Chapter 5- A Working Breakfast

“Six bells and all is well!” Came the cry through the windows shut against the cold.

Riley flattened her ears at the table while Caedmon, Eastmund, and Tobias seemed to be having an eating contest, shoveling down rok eggs and bread.

Three mugs of tea steamed as she nibbled on her jogana fruit, pausing to take chasers of shepherd’s grass. Her ears swiveled as familiar bootfalls reached her sensitive hearing.

“Cid’s here,” she announced.

The doorknob rattled as Tobias rose; before he could turn around, the lock clicked, and Cid threw open the door, walking in with a cheesy grin.

“That door was locked,” Riley remarked with a grumble.

“Was,” Cid agreed with a nod, “they just keep the honest, honest.”

”And what does that make you?” Tobias smiled, holding out his hand.

Cid rubbed at his chin as if contemplating the secrets of the universe before falling to a shrug, “Dishonest.”

“You’re just in time for breakfast,” Caedmon said, motioning towards the table.

Eastmund was too busy eating as if working in defiance of his too-skinny frame.

“Don’t forget to breathe, kid. Slow down, chew your food,” Riley suggested.

He nodded before snarfing down a half slice of bread with a gulp, “Is good.”

“By the dead Gods, you’d think they’d starve us all,” Cid said, sitting down before creating his own mound of food from the bowls on the table.

“I know, right?” She agreed, with a mouth full of tenganut.

“Sabine should be in contact soon. Then we can get the meeting underway,” Tobias said, sitting back down.

“There’s no rush; we’re not due out on the dragon for two more bells,” Eastmund replied.

“And we’re out at noon. There’s plenty of time,” he agreed.

“It’s not like we don’t know what we’re doing,” Cid said.

“Find the monsters, kill the monsters,” Riley offered.

Heads nodded, “And real monsters this time, we’ve sanction to go after any noble we can bring evidence against, so long as it’s approved.”

“It’s a gift worthy of Light’s Return,” Cid smiled viciously.

“Light’s Return?” Riley perked up her ears.

“Christmas, Yule, Solstice,” Tobias replied.

“Oh, ok,” her tone was distant, as she was deep into her Shepherds Grass.

A com crystal, set like a centerpiece between the bowl of eggs and toast, began to glow to her eyes, wreathed in a faint brown aura, pulsing slowly, almost like it was breathing.

She stopped eating as her ears perked up, and her mind drifted back to her last set of prompts.

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You can now see auras and the emanations of magical traps, hidden doors, and other elements of arcana even if stealthed.

Eying Tobias, she focused as their eyes met.

An orange-white flame wreathed around him.

“Cool!” Riley gaped, her mouth open.

Tobias’ face lit up in recognition as Riley felt him pulling from her side, “Cool,” he agreed.

“Uh, you gonna get that?” Caedmon prompted.

“Quit yer gawkin and answer the damn crystal!” Cid snapped.

In programmed reflex, Tobias startled, snatching it up from the table, before looking at Cid with a glare, willing the connection.

“Thank you,” he growled.

“Ass,” Riley chided with a thump of her hindpaw.

“Rowan, Greenbriar, confirm secure,” Came a familiar voice.

“By the Light of Arctos and the power of Galdor, do we walk the path in Half Night and High Sun,” the greyblades said in unison.

“Willow, authenticate,” Tobias replied.

“From the throne of Ashes, justice rains down on the guilty and the innocent. By the power of Galdor and the Light of Arctos. Cern, God of the wilds, calls all to the great hunt,” Sabine’s voice rang loud and clear.

“Confirmed, secure,” Tobias said.

“Good morning, Rangers. I assume we’re all assembled?” Sabine asked.

Tobias nodded, “All of us are here.”

“Thank you,” she coughed, “Sir.”

Riley stopped eating as Tobias turned pale, “No, that’s not going to work at all.”

“You better get used to your rank, Tobias. Technically, you and Riley are in command,” Sabine replied.

“Me, in charge?” Riley swallowed hard.

“There’s no need for that with us. We’re barely out of training. For the duration of this opt, I’m designating you as the field commander in deference to your experience in these manners, ” his hand shook before he gripped the table.

“Sensible. Alright, you heard the Greyblade. Everything goes through me. You have my call sign, and you’ve each got a long-distance crystal linked to the network, correct?”

A series of confirmations echoed around as breakfast suddenly stopped.

“Excellent, this will largely be housekeeping and perfunctory. We already know what we’re about, but I’ll be reaching out to each of you to coordinate with you personally when you’re on the ground. First off, hold on to those crystals; they’re hard to come by and even harder to replace. Got it?” She snapped, brooking no argument.

“Yes Ma’am,” Came in echoing refrain from around the table.

“Good. Caedmon, try to find the portal skip that Tobias and Riley fell through. You will continue your investigation out of the embassy. There aren’t many human nobles on the ground in the Dracovani kingdom, so don’t be afraid to branch out. The same goes for you, Eastmund. Continue your work on the Dwarven islands. Cid, you’ve got Ranger Central, and I’ve got the Ashenvale. Tobias and Riley, you’re going to have the worst of it,” Sabine explained.

“We’ve got the first tiers and the royalty. Much like our last mission,” Tobias reported.

“I hate the deep end,” Riley sighed, having suddenly lost her appetite.

“Build intelligence, and move carefully. You’re stronger than any second tier, but you’re new to the first tier world. That is an advantage as much as a detriment,” She continued.

“Not to mention that I’m supposed to be spying on our first-tier counterparts,” Tobias sighed.

“Go slow, and take no unnecessary risks. The coup has been thwarted, and the Kingdom is stabilizing. Chadrick’s network is going to want to lay low if they’re smart and let things settle before making moves again. We’ve royal sanction, so this isn’t going away,” Sabine replied.

“But Chadrick is still out there, and there’s no way he’s done. He’s already taken it too far,” Riley added.

“He isn’t done, but that’s also works to our advantage. We have the time to be patient, to work up the food chain from multiple angles, and ultimately take him down. His death warrant has been signed; if any of you encounter him, the orders are to kill on sight,” Sabine’s voice rang like a hanging judge.

“If we can, ya mean,” Caedmon said.

“Riley and Tobias were able to thwart him as Second Tiers. It’s going to take him time to repower that far,” Eastmund countered.

“We hope, and that is the only firm deadline we have at present. No matter what happens, we cannot allow him to achieve that level of power again and thus threaten the Kingdom,” Sabine ordered.

“That doesn’t sound like time to me,” Riley said.

“Work slow as fast as you can. The sooner we put him in his grave, the better,” Sabine replied.

The air chilled.

“Here comes the murder train,” Riley sighed.

“You have your assignments. I think we’re all on the same page. Sir Tobias, do you have anything to add?” Their old training officer asked.

Tobias shook his head, “No, Ma’am... Uh, Ranger Sabine.. Uh, Everyone, be safe and stay in touch. The enemy has deep intelligence on our operations. While some leaks have been plugged, it would be foolish to assume this network is without resources or eyes,” Tobias swallowed hard.

“Logical. I’ll expect daily check-ins from all of you. Good luck, Rangers. Be safe,” Sabine’s com crystal fell silent, the light dimming as an ominous silence filled up the room like a winter’s fog.