The Captain strolled down the stairs, Zeke on her shoulder. At her presence, the grunt triplets and Brigadier Dis hopped to attention. They stood stiff, like stone walls, until the Captain signaled to cut it out. Everyone relaxed, going back to whatever it was they were doing.

It was then Jude, Glenny, and Leland stood from their seats. Gelo was sniffing at a stained cooking pot, her snout crumpled like a shriveled apple.

“I’m Captain Tar.”

“Jude.”

“Glenny.”

“I’m Gelo!”

Leland crossed his arms. “Was I right?” he asked, eyeing the woman.

Standing just shorter than Jude, Captain Tar had hair like the sun. Golden, warm, piercing, three attributes that were not shared with her eyes. Her eyes were black, similar to Glenny’s – minus the white flip flopping – and she stared blankly like a dead fish. Without care or concern, she stood, watching Leland like he was watching her.

Then she sighed, revealing a piece of crumpled paper – the letter of introduction from Aunty P. “You were,” she said. “You were to be tested.”

“And if we were to just walk in?”

“You would have been allowed in without us fighting back.”

Leland gave himself an invisible pat on the back, finally stretching out his hand. “Aunty P… doesn’t like me.”

Tar put her hand out as well. “I know. She ordered your execution, Harbinger.”

The last word was said with animosity, enough to make Leland slowly retract his hand and Jude, Glenny, and Gelo to frown.

The others reacted with a bit more… animation. Jolting, Grain and Giant stopped rubbing polishing oil onto their boot, both staring wide-eyed. Bulldog sprung to her feet, having been sneaking up on Gelo for some reason. Even the Brigadier suddenly found the room to be slightly too claustrophobic, inching away so as to not involve himself with whatever his captain was posturing to do.

“Yeah that’s me,” Leland said, forcing the bubbles in his stomach down. “Guardian Harbinger Vagrant Warden Leland Silver, son of two Royal Inquisitors, and technically your boss while I’m here.”

He left off a few titles, but figured that was fine. His point came across to everyone, even the Captain’s bored expression tilted slightly into intrigue. He was more than a Harbinger, and that was cause for respect. Jude and Glenny relaxed while Gelo scampered away from Bulldog.

“You’re not my boss. Captain outranks Vagrant Warden.”

“I think the hierarchy labels us as equal ranks… but since I was sent here by the Queen herself, I’m in charge.”

Captain Tar’s lips curled slightly into a snarl. “Oh? And just what is it you were sent here to do?”

“To secure the Tear.”

“Looks secure to me.” She gestured around the small fort. “My team and I have it handled. It’s not like this Tear has monsters pouring out of it like some of the others do.”

Leland shrugged. “I’m not here to worry about monsters.”

“Then what? The civilian aspect? Trust me, if anyone gets near the Tear I will know. I put faith in my eyes and ears.”

“Captain’s already shooed away dozens of adventurers and researchers!” Bulldog yelped, quickly getting a stern glare from both of her superiors. “Sorry… I’ll be quiet.”

“Our mission is to secure the Tear,” Leland began, “and I have it under good authority that something is going to happen in this Tear.”

The Captain scoffed. “There’s nothing but sand across the Tear. Trust me, I’ve been across a few times now.”

Zeke cawed, drawing all eyes to him. He hopped off the Captain’s shoulder, flying up and out of Sand Castle.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“Interesting familiar you have…” she whispered, staring at the bird with her black eyes as he began circling the fort.

“I think he was bored,” Leland said. “ I don’t really care if you don’t believe me. And I guess I should say this for clarity: I don’t care about being the leader here. My team and I are here mainly to prove to Aunty P we can be trusted—”

“And because we wanted to fight some monsters!” Jude injected.

“—That too. Suffice it to say, tomorrow we are going into the Tear. And something is going to happen. Can I count on you and your team if that something is bad enough that we need assistance?”

When his captain didn’t respond, Brigadier Dis asked, “You said you had it under good authority something would happen. Just whose authority are we talking about here?”

Not seeing a reason to hide this particular piece of information, Leland said, “Lord of Beasts.”

“Lord of Beasts? How do you—”

“That’s for me to know, and you not to know.” He leveled a stare at the pugilist, almost daring him to argue.

Captain Tar stomped her foot. “Stop trying to intimidate my men, Harbinger Leland Silver. Otherwise I will take you and yours out.” The air went thick, just like the Captain’s name.

Leland was reminded of High Inquisitor Rushwin and how he used aura to intimidate. Compared to his, Tar’s was pitiful and mundane. Still, Leland saw the looks of discomfort on Jude and Glenny. Interestingly, however, Gelo didn’t seem to mind too much.

But despite Tar being weaker than Rushwin, a threat was still a threat. There was no reason to hold back when his friends were in the firing line.

He took a step forward, his eyes suddenly brimming with violet fire. Magic fueled his body and he, in turn, fueled it back. His lips began to tingle, powerwords waiting to be spoken. Kneel before me, that was all he had to say. It was the last three words Tar would ever hear before her soul was ripped from her still-warm corpse.

But he held his tongue. There was no need to escalate, not when the power dripping off of him was enough – cold, unabridged dread. For the Captain and the Brigadier, Leland focused the majority of his forewarning. The siblings? He allowed them a taste, enough to cause their legs to shiver.

“Harbinger, Harbinger, Harbinger,” Leland listlessly said, as if his magic wasn’t drawing emotions of terror. “See, I’ve met Harbingers before. True ones, not just by title. The first one, he stabbed me using a dead old man as a puppet. He’s dead now, I killed him. The second… was the mastermind behind the attacks on Sybil Palemarrow at Ruinsforth and the leading force that destroyed part of Ivory Reach. He’s also dead now. Again, by my hands.”

Leland locked eyes with the Captain. “So, let me be very clear. I do not care about you. I, frankly, don’t care about Aunty P’s little quest nor her immature tests. I’ll play nice, for now, mainly because I’m in love with her niece, but my patience only goes so far when my friends are threatened.”

He leaned forward. “I’ve been hunted by people far scarier than you. I’ve killed beings far worse than you. I’ve talked to monsters, true monsters, and come out with more power than I entered with. I do not want to throw my power around, especially against people who are supposed to be my allies, but if my title of ‘Harbinger’ is uttered one more time as an insult or dig, I will make sure you know what a true Harbinger is capable of.”

He leaned back. That was it, wasn’t it? He’d proven himself again and again, but being titled “Harbinger” was still the only thing people saw. That’s what Aunty P saw. That’s what Captain Tar saw. Quests and tests, how many did he have to do before people treated him like a decent human being? He’d saved the whole dang city! He’d brought Sybil home! He’d protected her when he could have easily ran!

To be looped in with the likes of that Toy Maker Harbinger and Ashford? It wasn’t fair.

Leland sucked in a deep breath, reeling himself in. His power subsided, freeing Tar and Dis from their invisible shackles.

“I’m not a Harbinger,” he whispered. “Don’t call me that again.”

And with that, Leland strolled off, Jude, Glenny, and Gelo following closely behind. They exited Sand Castle and found a nice flat spot right against its walls. They’d camp here for the duration of their stay, something Leland apologized for again and again.

“I-I’m sorry,” he told his friends. “I shouldn’t let stuff like that get to me. Between threatening me, you guys, and the whole ‘Harbinger’ thing… I think I snapped more than I meant to.”

Jude patted him on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about it. I didn’t want to share a bunk anyway.”

“I didn’t realize people calling you a Harbinger upset you,” Glenny said.

“It didn’t. Not before a few weeks ago. Not before Ashford…”

“I get it. You don’t want to be lumped in with him.”

Leland nodded, feeling Gelo brushing up against his leg. She said, “I don’t mind sleeping outside. I like looking at the stars… not to mention, I think that Bulldog chick was trying to cuddle with me or something.”

Leland cracked a smile at that. “If it helps, you have everyone’s permission to freeze her hand off if she tries to touch you.”

“I couldn’t agree more,” Jude said.

“Yup,” Glenny added.

Gelo trotted around. “And! Now that we are outside, I can practice my magic more! I think things worked out fine!”

Good. That was good. Leland said, feeling at home with his friends. He closed his eyes, finding the peace of sleep not long after.

…except, he wasn’t alone here. A presence, he noted, was here. One that felt like an empty well, like a hole in his soul. Or a puzzle missing a piece. Dreamily, Leland smiled to himself.

He liked puzzles.