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Adventures of Dusty Yote, Part II

Chapter 10 - Through the Concolor Pass

7899 words

Dusty woke up early in the morning, almost before dawn. He had a small roll of bread and a few pieces of meat left over from the previous night's meal, and ate those as he went through his pack one more time and belted up a small bedroll for himself on top. He checked and double-checked his rations, equipment, and extra clothes. He closed his door and headed out.

His first stop was to the post office, where he dropped off a letter to Brother Thomas in the mail slot. The mouse had already agreed to check over the house while Dusty was out just the other day but the coyote liked the note for a written reminder. He then went to the middle of the plaza to the water pump and drew out a little water to fill a skin to carry at his side. Assured that he was now ready, he finally headed out to the eastern edge of town where, two days ago, he had agreed to meet Kuroga and head out for Domasis.

The sun was just barely poking out over the horizon when Dusty reached the edge of town. He saw Kuroga leaning up against one of the buildings at the entrance. The lion gave a huge yawn, then quickly stifled it when he saw the coyote arriving. His eyes still seemed a little tired but already a spark of energy had shown itself as he saw Dusty coming closer. The coyote almost wanted to ask him about it, but he kept silent.

"Are you ready?" Kuroga said.

Dusty shifted his pack on his shoulders. "Truthfully, no. But I can't think of any other way."

The lion came over and gently placed a paw on his shoulder. "It's okay," he said gently. "You're about to see new things and people and places. It's alright to be a little nervous. But we'll take it easy. One step at a time, alright? I promise I won't lead you astray."

Dusty nodded. It did feel better with the lion there, and at least he wasn't going alone.

Kuroga smiled. "Let me know if you feel uncomfortable, okay? We can always take a moment to stop and let you digest before we keep going."

"I'll be alright," Dusty said. "I... feel better with you here."

Kuroga nodded. "Okay. We'll still be in Irilian for a couple days, at least. I'll explain the route as we get started. Our easiest jumping-off point will actually be Reeve's hideout, so we'll start there."

This, at least, was familiar territory. They walked outside of town until it had just disappeared before heading north-east over the small hills. Reeve's territory was in a small valley and they dropped down before heading around back of the fortress. No rat disturbed them and they were soon heading up a gently-sloping path between two hills. Every once in a while Kuroga stopped and sniffed around as though to check for suspicious followers, but apparently found nothing and they headed on.

After a couple of hours meandering through the hills they came to a pond that was filled by a small stream. Ahead of them on the same path the forest started and, on a hill off to their right, they saw part of Whitewater. They took a quick break by the pool to catch their breath and take a drink from the clear water, then they were off again.

The path was a little more straightforward now as Kuroga stayed close to the stream on the south side. The north was rocky and uneven, and soon the north edge bordered a cliff that was at least thirty feet high of almost smooth rock. They clambered up with the gentler flow on the south side, then crossed to the north after the cliff came down and the stream was still shallow.

Keeping to the north side of the stream now, they eventually took another break as the stream combined with a larger river that went almost directly south. They stopped to pick at some of their rations and took another drink of water with the cool mountain stream, and set down their bags for a rest under a tree. The rest was short and soon they were continuing northeast, passing up through a vale mostly empty of trees but almost completely surrounded by forest. It wasn't for a while that Dusty recognized where he was, and only by the appearance of a small cairn that seemed familiar.

"I met someone up here," Dusty said.

Kuroga, a few paces ahead, gave an interested "oh?" but didn't turn around. The lion was plotting a trail and Dusty was sure his face was looking ahead and making sure he was on the right path. But he did see the ears flick back in his direction through the large mane.

"Do you know a jackrabbit named Conrad Harrison?" Encouraged by an interested grunt from the lion, Dusty continued. "He lives up in a little valley to the north of us. Apparently he was about to head out east and see a tutor for magic. He called it 'emotive sorcery'."

A longer hum of thought. "Ah, okay, I do remember him. A Whitewater native who went up with Reeve a few years' back. And 'emotive sorcery' is what the others have wielded, too. It's all the same, and you'll be able to learn plenty about it all up in Domasis." He turned around to look at Dusty. "How did you find out about him?"

"He's actually a friend of one of the Order's acolytes in Riverwood," Dusty replied. "The acolyte is a long-time friend of mine, and apparently he was of the impression that Conrad was going up to study magical history."

"They are quite proficient at that up there, too," Kuroga said. "Emotive sorcery has very ancient roots. It comes from the old witchcraft of Ushtani and Marrakhan societies. Combine with some modern sensibilities and a much more rigorous training and focus, and you have sorcery as known by ninety percent of the continent."

"Huh," Dusty mused.

"If you don't mind me asking, how much does your Order friend know about the 'beasts'?"

"A bit naive, to be quite honest," Dusty said. "But I can't tell for sure. Sometimes he seems to follow the rest of the Order's thinking that magic is associated with the beasts. And yet I've trusted him with my exploits more than our Reverend, and the fact that he supported Conrad in heading up to Domasis is far more than most of our church. Our reverend is... a bit pessimistic about undoing corruption, to put it lightly."

Kuroga nodded. "You know what the church thinks of how the corruption is spread, right?"

"Through messing around with powers not pure, and steeping oneself in vices instead of virtues. A common standing of the Order is that outside powers cause corruption by not being sanctified, and that one's negative personalities can feed into those powers and corrupt them."

"To a certain extent, they are correct. There are portions of emotive sorcery that do harm to one magically, and portions of personality that can lead one to corruption. But they are not definite causes of it. Take Reeve and his group, for example. I've been among the group a few times now, and really they're decent company if you get to know them. But Whitewater considers them a plague and a pestilence, sometimes simply because they're outsiders, sometimes because they're just rats, and sometimes for both. Which side is more corrupt, then, in their thinking?"

Dusty's ears flattened. "Then what do they think of someone like me? Last time I was in Whitewater, it felt like I was beneath them. But coyotes don't have the same sorts of reputation that rats do. I usually hear good things about us; we're resourceful, intelligent, witty, and full of unusual guile."

"Try 'tricksters, tellers of tall tales, deceitful, and conniving'," Kuroga said. "Not to mention dirty and uncouth if there's any comparison to wolves. Lowest of the dogs, including foxes, with nothing much to recommend them. I would assume those were some of the prejudices they had to you last time you visited."

"Not everyone is that way, assuredly," Dusty said. "I never felt that way when I went up to the capital for my Hunters' Guild examination."

"Some places mask it better than others," Kuroga said. "Irilian has a bunch of political heads in it that want to be seen as letting everyone have a fair chance. In truth, I doubt they actually let many of your kind come in there. If you had stayed a month or so, I guarantee you may have only run into one other coyote, and seen wolves and foxes of all kinds more than coyotes."

"So what other 'low' species are there?"

"Raccoons, opossums, and skunks are the heaviest of the lot. Coyotes can blend a little better in Riverwood and so there's not as many on the outskirts. But none of those species do well in Whitewater. If you ask me, Riverwood may well be one of the more truly egalitarian and democratic cities in the entire kingdom. But I wouldn't be surprised if there's some seedy undercurrents there, either, considering most of its trade is run by the nobles who house themselves in Whitewater."

Dusty had to consider that one for a moment. "Huh... it never occurred to me that my species could be used against me. Or else that one could discriminate against species so heavily. My time in the church taught me to consider all our fellow two-legs as neighbors, and to treat each with the same respect and decency."

"If only more actually kept that lesson," Kuroga said sadly with a shake of his head. "In all likelihood, you heard that in chapel when you were a pup, and are one of the few to keep that going into adulthood. Most of them, it gets beaten out by politics or unwritten societal standards and stereotypes." Kuroga looked back to Dusty with a smile. "Keep that faith, though. It's worth more than the teachings of most of your reverends."

They spoke no more on that subject as they continued. Instead, Kuroga asked Dusty to regale him with tales of his previous exploits within the Order. While it wasn't much, mostly guarding the town and dealing with a few odd cases, Dusty was able to pick a few stories of interest. Kuroga now slowed down so they could walk and talk, and the rest of the day was passed enjoyably well.

They eventually came to a large waterfall at the northeastern part of the vale. Now Kuroga turned north-by-northeast and found another little valley that sloped upwards. They continued talking as they headed into the little pass and continued upwards. After another few hours in this direction, the ground evened out and the sun started to go down. They made a camp just where a clear path through the underbrush became visible, and chose a hollow under a large oak tree.

They set up their bedrolls and made a small fire, eating a portion of their rations as Kuroga was assured they'd be able to restock in Maran. They set up a watch system where they would sleep a few hours and watch a few hours, taking two shifts over the course of the night. Dusty said he could take first shift, but Kuroga declared the coyote would need the more rest for dealing with customs at the border, and insisted he take first watch. Dusty didn't argue with him, and let the lion stay up, going to sleep as the lion leaned up against the tree and whistled a small tune to himself.

---

The night passed uneventfully. When morning came, Dusty made a small fire to heat up their breakfast. Kuroga slept until almost an hour after sunrise and was quiet and surprisingly sullen until he'd gotten his things together and eaten something. With that he was back to his usual demeanor, and soon they had packed up their camp and set out on the main road now visible to them.

Without having to do much in terms of navigation, they were able to make their way along a bit quicker than before and now walked side-by-side. The road traveled through pine forests that still had a bit of early spring chill remaining in the wind that blew by, and they continued heading upwards. The road became smoother and wider and Dusty noticed that offshoots could be seen coming from east and west. Despite their being no one else on the trail with them it almost was growing into a major roadway comparable to the capital road.

"How many people come to Maran, usually?" Dusty asked.

"Not a lot," Kuroga said. "But it's one of the more direct routes to the capital of Domasis."

"I'm surprised the path does not continue down to Whitewater or Riverwood."

"They expected it to. It just didn't pan out. It only remains because what few settled down here use it as a way up. There's a small village just west of here that gets more from Maran and Domasis than it does from Riverwood or Irilian, despite being in Irilian proper. So this portion of the road gets used, where the way down to Riverwood doesn't."

After a while, the forests disappeared and they were left with a large clearing. The land also flattened and they found themselves in the middle of a sort of high plain area with hills sloping down on three sides and walled off by mountains at the far edge. Just at the base of the mountains, Dusty could see a small city that the road was leaning towards, and figured they must be approaching Maran.

Even with the early start and clear air on the high plain they still stopped at a small copse of trees for lunch. After lunch they ended up walking another two miles before hitting the farmlands that surrounded the main city on the Irilian-side of the border town. As they approached, Dusty could see a large wall, perhaps ten or twelve feet high and crenelated on the side facing Irilian. In the middle were two towers, one bearing the Irilian standard of a silver star on a blue background, and the other bearing a golden flame upon a dark purple background, what Dusty could only assume was the standard for Domasis.

They came into town shortly after midday. Dusty could see more flags either hung or painted onto buildings all over the place as though denoting which side owned what building. Kuroga barely paused as he took them to a building marked with the Domasis standard labeled "Customs Office".

"You'll have to answer a few questions," Kuroga said. "I'm going with to vouch for you."

"Because of my Order status?" Dusty asked.

"That, and because I need to fill out some paperwork to be your guide," Kuroga said. "Hopefully it shouldn't take too long. Just let me do the talking for now. Like I said, they tend to be stricter with the Order, usually."

They entered the building to find a couple of secretaries and a few guards in purple and gold armor. Kuroga approached the raccoon secretary at the open desk.

"Miss, my name is Kuroga Asteran and I am traveling with Master Dusty Yote of the Order of the Holy Sacrament. We would like entry into the kingdom of Domasis; I am to be Master Yote's escort and guard while he visits."

The raccoon nodded, looked through a few files on her desk, then went and pulled out a few sheets of paper. "You're gonna fill this form D-5, then, stating you're his escort. Master Yote has special clearance but we will need to just fill out a bit of information at the bottom of that form."

Kuroga looked over the sheets he was given. "Just the one section? I thought he'd have to fill out D-14 for entrance because he's an Order member."

"Master Yote assisted in the fulfillment of the bounty set on Zemeya the mad serpent by the republic of Domasis for reckless and corruptive use of power. We received word about this shortly after, and he has been granted clearance. You are, however, to lead him to the capital and report to the Steward at your earliest convenience, as she wishes to speak with him about it privately."

Kuroga blinked. "Oh... very well. I'll just fill this one out, then."

Kuroga took the form and a pencil and they walked over to one of the standing desks on the wall. Dusty saw little of the form other than he had to sign his name officially declaring Kuroga Asteran to be his escort and companion for the duration of his stay. He had to enter checkpoints with Kuroga in each city that they traveled to, and signed a waiver that basically said he couldn't call on his Order as part of a legal defense within the kingdom; that right was determined by the powers of Domasis.

"I don't much like that," he said quietly.

"It's not a popular law," Kuroga said. "Even the locals think it's intrusive. But they don't want to give the church that much power."

When Kuroga had finished signing all the forms, he turned them back in to the raccoon who looked over the papers. Assured that everything had been signed and filled out correctly, she went over and stamped the top sheet before handing the set back to Kuroga. They were told to head over to the gates and show it to the guard at the border. A special pin was also given to Dusty that signified his status as a guest: a circular one with a golden flame engraved on it. He pinned it to the outside of his armor alongside his Hunters Guild badge.

They walked out and entered into a small line, where they were called up group by group to see if they could enter. Once or twice someone was turned away, and Dusty noticed a whole group was turned away purely because they had someone in a cleric's habit from the Church of the Holy Cross. They were told to get special papers or to come back with someone who could function as an escort. Dusty was almost mad at it, but kept his tongue and stayed close to Kuroga, figuring he would not get this chance again.

Finally a guard called them up. Kuroga showed them the papers and Dusty showed the pin he'd received. The guard took a moment to make sure everything was signed correctly before adding a second stamp and rolling the whole thing up with a wax seal and a yellow tassel. Kuroga was given the document to hold and keep as a visa, to show the documents to the people at the checkpoints until further notice was given, and they were allowed to pass through the archway and into Domasis.

Already it was evening, and the guards on the other side were able to direct them to an open tavern for the night. Dusty followed Kuroga over to the two-floor tavern, the Winding Way, and they purchased a room and meals. It was still early, so they set out for the town square on the Domasis side to purchase a cloak - Kuroga insisted Dusty get one before they traveled up through Concolor Pass.

"We're almost into summer," Dusty said. "I likely won't need it once we get down the other side."

"Maybe," Kuroga acquiesced. "But we're gonna be by the sea most of the time we're in Domasis. The mountains are close to the sea here, and the northern seas can get pretty cold and rainy even through the next month or so. I'd rather be careful."

"How much further do we have to go to the capital after this?" Dusty asked.

"One day to cross the pass, then two days from the town at the other side to the capital by the sea." Kuroga found a black cloak that fit Dusty well enough and looked around for the trader. "And let me tell you now so you're not constantly surprised: there's gonna be a lot of people in Domasis who know and might be practicing all kinds of emotive sorcery, including types that Zemeya had. Just don't stare too much, okay?"

Dusty nodded. "Admittedly, when I said I wanted to find the source, I didn't expect to be going to a whole hive of it."

"It is what you wanted, though." He turned to Dusty with a cheeky grin. "Though now, I can't tell if that's something kinky you got in your brain or some actual desire to figure out how to deal with it."

Dusty meant to respond, but thought better of it.

Kuroga purchased the cloak and they headed back to the inn for dinner.

---

The next morning the two took a quick breakfast at the inn then headed through town to the base of the pass trail. The trail went almost straight out of the main road of Maran for about half a mile before turning into a set of switchbacks. Dusty could see the top of the first set and how the path led into a long, winding trail next to steep drops before turning out of sight.

They were not the only ones setting out that early. A few other groups were also getting ready to take on the pass, including a set in rather strange-looking robes and another in more elaborate silks and one or two turbans similar to Kuroga's puffy cloth cap but decorated with jewels and feathers. "The robes are likely from Marrakhan, off to the far east, while the silks and turbans are from Ushtani to the south-east," Kuroga explained. "I wonder who the turban is, as that's usually either for religious or high-status. You'll see a lot more once we get over the pass; Domasis is something of a cultural mish-mash in places."

Despite leaving almost in tandem with the two other groups, Dusty and Kuroga quickly drew to the front of the pack. They kept pace up the steep switchbacks, but when the lane evened out, the two quickly left the rest of the travelers behind. It was not long before they were passing behind and well over the city of Maran and heading west along the trail to a distant promontory.

As they ascended, the wind became chillier and even at mid-morning there remained a bite in the air. It was not strong but constant and seemed to pierce through even Dusty's leather armor and underclothing. Dusty and Kuroga stopped for a moment at the promontory to take a quick drink and to wrap their cloaks before continuing.

They rounded a small peak and came up almost ten feet above the old path and already ascending fast again. No snow remained on the mountains, but it was still very bare here outside of the grass, and Dusty wished for some cover of bushes or trees or even stone to block the wind coming from the pass.

Kuroga even felt the same. "I hope the wind either settles down or there's some sort of cave at the top of the pass," the lion said, taking off his cap and putting it in his pack so it wouldn't blow away. "I wanted to stop there for lunch and admire the view, but this is ridiculous."

Nevertheless, they continued on. Moving seemed to warm them up more than the increasing sun did, and without good cover it was best to keep going. The trail continued up in alternating increasing and level sections now, giving the lion and coyote a chance to run at one and ascend as much as they could, only to level out when they were about to lose steam. Together they charged the hills one by one, gaining a new boost of steam as they approached the summit.

Finally they rounded another hill and the path turned northwards between two large peaks. A newer stone building with a thickly-thatched roof stood at the crest, and behind it the road turned downwards. Kuroga sighed in delight.

"Ah, yes, they finally finished building the rest stop here," he said. "I wondered when they would get around to finishing it; they hadn't the last time I came through."

Dusty was unable to dignify that with an answer. He'd never been up so high in the mountains before and was not used to the thinner air, though arguably it was not much worse than down below. But he was thankful for the idea of a rest in a well-insulated building out of the wind and cold, and gave Kuroga a thumbs-up.

The two hurried onward and went up to try the door of the shelter. It opened easily and it was only afterwards that Dusty read the plaque on the door: "Summit of Concolor Pass - shelter and rest stop available for all to use. Keep yourself and your time here tidy." There were benches and tables, and even a small room off to the side with a few small beds for sleeping in. There wasn't much in terms of storage and not even a fireplace, but at least it was insulated and there were some warm blankets in a chest next to the benches.

"No view, unfortunately," Kuroga said, "but at least it's blocked off from the wind and we have our good cloaks with us. Come on, let's sit in the corner over here so we're not in the way and get ourselves some lunch. We'll be heading down into Domasis proper now; Dormian is at the bottom of the pass."

They found one of the more comfortable benches and took one of the blankets to spread out for cushion. They pulled out their rations and each had a bit of dried meat, fruit, and large and thick crackers, along with water from their skins. Only one other made it as fast as they had, what to Dusty looked like a lithe and gangling spotted cat who went into the room and almost immediately set to sleep on one of the beds.

"How are you feeling right now?" Kuroga asked. "You seem a little out of breath."

"In more than one way," Dusty admitted. The break was needed and the food and water seemed to help ease his lungs. "This is the most intensive bit of exercise I've done in a while now. I've also never been this far up into the mountains, nor ever gone outside of Irilian before. In truth, it is somewhat overwhelming."

Kuroga smiled. "You are keeping up well with an experienced wanderer over odd surfaces, and that's something to be proud of. And if you're worried about it being too different from Irilian, it really isn't going to be unless you go searching for it. Which you are, but even then, most of it is going to be similar to what you already know."

Dusty chuckled a bit. "Really, it's more the whole process of all the questioning regarding the Order. And the idea that I'll have to face the Steward soon after arriving is not exactly promising."

"They mentioned Zemeya back at the Customs Office and he was quite the menace." Kuroga leaned back on the bench. "I bet they're gonna be happy you did it and want to know how. They don't like it much if someone breaks the ethical codes that much or gets corrupted by it, either."

"It's good to know there's at least some commonality there," Dusty said. "But I won't be at ease until I hear whatever it is from the steward's mouth. The apprehension is often worse than the judgment itself, after all."

"Very true," Kuroga said with a belly-shaking laugh. "We'll ease you into it, but you'll probably like Domasis once we get down there and you get to know the place. For now, eat a little more for the way down. We'll rest a bit more here and should be able to make it to Dormian before nightfall."

---

The two rested at the summit for about an hour. Dusty, thankful for the break after the more grueling climb than his normal, had willingly taken a quick nap once they had finished eating. Kuroga also seemed grateful for it and even he looked refreshed once Dusty had woken up. He made sure all his gear was in order, they folded up the blanket they had used back in the chest, and headed out once again.

While they were still high up, Dusty took a moment to survey the lands of Domasis. The kingdom seemed mostly protected by high mountains on the southern edge, both a great natural protection from invaders and a way of trapping rain-clouds from going south so that the land was bright and green and fertile. Most of the mountain base was covered in forests, but as the land sloped to the sea in the north the trees faded. The trees themselves gradually changed from pines and firs and oak to laurel and maple, the bushes from wild berries to scrub brush and ferns and longer grass.

"It won't take us long to reach Domasis," Kuroga said. "We take the northeast path straight out of Dormian and it should lead us there in just two days. But Domasis itself is a big city, and if we were to see everything there is to see it would take us a few days."

"I admit I am torn between completing my mission directly and returning to Irilian or exploring this new place," Dusty said. "Duty brings me here; interest and intrigue compel me to stay around for a while, at least."

"The longer you stay, the more of the whole picture you would get," Kuroga said. "Of course, it is not good to shirk your duties, but two weeks or so would give you both good time to study and good time to rest. There are many places I remember that are quite peaceful and revitalizing even within the city, and it would be good to visit them."

"What sort of places were they?" Dusty asked.

"Public gardens and plazas," Kuroga said. "There are museums and galleries also open to viewing, historical and artistic delights to the eye. There are, of course, also a few townhouses and theaters that are always worth a look."

Dusty blinked. "I'm surprised. Most hunters, mercenaries, or even Order members that I've usually been in contact with would wonder if there is something bawdy around that they would be able to 'relieve' themselves at. You are the first one I've met who has no interest."

"Do you?" Kuroga raised an eyebrow.

"I cannot imagine the pleasure taken from someone who is sweating out the interest under lecherous gazes, nor that of the person who is merely raising someone up on a pedestal like an idol that cannot truly respond back to them."

Kuroga chuckled. "Suffice it to say, for me, neither my mind nor my body want to waste time on someone I would rather not want to see again, much less someone who was made uncomfortable by my presence."

Dusty shrugged. "I know some of them like the attention, though that is not my place to say."

"Then they are the rule and I am the exception."

The downhill climb was easier, and even taking it at less of a run than uphill they had gravity on their side and it felt quicker. There were fewer switchbacks here and the slope was more gradual, not to mention winding as it snaked around hills; Dusty guessed they would make more headway north than they had from Maran to the summit of the pass. The wind also calmed as they descended into a forested valley, but even then the air smelled cleaner here, cooled and freshened from the sea.

Finally they ducked into a set of trees and entered the mainland forests of Domasis. The path widened out and was quite clear with markers every few meters. The ground leveled out significantly, and aside from a few scattered hills was flatter than the path up to Maran had been. The two broke into a trot as they headed along to the other edge of the valley. The road was calm, and they only passed the occasional traveler moving in the opposite direction.

They entered the town of Dormian in the early evening. It was larger than Maran and reminded Dusty vaguely of Riverwood, though the streets seemed a little cleaner and the houses just a little more planned-out. Wide and clear avenues broke off into smaller streets that went into small neighborhoods or private plazas off the main boulevards. Even here the coyote could see signs for art galleries and botanical gardens nearby.

They made their way down the main entrance path until they came to a wood-and-stone building marked "Visitor's Checkpoint". "We should stop in here first," Kuroga said. "Apart from needing you to check-in, they might know where we can find food and shelter for tonight."

They entered the building and found it laid out in a similar fashion to the Custom's Office back in Maran. Kuroga approached the counter with Dusty - who showed his pin - and the lion showed the sealed documents. They were made to sign a logbook of sorts before someone summoned a golden orb and spoke into it, which then shot off the window.

"That's a message orb," Kuroga explained. "Believe it or not, it belongs to the same field of sorcery as Zemeya's was."

They were instructed to sit on a bench off to the side while they waited for a response. The clerks needed to wait for a response before giving them any information. Dusty pulled out a prayer book and Kuroga took to polishing his buckler shield. But they hadn't been sitting long before another golden orb came through and they were called back over.

The message had been received with haste and they were cleared to continue but they did want another message with an expected arrival. Kuroga told them three days; they would likely spend two nights in Dormian recovering after the pass before making the two-day trip to Domasis unless there were issues on the road. The clerk gave them a bit of leeway and said they would arrive in three or four days.

Afterwards, the clerk directed them over to an information desk, where a deer gladly directed them to the Slumbering Dragon Inn. Not the cheapest, but it had better food and beds than most places and was one of the more hospitable ones to travelers coming down the Concolor Pass. It was also closest to the northeast exit when they were ready to leave for the capital. The two thanked the clerks and made their way towards the inn.

The Slumbering Dragon had two smaller wings and a large central building. The two were shown to a room on the second floor with two fine beds and were told that a bathhouse was available with water from a local spring if they wanted to bathe. Hungry and tired, they headed down to the on-site tavern and were treated to fine meals of pot pie with chicken, potatoes, carrots, and corn, along with a loaf of bread and some good ale.

"Rest as long as you need tonight," Kuroga said gently when they had finished. "We've had hard travel for three days and Dormian is a good place to stay for a bit. We'll gather up some more supplies tomorrow and hold off on the final stretch to Domasis."

The filling meal and the strenuous travel did make Dusty particularly tired. He needed no further instruction; they went up to the room and he barely had gotten out of his clothes and climbed under the blankets before falling fast asleep.

---

The extra day at the Slumbering Dragon was a relief to Dusty, who was very tired after the climb. He slept in until well after the sun had risen and found Kuroga only barely waking up himself. He seemed at ease and yet still managed to have purpose, and Dusty could guess that their day of "rest" would not be idle.

They still leisurely enjoyed themselves. For breakfast they left their things in the tavern and found a pastry shop just off the main road. They each grabbed a fruit-filled croissant and a pork bun and went off to eat in one of the neighborhood plazas. It was quieter here even compared to the Slumbering Dragon, and they ate without haste as they watched people going about their business. They took a drink from a public fountain before heading back to the main road where Kuroga started looking for things.

While they walked, Dusty started keeping track of his own opinions of Domasis kingdom. Dormian seemed a mix between Riverwood and Whitewater. The shops and mixed species reminded him of Riverwood; nowhere seemed that ostentatious and, while somewhat better organized, it still was close together without a true separation between areas except an occasional market cluster. The streets were paved like Whitewater and the houses were a little nicer than Riverwood, but none of them really stood out except in one portion of town.

That one stood out as being part of the Dormian branch of the Domasis Academy of Emotive Sorcery. It was slightly taller and wider than their own tavern, with four buildings arranged in something of a "Y" shape. The bottom floors appeared open to the public, with a library and even a restaurant of sorts that were not monitored. Dusty was less impressed at the size than that it was merely considered a "branch".

"The main one is in Domasis capital," Kuroga explained when Dusty brought it up to him.

"How big it that one?" Dusty asked.

"It used to be an old castle. It got converted when Domasis decided it didn't want a king."

"Domasis doesn't have a king? Then who rules and administers over it?"

"Technically there's the board of legislators called the Senate. They pass laws and turn them up to the Steward, who figures out how to best enact the laws and provide funding."

Dusty took a moment to think about it. "So I'm heading up almost to the head of the entire kingdom already?"

"Not the true power, exactly, but rather an overseer. It's easier to think of it in smaller terms: if all of Domasis was a small city, the Senate combined would be the mayor and the Steward would be the clerk. Keeps records, sees people as representative of the mayor, and makes sure the mayor's instructions are stated clearly."

Dusty exhaled with relief. "That makes me feel a little better, at least. Still high up in the ranks, but not... not terrible."

"It shouldn't be," Kuroga said. "Again, you're not going to be judged. They probably just want to get the story of Zemeya straight from your mouth."

"Still not entirely comfortable with it," Dusty said. "A man who is called by power does not go in expecting to make friends. Therefore I shouldn't go in with... what's so funny?"

Kuroga was laughing. "You dropped a proverb almost as easily as my family back home would." He sighed heavily. "Not often do I speak to people here who drop proverbs and parables at the drop of a stone."

Dusty truly felt better for making Kuroga feel at home. Even though they continued now purposefully to their next destination, the lion had a little more springy and sprightly walk that made his joy obvious. The coyote was pleased, and easily fell into his mood.

All the same, he was glad when they hit their next destination. They had entered a general clothing store and Kuroga was helping him pick out spare clothes that would make him fit in. The lion helped him pick out a tunic, vest, and pants in a deep purple with black accents that would prevent him from wearing armor all the time. They were slightly thicker but comfortable and easily opened, breathable for the summer but protective against the cooler nights and sea air.

It also meant people wouldn't be prying and looking at him in his Order outfit so much. Similar to Whitewater, he had felt a bunch of eyes watching him and not all of them had been simple curiosity. He didn't like being the center of attention, and figured switching outfits would take away some of the strange looks he got.

He was less comfortable as they entered a market square. It was now past midday and it seemed Dormian had hit its busiest. The strange looks returned to curiosity and then nearly disappeared and it seemed even with his Order accessories he became lost in the crowd. They found some ration packs, a few journals and pencils for Dusty, and a few rags for both of them to clean their gear.

The whole time they were shopping it felt like he was being followed. He couldn't tell from where but there was a strange prickle at the back of his neck, but whenever he turned around he couldn't see anyone looking at him in particular. There were also too many scents around, and those he did find suspicious were from groups who seemed wholly uninterested in him. A sweet floral smell stuck out, but almost everywhere in the plazas seemed to be decorated with bushes. His ears could make nothing out of the bustle of the crowd.

"Are you alright?" Kuroga asked after Dusty had looked behind him three times in almost as many minutes.

"I just feel... strange. Something's not right, but I don't know what." Dusty smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry. Maybe I just feel different."

"Check your pockets, just in case. It's not normal to find pickpockets here in Domasis, but I wouldn't be surprised in this crowd."

A thorough search of his pockets and bags revealed that Dusty still had everything with him.

"How do you feel?" Kuroga asked.

Dusty hated to say it. "Like I'm being watched."

Kuroga nodded. "Come on," he said, voice hushed. "Act normal."

They went to a stall that sold jewelry. It sold mostly bracelets, rings, and chokers. Kuroga said it was common for users of emotive sorcery to have something like this as it worked as a channel similar to Dusty's own circlet. They also were just pretty, and many of the stones that the jeweler had used had no real magical value. A mineral had less magical value than a gemstone, for example - which is why Dusty's circlet was yellow tourmaline and not pure gold despite gold's own importance to the Church of the Holy Cross.

"They never taught us that in the Order. Is that something you'd have to know as part of emotive sorcery or is that just general knowledge?"

"General magical knowledge. We're still trying to figure out why, but for some reason gemstones resonate more with magical energies than minerals do." Kuroga looked around. "Let's see about grabbing one more piece of food."

A street-opened window sold piles of what looked like corn beef hash and potatoes buried in small cornbread bowls. The salt and sweet mixture tasted good, and while small it filled Dusty up considerably. The cornbread pocket was also useful for wandering around and looking at other small trinket stores and tailors. Most of the clothing reminded Dusty of Riverwood, but there was also an abundance of stores selling cloaks or long robes, which seemed to be preferred by people who had the mark of Domasis on them - which Kuroga explained originated from the Academy itself, which meant they were all students of sorcery.

After a while, Kuroga shrugged. "Well, I see no sign of anyone following us. I've been glancing around every once in a while and can't see anything worth a damn. Do you still feel like you're being followed?"

Dusty checked. "Not as closely, but honestly, I also was just... having fun." It didn't quite embarrass him to say it but it did shock him. "It was nice just being able to walk around and talk with you instead of, you know, hunting beasts."

It seemed to Dusty that Kuroga might have wanted to break into a grin if his bright eyes were any indication. But he held back to his reserved and more placid smile, even if it did upturn a little more and the warmth was obvious. "I... I'm glad to hear that. If we're going to be traveling together anyways, I want you to be comfortable around me. It's also nice considering we both expressed interest in getting to know each other."

"You still haven't told me much about yourself," Dusty said.

"That's true, and you haven't told me much, either. But we have time. I'd rather get to Domasis and let things digest before adding more information about me."

"Fair, but I should also like to know who I am traveling with."

"I can let you in on a few things, I suppose." Kuroga's smile turned mildly cheeky. "It won't make your head spin too much. My family is from Ushtani, another kingdom. Head across to the far east of Irilian and then continue eastwards to the desert. It is perhaps a two or three week journey from Riverwood to the town at the border."

"You have come a long way, then," Dusty said. "How often do you go back home?"

"Less than I would like," Kuroga said. "It used to be at least once a year. Then it became every two years. But now it has been a full four years since I went back home. I occasionally receive letters from my parents, held for me at a Guild outpost in Domasis where I am officially stationed, but I have not been to check in a while."

"What brought you west?" Dusty asked.

"Circumstances being what they are, there was not enough opportunity," Kuroga said. "The circumstances I won't explain, but suffice it to say that between me, my brother, and my sister, I left so that they would have the better chance. Based on how they had been growing and progressing last I left, I believe it was the right decision though it was not easy."

"So you came for the Hunters' Guild. Was there a Hunters' Guild back in Ushtani or was that new to you?"

"A bit new. I figured I would become a mercenary of some sort and heard much about Domasis and figured that would be best. I found the Hunters' Guild there and, when some of my requests started taking me over the border, took up alternate residence in Riverwood."

By this time they had returned to the Slumbering Dragon Inn. Dusty, now more acutely aware of his own sensations, realized that he was tired from the day and the new experiences. So they ate a simple dinner of turkey and potatoes with carrots and corn and soon headed up to the room. Kuroga figured an early start would give them a good start on the remaining two days to Domasis, as well as stave off any potential followers, a fact for which Dusty was rather grateful.