Hadespera
The 21st of Mounichion
The Year 4631 in the Era of Mortals
Arche woke the next day feeling better. His Health was back to full and he was no longer in constant pain. To his dismay, his eyes still didn’t work, seemingly beyond his body’s ability to naturally heal, at least for the moment. Odelia had been kind enough to change his head bandage, swapping the bloodstained gauze that had wrapped his eyes for a darker fabric that would draw less attention. He had asked her what his eyes looked like, but she refused to answer, stating that it would do him no good. Suffice it to say he still had eyes, even if they didn’t work.
Lyssa and Tess had been kind enough to prepare him a bag for the journey ahead, filled with food and camping supplies. Arche strapped the Revenant Rib Kopis to his belt, running a finger down the bone. He hadn’t forgotten the threat Aima posed, but there was nothing he could do to stop her in his current state. Lastly, he took the Tridory in hand. Lyssa brought him covers that fit over the head and sauroter of the spear, disguising it into a staff. It would allow him to smuggle the spear into the city, as openly brandishing weapons would get the guard involved but no one would begrudge a blind man his walking stick.
Arche leaned against it, both hands gripping the metallic surface. His status page may have said he was fine, minus the Mana Scars, but he still felt weak. With his bag slung across his back, his clothes decidedly on, and his weight supported by the Tridory, Arche stepped out of the village hall and into the outdoors.
“Glad to see you out and about.”
“Wish I could say the same, Tess.” Arche smirked.
Her sharp intake of breath cut the space between them.
“Sorry, I didn’t—”
“Forget about it. It’s gonna happen. I keep doing the same thing.”
“If you say so. Are you ready?”
“Yeah, I can go a couple hours before I’ll get hungry.”
Tess took his left hand and placed it around her arm, leading him away from the village hall.
“I meant to visit you yesterday. I’m sorry I didn’t, I just…” she trailed off.
“It’s fine. I understand,” Arche said. “I had a similar experience down in the Vivitorium. It’s not exactly the same, but I think I get it.”
“Regardless, I’m glad you’re feeling better.”
“Nothing like a bit of rest and relaxation to bounce back from having your entire body crushed by a three-ton wall. I hope you didn’t like me ‘cause I was pretty.”
“You’re still pretty. Pretty insane, pretty foolish, and pretty durable. I think most people are amazed you survived.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You did survive, right?”
“Yeah, for better or worse.”
“I’m glad for that, for what it’s worth. I don’t think it’s wise to test Death. It’s…intense.”
“It is that. I think I garnered some goodwill with them, though. Not sure how far it’ll take me, but I’ll take all the allies I can get. Especially in the face of what’s coming.”
Tess didn’t respond. Her thoughts were, no doubt, consumed by the same topic as Arche’s. Ares—blood, hate, and conflict incarnate—relished a war Arche had promised. He could feel deep in his soul that Ares would hold him to that end. If Arche didn’t bring a war to Ares, Ares would bring a war to Arche.
“Who else is coming with us?” he asked; anything to change the subject.
“Helwan, Basil, Cora, and Efterpi.”
Arche frowned.
“Efterpi?”
“One of the hunters. Strange woman, keeps to herself, but she expressed an interest in joining your team.”
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“Do you know her profession?”
“No. She refused to say. Doesn’t talk much in general, actually.”
“Hm, probably best to keep an eye on her, then.” He grimaced. “Cora, too, for that matter.”
“Cora? Why?”
“Other than that she’s blatantly antagonistic, I don’t like how she handled the confrontation with Dawnwood. She’s overly compliant if the orders come from elves. It makes me concerned about her loyalties.”
“I’ll admit she did seem overeager to impress them.”
“She overstepped her place and shared more information than necessary with a hostile force. One that, for the record, regards her as an abomination. She’s a competent fighter and good woodswoman, but she’s lost almost all of my trust.”
“I’ll remove her from the trip, then.”
“No,” he replied. “She wants to join my team, I want to watch her more closely. I need to know if she is actually intent on serving Myriatos, or if she is only here to further her own objectives. Having her accompany us gives us further opportunity to observe.”
“And if her loyalty is corrupted? You’re in no state to defend yourself. That’s Vik’s job, anyway.”
“Perhaps, but as my candidate, she’s my responsibility. I doubt it will come to violence. Besides, that’s why I have you.”
“Is it, now? And here I thought this was my trip and that you were accompanying me.”
Arche smiled, hoping she was looking at him.
“I am afraid that the only adversaries I can battle now are bad dreams.”
“Hm,” Tess grunted, her tone growing somber. “Would that that were true.”
Arche frowned.
“Are you no—”
“Tess! Arche! Over here!”
The words died on his tongue as a new voice yelled out to them. Tess pivoted direction, giving Arche a pit in his stomach as he tried to reorient himself, holding onto her arm for support. A couple dozen steps later, they came to a stop. Tentatively, Arche reached out with his mind. He found the familiar sense of Helwan, Basil, and Cora, along with another mind he didn’t immediately recognize. For a moment, he considered trying to pry deeper, but he quickly shut that thought down and retracted his awareness behind his walls.
A hand clasped his shoulder.
“I knew you’d be up and about quickly. ‘Nothing keeps Arche down for long,’ I said!” Basil’s smile was evident in his voice.
“I’m just glad no one else was injured. I’m also glad you’re joining us, Basil.” Arche offered a smile, trying to ignore the twinge of pain in his legs. “And the rest of you? Mind making introductions to a poor, blind man?”
Tess’s elbow poked into his side and he stifled a surprised cry with a cough.
“I’m going as well,” Helwan said. “Also, Cora, who you know, and the newest member of our group is Miss Efterpi.”
“Efterpi,” Arche repeated, plastering the smile on again. “A pleasure. I don’t believe we’ve met.”
“We have not.” The reply was cool and calm, but laced with something else entirely.
Arche felt at a loss as to how to describe it, but he couldn’t shake the feeling of something other. At the least, the woman was not human, which wasn’t necessarily a surprise or an indication of anything untoward. Arche tried to Examine her, but nothing happened. The skill relied on sight; without that, it was inaccessible.
“Would you be so kind as to give me an idea of your skillset? Should trouble happen along the road, it would be good to know everyone’s capabilities.”
It wasn’t the subtlest of approaches, but he was used to striking at the heart of things.
“I have magical affinities, Lord Arche. The precise natures of which I am not comfortable discussing here. I will not slow you down if this ‘trouble’ should happen.”
A magic hunter. That was interesting.
“Very well, I suppose I can’t begrudge you that. And I’m not a lord.”
“If you insist.”
Arche tried not to let his face twist into a frown. Something about the way she talked threw him off. It made his brain itch.
“Right. Anyway, are we ready to be off?”
“Yes!” Helwan said. “It’s a long journey ahead of us. We should make use of the daylight while we have it.”
“Very well,” Arche said, before adding quietly, “all the same to me.”
This earned him another elbow to the ribs from Tess.
“Oh, I almost forgot. Do any of you have cartography experience?”
It was quiet for a moment, then Efterpi spoke up.
“I have some skill, yes.”
“Great. While we travel, can you mark our path? Lyssa asked me to do it, but that was before my injury. Think you’re up to the task?”
“I will do what I can.”
Not exactly blown away by the confidence, Arche accessed his inventory and retrieved a large slip of parchment, along with a long stick of charcoal.
“Take this, then.”
Efterpi took the items from him so carefully that Arche couldn’t feel her hands against his. Whoever she was, she was clearly disinclined to touching people.
“Say any last goodbyes and check your equipment, everyone. We’ll be gone for up to three months. This might be a very different place when we return.”