“Travel far enough, you meet yourself.”
― David Mitchell, Cloud Atlas
Vanessa entered the village before Iseret and observed the bored-looking guard taking a patrol inside the palisade. The nights were unnaturally cold, and even a determined guardsman would find it difficult to persevere in the single watch-tower only barely shielded from rain and snow. So after a quick look, the young man quickly crunched back through the snow inside the house closest to the gate shutting the door firmly. The small thud of the latch falling in place somehow sounded relieved.
Waving for Iseret to follow, the two of them went to the house that emanated the tracking marker that Vanessa had put on Alyssa months ago. Perhaps she should refresh it sometime soon. The vampire shook her head and dissolved into mist before quietly opening the door from the inside.
Butler One tilted his head before resuming his silent vigil beside the mound of blankets in the one-room building. Calvin slept on a ledge above made for storage but comfortable enough. The fire had long gone out, and only the quiet breathing- and light snoring from above- were audible.
Iseret raised an eyebrow at Vanessa and whispered, “What about those undead riders?”
“They had Alyssa’s mana signature. The wight is a headache, though. I cannot be sure of her ability to keep control of him.”
“Mh. That is, all in all, better than I feared. Shall I accompany them in the morning or wait for you to wake in the evening?”
“And who might you be?” A male voice, a bit hoarse from sleep, came from above. “Mh. You are Alea’s maid, aren’t you? Don’t remember the name, sorry. But you...you were at the battle of the Exhibition, weren’t you?”
“That...is correct. You can call me Vanessa. And she is Iseret.” Vanessa looked up and nodded in greeting. For a moment, she had relief at her friend's wellbeing overwhelm her common sense. “I am sorry for intruding so rudely, but I had to see if my friends were well.”
Calvin grinned and saw the last of his ward disintegrate into small specks of light. He had spelled one hinge of the door to alert him if it was opened. The spell used only a little power and was very hard to detect.
The girls had taken a lot of blankets and built a sort of nest before the hearth. The single, wide bed had seemed dubious at best, with the straw not aired for months.
Calvin removed the wand he had been pointing at the door but still held himself at the ready. Jumping down, he nudged Mireille with his left foot causing her to grumble in her sleep and turn to the other side. His left eyebrow twitched as he nudged her again, this time with less gentleness.
“What?” Mireille shot up, dislodging Alea, who had snagged the middle position this time, forcing her to startled wakefulness too.
“We seem to have guests. Do you know them?” Calvin did not remove his gaze from the two intruders.
“Ah, Vanessa, Iseret. Good to see you caught up.” Then with a more petulant tone. “Did you have to get here so late? I was just dreaming and coming to a good part!”
The wizard relaxed as he saw Alea nod toward him, not interrupting Mireille’s monologue. “So, you know each other. That makes it simpler. You are no maid...and you...are not a girl either. What are you?”
Vanessa sighed. “A friend of the three. We met on the road, you could say. And we share a similar goal. To end the threat of Ulsolm once and for all.”
“Grand words. And I would be surprised and incredulous had not a certain person.” His eyes rested on Alyssa. “...not said the same. Pardon me if I will remain vigilant. We are not in a safe situation, but for now do you want to stay here with us? Two other huts could serve as shelter. The people here had many losses, and there are a few houses freshly vacant.”
“We would like to stay here for a short while and talk. Iseret? Will you stay with them for now? I will be alright.”
Unreadable yellow eyes fixed on her own, and there was a hint of discontent before Iseret lowered her face and nodded. “It might be for the best.”
“...it’s just…”
“...that you are faster without me and the winter woods no place for snake-folk. I know.”
Calvin snorted and held a hand to his mouth to stifle his mirth while Vanessa looked at Iseret half-exasperated and half-guilty.
When she thought no one would see her hand quickly went and rubbed her larger friend's back.
Now that all of them had woken, they sat before the fire, freshly fed new wood, and discussed future plans.
“I have to go west. I cannot wait for all of this to become better on its own. It’s only gotten worse and worse.” Alyssa stated.
“I would really have liked for you to finish the academy at least.” Vanessa looked dissatisfied. “Your chances at accomplishing anything are abysmal.”
“Don’t forget us!” Mireille pulled Alea closer, who tensed but then let the older girl do what she wanted.
‘She has a good chance as it is. She only has to reach her. And that is where you and her friends come in.’ Asandria spoke. Heard only by Vanessa and Alyssa.
Calvin rubbed his forehead. “I do get the urgency, but I cannot fathom why you think you should be the ones to go and end a centuries-old lich. Is there any reason I should take that seriously?”
“Alea has the blessing of a god. Mireille and I are very good with our respective magics, and I have bound to me an old elven sorceress. At least the spirit of one. That assures me it is possible.”
“A ghost? And they are never malicious and try to get people killed?” Calvin shook his head.
“This ghost is trying to kill the Heartstealer. That much is true. And if she says there is a way, I’m inclined to believe it. But it does not sit well with me either.”
“Do you think in terms of pure magical might, even if we prepared for a lifetime. That it would be enough?” Alea spoke up.
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Everyone was silent after that.
“She has troops, subordinates, the whole Nordmark fief. And we have...us. So why don’t we try?”
“Because you only have this one life. If you throw it away on such a mad gamble…” Calvin sighed again.
“What if we don’t go? The Heartstealer intensifies her attacks, Nordmark attacks the realm. The undead plague we are facing. All of this. Will it really be alright? Should we wait until it is more hopeless still?” Alyssa argued.
“I don’t think it is that bad yet.” Calvin began.
“Oh, but it is.” Iseret leaned forward, placing a hand on Vanessa’s arm as the smaller undead was also going to speak up. “I have information from the capital and it is all bleak. Rebellion in the coastal cities. The pass to Rivenlorn under attack by undead. The void-born undead plague reaches outside Nordmark lands. The Wolf-Tribe have declared war while the northern army's command is disorganized. There is probably more, but the method of contacting me relies on brevity.”
Silence descended, only broken by a crack as a sap pocket inside the firewood burst in a shower of sparks.
“I will go.” Alyssa declared firmly.
“Then I will go too.” Mireille seconded her.
“Mh.” Alea nodded in affirmation.
Iseret smiled and imperceptibly leaned towards Vanessa, who sighed and nodded too. “Alright, I will help.”
Calvin opened his mouth once, closed it again, and then sighed.
“Every time you sigh, happiness leaves your body. At least that’s something they used to say where I grew up.” Mireille shrugged.
“I will sleep on it.” The wizard finally said non-commitaly.
After that conversation, it was hard finding back to sleep, but as they woke Vanessa was gone, and Iseret seemed more taciturn than usual.
The elderwoman was a bit surprised at Iserets appearance but, as they were leaving, did not press them.
Walking out of the palisades with the sun at their back, they made relatively good time following a barely visible trail, only detectable because of the thick branches above having shielded the ground from too much snow.
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With the sun descending toward the mountains, they finally left the woods. Calvin had a complicated look on his face as he saw the distant town overlooking the snowed-in farmland with houses scattered in between.
The wight and his riders silently melded with the shadows between the trees.
“We seem to have reached Volstedt. And are much too far west for my liking.” Anticipating protests, he raised his hand. “Yes. I know. You want to go there. But I have responsibilities to the Academy and the two girls I picked up. I think we should disguise ourselves as best we can and try to enter the town to see what’s what. Afterward we can always split up, or you could become sensible and come with me.”
“Or you could come with us. Whatever happened with the academy group is long since over.” Alyssa tried to persuade him.
“Or they could really use our help. We can’t know at the moment.”
Iseret was very proficient in mundane disguises, while Calvin knew a few illusion spells. Covering up the most obvious signs of allegiance- the academy badges and changing up the uniforms was largely sufficient- they neared the town. Guards stood at the gates, having not much to do as there were few travelers.
“Halt!” One of the guards, a portly fellow, raised his hand and called. “I need to know your occupation and intentions for visiting Volstedt.”
“I’m a traveling mercenary mage. Those here are my apprentices.” He pointed at the three girls. “And this here is a fellow warrior of fortune.” He indicated Iseret.
“That will be a silver per person, and you should make your way to the recruitment office near the barracks. The country needs every able-bodied man and woman.” He pointed at a stout, blocky building looming over the smaller residential houses to the east of the town. “And keep your beastie to yourself.” He gave Cyrus a wary look.
“Will do.” Counting out the money they paid and entered.
The town seemed lifeless, the windows shuttered for the most part, and only here and there people hurried along the deserted roads.
“The void has not fully reached here. It will get much worse when it does.” Alyssa looked around.
“Don’t you mean- if?” Mireille shook out her shoulders sore from the backpack she was carrying.
“It will slow down with time, but I don’t see it stopping for a while yet.”
Calvin only looked at them, listening to their discussion. For a while yet, he had seen a boy following them. If they did not need supplies, he would not have gone near the settlement, but what’s done is done. Speaking a spell under his breath, he reinforced his clothing with a touch of mana. It would not turn a spear but could stop a lighter projectile, like an arrow or bolt.
Reaching the market square, they saw two inns and a tavern, but all of them seemed dark and uninviting. Marching up to the first one they came across, they entered into the dimly lit interior. The common room was mostly empty apart from a rotund merchant accompanied by a younger woman wearing well-made traveling clothes, his wife or daughter perhaps, and three guards sitting at the table beside them. An old man sat at the bar and was nursing a cup of uncertain beverage.
Behind the bar stood a lean man in his fifties wearing an apron. He polished a drinking glass that did not seem in need of such attention while looking bored. The floor were close-fitted, age-darkened wooden panels. The ceiling was held by massive wooden beams.
The merchant looked at them warily but nodded a greeting. The innkeeper seemed cautiously happy to see them and gestured for them to come closer.
“New in town? Names’ Thym. Thym Vaulkner. Can I get you something? Food, drink. A room for the night, perhaps?” Close up, the man had dark rings beneath his eyes, and his left hand was twitchy as if nervous.
With only a quick look at the rest, Calvin began to answer when Iseret nodded and said, “Yes to all three. We need the room for one night only.”
When the wizard gave her a questioning glance, she shrugged and answered, “We might separate tomorrow.”
Suppressing a sigh, Calvin nodded. “I will pay for one room and meal. Please bring me a flask of ale, too.”
“Do you have a room with space for four?” Iseret asked.
“Mh. We do have a room fitting ten. But at the moment, it is empty. So I could let you have it for the price of two double rooms. What do you say?”
“Acceptable. Please bring us something warm to eat as soon as possible.” Iseret turned and ushered the rest toward a larger table.
Sitting down, they soon saw a stout barmaid walk over with a pot of stew and some bowls. Putting it all on the table, she came back twice more to deliver ale and a pitcher of water.
Finally eating something cooked properly was very welcome.
Pushing her bowl away, Mireille stretched and yawned sleepily. Some sparks flew between her fingers, which she did not seem to notice. The merchant blinked in surprise, and his companion shrank back against his side.
“Mireille. You are making sparks.” Alyssa said seriously.
“Mh. Really?” Rubbing her eyes, Mireille looked at her blearily. “I feel so tired suddenly.”
“You ate three full bowls.”
The door slammed open, and four guardsmen entered one after the other. Stepping inside, they let their gazes roam over the few customers and the innkeeper, who put away his glass and cleaning rag, to walk around the bar clasping his hands nervously.
“Thym.” An older guard addressed him.
“Bert. What do you need? Can I bring you something to drink? Something hot perhaps…” Before Thym could talk further, the guard shook his head and raised his hand.
“Where is Rachel? You know she has been drafted and had until today to make arrangements.”
“Isn’t she at the barracks? I sent her off myself?” Thym smiled unconvincingly.
“Is that so? You don’t have any problems with us looking, do you?”
“Of course not. Feel free...but…” He stopped at the glare of the older guard.
“Go.” The three younger men that had stood against the door took that as their cue to walk quickly toward the back. One going for the kitchen and two going up the stairs.
Mireille seemed a lot less sleepy all of a sudden and looked at Calvin. “What is that all about?”
“It seems his lordship wants to increase the ducal army by illegal means. Or he needs people for something else.” A memory of a fort at night. The dead piled into the courtyard like firewood. “I hope it’s only the first.”
“And what have we here?” The older guard walked up to them, grinning without any apparent mirth.