“Rogue magi in and of themselves are of little threat to us. ‘So why put them down?’ some of you might ask. Well, first off, many are actually recruited, willingly or not into the church’s ranks and now can be counted upon as tenuous allies or made to join one of the many mage guilds across Cyndralia. The ones we do put an end to are not necessarily the most powerful practitioners of forbidden magic. No. It is those with the intent to do harm and cause chaos, however small. A knowledge seeker is flawed, but harmless enough if controlled. One who seeks domination through strength however, has a thirst that cannot be quenched besides with their death.”
- Hunter Justicar Enrique Villefort, Witch Hunter Instructor, “Combating Mages and Rogue Heretics”
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“You’ll need more guards than me.” Taurox hummed, his giant hands stroking his chin thoughtfully.
“Mercenaries, though ideally they wouldn’t be inside with us.” Sophie answered.
“Worrying. The Traxians will have more gold. The Traxians you’re not with.”
“We know.”
“No need to be snarky. I’m just telling you how it is.” Taurox scolded her with a friendly growl.
“Sorry, sorry. I know.”
“Hmpf, just remember this. Even the prepared can falter, and the best laid plans could crumble into dust in but a moment. However, being prepared means that when the chaos arrives, you can be adaptable, flexible and respond effectively. It is what you do best, young elf.”
“I know.” Sophie replied, a more caring and nostalgic whisper escaping her lips than she had expected.
The minotaur simply smiled, an almost fatherly look in his eyes that tugged at her heart. It was then replaced by a gaze that she recognized all too well. A slight curious frown, his brows only half knitted together, his horns pointing a little lower as he leaned down to observe her. It meant he had a training regime or work for her to do.
She straightened her posture and tried to appear more confident, much to both of others' amusement. If there was to be a task to be accomplished or training to be done, she would do so with gusto.
“It has been a while, little one. Have you kept up with your practice?” He asked.
“More or less.”
“Hmmm. Just because you are taking a more active role in your adventurers, do not neglect your practice.”
“I know!”
“Hoh, don’t take offence, eh?” He chuckled, “And what about you?” He turned towards Sophia.
“Eh? Ehuh, I guess I’m doing fine?” Sophia squeaked.
“You might skulk in the shadows more than her, but do not neglect your own combat training. At the end of the day, should you engage in a fight, it will be your preparedness, skills, and adaptability that will see you through.”
“I… understand?”
“Good. Double that for you, Sophie.”
“Of course.” She resolutely stated.
“Make sure to keep working on your stances. You always move too chaotically, which while good in responding to attacks, is not everything. For without the proper balance and preparation, your counterattacks and defensive position leave much to be desired. Proper fighting form would help stretch your currently limited skill sets further. A good foundation is the most important, after all.” He lectured.
“I know, Sir Taurox. You’ve told me this before, and just now.” Sophie nodded emphatically.
“And I will continue to do so until I feel that you have adequately mastered the basics.”
Sophie winced a little. Not that she minded the tutelage.
“Understood, Sir Taurox!” Sophie declared, her eyes filled with renewed conviction.
“Good. Then let that be all for today, eh?” Taurox stood up and helped both of them up, his strength nearly launching Sophie into the air.
“So, is there anything else?” Sophie tentatively asked.
“None, young elf. Simply prepare and train yourself. I have no doubt that this will go without violence. Even the Imperials aren’t that stupid. The only difference is, what other traps that they might have in store for us.”
Sophie gave him a snappy salute, or at least one to the best of her ability. He returned the gesture, though more out of good humor than a serious salute. At last, she noticed how his gaze met Sophia’s and the minotaur simply dipped his head apologetically. Her twin looked away but murmured her agreement.
Sophie’s heart tightened. Despite the glibness she had seen today, and despite Sophia’s efforts. Even she knew that the pain wouldn’t simply leave her counterpart so easily, if ever. To have even imagined otherwise was but a fantasy. Right.
It was a sobering end to an otherwise productive and somewhat cheery reunion. But Sophia seemed to take it on the chin and recovered just as quickly, telling Sophie with a swift look that if they were to discuss this matter, it would have to wait. Sophie just nodded her understanding as the duo bid one last farewell to the minotaur.
The second that the duo stepped out of the tent, they were greeted by the two rangers that escorted them from earlier. The men looked at them for some sort of confirmation. Sophie responded with only a curt nod. But it was enough.
The two rangers motioned for them to follow and led them back out of the campsite. Within moments, they had left the safety of the walls and were back out in the wilderness, the twisting turns of the woodlands masking the true pathway to their encampment. It was a quiet, tense journey as they left. The rangers never quite let their guard down and gave the impression that the woods were far more dangerous than they had originally thought.
Only when they were back onto the road did they all collectively relax a little. A few whistles from road wardens greeted the two rangers who whistled back. With that, it seemed that the duo was free to go.
“Stay out of trouble… travelers.’ The lead ranger told them.
With how he emphasized the last words, Sophie knew that they had been appraised of who exactly she was. Therefore, she simply bowed, an act which Sophia mimicked and began walking away from the rangers. For a few steps, there was the lingering worry that something might happen, the unease that she always felt whenever she was traversing forests and woodlands, her own scar leftover from the Mistveil. Yet nothing happened, the woods remained calm, albeit a bit too calm. The rangers simply let them go.
Only when the frosty winds of winter kissed their cheeks uninhibited by the trees did the two let out sighs that neither was aware they were holding. The two turned to each other and grunted. Their objectives had been accomplished, even if they only had half of what they wanted. All that was left was to go back to the Academy and report back.
Sophia looked at Sophie with a frown, like she had something she wanted to say. But with a slight shake of the head and a huff, her sibling remained quiet. Now more reticent than before at broaching the subject, Sophie allowed the silence to linger. Hoping that the duo could simply take in the sounds of the world as they began their long trek back to Brightfields.
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It was well into the evening by the time the duo arrived back in Arteria. Whatever light remained came from lanterns and street lamps. The little pockets of warm sunshine now fully devoured by the icy nocturnal breeze. Despite the cold, the city was alive again. Caught in the energetic throes of the hours just after dinner but before activities came to an end.
The two shared a collective sniffle and smiled at each other. They had settled down for a meal of ‘hog arms’ back at the All Hogs Arms tavern. The dish presented them with a comforting flavor that brought a sense of delight to both of them. Nice meaty bites that were a little overcooked and dry, yet enjoyable nonetheless. Supplemented by honey glazed carrots and other vegetables that managed to survive until now. Even if for a little bit, Sophie was glad that this was something Sophia inherited from her. It meant that if it came down to it, there were a few things Sophie could do to cheer her sibling up.
Today had gone on both longer and shorter than expected. And if there was one thing the two of them could agree on, was that spending time with each other had been interesting.
They were both focused on their meals, or so Sophie had assumed until a stray voice invaded her mind.
“Sophie, hey.”
Sophia’s mental voice was tense, concerned, and a little worried. In turn, Sophie’s own alertness heightened, and she tried to turn towards her sister only for the next words they shared to stop her.
“Listen carefully, pretend you’re musing about the food.” Sophia snapped.
The sudden boom of her mental voice made Sophie flinch. She accidentally bit down without making sure of where her next bite would be and carelessly sent the bit of meat flying back down to the plate. Naturally, her eyes looked turned to look down in surprise, her attention temporarily entranced by the panic in trying to identify where the stray meat went.
A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.
“Good acting. Now listen carefully and don’t look around yet. But we’re being watched. Five tables behind and to the right. Southeast corner, about uhh, four o’clock. Two men, one women. Not Arnold’s crew.” Sophia informed her.
Sophie’s search for the meat came to a halt as she froze, swallowing a gulp upon fully processing what she had been told. Every fiber of her being wanted to look at exactly at where Sophia had indicated, only through sheer willpower and a need to find the haunting thought of a meat cube somewhere on her clothing kept her from fully doing do.
“No identifiable traits for any group that I’m aware of.”
“I…damn. Any hostility?” Sophie finally found her footing and asked.
There was a pause. Sophia likely either scanning the room or pretending to do something else. Inexplicably, Sophie felt something bubble up within her and burped, drawing a small giggle from her sister. As one chuckled and the other growled, Sophia pursed her lips and grunted.
“No. Just watching us.”
Sophie clicked her tongue. Not knowing someone’s intentions irked her. They were neither friend nor, though more likely to be, foe. At least with hostile actors, she could simply be on guard and leave it at that.
“Any ideas of how long?” She asked.
“Unsure. Only noticed a minute or two ago. But that area was definitely filled by someone else at least ten minutes ago. So recent.”
“Think they followed up? After we got back to the city?”
“You. You’re the troublemaker.” Sophia teased.
Sophie rolled her eyes.
“You know what I meant.”
“Mm, I do. More fun this way though.” Sophia giggled, “But to answer your question. Possibly. Too many people around to tell. But we’re pretty hard to miss. Looking almost exactly the same and all.”
Sophie grunted her agreement. That makes sense, I guess. But that raised another problem in her mind.
“Someone’s scouting us out then. Either for Lucinia’s conference, or about the whole Braveskull affair.” She proposed the idea.
Almost immediately upon hearing the mention of their name, Sophia’s expression darkened, a threatening scowl on the verge of escaping her self control. Yet Sophia paused, and just sighed deeply. The dissatisfaction evident by how forcefully she tore into another piece of her meat.
“Don’t rule out the city council. Remember? Arnold told us to be watchful of them.” Sophia posited another possibility.
This one had Sophie chew on her lip for a moment. If it was the city’s leaders keeping an eye on her, that could prove troublesome. On the bright side, I doubt the Chamber would send assassins, so if that’s the case, we can rule out direct hostilities.
Sophie nibbled on a stray piece of carrot. Turning her thoughts away from the troubles at hand and onto the food. She savored the sweetness of the honey glaze as it touched her tongue. There was also a hint of gravy and pork fat from the platter itself, lending the carrot an uncharacteristic richness that proved to be quite pleasant for her palette.
She found Sophia frowning at her and merely responded by happily munching on more food. Baffled and taken aback, her sister spent nearly a full minute pondering this sudden turn of events before coming to the conclusion that Sophie had reached. There was nothing either of them could do beyond being aware of the presence of the watchers. They might as well enjoy their meal.
Seeing the glint return to Sophia’s eyes, Sophie nudged her sister and grinned. Sophia seemed slightly displeased but did not move to stop her.
Only when their meal was nearing an end did the two slow down their pace. The exchanged glance letting both of them know that it was time to come up with a plan. Wordlessly, they continued chewing, polishing off the last remnants of meat and vegetables whilst their minds did all the work.
“Are they still there?” Sophie asked.
Sophia nodded.
“What do you think? We need to get rid of them?”
That gave Sophia pause, her sister humming to herself as she pondered the question.
“Maybe. Might be worth letting them follow us. Try and figure out what they’re looking for.” Sophia finally answered.
“Fair enough. Like Taurox said, you’re more of the skullduggery type. I’ll leave this plan up to you.”
“Got it.” There was a firmer expression on Sophia’s face when she conveyed her answer. A sense of duty, not dissimilar to Sophie’s own often misplaced need to fight for those around her. She’s getting fired up. Let’s just hope she doesn’t end up starting another riot or something.
The two of them sat quietly planning their next move. A few glances around the room reminding them of the ever-present watchers in the corner.
Sophia gave Sophie a discreet thumbs up.
Sophie left the required artes on the table and stood up, leaving Sophia behind.
Within a certain radius, Sophia could still talk to her mentally. She would keep an eye on their unwelcome tag-alongs while Sophie served as the more obvious one of the two to follow. She was also less adept at concealing her presence after such a long period out of service from the Rosengart family. Got to remember to practice that too, she grumbled to herself.
Leaving the clamor of the tavern behind her, she pushed open the doors to the outside world and was met with a blast of the frosty air outside. Though it chilled her to the bone, there was a sense of freedom in the vast night sky that watched over the city. She shivered, the coldness of the air reminding her of home. Carrador. Huh, it’s been a while since I’ve been back. Not that they would welcome me, or any of us for that matter.
She took her time gazing at the city around her. The city still bustled with life, the people of Arteria enjoying the night as they had a break from the day’s labors. Only a few stars were visible today, the rest shrouded by clouds or something more sinister. Hidden by the void between them. A god in It's own right. She shuddered at her own heretical thought.
Her eyes wandered back down to the people around her. Her expression twisting into one of almost pity. None of them even knows of what lurks beyond. Could the church have known? It was an interesting thought for her, one that likely warranted more consideration on a different day. But for now, she still had a tail to assess.
“Still there? They’re moving.” Sophia informed her.
Sophie huffed and readied herself. She had come back into the city ready to unwind, not deal with what is potentially a hostile force. At least the focus is on me and not the others, she consoled herself. Taking heart that her sister was watching her back, she began her journey towards the Academy port.
Yet a part of her worried. She worried that this would be similar to when Eva and Sophia got into trouble. When her sister had been accidentally left alone and ended up attacked by the Braveskulls. The hurt that had followed and the silent war that they now waged against the company.
“They’re outside, should be on your tail, I’m going to start moving.”
Sophie slowed her stride, giving them a chance to all catch up and to remain within range of her sister. Better yet, it gave her an excuse to slow down her pace, to take in more of Arteria. Today had been a hectic day and despite the pleasant chats she had with Sophia, there was a genuine feeling of relaxation that she felt as she walked. Lately, she barely had any time for herself, time to spend on her own. And no matter how lovable Ary’s company was in private, Sophie still needed some time to recuperate, and she supposed that this was it.
She did feel it though, now that Sophia had mentioned it. The unwelcome sensation at the back of her neck that someone was watching her. But leaving it up to Sophia and fate, she pressed on.
The journey itself wasn’t entirely stressful, though perhaps most unnervingly, beyond a quick mental acknowledgement, Sophia barely spoke to her at all. All it did was make Sophie worry more about her sister and less about herself or her pursuers.
A quiet spell descended as she passed the Noscali gates. Whereas the northern side of Arteria was a hub-bub of nightlife and activity, the southern side was far more somber. The moment she passed through, dozens of redcloaks and bluecloaks stood guard along the streets. Although the city was still lively, a certain dampening of the mood hung heavy here, a humid grittiness mixed in with the salty sea air.
On the way to the docks, she could barely look away from the arena. The damaged facade of the venerable structure leaving a painful reminder of her failures and the suffering that had gripped the city that day. A wrong to be righted, a debt that still needs to be repaid. Her hand instinctively travelled down to her blade, her fingers tightening and loosening as she tried to regain control of her emotions. Sir Taurox might be right, I need to control myself more and practice remaining flexible.
“Sophie, heads up. They stopped, ducked into a nearby alley. Wait for me, I’ll come to you.” Sophia interrupted her thoughts.
Hearing a full sentence, Sophie breathed a sigh of relief. Sophia was fine, and that also meant that their pursuers were doing nothing more than observation duty, no fighting, not today anyways.
Sophia showed up down the street from the port a few moments later. Her sister’s appearance looking none the worse for wear only brought even more comfort. For it marked their day having ended without trouble, a day that the two spent with each other. A family outing, heh.
“Sophia, hey.” Sophie called out.
“Sophie.” Her sister bobbed her head.
Sophie smiled, for Sophia looked funny with a hood half draped over her head. She then frowned, does that mean I also look a little silly doing that? This whole damned time?!
The two sisters regarded each other for a few seconds, taking in the moment in a shared silence before Sophie smiled.
“Had a good day?” She asked.
Sophia seemed pleasantly surprised by the question and managed to eke out a genuine smile of her own.
“Could be better, definitely a little too much busy work.” Sophia answered, pausing as she mockingly stroked a non-existent ponytail like Sophie often did, “But I enjoyed it, more or less. Twas a... normal day. Heh.”
“Heh.” Sophie chuckled, mimicking the motion, except with an actual ponytail.
The two gestured towards the port at the same time, an amused grin shared between them as they nodded at each other.
“Time to go home?”
“Time to go home.”