= Chapter Four: Contact =
=SUBJECT TO REVISION AT ANY TIME UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE=
= Chapter Four: Contact =
Stray stepped to his right, deflecting his attacker to the side, while Niv had been tackled head-on by his, knocking them both to the hard dusty floor of the bridge. The black-clad assassin recovered quickly, rolling past Niv and onto his feet. Niv himself had not expected to be toppled so easily, and fumbled back to a defensive stance, barely managing to fend off the assassin's attempt to capitalize on the momentarily unsteady warrior. Not only were they outnumbered, now they were surrounded.
Wolf and tiger moved back to back, to make a smaller, better defended target. The assassin's hesitation could have easily been attributed to patience and scrutiny of the opponent, had they not made the simple mistake of leaving their eyes uncovered. Stray and Niv watched their respective aggressors' eyes dart back in forth in a decidedly uncalculated manner. No doubt they had expected this encounter to be finished by now, knowing their ruse wouldn't withstand a close inspection.
The evidence began to mount against them; their masks were slipping from their faces, their ill-fitted clothes resembled poorly dyed bed sheets wrapped around them. These were no assassins, merely thugs hoping to intimidate. On the other hand, Niv thought, maybe they were assassins, and were trying to trick their quarry into overconfidence. Maybe they were just crappy assassins. This paranoia thing always made things unnecessarily complicated.
Their swords were real enough though, and they likely weren't entirely incompetent in battle. Their plan simply hadn't worked as hoped, and now they had to improvise, which they didn't seem very keen on.
Niv felt a sharp pain growing in his left shoulder. The tumble had done more damage than he'd expected, but it could have been worse; he could have been run through. It did give him an idea, though. He played up the injury, letting his arm drop to his side while feigning a grimace of pain. A dose of worry to the bait, and the trap was irresistible.
The two fake assassins began to close the distance cautiously. Niv grasped at his wounded shoulder to sweeten the pot. The thugs were more confident without a sword pointed at them. Just a little closer.
Idiots.
Niv slipped one of Stray's throwing knives from its sheath with his free hand, then patted Stray's leg twice, a clear signal to "go". Stray charged forward as Niv threw the knife underhand at his closest target, hitting him square between the shoulder and collarbone. The man spun in an attempt to avoid the knife, but was too slow, falling on his stomach. Any confidence the remaining man had had been lost along with his numerical advantage.
Where the hell were the other guards? Niv thought. They never should have been outnumbered like this. As if to answer his internal query, the man before him fell flat on his face, dead, a spear protruding awkwardly from his back. _Niv's_spear. Looking up he saw several thug bodies littered around the cart, though their clothes were more fitting of roving bandits. The guards were all wiping their blades clean, save the one that had fallen, a large knife stuck in his throat.
"Goddamnit." Niv said, exasperatedly, before turning to help Stray. As he turned, though, he saw Stray's sword plunge deep into the chest of his last remaining attacker, angled in such a way as to slip through his ribs. Niv took the opportunity to grab his spear, and launch it past them, at the odd figure that had started this whole thing.
The spear grazed their side, but with enough force to stagger them for a moment. Niv had never had so much success throwing things. Hitting his target twice in one day? That had to be some kind of personal record. It didn't matter though, as the figure merely vanished in a poof of wispy smoke. "Fuck!" Either they'd gotten away, or they were invisible. Neither possibility eased Niv's tension.
Stray had looked just in time to see the smoke dissipate, easily discerning its cause. He scanned the area carefully as Niv walked up to his side. He was looking for something, but what it could be was beyond the tiger.
"He's gone." Stray concluded in an assuring tone.
"He?" Niv asked, curious as to how the wolf knew. "And you're sure?"
"Just an assumption. And no, not entirely. But he's not anywhere I can see, invisible or no." Stray continued to survey the path before them. The guards searched the bodies of the slain, then piled them unceremoniously to one side of the bridge's threshold, debating what further action to take. The other passengers gathered around as well, suggesting possible solutions. So distracted were they, that no one noticed the wispily cloaked figure and his wounded cohort slink up to the wagon and begin discretely rummaging through the available baggage, until they found what they were after; A small box, wrapped in brown paper, tied with twine.
The bandit got his hands on it first and began ripping into the paper, ignoring warnings from the strange figure. A richly stained and varnished wooden box sat before the man, a simple brass latch on the front, matching hinges in the back. He began to lift the top, but no sooner had it risen a few inches, than a large green rune began to glow on its top. The figure backed away to run, but was not quick enough to fully evade the blast of green gas that shot outward. The bandit fared much worse, taking the majority of the blast to the face before it harmlessly dissipated. He began choking loudly after inhaling the gas, drawing much unwanted attention. His body began convulsing as Niv, Stray, and the guards came running to investigate, weapons drawn.
By the time they knew what was going on, the man was dead, the green rune fading from the box. Their attention turned to rustling and the coughing of a distinctly male voice coming from the woods. Stray and Niv instinctively bolted into the trees.
They ducked low under branches and hopped swiftly over fallen tree trunks, gradually moving apart as they each navigated their own labyrinth of foliage to ultimately flank the prey. Twigs snapped under foot as grace was favored over stealth in the urgency to prevent the enemy's escape. Niv paused a moment to listen, making sure he wasn't lost. It took only a moment to regain direction.
He soon spotted Stray moving parallel to him many yards away as he stole a glance to his left. His eyes were fixed forward, likely locked on to the fleeing thug. Niv attempted to follow his gaze and sure enough found the man as well.
The cloaked figure stumbled as he ran, the coughing fit taking its toll on his coordination. A muffled sound of shattering glass preceded a small puff of smoke that seemed to fly past as the three men ran, though in truth it sat still in the air.
Niv thought of how determined Stray seemed as he stared down his target, maneuvering through the brush as if it were second nature. Which seemed a silly thought to Niv, as it most likely was. They'd spent too much time apart, and he'd forgotten just how agile his friend was. But that agility came at a cost when it was inspired by this kind of focused determination; tunnel vision. Niv was reminded of this as he stole another glance and noticed what Stray hadn't; the shadowhound gaining ground behind him.
For once, Niv was grateful for being a little less graceful than his friend. Because he'd fallen slightly behind, he had the chance to intercept. He could try shouting to Stray, but his gut told him it would be a fruitless effort. Whatever Stray had seen had pressed a very sensitive button in his psyche, and had affixed his attention to doling out adequate punishment to any remaining associates of the one who invoked the intense memory.
The task was more complicated than simply tackling the creature or diverting its attention. Shadowhounds were coalescent wisps of smoke-like darkness given a purposeful form, and were essentially ethereal save for their claws and teeth. One of those physically inexplicable occurrences that made no logical sense in the absence of magic, like golems or elementals. The physical world had little explanation for such intangible things as consciousness and will, if any at all. Luckily, there were still laws by which they were bound.
It was difficult to concentrate while keeping pace, but Niv managed as best he could, hoping to be ready when the opportunity presented itself. A deep blue aura began to emanate from the blade of his sword as he gripped it tightly in his right hand, staring intently at the dark beast, looking away as necessary to ensure he didn't trip. The smell of cool crisp air filled his nostrils and his sword appeared to sway slightly, as it would if held just below gently flowing waters, almost like a mirage. Predator and prey neared a downed tree and Niv saw his opening.
He changed direction, moving himself to follow Stray's path, and swung his mana-charged weapon upward, raising a mass of water in front of the pursuing fiend, which dove headlong through it. But he was too slow. The creature was half through before Niv could motion downward, solidifying the water into ice, trapping the wispy monster as he had intended. Still, there were rules, and the half he had trapped stayed that way, the other, now completely unbalanced and unable to land properly. But it had been hot on Stray's heels, and did its best to get at him before it died. An outstretched claw scraped against the oblivious wolf's calf before what remained of the hound crashed into the ground, creating a puff of smoke similar to that which summoned it, only several times larger, and darker.
Stray pressed on, and Niv again split off to a new path, though he was breathing heavily. The fleeing man's attempt to buy time had done him no good. In his panic and desperation to escape, he turned sharply to his right, hoping to evade what he couldn't outrun. He ran for several minutes before his plan backfired in a big way, much to his horror. As he ran past a large tree, an orange and silver blur slammed into to his right side, sending them both to the ground.
The tiger had been equally blindsided though, since the tree had blocked his vision as well. They both tumbled to the ground, but Niv, his hunting instincts in full swing, recovered much more quickly. His necklace fell in the dirt a short distance away, the leather thong having snapped. He jumped to his feet and turned to face the prone man, leveling his sword with his torso, realizing he was not one of the thugs. The cloaked man rolled onto his back and Niv was stunned as he had been such a short time ago. That familiar face looked up at him, evoking the same feelings it always did, but the look of sheer horror that played across its features drained those feelings away, replacing them with a profound, core emotion that he couldn't express with mere words. It was a maelstrom of pity, guilt and that sudden realization that you're about to do something unspeakably wrong.
Long before Niv could even hope to reconcile what was happening or what he was feeling, or even remember that he knew it was deception, several small knives thudded into the man's body in rapid succession, each followed by a grunt as they struck. Niv's mind snapped back from the overwhelming storm of thoughts as a small spurt of blood from the impact slapped him in the face. He looked to his right and saw Stray as he came bearing down, still doggedly on the hunt.
He slowed to a stomping march as he neared, as would a man with grim purpose in his heart, for he was such a man. He roughly stuck his sword into the ground, the small bell clanging against the hilt, a knell to the frightened man despite its light tune. He reached down, his hands disappearing into the shadowy effect of the dark robes as he grabbed them and hoisted the man up, pinning him against the large tree that had inadvertently facilitated his capture.
Stray glared into whatever face it was he saw, clearly agitated by who or what it was, but the knowledge that it was an illusion overrode any reaction the trick was intended to elicit, instead provoking his ire. The captive man quickly realized this, eyes locked with the wolf's, and scrambled to throw the cowl from his head. The magical shadows that lingered about it vanished as did those around the man's body as the artifact hit the ground, revealing a simple black hood. Upon closer inspection, Niv found a wide metal band affixed to the inside, several large gemstones decorated the front and a ring of unfamiliar runes engraved around the inside. It hummed with passive energy as he held it in his hands.
Stray continued to stare at the man, who appeared to be a middle aged and heavily scarred black wolf, dressed like his cohorts, as if he was attempting to intimidate his very soul.
"Who." Stray said flatly. It was not a question, but a demand.
"I... I dunno..." He replied with timid confusion, his breath quick and shallow. He held his head as far back as he could, wincing from the pain of the knives, though he never broke eye contact with the grey wolf.
"I won't ask you a second time. Tell me, now." Niv stepped over and held the hood up for Stray, who took only a moment to look it over. "And where did you get that?" He didn't have to gesture to the item for the man, as his eyes had darted over to the tiger as soon as he moved closer, though they returned immediately to the angry wolf when it became obvious that Niv had no designs for him.
The man coughed roughly. "Please, I'm just a mercenary." He pleaded. "It's not personal; I'm just doing what I was paid to!" He instinctively held his hands up in show of surrender, a pointless and empty gesture by then. Niv scoffed at the poor excuse.
"If that's the case, you clearly have no idea what you've got here," He held up the hooded crown, "Because using this made it very personal. More than you'll ever know, since there's no way in hell I'm wearing it to prove my point." Niv wrapped the crown in its hood.
The mercenary seemed confused. "Hey, if it's yours I didn't steal it." He said in a meekly defensive tone. "The guy offered it as part of the payment. Look, I ain't gonna fight you for a piece of jewelry if it means that much to you."
"Piece of...?" Niv started, but sighed heavily instead. He couldn't find the words to finish. This person was painfully ignorant of what he'd done, but genuinely so.
"Who paid you, and why? What were your orders?" Stray prompted the man, irritated.
"I ain't actually seen nor spoke to him; there were just letters that popped up, tellin' us what to do and how to reach him back. After we said we'd do it, the money just showed up, same way."
"You can write?" Niv interjected. "You can read?" He quickly added, though in both cases he was speaking mostly to himself, and sarcastically at that. It wasn't exactly rare for mercenaries to be literate, but neither was it common. "Hey, you don't think it's Lexicon, do you?" Niv thought a moment. "Hiring mercs isn't really their style. Though to be fair, neither is harassing us."
Stray's left ear twitched a few times as he began to feel a sting in his calf, a sign of the adrenaline wearing off. He set the man on his feet, who then slid to the ground, unable to support his own weight. Stray gave no thought to it. The merc's breath was more labored now, blood loss exacerbating his exhaustion, and inhibiting his ability to recover from it. Though he may have felt differently, he wasn't dying. He might, however, if he was left unattended for too long.
The two warriors took a moment to clean and dress Stray's wound, Niv taking a moment to pocket his necklace, both with impunity. The mercenary wasn't going anywhere. The wound was hardly a hindrance, but the risk of infection was unwise to ignore. Stray was showing signs of lightheadedness, having lost some blood of his own from running with an open wound. When they were finished, Stray laid a stern gaze upon their wounded prisoner.
"You have caused me great personal danger. This, I could forgive you. Tell me, have you any family?" Niv's ears fell flat. He'd heard him ask that question many times before.
"No, I-" The mercenary stopped short, looking at Niv as the tiger winced and inhaled sharply through his teeth. Niv turned away, leaving him unable to appreciate the look on the man's face, like a child in fear of punishment. Stray was indifferent as he spoke again.
"You have caused great harm to those close to me, and caused the death of one ostensibly in my care. This I cannot forgive." Stray stepped to his sword and jerked it roughly from the dirt, grabbing up the bell, his back to the trembling man. He took a deep breath; exhaling at length, he moved before the breath fully escaped his lungs. In one fluid motion he spun about, heaving his large blade around, cutting a fine _thwip_through the air. It bit deep into the trunk of the large tree with a thunk not unlike an axe, chopping clean through the wolf's neck.
"But I am not without mercy." He said solemnly to himself, his eyes closed and his head tilted toward the earth. "Go, be with your own." Niv let a sigh escape, understanding his friend's self-imposed obligation. It was Stray's turn to search the body, collecting his knives as he did so. He found a myriad of trinkets, some alchemical in nature, all likely spoils of past work. "Well, that could explain the poofer." Niv pointed out.
"The what?" Stray asked. Niv pointed at the bandage around his leg. "Oh."
"Yeah, about that..." Niv said in a parental tone. "I love you to death, man, but one of these days that hyper-focus of yours is gonna make that a literal statement. That's not a thought I care to entertain." His words were saturated with a concern that superseded any scolding that may have sat on their surface, and Stray knew it. "I understand that..." Niv hesitated, "...something... set it off, and I don't blame you for that. Far from it. I just worry about you. That's what I do; I worry." His gaze fell on the brush to his right, his voice trailing off as he finished, thinking on his closing words more than directing them at Stray. "And justifiably so." He said with more confidence, nodding at the decapitated body.
Stray nodded absent-mindedly, going over the body once more for good measure. "No worries, just don't fall into your own trap, dearfire." He smiled knowingly at the tiger, acknowledging his point and countering all at once. He had a point. Niv was a chronic worrier, after all, and they both knew it. But it had proven a valuable asset in their way of life, as had Stray's tunnel vision.
Dearfire. He hadn't been called that in ages, not since leaving the guild. Despite the context in which it was delivered, it stirred a warm feeling within. He'd never had with anyone else the relationship he held with Stray. It rivaled Stray's relationship with Kismet, often drawing exaggerated sighs from the elder wolf. It was harmless though, they all knew, simply an expression of how deeply they cared for each other. Stray, despite his gruff exterior with strangers had a massive heart for anyone willing to discover it. It showed in his openness with those close to him. Niv, drastically withdrawn in comparison, was often reserved even with close friends. Knowing this is what made anyone appreciate how open he was with Stray. The few lucky enough to truly witness it, that is.
Only momentarily caught off guard by the sudden resumption of their private banter, Niv knew he should reply in kind, so as not to dissuade Stray. He was testing the waters and Niv had to show he was still very comfortable with their old ways. It had been a long time, and their banter could get very suggestive, bordering on outright explicitness. But it was harmless, though they were careful to keep it to themselves. Some people were generally uncomfortable with such talk, and others still had outright hatred for the implications of two men making such comments. As any in the shadow of oppression knew, discretion brought safety, and it was only them in the small clearing.
"Duly noted, darling." Niv said, noticing the slight movement his response garnered, the corner of Stray's mouth just barely curving upward, grinning to himself. Niv grinned in kind. "Whenever you're done with your friend there, we should get back and report to foreman bossy britches."
Stray placed the dead man's arms across his chest and closed the severed head's eyes before gently removing his sword from the tree, making sure the head stayed atop its former shoulders. He made several hand gestures toward the corpse. Niv knew this to be a form of last rites, though he knew little of the details. Stray took a deep breath to ease himself, and walked past Niv.
"Off we go, babe. Wouldn't want to make you jealous." He said lightly, patting Niv on the chest a couple times as he walked by.
"I can get that off for you if you like" Niv said in a chipper tone, referring to the stain on Stray's sword. He had an unhealthy interest in cleaning metal, and loved the sexual innuendo that went with it. Stray, though knowing Niv would do it if given the chance, saw it for the joke it was and laughed. "I bet you can."
By the time their little excursion was over, the sun was hidden by the horizon just enough to herald the coming night, not one of the eagerly waiting troupe thrilled at the prospect of staying put until dark. The guards readied for a fight as the two weary warriors emerged, but lowered their weapons when assured there was no threat. Rallom greeted their return with a remark questioning their capability as warriors, not bothering to veil his contempt for their profession; how good could they truly be if it took them so long to handle one man? Stray made a lewd gesture out of the ram's view while Niv simply scrunched his nose and shook his head. Both managed to roll their eyes at least once. He had returned to ignoring them before noticing their reactions.
They noticed another body as they stowed the crown into a bag; one of the workers. They asked the soldier standing by the bodies what happened. "Damn greedy fool, got it in his head to open that box." He nodded to the wooden box which, sitting several yards away from where the mercenaries had opened it. "He'd reasoned that's what all the fuss was about, and thought to take for himself the 'obviously' valuable contents." He rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Never mind the dead man we all saw open it the first time, and get a healthy dose a'death, or whatever it was. Just lucky no one was with him, or that he didn't open in it in the midst of us. Could've lost a lot more, maybe have to swing all the way back to the grove, start all over."
"Wait, who's this other person? I swear it was a guard that we lost." Niv said.
"Aye, you did. I ain't happy about it, but rules is rules. His armour is guild property, and they don't find no reason to leave good equipment in the field for the sake of sentiment, not if we can haul it back for a livin' man to make use of. Can't say I'd argue with that. The harsh way we're in, we need to keep what can be kept. Took a good bit of gear from the enemy as well, though." He said solemnly.
"What're we going to do with them all?" Stray interjected. "We don't have the daylight to bury them, and there's no room on the wagon." Niv scratched at his goatee, ever the problem solver.
"What resources do we have to tackle this?" He asked after a few moments.
"Well, that depends on what you're looking to accomplish" The guard replied. Stray gave Niv a look that conceded to the man's point.
"Hmm." He thought a moment. "Well..." He paused, "We could always burn them..." He said tentatively and with a shrug, expecting protest. There was none, not even when they took the idea to the entire group. No one had a better idea, so they set about preparing a funeral pyre. It would be quick and shoddy, but they were going to burn it down anyway. They took empty crates and barrels from the bridge, and gathered small fallen sticks and straw for tinder.
The pyre was placed a great distance from the woods and the bridge, to prevent the fire from catching. They had no time to wait for it to burn out, and would likely leave soon after setting it ablaze. As Niv would be the one to shoulder the burden of committing these fallen men to High Faith, the afterlife, he volunteered to stand watch until there was nothing but ash. He insisted on doing it on his own, and that Stray should stay with the group as they would be better off with him around. He could come back for the tiger after the others were safe. He could stay long enough to deliver last rites, however, the only ground Niv would relent to him.
Niv dug his old worn gloves from his personal bag, and charged Stray with its safety, as well as his other belongings. He called the energy up into himself and forced it through his hands, a fiery red aura distorting the air in front of him. A small jet of flame shot out, and the pyre was shortly engulfed. It took only a few hours before only the embers remained, glowing faintly in the low moon's light, Niv watching over it the entire time. He greatly enjoyed having his celestial mistress accompany him for the walk to Reffar, and spared only a few glances to the trees where he was certain Harik still skulked about.
A few more uneventful hours and Niv walked among the buildings of Reffar, unusually cluttered for such a late hour. Perhaps the locals were helping with the caravan, were excited to see Guild members or activity in general. Perhaps they were simply being nosey. He was too tired to care about it, or the odd feeling it gave him. All Niv knew was that it was very inconvenient, all these people crowding the street. Pushing past them made him unusually tired, especially when one person seemed to deliberately bump into his shoulder. Stray ran out from somewhere to meet him, apologizing for not coming back. Something about being needed. Niv didn't hear much of his friend's muffled words though; he had more important things on his mind, like why the ground had risen up to meet him.
*****
Intense pain pulsed through his nose as the weight of his head pressed it against the cold smooth stone. He felt as if he'd been punched in the face.
_ He pushed hard against the ground, lifting himself up. A smear of crimson lay before him, where his nose had rested. A warm, wet droplet tickled his nostril as it dropped to the smeared blood. His blood. It dripped into his mouth, its taste metallic. He was winded, tired. His head was pounding. He felt the black void of a mental abyss calling him to collapse into its depths. He grimaced against the pain. The sudden and fleeting scent of the sea snapped his gaze upward to the horizon._
_ The polished stone extended beyond what he could see, a marbled ocean of swirling grays in every direction. And nothing else. The massive space was deceptively confining. The sky was nothing but dark churning clouds rotating overhead, centered directly on him it seemed. Several other spots swirled, surrounding the larger center rotation. But all was quiet and dull. No thunder rumbled, no lightning flashed._
_ Another drop tickled his nose and his eyes fell back to the smeared blood. It splashed in slow motion, the backsplash reaching high up to him. The smear became an arrangement of fluid but unfamiliar script. Except for one symbol, resembling a heart and a cross. Everything clicked into place, his perception seemingly shifting to the side. It all made sense. As much sense as it_ could make, anyway. He knew who he was, and that was all he needed. But this place... It must be a dream. He remembered Stray running out to him, but nothing else.
_ Niv focused on the symbol in front of him as he tried to understand what was happening. The writing melted into a small pool, which became a puddle, and steadily spread outward until it was several feet in diameter. It funneled into the stone as if draining away. The opening was small at first but widened until the blood was only a thin ring around its edge. It splashed little red droplets against the clean stone around it._
_ His rational mind's strength was waning, but he was possessed enough of his faculties to experience everything as clear as if it were real. It felt real enough._
_ There was a presence in the dark pocket of nothing, he could feel it. Little points of orange light shone in the dark as he peeked over the edge. They grew larger and brighter, came closer to him. He soon saw purple stripes accompanying what he now knew to be eyes, staring straight up. Staring at him. He fell back as the creature came close to the opening. He rose unsteadily to his feet as he saw it emerge._
_ Long dark hair, wild and unkempt. Orange and white fur, dirty and dull, the black stripes glowing purple. Long, sharp teeth bared in anger. His stare lowered as he rose higher and higher, his legs still bathed in black. When his large feet finally came level with the stone ground, he stood as tall as a building, his body built to match. Thick, defined muscles covered his naked body, caked head to toe with swaths of dried blood. There was not a scratch on him._
_ Niv gawked at what was clearly a massive monster of himself. Waves of aggression washed over him from the imposing figure as it,_ he_, took the heavy breaths of an enraged man, though he did not move. He just kept staring, waiting for something. Niv was truly afraid of what he saw, not only because he knew he'd be no match for this distorted reflection, but because of what he knew it represented. Regardless, something felt very wrong. He'd had lucid dreams before, but nothing like this. The clarity of mind he was experiencing now was like looking through a telescope, making any previous lucidity seem like looking through a glass bottle. There were no fuzzy edges, no distorted perception of distance or height. It was then that he noticed the metal bands encircling the reflection's arms, if only because the runic script began to glow a dark red._
_ The glow distorted the bands like a mirage, until it engulfed the metal entirely, growing brighter and brighter. The scent of burning hair and flesh wafted through the air as the bands became white hot, melting away. The molten slag evaporated instantly as it dripped away in globs. Two burnt rings of scarred skin were the only mark of their existence._
_ But the power did not fade._
_ It grew more intense, the figure's eyes and stripes shining brighter and brighter, until they were nearly white with only vague hues of their original color. His hair and fur began to sway as if moved by the gentle currents of an open sea, reminiscent of Kismet. But this was not as natural as the wolf's. With the inhibitors gone, there was no limit to the power he could draw, no limit to the damage he could cause himself. He reached out with one strong hand and grabbed Niv by the throat, lifting him off his feet._
_ He could feel the energy burning in the palm held against his neck, searing tendrils of mana just barely contained within. Niv held on with both hands desperate not to suffocate. He was snarled at, and felt the trembling of the arm as it fought the urge to squeeze. Claws dug into his skin, the warm trickle of blood a familiar sensation. He felt helpless._
_ But as he stared down at his captor a strange sight caught his eye. A tiny ear poked out from behind the great tiger's shoulder, a miniature of that on the raging feline. The teary, hazel eyes of the little boy turned up to him, wide with terror as he clung to the larger man's back. Something finally made sense to him, had clicked in the back of his mind. Now if only he could figure out what it was._
_ And then Niv saw it._
_ Far on the horizon, a gathering of darkness sped toward them from all directions. It was cloudlike, with red-green veins from which burning embers flew off and acid dripped. He'd never seen such a thing, but knew it could only do him harm. An instinctual and inexplicable fear gripped him. The figure of himself continued to stare at him, but was more agitated now, as if Niv noticing the closing danger had made it apparent to him as well. And he was not happy about it, his ire rising as the darkness neared._
_ Its speed was far greater than he'd thought. It would engulf them in moments. Remarkably, there was no physical damage on the large man for how long he'd been holding so much power. Even the greatest of casters known to Niv would have had their bodies ripped to pieces long ago trying to contain such a concentration of magical energy. He felt paralyzed as he looked to his greater reflection, unsure what he should do. The black and burning clouds came within inches of them, smelling of blood. The voice of a young and terrified boy cried out. Niv shouted as he was let go. The massive tiger threw his arms wide and roared to the sky, releasing the pent-up energy as an enormous column of jagged light eradicated everything._
*****
Niv's body jerked suddenly and violently under the wolf, nearly tossing the lighter man to the floor; the tiger's eyes opened wide, darting all around. He struggled against Stray's weight, breathing heavily, whining like a cub. Most worrisome, the carved runes of the inhibitors began to dimly glow. Stray had seen Niv face death squarely countless times, but now found himself looking at the scared child he hadn't seen since a time before the Guild. It lasted only a few moments though, as Niv began to register his surroundings, but Stray saw the faint orange glow fading from his friend's eyes. The heavy wolf sitting on his stomach, holding down his shoulders helped; when they locked eyes, Niv relaxed.
"What the fuck man??" Stray asked emphatically, though questioning the entire occurrence more than accusing Niv of wrongdoing for just this particular incident.
Niv's body ached in its entirety, and he was exhausted. His head hurt. But he never took his eyes from the concerned emerald glare of his friend. He took a deep breath, by which the butterflies remaining in his stomach were apparent.
"What happened?" Niv asked tiredly as he sat up, realizing his clothes had been changed. "And what's with this?" he continued, indicating his fresh attire of guild linens.
"Well, you fell face first into the dirt then starting thrashing. Well, not really thrashing, but uh, what's it called... You were acting like one of those guys in theatre who rolls around all dramatically to show he's having a bad dream. Except it wasn't so funny this time. Not with all the growling." Stray looked to the ground, obviously still bothered by the thought. "Don't worry though; I took care of you myself after we dragged you inside." Niv noted the proper bed he lay in, inside an unfamiliar building. "You were safe the whole time. No peepers or creepers." Stray affected a big smile. "I also fixed this for you."
"And I suppose you had your eyes closed the whole time?" Niv teased with a half-hearted smirk as he took the necklace with its pretty new chain, following suit in trying to lighten the mood. It didn't work very well, a fact that was shown plainly on his face, but Stray appreciated the effort.
"So... what the fuck man?" Stray asked again, less emphatically than before. He sat on the bed as Niv swung his legs over the side.
"I have no idea. Nothing happened between here and the bridge, not that I know of. I got into town, saw you come out, and then everything went black." Niv recounted the events of his "dream" in as much detail as he could. Stray's brow furrowed, but he said nothing. Niv watched the gears of his friend's brain turn slowly as Stray held his chin in his hand, a finger stroking his short goatee.
"I think you were probably just exhausted. You didn't get a chance to rest after what happened, but I got a nap on the way back. And you do have... strange dreams." Stray concluded. Niv nodded, though he was certain there was more to it. He decided to change the subject.
"So where are we, exactly?" He asked.
"On a bed, in a room." The wolf said slyly and with a smirk.
"God, you're a bad as Kismet sometimes..." Niv feigned exasperation. "Except he would have been serious. Okay, smartass," Niv started, knowing how far this could go if he was too vague, "what and or who's building is this room in?" It was a wasted effort, since Stray hadn't planned to pursue the game. He just smiled instead.
"Mr. Hammerfist was kind enough to lend us his spare room, since we were so near his home."
"I should have known. That bear's hospitality will be his undoing. Assuming you haven't already eaten all his food." Niv joked, nudging Stray's shoulder.
"You know him?"
"Yeah, after I was done being a free little bird and settled here, he helped me out with a job. He's ex-Guild you know. Only reason he's this generous."
"And that generosity is quickly running out." Jota said with an annoyed tone as he entered the room. "Your little friend? He's wearing out your welcome. Quickly."
"What's going on? Who?" Niv asked as he and Stray got to their feet.
"Little ram. Didn't catch his name, and frankly don't care to. Seems he's not fond of predators, and isn't shy about letting people know it."
"I could have told you that..." Stray interjected offhandedly.
"No offense to you and your friend here, but the sooner you leave, the better. I'll be at the fire for now." He sneered at the door behind him before leaving through the guest door, closing it roughly behind him.
"Understood." Niv said to the door, then sighed. "Where's my clothes?" He looked around, hoping they might magically appear before him. "I'd rather not be in what amounts to pajamas in case there's a scene."
"They should be dry by now, hanging out near the forge."
"Geez, how long was I out?" Stray's only response was to chuckle as Niv looked at the clock. It was two in the afternoon. Niv gathered his clothes and dressed himself, privately of course, which took only a few minutes. Rallom and the Foreman were apparently still having the discussion that had riled Jota. They stopped as Stray and Niv walked in.
"Good, you're up. I trust we can get going soon? We're a day behind." The Foreman crossed his arms impatiently.
"Give him some time." Stray said. "He just came to, and we still don't know what happened. That's a little more important than your schedule." He did his best to keep his tone firm, but not combative. The gazelle relented with a muted huff and left through the front door.
"What put Jota in such a huff?" Niv asked.
Rallom adjusted his small round spectacles. "I was merely discussing the common social shortcomings of predators with Kerral. Mr. Hammerfist must have been offended by something I said, likely because he exhibits one or more of the attributes mentioned. I'm not surprised he's sensitive about it. But if you'll excuse me, I have preparations to make now that you're patched up." He nodded slightly then left as well.
The two men stood in silence for a moment. Niv then put both hands to his forehead and made an unpleasant noise, plopping into a nearby chair.
"I told you." Stray said flatly.
"It's one thing when we're escorting them," Niv said regarding Rallom's aloof demeanor, "I can handle that. But when they're ours, it's just a nightmare. I'd have words with Roan if I didn't know better."
"I know, I know. But we'll have to make do. It'll just be the three of us soon. Things have a way of sorting themselves out on the road." He assured his tiger friend with a hand on his shoulder. "One way or another..." He finished with a vaguely distant look on his face, the one that always reminded Niv of Kismet. He was right though. Any time they had 'baggage' there were either long talking-tos or fist-fights, after which there was always cooperation, if not resentment.
*****
Hours later the light began to wane, filtering through the tops of the trees to glint off the steel plate on the front of Stray's hurbuck as he hefted the final box of supplies into the wagon. It had been parked to the side of Jota's forge to stay overnight.
Niv beckoned Stray to a workbench near the fires, where sat the beautifully varnished wooden box they had been tasked with delivering. Niv was standing in front of it to keep it from public view. Paranoid or not, he wasn't taking a chance on this. Not after two people had died. He simply stared at the box thoughtfully as Stray stood beside him.
"What're you thinkin'?" Stray asked, knowing the look well. It was clear that Niv was contemplating how they might handle transporting it from here on out. Surely they couldn't just take it as it was. Stray turned a hard gaze to the box as well, setting his mind on the same train of thought.
"We have to do something." Niv said after a short silence. "There's something about it that makes me want to open it. I feel compelled... I have to open it... I need to open it..." His shifting fingers made his anxiety clear. He didn't want to open it, knew he shouldn't; yet the desire was there. Stray knew this well, too. He felt no such compulsion, which meant Niv's sensitivity to magic had to be the cause. He turned Niv away from the box and walked him to the bench around front of the forge. He could still keep an eye on the box, but it was out of Niv's sight. The tiger seemed to relax.
"Don't you worry about it, babe. I'll think of something." He said with a large, reassuring grin. There was dangerous magic at play, but he'd never let on. "I'll make it all better."
"I don't doubt it. Best if I just keep my distance from that thing, then." He said resignedly. "I dunno what's in there, but it can't be good. Goddamnit, I hate being susceptible to this shit. It's like a weakness I can't get rid of." He sprawled out along the bench. "Fuck."
"Bad with the good, friend. It may be true, but you still have the strength to resist, and that 'weakness' lets you do wondrous things. Where would we be without it? Weakness my foot! You've squeezed us out of more jams with that 'weakness' than I can recall."
"Liar. You remember each and every one. Plus all the times it not only didn't help us, but made things worse. And you know it." Niv retorted sarcastically. "I swear, it's like you're planning to put out an autobiography or something, hahaha."
"Bah, knock that off. You know I'm right. Now go do something useful." Stray feigned disgust for effect.
"Man, I just can't be the least bit pitiable around you at all, can I?"
"Of course not. Now go."
"Alright, alright. I'll find something to do. Just be careful with that thing. I don't trust it anymore..."
Niv wandered off, not sure where to go to find this 'useful' thing he should do. He no longer felt the power of whatever was held within the pine box, though, and that made him feel better. He hated when something had that kind of power over him. People could be dealt with in some fashion, but artifacts couldn't be threatened or reasoned with, except on the rarest of occasions. And he hated that. If they could overpower your will, there was little you could do about it.
His thoughts ran along old, well-worn paths as he meandered. Everyone was closing up for the day, a familiar sight for him. It had only been a few days, but it still stirred feelings of nostalgia. He found himself at the Meandering Mare. How fitting. He shrugged and stepped inside.
The owner recognized him as he approached the approached the bar. "Back already, eh? She said cheerily, with a grin.
"Not for long, m'afraid. Just passing back through on business."
"I understand. You're 'room' is still open if you haven't got a place for the night. I... fixed it up. After what happened..." Her expression became stern and thoughtful as she seemed to recall the details unknown to Niv. He couldn't help but feel guilty that he wasn't around to help. On the other hand, he thought, things would have been drastically different if he had been there, considering what he now knew of the rat.
"Thanks, Liv, that's actually a good idea. It's been a long day."
"There're fresh linens in the closet at the end of the upstairs hall." She said with a smile, before returning to work.
Niv grabbed a pillow and a sheet from the closet and quietly slipped up to the attic. He'd apparently not understood what she meant by fixed up. There was actually a mattress on the floor with a small frame around it, and some incidental furniture. It was much nicer than when he'd left; it was almost a proper room. He tossed the pillow down, unfurled the sheet and let himself collapse onto the bed in the hopes of getting some restful sleep.
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