Delvers

“I believe it would be best to get those questions clouding your mind out of the way before I fill in the gaps. Please, ask away.” Whisper said, drinking directly from the pitcher before offering it to Gurd. Huffing, Gurd ignored him.

Questions swirled within Zero’s head. The most prudent thought, escape, became a fleeting wish the moment Gata arrived. “Who am I?” Zero asked, buying for time. Gata’s eyes hardened as he stared down Whisper.

“You are Zero, a human, are you not?” Whisper deflected, taking another draught from the pitcher.

“Who was I then, before I died?” Zero pressed. Whisper coughed, spitting blue liquid onto the fire. It flared, sizzling as the flame turned green before reddening. Whispers mouth contorted into a smile once more.

“A clever one, you are. I don’t know who you were. But you are right to assume that you died at some point. How long ago? Who’s to say. Some resurrected overnight at the first few Tolls, some it has taken hundreds of years for. Though to be safe, corpses are never buried near their home towns. More than a few stories of loved ones becoming Delvers, and then tearing their old families apart by accident, have surfaced.” Whisper said.

Zero sat back. His head throbbed. Don’t remember. Yeah, right. You try that. “What is a Delver?”

“Ah, now that is a fun question.” Whisper replied, patting the floor beside him giddily. “Where to begin, where to begin? Ah, yes. There are three conditions to being a true Delver:

‘One: Must have awakened when the bells toll.

Two: Must have been inducted by the corps of the region.

Three: Must have conquered a dungeon, slain a calamity, or performed a true miracle of the gods.’

“Though most days, you only need to have awakened to be called a Delver. Gata here is the Captain of Night Lantern, he will be taking you under his arms for the time being. As for number three, I wouldn’t suggest it. Not yet.”

“Why is that?” Zero asked, “I’m already dead.”

“And therein lies the problem.” Whisper sighed, “When a person dies, if you are lucky, there is the rare chance of a healer nearby being able to bring you back. Something to do with soul binding. I’m not a healer, so I’m unsure of the precise art. But being a Delver, as I understand it, means that your body is made of your soul, or something similar. Your body dies, so does your soul. No returning from death then, I’m afraid.”

Zero sat back. Permanent death. “Why are the bells ringing?”

“A calamity is approaching. The human heroes slayed the previous ‘Demon King’ – could be a queen, doesn’t have to be a demon – and fled back to their country. Though we have reason to believe they never made it back, it is certain the King died. Without his protection, we fear something we cannot face will soon arise. That is the reason for the Tolls.”

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“You want me to fight some unspeakable horror, with the chance of me dying permanently, for a bunch of monsters who are currently roasting humans at the stake.” Zero laughed. Gata smacked him calmly across the back of the head.

“Humans aren’t better.” He said.

Whisper nodded thankfully, unlatching himself from Gurd who had been struggling to his hooves. “Please don’t use that word around here. It will cause… problems.”

“Give me a reason to fight for you. A single reason. And I’ll consider it.” Zero said.

Whisper looked at Gata uncomfortably. A flicker of communication passed between them. The slight shift in Gata’s sharp eyebrows seemed enough. “I don’t expect you to fight for us.” Whisper began, choosing his words carefully, “I expect you to fight for you.”

“That isn’t a reason.” Zero cut in.

“Calm. Peace. I’m getting to that. I fear you companion may have been an unlucky one, showing the signs already.” Whisper said, hand gesturing towards Cloak. They withdrew further within the hood, wrapping it tightly down around them. “Sometimes the awakening doesn’t work completely, we’re unsure why. It is certain though, that all return to the earth from whence they came. If you don’t stop the calamity in time, your body will return to rot and ruin. Fall apart, with you still living inside.”

Zero’s jaw dropped. “If I don’t stop whatever is going to happen, I die anyway? What happens if I do stop it?”

“Then your soul remains intact as you pass from this world. The gods look favourably on those they send to aid us.” Whisper said solemnly.

“Do they? Talk to them often?” Zero mocked.

“Careful. I like you, Zero, but the gods are whimsical. They strike without warning and without mercy.” Whisper warned.

“What about you, Gata? Are you falling apart too?” Zero asked, standing and stepping in front of the man. “And you, nameless person hiding beneath the cloak, scared of their own shadow. What about you, will you fight for these brutes?”

Cloak shrank away from Zero.

“Your rudeness is impressive.” Gurd snorted, “If I were surrounded by a town of unfriendly people, I would be sure to do all I could to piss them off, maybe not as bold as you though, man. Gata, take charge of your underling.”

Gata gripped Zero by the back of his shirt, pulling him to his seat. His hand remained when Zero was firmly planted to the ground, stopping him from rising again. Shaking his head, Whisper poured the last of the pitcher down his gullet. “Gurd, your lady did well this time. Best batch yet.”

“She will be pleased to hear that.” Gurd replied. His short bulls tail twitched on the stone seating. Even hunched over, his back muscles pressed against the row of seating behind. “I think it would be best if Gata were to take fughe and the Cloak to their quarters.”

“No need for language like that, the boy is shocked is all. I remember when Gata first –“ He was cut short by sharp silver eyes glaring at him. Whisper swallowed. “What I mean is, let him adjust. He was dead this morning.”

Gurd stood, stomping around the Delvers menacingly. “You’ve spent too much time amongst them Whisper,” He warned. “Axe.” Whisper pulled the axe from within his body, extending his arm until the rest of his body became thin like a cotton shirt. Gurd took it wordlessly, flung the flap aside, and stormed into the night.

Whisper returned his body to the human it had been outside. Pressing his hands to his scrunched brow, he spoke again, “That was incredibly foolish. It is on Gurd’s authority Night Lantern operates here at all. You may wish to rectify the damage you did here tonight sooner, rather than later. His wife has a thing for Cherberries.” Whisper tapped the rim of the pitcher by his side.

Gata shifted then spoke, “He will.”

“Good, good.” Whisper cut in before Zero could say anything, “My friends, it will be a long night for me already with this revelry. I don’t suppose you could give me some respite?”

Gata nodded, getting to his feet. “Come.” He said, looking down at Zero and Cloak. Cloak rose to her feet quickly, peering at Whisper beneath their hood. She gave a small wave before darting up the steps. Whisper returned the gesture, then rested his eyes on Zero.

“Cherberry. Remember it.” Whisper said with a small smile. Zero turned, walking up the steps. He resolved to forget as soon as he could. The chill of night had set in full force outside, Cloak bundled her arms close to her body. Gata took the final drag from his cigarette.

“Follow.”