CHAPTER FOUR
The Chainrunners' Legacy
A few days went by like that, and then it finally came, the start of the advanced class.
Elina went over countless customs and ways to behave while inside the library, as well as in front of the people selected for the class. Even though I understand how important it is to make a so-called “good impression,” I am actually looking forward to the class itself.
Just as we reach the library, this time I am wearing the fine short-sleeved clothes that Elina and Jharim brought me, we see that the others who will participate in the class are already gathered in front of the building.
Well, at least some of them.
“You guys arrived early. There are still fifteen minutes before the class starts,” Elina says jovially.
“Greetings, Master Elina. It is a pleasure to be under your tutelage,” a blond young man speaks up. He must be a few years older than I am, and judging by his build, he is clearly not skinny.
It is a strange sight, because most people I have seen in this part of the district are usually thin. Yet he has muscle in every part of his body, even though he is not large in stature.
“Great to meet you. You must be Tarin Blackthorn,” Elina says, offering him a handshake.
The fine clothes I am wearing are nothing compared to his. His outfit is black and clearly tailored to allow free movement. Above all, it seems it was never patched. He is not the only one dressed in such fine clothes, they all are, but guessing that he is Tarin Blackthorn is not difficult.
His name is literally written on his shirt, after all.
Tarin’s mother is the Captain of the Chainrunners, the one who suggested I join this advanced class. Her word carries so much power in the district that I believe I could not have refused even if I had wanted to.
I barely know this man, yet I already feel as though I owe him something. I just hope his mother does not turn me into a Chainrunner.
Tarin shakes Elina’s hand and then says, “Great to meet you too. I should mention I hope you do not think my education is lacking. I am known for practicing with the sword all day, but I assure you my foundations are solid. Several members of my family have taught me a good deal about history and more.”
“I am glad to hear that,” Elina replies, “and you do not need to call me ‘Master’ as you do your other tutors. You may simply call me ‘Teacher Elina.’”
“Understood, Teacher Elina.”
After him came the daughter and son of the Captain of the city guard, or at least I believe so, because the other boy, who seems a bit older than Tarin, has a similar solid build. The girl standing beside him, who is clearly quite beautiful, also does not appear thin like most of us. Their father must have trained them both, since she has far more muscle than I do.
Not that this is difficult to achieve.
As I look at what are supposed to be my arms, I can’t see more than two sticks attached to my body, which makes me ponder their appearance all the more.
“Nice to meet you as well, Elina. I am Cedric Highrow, and this is my sister, Hana Highrow,” the boy says, introducing his sister. She greets us too.
Elina proceeds to introduce us to them. “This is my daughter, Meris.” Meris is clearly shy, hiding a bit behind Elina. “Go on, Meris, introduce yourself.”
“Nic... Nice to meet you. I hope we, ah, have a great class today,” Meris says, then scoots back behind Elina again.
These three look intimidating to her, and I suppose they ought to intimidate me as well. But honestly, whatever they can do to me probably would not be worse than sleeping on the streets with no food for days during the winter, covered in snow.
That thought brings some comfort. There is not much they can do that is worse than that.
“Yeah, he is like that sometimes. He is not being rude, he just daydreams a lot,” I hear Elina say. Then I notice Meris is trying to push me forward to speak, and I had not even realized it.
I must have been staring at them for a while without saying anything.
“Hey there, sorry about that. I am…” I start to speak, but I cut myself off.
I have no name, after all.
Everyone simply calls me The Bad Omen.
Any records of my real name must have been lost with District 7, along with any information about my family.
But years ago, when I first arrived, Meris called me Omen.
She heard other people calling me The Bad Omen, and she must not have even understood what the term ‘omen’ meant. Still, she started calling me Omen, and since I never protested, she never stopped.
Elina and Jharim followed suit after a while. They usually avoid calling me specifically by that name, but I heard them use it more than once. I guess they talked to Meris about me, and since she knew me as Omen, that must have been the easiest way to refer to me.
Of course, they did not see me as a Bad Omen. I know that. To this day, they avoid using the name. Since I have not spoken much with other people, I have never really needed a name until now.
“Ohoa,” I hear Meris’s voice. She pokes me in the face, and I realize I am daydreaming once again, as she calls it.
“Sorry about that. It is just that…” I say apologetically to the two in front of me, realizing I must have been staring at them again without speaking.
But I am interrupted when Tarin speaks up. “You are The Bad Omen, right? The one who walked through the fog all the way from District 7 by yourself, alone, at four years old. Walked, did not run, just walked all the way through the fog.”
“Shut up, he is not The Bad Omen, he is just Omen,” Meris blurts out, no longer shy.
They all look surprised at the small girl who was barely speaking moments ago, now confronting Tarin Blackthorn head-on.
“Omen, that is it? That is your name? Omen?” Tarin asks, setting aside the conflict for a moment.
Meris is fuming by my side. I silently thank her for defending me, though it is unnecessary. I am used to people calling me The Bad Omen.
“Yes, I am Omen,” I say clearly.
I suppose it does have a nice ring to it, and since everyone already calls me a bad omen, I may as well go with it.
“Omen, then. I did not know what to call you,” Tarin says with a hint of apology. “I must admit I looked into it before coming here and could not find any name other than your… well, title, I guess.”
“No need to apologize. Nice to meet you, Tarin.”
We shake hands, then do the same with both of the Highrows.
Cedric looks me over carefully, and Hana seems to regard me like some mythical creature, such as someone would when seeing a horse. Then she says, “Good to meet you. I heard a lot about you.”
“What? You heard the rumors?” I ask.
“Didn’t you walk through the fog, alive, all the way from District 7 to here?” Hana asks, looking confused.
“I guess so.”
“Then they are not just rumors,” she states.
She is correct, of course. That part is true. The notion that I am some harbinger of destruction, those are the rumors I dread.
I have finally come to the conclusion that I am not guilty of anything, but I also truly understand that people need something or someone to blame. It is simpler for them to blame the messenger.
“Great to have you guys here already, but I have to prepare a few things in the class before we start, so please wait here a while longer until the rest arrive,” Elina states, then proceeds to enter the library.
The library is not a huge building; it is more like an improvised library. It was once someone’s home in ancient times, but now it has become the library of District 98.
The district once had a real library, but that building had to be abandoned more than a thousand years ago, according to Elina, during one of the times the District Council decided to reduce the range of the ward to conserve power.
Many of the books were relocated, but most were lost over time through one accident or another. There have not been many librarians like Elina in the past, and most paper books deteriorate if not copied. When that happens, their knowledge is lost.
I cannot really blame the other librarians, because Elina herself barely receives slightly more than the allowance for an apprentice in another profession, and the work of copying books, both to sell and to preserve knowledge, is not considered “active work” by the district. They see it as merely an obligation of the librarian, but even that is only if she decides to do it. No one oversees Elina’s work to ensure it happens.
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Nonetheless, this library contains many books, and the knowledge we currently have has already been preserved for the next generation, since every book here has at least one copy, and some have multiple. Most of the books Elina copies these days are simply sold to neighboring districts or to individuals who want them.
After Elina goes inside, we mostly stand there quietly, not saying anything. Meris has stopped fuming, but the rest of us feel a bit uncomfortable with the silence. Only Hana seems unbothered as we wait.
It does not take long for the rest of the students to begin arriving.
A girl who seems a few years older than I am, yet clearly younger than Tarin, arrives first.
“Hey, I hope I’m not late. I haven’t been to this part of the district before and kind of got lost,” she says.
Tarin greets her. “No need to worry, we still have a few more minutes. We’re waiting for the rest to arrive.”
“Good, good. You must be Tarin, right?” she asks, though it is not really in question with his name written on his shirt. She is likely just being polite. “I am Lessa Rovind.”
“Yes, that’s me. Nice to meet you, Lessa,” he says and then introduces us as well.
From the familiarity Tarin shows with Hana and Cedric, it is clear they have known one another for quite a while, which is not strange, since the closest thing we have to a fighting force in District 98 are the Chainrunners and the city guards.
But regarding Lessa Rovind, Elina had already talked to me and Meris about each of the class’s selected students. Lessa is the daughter of the Head Merchant of the district, responsible for both internal and external trade with neighboring districts.
After Lessa arrives, a few more people come in. This time, I feel more comfortable around them, since their mannerisms and clothes resemble ours. These individuals were chosen for this class because they are considered “promising” by the district.
They share Meris’s feelings about the trio that arrived earlier, even though none of those three are actively trying to intimidate anyone.
Fortunately, it does not take long for Elina to call us in. The class is not all that different from her usual lessons.
However, I keep feeling eyes on the back of my neck. Tarin watches me throughout the entire class, observing me more than the lesson itself. It feels strange having the son, and the only son at that, of one of the district’s most powerful figures focusing on me so intently. Still, it is not too difficult to ignore.
In this first class, we talk about the district’s history and how things have changed.
“Before we proceed with the history of the district,” Elina begins, “I think it’s necessary to ensure you all know about the objectives and reasons for the existence of the Chainrunners. Luckily for us, we have someone here who has extensive knowledge on the subject.” She looks at Tarin.
Elina then continues with her questioning. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to put you on the spot if you’re uncomfortable, but we do need to discuss the Chainrunners. Can anyone here tell me the purpose of the Chainrunners?”
Lessa raises her hand and, after Elina acknowledges her, speaks up. “They’re the ones who travel between districts without the ward’s protection, right? They were created to make trade possible between districts.”
Elina appears pleased with her response, but then she looks at Tarin, clearly waiting for him to add to or correct what Lessa said. He shrugs and explains, “Initially, it wasn’t just about trade. It was a distribution system among the districts, because each one specializes in certain types of production, thanks to artifacts or unique skills, and sometimes specific facilities.”
Elina looks satisfied. She continues, “Very well, the Chainrunners objective is indeed to enable the movement of goods and sometimes even people among districts.”
Tarin does not look entirely content with his own explanation, even though Elina seems to be. It is obvious in his expression, so he decides to speak up again. “However, that’s not why the Chainrunners were originally formed. The Chainrunners were created to explore the land, the city beyond the ward, to uncover its mysteries, to find artifacts, and ultimately to discover a way to rid us of the fog.”
His explanation is fascinating, and I can tell it even surprises Elina. For the first time, it seems like someone is teaching her something new.
There are a few murmurs among the students, and then Hana speaks. “Sorry, Tarin, but isn’t that just the old legend about the Chainrunners?”
Tarin appears genuinely upset by her remark. “It’s not just a legend; it’s the real reason. Even though we haven’t accomplished much in that area, it was why the Chainrunners were created. We are explorers, not just a group meant to facilitate trade.”
He speaks these words with a bit of sorrow. What also interests me is how he keeps referring to the Chainrunners as “we.”
Most Chainrunners, as I understand it, are criminals paying off their sentences. Only a few choose to become Chainrunners of their own free will. Given Tarin’s background, though, it is not surprising if his mother has been training him to succeed her.
Elina then goes on. “That’s a good point, Tarin. Indeed, the Chainrunners have noble objectives, but the beasts of the fog don’t care. They attack anything that steps beyond the ward.”
“Can’t we just hide?” I ask before I can stop myself, and I immediately regret joining in the discussion.
Everyone stares at me, and if Tarin’s eyes could start a fire, I imagine I’d be burning. But he remains quiet.
“It’s not possible to hide in the fog,” Elina says, looking at me uncertainly. “The monsters might hide there, but we cannot. They know the instant someone enters the fog, and they’ll attack anyone who goes in.”
“But can’t we sneak past them? Maybe create a distraction while sending another team in a different direction,” I suggest.
Tarin answers this time. “Many attempts have been made, different tactics were tried. But no, it’s simply impossible to sneak past the monsters in the fog. The fog itself must warn them in some way. Everything the fog touches, the monsters know about. There are no successful distractions, because the fog always seems aware of any plan we might come up with. There’s a reason we’re called Chainrunners: we fight and run. Hiding is never an option.”
That statement makes me reconsider my actions the other night by the fog, when I left my entire left arm in it for half an hour. I could feel the fog noticing my presence, yet nothing happened.
Meris speaks now, her earlier shyness surfacing once more. “Can... can’t we kill all the monsters in the fog?”
Tarin fixes his gaze on her. “It’s not possible. They’re endless. We can only kill the ones in our path, and do it quickly, before more show up. That’s why we need to move to the closest districts, so we have time to disperse the monsters and, of course, to wait for our artifacts to recharge.”
He pauses for a moment, choosing his words carefully, then continues. “Also, killing them is difficult. Most monsters near a district’s ward can be slain by a properly trained team, but even one beast requires multiple trained fighters, and a single mistake can cost lives. Above all, timing is everything. If the run takes too long, the number of monsters only increases. Some creatures in the fog are simply unkillable, and if we draw their attention, that’s the end.”
At this point, the lesson shifts as Tarin takes over explaining how the Chainrunners operate.
It seems there are many different types of creatures in the fog, and the Chainrunners are mostly familiar with those that usually stay near the wards. As Tarin says, timing is the most valuable resource they have, because they need to fight defensively while never stopping their run, since monsters keep gathering the longer you stay outside a ward.
They also worry about attracting unwanted attention. Elina describes records, both from our time and from long ago, telling of numerous creatures with supernatural speed and strength that wiped out nearly entire squads of Chainrunners.
That sort of thing happens when a run takes too long. Perhaps the fog itself sends something fiercer. That is also what occurred when I first arrived, most of the Chainrunners were wiped out by just a single monster in a long run.
The distance between the wards of neighboring districts is only a few kilometers, and the Chainrunners travel in a line from one district to the next.
Last month, the Chainrunners had a run to District 95. First, they went to District 97, stayed there for the day, then moved on the following day to District 96, and finally to District 95. They returned along the same path, trying to spend as little time as possible in the fog, letting the monsters disperse before heading out again and also allowing the artifacts time to recharge.
There are many kinds of artifacts found beyond the wards. Some have magical properties and take time to recharge, some a few minutes, some an hour, and some even days.
Tarin’s mother, the Captain of the Chainrunners, possesses one such artifact, a type of bow. Elina showed us a painting of it. It is called the Runic Bow of Dawnbreak, or simply Dawnbreak Bow, and it is a fascinating magical item.
It is sleek and recurved, made of some unknown metal alloy fused with pale, opalescent crystals. Intricate runes line the bow’s limbs, giving off a faint glow in the dark. The grip is wrapped in worn leather, and the bow is only slightly taller than a typical shortbow, supposedly lighter than it looks.
While the bow is a work of art on its own, it also possesses powerful magical functions. It is well-known in other districts, mostly because it does not use ordinary arrows but conjures its own energy projectiles whenever the string is pulled back.
It is said to be excellent for penetrating thick-skinned monsters and can be fired a great distance without the kind of drop-off normal arrows have.
However, that is not what truly made the bow famous. It is an ability known as the Arrow of Pure Light. A powerful shot of that arrow can pierce multiple enemies, pass through walls, and more. Yet it is mainly used for its ability to shine brightly.
When fired into the sky, it pierces the dense fog with brilliant radiance, dispersing the monsters around the Chainrunners, most times that is enough to turn a failed run into a successful one. It takes time for the monsters to regroup, which can give the Chainrunners a chance to reach the next district’s ward.
Still, that arrow is only used in emergencies, since it can also attract dangerous attention within the fog and also because it takes an entire day to recharge.
A few days after I arrived, the Chainrunner captains from neighboring districts got together and formed a mission of all veterans, aiming to find the nearest district in the line after district 100 that was not destroyed.
At that time, they were already suspicious about District 7 because of my arrival, but they only managed to confirm that a few other districts were gone. After all, it is a long way to District 7, even if you start from District 100.
Tarin’s mother was among them, and one of the few who made it back.
They gathered at District 100 and traveled through the chain of districts without any cargo, running nonstop and minimizing combat. It was a courageous gamble, because there was simply no turning back, they would only survive if they found something on the other side.
And they did, at District 11.
Despite suffering terrible losses, they managed to return to District 100. Unfortunately, most of the veterans and many artifacts were lost in that expedition.
District 11 happens to be another food producer, but the surviving Chainrunners have been so diminished that, to this day, they have not recovered. They mostly deal with criminals as Chainrunners now, and they possess very few artifacts, mostly in the hands of their captains.
Hence, runs to District 11 are impossible, even though it remains a major source of food. They do not just have an artifact for cultivation, they also have a facility that improves food production.
Transporting enough food for entire districts, however, would require a wagon carried by man. Perhaps those creatures from the tales, the horses, if they truly exist could carry such cargo fast enough. But man-carried wagon slow the run too much and demand too much protection as well.
Before my arrival, travel to food-producing districts was done between neighboring wards, but now so many districts in the line have been destroyed that we are cut off from the main route. Our only neighboring districts are 100, 99, 98, 96, and 95 and none produce food or any goods that require a wagon.
In fact, the only items really worth trading are so few that very few runs are done nowadays. That is mostly why Jharim is most of the time out of commission; he is specialized in weapons and equipment for the Chainrunners. Without them, there are more capable blacksmiths for other necessities of the district.
During that class, we covered much of what I already knew, but there were many new hints about the story of the district and the fog that I found fascinating. However, it was hard for me to focus as people kept glancing at me whenever they mentioned the day I arrived.