The next morning was a real pain to Mahon, and he woke up groggy and sore. Besides him, Zac was still sleeping in his own bed. It was one of the rare sleeps he could take with a no-dream pill nowadays, because of the safety of his home, and so Mahon let him enjoy it.
Last night had been a nice and fun experience for Mahon. They had danced for hours under the merciless rhythm of the music and they also had drunk more than a reasonable amount. Nonetheless, it had been amusing and though Mahon still sucked at dancing, he had enjoyed it.
Only once the roosters had welcomed the rising sun did the music come to a stop. Mahon wisely refused the proposition of his partner to come sleep with her and arm in arm he had stumbled with Zac until they reached his room. Fortunately, Zac had put a mattress on the ground beforehand in preparation for this exact moment.
Thinking again about yesterday and how Zac had trapped him, Mahon swore to make him work harder the next time they trained in Nightmare. Imagining his sweet vengeance, he sighed deeply and enjoyed the comfortable mattress a bit more.
However, his respite was brief and when Zac woke up a bit later, it was already time to grab their stuff and move back to school for the banquet night. They walked the now empty streets after yesterday’s debauchery and they even crossed the plaza, where they had enjoyed most of the night. Except that now, its lack of activity heavily contrasted with Mahon’s memories.
“So, a music shop girl?”
“Ah, fuck, you remembered it.”
Mahon giggled. Maybe he could have his vengeance a bit sooner.
“You just said so because you wanted to keep me from running away, did you?”
“Haha, yeah, mostly. And also, I trust you.” Zac said while shrugging. “But don’t think too much of it, we’re just talking.”
“I still want to know the whole story.”
“Well, let’s focus on our training first. I will tell you once we go shopping there. And I’m not gonna buy another instrument as long as I am with these animals.”
Mahon nodded, feeling a bit guilty. He couldn’t erase the image of Zac hiding his grief in front of his loving mother because he had made the choice to stay with him.
He can’t help himself but to follow crazy ideas. That’s so him. I can’t let him down now that he had bet on me.
They entered school, and they had barely started to walk down the long way to their house that they got interrupted by a First White who they recognized as one from their division.
“Jorik sends his order. Nothing of note will be said during the banquet, so you’re gonna skip it and go patrol tonight.”
“Tonight? But we just came fro…”
“First Red Zac!”
“Yes, Sir!”
“Follow your order, that’s it. Yesterday had been too calm for the Fada cultists and the Last Green is expecting some retaliation tonight. So you need to go patrolling.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“Good, now go to the city guard barracks and ask Tulluin for further details about your mission.”
The First White then walked back to Jorik’s home and resumed his sentry mission. Mahon and Zac sighed once he was out of earshot and walked back from where they just came.
“That bad luck… And here I was hoping to have a calm evening...”
“It has been weeks and we’ve not learned anything interesting about the cult. They probably were expecting some action yesterday, but nothing happened. Ravatoris just wants to vent on someone I guess.” Mahon speculated.
“Shouldn’t he vent on Jorik, though?”
“He probably did. But then who Jorik vents to?”
The groggy Zac needed a few seconds to make the connection between Jorik and the First Red.
“Fuck.”
They walked in silence to the barracks and Tulluin informed them of their patrol path and what they should look out for. As they waited for another First Red duo to join them, Tulluin grew impatient and ordered them to brief them themselves before moving to another thing he had to deal with as the captain of the guard.
Mahon and Zac remained at the barrack until the other duo showed up. Much to Mahon and Zac's dismay, it was the worst people they could have thought of.
“Oh great, the commoners! We’ve never patrolled together yet. It will be so much fun, hahaha!”
Tiarsus stumbled to them and, by his stinking breath, it was clear that he was still drunk from Faday. Travaran joined his duo and he, at least, seemed to be clean and sharp. Mahon addressed him as Tiarsus was obviously too drunk to understand.
“There is no way he’s gonna patrol with us. Look at him.”
Travaran winced, but he hesitated before answering as he helped Tiarsus to remain standing.
“What?!” Tiarsus sputtered at Mahon’s face, “You’ve no right to talk to us! You’re just a commoner. I’ll crush you under my shoes! I’m the higher ranked of the First Red, that means I’m the leader here. Travaran, ask Tulluin about the patrol path, we’re leaving now.”
“No need. He left us with the instructions already. You were too late.” Zac retorted.
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“Pfff, nonsense! Let’s go patrolling. Travaran!”
The noble left the barrack the next moment and headed in a random direction.
“I’m still higher ranked than you two and I’m more than capable of ordering you around. Follow me and tell me about the route!” Travaran ordered.
Soon the three caught up to a stumbling Tiarsus and Travaran led the two duos into the right direction with Zac’s instructions. As always, the duos got some distance between themselves and while Travaran dealt with Tiarsus, Mahon and Zac fell a dozen meters behind and scrutinized the empty streets. Night patrols were usually less lively than day patrols and met more problems. Mostly it was because of drunkards, but tonight the streets seemed clear of them due to yesterday’s party.
The few patrols that had found cultists had always been night patrols. In their current sector, they had met them only once and apparently the cultists had run the moments they had been exposed. Yet, the duos who had found them had bragged about it for a week.
Focused, Mahon and Zac were walking carefully while keeping an eye on their surroundings. Because of how empty the streets were, they would be able to spot anyone suspicious with ease. However, they did not expect the problem to come from their side.
“Fada are just shit! Colors are just a lie! Only Blue exists!” Tiarsus’ screams pierced the otherwise silent night, but nothing seemed to answer his provocation.
Mahon and Zac ran to the noble to make him shut up, but Travaran prevented them from approaching Tiarsus.
“Tell him to stay quiet! Does he want all the cultists to come to us?!”
“Cultists are cowards!! They just hide during Faday, too afraid to move!” Tiarsus continued to holler at the top of his lungs.
“Tell him to stop!” Mahon urged.
“Don’t talk to me, commoner!”
“Don’t be stupid Travaran, we’re patrolling here not advertising a circus!” Zac intervened.
“You shut up too, Zac, I can handle it.”
“Where are you cultists?! Come find me! Fada don’t exist!”
Tiarsus screamed while they talked and their discussion soon turned unintelligible. Finally losing patience, Zac flashed a sign to Mahon and rushed to Tiarsus. Travaran tried to block, but Mahon was already moving in front of him, protecting Zac.
Travaran got pissed, and he threw Mahon to the side while Zac ran to Tiarsus. Tiarsus observed the situation while laughing madly to himself like only a drunkard could do. As Zac came closer to him, he threw his arms in the air and started running away while screaming like a child.
The sudden move surprised Zac and Travaran caught up, jostling him on the ground. Mahon soon joined the two men fighting, and the struggle degenerated. They punched viciously at each other, but in a two versus one scenario, Travaran was in a bad posture. After a few more seconds, Mahon and Zac managed to immobilize him and the three stayed lying on the ground, panting heavily.
“Release me!”
“Calm down.”
“It’s insubordination! Release me!!” Travaran yelled.
Mahon swiftly moved Travaran’s arm in front of his mouth, preventing the man from speaking further.
“Calm down! Tiarsus is in noway capable of patrolling with us. He is way too drunk. We will grab him and take him back to the school. Then you will select another duo to patrol with us, end of the story. We don’t tell anything about Tiarsus' state on a mission and you don’t tell anything either about tonight. Ok?”
Mahon waited a few more seconds before removing Travaran’s arm from his face. The noble grimaced but still nodded to them.
“We’ll do it your way for now. But it’ll be best if I never hear about tonight afterwards.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever, now let’s catch him before he draws all the cultists with his yells. I swear he is go…”
“AAHHHHHHHH!!!”
A chilling scream interrupted Zac and the trio suddenly looked at each other with worried looks. At once, they went back to their feet and unsheathed their swords.
They organized themselves in fighting formation and moved in the direction of the sound with prudent steps. Tiarsus had run into a dark and thin street and they eyed suspiciously the shadows around them as they walked through it.
“Let’s move faster. I swear if something happened to Tiarsus, I wil…”
“Shut up. Focus.” Mahon interrupted as they neared the corner from where the sound had come.
Their steps were careful and Mahon felt the hand of Zac on his shoulder, like he had taught him to duo move in Nightmare. For an instant, he felt proud of his friend's fast learning curve, but he promptly dismissed the thought as he focused back on the situation he was in.
They were now three steps away from the corner and the tension had clearly stepped up a notch now that they heard nothing else but their ragged breath. Delicately, Mahon took another prudent step, which brought them less than two meters away from the corner.
The tension was almost palpable and from the corner of his eyes, he could see Travaran glancing at him impatiently. But Mahon also noticed how his knuckles were white from how strong he was holding his sword and decided to bet on safety.
In slow motion, he moved his feet again and…
“BOOOOO!!”
They all jumped in fear as Tiarsus suddenly appeared in front of them while screaming. Seeing their reaction, he giggled to himself and ran further away while shaking his arm high in the air.
The trio released the breath they had unconsciously been holding and before Mahon could say anything, Travaran ran after Tiarsus. Mahon turned to face Zac, uncertain. His friend smiled back at him.
“Fucking stupid nobles?”
“I prefer him drunk though, it beautifully emphasizes his natural stupidity.”
Zac chuckled along and gestured to where the nobles had run to.
“Let’s go find them. The faster we get rid of them, the better I’m gonna sleep tonight.”
The duo jogged through the dark alley and followed the sound of the chase.
“Cultists are stupid! Fada don’t exist!”
“Tiarsus, please, come back!”
Mahon and Zac exchanged a look, and they sped up while suppressing a laugh. They almost caught up to them when they saw Travaran jumping to jostle down Tiarsus at the corner of yet another street. The two men disappeared from their sight, but Mahon heard the loud thud of their fall and the horrible screams of a pig going to slaughter coming from the drunk Tiarsus.
“Wait, Mahon.”
At his friend's order, he stopped and looked inquisitively at Zac, who was just walking leisurely behind him.
“Let them fight a bit more in the mud, Tiarsus drunk screams are music to my ears.”
Mahon chuckled at his friend's remark and slowed down to walk at the same pace as Zac.
“Yes, I admit this will not happen often. Let’s enjoy this a bit.”
Suddenly, they heard another loud crash and the screaming stopped. Zac raised his eyes to the sky.
“Finally got the balls to punch him, Travaran?” He said as they walked past the corner.
However, the funny vision they had imagined of the two nobles punching each other in the mud was nowhere to be seen. Instead, they saw a disoriented Travaran getting up while holding his head in pain.
And in the middle of the street, a green-robed man was standing above a motionless Tiarsus, a dagger dripping with blood in his hand.