The four of us got lucky to hitch a ride from the Mines going straight to the Araneum. Well, almost. The Royal Docks is more like it. But the City isn’t far from there. Apparently. And we travelled in style this time: with a Caravan. The scenery from the ground level is just as beautiful and mesmerizing as seeing it from above. It almost feels like Noxanda here: the forests and the woods and their piney or thick canopy scent after the rain and the smell of fresh earth as we pass by the fields – reminds me of home. I know I should be missing it more, but I kinda don’t. Except may be a few things. Shoot. Where was I again? Right.

Regular ore shipments were made from the Mines to Araneum in small portions, but once a year they had a huge haul to make and so, we took the opportunity to move on.

It wasn’t our initial plan on staying so long, but somehow days turned into weeks and months. Guess that happens when all days and nights look the same – dark.

It definitely was an experience to learn from. My night vision improved drastically. I’m able to see better now even without pouring Mana directly into my eyeballs. Starlight adapted her healing regiment too and learned a lot from the local Cleansers and Healers.

Apparently, the Mines were established almost at the same time as Existara was discovered. It was probably because of the Mines that the New Continent was named and move to. To this day the people at the Mines rely mostly on Non-Magic Powered methods and medicine. Of course, Stone, Fire and Earth Mages and Shamans are employed, but even so – the ores themselves can’t be mined with Magic – leaving the old methods superior still.

Crile had the chance to learn Blacksmithing too. I knew he dabbled with it back home, because of his blades, but he really went into it for a good six months before we left.

That’s probably when we got separated. Just after the entire Earthquake situation cleared up and life at the Mines went back to normal.

Starlight went to the Clinic. Crile to the Blacksmiths, I asked for something that would let me stretch my wings and got roped into Post and Delivery services. And Emerald got stuck babysitting tiny ones at a local Day Care. A place where busy mommies and daddies can have their kids looked after for a few hours or so. Usually, it would be the ones that had to prepare for the next rotation that were the busiest and used the service.

It was hilarious to see Emerald endure the curiosity and clinginess of children. It kind of reminded me of me, when I used to cuddle up with her at the Stables back home...

Anyways, there you have it. We should be closing in on Araneum by nightfall tomorrow. Though, technically will be taking a detour towards the Docks. Our contract states that we must reach the End Point to get paid. That will cost us another day before we really will be at the Royal City, but oh well.

“Letter to Laira?” Crile whispers next to me.

“Yeah.”

“Could have left her a Lector Stone too.”

“I could have. But ours are enough. Least this way they can talk to her too about something. Besides. I know you report back to Ira more than you care to show.”

“Oh, now that’s not fair – you know I’m under oath.” He pouts at me. “Not all of us can afford the luxury to disobey...”

“Oh ha, ha...” I’m not given the opportunity to answer fully as Crile’s lips seal my breath in.

“We should get ours too already... The Stones I mean...” He whispers again, right into my lips.

“You should get a room first.” A voice mumbles at us from underneath a blanket.

“I would if I could!” Crile hisses back and turns around. “Night.”

“Night you two.” I tell Ammi and Crile.

“Anything to add?” I ask Emerald.

“Take care, little one.”

I smile and it write down. We miss you lots. I add at the end. “Done.” I finish and put the letter away safely.

    We were closing in on Araneum, as per our destination. I was assigned to ride with Emerald. More like on her. With Zarri scouting from above and Crile as an extra body guard riding inside the carriage. I was enjoying the slow-paced walk of a ride. I didn’t even have to do anything – Emerald did all the work for me... A shriek rains down on us.

“Was that?”

“Breeze.” Crile sticks his head out. “There’s trouble.”

“What like? Up ahead? How can you tell?” I look around.

“No. This is something else. Otherwise, Emerald would have warned us by now. HEY! We’ll be taking our leave now! Thank you for your hospitality!” Crile announces to our Caravan and jumps on Emerald, landing right behind me in the saddle.

“After her!” He takes the reins and Emerald takes off.

“Hey, wha!” A voice rings behind us.

“We only got paid half!” I yell clinging onto the saddle.

“It’s only gold, Star. We’ll make more in no time.” He says, pressing his chest against my back. “Now hold on tight! Something tells me we’re about to have some fun!”

“By fun you mean a fight!” Oh please no.

    I swoop down and shift half way. I catch a branch on my way down, do a full back flip and land, claws and jaws out.

“Spineless filth. Ganging up on and old man like that.” I growl. Drooling fangs and all. Let’s have some fun.

“Who you calling old! I’m as ripe as a!” The old man picks his rusted axe up, swings it once and topples backwards. Right.

“The Hell you’re standing around for! Go get it!”

“It? How rude. Guess I’ll have to beat some manners into you, as well!” I put my front claws down and launch myself forward. I grab the first sleep deprived snot-nosed brat and smack him into the tree behind him. One of them tries to cast something, but I don’t give them the time. I leap up and kick myself of the other tree trunk – shooting down and hitting dead center with the caster. I feel the air current shift behind me and duck, sweeping the leg.

Ah, damn. I missed this. I missed this sooooo much... A gasp, a roar and a thud.

“Alright! Let’s party!” Crile uses Emerald as a stepping stone and jumps in next to me. “Miss me?”

“Lots.” I growl with my back against his.

“Aw. How many?”

“Like it matters?” I tease and we go to work.

    Crile, Emerald and I catch up with Zarri only to discover her surrounded by bandits of some kind and an old man writhing around on his back.

“Alright! Let’s party!” Crile shouts over my head, sending himself flying straight of Emerald’s back. Hope he has permission to do that.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

“Would it kill you to wait for us!” I scramble off Emerald too and go over to the old man. One of the men spots me and charges.

“Don’t even!” I splash the water out and slice right at him. “Move and I’ll cut you in half. Promise. Ah but don’t worry – you won’t feel a thing.” I grin and crouch down next to the old Balli grandpa. Though, I have to say – I had my fill of small, old and dirty men. Dirty in more ways than one. Alas. I am a Healer...

“Old man, are you hurt? Tell me what happened?” I help him up, looking him over too. While keeping the water up too. Self-defense heals – is what Crile suggested to me back on the ship, when I first began my training. I don’t need to learning anything since I already know everything. I just need to use it for offense. What I do is simple – just use the same numbness infused Healing Solution for slicing attacks. Because the healing properties of the water react on contact with the skin – the assailant, or target, does not feel the initial cut.

In theory – I could basically let the bastards bleed to death, but I did not want to waste precious heals, so I made the water less potent. That’s why I have three water pouches with me now. Two smaller ones on my left for healing and drinking and one bigger one for attacking. Hate to admit it – but I might just enjoy this more than I should...

“Nah, no worries girly. I’m alright, thank you. Now then. Oh. My what a fine beasty.”

“She is, isn’t she?” I look at Emerald, standing next to us in full battle-ready-mode.

“Ah, yes. That creature too, but I was talking about her.” He nods away. I trace his gaze. Oh. Zarri. “Yes. She’s a fine beast too.” Crile and Zarri had already taken care of most of the thugs and were about to deal with the one that resembled their leader? I guess? Who cares.

“Ah ah! Hold it you two! I need that one alive!” The old man calls out.

“Don’t worry. They are all alive.” I tell him.

“Oh, good to know.” He says and laughs in a gurgling roar.

“By the way, old man, what are you doing here by yourself?” I sit the old man down next to Emerald.

“Ah, well, I was with my ride, but, he apparently got spooked and ran away.” He chuckles again.

“Uh-huh. Ok then.”

“Is anyone hurt?” Zarri asks, shifting back.

“I am...” One of the thugs' wheezes and gets a light kick to the head from Crile.

“Not you, dumbass. Yo. Name’s Crile.” He waves.

“Bellkehm.” The Balli smiles. “You can call me Old Man Bell.”

“I’m Breeze, that’s Starlight and Emerald next to you.”

“Aaah. Yes. I can see why. Pretty.” Old Man Bell smiles at Emerald first. “Thank you, lovely, I’m ok.” He says standing up again, swaying.

“Yeah right.” I sit him back down.

“Breeze?”

“Yes?”

“That’s not a common girl’s name, is it?” The man asks looking her over.

“It sure isn’t.” Zarri smiles. Suddenly, Emerald jumps back to her feet and spikes up her spine. A menacing growl rings from within her. Zarri does the same. Voices and sprinting approach us quickly. Crile readies himself too, leaving me no choice, but to stand guard over the old man too.

A rider-less, woolly-horse-like-creature, gallops up straight to the old man.

“There you at! I thought you left me.” The old man nuzzles the horse.

“MY LORD! HOW MANY TIMES HAVE I TOLD YOU NOT TO WONDER OFF ON YOUR OWN!” A man jumps off the first horse as soon as it shows its head.

“Lord?” The three of us glance around. Don’t tell me one of them... We look down where the thugs lay beaten.

“Oh, so you went to get help, did ya now? Good boy.” The old man rubs the horses’ nose as it talks back with huffs and puffs. “Ay, quit it, Barrabus, nothing happened.”

“That’s always your excuse, isn’t!” The Cornutese male approaches the old man. “How can a King be so careless is beyond me!”

“KING!” The three of us gasp, dropping our jaws.

“Ah, busted. Oh well. Too bad. Anyways. All I did was take a walk and happen to spot some suspicious activity going on – so I followed. What kind of a King would I be, if I didn’t do that much for my people?” The old man stands up and the Cornutese grabs him by the collar.

“Need I remind you that you are not that kind of a King and I have better things to do than to chase after you all over Existara!” The man shakes the Balli. “Do you have any idea how worried I have been! There’s a mountain of work to do! The advisors are already waiting for any excuse to get rid of you! This does not help your case!”

“I’m soooorrrryyyyy.” Old Man Bell, I mean the King lets out. A moment later the Cornutese man ends up hovering midair. Zarri has him picked up by the back of his collar.

“What! What is the meaning of this! Put me down! Let go! I command you!” The one called Barrabus squirms and the other men draw their weapons. Making Emerald arch again, with her claws aimed and ready to pounce and Crile following her lead. The King’s men move in closer, but the old man stops them with a single signal of the hand.

“You command me, now, do you?” Zarri growls at him with her fangly smile. Oh no. She’s pissed. “I don’t know the local customs here, as we’re not from around these parts, but I do believe that this was not the correct way to treat a King.” She growls the words out.

“Whether or not the old man’s shenanigans are of fitting behavior for someone of his status, is a different topic. It’s admirable that you are close enough with the King or feel yourself free enough to be treating him this way without consequences. Nonetheless, if you truly respect him and worry about him, then you should treat him with respect no matter the situation, to set an example for the King himself, as his subordinate and for those around you.” She pauses. “Or am I wrong?” Zarri sets the man down.

“I believe you owe your King an apology, do you not?” Zarri keeps her murderous smile on her.

A roar. The King is roaring with his head fully tilted back. Weirdo.

“Ha! She's like the daughter I never knew I wanted!” The old man roars again.

Barrabus fixes his cloak and robe and faces the laughing King.

“I apologize for my boorish behavior, your highness.” Barrabus bows.

“Ay, don’t worry about it.” The Old Man waves it off. “It’s fine.”

“You are too generous, my lord.” Barrabus straightens out. “Now then. The hell you lot are?” He finally notices us. “The hell they are?” And the thugs too.

“Those, I believe, are the newly established punks that have been causing trouble around the City lately.” The old man picks up his rusted axe again. “And these;” he points to us; “are the ones that took care of them, when your men did squat. As far as my rusted old memory goes – there is a reward for their capture, correct?”

“Yes, your highness.” The man nods.

“See to it that they are fully compensated for their efforts. As well as saving my life.”

“Yes, your highness.”

“Well, now since that’s been settled. How about you all join me at the Palace as my honored guests?”

“Excuse me!” Barrabus protests. “Your highness, I understand that these people helped you and all, but inviting them back at to the Palace! How can you know these people aren’t some sort of hooligans!” Barrabus is not able to take another gulp of air in to continue when the King, apparently, strikes his axe down, sticking the blade into the ground and stares quietly, yet madly at his, what we figured by now, attendant.

“I am perfectly aware that I am a King by name only and am nothing more than a pretty, little, decorative, sacrificial pawn, but I am, currently and for now, still the one bearing the title King – am I not, Barrabus?”

“Sacrificial Pawn?” Zarri takes a step forward. Oh no. That must’ve struck a nerve with her...

“Pretty, little, decorative? Pfft.” Crile is fighting a chuckle. This dumbass will get us killed.

“Am I not, I ask you?” The King pressures his subordinate.

“Yes, your highness.” Barrabus lowers his head and tone.

“Well then. I believe you are able to clean up this mess on your own?” The King tugs his axe out and places it on his shoulder.

“Yes, your highness.” Barrabus answers.

“Good. Now, shall we?” The King clicks his tongue twice and his woolly horse comes over to him. “I’ll lead the way.” He says as soon as he’s comfortable in his saddle. “Oy! Get them a ride!” He waves a hand around.

“No need. We’re good.” Crile says, climbing on Emerald first and urging me to join him.

“That still leaves her.” The King nods to Zarri.

“I’m good.” She answers and shifts, spreading her wings.

“Ooooh. That’s convenient.” The King laughs, turning his horse around. “Well then.” The horse moves in a slow walk and we follow, leaving his men to deal with the thugs.

“Are you sure this is, alright, your highness?” Crile asks the obvious question.

“Eh, I won’t be around for much longer. Might as well have some fun.”

“Meaning what?”

“The Rebirth.”

“What’s that?” I ask without waiting, or thinking.

“It’s the one nightmare that plagues Existara.” Crile answers.

“Ha! That’s a gentle way of putting it!” The King laughs.

“What are you talking about?” I ask again and Crile explains the gist of Rebirth.

“That does sound like a living nightmare.” I mumble.

“What’s that about you being a pawn, though?” Crile asks again.

“Ah, well.” The King explains that part to us as well, but quite hesitantly, I might say.

“She won’t like that...” I let it slip.

“No she won’t.”

“We’re in for a ride, aren’t we...” I sigh.

“That we are.” Crile agrees.