The cold wind of the sleepy night and the encroaching sun rise, blew in an uneasy rhythm. The darkness that sat idly for an unknown amount of time was starting to stretch its legs, and its foul smell was riding the coat tails of the early morning wind. It creaked the wood of old homes and found itself staining the crevices of the sturdier concrete. Something foul was approaching, but from where? How far away was it? Who would know?

The smell of it even reached Luna’s nose who, perked her ears in reaction to it. She sat up and raised herself so that she could stare out the rooms lonely window. A whimper escaped her, and a sense of protection overwhelmed when she thought of Aiken and the now accompanying Selina. She could sense the darkness slowly approaching.

“You feel that too?” Aiken sitting up, drenched in his sweat and his arms covered in goosebumps; was glancing out the same window as Luna. “I don’t think things will be peaceful for much longer.”

Again, Luna whimpers, this time rushing away from the lonely window and hurrying to Aiken’s bedside. He rubbed her head and whistled lightly, a slow tune that he learned from his mother. She would sing it to him whenever he had nightmares as a kid, but also on the days that he felt weak and unable while sword training with his mother. It always settled his nerves and in the case of the training, it gave him courage to pick up his sword and try again. But Luna adored this melody as well, as both Aiken and his mother used to whistle it to comfort her when she was frightened.

On the night of a strong blizzard that locked most of Auburn inside. Aiken and his mother were stuck outside, caught in the snow as they tried to beat the storm home, after spending some time hiking in the Yogi mountains behind their town. As the blizzard swiftly enveloped them, they sought shelter in a cave on the mountainside. While Aiken's memories of that night are somewhat blurred, he can recall seeing Luna as a puppy, wandering through the heavy snow, her white fur so pristine that she seemed like a moving pile of snow. The next clear memory Aiken has from that day is from after they finally made it home, with Luna cuddling at his feet while his mother whistled her soothing tune. The very same tune they sang whenever something scared Luna, things she didn’t understand.

That foul stench scared her, and like always Aiken was there to sing her favorite melody until she felt fine again. But, in the room and on the other bed were another set of ears listening to that same tune because she had also found herself feeling the stench of that powerful smell. She loved the slow, drawn out whistle of Aiken’s tune because like it did for Luna and Aiken, it calmed the unwavering nerves that were stirred up by the foul smell. But Selina knew, that there troubles wouldn’t be settled by a slow tune and she knew that this dark feeling in the wind was similar to what they experienced in the cave back in Uni. So, she knew she couldn’t lay there and just listen, as much as she may have wanted to.

So, as Aiken’s tune reached its end Selina slowly pulled the sheets covering her body off and sat up.

“I know you’re eager to move but we’ll get nowhere without having someone to take us further.” Aiken’s words replaced his melody.

“What if we walked?”

“Then you’d complain that we’re walking.”

“But we’d be moving.”

“Yes we’d be moving for days on end with the increased possibility of being robbed or killed.”

“But!”

“Selina!” Aiken raised his voice. “I’m not saying your concerns aren’t justified but that doesn’t mean we rush out there and wing it, just to possibly end up in a worst situation.” Selina lowers her head, a look of distress filling her face that pained Aiken to see. “Listen, we’re supposed to meet the village chief today. Hopefully we can make some arrangements with her and get our traveling situation settled, at least until the next town.”

Selina nods her head in agreement. “I bet she’ll have us finish some kind of job for her before she helps us.”

Aiken sighs. “As is the basis of the world, nothing is ever free.”

Their concerns, no matter how profound had nowhere to go. There only hope were the mages of the Vagabond Robin but they were quite a ways away so, like Aiken said there best bet is to go about things as normal even if they desired otherwise. Selina was deeply troubled by this choice, sensing that an impending end was at their doorstep, and she found herself compelled to respond despite feeling powerless. Despite those emotions, they found themselves with no alternative to pursue, all they could do was continue along the path they were already on.

But there day was just beginning. They blended with the stream of villagers pouring out of their homes, shuffling their feet across the powdered rocks scattered throughout Aster’s dirt road. It was early morning but the villagers were out and about, handling their own list of tasks for the day. Groups of children raced up and down the dusty hill leading to the village chief's residence, playfully chasing each other. Laughter echoed among them, a stark contrast to the more solemn atmosphere in Uni. Next to the dusty hill stood a compact shack, noticeably constructed with aged materials, intentionally deviating from the matching aesthetic of the surrounding homes and buildings. Sitting in front of the weathered structure were alluring women, dressed provocatively and seated in worn chairs. They attracted the gazes of passing men, simultaneously eliciting disapproving glares from the women accompanying them.

With a shroud of annoyance filling her voice, Selina spoke. “Are there brothel’s everywhere?”

Aiken glances at the annoyed Selina and answers. “Almost everywhere, but there are places that are notoriously known for being against that kind of thing. But it’s not like that matters.”

“Why is that?”

“The desire to be perverted runs through both men and women, and if either side feels they’re lacking fulfillment within that desire they’ll go to brothel’s to find satisfaction. There’s too much gold being generated and much more dissatisfaction plaguing folks that these kinds of businesses will always exist.”

“But, I just don’t get it. Why don’t those people find someone they truly love to fulfill that desire. Why pay a man or woman to do that, knowing that at the end of it you’re still going home to a place where that one thing you want won’t be there.”

“I don’t know and honestly I’d rather it stay that way. All we can do is hope that we find ourselves the person meant for us and that we never fall onto the tempting path of seeking elsewhere for what we desire.”

“Yeah, hopefully.” Selina gives the brothel one last glance before it goes out of sight.

Upon cresting the dusty hill, they were promptly welcomed by a massive white house, adorned with four robust concrete pillars symmetrically arranged at its front, just preceding the entrance. The house had these tall clear glass windows showcased, that seemed to attract the attention of some village children who were leaning against them, curiously peeking inside.

Surprised, Selina pulled on Aiken’s sleeve. “Are they sure King Daw doesn’t just casually live here?”

“Shit, you could’ve fooled me.”

Aiken approached the tall, robust wooden door with a centrally affixed silver lion door knocker. He forcefully struck the knocker three times, and without delay, the door creaked open slowly, revealing an older man dressed in only skin tight underwear as the person who answered.

Aiken’s eyebrows furrowed, and he tilted his head slightly, puzzled by what he was witnessing. “Y-you know, you’re practically naked right?”

Selina's jaw fell open, her face flushing red upon seeing the nearly naked man. She swiftly darted behind Aiken, seeking refuge from the unexpected sight. Meanwhile, Luna, mirroring Aiken's puzzled expression, couldn't resist looking up at him, anticipating their next move.

The near naked ma sighed at the expected response and motioned for them to head inside. “Lady Nilsine is expecting you.”

“Lady Nilsine?” Aiken glances down at Luna. “Someone sounds like royalty.”

“Or, you know, she’s just rich.” From behind Aiken's disheveled heavy cloak resting on his shoulders and the long-sleeved light armor safeguarding his chest, Selina's muffled voice echoed.

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Following the nearly naked man's motioning hand, the trio entered and encountered a group of similarly attired men bustling about. They were engaged in daily tasks outlined on a large list adhered to a nearby wall, with a crowd gathered, attempting to decipher the next steps.

“This way.”

Guiding the trio deeper into the house, the nearly naked man eventually ushered them into a spacious room. On the left stood two expansive bookshelves, while in the middle of the room was a well-maintained wooden table that gleamed as if polished daily since its creation. Positioned behind the table, a swiveling chair turned to reveal the occupant seated in it.

“Thank you Mr. Moss for bringing our guests.” Emerging from the swivel chair, a strikingly tall woman with captivating brown skin stood. Her long black hair cascaded below her shoulders, and her plump lips resembled the ripest of freshly picked fruit, that you couldn’t help but want a bite of.

“Sounds like you were expecting us.” Aiken said.

“When a swordsman, carrying such a wide sword and a mage casually stroll into my village looking for work. It’s only fair that I introduce myself personally.”

“How’d you know I’m a mage?!” Selina jumped out from behind Aiken and shouted.

With a swift motion, Nilsine brushes her hanging hair aside, unveiling slightly pointed ears.

“You’re an elf?!” Surprised, Selina shouted again.

“I’m sure to regular folk, you might seem like a big kid playing your favorite character from some story. But if I couldn’t tell that you were a mage, then what good was my training back home.”

“I’ve heard a lot about elves back in Salem, but I never thought I’d meet one.”

“Considering that we usually reside in the Ofrad region, I’m not surprised you felt that way but our people have a long history of helping each other so who could’ve really known.”

Selina and Nilsine shared a brief bond, but Aiken stepped in, positioning himself between their conversation.

“So… how’d you know about us?”

Nilsine smiled, leaning against the polished wooden table where she worked.

“You spoke with Millie right?”

“You mean the tavern lady with no teeth?”

Nilsine nodded her head. “Consider her my lookout—my window into the lives of my people and the watcher for everything entering and leaving Aster.” Reaching across her table, she retrieves a lengthy black tobacco stick. Placing it between her plump lips, she snaps her fingers, conjuring a small flame at her index finger to light the tobacco. “Don’t worry, it doesn’t smell like you’d expect.”

“Well, your lookout mentioned that you may have some work for us.”

Nilsine inhales a drag of tobacco into her lungs and exhales it slowly. “In fact I do, and it’s something only people of your caliber could do.”

Confused, Aiken make’s a face. “What do you mean?”

“Have you ever heard of Renards?” Nilsine tilts her head slightly as she asked.

“No.” Aiken said.

“What about you?” Nilsine points her lit stick of tobacco at Selina.

Selina's gaze shifts between the two, she shrugs, and then lets out a sigh—a gesture that speaks volumes, expressing a clear "of course I do.”

“They’re a rare humanoid fox species, typically located in Western Fastela.” Selina said.

“And do you know what they’re able to do?”

Selina scrunches her face and puts her hands up. “As far as I know, the Salem library doesn’t have much information about Renard’s other than where they’re supposed to be from.”

“Well, if our mage doesn’t know, why don’t you tell us about what they’re able to do.”

Nilsine takes another drag from her lit tobacco. “As she pointed out, they belong to a humanoid fox species. What many people are unaware of is their ability called boost magic, enabling them to bestow a substantial increase in strength or heightened magical capabilities to themselves or anyone they choose, albeit for a brief duration.”

Aiken strolls toward the extensive bookshelves and casually leans against them. “That sounds like a recipe for disaster. If anyone working through the black market heard that, there’d be gold being thrown around with hopes of enslaving them.”

“Which is probably why there’s hardly any information about them.” Selina said.

“And yet, there’s been a group of folks visiting Aster everyday looking for the family of Renard’s that live here.”

“What?” Both Selina and Aiken spoke in unison.

“There’s a family of Renard’s that I do my best to protect from outsider’s. They’re a small family, a mother, father and their son who live in the house closest to mine, where I can keep the best eye on them.”

“And how did a family of Renard’s come to live here?” Aiken asked.

Nilsine nonchalantly shrugs her shoulders. “The story is quite straightforward— they came traveling by one day, similar to how you three are doing but they never left.”

“But if you’re protecting them and safeguarding information about them, then how does this group know about them?”

Again, Nilsine shrugged her shoulders. “If I had the answers, then I wouldn't be asking for your help. Whenever I inquire about them during their visits, their responses are consistently vague and lack substantial meaning. The only discernible detail about this group is their tendency to travel in sizable groups and their clothing, they wear hooded black robes with red accents concealing their faces, and they have an insignia depicting a crumbling building stitched onto the chest of the robes.”

Almost immediately Selina spoke up, her words yelling over Nilsine’s. “ARE YOU SURE ABOUT THE INSIGNIA?” Her yell catching the attention of the both of them.

“Yeah… I would say my eye’s are still well enough to see that much.”

“But how?” A whisper fell from Selina’s mouth and a look of intrigue filled Nilsine’s face.

“Do you know something about this group little mage?”

Selina released a drawn-out sigh, her face reflecting both concern and fear. Was this connected to the unsettling feeling the three of them experienced earlier that morning? She couldn't be certain, but an inexplicable chill was gradually enveloping her body.

"I only know what the elders taught us," Selina began cautiously. "Based on your description, they seem to be a cult from the early days of Salem, hundreds of years ago, known as The Old Order." She hesitated, unsure of the repercussions of sharing this information but pressed on, "During Salem's old age, The Old Order followed what we now call the Old Belief. They believed their purpose was to resurrect a being known as Sarketh the Black Dragon. To achieve this, they reproduced continuously and rigorously trained an unending stream of mages, resorting to brutal methods. Disobedient mages were beaten, forced into their way of life, and upon completing their training, they were pitted against each other. The loser, deemed weak, was sacrificed in a pit of fire, in hopes of reviving the black dragon. Despite countless sacrifices, the black dragon never reappeared. Over time, a division arose among the mages, with many pleading for an alternative way of life. Instead of understanding, conflicts erupted, leading to years of immense bloodshed within the walls of Salem. This period is documented in our study books as 'The Age of the Old Vermillion,' where followers of the Old Belief spent years killing those who opposed them and their god, the black dragon."

Selina hesitated briefly, and an ominous atmosphere enveloped the room, a suffocating feeling swirling around them. They sensed that a profound truth about the mages was about to be revealed, yet they were unprepared to hear it. Selina clasped her hands together as if in prayer, hoping that Aiken or Luna wouldn't perceive her differently after hearing what was to come. However, her words seemed to linger, taking a bit longer to escape.

“What changed?” Aiken asked.

Observing her hesitation, Selina lightly bit her lower lip before continuing. "Eventually, there was a mage who genuinely sought peace between both sides. Her name was Lady Rain, considered one of the strongest mages of her time. Blessed by the ocean, as we mages called it, her magic resonated profoundly with water. The study books describe her as a beloved teacher, married, and expecting her first child—an exciting time for any couple. However, a few months before she was due to give birth, a potent sleeping spell blanketed Salem. Those strongly adhering to the Old Belief seized the opportunity and kidnapped the pregnant Lady Rain, hoping her immense magic, coupled with the anticipated power of her child, would revive Sarketh. They chanted their sacrificial incantation throughout the night until the sleeping spell lifted, leaving everyone bewildered and disoriented. Following the echoing chant, they discovered the Old Belief followers surrounding a fire, with Lady Rain's body charred black and her stomach torn open. This gruesome scene compelled many who had wavered between both sides to reconsider their beliefs."

A chilling silence permeated the room, accompanied by a cold air. The haunting image of Lady Rain’s charred body flashed in their minds, prompting Luna to whimper in sadness. Nilsine wiped tears from the sides of her eyes, while Aiken, visibly shocked, clutched his arms tightly, uncertain if the story he had just heard could be true. Yet, deep down he knew Selina had no reason to fabricate such an intricate tale.

“What happened to those that never stopped believing?” Curious of what happened next, Aiken asked.

“They were banished.”

“They should’ve been killed!” Aiken said angrily.

Nilsine, with her tobacco stick burning halfway, absentmindedly rubbed the side of her face. "If they were banished centuries ago, how could they endure until now?"

Selina shrugged her shoulders unsure of how to answer.

"It's simple," Aiken explained. "All it would take is one person who believes to keep preaching about it within the banished circle, and they'll continue creating followers. My guess is that most of the early members in the Old Order are blood-related, as the banished group likely did their best to replicate what they had in Salem amongst each other.”

“Then… if that group is related to the Old Order, then that mean’s they’re looking to sacrifice the Renard’s power for their god.” Nilsine sits up from the table and puts out the lit stick of tobacco.

“This sounds like something that needs to be worked on immediately.” Aiken lifted himself off of the bookshelves. “What exactly is it that you want us to do?”

“The last time the group was here, I sent a few of my men to follow after them and when they came back, it seems like they found where they may be holding up.”

“I’m hoping you sent them out with more than just skin tight underwear.”

“Only if they deserve it.” Nilsine grinned.

The joke seemed to have calmed the gloomy atmosphere of the room.

“If you follow the path behind my estate you’ll eventually reach a fork that is split three ways, you’ll want to take the left path that leads through a small path of overgrown grass, until you reach a long wall of rocks. From there you’ll have to do the rest as my men couldn’t find anything else.”

“And what about our reward?” Aiken asked.

Nilsine sighed. “You mercenaries never start a job until you hear about a reward.... I’ll do what I can to get you whatever you want in exchange for finishing this job.”

“And what about the Renard’s?”

“Don’t worry about them, I’ll keep them safe like I usually do.”

Aiken nodded, composed himself without uttering a word, and gestured for Luna to follow. He then motioned for Selina to join them, he led the way outside Nilsine's home, immediately delving into the task she had requested.

Things were starting to sizzle and an eruption was coming.