A great creature huffed and snorted near Ivan, waking him though he was easily being lulled back into sleep by gentle motion, like being gently rocked by the waves safely inside a large boat. Snow crunched nearby under great clawed feet breaking that illusion. Ice snapped and grated, and closer to him padded feet made softer noises as they made their way across the snow and ice. Arctic air brushed his face, stinging, and familiar.
His eyes fluttered open in spite of the gentle swaying. Held tight in her arms and wrapped up in her great fur coat, Ivan looked up at a woman whose face and smile provided him such indescribable warmth and a feeling of safety as he had never felt before. She was beautiful too. Even with something like a partial horned crown of ivory breaking through her scalp at the edge of her hairline above her left eye, and with that vibrant red skin very nearly the shade of blood. Her hair was white as snow, and decorated with various symbols and trinkets that spoke of peace and growth to some place deep within his mind.
Ivan laid his head back down against her breast, secure in the strapping under her coat that kept him close against her and away from the biting cold of the wind outside. She spoke to him, and though the words were strange their meaning came to him like soft haunting music.
“Good morning baby boy. You're growing heavy, but Mother will carry you still. Yes, yes Mother has some little time yet to cuddle you as we walk my little snow pup. Rest and wake when we come to a stop. I will feed you then and we will move again as though we follow the herds on the hunt. Rest little one.” She said to him, her voice as moving as any song to his thoughts and mind before the touch of her lips pushed him back into the depths of sleep.
Ivan came awake slowly once more with Myrn tucked against his side and with tears in his eyes. The memory may have come as a sort of dream, but now he could feel it settle in where it belonged. The memories there were brighter, more vibrant, than the memories of his childhood with the Goddess, but only as if they were kept tightly in a jar until now; with the tiniest sensation of staleness telling of their age. He could feel the tendrils of something that remained around some part of his mind as it broke down and was forced apart by his subconscious, and yet he had felt Penelope's touch in that dream as well.
“Did you see her Master?” Penelope asked, as if the thought of her had prompted her to speak.
Ivan nodded.
“Your mother was beautiful. I tried my best to guide you into the memory as it came loose. Do you remember her face?” She asked.
Ivan nodded again and had to wipe his eyes as he projected his felt gratitude to Penelope.
Penelope smiled, and was sitting with Azalea's head resting in her lap. While neither demon needed to sleep as he did they still both took comfort in resting. Azalea especially seemed to be working herself hard, always reading, or practicing fundamental marital skills. She had advanced some levels already and was growing stronger every day, but that came with some need for rest even in her semi spiritual state.
“Your Spark has been hard at work ripping loose the bindings Istania once put upon you. All beings despise being bound in such ways, any with part of their minds sealed from them by force, but she had been careful with you and had much practice. I've been helping as much as I can, but I must be careful or your Spark will try to strike at me.” Penelope told him with a gentle laugh. She petted Azalea's hair, or at least what of it hung from her deep hood.
“Do you remember any of the later memories? When your tribe was attacked?” Penelope asked.
Ivan nodded, but had to clarify their condition.
“Hazy.” He whispered into the soft morning light.
Penelope nodded.
“I've seen them, and will tell you that they are the source of some of your nightmares. I think you know what the others are, but so far you've been receptive to my sleeping magic. I know you've been working hard so I try to keep your rest from being interrupted...even by your own mind. I hope you forgive me if you think that's over stepping Master.”
Ivan gently shook his head, and focused on Penelope's beautiful form, and his feelings of appreciation for her continued guidance and patience with him. Penelope smiled, seeming to be in a gentle mood today that made Ivan think of his lost Goddess for a little time. Even if the Goddess had, like Penelope asserted, sealed part of his mind and memory away he thought he knew why now.
He raised a hand into the dimness of the room he shared with Myrn. For a moment he could almost see his skin turning red as blood, vibrant, and striking, and that spot above his left brow began to ache. He let his arm come back down into the blankets and turned toward Myrn.
Myrn's breath carried a little of last night's ale, but she was relaxed and warm under the blankets. Ivan rolled her gently onto her back from her side and gently started kissing her neck as he snaked his arms around her.
Myrn made a soft sound in her sleep and her legs came apart seeking to let him in. Ivan got atop her and embraced her as her arms wrapped about his neck and pulled him close. She tried to nibble on his ear a little, but he responded by blowing a raspberry into her neck, making her break into sleepy giggles.
Ivan suffered a short vivid imagining of what it would have been like to have Tanya here with him before Myrn's legs hooked around the back of his and her arms pulled him close into a deep embrace. He couldn't help his reaction then, and Myrn didn't seem to mind, in fact she giggled quite a bit until they were about half way done.
Later, and a little sweaty, Myrn grinned up at him from where she lay.
“That's not a bad way to wake up considering. And I didn't even drink myself into a hangover either so my head's not pounding.” She commented brightly.
Something about a sudden smirk that appeared on her face darkened Ivan’s thoughts.
Ivan hung his head.
“Don't say it.” Ivan begged, he could feel it coming.
Myrn grinned, her face held close to his own enough so that he could feel the rise in her cheeks as she smiled broadly.
“Waking up and being pounded is way better than waking up with a pounding headache.” She said, coming off cheeky for however hard she tried to sound casual and informative.
Ivan sighed loudly into the pillow behind her head and she giggled.
“Ready?” She asked.
Ivan sighed and slid his hand down her thighs to lift her leg out of his way. But somewhere in the action Myrn made a soft, and seemingly accidental pleased noise that drew his attention. Ivan gave her a curious look that made color fill in her pale cheeks and spill down her neck and chest. He had been about to vacate the bed, but with that reaction he couldn't help himself.
“You're late, you two.” Marvin said, tapping his foot and shaking his head with clear mock severity. His eyes drifted to Davian who appeared awake, and if Ivan wasn't entirely mistaken, almost entirely shell shocked and somehow rather content.
“But so was our Bard here so that's okay I guess.” Marvin went on, smiling at the Bard who blushed with such brilliance as to challenge Myrn's pale skin advantage in the act.
The morning had turned to rain again between the various tasks of breakfast and solo errands about town, but they had finally all met up with each other. Before retiring to their rooms last night Ivan had spread out the coin to everyone and thereby made good plans to go shopping together in the morning.
“How was having two at once?” Andy asked, completely unashamed and appearing simply curious. He leaned toward Davian in an eager and curious pose that seemed to beg an honest answer to the question.
Davian almost seemed to melt like candle wax pressed under red hot iron, but managed to squeak out something that might have been something close to the word 'good'. He just about fell apart before he could manage any poise as two women came out from a store across the way and noticed him. They smiled and winked at him.
The group chuckled as the Bard covered his face with his hands after they strolled by. One of the pair even signed 'see you around the bend' to Davian by putting two fingers to her eyes, then pointing to Davian, and making a circle. That and the way she licked her lips made it clear what she meant to say. The poor Bard almost seemed ashamed of himself as they left, but he was bursting with satisfied feelings all the same.
Myrn chucked him on the arm.
“Dirty Bard. Those poor innocent ladies were probably helpless to your charms.”
“You think I'm the dirty one?” Davian asked in an embarrassed growl.
Myrn hid her reaction behind an innocent expression.
“Were they really your first?” Myrn asked, expression shifting to worry. “Poor boy. Having to take care of two women at once like that. By their reactions I thought you might have managed well, but did it go badly?”
Davian seemed to sober a little and forced himself to stand straight as he could manage.
“No. It went fine. Mostly. They were very encouraging.”
Andy grinned around a bite of his street vendor food and threw an arm around Davian in a congratulatory manner. He hugged him with one arm first, and then slapped the Bard on the back.
“So what do you do for two ladies at once like that?” Andy asked.
“I'm not going to talk about that.” Davian said just a little too quickly. “We were going shopping today. Let's be about it and get the thing we wanted.”
“I think maybe it's what they did to him that you should be curious about Andy.” Marvin mused.
Davian had started down the street, but froze mid step with his shoulders pinched for a moment before rushing onward. The group laughed a little, but caught up with the Bard, silently agreeing to let the jokes on his expense drop before they really upset him. For now he was still radiating a bright elated feeling that he was struggling to keep behind a curtain of mental discipline.
The day's shopping included getting Ivan some proper fighting gauntlets instead of the thick gloves he had been wearing before. The new ones were metal backed, slightly enchanted with protective magics too, but shadowed and subdued in color. The same came next for a pair of greaves to strap over his boots. Many were too heavy for Ivan's liking, but he settled on an enchanted pair made from molded Hexapod carapace. Their dark color, light weight, and enchantment meant to dampen the sound of footsteps as well as to soften long falls made them perfect for Ivan and the challenges they would face in the later parts of the Dungeon. So while they were expensive they were a good investment for later as well as a marked increase in protection now.
Myrn found a use for Ivan's Shroud by buying a light quiver set of thirty of her favorite Fletcher's best arrows and having him store them away. Davian bought himself a few expensive books on magic; The Song, Illusion, and Wind Schools being the closest local equivalents to match up with his Sound Spark after a good deal of perusing and calling up the Infinite Library on Ivan's part. At the same store Ivan found a complete Grade 1 Pyromancy Tome which in practicality was nearly as good as earning the Spell School on its own to him and his Scribe Job.
By consulting the Infinite Library by means of a great deal of his mana he found that the Dark Spark's closest Schools by strength of affinity were actually not just Shadow Magic and Hexcraft, but Pyromancy and Hydromancy. Ivan was startled by the revelation and the additional information that Dark was one of a second tier type magic considered 'higher grade magic'. The list of Sparks that included Light, Chaos, Order, Arcane, Davian's own Sound, the venerable Life, Feared Death, Despised Undeath, and finally the legendary Time Spark. Each were deadly potent keys to various late forms of magic that could only be called Almighty.
The only problem was that those higher Sparks suffered in that their Spell Casters needed to rely on their multiple close affinity schools more often than not to get to that higher tier of magic. Dark Magic as a spell school for example only had five grades, each so far beyond Ivan's ability that even if he had the books in front of him they would still be useless except maybe to Penelope and her four sparks. Even if he had the proper book for it, casting anything from it would be as difficult or more so than casting from Pyromancy 7.
It definitely put into perspective just how far he had to go, but it was also exciting to learn there was so much ahead. However unlikely though he would need to keep an eye out for any Shadow Spell tomes; they would be hard and dubious finds at best, but they would be the fastest route to real magic for him. That and healing. Either way learning from schools of close affinity could help him shape his own spells, such as some kind of bolt spell like Penelope had mentioned.
So he bought the Pyromancy book, expensive supplies to physically craft prepared spell scrolls, and a few less expensive theory and ritual books that he might be able to study later himself. In the meanwhile however the items were stowed in the Shroud, and specifically caught in the hands of a very excited and young Pathfinder Demon.
On their next stop Andy, wearing his casual clothes, almost looked sad as he hefted his pack from his shoulders and went into an Armorer's shop in the expensive side of town. Being a young noble he had some access to money more than the rest of them, but his share of the coin they had made went in with him and not much came back out. But what he left in the store to be tailor fit to his measurements certainly would be worth it.
A mix of enchanted extremely durable mail and poison resistant carapace made up a bony plate looking armor that would see Andy through the worst of what the Dungeon had to offer while being nearly as light as the Adventurer's Armor he had been wearing. He was hoping to loot a better shield and weapon from the Dungeon, but would look slightly out of place wielding his very traditional halberd and kite shield with his now fantastical armor. The big guy required some little encouragement after his own mind crossed over those particular thoughts.
“I've looked at a set like this for the longest time, but until now I've never had a chance to really prove myself and step in as more than just a backup shield bearer or part of the line. It's ridiculous and I will look stupid wearing it.” Andy complained, looking over the armor with the smiling armorer nearby, but entirely focused on his friend's reaction.
“Meathead...” Marvin grumbled affectionately under his breath.
“I honestly don't get what you mean. That armor looks fantastic!” Davian assured Andy.
He even stepped forward to join Andy at the Armorer's bench. He lifted the mail and knocked on the hardy overlapping carapace plates covering it. Finally he lifted the whole piece, struggling just a little at first, but then put it Andy's chest.
“It won't look bad at all. Is there a matching helmet?” Davian asked, looking over his shoulder at the Armorer.
The bald, hugely mustached man smiled darkly, smelling another sale. He turned and reached into a nearby display for a few moments, obviously turning his eye to Andy a few times and picking the right size for him. He drew out a frightening helm with a center horn and armored mandibles of carapace. The piece was fitted with leather straps and padding, looked protective, and provocative. Its center horn and mandibles both appeared to have Hexapod Talons worked into them. It gave the helm a hungry menacing look.
“Well that's the thing. I can't afford the helmet and the armor all at once.” Andy complained. “It will help with the image I guess when I get it, but I'll still look stupid until then.”
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“I'll buy the helmet.” Davian insisted.
“Dav, I can't let you do that.” Andy insisted.
“Oh yes you can you—you great big Meathead!” Davian persisted, burrowing Marvin's derogatory nickname for the big guy.
“You don't take wounds per say, but I've spotted bruises on you just today that if the blows that had dealt them landed on me would have struck me dead. So I'm buying you this ridiculous bug helmet and you're going to wear it and wreck the Dungeon with it on!”
He emphasized his seriousness by pulling off his own pack and setting it down on the workbench. He started digging for the large sack of coins that contained his share.
“How much dear Armorer?” Davian asked, face red with his clear flustered effort.
“Three hundred silver for this type of enchanted work. He'll be able to breathe poison air for a good deal of time without coughing out blood, and the carapace armor is about the best we can make around here. He'll be wearing it for a long time I imagine.”
Davian's resolve floundered at the cost, mouth gaping, but solidified before he turned back to Andy.
“You'll wear it won't you?” He asked, sounding just a little sheepish in spite of his effort.
Andy sighed, but seemed convinced by the Bard's honest effort and capitulated with a nod.
Davian nodded excitedly.
“Good. Well, let's try it on first and get the right one.” Davian insisted to the Armorer's growing fatherly smile.
Next came the weapon shop. Hammers rang as the work of many apprentices struggled to keep up with the orders from the local militia and supplementary orders from the Army of Light's camps outside and around the city that were still in play. They made not only weapons, but many other common things one might find in a smithy. Such was only fitting as the nature of producing fully skilled smiths seemed to share a dual focus with the blades they displayed. The Armorer's shop had been an enclosed place of fine articles with the workshop hidden away in the back, but this store was buried behind the watchful eyes of Master Smith's and their Apprentices.
The reason why became clear as they stepped inside the store proper and shut away most of the noise from its students. The place was built into the back of a house facing the main street. The owners having long ago bought out the house behind and knocked it down for more space to work the Valiant Hammer's main display of weapons lay out before them on racking reaching deep into the expanded house, and on finer shelves and display cases on a large mezzanine ahead.
Marvin led them in to be greeted by a senior smith by name and taken up to the stairs to the higher level and fancy displays. The smith left them to Marvin's lead as he made his way purposefully to a corner of the raised level of the store. Once there he put his fists on his hips before a glass case holding a standing, massive, bone white metal blade. Its hilt was a blackened metal, the same as what acted as armor and trim about the strange wide mouth scabbard sitting beside it.
Marvin let out a sigh of longing as he stared at the weapon for a long moment. An apprentice armorer or perhaps just a store keeper approached them then; his eyes showing clear recognition of Marvin as the man stared down the weapon inside the case. The Apprentice said nothing, just waited patiently until Marvin held out a hand toward the young man.
The young man smiled and offered up a key to Marvin.
Marvin approached the case and opened it with care, first handing back the key before taking up the weapon inside and handing it off to Andy. Next he took up the strange scabbard and handed that to Ivan.
Ivan looked it over with a curious eye, but still saying nothing Marvin waved them over to a nearby open area. There were a few mirrors here, and a few familiar carapace armor pieces in display cases and stands about it, but Marvin had no eye for them. Each set was much like what Andy was getting fitted at the other shop.
He held out a hand for the scabbard which Ivan gave him, and then held out a hand for Andy to give him the great sword once he had it on. Andy handled it with the strength that became obvious with the ease of which he handled a two handed polearm with a single hand. He did the same with the great blade, but showed at least a little care as the blade was likely heavier still than his own weapon.
Marvin took the blade and assumed 'Rock and Wind', a warrior stance Ivan was familiar with. Used in a fight it was a somewhat foolish stance focused on staying balanced and holding one's position. The fighter was the 'Rock' the 'Wind' was the stance taker's own blade. There were a great many ways to strike and transition from the stance, but something about it seemed to fit what Marvin was doing.
Just then Marvin tested the blade's movement in his hands, turning it over and through various movements while staring himself down in the crystal clear image of the fine mirrors. Finally he took a breath and sheathed it, the wide mouth scabbard on his back readily accepting the blade and letting it slide home where a standard scabbard would have split and never been so easy to slot the blade.
Ivan nodded, impressed. Andy was grinning as he watched.
“How many times have you been here to look at that sword Mari?” Andy asked.
Marvin gave Andy a very dry and annoyed look.
“Sorry, Marvin...” Andy corrected with dry dour in his voice.
“Since I was a kid really.” Marvin answered, “-Master Varspeld was right in that I would never have the talent to forge something like it, but I would like to think I'm worthy of wielding something like this. Now at least. Seeing Isaac fight, and you Andy...practicing and sparring with you both, and even teaching you Davian...Fighting in our limited numbers instead of being just another pawn in the machine like movements of a small army...I feel alive when I fight with all of you. Just like I wanted when Andy and I set out on our own after...well you know...” He said, often pausing and almost trialing off before starting up again.
Even then he was being serious and severe in tone before suddenly breaking into a smile.
“And well I can afford it easily enough too now. So there's that too. I'd like to buy this today, Sven. Finally.”
Sven, the apprentice shopkeep looked almost startled; as if he never really expected to hear the words, but quickly masked that and bowed before turning away and running off to a nearby counter to assemble a scale and weights.
“This weapon marks a decided course on my path, and I swear that I will protect you all as best I can with it. You Andy, you Davian, you of course, Lady Myrn, and you Isaac, my newest of recent friends.” Marvin said, drawing the blade and looking at it fondly with it resting in both hands.
Ivan watched feeling something tickle along the mystical side of his senses as Marvin slid fluidly into what Ivan recognized as something close to his lost Paladin Skill; Oath Stance.
And suddenly the weapon's blade flashed with pulsing silver-white magic light. Everyone but Marvin shielded their eyes. He just stood there staring at the blade. To Ivan's senses something strange was radiating from Marvin now, ragging from that earlier trickle, like a volcanic thermal vent had suddenly burst from the ground and started roaring out with flame and heat.
Penelope's eyes opened wide and Azalea paused in her reading of the pyromancy tome to stare up into the darkness of Shroud.
“HA! HAHAHAHA! Bought it finally, did you?” A voice roared from below. “About damn time boy! You were never meant to smith weapons in peace after all were you? I bloody knew it you damned fool boy! About time you listened!”
Marvin let out an exasperated sigh, but smiled as he leaned his head back wincing with the sword in his hands. Slowly his expression softened and the intense sensation of heat pouring off from him settled. He was sweating and taking large deep breaths before he opened his eyes, his grip and stance with the sword never wavering.
“Ivan. Your new friend Marvin just awakened an Ember.” Penelope said carefully, now standing at full attention, her gaze into the distance intense and as focused as he had ever seen her.
She paused and Ivan felt her and Azalea tense as if they were suspecting the world to come down upon him. Ivan did himself just a little before a strange note in the air caught his ear. He sort of flinched at it, but when his focus returned Penelope had her eyes closed and was sighing.
“What was that?” Ivan asked, but focused his intent upon Penelope. His friends would take it as the obvious question it was, but it was also for her and that sound.
“I think...I think I just unlocked the Warrior-Smith Job. Which means...I...” Marvin hesitated, looking a little woozy, and faint. “-I've awoken the Forge Ember within my soul...is what that means...I...I should...” His eyes suddenly rolled in his head and he staggered.
Ivan felt a surge of pride for his friend, and a strangely possessive concern that had him darting forward before anyone else could move. Ivan put a hand to the sword's hilt, and had one arm about Marvin as his dizzy spell continued. Marvin's free hand drifted toward his temple, and his eyes were rolling in unfocused confusion, but his other was rock steady on the blade.
Getting close like this made that illusory heat appear again, but it was just coming from the magic awakening in his friend. Ivan held him and sword up until Andy was able to move and take the weapon down, but still Marvin would not let go of the blade.
Marvin crumpled against Ivan, but his remaining hand, his dominant left, would not let go of the great blade. His limbs trembled trying to rise, but the heat was still pouring out of him and condensing as the magic more or less forced the growth of entirely new veins through Marvin's body. He shuddered and he clung to Ivan's offered shoulder desperately as he tried to keep his feet.
“I'm fine...I just...” Marvin tried to complain, but his voice was weak and he was sweating as if he were sitting in a sauna.
The others came, and an old graying fellow built like a walking brick house came up the stairs. His limbs were burned where skin showed, but not from any single fire. This man had been sitting near the flames of a forge for untold hours, and never shrunk away from the heat or sparks that fell upon him. A hammer with a head of at least ten kilos hung at his belt as if it belonged there, and he wore his blackened apron like they were his robes of office.
“We're here Marvin. It's okay.” Myrn was saying, taking a handkerchief from her sleeve and wetting it with the canteen.
She began wiping his face, but the old smith pawed her out of the way to grab Marvin by the shoulders and turn his head to face him. He was shorter than Marvin, Andy, and Ivan so he pulled them both down, but Ivan got a front row seat to the old man's inspection.
“I thought so alright. Never thought you would muster enough will to do it, but I suppose you've got more than this dingus to care about now. You there--” He growled at Ivan, “And you Andrew! Get him up as best you can. We'll take him into the house to rest. Marilina will see to him and we'll get him rested as that ember settles. Probably going to all bad sorts of attention from it popping off like that what with the war or not war or whatever it is going on. Either way he needs what rest he can.”
Ivan glanced at Andy who carefully got under Marvin's other arm and helped carry him, and mind Marvin’s steadfast grip on the greatsword further into the shop. They went behind a counter and to a door that led into a kitchen where a few of the store staff were seemingly taking a break. Try as they might they still could not get Marvin to let go of the sword.
“Get fresh bedding ready you lot! -And start up a rather large dinner! We have guests staying tonight!” The old smith barked.
“Yes Master Veldspar!”
“Right away Master Veldspar!”
The staff and apprentices piped their affirmations and took off at a sprint. The house beyond the shop was huge, though it took up only about a third of the building's total space; the building was larger still than most Inns' Ivan had stayed in. The Old Smith led them down to the first floor of the house and down an immaculately clean hallway filled with doors to what Ivan could only guess to be dorms.
Master Veldspar drew out a massive keyring that attempted to balance the hammer on the opposite hip with its number of keys and opened one of the many doors. Inside it really was a dorm with a single slat sided wooden bed and dark blue sheets. It looked like it had been cleaned and dusted, made ready, and left days before. A spare dorm room.
Veldspar stood aside and waved Ivan and Andy in, Marvin reduced to a groaning burden between them still clutching the enchanted sword.
They managed to shamble in together through the door, and rather awkwardly got Marvin onto the bed. Ivan stood back, and Andy carefully helped Marvin bring the Greatsword up to the Mercenary's chest. He lay there with it like an ancient warrior with his weapon after he was found dead in battle. Marvin had yet to quit, but he certainly appeared to be sickly. Once Andy had the weapon out of the way and scabbard moved out from Marvin's back Ivan hurried to his friends side.
“Inspect Person.” Ivan chanted, and his scroll appeared above Marvin.
Information about his friend scrolled through in a giant list, showing his attributes, his jobs, and most importantly his condition. Ivan reduced all but the important information about his condition. Since first gaining the Hedge Doctor Job it had worked together with his Scribe Job and other knowledge to pass as a sufficient means of monitoring a sick patient. It was a clear and objective means Ivan relied on to inspect many patients lately.
It listed his temperature and general condition. Marvin was slowly dehydrating, and his stamina was being eaten away as his body made rapid changes to house the magic still pouring off of him like heat from a forge. -Though each moment that passed the heat lessened to a degree, retreating from everyone's senses and condensing tighter and tighter around their friend. Ivan noted that with each moment Marvin's mana pool was expanding rapidly from an insignificant value Ivan had once guessed to be in the low twenties to what was now in the fifties and onto the sixties. It rose faster with each moment that passed, and Marvin's grip jerked tight upon the sword hilt as if it were tearing him apart inside.
“Myrn give me your canteen. Someone else go get more water. He'll need food too, but for now a stamina remedy will have to do. Administer Medicine!” Ivan chanted, focusing on the stored tonic he had in mind within his Shroud to apply it to Marvin.
The effect on Marvin was immediate as he gained a little awareness from the sharp taste, and his eyes popped open. His lips were already going dry and his eyes were red.
“Drink Marvin. It's water.” Ivan said gently, helping lift Marvin's head and putting the bottle to his lips the moment Marvin seemed to have any sense at all.
Marvin nodded and drank greedily until the canteen was empty. Ivan handed it back to Myrn beside him then, and looked up at his scroll to check Marvin's condition. The stamina tonic was stabilizing his severe stamina loss and that was easing Marvin's sudden fever as it gave his body a chance to fight back. Myrn leaned in with her handkerchief again to wipe Marvin's face as Ivan went after first the buttons of his shirt, and then for his boots and socks. Once off and with the Stamina Tonic in full effect Marvin seemed a little more settled, but still appeared weak. He laid his head back and gripped the sword with both hands as the magic flared within him subsided further and further until it was finally gone.
The process took several minutes and Ivan watched as his potion did battle with the potentially deadly stamina drain. Reaching zero stamina did not mean death, not exactly, but it was like drowning. Every moment without air stole the life from a person and would damage them besides.
Luckily Marvin made it through without suffering any Hit Point damage. Yet still without the potion or at least a good deal more water to drink he certainly would have suffered damage that might have taken magic healing to fix. There was just no telling what it could have done to his heart, lungs, or other critical organs. It made Ivan's aching head from his awakened Spark seem like a cakewalk.
A delicate looking old lady came in then with a pitcher of water and a matching colorful pottery cup. Myrn and Ivan made room for her to reach the night stand and set them down. She smiled at the team and just headed back out without saying a word. All of them had eyes on Marvin as he finally seemed to settle down.
“What the hell just happened?” Davian asked from the doorway.
The old smith laughed, making it sound half way like a growl.
“Are you dense boy? Or just uneducated?”
Davian frowned at the Old Smith sharing the doorway with him.
“His education on certain matters is lacking, but he's got a good head Master Veldspar.” Andy answered before anything sour could leap out of Davian's mouth.
“Well then. I suppose you've been lacking knowledge on how certain jobs work then? With your fancy get up I suppose you've never thought of hard work being all that rewarding, but look now and see its fruit. What you felt there wasn't just any little spark going off, but a Forge Ember igniting in a Smith who's sworn himself to a particular path. Blood, war, and adventure have always been his lot. I've always known, or at least always figured it for him if he could manage it. The question was always what it would take. A few friends, a little danger, and plans to keep moving ahead is what I guess did it eh?” Master Veldspar asked, his voice growling still, but with that soft edge that those used to teaching stubborn boys seemed to have.
Ivan remembered being talked to in similar tones several times by many teachers that had passed through his life.
“You do know an ember from a spark don't you?” Master Veldspar asked Davian with a pointed gaze.
“I suppose you're going to tell me something along the lines of any 'little spark' can start a fire if there's dry tinder for it to take, but an ember is already burning?” Davian asked.
The Old Smith turned to face Davian, his wrinkled dark brown skin smoothing into an expression that almost suggested he was happy or impressed.
“Maybe you've got a good head after all.” He grumbled, and then, without a preamble of any kind, simply walked off.
“Dinner's in an hour or so. We'll feed ya, and if he's not up by then or after he can sleep here tonight. The rest of ya do what ya like until then. Marilina's in the kitchen now if you need anything.”
Davian watched him go with a bewildered expression. Ivan turned away from that to look back over Marvin's condition on his scroll. He was stable now, but that Ember really might have actually killed him if Marvin was anything but an extremely healthy individual. Just falling limp into a street puddle with it appearing out of nowhere like that was dangerous enough, but he supposed it happening now wasn't exactly random.
Myrn seemed to share his concern as she knelt next to the bed. Marvin was breathing heavily, but his temperature was going back down and he seemed to be struggling less against what pain he was in.
“Your friend should be safe Ivan.” Penelope said softly into the opening of his friend's silence.
“The smith wasn't wrong to say it would attract attention, but it should be fine...a friend intervened. I know you'll ask, but his nature is strange to this world. He's a being called Pan, he was my father in life, and you might call him a Rogue God. He has no following, no home, typically does just as he pleases, but it seems for now he's decided to help us. Though it suggests there is another like him at work which advances requirements on myself as well, especially since I suspect that you've been made to meet not only Marvin and Davian, but also Myrn. As many expressions across many worlds have said in so many different ways; something happening once is nothing, the same thing happening twice is coincidence, and the same thing happening a third time's a pattern.”
“Aiding Myrn, saving her from that poison, and having her track us down only to reveal that she held a key to our plans in her hands was fortunate and I didn't question it. I thought we were simply very lucky. Things happen that way sometimes. We met Davian next, a stranger in a strange land afflicted by a curse that limits him from speaking where he came from. I haven't figured out what part he has to play in this yet, but I am suspicious of that curse's origin now and how it may be used against us. Next we meet some of Myrn's old acquaintances who appear to fill the gaps in our party just as we need. That too I thought was fine. Fighters are common enough for us to find a pair of them that Myrn, a known adventurer from an adventurer family, might have met and befriended in the past, but now Marvin produces what can only be said to be a legendary Ember. Smiths of his kind are born perhaps once in a hundred years, and those often don't ever manage to awaken their Embers as he has.”
Ivan had to admit that he was suspicious of their luck as well, things just didn't seem to go this well for him, not any more, but he wondered where she was going with this.
“You suspect the Fate Lady Penelope?” Azalea asked, looking up from the pyromancy tome, her voice serious and her grip on her lantern pole tight in her main hand.
“Yes I do Little Lamb. I thought perhaps she would be easy enough to deal with, but it appears she has learned a great deal about her power in the little time she has had it. Or perhaps had a master that knew enough about her power to keep her hidden until she was ready to act. Either way I now suspect that she is acting freely, aiding us for now, as we prepare to stand against Theadus.” Penelope answered, her wings twitching as she spoke and rubbed at her chin with a worried expression.
Ivan pressed Penelope with his desire to hear more.
Penelope swatted at the air in front of her as if she could wave off the projected feeling like having smoke blown in her face.
“I have yet to speak with you about the Fate Master, but it's part of my duty here, and of my arrangements with Azalea's masters and compatriot Pathfinders. What we call a Fate may be applied to anyone with the Time Spark, or Hells forbid, a Time Ember and use it to see through time to manipulate events, changing the past, or to look into the future to guide events. Such beings are known throughout the cosmos as Fates, and are the hated enemy of the Pathfinders and their Master's beyond the Gate. While reality is a subjective thing, always changing based upon one's perception, the Fates generally tend to destroy any balance or sense of order to time bound realities such as your own.”
“And not only that. Some who can gaze into the future can do what none should.” Azalea added, standing with her lantern pole held in hand as if she were about to charge into battle.
The two looked at each other feeling Ivan's clear desire to know what they meant.
“She means the capital sin known to our area of the cosmos Ivan. To look beyond the Gate and see what waits for us all in the next life. The few beings that have managed to look beyond gain immense power. Why? I cannot be sure, and the Pathfinders have dedicated themselves to keeping that knowledge secret, even to the point of swearing amnesty to us crueler demons who will stand with them and come together to take down the Fates before they manage to control whole realities. It is for the safety of us all. And for that reason we must be careful. A pawn may take the King, but always the pawns are at risk and easily thrown away. Be mindful of what the Fate may intend for us, and we will do the same Ivan.”
“Thanks Isaac.” Marvin coughed as his eyes fluttered open, suddenly drawing Ivan's attention. Ivan was still kneeling beside the bed and stood up on his knees beside Myrn at the sound of his voice.
“That sucked.” The Mercenary added weakly.
The comment got a little laugh or raise of relief out of everyone in the room.
“Well we were just out shopping. You threw us for a loop popping an Ember out of nowhere like that.” Ivan said, being as dry in tone as he could manage.
“Yeah?” Marvin challenged weakly, attempting his usual tone.
“I couldn't let you be the only special magic boy I guess. Sorry about that. Now I just need a cute girlfriend to dote over me and I'll be set.” He grumbled on, gracing them all with a pained smile.
The group chuckled, Andy and Davian both taking a moment to lean in and poke Ivan. Myrn just smiled at Marvin and eventually leaned close to give Marvin a light peck on the cheek.
The worn out fighter got enough energy from that to open his eyes and smile at her before resting his head back again.
“Your old Master says dinner is a little while. Want us to stay and get you up for it?” Andy asked.
“Maybe if I can stay awake. If not, just leave me here. Marilina will come and take care of me. You guys...you guys should go finish shopping. I'll manage. Probably just need a nap is all.” He answered dryly.
He coughed then and smacked dry lips.
“There is... more water in here right?”