1

“The Magistrate!?”

Ma Mileena reached over the table and covered Ellis’ mouth.

“Keep ‘yer voice down!” she hissed, as her eyes darted suspiciously from side to side.

The three of them had moved to a table in the corner of the room, away from the main bar. The Lonely Song was quite full today and there were many people that Ma Mileena did not recognize. You could never be sure who was listening.

“We will, we promise,” Mary said, putting a hand on Ellis’ shoulder.

Ellis nodded frantically.

Ma Mileena took her hand off his mouth and wiped it on her dress.

“Look, I’m gonna be honest with you both. Those men are Magistrate, no doubt about it.”

“What do they want with Telhari? Did he do something wrong?” Ellis asked her.

“How the hell should I know? He’s yer teacher.” Her mouth fell into a frown. “It doesn’t always have to be that you did something wrong…those bastards will come ‘fer you whenever they want to.”

“Maybe they heard about Edge?” Mary guessed.

“So what?” Ellis blurted out. “If they think they’re getting a cut of our reward, they can shove it!”

“Maybe…” Ma said as she folded her arms.

She knew that the Magistrate’s presence was not a good thing. There were no special events happening in the town that would require a Magistrate officer. What’s more, any official business they would have with the town should be handled in the presence of Lord Viemen. To come to the Lonely Song meant that they were here unofficially, for the sole purpose of meeting with Telhari. Ma Mileena knew very little of politics outside the town of Viemen, but she’d heard stories every now and then: enough to know that dealings between men and alfkin seldom occurred.

Suddenly, a crash came from the other side of the tavern.

Ma Mileena looked over to see a group of almost a dozen people hovering over a table, their voices getting louder. She pushed her chair back from the table and sighed.

“I’ll be right back.”

Ma stood up, rolled up her sleeves and headed over to the group.

“What do you think they want with him, Ellis?”

“I dunno. But if it’s the Magistrate asking questions, it can’t be good, can it?”

“Magistrate?”

Mary and Ellis nearly jumped out of their skin.

Together, they turned around to face the man who spoke. Behind them, carrying a flagon of beer in one hand, was a tall, lean man dressed in hunter’s gear. His cloak was dark green, and his hair was tied behind his head. He had sharp facial features and wore a chain around his neck which held a gemstone, downcast in shadow. And as he stood there with a look of surprise, the light from the window caught the stone and it seemed to glow blood-red.

2

The orange flame whipped back and forth, conducting the shadows as they danced across the wall. Commotion from the Lonely Song denizens continued to fall away until there was only silence between the three men.

“I have a proposition for you.”

The man named Zorren spoke calmly, yet there was something about him that kept Telhari on edge; he was like an unsuspecting predator, luring in victims with innocence, only to catch them, once off guard, with a venomous bite.

“I am not sure that I could offer you anything which is not already within your power to obtain.”

“I do not seek the services of a mere hunter,” Zorren said as he took a step forward. “I have laid eyes on many elfkin, but it is clear to me now the glaring difference between you and your lessers, Telhari Lindhathal. The kin of Minas Oroth are indeed extraordinary.”

“If you know who I am, and you know of my kin, then you must also know that we hold no allegiances to the nations of men, nor do we serve their kings.”

“I do not come at the behest of any king.” Zorren spat out these words so forcefully his breath stoked the candle flame. “As I suspect you are aware,” he continued with newfound composure, “Omnirius is without a monarch. As such, I am here at my own behest.”

“Even without orders, you come to me bearing the symbol that marks your allegiance to Omnirius. In that regard, there is no difference.”

“Interesting, that you would choose to deny me before hearing my proposal.”

“Details would make no difference.”

The shorter man next to Zorren let out a sigh.

Zorren turned his head slightly toward him and made eye contact. The shorter man shook his head and sat down in a nearby chair. Zorren continued.

“You would say so, even knowing what I have within my power to offer you?”

“Do you think the kin of Minas Oroth would betray their covenant for coin?”

“Is that not what you’ve been doing already? For all these months?”

Telhari said nothing.

In the silence that followed, the shorter man withdrew a small stack of papers from his briefcase and handed them to Zorren.

“You have been here in Viemen for several months, and even longer still you have been wandering the borders of Omnirian territory.” Zorren began flipping through the pages, skimming each as he spoke. “Doing odd jobs… working in exchange for coin, goods, weapons…” He then plucked a crisp new parchment from the stack and held it up to his eyes. “You’ve just recently traveled with two children to hunt monsters in Malendar’s Edge.” He put the papers back together and placed them on the table next to the shorter man. “Or am I mistaken?”

Telhari watched him cautiously in turn.

“It would seem the eyes of the Magistrate are all encompassing.”

“Quite. It is our job, among many others, to be observant of all possible threats to Omnirian security that move within our borders and beyond.”

“Are you suggesting I am a threat?”

Zorren took a step forward.

“I know of the things you’ve done — in Torsden and the West— Storm Bringer of the Rift.”

3

“W-what?”

“You said the Magistrate is here?”

Ellis’ face turned red.

The man looked around the tavern in surprise. Suddenly, he ducked down behind Ellis’ chair, spilling some of his beer on the floor.

“Don’t move!”

Ellis sat frozen, glancing over at Mary in confusion.

“They’re not out here,” Ellis said.

The man slowly stood up.

“Then who is that?” he asked, pointing his finger toward the corner of the tavern where a man was seated. The man in question was hunched over and had his hood drawn all the way up so that his face was obscured.

“Oh, that’s Jeffrey,” Mary said. “He pulls up his hood like that so the sun don’t bother him while he sleeps.”

“He sleeps during the day?”

Mary and Ellis nodded.

“Why doesn’t he sleep at night?”

“Cause he drinks at night.”

The man gave up and shrugged his shoulders.

“Well, as long as they aren’t out here.” The man then exhaled and relaxed into a nearby chair. “Magistrate is no good for anyone.”

“Why do you say that?” Mary asked, concern spilling into her tone.

“If they’re interrogating someone, they must have committed a serious crime.”

“Telhari ain’t no criminal!” Ellis cried.

The man smiled.

“Telhari?” he said as he took a sip of his drink, “That’s a funny name. Who is he?”

“He’s…our teacher,” Mary said.

“And you’re sure he’s not a criminal?”

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Course we’re sure!”

“Well, with a name like that, he’s definitely not from around here.” The man took another sip of beer. “So? Where is he from?”

Ellis looked at Mary.

“The west.”

“Where in the west? It’s a pretty big place.”

“We…don’t really know,” Mary said.

“He didn’t tell you?”

She shook her head.

“And you’ve been friends with him for how long?”

Mary folded her hands in her lap but didn’t answer.

“Okay, well, what did he do before he came to Viemen?”

Mary continued to avoid the man’s gaze. Ellis jumped in instead.

“So what if we don’t know? We are a team now, so that’s all that matters.”

“A team you say?”

“Yeah, he’s gonna teach us how to hunt and use a sword!”

The man exhaled deeply and lowered his beer.

“I see….”

“What!? See what?” Ellis asked frantically as he leaned in.

“When people have a dark past…when they’ve done things that can’t be forgiven, they often run. Murder, theft, assassination… people with the skills to wield weapons will often flee their homeland when they are being targeted. They go somewhere new. Change their name. Many will try to become rangers or hunters as a way to make money.”

“That ain’t Telhari!”

The man leaned over so he was within a few feet of Ellis and Marybeth.

“Are you so sure?”

4

Telhari glared at Zorren, observing the man’s harsh features; even in this dim light, his eyesight was sharp.

“That battle was long ago and was of no concern to Omnirius.”

“How many have fallen to your blade?” Zorren asked. “Hundreds? Thousands? Letting such a dangerous creature roam free among our people would be a grave misstep, don’t you think?”

“Are you threatening to arrest me?”

“I simply find it odd that you’re so sure in your weariness of me, when it is I who have every right to be weary of you. You would hesitate to assist me because you fear my intentions, when all I am asking is that you continue doing what you were already keen to do.”

Telhari folded his arms.

“What exactly do you think you understand of my motives?”

“Killing monsters is easy— a simple task for one with your skills. Slay the beast, save the people. You wish to do good for the world. You may not hold allegiance to Omnirius, but if this tavern were to catch fire suddenly, I have no doubt that you would try to save as many as you could. What allegiances would drive you to do such a thing? What covenants would be broken?”

“If saving innocent lives is within my power, then I will do so.”

“Yes!” Zorren said with an enticing enthusiasm, “Of course you would! It is no doubt why you saw fit to dispatch with Doctor Egurd.”

“You were aware of Egurd?”

“Doctor Egurd had been the subject of our suspicions for quite some time. Unfortunately, we had no solid evidence upon which to act, and news travels very slowly from Edge.” Zorren paused for a moment, then laughed to himself.

“You find his experimentation laughable?”

Zorren shook his head.

“You resist working for me. Yet, without your own knowledge, you have already done so. Egurd was a menace, that much is clear. Eventually, he would have become a menace too great to ignore. Sooner or later, we would have needed to eliminate him. In that respect, you’ve already done us a great service. Why not continue?”

“I will not kill for you.”

“No…not murder,” Zorren corrected, the laughter leaving his face. “What I need of you is something that no mere Luminarcan Alchemist or Caster would have the skill, or even the power attempt.”

Telhari smiled.

“And how is it that you would know the bounds of Aurellian magic? Surely, such occult subjects are unbecoming of Omnirian gentry?”

Zorren folded his hands behind his back, walking back and forth as he spoke.

“The Magistrate may indeed be a relatively new addition to the Omnirian political system, but as you are already well aware, our gaze is all encompassing. We are not so blinded as to forget to look into the shadows of our past.” Zorren stopped and looked to the ceiling. “There were many truths hidden in Omnirius over the centuries. Some may indeed be too unbecoming for our gentry to openly discuss, but that is why the Magistrate exists. We will not shy away from such a task.”

“What is it then? What task is so important and so great that no Aurellian mage could manage it alone?”

Zorren looked down from the ceiling and stared at Telhari. The shorter man shifted uncomfortably in his chair.

“There is an object,” Zorren started. “One with a complex and considerably powerful enchantment bound to it.”

“And you want me to steal it for you?

Zorren looked surprised.

“Not at all. I want you to destroy it.”

5

Mary and Ellis exchanged looks. Then, Mary leaned her elbows on the table and put her head in her hands. She looked to the corner of the room as she surveyed her feelings— all the while that crimson gemstone gleamed brightly, brighter even than before.

“I guess I never really thought about it before…”

“C’mon, Mary, you know him!”

“Do we, Ellis?”

His face scrunched up in anger.

“How can you say that? After all he’s done for us? Don’t you trust him!?”

“Course I trust him!” she cried back.

At this outburst, the man leaned back from the table and eyed them both; beneath his gilded concern there seemed to bubble a sadistic joy.

“You sure?” Ellis snapped back. “Cause it sounds like you think he’s some murdering thief.”

“I never said that!” she said as she pushed herself back into the chair. “’Sides, I’m the one who’s been training with him for weeks while you were off ignoring both of us. How would you even know what he’s like.”

Ellis’ had no response. He bit his cheek and looked away from her. Mary could feel the sting of her own words and immediately regretted what she’d said, but she was too angry to apologize.

The silence at the table was heavy. Finally, the man slipped the gemstone underneath the folds of his cloak and stood up from his chair.

“Well…I don’t know the whole story. But it seems Telhari may be hiding things from you both.”

“Yeah…”

Ellis folded his arms on the table and stared at the empty space between himself and Mary.

Mary stole a few glances at Ellis in turn: his slumped shoulders, strained expression, and tense brow. She felt horrible. The man behind her leaned against the wall and took another sip of his beer.

6

“Destroy it?”

“Yes.”

“And how would I know where to begin looking for such an object?”

“We know where the object is.”

Telhari paused a moment, confused. Then, as if coming to a sudden realization, he stepped toward the two men. Zorren straightened himself in response. Telhari looked down on Zorren with an intense stare. Allan watched the exchange, confused but silent.

The connection Telhari’s people had to the arcane was not purely one of hard study and academia. It was a part of them, as it was for all creatures of the Old World. Their affinity for it was second nature and they could discern its presence at a glance. Finally, Telhari stepped back from Zorren.

“I see. A Luminarcan Caster hiding among Omnirian gentry, acting as a puppeteer of the Magistrate.”

Zorren scowled at Telhari as a bead of sweat appeared on his brow.

Allan shot up in his chair.

“How did he…!?”

“This is why we sought him out, Allan,” Zorren announced, smiling through his anger. “This is the level of skill that we require.”

“And what exactly is this object you need so desperately to destroy?” Telhari asked.

Zorren hesitated to respond.

Telhari pressed him.

“Most, if not all, objects imbued with power of the level you propose are accomplished by means of delicate and complex magic. The rules of which, as you’ve correctly deduced, would be known well to beings of the Old World. This is undoubtedly why you’ve sought me out. No?”

“What is your point?”

“The intent of the enchantment, the nature of its purpose, who the object belonged to, and why it was created. All of these factors are necessary and instrumental. Without them, I cannot hope to do what you ask.”

“That information I cannot give you. Not until you have committed to our cause.”

“And what is it you would offer in exchange for my commitment?”

“I doubt coin would motivate you…so I have an alternative proposal.”

Telhari waited.

“I would offer you a seat on our council. A chance to serve the people of Omnirius as an adviser to the crown.”

“Zorren!” The second man jumped up from his chair in surprise, and now stood with a look of pure shock. “Such a position would never be accepted by the council! Least of all to be held by an alfkin— an outsider!”

“Calm yourself, Allan,” Zorren snapped, shooting him a vicious look. “It would not happen immediately, of course,” Zorren continued as he turned back to Telhari. “There are many who currently benefit from the rules of a tired system, and many more who would rebel out of fear of the unknown. But make no mistake, Omnirius is approaching a period of great change.”

Telhari raised a brow.

“What manner of change would that be?”

“I speak principally of illumination— of enlightenment. Omnirius has floundered in the dark for too many years, unable to see the way forward.”

“And you would see Omnirius changed?”

“The change has already begun. I have made sure of it.”

“You aim to cast aside the current system? In favor what, exactly?”

“Something more. Something that you, a being with centuries of experience, could offer to us. A marriage of the past and the present— the old and the new.”

Allan watched as both Telhari and Zorren held each other’s gaze. Telhari was first to break this silence.

“As I have said before, my kin bear no allegiance to the nations of men.”

“So says the outcast prince?”

Telhari glared at Zorren.

“You were discarded by your own people because of their rigid ideals. Omnrius, too, has suffered from the shackles of ignorance and fear. You must surely understand the need to evolve beyond?”

Telhari looked to the darkness of the room and thought to himself.

“You misunderstand. It was not for a difference in idealism that I was cast out. The path I was so tempted to run towards…I failed to see the danger that lay ahead. It is not a mistake I will make again.”

7

The floorboards began to creak as Ma Mileena made her way back towards Ellis and Marybeth. The commotion had died down and the patrons were back to their usual frivolity.

“Was everything alright, Ma?” Mary asked, eager to distract herself.

“Yeah…” she said, pulling out her chair and sitting down. “Alvin says Thomas threw a drink in his face. Thomas swears the drink just jumped out of his hand.” She shrugged her shoulders.

“That’s a crappy excuse,” Ellis said, bitterly.

Ma Mileena looked over the table.

Ellis was staring down at his folded hands. Mary was sitting with her shoulders drawn up, twisting a piece of her hair between her fingers. Ma then looked at the man standing behind them. He was leaning against the wall with all his weight on his back leg. When he caught her watching him, he took a swig of his beer.

“Enjoy the show?” she asked him.

He smiled.

“Very much so. You really can handle yourself, Miss.”

“I’ve picked up a few things over the years. They say every wrinkle represents a lesson learned.”

The man pushed himself off the wall and downed the rest of his beer.

“Ma Mileena, was it?”

She nodded.

The man lifted his hand and shook his mug in the air.

“Thank you for the drink.” He then turned to Ellis and Marybeth and nodded at them. “Enjoy your day.”

Ma Mileena followed the man with her eyes as he headed back towards the bar.

“And you are?”

“Vrastus,” he said, without so much as a backward glance.

Ma Mileena turned from him and looked back to Ellis and Mary, growing more concerned with each passing second. Meanwhile, Vrastus’ footsteps faded into the noise of the tavern, leaving the three in stewed silence once again.