Chapter 136

Riley was awake but disturbed. Curled into a ball, she tried to shut out the noise in her mind as Tobias drew up beside her, going down on one knee.

The prompt floating in front of her vision existed almost like a taunt.

You have defeated Greater Demonic Mimic. You have been afflicted with the debuff "Psychic Trauma."

The idea that the prompts were coming and going on their own regardless of their urgency was proof enough that her normal control and fortitude were shot.

Within, she was tossed on the waves of her soul, pitching and rolling with the waves of emotions as Tobias pulled her into his arms.

"It's okay; I've got you," he soothed, cradling her to his chest. He looked back towards the inn and then forward towards the marketplace.

Burning stalls were still smoking, their piles reduced to ash, but all the people had thankfully run away. Only the remains of the torn-in-half dead guard littered the ground, sparing the group any further horror.

"Is she alright?" Caedmon asked, drawing up beside the two, setting his hand on Tobias' shoulder in support, while his other held his weapon.

"A shaft of light monster? And what was with the hawk? I've never seen a shaft of light monster before," Eastmund stared up at the sky as if the answers were about to fall on him from the clouds.

"Nor I. These last few years keep finding ways of becoming more strange," Caedmon set his hands on his hips, scanning around warily.

"Who am I even? I feel like I just killed my parents, but I can't even remember my parents beyond shadows… They appeared as shadows," Riley asked, talking to no one, her words ringing like phonetic nonsense within her mind.

"You're my partner, Riley, in the magic and in this mess, and you just did a very hard thing," Tobias soothed.

Inwardly, he had felt it all—the assault, the longing, and the despair. He knew better than anyone else, save for Riley, what she had just gone through, and in his mind, she shone all the brighter for it.

"Excuse me, but what in the name of the dead gods is going on?" Eastmund pressed.

Tobias looked up sternly but not enraged. "That monster…"

"Mimic," Riley groaned, interrupting. "Not the treasure chest with teeth kind, something worse."

She shivered, pressing up against him, trying to shut out the world in response to the hell burning in her inner world.

"It used the form of her dead parents, beckoned for her to join them, and used their memory like a weapon," Tobias finished.

"Uh, Mimics haven't been seen in Calaria since the Ashen Wars," Eastmund said, sounding more like an academic than a soldier.

"I know," Tobias agreed, looking up towards his fellow ranger, "and that just keeps coming up. One after another, we've encountered fae-blinded mortals, ancient monsters, and lurking plots. It's all beginning to add up to something bigger than a collection of murders."

"But the Fae weren't vampires; that's a whole other mess, also gone, thank the Gods. All my victims have been desiccated and drained," Eastmund countered.

"But vampires do just that. They feed on the life of a victim, and the fae keep popping up. The past isn't staying dead like it's supposed to," Tobias countered, with a look of deep worry on his face, as a small unit of Dwarven guards in full armor charged in.

"Alright, Humans! Up with your hands, and open with yer tongues. Do you mind explaining this mess?" said their leader, carrying a crossbow.

In response, Caedmon and Eastmund drew to either side of Tobias, each taking a defensive stance while he protected Riley in his arms.

Not setting her down, he drew to his full height.

"Some kind of monster ambushed us. Sigrid and I are sorcerers on business for the Valenheim Academy. We were meant to meet with Eastmund here, who was to serve as our protection, when the sky went red, and people started screaming," Tobias answered, keeping to their cover.

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The captain's eyes glanced over to the torn-in-two dwarf, the edges of either end still slowly melting into the black twin pools that spread around both pieces. "And I suppose that's what happened to Pickvic?"

"He died a hero, running towards the marketplace trying to assess the danger. His loss gave us time to respond," Eastmund added.

"And how am I to know you weren't the cause of it?" The smaller dwarf drew up towards Tobias, who was cradling Riley.

"I'm a fire mage, Sigrid is of lightning, and Eastmund here is a geomancer. We'll gladly hold our power to demonstrate. None of us have the right magic to conjure beings like that, nor did we have time to conduct a ritual. Sigrid and I just arrived off the dragon," Tobias argued, looking towards Caedmon.

"He's right. We weren't here for half an hour. Ask anyone," Caedmon affirmed, holding up his hands.

"Which just leaves you, Ranger boy, what have you to say for yourself?"

The captain, with his long red beard contrasting against his black plate armor, switched his focus.

"By all means, check with the tavern keeper. I've been there since lunch and etched nary a symbol upon the bar top. Though he may complain about the amount of nuts I've eaten. I rather like the variety you have here," he smiled congenially.

The captain's eyes shifted to the left and the right again before falling on Riley.

"Rest assured, we'll check, and if any of this comes up smelling rotten..." The captain began...

"With all due respect, sir, these two gentlemen were fresh off the dragon and were assaulted in your capital city. I've already provided an alibi and have no reputation for causing trouble. It's a rather poor look for a kingdom that prides itself on hospitality," Eastmund offered.

The dwarf narrowed his eyes, "You're all staying at the Dancing Kraus, I assume?

"Aye that we are, due out on the morning dragon, two days to home," Caedmon affirmed.

"You'll remain confined there and will be escorted in the morning. Should we find any reason to doubt you, we will hold you, so don't go getting any ideas about sneaking off in the night. That would anger me, boys, and you do not want to see me angry," the guard captain puffed up, then looked towards Riley again.

"Was your companion injured in the fight, lad?" he asked, for the first time showing concern.

"It was some kind of psychic assault. She'll be fine; she just needs to rest," Tobias answered. As if on cue, Riley, strangely silent while she dealt with her own internal hurricane, worked up the strength to whimper pathetically.

"Something strange is afoot. That's for certain," the captain looked towards Pickvic's body, then back towards the Rangers.

"And your name, Sir?" Tobias asked.

"Guard Captain Bomberdel, at your service. Dirk, Tomagan, you will post yourself at the Dancing Kraus and see our guests are protected," Bomberdel barked without so much as turning.

Two of his men stiffened and fell to rigid attention. "Sir, yes, Sir."

"That's hardly necessary," Tobias answered.

"I didn't catch your name either, boy," Bomberdel's eyes narrowed as he took a deep breath, "And I'll decide what is necessary."

His friendly demeanor vanished like the sunlight falling behind a winter cold front.

"It's Ericsson of the Valehnheim Academy. Please check with the Embassy to verify our credentials," Tobias replied.

"And you're certain you're sorcerers, not Rangers like this one?" Bomberdel turned the conversation like a knife as his eyes fell on the black sword Caedmon was still carrying, then Tobias' tattered robes, showing the jerkin underneath.

"I, uh, happened to be carrying two," Eastmund replied awkwardly.

"It seems this day is full of luck, good and bad," Bomberdel grinned knowingly, narrowing his eyes.

"Lucky more, you each had the sense to use it. To your quarters, and cause me no more trouble!" He ordered, pointing behind him towards the Dancing Kraus.