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Adventures of Dusty Yote

Part II, Chapter 11 - An Incident on the Dormian Road

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Feeling much better rested than he had the previous morning, Dusty woke up shortly before Kuroga at sunrise. The tavern wasn't open as they closed their account so they backtracked to the marketplace and found an open shop that sold steamed buns. They grabbed a few for the road, then headed back to the northeast path for their exit.

The road was much like before, wide and occasionally marked by stones as they headed back into the forests. It weaved through the trees and occasionally dipped to pass through boulders or small hills, and they quickly left sight of Dormian through a gradual downward slope. As they continued it appeared to Dusty that someone had tried to pave it in cobblestone in places. He mentioned it to Kuroga.

"I wouldn't be surprised," Kuroga said. "If I remember correctly, Dormian is something of a mining town with the base up against the mountains. This road also leads straight to the capital. It could be a project they tried working on, or else they just keep this road smooth enough that no one's had a problem and they haven't bothered to finish."

Dusty had no reply to this. "Did you ever try learning emotive sorcery?"

"I have a... very mild aptitude for it. I went to the Academy in Domasis and learned about the various types, but when it came time for selection I had nothing I could really gravitate towards. I can cast spells with a personalized spell-book, but they are not as strong as one who has their own specialty."

"How many types are there?"

"There's six, technically. I can't explain the details very well, but there's Evocation, Restriction, Manifestation, Enchantment, Transformation, and Corruption."

Dusty was surprised. "Corruption is an entire branch of magic?"

"Theoretically. Again, there isn't much I can say, but it has its own ways it feels and acts and thus can't really be combined with the others. There's also spells that do not fit within the bounds of other branches, and so it has its own classification."

"So magic-draining as a spell is a whole separate thing from the other branches of emotive sorcery?" Dusty asked. "Just... a whole thing that people can learn and we hope you don't actually use it? That seems wildly irresponsible."

"Absolutely," Kuroga said. "It's why the school doesn't teach how to use it. There's already a ton of different ethics classes you have to take for improper use of magic on others, and sometimes the Hunters' Guild of Domasis is there simply to administer justice to those who are using it wrong. But there's classes on Corruption as a separate branch because the administration has figured it was better to learn and explain why it was wrong than to purely prosecute for being wrong."

"That does comfort me," Dusty said. "Better to know the damages to stay on the path. Very similar to the church's teachings on vice; better to know the consequences of dealing too heavily in vices as opposed to just saying what the virtues are."

"There is a mild difference," the lion said patiently. "The church sometimes leans too heavily on vices and how bad they are. The Academy focuses more on 'this is what we know, we can't avoid it being around, it's better you know why it's wrong'."

They stopped for a quick lunch as they reached the edge of the forests and entered the wide coastal plains, the long grasses broken up by the occasional bush or copse of trees. The warm sun felt nice after the shade of the trees and mountains and they finally took off their cloaks as they traveled. The sea shimmered off in the distance like a mirage, sparkling ahead of them though it felt to Dusty like they came no closer.

They also began to encounter travelers more often. Carts pulled by horse teams, merchants and businessmen with paper inventories, families with bundles on their backs, small groups talking and laughing with one another. The road was wide enough for them all to fit easily enough, and Kuroga spent most of the next few hours pointing out different species. Of those Dusty knew he could point out cougars, wolves, deer, moose, elk, and lynx among others, but Kuroga knew lions, zebras, rhinos, tigers, hyenas, dholes, and even one or two large gray things that he called elephants. It felt a little like Domasis was a melting pot of species, with many similarities to Irilian but signs of Ushtani and Marrakhan in there. That included the dressage: long robes, sarongs, long waist-coats, and collarless tunics from Marrakhan; pullover robes, colorful patterned tunics, loose-fitting silk shirts, and shirts with strange capes with Ushtani. Not to mention large round cloth hats similar to Kuroga's own, some in rather more outlandish colors and trinkets attached to them.

Despite it all, Dusty felt like there was something trailing behind them. He couldn't tell what it was, but every time he turned around it felt like it disappeared back into the crowds. They blended right in, lost in the sea of colors and species, and the scent of too many others was in the air and he could pick out nothing consistent except a hint of sweet lilacs.

"Makes your head spin, doesn't it?" Kuroga said, breaking him from his reverie. "You'll find even more where we're headed. Marakhan and Ushtani both have full embassies in Domasis proper. People come here on pilgrimage or else to study at the Academy. Irilian doesn't have one here, I don't think. But they just kind of try to get by on their own lately."

Dusty dismissed his earlier feeling as paranoia at being in a new place, and decided against telling Kuroga. "A bit shocking, yes, but you live your whole life in a place like Riverwood and suddenly the extra colors just pop out and surprise you. It makes me realize how little I know and what I'm missing. I may have to take pilgrimages of my own to Ushtani or Marrakhan."

"Advisable but expensive," Kuroga said. "You'll need plenty of rations, supplies, and money. From Riverwood to the Ushtani border town of Tarraq is a week on its own by sea, and perhaps almost another week to the capital of Arradamos just following the roads. Marrakhan is even further, across another sea by the safest road."

"Meanwhile, it is taking us a week alone to go from a simple city in Irilian to the capital of Domasis," Dusty said. "And already I fear spending most of my money here and needing to go back purely on your good-will."

"Domasis has laws that will make things easier once we kind of establish we're going to be here for a while," Kuroga said. "Ushtani and Marrakhan do not. You either know someone or you're paying your way through. You wish to see Ushtani? Buy a small chest, start saving a coin or two every time you undergo a mission or get a constant job somewhere, and you might have enough at the end of the year to stay in the capital for a week."

"Still, it would be a worthwhile week, wouldn't it?"

Kuroga smiled proudly. "You're damn right it would be."

As daylight waned, they made camp just off the side of the road in a patch of short grass. It appeared to have already been a campsite before, as there was a small pile of wood and a circle of stones, along with a note saying the next person was free to use it. They cleared out more of the grass and moved the stone circle a little further back and built a fire to stave off the colder air. Then they ate, and Kuroga was so tired he dropped off almost as soon as they'd decided the watch.

Night fell and the stars came out, thick and sparkling in patterns beyond what Dusty had seen in Riverwood. At the same time and almost equally beautiful, he looked down across the plains and could see a bunch of little fire-lights cropping up around him. There were no inns on this stretch of road, and so grass patches were cleared a fair ways apart and sometimes tents popped up around the dozens of other lights scattered about. This was enough to keep Dusty awake for a while, gawking at both the night sky and at the colorful and varied nature of the campsites. He half wanted to wake Kuroga to take it all in with him, but the lion was gently snoring nearby and he felt it would be rude. So he let him be and continued his watch.

After a while the hubbub of the other campsites calmed down and the night turned quiet. Dusty put another log on the fire and settled himself in. He put on his cloak to ward off the chill, and that with the fire kept him warm enough. Every once in a while he could hear the sound of music from other campsites, flutes or drums or other instruments, but nothing happened. He could hear the sounds of crickets in the grass

He felt tired. He stretched his legs out a little and massaged them. They ached from the hard climb without a good easy day to rest. He figured he'd get a better chance in Domasis but now he felt a little out-of-breath, unsure whether that was from the speed or the sights. He could feel his eyes drooping and he shook his head to try and stay awake.

It hadn't been long since they had made camp. Dusty wanted to wait until Kuroga had gotten some rest before waking him for his turn. Though Kuroga said thieves and pickpockets were rarer here, there was some sense of unease that Dusty had that he didn't want them both to be asleep unless they were behind a door. That thought alone kept him awake, and he hoped the next hour or so would pass by quickly.

---

Dusty had just closed his eyes when he was woken up by a twig snapping nearby. His eyes snapped open and he looked around for a while before seeing a raccoon nearby, heading towards him from across the road. The raccoon put his arms out in a defensive gesture.

"Whoa, whoa, didn't mean to scare you, sorry about that," he said in a soft tone. "I was just walking along and wondered if I could stop and rest at your fire for a bit. I'm heading to Dormian and I wanted to take a break before continuing on."

Dusty took another look at the stranger. The raccoon was perhaps a little taller than he was and somewhat portly, his gray fur covered in black and brown splotches, with bright chocolate-brown eyes that seemed to shine from his dark mask. He wore a purple tunic and pants, and a purple vest with orange swirls over it. He also had two pewter bracelets on with orange gemstones in them, one towards each wrist, that gave off a faint glow.

Despite the sudden appearance, Dusty felt comfortable enough with the raccoon and waved him over. "For a few minutes, at least." He also figured talking to someone would keep him better awake for a bit, and would send him off when it was about time for Kuroga to wake up.

The raccoon gratefully came over. He sat down cross-legged almost but not entirely across from Dusty and rubbed his hands as he warmed himself. He ate no food but panted a bit as though he'd been walking for a while, though soon it relaxed to a sigh and he smiled appreciatively at Dusty. The coyote smiled back but occasionally went back to staring at the road for anything else.

"You're not from around here, are you?" the raccoon asked.

Dusty shook his head. "I was..." Better not to tell a stranger the whole reason he was there. "...summoned over to Domasis. Something about meeting with the Hunters' Guild there."

The raccoon nodded. "Been traveling a while?"

"Came down from Concolor Pass a few days ago." Dusty was reminded of the aching in his legs and went over to rub them. It felt better to have them stretched out than wrapping them up by his chest, but he half wanted to hide his Order symbols. Nothing to be done about it, though.

"You know any magic?" the raccoon asked.

"Bits and pieces," Dusty said. "Not... not one of the standard branches. Been practicing for about seven years at this point."

The raccoon nodded again. "I studied in Domasis for three years and have been back at my home branch in Dormian for two. I could tell because of your channel." He pointed up to Dusty's circlet. "Yellow tourmaline, I'm guessing?"

Dusty put a hand up to the circlet halfheartedly, wondering if he shouldn't put it away. Not that it would deter the raccoon if he was a thief watching him, but the raccoon's demeanor and words were too soft and gentle to suggest that. "I think you're right. I never bothered to-- eugh." He felt a twinge in his calf, and went back to massaging his legs.

"You doing alright?" the raccoon asked. "Concolor Pass can be kind of tough."

"Still not used to it."

"Your legs are probably tense." The raccoon waved over to him. "Do you mind? I know a few massages that are good for the legs."

While he was sure that Kuroga probably had an ointment for it sitting somewhere in his pack, Dusty also did not want to disturb the lion. And anyways, it wouldn't hurt as payment for using their fire for a few moments, and he could be off when he had finished. "Just a quick one."

The raccoon nodded. He scooted around the fire until he was kneeling next to Dusty and gently placed his hands along the coyote's right leg, one on either side of the knee. He began to calmly and easily kneed the leg, every finger rubbing and massaging a different point, and soon Dusty could feel a slight warmth coming from the raccoon's paws. Almost immediately the tension began to leave.

"That feel better?" the raccoon asked.

"I'm gonna have to get my companion to do this when I get to Domasis," Dusty said. "That feels fantastic."

"Just relax your legs and let me do the work," the raccoon said. He looked up at Dusty, and the coyote saw his eyes sparkle and shimmer with little orange swirls. "You have beautiful eyes, you know that? They match your gemstone; almost gold but a little brighter."

Between the raccoon's compliment and the slow, almost sensual massage of his leg, Dusty felt his face get a little hot. "It's... not coordinated or anything. It's just something given by my Order."

"Well, it looks quite wonderful on you." The raccoon leaned a little further over and began to massage Dusty's left leg in the same manner as the right, and Dusty caught a whiff of lilac almost like perfume. "Just relax your other leg now. A massage like this and a good rest and your leg should be back to normal. Just have to take it easy."

Dusty said nothing but leaned backwards and supported himself up with his hands. His right leg felt warm and fuzzy and his left leg was starting to feel the same way, coaxed to relaxation by the raccoon's dexterous paws. He sighed heavily as the raccoon smiled at him again. "Th-thank you." The raccoon's face was handsome; the black around the eyes made the brown-and-orange shine brighter, and it was framed well with the brown splotches on his ears, cheeks, and arms.

The raccoon's gaze broke for a moment. "Is that your pack over there?"

Dusty looked over to where the raccoon motioned, but found he didn't want to look away for long. "Yes," he said.

"Been pretty heavy if you've been traveling over Concolor, I assume. Do you mind if I massage your shoulders? You probably also need to relax your arms, too, so they don't get as sore."

If it felt anywhere near as good as this did, Dusty was all for it. "I... I suppose."

The raccoon chuckled. "Don't worry, I'll be gentle."

The raccoon shuffled himself so he was facing Dusty with his legs outstretched. Dusty hesitantly turned to face away and gently scooted himself backwards so that he was sitting between the raccoon's paws. The raccoon brought his hands up to Dusty's shoulders, one on each side, and began kneading them in the same way as the legs. Dusty gasped from the feel, then quickly melted into the warmth, unable to prevent himself from yawning.

"That's it," the raccoon said gently. "Such a simple and repetitive motion, but its so easy to relax and ease into it. Your muscles are tired and worn from hard travel. Breathe deep; get some air into your lungs, hold it, and release it slowly to help relax them further and ease out that last little bit of tension."

There was a note of command in the raccoon's voice now, but said so gentle and soothing that Dusty had no trouble complying. He breathed deep a few times and let himself relax into the slow kneading of his shoulders. Any traces of surprise or hesitancy had left him, and the coyote let himself lean back a little further into the massage as he yawned again.

"Just relaxing and letting go," the raccoon said. "Even deeper now, your body feeling calm and heavy. You seem tired; if you want, you can lean back and rest your head against me, and I can massage your chest, my sleepy coyote. Gently ease yourself back into me, and I'll help set you down comfortably."

It wasn't quite his full weight, but Dusty leaned back against the raccoon's paws and slowly eased himself down into the raccoon's lap. The paws came up close beside him to gently support him, and his head rested on the raccoon's soft, pear-shaped chest and belly under his open tunic. The raccoon's right arm came around and started massaging his chest, while the left arm came around to gently scratch the coyote's cheek and neck. Dusty managed to pull his eyes upwards and see the raccoon's eyes still gently swirling with orange, smiling peacefully down at him, and there was once again the strong, sweet stench of lilacs.

"There you go," the raccoon said, his tone warm and even. "Lay your head down and rest under my soothing touch. Feeling so nice and comfortable, warm and sleepy, your eyes growing heavier and heavier with every slow knead. Letting yourself go, letting yourself relax, letting yourself sink with every caress of my paw. There you go..."

The word "sink" made Dusty take pause. Indeed, had he been slightly more aware of himself, he might have even bolted upright and made the raccoon leave then and there. For the last one to use that term had been Zemeya, with almost the same purpose. And he could feel something similar here, the slight oppressive aura flickering beneath the surface, well-hidden but all the more clear now that he realized the sweet smell of lilac having followed him for two days, waiting to make a move. Yet unlike before, this one was hesitant; a potential for corruption but not quite comfortable enough with the implications for the power to balance out. There was still hope... if Dusty could get the message across in time.

"That's my good little coyote. Your arms and legs are feeling warm and heavy from the massage, relaxing down. Your heart is slowing down as you follow the slow and steady rhythm of my paws on your chest, and you relax into the fur soft as a pillow beneath your head. And you're listening to my voice, so soothing, so comforting... soft as the pillow, soft like the bushy tail gently brushing your side, helping you drift ever more towards calm and sleep."

But he couldn't move very much. He could blink and he could yawn, and his blinks were getting slower as he was pulled towards sleep. Despite the flicker of corruption, the raccoon's magic just felt too good to actually do anything against it. His magic wasn't suppressed at all; he just felt too lazy to actually use it. God it felt good, to relax and to not care as the raccoon gently coaxed him down and he let himself sink into that soft fur. If he hadn't exactly been paying attention, he'd almost assume the raccoon wanted to kiss him. Perhaps he was holding that back, too, and there was a part of Dusty that wondered if he wouldn't actually mind it.

"Deeper down now, almost to full relaxation, almost to sleep," the raccoon chanted. "Soon you will close your eyes and fall deep into my enchantment; and while you are under, I will see the depths of your magic as you feel the depths of mine. Together, we may share our secrets, but only if you sleep, sleep, sleep for me, my handsome coyote."

Only now was Dusty aware that he no longer heard Kuroga snoring nearby; his attention was so focused on the raccoon he'd nearly forgotten about him. His eyes drooped even more and he hoped the lion would wake up to take his watch soon. The raccoon's magic slowly trying to intertwine with his own kept Dusty calm, peaceful, and hazy. It made Dusty feel floaty, as though he was somewhat disconnected from everything but the raccoon's touch and voice, longing both to stay awake and to fall asleep at the same time.

The raccoon's eyes suddenly widened and he gulped nervously as a glittering metal spear-tip entered Dusty's frame of vision. Dusty felt himself metaphorically slam into the ground, suddenly awake but unable to release himself from the magic's sedative heaviness. The raccoon almost fell over backwards, barely supporting himself with his paws in time. Without the raccoon's constant massaging and warm gaze, Dusty was finally able to regain himself a bit and look around.

Off to the side he saw Kuroga brandishing his spear at the raccoon's throat.

---

"What are you doing to him?" the lion growled.

The raccoon opened and closed his mouth multiple times but no sound came from it. His eyes darted back and forth between Dusty, Kuroga, and the spear. The flicker of oppression went away, but Dusty still couldn't move much and merely watched the raccoon and Kuroga.

"Let's start a little easier then," Kuroga said darkly. "Where are you from?"

"D-D-Dormian, I've lived in Dormian for eight years now." The raccoon's voice was still warm and smooth but it occasionally cracked in panic.

Kuroga nodded. "That's better." He drew the spear away a little but still kept it pointed between the raccoon's neck and chest. "Now that we know you can talk, I'll ask you again: what are you doing with that coyote?"

"I was just offering him some rest and relaxation," the raccoon said, somewhat less panicked now that the point was no longer at his throat. "I saw him dealing with muscle aches and figured I could offer my own services. N-n-not for a charge, I mean, I just knew something I could do to help him."

Kuroga's voice remained stern. "Do you know him?"

The raccoon flinched but said nothing in response.

"I thought not. If that's the case, it's a bit weird for a massage turning into a command to sleep in one's lap, isn't it?" The point drifted back to the raccoon's throat. "Much less the use of no less than three magic techniques whose usage against civilians is expressly controlled."

The raccoon gulped again but stayed silent.

"Now, as it's the third time I've asked and I really don't want to ask again, tell me the full reason you came all this way from Dormian. It certainly isn't just to give my partner here a muscle relaxant massage and move on. So what is it? Out with it or I'll have you reported to the Board!"

The raccoon nearly shrieked. "I... I couldn't help myself! I noticed a strangely powerful magical energy entering Dormian the other day and I went to follow it. I found it on the coyote here and I... I fell for him at sight." He gulped, then suddenly looked very sheepish under Kuroga's piercing glare. "...I've also been experimenting with potential magical energy transfers the other day and wanted to see if it would work."

Kuroga's expression darkened further. "I'm going to give you this one warning: that is the basis for all corruptive magic. There is no way you would have gotten out of that without falling into a destructive spiral. So I'm gonna give you this advice now: give up on it. Let him go, and maybe you might get out of this with your sanity intact. Do you understand me?"

The raccoon nodded and whimpered but said nothing.

"Good. Then set him down gently right next to you."

The raccoon's paws cradled Dusty's head. The coyote noticed the orange swirls were gone and his bracelets no longer glowed. He seemed somewhat melancholic, though regretful or sad the coyote could not say. He felt the raccoon's legs come out from either side and his head was laid on the ground without fuss. Within seconds of the raccoon's paws leaving his head, Dusty blinked and found that he had command of his body once again. He jumped up and stood next to Kuroga, pulling out his own sword at the raccoon, now recoiling on the other side of the fire.

"Here's another piece of advice," Kuroga said, keeping his spear pointed in the raccoon's direction. "As quick as he woke up from that - what was that, a matter of seconds at most? - you're going to want to leave magic like that well enough alone. You try messing with that and it would cause a corruptive explosion that may damage you both worse even than what you were planning. You understand?"

The raccoon nodded once again. He looked back and forth between Kuroga still pointing the spear at him and sometimes giving Dusty a longing look. While there was a certain gentleness, care, and perhaps even warmth in the gaze, Dusty was no longer inclined to believe it and he fixed the raccoon with a glare as hard as Kuroga's.

"Good," Kuroga said finally. "Now go, leave those ambitions of yours behind, and stick to what you know. Go!"

Without any more prompting, the raccoon fled into the night and he was lost along the road. Dusty took his hand off his sword and sighed but Kuroga remained pointed along the road for a long while, and did not sheathe his spear for a good minute or two after the sound of footsteps had long faded away.

"Thank you," Dusty said when he saw Kuroga finally calming down. "I... I don't know how he was able to get to me that easily. It almost felt like one minute I was trying to keep watch and the next I was just feeling tired and sleepy in his arms."

Kuroga turned around. He placed a paw gently on Dusty's shoulder, and the coyote could see a look of concern in the lion's warm eyes. "Are you alright?" he asked softly.

"I'm fine now," Dusty said. "I just don't quite understand what happened."

"It was emotive sorcery," Kuroga said. "Specifically the enchantment branch. It's designed to make people relax and lower their guard. He was using three spells - one to relax your muscles on contact, one to keep you focused and slowed with repetitive motions, and one to make himself more charming. Subtle, but combined it's easy to become one-track minded and fall into a trance listening to the person using them."

Dusty nodded. "Look, I'm sorry for not waking you up sooner. I guess I was right about being followed back in Dormian, but I felt it on the road coming here and I should have let you know when I felt it again. We might have avoided all this if I had told you about it ahead of time."

"I don't blame it on you," Kuroga said. "I should have been giving you a little primer on emotive sorcery ahead of time so you knew what to expect. That and, based on your reaction and what I could sense of your energies, you might be weak to it and he was something of a magical empath. The circumstances weren't exactly in your favor."

"I've knocked out of magic like that before," Dusty said. "I actually used magic to break bonds of Reeve's magic being used on me, and I was able to resist Zemeya's magic a little bit back at the woodsmen's camp."

"Perhaps," Kuroga said. "But let me ask you two questions: did you realize what the raccoon was doing to you?"

"Yes," Dusty said. "I recognized it when some of the words he said were the exact same as what Zemeya said when he used that magic."

"Good, that's one part. But the second part is: did you want to leave?"

Dusty suddenly felt very flustered. "N-no. It was... it was like I was both too comfortable and too lazy to leave."

"It happens sometimes," Kuroga said sympathetically. "We don't have to go into it right now, but sometimes people's feelings and backgrounds can make them weak to certain kinds of emotive sorcery. Hence you being able to break Reeve's but not wanting to break that raccoon's."

"Still, I'm sorry for not letting you know sooner. I should have been more responsible in that regard. Then maybe we both could have kept better watch or arranged things differently."

Kuroga took a step towards Dusty and held his arms open. For a moment Dusty wondered what he was about to do until he realized the lion was asking if he wanted a hug. There was a smile on Kuroga's face and his paws were relaxed. Dusty took a step or two forward until he was almost touching the lion and still the paws did not wrap around him. It was only when the coyote slowly put his arms around Kuroga that the lion gently reciprocated, holding him close but not tight.

"So long as you're okay now, everything's good," Kuroga said softly. "There's nothing you need to be sorry for."

To Dusty's own surprise, he let the lion hold him for quite a while. No more words were exchanged and he definitely couldn't feel any magic but he felt a little calmer and at-ease. At the slightest tug away, Kuroga's hands fell away from his back and he let the coyote go with a warm smile. Dusty slowly smiled back, feeling better about the lion and his presence but unsure of what to make of it all.

He didn't have to question it much further. He yawned again and soon Kuroga was straightening out his bedroll for him.

"I almost forgot. You're probably gonna feel a little off-kilter for a bit. Enchantment kind of does that to you, but a good legitimate sleep will help clear most of that up. I'll keep watch for the rest of the night; if your legs are aching still, it will help that, too."

Dusty settled down into his roll and placed his pack underneath him for a pillow. But even though he was tired, he remained curious about something else. "Kuroga... how come it didn't affect you since you were right there?"

Kuroga, now sitting down next to Dusty, sighed. "Well, one of them required touch, so that's obvious. One required focus on repetition, which I wasn't focused on him but on you. And the other... well, suffice it to say I've yet to find someone who could successfully charm me like that. Perhaps one, but that would be a longer story still."

As he rolled over and closed his eyes, Dusty reflected that there was a lot of meaning in the smile Kuroga gave him after that explanation. All he knew was that enchantment sorcery didn't seem his style, and that he wasn't very keen on knowing he could fall to the charms of a common flirt, however good-looking they were.

---

Dusty woke up with a chill running down his spine, though the source of the chill was soon gone from his memory. The fire was still going, and he was quickly warmed as he sat up and looked around, rubbing his arms though not from the morning breeze. He had slept quite soundly through the rest of the night; Kuroga was sorting through their packs and had even already warmed some of Dusty's rations for him.

The coyote took his time. He got some water from his skin and gratefully ate the bits of meat and bread Kuroga had given him. It was only when Dusty had started eating that Kuroga finally pulled out some of his own rations and ate. Unlike before, when he seemed interested in getting on the road as soon as possible, now the lion waited until Dusty seemed ready to go. It was only when the coyote turned around and started prepping his bedroll to latch up that Kuroga did so himself. They tamped out the rest of the fire with dust and some of their water, scattered the ashes and broken logs, and went on their way.

The early stages of the morning seemed very similar to their first appearance on the grassy fields and they passed a few hours and miles without much change in their scenery. But just as the morning breeze was gone the horizon suddenly came towards them, the road took a right turn, and they were heading east along the edge of a white cliff perhaps fifty or sixty feet high. Below them was another mile or two of grassy fields before a stretch of white sand and the shimmering blue sea.

Off in the distance now they could see their destination. Domasis was a city full of white stone with the occasional red or orange or brown terracotta roof. It almost glowed in the sun, seeming to reflect the blue of the sea, the green of the grass, the beige and yellow of sand or wheat or corn fields. It stretched off into the distance around a river delta and had three large bridges: one upstream that crossed the whole of the river, and two downstream that connected the two halves with an island. On the northernmost point of the island lay a large and tiered castle-like structure that stood perhaps a floor or two taller than the next highest building.

"What is that building?" Dusty asked.

"That is where the Steward lives, the Senate presides, and where the Domasis Academy of Magic is," Kuroga explained. "It teaches other things, but it is the current known center of emotive sorcery in all the kingdoms. Two years teaching foundations, one year teaching the generals of each branch, and one to two years heading off to the branch of your choice in one of the other townships for specifics and practical experience."

"So where do you go for each of the branches? And will we have to go there?"

"If we go there is up to you. For now, I can give you a basic rundown: the main Academy runs Evocation, Dormian that we passed through has the Enchantment school, Manifestation is in Lyndon Springs to the west of Dormian, Restriction's branch can be found over in Marchand about two cities west on the coastline, and Transformation is at the northeastern-most town of Rehona."

"So how come the Steward and the Academy are all mixed up?"

"I believe that will require a small history lesson. But if you are interested, I'll give it a go." Kuroga remained silent for a while to collect his thoughts. "Domasis was another kingdom long ago, but it crumbled itself from the inside. The Academy remained neutral through conflicts through one rule: if you were in the Academy, you had to comply with their rules, and they were intolerant towards discrimination. If you were there to study sorcery, you belonged there like anyone else did and that's all that mattered."

"I'm surprised," Dusty interjected. "Most schools back in Irilian are rather strict about their entry and who can come in for what. No one but a member of the Order, for example, is allowed to enter the school for blessings and that's even if you're part of the church."

"Then most places would consider them surprising. But anyways. The old kingdom fell to civil war and became three separate kingdoms. The Academy and the town of Domasis - meant to feed and house workers and students - stayed neutral and non-discriminatory. They made a high-ranking mage the Steward and called them the leader. From there, each of the three kingdoms tried to sway Domasis to their side."

"They were poking a dangerous hornet's nest if they did," Dusty said gravely. "Even the teachings of the Order stress that a single member who can sufficiently command the power of blessings is worth up to two dozen well-armed fighters in combat."

"That was the same for emotive sorcery," Kuroga said. "Domasis wouldn't support one side or another because of some framework that broke the Academy's rules. Whatever happened, the three kingdoms fell apart quickly from deserters, firepower, or high cost. Each became isolated, and then ruined. Only two towns remain from then: Domasis the neutral who rebuilt themselves from the ashes, and Dormian, those who technically won but were aware they had lost too much to call it that."

"So I'm guessing Dormian decides to make things easy for itself and swears fealty and compliance to Domasis in order to stay alive."

"You're right on the money. Dormian looked at its neighbors and the state of things and realized they were screwed. But they're not going to fight Domasis, so they come with a plea deal: their lord becomes no more than a mayor and subjects itself to the Academy's rules and regulations. Domasis saw they were truly repentant and wanted to make amends and evened things out: if Dormian subjugated itself and paid taxes, Domasis would set up a court of representatives to make sure Dormian had some say in how things played out, and Domasis would help them rebuild."

"And this becomes the foundation of modern Domasis."

"About three hundred years ago. One gets the sense they're still recovering from that, just getting past their dark ages and flourishing under the new system. Others came in and the Senate expanded, and now the Senate makes the laws and the Steward makes sure the laws are enacted and the right money gets appropriated for it. I think I remember one of my old professors calling it a 'republic', so the official title is the Republic of Domasis."

"Where does emotive sorcery come in?"

"Even further back than that. Far beyond what I know. Only deep dives can really explain it since each magic branch seems to have had its own location of interest. Even if you were to learn about it, I believe that is at least far beyond your call of duty. But that is not for me to decide."

"This is good enough, at least," Dusty said. "I like knowing a little about the area I'm going into. It gives me the basics and I'm sure I could buy a primer or something from one of the shops around here. And you are right, it may be going a little far, but perhaps it may give me more incentive to head to one of the other areas and learn more."

"That it might," Kuroga said with a laugh. "For all that even I can tell you're not entirely comfortable with it, your curiosity is like a sponge, and that will reward you on its own. But if it assures you any, I do know that the current Steward is not a mage themselves. The Steward is an elected position that gets switched up every ten or so years, and it alternates between a mage and a non-mage."

"Long enough for stability, not quite long enough to become a tyrant."

"If a tyrant wanted to, they probably could do it in three. But they're not going to go against the magical powerhouse that the Academy is. Truthfully, I sometimes think that's the whole thing keeping it safe: that the Academy's so powerful even the Steward is afraid to break their rules. But I have found this one quite pleasant enough."

"I should hope so," Dusty said.

---

By the time they stopped for lunch, the city had barely come any closer. Still, it was quite the sight to see the glowing white reflect on the colors around it as the day went on. Towards noon it faded to a simple bright white, then began to change color again as the afternoon wore on. As they continued walking, Dusty figured he could almost sit on a cliff with nothing to do but watch the changing colors of the town as the day passed by and would be quite happy doing so.

They were almost about to touch it when the road banked inland and they walked away until they came astride a large river. They went down into a ravine for about a mile before they approached a large gate with two towers, white with golden trim and orange terracotta roofs. Two guards were posted on the outside and two on the inside of the city gate; Kuroga soon approached one and asked where the city's checkpoint was. The guard gave Kuroga directions and the lion and the coyote took their first steps into Domasis.

Up close, the town was beautiful. While the white stone prevailed in most locations, some smaller buildings and houses were allowed to be painted in bright and vivid pastels. The roads were made of sturdy cobblestone, and there were multiple species in vivid and varied modes of dress. The town seemed to be laid out similarly to Dormian with simply larger sections.

West of the river was set back a short ways, and they followed the main street almost two miles down towards the sea. From there they went east and crossed one of the bridges to the delta in the center, where the Academy was located at a large plaza. Here seemed to be where a lot of the public works were headquartered, from a central treasury to food storage to trading companies.

There was something rather normal about it. It reminded him of his short time in Irilian, and on thinking of home he was immediately comforted despite being almost a week's travel away from Riverwood. There was something about Domasis - even more than Dormian - where Dusty felt oddly calmed yet invigorated even after a few days of travel. Having been upset during his stay in Dormian, now things were new and interesting and exciting again. He hoped it would remain.

The Domasis checkpoint looked rather like a mixture of the Customs Office and the larger Guild halls from back in Irilian. He followed Kuroga up to another guard, who directed them to a window. Kuroga showed the worker the sealed letter and Dusty the pin on his chest, and they were serviced with a few papers to sign. Once that was done, they were directed to a number of local taverns to stay until Dusty went up to see the Steward. The coyote was informed he could call on the Steward any time within the week by speaking to the lobby attendants at the Academy, and they were dismissed.

From the delta, Kuroga took the main road heading east across another bridge, which directed them to an inland area on the eastern side. Kuroga went still a little further south and up into the hills against the cliffs. It was quieter and a little more isolated here, and while the inn was a little smaller than the Slumbering Dragon it appeared more comfortable. From a patio that seemed to serve as an open-air dining space, Dusty could actually see a majority of the town. Down a ways was the Academy at the island, a number of closer public terraces and gardens, and even the seafront main road where they had come in.

They walked in and a red deer attendant welcomed them to the Overlook Tavern and they were just in time to settle down and get ready for dinner. Kuroga paid for two nights' room and board with meals, and they were given a key and directed to their room, a washing room, and the main door to the dining hall. The room was somewhat plain but had fine beds with feathery mattresses and pillows, and windows they could open for a nice sea breeze. They set down their packs and Dusty relaxed on the bed for a little bit while Kuroga looked over a guidebook he'd picked up at the checkpoint for where to eat for dinner.

"Hogwash," the lion eventually said as night fell and he threw aside the guidebook. They walked down to the dining patio to see what was in store. Fish was on the menu, and they had halibut over a mixture of corn and potatoes and carrot. The house ale was good, a little sweeter than Dusty was used to but crisp and refreshing, and they were even able to get some cornbread with butter and honey.

"How are you feeling?" Kuroga asked as they ordered another round of ale to go with the cornbread.

"Better now that I've had a good meal in me," Dusty said. "It felt a little bit like I was still trying to shake off the dregs of that one enchantment. Not that I had an inclination to go back, mind you, but that I was still kind of caught in a floaty state, if you understand."

"Enchantment magic can do that," Kuroga nodded in acknowledgment. "Its better than I've heard some people take Manifestation magic, though; some people say they get dizzy or even drunk off of the scents and toxins they produce. They wake up the next morning and it's like a hangover."

"Still, it's been pleasant enough here and at least not everyone's on the verge of going corrupt like that raccoon. The way some people at my home church talk, you'd think an area steeped in magic like this that isn't blessings would have driven itself mad by now."

"I'd be curious to know how many others could sense it like that, though," Kuroga said, scratching his chin contemplatively. "I can sense your magic being pretty deep but you don't radiate it constantly like some people do. Funny how he was able to pick it up like that."

"He probably was just misguided," Dusty said. "If they really do go through as many ethics courses as you say, perhaps he hadn't quite learned it yet."

"Actually, that raccoon was doing some pretty complex spell-weaving," Kuroga said. "Most aren't able to mix in three or even two spells like that until their fourth or even fifth year. One ethics course per year should have told him he wasn't doing something right with that. Hopefully the experience was able to knock some sense into him."

"I realize I shouldn't be complaining considering it worked, but I don't think he meant it as harmful as it came out. At least, not to making it where he needed your spear aimed at his neck. Even if there was some flicker of corruption, it felt nowhere near as oppressive as it did even when Zemeya was doing it. That one felt forced, compared to being coaxed down the other night."

Kuroga raised an eyebrow as the two new mugs of ale were sat down with the pan of cornbread. "And what tenant of the Order of the Holy Cross makes it where you forgive a guy who was trying to drain you with forbidden magic?"

Dusty shrugged. "I guess a combination of compassion and 'love your neighbor as yourself' teachings." He reached over, grabbed a square of cornbread, and started dripping some honey onto it. "I'd rather forgive someone who does something from a place of warmth or tenderness, and hope they reform rather than punish. Again, doesn't mean I want to go back, just that I hope they find better footing."

Kuroga smiled again and placed his head on his hand; there was now a certain appreciation with the warmth. "You are different from most of the Order. That sort of thinking is an odd combination of realist and idealist that I've rarely seen."

The cornbread was good, and Dusty had to finish chewing his rather large bite before he could answer. "If it is within my power to heal, then I should heal. But the first step to that is forgiving such that my own heart is clean knowing that I have opened the way to that redemption. It is up to them as to whether or not they take it."

Kuroga grabbed his own square. "...why didn't you go into the clergy and preach?"

"Talking has never been my strong suit. Though I could, I do not do well explaining myself."

"Your explanation seems clear enough to me."

"Still, I feel something was left undone," Dusty said. "It occurred to me later that I have a spell given by one of my friends in the Order that I wanted to try. They said it had the ability to 'un-cloud the mind', and it even managed to knock Reeve out of his corruptive state entirely. Maybe I should have tried using it on the raccoon before we chased him off."

"If a spell like that exists, then there is hope. But don't let it discourage you that you couldn't use it then. Not all who have the flickers of corruption are doomed to spiral down the path. Perhaps we have made him aware of his vices, and have already set him on the right path. You have done far more good than you think in simply forgiving him already. If there's anything the Academy taught me, it's that energy of all kind - from magic to even simple thoughts like that - can influence the ways the world works in forms we cannot imagine. He may yet take it."

Dusty smiled at the lion with newfound appreciation. He rather liked him, and already very much was glad Kuroga had agreed to come along with him.