wall a few streets later, streaks of blood running over the small charred patches of flesh and fabric. Short as he was, Dantes always seemed to tower over other the more incompetent of his opponents, and now leaned against the stone seemed no different. Injured as he was, Dantes still let out an exhilarated laugh once Alder approached.

“Bout time, what took ya?” 

“You’re faster than I thought.” Alder admitted “Where are they?”

“Ahead,” Dantes gave a slow dip towards the central road, where lights gleaned through dirty windows in many of tiered structures. “Bastards got a hideout or something, tried the door though.”

“And?” 

“Locked, obviously, and they were none too happy about my tryin it.” 

The air around Dantes began to grow thinner, nothing visually changed but Alder still felt an urge to step back. Breathing was becoming difficult and each breathe seemed strained as if pulled through thick oil, but Dantes seemed unaffected by the sudden disappearance of breathable world. Instead Dantes took deep, easy breathes that filled him with small spouts of lively color. The blood slowed its spilling before coming to a halt entirely, and upon inspection moments later the burns had mostly faded aswell. Scars remained however, and with more of the flesh properly colored and healed Alder could see dozen of lines and spock marks strewn about the small opening in the mans clothing.

“Thats… handy…” Alder gasped

“Don’t.” He raised a hand in signal and slowed his steady, rhythmic swallowing. Eventually his breathing returned to a more normal pace and the hand fell. “Sorry, not really something I do around others.”

“I can… See why…” Stepping back had done little to remove Alder from the affected field and as the air rushed back he felt himself drown in the surprising warmth it provided. “You could have warned me atleast.”

“Well…” Dantes shifted his weight and turned away “Anyway, do ye have any ideas?”

“Of how to get in, or who to call for help?” His mind had thrown the suggestions before he’d given them much consideration, and upon hearing his latter offer a new question appeared. “Who are you chasing Dantes?”

“She didn tell ya?” Alders confused expression seemed enough for him “She didn tell ya. Well, short of it is we figured you'd take a while so we took what work we could.”

“And yours involves chasing down tavern patrons for debts they haven't paid?”

“Thats a bit presumptuous, don ya think?”

“Who are they then?” Alder scanned the street for signs of movement, when none appeared he returned to Dantes 

“Deserters, I think. Captain wasn too clear honestly.”

“Captain?” 

“City Guard. Captain needed help with run-aways.”

“And they thought of you.” 

“Oh we are being judgy today!” Dantes said, taking mocking tone 

“I didn’t mean to-”

“Its fine, takes more than a unkempt librarian with a thousand useless questions to bother me.”

“And two men getting the jump on you isn’t on that list?”

“Perhaps it IS the list, and the mere fact I have to explain this is just-” He cut himself short and shook his head, “Amateurs…” 

“Hmm?”

“Look, go on to the front and draw their attention as best you can. I’ll sneak round back and take em out before it gets too serious.”

“Too serious?” Images of Jeanns lazed display during their encounter with the group of Highwaymen bubbled to the surface of his boiling mind. “I think i’m starting to understand why Jeann works with you.”

“Ah, the feelins mutual lad, but for now just focus on the task ahead.”

“How many were there again?”

“Oh, the two originally but i’m not sure how many inside.” Dantes started for an alley nearby before turning “try not to let the arcanists get you, halfers from the feel but they still sting like a banner-wasp.”

“I’ll do my best to remember that, try not to let me die yeah?” 

Dantes gave a wide toothy smile before slipping into the growing shadow of the ignored space, before his heart could beat he was gone and Alder was alone again. Was this his life now? To constantly be paraded from one impossible feat to another, waiting for the inevitable blade finally cut his string? Surely not, surely he could change it, but hindsight gave little in the way of precedent. 

Each time Jeann had dragged him to the precipice he would refute the offer adamantly and retreat, yet somehow each time he’d find himself there alongside the woman. The warrior, the golden haired defender of the Jeweled road, the ruby of the far forts. Her titles were longer than those of the most famous Battle Mages from history, longer even than some Heroes of older myths. Everywhere Jeann stepped, glory and death seemed to spill forth in equal measure. 

Maybe that was why he would so willing throw himself into the dangerous abyss that could await him. Jeann was always able to spark those embers into roaring infernos, metaphorically anyway, especially when she manipulated his own thirst for knowledge. Perhaps understanding ones own flaws can be seen as a strength to some, but Alder only saw it as a source of endless disappoint. A dark cloud with brilliant radiance spilling from behind, begging to escape yet ever restrained. 

She could use his love of mystery, of adventure, of intrigue and weave her words well enough to spin his poor head around and around until Alder was little more than a willing soldier under her command. It filled him with exhilaration to have a purpose, a goal to strive to, something to keep his mind working; but he never thought on the actions much after. They were small breaks in an otherwise ever peaceful existence. They seemed so strange in comparison, two vast peaks connected only by their incredible distance from one another.  

“Is that why i’m here now?” Alder said aloud “My desire to chase mysteries driving me to listen to the hasty plans of a burglar I barely know? Face a hoard of halfers and bandits for what? An answer to the question of “whats going on here?” so important i’m willing to die here?”

He should leave. He should turn back and return to the keep, return to the books and the study. He needed to find an answer to Elizabeths possession, he needed answers for how to help her and he surely wasn’t going to find those answers in a gutter, dead. He could ignore the whole situation and walk away, surely Dantes would be fine. He could turn around and let the daft fool throw himself into the waiting clutches of an armed crowd of… deserters? Were they deserters? And if so, then deserters from where? The expansion line against the desert, or maybe the Ugup had lost a few guards? Why would they be here of all places? Alder stepped out from behind the wall, his safe barrier between sanity and stupidity that seemed to grow less secure with each day, and calmly made for the street Dantes had indicated.

The door was old and rotted along the edges, though the hinges seemed new, shining in the flickering lights of the street lamps. Scorch marks from sudden blasts of heat cast contrast to the surean features of the unblemished stones, and by the time Alder reached the door of the third building from the right he knew he was in the right place. Standing at the base of the three steps leading up, Alder again realized his lack of an actual plan. This time he nearly laughed aloud, his stupidity was growing humorous at this point. 

With less hesitation than he’d have expected, Alder climbed the pittance of steps to the rotted wooden door and knocked three times. Inside he heard the shuffling of feet and the obvious sounds of crashing furniture, they were hiding now and getting into position. Moments later only the sounds of slow, methodical footsteps could be heard making their way to the door. It creaked open slowly and only allowed a small snip of light to breach in. The face was pale and it eyes were sunken but it wore a hard expression as it stood behind its barrier.

“What.” 

“I’m Alder, a Pere. I’m here to ask you a few questions and assist in taking you in.”

Silence.

“Say that again.”

“I’m Alder, a Pere of Mehonoris. Under contract currently to assist in the removal of a curse on the Komtesse Elizabeth.”

The door creaked open, revealing two figures immediately; both were men, but while one was armed with a crossbow the other simply watched. 

“What do you want with us then?” The taller man, a Hiander from his burly frame and tusked face, stood to the side and casually fiddled with a long metal rod. The other man was shorter and distinctively Marda. Thinner frame, short body, and piercing eyes. They didn’t all come like this, but most of the worst shared the same look. 

“I’m supposed to help apprehend you both, ideally alive.”

“That a threat?” The mardan man asked harshly, tightening his grip on the crossbows frame. 

“Easy boy,” The Hiander raise his arm slowly and made to lower the bow “Kill him, don’t. We’re dead either way. Maybe he can help.”

“Help?!” The younger man looked over alder with such disdain that it was almost palpable. “You wanta go back there?”

“No. But killing this man won’t help. He isn’t like that other one.” with an easy expression he turned to face Alder. “I am Zunyo, the boy is Nungiha.”

“Zunyo, Nungiha… Gehenian names? So you are actually deserters then.”

“Deserter! That was a betrayal! We lost-”

“Nungiha!” The boy shrunk back but managed to retain his posture. “Yes we are Pere. We were taken prisoner and lead to believe that we were meant to be offerings for something. Now, my turn.”

The words were difficult to parse at the speed Zunyo spoke, especially with the two bottom tusks, but Alder hung on every syllable and floundered at the mans abrupt shift. 

“Your turn?”

  “You ask, I answer. I ask, you answer. Fair?” 

“Yes?”

“Good, then get inside.” 

With a tight grip, Alder was thrust into the multilevel buildings bottom floor and stuck between two criminals each armed and willing to kill. The training in his mind screamed to grab a weapon, to prepare to fight, but with a deep inhale he brushed the thought aside. Stupidity or not, he was once more in a precarious situation that had suprisingly turned out somewhat in his favor. Surely there was no harm in pushing his luck any further.

“So then,” Zunyo began “Are you alone?”

“Well, no actually.”

“I told you!” Nungiha shouted and raised the crossbow again. “Someone will be here soon, and we’ll die! We should have killed him at the door.”

“We knew this already Giha, lower that. I will not tell you again. Pere, how many?”

“Two,” Alder said. “Myself and another named Dantes.”

“Silver Shade. Hmmm.”

“Silver… Shade? Thats his title?”

“You don’t know his name? You’re working TOGETHER, no?” Nungiha mocked 

“That was two questions Zunyo,” Alder ignored the well armed child to the best of his ability, “my turn. Why are you running? And what was it that you were meant to be sacrificed to?”

“Demons.” Nungiha muttered “But not ones of this world.”

“We fled, Pere, because we didn’t wish to die. Nungiha is right as well, whatever it was that we were meant to feed… It was…” Zunyo paused to breathe, a sudden fear slipping into the Hianders eyes. “Its skin moved... It was so dark that without the constant movement of its… skin, it never would have been found.”

“Demons with shifting skin?” Alder furrowed his brow in thought. “What else? Was there something else that made it stand out as something from another world?”

The two men blinked in surprise. 

“Other than the-”

“Yes, other than the skin.”

Nungiha lowered the crossbow and nodded weakly. “There was something else. Zunyo hadn’t found me yet, but it did something… strange? It felt like… like I was being pressed into the world.”

“Were there others around? Were they similarly affected?”

“I don’t know if it hurt the others, but most fell like I did.”

“By the time I found him, half of his team had been crushed and eaten.” Zunyo added

“Hmmm.” Alder strode across the room and took a seat at a nearby table. With a quick hand he retrieved both a small leather journal and a thin piece of Raphina for writing. He’d have preferred a quil and ink or any other form of writing instrument, as the Raphina was terribly brittle and could be difficult to use legibly, but it was the cheapest and fastest to use. With steady hands he began to transcribe the details of the creature, making notations in quick snips with speculation as the ideas screamed for recognition. 

“What are you doing?” Nungiha asked. The pair had followed shortly behind with more curiosity in their eyes at this strange Pere than fear over any action Alder may take. 

“Just making sure I don’t forget anything. Memory isn’t as safe as you’d think.” 

“What are you going to do with us then? Let us go?”

“Perhaps we may die by the Silver Shade.”

“Ideally I don’t want to kill either of you, and I’d prefer Dantes not either; but no I can’t let you go.”

“So we are to go willingly?” Nungiha scoffed “We could kill you and run. This “Silver Shade” hasn’t shown himself yet, no ones going to save you.” 

“Giha-”

“You’re right.” Alder said. He turned his head to meet Nungihas eyes, staring deeply into the expression the boy wore. He was young, but he was a killer. Or atleast he had the presence of it, and he used to be a soldier too. Young as he was combat was common along the enforced border, most grew accustomed to the shock and mental damage the acts would cause, but he didn’t see that in him now. So Alder turned his back to the pair and continued working. “You could kill me right now. I’m not even trying to resist, so why don’t you?” 

The scratching of the rough pages meeting the soft Raphina was all that kept the silence at bay. Alder heard a shuffling of footsteps and the shaky breathing of strain, reflexively he tensed his back and prepared for the bolt that would end his stupidity. Nothing came. 

When his work was finished, Alder returned the pair of items to their places and stood. Surprisingly Nungiha still held the crossbow in a shaky position, now aimed at Alders heart. He froze momentarily and tried to plan his next steps, when a sudden thought popped into his head. 

“Isn’t there supposed to be a group of you?”

“I-” Zunyo was cut off by the sounds of a door opening and the form of Dantes filling its frame. 

“There was a group, but you all seemed so busy. Din’t wanta bother you lot.”

“Dantes?”

“Silver Shade.” Zunyo muttered

Alder saw the sudden fear in Nungihas eyes return and the boy spun around on instinct, crossbow drawn and ready. Dantes froze at the sight and reached for something along his side, a thin shimmering of a dagger caught the light. Alder launched forward and wrenched the bow from the boys grip before stepping between the two. 

“Dantes, easy. They don’t want to put up a fight, they said as such.”

“But-” Nungiha started, but Zunyo silenced him with a firm grip on the wrist. 

“We will go.” Zunyo said. His face was hard and unflinching. “We will not fight,”

“See?”

“Fine.” Dantes sheathed the blade and sighed. “Just wan’ed some fun.”

“Where will they take us?” Nungiha asked

“Usually,” Dantes said “Deserters of’ the noose, but the lot of ya ‘ill likely just get prison at the capital.”

“Capital prison?”

“On the Conflict Border?” Zunyo asked

“Capital.” Dantes groaned “Cap-it-al. Wan’ I repeat again?”

“You’ll be far from the conflict.” Alder said “actual prison and not psuedo torture and ritual sacrafice. Not great, but…”

“You don’ got any other options.” Dantes said. Alder shot the man a glare but he only smirked in return. 

“Better than death. If thats worth anything.” 

Nungiha and Zunyo shared a moment of silence, Nungiha seemed ready to run at any moment but Zunyo seemed… calm. Zunyo slowly reached for the Nungihas shoulder and gripped it firmly, giving him a look of disappointment. 

“We will come.” Zunyo said firmly. “Both of us.”

Dantes sighed again and produced a pair of handcuffs made from thick silver and embedded with a single gem. Scratches of words and letterings surrounded the gem in a circular pattern.

“You got them?” Boulin rested against the bar of the local tavern he preferred and finished another tankard of amber ale. “Without me?”

“Well I had someone else drop in.” Dantes griped as he saddled up alongside the man on another stool.

“Oh? Who- Alder? What are you doing out of the Keep?”

“Apprently the lad wan’ed a bit of adventure.”

“I needed to speak with Jeann, but the Pere Hall told you’d all left a few days ago. I figured i’d try and find you all, but I happened upon Dantes rather quickly.”

“Lucky he did, huh Dantes.”

Dantes ignored the pair and ordered.

“So how many dead?”

“None.” Dantes said

“None?”

“I know we didn’t kill two,” Alder said “but you didn’t kill any of the rest?” 

“Poor fools. All crowdin roun’ the door and tryin listen to what was goin on down below. By the time I cracked open the window they’d already grouped up. Easy ta knock em out after that.”

“Huh.” 

“Gotta say, thats a bit surprising.” Boulin said “What was happening downstairs?”

“Him.” Dantes pointed to Alder and pinched his brow. “Never met a man more obsessed with his own voice.” 

Alders face reddened “I just talked to the pair downstairs. I tried to see if i could get them to come to reason.”

“And?”

“Well… It kinda worked?”
“An now we got six prisoners headed to the Capital for trial.” 

“Good day then?”

Dantes groaned again and began to drink as Boulin and Alder laughed. 

“So where is Jeann anyway?”

“Brothel I believe.” Boulin said. Alder coughed and gagged on his drink.

“What?” 

“Yeah thats normally where she stays if she isn’t at the Pere Hall.”

“Why?”

“Jeann?” Boulin said.

“Secon’ed” Dantes added.

“Great.” Alder said. “Which one then? I’m guessing theres a few in town.”

“Forbidden Nook I think? Hidden Crook?”

“Shes at the Hidden Nook.” Dantes said. “Forbidden Crooks the one she got kicked out of.”

“Oh, thats right.”

“Jeann got kicked out of a Brothel? Here? When?”

“Long time back,” Boulin said “Got in a fight with the owner over… something. I can’t remember.”

“She didn’t like the wine.” Dante’s offered “too cheap for her.” 

“Ah, thats what it was.” Boulin murmured “the damnation she raised that day.”

“Have you all worked with her long?”

“Spose so.” Dantes said “Pulled me from a few, threw me in a couple more”

“About the same here. Worked with her on and off for years now.”

“What bout you?” Dantes asked

“Academy. We went against each other in a few tourneys. She always won of course, but she took a liking to me I guess. We worked together a few times too, but not after she committed to her position in the Imperial Military. I hadn’t really seen much of her since.”

“Huh,” Dantes sighed “So not in love?”

“What?!” Alders shocked expression drew a laugh from the pair.

“Easy now lad, just a wager.” Boulin chuckled “Dantes, if you’d be so kind.”

Dantes produced a small pouch of jangling coins and tossed them towards his companion, Boulin caught the pouch with ease smiling all the while.

“What is it with you all and betting?”

“S’not really something I can explain. You just gotta…” 

“Don’t worry, you’ll get a feel for it eventually.”

“I don’t know that I want too.”

The Hidden Nook was positioned in a comfortable plaza across from an eclectic range of shops and vendors, placed perfectly at an angle to stare out over the Plaza and its occupants. The building itself was several floors tall and quite a ways wide, though it held no comparison to the Pere Hall. A pair of ornate doors sat atop a wide staircase ascending from Plazas groundlevel, and up to the Hidden Nooks entrance. Inside was similarly detailed and stocked with all manor of trinkets and trophies, all masquerading as dressing for an otherwise debaucherous locale. 

“Mm. You’re rather cute.” A voice whispered. It drew out the final word to a near point, before continuing “is there something we can help you with?”

Alder found the voice in the possession of a tall woman of exceeding beauty and overflowing admiration. Her eyes seemed transfixed on something within him, something animalistic that lay within. It made him feel a bit uneasy, and meeting her gaze seemed to be an impossible task. Instead he coughed and turned to look around.

“This location is lovely.” Alder offered. “Wonderful view over the Plaza and all.”

The woman laughed. She drew a finger to her chin and inspected Alder with those same, ravenous eyes. “Yes. It is lovely indeed. Its even lovelier from one of our rooms.”

Alder choked and did his best to wave the prospect. “No, no. I’m sorry. I’m here to see Jeann, shes-”

“Oh! You must be Alder. She told me you’d be coming, sorry for the hard sell. I’m Nilestria, owner of the place.” She extended her hand in a very cordial way and grasped Alders for quick shake, before turning away. “This way then.”

“What?” Alder rushed to catch up to the quickly fading figure. “You’re the owner? Why would you be at the front door?”

“To make sure that the customers we let in are of a certain quality. I can’t have people coming in and damaging all our hard work, worse yet if they might hurt any of my people.” Nilestria strode through the wide halls and past the occasional man or woman. They’d share a knowing nod before returning to their prospective client. Clothing became less and less present the further they passed, until eventually Alder was led to a large staircase in the back.

“Up there?”

Nilestria nodded.

“Is she…?” 

Nilestria smiled and walked away, waving a hand in dismissal before saying “It was a pleasure Alder. Don’t let Jeann get you killed, i’m sure we can find someone around here for you so try and stay alive until then.”