Tala, Lyn, Kannis, and Rane all stood, looking down on Alefast for a few long minutes, the two travelers taking in all their surroundings including the edifice of the mountains a good ways behind them.

-You know, we never examined our voidsight.-

I know, but something tells me I already have all the pieces, I just need to recognize them. Also, I didn’t particularly want to fall out of the sky while carrying Lyn and Kannis.

-Yeah, that wouldn’t be the greatest impression… Also, please don’t add anything to my sensory load at the moment… Please?-

Tala had made the remaining bloodstars that she needed to fill out a set of eight for each starward and stoneward of herself, and Alat was struggling mightily to process the flood of perspectives as they came in. It was a mess of sensory experiences, but the alternate interface was at the very least keeping it from harming Tala’s usual interactions with those around her.

-I really need to codify this somehow, but I don’t know that I have the capability…- Alat seemed to take a moment to consider, loosening her concentration enough that Tala was slapped, mentally, with the knowledge of what the entirety of a nearby tree looked like, root to twig, deepest core to bark and last-lingering-leaves. -Can I collaborate with Mistress Holly? She’s already poring through our inscriptions.-

Yes, of course. Thank you for asking, but you don’t need to ask further. Please do what you need to.

-Thank you.- As Alat refocused, Tala’s own perception was no longer clouded with unnecessary knowledge of the world around her.

As Tala was able to return her attention to her companions, she noticed that Lyn and Kannis were asking Rane about growing up in the city and the area in general, seemingly having had enough of just looking around.

They were a bit away from the pass, so Tala made a suggestion, “Do you want to walk the rest of the way? We should be able to reach the northern gate before full dark.”

After a moment’s hesitation, Lyn nodded. “I think that could be fun. I even have my walking shoes on; we both do.”

True enough, both Kannis and Lyn had something closer to hunters' boots on their feet, rather than the sandals that they both preferred in more civilized terrain or warmer weather.

Rane grinned broadly. “Great! Then let’s get started.”

Thus, the five, including Terry, began the trek down to Alefast, weaving around the various groves and dells, keeping to the cleared areas as much as possible.

There were only a few arcanous creatures that dared approach, and Terry dealt with those before the Fused and mageling even realized there were threats.

Tala was sure to toss some jerky Terry’s way in thanks, even though the avian also ate each of his kills.

Regardless, Terry seemed to appreciate the gesture, coming to ride on Tala’s shoulder for the first time that day between various interceptions.

“Good to have you with me, Terry.”

He headbutted her cheek and trilled happily in reply.

The trek into the city was quite uneventful, all things considered, but Lyn and Kannis were both quite worn out when they were finally on the last stretch toward the gates.

There was visible relief in the stance, stride, and expressions of the two women. They weren’t struggling, per se, but it had definitely been a longer walk than they were used to, over rougher terrain.

The gates were standing open and the four walked in without hesitation.

As they did so, Tala leaned over toward Lyn and Kannis. “Don’t panic if the portcullises are dropped.”

The two looked at her in alarm, even as they reached the center of the tunnel through the gatehouse.

Instead of the iron grates dropping before and behind, fields of magic flashed into being blocking the two ways out of the thoroughfare into the city.

“Oh!” Tala looked around with interest. “This is new.”

A voice called down from above. “Who goes there?”

Rane was the one to respond. “Rane Gredial with Mistress Tala, Mistress Lyn, and her mageling Kannis, newly arrived from Bandfast.”

“Where is the rest of your caravan?”

“We had no caravan. We crossed the distance alone.”

There were a few moments of stunned silence. Tala looked upward, trying to determine what was causing the delay.

In that moment, another guard up above leaned over to look down before pulling back and slapping his companion on the shoulder and whispering. “That is Mistress Tala, I won an entire gold off her fight with the cyclops back in early summer. I knew she looked like a quick closer. She’s one of the defenders, here. And didn’t you hear that other one’s name? Gredial.”

The first guard stepped back from the slit he was looking down through, grimacing. After a moment, he nodded, coming back to look down. “Very well, good Master and Mistresses. Welcome to Alefast.”

The other one leaned over and added his own greeting on top. “Welcome back, to those of you who are returning.”

The magical defenses dropped, and the four strode the rest of the way into the city.

As she passed a threshold, Tala had a feeling like the ground falling away below her and realized that it was the translation of her magesight’s perception of the Stone that was now below her.

Additionally, she realized that she had seen much more than she should have been able to while in the gatehouse. She had even easily been able to tell what the guards were doing behind magically reinforced and enhanced stone.

Alat’s panting voice came into Tala’s mind. -You know, it is really hard to keep these senses from you when you focus on part of them.-

Tala hesitated for only an instant. It can’t be that hard if you have enough energy to fake panting.

Alat hesitated for only an instant before sending a mental snort. -Fine, but I wasn’t lying. I quite literally couldn’t keep the perspective from you, and they just sort of… clicked into place, allowing you to see what was important to you. It reduced the burden on me enough that I was able to keep everything else away.-

Huh… so, when I narrow my focus…

-You can process the increased volume of perceptual information in that narrowed area.-

Good to know.

-But it doesn’t last… enjoy your time… get me back to Mistress Holly, soon. Please.- Alat’s voice faded as genuine strain seemed to reenter the alternate interface’s projected voice.

“Well, that was intense.” Lyn’s words pulled Tala out of her own head.

“Hmm? Oh, yeah. They’re just being careful. Some magical creatures can do odd things, and some can even look like groups of people or caravan wagons.”

“That’s…” Lyn seemed to have started speaking without knowing what she was going to say, and now, she found herself at a loss.

Kannis filled in for her master, “Unexpected? Concerning? Terrifying?”

Lyn nodded. “Just a bit.”

Tala chuckled even as she shrugged. “Well, we’re within the city, so it’s fine.”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

“Uh huh.” The woman seemed a bit skeptical. “Syphons? Spi—"

“Regardless!” Tala moved on quickly, speaking over Lyn before she could build up steam, “let’s get us some food. There’s an observation establishment less than a block from here. There doesn’t seem to be an attack under way, but they should have more recent highlights, good food, and it won’t be too disruptive if we just want to chat.”

Rane nodded, then added, “Or, if you prefer, we could go to my family’s house for dinner. If the family is eating, we can join, or if we’re too early or too late, it won’t be hard to get what we need to enjoy the time. Either during the meal or around it, we can even review some of the clashes. Master Grediv ensures that we have access to unedited records of all the clashes from every waning on record. There are far too many to actually go through, but he’s prone to highlight some based on the capabilities of his guests. I think there are some built around word-Mages. You both fall into that category, yes?”

The master and mageling shared a look, and it was Lyn who spoke, “Yes, we do… I wasn’t aware that there had been defenders within our sub-focus of magic.”

Rane answered the implied question, “Likely not recently, if that’s your understanding, but ‘all those on record’ covers a broad scope.”

Lyn glanced to Tala, and Tala just grinned. “That sounds fascinating. Rane, why haven’t you mentioned this before?”

He shrugged. “It never came up. If we eat together, it’s usually on the way to something else.”

“Huh. Well, we’ll have to fix that.”

She turned and started walking toward the Gredial estate, but she couldn’t help but catch Rane’s blossoming smile in the kaleidoscope of expanded perceptions, even as he followed along with Lyn and Kannis.

I suppose I was focused on him at that moment. She shrugged internally, otherwise dismissing the flash of visual insight.

Regardless, she felt her own lips stretch with a bit of a smile in response, before she looked toward Lyn to begin telling their guests about the city.

As they walked and she pointed out some highlights, Rane filled in the details as he had more knowledge of the day-to-day features of the city.

They discussed hunting down some artifacts for the two the following day, along with some basic plans for the rest of their time in the city.

Sadly, Lyn and Kannis were only planning on staying for a few days before they needed to be back in Bandfast. Apparently, it was hard to get away from work, given Lyn’s position, and only Tala’s promise of a quick trip each way had made the idea feasible at all.

Even with the short timeline hanging over their heads, they had decided to make the most of it, arriving at the estate in high spirits.

The guards at the gate let them in with deep bows toward Rane.

“Master Rane, welcome home.”

Rane thanked the two by name, and asked after who was in residence at the moment.

“Your mother, eldest sister, and aunt are in for the evening. You will have to speak to the head of the household for more than that, I’m afraid.”

“That is more than sufficient. Thank you, again.”

“Of course, Master Rane.”

Without further delay, the four moved into the expansive gardens that were maintained inside the compound’s walls.

Kannis and Lyn looked around in amazement.

Tala grinned. “It’s exactly like I said, right? Didn’t I tell you? These statues are amazing.”—She looked around with a smile—“Rane says he’s always been interested in sculpting. I actually got him some stone for his birthday, but I’m not sure if he’s done anything with it, yet.” She glanced toward her friend. “Am I ever going to see one of your sculptures?”

Rane was coloring a bright red, not meeting her gaze.

“Rane?”

Lyn cleared her throat. “Tala, dear.”

Tala turned toward Lyn with a frown. “What?”

“I think, based on context clues, that these”—Lyn gestured at the statues all around them—“are examples of his work.”

Tala stopped midstep, looking back to Rane. “Really?”

Rane gave a small nod.

“Oh… why didn’t you say anything? I’ve always said how much I like them.”

He shrugged. “You never asked.”

Tala stood there, flabbergasted for a long moment. Finally, she shook her head. “I suppose I never did.”

He shrugged again, clearly feeling a bit awkward. “Come on. Let’s keep going.”

Tala followed the other three in a bit of a daze.

Terry pulled her out of it, when he flickered to hang from her belt beside Kit, letting out a little squawk.

She looked down and frowned. “You haven’t done that before.”

She opened Kit, and Terry flickered inside.

“What was that about?”

-No idea, but I can confirm that Terry doesn’t use the magic dimension for teleportation.-

And we didn’t see anything odd around him earlier, so his size changing isn’t utilizing that, either…

-So it would seem.-

But… how did I not know that Rane is this good of a sculptor? Did you know that?

-I’m… I’m a little busy, Tala.-

Right! Right. Sorry.

Tala found herself staring at each statue as they passed them by, only half listening to Lyn and Kannis raving about the same works. In fact, the two insisted that Rane lead them around the perimeter of the estate before they went to the house.

So, around they went.

These are really fantastic.

Tala paused to look a bit closer at a sculpture of a wolf that had been tucked into an alcove against the wall. In fact, as she looked, she realized that the ground had been dug down in stairsteps, leading to the base of the statue to allow for it to keep below the nearly twenty-foot walls behind it.

The creature was massive, and there was an odd weight to it, as if she could feel its gaze upon her.

She felt herself shudder.

At the back of her mind, she sensed the memory of an aura impression swirl through her awareness, and she instantly knew that the memory was of the wolf that they had seen so recently.

Somehow, in stone, the wolf before her was more than that enormous canine had been.

There were muscles beneath the beast’s skin that stood out in stark relief, seeming almost to shift as she watched.

Tala felt like she could see each individual hair on its pelt.

The eyes seemed to be staring into her very soul.

Anatalis.

Tala knew that this statue was meant to depict the wolf of the north.

The canine maw seemed to stretch into a knowing smile.

“Tala?” Lyn’s hand on Tala’s arm jarred Tala from her thoughts.

“What?” Tala jerked, looking to her friend.

“Are you alright?”

“Yeah, that statue is…” As Tala turned back, she saw the same statue of a wolf, but it was less than it had seemed. It was incredibly lifelike, but it was no longer dripping with the weight of a beast-god. “I… I’m sorry, I was caught up in my own thoughts.”

“Well, come on. Master Rane was just telling us how he manages to make such works of art.”

He shrugged in response, seemingly picking up where he’d left off. “As I said, it’s much easier to put what I imagine into stone when I can properly conceive of what I’m aiming for. It’s become easier and easier as the pre…”—he hesitated, glancing toward Kannis before continuing—“as my physical enhancement scripts have matured. I honestly think that much of my original capacity was facilitated by my mental, perceptual, and kinesthetic enhancement magics. It’s likely that I don’t have much talent, just ability granted by my magic. Anyone could do this with some time and practice.”

Lyn scoffed. “Master Rane. That’s ridiculous. These are amazing.”

“These are clinical. They are precise.” He smiled wanly. “I sculpt what I see and imagine, but I’m not good at conveying more than is seen.”

Tala glanced back toward Anatalis.

Rane seemed to notice the glance, and he smiled. “Ahh, yes. That one… that one I am proud of. When I was finishing it, I really felt connected to my emotions. I think the joy I was feeling, the contentment, flowed through and allowed me to convey a predator more fully than others that I’ve sculpted.”

Kannis laughed. “How are those related?”

“Well, the joy of the hunt. The contentment of a meal secured for those depending on you. Conversely, the joy and contentment shattered in the prey.”—he hesitated, scratching his cheek in sudden awkwardness—“It made sense to me at the time.”

“I like it.” Tala hadn’t spoken loudly, and she was almost as surprised as the others that she’d said anything. Regardless, she decided to press on. “I do. I think it evokes the sense of more that was in the wolf we saw on the way to Bandfast.”

That sparked a series of questions from Lyn and Kannis as the four finally made their way to the main house.

Lyn and Kannis were asking Rane if they could step through a bath before the meal, given their recent trek through the wilderness, and Rane was promising to ask for baths to be drawn for the women while their meal was prepared.

His eyes kept flicking to Tala, even as he addressed their friends, but Tala didn’t mind. She knew she was acting oddly.

Part of it was how much of her mind was being used by Alat to tame the myriad perspectives she was mirroring, but part of it was something else.

Tala found herself glancing over her shoulder, back at the statue of Anatalis, and despite knowing it wasn’t true, she couldn’t help but feel that it was watching her go.

We’re going to have to explore the northern forest at some point, aren’t we.

She knew that the leshkin to the south were enemies. The wolves to the north were at least neutral to mankind.

I wonder what I could learn from such ancient beings.

“Tala, are you going to be alright while we get cleaned up?”

Tala jerked her head up, meeting Lyn’s eyes. “Oh! Yeah. Do what you need to.”

She smiled even as a servant led each of her visiting friends away.

Rane was already talking to a third servant about having a meal prepared for the four of them, but still, he was glancing her way, concern evident in his gaze.

Yeah… we need to get back to Mistress Holly to get this fixed.

-Indeed.-