“What? Give ‘em here.”

Dreiki passed them over.

“Is this a joke or something?”

“If it was, I’d be laughing.” Savekio said.

“Can you read them?”

“Of course, that’s why I know where we’re going. Those are some of the ledgers for the trafficking rings. Seems they kept records for the sake of blackmailing their clientele.”

“So then they’re written in some sort of invisible ink. Can I try something?” Dreiki asked, extending his hand for a parchment. If it was invisible ink, then exposing it to heat should reveal the message.

He hovered a flame under the page, but no matter how much he waited, the page didn’t reveal its message.

It didn’t burn or brown either.

“So the pages have some sort of magic on them… Is there a device we need to read them with?”

“Nope.” Savekio said simply, “Don’t worry too much about reading them anytime soon. I’ll teach you what you need to know this week,” He offered a bowl to Dreiki.

He took it, “You know that’s not gonna stop me.”

“I’m glad it doesn’t.”

They finished their lunch and traveled for the rest of the day. Dreiki experimented with the pages in any way that he could. He put it up to the light of the sun, he tried to scratch it, recite magical chants used in cyphers, he even tried to fold it to see if that would reveal any messages.

For all intents and purposes, it was nothing but blank page after blank page. It resisted elemental magic.

“Can I have a hint?”

Savekio thought for a moment, “Have you ever wondered why your magic does not harm you? Or why a skilled caster can exclude other people from their spells?”

“Of course, but…” Dreiki paused, thinking. Savekio wouldn’t mention that if it didn’t have something to do with reading the page. He racked his brain for anything he knew about excluding people from spells.

His flames automatically avoided harming him without a single thought needed. He knew people like his mother could exclude others from her spells.

Reading these blank pages, protecting himself from his magic, protecting others from his magic. All of it was connected somehow, but how?

Savekio had told him not to worry about it, which meant he hadn’t yet taught Dreiki enough to be expected to figure it out on his own.

Pondering the question always made the inevitable answer stick better in his head, though.

Night fell, and it was time to set up camp. With Gornax’s help, setting up stone lodgings was easy. They could likely sell their tents in the next town and travel lighter now.

He doubted Savekio would approve of lightening the load Dreiki had to drag for training purposes, though. He’d likely have Gornax add a couple boulders to the cart if anything.

At least they could have fresh meat and vegetables tonight. He watched Luna take her portion and start to leave, “Lilith! Come and sit with us!”

Luna looked at him, her eyes switching over his shoulder, “Another time.”

“Is…Is everything alright?”

“I’m fine.” She said dryly.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

“Lilith… Please.”

She looked into Dreiki eyes, relenting, “Alright.”

It was quiet for a moment, but a couple conversations had been burning a hole in his head for the past month, and there wasn’t a better time than now.

“...I suppose we’re far enough from Kul Creek now right?” He said, looking to Savekio.

He nodded.

Dreiki extended a hand to Rixam and Gornax, “My name isn’t Argo, it’s Dreiki Iriik. My mother Zesa Iriik, better known as The Wulkuniira. Sorry for not telling you earlier.”

The two of them looked surprised. He was thankful they didn’t look mad, “Damn, imma still be calling you Argo, though. Consider it a nickname I guess.” Rixam said between bites of his steaks.

Gornax was in the middle of waving a piece of his steak for Ezo, “You were probably hiding your name to protect your mom from The Jackal right? It’s a good idea. I think we’ll have to come up with some fake names too.”

“Storm Raider sounds nice to me.”

“Yeah, but I doubt someone would name you that, Rix.”

“You don’t know. Either way, Wulkuniira huh? The Wolf of the Ivory Blaze is pretty famous from what I recall.” Rixam said, pulling up his sleeve, showing his elk-skull brand, “Dad’s nickname is Elkundayo. I think it means ‘The Undying Elk’ or maybe it was ‘The Elk who turns death into life’.” Rixam shrugged, “Doesn’t translate too well, I suppose.”

Dreiki nodded, turning to Gornax, “And you?”

Gornax took off his shirt, showing a brand over his left pectoral. The tattoo was a tortoiseshell pattern with swirling waves and runic patterns embedded between, “My mom’s got the nickname Gemmashulk. Pretty much means ‘Stoneshell’. Not fancy like yours or Rixam’s, but at least I don’t gotta write a novel to spell it I suppose. What about you, Feathers? What’s yours?”

Luna looked away, not answering.

“Hey, what’s your real name, Feathers? Don’t make us wait another month for it,”

“You hardly use the fake one.”

“Just learned it today. That’s a Venator tattoo as well right? Who’s your parent?” Rixam asked, a tinge of frustration in his voice.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“I would. My buddy asked a question, and we all told ours so it’s only fair.”

Luna narrowed her eyes, “I don’t have to give anything to you.”

“Don’t take offense, guys,” Dreiki interjected, “She’s slow to trust, but she’ll warm up to you, just give her some time.”

Luna huffed.

“Yeah? It’s been a month, but I guess I get it. Angelkin are usually pretty distrustful sorts, always born with a stick up their ass,” Rixam said bitterly.

“As if fiends like you wouldn’t ever give angels a reason to distrust you!”

Rixam laughed, “Crazy how angels give devils no other options to survive, and rat out their former brothers and sisters to the gods, then they’re the ones who don’t trust anyone.”

“Hey now Rixam, I know how you feel, but-” Gornax tried to butt in but Luna was already talking over him.

“Well if you’re gonna act like rats all the time, then you’ll be treated like rats. There’s not a loyal or honorable bone in your body is there?”

“Yeah that’s how you and yours always like to look at things isn’t it? Everything’s just vermin beneath your boot. You avoided us cuz you didn’t wanna catch my disease or somethin’ is that it?”

Dreiki tried to put himself between them, “Luna’s not like that, really. Don’t take it personally, what happened was-”

“Don’t you dare tell him what happened to me, Dreiki,” Luna spat.

“But-”

“Yeah let him speak, what’re you afraid of, huh?” Rixam shot back, “Oh yeah, angels gotta be afraid of everything right? That’s why they always strike first!”

Gornax put a hand on his shoulder, “Easy now, Rixam.”

Rixam shrugged it off, “She aint gonna say that shit to me and get away with it.”

“What I’ve said?” Luna showed her fangs, “You’re the one who started this! Not me.”

“What? No, you did.”

“You brought up me being an angel as if that had anything to do with why I distrust you.”

“Yeah, well why the hell you bringin’ up devils if it’s not about that? Why were you avoiding us like the plague for a month? I could see you glaring at me every time you came by!”

Dreiki didn’t know how to break them up. If he yelled it would likely just become more of a shouting match than it already was. If he took a side the other would be offended. If he remained neutral it would only piss them both off.

And if he did nothing? They would likely come to blows over this. He looked to Savekio, who seemed to be purposefully ignorant of the argument. It was up to Dreiki to fix this. If he wanted to bring people with him on his journey, then it was up to him to make sure they all got along.